《Master Odell’s Secret Ex-wife》


 Chapter 1

    "Congrattions, Mrs. Carter, you¡¯re having a pair of twins.¡± The gynecologist handed the ultrasound


    report to Sylvia.


    Sylvia took the sheet with trembling hands.


    Twins!


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell must be ecstatic to hear of this piece of news.


    Sylvia thanked the gynecologist earnestly before leaving the hospital with her copy of the report.


    She entered the car.


    The driver promptly asked, ¡°Madam, would you like to head home?¡±


    With a flick of her hand, Sylvia instructed, ¡°Take me to Victoria Lake Vi.¡±


    The driver hesitated. ¡°Are you sure, madam? That¡¯s where¡ª¡°


    Sylvia cut him off and said with a steely gaze in her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    The driver sighed silently and began to steer the car toward the direction of Victoria Lake Vi which was


    located southwest of Westchester City.


    Victoria Lake Vi was an extremely upper-ss residence area developed in recent years in


    Westchester City. There were only ten sparse vis in themunity, one of which was owned by the


    Carters. However, thedy of the house was not Sylvia Carter, the missus of Odell Carter, but his one


    true muse, Tara Avery.


    Half an hourter, the vehicle came to a halt.


    Sylvia took a deep breath and strode into the house with the ultrasound report.


    Unsurprisingly, she chanced upon Tara as soon as she entered.


    Tara was draped in an elegant dress that seemed like something nobilities would wear.


    As if she was already anticipating Sylvia to show up, she was not surprised by her appearance. She shot


    a haughty look at Sylvia that disyed her authority over the house and asked, ¡°Sylvia, what are you


    doing here?"


    Sylvia looked at this former friend of hers who was now ying the role of the mistress in her marriage.


    She responded with a cold expression in her eyes, "I''m here for Odell."


    "That''s too bad. Odell workedtest night but still somehow found the energy to wake me up for some


    action. He only dozed off around the time the sun came up and is still sound asleep, so why don¡¯t you go


    back for now?"


    She shot Sylvia a sly and smug grin.


    Although Sylvia knew that this woman was goading her intentionally, she still felt a tightness in her chest.


    Nevertheless, she managed topose herself as best as she could and asked politely, "Where is his


    room? I''ll leave after I discuss something with him.¡±


    Tara nced at the top of the stairs and answered impatiently, "Sylvia, do you, by any chance, happen to


    speak a differentnguage? I already told you that Odell is sleeping and doesn''t have time to see you. If


    you have anything to tell him, just wait until after he gets home.¡±


    Sylvia felt another pang in her chest.


    Odell had not been home for two full months since he managed to take back his Carter Corporation


    shares from his stepmother.


    Needless to say, Tara was saying this to provoke her.


    Sylvia took a deep breath.


    She loved Odell; she had always loved him since she was a child.


    During their two years of marriage, she had tried her best to fulfill her duties as Mrs. Carter and would do


    everything she could for him. Although he rarely if ever came home to her, she thought it was worth


    another try.


    After all, this was the man she had loved for so many years, not to mention the fact that she was now


    carrying his children.


    She did not want her children to be born into a broken family.


    She found herself walking up the stairs the very next second.


    Just as she was about to reach the second floor, Tara suddenly caught up with her and grabbed her


    while yelling, "Sylvia, have you no sensibility?! I already told you not to disturb Odell¡¯s rest. Get the hell


    out of here.¡±


    Sylvia was anxious to see Odell and belted angrily, "Tara, Odell is my husband. You have no right to stop


    me from seeing him!"


    Tara scoffed, "If it wasn''t for your nasty conniving two years ago that left Odell no choice but to marry


    you, I would''ve been the one to marry him instead. You were never meant to be Mrs. Carter in the first


    ce!¡±


    Sylvia was not expecting Tara to bring up what happened two years ago. She was so upset by this that


    her eyes turned red as she spat out, ¡°Odell and I were promised to each other when we were young.


    Also, I was just as much a victim on that night two years ago. And don¡¯t even get me started on you,


    Tara. You were supposed to be my best friend, but you seduced my fianc¨¦ behind my back!¡±


    When Sylvia was a year old, her mother passed away. After her father found himself a new wife, he


    abandoned Sylvia and left her to live with her grandparents downtown. That was where she ended up


    meeting Tara.


    When her grandparents passed away, she ended up living with her father again. During that period, Tara,


    who was very fond of her, frequently took her to the affluent part of town where the two would kill time


    together, Tara even went as far as to buy her expensive bags and jewelry with her own pocket money.


    Never in her wildest imaginations would she have thought that Tara would secretly seduce Odell!


    It was only some time ago when Odell settled the matter with his stepmother when Sylvia finally learned


    that the identity of Odell¡¯s ex-girlfriend that he had been keeping secret this entire time was Tara. The


    revtion ravaged her emotionally, and she nearly had a miscarriage.


    Throughout the two years when she and Odell had been married, Sylvia frequently invited Tara toe


    over to visit, and Odell was home during most of those asions as well.


    The thought that the two were hooking up in her house was immensely infuriating to her.


    How could she be so idiotic to let herself be yed like a fool by others?!


    Fixating on these issues would only further sour her mood now, thus she resolved her mind to tell Odell


    about her being pregnant with twins.


    She yelled at Tara, ¡°Let go!¡±


    Tara suddenly darted a nce at the corner rounding the corridor and quickly put on a troubled


    expression as she voiced out, "Sylvia, what are you doing? Let go! I¡¯m pregnant with Odell¡¯s child!¡±


    Sylvia froze for a moment.


    What did she say?


    What was even more astonishing was the way Tara immediately loosened her grip and drew her


    momentum backward.


    Thump, thump, thump¡­


    She immediately rolled down the stairs and fell hard against the floor. A spot of bright red blood slowly


    soaked the bottom of her outfit.


    Sylvia froze in disbelief with her eyes widened like tworge pearls.


    It was at this very moment that a tall figure emerged from the corner of the second-floor corridor.


    Dressed in a ck shirt, his appearance was dashing, and he wore a dark look on his face.


    It was none other than Odell.


    He had witnessed everything. The temperature in the room dropped by several degrees, and the


    atmosphere became unbearably tense.


    "Sylvia, what did you do to Tara?!¡± His voice was filled with rage as he uttered these words.


    Sylvia turned pale when she felt Odell¡¯s rage directed at her, and she hurried to exin, "Odell, it wasn¡¯t


    me who pushed her. She fell on her own!¡±


    "Do I look blind to you?¡± His gaze was icy and piercing like a gleaming katana that prated Sylvia in


    an instant.


    Sylvia shuddered.


    The man in front of her was supposed to be her husband. To think that this was their first meeting after


    two months of not seeing each other! He was not even remotely interested in hearing her exnation


    before forming his conclusion.


    After all, she was his actual wife!


    Sylvia felt an unbearable sadness swelling inside her.


    When Odell walked past her, she subconsciously tugged at his arm and tried to exin, "Odell, I didn¡¯t


    push her. I..."


    Before she could finish speaking, his response came in the form of a heartless shrug.


    ¡°Scram!¡±


    Sylvia almost lost her footing, but the man barely cast her a nce in her direction.


    She managed to catch herself, but by then, Odell had walked down the stairs and approached Tara''s


    side.


    Tara''s skirt was soaked with blood by this point, and the scene was especially gruesome to behold.


    Tara''s face was pale as a sheet of paper. She looked utterly devastated as she sobbed into Odell¡¯s


    chest, ¡°Odell, our child¡­ our child is gone.¡±


    "Let''s go to the hospital right now, everything will be fine."


    Odell picked her up as heforted her. Before he left, he shot a murderous nce at Sylvia.


    "Sylvia, if there turns out to be anyplications with Tara, I¡¯ll make sure you pay for what you¡¯ve done!¡±


    A relentless chill invaded her body when she felt Odell¡¯s piercing gaze on her.


    After the man left without hesitation, Sylvia involuntarily reached for her belly with her palm. She felt as if


    her heart had dropped into a deep, dark abyss where nothing but the chill of winter reigned.

 Chapter 2

    Sylvia was kicked out of the property shortly after Odell left with Tara in his arms.


    She was swiftly ced under house arrest after returning home, forbidden to leave the house for any


    reason other than when she needed to perform her routine pregnancy checkup. This was also the same


    period when she received the divorce papers.


    After that, Sylvia never saw Odell again¡ªuntil a month after she gave birth.


    It was before noon, and Sylvia was spending time with her children in her room when she heard Tara¡¯s


    voice drifting in from outside.


    "Aunt Tonya, I''m here to pay Sylvia and her child a visit. Please excuse me.¡±


    Aunt Tonya stood in front of the door and voiced her unfiltered discontent, "You aren''t wee here. Get


    out!¡±


    Tara sneered, ¡°Odell already signed the divorce papers with Sylvia some time ago, and I will be marrying


    him soon. That means I¡¯m going to be the boss of this ce soon enough. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re the one


    who should scram?¡±


    Aunt Tonya was so exasperated that she could no longer bite her tongue. ¡°You¡¯re a shameless woman!¡±


    Tara¡¯s demeanor suddenly shifted. She raised her hand, ready to p Aunt Tonya¡¯s face.


    This was when Sylvia opened the door and stepped between Aunt Tonya and Tara.


    Her sudden appearance caught Tara off-guard for a moment. She quickly drew her hand back and


    proceeded to cast scrutinizing looks at Sylvia.


    Sylvia''splexion was unhealthily pale, and her figure was quite unlike a woman who had just given


    birth as she looked skinny and frail.


    She regarded Tara with an indigent look. ¡°Well, Tara, you¡¯ve seen me. Will you leave now?¡±


    Tara was visibly pleased to see how poorly Sylvia was doing. She answered with a smirk, ¡°I¡¯d like to see


    the child too. Excuse me if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The little one just fell asleep. Why don¡¯t youe next time?¡±


    ¡°Next time?¡± Tara chuckled. ¡°Sylvia, don¡¯t tell me you forgot about the divorce papers you¡¯ve signed with


    Odell? Odell will have full custody of the child, and when I marry him, I will be the mother too. If you have


    a shred of decency left, you¡¯d let me see my child and have some bonding time. Maybe I¡¯ll be nicer to the


    child in the future that way.¡±


    She did not try to mask her hostile intention as she said this.


    Sylvia''s hands that were resting against the sides of her body clenched and tightened.


    Just the thought of her child having to call Tara "mother" in the future and potentially be abused by her


    made her shake with anger!


    There was no way she could make Odell see reason, much less make him amend the divorce papers.


    She could not even fight against Odell for the rights of custody of her child!


    After a while, Sylvia forced herself to calm down and said, "I want to see Odell. If I can¡¯t see him, you


    can¡¯t see the child either.¡±


    Thest six months of caring for her children on her own had led her topletely give up on any hopes


    of salvaging their marriage.


    She would not ask Odell to change his mind concerning their marriage, but the children were a central


    part of her life!


    Tara answered audaciously, ¡°Odell is very busy right now and doesn¡¯t have time toe here."


    Sylvia answered icily, ¡°In that case, please leave.¡±


    Tara scoffed, ¡°Why, you, how dare you?!¡±


    Sylvia made no response and remained unmoving by the door.


    Tara was getting impatient and was about to shove Sylvia out of the way.


    Sylvia had not recovered from the pregnancy yet, so she could not muster the strength to put up an


    ounce of resistance. With one quick shove, she tumbled onto the floor.


    Aunt Tonya hurriedly helped Sylvia up, then she went up to Tara and pped her in the face.


    Tara put a hand to her face and stared at Aunt Tonya in bewilderment. "How dare you hit me?!"


    Aunt Tonya rebuked her angrily, "You were the one who bullied Sylvia first!"


    This was when Tara¡¯s lips suddenly curled up into a subtle smile, hinting that she was up to something.


    Sylvia suddenly had a bad feeling about the current situation.


    Sure enough, within a few seconds, they could hear the pitter-patter of footstepsing from the living


    room downstairs.


    Odell¡¯s long, slender legs trotted in their direction.


    Tara raised her hand andnded a vicious p on the side of her own face that was left unscathed up


    until this point.


    The p produced an abrupt, crisp noise.


    Then, she suddenly switched to a pleading tone, "Sylvia, I never meant to take your ce. All I wanted


    was to visit you and the baby. I have no other ill intentions¡­¡±


    Sylvia and Aunt Tonya were stunned by this sudden disy.


    Odell immediately sped up his face when he heard the p. When he noticed Tara¡¯s beet red cheeks, a


    deste gloom suddenly came over his face. The anger radiated around his body like a heatwave.


    The hue of Sylvia¡¯s face that was already pale enough in the first ce managed to turn even whiter.


    Tara practically pounced onto Odell''s chest and shed angel tears. ¡°Odell, our child would have been born


    by now if not for the ident. I just wanted to see her baby, but they somehow had this idea in their


    minds that I was some kind of child abuser. As if chasing me out wasn¡¯t bad enough, they had to hit me


    too.¡±


    Odell hugged her and spoke softly, "Don''t cry. I''ll make things right.¡±


    Then, he cast a look at Sylvia. ¡°Were you the one who hit Tara?¡±


    Aunt Tonya was about to step forward to confess when Sylvia forcefully yanked Aunt Tonya behind her.


    She was familiar with Tara¡¯s tricks by now and knew that someone upright like Aunt Tonya would only


    sumb to Tara¡¯s ploys. No matter how they exined, Odell would not believe them either way.


    Sylvia met Odell¡¯s gaze with her own and stated, ¡°It was me. I hit her.¡±


    Odell''s expression turned solemn.


    Tara was taken aback by Sylvia¡¯s confession.


    Odell turned to Tara again. ¡°Tara, how many times did she hit you?"


    Tara quickly wiped the look of surprise off her face and reverted to a wounded expression. ¡°Once.¡±


    Odell observed that both her cheeks were glowing red and said, "Tell me the truth."


    Tara whispered, "Twice."


    "How many times?" Odell was running out of patience.


    Tara put on a show of reluctance to tell the whole truth. ¡°I think it was like six times."


    Aunt Tonya immediately cried out, "You''re lying! Sylvia didn''t hit you at all. It was me¡ª"


    "Aunt Tonya!¡± Sylvia quickly grabbed her and interrupted her, ¡°Head inside and look after the kids for


    me.¡±


    Sylvia winked at Aunty Tonya as she said this.


    Aunt Tonya swallowed her displeasure and proceeded to head into the room but not before shooting


    daggers at Tara.


    Sylvia closed the door, then turned to Tara and Odell and said, "I was in the wrong. I¡¯ll apologize to you


    both.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and considered her without a word.


    Tara sniffed and looked at her with a benevolent gaze. "It¡¯s alright. I won¡¯t hold it against you seeing that


    we were best friends in the past.¡±


    Then, she turned to Odell, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Odell. My face hurts so much that I think I need to go to the


    hospital."


    Tears slowly streamed down her eyes as she said this.


    Odell''s demeanor that seemed to have softened a little suddenly turned solemn again.


    "I''ll take you to the hospital after I get justice for you." After he consoled Tara, he immediately turned to


    Sylvia andmanded, "Come downstairs with me.¡±


    With that, he went to the living room downstairs while holding Tara close to his body.


    The two were very intimate together.


    Sylvia clenched her fists and fought the urge to cry as she followed them to the living room.


    Odell sat on the sofa with Tara still in his arms. Then, he instructed the two bodyguards under his payroll,


    "Hold her down and give her sixty ps.¡±


    Sylvia''s eyes widened.


    She knew that he was going to exact revenge for Tara in some sort of way, but she never expected it to


    be in the form of sixty ps!

 Chapter 3

    Sylvia felt a terrible throb in her heart. She looked at Odell, the man that she had adored for more than a


    decade, who now looked back at her withplete indifference and disdain.


    Not only did he not believe Sylvia''s exnation, but he even wanted to have her pped sixty times for


    Tara¡¯s sake.


    Sixty ps would ruin her face entirely.


    Sylvia cried out, ¡°Odell, why don''t you break my legs or something? Anything but my face!¡±


    She pleaded on the verge of tears.


    Odell only pursed his lips.


    This time, it was Tara who tugged his arm. ¡°Forget it, Odell. She only hit me six times. You¡¯re going to


    ruin her face if you have her pped sixty times. Besides, my face hurts and we''d better get to a


    hospital.¡±


    Perhaps it would have been better if she had not said anything at all. Odell promptlymanded the


    bodyguards, ¡°Do it now!¡±


    The two bodyguards would not dare disobey Odell and immediately held Sylvia down.


    Sylvia did not have the strength to resist and was forced onto her knees.


    What followed swiftly after was the loud, distinct smack of a palm against her cheeks.


    Smack!


    The burning sensation spread across that side of her cheeks.


    This was merely the beginning.


    Before Sylvia could ready herself for it, another pnded on the other cheek.


    Smack, smack¡­


    A series of ps rang out and echoed across the living room.


    There was no telling how much time had passed. It was only after she tasted the metallic blood trickling


    down her lips and felt her head throbbing endlessly, and her face had be so swollen that she almost


    passed out when the two bodyguards stopped.


    ¡°Master Carter, that¡¯s sixty ps.¡± The two bodyguards released Sylvia and reported to Odell.


    Sylvia¡¯s seemingly lifeless body slumped onto the floor.


    Odell got up and approached Sylvia with severalrge strides. He stood over her like she was a


    meaningless subject underneath him.


    Sylvia could hardly make out the features of his face due to the pool of tears in her eyes, but she could


    distinctly feel his sharp eyes fixed on her.


    Her first instinct was to curl into a ball in an attempt to shield her face from his scrutinizing re.


    Despite her attempts, Odell squatted in front of her and grabbed her by the chin. He told her venomously,


    ¡°Sylvia, this is the price you pay for messing with Tara!¡±


    Sylvia bit her lip hard, but that did not stop the tears from spilling out of her eyes.


    She broke down and cried.


    Odell, how could you be so cruel?!


    Odell seemed to be taken aback by this and immediately dropped her chin as if it was a piece of burning


    coal. He dered impatiently, "I''m taking the child. You have one day to pack up your belongings and get


    out of here."


    Sylvia¡¯s head smacked against the ground again.


    As she observed Odell¡¯s tall figure that rose and returned to Tara¡¯s side, she could not stop herself from


    asking, ¡°Odell Carter, have you never loved me at all throughout all these years?¡±


    His reply was uncaring and cruel. ¡±I¡¯ve only ever felt nothing but hatred for you.¡±


    Sylvia shuddered all over.


    The tears were still streaming down her face down her swollen cheeks that stung with pain.


    None of this pain couldpare with the incessant throb inside her chest. It was as if something was


    going to tear her apart from inside her heart!


    Ah¡­


    She had had a crush on him ever since she was a child, and for many years, her dream had been to


    marry him.


    Although the circumstances leading to their marriage was manufactured by her to a certain degree,


    nobody could say that she did not put in her all to be a good wife to him.


    She took great caution to try to please him every day, even if he never responded with so much as a


    smile. As far as she was concerned, she was happy just to have him home with her.


    All this time, she thought she could melt his cier heart by bearing him children.


    To find out that he had felt nothing but hatred for her all this time!


    All the hopes she carried with her all these years turned out to be nothing but wishful thinking!


    ¡°Ha¡­ Haha¡­¡± Sylvia started tough while still crying.


    Odell peered at her swollen face and observed her both crying andughing at the same time. He felt an


    inexplicable tightness in his chest, if only for a brief moment.


    Immediately after that, he ordered his bodyguards, ¡°Bring the child to me.¡±


    The bodyguard promptly went up the stairs.


    That was soon followed by the bawling of a child.


    Sylvia suddenly tapped into an unknown source of strength and pulled herself off the ground to rush the


    bodyguard who carried her child.


    ¡°Give my baby back to me!¡±


    The bodyguard effortlessly shoved her out of the way.


    She was flung backward and fell to the floor.


    The child''s cry grew louder in an instant. ¡°Waah, waah!¡± Sylvia felt something tearing at her heart each


    time she heard the wails.


    The tears that had just stopped suddenly poured out as if a dam had given away.


    "Don''t take my baby! Give me back my baby!" She cried and crawled out of the living room.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The bodyguards promptly took the child into Odell¡¯s car.


    It did not take long before they drove away, and thest of her child¡¯s cries were heard.


    Sylvia leaned against the doorway and continued to stifle her tears.


    It was at this point that Aunt Tonya ran downstairs. The sight of Sylvia¡¯s swollen, disfigured cheeks


    enraged her to the point of tears.


    ¡°How could he treat you like this?!" She tried to help Sylvia up, feeling immensely sorry for her.


    Sylvia threw herself into Aunt Tonya¡¯s embrace and bawled her heart out.


    She only stopped crying when her tears had dried up.


    She asked in a hoarse voice, "Aunt Tonya, did they notice the other baby?"


    Aunt Tonya quickly replied, "No, no, the little girl was very well behaved. I hid her in the closet, and she


    didn''t cry or cause any trouble, so they had no idea.¡±


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. "That''s good."


    With that, she got up on her own without needing help from Aunt Tonya.


    It took insurmountable strength just to rise on her feet, but when she finally did so, she stood like an


    erect statue.


    She looked in the direction the car went, her red and swollen eyes carrying a distant look in them.


    Suddenly, she announced in a low voice, "Odell Carter, I will never love you again from this day


    onwards.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Three yearster.


    ¡°Oh my God, look, it¡¯s Isabel Ross!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s even cuter in person than she is on TV!¡±


    ¡°Little Belle, look over here! I love you!¡±


    Sylvia, who was holding Isabel in her arms, was not expecting to be immediately swarmed by people at


    the airport the moment she disembarked the ne.


    She quickly lowered the brim of her hat and inspected her mask to see if she had worn it properly over


    her face.


    Meanwhile, safe in her arms, Isabel started making queer little gestures.


    She raised her little chubby hands and aimlessly pointed them at the crowd surrounding them, her


    cartoon-likerge eyes blinking every now and then.


    The gathering crowd cooed.


    "My God! She¡¯s so cute I could die!¡±


    ¡°Little baby, can I be your mommy?!¡±


    A sea of fans formed in no time and a bold group of fans chased after them.


    Isabel waved to them and told them, ¡°Hello, everyone, I already have a mommy! Since you¡¯re all so


    young, you should all be my sisters instead.¡±


    The group of fans who asked to be her mother responded eagerly, "Okay! We will be anything you want


    us to be!¡±


    Sylvia smiled.


    The little girl could have anything she wanted since she was so likable.


    She had merely yed a filler role in a movie, but that was all it took for her fame to erupt to


    unprecedented proportions.


    It was only with the help of the airport security guards maintaining order that Sylvia managed to emerge


    from the crowd.


    The little girl continued waving her little chubby hands at the crowd, "Goodbye, sisters. Remember to


    stay safe!¡±


    The crowd continued interacting with her.


    It was only after Sylvia entered the vehicle with Isabel that things finally quietened down.


    Sylvia proceeded to take off her hat and mask.


    Sitting on her mother''sp, Isabel turned her chubby cheeks to face her mother. ¡°Mommy, I want a kiss.¡±


    Sylvia obliged her and nted a peck on her daughter¡¯s chubby cheeks.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Isabel then pursed her lips and gave Sylvia an audible smooch on her cheeks.


    This was amon urrence between the pair of mother and daughter.


    After she got her kiss, Isabel turned to look outside the window, her eyes filled with wonder.


    "Mommy, is this where you grew up?"


    Sylvia suppressed the dark look in her eyes and answered with a smile, "Yes."


    The little girl asked again, ¡°So, my brother is here?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°When can I meet him?¡± The little girl eagerly turned to her mother.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and told her, ¡°Let''s head to our new home first. Mommy will take you to see your


    brother soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± The little girl crawled into her mother¡¯s embrace afterward.


    Sylvia hugged her.


    Isabel¡¯s body was like a ball of cotton. She rested her face against her mother¡¯s chest and fell asleep in


    no time.


    Sylvia turned to look outside the window.


    After three years, she was back again.


    She had returned here to Westchester City because Isabel had a starring role in a film. However, the


    main reason for her return was to see the child she had failed to protect and had to leave behind three


    years ago.


    During that time, the toddler Isabel, who was prone to bouts of crying, had grown into a healthy child.


    She wondered if her other child had grown up to be as adorable as Isabel.


    She doubted that Odell would treat the child poorly, but when it came to Tara¡­


    The memory of what happened three years ago and the thought that if things had gone differently, she


    would have both her children with her for the past three years saddened her immensely.


    ¡­


    The new house was located in a recently developed district, and the traffic was very smooth. It was


    located in a rtively quiet area and was overall a decent ce to live in.


    Aunt Tonya had cleaned up the ce two days ago.


    By the time Sylvia arrived with Isabel, Aunt Tonya had already prepared a giant feast for them.


    It was nighttime by the time they finished the meal.


    Sylvia entertained Isabel for a while and snuck outside after she fell asleep.


    There was a historic vi in the older part of the city.


    It was the residence of the old Madam Carter.


    Today was her eightieth birthday.


    The parking spaces around the vi were filled with luxury cars of all models. The rtives and friends of


    the Carters were socializing in the bright and well-decorated yard and living room, and the atmosphere


    was bustling.


    In contrast to the lively atmosphere was a little boy wearing a ck suit with a bow at the neckline while


    sitting quietly on thewn and fiddling with a Rubik''s cube.


    There appeared to be an invisible barrier surrounding him that separated him from the crowd and the


    noise.


    Nobody dared to approach the child for fear of disturbing him. The only ones close by were the old butler


    and two bodyguards who kept an eye on him.


    Under the illumination of the light, his cheeks were smooth and hisplexion was fine. Hisrge eyes


    were wholly focused on the Rubik¡¯s cube, and he never made a sound.


    Sylvia, who snuck in under the guise of a housemaid, had to resist the urge to run up to the child. She


    fixed her eyes on him.


    The only person who could have attended the old Madam Carter¡¯s birthday banquet while being watched


    over by the old butler and bodyguards so no one would disturb him was the young master of the Carters.


    He was also her son that she had missed for three years.


    After staring at the boy for a short while, Sylvia took out her phone from her pocket and snapped a


    picture of the boy¡¯s nk and adorable expression so that Isabel, who had been going on about wanting


    to see her brother, could see the picture at hometer.


    Just as she lined up the camera for a short, Liam Carter, who was ying with the Rubik''s cube,


    suddenly looked up and stared right at Sylvia.


    Sylvia met his gaze.


    It seemed as if you could fit the entire gxy inside Liam¡¯s round eyes. His cheeks were soft and smooth


    andplemented his features perfectly. He was a beautiful boy.


    Sylvia subconsciously smiled at him.


    Max¡¯s eyes lit up.


    It was at this moment when the butler watching Max followed his line of sight and located Sylvia.


    Sylvia turned around immediately.


    The butler noticed something was wrong and questioned her, ¡°How did you get in here? Why haven¡¯t I


    seen you before?¡±


    Sylvia did not respond and headed straight for the center of the crowd.


    The butler''s expression shifted dramatically as he motioned to the bodyguards. "Go get her!"


    Two bodyguards chased after Sylvia.


    Sylvia sped up her face and blended into the crowd before slipping out of the crowd from another angle.


    She reached the backyard of the vi.


    The back exit of the vi was just a short distance away. She could simply climb over it and escape.


    However, the bodyguards were very fast and rapidly closing in on her.


    Sylvia had to run.


    Just when she was about to pass through the shade of trees to reach the exit, she suddenly crashed into


    someone¡¯s stocky chest.


    A strong, familiar scent of a man suddenly rushed up into her nostrils.


    She caught her breath and looked up.


    Despite the dim lighting, she could still make out his features.


    With the same pronounced facial features and chiseled jawline that seemed as if every vector of his face


    was carefully sculpted by a master artisan, he was just as handsome as he had been three years ago.


    Odell was gazing down at her too.


    They looked at each other for a few seconds in silence.


    After three years since theirst meeting, he had somehow managed to be more dashing than in


    the past.


    The sight of the familiar face was apanied by shbacks of memories from three years ago that


    was difficult for Sylvia.


    She promptly took a step back and apologized with a smile, ¡°Sorry, it was an ident.¡±


    Odell quickly recognized Sylvia too.


    As he observed her pale cheeks and bright eyes, he noted that this woman was unlike her past self from


    three years ago.


    He looked at the maid outfit she was wearing and interrogated her without any emotions, "Why are you


    here?"


    Sylvia shrugged. ¡°You know, just loitering around.¡±


    Odell snorted. "You expect me to believe that?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether you believe it or not.¡±


    Odell felt something catch in his throat as his expression darkened.


    It was at this moment when the trotting footsteps of the bodyguards came from behind. Sylvia¡¯s


    expression changed subtly as she tried top around Odell to get to the exit.


    Hisrge hands immediately grabbed her by her wrist.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you trying to flee?¡±


    Sylvia was not as strong as Odell and was quickly apprehended.


    Odell studied her face with a frown. ¡°Out with it. Why are you here?¡±


    She winced at the question. This man was as vignt as ever.


    However, she would not confess to anything.


    In a split second, she produced a razor de from her pocket and immediately pressed it against his


    neck.


    Odell stiffened when he felt the chilling and metallic touch of the razor de against his neck.


    Sylvia mimicked his sneering and threatened, ¡°Master Carter, you''d better let go of me, or else¡­¡±

 Chapter 5

    Her subtle grin was icy and enchanting.


    There was an initial look of shock in Odell¡¯s eyes, but it was quickly reced by a dark cloud that was


    cast over them.


    ¡°You dare to threaten me? Do you have a death wish?¡±


    To think that in these three years where they have not met, she had grown into such a fierce creature!


    His menacing expression was the same as the look he had three years ago when Tara had suffered the


    unfortunate miscarriage. It was the same look as the one he had when he ordered to have Sylvia


    pped sixty times after she gave birth.


    All these past events that had been gathering dust suddenly raced through her mind.


    Sylvia was rather taken aback.


    With a faint smile, she suddenly pressed the razor de harder into Odell¡¯s flesh.


    The razor de immediately sliced through the dermis of his skin, so fresh blood slowly oozed out of the


    cut.


    She smiled grimly and stated, ¡°Master Carter, you¡¯re the one with a death wish if you still refuse to let go


    of me.¡±


    Odell gave her a look, his piercing eyes seeming like they were going to puncture two holes through her


    head.


    Sylvia remained still like a statue with the same smile fixed on her lips.


    Eventually, Odell let go of her wrist.


    Sylvia drew back several steps in an instant and took off to the back exit so swiftly as if her feet were


    carried by the wind.


    She darted a nce back at Odell who was still rooted in the same spot while ring at her. She


    brandished the razor de in her hand and smiled so brightly that her eyes turned crescent-shaped.


    ¡°See you.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression was filled with gloom.


    Damned woman!


    It was only by that point that the bodyguards who were pursuing Sylvia arrived at the scene.


    Upon noticing Odell¡¯s terrible expression, they quickly halted.


    The bodyguard, who seemed to be the superior of the two, asked in a weak voice, ¡°Master Carter, did


    you see anyone suspicious passing by?¡±


    Odellshed out at them. ¡°Scram!¡±


    The bodyguards quickly removed themselves from his sight.


    Odell was still standing in the same spot facing the back exit and remained there for what seemed like


    forever.


    To think that this woman showed up out of nowhere after three whole years had passed.


    As if returning was not bad enough, she even made a show ofing here and threatening him with a


    de!


    Truly¡­ such audacity!


    After some time, Odell took out his phone and made a call.


    He ordered in a tone that was not to be refused, ¡°Find out where Sylvia lives and bring her to me


    immediately!¡±


    ¡­¡­


    It waste at night by the time Sylvia got home.


    The first ce she went to was the bedroom.


    Aunt Tonya was seated on the edge of the bed while Isabel, who was wearing a bright pink nightdress,


    was sleeping soundly on the bed.


    When Aunt Tonya saw Sylvia returning, she promptly enquired, ¡°Sylvia, did you manage to see your


    son?¡±


    Sylvia''s expression softened when she heard the mention of her son. "Yes, I saw him.¡±


    As she said this, she took out her phone and presented Aunt Tonya with the photo she had taken of


    Liam.


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s eyes shone brightly when she saw the pictures, ¡°He¡¯s a good-looking boy. His eyes are just


    like Isabel¡¯s. Both of your children look like you.¡±


    Sylvia smiled.


    Aunt Tonya asked cautiously, ¡°Did anyone catch you when you snuck into the Carters'' vi?¡±


    ¡°Nobody saw me.¡± Sylvia did not want to worry her, so she kept her confrontation with Odell a secret.


    From what she knew about Odell, chances were that he would send someone toe after her.


    The house was bought under the name of Aunt Tonya, so there was no chance he would catch a whiff of


    her scent.


    Suddenly, they heard the sound of nkets shufflinging from behind them.


    As soon as Sylvia turned to investigate, she saw Isabel poking her head toward the phone and staring


    into the disy with herrge round eyes.


    Aunt Tonya remarked in surprise, ¡°Isabel, aren¡¯t you supposed to be asleep?¡±


    Sylvia also furrowed her brows slightly.


    "Mommy, I can''t sleep if you''re not home." Isabel pouted and burrowed herself into Sylvia''s arms.


    Sylvia could put up no resistance whatsoever to her daughter¡¯s soft, pillowy body.


    Sylvia reluctantly took her into her arms and turned to Aunt Tonya. "Aunt Tonya, why don¡¯t you go and


    rest? I''ll put her to sleep."


    Isabel chimed, "Good night, Aunty.¡±


    Aunt Tonya gently tweaked Isabel¡¯s nose before retreating from the room.


    Sylvia sat Isabel on the edge of the bed.


    Isabel pointed at the picture of Max on the disy with her plump pointer finger. "Mommy, is he my


    brother?"


    A short ¡°hmm¡± was Sylvia¡¯s answer.


    As Isabel fixed her eyes on the picture of her brother, they flickered with radiance periodically while she


    twitched her lips from side to side.


    ''My brother is so handsome! I can¡¯t wait to see him.


    ''I wonder if he wants to see me as well.


    ''No, it seems like my brother doesn¡¯t even know about my existence.


    ''But that¡¯s alright. When they meet again, he will know how much of an adorable sister he has.''


    ¡­¡­


    After spending a day putting things in order, Sylvia took Isabel to a nearby kindergarten the next


    morning.


    They had returned to the city just in time for the opening semester of kindergarten. Since it was going to


    be more than two months until they start filming the movie Isabel would star in and she was old enough


    to go to kindergarten, Sylvia figured that she might as well enroll her in the kindergarten. After all, it


    would be a good opportunity for Isabel to make some new friends.


    Sylvia did not want to risk too much exposure due to their reputation, so she specifically chose a rather


    private kindergarten with higher standards for entry.


    One thing that was clear was that Isabel was different from many other children who would break out in


    tears the moment they had to be separated from their parents upon reaching kindergarten.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She was peculiarly curious about her new surroundings the moment she exited the vehicle.


    When Sylvia brought her to the ssroom, she did not seem even remotely bothered. In fact, she even


    waved goodbye enthusiastically to her, "Goodbye, Mommy. I''ll miss you! Mwah!"


    Sylvia left kindergarten with a bright smile.


    As soon as she left, a vehicle stopped outside the kindergarten.


    The previous old butler emerged from the car and opened the door for Liam Carter who was wearing a


    suit.


    Liam waltzed into the ssroom as soon as the bell rang.


    Isabel, who had just found her seat moments ago, looked at the new arrival with widened eyes.


    Brother!


    Liam noticed a pair of eyes on him and met her gaze.


    Isabel immediately began waving her hands enthusiastically in his direction, her radiant smile brighter


    than the sun.


    There was a certain sort of glow in Liam¡¯s eyes as he approached this girl.


    Outside the ssroom, the butler and the two bodyguards who were still keeping an eye on Liam heaved


    a sigh of relief.


    Liam had always been reclusive and rarely spoke. He was especially not fond of ying with other


    children his age.


    They were concerned he would be ostracized in the kindergarten, so it was particrly surprising to see


    him approaching a fellow schoolmate.


    The little girl did not only seem overwhelmingly receptive, but she was also very good-looking, on par


    with Liam. In fact, the two shared simr features.


    Perhaps even children were more like to befriend good-looking peers.


    The butler chuckled at this observation.


    One way or another, he knew he had something to report to the madam back home.


    ¡­¡­


    In the ssroom.


    Isabel took Liam by the hand as soon as he came behind her.


    This was Liam¡¯s first time sharing such a degree of intimacy with a stranger. Nevertheless, not only did


    he not feel ufortable in this scenario, but he even noticed how warm the heat of her palms felt.


    He took a seat beside her.


    Isabel huddled beside him and drew closer to his ears before carefully whispering, ¡°Hey, brother, I¡¯m your


    sister.¡±


    Liam eyed her suspiciously.


    His sister?


    Isabel could sense his doubt and proceeded to ask, "Is your father''s name Odell?"


    Liam blinked.


    It seemed as if he was wondering how she came to know of that.


    Isabel took out a mirror from her bag and set it between the two of them so that they may look at their


    reflections. ¡°Look, aren''t our eyes simr?¡±


    Liam blinked.


    Isabel also blinked.


    He was taken by surprise.


    They did look quite simr.


    The problem was, why was he just finding out now that he had a sister?

 Chapter 6

    Isabel noticed the doubt in his eyes. She proceeded to produce a mahogany amulet in the shape of a


    tiny fist and presented it to Liam.


    The amulet immediately caught his attention.


    Isabel raised the question innocuously, ¡°Don¡¯t you have something that looks like this too?¡±


    Liam nodded.


    He certainly did. It was stashed inside a drawer in his room.


    ording to the words of his grandmother, it was gifted to him by someone very close when he was


    born.


    Isabel began to exin, ¡°It was Mommy who carved these amulets herself. She said that we loved


    holding hands since we were born, which was why she made two small fists for each of us. She said that


    the two fists can bebined."


    Liam took the amulet and caressed its surface.


    It was identical to the one he had at home.


    He studied Isabel.


    She tilted her head to one side and regarded him with a brilliant smile.


    Liam pursed his lips, and the faint shadow of a smile began to surface on his lips. He asked, "What''s


    your name?"


    Isabel answered promptly "My name is Isabel Ross. I have the same family name as our mommy.¡±


    Mommy? Liam¡¯s expression shifted, ¡°Isn¡¯t your mommy my mommy too?¡±


    "Of course, we''re twins." Isabel''s mouth began prattling again, ¡°Our daddy and mommy got divorced


    before we were born, and if it wasn¡¯t for Mommy keeping me hidden, I would have been separated from


    her as well.¡±


    Liam immediately thought of the woman who was always by his father¡¯s side.


    That woman would always put on a show of being affectionate when his father was present, but she


    would transform into a different person as soon as his father was out of sight. There were many


    asions on which she had forced him to address her as his mother in front of his grandmother and his


    father.


    Liam was skeptical about this and went to ask his grandmother who then verified that the woman was


    not his mother.


    So, she truly was not his mother.


    Liam rested his chin in his palms and fixed a curious look on his sister. "What does Mommy look like?¡±


    Isabel suddenly perked up with excitement as she eximed, ¡°Mommy is so gentle and beautiful. She is


    the most beautiful woman I have ever seen!"


    Liam''s eyes brightened.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Isabel pouted and suddenly stopped talking.


    Liam asked, "What is it?"


    ¡°Mommy is a little poor, so she¡¯s very cautious about spending money,¡± Isabel said with a pout, ¡°She is


    still wearing old clothes and never wears jewelry. She tells me that the dolls and robots I like are too


    expensive and won¡¯t buy them for me.¡±


    Liam dug into his bag where he extracted a small ck wallet and offered, ¡°I¡¯ll buy them for you if you


    bring me to see Mommy, deal?¡±


    Isabel''s eyes sparkled as her hands instinctively reached forward.


    However, she drew her hand back when another thought urred to her. She whispered, ¡°Mommy said


    you can''t just ask for other people''s things and that you can''t spend other people''s money."


    Liam smiled and put the wallet in her hand as he said to her, "I''m not just anybody else. I''m your brother."


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± After Isabel put Liam¡¯s wallet into her bag, she gave him a big hug. "Thank you, brother! I''ll


    take you to see Mommy after school today!"


    ¡­


    On the other side, after Sylvia left the kindergarten, she walked for about fifteen minutes before she


    passed by an art museum and arrived at an elementary school.


    Both the kindergarten and the elementary school were in the infamous Art Haven district of Westchester


    City. Sylvia was a painter by profession, and she had taken up a job as an art teacher at the elementary


    school since it was en route to her picking up and dropping off Isabel at school.


    Today was her first day on the job.


    After going through an borate briefing, she got to work.


    It was soon lunchtime without her even realizing it.


    She went to lunch with two of her new colleagues.


    There was arge za nearby with a dizzying amount of options everywhere.


    Upon their arrival, the two colleagues that came with her suddenly cried out loudly, ¡°Oh my god, it''s Tara


    Carter!¡±


    "I can¡¯t believe I ran into Tara Carter. Why is she here?"


    "She is a distinguished professor at the Academy of Fine Arts. She must be here to teach art as well.¡±


    As Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted, she quickly followed their line of sight and spotted Tara emerging from a


    luxury vehicle.


    Her thick and long hair was curled, and she was wearing a slender and elegant dress.


    Shortly after she exited the vehicle, Odell emerged from the other side.


    Sylvia¡¯s two new colleagues shirked in unison when they noticed the dashing figure.


    ¡°How handsome! Is this Tara¡¯s man?¡±


    ¡°I heard that he¡¯s unfathomably rich.¡±


    ¡°Tara is living the perfect life!¡±


    Unsurprisingly, themotion they caused was enough to draw the attention of Odell and Tara.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Before Sylvia could turn to leave, they looked over in her direction.


    Coincidentally, Sylvia identally locked eyes with them.


    The atmosphere became still for a few seconds.


    After a few seconds, a grim expression came upon Oden¡¯s face. He looked as if he was going to skin


    Sylvia alive.


    Meanwhile, Tara quickly grabbed Odell''s wrist and smiled coyly in Sylvia¡¯s direction.


    Sylvia scowled and immediately turned around to leave.


    That was when Tara suddenly called out to her, ¡±Sylvia, long time no see. When did you get back?"


    Sylvia''s two colleagues looked at her agape.


    The window for Sylvia to escape was gone. She mimicked a mocking smile and responded, ¡°Only very


    recently.¡±


    Tara took a short nce at Sylvia¡¯s two colleagues. "Are you girls going out to have lunch? Odell was


    just about to take me to the Elysian House for lunch. Why don¡¯t we go together?¡±


    The Elysian House was one of the most renowned restaurants in Westchester City.


    Sylvia¡¯s colleagues were enchanted by Tara¡¯s proposal.


    Sylvia gave her a confident look and answered, ¡°Sure.¡±


    In an abrupt moment, the false smile on Tara¡¯s face was wiped away.


    Sylvia chuckled silently. She knew Tara only half-heartedly invited them to dinner because she wanted to


    brag about Odell taking her to the Elysian House.


    She noticed Tara¡¯s inner turmoil of not being able to outwardly express her dissatisfaction with the


    situation. Then, she peered at Odell who still seemed like he wanted to bore two holes into her head with


    the sheer intensity of his re. She asked with a coy smile, ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind, Master Carter?"


    Odell formed a terse smile. "I don''t mind."


    Sylvia was floored by this response.


    Considering his disdain for her, why would he not turn her down?


    The only reason she directed the question to Odell in the first ce was that she expected to be refused.


    Then again, it was Tara who had extended the invitation in the first ce, so it would be a disrespect on


    Odell¡¯s part if he were to rescind his partner¡¯s invitation.


    Still, to think that he would agree¡­


    Was he going to exact revenge for her holding a razor de to his neck?


    Or did he merely go along with it to save face for Tara?


    Whichever reasoning it was, all that remained for Sylvia to do was bite the bullet. She replied, ¡°In that


    case, thank you for the hospitality.¡±

 Chapter 7

    Shortly after that, inside a private room on the second floor of the Elysian House, Odell was seated next


    to Tara while Sylvia and her two colleagues sat with them at the table.


    Perhaps due to Odell¡¯s intimidating aura, both of Sylvia¡¯s colleagues kept their heads low and did not


    dare to utter a word or make any sort of movement.


    From the moment he sat down, he had been staring fixedly at Sylvia without any attempts to conceal his


    gaze.


    Sylvia shifted ufortably as he watched her like his prey in this manner.


    She felt she had to say something. ¡°Master Carter, it¡¯s quite inappropriate for you to keep staring at me


    like this with your wife sitting right by your side.¡±


    Odell chuckled softly. ¡°After three years, it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯ve changed all that much apart from the


    attitude you¡¯ve developed.¡±


    Sylvia returned his snark response, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll have to thank the sixty ps you gave me for that.¡±


    Odell¡¯s lips twitched as his face darkened.


    It was as if he could not find a rebuttal to this statement.


    Tara, who was seated next to him, silently ground her teeth. She then turned to Sylvia to say, ¡°Sylvia,


    let¡¯s not spoil the mood by saying these things, especially considering that you¡¯re finally back after so


    long.¡±


    Then, she turned to Odell and said in a gentle tone, ¡°Odell, it¡¯s already been three years, and I''ve


    forgotten the entire incident about Sylvia causing my miscarriage. Let¡¯s not get hung up on all that.¡±


    It was rather queer that she brought the miscarriage up now of all times.


    Sylvia could not help but chuckle, "Tara, Odell wouldn¡¯t even have been upset if you hadn¡¯t mentioned


    that in the first ce.¡±


    Tara was bbergasted by how blunt Sylvia was.


    Before she could figure out what to make of the situation, Sylvia added, "Look, his face is as ck as a


    block of charcoal after what you just said.¡±


    Tara felt a lump appear in her throat.


    Odell''splexion took on an even darker shade than it was before.


    It seemed as if a gust of blizzard had just blown into the room, causing the temperature to plummet.


    Sylvia shivered as well. Anyone with a good sense of judgment would know that it was best to tread


    lightly around Odell at this point.


    Nheless, she feigned agitation and asked, ¡°Master Carter, was it something I said? Why do you look


    so upset?¡±


    Odell cast a brutal re at the woman who was constantly trying to get on his nerves.


    Sylvia continued to patronize him, "Uh, I do apologize if I said something wrong. I¡¯m sure someone as


    magnanimous as you are will find it in yourself to forgive my foolishness.¡±


    After saying this, she blinked repeatedly in an innocent manner.


    Odell chuckled. ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    He conveyed his irritation with a suppressed scoff. A powerful gust of freezing air burst from within his


    body, and it seemed as if the sheer force of it was going to uproot the very foundation of the room.


    In a heartbeat, the air was sucked out of the room.


    The two colleagues who came with Sylvia shrunk, too afraid to say anything.


    Tara remained silent as well and stared at Sylvia without a word.


    Although things had changed and Sylvia was no longer the same person she was three years ago, she


    was still frightened by Odell''s overpowering aura.


    The expression on her face changed as she put a hand on her stomach and stated, "Uh, my stomach is


    acting up a little. Please excuse me. You guys go ahead and eat first."


    With that, she got up and winked subtly at her colleagues, hinting for them to follow her.


    She had barely taken two steps when Odell¡¯s deep, threatening voice came.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a move.¡±


    Sylvia halted instinctively before she turned to him and said, ¡°Master Carter, my stomach isn''t feeling so


    good, and I think I need the toilet.¡±


    The agitation was visible in her eyes.


    Odell smirked cunningly. ¡°Hold it in.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled drily.


    Without any indication, she took off and ran.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Odell grimaced and got up abruptly.


    Before he could take another step, Sylvia had bolted out like a rabbit emerging from its burrow and


    vanished without a trace.


    Thump!


    Odell mmed his fist on the table.


    Tara shuddered all over with fright whereas Sylvia''s two colleagues shrunk back into their chairs as well.


    ¡­


    Sylvia bolted out of the Elysian House in a single breath and continued running until she arrived at the


    elementary school she worked at.


    After standing outside for a moment and noticing that her colleagues had not caught up with her yet, she


    dug out her phone and called one of them.


    It rang a few times before someone picked up.


    Sylvia immediately asked, ¡°Jenny, are you guysing back?"


    There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone before the deep voice of a man responded,


    "Sylvia, I''ll give you ten minutes toe back and apologize to me. Otherwise, you will bear the


    consequences.¡±


    It was Odell!


    Sylvia hung up the phone with trembling hands.


    Then, she entered the school and darted to her office where she packed up her belongings and wrote a


    resignation letter in the form of a text message to the principal. With that, she left the school premises.


    She was not going to allow herself to be lectured by this man.


    Needless to say, she was not going to apologize!


    ¡­


    Shortly after leaving the school, Sylvia went to a nearby woodcarving studio.


    She enjoyed the practice of carving wood in her spare time, and she had considered applying for a


    position here in the past.


    After showcasing her technique to the boss, she was hired on the spot.


    The working hours were very flexible, so long as the tasks could bepleted on time.


    After she became familiar with the working ce, Sylvia got to work and stayed busy until it was time to


    pick up Isabel from school.


    She was about to finish up and head to pick her daughter up from the kindergarten when she received a


    call from the little girl.


    A tender, soft voice came from the other end of the phone. "Mommy, you don''t have to pick me up. My


    ssmate is going to drop me off on his way. I¡¯ll see you at home.¡±


    Sylvia was about to ask which particr ssmate it was when Isabel hung up.


    Sylvia figured she would head straight home.


    Twenty minutester, she returned to the district where she lived.


    Before she even got to the door, she noticed tworge, muscr men standing on both sides of the door.


    They wore no expression and had identical uniforms; these must be personal bodyguards.


    After making sure again that she did not have the wrong house, she pushed the door open and entered.


    The first thing that came into her sight was the two kids sitting on the floor of the living room.


    One of them was the rosy-cheeked Isabel who was grinning from ear to ear while the other was a fine-


    looking child as well¡ªit was Liam!


    Sylvia was taken aback.


    She had the impression that she was hallucinating and blinked repeatedly.


    Holding back tears of joy, Aunt Tonya said, ¡°Sylvia, Isabel brought Liam back from the kindergarten. They


    happen to be in the same ss. Don''t just stand there now. Hurry up ande over here.¡±


    With that, Aunt Tonya closed the door so that the two bodyguards outside would not interrupt their


    precious moment.


    Sylvia ran up to Isabel and Liam before anyone could even blink.


    She looked at Liam who was sitting in front of her. It was Liam in the flesh! She felt tears welling up in her


    eyes.


    Liam was also staring back at her with an innocent expression.


    His expressive eyes fluttered as he said, "I saw you on the night of Great-grandma¡¯s birthday. Are you


    my mommy?¡±


    Though he was the same age as Isabel, there was a subtle hint of maturity that did not quite measure up


    to his age.


    He was like a tiny adult.


    Sylvia smiled and answered softly, "Yes, I''m your mommy.¡±


    The corners of Liam¡¯s lips curled up into a wide grin, and his eyes sparkled.


    Sylvia could not resist the urge anymore and pulled him into her embrace.


    His body was soft to the touch and noticeably light. He was distinctly lighter than Isabel.


    Sylvia felt a sense of sadness and guilt blossoming within her.


    Isabel pounced on top of them as well.


    She pulled Sylvia and Liam nearer to her and shouted, "Mommy, bro, I want a hug too!"


    Sylviaughed heartily and pulled both Isabel and Liam closer to her.

 Chapter 8

    The mother, son, and daughter trio hugged for some time before breaking up.


    Sylvia sat on the floor with them and listened to Isabel narrate her meeting with Liam in kindergarten.


    After she finished telling her story, she turned up to her mother with her chubby face and seemed like


    she was expecting praise.


    Sylvia smiled and lowered herself to nt a kiss on her daughter¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Good work, Isabel.¡±


    Isabel chuckled.


    Liam suddenly turned to Sylvia as well with his cheeks that resembled two freshly baked buns.


    He always wore a quiet, discrete look on his face. Hisrge eyes were like pearls as he stared at his


    mother expectantly.


    Sylvia immediately kissed him on the cheeks as well. ¡°Liam, good work too.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and smiled shyly.


    Sylvia proceeded to ask him, ¡°Liam, could you tell us about your life at home?"


    She wanted to know about his life in the past three years.


    If it turned out that Tara mistreated Liam, she would do everything in her power to take her son back from


    Odell!


    Upon asking this question, she immediately noticed Liam¡¯s expression darkening slightly.


    He responded dully, ¡°My life is boring.¡±


    Boring?


    Sylvia was taken aback.


    Liam exined, ¡°Before I started going to kindergarten, every day is the same as the other. It¡¯s either


    ying games, eating, or spending time with Great-grandma.¡±


    Spending time with Great-grandma?


    Sylvia enquired, ¡°Liam, do you live with Great-grandma?¡±


    Liam nodded firmly.


    The three years of pent-up frustration inside Sylvia suddenly deted upon hearing this.


    How could she have ever forgotten about Madam Carter?


    The old madam was essentially the one who had single-handedly raised Odell, and thetter had nothing


    but veneration for her.


    She adored her grandson Odell, and it was all thanks to her that Sylvia and Odell even got married in the


    first ce.


    Five years ago, Sylvia had fallen under the web of plots weaved by her stepmother along with Odell''s


    stepmother, whereby she was led into Odell''s room where they proceeded to be intimate with each other.


    After that, they sent someone into the room and caught the two in the middle of the act. The fallout of the


    incident was that Odell had no choice but to marry her.


    Later on, Odell never believed her when she imed that she had been deceived the same way that he


    had, but the old madam trusted her. After Tara entered the picture, the olddy herself made it clear to


    Odell that she would not ept Tara as family.


    If Liam had been living with the old madam for the past three years, he must have been treated fairly and


    safe from the abuse of Tara.


    Sylvia heaved a sigh of relief before asking, ¡°Liam, what do you think needs to happen for your days to


    not be boring?¡±


    Liam looked at her, then at his lovely sister, and said, ¡°Well, it sure isn¡¯t boring now."


    Sylvia was delighted by his answer. She patted his head and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve never been happier


    than I am now.¡±


    Not to be outdone, Isabel leaned forward and stated, "I''m super happy now too!"


    ¡­


    At the Carters'', after sending Tara back home, this was the first ce Odell rushed to.


    Today was Liam''s first day in kindergarten. His original n was to go to the kindergarten to pick Liam up


    in the afternoon, but he was held up by the infuriating encounter with that woman, Sylvia. He ended up


    waiting the entire afternoon for a proper apology from her.


    He never expected that she would resign and flee!


    Moments before stepping into the living room, Odell tightened his lips and suppressed his burning


    temper before entering the living room.


    He saw Madam Carter sitting on the couch and drinking tea by herself.


    He approached and asked, "Grandma, where is Liam?¡±


    The olddy answered curtly with a cross look, ¡°Liam went to y at a ssmate''s house."


    "Which ssmate? Why isn''t he back yet?"


    ¡°You¡¯re his biological father, and you¡¯re asking me this question. How am I supposed to answer that?¡±


    The old madam was notably unimpressed with theck of attention from the child''s father given that it


    was the young boy''s first day of school.


    Odell frowned and exined, "I ran into a bit of trouble during the day.¡±


    The olddy scoffed, "It''s gettingte. It''s time for dinner."


    ¡°Alright, you rest up first. I''ll pick him up right away." Odell wasted no time and left immediately. He


    proceeded to call the bodyguard who was taking care of Liam.


    ¡­


    At Sylvia¡¯s residence, she was just ying a next-generation console game with Liam and Isabel and


    they were just getting into action when Aunt Tonya barged urgently into the room.


    ¡°Sylvia, I heard the two bodyguards outside mentioning something about Liam¡¯s fathering to get


    him. He will be here very soon.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed.


    Odell must not enter. She could not risk having him see Isabel lest she be taken away from her!


    She immediately turned to Liam and Isabel.


    Before she could get a word out, Liam put the controller down and informed them, ¡°Mommy, sis, I¡¯ll see


    you two tomorrow.¡±


    Isabel pouted at this juncture. ¡°But I already miss you, bro.¡±


    She went up and hugged Liam.


    Liam gently ruffled the back of her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. We¡¯ll meet again tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Isabel let go of him obediently.


    Liam turned to Sylvia who immediately went to hug him and told him in a soft voice, ¡°Liam, Mommy will


    prepare something delicious for you tomorrow. Make sure you go to bed early and don''t stay up ying


    games for too long tonight, alright?¡±


    Liam seemed very moved by this.


    He had heard simr nagging from his great grandmother countless times, but for some reason, it


    sounded different when it came from his mother¡¯s lips.


    He promised, "I understand.¡±


    Sylvia kissed him again before letting him leave.


    After he went out, Sylvia apanied Isabel to the balcony, and they peered down through the window.


    An expensive ck car could be seen driving through the gate of the neighborhood and soon stopped in


    front of their house.


    Odell had just gotten out of the car when Liam and the two bodyguards emerged.


    Liam swiped a nce at his father. His little bun-like cheeks disyed no visible expression of any sort


    as his legs trotted toward his father¡¯s car.


    Odell frowned. ¡°Liam, don''t you know you should greet your dad?¡±


    "Dad."


    His tone was monotonous.


    Odell felt something catch in his throat.


    The child had been extremely reserved since he was a child. He only smiled at his great-grandmother,


    and even then, rarely so, hence a disy like this was nothing out of the ordinary.


    After Liam got into the car, he turned around and prepared to get in as well.


    That was when he had a feeling that there was something different this time, and somethingpelled


    him to nce at the second floor of the house.


    His vision was supremely sharp.


    Sylvia, who was peeping from the balcony, quickly ducked inside immediately.


    After a while, when her heartbeat stilled, she regained herposure.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She saw Isabel with her hands on her chest, her cheeks bulging, while still ring down aggressively.


    Sylvia followed her line of sight to see the car driving out of the gate of the neighborhood.


    It seemed that Odell had not noticed them.


    She caressed Isabel''s head and asked, ¡°Isabel, what''s the matter with you?"


    Isabel pouted and shouted, "I thought this stinky person was going to be ugly and fat, but I didn''t expect


    him to be so handsome! Hmph! How can he be so good-looking if he¡¯s heartless enough to leave you


    behind?! God must be blind!"


    Sylvia was speechless.


    It was probably a good idea not to allow her daughter to watch so many of those soap operas with Aunt


    Tonya in the future.

 Chapter 9

    In the ck car that was speeding down the road, Liam sat in his child seat and was staring straight


    ahead.


    He said, ¡°No need to pick me up tomorrow. I''m going to have dinner there. I''ll go home with Uncle Ben


    and Uncle Jacob after dinner.¡±


    Uncle Ben and Uncle Jacob were the bodyguards responsible for safeguarding him.


    He was telling this to Odell, who was sitting next to him.


    Odell frowned, looking a little displeased by this.


    The child had always spoken with amanding tone, and it seemed like he would never ept any


    form of questioning once he had announced something. One would wonder where he learned such


    manners from.


    Truly, he was Odell¡¯s flesh and blood.


    Odell scowled and stated sternly, "Don''t y till toote, and remember toe home early."


    It seemed like Liam did not hear what he said. His eyes continued staring ahead of him while his mind


    was still filled with thoughts about the time he spent with his mother and sister.


    ''My mommy is so gentle and my sister is so cute. If only I could be with them all the time¡­''


    Odell, who could not draw a response from his son, shot him an unimpressed re.


    After a while, the car stopped at the Carters''. When Liam entered the house, Odell turned to the two


    bodyguards.


    He asked them, ¡°Which ssmate¡¯s house did Liam go to today?¡±


    One of the bodyguards replied, ¡°It was the desk-mate of the young master. Her name is Isabel.¡±


    ¡°A girl?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s she like?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s very vibrant and charming. The young master enjoyed ying with her. She¡¯s a child actor who''s


    gained a bit of poprity.¡±


    A child actor?


    Then again, the kindergarten they went to was reputable for upholding privacy, so it was not surprising


    that a child actor would enroll there.


    Odell had no further questions. He just instructed them, ¡°Watch him closely and make sure to report to


    me immediately if anythinges up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, Sylvia finished her work ahead of time and bought arge bag of groceries back home.


    Liam mentioned that he was not picky, but Sylvia did not know what his favorite snack was either. She


    settled with making Isabel¡¯s favorite snacks with some additional healthy snacks sprinkled in the mix.


    She finished preparing just as soon as Isabel and Liam came home.


    As usual, the first thing Isabel did was run to her for a hug.


    Sylvia obliged and hugged her, then she hugged Liam as well. Finally, she led them to the table.


    Isabel began munching on the food right away.


    Liam had an Englishman¡¯s mannerisms and only ate after putting on a pair of gloves. He ate with such


    elegance and moved with such calcted movements as if he was a noble prince.


    Sylvia ate with them, then spent time ying games with them for a while.


    Dusk arrived sooner than expected.


    Since Odell was noting to pick him up, Sylvia felt safe bringing Isabel with her to escort Liam


    downstairs. It was only after she saw the car leaving that she led Isabel back into the house.


    The days passed quickly, and it was soon Friday.


    As usual, Sylvia spent time with the children until it was dark outside.


    It was almost time for Liam to leave.


    Isabel hugged him with longing. "Bro, we won''t be able to see each other for two days. I will miss you."


    Liam only frowned and said nothing.


    Sylvia went to console her, ¡°Isabel, two days will pass in no time. Why don¡¯t you let your brother go home


    now?¡±


    Although she did not want to be separated from Liam, she felt content enough to get to see him five days


    a week.


    Isabel muttered a brief, ¡°Oh¡± before letting Liam go.


    It was easy to tell how disappointed she was by looking at her pout.


    Sylvia patted her head and took her hand to escort Liam downstairs.


    The bodyguards and the car were only right by the entrance.


    After bidding farewell, Liam walked towards the car.


    Although they would only be separated for two days, Isabel¡¯s eyes and little nose were puffed red as if


    she would never see her brother again.


    Sylvia gently took her daughter¡¯s hands and squeezed them weakly.


    Liam, who was about to get into the car, suddenly stopped and looked back at them.


    His eyebrows could be seen perking up when he saw his sister¡¯s reddened eyes and nose.


    Sylvia took Isabel into her arms and said to him, ¡°Liam, get in the car quickly. Don''t worry about her.¡±


    Liam hesitated for a moment, then he turned around and entered the car.


    Isabel rubbed her nose, then she turned her head and buried her face in Sylvia''s neck.


    Sylvia watched the car leave before carrying Isabel upstairs while consoling her, ¡°Come on, Isabel. Don¡¯t


    be sad. We¡¯ll see your brother again in two days.¡±


    Isabel nodded stiffly, feeling down.


    Sylvia sighed helplessly and continued doing what she could tofort her.


    ¡­


    At the Carters'', by the time Liam returned home, both the old madam and Odell were in the living room.


    The old madam was drinking tea and conversing with the old butler while Odell was lounging on the


    couch while reading the newspaper.


    Liam walked past Odell and stopped in front of the old madam.


    Then, he said, "Grandma, I want to invite my best friend to our house next weekend.¡±


    The old madam seemed delighted to see her dear great-grandsoning to her on his own for once. "Of


    course, that¡¯s fine. Is this best friend the one whom you visit every day after school?¡±


    Liam nodded.


    The olddy smiled and answered, ¡°Alright. It¡¯s only right that we should host her as well seeing that you


    have dinner with them every day.¡±


    After obtaining such a satisfactory answer, Liam quickly darted back to his room.


    He wanted to call his sister.


    Right then, he heard a solemn andmanding voice from behind him.


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    "Stop," Odell called to him.


    Liam turned to Odell. There was a look of impatience mixed with insolence on his face that seemed like


    he was waiting for his father to speak.


    Odell frowned and tried his best to suppress his urge to punish the child. ¡°Since you happen to have


    some time tomorrow, I''ll take you and that friend of yours to y somewhere.¡±


    Liam was startled by this proposal. He was not expecting his busy father to find time to spend time with


    him.


    He then remarked, "No need."


    Odell''s face darkened.


    Before he could get another word out, Liam ran back to his room without looking back.


    Odell was fuming with rage at this point.


    Old Madam Carter who was nearby sighed helplessly. ¡°Well, this is the consequence of you never paying


    attention to your son and choosing to spend time with problematic folks out there all the time. I hope


    you¡¯re happy now. Liam isn¡¯t even an adult yet, and he already thinks he doesn¡¯t need a father like you.¡±


    This was like pouring oil onto the fire.


    He stated, "Grandma, Tara is my girlfriend. She¡¯s not what you call ''problematic''.¡±


    The old madam¡¯s expression changed.


    Tara was his obsession, his muse. Regardless of his grandmother¡¯s contempt for their marriage, and


    despite all the other women who tried to seduce him away from her, he would never abandon Tara. This


    went to prove the standing Tara had inside his heart.


    In many ways, the old madam understood that the handsome and stoic young man was no longer her


    innocent little grandson who used to run circles around her. He was at the helm of the Carter Corporation


    and was one of the most deeply revered men in Westchester City, known for his decisive and harsh


    measures.


    Not knowing what more to say, she stated, "I just want to remind you that Liam is your only child. Do you


    want to see him turn into a mirror image of you?¡±


    To turn out like him¡­ He had been neglected by his father from a young age and subjected to the


    devious threats and plots of his stepmother¡­


    A dark cloud cast over Odell¡¯s eyes.


    After a moment of silence, he announced in a deep voice, "Don''t worry. I won''t let such a thing happen to


    Liam.¡±

 Chapter 10

    At Sylvia¡¯s residence, after sending Liam off, she brought Isabel inside and spent the better half of the


    day coaxing her. No matter what she did, the kid continued pouting and was in a dismal mood.


    Sylvia was running out of ideas.


    It was right then that Isabel¡¯s phone rang. Liam was calling.


    She immediately picked up the call.


    Sylvia could not tell what was said on the other end of the phone, but a wide smile quickly surfaced on


    the kid¡¯s face and she immediately beamed with joy.


    She was chanting repeatedly, ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s meet tomorrow!¡±


    Sylvia was clueless.


    Shortly after, Isabel hung up the phone and jumped into Sylvia''s arms while eximing enthusiastically,


    "Mommy, Brother will pick me up tomorrow, and we will y at his house! He told me that there is no


    need to worry because he won¡¯t let them find out that I¡¯m your dear daughter and that I¡¯m his sister.¡±


    Sylvia was shocked by this piece of information.


    She never expected Liam to take such an approach.


    Perhaps things would turn out fine. Considering theirbined wit, the old madam probably would not


    discover Isabel¡¯s true identity.


    Isabel was already hopping up and down with excitement.


    There was not much Sylvia could say or do by this point. She could only put Isabel to bed so that she


    could get enough rest for the next morning.


    ¡­


    The next morning, the two bodyguards who always apanied Liam arrived.


    Sylvia spoke to Isabel briefly before sending her to the car.


    The car quickly drove out of the neighborhood and arrived at the Carters'' in less than half an hour.


    Isabel''s eyes widened as she curiously surveyed her new surroundings.


    So, this was where her brother lived.


    Soon, she saw Liam standing by the door.


    Liam was wearing a neat little suit and stood like a mighty statue. A faint smile appeared on his face


    when he saw Isabel.


    He had been waiting for her arrival.


    "Brother!" Isabel immediately lunged at him.


    Liam nearly fell over.


    The endearing scene made the old butler and the other servants nearby chuckle merrily.


    The little girl strongly insisted on calling him brother. Being the ball of joy and passion that she was, it


    was no surprise that she got along so well with the usually lonesome Liam.


    After the two regained their footing, Liam brought Isabel to the living room.


    Inside the living room, Isabel saw an olddy sitting on the couch. She was a inly dressed ageddy


    with beads of silver hair draping down her neck while she seemed to always wear a kindly expression.


    Liam introduced, ¡°Isabel, this is Grandma."


    Isabel¡¯s eyes folded into crescent moons as she greeted politely, "Hello, Grandma. My name is Isabel."


    Madam Carter was immediately enamored by her eyes that turned into crescents when she smiled.


    Not only were her eyes beautiful, but her chubby, plump cheeks also reminded her of Liam¡¯s. Anyone


    who was none the wiser would assume the two were siblings.


    Considering that Isabel was her favorite great-grandson¡¯s best friend, she had all the reason in the world


    to shower Isabel with affection.


    ¡°Hi there! Come over and let Grandma hug you." She put the teacup in her hands down and stretched


    out her arms towards Isabel.


    Isabel looked at Liam quizzically.


    He nodded at her.


    Before long, Isabel found herself within the arms of the old madam.


    She was like a tiny bolster, and her body produced such a sweet, milky fragrance.


    The old madam simply could not get enough of hugging her.


    It was right then when the sounds of footsteps trotting came from outside the door.


    "Grandma, I¡¯m here to see Liam.¡± Odell entered.


    The old madam frowned and reluctantly let go of Isabel.


    Isabel turned her head around to inspect the neer. She was greeted with the sight of a tall and


    handsome man in a suit.


    Her eyes glowed until she remembered that this handsome man was the evil man who had left her


    mother behind.


    Then, she puffed up her cheeks and looked at him.


    Odell exchanged a nce with her as well.


    He noted that the child was roughly the same height as Liam, but she was slightly chubbier than him.


    This was especially notable in her plump, round cheeks. Furthermore, her eyes were also shaped like


    tworge saucers.


    Although he was unsure of the strange hostility the girl disyed toward him, he did feel a strange sort of


    familiarity with her.


    He even felt an urge to hug her.


    Odell grinned. "Why are you staring at me?"


    His voice was low, and one could sense his authority concealed underneath his casual tone.


    Isabel resisted the urge to jump at this person and bite him. Then, she answered curtly, ¡°Because you¡¯re


    terribly handsome.¡±


    Odell''s mouth twitched slightly. He was not sure how to respond to this suddenpliment.


    Madam Carter was amused by this exchanged andughed heartily. She proceeded to introduce them,


    ¡°Odell, this is Isabel. She is Liam¡¯s best friend.¡±


    Then, she said to Isabel, ¡°Isabel, he is Liam¡¯s father."


    Isabel greeted Odell with a slight reservation, "Hello, sir."


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell nodded to her and turned to Madam Carter, "Grandma, I''ll take them out to y so that you can


    have time for yourself at home.¡±


    Madam Carter answered, "Okay."


    This was when Liam suddenly interjected, "I don¡¯t want to go out. I want to y with her at home."


    Odell threatened in a harsh tone, "You want to say that again?"


    Liam pursed his lips.


    Madam Carter told Liam, ¡°Liam, be a good boy and go out with your dad.¡±


    Liam kept a frown on his face and remained silent.


    Madam Carter sighed.


    She was very fond of Isabel and was sad to see her go. However, she did not want to drive any further


    distance between Odell and Liam.


    She turned to Isabel, ¡°Isabel, why don¡¯t you go have fun with Liam and his dad? Don¡¯t be shy. Just treat


    Master Carter as a member of your family.¡±


    Isabel shot Odell a dark look. She would never want to share family rtions with such an awful person.


    However, it was clear that Liam had not much choice.


    She had topromise in the end. ¡°Okay, Great-grandma.¡±


    ¡­


    Half an hourter, in a famous amusement park in Westchester City.


    Odell bought them VIP tickets and brought the kids in. Isabel zoomed around the park and dragged Liam


    with her everywhere she went. She was like a kite detached from its string.


    They finally had enough after trying nearly all of the attractions in the park.


    Isabel''s face was beet red from the heat and adrenaline, and the bangs on her forehead were soaked


    with sweat.


    Liam was also sweating profusely.


    Odell, who had been sitting and waiting for therge part of the day, produced a clean handkerchief from


    his pocket and handed it to them.


    Liam took it and wiped Isabel''s face with it.


    She thanked him tenderly, "Thank you, bro."


    "You''re wee."


    This time, Isabel took the handkerchief and wiped away his sweat with it.


    Liam¡¯s lips curled into a wide grin.


    Isabel said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    The two kids were lost in their world, and it was as despite being next to them, Odell did not exist at all.


    After she was done with the handkerchief, she turned to Odell.


    She returned the handkerchief to him and said to him, ¡°Thank you for your handkerchief, scary uncle.¡±


    Odell pulled a face and told her, "You''re wee."


    Although the girl had been calling him "scary uncle" all day, Liam had gradually softened up to him


    throughout the day and the girl¡¯s tone had also be noticeably friendlier.


    After giving the two some water, Odell was about to bring them to leave the amusement park.


    As soon as they let the entrance, a petite figure approached them.


    ¡°Odell!¡± It was Tara who was all dressed up. She went up and wrapped herself around Odell¡¯s arm.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11 Odell shot her a look. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to the gallery today?¡± Tara answered, ¡°The


    exhibition has ended. Besides, I haven¡¯t seen Liam for some time, so I figured I might as welle to


    see him on such a rare asion where you¡¯re taking him out.¡± She turned to Liam and then noticed


    Isabel who was next to him. She was slightly startled. Why does this fat kid look so much like Liam?


    ¡°Odell, who¡¯s the little girl?¡± she turned to ask Odell while smiling.


    ¡°She¡¯s Liam¡¯s friend.¡±


    This surprised Tara again.


    How was it that this loner brat managed to make friends?


    She studied Isabel again.


    Isabel frowned and responded to her gaze with indifference.


    This must be the awfuldy that Aunt Tonya mentioned!


    Tara quickly detected Isabel¡¯s hostility towards her, and she felt a wave of discontent rising inside her.


    Still, she formed a smile and addressed Isabel, ¡°What a cute little girl. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    She approached Isabel and appeared to want to hug her.


    Liam immediately stepped in between Isabel and Tara, ring icily at Tara. ¡°Go away. Don¡¯te near


    her.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Although his voice was still childish, there was a trace of superiority in his tone.


    Tara¡¯s face darkened for a moment, and she cursed the boy in her heart, ¡®This damned brat, just you


    wait! Let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll take care of you after I marry Odell!¡¯


    She proceeded to sigh and exined her actions, ¡°Liam, please don¡¯t misunderstand. I don¡¯t have any ill


    will towards her.¡±


    She spoke to him as if her feelings had been wounded. Nevertheless, Liam ignored her and continued


    shielding Isabel from her. Tara twitched her lips and looked at Odell almost pleadingly.


    Clearly, the children had a bad impression of Tara. He had been spending the day trying to bond with


    them and figured that there was nothing he could say to make them change their mind about her. He


    decided she would have to prove herself with her actions.


    He shifted the topic instead. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go get something to eat.¡± Tara could not say anything


    and merely had to swallow her rage. She promptly clung to Odell¡¯s arms and announced with


    satisfaction, ¡°Odell, I already got us a reservation at the Elysian House. Let¡¯s go eat there.¡±


    Odell nodded and nced at Liam and Isabel to say in an imposing tone, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Liam tugged at his lips and followed behind them with Isabel.


    At Sylvia¡¯s home, she had returned from the woodcarving studio for some time. It was already getting


    dark, yet there was no sign of Isabel. She rang Isabel worriedly. After a few rings, the call was


    connected. She immediately asked, ¡°Isabel, where are you now?¡±


    On the other end of the line, Isabel was seated with Liam.


    They were ced in the children¡¯s seat which restricted their range of movement. Meanwhile, there was


    a feast of nutritious kids¡¯ mealsid out in front of them.


    Her cheeks were stuffed with food.


    When her phone rang and she saw that it was her mother calling, she was delighted. She babbled,


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m eating with Liam, the suspicious uncle, and the ugly aunty at a restaurant.¡±


    Odell and Tara who were seated right next to her were rendered speechless. Odell frowned whereas


    Tara seemed horrified. Isabel pouted again and voiced her grief, ¡°Mommy, I want to go home. The food


    here tastes horrible. Then, there¡¯s the ugly aunty who is too hideous to flirt but still keeps trying to hit on


    the suspicious uncle. I¡¯m losing my appetite.¡±


    Liam patted the back of her head and tried to console her, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I won¡¯t let you eat out with her


    next time.¡±


    Tara clenched her fists, boiling with fury.


    Odell clicked his tongue. Then, he got up and went to Isabel and proceeded to yank the phone out of her


    hand.


    Sylvia was just about to answer Isabel when she heard the raspy, low voice of a maning from the


    receiver, ¡°Sorry, I have been a poor host and have troubled her. I will bring her back as soon as I can.¡±


    She felt her hands trembling.


    Instead of answering, she promptly hung up.


    After not hearing a response for several seconds, Odell nced suspiciously at the phone screen.


    He saw a girl with chubby cheeks and a wide grin on her face; it was Isabel. Meanwhile, the caller had


    already hung up.


    Perhaps she was too infuriated.


    He handed the phone back to the upset Isabel who immediately stuffed the phone into her bag.


    Odell then lifted her and Liam out of their seats in turn.


    The two children walked out hand in hand, and moments before they stepped outside, Isabel made sure


    to turn to Tara and scoff in her direction.


    Immediately, Tara¡¯s entire face turned beet red with anger.


    She could not lose her temper in front of Odell, thus she only cast a wounded look at him.¡± Odell¡­¡±


    Odell answered, ¡°Head back first. Don¡¯t wait up for me.¡±


    He had no intention offorting her.


    Isabel was Liam¡¯s best friend and was only three years old. Even if she was rude, it was more due to


    poor parenting than anything else.


    The main priority was to get her home safely.


    With that, he left.


    Tara was so infuriated that she mmed her chopsticks on the ground and cursed, ¡°Damned brat!


    Insolent, uncultured, disgusting brats!¡±


    Twenty minutester, Odell brought Liam and Isabel to Isabel¡¯s neighborhood.


    Odell was the first to step out of the car, followed by Liam and Isabel.


    Isabel turned to Liam. ¡°Bro, I¡¯ll go up by myself. There¡¯s no need to send me.¡±


    There was a knowing look in Liam¡¯s eyes as he simply replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He knew that his sister was doing this so that Odell would not follow them. After all, t would be terrible if


    he saw their mother.


    Isabel waved to him again. ¡°Bye-bye, bro.¡±


    ¡°Bye-bye.¡±


    Isabel turned to Odell and met his gaze, only to find him staring right at her. Isabel scoffed at him before


    shuffling her short legs toward the elevator. Her scoff was short and sounded almost unintentional,


    sounding like a cat¡¯s sneeze.


    The way she carried her body while she walked away was an adorable sight.


    Despite her audacity, Odell found that it did not rouse anger in him. On the contrary, he formed an


    amused smile.


    He wondered why the little brat held such contempt for him.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia was hiding around the corner by the elevator.


    There were less than ten meters away separating her and Odell.


    She held her breath and waited until Isabel came running.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Upon seeing her, Isabel jumped toward her immediately.


    It was a good thing that Sylvia was ready for her. Otherwise, she would have been sent tumbling down


    and rolling on the floor.


    After that, she picked Isabel up and entered the elevator.


    Odell was just approaching them at that very moment. He heard Isabel calling her mother, so he


    presumed that Isabel¡¯s mother must havee to pick her up.


    He wanted to exin what had happened at dinner.


    By the time he reached the elevator, the doors were just closing, and all he caught was the faint glimpse


    of a shirt.


    Liam was rapidly sprinting after him as well. He silently heaved a sigh of relief when he noticed that the


    elevator doors had shut. He quickly told Odell, ¡°Dad, I want to go home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Odell took his hand


    and strolled back with him.

 Chapter 12

    Two dayster, it was Monday.


    It had been two days since she saw Liam. The thought that she would get to see her son again made


    Sylvia especially ecstatic. She took an early day off and left by noon.


    She went to a nearby shopping mall where she boughtrge bags of ingredients, then she headed to the


    toy store to buy Liam and Isabel their favorite toys before making her way home.


    Right after she entered the car and was just putting on her seat belt, the kindergarten teacher called her.


    The teacher¡¯s voice sounded anxious on the phone. ¡°Miss Ross, your daughter got into a fight with


    someone at school. Pleasee as soon as you can.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted in an instant. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, she quickly revved the engine and zoomed off.


    It took her less than ten minutes to reach the kindergarten.


    She went to the teacher¡¯s office, and as soon as she came in, she saw several children standing by the


    wall.


    The one that immediately caught her attention was the girl whose hair was so messy that it could have


    been mistaken for a bird nest. The child still wore a disdainful, upset expression on her face. It was


    Isabel.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Next to her was Liam with what seemed like w marks on his fair face.


    Sylvia became upset and frowned. She approached the two.


    She peered at them up and down to make sure they had not sustained any other injuries before she


    began to question, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did you two start a fight?¡±


    Isabel snorted and pointed at the two little boys next to them. ¡°They were the ones who bullied my


    brother first. He was sleeping and wasn¡¯t even bothering them. They were the ones who started throwing


    erasers at him unprovoked.¡±


    The two little boys were ratherrge for their age and seemed tough.


    However, their faces and necks were riddled with fresh marks; they were either w marks or red spots


    as a result of sustaining blunt force.


    They quickly bowed their heads as if cowering in fear when Isabel pointed at them.


    This was surely her work.


    Sylvia turned to Liam. He remarked with a faint pout, ¡°I don¡¯t me my sister. She stood up for me and


    beat them


    me


    up.¡±


    Sylvia put a hand forward and patted his head. ¡°Liam, you two are siblings and should help each other.


    Mommy won¡¯t me either of you for that.¡±


    She knew what Isabel¡¯s temper was like. She was not the type to start trouble unless someone


    provoked her first.


    Besides, the thought that these two boys picked on Liam upset her just as well as it upset Isabel.


    Isabel felt vindicated, and her demeanor grew more arrogant when she heard this.


    Liam also responded with a faint smile. This was when the headteacher appeared.: She ryed the story


    to Sylvia, and it was the same as what Isabel said. It was the two boys who had provoked them and


    caused trouble first. Still, Isabel and Liam did more than stand up for themselves; they beat the two boys


    up until they sobbed and begged for mercy before stopping. The headteacher remarked, ¡°Miss Ross, I


    acknowledge that those two boys were in the wrong, but Isabel went overboard.¡±


    Sylvia scratched her nose and stated, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to speak to her when we get home.¡±


    The parents of the other two boys arrived as well.


    They first saw the poor state their children were in, then they were informed that their children were the


    ones who had started it in the first ce. Finally, when the teacher informed them that Liam was the son


    of Odell Carter, they immediately became pacified and even made their children apologize to Liam.


    Since Isabel was protected under Liam¡¯s wings, they did not dare cast an ounce of me on Isabel


    either. They even exchanged some pleasant words with Sylvia.


    Shortly after that, the children made up.


    Since it was nearly time for the children¡¯s lunch break, the punctual headteacher announced,¡± Alright,


    ladies and gentlemen, why don¡¯t we let the kids enjoy their lunch break now? Don¡¯t worry. We promise to


    take good care of them, and we won¡¯t let such a thing happen again.¡± With that, the parents of the two


    boys left. Sylviabed Isabel¡¯s hair and grazed her finger against Liam¡¯s face. She asked tenderly,¡°


    Liam, what would you like to eat tonight? Mommy will make it for you.¡±


    Liam¡¯s eyes brightened. He recalled the fantastic, delicious barbecue that he atest Wednesday night


    and requested, ¡°I want to have a barbecue.¡± Sylvia pinched his nose gently. ¡°Alright.¡± That was when


    Isabel chimed in as well, ¡°Mommy, I want to have a barbecue as well, so please prepare more. I love


    meat.¡± Sylvia chuckled and patted her dear head. ¡°Alright, your mommy¡¯s got it. Now run along with your


    brother.¡±


    The two children left happily while holding hands.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia walked to the parking lot outside the school. Just as she was about to reach her


    parking spot, a jet-ck car approached out of nowhere and stopped right next to her.


    Sylvia was startled.


    Before she could figure out what was happening, the car window lowered before her very eyes and she


    immediately recognized the handsome and nk stare of the person in the driver¡¯s seat.


    Sylvia widened her eyes, then she turned and ran


    Odell pushed the car door open and bolted out of the car. He chased after her and quickly caught up with


    just a few strides, grabbing her by the back cor, so Sylvia had to stop.


    She pulled the front cor of her shirt and demanded, ¡°Odell, let go.¡± Odell scoffed, ¡°What happened?


    Weren¡¯t you always good at running?¡±


    Sylvia tried to shake him off but could not.


    She had no choice but to turn around and face him. She spoke to him with an arrogant smirk,¡± How can I


    run anywhere when you¡¯re grabbing me like that?¡± Her smile appeared sinister like that of a witch.


    Odell sneered. Sylvia proceeded to act the fool and asked obliviously, ¡°Master Odell, what brings you


    here in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one that should be asking you that,¡± Odell replied harshly.


    Sylvia stated nonchntly, ¡°Nothing, just taking a walk.¡± ¡°D¡¯you think I¡¯m going to buy that?¡± Sylvia


    sighed., ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I can¡¯t help it if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes and looked at her sharply.


    Sylvia continued smiling and let him stare at her all he wanted.


    Then, Tara appeared from behind him. She immediately began interrogating, ¡°Sylvia, you know that Liam


    studies in this kindergarten, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Liam?¡± Sylvia continued the act. of course, she knew


    that. She also knew that they were here because Liam had gotten into a fight.


    Tara was slightly bbergasted by this disy. She had a feeling that Sylvia already knew that her son


    Liam was studying here, but she was not expecting her to be so shameless as to continue putting up an


    act.


    She turned to Odell. ¡°Odell, should we tell her?¡±


    Odell red at Sylvia and chuckled. ¡°Do you really think this woman would be so ignorant?¡±


    Sylvia smiled innocently. ¡°I truly have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Odell yanked the cor of her


    shirt again. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you onest time¨Cwhy are you here?¡±. Sylvia could feel the cor tugging against her


    neck and digging into her flesh. She grimaced and told them, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you let me go.¡±


    Odell snorted. ¡°Tell me, or else, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Sylvia gave him a sly look. ¡°Uh¡­ your girlfriend is


    right here. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good look if you keep grabbing your ex-wife in front of her.¡± Odell scoffed,


    ¡°I¡¯m grabbing your cor, not your body. Out with it unless you want to die!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Sylvia shrugged


    helplessly, then took a step forward. She took one quick step forward and stopped so near to him that


    her forehead was practically touching his stout chin. Everything suddenly became quiet.


    Odell froze.


    Tara beheld this scene with her eyes agape and screamed, ¡°Odell!¡±


    Odell immediately loosened his grip on Sylvia¡¯s cor as if he was flinging a dirty cloth off his hands,


    retreating a step backward as he did this. Before anyone could react, Sylvia turned and took off, running


    like the wind.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 By the time Odell came to his senses, Sylvia was miles away and her silhouette was the size


    of an ant.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned as ck as tar, and an intimidating roar sounded through the cracks of his


    clenched teeth, ¡°Sylvia!¡± Tara was frightened by his terrifying expression, and it took a while before she


    dared to approach him.


    She hugged his arm and tried tofort him, ¡°Odell, forget it. She has always been like this and there¡¯s


    nothing we can do about her. Let¡¯s not get caught up with her antics.¡± This only seemed to make things


    worse. What Tara said reminded him of the previous infuriating encounter with Sylvia.


    As if letting her threaten him with a razor de to his neck was not bad enough, he had already let her


    escape from his very palms so many times! Just as he was about to erupt with anger, Tara quickly


    reminded him, ¡°Odell, let¡¯s go in and see Liam.¡± This seemed to do the trick of calming him, and his


    expression changed swiftly. He would deal with the present situation first. Then, he would have all the


    time in the world to send someone after Sylvia and take care of her.


    Heposed himself and stepped towards the kindergarten entrance.


    Tara nced in the direction Sylvia fled toward and grinned wickedly. She quickly trailed after Odell.


    When they arrived, the children were on their lunch break. The headmaster and the headteacher


    attended to them and ryed the events from the very start to them.


    At the end of the story, the headteacher stated, ¡°Master Odell, the other children¡¯s parents are already


    here. The parents of the aggressors have personally apologized to Isabel¡¯s mother and have received


    forgiveness. Simrly, Isabel and Liam have also forgiven them, and that was how everything was


    wrapped up.¡± The headmaster echoed, ¡°Master Odell, we deeply apologize for what happened. We vow


    that something like this will never happen again.¡± With that, both of them looked at Odell with an anxious


    nce.


    Although they were one of the more reputable kindergartens in Westchester City, it would be devastating


    to get on Odell¡¯s bad side as it could lead to them closing down.


    Odell fell silent for a moment. ¡°Bring me to Liam.¡± The headmaster responded dutifully, ¡°Alright, Master


    Odell. This way, please.¡±


    In the sleeping area for the children, by the time Odell arrived, all of the children were sleeping soundly in


    their respective beds, except for Liam, whose bed was crammed with two tiny figures.


    Liam, who had always disliked direct physical contact with others, not only allowed Isabel to squeeze into


    his bed but even tolerated her resting her leg directly on top of him.


    It was as if the two were siblings.


    Odell was stunned by what he saw.


    Next to him, Tara was baffled as well. The headteacher rushed to exin, ¡°Master Odell, that¡¯s Isabel.


    She¡¯s Liam¡¯s best friend.¡± Odell grunted. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± The headteacher breathed a sigh of relief.


    Tara recalled what happenedst time at the Elysian House and continuously cast a curious nce over


    the two sleeping children.


    After a while, they left the kindergarten.


    The headmaster and the headteacher personally escorted them to the parking lot.


    After getting in the car, Odell started the engine. Tara started cautiously with a degree of doubt, ¡°Odell, I


    know there are some things that might be out of line for me to say.¡±


    ¡°Just say whatever is on your mind,¡± Odell dered. She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just that I think Isabel is a bad


    influence on Liam.¡±


    Odell raised an eyebrow at the notion.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Tara observed his expression before adding, ¡°Liam has always been a quiet boy, but at least, he used to


    be a good boy and never talked back to you. I feel like he¡¯s been starting to be more rebellious


    recently. ¡°Besides, why would the two boys decide to pick on Liam out of nowhere? I bet it was Isabel


    who provoked them and that their true target was Isabel. Liam wanted to help Isabel but ended up


    suffering for it. Odell¡¯s expression turned solemn.


    It was true. Ever since Liam made friends with Isabel, he had be more rebellious.


    ¡°Odell, I think Isabel is a really rude girl. It probably has something to do with the way she was raised. I¡¯m


    just worried that if Liam continues going to her house for dinner every day after school, he will slowly pick


    up bad habits,¡± Tara exined with an upset look on her face. Odell was quiet.


    Tara looked at him.


    Having been with him for so many years, she knew his temper like the back of her hand. Although he did


    not utter a word, the way that his eyebrows tightened suggested that he agreed with her sentiment.


    Tara struck while the iron was hot. ¡°Odell, I say we stop letting Liam go to her house.¡± Odell grunted,


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Meanwhile, Tara celebrated silently.


    How dare that damned brat call her ugly?


    ¡®Let¡¯s see you continue to hang out with Liam now!¡¯


    In the afternoon, Sylvia took the freshly bought ingredients into the house and began sorting them out


    with Aunt Tonya.


    It took them the better half of the day to prepare everything. The barbecue grill was set up as well. All


    they needed to do was to wait for the children toe home,


    Sylvia changed into a nice dress and set her hair. Then, she sat in the living room and waited for them.


    After a long while, there was finally a knock on the door.


    Sylvia immediately rose and went to the door. She was greeted by the sight of Isabel standing by herself


    at the door, and the first thing she noticed was her eyes which were red like a rabbit¡¯s.


    One look at Isabel, and she could tell that she was devastated. Sylvia immediately squatted down and


    wiped her tears while asking anxiously, ¡°Isabel, what happened? Why are you alone? Where is your


    brother?¡±


    Isabel cried out in a mix of anger and sadness, The uncle brought us here but refused to let brother


    leave the car. He said that brother is no longer allowed toe to our house for dinner


    The thought that he would never get to have dinner with them again and would be separated from his


    sister and mother pained Isabel greatly, so she burst into tears.


    Sylvia felt simrly troubled by this.


    Why did Odell suddenly decide to ban Liam froming over? Was it because of the incident with the


    other kids during the day? Liam had only been helping Isabel. If that was the root cause, this was a


    rather ridiculous reaction. She hurriedly took Isabel into her arms and did what she could to coax her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Mommy will find a way to get your brother here.¡±


    Isabel buried her face in her arms, crying and shouting, ¡°Stupid stinky uncle and the uglydy, it¡¯s all their


    fault!¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her eyebrows upon hearing the mention of the uglydy. She asked, ¡°Did you meet the


    ugly aunt from thest time today?¡±


    Isabel choked back tears as sheined, ¡°She was with the stinky uncle when they sent us home


    just now. She kept acting friendly and smiling at me, telling me something about how civilized people


    acted.¡±


    No wonder Odell suddenly changed his mind.


    To think that Tara would pull a stunt like this with a child, it seemed Sylvia had underestimated how petty


    she could be.

 Chapter 14

    At the Carters¡¯, a ck vehicle stopped outside the gate. Before the driver could step out of the car and


    open the door for the passengers, Liam pushed the door open and hopped out by himself.


    He trotted inside with an icy look on his face. He was not going to wait for Odell. The look in Odell¡¯s eyes


    darkened at the sight of this. Tara stepped out of the car with him and held his arm affectionately, ¡°Odell,


    Liam is still a child and doesn¡¯t understand that you¡¯re doing this for him. He will understand when he


    grows up.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression eased slightly as he turned to her. ¡°I¡¯m staying here tonight to be with the kid. Get the


    driver to send you home.¡±


    There was a brief moment when Tara let her sadness show. ¡°Alright, I guess it¡¯s inconvenient for me to


    go in. Say hi to Grandma for me.¡±


    She said this with a gentle, understanding smile.


    Odell took her into his arms and gently kissed her forehead. He promised her, ¡°Tara, Grandma will


    approve of our marriage one day. I know it.¡±


    Tara rested her heavy head in his arms and answered softly, ¡°I trust you, Odell.¡±


    Odell held her for a while longer before letting her go. After she got into the car, he strode into the


    Carters¡¯ residence.


    As Tara sat in the car and looked out of the window at the Carters¡¯, a venomous look surfaced in her


    eyes.


    ¡®Damned old woman, hurry up and die already!¡¯


    After the old relic died, she would marry into the family and be the true matriarch of the Carters!


    When Odell entered the yard, he saw two chefs working attentively at a barbecue grill. There was


    already a variety of cooked meat on the rack.


    There were many other servants nearby as well, but there was no sign of Liam.


    Liam had mentioned that he was going to go to Isabel¡¯s for a barbecue tonight, so Odell had made


    simr arrangements at home.


    He figured that the boy was throwing a tantrum.


    He stepped into the living room. There was not a soul present.


    Then, he went to Liam¡¯s room. He carefully knocked on the door and called out, ¡°Liam.¡±


    There was no response.


    Odell found the spare keys and opened the door himself.


    He saw Liam fiddling around on his phone.


    The moment Liam saw Odelling in, he hid the phone behind his back. He red at his father with a


    hostile look. ¡°Go away.¡±


    Odell stared at him nkly.


    He went to Liam and snatched the phone he had hidden behind his back. Then, he saw an online


    shopping app on the screen. He checked the pending delivery page and saw that nearly a hundred items


    were waiting to be delivered.


    There were dolls, cool model cars, bright pink purses, and more. The total bill was in the tens of


    thousands.


    All the delivery addresses were the same, and the recipient of these items was Isabel. Odell scowled. He


    turned in Liam¡¯s direction. Liam was staring back at him unflinchingly. ¡°Give me back my phone.¡±


    Odell resisted the urge to smack him and questioned him authoritatively, ¡°Why did you buy her so many


    things?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy whatever I want to.¡±


    Odell scoffed, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll return all of these items.¡±


    Liam lunged forward and tried to grab his phone. However, Odell simply raised his hand. Liam missed


    and grabbed a whiff of air.


    Odell threatened, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one minute to exin, or else I¡¯ll return everything.¡±


    Liam folded his arms across his chest and turned to the side to avoid eye contact with his father. ¡°I


    promised to go to her ce for a barbecue tonight. Since I was the one who missed the date, this is my


    way of making up for it.¡±


    Odell was so baffled by this response that he identally chuckled. He was just a three-year-old boy,


    and he was spending money on girls already. What would happen when he became older?


    The room was quiet for a moment.


    Odell calmed down and announced solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m confiscating your phone. Come out and eat now.¡±


    Liam stood still.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and said again, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three, and if you don¡¯te for dinner, I¡¯ll return all


    the things you bought for her.¡±


    Liam stared at him and threatened simrly in a boyish tone, ¡°If you do that, I¡¯ll never ever go


    out again.¡±


    The atmosphere in the bedroom suddenly became immensely heavy.


    Odell peered at him.


    Liam refused to back down either.


    After a while, Odell grabbed the phone and put it into his pocket. Then, he easily carried Liam with one


    hand.


    .


    He took him out of the room and carried him to the barbecue grill outside. Liam did not even attempt to


    resist. After he was brought outside, he sat on a small chair with his arms folded across his chest and his


    back leaning against the chair. There was a permanent scowl on his lips, and he refused to take a bite no


    matter how much the maids tried to coax him into eating. Odell was seated on the couch next to him with


    a stoic look. He told Liam, ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, you¡¯re not going to school tomorrow.¡± Half an hour passed.


    The air was dead silent, and Liam still had not budged.


    The chefs manning the barbecue station along with the surrounding servants were frightened by Odell¡¯s


    terrifying expression and did not dare to utter a word.


    Meanwhile, not only was the boy Liam not afraid but his expression was even several degrees more


    terrifying than that of his father¡¯s.


    The stalemate continued even after the coal was extinguished.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Neither father nor son would back down. The situation only developed when the butler brought Madam


    Carter to the scene. The olddy looked at her great-grandson with a heartbroken expression, then she


    turned to Odell. ¡°What are you doing? Liam is just a three-year-old boy. What kind of father are you?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and answered, ¡°He just spent more than ten thousand dors on gifts for


    The perplexed old madam blinked in disbelief. ¡°What? Who did he buy it for?¡± Odell got a headache just


    from the sheer mention of the adorable and yet unfathomably problematic child. He rubbed his temples


    and revealed, ¡°Isabel.¡± Madam Carter was puzzled yet again. She turned to Liam who was only three


    years old and asked without judgment, ¡°Liam, will you tell your great-grandma why you spent so much on


    presents for Isabel?¡± ¡°This is my way of apologizing to her,¡± Liam answered. ¡°And what are you


    apologizing to her for?¡± ¡°I made a promise to go to her house for a barbecue tonight, but I ended up


    bailing on her.¡±


    Madam Carter smiled. ¡°But you don¡¯t need to buy so many things for her. You are just close friends.¡±


    Although ten thousand dors was a negligible sum for the Carters, Liam was only three years old. Even


    if Madam Carter was fond of Isabel, this was still rather ostentatious.


    Liam pursed his lips.


    Isabel was not only a good friend but also his dearest sister. However, he had promised his mother and


    sister that he would keep it a secret, so he could not tell anyone. Madam Carter rarely if ever saw Liam


    being so stubborn. She sighed and lectured him, ¡°Liam, your father is doing this for your own good. Now


    hurry up and eat, then go back to your room to sleep.¡±


    Liam stayed quiet.


    The old madam continued trying to gain his favor but to no avail. No matter what, he refused to eat.


    In the end, she turned to Odell. ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t you give Liam his phone? It¡¯s gettingte and we can¡¯t


    just have him stewing here.¡±


    Odell stayed quiet for a while, then he got up and went to Liam.


    He pulled Liam into his arms and turned to the old madam. ¡°Go get some rest. I¡¯ll teach him a lesson.¡±


    Before Madam Carter could utter a word in protest, Odell had already taken Liam back to his room. One


    way or another, he was going to address this foul behavior tonight!

 Chapter 15

    At Sylvia¡¯s residence.


    The barbecue ingredients that Sylvia spent hours preparing had to be put back into the icebox. Without


    Liam present, Isabel hardly had any appetite. It was only under Sylvia¡¯s insistence that she took several


    bites


    The child sat on herp with her eyes drowned in pools of tears as she rambled on and on,¡± Mommy, do


    you think the stinky uncle will give brother a hard time?¡± Sylvia answered, ¡°He probably won¡¯t.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s


    so scary. I don¡¯t think brother can stand up to him.¡± Sylvia smiled softly. ¡°He treats your brother the same


    way your mommy treats you.¡± ¡°But Mommy never gets angry at me and also won¡¯t stop me from ying


    with brother.¡° Sylvia felt a lump in her throat. ¡°That¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re his daughter yet.¡±


    Isabel gasped. ¡°Does this mean he will let us y together if he knows?¡± Sylvia fell silent.  If Odell


    discovered the truth, the chances that he would take Isabel back to the Carters were high.


    That way, Isabel would get to y with Liam all the time. However, it woulde at the cost of her being


    separated from both her children for good. Before Sylvia could elicit a response, Isabel turned to her with


    eager eyes. She immediately noted the sorrowful look in her mother¡¯s eyes. She muted her enthusiasm.


    ¡°Mommy, who cares about him knowing anyway?¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°But if he knows, he might let you be


    with your brother.¡¯ ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to leave Mommy,¡± Isabel said with a pout, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave


    Mommy.¡± Sylvia was deeply reassured by the child¡¯s genuine affection, and she felt her nose tingling.


    She hugged her daughter tightly and gently told her, ¡°Isabel, Mommy will think of something to bring your


    brother here.¡±


    Besides, Liam and Isabel were in the same kindergarten and could still see each other during the day.


    So long as Odell did not transfer Liam to another kindergarten, she could find a way.


    Early morning at the Bakers¡¯, when the butler knocked on the door, Odell, who had been sitting on the


    chair all night, snapped his eyes open. He nced at the bed. Liam, who had stubbornly stayed up and


    red at himst night, had fallen asleep sometime


    in the night. He was peacefully sleeping on his side of the bed. At the head of the bed, the te of food


    they had prepared for him remainedpletely untouched.


    Liam did not so much as nibble at the food. A heavy look surfaced in Odell¡¯s eyes. He got up and opened


    the door. He immediately instructed the butler, ¡°Prepare some breakfast for him.¡± Noticing that Odell was


    leaving, the old butler quickly asked, ¡°Master Odell, it¡¯s time for school soon. Won¡¯t you let the young


    master out?¡±.


    Odell looked back at Liam.


    The boy was still sleeping soundly on the bed. Odell scoffed and dered, ¡°Keep him here. We¡¯ll decide


    what to do after he eats.¡± He refused to believe that he could not drill this lesson into the brat.


    ¡­¡­


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was evening, and school had ended for Isabel. Sylvia arrived at the gate of the kindergarten on time.


    After waiting for a while, she saw Isabel walking out sullenly with a small pink schoolbag slung on her


    shoulders. ¡°Isabel,¡± Sylvia called out to her. ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel ran to her immediately when she saw her.


    Sylvia embraced her and asked, ¡°Why are you by yourself? Where¡¯s your brother?¡±


    ¡°Brother didn¡¯te today. I went to ask the teacher, and the teacher said that his family requested


    leave for him. He won¡¯t answer my calls either,¡± Isabel answered dully.


    Sylvia frowned.


    ¡°Mom, did the stinky uncle lock brother up?¡± Isabel asked in concern.


    The concerned Sylvia knitted her brows together tightly.


    Isabel was so upset that Liam could note to the barbecuest night that she had broken down in


    tears. Knowing Liam, he was probably more upset.


    Although the boy rarely expressed his emotions, he had more or less inherited Odell¡¯s bad temper. He


    must have gotten in trouble with Odell when he went homest night.


    Since he was absent today, it must have been a huge fight.


    Being a three-year-old, the only weapon he had against Odell was to refuse to eat at the demise of his


    physical health. There was no other leverage he had over Odell.


    The more Sylvia thought about it, the more worried she became. She said to Isabel, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    Mommy will take you home first, and then go to see your brother.¡± With that, she brought Isabel into the


    car.


    She first took Isabel back home to entrust her to Aunt Tonya, then she drove to the Carters¡¯.


    It took almost an hour for her to reach the Carters¡¯. The day was just turning to dusk, and the sky above


    was rapidly darkening.


    Sylvia parked the car somewhere hidden, then she put on a hat and then felt her way toward the back


    exit of the manor.


    She was going to climb over the wall to look for Liam.


    However, she waspletely oblivious to the fact that there was someone else parked underneath the


    shade of the trees on the other side, and the passengers in the car noticed her. Tara investigated the


    suspicious figure and turned to Odell. ¡°Odell, is it just me, or does this person look a bit like Sylvia?¡±


    Odell was about to get out of the car when she said this. He observed the figure again.


    Moments after, he broke into a smile.


    Who else could it be?


    Sylvia felt her hands touching the backdoor.


    It was closed.


    After checking that nobody was passing by, she immediately climbed to the top of the wall byunching


    herself off a tree next to the wall. Then, she hopped off the wall. Shended firmly on both feet before


    she began to advance.


    It was around this point that she heard a rapid chorus of footsteps approaching.


    In the blink of an eye, she found herself surrounded by a group ofrge bodyguards.


    Shortly after that, a tall figure appeared from behind them.


    The handsome, charming prince wore a stoic expression, but a satisfied, cunning grin soon broke


    through the surface.


    Sylvia took a step back. She smiled and greeted, ¡°Good evening, Master Odell.¡±


    Odell dismissed the greeting with a scoff before ordering the bodyguards, ¡°Bring her to me!¡±


    Just as the bodyguards swarmed forward, Sylvia turned and tried to jump over the wall. However, she


    was not quick enough and they managed to grab hold of her legs in time. She was yanked back to the


    ground.


    Two bodyguards stepped forward and tied her hands and feet down with ropes, so Sylvia was forced to


    the ground.


    Odell walked up to her and looked down at her with disdain. ¡°What happened? Aren¡¯t you good at


    escaping? Care to show me a few tricks?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to untie the ropes before I can put on a show for you,¡± Sylvia answered with a grin.


    Her smile was both candid and seducing.


    Odell gave her a look, then he squatted in front of her, raised his hand, and pinched her face.


    His fingertips were warm to the touch, but the pinch did not hurt much.


    Sylvia was puzzled by this and asked, ¡°Why are you pinching me?¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell quipped, ¡°I wanted to see how thick your skin is.¡±


    Sylvia decided to rile him up. ¡°The way you touch me so softly and gently makes me wonder if you were


    trying to take advantage of me because of how pretty I am.¡± Odell¡¯s expression was wiped away in an


    instant, and he suddenly pinched her cheeks harder, making Sylvia wince in pain.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 Odell finally let go with a smug expression when he saw Sylvia bing distressed.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia ground her teeth and swallowed her resentment.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing sneaking around here?¡± Odell questioned her. Sylvia answered calmly, ¡°I


    miss the boy and want to see him.¡± Odell snorted. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that nice?¡± He then got up and instructed


    the bodyguards, ¡°Take her to my car.¡± Sylvia¡¯s face changed as she asked, ¡°Odell, why are you taking me


    to your car? Are you going to do something to your dear ex-wife?¡±


    She said this with a sly, seductive wink.


    Looking at her delicate and fair face, one was reminded of just how charming she was. ¡°You think too


    highly of yourself,¡± Odell replied stonily. ¡°Then, why are you bringing me to your car all tied up?¡±


    ¡°I can do whatever I want.¡±


    ¡°So, are you saying that you¡¯re trying to take advantage of me?¡± Sylvia said with a sigh as if she was


    deeply disappointed by how callous he was. Odell¡¯s face turned stormy. ¡°Shut your trap right now!¡±


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s not like I can resist since you¡¯re taking me hostage anyway,¡± Sylvia remarked with a


    nonchnt shrug.


    Odell struggled to contain the words he wanted to spit into her face.


    After that, he bent down in front of her until their faces were inches apart. The ring daggers in his eyes


    seemed to slice through her. He dered icily, ¡°I have zero interest in you. Keep messing around and I¡¯ll


    slice your tongue off.¡±


    Sylvia pulled away from him.


    She could not let him keep having his way with her.


    Having to deal with him was not the main concern here. She was thinking about Isabel who was at home


    waiting for news of Liam.


    She could not have Isabel worrying about her, so sheposed herself quickly and her eyes were


    colored with humor as she baited him. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    Odell scowled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe you if you let me go,¡± Sylvia continued.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell was taken aback.


    After a few seconds of silence, he began to grin. His smile was bewitching and seemed to carry a hidden


    meaning


    Sylvia¡¯s first instinct was to wrest herself away again.


    He immediately grabbed her face and echoed the same thing she had said to him some time ago, ¡°It


    doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe me or not.¡±


    Sylvia felt a lump in her throat while the smile disappeared from her face. She asked boldly,¡± Can¡¯t I just


    see the boy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Liam¡¯s mother.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need a mother like you.¡±


    His voice was toneless and void of emotions.


    Sylvia felt something tugging at her heart.


    Liam didn¡¯t need a mother like her? How was it that Odell thought so lowly of her?


    Sylvia turned her head away, feeling so infuriated that she refused to even look at him.


    Odell observed the way she turned away and was momentarily baffled by this disy.


    How dare this woman have the audacity to disrespect him like this?! He immediately shouted to the


    bodyguard, ¡°Take her to my car right this moment!¡±


    ¡°Right away, sir!¡±


    Several minutester, Sylvia was jostled through the back exit of the property and thrown into the back of


    his car. To her astonishment, she looked up and saw Tara sitting there gracefully.


    Tara asked Odell who got into the car, ¡°Odell, why did you tie her up?¡±


    Odell nced at Sylvia, whose movements werepletely restricted. He answered matter-of -factly,


    ¡°It¡¯s easier to deal with her when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Is this a good idea? At the end of the day, she is Liam¡¯s mother,¡± Tara hissed softly.


    Odell seemed repelled by the sheer suggestion of this. ¡°Liam doesn¡¯t need a mother like her.¡± Tara


    seemed to want to say something, but she thought better than to oppose Odell. In the end, she took a


    deep breath and gulped the words down, then she turned to Sylvia with a sympathetic look.


    Sylvia held back a sneer and mocked, ¡°Tara, if pity me so much, you¡¯d ask your man to let me go instead


    of expressing fake sympathy.¡±


    Tara¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Sylvia, Odell has already made up his mind, so I won¡¯t say anything else.


    Besides, you¡¯re the one in the wrong. If I were you, I¡¯d apologize instead of being so stubborn.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    The way she chuckled at this remark was full of sarcasm.


    Tara¡¯s amiable facade was slowly fading away as she asked with a strained smile, ¡°Sylvia, what are you


    laughing about?¡± ¡°I¡¯mughing at you,¡± Sylvia stated as if Odell was not present in the car with them,


    ¡°You¡¯ve


    been with Odell for so many years and was his mistress for even far longer than that, yet you still don¡¯t


    have the authority or guts to confront him?¡±


    While Tara found herself speechless, the vexation immediately became apparent on her features.


    Sylvia continued saying with a sigh, ¡°What a shame. It seems to me that he doesn¡¯t love you all that


    much either.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Tara almost lost her temper with the wicked woman. She took a deep breath and turned to Odell with an


    aggrieved look. ¡°Odell¡­¡±


    Odell took a deep breath and instructed the bodyguard outside, ¡°Get a piece of tape and seal her


    mouth.¡±


    The bodyguard did as he was told. He had only taken several steps when another bodyguard emerged


    from the house in a hurry. ¡°Master Odell, bad news! The young master just passed out from a raging


    fever!¡± Odell¡¯s face sank, and he immediately unbuckled his seat belt and ran out of the car. Sylvia also


    sat up. However, she could not wrench herself free from the ropes tying her down. Shortly after Odell left,


    Tara turned to her with a grimace. ¡°Sylvia, aren¡¯t you desperate to see your son?¡± Sylvia answered with a


    narrowed gaze, ¡°Why? Are you going to untie these ropes for me?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do. If I do that, Odell will be pissed.¡± Taraughed.


    ¡°Then, why did you even bother asking me?¡± Sylvia rebuked her harshly. ¡°In the few years that we


    haven¡¯t met, you sure have turned into a vulgar woman,¡± Tara scoffed.


    Sylvia. ¡°In the few years that we haven¡¯t met, you still haven¡¯t grown out of being a bitch.¡±


    Tara had to scramble for words for several painful seconds before responding, ¡°Sylvia, you¡¯d better not


    get ahead of yourself. All I have to do is say a word to Odell, and he will have you pped sixty times


    again and banish you from Westchester City. You¡¯ll never get toe back again!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been busy whispering into his ears and ndering me. Why hasn¡¯t he banished me from


    Westchester Cit yet?¡± Sylvia mocked, ¡°It seems that he doesn¡¯t love you that much.¡±


    ¡°You bitch!¡± Tara erupted, raising her hand to Sylvia and arcing it to p her.


    Just when her palm was inches away from striking Sylvia, she suddenly felt another hand grab her arm


    firmly.


    It was Sylvia¡¯s hand that had somehow wrung itself free from the ropes!


    Tara¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°How did you-¡±


    Smack!


    Sylvia pped Tara¡¯s face with her backhand. Tara was dumbfounded. Sylvia grinned with satisfaction.


    ¡°Tara, consider this p an interest from the sixty ps you set me up with three years ago. I¡¯ll return


    every single one of them in time. Just you wait.¡± In the middle of the sentence, Sylvia freed herself of the


    ropes and proceeded to tie knots around Tara¡¯s neck and wrists and had her bound to the car. Then, she


    stepped out of the car and left without hesitation.


    Meanwhile, Tara struggled desperately in the car.


    The more she struggled, the tighter the ropes clung to her body to the point that she was having difficulty


    breathing. She became upset and frustrated, and screamed out loud, ¡°Just you wait, you bitch!¡±

 Chapter 17

    At the Carters¡¯, when Odell entered, the family physician was attending to Liam.


    The boy¡¯splexion was sickly pale, and he seemed to have passed out in slumber. After not having


    eaten for an entire day, he seemed noticeably skinnier. Odell knitted his brows together tightly.


    Madam Carter was extremely distressed by the situation, and upon seeing Odell, she furiously


    used him, ¡°What was the point you were trying to prove to Liam in the first ce? He¡¯s only three


    years old. What if something were to happen to him?!¡±


    Odell looked at Liam who was lying motionlessly on the bed and clenched his lips together without a


    word.


    The old madam returned to the head of the bed to watch over Liam after she had tired herself out from


    shouting.


    After some time, the family physician breathed a sigh of relief and announced, ¡°Madam, Master Carter,


    the young master¡¯s fever has subsided. He will be fine by the time he wakes up, but he is still very weak


    and needs to eat as soon as possible.¡±


    The old madam was relieved by this and thanked the doctor. ¡°Alright, we understand.¡±


    Odell¡¯s frown softened as well.


    The family physician took his medical kit and left. The olddy then ordered the servants to prepare


    Liam¡¯s favorite food. Shortly after that, Liam finally opened his eyes.


    ¡°Liam.¡± The old madam took one of his tiny hands and asked nervously, ¡°How are you feeling? Do you


    want to eat something?¡±.


    Liam twitched his lips and seemed as if he was about to draw up a response, but when he noticed Odell


    standing by the bed in the corner of his eyes, he suddenly changed his mind. He turned away from Odell


    without uttering a word.


    No matter how much Madam Carter tried to coax him, he would not reciprocate.


    Although the olddy managed to get his little phone back from Odell, he only fiddled with it briefly and


    did not look like he was going to eat any time soon.


    Madam Carter looked at Odell helplessly. ¡°Odell, you¡¯d better talk to Liam.¡±


    What she was trying to suggest was clear as day-as Liam¡¯s father, he needed to handle this situation


    appropriately.


    Odell was silent for a few seconds before announcing, ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk.¡±


    With that, he went outside.


    The puzzled Madam Carter wondered, ¡°What are you doing going out when Liam is like this? Don¡¯t tell


    me you¡¯re looking for Tara?¡±


    Odell did not answer and continued heading outside.


    Outside the window, Sylvia had been sneaking around for some time. The moment she saw Odell


    coming out, she quickly crept her way back to the backyard and slipped out from the back exit.


    Her car was parked nearby.


    After she slunk out of the residence, she got into her car and drove away.


    She was not going to stay here any longer. She had to go home as soon as possible and call Liam with


    Isabel¡¯s mobile phone so that she could persuade him to eat something at least.


    At the same time, Odell stepped out of his house and went to where his car was usually parked.


    As soon as he approached the vehicle, he heard Tara whimpering, ¡°Help me, Odell¡­¡± He promptly


    opened the door and was greeted by the sight of Tara bound to the car seat.


    She seemed haggard and there was a noticeable red swell on her cheeks that suggested someone had


    pped her.


    Was no


    CSON


    Odell was taken by surprise and investigated the car. There was not a peep of another person. Where


    did Sylvia go? Tara went on balking, ¡°I¡¯m telling you now, Odell, Sylvia is a cunning witch. She distracted


    me by talking to me and slipped out of the ropes without me noticing, then she attacked me and tied me


    up here¡­ It was my fault. I should have seen iting.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened. He quickly untied the rope from Tara without a word.


    Tara immediately jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly., ¡°Odell, I was so scared. She threatened


    me when she tied me, and I thought that she was going to kill me. I was so scared because I thought that


    I was never going to see you again.¡±


    Odell patted her on the back andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I will get her and take revenge for you.¡±


    With that, he let go of Tara who seemed puzzled.


    He got into the car.


    Tara was about to follow him and enter the car, but he quickly told her, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to do.


    Go back first.¡±


    When she saw the two bodyguards that were usually assigned to Liam approaching, she turned to Odell


    with a considerate, affectionate gaze. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you toe back.¡±


    There was a note of warmth in Odell¡¯s voice as he responded, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with this as soon as possible and


    come back to you.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Tara raised the corners of her mouth and formed a happy smile.


    Odell then instructed the bodyguard in front, ¡°Drive.¡±


    The car sped off immediately.


    Tara¡¯s expression shifted dramatically as she cursed spitefully, ¡°Damed kid, you might as well have


    starved to death!¡±


    Sylvia returned home as fast as she could. Isabel ran to her the moment she saw her mother returning


    and asked without skipping a beat, ¡°Mommy, how¡¯s brother?¡±


    ¡°Your brother has caught a fever but he¡¯s getting better. However, he¡¯s still refusing to eat. Mommy needs


    to borrow your phone to call him,¡± Sylvia replied.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call him right now,¡± Isabel said as she ran to her room to get her phone. Around the same time,


    a car drove into the neighborhood and stopped in front of their building.


    The tall man stepped out of the car. He nced at the building andmanded, ¡°Lead the way.


    The two bodyguards immediately stepped in front of him.


    The elevator took them to the sixth floor. Odell nced at the watch on his wrist. It was seven o¡¯clock at


    night, so Isabel and her family should be home. He figured that if he could bring Isabel to the stubborn


    brat, he would eat without much convincing


    Ding!


    The elevator reached the sixth floor and the doors slid open.


    Odell stepped out.


    Meanwhile, at Sylvia¡¯s residence, Isabel quickly ran back to Sylvia and handed her mother her bright pink


    phone.


    Sylvia acknowledged her with a gentle pat on her head, then took the phone.


    The child did not have many contacts on her mobile phone. The first one on the list was Liam, who was


    saved as ¡°Brother¡±.


    Just as she was about to press the dial button, there was a knock on the door.


    Aunt Tonya hurried over and opened the door. She recognized the two bodyguards who were always


    with Liam. She perked up in alert then turned to Sylvia and shouted, ¡°Sylvia, Ben and Jacob are here.¡±


    Ben and Jacob?


    What were they doing here at this hour?


    Sylvia went to the door to verify that it was Ben and Jacob, then she asked cautiously, ¡°What¡¯s the


    matter? Why are you two here?¡±


    They were just about to answer when a raspy, deep voice of another man behind them interrupted,


    ¡°Sylvia?¡±


    The two bodyguards immediately retreated to both sides of the door.


    A tall,manding figure appeared in front of Sylvia, his dark eyes staring right at her in disbelief.


    Isabel ran over at the same moment. She did not notice Odell standing outside as she called to Sylvia in


    her shrieking voice, ¡°Mommy!¡± Sylvia shuddered all over and dropped Isabel¡¯s phone onto the floor

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 They met each other¡¯s eyes, and not a word was exchanged. After a brief moment, Sylvia


    came to her senses and immediately moved to shut the door.


    However, Odell scoffed and promptly raised his hand and pushed the door the other way to prevent it


    from closing.


    Thump! The door mmed viciously against the wall and produced a sharp thump. Sylvia went pale with


    horror. She retreated backward and shielded Isabel with her body. Odell red at her, then turned his


    attention to Isabel who was hiding behind her. At the same time, Aunt Tonya stepped forward and


    shielded Isabel just like Sylvia did.


    Their nervous movements indicated that they were worried about Isabel being taken away. Odell merely


    snickered and stepped inside.


    As he stared at Isabel, a lot of things that urred recently started to make a lot of sense in his head.


    Liam had always been withdrawn and preferred to be alone. He was never affectionate with anybody, not


    even himself and his great-grandmother. He did not like to be touched either. However, ever since he


    met Isabel, not only did he find himself a best friend but he even visited her every day to have dinner,


    returning home only after dark. On the weekends, he even went out of his way to bring Isabel to their


    house. Upon meeting, they would call each other brother and sister, and they slept together in a small


    bed in kindergarten as if they were blood-rted siblings. He recalled thest time he met Isabel. He


    remembered how the girl was friendly with Madam Carter, but as soon as she saw him, she had looked


    at him with some kind of disdain.


    Simrly, he recalled how he could not find it in himself to have any sort of hostility toward her.


    At the time, he thought it was simply by virtue of how cute she was and partly because of her friendship


    with Liam. Apparently, there were other factors involved now.


    He took another two steps forward to take a closer look at Isabel.


    Unfortunately, Sylvia cut off his view. She looked at him like one would a thief and addressed him


    directly, ¡°Odell, you¡¯re not wee here. Please leave.¡±


    Her aggressive manners and eagerness to chase Odell out only aggravated his suspicions.


    He looked at her sharply and asked, ¡°Whose child is this?¡±


    Sylvia took a breath and answered calmly, ¡°It¡¯s Aunt Tonya¡¯s granddaughter.¡±


    Odell scowled and stated, ¡°Aunt Tonya never got married because she wanted to take care of


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    you. How could have gotten herself a child to bear her a granddaughter?¡±


    He immediately exposed her lies.


    Sylvia felt a lump in her throat because she did not expect him to know of these matters.


    S


    Aunt Tonya spoke up, ¡°Isabel is my nephew¡¯s daughter. He got into an ident two years ago, and since


    then Isabel was entrusted to me to take care of.¡± ¡°Your nephew should share the same surname as you,


    so how is it that Isabel¡¯s surname is Ross?¡± Odell stated. Aunt Tonya fell speechless. ¡°I ended up raising


    Isabel. Can¡¯t she share the same surname as me?¡± Sylvia imed. Odell chortled. There was not a


    chance he was going to believe her.


    This was when Isabel suddenly appeared from behind Sylvia and looked at him with herrge eyes while


    going off like an angry firecracker, ¡°Stinky uncle, what does it have to do with you whose daughter I am?!


    Our house doesn¡¯t wee you, so go away!¡±


    Odell stared at her chubby face. Apart from how she was slightly plumper than Liam, almost every part of


    her features resembled Liam¡¯s.


    While he was still staring intently at Isabel, Sylvia suddenly nudged Isabel¡¯s head away and told her, ¡°Go


    back to the room with Aunt Tonya. Mommy will take care of things here.¡± A cold sh appeared in Odell¡¯s


    eyes. He turned to the bodyguards andmanded, ¡°Take Isabel away!¡± The two bodyguards were


    dumbfounded. They did not expect Odell and Sylvia to know each other, and for their rtionship to be


    soplex. When Odell repeated hismand with more severity, they did not dare to refuse and


    rushed to Isabel immediately. In reaction, Sylvia hurriedly took Isabel into her arms. She red at Odell.


    ¡°Odell, this is private property. What you are doing is kidnap!¡± Odell pursed his lips and dered, ¡°It¡¯s not


    kidnapping if it¡¯s my own daughter.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not your child!¡± she eximed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out when I take her to do a paternity test.¡± Sylvia gritted her teeth.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 The two bodyguards were already approaching her. Aunt Tonya rushed forward while


    beckoning to Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia, take Isabel and get out of here!¡±


    After that, she threw her weight into the two approaching bodyguards. Since they were more or less


    acquainted by now, the bodyguards were reluctant to use extreme force on Aunt Tonya, thus she


    sessfully bought them some time. Sylvia immediately took Isabel and tried to go around them,


    heading for the exit.


    However, she had only taken two steps when she ran into Odell who was standing right by the exit. His


    large figure nearly cut off the entire path of retreat. Sylvia hesitated briefly, then she leaned into him with


    her elbow.


    Unfortunately, Odell stood his ground like a brick wall,pletely unfazed despite Sylvia throwing her


    entire weight into him. Not only did she fail to shove him away, but she was also the one driven backward


    by him instead.


    Bang! Her back crashed into an adjacent wall.


    Odell held her down by pinning his arm against her shoulder and grabbed Isabel with his free


    arm.


    Isabel suddenly jumped up and struggled mightily with her legs. She shoved him away and scratched


    him when she could. ¡°Stinky uncle! Stop picking on my Mommy!¡± Odell¡¯forcefully hugged her and let go


    of Sylvia. Isabel continued to scratch him relentlessly. ¡°Let go of me. I don¡¯t want you to touch me!¡± No


    matter how hard she wed at him, Odell¡¯s slender arms remain wrapped around her with no intention


    whatsoever of letting go.


    Sylvia was alerted by this and lunged at him again.


    However, Odell was prepared for this. The moment she pounced forward, he turned slightly to the side


    and gave himself an advantageous angle from which he could stretch his arms out and arrest her by the


    neck.


    Sylvia found herself trapped in a degrading position underneath Odell¡¯s armpit. Odell scowled in disgust,


    ¡°You fight like a headless chicken.¡± How dare she even think of opposing him when she could not even


    fight?


    Sylvia clenched her jaw in anger whereas Aunt Tonya was also being restrained by the bodyguards.


    Odell told one of them, ¡°Come here and hold her down.¡± The bodyguard quickly went to Sylvia. He put


    her hands behind her and pinned her down. Odell finally released his stranglehold on her neck and


    stepped back with Isabel still in his arms.


    The haggard Sylvia raised her head and red at him. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were red.


    Shiny tears were pooling in her eyes, and it seemed as if the dam was about to break at any given


    moment. Her hair that was tied up in a ponytail had broken free from the hair tie and draped down her


    shoulders. Despite her horrible state, there was a certain look of tenacity to her, like a thorn-ridden rose


    that had been freshly plucked.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and looked at her.


    All of a sudden, Isabel began to cry at the top of her voice.


    ¡°No¡­ Let Mommy go! Stop bullying Mom!¡± She twisted and turned, her hands stretched out in Sylvia¡¯s


    direction, and stubbornly cried for her mommy. Sylvia felt a jerk in her chest. Despite her greatest effort


    to hold them back, her tears fell without restraint.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, it was as if she made a resolution. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Odell and pleaded, ¡°Odell, I


    beg you, I¡¯ll do anything as long as you don¡¯t take Isabel away.¡±


    Odell looked at her cheeks flushed with emotions and felt a strange feeling rising in his chest.


    The expression on her face somewhat troubled him.


    He frowned, then turned around and walked out with Isabel in his arms. He paid no further attention to


    Sylvia because he was not going to let her negotiate any further.


    At the same time, Isabel was still crying. In a mix of rage and sorrow, Sylvia cried out in anguish, ¡°Odell


    Carter, we¡¯re not done yet!¡±

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 Half an hourter, at the Carters¡¯, a ck car appeared and pulled up in front of the entrance.


    A bodyguard pushed the door open, revealing Odell who stepped out of the car with Isabel in his arms.


    The child¡¯s eyes and nose were glowing red, and her cheeks were puffed up like a ball. She crossed her


    arms in front of her chest and turned to look away from Odell.


    She remained in that position the entire time, so all Odell saw was the back of her head. Odell only


    frowned wordlessly and carried her firmly in his arms as he strode past the entrance.


    Soon, they arrived at Liam¡¯s room.


    Liam was sitting on the bed holding his phone in an absent state of mind. When he saw Odell carrying


    Isabel in, his dull, lifeless eyes suddenly turned vibrant again. Madam Carter who was apanying


    him was simrly stunned. ¡°Isabel?¡±


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    Odell put the little girl down. Immediately, Isabel raised her foot and proceeded to deliberately stomp on


    his shoe mercilessly. Odell hardly reacted at all. He did not even blink.


    After that, Isabel took off and ran toward Liam.


    ¡°Brother!¡± She climbed into Liam¡¯s bed.


    Liam immediately took her into his arms and made her sit on the inner side of the bed.


    Them, the two children red at Odell together. Odell pursed his lips. Madam Carter was puzzled by this


    scene. ¡°Liam, did you send for Isabel?¡± Odell looked at the two children and muttered a short answer,


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Madam Carter turned to Isabel again. She could tell that Isabel had been crying for some time judging by


    how red her nose and eyes were. She continued pursuing the topic, ¡°How did you bring her here? Did


    her family even agree to this?¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as he answered, ¡°Sylvia is her mother.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Madam Carter widened her eyes, believing that she must have heard wrong, ¡°Can you repeat


    that? Who did you say her mother was?¡±


    ¡°Sylvia Ross,¡± Odell repeated stoically.


    Madam Carter immediately turned to look at Isabel who was seated next to Liam. With the two children


    sitting side by side, it was easy to make a quickparison of their faces.


    ¡°No wonder¡­ No wonder¡­¡± The more she studied them, the more emotional she became, and she


    stood up from the head of the bed.


    This exined why Liam liked to visit Isabel, and why he got along so well with her to the point of


    spending tens of thousands on presents for her.


    Her chubby face resembled Liam¡¯s, and there was even some slight likeness to Odell. She had to be


    Liam¡¯s twin!


    Madam Carter was so excited that she almost lost her bnce. Odell stepped forward and steadied her.


    ¡°Grandma, I had someone conduct a paternity test, and the results will be sent here tomorrow.¡± He was


    already fairly certain that Isabel was his daughter.


    Madam Carter smiled and sat back on the bed. She turned to the lovely Isabel and asked tenderly,


    ¡°Isabel, how¡¯s your Mommy doing?¡± Isabel red at Odell andined, ¡°The stinky uncle picked on


    my Mommy, so she¡¯s obviously not doing well at all!¡± Odell zipped his lips.


    Madam Carter wagered that this meant that Odell had taken Isabel away from Sylvia by force. She


    swiped a cautious nce at him. ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t you head out first? I¡¯ll stay with them.¡±


    Odell looked at Isabel, but she looked away, so he could only see the back of her head again. He then


    looked at Liam this time. Liam¡¯s face was full of indifference, but he could tell he was still remarkably


    upset. ¡°Okay,¡± Odell responded, then he spun around and left.


    After the door was closed, the children felt significantly better. Madam Carter sighed tiredly, then asked


    Isabel, ¡°Isabel, have you had dinner yet?¡± Isabel shook her head.


    ¡°How about I ask them to prepare something nice for you two to eat?¡± Madam Carter suggested.


    Isabel rubbed her belly and looked at Liam expectantly. ¡°Grandma, my sister loves eating anything


    sweet. Tell them to bake a cake for her, and I¡¯ll just have porridge myself,¡± Liam said. ¡°Alright, consider it


    done!¡± Madam Carter answered in delight.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21 At Sylvia¡¯s residence, after Isabel had been taken away, Sylvia had just been sitting in a chair


    and zoning out.


    She formted countless ns to take Isabel back, but none of them were viable.


    It was not so much about herck of strength, but Odell was just that much more powerful.


    Ever since his victory over his stepmother a few years ago, he had taken full control of the Carter


    Corporation and had since expanded its influence rapidly. In recent years, the corporation had surpassed


    all otherpetitors and cemented its ce as the kingpin in Westchester City.


    He was as powerful as they came.


    It was clear that confronting him head-on would not work, but underhanded methods were not viable


    either.


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    It was already past ten at night by the time sheposed herself.


    Knowing her daughter¡¯s temper, she figured Isabel was still awake by this time.


    Since Isabel did not get to bring her phone, Sylvia used hers to call Liam.


    The call was answered within several rings. Isabel¡¯s crisp voice immediately followed, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m with


    brother now. Don¡¯t worry about me. We just ate some cake which was pretty good.¡±


    Her voice was rtively cheerful, and she did not sound like she was ill-treated. Sylvia breathed a sigh of


    relief and asked, ¡°Has your brother eaten?¡± ¡°Yup, he finished a big bowl of porridge.¡± Sylvia smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Isabel returned the question, ¡°Mommy, have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°I did. I ate with Aunt Tonya,¡± Sylvia


    answered without skipping a beat. ¡°Hmm.¡± Isabel hummed, then suddenly dered boldly, ¡°Mommy,


    don¡¯t be sad. I will make sure the stinky uncle gets what¡¯sing to him!¡± Sylvia was just about to say


    something when she heard Isabel crying out, ¡°Hey, you jerk, give me my phone¡­¡± Her voice grew faint,


    and soon it was evident that her phone had just been snatched away. Then, Sylvia heard Odell¡¯s severe


    voice, ¡°For Isabel¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll let what happened back then slide. You¡¯d do well to watch yourself from here


    on and not cause any trouble if you know what¡¯s good for you.¡±


    Sylvia felt something burning in her chest. She was about to retort but sensibly stayed quiet. She could


    not y rough with him.


    On the other end of the phone, Odell was infuriated by theck of response and hissed into the phone,


    ¡°Did you hear what I said?¡±


    Sylvia took a breath and replied, ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± he asked again. Sylvia clenched her


    hands and swallowed her rage, then she answered curtly, ¡°I do.¡± Odell frowned and hung up the phone.


    Sylvia put away Isabel¡¯s phone, then she got up and went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat.


    She was no match for Odell yet, and she knew getting angry would not solve the problem. For now, she


    had to bide her time and think of something else.


    Meanwhile, at the Carters¡¯, Isabel jumped on Odell the moment her phone was taken away. She clung to


    him like a monkey and stubbornly grabbed at her phone. Before she could grab it, Odell hung up the


    phone and shoved it into his pocket. He flung Isabel off his body like a plush toy, then put her in bed with


    Liam. Isabel immediately tried to pull herself up again the moment she was seated. Odell pressed her


    back onto the bed with her palms over her head as he barked an order, ¡°Go to bed now. Otherwise, don¡¯t


    even think about calling your mother again in the future.¡± Isabel was clearly upset with this treatment. Her


    lips were crooked into a defiant frown. Despite her indignation, she had no choice but to bow in the face


    of evil. Something in Odell¡¯s eyes changed. It suddenly urred to him that Sylvia had probably worn


    the same expression during the call just now. Odell¡¯bit the inside of his lip. After releasing Isabel, he


    turned to Liam. ¡°Go to bed early. I¡¯ll give you your phone tomorrow morning.¡± Liam remained


    disinterested and ignored him. Odell turned off the lights for them and walked out. After the door was


    closed, the room was pitch-ck


    Isabel shrunk considerably and whimpered, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m scared of the dark¡±


    Liam put his arm around her shoulders and patted her head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I will protect you


    since Mommy isn¡¯t here.¡±

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22 In Odell¡¯s room, a glimmer of the morning sunlight invaded the room through the blinds. On


    therge light-gray bed was a man who seemed to be in a deep sleep until his eyebrows suddenly


    twitched. The next second, he suddenly raised his hand and snatched a soft, tiny hand from the air. He


    snapped his eyes open immediately and saw Isabel¡¯s chubby face. It seemed like she was just as


    surprised to be caught. Her eyes that expanded into giant circles were proof enough. Odell lifted her onto


    the bed with one mighty tug. Isabel tried to pull her hand away and refused to let him touch her.


    Meanwhile, Odell tried not to distress her. He just held on to her arm and interrogated, ¡°When did you get


    here, and why are you even here in the first ce?¡±


    Isabel sat cross-legged beside him and nced around like a guilty criminal before confessing, ¡°I was


    just curious about what your room looked like, so I came in to sightsee.¡± She said it as if she was the


    master of the house or the king of the pce.


    Odell suppressed a thin smile and asked again, ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true,¡± Isabel answered confidently. Odell did not pry further. He touched her head and


    asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your brother?¡± ¡°He should be taking a shower.¡±


    Odell let go of her arm. ¡°Go wash up and get ready for breakfast too.¡± ¡°Ok.¡±


    Isabel rolled out of bed and ran out without turning back. After that, Odell got up and walked to the


    bathroom.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Isabel, who had just run out, met Liam who was hiding around the corner.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t notice, did he?¡± Liam asked in a hushed voice.


    Isabel pped her chest confidently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have it under control.¡±


    She put the phone she stole back into her pocket and then peeked her head around the corner.


    Beside her, Liam joined in.


    In the bathroom, Odell entered and looked at his reflection in the mirror.


    He immediately saw several ring lines marked with a Sharpie running down his cheeks. Upon closer


    inspection, he noticed that they spelled out the word ¡®Bum¡¯.


    From the tip of his forehead down to the corners of his jawline, it was a bright green that


    stood out like a sore thumb! A storm of anger riled up inside him. He turned around and stomped


    outside, shouting furiously at the two sneaky kids peeking around the corner, ¡°Come out, both of you!¡±


    The two of them quickly ducked around the corner, snickering mischievously. Speechless, Odell went


    outside. Liam was quick to respond and immediately took Isabel and ran. When Odell came to the living


    room, he found them hiding behind Madam Carter. Isabel yed the defendant before he could say


    anything. ¡°Great-grandma, I think he¡¯s going to hit us. I¡¯m so scared¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Your great-grandma is here and won¡¯t let anyone touch you and your brother!¡± After


    Madam Carter said this, she turned and red at Odell. The moment she saw him though, she could not


    resist herughter and let slip a brief, ¡°Pfft¡±. The butler and the few servants nearby who saw Odell could


    not hold back their snickers either, especially since the old madam was the first tough. Odell


    immediately red at them and yelled, ¡°Get out of here!¡± The butler hurriedly took the lead and slipped


    out of the living room. Odell then looked at Isabel, the aggressor. As she shrank in fright, she grabbed


    Liam with one hand and clutched Madam Carter with the other.


    Liam came in front of her while Madam Carter protected them and defended their actions. ¡°It was just a


    silly prank the kids got up to. Forgive them.¡± Odell remained sullen.


    At a mature age of nearly thirty years old, this was the first time he had someone sketch the word ¡°bum¡±


    directly across his face. How was he supposed to stay calm in this situation?

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23 What annoyed him more was that his daughter had pulled this stunt off¡­


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    Sensing that the situation was getting out of hand, Madam Carter quickly turned to the kids and urged


    them, ¡°Liam, Isabel, quickly apologize to your father and promise it won¡¯t happen


    again.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and said nothing. Isabel, on the other hand, apologized immediately, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I


    won¡¯t do it again.¡± Although her tone was strained, she did apologize at least. Madam Carter smiled and


    breathed a sigh of relief whereas Odell seemed pacified by this as well. ¡°This had better not be a pattern


    from now on,¡± Odell said with a dangerous look before turning back to head to his room. Isabel


    immediately stuck her tongue out behind his back.. After that, they had an uneventful breakfast. When


    Odell entered the car and left, Isabel and Liam went back to their roon ¡°Look, I took the pictures as you


    instructed me to.¡± Isabel took out the phone and clicked on the photo album.


    111111


    There were many pictures of Odell. She had secretly taken them in the morning when she doodled on


    his face, and there were a variety of angles. Liam looked at her and patted her head proudly. ¡°Well


    done.¡± ¡°Why did you want me to take these pictures of him?¡± Isabel asked curiously. Liam grinned in


    satisfaction. ¡°This will be our bargaining chip.¡± Isabel¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Brother, are you going to use


    this to threaten him so that we can go back to Mommy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Sylvia moved to the old house her grandparents bequeathed to her. It was located in the older part of


    town.


    Along with Aunt Tonya, the two were upied with cleaning the house for the better half of the day.


    Although the house looked aged from the outside, the inside was clean and homely with all the interior


    decoration. The reason they moved here was to get closer to the children.


    Having grown up here when she was a child, she frequently went to visit Madam Carter with her


    grandmother. From here, it was just a kilometer away from the Carters¡¯.


    Given what she knew about Odell, it was nigh impossible for him to return Isabel to her, so she could


    only move here and try to make slow progress toward her goal. After they cleaned up the house, Sylvia


    went to a nearby shopping mall. She nned to buy some gifts so that she had an excuse to visit


    Madam Carter and use the chance to see her children.


    Meanwhile, in the president¡¯s office on the top floor of the Carters¡¯, Odell was seated at his desk and


    going through the paternity test report he just received. The report stated that he and Isabel were indeed


    blood-rted father and daughter. His assistant Cliff noticed the subtle smile on his face and


    congratted him, ¡°Master Carter, congrattions on finding your daughter.¡± Odell jerked the corners of


    his mouth upward. Seeing that he was in a good mood, Cliff took the chance to continue the


    conversation, ¡°By the way, something happened at the office today.¡± ¡°What is it?? Cliff opened his phone


    and carefully ced it on his desk Odell took a look and recognized the picture on the disy. It was a


    picture of him. In the picture, he was sleeping with the word ¡®bum¡¯scribbled in green across his face. A


    sudden torrent of thunderstorms appeared in thendscape that was his previously amiable mental state.


    He asked with absolute self-control, ¡°Where did these picturese from?¡± ¡°It suddenly showed up on


    ourpany¡¯s official website during the day. The administrators who saw it took it down in no time, so


    probably not many people saw it yet,¡± Cliff exined quickly. Odell shut his eyes. He wanted to calm


    down, but the more he tried to tame his fury, the more it threatened to explode. He suddenly got up from


    his seat. ¡°Go through the official website and double-check that it¡¯s gone!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Cliff responded.


    With that, Odell left. He thought about the two brats at home. He was going to take care of them!

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24 In the Carters¡¯ living room, Madam Carter was nowhere to be seen while Liam and Isabel


    were on the couch.


    Liam was sitting upright, reading a book he carried in his palm.


    Isabel was lying beside him with her head resting on his legs, holding a tablet in her hands. She was


    watching cartoons with her mouth open like she was waiting for a servant to deliver food into her mouth.


    Furthermore, she was rocking her legs up and down.


    When Odell walked in with his usual dark expression, he was greeted by her usual dark expression.


    He stepped in front of them.


    Isabel shrank away, immediately sitting up and squeezing beside her brother for protection. Liam set the


    book down calmly. He looked at Odell and confessed without his asking, ¡°I had someone upload the


    pictures.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression shifted. He sat on a single-seater couch next to them, crossed his arms around his


    chest, and asked in a chilling tone, ¡°Who uploaded them?¡± For them to have uploaded it to the


    company¡¯s official website without leaving a trace, it must have been an extraordinary hacker. How did


    this stinking brate to know of such a person? ¡°It was my friend,¡± Liam said without emotion, ¡°You


    don¡¯t know them, and I won¡¯t tell you who they are either.¡± Odell resisted the urge to hit the child and


    asked, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    Liam met his gaze and stated, ¡°We want to see our mom.¡± Odell pulled his lips to the side.


    Liam supplied, ¡°I still have thirty pictures on my phone. If you don¡¯t let us see our mother, these pictures


    will spread over the Inte in no time.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face turned an ominous ck, and the veins on his face began to pop out. It was as if a dark


    cloud was looming directly overhead in the living room.


    As the servant stepped back instinctively, nobody dared to even breathe. Meanwhile, Isabel hugged


    Liam tightly.


    Liam made to avert Odell¡¯s gaze, but only for a brief moment before he changed his mind and confronted


    Odell¡¯s gaze head-on. This was his way of saying that he was not afraid. Fwoop! Odell rose like a bolt of


    lightning and yanked the two of them off the couch, carrying each of them in one arm.


    Isabel cried out in horror, ¡°Brother, save me!¡±


    Liam, who was also suspended midair, announced without panicking, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have leverage


    over him, so he won¡¯t dare to do anything to us.¡±


    Odell wordlessly took them straight back to their room and found Liam¡¯s phone under a pillow. He turned


    on the phone and flipped through the photo album. Liam crossed his arms and dered calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve sent


    the pictures to my friend. A single word from me, and he will upload everything online.¡± Odell¡¯s fingers


    that were rapidly tapping against the disy suddenly halted. He felt a surge of anger soaring inside him.


    Moments before the apocalyptic eruption, Isabel, who had been hiding behind Liam, suddenly proposed


    with a devilish grin, ¡°You jerk, if you let us see our Mommy, we promise we won¡¯t upload your pictures.¡±


    Odell felt his chest tightening. This was the first time in a while that he had been threatened in such a


    manner. He red at them.


    The two brats that hardly knew how the world operated were taunting him. One wore a proud look that


    seemed as if victory was already promised to them, and the other was snickering gleefully. To think that


    these were his children¡­ Perhaps because he had reached his limit, he suddenly burst outughing. To


    think that these brats could find something like this to threaten him with, they were his children alright!


    Hisughter was ominous.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Liam and Isabel shrank back in fright. It was also at this time that the butler suddenly entered. He looked


    at Liam and Isabel who were huddled together, then he informed in a whisper, ¡°Master, Miss Sylvia is


    here. She says she¡¯s here to visit the madam.¡± Odell nced at Liam Isabel and sneered, ¡°Exquisite


    timing.¡± The butler asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you want to invite her in?¡± ¡°Let her in.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25 The butler was slightly taken aback by this and took his leave.


    The expression on Liam and Isabel¡¯s faces changed, and they tried to dart out of the room.


    Odell reached the door before them. He exited the room and locked the door behind him. The two


    children pounded on the door desperately. ¡°You stinky jerk, let us out!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret it if you don¡¯t let us


    out.¡± Nheless, Odell ignored them and went to the living room. He sat down on the sofa.


    Sylvia soon walked in with a bag in hand.


    When she saw Odell all by himself in the living room, she read the situation and asked,¡± Master Carter,


    why are you alone? Where¡¯s Madam Carter?¡±


    Odell sized her up. She was wearing a white dress with a band around her waist, her hair draped


    elegantly over her shoulders.


    Despite having given birth to two children, she still maintained a slender figure. Her skin was fair and


    smooth, and her features were as youthful and sharp as they had been when she was a twenty-year-old


    girl.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Odell?¡± Sylvia called again when he did not elicit a response.


    Odell immediately retracted his gaze and said with disinterest, ¡°She¡¯s not home, so you can go back


    now.¡±


    Sylvia stood still and looked around the room.


    Odell noticed that she had other intentions. He jerked his lip to one side in annoyance and asked her, ¡°I


    said that Grandma isn¡¯t home. What are you looking for?¡± Sylvia was hardly surprised that he managed


    to figure out she was here to see the children.


    She stepped inside and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do when I go back home. I might as well wait


    here for Grandma toe back.¡± Odell snorted in disgust, ¡°Your sure have be more shameless


    since yesterday.¡± Sylvia smiled and parried, ¡°You¡¯re just as shameless as me, maybe even more,


    considering you would do something like kidnap children.¡± Odell shot a look at her. ¡°Were you the one


    who taught them those tricks?¡± Sylvia seemed abashed by this usation. ¡°Tricks? What tricks?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes and looked sharply at her. She looked at him calmly and asked, ¡°Did Liam and


    Isabel do something to you?¡±


    Odell ignored her and merely continued staring at her face as if he wanted to extract some sort of


    message from her expression.


    Out of the blue, his phone rang.


    He picked up the call.


    Cliff¡¯s cautious voice echoed through the phone, ¡°Master Carter, your photo has just appeared on the


    company¡¯s official website homepage, but don¡¯t worry. It has been dealt with immediately.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face darkened as he hung up. He shot a look at Sylvia before instructing one of the servants,


    ¡°Get them out of there.¡± The servant went to Liam and Isabel¡¯s room. A burst of hurried footsteps was


    quickly followed by a cheerful cry. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Id


    Isabel was the first to appear. She threw herself at Sylvia.


    Sylvia took her into her arms. Liam appeared shortly after, and he looked at Sylvia with his pearl-like


    eyes. Sylvia squatted down and took him into her arms as well. ¡°Mommy, I missed you so much¡­¡± Isabel


    said endearingly. Liam followed suit. ¡°I missed you too.¡±


    Sylvia caught a whiff of the natural, fragrant odor of her children. She had to fight back tears while she


    told them, ¡°Mommy missed you two too.¡±


    They embraced lovingly.


    Meanwhile, the figure who was all by himself on the couch beheld the scene like a third-party spectator,


    his gaze turning gloomy.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26 Sylvia wrapped herself up with the children for a while. She nted a kiss on both of their


    cheeks in turn. Simrly, they smothered her with kisses.


    It was a particrly endearing scene.


    Meanwhile, Odell was left out like a stranger.


    Forget about Isabel, even Liam who had been living with him for so long had never had so much physical


    contact with him. He had never done anything remotely close to asking for hugs, and kisses were never


    even considered.


    Odell became more annoyed the longer he looked at them. He coughed drily, filled with irritation.


    Sylvia finally untangled herself from them.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Still, Isabel and Liam kept holding her hands.


    Isabel turned up to her and dered, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be afraid of him. Brother and I will protect you!¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have some dirt on him,¡± Liam agreed. Sylvia did not know what to say. ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    She looked at Odell.


    As Odell twitched his lips and seemed disgruntled, she had to resist the urge tough at his present


    situation.


    Isabel and Liam brought her to the couch to sit.


    Liam¡¯said to the butler, ¡°Uncle Maxworth, could you tell the kitchen hands to prepare some fruits for us?¡±


    The butler nced at Odell who did not utter a word in response, then he did as Liam told him to and


    went to the kitchen.


    Isabel sat on Sylvia¡¯sp and handed the snacks that she had not finished to her. ¡°Mommy, this candy is


    delicious. It¡¯s got the right amount of sweetness.¡±


    She peeled the wrapper off and stuffed the candy into Sylvia¡¯s mouth.


    Sylvia chewed and finished it in no time. It certainly was tasty, but she was not able to fully savor it


    because Odell was scowling at her like the Devil the entire time.


    She wavered briefly before turning to Odell. ¡°Odell, stop looking at me like that. I¡¯m not here to take your


    children away.¡±


    Odell eyed her suspiciously. ¡°Then, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted toe and see the kids,¡± Sylvia told him, ¡°I know they¡¯re better off with you, and I won¡¯t


    try to take them away.¡±


    Odell squinted suspiciously. He doubted that she would have such an epiphany overnight. However, the


    sincerity on her face and the way she looked at him with determination seemed to suggest she was


    telling the truth.


    Just as he was about to study her expression for further hints, she proposed, ¡°But I have a condition.¡±


    Odell scoffed, ¡°Out with it.¡± ¡°I moved nearby to where my grandparents lived back then so that I can be


    closer to this ce to see the children regrly.¡± ¡°You¡¯d wish.¡± Sylvia insisted sternly, ¡°Odell, I came here


    in good faith to discuss terms with you.¡± Odell sneered back at her, ¡°You have no right to discuss terms


    with me.¡±


    Sylvia felt something catch in her throat. She was certainly not on the same level as he was. The truth


    was that she had no leverage whatsoever over him. The children could no longer bear staying quiet.


    Isabel turned to Odell and rebuked him loudly, ¡°You stinky jerk, be nice to Mommy, or else!¡± Liam added,


    ¡°We still have your pictures.¡± Odell remembered the call from Cliff just now and suddenly felt his head


    ache. These unruly brats! Sylvia was a little confused by this and asked the children with intrigue,


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, what pictures are you talking about?¡±


    Isabel smiled cheekily. ¡°I doodled a little someth ning on his face-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Odell belted. The frightened Isabel immediately shut her mouth. Sylvia promptly hugged her


    and patted her head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Isabel.¡± Liam propped himself between the two parties and


    scowled at Odell. Odell suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness when he saw how the trio of mother, son,


    and daughter were unified against amon enemy that was himself. After a brief silence, he informed


    Sylvia, ¡°You can meet them, but not just whenever you feel like it.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27 Sylvia¡¯s eyes lit up. The fact that he would agree to her meeting the children had already


    exceeded her expectations. She answered in an agreeable tone, ¡°Okay.¡± Odell peered at the two


    children who were still hanging on to her. He told her quite sourly,¡± Now get out.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°One


    more thing before I leave.¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°Liam and Isabel are still going to the kindergarten


    which is near my workce, so from now on, I will be the one picking them up from kindergarten and I


    will bring them back here.¡± Odell frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already quit?¡± Shortly after the incident at the


    Elysian Housest time, he had sent men to wait by the elementary kindergarten she worked at the time


    to ambush her. In the end, his men had informed him that she had resigned and slipped away. Sylvia


    stated, ¡°I found another job in a woodcarving studio.¡± Wood carving? Odell looked at her quizzically. ¡°You


    know how to carve wood?¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°More or less.¡± Odell gave her a cold look. ¡°Send me the


    details of the address and working hours when you get back. I¡¯ll let you know after I give it some


    consideration.¡± Could someone like her figure out how to carve wood, to begin with?


    It appeared to be one of those bizarre jobs. Still, he figured he needed to audit it before deciding if he


    would allow her to pick up the children every day. ¡°Alright,¡± Sylvia said as she rose. Both Isabel and Liam


    looked at her nkly. How could Sylvia ever say no to these darlings? She bent over again to give them


    a big hug, then she kissed them on the cheeks before forcing herself to leave.


    The two of them followed her to the entrance like loyal house pets, but they were cut off by the


    bodyguards. Sylvia waved to them. ¡°Hurry and go back. Mommy will see you again tomorrow.¡±


    Isabel formed a strained line with her lips.


    Liam took things better. He held Isabel¡¯s tiny hand and turned to Sylvia. ¡°Mom, I will take good care of


    Sister. Don¡¯t worry and be careful at home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia waved to them onest time and dragged her


    feet out.


    At night, Sylvia had just finished dinner with Aunt Tonya and was on the phone with the twins again.


    Isabel droned on about how Madam Carter had returned shortly after Sylvia left in the evening. After


    finding out what had gone down that evening, Madam Carter had stated that whenever Sylvia came


    around the Carters¡¯ again, she was to wait until Madam Carter returned. After chatting for an hour, Sylvia


    sent them off to sleep before ending the call. She texted Odell after that. She informed him of the


    address of her workce along with the name of the studio. She could tell that Odell had removed her


    contact from the cklist because the message was sessfully delivered. After a brief moment, Odell


    replied, ¡°upation description.¡± She texted back, ¡°upation description: Woodcarving.¡± Odell replied,


    ¡°borate. No less than a thousand words.¡± She was speechless. With a deep breath, she went online


    to search for job descriptions concerning woodworking and found various detailed information that would


    satisfy Odell. She copied the contents and sent them to him. ¡°Organize them in a file and send them to


    me again.¡± Sylvia was speechless again.¡±


    God damn it!


    Sylvia put them in an organized file and sent it to him again.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Although the messaging application indicated that he had read the message, there was no reply. She


    waited until midnight, and still, there was no reply. She proceeded to text him, ¡°Odell, please get back to


    me when you are free. If you don¡¯t answer me by tomorrow morning, I will assume that you have agreed


    to the terms, and I will start picking them up from kindergarten from tomorrow onwards.¡± There was still


    no reply from him after ten minutes had passed. She tossed the phone to the head of the bed, covered


    herself in the nket, and promptly fell asleep.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28 After wrapping up some expedited paperwork at home, Odell went to the bathroom to take a


    hot shower. It was past midnight by the time he emerged again. He sat on the bed and picked up the fully


    charged mobile phone. That was when he saw the message Sylvia sent him. The corners of his lips


    twitched, and his slender fingers began to tap rapidly against the disy. ¡°I haven¡¯t read it yet. I¡¯ll let you


    know after I read it tomorrow.¡± There was no response for a long time after the message was sent. Odell


    seemed unimpressed. He texted her again, ¡°Have you fallen asleep?¡± There was still no response.


    Needless to say, she was asleep. This woman had the audacity to fall asleep without waiting for his


    reply! He immediately tapped the dial button. It took a while for the other party to pick up the call. Sylvia


    gnashed her teeth and grumbled into the phone, ¡°Odell, what¡¯s your problem? Why are you calling me in


    the middle of the night?!¡± So, she was already in thend of dreams! Odell said with a scoff, ¡°I¡¯m calling


    to inform you that you aren¡¯t allowed to pick the twins up from kindergarten.¡±


    There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds.


    Sylvia¡¯s raging temper suddenly eased as she assumed another milder, pandering approach.¡± Sorry


    about that, Master Carter. I just woke up and didn¡¯t know who it was calling. I didn¡¯t expect it to be you.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell was speechless. She was the one who had shouted his name the moment she answered the call.


    How would she exin that?


    Sylvia supplied, ¡°Master Carter, you don¡¯t have to give me an answer now if you¡¯re busy. You can think


    about it and get back to me tomorrow. It¡¯s gettingte, so get some rest. Staying up isn¡¯t good for your


    health.¡± Odell furrowed his brows. A particr scene from a few years ago suddenly shed into his


    mind. It was a rainy night and he was workingte. Due to the poor weather, it was already two in the


    morning by the time he got home.


    When he got home, he saw that the lights were still on although most of the servants had gone to sleep.


    The only person he saw was his wife whom he abhorred, Sylvia. She was wearing a nightgown and


    waiting for him by the door. The moment she saw him, she perked up and a genuine smile formed on her


    face. It was like a flower that bloomed amidst the dark of the rainy night and illuminated its surroundings.


    She helped him unbutton his coat, take off his leather shoes, and massage his legs to release the


    tension in his muscles, the way she had always done. While she was doing all this, she whispered into


    his ear, ¡°Staying up thiste isn¡¯t good for your health. Stop working sote from today onward.¡± Her


    voice was very gentle and cautious. Although it annoyed him at the time, it was veryforting


    compared to her now distant and uninterested tone. He suddenly felt a fit of irrational anger, so he


    ignored her and hung up.


    The disy turned ck, and there was no further message after that.


    He bit his lip. To think that she would not text him or try to call him again¡­ Was she simply too scared to


    do so or had she given up on him as a lost cause? ¡®Go ahead, give up on me. Stop bothering me in the


    future!¡¯ Shortly after that, it was he who picked up his phone to text Tara, ¡°Are you asleep?¡± Tara, who


    happened to be shopping online at a luxury boutique at the time, replied instantly, ¡° Hey, I¡¯m going to


    sleep soon. Why are you still awake?¡± ¡°I¡¯m dealing with something.¡± ¡°It¡¯ste. You should get some rest.¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Yeah, you get some rest too.¡± ¡°Good night. See you in my dreams.¡±


    Odell could feel the warmth even across the screen. This was the sort of woman that he deserved to


    have. He wiped the sorrow off his face, put down the phone, and went back to bed.


    Immediately after waking up the next day, Sylvia sent a message to Odell, asking him if he had read the


    documents she sent and if he would let her pick the children up.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29 Sylvia did not receive his reply even though it was past afternoon. She thought about what


    happenedst night with him calling her out of nowhere, then hanging up without exnation. This led


    her to think that she must have upset him again in some way somehow. It seemed as if she often found


    herself getting on his bad side despite having done nothing wrong. She figured that it was no use fixing


    her mind on this. With this in mind, she proceeded to text him again, ¡°Odell, if you still don¡¯t want to reply


    to me, I¡¯ll just assume that you¡¯ve given me permission to pick them up.¡± Meanwhile, on the top floor of


    the Carter Corporation. Odell nced at the message that popped up on the top of his screen, then he


    turned to Cliff.¡° Keep going.¡± Cliff continued his report.


    After he was done presenting his report, he followed up, ¡°Master Carter, here is the information about the


    woodcarving studio that you asked me to obtain.¡±


    Cliff handed Odell a stack of sorted documents that he flipped through. Cliff noted briefly, ¡°This


    woodcarving studio is quite famous in the industry, and their employees are elites in the profession.¡±


    The elites?


    Odell could not help but frown at the mere suggestion of it, especially when he recalled the way she used


    toze around at home and circle around him. ¡°Also, the boss of this studio is Mr. Tristan from Ledger


    Corporation,¡± Cliff suddenly added. ¡°Tristan Ledger?¡±


    (Yes.¡±


    Odell blew air out of his nose.


    Most, if not all of the elite families in Westchester City were connected in one way or another.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Before the Ledgers climbed through the ranks and established themselves as one of the three totems in


    the city, they were affiliated with the Rosses. Sylvia¡¯ste grandfather and the Ledger¡¯s elder were


    brothers-in-arms, so it was only natural that Sylvia was familiar with Tristan Ledger.


    He was disappointed because he thought that she had some proper skill for once. s, it was only with


    the help of private connections that she managed to get into the studio.


    Odell threw the stack of documents into the trash.


    ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯ll head out first if you don¡¯t have any other orders,¡± Cliff stated.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    0


    After Cliff left, Odell picked up the phone and opened the conversation with Sylvia. Shortly after, he


    turned off the screen and put the phone away. He wagered that she had probably stayed up all night due


    to anxiety after he hung up on herst night, which was why she texted him again first thing in the


    morning. Based on what she texted him, she was probably trying to bait him into a conversatio However,


    he was not going to give her any satisfaction. Meanwhile, Sylvia, who was at work in the woodcarving


    studio, kept checking her phone from time to time ever since she sent the message to Odell. Finally, it


    was time to pick up Isabel and Liam from the kindergarten. Seeing that Odell still had not replied to her,


    she proceeded to head to the kindergarten gleefully.


    ¡ª


    After picking the two children up, Sylvia sent them back home. It was still rather early Sylvia ended up


    taking them back to her ce to hang out for a bit before taking them back to the Carters¡¯! After the two


    went into the house, Sylvia turned to leave. It was at that moment that a shiny white car appeared in front


    of her. Tara pushed the door open and stepped out. She looked at Sylvia with a frown. ¡°Sylvia? Why are


    you here?¡± Sylvia shot a look at her and ignored her. Tara then saw Isabel and Liam who had just gone


    inside. The two brats were bidding farewell to Sylvia, and when they saw Tara they immediately became


    hostile. Tara was angry and confused. What was going on? Why was Isabel here again? Why was she


    sending Sylvia off together with Liam? Seeing that Sylvia was about to leave, Tara reached out to grab


    Sylvia. However, Sylvia immediately pulled away and put her hands behind her back to get away from


    Tara.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30 Tara snapped at her, ¡°Sylvia, you¡¯d better spit it out. What¡¯s going on here?¡± Sylvia said with


    a wry smile, ¡°If you want to know what¡¯s going on, why don¡¯t you just go inside and ask Odell?¡±


    Tara felt a lump in her throat. Madam Carter had adamantly stated that so long as she breathed, she


    would never allow Tara to step into the house.


    Sylvia was intentionally riling her up.


    She was about to nder Sylvia as being Odell¡¯s unwanted toy when she suddenly caught a glimpse of


    the person in question appearing at the door. Her expression transformed immediately as she ran to


    Odell. ¡°Odell!¡± She threw herself into Odell¡¯s arms with an aggrieved look as if Sylvia had done


    something terrible to her. Nevertheless, Odell looked at Sylvia with an indifferent look


    Sylvia raised an eyebrow and began to leave. She would not stay behind and watch these two y out


    their drama. She had only taken a step when Tara said to Odell, ¡°I was just asking her why she was here


    when she became aggressive and told me something about how I¡¯m not allowed to be here, then she


    insulted me. I didn¡¯t even say anything to her. Why is she being so hostile toward me?¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes became red as she spoke. Odell frowned deeply This was when the voice of the twins came


    from inside the house. ¡°She¡¯s lying. Mommy didn¡¯t say any of those things to her!¡± Isabel shouted with


    her arms across her chest. ¡°She started by angrily asking Mommy why she¡¯s here, then she grabbed


    Mommy. That¡¯s when Mommy told her toe inside and look for you. She never insulted her.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam supplied, ¡°I can testify to that too.¡± Odell¡¯s expression changed as he immediately red at Tara


    whose eyes widened. In addition to the shock of the situation turning against her, she was also dismayed


    by Isabel calling Sylvia her mother.


    If her mother was Sylvia, and she was the same age as Liam and looked just like him as well, did this


    mean that she was also Odell¡¯s child?


    Sylvia had given birth to twins at the time!


    Tara quickly gathered herself and turned to Odell with tearful eyes. ¡°Odell, I only said all those things


    because she used me of using dirty tricks to get with you and that I didn¡¯t deserve you. I only wanted


    to rify things with her. I never lied to you.¡±


    Her eyes were framed red and filled with distress. Odell thought of herpassion throughout the years


    and how much she had given up to be with him, thus he felt sorry for her.


    He raised a hand to wipe away her tears and said softly, ¡°I believe you.¡±


    At the entrance, Isabel scoffed audibly. Liam seemed wholly unimpressed as well. Odell red at them


    andmanded sternly, ¡°Get back in there!¡± Liam took Isabel¡¯s hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± Isabel


    grunted, ¡°Hmm.¡± She made a point of pulling a face at Odell before turning back Odell¡¯s face was dark


    ¡°Odell, is Isabel your daughter too?¡± Tara suddenly asked. ¡°Well, she and Liam are twins, and I only


    found out yesterday as well.¡± Tara lowered her head. ¡°So, that¡¯s why Sylvia is here.¡± Odell embraced her


    and gently reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. She is their mother, and the two brats keep whining about


    wanting to be with her, so I gave her permission to pick them up from the kindergarten.¡± While Tara


    looked up at him, tiny droplets of tears fell from her eyes, exaggerating her frailness.


    She started, ¡°I wasn¡¯t overthinking it. It¡¯s just that whenever I see how adorable Liam and Isabel are, I


    think of the child that we could have had. If the child were here with us today, I¡¯m sure he or she would


    be calling us Daddy and Mommy.¡±


    As she said this, tears streamed down her cheeks again. She put a hand over her mouth and tried to


    stop herself from choking back tears.

 Chapter 31

    Odell squinted and hugged her tightly in his arms.


    Tara sobbed. ¡°Odell, can we have another baby?¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°Your body is not ready now. Let¡¯s talk about it when you get better.¡±


    She simply sobbed in silence as a reply.


    He tapped her back and said, ¡°Tara, once Grandmother gives me the green light, I¡¯ll marry you right


    away.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Tara hummed a reply. Shey in his arms and stared in the direction where Sylvia walked


    off. There was a hint of anxiety and anger in her eyes.


    Sylvia must be using her children to get close to Odell.


    ¡®That bitch! I should have made sure that she stayed dead back then!¡±


    After Sylvia reached home, she received a call from Isabel.


    She blurted out everything she heard from Tara after Sylvia left. It seemed like Tara was badmouthing


    Sylvia in front of Odell.


    Sylvia simply scoffed. She expected all this. She said to Isabel, ¡°Isabel, you don¡¯t need to care about all


    that.¡±


    Annoyed, Isabel pouted and said, ¡°She¡¯s talking bad about you, and you know it¡¯s not true!¡±


    Sylvia smiled. She put on a warm voice and said, ¡°Isabel, I don¡¯t care about all that. I just want you and


    Liam to be happy, so just forget about that, okay?¡±


    Isabel¡¯s lips remained pouting, ¡°Fine, I understand.¡±


    Sylvia chatted with Isabel for a little longer just to cheer her up before the call ended.


    Afterward, she received a message from Odell.


    ¡°If I find out that you picked on Tara again, don¡¯t think of seeing the children again.¡±


    Even through the screen, Sylvia could already picture the disgust on the man¡¯s face.


    Feeling helpless, she texted back. ¡°I got it.¡±


    She epted it, given that Tara would stay away from her and the children, or else, she would make the


    woman pay back twice as much.


    The next morning, Sylvia arrived at the studio like usual.


    Everyone in the studio worked a flexible schedule, so she was usually the first to arrive. However, when


    she arrived today, she noticed the others were already there, and they were well-dressed.


    She was surprised at her colleagues, and so were they at her.


    Betty, who she was rather close to, came to her and said, ¡°Sylvia, why didn¡¯t you dress up for the


    asion?¡±


    Curious, Sylvia asked, ¡°What asion?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the message from the chat groupst night? The boss is back, and he¡¯s visiting the


    studio today.¡±


    Sylvia was slightly stunned before she hummed a reply. She thought it was an important event, but it was


    just the boss returning.


    Noticing her nonchnce, Betty moved closer to her and whispered, ¡°I heard our boss is still a bachelor.


    Even James and the guys dressed up, so why the frumpish look?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and answered, ¡°I have two kids, Betty.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Aside from having no intention of finding another man, even if there was an eligible bachelor attracted to


    her, he would probably leave after knowing she had two kids.


    Betty obviously did not remember her children. The surprise on her facested for a moment before she


    switched the topic to the boss¡¯s personality and so on. She told Sylvia to present herself before the boss


    when she got the chance


    Everyone in the studio was interviewed by the boss himself as part of the recruitment process, except for


    Sylvia who had been interviewed by the veterans instead.

 Chapter 32

    Sylvia listened to Betty¡¯s bbering for quite a while.


    The other colleagues also came with their two cents, telling her to be careful with her words and actions


    and not make the boss unhappy.


    As everyone expected, a limited edition white supercar stopped in front of the studio entrance.


    Two elderly butlers went over to wee the guest while Sylvia and her colleagues lined up in an


    organized manner at the entrance.


    The door opened and a tall figure emerged.


    The young man had a loose white shirt coupled with ck pants. His bangs draped fashionably over his


    forehead while his skin was fair and his facial features were pronounced and weing. There was a


    noble presence to his demeanor.


    Betty and the other girls fawned over the man.


    Even Sylvia widened her eyes in surprise, not because of how handsome the man was, but because she


    knew him.


    Tristan also noticed Sylvia when he came in.


    ¡°Sylvia?¡± Tristan was surprised. He went up to her for a closer look.


    Sylvia smiled at him and said, ¡°Mr. Ledger, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    She sounded a little distant, which slightly disappoint Tristan. He then wore a smile and said, ¡°There¡¯s no


    need for formality between us. Just call me by my name, Tristan.¡±


    Sylvia thought about it for a moment and answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Things changed. Now that she was no longer Mrs. Carter and had been expelled by her own family, she


    could no longer address him with a nonchnt tone like she used to.


    Tristan then looked at the others and said, ¡°You guys can go do your own things.¡±


    Everyone else put away their surprise and returned to their desks.


    Tristan then said to Sylvia, ¡°Sylvia, let¡¯s have a chat somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Um, I still have work to do,¡± she said.


    Tristan noticed her reluctance. His eyes slightly squinted and he said with a smile,¡± Then,e to my


    office. I have to evaluate your professional skills.¡±


    He was the boss, after all, so Sylvia had no choice but to say yes.


    Sylvia brought a piece of log and a carving knife into his office.


    There was a long table in the office that was equipped with carving tools as well.


    She had a seat at the table and Tristan settled down opposite her.


    ¡°What do you want me to carve?¡± she asked.


    Tristan smiled at¡¯her and said, ¡°How about a sunflower?¡±


    Sylvia started carving. Her slender fingers looked fragile, but they were swift and nimble. Her hands had


    never been free of mundane chores, but they were not covered in calluses. Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia, as a person, had be a lot stronger but colder as well.


    Momentster, Tristan asked, ¡°Where have you been all these years?¡±


    Sylvia expected the question, so she answered with nonchnce, ¡°A couple of cities.¡±


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing okay.¡±


    Tristan fought his thoughts for a while as he stared at her face. He ultimately decided to say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I


    was not here back then, so I didn¡¯t know about your divorce.¡±


    If he had known, he would havee back for her and taken her away from that man. He would not


    have allowed her to be chased out of Westchester City like a dog.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m doing great. I¡¯ve already moved on.¡±


    Tristan slightly clutched his hand to suppress his rising emotions, and then he asked, ¡°Where are you


    living now? Still alone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m living with Aunt Tonya in the Old District.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re living in the house your grandparents gave you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance from here. I have an empty house around this ce. Why don¡¯t you move in with


    Aunt Tonya?¡± rrowed his browns.


    Sylvia casually answered, ¡°I have two kids. They are three years old this year, and they are living with


    Madam Carter in the Old District as well. They are attending kindergarten in this area, so it¡¯s closer for


    me to pick them up from


    ¡°Thanks but no thanks. I work here because it¡¯s convenient for me to fetch my kids from school.¡±


    ¡°Kids? What kids?¡± Tristan fu there.¡±

 Chapter 33

    Tristan¡¯s face froze for a while. ¡°Are they yours and Odell¡¯s kids?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Then, Sylvia passed him the sunflower that she finished carving. ¡°I¡¯m done, Mr. Ledger.¡±


    Tristan stared at the carved sunflower. It was minimalistic yet blooming with life, and his eyes glimmered


    with interest when he saw it. He took it and smiled at her. ¡°Nicely done.¡±


    Sylvia got up. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to work.¡±


    Tristan¡¯s smile remained. ¡°Okay.¡±


    While she exited the room, Tristan¡¯s eyes never left her. He even clutched the carved sunflower in his


    hands tightly.


    ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯ll never let you go again.¡±


    Right after Sylvia came out from the office, Betty sashayed up to her. As though she was a paparazzi,


    she sniffed for any kinds of gossip revolving the boss and Sylvia.


    ¡°Our grandfathers were friends, so I knew him since we were young,¡± Sylvia said.


    Indeed, they knew each other when they were young. Even though he lived with his parents in the


    wealthy district, he would visit her at the Old District every weekend, where they would y together.


    However, after his grandfather passed away, his parents became stricter and forbade him from visiting,


    hence the distance in their friendship.


    After they both grew up, he confessed his love to her which shocked her for days. He even had to


    apologize to her and im that it was a prank to calm her down.


    A while after that, she married Odell, and to avoid gossip, she kept her distance from


    him.


    Who would have thought that the carving studio that she worked in belonged to him?


    Surprised, Betty asked, ¡°So, you guys are like childhood friends?¡±


    Sylvia answered with a hint of nervousness, ¡°No, just normal friends.¡±


    Betty remembered that Sylvia had two kids, and if they were really childhood friends, they would have


    been together. It was fairly impossible for Sylvia to have been pregnant with some other man¡¯s kids.


    However, Betty¡¯s instinct told her that Tristan viewed Sylvia as more than just a friend.


    Maybe she was over thinking¡­ :


    Sylvia noticed Betty¡¯s persistence, so she urged, ¡°Betty, go back to work. We still have a deadline to


    meet tomorrow.¡±


    After Betty regained herposure and returned to work, Sylvia also returned to her desk and continued


    carving.


    After a day¡¯s work, it was time for the kids to get off school.


    Sylvia tidied her desk and was about to leave, but she ran into Tristan at the entrance.


    He leaned against the wall with a warm smile on his face as he asked, ¡°Going to fetch your kids?¡±


    Sylvia hummed a reply and wanted to walk past him.


    ¡°I¡¯m free. Why don¡¯t I drive you over?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m driving.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    She then pulled out her keys from her bag,


    Tristan pouted, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Her car was parked beside the entrance; it was a ck SUV.


    Sylvia waved at Tristan before she got in and drove off.


    A few minutester, she arrived at her children¡¯s kindergarten. Simr to the other parents, she waited for


    her children at the entrance.


    The bell rung just on time, and the teachers brought the kids out.


    Isabel came out with a yellow cap and a red dress while Liam was dressed in a simple shirt and denim


    overalls. The two of them held hands as they came out.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± They called the moment they saw Sylvia. Sylvia was all smiles when she bent over to hug


    them.

 Chapter 34

    Sylvia then strapped the brother and sister to the rear seat of the car, which was equipped with children¡¯s


    car seats.


    She then drove the car towards the Old District.


    Little did she know, there was a white supercar parked beside the kindergarten. It was Tristan, and he


    watched as Sylvia drove off towards the Old District.


    He saw the children as well. Their meticulous facial features made it seem like they had been carved by


    masterful hands, and they were a lot cuter and more beautiful than the other kids.


    They really resembled Sylvia and¡­Odell.


    He did not mind though. As long as she was back, he was okay with it.


    After Sylvia¡¯s car left his sight, he smiled and turned the car away.


    Simr to yesterday, Sylvia brought the kids back to her ce. She spent some quality time with them


    before sending them back to the Carters¡¯.


    The Carters¡¯ mansion was within walking distance, so she held their hands and walked them back


    instead.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    It was then that Odell came home. He got out of the car and saw the mother and childrening toward


    him while basking in the sunset¡¯s glory.


    Liam was on Sylvia¡¯s left, looking obedient and quiet. Meanwhile, Isabel was on her right, giggling and


    hopping forward like a cheerful elf.


    In the middle, Sylvia wore a in dress with her hair tucked behind her ear. Her face was free of any


    makeup, and the smile on her looked warm. She seemed to be telling the children a joke or talking about


    something funny.


    The scene of the mother and children looked harmonious, and it surprised Odell for a


    moment.


    Until Sylvia came closer with the kids, the expression on his face turned cold.


    He lifted his watch and said coldly, ¡°It has been three hours since they finished school. Why are you only


    sending them home at this hour?¡±


    Before Sylvia could answer, Isabel blurted out, ¡°We are Mommy¡¯s precious kids! She can send us back


    whenever she wants to without your permission!¡±


    ¡°Isabel is right,¡± Liam echoed.


    Odell was silenced, and it forced a grim look on him.


    Sylvia had to hold herughter back at Odell¡¯s speechlessness. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Carter. I


    just took them to my ce and spent some quality time with them.¡±


    Odell¡¯s hard stare softened. He took the kids and said, ¡°Go in first.¡±


    The kids were unwilling to part with Sylvia, so she squatted down and kissed the both of them, leaving a


    faint kiss mark on their respective cheeks. ,


    The brother and sister were over the moon, and their eyes curved happily like


    crescents.


    Odell merely tightened his lips and swallowed quietly.


    The mother and children finally separated after some intimate exchange.


    After the two of them went inside, Sylvia looked at Odell and said, ¡°Is there anything, Master Carter?¡±


    Odell stared at her and the lips that she had kissed the kids with. It somehow agitated him.


    ¡°Send thern home before it gets dark next time.¡±


    ¡°Noted on that.¡±


    Since she was unable to fight him, she might as well y along.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kiss them as well,¡± he said.


    Sylvia frowned and stared at him in confusion. ¡°Odell Carter, give me a good reason why I can¡¯t kiss


    them?¡±


    Odell stared at her lips. ¡°Because I said so.¡±


    ¡°Are you out¡±


    A cold re came from Odell, shutting Sylvia up. She had to swallow her words


    before they left her mouth,


    The annoyance left a bitter taste on her tongue.


    She regained herposure and said with a grin, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t tell me you are jealous


    because the kids are closer to me than they are to you.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Odell tightened his lips in silence.


    Sylvia simply stared at him in confusion.


    He looked rather cold, but he was not exactly unhappy about it.


    Was it because of jealousy?


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Confused, Sylvia asked, ¡°I don¡¯t have any lipstick on, so why can¡¯t I kiss them?¡±


    Odell stared at her. ¡°Leave.¡±


    Sylvia was silenced and deeply annoyed.


    ¡®Crazy bastard!


    Frustrated, she pouted and left. Due to her suppressed annoyance, she hastened her pace, which


    caused her slender figure to wiggle more than usual. Even her dress fluttered as she strode away.


    Odell had a few nces before he looked away with a bitter look.


    ¡®This woman¡­ how dare she seduce me?!¡¯


    The next morning, when Sylvia arrived at the studio, Betty and the other colleagues shot her ridiculing


    gazes.


    Curious, she stared back, but her colleagues quickly switched their gazes to her desk.


    Sylvia followed their gaze to her desk and saw a bouquet of sunflowers. Beside the sunflowers was a


    card with a message written in bold handwriting.


    ¡°Good morning. Hope you have a good day ahead-Tris.¡±


    It was obviously from Tristan!


    Sylvia did not know how to react to the gift.


    Envious, Betty said, ¡°Sylvia, Mr. Ledger sent the flowers over by himself.¡±


    Sylvia sighed and put the sunflowers into a vase.


    Betty and the others surrounded her, watching her put away the flowers like they were watching some


    romanticedy on television.


    ¡°We are really just normal friends,¡± Sylvia helplessly said.


    The girls grinned with obvious disbelief on their faces, as if they were saying they did not believe her.


    It was then that Tristan came back from outside, and the girls scattered back to their workstations.


    Tristan smiled as he came over to Sylvia. ¡°Morning.¡±


    She returned a polite smile. ¡°Morning. Thank you for the sunflowers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He took a step closer to her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch today.¡±


    Sylvia nervously took a step back to draw distance and said, ¡°I¡¯m busy in the afternoon.¡±


    Nevertheless, Tristan expected the rejection. He smiled as he added, ¡°Sylvia,e on. We¡¯ve known


    each other for twenty over years. Saying no will only make me sad.¡±


    Sylvia barely reacted to his pleas. ¡°I¡¯m really busy.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll order takeaway, and we can have lunch here.¡±


    She tightened her lips and then said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go out instead? I¡¯ll buy you lunch.¡±


    Consider it paying him back for the sunflowers.


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll see youter,¡± Tristain said. He smiled as he went back to attend to his own matters.


    Sylvia returned to her seat and continued working.


    At lunchtime, Tristan appeared before. Sylvia just on time. Since she had already promised him, she was


    going to keep it. She put her work aside and went out for lunch with him.


    She asked, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with anything. You choose.¡±


    Without hesitation, Sylvia brought him to a local restaurant at themercial square near their office.


    The restaurant promised affordable prices and also decent food.


    It was not that she did not want to bring him to an expensive ce, but given her sry from the studio,


    her expenditure was limited, so this affordable one would do.


    There was no surprise or disgust on Tristan¡¯s face. All he did was smile as he followed her inside.


    Sylvia asked for a room for the two of them.


    The waiter then came in with the menu and gave them a warm wee. Sylvia pushed the menu to


    Tristan and generously said, ¡°Order what you like.¡±

 Chapter 36

    Tristan simply ordered something on the menu.


    Sylvia noticed that everything he ordered was on the cheaper side of the scale, which caused a helpless


    twitch on her face. While she was not exactly rich, she was not living in poverty either.


    She took the menu over and ordered all the signature dishes.


    ¡°We can¡¯t finish all of that,¡± Tristan said.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just pack them up if we can¡¯t finish them.¡±


    Tristan simply smiled in silence.


    A whileter, the dishes were served.


    Sylvia chatted with him over lunch.


    He asked her about the cities she had gone to in the past few years and how she brought Isabel up


    alone.


    Sylvia answered all his questions.


    Then, he asked, ¡°Sylvia, it has been three years since your divorce from Odell. Have you ever thought


    about finding another partner?¡±


    He stared straight into her eyes when he asked the question.


    Sylvia boldly looked into his eyes and said, ¡°No.¡±


    The glimmer in Tristan¡¯s eyes dimmed a little, but he maintained the smile on his face, ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particr, I just don¡¯t want to.¡±


    The things that happened three years ago still felt like they had happened yesterday, and she would


    never fall for another man again just to keep herself safe.


    Her cold gaze had a strong sense of resolution in it.


    Tristan forcefully swallowed his following question after noticing her look. He simply put some food onto


    her te and said, ¡°Here, I remember you like this a lot. Have more.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Tristan then looked at her and said with a serious gaze, ¡°Sylvia, there¡¯s really no need for courtesy


    between us.¡±


    Sylvia did not answer. Maybe she was overthinking, but she felt like Tristan paid a little too much


    attention to her. She disliked it because it would do no good to both of them.


    Lunch ended after a while.


    Just when Tristan was about to pay, Sylvia beat him to it.


    The two of them then headed back to the studio.


    Unfortunately, the sky started to drizzle after a few steps.


    Tristan took his jacket off and put it over Sylvia.


    She was a little surprised. She took it off and wanted to give it back. ¡°I¡¯m okay. You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Tristan took the jacket back and then put it over her head again. He said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You take it. Don¡¯t get


    wet.¡±


    Sylvia did not want to linger on the topic, so they quickly strode forward. It was a working day, but the


    commercial square was actually less crowded.


    When they were almost out of the ce, Tara¡¯s voice came from the side.


    ¡°Mr. Ledger?¡±


    Tristan stopped when he heard the voice call him. Sylvia turned around as well.


    Other than Tara, they also saw Odell holding an umbre beside her.


    Sylvia was caught off guard by the sudden encounter.


    Odell reacted with a wry expression when he had a good look at her.


    Tara asked in surprise, ¡°Sylvia? Why are you here with Mr. Ledger?¡±


    Sylvia did not answer because she did not want to talk to her at all.


    Tristan noticed Tara and Odell¡¯s intimacy. He scoffed and said, ¡°Sylvia is working at my studio, and we


    had lunch together.¡±


    Tara had a nce at him and then saw his jacket on Sylvia. She reacted like she caught the couple


    having an affair. Then, she said with a smile, ¡°I see. Why didn¡¯t you bring an umbre? We have an extra


    umbre in our car. Do you want it?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re good. Our studio is just a few minutes away.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Tara grinned. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Tristan then looked at Odell and said, ¡°Mr. Carter, please excuse us.¡±


    Odell did not answer as he was looking at Sylvia.


    Tristan did not care either. He said to Sylvia, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sylvia nodded and went off with him without


    looking back.

 Chapter 37

    Tristan followed Sylvia closely as they strode back to the studio.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    From the back, the two of them appeared to be really close.


    Tara grinned. She turned around to Odell and eximed, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Sylvia to work at Tristan¡¯s


    studio.¡±


    Odell wore a stony look in silence and simply walked away.


    Tara quickly curled her arms around his and added, ¡°Though I have a feeling that there is more than


    meets the eye between them. Tristan has always liked to be around Sylvia since he was young. It seems


    like some things never change.


    ¡°Besides, I heard the Ledgers are interested in having a union with the Rosses, but Tristan¡¯s parents are


    fond of Sylvia¡¯s sister, Sonia, not her. Wouldn¡¯t it be inappropriate for them to be this close?¡±


    Ayer of resentment was added to Odell¡¯s cold demeanor. It was the bitterness he had for Sylvia


    Back then, she had forced herself into his room and made him marry her, and now, she was seducing


    her sister¡¯s man.


    What a whore!


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about her anymore,¡± he dismissed coldly.


    Tara noticed the irritation on his face and said softly, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll zip my mouth, Don¡¯t be so upset, Odell.¡±


    She knew that Odell¡¯s reaction was because of his resentment for Sylvia, which put a soft grin on her


    face,


    In the afternoon, Sylvia got ready to send her kids from kindergarten to the Old District, but it was still


    raining outside. The sky seemed to be forever cloudy.


    Sylvia did not make them wait because she had to send them back to the Carters¡¯ before dark. Like


    always, she hugged both of them before parting.


    Isabel pouted and said, ¡°Mommy, you haven¡¯t kissed us goodbye.¡±


    Liam also stared at his mother quietly.


    Sylvia sneakily looked around. When there was no one around, she bent over and kissed her adorable


    kids on the cheeks in farewell. The brother and sister also kissed her on both sides of the cheek before


    they went inside the house.


    Sylvia watched the two of them go inside. After they disappeared from her sight, she turned around and


    bumped into Odell.


    He was dressed in a ck shirt thatplemented his stylish figure. He had actually seen everything


    from a meter away. His sharp gaze sized her up from top to bottom.


    Sylvia did not notice his presence at all, and his sudden appearance frightened her, causing her to falter.


    ¡°Do you not remember what I said?¡± he said with a glower, referring to the kissing.


    Sylvia was unhappy with his tone and his ridiculous mandate. They were her children, so why couldn¡¯t


    she kiss her own children?


    Nevertheless, she suppressed her anger and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold myself back just now.¡±


    Odell red at her. ¡°No more next time, or you can kiss them goodbye for good.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s anger exploded. She stared right into his cold eyes and questioned him,¡° They are my children.


    Why can¡¯t I kiss them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re filthy.¡±


    Sylvia was both annoyed and confused. She showered every day, washed her hands constantly, and


    never wore lipstick when she was with the kids. Which part of her was filthy?


    Just when she wanted to argue, Odell red at her in disgust and said, ¡°Don¡¯t kiss


    them with the lips that you used to kiss other men.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. The annoyance was stuck in her chest, suffocating her.


    Who had she kissed?


    Did he misunderstand something after seeing her and Tristan together earlier?


    Sylvia gasped and said, ¡°Odell, there¡¯s nothing between Tristan and me. I didn¡¯t -¡±


    Before she could finish, he strode away and entered the house. He did not believe her and refused to


    hear any exnation.


    Furious, Sylvia blurted out loud, ¡°Are you out of your mind or something?¡±


    Odell froze before hepletely entered the house. He turned around to her.


    Sylvia was taken over by rage and was not scared of him at all. In the end, she simply grunted and left.

 Chapter 38

    At night, Sylvia received a message from Odell.


    ¡°Starting from tomorrow onwards, you don¡¯t have to fetch the kids from school anymore.¡±


    Apathy overflowed from the lines between the words.


    ¡°What? Odell, don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±


    Odell did not text back.


    Sylvia texted furiously. ¡°Is it because of what I said earlier? I¡¯ll apologize!¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell still did not text back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Carter. Master Carter, please forgive me. I promise I won¡¯t talk bad about you


    anymore.¡±


    There was still no reply.


    Sylvia then bombarded Odell with a barrage of texts.


    ¡°I only found out yesterday that my boss is Tristan. It¡¯s not what you think!¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything going on between us, I¡¯ll get hit by a truck!¡±


    ¡°If you still don¡¯t believe me, you can go ask Tristan yourself!¡±


    Back at the Carters¡¯ mansion, Odell was lying down on the couchzily. He had a ss of red wine in


    one hand and was scrolling through his phone with the other, reading the texts from Sylvia.


    Apologies, exnations, and all the things she said were just to ask for his mercy to spare her


    His thin lips curled into a soft grin. His fingers moved along the screen as he typed,¡± I¡¯ll let you off this


    time for the sake of the kids, but no more next time.¡±


    Just before he could send the message, he received more texts from Sylvia.


    ¡°Odell Carter, you crazy bastard!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe what I said! Yeah, I¡¯m seeing him, and not just him. I¡¯m seeing a hundred men


    outside!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I also have your disgusting pictures with me. If you don¡¯t let me fetch the kids from kindergarten, I¡¯ll


    spread your pictures online!¡±


    While the handsome face twisted in annoyance after reading through the messages, thefortable


    room temperature suddenly suffered a drastic temperature drop.


    Half a minuteter, he deleted the messages he typed and decided to send a voice message instead.


    Back at Sylvia¡¯s ce, she was losing her patience because she did not get a reply from Odell, hence


    the frustrated texts. It was getting annoying because she had exined herself and had even begged for


    his forgiveness but did not get any reply from the arrogant man.


    After venting her emotions through the texts, she felt a lot more relieved.


    Before she could savor the fresh air without being suffocated by her annoyance, she received a voice


    message from Odell.


    Curious, she tapped on it.


    ¡°Sylvia, I will give you ten minutes toe here and apologize to me, or I will tie you up and throw you


    out of Westchester tonight.¡±


    His foreboding tone sent chills down her spine, causing her to quiver.


    Ten minutester at the Carters¡¯ mansion, Sylvia appeared with an umbre, waiting for the owner


    outside the entrance.


    It was raining heavily. The sshes of rainwater even wet her shoes.


    She held the umbre with one hand while holding her phone with the other, waiting


    for Odell¡¯s reply.


    She texted him that she had arrived at the entrance two minutes ago, but Odell did not reply. She had no


    idea if he did not see it or decided to ignore it after seeing it.


    It was cold at night, especially on such a rainy day. The wind was strong as well, and it gave her chills


    whenever it blew.


    She hunched her body slightly as she continued to wait.


    On the balcony on the second floor, Odell was actually watching her from the dark.


    Time passed rather slowly while Sylvia waited.


    Half an hourter, she squatted down because of the cold. While clutching her umbre, her shaking


    fingers moved across the screen of her phone as she dialed Odell¡¯s number.

 Chapter 39

    She might freeze to death if he kept her waiting outside.


    Two dial tonester, the call ended abruptly.


    Sylvia stared at the number on her screen with gnashing teeth.


    ¡®Is heing out or not? Is he trying to leave me to freeze to death?¡¯


    Sylvia had the urge to leave, but whenever she closed her eyes, she saw Isabel and Liam¡¯s adorable


    faces smiling at her. She could not afford to lose them.


    She continued squatting while staring at the ground.


    There was already a puddle of water beneath her feet, and every drop of rain that fell caused it to ripple.


    She started to shiver uncontrobly due to the cold.


    Just when her consciousness started to fade, she heard footstepsing closer. It was the noise of a


    pair of leather shoes stepping on the concrete ground.


    Sylvia looked up to see a tall figure in a well-manicured suiting toward her in the heavy rain.


    However, her consciousness grew weak, and she thought she was hallucinating, so she shut her eyes


    for a moment.


    When she opened her eyes again, Odell was already beside her, peering down on her from a


    condescending position.


    Sylvia wanted to stand up but her legs had grown numb. The sudden movement left her off bnce and


    caused her to fall forward.


    Thud.


    She fell into his chest.


    The wind from her cold body assaulted his nose, causing him to frown,


    Before he could push her away, Sylvia rapidly retracted herself from him. She exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My


    legs are numb. I didn¡¯t mean to bump into you.¡±


    Odell¡¯s look grew surly.


    Sylvia thought he was still mad, so she exined, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I didn¡¯t mean to bump into you.¡±


    He red at her. ¡°I know.¡±


    The dissatisfaction in his voice was obvious. He sounded like she had done it on purpose and then


    apologized.


    Confused by his reaction, Sylvia decided to cut to the chase. She regained herposure and put on a


    serious expression. ¡°Odell, the texts I sent you earlier were just me talking nonsense. What I said before


    that are all true. There¡¯s nothing between me and Tristan.¡±


    Odell tightened his lips. He still had the arrogant look on his face, but she could feel that he was less


    angry at her.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    She added, ¡°Yes, I know I shouldn¡¯t vent my emotions on you. I¡¯m sorry. Just scold me if you¡¯re unhappy.


    I promise I won¡¯t talk back.¡±


    She even smiled at him, and despite being pale from the cold, she looked rather beautiful.


    With furrowed brows, Odell said, ¡°Delete all the pictures you have of me.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll delete them right away.¡±


    Sylvia turned on her phone and then tapped on the gallery. She deleted all the pictures of him with a


    tortoise face edited on them.


    Her hands were shivering so much when she deleted the pictures that she almost lost her grip on the


    phone a few times. After deleting all his pictures, she gave him the phone. ¡°Here, I¡¯ve deleted all the


    pictures. You can check if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°No need for that. That¡¯s it. No more next time.¡± Odell stared at her coldly.


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you for your mercy. It¡¯s gettingte. You should go back in and rest. Good night,¡±


    Sylvia said as she put on a big smile on her face:


    After that, she turned around and left.


    Odell remained on his spot and frowned at her as she left his sight.


    He was holding the umbre with one hand, but his other hand was actually touching the cor of his


    jacket.


    When Sylvia finally vanished from his sight, he regained hisposure and strode back into the house.


    He must have lost his mind for having the thought of giving her his jacket.


    After all, three years ago, sixty blows failed to p her face off, so the chill of some rain could never


    freeze her feelings for her children.

 Chapter 40

    After Sylvia returned home, she got a fever that night.


    Fortunately, it was a Friday night, so she did not have to work the next day or fetch the kids.


    She took some medicine andy down for most of the day for the fever to fade before she got up and


    packed for the Carters¡¯ again.


    Odell was not home today.


    The butler went in with the announcement of her arrival, and Isabel and Liam came out running.


    Isabel jumped into her arms whereas Liam quietly held her hand:


    The butler came back out with a smile and said, ¡°Ms. Ross, Madam Carter said you can juste in to


    visit the kids next time. You don¡¯t need to ask for her permission.¡±


    Sylvia simply smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She carried Isabel and held Liam¡¯s hand into the house.


    Inside the living room, Madam Carter weed her with a warm smile and waved at her. ¡°Syl,e


    over here and let me have a good look at you.¡±


    Sylvia carried her kids to the couch and sat down beside Madam Carter who sized her up from head to


    toe.


    ¡°A little thinner than before, looking a little worn down¡­ Are you doing okay?¡± Madam Carter asked with


    furrowed brows.


    Sylvia answered immediately, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯m actually doing well. I look a little tired maybe because I


    had a fever yesterday due to the rain, but I¡¯m better now.¡±


    Madam Carter sighed a breath of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡±


    Then, Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, weren¡¯t you at homest night. How did you catch a cold?¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Did you go out after sending me and sister home?¡± Liam also asked.


    Sylvia blinked awkwardly and said, ¡°Yeah, I had something to do.¡±


    Liam furrowed his adorable brows. ¡°Remember to wear a jacket next time when you go out.¡±


    Sylvia felt warmth in her heart. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll remember.¡±


    Isabel crawled into her arms and nuzzled her forehead against her mother¡¯s. After making sure there


    was no more fever, she sat back down.


    Sylvia caressed her head with a smile.


    Madam Carter suddenly felt sentimental watching the scene. She said to Sylvia, ¡°Syl, tell me how you


    have been for the past three years.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She picked some interesting topics and chatted with Madam Carter.


    It might have been three years, but Madam Carter remained the kind olddy that treated her with care


    and warmth.


    Meanwhile, Isabel and Lim listened to her stories like two little curious kittens.


    It was already dark before they knew it. The butler came in. He took a nce at Sylvia before he said,


    ¡°Madam, Master Carter just called and said that he will be missing dinner tonight.¡±


    Madam Carter wore a stony look as she said in annoyance, ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    He must have gone on a date with Tara.


    The thought alone annoyed Madam Carter more than it should. She knew that Tara was a woman full of


    schemes, and she had no idea why Odell insisted on being with her.


    Fortunately, Sylvia¡¯s presence made her happier. She held Sylvia¡¯s hands and said,¡± Syl, don¡¯t leave just


    yet, Stay for dinner.¡±


    Sylvia wanted to spend more time with her kids, and more importantly, Odell was not in, so she


    answered without dy, ¡°Of course, Grandmother.¡±


    During dinner, Sylvia received a message from the studio chat group.


    The admin of the group had tagged everyone and notified them to attend a team building session the


    next morning.

 Chapter 41

    The team-building program was actually announced two days ago, but Sylvia had not signed up. She


    simply had a nce and put her phone away, but then she quickly got tagged by Betty in the chat group.


    ¡°Sylvia, you areing, aren¡¯t you? Mr. Ledger said that family members can tag along and the team-


    building event is happening at Starz Club. I heard only rich people go there. Other than entertainment for


    adults, there are also activities for the kids. Bring your kids along.¡± The others echoed in agreement.


    ¡°Yeah,e join us.¡± Sylvia was moved. Tomorrow would be a Sunday, and there was a high chance


    that Odell would go out with Tara again. Given Madam Carter¡¯s age, it was not that convenient for her to


    bring the kids out on a Sunday, and it was not ideal for them to stay at home the whole day either.


    Sylvia had been to Starz Club before. There was an amusement corner specifically built for kids, so it


    was more family-friendly than other venues.


    Some serious considerationter, Sylvia looked at Madam Carter. ¡°Grandmother, I want to bring Isabel


    and Liam for a Sunday outing tomorrow. Is that okay?¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You are their mother. Of course, you can bring them out,¡± Madam Carter replied with a smile, ¡°But you


    have to be careful as well. Tell Jacob and Ben to tag along so that they can take care of


    you.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    No doubt it would be better with the bodyguards tagging along. Right after that, Isabel jumped up and


    cheered happily. ¡°Yay, Brother, we are going out with Mommy tomorrow!¡± Liam also curled his lips into a


    grin. ¡°I want to pick out a beautiful dress!¡± Isabel wanted to run back to her room immediately, but Sylvia


    frowned at her.


    ¡°Isabel.¡±


    Isabel stopped right away and looked at her mother with jutting lips. Sylvia patted her head and said, ¡°Be


    a good girl and finish your dinner first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Although reluctant, she obediently returned to her seat at


    the table. Sylvia put more vegetables on her te. In response, Isabel pouted, but she managed to finish


    everything Liam also quietly ate the carrots that his mother put on his te. He usually never touched


    the carrots, but today was different.


    Madam Carter saw everything and got sentimental. Odell was a strict father, but the kids remained


    rebellious. They always did the opposite and never ate the vegetables they disliked.


    Even she was unable to persuade the little rascals to eat any of the greens.


    Now with Sylvia at the table, they ate whatever she put on their tes without anyints.


    The kids really needed their mother by their side.


    After dinner, Sylvia followed Liam and Isabel to their rooms.


    The room was actually modified to fit Isabel after Odell brought her home because there were two beds


    inside.


    One of them had an ocean theme while the other one was colored with fruits.


    The blue one belonged to Liam, and the colorful oranges belonged to Isabel. Other than the beds for


    kids, the room was also filled with all kinds of toys. Sylvia yed with them for a while and even told


    them a bedtime story. After tucking them into bed, she got up and left the room. The night was cold.


    Sylvia tightened her jacket and strode towards her ce. She promised her kids that she would bring


    them out tomorrow, so she could not afford to fall sick again.


    Meanwhile, at Lake Victoria Vi, where Tara lived, shey on the bed with a pale countenance and an


    exhausted body.


    Odell frowned as he sat down beside the bed. He lifted his watch. It was already 10 o¡¯clock at night, thus


    the little rascals must be asleep.

 Chapter 42

    Tara stared at him subtly. When she noticed Odell looking at her, she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°odell, why


    don¡¯t you go home to the kids? I should feel better from the fever after some rest. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Odell put his hand on her forehead. It was still a little warm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go after you fall asleep.¡± ¡°Odell, I¡¯m really fine¡­ Cough.¡±


    Before Tara could finish her sentence, she coughed.


    Odell frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t go out when it¡¯s raining. I¡¯ll call you next time when I¡¯ming over. You don¡¯t


    need to wait for me outside.¡±


    Tara immediately said, ¡°Okay. It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t seen you for a few days now, and I missed you, that¡¯s


    why I waited for you outside. No more next time, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. Take a rest.¡±


    Tara obediently closed her eyes.


    Time flew by quietly. Half an hourter, Odell noticed that she had fallen asleep. He got up and wanted to


    leave, but it was then that he heard Tara coughing in her sleep.


    Her cough somehow got louder and more intense.


    Odell sat back down and said softly, ¡°Tara?¡±


    Tara opened her eyes and looked at him with bloodshot eyes. She said feebly, ¡°Odell, can I hug you


    while I sleep?¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows.


    ¡®The two little rascals should already be asleep now¡­ Fine, I¡¯ll stay for the night.¡¯


    He sat beside her and hugged her in his arms.


    As Tara gripped his waist tightly, a faint grin appeared on her face.


    Ever since Isabel was brought home, they had not spent a lot of time together.


    In truth, she had purposely stood in the rainst night. Although her fever was not severe, she made him


    stay by her side for the whole day.


    It seemed like he cared about her the most after all.


    The next day, Sylvia arrived at Carter Residence early in the morning. To her surprise, Odell was not


    home.


    Sylvia greeted Madam Carter before she took Liam and Isabel out.


    Liam wore a cool-looking suit and evenbed his hair neatly, looking a lot like a prince. Isabel tied her


    hair into twin pigtails and wore an orange dress coupled with leather shoes. Her


    pink bag and orange hair clip were a contrast to Liam¡¯s calm and cool outfit, but her essories made


    her look like a princess. Sylvia brought them to Starz Club for her team-building event, and their


    attendance attracted a lot of attention.


    People would unconsciously steal a nce or two at the two of them. When they arrived at the gathering


    spot, Betty and the other girls screamed in delight. ¡°Oh my goodness, they are so cute!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she the child actor, Isabel? She¡¯s Sylvia¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Sylvia¡¯s son is also very cute!¡±


    A bunch of people surrounded them.


    The two of them were not afraid of strangers at all, especially Isabel. She smiled sweetly and greeted


    every one of them.


    ¡°Hello, big sisters, big brothers.¡±


    Liam simply looked at them quietly. He was a cute little boy, but the way he looked at them felt like an


    adult gazing at them. Their new fans giggled and chuckled at their adorableness The group only disperse


    when Tristan came over. ¡°Sylvia, are they really your kids?¡± he asked after a nce at the two of them.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sylvia then pulled the two of them to her side and said to them, ¡°Isabel, Liam, this is Mommy¡¯s


    boss at the studio. You can call him Uncle Tristan.¡± Upon hearing his mother, Liam obediently greeted


    him. ¡°Hello, Uncle Tristan.¡± Tristan smiled kindly at the boy. ¡°Hi.¡±


    He then turned to Isabel.


    Isabel was staring at his handsome face with eyes filled with stars. Tristan was intrigued by her


    fascination. He curiously asked, ¡°Isabel, why are you staring at


    me?)


    Isabel said sweetly, ¡°You are so good-looking!¡±? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 43

    Although Tristan¡¯s looks lost slightly to her baddie daddy¡¯s, he was still a handsome guy.


    Tristan was stunned. He did not know how to react to Isabel¡¯sments.


    Betty and the other girls were also caught off guard. They did not expect the little girl to be a simp for


    handsome men. Sylvia¡¯s face twitched helplessly at her daughter¡¯sment. She said resignedly,


    ¡°Isabel, speak properly to Uncle Tristan.¡± Isabel pouted. ¡°Fine, but Uncle Tristan is really handsome.¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Tristan burst intoughter. He bent over and wanted to pinch the little girl¡¯s cheek, but Liam stepped in


    and stopped him. With caution, the boy said, ¡°You mustn¡¯t simply touch a girl¡¯s face.¡±


    Tristan was caught by surprise. Isabel widened her googly eyes and said, ¡°But you can pat me on the


    head.¡±


    Her meek voice was cute, and itplemented her cute and energetic features.


    Tristan smiled and patted her head.


    ¡°You and your brother sure are cute,¡± he said.


    Isabel showed a smirk, as though she agreed with what Tristan said. Liam remained quiet. There was


    barely any reaction on his face, but his eyes were carefully sizing Tristan up from top to bottom.


    Tristan furrowed his brows slightly. He somehow felt pressured by the three-year-old. A momentter, he


    regained hisposure and said to everyone, ¡°You guys can go in first.¡±


    The group then went inside. He then turned around and put his hand out. ¡°Isabel, may I pick you up?¡±


    Isabel turned to Liam who dered, ¡°A girl mustn¡¯t be simply carried by other men.¡±


    Isabel nodded.


    Tristan was once again speechless. He was just trying to carry a three-year-old but was denied by her


    brother.


    He helplessly looked at Sylvia, but she could not do anything as well. She smiled and said,¡± Let¡¯s just go


    in first.¡±


    Tristan nodded with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The group finally entered the club.


    The club had many different sections with distinctive features and functionalities. Betty and the others


    went for the adult attractions, which were not suitable for kids. On the other hand, Sylvia brought Isabel


    and Liam to the kids¡¯ amusement section instead.


    To her surprise, Tristan followed them.


    ¡°Tristan, I can look after them alone. Why don¡¯t you go y with the others?¡± Sylvia said.


    Tristan sat beside her and watched the kids ying with toy race cars. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t like what they are


    ying.¡±


    Since he insisted, Sylvia simply allowed him to stay and did not dwell further on the topic.


    Meanwhile, at the Carters¡¯ mansion, Odell finally came back from Lake Victoria Vi. He parked his car in


    front of the gate and came down with a bunch of toys that he had bought from the toy shop However, the


    living room was devoid of cheerful children¡¯s voices. Only Madam Carter and the servants were chatting.


    Both the rascals who could turn the house upside down were nowhere to be found today.


    ¡°Grandmother, where are Isabel and Liam?¡± Odell asked.


    ¡°They went out with Syl,¡± Madam Carter answered.


    ¡°Sylvia?¡± Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°Where did she bring them?¡±


    ¡°Her studio is having a team-building session, so they went to Starz Club.¡± Odell¡¯s mood sank. He put the


    toys down and went out.

 Chapter 44

    Back at Starz Club, Isabel and Liam got tired of ying with the toy race cars, so they went on to the


    bumper cars instead.


    Isabel wanted a crowd, so she dragged her mother into the game as well. The mother ended up ying


    with her children in the bumper car pit.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ming! ¡°Bro, I¡¯ming for you also!¡± Isabel teased her mother and brother and went after


    them. Sylvia easily dodged her car, and Liam also turned his steering wheel away, leaving Isabel missing


    the two of them and bumping into the edge. Sylvia could not help butugh. Even Liam grinned. Tristan


    was watching from outside the pit. His eyes were locked on Sylvia, and herughter put a smile on his


    face as well. Odell had also arrived at the club a moment ago. He was hiding in the corner as he


    watched Sylvia y with the kids. He also noticed Tristan watching them from outside, and it put a sullen


    expression on his face.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    People who did not know better might have assumed that they were a family of four. Odell grunted and


    pulled his phone out.


    The phone rang


    Sylvia stopped the car and pulled her phone out. She furrowed her brows when she saw Odell¡¯s name,


    but she answered it nevertheless.


    ¡°What is it, Mr. Carter?¡±


    The man¡¯s cold voice sounded on the other end of the call. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five minutes to bring the kids out,


    or you will never see them again.¡±


    He hung up the phone before Sylvia could say a word. She was stunned.


    ¡®What does he mean? Is he here?¡¯ Isabel noticed the shock on her face. She asked nervously, ¡°Mommy,


    what¡¯s wrong?¡± Sylvia sighed and regained herposure. She put on a weak smile and said, ¡°Daddy¡¯s


    here.¡± Liam and Isabel frowned immediately. Sylvia got up and carried them out from the bumper cars.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go out,¡± she persuaded them. Tristan noticed the abrupt end of their little game. ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong Sylvia? Why did you stop?¡±


    ¡°Odell is here to take them back. I have to bring them out.¡± The look on Tristan¡¯s face changed as well.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯ll go out with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can bring them out alone.¡±


    He then smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s another opportunity to meet Master Odell, so I¡¯ll just go say hi.¡± The


    Ledgers were a well-known family in Westchester and they had worked together with the Carters a few


    times now, thus it was only appropriate for him to say hi. Sylvia noticed she was overthinking. She


    awkwardly smiled and said, ¡°Sure.¡± She brought the kids out with Tristan following behind them. Right


    after they stepped out of the entrance, they saw Odell¡¯s car parked outside. He was sitting inside the


    car.


    Before she could even have a clear look at his face, Sylvia already felt the chills go down her spine


    Tristan went up first and greeted, ¡°Master Odell. I¡¯m holding a team-building session for my studio


    employees to let them have some fun. If you have the time, why don¡¯t you join us and rx for a bit?¡±


    Odell red at him and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m busy. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Odell then turned to Sylvia. ¡°Take the kids inside.¡±

 Chapter 45

    Isabel turned around and hugged her mother¡¯s thigh. She cried, ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want to go back with


    him. I wanna stay with you.¡± Liam did not say a word or do anything. He simply stood by Sylvia¡¯s side


    expressionlessly. Sylvia smiled at Odell and said, ¡°Odell, they still want to y a little more. Can I


    apany them for a little longer?¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her tone disyed obvious ttery.


    Odell tightened his lips.


    Before he could say anything, Tristan stepped in. ¡°Master Odell, it¡¯s still early. I know you and Sylvia are


    over, but she¡¯s still the kids¡¯ mother. She has the right to apany them.¡± Odell¡¯s face turned even


    colder. He curled his lips into a grin and said, ¡°You¡¯re right, but I decide if she has the right or not.¡±


    Tristan was silenced.


    Odell had a nce at Sylvia. ¡°I¡¯ll say it one more time. Take the kids inside.¡±


    He sounded cold, and even his voice took on a dictatorial tone.


    Sylvia was used to his tone, so it was nothing to her, but Tristan had enough of his attitude. Upset, he


    blurted,¡± Master Odell, Sylvia is your ex-wife. You guys spent two years together. Can¡¯t you at least


    speak properly to her?¡± Odell grinned. ¡°You have no right to meddle in our business.¡± Sylvia noticed


    things were getting out of hand, so she tugged at Tristan and said, ¡°Tristan, that¡¯s enough.¡± If he


    continued, Odell might really forbid her from seeing the kids again. Annoyed, Tristan furrowed his brows,


    but he could not do anything either. He helplessly shut his mouth.


    Sylvia then turned to the kids.


    Isabel was pouting while Liam wore a glower. Sylvia had to coax them. ¡°Isabel, Liam, go back with


    Daddy first. I¡¯ll see you guys soon.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to! I want to be with you, Mommy!¡± Isabel hugged her thigh even tighter.


    Liam did not say anything but did not move either. Sylvia was out of options. ¡°Isabel, be a good girl. I will


    see you soon,¡± she said as she carried her into the car. The moment Isabel was ced on the rear seat,


    Odell gripped her. She could not break free at all. All she could do was wave her hands in a flurry,


    whining for her mother.


    Liam was better. He simply sat down quietly after Sylvia carried him inside, but the grumpy look on his


    face was obvious as well.


    Sylvia was having a heart-wrenching moment as she watched her kids being taken away. Liam was


    grumpy while Isabel almost broke down in tears.


    Fortunately, Sylvia was able to keep her calm and rationally closed the door. Right after the car drove


    away, it started to drizzle. Despite the light shower, it was rather cold.


    Sylvia stood like a monolith as she watched the car drive away.


    Tristan went up to her and said, ¡°Sylvia, let¡¯s go inside. It¡¯s raining.¡±


    Sylvia did not react. She wanted to wait for the car to leave her sight.


    Meanwhile, inside the car, Isabel was throwing a tantrum. ¡°You baddie! I hate you! You big baddie!¡±


    Isabel punched Odell¡¯s chest.


    Liam stared at the window and at the drizzle outside. He furrowed his brows and said softly,¡± It¡¯s raining.¡±


    Isabel blinked before she, too, looked outside the window.


    Indeed, it was raining. Liam then said, ¡°Mommy just recovered from a fever yesterday. She can¡¯t be in


    the rain again.¡± Odell furrowed his brows upon hearing that. It reminded him of the scene where Sylvia


    had apologized to him in the rain the other day. Isabel continued punching her father¡¯s chest and


    screamed, ¡°Big baddie, hurry up and go back for her! If she¡¯s sick again, I¡¯ll hate you when I grow up!¡±


    Odell was speechless. He tightened his lips and then said to the driver, ¡°Turn around.¡±


    The driver immediately turned the car around.


    Two minutester, the car arrived at the Starz Club entrance again where Sylvia and Tristan were still


    standing. When she saw the care back, it surprised her.


    Tristan was also surprised. His hands that were holding his jacket as he tried to put it over Sylvia froze as


    well.

 Chapter 46

    The window rolled down and Isabel¡¯s voice came piping. ¡°Mommy,e in!¡±


    Sylvia was stunned, and she hesitated until she heard Odell¡¯s voicemanding, ¡°Get in.¡±


    Sylvia finally moved. Before she got in, she said to Tristan, ¡°Tristan, please tell Betty and the others that I


    have to leave early.¡±


    Tristan put his jacket away and forced a smile on his face. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia opened the door and got into the car. The interior was spacious but had limited seats


    She carried Liam into her arms. The little guy was fluffy and petite He quietly leaned in his mother¡¯s arms


    and even had a soft smile on his face. Isabel also quietened down and left Odell alone. However, when


    she saw her brother in her mother¡¯s arms, she pouted. ¡°Mommy, I want huggie¡±


    Sylvia looked at Odell who wore a grim look on his face and it was obvious that he was upset.


    Sylvia said to Isabel, ¡°Isabel, Mommy is carrying Liam. I can¡¯t hold both of you together. Why don¡¯t you


    let Daddy carry you first?¡±


    Isabel pouted harder Momentster, she turned her attention to Liam and said, ¡°Brother, I want to


    switch.¡±


    Liam usually responded to Isabel¡¯s request, but this time, he simply grinned and said, ¡°I¡¯m allergic to him.


    Just hold on for a while.¡±


    Isabel did not understand the rejection. She really thought Liam was allergic to Odell, so she simply


    hummed in disappointment.


    On the other hand, Odell wore a bitter look after knowing that his son disliked him


    Sylvia was beside him, so she was able to feel the grudge She even chuckled uncontrobly She did not


    do it on purpose, but when even the two of them disliked him, it felt great


    As expected, her chuckle put a gloomy look on his face.


    His lips turned into a frown as he said, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia nervously exined, ¡°Nothing. I was trying to sneeze. I didn¡¯t mean tough or anything of the


    sort.¡±


    Despite her nervous exnation, a grin was still pasted on her face


    It further darkened the broodiness on his face ¡°If I see that grin on your face again, I¡¯ll throw you out of


    the car.¡±


    Isabel punched his chest right away ¡°You big baddie, don¡¯t scold my Mommy!¡±


    Odell was silenced, and Sylvia wanted tough even more He immediately red at her, forcing her to


    put her hands over her mouth. Things soon became quiet inside the car Isabel stared outside the window


    for a while. She looked at the drizzle on the window and


    grumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back. I still want to y.¡± Sylvia looked at Odell and said softly, ¡°Odell, it¡¯s


    still early. Why don¡¯t we bring the kids somewhere else to y?¡± Odell did not answer. He stayed quiet


    for a few seconds before he said to the driver, ¡°TO Astrnd.¡± The driver answered. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glimmered with interest. She knew Astrnd was an interior yground for kids specially


    built for the children in the wealthy circles. Only registered members were allowed ess.


    The ce had almost all kinds of amusement attractions for kids.


    Astrnd was located further in the suburb, away from the city center. It took almost 30 minutes for the


    car to arrive.


    Odell carried Isabel out of the car, and Sylvia followed with Liam in her arms. The receptionists came up


    to Odell the moment they arrived and weed them. Momentster, they were already inside


    Astrnd. As expected, it felt like another world inside. Every corner of the ce felt like it came out of a


    fairy tale


    The moment Isabel set foot in the ce, she dragged Liam to run inside happily. Sylvia was a little


    worried, so she followed them inside.

 Chapter 47

    The funsted for the whole day at Astrnd.


    Isabel got so carried away that she did not even want to have lunch. It was Sylvia who had to carry her


    away and force her to eat something to maintain her stamina.


    Later in the afternoon, Isabel finally became tired but still did not want to leave. She dragged Liam to the


    doodling area where they started to draw all kinds of stuff with the paint provided.


    Sylvia noticed that the kids started to settle down, so she grabbed a piece of wooden nk and started


    doodling on it.


    Isabel sneakily smeared paint on Liam¡¯s face when he did not notice.


    Stunned, Liam did not expect his sister to ambush him with paint.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel chuckled when she saw her brother¡¯s messy face.


    Sylvia heard the little girl¡¯s chuckle. She turned around, but to her surprise, Isabel¡¯s hands, covered in


    paint, caught her face.


    She used to y a lot of simr games with the little girl back then, so it was not surprising. She held her


    laughter back and feigned annoyance as she said, ¡°Girl, you¡¯re so done for!¡±


    In response, Isabel also feigned fear and started running.


    Sylvia covered her hands in paint and started chasing her.


    Isabel ran around Liam in circles, and it took Sylvia several rounds before catching up with the little


    rascal.


    The girl noticed her mother catching up to her, so she turned to Liam and said, ¡°Help me, Brother!¡±


    Liam remained seated. His face was still covered in paint when he crossed his arms with a grin. He was


    waiting for her to get caught by their mother.


    Isabel knew that her brother was not going to help her, so she stuck her tongue out before running


    outside.


    Sylvia chased after her.


    Odell heard the littlemotion outside the doodling area, so he got up to have a look. He then saw


    Sylvia chasing Isabel with the little girl chuckling as she ran. Sylvia also wore a big smile on her face as


    she tried to catch up to the little girl. Isabel ran closer to her father while Sylvia continued chasing her.


    Odell stood there and watched.


    Knowing that it was impossible to outrun her mother, Isabel screamed at her father when she saw him.


    ¡°Big baddie, save me!¡±


    For some reason, Odell stepped in and joined the mother-daughter¡¯s paint war. He stood in front of


    Isabel.


    Sylvia almost got Isabel and failed to react in time when Odell stepped in, which caused her to


    bump into his chest.


    Odell barely budged, but Sylvia faltered backward. Frightened, she stared at him. Odell looked at her


    face covered in colorful paint. Isabel had drawn a line on her face from the left to right, crossing the


    bridge of her nose. The colorful paint set off the fairness of her skin, and her nervous eyes seemed


    attractive as well.


    Odell was stunned.


    Sylvia was annoyed. She did not mean to bump into him. It was him who suddenly stepped in


    unannounced. However, her mind told her to apologize first before things turned bad. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Odell.


    Are you okay?¡± Odell regained hisposure and averted her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m okay. No more next time.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Sylvia did not say anything after that and continued chasing after Isabel. Isabel was determined not to be


    caught, so she started running in circles around Odell. When Sylvia was behind Odell, Isabel ran to


    Odell¡¯s front; when Sylvia was in front of Odell,


    Isabel slipped behind Odell. The mother and daughter ran in circles around the man. Odell stood there


    with tightened lips. He had a few nces at them, but there was no emotion on his face. Liam also


    noticed them from inside the doodling area. When he noticed his mother and sister running around his


    father, looking delighted, his eyes shone with interest.

 Chapter 48

    After a while, Isabel finally got tired and surrendered with her hands up.


    Sylvia caught up to her and picked her up in her arms. She mischievously dipped paint onto the tip of


    Isabel¡¯s nose.


    Isabel chuckled as she panted.


    Sylvia looked at her daughter¡¯s messy but adorable face, and it made herugh as well. They were so


    carried away by theirughter that theypletely forgot about Odell beside them.


    Odell watched for a while before he had to awkwardly clear his throat.


    Immediately, Sylvia recovered and picked Isabel up.


    Isabel was unhappy that their fun was interrupted. In Sylvia¡¯s embrace, she crossed her arms and


    pointed at Odell. ¡°Big baddie, why did you cough?¡±


    Since she was in her mother¡¯s arms, she was almost at Odell¡¯s eye level which granted her an


    intimidating presence.


    Odell raised a brow. He wanted to take Isabel from Sylvia¡¯s arms, but then Isabel reached out to him and


    moved her hand over his face.


    Before he knew it, his face was smeared with colorful paint as well.


    Odell was stunned.


    Isabel chuckled mischievously as her evil deed seeded.


    Sylvia quickly carried her away from her father. She held herughter back and said to Odell, Odell,


    she¡¯s just ying with you. Don¡¯t be mad at her.¡±


    Odell gave her a cold nce.


    Did he look like a grumpy person?


    He walked closer to them.


    Isabel thought he was going to punish her, so she shrunk and hugged her mother even tighter.


    Sylvia also nervously moved backward.


    Odell frowned. He just wanted to carry Isabel. However, before he could put his thought into words, his


    phone in his pocket rang. He pulled it out and answered it.


    Sylvia was only a few steps away, so she was able to have a glimpse at the caller ID-Tara.


    Tara said something to him on the phone which put a frown and a sense of worry on his face. He then


    said, ¡°Stay at home. I¡¯ll go to your ceter.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s interested gaze dimmed.


    Maybe because he spent most of the day apanying her and the kids, she almost forgot that he


    cared about Tara the most.


    After Odell hung up the phone, Sylvia seized the chance and said, ¡°Odell, you can go if you are busy. I¡¯ll


    y with them here for a little longer.¡±


    Odell had a nce at her. ¡°We¡¯ll go back now.¡±


    He sounded firm and indubitable. He then went over to the doodling area and brought Liam out.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Sylvia caressed Isabel¡¯s head andforted her before following him out.


    Fortunately, both Isabel and Liam were already exhausted from all the fun. The two of them fell asleep


    right after they got into the car.


    The journey was a silent one.


    Soon, the car arrived at the Carters¡¯ mansion.


    Odell carried Liam out of the car while Sylvia followed with Isabel in her arms.


    Madam Carter was in the living room. When she saw theme back together with paint on their faces,


    she bolted up in delight. s, before she could be any happier, Odell said,¡± Grandmother, I¡¯m going out.


    I¡¯m noting back for dinnerter.¡± He put the sleeping Liam on the couch before he had a nce at


    Sylvia and left the house. He left in a hurry, making it rather obvious that he was going to Tara¡¯s ce.

 Chapter 49

    The nce from Odell was obviously telling Sylvia to leave right after she put the kids back to bed.


    Madam Carter was annoyed. She asked Sylvia, ¡°Syl, where have you guys been? What happened to


    your faces?¡±


    Her question came with a smile with a hint of anticipation. She was hoping for something to happen


    between Odell and Sylvia.


    Sylvia then told Madam Carter what happened¨Cfrom Odell taking the kids away from Starz Club in the


    morning to bringing them and her to Astrnd. Madam Carter looked disappointed.


    ¡°Grandmother, the kids are tired. I¡¯ll tuck them in, and then I¡¯ll leave,¡± Sylvia said.


    She wanted to carry Isabel back to the room.


    Madam Carter signaled the servant with a nce, and the servant came over to carry Liam to the room


    as well.


    She then went up to Sylvia and said, ¡°Syl, since Odell is noting home tonight, stay for dinner. Isabel


    and Liam should be awake soon. They¡¯ll sulk if they don¡¯t see you when they wake up.¡±


    A quick thoughtter, Sylvia said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    At Lake Victoria Vi, when Odell arrived, Tara was sitting on the couch in the living room wearing only a


    thin dress. She called him as soon as he opened the door. ¡°Odell.¡± She looked pale and weak while her


    eyes were reddish. Odell strode over to her and asked, ¡°I thought your fever got better this morning. How


    did it get worse?¡±


    Tara sank into his arms and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t go out like you said, but maybe because¡­¡±


    She did not finish the sentence.


    ¡°Because of what?¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Maybe because I missed you too much.¡± She looked at him in fascination. Odell tightened his lips and


    hugged her tighter. Tara noticed the paint on his face. She asked, ¡°Odell, what happened to your face? Is


    it Isabel again?¡±


    Odell hummed a reply. Tara frowned. ¡°Why is that little girl so naughty? She drew a tortoise on your face


    before, and now she¡¯s painting your face?¡± She felt bad for him.


    Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°Isabel just wanted to y with me. It wasn¡¯t a prank.¡± The little girl had


    obviously painted on his face because she epted him as someone close. To be honest, he enjoyed


    the little interaction as well.


    Tara noticed the seriousness on his face, and she got a little evasive. She exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Odell. I


    thought the little rascal was trying to prank you with her brother again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s go back to the


    room and put you to bed.¡±


    Odell released her from his arms and held her hand instead as they went upstairs.


    Tara also secretly sighed a breath of relief. In the bedroom, Tara obediently tucked herself in and Odell


    sat down beside the bed. A thought came into his mind and he said, ¡°I have to make a call.¡± Tara simply


    hummed a reply. Odell went to the balcony and called his butler at home. The call got through after a few


    seconds. ¡°Has Sylvia gone back?¡± The old butler cautiously answered, ¡°Master Odell, Ms. Ross is still


    here. Madam asked her to stay for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. What about the kids?¡± he asked. ¡°Little Isabel and Liam just woke up, and they are beside


    Madam and Ms. Ross.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell hung up the phone with satisfaction on his face. The nce that he had given her before he left


    was actually him asking her to stay to take care of the kids.


    The two little rascals were exhausted after ying for a whole day, and if they woke up with no parents


    around, they would probably be disappointed.

 Chapter 50

    Odell went back into the room after the phone call.


    Tara was eavesdropping behind the curtain, and when she noticed that the call had ended, she quickly


    jumped back into bed. Odell returned to his seat beside the beat. She maintained her feeble look and


    asked, ¡°Odell, are you busy with something else?¡± ¡°Nothing in particr.¡±


    Tara recalled him mentioning the kids on the phone. She had another nce at the paint on his face and


    then whispered her question, ¡°Odell, were you with Isabel and Liam the whole day today?¡±


    Odell simply hummed a reply. Indeed, he had been with the kids but just not at home. In order to avoid


    any misunderstanding, he did not tell her that he was with Sylvia together with the kids.


    Tara looked anxious. She believed he must have spent time with Sylvia together with the kids, or else he


    would not have asked if Sylvia was still at the Carters¡¯. She clutched her fists and said with a smile,


    ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t you bring the kids out next week and we can have some fun together? I kinda like


    them.¡±


    Odell went silent.


    The kids obviously disliked her, but since he would marry her in the future, she would eventually be their


    stepmom, so the ill rtionship could not be allowed to continue.


    Some thoughtster, he answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Tara smiled. She could not let Sylvia use the kids to approach Odell anymore. She had to think of a way


    to keep that bitch away from him.


    A new week soon arrived.


    Sylvia went to work in the morning and fetched the kids from kindergarten in the evening. A normal week


    went by, and it was already Friday. While Sylvia was finishing her work for the day, Tristan came up to


    her. He sat on the edge of her table gracefully and asked with a smile, ¡°Sylvia, are you free tomorrow


    night?¡± ¡°I should be bringing Isabel and Liam out tomorrow. Is there anything?¡± she asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a ball hosted by several industry veterans tomorrow morning. They want to make it a social


    event for people to mingle. Your wood carvings are highly reviewed, and they were impressed, so they


    wanted me to invite you.¡± He then added, ¡°The ball starts tomorrow at 6 o¡¯clock in the evening. You can


    spend time with your kids in the morning and should be able to make it by that time, right?¡±


    Sylvia did not reject the opportunity to meet more people in the industry, but her kids were


    clingy


    Some thoughtster, she answered, ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. If I can go, I¡¯ll let you know ASAP.¡± Tritan


    smiled. ¡°Okay. Just tell me before 6 tomorrow.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Later in the evening, Sylvia arrived at the kindergarten to fetch her kids on time. She brought them to her


    ce for a while before she brought them back to the Carters¡¯ before dark.


    She went into the living room with the kids.


    She wanted to say hi to Madam Carter and also tell her that she wanted to bring them out tomorrow


    morning, but to her surprise, Odell was present.


    He was reading a book on the couch. He simply had a nce up when Sylvia came in and then returned


    to his reading. Sylvia did not speak to him either. She said to Madam Carter, ¡°Grandmother, I¡¯ve brought


    them home.¡±


    ¡°Come. Have a seat.¡± Madam Carter held her hand.


    Isabel and Liam sat down beside their mother as well. Neither of them talked to Odell.


    Odell¡¯s sullen face was hiding behind the book that he was reading.


    Sylvia chatted with Madam Carter before she asked, ¡°Grandmother, I want to bring them out tomorrow.¡±


    Madam Carter smiled. ¡°Of course, where are you bringing them?¡±


    Sylvia nned to bring them to a theme park but before she could reveal her n, Odell¡¯s cold voice


    interrupted them.

 Chapter 51

    Odell suddenly said, ¡°No way.¡± Sylvia¡¯s expression changed.


    Madam Carter was shocked by this decision as well. She asked with a tone of discontent,¡± Odell, Sylvia


    is their mother. Why can¡¯t she take them out to y?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take them out tomorrow,¡± Odell answered her crossly. Madam Carter twitched and pressed further,


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it work if both you and Sylvia took them out to y then?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Odell shot a nce at Sylvia. ¡°We¡¯ve been divorced for some time, so it¡¯s inappropriate for us to go out


    together.


    This troubled Madam Carter. ¡°Both of you are the children¡¯s parents. What¡¯s so weird about that?¡±


    Odell finally admitted, ¡°I¡¯ve already told Tara that we¡¯re bringing the kids out to y tomorrow.¡±


    Madam Carter¡¯s expression harshened and she scoffed unhappily.


    Sylvia also furrowed her eyebrows. It was not so much that she could not tolerate the idea of her children


    spending time with Tara, but she was just rubbed off by how calctive Tara was.


    Furthermore, there was not a chance in hell that Tara even liked her children.


    Now, it was Sylvia¡¯s turn to object, ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Odell frowned, thinking that his ears were fooling him. ¡°Come again?¡± He had been generous enough to


    let her see the children every day, so how dare she object? Sylvia was intimidated by the cold look in his


    eyes and knowingly stayed quiet.


    At the same time, the children could not take it anymore.


    Isabel began shouting at Odell, ¡°What are you being such a jerk for? I don¡¯t want to go out with you and


    that uglydy!¡±


    After her outburst, she turned to Liam beside her. ¡°Brother, do you want to go?¡±


    Liam replied almost without hesitation, ¡°Nope, I don¡¯t want to.¡± They were adamant about this decision.


    Both turned their cheeks at Odell with a displeased expression, refusing to yield to his dictating force.


    Odell froze for a moment.


    After a moment, the corner of his lips turned up into a smirk. ¡°Sure, but both of you will not be allowed to


    see your mother again from here on.¡±


    Isabel and Liam immediately responded with shock.


    Isabel gasped. ¡°You jerk, what else can you do other than threaten us with this?!¡±


    Liam pursed his lips with a contemptuous look.


    Nheless, Odell did not seem bothered. He had long be immune, perhaps due to how often


    these brats had gotten on his nerves


    Heughed audaciously and dered, ¡°The choice is yours.¡± Isabel snorted and turned to Madam Carter


    for help. ¡°Grandma, do something about him!¡± Madam Carter chuckled dryly and went to Isabel. ¡°Isabel,


    don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯ll take care of himter.¡±


    She wanted to give Odell a stern talking to, but her reproach did not have much effect, to begin with.


    Otherwise, Odell would not have divorced Sylvia three years ago. Isabel knew that Madam Carter was


    only saying this to pacify her. She turned around and went back to her room, puffing with rage the entire


    while.


    Liam shot Odell a surly look before following his sister back to the room.


    In the end, Madarn Carter could only look at Odell helplessly.


    Odell was casting a cold look at Sylvia with a faint, arrogant smile. Although he did not utter a word, his


    expression conveyed what words did not. They were saying, ¡°You have no power here.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth and swallowed her anger


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m going to check on Isabel and Liam,¡± she told Madam Carter before going to the children


    Meanwhile, the children were fuming When Sylvia entered, Isabel was in the middle ofining to


    Liam about Odell. She was persuading Liam to release all the pictures they had taken of Odell previously

 Chapter 52

    Sylvia hurriedly stopped them. Doing so was only going to further upset Odell even more and push him


    to the point of no return. She consoled them patiently, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy will take you out to y the


    day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like the uglydy,¡± Isabel protested.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like her either,¡± Liam said with a look of disdain.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia did not want them to be with Tara either. Still, there was nothing she could do that would change


    Odell¡¯s mind.


    After some consideration, she said, ¡°Be patient. If she tries to bully you two, call me immediately.¡±


    Isabel pouted and answered reluctantly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liam was silent.


    Sylvia stayed with them a while longer and only left after she managed to convince them to eat dinner.


    After she went home, she sent a text to Tristan. She told him that she would go to the ball with him


    tomorrow evening.


    Tristan replied with a smiling emoji followed by, ¡°Okay, do you need an evening dress? I¡¯ll have someone


    deliver one to you.¡±


    Since it was just aworking event, Sylvia did not n to dance at all. She replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll


    prepare one myself.¡±


    The next day, Isabel and Liam were still sleeping soundly together.


    It was noon by then. Odell entered their room and forcefully yanked them out of bed since the children


    refused to wake up.


    After helping them get ready and change, Odell picked each of them up with one hand. There was a


    large ck convertible waiting for them outside. Tara had been waiting inside for hours.


    When she saw Odell emerging with the children, a sh of hatred flickered in her eyes. She silently


    muttered curses at the children before putting on a smile to greet them.


    She said in a concerned voice, ¡°Odell, why are you grabbing them like this? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re not happy


    being carried like this.¡±


    ¡°They will be fine,¡± Odell said sternly before shoving them into the car. Tara promptly put a hand to them


    and asked affectionately, ¡°Isabel, Liam, can I give you two a


    hug?¡±


    Liarn had a quiet and indifferent look as he ignored her.


    Isabel snorted, ¡°I¡¯ve seen women like you on TV. Don¡¯t try to act all friendly with us.¡±


    Tara¡¯s expression stiffened. She cast a wounded look at Odell who entered the car with them. He


    forcefully grabbed Isabel and pulled her into his arms like she was a household pet.


    Then, he turned to Tara and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them.¡± Tara sighed morosely. ¡°Okay.¡± She took a


    deep breath and spewed a stream of curses at the children inside her mind.


    After half an hour, they arrived at a fairytale theme park. The service in the theme park was top -of-the-


    line. There was an attendant apanying every child guest.


    After Isabel and Liam entered, they attached themselves to the staff. Not only did they neglect Tara the


    entire time they were there, but they even shut Odell out as well.


    Tara looked aggrieved and apologized, ¡°Odell, it¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t expect them to hate me so much. I


    never should havee in the first ce.¡± Odell frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not your problem. They¡¯re still young and


    ignorant.¡± ¡°But it seems that they will never take a likng to me no matter what I do.¡± Tara¡¯s eyes reddened


    as she said, ¡°It must be because I¡¯m not their mother.¡±


    The look in Odell¡¯s eyes darkened.


    It was true that Isabel and Liam were very repulsive toward Tara. He figured that it was because Sylvia


    had filled their ears with foul lies about Tara.


    Sylvia needed to be taught a lesson!


    Odell contained his irritability and told Tara, ¡°They wille to ept you eventually after you spend


    some more time with them. And if they don¡¯t, then I will make them.¡±

 Chapter 53

    Tara immediately fell into his arms and cried, ¡°Thank you, Odell. I will do my best to get them to open up


    to me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Odell nced in the direction of the adults-only designated area. ¡°Let¡¯s head over there and get


    some rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Tara broke into a crooked smile when he was not looking.


    Even Sylvia did not stand a chance against her. These two brats were not going to get the better of her.


    Meanwhile, in the Old District where Sylvia resided. ¡°Achoo!¡± Sylvia, who was painting in the yard,


    suddenly sneezed Aunt Tonya asked her, ¡°Sylvia, did you catch a cold?¡± ¡°Aunt Tonya, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Sylvia was thrown off by the sudden sneeze. She had been sitting in the sun the entire time to the point


    where her palms were sweating. There was no chance of her catching a cold like this.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Was someone speaking ill of her behind her back? Sylvia picked up her phone. Liam had messaged her


    a few minutes ago. He sent several pictures of him and his sister ying in a fairytale theme park. Isabel


    waspletely focused on ying and was smiling from ear to ear.


    She only saw the theme park staff around them while both Odell and Tara were missing from the picture.


    Sylvia was especially curious about this.


    Tara imed that she wanted to y with the children, but chances were that she was still upset with the


    kids. It was not surprising that she ended up not spending time with the children at all.


    Odell must have been keeping herpany as usual.


    Sylvia texted a reply to Liam. ¡°Liam, both of you have fun, but make sure to be careful.¡±


    Liam replied promptly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll keep an eye on Sister.¡±


    Sylvia was charmed by his sense of responsibility, but she also wanted him to have a good time the way


    children his age should. She replied, ¡°You make sure you have fun too. Don¡¯t just focus on your sister.¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok.¡± With that, Sylvia put away her phone.


    Several hourster, after the two had enough of games in the theme park, they wandered around the


    park, holding hands the entire time. Nearby, Tara noticed them. She swiped a look at Odell who was


    upied on his phone. She decided to purchase two hot drinks and go up to Isabel and Liam. Both Liam


    and Isabel were visibly displeased at the sight of her. Tara greeted them with a warm smile nevertheless.


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, you two must be thirsty. Here, have something to drink.¡± She handed them the drinks she


    bought for them. Liam felt something was off and did not reciprocate. Isabel was very thirsty, and she


    could smell the wonderful aroma of fruit inside the cup Tara carried. She pondered for a moment and


    decided to reach for the cup. Something in Tara¡¯s eyes glinted. She suddenly angled her hand ever so


    slightly and poured the burning hot water inside the cup in Isabel¡¯s direction. The water caught the


    fingers of the little girl who was just reaching for the cup. She winced in pain and failed to grab the cup,


    immediately sending it tumbling onto the ground.


    The scalding liquid inside the cup sshed in every direction, sttering across both Isabel and Tara¡¯s


    feet.


    Isabel was wearing a pair of sneakers and was not harmed in any way.


    Meanwhile, Tara, who only wore a pair of sandals with her feet exposed, cried out in pain,¡±


    Ah!¡±


    When Odell heard the cry, he hung up the phone and sprung to attention.


    He saw liquid spilled on the ground and observed Tara¡¯s scalded feet. His first reaction was to shoot a


    vicious re at Liam and Isabel and immediately began to interrogate them, ¡°What did you two do this


    time? What¡¯s going on?¡±

 Chapter 54

    Liam stepped up to shield Isabel with his body. He answered Odell, ¡°She brought us something to drink.


    Isabel was not expecting it to be so hot and identally lost her grip and dropped the cup on the floor,


    spilling the juice inside everywhere.¡± He transparently exined everything. Isabel backed her brother


    up. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± Tara took a deep breath. Her eyes were turning red as she endured the pain


    and turned to Odell, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t be angry. I don¡¯t think Isabel didn¡¯t do it on purpose. She probably


    dropped it because it was too hot for her to hold.¡± Odell¡¯s expression darkened. Perhaps it would have


    been better if she had said nothing at all. ¡°This cupes with an insted cover. How is it that she got


    herself burned?¡± He red at Isabel angrily again. ¡°Isabel, tell me the truth. Did you do it on purpose?¡±


    Isabel looked at him in utter disbelief.


    Of course, it was intentional. The uglydy intentionally exined things in a way that would mislead him


    to believe that she had done it on purpose.


    She might be young, but she was not stupid!


    She immediately winced, and only mere seconds after that, she began to cry. She frowned and sobbed


    weakly, ¡°Sniff¡­ My hand hurts so much. I want to go home. I want Mommy.¡±


    Her bawling her eyes out started to cause a scene. She wrapped herself around her brother and sobbed


    into his shoulder. Liam hugged her andforted her, ¡°Let¡¯s go back and find Mommy.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Isabel¡¯s cheeks were red from crying, and she felt horrible. At the same time, Liam wore an exasperated


    look. He felt like he had let his sister down in some way.


    Odell calmed himself down and asked, ¡°Did you get burned too?¡±


    Isabel twitched her lips to one side and showed him her right hand. The tips of her fingers seemed to


    have sharper contrast in colorpared to her other hand.


    Odell frowned subtly and reached out to hold her hand. Isabel scowled and immediately pulled her hand


    away. She snuggled into her brother¡¯s shoulders and cried, ¡°I want my Mommy¡­ Mommy wouldn¡¯t give


    me something so hot to drink. She would¡¯ve taken better care of me¡­¡±


    Odell was lost for words.


    The staff nearby that heard Isabel¡¯s sorrowful cries interpreted the situation and realized that the child


    had been mistreated by her stepmother. Their eyes began to water at the scene.


    She was such a cute child. Shame on the father who still took the side of the devilish stepmother. Shame


    on him!


    Odell stiffened


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    The look in Tara¡¯s eyes transformed as well. She was not expecting Isabel to pull a trick like this!


    Her feet were blistering from the heat while Isabel¡¯s hands were only slightly burned, and yet she


    managed to turn the situation around!


    Tara was infuriated, but she quickly rposed herself. She turned to Odell, ¡°Odell, this was on me. I


    shouldn¡¯t have bought something so hot for her to drink. You shouldn¡¯t me Isabel. She¡¯s just a child


    and wouldn¡¯t do something like this to me to hurt me.¡±


    Tara was indirectly giving Odell a way out of this.


    He sheathed his dark expression and turned to Isabel. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I must have misunderstood


    you.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s cries had reduced to soft whimpers now, but still, she clung to her brother and refused to


    acknowledge Odell.


    Odell felt distressed upon noting her attitude toward him. He was crushed to know that he was the


    reason that his daughter was feeling this way. As a father, he felt like he had failed his duty.


    He stepped forward and pulled Isabel into a hug.


    Isabel still refused to speak to him. She buried her face in his chest so he could not see her. Odell gently


    patted her head before turning to Tara. ¡°Tara, there¡¯s a hospital nearby. I¡¯ll take you there so that we can


    take a look at your feet, then we will send them home.¡±


    Tara became very considerate and said gently, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Odell. Why don¡¯t you take them home first? I


    can go to the hospital by myself. With my feet like this, I probably won¡¯t be able to attend the ball tonight.


    I¡¯ll just take a taxi home after I¡¯m done at the hospital. This way, I won¡¯t cause trouble and you don¡¯t have


    to pick me up again.¡±


    Odell frowned when he heard this.


    He had heard her talking about the ball for the past few days. There were going to be many reputable


    members in her social circle joining the ball, and she had been looking forward to it. ¡°You go to the


    hospital first, and I¡¯lle to pick you up after I send them home. We shall go to the ball together.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes glowed, but she refused, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll only make a fool of myself if I go with my leg in this


    state.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m with you, nobody will dare to make fun of you.¡±

 Chapter 55

    Tara seemed very moved by the gesture. Odell urged her on, ¡°Don¡¯t wait. Hurry up and go to the


    hospital.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tara got into a car driven by one of the staff.


    At the same time, Odell carried Isabel in his arms and led Liam to the exit.


    Tara, who was going in the other direction, suddenly snapped around to nce at them. There was still a


    tint of disdain in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by general jubtion. Although she failed to drive a


    wedge between Odell and Isabel this time, she reaped some unexpected fruits as well.


    There was not a soul in the city who did not know who Odell was. The problem was he was never fond of


    these social events and banquets. No matter how much she pleaded with him in the past, he always


    refused to humor her.


    But today, he was the one who volunteered to go with her.


    Most of the participants at the ball were the bigwigs of the art industry of the city.


    Although she had also made a name for herself, she was still nothingpared to the top dogs. If Odell


    attended the event with her, she would be the star of the night!


    The thought of people gazing at her with awe and admiration put her in a joyful mood as she looked


    forward to the night.


    Shortly after that, Odell took the children back to the car.


    However, the two were still upset with him and refused to appease him.


    ¡°Isabel.¡± Odell tried to get through to Isabel. Isabel turned her head the other way, so he could only see


    the back of her head. Odell pursed his lips and told her, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for misunderstanding you. It was


    my fault.¡± Isabel was surprised.


    The jerk was apologizing to her?


    She looked back at him to see Odell smiling at her. He had always been handsome, especially when he


    smiled.


    Isabel snorted, ¡°I don¡¯t ept your apology.¡±


    ¡°What can I do to make you forgive me?¡± Odell asked tenderly.


    ¡°Only if you break up with the uglydy.¡±


    Odell said with a sunken look, ¡°That¡¯s not gonna be possible.¡±


    ¡°Then, there¡¯s nothing left to say.¡± Isabel turned her head away again and folded her arms across her


    chest the way an adult would.


    Odell sighed tiredly


    At this moment, Liam suddenly spoke up, ¡°She did it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Did what on purpose?¡± Odell asked with suspicion.


    ¡°She got us something hot on purpose because she knew that Isabel would drop the cup.¡±


    Odell was startled by this usation.


    Upon hearing this, Isabel thought of certain plot lines she saw on TV and noted the distinct simrity. She


    immediately cried out, ¡°Yes, she must have done it on purpose. She did it because she wanted to hurt


    me, then she med me for burning her feet!¡±


    Odell frowned.


    He felt that the two of them were looking too much into it.


    ¡°She won¡¯t do something like that. You two have misunderstood her,¡± he retorted.


    Liam regarded him with a cold look and stayed quiet.


    Isabel snorted grumpily and turned away again, leaving him to stare at the back of her head.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Odell pursed his lips and sighed. Their dislike of Tara was far greater than he initially expected. It was


    going to take some time to get them to open up.

 Chapter 56

    In the evening, upon seeing that it was almost time, Sylvia got dressed and was prepared to go to the


    ball.


    Unexpectedly, Tristan turned up at her doorstep to pick her up.


    Sylvia had just walked out of the door when she saw him. He was leaning suavely against his car in a


    slim-fit suit.


    Sylvia was taken aback by the sight of him. Tristan was also simrly startled when he noticed her outfit.


    Although she was dressed a little more refined than usual, she was still rather underdressed for the


    asion.


    He quickly wiped the look off his face and asked, ¡°Hey, Sylvia, are you ready?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°Yeap.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡± Since he had taken the time to drive here, Sylvia was not going to turn him away, so she


    got into his car.


    They drove to the venue of the ball, but not before stopping outside a private designer boutique. Sylvia


    was perplexed. ¡°Tristan, what are you bringing me here for?¡± Tristan cast a look at her, sizing her up and


    down. Then, he said with a faint smile, ¡°You¡¯re not going to the ball dressed like this, are you?¡±


    Sylvia was a little offended. ¡°Can¡¯t I dress like this?¡±


    ¡°Sure, you can dress like this on any other regr day, but we¡¯re going to a dance ball where many


    important people will be present. If you attend dressed like this, it¡¯s going to reflect poorly on me since


    you¡¯re my employee, and I¡¯ll get made fun of.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    He was already opening the door as he said this.


    Sylvia frowned. Left without a choice, she hesitantly stepped out of the car to follow him.


    The boutique owner immediately stepped up to greet Tristan who was a distinguished guest here. Tristan


    asked the designer to choose a fitting dress for Sylvia.


    The boss looked at Sylvia, then at Tristan again with a quizzical look. Shortly after that, he presented


    Sylvia with a light pink dress that cinched at the waist.


    The dress had only one shoulder strap, which was adorned with beautiful blooming flowers. Layered with


    multiple folds streaming from top to bottom, it was a particrly artistic design choice, and though the


    color of the dress was on the brighter end, it was not to the point of mboyance. After Sylvia put on the


    dress, they styled her hair for her and touched up her makeup. They had her long hair curled masterfully,


    so the end product was several beautifulyers of wavy hair resting at shoulder length. They touched up


    her makeup with a slightly pink hue which matched the color of her dress,


    giving her a vibrant and youthful look.


    Tristan was visibly pleased with the finished work and looked at her with a satisfied smile.


    Sylvia was only an employee to him, so she knew better than to protest. After everything was settled,


    they went to the ball.


    The ball was held in a private manor.


    By the time Sylvia arrived with Tristan, the parking lot was already packed full of cars.


    Tristan stepped out of the car first and went to Sylvia¡¯s side to open the door for her, the way a


    gentleman would. On top of being a dashing man, he was also the heralded lord of the Ledgers. His


    presence immediately drew the attention of many people present.


    When Sylvia stepped out of the car, she immediately felt countless scrutinizing gazes drawn to her,


    making her ufortable.


    Before marrying Odell, her father had always treated her with much indifference. Her stepmother rarely


    took her to any ces at all, much less a venue of such importance and scale. Even after marrying


    Odell, she was still treated like a stranger and had still never attended such events.


    Sylvia subconsciously hid behind Tristan. Since he was her boss, there should be no problem with using


    him as her shield. Tristan frowned subtly and spun around to grab her by her arm, but Sylvia immediately


    tried to pull her hand away.


    He looked at her and smiled. ¡°Just take my hand. They¡¯re not going to think much of it.¡±


    Sylvia swiped a nce at the entrance and saw that most of the attendees entered in pairs. Most of the


    ladies attending were holding on to the arm of their respective male partners.


    She did not hesitate any longer and politely took Tristan¡¯s arm.


    He smirked with pleasure and walked into the venue with her.


    Immediately after entering, a group of people flocked to him to greet him one after another. Tristan took


    the time to introduce Sylvia to them.


    Since everyone came from simr fields, it was easy to strike up a conversation. Sylvia was very cordial


    and engaged in pleasant conversation with them.


    Soon, the ball officiallymenced.


    The host took a microphone and proimed in an energetic voice, ¡°Now, which wonderful couple would


    like to help us kick off the evening with the first dance?¡±


    There was amotion in the crowd as many people wanted to go first.


    The host had a hard time deciding and finally concluded, ¡°In that case, we shall let the spotlight decide


    for us. Whoever the spotlightnds on shall dance first. How about that?¡± ¡°Alright, no problem!¡±

 Chapter 57

    The crowd was very lively.


    Sylvia turned away and went outside. She did not want to be chosen to step onto the dance floor and


    intended to avoid the spotlight.


    Unexpectedly, Tristan trailed after her closely. He grabbed her and asked her, ¡°Sylvia, where are you


    going?¡± She answered, ¡°I¡¯m looking for something to eat.¡± He smiled coyly, seeming to sense that she


    was reluctant to get on the dance floor. ¡°No need to rush. Let¡¯s see who gets chosen for the first dance.¡±


    Sylvia looked around them. They were rtively far from the dance floor now and should be outside the


    range of the spotlight, hence she nodded and stopped.


    Tristan gave her a deep look, and then nced in the direction of the host.


    The host announced excitedly, ¡°Let¡¯s begin!¡±


    The spotlights swirled rapidly across the venue.


    After a few seconds, the spotlight suddenlynded at the edges of the crowd, shining atop where Sylvia


    and Tristan stood.


    Everyone present followed the line of the spotlight and saw that it was Sylvia and Tristan. There was an


    initial wake of astonishment, followed by plenty of cheering,


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Ledger and Ms. Ross!¡± ¡°They¡¯re a wonderful pair. They deserve to be the first pair on the dance


    floor.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Mr. Ledger and Ms. Ross, hurry up!¡±


    They cheered them on and paved a path open for them to step on the dance floor.


    Sylvia frowned. Tristan held her hand and whispered to her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Just follow my rhythm.¡±


    Sylvia was not scared. It was more so that she did not want to dance with him.


    Unfortunately for her, the spotlight had chosen them. Furthermore, there was no chance she could refuse


    the crowd that was so eager to see them dance.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Oh well, dancing could not hurt.


    She grunted and followed him onto the dance floor.


    Someone was ying on a grand piano.


    As soon as they stepped on the dance floor, the harmonious melody of the piano filled the venue.


    Tristan bent down towards her elegantly with an outstretched hand, staring straight into her eyes with a


    dazzling smile. ¡°Will the beautiful Ms. Ross share the dance floor with me?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. She felt like he was being too dramatic. She did not elicit a verbal


    response to his invitation and merely gave him her hand, Tristan stood up straight and took her hand in


    one hand as he put another hand on her waist.


    Sylvia followed suit and ced a hand on his shoulder, and they began to dance. They matched each


    other¡¯s tempo rather exceptionally. They twisted and turned to every note, twirling across the dance floor


    elegantly. The dress Sylvia wore glided in the air with every movement she made.


    The crowd surrounding the dance floor was mesmerized by the two dancers. They were captivated by


    the way they danced and also by how dazzling the two of them were.


    Tristan was the charming, charismatic baron of the castle while Sylvia was the elven princess dwelling


    deep within the forest. Both her beautiful features and her slender figure were something only seen in


    fairy tales.


    Someone in the crowd remarked, ¡°Thisdy that Mr. Ledger brought with him is so pretty.¡±


    ¡°Well, were you expecting Mr. Ledger of all people to bring just any ordinary woman?¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t she just


    his employee?¡± ¡°He has so many spectacr employees. Why did he choose to bring her specifically?


    Have you seen the way he looks at her? That¡¯s not the way you look at any othermon employee!¡±


    The people in the crowd began to chatter amongst themselves.


    Behind the crowd came Odell who had just arrived. He looked at the center of the dance floor to see


    what was garnering so much attention from everyone.


    On the spacious dance floor were two faint figures blistering about, one d in pink and the other in


    white Was that Tristan and Sylvia?

 Chapter 58

    His eyes darkened in a split instant


    To think that this woman was not caring for her children at home but was all dressed up and dancing with


    another man out in public!


    Tara appeared next to him and was visibly shocked by the sight of the two dancers on the dance floor


    She could not believe her eyes when she recognized Tristan and Sylvia


    When she saw Sylvia¡¯s spectacr outfit, she took a deep breath to curb her resentment.


    She looked at Odell again


    He wore a stoic expression, showing disdain for Sylvia the way he usually did. However, there was also


    a visible mix of awe and surprise in his eyes as he was captivated by Sylvia¡¯s appearance


    Tara cursed the existence of the wretched woman that was Sylvia. Then, sheposed herself and said


    to Odell, ¡°Wow, I wasn¡¯t expecting Tristan and Sylvia to be here. They seem like a good match.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and scoffed with a sour look


    Atst, the music was nearing its end


    The first dance presented by Sylvia and Tristan had finallye to an end.


    Tristan led his partner away from the dance floor.


    As soon as they stepped off the dance floor, the two keen-eyed dancers noticed something in the crowd.


    They turned in a specific direction in unison.


    They immediately noticed Odell standing with Tara,


    Both of them were surrounded by several notable persons who were responsible for hosting. the grand


    ball tonight, all courteously attending to them.


    Tristan was appalled


    When Sylvia met Odell¡¯s grim gaze, she shuddered conscientiously and jerked her hand away from


    Tristan¡¯s grip


    The rest of the crowd were reeling back from the wonderful dance and were beginning to notice Tara and


    Odell who exuded an extraordinary field of energy.


    Someone in the crowd stated, ¡°I think that girl over there is Tara Avery. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s here¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s one of the most talented artists of the new generation. She must have been directly invited as


    well.¡±


    Many of them stared at Odell with adoration. ¡°Who is that man with her? He¡¯s so handsome. He might be


    even more handsome than Mr. Ledger.¡±


    ¡°Stop gawking He belongs to Tara.¡±


    ¡°I heard that she¡¯s with Master Carter now. Could this really be him?¡±


    More people gathered around, drawn by themotion. Tara felt the collective gaze on her. She


    addressed Tristan and Sylvia with a look full of pride,¡± Mr. Ledger, Sylvia, what a coincidence. I didn¡¯t


    expect you two to be here as well.¡±


    Tristan smiled politely. ¡°It really is quite a coincidence. I wasn¡¯t expecting Master Carter to be here with


    you either.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Odell happened to be free, so he decided toe with me,¡± she said as she boldly took Odell¡¯s


    arm.


    Odell softened the look in his eyes and stopped ring at Sylvia.


    Sylvia heaved a sigh of relief but soon found herself scowling at the sight of Odell. She recalled that


    Odell was not particrly fond of asions such as these.


    He must care a lot about Tara to put up with a ce like this.


    It was awfully quiet for a few seconds.


    Some of the more alert members of the crowd quickly noticed something was wrong.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The host hurriedly defused the situation, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t just stand around. Let¡¯s dance!¡±


    The pianist began ying again. Many people had been itching to dance, so the moment the host


    finished speaking, countless pairs of couples stepped onto the dance floor eagerly. Seeing that Odell and


    Tara hardly budged, one of the hosts turned to them and asked, ¡°Master Carter, don¡¯t you want to dance


    with Miss Avery?¡±


    Tara regarded the crowded dance floor with a contemptuous look. She had wanted the privilege of the


    first dance along with Odell, but Tristan and the nasty Sylvia had swooped in and taken the opportunity.


    Still, she wanted to dance with Odell. After all, she had dressed up for the night. She asked him eagerly,


    ¡°Odell, shall we?¡±


    Odell answered crossly, ¡°No.¡±


    He was not some jester who would dance for the amusement of others. Tara thought he refused because


    the floor was already so crowded. She relented and sighed,¡± Alright.¡± After a while, Tara shot a deliberate


    look at Sylvia. Then, she suddenly smiled and announced, ¡°Odell, I saw Mr. Amos over there. Let¡¯s go


    over and have a chat with him.¡±


    Mr. Amos was a famous painter who was not only well known in the nation but all over the world.


    Odell grunted, ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    He darted a nce at Sylvia and Tristan before walking in the other direction along with Tara. When


    Sylvia heard Tara mention Master Amos, the look in her eyes changed.

 Chapter 59

    After some brief consideration, she started heading toward the section where the food wasid out.


    Tristan trailed after her closely.


    Sylvia turned to him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Tristan. Go ahead and have fun.¡±


    Tristan smiled back at her. ¡°I happen to be a little hungry too.¡± With that, he went to get some food for


    himself. Sylvia pursed her lips and stayed quiet.


    Shortly after they began eating, some people came up to them to mingle with them. Some of them were


    eager to talk business with Tristan while others took more interest in Sylvia.


    They were deeply impressed by Sylvia¡¯s woodcarving art pieces and began discussing their artistic


    philosophy with her. In turn, she engaged in conversation with them. The ball hade to a sessful


    end. Sylvia and Tristan followed the crowd towards the parking lot. Coincidentally, they arrived at the


    parking lot at the same time as Odell and Tara who were being escorted by the hosts. They bumped into


    each other yet again.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Tara took Odell¡¯s arm and smiled contentedly. ¡°Mr. Ledger, Sylvia, are you two going back as well?¡±


    Tristan answered with a polite smile, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re in a bit in a hurry, so I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to chat next


    time. See you.¡±


    After exchanging some more pleasantries, he took Sylvia¡¯s hand and left.


    Sylvia was not expecting this and instinctively pulled her hand back, but Tristan held on to her and


    refused to let go


    She had no choice but to let herself be strung along by him.


    Just as they passed in front of Odell and Tara, she heard someone speak to her in a cial voice, ¡°Isabel


    burned herself this afternoon.¡±


    Sylvia immediately halted and snapped in Odell¡¯s direction, ¡°How did Isabel burn herself?¡±


    Odell ignored her and led Tara into the car. ¡°Odell, you better tell me the truth, how did Isabel burn


    herself?¡± Sylvia immediately chased after him.


    Odell responded withplete indifference and proceeded to start the engine of the car. He turned the


    steering wheel rapidly and prepared to drive off. Sylvia stood right in front of the car, but Odell showed no


    intention of nning to stop for her.


    The car was elerating, so Tristan hurriedly pulled Sylvia to safety. With that, the ck sports car


    drove away and vanished in a puff of smoke.


    Tristan looked at Sylvia in concern. ¡°Sylvia, are you alright?¡± Sylvia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can go


    back first. I¡¯ll take a taxi.¡±


    She needed to rush to Isabel.


    Tristan noticed how anxious she looked and offered, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do here anyway. Let me


    send you home.¡±


    Sylvia wanted to refuse but ended up in his car anyway. She went along with it in the end, especially


    considering that it would take longer if she needed to call a taxi. Tristan drove very fast.


    Sylvia began calling Isabel when they were on the way there.


    Isabel picked up after only several rings. Her sweet, tender voice burst through the speakers,¡±


    Mommy¡­¡±


    Though her voice sounded clear and vibrant, there was also a faint, dejected undertone. Sylvia was


    relieved that she picked up and immediately asked, ¡°Isabel, what¡¯s this about you getting burned this


    afternoon?¡± Isabel asked curiously, ¡°Mom, how did you know about that?¡± ¡°Please answer me first. Did


    you burn yourself?¡±


    Isabel clicked her tongue and began, ¡°It¡¯s that uglydy¡¯s fault. She bought me something hot on purpose


    because she knew I would burn my hand and drop it. It ended up spilling on the ground and sshing all


    over her feet. That¡¯s when she started ying the victim in front of the stupid jerk, so he thought it was


    me who did it. Luckily, I started crying and asking Brother for help, so her trap failed.¡± Sylvia¡¯s expression


    harshened at the thought of Tara¡¯s wretched schemes.


    ¡°What about you? Did you get burned?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just my fingers got burned a little but I¡¯ll recover very quickly,¡± she said with satisfaction. Sylvia


    breathed a sigh of relief. All was well.


    Sylvia continued chatting with Isabel as she told her about her day with Liam along with both Odell and


    Tara. Finally, she told her that she would see her in a while before hanging up.

 Chapter 60

    With how fast Tristan was driving, it did not take long for them to arrive at the Old District


    Sylvia turned to him, ¡°Just drop me off at the junction near my house.¡±


    It was only a short distance from the Carters¡¯ residence, so she nned to walk there after she got out of


    the car.


    Tristan gave her a look and answered, ¡°Alright.¡± Shortly after that, they stopped at the said junction.


    Sylvia got out of the car and thanked him, ¡°Tristan, thank you for sending me home.¡± Tristan smiled and


    answered, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Now hurry up and go to your children.¡± Sylvia turned around and made for


    the Carters¡¯. After crossing two more intersections, she arrived at the entrance of their family house.


    The gate in front was closed. Sylvia stepped forward and raised her hand to ring the doorbell. ¡°Hmm?


    Weren¡¯t you going out on a date with him?¡± A deep, sardonic voice came from behind her out of


    nowhere. Sylvia was startled and quickly turned around.


    It was Odell hiding underneath the shade of the trees. He was still wearing the same ck suit he wore


    just now, leaning against the tree with his arms folded across his chest. Sylvia ignored his taunting.


    ¡°Odell, I¡¯m here to see my children. Please let them open the door.


    ¡°Answer my question first,¡± he said in an unfriendly voice.


    Sylvia was troubled by this. ¡°I¡¯m not in a rtionship with him. What date are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I saw you two holding hands and dancing together. What do you call that if you¡¯re not in a rtionship?¡±


    Odell sneered sharply, ¡°Your part-time lover??


    Sylvia hissed sharply.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, Odell,¡± she said, ¡°I only went with him because he invited me. We danced because


    we happened to get picked for the first dance, so I naturally went along with it.


    There¡¯s nothing else going on between the two of us.¡±


    Odell scrutinized her up and down. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe you when you¡¯re dressed like this to attend


    the ball with him?¡±


    Just happened to get picked for the first dance, she said? What a convenient excuse for flirting with


    another man.


    Sylvia felt a lump in her throat. She was about to exin that it was Tristan who had dressed her up in


    the first ce but quickly realized that it was hardly a convincing exnation. She decided against it and


    said spitefully, ¡°It¡¯s not my problem if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Odell¡¯s lips twitched sharply. He was standing underneath the shade while the streetlights illuminated


    Sylvia¡¯s figure, so he had a good look at how she was dressed.


    Her hair was draped over her shoulders, and she was wearing full make-up. Her luscious lips still had a


    layer of bright pink lipstick. The dress she woreplimented her frame, especially entuating her


    slender waist before folding outward again to show off the perfect curves of her figure.


    She usually dressed conservatively, but she was dressed up as if she had stepped out of a whorehouse.


    Could it have been any more obvious that she had done this to seduce Tristan and to dance with him so


    everyone present at the ball would be misled as to the nature of their rtionship?


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    Odell¡¯s face continued to darken.


    After a while, he smirked sardonically, ¡°You want to steal your sister¡¯s fianc¨¦ for yourself so that you can


    im the spot of Mrs. Ledger.¡±


    Question marks floated above Sylvia¡¯s head. ¡°Odell, I was only dancing with him. When have I said


    anything about marrying him?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to marry him, why were you dancing with him in


    public?¡± Sylvia became speechless. The words were caught in her throat. Odell took herck of


    response as her indirectly admitting it.


    He stepped out from the shade of the tree and walked up to her with a vicious look. ¡°Let me do you a


    favor and tell you straight up that Tristan is not going to marry you. Even if he does have feelings for you,


    his family will never agree to you entering the Ledgers.¡±


    Sylvia never thought anything along those lines, to begin with, so she snapped angrily, ¡°I am fully aware.


    I don¡¯t need you to tell me that.¡± ¡°At least, you know your ce.¡±


    As Odell observed her dolled-up face, the scenes of Tristan dancing with her on the dance floor shed


    past his mind again. The sheer recollection of it brought forth a sheet of ice in his eyes as he added,


    ¡°You¡¯re just a broken toy that I got bored of. Don¡¯t go around thinking that you can marry your way into


    another rich family.¡± Sylvia stiffened.

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61 A broken toy?


    For a split second, Sylvia felt her body convulsing, prickled by numerous sharp thorns that prated


    her skin.


    Almost by instinct, she raised a hand and delivered a p across Odell¡¯s handsome face.


    Smack!


    A clear, crisp smack cut through the air.


    Sylvia felt her palm trembling. Her anger was what kept her going as she roared with a vengeance,


    ¡°Odell, you¡¯re the broken toy!¡±


    As soon as she said this, she felt something gripping her neck.


    It was Odell who grabbed her neck and pushed her against the wall behind her. His face was terrible and


    dark.


    ¡°You hit me? How dare you hit me?¡± He stared at her murderously as if he wanted to drill holes into her


    body with his gaze.


    The look in Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted, then she braced herself and howled again, ¡°You were the one who


    started it!¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Odell tightened his grip in anger.


    Sylvia was suffocating and desperately opened her mouth to draw inrge mouthfuls of air. Underneath


    the light, her luscious lips were glowing an irresistible pink.


    Odell gulped.


    Then, in one swift motion, he forced his lips onto hers.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened instantly.


    After a momentary confusion, she finally came to and ruthlessly shoved him away.


    Feeling her struggle, Odell quickly let her go. Sylvia asked sullenly, ¡°Odell, what the hell are you doing?¡±


    Odell squinted his eyes with an indescribable look.


    Seeing that he did not yield an answer, Sylvia probed again, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you still have perverted


    ideas about your ex-wife, do you?¡±


    This stunned Odell for several seconds, then he suddenly curled his lips into a wretched smile and said,


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll have any interest in a disgusting witch like you who would even try to seduce her


    sister¡¯s fianc¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you kiss me?¡± Sylvia countered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of tarnishing yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dirty,


    but at least still more presentable than those women you see in clubs.¡± He smiled coyly. ¡°Besides, since


    you like fishing for men¡¯s attention, I might as well have my fun with you.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She immediately raised her hand at him again.


    This time, he abruptly grabbed her hand before she even grazed his face and shoved her hand against


    the wall


    Sylvia felt her back mming against the wall. She winced in pain, then red at him and yelled, ¡°Odell,


    you¡¯re the dirty one here! You cheating, disgusting scum, even prostitutes have more honor than you!¡±


    Odell¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You dare to say that again?¡±


    ¡°You sick son of a bitch, even prostitutes have more honor than-¡± Before she could finish her sentence,


    he plugged her mouth with his kiss again.


    He was overbearing.


    Sylvia struggled for a while before he let go.


    Then, he raised his hand and wiped the corner of his mouth, looking at her with disdain. ¡°How very dull.¡±


    Sylvia was so furious that she could hardly gather her thoughts concisely. She immediately opened her


    mouth and readied herself to unload a barrage of insults at him.


    Before she could begin, he smiled wickedly and asked, ¡°Do you still want to see the children?¡± Sylvia


    immediately clenched her teeth and swallowed the words that nearly erupted. Odell continued that


    mockingughter of his. ¡°If you want to see the children again, don¡¯t you ever let me hear you insulting


    me.¡±


    Sylvia wanted nothing more than to cuss him out right then and there! But she could not. She was


    completely outmatched by him!


    She flexed every muscle in her jaw to keep her mouth shut to a point where her eyes were reddening


    with vexation

 Chapter 62

    Odell was startled when he saw Sylvia¡¯s red, swollen eyes with tears pooling inside them.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    He scoffed and said crossly, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s not going to work on me. I¡¯m not Tristan.¡±


    Sylvia waspletely speechless as she held back her tears. Odell could not help it and began to


    chuckle when he noticed how upset she was and yet unable to express her anger in any way or form.


    ¡°Go see the children. You only have an hour.¡±


    With that, he stepped towards the door which opened automatically.


    After he entered, Sylvia stared at his figure and muttered curses, ¡°Stupid bastard, prick!¡±


    After she got it out of her system, she dragged herself inside.


    Meanwhile, Tara, who had been hiding in the dark this entire time, was clenching her hands tightly and


    angrily.


    Back at the parking lot after the ball ended, she already had a feeling that something was going on when


    she heard Odell suddenly tell Sylvia what happened to Isabel that same afternoon. That was when she


    decided to sneak here without Odell knowing.


    She could not believe that he had kissed this disgusting, wretched woman even though he hated her. It


    must be the way she dressed that managed to seduce him!


    Tara was angry and restless.


    No, she could not allow Sylvia to use her baby as an excuse to draw closer to Odell any longer.


    She had invested so much to earn Odell¡¯s affection and done so much to maintain their rtionship over


    all these years. She simply could not allow Sylvia to take that away from her!


    Isabel and Liam had been waiting for Sylvia to visit them.


    Sylvia had just entered the yard when they bolted out of the living room.


    Isabel was wearing a pink skirt and eagerly called out to her mother. Liam was dressed handsomely in a


    shirt with a denim suspender strapped over it. He looked at his mother with moon-like eyes.


    Sylvia felt her grievances melt away into nothingness when she saw their adorable faces again. She


    greeted them joyfully and took them into her arms. Then, they went back to the bedroom.


    Sylvia inspected the injury on Isabel¡¯s hands and finally could breathe easily upon noticing that the


    damage was not significant. She stayed until it was nearly midnight when the children were asleep


    before she went home.


    It was the weekday again.


    As usual, Sylvia arrived at the studio in the morning. Shortly after her arrival, a young and beautiful


    womanpletely d in branded designer clothing rushed into the studio. Sylvia¡¯s colleague in the


    studio stepped up to politely stop her from entering, but she rudely shoved them out of the way, even


    yelling viciously, ¡°Scram!¡± Sylvia, who was working at the time, regarded the scene with a deep frown.


    That was when she recognized her half-sister Sonia charging at her brazenly.


    ¡°Sylvia, you shameless bitch!¡± she cursed at the top of her voice and raised a hand to hit Sylvia.


    Sylvia reacted in time and grabbed the iing wrist and hissed sternly, ¡°Sonia, have you lost your


    mind?¡± Sonia red at her. ¡°I¡¯m here to settle things with you, you bitch!¡± Sylvia snarled, ¡°Watch your


    mouth.¡± This only made Sonia more upset. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for so many years. Not only have you


    grown into a bitch, but you even dare to talk back to me now!¡± Sylvia jerked her lips.


    So many years had passed, and she was no longer the same Sylvia that had to live under the endless


    oppression of her half-sister and stepmother under the roof of the Rosses!


    She snapped back at Sonia with a stoic expression, ¡°Sonia, this is my workce. If you have something


    to say, wait until I finish work. Now, get out of here.¡±


    With that, she released her grip on Sonia¡¯s wrist. Sonia looked at her with wild, widened eyes. Sylvia had


    been the target of her ruthless bullying throughout their childhood. How was it that the same Sylvia was


    not only rebuking her but even telling her to scram?

 Chapter 63

    What was worse was that she had the guts to flirt with Tristan! How very vile! Sonia could not swallow


    her anger and tried to deliver another blow to Sylvia¡¯s face. This time, Sylvia ducked to the side, so


    Sonia¡¯s hand smashed against the hard surface of a wooden pir.


    She immediately cried out in pain, ¡°You! I¡¯m going to p the crap out of you no matter what!¡±


    Blinded with rage, she threw herself at Sylvia.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    That was when Tristan suddenly charged in from outside. He quickly stepped in between the two of them


    and helped fend off Sonia.


    Sonia was startled by this disy. She immediately cried for justice, ¡°Tristan, look what Sylvia just did to


    me!¡±


    Tristan frowned and looked at her with a vengeful re. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m blind?¡±


    Besides, there were many witnesses in the studio. It was clear as day that it was Sonia who tried to fight


    Sylvia unprovoked.


    Sonia¡¯s expression shifted and she began to pout defensively. ¡°She¡¯s such a disgraceful woman for trying


    to flirt with you, so I had toe here and teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t try to flirt with me.¡± Tristan announced solemnly before adding, ¡°Also, just to rify things,


    there¡¯s nothing going on between me and you either.¡±


    The marriage was just something that their parents had brought up in passing. There was no mention of


    any engagement, and the two of them had never even gone out on a date.


    Therefore, it was a stretch to say they were in a rtionship.


    As soon as he said that, Sonia broke out in tears.


    She grabbed Tristan by his sleeve and whimpered meekly, ¡°Tristan, did you get yourself seduced by her?


    She¡¯s the spoiled woman that even Odell didn¡¯t want, and she even has children! My father banished her


    from my family. You deserve someone better than a dirty woman like her!¡±


    Tristan¡¯s expression became menacing and cold upon hearing this. ¡°Sonia, she¡¯s your sister no matter


    how you want to put it. Do you think it¡¯s right for you to humiliate her like this?¡± He stood like a knight


    defending Sylvia¡¯s honor and rebuked her, ¡°Go home. We don¡¯t wee you here.¡±


    Sonia cried weakly and red at Sylvia with a hateful look before she fled the scene with her hand over


    her mouth.


    A wave of silence swept over the studio. Tristan swiped a nce across the studio. ¡°Get back to work.¡±


    Everyone returned to their workstations.


    Tristan then turned to look at Sylvia who was standing erect, but she had a shellshocked look. It was as if


    she had been plunged into another world of ice. Every pore on her body was stung by a harsh coldness.


    Tristan called out to her, ¡°Sylvia?¡± The look in her eyes shifted. She turned to him with a dazed look and


    muttered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m sure you have more important things to attend to.¡± Tristan


    frowned. ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have let her in. Don¡¯t be sad, alright? I¡¯ll take care of things.¡±


    Sylvia muttered a weak ¡°okay¡± before returning to her chair. She was not in the mood to talk to him.


    Sensing this, Tristan proceeded to leave. Shortly after he left, Betty and several other members of the


    studio who were close with Sylvia came to her.


    ¡°Sylvia, are you all right?¡±


    Sylvia curled her lips with a strained smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Betty asked with a tint of anger, ¡°Was that woman just now your sister? How could she say such things


    about you?¡±


    The corners of Sylvia¡¯s lips twitched when she heard this. This was certainly not the first time she heard


    such wicked insults from Sonia.


    Sylvia could trace back her earliest memory and name every instance when Sonia had taken advantage


    of the doting affection of their parents reserved for her to bully Sylvia.


    Fortunately, Sylvia spent many years with her grandparents where she was sheltered from these


    injustices. It was after her grandparents passed away that she had to return home and was subjected to


    the endless torment of Sonia and her stepmother for several years again.


    At the time, she still had a shred of affection for their father and her family, which was the ultimate reason


    she let them have their way with her.


    She no longer felt that way now.


    Three years ago, when Odell kicked her out of the Carters¡¯ household, she had to return to her family


    again.


    She was weed by the collective ridicule of her stepmother and her equally hostile stepsister, along


    with a harsh rebuke from her father who had told her, ¡°You have disgraced our family name and soured


    the rtionship between our family and the Carters. You¡¯re the reason that ourpany finances are


    plummeting. From this day on, you are disowned from our family. Get out of my face.¡±

 Chapter 64

    Was there ever a worse feeling than being abandoned by your loved ones when you needed them the


    most?


    Odell had her pped sixty times back then to the point that her face was swollen like she had been


    stung by a bee.


    Not only did her biological father not feel sorry for her, but he even med her for things turning sour


    with the Carters and had her banished from the family. From that moment on, Sylvia hadpletely lost


    all faith in her family.


    If they would not treat her as one of their own, she would not suffer their wrath for no reason either!


    All the memories rushed back to her.


    Sylvia came back to her senses and turned to Betty and the others with a faint smile, ¡°She is not my


    sister. I have no other family members except for my two children and Aunt Tonya.¡± Betty heaved a sigh


    of relief. ¡°Then, it¡¯s all good.¡±.


    INT


    They did not press her for more details and left her to herself after offering her sce.


    Sylvia simrly picked up her tools and went back to work.


    Meanwhile, Sonia, who ran out crying, ducked into a white luxury car parked outside.


    In the car, Tara saw her tears and immediately asked in a concerned voice, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Sonia?


    What did Sylvia do to you?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She¡¯s disgusting. I can¡¯t believe this!¡± Sonia wiped her tears and cursed Sylvia repeatedly before finally


    rying the events that happened in there, from her trying to p Sylvia to Tristan storming in and


    kicking her out.


    Tara sighed. ¡°If Tristan is so protective of her, I think chances are that he has fallen for her as well.¡±


    ¡°That bitch! If it wasn¡¯t for Tristan stopping me, I would smash her face right in!¡± Tara consoled her


    patiently, ¡°Alright, Sonia. Being angry won¡¯t help with anything. It¡¯s only going to ruin your mood.¡± Sonja


    took a deep breath and tried to suppress the torrent of anger inside her.


    There was a part of her that looked down on Tara. However, she had to acknowledge that Tara did


    be an excellent painter over the recent years. She was also a woman whom Odell cared greatly


    about. If not for Madam Carter¡¯s objection, she would have married into the family long ago.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia who Odell had kicked out of the family would not even have the right to brush the


    edges of her feet.


    Sonia knew better than to offend Tara. After giving it some thought, she took the initiative to ask her,


    ¡°Tara, what should I do now? My feelings for Tristan are genuine, and I don¡¯t want Sylvia to steal him


    away.¡±


    ¡°We will have to take the long term approach, ¡°Tara said with a soft smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll help you Odell


    and I had to split up because of her back then, and I won¡¯t let her do the same to you and Tristan and


    destroy your future.¡±


    Sonia was moved by this gesture. ¡°Tara, you¡¯re the best.¡±


    Tara smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re a naive, simple girl. I don¡¯t want you to end up like me back then.¡±


    Sonia had a wounded, innocent look when she said this. She agreed that she was too naive, which was


    how Sylvia managed to lull Tristan from her.


    Deep down, Tara was silently mocking Sonia, but what she showed on the surface said otherwise, ¡°By


    the way, I heard that Sylvia is now living in the Old District, the same house left behind by your


    grandparents. I think you should go to her and set things straight with her, considering she¡¯s your sister


    after all.¡±


    The look in Sonia¡¯s eyes changed as she smiled back at Tara. ¡°Alright, I got it.¡±


    Meanwhile, Sylvia stayed busy in the studio until lunchtime. She was about to go out to dinner with Betty


    and the others when Tristan stepped in her way.


    He darted a look at Betty and the others who awkwardly shuffled away.


    Tristan looked at Sylvia with a subtle smile. ¡°Sylvia, let¡¯s have lunch together. I have something to tell


    you.¡±


    Sylvia observed his tender smile and answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She just happened to have something to say to him as well.


    She got into his car and they went to a refined fancy Western restaurant where Tristan had reserved a


    private room.


    After they entered, the waiter escorted them upstairs.


    Just as they were going up the stairs, Odell and Tara came in through the front door.


    Tara recognized their figures at first nce and was visibly taken aback. She quickly turned to Odell and


    whispered, ¡°Odell, I think that was Sylvia and Tristan.¡±


    Odell followed her line of sight and saw Tristan and Sylvia heading to the second floor. Soon, his


    expression became icy.


    That was when the waiter turned to them to inform them, ¡°Mr. Carter, Miss Avery, your reserved room is


    on the second floor. This way, please.¡±

 Chapter 65

    Tara took Odell¡¯s arm.


    When they got to the stairs, Sylvia and Tristan had already entered the private room they reserved.


    Tara looked at Odell¡¯s face and whispered to him, ¡°Odell, could Tristan be the one who took the best


    private room that we were going to reserve?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips indifferently.


    Tara added, ¡°This restaurant is a famous location for couples. They say that that particr private room


    has a reputation for sessful proposals. Since Tristan is bringing Sylvia to that room, I think he¡¯s


    nning to confess his love to her.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face darkened when he heard this.


    Tristan was going to confess to that woman? A rush of anger went to his head, but he was able to


    suppress that anger as quickly as it came to him.


    There was nothing to be angry about, especially since it was a woman he no longer cared for.


    However, if this woman dared to take Tristan and willingly ignore her children, then she would never get


    to see them again in the future!


    Sylvia followed Tristan into a very tastefully decorated and rather romantic private room.


    There was a long table at its center with candles on top.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Tristan entered and politely pulled out a chair for her.


    Sylvia thanked him and sat down while he sat directly across from her.


    There was a grand piano in the corner of the room with a dedicated pianist ying, adding to the


    ambiance of the night.


    After Sylvia and Tristan sat down, the melodious chords of the piano sounded across the room.


    The waiter brought the food and poured red wine for each of them in turn.


    Tristan wore a permanent smile on his face.


    Sylvia could not help but frown at the sight of this.


    This meal must have cost a fortune even if it wasrgely negligible for someone like Tristan


    Sylvia took a sip of wine and said to him, ¡°So, Tristan, what was it you wanted to tell me?¡±


    Tristan observed her, then pped his hands to give a signal.


    The door immediately opened, followed by a waiter stepping inside with a cart of fresh red roses. The


    whole room was instantly dominated by the floral scent.


    Sylvia frowned.


    As the waiter put the flowers down and went out, the music changed to one that was melodious and


    romantic.


    Tristan picked up a bunch of flowers and walked over to Sylvia. He was seconds away from getting down


    on one knee. That was when the abashed Sylvia stood up instantly. She cried, ¡°Tristan, calm down!¡±


    Tristan smiled at her. ¡°I am calm.¡±


    He was midway through bending at the knee. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare kneel, or else I¡¯ll leave right away,¡± Sylvia


    hurriedly said. She had a defiant yet resolute look in her eyes.


    Tristan¡¯s lips twitched. He stood up straight and looked at her sternly before saying, ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯ve said this


    to you many years ago, and this time I¡¯ll say it again. I like you, and I want you to be my girlfriend. Let me


    be the one to protect you from here on.¡±


    His confession was very earnest.


    The music continued ying.


    Meanwhile, in the private room next to their current one that was only partitioned off by a wall


    Odell was leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He was spying on what was


    happening in the adjacent room via a small, transparent window no more than the size of a palm.

 Chapter 66

    Odell saw a cart full of roses beside Tristan who was confessing to Sylvia.


    He raised his sharp brows and just watched coldly. Beside him, Tara observed the reaction on his face


    and also studied how things were developing between Tristan and Sylvia. On the other room, Sylvia and


    Tristan had no idea that Odell was watching.


    Sylvia looked at Tristan with aplicated expression. After the ball that night, she knew that something


    was wrong with him, but it still surprised her when she heard it from him herself.


    While she did not want to hurt him, if she kept it vague or averted the question, it would only deepen the


    misunderstanding, eventually hurting him deeper.


    She looked into his eyes and said, ¡°Tristan, I really am honored that you would fancy me, but I only see


    you as a friend. We aren¡¯t suitable together.¡± Tristan was disheartened. Although he did think of this


    oue before. He soon curled his lips into a smile and said, ¡°You¡¯re single, I¡¯m single. Why can¡¯t we be


    together?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a divorcee with two kids. Your parents won¡¯t agree to it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that. I¡¯ll think of a way to make my parents agree. As long as you are willing to be with me,


    none of those can stop us.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You are not taking this seriously.¡± Sylvia did not want to linger on the topic. ¡°Tristan, I don¡¯t like you. I


    have no feelings for you, and I cannot be with you.¡± Tristan gripped her wrist and widened his grin.


    ¡°Sylvia, people say that feelings can be developed.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She bit the bullet and said, ¡°Tristan, we¡¯ve known each other for twenty over years. If


    there was something for us to develop, we would have long developed it.¡±


    Tristan¡¯s grin faded.


    Sylvia retracted her hand and added, ¡°I have to go back to work.¡±


    She could no longer continue eating.


    She turned around and wanted to leave, but before she could set foot outside, Tristan called out to her.


    ¡°Sylvia!¡±


    The piano also picked a timely moment to stop.


    Things became quiet in the room.


    Sylvia turned around to him.


    He stared at her and asked, ¡°You still like Odell, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Sylvia wore a cold look. She answered without a second thought, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Not a tiny bit?¡±


    She gazed into his eyes and emphasized each and every word clearly. ¡°Not. At. All.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia then left without saying anything else.


    He inhaled deeply before he put the roses back onto the cart. Then, he limped back to his seat and


    copsed, staring at the spread of food nkly.


    Meanwhile, in the other room, Odell was standing rooted where he had been from the start. His thin lips


    slightly tightened and his brows furrowed. No one knew what he was feeling at the moment.


    He had clearly heard the conversation between Tristan and Sylvia. Tristan had asked her if she still liked


    Odell, but she had outright denied it. Tara was also surprised. She did not expect Sylvia to reject such a


    romantic confession. She refused to believe that Sylvia did not want to marry a wealthy man. The reason


    Sylvia must have rejected Tristan was that she still liked Odell!

 Chapter 67

    In all of Westchester City, only Odell could best Tristan at anything. Tara refused to believe that Sylvia


    had no feelings for Odell. A whileter, Tara regained herposure and said to Odell, ¡°Who would


    have expected her to reject Tristan? Did she really just reject him because of his parents? Tristan is a


    great man, and based on my understanding of Sylvia, I believe it¡¯s impossible for her not to have any


    feelings for him.¡± Odell looked at her. ¡°Are you saying that Sylvia is ying hard to get?¡± His gaze looked


    sharper than usual. Tara thought about it and exined nervously, ¡°I¡¯m not saying that. I just think that


    she has feelings for Tristan, or else why would she have apanied him to that ball as his partner?


    She said she doesn¡¯t like you anymore, which means she¡¯s telling Tristan that there is no one else but


    him. It will make Tristan think that he still has a chance.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze changed. The strange suffocation that he had in his chest suddenly dispersed. He scoffed,


    and a hint of disgust appeared in his eyes.


    ¡°This woman is still as scheming as ever.¡¯


    Tristan went nk in the room for quite a while.


    He only got up after he slightly recovered from his disappointment.


    Coincidentally, he bumped into Tara when he came out.


    ¡°Master Tristan, what a coincidence!¡± Tara greeted him with a smile.


    In a foul, mood, Tristan did not want to talk to her, so he simply hummed a reply and was about to leave.


    ¡°I saw Sylvia when I came. Are you guys having lunch here?¡± Tara had a peek at the room that he came


    out from. Tristan frowned. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful inside. Did you just confess to Sylvia?¡± Tara then added.


    He tightened his lips, the distraught on his face apparent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Tristan. I didn¡¯t mean


    anything.¡± Tara blinked curiously before she whispered her question, ¡°Did Sylvia reject you?¡± Despite


    feeling upset, Tristan maintained his basic manners and said while almost teetering on the edge of being


    impolite, ¡°You don¡¯t need to poke your nose into our business. Just mind your own business and run


    along with your man.¡± ¡°Master Tristan, I really don¡¯t mean anything else. I am just saying that I think


    Sylvia has feelings for you too.¡±


    The words made Tristan¡¯s expression change. He asked, ¡°What makes you think so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve known Sylvia for many years, and I think she has no feelings for Odell anymore. You are a great


    man yourself, so it¡¯s impossible that she has no feelings for you.¡± Tara sighed before she added, ¡°I think


    she rejected you because of her sister.¡±


    ¡°Sonia?¡±


    Tristan recalled that Sonia did turn up at the studio to cause a scene about Sylvia, hence the frown on


    his face.


    ¡°Yeah. Sylvia has been tolerating her sister since they were young. She knew Sonia liked you, so even if


    she had feelings for you, she would neverpete with her sister.¡±


    Tristan knew a thing or two about how Sylvia was doing with her family.


    If Sylvia truly wanted to reject him, she could have said that he still liked Odell.


    Upon hearing Tara¡¯s exnation, Tristan¡¯s disappointment faded substantially. Although he remained


    doubtful, he looked at Tara and asked, ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    Tara whispered, ¡°It¡¯s because of me that Odell divorce her, so I feel bad. I don¡¯t want her to have an


    unhappy life because of me.¡±


    Her excuse was wless.


    She was indeed the reason for Odell and Sylvia¡¯s divorce.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    From there, it gave Tristan a chance to pursue Sylvia.


    Tristan seemed a lot more at ease after listening to Tara.


    ¡°Master Tristan, I hope you won¡¯t give up on Sylvia,¡± Tara added.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give up on her. If I can be with her in the end, I owe you one,¡± Tristan said and then left in a hurry.


    Tara wiped her fake smile away and swapped it for a cold grin.

 Chapter 68

    Tristan was absent from the studio for the entire day, and Sylvia felt a lot morefortable without his


    presence.


    It was then time to pick her kids up from kindergarten.


    She drove while Isabel and Liam chatted incessantly in their baby seats in the rear.


    Then, her phone rang. It was Aunt Tonya. It was rare for Aunt Tonya to call her at this hour, which


    sparked her curiosity.


    She stopped the car by the side of the road and picked up the phone.


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s voice came through the phone, fueled with anxiety and anger. ¡°Syl! Sonia is here with a


    couple of men, and she¡¯s throwing out things out!¡±


    Sylvia reacted grimly. She said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, take care of yourself first. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    After hanging up, she floored the pedal and sprinted back


    Liam and Isabel sensed that something was not right.


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Liam asked. ¡°Something happened but it¡¯s nothing serious. You guys don¡¯t


    have to worry,¡± Sylvia said.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam saw the nervous look on her face through the rearview mirror. He blinked several times but did not


    say anything else. A whileter, the car arrived at the Old District and went straight to the Carters¡¯.


    Confused, Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, why are you bringing us here?¡±


    ¡°I have something urgent to deal with, so I have to send you guys home first. I¡¯lle to find you when I


    have the time, and we can go out again,¡± Sylvia said with a smile.


    She then brought the two of them down from the car.


    Isabel noticed something was not right, hence the pout on her face.


    Liam said goodbye to his mother before holding his sister¡¯s hand and entering the house.


    Sylvia watched the two of them go inside before she drove away.


    When her car left, Liam and Isabel snuck out of the house.


    ¡°Brother, are we really going to follow Mommy?¡± Isabel asked.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya called Mommy just now. Something must have happened to them. I¡¯m calling Uncle Jacob


    and Uncle Ben,¡± Liam answered.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    When Sylvia reached home, she saw that the ce was in a mess. All her things were scattered across


    the floor, including her clothes and the cooking utensils that Aunt Tonya used to prepare meals.


    Aunt Tonya was waiting at the entrance. She went up to Sylvia the moment the car stopped in front of the


    house.


    ¡°Syl, this is too much. Sonia is being terribly unreasonable. She brought her men in and started to ruin


    our things. I couldn¡¯t even stop her.¡± Sylvia had a nce at the mess before she went inside with a grim


    look. Inside the living room, Sonia was sitting on the couch like a princess. She even used one of


    Sylvia¡¯s new dresses as a cushion.


    Sylvia was a lot more mature after what she had been through in the past few years, but this scene


    infuriated her nheless.


    She maintained herst bit of politeness and said with clenched teeth, ¡°Sonia, get out. You are not


    wee here.¡±


    Sonia then shoved the new tea set on the table to the ground. She raised a brow at her sister and


    arrogantly said, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to? What can you possibly do?¡± The intimidating group of men that


    she brought over immediately rallied behind her. ¡°You¡¯re absurd!¡± Aunt Tonya almost threw herself at


    Sonia.

 Chapter 69

    Sylvia quickly held Aunt Tonya back before she could do anything rash.


    She then said to Sonia, ¡°Sonia, Grandfather and grandmother left this ce to me. If you don¡¯t get out


    now, I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Nheless, Sonia was not deterred. She said with a grin, ¡°Who told you that those two old fags left this


    ce to you? Did they provide you with an agreement?¡±


    Sylvia was silenced.


    Sonia¡¯s grin widened when she saw the surprised look on Sylvia¡¯s face. ¡°My father is the legitimate heir,


    and from today onwards, I am the owner of this house because he has given it to me.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her fists tightly.


    Her grandparents had repeatedly told her toe back to them if she had a hard time at the Rosses, but


    neither of them had set up a will before they passed away. They never would have thought that Sylvia¡¯s


    own biological father would give the ce that she grew up in to Sonia.


    With a gulp, Sylvia said, ¡°Is that why you are here today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to teach you a lesson, you shameless bitch.¡± A scornful grinter, she added, ¡°If you kneel and


    bow to me three times and promise that you will leave Tristan alone, I will consider letting you continue


    your tenancy here.¡±


    Sylvia reacted with a cold stare.


    Aunt Tonya lost her patience. She screamed, ¡°You little rascal, how can you say something like that?


    Sylvia is your sister!¡±


    ¡°Who are you to lecture me?¡± Sonia argued. She then signaled two of the men. ¡°Throw her


    out.¡±


    Sylvia stepped in front of Aunt Tonya and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between me and Tristan. It¡¯s not what


    you think.¡±


    Sonia grunted. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s nothing between you and Tristan. You are the one seducing him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, and nothing is going to happen between us.¡±


    Sonia was slightly surprised. She thought that Sylvia¡¯s words were a sign ofpromise. She grinned


    and said, ¡°Okay then. Get on your knees and bow to swear that it won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°No. Not a chance. I¡¯ll never kneel down to you in my entire life,¡± Sylvia t out refused. Sonia snarled,


    ¡°You bitch. Don¡¯t challenge my patience. If you don¡¯t kneel today, don¡¯t even think of staying in this house


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, let¡¯s go.¡± Sylvia simply shot a cold nce at Sonia before she dragged Aunt Tonya outside.


    Sonia did not expect Sylvia to really leave as she was not done with her sister yet. She bolted


    up and signaled the men behind her. ¡°Stop them!¡±


    The men surrounded Sylvia and stopped her from leaving.


    Sylvia squinted.


    Aunt Tonya nervously said, ¡°Syl, run! I¡¯ll hold them back!¡±


    However, Sylvia pulled Aunt Tonya behind her. The men might look menacing and strong, but neither of


    them seemed smart. She was confident that she could take them on.


    To her surprise, just when the men wanted to catch her, two figures dashed in. It was Ben and Jacob.


    They got in front of Sylvia and kicked two of the four men away with one kick each.


    The other two men were obviously no match for the professional bodyguards, so they wisely stepped


    back Sonia was shocked by their sudden appearance. She screamed at Ben and Jacob, ¡°Who are you?


    Get the hell out!¡±


    Ben and Jacob were expressionless and did not budge at all.


    Sylvia then looked outside the entrance and saw two little figuresing in.


    One of them was in denim overalls while the other was in a cute red dress.


    Their exquisite features made them look like a prince and a princess from a fairy tale. Their


    adorablenessplemented their outfits perfectly.


    It was Isabel and Liam. They might be toddlers, but they had a presence that was unrivaled for their age,


    especially Liam. The moment he came in, he stared at Sonia with his icy cold eyes.

 Chapter 70

    Sonia was frightened by their intimidating presence. The children¡¯s gaze that did not seem to belong to


    toddlers made her nervous.


    They were Odell and Sylvia¡¯s kids. Sylvia was not much of an issue, but they were Odell¡¯s children, the


    young master anddy of the Carters. Sonia could not afford to offend the Carters.


    ¡°Mommy, are you alright?¡± Isabel went up to Sylvia and stared at her with a worried gaze.


    Sylvia patted her head. ¡°Mommy is okay.¡± Isabel sighed a breath of relief. She then turned to Sonia and


    said, ¡°You have three seconds to leave this ce, or I will tell them to tie you up and throw you on the


    street.¡±


    She might be a toddler but the intimidation in her cute voice was brazen.


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment. She somehow saw Odell in the little girl.


    Sonia wore a bitter look. She was being deterred by a mere three-year-old. More importantly, the three-


    year-old was Odell¡¯s daughter who she could not afford to offend. She gulped her grievance and red


    at Sylvia. Then, she huffed, ¡°We¡¯ll see about this.¡± She proceeded to lead her men out of the house. After


    Sonia and her men left, Isabel jumped onto Sylvia who hugged the little girl in her arms. The little girl


    delightfully asked, ¡°Mommy, was I cool?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Yeah, very cool.¡±


    Sylvia also looked at the quiet Liam and said with a warm smile, ¡°Liam was cool as well.¡± If they had not


    arrived with the bodyguards, Sylvia might not have had the confidence to beat all four of Sonia¡¯s men.


    Sonia had turned the whole house upside down, so Sylvia had to take her kids out. She said to them,


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy and Aunt Tonya have to clean up the house. The two of you should go home


    how.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Mommy, will the bad guyse back and bully you?¡±


    ¡°No. They are afraid of you, so they won¡¯t be back any time soon.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we get Uncle Jacob to


    stay?¡± Liam then piped up. Sylvia epted the offer. ¡°Okay.¡±


    After the two of them followed Ben home, Sylvia and Aunt Tonya returned to the house.


    She said to Aunt Tonya, ¡°Aunt Tonya, we¡¯ll pack and move out tomorrow.¡± Aunt Tonya was rather


    surprised. She then recalled what Sonia said, forcing her to swallow her grievance and questions. ¡°Okay,


    I¡¯ll pack right away.¡±


    Since the house already belonged to Sonia, there was no reason for Sylvia to stay there anymore. She


    had to find another ce to settle down.


    After Isabel and Liam chased Sonia out, she called Tara and told her what happened. Embarrassed and


    furious, she cried, ¡°Sylvia is shameless! She used her kids against me!¡±


    Tara consoled her through the phone. After Sonia regained herposure, Tara asked,¡± Sonia, does


    she know that the house she¡¯s staying in belongs to you now?¡± ¡°Yeah. I told her my dad gave me the


    house.¡± ¡°Sigh. You should¡¯ve told me before you went there. You¡¯re a little over your head this time. You


    shouldn¡¯t just make her apologize. You should use the house as leverage and negotiate with her. Just


    use it to make her stay away from Tristan.¡±


    Annoyed, Sonia pouted. ¡°I think she wants to continue seducing Tristan which totally pisses me off! I was


    thinking that if she apologized and promised to stay away from Tristan, I¡¯d give her the house, but she


    called her kids in to help her!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Sonia. You¡¯ve made it to her ce, so it more or less scares her now. Just go home for


    now. If she still bothers Tristan, I¡¯ll help you think of something else.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 71

    After the call ended, Sonia left in annoyance.


    Back at Lake Victoria Vi, Tara enjoyed her ss of red wine with a mischievous grin. Sonia was such a


    gullible person.


    With the little fiasco she caused, Sylvia would have to move away from the Old District again.


    The houses in the Old District were rather archaic, but the rent was expensive. Given Sylvia¡¯s current


    sry, she would never be able to afford one.


    The houses surrounding the Old District were even more expensive, so she might have to move quite far


    away.


    The further she moved, the harder it would be for her to pick her kids up and visit the Carters¡¯.


    With that, she would naturally draw distance from Odell.


    That night, while Sylvia was searching for houses to rent online, Jacob, who helped them tidy up the


    house, went home and updated Isabel and Liam.


    Isabel was grumpy after learning what happened. ¡°It must be that bad woman! Brother, let¡¯s call Uncle


    Ben and Uncle Jacob to go to her house!¡±


    Liam caressed her head. ¡°There must be some other reason for Mommy to move.¡±


    ¡°But if Mommy moves, she will be a lot farther from us, I don¡¯t want to be separated from her,¡± Isabel


    cried as her eyes turned red.


    She already could not sleep without her mother at night, and now she had to watch as her mother moved


    further away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯ll go talk to Great-grandma,¡± Liam said as he continued caressing her head.


    Curious, Isabel asked, ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask her to let Mommy move in with us.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Right!¡±


    Ten minutester in the living room, Madam Carter was sitting on the couch with Liam and Isabel who


    were massaying both her thighs and shoulders.


    Isabel chattered ceaselessly, ¡°Great grandma, you have no idea how scary those people are. If it wasn¡¯t


    for me and brother, something bad would have happened to Mommy, and because of them, Mommy has


    to move again¡±


    Madam Carter lookud al Lian as she listened to Isabel¡¯s ceaseless mumbling


    What are these two little rascals up to?¡±


    ¡°Sob¡­ Great grandma, I feel so bad for Mommy¡­¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    All of a sudden, Isabel started crying. Madam Carter turned to her immediately. ¡°Isabel, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t


    cry, alright? Tell Great grandma who that baddie is, and I¡¯ll find someone to teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°Sob¡­


    I don¡¯t remember.¡± While Isabel¡¯s eyes were red from all the sobbing, the grievance on her face made her


    look even more adorable, and even so, she did not stop massaging Madam Carter¡¯s shoulder. Madam


    Carter tightened her lips and said, ¡°Isabel, what are you trying to say? Please stop crying.¡± Isabel


    continued crying, but she kept signaling Liam in between her sobs. Just when Madam Carter ran out of


    ideas on how to stop Isabel from crying, Liam spoke,¡± Great-grandma, can you let Mommy move in with


    us?¡±


    Madarn Carter was shocked.


    Isabel stopped crying right away. She hugged the olddy and acted like a spoiled child as she chirped,


    ¡°Brother is right! Great-grandma, can you let Mommy move in with us? Then, no one will bully her


    anymore!


    Outside the entrance, Odell just came back and overheard everything


    The expression on his face changed, and he froze for a moment.

 Chapter 72

    The look on Madam Carter¡¯s face turned bitter.


    Of course, she wanted to help Sylvia, but it was inappropriate to let her move in. She sighed and said in


    a heavy tone, ¡°Isabel, Liam, I know you guys want to be with your Mommy, but your Mommy and Daddy


    have no longer been together for years. It¡¯s inappropriate for her to move in to stay with you guys and


    your Daddy.¡±


    Isabel pouted, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Just when she was about to burst into tears, Liam said, ¡°There;s an easy solution.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s sulking expression brightened. The tears she prepared seemed to be absorbed back into her


    eyes. She stared at Liam curiously, and so did Madam Carter. ¡°What is this solution about, Liam?¡± ¡°Just


    make Daddy move out,¡± Liam said matter-of-factly. Madam Carter was silenced, as was Odell outside the


    entrance. Only Isabel jumped and cheered happily. ¡°Brother is right!¡±


    Madam Carter was at a loss for words.


    It was understandable that Isable disliked her father since she just came back recently, but Liam had


    been raised by Odell since young, yet he suggested his father move out.


    Just when Madam Carter was cornered into a difficult position, Odell came in with long, fast strides, and


    the grim look on his face was obvious.


    Isabel shrunk into Madam Carter¡¯s arms.


    Even Liam became evasive of his gaze.


    Odell noticed the cowardice in the brother and sister. He grinned and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s moving


    out.¡±


    Isabel buried her face into Madam Carter and decided to act like an ostrich.


    Liam puckered his lips in silence.


    Odell grunted coldly and picked them up, one in each arm.


    Isabel was frightened and even Liam frowned.


    Madam Carter anxiously cautioned, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t scare the children!¡±


    Odell brought the two of them back to their room.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    It was only a few days, and the two little rascals were already more audacious. Not only did they suggest


    leting that woman move in, but they also wanted him to move out.


    Odell carried both of them back to their room. He sat the two of them down side by side.


    Both of them puckered their lips in silence.


    Odell grabbed a chair and sat opposite them. He stared at them in silence.


    A whileter, he asked coldly, ¡°Who told you to do this?¡±


    He did not think that the two of them would suddenlye up with the idea to let Sylvia move in. Sylvia


    must have instigated them to do so,


    The woman imed that she no longer had feelings for him, but in order to get close to him, she even


    used her children to her advantage. Then, Liam answered, ¡°No one told us to do so.¡± Odell squinted his


    eyes. ¡°Well, why do you want her to move in?¡± ¡°Because Mommy¡¯s house got ruined by bad guys and


    she¡¯s moving out.¡± Odell was surprised. ¡°Who ruined her house?¡±


    ¡°Sonia. She¡¯s Mommy¡¯s sister from another mother,¡± Liam exined.


    Odell puckered his lips in silence. It reminded him of Tristan¡¯s confession to Sylvia. Sonia must have


    found out. Seducing her sister¡¯s man and getting her own house ruined, she had iting A whileter,


    he looked at Isabel and Liam. ¡°You want her to move in just because of that?¡±


    It could not be that simple. That woman must have said something to them. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated


    from Mommy,¡± Liam said. ¡°Anymore?¡±


    ¡°Isabel too.¡±


    Odell looked at Isabel, Isabel pouted. Her eyes and the tip of her nose were reddish. She looked like she


    could burst into tears any moment.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73 Odell frowned. ¡°Isabel?¡±


    Isabel burst into tears after a little hum. ¡°I want Mommy! I don¡¯t want to be separated from her! I want to


    sleep with her!¡±


    Her face was flushed as grievance overwhelmed her. Liam hugged her, but she cried even louder. Odell


    got up to her and wanted to carry her into his arms. However, the little girl clung to her brother and


    refused to let Odell touch her. She even said,¡± I don¡¯t want you, you big baddie. I want Mommy, I want


    Mommy!¡± She cried louder and louder as she threw a temper. Odell responded with a grim look. He had


    brought Isabel back for quite a while now, and this might be the first time he was seeing her throw a


    tantrum. He intuitively assumed that it was that woman who made his daughter do this. Nevertheless, he


    suppressed his emotions and picked Isabel up into his arms. The little girl kept punching him and


    resisted his hug. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll go talk to her tomorrow. If you keep crying, I won¡¯t go,¡± Odell said.


    Isabel went quiet immediately, even retracting her little punch. Her eyes were red as she asked,


    ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Promise.¡± Odell tightened his lips. Isabel¡¯s eyes shone with hope, and she quickly turned


    around to Liam to signal him


    Liam also curled his lips into a grin.


    Odell noticed every little reaction from the two little rascals which left him speechless.


    The woman¡¯s ability to instigate the children was definitely something else. It was impossible for her to


    move in with them, but for the sake of the kids, he did not mind finding her a closer ce to stay


    Sylvia took a day off from work and went searching for houses to rent around the district.


    The houses around the Carters¡¯ mansion were mostly independent units that were already upled


    Even if she found one or iwo vacant units, the rent was terrifyingly expensive.


    After a few rounds of research, only the newly developed luxurious residential area behind the Carters¡¯


    maison d e requirements


    There was rives that ted the Carters¡¯ mansion and the newly developed residential area The river had


    a bridge as well, and the distance was actually closer to the Carters¡¯ mansion hadifroin ei old house


    However, the rent was atrocious. A month¡¯s rent was higher than her sry at the wood ¨C carving


    studio,


    Nheless, for the sake of the kids, she bit the bullet and rented it.


    After settling down, Sylvia and Aunt Tonya returned to their old house and prepared to move out.


    It was then that they saw Tristan at the entrance. He looked anxious while he was probably waiting for


    Sylvia


    Sylvia got out of the car and asked, ¡°Tristau? What are you doing here?¡± Tristan went up to her when he


    saw her. ¡°Sylvia, why didn¡¯t youe to work today?¡± ¡°I took a day off.¡± ¡°What for? Is it because I


    confessed to you and made things awkward for you? So, you¡¯ve decided to avoid me?¡±


    Sylvia did not expect Tristan to have such a wild imagination. ¡°It¡¯s not because of you.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I want to move.¡±


    Aunt Tonya then opened the gate. Tristan had a nce inside the house and saw luggage bags and


    boxes packed up. Stunned, he scratched his head awkwardly and giggled.


    Sylvia felt helpless at the man¡¯s reaction. ¡°Go home. I have things to move.¡±


    Tristan followed her into the house and said, ¡°Sylvia, why are you moving?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to live here


    anymore.¡± Sylvia did not want to start anything with him, so she did not want to meddle with his


    rtionship with Sonia. All she wanted was a normal working life and to be with her kids.


    Tritan noticed that the house was rather old and was no longer suitable for staying. He went up to her


    and said, ¡°I¡¯m free today. Why don¡¯t I help you move?¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I¡¯ve contacted the movingpany, and they areing soon.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go


    help you unpack at the new ce,¡± Tristan then said with a smile.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74 Sylvia sized him up.


    He wore a white shirt and long pants coupled with a pair of clean leather shoes. Each piece of his outfit


    screamed luxury. In addition to thatir skin of his, nothing on him showed signs that he could do


    laborious work.


    Sylvia decided to be frank with him, ¡°No thanks, you will only give me more trouble than actually helping¡±


    Tristan¡¯s smile froze.


    It was then that the movingpany¡¯s truck arrived.


    Sylvia did not want to talk to him anymore. After loading the things onto the truck, Sylvia brought Aunt


    Tonya to the new house.


    Tristan got into his own car and followed the truck.


    Twenty minutester, Sylvia arrived at hier new house with the movingpany.


    The new house was a fully furnished two-story mansion equipped with a spacious courtyard. Just when


    Sylvia wanted to move her things inside, Tristan came up behind her and said, ¡± This is a lovely house.¡±


    After spending that much on rent, she ought to make sure it was nice.


    Sylvia did not answer and simply moved her things inside.


    Tristan also helped wherever he could.


    When they were almost done, it waste in the afternoon.


    It was almost time to pick Isabel and Liam up from kindergarten, so Sylvia headed to the gate.


    ¡°Are you going to pick up your kids? I¡¯m free, I can go with you,¡± Tristan asked.


    Sylvia wanted to stop him, but before she could, her phone rang.


    It was from Odell


    Curious, she answered the phone. ¡°Odell? What is it?¡±


    Odell¡¯s charming voice came through the phone. ¡°You don¡¯t need to pick Isabel and Liam from


    kindergarten I¡¯m sending Ben and Jacob over.¡±


    Sylvia frowned ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I have something to discuss with you. Come and meet me.¡±


    She had no idea why he would want a meeting ¡°What is this about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the coffee shop at 35, Old District Street.¡±


    The call then went silent,


    Given his temper, she thought he had simply hung up on her. Sylvia grunted and pocketed her phone.


    Tristan came over. ¡°Is it Odell?¡± ¡°Yeah. Thank you for helping me move, Tristan. I¡¯ll buy you lunch


    another day,¡± she said.


    Tristan smiled. ¡°I said there¡¯s no need for courtesy between us.¡±


    Sylvia already told him what she wanted to say, and she did not have the time to further exin herself.


    Odell must want to meet her because of the kids, so she had to go right away.


    ¡°I have to go out for a while. Why don¡¯t you go home first?¡±


    Sylvia then got into her own car.


    Tristan noticed the urgency on her face and did not say anything.


    At the same time, the man, who was waiting at the coffee shop, heard the conversation through his


    phone, and a grim expression shadowed his features. Move? Helping her move? She got Tristan to help


    her move?


    Old District Street was in a corner of the Old District.


    It only took a ten-minute drive for Sylvia to arrive at the retro coffee shop.


    Judging by the looks of it, the man must have booked out the ce.


    Odell was the only one in the coffee shop, and he was sitting beside the window. Maybe it was because


    of the dim interior, Sylvia felt pressured when she walked in. She went to Odell and sat opposite him. He


    leaned back with his hands crossed. His sitting posture had a sense ofziness to it.


    However, his broody expression coupled with his furrowed brows were signs that he was not exactly in a


    good mood, Sylvia noticed him staring at her from the moment she arrived, which gave her chills.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 75

    As far as she could remember, she had not done anything to make him mad recently.


    ¡°What is this about, Odell?¡±


    He stared at her and said, ¡°I heard from Isabel and Liam that you are moving?¡±


    Sylvia was surprised. ¡°How did they find out?¡±


    She was only going to tell them after she moved.


    Odell scoffed. ¡°You were the one who tell them, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Sylvia was confused. ¡°Why would I tell them that I¡¯m moving?¡±


    They were kids, and moving was supposed to be an adult problem, so why would she tell them?


    Odell squinted. ¡°You really didn¡¯t tell them?¡± Sylvia stared right back into his eyes and confidently said,


    ¡°Of course not.¡± He tightened his lips and the expression on his face turned cold. Even the air around


    him fell colder than usual.


    Sylvia had goosebumps from his stare. She then asked, ¡°Odell, can you not look at me like that? What is


    it that you want to talk about?¡±


    Odell finally moved his thin lips. ¡°After they knew you were moving, they threw a tantrum at me because


    they want you to move in with them.¡±


    He continued to stare at her.


    Sylvia was first surprised before she frowned. She did not expect the two of them to want her to move in


    with them.


    Maybe Jacob, who helped her tidy up yesterday, told them that she was moving, and the two little rascals


    did not want her to move far away, hence suggesting she move in with them.


    What¡¯s your opinion on this?¡± Odell asked her.


    What opinion could she possibly have? She said, ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate. We¡¯ve already got a divorce a long


    time ago. No way we¡¯ll live under the same roof again. I¡¯ll talk to them when I see them


    She was calm throughout her exnation. She had no thoughts of moving in with the kids, let alone


    living with him under the same roof.


    Odell wore an even sourer look. ¡°What if they insist? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°T¡¯ll talk to the


    sides, I¡¯ve already moved into a new house, so they will listen to me.¡±


    The look on his face changed again


    Sylvia was surprised by howst be changed his expressions. She then asked, ¡°Did you get into an


    argument with Tara?¡±


    The only possible exnation for his odd behavior was that he tried to vent his grievance on her.


    Otherwise, why would he look angrier than before?


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Indeed, she had moved, but it had nothing to do with him.


    Odell did not answer. Instead, lie asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your new ce?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the newly developed mansion behind the Carters¡¯ mansion.¡±


    ¡°You rented a mansion?¡± His faze remained keen.


    Sylvia noclded.


    ¡°The rent isn¡¯t cheap.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get the money for it?¡± ¡°My earnings.¡±


    Earnings? Her monthly sry was too little to rent a mansion that expensive. A quick thoughtter, Odell


    asked, ¡°Did you use the money Isabel made from her endorsement and advertisement?¡±


    Sylvia was irritated but remained calm. ¡°No, I earned the money myself.¡±


    The money that Isabel earned was safely kept in the bank ount. She did not even use a single


    penny.


    Odell scossed. ¡°Then, the money must be from ¡®Tristan.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She had said twice that she used her own money, but he chose to ignore every


    single word. She inhaled deeply and then said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m using my own money.¡±


    Odell did not care as he did not believe what she said.


    Sylvia had repeated it three times now, and yet he still refused to believe her.


    ¡°Is there anything else? If not, I¡¯m leaving.¡± She still had to help Aunt Tonya clean up the ce.


    Odell picked up his cup of coffee for a sip.


    Sylvia thought that was it, so she wanted to get up. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± he said.

 Chapter 76

    Sylvia sat back down and looked at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°From today onwards, you don¡¯t need to fetch Inabel and Liam from kindergarten anymore.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She asked, ¡°Why? Because I moved?¡± Clunk!


    A clear thunk sounded when Odell put his cup down on the table


    Sylvia was frightened, but she was still annoyed and angry. He wore a cold look and said, ¡°You won¡¯t be


    seeing the children anymore.¡±


    Sylvia was more confused than ever, but before she could respond, Odell got up and was about to


    leave.


    Infuriated, Sylvia dashed in front of him and stopped him from leaving. She blurted, ¡°Odell, what do you


    mean? If you don¡¯t exin what is going on, I won¡¯t let you leave.¡± Odell frowned.


    Despite her tiny stature, she hoped to stop him from leaving.


    He put his hand on her shoulder and simply moved her aside. The excessive strength from his hand


    even caused her to falter,


    Right before he walked out of the coffee shop, she ran over and clutched his arm. She clung to him


    tightly and was prepared to go all out is needed.


    Odell frowned at her. His deep gaze got colder,


    Sylvia braced herself and stared into his eyes. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on and I¡¯ll let you go!¡±


    Her eyes widened, and her anger made her cheeks puffier than normal. She might be furious, but she


    looked more like a startled cat.


    Odell tightened his lips and said to her, ¡°I don¡¯t wish for my children to have an indiscreet mother.¡±


    Indiscreet?


    Confused, Sylvia asked, ¡°Indiscreet? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You know exactly what I mean.¡±


    Was it because of Tristan again?


    Sylvia was more annoyed than ever. ¡°Odell, there¡¯s really nothing between me and Tristan!¡±


    Odell simply scofled at her, expressing his disbelief. Sylvia felt helpless. She was getting really tired of


    exining her rtionship with Tristan. She had no idea why Odell insisted that she had something


    romantic with Tristan.


    Fed up of exining, she said, ¡°Odell, there¡¯s really nothing between me and Tristan, and


    even if there is, so what? We are both single, and if I date him, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m an indiscreet mother.¡±


    He red at her and bellowed coldly, ¡°You didn¡¯t take care of the children and go dating another man.


    That¡¯s indiscretion!¡±


    ¡°Odell Carter, can you be reasonable?! As a father, you¡¯re also dating Tara. Does that make you an


    indiscreet father too?¡± Sylvia was deeply annoyed.


    Odell tightened his lips. A few seconds of silenceter, he said, ¡°Tara and I are going to get married


    soon. We are not like you.¡±


    ¡°What if Tristan and I are going to get married soon as well?¡± Sylvia then argued.


    Odell puckered his lips. A few more secondster, he said grimly, ¡°If you marry him, you won¡¯t see the


    children for the rest of your life.¡±


    Sylvia was frightened by his gaze, so she started to avert his look, but she was still annoyed. She truly


    believed something was wrong with the man¡¯s head. Now or principle on earth forbade her from


    getting married again. Why would he forbid her from remarrying?


    All of a sudden, Sylvia thought of something, and it somehow put a grin on her face.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    She looked at him and said, ¡°Odell, are you trying to be possessive again? Are you having some other


    thoughts about me? Your ex-wife?¡±


    She smirked and her eyes curved like crescent moons with slyness shining from within.


    Odell frowned and bellowed coldly, ¡°I will never let my children call someone else ¡®father¡¯, and as for you,


    even if go blind, I will never have any thoughts about you!¡±

 Chapter 77

    Sylvia awkwardly pouted. Odell noticed the slight disappointment in her, and it curved his lips into a grin.


    A momentter, ¡°If you don¡¯t let go of me, I¡¯ll cut your hands off.¡± Sylvia was out of options since he made


    himself clear, thus she was forced to let go of him. Odell red at her onest time before leaving She


    watched him leave as she cursed secretly, ¡®Crazy bastard.¡¯


    She had said there was nothing between her and Tristan, but he did not believe her and refused to let


    her see the kids. After that, she said she was dating Tristan and he got even angrier; he also refused to


    let her see the kids.


    If he was not the epitome crazy, who else was?


    Sylvia returned to her new house.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    She helped Aunt Tonya clean up the ce first before she headed to Carter Residence. She wanted to


    see Isabel and Liam, but the bodyguards stopped her outside.


    ¡°I want to see Madam Carter,¡± she said.


    The bodyguard said expressionlessly. ¡°Master Carter made it clear that even Madam Carter came out for


    you herself, you are still not allowed inside.¡±


    Sylvia was upset, but there was nothing she could do. She returned home and called Isabel and Liam


    instead.


    The call got through after a few seconds.


    ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t youe to pick us up today?¡± Isabel asked. Sylvia thought about it for a moment


    before she said with a smile, ¡°Mommy is busy moving today, so I can¡¯t make it.¡± Isabel was surprised.


    She did not expect her mother to move this soon. She pouted and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your new ce,


    Mommy?¡±


    Liam moved closer to the phone after he heard that his mother had moved. He literally put his Par on the


    back of Isabel¡¯s phone


    Sylvia¡¯s warm voke sounded from the phone. ¡°I moved closer to you guys. In fact, I¡¯m right behind your


    house Cross the bridge, and I cane to you.¡±


    Isabel and Liam Fanto the balcony aihe back of the house where they saw a residential area Opposite


    the river


    The lights were brighter over there, and the houses were newer. Even the scenery there was more


    beautilul


    ¡°Mommy, are you staying in one of the beautiful new houses behind ours?¡± Isabel asked. Sylvia said with


    a smile, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯lle to bring you guys out to y when I¡¯m done settling down.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Knowing that her mother had moved closer and into a newer unit, both Isabel and Liam were thrilled.


    When they were happy, Sylvia was happy. She chatted with them for a little while before hanging up. She


    then texted Odell again. ¡°Odell, I shouldn¡¯t have argued with you. Sorry, but I¡¯m living as an honorable


    person now, and I won¡¯t get the children a stepdad. Please let me pick them up from kindergarten and let


    me see them. Please.¡± She had to bite the bullet to lower herself to text him.


    There was no other choice; she could only beg. An hourter, Odell replied, ¡°No.¡± One word that reeked


    of ruthlessness and frostiness.


    Sylvia clenched her teeth and texted back, ¡°Then, what must I do to see them again?¡± ¡°Quit your job.


    Move to a new ce.¡± Sylvia was speechless.


    His words sounded like they were from a king in a superior position, but he was just her ex husband


    She was over him and would never sabotage his rtionship with Tara. All she wanted to do was to see


    her kids.


    Even if she had something with Tristan, what gave him the right to stop her from seeing the kids? She


    had even lowered herself to be him, and he asked her to quit and move to a new ce.

 Chapter 78

    Why? The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. It had been three years, and she was still living


    under his shadow.


    An umtion of rage gushed up to her mind.


    she straightened her face and texted back. ¡°I won¡¯t quit and I won¡¯t move. I will see my children!¡±


    The chat window went quiet for a few minutes.


    Then, Odell¡¯s reply came. ¡°Hmph. You think you can do that alone?¡±


    ¡°Alone. We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    After sending thest text, Sylvia tossed her phone on the bed angrily.


    Meanwhile, at Carter Residence, Odell was sitting on the couch in the gray master bedroom. When he


    saw the text Sylvia sent him, the storminess on his face intensified.


    She¡¯s really over her head now, and it seems like a lesson is needed.¡¯


    He then called the butler.


    ¡°Increase two more bodyguards in the front and back. Do not let Sylviae near the house.¡±


    The next afternoon, Sylvia finished work early and arrived at the kindergarten half an hour earlier than


    usual.


    However, before she could park her car, Ben, Jacob, and two new bodyguards came to her and stopped


    her.


    Sylvia rolled the window down and said with a stern face, ¡°Move.¡±


    Ben and Jacob found themselves in a sticky situation.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, Master Carter gave the order. You are not allowed to fetch Isabel and Liam, and if you do, we


    will be fired,¡± Ben said.


    Jacob echoed, ¡°Yeah, Ms. Ross. Please go home. Don¡¯t give us a hard time.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    They really did not want to be rough with Sylvia.


    Sylvia swallowed her pride and turned the car around. She did not leave though. Instead, she parked


    further away and watched from afar


    Ben and Jacob drove a seven-seater SUV.


    When it was time, they drove to the entrance and picked Isabel and Liam up.


    All Sylvia could see were two tiny figures going inside; she could not even see their faces. She frowned


    as she persistently followed them to the Old District.


    Then, before her car even got close to the street where Carter Residence was located, bodyguards


    came out and stopped her. Sylvia turned the car around and tried to go in through the other entrance but


    was stopped as well.


    The entire mansion was surrounded by a barrier of bodyguards, so she could not even get close.


    Sylvia was forced to leave. At the same time, Isabel and Liam arrived home with sulky expressions. They


    went back to their room.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Mommy did note to pick us up again.¡± ¡°I saw Mommy¡¯s car following us on the way


    back,¡± Liam said. Isabel did not understand her brother. ¡°Then, why Mommy didn¡¯t pick us up herself?¡±


    Liam frowned. ¡°Maybe Daddy won¡¯t let Mommy pick us up again.¡± ¡°That big baddie! I¡¯ll go talk to him!¡±


    Isabel angrily jumped down from the chair. Liam, however, held her back. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Great-grandma


    instead.¡±


    Isabel remained annoyed, ¡°Why? It¡¯s not like Great-grandma can control him.¡±


    Liam curled his lips and patiently said, ¡°We go to Great-grandma and ask her to bring us to Mommy.?


    A few minutester, the two arrived in the living room.

 Chapter 79

    Madam Carter had enough of Isabel and Liam crying for their mother while they still tried to give her


    massages. She called Ben and Jacob over. ¡°Bring Isabel and Liam to Sylvia.¡± Ben and Jacob exchanged


    a look. Ben then said, ¡°Madam, Master Odell made it explicitly clear that Ms. Ross is not to meet the two


    of them.¡± Madam Carterughed. ¡°He said Sylvia cannot pick them up from kindergarten and cannot


    come near to the house, but he didn¡¯t say they can¡¯t go meet her.¡± She was right, but Odell had looked


    thunderously scary when he gave the order. If he found out, the bodyguards would still be fired.


    Ben and Jacob once again found thernselves in a difficult position.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Isabel blinked and thought of something. She pouted and leaned beside Madam Carter. ¡°Great grandma,


    I miss Mommy so much that I couldn¡¯t sleepst night.¡±


    Madam Carter almost melted because of her cute googly eyes. She hugged the little girl and said to Ben


    and Jacob, ¡°If Odell asks, you just tell him I told you to do so. It¡¯s still early now. If you can bring them


    back before Odelles home, he won¡¯t know.¡±


    Since Madam Carter put it this way, Ben and Jacob had no reason to decline anymore. They nodded and


    brought the kids out.


    Back at Sylvia¡¯s ce, she had been staring at her phone ever since she came back. She was hesitating


    whether or not to call Odell and negotiate with him. It seemed like the man was determined to keep the


    kids away from lier.


    After sulking for a long time, she tapped on Odell¡¯s chat window and was about to text him. Just before


    she typed her text, noises came from the entrance. There were a series of hops and footsteps, followed


    by the cute voice of a girl. ¡°Mommy, Liam and I are here!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glowed and put her phone away.


    The two little rascals ran inside Isabel took the lead with Liam running closely behind her.


    Sylvia ran to them as well and hugeed them lightly


    She was over the moon when she saw the iwo of them. ¡°Why? How did you guys get here?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°Great grandma cold Uncle Ben and Uncle Jacob to bring us here.¡±


    ¡°Liar went to Great grandma, and she told them to bring us to you.¡± Isabel echoed.


    Sylvia smiled as she caressed Liam¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re really smart, Liam.¡±


    She did not think about theming to her at all.


    Liam smiled brightly at the praise.


    ¡°Mommy, I massaged Great-grandma for a long time,¡± Isabel then said.


    Sylvia also caressed her head and said, ¡°Isabel, you¡¯re smart too.¡±


    Isabel grinned widely.


    The two adorable angels made Sylvia forget all the annoying things that happened in the past two days.


    She brought them inside and took them on a tour of the new house.


    Although it was not as grand as the Carters¡¯ mansion, it was bigger and more spacious than her old


    ce. After a tour around the house, Sylvia brought them to the children¡¯s room that she had prepared


    specifically for them where their favorite toys were lined up. Sylvia yed with them for quite some time


    until Jacob came knocking. ¡°Ms. Ross, Master Odell ising home soon. We must go now.¡± Sylvia


    tightened her lips in slight disappointment. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liam and Isabel reacted the same. They wanted to stay longer.


    Sylvia did not want them to leave as well, but if Odell found out that they were here, they might not be


    able toe again.


    She cuddled and snuggled them, spoiling them silly. Fortunately, the two of them were obedient.


    After some hugs and kisses, the two of them left. Sylvia sent them out and watched them leave from the


    entrance. After the car disappeared beyond the bridge, Sylvia regained herposure. It was great that


    her children could visit, but they could not always meet in secret like that. She had to think of another


    way.

 Chapter 80

    In the next few days, Isabel and Liam woulde over to Sylvia¡¯s ce after school. Sylvia would also


    go home early to wait for them.


    Although it was short, she was able to see them every day, and it was fulfilling enough.


    On this particr day, Sylvia was finishing her work at the studio. It was almost time for the kids to get off


    kindergarten, so she got up and wanted to leave. Coincidentally, when she walked out of the studio, she


    bumped into Sonia. Sonia¡¯s long hair was draped over her shoulder. She wore a pink dress and was


    waiting at the entrance. Sonia red the moment she saw Sylvia. Sylvia simply had a nce and said,


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sonia lifted her chin and said arrogantly, ¡°I¡¯m here for Tristan.¡± Sylvia was


    fine with it as long as Sonia was not here to cause trouble. Relieved, she continued walking away. Sonia


    did not expect herck of reaction. What irritated her the most was that Sylvia did not even want to look


    at her. She turned to Sylvia and bellowed, ¡°Sylvia, stop! I have a warning for


    you!¡±


    Sylvia simply paused for a moment before she continued walking.


    Sonia ran up to her and stopped her from leaving. She screamed, ¡°Are you deaf? I¡¯m talking to you!¡±


    Sylvia shrugged helplessly. ¡°Is there aw saying I must answer you when you talk to me?¡±


    TIILI


    Sonia was speechless for a moment. She red and continued in her arrogant tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you expect


    to be a match for Tristan. He¡¯s never going to be with you, and we are getting engaged soon!¡±


    Thinking about her parents mentioning the arrangement for her to wed Tristan made her gleeful, even


    more so when she could spew it all out at Sylvia¡¯s face. She still did not see a reaction from Sylvia. She


    grinned in delight and added, ¡°Stop pretending You must feel horrible now.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. Why would she feel horrible? She did not want to waste any more time with


    Sonia, so she sirode away.


    Sonia caught up to her again.


    ¡°Why are you running away?! I¡¯m sull not done yet!¡± She raised her brows at Sylvia. ¡°I¡¯m Warnink you!


    After the engagement, I will be the boss of this studio as well, and if you are smart, you can already start


    i yping your resignation letter. Or else, I¡¯ll make sure you leave in the ugliest way possible.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. Just when she was about to refute, the door behind her opened.


    Tristan strode out and went straight to Sylvia. Sonia was surprised. ¡°Tristan?¡± ¡°Sonia, we will never be


    engaged. Stop dreaming. And you will never be the boss of the studio,¡± Tristan said coldly.


    Sonia felt hurt and quickly sunk into a grievance. ¡°Tristan, have you fallen for this bitch¡¯s spell? Did she


    say something bad about me?¡±


    The air around Tristan got even colder. ¡°Sonia, she¡¯s your sister. If you call her a bitch again, don¡¯t me


    me if I decide to cut ties between our families.¡±


    Sonia was frightened by his threat, but she was also incensed that he decided to protect Sylvia. As her


    eyes turned red, she buried her face behind her hands and ran away in a fit of sobs.


    Tristan then turned to Sylvia and exined, ¡°Sylvia, please don¡¯t misunderstand. The whole arranged


    marriage between me and her was decided by my parents, but I will talk to them about this.¡±


    However, Sylvia was a little surprised by his rification. ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to exin it to me. It¡¯s your


    freedom. You can be engaged with whoever you want. I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Tristan then recalled what Tara had said to him before.


    He believed that Sylvia was reacting like this because of Sonia. He tightened his lips and looked into her


    eyes with determination. ¡°Believe me. I will show you what I mean.¡±

 Chapter 81

    Before Sylvia could say anything, Tristan strode off to his car, leaving her frowning


    She had a bad feeling about his response, but it was time for Isabel and Liam toe home, so she had


    to leave too.


    Tristan went home right after that.


    Tristan¡¯s parents, Bruce and Catherine, were chatting in the living room.


    He went up to them with a serious expression and dered, ¡°I don¡¯t like Sonia.¡± ¡°You guys barely met.


    Just go out more and develop your rtionship,¡± Bruce said. The Rosses and the Ledgers had a strong


    business rtionship over the years. Although it was the Rosses who had proposed the marriage, Bruce


    felt it was only appropriate.


    After all, Sonia was appointed the heir of the Rosses, and Tristan was the only son of the Ledgers, so the


    union between the two families was nothing less than a great decision.


    Tristan confessed, ¡°There¡¯s someone I like.¡±


    Bruce frowned.


    ¡°Tristan, who might that be? Which family is she from?¡± Catherine asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you who she is yet, but I¡¯ll bring her to meet you guys soon,¡± Tristan said. He nned to bring


    Sylvia home after he finally won her heart.


    Dissatisfied, Bruce said, ¡°Then, at least tell us about her background first. What does her family do, and


    what is her upation?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that either, but you will know soon.¡±


    Bruce wore a grim look


    Catherine nudged him, signaling him to not get mad at their son. She then asked Tristan,¡± Tristan, do you


    really like the girl?¡±


    Thinking of Sylvia put a smile on his face. ¡°Yeah, I really do.¡±


    His sinile was as bright as the sun.


    Catherine sighed softly. He was her only son, so she did not want to be too straightforward just yet. She


    simply said, ¡°Well, bring her home when you are ready and let your father and me have a look¡±


    If the girl had a decent background, she would agree to let Tristan be with the girl. If not, she would


    approath the girl instead and make her leave Tristan


    Tristan was delighted He asked, ¡°Mom, then can call of the engagement with Sonia?¡±


    Catherine smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll give Mrs Ross a callter.¡±


    The discussion about marriage should be put on hold first. If Tristan¡¯s choice was decent, they would


    also call off the engagement and renegotiate with the Rosses about what to do next.


    It was the Rosses who wanted the marriage to happen after all.


    Tristan took his father¡¯s silence as a tacit agreement, so he went out cheerfully.


    After he left, Catherine called Mrs. Ross, Dona.


    The call go through after a few seconds.


    Catherine politely greeted Dona as usual before she sighed and went into a confession of things that


    gave her a headache After she used all the excuses to mentally prepare Dona, she told her that they


    wanted to put the chapement between Tristan and Sonia on hold first.

 Chapter 82

    As a fellow member of the upper circle, Dona knew what Catherine meant. Although disgruntled, she


    smiled and agreed as well. ¡°Since you are that busy, let¡¯s just put the engagement on hold first.¡±


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡±


    ¡°Talk to you soon.¡±


    Dona put her phone down with a dour look on her face.


    Sonia just came in and saw the look on her mother¡¯s face ¡°Mom, what happened?¡±


    Dona grunted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into the Ledgers, but they want to put your engagement with


    Tristan on hold first.¡±


    Sonia widened her eyes in shock before they welled up in tears. Upset, she cried, ¡°It must be Sylvia!


    That bitch!¡±


    The name Sylvia surprised Dona. ¡°What? What about Sylvia? Stop crying first, Sonia. Tell me what


    happened.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia is seducing ¡°Tristan. She working at his studio, and because of her, Tristan wants to call off the


    engagement¡­¡±


    While tears rolled down her cheeks, she told her mother how she was chased out of Tristan¡¯s studio


    twice because of Sylvia.


    ¡°I really underestimated that little bitch.¡± Dona was furious. She sat Sonia down on the couch and offered


    comfort. ¡°Sonia, I¡¯ll handle this. Don¡¯t worry, Sylvia will pay for what she has done.¡±


    ¡°Mom, you have to do something about her. She¡¯s a conniving little bitch. If she¡¯s still there, Tristan will be


    forever under her spell.¡±


    Dona grunted, ¡°I will.¡±


    After calming Sonia down, Dona started thinking about a n.


    Sylvia had been chased out of the Rosses apart from having had two kids, and she was Odell¡¯s ex-wife.


    Given Dona¡¯s understanding of Catherine¡¯s character, there was no way that the Ledgers would agree


    with Tristan being together with Sylvia


    Some thoughtster, the only usible exnation would be that Catherine and Bruce had no idea that


    Tristan wanted to call off the engagement because of Sylvia.


    Dona grinned and picked up her ss of wine. Sonia was just beside her. She noticed the grin on her


    mother¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Mom, have youe up with something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Mrs. Rosster and tell her about Tristan and Sylvia,¡± Dona answered with a smile.


    Sonia failed to understand. ¡°Why are you telling her that?¡±


    ¡°Do you think Mrs. Ross will ept Sylvia as her daughter-inw once she knows Tristan wants to call


    off the engagement because of her?¡±


    Sonia¡¯s eyes glimmered, ¡°Sylvia is a divorcee and a mother of two. There¡¯s no way Mrs. Ross will ept


    her!¡±


    Later at night, even though Dona had already informed Catherine about Tristan and Sylvia, Sonia still


    could not sleep.


    Knowing that Tristan liked Sylvia more than herself made her angry


    Sylvia had been abandoned by the Rosses and was divorced with two kids. Sonia was a lot stronger


    than her in every aspect.


    Annoyed, Sonia called Tara. She wanted to ask for tips to win a man¡¯s heart.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    The call got through in seconds. In between sobs, she said, ¡°Tara, Sylvia is getting on my nerves. You


    have no idea that the bitch tried to make Tristan call off the engagement. Thankfully, my mom reacted


    quickly and told Mrs. Ross that she¡¯s seducing him. Or else I¡¯ll lose Tristan forever¡­¡±


    Tara frowned upon hearing what Sonia said. ¡°Sonia, did your mother really tell Mrs. Ross about Tristan


    and Sylvia?¡±


    Sonia answered, ¡°Yeah, I was beside her when she made the call. Mrs. Ross was pissed off when she


    learned about it. She ought to do something to that bitch Sylvia.¡± Knowing that Mrs. Ross would punish


    Sylvia, Sonia even raised her voice in delight.

 Chapter 83

    Tara¡¯s expression turned icy. She did not expect the dumb girl to have a smart mother.


    However, she was able to regain herposure and feigned a smile. ¡°Congrattions, Sonia When


    Mrs. Ross is done with Sylvia, you will finally be able to be with Tristan.¡±


    ¡°Tara, I actually called wanting to ask you how to capture a man¡¯s heart,¡± Sonia asked with admiration.


    ¡°Master Odell divorced Sylvia because of you and even tussled with his mother for so long, yet he¡¯s still


    together with you. He must love you to death.¡±


    Tara basked in the glow of admiration. It put a grin on her face. Then, Sonia added, ¡°How do you make


    Master Odell love you that much?¡±


    Tara froze. Her gaze turned distant and empty as if she sank into a distant memory. It even put a cold


    and guilty look on her face. She recovered after a while and continued smiling, ¡°I don¡¯t know how I


    should put it, but maybe I¡¯m simply Odell¡¯s type.¡± Sonia was persistent. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a way to capture


    Odell¡¯s heart?¡±


    Tara grinned. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Geez, I¡¯m really jealous of you. If Tristan can like me as much as Master Odell likes you, that would be


    great.¡±


    ¡°Feelings can be developed. Don¡¯t rush it.¡±


    The two of them chatted for a little longer before the call ended.


    Annoyed, Sonia tossed her phone away. She felt like she got 110 constructive advice from Tara after


    talking for so long, but Tara was Odell¡¯s girlfriend, and she was in no position to say anything.


    Meanwhile, at Lake Victoria Vi, Tara admonished Sonia as an idiot after the call. The stupid girl made


    herself the viin and expected Tristan to fall for her. It would be strange if a man would fall for a


    ridiculous girl like her.


    However, thinking about Mrs. Ross finding out about Tristan and Sylvia put a frown on her face. She


    could not let Tristan give up on Sylvia.


    Only when Tristan got together with Sylvia would that woman stay away from Oddell.


    Odell had to work overtime tonight, so Isabel and Liam stayed at Sylvia¡¯s ce longer than usual


    Sylvia had a great time as well. She had a wonderful sleep that night and had no idea what was going on


    beyond her four walls


    The next day, she arrived at work punctually


    Tristan arrivedter. He was in a white shirt and ck pants, and his hair looked like he had


    just emerged from a salon. He looked extra handsome and enthusiastic with a dash of brightness today


    He came to Sylvia with a rose in his hand, and before she could say anything, he put it on her desk


    Sylvia frowned, ¡°Tristan, please take this away.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯ve already talked to my parents. They called off my engagement with Sonia You


    don¡¯t need to reject me llymore because of her.¡±


    Sylvia was confused. Since when did she reject him because of Sonia?


    Nevertheless, Tristan did not live her the chance to exin. He patted her head and said softly, ¡°I have to


    po on a business Tripter ind will be back in a couple of days. Wait for me toe back


    He then let the studio, leaviny.balfled Sylvia behind. ¡°This guy is definitely out of his mind.¡¯Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 84

    After Tristan left, a middle-aged woman in a morous dress came in.


    There was a reception at the entrance and she was actually ushered in by the receptionist.


    Then, the receptionist said to Sylvia, ¡°Sylvi, someone is here for you.¡±


    Sylvia turned around. When she saw the woman looking for her, she was stunned. She had seen the


    woman before. It was Tristan¡¯s mother, Catherine.


    Out of respect, Sylvia put her work down and smiled at the woman. ¡°Mrs. Ross, hi.¡± Catherine smiled in


    response, but there was a hint of contempt. She sized Sylvia up from top to bottom and said, ¡°I have


    something to talk to you about. Can you take some time off in the afternoon for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    **Then, i¡¯ll wait for you at Elysian House.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Catherine did not linger and left after delivering her message.


    Sylvia also went back to work


    At lunch, Sylvia arrived at Elysian House punctually. Catherine had booked the balcony seat on the


    second floor.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    There was only one balcony seat in Elysian House. There was a VIP room on the left, and the spacious


    balcony equipped with a grandiose view of the city was to its right.


    When Sylvia arrived, she saw Catherine sitting gracefully on the balcony.


    Sylvia smiled politely.


    Catherine returned the same but with less enthusiasm. She said in a condescending tone, ¡± Come Sit.¡±


    Sylvia frowned but did as she was told and sat opposite her.


    Catherine was in no rush jump to the topic. She had a nce at the spacious panorama and then asked,


    ¡°This is quite near to your studio, right? Do youe here often for lunch?


    Sylvia had been here before but with Odell and Tara,


    ¡°This is my first,¡± she said.


    Surprised, Catherine asked, ¡°Really? Tristan has never brought you here before?¡± Sylvia barely reacted.


    ¡°Tristan and I are strictly employer and employee. I usually have lunch with my colleagues.¡±


    Catherine frowned. Sylvia was obviously hinting that there was nothing between her and


    Tristan. However, if there really was nothing, why would Tristan want to call off the engagement with


    Sonia?


    Catherine believed that Sylvia must be acting. She regained her graceful demeanor and asked,¡± Then,


    what do you think of this ce?¡± ¡°This is great.¡±


    ¡°It is. This is the ce where people like you can barelye even if you saved up your entire life.¡±


    Sylvia puckered her lips. ¡°Mrs. Ross, you can just be straightforward with me. You don¡¯t need to hint at


    something just to insult me.¡±


    Her candor froze the look on Catherine¡¯s face.


    Catherine radiated iciness as she said, ¡°I want you to leave my son as far as possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it. Tristan and I are just employer and employee, nothing else.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie. I know


    what girls like you are thinking.¡± Catherine scoffed. She then took a piece of cheque from her bag and


    pushed it across to Sylvia. Sylvia had a nce. It was a six-million-dor cheque. That was quite a huge


    amount to her.


    Catherine looked at her with contempt. ¡°Take the money and leave Westchester.¡±


    However, Sylvia softly bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Ross, I cannot leave Westchester.¡± Catherine reacted


    coldly, ¡°Are you still trying to cling to Tristan?¡±

 Chapter 85

    Sylvia looked straight into Catherine¡¯s eyes and sincerely said, ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much. I came back to


    Westchester to be with my children. Wherever my children are, that¡¯s where I go. They are now in


    Westchester, so I won¡¯t leave this city.¡±


    Catherine was a little surprised. ¡°Are you saying you work at Tristan¡¯s studio because of your children?¡±


    ¡°I purely work there for the sake of working.¡± Catherine scoffed. ¡°Then, why did you choose Tristan¡¯s


    studio in the first ce?¡± ¡°It was just a coincidence. When I first applied for the job, I did not know it


    belonged to


    Tristan.¡±


    Catherine remained dubious. She did not believe what Sylvia said.


    Sylvia added, ¡°Mrs. Ross, Tristan is a great person, but I don¡¯t like him.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like him and you won¡¯t leave Westchester, then I believe you can at least leave the studio.¡±


    Sylvia was slightly stunned. She had thought of leaving before because Odell had once threatened her


    with the kids and also because Tristan had confessed to her. In the end though, she did not leave


    because she got along with her colleagues. The studio also practiced a flexible work schedule and the


    pay was good.


    Now, it seemed like there was a reason for her to resign.


    She answered without a second thought, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go back and submit my resignation.¡±


    Catherine did not expect Sylvia to agree to this so quickly.


    ¡°Mrs. Ross, thank you for inviting me here. I¡¯ll go back and finish my work before I resign. You don¡¯t need


    to worry about anything.¡± Sylvia then got up. Catherine called her. ¡°Wait, you forgot your cheque.¡± Sylvia


    smiled ¡°Thank you, but please take it back.¡± She left without giving Catherine a chance to say anything.


    Catherine was left nk in her seal. She felt like something had just pped her in the face.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Regardless, Sylvia had agreed to leave the studio, so at least Catherine¡¯s effort did not go to Waste


    A while alterCallerine let the door of the room to the left opened Sunshine streamed in and


    Landed on the Lalliliali inside


    Odell leaned against the wall with his hands crossed His lips were curled into a faint smile. He had heard


    everything from the inoment Sylvia arrived


    He, too, did not expect Sylvia to agree to Catherine¡¯s request, and she did not even take the


    cheque.


    Was it because the amount did not satisfy her, or was it because of her dignity?


    ¡°Odell, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Tara was behind him. Sylvia had already left, but Odell showed no signs of sitting down, so she had to


    call him and ground him back


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    Odell regained hisposure and sat down for lunch.


    Tara secretly sized him up. His face was as stony as usual, but there was a hint of delight on him, which


    aroused her anxiety.


    She had seen what happened as well. She thought that Sylvia would have taken the cheque due to her


    meager sry not being enough to support herself and the children.


    To her surprise, Sylvia agreed to leave the studio and did not even take the money. Was she not afraid


    that she could not survive now that she had lost her job? The more she thought about it, the more


    questions popped up, which fueled her anxiety.


    Sylvia is really full of herself.¡¯


    Sylvia returned to the studio andpleted herst piece of carving. She handed the work to Betty,


    spoke to them, and then handed in her resignation letter to the human resource department.


    The HR person was baffled and suggested waiting until Tristan came back. However, Sylvia did not want


    to waste any more time, so she packed her things and left.

 Chapter 86

    Sylvia suurned home, Aunt Toriya was curious witry she was backtrare sunt tra, ad te hermed er is the


    had resigned


    Aunt Torrya was a little surprised but did not ask wtry. Although Sylvia had left Tristan¡¯s studio, she still


    love mod carvin ad do was to up on the profession. She pulled out the name ads that she had quins from


    the traditie te attended with Tristan, All the name cards belonged to the best yers in the wodcarving


    industry at they loves her work


    Some careful considerationter, she picked alen and then har resurre


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, she went out grocery shopping with Aunt Tonya She nned to me as fo. the kids when they


    arrivedter,


    What made her happier was that after the two little recals arried, Delutely z¨¢d, Mommy, I heard that the


    big baddie is workingte tonigjit, and he¡¯s noting home!¡± Sylvia¡¯s eyes glowed. She looked at Liam


    and asked, ¡°Lizm, is that true? Liam grinned. ¡°I called Uncle Cliff, and he said Deddy is having an


    intenztioral meeting tiz and won¡¯t being back¡±


    If Odell was noting back, it meant that the two little rascals could stzy z her ceter than usual.


    While Sylvia savored the happiness, Isabel jumped into her arms and meekly s¨¢d, ¡°Yomony, Brother and


    I don¡¯t want to go back Can we sleep with you?¡±


    Liam stared at her in anticipation Sylvia was moved as well. Some thoughtster, she said, ¡°Olzy, I¡¯ll call


    your grez-grandmater, so you guys can stay for the night¡± ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s great!¡± Isabel buried her face


    in her mother¡¯s arms.


    Liam also came closer. Sylv¨ªa bent over and hugged all of them with a big smile


    Night arrived as usual In the main meeting room of Carter Corporation, Odell was in the main seat with


    all the other shareholders and executives around the table. At the same time, the screen in front of the


    meeting room was showing the branch managers of their foreign subsidiaries, as they all met through the


    video call.


    The objective of the meeting was to report their branch updates for thest month. The content was a


    little lengthy and boring, and there was a lot of unnecessary information being delivered as well.


    Odell was annoyed after listening for a while. He propped his forehead on his hand, and the conversation


    between Mrs. Ross and Sylvia that he overheard at Elysian House earlier kept ying in his mind


    Mrs. Ross wanted Sylvia to leave Westchester, but Sylvia had refused. She imed that she was back


    because of the children and that she would go wherever the children were.


    Mrs. Ross wanted her to leave the studio, and she had agreed without a second thought.


    Mrs. Ross had also given her a six-million-dor cheque, but she had not taken it. Could it be that she


    never liked Tristan? Then, why would she resign when she was asked to? Was it to oppose him?


    The thought put a cold look on Odell¡¯s face.


    Isabel and Liam must have gotten their little tricks from her as the two little rascals opposed every single


    decision of his. Especially after he forbade her from seeing the kids, the two of them would intentionally


    look away whenever he came home, and neither wanted to talk to him. He tried talking to them, but they


    turned a deaf ear to him. They would either turn to Madam Carter or go back to their room and lock it.


    ¡®Wait, something is not right. Given their little tempers, they would have thrown a tantrum after not seeing


    Sylvia for days¡­¡¯ Now, the two of them simply ignored him and did not even ask Madam Carter to help


    him. They even joked and chatted with Madam Carler like obedient great-grandchildren. The more he


    thought about it, the stranger it felt. A whileter, he scanned over all the people in the meeting room and


    said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. We¡¯ll continue tomorrow.¡± He got up and left as his words subsided.

 Chapter 87

    Half an hourter, the ck supercar parked in front of the Carters¡¯ mansion. Odell came down The


    bodyguards got nervous when they saw him. ¡°Master Odell, 1 thought you were having a meeting? Why


    are you back so soon?¡±


    Odell reacted coldly He red at them and asked, ¡°How did you know I was in a meeting?¡±


    He did not tell Madam Carter that he was having a meeting, not even the butler knew. The bodyguard


    was stunned Tension piled up as he stuttered, ¡°1-1 heard it¡­from someone. ¡± Odell red at the


    bodyguard before he strode into the living room Madam Carter and the butler were chatting with the


    other servants in the living room When he came in, everyone was stunned Even Madam Carter showed


    nervousness on her face Odell looked around and asked, ¡°Grandmother, where¡¯s Liam and Isabel?¡±


    Madam Carter tightened her lips. ¡°Uh¡­ They went out to y¡± Odell frowned. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.


    They said they were bored at home, so I told Jacob and Ben to take them out.¡±


    Odell turned around and went out. Before he stepped out of the door, he turned around and bellowed to


    the butler, ¡°No one is allowed to tip Ben and Jacob off!¡±


    The buller was shocked and quickly nodded nervously.


    Odell then strode out.


    The butler sighed a breath of relief and asked Madam Carter, ¡°Madam, should we call Ben and Jacob


    and tell them to bring the kids back?¡±


    Madam Carter sighed. ¡°It¡¯s toote now. Odell knows.¡±


    Besides, the children could not just meet Sylvia in secret for the rest of their lives anyway.


    Back at Sylvia¡¯s ce, the yard was brightly lit. Sylvia had the barbecue going, and Aunt Tonya helped to


    prepare grilled meat for the kids. Liam sat in front of the table and helped prepare the condiments. Only


    Isabel was idle and was following Sylvia around. Sylvia had just made a skewer, and she munched it off


    right away. Even though her mouth was full, she kept chatting with her mother, her brother, and even


    Aunt Tonya.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The yard was filled with the gamey aroma of meat andughter.


    When Odell arrived, he saw the scene.


    Sylvia had her hair tied up in a ponytail and an apron was wrapped around her waist. She was in front of


    the grill, making grilled chicken for the kids.


    Isabel was beside her, munching off the skewer. Her face was covered in grease, and yet her eyes were


    locked on the meat on the grill.


    Meanwhile, Aunt Tonya made fruit juice for Liam.


    Liam was not in a hurry to drink it either. He sat quietly on the bench and helped his mother with the


    condiments while Isabel would stuff a piece of chicken into his mouth from time to


    time.


    The mother and children looked happy and harmonious under the warm lights.


    Odell stood and watched for a while.


    When Sylvia served the meal and was about to sit down to eat with the kids, Odell finally walked in. His


    tall figure silenced the entire yard.


    Sylvia bolted up cautiously.


    Liam and Isabel also stood in front of her, trying to protect her from their father. They were afraid that he


    might do something bad to her.


    Odell frowned.


    Isabel screamed, ¡°Big baddie! Liam and I came here to see Mommy. It¡¯s not her fault! Don¡¯t vou bully my


    Mommy!¡±

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88 Liam stared at Odell coldly.


    Odell looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia blinked helplessly before she tried to tter him by saying, ¡°Odell, you can bring them back, but


    we just finished making grilled chicken Can you let them finish first?¡±


    She looked at him in anticipation.


    Odell simply hummed as a reply, which surprised Sylvia as she did not expect him to grant her


    permission In order to prevent him from going back on his promise, she quickly said to Isabel and Liam,¡±


    Isabel, Liam, sit down and eat.¡±


    Isabel and Liam noticed that Odell showed no signs of causing trouble, so they lowered their caution and


    went back to the table.


    Sylvia got them their tes and cutlery and was also about to sit down. ¡°Ahem.¡± The man suddenly


    grunted.


    Sylvia looked at him


    Odell stood there like a monolith, showing no intention to leave Some doubtster, she cautiously asked,


    ¡°Odell, do you want to have some?¡±


    Oddell had a nce over at the barbecue feast on the table and looked rather suspicious. ¡°You made all


    these?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I made them.¡± ¡°Are they even edible?¡± Sylvia was speechless. Before she could argue, Isabel


    grumbled, ¡°Big baddie, just eat if you want.¡± Odell tightened his lips. Sylvia forced a smile on her face ¡°I


    think they are okay. Why don¡¯t you give them a try?¡±


    He hummed an expressionless reply and went over to the table. Sylvia disliked his attitude. He wanted to


    try her cooking, but he acted like he was forced to do so under duress. However, she could not do


    anything because she was no match for him in various aspects


    For the sake of the kids, she put up with his lousy attitude. She told Aunt Tonya to get him a set of


    cutlery.


    Sylvia then sat down with the kids, and Odell sat down opposite her.


    The lively dinner somehow turned quiet after Odell¡¯s arrival.


    The two little rascals ate in silence.


    Aunt Tonya was beside the kids. She kept switching her attention between Odell and Sylvia, and she


    dared not make a noise either. Sylvia felt strange This might be the first time she was having dinner with


    him in a rather calm and peaceful environment ever since she came back to Westchester.


    It felt like lime went back to when they were married and she would wait for him loe home every day


    with meticulous cooking They would sit opposite each other and have dinner.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    The only difference was, back then, he seeined more distant, and every dinner felt like a chore to him.


    He would leave for his study the moment he was done.


    Now, he obviously enjoyed Use dinner much better.


    There was slight disgust on his face, but his hands and mouth never stopped. He even ate the fried


    pumpkin pie that Sylvia had prepared specially for Isabel and Liam. Sylvia was a little surprised. Out of


    the blue, Isabel arrogantly asked him, ¡°Big baddie, how¡¯s my Mommy¡¯s cooking? Fantastic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Odell


    answered with no obvious reaction on his face. ¡°Il¡¯s okay¡±


    Isabel pouled. ¡°Hmph Stop pretending you ate three pieces of our fried pumpkin!¡± Odell and Sylvia were


    both silenced. The air felt a little tenser than before.


    He looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia was rather calm when she noticed his gaze. She put on a smile and said, ¡°If you want more, I can


    ask Aunt Tonya to make more for you.¡±


    The terrible experience that she went through three years ago still felt like it had just happened yesterday


    She was not that stupid to proactively make dinner for him.


    Odell¡¯s eyes dimmed a little. He was not blind or deaf, and he could see the apathy in her fake smile and


    the nonchnce in between her words.


    She had prepared the feast for the kids, and now she wanted Aunt Tonya to bring him food instead. It


    was obvious that she did not want to make anything for him. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He put his cutlery down. Sylvia did


    not care and continued eating with the kids. Odell suddenly turned broody, and a momentter, he


    grunted. Curious, Sylvia turned to him.

 Chapter 89

    Odell looked at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a water dispenser over there. You can get a cup and pour yourself a ss of water.¡±


    Odell did not move and simply stared at her.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia ignored everything about him.


    Isabel had enough of the awkwardness. She pouted and said, ¡°Big baddie, can¡¯t you move by yourself?


    Where are your hands and legs?¡± It was then that Liam got up with his little cup and went over to get


    some fruit juice. Maybe it was intentional, but he got up slowly, walked over slowly, and got himself more


    fruit juice slowly. He did everything slower than usual, as if he was trying to show someone how to get a


    drink Isabel raised a brow and then said to Odell, ¡°Big baddie, if you don¡¯t know how to get yourself a


    drink, watch and learn.¡± Odell could not tolerate the scornful remarks anymore. He got up, poured


    himself a ss of water, and drained it to thest drop. Then, he turned to the kids and stated, ¡°It¡¯s time


    to go home.¡±


    Isabel grunted. ¡°I¡¯m not full yet!¡±


    Odell saw her tiny bloated stomach. Any more down that throal of hers would make her explode.


    He then looked pointedly at Sylvia


    She immediately knew what he meant. Both Isabel and Liam had more than enough. She smiled at them


    and said, ¡°Isabel, Liam, it¡¯s time to go home now. Follow your Daddy home.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Mommy, I want to sleep with you.¡±


    She had already mentioned she wanted to stay with her mother earlier.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Liam said. Odell reacted grimly. ¡°I¡¯ll count to three.¡± He sounded stern as he had obviously run


    out of patience. ¡°We¡¯ll get the chance soon. It¡¯s gettingte. Be good kids and go home with your Daddy


    first,¡± Sylvia said She gave each of them a kiss on the cheeks. Isabel simply hummed a sulky reply. Liam


    said, ¡°Mommy, we will see you tomorrow.¡±


    Sylvia was a little surprised. She quickly had a nce at Odell, but he did not say anything except for


    that cial look on his face. He somehow had no opinion about theming over


    to¦Ð¦É¦Ï¦Ðow.


    ¡°Okay. What do you guys want to eat tomorrow? I¡¯ll prepare it before you arrive.¡± Isabel got excited. ¡°I


    want to eat spaghetti!¡± Liam parroted, ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Great¡± Sylvia smiled and sent them to the entrance.


    Odell tossed the car keys to Jacob and brought the kids back


    The two little rascals did not like to talk to him, especially Isabel. She would rather cross her arms than


    let him hold her hand.


    Liam was beside Isabel, and Odell was on their right.


    The streetmp casted a long shadow behind them, and from afar, their figures painted a harmonious


    painting Sylvia was stunned for a moment. When she was pregnant with the two of them, she had


    fantasized about a scene like this countless times. She had always wanted to see her cute children


    walking beside their tall father. She had also fantasized about Odell ying around with them.


    Three yearster, on this particr night, her fantasy somehow came true, but she could no longer feel


    the happiness anymore. Aunt Tonya suddenly called out to her, ¡°Syl,e in. It¡¯s cold outside.¡± Sylvia


    hummed a reply and went inside. A while after she went inside the house, her phone rang It was from


    Tristan. It must be about her resignation. A quick thoughtter, Sylvia answered the phone.

 Chapter 90

    ¡°Sylvia, why did you resign?¡± That was i he first thing Tristan asked when the call gol thiough, and anxiely


    permealed the


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Line


    Sylvia calmly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want to work there anymore¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Is it because Sonia is


    giving you more Trouble?¡±


    ¡°No¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you leave?¡± Sylvia knew that if she did not tell Tristan the truth today, the man would


    continue to haunt lier like a ghost A quick thoughtter, she said, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to work in your


    studio anymore¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to work in my studio? Did you resign because of me?¡± Tristan was in


    disbelicf.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Sylvia was stunned She was as straightforward as she could be, but he still did not understand. On the


    other end of the call, Tristan clutched his phone tightly, his brows furtowed as he said, ¡°Sylvia, tell me.


    Did you leave because you want to reject ine or did Sonia make you do it?¡± Sylvia tightened her lips


    Some words were too hurtful when made verbal, and she knew how it fel to be tumed down? buy


    someone she liked However, she must be frank with Tristan ¡°Tristan, thank you for liking ine, but I really


    don¡¯t like you¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. It must be Sonia, or your family giving you pressure.¡± He


    unconsciously raised his voice.


    Sylvia calmly answered him, ¡°No. When I was chased out of the Rosses three years ago, I cut ties with


    them. Sonia and her fantly can no longer do anything to me.¡± Tristan went qulet. The silence went on for


    a while until Sylvia said, ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯ll be hanging up.¡±


    Tristan still did not say anything until she eventually hung up.


    The next moming, Sylvia received a reply from the other wood-carving studios All of them expressed


    interest in her work. They also sent her their offer together with the benefits. Every single one of them


    provided almost the same sry package, but only one promised flexible hours. .


    Sylvia chose it without a second thought


    She went over to the new studio to start working. The environment in the studio was not as


    good as Tristan¡¯s, but it was decent as well.


    Alter going around the studio for a bit and mingling with her new colleagues, Sylvia drove back to her


    ce


    On the way back, she stopped by the supermarket to buy some ingredients. She knew Isabel loved


    spaghetu bolognese, and Aunt Tonya was great at making meatballs, but a good tomato paste was the


    foundation to malte it delicious.


    She reached home and started working with Aunt Tonya to prepare dinner Aunt Tonya made the


    meatballs while she prepared the tomato paste as they waited for the kids toe over


    In the evening at the Carter Corporation, Odell was about to leave after finishing his work for the day


    His phone then rang It was Tara


    He picked it up, and Tara¡¯s soft voice came from the other end ¡°Odell, have you finished work?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°I booked a ce at The Greens. Let¡¯s go have dinner there together.¡± Odell wanted to say yes, but he


    suddenly thought of something. He tightened his lips in silence.


    The Greens was a well-known restaurant that promised the finest Western cuisine, and it was difficult to


    get a reservation. However, to him, it was nothing special, or in other words, he was already tired of it He


    started to recall the barbecue and the pastries that Sylvia had made at her cest night

 Chapter 91

    Every dish had been cooked to perfection, and it even gave Odell a sense of novel happiness with each


    bite he took


    A few seconds of silenceter, he said to Tara, ¡°I have something to doter. You can have dinner on


    your own.¡± ¡°Odell, I thought you are done with work. Are you going back to have dinner with Isabel and


    Liam?¡± she asked A slight hesitationter, he reluctantly hummied a reply Tara answered in


    disappointment, ¡°Okay.¡± Odell asked, ¡°Do you still have any money on your bank card? i¡¯ll transfer some


    money over. You can have dinner with your friends and go shoppingter. Buy anything that catches your


    eyes. You don¡¯t need to hold back.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes shone upon hearing Odell¡¯s generosity, but she remained calm and said, ¡°Odell, I still have


    my own money. You don¡¯t need to transfer any more to me now I don¡¯t want to always spend your


    money¡± Odell did not say a thing and simply transferred two million to her


    Al Sylvia¡¯s ce, just when the sun almost disappeared over the horizon, Isabel and Liam came in


    Isabel was running happily in a cute yellow dress


    Liam wore his usual white shirt and ck overall. He was quiet as always as he followed his sister in


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia had already prepared dinner, so she was just waiting for them toe over. The weather was


    great today, and having a spacious yard allowed Sylvia to move the table and chairs outside for the kids.


    10


    After hugging and kissing them, she told the kids to y with Aunt Tonya in the yard while she prepared


    dinner for them. A whileter, she came out of the kitchen with a pot of sauce and another pot of pasta


    To her surprise, theughter and noises in the yard somehow went silent. Curious, she hastened her


    steps to the yard and then saw the uninvited Odell sitting on one of the chairs.


    Isabel was sitting diagonally opposite him with her arms crossed and her brows furrowed at him


    Liam was beside his sister, and he looked a lot calmer than the girl beside him, but he was also baffled


    by Odell¡¯s presence.


    Further away, Aunt Tonya failed to wrap her head around the situation Sylvia was caught off guard. She


    asked, ¡°odell, why are you here?¡± Expressionless, he answered, ¡°I¡¯m here to bring the kids liome.¡± Sylvia


    had a nce at his arrogant sitting posture and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send then? back after they have had dinner¡±


    Odell did not say a word but showed no sigui of getting up either. Sylvia frowned ¡®Is he trying to stay for


    dinner again?¡¯ Aunt Tonya took the pot from Sylvia¡¯s tray and put it in the middle of the table. Isabel and


    Liam then pushed their tes closer to the pot. Sylvia did not care about Odell. She filled the children¡¯s


    te with sauce and spaghetti. ¡°Thank you, Mommy!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mommy.¡± The kids thanked their


    mother together before they dug in The aroma of the sauce pervaded the air as they slurped and chewed


    like the little monsters they were Odell tightened his lips. ¡°Ahem.¡± Sylvia said, ¡°If you want to have some,


    bring your own te over.¡± There was only so much pasta in the pol, and she did not prepare Odell¡¯s


    portion, but since he came, it was unwise for her to send him off. Odell red at her.


    Sylvia looked away and filled Aunt Tonya and her own tes with food. She turned a blind eye to him.


    He wore a grumpy expression.


    After slurping the spaghetti, Isabel chewed and said with her oily mouth, ¡°Big baddie, Liam and I brought


    our tes forward ourselves. You are already an adult, but you still want Mommy to bring you food.


    Shame, shame¡­¡± Odell was silenced. He looked at Sylvia and noticed that she was holding back her<pughter Finally, he grunted and got up. He took a te and cutlery from the box beside tbe table and got


    himself some spaghetti from the pot. Then, be returned to his seat and started eating

 Chapter 92

    Warm light shed over the yard. Isabel and Liam never stopped slurping and chewing their food. Although


    Odell¡¯s ster presence made the atmosphere a lot tenser and quieter, Sylvia still smiled happily when she


    saw her kids enjoying the food


    The only downside to the harinonious atmosphere was theck of pasta


    Sylvia only had a small te of spaghetti She then added more to Isabel and Liam¡¯s te There was still


    some in the pot, which was enough for Aunt Tonya and Odell each to have an extra serving


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Odell finished his spaghetti in a few bites. He wanted another te, but he saw Sylvia stop eating and


    was drinking water. He had a nce at the pot, then he also put his fork and spoon down. He said,


    ¡°Make more next time. Sylvia was stunned. She thought he did not have enough, so she said, ¡°There¡¯s


    still some in the pot.¡±


    S


    Odell did not answer. Instead, he started eating the fruits that were prepared No matter how much he


    wanted to have another te, he was not that low to take food away from a woman.


    Sylvia blinked and asked with a grin, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t you want any inore?¡± Odell nodded and hummed a


    reply.


    Sylvia then picked up the entire pot and poured the rest onto Aunt Tonya¡¯s and her te, not even


    leaving a drop of sauce behind She had no intention of keeping anything for him. Odell¡¯s face fell.


    It seemed like the woman that he used to call his wife had outgrown him


    Back in the day, whenever he came home from work, she would fill her te with food and let him fill his


    stomach first. He was her priority.


    Now, not only was she unweing, but when he said he had enough, she had poured the entire pot


    onto her te and did not even try to patronize him. While they were no longer husband and wife, it


    somehow still made him downhearted. Isabel and Liam ate non-stop. The quiet table was filled with their


    slurping and chewing


    No one had the time or the mood to respond to his temper.


    It was only after a while that he had enough of being ignored. ¡°Ahem!¡±


    Both Isabel and Liam looked at him together with furrowed brows.


    Isabel asked, ¡°What do you want, big baddie?¡± Odell looked at Sylvia. ¡°I want dessert.¡±


    The edge of Sylvia¡¯s mouth twitched a little


    Who did he think she was? His maid? Or did he expect her to serve hin like she used to?


    Sylvia really wanted to argue with him, but for the sake of the kids, she suppressed her temper and


    forced a smile ¡°I didn¡¯t make any dessert today If you want to have some, go home or ask Tara to make


    some for you¡±


    Odell tensed his lips in silence


    After Isabel and Liam finished eating and put down their cutlery, Sylvia wiped their mouths and hands for


    them


    Odell nced at them ¡°Time to go home¡±


    Isabel scoffed while Liain remained silent.


    Odell got up to them and carried Isabel in his arms while holding Liam¡¯s hand. Right before he walked


    out of the gate, he turned around to Sylvia and said, ¡°Remember to make dessert tomorrow¡±


    Sylvia was stunned Before she could say a thing, he added, ¡°If you don¡¯t prepare dessert, I won¡¯t let the


    ladse over¡±


    She was speechless. ¡°Big baddie, don¡¯t threaten my Mommy Isabel started punching his chest, and even


    Liam red at him Nevertheless, the punches and the re did nothing to him. When he saw Sylvia


    sulkang but not daring to say a thing, be grinned. He then brought the kids away


    Sylvia stood by the gate and watched them leave Deep down, she called him a crazy man


    If he was not crazy, why would bee to her ce to have dinner? And even asked for dessert? She


    really wanted to m some cakes into his face

 Chapter 93

    Despite being unhappy, Sylvia still bought ingredients for dessert the next day after work After she


    prepared all the ingredients for the main dish, she started making dessert pumpkin cookies and Isabel¡¯s


    favorite cakes and donuts In the evening, when Odell carne with the kids, Sylvia put the desserts on the


    table


    ¡°Wow! Mominy is the best!¡± Isabel praised as her eyes shone in delight


    Sylvia bent over, and the little girl gave her a kiss on the cheek


    Liam alsu came over and wanted 10 give his mother a kiss ¡°Thank you, Mommy¡± Sylvia also inoved


    closer to him and let the little boy¡¯s lips touch her cheeks


    The interaction between mother and children was intimale and heart-warning. When Sylvia bent over for


    the kisses, her cor gaped open around her neck, exposing her chest.


    Odell was standing slightly further away, and he saw right inside. He frowned slightly as the temperature


    started to rise He loosened his cor and even gulped nervously Sylvia kissed the kids on their cheeks


    before she said with a sniile, ¡°Now, go have some cake first while I go prepare dinner.¡± ¡°y!¡±


    The two little rascals ran to the table and started munching on cake.


    Odell stood still further away.


    Sylvia looked at him and noticed the blush on his face it was just a nce, but it pulled her down to


    memoryne foi a quick stioll.


    A few years ago, when they were still liappily married, Sylvia would change into sexy lingerie before


    sleeping to seduce him. She had been sessful many times, and she clearly remembered that his


    eyes back then were simr to how they appeared now. Sylvia blushed. Then, she red at him. ¡®Why is


    this guy being horny now? I didn¡¯t wear anything sexy, and I didn¡¯t even seduce him!¡¯ Annoyed, she


    called out to him, ¡°Odell, if you keep staring at me, you will have to leave.¡± She blushed even harder.


    Odell was not initated at all. Quite the opposite, he grinned. ¡°Remember to mind your cor when you


    bend over next time.¡± Sylvia looked down at her bosom. She was wearing a loose round cor shirt


    today. Then, she realized that she had been facing him when she bent over to the kids.


    Her face turned as red as a tomato she pouled, grunted at him, and stomped into the kitchen.


    Odell unconsciously giggled at her expression. Alter Sylvia went into the kitclien, Odell turned around


    and saw the little boy and girl pouting at him


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Their eyes widened and they seemed perplexed. Isabel said, ¡°Big baddie, why did you make my Mommy


    blush?!¡± Liam said, ¡°Daddy, the things that you said to Mommy-what do they mean?¡± Odell gulped


    nervously. Then, he sat opposite them and casually picked up a pumpkin cookie to put into his mouth.


    Isabel and Liam were still staring at him. Their pouty lips and puffy cheeks demanded answers. Odell


    awkwardly cleared his throat and teigned a grim look ¡°Eat.¡±


    Isabel grunted and looked away as Lian sulked and swallowed his rising curiosity.


    After the kids¡¯ curiosity died off, Odell squinted slightly and curved his lips into a mischievous grin before


    he ate the pumpkin cookie.

 Chapter 94

    Sylvia stayed in the litchen until she finished all the cooking Odell was sitting opposite the lods, and


    when she came out, he turned to her Sylvia red at him before she sal down beside the Irids,


    diagonally across him When Aunt Tonya came ajound, the fainily started eating Isabel and Liam were


    never picky when it came to their mother¡¯s cong They simply gubbled up whatever was ced in front


    of theni Odell had a nce at the mother and the childjen before he started eating


    Dinner was a feast with some bread, chicken, fish, and a big pot of soup It seemed simple, somewhal


    in in Odell¡¯s opinion, but the aromafioni the dishes was alluring It seemed to provide an indescribable


    delight to those feasting


    Odell picked a piece of chicken and discovered that it was tender and juicy He enjoyed the food a lol His


    brightened mood somehow also lifted the atmosphere Sylvia enjoyed dinner better than yesterday All the


    samelinie, she also ced vegetables on the kids¡¯ tes to ensure they had a bnced diel The two


    little rascals also put some chicken on her te in exchange It was harmonious and heart warming at the


    dining table At the same time outside the house, ¡®l¡¯ara was hiding in a corner, watching the family eat


    dinner with a horrified look Odell had not gone to her ce for two days straight, and it got her


    suspicious Therefore, once he finished work today and left the office, she followed him here she did not


    expect that he woulde to Sylvia¡¯s ce and have dinner with them


    Especially when the Idds were around, Isabel and Liam chatted happily with their mother but did not


    include him Nevertheless, he sat together with them, and it somehow painted the picture of a happy


    family of four The more T¡¯ara watched, the more terrible she felt


    Sylvia, that bitch¡¯ she didn¡¯t only move closer, but she even made Odell have dinner with lier and the


    kids¡¯


    Tara believed she underestimated Sylvia She clutched her fists tightly, so tighuy that her nails were


    almost embedded in ber flesh. She watched for a little longer beiore she left.


    Later that night at the grandest and most morous club of Westchester, Lush Heaven,


    Tristan was drinking ss aller ss at the bar counter


    Alcohol blurred his vision He limped over to the bar, and dazzling lights shed their brilliance over


    hushindsoine face, attracting the otherdies in the bar town over his looks


    Yoon, twodies in revealing outfits came to his side


    ¡°Master Tristan, why don¡¯t we buy you another ss?


    ¡°If you are facing any trouble at all, why don¡¯t you talk to us about it? We¡¯re good listeners


    They even sashayed their bodies closer to Tristan when they spoke to him


    m!


    Tristan mmed the ss on the ground and shouted, ¡°Piss off


    He did not even look at either of thedies


    Friglened, thedies squealed and ran away in a hurry The otherdies who tried to hit on Month were


    detented as well, and no one dare to pet close to him


    The bartender pkkly poured another ss of wuskry for him


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Things were rather tens until Tara walked in She found Tristar in a nce and went over to Hits with a


    smile


    ¡°Tristan, why are you drinking alone here?


    Tristan had a nce at her ¡°Piss eft¡± Tara patietuly said, ¡°Are you bere drinking alone because Sylvia left


    your studio

 Chapter 95

    Surprised, Tristan looked at Tara and asked, ¡°How did you know she resigned?¡± Sylvia and Tara were


    barely as quaintances given thelu tionship, so she would never tell thedy about her resignation Tara


    sighed ¡°I heard sone news¡±


    Then, she pulled out lier phone fron? her bag and showed Tristan the pictures she sneakily sijapped at


    Elysian House Ule other day witlioul Odell¡¯s knowledge


    The picture showed Sylvia situng al a table with Catherine, ¡°Tristan¡¯s mother Tristan grabbed her phone


    and zoomed in. A closer looktc?, lie nervously asked, ¡°Where did you get this picture? Why is Sylvia


    sitting together with my mother?¡± ¡°I identally ran into them al Elysian House the other day, and I heard


    Mrs Ledger wanted to give her money to make lier leave your studio¡± Tristan frowned. He asked, ¡°My


    mother really spoke to Sylvia about this?¡± Tara looked into liis eyes ¡°Why should i lie lo you? I was in the


    other room that day, and I overheard il withi ny owi ears¡± Tristan looked at the picture again Catherine


    looked cold and arrogant in the picture whereas Sylvia was not exactly delighted to meet his mother


    So, Sylvia¡¯s sudden resignation is because Mother got to her and not because of me?¡¯


    ¡°Thud!


    Tristan bolted up Tara was slightly startled. ¡°Tristan, where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Sylvia¡±


    He wanted to leave the club, but Tara stopped him before he could. ¡°Tristan, it¡¯s alreadyte, and you are


    tipsy It¡¯s not wise to go to her now.¡± Tristan wobbled before copsing onto the chair again His head was


    heavy due to the nurnber of donks he had Tara then whispered to him, ¡°Tristan, I don¡¯t know if I should


    tell you this, but¡­¡±


    Tristan tapped his dizzy head. ¡°Just shoot.¡± She wore a serious look and said, ¡°I think rather than going


    to Sylvia, why don¡¯t you convince your parents to agree to your rtionship with her? If they agree,


    Sylvia won¡¯t have any more concerns, and she might finally be with you.¡± Tristan looked at her ¡°I


    understand now¡±


    Tara grinned faintly ¡®Sylvia, oh, Sylvia I¡¯m ying the matchmaker in your rtionship. I hope you don¡¯t


    screw this up.¡¯


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Three dayster, which was a Monday, Sylvia arrived at her new workce on time The kids had asked


    for hot pot tonight. She listed down the ingredients she had in mind and worked extra hard for the day so


    that she could go home earlier to prepare dinner. While she was concentrating on work, a familiar voice


    called to her ¡°Sylvia!¡±


    She curiously turned around and saw Tristan


    He was dressed in his usual white shirt and long pants, but he looked more fragile than usual. Even his


    face looked slimmer than before


    However, when he looked at her, his eyes were shining and his lips were curled into a wide smile. He


    seemed excited


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°Tristan? Why are you here?¡±


    Tristan did not answer. He strode to her and carried her into his arms.


    She was stunned for a moment before she tried to push him away.


    Tristan tightened his grip on her and excitedly said, ¡°Sylvia, my parents finally agree to us being


    together!¡±

 Chapter 96

    Sylvia was once again stunned Questions filled her mind she pushed him and asked, ¡°Tristan, put me


    down! Let¡¯s talk!¡± Tristan giceled and put her down


    Excitement lingered on his face as he stared at her li made Sylvia lose the thought of rejecting hiin using


    the harshest words possible


    Curious, she asked, ¡°Tristan, I thought I made myself clear on the phone Why are you here talking to me


    about all this?


    ¡°I low everything ¡°Hearted like he really knew everything ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°You resigned because


    my mother got to you and forced you to ¡°Tristan then put his hand over het head and caressed her hair


    ¡°You rejected me with all those harsh words on the phone because of my mother, am I right?¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless She did not resign because of that ¡°Tristan, what I said to you over the


    phone is all real Mrs Ledger dide to me, but I did not resign because of her¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to


    exin anymore I understand¡± Sylvia did not know what else to say


    Tristan shed her a warin smile ¡°Sylvii, iny parents already agreed to us being together You don¡¯t need


    to live any concertis anymore¡±


    Sylvia stared at him she really wanted to crack that skull of his and see what was inside Despite having


    rejected him multiple times, he still failed to understand


    The List time, he imed that she had rejected him because of Sonia which bewildered her Now, he


    imed that she had rejected him because of his mother


    She clearly stated that it was not rted to anyone! Sylvia sighed helplessly ¡°Tuistan, I have to work


    Please leave¡± She no longer wanted to exin herself anymore Tristan smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to finish


    work, and we can go have dinner¡± ¡°No I¡¯m going back to prepare dinner for my kids Go home Don¡¯te


    to me anymore Tristan¡¯s face fell ¡°Sylvia, are you still irying to reject me?¡± He looke hurt


    Sylvia decided to bile the bullet this time. She bummed a positive reply Tristan went silent for a few


    seconds before he smiled again. ¡°I guess it¡¯s understandable since I never really started asking you out.


    Just wait I¡¯ll make you fall for me!


    Sylvia no longer had the words to describe Tristan


    He patted her head again and said, ¡°Work hard I¡¯lle to find you another day¡±


    He then left, leaving the baffled Sylvia behind


    Il was then that someone in aer put away their phone and sent a picture of the duo together with a


    line of text to a certain contact.


    ¡°Ms. Avery, you¡¯re right. Master Tristan came for Sylvia This is the picture I just got. He even said he¡¯s


    already got his parent¡¯s approval for them to be together¡±


    Back at Lake Victoria Vi, Tara bolted up in delight when she received the picture.


    She had paid someone in Sylvia¡¯s studio to keep an eye on her rival and also watch out for Tristan in


    case he went over


    Surprisingly, this little informant of hers was more capable than she expected. She even got a picture of


    Tristan carrying Sylvia. She saved the picture and then headed out to the Carter Corporation


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    On the top floor of Carter Corporation, knocks came from outside Odell¡¯s office. Cliff then entered the


    office and said to the man behind the desk, ¡°Master Odell, Ms. Avery is here for you.¡±

 Chapter 97

    olell furtowThis brows It was still not time to clock out and he disliked people from his private le visiting


    huis workce


    However, knowing that it had been days since he spent time with her, he said to Chin, ¡°Bring het in¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir¡±


    A few minutester, Tara came in in a filted dress with an intricate box in her hands


    ¡°Odell, are you busy right now? Am I interrupting?¡± she asked soltly Otell put the documents down on the


    table ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± She went up to his desk and put the desserl she brought for him ¡°odell, these are the


    desserts I got from a famous bakery I¡¯ve been queuing for an hour for this Have aste¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry now I¡¯ll try themter Why are you here?¡± he asked


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing It¡¯s just that it¡¯s been a few days since I¡¯ve seen you and I missed you.¡± Tara then went


    behind him and put her hands over his shoulder, giving him a gentle massage


    Odell lightened his lips ¡°It¡¯s been quite hectictely¡± The look on Tara¡¯s face slightly changed ¡°Thien, do


    you have time for dinnerter?¡±


    Odell went silent He remembered that when he left Sylvia¡¯s cest night, she said she would prepare


    hot pol for the kids tonight


    Isabel was exalted and had even rmended her mother¡¯s steam meatballs to her brother


    Odell had no interest in hot pot, but the anticipation was built After all, Sylvia was indeed a


    good cook


    A quick thoughtter, he said, ¡°I can¡¯t do tonight Let¡¯s take a rain check¡± Tara¡¯s face fell. ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle


    again tomorrow¡± ¡°Mm-hmm I still have a meeting to attendter If there¡¯s nothing else, go home first.¡±


    Tara bummed a reply before she tumed around a few stepster, she said, ¡°Oh, Odell, I forgot to tell you


    that Sylvia and Tristan seem to have already gotten togetlier¡±


    Odell frowned, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Sylvia had just changed her job All she did every day was work, and prepare meals for the kids. so how


    could she be together with Tristan


    ¡°I heard from a trend that works in the same studio is Sylvi¡± Tara then pulled her phone out and tapped


    on the picture of Tristan carrying Sylvia ¡°Look, Odell They are really together


    now¡±


    In the picture, Tristan¡¯s hands were around Sylvia¡¯s waist as he listed her up


    Although Sylvtu¡¯s face was not visible, the side of Tristan¡¯s face was as clear as day, and he was


    over the moon with that wide smile on his face Odell reacted with an icy expression


    ¡°My friend said Tristan was excited, and when he went into the studio, he said his parents have agreed


    for them to be together Sylvia seems happy 100,¡±Tara added


    She then looked at Odell The grim look on his face was so terrifying that Tara was slightly afraid ¡°Odell,


    what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°How did Tristan make his parents agree?¡± he asked Tara suddenly looked evasive She


    said, ¡°I don¡¯t know I just heard it from my friend.¡± Odell showed disgust on his face ¡°This woman really


    knows how to make a man lick¡± She imed that she disliked Tristan and would stay away from him, but


    secretly, she convinced his parents to let them be together


    Tara noticed the disgust on his face and the anxiety in her was put to rest. She curled her lips into a grin


    Then, she said softly, ¡°odell, I think Tristan and Sylvia really like each other¡±


    Odell grunted coldly ¡°I think she likes the litle of Mrs. Ledger even more¡±


    Back then, she bad spent quite the effort to gain the title of Mrs Carter ¡°Odell, don¡¯think of it like this ¡°Tara


    noticed the sour look on his face and tried to talk him out of il ¡°You go back to work, okay! I¡¯ll go home


    first.¡± Odell hummed a reply before Tara happily left the office Then, Odell made a call to Cliff. ¡°Go find


    out what has been up with the Ledgers in the past two days.¡±

 Chapter 98

    Sylvia came honie early today with a bunch of liol pot ingredients and started preparing with Aunt Tonya


    With the hot pot soup base, the meat, and the meatballs that Isabel loved, the p aration took them a full


    five hours


    When it was almost time for the kids to conie over, Sylvia took her apron off, dragged the table and


    chairs to the yard, and waited for them to arrive However, no one came even after the sky tuned Jark


    Sylvia looked at hier watch II was almost an hour past the time that they were supposed to arrive


    Worried, she called Isabel¡¯s phone but could not get through She then called Liam, but the phone was


    tumed off


    Then, she called Jacob, the bodyguard Two dial tonester, the call gut through ¡°Jacob, are Isabel and


    Liam back from school? Jacob froze for two seconds belone he said, ¡°The two of them are already back


    home¡± He sounded evasive and conflicted


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t theye over today?¡±


    ¡°Umin. ¡°Jacob sighed Ms Ross, Master Carter said they are not allowed to see you again if you call, he


    told me to tell you to forget about seeing them again¡± Confused and imitated, Sylvia raised her voice,


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?


    ¡°Ms Ross, I have no idea. I have to go back to work Bye ¡± Jacob quicidy hung up the phone Sylvia then


    called Odell She wanted an answer Justst night, he had dinner with the lods at her ce, and now, he


    stopped them froming over again? What could have gone wrong? She dialed Odell¡¯s number, but


    after a few beeps, she was told that the number she called was busy she rested for a while before calling


    again but got the same oue It was obvious that he had just blocked her Sylvia tapped on WhatsApp


    and located Odell¡¯s contact


    ¡°Odell, what is wrong with you agatu? Why are you keeping the kids from seeing met The text was sent,


    but it did not reach him There was a sadure mnack beside the message He had bludud her and deleted


    her number Sylvia put her phone down and strode towards the Carter Residence


    Right after she crossed the bridge, she was stopped by Odell¡¯s bodyguard who was stationed there.


    Sylvia took a detour, but she was still blocked, so she was forced to return home.


    There was a feast prepared on the dining table in the yard. The fragrance of the soup filled the air, but it


    did not whether appetite al all.


    The next morning, Sylvia went straight to Carter Corporation.


    The skyscraper almost reached the clouds, and it was probably the grandest building around,


    She had visited it a few times before she divorced Odell to deliver home-cooked lunch for him.


    However, thest time she visited was four years ago. It was at that time that she found out about Tara


    and Odell¡¯s office affair. She was in no mood to recall old memories. All she had in her mind was Isabel


    and Liam, so she strode straight to the reception.


    The receptionist was no longer the same person from four years before. Unfortunately, the receptionist


    stopped and asked, ¡°Lady, who are you? What are you doing here?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 99

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Odell Carter,¡± Sylvia announced


    The receptionist was caught off guard when Sylvia mentioned Odell¡¯s full name. He asked, ¡°Do you have


    an appointment?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m his ex-wife Call him and tell liim I want to see him. If he doesn¡¯t want to see me, l¡¯?n not leaving¡±


    The receptionist was surprised once again He quickly went behind the reception desk and made the


    necessary calls


    Sylvia waited on the spot She had to get an answer today


    11 Odell really called security on her, she would definitely fight them oft she was his ex-wife anyway, and


    she did not work in the same building If things went out of hand, it would only embarrass him, not her


    Two minutester, the receptionist approached her with a smile ¡°Miss, Assistant Bogard ising down


    He will bring you up to Mr Carter¡± The cold look on Sylvia¡¯s face softened a bit ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Soon, Cliff came out from the elevator ¡°Mrs. Ms Ross This way please,¡± he said with a smile


    Sylvia followed hiin into the elevator which took her straight to the top floor Cliff said, ¡°Ms. Ross, Master


    Carter is in his office. You may just go in¡± ¡°Thank you¡±


    Sylvia walked out of the elevator and arrived at the spacious CEO¡¯s office. She pushed the door open


    The bright lights from behind the door blinded her for a moment. The spacious office was well-lit. It was


    morous and organized. The boss was sitting in front of the windows, allowing the glorious sunshine to


    shed its brilliance on his elegant and straight physique Dressed in a ck suit, he leaned in his chair with


    his legs crossed When Sylviaid eyes on him, his deep gaze stared back She instinctively averted hisText ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    gaze, and some of her anger fizzled out, but for the sake of the kids, she strode up to him. ¡°Odell, why


    are you keeping the kids from me?¡± Odell responded with a stern look. ¡°You know what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°What I¡¯ve done? What did I do? I didn¡¯t step on your tail as far as I can remember, so why are you


    keeping the lods from rue?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend in front of me. The dirty things you do behind my back. I


    know everything.¡±


    he said with distinct disgusi on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy working and making meals for the lods. What


    kind of dirty things are you referring to?¡± she bellowed ¡°Don¡¯t you use that face with nje You ate for free


    for the past couple of days at my ce, and I didn¡¯t even give you use cold shoulder¡± Eat for free? Odell


    frowned irritatedly ¡°I was there to pick up the kids.¡± Sylvia scoffed ¡°Hmph. You enjoyed the food more


    than theds did.¡± The look on his face turned surly, and it frightened Sylvia a little, causing her to faller A


    cold gruntter, he pulled oui his phone and tapped on a picture He turned his phone around and


    showed her the screen Sylvia saw the picture of Tristan carrying her at the studio She furrowed her


    brows and said, ¡± Who took this?¡±


    Odell scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re hugging each other. Whal else can you say about this?¡± ¡°It was Tristan who picked


    me up all of a sudden I couldn¡¯t even-¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t even react? Is that what you want to say?¡± Odell cut


    her off, wearing a ful expression


    Sylvia was forced to swallow the exnation She somehow forgot that he did not and would never


    believe her


    He took her silence as acknowledgment He red at her coldly and said, ¡°Back then, you did a lot of


    things to gain the title of Mrs. Carter, including crawling into my bed. Now, you are doing the same ber


    ause you want to be Mrs. Ledger You even instigated Tristan to go on a hunger strike to resist his


    parents, forcing them to agree to you and him being together. I have to give it to you for your ruthless


    methods¡±

 Chapter 100

    ?


    Sylvia was shocked when she found out. "He''s not eating?"


    Odell did not answer. The stony expression on his face was basically telling her to stop her pretense.


    Sylvia recalled how Tristan looked when he hade to her yesterday. He seemed slimmer and rather weak, and it was a surprise to her that starvation was the reason for that.


    She had no idea he could go down the extreme path, and neither would she have instigated him to do so.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She looked at Odell and said, "I''ve rejected him many times now. I don''t care whether you believe me or not, but I never instigated him to stop eating so that he could convince his parents."


    Her eyes widened in determination.


    Odell was surprised for a moment. Then, he regained his stern face and said, "If you really rejected him, he wouldn''t have gone on a hunger strike against his parents."


    Sylvia did not know why Tristan chose to be stubborn and extreme. It even confused her feelings for him.


    Feeling helpless, she insisted, "Odell, I''m telling the truth."


    "Hmph. When you crawled into my bed back then, you said that you were framed as well," he recalled with a scoff. "If you were framed, as you imed, why would you have been so happy to marry me?"


    She imed that she had rejected Tristan, but with his parents agreeing to them being together, given her past endeavors, she would probably be happily married to Tristan in a matter of days.


    Sylvia was silenced.


    A whileter, she stared into his eyes and said, "I was blind to have fallen for you back then. If I didn''t have those blinkers on, even if I were framed ten times over, I would never have married you."


    Odell reacted grimly to her words. He red at her with a de-like gaze.


    Refusing to back away, Sylvia returned a stern gaze.


    The room went quiet for several seconds.


    "Get out," he said.


    "I want to see the kids. If you don''t let me see them today, I won''t leave." Sylvia then sat herself down on the couch.


    "Don''t you get ahead of yourself!"


    She raised a brow. "If you let me see the kids, I''ll leave right away."


    He stared at her. "I will call security to throw you out."


    "Yeah, and if you do that, I''ll tell them you had an affair in your past marriage. You slept with another woman while your ex-wife was pregnant. Now that you have a girlfriend, you still go to your ex-wife''s ce to be a freeloader. I want yourpany to know you are a piece of garbage!"


    Sylvia grinned. She acted like she was not afraid of him at all.


    Odell pursed his lips coldly. He would have sliced her ten times over if his eyes could kill.


    Sylvia quivered at his cold re. She could not help but say, "You made me do this!"


    Her patience was limited. Her children were her bottom line, and yet he used them against her multiple times, and now he forbade her to see them because of a picture. Sylvia could not tolerate him anymore.


    Odell went silent.


    She felt the chills from his gaze but bit the bullet and sat there firmly.


    A few secondster, he got up. His tall and rigid figure closed in on her.


    He reached out and grabbed her by the cor, seemingly wanting to pick her up.


    Sylvia quickly clung to the couch.


    Odell tried to pull her away from the couch but failed after multiple tries.


    The surly look on his face put a grin on hers. "If you let me see the kids, I''ll go. If not, don''t even think about it."


    Her grin seemed cunning and also provocative.


    Odell grunted. He grabbed her hands and pulled her off the couch.


    Due to the sudden momentum, she lost her bnce. With a quick nce, she used the loss of bnce and threw herself onto him and clung to him tightly.


    Odell froze. He looked down at his chest and saw Sylvia hugging him tightly.


    She did not notice how inappropriate the posture was. Instead, she made faces and provoked him, "Odell, if you don''t let me see the kids, don''t even think about throwing me out!" Her face was blushing while her eyes glimmered and her lips looked extra luscious.

 Chapter 101

    Odell bellowed, ¡°You have three seconds to get off me!


    While grinning, Sylvia clung on even tighter and said, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°You¡± His voice grew herler


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment, and before she could react, his handsome face moved closer to hers.


    He stuck his lips to hers.


    The man¡¯s dominating presence assaulted her, and his scent pushed into her nose and filled her inind


    The intimacy made her freeze for a few seconds.


    Then, she regained herposure and tried to push him away


    However, the stronger she pushed, the tighter he sealed his lips on hers. She kept on struggling until she


    lost her bnce and sturnbled,


    Thud! She fell onto the couch, and Odell¡¯s rigid body came copsing on her He hovered above her,


    looking into her eyes with a mischievous gaze ¡°I think you aren¡¯t actually here for the kids You are here to


    seduce me Sylvia blushed. Annoyed, she said, ¡°I¡¯m here to see the kids!¡±


    He gnnned. ¡°Then, why are you hugging me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you throwing me out!¡±


    ¡°Then. Do you thunk I¡¯ll believe you now that you hugged me?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The annoyance almost suffocated her She simply did not want to argue with him about trivial matters


    She pushed him w.ly and said, ¡°Go away!¡± **Aren¡¯t you trying to cling onto me?¡± He slowly moved his


    face closer ¡°I¡¯m simply fulfilling your wish¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s Lace turned as red as an apple The tip of his nose almost touched hers. She turned herce and


    showed him a grumpy expression


    Ovdell¡¯s face fell. He bolted up at the next second and returned to his seat. ¡°Get out Or I will make you.¡±


    Sylvia was worried that his desire would overtake his sanity and make him do something Crazy So, she


    bolted up and ran to the door


    However, before she stepped out, she tumed around and wamed him. ¡°Odell, if you don¡¯t let me see the


    kids, I will be back.¡±


    She left after that dangerous warning


    Odell loosened his cor He had a lew sses of cold drinks to cool down his rising desire However, the


    thought of her turning her face to the side when he tried to kiss her on the couch irritated him


    She had hugged him and gotten intimate, so she had obviously been trying to seduce him So, why the


    chaste behavior all of a sudden?


    That evening, after Sylvia finished work, she went to the Carters¡¯ residence, but all the entrances were


    blocked by bodyguards.


    Sylvia was still denied entry


    She tried calling lubel and Liarn but still could not get through. Her number remained on Odell¡¯s cklist,


    so with all options exhausted, she left disheartened


    She did not go home though. Instead, she drove to ake in Westchester, famous for its night view


    She was upset and irritated. She had topose her messy inind to think of a way to solve the problem


    before she could n hier next step


    As she strolled around theke, trying to calm herself down, she heard a familiar voice calling her from


    the crowd


    **Syl!¡± She tumed around and saw Sherry running towards her excitedly


    Her eyes widened in excitement


    Sherry ran to her and hugged her It had been a few years since they met, so Sylvia also responded with


    a warm hug

 Chapter 102

    After they hugged, Sherry asked in annoyance, ¡°Syl! Since when did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you tell


    me?


    Sylvia tried to force a smile ¡°I tried calling you several times, but I couldn¡¯t get through. Your social media


    ounts are all private as well, so I simply couldn¡¯t find you.¡±


    Sherry awkwardly scratched her head. ¡°Oh my. I actually ran into some trouble back then and I forgot to


    tell you.¡±


    Sylvia knew Sherry would not simply change her phone number and delete her social media ounts


    Something must have happened. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?


    ** it¡¯s history I¡¯ve forgotten all about it.¡± She put her hand around Sylvia¡¯s shoulder and continued, ¡°Come


    on, tell me when did youe back


    Sylvia knew Sherry wanted to leave it out of the conversation, so she simply did not press on the topic


    She continued her walk with Sherry and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been back for some time now¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She briefly told Sherry what happened after she brought Isabel back Sherry also updated her friend a


    little about her life Other than Sylvia not being able to see her kids, the twodies were doing fine ¡°Oh


    right!¡± Sherry blurted out all of a sudden. Surprised, Sylvia looked at her friend and asked, ¡°What? What¡¯s


    wrong?¡± ¡°I saw Tara at Lush Heavenst week.¡± Sherry unconsciously pursed her lips when she


    mentioned Tara¡¯s namne Even Sylvia reacted coldly Sherry then added, ¡°Who else do you think I saw?¡±


    ¡°Who


    ¡°Tristan I saw hum talking to Tara for a bit. Before that, Tristan was drunk and even scolded the girls who


    tried to flirt with him. But after talking to Tara, he got excited. I purposely stuck past them, and I heard


    Tristan saying his mother was the reason for it, or something to that


    extent.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned


    Last week? When Tristan starved hiinsell to resist his parents?


    Was it because of his mother? Did he learn that his mother spoke to Sylvia from Tara?


    How did Tara even know that Tristan¡¯s mother spoke to Sylvia


    Most importantly. Sylvia had a feeling that Tristan was not being himself before that she had already


    rejected himn clearly, and yet he assurned it was because of Sonia and his parents


    Tara must have said something to him.


    Starving himself to fight his parents¡¯ decision must also be one of Tara¡¯s preposterous ideas Regardless


    of what Tara was trying to achieve, Otell no longer let Sylvia see the kids Sylvia¡¯s expression changed


    ¡°Syl, what¡¯s wrong.¡± Sherry noticed the change in her expression and was slightly worried Sylvia


    regained herposure and answered, ¡°It¡¯s fine I just thought of somethingTM Sherry said, ¡°If you are in


    any kind of trouble, just tell me I may be able to help you.¡± A quick thoughtter, Sylvia.sked, ¡°Do you


    know how Tara has been doing in Westchester over the past few years?


    Sherry grunted and said, ¡°Hmph That woman with adell by her side, she can literally have everything she


    wants. Do you know the drawings that she did? Those lousy pieces of garbage won awards, and she


    wasbeled as the genius of the art world. God knows what blinded people to ward her the title


    ¡°What about her connection in Westchester?


    ¡°Everyone knows she¡¯s Odell¡¯s girlfriend, so who wouldn¡¯t want to get near to her? Even the othersses


    anddies from other wealthy famibes who used to look down on her started to suck up to her


    Sherry had a nce at Sylvia and added, ¡°And there¡¯s also Sonia I heard they got pretty closetely


    Sylvia frowned It reminded her of Sonia appearing in her studio, iming that she had stoleri Tristan and


    weaked havoc at the house that her grandparents left her


    Was Tara somehow behind all these as well?


    Sherry curiously asked, ¡°Syl, why are you asking about her? Did she do something to you


    Again?


    Sylvia looked at her friend. ¡°Something happened recently, and I suspect she¡¯s involved.¡±

 Chapter 103

    Feeling vexed, Sherry asked¡±What did she do to you? Tell me and I¡¯ll p the shot out of her!


    Shetty felt bad for not being by Sylvia¡¯s side three years ago, or else Tara would not have gotten what


    she yearned and instigated cell to p Sylvia


    Only sheprehended the terrible and disheartened feeling she had felt when she w Sylvia¡¯s badly


    swollen far alter the event


    Sylvia said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay I can handle it myself.¡± There was confidence in her smile, wtuch gave


    Sherry a strange sense of ruthlessness


    Sherry calmed down after that smile. ¡°Okay, if you need anything anything at all, just tell me I¡¯ll be there


    for you. My family might have abandoned me, but I¡¯ve got a lot of friends. They more or less can lend a


    hand or two.¡±


    Sylvia seniled. Thank you.¡±


    The next day, Sylvia went to work as usual


    Her colleagues, who had arrived earlier than her greeted her politely when they wiw her Sylvia returned


    their greetings as well


    Only Alister, the quiet one who sat in theer, did not speak to her


    Sylvia stole a ce at Alister, and Alister at her


    Wher Alister noticed her nce, she nervously averted the gaze


    Appearing expressionless, Sylvia returned to her desk


    After working for several hours, she took a break and instinctively turned to Alister


    To her surprise, Alister was looking at her again Once more, Alister looked away as soon as she picked


    up Sylvia¡¯s gaze


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes


    When it was time to clock out, Sylvia got up and prepared to co hottie, but she ran into Tristan


    Tristan wore a khaki-colored shirt and denim pants He was leaning against his white sports Garand held


    a stalk of rose in his hand


    He looked a lot healthier than he did during the surprise visit the other day, and he looked like


    gentleman basking in gold as he stood under the sunset He appeared incredibly charming


    His presence attracted the other female colleagues attention, and they tawled over his good looks


    Sylvia frowned as she walked up to him


    Tristan presented the rose to her


    However, she refused to take it ¡°Tristan, I have something to talk to you about Let¡¯s find a ce and sit


    down


    Tristan siniled at her ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia opened the front door of his car Just before she got in, she turned around and noticed Alister


    behind the entrance, sneakily taking pictures with her phone.


    Alister did not expect Sylvia to suddenly turn around she nervously put her phone away and pretended


    as if nothing happened as she left the building with other colleagues


    Sylvia rected coldly At the same time, she w.ns certain that Alister was the one who had taken the


    pictures of Tristan carrying her at the studio


    Tristan asked when he noticed that she was not getting into


    *Sylvia, what are you looking at the car just yet


    She regained herposure and said, ¡°Nothing¡±


    Then, she got in


    When Tristan noticed the coldness on her face, he furrowed his brows. He put the rose beside her and


    then started the car


    Twenty minutester, the car stopped in front of a restaurant, famous for being a hotspot for couples


    Tristan had made a booking there earlier


    Sylvia followed him in and the waiter guided them into a fantasy-themed room, decorated solely in pinkText ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 104

    After they sat down, Tristan asked, ¡°Sylvia, what¡¯s wrong? Did something happen at work today


    Sylvia ignored his question and asked, ¡°Tristan, did Tara talk to you?¡± Feeling surprised, he responded,


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    As she expected


    Sylvia then asked, ¡°Did she tell you about your mother seeing me the other day?¡± ¡°Yeah, she did.¡±


    **Did she also tell you that I rejected you because of Sonia?


    Tristan frowned. ¡°She did.¡± Sylvia squinted her eyes. He was confused. ¡°Sylvia, why are you asking me


    all this? She pursed her lips. She did not know how to tell him that Tara had yed him. Tara had used


    his feelings for Sylvia and made him herpdog However, Sylvia believed the multiple rejections were


    hurtful enough for Tristan, and if she told him that Tara had yed and tricked him, he would probably be


    devastated. She knew how it felt being framed and being a pawi in someone else¡¯s garne of chess.


    A quick thoughtter, she said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing I have something to do I have to go now.¡± She wanted to


    leave, but Tristan stopped her at the door and pulled her back. He stared at her and asked, ¡°Sylvia, tell


    me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°I just wanted to rify something with you. There¡¯s nothing else I want to say.¡±


    ¡°Then, what¡¯s with those questions.¡± Sylvia was speechless for a while. She then said, ¡°Tristan, just let


    me go for now I¡¯ll tell you another day¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    It would not be toote to tell him the truth after she carefully verbalized it to minimize the impact to him


    Tristan stood still and Sylvia frowned at him. He then curved his lips into a smile you leave if you don¡¯t tell


    me what¡¯s going on.¡±


    I won¡¯t let


    Sylvia gasped. She said, ¡°We¡¯ve been tricked by Tara.¡± The look on his face changed. ¡°Tricked? How?


    About what?¡± Since she already revealed the culprit behind all this, it was pointless to keep the secret


    from him anymore


    She said, ¡°She told you all those things to deceive you, making you think that I rejected you because of


    Sonia and your mother She knew you would go back to your parents and confront


    Tristan asked, ¡°Why is she doing this to me? What good does it do her?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea either, but Odell now thinks that I made you go on a hunger strike against your parents so


    that they would agree for her to be together He believes I plotted everything and refuses to let me see


    my kids¡±


    ¡°Are you crying Tara is trying to keep you from seeing your kids?¡± Tristan said with a frown.¡± But you are


    their mother What does seeing your own kids have anything to do with her? She went through the effort


    just to keep you frorn them? It sounds a little ridiculous¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s doing this either, but now, I really can¡¯t see my kids because of her


    ¡°Tristan went quirt. He stared at her and his expression grew a little heavy


    Sylvia said in a small voice, ¡°Can you not stare at me like that?¡±


    He forced a bitter sinile ¡°So, you did not reject me because of thein? You simply reject me because you


    don¡¯t like the


    Sylvia hummed a reply


    Things werit quiet


    The at started to feel suffocating. She said, ¡°We are no match for each other. Our status, our identities.


    Nothing matches. You will definitely meet someone better than me¡±

 Chapter 105

    But I only like you I have liked you since we were little, Sylvia¡± Tristan looked into herri


    His gazel hur guilt


    What did she do to earn his love?


    She looked at hun sinkerely Tristan, it¡¯s not going to work out between us


    You¡¯re single, I¡¯m single I even got my parents to agree to us being together What makes you think we


    are no match for ed other?¡±


    Sylvia w


    ted to argue, but he beat her to IL


    ¡°I don¡¯i care that you were miris before or that you have two kids.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s lips lightened in silence


    The air went quiet once again He then uaid, ¡°Unless you still love Chell.¡±


    Sylvi answered without a second thought, ¡°I don¡¯t love him wymore¡±


    Three years ago, he had pped her sixty times because of Tara, and she could still feel the Imaginary


    pain on her face she would never lorget the insult and the pain she had to endure, How could she love


    himninyinore?


    Tristan noticed her cold expression which wachunging for the worse He smiled awkwardly and said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry I¡¯m just saying ¡±


    Annoyed, she said. ¡°Step.aside I¡¯m leaving


    ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner first before you leave, ¡°Tristan said. ¡°Since you can¡¯t see your kids now, Why don¡¯t you


    fill your stomach first


    He also add, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t confess to you anymore.¡± Not now, but in the future, he might make a


    grandeback


    Sylvia turned to him and saw a bright and harmless simile


    He had seemingly put everything behind him and reacted better than Sylvia¡¯s expectation


    She sighed and said, ¡°Fine But tell them to take away the pink stuff and the candles on the


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Tristan smiled ¡°Okry, it¡¯s your call


    At the t ime, in another high end restaurant¡¯s VIP room that was some with the grand night view of


    Westchester, dell and Tara were having dinner Tara then smiled at her phone Odell nced and asked,


    ¡°What are you siniling at


    She replied with a smile. ¡°Ovdell, Tristan wems to be dating Sylvia for real this time


    Odell¡¯s expression tumed grim ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Tara smiled innocently. ¡°Yeah, someone saw them in a restaurantown for being a hotspot for couples,


    where they were having a candlelight dinner.¡± Odell pursed his thin lips for a moment before he


    continued eating


    if they are really together, that would be great. Sylvia will marry Tristan soon, and she will get her life


    back on track, ¡°Tara said as she secretly observed the rektion on Odell¡¯s face.


    He looked rather calm, but when Sylvia¡¯s maine was mentioned, he frowned with slight disgust. Moments


    later, he said, ¡°Eat. Stop talking about her.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Tara obediently picked up her fork but continued to secretly observe him. He was behind the


    lights with his face hidden in darkness, bence obstructing Tara from a dearer look


    From Tara¡¯s point of view, he looked no different than his usual self Could it be that he really had no


    feelings about Sylvia and Tristan being together? Tara sighed a breath of relief


    It seemed like she had been overthinkingtely. He must have gone to Sylvia¡¯s ce for dinner because


    of the kids.


    Moreover, he hated Sylvia before, and it was unlikely for him to fall for her in such a short time after her


    return.


    Tara munched on her food happily. What she did not realize was that the spoon in Odell¡¯s hand had been


    bent by his strong grip

 Chapter 106

    After dinner, Odell sent Tara back to Lake Victoria Vi belore he went back to the Carters¡¯ residence


    The bodyguards opened the door for him when they saw him Odell had a nce at one of the


    bodyguards. ¡°Did the womane over today?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ross didn¡¯te today.¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    His already icy expression had an extra scowl to it.


    The bodyguard timidly looked away Odell grunted. ¡®Did she really go out with Tristan? I thought she


    would try harder for the kids, but she seems to have forgotten about them now that she¡¯s with a man¡¯


    He went inside with a grim look


    The bodyguard sighed a breath of relief after he went inside. At the same time, the bodyguard also


    grumbled secretly Gosh, what is wrong with Master Carler? i thought he was the one who stationed us


    out here to prevent Ms. Ross froming Now thal she¡¯s noting, he seems even angrier.¡±


    Odell went straight to Isabel and Liam¡¯s room.


    The door was open, but no one was inside. The whole house was quiet


    ¡®Where did the two little rascals go?¡¯ Odell frowned Soon, some noises came from inside his room.


    He squinted and crept closer to the door


    His room was at the east of the second floor. Inside his room, there was a balcony to the south and an


    extended deck to the north.


    The noise came from the northern deck Liam was there holding the chair that Odell used to rest in with


    Isabel standing on top of it. She popped her head over the fence while her hands gripped the binocrs,


    gazing further


    way


    The two little rascals did not notice Odell¡¯s presence. They were concentrating on watching Sylvia¡¯s


    house


    Liam asked, ¡°Isabel, do you see Mommy?¡±


    Isabel peered through the binocrs and grinned. ¡°I see Mommy. She came back in her car and is in the


    yard, talking to Aunt Tonya.¡±


    Liam¡¯s eyes shone with interest.


    Isabel had a few more nces before she passed the binocrs to her brother. ¡°m, Mommy is going


    inside Hurry up and have a look!¡±


    She jumped off the chair and then took Liarn¡¯s ce to hold the chair steady Liam climbed up to where


    Isabel was and looked through the binocrs. He also grinned at what he saw Just when he was


    enjoying the view, Isabel suddenly screamed, ¡°Liam, the meanie is here!¡± Liam jumped off right away and


    kept the binocrs behind him. Odell¡¯s tall figure approached.


    The two little kids stood side by side as they looked up to their father cautiously.


    Odell put his hand out and said, ¡°Give it to me¡±


    Isabel blinked. Liam turned a deaf ear while his hands that were holding the binocrs remained hidden


    behind his back.


    Odell bellowed, ¡°Give me the binocrs.¡± Isabel argued, ¡°We bought this with our own money. It¡¯s ours!¡±


    Odell tightened his lips He turned to Liam and said, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three¡± Before he started counting, Liam


    obediently revealed the binocrs behind his back Immediately, Odell snatched the binocrs from the


    boy. He stared at his children and said, Go back to your room and prepare to go to bed.¡± Isabel pouted


    and gave him the cold shoulder


    Odell tapped her head, ¡°Go back now, or I will bring you back mysell¡± ¡°Big meanie!¡± Isabel scolded him


    before she strode away. Liam followed her closely, After the two left his room, Odell sat on the chair that


    his kids had stood on earlier.


    He moved the binocrs to his eyes and looked through it. The binocrs granted him visjon of the


    house lurther away Sylvia¡¯s presence was erged in his vision, and she felt so close that he could


    reach her by simply putting out his hand.


    Sylvia had juste out from the living room and was getting into her car in the yard.

 Chapter 107

    The car then drove out of the house


    Odell had irritation all over his face


    ¡°Why is she going out at night? A date?¡± Smack!


    The binocrs were thrown on the floor


    Meanwhile, inside the car, Sylvia was driving towards the nearby supermarket


    She wanted to buy binocrs for herself before the supermarket closed She used to joke with her kids


    that if they were driven apart and could not meet, they would use binocrs to locate each other.


    Being brilliant kids, the two of them must have remembered.


    Even if they did not, she could still see them with the binocrs.


    A wtuileter, she went home with her newly purchased binocrs.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She stood on the highest spot in the yard and directed her binocrs at the Carters¡¯ residence


    The two little rascals must have gone to bed because she stood and watched until midnight and still did


    not see any signs of them.


    Feeling disappointed, Sylvia put away the binocrs and returned to her bedroom


    The next day, Sylvia woke up even before the sun rose She changed into casual clothes, gol a cap and a


    mask, and snuck to one of the pathways beside the Carters¡¯ residence


    She spotted a bodyguard yawning while squatting lurther away He must have been sleep deprived after


    such a long night she crept over and snuck past the bodyguard without him noticing and headed towards


    the fansion


    Yoon, she made her way to one of the bigger trees outside the mansion gates


    She hid behind the shadow of the tree and waited patiently for an hour lo see her kadse out with


    school bags


    Hen and Jacob were still babysitting them while their car was parked in front of the gate


    Isabel and Lian looked dispirited as they were escorted into the car They must have suffered a lol from


    Nell¡¯s temper in the past few days


    Sylvie was slightly heart stricken She really wanted to run up to them and give them a big huy bui her


    rationality held her back She could not afford to act recklessly


    When the car drove off. Sylvia emerged from behind the tree trunk She returned to her house using the


    same way she came


    Taher surprise, right after she made a turn at the exit, an expensive white car stopped and parked beside


    her


    ¡°Sylvia Why are you here? Tara came down from the car in surprise. Her outfit screamed luxury from top


    to bottom, and it made her somewhat more eye-catching under the sun


    She took her sses off and stared at Sylvia arrogantly Sylvia narrowed her eyes. She was just thinking


    about going to Tara. She took her mask off and said, ¡®Well, I go wherever I want.¡±


    Tara slightly lifted her chin with a grin. ¡°As far as I know, Olell doesn¡¯t allow you to be anywhere near the


    Carters.¡±


    ¡°Yes Yet, here I am,¡± Sylvia dered with a grin So what if he did not allow her toe down here? She


    was still here. Tara wore a cold look and gulped. It was momentster when she regained her proud


    composure and looked af Sylvia with the meanest smirk ¡°Sylvia, you are really shameless Are you not


    afraid of Odell throwing you out of Westchester and never letting youe back?¡±


    Sylvia responded with a smile ¡°He did it three years ago, and I came back nheless.¡± Tara was


    speechless as she looked at Sylvia in contempt. She wanted to get back into her car and go to Odell to


    inform him about this. m!


    However, Sylvia beal her id it and shut the door before her. To her ulter shock, Tara was stopped outside


    the car. She turned to Sylvia in disbelief. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Sylvia?¡±

 Chapter 108

    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I have something to talk to you about.¡± Sylvia eagerly rubbed her hands and cracked


    her knuckles provocatively


    Her suggestive demeanor reminded Tara os that time when she was strapped in the rear seat of the car


    and was pped in her face. Her face turned as white as a sheet and she faltered in fear


    Feeling cautious, she warned Sylvia, ¡°What are you trying to imply?¡±


    Sylvia wore a grin. ¡°You told Sonia and instigated her to cause trouble at my studio, chasing me out of


    the house that my grandparents left me You even tricked Tristan and made him think that I rejected him


    because of Sonia, You told him that I met his mother, which led him to starve himself just to make a


    statement to his parents. Am I right?¡±


    Tara reacted with a shifty gaze She said in a hurry. ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about Go away.


    I¡¯m going to Odell.¡±


    Sylvia refused toply. She kept the pressure on and moved closer to Tara. ¡°Odell showed me a


    picture of Tristan hugging me. You sent him the picture, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What picture? I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t, you are not leaving today.¡± Sylvia


    leaned on the door and crossed her arms, staring at Tara with nonchnce


    Tara faltered further. She looked at her rival fully and warned her, ¡°Sylvia, a piece of advice stop


    acting like a bitch. You¡¯ll suffer the consequences.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°I suffered a lot, but you are the one being the bitch here¡± Tara grunted coldly. ¡°If


    you hadn¡¯t crawled into Odell¡¯s bed back then and forced him to marry you, I would have married him.


    You are the one who separated us!¡±


    ¡°First of all, before you and he got together, we were engaged. You¡¯ve always known that, and when I


    married him, I knew nothing about your affair with him.¡± Sylvia refused to dwell on the unhappy


    memories. She simply smiled and continued, ¡°But it has been three years since we separated, so why


    haven¡¯t you married him yet?¡±


    Tara reacted with a sullen look


    Sylvia smiled, not veiling her contemptuous smile at Tara at all.


    Tara imed that Sylvia was the one who had ruined her rtionship. She also imed she was the one


    who should have married Odell Now, three years had passed, and they were still not married


    Sylvia sighed. ¡°Tara, I think Madarn Carter just doesn¡¯t like you, and Odell doesn¡¯t love you as much as


    you thunk.


    Tara raised her hand and yelled, ¡°Shut up, you bitch!¡±


    Sylvia raised her brow She responded with a raise of her other hand and stopped Tara¡¯s hand


    mid-air. Then, she simply exerted her strength, and Tara started squealing in pain.


    Tara wanted to withdraw her hand, but Sylvia tightened the grip and mmed her hand on the


    As a result, Tara wretchedly fell onto her car. Sylvia followed up with a cold re and said, ¡°Tara, if you


    are nol saying anything today. I won¡¯t let you leave.¡± Sylvia was strong. Tara felt like the grip curled


    around her wrist was crushing her bones. She suppressed the urge to kill Sylvia on the spot and said


    urgently, ¡°Yeah, I did it! I did everything!¡± Sylvia continued with her questions, ¡°Why? What are you trying


    to achieve?¡± ¡°I just want you to be together with Tristan.¡± ¡°With Tristan? Do you think I¡¯d believe that?¡±


    Sylvia scoffed.


    If Tara was such a kind person, Sylvia would not have left Westchester so miserably three years ago


    Tara reacted with an evasive expression. Sylvia¡¯s patience wore thin. She tightened her grip further and


    bellowed, ¡°Tell me what you are trying to achieve!¡±


    It was then that a car drove closer.


    Tara¡¯s eyes shone in slight delight, and she started crying all of a sudden.


    The sudden crying caught Sylvia off guard. She tumed around and saw a ck sports caring to a


    halt beside her.


    Odell¡¯s towering figure came down from the car with a fierce expression Tara squealed, ¡°Odell, help me!¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 109

    Odell strode over angrily The fury on his face forced Sylvia to release Tara. Tara threw herself into his


    arms and started crying ¡°Odell, my hand hurts.¡± Odell threw a look at her wrist and noticed a red swollen


    circle around it like a bangle. He red at Sylvia who leaned on Tara¡¯s car with her hands crossed and a


    grin pasted on her face, exuding a devil-may-care attitude.


    Before Odell could question her, she proactively said, ¡°I did it.¡± Odell¡¯s gaze tumed to frost. ¡°Are you


    having a death wish?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Sylvia said with an even wider grin. ¡°She wanted to p my face


    first. It was just self-defense.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m blind


    He had arrived at the moment when Sylvia mmed Tara¡¯s wrist on the car. Sylvia protruded her lips and


    sighed. ¡°If you choose to be blind, I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Odell was speechless. He gently pushed


    Tara aside and strode forward to Sylvia


    Nheless, Sylvia rernained still


    Tara was the one who ran over. She held Odell¡¯s arm back before he could strangle Sylvia¡¯s neck


    ¡°Odell, let her go. I think she¡¯s just worried about the kids, thus she threatened me to see them. She¡¯s not


    really going to hit me,¡± Tara said as her eyes grew red.


    Sylvia could not help but scoff at her words. Her familiar form of ying the victim was a rey of


    what happened three years ago


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Odell reacted even colder than before after hearing Tara.


    ¡°Where else did she hit you?¡± he asked. With her lips protruding, Tara said, ¡°Just the wrist.¡±


    ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± His voice sounded like ice.


    Tara feigned reluctance and said, ¡°Well, she kicked me. twice.¡± Odell red at Sylvia again. Sylvia swiftly


    said, ¡°Yeah, I hit her, but¡­¡± She emphasized and prolonged the but Odell grew impatient ¡°But what?¡±


    Sylvia calrnly said, ¡°I hit her not because I want to use her to threaten you. It¡¯s because she framed me


    and Tristan¡±


    Odell¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°She framed you and Tristan?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! Odell, don¡¯t listen to her! Why would I frame her and Tristan? What for?¡± Tara reacted


    anxiously and aggrievedly.


    Odell¡¯s icy cold look warmed up a little. He said to Tara, ¡°I believe you.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Sylvia clicked her tongue.


    He red at her once more ¡°Shut your mouth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll zip it when I¡¯m finished.¡± Whether he believed it or not, Sylvia decided to spill the tea odell, the reason


    why you saw the picture of Tristan hugging me was because of this woman. She framed me


    ¡°She instigated Sonia to cause trouble at my workce, chased me out of the house that my


    grandparents left me, and even tricked Tristan, twice. She first said I rejected him because of Sonia and


    then told Tristan that I resigned from his studio because Mrs. Ledger spoke to me, causing him to starve


    himself to make a statement. ¡°At the same time, she also paid off one of my colleagues at my studio to


    take a picture of Tristan and me when he finally ended his starvation.¡±


    Sylvia spoke quickly because she was worried that Tara might intercept her. She also increased her


    volume and enunciated every word as clearly as possible.

 Chapter 110

    Odell tightened his lips after hearing Sylvia


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Tara anxiously denied, ¡°No, Odell, I didn¡¯t do it. I¡¯ve never done anything that she ims did what good


    would it do me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious as well. What good does it do to you? I can¡¯t even see my children now,¡± Sylvia added. Her


    face turned to frost when she mentioned her children.


    Tara looked evasive. She clung to Odell tightly and shot an irritated look at Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia, are you trying


    to shift all the me on me? You did everything yoursell, and you are trying to hold me responsibleYou


    and Tristan are already dating. Someone even saw you in a restaurant enjoying a candlelight dinner!¡±


    Odell¡¯s anger spiked after Tara spewed her words.


    Not only did Sylvia have candlelight dinner with Tristan, but she even went out in the middle of the night


    to see him.


    He nced at Sylvia and asked, ¡°What else do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    judging from his look, Sylvia knew he would not believe her though it would be strange if he did.


    ¡°What I said is the truth. It¡¯s up to you to believe it or not.¡± Sylvia then turned around and left ¡°Stop right


    there!¡± he bellowed.


    Sylvia froze. In fact, she turned around and strode over to Oxlell and Tara


    Odell did not expect thepliance, and it made him furrow his brows


    Sylvia strode lo him and said with a grin. ¡°You reminded me I still have one more thing to do.¡± Before


    Odell could ask what it was, there was a loud thud.


    Sylvia had kicked Tara on the shin, causing her to cry out loud. Odell¡¯s face turned even stormier than


    before


    Then, Sylvia followed up with a kick on Tara¡¯s butt. The kick on Tara¡¯s butt caused her to lose her


    bnce, and she crashed to the ground face first


    The air weni silent.


    At the next mornent, Odell¡¯s de-like gaze was fired at Sylvia


    With a satisfied smirk, Sylvia took a few steps back. ¡°Now, you saw it yourself I did not only Erip her


    waist, but also kicked her twice¡±


    Ovdell could not bring himself to say anything


    Sylvia arrogantly grinned with her brows raised frivolously, and the edges of her lips almost touched both


    sides of her earlobes. Her fair and beautiful face looked mischievous under the


    sunlight


    Odell frowned. The resentment and rising anxiety suffocated his chest. If somehow gave him an urge to


    pull her to his chest and teach her a lesson with an aggressive kiss.


    Sylvia left him with a provocative smile and ran away even faster than she had approached ther. She


    was afraid that Odell might do something to her.


    He grunted coldly. Just when he was about to chase after Sylvia to teach her a lesson, Tara got up on


    her feet. She cried and hugged him. ¡°Odell, I really didn¡¯t frame her. Why is she doing this to me? She


    killed our child, and I never hated her for that. How could she¡­


    She sobbed her lungs out.


    Odell was stunned, and the strange urge that he had faded. He turned around and hugged her tightly


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t let her go this easily.¡±


    Sylvia went to work at the studio She knew Odell¡¯s temper well, and the man would surely take revenge


    for what happened.


    The only way out of his wrath was to make Alister admit that Tara had told her to take the picture. Only


    then could Sylvia prove her innocence and the authenticity of her words. When she was at the studio,


    Sylvia looked toward Alister¡¯s desk


    It was empty She looked around but failed to locate Alister anywhere


    She asked one of her colleagues, ¡°Where¡¯s Alister?¡±


    ¡°She went out a moment ago. I think she has something to do.¡± Sylvia furrowed her brows.

 Chapter 111

    Could Tara have already informed her?


    Suddenly, the phone in her pocket began ringing.


    It was Aunt Tonya calling


    Sylvia picked up the call, ¡°Hey Aunt Tonya, what¡¯s wrong?


    ¡°Sylvia, there are several men outside the house, they¡¯re hulks around the size of Ben and Jacob, and


    they¡¯re not leaving,¡± Aunt Tonya reported in a bushed voice masked with concern.¡± Did something


    happen again? Whal¡¯s wrong?¡± Sylvia frowned Odell was quick to act.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just lock the doors and leave the house,¡± she said.


    It was also at this time when there was a sudden movement outside the studio.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Through the ss window, Sylvia saw a group of well-trained bodyguards surrounding the entrance of


    the studio.


    She hurriedly hung up the phone. There was no back door in the studio, so she could not run and had to


    directly confront them The bodyguard leading the charge spoke to the studio receptionist, ¡°Mr. Odell has


    dispatched us to pick Miss Sylvia up¡±


    The name ¡°Mr. Odell¡± intimidated the receptionist.


    Sylvia suddenly appeared and said to the receptionist, ¡°Carl, I¡¯m stepping out for a bit.¡± The receptionist,


    Carl, looked at the crew of bodyguards with a leery gaze, ¡°Alright, see you.¡± Sylvia then walked out while


    the bodyguards followed her closely


    After they left, Carl quickly called Tristan.


    Tristan had maintained some contact with him. Only a few days after Sylvia began working here, ¡®Tristan


    contacted him and tasked him with taking care of Sylvia


    With Sylvia¡¯s sudden kidnapping, Carl immediately sprang to action and informed Tristan


    As soon as Tristan picked up, he ryed, ¡°Tristan, Sylvia was just taken away by a crew of men. They¡¯re


    from a security force, and the leader said it was Odell who sent them.¡±


    Sylvia was taken to ¡®Tara¡¯s residence at Lake Victoria Vi


    Even after four years, the vi retained its extravagant and magnificent state. All of the fumishings in


    sight were priced in the millions.


    Sylvia only swept a nce across the decor before she was taken to the living room where


    Ovell was sitting on the s


    Tara sat beside him with a band of gauze seen tied around one of her wrists Odell regarded Sylvia with


    anger when she entered Meanwtuile, Tara look Odell¡¯s ar?n in hers as if Sylvia would be made jealous by


    this action.


    Sylvia grabbed achair and sat with her arms folded across her chest. She began, ¡°Odell, if you have


    something to say, you¡¯d better hurry up. I have to go back to work.¡± When Odell saw how she was not


    only unintimidated but even arrogantly pulled a chair out for herself to sit, he immediately frowned and


    shouted, ¡°Get up!¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Knowing that she was outnumbered, Sylvia decided against provoking him. She stood up obediently


    Odell was appeased by this. He said, ¡°Apologize to Tara.¡± Sylvia twitched her lips and looked at Tara who


    was still clinging to him with an affectionate gaze


    This scene was nearly an identical copy of the scene from three years ago when she was pped sixty


    times


    Now that her adversary was here, Tara put on a show of magnanimity, ¡°Sylvia, seeing that we were once


    friends, I¡¯ll let you leave after you apologize to me. I won¡¯t make things difficult for


    you.¡±


    What a nice, kind gesture Sylvia scoffed, ¡°If you im that you won¡¯t make things difficult for me, why did


    you even let Odell go through all the trouble, to begin with?¡±


    Tara stiffened.


    Odell cast a repulsed look at Sylvia and said, ¡°It was I who wanted to get you. She didn¡¯t persuade me in


    any way.¡± ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t she try to get you to stop?¡± Odell¡¯s lips jerked, and Tara¡¯s face took on a


    shade of pale. Sylvia went on, ¡°Or maybe she did, but you never listened? Or more like, you never had


    the intention of listening to her, to begin with? That¡¯s not right. How long have you two been together?


    Why does Tara still have no say in this rtionship? What a shame. I thought you two had something


    good going on but-¡± Odell became irritated and cut her off with a sharp roar, ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±

 Chapter 112

    With his sharp roar, all the air in the spacious living rooit was sucked out


    Sylvia withdrew the harsh look from her eyes and prinned She wore a sharp smirk as if to mock him and


    imply. ¡°Look what a good hostel !¡±


    Odell was silent He felt his temper rising in his chest


    He pused With an overpowering stare, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three minutes to gather your thoughts and


    prepare an apology to Tara.¡± Sylvia smiled ¡°And what if I don¡¯t apologize lo her?


    ¡°Then, don¡¯t even think about ever leaving this ce!


    The smile on Sylvia¡¯s mouth vanished


    Was he going to repeat what happened and have her pped sixty times? Was he going to break her


    legs instead?


    After a few seconds, she said, ¡°I won¡¯t apologize to her even if you make them kill me today


    Odell frowned coldly


    She met his gaze without fear, her eyes shining with determination


    Odell felt his body tightening involuntarily


    Suddenly, Tara tugged at his arm to counsel him, ¡°Forget about it, Odell. It doesn¡¯t matter that she hurt


    my wrist a little I just won¡¯t be able to draw for a short while, but it¡¯s fine. I just need to rest for some time,


    and I¡¯ll be okry ¡±


    Nell¡¯s calmn expression suddenly became intense again


    ¡°Heh¡± Sylvia chuckled.


    Odell red at her ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that I¡¯m just very impressed.¡±


    Odell eyed her suspiciously,pletely failing toprehend what she was amused by


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia put it is bluntly as she could this time, ¡°Ladmire Tara¡¯s ability to make speeches Before she wild all


    that, I thought she was doing just fine, but after that speech of hers, I became convinced that I have


    gravely wounded her She can¡¯t even pick up a paintbrush!¡±


    The urcas?n in her voice pierced through her adversaries. If they were not angered just now, they will


    now


    Otell shuddered


    Tara became pale She quickly sorted hersell out and pleaded with a sincere expression, Sylvia, I wasn¡¯t


    implicating that Aren¡¯t you misunderstanding me a little I wanted Odell to let you go¡±


    ¡°Then, why not just tell him to let me go now?¡± Sylvia smiled at her and said in a sincere


    voice, ¡°He loves you so much. He¡¯ll definitely say yes if you¡¯re the one asking.¡± Tara clenched her hands.


    She did not expect every word Sylvia said to be so cutting


    She would be contradicting what she said previously if she did not tell Odell to let her go now. Odell was


    now being used against her to take her dowti.


    If she asked Odell to let her go, and he refused, it would imply that he never loved her that much!


    In just a few sentences, Sylvia had thrown her into a deadlock! Tara ground her teeth and looked at


    Odell. He was gazing at Sylvia with deep regard. It would be more fitting to say that he was observing


    Sylvia. He had a distant look on his face, the shades of anger appearing to have been wiped off.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia fixed her sharp gaze on Tara She wanted tough at the distinct signs of agitation and


    panic in Tara¡¯s expression


    Just when it seemed like Tara was about to crumble, a bodyguard walked through the living room door


    and announced, ¡°Master Carter, it¡¯s Mr. Ledger. He says that he¡¯s here for Miss Sylvia.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face sank as he red at Sylvia,


    Sylvia frowned.


    Tristan? What was be doing here?


    ¡°Well, Mr. Ledger sure is well-informed. He¡¯s here for you already.¡± Tara¡¯s look of panic vanished, and


    she even resisted the urge to break out into a wide grin. Shortly after she said that, Tristan shoved his


    way through another bodyguard and entered the living room He quickly went to Sylvia¡¯s side and


    inspected her all over, asking in an anxious voice, ¡°Sylvia, are you alright?¡±

 Chapter 113

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sylvia said, ¡°What brings you here? ¡°Carltold me ¡± Tristan then turned to Odell and addressed


    him sterily, ¡°Master Carter, Sylvia hasn¡¯t done anything criminal, has she? And even if she has, it¡¯s the


    police who should take charge. Surely it¡¯s not for you to y judge odell raised his eyebrows and


    sneered, ¡°Well, she¡¯s here. What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Just like that, he established his dominance


    Tristan stammered for a few seconds beloreposing himself. ¡°I put together a crew of my own as


    well, and their numbers are no fewer than yours. Do you want to settle a score?¡± Odell shed a hostile


    look Immediately. Tara spoke up, ¡°odell, let¡¯s let them go. This whole thing all started because of me It¡¯s


    my fault. Please don¡¯t be angry¡±


    Her voice was tender and thoughtful


    However, Odell was unaffected as he peered at Sylvia


    Sylvia was emboldened when she heard that Tristan brought more men than Odell


    Odell had been long suspecting something going on between her and Tristan anyway, so exining


    things would just be a waste of time. Now that Alister had gotten away, she had no proof of any kind. She


    was not going to let herself get beaten.


    She smiled sarcastically at Odell. ¡°Master Carter, It¡¯s not worth fighting for your ex-wife like this.¡±


    Oddell shot her a gnarly smile She grinned and went on, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to say anything, I suppose


    I¡¯ll leave with Tristan¡±


    With that, she turned around and walked out with Tristan following her closely


    Jusi when Sylvia was about to step over the threshold between the living room and the corridor, a deep


    and harsh voice came from behind her.


    ¡°If you take a step out of this ce with him, you¡¯ll never get to see Liam and Isabel again in the future


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia stopped. She frowned, her expression turning cial.


    Tristan turned immediately and was going to say something to Odell when Sylvia stopped him


    ¡°Ignore him, let¡¯s go.¡± With that, she left the living room with Tristan trailing after her The living room was


    instantly swept away by a gust of cold air with the temperature dropping sharply All around them, the air


    felt oppressing and heavy


    The bodygulATUS lowered their heads and dared to move


    Tara remained fixed like a statue She did not dare to make any gesture or talk to him. His expression


    was terrifying


    Tara had known him for so many years, but this was the first time she had seen himn make such a


    terriblece Even when he was dealing with his stepmother back then, he had never wom such an


    expression Was it because Sylvia left without apologizing to her? Or was it because Sylvia refused to


    obey him and went with Tristan?


    After leaving Tara¡¯s ce, Sylvia got into Tristan¡¯s car.


    When the car left the borders of Lake Victoria Vi, Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief, her sweat finally


    drying up Although she did not steal a look at Odell¡¯s face when she left, she could vividly feel his intense


    gaze on her. The moment she walked out, she broke out in a cold sweat, but the good news was that


    she had made it out


    She turned to Tristan who was driving ¡°Tristan, thanks for saving me.¡± Tristan nced back at her with a


    warm sinile and replied, ¡°We¡¯re friends. I can¡¯t just sit back and ignore it when something happens to


    you.¡± Besides, he would not let what happened three years ago be reenacted, Sylvia siniled back at him.


    However, when she suddenly remembered Odell¡¯s parting words, her smile instantly faded,

 Chapter 114

    The car coasted down thene


    Sylvta leaned back in the seat with an iron impression. She felt like all the energy was drained out of her


    body


    Tristan quickly sensed that something was wrong with her He recalled Odell¡¯s final threat before they left


    and said to her, ¡°Sylvia, I can help you sue for custody of the child.¡±


    The look in her eyes wavered.


    Tristan added, ¡°Isabel has been living with you the entire time. Even if I can¡¯t help you secure Liam¡¯s


    custody. I will do everything in my power to help you take Isabel back.¡±


    Sylvia was quiet for a while before responding. ¡°Thank you, but it¡¯s fine¡±


    It was not that she did not want to go to court against Odell, but she did not want to be the one to bring


    ruin to the rtionship between the Ledgers and the Carters.


    Both were very well-known families in Westchester that had been working together for a long time. One


    of the reasons thal the Ledgers could grow so rapidly in recent years was attributed to its alliance with


    the Carter Corporation


    Besides, il Tristan helped her with thewsuit against the Carters, there was a strong chance that Odell


    would not respond well and would make life hell for the Ledgers.


    Tristan thought she didn¡¯t have faith in him and quickly added, ¡°Sylvia, just trust me. I will help you.¡±


    Sylvia smiled weakly. ¡°I trust you, but this is between me and Odell, and it¡¯s better for me to deal with it


    myself. I do appreciate your lindness though.¡±


    Tristan had something more to say, but Sylvia interjected before he could and said, ¡°Drop me off over


    there I¡¯m not going back to work today¡±


    **Then, I¡¯ll apany you for a walk to take your mind off things.¡±


    ** No, I want to be alone¡±


    Tristan grimaced. ¡°Okay¡±


    Sylvia did not linger outside for long and went home quickly


    Aunt Tonya told her that the crew of bodyguards who came to get her had left just ten minutes ago It


    appeared that Odell was not going to insist on her arrest any longer


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia went back to her room, thinking about what she could do to see her children


    11 il came to awsuit, she doubled she could win even if she exhausted all her resources Taking them


    by way of force or stealth was not going to work either


    The more Sylvia thought about it, the more troubled she became


    After some time, she took out a drawing board along with a brush and began painting


    Painting helped her calm down. Perhaps she might be able to think of a way to meet the children after


    she had rxed.


    At Lake Victoria Vi, Odell finally rose from his seat some time after Sylvia and Tristan left. He strode


    out with a gloomy expression Tara did not dare to go after him, she kept her distance and asked in a low


    voice, ¡°Odell, where are you going?¡± Odell shot a look at her. ¡°Just stay home and rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± she answered quickly He did not answer and walked out. She looked at his back and began


    feeling a sense of unease in her heart.


    A ck car parked outside the entrance of the Carters¡¯ The bodyguard posted by the door was startled


    by the sudden visitor. He quickly opened the gates and ran to open the door for Odell Odell stepped out


    of the car and looked pointedly. ¡°Are Liarn and Isabel still at school?¡±


    The bodyguard answered, ¡°Thedy and young master will still be at school for another two hours.¡± Odell


    nced at both sides of the road. ¡°Expand our manpower Capture Sylvia the moment you see her.¡± He


    uttered Sylvia¡¯s name with a harsh coolness in his voice. The bodyguard shuddered and responded


    hastily, ¡°Yes, sir¡± Two hourster, after kindergarten ended for the day, Isabel and Liam went to the


    school gate while holding hands


    Ben and Jacob picked them up at the gate.


    Isabel greeted thern indifferently while Liam was quiet and unresponsive The two of them followed Ben


    and Jacob to where the car was parked

 Chapter 115

    Jacob opened the door for them before Ben carried them into the car one by one


    Alter entering the car, the children immediately saw Odell¡¯s figure,


    Liam was slightly startled, and Isabel pulled and pouted


    Odell looked at thern His face was as harsh and intimidating as always


    Isabel was about to yell at turn but immediately decided against it when she noticed the expression he


    wore,


    Lian observed tumn with a narrow look


    The two children huddled together and kept as far away from their father as possible. They were visibly


    scared of him this time and wanted to stay away from himn.


    Odell frowned. ¡°Sit down.¡±


    They fixed their pearl-like eyes on him with timid expressions and did not move a muscle ¡°Don¡¯t make


    me repeat that again.¡± The two of them exchanged a look


    Shortly after that, Lial moved to Odell¡¯s side, and Isabel followed suit and begrudgingly shuffled over to


    Liam¡¯s side


    Odell swiped a look at the siblings and extended an ar?n to pick Isabel up. He picked her up elfortlessly


    and carried her past Liam before finally taking her into an embrace


    Isabel puffed up her cheeks.


    She noticed that her father¡¯s expression was a shade darker than usual. Afraid of being punished, she


    kept her lips shut and her clenched fists were balled still behind his back instead of thumping him like


    she always did.


    Odell was staring at her.


    Her little cheeks seem like they would burst like a balloon at any second, and her buming eyes seemed


    as if they would sprout embers. Her fists were clenched so tightly that they were turning red


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She was furious with Odell, and yet she did not hit him.


    Odell witched


    Even three year-old child understood the capacity of her strength and knew to stomach her rage, so how


    was it that that woman could notprehend this?


    Or did she suppose that Tristan could help her get her children back?


    With this thought in mind, something shed past his eyes again


    in his arins, Isabel could notprehend the mindset of an adult She was only struck by fear of her


    father¡¯s terrible gaze


    She never even said anything yet, so why was the baddie acting like he was going to kill her?


    Isabel became so frightened to the point that she curled into a ball. She wore a distraught expression,


    and her nose was scrunched up to the point of tears Odell did not notice the change in her expression,


    and by the time he saw it, it was toote. Isabel began bawling her eyes out and cried loudly.


    He was taken aback by this response, thus he swiftly withdrew the harsh look in his eyes.


    Isabel was trembling in his arms. ¡°Mommy, Mommy¡± The baddie was so scary ¡®The baddie wanted to kill


    her. She wanted her Mommy!


    She turned her face away from him and bawled her eyes out, crying out for her mother. Her


    Ties were full of anguish and pain as if she had been tormented for ages.


    Odell furrowed his brows into a tight frown and was at a loss. He wiped her tears with his hands as best


    as he could and told her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    ¡°Wah, wah¡­ I want Mommy_¡± Isabel was crying hysterically and had no time to answer him.


    Odell did not know how to cate her.


    Next to him, Liam finally said with a tint of anxiety. ¡°You¡¯re scaring my sister. Put her down.¡± Odell


    hesitated for a few seconds and reluctantly put Isabel next to Liam. The moment the little girl wrung free


    from him, she calmed down significantly Liarn hurriedly hugged her. Isabel burrowed herself into his


    chest and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She was still sobbing then and was endlessly muttering


    Mommy¡±. Odell¡¯s expression darkened Liar tried to console her, ¡°Sis, we¡¯ll see Mommy soon enough.¡±


    Isabel cried, ¡°Wahhhh_¡± She cried so much that she was beginning to lose her voice


    Liam turned to Odell and demanded urgently. ¡°Daddy, you need to let us see Mommy, or else she will


    never stop crying¡±

 Chapter 116

    In the past, Odell would have caved in and let them go, but now, thinking of Sylvia only reminded him of


    how she had left with Tristan without any remorse.


    She had even abandoned her children to go with him.


    Odell had a terrible look on his face and did not answer.


    Liam cocked an eyebrow and observed him while Isabel was still whimpering.


    After failing to draw a response from Odell, she rested for two minutes before she wrapped herself


    around Liam and went back to sobbing again.


    Odell was at a loss for words. His forehead had several creases formed across them.


    Several minutester, Isabel seemed tired of crying and subtly turned to him. She tried to steal a look at


    him from the corner of her eyes. Odell flicked an eyebrow and proceeded to re into her scrutinizing


    gaze. She pulled away instinctively and buried her face into Liam¡¯s neck again. Shortly after that, she


    started whimpering again. Odell stayed silent and put a finger to massage his temple. Seeing that he


    was not going to answer, Liam urged again, ¡°She¡¯s going to go mute from crying.¡± ¡°If she cries again, I¡¯ll


    hug her,¡±Odell quipped. He said this to Liam though it was directed at Isabel. The mere thought of his


    scary face made Isabel shrink in fear, and she immediately shut her mouth after that. She desperately


    clung to Liam¡¯s arm while poking her head out and sticking her tongue out at Odell.


    Odell frowned.


    She still could not be tamed.


    It did not take long for them to reach their home.


    The moment the car stopped, Isabel opened the door and hopped outside.


    Liam followed closely after her. Meanwhile, Odellzily waltzed in behind them. When he got to the living


    room, the two brats were already clinging to the madam. Isabel¡¯s eyes were red like a traffic cone.


    ¡°Great-grandma, the baddie is such a jerk. I¡¯m scared


    Madam Carter hugged her tightly and asked Liam, ¡°Liam, did your Daddy get angry at Isabel


    again??


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Yes, just because she wanted to see Mommy. He even hit her. I witnessed it myself,¡± Liam


    Apr 116


    answered solemnly


    Odell was speechless.


    Madam Carter blew up on him immediately, ¡®Why are you getting angry at the kids?! They just want to


    see their mother. What makes you think you can hit them?!¡± Odell shifted to a nearby couch and picked


    up a ss of cold water to drink One of these days, he might develop high blood pressure. One of these


    days, he just might beat the kids.


    Madam Carter red at him viciously and went back to consoling Isabel, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Isabel. Grandma


    will bring you and your brother to see Mommyter.¡±


    Isabel stopped crying right away, and Liam¡¯s eyes had a revitalized look in them as well.


    Odell insisted, ¡°You can¡¯t bring them to see her.¡±


    Madam Carter scowled and red at him.¡±Why can¡¯t I? They¡¯re my darling great


    grandchildren. I¡¯ll bring them wherever I want to without your permission!¡± ¡°Grandma, I wish you wouldn¡¯t


    get yourself involved in this affair,¡± Odell implored with a sharp look


    Madam Carter had never seen her grandchild look at her in this manner. He must have been greatly


    angered by Sylvia to do something as disrespectful and outrageous as this.


    The look in her eyes shifted and she asked, ¡°What is it that Sylvia has done wrong?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Odell said with his eyes fixed on the children, ¡°Point being, she can¡¯t


    see the kids.¡±


    Madam Carter sighed.


    Isabel was enraged. She wanted to go off on him, but Liam stopped her just in time. He cast several


    looks at her.


    She understood the message and quickly shut her lips.


    At night, Liam and Isabel went back to their room after they had something to eat.


    They closed the door. Isabel whispered, ¡°Brother, have you figured out how we can see Mommy?¡± Liam


    revealed two binocrs he had recently bought and kept stashed under the bed. Isabel whimpered, ¡°If


    he finds out, he¡¯ll take them away.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to let him find out this time.¡±

 Chapter 117

    ¡°But I want to see Mommy and talk to her.¡±


    Liam patted her head, ¡°Let¡¯s call Mommy.¡±


    ¡°But the baddie took our phone away. He won¡¯t even let Great-grandma, Uncle Ben, or Uncle Jacob lend


    us their phones.¡±


    ¡°There is one more person whose phone we can borrow.¡± Isabel¡¯s eyes lit up as she asked, ¡°Whose?¡±


    Liam smirked mischievously. ¡°Dad¡¯s.¡±


    Several hourster, in the middle of the night, two small figures snuck out of the room and crept across


    the floor on their bare feet. They reach Odell¡¯s room without making a sound. Liam slowly held the door


    handle and pulled it down. ¨C Isabel slipped inside like a slippery loach. When she saw Odell sleeping


    soundly in bed, she crept to the head of the bed and stole the phone from the bedside table.


    She quickly crept out with the prize in hand.


    Liam closed the door softly and brought Isabel back to their room. He turned on the phone and took


    Sylvia¡¯s number off the cklist. Then, he clicked the dial button.


    Meanwhile, at Sylvia¡¯s residence.


    Ding! The ringtone began ying. Sylvia put down her paintbrush and picked up her phone. She did not


    anticipate the phone disy to show Odell calling, so she was taken aback. Why was he suddenly


    calling her? Though she was bbergasted, she still quickly answered the call. The moment the call


    connected, she heard the ecstatic voice of her daughter crying out,¡° Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Isabel?¡± Sylvia¡¯s eyes brightened.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± another voice chimed in.


    ¡°Liam? Why are you two calling me on your Daddy¡¯s cell phone?¡± Sylvia asked with a mixed tone of joy


    and perplexity. Seeing how she had burned bridges with Odell the previous day, he would not be so kind


    as to let the children use his phone to call their mother.


    ¡°Brother and I stole it from the baddie since he¡¯s sleeping, ¡°Isabel admitted.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    So, that was what happened.


    Sylvia was amused and smiled, then she asked, ¡°It¡¯s sote already. Why haven¡¯t you two slept


    yet?¡±


    Isabel said softly, ¡°Because we miss you so much. We miss you so much that we can¡¯t sleep.¡± Liam did


    not say a word, but Sylvia could only imagine how cute he looked huddled up together with his sister with


    a phone between them. Sylvia¡¯s voice softened. ¡°I miss you two too.¡± All her sleepiness went away. She


    added, ¡°But it¡¯s gettingte. You two have to go to bed and sleep, you got that?¡± Isabel pouted and said


    meekly, ¡°Ok¡± Liam took the phone and said, ¡°Mommy, I bought binocrs for me and Sister, so we can


    see you from our house.¡± Sylvia¡¯s face brightened. ¡°I bought one too! In that case, we¡¯ll see each other


    tomorrow with our binocrs tomorrow after kindergarten, okay?¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


    a


    Isabel cheered, ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± They talked for a little while longer, and Sylvia finally ended the call. After


    the day she had been through, this certainly helped to alleviate her mood. She put away the painting


    materials and called Sherry Fowler. Sherry Fowler was the owner of Lush Heaven. Although she was not


    necessarily the most influential member of the Fowlers, she was still considerably well-connected. She


    picked up very quickly. Her pleasant voice sounded through the phone. ¡°Sylvia, why are you calling me


    at this hour? Haven¡¯t you slept yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I need to ask you for a favor.¡± ¡°What is it? Shoot.¡±


    ¡°I need help finding someone.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Alister, a colleague of mine. She¡¯s been missing for two days, and I need to know where she lives.¡±


    Sherry smiled and answered, ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. Send me every information you have concerning


    her.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 118

    Meanwhile, at the Lake Victoria Vi, in Tara¡¯srge living room illuminated by bright crystal chandeliers,


    Tara could be seen in a swanky dress. She sat gracefully on the sofa with a ss of wine in her hand.


    Sonia was sitting next to her and anxiously darting her eyes across the room. As expected of the most


    iconic vi in Westchester City, every nook and cranny seemed like something out of a painting, exuding


    fine elegance and tasteful architecture. Although Sonia was someone who was born with a golden spoon


    in her mouth, she was still amazed by the decor.


    The Rosses lived in an affluent area where the plot ofnd was priced significantly, but the houses were


    on the older end. Meanwhile, there were only ten sparse units in Lake Victoria. These properties were


    something that money could not buy. Tara read every hint of envy in Sonia¡¯s eyes, and she smiled.


    ¡°Sonia, Odell gave me this wine a long time ago, and I never had time to try it. Give it a sip. It should


    taste divine.¡± Sonia could smell the wine from miles away. She epted the invitation and picked up a


    ss of red wine to take a sip. She remarked, ¡°Tara, this wine must be very expensive.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know


    either. Odell brought it, so I drank it.¡± Sonia nced at thebel on the wine bottle. It was bottled in 1992.


    She felt a burst of jealousy sprout in her mind.


    Tara was not that much more beautiful than her and came from a simr background, but how did she


    get to live such a pampered life? ¨C


    The thought of her fate made her sullen. Sensing this, Tara asked, ¡°Sonia, what¡¯s wrong with you? Have


    things been going well for you recently?¡± Sonia snorted. ¡°It¡¯s because of that bitch Sylvia. Who else?¡±


    Tara feigned ignorance and enquired, ¡°What about her?¡± ¡°She made Tristan go on a hunger strike to


    corner his parents into letting him live with Sylvia!¡±


    ¡°What? How did that happen? What did your parents say about that?¡± ¡°Mom and Dad are furious. Dad


    called Uncle Ledger a few times as well. Both Uncle and Aunty Ledger were so infuriated that they were


    this close to fainting. Still, there¡¯s nothing they can do if Tristan wants to live with Sylvia so desperately.¡±


    ¡°Geez, how could she make Tristan do something so terrible?¡± Tara reflected with a sentimental sigh.


    ¡°She¡¯s shameless! Even though she¡¯s already divorced with children, she still wants to marry Tristan!¡±


    Sonia was so furious that she didn¡¯t even want to drink anymore. She set the ss of wine down and


    said to Tara, ¡°Tara, I have been losing sleep for several days. Please help me think of something. I don¡¯t


    want Tristan to marry her!¡± Tara grimaced and said with a hesitant look, ¡°I do have an idea, but it feels


    kind of wrong.¡± Sonia pressed the matter. ¡°Come on. Anything is fine as long as it means that Tristan


    won¡¯t marry her!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tara said, ¡°Sylvia has lived a rough life and is just trying to find a good man to


    settle down with. At the end of the day, she is the daughter of your family. Why not convince your parents


    to take charge and find her a good husband? Once she marries the right person for her, Tristan won¡¯t


    have to marry her.¡± Sonia perked up with joy the moment she heard this suggestion. She rose up. ¡°Yes,


    I¡¯ll go back and discuss it with my parents!¡±


    Tara quickly followed up, ¡°Sonia, I was just throwing around ideas. We need to make sure Sylvia is up for


    it first.¡± ¡°Hmph, she¡¯ll have to agree to it even if she doesn¡¯t want to.¡± With that, she urgently trotted


    outside. Tara looked at her strutting away so quickly and grinned capriciously while muttering to herself,


    ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯ve been nice enough to pair you with Tristan, but since you¡¯re not going to y nice, I won¡¯t


    hold back either.¡±


    The next day, when Sylvia was hard at work, she received good news from Sherry. Sherry had dug up


    everything including Alister¡¯s current residence, her family¡¯s address, and even further details


    considering her parents. She left behind a final message. ¡°Sylvia, here¡¯s what I managed to dig up. See if


    there is anything else you might need.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 119

    Sylvia was very satisfied and thanked her. ¡°This is enough. Thank you.¡± Without any dy, she went to


    Carl who was in charge of the studio to request half a day of leave, then she drove to Alister¡¯s address.


    Alister lived in the secluded outskirts of the suburb district, and it took Sylvia almost an hour to get there.


    She raised her hand and knocked it against the door.


    Alister quickly opened the door from inside. Her face registered shock the moment she saw Sylvia, and


    she instinctively tried to close the door.


    However, Sylvia pushed the door open before she could and walked past the threshold. Alister stumbled


    backward and regarded her visitor with a vignt look. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    UD


    Sylvia answered harshly, ¡°You know.¡±


    The look in Alister¡¯s eyes shifted and she said, ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    Sylvia was not going to beat around the bush and went straight to the point. ¡°When did Tara pay you to


    spy on me?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Tara? I have no idea who that is.¡± She continued to feign ignorance.


    Sylvia then said, ¡°Your father is a gambler and owes a lot of money, and your mother is having a lot of


    health issues. You must be very desperate for money, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Alister suddenly cried out, ¡°How did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°I asked a friend of mine to investigate you.¡±


    Alister became flustered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m not here to bring you trouble,¡± Sylvia remarked honestly, ¡°As long as you admit that it


    was Tara who paid you off, I will help you with your situation as well. I can even give you double of what


    she paid.¡±


    Alister¡¯s eyes grew wide, but she continued to regard Sylvia with a suspicious look.


    She had taken money from Tara and had been spying on Sylvia for a long time. She even managed to


    take many pictures.


    How could Sylvia be so kind as to offer her double of what she was paid?


    ¡°I just want to prove that I¡¯m not having an affair with Tristan. You don¡¯t have to worry about what I¡¯m


    going to do to you,¡± Sylvia said. Alister¡¯s eyes flickered, but s, she frowned and said, ¡°I can¡¯t betray


    Tara. She is Master Carter¡¯s girlfriend! If she knows I betrayed her, I¡¯d never survive in Westchester City.¡±


    Sylvia refuted the point, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have that much influence. Also, I can guarantee that you


    keep your current job.¡± Tara did have Odell supporting her, but if Alister admitted that it was Tara who her


    to do such scandalous spying, Odell would find out about Tara lying to him. It might even ultimately lead


    to a division between the two. Even if Tara was going to ruin Alister with Odell¡¯s confidence, Sylvia was


    certain she could keep Alister safe.


    Nevertheless, Alister was still hesitant. Sylvia was about to further persuade her when the phone in her


    pocket suddenly rang. It was Aunt Tonya calling. Sylvia pondered for a moment before answering the


    phone. Aunt Tonya¡¯s anxious voice immediately said, ¡°Sylvia, your father and Dona are here. They have


    brought men with them.¡± Sylvia frowned. ¡°Why are they there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it doesn¡¯t look very


    good. You¡ª Hey, what are you doing with my phone? Give me back my phone¡­¡± Aunt Tonya¡¯s voice


    slowly faded away. Her phone must have been taken away. Immediately after that, Sylvia heard the


    much anticipated, raspy, middle-aged voice speaking to her on the line, ¡°Sylvia,e back right now!


    Otherwise, don¡¯t ever hope to see Tonya again!¡±


    He hung up the phone after cing the threat. Sylvia stiffened for a second before turning to Alister, ¡°I


    have something I need to deal with. Think about it. I¡¯lle back to see you again.¡± Without waiting for


    Alister to form an answer, she hurriedly strutted towards the stairs.

 Chapter 120

    Apart from Isabel and Liam, Aunt Tonya was the most important person in Sylvia¡¯s world. She could not


    allow harm to befall her.


    She rushed back to her house as fast as she could.


    The gate outside was guarded by tworge and intimidating men.


    Sylvia marched inside quickly.


    The broomstick that Aunt Tonya used could be seen on the floor.


    Sylvia entered the living room to see her biological father, Emmanuel Ross, and her stepmother, Dona,


    sitting on her sofa. She even saw someone pouring tea for them as she entered.


    She nced around the room but saw no sight of Aunt Tonya ¡°Where¡¯s Aunt Tonya?¡± she asked urgently.


    Emmanuel took a sip of tea and answered slowly, ¡°I sent her somewhere else.¡± Sylvia¡¯s expression


    became aggressive. ¡°Where did you take her?¡± Emmanuel suddenly shouted angrily, ¡°How dare you


    speak to me in that tone?¡± Dona said with a pleasant chuckle, ¡°Sylvia, we just asked Aunt Tonya to rest


    somewhere else for now. You can rest assured that we won¡¯t hurt her.¡± ¡°Then, where is she now?!¡±


    How was she supposed to calm down when they took Aunt Tonya away?!


    Dona continued with a cating smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. We came here because we have


    something to ask of you. If you agree to meet our demands, we will bring her back to you immediately.¡±


    Sylvia asked icily, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the situation. You and Odell have been divorced for more than three years already, and your


    father and I are very worried about your future. We have decided to find a suitable partner for you to


    spend your life with. Except for the fact that he¡¯s on the older end, he¡¯s a wonderful man, more than


    anything you could ask for. If you promise to marry him, we won¡¯t have to keep worrying about your


    future, and you¡¯ll also get your Aunt Tonya back.¡± Sylvia¡¯s expression was painted with disdain, and she


    had to chuckle at this offer, ¡°Worried about my future? How about when you kicked me out when I went


    back to you three years ago? Let me guess! You¡¯re worried about me being with Tristan because that


    means Sonia can¡¯t marry him!¡±


    Bang!


    Emmanuel immediately mmed his rough hands on the table and bellowed, ¡°I am your father. How


    dare you talk to me like this?!¡±


    ¨C 120


    IF


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°You were the one who told me that you disowned me three years ago. Are you


    having your first signs of dementia?¡± Emmanuel red at her menacingly. ¡°You brat! So what if I said


    that? I was the one who raised you with my wallet!¡± Dona¡¯s expression changed subtly as she motioned


    to Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia, I believe you still want to see Aunt Tonya,¡± she said with a curling smile, her voice full


    of implications. How very disgusting! Sylvia gritted her teeth. ¡°Kidnapping is illegal.¡± Dona smiled and


    said, ¡°Whoever said anything about kidnapping her? She used to be a servant of the family, and we all


    are familiar with her. We just invited her as a guest to somece you don¡¯t have any business knowing.


    If you dare to call the police, you¡¯ll be making a grave mistake.¡±


    all


    Hall


    11


    1


    DI


    ¨C


    Sylvia clenched her hands so tightly that her knuckles were beginning to hurt. The pain took her edge off


    and calmed her slightly. She could not rush things, or else she would be ying into their schemes. She


    suddenly perked up and asked, ¡°So, you will take care of Aunt Tonya, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Allow me


    to thank you in ce of Aunt Tonya.¡± Sylvia turned around and pulled a chair to sit down on, throwing


    one of her legs onto another, and folding her arms across her chest. Emmanuel and Dona were baffled


    by this disy of confidence. Sylvia smirked coyly. ¡°You two may leave now.¡± Emmanuel and Dona were


    speechless as their faces were filled with disgust and horror. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your attitude?¡±


    Emmanuel shouted. Donaughed. ¡°Sylvia, your dad and I made the trip here to see you. Don¡¯t be so


    ungrateful.¡± Sylviaughed heartily. ¡°I guess I am pretty ungrateful. What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Dona¡¯s grimaced.

 Chapter 121

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Emmanuel shot up and nearly charged at Sylvia. Nevertheless, Sylvia waspletely


    unfazed. Dona grabbed him just in time and smiled catingly. ¡°Emmanuel, don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s not worth


    getting angry with this girl. You have to think of your health.¡±


    Then, she turned to Sylvia. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know who your marriage candidate is and you can think about it.


    You¡¯d better make up your mind quickly. I don¡¯t know how long Aunt Tonya can keep waiting for you.¡±


    Sylvia stiffened.


    Dona smiled wryly and turned to Emmanuel. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Emmanuel. Give her some time to think about it.¡±


    Emmanuel¡¯s expression softened considerably as he muttered, ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± He shot another hostile


    look at Sylvia before walking out with Dona. His crew followed him out of the house as well.


    The whole house suddenly descended into silence.


    Sylvia bowed her head and grabbed her head with her hands. The same sense of despair she had felt


    when she was kicked out of Westchester City three years ago rushed back to her like a tsunami.


    Her mind was in disarray, and she felt as if her skull was about to burst.


    That was when her phone rang.


    Dona had sent her a message.


    The message contained the name and upation of her marriage prospect. It read, ¡°Michael Foster,


    main stakeholder in Flora Shoes.¡±


    Sylvia formed a frown. She seemed to have heard this name andpany somewhere before.


    She forwarded the message to Sherry and asked her, ¡°Hey, what do you know about this person?¡±


    Sherry replied very quickly, ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t this guy the brother of Ledger Corporation¡¯s Bruce Ledger? He¡¯s


    a pretty famous hooligan in Westchester and has been having the time of his life leeching off his family


    wealth. I think this Flora Shoes is a smallpany that Bruce set up for him.¡±


    Sylvia felt a terrible shiver run across her body. She felt terribly cold and her face had be horribly


    pale.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She now remembered seeing Michael Ledger twice when she was ying with Tristan in her childhood


    days. She remembered him being a fierce-looking man but also a womanizer


    wherever he went. The thought that her father would marry her off to this old man was sickening!


    Sherry texted her again, ¡°Sylvia, why are you asking about him?¡± She twirled her fingers on the phone


    disy and began typing with trembling hands. ¡°They kidnapped Aunt Tonya and now want me to marry


    him.¡± Furious, Sherry sent a voice message. She roared, ¡°What is this sick joke?! Was it your dad and


    Dona?¡± Sylvia texted, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sherry ranted, ¡°Absolutely unbelievable! Are they trying to ruin you by setting you up with him? He¡¯s like


    fifty this year! He¡¯s old, ugly, and loves to mess around with women. I heard he has several illegitimate


    children out there! What¡¯s wrong with your father? How could he call himself your father?¡± Sylvia¡¯s face


    was horridly pale. Even she had her doubts if she was her father¡¯s biological daughter.


    Nheless, this was not the time to dwell on these feelings; she had to rescue Aunt Tonya!


    Sylvia asked Sherry, ¡°Sherry, I need to know where Aunt Tonya was taken to. Can you help me find out


    what properties in Westchester are registered under the Rosses?¡±


    They would not take Aunt Tonya back to the family house or thepany headquarters. They must have


    hidden her somewhere she did not know of.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me. I¡¯ll have someone look that up for you now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sherry.¡± Sherry grumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t be so courteous with me. I¡¯ve never been so formal with


    you back even when you helped me out.¡± Sylvia felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    After wrapping up their conversation, she calmed down considerably. Emmanuel and Dona must have


    been in cahoots with Tristan¡¯s parents to set up something like this.


    The goal was to marry her off so that Tristan could marry Sonia instead.


    It urred to her that Emmanuel had already disowned her, and Dona had never been keen on her


    returning to the family either. There was no reason they would have suddenly be motivated to find a


    partner for her.


    Everything led back to ¡®Tara. Could she be pulling the strings underneath the surface again?

 Chapter 122

    Sherry was extremely efficient.


    Before the sun even set, she hadpiled a list of all the properties the Rosses owned and sent them to


    Sylvia.


    She attached another message along with it. ¡°Hey, Sylvia. My guy essed the surveince cameras in


    these properties and did not see any sign of Aunt Tonya or anyone suspicious showing up. Do you think


    there¡¯s a chance they moved Aunt Tonya out of the city?¡±


    Sylvia frowned tensely.


    Judging by what she knew of Emmanuel and Dona, she doubted they would take so much effort to


    relocate Aunt Tonya out of the city.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    But if they did not relocate her out of the city, where could they have hidden her?


    She felt her head throbbing. She sat down on the ground and scratched her head until her hair turned


    into a tangled mess, and still, she could not figure it out.


    Her phone rang again.


    The caller ID was ¡°Grandma¡±.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes brightened as she answered the phone immediately. Isabel¡¯s sharine voice greeted her,


    ¡°Mommy, have you eaten yet?¡± Sylvia smiled sweetly and answered tenderly, ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. Have you and


    your brother eaten?¡± ¡°We just ate, and we¡¯re waiting for you on the balcony behind the big meanie¡¯s


    room!¡± Isabel said with a tint of excitement.


    Sylvia quickly told her, ¡°I¡¯ll go get the binocrs right now. Both of you, wait for me.¡±


    She formed a w with her hands and smoothened her hair. Then, she went to get the binocrs from


    the coffee table and walked to the yard.


    Like the previous two nights, Sylvia saw Liam and Isabel standing on the balcony through the binocrs


    Liam held the phone in between him and Isabel with one hand and grabbed the binocrs with the


    other.


    Isabel, meanwhile, was holding the binocrs with both hands and looking at Sylvia.


    With the binocrs, it was as if they were mere inches away.


    Sylvia smiled warmly and spoke into the phone, ¡°What did you two eat tonight?¡± Liam answered,


    ¡°Steamed eggs with pumpkin, and some snacks.¡± Isabel pouted. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good. It¡¯s nothing like


    what Mommy cooks.¡±


    Liam echoed the same sentiment with a grunt.


    Sylvia found it rather humorous.


    The chefs in the Carter household were all professional and famous chefs, so how was it that their


    cooking was not up to standards?


    It would seem as if the children rated her cooking a little too high. They were clearly very eager to see


    her again. A glint appeared in Sylvia¡¯s eyes as she told them, ¡°Mommy has been quite busy recently.


    After I settle my things, I will talk to your father and see if I can take you back here and cook something


    nice for you. Does that sound good?¡± Isabel answered tenderly, ¡°Okay, but hurry up, Mommy. We miss


    you so much.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Yes, Mommy will take care of things quickly.¡± That was when Ben, the


    bodyguard, appeared behind them. Sylvia heard Ben¡¯s anxious voice through the phone. ¡°Young Master,


    Miss, your father has returned. Please get out of here quickly before he finds you two here.¡± He lifted


    Isabel and Liam from the chair as he said this.


    Before the two little guys could say goodbye to their mother, Ben had taken the phone away. They were


    carried out of the room with smooth efficiency. When they were gone, Sylvia put down the binocrs.


    Although she did not get much time to talk with them, her mood was significantly alleviated. Now that she


    was in a better mood, her mental state was faring better as well.


    She sat back on the living room sofa and began to look through the messages Sherry sent her. If


    Emmanuel and Dona had not taken Aunt Tonya to any of their registered properties, they must have


    hidden her somewhere else.


    There was a certain risk to hiding her in anymon location, so they must have found someone they


    knew and could rely on.


    Who could this person be?


    It had to be the Ledgers with whom they were working now. When the idea urred to Sylvia, she


    promptly called Sherry. She requested, ¡°Sherry, could you help me find out what properties the Ledgers


    own in the city?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°The Ledgers have a couple of subsidiarypanies under their name and additional


    ounts, so it¡¯s going to take very long.¡± Sylvia thought for a while and decided, ¡°Let¡¯s start with the


    ones under Michael Ledger.¡±

 Chapter 123

    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s way easier if we only investigate him. I should be able to get back to you by tomorrow


    morning.¡±


    ¡°Ok, thanks again.¡±


    ¡°No need for these formalities. Make sure you rest early and don¡¯t worry too much. They won¡¯t do


    anything to Aunt Tonya.¡±


    Sylvia grimaced and answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    At the Carters¡¯ residence, when Odell came to the living room, he saw Madam Carter sitting all alone on


    the sofa.


    He frowned and asked, ¡°Grandma, where are Liam and Isabel?¡± The madam had a shifty look in her


    eyes when she informed him, ¡°They should be ying in their room.¡±


    Odell stepped towards their room.


    Before he reached the door, he could hear Isabelining from inside, ¡°I¡¯m gonna turn the meanie


    into a turtle! Or I¡¯ll turn him into a puppy¡­¡±


    She was busy casting a spell on him.


    Without further thought, he pushed the door open. Isabel, who was on the floor and badmouthing him,


    immediately zipped her lips. Liam moved in front of her, fearing that Odell would grab her and teach her


    a hard lesson.


    Nevertheless, Odell entered and nonchntly pulled a chair to sit in front of them. He asked,¡± Have you


    two had dinner yet?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Isabel turned away snobbishly. ¡°Hmmph!¡±


    She ignored him!


    Odell scowled and turned to Liam.


    Liam answered, ¡°I¡¯ve eaten.¡± ¡°What did you eat?¡±


    ¡°Food.¡±


    Odell had noeback to that. He nced at the watch on his wrist to see what time it was.


    After that, he took a book from the bookshelf next to him.


    He nced at Liam and Isabel, then he coughed softly and announced stiffly, ¡°Sit down. Let me tell you a


    bedtime story.¡±


    Isabel pouted and objected, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your story.¡±


    Odell raised his eyebrows. ¡°Then, you can sleep with me tonight.¡± Isabel immediately shut her lips and


    clung to her brother¡¯s arm with all her might. The only thing scarier than listening to his bedtime story


    was having to sleep with him! Odell grinned with satisfaction and proceeded to read from the storybook.


    Meanwhile, Ben the bodyguard emerged from the other end of the corridor and arrived in the living room.


    He handed Madam Carter¡¯s mobile phone back to her. The madam asked, ¡°Did Odell find out?¡± Ben


    answered, ¡°The kids reacted very quickly, so Master Carter didn¡¯t notice a thing.¡± Madam Carter heaved


    a sigh of relief.


    An hourter, after sessfully coaxing Liam and Isabel to sleep, Odell put the storybook down and


    carried them back to the bed one by one before covering them with a nket. Then, he went back to his


    bedroom. Compared to the warm, cozy room that the children shared, his room was empty andcked


    any semnce of homeliness.


    A cold breeze blew in from the balcony. Odell frowned and went to the balcony. He was going to close


    the door connecting the balcony to the bedroom but found himself stepping out onto the balcony and


    facing north. It was a cool night, and many houses toward the north were still illuminated by an array of


    bright interior lights, including the one where Sylvia lived. A few days had passed already, but the woman


    still had note for Isabel and Liam. It did not seem like she was going toe to him to apologize


    either. Was she going to give up on them?


    Odell wore a stoic look. He proceeded to pick up a binocr that was left in the corner and aimed it


    toward Sylvia¡¯s ce.


    He was curious to see what would keep her up at night. Did she bring Tristan back home to spend the


    night with her? This woman must have given up on her children!

 Chapter 124

    The scene from several hundred meters away immediately zoomed in front of his very eyes,


    The lights in the living room were turned on. Sylvia could be seen sitting in front of a canvas ced in


    front of the French windows.


    She had paint all over her cheeks and on strands of her hair, but she remainedpletely unbothered.


    She held a paintbrush in one hand and was hard at work sketching something on the canvas.


    She did it with such intensity that it seemed like she would drill a hole into the canvas.


    Odell wore a dark look.


    Before the divorce, he had seen her paint several times.


    Those were the asions when he got off work earlier than usual. He would return to the sight of her in


    in clothes, with her hair tucked behind her ears and her face bare without makeup. She would sit on


    thewn in the yard and draw with a fixed look


    Twice, he had wanted to draw closer to observe her paintings, but she was very eager to please him and


    would immediately put her paintings away so that she could retreat to the bedroom where she cleaned


    herself and put on makeup to make herself presentable. Only then did she reappear to greet him.


    The first few times, she painted with a calm, noble temperament.


    Except for one asion. It was when she had just found out about Odell and Tara.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell remembered the state he had seen her in. She had a nk look on her face and was drawing


    frantically. Her movements had seemed more like she was trying to jab the paintbrush through the


    canvas, and that was exactly what she was doing now.


    Could this mean that she was in a bad mood now?


    Was it because he would not let her see the children? Or did something happen with Tristan?


    Considering her bold and fearless personality, she would have stormed to hispany sometime during


    these two days and confronted him had she wanted to see the children. This meant that it must have


    something to do with Tristan.


    Odell scoffed.


    Then, he took out his phone and called his assistant, Cliff. ¡°Find out if something has happened to Sylvia


    these past two days.¡±


    Within ten minutes, Cliff called him again.


    He proceeded to report his findings, ¡°Master Carter, the word is that Miss Sylvia¡¯s father and stepmother


    came up to see her this morning. Some people im that they saw them taking Aunt Tonya away before


    Miss Sylvia got home.¡± Odell frowned.


    Emmanuel and his wife came for her? They even took Aunt Tonya away? After a brief silence, he


    enquired, ¡°Why did they take Aunt Tonya away?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very sure.¡± ¡°Look into it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Odell picked


    up the binocrs again. Sylvia was still sitting in the same spot and drawing. She swung the paintbrush


    wildly across the canvas as if she would never get tired.


    Odell bit his lip quietly.


    After a while, Cliff called again. He answered the phone in one hand, still holding the binocrs with the


    other. Cliff ryed his findings again, ¡°Master Carter, ording to my findings, it seems that her parents


    went to her to propose a marriage arrangement. They took Aunt Tonya as leverage against her.¡±


    An arranged marriage? A gleam of ice appeared in Odell¡¯s eyes, and his voice lowered by several


    pitches. ¡°Who do they want Sylvia to marry?¡± Cliff revealed, ¡°Michael Ledger.¡± Odell looked surprised.


    ¡°Michael Ledger? Are you sure it¡¯s him?¡± Cliff whispered, ¡°It is him.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Michael Ledger, the younger brother of Bruce Ledger, was already fifty years old and was a seasoned


    gangster in Westchester. Word was he had numerous bastards out there.


    Yet, the Rosses wanted Sylvia to marry him? Was it because they were worried that Sylvia and Tristan¡¯s


    being together would sabotage Sonia¡¯s marriage prospect? However, Sylvia was also part of the Ross


    family. Odell became silent for a long time, then he grunted. This woman had schemed and plotted back


    when she wanted to marry him, so why could she not pull off the same maniption tactics on her


    father?

 Chapter 125

    Such morbid ipetence!


    After not receiving a response from the other end of the phone for some time, Cliff probed carefully,


    ¡°Master Carter, should we help Miss Ross get Aunt Tonya back?¡± Odell answered in a disgruntled voice,


    ¡°Do I look like a saint to you?¡± Cliff promptly shut his mouth. Two secondster, Odell instructed him


    again, ¡°Find out where Aunt Tonya is being held, and report to me once you find out.¡± Cliff asked


    curiously, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to help her?¡± Odell snapped back harshly, ¡°Who said I was going to


    help her? I¡¯m just curious where Aunt Tonya is being held captive by Emmanuel.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Considering how Aunt Tonya was one of Sylvia¡¯s dearest friends, he figured he would make good use of


    this information. Perhaps he could force her to apologize to him with this intel as leverage. Cliff pulled a


    face and answered, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on it.¡± Odell then hung up and put down the phone. He looked through the


    binocrs again.


    Sylvia was still sketching.


    He grimaced and scoffed.


    Judging by how she had been wildly sketching for so long, she must have been scribbling something


    ridiculous and infantile.


    The next morning, shortly after Sylvia woke up, she got a call from Sherry. Sherry told her, ¡°Sylvia, you


    were right. Aunt Tonya was taken to one of Michael¡¯s ces.¡± Sylvia enquired urgently, ¡°Where have they


    taken her?¡± ¡°Michael opened a clubhouse, and they had Aunt Tonya taken there yesterday. I¡¯ll send you


    the address of this club.¡± Sherry told Sylvia whileposing said message, ¡°But this club is not awful


    venue-if you know what I mean-there are many dangerous people on guard, and my men couldn¡¯t get


    inside. There¡¯s no way you can sneak in by yourself. You¡¯ll need to find someone who has free ess to


    it.¡±


    Someone with free ess?


    Sylvia immediately thought of Tristan.


    She did not want to get involved with him anymore, but this was Aunt Tonya! She had to find her


    After some brief hesitation, she made the call.


    However, it seemed as if the other party had turned off his phone. She tried to call again several times


    only to yield the same result. Tristan would not block her number. He was probably upied with


    something else. Sylvia sent him a text message, ¡°Tristan, I need your help. My father took Aunt Tonya to


    one of your uncle¡¯s clubs. I need your help to bring me inside to rescue her.¡±


    Meanwhile, at the Rosses¡¯, Dona and Sonia waited for a day without an answer from Sylvia, and both


    mother and daughter¡¯s faces were stark with annoyance. Sonia could not wait any longer and asked,


    ¡°Mom, Sylvia doesn¡¯t care about the old hag¡¯s life, does she?¡±


    Dona seemed rather skeptical as well. Aunt Tonya had taken care of Sylvia since she was a child. Dona


    thought that Sylvia would agree to the terms byst night, at thetest. She was not expecting there to


    be zero response even till now. Either she truly did not care about Aunt Tonya¡¯s fate, or she was still


    putting a stubborn resistance.


    Either way, it was impossible for her to find Aunt Tonya¡¯s whereabouts on her own.


    They had an agreement with the Ledgers that Aunt Tonya was to be taken to Michael¡¯s property to be


    hidden away. Meanwhile, Bruce and Catherine came up with some solution to keep Tristan out of the


    picture.


    The only person Sylvia could go to was Tristan, and since Tristan was not around, she had no road


    leading to Aunt Tonya. Dona scoffed with disdain, ¡°This bitch sure is difficult to deal with.¡±


    PE


    ¡°Mom, what should we do now?¡± Sonia asked anxiously, ¡°If she bides her time until Tristanes back,


    then we¡¯ll lose our advantage over her.¡± Dona frowned and pondered deeply. An idea suddenly came to


    her as she turned to Sonia. ¡°Sonia, don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯ll discuss things with your father right away.¡± Sonia


    nodded.

 Chapter 126

    After she sent the text message, Sylvia stared at her phone screen and waited for a reply at home.


    Almost an hour passed before Tristan finally called her back


    When she answered, he quickly said to her, ¡°Sylvia, I turned off my phone because I was in a meeting,


    so I didn¡¯t answer your call. Tell me why Aunt Tonya was taken to my uncle¡¯s club.¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°My dad wants me to marry your uncle, so he kidnapped Aunt Tonya to threaten me. Can


    you take me to your uncle¡¯s club now?¡± ¡°What? How can he force you to marry my uncle?¡± Tristan was


    furious. ¡°I¡¯ll book a flight back right away. Wait for me. I¡¯ll hurry back as soon as possible.¡±


    Sylvia immediately frowned and asked, ¡°Are you abroad now? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in Liberty. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get someone to help you find Aunt Tonya first. I¡¯ll definitely help you get her


    out. Just wait for me at home!¡± It would take more than ten hours for him toe back from Liberty, but


    the people he sent should be able to enter Michael¡¯s club. Sylvia had no choice but to answer, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After the call ended, she was still frowning. ¡®How is it that Tristan just so happens to be abroad now?


    Was he lured away deliberately?¡¯ At that moment, Sherry sent her a photo of Michael¡¯s club. There are


    five burly thugs at the entrance alone. There must be more inside.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Could Tristan¡¯s subordinates be able to break in and find Aunt Tonya? ¡®However, who else besides


    Triston can go in and bring Aunt Tonya out now?¡± Sylvia scrolled through her contacts and finally stopped


    at the entry named ¡®Odell Carter.¡¯ On that day, after the two kids had stolen his phone to call her, they


    blocked her number to prevent Odell from finding out.


    Her number should still be on his cklist now.


    Sylvia was torn, wondering if she should try to call him. However, just as her finger was about to press on


    the number, the caller interface popped up on the screen, and her phone suddenly rang. She did not


    save this number, but she recognized it as Dona¡¯s. Her expression turned cold as she answered it. Dona


    asked with a smile, ¡°Sylvia, it¡¯s been a day. Have you thought about it?¡± Sylvia responded with a smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? About when you¡¯ll send Aunt Tonya back?¡±


    Dona¡¯s voice cooled. ¡°You¡¯re really more patient than I thought. Do you really think we won¡¯t do anything


    to Aunt Tonya?¡± Sylvia¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°What did you do to her?¡±


    Donnaughed. ¡°Of course, we won¡¯t do anything to her. It¡¯s just that she misses you too much and


    keeps moring toe back, so a few guests of mine identally touched her a little.¡±


    That meant that Aunt Tonya had been beaten up by those thugs. Sylvia clenched the phone and


    gnashed her teeth. Dona sighed. ¡°Your father and I already told them not to touch Aunt Tonya, but they


    couldn¡¯t hold back. Don¡¯t be angry. Your father and I aren¡¯t bad people. We¡¯re doing this for your own


    sake. Why don¡¯t youe and see Aunt Tonya now? I¡¯m really worried that she¡¯ll be too stubborn and


    ask for trouble instead.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed after hearing this. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± ¡°Why would I lie to you? I¡¯ve


    already sent someone to pick you up. You can go with them to see Aunt Tonya.¡± Then, Dona hung up the


    phone. Sure enough, not long after, an MPV stopped outside. The only person in the car was the driver.


    Sylvia was truly worried that something would happen to Aunt Tonya, so she had no choice. She


    grabbed her phone and sat down in the back seat warily.


    If something wrong happened along the way, she would jump out of the car when it stopped at a traffic


    light.


    The driver started the car after she got in. Neither did he look at her, nor did he speak to her. Sylvia


    opened the GPS app.

 Chapter 127

    As the car moved, the navigation icon moved as well.


    ording to the route, it seemed like the car was really headed toward Michael¡¯s club.


    However, would Dona let her see Aunt Tonya so easily?


    On the top floor of Carter Tower, Cliff reached the office door. He knocked twice, pushed it open, and


    hurriedly walked in.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Master Carter, we found out where Aunt Tonya is being held.¡± He walked up to Odell¡¯s desk and


    continued to report, ¡°The people we sent to investigate found that she¡¯s been locked up in a club


    belonging to Michael Ledger.¡± Odell nodded after hearing this. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing, Master Carter,¡±


    Cliff said somewhat hastily. However, he did not know whether he should say this or not.


    Odell frowned. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The people who went to the club to investigate found that Michael just arrived as well.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal


    for him to go to his own club?¡±


    ¡°They secretly heard a call that Michael received. The person on the other end of the phone told him that


    Ms. Ross got into the car. Michael was very excited after hearing this and had people prepare some


    wine. It seems that he¡¯s also prepared a powder that will cause a person to faint upon smelling it. He also


    had people clean up the best suite in the club. He¡¯s just waiting for Ms. Ross to arrive.¡±


    It went without saying what Michael would do to Sylvia when she arrived. Odell¡¯s expression instantly


    darkened. The next second, he got up and strode out, saying in a cold voice, ¡°Bring a few people along


    and follow me there immediately.¡± Cliff quicklyplied.


    After half an hour or so, Sylvia¡¯s car pulled up in front of the club, which was decorated with a nouveau


    riche atmosphere.


    When she got out, two burly men who were guarding the door came up to her. She asked bluntly,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Aunt Tonya?¡± One of the men narrowed his eyes at her and grinned. ¡°She¡¯s inside. You just


    have to follow me.


    Sylvia gave them a wary look and followed them into the club.


    As soon as she entered, she was greeted by the pungent smell of smoke and alcohol. There were even


    a few men and women making out in the dark corners.


    Sylvia frowned and quickly followed the burly men into an elevator. One of the men pressed a button,


    and the elevator arrived on the third floor. The decoration on this floor was also opulent, but there was


    not a single person in the corridor, so it looked a little odd.


    The two burly men walked to the door of a room and stood at its sides. One of them smiled at her and


    said, ¡°Ms. Ross, Aunt Tonya is right here. You should go in.¡± Sylvia was anxious to see Aunt Tonya, so


    she reached out to push the door open without thinking about it. However, all she saw inside was


    luxurious furniture and a table of wine. The inside was clean and empty. It did not look like there was


    anyone around.


    She felt that something was wrong and immediately turned around to go out.


    However, the man outside the door gave her a hard push.


    She stumbled and fell in.


    Immediately, the door of the room closed with a bang.


    Sylvia turned and was just about to grab the doorknob when suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, a fat


    figure lunged toward her. She quickly turned and dodged to the side. Michael, who wanted to grab her,


    missed his target and almost lost his footing.

 Chapter 128

    Sylvia instantly understood what was going on. Dona did not send her to see Aunt Tonya at all. She


    wanted to send her to this fat middle-aged man!


    Michael soon regained his footing and stared at her. When he saw Sylvia¡¯s pretty face and charming


    figure, he narrowed his eyes and smiled lewdly. ¡°Why are you running, Sylvia? Let me hug you.¡± Sylvia


    resisted the urge to punch him and shouted at him, ¡°Tell them to open the door. Otherwise, don¡¯t me


    me for being rude to you!¡± Michael stared at her andughed. ¡°You¡¯re feisty. I like that.¡± He approached


    Sylvia as he spoke. Sylvia stepped back and tried to reason with him. ¡°Tristan and I are good friends.


    Since you¡¯re his uncle, you¡¯re also my senior. Please behave yourself.¡± ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t you just want to


    marry that brat?¡± Michaelughed. ¡°But he¡¯s still immature. He can¡¯t even go up against his parents, so


    he can¡¯t marry you. You might as welle with me instead. I promise that you¡¯ll have everything you


    dream of.¡±


    Sylvia did not want to exin that she never wanted to marry Tristan. Even if she exined it, this old


    rascal would not listen.


    She went along with his words and said, ¡°If he knows that you¡¯re bullying me like this, don¡¯t you think he¡¯ll


    hate you as an uncle?¡±


    Michael was stunned for a moment, then snorted andughed. ¡°Who cares? I don¡¯t live off him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the sole heir of the Ledger family. Ledger Corporation will be his in the future. You don¡¯t live off him


    now, but what about after he inherits thepany? Do you think you still won¡¯t need to rely on him?¡±


    Michael¡¯s expression changed. He was obviously listening.


    Sylvia continued, ¡°Mr. Ledger, tell them to open the door and let me go. I¡¯ll pretend that nothing


    happened here. I won¡¯t tell Tristan about this either.¡±


    Michael stared at her face.


    However, a few secondster, heughed lewdly again. ¡°Hehe, not only are you beautiful, but you¡¯re very


    smart too.¡±


    Sylvia frowned


    ¡°He has to wait until my brother dies if he wants to inherit thepany, and by the time my brother dies, I


    won¡¯t continue living for long anyway. I don¡¯t have to rely on Tristan!¡± Michael approached Sylvia as he


    spoke, his eyes still staring at her face lustfully. ¡°And if I marry a smart and beautiful babe like you, I can


    be happy for the rest of my life!¡±


    Sylvia only felt disgusted. She said coldly, ¡°Then, don¡¯t me me for being rude to you!¡± Michael giggled.


    She was just about to raise her fist. However, before she could do that, her body suddenly felt weak


    It was as if her strength had been taken away. She not only lost strength in her fists, but her legs also


    went soft. She hurriedly backed up and pressed her back against the wall, asking him with a re,¡±


    What¡¯s going on?¡± She had not touched anything since she came in here. Michael raised his hands and


    said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s just a small gift from me. Don¡¯t worry. There are no side effects. It¡¯s just to make


    you more obedientter, so you don¡¯t have to suffer more.¡±


    Sylvia asked furiously, ¡°When did you give it to me?¡± ¡°When you pushed the door open and came in, the


    powder that was scattered above the door, entered your nostrils.¡±


    Sylvia did not expect there to be a drug like that. At that moment, Michael had alreadye up to her.


    He could not wait to reach out and touch her face.


    She used thest of her strength to push him away and ran away.


    However, after taking just two steps, she fell to the ground after losing her center of gravity. Her body


    was so weak that she could not move at all!


    Michael came up to her again.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a lewd smile on his fleshy face, and he said in a disgusting tone, ¡°Sylvia, as long as you


    behave, I¡¯ll dote on you the most in the future. I¡¯ll let you live the rest of your life in luxury.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth as despair and helplessness filled her body. ¡°Am I really going to be¡­¡¯ She


    closed her eyes. ¡®No, I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯ll fight for my life. I won¡¯t let him take advantage of me!¡¯ She turned


    sharply, strained to pick up a vase, and threw it at his head

 Chapter 129

    Bam!


    The vase hit Michael¡¯s head squarely.


    In an instant, he dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia got up and ran to the window.


    However, Michael did not pass out. He sat up while covering his bleeding forehead.


    He red at Sylvia fiercely and shouted at the door, ¡°Men! Catch that bitch. Don¡¯t let her get away. I¡¯ll


    y with her till she dies!¡±


    The burly men outside opened the door and rushed in.


    One of them went to help Michael while the other went toward Sylvia.


    :


    Sylvia quickly climbed to the windowsill.


    They were nearly ten meters from the ground. Although there was nothing for her to slide down with, the


    lawn below looked quite soft. Seeing that the man was about to reach her, she steeled her nerves and


    leaped down. In an instant, she tumbled on thewn and rolled forward.


    At the same time, several ck cars wereing down the driveway beside it.


    The ck MPV in the lead stopped the moment she rolled over. Sylvia happened to stop rolling right next


    to this ck car.


    Even though she tried to maintain a goodnding position so as to not hurt her vital points, her legs still


    hurt badly. There were also obvious scratches on her cheeks from scraping on the grass when she


    rolled. She curled up in pain.


    The figure of a tall man got out of the car.


    He took two steps toward her. When he saw that it was her, his brows furrowed tightly.


    Sylvia also spotted him. Her eyes were shocked, and she asked weakly, ¡°Odell? Why are you here?¡± Did


    hee here to save her? Odell looked at her coldly. His voice was frighteningly icy. ¡°Why did you


    jump? Are you tired of living?¡±


    Sylvia was in unbearable pain, but Michael¡¯s men should being after her soon, so she could not be


    bothered to notice his anger. She asked him directly, ¡°Odell, can you please take me away?¡±


    When she finished speaking, her reddened eyes were suddenly filled with anticipation.


    Odell¡¯s gaze deepened. A momentter, he bent down and held out a hand to pinch her chin, asking,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Tristan? Didn¡¯t you want to go with him? Why didn¡¯t hee to your rescue? Why did he let


    you be bullied here?¡±


    His voice was indifferent, and his gaze was cold and contemptuous. It looked like he wasughing at her.


    The light in Sylvia¡¯s eyes instantly dimmed. She did not have the strength to exin to him that she did


    not have that kind of rtionship with Tristan. Even if she exined, he would not believe her.


    She turned her face away, ignoring him.


    Odell¡¯s expression fell. ¡®She¡¯s still showing me this attitude at a time like this. Is it because she¡¯s unhappy


    that I mocked Tristan?¡¯


    He pinched her chin again and said in a cold voice, ¡°You can forget about me saving you if you, ignore


    me.¡± Sylvia responded breathlessly, ¡°He¡¯s abroad. He doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Heh, his own uncle wants to sleep with you, but he doesn¡¯t know anything.¡± Odell sneered.¡± What a


    useless man.¡±

 Chapter 130

    Sylvia was speechless. She pursed her lips. She did not want to exin, and she could not be bothered


    to exin. When Odell saw her like this, he thought that she was upset because he hit the nail on the


    head. He sneered and patted her cheek. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Sylvia said, ¡°You¡¯re right.


    Can you take me away now?¡± Odell frowned. He could feel that she was being sarcastic. However, since


    she was in pain, he did not mind lending her a helping hand. After a moment, he said to her, ¡°I can take


    you away, but you have to admit your mistake to me first.¡±


    Admit her mistake? Sylvia asked in confusion, ¡°What mistake did I make?¡± He said coldly, ¡°You know


    very well what it is.¡± What was it?


    She asked directly, ¡°Is it because I hit Tara before?¡± Odell pursed his lips and ignored her. Sylvia took his


    silence as agreement. She immediately said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I found Alister, and she


    admitted that Tara bribed her. When I go back, I¡¯ll go find her and prove that what I told you before is


    true.¡±


    Odell frowned and looked even more sullen.


    Sylvia wanted to groan out loud. ¡®I¡¯ve already said this much, but he still doesn¡¯t believe me. Why does


    his expression look even worse now?¡¯


    After a while, Odell continued to ignore her. Sylvia could not help but call out to him. ¡°Odell, can you


    answer me?¡± ¡°Keep thinking. If you can¡¯t figure it out, then you might just as well die here.¡± Sylvia was


    dumbfounded.


    ¡®What does that mean? Was that not the mistake he was referring to?¡¯ She frowned and thought about it.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gone to peek at the children on the day I beat Tara up?¡±


    Odell remained silent. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia tried again. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gone to your office to bother you before?¡± He still did not speak


    ¡®Could it be that he knows I used the binocrs to secretly see and call the children two days ago?¡±


    She said softly, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have secretly called the children and used binocrs to see them?


    Odell frowned and red at her. ¡°They went behind my back to call you? They even used binocrs to


    see you? Whose phone did they use to call you?¡± Sylvia¡¯s eyes shed, and she pursed her lips. Odell


    red at her coldly. ¡°Keep thinking!¡± She really could not figure it out. Not long after that, she said, ¡°If you


    really want me to find a mistake, then my biggest mistake was during that night. I shouldn¡¯t have walked


    into your room and made you marry


    me.¡±


    This was also her biggest regret in life. If she could go back in time, she would not have fallen for Dona¡¯s


    trap. She would never have gone into his room. Odell¡¯s expression darkened. His thin lips pursed into a


    straight line, and his gaze turned cold. Sylvia shivered. After a long time, he said, ¡°Your mistake was that


    you turned a deaf ear to my words and left with Tristan.¡±


    Sylvia instantly remembered what happened the day she was brought to Tara¡¯s ce.


    At that time, Tristan had brought his men to save her. She was afraid that Odell would p her a dozen


    more times, so she had left with Tristan. She remembered that he had also threatened her. He had said


    that if she went with Tristan, she would never see her children again in her life.


    However, if she did not leave, was she supposed to stay and get beaten up by him again? Sylvia did not


    feel like she was at fault. She pursed her lips.

 Chapter 131

    Odell saw that she did not say anything and asked impatiently, ¡°Why are you keeping silent


    again?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°I¡¯m not wrong.¡±


    His expression fell.


    She immediately felt the temperature around her drop. Her leg did not even feel as painful anymore.


    However, after just a moment, Odell¡¯s lips curled up again. He said to her with a wry smile,¡± I¡¯ll give you


    one more chance to reword that properly and admit your mistake to me. Then, promise me that you¡¯ll


    have nothing to do with Tristan in the future. If you do that, I¡¯ll take you away. If you don¡¯t, you can resign


    yourself to marrying that old rascal, Michael. You¡¯ll never see Isabel or Liam again.¡±


    Each word he spoke was cruel and stabbed at her like knives.


    The way he looked down on her was as if he was a king peering down condescendingly from high above


    his pedestal. He looked at her like she was a worm that he could trample at any moment.


    Sylvia was so cold that her body stiffened.


    With reddened eyes, she asked him in a trembling voice, ¡°Odell, what else can you do besides using


    Isabel and Liam to threaten me?¡±


    Odell looked at her teary eyes and grew irritated. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience. If you don¡¯t admit your


    mistake, then I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°I refuse. Leave if you want to!¡± Sylvia shouted hoarsely. Then, she turned around to lie prone on the


    ground and crawled to the side of the road with her hands,


    Odell looked at her figure expressionlessly.


    He saw her hands on the ground and how she could only move slowly despite her best efforts She


    looked like a witless turtle. He suddenly got angry.


    ¡®She just had to open her mouth to admit her mistake to me. She was able to speak so well before. Why


    can¡¯t she say it now? ¡®She¡¯d rather be tortured by that old rascal, Michael, than admit her mistake to me!


    ¡®Is Tristan that important to her? ¡®Damn it. She¡¯s so ungrateful!


    ¡®What a stupid idiot!¡¯


    Swoosh!


    He got up instantly With tworge strides, he bent over, reached out, and pulled her up.


    He picked her up in one swift motion and threw her into the car. Sylvia fell into the back seat. Her legs


    hurt so much that she could not sit up, so she had to curl into herself.


    Odell sat next to her and said to Cliff in the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°To the hospital.¡± The car started immediately.


    Odell¡¯s indifferent eyes looked ahead, not sparing her a nce at all. Sylvia also knew her ce and


    curled up, clenching her teeth to fight back the pain. A whileter, the phone in her pocket suddenly rang.


    She reached out to grab it. However, her hand slipped, and the phone fell under the car seat. She


    reached for it again and groped a few times before finding it. Then, she saw the caller ID.


    It was Tristan.


    She subconsciously looked at Odell. His head was bowed, and his eyes were dark. It was clear that he


    also saw the caller ID on her. phone screen.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. However, Tristan was definitely calling because of Aunt Tonya. Thus, she did not


    hesitate and brought the phone to her ear. Tristan¡¯s gentle voice spoke immediately. ¡°Sylvia, the people I


    called have already arrived at my uncle¡¯s club. They should be able to find Aunt Tonya soon. I¡¯ve already


    boarded the ne and will have to turn off my phone soon, but I told my men to send Aunt Tonya over to


    you as soon as they find her.¡± Sylvia¡¯s expression lit up. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, and don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll solve everything when I get back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


    Hanging up the call, Sylvia put away the phone. Then, she felt a gust of cold air sweeping across her.


    She turned to see Odell¡¯s cold and dark expression.


    ¡°What? Is Tristaning back to solve your problems?¡± He raised the corners of his mouth in a smirk.

 Chapter 132

    Sylvia¡¯s eyes twitched. Tristan was boarding a ne toe back, and he was indeeding back to


    solve her problems.


    However, if she answered ¡®yes¡¯, Odell would very likely toss her out of the car immediately.


    Sylvia did not want to die, so she pursed her lips.


    After a long time, Odell looked at her and said impatiently, ¡°If you don¡¯t answer me, I¡¯ll throw you out


    now.¡±


    She could only let out a low hum.


    The next second, he bellowed, ¡°Stop the car!¡± Cliff said softly, ¡°Master Carter, there¡¯s still a hundred


    meters to the hospital.¡± Odell asked coldly, ¡°Did you not hear what I just said?¡±


    Cliff did not dare to say anything else and immediately pulled over to the side of the road.


    Odell looked at Sylvia. His eyes were like frost, and his voice was frighteningly cold. ¡°Get out!¡± Sylvia felt


    a shiver make her whole body shudder. She wanted to get out immediately, but the pain in her legs was


    too severe, so she could not stand up at all.


    After struggling for a few seconds, she looked at Cliff in the driver¡¯s seat in front and asked in a small


    voice, ¡°Cliff, can you help me? I just need help getting down.¡±


    The hospital was just a hundred meters away, and there were many pedestrians passing by, so she


    could ask someone else for help to get to the hospital.


    However, Cliff did not dare to answer her. He nced at Odell in the rearview mirror. Odell¡¯s expression


    was even more terrifying than the devil from hell.


    Cliff immediately withdrew his gaze. He did not dare to respond to Sylvia.


    Sylvia knew that he was in a difficult position, so she did not force him. She reached out to open the door


    on her side and crawled out with her hands.


    When her upper body was out of the car, a tall shadow suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. A


    muscr arm circled around her waist and picked her up with a little strength. Sylvia tilted her head up


    and saw Odell¡¯s handsome but stony face. His expression was so cold that it could freeze her to death.


    Her eyelids fluttered.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Odell did not look at her. He kept his gaze ahead and quickly walked forward. In what seemed like the


    blink of an eye, she was carried to the hospital lobby. Then, she was mercilessly thrown in a wheelchair


    by the wall. Sylvia¡¯s body rattled slightly before firmly sitting on the wheelchair.


    At that moment, Odell had turned his back and was stepping out.


    Sylvia said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    His steps paused.


    She thought he did not hear her clearly, so she said again, ¡°Thank you for saving me and taking me to


    the hospital.¡±


    Although she was very upset with him, his timely appearance had indeed saved her today. She was not


    someone who was oblivious to her situation.


    Odell turned around and looked at her coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I took the time to save you only because


    I don¡¯t want Isabel and Liam¡¯s mother to be fooled around with by an old rascal.¡±


    Sylvia replied calmly, ¡°I know. I won¡¯t overthink it.¡± Odell¡¯s eyes were cold. He spared her another nce


    before walking straight out. His back was tall and indifferent, and his strides were long and wide. He


    walked out without any hesitation and disappeared from the hospital in the blink of an eye.


    Sylvia withdrew her gaze and wheeled herself to register at the emergency department. By the time she


    was examined and bandaged, an hour had passed. Both her calves had hairline fractures and were


    splinted. She emerged from the hospital in the wheelchair. However, there was still no news about Aunt


    Tonya.


    ¡®It¡¯s been more than an hour. The men that Tristan sent should have found Aunt Tonya by now, right?¡¯

 Chapter 133

    Sylvia suddenly felt uneasy.


    She called Aunt Tonya as well as thendline at home, but Aunt Tonya¡¯s cell phone was still off, and no


    one answered the phone at home.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Could it be that they haven¡¯t saved Aunt Tonya yet?¡¯


    At that moment, in a parking lot outside the hospital, Cliff returned to the MPV after making a few calls.


    He looked at the man sitting alone in the back and said softly, ¡°Master Carter, I just asked my friend in


    the hospital. He said that besides a slight fracture on both legs and a few bruises on Ms. Ross¡¯s body,


    there are no other problems.¡± After hearing this, Odell said with a callous expression, ¡°There¡¯s no need to


    report her condition to me.¡±


    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, why are you still in front of the hospital?¡¯ Cliff pursed his lips in exasperation and


    answered, ¡°Understood. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Then, thinking of something, he continued, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. The people we sent to the club have


    found Aunt Tonya. However, there is a lot of manpower stationed there. There was a group of people


    who went there before our men, but they were driven away and didn¡¯t manage to get in. They were


    probably Mr. Ledger¡¯s men.¡±


    Odell snorted.


    When Cliff saw that Odell¡¯s expression improved, he asked in a low voice, ¡°Master Carter, our men asked


    if they should go in now and save Aunt Tonya.¡±


    Odell said in a cold voice, ¡°Do I look that idle?¡± Cliff was speechless. ¡®If you¡¯re not, why did you have


    people go to the club to find Aunt Tonya?¡¯ ¡°Tell them to keep watching for now. No one is allowed to save


    her.¡± ¡®That woman wants to be with Tristan, right? Tristan ising back to find her, isn¡¯t he? ¡®I want to


    see if this young man, who has never suffered since he was a child, can beat his parents and help her!


    Sylvia did not stay in the hospital for a long time before she called Sherry.


    When Sherry learned of her situation, she immediately rushed to the hospital. Upon seeing Sylvia¡¯s legs,


    she cursed furiously, ¡°That old hoodlum! How could he be so mean and nasty?¡±


    Sylviaforted her. ¡°I¡¯m fine now. It¡¯s just a fracture. I¡¯ll be fine after a while.¡±


    Sherry frowned and said, ¡°What are you going to do next? Since you threw a vase on Michael¡¯s head,


    he¡¯ll never let you off. He¡¯ll probably go to your father and stepmother. What if theye back and cause


    trouble for you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Sylvia responded. ¡°I still can¡¯t contact Aunt Tonya. I think that


    Tristan¡¯s men couldn¡¯t save her.¡± ¡°What did Tristan say?¡± ¡°He¡¯s on the ne now and can¡¯t answer the


    phone.¡± Sherry sighed. ¡°So, we can only wait for him toe back?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°That¡¯s all we can do


    for now.¡± Who else could help her besides him? Odell Carter? Sylvia shivered when she thought of the


    look in his eyes when he sent her to the hospital. He had only saved her for the sake of the children. He


    would not help her save Aunt Tonya. Sylvia did not stay in the hospital much longer and left in Sherry¡¯s


    car. In order to prevent Michael and Emmanuel from finding Sylvia, Sherry did not let Sylvia go back


    home. Instead, they went to Sherry¡¯s ce. It was a spacious three-room house. Sherry was single and


    lived alone, so there was space for Sylvia.


    Not long after they arrived, Dona called. Sylvia¡¯s expression turned frigid as she instantly declined the


    call. A whileter, Emmanuel called instead.


    Sylvia hesitated and hung up as well. Then, she received a text message from Emmanuel. ¡°You b*tch,


    how dare you harm Michael? I¡¯ll give you half an hour toe over to the Ledgers¡¯ and apologize to him


    immediately!¡± Sylvia took a look at it and did not reply.

 Chapter 134

    Two minutester, Dona sent her another message. ¡°Sylvia, your father and I aren¡¯t joking. You¡¯re in big


    trouble this time. Michael is Mr. Ledger¡¯s own brother. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ledger are furious right now. If


    you don¡¯te quickly and admit your mistake, you¡¯re the one who will suffer in the end.


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t count on Tristan to help you save Aunt Tonya, and don¡¯t think that he can protect you


    when hees back. He hasn¡¯t taken over the Ledger family yet, and he has no ability to go against the


    wishes of Mr. and Mrs. Ledger. Your best bet is to go back to Michael. Don¡¯t be ungrateful.¡±


    It was obvious that Tristan¡¯s men failed to save Aunt Tonya.


    Sylvia clenched her fists and cklisted all their numbers. She could not justpromise like this.


    Tristan would be back in ten hours, so she just had to wait. When he came back, he could exin their


    rtionship clearly to his parents. Then, Bruce and Catherine would definitely make Michael release


    Aunt Tonya!


    At the same time, in the Ledger residence, Emmanuel and Dona rushed over after learning that Michael


    had been harmed by Sylvia.


    There was a bandage wrapped around Michael¡¯s head. His portly bodyy on the sofa as two beautiful


    young maids sat beside him, feeding him. Bruce and Catherine sat on the other side with unpleasant


    expressions. Emmanuel and Dona first apologized to them, and then called Sylvia. However, she did not


    answer. They sent text messages to her one after another. Unfortunately, even after some time passed,


    she did not reply. Dona called Sylvia again, but after several tries, she said to Emmanuel, ¡°Emmanuel, I


    think Sylvia has cklisted our numbers.¡± Emmanuel immediately called Sylvia as well. However, the


    only prompt he got was that the number could not be reached. He was so angry that his expression


    darkened, and he almost smashed his phone on the ground.


    ¡°That little b*tch! I¡¯ll go find her and drag her here!¡± he shouted and went out.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Dona grabbed him. ¡°Emmanuel, that girl was skilled enough to escape. She won¡¯t let us catch her


    again.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do we do? Are we supposed to just let her hide like this?¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Dona looked at Michael, Bruce, and Catherine.


    As Michaely on the sofa, he took a bite of the fruit the maid offered, and grunted, ¡°I don¡¯t care. I won¡¯t


    let you off until you bring that woman here and make her apologize to me.¡±


    Dona was inwardly disgusted, but she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll find a way to get her to apologize to you.¡±


    Emmanuel also frowned.


    They were naturally not afraid of a useless person like Michael. What they were afraid of were his elder


    brother and sister-inw, Bruce and Catherine.


    Emmanuel said to Bruce and Catherine, ¡°Mr. Ledger and Mrs. Ledger, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely give you


    an exnation of this matter.¡±


    Bruce responded, ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. Just tell Sylvia toe here and apologize to Michael.


    If she really doesn¡¯t want to marry him, we won¡¯t force her either.¡±


    As an older brother, Bruce knew very well what kind of person Michael was. A young woman like Sylvia


    would suffer for the rest of her life if she married Michael.


    If not for the purpose of splitting Tristan and Sylvia up, Bruce would not have agreed to this proposal in


    the first ce.

 Chapter 135

    Michael immediately shouted, ¡°No, I¡¯ve taken a fancy to that woman, and I want to marry her!


    He did not have much desire before seeing Sylvia, but he did not expect her to be so much more


    beautiful and even more charming than any other woman. He had to make her his!


    Bruce frowned and red at him.


    Michael reluctantly closed his mouth.


    Dona nced around and said, ¡°Since Mr. Ledger has taken a fancy to Sylvia, we¡¯ll try our best to get


    them together. However, Sylvia is very cunning. She even managed to call Tristan back when he was


    abroad for business. It¡¯s clear that her methods are extraordinary.¡±


    After she finished, Bruce and Catherine¡¯s expressions turned hard.


    Catherine then asked her, ¡°Then, do you have any good ideas, Mrs. Ross?¡±


    Dona said, ¡°I heard that Sylvia is doing wood carving in Westchester City. It seems that her craft isn¡¯t


    bad. The Ross family isn¡¯t involved in this kind of industry, but I heard that Mr. and Mrs. Ledger have a


    strong voice in this field. How about letting her never find a job in Westchester City ever again?¡±


    Bruce and Catherine¡¯s eyes shed with surprise.


    Catherine looked at Dona, then at Emmanuel, who had no reaction. She could not help but be surprised


    and mock them in her heart.


    Sylvia had children and got divorced, yet she still wanted to make connections with the Ledger family.


    She had promised to resign from Tristan¡¯spany, but he had gone on a hunger strike to protest. If not


    for those facts, Catherine would never have agreed to Dona¡¯s n of forcing a young girl to marry


    Michael. She would have also thwarted the n to make Michael sleep with Sylvia this morning. She had


    seen ruthless fathers and vicious stepmothers before, but never to this extent.


    With parents like these, Catherine suspected that Sonia was not a good person either.


    It seemed like after Sylvia and Michael got together, she would have to find a way to break off the


    engagement between Tristan and Sonia.


    Before she could say anything, Bruce said, ¡°That¡¯s too extreme. Sylvia relies on her craft to survive.¡±


    Emmanuel replied, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. She¡¯ll only face reality once she suffers a little.¡±


    Bruce pursed his lips. Since Sylvia¡¯s father said so, there was nothing else he could say.


    Dona piped up, ¡°We¡¯re doing this for Sylvia¡¯s own good. She¡¯s always so ungrateful and thinks that she


    can y up to people in power. We¡¯re also forced to use this kind of extreme measure to educate her.¡±


    Catherine held back her sneer and said, ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll make it so she can¡¯t find a job in Westchester City.


    That way, she won¡¯t be able to continue living. When she¡¯s cornered, she¡¯ll have no choice but to listen to


    you.¡± Dona immediately smiled when she heard Catherine agree. ¡°You¡¯re very wise, Mrs. Ledger.¡±


    Catherine merely smiled insipidly.


    Dona added, ¡°But I heard that Tristan is already on the way to Westchester City. Will Sylvia make him do


    something again when he returns?¡±.


    AL


    She was worried that Tristan would ruin their ns.


    Catherine said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. As soon as he gets off the ne, we¡¯ll pick him up and bring him


    home. We won¡¯t let him take another step out of this house.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Dona smiled. ¡°Since Tristan can no longer interfere, that¡¯s a relief.¡±


    At Sherry¡¯s ce, Sylvia was thinking about Aunt Tonya and was not in the mood to go back to the studio


    to work.


    She was just thinking of taking a few days off when she suddenly received a message from the studio


    owner, Carl.


    He said, ¡°Sylvia, I heard that you¡¯re injured. Take good care of your injuries at home. You don¡¯t have to


    come to work in the future.¡±

 Chapter 136

    Sylvia frowned. She had hurt her legs, not her hands. Furthermore, she did not tell anyone in the studio


    that she was injured. How did Carl know?


    She felt that something was wrong and called him directly.


    The line was busy for a while before connecting, and she asked directly, ¡°Carl, why are you firing me?


    Did I make any mistakes at work?¡± ¡°No, you perform exceptionally well. The customers like your work the


    best.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you fire me?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Carl stammered. She asked in a cold voice, ¡°Someone pressured


    you to fire me, didn¡¯t they?¡± Carl sighed and said, ¡°Since you guessed it, I won¡¯t hide it from you. You¡¯ve


    really offended: someone you shouldn¡¯t have. No one in our line dares to ask for you anymore. You can


    either find another job or go to another city to work. Your wood carving skills are impressive. You won¡¯t


    be any worse off if you go to another city besides Westchester.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for telling me this.¡±


    After finishing the call with Carl, Sylvia tried sending messages to other people she knew in the wood


    carving industry, asking if she could work for them.


    However, the answers she got were a consistent ¡®no¡¯. It was clear that she was being boycotted in this


    industry.


    In order to force her to marry Michael, they first kidnapped Aunt Tonya, and now she was being shut out


    of the industry.


    As expected of her family! She picked up her phone again and looked at the time. It was 3p.m. There


    were still around six hours before Tristan returned to Westchester City. She put down her phone, took out


    two small pieces of wood from her bag, and began carving them.


    She needed to get through these six hours quickly. Time passed little by little with her movements.


    Finally, when she finished carving the two pieces of wood into cute little dolls, the sky outside had grown


    dark.


    She picked up her phone and saw that it was almost 11 p.m. Tristan should be getting off the ne by


    now. She stared at the time on her phone expectantly.


    Just as the needle on the clock was about to reach 11 p.m. sharp, a caller ID appeared on the


    screen.


    It was Tristan.


    Sylvia quickly put the phone to her ear. ¡°Tristan, are you back?¡± Tristan quickly told her, ¡°Sylvia, I just


    found out that my uncle¡¯s men kicked out the men I sent in the morning. They couldn¡¯t take Aunt Tonya


    out, but don¡¯t worry. They saw that she was locked in the basement. The environment inside was quite


    clean, and the people inside didn¡¯t abuse her.¡±


    Sylvia was instantly relieved and asked him, ¡°Have you gotten off the ne? Can we meet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my


    way to the parking lot now. I¡¯ll get a car to meet you right away. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll


    ¨C Hey, who are you people? Give me back my phone-¡± ¡°Sorry, Mr. Ledger, we¡¯re here to pick you up and


    take you home as requested by your parents.


    On the phone, Tristan¡¯s voice was reced by a different person¡¯s, and then the call ended. Sylvia


    frowned uneasily. She heard what the voice said.


    Tristan¡¯s phone had been confiscated, and he was taken away by people arranged by his parents¡­


    After a while, she called him again, but she received an automated message saying his phone was


    turned off. Her hand stiffened as she held the phone. ¡®They even took Tristan out of the picture. They¡¯re


    not leaving me any way out.¡¯


    At that moment, in Carter Tower, Odell had just finished a multinational conference and was resting in his


    office. Cliff knocked on the door and walked in.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 137

    Cliff said to Odell, ¡°Master Carter, I just received news The Ledger family seems to have put a hold on


    Ms. Ross¡¯s career because she harmed Michael. No one in Westchester City¡¯s wood carving industry


    dares to hire her now


    Odell frowned and red at him ¡°I told you not to report about her to me¡±


    Cliff immediately bowed his head. ¡°My apologies I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Odell said coldly, ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°However, there¡¯s one more thing regarding Ms Ross Would you like to hear what it is?¡± Cliff¡¯s voice


    became smaller


    Odell frowned in annoyance. ¡°Get to the point.¡±


    Cliff quickly said, ¡°Just now, Mr. Ledger got off the ne and was taken by people sent by his parents.¡±


    Odell raised his brows and sorted augh. He was right.


    Cliff looked at his obviously pleased face and said, ¡°Master Carter, if there¡¯s nothing else, 1¡¯11 go out


    now.¡±


    Odell nodded, ¡°Go ahead¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Cliff turned and left Odell leaned back against the chair, folded his hands across his chest, and pursed


    his lips in silence


    With Tristan being controlled, her only hope was gone. He wanted to see what she would do next


    At that moment, his phone suddenly chimed.


    It was a message from Tara


    She asked, ¡°Odell, can you apany me to an art exhibit tomorrow morning?¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°What art exhibit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s being held by Mr Collins He took out all the paintings he¡¯s collected


    his entire life. There are many masterpieces from artists such as Aqu and Sunflower, who have rarely


    come up with any pieces in recent years I heard that these paintings have never been made public.¡±


    Odell thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Are those paintings for sale?


    Tara replied, ¡°If you want to buy them, Mr. Collins will definitely name you a price¡±


    Odell agreed, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow moming¡±


    He remembered that his grandmother liked the artist, Sunflower, very much. If his works were good, he


    could buy a few paintings for her Recently, the two little ones at home had been causing a lot of trouble


    because they could not


    see Sylvia, so the Old Madam was quite angry with him. He might be able to appease her if he bought


    her some paintings.


    At Sherry¡¯s ce, when Sherry finished work, she rushed straight home to see Sylvia sitting by the


    window in a daze. The window was open, allowing the cold air outside to blow at her. Her face was


    already pale from the nippy wind. Sherry immediately closed the window and called out to her. ¡°Syl, what


    are you doing? Is Mr. Ledger back? Did he call you?¡± Sylvia responded, ¡°He was taken away by people


    sent by his parents.¡± Sherry was instantly shocked before cursing angrily, ¡°They¡¯re going too far!¡±


    Sylvia looked at the cold night outside and said nothing.


    Sherry fumed. ¡°I¡¯ll call my friends and tell them to break in and rescue Aunt Tonya!¡±


    Sylvia quickly stopped her. ¡°You can¡¯t fight them head-on. Besides, the people that Tristan, sent found


    Aunt Tonya, so Michael¡¯s people might have moved her somewhere else.¡±


    Sherry asked, ¡°Then, what should we do now? Are you just going topromise and marry that old


    hoodlum?¡± Sylvia pursed her lips coldly. Sherry suddenly thought of something and cried out, ¡°Oh right!


    There¡¯s someone else who can definitely help you!¡± Sylvia asked curiously, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Odell Carter!¡± Sherry


    said, ¡°He¡¯s the boss of Carter Corporation. As long as he gives the word, your father and stepmother


    won¡¯t dare to make things difficult for you. They¡¯ll let Aunt Tonya go as well.¡±

 Chapter 138

    It was not that Sylvia had not thought about Odell before, but she dropped the idea. She stated, ¡°He


    won¡¯t help me.¡± Sherry knew about the grudges between Sylvia and Odell these three years. She also


    hated Odell for what he had done to Sylvia because of Tara three years ago. However, right now, he was


    the only person who could help her rescue Aunt Tonya.


    She looked at Sylvia¡¯s face and said, ¡°Syl, why don¡¯t you beg him? You¡¯re still the mother of his children,


    as well as his ex-wife. He won¡¯t just leave you in the lurch, right?¡±


    Beg him?


    Sylvia could not help but shiver as she remembered his face when he dumped her at the hospital.


    It was not that she did not want to beg him. However, even if she did, he most likely would not agree.


    Perhaps he might even humiliate her. She was silent for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of talking to


    Tristan¡¯s parents and clearing things up with them.¡± Sherry said with uncertainty, ¡°Will they listen to


    you?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I¡¯ve met them many times when I was a child. They don¡¯t seem like unreasonable people.


    If I talk to them face to face, they might believe me.¡± After all, she really had nothing to do with Tristan,


    and she did not want to marry him.


    The four of them just wanted to force her to marry Michael to prevent her from being with Tristan.


    This was the only solution she could think of now.


    Early the next morning, Sherry apanied Sylvia to the Ledger residence.


    The butler said that Bruce and Catherine were not home since they had gone to an art exhibition. He told


    Sylvia toe back again next time. Sylvia was anxious about Aunt Tonya. She did not have the


    patience to wait, so she immediately asked, ¡°Sir, do you know where the exhibition is held?¡±


    The butler replied politely, ¡°It seems to be over at Art Haven. However, it¡¯s a private event. Only people


    who have received invitations can go. If you¡¯re in a hurry to meet Mr. and Mrs. Ledger, it¡¯s better if you


    wait for them toe back from the exhibition.¡±


    Art Haven?


    That was near Isabel and Liam¡¯s preschool. Sylvia thanked him and asked Sherry to drive her to Art


    Haven.


    Along the way, Sherry made some phone calls and found out where the exhibition was held. The


    exhibition was hosted by Mr. Collins, a famous collector in Westchester City, in one of his small estates.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    However, one needed an invitation to get in, and Sherry managed to get it from one of her friends. They


    made a detour again to get the invitation. Soon, they arrived at the small and artistic manor. When they


    got out, Sherry pushed her to the entrance.


    She passed the invitation to Sylvia and said uneasily, ¡°Syl, there¡¯s only one invitation, so I can¡¯t go in with


    you. I¡¯ll be right outside. Call me immediately if anything happens.¡± Sylvia smiled at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    Nothing will happen to me.¡±


    There would be other people inside. Bruce and Catherine were not barbarians. Even if they hated her,


    they would not do anything to her.


    After saying that, Sylvia took the invitation and went into the manor.


    The exhibition venue was an openwn in front of the manor.


    Many famous paintings were arranged in an orderly manner. Some people ambled through the aisles to


    admire them or were chatting with their friends who were apanying them. Sylvia looked around, but


    Bruce and Catherine did not seem to be present.

 Chapter 139

    Could they be in the back of the house?


    Sylvia turned her wheelchair to go inside.


    However, when she arrived at the house, Sonia suddenly ran over from the side and blocked Sylvia¡¯s


    way. She red at Sylvia coldly. ¡°How did you get in here? Who let you in?¡± Sylvia did not want to argue


    with her. She said directly, ¡°Get out of the way.¡±


    Sonia saw how Sylvia was stuck in a wheelchair and could not move. She said with contempt,¡± What are


    you doing here? Lowly b*tches like you can¡¯te to a ce like this.¡±


    Sylvia simply turned her wheelchair to go around Sonia and head inside. However, no matter how she


    tried, Sonia moved to block her way.


    Sylvia swallowed her anger and said coldly, ¡°Sonia, I¡¯m here to find Mr. and Mrs. Ledger. Please move


    aside!¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    .


    Sonia crossed her arms and continued to stop Sylvia with a sneer. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ledger are resting


    inside. They don¡¯t have time to see a cripple like you. Get lost.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her fists.


    If not for the fact that she could not move her legs, she would have pushed Sonia away. At that moment,


    in the house behind Sonia, a group of people watched them through the transparent ss wall. Bruce,


    Catherine, and Dona were admiring a famous painting when they saw Sonia running outside and


    blocking Sylvia. Although they could not hear what was being said, they could tell from Sylvia¡¯s


    unpleasant expression that Sonia was taunting her. Catherine pretended not to see andughed


    mockingly. Dona also ignored it and continued to discuss a painting she had just bought with Catherine.


    Bruce frowned but did not say anything. On the other hand, behind a screen, Odell and Mr. Collins were


    sitting at a table, having tea. Noticing the gaze of Mr. Collins being distracted, Odell could not help but


    look outside. Then, he saw Sylvia, whom Sonia was blocking from entering. Perhaps it was because she


    had not slept welltely that Sylvia¡¯s face seemed pale under the bright sunlight. Herplexion also


    looked dull and haggard. His eyes deepened as he frowned. Tara had been standing next to him and


    noticed Sylvia a long time ago. However, she did not say a word because she wanted to see Sonia


    chasing Sylvia away. Now that Odell noticed them as well, she could not pretend not to see them, so she


    made a surprised noise and said, ¡± Sylvia? Why is she here?¡±


    Mr. Collins was sitting across from them. When he saw Odell and Tara both looking at Sylvia outside, he


    asked, ¡°Master Carter, do you know the girl in the wheelchair?¡± Odell pursed his lips. Tara¡¯s gaze


    flickered. Sylvia¡¯s purpose here was either to find Tristan to exin their rtionship and release Aunt


    Tonya, or to find Odell to beg him to help her. Either way, Tara could not let her seed. She thought


    about it and replied, ¡°Mr. Collins, although we don¡¯t have a good rtionship with her, we¡¯re considered


    old acquaintances.¡± They did not have a good rtionship? Mr. Collins looked at Odell¡¯s face again.


    His expression was a little sullen, and he seemed a bit unhappy. Was he upset that Sylvia came? Mr.


    Collins immediately nced at the assistant to his side and said, ¡°Go and ask the girl in the wheelchair to


    leave.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes lit up. However, Odell suddenly said, ¡°No need.¡± Mr. Collin¡¯s expression changed. Then, he


    said to his assistant, ¡°Don¡¯t ask her to leave. Also, tell Ms. Ross to stop making things difficult for that


    lady.¡± Outside the door, Sylvia and Sonia¡¯s obvious standoff had attracted a lot of attention. Mr. Collins


    thought, ¡®Since Master Carter doesn¡¯t dislike the girl in the wheelchair that much, there¡¯s no need to allow


    something so unpleasant to happen on my own turf.¡¯

 Chapter 140

    The assistant agreed and followed his instructions.


    Tara frowned and leaned into Odell¡¯s side.


    Meanwhile, at the entrance, Sonia was still arrogantly blocking Sylvia¡¯s way.


    Sylvia sat motionlessly, not nning to leave. No matter what, she had to meet Bruce and Catherine


    today. Since Sonia was not letting her in, she would wait here. Catherine and Bruce had toe out


    eventually, anyway.


    Just as they were at a deadlock, a polite young man came out.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    He smiled and said to Sonia, ¡°Ms. Ross, Mr. Collins said that everyone here is his guest. Please stop


    blocking thisdy¡¯s way.¡± Sonia instantly said, ¡°She¡¯s not Mr. Collins¡¯ guest. She must have snuck in.¡±


    The man looked at Sylvia who waved the invitation in her hands. The young man said, ¡°All those who


    have invitations are Mr. Collins¡¯ guests. Pleasee in.¡± Sylvia looked at Sonia, who was still standing in


    her way. Sonia snorted at her coldly and turned into the house in displeasure.


    Sylvia turned her wheelchair into the living room.


    The living room was spacious and decorated with antiques. There were quite a few people enjoying the


    paintings and chatting in small groups.


    She did not notice the man who was covered by a screen next to a tea table. As soon as she entered,


    she saw Catherine, Bruce, and sitting together by the window. Sonia entered before her and sat beside


    Dona, looking at Sylvia coldly. When Dona saw Sylvia enter, sheughed at thetter¡¯s wheelchair.


    Sylvia went straight to Bruce and Catherine.


    She did not look at Sonia and Dona, and said to Bruce and Catherine, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ledger, I¡¯m sorry to


    bother you at this time, but I¡¯vee to talk to you about my rtionship with Tristan.¡±


    Catherine said coldly, ¡°We have nothing to say to you.¡± Bruce nudged her and said to Sylvia, ¡°What do


    you want to tell us?¡± Sylvia immediately said, ¡°I think you must have misunderstood me. Tristan and I


    have never shared the kind of rtionship you assume we have. Indeed, I work in his studio, but our


    rtionship has only been that of a superior and his subordinate. I have never flirted with him before, let


    alone have a man-woman rtionship with him. ¡°Neither have I pursued any rtionship with him, nor


    have I ever wanted to marry him, let alone ask you guys to let him be with me. That¡¯s all a


    misunderstanding. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Tristan. He will exin all the misunderstandings


    clearly to you.¡±


    She looked at Bruce and Catherine, enunciating her words clearly. There was not the slightest intention


    to hide in her expression.


    Bruce fell silent.


    However, Catherine snorted. ¡°Tristan is so charmed by you that he¡¯s willing to go on a hunger strike for


    you. He can lie to us and say that he has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Bruce thought about it and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. That brat flew back from Liberty for you and left his client


    behind. How are we supposed to believe you?¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She did not expect Tristan to fly back directly after dumping a client.


    Sonia immediately piped up from the side. ¡°Uncle, Aunt, stop listening to her nonsense. Just tell her to


    leave.¡±


    Dona tugged at her and said to Bruce and Catherine, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ledger, although Sonia is a little


    straightforward, her words aren¡¯t without reason. The exhibition will be over in a while, but you haven¡¯t


    picked your favorite paintings yet. Don¡¯t let this ignorant girl waste your time.

 Chapter 141

    Was this ¡®ignorant girl¡¯ supposed to refer to Sylvia?


    Bruce pursed his lips. Catherine said directly to Sylvia, ¡°Leave. Don¡¯t waste our time.¡± With that, she


    picked up a painting again to appraise it. Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ledger, I can promise not to


    see or have any contact with Tristan again in the future. If I break my promise, you can do anything you


    want to me. I just want to ask you to let Aunt Tonya go.¡± Catherine was instantly displeased. ¡°What are


    you talking about? Who¡¯s Aunt Tonya? We didn¡¯t take her.¡±


    The Ledger family would not resort to something like kidnapping. Furthermore, there were at such a


    prestigious asion. What if other people heard what Sylvia said? While speaking, she also nced at


    Dona. Dona¡¯s eyes went cold, and she shouted at Sylvia, ¡°What are you talking about? If you don¡¯t get


    out, I¡¯ll tell your father to send someone to throw you out!¡± Sylvia pursed her lips. She had mentioned


    Aunt Tonya on impulse earlier.


    She thought quickly and said to Bruce and Catherine, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ledger, I meant what I just said


    earlier. If you don¡¯t believe me, please make another condition. Whether it¡¯s to break all ties with Tristan


    or to stop working in the wood carving industry, I¡¯m willing to ept anything as long as you don¡¯t


    arrange for me to marry someone else.¡±


    Bruce and Catherine froze. Beside them, Dona and Sonia also stiffened. Of course, they wanted Sylvia


    to break off her rtionship with Tristan, but she couldpletely cut off all ties with him? Soon,


    Catherine answered her, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said that much, we won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡¯


    Sylvia looked at her.


    Catherine continued, ¡°As long as you leave Westchester City and promise to nevere back, I¡¯ll


    believe what you said.¡±


    Bruce nodded.


    They were just asking her to leave Westchester City. It was not that difficult.


    Dona and Sonia¡¯s expressions also lit up. It would be good if Sylvia left Westchester City. Out of sight,


    out of mind. That way, she would not be able to hook up with Tristan anymore. However, Sylvia frowned.


    She said directly, ¡°That won¡¯t work. My children are in Westchester City, so I can¡¯t leave.¡±


    Catherine instantly snorted coldly. ¡°Then, we have nothing left to talk about.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia did not want to leave Westchester City. Did she still want to pester Tristan?


    Bruce¡¯s expression also darkened.


    Dona and Sonia¡¯s expressions also turned cold. Before Sylvia could say anything else, Sonia suddenly


    walked over and red at her, shouting, ¡°Can¡¯t you even do something that simple? It¡¯s clear you just


    want to seduce Tristan! Since you don¡¯t want to go, I¡¯ll send you away!¡± Then, she immediately pushed


    Sylvia¡¯s wheelchair outside.


    Sylvia could not stop the wheelchair and said anxiously, ¡°Let go, Sonia!¡± Sonia did not listen and pushed


    her all the way to the manor entrance.


    There were several flights of stone stairs outside the gate. Sonia stopped and used her hands to push


    Sylvia¡¯s wheelchair forward with great force.


    The wheelchair immediately rolled down the stairs at a great speed, charging forward.


    Sylvia had no time to react. The wheelchair shot toward the edge of an ornamental fish pond. Then, with


    a bam, the wheelchair overturned, and she fell into the cold, fishy water.

 Chapter 142

    Sylvia choked on the water and immediately climbed back up.


    However, at that moment, Sonia¡¯s cold and scornful face appeared in front of her on the edge of the fish


    pond.


    When Sylvia lifted her face from the water, Sonia raised her hand and struck down.


    Smack!


    The crisp sound of a p immediately rang out on Sylvia¡¯s face. Sylvia could not defend herself at all


    and once again fell back into the pond.


    At the same time, Sonia could not help but raise her chin andugh as she looked at the weeds on


    Sylvia¡¯s head.


    ¡°B*tch, this is what you deserve. If you know what¡¯s good for you, hurry back and clean yourself up


    before going to Michael. Otherwise, you¡¯ll never see that old woman again!¡±


    After saying that, she grunted and turned around to go back to the manor. Sylvia gritted her teeth and


    started to crawl out. It waste autumn now, and she was soaked to the bone. It was only when she


    climbed out of the water that her body shivered from the cold. She gritted her teeth tightly and flipped


    over, bracing her hands on the stone b on the edge of the fish pond. However, since she could not


    exert her legs to support her, she let her body plop heavily to the ground right after she flipped over. She


    curled up in pain. In her blurred vision, Sonia¡¯s arrogant, conceited figure had already walked into the


    manor.


    It was about time for the exhibition to end, so there were some people in the manor heading outside.


    They passed by not far away. When they saw Sylvia on the ground, they were all surprised. ¡°Who is she?


    I think I saw her talking to Mr. and Mrs. Ledger inside earlier.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her before, but I saw Ms.


    Ross push her out earlier.¡± ¡°I recently heard that Tristan had a huge fight with Mr. and Mrs. Ledger over a


    divorced woman. Could that be her?¡±


    ¡°Tsk. Her looks and figure are good, but how could she be so contemptible?¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go and ignore her. She must have messed with the Ledger and Ross families.¡±


    Their eyes quickly changed from surprise to mockery, and they finally left in indifference. The sun was


    still bright, but the cool breeze in the air did not stop. It blew incessantly at Sylvia¡¯s body.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She shivered a few times and crawled toward the ce where the wheelchair was tipped over. Her


    phone was on the wheelchair. Sherry was probably resting in the car, so she wanted to call Sherry to


    come and pick her up. She could not move her calves, so she had to use her hands and knees to crawl


    on the ground. Just as she was about to reach the wheelchair, a pair of long and straight legs suddenly


    appeared in her line of sight. The light in front of her eyes also darkened. Sylvia could not help but look


    up. Then, she met a cold and deep gaze. The man wore an expensive ck suit without a single crease.


    Even the leather shoes in front of her were clean and spotless.


    Right now, Sylvia was no different than the dirt he was stepping on. She immediately lowered her head


    when their eyes met.


    Odell sneered. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be quite capable? How did you end up like this?¡± Sylvia


    ignored him and reached out a trembling hand to grab the wheelchair. Then, she groped for her phone.


    At this time, Tara came up from behind Odell with a delighted smile hidden in her eyes. However, her


    voice was gentle as she said to him, ¡°Odell, she looks very cold. Should we call an ambnce for her?¡±


    L


    Odell looked at Sylvia as she climbed into the wheelchair to find her phone, appearing like a miserable


    mongrel. His chest inexplicably felt stuffy. His expression darkened, and he said in a cold voice, ¡°She¡¯s


    cold, not sick.¡± Tara showed a helpless look. ¡°Alright.¡± Sylvia found her cell phone in the wheelchair. She


    rolled over and sat in the chair. After she steadied herself, she smiled coldly at them. ¡°I¡¯m going to call


    my friend. If you guys just want to mock me, please do that from far away. Don¡¯t interrupt my call.¡±

 Chapter 143

    ¡®Her face is blue from the cold, and her mouth is trembling as she¡¯s speaking. How can she stillugh?


    She still refuses to lower her head and beg for my help!¡¯ Odell¡¯s expression sank. After giving her a


    nce, he took a step to the side. Tara did not rush to follow him. After he left, she said, ¡°Sylvia, you


    can¡¯t win against me.¡± The corners of her mouth curled up, and her whole face was filled with a grin of


    delight as she watched Sylvia¡¯s wretchedness and despair. Sylvia¡¯s gaze was chilly as she clenched her


    fists. She forced herself to remain calm and ask,¡± You were also the one who pushed for my marriage


    with Michael, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Tara smiled pleasantly. ¡°That¡¯s right. I told Sonia to do it. What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Sylvia gritted her teeth coldly.


    Taraughed. ¡°Hehe. I¡¯ll leave you here now. Odell booked us a table at a romantic restaurant. Well, I¡¯m


    off to have dinner with him.¡±


    Afterughing, she chased after Odell¡¯s distant figure. Sylvia¡¯s body was still trembling. She picked up


    her phone with shaking hands and fumbled to dial Sherry¡¯s number.


    Sherry quickly brought Sylvia back. Sylvia refused Sherry¡¯s help and took a shower by herself before


    returning to the bedroom. She sat by the window and stared outside. Her face was pale, and her eyes


    had no focus at all. Sherry looked at her worriedly. ¡°Syl, eat something. Aunt Tonya hasn¡¯t been found


    yet. You¡¯ve got to look after your body.¡± Sylvia gazed at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just want some time alone. You


    can go work on your stuff. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Sherry sighed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be in the living room outside.


    Call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Mm.¡±


    Sherry went out and closed the door behind her.


    The bedroom became quiet at once.


    Sylvia looked out the window and began to rey what happened since she came back to Westchester


    City in her head.


    ¡®Whether it was because Odell misunderstood Tristan and me, and prevented me from visiting my


    children, being targeted by the Ledgers and the Rosses, falling because of Michael and hurting my legs,


    being pushed into the fish pond by Sonia and humiliated in public¡­ All these events connect back to


    Tara.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡®I only came back to Westchester City because I wanted to see my children more often. Why did this


    have to happen to me?


    ¡®Will Tara only stop when she pushes me to the brink?¡¯


    Under the warm sunlight, her vision went cold.


    ¡®Three years ago, I let Odell p me 60 times. I managed to survive even after I was kicked out of the


    Rosses.


    ¡®Now, they want to push me to the edge like this? No, I won¡¯t let them!¡¯ She raised her hand to pick up


    her phone and opened an invitation message she received a few days ago.


    The person who had sent the message was Simon Foster. Simon was her good friend as well as a


    famous painter. He wanted to invite her to the award ceremony for this year¡¯s artpetition.


    Sylvia replied to his message. ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over. I¡¯ll be there at the award ceremony.¡±


    Simon replied in seconds. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! The award ceremony has been moved up to tomorrow at noon. It¡¯ll be held in the art


    museum in Westchester City tomorrow. Can you make it in time?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I¡¯m in Westchester City now. I¡¯ll be there tomorrow at noon.¡± Simon said, ¡°Perfect. See


    you tomorrow!¡±

 Chapter 144

    At Elysian House, in an opulent private room, Tara was sitting beside Odell, elegantly eating in small


    bites when her phone suddenly vibrated.


    She looked at it and then said to him excitedly, ¡°Odell, my friend in the Art Association told me that I won


    the bronze medal in this year¡¯s artpetition!¡±


    The artpetition that she had participated in was world-ss, and the participating artists were all


    famous painters from all over the country. She would have brought honor to her country by ranking in the


    top ten, but she actually managed to clinch third ce!


    Although it wasrgely thanks to Odell¡¯s help, she still could not help but be happy


    She knew that with this award, her status in the art circle would go up a notch.


    Odell nodded. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Tara said, ¡°Odell, the award ceremony has been brought forward to tomorrow afternoon. I heard that


    Aqu and Jackson will be the ones handing out the awards. Also, it seems that the most mysterious


    Sunflower is alsoing. Will you apany me to receive the award tomorrow afternoon?¡±


    If Odell went with her, the two people who won the gold and silver awards would be no more eye-


    catching than her.


    Odell was silent. He was not interested in this kind of activity, but he remembered that his grandmother at


    home liked Sunflower¡¯s works,


    Because of Sylvia¡¯s appearance today, he was not in the mood to browse the paintings and had only


    selected one of Sunflower¡¯s works. If he could meet Sunflower in person, he could ask for an autograph


    for his grandmother.


    After a moment, he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. Then, she said, ¡°I want to choose a dress tonight. Will you apany me?¡±


    Odell frowned


    The two little runts at home were even more arrogant after not seeing Sylvia for a few days. Yesterday,


    they even encouraged Madam Carter to kick him out of the house. He had to go back early to watch over


    them.


    ¡°I¡¯m not free tonight. Go by yourself.¡± Tara let out a disappointed ¡®oh¡¯ before saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with


    my friend.¡±


    Odell picked up his phone again and casually transferred 450,000 to her.


    Tara¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the notification, but she instantly wrinkled her brows and said, ¡°Odell,


    you don¡¯t have to keep giving money. I don¡¯t want to spend your money all the


    time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my woman. It¡¯s only natural for you to spend my money.¡±


    After he spoke, he picked up the cutlery and continued to eat. Tara immediately smiled and said,


    touched, ¡°Thank you, Odell. You¡¯re so good to me.¡± Odell¡¯s eyes softened as he looked at her. ¡°Dig in.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    After dinner, he drove her back to Lake Victoria Vi and left. Tara did not rush out to buy a dress.


    Instead, she opened a bottle of expensive red wine for herself and sat on the sofa to sip on it.


    As she drank, she reminisced on her life over the years.


    ¡®When I met Sylvia in my childhood hometown, she was the precious granddaughter of my grandparents


    and the eldestdy of the influential Rosses. She was beautiful, smart, and clever. No matter where she


    went, she was always the focus of the crowd.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®I could only y second fiddle to her! I had to pretend to be close to her. Otherwise, I would never get to


    know the rich folks through her.


    ¡®Fortunately, Sylvia was a fool and thought that I was really close to her. She actually told me everything


    about herself without any precautions.


    ¡°Then, I met Odell Carter, who was a perfect man that only seemed to appear in TV dramas He was


    handsome, powerful, and the young master of the Carters, the most influential family in Westchester City.


    ¡®Most importantly, he set his eyes on me! ¡®Although I could only bear with it during the years he was


    married to Sylvia, nothing is impossible for a willing heart. I finally waited until Odell took over Carter


    Corporation. ¡®He also divorced Sylvia because of me. Although Sylvia was lucky enough to give birth to


    two children for him, Odell still only approves of me.


    ¡®Since then, my career has been on the rise. I became famous in the art world. The upper echelon in


    Westchester City who used to look down on me before now have to look up to me.¡¯

 Chapter 145

    ¡®Today, I even won such a significant award. Even that damned Madam Carter would have to pay more


    attention to me now! ¡®As for Sylvia¡­ Heh, from now on, she¡¯ll only be able to cower at my feet!¡¯


    That night, when it was time for dinner, Sylvia pushed her wheelchair and went out.


    Sherry had ordered sumptuous take-out. They both ate dinner and talked about going to the award


    ceremony tomorrow. Sylvia said, ¡°Well, I still have to trouble you to send me there tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    Sherry patted her chest and said, ¡°No problem. I¡¯ve got you!¡± Sylviaughed. ¡°But why are you attending


    the award ceremony for the artpetition tomorrow?¡± Sherry asked curiously and expectantly, ¡°Did you


    participate and win a prize?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t win a prize. A friend invited me to go.¡± Thinking about


    how Aunt Tonya had not returned yet, Sherry said, ¡°It¡¯ll be good if you go. For an artpetition award


    ceremony of this scale, the Ledger family will also be invited to attend. Maybe you can see them again


    and exin yourself to them.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    One of her purposes for attending was to see Bruce and Catherine again. However, it would not be the


    same as how they met today.


    After dinner, Sherry wanted to go to Lush Heaven, so Sylvia went back to her room. Looking at the starry


    sky outside, she could not help but think of Isabel and Liam. They should have finished dinner by now.


    She wondered if they were messing with Odell again. Thinking of the two little ones¡¯ lovely appearances,


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze became softer and more determined.


    In the old Carter residence, Odell came back much earlier than before.


    When he entered the living room, he only saw Madam Carter sitting alone on the sofa. The two little


    limpets that usually clung to her and told her bad things about him were nowhere to be found


    When Madam Carter saw hime in, her eyes panicked.


    Odell instantly sensed that something was wrong and took a step inside.


    When he arrived at the corridor outside his bedroom door, he saw two small figures standing by his


    door.


    Liam was poking something at the keyhole of his door. Isabel nudged his side and asked anxiously,


    ¡°Liam, why haven¡¯t you opened it yet?¡±


    Liam¡¯s wide eyes stared at the lock as he said, ¡°This lock seems different from the one I practiced with


    this afternoon.¡±


    Isabel nagged, ¡°Then, hurry up. Baddie will be back soon.¡±


    Liam furrowed his little brows, and his hands fidgeting with the lock pick sped up.


    Odell walked behind them without a sound.


    He leaned his back against the wall opposite the door, folded his hands across his chest, and looked at


    the two sneaky siblings. Then, he cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem!¡±


    The little ones¡¯ backs stiffened instantly. They turned their heads together and put their hands behind


    their backs, looking at him with guilty eyes. Odell stretched a hand out. ¡°Hand it over.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 Chapter 146

    Isabel looked at Liam.


    Liam was conflicted for a moment. Then, he took two steps forward and ced the tools of his crime into


    Odell¡¯s hand.


    Odell flipped it upside down and looked at them, asking, ¡°Who taught you to pick locks?¡± ¡°No one. I


    learned it by myself. It has nothing to do with Isabel.¡± Isabel pouted and cried, ¡°I told Liam to learn it!¡±


    Liam tugged her little hand and said to Odell, ¡°It¡¯s because you won¡¯t let us see Mommy that we thought


    of picking the lock.¡±


    Isabel immediately shouted at Odell, ¡°Uh-huh! It¡¯s all your fault! If you let us see Mommy, we wouldn¡¯t


    have thought of picking the lock!¡±


    Yesterday, after learning from Sylvia that the two kids were secretly seeing her at night using binocrs,


    he locked the door to his room to keep them froming to the terrace behind his room.


    It was obvious that the kids were prying into his room to sneak in and get the binocrs to see Sylvia.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell raised his brows. ¡°Go back to your room and face the wall.¡± Isabel puffed up her face and stomped


    her feet. ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Liam also gave him a cold look. Then, he held Isabel¡¯s small hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    The two siblings walked away furiously, hand-in-hand. Odell pursed his lips coldly. He looked at the wire


    in his hand and frowned. After a moment, he took out the key and opened the door to the room.


    He walked straight through the bedroom and came to therge terrace on the north side. Picking up the


    binocrs on the ground, he looked at Sylvia¡¯s residence.


    All he saw was the dark and empty courtyard. Sylvia was obviously not at home. Did she run away and


    hide somewhere else because she was afraid of being taken to Michael?


    Or did she know that there was no way out and had given up on herself?


    He had advised her a long time ago not to think about being the madam of the Ledger family, but she


    insisted on going with Tristan. Now, she was suffering because of it. ¡®Hah. She reaps what she sows.¡¯


    Odell dropped the binocrs and went back to the bedroom.


    The award ceremony for this year¡¯s artpetition was held at 3 PM. The next day, after lunch, Sylvia


    changed into fresh clothes and had Sherry help her put on light makeup. Then, she went to Westchester


    City¡¯s art gallery with Sherry.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of Westchester City, at the Rosses, Sonia wore a luxury designer dress she


    just bought. After draping all her expensive jewelry on herself, she ran to Emmanuel and Dona, asking


    excitedly, ¡°Mom and Dad, do I look good like this?¡± Donaughed. ¡°My Sonia looks good no matter what


    she wears.¡± Emmanuel nodded. ¡°It¡¯s good. Just go in this outfit.¡± Then, he stood up, looked at the time on


    his watch, and said to them, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s hurry over.¡±


    The Rosses had been influential since a long time ago. Although they bought famous paintings, they had


    never been involved in the art industry.


    It was rare for them to be invited to such a prestigious art award ceremony. They would probably be able


    to meet a lot of industry bigwigs which was good news to Emmanuel and the Rosses.


    He could not wait to get to the award ceremony. Dona knew that he was impatient, so she got up and led


    Sonia to his side. As they followed him outside, she said, ¡°Emmanuel, our family was invited to the award


    ceremony today thanks to Sonia. If it wasn¡¯t for her meeting Tara, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten an invitation.¡±

 Chapter 147

    Emmanuel looked at Sonia with a loving face. ¡°Sonia, you¡¯re the best. You¡¯re the greatest pride in my


    life.¡±


    Sonia raised her chin happily. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m your most precious daughter. Of course, I have to think of ways


    to look out for our family.¡±


    Emmanuel smiled and stroked her head. ¡°You¡¯re not only my most precious daughter but also my only


    daughter.¡±


    He would rather have never given birth to Sylvia, who only knew how to cause trouble for the Rosses


    and fight against him.


    It was bad enough that she could not hold a firm grip over Odell¡¯s heart back then. Currently, she refused


    to listen to him and even harmed Michael. Even now, she refused to marry him!


    After hearing this, Sonia immediately looked at Dona happily.


    Dona secretly smiled.


    Whether Sylvia was willing to marry Michael or not, it would be impossible for her to return to the Ross


    family and share the inheritance with Sonia. There was also no way she could take away Sonia¡¯s


    husband, Tristan.


    The Ledger family wasposed of schrs, and there were many artists in the Ledger¡¯s extended


    family.


    Bruce and Catherine received an invitation from their old friends in the Art Association two days ago,


    inviting them to attend the artpetition award ceremony.


    However, they were a little hesitant because of Tristan. Seeing that it was already noon, Catherine said


    to Bruce, ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll stay at home and look after Tristan.¡±


    Bruce said, ¡°I heard that Sunflower will be attending too. Don¡¯t you admire his works?¡±


    Catherine¡¯s eyes lit up. Then, she asked in confusion, ¡°Doesn¡¯t he never participate in these kinds of


    events that show his face? I remember that his previous exhibitions in Westchester City were always


    hosted by Aqu instead. Are you sure he¡¯s attending today?¡± ¡°I just called and asked. They said that he


    confirmed his attendance.¡±


    Catherine frowned, conflicted. ¡°But if I go, what about Tristan?¡±


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    Bruce said, ¡°I¡¯ll get two more people to keep an eye on him. He won¡¯t be able to run away, so don¡¯t worry.


    Juste with me.¡±


    Catherine thought about it and agreed. ¡°All right.¡±


    If they missed this opportunity, who knew how long it would take for Sunflower to show his face in


    Westchester


    In a short while, they packed up and went to the courtyard together to get the car. On the second floor of


    the vi, on the balcony of a locked bedroom, Tristan had been sitting here for a long time. When he


    suddenly saw Bruce and Catherine¡¯s figures getting into the car together and leaving, he immediately


    stood up. After a long time, when their car was far away, he went straight over to the balcony and jumped


    to the ground. There was grass on the ground that cushioned his fall, so he simply swayed a little after


    the jump before walking in the direction of the gate. The guards watching the courtyard immediately


    gathered around him.


    Tristan looked at him coldly. ¡°If anyone dares to stop me, I¡¯ll fire them when I obtain my freedomter. In


    fact, I¡¯ll also make it such that they don¡¯t get to live a good life in the future!¡±


    The bodyguards suddenly looked troubled. ¡°Young Master, this is the Master and Madam¡¯s order. We


    don¡¯t dare to disobey them.¡± ¡°Yes, if we let you go, they¡¯ll fire us when theye back.¡± ¡°Please go


    back.¡±


    Tristan frowned and thought about it before saying, ¡°I¡¯lle back shortly. I¡¯ll be back before they return.


    If theye back before me, just say you couldn¡¯t stop me and I managed to run away.¡±


    This reason was indeed satisfactory. The guards did not want to be targeted by him in the future, so they


    hesitantly moved to the side,

 Chapter 148

    Westchester City¡¯s art gallery was located in the famous Art Haven. When Sylvia arrived at one of the


    entrances to the gallery, she saw Simon. He was dressed in a suit. Although he was only a few years


    older than her, with his bushy beard and unkempt hair, he looked like a man in his forties. Sylvia got out


    of the car with Sherry¡¯s help and waved at him. When Simon saw her sitting in a wheelchair, he was so


    shocked that he ran over. He asked curiously, ¡°Sylvia, what happened to your legs?¡±


    Sylvia did not want to tell him about those bad memories, so she just said, ¡°I identally broke them and


    suffered a slight fracture. It¡¯s no big deal.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s nothing serious, then good.¡± Simon smiled and then said, ¡°We¡¯re not going in from this side. Follow


    me. I¡¯ll take you in through another entrance.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia and Sherry kept up with him. As soon as they left, a ck sports car came from afar and parked in


    the space near the entrance. Odell pushed open the car door and got out. Tara followed him out of the


    car, quickly ran to his side, and intimately took his arm. ¡°Odell, many people have already arrived. Let¡¯s


    go inside.¡± Odell hummed. Just as he was about to enter, he suddenly saw something and stopped.


    He looked over to his right.


    Tara immediately followed his line of sight and only saw a few figures on the curved sidewalk. However,


    the figures were all hidden by the greenery, so she could not see them at all. She asked him curiously,


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was probably mistaken.¡± He thought, ¡®That woman must still be


    hiding somewhere. There¡¯s no way she could be here.¡¯ With that, he turned back and continued walking


    forward. Tara hurriedly followed him. There were already quite a few people sitting in the audience of the


    award ceremony venue. In addition to people from the Westchester City Art Association, there were also


    famous artists who were invited toe to appreciate the paintings. The Ledger and Ross couples, as


    well as other business celebrities, were also present. These people stood up one after another when


    Odell and Tara came in.


    Sonia was the first to run over excitedly and greet them. ¡°Master Carter, Tara, good afternoon.


    The way she called Tara was so sweet it was as if thetter was her sister.


    Instantly, Odell frowned and nced at Tara. Tara instantly noticed that something was wrong. Sylvia


    had told Odell that Tara instigated Sonia, but she had forgotten about this. If she had known, she would


    not have invited this fool, Sonia.


    However, she soon regained herposure and looked at Sonia with a kind but distant expression.


    ¡°Hello, Sonia. I have to receive an awardter, so I¡¯ll catch up with youter.¡±


    Then, she walked to the other side with her arm in Odell¡¯s. After she walked away, she said to him,


    ¡°Odell, I met Sonia when I was still very close to Sylvia. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s clinging to me instead of


    Sylvia.¡± She said it in a joking tone. On one hand, it made her seem as if she liked Sonia more than


    Sylvia, her own sister, thus belittling Sylvia. On the other hand, she also exined to Odell that she was


    not that close with Sonia at all.


    Odell pursed his lips and said nothing. Sonia, who was left behind, felt a little disappointed, but she did


    not realize that Tara was deliberately distancing herself from her. Thus, she turned and walked back


    On the other side, Bruce and Emmanuel could not help but approach them as well. Odell was the head


    of Carter Corporation, so they naturally had to greet him.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The people in the Art Association mostly knew who Tara was. Odell had invested a lot in the Art


    Association because of her, so they also got up and walked toward the couple. The crowd instantly


    surged in one direction.

 Chapter 149

    Meanwhile, backstage at the awards ceremony, a wall isted the hustle and bustle outside.


    Sylvia was brought to her waiting room by Simon. Not long after, several people rushed to knock on the


    door. Simon opened the door for them. One of them rushed to Simon and asked, ¡°Mr. Aqu, Master


    Carter and Tara Avery are here. Shall we go say hello to them?¡± Simon was puzzled and asked, ¡°Tara


    Avery? The one who won the bronze medal this year?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s Master Carter¡¯s girlfriend. She¡¯s been very famous in Westchester City these years. Master


    Carter invested a lot in the art industry in Westchester City because of her.¡±


    Another person joked, ¡°Master Carter must have invested a lot to get her the bronze prize too.


    Someone immediately pped his shoulder. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t say that. What if Tara hears you?


    The peopleughed and shut up. Simon frowned. He had seen the work that won the bronze award this


    year. It looked fancy but was not that aesthetically pleasing. The level of her brushstrokes was also not


    up to standard. He already felt something off about it. Now, it seemed like it was because of this famous


    Master Carter that Tara won this award.


    Simon disdained this kind of thing the most. He said bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m not going. You guys can go instead.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay,¡± the people responded and were just about to leave. However, one of them suddenly thought of


    something and turned back to Simon. ¡°By the way, Mr. Aqu, I heard that Sunflower will being too.


    The awards ceremony is starting soon. Is he here yet?¡±


    Simon nced at the room behind him and replied with a smile. ¡°Yes. You¡¯ll see them when the awards


    are presentedter.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± The group left happily. Simon closed the door again and looked at Sylvia¡¯s pale


    face. He hurriedly asked, ¡°Sylvia, you don¡¯t look too good. Are you sick?¡± Sylvia immediately put away


    the cold light in her eyes, and her pale face regained some of itsplexion. She smiled at him and


    said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Simon was still uneasy. ¡°Tell me if you feel unwell.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    She just had a physical reaction when she heard Tara¡¯s name. However, if Tara saw herter on, her


    reaction would probably be even greater.


    Sylvia looked forward to it.


    In the front, in the middle of the first row below the podium, a group of people was gathered for a long


    time before dispersing back to their respective seats. Odell sat in his chair elegantly. Tara sat beside him


    with her chin raised and a happy smile on her face. She liked being surrounded by people like this. She


    especially liked seeing the eyes of those who were jealous that she could sit next to Odell. She could see


    that the other people who won awards were not satisfied with her, but with Odell around, they had to


    ept it even if they were unwilling!


    After the crowd dispersed, the person in charge of the awards ceremony went to the podium and spoke


    into the microphone to start the ceremony. ¡°Thank you all very much foring. First of all, I would like


    to introduce the program of this awards ceremony today¡­¡±

 Chapter 150

    The program was simple. They would start with the lowest award


    The people handing out the awards were all master painters invited by the Art Association, including


    Jackson, Aqu, Sunflower, and so on.


    When the name ¡®Sunflower¡¯ was mentioned, the audience went silent. Their eyes shined with


    anticipation


    Although the emcee did not say it explicitly, ording to their status in the art world, Jackson would give


    the award to the bronze winner, Aqu would give the award to the silver winner, and the much-


    anticipated Sunflower would naturally give the ward to the gold winner. The rest of the artists would hand


    out the Excellence Awards and Most Popr Awards


    ¡°Gosh, I never thought my idol would reallye today and possibly give me an award. I¡¯m so happy!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    The two people who won the gold and silver prizes chatted happily


    Tara, who was sitting next to them, instantly looked displeased when she heard their words Then, she


    turned to look at Odell, ¡°Odell, I also like Sunflower a lot. I wish he would give me the award too.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression changed slightly. He nced at the president of the Art Association sitting on his left


    The president heard Tara¡¯s words andnow what Odell¡¯s look meant. However, the rules were set long


    ago He could not change them willy ¨C nilly


    He said to Odell, ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯ll ask Sunflower for their opinion.¡±


    Odell was not an unreasonable person, so he simply hummed The president immediately took out his


    phone and sent a message Soon, he got a reply and said to Odell happily, ¡°Master Carter, Sunflower


    agreed to give Ms. Avery her award¡± Odell smiled. ¡°Good Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    He looked at Tara again.


    She had been listening to their conversation with a wide smile on her face


    When Odell looked over, she quickly said, ¡°Thank you, Odell.¡±


    He pursed his lips in response.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Tara looked at the podium in front in anticipation, looking forward to receiving her awardter. The


    person giving her the award would be Sunflower She was bound to be the most talked about person on


    the podium today!


    On the podium, the host finished reading the program, and the awards ceremony officially began.


    The first to take the stage to receive their awards were several people who won the Excellence Awards.


    The master painter who would give them their awards emerged backstage.


    As the audience apuded, they received their trophies in turn and took a group photo for the camera


    before exiting the stage. Then, the host returned to the podium and announced, ¡°Next, we would like to


    invite the three Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award winners of thispetition toe on stage!¡± Tara


    immediately stood up and pulled off the woolen shawl draped over her shoulders, revealing the


    expensive andvish long dress she was wearing inside. Then, under everyone¡¯s attention, she


    sauntered up to the podium with the Gold and Silver Award winners with an elegant stride.


    The host first said a few words to congratte them and set up the atmosphere, then said,¡± Please give


    a warm wee to Jackson, Aqu, and Sunflower, to present the awards to our winners!¡±


    A burst of apuse rang out from the audience at the host¡¯s excited voice. In addition to the Art


    Association and the other people who were attending the ceremony, Bruce, Catherine, Emmanuel, Dona,


    and Sonia all straightened up.


    Jackson, Aqu, and Sunflower were all outstanding domestic painters in recent years. They also


    entered the echelon of world-renowned painters. Although Sunflower only had a few works, his fame


    completely overshadowed the former two painters. He could be deemed the most popr painter in


    recent years. It was an absolute honor to be able to meet them today. Soon, amidst everyone¡¯s


    expectant gazes, a door connecting the stage to the backstage was pushed open.

 Chapter 151

    The first person to walk out was a dandy middle-aged man in a suit.


    Someone in the audience had seen him before and shouted as soon as he came out, ¡°It¡¯s Jackson!¡±


    The next person who came out also wore a suit. He had a beard and looked like he was in his forties.


    Someone also recognized him and said, ¡°That¡¯s Aqu!¡± Then, the atmosphere in the hall went silent.


    Everyone looked behind Aqu, expecting to see Sunflower, who had never shown himself in public


    before. What did he look like? Was he as tough and wild as his paintings? Was he very handsome? Or


    was he straightforward and unique?


    Soon, the sound of wheels sliding rang out in the silent air,


    Everyone held their breath and looked intently at the podium. At the same time, the door at the back of


    the venue was pushed open. Tristan, who just arrived, looked up


    On the bright podium, a young woman in a wheelchair appeared.


    Tristan was frozen in ce.


    Someone in the audience screamed in shock, ¡°Oh, God! Sunflower is actually a young woman!¡±


    At that instant, Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia also stood up. Their eyes widened in disbelief as they


    looked at the figure in the wheelchair.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Bruce and Catherine also stood up in shock


    The man who had been sitting elegantly in the middle of the front row was also stunned. He frowned as


    his gaze locked onto the figure.


    That was because the person who came out in a wheelchair behind Jackson and Aqu was none other


    than Sylvia.


    At the same time, the host pointed at her and shouted excitedly, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please give a


    warm wee to the esteemed Sunflower!¡±


    She was Sunflower, the one who everyone was anticipating


    Sylvia smiled and followed Jackson and Simon¡¯s actions, waving her hand toward the people in the


    audience.


    Her eyes also locked onto Emmanuel, Dona, Sonia, Bruce, and Catherine, meeting their shocked and


    dumbfounded gazes. Then, she looked at Odell¡¯s sharp eyes as he sat closest to the podium in the first


    row.


    She nced at him indifferently and was then pushed to the middle of the podium so that she was


    between Jackson and Simon.


    Then, the people who won the gold, silver, and bronze awards standing in front of them turned around


    eagerly to look at the presenters.


    Sylvia looked at them with a smile and saw Tara, who was standing at the very edge.


    Tara¡¯s eyes widened and she asked, ¡°Sylvia? Why are you here?¡±


    Sylvia ignored her. Beside her, Simon asked curiously, ¡°Sylvia, do you know her?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°Yeah, but we don¡¯t get along.¡±


    She was very blunt. Simon was also a candid person and said, ¡°True. If you were on good terms, she


    wouldn¡¯t be oblivious that you were Sunflower.¡±


    Tara froze as her face turned pale.


    Sunflower? Sylvia is Sunflower? That master painter, Sunflower, whose works have been the most


    sought after, is actually her? ¡®No. This can¡¯t be!


    Tara subconsciously backed up to the edge of the stage. Then, her foot slipped on the edge and she fell.

 Chapter 152

    Bam!


    It was a loud noise. The venue was instantly plunged into silence. Everyone on and off stage looked at


    Tara in surprise.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia could not help but snicker.


    The next second, she felt a sharp gaze. It came from the middle of the first row in the audience, Odell. It


    seemed that he was not happy that sheughed at Tara. Sylvia raised her brows at him.


    ¡®I canugh if I want to!¡¯


    Odell frowned, the look in his eyes growing cold and stern, but his eyes stared straight at her. His gaze


    was somewhat scalding.


    Sylvia was instinctively repulsed and withdrew her sight in annoyance.


    At the same time, Tara was helped up by someone. She quickly tidied up her hair and clothes, then


    swiftly regained herposure. She forced a smile and said, ¡°My apologies. I slipped.¡±


    The host hurriedly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay as long as you¡¯re fine.¡±


    Tara smiled stiffly and walked back to the podium.


    Sylvia instantly saw that Tara¡¯s hands were clenched by her sides. She said with a smile, ¡°Tara, I know


    that you¡¯re excited to see me, but you don¡¯t have to perform such an exaggerated greeting.¡±


    Simon reacted, ¡°Pfft¡­¡±


    Jackson, the host, and the others also pursed their lips.


    Tara¡¯s face instantly turned ashen. She wanted to scold Sylvia. However, everyone present here was


    famous people in the art world, and Odell was sitting right below.


    She could only swallow her anger and give Sylvia a very forced smile. ¡°I¡¯m indeed surprised that you


    were Sunflower, but I really only fell because I slipped.¡±


    Sylvia raised her brows. ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin. I know.¡±


    Tara was speechless. She was so angry that her face went red.


    The host could obviously sense that Tara and Sylvia were at odds, but the award ceremony had to


    continue. He quickly interrupted with augh. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the winner of our Bronze Award today to


    know who Sunflower is.¡±


    Tara immediately squeezed out a warm smile as if she was very close to Sylvia Sylvia simply turned her


    head and looked away indifferently, not even willing to give Tara a weing look The crowd was


    speechless.


    Most of the people were shocked. It was the first time they saw someone who dared to disregard Tara in


    public. Some people who had long been displeased with Tara¡¯s rise to power because of Odell


    snickered.


    Tara felt like her lungs were about to explode in anger. She red at the host.


    The host quickly snapped back to his senses and said, ¡°Now then, let us invite the three masters to


    present the awards to our three winners.¡± ording to the final order, Jackson went to the Silver Award


    winner, Simon went to the Gold Award winner, and Sylvia was pushed to Tara. Sylviaughed when she


    saw how the obviously angry Tara was still maintaining a fake smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to give you the


    award? Why do you look so unhappy?¡± Tara wanted to tear Sylvia¡¯s face off. However, she forced herself


    to smile, bent down to take the trophy from Sylvia, and gritted her teeth, saying in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t be


    toocent.¡± Sylviaughed. ¡°Heh.¡± Theugh was short and disdainful.


    It was theugh of someone standing on the top of the pyramid, looking down at worms who only knew


    how to crawl on the ground.


    Tara immediately clenched the trophy in her hand. Because of her anger, she could no longer suppress


    the emotions in her heart, and her face turned red.

 Chapter 153

    Sylvia did not stay long beside her. After the award presentation was the photo session. Simon came


    straight over and pushed her to the middle of the group.


    Jackson and Simon stood to her left and right. Those who won the awards then stood to the side.


    Then, they faced the camera and took a group photo. Sylvia smiled calmly for the camera.


    Standing at the very edge, Tara¡¯s expression became distorted.


    Below the podium, Odell looked at the woman who was surrounded in the middle of the podium, and his


    eyes deepened slightly. She sat in a wheelchair and was shorter than the others, but her face was calm


    and seemed to appear aloof.


    He thought of the painting, ¡®Sunflower in the Rainstorm¡¯ that Madam Carter bid a high price for.


    Under the stormy sky, the rain and wind blew harshly, almost swallowing the whole world. However, a


    cluster of sunflowers stood against the heavy rain and high winds, remaining bright as always. The


    artistic conception of the painting was obvious, but the visual impact of the painting was extremely


    impactful.


    When he saw it, he could not help but stare at it a few more times. At the same time, he also


    remembered that the artist of that painting was Sunflower.


    Now, this mysterious painter was in front of his eyes. She had a bright face and smiled like a flower when


    she looked into the camera. Her beauty was astonishing. She was none other than Sylvia Ross.


    This ex-wife who used to disgust him so much, this woman who had been thrown into the fish pond by


    Sonia yesterday and had crawled on the ground miserably, was actually a world famous painter! He


    thought that she only knew to use her beauty and dirty tricks to hook up with men. His gaze became


    sharp as if he wanted to see through her thoughts. Sylvia was not far away from him, so she could


    clearly feel his gaze. He was probably still in shock and suspected her of impersonating Sunflower. After


    taking the group photo, she looked at him and raised her brows, a provoking and crafty light shing in


    her eyes. She was telling him with her eyes that whether he believed it or not, she was Sunflower.


    Odell naturally caught what her look meant.


    ¡®This woman isn¡¯t just provoking me. She¡¯s showing off.¡¯ He snorted, but the corners of his mouth curled


    up.


    Tara, who saw all of this, only felt her lungs burn in anger. She looked toward him when the group photo


    was taken, worried that he would see her unpleasant expression. However, she did not expect him to


    keep staring at Sylvia.


    He did not spare her a single nce this entire time!


    ¡®Sylvia, that b*tch! Not only did she steal all the limelight from me today, but she even made Odell stare


    at her!


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    Tara seethed in her heart. She wanted to make Sylvia disappear from this world.


    After a long time, the host asked them to leave the stage. She suppressed her emotions, quickly got off


    the stage, and walked back to sit beside Odell. Her figure also subconsciously pressed closer to him.


    Sylvia, Simon, and Jackson came out from backstage, so they naturally had no intention to go back.


    There was still a programter. When that program was over, the awards ceremony would conclude.


    Sylvia did not look at Tara. She joined the audience with Jackson and Simon. They also sat in the first


    row, but they were on the left side. Thus, they were a few seats away from Odell and Tara.


    However, coincidentally, Sylvia sat in front of Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia. The three stared at her when


    Simon nudged her over.

 Chapter 154

    Sylvia also looked at them.


    A trace of guilt shed in Emmanuel¡¯s eyes. Dona¡¯s expression also changed, but she forced a smile and


    said to Sylvia, ¡°Sylvia, I didn¡¯t expect you to be Sunflower. Why didn¡¯t you tell us about it before?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia did not want to talk to her at all and simply ignored her.


    However, Simon, who had no tact, asked curiously, ¡°Sylvia, who are they? Are they your family?¡±


    Sylvia said bluntly, ¡°No, I don¡¯t know them.¡±


    The smile on Dona¡¯s face instantly froze.


    Emmanuel¡¯s expression also darkened, but Sylvia was incredibly cold. Furthermore, he heard the people


    behind him mention Sunflower¡¯s status in the current art world. The people around him were all


    prominent figures, so he could not make a fool out of himself. Thus, he swallowed the ¡°b*tch¡± that almost


    left his lips.


    Sonia muttered in a low voice, ¡°So what if she knows how to draw a little?¡±


    Her voice was so soft that it sounded like a mosquito.


    Sylvia could not hear her clearly either and could not be bothered to bicker with her.


    Simon also sensed that something was wrong. After sitting down next to Sylvia, he quickly moved on to


    another topic.


    At that moment, in addition to Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia¡¯s unsightly expressions, Bruce and


    Catherine, who were sitting diagonally behind Sylvia, also looked sheepish.


    In addition to shock, they also felt embarrassment. They never imagined that Sylvia was Sunflower. She


    was supposed to be a cheap woman who desired to be the young madam of the Ledger family.


    However, each of Sunflower¡¯s paintings had a very strong visual impact. There were some that were


    tough and unyielding, and some that were bright and hopeful. Anyone who had seen those paintings


    would think that Sunflower was a strong and big hearted man.


    However, ¡®he¡¯ was actually Sylvia!


    Catherine remembered that when she had gone to Sylvia and told her to leave Tristan, Sylvia had


    agreed without even touching the cheque. Soon, Catherine regretted her recent coboration with Dona


    and the others to force Sylvia to marry Michael.


    She also regretted making things difficult for Sylvia at Mr. Collin¡¯s manor yesterday. Bruce¡¯s expression


    was also unpleasant. He sighed. Thinking of something, he said, ¡°I remember that Sylvia was raised by


    her grandparents.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Her grandparents were very respectable people, especially the Madam. Sylvia¡¯s father


    wasn¡¯t her own, but she always took care of Sylvia as her own granddaughter.¡±


    Those words were not spoken by Catherine.


    When Bruce and Catherine heard the voice, they turned their heads in unison. Then, they saw that


    Tristan had nestled in the seat behind them at some point.


    The couple was stunned. Bruce asked, ¡°Tristan? When did you get here?¡±


    Tristan looked at where Sylvia was sitting and replied with little emotion, ¡°I¡¯ve been here a while.¡± Bruce


    and Catherine looked at each other, pursed their lips, and said nothing. At this point in time, they did not


    have the mood to question Tristan for running out. Tristan could not help but say, ¡°I¡¯ve told you so many


    times that my feelings for her are unrequited. Do you believe me now?¡± Bruce and Catherine were


    silent.


    The night before yesterday, Tristan had flown back to Westchester City because of Sylvia, and his


    parents had sent people to put him under house arrest as soon as he got out of the ne. They also


    confiscated his phone and prevented him from calling Sylvia.


    At that time, Tristan had exined to them that neither did Sylvia seduce him nor did she want to marry


    him. He simply had unrequited feelings for her. However, they only thought that Sylvia had brainwashed


    him with her powerful tactics and did not believe him.

 Chapter 155

    Everyone in Westchester City knew how much the Ledger family loved art. If Sylvia really wanted to be


    the young madam of the Ledger family, all she had to do was reveal her identity as Sunflower.


    She was Sunflower. If other people knew that she was the daughter-inw of the Ledger family, it would


    definitely be a great honor.


    Therefore, there was no need for her to use underhanded methods to get them to agree to her being with


    Tristan.


    It was their narrow-mindedness that made them think badly of her.


    They even tried to set Sylvia and Michael up. Furthermore, they also joined forces with her parents to


    suppress her so that she could not find a wood carving job¡­


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    When they remembered such things, they instantly felt embarrassed.


    The awards ceremony was over in no time.


    There would be a receptionter. The award winners, organizers, and all invitees such as Simon and


    Sylvia were on the guest list.


    Sylvia declined the invitation. After saying goodbye to Simon and Jackson, she called Sherry, who had


    been sitting on the other side of the audience.


    Sherry went to her excitedly and said, ¡°Sylvia, I didn¡¯t know that you were a master painter. How did you


    hide it so well? You didn¡¯t even tell me.¡± Sylvia smiled back at her. ¡°I wanted to tell you before, but I


    couldn¡¯t reach you.¡± Sherry thought of something and fell silent sheepishly. However, she soon smiled


    again.¡± Today was a great day. You probably didn¡¯t see it, but Tara¡¯s expression was hideous when you


    went on stage. She was so shocked that she actually fell down, hahaha¡­¡± The more Sherry thought


    about it, the funnier it felt to her. She could not stopughing. At that moment, she coincidentally jostled


    Sylvia to Odell and Tara¡¯s seats.


    They had not gotten up yet.


    Odell red at Sylvia coldly while Tara¡¯s face twitched.


    Sylvia curled her lips in disinterest and did not stop Sherry. They went out of the venue, talking and


    laughing. They only stopped when they reached the entrance of the parking lot outside. Sylvia was sitting


    in her wheelchair, and Sherry stood firmly behind her. They soon saw Catherine and Bruce. To Sylvia¡¯s


    surprise, Tristan was also there.


    However, it was just a moment of shock. She looked squarely at Bruce and Catherine.


    The Ledger couple subconsciously averted their gazes.


    Sylvia said politely, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ledger, may I ask for a few minutes of your time?¡±


    Catherine did not say anything and stood behind Bruce.


    Bruce sighed and said directly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin it to us anymore, Sylvia. We misunderstood


    you. We were at fault here. I already called Michael earlier. He should have already told his people to


    send Aunt Tonya back to you.¡±


    Sylvia did not expect them to understand so quickly.


    Tristan had probably exined it to them as well.


    Her gaze softened, and she said to Sherry, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Sherry immediately pushed the wheelchair. ¡°Sylvia!¡± Tristan suddenly called out to her.


    Sylvia turned back and looked at him with cold eyes. ¡°Tristan, you don¡¯t need to exin anything to me. I


    know you want to help me, and I appreciate you rushing back from abroad, but in the future, you


    shouldn¡¯t approach me anymore. Don¡¯t contact me again in the future either, lest it causes unnecessary


    misunderstandings to others.¡±


    After Sylvia finished speaking, Sherry swiftly pushed the wheelchair away. They did not give Tristan a


    chance to say anything else.

 Chapter 156

    Tristan¡¯s expression darkened.


    After Sylvia walked away, he bowed his head in despair.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Tristan did not move.


    10


    After a while, he looked up at Bruce and Catherine. His usually warm and clear eyes were now tinged


    with a red light. He said, ¡°Are you satisfied now? She¡¯ll never ept me again.¡±


    Bruce and Catherine froze.


    After a while, Catherine said softly, ¡°We were wrong, Tristan. Let¡¯s go home first. We¡¯ll talk about it when


    we get back.¡±


    Tristan ignored her, turned around, and walked toward the road. His head was bowed, and his back


    looked very forlorn in the setting sun. Bruce and Catherine were worried and immediately chased after


    him.


    At that moment, in a luxury sports car in a parking lot not far away, Odell sat in the driver¡¯s seat with a


    cigarette in his hand.


    The window was wound halfway down. His deep gaze looked at Tristan¡¯s distant figure, then at the


    direction in which Sylvia left. He took a drag of the cigarette. White smoke spilled out from his lips and


    rose up to mingle in the air, obscuring his face. The car was quiet for a long time.


    Tara sat in the passenger seat. When she looked in the direction he was watching, her gaze turned


    panicked.


    After a long time, when Bruce and Catherine took Tristan away, and Sylvia and Sherry¡¯s car also left, she


    finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Odell.¡±


    Odell withdrew his gaze, put out the cigarette, threw it away, and started the car.


    The car quickly drove into the traffic, headed in the direction of Lake Victoria Vi.


    Not long after, he said, ¡°I still have some matters to attend to in the evening. I won¡¯t apany you for


    dinnerter.¡±


    His voice was cold.


    Tara¡¯s face paled. After being with him for so many years, she more or less understood him.


    ¡®He only says he has something to do because he doesn¡¯t want to apany me. Is it because I


    humiliated him by falling off the stage in public today? Or was it because that b*tch, Sylvia, was too eye-


    catching? ¡®Or, did he think of something else? Mr. and Mrs. Ledger obviously already believe that Sylvia


    Tara did not dare to ask and could only reply softly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry soon took Sylvia back to her own home.


    Not long after she came back, Aunt Tonya was sent back in a car. Sylvia waited for her at the door and


    was instantly relieved to see her in one piece. Aunt Tonya also ran up to her. When she saw Sylvia sitting


    in a wheelchair, her eyes reddened and she asked in tears, ¡°Syl, what happened to your leg?¡± Sylvia


    replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just identally injured my legs two days ago. It¡¯s just a slight fracture.


    The doctor said it¡¯ll heal after a while.¡± ¡°Really? Was it really just a fracture?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Yes, really. Why would I lie to you?¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed in relief, then asked her anxiously, ¡°Syl, did they force you to do anything in the few


    days that they took me away?¡± Aunt Tonya would not believe her if she said no, so she confessed, ¡°They


    wanted to force me to marry someone, but they didn¡¯t seed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Aunt Tonya sighed again.


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m old and useless. I must have made you anxious these few days.¡± Sylvia immediately


    frowned. ¡°Aunt Tonya, this isn¡¯t your fault. Don¡¯t me yourself.¡±


    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for me, Aunt Tonya wouldn¡¯t have been kidnapped. However, the real people to me


    should be the ones who plotted to kidnap her: Emmanuel, Dona, Sonia, Bruce, Catherine, Michael, and


    Tara. I¡¯ll remember all of these people!¡¯


    When Aunt Tonya saw her expression grow colder and colder, she hurriedly said, ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t


    me myself. Don¡¯t get angry. It¡¯s bad for your health.¡± Sylvia pulled herself from her thoughts and


    asked, ¡°Aunt Tonya, did they do anything to you these past few days?¡± ¡°No. I was locked up in a


    basement one day, then I was taken to a house. They neverid a hand on me and also brought me food


    regrly. They just locked the doors and windows tightly so that I couldn¡¯t escape.¡± Aunt Tonya pushed


    Sylvia into the house as she spoke and began to question Sylvia if she had encountered anything in the


    past few days.


    Sylvia chose her words carefully as she answered.


    Aunt Tonya was a person who could not stay idle. When she saw that the house was covered with dust,


    she finished speaking with Sylvia and insisted on cleaning it. Sylvia could not stop her, so she chatted


    with Sherry in the living room.


    bodyguard?¡±


    She could not let Aunt Tonya be kidnapped again.


    Sherry immediately said, ¡°No problem. Leave it to me.¡±


    At night, after eating dinner, Sherry left.


    Aunt Tonya was tidying up in the living room. Sylvia could not help, so she took the binocrs and


    pushed her wheelchair outside to the courtyard.


    She had not been at home these two days, so the two little ones must have been anxious. She


    wondered if they would be waiting for her on therge terrace tonight. Aftering to the courtyard, she


    raised the binocrs and looked in the direction of the old Carter mansion.


    Sylvia saw the scene on therge terrace at once, and her gaze was startled.


    Odell¡¯s tall figure sat on the sofa on the terrace. He held Isabel¡¯s head in an armlock and yed with the


    pink binocrs that Liam usually used in one hand. Meanwhile, his other hand pressed Liam¡¯s small


    head down beside him.


    He seemed to sense that Sylvia was looking over.


    He quickly put the binocrs in front of his eyes.

 Chapter 157

    Sylvia and his line of sight suddenly locked in mid-air. Her gaze shed, and she subconsciously wanted


    to avoid his eyes, but the two little ones were right next to him. She could not bear to look away. She


    continued to stare at Isabel and Liam, who were under his control. The distance was too far, and he


    covered them very well, so she could not see the little ones¡¯ faces clearly even with the binocrs. Then,


    she saw Isabel struggling in his armlock.¡±


    Liam also used his hands to smack Odell¡¯s hand, trying to push his palm away.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Odell did not move. It was as if he waspletely unaffected by their little movements. The


    two little ones were obviously no match for him. Sylvia frowned.


    At that moment, on therge terrace, Isabel stared fixedly at the binocrs above her. Her two chubby


    arms kept struggling in Odell¡¯s grip, and she kicked out her legs. She struggled with all her might but was


    unable to break free at all.


    She grew anxious and shouted, ¡°Baddie, I want to see Mommy too!¡±


    Odell ignored her.


    Isabel¡¯s eyes flickered, and she changed her tone to a pleasant one. ¡°I just want to see Mommy for one


    second, okay?¡±

 Chapter 158

    Isabel rarely spoke nicely to Odell. He immediately lowered his eyes to look at her. ¨C The little girl craned


    her neck, her chubby little face pressing on his chin. Her bright eyes stared at him, full of expectation.


    Odell smiled. ¡°Sure, but you have to call me Daddu first.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s expression instantly changed as she snorted at him.


    Liam, who was standing on the other side, instantly cried, ¡°Daddy.¡± Odell was speechless.


    Liam looked at him expectantly. ¡°There, I called you. Can you let me see Mommy now?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The corners of Odell¡¯s mouth twitched. This kid is really an opportunist.¡¯ After a moment, he said, ¡°Say it


    two more times.¡± Liam immediately said, ¡°Daddy, Daddy.¡±


    Odell smiled and let go of his head to give him the binocrs.


    Liam immediately climbed onto the sofa, stepped on it, took the binocrs, and looked toward Sylvia.


    Odell carried Isabel into his arms, looking at her watery eyes when she looked at her brother. He smiled


    and touched her fleshy face, saying, ¡°If you call me Daddy, I¡¯ll let you see your Mommy too.¡±


    Isabel puffed up her face, her mouth pursing in indignation.


    Odell was not in a hurry and asked Liam, ¡°Liam, did you see Mommy?¡± Liam was holding the binocrs


    and looking at Sylvia when he heard those words. He immediately said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Odell asked, ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡±


    Isabel immediately perked up her ears. Liam responded, ¡°She¡¯s sitting in the yard and watching us with


    binocrs.¡± Isabel could not hold back any longer. She was just about to crawl toward Liam. Her chubby


    hands reached out toward her.


    However, before she could touch him, Odell picked her back up again.


    He wrapped his long arms around her and said with a smile, ¡°Call me Daddy, and I¡¯ll let you see


    Mommy.¡±


    Isabel pouted.


    Liam wanted to give her the binocrs, but Odell was right beside them, so he could not give it to her.


    He told her what he saw. ¡°Isabel, Mommy must have seen us too. She¡¯s smiling at us.¡± When Isabel


    heard this, she instantly wanted to see her mother even more. She peered at Odell with her big eyes.


    58


    Odell patiently reminded her, ¡°Call me Daddy.¡± Isabel clenched her chubby hand, scoffed loudly, and said


    very reluctantly, ¡°Daddy.¡±


    Odell smiled and let go of her. Then, he took another pair of binocrs hidden under the sofa and gave it


    to her.


    Isabel immediately stood up and stepped on hisp with her two little feet. She held up the binocrs


    with both hands to look at Sylvia¡¯s ce.


    A momentter, her little mouth curled up, and she shouted happily, ¡°Liam, I can see Mommy


    too!¡±


    Liam smiled.


    When Odell looked at the siblings¡¯ happy appearances, he silently pursed his lips.


    In her yard, Sylvia never lowered the binocrs.


    Although she did not know how they got binocrs from Odell, the moment she looked at the children,


    she could not help but be overjoyed. The gloom that had been piling up in her heart over the past few


    days suddenly disappeared. She raised one hand again and waved at them. Isabel and Liam


    immediately raised their small hands and waved back. It was only when she lowered her hand that they


    dropped theirs. Not long after, the wind picked up. Sylvia tugged on her skirt, not letting the wind lift it.


    She did not want to let them see the splints on her legs.

 Chapter 159

    However, not long after, Odell picked them up and carried them away.


    Therge terrace was suddenly empty, and Sylvia¡¯s chest also suddenly felt bereft.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    However, it was only for a moment. She put away the binocrs and turned her wheelchair back into the


    house.


    The reason why Odell did not let her see the children was that he thought that she had something to do


    with Tristan and that she wanted to be the young madam of the Ledger family. He thought that she


    needed to hook up with a man to live a goo


    However, after the awards ceremony this afternoon, Bruce and Catherine already figured out that


    someone as powerful as her did not need to live off a man at all.


    bribed her.


    Then, he should finally believe that she and Tristan were innocent. He would let her meet the children.


    came back out.


    He returned to therge terrace and sat down on the sofa. He casually picked up the binocrs and


    brought it in front of his eyes. The telescope magnified Sylvia¡¯s residence clearly in front of his eyes.


    However, the yard was empty. She was not there anymore.


    Odell frowned and tossed the binocrs aside.


    The night breeze was cold.


    He sat in silence for a while. Then, he took out his phone and called Cliff. ¡°Go check if anyone among


    Sylvia¡¯s former colleagues had any mary transactions with Tara.¡± He hung up the phone and looked


    over in the direction of Sylvia¡¯s residence again with a deep gaze. Even now, he still had some difficulty


    believing that she was a famous painter.


    With her status, there was indeed no need for her to hook up with men. There was also no need for


    Tristan to go on a hunger strike against his parents in order to be with her.


    Furthermore, if she really had nothing to do with Tristan, then what she said earlier about Tara urging


    Tristan and her together could be true.


    The next morning, after having breakfast, Sylvia and Aunt Tonya arrived at Alister¡¯s ce. Unfortunately,


    the door was locked. She was clearly not at home.


    Sylvia found Alister¡¯s contact in the work group that she had not left yet and sent her a message. ¡°Alister,


    where are you now? Can we meet?¡±


    After sending the message, Sylvia stared at the screen.


    Santor 159


    However, half an hour passed without a reply. ¡®Could Tara have called her away?¡¯ Sylvia frowned and


    said to Tom, who was driving, ¡°Turn around and go to Carter Tower.¡± Tom was the bodyguard that Sherry


    found for her. He started work early this morning. He was a strong-looking man who spoke little, but his


    actions were very nimble. As soon as Sylvia finished speaking, he steadily turned around at the


    intersection.


    She looked out of the car window and frowned.


    Alister was missing. In order to prevent Tara from causing trouble again, she had to meet Odell quickly


    and talk to him face to face.


    At the same time, in Carter Tower, in the office on the top floor, the man¡¯s upright figure elegantly sat on a


    leather chair.


    Alister was shocked when she was brought to this building. When she came in and saw this man who


    had such a terrifying aura, she quickly lowered her head and did not dare to raise it again. Odell asked


    her directly, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Tara Avery?¡± Alister stammered, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°Then,


    why did she transfer money to your bank ount three times?¡± Alister suddenly panicked. ¡°I¡­¡­¡± Odell


    looked at her coldly. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you, but if you don¡¯t tell me the truth, the consequences will


    be severe.¡±


    The man in front of her was Odell Carter. Alister did not dare to provoke someone of his

 Chapter 160

    Odell frowned coldly and asked, ¡°What did she ask you to do?¡±


    ¡°She asked me to help her spy on Sylvia secretly, and tell her as soon as Sylvia does anything,


    especially if I see Mr. Ledgering to her. She told me to take as many photos as possible, preferably


    photos of Sylvia and Mr. Ledger flirting¡­¡± Alister panicked and confessed to all the tasks that Tara told


    her to do. She said anxiously, ¡°Master Carter, that¡¯s all I did for her. I didn¡¯t do anything else.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face was cold and silent for a moment before he asked her, ¡°Did you also take that photo of


    Tristan hugging Sylvia?¡±


    Alister searched her memory and said, ¡°Yes. I saw Mr. Ledger rushing to Sylvia, so I took it secretly.


    However, I deliberately chose that angle. Mr. Ledger let Sylvia go very quickly. She was obviously


    unhappy at the time, but he was ted for some reason. He asked whether she rejected him because


    his mother approached her, but she said no. He did not seem to believe her but left quickly.¡±


    After saying that, she raised her head cautiously.


    emotionless, but he had a scary aura.


    He asked, ¡°What else?¡±


    Alister did not dare to hesitate. She recalled and said, ¡°Later, Mr. Ledger came to find Sylvia again. They


    went to a romantic restaurant for dinner, and I followed them there. Sylvia said something to him, and he


    looked very disappointed and asked the people to remove all the candles. Then, Sylvia seemed to have


    found out that I spied on her. Tara also told me to take time off work. It was only the other day that Sylvia


    came to find me¡­¡±


    She told him about Sylviaing to her ce to find her. Odell pursed his lips in silence, his brows


    subconsciously furrowing. When he remained silent after she finished speaking, she could not help but


    add, ¡°Master Carter, that¡¯s all I know. I don¡¯t know why Tara asked me to do this, but I¡¯ve never done


    anything bad except spying on Sylvia, let alone anything to you.¡± Odell nced at Cliff. ¡°Send her out


    and inform the others that the meetingter will be postponed.¡±


    DIESEL


    He needed some time alone. Cliff quickly said, ¡°Understood.¡±


    At the same time, Sylvia¡¯s car arrived at Carter Tower.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Tom parked the car at the roadside and helped Sylvia out of the car with Aunt Tonya.


    Sylvia got into the wheelchair. She did not let Aunt Tonya follow her and pushed the wheelchair into the


    lobby by herself.


    Coincidentally, when she entered the lobby, she saw Alister and Cliffing out of the


    elevator. She could not help but be stunned. She asked in confusion, ¡°Alister? What are you doing


    here?¡±


    Alister also looked at her in shock. Then, she looked at Cliff.


    Cliff smiled and said to Sylvia, ¡°Ms. Ross, she was summoned by Master Carter.¡± Sylvia immediately


    asked, ¡°What did Odell want from her?¡± Cliff said, ¡°He just asked some questions.¡± Asked some


    questions? Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Was it rted to Tara?¡± Cliff smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him and looked at Alister again. Alister immediately avoided her eyes, as if she was afraid


    that she would offend Odell by talking more. She made an excuse about having something to do before


    running out in a panic. Sylvia looked at Cliff again.


    Cliff maintained his smile and said, ¡°If you want to know, why don¡¯t you ask Master Carter directly?¡±


    Sylvia instantly wheeled herself forward. ¡°I have to ask if Master Carter is avable to see you.¡± He took


    out his phone after saying that. Sylvia frowned and said nothing.

 Chapter 161

    He finished the call not long after and reached out to Sylvia. ¡°This way, Ms. Ross.¡±.


    Sylvia followed him to the elevator. The elevator went straight up to the top floor. Cliff sent her to the door


    of therge office and left after pushing open the door.


    Inside the spacious office, Odell was sitting on the leather chair behind the desk. He wore a ck dress


    shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and his narrow waist. The color of his shirt also made his originally


    indifferent disposition much colder, so much so that people did not dare to approach him.


    When Sylvia looked at him, his deep gaze was already locked on her.


    She continued to wheel herself in without changing her expression. She stopped at his desk and asked,


    ¡°Why did you meet Alister? Did she tell you about the things that Tara ordered her to do?¡±


    Odell looked at her in silence for a moment before asking, ¡°Why do you want to see me?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and simply looked at her. He did not respond even after a long time.


    Sylvia ran out of patience and said, ¡°Alister should have told you that she was instructed by Tara, and


    what I told you before is also true. The rtionship between Tristan and me isn¡¯t the kind that you think it


    is. I didn¡¯t make him go on a hunger strike against his parents, and I didn¡¯t do anything underhanded.¡±


    Her face was pure, and her gaze was clear and honest.


    Odell remembered how she looked yesterday afternoon at the awards ceremony. She was also as


    confident as she was now when she was posing for pictures with others on stage. When he remained


    silent, she continued, ¡°Although my assets aren¡¯t as extravagant as yours, they¡¯re enough for me to live a


    good life. I don¡¯t need to rely on men to obtain anything at all.¡±


    Odell thought of the small vi she was currently renting. He previously thought that Tristan paid the rent


    for her. Back then, she had angrily told him that she rented it herself, but he had not believed her.


    After that, she repeatedly said that she had no rtionship with Tristan, but he did not believe her either.


    Then, she beat Tara up, was caught by him, and left with Tristan.


    After that, she should have gone to Alister, but something suddenly happened to Aunt Tonya. The


    Ledgers and the Rosses forced her to marry Michael, so she did not have time to bring Alister to him.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, he watched coldly as she was humiliated, trying to make her understand that Tristan was not a


    good person for her at all.


    In the end, she turned up at the artpetition awards ceremony as Sunflower, inadvertently giving


    everyone including him a tight p on the face. However, if she had just told him that she was Sunflower


    when he suspected that Tristan paid her rent, all these misunderstandings would have been avoided!


    His eyes darkened, and he finally said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between Tristan and you, but that doesn¡¯t mean


    there¡¯s nothing between you and other men.¡±


    Sylvia instantly frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t be unreasonable, Odell. Where do you see other men around


    me?¡±


    Sylvia did not bother to exin further and said directly, ¡°Anyway, since you already know that there¡¯s


    nothing between Tristan and me, I want to see Isabel and Liam!¡± Odell raised his brows. ¡°Sure.¡± Sylvia¡¯s


    eyes lit up. ¡°But you have to give me a 10,000 word reflective essay.¡± Sylvia was dumbfounded. ¡®He


    already knows that I have nothing to do with Tristan. Why is he still asking me to wr reflective essay? Is


    he insane?¡¯


    Sylvia wanted to curse at him. Odell said, ¡°If you dare to curse at me, I¡¯ll add another 5,000 words.¡±

 Chapter 162

    ?Chapter 162


    Sylvia choked on her breath and asked, "Tell me what I did wrong first."


    Odell gave her a side nce. "In the essay, remember to exin to me clearly why you concealed your identity as Sunflower from me."


    Sylvia was bbergasted.


    ''It''s because I didn''t tell him I was Sunflower?''


    She protested, "You never asked me."


    "Just because I didn''t ask you, it doesn''t mean you can hide it."


    Sylvia was puzzled. "Why not? Who are you to me? Why do I have to tell you about this?"


    The reason why she did not want to say anything was that she wanted to live in peace and quiet.


    However, the moment she said that, Odell''s expression darkened.


    Sylvia felt the temperature around her plummet. She shrunk and looked at him in confusion. She did not scold him and was just telling the truth.


    Why was he suddenly upset?


    He looked at her coldly.


    After a while, he said, "It''s true that you''re no one to me, but you''re Isabel and Liam''s mother. Because you hid it from me, you indirectly made me misunderstand your rtionship with Tristan, and also indirectly caused you not to see them.


    "Because you couldn''t see them, they throw tantrums at me every day, so I''m in a bad mood.


    Sylvia was speechless. She felt that there was something wrong with that logic, but she could not determine exactly what. She pursed her lips.


    Odell saw her like this and snorted. "Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    "Well, everything you said is right." Her exasperated tone sounded like she could not be bothered to argue with him.


    Odell''s expression sank again.


    She was speechless. She already said that he was right. Why was he getting angry?


    However, the most important thing for her was meeting her children. She said, "You said that they throw tantrums at you every day because they can''t see me. If you''d let me meet with them sooner, they wouldn''t mess with you, and your mood would change for the better.


    Sylvia smiled innocently at him after she finished speaking.


    Odell''s expression softened. Then, he walked around the desk to stand in front of her. His straight waist bent down as he looked at her from up close. "What you said makes sense."


    Sylvia''s eyes lit up. ''If it makes sense, then let me see the children quickly.''


    Odell saw her anticipation and said, "But you still have to write the 10,000-word essay." Sylvia''s eyes instantly dimmed.


    "If you don''t, then don''t think about meeting them."


    She could not help but re at him. "You''re just doing this to mess with me because you don''t like me."


    He clearly knew that Tristan and she had nothing to do with one another.


    He clearly knew that she did not do those dirty deeds.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He clearly could let her see the children, but he still wanted her to write a reflective essay. Furthermore, it had to be 10,000 words!


    He was messing with her. There was no other exnation.


    When Odell saw her eyes widen and her face puff up in anger, he could not help but pinch her chin. He said in a low voice, "So what if I am?"


    Sylvia instantly choked on her anger.


    After two seconds, she could not hold back and opened her mouth to spit at him, spraying his face.


    Odell was silent. His stern brows furrowed, and his face darkened. The cold light in his eyes was like an icy knife, chillingly stabbing her.


    Sylvia''s gaze shrank. When she thought of the two children, she immediately regretted her impulse. She blinked and said, "Something got stuck in my throat. I didn''t mean to spit at you."


    Odell smiled coldly. "Do you take me for a fool?"


    If there was something stuck in her throat, she would have coughed, not spit! Sylvia pursed her lips. Since she already spat at him, she could not take it back.

 Chapter 163

    She simply said, ¡°Fine, it was because I couldn¡¯t hold back. Why don¡¯t you spit at me in return?


    Odell scoffed in disgust. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m as vulgar as you?¡±


    Odell was speechless. His throat choked up, and his gaze clouded. His hand cupping her chin also could


    not help but increase in strength. She frowned in pain and immediately pried his hand away. ¡°Let go.¡±


    He refused.


    toward him again. ¡°If you¡¯re angry, then spit at me. You can spit as much as you want. I won¡¯t say that


    you¡¯re vulgar.¡±


    ¡®Just stop pinching my chin!¡¯


    Her little face was bright with a natural blush. When she raised her head, her eyes were narrowed, and


    her red lips were pursed. She put on a brave look as if saying, ¡®Hurry up and spit. I can take it no matter


    how much you spit at me.¡¯


    Odell¡¯s eyes were cold. Then, in an instant, he bowed his head toward her.


    The next second, his thin lips pressed on her red ones.


    The air went silent.


    Sylvia was so shocked that her eyes widened, and she pushed him away with her hands.


    However, Odell held the back of her head and did not let her push him away. His kiss was overbearing.


    In just a while, his scent filled her lungs.


    After an unknown amount of time, when Sylvia¡¯s face waspletely flushed, he finally let go of the back


    of her head. However, he continued to pinch her chin.


    She red at him with a red face. ¡°Odell Carter, what the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    She was his ex-wife! He had a girlfriend now!


    Odell merely smiled. ¡°You kept puckering your lips at me. Weren¡¯t you just asking me to kiss


    you?¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. ¡°When did I pucker my lips at you?¡±


    ¡°Just now.¡± He smiled wickedly.


    Sylvia shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    Odell smiled charmingly. His expression seemed to say, ¡°Stop exining. You clearly did.¡±


    Sylvia was furious.


    ¡°This guy was clearly taking advantage of me, but he has the gall to say that I puckered my lips at him!¡¯


    After stewing in anger for a moment, she raised a hand and repeatedly wiped her mouth that he had just


    kissed. She did not stop until her lips were rubbed raw. Then, she saw his cold eyes that seemed to want


    to kill her. Her gaze trembled, but the next second, she pursed her lips and red back at him coldly.


    Odell smiled frigidly. ¡°Tired of living, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    00


    Sylvia replied in displeasure, ¡°I¡¯m wiping my own mouth, not yours.¡±


    His eyes grew colder.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia met his gaze, refusing to back down.


    After a stalematesting about two seconds, he suddenly lowered his head again. His indifferent and


    handsome face suddenly erged in front of her.


    In an instant, her lips were sealed by his again.


    She immediately pushed him away. However, Odell not only pressed the back of her head but also


    encircled her waist and picked her up from the wheelchair. After a long time, when he let go of her


    mouth, she was still forced to cling to him.


    Where each of their bodies started and ended was all a blur.


    Sylvia¡¯s face went red from anger. She used her hand to smack him. ¡°Let me down!¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes and suddenly let go.


    Thud. She instantly fell back into the wheelchair.

 Chapter 164

    Sylvia was so embarrassed that her face turned red.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Odell curled her lips, a pleasant smile in his eyes. Sylvia suddenly grew angrier. She raised her hand to


    wipe her mouth again. Odell asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you want to be kissed by me again?¡±


    Her action froze, and she immediately put her hand back. When he saw her like this, the corners of his


    mouth curled up again.


    Sylvia could not help but re at him. ¡®Did he get tired of Tara after being with her for so long? Or is he


    doing this to deliberately get back at me? No matter what it is, nothing is more important than Isabel and


    Liam.¡® Now that he was pleased, she said to him, ¡°I want to see Isabel and Liam.¡± Odell leaned on the


    desk in front of her, folded his arms, and looked at her. ¡°Write a 10,000 word reflective essay, and I¡®ll let


    you see them.¡±


    Sylvia said coldly, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I won¡®t write it.¡± ¡°Then, you won¡®t see them.¡±


    Sylvia wanted to explode for a moment. There was no way she would write a reflective essay to admit


    her mistake. However, if she left like this, she would not be able to see the children. She would have


    been bullied by him for nothing!


    She refused to ept it. She took a deep breath and said to him, ¡°I¡®m not leaving until you let me see


    them today.¡± Odell narrowed his eyes. However, he did not get angry and merely smiled wickedly. ¡°Is


    that


    SO?¡±


    ¡®A person in a wheelchair wants to y this trick with me? Did she forget how I dealt with her thest


    time she tried messing with me?¡®


    Sylvia knew what his look meant and raised her brows. ¡°If you want to take advantage of me, then go


    ahead. You¡®re good¨Clooking anyway, so it¡®s not like I¡®m losing out.¡±


    She looked fearless.


    Odell was slightly stunned. Then, he snorted, went back to his seat, and picked up a document to read.


    It was rare that he was in such a good mood. Since she was so brave, he would give her a chance and


    see how long she could stay here.


    He read the document seriously, clearly not paying attention to her. Sylvia did not idle either. She took


    out a carving knife and a small piece of wood from her bag and started carving.

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165 Sylvia moved forward. She had slept verytest night and was a little tired now. She


    moved to his desk, ced the turtle aside, and fell asleep on the table.


    After an unknown amount of time, the office door was finally pushed open.


    When Odell strode in, he saw a few rays of sunlight streaming in through the curtains and falling on the


    figure of her sleeping form.


    He paused for a moment beforeing in.


    Silently, he sat back in the chair behind the desk. Sylvia sat opposite him, lying on his desk. Her sleeping


    face faced him. Her cheeks were slightly red, and her appearance when she was asleep was obviously


    cuter and more pleasing than when she was awake. A whileter, a wooden turtle at the corner of the


    table behind her head came into his sight. He took it in his hand and caressed it a few times. Her carving


    skills were indeed very good. The simple lines were well defined, and its small eyes were very round. It


    looked quite adorable. He could not help but flip it over and look at its four legs and underside. Then, he


    saw two words engraved on the underbelly: Odell Carter. Odell¡®s hand froze, and the curl of his mouth


    turned cold instantly.


    This woman actually called him a turtle! Just then, Cliff¡®s voice came from outside. ¡°Master Carter, it¡®s


    time for lunch. Would you like to eat now?¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia, who was still fast asleep, and narrowed his eyes. He said, ¡°Bring it in.¡± Cliff


    brought in a big bento box with exquisite packaging. He was surprised to see Sylvia sleeping on Odell¡®s


    desk. Then, he took the lunch box to the small table nearby where Odell usually rested and dined. Odell


    nced at him. ¡°Put it here.¡±


    Cliff was stunned before cing the lunch box on his work desk. ¡°Go out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cliff went out.


    Odell unfastened the lunch box, arranged the smallerpartments in front of him neatly, and opened


    them in turn.


    It was takeout from the Elysian House, so the smell of the food went without saying. When the containers


    were opened, the fragrance instantly filled the whole office.


    Chapter 165 Sylvia moved forward. She had slept verytest night and was a little tired now. She


    moved to his desk, ced the turtle aside, and fell asleep on the table.


    After an unknown amount of time, the office door was finally pushed open.


    When Odell strode in, he saw a few rays of sunlight streaming in through the curtains and falling on the


    figure of her sleeping form.


    He paused for a moment beforeing in.


    Silently, he sat back in the chair behind the desk.


    Sylvia sat opposite him, lying on his desk. Her sleeping face faced him. Her cheeks were slightly red,


    and her appearance when she was asleep was obviously cuter and more pleasing than when she was


    awake.


    A whileter, a wooden turtle at the corner of the table behind her head came into his sight.


    He took it in his hand and caressed it a few times.


    Her carving skills were indeed very good. The simple lines were well defined, and its small eyes were


    very round. It looked quite adorable. He could not help but flip it over and look at its four legs and


    underside. Then, he saw two words engraved on the underbelly: Odell Carter. Odell¡¯s hand froze, and


    the curl of his mouth turned cold instantly.


    This woman actually called him a turtle!


    Just then, Cliff¡®s voice came from outside. ¡°Master Carter, it¡®s time for lunch. Would you like to eat now?¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia, who was still fast asleep, and narrowed his eyes. He said, ¡°Bring it in.¡±


    Cliff brought in a big bento box with exquisite packaging. He was surprised to see Sylvia sleeping on


    Odell¡®s desk. Then, he took the lunch box to the small table nearby where Odell usually rested and


    dined. Odell nced at him. ¡°Put it here.¡± Cliff was stunned before cing the lunch box on his work


    desk.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Go out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cliff went out.


    Odell unfastened the lunch box, arranged the smallerpartments in front of him neatly, and opened


    them in turn.


    It was takeout from the Elysian House, so the smell of the food went without saying. When the


    containers were opened, the fragrance instantly filled the whole office.


    The containers were lined up in front of Sylvia.


    The rich fragrance rushed into her nose. Not long after, her stomach growled, and she opened her eyes.


    She swallowed her drool when she saw the sumptuous meal in front of her.


    At that moment, Odell was holding the cutlery and eating slowly and methodically. There was only one


    set of cutlery on the table. Sylvia had eaten breakfast early in the morning. Four to five hours had already


    passed, so she was really hungry. However, if she went out to eat, this man may not let her return. Her


    eyes flickered, and she asked tentatively, ¡°Are there any extra cutlery?¡± Odell nced at her. ¡°No.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and swallowed her drool. After a while, she reached out to try and grab a slice of


    toast.


    Oden cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem.¡±


    She immediately retracted her hand.


    He looked at her coldly and asked, ¡°Do you want to eat? Why would she try to take the toast if she did


    not want to eat? Her eyes flickered, and she asked, ¡°Can I have some?¡± Odell smiled. ¡°No.¡±


    Then, he picked up a slice of fish and popped it into his mouth. Sylvia choked on her anger.


    ¡±

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166 Odell continued to eat, moving gracefully and slowly. At the rate he was eating, he would


    only finish the meal at night. Sylvia really wanted to grab some of the food. However, she also had her


    dignity. After a moment of depression, she first sent a message to Tom, asking him to pick up Aunt


    Tonya, and ordered him to get takeaway for herself. The Elysian House¡®s take¨Cout only served super VIP


    customers, so Sylvia naturally could not order it. Thus, she ordered an extrarge serving of stew from


    another restaurant. The stew was made quickly and delivered less than half an hour after she ced the


    order. She wrote the consignee¡®s name as Odell. Thus, when the meal arrived, the receptionist had it


    brought up directly. ¡°Master Carter, the stew you ordered has arrived.¡± The staff pushed open the door.


    Odell was stunned. Sylvia quickly said, ¡°It¡®s mine. Thanks for bringing it up for me.¡± The staff froze but


    still gave the meal to Sylvia, and then swiftly retreated. Sylvia immediately pushed his meal toward him


    and put down herrge pot of stew on the table.


    After lifting the lid, the aromatic smell wafted over. A variety of meat and vegetables floated on the stic


    bowl. Sylvia took out the disposable spoon and ate. Odell looked at the oil¨Csoaked food being swallowed


    by her and frowned tightly. He instantly lost his appetite. He put down his chopsticks and looked at her


    coldly. Sylvia quickly noticed his gaze and looked at him in confusion. ¡°Why are you ring at me?¡± He


    nced at her pot of stew and said in a cold voice, ¡°Throw that out.¡± His eyes were filled with disgust.


    Sylvia said irritably, ¡°This is my lunch.¡± ¡°Then, eat it outside.¡±


    She did not want to look at his sour face, but what if he shut the door and refused to let her back in after


    she left?


    She thought about it and said, ¡°If you promise to let me see the children, I¡®ll take it out immediately.¡±


    Odell gave her a side nce and ignored her.


    Sylvia continued to eat. After a while, she realized that he did not move at all. He seemed to have lost his


    appetite, continuing to look at her coldly.


    She nced at him and asked, ¡°Aren¡®t you going to eat?¡± He gave her a dark look. ¡°Do you think I still


    have an appetite?¡± Sylvia curled the corners of her mouth up, reached out, and grabbed some sausages,


    a te of ribs, and a cup of freshly squeezed juice that he had not touched yet, and enjoyed them with


    her stew.


    Odell was speechless. ¡°This damned woman. I really want to throw her out with her stew!¡®


    Sylvia ate happily, not noticing his eyes that seemed to want to kill her. She had to admit that the food


    from the Elysian House was superb. After eating two bites of the ribs, she no longer wanted to touch her


    stew.


    Soon, she finished the ribs and sausages, and drank the ss of juice. After she ate and drank her fill,


    she pushed the empty te and cup back. At the same time, she did not hold back and let out a burp.


    Odell was speechless.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Realizing that she lost her decorum, she looked at him with a smile. ¡°My bad. I identally ate too


    much.¡± When she smiled, the grease stains on the corners of her lips shimmered. Odell frowned and


    resisted the urge to pick her up and throw her out. He said in a cold voice,¡± Wipe your oily mouth.¡± Sylvia


    immediately took out a tissue and wiped her mouth. Then, she asked, ¡°Do you have a washroom here?¡±


    He raised his head and pressed it on the corner of his forehead. ¡°Straight ahead to your right.¡± Sylvia


    immediately turned her wheelchair and went to the washroom.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167 The washroom wasrge and spacious. It was very luxurious.


    After relieving herself, Sylvia washed her hands, wiped her face, and came out.


    Someone had clearlye to clean up. Odell¡®s work desk was restored to its previously clean and tidy


    state. The half pot of stew she had left and the food he did not finish were also gone.


    Even the air had be much fresher.


    Odell was reading a book.


    Sylvia went to his desk again. She looked at the table and asked suspiciously, ¡°Where¡®s the little turtle I


    carved?¡± Odell gave her a cold look. ¡°I threw it away.¡± ¡®Whatever. I just carved it for fun, anyway.¡® Sylvia


    reached into her bag and quickly found another small square piece of wood. Then, she took out the


    carving knife again and carved it. Scratch, scratch.


    The orderly sound of carving immediately resounded in the air again.


    Odell¡®s expression darkened as he furrowed deeply. His eyes stared sharply at her.


    Sylvia quickly noticed his gaze.


    However, she pretended not to see his annoyance and asked with a smile, ¡°Do you want to learn? I don¡®t


    have anything to do now, so I don¡®t mind teaching you.¡± He pursed his lips and was silent for a few


    seconds before saying, ¡°Liam and Isabel have to eat dinner by 8 p.m. and must go to bed in their room


    by 9 p.m. I¡®ll only give you an hour to go over and see them.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up, and she replied with a smile, ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Then, she put the carving knife and


    wood back into her bag, turned her wheelchair, and went out.


    The sound of the wheelchair turning soon disappeared as the door closed. Tranquilitypletely


    returned to therge office. However, Odell frowned. He looked more and more annoyed.


    Bam!


    He threw the book back on the table and picked up the little turtle with his name engraved on it from the


    drawer.


    His long and slender fingers repeatedly squeezed and rubbed the grooves, but he was unable to erase


    his name.


    At that moment, the phone he left on the table rang.


    The caller ID read Tara.


    His eyes darkened as he picked up the phone. Tara¡®s gentle voice sounded. ¡°Odell, are you free tonight?


    I want to have dinner with you.¡± Odell looked at the time and said, ¡°Come to my office at 5 p.m.¡± She


    quickly replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After leaving Carter Tower, Sylvia took a car and went to a nearby store. She bought a few new outfits for


    both herself and Aunt Tonya.


    ¨C


    She would be able to meet Isabel and Liam tonight at the old Carter residence. Although her legs were


    still unable to walk, she had to meet them while looking refreshed.


    It was already the evening when she returned to her ce after shopping.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She saw a message from Carl, the boss of the studio she used to work for. He apologized for firing her


    and asked her to go back to work. He also offered to double her sry.


    ¨C


    (


    Sylvia refused him outright. Besides Carl, other woodworking studios she had asked about before also


    sent her messages, saying that they wanted to hire her very much. She rejected them all. After so many


    unpleasant things happened, she was no longer nning to go back to work Besides receiving


    messages from them, she also received messages from Simon and the head of the Arts Association.


    They both very sincerely wanted to invite her to join Westchester City¡®s Art Association. Sylvia thought


    about it and agreed.

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168 Tara arrived at Carter Tower before 5 p.m.


    She wore a new sexy and form¨Cfitting red dress with a plush shawl, and her hair was specially styled at a


    beauty salon. She was dressed exquisitely.


    However, she could not hide the panic on her face.


    Odell did not send her a message since he went backst night. Although he seldom took the initiative to


    find her, she could clearly feel that he did not want to talk to her. Even during the call at noon, his voice


    had been very cold. Tara paced back and forth anxiously. When she saw Odelling out of the


    building, she immediately jogged toward him.


    ¡°Odell!¡± She ran to his side and took his arm intimately. Odell gave her an indifferent look and took her to


    the car. The car soon arrived at a restaurant where they went into a quiet room.


    Tara sat beside him. When the food was brought up, she tenderly served him food. He frowned. ¡°There¡¯s


    no need. I have my own hands.¡±


    She obediently withdrew her hand.


    The room fell silent.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    .


    Odell ate a few bites before asking, ¡°Do you know Alister?¡± Tara¡®s hand holding the cutlery froze, and she


    asked him in a soft voice, ¡°Did Sylvia tell you something?¡± She had reminded Alister not to go to work


    and not to contact Sylvia for the time being. Since Odell was suddenly mentioning Alister, it was most


    likely that Sylvia told him something. He sipped his drink and replied, ¡°I met her this morning.¡± Tara¡®s face


    suddenly turned pale. ¡°You met Alister? What did she say to you?¡±


    Odell could see the panic on her face at a nce. He frowned unhappily. ¡°Do you want me to say it, or


    do you want to admit it yourself?¡± Tara¡®s gaze trembled.


    A whileter, she lowered her head and whispered, ¡°I know her. I told her to watch Sylvia.¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes went cold as he asked her, ¡°Before, it was also you who repeatedly urged Tristan to make


    him think that Sylvia liked him, right?¡±


    Tara hurriedly said, ¡°Odell, I didn¡®t do that on purpose. I just thought that since he¡®s such a good person,


    it¡®s impossible for Sylvia to not like him. After all, Sylvia and I used to be friends. I really wanted to see


    her be in a marriage that would suit her.¡±


    Odell¡®s gaze deepened. ¡°Then there was no reason for you to pay Alister to spy on Sylvia and secretly


    take pictures of them.¡± Tara stammered, ¡°I... I...¡± Odell said in a cold voice, ¡°Tara, you know what I hate


    the most.¡±


    Tara¡®s face paled again. He hated people lying to him the most, especially when they were people


    around him. Her eyes reddened in an instant as she cried, ¡°I¡®m not lying to you. I really just wanted to set


    them up. I asked Alister to spy on her because I wanted to make sure that they could be together. I... I


    just love you too much, so I was scared...¡± She choked up as she spoke. Odell frowned and asked,


    ¡°What are you scared of?¡°. Tara suddenly jumped to his side and hugged him tightly. ¡°I¡®m scared of losing


    you. I know you won¡®t be attracted to her, but she still seems to be interested in you. I¡¯m afraid she¡®ll use


    the children to get close to you again. I really don¡®t want to lose you again! I don¡®t want to go back to


    what it was like four years ago when I could only watch you from afar in the dark. I almost went crazy


    thinking about you...¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. Four years ago, he had not obtained Carter Corporation yet. It had still been his


    stepmother¡®s.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169 In order to prevent his stepmother from finding out that his weakness was Tara, he had to


    maintain a good rtionship with Sylvia as husband and wife. He could only hide the fact that Tara was


    his girlfriend, and they even had to pretend to be unfamiliar when they met.


    He knew that she suffered a lot in those years.


    In an instant, his expression eased up. He raised his hands to wrap around her and said, ¡°I won¡®t let you


    suffer like that again.¡±


    Tara was secretly relieved when she saw his expression, but she continued to sob. ¡°I know, but I¡®m just


    scared. I think that Sylvia has changed a lot. I¡®m really afraid that she¡®ll steal you away.


    Odell pursed his lips.


    That woman had indeed gained a lot of skills, but...


    a


    He thought of the turtle she carved, and he thought of her figure leaving without looking back after he


    said that she could see the children. His eyes darkened slightly.


    He said, ¡°Don¡®t worry, she doesn¡®t have those thoughts about me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    m


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Tara immediately lowered her head again and said with a sobbing voice, ¡°I was wrong, Odell. I won¡®t do


    something this stupid again.¡±


    .


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ..


    Odell was silent for a moment and asked her, ¡°Does the matter of the Rosses and the Ledgers suddenly


    wanting Sylvia to marry Michael have anything to do with you?¡±


    Tara¡®s eyes shed, but she soon lifted her face and looked at him with eyes red from crying.¡± No. I just


    wanted to set her up with Tristan. How could I possibly want her to marry someone like Michael?¡±


    ¡°In that case, good.¡± Odell¡®s face softened as he patted her back. ¡°Let¡®s eat.¡± Tara was instantly relieved


    when she saw that he was no longer suspicious and angry. At the same time, she could not help but


    curse at Sylvia for being ab*tch. It must have been Sylvia who asked Alister to tell Odell what she


    instructed her to do!


    Sylvia ate her dinner and arrived at the old Carter residence before 7:30 p.m.


    Odell should have instructed the guards to allow her in, but they refused to let her in no matter what she


    said.


    However, before long, Madam Carter came out with her crutches, huffing angrily.


    The two little ones seemed to hear themotion and followed Madam Carter closely.


    Through the fence, they saw Sylvia and ran to the door, grabbing the fence with their little hands.


    Isabel opened her mouth and shouted, ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± Liam also stared intently at Sylvia.


    Madam Carter barked at the guards, ¡°Open the gates now!¡±


    The guard was troubled. ¡°Madam, Master Carter ordered that Ms. Ross mustn¡®t be allowed in until 8


    p.m.¡± Madam Carter said angrily, ¡°This is my house, not his. If you don¡®t open the gates, you don¡®t have


    toe back to work tomorrow!¡± No one understood how worn out she had been by the little ones in the


    past two days.


    They were either crying and screaming to see their mother, asking her to take them to their mother, or


    even asking her to kick Odell out of the house. Furthermore, she only learned today from her old friend


    that Sylvia was Sunflower. She absolutely loved Sunflower¡®s works. If Odell continued to stop Sylvia from


    meeting the children, Madam Carter would really kick him out of the house.


    The two bodyguards were in a difficult position. They could not offend Madam Carter, but they did not


    dare to offend Master Carter either.


    The two children were right in front of her eyes. Sylvia was so anxious that she said, ¡°Odell will probably


    be backte. Just let me in now. As long as you don¡®t say anything, he won¡®t know either.¡±


    Madam Carter knocked the cane in her hand and shouted at them again. ¡°Open the gates!¡±


    The two guards sighed and quickly opened the gates. In an instant, Isabel and Liam scurried to her like


    little rabbits that had broken from their cage.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170 Sylvia reached out and hugged them. However, since it was inconvenient for her in a


    wheelchair, she could only bend down and wrap her arms around them. She could not hold them


    completely in her arms.


    Nevertheless, she was content to smell their soft milky scent.


    The two little ones also quickly noticed the wheelchair underneath her. Liam wrinkled his brows and


    asked, ¡°Mommy, why are you in a wheelchair?¡±


    Isabel immediately shouted, ¡°Did Baddie bully you?¡± Madam Carter also came over and looked at Sylvia


    with confusion and concern. ¡°Syl, what happened to your legs?¡± Sylvia smiled at her and said, ¡°I just


    identally fell and sprained my legs. The doctor said I¡®ll be fine after a while.¡± Madam Carter sighed in


    relief. ¡°That¡®s good.¡± Sylvia said to the little ones, ¡°Isabel, Liam, I¡®m really fine. I¡®ll be able to walk


    normally again after recuperating for a while.¡±


    ¡°.


    Isabel¡®s expression was much better when she heard that it was not caused by the baddie. Liam asked,


    ¡°Did you really hurt yourself in an ident?¡± Sylvia stroked his head and said with a smile, ¡°Yes.¡± He


    pursed his lips and stopped asking. Isabel came up to cling to her. Her chubby hands wrapped around


    one of Sylvia¡®s arms tightly, and she said with a pout, ¡°Mommy, I missed you so much.¡± ¡°Mommy missed


    you too.¡± Sylvia could not hold back and immediately kissed her face. Isabel kissed her back Then, Liam


    pursed his lips and also leaned over. Sylvia smiled and immediately kissed his little face as well. Liam


    returned the kiss and said, ¡°Mommy, I missed you too.¡±


    Sylvia said gently, ¡°Me too.¡±


    To the side, Madam Carter smiled and said, ¡°Syl, it¡®s cold outside. Come in.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Grandmother.¡±


    Sylvia finished speaking and was just about to turn the wheelchair under her.


    However, Isabel and Liam were faster and ran behind her to push her forward.


    Sylvia could not help butugh, and so did Madam Carter.


    When they reached the living room, Madam Carter said, ¡°Syl, you y with them first, but make sure you


    come and talk to me before you leave. I have something to say to you.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and agreed.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Madam Carter went back to her room.


    Only Sylvia, Isabel, and Liam were left in the spacious living room. When the two little ones saw that no


    one was around, they clung to Sylvia. Sylvia took them into her arms one by one and hugged them. She


    could not help it. She missed them too much. After the hugging session, Isabel brought out a big te of


    snacks for Sylvia to eat. Liam brought in two small benches, and Isabel and he sat properly in front of


    her. Sylvia asked about their lives these days. She asked if they paid attention to ss, if they did


    anything naughty, and so on. Isabel jabbered back to her while Liam also answered from time to time.


    Eventually, a tall figure came in through the door. Sylvia¡®s back was to the living room door, so she did


    not see him. However, Isabel and Liam, who were sitting in front of her, stood up at once. Isabel puffed


    up her cheeks and clung to one of Sylvia¡®s arms again. Liam stood beside his mother and sister, as if


    afraid that Odell would bully them.


    Odell¡®s brows knitted, and his long legs tookrge strides as he continued to walk in. He passed by


    Sylvia and the two little ones to sit down on the sofa not far away. When Isabel and Liam saw that he had


    no intention to drive Sylvia away, they immediately dropped their guard and sat back on their little stools.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171 Liam said, ¡°Mommy, let¡®s just continue chatting. Ignore him.¡± Isabel nodded along. ¡°Yeah,


    he¡®s invisible.¡± | Sylvia could not help but curled her lips into a smile although Odell fired a cold nce at


    them.


    Sylvia turned a blind eye at him and said to the two of them, ¡°Liam, Isabel, you guys can continue. What


    happened after you know the new transfer student?¡± Isabel pouted with puffy cheeks and said, ¡°I told him


    to call me boss. Liam and I will take care of him from now on.¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless. There was a twitch at the edge of her mouth when she secretly nced


    at Liam.


    Liam grinned. His googly eyes were filled with love for his sister. He had no objections to Isabel being


    their boss. Sylvia chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Then, did he?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Isabel continued her heroic achievements back at school.


    The whole living room was filled with waves ofughter from the mother and children. The man on the


    couch was treated as an invisible person. He looked grim for a while before he eventually turned his


    attention to Sylvia.


    She should have dressed for the asion. She looked a lot more beautiful than when she had been in


    her bare face when she had persistently lingered in his office earlier in the day. She was also wearing a


    dress.


    There was a white fluffy shawl around her shoulder thatplemented her snowy white neck, making


    her face look extra charming. It even granted her an extraordinary sense of elegance.


    However, the more he looked at the shawl, the more familiar it seemed.


    He soon thought of Tara. Tara had a shawl today as well, and both of them obviously had the same


    pattern. However, Tara¡®s one was coupled with a crimson red tight dress, which made her look


    coquettish. The shawl did not appeal to him at first look but now, when it was on Sylvia, it looked decent.


    He narrowed his eyes.


    Sylvia enjoyed talking to Isabel and Liam, but she could not help but notice his gaze, and it made her


    ufortable. A whileter, she turned to him and said, ¡°Odell, can you stop staring at me?¡±


    She was just chatting with the children, not badmouthing him, so why would he stare at her? The


    moment her words subsided, Isabel grumbled, ¡°Big¡® meanie, I know my Mommy is


    beautiful today, but she¡®s mine, and Liam¡®s. You cannot look at her!¡± Liam echoed, ¡°Isabel is right.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. ¡°What?¡±


    Odell was speechless. The air froze for a moment, and so was the look on Odell¡®s face. It was obviously


    defeat. It was rare to see Odell in defeat. Sylvia could not help but giggle. Odell red at her. ¡°Don¡®t


    overthink it. I¡®m just reminding you that you have ten minutes


    left.¡±


    Sylvia looked at the time. It was already 8:50 p.m. She turned to her kids and said, ¡°Isabel, Liam. I have


    to go back soon. Let¡®s go to your room and I¡®ll tell you a bedtime story.¡±


    Isabel shook her mother¡®s arm. ¡°Mommy, I want to sleep with you.¡± Liam shared the same anticipation.


    Sylvia then turned to Odell for instruction, but she saw only coldness on his face as if he was saying,


    ¡°Don¡®t push it.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Sylvia bit the bullet and said, ¡°We¡®ll talk about that when Mommy¡®s leg gets better, okay?¡±


    Isabel and Liam were no idiots. They knew she rejected them because of Odell. Isabel grunted at Odell


    before she obediently nodded and said to her mother, ¡°Okay.¡± Liam protruded his lips in silence.

 Chapter 172

    ?


    Sylvia brought the two little rascals to their bedroom and started telling them a bedtime story.


    Only after the two of them fall asleep did she leave their room.


    Madam Carter''s words rung in her head, so she went to Madam Carter''s room. Madam Carter was still awake, obviously waiting for her.


    Sylvia walked in and asked, "Grandmother, what do you want to talk about?"


    Madam Carter waved, signaling her toe closer. "Syl,e ''ere."


    Sylvia wheeled herself closer.


    Madam Carter held Sylvia''s hand and said, "Tell me, how did you hurt your leg?"


    "I fell down when I was walking."


    Madam Carter refused to believe her excuse. She stared at Sylvia and continued, "Does it have anything to do with Odell?"


    Sylvia anxiously answered, "No, nothing. He''s not involved."


    He was the one who had brought her to the hospital in spite of that unhappy journey.


    Madam Carter sighed a breath of relief. She said to Sylvia, "If Odell is mean to you, just tell me. I''ll do you justice."


    Sylvia returned aforting smile. "Thank you, Grandmother."


    As long as she could continue to see the kids, there would not be any unhappy conflicts between her and Odell.


    Sylvia thought Madam Carter just wanted to talk to her about her injuries, and since it was gettingte, she said, "Grandmother, you should get some rest now. I''ll visit again


    tomorrow."


    "Hold on."


    Sylvia looked at her. "What''s wrong, Grandmother? Is there anything else?"


    Madam Carter curved her eyes and smiled. She pulled out a little notebook and a pen from beside her pillow.


    The notebook seemed to be her diary. She opened a nk page and gave it to Sylvia together with the pen. "Sylvia, can you give me your signature?"


    Sylvia was at a loss for words.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Madam Carter reminded her, "Sunflower Bloom."


    Sylvia instantly knew what she was referring to. She smiled and said, "Sure."


    She took the pen and notebook and wrote ''Sunflower Bloom'' in her calligraphy.


    The smile on Madam Carter''s face grew wider. She continued, "Syl, I really like your artistic side and your painting, but you are running a little slow on producing work. Can you draw a little more?"


    Sylvia did not expect Madam Carter to be such a fan. She smiled and said, "I''ll do my best, Grandmother."


    "Okay, okay. Go now, you should go back and rest. Don''t let Isabel and Liam worry about you. I''ll look after them."


    "Thank you, Grandmother."


    After the heart-warming chat, Sylvia left the room. She wheeled herself across the corridor and returned to the living room.


    To her surprise, Odell was still on the couch, and a servant was there making tea for him.


    Sylvia did not want to interrupt, so she wheeled herself towards the exit.


    "Stop right there." The man''s cold voice suddenly echoed.


    Sylvia turned to him in confusion.


    Odell stared at her coldly. "I gave you a time limit. You are supposed to leave before nine, but it''s almost ten now."


    Despite being irritated by his temper, Sylvia maintained her politeness and exined, " Grandmother wanted to talk to me. It''s just a little dy."


    "No more next time," Odell said with a frosty gaze.


    Sylvia turned a blind eye and wheeled herself out of the living room.


    Odell watched her wheeled out of the exit without pause and together with the nonchnt response earlier, it vexed him.


    Smack!


    He mmed the cup of tea on the table.


    The servant was shocked. "Master, is it too hot?"


    Odell pursed his lips and swallowed the rising grievance. "Just go."


    "Yes, sir." The servant quickly strode out of the living room.


    Odell frustratedly put the book down and got up to the balcony outside his bedroom.

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173 A whileter, Sylvia was already on the bridge back to her house. Aunt Tonya was pushing


    the wheelchair, and there was a strong young man following behind the two of them, seemingly one of


    the bodyguards. Odell watched her quietly. The frustration in his eyes was carried away by the night


    breeze. When Sylvia finally returned home, he went back into his room.


    .


    Shortly after Sylvia returned to her ce, she received a message from Christopher, the president of the


    Westchester Art Association.


    .


    She was invited to attend an art exhibition tomorrow afternoon, hosted and curated by the art


    association. The exhibition was mainly a disy to show off the excellent work selected from the


    competition. Exhibitions were held formercial purposes. If Sylvia attended, her name and reputation


    would garner more attention, and it would attract many potential buyers. Since Sylvia was already a part


    of the art association, she agreed without a second thought. The next afternoon, Sylvia arrived at the


    venue in Tom¡®spany. Tom helped her get out of the car.


    .


    ¡±


    ..


    The people from the art association were already there, and the president, Christopher, decided to


    wee her himself. What followed were the people from the art association and tourists alike.


    Sylvia greeted them with a warm smile before she followed them inside. It was then that someone from


    the art association announced, ¡°Ms. Tara Avery is here.¡±


    Her arrival attracted the attention of some of the people from the art association who were rather close


    with her, and they went up to her attentively.


    .


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia had a nce. Tara arrived in a shy outfit, looking stunning as ever. The moment she set foot


    outside the car, she was already surrounded by a group of admirers. She lifted her chin with a smile and


    greeted them before she came over. When she saw Sylvia, the smile on her face faded. Sylvia crossed


    her arms in the wheelchair and stared at Tara coldly. Tara¡®s expression changed multiple times before it


    turned into a forced smile. She said, ¡± Hello, Sylvia.¡°,


    Sylvia disyed her disgust for Tara brazenly. She ignored Tara and said to Tom, ¡°Push me inside.¡±


    Tom quickly pushed her into the exhibition venue.


    Tara froze. The others around her were not idiots either, everyone clearly felt the tension between Sylvia


    and Tara. Christopher and the others feigned ignorance and greeted Tara before they followed Sylvia in.


    The other tourists came because of Sylvia, so when she went inside, they followed. Only the few who


    went over to Tara earlier stayed. When the bigger crowd went inside, the people around Tara grumbled.


    ¡°Ms. Sunflower is really rude.¡± ¡°Yeah. Tara greeted her but she simply turned away. How rude.¡± Tara¡®s


    stiff look softened a bit upon hearing them.


    Soon, she put on a more natural smile and said, ¡°Maybe it¡®s because she¡®s gained fame as an artist, and


    artists have a temper. I¡®m fine, don¡®t worry about it.¡± The few of them were surprised when they heard


    her. Someone asked, ¡°Tara, you knew her from before, right?¡± ¡®You guys were friends, so why isn¡®t she


    talking to you?¡± Tara sighed. ¡°She used to like Odell as well.¡± The revtion surprised them, causing


    them to widen their eyes. ¡°She¡®s jealous of you!¡± ¡°She¡®s a famous artist now, but she chose to be rude


    because of some trivial matter. It goes to show how childish she is.¡±

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174 The few of them started to mock Sylvia.


    Right when their gossip reached the climax, Tara stopped them and said, ¡°It¡®s been years since I


    contacted her, so maybe the misunderstanding still stands. Stop it, you guys.¡±


    ¡°Tara, you¡®re too kind. If I were you, I would have flipped.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I would teach her a lesson.¡±


    Tara simply smiled it off. ¡°I¡®m fine. Come on, let¡®s go in.¡±


    The exhibition attracted quite a number of tourists.


    Tara was still the bronze prize winner in the artpetition, and the paintings that she brought would


    surely sell for a decent price. The others agreed and entered the venue with her.


    Meanwhile, inside the exhibition hall, Sylvia and Christopher were strolling around the art pieces. Other


    than the winning artworks from the artpetition, the winners of the respective artworks also brought


    their additional work out for disy.


    Most of the artwork on disy was not named, so it allowed everyone to enjoy and appreciate the


    artwork with an unbiased opinion.


    It also allowed the tourists to voice their constructive remarks without burden so that they could be more


    rational when making the purchase.


    Christopher andpany looked at quite a number of artworks along the way and thements he


    gave were mostly praises, with a few exceptions of constructive criticism.


    Some of the artworks on disy werecklusterpared to others. It was then one of the tourists said


    to Sylvia, ¡°Ms. Sunflower, I think this piece of sunset painting is quite eye¨Ccatching. Can you give me


    some advice orment?¡± Another tourist echoed and said, ¡°Yeah, I¡®ve noticed this painting for quite


    some time now.¡± Christopher and the others turned to Sylvia with anticipation. The group looked at a lot


    of artworks along the way, and only Sylvia remained quiet throughout the process. ¡°Okay.¡± She looked at


    the painting the tourist pointed to. The painting was of a sunset. It was huge, as tall as a grown man, and


    although it might look stunning, its ws were obvious as well.


    Sylvia frowned after some careful scrutiny. She believed the painter of the artwork was close by, so she


    euphemistically said, ¡°The colors


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    used are too childish. There are no stunning skills involved. I can¡®t tell what the painter is trying to


    convey, so I wouldn¡®t suggest buying it at a high price.¡± Christopher nodded in agreement and in silence.


    The painting was one of the poorer ones, but he knew who the painter was, so he conserved his words


    and stayed quiet.


    The two tourists who inquired Sylvia to give her judgment were conflicted.


    Moments ago, they really wanted to buy the painting, but after herments, their interest faded. It did


    not look as good as before. At the same time, Tara strode in with a grim look. She was obviously


    unhappy, but she remained polite as she stared at Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia, I know there¡®s some misunderstanding


    between us in the past, but do you really have to intentionally criticize my work in front of so many


    people?¡± Her work? Intentionally criticized?


    Sylvia raised her brows and asked, ¡°Tara, I think you¡®re mistaken about your work.¡± Tara furrowed her


    brows. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Sylvia grinned and said, ¡°What I mean is your painting is garbage. I wouldn¡®t want it even if it were free.¡±


    Since she found out that it was Tara¡®s work, she did not have to hold back anymore. Tara responded with


    a bitter look. Christopher and the others were stunned by the unexpected boldments. The two


    tourists also lost the impulsive urge to buy the painting and subtly stepped back. Awkwardness filled the


    air for a moment. Sylvia¡®s delightful smile fueled Tara¡®s anger. She really wished she could start a catfight


    with Sylvia. Her expression went through multiple changes. She had a difficult time trying to suppress the


    urge to start an argument, but they were surrounded by people and she could not afford to lose control in


    public. After some struggle with her thoughts, Tara strode away.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175 From other people¡®s perspectives, Tara left out of anger and embarrassment because of


    Sylvia¡®sments. The exhibition hall went quiet for another few seconds.


    Christopher andpany looked at Sylvia with both admiration and concern.


    Those who were invited to Westchester Art Association were all rather well¨Cknown artists, and they, too,


    shared the same thought as Sylvia. Tara¡®s work was nothing close to decent, but she was Odell¡®s


    woman, thus no one dared to voice their criticism of her work.


    However, Sylvia had tantly called her work garbage in public. It was a suicidal act.


    Christopher signaled two of his men with a nce. ¡°Go after her.¡±


    The two men went out to look for Tara.


    Christopher then said to Sylvia, ¡°Sylvia, did something happen between you and Tara in the


    past?¡±


    Sylvia simply hummed a reply. The conflict between them started three years ago, and until now, the


    conflicts had only worsened.


    Christopher awkwardly touched his nose and said in a small voice, ¡°But her boyfriend is Master Carter. I


    believe you¡®ll need to¡± ¡°I know. Thank you for your concern,¡± Sylvia interrupted him. She would never


    apologize to Tara, not for the rest of her life. Christopher simply sighed at Sylvia¡®s fierce attitude and


    decided to stay out of it.


    Sylvia continued looking at the artwork. She voiced her truthful thoughts about each of the works. She


    was not stingy with praises when it came to a great art piece and would subtly offer a piece of advice for


    thoseckluster ones.


    After a few rounds in the venue, other than Tara¡®s work that failed to gather interest after what happened,


    the other artworks of the winners were more or less sold.


    A lot of the tourists bought either one or two paintings and left with a great harvest.


    Sylvia also left the exhibition.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Tom pushed her to the carpark.


    Just when Sylvia was about to get into the car, Tara came out from the shadows. She red at Sylvia


    viciously and said, ¡°Sylvia, I bet you are happy now.¡± Sylvia crossed her arms and replied with a grin, ¡°It¡®s


    quite nice.¡±


    Tara grunted coldly. ¡°Those tourists who did not buy my work because of you are idiots. I don¡®t care.¡±


    Sylvia raised a curious brow and asked, ¡°Then, why are you here stopping me from leaving?¡± Tara


    gulped nervously and said, ¡°I¡®m here to tell you Alister told Odell what I did before, but Odell wasn¡®t even


    mad at me. He didn¡¯t even me me for anything.¡± Sylvia frowned. ¡®I thought that man hated people who


    tricked others.¡® Tara noticed the change of expression on Sylvia¡®s face andughed. ¡°Odell only loves


    me. Even if he knows what I did, you still won¡®t seed! Don¡®t you dare try to ruin our rtionship!¡±


    Sylvia wore a disdainful grin. ¡®She¡®s right. I almost forgot that Odell has always loved her.¡®


    It was true love after all. Even if Tara went on a killing spree and be a nefarious murderer, he would


    protect her at all costs. Why would he be mad at her just because she tricked and framed his ex¨Cwife?


    ¨C


    .


    Tara noticed the silence. She continued with a cold grin, ¡°Sylvia, you won¡®t win. If you are wise, get out of


    Westchester, or I¡®ll make sure you die a horrible death.¡±


    A horrible death? Sylvia could not help but cackle withughter. ¡°With that lousy painting of yours?¡± Tara


    was in distress. She choked for a few seconds before she said, ¡°I might not be as famous as you, but I


    have Odell. And you, you are nothing besides being Sunflower Bloom!¡± Sylvia chuckled in a profound


    manner. She did not care what Tara said. She turned to Tom and said, ¡°Help me in.¡± Tom opened the


    door and helped her into the car. Tara strode over after she got the cold shoulder. She bellowed at


    Sylvia, ¡°What¡®s wrong now? Leaving already? Did the truth hurt you?¡±

 Chapter 176

    m!


    The reply that Tara got was Tom mming the door close.


    She was left alone on the spot as the car drove away. Her fists clenched tightly and she said with a cold


    grin, ¡°You... I bet it must suck for you.¡±


    A whileter, the distress on her face faded. She kept reying the scene where the influential figures of


    the art association had surrounded Sylvia and how the tourists had admired her.


    What fueled her anger was that the tourists ignored all her paintings just because of somements


    from Sylvia.


    Those who simply got a recognition award from thepetition even got a few of their works sold, and


    yet Tara, the bronze prize winner, did not even sell a single piece.


    It was the biggest insult she received since she stepped into the art world.


    She was deeply irritated.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    A whileter, where her irritation faded a little, she called Odell.


    The moment the call got through, her eyes turned red. With a sobbing tone, she said in a grievance,


    ¡°Odell, where are you? Can I go to you now?¡±


    On the other end of the call, Odell was working on some documents in his office. Hearing


    Tara¡®s sobbing tone, he furrowed his brows. He asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Tara sobbed. ¡°The art association hosted an exhibition for the winners of thepetition, and everyone


    but me sold at least one piece of artwork. I feel really bad.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips.


    Her paintings were nothing decent, but she was still the bronze prize winner, and it should not have


    turned out as bad as it did with her not selling a single piece of artwork.


    He asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡®t know. There were some tourists who were interested in my work, but after Sylvia talked to them,


    they did not even look at my work anymore.¡±


    Odell was slightly surprised. ¡°Sylvia was there?¡± ¡°Yeah. She was invited by the president.¡± Tara continued


    sobbing, ¡°I already apologized to her for trying to matchmake her with Tristan, but she did not ept it at


    all. Does she hate me now?¡±


    Odell went silent for a few seconds before he continued, ¡°Go home first. I have something urgent to do


    and I¡®ll go find you when I¡®m done.¡±


    Tara immediately said, ¡°Okay, I¡®ll wait for you at home.¡± The call ended.


    Tara wiped her fake tears away and grinned coldly. There was an obvious scene of coldness in between


    Odell¡®s words from the call, so he must be


    angry.


    ¡®l¡®ll just cry like a baby when heester, and he will definitely help me teach that bitch a lesson!¡±


    It was still early when Sylvia came home, so she helped Aunt Tonya prepare some snacks before she


    went over to the Carter residence around 7 o¡®clock. She had arrived early for two days now, and Madam


    Carter even talked to the guard at the gates to grant her entrance. However, Sylvia arrived at a tightly


    shut gate today. She saw the guard, Todd, beside the gate and smiled at him. ¡°Todd, can you open the


    gate? I¡®m here to see the kids.¡±


    Todd had a nce before he retracted his gaze and stood still like a rock. He did not move or talk to her.


    ¨C


    While Sylvia was baffled by his reaction, a powerful voice came from behind her. ¡°Who told you toe


    over at this hour?¡±


    Surprised, she turned around and saw the man who managed to sneak up on her. His arms were


    crossed and his towering figure blocked the lights. Despite his shadowed features, his eyes were ring


    at her coldly.


    Sylvia reacted with a shifting gaze. He was not home yet when she came over for the past two days, so


    what made him return home earlier today? A quick thoughtter, she decided to y dumb and said, ¡°It¡®s


    not 8 o¡®clock yet? It¡®s already dark, so I thought it was 8 o¡®clock already.¡±


    Odell had noeback for that. She really believed that he did not know she came earlier for the past


    two days. He red at her and said, ¡°I heard you went to an art exhibition today.¡±

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177 Sylvia¡®s expression changed and she thought of Tara right away. If she was correct, after


    she left the exhibition venue earlier, Tara must have called Odell and orchestrated this.


    No wonder Odell came home early today; it was to stop her. Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°Yeah. The art


    association held an exhibition for the prize winners, and I went to look at paintings with the president. I


    also went to give some advice to other interested tourists.¡±


    Odell grunted at her curved eyes. ¡°Is that so?!


    (Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I heard almost all the prize winners¡® paintings were sold.¡±


    ¡°They were.¡± Odell shot his de¨Clike gaze at her. ¡°Then, why did Tara fail to sell any?¡± Sylvia looked up


    at him calmly and said, ¡°I believe you will have to ask her why her paintings are so bad.¡±


    Odell tightened his narrow lips and continued his cold gaze at her. If his gaze was any sharper, it would


    have punctured two holes in Sylvia¡®s head. Sylvia awkwardly chuckled and waved the bag of snacks in


    her hand. ¡°Odell, these are freshly made. Please let me in now. They won¡®t be nice if they get cold.¡±


    Odell ignored her and moved his legs inside. The bodyguard immediately opened the gate for him. Sylvia


    narrowed her eyes and quickly controlled her wheelchair forward. . As she was using an electronic


    wheelchair, the moment the gate opened, she sprinted inside like a car. Just when she was about to


    wheel past Odell and enter the mansion, her wheelchair was held back by a strong force all of a sudden,


    pinning her on the spot. The sudden stop almost threw her off the wheelchair. She turned around and


    saw Odell¡®s big hand holding the handle of her wheelchair.


    She shouted, ¡°Let me go!¡± Odell¡®s towered over her with his enormous figure. No matter how hard she


    struggled, she could not break free from his hand. She tried to pry his fingers away but failed to do so.


    Flushed, she looked at him and said, ¡° Odell, you should know Tara¡®s level after being with her for so


    many years.¡± Odell frowned and continued his cold gaze at her.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia boldly continued, ¡°I¡®ll admit that I picked on her intentionally, but I said the truth to the tourists. Her


    painting was garbage!¡± Odell wore a grim look. ¡°Roll yourself back or I¡®ll throw you out.¡± As his words


    subsided, he lifted his hand for a moment. Sylvia rocked along with her wheelchair for a bit. Then, she


    held the wheelchair tightly before she turned around to bite the hand on the handle. Her sharp teeth sank


    into the back of Odell¡®s hand. Odell grimly retracted his hand. Sylvia then swiftly wheeled herself forward.


    In less than a second, the wheelchair slipped past him and sprinted towards the entrance like the wind.


    Odell¡®s towering figure was stunned on the spot as Sylvia reached the door in a hurry. When the


    wheelchair stopped, she turned around and showed a provocative raise of her brow. Her petite face


    looked brighter under the lights and her provocative grin was enticing. Odell was awestruck. She was


    afraid that he would call the bodyguards to throw her out, so she wheeled herself into the living room


    quickly.

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178 Soon, Odell heard Isabel¡®s adorable voice weing her mother came from inside the


    living room. He tightened his lips and nced at the bodyguard at the gate. The bodyguard exined,


    ¡°Master, she was too fast just now. I didn¡®t even realize.¡± He also did not expect Sylvia to break free from


    Odell¡®s grip and charge inside like a chariot. Odell had onest re at him before he strode into the


    living room. Inside the living room, Isabel and Liam clung to Sylvia tightly and were munching on the


    snacks she brought. Even Madam Carter also enjoyed the pastries that Sylvia had prepared. When Odell


    came in, the living room turned quiet. Isabel and Liam cautiously looked at him. Madam Carter said,


    ¡°Odell, I told Sylvia toe earlier.¡± In other words, if he was unhappy with the decision, he could take it


    up to her instead of holding Sylvia responsible. Odell nced at Sylvia before he sat down on the couch


    and started reading. Madam Carter sighed a breath of relief. Isabel and Liam also lowered their caution


    and continued enjoying their snacks. Sylvia raised a brow with a smile. As before, she yed with the


    kids for a little while, and when they finally got tired, she sent them back to their room, told them a


    bedtime story, and apanied them until they fell asleep. Only then did Sylvia leave their room and


    return to the living room. The spacious living room was quiet and only had one warm light on. The warm


    light shed its glow on the man¡®s rigid figure as he read elegantly on the couch. He had a book in his hand


    and a ss of wine on the table in front of him. Sylvia did not expect him to stay up thiste. She quickly


    wheeled herself to the exit. Odell shot his stern gaze at Sylvia leaving in a hurry and said coldly, ¡°If I find


    out that you pick on Tara again, don¡®t think of seeing the kids again.¡± Sylvia froze. She turned around and


    said, ¡°Odell, this is between me and her. Can you stay out of this?¡±


    ¨CEE


    Odell red at her coldly. ¡°She¡®s my woman.¡± Sylvia got choked up for a bit. Again, she almost forgot


    that Tara was the love of his life. Without saying anything else, she wore a cold look and turned away as


    she wheeled herself out. She soon disappeared into the dark night. Odell furrowed his brows and


    frustratedly tossed the book on the table. He did not choose to argue with her although she picked on


    Tara. Even allowing her to see the kids was an act of mercy, a blessing and gift to her, and yet she did


    not even try to please him and gave him the


    cold shoulder.


    ¡®She¡®s really getting ahead of herself.¡®


    At Lake Victoria Vi, Tara sulked as she recalled how Sylvia had criticized her earlier at the art


    exhibition, causing her to fail to sell any of her paintings.


    It had been more than three hours since Odell left, and he was really angry when he walked out of the


    door. She believed he would punish Sylvia for her. He should have finished meting out his punishment


    by now. A quick thoughtter, she pulled her phone out and called Odell. The call got through quickly


    and the look on her face softened. ¡°Odell, what are you doing?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179 ¡°I¡®m reading.¡± A quick thoughtter, Odell continued with a question, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    Sylvia said in a small voice, ¡°Not yet.¡± | ¡°It¡®s alreadyte. Why haven¡®t you eaten anything yet?¡± Tara was


    waiting for this. She protruded her lips and said, ¡°I¡®m feeling unwell. I don¡®t have any appetite.¡± Odell¡®s


    voice grew heavy as he said, ¡°I¡®ve already warned Sylvia to not pick on your again. Hurry and get


    something to eat. Don¡®t worry about it anymore.¡± Tara frowned. Just a warning? She eased her furrowed


    brows and said with a disheartened tone, ¡°Okay, Odell. But I think Sylvia really hates me. She¡®s a famous


    artist now. Even the president of the Art Association tries to tter her. I¡®m afraid that she might resort to


    some shady schemes secretly.¡± ¡°She wouldn¡®t.¡± ¡°But...¡± Odell stopped her. ¡°If she picks on you again, I¡®ll


    make Sunflower Bloom disappear from the art world, forever.¡± Tara¡®s eyes shone. He still cared about her


    the most. However, her thoughts and her words did not align as she said, ¡°Odell, are you sure about


    that?¡± Odell¡®s brows tightly furrowed, and his face screamed annoyance. However, Tara was the one he


    acknowledged, so he suppressed his annoyance and said rather calmly, ¡°I will never spare anyone who


    picks on you. Just go and have some rest. Don¡®t worry about it.¡±


    LI


    Sylvia answered immediately, ¡°Okay. You get some rest too.¡± Odell hummed a reply and hunged up the


    phone. He then tossed the phone aside. He was sitting on the balcony at the back of his room and


    looking in the direction of Sylvia¡®s house. The lights over there were still on, she was still awake. The


    woman might be audacious, but the kids were obviously her weakness. He had already warned her to


    stay away from Tara if she wanted to keep seeing the kids.


    If she was not an idiot, she would do as she was told.


    Sylvia turned on her phone when she got home and saw the messages that the production crew of the


    movie ¡®Flowers Blossom¡® sent her an hour ago. The staff told her to get Isabel ready as they would bring


    the girl in for a shoot the day after


    tomorrow.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel loved to act and was gifted at it. Before they came back to Westchester, Sylvia had signed a


    contract with the production crew as Isabel¡®s guardian.


    The movie had started shooting a month ago, but Isabel¡®s scenes were not ready yet. The staff would


    update her on the progress from time to time and tell her to prepare the girl for her segment.


    However, Isabel lived under Odell¡®s roof now, and in order to bring the girl to the shoot, Sylvia must first


    get Odell¡®s permission.


    She recalled the ugly expression on his face before she left earlier and it made her frown. The man


    obviously hated her, and if she told him that Isabel would be away for two weeks for a shoot, there would


    be a high chance that he would disagree. After some meticulous deliberation, Sylvia replied ¡®okay¡® to the


    staff before she prepared for bed.


    ¨C


    The next morning, Sylvia called Madam Carter. She had told Madam Carter about Isabel¡®s movie before.


    The great¨Cgrandmother knew the little girl loved to act and had been her avid supporter since. When


    Sylvia revealed that Isabel had a movie to shoot, Madam Carter happily answered, ¡° Great. Isabel was


    justining a few days ago that she missed acting. But what¡®s the condition of the production crew?


    What are the terms they are offering?¡± Sylvia answered, ¡°Don¡®t worry, Grandmother. I will be with her the


    whole time and make sure that she won¡®t be exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Great. But you have to be careful as well. Don¡®t overwork yourself.¡± ¡°I understand, Grandmother.¡± Sylvia


    paused for a moment before she continued, ¡° Grandmother, can you tell Odell about this?¡±. Madam


    Carter was surprised. ¡°Syl, you can just tell him yourself.¡± How? The talk would probably end up ugly.


    Sylvia was embarrassed to say that Odell was unhappy with her because of Tara, so she said to Madam


    Carter, ¡°Maybe he doesn¡®t want Isabel to enter showbiz this early, so I think you¡®d better talk to him about


    it.¡±


    .


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll call himter,¡± Madam Carter said. Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. If it was Madam Carter who


    broke the news to him, Odell would probably agree.

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180 At Carter Tower, Odell was working in his office when the phone on the desk rang.


    He put the document down and answered it after a nce at the screen.


    ¡°Grandmother, what¡®s the matter?¡±


    Madam Carter told him about Isabel¡®s movie shoot that would start tomorrow. She also said, ¡° Isabel has


    always wanted to shoot a movie, and she really loves to act. Why don¡®t you let her go have a try? Syl will


    be with her all the time to take care of her.¡± Odell reacted rather coldly. A moment of silenceter, he


    said, ¡°I understand.¡± Madam Carter hung up the phone with a smile. Odell¡®s face remained frosty.


    alk to me and went straight to Grandmother instead? Does


    The woman doesn¡®t even want she think I won¡®t agree?¡®


    He just did not want his children¡®s lives to be overly erged under the public¡®s eye, but he did not want


    to kill his children¡®s interest just because of his disinterest.


    As he mulled over it, his finger slid across his screen and dialed Sylvia¡®s number.


    Sylvia was mixing paint to paint when her phone rang. When she saw Odell¡®s name on the caller ID, she


    was stunned for a slight moment before she answered it.


    The man¡®s cold voice entered her ears. ¡°Give me the address of Isabel¡®s shoot and print out all the


    details about the production crew. I want them delivered to my office.¡±¡®


    Sylvia frowned. He could have asked for a soft copy to be sent over via smartphone, but he requested a


    hard copy instead.


    Before she could voice her grumble, Odell added, ¡°I¡®ll be going on a business trip in an hour, so if it¡®s not


    here within the hour, you don¡®t need to apany Isabel to her shoot anymore.¡± The phone hung up


    right after his words subsided. ¡°Crazy fool!¡±


    Sylvia was heart¨Cstricken. She put her paint down and prepared to go out.


    Sylvia prepared as fast as she could but it still took her a full hour to reach his office.


    Fortunately, when she got out of the car, she saw Odell striding out from his group of followers, led by


    Cliff.


    ¡°Odell!¡± she shouted.


    Odell stopped and stared at her while Cliff and the others wisely stepped aside.


    Sylvia was still in the wheelchair, and it was Tom who pushed her over. She passed him the documents


    she prepared when she was close enough.


    ¡°These are the information you wanted on the production crew,¡± she said.


    Odell nced at her face.


    It was the beginning of winter, and the weather was getting cold, but her face was flushed and there


    were beads of sweat on her forehead. She came here in a hurry.


    Odell looked at the papers she had in her hand. With narrowed eyes, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t have time now.


    Take them back.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows.


    Before she could say a word, he added, ¡°Take them back, rearrange them and send them to


    1. M.


    me.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. Frustration rose up to her head. She red at him.


    I


    Odell noticed her widened eyes, so he curved his lips into a grin and said, ¡°If you don¡®t send me the


    details, you are not going with Isabel.¡± Sylvia responded with gnashing teeth, ¡°Fine. I¡®ll send them to you


    right away.¡± Odell smiled and went straight into the MPV parked beside them. Cliff and the others quickly


    followed, and the car joined the stream of traffic on the road. Sylvia crumpled the papers frustratedly.


    The man was obviously toying with her.

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181 As long as Sylvia could apany Isabel to her shoot, she would be willing to tolerate any


    offense from Odell. She returned to the car with Tom¡®s help. Sylvia had already sorted out the information


    on the production crew before printing it out. As soon as she settled into the car, she took out her phone


    to send the file to Odell.


    In the message, she typed, ¡°Here¡®s all the information on the production crew, do take a look when you


    can.¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia tsked at Odell¡®s profile picture before keeping her phone away.


    Night soon fell.


    At the Carters¡® residence, Sylvia had already coaxed Liam and Isabel to sleep, but Odell still had not


    replied to her message. She thought that he had probably seen her message, and hisck of a reply


    meant that she was allowed to bring Isabel to the shoot. Sylvia gently kissed her children on the cheeks


    before she left for home to pack. The filming location was in the suburbs to the north of Westchester City.


    It was about forty minutes away by car, so it was not all that far. Although the production crew had rented


    a hotel nearby, Sylvia wanted Isabel to return home every day instead.


    When Sylvia had requested for Isabel to get half a month¡®s leave from the kindergarten, Liam had


    requested the same for himself as well. It was obviously because he wanted to apany Sylvia and


    Isabel.


    Sylvia liked the arrangement. After all, it meant that for the uing days, though she could not sleep


    beside her children, she could still spend the day with them. With Aunt Tonya¡®s help, Sylvia packed well


    into the night. Early morning the following day, she headed over to the Carters¡® residence.


    Isabel and Liam were already prepared.


    Liam was dressed in a blue down jacket that went to his knees. Isabel was also dressed in a simr


    down jacket but in pink. With their scarves wrapped tight around their necks, the pair of children ran


    towards Sylvia while holding hands as soon as they saw her. Sylvia carried them in her arms as she


    spoke to Madam Carter briefly before they promptly departed to the shoot location for ¡°Flowers


    Blossom¡°.


    ¡°Flowers Blossom¡± was a movie about the an orphan girl who still grew up to achieve redemption and


    sess despite experiencing many ups and downs in her life.


    Isabel would be acting as young Daisy, the main character during her childhood. She would have quite a


    lot of scenes, and the filming of her parts was expected to take around half a month.


    The car stopped right outside the filming location. Since Sylvia had injured legs, Isabel and Liam


    disembarked first. As soon as they got out of the car, a crowd immediately gathered around them. Before


    Sylvia could get out of the car, she could already hear the endless praises showered on her children


    from therge crowd. ¡°Oh my, they¡®re such adorable children!¡± ¡°Oh wow, they¡®re both so cute!¡±


    Liam stood as still as a statue as he studied the people surrounding him.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    On the other hand, Isabel was not as calm. She immediately eximed, ¡°Hi, everyone, my name is


    Isabel Ross, and this is my brother. He¡®s here to keep mepany.¡± Somebody immediately asked,


    ¡°Isabel Ross? Are you the little actress ying young Daisy?¡± Isabel nodded her head a few times as


    she replied, ¡°Yes, I¡®ll be under your care from now on.¡± The person instantly said, ¡°Of course! We¡®ll


    definitely take good care of you!¡± Everybody else chimed in as well. ¡°Me too, me too! I¡®ll take good care


    of your brother too.¡± ¡°Count me in!¡± ¡°Gosh, they¡®re both so cute. How is it possible for such cute children


    to exist?!¡± And so, Sylvia exited the car to see Isabel and Liam surrounded by arge group of people


    cooing and fawning over them. They seemed to only have eyes for the pair of kids. Some even stuffed


    snacks into Isabel¡®s pockets and Liam¡®s hood. It was like the children would soon be swallowed whole by


    their ardent fans. Sylvia waited by the side for quite a while, yet it seemed as if therge group had no


    ns of dispersing. Only when the director shouted at them did they finally move away.

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182 The director of ¡°Flowers Blossom¡± was a middle¨Caged woman referred to as Director


    Capshaw. She had a stern countenance, but as soon as sheid eyes on Isabel and Liam, her


    expression eased into one of warmth. With a smile, Director Capshaw greeted Isabel and Liam, ¡°Hello,


    Isabel. It¡®s nice to meet you and your brother.¡± Isabel replied sweetly, ¡°Hello, Director Capshaw. It¡®s nice


    to meet you too.¡± ¡°May I carry you?¡±


    (Yeah.¡±


    1


    Director Capshaw immediately bent over to carry Isabel in her arms before she kissed her lightly on the


    cheek. Then, she looked toward Liam and asked, ¡°Hey, little man, can I carry you too?¡± Liam furrowed


    his eyebrows in response. At this, Isabel quipped, ¡°You can¡®t do that. My brother isn¡®t used to being too


    close to people.¡± Director Capshaw smiled and replied, ¡°Very well then.¡± She cooed at Isabel for a


    moment more before turning to look at Sylvia, greeting her with a smile as she did so. ¡°Hello, you must


    be Isabel¡®s mother.¡±


    Sylvia pushed her wheelchair forward so that she was right beside her children before returning Director


    Capshaw¡®s smile. ¡°Nice to meet you, Director Capshaw. I¡®m Sylvia.¡±


    Director Capshaw then said, ¡°We¡®ll be shootin Isabel¡®s scenes in the afternoon, so we¡®ll need her to


    memorize her script and get into character soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sylvia answered before she moved to the side with Isabel and Liam so that Isabel could get


    ready. Sylvia received her daughter¡®s script after signing Isabel on to the movie. Isabel knew how to read


    most of the words, and had even rehearsed with Sylvia a few times, so she was extremely familiar with


    her lines.


    However, they would be shooting her scenes soon, so Isabel needed to memorize everything.


    Before Sylvia could open her mouth to ask Isabel to practice, the little girl was already running off with


    her brother to practice by themselves.


    Sylvia chuckled softly at the sight and opted to watch them instead.


    Suddenly, Director Capshaw walked over to Sylvia after shooting some other scene. Her eyes were on


    Liam as she asked softly, ¡°Sylvia, may I know your son¡®s name?¡±


    Sylvia replied with a smile, ¡°His name is Liam.¡±


    ¡°What a nice name.¡± Director Capshaw then asked, ¡°Have you considered letting Liam be a child


    actor as well?¡±


    She had a bright smile on her face as she asked this question.


    Sylvia knew her intentions behind the question, but Liam had no interest in acting whatsoever.


    Isabel had asked Liam about it many times before, and the young boy had always expressed a dislike for


    acting. ¡°He doesn¡®t like acting, so no.¡±


    ¡°Don¡®t say that. With a face like that, not letting him be an actor would just be aplete waste.¡±


    Sylvia added, ¡°His father would never approve anyway.¡± Director Capshaw had no intention of giving up


    and said, ¡°You should discuss the matter with Liam¡®s father properly.¡± Sylvia could only reply, ¡°His father


    and I have been divorced for many years and we aren¡®t on the best terms.¡± Director Capshaw¡®s eyes


    went wide with shock. A momentter, she heaved a sigh. ¡°Okay then.¡±


    She spared Liam onest lingering look before walking away.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    .


    .


    .


    .


    .


    Isabel was a natural actress. When it was time to shoot her first scene, she finished with only one NG


    The shooting of Isabel¡®s next two scenes went extremely well too, and this prompted Director Capshaw


    to give Isabel two thumbs¨Cup. Before evening could fall, Isabel was already done with her first day of


    shooting.


    However, her face was pink from the cold as she had been shooting outdoors all this while.


    Sylvia quickly tucked Isabel into her embrace so that she could warm the young girl up. Then, with Liam


    in tow as well, they left the location.


    The car went all the way back to the Carters¡® residence.


    Since Sylvia could not easily disembark from the car, she kissed and hugged her children for as long as


    she could before she watched them enter the house.


    Once she was sure they were safely in the living room, then she gave Tom a nod to drive away.


    Sylvia traveled with her children like this daily, and in the blink of an eye, four days had passed.


    This evening, after the shoot had ended for the day, Sylvia took her children back to the Carters¡®


    residence as usual. The children stuck around their mother for as long as they could before running into


    the house.


    .


    Sylvia then drove back to her own residence. She could walk now, though not too quickly or too


    forcefully, but it was still good progress.

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183 As soon as Sylvia got home, she immediately headed toward the kitchen to prepare snacks


    for her children so that they could eat at the filming location.


    At the same time, a ck sports car pulled to a stop in front of the Carters¡® residence.


    A man got out of the car, his tall and slender form moving quickly into the house. Soon, he arrived in the


    living room. A maid quickly came forward to take his coat and the box he was carrying. Odell walked


    further into the house.


    On the sofa were Isabel and Liam, who were tucked into Madam Carter¡®s sides.


    Liam was messing around with a Rubik¡®s cube.


    +


    At the same time, Isabel was munching away at arge packet of potato chips while she and Madam


    Carter watched TV.


    Upon seeing Odell¡¯s arrival, Isabel pouted at him instinctively.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    .


    On the other hand, Liam was so engrossed in ying with his Rubik¡®s cube that he did not even bother


    to lift his head.


    .


    Madam Carter smiled at Odell in greeting. ¡°Wee back, Odell. Have you eaten your dinner?¡± Odell


    replied, ¡°I ate beforeing home.¡± He settled into an empty spot on the sofa before directing his gaze


    at Isabel and Liam. Isabel made a face at Odell before squeezing herself further into Madam Carter¡®s


    arms.


    Madam Carter chuckled at the sight of this before turning slightly to speak to Liam, ¡°Liam, your father¡®s


    back from his business trip.¡± Liam furrowed his eyebrows before looking up to call to Odell, ¡°Hi, Daddy.¡±


    With that said, his attention returned to the Rubik¡®s cube once more.


    Madam Carter heaved a heavy sigh but said nothing else to the children. Instead, she asked Odell,


    ¡°Well, did your business trip go well?¡°.


    ¡°Yes, I would say so.¡± As he spoke, he lifted his hand to check the time on his watch.


    It was currently ten minutes past eight. Why was that woman not keeping her own childrenpany? A


    thought urred to him, prompting him to ask, ¡°Grandmother, did Isabel begin her shoot already?¡±


    Madam Carter replied, ¡°She¡®s been going out for filming for a few days now. They leave early in the


    morning and return home in the evening.¡± Odell pursed his lips in response.


    The following morning, Sylvia arrived at the Carters¡® residence with containers of snacks for her children.


    After putting on a thick down jacket, she got out of the car and walked toward the front door. Then, she


    called into the house, ¡°Isabel, Liam, we¡¯ve got to go now.¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± In an instant, the pair of children


    dashed toward her like rabbits. Sylvia took both their hands in her own. Just as she was about to bid


    Madam Carter goodbye, she lifted her gaze to instead meet a pair of dark eyes. Odell, who was dressed


    in a gray sweater and trousers, sat leisurely on the sofa with his arms crossed in front of him. His cold


    gaze was currently fixated on her. Sylvia¡®s eyes fluttered. She thought that Odell was furious at her


    presence because it was not her usual eight¨Cto¨Cnine slot at night.


    She gave up on the n to speak to Madam Carter and turned around to walk out with her children


    instead.


    .


    .


    Back in the living room, Odell wrinkled his brows at her behavior, his face goingpletely frigid.


    How dare Sylvia walk away from him without saying anything?!


    He quickly pushed himself off the sofa in anger, only for his phone to start ringing. It was Tara calling


    Odell¡®s gaze shifted before he sat back down and answered the call. Through the phone, Tara¡®s gentle


    voice could be heard. ¡°Odell, have you returned from your business trip?¡±


    He looked out of the window. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you avable today? I¡®ll be heading to nchester City soon for a still¨Clife painting event, so I want


    to see you before I leave.¡±


    Outside the gate, Sylvia and the two children were just about to enter the car. Sylvia¡®s legs seemed to be


    fine as she could walk with no problem.


    Odell¡®s eyes softened as he replied, ¡°It¡®s getting cold. Don¡®te looking for me. I¡®ll go to you instead.¡±


    Tara replied happily, ¡°Great, I¡®ll be waiting.¡±

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184 Isabel filmed herst scenes for the movie that evening. As soon as she was done, Sylvia


    quickly brought her and Liam into the car.


    The weather report predicted that it would snow soon, and that meant Sylvia could not take her time to


    go back to the Carters¡® residence.


    The car began its steady return journey.


    Sylvia sat in the back, in between Isabel and Liam. The two children had fallen asleep against her sides.


    Around the time the car drove into the Old District, snow began falling from the sky. Soon, the car pulled


    to a stop outside the Carters¡® residence. ¡°Isabel, Liam, we¡®re home,¡± Sylvia called softly Liam furrowed


    his eyebrows whereas Isabel snuggled closer to her mother. It was obvious that the children did not want


    to get out of the car. With a smile on her face, Sylvia cated, ¡°Be good now. It¡®s already snowing


    outside, so you should both go in and have dinner.¡± At this, Liam sat upright to stare out the car window.


    Isabel grew excited at the mention of snowfall. She tugged at Sylvia and said, ¡°Mommy, have dinner with


    us. Then, we?ll build snowmen after, okay?!! Sylvia wished she could say yes. However, Odell was back


    from his business trip, so entering the house now would only anger him. Besides, she had been by their


    side during the day. She caressed Isabel¡®s face and lightly said, ¡°I can¡®t do that, my dear. I have to eat


    dinner with Aunt Tonya.¡± Isabel pouted and grumbled, ¡°Okay then.¡± Liam pursed his lips in defeat as well.


    Sylvia hugged her children onest time before letting them disembark the car. She did not get out of the


    vehicle and watched her children walk into the house while holding hands instead. Then, she turned to


    Tom. ¡°Tom, let¡®s go.¡± Tom immediately turned the car around.


    At the same time, in the warm living room, as soon as Isabel and Liam entered the room, she called out,


    ¡°Great¨Cgrandma, Liam and I are home!¡±


    Madam Carter instantly replied, ¡°Oh, my darlings,e here!¡± Isabel pulled Liam along as she dashed


    further into the house. However, as soon as they spotted Odell on the sofa, they immediately stopped


    running.


    Odell¡®s eyebrows furrowed, dissatisfaction clear on his face. Isabel made a sound of displeasure before


    she pulled Liam to sit on the other side of Madam Carter. Odell turned to look out the window solemnly.


    Besides the falling snow, nothing else could be seen outside in the courtyard. He thought, ¡®I thought that


    woman would take any chance she can get to spend time with the kids. Why didn¡®t she follow them into


    the house then?¡®


    At this moment, Madam Carter asked the pair of children, ¡°Isabel, Liam, where is your mother? It¡®s


    snowing outside, but she didn¡®t follow you both in?¡±


    Odell squinted. Isabel answered, ¡°Mommy went home. She said she needed to eat dinner with Aunt


    Tonya.¡± Madam Carter heaved a sigh. Sylvia had obviously not followed them into the house because


    she was scared of Odell. To the side, Odell¡®s gaze darkened. A momentter, he stood up and said, ¡°I¡®ll


    be going upstairs to handle a few things. You can start dinner without me.¡± Without waiting for Madam


    Carter to respond, he walked toward the stairs. Soon, he entered his room and made a beeline for the


    balcony. The binocrs Isabel and Liam were using were still on the table. He took one of them and


    turned to look in the direction of Sylvia¡®s home.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    At the same time, Sylvia¡®s car had just arrived at the door. Once she got out of the car, she headed


    toward the living room.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185 As Sylvia¡¯s legs weren¡®t in the best condition, she took a while to reach the living room.


    As soon as Sylvia¡®s silhouette disappeared, Odell furrowed his eyebrows and threw the binocrs to the


    ground angrily.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Did this woman not follow the children into the house because she knew it would make me angry?¡® he


    thought.


    Odell tsked.


    ¡®Then, it¡®s best if she keeps out of my sight for good. She¡®d better not appear before me with the reason


    of wanting to see our children in the future. Otherwise, I¡®ll have her kicked out of Westchester City!¡® Odell


    kicked a chair to the side before walking out of the balcony.


    As Isabel¡®s filming went extremely well with barely any NGs, her original half¨Cmonth filming schedule


    was cut down to ten days. That afternoon, Isabel wrapped up her scenes for good. Director Capshaw


    personally gifted her a bouquet of red flowers. Everybody else in the production team was extremely


    fond of Isabel, and they all rushed to take photos with her. Sylvia and her children could originally leave


    in the afternoon, but night had long fallen once they finally left the filming location. When they arrived at


    the Carters¡® residence, it waspletely dark outside. Sylvia quickly woke her children up. ¡°Isabel, Liam,


    you have to get down from the car now. You¡®re home.¡± As per usual, the two children refused to leave


    their mother¡®s side.


    Isabel mumbled, ¡°Mommy, I don¡®t need to go to the shoot anymore from tomorrow onwards. Does that


    mean you won¡®t be keeping me and Liampany?¡± Liam said nothing, his eyes peering unblinkingly at


    Sylvia. Sylvia patted both children on the head. ¡°You both have to go back to kindergarten tomorrow. I¡¯ll


    come to see you at night.¡± Isabel pouted. ¡°Okay then.¡± Sylvia gave both children a kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°Okay, you both have to get down now. Great grandma must be waiting for you both for dinner.¡± Only


    then did both children disembark, this time with Liam leading Isabel.: Like before, Sylvia watched their


    retreating backs as she stood by the car.


    As soon as the children entered the living room, she turned to enter the car.


    However, just as Sylvia was about to ask Tom to send her home, a tall silhouette appeared in the corner


    of her eye.


    A cold voice spoke, ¡°Why are they only getting back at thiste hour?¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback and immediately turned to look at Odell.


    He had his back to the light so all she could see was his imposing form. She could not see his face at


    all.


    1


    F


    30


    She knew he did not have a kind expression on anyway. Sylvia immediately replied, ¡°Isabel wrapped up


    filming today, so a lot of people wanted to take photos with her as a goodbye. That¡®s why we leftter


    than usual.¡± Odell hummed a reply.


    Neither did Sylvia want to hear his icy tone, nor did she want to be lectured or threatened by him, so she


    mmed the car door with a loud bang. Then, she said to Tom, ¡°Tom, let¡®s go.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Ross.¡±


    Tom immediately started the car and drove out of this section of the road in the blink of an eye.


    tr


    Outside the gate of the Carters¡® residence, Odell¡®s tall figure stood unmoving. In the dark of the night, his


    expression was stern and his eyes were even colder than the winter night. A moment passed and his


    eyes did not seem to warm up.


    How dare Sylvia m the door on him?! She actually dared to drive off before he could finish!


    +


    +


    He then turned around to walk back into the house. Just as he was about to enter, he stopped and


    turned to look at the bodyguard by the gate. With a cold voice, he ordered, ¡°Tomorrow night, that woman


    is not to enter the house without my permission!¡±


    Sylvia soon arrived at her residence.


    Aunt Tonya was already done preparing for dinner and she had made all of Sylvia¡®s favorites. She


    quickly took off her down jacket and sat down to eat with Aunt Tonya. After a while, her phone started


    ringing. It was Christopher Dendro, the President of Westchester City¡®s Art Association, calling.


    Sylvia quickly answered the call before asking politely, ¡°President Dendro, is there anything I can help


    you with?¡±


    ¡°Here¡®s the thing. We¡¯re currently holding a still¨Clife painting event in nchester City, and many


    students and artists are participating in it. We¡®ll be wrapping it up in the next couple of


    days, and we want to invite you so that you can take a look at their works and give them guidance and


    advice.¡±

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186 nchester City and Westchester City were next to each other, and while they were not far


    from each other, traveling between them would take about two to three hours.


    From the way Christopher Dendro put it, it seemed that he wanted Sylvia to stay in nchester City for a


    couple of days. Sylvia pondered it for a moment before replying, ¡°President Dendro, may I let you know


    my answer by tomorrow morning?¡± Christopher replied immediately, ¡°Of course.¡± They continued their


    conversation for a minute or so before ending the call. Sylvia then quickly called Isabel.


    However, it seemed that the child did not have her phone with her as she did not answer, so


    Sylvia decided to have dinner first. As soon as she finished her food, Isabel called back.


    The young girl¡®s sweet voice sounded through the phone, ¡°Mommy, why did you call me?¡±


    Sylviaughed lightly before saying, ¡°Isabel, is your brother with you?¡±. ¡°Yeap, he¡®s nearby.¡± ¡°Get him to


    listen in on the call too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel then called for Liam, ¡°Liam,e quickly!¡± Soon, Isabel said,


    ¡°Mommy, Liam is here. You can talk now.¡± Sylvia then said, ¡°Here¡®s the thing. Mommy joined an art


    association previously, and they just invited me to an event in nchester City. I¡®ll probably be back in


    around two to three days. If Igo, I won¡®t be able to see you both for the next few days. Do you want me to


    go?¡± It was not like Sylvia had no choice but to head to nchester City; she still wanted to hear their


    opinions. If her children did not want her to go, she wouldn¡®t. However, as soon as she finished speaking,


    Liam replied, ¡°You should go, Mommy. You have fun. I¡®ll take care of Isabel.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes instantly went soft with adoration and she spoke to Isabel, ¡°Isabel? Why didn¡®t you


    answer?¡±


    Only then did Isabel speak softly, ¡°Mommy, you muste back soon. As soon as you¡®re back, you have


    toe to see Liam and me.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled and replied, ¡°Of course, I promise.¡± She spoke with the kids a little more before ending


    the call. Then, she started packing so that she could leave first thing the next morning.


    The following day, Sylvia left in the morning. In exactly three hours, she arrived at the venue where the


    Westchester Art Association was organizing their still¨Clife painting event. It was a homestay located in an


    area with natural beauty. As soon as Sylvia arrived, Christopher and the members of the Westchester Art


    Association came rushing out to greet her. Sylvia returned everyone¡®s greetings before heading to her


    room to drop her luggage off. Then, she followed them to the still¨Clife sketching site.


    They promptly arrived at the foot of a mountain.


    It was blessed with a stunning view. Right next to where they were set up was a winding stream with


    bamboo rafts drifting on it, and on the other side was a dense jungle and a mountain range. The blue sky


    above them seemed to stretch on forever. It was truly the perfect ce for still¨Clife painting. At this


    moment, every participant in the event was present.


    Most of the faces were young and unfamiliar, which probably meant that they were students from the Art


    Academy. Some were busy painting while some were grouped on the other side.


    At first nce, Sylvia immediately noticed that the group was surrounding Tara Avery. She was wearing


    an expensive dress, her long hair flowing down her back as she sat with grace on her chair.


    Many students were holding out their paintings to her and sincerely asking for her evaluation of their


    works. She maintained a lofty attitude, only willing to nce at their work when they brought it right in


    front of her.


    Sylvia followed Christopher as he walked over to Tara, only to hear Tara say to a female student, ¡°This


    painting is so¨Cso. Next.


    The female student was devastated at Tara¡®s words, yet she still asked, ¡°Ms. Avery, can you give me


    some advice then?¡± Tara took a look at the girl.


    The girl was wearing a low ponytail, and her loose jeans seemed like they were from a thrift store. Tara


    immediately furrowed her eyebrows in displeasure. ¡°I¡®m busy right now.¡± The girl did not dare say more


    and quickly walked away with her painting.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187 After the female student left, more students rushed forward to have Tara look at their work.


    That was until Christopher cleared his throat.


    Once the students saw him, they politely stepped aside. When Tara immediately noticed Sylvia standing


    beside Christopher, shock dawned on her face. Sylvia crossed her arms, a smirk pulling at her lips. Tara


    could not help but think back to when Sylvia had called her trash in front of everyone at the art exhibition,


    and her expression turned cold. However, in the blink of an eye, her expression shifted into a smile and


    she asked, ¡°Sylvia, what are you doing here?¡±


    RE


    ¨C


    w


    Christopher exined, ¡°I invited Sylvia to provide guidance to the participants. We have many


    participants this time, not just students but also artists from other ces. I was worried that you, Nesta,


    and everyone else might have your tes too full.¡± The implication was obvious; Christopher needed


    somebody really skilled to keep watch over them.


    Tara¡®s face stiffened. Then, he eximed, ¡°Everyone, if I may interrupt you, I have somebody I would like


    to introduce.¡± The students surrounding Tara immediately came running over while the people still


    painting shifted their attention to Christopher. Christopher smiled at Sylvia. She immediately walked


    forward before greeting the people watching her with a polite smile. He then said, ¡°This is Sunflower. She


    will be joining us for the next two days, so feel free to seek her guidance if you have any questions,


    everyone.¡± As soon as they heard the name ¡°Sunflower¡±, the group of students buzzed with excitement.


    Even the artists that were painting stood up and walked over.


    Sylvia quickly added, ¡°Well, I can¡®t provide any guidance. I only know a little about the areas that I¡®m


    familiar with. I¡®m open to discussion with anyone, at any time.¡±


    Everyone began sizing her up, and some were even discussing her among themselves. ¡°Wow, I never


    thought I would be able to meet Sunflower. Joining this event really was worth it!¡±


    ¡°I agree! But I never expected Sunflower to be a young woman.¡±


    ¡°And a beautiful young woman at that too.¡±


    Sylvia was standing close by, so it was difficult not to overhear their discussion, which made her


    chuckle.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Tara, who was standing to the side, turned red with jealousy. A momentter, Christopher said to Sylvia,


    ¡°Sylvia, I¡®ll have to trouble you for the next few days. I have an urgent matter to attend to in Westchester


    City, so I¡®ll be returning now.¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°Sure, President Dendro, and it is my honor to be invited


    here anyway.¡± Christopher spoke to some other people before promptly leaving. In an instant, arge


    group of people surrounded Sylvia. A student even brought a chair over so that she could take a seat.


    Sylvia was taken aback at the sudden enthusiasm, so as soon as she greeted everyone properly, she


    quickly sat down. Then, she started evaluating their work. Her surroundings werepletely packed with


    people. Sylvia quickly said, ¡°Everyone, please don¡®t worry. Continue your painting if you¡®re not done. I


    can take a look once you¡®ve finished.¡±


    As soon as her words fell, she took a painting that was held out to her. She could tell that it was a


    student¡®s work at first nce. Though there was an inexperienced sense to the painting, it also had its


    own unique style. Without hesitation, Sylviamented, ¡°The brushwork in some ces seems a bit


    rushed and green, but you have your own style, which I think is a good thing.¡± The student happily took


    her painting back.


    Compared to the previous painting, the next one Sylvia looked at was much more inferior. She pointed


    out a few problems with the work and politely told the student to work harder. The student understood


    her immediately and thanked her before walking away with their painting. And so, Sylvia evaluated


    painting after painting. She looked at each painting meticulously and exined her thoughts in detail too.


    Although their progress was much slower, everyone was very patient. Each time she evaluated a


    painting, everybody else would share their opinions as well, thus opening things up into a discussion


    The scene was even livelier now. On the other hand, Tara had been pushed aside by everyone.

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188 At this point, not only were the students that were surrounding Tara now surrounding


    Sylvia, but even the people who were busy painting before had gathered around her.


    Their enthusiasm was at an all¨Ctime high as they eagerly huddled around Sylvia.


    As for Tara, there was nobody else next to her besides Nesta.


    Tara balled her hands into tight fists, a look of pure jealousy on her face.


    Nesta was a member of the Westchester Art Association too, and she was around the same grade as


    Tara. She was also the one Tara was closest to in the Westchester Art Association.


    Nesta had been present at the art exhibition where Sylvia called Tara¡®s work trash in front of everyone,


    so she knew that Tara and Sylvia were not on good terms at all. When she saw the present situation as


    well as the look on Tara¡®s face, Nesta quickly grumbled, ¡°Tara, why do I feel like she¡®s doing this on


    purpose? She could have shown up at some other time, so why did she have to show up while you were


    guiding the students? She even lured everyone to her! She¡®spletely kicking you around!¡±


    Tara inwardly called Sylvia the vilest insults she could think of.


    However, on the surface, her expression shifted slightly as she said with a sigh, ¡°There¡®s no helping it.


    She¡®s Sunflower, and I¡®m not as famous as her.¡±


    Nesta let out a dryugh. ¡°I think she¡®s just jealous of you because Master Carter chose you.


    That¡®s why she¡®s always acting out against you.¡± ¡°Forget it, I can¡®t help that my reputation is inferior to


    hers. If she wants to act out against me, she has free reign. Let¡®s go back to our rooms.¡± At Tara¡®s self¨C


    deprecation, Nesta grew even angrier on her behalf. ¡°Tara, even if you aren¡®t as famous as her, you¡®re


    still the current bronze winner of our artpetition. Besides, you¡®re also our art academy¡®s guest


    professor and Master Carter¡®s girlfriend. You shouldn¡®t let her bully you like this!¡± Tara chuckled. ¡°Thank


    you, Nesta. I¡®m really fine with this. Let¡®s just go back to our rooms.¡± Nesta immediately felt like pping


    Sylvia on Tara¡®s behalf. However, Sylvia waspletely surrounded by people. From where Nesta was


    standing, she could not even see her.


    She harrumphed in anger. ¡°Okay, let¡®s go back to our rooms. If she likes stealing another person¡®s


    spotlight so much, she should just freeze to death in this cold weather.¡±


    With that said, Nesta hooked her arm in Tara¡®s.


    Although Tara had a smile on her face, there was a displeased and calctive look in her eyes.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia only managed to almost finish looking at everyone¡®s paintings after night had fallen.


    However, it was obvious that everyone was still in a heated discussion. Only when somebody came over


    to let them know that dinner was ready did the participants finally stop.


    They led Sylvia into the restaurant near the homestay. Even at dinner, they did not stop their discussions


    of art, hence dinner started at five o¡®clock and only ended at eight o¡®clock.


    Everyone happily returned to the homestay.


    Sylvia could also finally return to her room. She was in no rush to get changed as she wanted to give


    Isabel and Liam a call first.


    Her phone call was answered almost instantly.


    Isabel¡®s sweet voice sounded first. ¡°Mommy, have you eaten your dinner?¡±


    21


    Sylvia felt all her fatigue disappear instantly at Isabel¡®s voice. With a smile, she replied, ¡°I just finished my


    dinner. Have you and Liam eaten?¡±


    ¡°We¡®ve eaten too,¡± came Liam¡®s reply. Isabel hummed in agreement.


    Their conversation continued for quite a while.


    When Isabel and Liam started to sound sleepy, Sylvia finally ended the call to wash up for bed.


    At the same time, at the Carters¡® residence, Odell had just arrived home after a long day of work


    His car pulled to a stop outside the gate. The bodyguard posted at the gate immediately went forward to


    open the door for him. Odell got out of the car and peered into the house. Then, he asked, ¡°Was the


    woman here today?¡± The bodyguard quickly replied, ¡°Ms. Ross did not show up tonight.¡± Odell nced


    down at his watch to check the time. It was currently 8:40, making it 20 minutes away from nine o¡®clock.


    Whenever that woman wanted to see the kids, she would always arrive early and leavete, so why had


    she¡®not shown up today? Odell looked at the bodyguard doubtfully. ¡°Was she here during the day?¡± The


    bodyguard replied, ¡°Ms. Ross did not show up even when Young Miss and Young Master left for


    kindergarten.¡±


    Something was up. Odell furrowed his eyebrows and walked into the house.

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189 The living room was empty with Madam Carter and the two kids nowhere to be seen. He


    walked further into the house, all the way to the door of the children¡®s bedroom. It waspletely quiet


    inside.


    After a moment of hesitation, he pressed down on the door handle and pushed the door open.


    Liam was reading aic book while seated at the head of the bed whereas Isabel was dressed in a


    panda onesie, sleeping soundly in Liam¡®s arms. Besides them, there was nobody else in the room. At


    this time, Liam looked at Odell. He asked, ¡°Daddy, is something wrong?¡± Odell pursed his lips before


    replying with a question of his own, ¡°What did you both do aftering home from school today?¡± Liam


    replied, ¡°We ate, got on a phone call with Mommy, and now we¡®re reading and sleeping.¡± A phone call?


    Odell then said, ¡°Why didn¡®t your mothere and keep you bothpany today?¡± ¡°Mommy went to


    participate in an event.¡± Odell¡®s eyes shifted inexplicably. No wonder she did not show up today.


    However, what event needed her participation at night? Suddenly, Liam said, ¡°Daddy, I want to continue


    reading. If there¡®s nothing else you want to talk about, please leave.¡±. Odell furrowed his eyebrows, his


    eyes turning cold. ¡°Don¡®t stay up toote.¡± With that, he left the room.


    Liam frowned and looked toward the door in confusion for a long moment. Then, he went back to reading


    hisic book.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Back in his own bedroom, Odell¡®s eyebrows were knitted tightly together, a displeased look evident on


    his face.


    At this moment, his phone rang.


    It was Tara calling. Odell calmed himself down before answering the call. Tara¡®s gentle voice quickly


    asked, ¡°Odell, have you gotten off work?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Tara continued, ¡°Odell, I miss you.¡± She sounded unhappy.


    Odell asked, ¡°Did something happen to you there?¡± ¡°Nothing big, but I met Sylvia Ross today.¡± Odell¡®s


    gaze changed. ¡°Sylvia? She¡®s in nchester City?¡± ¡°Yeah, President Dendro invited her.¡± Tara sighed


    and continued, ¡°As soon as she arrived, everyone rushed to gather around her. Even my students no


    longer wanted to discuss their work with me.¡±


    ¡°She¡®s Sunflower, so everyone rushing to meet her is a normal reaction.¡± On the other end of the call,


    Tara furrowed her eyebrows. She said, ¡°During dinner, everyone followed Sylvia too. Nobody said


    goodbye to me at all. Did you think Sylvia told them anything?¡±


    Odell questioned in return, ¡°You think that Sylvia badmouthed about you to them?¡± Tara quickly said,


    ¡°That¡®s not what I mean. I just find it a little fishy.¡± Odell was quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°If the


    same thing happens tomorrow, let me know.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You should sleep soon. I need to go wash


    up.¡± ¡°Okay. Good night, Odell.¡± Odell then ended the call. His eyebrows were rxed now. He grabbed


    his pajamas and headed for the bathroom. In nchester City, Tara frowned at her silent phone. Odell


    obviously did not detest Sylvia as much as he used to. Her identity as ¡°Sunflower¡± being revealed


    previously must have whitewashed his impression of her.

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190 The more Tara thought about it, the more annoyed she became. She even regretted not


    making aplete fool of Sylvia before kicking her out of Westchester City that year.


    Fortunately, Odell only loved her now. As long as he did not know the truth, Sylvia could not snatch him


    away from her.


    However, she definitely could not lose to Sylvia!


    She thought about it for a moment before calling Nesta.


    The moment Nesta answered the phone, Tara said, ¡°Nesta, are you busy right now? I don¡®t want to be


    alone, so I¡®d like to stay with you.¡±


    The next morning, after waking up, Sylvia headed out for breakfast. While walking there, she met a few


    familiar faces and greeted them with smiles and waves. Some returned her smiles with their own, but


    many half¨Cheartedly greeted her before rushing off, as if they were actively trying to distance themselves


    from her like she was infected with a contagious disease. Many of these people had chatted happily with


    her yesterday, so she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Soon, she arrived at the breakfast hall.


    She saw many people sitting beside Tara and Nesta, and they greeted Tara enthusiastically before


    chatting happily with her.


    Tara, on the other hand, sat gracefully, only replying to them asionally. This was until Sylvia walked in.


    In an instant, Tara turned to look at Sylvia. Everybody else followed suit, their faces cold and


    expressionless. Some even looked disdainful. Tara smiled and said, ¡°Good morning, Sylvia.¡±


    Sylvia knew in an instant that Tara must have made up lies to them. After shooting her a cold stare,


    Sylvia ignored her and sat down at a table.


    At this moment, Nesta, who was seated opposite Tara, spoke up, ¡°Tara, why are you talking to her? Even


    seeing her pisses me off. What¡®s the big deal about being slightly famous internationally?¡±


    It was quiet in the breakfast hall, and Nesta was not a quiet person, so Sylvia heard every word she


    said.


    Sylvia immediately shot her an icy re. Nesta never expected Sylvia to look so vicious. Her eyes


    trembled at Sylvia¡®s reaction. With a


    harrumph, she turned and looked the other way. Tara studied Sylvia¡®s cold face and a smirk pulled at her


    lips. Then, she said, ¡°Everyone, don¡®t stand around. Enjoy your breakfast. We still have to continue our


    still¨Clife paintingter.¡±


    At this juncture, the crowd around Tara dispersed.


    However, before they left, a few people said, ¡°Tara, although some people have talent and fame, they


    have no personal virtue. You must not be angry with such people.¡± ¡±That¡®s right. Besides, you¡®re Master


    Carter¡®s girlfriend. He has been with you for so many years and treats only you well. It shows that your


    character and charm are much stronger than some other people.¡± ¡°Let¡®s not talk anymore. We still have


    to eat our breakfast.¡± As Tara spoke, her lips pulled into a wide smile and her face glowed with mirth.


    Sylvia, who was sitting alone to the side, knitted her eyebrows tightly together. What were they talking


    about? Why could she not understand a word they were saying? Nevertheless, she ignored them and


    continued eating her food. Suddenly, a girl sat down opposite her with a breakfast of her own. The girl¡®s


    hair was tied into a low ponytail and she was dressed inly. However, her fair face was bright with


    youth, and she looked pure and lovely.


    ET


    Sylvia remembered this girl. Her name was Harley Anderson. Sylvia had examined her painting


    yesterday and given her somements.


    It must have taken her quite a lot of courage to sit down opposite Sylvia as Harley¡®s cheeks were dusted


    with pink. Soon, Harley spoke up, ¡°Ms. Ross, don¡®t you worry about them. I think you¡®re a great person,


    and you¡®re definitely not the person they¡®re making you out to be.¡± When Harley showed Tara her


    painting yesterday, Tara had been indifferent and had merely said that her painting was so¨Cso, which


    made Harley doubt herself. However, when Sylvia looked at her painting, she had pointed out areas that


    needed improvement but also praised her talent and told her to continue working hard.

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191 Harley thought that Sylvia was not an immoral person like what they said as she taught


    students like them patiently despite her enormous fame in the art field. Sylvia smiled and curiously


    asked, ¡°Can you tell me what Tara said about me?¡±


    Harley pursed her lips and replied, ¡°Ms. Avery didn¡®t say anything. It was Ms. Reiss. She came over to us


    and told us many things about your past.¡± Sylvia frowned. ¡°She talked about my past?¡°||


    She was not close with Nesta Reiss. How could Nesta possibly know about her past?


    ¡°Yeah. She said you were close friends with Ms. Avery, but you also had a crush on Master Carter. You


    fell out with Ms. Avery because Master Carter likes her, and you started picking on her. She also said you


    wanted toe between them and be Master Carter¡®s mistress.¡± Sylvia was speechless. Indeed, she


    had loved Odell, but that was before they were divorced. She picked on Tara only because Tara framed


    and harmed her first. As for being a mistress, that was pure b*llshit. Sylviaughed, speechless. Harley


    asked in confusion, ¡°Ms. Carter, why are youughing? Aren¡®t you mad?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°There¡®s nothing


    worth being mad about.¡± If she was pissed off by trivial matters, she would have died of anger a few


    years ago. Harley whispered, ¡°Is what Ms. Reiss said true?¡°. Sylvia said immediately, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Now Harley was even more curious about the truth. However, gossiping about someone¡®s past was a


    rude thing to do, so she swallowed her curiosity. She then asked, ¡°Ms. Carter, are you freeter? I would


    like you to take a look at another work of mine.¡± Sylvia answered her readily, ¡°Sure.¡± A few other students


    who were not fooled by Tara and Nesta¡®s words followed after Harley and came over as well. After


    finishing their meal, Sylvia went to the sketching location with them. Although the group was visibly


    smallerpared to the day before, it was also easier for Sylvia to teach the students in peace.


    In Westchester City, Liam and Isabel arrived at the Carters¡® old manor in the afternoon.


    Liam pulled Isabel along as they went in.


    They heard Madam Carter talking to the butler just as they stepped into the living room. Madam Carter


    asked in dissatisfaction, ¡°What did you say? Odell went to nchester City to


    look for Tara?¡±


    The butler replied, ¡°Yes, madam. He did.¡±


    Madam Carter huffed, ¡°The weekend starts tomorrow. Is he not going to spend time with his children at


    home as a father?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Madam Carter, please calm down. Even if Master Carter were home, the Young Master and Young Miss


    would not prefer hispany.¡± Madam Carter immediately red at him.


    The butler knew that she was pissed because Odell had gone to look for Tara, so he smiled and


    comforted her, ¡°Don¡®t be upset, madam.¡±¡® At this time, Liam and Isabel walked in, hand¨Cin¨Chand.


    Madam Carter¡®s expression changed, and she weed them with a warm expression. ¡°Liam, Isabel,


    have your sses ended?¡± She smiled and held out her hands. ¡°Great¨Cgrandma!¡± Isabel ran to her


    cheerfully.


    Liam also came over. He looked at the butler with his big eyes and then at Madam Carter.¡± Great¨C


    grandma, Sister and I want to go to our Mommy. Can we?¡± Isabel immediately threw herself into Madam


    Carter¡®s arms and echoed, ¡°Yeah, we want Mommy! Great¨Cgrandma, let us go to see Mommy!¡±


    .

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192 Madam Carter did not have the heart to refuse Isabel when she acted like a spoiled child.


    She smiled and replied, ¡°Okay, I will ask Uncle Ben and Uncle Jacob to send you there.¡±


    However, Liam said, ¡°We want to go now.¡±


    Isabel¡®s eyes widened as she echoed, ¡°Yeah, we will go now!¡±


    Madam Carter frowned and said, ¡°It¡®s going to be dark after a while. Why don¡®t you wait for tomorrow?¡±


    Liam stared at her indignantly. ¡°We want to go now.¡± Isabel snuggled into Madam Carter¡®s arms again


    and pouted pitifully. ¡°Great¨Cgrandma, we miss our Mommy so much. We couldn¡®t sleep thinking of her


    last night...¡± Madam Carter¡®s face immediately wrinkled in distress. ¡°Oh, my baby, you even lost sleep.¡±


    Liam recalled how Isabel had fallen asleep quickly after the callst night and pursed his lips.


    Fortunately, Madam Carter quickly said to them, ¡°Alright, I¡®ll ask Uncle Jacob and Uncle Ben to send you


    over now, but you have to be good. You mustn¡®t run around before seeing your Mommy, okay?¡±


    Isabel smiled brightly. ¡°Okay, I promise we¡®ll listen to you!¡± Madam Carter then called Ben and Jacob and


    asked them to send Liam and Isabel to Sylvia after giving them a string of orders.


    In nchester City, the sky gradually darkened. When Sylvia and Harley went back to the homestay with


    the others, they saw a group of people surrounding a ck sports car and sizing it up.


    Sylvia thought that the ck sports car looked familiar, so she could not help taking two steps in that


    direction.


    She then heard those people saying, ¡°I think this car is the BJD limited edition that was newly released


    earlier this year! I never thought I would see this type of luxurious car in person.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk, if it wasn¡®t for Ms. Avery! Without her, Master Carter would nevere to this ce, and we


    wouldn¡®t be able to see this luxurious car.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell was here?


    Sylvia¡®s brows furrowed. Harley suddenly called out to her. ¡°Ms. Ross, it¡®s cold outside. Let¡®s go in.¡±


    Sylvia came back to her senses and walked into the homestay with them.


    However, just as she walked through the door, she saw many people gathering in a circle. The boys


    craned their necks to get a better view while the girls stood together and fangirled.


    ¡°God, Master Carter is so much more handsome in person! He is even better looking than male


    celebrities. ¡°The key is that he¡®s also rich! Ms. Avery is such a lucky woman.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips and


    continued walking. She would have to pass through them if she wanted to go back to her room.


    However, the group of people became quiet as soon as they saw her. They tacitly retreated to the side


    and stared at her in scrutinizing and sarcastic gazes. Some were even waiting for a show.


    ¡°Master Carter came to find Tara. Sylvia will probably die of jealousy when she sees this,¡± they thought.


    Their sudden silence attracted the attention of the people inside. In the center of the group, Odell was


    gracefully sitting on the couch beside the coffee table, wearing a ck shirt.


    Tara sat opposite him. When they realized that the crowd had quieted down, they looked over. Odell¡®s


    dark gaze flickered while Tara smiled in secret. Sylvia had walked through the crowd in their direction.


    She did not look at them and nned to pass by them directly. Nesta suddenly coughed and said, ¡°Ms.


    Sunflower, why are you sote? We have already gotten our presents from Master Carter. Do you want


    one as well?¡± Sylvia knew that Nesta was intentionally provoking her, so she did not bother and


    continued walking.

 Chapter 193

    A


    Chapter 193 However, Tara called out to her again. ¡°Sylvia, Odell brought over a number of bracelets


    from Chanel. Come and take one.¡± She smiled kindly and sounded generous, but her actions seemed as


    if she was doing charity. Sylviaughed coldly and replied, ¡°No thanks. You can keep it for yourself. I


    don¡®t need bracelets.¡±


    Tara¡®s face stiffened, and she smiled again. ¡°Okay, but this is a limited edition bracelet. I think you should


    still take it.¡± .


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    As she spoke, she held an exquisite box and walked to Sylvia, handing it over. Sylvia frowned. ¡°I really


    don¡®t need it. Keep it for yourself.¡± Tara smiled. ¡°Odell made me a VIP Chanel member. I got this bracelet


    as soon as it was released, so I don¡®t need it. You can take it.¡±


    Sylvia was annoyed. She walked straight ahead and ignored Tara. Nesta yelled at her before she even


    took three steps, ¡°Ms. Sunflower, what is that attitude? Tara gave you the bracelet out of kindness. Even


    if you don¡®t want it, you should thank her.¡± The others immediately agreed. ¡°Yeah, you¡®re way too rude.¡®¡®


    ¡°Is it because you are jealous of Ms. Avery?¡± ¡°Master Carter came to see Ms. Avery personally. She


    must be feeling really sh*tty right now.¡± Harley and the others tried to protect Sylvia, but there were


    simply too many people. In just a second, Sylvia was surrounded by the mean gossipers who were


    spewing unkind words. She frowned and looked at Tara.


    Tara smiled secretly, but she acted helpless on the surface. ¡°Don¡®t be like this,¡± she said softly, ¡°Sylvia,


    we were good friends in the past. Why don¡®t you take this since we had such a good rtionship?¡± Sylvia


    blurted out, ¡°Tara, you don¡®t need to provoke me. I have absolutely zero interest in your man right now.¡±


    Tara was stunned. Not far away, the man¡®s face darkened for a second. The crowd then burst into an


    uproar. ¡°Who are you lying to? If you don¡®t like Master Carter anymore, why are you picking on Tara?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! If you aren¡®t interested anymore, why don¡®t you just take the gift?¡± Sylvia was speechless. Tara


    intentionally curled her lips at her.


    Sylvia sucked in a breath and then took a step forward.


    ¡®Let them do what they want. They can say anything, but I¡®m not listening to them.¡¯


    A deep and maic male voice sounded before she walked further ahead. ¡°Stop.¡± The noisy crowd


    came to a halt because of this single word. Sylvia instinctively stopped and turned in the direction of the


    voice.


    On the couch, Odell¡®s figure was still sitting ramrod straight. He looked at her with a particrly cold


    gaze.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered, and she asked, ¡°Odell, what else do you want?¡±


    S


    He stared down at her and ordered, ¡°Take the gift from Tara.¡± What did the man mean? Was Odell pissed


    off because she embarrassed Tara by refusing her


    Sylvia¡®s chest felt suffocated, and she was raging mad.


    Odell stared at her coldly. There was no other expression on his face except for an indifference that was


    rather frightening. The people standing at the side shut their mouths as nobody dared to talk. Sylvia


    quickly thought of Liam and Isabel. She turned to Tara who was looking at her with her lips curled up.


    She looked polite, but her expression was full of smugness.


    Sylvia swallowed her anger and walked toward Tara.


    When she was about to reach Tara, a familiar childish voice sounded from outside the crowd. ¡°Mommy!


    I¡®m here with Brother!¡±

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194 Sylvia¡¯s gaze froze. The atmosphere became deadly silent. Soon, two little figures


    squeezed through the back of the crowd.


    Liam wore a thick ck down jacket and a small hat.


    Isabel wore the same hat but in red, and a scarf was wrapped around her neck. She wore a thick pink


    down jacket and was running towards Sylvia while dragging Liam with her. She ran quickly with her


    chubby legs and was in front of Sylvia in the blink of an eye.


    Sylvia had yet to react. She subconsciously bent down and held out her arms to them, taking the kids


    into her embrace. She immediately smelled the milky fragrance of the two kids. Sylvia hugged them and


    asked, ¡°Liam, Isabel, why are you here?¡± Isabel grinned and chirped, ¡°Mommy, we came because we


    miss you!¡± Sylvia could not help pecking her on the cheek. Isabel said again, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s Brother who


    asked Great-grandma to let use here.¡± Sylvia then looked at Liam. The boy stared at her


    expectantly, his big eyes blinking. She smiled and also kissed him on his cheek. Immediately, Isabel


    hugged Sylvia and kissed her again.


    Liam followed suit. The mother and children showered each other with affection for a while. It was only


    then that Sylvia saw the dumbfounded gazes of everyone present. Even Tara looked stunned. Everyone,


    except for the frowning man sitting on the couch. The air was silent for a few seconds.


    Nesta suddenly clicked her tongue and said sourly, ¡°Ms. Sunflower, you¡¯re still so young. When did you


    get married? Your children are already quite old.¡± Sylvia¡¯s brows furrowed. Before she said anything,


    Nesta continued mocking her, ¡°Could you have had these children when you were a mistress to


    someone else?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face immediately fell.


    The temperature dropped around them though not because of Sylvia but Odell on the couch.


    He frowned, and anger burned in his eyes. Tara¡¯s face paled, and she called out to Nesta. ¡°Nesta, stop


    talking.¡±


    Nesta was unaware and still said to Tara, ¡°Tara, don¡¯t be afraid of her. Master Carter is here.


    She wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to you.¡± Sylvia snorted coldly and walked forward to Nesta, pping


    her in the face. p! Nesta¡¯s face swung to the side. She quickly held her face and red at Sylvia with


    shock and anger. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯ve gone overboard! How dare you p me?¡± Sylvia looked at her coldly. ¡°I


    pped you just because you insulted me and my children!¡± Nesta wanted to chastise her immediately.


    ¨C


    However, Liam and Isabel hade back to their senses and rushed over. Liam stood in front of Sylvia


    and red coldly at Nesta. Isabel opened her mouth and yelled at Nesta, ¡°B*tch! You¡¯re the mistress!


    You and your whole family!¡±


    Nesta had never been insulted by a kid like this. She was immediately angered. ¡°Bratty child, how ill-bred


    are you?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    p! Sylvia immediately pped Nesta on her other cheek. Nesta shouted out in pain, and she red at


    Sylvia again. Sylvia nced at her coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll p you again if you insult my children once more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re


    a sl*tty mistress! Tara did not fuss with you because she is kind. Well, I am not scared of you!¡± Nesta


    cursed in a fit. As her words fell, she pounced on Sylvia, intending to hit her. Harley and the others


    rushed over in time and dragged Nesta back. Nesta shouted at the top of her lungs in anger, ¡°Let me go!


    Let go of me, youckeys!¡±


    data

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195 The other onlookers watching the show also walked over, trying to pull Harley and the


    others. away.


    The atmosphere became boisterous until an angry voice rang out. ¡°Throw her out!¡±


    In an instant, the crowd hushed.


    Nesta, who was waving her arms like a madman in an attempt to break free and tackle Sylvia, also


    calmed down. Her lips curled up, and she looked at Sylvia like a triumphant winner. She looked smug as


    if Sylvia was about to get thrown out. The corner of Sylvia¡®s lips tugged upward coldly. Soon, Ben and


    Jacob, who came with the children, walked up. One of them grabbed Nesta¡®s cor, and the other


    grabbed her ankles. They lifted her and marched out of the homestay.


    The crowd was stunned into silence once again. Only Nesta, who was being carried away, yelled out in


    panic. ¡°Let go of me! You¡®ve got the wrong person!¡± Ben and Jacob continued walking without a change


    in expression. Nesta felt that something was wrong and quickly turned to Tara. ¡°Tara, ask them to put me


    down!¡± Tara¡®s face was pale, and she scolded Nesta an idiot in her heart. Just as everyone felt confused,


    Odell stood up. He walked to Sylvia¡®s side and stood in front of Liam and Isabel. His gaze became warm,


    and he looked at Liam and Isabel while asking, ¡°Who brought you over?¡±


    Liam pulled a long face and ignored him. Isabel puffed out her cheeks and replied to him, ¡°Hmph! If you


    cane to see the ugly woman, of course, Brother and I coulde to Mommy.¡±


    Odell frowned and picked her up.


    Isabel was already in his arms before she had time to react. She immediately pummelled him and yelled,


    ¡°Baddie! I don¡®t want you to carry me!¡±


    Odell strode forward and walked into the homestay with Isabel in his arms. He let Isabel hit him without


    batting an eysh.


    The crowd was dumbfounded and speechless.


    What was going on?


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Why did the little girl call Master Carter a Baddie? Why was Master Carter not angry and


    carried her inside instead? Could these two children be Master Carter¡®s kids? At the same time, Sylvia


    also picked Liam up. They were in the living room of the homestay where a cold draft was blowing in,


    and they should not stay here any longer. She turned to Harley and said, ¡°Thank you for just now.¡±


    Harley and the others quickly told her that she was wee. Then, Harley whispered, ¡°Ms. Ross, are


    your kids also Master Carter¡®s kids?¡± At this point, Sylvia did not need to hide it anymore. She replied,


    ¡°Yes. I was married to Odell before, but we are already divorced.¡± Harley¡®s eyes widened in surprise.


    Everyone surrounding them heard Sylvia¡®s words clearly. They stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded.


    Married and divorced? Wouldn¡®t that make Sylvia Master Carter¡®s ex¨Cwife?


    Although she was his ex¨Cwife, they had still been married before. It was apletely different concept


    from her being a mistress and trying toe between Tara and Odell. The other people who purposely


    distanced themselves from Sylvia and ridiculed her because of Nesta¡®s words were ovee with guilt


    apart from being shocked. At the same time, they were relieved that they had not ridiculed Sylvia for


    being a mistress with Nesta just now. If they had, they would have also been thrown out like Nesta. Were


    they not seeking death, saying that Master Carter¡®s children were born out of wedlock in front of his


    face?


    Soon, they looked toward Tara. Nesta had imed that Tara and Sylvia were good friends, but because


    the one Master Carter loved was Tara, Sylvia had always bullied Tara and picked on her. But now, that


    was obviously far from the truth. Tara stood where she was, still holding the Chanel bracelet she was


    about to gift Sylvia. She did not expect Liam and Isabel toe over. With their little scene, everyone


    now knew that Sylvia was Odell¡®s ex¨Cwife. The rumors she asked Nesta to spread were also proven


    false! Furthermore, Odell did not even spare her a nce after Liam and Isabel arrived. He walked away


    with Isabel in his arms¡­ He must also be angry with her because of Nesta¡®s words.

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196 At this moment, she felt the onlookers¡® gazes focusing on her from all directions.


    Tara¡®s ugly expression immediately became stiffer. After a while, she forced a smile and said, ¡° It is cold


    here. Let¡®s all return to rest in our rooms.¡±


    The scene was silent for a few seconds.


    Someone then replied, ¡°Ms. Avery, Ms. Reiss is your good friend. Master Carter threw her out. Are you


    not going out to see her?¡±.


    Tara was unsure whether that person was reminding her out of goodwill or intentionally saying so. Her


    face turned red, and she red toward where the voice came from. Instead, she saw a group of people


    staring at her with cold nces. Unable to stay there any longer, she spun on her heel and stormed out


    of the homestay.


    Inside the homestay, there was a private restaurant decorated warmly


    Many people who did not even live here would travel a far distance for the tasty food here.


    After Odell walked in with Isabel, Sylvia also entered with Liam in her arms.


    Odell sat down in a seat with Isabel. The little girl immediately climbed down from hisp and ran to


    Sylvia.


    Odell threw a nce at Sylvia.


    Sylvia did not need to upset him. She sat down opposite him with Isabel and Liam. The two children had


    not had their dinner yet and must be starving.


    The server immediately brought them the menu.


    After taking the menu, Sylvia asked Isabel and Liam what they would like to have. The two children sat


    on her side and cocked their heads toward her, their eyes peering at the menu.


    Sylvia patiently remembered their choice of dishes. Soon, the children finished picking, and Sylvia


    handed the menu back to the server. ¡°Ahem.¡±


    The man suddenly coughed.


    Sylvia looked at him in confusion. ¡°Odell, do you need anything?¡± Odell nced at the menu that was still


    in her hand. He said coldly, ¡°Are you treating me like I¡®m invisible?¡±


    She had intentionally ignored him and only ordered for the children. Sylvia frowned in puzzlement.


    ¡°Aren¡®t you eating with Tara?¡±


    Odell¡®s brows furrowed, and he continued staring coldly at her. Fine.


    It was not that Sylvia did not have the money to treat him anyway. She pushed the menu to Odell and


    said generously, ¡°You can order anything you want if you intend to eat with us.¡± Odell nced at her


    frostily and took the pen, ticking off all of the signature dishes. Sylvia did not like wasting food. She could


    not help saying, ¡°Will you even be able to finish so many dishes?¡± Odell raised his eyebrows. ¡°Didn¡®t you


    tell me to order anything I want?¡± Sylvia pursed her lips and then sent the server off with the menu. Liam


    and Isabel, who were still sitting beside her, raised their chubby faces. Their eyes rolled at Odell for a


    second, and then they looked at Sylvia. Isabel frowned. Why was the Baddie staying here and not going


    to the ugly woman? Liam also pursed his lips in confusion. His Daddy was being a little weird. After a


    while, the dishes were served. The vegetable dishes were served first, followed by some snacks that the


    children loved. Sylvia raised her hand to fill their bowls with food.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    .


    11


    Liam and Isabel said sweetly, ¡°Thank you, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°You¡®re wee.¡±


    Opposite them, Odell¡®s gaze wavered when he saw how gentle Sylvia was with the children. Not long


    after that, he took his fork and picked up a snack for Liam and Isabel.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197 Liam and Isabel nced at him swiftly and then continued eating the food Sylvia had


    scooped for them.


    Odell said nothing, but Sylvia identally let out a chuckle.


    His eyes turned cold, and he red at her. ¡°Is that funny?¡± Sylvia quickly said, ¡°No, of course not.¡± She


    pursed her lip after she said that, appearing to be holding back herughter. Odell snorted. ¡°I¡®ll throw you


    out too if you keepughing.¡± Isabel, who was burying her head in food, immediately looked up and


    scowled at Odell.¡° Baddie, I¡®ll bite you to death if you dare to throw Mommy out!¡±


    Liam said to her, ¡°Sister, ignore him. He¡®s intentionally trying to frighten Mommy.¡±


    While Odell was rendered speechless, Sylvia let out augh again. He immediately shot daggers at her,


    and Sylvia covered her mouth with her hand directly. Odell looked at Liam and Isabel and said coldly,


    ¡°Focus on your food. If you speak again, I¡®ll send you both home now.¡± Isabel humphed and lowered her


    head to eat while Liam picked a piece of meat for Sylvia before continuing his meal. Odell sulked, still


    appearing a bit pissed off. Sylvia saw how he was boycotted by the children and said kindly, ¡°Odell, don¡®t


    be unhappy. If you spend time with the kids when you¡®re free in the future, they will be more than happy


    to get close to you.¡± He looked at her and then dug in after picking up his cutlery. The dinner began


    harmoniously until the signature dishes Odell ordered were served. The delicious smell of cooked meat


    filled the air. Not only did Isabel¡®s eyes lit up, but Sylvia also could not help swallowing her saliva. She


    took her fork and picked some white meat to put in Liam and Isabel¡®s bowls while also taking some for


    herself.


    Opposite them, Odell¡®s gaze became gentle as he saw how happy the mother and children were as they


    enjoyed their food.


    At this time, Tara¡®s soft voice spoke up, ¡°Odell.¡± As she spoke, she sat on the empty seat beside Odell.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Liam and Isabel raised their heads unhappily. Odell¡®s brows also furrowed.


    Tara took his arm and said coyly, ¡°Sorry, Odell. I didn¡®t think that Nesta would say something like that. It


    is a misunderstanding, and I have exined everything to her. She has realized her mistake, so don¡®t be


    angry with her anymore.¡±


    Odell was in a good mood, but his expression turned cold when he heard Tara mention the woman who


    had called Sylvia a mistress and insulted his children. He said indifferently, ¡°I don¡®t want to hear this


    now.¡±


    Tara¡®s gaze shed, and she quickly said, ¡°Sorry, it¡®s my bad. I¡®ll stop talking.¡± She frowned and pouted.


    In Odell¡®s eyes, she looked pitiful and wronged. He suppressed the annoyance he felt and softened his


    tone. ¡°We¡®ll talk about itter. You can go do your things first.¡± Tara curled her lips and said, ¡°I¡®m not busy


    now.¡± Then, she nced at Sylvia and asked,¡° Sylvia, do you mind adding a set of cutlery for me?¡±


    Sylvia could not help smiling coldly, ¡°What do you think?¡± It seemed that Tara had expected her reply.


    She looked at Odell with a hurt expression. ¡°Odell, then I shall join the others for some fast food outside.¡±


    Odell frowned and turned to look at Sylvia with dissatisfaction.


    Sylvia pulled a long face. She knew Tara wanted to stay for dinner to disgust her, but she was paying for


    this meal. If Odell was unhappy, he was more than free to bring her to another ce.


    At this time, Isabel suddenly hugged Sylvia with her small hands and snuggled into her embrace. She


    murmured, ¡°Mommy, I don¡®t want to eat with her. She makes me lose my appetite.¡± Liam also put down


    his fork and said with a cold face, ¡°Me too.¡°

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198 Sylvia knew that they were doing this on purpose. She held back her chuckle and looked at


    Odell and Tara.


    Tara was obviously pissed, but she still forced herself to put on a smile despite having a strained


    expression.


    Odell frowned, and he did not look happy either. Soon, he looked toward Liam and Isabel.


    Isabel was still in Sylvia¡®s arms, and she did not even want to look at Tara. Liam looked straight forward,


    his face cold and stiff.


    Odell then nced at Tara who lowered her head, looking a bit hurt. Even her eyes were red. She took


    the initiative to say, ¡°Odell, don¡®t be unhappy. Since Liam and Isabel don¡®t want to see me, I¡®ll leave.¡±


    After that, she stood up. Seeing her red eyes, Odell stood up after her and said; ¡°I¡®ll go somewhere else


    with you.¡± Tara looked delighted, but she still said, ¡°There¡®s no need. You can eat with Liam and Isabel


    here.¡±


    Odell did not speak. He nced at Sylvia and the two children and then walked away from his


    seat.


    Tara quickly caught up to him and took his arm discreetly. Their intimate figures soon walked out of the


    restaurant. Sylvia¡®s gaze flickered, and she said to Isabel and Liam softly, ¡°Liam, Isabel, they¡®re gone.


    Let¡®s eat.¡± Isabel turned her head over from Sylvia¡®s arms and saw that Tara was indeed gone. She


    immediately sat back beside her mother. Liam frowned at the seat previously upied by Odell and then


    picked up his fork. Although one person had left, Sylvia and the kids still had a great meal. After filling up


    their stomachs, she brought them out of the restaurant and went straight back to her room. Both kids had


    brought their undergarments with them. Sylvia washed them separately and changed them into their cute


    pajamas. After that, she tucked them into bed.


    This was the first time Sylvia had slept with Isabel since Odell had taken the little girl back to the Carters.


    It was also the first time Sylvia was tucking Liam into bed after Odell threw her out of the Carters.


    Isabel rolled on the bed happily. She pounced on Sylvia in excitement the moment her mother climbed


    onto the bed.


    Sylvia hugged and kissed her while smiling. Then, she looked at Liam. Compared to Isabel, Liam was


    much quieter. He did not make a sound, appearing to be a little shy, and he also did not move. He sat


    obediently beside Sylvia, staring at her quietly with his big eyes. ¡°Liam,e to Mommy.¡± Sylvia held out


    her hands at him with a bright smile. Liam rolled over and climbed into her arms at once. Although he


    looked a little taller than Isabel, he was much lighter than her. Sylvia held him in her arms effortlessly.


    She then asked, ¡°Liam, is it okay for Mommy to hold you to sleep tonight?¡± Liam¡®s eyes brightened, and


    he replied. ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel climbed over from the side and hugged Sylvia¡®s arms while murmuring,


    ¡°Mommy, I want to hold you too.¡± Sylvia touched her pudgy cheeks and smiled. ¡°You will hold me, and I


    will hold your brother. Is that alright?¡± Isabel looked at Liam and agreed readily. ¡°Alright! Mommy will hold


    Brother first tonight, and it will be my turn tomorrow night!¡± Sylvia smiled in relief. It was not that she was


    biased, but she owed Liam too much. He might not have turned out to be as aloof and distant as he was


    right now if she had stayed by his side for all those years. After it was decided, Sylvia started to tell them


    some bedtime stories that she searched on her phone. Isabel and Liam cuddled with her and fell asleep


    soon after. Sylvia also put down her phone and kissed their small faces. Then, she switched off the lights


    and slept.


    In the night, the cold wind enveloped the earth, and ayer of thin ice formed on the ground. Odell


    returned to the homestay with Tara after dining at a restaurant.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199 The majority of the people were resting in their rooms, and it was quiet in the public area.


    Odell peeked inside. Tara took his arm and said, ¡°Odell, it¡®ste now. Let¡®s go rest too.¡±


    ¡°You can go first. I¡®ll take a look at the kids.¡±


    Tara smiled gently. ¡°Okay, then I¡®ll wait for you in the room.¡±


    ¡°You don¡®t need to wait for me. I have something else to doter, and I¡®ll return after seeing the kids.¡±


    .


    w


    Tara¡®s eyes darkened, and she said reluctantly, ¡°Alright. Be careful on your way back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Odell


    directly walked inside. Looking at his distant figure, Tara¡®s gaze turned cold. She cursed Liam and Isabel


    in her heart at the same time.


    Why did theye at this time? When they were having dinner just now, she had racked her brains to


    smooth things over about Nesta calling Sylvia a mistress.


    In the past, Odell would have stayed for her no matter what business he had. Seeing that he did not stay


    tonight, he was definitely still mad with her. It was all because of those two br*ts!


    Meanwhile, Odell got to find out Sylvia¡®s room number from the lobby counter. He then walked to her


    suite.


    Sylvia was staying in a suite with a few other girls.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell knocked on the door, and Harley answered it. She quickly let him in after seeing that it was him.


    Odell walked to Sylvia¡¯s room.


    Harley whispered, ¡°Master Carter, I think Ms. Ross and the kids are already asleep.¡± Odell¡®s hand fell just


    before he knocked on the door. He grabbed the door handle and discovered that the door was unlocked.


    He pressed down on the handle, and the door opened. Odell turned on the lights. Under the lights, Sylvia


    was lying sideways on a medium¨Csized bed. Liam was sound asleep in her arms. Isabel clung to her


    back, a chubby hand on Sylvia¡®s waist. At this moment, Odell suddenly felt his body warm up, possibly


    due to the higher room


    temperature. He strode in and walked to Liam¡®s side of the bed with light footsteps. Sylvia was lying


    sideways to him. She was sleeping soundly, and her fair face looked peaceful. It was many folds better


    than when she was awake. Odell¡®s lips curled up, and he could not help staring at her.


    A long timeter, he subconsciously bent down. His cold face came close to Sylvia¡®s face.


    Sylvia¡®s face was pretty even when she was asleep, and it was right before him, presenting a delicately


    arched brow, thick and curved eyshes, and plump, full lips. She had no expression or makeup on, but


    it served an indescribable temptation.


    His throat bobbed, and Odell pursed his lips. Just as he was about to bend down to taste her lips, he felt


    someone looking up at him. Odell looked down, and his eyes met with Liam¡®s big and clear eyes. His


    gaze flickered, and he immediately straightened his back.


    Then, he frowned and nced at Liam, asking him in a father¡®s harsh tone, ¡°Why aren¡®t you asleep yet?¡±


    Liam questioned him instead, ¡°What are you doing so close to Mommy?¡±

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200 Odell coughed in a low voice and replied, ¡°It¡®s an adult matter. You wouldn¡®t understand it


    even if I told you.¡±


    ¡°How would you know that if you didn¡®t tell me?¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes darkened. ¡°Stop talking and sleep now.¡± Liam did not utter a word but stared at Odell with


    his big eyes.


    Odell frowned, and his face fell.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Only then did Liam close his eyes. He rolled over andy on Sylvia¡¯s chest, putting his small hand on her


    waist.


    Odell glowered at him and said, ¡°Do not tell your mother that I leaned close to her tomorrow.¡±


    Liam ignored him, but Odell knew that he heard him, so he turned off the lights and walked out.


    It was a night of dreamless sleep.


    Sylviafortably woke up the next day. When she woke up, she saw Liam sitting beside her and


    ying with a Rubik¡®s cube while Isabel was nowhere to be seen.


    Sylvia immediately asked, ¡°Liam, where is your sister?¡± Liam looked out the door and replied, ¡°Sister is


    ying with them.¡±


    Sylvia put on a jacket and walked out of the room. She saw Isabel wearing cute kitty pajamas in the


    living room while holding snacks from God¨Cknows¨Cwhere and sitting in the middle like a littlemunity


    representative. Harley and many others sat surrounding Isabel while some of the people with no ce to


    sit were squatting in front of her.


    Many people among them came over from the other rooms. They stared at Isabel with a loving smile.


    Isabel ate her snacks while saying, ¡°Anyway, Mommy is definitely not a mistress. That ugly woman is the


    mistress! When Mommy had us a few years ago, she framed Mommy and made the Baddie imprison


    Mommy in the house. He even divorced Mommy! After Mommy gave birth, she framed Mommy again


    and made the Baddie throw Mommy out of the family.¡±


    The group of people listened attentively.


    After Isabel finished speaking, somebody asked sadly, ¡°Were you then separated from your mother?¡±


    Isabel said, ¡°Yeah, but Mommy hid me. The Baddie didn¡®t know of my existence at that time. I went with


    Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Oh... So, your brother just found out about you?¡± ¡°That¡®s so sad. Ms. Ross must have had a rough life


    during those years.¡± The group of people felt distressed for Sylvia and Isabel. Isabel waved her hand and


    said, ¡°Nah, I lived quitefortably with Mommy. I just miss Brother a lot.¡± The group of people was


    relieved after hearing that. Someone eximed, ¡°I would never have thought that this is the rtionship


    between Ms. Ross, Master Carter, and Ms. Avery.¡± Another person whispered, ¡°But I think Ms. Ross is


    better than Ms. Avery in terms of appearance and ability. What¡®s going on in Master Carter¡®s mind?¡±


    Nobody dared to speak ill of Master Carter, so they sighed in confusion. Isabel sipped a mouthful of milk


    and humphed, ¡°He¡®s blind!¡± Everyone choked onughter as the smile on their faces got brighter. Sylvia


    also could not help butugh, standing by the door for a while. In those three years, Isabel loved listening


    to gossip from Aunt Tonya apart from being with her. Therefore, she knew quite a lot about the past from


    Aunt Tonya and was great at spreading it. Sylvia went back to the room at ease to wash Liam up after


    seeing that Isabel was chatting happily with Harley and the others. After she had changed Liam¡®s clothes


    and came out, Isabel was also almost done chatting with them.


    Harley and the others greeted Sylvia. Sylvia greeted them too and then brought Isabel, who was still


    wearing her pajamas, to wash up.


    After freshening up, she brought them to the breakfast ce. Harley had taken their portions for them.


    Before Sylvia said anything, Isabel chirped sweetly, ¡°Ms. Harley, thank you for saving us some food!¡±

 Chapter 201

    ?Chapter 201


    Harley smiled and remarked courteously, "No need to thank me. Go on and dig in."


    Sylvia smiled reluctantly, and she had Liam and Isabel sit with her as well.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Shortly after that, the seats next to them were gradually filled. Apart from Harley and several other people, the ones who had previously shunned Sylvia because of Nesta and Tara began to flock over.


    They looked at Sylvia with a faint sense of guilt and remorse. Still, they made sure to take the initiative to greet her politely.


    Sylvia knew that they had simply been misled by Tara and Nesta and decided to not hold it against them considering they were just young students. She smiled politely and responded to them warmly.


    Upon sensing her mother''s friendly attitude towards them, Isabel proceeded to greet the crowd politely too.


    This only served to increase the guilt they felt. Finally, one of them could not bear it any longer and blurted out, Miss, we''re very sorry about what happened yesterday. We apologize for having misunderstood you."


    Sylvia answered, "It''s alright, it''s all in the past now, don''t worry about it."


    They heaved a collective sigh of relief when they observed how easygoing Sylvia was.


    One of them tried to ease the mood by asking cautiously, "Well, would you mind taking a look at our work today?"


    Sylvia replied without skipping a beat, "Sure, of course!"


    Immediately after that, a jovial air took over.


    It was around this time when Tara and Nesta showed up. Nesta was walking behind Tara. She wore severalyers of clothing and even donned a hat. She sneezed several times as soon as she walked in as she must have caught a cold after what happened yesterday.


    As soon as they entered, the students crowded around Sylvia lowered their heads and pretended not to notice Tara and Nesta''s entrance.


    An awkward wave of silence swept over them.


    Tara scowled and looked in Sylvia''s direction.


    Sylvia crossed her arms across her chest and returned a look at her with a smile across her face.


    Tara found a nearby seat and sat down with a sullen look on her face while Nesta kept her head down and sat opposite her.


    Most of the students hadpleted their work.


    Sylvia did not join them at the painting zone and joined them at the courtyard of the dormitory instead where she began browsing their work and giving feedback where necessary.


    Liam was with her, and he was focused on ying with his Rubik''s cube. Isabel followed her mother everywhere she went and studied the paintings as if she was an expert in the subject.


    There was much conversation andughter as they discussed one another''s work, and the atmosphere was rather merry.


    Tara stood by herself for a long time, but not a single soul went up to her. She was furious and eventually stomped back to her room and began packing.


    Nesta, who shared a room with her, could tell something was wrong and returned to the room to find her. She asked in concern, "Tara, what''s wrong?"


    Tara tried her best to suppress the anger in her voice, "I''m packing up and going back to Westchester."


    ''The event doesn''t end until tomorrow. Are you really going back today?"


    Tara expressed with a sigh, "Yeah, there''s nothing for me to do here anyway."


    Nesta would have tried to persuade her to stay, but now she knew that the circumstances had changed. After she looked out of the window and saw the group still chatting away merrily, she sighed and agreed, "You''re right. I''ll pack up too."


    Nesta was about to head out when a thought suddenly urred to her. She abruptly turned to Tara, "Tara, may I ask you something?"


    Tara responded with a smile, "What''s the matter?"


    Nesta asked with an intent look in her eyes, "Have you ever treated me as your friend?"


    Tara chuckled at the question. "Of course, I treat you as my friend!"


    ''Then, why didn''t you tell me that Sylvia was Master Carter''s ex-wife? Were you using me as a scapegoat?"

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202 Tara¡®s eyes flickered, and her expression turned icy for a split second.


    This fool! Her im of their friendship was merely out of politeness, and she could turn a blind eye to her


    for causing trouble by scolding the children in front of Odell. How dare she turn around and use her


    now?!


    Nesta immediately recognized the look of displeasure and contempt on her face. She narrowed her eyes


    and said nothing before turning around to heat out.


    Tara scoffed and shouted, ¡°Useless idiot! Get out!¡±


    Wh.


    After Tara and Nesta left, Sylvia was still in the yard looking at the finished paintings of the students.


    It was only until lunchtime when someone wanted to invite Tara and Nesta to eat that they found out that


    they had left. It was clear that they had left out of anger. Everyone knew this was the reason, so they


    simply smiled and move on.


    Tara would not be of much help even if she stayed anyway. Her attitude was brash and off putting, and


    nobody ever dared to approach her for advice.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia was the renowned Ms. Sunflower. She was not only willing to look at the paintings of


    the students, but she was also very eager to discuss techniques and other particrs with them. She


    would even take the time to share her own experiences with them.


    She was superior to Tara whether it was in terms of artistic skills or personality. There was simply no


    contest


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia raised an eyebrow upon hearing the duo had left.


    Good riddance. They were an eyesore anyway.


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    The event hade to an end. Tomorrow, everyone would be leaving nchester and heading back to


    their respective homes.


    However, Sylvia could not hold off their fervent hospitality and was invited to dine out with them. Isabel


    being a favorite amongst them did not help either.


    Sylvia brought Isabel and Liam with her and went to a nearby restaurant for a dinner. They ate until it


    was midnight when she took the children back.


    Just like thest night, Sylvia helped them shower and had them change into their pajamas. Then, she


    sat on the bed and yed some games with them.


    After ying for a while, she was about to tell them a bedtime story to put them to sleep.


    That was when Liam suddenly asked her, ¡°Mommy, can we go back a littleter tomorrow?¡± He was


    sitting right beside Sylvia and looking at her with his pearl¨Clike eyes. Sylvia was taken aback by this


    request. Tasbel¡®s eyes glowed as well at this notion, she hugged Sylvia¡®s arm and requested, ¡°Mommy,


    we don¡®t have to go back so early tomorrow. I want to spend more time with you!¡± Sylvia understood


    what they were trying to say.


    As soon as they got home tomorrow, they would be heading straight for the Carters¡® residence where the


    children would have to be separated from her again. If they went backter, they could prolong their time


    with her. Sylvia agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± nchester was a wonderful city with beautiful, scenic views. She would


    spend more time there and y with them before heading back tomorrow.


    The next morning, under the protection of the bodyguards Ben and Jacob, Sylvia took Isabel and Liam to


    a park in nchester. It was winter, so there were no signs of any brightly¨Ccolored flora in the park. Only


    the sight of pine and cypresses spread out across a patch of white soil. The weather was fine, and the


    sun hung above the sky without any clouds. Sylvia pitched a tent and prepared the snacks. She had also


    bought tworge kites for the asion.


    After setting up the tent, she flew the kites with the children.


    Isabel did not need her help at all. She took off and ran down the field the moment she got the kite.


    Meanwhile, Liam seemed to take very little interest in kites. He only took it after Sylvia had it set up and


    readied it for him to fly. He did not even run with it. Instead, he immediately plopped down and sat cross¨C


    legged on the ground, holding the spool of the kite in his small hand and toying with it while he looked up


    at Isabel¡®s kite flying in the air. Sylvia patted his head and asked, ¡°Liam, don¡®t you want to y with the


    kite?¡± Liam shook his head. Sylvia asked him again, ¡°Do you like flying kites? If not, Mommy will y


    something else with you.¡± Liam replied, ¡°I do like it.¡±

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203 Sylvia was worried about Liam catching a cold, hence she put a nket under him before


    returning to the tent.


    Soon, Isabel ran back to them like a horse unleashed. She was still flying the kite and circled Liam while


    shouting, ¡°Brother, get up! Get up and fly the kite!¡± However, Liam ignored her.


    Recognizing his indifference, Isabel decided to run around him with the kite in hand and was chuckling


    mischievously.


    Sylvia happened to dart a nce in their direction and was stunned by what she saw.


    .


    The sun, the snow¨Ccovered field, and the scenery in the backgroundplete with their figures made up


    a wonderful painting. Sylvia immediately took out the canvas and paintbrush from her suitcase and


    started painting on the spot.


    Owain,


    WOW Samwe


    While this was happening, a ck car had just stopped in front of the homestay Sylvia stayed in the


    previous night.


    .


    The driver stepped out of the vehicle.


    .


    After a while, the driver emerged from the homestay and addressed the man in the back seat,¡° Master


    Carter, Ms. Ross along with the young master and young miss have checked out. The homestay staff


    told us that the ones attending the event just left this morning as well.¡± Odell frowned, ¡°Call Ben.¡±. ¡°Okay,¡±


    the driver answered and quickly called the bodyguard Ben. The call was wrapped up very quickly, after


    which he then turned to Odell again, ¡°Master Carter, it seems like Ms. Ross took them to the park.¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes sank. ¡°Bring me there.¡±


    The driver immediately got into the car and revved the engine.


    In the park, Isabel soon got tired of running and sat down beside Liam, panting frantically.


    Their tiny figures could be seen sitting side by side while their kites danced in the skies above them.


    The adorable disy immediately attracted the attention of other passersby. They stood at a friendly


    distance and looked at the two children with a tender gaze. Some of them recognized Isabel and asked


    for her signature. Isabel was very receptive to them and was more than willing to give them her


    autograph.


    The atmosphere was very cheery. Sylvia smiled and went back to painting. Soon, the crowd dissipated.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel was getting sleepy and leaned against Liam¡®s shoulders where she proceeded to doze off. Liam


    took the spool of her kite and continued flying them. Meanwhile, Sylvia was finishing up her painting. She


    mixed up the paint to the desired hue and colored the top of the canvas to depict the sky and rays of


    sunlight. After a while, she put down her paintbrush and wanted to go to Liam and Isabel to get them


    something to eat. That was when she caught sight of Odell standing no more than two meters away from


    the corner of her eyes. He was wearing a ck shirt with a long dark coat over it. His figure was stout


    like a statue, and his handsome face was immediately recognizable. A pair of dark eyes were fixed on


    her. Sylvia was taken aback and stumbled two steps back in fright. She asked him in a shaky voice,¡±


    Odell, when did you get here?¡± His eyes flicked slightly, and then he answered coldly, ¡°When you were


    distracted with your painting and neglecting Isabel and Liam, letting strangers gawk at them.¡± Sylvia


    jerked and said defensively, ¡°I had Ben and Jacob watching over them.¡± Besides, she would throw the


    asional nce at them even when painting! Odell ignored her. He lifted his long and slender legs and


    strutted to her side in just two steps. His gaze immediately fell to the canvas she held in her hand. Sylvia


    could not exin it, but she felt repulsed and did not want him to see the painting. She inched to the side


    and blocked the canvas with her body. Odell frowned. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± To this, Sylvia answered,


    ¡°This is my painting. I won¡®t show it to you.¡±

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204 Odell raised his eyebrows and looked at her with an air of arrogance. ¡°You should be


    honored that I¡®m giving you the time of day to see your painting.¡±


    Sylvia had to hold back her urge to roll her eyes at this remark. ¡°I¡®ll let Tara have this honor.¡±


    After saying that, she put the canvas and the paintbrush into the tent.


    Odell was in a particr decent mood. Perhaps it was due to the fine weather and also because he


    managed to steal several looks at Sylvia amid her painting process just now.


    He sat on the chair Sylvia had just sat in and made himselffortable.


    1


    Sylvia came out of the tent to see him sitting on the only stool she brought while drinking the hot tea that


    she made. On top of that, he casually opened a box of snacks and began eating. He looked like he was


    having a great time.


    Sylvia said crossly, ¡°Odell, you¡®re sitting in my chair.¡± Odell took a sip of tea and nced at her. ¡°Your


    point being?¡±


    Sylvia became vexed and choked up. If it not for Isabel and Liam, she would make him pay for the snack


    he had just eaten!


    Odell noticed her face bulging with anger although she was unable to utter a word in protest. He smirked


    coyly and remarked to her, ¡°This tea tastes pretty in. Get better tea leaves next time.¡±


    Sylvia red at him speechlessly, then walked towards Liam and Isabel. Isabel was dozing off while


    Liam was still holding the spools of two kites. He stared at the kites in the sky quietly, his thoughts drifting


    off just like the kites. Sylvia gently patted their heads and urged them softly, ¡°Isabel, Liam, let¡®s go get


    something to eat.¡±


    Isabel rubbed her sleepy eyes and muttered something in response.


    Liam started reeling the kites in.


    Sylvia helped him stash the two kites and led them back to the tent.


    The children were shocked by the sight of Odell. Liam frowned suspiciously at him and sat in the tent


    while Isabel grunted heavily at Odell before entering the tent.


    Sylvia chuckled at their response to seeing Odell. Then, she called Ben and Jacob over to invite them to


    eat something as well. After that, she went into the tent to eat with the children.


    Having filled her belly with food and drink, Isabel fell asleep. Liam was also getting sleepy and fell asleep


    with his sister in his arms. Sylvia covered them with a nket and found herself getting sleepy as well


    after watching


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    over them for a bit. Shey sideways beside them and closed her eyes. Outside the tent, with the


    company of Ben and Jacob, Odell drank a pot of hot tea and finished a packet of snacks.


    Ben and Jacob had a considerable appetite as well. In the time that Odell finished the packet, they drank


    two bottles of water and devoured five packets of snacks.


    The total tally came to six packets of snacks.


    Odell nced at them with a frown. Ben and Jacob were frightened by his stare. They drew backward,


    not knowing what they had done to wrong him. Odell took out his handkerchief and wiped his hands,


    then looked towards the tent behind him. This woman had been in there for a long time, why had she not


    come out yet? Why was she not serving him and bringing him something to eat?


    He looked displeased with this. After not hearing any movement inside the tent for a while, he


    immediately got up and drew open the tent. He saw the trio of mother and children sleeping cozily inside.


    Liam was hugging Isabel with Sylvia lying on her side, facing them with one arm over both of them. They


    were all sleeping soundly. Odell¡®s expression darkened immediately. She took the children with her to


    sleep while he was sitting outside?! As a rush of anger overtook him, he bent over and entered the tent.


    He squatted next to Sylvia who was sound asleep. In her drowsy state, she felt something touching her


    cheeks and soon felt something pinching her. She turned in her sleep and shrugged whatever it was off.


    However, the strange object touched her on the other cheek immediately after she turned to the other


    side. She immediately raised a hand and pped it away. ¡°Smack!¡± The p could be heard from miles


    away.

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205 Sylvia was awakened by this sound and snapped her eyes wide open. She was greeted by


    the sight of Odell¡®s dark expression. His eyes had a lethal re while the hair on one side of his head


    seemed to stand on its end.


    Sylvia withdrew the look in her eyes. That was when it came to her that she must have hit him on his


    head.


    Everything was still.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡±


    She feigned innocence and asked bizarrely, ¡°Odell, why are you here?¡± Odell twitched his lips and


    looked at her icily. ¡°Is there anything else to eat?¡± Sylvia did feel slightly remorseful, having hit him out of


    nowhere. Seeing that he was not about to give her grief for hitting him and only asking for food, she


    immediately went to her back and produced several packets of food for him. Odell took them in one hand


    and sneakily jabbed one foot in front. Sylvia was about to walk away to sit down when she tripped over


    his outstretched leg. Thump! She lost her bnce and fell to the ground. Her body was aching all over


    from the fall.


    She immediately turned to him with a vicious re. Odell grinned from ear to ear, seeming rather


    satisfied with himself now. Sylvia unleashed her wrath on him. ¡°Odell, what is your problem?¡± Odell


    red at her from above. ¡°Consider this a small lesson. Next time you dare to hit me, I¡®ll have you thrown


    on the streets.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s felt something catch in her throat. She had been asleep just now, and she did not even realize


    she hit him until she woke up!


    Furthermore, if her read of the situation was correct, the reason she hit him subconsciously in the first


    ce was that he had been pinching her cheeks. Sylvia got angrier the more she thought about it,


    especially seeing how smug he was about tripping her. Odell smiled with a cocky air and walked out with


    the food in hand. Sensing that he was about to pass her, her eyes narrowed with an opportune look. She


    turned her body to the side and stretched out a leg in front of Odell. Odell¡®s legs caught hers, and his tall


    figure tumbled forward. Sylvia smirked satisfyingly. Just as she was about to burst outughing, Odell


    suddenly swung his body around mid¨Cair


    and tried to catch her with his arms.


    Sylvia barely had time to react before she was pulled down with him.


    Thump! She was this close to having the wind knocked out of her. She gasped for air and red at him,


    shouting, ¡°Odell, get up!¡± Odell pressed his weight on her and refused to move. He smiled mischievously


    with his eyes and looked at her yfully. ¡°What? Aren¡®t you lonely?¡± Sylvia¡®s face flushed immediately. If


    it wasn¡¯t for him pressing his weight on her to subdue her, she would have killed him right then and there!


    She red at him viciously. Odell smiled and inched closer to her. He drew his face inches to hers until


    the tips of their noses were nearly touching! Sylvia could even feel his breath from this distance! Her


    mind went nk, and almost by instinct, she opened her mouth and spat at the handsome face in front of


    her.


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    Odell stiffened for a moment, then a dark and eerie look suddenly transformed his appearance.


    Sylvia flinched.


    What was done was done. She doubled down, ¡°Don¡®t be so full of yourself. I wouldn¡®t be interested in


    you even if I was feeling lonely!¡± The words she uttered seemed to have the effect of transforming the


    atmosphere in the cramped tent. The temperature instantly plummeted to a freezing point. Odell grabbed


    her chin with one hand and looked at her coldly. ¡°Are you trying to rush to an early death?¡±

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206 He put a lot of strength into his grip. Sylvia frowned in pain and tried to pry his hand away


    with sheer force. No matter how hard she tried, his hands continued clinging to her neck like a handcuff.


    She began crying for help, ¡°Odell, let go!¡± Odell snorted ruthlessly. ¡°Apologize.¡±


    To this, Sylvia struck back, ¡°I was never in the wrong to start with. You were the one who started pinching


    my face first, so I hit you subconsciously. You were also the one who tripped me first, which is why I


    tripped youter. I spat on your face because you started it!¡± Odell frowned and a dark shadow cast over


    his face. Needless to say, her exnations did not get to him. Sylvia continued digging at his hand and


    went on, ¡°Odell, don¡®t be unreasonable. If you don¡®t let me go, you¡®re going to wake Isabel and Liam up.¡±


    Odell ignored her and started to w at her cheeks. Sylvia could not endure it anymore and resorted to


    threatening him, ¡°if you don¡®t let go, I¡®ll spit on you again!¡± Odell smirked provokingly. ¡°You dare to?¡±


    Sylvia was going to do it. She drew her breath and made a shape with her lips.


    Before she could even produce spit, he suddenly lowered his head closer to her. While the tip of his nose


    rubbed against hers, his dark eyes met hers, and their lips hovered over each other.


    Their lips would touch if one of them moved even just a millimeter. Sylvia¡®s eyes widened significantly.


    She quickly zipped her lips. He was too close for her to spit on his face. This was a show of force. If she


    dared to spit on him, he dared to kiss her as well.


    Odell looked at her for a while, then hummed, ¡°What were you going to do again?¡± As he spoke, his


    breath beat against her face. She grimaced and ignored him. Odell glowered. ¡°Talk.¡± Sylvia continued to


    ignore him.


    His eyes crescented as he smiled. ¡°Do you want me to kiss you?¡±


    Sylvia snapped back, ¡°Can you back off?¡± ¡°No.¡±


    She grimaced again.


    The two were inches away from each other the entire time.


    After what seemed like an eternity had passed, a new voice was suddenly introduced to the scene.


    ¡°Mommy, Daddy, are you two fighting?¡± Odell¡®s gaze shifted. Sylvia quickly shoved him away while Odell


    sprang up instantly. Sylvia also scrambled to her feet. Liam and Isabel were just nearby. They seemed to


    have woken up at one point and were sitting together with their heads tilted in a direction, sporting a


    curious look at the adults. Sylvia¡®s face became flushed, and she quickly exined, ¡°It was your father


    who identally tripped and fell on me. We weren¡®t fighting.¡°| Liam blinked and said nothing. Isabel


    raised an eyebrow and asked Odell, ¡°Hey, you jerk. Were you trying to take advantage of my Mommy?¡®


    ¨C


    Odell¡®s eyes shed, and then he reprimanded her crossly, ¡°Take advantage? Who taught you these


    things?¡±


    To his surprise, not only was Isabel not intimidated, but she even roared at him again, ¡°You want to take


    advantage of my Mommy because she¡®s pretty!¡±


    Odell grimaced.


    Sylvia hurried over to Isabel and Liam and convinced them with a smile, ¡°It was just an ident. Don¡®t


    look too much into it.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°But he was about to kiss Mommy just now!¡± Sylvia felt her cheeks burning red hot. She


    turned back and red at Odell with an upset expression. ¡°Odell, you head out first.¡± Odell adjusted his


    cor, shot a look at the two children, and then walked out of the tent. The atmosphere in the tent eased


    considerably. Sylvia caressed Isabel¡®s chubby cheeks and said to her with a smile, ¡°Isabel, he just


    tripped over me on ident. It¡®s not what it looks like.¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel pouted. Sylvia hugged and kissed her softly. Fortunately, this seemed to do the trick of appeasing


    the child.

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207 Since children tended to be more forgetful, Sylvia quickly switched the subject to other


    matters to divert Isabel and Liam¡®s attention.


    They emerged from the tent after some time.


    Odell was sitting on the chair outside with a long, dark coat over him. He wore a sharp expression with


    an air of superiority around him.


    It was aplete departure from the person who had just forced himself on her and threatened Sylvia


    just now. Sylvia cast a pointed look at his figure from the back. Odell just happened to turn around to


    catch her gaze. Her eyes gleamed and she quickly withdrew her gaze. Odell gave her a harsh stare and


    ordered, ¡°Pack up and get ready to go home.¡±


    TO


    Sylvia ignored him, and so did Isabel and Liam.


    ¨C


    Odell turned to the bodyguards Ben and Jacob who quickly sprang to action and began putting away the


    tent.


    The car ride home waspletely silent.


    Three hourster, they stopped outside the gates of the Carters¡® residence.


    After getting down from the car, the first thing Liam and Isabel did was run to Sylvia. They were reluctant


    to see her go. Sylvia looked at Odell and wondered if she could convince him to let her stay with the kids


    for a while. However, Odell wore a face full of contempt as if the mere sight of her offended him, so she


    immediately dismissed the idea.


    She turned to Liam and Isabel with a smile, ¡°Isabel, Liam, you two go catch some rest first. Mommy will


    come to see you again at night.¡± Isabel chirped, ¡°Okay.¡± Liam answered, ¡°Mommy, you get some rest at


    home too.¡± Sylvia smiled warmly. ¡°I will.¡± After that, she kissed their little faces in turn. Isabel and Liam


    return a peck on her cheek as well, then they turned around and entered the house. Upon ensuring they


    were home, Sylvia turned to leave. ¡°Stop.¡± Odell¡®s deep, raspy voice stopped her.


    Sylvia cast a look back at him and asked him in a curious tone, ¡°Do you need something?¡± He strode


    towards her and stopped right in front of her to re at her harshly, ¡°Don¡®t you try to spit on me again. I¡®ll


    yank your head off.¡±


    Sylvia took a step backward and struck back, ¡°As long as you keep a respectable distance from me in


    the future, I promise I won¡®t have to spit on you again.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Spitting on him was a waste of her saliva!


    Odell scoffed with scorn, ¡°Don¡®t think so highly of yourself, I¡®m not interested in a woman like you.¡± Sylvia


    smiled and quipped, ¡°What a coincidence, I¡®m not interested in a man like you either.¡± With that, she


    turned and went back home. Odell¡®s figure was fixed to the same spot. Hisplexion darkened just like


    the skies above did. It was something about her arrogance mixed with some element unique to her that


    upset him so much. It made him want to drag her back here and teach her a good lesson! At the same


    time, the scene from earlier today when he pressed himself against her kept repeating in his mind. She


    had been right in front of him. Even now, he could feel the softness of her body. This woman was clearly


    trying to seduce him! Without realizing it, he found himself marching toward Sylvia.


    D


    He was very quick. Sylvia had just reached the intersection when he appeared behind her. He grabbed


    her by the back of the cor of her first and pulled her into his arms in one swift movement. Then, he


    palmed her face in his hands and nted his lips on hers.


    There was a soft, chilly breeze blowing. Sylvia stiffened, her body no longer hers.

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208 Odell¡®s overbearing air enveloped her. Sylvia could even taste the lingering aroma of tea in


    his mouth. She quickly came back to her senses and immediately proceeded to shove him away.


    He seemed possessed by a demon. The more she tried to shove him out of the way, the stronger and


    more passionately he kissed her. He had her hands bound and held her tightly in his arms. It took ages


    before she finally managed to pry him off.


    A glimmer of dark red appeared in his eyes, and he was staring at her like a starving wolf. Sylvia was


    furious and red at him pointedly. ¡°Odell, what is your problem?¡± Odell smirked coyly, ¡°You¡®ve been


    wanting me to kiss you like this for a long time, haven¡®t you?¡± She immediately formed a frown,


    completely baffled by such a question. She burst out, ¡°Did you fall and hit your head on the curb or


    something?¡±


    ¡°You took the kids to the park to lure me to you, you tried to seduce me when you were sleeping in the


    tent, and you intentionally tripped me so I would fall on top of you.¡± He raised a hand and lifted Sylvia¡®s


    chin, looking at her reddening cheeks, and said with a smile, ¡°That¡®s not all. You¡®ve been trying to get on


    my nerves ever since you came back from Westchester all because you wanted to get my attention, is


    that right?¡±


    ¡°,


    ¡±


    Sylvia was dumbstruck. She could not fathom how he came up with these notions,


    ,


    She was left stunned and speechless. Seeing that she would not answer, Odell smiled confidently and


    asked, ¡°Why aren¡®t you saying anything? Am I right?¡± Sylvia answered honestly, ¡°I¡®m baffled by your


    imagination.¡± Odell¡®s face turned harsh and cold. Seconds after, he curled his lips into a smirk again, ¡°Are


    you trying to provoke me again?¡±, Sylvia sputtered, ¡°T¨Cthere¡®s something wrong with you!¡± She pushed


    him away. Before she could turn around, she felt a hand grabbing her wrist. She was spun around


    against her will and pulled into his embrace. She looked up at him angrily.


    At the same time, Odell lowered her, and his thin lips pressed against her sultry lips.


    For a moment, Sylvia could not breathe. She adamantly pushed him away, but he kissed her stubbornly.


    After a long while, he finally released her again, this time with his hand still around her waist,


    so she had no room to wiggle herself free from him. Sylvia red at him with angry, burning red eyes.


    Odell pinched her rosy cheeks and proimed with squinting eyes, ¡°I¡®ll kiss you again if you keep


    insulting me.¡± His voice was deep and raspy. Meanwhile, the scarlet color in his eyes revealed in them a


    glimmer of primitive desire. She felt her body burning, and she was equally embarrassed and furious.


    She wanted to hurl barrage of insults at him. He raised an eyebrow and cast a look at her. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    She took a deep breath and said withposure, ¡°Odell, we¡®re divorced, and you have a girlfriend now.


    Don¡®t you think it¡®s morally wrong for you to do this?!¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He sneered and pinched her face again. ¡°Where was this sense of morality back when you tricked me


    into sharing a bed with you?¡± She felt something catch in her throat. She was done bickering back and


    forth with him. She beat a feat against this chest and announced, ¡°Let me go. I¡®m going back.¡± He


    pinched her face again before releasing her. After attaining freedom, she took off and ran in fear of being


    pulled back by him again.


    Odell¡®s face darkened momentarily, but only for a brief moment, then he turned up and grinned again. He


    raised a finger and felt the corner of his lips. Not only were her rosy cheeks soft and tender, but so were


    her lips.


    Sylvia ran straight back to her ce without pausing for a breath. When Aunt Tonya saw her running


    back, she hastily rushed up to her and asked in a concerne voice, ¡°Sylvia, your legs haven¡®t fully


    recovered yet. Why are you running? Did something happen?¡±


    Sylvia gasped for breath and answered, ¡°I¡®m fine. I just want to see if my legs can handle th exercise.¡±

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209 There was not a chance she would tell Aunt Tonya about Odell kissing her since it would


    only cause her distress.


    Aunt Tonya still wore a concerned look on her face. Sylvia suddenly requested, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I want to


    eat the noodles you usually make.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡®ll go make them right away,¡± Aunt Tonya replied and turned


    towards the kitchen.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief, then went back to her room.


    In the solitude of her room, she shrieked and hurled insults at Odell. After her mood alleviated, she went


    to the bathroom and took a hot, refreshing shower. She washed her face several times and rinsed her


    mouth.


    Before she knew it, it was almost seven to eight o¡®clock after she finished dinner.


    Sylvia had promised to see Isabel and Liam that night, and she did not want to break her promise.


    However, the thought of what Odell had done to her, forcing himself on her and kissing her infuriated her


    greatly. What if he resumed his disgusting behavior when she meet him again? Sylvia considered for a


    second, then she took out her phone and called Isabel. Isabel answered at the first ring and the first thing


    she asked was, ¡°Mommy, are you here


    yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I just had dinner. I just wanted to ask if you and your brother are at home now?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡®re


    waiting for you.¡± Sylvia asked again, ¡°Is your great¨Cgrandmother there?¡±


    (Yeah.¡±


    Sylvia then asked, ¡°Where¡®s your father?¡± Isabel snorted, ¡°The meanie went out a long time ago. I guess


    he¡®s going on a date with the uglydy again.¡± Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief while muttering curses at


    Odell. Finally, she told Isabel, ¡°Isabel, stay at home with your brother. Mommy will be there right away.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±


    At Lake Victoria Vi, Tara had specifically invited a professional chef to cook up a gourmet dinner.


    After Odell arrived, she turned to him and said in an affectionate voice, ¡°Odell, I made all of this for you


    myself. Enjoy.¡±


    With that, she put arge prawn on his te.


    Odell tasted it andplimented the dish, ¡°Not bad.¡± Tara smirked. ¡°Really?¡±


    Odell replied without hesitation, ¡°Really.¡±


    Tara smiled happily. Looking at her smiling expression, he suddenly found his mind drifting away.


    A few years ago, while he was still married to Sylvia, he would oftene home to Sylvia eagerly telling


    him that she had made dinner for him. He remembered how she would also put food on his te for


    him.


    The look on Tara¡®s face just now was a mirror copy of Sylvia¡¯s expression when she would excitedly wait


    to see if he liked the food she made.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    However, he seldom ate the food she put on his te. To make matters worse, he usually only took


    several bites before deciding that he was done. The light in her eyes would dim and she would not utter


    a word for the rest of the meal, afraid to annoy him by speaking to him. Odell furrowed his brows and felt


    an uneasy feeling rising in his chest. ¡°Odell? What¡®s wrong?¡± Tara asked in a concerned voice upon


    noticing his expression. Odell gathered himself. ¡°It¡®s nothing.¡± He picked up the cutlery and resumed


    eating. Tara put another piece of prawn on his te. He quickly pointed out, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I


    can get it myself.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Tara answered weakly. The dejection in her voice was not hard to miss. A


    shadowy look appeared in Odell¡®s eyes. Tara was the one sliver of light while he was going through dark


    times as a youth. She had been his source of strength during the entire ordeal with his stepmother. He


    could not be her


    source of grief. With that in mind, he picked up a piece of meat and set it on her te. ¡°Eat, don¡®t worry


    about me.¡±


    Tara seemed very delighted by this. ¡°Okay!¡°. She ate the meat he put on her te in one bite. Odell


    formed his lips into a line and soon set his cutlery down on the table. Tara quickly asked, ¡°Odell, are you


    not eating?¡±

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210 (Yeah. I¡®m full already.¡± Odell wiped his hands and addressed Tara again, ¡°I have


    something I need to doter. You just get an early rest.¡±


    Tara took his arm into hers and fixed him with a longing look, pressing her body into his almost


    subconsciously. She whispered, ¡°Odell, Liam and Isabel should have fallen asleep by this time. Why


    don¡®t you stay with me tonight?¡± Odell fell silent for a moment before forming an answer, ¡°I need to head


    back to thepany to deal with something.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tara let go of him reluctantly. Odell caressed her


    head gently as if to providefort, then he got up and walked out. Tara did not think much of the


    episode. He had always been very busy since the day she knew him, especially since Sylvia birthed


    those two brats to add to his trouble. Even before Sylvia brought Isabel into the picture, he seldom spent


    the night with her because he needed to go home to take care of the miserable brat, Liam. It was


    partially because the brat


    stayed with Madam Carter, forcing Odell to move back from his ce to the Madam¡¯s. He simply had too


    many responsibilities in thepany, so even if he spent the night at her ce, he would end up


    spending the night in the study. Furthermore, her miscarriage had made her body especially vulnerable


    and she could no. longer have children since doing so maybe bring about life¨Cthreateningplications.


    Odell was extremely worried about something terrible happening to her and treated her like fine china,


    resulting in him avoiding nearly all physical contact with her. The thought that she could not get pregnant


    again greatly infuriated Tara. This was all the fault of that wretched Sylvia! She had to throw herself off


    the stairs to force Odell¡®s hand in divorcing Sylvia! Although the truth was that she never nned to birth


    the child, to begin with, that fall had caused moreplications to her health than she bargained for!


    .


    A ck sports car was darting across the highway. Within twenty minutes, the car had arrived and


    stopped outside the door of the old residence. He peeked at the time. It was just past nine o¡®clock, and


    that woman probably was still around.


    Just as he was about to step out of the car, he noticed a slender figure emerging from the door.


    Odell turned his head in that direction.


    The weather was rather cold, so Sylvia was rubbing her hands together despite wearing a thick jacket.


    There was a thickyer of scarf wrapped around her feathered cor as well.


    Under the gentle moonlight, her fair cheeks seemed whiter and more reflective than usual.


    They seem to exude a fine light on their own.


    NEW


    Odell narrowed his eyes, then unbuckled his seatbelt and pushed the door open. Sylvia, who had just


    walked out, heard the door open and immediately turned to the source of the sound. When she saw


    Odell¡®s tall figure, she became startled and immediately took off. She did not bound toward him but went


    in the opposite direction instead. She vanished in the blink of an eye, like a rabbit escaping its predator.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    TITATISTICO


    The way she ran, one would think he was going to eat her!


    Isabel and Liam went back to kindergarten for two more days, and after that, winter breakmenced.


    Early that morning, Isabel had called Sylvia and requested her to take her and her brother to dinner


    earlier than usual to celebrate the arrival of the winter break. Knowing that Odell was going to be out on


    a business trip for the next few days, she dly agreed. After picking out two small gifts for Isabel and


    Liam during the afternoon, Sylvia went to their ce. The car that usually took them to and fro school


    was outside the entrance. They must have gotten home already.


    The door was also open, and Sylvia walked in brashly. When she got past the threshold of t living room,


    she called out, ¡°Liam, Isabel, I¡®m here. Are you guys here?¡±


    Only the soft, cutting sound of wind answered her. Sylvia was puzzled and stepped further inside. She


    saw Odell in the spacious living room. He wore a ck tight¨Cfitting shirt and was sitting by himself on the


    sofa drinking tea.


    There was not another soul in the living room apart from the housemaids serving him tea. Neither


    Madam Carter nor the children were present. Sylvia stopped. Although she did not want to see him at


    this moment, she questioned him all the same, ¡°Odell, where are Liam and Isabel?¡± Odell took a sip of


    his tea before giving an answer, ¡°They¡®re in the room.¡±

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211 Sylvia was just about to head towards their room. ¡°Stop,¡± hemanded. Sylvia looked at


    him again. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡±


    He shot a cross look at her. ¡°It¡®s only half¨Cpast five. Who let youe here at this time?¡±


    Sylvia formed a line with her lips and was about to say something when Madam Carter¡®s sharp voice


    came from inside the house, ¡°I did!¡± Immediately after that, she appeared at the bend around the


    corridor. Odell grimaced.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up, and she immediately went to the madam¡®s side. Madam Carter smiled and said to


    her, ¡°Syl, Isabel and Liam are changing in the room. Go check up on them.¡± ¡°Alright, Grandmother,¡±


    Sylvia answered and head up the stairs swiftly.


    Madam Carter then shot a displeased look at Odell. ¡°Didn¡®t I tell you this afternoon that Syl ising for


    dinner? Why are you talking to her like this? She¡®s just here to spend time with the kids and it shouldn¡®t


    bother you. If it bothers you so much, you can feel free to leave!¡±


    Sylvia, who had just climbed up the stairs, frowned when she overheard this and cast a look behind her


    shoulders.


    Obviously, Madam Carter was furious. Odell stopped drinking his tea and wore a wilted expression on his


    face. Sylvia muttered a silent curse at him before entering the children¡®s room. Liam was wearing a small


    suit with a red bow tied around the neckline. He was standing behind Isabel, helping Isabel zip up the


    back of her dress. With the fabric wrapped around her chubby frame, it was a rather adorable sight to


    see. Sylvia waited for him to zip up the dress before calling out to them, ¡°Liam, Isabel, I¡®m here.¡±


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The children turned to look at her in unison.


    Isabel was the first to pounce on her, her white dress fluttering in the air.


    Sylvia kissed them one after the other, then went to the living room with them.


    Madam Carter was chatting with the old housekeeper, and Odell was still there. Upon seeing that Sylvia


    and the kids were down, they all turned in their direction.


    Madam Carter eximed with pride, ¡°Oh, who is this darling? How is she so cute?¡±


    Isabel ran to her and threw herself into Madam Carter¡®s arms.


    The butler followed up with apliment, ¡°Young master and young miss look wonderful today.¡± Isabel


    answered cheerfully, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Maxworth! You look young and springy today


    too!¡±


    The butler was greatly entertained by thispliment.


    Madam Carter chuckled heartily before turning to Odell. ¡°Odell, why don¡®t you say something?¡±


    Treni


    Isabel turned ceremoniously to Odell as if to say that she would never let him hear the end of it if he did


    notpliment her. Odell announced dryly, ¡°Yes, very pretty indeed.¡± Isabel turned her nose up at him,


    ¡°You do have taste after all.¡±. Madam Carter burst outughing in response to this. The housekeeper and


    the other housemaidsughed as well. The room was filled with a cheery air that even Sylvia began


    laughing along That was until Odell¡®s cold and harsh gaze suddenly fell on her. Sylvia grimaced and held


    back her smile. She immediately became uneasy. She was justughing along; it was the others who


    had started it to begin with. It was clear as day that this man did not have the guts to confront Madam


    Carter, which was why he targeted her! Sylvia turned away from him with stark contempt and faced him


    with her back as she continued to chuckle with the others.


    ¨C


    Odell¡®s expression darkened. He rose and approach Sylvia in just a fewrge steps. Sylvia was taken


    aback by this sudden move and stumbled backward.

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212 Odell swept a nce at Sylvia and proceeded to take Isabel into his arms while turning to


    the housekeeper, ¡°Maxworth, prep dinner.¡± The butler proceeded to the kitchen.


    Madam Carter finally quieted down and turned to Sylvia. ¡°Syl, bring Liam here to join us for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Grandmother.¡± Sylvia quickly carried Liam and sat with the madam herself. Meanwhile, Odell


    took Isabel and sat across from Sylvia. The dinner was rather lively and everything was progressing


    civilly. After dinner, Sylvia spent time ying with Isabel and Liam as she always did before she took


    them to their bedroom and put them to bed. She onlye out after they fell asleep.


    Madam Carter and the housekeeper had gone to rest some time ago, so only Odell remained in the


    living room. She pretended to not notice him and walked quickly outside. ¡°Stop,¡± he suddenly called after


    her. She pretended not to hear and continued advancing. Just when she seemed like she was about to


    step out of the living room, the faint glimmer of arge shadow cast over her from behind. She felt her


    neck tightening. Odell grabbed her by the back of her cor and hissed grimly, ¡°Are you deaf? Didn¡®t you


    hear


    me?¡±


    Sylvia jerked her neck and asked in a discontent manner, ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    ¡°Turn around.¡± He released his grip on her cor.


    Sylvia knew that she could not outrun him. She took a few steps forward before turning around and


    regarded him with a pointed look from roughly two meters away.


    Odell was silent for a while, then he started solemnly, ¡°Come here.¡±


    Sylvia stood still. ¡°If you have something to say, now¡®s your time. I have to go home.¡±


    He looked at her severely. ¡°I¡®ll count to three. You decide for yourself.¡± His idle face was thinly veiled with


    hostility. Sylvia thought of Isabel and Liam and proceeded to take two steps toward him.


    Odell beckoned again. ¡°Right in front of me.¡± Sylvia took some liberty with her wording. ¡°Odell, isn¡®t it


    inappropriate for us to be meeting in


    private like this?¡±


    Odell ignored her pleas and cast a dark look at her.


    She added, ¡°Don¡®t I annoy you to no end? What the hell happened to you?¡±


    She looked puzzled and deeply troubled.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell ignored everything she said and continued frowning deeply.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes beamed as she smiled coyly. ¡°Odell, don¡®t tell me you¡®ve fallen for me?¡± His expression


    suddenly became fierce. ¡°Get out.¡± It was precisely what Sylvia was waiting for. The moment he uttered


    those words, she had already run a couple of meters away from him.


    She was out of the door in the blink of an eye.


    A thickset, gloomy cloud appeared over his face.


    ......


    Since it was the school holidays, Liam and Isabel no longer had to go to kindergarten during the day.


    Shortly after Sylvia woke up the next day, their tiny figures dashed toward her from the door.


    CA


    ¡°Mommy, Brother and I are here to visit you!¡± Isabel ran like a duckling with her feet waddling hastily in


    front of her.


    Liam was calmer in contrast. He strutted withposure behind his sister.


    Aunt Tonya was in the yard at the time, and when she saw them, she immediately dropped what she was


    doing and ran to them excitedly, ¡°Liam, Isabel, you kids are here!¡±


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, I missed you so much!¡± Isabel ran towards her and flung herself into her arms.


    Aunt Tonya smiled and hugged her before leading her and Liam into the living room. Soon, Sylvia joined


    them in the living room, where she spent her time showering them with hugs and kisses.


    This was the start of a joyful day. Sylvia yed with them all day and only sent them back to the Carters¡®


    after the sky had almost turned dark.


    The next day, they showed up at her ce again.


    It seemed clear enough that their holiday n was to spend time with her.


    Sylvia began nning the activities for each day. They would either stay at home together all day or she


    would take them somewhere nice.

 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213 Their days were productive and full of joy. Soon, five days had gone by.


    On this particr day, Sylvia took them to the fun fair and spent longer than usual at the fair. By the time


    she took them home, it was already dark.


    She parked her car in front of the entrance of the Carters¡® residence.


    Sylvia took Isabel and Liam out of the car in turn while the children looked at her with a lingering look.


    She patted their heads, smiled, and said, ¡°Go back and get some early rest. We can meet again


    tomorrow morning.¡± This seemed to do the job offorting them. Sylvia bent over and inched her face


    forward until she was right between them. As if synchronized, Isabel and Liam pecked a kiss on her


    cheeks on each side. Liam bade her farewell. ¡°Bye, Mommy.¡± Isabel yelled loudly, ¡°Mommy, I¡®ll see you


    tomorrow!¡± Sylvia smiled and assured them, ¡°Yeap, I¡®ll see you two tomorrow. Hurry up and go inside.¡±


    The two walked inside hand in hand.


    She only drew her gaze away after ensuring the two had gone inside.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    It was also at this time that she noticed something peculiar and nced in the direction of the second


    floor of the house. There was what seemed to be a balcony there, but there was no light inside. It was


    pitch¨Cck and nothing could be seen.


    0


    Sylvia nced at it for several seconds and walked back to her car. She drove back to her ce.


    Meanwhile, on that balcony, there was a tall figure hiding in the darkness. It was Odell leaning against


    the wall with his arms crossed his chest. His eyes followed Sylvia¡®s car as she drove away. He did not


    turn away until the car vanished out of sight at the intersection. He grimaced faintly. Five days, five full


    days. Ever since the start of the school holidays when she got to spend time with the children during the


    day, she had nevere to the house at night.


    Did she truly have no feelings for him, or was this her way of teasing him and building suspense?


    With the new year approaching, the general mood was more jovial than usual.


    Sylvia received invitations to various events, including ones from the Westchester Art Association or


    other woodworking associations.


    Even Emmanuel, of all people, called her and invited her to return home to celebrate the new year,


    speaking to her with an air of forgiveness for what happened between them.


    Sylvia refused and quickly hang up. Instead, she epted the invitation to a party hosted by the


    Westchester Art Association.


    Simon and the others would also be participating. They were all well¨Cacquainted friends, and she


    expected to have a good time at the party. Two dayster, in the evening, after she sent home Isabel and


    Liam who had been ying at her ce all day, she went straight to the venue.


    It was hosted in a five¨Cstar hotel.


    Sylvia ran into Christopher and Simon on the way to the hotel. They apanied her to the venue.


    As soon as she stepped inside, she was instantly captivated by therge hall and the bright lights


    illuminating the hall.


    It was certainly a huge venue, and there were already many people present. In addition to the people


    from the Art Association, she also noticed a good portion of industry leaders that she had met on certain


    asions while working in the woodworking studio. The party was not only an event reserved for those


    of the Arts Association but people from other industries as well. Christopher told them, ¡°Sylvia, Simon,


    feel free to look around. I¡®m heading outside for a bit.¡± Sylvia and Simon nodded pleasantly before


    Christopher quickly walked out. They got a ss of wine each and walked to a less crowded section of


    the venue in unison. They were not very fond of socializing. However, it did not take long before people


    began noticing them. First, it was members of the Art Association who came over to them to exchange


    pleasantries. Soon, people who heard about the arrival of the renowned Mr. Amos and Ms. Sunflower


    began flocking to them as well.

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214 They were very polite and very eager to meet the artists. Sylvia and Christopher were as


    receptive as they could be. After some time passed, the crowd finally dispersed. That was when a


    familiar figure emerged from the departing crowd and appeared before Sylvia. Sylvia was taken aback.


    It was Tristan in a slightly oversized white shirt. He wore a gentle smile and looked charming as usual.


    ¡°It¡®s been a while, Sylvia.¡±


    Sylvia smiled politely. ¡°It sure has.¡± He asked, ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Pretty good,¡± she answered. He


    made a look and suddenly said, ¡°I need to tell you something.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± He cast a look at Simon who


    was next to Sylvia. Simon received the message and stepped away without needing further prompts.


    Then, Tristan began telling Sylvia, ¡°My parents have spoken to your parents. My engagement to Sonia


    has been called off.¡± She answered with an unflinching expression, ¡°That¡®s your private affair. You don¡®t


    need to tell me.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    1


    ¨C


    His expression darkened, but he continued to wear the same smile on his face. ¡°I know, I just wanted you


    to know that Sonia probably won¡®t be causing trouble for you because of me anymore and that I¡®m sorry


    for what happened.¡± She had a wavering look and answered, ¡°It¡®s alright. It¡®s all in the past now.¡± ¡°Do you


    think we could still be friends moving forward?¡± He looked at her with an expectant gaze.


    Sylvia frowned subtly.


    That was when there was a suddenmotion at the entrance of the venue.


    Someone in the crowd cried out, ¡°It¡®s Master Carter and Ms. Tara!¡±


    The crowd immediately flocked towards that direction and soon opened up a path.


    Soon, Sylvia saw Odell and Tara zipping through the crowd.


    Odell was wearing a fitted ck suit thatplimented his stately figure. As soon as he stepped in, he


    drained the air out of the venue with his sheer presence.


    Bu


    Tara was wearing a luxurious, fine dress, and she hugged Odell¡®s arm tenderly with a satisfied smile that


    hung on her lips. The spot where Sylvia and Tristan stood was less crowded, to begin with, and now that


    everyone had gone to the entrance, it became entirely vacant. When Odell and Tara approached, they


    immediately caught sight of them. Tristan shed a polite smile while Sylvia pretended not to see them


    and turned to get something to eat. Christopher and the others came to know of the nature of the


    rtionship between Sylvia, Odell, and Tara back when they were in nchester City. Knowing that


    nearly all the members of the Art Association were present tonight, Sylvia did not want to make a fool of


    herself publicly.


    Odell¡®s face became twisted the moment he saw her walking away. He shot a hostile look at Tristan and


    Sylvia before taking Tara inside.


    When Tara noticed them, a look appeared in her eyes and she turned to Odell to whisper,¡° Odell, I think


    that¡®s Sylvia and Tristan. They seem to be getting along pretty well.¡± Odell frowned and looked at her


    sharply. ¡°They¡®re standing more than a meter apart. Where are you getting that impression from?¡± Tara


    averted the gaze in her eyes and quickly added, ¡°I noticed Tristan smiling quite happily. Looks to me that


    they¡®re quite happy together.¡± Smiling happily? How was it that he noticed no such thing? He nced at


    Sylvia and Tristan again. The crowd followed them like apdog and cut off his view. He could faintly see


    Tristan facing Sylvia, still more than a meter away from her, but he could not see the expression he wore


    or make out what he was saying: Had this man not given up on Sylvia yet? He grimaced with an


    unpleasant scowl. Tara saw the look on his face and asked anxiously, ¡°Odell, what¡®s the matter?¡± Odell


    sheathed the hostile look in his eyes and answered, ¡°It¡®s nothing.¡± He stopped looking at the pair and sat


    on a chair. Something gleamed in Tara¡®s eyes, then she sat beside him. Meanwhile, Tristan, who still had


    not received an answer from Sylvia, told her, ¡°You don¡®t have to trouble yourself over how to answer me.


    I understand now.¡± Sylvia turned to him. He curled his lips into a soft, gentle smile, the same smile he


    always wore.

 Chapter 215

    Only this time, there was a shade of red in his eyes.


    "Tristan, I...


    "You don''t have to say anything. I was the now who caused you so much hurt back then." He smiled and continued, "But I will always treat you as my friend. If you run into any trouble in the future and believe that I can be of help, juste to me without hesitation."


    Sylvia responded briskly, "Okay."


    Tristan turned and left.


    He walked straight towards the exit of the venue and vanished into the outside world.


    Sylviapressed her lips into a line and sighed deeply.


    Not far away, Simon, who noticed Tristan leaving, walked back to Sylvia''s side again. "Sylvia, the party is going to start soon. Let''s go over and get something to eat."


    "Alright."


    They walked to the section where the seating was arranged for the guests. Name cards could be seen on every seat.


    Coincidentally, Sylvia was ced at the same table as Odell and Tara. She was seated right opposite Odell and met his gaze the moment she arrived.


    She turned to a mutual acquaintance from the Art Association seated at the table next to them and asked, "May I exchange seats with you?"


    The man was startled.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    The guests at Sylvia''s table were all the most influential members of the industry. Who would ever turn down such an honor to dine with them?


    Although the man could notprehend why Sylvia would possibly want to change tables, he readily agreed.


    Sylvia took a seat at the next table. It just so happened that it was the only seat that would allow her to sit with her back facing Odell.


    A dark look appeared in Odell''s eyes upon noticing this.


    Tara was seated next to him and also noticed Sylvia''s presence. She noted the


    change in Odell''s expression.


    Since he disdained Sylvia so much, shouldn''t he be delighted that Sylvia removed herself? Why was it that he seemed even more upset?


    Tara was very puzzled by this reaction and sensed a deep unease in her heart.


    It was a very posh,te Victorian-themed party.


    After everyone was seated for dinner, the organizers invited bands to y on stage, so the atmosphere was rather lively.


    Most of the people with whom Sylvia shared the table were members of the Art Association, and there were a few familiar faces she recognized from her time in nchester.


    Sylvia had very pleasant conversations with them.


    The party progressed smoothly and soon, they were nearing its end.


    Sylvia had a lot to drink and needed to relieve herself, so she got up and went to the bathroom.


    After she was finished with her business, she washed her hands and nned to return to her seat. That was when she saw Odell standing in the dimly lit corridor.


    He leaned against one side of the wall with his arms crossed in front of him, casting an icy look at her the entire while.


    She jumped when she saw him. "Odell? Why are you here?"


    "Where''s Tristan?" he asked sullenly.


    She answered bluntly. "He left."


    Odell''s eyes flickered and asked, "Why did he leave?"


    Sylvia wondered what did Tristan leaving have anything to do with her. She replied, "I don''t know. If you want to know, you might as well ask him yourself."


    With that, she took a step forward and trotted on. She was going to move past him and head back to her table. As soon as she walked past him, he suddenly shifted across the corridor.


    She felt something tugging at her wrist. Almost by instinct, she violently shrugged his hands away from her.


    He stubbornly held onto her wrist, and in one rough motion, swung her against the wall. His statue-like figure pinned her against the wall and sealed off her path of escape.

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216 Sylvia hurriedly raised a hand to brace herself in front of him while ring at him in shock.¡±


    What are you doing? Let go!¡± Odell¡®s tall figure did not move, and his eyes looked at her coldly..¡°What


    are you in a rush for? Am I going to eat you?¡± She frowned and said, ¡°I¡®m not in a rush. I just want to go


    back to eat.¡±


    His expression showed contempt. ¡°I¡®ve been watching you. You started eating as soon as you sat down


    and only stopped toe to the washroom. What, haven¡®t you eaten enough?¡±


    Sylvia did not expect him to watch her eat. A strange feeling enveloped her body. She continued to press


    her hands against his chest and snapped, ¡°Yes, I haven¡®t eaten enough. Let go of me!¡±


    Odell sneered. ¡°Are you a pig?¡±


    She ate more than twice his usual meals. Did she not have enough yet?


    Sylvia was speechless. Her throat got choked up, and her cheeks reddened. However, no one knew if it


    was because of anger or from their ambiguous distance. She was so angry that she punched him. ¡°Odell


    Carter, if you don¡®t let me go, don¡®t me me for being rude to you!¡± Odell raised his brows. ¡°How exactly


    are you going to be rude to me?¡± The look in his eyes was contemptuous and mocking as he red at


    her like she was a dog with all bark and no bite. Sylvia could not stand it, so she lifted her foot and


    stomped heavily on the top of his shoe.


    The ¡®bam¡® that rang out was very loud.


    ..


    However, his tall figure remained motionless in front of her.


    She looked up at him. Odell was looking at her, the corners of his lips pursed coldly, and his gaze frigid.


    Sylvia shrunk slightly and asked in a soft voice, ¡°Doesn¡®t it hurt?¡± He smiled. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. Their eyes locked for a while, and Sylvia shoved him again. He stood still.


    She could not help but say, ¡°Odell, I¡®m serious. If you don¡®t let go, I¡®ll really be rude to you.¡±


    He raised his brows. ¡°Try me.¡±


    Sylvia instantly raised her knee and was just about to hit his groin.


    However, at that moment, his tall figure suddenly took a step forward. He pushed back the leg that she


    had not lifted, and her back also instantly hit the wall. His handsome and cold face closed in and pressed


    against her face. Immediately, her lips were firmly sealed by his. Sylvia thought, ¡®This son of a¨C!¡®


    Her arms trapped between his chest were about to be deformed! At the same time, around the corner of


    the corridor, Tara had been standing there for a while. When she saw this scene, her face turned white,


    and her hands clenched fiercely.


    The long corridor was silent. After an unknown amount of time, Odell finally let go of Sylvia. Sylvia¡®s face


    was red, and she was just about to raise her hand to p him. However, he caught her hand in mid¨Cair. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    His hand was very strong, and his palm was hot. She frowned and red at him. ¡°Odell Carter, are you


    insane?!¡± His thin lips curled up, and his dark eyes locked on her scarlet face. After a moment, he said in


    a low and husky voice, ¡°Don¡®t hide from me when you see me in the future. Otherwise, I¡®ll teach you a


    lesson.¡± Then, he dropped her hand and turned to leave. Sylvia was instantly relieved, but her brows


    were still tightly furrowed. Looking at his distant back, she could not help but curse in her heart, ¡®There


    must be a few screws loose in his brain!¡® She quickly ran to the washroom, washed her hands, and


    rinsed her face with cold water. She only walked out after her brain cleared up.


    T

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217 Odell was probably already back at the venue. Sylvia really did not want to see him.


    She sent a message to Simon saying that she had to leave first, then took another exit to leave the


    hotel.


    After leaving the hotel, she went back home.


    When she returned, she took another shower and changed her clothes. The strange feeling that


    enveloped her body dissipated greatly.


    ¡®It¡®s impossible for that man to have feelings for me. He¡®s either tired of Tara, or he wants to take


    advantage of me because I¡®m not bad¨Clooking.


    ¡®Either way, he¡®s just a scumbag!¡®


    Sylvia cursed him a few times in her heart and took out her phone to call Isabel and Liam,


    When she heard their soft and childish voices, her restless mood soon regained its calm,


    At the hotel, the evening party ended on pime.


    Odell nced at Sylvia¡®s empty seat, and his face clouded with a cold expression.


    ¡°That woman didn¡®te back after I returned. She obviously ran away.¡®


    He got up with a cold face and prepared to leave. Seeing this, Tara quickly followed and hurriedly took


    his arm. She pretended not to know anything and asked gently, ¡°Odell, you don¡®t look too good. Did


    something happen?¡± Odell restrained the cold look in his eyes and replied, ¡°No.¡±


    Soon, they left the hotel.


    A cold breeze blew, and Tara immediately shrank and pressed her body to him.


    Odell frowned, then took off his coat and draped it over her body. Tara¡®s eyes lit up, but she quickly said,


    ¡°I¡®m not that cold, Odell. You can wear it yourself.¡± ¡°I¡®m fine,¡± he said. Then, he wrapped an arm around


    her shoulder and walked forward.


    The driver had already brought the car over and parked it right in front of the hotel. When he saw Tara


    and Odelling over, he opened the car door for them, so they got in. Half an hourter, the car


    stopped outside Tara¡®s residence in Lake Victoria Vi.


    She reached out to hug one of his arms and looked at him gently. ¡°Odell, it¡®s veryte now. Why don¡®t


    you stay here tonight?¡±


    ¡°No, I still have work to do.¡± Odell was just about to pull her hand away. Tara¡®s eyes darkened, and she


    lowered her head, saying in a soft voice, ¡°You haven¡®t been with me for a long time. Are you tired of me?¡±


    Odell frowned. After a moment of silence, he raised his hand to touch her head and said in a warm voice,


    ¡°Don¡®t be ridiculous. I won¡®t get tired of you.¡± She looked up at him with reddened eyes. ¡°Then, can you


    stay with me?¡± ,


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Her sad and aggrieved appearance instantly made him feel a bit guilty. Indeed, he had not apanied


    her for a long time. After a few more seconds of silence, he said, ¡±Okay, I¡®ll tell Cliff to bring the


    documents hereter.¡±


    Tara immediately jumped into his arms, but she cried, ¡°I¡®m sorry, I don¡®t want to disturb your work. I just


    want to spend every moment with you. If you¡®re busy, you should go back to the office. I¡®ll be fine.¡±


    Odell raised his hand and hugged her. ¡°You¡®re not disturbing me. I¡®m the one who has neglected you.¡±


    ¡°But you still have things to take care of.¡® He coaxed her patiently, ¡°The office isn¡®t far from here. It won¡®t


    take long for Cliff to deliver the documents to me.¡±


    Tara¡®s lips curled up in his embrace. The uneasiness that had been bottled up in her heart for a long time


    also went away. However, when she thought of Sylvia and the scene of Odell kissing her, a touch of


    sinister jealousy suddenly surfaced in Tara¡®s eyes. ¡®I have to find a way to stop that b*tch Sylvia from


    approaching and seducing Odell!¡®

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218 The next few days, Isabel and Liam came to find her every morning. It was New Year¡®s


    Eve. Sylvia had just finished her breakfast and was about to wait for them toe over when she


    received a call from Isabel.


    The little girl grumbled over the phone, ¡°Mom, that baddie won¡®t let Liam and me go to you.¡±


    Her girlish voice was tinged with a sob. She probably had a fight with Odell.


    Sylvia quickly coaxed her. ¡°It¡®s okay. It¡®s New Year¡®s Eve today. You and Liam can stay at home.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°But we want to see you.¡± Sylvia wanted to see them more than anything, but she could


    not deal with Odell at all. After thinking about it, she said, ¡°Be a good girl. It¡®s only for today. It¡®ll be over


    soon.¡± Isabel did not say anything. She was probably pouting unhappily. Sylvia said, ¡°Listen to Mommy,


    okay, Isabel?¡± Isabel let out a hum.


    Then, Liam¡®s voice rang out from the phone. ¡°Don¡®t worry, Mom. Isabel and I will be good.¡± Sylvia smiled.


    ¡°Good boy, Liam.¡± Soon, she hung up the phone. She put on her down jacket and walked toward the old


    Carter residence.


    She wanted to see if she could go in and meet the two little ones. She had not said that she was going to


    look for them on the phone because she did not want to give them hope. They would be very sad and


    disappointed if she could not enter. Not long after, she arrived at the mansion on foot. Coincidentally, a


    white luxury car drove over and stopped in front of her, so Sylvia had no choice but to halt.


    Tara stepped out from inside the car, wearing a limited edition cashmere coat. She raised her chin and


    looked


    a with a cold and arro rant smile. ¡°V


    bu here?¡±


    allUKAIILLILIIT


    She acted as if she was already the mistress of this ce. Sylvia ignored her and walked around to go to


    the gate. She looked at the guard and said, ¡°I¡®m here to see the children. Please open the gate.¡±


    The guard hesitated and looked at Tara.


    Tara said coldly, ¡°If I remember correctly, Odell only allows you to see the children for an hour at night.


    You¡®re not allowed toe here during the day, right?¡± She frowned and continued to look at the guard.


    She often came here, so she was familiar with the guard.


    However, the guard seemed to be afraid of offending Tara, so he turned his head away and pretended


    not to see Sylvia. Tara immediately smiled. ¡°Sylvia, hurry up and leave. Odell will definitely be unhappy if


    he sees you when hees out to pick me up.¡± Sylvia did not listen to her finish speaking and simply


    left. Tara¡®s expression froze for a moment. She looked at Sylvia¡®s back and cursed in a low voice, ¡°B


    *tch.¡±


    It did not take long for Sylvia to reach the intersection where she had to turn. As she waited for the light


    to turn green, she turned around inadvertently and saw two figures outside the mansion.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell had alreadye out. He held her in his arms, perhaps afraid that she was cold. The two figures


    were very intimate.


    Sylvia felt it was an eyesore and instantly turned her head. As soon as the light turned green, she quickly


    walked toward the opposite side of the road. At this time, outside the mansion, Tara turned her head and


    saw that Sylvia¡®s figure was gone, and she finally left Odell¡®s arms. Then, she opened the trunk and


    carried out several exquisite gift boxes. ¡°Odell, I carefully selected some gifts for Grandmother. Help me


    take them to her.¡± Odell smiled. ¡°You didn¡®t have to.¡°. ¡°Of course, I did. I just want Grandmother to be


    healthy and happy.¡± Tara curled the corners of her mouth in a gentle and considerate smile. Odell


    thought of Madam Carter¡®s disgust and rejection of Tara, but Tara remained so polite and kind¨Chearted.


    His eyes could not help but warm. He raised his hand and touched her head. ¡°You go back first. I¡®lle


    to find you in the evening.¡±

 Chapter 219

    .


    Chapter 219 Tara happily replied, ¡°Okay, I¡®ll wait for you to have New Year¡®s Eve dinner together.¡±


    Odell hummed. Tara soon drove the car away and left. Odell nced toward the intersection leading to


    Sylvia¡®s ce.


    ¡®Why hasn¡®t that womane over yet? Doesn¡®t she want to see the children?¡® He stood there for a


    while longer. There was only the asional vehicle passing by the intersection, but no one came. His


    expression sank, and he turned around and went into the gate.


    Sylvia helped Aunt Tonya with work at home all day. After the house was cleaned, they put up


    decorations for the New Year. In the afternoon, she went to the kitchen to make some snacks.


    After eating lunch with Aunt Tonya, she brought the snacks and went to the old Carters¡® residence.


    It was almost 8 p.m. by now.


    The guard at the gate opened the door for her directly. Soon, Sylvia arrived in the living room.


    In the warm living room, Isabel and Liam were both wearing cute home clothes and sitting beside


    Madam Carter, watching TV with her. Next to them was an old butler.


    11


    Sylvia was instantly relieved when she did not see Odell.


    The moment the two little ones saw her, their eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel jumped off the


    sofa and pounced on Sylvia like a gust of wind. Liam followed her closely. Sylvia bent down and hugged


    and kissed them. Then, she gave them the snacks she brought. She went over to the sofa and handed a


    box of still¨Cwarm pastries to Madam Carter.¡± Grandmother, I¡®ve made some peach pastries for you. Try


    them.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Madam Carter took her by the wrist and pulled her to sit beside her. She pretended to be annoyed and


    said, ¡°Why are you cooking for the New Year? I¡®m already happy enough that you came to see an old


    woman like me.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and opened the box. The fragrant smell of the pastries instantly wafted out. Although


    Madam Carter said she did not want to eat, her hand was already holding a piece of pastry. She took a


    bite and happily praised, ¡°It¡®s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Mm¨Chmm! Mommy makes the best pastries,¡± Isabel echoed beside her while eating. Although Liam did


    not say anything, he also picked up the snacks and kept eating them.


    Sylvia was sincerely happy.


    Odell did note back. He was probably spending New Year¡®s Eve with Tara. Sylvia stayed there until


    almost 10 p.m. and waited for the two little ones to fall asleep before she left.


    .


    It was only when she got home that she saw Sherry¡®s car. Sherry got out of her car. ¡°Syl, why are you


    back sote? Come on, let¡®s spend the countdown together!¡±


    IS


    T SITTEET


    THE


    *


    She walked up to Sylvia, hugged her hand, and dragged her toward the car. Sylvia quickly said, ¡°Wait, let


    me tell Aunt Tonya first.¡± Sherry immediately followed her into the mansion. Aunt Tonya had already


    washed up and was sitting on the sofa in her pajamas, taking a nap. She was obviously waiting for Sylvia


    to return. Sylvia woke her up and told her to go back to her room to sleep. Then, Sherry and she went to


    Lush Heaven where the New Year celebration was in full swing. When Sylvia arrived, the atmosphere


    was already very lively. A group of people swayed to the booming music while the host was holding a mic


    and preparing for the countdown. Sherry was the owner, so she brought Sylvia straight to the best


    viewing position on the second floor.

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220 The waiter came up to them.


    Sherry boldly pped the wine list in front of Sylvia. ¡°Syl, order whatever you want. Don¡®t hold back on


    my ount. Sylviaughed. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she ordered two drinks with the lowest alcohol content, which


    were cheaper byparison. Sherry looked at her in disappointment and said to the waiter, ¡°Bring up


    our best wine.¡± Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°No, you know that I can¡®t drink well.¡± Sherry smiled. ¡°You can¡®t


    drink, but I can. We¡®re not leaving sober tonight.¡± Sylvia hummed helplessly. ¡°Fine.¡±


    This was Sherry¡®s territory anyway. Besides, it was New Year¡®s Eve. The most important thing was to


    have a good time. Soon, the waiter came up with a trolley of drinks.


    Sherry opened one bottle directly and said, ¡°Let¡®s have a toast, Syl.¡±


    Sylvia raised her ss and clinked it with her bottle.


    LIITUN


    LULUI


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherryughed. ¡°Cheers to us two homeless people on New Year¡®s!¡± Then, she drank straight from the


    bottle. Sylvia took a sip and saw that Sherry was still chugging, and immediately said, ¡°Hey, slow down.¡±


    ¡°Phew, that hit the spot.¡± After downing half the bottle in one breath, Sherry put down the bottle and said


    to Sylvia, ¡°Don¡®t worry, it¡®s not like you don¡®t know my alcohol tolerance.¡± Sylvia knew that Sherry would


    not get drunk no matter what, so she stopped bothering to nag her.


    The lively scene below continued. Sherry drank a few bottles and soon got inebriated. Before Sylvia


    could react, she jumped straight down to the stage below. As soon as she appeared, all of Lush Heaven


    seemed to bubble with excitement, and the crowd mored for her to dance. Sherry did not hold back


    and performed a seductive pole dance with the pole on the stage. Sylvia became a little dizzy when she


    finished two sses of wine. Shey on the table and watched as Sherry continued to gyrate.


    The clock struck midnight on time. At Lake Victoria Vi, Taray in Odell¡®s arms, pleading with a face full


    of reluctance, ¡°Odell, can you not leave?¡±


    Odell touched her head. ¡°I¡®lle to see you tomorrow.¡± Tara held him and did not let go. He frowned,


    suppressing a trace of impatience in his heart. ¡°Be good, Tara.¡± He should have stayed at home to spend


    New Year¡®s Eve with his two children and grandmother. He had already spoiled Tara enough by staying


    with her until now. Tara had been with him for many years and knew what he was thinking through his


    bodynguage. When he said that, she immediately released him. However, her eyes were red, and she


    had an aggrieved expression.


    Odell frowned. He thought of her life experience.


    02


    Her mother had died early, and her father had married her stepmother when she was very young, leaving


    her with her grandparents and never caring about her again. Her grandparents had also died many years


    ago, so she had no one close to her now besides him. ¡°I¡®lle to see you as soon as possible


    tomorrow night. Go shopping with some friends if you¡®re bored during the day.¡± He took out a ck card


    from his wallet and ced it in his hands.


    Tara pursed her lips. ¡°Thank you, but I have my own money.¡± ¡°Rest early.¡°. Odell patted her shoulder


    again and stepped out. She watched him leave. Although she was disappointed at his departure, the


    ck card he gave her seemed to have no spending limit. It was a limited edition ck card.


    She immediately put the card in her pocket.


    At the same time, her phone rang. It was a message from the person she told to spy on Sylvia. ¡°Ms.


    Avery, Sylvia went to Lush Heaven with her friend.¡±


    Lush Heaven? Tara suddenly thought of something, and her expression went pale for a moment.

 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221 However, her expression soon


    went cold. Not long after that, she thought of something andughed sinisterly. Then, she pulled up


    the contacts that she had hidden.


    There was only one person on the list: Mr. Price.


    When she saw these two words, her face paled instinctively for a moment. Her eyes were filled with


    fear, unease, and disgust.


    She took a deep breath, typed a message, and sent it. ¡°Mr. Price, Happy New Year. I hear that


    you haven¡®t had a girlfriend for a long time. Have you met anyone suitable? I happen to know one that su


    its your tastes. Do you want to see her?¡± It took a long time before the other party replied. ¡°Show me.¡± Ta


    ra immediately sent him Sylvia¡®s photo. He did not reply. However, Tara knew that he had set his eyes on


    Sylvia.


    Meanwhile, Odell¡®s ck sports car stopped in front of the old residence. The guard immediately ran to o


    pen the door. Odell got out of the car and walked inside. As


    he strode, he asked, ¡°Did Sylviae over tonight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes flickered. ¡°Did she leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    His expression sank The guard was frightened by his expression and quickly stepped aside. Odell asked


    , ¡°When did she leave?¡± After thinking about it, the guard


    told the truth, ¡°She left when it was almost 10 p.m.¡± Odell¡®s expression went cold again. ¡®Isn¡®t she the typ


    e to do anything for her children? Why is she willing to leave her children on New


    Year¡®s Eve?¡® When the guard saw Odell¡®s unpleasant expression, he could not help but scoff in his


    heart, What time is it now? Of course, Ms. Ross left. Besides, wasn¡®t it you who said that she


    can onlye at 8 p.m. and has to leave at 9 p.m.?¡® Odell went to the


    children¡®s room to find Isabel and Liam sleeping soundly on the beds.


    After watching them for a while, he went back to his bedroom. He took a shower, sat by


    the bed, and turned on his phone.


    It was New Year¡®s today. Almost all the contacts on his phone sent him New Year wishes.


    Except for Sylvia.


    Never mind a text message, but she also did not send him any greetings on the other social tforms eit


    her.


    Thest time they spoke was when she had taken Isabel to her shoot. ¡®This damned woman. Doesn¡®t sh


    e know how to please me by sending me a New Year¡®s greeting?¡® Odell frowned and went to therge ter


    race.


    He picked up the binocrs and looked at Sylvia¡®s residence


    Her room was clearly lit, but the curtains were drawn, so he could not see anything inside.


    His eyes darkened for a moment, and he sent her a message. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Then, one minute, two minutes¡­ ten minutes passed, but his screen was still nk


    ¡®Is she asleep? No, she doesn¡®t sleep with


    the lights on Before we divorced, every time I go back home, if the room light is on, she¡®ll be awake. On th


    It rang six or seven times before it was connected,


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell was just about to speak when


    an unfamiliar male voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Hello, are you a friend of Ms. Ross?¡± Od

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222 The man replied politely, ¡°I¡®m a waiter at Lush Heaven. Ms. Ross drank too much, and Ms.


    Fowler went out somewhere. We really don¡®t know how to send Ms. Ross home. Would it be convenient


    for you toe and pick her up?¡± Odell¡®s expression eased up. However, when he thought about the


    fact that Sylvia had actually gone to Lush Heaven with Sherry and gotten drunk, his voice


    subconsciously cooled, ¡°Watch her. I¡®m going over now.¡± He hung up the phone, quickly changed out of


    his pajamas, and went out.


    In Lush Heaven, the nightlife was at its peak The crowd swayed to the booming music while the air was


    filled with the smell of alcohol, On the second floor, by the railings, Sylvia was drunk and confused she


    did not know when Sherry had left.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    At that moment, she sat up in a daze, wanting to ask the waiter to get her a ss of water,


    However, as soon as she turned around, she saw several young men in floral print shirts around her.


    Most of them had tattoos on their exposed arms, and their eyes stared intently at Sylvia


    ¡°Look, is she that woman we saw on Mr. Price¡®s phone just now?


    ¡°It seems like it¡®s her. Mr. Price told us to find her quickly, but I didn¡®t expect her to be right outside our


    room.¡±


    ¡°What are we waiting for? Bring her in and make Mr Price happy***


    The few men surrounded her.


    A waiter to the side hurriedly stopped them and said with an apologetic smile, ¡°Sirs, thisdy is a friend


    of our boss¡®s. Please find another woman.¡±


    ¡°Get lost. Even if your boss was here, she wouldn¡®t dare to insult Mr. Price!¡± ¡°Exactly. Don¡®t you know


    who Mr. Price is?¡±


    The waiter wanted to say something, but a man with blond hair shoved him aside.


    The few men immediately went to Sylvia¡®s side.


    Blondieughed vulgarly at Sylvia, ¡°Come with us, babe. Mr. Price really wants to get to know


    you.¡±


    Sylvia opened her eyes in a daze and asked them, ¡°Who are you?¡± Blondieughed. ¡°We¡®re good guys,


    but Mr. Price is even better.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s mouth curled in disgust. She was too drunk to have much sense at the moment, so she said


    bluntly, ¡°Do you think I¡®m blind? Your hair colors could paint a rainbow Did you escape


    from the gigolo club?¡± The blondie and the other men were speechless. It was their first time meeting¡®a


    woman who dared to say that about them. Soon, Blondieughed and said, ¡°Oh, she has spunk. Mr.


    Price will love her!¡°. Then, he said to the other men, ¡°Drag her in!¡± The men responded and went up to


    her.


    Sylvia was incredibly drunk and could not react, so they lifted her up like she was an object.


    E


    ¨C


    A few secondster, she was carried into the opposite room. The room shed with strobe lights, and


    several hot young women gyrated to the music. On the ck sofa sat a young man in a ck leather


    jacket. He had a very tall figure and seemed to be incredibly muscr. He also had a buzzcut, and below


    that was a bronze face. His facial contours were also very defined, and there was a clear knife scar at


    the corner of his right eye. He appeared shady and fierce, making him appear terrifying. ¡°Mr. Price, the


    woman you¡®re looking for is here.¡± After the men carried Sylvia in, they dropped her by his side. The


    man, Edmund Price, was stunned. ¡°Is it really her?¡± Blondie smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°You¡®ll know once you


    see her.¡± Edmund¡®s lips curled. He lowered his head toward Sylvia while taking a drag of his cigarette.


    Sylvia curled up on the sofa. The sofa was veryfortable and soft, so she suddenly felt like sleeping.


    When the pungent smell of cigarette smoke suddenly blew into her face, she unhappily opened her eyes


    and saw a young man smoking.


    The man curled the corners of his mouth up into a gangly and evil smile.

 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223 His smile was incredibly infuriating. Sylvia frowned and raised her hand to p his head.


    Whack! Edmund¡®s head snapped to the side, and the cigarette in his mouth fell to the ground. The entire


    room was instantly silent as Blondie and the others were dumbstruck. ¡®How dare she hit Mr. Price? She


    must be tired of living!¡®


    They looked at Sylvia again.


    However, she merelyid back down with her head resting on her hands and closed her eyes to sleep.


    Blondie and the others looked at Edmund in confusion. If he was upset, they would immediately throw


    Sylvia out!


    However, Edmund, who was the type to order a person¡®s hands and legs to be cut off when he was


    displeased, was not angry in the slightest. Instead, he smiled at Sylvia. He touched the spot where Sylvia


    hit him and grinned wickedly. ¡°Interesting.¡± Then, he lowered his head toward Sylvia again. Sylvia, who


    was sleeping, also sensed that something was wrong and quickly opened her eyes. Almost


    subconsciously, she reached out and hit him in the face


    Smack! The pnded soundly on Edmund¡®s face The room was engulfed in silence again. Edmund


    tilted his face and touched his beaten cheek with one hand while staring at Sylvia with wide eyes.


    Blondie and the others werepletely confused. Although Sylvia was drunk, she still had a basic sense


    of precaution. She sat up and moved back. With a flushed face, her eyes watched Edmund warily as she


    asked, ¡°Who are you? Stay away from me!¡± Edmund looked at her pretty scarlet face and smiled


    maliciously. ¡°You¡®re really interesting.¡± ¡®What¡®s interesting?¡® Sylvia did not understand at all. Her mind


    was unable to think straight now. She got off the couch and swayed to the exit. Blondie and the others


    immediately blocked her way. Edmund also got up and walked behind her. He lowered his head beside


    her ear and said in a raspy voice, ¡°I¡®m your future man.¡±


    Sylvia was shocked and moved to the side. However, he grabbed her waist with one hand. Almost


    subconsciously, she raised her knee directly into his groin. ¡°Hiss...¡± Edmund drew a cold breath and


    stepped back Sylvia¡®s drunken, red eyes red at him fiercely. ¡°Touch me again and I¡®ll cripple you!¡± No


    man could stand this kind of humiliation. Edmund immediately shouted to Blondie and the others, ¡°Tie


    her up! I¡®ll teach her a lesson today!¡± Blondie and the others immediately surrounded Sylvia.


    She raised her hands and fought them.


    However, she was too drunk, and her motor coordination suffered. After a few blows, someone tripped


    her.


    Blondie and the others immediately pulled off their ties and anything else they found that could be used


    to tie her up.


    Sylviay on the ground, trussed up like a turkey, and could not get up, so she iled her arms at them,


    scratching them asionally. ¡°Ow! Sh*t! Hold her hands down!¡± ¡°She¡®s gonna rip my face off!¡±


    ¡°Hiss¡­ Ow!¡±


    The process was tortuous, but Sylvia was eventually tied with her hands behind her back. With her


    hands and feet bound, she could only squirm on the ground like a worm.


    Blondie and the others gasped for breath.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    A man with his hair dyed green and his face full of bloody scratches said, ¡°This woman is too difficult to


    handle. Mr. Price, why don¡®t we just throw her out on the streets and let her freeze to death?

 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224 Edmund red at him. ¡°Get out of the way.¡± Then, he took a step forward and crouched


    down in front of Sylvia. He reached out and cupped her face, grinning at her. ¡°Girl, do you know what will


    happen if you offend me?¡± Sylvia spat at him. ¡°Bah! Let me go!¡± Edmund closed his eyes, wiped the


    saliva off his face, and pulled her into his arms. He looked at her like a hungry wolf eying a rabbit. ¡°Would


    you believe me if I said that I¡¯ll f*ck you here right now?¡± Sylvia spat at him again, rendering him


    speechless. Beside him, Blondie and Grasshead were also at a loss for words. ¡®What the hell? ¡®She¡®s still


    ying like that?¡® There was a moment of silence in the room.


    Edmund smiled coldly and looked at Sylvia with a fierce re. ¡°I¡®m going to teach you a lesson tonight. I


    swear on my name!¡±


    ht


    In an instant, he stood up and picked her up. Then, he threw her directly on the sofa. At the same time,


    the door was suddenly kicked open with a bang. A man¡®s tall and strong figure stood at the door frame.


    His sharp eyes looked straight at Sylvia, who was tied up on the sofa. Then, he stepped inside. Blondie


    and the others immediately blocked him and looked at him warily. Edmund also looked over. The strobe


    lights were still shing and soon illuminated the man¡®s cold and dangerous face. Edmund¡®s fierce eyes


    sud?enly went weak. He curled up the corners of his mouth in a smile. ¡± Master Carter, what brings you


    here today?¡°. Odell looked at Sylvia on the sofa and said in a cold voice, ¡°Tell your men to get lost.¡±


    Edmund saw him staring at Sylvia and chuckled. ¡°Master Carter, are you here to pick up this woman?¡±


    Odell ignored his words and reminded him, ¡°There¡®s a limit to my patience.¡± ¡°Okay. You guys, get out of


    the way. Don¡®t block Master Carter.¡± As soon as he spoke, Blondie and the others stepped aside. Odell


    walked straight up to Sylvia. Her eyes were half¨Cclosed. It was clear that she was quite drunk. She


    squirmed, trying to get rid of her shackles, and did not notice Odell¡®s arrival.


    His gaze went frigid, and he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Then, he turned and walked


    out. Just as he was about to leave, Edmund sneered, ¡°Master Carter, isn¡®t your woman Tara Avery? Did


    the target of your affections change?¡± Odell¡®s footsteps paused, and his brows furrowed. Two seconds


    later, he continued forward, not paying any attention to Edmund.


    Edmund sneered.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Ante


    Blondie and the others looked at his expression and knew that he was extremely displeased. A man with


    purple hair said, ¡°Mr. Price, Master Carter came alone. Why don¡®t we go now and snatch her back?¡±


    Edmund directly kicked him to the ground. ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    Snatch her away from Odell? Even if we get her back now, we¡®ll all be finished by tomorrow morning!


    However...! Edmund raised his hand and touched his chin. The corners of his lips curled up again. ¡®This


    woman is really interesting. I really do want to steal her away.¡®


    Outside the nightclub, the cold wind suddenly blew in Sylvia¡®s face. She shivered from the cold, only to


    find that she was being carried by someone. She raised her hand and pped his back, muttering, ¡°Let


    me down...¡± Odell¡®s expression turned hard, and he quickened his pace. When he reached the car, he


    opened the door and threw her in. Then, he sat in the driver¡®s seat. Sylvia squirmed around in the


    passenger seat, looking at him with drunk and watery eyes. When she saw his cold and handsome face,


    she asked in confusion, ¡°Why do you look like that jerk, Odell Carter?¡±

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225 Odell was speechless. He looked at her watery and innocent eyes and her face that was


    flushed red. His heart suddenly felt choked.


    ¡®If not for the fact that she¡®s drunk, I¡®d have thrown her out of the car!


    After a moment, he swallowed his anger and said coldly, ¡°Sit still.¡±


    Sylvia immediately tilted her head, her limpid eyes looking at him like he was an alien. ¡°Why does your


    voice sound like that jerk too?¡±


    Odell¡®s expression darkened. He pped her on the back of her head, making her face turn to the other


    side, and helped her to fasten her seatbelt. Sylvia was already dizzy. Now, she was enveloped by the


    warm air in the car, and the seat under her was extrafortable. Eventually, she closed her eyes and


    slept soundly.


    Odell also drove the car at ease.


    Half an hourter, the car pulled up outside her ce.. The door was locked and required her fingerprint


    to open. He carried her out of the car, untied the rope binding her hands, and used her fingers to try and


    unlock the door. It opened with the second finger.


    Then, he carried her in. He soon arrived at her bedroom. The bedroom light was lit, and the furnishings


    inside were simple and neat. Odell went to the bed and dumped her on it. Instantly, Sylvia touched the


    soft bed and let out a content moan.


    This sound made the man stiffen up. He looked down at her to see her pink face facing him. Her eyes


    were closed, and her thickshes were long and curved. Her little face looked particrly charming.


    He pursed his lips and swallowed.


    Reason told him to keep calm. He nudged her head and said, ¡°Cover yourself with the quilt.¡±


    Sylvia frowned in annoyance and turned her back to him. Naturally, she did not cover herself with the


    quilt. Odell resisted the urge to throw her off the bed and bent down to her body. Hisrge hands pulled


    the quilt that was pressed under her and used it to coves her body. At that moment, Sylvia, who was


    lying with her back to him, suddenly turned her head. The tip of her nose brushed against his chin.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell¡®s movements stalled, and his eyes heated up to She still had her eyes closed with a drowsy look.


    However, her charming cheeks and red lips were right in front of him.


    He had always lived a totally clean life. He was never that keen on that aspect, and he certainly never


    kept and yed around with women, but he was still a normal m?n. Therefore, his body obviously had


    an uncontrolled reaction now. As his throat bobbed, he raised his hand and touched her little face. At that


    moment, Sylvia suddenly reached out and hugged him.


    Odell felt like a fire was burning out of control. He immediately lowered his head. However, she did the


    same and buried her face in his chest, thus his kissnded on her head.


    Then, he heard her mutter, ¡°Grandmother, I miss you so much.¡±


    Odell was speechless. The bedroom window was obviously closed, but there seemed to be a cold


    current blowing in. At that moment, all his agitation disappeared with the word ¡®Grandmother¡®. His body


    stiffened. A few secondster, he released her. However, Sylvia clung to him, crying out, ¡°Grandmother,


    don¡®t go.¡±


    Odell was at a loss for words. His cold expression seemed to crack.


    The woman in his arms was tender and soft, and she clung to him tightly. It was quite different from how


    she usually angered him when she saw him. She was incredibly lovable. After a long time, he raised his


    hand and touched the back of her head. She immediately nuzzled her face in his chest. The restlessness


    rushed to his brain again, and his body froze. However, when he remembered that she was treating him


    as her grandmother, the restlessness disappeared again. After a long time, when she fell asleep in his


    arms, he released her, turned around, and left her bedroom.

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226 In the early morning, sunlight was cast through the gap between the curtains. Sylvia


    opened her eyes. Immediately, a headache rushed up to her head, and her mouth felt dry too. She sat


    up and looked around in confusion.


    ¡®Isn¡®t this my bedroom? How did I get here? I remember drinking too muchst night and falling asleep


    on the table. Did Sherry bring me back?¡® Just then, her phone rang. It was Sherry. Sylvia answered the


    phone. Sherry¡®s anxious voice sounded. ¡°Syl, where are you? Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡®m at home.¡± Sylvia


    frowned and asked, ¡°Wasn¡®t it you who sent me backst night?¡± ¡°Something happened to mest night.


    I can¡®t exin now, but anyway, I wasn¡®t the one who sent you back. I heard one of my waiters say that


    he answered your phone when your friend called, and it was your friend who came and took you away.


    However, something happened along the way. It seems you were brought to Mr. Price¡®s room. I heard


    that it was your friend who went in and took you away. Someone saw that you were all tied up then.¡±


    Sherry breathed a sigh of relief after she spoke. ¡°I thought that friend of yours might have taken


    advantage of you, but it seems they really sent you back.¡± Sylvia was stunned. ¡°Who¡®s Mr. Price?¡± She


    did not remember anything.


    ¨C


    ¡°His name is Edmund Price. He¡®s a famous gangster in Westchester City. No one in the city dares to


    mess with him,¡± Sherry said guiltily, ¡°I¡®m sorry, Syl. I almost let something happen to you. I won¡®t let


    something like this happen again.¡± ¡°It¡®s okay. I¡®m fine, so don¡®t worry.¡± After chatting a little more, she


    hung up the phone. Then, she immediately opened her call log. There was a call at 1 a.m. It was from


    Odell, and the call hadsted a little over a minute.


    She was already lying on the table at midnight, so she could not have answered the phone at 1 a.m.


    .


    ¡®So, the person who went to Lush Heaven and brought me back was Odell?¡®


    She soon saw the unread messages on her social media tform.


    There were many New Year greetings from the Art Association and other people she knew. However, the


    most eye¨Ccatching one was the one from Odell. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    It was sent ten minutes before he called her.


    ¡®He probably called me because I didn¡®t reply. But shouldn¡®t he have been with Tara at that


    time? Why did he send me a message?¡®


    Sylvia looked at herself. She was still wearing yesterday¡®s clothes, but there was a man¡®s tie tied around


    her ankle. There was even a shoe on the bed.


    Odell had clearly simply dumped her on the bed and left.


    ¡®No matter what, he was the one who sent me backst night. If he hadn¡®t appeared in time. I might¡®ve


    been bullied by that man named Edmund.¡¯


    She sent him a message. ¡°Thank you for sending me backst night.¡± After sending it, she got up and


    went to the bathroom. Her body still reeked of alcohol, and she needed a good wash.


    After the shower, she came out and heard her phone ring.


    It was Odell. She answered the call and asked curiously, ¡°Why are you calling me?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± His voice was cold and tinged with annoyance. Sylvia said, ¡°I just finished


    showering.¡± Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227 Odell was silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Isabel and Liam miss you. Come over


    quickly.


    Hearing that she could go see the children, Sylvia immediately said, ¡°Okay, I¡®ll be right over.¡± She hung


    up the call and was just about to put down her phone when she suddenly saw an unread message pop


    up on the screen. It was the reply that Odell sent her when she sent the thank you message to him


    twenty minutes ago.


    He said, ¡°Don¡®t overthink it. I only picked you up for Isabel and Liam¡®s sake.¡±


    .


    A short whileter, he sent another message. ¡°Also, if you dare to get drunk again in the future, don¡®t


    even think about seeing them again!¡±


    Sylvia thought about what Sherry had said about Edmund and was a little scared. She replied,¡± Don¡®t


    worry. I won¡®t overthink it. I wish you a Happy New Year, and that Tara and you will always stay together.


    ¡°I drank too muchst night purely by ident. It won¡®t happen again, but thank you for sending me


    back.¡± After sending the message, she put on her clothes and went downstairs.


    ALL


    Meanwhile, at the old Carters¡® mansion, Odell sat on the sofa in his living room, looking at the message


    Sylvia sent on his phone screen. When he saw her say she would not overthink it and wished that Tara


    and he would always stay together, his brows furrowed. ¡®I divorced her because of Tara, and she


    targeted Tara multiple times. How can she be generous enough to give us her blessings? She must be


    faking it.¡¯ After a moment, he put down his phone, got up, and left the room. Downstairs, in the living


    room, Isabel was wearing a red dress, and her hair was tied in two little buns.


    UM


    Liam and her, who were wearing matching clothes, were giving Madam Carter their New Year greetings.


    Liam said, ¡°Great¨Cgrandma, Happy New Year.¡± Isabel echoed, ¡°I wish you happiness for the rest of your


    life!¡± ¡°Hahaha, a. I also wish you two happy and joyful days.¡± Madam Carter smiled and took out two


    envelopes from behind her, handing them to the kids, ¡°This is a present for you. Keep it well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Great¨Cgrandma!¡± Isabel jumped into her arms and gave her a kiss. Then, she


    opened the envelope and looked inside with wide eyes. There was a bank card and a few shiny little gold


    bars.


    After looking at the contents, she came up to Liam and asked in a whisper, ¡°Liam, what¡®s in


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    yours?¡±


    ¡°It should be the same as yours.¡± Liam put the envelope into the small bag she specially carried around


    her waist.


    Isabel hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Thanks, Liam, but I just want the gold bars. I¡®ll keep


    your bank notes for you first.¡± Liam stroked her head. ¡°Sure.¡± To the side, Madam Carter was amused by


    their serious appearances. Odell also came down the stairs at this time. His tall figure marched in front of


    them while he looked at them with his hands behind his back.


    .


    Madam Carter saw this and hurriedly said to the children, ¡°Liam, Isabel, wish your Daddy a Happy New


    Year.¡± Isabel pouted.


    ¡®Great¨Cgrandma said she¡®s not as rich as Baddie. That means Baddie will give us more money than


    Great¨Cgrandma.¡® However, when she thought of how Odell bullied her mother, she got annoyed again.


    ¡°Isabel, hurry up and greet your Daddy Happy New Year,¡± Madam Carter urged with a smile and even


    winked at her. ¡®Forget it. It¡®s just saying Happy New Year. Isabel swallowed her anger, raised her chubby


    face, and shouted, ¡°Happy New Year, Baddie!¡± The words were supposed to be said as a blessing, but


    her indignant look made it seem as if she was scolding him.


    Madam Carter and the old butler to the side did not know whether tough or cry. Nevertheless, Odell did


    not bicker with her and gave them an envelope each.

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228 Isabel took the envelope and ran away to open it. Liam nced toward the door and sat


    down on the sofa.


    The two little ones¡® mutterings soon sounded.


    Isabel said, ¡°Liam, what did Baddie give us? I can¡®t understand it.¡± Liam said, ¡°It¡®s and deed.¡± ¡°What¡®s


    and deed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a house. Dad gave us each a house.¡±


    ¨C


    .


    Just as they were murmuring to each other, Sylvia walked in from outside. She wore a sweater with a hat


    on her head. There was no makeup on her clean and fair face, but her bright smile and delicate features


    were more brilliant than the sun outside. Odell narrowed his eyes. Isabel and Liam, who were discussing


    inside the house, also saw her. Theirrge eyes froze for a moment.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    .


    Then, Isabel immediately scurried toward her like a little rabbit. ¡°Mommy! Happy New Year!¡± She


    excitedly ran up to Sylvia who picked her up. Although Liam was not as excited as Isabel, his lips also


    curled up. He walked up to her and said, ¡°Happy New Year, Mommy.¡°.. Sylvia put Isabel down and


    hugged him too. Then, she took out two bulging envelopes from behind her back. Isabel¡®s eyes instantly


    lit up, and Liam pursed his lips into a smile. Sylvia bent down and pressed the envelopes into their


    hands. She stroked their heads and said with a smile, ¡°Isabel, Liam, this is Mommy¡®s gift to you. I hope


    that you¡®ll be happy and joyful every day.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mommy!¡± Isabel puckered her lips and kissed her


    on the cheek. Liam went up and kissed her other cheek. Then, the little miser Isabel dragged Liam to the


    side to open the envelope. Sylvia went to the living room and immediately saw the man sitting on the


    sofa. He wore a casual ck shirt and held a teacup in his hand, drinking tea.


    .


    ..


    When she looked over, he also nced toward her. His gaze was as cold and indifferent as usual.


    Thinking aboutst night, she took the initiative to smile and said sincerely, ¡°Happy New Year, Odell.¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes flickered. ¡°Mm.¡±


    He still put on airs. Sylvia did not say anything else to him and went to Madam Carter. She smiled and


    said to the old woman, ¡°Grandmother, Happy New Year. I wish you good health and luck.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,


    come sit down.¡± Madam Carter had been waiting for Sylvia toe. She immediately dragged Sylvia


    over and asked with a smile, ¡°Tell me a secret. Have you released any new work recently?¡± Sylvia smiled


    and took out a painting from the backpack behind her. The painting was not thatrge. It was the perfect


    size to be framed and hung in a room. The painting was of a winter scene with a red plum tree full of


    flowers standing amidst the snowy sky. Realistic snowkes of different sizes fluttered in the painting,


    and the plum blossoms were so red and gorgeous that they looked real. This painting technique was


    Sylvia¡®s usualstyle. It was realistic and not exaggerated, but beautiful, bold, and a bit wild. It was


    obviously a bleak winter scene, but it gave people a kind of steadfast and unwavering energy. In short,


    Madam Carter only took a nce at it and seemed to enter the world of the painting

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229 ¡°It¡®s beautiful. This painting is beautiful!¡± Madam Carter held the painting in an excited but


    controlled manner for fear of crumpling it. Sylvia smiled. ¡°Grandmother, this painting is a New Year¡®s gift


    just for you.¡± Madam Carter clutched the painting tightly with both hands and said in embarrassment,


    ¡°Oh, that¡®s too much!¡± Sylviaughed. ¡°I¡®m just d you like it.¡± ¡°Haha, since it¡®s a gift for me, I¡¯ll ept


    it,¡± Madam Carter spoke cheerfully and took out another envelope from her side. She took Sylvia¡®s hand,


    ced the envelope in her hand, and said with a smile, ¡°Syl, I specially prepared this for you. Since I


    received your painting, you have to ept this too.¡± Sylvia could only say, ¡°Okay. Thank you,


    Grandmother.¡± She ced the envelope into her bag.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Madam Carter happily continued to admire the painting as Sylvia exined it to her from time to time.


    On the other side, Isabel and Liam were sitting on the ground, counting their New Year¡®s money. In


    addition to a wooden carving from Sylvia¡®s envelope, the cash,nd deed, and small gold and silver bars


    were all lined up in front of Isabel.


    ¡°One dor, two dors, three dors... one hundred dors, two hundred dors...¡± Isabel first ced the


    gold bars into her small bag neatly, then added all of the cash that Sylvia gave into the bag, and finally


    frowned at the twond deeds.


    She asked Liam again, ¡°Liam, is this worth anything?¡±


    Liam smiled back at her. ¡°Yeah.¡± Isabel immediately put the twond deeds into her small bag as well.


    Liam simply watched with a smile: The atmosphere in the living room was very lively. An old maid at the


    side looked at this scene and inexplicably felt her eyes redden. After all, the house was always cold and


    quiet during New Year in the previous years. Odell was silent, Liam was more withdrawn and only liked


    to y with his Rubik¡®s cube, and Madam Carter could not stay long before she got bored and went back


    to her room to rest. Now, Sylviaughed with Madam Carter while Isabel and Liam squatted together and


    chattered.


    Although Odell was still drinking tea alone, it was easy to see the pleased look on his face.


    This was what a real New Year looked like.


    Before she knew it, it was time for lunch. Sylvia stood up and said, ¡°Grandmother, I¡®ll go back now.¡±


    Madam Carter grabbed her hand in reluctance and said, ¡°Don¡®t go back. Join us for lunch.¡± Isabel and


    Liam sat beside her, both looking at her eagerly.


    In response, Sylvia subconsciously looked at Odell.


    He was drinking tea. When he noticed her eyes, he nced at her indifferently. Sylvia thought he did not


    want her to stay and was just about to say goodbye to Isabel and Liam when she heard him say, ¡°Leave


    after lunch.¡±


    She froze for a moment before Isabel happily jumped into her arms. Liam pursed his lips and smiled.||


    Madam Carter and the old maid next to her were startled as well and also smiled.


    Thus, Sylvia had lunch with them. After lunch, Madam Carter went to her room to take a nap. Sylvia was


    about to y with the two little ones for a while when she suddenly received a call from Sherry who


    wanted to go shopping with her. Sylvia looked at the two cute and clingy little ones in front of her and


    said, ¡°Sherry, can I go with youter? I¡®m with the kids now.¡±


    a


    I


    However, Sherry eximed, ¡°Syl, are you even my friend? Your two children are almost four years old,


    but I, your best friend, haven¡®t seen them even once! How could this be? I don¡®t care. I¡®m going over to


    you now. We¡®ll take the kids out shopping together!¡±


    She hung up without waiting for Sylvia¡®s answer. Sylvia could only ask the kids, ¡°Isabel and Liam, a good


    friend of mine ising to y with meter. Do you guys want to go shopping with us?¡±

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230 Isabel was like a limpet. Before Sylvia could finish asking, she immediately cried, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Sylviaughed and looked at Liam. Liam pursed his lips and smiled. ¡°I¡®ll go wherever Mommy and Isabel


    go.¡± Sylvia could not help but hug and kiss them. ¡°Ahem.¡± A man¡¯s low cough suddenly sounded. Only


    then did Sylvia realize that Odell was still beside her. She smiled at him and asked, ¡°Odell, Sherry will


    come to find meter. I want to take Isabel and Liam to go shoppingter. Is that okay?¡± As she spoke,


    Isabel also puffed up her little face, and Liam also looked at him. The two little ones both had wary looks


    on their faces. They looked like they would throw a tantrum if he did not agree., Odell nced at them


    and said to Sylvia, ¡°Bring them back before it gets dark.¡± Sylvia readily agreed. ¡°No problem.¡± It did not


    take long before Sherry arrived.


    Sylvia took Isabel and Liam and walked out.


    Outside the gate, Sherry¡®s eyes widened when she saw them. Then, her expression softened with a


    maternal love visible to anyone.


    In an instant, she rushed up to the two little ones and wrapped her arms around them without a word,


    and kissed their faces. She was incredibly enthusiastic about meeting them.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Not only was Liam confused, but even Isabel, a child who was always familiar with others, was also


    dumbfounded for a few seconds.


    When Sherry let them go, Isabel said, ¡°Miss, can you give us a heads up before you hug us next time?¡±


    Sherry smiled like she was a doting aunt. ¡°Of course, of course. You¡®re so cute. I¡¯ll listen to everything


    you say.¡± Sylvie knew that Liam did not like to be close to people, so she looked at him with some


    uneasiness. However, the little one just furrowed his brows and did not seem to be repulsed by Sherry.


    Sylvia smiled and took him into her arms, saying to Sherry, ¡°Let¡®s go.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Sherry picked Isabel up.


    Sylvia and Sherry took the two children to one of Westchester City¡®s famous shopping malls.


    Sherry was a shopaholic and went on a shopping spree as soon as she entered. Furthermore, most of


    what she bought was for Isabel and Liam.


    Sylvia had to stop her several times before Sherry finally slowed down. When Sylvia looked at Isabel


    hugging an expensive doll¡®in her arms, grinning happily, she could not help but feel a little exasperated.


    Sherry was her best friend, but that was no reason to take advantage of her:


    After thinking about it, Sylvia brought them to a floor that housed designer brands. She wanted to buy


    some stuff for Sherry in the guise of buying them for herself.


    Coincidentally, she had just carried Liam into a shop when she saw Tara trying on shoes.


    Tara was surrounded by several young women who were dressed simrly to her.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Just then, Tara also saw her: Her eyes were surprised for a moment before she smiled at Sylvia as if


    they were friends. ¡°Sylvia, what a coincidence. Are you here to shop as well?¡± At this point, Sherry also


    walked over with Isabel in her arms. Before Sylvia could say anything, Sherry sneered. ¡°Heh, I was


    wondering why it smelled in here. Turns out that it was just you, Tara.¡±

 Chapter 231

    Chapter 231 Tara¡®s expression instantly soured. Herpanions around her were all herp dogs.


    When they saw Sherry being snide to her, one of the women quickly said, ¡°Who are they, Tara? They


    reek of poverty.¡± Sherry did not get angry andughed instead. She said to Tara, ¡°Tara, why don¡®t you


    introduce to them who Syl and I are. Remember to tell them who these children are too.¡± Tara gnashed


    her teeth and forced down her anger. Then, she siniled and said to herpanions, ¡°They¡®re former


    friends of mine.¡± When thepanions saw her endure this, they pursed their lips and said nothing


    more. Then, Tara looked at the clerk who served her and said with a smile, ¡°Please ring up all the items I


    looked at.¡±


    Then, she took out a ck card from her purse. The clerk¡®s eyes lit up when she saw the ck card. The


    companions around Tara also brightened and piped up enviously. ¡°Gosh, this ck card is limited¨C


    edition, right? I remember that only the richest and most powerful people in the world can apply for this


    ck card.¡± ¡°It must¡®ve been a gift from Master Carter. Tara, you¡®re so lucky!¡±


    Tara put the ck card in the clerk¡®s hand and nced at Sylvia and Sherry out of the corner of her eye,


    saying with a smile, ¡°Really? I didn¡®t know that. It¡®s just a small New Year¡®s gift from Odell.¡±


    Thedies immediately became even more envious. ¡°If only my boyfriend could give mea¡® small¡® gift like


    that. I¡®d faint from happiness!¡± ¡°Well, I hope I can meet a perfect boyfriend like Master Carter in my next


    life.¡±


    Sherry could not help but snort coldly. ¡°I¡®m going to hurl if I keep listening to this. Let¡®s go,


    Syl.¡±


    Then, she dragged Sylvia out of the store. Theughter of Tara and herpanions instantly rang out


    inside the store. ¡°Hehe... Tara, they must be jealous of you.¡± ¡°You¡®re Master Carter¡®s beloved woman.


    Who do they think they are? How dare they mock


    you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry smiled coldly and was just about to turn around and throw hands with them. However, Sylvia


    quickly stopped her. ¡°Forget about it. Let¡®s go somewhere else to shop¡± Sherry was furious and spat, ¡°It¡®s


    just a ck card. It¡®s not like she earned it herself! In terms of ability alone, you¡®ll wipe the floor with her.


    She¡®s just a mistress who stole another person¡®s husband, but she¡®s acting so arrogant. I¡®m so disgusted!


    I don¡®t understand what Odell sees in her.¡±


    Sylvia hugged Liam tightly in her arms, looked at Isabel, and said to Sherry, ¡°All right, stop talking about


    that. I¡®m really fine.¡± She did not want the two little ones to be exposed to bad stuff like this. Sherry


    reacted quickly and covered Isabel¡®s ears, saying, ¡°Sorry, Isabel. Did I scare you?¡± Isabel said, ¡°It¡®s okay.


    I know all about that ugly woman harming my mom. I also know that Baddie is blind.¡±


    Her expression was indifferent.


    The corners of Sylvia¡®s mouth twitched.


    Sherry was also instantly amused. She could not help but kiss Isabel¡®s chubby cheek, then carried her


    and ran elsewhere.


    Sylvia smiled in exasperation and told them to slow down. She also carried Liam and followed


    them.


    Liam simply sat quietly in her arms, staring at her face with his bright eyes. Earlier, when that ugly


    woman took out that ck card, he saw his mother¡®s gaze darken for a moment.


    They shopped until it was dark and the two little ones dozed off in exhaustion. Sylvia and Sherry finally


    went back The majority of the shopping done today was stuff for the children. After Sylvia split ways with


    Sherry, she brought the children back to the old Carter mansion.

 Chapter 232

    Chapter 232 With the help of Ben and Jacob, Sylvia brought the two children in with arge amount of


    bags.


    The two little ones were tired. Sylvia said hello to Madam Carter in the living room and took the kids back


    to their room.


    She carried them to the bed, stroked their heads, and said softly, ¡°Isabel, Liam, go to bed first if you¡®re


    sleepy. Mommy will help you tidy up your stuff.¡± The little ones nodded obediently.


    Sylvia turned around and went to sort out the stuff they bought today. There were toys, clothes, bags,


    and jewelry that Isabel took a liking to.. Sylvia sorted those things into their cabs. After a while, she


    finished putting the items away and turned around. She saw the two little ones sitting by the window,


    looking at her with their round eyes. Sylvia was stunned and asked, ¡°Why didn¡®t you go to sleep?¡±


    Isabel took out a small red bag from behind her and said in a soft voice, ¡°Mommy, this is all the money


    Liam and I received this year.¡±


    Sylvia thought that Isabel wanted to show off their money, so she smiled and walked over with a smile.


    She sat beside them and took the small bag.


    It was quite heavy.


    As soon as she opened it, she saw more than a dozen shiny little gold bars...¡® Besides the gold bars,


    there was some cash that she gave them. However, the cash was obviously the least valuable thing in


    the bag. She soon saw the twond deeds with their names on them.


    They were both vis in Westchester City.


    They were vis that were newly built in recent years, and their market price was no less than that of


    Tara¡®s vi at Lake Victoria.


    Odell probably gave it to them. Sylvia smiled. Although that man was ruthless to her, he cared about the


    little ones. There were also two bank cards on the bottom. Those were probably given by Madam Carter,


    so they most likely had a lot of money in them.


    Sylvia looked at it and zipped up the small bag. Then, Isabel said, ¡°It¡®s for you, Mommy.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned and looked down at Isabel¡®s round and bright eyes.


    She smiled. ¡°Thank you, Isabel, but these are you and your brother¡®s. Mommy doesn¡®t need them.¡±


    Isabel pouted. She raised her chubby arms and pushed the small bag into Sylvia¡®s arms. ¡°Liam and my


    stuff are your stuff, Mom. Take it.¡± Sylvia frowned in disbelief.


    This little girl has always been a little money¨Cobsessed. Last year, she even secretly hid some money


    when I said I¡®d keep their New Year¡®s money for them. Why is she so generous this year?¡®


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Just as she was puzzled, Liam suddenly said, ¡°Mom, when I grow up, I¡®ll earn more money than Dad. I¡®ll


    give you lots of limited edition ck cards.¡± Isabel said, ¡°Uh¨Chuh. It¡®ll be even prettier than that ugly


    woman¡®s one too!¡± Sylvia was instantly stunned. Her nose also stung. When she saw Tara deliberately


    take out the ck card in the mall, she did feel a little ufortable. However, it was not out of jealousy.


    She just remembered the past before she divorced Odell.


    At that time, he was busy taking back his inheritance and dealing with his stepmother. Sylvia only knew


    how to paint and was not good at business, so the only thing she could do was act like a virtuous wife.


    Every day, she only thought about how to take care of him, and she was reluctant to spend money for


    fear of adding to his burden. Furthermore, the money she asionally spent on shopping always came


    out of her own pocket. She also saved all the living expenses he gave her in case he needed them for


    emergencies.


    She never received anything else from him besides the fixed monthly living expenses. She did not have


    any ordinary credit cards either, let alone Tara¡®s limitless ck card. Even so, she thought that he cared


    about her back then. Thinking about it now, it was ironic.

 Chapter 233

    Sylvia soon snapped back to her senses and held the little ones in her arms with a smile.


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, thank you, but I don¡®t envy her for having that ck card. I was unhappy because I thought


    of something else.¡± She stroked their heads and said seriously, ¡°The happiest thing for me is for you two


    to grow up healthily and happily. Nothing else matters.¡± Isabel said softly, ¡°Mommy, we also want you to


    be happy all the time.¡± Sylvia smiled at them. ¡°I will, but you have to go to bed now.¡± Then, she pinched


    their little faces. Isabel agreed obediently and turned her head to lie in her arms. Sylvia sat down in the


    middle of their bed and hugged Liam, who was looking at her eagerly. She held them in one arm each,


    waiting for them to fall asleep before she got out of the bed.


    There was a safe in their cupboard.


    Liam told her the password to the safe before.


    Sylvia put Isabel¡®s little red bag full of New Year¡®s money into the safe, kissed the cute little buns on the


    cheek, and walked out.


    th,


    Coincidentally, just as she was walking out the door, a ck sports car drove over and stopped right in


    front of her. Through the windshield, Sylvia saw the man in the driver¡®s seat. The man also saw her, his


    cold and deep eyes looking straight at her. Sylvia instantly averted her gaze, went around his car, and


    walked on the curb. Inside the car, Odell frowned. He swiftly unfastened his seat belt, pushed open the


    door, and went down. .


    ! Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia was already more than ten meters away. He called in a cold voice, ¡°Stop.¡± She stopped and turned


    back to ask him, ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    Odell walked up to her. When he saw her cold face, he said in displeasure, ¡°Why did you leave when you


    saw me? Don¡®t you know how to greet me?¡±


    Sylvia said bluntly, ¡°Why should I greet you? Who are you to me?¡± Odell¡®s expression soured, and he


    frowned.


    ¡®She was clearly smiling politely at me in the morning. Why is she like a different person now.¡®


    He raised his hand to clutch her chin and looked at her dangerously. ¡°Would you like to say that again?¡±


    Sylvia was suddenly irritated. She did not like being close to him, and she hated when he pinched her


    chin. She raised her hand and smacked his hand away. ¡°Let go!¡±


    Odell snorted coldly and pinched her chin even harder.


    Perhaps it was because of the pain, but Sylvia¡®s eyes reddened. She red at him and said,¡± Odell


    Carter, you¡®re just my ex¨Chusband. You¡®re the one who put me under house arrest and divorced me


    when I was five months pregnant. You¡®re the one who pped me sixty times and kicked me out of the


    house right after I gave birth. Why should I greet you when I see you?¡± Her eyes were red. Crystal tears


    spilled out of her eyes the moment she said those words. Odell¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. He frowned


    tightly and stared at her for a long time. Then, he said, ¡°That¡®s because you beat Tara and caused her to


    miscarry.¡± Sylviaughed coldly. After so many years, she stopped trying to exin it to him. She simply


    said, ¡°Yeah, I harmed your precious Tara, but aren¡®t you two together now? Just go and spend time with


    her. Why are you getting all touchy with me instead? Are you sick in the head?¡±

 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234 Her voice grew louder and louder.


    She was almost shouting by the end.


    After yelling, she pushed him away with all her might. Odell was stunned and caught off guard, and was


    directly pushed away by her.


    Sylvia sniffled and forced back her tears.


    She red at him in displeasure and walked away again. Odell¡®s tall figure froze in ce. His expression


    was cold and dark as the night, He did not know why, but his chest felt extremely stuffy. ¡°This damned


    woman dares to push me and raise her voice at me! ¡®I must¡®ve been too lenient with her these days!¡®


    After freezing for a few seconds, he stepped forward with his long legs. With a few wide strides, he


    caught up to her and grabbed her back by the cor. Hisrge hand pulled her to him.


    Sylvia immediately reached out to push him away and scratch him.


    She was like a hissing cat.


    Odell snorted coldly and used his innate strength to grab both wrists with one hand, pinning them in front


    of her.


    Sylvia red at him in annoyance and confusion, ¡°Why are you grabbing me? Let go!¡±


    Odell pursed his lips coldly and gave her a grim look. She twisted her body and squirmed, but even after


    using all her strength, she could not break free.


    She was so furious that shey on his chest and opened her mouth to bite him.


    She bit him fiercely through twoyers of clothes.


    Odell¡®s tall figure remained still.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The strength of his grip was also amazingly strong. After a long time, Sylvia could not help but stop and


    looked up at him. Odell coldly curled his lips up, and his voice was cold as the winter wind. ¡°I¡®ve been too


    good to you, haven¡®t I?¡± Sylvia¡®s pupils shrank.


    Before she could say anything, the man¡®s cold and handsome face pressed up to her.


    Her lips were sealed in an instant.


    The man¡®s domineering breath swept over her, wrapping her like a gale, not giving her room to breathe.


    A long time passed before he let go of her. However, his deep eyes still pinned her into ce. Sylvia


    screamed at him, ¡°Odell Carter, I¡®m your ex¨Cwife! Your ex¨Cwife!¡± Odell curled his lips up. ¡°So?¡± Sylvia


    choked. He smiled and lowered his head. His thin lips brushed against her like a cold wind. Sylvia


    subconsciously pursed her lips. He snorted augh. ¡°Remember to greet me properly next time.


    Otherwise...¡± His warm fingertips rubbed her cheek, and he said, ¡°I¡®ll teach you a lesson.¡± Then, he let


    her go. Sylvia strongly resisted the urge to p him and instantly withdrew several meters away. She


    turned her head and ran.


    Odell touched the ce where she bit. When her fleeing figure disappeared, he turned around and


    walked into the house with a smile.


    Sylvia ran across the bridge in one breath and came to the road outside her residence. However, when


    she reached the intersection she had to pass to get to her home, several figures suddenly came out of


    the shadows. Under themp, their colorful hair was eye¨Cpiercingly bright. It was cold, but they were


    thinly dressed. Some only wore thin jackets, and some simply wore t ¨Cshirts.


    They stared at her with wide eyes.


    It seemed that they were here to block her. Sylvia stopped and looked at them in confusion. She thought


    they looked familiar, but she could not remember where she had seen them before. ?

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235 ¡°Um, can you guys make way?¡± Sylvia asked tentatively. The men curled their lips and


    laughed. If not for the fact that they were shivering from the cold, she might have felt scared. She asked,


    ¡°Why are you stopping me?¡± The man with yellow hair grunted and shivered, saying, ¡°M¨CMr. Price wants


    to see you.¡± ¡®Mr. Price?


    ¡®Is it that guy who dragged me to his room after I got drunkst night?¡® At that moment, several of the


    men took a few steps back to the side..


    Then, a tall and fit young man appeared under the street light. He wore a long leather jacket, and he had


    a buzzcut. His bronze face had handsome and defined features, and there was a clear scar at the corner


    of his eye. He looked rather fierce at first nce. In short, he looked like a gangster. He walked up to


    Sylvia with his hands in his pockets. Sylvia paused and asked, ¡°You¡®re Mr. Price?¡±


    Edmund gazed into her bright and clear eyes and smiled, looking down at her. ¡°It¡®s only been a day, but


    you¡®ve forgotten me already?¡± Sylvia took a step back and asked directly, ¡°Do you need me for


    something?¡± ¡°Not really. It¡®s just that you pped me twicest night and spat on my face. I haven¡®t


    settled the score with you yet.¡± As soon as he said that, a man with green hair beside him added, ¡°Mr.


    Price, she also kicked


    your¨C¡±


    Edmund¡®s expression instantly darkened. ¡°Shut up!¡± Grasshead immediately closed his mouth. Edmund


    looked at Sylvia again. There was still some residual anger on his face. He looked like he would hack her


    up at any moment.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia took another step back and said with a smile, ¡°I¡®m really sorry. I was drunkst night.¡± He looked at


    her tactful expression and could not help but smile. ¡°It was the first time I was pped by someone. Do


    you think I¡®ll let you off with just a ¡®sorry¡®?


    Sylvia thought about it and said, ¡°How about I give you some clothes to keep out the cold?¡±


    Edmund was speechless.


    Behind him, Grasshead and the others suddenly looked at him expectantly. They were cold. They were


    really cold. They had been here since the afternoon and stuck there until now! If they did not dress


    warmer, they would freeze to death! Edmund seemed to sense their gazes and turned to give them a


    look.


    Grasshead and the others were hugging themselves, shivering.


    Blondie said, ¡°Mr. Price, why don¡®t we find somece warm to sit down?¡±


    Edmund put his hands in his pockets and said to Sylvia, ¡°I don¡®t just want clothes. I want good food and


    drinks too.¡±


    Sylvia graciously said, ¡°No problem.¡±


    Ten minutester, she brought them to a street in the old town ahead.


    First, she bought coats for each of them in a clothing store. Then, she took them to a restaurant beside it


    and ordered a table of wine and food for them.


    When they were seated and started to eat, Sylvia said, ¡°Mr. Price, you guys continue eating. I¡®ll go down


    and settle the bill first.¡±


    Edmund looked at her sensible appearance and smiled. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Sylvia went downstairs.


    As soon as she left, Grasshead, who was sitting next to Edmund, said, ¡°Mr. Price, I think this is the first


    time a woman bought us food.¡±


    Edmund gave him a p on the head. ¡°No one will think you¡®re mute if you don¡®t talk.¡± On the other hand,


    Sylvia went to the reception to settle the bill and walked out of the restaurant. Looking at the road leading


    to her house, she took a deep breath and instantly sprinted to her ce like she was in a 100¨Cmeter


    event. In a room on the second floor. Blondie, Grasshead, and the others were happily drinking and


    chatting. A while passed, but Sylvia did not return. Blondie munched on a snack and muttered, ¡°Where¡®s


    the chick? Why isn¡®t she back yet?¡°. Grasshead said, ¡°She¡®s probably still downstairs paying.¡±


    As they spoke, they noticed that Edmund was looking out the window. Blondie asked curiously, ¡°Mr.


    Price, what are you looking at?¡± Edmund grinned. ¡°I¡®m watching the little chick run.¡± Blondie squawked,


    ¡°Huh?¡±

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236 Sylvia ran to her home in one breath and immediately locked the door. Then, she called


    Tom and said, ¡°Tom, if you see a group of people with dyed hairing over tonight, just call the police.¡±


    Tom hurriedly asked, ¡°Ms. Ross, did you meet a bad guy?¡± Sylvia panted. ¡°Something like that, but don¡®t


    worry about it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    After instructing Tom, she went back to her room at ease.


    She immediately called Sherry and asked her about Edmund.


    She told Sherry about how Edmund brought people to block her way.


    Sherry was stunned. ¡°What? That can¡®t be. I just had a phone call with him this afternoon. He¡®s one of


    my regrs, so I¡®m sort¨Cof friends with him. He asked me something about you this afternoon, but he


    told me that he won¡®t cause trouble for you.¡± Sylvia said suspiciously, ¡°Then why did he bring people to


    block me at the intersection?¡± Sherry thought about it and asked, ¡°Did he do anything to you?¡± ¡°No, he


    just made me buy clothes for them and treat them to dinner. I ran back home while they were eating.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I get it. They¡®re just trying to scare you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°If he wanted revenge against you, you wouldn¡®t be able to get away. Don¡®t worry about it.¡± Sylvia was


    immediately relieved. ¡°Thank goodness.¡± After hanging up the phone, Sylvia looked at the door again.


    There was no one there. Then, she simply washed up and went to bed. The quietness in her ears made


    the scene of being trapped in Odell¡®s arms and forcibly kissede to her mind..


    When she brushed her teeth and washed her face, his breath still seemed to linger in her nostrils.


    She turned over in annoyance. It was only after tossing and turning for half the night did she manage to


    fall asleep.


    Early the next morning. Sylvia heard Isabel¡¯s voice before she opened her eyes.


    ¡°Mommy, Liam and I are here!¡±


    Then, they pushed open the door and ran in.


    The little girl took off her shoes and crawled to the bed. Sylvia smiled and sat up, picked Liam up as well,


    and hugged them in bed for a while before getting out. Then, she yed with them all morning. After


    eating lunch, the little ones looked at her, reluctant to part.


    The little girl pouted and said, ¡°Mommy, Liam and I have to go out with Great¨Cgrandma in the afternoon,


    so we have to go back soon.¡±


    The Carter family had many rtives and friends, so it was only natural for Madam Carter to want to take


    them out and about. Sylvia smiled and stroked their little heads. ¡°You guys go with Great¨Cgrandma. It¡®ll


    be lively over there.¡± Isabel hummed and asked, ¡°Remember toe find us in the evening.¡± Liam and


    her both looked at Sylvia expectantly. Sylvia instantly thought of the scene of being kissed by Odellst


    night. There was something wrong with that man. She was afraid of seeing him again. After thinking


    about it, she said, ¡°Let¡®s talk about thatter when you guyse back with Great¨Cgrandma.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    The little ones obediently followed Ben and Jacob back.


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    Sylvia stood by the door and watched them leave. When they were far away, she went upstairs to the


    painting room.


    She took out her paints and easel and started to paint.


    Before she knew it, it was evening.


    It was only when Aunt Tonya came up to call her for dinner that she stopped painting.


    After eating, the time was exactly 7:50 p.m.


    Sylvia took her phone and called Isabel.


    It took a while before the call connected.


    Isabel asked sweetly, ¡°Mommy, why are you calling?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and asked, ¡°Have your brother and you gone home with Great¨Cgrandma?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. We¡®re having dinner with Great¨Cgrandma at Granduncle¡®s house.¡± Isabel suddenly lowered her


    voice and said, ¡°Mommy, did you know? Granduncle¡®s grandson is super duper handsome.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. It was no wonder Isabel sounded so excited. Before waiting for Sylvia to say


    anything, Isabel continued, ¡°I¡®ll talk to youter, Mommy. I¡¯m gonna go y with my cousins.¡±


    Sylvia could only say, ¡°Have fun.¡±


    ¨C


    ¡°Okay, love you!¡±

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237 Sylvia hung up the phone with a smile. Since the two little ones were not back yet, there


    was no need for her to go to the old Carter mansion.


    At this time, in the old Carter mansion.


    The man¡®s car parked steadily in front of the door.


    The bodyguard immediately went forward to open the car door for him. Odell got out of the car and


    stepped inside. At the same time, he asked, ¡°Is Sylvia here?¡± The bodyguard replied, ¡°Ms. Ross didn¡®t


    come.¡±


    Odell lifted his wrist and looked at the time.


    ¡®It¡®s already 8 p.m. Why didn¡®t shee to see the children? The bodyguard said, ¡°Madam Carter took


    the young master and young miss out this afternoon and haven¡®te back yet. That¡®s probably the


    reason why Ms. Ross didn¡®te.¡± Odell frowned, turned around, and walked out. The bodyguard


    asked, ¡°Master Odell, you just came back. Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Back to the office.¡±


    There was nothing to do anyway. He might as well go back to the office to get started on tomorrow¡®s


    work The bodyguard did not dare to say anything. He hurriedly ran out and opened the car door for Odell


    again.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The night passed in a sh. The next day, Isabel and Liam came to Sylvia¡®s ce on time. Sylvia


    stopped painting and apanied them to y until it was almost dark. She only returned to the


    painting room when they went back.


    Naturally, she did not go to the old Carter mansion at night. On the third day, they had to visit rtives


    with Madam Carter again and only stayed with her for two hours before leaving.


    At night, Sylvia called Isabel and Liam. They had already arrived home and asked if she wanted to go


    over to them.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Is your dad home?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡®t go. I still have some work to do, so I¡®ll wait for you guys toe over tomorrow.


    Liam hummed obediently.


    Just like that, three to four days passed quickly. The children came over every day, sometimes for the


    whole day, and sometimes for only a while before leaving. Although Sylvia wanted to go to them at night,


    when she thought of Odell, she had to endure


    1. it.


    That morning, Sylvia woke up early and ate breakfast, nning to take the two children out to y when


    they came over. However, even after waiting for two hours, the little ones did not arrive. That was


    unusual. If they could note, they would have called her. Sylvia immediately took her phone and


    called Isabel. She got the automated message saying the phone was turned off. She called Liam


    instead. The line rang twice before connecting. She hurriedly asked, ¡°Liam, are you and Isabel at home?¡±


    ¡°They¡®re at home.¡± The answer she got was from a man¡®s low and maic voice. Sylvia was stunned.


    ¡°Odell? Why is it you? Where¡®s Liam and Isabel?¡± Odell asked, ¡°Do you want to see them?¡±


    Duh!


    Sylvia swallowed her anger and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Thene over.¡± .


    He hung up the phone. Sylvia wrinkled her brows in annoyance.


    However, she had no other choice.


    She kept her phone, put on her jacket, and went outside.


    At that moment, at the corner leading to the bridge, a ck SUV was parked on the side of the road


    outside her residence.


    Inside the car, Edmund was reclining with his foot on the steering wheel.


    Blondie and Grasshead sat next to him.


    They looked in the direction of Sylvia¡®s house.

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238 Blondie frowned and said, ¡°Mr. Price, is there something wrong with this chick? It¡®s been


    five days, but she hasn¡®t even left the house once. She¡®s too much of a shut¨Cin.¡±


    Edmund rubbed his chin.


    ¡®Did I scare her off that night?¡®


    Just then, Grasshead said, ¡°Mr. Price, why don¡¯t we just barge in and grab her?¡±


    Whack!


    Blondie pped him directly. ¡°What era are you living in? Do you want to go back to prison?¡± ¡°Then what


    are we supposed to do? We can¡®t keep wasting our time here,¡± Grasshead grumbled, ¡°Or, we can catch


    the two children whoe to her every day. She¡®ll definitely give in!¡±


    Whack!


    Blondie immediately pped him on the head again. ¡°You¡®re out of your f*cking mind! Those two children


    are Master Carter¡®s! If you¡®re tired of living, just jump into theke by yourself!¡±


    Grasshead covered his head and grumbled, ¡°Then, are we supposed to camp here forever?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Edmund shouted coldly.


    Blondie and Grasshead immediately went silent.


    At that moment, they saw Sylviaing out of the door. In the driver¡®s seat, Edmund took his foot off the


    steering wheel.


    When Sylvia was about to pass by, he pushed open the car door.


    Sylvia was startled and moved to the side.


    Edmund jumped out of the car, leaned against it, and looked at her with a grin. The corners of Sylvia¡®s


    mouth twitched. He said, ¡°Don¡®t be scared. I¡®m not here to block you this time.¡± Sylvia asked, ¡°Then what


    are you here for?¡±


    ¡°You.¡± Edmund spat out the cigarette he held between his teeth and continued, ¡°I never let a woman treat


    me to a meal. Last time, you paid for our meal, so I have to pay you back ten times the amount.¡±


    ¡°No need. I don¡®t care about that.¡±


    Sylvia wanted to see her children and was just about to walk forward.


    However, Edmund took two steps in front of her and blocked him.


    He was about the same height as Odell but not as slender as him. Edmund¡®s muscles were bulkier.


    In short, as soon as he stepped forward, hepletely blocked Sylvia¡¯s way.


    She quickly took a step back.


    Edmund looked at her and raised his brows, saying with a displeased expression, ¡°¡®You don¡®t care, but I


    do.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Then what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡®ll buy you ten meals, or I¡®ll go shopping with you. I¡®ll buy you whatever you want.¡± He acted like a


    tycoon who had all the money in the world.


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°There¡®s no need to go shopping. Let¡®s talk about having dinner another time. I really


    have something urgent to do now. Can you please give way?¡± Edmund said casually, ¡°Sure, but you


    have to give me a definite word. When will you let me buy you dinner?¡°. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. Can we talk


    about it when I¡®m done with this matter?¡± ¡°Sure. Give me your contact information. Let¡®s talk about it


    later.¡± Edmund extended his hand toward her.


    Sylvia was anxious to see the children. She took out her phone and asked for his number, called it, and


    left.


    Edmund stood in ce and read her phone number that was disyed on his call log.


    He smiled as he read the numbers.


    Sylvia crossed the bridge leading into the old district, walked a little further, and soon arrived outside the


    door of the old Carter mansion.


    The gate was open. Sylvia immediately walked in. In the spacious living room, she only saw Odell sitting


    alone on the sofa.


    There was no one else present.


    Isabel and Liam were not around.


    Sylvia did not look at Odell and stepped toward Isabel and Liam¡®s room. ¡°Stop.¡± The man¡®s cold voice


    rang out. Sylvia paused, but only for a moment. Then, she quickly walked toward the two little ones¡®


    room. On the sofa, the man¡®s already cold face suddenly clouded over with ayer of gloom. On the


    other side, Sylvia swiftly arrived at the children¡®s room.


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    The door was closed.


    She knocked on the door, but no one answered.


    ¨C


    Then, she held the doorknob and went in.


    The small room was clean and tidy, but there was no one inside.

 Chapter 239

    Sylvia was stunned for a moment.


    Then, she turned to go out, only to find a man standing by the door: He leaned against the wall with his


    arms folded across his chest, looking at her coldly. Sylvia shrunk under his gaze and asked, ¡°Where¡®s


    Isabel and Liam?¡± ¡°They went out with Grandma.¡± Her throat choked with anger. ¡°Then why did you say


    they were at home?¡±


    She headed outside as she spoke.


    Bam!


    The open door mmed shut by his hand. Sylvia suddenly stopped, looking at him in panic and


    confusion. Odell stood where he was, leaningzily against the wall. However, his expression was frigid.


    He looked at her and asked, ¡°Why didn¡®t youe to see the children for the past few nights?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered, and she said, ¡°They went to see me during the day, so I don¡®t have toe again


    at night.¡± She answered confidently.


    !


    T


    Odell¡®s lips twitched. ¡°Is that so?¡°.


    Sylvia straightened her back. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°They only went to your ce for an hour or two a few days ago.


    Why didn¡®t youe over during those nights?¡± he moved his long legs and walked up to her as he


    spoke. His figure was very tall. He was much slimmer and thinner than Edmund, who blocked her at the


    intersection, but he gave off a stronger sense of oppression. It was like a huge mountain was looming


    over her.


    Sylvia quickly stepped back. Odell continued to approach her. She backed up until her calves bumped


    against the edge of the children¡®s bed. She could not go back any further and could only stop. Odell


    came up to her, continuing to look at her with deep and cold eyes. He looked like he would not let her


    leave if she did not give him a good exnation.


    ¡°I...¡± she stammered and said, ¡°I was just catching up on a painting the past few days, so I didn¡®te


    here.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    No sooner had the words left her mouth that her face was cupped in arge hand. ¡± He lowered his head


    and asked her up close, ¡°What were you working on these days?¡±


    ¡°Just a painting.¡± ¡°Of what?¡± ¡°Scenery.¡± ¡°What kind of scenery?¡±


    ¡°Andscape.¡±


    The corners of his lips tugged up. ¡°Okay, show me that painting of yours now.¡± Sylvia was speechless.


    When she did not say anything, Odell pinched her face and asked, ¡°Why aren¡®t you talking, hm?¡±


    His voice was cold and dangerous.


    It was obvious that he knew she was lying from the beginning.


    Sylvia took a deep breath, at the end of her patience. ¡°What does it matter to you what I draw? What


    does it matter that I didn¡®te here the past few nights?¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes suddenly turned cold. ¡°You¡®re avoiding me, aren¡®t you?¡±


    He was clearly ignoring her words.


    No, he was so engrossed in his own anger that he did not care about her questions.


    Sylvia used all her might but failed to push him away. She pressed her hands on his chest and shouted


    at him, ¡°Yes, I¡®m deliberately avoiding you. It¡®s because you¡®re a lunatic!¡± odell immediately pinched her


    face. Sylvia felt like her face was about to be deformed.


    She frowned in pain:


    His eyes looked at her, cold as ice. ¡°I¡®ve been too nice to you, haven¡®t I?¡±


    Sylvia could not break free and felt incredibly oppressed. Then, she suddenlyughed.


    She raised her brows and red at him provokingly, asking with a smile, ¡°Odell, didn¡®t you used to get


    annoyed by the sight of me? Isn¡®t it good that I don¡®te over? That way, I won¡®t be an eyesore. What¡®s


    wrong with you now? Don¡®t tell me that you¡®ve fallen for me, your ex wife.¡±

 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240 As soon as she spoke, Odell let go of her face. With disgust on his face, he shouted coldly,


    ¡°Get out of my sight!¡± .. Sylvia went around him and ran out without saying a word. In the blink of an eye,


    she disappeared outside the door.


    Odell¡®s tall figure was frozen in ce, and his face was dark and sullen.


    However, his brain seemed to be poisoned. Her voice saying, ¡°Don¡®t tell me that you¡®ve fallen for me,


    your ex¨Cwife¡± echoed in his mind.


    Impossible.


    She was a despicable woman. Even if he wanted to kiss her and do something to her before, it was only


    because she was a little beautiful.


    He would never fall in love with a woman like her!


    Sylvia went back to her house. Since she came back in such a hurry, her heart was still racing.


    Her mood was also a little irritable.


    She went to the bathroom and rinsed her face with cold water to calm her emotions.


    She thought about it carefully. Before the divorce, she always did everything she could to please him. He


    was probably used to her being respectful to him and became annoyed when she ignored him.


    He only forcefully kissed her the previous two times because she deliberately ignored him. However, this


    time, she was really confused.


    So what if she deliberately avoided him? Was that also considered disrespectful to him?


    She could not figure it out.


    Of course, she did not think that he would like her. She only asked that question to provoke him.


    If he still wanted to hug or kiss her, that meant he liked her.


    However, the result was obvious. He instantly let go of her, and his expression turned disgusted.


    Sylvia thought about the look on his face and could not help but scoff.


    ¡®He¡®s disgusted with me, but I¡®m still annoyed that he keeps taking advantage of me! ¡®What a jerk!


    Sylvia spent the day in her studio.


    When it was almost dark, she received a call from Isabel.


    The little girl grumbled, ¡°Mommy, Liam and I went out with Great¨Cgrandma early this morning. We


    wanted to call you, but Baddie confiscated our phones so we couldn¡®t tell you.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°It¡®s okay, I know.¡±


    The girl then asked, ¡°Mommy, will youe see uster?¡±


    Her childish voice was filled with anticipation.


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    Sylvia could imagine what expressions Isabel and Liam, who were listening to the phone next to her, had


    on their faces. After some hesitation, she replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯lle see youter.¡± ¡°Yay. We¡®ll wait for you!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up the phone, Sylvia got up, cleaned up, and walked out of the studio. After having


    dinner with Aunt Tonya and seeing that it was almost time, she went to the old Carter mansion. The


    guard at the gate immediately opened the gate for her when he saw her. Sylvia took a deep breath and


    walked in. She thought that if she saw Odellter, she would just steel her nerves and greet him.


    Unexpectedly, it was only Madam Carter and the two little ones in the living room. There was no sign of


    the man.


    Before she entered, Isabel and Liam ran toward her. Sylvia hugged them and asked curiously, ¡°Is your


    dad not at home?¡± Liam replied, ¡°He went out.¡± Isabel scoffed. ¡°He probably went to find that ugly


    woman.¡±


    Sylvia was instantly relieved and walked into the living room with them in her arms.


    Two days passed, and Sylvia did not see Odell.


    This day, during the daytime, Sylvia was happily apanying the little ones and doodling at home


    when her phone suddenly dinged.


    Edmund sent her a message. ¡°Lil Syl, are you free tonight?¡±

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241 Sylvia suddenly remembered that she promised to go for dinner with him a few days ago.


    However, what was ¡°Lil Syl¡±? She thought about it and replied, ¡°Tonight is fine. Where are we going to


    eat?¡±


    Sylvia was not afraid of him. She was just afraid that he would bring people to her ce and block her


    again if he was unhappy.


    Furthermore, he was a gangster, so he could not be provoked. Edmund replied in seconds, ¡°You choose.


    I¡®m fine wherever.¡± Sylvia said, ¡°How about the restaurant I brought you guys tost time?¡°. That way,


    she could run away easily if anything happened. However, Edmund was displeased. ¡°Do I look that


    stingy?¡± Sylvia was speechless and thought, ¡®Fine, I¡®m the stingy one.¡® Edmund quickly said, ¡°Elysian


    House, 7 p.m. I¡®ll wait for you in the best private room.¡± Elysian House was a bona fide high¨Cend


    restaurant. .


    Since he wanted to be so extravagant, Sylvia did not hold back and replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    In the evening, after sending the two little ones back to the old Carter mansion, she drove to Elysian


    House.


    Two familiar men ran over as soon as she got out of the car. One of them had dyed yellow hair, and the


    other had green hair. They were obviously Edmund¡®s little minions. When they saw Sylvia, enthusiastic


    smiles immediately bloomed on their faces.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, Mr. Price is waiting for you upstairs. Come with us.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and followed them to the room upstairs. The lights were set to their brightest in the


    spacious room. Edmund wore a well¨Cironed suit and had a long overcoat draped over his shoulders.


    When Sylvia came in, she saw him sitting on a chair with his legs crossed and a cigarette dangling from


    the corner of his mouth.


    At first nce, he looked like a mob boss from a noir film.


    Sylvia could not help but snicker.


    Edmund froze. Although he did not know why sheughed instead of being stunned by him, when he


    saw her beautiful smile, he also smiled in return. ¡°Have a seat, Ms. Ross.¡± Grasshead slowly pulled out a


    chair beside Edmund.


    Sylvia thanked him and sat down. Edmund raised his brows at Blondie. Blondie instantly shouted,


    ¡°Waiter, bring the menu!¡±


    A waiter immediately came in with a menu.


    The menu was ced in front of Sylvia.


    Edmund chewed his cigarette and said to her, ¡°Lil Syl, order whatever you want. Don¡®t hold back on my


    ount.¡± The corners of Sylvia¡®s mouth twitched. ¡®Lil Syl? ¡®He¡®s acting very familiar.¡® She said, ¡°Mr. Price,


    you can just call me by my name.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    7


    Edmund replied, ¡°Then you have to call me by my name too.¡± Sylvia froze. The grin at the corners of his


    mouth looked a little evil, but in reality, it was rather silly. ¡®Is he the gangster whomitted great


    misdeeds that Sherry mentioned?¡® Sylvia hesitated and called him, ¡°Edmund.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± he answered


    loudly.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡®I guess he¡®s a silly gangster.¡¯ She did not say anything else and casually ordered


    a few side dishes before passing the menu to Edmund Edmund did not order and threw the menu to


    Blondie and the others. ¡°You guys can order whatever¡®you want to eat.¡± Blondie and the others said


    happily, ¡°Great! Thanks, Mr. Price!¡± Then, they ordered all the most expensive dishes.


    After that, they started to order alcohol. Someone asked, ¡°Mr. Price, what kind of beer do you want?¡±


    Edmund turned his head and looked at Sylvia. ¡°Lil Syl, what kind of beer do you want?¡± Sylvia quickly


    said, ¡°I don¡®t drink beer. There¡®s no need to order for me.¡±

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242 ¡°Okay.¡± Edmund looked at them again. ¡°None of you are allowed to order alcohol.¡± Blondie


    and the others immediately froze. ¡°Huh?¡± How could theye to this kind of ce and not drink


    booze?..


    It was so meaningless. The people looked at Edmund pitifully.


    However, Edmund merely gave them a cold look.


    The men had no choice but to simply order some juice. Sylvia was a little stunned. She thought about it


    and said, ¡°Edmund, you guys can drink if you want. Don¡®t mind me.¡± ¡°That won¡®t do. They¡®re the type to


    go wild if they drink.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips at the words. Although they did not drink, they started to


    smoke before long. Sylvia could not stand the strong smell of smoke and quickly frowned At this time,


    Edmund also threw the cigarette in his hand to the ground and shouted to them, ¡°Put out all your cigs.


    No more smoking.¡± Grasshead was aggrieved. ¡°Mr. Price, we can¡®t drink, and we can¡®t smoke either?¡±


    Edmund red at him and raised his finger to point at the wall. ¡°Don¡®t you see the no smoking sign


    here?¡± There was a no¨Csmoking sign on the wall.


    Grasshead closed his mouth.


    Blondie and the others also sullenly put out their cigarettes. They thought, ¡®Mr. Price, you also smoked a


    few sticks yourself.¡¯ However, with the good food that was served, they soon forgot about this. They ate


    while chatting and gossiping. Sylvia could not help but nce at Edmund. ¡®Did he tell them not to smoke


    because he knew that I don¡®t like smelling smoke?


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    ¡®In any case, he¡®s indeed kinder than I thought. He¡®s like a brash but kind college senior.¡®


    Sylvia immediately let down her guard and became a lot morefortable with eating.


    After the meal was finished, she walked outside with them.


    When they were about to walk out of the restaurant, Sylvia smiled and said to him, ¡°Thanks for dinner,


    Edmund.¡±


    ¡°Don¡®t mention it,¡± he said. Then, he narrowed his eyes at her.


    It looked a bit evil. Sylvia froze and was about to step back when she heard himn say, ¡°I heard you¡®re a


    famous painter.¡± She stiffened and asked, ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± Edmund raised his hand to rub his


    head, smiling. ¡°I also like collecting paintings. If you host an art exhibition in the future, can you invite me


    as well?¡±


    Sylvia did not expect him to like collecting, so she immediately dropped her guard and smiled back at


    him. ¡°Sure.¡± They walked out of the restaurant as they talked. Edmund continued, ¡°Lil Syl, let me send


    you home.¡±


    ¡°No need. I have a car.¡± ! She asked Tom to give her a ride just in case. However, it was obvious that he


    had no ill will toward her. They quickly arrived at the parking lot. After saying their goodbyes, Sylvia


    parted from them. As soon as she left, Grasshead scratched his head and asked suspiciously, ¡°Mr. Price,


    when did you get into collecting? Didn¡®t you say that stuff was something only fools love to do?¡±


    Smack!


    S


    .


    ¨C


    ..


    TT


    1. W.


    ¡­


    ,


    ,


    ,


    Blondie pped him on the head. ¡°Are you dumb? Mr. Price is just saying that to be closer to Ms. Ross.¡±


    Edmund ignored them. After watching Sylvia get into her car, he smiled and turned around to walk


    toward his car.


    Blondie and Grasshead doggedly followed him. Unbeknownst to them, a ck sports car was parked not


    far away. The man in the driver¡®s seat watched them since they came out of Elysian House,ughing and


    joking. The surrounding light was dim. In the driver¡®s seat, the man¡®s face mingled with the darkness of


    the night, cold and frightening. In the passenger seat, Tara saw Edmund and the others leave and called


    softly, ¡°odell?¡±

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243 Odell¡®s cold gaze eased up slightly, and he pushed open the car door and got out. Tara


    hurriedly got out of the car and followed him. She took one of his arms and pretended not to know


    anything, saying, ¡°Those people just now don¡¯t seem like they work on the right side of thew. Why was


    Sylviaughing and talking with them?¡± After she spoke, Odell¡®s expression was instantly clouded with


    anotheryer of gloom. ¡°The man in charge seems to be close to Sylvia.¡± Tara went on to say, ¡°Do you


    think they¡®re dating?¡±


    Odell suddenly stopped in his tracks.


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    Tara had been looking at him and saw his gloomy expression. It was as if he was a devil from hell. It was


    terrifying. She shrank in fear. ¡°Odell, what¡®s wrong?¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°I¡®m fine.¡± However, his voice


    was frigid. He was obviously unhappy. Tara pretended not to notice and rubbed against him, saying


    softly, ¡°Let¡®s go inside quickly. It¡®s cold outside.¡± Odell pursed his lips and entered Elysian House with her.


    An hourter, they finished eating and came out of the restaurant. Odell drove her back to Lake Victoria


    Vi. Before getting out of the car, Tara leaned close to him and threw herself in his arms. ¡°Odell, I don¡®t


    want to be separated from you. Stay with me tonight.¡±


    She moved to kiss him. However, just as her lips were about to touch his, her body was suddenly pushed


    away by hisrge hands.


    Her face turned pale for an instant.


    Odell turned and raised a hand to touch her head. ¡°I have to go back to thepany. I¡®ll apany you


    next time.¡± Tara could not help but be disappointed. ¡°Okay.¡± She got out of the car.


    Odell drove away.


    She stood in ce, watching his car drive away, and could not restrain the cold look from


    surfacing on her face. She knew that he was a clean freak and did not like to get close to people. That


    was why she rarely asked him to spend the night with her. She also did not have the luxury to initiate


    intimate acts between a man and woman. However, he refused to kiss her!


    Was it because he was in a bad mood after seeing Sylvia joking around with other men?


    Or did he get tired of Tara?


    Whichever it was, she could not ept it!


    Soon, she took out her phone and sent a message to Edmund.


    She first sent a smiling emoji and then asked, ¡°Mr. Price, how are Sylvia and you getting along? Is she to


    your liking?¡± Edmund replied to her after a while, ¡°Mind your own business and don¡®t ask me about


    mine.¡± Tara¡®s expression was displeased.


    However, Edmund had dirt on her, so she could not offend him.


    She quickly said, ¡°Okay, Mr. Price. Have fun.¡± When she saw him and Sylvia walking together in the


    parking lot of Elysian House, she could see what he thought of Sylvia.


    He was not a good person. If a woman he had his eye on did not take the initiative to climb into his bed,


    he would drag her to it instead.


    Fi


    Sylvia would inevitably be bedded and tortured by him!


    b


    When that happened, even if Odell had feelings for her, he would loathe her even more. It. would be


    impossible for them to be together again!


    Odell went straight back to the old Carter mansion.


    It just turned 9 p.m. Odell entered the gate and asked the guard on duty, ¡°Did Sylviae tonight?¡± The


    guard replied, ¡°The young master and young miss went to look for Ms. Ross early in the morning. Ms.


    Ross sent them back only when it was almost dark, so she did note back at night.¡± Odell walked into


    the living room with a sullen face. The living room was quiet. No one was around.


    He went to the little ones¡® room.


    Through the door, he heard the sound of them ying games inside.

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244 Isabel cried, ¡°Liam, let me win!¡± A momentter, a victory chime sounded from the game.


    Isabel shouted happily, ¡°Thanks, Liam!¡± Odell¡®s eyes softened slightly, and he raised his hand to push the


    door open.


    The two little ones were sitting cross¨Clegged on the floor, each holding a gamepad. Across the room


    hung arge screen that was showcasing arge¨Cscale online racing game


    The two little ones froze when they saw him enter.


    Odell frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°Put the game away and go to sleep.¡±


    Liam went, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel obviously had not had enough and pouted.


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    However, she knew that she was no match for him, so she obediently gave the gamepad to her brother


    and let him put it away.


    Soon, they climbed into bed.


    Odell did not leave. He sat on the chair next to their bed and casually opened a storybook.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Baddie, I don¡®t wanna hear a bedtime story from you.¡±


    Odell gave her a cold look.


    Isabel immediately hid behind Liam.


    He pursed his lips and put the storybook down.


    Then, he asked, ¡°What did you two do today?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°We spent the day with Mom and came back at night, ate dinner, and yed games.¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes flickered slightly, and he asked without changing his expression, ¡°What did you do with your


    mom during the day?¡±


    When Isabel heard her mother being mentioned, she became energetic and said, ¡°Mommy drew a lot of


    pictures with us. They were really pretty!¡±


    Odell asked, ¡°What did your mom draw with you?¡± Isabel snorted through her nose and said


    provocatively, ¡°I¡®m not telling you!¡±


    He was not angry either and looked at her chubby little face, saying calmly, ¡°Get down and go to sleep


    right now, or I¡®ll bring you back to my room to sleep.¡± Isabel instantlyy down behind Liam, her little


    hand wrapped tightly around her brother, afraid of being taken away by Odell.


    Odell smiled and looked at Liam, who still had his eyes open, and said, ¡°Close your eyes and go to


    sleep.¡± Liam looked at him for a few more seconds before closing his eyes. After a while, when they


    probably had fallen asleep, Odell stood up and turned off the lights before going out, closing the door


    behind him. The room was quiet for a while. ¡°Isabel,¡± Liam called softly. Isabel was sleeping and


    answered in a daze, ¡°Hm?¡± Liam asked, ¡°Do you think Dad is acting strange?¡± ¡°Isn¡®t he always like that?¡±


    Liam thought for a while and said, ¡°He mentioned Mom today.¡±


    What answered him was the sound of Isabel¡®s snores.


    However, Liam could not sleep. He thought again of how Odell took advantage of Sylvia sleeping to get


    very close to her in nchester City. There was also the scene where Odell pressed Sylvia to the


    ground in the forest park He felt that there was something not quite right.


    f


    The next day, the two little ones went out with Madam Carter again and only came home at night.


    Sylvia could onlye to them at night.


    Unexpectedly, Odell, who had not shown up for the past few days, was actually at home. He sat on the


    sofa, drinking tea and reading a book.


    Sylvia quickly regained herposure and took the initiative to smile and greet him, ¡°Good evening,


    Odell.¡±


    Odell was stunned before letting out a low hum.

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245 Isabel and Liam were also in the living room.


    Sylvia went to them and yed with them. At 9 p.m., it was time for them to go to bed.


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    Sylvia went to their room.


    After changing them into their pajamas, she watched them lie under the covers, and sat on the little chair


    at the head of the bed. She took a storybook and softly told them a bedtime story.


    Soon, the little ones closed their eyes and fell asleep. Sylvia put down the storybook, kissed their


    cheeks, and walked out of their room. In the living room, Odell was still sitting on the sofa reading a


    book. He looked up at her when she walked over. Since she met his eyes, she could not pretend she did


    not see him. Thus, she said, ¡°Isabel and Liam are already asleep.¡±


    .


    Odell hummed.


    The sound was light with no extra emotion. However, there was obviously no displeasure either. It


    seemed like she still had to take the initiative to greet him. She could not pretend not to see him.


    She quickly walked out. Odell watched her figure and only withdrew his gaze when she walked out of the


    door. Suddenly, he realized that Liam had appeared at some point in time. Liam was in his pajamas. His


    two little hands sped in front of him, and hisrge eyes sized Odell up.


    Odell was startled and said, ¡°Go back to bed.¡±


    Liam did not move.


    After staring at Odell for a while, he asked, ¡°Dad, do you like Mommy?¡± Odell¡®s expression suddenly


    changed. His dark eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes also turned cold.


    Liam stood where he was and continued, ¡°You were in a bad mood before Mommy came today, but you


    clearly look much better after she came and talked to you.


    ¡°I like Mommy too. If I can¡®t see her, I¡®ll be unhappy, but I¡®ll be happy again when shees. I can tell


    that you have the same feeling.¡±


    His little face was very serious as he spoke clearly. However, Odell¡®s expression fell. He said, ¡°I¡®ll give


    you until the count of three. Go back to bed immediately.¡±


    ¡°Don¡®t worry. I¡®ll leave after I finish speaking.¡± Liam then said, ¡°I know that the love I have for Mom is


    familial love. It¡®s different from your fondness for her.


    ¡°I checked before. If an adult likes someone else, they will want to get closer to that person. Remember


    in nchester City where you sneaked into our room to get close to Mom? Then, when we were ying


    at the park, you also deliberately approached Mom when Isabel and I were asleep.


    ¡°That¡®s enough to prove that you like Mommy.¡± Odell was speechless. ¡®Isn¡®t this kid usually taciturn and


    aloof? Why is he so articte?¡® He frowned tightly. His eyes were filled with gloomy emotions. After a


    long silence, he said, ¡°I don¡®t like your mother. Go back to your room this instant and sleep, or I¡¯ll carry


    you back.¡± Liam pursed his lips and sighed. ¡°It¡®s not a shameful thing to like someone else. Why are you


    so embarrassed to admit it?¡±


    Odell could not say anything. His throat felt like it was being blocked by cotton, making him choke up.


    Liam finished speaking and turned back to his room. Odell suddenly felt like he was shackled by


    something heavy. He sat stiffly in his seat. After a while, he drank the herbal tea in annoyance and


    mmed the cup back on the table. ¡®Akid under the age of four wouldn¡®t know what love is at all.


    ¡®Sylvia is just a cheap woman who happens to be slightly talented and attractive. ¡®If she hadn¡®t sneaked


    into my bed, I wouldn¡®t have been trapped by my stepmother and been forced to marry Sylvia, nor would


    I have separated from the woman I truly loved! ¡®Her existence will only remind me of my ipetence


    when I was tricked by my stepmother. ¡®That¡®s why it¡®s impossible for me to love a woman like Sylvia! ¡®I¡®ll


    never love her in my life!

 Chapter 246

    Sylvia did not know that Liam said all that to Odell after she left.


    When she got home, she washed up and rested like in previous days:


    For the next few days, she did not see Odell when she went to see the two little ones. Perhaps he had


    gone on a business trip.


    However, it was good that she did not see him. That way, she did not have to force herself to greet him.


    A few dayster. That morning, the two little ones came over to her early in the morning.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia promised Simon to attend his painting exhibition, so she took the two little ones with her.


    The ce where the exhibition was held was near their preschool. When they arrived at the pace, Isabel


    ran inside with joy. Liam quickly followed her and grabbed her little hand.


    Sylvia followed behind them.


    Even though they were young, they looked like they knew how to admire the paintings.


    Sylvia could not help butugh. Then, she received a message from Edmund.


    He asked, ¡°Lil Syl, are you free at noon? I¡®ll treat you to lunch.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.


    ¡®He wants to eat together again?¡®


    She replied, ¡°Didn¡®t you already treat mest time? There¡®s no need to treat me anymore.¡±


    Edmund said, ¡°That won¡®t do. I said that I¡®ll treat you to ten meals.¡± Sylvia typed, ¡°There¡®s really no need.¡±


    Edmund replied, ¡°Are you at home now? I¡®ll pick you upter.¡± Sylvia quickly said, ¡°I¡®m not at home. I¡®m at


    an exhibition outside.¡±


    Edmund asked, ¡°Is it an art exhibition? I love going to those too. Send me the address.¡±


    He seemed very eager.


    Sylvia sent him the address.


    In less than twenty minutes, he suddenly appeared in front of her eyes.


    She was stunned. ¡°How did you get here so quickly?¡±


    He raised his hand to tidy his hair. ¡°I happened to be in the neighborhood, so I came over.¡± Blondie, who


    followed him over, was supporting Grasshead. Grasshead looked dizzy as if he was about to puke.


    Sylvia immediately asked, ¡°What happened to Lloyd? Is he okay?¡± .. Grasshead¡®s name was Lloyd Loof.


    Edmund said, ¡°He¡®s fine. He¡®s just a little carsick.¡± Then, he told Blondie, also known as Harry Adlestein,


    ¡°Take him out to blow in the cold breeze and bring him back in when he¡®s feeling better.¡± Harry quickly


    took Lloyd outside.


    Then, Edmund smiled at Sylvia. ¡°Let¡®s continue browsing the exhibition, Lil Syl.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia walked forward.


    Edmund wanted to follow her, but he was suddenly blocked by the two little ones who suddenly


    appeared. The boy stared at him warily. The girl was slightly chubbier than the boy, and she also stared


    at him with wide eyes. However, it was obvious that they were not afraid of him at all. Usually, he would


    have kicked obstructions like these away.


    However, these two little ones were too cute and looked very familiar as well. He asked with a smile,


    ¡°Where did you twoe from? Why are you standing in my way?¡± Isabel put her hands in her pockets


    and asked, ¡°Mister, do you have a crush on my mommy?¡± Edmund was stunned and instantly


    remembered who they were, When he camped outside Sylvia¡®s house for a few days, he saw these two


    little ones often going in and out of her house.


    It was no wonder they looked familiar. Edmund looked at Sylvia, who had walked away, and bent down


    to ask in a quiet voice, ¡°How could you tell that I had a crush on your mom?¡± Isabel raised her little


    chubby face. ¡°I¡¯m smart, so I knew it.¡± Edmund immediatelyughed. ¡®As expected of the daughter of the


    woman I took a fancy to. She¡®s very lovable.¡® He reached out to pinch her face. However, before he could


    touch her, she was dragged back by a small hand.


    Then, Liam¡®s cold face stood in front of his eyes.


    Edmund¡®s eyes shed.


    ¡°This kid looks good, but why am I getting annoyed?¡®


    He raised his brows and asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, kid?¡±

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247 Liam said, ¡°Don¡®t touch my sister¡®s face.¡± He had a childish voice, but his tone was as


    mature as a grown¨Cup. . However, Edmund naturally would not bicker with a small child. He smirked and


    said, ¡°Okay, I won¡®t touch.¡± At this point, Sylvia also came back. She asked suspiciously, ¡°Isabel and


    Liam, what are you two talking about with Edmund?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Liam answered and pulled Isabel to his


    side. Sylvia looked at Edmund.


    He smiled and said, ¡°Your kids are really cute, Lil Syl. Sylvia smiled. ¡°Let¡®s go and continue to view the


    exhibition.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He immediately followed behind Sylvia. Isabel and Liam looked back at him in


    unison.


    Liam¡®s gaze was wary, while Isabel carried a scowl.


    Edmund narrowed his eyes at them.


    Isabel narrowed her eyes back.


    However, Liam turned his head away coldly and ignored him.


    It looked like an action from a businessman. Simon was the famous Aqu, and many people were


    rushing to see his paintings. Sylvia was Simon¡®s friend and knew a lot about his painting. After knowing


    that Edmund also liked collecting, she gave him some exnations as they viewed and appreciated the


    paintings. Unexpectedly, Edmund was filthy rich and spent money without blinking an eye. Before Sylvia


    could finish exining the painting, he already wanted to buy it. He bought ten paintings before they


    finished viewing half the exhibition. Not/even Simon¡®s die¨Chard fans bought that much. Sylvia felt that


    there was something wrong with his brain, so she stopped exining the paintings to ?im.


    When it was almost noon, they walked out of the exhibition hall.


    With a smile, Simon sent them to the parking lot before going back.


    The ten paintings that Edmund bought were all held by Lloyd and Harry.


    Edmund walked backward in front of Sylvia with his hands in his pockets and asked, ¡°Lil Syl, what do you


    want to eat? I¡®ll treat your kids and you to lunch.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°No need. I¡®ll just take the kids back to cat.¡±


    He already spent a fortune today. Sylvia did not want to take advantage of him anymore. ¡°It¡®s already


    lunchtime. Take the kids back after they eat.¡± He continued to walk backward and looked at her with a


    smile.


    Sylvia felt like he was acting like a big fool again.


    Simon¡®s paintings were worth collecting, but he did not have to buy so many at once. Sylvia even felt a


    little guilty. If she had not sent him the address, he would not have bought so many.


    After thinking about it, she said, ¡°It¡®ll be my treat instead.¡± ¡°No, I already said that I¡®d treat you.¡± ¡°Then you


    can go by yourself. I¡®ll take the children back to eat.¡± Edmund immediately frowned. This was the first


    time he encountered this kind of situation. The previous women he had all ate and drank on his dime.


    However, looking at Sylvia¡®s resolute appearance, he suddenly felt helpless. He could only say, ¡°Okay,


    then you¡®ll treat me.¡± In any case, he would be happy as long as he could spend time with her.


    Ten minutester, they went to a nearby square and entered a restaurant serving local food.


    The environment was not bad.


    Sylvia asked for a table for six.


    She sat with the two children.


    Edmund, Lloyd, and Harry sat opposite them. Sylvia gave them the menu and told them to order what


    they wanted. Lloyd immediately asked for a beer and was pped by Harry. ¡°Mr. Price already said not


    to order alcohol when dining with Ms. Ross!¡±


    Lloyd rubbed his head and ordered something else.


    Edmund, who was sitting in the middle, teased the two kids beside Sylvia. He asked Liam, ¡°Hey, kiddo,


    can you give me a smile?¡± Liam ignored him.


    Isabel, however, giggled. Edmund immediately told her a joke.


    Isabel humored him and keptughing.


    The jokes were all quite funny, so Sylvia could not help butugh a little as well when she heard them.

 Chapter 248

    The meal was very lively.


    Edmund wanted to send them back.


    However, Sylvia refused and went back with the children.


    She drove on the way back.


    Isabel and Liam sat in the child seats in the back.,


    Liam was quiet.


    Isabel chattered endlessly. ¡°Mom, what¡®s that mister¡®s name again?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°Edmund Price.¡±


    ¡°What does he do?¡±


    Sylvia did not know exactly what he did either, so she said, ¡°I¡®ve only met him twice, so I¡®m not familiar


    with him yet, but he should probably be in business.¡± Isabel asked, ¡°Is he a mob boss?¡± Through the


    rearview mirror, Sylvia saw the glimmering light in Isabel¡®s eyes. She was anticipating Edmund to be a


    mob boss. Sylvia¡®s lips twitched, and she smiled back at her. ¡°I don¡®t think so. He¡®s just in business.¡±


    Isabel sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± The car was quiet for a short time before she piped up again. ¡°Although he¡®s not


    that fair and good¨Clooking as Baddie, he¡®s quite interesting.¡± She gave¡®a serious evaluation of Edmund.


    ¡°Mommy, remember to take me along next time if he wants to y with.you again.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    The mother and daughter chatted happily, not noticing Liam¡®s furrowed brows.


    At night. Odell returned to the old Carter mansion as usual.


    It was already 10 p.m. When he came to the living room, he saw Liam sitting cross¨Clegged on the sofa


    alone, fiddling with a Rubik¡®s cube. Odell¡®s expression darkened as he asked, ¡°Why aren¡®t you in bed


    yet?¡±


    Liam looked at him and said, ¡°Dad, do you know a man named Edmund Price?¡±


    Odell¡®s expression suddenly went cold, and his body exuded a terrifying aura. ¡°Why are you asking? Did


    he look for you?¡±


    ¡®If Edmund dares to trouble my children, I¡®ll make him disappear from Westchester City immediately.¡®


    Liam replied, ¡°He didn¡®t look for me. He looked for Mom.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Liam continued, ¡°This morning, he went to Uncle Simon¡®s exhibition and bought ten paintings, and Mom


    also treated him to lunch. However, he was like a fool and kept telling us childish jokes. Mom and Isabel


    were very am?sed, and Isabel likes him very much too. She told Mom to take her along when they meet


    again in the future.¡±


    Odell looked gloomy. Liam said, ¡°Dad, I think he likes Mom.¡± Odell¡®s expression turned stormy. ¡°Enough,


    I get it.¡± ¡°Good.¡± After Liam finished speaking, he held his Rubik¡¯s cube and went back to his room.


    Odell stood where he was with a gloomy face.


    ¡®The kid waited for me toe back and tell me this..


    11


    ¡®I know that it¡®s impossible for me to like Sylvia. ¡®But why does my chest feel so stuffy now? ¡®It must be


    because I¡®m angry that Sylvia is being close to Edmund. ¡®What kind of person is Edmund? ¡®How dare she


    mix with people like him? She even brought the kids to have lunch with him!


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®She¡¯s incorrigible.¡®


    Soon, he took out his phone and called Sylvia.


    Beep...


    The line rang several times before connecting. A woman¡®s crisp voice sounded on the phone. ¡°Odell,


    why are you calling me?¡± Her tone was polite and respectful.


    Odell¡®s eyes ?oftened slightly, but he still said in a cold voice, ¡°If I find out that you took the kids to eat


    with Edmund again in the future, you¡®ll never see them again!¡±


    After he spoke, the phone was quiet for a while. Odell asked coldly, ¡°Why aren¡®t you saying anything?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°Okay.¡± It was still very respectful.


    However, he felt annoyed.


    After a moment, he growled, ¡°You¡®re not allowed to eat with him either!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ITET

 Chapter 249

    ¡°Because I said so.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him. Odell said angrily, ¡°Why aren¡®t you saying anything?¡± ¡°There¡®s nothing I have to say.¡±


    ¡°Do you not understand what I¡®m saying?¡± .


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡®t.¡±


    Odell was speechless.


    His chest suddenly felt even more stuffy. After a long time, he said, ¡°If I find out that you came into


    contact with him again, you¡®ll never see the children again.¡±


    Then, he hung up the phone. In Sylvia¡®s residence.


    She sat on the bed and cursed at the phone, ¡°Lunatic.¡±


    The next afternoon, Sylvia bumped into Edmund when attending an activity held by the Art Association.


    The event was open to the public, so anyone could participate.


    Sylvia did not expect Edmund toe. It seemed like he was really interested in art.


    She exined the event to him.


    When it was over, it was just in time to have dinner.


    Edmund said to her, ¡°Lil Syl, it¡®s gettingte. Let me treat you to dinner.¡±


    Sylvia did not think much about it and simply agreed.


    The weather was very cold, and it was also snowing.


    It was a great time to eat barbecue. Sylvia brought him to a cheap BBQ restaurant with good reviews


    and sat by the window. They chatted while eating. Edmund asked, ¡°Lil Syl, why didn¡®t you bring the kids


    today?¡± Sylvia responded, ¡°It¡®s cold, so I didn¡®t bring them.¡± The activity was held outdoors. Sylvia was


    worried that she would freeze them.


    He smiled and said, ¡°I miss Isabel a lot. Next time you take them out to y, you have to tell


    me. I¡®ll treat them to delicious food.¡±


    Sylvia thought of Odell¡®s words on the phonest night, hesitated, and replied, ¡°We¡®ll see.¡±


    She did not continue the topic. The BBQ was quickly finished. Edmund said that he still owed her a lot of


    meals, so he rushed to pay. It was not that expensive, so Sylvia let him go.


    It was still snowing outside.


    On the way to the parking lot, the snow ttened and became ayer of slippery ice. While Sylvia was


    talking to Edmund, she identally slipped on the ice and fell to the ground. Shended in a funny


    position. The next second, she heard Edmund¡®sughter. ¡°Pfft¨C Hahaha!¡±


    Sylvia could not help but re at him. Edmund immediately stopped helping and bent down to help her


    up from the ground. ¡°Are you okay, Lil Syl?¡± Sylvia still remembered that heughed at her. Her eyes


    flickered, and she deliberately moved a few steps to the side.


    Edmund tried to follow her.


    Then, he stepped on the spot where she had just slipped.


    With a thud, he also fell to the groundically. Sylviaughed. On the ground, Edmund was


    speechless.


    He looked at her bright smile and was stunned.


    It was theughter of the other passers¨Cby behind them that snapped him out of his reverie. He stood up


    and pretended to be upset, raising his eyebrows at her. ¡°Lil Syl, how dare you trick me? You must be


    tired of living.¡± ¡°It was you whoughed at me first,¡± Sylvia replied and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡®ve


    survived bullet¨Cridden battlefields before. Of course, I¡®m okay.¡°. As they spoke, they arrived at the


    parking lot. Sylvia s¨¢id goodbye to him and got into her car. Edmund leaned against his car door and


    watched her drive away. He took out a cigarette and put it between his lips, narrowing his eyes in a


    smile.


    ¡®She¡®s an interesting woman. Even if she¡®s Odell¡®s ex¨Cwife, I need to have her.¡®


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250 After Edmund left, Sylvia went straight to the old Carter mansion. The two little ones had


    finished dinner and were building a snowman in the yard. Although Liam was not interested in building


    the snowman, Isabel was very enthusiastic. Not only did she want to y but she also yelled at him to


    help her..


    Thus, he had no choice but to go with her.


    .


    When Sylvia arrived, she heard Isabel shouting, ¡°Liam, hurry up and bring me the little


    pepper!¡±


    ¡°Liam, roll two more balls for me!¡±


    She stood in front of two snowmen about her height, fiddling with her little hands and shouting at Liam.


    Liam¡®s small figure was busier than her, running to the kitchen and then back out to make snowballs.


    His chubby face flushed red.


    Sylvia went up to them.


    She smiled and asked, ¡°Isabel and Liam, do you want me to help?¡± When Isabel and Liam saw her


    coming, their eyes instantly brightened.


    ¡°Yep!¡± Isabel eximed.


    ¡°What should I do?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Isabel pointed to the spot behind the two simrly tall snowmen she made and said, ¡°Mom, build a


    snowman about your height over there!¡±


    The two little snowmen were obviously made ording to Liam and Isabel¡®s height.


    The snowman she wanted Sylvia to make was probably Sylvia herself. Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, she rolled up her sleeves, bent down, and rolled a snowball in the snowy yard.


    Isabel loved ying with snow as soon as she could stand and walk.


    Sylvia used to build snowmen with her, so she had a lot of experience. Before long, she built a snowman


    about her height behind the two little snowmen. Then, she gave it eyes, a nose, a mouth, and put a red


    hat on it. After it was done, Isabel jumped happily and shouted at Liam, ¡°Look, we¡®re together with


    Mommy!¡± Liam also smiled.


    However, the next second, Isabel bent down, grabbed a handful of snow, and threw it at Sylvia.


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    Snowkes exploded with a bam.


    Sylvia knew that Isabel was starting a snowball fight and immediately gave her a look. ¡°You¡®re finished,


    little girl!¡±


    ¡°Hehe,e and catch me!¡± Isabel immediately ran into the snow. Isabel grabbed a handful of snow and


    chased after her. The mother and daughter ran happily. Along the way, Isabel not only provoked Sylvia


    but also threw snow on Liam. Sylvia said to Liam, ¡°Liam, let¡®s team up.¡± Liam¡®s eyes lit up. After a few


    seconds of hesitation, he joined them in the snowball fight,


    The yard was very lively.


    The old butler and guards surrounded them happily.


    Some even could not help but join in.


    Only the man in front of the living room stood motionlessly.


    The old butler stood not far from him.


    He had been secretly watching the man since he came.


    At that moment, when he saw several guards join the snowball fight with the mother and children, the old


    butler could not help but say, ¡°Master Carter, why don¡®t you go y with the youngdy and young


    master? They¡®ll be happier if you join.¡± Odell¡®s dark eyebrows furrowed. He had never yed such a


    stupid game before.


    He was not like that crazy woman. She was already in her twenties, but she was like a crazy child. Even


    Liam was learning from her bad example. He pursed his lips coldly and ignored the butler. Seeing his


    cold face, the butler had no choice but to fall silent. At that moment, a white ball suddenly flew over. The


    butler was stunned and shouted, ¡°Master Carter, watch out!¡±


    Bam!

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251 A round mass of snow hit Odell¡®s chest and sshed onto his chin. The busy yard instantly


    fell silent. The guards who got carried away while ying quickly retreated while Isabel and Liam also


    froze.


    Only Sylviaughed sheepishly. That was because she was the one who threw the snowball. She


    originally wanted to hit Isabel¡®s butt, but she raised her hand too high and used too much force. She did


    not even notice Odell standing in front of the door. At that moment, Odell pursed his lips coldly. His


    expression was shrouded and cloudy, appearing a little scary. Sylvia hurriedly exined, ¡°Sorry, Odell, I


    didn¡®t mean to.¡± Odell¡®s expression was still stony. At that moment, Isabel ran over and said, ¡°Mommy,


    just ignore him. Let¡®s continue ying.¡± She obviously had not yed enough. Odell did not say


    anything, and since Sylvia already apologized, she stopped paying attention to him. Then, she called out


    to Isabel and Liam. ¡°Isabel, Liam, go hide. I¡®ll find you!¡± Isabel was instantly immersed in the game. She


    held her head with both hands, darting forward like a little monkey, and shouted, ¡°Liam, run!¡±


    Liam immediately sprinted with her. Sylvia grabbed a handful of snow and chased them. Just as she


    pressed the snow into a ball and was about to throw it at their little butts, something suddenly mmed


    on her back.


    Bam!


    Before she could react, she fell face forward on the snow.


    The air wemt silent for two seconds.


    She was just about to turn over when Isabel cried angrily, ¡°Baddie, you hit my Mommy¡®s head!


    Confused, Sylvia rolled over and saw a lump of snow behind her. Then, she saw Odell standing next to


    the three snowmen. He had one hand in his pocket, and the other was slightly raised in a gesture of


    throwing


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    something On his handsome face, his eyes were slightly curved, and his lips were curled up. He looked


    like the epitome of smugness.


    Beside him, the snowman that Sylvia modeled after herself was missing its head. He had probably


    thrown the head at her to knock her down.


    A rush of anger welled up. When she got up, Isabel charged at him. Her small hand grabbed a handful of


    snow and threw it at him. ¡°Take this, you baddie!¡± Although she was small, she was very deft. Her small


    hand grabbed snow and flung?it at him, causing a few snow marks to streak across his body in the blink


    of an eye.. When Liam saw that the head of therge snowman was gone, he also grew furious and


    quickly joined Isabel to fling snow at Odell. Odell stood up for a moment and quickly walked forward,


    trying to avoid their attacks. Isabel and Liam followed hot at his heels, throwing snowballs at his back.


    His tall figure dodged quickly, but he looked a little annoyed. Sylvia instantly felt better. Then, she got up


    and went to therge snowman and picked up the rest of its round body.


    Seizing the right moment, she threw the mass of snow at him.


    Bam!


    There was a loud sound as Odell¡®s tall and strong figure suddenly skewed to the side. Although he


    managed to remain standing for a moment, his foot slipped, and he fell to the ground.


    Isabel immediately pped her hands and burst out intoughter. Liam also giggled while Sylvia felt


    gleeful. However, Odell soon got back up. His harsh eyes swept their gaze straight at her.

 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252 Sylvia blinked sheepishly. ¡°Sorry, Odell. I identally hit you.¡± Odell¡®s lips pulled down


    coldly. Then, he walked toward her withrge strides.


    Isabel suddenly screamed, ¡°Mommy, run away!¡±


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment and quickly ran to the side. Both Isabel and Liam also ran up to her,


    moving to protect her. However, Odell took off the heads of the two little snowmen in each hand,


    stunning Isabel and Liam.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell¡®s eyes were fixed on Sylvia, and he did not even notice their changing expressions. He tookrge


    strides forward, his gaze appearing gloomy and terrifying. Sylvia was afraid that he would blow her head


    off and turned around to run.


    He immediately elerated his pace and threw arge snowball at her, striking Sylvia¡®s leg. As a result,


    she almost fell, but she continued to stumble forward.


    Isabel and Liam also snapped back to their senses. Liam was so angry that his little brows were


    scrunched up. Isabel puffed up her face and yelled, ¡°You baddie! I¡®m going to beat you up!¡± They rolled a


    ball of snow and ran after Odell. Just like that, in therge courtyard, Sylvia ran in the front as Odell


    chased after her, and the two little ones scampered closely behind him.


    The four figures darted around rapidly. The old butler and guards who were watching were all frozen in


    ce. What was going on? What made them even more stunned was what happened next.


    Before long, Odell threw the secondrge snowball. It smashed into Sylvia¡®s back, and she fell straight to


    the ground. Odell snorted augh and walked up to her. He half¨Ccrouched down, seemingly wanting to


    teach her a lesson up close.


    At that moment, Isabel and Liam ran up behind him. Unfortunately, the little ones did not manage to stop


    in time and collided with his back with a bam. In an instant, Odell fell forward,nding on top of Sylvia.


    Sylvia let out a groan as she almost got the lights knocked out of her. To the side, the old butler and


    several guards all stared with wide eyes. Isabel and Liam both tumbled into the snow after hitting Odell.


    Odell, on the other hand, was lying straight on top of Sylvia with his face pressed against hers.


    There was a few seconds of silence as Odell looked at her motionlessly. Sylvia also did not dare to


    move. Her lips would brush against him if she so much as twitched.


    Then, Isabel¡®s cry rang out. ¡°Baddie, get up! Don¡®t molest my Mommy!¡±


    Odell frowned, and he stood up with his hand propped up on the snow. Isabel and Liam immediately


    squatted over to help Sylvia. Isabel asked worriedly, ¡°Mommy, did you get hurt from the fall?¡± Sylvia


    looked at Liam and her. ¡°I¡®m fine.¡±


    She was just embarrassed to be so close to Odell while being surrounded by so many people.


    Nevertheless, Odell did not move away. His tall figure stood straight beside her. He dusted the


    snowkes on his clothes with one hand and looked at her nonchntly. ¡°I¡®ll spare you this time. Don¡®t


    try to do that again.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s lips curled.


    Isabel shouted at him, ¡°Baddie, if you dare to bully my Mommy, Liam and I won¡¯t forgive you!


    Odell gave her a nce and then said to the old butler, ¡°Sebastian, take them inside.¡±


    At that moment, Sylvia and Odell were not the only ones coated with snow. Isabel and Liam were


    covered with snow too, especially Isabel, who had chased Odell so fast that her hat fell off. White snow


    dusted her little head, and her bangs were soaked through.

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253 She had to go inside quickly and dry off. Otherwise, she would freeze. Sebastian nodded


    and went over with a guard to carry Isabel and Liar into the house. Soon, Sylvia and Odell were the only


    ones left in the yard. As Sylvia stood up and patted the snow on her behind, Odell gave her a side


    nce. Sylvia giggled. ¡°Aren¡®t you going in?¡°.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    He looked at her coldly and asked, ¡°Why did youe after eight tonight?¡±


    She was stunned. She was a littlete because she had grilled steak with Edmund, but... ¡°Wasn¡®t it you


    who said that I could onlye after 8 p.m.?¡± Odell¡®s expression instantly turned cold.


    Sylvia quickly amended her words with a smile, ¡°I went to the Art Association event this afternoon. The


    event endedte, so I came over a littlete.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression eased slightly. Then, he turned around and went into the living room.


    Sylvia followed him in, going straight to the two little ones¡® room. After the two kids were carried in by


    force, Isabel scratched the door and mored toe out.


    When Sylvia entered, she instantly quieted down.


    Sylvia smiled and said to the nanny who was taking care of them, ¡°I¡®ll give them a bath. You can go out


    and rest.¡±


    The nanny agreed and went out.


    Sylvia took off their coats and shoes and carried them into the bathroom.


    The outdoor event held by the Art Association wouldst for several days.


    The next afternoon, Sylvia went to the venue again.


    Unexpectedly, Edmund was present as well. He was looking at one of her paintings when she arrived.


    She took the initiatiye to call out to him. ¡°Edmund.¡± He turned around and asked, ¡°Lil Syl, why is there


    only one of your paintings here?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°I paint very slowly, so I don¡®t have many finished


    pieces.¡± He asked again, ¡°Is this painting for sale?¡±


    She said apologetically, ¡°I¡®ve already given this painting to the Art Association.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± His expression was disappointed.


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°I¡®ll show you the other paintings.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He immediately followed her.


    He listened to everything Sylvia said, looking like an obedient student. Meanwhile, at the entrance of the


    event, Tara was waiting for Odell. She meant to ask him toe yesterday, but he did not have the time.


    Therefore, she put in a lot of effort to get him out today.


    When he came over, she immediately ran up and intimately took his arm. At the same time, her eyes


    nced at the ce where Sylvia had just walked over with Edmund, and said softly, ¡°Odell, are you


    busy today? I¡®m not interrupting your work, am I?¡± Odell said, ¡°I¡®m not busy.¡±


    ¡°I saw a lot of good pieces today. Let me show you.¡±


    Not long after they entered, a winter scene emerged in their line of sight. This painting was not ced in


    the most conspicuous position, but it was the most eye catching among all the paintings around. The


    painting was of a snowy scene in the city. It illustrated the prosperity of the city without losing the serenity


    of the snow. It screamed creativity, and the painter¡®s skillful technique was obvious. Odell was


    immediately fascinated. A look of jealousy shed in Tara¡®s eyes, and she said with a smile, ¡°Odell, this


    painting seems to be Sylvia¡®s.¡± Odell¡®s eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the sign below the painting


    which read¡± Sunflower¡°.


    Then, Tara said, ¡°I saw her just now. She seems to be with that man we saw her talking andughing


    with outside the Elysian House¡®s car park back then.¡±

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254 Odell¡®s expression darkened as soon as Tara spoke. ¡°Edmund is also here?¡± he asked in a


    cold voice. Tara¡®s eyes flickered, but she pretended to be ignorant and said, ¡°Edmund? Is that the man


    we sawst time at the Elysian House?


    Odell pursed his lips coldly. Tara looked at his face and continued to y dumb, saying, ¡°He also came


    yesterday afternoon andughed and chatted with Sylvi?. It seems they went out for dinner together after


    the event as well.¡± Odell¡®s hand clenched at his sides. ¡®No wonder she came to see the children when it


    was past 8 p.m. It¡®s because she went out for dinner with Edmund!¡®


    ¡°Sylvia has been single for many years, so I think Edmund and her are for real this time. It¡¯s really


    possible that they¡¯re together,¡± Tara spoke absentmindedly and then looked at his horribly stony face.


    She reached for his arm and asked softly, ¡°What¡®s wrong, Odell? You don¡®t look too good.¡± Odell pursed


    his lips and restrained the coldness in his eyes. He replied, ¡°I¡®m fine.¡± Then, he walked past Sylvia¡®s


    painting and went to the other side. Tara secretly looked at his face and said nothing. After walking for a


    while, they saw Sylvia and Edmund. Odell stopped. Tara followed him closely and also stopped. Sylvia


    did not notice them and continued talking to Edmund. Edmund was pointing at a painting and asked,


    ¡°What¡®s that little thing in this painting? Is it a cricket?¡±


    Sylvia was amused and said with a smile, ¡°I think it¡¯s a small fish, but I¡®m not very knowledgeable about


    this painting.¡± They continued to walk forward as they joked.


    Soon, Sylvia saw Odell standing less than three meters directly in front of her. The long ck coat


    outlined his straight posture, and he looked at her with cold eyes.


    Sylvia was startled and went pale.


    ¡°Sylvia, what a coincidence,¡± Tara said with a smile while holding onto Odell.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered as she said nothing. Odell said coldly, ¡°Don¡®t you hear Tara talking to you?¡±


    Just as Sylvia was about to say something, Edmund suddenly stopped forward behind her and stood in


    front of her. He looked at Odell with a smirk. ¡°Master Carter, it¡®s Lil Syl¡®s business if she wants to ignore


    Tara. Isn¡®t it inappropriate for you to lecture her like this?¡±


    ¡®Lil Syl?¡® Odell¡®s eyes turned cold. He nced at Sylvia and then said to Edmund, ¡°That¡®s between us.


    It¡®s none of your business.¡± Edmund chuckled and raised a hand to put on Sylvia¡®s shoulder. ¡°Lil Syl is


    my friend. Her business is my business.¡± Odell looked at his hand on Sylvia¡®s shoulder and reminded him


    in a cold voice, ¡°Edmund, you¡®d better not mess with me.¡± ¡°Of course, I won¡®t dare to provoke someone


    like you, but Lil Syl is my friend. Anyone who dares to bully my friend means that they don¡®t have any


    respect for me. In that case, I¡®ll throw caution to the wind and never let them go!¡± The corners of Odell¡®s


    lips turned down coldly. ¡°Is that so?¡± So, a gangster wanted to fight with him. Edmund smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The already cold air suddenly became tense. Sylvia had a bad feeling and hurriedly took Edmund¡®s


    hand, saying softly, ¡°Stop it.¡± Edmund looked at Tara beside Odell. He narrowed his eyes at her and said,


    ¡°Thisdy looks familiar. Have we met somewhere?¡± Tara¡®s expression changed as she quickly said,


    ¡°You¡®re mistaken. We don¡®t know each other.¡± Then, she took Odell¡®s arm and said with a pleading tone,


    ¡°Let¡®s not stay here and go somewhere else, Odell.¡±


    She then pulled him away.


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    Odell shot Sylvia a cold look and left with Tara.


    Sylvia¡®s face paled at his frigid gaze. Edmund looked down and immediately saw her uneasy


    expression. He said, ¡°Don¡®t be scared, Lil Syl. I¡®ll protect you. I¡®ll make sure that he can¡®t hurt you.¡±

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255 ¡°He won¡®t hurt me.¡± ¡®He will just probably prohibit me from seeing the children again.¡¯ ..


    Sylvia was agitated and immediately lost the mood to exin the paintings to Edmund. She said, ¡°You


    look around by yourself. I¡®ll go back first.¡± Edmund quickly followed her and asked, ¡°What¡®s wrong, Lil


    Syl?¡± ¡°I¡®m fine. I just want some time alone.¡±


    Edmund was silent. ¡°Okay.¡± He then stopped following her, and Sylvia quickly walked out of the venue.


    Odell and Tara were probably still on the other side of the field since Sylvia went straight to the parking


    lot without seeing them. She got into her car and stayed there for a while. When she calmed down, she


    took out her phone and sent a message to Odell.


    ¡°Edmund and I are just friends. He¡®s a nice guy. He didn¡®t mean to provoke you earlier. If you¡®re unhappy,


    I¡®ll apologize to you.¡±


    A long time passed, but the screen remained nk. She did not know if he read the message or not.


    Either way, he did not reply to her.


    Eventually, Sylvia put away her phone gloomily. ¡®I know that Edmund has a bad reputation. I can


    understand why he doesn¡®t want me to bring the children close to him, and I can do it too. ¡®But why is he


    forbidding me from getting close to Edmund? We¡®re just ordinary friends. ¡®Why do I have to do as he


    says? Why do I have to apologize to him?¡® Sylvia got more annoyed the more she thought about it. At


    that moment, her phone rang. She thought that Odell replied to her and hurriedly turned on her phone.


    However, what she saw was a message from Edmund. He sent her a very interesting emoji and asked,


    ¡°Lil Syl, have you gone back?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°Not yet. Do you need something?¡± Edmund replied, ¡°Let¡®s


    have dinner together. I¡®ve already called Sherry as well. We¡®ll have a feast.¡±


    Since he already called Sherry, Sylvia naturally had no reason to refuse. She replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    At the event venue, not long after Sylvia left, Odell also stepped out.


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    2


    Tara quickly chased after him. She held his arm and asked with a puzzled and aggrieved face,¡± Odell,


    why are you leaving now? Didn¡®t you agree to spend this afternoon with me?¡± Odell said coldly, ¡°I have


    work to do.¡± ¡°Are you going to find Sylvia?¡± she suddenly asked. Odell looked down at Tara and saw that


    her eyes were filled with tears. She looked particrly wronged and hurt.


    He immediately frowned. ¡°Tara, 1¨C¡± Tara threw herself into his arms and hugged him, saying, ¡°Don¡®t go,


    Odell. Stay with me, okay? I¡®m really afraid of losing you again. I don¡®t want to go back to the life where I


    can only watch you be with another woman.¡±


    Her voice choked up as she spoke. Odell immediately hugged her in his arms. ¡°I¡®m sorry, Tara.¡± He was


    impulsive and ignored her feelings. ¡°Odell, I know that Edmund isn¡®t a good person, but he seems really


    nice to Sylvia. Sylvia and you have been divorced for so many years, so it¡®s time for her to find another


    partner.¡± Tara looked up from his arms and gazed at him softly. ¡°If she¡®s with someone else, she won¡®t


    come and destroy our rtionship again, right?¡±

 Chapter 256

    Tara looked at him expectantly.


    It was like a knife was stabbing into his conscience. This weak woman had lit up his dark youth and


    apanied him through his most difficult days.


    He wanted to go after Sylvia and teach her a lesson. However, he quickly suppressed the impulse. He


    promised that he would never make Tara sad again. He also said that he would stay with her all his life.


    He reached out to wipe her tears and asked, ¡°What do you want to eat tonight? I¡¯ll apany you.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. She hugged him and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything. I¡¯ll eat whatever you want


    to.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes flickered, and she bowed her head and said, ¡°Odell, although I¡¯m afraid that Sylvia wille


    between us again, I really want her to find a suitable partner for her to spend the rest of her life with.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Tara had always been kind and considerate.


    Tara immediately raised her head with a smile and asked, ¡°You should also want Sylvia to find her


    significant other and live a happy life, right?¡± Odell froze and fell silent. He never thought about Sylvia


    finding a significant other, and he never thought that she would live a happy life with another man.


    However, at that moment, his heart practically choked up when he thought of Sylvia and Edmund


    conversing and chuckling happily. He even wanted to make Edmund disappear immediately. In an


    instant, his expression darkened again. Tara quickly called him, ¡°Odell.¡± Odell immediately gathered his


    thoughts and said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this and have dinner first.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Tara responded softly as the light in her eyes dimmed. Her hands in her sleeves clenched tightly,


    and she looked viciously in the direction that Sylvia had just left. ¡®B*tch! Hurry up and sleep with Edmund.


    ¡®As long as she¡¯s dirty, Odell will definitely hate her. He won¡¯t care about her anymore!¡¯


    Sylvia and Edmund went to a famous grill where Edmund had booked arge room. The service here


    was also exceptional. The room had its own grill and ingredients, and a


    specialized chef was responsible for grilling the food for them. When they arrived, Sherry, Lloyd, and


    Harry were already present. Lloyd and Harry greeted Edmund and Sylvia when they saw thettere


    in. They acted very familiarly. Sylvia smiled and greeted them back before sitting beside Sherry.


    Sherry also greeted Edmund and said to Sylvia in a low voice, ¡°Syl, why did youe here with


    Edmund?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I happened to attend an event with him, so we came together.¡± ¡°What kind of event?¡± ¡°It¡¯s


    an outdoor event organized by the Art Association.¡± The Art Association? An outdoor event? Sherry


    thought she heard wrongly and asked again, ¡°What?¡± Sylvia repeated herself, much to Sherry¡¯s shock.


    Sherry stared at Edmund. He was quite different from the gangster in Lush Heaven who could not be


    provoked. Not only was he sitting upright, but he was also very polite to the waiter. At that moment, he


    asked the waiter courteously, ¡°Hi, could you please bring us your menu?¡± Sherry felt like she was


    dreaming ¡®Is that really Edmund Price? Is that the uncouth Edmund who has the power to order a


    person¡¯s arms and legs to be lopped off if he¡¯s displeased?¡¯ Soon, Edmund pushed the menu to Sylvia


    and Sherry. He smiled at Sylvia and said, ¡°Lil Syl, you and Sherry can order whatever you want. Don¡¯t


    hold back on my ount.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sylvia responded and brought the menu in front of Sherry and her.


    Sherry simply gaped at her. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

 Chapter 257

    Sylvia noticed Sherry¡¯s gaze and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°N-Nothing.¡± Sherry snapped back to


    her senses and looked at the menu. Not long after, Lloyd asked in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Price, shall we order


    some beer?¡±


    Edmund shot him a look.


    Harry pped the back of Lloyd¡¯s head. ¡°Did you forget what Mr. Price said before?¡± Lloyd held his head


    and pouted reluctantly.


    Sylvia said to Edmund, ¡°It¡¯s really fine. You guys can order some beer if you want to drink¡±


    Sherry was here anyway, so Sylvia was not worried that they would go wild after drinking. However,


    Edmund said, ¡°They¡¯re not drinking. Just ignore them.¡± Harry grinned while Lloyd put on a bitter smile.


    Sherry touched her chin while her eyes flickered back and forth between Edmund and Sylvia.


    The hot grilled meat was soon served on the table. Sylvia had had dinner with them several times


    already and felt familiar with them, so she picked up her cutlery and started eating. Edmund also picked


    up his cutlery and ate politely, stealing nces at Sylvia from time to time.


    Harry loved to brag and chatted with Harry for a while. They asionally talked about Lush Heaven.


    Sherry also joined in the conversation, so the meal was very lively.


    Edmund told Harry to settle the bill and walked out with Sylvia and Sherry first.


    Sylvia smiled and said to him, ¡°Thanks for treating us, Edmund. It¡¯ll be my treat next time.¡±


    Edmund did not refuse. ¡°Sure. We¡¯ll have a feast next time.¡± Sylviaughed. ¡°No problem.¡± After saying


    goodbye to him, she left with Sherry. When they were far away, Sherry asked in a low voice, ¡°Syl, when


    did you get so close to Edmund?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°He likes to collect paintings. Recently, he has been participating in the activities held by


    the Art Association and even went to see an exhibition held by a friend of mine, so I got to know him


    better.¡± Sherry secretly clicked her tongue. Edmund did not look like the type who had an appreciation for


    the arts at all. He must have taken a liking to Sylvia. Furthermore, it was obviously different from what he


    had with other women before. He was


    probably serious about Sylvia. However, Sylvia did not notice Edmund¡¯s interest in her.


    Sherry was conflicted. Edmund was not a good person, but Sylvia had been single for so many years. It


    was time for her to find a partner. She thought, ¡®Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡¯ Meanwhile, outside the grill,


    Edmund leaned against a wall, looking with curved eyes while smiling at Sylvia and Sherry, who had


    walked away. Lloyd and Harry quickly came out. Lloyd could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. Price, are we not


    allowed to drink as long as we have dinner with Ms. Ross?¡±


    Harry red at him. ¡°What are you thinking? We¡¯ll be able to drink after Ms. Ross gets together with Mr.


    Price.¡±


    ¡°When will that be?¡± Lloyd was depressed. ¡°Mr. Price, why are you going through all this trouble? Can¡¯t


    you just snatch her away?¡±


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    Whack!


    Edmund directly pped him on the head. He red at Lloyd fiercely. ¡°Lil Syl is different from other


    women. I¡¯ll twist your neck if you say that again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I understand. I won¡¯t say it again.¡± Lloyd quickly held his head and took a few steps back


    Harry looked at Edmund¡¯s expression and did not dare to say anything either. Then, Edmund said, ¡°Go


    and get Ned.¡± ¡°Mr. Price, why are you asking for Ned?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the best at nning special asions? I


    want to confess to Lil Syl. Tell him to arrange for a venue and decorate it within two days.¡± Edmund


    smirked as he spoke. He really could not wait to be with Sylvia.

 Chapter 258

    It was already past 8 p.m. when Sylvia drove back to her ce.


    She had already yed with the two little ones all morning, so she dismissed the idea of going to the old


    Carter mansion.


    Moreover, Odell did not reply to her message either, so she probably would not be able to enter even if


    she went.


    The car stopped outside the gate. She got out of the car and walked in.


    At this moment, on the second floor of arge terrace in the old Carters¡¯ residence, Odell was draped in


    a coat, and his tall figure sat on a leather sofa. He held a pair of binocrs in his hand.


    Through the binocrs, deep eyes looked at her figure walking into the house. His face also became


    colder and darker with the shadows of the night. The Art Association event had clearly ended long ago,


    but she only came back just now. It was obvious that she went out to have dinner with Edmund again.


    Furthermore, she did note to see the children. Was she really nning to get together with


    Edmund? Odell¡¯s hand holding the binocrs tightened subconsciously. After a moment, when Sylvia¡¯s


    figure disappeared into the house, he threw the binocrs aside.


    Then, he took out his phone and called Cliff.


    He said in a cold voice, ¡°Send someone to keep an eye on Edmund. Report to me immediately if he¡¯s


    seen with Sylvia!¡±


    The night passed.


    In the morning, Sylvia woke up on time and got ready to wait for the two children toe over.


    However, even when it was almost 10 a.m., she did not see them. They should not have gone out with


    Madam Carter today. Sylvia pondered and called their phones. She got the automated message saying


    the phone was turned off.


    Immediately, she could not help but think of Odell. Did he stop them froming over?


    She opened the messaging app again.


    Thetest message was the one she sent to him yesterday evening.


    After thinking for a while, she sent another message. ¡°A?e Isabel and Liam at home?¡±


    However, even after waiting for ten minutes, there was no reply, so Sylvia had no choice but to go to the


    Carters¡¯.


    Sadly, the gate was closed, and the guard stood at his post with a stony face. He ignored Sylvia no


    matter how much she called him. Helpless, she asked, ¡°Are Liam and Isabel at home? You just have to


    tell me whether they¡¯re at home or not.¡± The guard finally answered, ¡°They are.¡± Well, it was clear that


    Odell was forcing them at home and not letting them go to her.


    Sylvia returned to her house. She took out her phone and looked at it, but Odell still had not replied to


    her. She did not send him another message either.


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    At night, after dinner, Sylvia arrived at the Carters¡¯ at 8 p.m. sharp.


    Unexpectedly, the gate was open, and the guard did not stop her either. She immediately went in. The


    two little ones were sitting in the living room, looking at the door. When Sylvia arrived, their small figures


    came running over. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Isabel pounced on her. Sylvia picked her up, took Liam¡¯s hand, and went in. Madam Carter and Odell


    were not around. Sylvia yed with them in the living room.


    Isabel chattered away. ¡°Mommy, Liam and I wanted to go to you this morning, but Baddie took away our


    phones and wouldn¡¯t let us.go.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Mommy wille to you in the evening next time.¡± It seemed


    like Odell was worried that she would take them to see Edmund, so he did not allow them to see her


    during the day. Furthermore, he still allowed her toe to see them at night, so he was probably not


    that angry.

 Chapter 259

    The heavy feeling that Sylvia experienced for the entire day was finally relieved. She yed with the


    children until 9 p.m. and did not leave until they fell asleep.


    Odell¡¯s car also stopped at the gate at that time.


    She saw him when she walked out of the gate. She immediately smiled and greeted him,¡± Good evening,


    Odell.¡±


    Odell gave her a cold look, walked past her, and went inside. He clearly did not want to talk to her.


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    Sylvia did not care either because she did not really want to greet him anyway.


    The next two days passed simrly.


    That afternoon, Sylvia was painting in the studio when she received a message from Edmund.


    ¡°Lil Syl, let¡¯s go out for dinner tonight.¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I can¡¯t go out at night. I¡¯m going to see the children.¡±


    Edmund asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you gost night?¡±


    He had asked her out for dinnerst night too, but she had refused because she wanted to see the


    children.


    Sylvia responded, ¡°I have to go there every night.¡± Odell did not let the childrene to see her during


    the day anymore, so she could only go to them at night. Thus, it was impossible for her to go out and do


    anything else at night, such as have dinner with him.


    Edmund sent a voice message. ¡°Lil Syl, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d treat me to dinner next time? Are you going


    back on your word?¡±


    Sylvia could tell from his tone that he was teasing her. Sheughed and replied, ¡°How about tomorrow at


    noon? I¡¯ll treat you to lunch tomorrow. You can decide on the ce.¡± Edmund said, ¡°Perfect. It¡¯s settled.


    I¡¯ll send you the addresster. Be there or be square.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    At Edmund¡¯s house, Lloyd, Harry, and the others were looking at his face. Ned, who was in charge of


    preparing the venue for Edmund¡¯s confession of love, was also beside him.


    When Edmund put down his phone, Ned asked, ¡°Mr. Price, has the time been set?¡±


    Edmund curled his lips and said, ¡°Yeah, tomorrow at noon.¡±


    Ned immediately let out a groan. ¡°It¡¯s no fun at noon. We can¡¯t even use lights, so it won¡¯t be romantic.


    Can¡¯t it be at night instead?¡±


    Edmund gave him a side nce. ¡°Did you not hear what I just said?¡± Ned hurriedly corrected himself, ¡°Of


    course, Mr. Price. I¡¯ll arrange for it immediately.¡± ¡°Do a good job. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll break your


    neck.¡± Ned smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make it perfect.¡±


    Then, he went out.


    Edmund nced at Lloyd and Harry. ¡°You two go and help him.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Lloyd and Harry quickly


    went after Ned. Edmund thought about the scene of him confessing to Sylvia tomorrow and curled his


    lips into a smile.


    A few hourster, in the office at the top of Carter Tower, Cliff knocked on the door and went


    1.


    Seeing the man on the seat, he said in a soft voice, ¡°Master Carter, there¡¯s something going on with


    Edmund.¡± Odell immediately asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Two hours ago, one of his men, Ned Dumble,


    went to Cloudy Heart Lake and got a yacht. They have decorated the yacht very fancily. ording to the


    investigation, the yacht will be used tomorrow at noon as a venue for someone¡¯s confession of love.¡±


    Thud.


    Odell dropped his pen. Cliff looked at his dark expression and continued, ¡°Master Carter, if I¡¯m not


    mistaken, the yacht should be for Edmund. He might be confessing to Ms. Ross at noon tomorrow.¡±


    Although Odell only told him to keep an eye on Edmund, it was not hard to figure out that he was doing it


    because of Sylvia.


    Furthermore, Edmund recently bought a lot of paintings from the Art Association and participated in their


    activities everywhere. It was obvious that he was interested in Sylvia.


    As Odell¡¯s subordinate for many years, Cliff understood him well. Although Odell always denied it, Sylvia,


    his ex-wife whom he hated, had a significant ce in his heart.


    The atmosphere in the office suddenly froze.


    When Odell did not say anything after a long time, Cliff could not help but ask, ¡°Master Carter, what


    should we do next?¡±

 Chapter 260

    Odell nced at Cliff coldly. ¡°What do you want me to do? She¡¯s just my ex-wife. Does it matter to me


    who confesses to her? Do I look like I have nothing better to do?¡±


    His rapid questions instantly made Cliff shiver. However, he could not help but scowl in his heart, ¡®If you


    have something better to do, then why did you tell me to keep an eye on Edmund?


    ¡®Besides Edmund, when Sylvia was bullied by Michael and the Rosses because of Tristan, you also told


    me to keep an eye on Michael and the others.


    ¡®To be precise, ever since Sylvia brought Isabel back, you keep telling me to investigate this and that.¡¯


    Cliff got more depressed the more he thought about it. He had really put up with it for a long time.


    Odell was his boss, but he had never been cruel to Cliff. Consequently, Cliff did not want to see him


    deceive himself anymore. He finally could not hold back and said, ¡°Master Carter, you actually like Ms.


    Ross.¡± Odell¡¯s eyes instantly shot to him. Cliff took two steps back and continued, ¡°Just admit it. Ever


    since Ms. Ross came back, although she often makes you unhappy, you¡¯ve been much more attentive to


    her than to Ms. Avery. Moreover, Ms. Ross is quite exceptional now. It was Mr. Ledger before, and this


    time, it¡¯s Mr. Price. If you don¡¯t hurry up, a man more excellent than you might show up and marry Ms.


    Ross.¡± He finished saying all that in one breath and looked at Odell. Then, he saw Odell¡¯s extremely


    sullen face. Odell asked, ¡°Cliff, is your tongue itching?¡± Cliff quickly bowed his head. ¡°I was wrong,


    Master Carter.¡± ¡°Get out.¡±


    Cliff then rushed out.


    Therge office was engulfed in frozen silence. Odell sat where he was, frowning deeply. It was like he


    was caught in some tangled vortex, unable to break free even after a long time.


    The next day, Sylvia received the restaurant address from Edmund early in the morning.


    It was a yacht restaurant on Cloudy Heart Lake. It was her first time hearing about that restaurant. From


    the pictures he sent, it was not hard to tell that the restaurant was very luxurious. It was probably not


    cheap, but she should be able to afford it.


    Sylvia steeled her nerves and agreed. It was almost noon.


    Just as she was about to go out, two small figures ran in from outside. ¡°Mommy, Liam and I are here!¡±


    Isabel and Liam ran in excitedly. Sylvia was instantly stunned. ¡®I thought that Odell didn¡¯t let them out


    during the day.¡¯ She asked curiously, ¡°Isabel and Liam, why are you here?¡±


    Isabel giggled and said, ¡°The back door was open today, so Liam and I slipped out and came here.¡±


    Liam smiled as well.


    Sylviaughed helplessly. Then, she led them into the house,


    She called Edmund.


    The call was answered in seconds


    ¡°Lil Syl, are youing over now?¡± Edmund asked with a smile


    Sylvia said apologetically, ¡°Edmund, I don¡¯t think I can treat you to lunch today. Isabel and Liam came to


    see me, so I have to apany them


    ¡°You can bring them along too. I miss Isabel as well


    ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to bring them ¡± Sylvia could not say that it was Odell who would not let them see


    Edmund. She said, ¡°How about tonight? I¡¯ll treat you to dinner instead.¡±


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    Edmund said easily, ¡°Sure. Whatever works for you.¡±


    He quickly hung up


    Sylvia put away her phone and went to Isabel and Liam She asked them, ¡°What do you two want to do


    today?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°I want to paint, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia took them to her studio.


    On therge terrace outside Odell¡¯s bedroom, his elegant figure satzily on a leather sofa, holding a


    pair of binocrs in one hand and bringing it in front of his eyes.

 Chapter 261

    Sylvia¡¯s studio was designed to face the south. There was a huge ceiling-to-floor window that was not


    veiled by the curtain. Therefore, he was able to have a clear look at her painting with the kids.


    By simply staring at the heart-warming scene, the frosty expression on his face softened.


    The day went by in the blink of an eye, and the sky was already dark.


    Isabel was already snoring on the ground, but Liam had a sudden urge to draw longer.


    Sylvia did not want them to leave either, so she texted Edmund to tell him not to wait for her.


    ¡°I have some free time on my hand anyway. Just text me when you are done,¡± Edmund replied.


    She apanied them until a little past 8 p.m. After Liam was done painting, Sylvia drove them back to


    the Carter residence. While they were at the mansion gate, Liam noticed the dress his mother wore and


    asked,¡± Mommy, are you still going outter?¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Liam, I promised to meet a friend, so I have


    to keep my promise. Hurry up and bring your sister inside.¡± Isabel could barely keep her sleepy eyes


    open while she rubbed her eyes. Liam pouted. ¡°Okay.¡± He held Isabel¡¯s hand and went inside. After


    watching her kids go inside, Sylvia drove towards Cloudy Heart Lake. Meanwhile, in the living room of


    the Carters¡¯, Odell was having a cup of tea when Liam came in with Isabel. Liam announced, ¡°Daddy,


    we¡¯re home.¡± Odell had a nce behind them before he asked, ¡°It¡¯s just you two? Where¡¯s Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Mommy is meeting a friend,¡± Liam answered. Odell scowled. He bolted up and went out of the house


    while pulling his phone out of his pocket. Liam watched his father leave the house with slightly furrowed


    brows. Isabel yawned as she grumbled, ¡°Bro, what¡¯s wrong with the meanie?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Liam had no idea. He really wanted to ask why his father had purposely opened the backdoor this


    morning and allowed him and Isabel to go to their mother, and why he had tried his best to keep their


    mother at home for as long as possible.


    The boy had questions but was unable to meet them with answers.


    Odell strode out of the door as he dialed Cliff¡¯s number.


    He said coldly, ¡°Bring everyone you can and tell them to go straight to Cloudy Heart Lake!¡±


    The call ended, and his towering figure climbed into his sports car. As the engine roared to life, he


    stepped on the pedal and sprinted off onto the freeway.


    The scenery outside the window shed over ceaselessly. His dark and keen brows were tightly furrowed


    and his eyes were gleaming in a gloom. Sp.m. It was the curfew that he gave Sylvia to see the kids every


    day, and now, it was only a little past eight.


    Knowing Sylvia, she would want to spend every second with her kids, yet she had sent them home


    punctually today just so she could go out to meet Edmund. Has she fallen for Edmund? How dare she


    fall for another man?¡¯


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    Ring! His phone rang all of a sudden. He had a nce at the phone that he ced on the passenger


    seat. It was Tara. He slid his slender finger to the left side to decline the call. The ck sports car sped


    off into the night like the wind. Meanwhile, on another rather road, Sylvia was waiting for the traffic light to


    turn green. She had stood Edmund up several times now, and today, she had even dragged the meeting


    untilte at night.


    Feeling embarrassed, she sent Edmund a voice message. ¡°Edmund, you guys go ahead and have


    something to eat first. I¡¯m on my way and will take a little longer. Don¡¯t wait for me.¡±


    Edmund replied almost instantly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We are not hungry yet. Be careful and don¡¯t rush.¡±


    The traffic light turned green. Sylvia simply drove the car out of the street without answering Edmund.


    Little did she know, another ck sports car took a shortcut to Cloudy Heart Lake, beating her arrival


    time.

 Chapter 262

    It was windy at Cloudy Heart Lake, yet there was a brightly lit yacht parked at the side.


    Due to the cold weather, only a few souls would pass this ce.


    Edmund and several of his men were among the few.


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    Ned, Harry, and Lloyd had thick puffer jackets on with their hands pocketed as they clumped together


    due to the cold.


    Edmund stood further away from them, wearing only a handsome suit coupled with a giant coat and a


    pair of sparkly leather shoes. His towering figure stood straight as a rock as he gazed further away.


    Several ck MPVs drove in from the freeway and stopped before him. The lights from the car shone


    directly on his face.


    A group of more than twenty well-trained bodyguards came down from the cars.


    Edmund narrowed his eyes due to the brightness and also the sudden appearance of these people. Ned,


    Harry, and Lloyd, who were squatting down further away, also got up and went over.


    It was then that a ck sports car roared in from further away. It shuttled through the MPVs and stopped


    in front of the fleet with a screech.


    Cliff ran over and opened the door respectfully.


    Odell¡¯s towering figure emerged from within. His frosty eyes were locked on Edmund.


    Surprised, Edmund tightened his lips into a grin and said, ¡°Master Carter, what brings you here? I mean


    if you want to enjoy the night breeze, juste alone. Why the army?¡±. Odell strode up to the side of the


    lake and saw the well-lit yacht. He asked, ¡°Is Sylvia onboard?¡±


    Edmund¡¯s frivolous expression changed and said, ¡°Syl is not here yet. What do you, the ex husband,


    want with her?¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows and shot his frosty re at Edmund. In return, Edmund wore an evil grin as he


    locked eyes with him.


    ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯m going to confess to Syl, so please bring your men away. If there¡¯s anything urgent,


    you can tell me and I¡¯ll make sure to convey the message when she¡¯s here.¡±


    Odell grunted heavily. ¡°If you still want to make a living in Westchester, steer your broken yacht away and


    take your men with you.¡± The evil grin on Edmund turned into a icy stare.


    Ned, Harry, and Lloyd came over.


    At the same time, the twenty-odd bodyguards behind Odell marched forward with an


    intimidating presence. Things started to get tense. Edmund raised his hand to stop his men from acting


    rashly.


    Then, he grinned at Odell and said, ¡°Master Carter, Syl is your ex-wife and you¡¯ve got a girlfriend now. I


    heard you divorced her because of your current girl, right? I mean, if you can get a woman for yourself,


    why can¡¯t you allow your ex-wife to get a man for her own?¡±


    Odell curled his lips into a cold grin. ¡°Edmund, my patience is running low. You have ten minutes to take


    the yacht away.¡¯ ¡°Odell Carter, do you still have feelings for Syl?¡± Edmund scoffed. ¡°Hmph. You call


    yourself the elite of the upper ss, but you act like those f*ckboys who f*ck around with all the women.¡±


    Odell¡¯s already sullen expression got grimmer.


    At the next moment, with his lifted lips, he gave an order to Cliff behind him. ¡°Wreck the


    yacht.¡±


    Cliff nodded and signaled the bodyguards behind him. The army of men marched forward fiercely. Ned,


    Harry, and Lloyd went up to Edmund. Ned asked in a small voice, ¡°Master Price, what are we going to


    do?¡± Edmund reacted with seething resentment and grievance as he red at Odell. Odell¡¯s grin


    remained as he looked down on Edmund with a scornful expression.


    It was then a clear woman¡¯s voice sounded.


    ¡°Odell? Why are you here? What is this about?¡±


    Sylvia tiptoed from the surrounding crowd and saw the baffling scene. She was shocked. She was just


    here to treat Edmund to dinner, so why did Odell show up with his army of men?


    The surrounding crowd opened up a way for Sylvia. Her arrival attracted Odell¡¯s gaze, and when she met


    his eyes, she quivered. Edmund went up to her with a smile. ¡°Syl, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll bring you somewhere else


    for dinner.¡±


    Before Sylvia could answer, several bodyguards came and stopped him.


    Odell then strode over to her, looking at her with frosty eyes. Sylvia instinctively faltered as he


    approached in an intimidating manner.

 Chapter 263

    Confused and baffled, Sylvia blurted, ¡°Odell, what are you doing?¡±


    She wanted to draw distance from him as she voiced her question, but Odell curled his hand around her


    waist before she could.


    Before she knew it, she was lifted up over his shoulder like a sack of grain.


    Sylvia screamed, ¡°Odell, what the hell is wrong with you? Put me down!¡± He simply carried her away


    without giving her an answer.


    Edmund and the bodyguards fought. He was able to take down a few but was badly outnumbered.


    A few moments of strugglingter, he was kicked in the shin and forced onto his knees. While kneeling


    on the ground, he saw through the bodyguards¡¯ shifting legs that Odell had taken Sylvia away. He


    furiously punched the ground and shouted, ¡°You motherf*cker! Odell Carter, this is not the end! I will get


    you!¡±


    Sylvia was thrown into the car. Before she knew it, Odell was already in the driver¡¯s seat, starting the car.


    The door was locked from the driver¡¯s side, so she was unable to break out.


    Odell was driving rather fast on the freeway, and for the sake of her dear life, she dared not hit him or


    disrupt his driving. She simply red at him with daggers.


    ¡°Odell Carter, what is the meaning of this? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Odell looked forward nkly. His


    face was frosty and his mouth was zipped. A whileter, the car drove out of the district, but it was not


    heading back to either the Carters ¡®residence or her own ce. She asked, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    He remained silent. Then, he suddenly slowed down the car abruptly, causing the unprepared Sylvia to


    ram her head on the windshield.


    Before she could recover, the car sped up again.


    He did it on purpose!


    Sylvia sulked and protruded her lips as she turned her face to the window.


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    A whileter, the scenery outside the window started to look familiar. He had brought her to the Carters¡¯


    residence. It was not the mansion that Madam Carter was living in now but the mansion they used to live


    in while they were married for the two short years.


    Despite being rather aged, it was frequently cleaned, so the exterior and interior both looked clean. The


    forgotten memories about their marriage gushed into her head uncontrobly.


    All the scenes of her trying to win his affection but was given the cold shoulder, the nights she spent


    waiting for him toe home to her pregnant self and yet did not see a soul at the door, the scene


    where she caught Odell having an affair with Tara, and the scene where she was pped sixty times


    after giving birth and was thrown out of the house, everything gushed into her head at once.


    The scenes that were reyed in her head hurt her like des.


    Sylvia frowned Screech! The car screeched to a stop in front of the gate. Sylvia seized the chance and


    got out of the car. She did not go into the mansion. Instead, she headed the other way, back to the


    freeway.


    She refused to go in. She wanted to go home to her current ce. Before she could walk further away,


    the man¡¯s towering figure shadowed her from behind. Sylvia wanted to run, but before she could take the


    first step, his hand curled around her waist, and she was lifted over his shoulder again. Sylvia angrily hit


    his back. ¡°Put me down! You bastard, I don¡¯t want to go inside!¡± He strode at a steady pace towards the


    door and opened the fingerprint lock with his thumb. They went into a dark room. He put Sylvia down


    when they got inside, but she wanted to run as soon as her feet touched the ground. Unfortunately,


    before she could run out the door, she was pinned to the wall. His tall figure approached her. He lowered


    himself and pressed his lips against hers tightly.

 Chapter 264

    His intimidating pressure enveloped her whole. Sylvia was pinned to her wall. Her hands were


    sandwiched between her chest, and no matter how she tried, she failed to gain enough strength to break


    free.


    She was forced to obey and could not resist him at all. A while had passed, and only then did he free her


    lips. Sylvia gasped strongly for a mouthful of air. She then pushed him away and shouted, ¡°Why did you


    bring me here?! Let me go!¡± She gave her fullest in pushing him away, but his mountain-like figure did


    not budge at all. Sylvia almost ran out of options. Thest resort was to sneak out under his arm, but he


    grabbed her waist and hugged her tightly to his chest, so her face was pressed against his broad chest.


    Things started to get steamy. She looked up at him, but due to the dark surroundings, she was denied a


    clear look at his face. Odell finally spoke, ¡°Can¡¯t remember what I said?¡±


    The threat between the lines gave her chills.


    Sylvia shrunk a little and asked out of confusion, ¡°What? What did you say?¡±


    He did not answer. Instead, he said, ¡°Then, I will make you remember.¡± He lowered his head again and


    pressed his lips precisely on hers. Sylvia could not breathe properly due to the force and difference in


    their strength. Just when she was about to suffocate, he released her.


    Sylvia gasped a few mouthfuls of air and asked, ¡°Odell, what did you say? What are you trying to make


    me remember? Can you speak properly?!¡± He reached out to her face and pinched her lower lip,


    caressing it softly.


    Sylvia started to feel numb, and he started to free her movements.


    Then, he said, ¡°I said you are not allowed to meet Edmund.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. It was because of this that he brought an army of men to where she and Edmund were


    supposed to have dinner and abduct her to this godforsaken ce. Sylvia sulked in confusion. ¡°Edmund


    and I are friends. I know he has a poor reputation, but I listened to you and kept Liam and Isabel from


    him. It is my business that I¡¯ve befriended him. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s rted


    She tried to reason with him as politely as possible.


    However, even after her sincere exnation, the frostiness in his gaze did not warm up. He even looked


    angrier than before.


    Sylvia gasped and said, ¡°Can you let me go first? Let¡¯s talk this through.¡± Odell bound her to his chest


    and said coldly, ¡°No.¡± It fueled Sylvia¡¯s annoyance. She grumbled, ¡°Odell, you are my ex-husband. What


    right do you have to stop me from seeing someone?!¡± She emphasized and raised her voice on the word


    ¡®ex-husband¡¯. Then, he exerted more strength around her waist, seemingly trying to snap her body in


    half. Even in the dark environment, his eyes reeked of antagonism. Sylvia struggled out of pain and tried


    to push him away. ¡°Odell, stop!¡± He refused toply and did not even conserve his strength. The more


    she struggled, the tighter he hugged her.


    Sylvia felt her body was breaking in half. The pain, the annoyance, and the grievance drove her to shout


    her lungs at him. ¡°Odell, can you be reasonable? I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. Why are you doing this to


    me?¡± Her shout echoed in his ears, but he simply grunted coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t listen to me, I¡¯ll do


    whatever I want to you.¡± What kind of twisted reason was that? Why would the ex-wife listen to what the


    ex-husband said? What right did he have to stop her from seeing someone? As her anxiety rose, Sylvia


    chuckled all of a sudden and said, ¡°Odell Carter, are you really in love with me?¡± The air went silent.


    Sylvia suddenly felt the force around her waist soften a little. She somehow recalled that he would tell


    her to leave whenever she asked whether he loved her. This time should be no different. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

 Chapter 265

    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief as she pursed her lips. She waited for him to release her before she


    would tell him to get out. However, in the next second, Odell tightened his grip. Sylvia bumped into his


    chest, and her forehead even hit his chin.


    Then, his deep voice clearly entered her ears saying, ¡°Yes, I have fallen for you.¡±


    Awestruck, Sylvia widened her eyes in disbelief. Her mind went ck and her body froze. She looked up


    to him with an inconceivable look and vaguely saw him curl his thin lips.


    He was also looking down into her eyes with the deepest gaze. Her suffocating chest suddenly grew


    restless, and her heartbeat rose. She tried her best to fight the difort and asked, ¡°Odell, what are


    you talking about? Is this a joke?¡± Odell lifted her chin with his strong hand and said in his deep voice, ¡°I


    never joke.¡±


    His rigid expression was right in front of her face. She could even feel his coolness when he spoke.


    Sylvia was stunned for a few seconds before she wore an icy grin and asked, ¡°What about Tara? Have


    you forgotten about her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s someone that I will protect for the rest of my life. I won¡¯t abandon her.


    But you, you are not allowed to see or date other men.¡± Each of his words was spoken with rity and


    crispiness, and they all sounded unreasonable. Sylvia spat on his words and scolded him, ¡°You


    shameless bastard!¡± In the next second, her back was pushed onto the cold hard concrete wall. His


    towering figure shadowed her and he locked lips with her again. The pressure and suffocation rose


    strongly. No matter how hard Sylvia struggled, she just could not gather enough strength to push him


    away.


    The bastard was obviously being possessive; it was not love or affection. Irritated, Sylvia widened her


    mouth and bit him. The pungent smell of blood gushed into their noses, and before she knew it, Odell


    released her.


    He raised his hand to wipe the blood off his lower lips and narrowed his eyes coldly. In addition to the


    dim environment, the blood on his lips made him look like a vampire.


    Sylvia was slightly shocked but mostly irritated and vexed. She widened her eyes and shouted at him,


    ¡°Odell Carter, if you dare kiss me again, I¡¯ll bite your lips off!¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± he scoffed. It sounded rather cold and heavy. ¡°With that mouth of yours?¡±


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    He reached out to the back of her dress and clutched the zipper. He said in a deep voice,¡± Believe me


    when I say I will ravage you right here, right now.¡±


    His threat sent chills down Sylvia¡¯s spine.


    As the grievance built up, her tears rolled down her cheeks. He was not just picking on her. He was


    insulting her.


    She looked into her eyes and asked, ¡°Odell, is it that fun to pick on me?¡±


    They were in the dark room for quite some time now, and their eyes had already adapted to the low-light


    environment. Adapting to the dark environment allowed Odell to see her tearv eyes.


    His eyes narrowed and his lips pursed. Sylvia continued, ¡°If it makes you happy, just do it.¡± She was no


    match for him in terms of physical strength as well. Then, she moved her hands away from her chest and


    ced them idle on both sides of her hips. She even withdrew her strength from her legs and simplyy


    on top of his chest, allowing him to do whatever he wanted to her. Odell stared at her quietly. A while


    later, he grunted coldly and lifted her chin up. ¡°If you were this obedient from the start, you wouldn¡¯t have


    to go through all that suffering.¡± Sylvia pursed her lip and clenched her teeth. Odell pinched her chin


    tighter. ¡°Say something.¡± Sylvia simply hummed reluctantly as a reply. He also grunted deeply and then


    picked her up in his arms. Instead of going deeper into the mansion, they went out of the door.


    The chilly night breeze assaulted them from every possible direction as soon as they stepped out. Sylvia


    curled up in his chest but did not feel a sliver of warmth.

 Chapter 266

    Half an hourter, the sports car screeched to a stop in front of Sylvia¡¯s house.


    Sylvia reached out to the handle and tried to get off, but the door remained locked, so she could not


    open it. Odell¡¯s deep voice then sounded in her ears. ¡°Mark my words. If I find you seeing Edmund again,


    you willprehend the consequences.¡± As his voice subsided, the door was unlocked. Sylvia simply


    ran out of the car without giving him a reply.


    Then, she saw her own car parked in front of the yard. She had driven it to Cloudy Heart Lake earlier,


    and it seemed like after Odell abducted her, his men had driven it back.


    She only had one nce at the car before she ran into the house and locked the door tightly. Back in the


    sports car, Odell finally averted his gaze after Sylvia mmed the door shut. He had a nce at the


    rearview mirror. He spotted some blood stains on his lower lips, where Sylvia had bitten him earlier. ¡®That


    woman¡¯s teeth are really sharp.¡¯ He curled his thin lips into a grin before he turned the car around and


    left.


    At Lake Victoria Vi, Tara was staring at her phone with a pale look.


    Ever since her first call to Odell was hung up one-sidedly, she had been trying to reach him, but all she


    got was the cold monotonous voice, telling her the number she dialed was not avable. She had a


    nce at Edmund who was sitting on the couch further away. Then, she gave it another try and dialed


    Odell¡¯s number. This time, the call finally got through after a few seconds. Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed in delight.


    She asked, ¡°Odell, what are you doing? Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone?¡±


    On the other end of the call, Odell had juste out from the shower. He was rubbing his hair dry as he


    said, ¡°I had something to do just now, so I turned off my phone. What is it?¡±


    He sounded normal as usual.


    Tara also feigned ignorance and said with a smile, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just miss you.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm. Go rest.¡±


    Odell wanted to hang up, but Tara spoke before he could tap the red button.


    ¡°Odell, are you still busy?¡±


    ¡°Not now.¡±


    ¡°Where are you now? At home? Or at the office?¡±


    ¡°At home.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes showed signs of relief. With her smile still on her face, she continued, ¡°Odell, can you have


    dinner with me tomorrow? We haven¡¯t seen each other in two days.¡±


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    A quick thoughtter, Odell said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    The call then ended. Tara¡¯s face fell as she put her phone away.


    Further away, Edmund took a puff from his cigarette and spat a cloud of smoke from his mouth. He


    asked her, ¡°Has Odell gone home?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s home now.¡± Tara held back her disgust for him and forced a smile on her face. ¡°Master Price, it¡¯s


    late now. I want to rest. May I ask you to leave?¡±


    Edmund grinned at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a killjoy. I still have something to say.¡±


    Tara looked at the man¡¯s gangster-like demeanor and mustered up whatever patience she had left.


    ¡°What else do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°You introduce Syl to me because you are afraid that she might get back together with Odell and ruin


    your rtionship, am I right?¡± Tara wore an evasive look. She maintained her vague smile and said, ¡°I


    thought that Sylvia is your type, so I just wanted to connect the dots. You are thinking too much.¡± ¡°Fine.


    You don¡¯t need to exin anymore. I¡¯m not Odell Carter. You won¡¯t fool me with your lousy tricks.¡±


    Edmund flicked the cigarette bud and bolted up.


    Staring at Tara¡¯s restless face, he said with a cold grin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I simply wanted to remind you of the


    situation. If you don¡¯t want Odell to find out what you have done in the past, keep an eye on him, and


    don¡¯t let him go back to Syl.¡± Tara secretly clutched her fists. She answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Odell only


    loves me. Even if he took Sylvia away, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just bewitched by her spell. He will never abandon


    me because of that woman.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s great if it¡¯s true.¡± Edmund scornfully grinned before he went


    out. Ned, Harry, and Lloyd also followed him out of the house.

 Chapter 267

    Tara tossed a tumbler at where Edmund sat earlier.


    You¡¯re just some low-life gangster. What gives you the right to order me around?!¡¯


    What irritated her more was that despite Edmund being a gangster, he did not rape Sylvia after the first


    meeting. Instead, he went through all the effort of preparing the yacht to confess to that woman.


    It would have been fine if it was just a simple confession, but Odell was involved. Tara believed Sylvia


    must have set this up. ¡®It¡¯s been a few years since then, and this bitch has gotten better at toying with


    men.¡¯ The thought of Odell taking Sylvia away from Edmund upset Tara. Her chest started to hurt. She


    tossed everything on the table and shouted, ¡°You bitch, I won¡¯t let you seed! You couldn¡¯t beat me


    before and you will never beat me now!¡±


    Sylvia came home to take a bath. She had to wash her face with cold water a few times to calm herself


    down before she headed to bed.


    It was already midnight when she finallyy down. She stared at the ceiling nkly and was far from


    sleepy.


    It was until her phone beeped that she retracted her nk thoughts.


    It was a message from Edmund. ¡°Syl, are you home yet? Did Odell do anything to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m


    already home. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± She clearly remembered when Odell abducted her, Edmund


    was fighting Odell¡¯s men. She asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m as fit as a tiger. Of course, I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. She said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I dragged you into this.¡±


    If she did not promise to treat him to dinner, Odell would not have stormed the ce with his army of


    bodyguards.


    What baffled Sylvia the most was why Odell would have brought an army to theke. She was just


    treating Edmund to dinner.


    The scene of the army of intimidating men in ck suits still gave her the chills now that she thought of


    it.


    Could it be that he really liked her?


    No, she refused to believe it. She knew how a person would behave if he or she was in love. If he really


    liked her, he would not have picked on her and insulted her like that.


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    Maybe it was because she was his ex-wife, and he did not want to see her being too close with other


    men. It was a sign of being over-possessive.


    Her phone beeped again. Edmund texted, ¡°Sigh. I just want to have dinner with you. Why is that so


    hard?¡± Sylvia sighed helplessly as well. She texted back, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely make up for what happened


    tonight but not in the next few days.¡±


    Edmund did not reply.


    Sylvia felt embarrassed. A quick thoughtter, she texted him about the inside news she got on several


    events that would be hosted by the art association.


    Two veteran artists, whose paintings were valuable and highly sought-after, would be holding their


    exhibition soon, so the art association did not advertise the event just yet, just to maintain the exclusivity.


    Since Edmund loved to collect art, she thought of making it up to him by providing him the time and loca


    tion of the exhibitions. She even added, ¡°I¡¯ve told my friend to keep an eye out for me. If you decide to


    go, just mention my name and they will let you in.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I thank you first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    It was then, she received a text from Odell.


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    Sylvia wore a cold look and did not want to reply to him. However, on second thought, if she ignored him,


    he would probably call herter and ask her why she ignored her. For the sake of the kids, she replied,


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still not asleep at this hour? Are you chatting with Edmund?¡± Sylvia was speechless.

 Chapter 268

    Sylvia was speechless for a while.


    Annoyed, she argued, ¡°You are also still awake.¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I just finished my work.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips as she did not want to know what he did. ¡°Say something.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Just when Sylvia wanted to put her phone away, another text came in. ¡°Reply.¡±


    Sylvia gasped frustratedly and simply typed the same reply as before. The chat finally went quiet.


    With the phone away, Sylvia rolled around her bed out of frustration but still could not doze


    off. She rolled around for an hour or so until she finally fell asleep. When she opened her eyes again, her


    room was already basking in the sunlight. Isabel and Liam were tiny balls of cotton jackets as they sat on


    both sides of the bed, staring at her sleepy face.


    Isabel threw herself into Sylvia¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re awake!¡±


    Her adorable voice was the best wake-up call. It even eased the lingering frustration she had fromst


    night. She sat herself up and hugged Liam in her arms.


    ¡°When did you guyse over?¡±


    Isabel blurted, ¡°Brother and I came over early in the morning.¡±


    Sylvia had a nce at the watch. It was already 10 in the morning. She patted their heads and said with


    a small voice, ¡°Sorry, I overslept.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. But you must sleep earlier next time and not stay up sote,¡± Isabel chided.


    ¡°Isabel is right,¡± Liam said. Looking at their puffy cheeks, Sylvia unconsciously wore a sweet smile. The


    last bit of annoyance that suffocated her chest sincest night faded instantly.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said with a smile.


    The two little rascals stayed at her house for the entire day, and she only sent them back to the Carters¡¯


    when it was almost dark.


    She did not go in with them though. She simply watched the kids go in at the gate and left. She wished


    she could stay a little longer with them, but she was afraid to run into Odell after what happenedst


    night.


    To her surprise, before she even stepped out of the pathway, Odell¡¯s sports car drove in.


    Sylvia saw him through the windshield of the car and quickly averted her gaze. She feigned ignorance


    and strode even faster.


    Odell¡¯s sports car screeched to a spot beside her. The window was wound down as he shot his sharp


    gaze at her. ¡°Sylvia.¡±


    Sylvia ran. She dashed as if a wolf was chasing her. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared beyond the


    entrance.


    Odell frowned and his look turned frosty. He just wanted to talk, not eat her alive.


    He pulled out his phone and called her. Sylvia was already at the entrance of her house when her phone


    rang. She hesitated for a while before she reluctantly answered it.


    The man¡¯s deep and cold voice sounded. ¡°Why did you run?¡± ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said why did you run?¡± Sylvia feigned ignorance and said, ¡°How did you know I ran? Did you see me? I


    didn¡¯t see you anywhere.¡± Odell was silenced. Sylvia seized the moment of silence and added, ¡°If there¡¯s


    nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up now. I still have things to do.¡± ¡°What? Are you going out again?¡± His deep voice


    was screaming threats.

 Chapter 269

    Sylvia held her frustration back and said, ¡°No. I still have paintings to finish.¡±


    Odell went quiet.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    His voice sounded a lot softer, but it did not stop Sylvia from hanging up. Right when Odell wanted to put


    his phone away, his screen lit up.


    It was a call from Tara.


    His brows furrowed a little before he answered the call.


    Tara¡¯s soft voice echoed in his ears. ¡°Odell, are you here yet? I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Odell immediately remembered that he had promised to go out with her tonight,


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Late at night, when the shops and malls were closed, the streets were lit up only by the streetmps.


    A ck sports car sprinted out of the wealthy district and headed towards Lake Victoria Vi.


    Tara looked at him with a heavy heart. ¡°Odell, aren¡¯t you going to stay tonight?¡±


    ¡°No. I have something to do back in the office.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Her face fell.


    Odell raised his arms around her for a hug. He whispered softly, ¡°Go have some rest.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡± Then, Tara tiptoed and gave him a kiss on his lips.


    To her surprise, Odell froze for a millisecond. A strong sense of rejection gushed into his mind, forcing


    him to tighten his lips.


    Fortunately, he was able to suppress the unusual feeling and turned around to his car.


    The ck sports car drove off quickly.


    Tara was left alone at the entrance as she watched the sports car disappear beyond her sight, The


    expression on her face changed.


    He was still the same man that she knew. He spent a lot of money on her and apanied her


    shopping. They even ran into several acquaintances earlier, and when they saw how loving and caring


    he was to her, their eyes almost popped out in shock and jealousy.


    She could not allow Sylvia to snatch such a great man from her.


    Back at home, Sylvia had juste out from the bathroom after cleaning herself up.


    Just when she was about to go to bed, her phone rang.


    It was a message from one of the chat groups of the Westchester Art Association. She thought it was


    some kind of event notification, so she tapped on it. However, she found out that there were several


    members ttering and praising Tara. ¡°This is my first time seeing Master Carter himself. I did not expect


    him to be so handsome in real life. He¡¯s even better looking than the celebrities. Tara, you¡¯re such a lucky


    girl.¡± ¡°Master Carter is really generous as well. He even paid for our bills.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of Tara. We


    have to thank her.¡± A bunch of messages was expressing their gratitude for Tara. Tara then answered the


    compliments and replied, ¡°We are friends. You guys don¡¯t need to be so courteous.¡± ¡°Tara, you¡¯re such a


    kind person. No wonder Master Carter loves you so much.¡± ¡°I have to say Tara is born lucky, and we can


    only be jealous of her.¡± After being bombarded by a ton of aggrandizing praises, Tara replied, ¡°Haha, you


    guys will meet your Mr. Right as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given up already. My ex cheated on me even though he¡¯s not


    rich.¡± ¡°My ex ran away with another girl.¡± Tara replied, ¡°You guys, don¡¯t be like this. It¡¯s just that you


    haven¡¯t met the perfect man. If you do, no matter how many temptations or seduction out there, your


    man won¡¯t give up on


    you.¡±


    Her statement attracted a question. ¡°Tara, given how perfect Master Carter is, I¡¯m sure there¡¯re a lot of


    women after him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there is. He is a reputable person after all. There was an evil woman who tried to separate us


    before with all kinds of ill schemes.¡± ¡°What happened then? Did she do it?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. If that woman seeded, Tara wouldn¡¯t be with Master Carter now.¡±


    Tara exined, ¡°Yeah. No matter how hard that woman tried, Odell did not fall for her. I even pity her at


    times.¡±

 Chapter 270

    Tara¡¯s friends echoed in agreement. ¡°That woman is really a shameless whore.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I really am


    jealous of you. Master Carter is rich and handsome, and he¡¯s good to you. If I can meet someone like


    him, I¡¯ll be a vegan for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be one for the rest of my life and my next life.¡±


    As the ttery slowly built up to the climax, Tara answered, ¡°Okay, guys, this is the main chat group. We


    shouldn¡¯t be chatting here.¡±


    The farce finally ended as they moved on to another topic.


    Sylvia read through the whole conversation.


    Tara had always presented herself as the ice queen who was cold and elegant. Unless someone tried to


    tter her, she would merely answer a word or two. It was almost impossible for her to join the gossip, let


    alone discuss it in the main chat group.


    She did this on purpose. She started the topic and pointed out that some woman had tried to seduce


    Odell.


    The phrase she used to describe the woman was an eyesore to Sylvia. No matter how she looked at it, it


    was a direct mock of herself.


    Tara must have sensed something wrong with Odell recently. That was why she set up this farce for


    Sylvia to see. Sylvia scoffed and tossed her phone aside. She wished Odell would just die and leave her


    in peace!


    Odell no longer limited Isabel and Liam¡¯s freedom because, in the next two days, the two of them arrived


    at Sylvia¡¯s house earlier than usual.


    Sylvia apanied them for the whole day and sent them back when it was dark. However, she still


    refused to go into the Carters¡¯ residence.


    Therefore, she sessfully avoided Odell for the past two days.


    Odell did not bug her as well. Maybe the man was busy or maybe Tara shackled him at her ce.


    Regardless, Sylvia did not care. As long as she could see her kids every day without the man bugging


    her, it was all good andfortable.


    Soon, Isabel and Liam¡¯s holiday came to an end.


    As usual, she spent the whole day with the two of them and sent them back when it was dark. Right


    before the two kids cross the gate to the Carters¡¯ residence, Isabel clutched her mother¡¯s


    hand. She said, ¡°Mommy, Brother and I are going back to school tomorrow. Can you y with us a little


    longer tonight?¡± Liam stared at his mother in anticipation. Sylvia could never say no to them, so she


    agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± The two little rascals grinned happily. Sylvia then went into the Carters¡¯ residence with


    them. Odell was still not home. Only Madam Carter and the butler were chatting in the living room. While


    Sylvia sat beside Madam Carter and chatted with her, Isabel and Liam stuck to their mother like bees to


    honey.


    It was lively in the house until dinner time.


    Sylvia got up and wanted to head back, but Madam Carter held her back. ¡°Stay for dinner.¡±


    Both Isabel and Liam showed their googly eyes, begging their mother to stay. Sylvia had a nce


    outside. She spotted no signs of Odell¡¯s return, so probably the man was out dating Tara untilte at


    night. After some hesitation, she agreed. ¡°Okay.¡±


    To her surprise, when she got to the table with Madam Carter and the two rascals, Madam Carter said to


    one of the servants, ¡°Tell Odell toe down and have dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam,¡± the servant answered with a nod before she went up.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression froze. She bolted up in shock. Madam Carter was startled as well. ¡°Syl, what¡¯s


    wrong?¡± she asked. Sylvia anxiously said, ¡°Grandmother, I suddenly remember I have something to do at


    home


    ¡°What thing?¡± The man¡¯s deep and cold voice interrupted her. Sylvia looked up and saw Odelling


    down the stairs. The man was in a ck shirt, and his bangs were left dangling in front of his forehead.


    His movements reeked of nonchnce, but it somehow bore a sense of frostiness as well.


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    Sylvia averted his gaze and said, ¡°N-Nothing.¡±


    She sat back down.


    Odell secretly curved his lips and sat down opposite her. He had been watching her from the moment


    she brought the kids home.

 Chapter 271

    He had been watching her from the dark and did not show up earlier because he wanted to stop her from


    running. Besides, it had been two days since hest saw her, and he had started to miss her


    uncontrobly.


    That was why he hid in the dark and watched her every move.


    Sylvia wished she had a tray to block her face, but she had nothing. She bit the bullet and lowered her


    head in awkwardness.


    The dining table went quiet for a moment.


    Madam Carter sharply noticed something was not right. She switched her gaze between Sylvia and


    Odell, trying to find out what was up with them. Even Isabel and Liam looked at the two of them in


    confusion. Then, Isabel said, ¡°Big meanie, why are you looking at my Mommy?¡± Odell put a piece of fish


    on her te. ¡°Eat your dinner.¡± Isabel grunted. ¡°Don¡¯t look at my Mommy!¡± Madam Carter knew


    something was out of the ordinary, but she could not pinpoint exactly what. She turned to Isabel and said


    with an awkward smile, ¡°Isabel, eat your dinner. Liam, you


    too.¡±


    Dinner went on in a tense and awkward atmosphere.


    The moment she finished thest bit of food on her te, Sylvia got up and tried to leave. Isabel held her


    back. ¡°Mommy, where are you going?¡±


    Liam also widened his eyes at her. Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    They looked like they would sulk or even cry if Sylvia said she was going home. Sylvia pursed her lips


    and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to wash my hands.¡± The two little rascals¡¯ eyes gleamed. ¡°Me too!¡± Isabel jumped


    out from the chair, and Liam did the same. Sylvia had to bring the two of them to the bathroom, leaving


    Odell alone at the table. He wiped his hands with the napkin as he watched the mother and children go


    off to the bathroom. There was a strange and discreet grin on his face.


    He did not even do anything, but the two little rascals held her back for him.


    ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got, yet you try to escape from my grasp? You¡¯ve overestimated yourself.¡¯


    Sylvia apanied Isabel and Liam until 9 p.m.


    After sending them to bed, she snuck out of their room but bumped into Odell in the corridor.


    He leaned on the wall with his hands crossed in front of his chest, looking like azy lion. His deep gaze


    sized her up from top to bottom when she came out. ¡°Are they asleep?¡± Sylvia hummed a reply and


    wanted to walk away. ¡°They are going back to school tomorrow,¡± he said. ¡°I know.¡±


    He raised his brows and asked, ¡°Do you want to see them whenever you want?¡±


    His question caught Sylvia off guard. She could not help but look at him with a baffled look. His deep


    eyes, slightly narrowed, were looking at her with a hint of scheming. A quick hesitationter, Sylvia


    asked, ¡°Sure, I¡¯d want that, but would you agree to it?¡± Odell grinned. ¡°Come closer and I¡¯ll tell you how.¡±


    Sylvia froze on the spot, her eyes filled with caution. Odell waited, but she did not approach him, so he


    took the initiative to move closer to her face. Sylvia wanted to avoid him, but his hastened pace allowed


    him to reach her in just two big steps. He reached out to her wrist and pulled her closer to his chest. His


    hand curled around her waist like a snake constricting its prey. She put her hands between herself and


    his chest, attempting to draw distance. She frowned and looked at him.


    ¡°Odell, let me go!¡± she said in a small voice because she did not want to startle Madam Carter.


    However, Odell tightened his hug around her waist and even lifted her up. As Sylvia¡¯s body was lifted up,


    her forehead almost touched the tip of his nose. Any higher and he would be able to force his lips on


    hers. She said with gnashing teeth, ¡°Odell, stop it!¡± He grinned. His deep voice whispered into her ears,


    ¡°As long as you listen to me and not avoid me, I will agree for you to see the kids whenever you want.


    You can even have a sleepover with them.¡±

 Chapter 272

    The terms he offered were tempting, but his intention was clear as well: he wanted her to be his mistress


    again.


    An indescribable irritation gushed up to her chest, causing her to suffocate. She pursed her lips tightly.


    Odell noticed her silence. He pinched her chin and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Sylvia


    looked into his eyes with tearful eyes that held a hint of frostiness. She said, ¡°Odell, I will never agree to


    that.¡± Odell¡¯s anticipation behind his deep gaze faded right away. ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to be with


    Isabel and Liam, and I will give you the right to be with them for as long as you want. What else do you


    want?¡± he said in a grumpy tone. Sylvia took a deep breath to calm herself down before she said, ¡°Odell,


    have you ever considered Isabel and Liam¡¯s feelings? Are you trying to set an example for Liam to be


    like you when he grows up? Should he have a mistress after he gets a girlfriend or a wife? Or are you


    trying to tell Isabel that there are no good men in this world? It might convey the wrong message to her,


    making her believe that a man having more than one woman outside his family is something normal.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    A long silenceter, he said, ¡°Liam will have his own thoughts in the future. Isabel is my daughter, and if


    her man dares to betray her, I will not spare him.¡± Sylvia could not help but scoff at his ims. ¡°Odell, you


    are really good at shifting your responsibility. Then, what about me? Have you ever considered my


    feelings? I¡¯m their mother, but I have to be a mistress to my ex-husband and their father?! If I say


    yes, how will they perceive me in the future? How will I face them?¡±


    She sighed heavily and continued, ¡°You are shameless, but I¡¯m not.¡± Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. This


    time, Sylvia boldly stared back into his eyes. Another long pauseter, Odell tightened his thin lips and


    exined, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to be my mistress.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you mean? Do you want to remarry me? Or are you asking me to be your girlfriend?


    What about Tara? Are you going to abandon her?¡± Sylvia scoffed. Odell furrowed his brows tightly. The


    irritation and restlessness on his face gradually emerged.


    Momentster, he finally released her.


    Sylvia took a few steps to the side to draw distance.


    She expected this. She knew his possessive side was taking control, at most having a little reignited


    interest in her, but it was never his true feelings. He would also never abandon Tara


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    because of her. After all, Tara was his true love. After drawing distance from the man, Sylvia strode


    outside. ¡°Hold up!¡± he bellowed. Sylvia froze. She turned around with furrowed brows and asked,


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do not see Edmund anymore,¡± he warned her with a frosty gaze and sounded dominant as always. ¡°If I


    find out that you are meeting him again, don¡¯t think of seeing the kids anymore.¡±


    Sylvia was forced to swallow her grievance Again, he was using the kids against her. She red at him


    and forced a reluctant reply out of her mouth. ¡°Fine.¡± She then strode out of the house as fast as she


    could, leaving Odell stunned on the spot. He watched her walk out of the door, and when her figure


    finally left his sight, his brows furrowed in frustration again. Like what Sylvia said, he could not abandon


    Tara, but he wanted Sylvia more.


    Some time after Sylvia returned home, she received a text from Edmund. The text began with a funny


    sticker, followed by a question. ¡°Syl, I miss you. When are we going to meet?¡± Odell¡¯s threats remained


    loud in her ears, so Sylvia was forced to reply, ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busytely.¡± ¡°What are you working on?


    Do you need my help?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just my own work.¡± ¡°Okay. But I just bought several paintings


    recently. Can you take a look for me?¡± ¡°Sure. Take some pictures for me.¡± Soon, the pictures were sent


    over to her.

 Chapter 273

    The pictures of the artwork Edmund sent over were from veteran artists who were supposedly having an


    exhibition in Westchester soon.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    After going through them individually, Sylvia said, ¡°The ones you picked are really good.¡± Edmund sent


    her a voice message. ¡°Really? It seems like I have excellent taste.¡± Sylvia giggled and replied the same.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I think they are quite fancy, but I don¡¯t know how to put them in words. Can you exin them to


    me? So that I can act cool in front of the others.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± said Sylvia with a smile


    She then voice-messaged him her exnation of the paintings. She offered him a detailed exnation of


    her own thoughts for each and every painting. On the other end of the chat, Edmund was on the couch


    listening to her voice as if it was some ssical music piece. He softly closed his eyes, enjoying the


    angelic tune in his ears. That was until Harry came over. ¡°Master Price?¡±


    Edmund red at him. ¡°Shut up.¡± Harry awkwardly zipped his mouth. A whileter, after Edmund


    listened to all Sylvia¡¯s voice messages, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Harry answered, ¡°Lloyd found out that


    Sylvia has recently been spending most of her time with her kids at home, and after she sends them


    back to the Carters¡¯, she goes home. She was not with Odell at all.¡±


    Edmund narrowed his eyes. Harry scratched his head awkwardly and said, ¡°Master Price, is it possible


    that Sylvia doesn¡¯t want to see you?¡± Edmund looked askance at his man. ¡°Impossible. If Syl doesn¡¯t


    want to see me, she wouldn¡¯t have replied to my texts or voice messages.¡± She replied to every inquiry


    of his, and if she really refused to see him, she would never answer him at all. Just like now, whereby


    she offered a detailed exnation of every painting that he sent over.


    Harry was baffled. ¡°Then, why is she noting out to see you?¡± Edmund hummed. ¡°I bet it¡¯s that prick


    threatening her with something and stopping her from seeing me.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound right. Odell is her ex-


    husband. What right does he have to stop her from seeing you?¡± ¡°Odell even brought his men to ruin our


    date and took her away before my eyes.¡±


    The insulting scene reyed in Edmund¡¯s head and caused him to clench his teeth tightly. Harry


    remained confused. ¡°Yeah, but why? Does he like Sylvia? I thought he already has a girlfriend.¡± The


    more Harry tried to understand it, the more confused he got.


    Edmund scoffed. ¡°Syl trumps Tara in terms of looks and capabilities, and if I have my eyes on her, I¡¯m


    sure that bastard Odell Carter isn¡¯t blind as well.¡±


    Although he was curious why Odell would have divorced Sylvia because of Tara a few years ago, he was


    now certain that Odell liked Sylvia.


    Harry asked, ¡°Master Price, so what are we going to do now?¡± Edmund frowned in frustration. ¡°Tell Lloyd


    to keep an eye on Syl. I¡¯ll try toe up with something.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel and Liam returned to school.


    Therefore, Sylvia could only see them at night after they came back. Although she made it clear to Odell


    that she refused toply with his perverted terms, she was still afraid to see him in person. Therefore,


    right after the kids came back from school, she arrived at the Carters¡¯.


    The bodyguards did not stop her either. She yed with the two little rascals and only left when it was


    time for them to have dinner.


    The kids usually finished dinner around 8 p.m. which was around the same time Odell came home.


    His sports car rolled to a halt in front of the gate. After the bodyguard opened the door for him, he got out


    and had a nce inside the house. ¡°Is Sylvia here?¡±


    The bodyguard said, ¡°Ms. Ross came, but she has already left.¡± Odell frowned and pursed his lips.


    Surprisingly, he simply went inside the house without saying anything.

 Chapter 274

    Two days went by.


    On this particr day, Sylvia arrived at the art academy early in the morning.


    She went because Christopher invited her over for a demo for the students. Other than being the


    president of the Westchester Art Association, Christopher was also the deputy dean of the art academy.


    The new semester started just yesterday, and the academy was hosting this wee event, especially


    for the uing graduates.


    They invited several well-known artists over for a live demonstration. Other than Sylvia, two other


    veteran artists were also present.


    Sylvia was honored by the invitation, so there was no reason for her to reject it. She drove to the art


    academy and parked her car in the parking lot.


    Right after she got out of her car, an event coordinator came over and guided her to the venue.


    The live demonstration was held in a spacious lecture studio which was already crowded with students


    and artists alike.


    When Sylvia arrived, she saw Christopher and the other two veteran artists surrounded by the students


    who were asking them for advice and tips. Christopher excused himself from the student right after he


    noticed Sylvia¡¯s arrival.


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    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte, President Dendro,¡± Sylvia said. The traffic had been terrible.


    Christopher said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay. The demo starts at 9 a.m., so you¡¯re notte.¡±


    Then, he brought Sylvia to the group and introduced her to the veteran artists.


    One of them was the senior professor of the art academy, Salvadore Horns while the other was a well-


    known artist from nchester, Pablo Domino. Both of them were friendly and easy going


    After a brief introduction, Christopher introduced Sylvia to the students before they started the live


    demonstration session.


    The paintbrushes, paints, artboard, and easels were all prepared at their respective seats. The three


    artists then went to their seats, and after a brief speech from Christopher, they started painting.


    The purpose of this demonstration was to show the students how professional artists created their work.


    The students would be able to watch the process and pick up tips and details from here and there,


    henceforth strengthening their own knowledge.


    Sylvia thought of painting a sunflower sincest night.


    Unlike the sunflower thatunched her into stardom, this sunflower that she wanted to paint was one that


    grew under the bright sun, symbolizing a bright and hopeful future.


    She got into her little trance as soon as she picked up the brush. She concentrated onying the strokes


    on the artboard, mixing the proper colors, and making sure her thoughts were conveyed properly. She


    was so focused that she did not realize the growing crowd behind her.


    Sunflower Bloom was the loudest name in the art world at the moment, and as the students of the art


    academy, they had heard of her and seen her word through various tforms.


    However, watching Sunflower Bloom paint live was a first, let alone watching her create a masterpiece.


    On top of all that, she chose to paint a sunflower, the subject that made her famous. A lot of students


    started to record the process with their smartphones. The way sheid her strokes on the artboard was


    beautiful and skilled. Every stroke was precise and impactful, and no paint was wasted in the process.


    The students behind her were awestruck. It even started to attract the other students who were watching


    the other two artists paint. Other than the students, a number of teachers also freed up their timetable to


    witness the incredible painting session. Even Tara was dragged over to the lecture studio by two of the


    teachers. They stood outside the window and peeked inside. One of the teachers was awestruck when


    she saw Sylvia. ¡°Sunflower Bloom is a young woman?¡±


    The other teacher eximed, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? I heard she was a woman, but I just didn¡¯t expect her to


    be this beautiful and young.¡± ¡°She looks very elegant as well.¡± ¡°Sigh. We are all around the same age,


    but she¡¯s a lot better than us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when heaven favors you. You just can¡¯t ignore your talent.¡±


    The two teachers were unable to control their mouths and were so carried away by their jealousy of


    Sylvia to the point that they forgot about Tara. Tara reacted sourly. She heard that there would be some


    famous artistsing to the academy a few days ago, so she wanted to have a look as well.


    She simply did not expect Sylvia to be regarded as one of the famous artists. On top of all that, Sylvia


    was treated as equal to the other veteran artists, Salvadore and Pablo.

 Chapter 275

    Sylvia obviously garnered more attention than the other two veteran artists.


    Tara reacted poorly to what she saw, but the two teachers beside her were still gushing about Sylvia.


    ¡°Ms. Sunflower is so young and skilled. I bet she has a lot of admirers.¡±


    ¡°I wonder how many there are.¡±


    The two of them then had a nce at Tara. One of them asked politely, ¡°Ms. Avery, I heard you are from


    the art association as well. Do you know her?¡±


    Tara forced a vague smile. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Does she have a boyfriend then?¡± ¡°What does her boyfriend do?¡±


    The two of them looked at Tara with the highest anticipation. Tara maintained her smile and said, ¡°I¡¯ve


    never heard of that before, and I don¡¯t think she¡¯s dating anyone.¡±


    ¡°No way. She¡¯s as beautiful as those celebrities and she¡¯s talented. How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Even you have a boyfriend like Odell Carter, Ms. Avery, so how could someone like her have no


    one at all?¡±


    Tara¡¯s expression turned frosty. The two teachers immediately noticed the reaction and realized that they


    overstepped the line. ¡°Ms. Avery, we¡¯re just saying. Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We are just surprised why Sunflower Bloom isn¡¯t dating anyone. Someone as good as you should


    have a man like Master Carter, so it only makes sense for her to assume the same for Sunflower


    Bloom.¡±


    Tara answered, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m okay with it.¡±


    She had a smile on her face, but her fists were tightly clenched under her sleeves.


    The two teachers then stopped gossiping and went into the lecture studio to join the students to watch


    Sylvia paint.


    Tara was left alone on the spot with a frosty expression and there was a murderous glint in her eyes.


    Sylviapleted her painting in the afternoon.


    The moment she put down her brush, she noticed that she was surrounded by the students.


    She got up and gave them space to see her painting at a closer range. Salvadore and Pablo also


    completed their paintings around the same time. Salvadore painted a grand scenery of mountains and


    rivers whereas Pablo painted a portrait of someone. Their skills were self-exnatory as every stroke


    theynded on the canvas could be considered art in itself.


    The students surrounded all three paintings like bees to honey and started taking pictures of the


    masterpieces. Suddenly, a familiar-looking girl approached Sylvia and enthusiastically asked her, ¡°Ms.


    Ross, my friends and I love your sunflower painting. Can we get a picture of you together with your


    work?¡±


    Sylvia recognized her almost immediately. The girl¡¯s name was Harley and they had once shared the


    same room back at an event in nchester. Harley and her friends looked at Sylvia in expectation. She


    simply smiled and said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    Then, they moved closer to the sunflower painting and took a group photo. Their little request attracted


    the other students to do the same.


    Soon, everyone started asking for pictures. The event only ended after the sky turned dark when most of


    the students had already left. Only Harley and some of the student representatives remained.


    Christopher said, ¡°I¡¯ve booked us a table at a restaurant. Let¡¯s go have dinner.¡±


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    Sylvia looked at the time. It was almost 7 p.m. Isabel and Liam must have gone home by now and would


    be having dinner. She pulled herself away from the group to call Isabel and told them she would visit


    later at night.


    Then, she went to dinner with Christopher and the other artists. Little did she know, a pair of grudgeful


    eyes were watching her from the dark.

 Chapter 276

    Edmund searched the second floor of the restaurant twice but did not see Sylvia anywhere.


    Feeling anxious, she called Tara right away. ¡°Where¡¯s Syl? I can¡¯t find her anywhere!¡±


    Tara had not expected his swift arrival. She said with a smile, ¡°She should be in the first room on the


    second floor.¡±


    Edmund was annoyed by her tone. ¡°I just went in there and I didn¡¯t see her!¡±


    Tara was taken aback. ¡°Hold on, let me ask my friend.¡±


    Then, she quickly texted the ¡®waiter¡¯ that she had bribed. ¡°Where is Sylvia Ross?¡±


    The waiter had juste out from the men¡¯s room when he saw the text. He nced at thedy¡¯s room


    and replied, ¡°I saw her walk into thedy¡¯s room and I think she¡¯s still in there.¡± ¡°Keep an eye on her. If


    shees out, text me right away!¡± Tara then quickly got out of the car and took a shortcut to the


    restaurant. While those two were searching for Sylvia, Odell had already taken her to the parking lot.


    He had parked his car at the furthest spot.


    When he finally brought Sylvia close enough, intending on tossing her into the car, she clung to him like


    an octopus.


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    Not only did she cling to him, she even nuzzled against every part of his body in a strange way, as if she


    was a purring cat.


    The ticklish sensation got to him and he tapped her on the forehead.


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    Sylvia grunted in pain as she was shoved into the passenger seat.


    Odell quickly shut the door and ran over to the driver¡¯s seat.


    The car roared to life and sprinted out of the parking lot.


    Meanwhile back at the restaurant, Tara arrived at thedy¡¯s room on the second floor with Edmund.


    Tara put on a smile and said, ¡°Master Price, hold on. I¡¯ll go have a look inside.¡±


    Edmund impatiently said, ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    Tara also wanted him to take Sylvia away.


    She opened the door but only found Harley washing her hands inside.


    Tara felt a sense of familiarity but was unable to recall who Harley was. She smiled and asked,¡± Hi, did


    you see a drunkendy in here earlier?¡±


    Harley reacted to the question with shifty eyes. She knew that ever since nchester, Tara and Sylvia


    did not get along and the one who had taken Sylvia away was Tara¡¯s current boyfriend.


    After a quick thought, she politely answered, ¡°Ms. Avery, are you referring to Ms. Ross?¡±


    Harley was a student and knowing the teacher¡¯s name seemed normal, at least to Tara. Tara continued,


    ¡°Yeah, where is she? Has she gone outside?¡± ¡°Ms. Ross had a little too much to drink and was taken


    back by her friend.¡± Tara¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Which friend was it?¡± Harley feigned ignorance and


    said, ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. But I saw that Ms. Ross listed his contact name as Baddie¡­¡± Baddie? Who


    would Sylvia have named as Baddie on her phone?


    Tara instinctively thought of Odell. Could it be him? No, it was impossible. How could he have arrived


    faster than Edmund? Tara pulled out her phone and called Odell but after two lonely beeps, the call


    ended abruptly. Her face gradually turned pale. Had Odell really taken Sylvia away? She tried calling


    Odell again but this time, she got a message from the autonomous voice instead.


    ¡°Sorry. The number you have dialed is not avable.¡±


    Tara froze.


    It was then that Edmund barged into thedy¡¯s room, after losing his patience. Harley had slipped away,


    so Tara was now alone in thedy¡¯s room. Edmund did not see Sylvia anywhere, so he questioned her,


    ¡°Where¡¯s Syl?¡±. Tara¡¯s face grew paler as she said, ¡°She was taken away.¡± ¡°By who?¡±


    Tara did not want to answer.

 Chapter 277

    Edmund noticed the unease on Tara¡¯s pale face, which made him suspicious. After a quick thought


    shed in his mind, he cursed out loud, ¡°Don¡¯t f*cking tell me Odell Carter took her away again.¡± Tara


    clenched her teeth tightly and went outside; Edmund immediately went after her. Something had been off


    from the moment he had arrived at the restaurant. Sylvia was not a drinker, so how had she gotten


    herself drunk? It was also uncannily coincidental that Tara¡¯s friend had happened to see her. He asked in


    a cold voice, ¡°Is Syl really drunk? Or did you tell someone to drug her?¡± Tara¡¯s irritation robbed her of the


    mood to continue pretending. With a cold look on her face, she said, ¡°If you really like Sylvia, then you¡¯d


    better start looking for her!¡± Edmund red at her fiercely before he darted out.


    The weather turned warm but the night breeze remained chilly. However, not even a bit of the bone-


    chilling wind got into the sprinting sports car. Sylvia was squirming around in the passenger seat that she


    had been strapped into. It was getting hot. She tried to control her movements with her remaining sanity


    but she felt as if it was scorching her.


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    She then ripped her turtleneck sweater off. Thankfully, she still had a thinyer of clothing underneath


    that wrapped around her bust perfectly Odell frowned and bellowed, ¡°Put your clothes on!¡± As his voice


    subsided, a sharp ripping noise sounded. Sylvia had impatiently torn the thinyer of clothing off her


    chest, revealing arge portion of her skin, although she was stillining about the heat.


    The ripped clothes were tossed to the rear seat.


    Odell¡¯s brows furrowed even tighter. He then quickly wound down the window on her side, allowing the


    chilly breeze toe in.


    As the chilly breeze whirled its way into the car and touched every part of Sylvia¡¯s exposed body, she


    quickly stuck her face to the half-lowered window and enjoyed the wind as if she was intoxicated by


    drugs.


    Odell¡¯s lips lifted into a soft grin but he also breathed a sigh of relief because she had finally stopped


    taking her clothes off.


    A whileter, the car turned into a street and stopped in front of an empty mansion.


    Odell got out of the car and went around to the passenger¡¯s side.


    He opened the door and wrapped his arm around Sylvia¡¯s waist to carry her up.


    Sylvia reacted like a clingy kitten as she actively curled her arms around his neck. He barely even


    needed to use any of his strength to lift her up.


    At the same time, her phone in her purse rang. It was a call from Edmund.


    Odell¡¯s eyes turned cold after a nce at the name. He rejected it without a second thought and


    switched the phone off.


    Then, he carried her into the mansion.


    This was the ce that they used to live during the two years that they had been married. The ce was


    regrly cleaned, so it was rather clean and organized. Even the sheets and the pillows in the bedroom


    were changed once every week, making them fresh and clean.


    After cing Sylvia on the bed, he forced himself on her and started to ravage her lips. She was not just


    drunk and he had been holding himself back throughout the whole journey to this ce. He had to do it


    with her tonight!


    The night was as dark as ink, and even the moon shyly hid behind the trees. After a sensual night, the


    sky finally turned bright.


    Thend was blessed with light as the sun rose up from the horizon.


    Inside the warm room, Sylvia was still fast asleep on the bed. The man beside her propped up his cheek


    with his hand as he stared deeply at her rosy pink face.


    He seemed happy and the smile on his face was proof.

 Chapter 278

    The moment Sylvia opened her eyes and saw the half naked man lying down beside her, she froze and


    bolted up.


    Then, she realized she did not have any clothes on.


    Her mind went nk and she was as stunned as a rock.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯


    ¡®How did I end up here with him?¡¯ Sylvia tried her best to recall what happened. She remembered that


    she had drunk a little too muchst night. She had escaped to the toilet and ran into Harley there.


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    Then, the next thing that she remembered was Odell carrying her away.


    As she tried to sift through her fragmented memories, she vaguely remembered taking her clothes off in


    the car and brought into this room before the man had proceeded to have sex with her on this bed.


    Her memories were fragmented and disjointed, so all she could recall were bits and pieces from here


    and there that barely painted the edge of the picture. However, the bits and pieces alone were enough to


    make her blush. She wished for a hole to bury herself in.


    She copsed back onto the pillow and covered herself with the nket. The man¡¯s deep charming voice


    sounded above her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± He even tapped her head through the nket. Sylvia


    knew he was asking the obvious, so she shouted, ¡°Go away!¡±


    Her voice sounded heavy and hoarse.


    Odell chuckled. ¡°That was the exact opposite of what you said when you clung onto me and refused to


    let me go.¡±


    Sylvia was even more embarrassed than before. ¡°I was drunk, I don¡¯t know what I did.¡±


    ¡°So, are you pretending that nothing happened?¡± He lowered his head and forced his dangerous voice


    into her ear.


    Sylvia had goosebumps all over her body.


    Some of the sensual scenes from the night before started to rey again in her mind.


    She buried her face in the nket and yelled out, ¡°It was an ident!¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to pretend like nothing happened?¡± He lowered his voice to express his


    dissatisfaction.


    Sylvia gasped. ¡°Yes!¡± What else could she do? Ask him to take responsibility for it? At the next second,


    the nket above her head was pulled off. He had pulled strongly so before she could react, his


    handsome face had already appeared within her sight.


    He forced his strong body on top of her. Sylvia looked at him cautiously and shyly. ¡°Odell, don¡¯t you dare


    do it!¡± ¡°What could I possibly do?¡± Odell grinned. His warm fingers caressed her face sensually. ¡°Last


    night, we did just what a man and woman would do.¡± Sylvia¡¯s body stiffened. She wanted to say it had


    been an ident but she dared not. The man¡¯s re was terrifying. Between their naked bodiesy only


    oneyer of a nket and nothing else. She was afraid that he would pull the nket off and do it again


    with her. ¡°C-Can you get away from me?¡± He raised his brow at her. ¡°Tell me, what are you going to do


    about this?¡± What else? Pretend that it had not happened! After thinking about it a while, Sylvia said, ¡°I


    don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Great. If you don¡¯t know, then I will make the decision.¡± ¨C


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Odell caressed her face and stared into her eyes. ¡°From today onwards,


    you¡¯ll be my woman.¡± p!


    Sylvia frustratedly pped his hand off her face and said, ¡°No!¡±


    He then cupped her face and grinned. In a threatening tone, he said, ¡°I am the one making the decision.


    You are to obey andply, not voice your opinion.¡± Sylvia gulped nervously. ¡°What about Tara? Are you


    going to leave her?¡±


    Odell frowned. A few seconds of silenceter, just as he was about to answer her, the doorbell at the


    front door rang.


    Someone hade to the mansion.


    Sylvia seized the chance to push him away. ¡°Get up, someone is here!¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression changed.

 Chapter 279

    Odell grabbed his shirt that was hanging at the edge of the bed and put it on before he got out of bed.


    Sylvia also got out of bed and tried to pick her clothes up off the floor. However, there was not a single


    intact piece of garment that she could find, even the pants that she had wornst night had a hole in it.


    While Odell was out of the room, she quickly snuck off to the closet next door to search for some


    wearable clothes.


    Fortunately, the closet still contained some of her old clothes.


    She simply grabbed some of the thicker ones and put them on. After she had properly dressed herself


    and wanted to go out, she turned around to see Odell watching her from the entrance.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    His arms were crossed in front of him as his towering figure leaned against the wall.


    His eyes were slightly curved as a vague smile appeared on his face. Sylvia blushed. She asked in an


    annoyed tone, ¡°I thought you went out?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you.¡± Sylvia blinked nkly several times. ¡°What


    for?¡± ¡°You are my woman now, I can¡¯t just leave you alone.¡±


    The smile on his face started to show a hint of mischief. Sylvia gulped in silence. She did not want to go


    out with the man. She refused to be seen together with him in public.


    The two of them had already divorced a few years back and the man even had an official girlfriend now,


    which was Tara.


    Sylvia not only felt guilty but also embarrassed. A strong sense of shame overwhelmed her.


    She strode past him in annoyance. Her bag was on the couch in front of the bed. Knowing that she had


    missed the meeting with Isabel and Liamst night, the two of them had to be worried sick. Since she


    had not gone homest night either, Aunt Tonya was sure to have questions as well.


    She pulled her phone out of her bag. The moment she switched it on, she was bombarded by several


    missed calls and messages.


    They were from Edmund, Isabel, Liam and even Aunt Tonya.


    Just as Sylvia was about to reply to every one of them, she saw an unread message from Harley.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, are you alright? I have something to tell you. After Master Odell took you away, Ms.


    Avery came into the toilet and asked me if I had seen a drunken woman. I was thinking that she had not


    joined the demo session and she had not even been there when we had dinner, so it baffles me how she


    knew that you were drunk. Maybe I¡¯m overreacting.¡± After reading the message, Sylvia¡¯s face turned


    cold. She had drunk three sses of fruit punchst night, all of which had contained a low percentage


    of alcohol.


    No matter how drunk she had be, it should not have made her feel aroused and made her lust for a


    man.


    Something had felt off. After she read through Harley¡¯s message, she finally got her answer.


    Tara had to have been behind all this.


    However, Tara had not expected Odell to have called Sylvia, or that Harley would be waiting for her in


    the toilet. She also had not expected Odell to take Sylvia away from the restaurant.


    0


    There was a cold grin on Sylvia¡¯s face. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Suddenly, the man¡¯s deep charming


    voice came from behind. Sylvia turned around and saw Odell approaching her. She pursed her lips. Just


    as she was hesitating whether to show Odell the message from Harley, the doorbell rang again. Odell


    shot her a quick nce before he went out the door. At the same time, Sylvia grabbed her bag and


    followed him outside. Through the gate, they were able to see the person outside the house. Sylvia


    followed Odell to the entrance and saw Tara standing outside. Tara also noticed the two of them at the


    entrance. Their eyes met halfway, which made Tara¡¯s face turn pale. Sylvia grinned. Odell, who was


    walking in front of her, frowned.

 Chapter 280

    Odell opened the gate. ¡°Odell!¡± Tara ran in with teary eyes. She tried to throw herself into his embrace


    but he stopped her by catching hold of her shoulders. He asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Feeling


    aggrieved, Tara said, ¡°I called you but you didn¡¯t pick up. I got so worried that I came searching for you.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips


    Tara then looked at Sylvia in shock. She asked, ¡°Odell, what are you doing here with her?¡± Before Odell


    could say a word, Sylvia scoffed and said, ¡°We came here to spend the night together.¡± Tara¡¯s eyes


    widened and tears began to roll down her cheeks uncontrobly. ¡°You¡­ spent the night together?¡± She


    turned to Odell, looking hurt and disbelieving. Odell red at Sylvia to signal her to shut up, but she


    refused toply. Earlier, she had felt embarrassed and insulted, but now that Sylvia had learned what


    had happened, she decided to use the situation to her advantage.


    After all, she was the one who had been set up and she was clearly the victim in this whole situation.


    Laughing coldly, Sylvia said, ¡°Tara, why are you crying? Isn¡¯t this result all due to your actions?¡± Tara¡¯s


    expression changed. She sobbed and cried out, ¡°What are you talking about? You are the one who


    seduced Odell! You shamelessly ruined your reputation to sleep with Odell in the past and forced him to


    marry you! And now, you¡¯re using the same trick again to ruin our rtionship?! You are such a b*tch!¡±


    Her ability to twist the facts to make herself seem like the victim was undeniably good. Sylvia knew it


    would be impossible to force Tara to admit what she had done, so she yed along and said, ¡°Yeah, I


    slept with him in the past butst night, he was the one who brought me here. We did a lot of intimate


    things together. Would you like me to borate?¡±


    Tara choked up with her own anger. The look in her eyes was filled with hate as she wished she could


    strangle Sylvia to death on the spot. However, she chose to cover her face and cry, which veiled her


    viciousness. ¡°Hmph,¡± Sylvia scoffed. Odell red at her. ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Hehe,¡± Sylvia giggled again. Odell sent another re in Sylvia¡¯s direction before he turned to Tara. ¡°It¡¯s


    not her fault this time, I was the one who brought her here.¡±


    Tara¡¯s sobs paused for a moment before she cried even louder. It was heart-wrenching to hear.


    Odell frowned harder. He turned to Sylvia and said, ¡°Go back first. I¡¯lle to find youter.¡± There was


    a frosty look on Sylvia¡¯s face. She had never had any intention of being here in the first ce, so she


    simply walked out without giving Odell an answer.


    As she walked past Tara, she paused and said in a lowered tone of voice, ¡°Tara, I¡¯m curious as to how


    you managed to find this ce. This ce has been left idle for so long. So if you had really been


    looking for Odell, you should have gone to the Carter Residence or his office, or even any other ces


    that he might be at instead of this ce, which is where he and I used to


    live.


    ¡°Did you already know that he had taken me awayst night so you came here to look for him? Or did


    you already know that I would get drunk?¡±


    Sylvia emphasized the word ¡®drunk¡¯.


    Tara¡¯s eyes shifted for a bit before she continued to cry. ¡°Sylvia, you¡¯ve already won! Why are you still


    talking like that? Why are you trying to make me the bad person here?¡±


    Odell shot his cold gaze at Sylvia. He bellowed, ¡°Go!¡±


    Sylvia responded with a cold look. She red at him before she stomped away.

 Chapter 281

    B*stard!


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Just a while ago he had called her his woman but now in front of Tara, he had simply chased her off.


    Sylvia strode out of the mansion and headed onto the street.


    She wanted to go home and wash the filth away from her body. After she got into a taxi, she pulled her


    phone out and called her kids as well as Aunt Tonya. She told them something unexpected had


    happened that had prevented her from meeting themst night. After reassuring her kids and Aunt


    Tonya, Sylvia saw the missed calls from Edmund and she called him back. The call got through quickly.


    ¡°Something happenedst night and I switched off my phone. Is there anything urgent?¡± ¡°Nothing. I just


    wanted to have a chat with you.¡±


    Edmund sounded normal but his voice was a little duller than usual. It seemed as if the man had been up


    all night. Sylvia was not overly concerned. She said, ¡°Did you want me to look at some paintings?¡±


    ¡°I supposed so. What are you doing now?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m on my way home now. I¡¯ll hang up the call now


    if there¡¯s nothing urgent.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia ended the call, leaned back against the seat and tiredly closed


    her eyes. Little did she know that an off-roader had been following her taxi from the moment she had


    come out of the old Carter Residence. The person behind the wheel was Edmund. He had a cigarette in


    his mouth and his bloodshot eyes were glued to the taxi that Sylvia was in. Edmund followed Sylvia until


    she arrived at the front of her house and got out. Only after she had entered the gate did he park his off-


    roader further away.


    Then, he lit himself another cigarette as he watched her walk inside.


    Back at the old Carter Mansion, Odell calmed down after Sylvia had left. He looked at the crying Tara


    and said in a deep voice, ¡°Tara, it¡¯s my fault.¡±


    Tara threw herself into his arms. She hugged him tightly and cried, ¡°Odell, I know you didn¡¯t do it on


    purpose. She must have seduced you. That must be why you slept with her.¡±


    Odell frowned. Had Sylvia seduced him? As far as he had known, she had constantly avoided him.


    Even after he had said that he liked her, Sylvia had not stopped running away from him.


    Initially, he had thought that his interest in her was just ordinary. However, after not seeing her for two


    days, he had gotten restless. All he had wanted to do was to go home and wait for her.


    Last night, he had taken the initiative to call her and learned that she was drunk. He had then headed to


    the restaurant as fast as he could.


    Later, he had found out that not only was she drunk, but that someone had drugged her. He had then


    brought her back to the old Carter Mansion. For some reason, his sanity had snapped, causing him to


    lose control of himself and he had ended up having sex with her. He had no idea if he hated her or loved


    her more, but he was certain that he liked being with her. In the few years that they were separated, he


    had never had the same feelings for Tara. In fact, he even felt resentment whenever Tara kissed him.


    Other than that, he was d that he had done what he had done.


    He was d that he had gone to Sylvia immediately after learning something was off, or she would


    probably have ended up in some bad guy¡¯s bed. Afterst night, he was certain that Sylvia had to belong


    only to him and him alone.

 Chapter 282

    After a long silence, he removed Tara from his embrace.


    Looking at her puffy red eyes, Odell frowned. ¡°Tara, tell me what it is that you want?¡±


    Tara was taken aback. Her teary eyes were uprehending as she looked at him and said, ¡± Odell,


    what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I failed you, so I will do whatever is necessary topensate you.¡±


    Tara wanted to bury herself in his embrace again but he stopped her.


    Instead, she held onto his arm and continued to sob. ¡°Odell, I don¡¯t want anything but you. I want to be


    with you for the rest of my life. You said that you would protect me for as long as you were alive.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face fell. Of course he remembered what he had said, but he had never expected to fall for a


    woman like Sylvia either. After a long whileter, he said, ¡°Tara, I¡¯ll continue to protect you and make


    sure nothing changes in your life. I will make you the most famous artist but I don¡¯t think I can continue to


    be your boyfriend.¡± Tara burst into tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want that! I don¡¯t want to leave you, I can¡¯t live without


    you!¡± Odell pursed his lips. He let her cry it out for a while until she finally seemed to calm down before


    he said, ¡°Let¡¯s get you home first.¡± ¡°Odell, I want to be with you,¡± she said as she stared at him with her


    watery eyes. Odell paused for a second before he said, ¡°Let¡¯s get into the car.¡± With those words, he


    immediately strode to the car outside. Tara cried as she followed him outside.


    The ck sports car roared to life and headed to Lake Victoria Vi.


    Odell stopped in front of the gate but Tara refused to get out.


    He had never been a hesitant person and since he had already made his decision, he knew he was


    going to act on it. Wearing a grim look on his face, Odell said, ¡°I have to go back to work. You go have


    some rest and calm yourself down. I¡¯ll call youter tonight.¡±


    Tara noticed the grim look and dared not challenge his patience anymore.


    After she got out of the car, Odell drove away and disappeared at the intersection.


    Tara furiously smashed her purse to the ground and stomped her foot. ¡°That b*tch! Sylvia, you f*cking


    b*tch!¡±


    She was throwing such a tantrum that her usual elegance and poise were nowhere to be found..


    Sylvia washed herself twice in the shower. However, no matter how hard she scrubbed, she could not


    just simply wash off the bruises around her neck and body.


    After her shower, she put on thick a thick sweater to cover up the bruises. Then,¡¯just as she walked out


    of the bathroom, her phone rang.


    It was from that ¡®baddie¡¯. She declined the call without a second thought. Secondster, the man called


    again. The name on the screen of her phone reminded her of the irritating scene from earlier, so she


    declined the call once again.


    However, her phone rang a third time and this time, Sylvia hesitated before she answered it. His cold


    voice, with a strong hint of dissatisfaction, came through the phone. ¡°What are you doing? Why do you


    keep declining my call?¡± ¡°My finger slipped.¡± ¡°Your finger slipped¡­ twice?¡± Since they were talking


    through the phone, Sylvia was not afraid of him. She boldly said, ¡°Yes. Twice.¡±


    Odell went silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Bring your identification documents ande to my


    officeter.¡±


    ¡°What identification documents? Why should I go to your office?¡±


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Bring your ID card, the divorce papers, and anything that is rted. I am having a meeting now but I¡¯ll


    have some time in the afternoon. Come to the office so that we can get married


    again.¡±


    He sounded unusually calm, as if remarrying was something normal. Sylvia¡¯s mind went nk. She


    blurted out, ¡°Odell Carter, are you out of your mind?¡± He had just shooed her away in front of Tara earlier,


    yet now he wanted to marry her again? Just because they had sexst night? The call went silent for a


    few seconds before the man¡¯s deep voice said, ¡°You have two hours toe over. if I don¡¯t see you here


    in two hours, you won¡¯t be seeing Isabel and Liam anymore.¡±

 Chapter 283

    Immediately after saying that, he ended the call. Calling him a crazy person twice, Sylvia was left sitting


    down in a dumbfounded daze.


    She had never thought of marrying him again. Not when they had got a divorce in the past and definitely


    not now.


    To her surprise, it had been his suggestion to reignite their marriage!


    It was truly a miracle.


    An hourter at Carter Tower, after the board meeting had ended, Odell immediately stormed out of the


    meeting room.


    Cliff caught up to him and reported, ¡°Sir, we just got confirmation that Edmund has just left Ms. Ross¡¯


    house.¡±


    With a scornful look on his face, Odell grunted. ¡°Arrange for more men to keep an eye out for him. The


    moment he goes near Sylvia, report it to me at once.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cliff nodded and went to carry out the


    order. Odell returned to his office. He had a nce at the watch on his wrist. It has been an hour since


    he had called Sylvia. She should be in the middle of preparing the documents for the registration.


    Thinking about Edmund who had his eyes on her, Odell texted Sylvia again, ¡°Have you gotten all the


    documents yet? If yes, thene over quickly.¡± A few minutester, Sylvia answered, ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    His furrowed brows softened a little.


    Just as he wanted to put his phone down, he got a call from Tara.


    His brows furrowed again as he answered it.


    Back at Sylvia¡¯s ce, she had been sitting on her bed for almost an hour now.


    She still could not understand why Odell wanted to marry her again.


    She did not believe that he was really moving on. It was more likely that he had lost his interest in Tara


    and just wanted a taste of his ex-wife again.


    However, it should not end with him marrying her again. It just did not make sense.


    After some careful thought, she believed he must have knocked his head on something. After texting him


    back, Sylvia got up and prepared herself to go to the office so that she could rify things with him.


    Half an hourter, she arrived at the building and ran into Cliff at the reception.


    Just when she was about to state the intention of her visit, Cliff said, ¡°Ms. Ross, Master Carter just went


    out to attend to some matters. Please follow me to the lounge first.¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply and followed Cliff to the VIP lounge. When she sat herself down on the soft


    couch, Cliff said, ¡°Please wait here. If you need


    anything, just call for me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cliff went out, leaving Sylvia alone in the quiet and spacious lounge. Twenty minutester, Odell still had


    not shown up, so Sylvia took a piece of wood and a carving knife from her purse and started carving.


    The time flew by without her realizing it as she concentrated on carving the little piece of wood.


    Cliff dropped by twice to bring her some snacks and water. Sylvia did not mind waiting. It was not until


    she had carved the little piece of wood into an exquisite flower that she realized she had been waiting for


    three hours.


    Her stomach was rumbling, but Odell was still nowhere to be seen.


    Sylvia ate some of the snacks.


    She only had one piece of wood in her purse so there was nothing else she could do to kill time


    now.


    After another half an hourter, Sylvia finally called Odell.


    The call got through after a few beeps. ¡°When are youing back?¡± ¡°Hold on. Just wait for me for a


    little longer.¡± Just as she was about to say something, she heard Tara¡¯s feeble sobs beside him. ¡°Odell, I


    feel so ufortable¡­¡±


    S


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    The call was ended.


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned cold as she got up and stalked out of the lounge.

 Chapter 284

    Just as she stormed out of the lounge, Sylvia ran into Cliff.


    Cliff noticed the anger on her face and he asked, ¡°Ms. Ross, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Sylvia gave him the cold shoulder and stormed out of the building.


    Cliff went after her immediately. ¡°Ms. Ross, Master Carter should being back soon, please wait for a


    little longer.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s with Tara. He won¡¯t being back today.¡±


    Cliff was shocked. He had not expected his boss to be with Tara at this hour.


    Sylvia strode past him and left. As soon as she stepped out of the building, a chilly breeze blew onto her


    face and refreshed her. She had been waiting for four hours and it had all been for nothing. It was a good


    thing that she had not brought the documents, or she would have looked like an idiot.


    However, on second thought, it was only normal.


    It had only been a one-night stand. How could Odell give up on his perfect girlfriend over his vile and


    repulsive ex-wife?


    ¡®Sylvia, oh Sylvia, you¡¯re still as naive as always. You¡¯re never going to be his love. Sylvia mocked


    herself with a chuckle before she left in a taxi.


    Westchester Hospital.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Tara had just been transferred out of the ICU unit to a normal ward. Her face was as pale as paper as


    she feebly clutched onto Odell¡¯s arm. Her eyes were red and teary as she said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m sorry. Did I


    disturb you?¡±


    Odell held back his annoyance and said in a deep voice, ¡°I have limited patience. If you keep doing


    stupid things like this, I won¡¯t care about you anymore.¡± Tara had taken half a box of sleeping pills and


    attempted suicide.


    Odell hated people who did not cherish their own lives.


    ¡°I know. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Tears rolled down her cheeks. She continued with a sob,¡± Whenever I think


    about you leaving me, I can¡¯t bear it. I might as well die.¡±


    She burst into tears again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± he said.


    His voice had an obvious sign of impatience.


    From the moment she had been admitted into the hospital, he had been by her side and that had been


    almost five hours ago.


    He had listened to her crying for hours now and his patience had already worn thin. Tara immediately


    stopped crying when she sensed the impatience in his tone.¡¯ Odell¡¯s irritation eased up slightly. He


    caressed her forehead and said in a small voice, ¡°Even if we are separated, I wouldn¡¯t just abandon you.


    Your life would be the same as before. I will give you everything you want.¡± Tara sobbed in silence. Then,


    Odell said, ¡°Get some rest.¡± Tara nodded andid back on the bed for some rest. Odell sat by her side


    for quite some time. He stayed until she had fallen asleep before he left. It was already evening when he


    walked out of the hospital. When he got to his car at the parking lot, he tried calling Sylvia but the call


    was declined. She had to be mad at him for making her wait so long. He chose to call Cliff instead. ¡°Is


    Sylvia still at the office?¡±


    Cliff answered in a small voice, ¡°Ms. Ross has already left. She said you were with Ms. Avery and would


    not being back. I couldn¡¯t stop her.¡±


    Odell frowned. He believed Sylvia must have heard Tara¡¯s sobbing when she called earlier. He tried


    calling Sylvia again but the call was still declined.


    Odell looked grim.


    S


    ¡®How dare she decline my call?!¡¯ Just when he was about to call her again, his phone rang.

 Chapter 285

    It was a text from Sylvia.


    ¡°Odell, I¡¯m already at home. Stop calling me. I know it¡¯s due to pure impulsiveness that you want to marry


    me again but I do not wish for that. I have no more feelings for you. What happenedst night was


    merely an ident. I¡¯ll just pretend that it was just a bad day and I was bitten by a dog. You should also


    forget about it. ¡°We both have our separate lives to live and it would be better for us to maintain our


    distance. May you grow old with Tara.¡±


    After going through the message, ayer of frost seemed to havee upon Odell¡¯s face. She said that


    she did not want to marry him again and had no feelings for him anymore.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She said it had just been an ident and had even referred to him as a dog.


    That was all Odell had gotten from the message. He put his phone away and stepped on the


    eleration pedal.


    Night had fallen.


    Back at Sylvia¡¯s ce, after Aunt Tonya had prepared dinner, she called Sylvia down to eat. Sylvia went


    down and sat at the table. After having some warm food, she felt a lot better. It was at this moment that


    Tom¡¯s painful grunt came from the door. Sylvia bolted up in shock and went outside with Aunt Tonya.


    They found Tom curled up in pain on the ground with Odell beside him. Odell walked past Tom and


    approached the entrance. He loosened his cor, a grim look on his face. His towering figure made him


    look like a bloodthirsty monster.


    He was the one who had beaten Tom up.


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale.


    Aunt Tonya quickly pulled Sylvia behind her back and shouted, ¡°Odell, what are you doing? Sylvia didn¡¯t


    do anything wrong. I won¡¯t let you touch her!¡± Odell frowned and looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted a little before she pulled Aunt Tonya behind her. She said to Aunt Tonya, ¡°Aunt


    Tonya, don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t hit me.¡± Then, she took the initiative to approach the intimidating man and


    said, ¡°Odell, I already made myself clear in the text message. Go home. There¡¯s nothing to talk¡ªWait!


    What are you


    doing? Put me down!¡± Odell carried her up without saying a word and turned around. ¡°Odell, put her


    down!¡± Aunt Tonya anxiously chased after him, but given her age, she could barely keep up with Odell¡¯s


    pace even if she ran. Then, Odell tossed Sylvia into the car, locked it and drove away. The car drove out


    of the residential district momentster.


    Sylvia anxiously fastened her seatbelt and cautiously looked out the window.


    Judging by the direction, it looked like Odell was heading for the old Carter Residence again. She


    screamed, ¡°Let me out! I don¡¯t want to go there!¡±


    The car elerated.


    Sylvia gasped to suppress her anger and said, ¡°Odell, can you please stop? Let¡¯s talk about


    this.¡±


    Odell kept his eyes on the road. His expression remained frosty but the car obviously slowed down.


    Sylvia sighed and said, ¡°I know I lost control of my emotions in the text. I shouldn¡¯t have referred to you


    as a dog. Please forgive me.¡± The car screeched to a stop at the side of the street. Just as Sylvia was


    about to catch her breath, her seat was suddenly lowered, bringing her down with it.


    The man¡¯s towering figure then climbed on top of her and overwhelmed her with the size of his body.


    His size wasrge enough to overwhelm her. Sylvia quickly put her hands in front of herself and


    screamed, ¡°Odell, stop it! Let¡¯s talk, please don¡¯t do this!¡±


    Odell stared at her with a frosty gaze. ¡°So, you said that you were only venting your emotions in the


    text?¡±


    Thinking quickly, Sylvia answered, ¡°A part of it.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± ¡°The part where I referred to you as a


    dog.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

 Chapter 286

    ?Chapter 286


    Odell reacted grimly.


    "Odell, calm down and think about it for a second. You love Tara and you should be with her. You shouldn''t think about marrying me again," Sylvia said. She then added in a small voice, "Sailing on two boats is wrong."


    She refused to marry him again or be the third wheel in their rtionship.


    Odell stared at her deeply.


    After a long moment of silence, he said, "Tara is important to me but I''ve already made it clear to her. I will take care of her but not in a romantic way."


    Sylvia was shocked. "You broke up with her?"Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    He pursed his lips and wore a vague smile. "Sailing on two boats is wrong."


    Sylvia scoffed awkwardly. She said, "But you spent the whole afternoon with her."


    He had to be lying. If he no longer loved Tara, why would he show that much patience with her?


    Odell answered, "She overdosed on sleeping pills. If I had not gone over, it might not have ended well for her."


    Sylvia clicked her tongue scornfully. "As expected of her, ruthless as usual."


    Back then, Tara had even been willing to roll down the stairs in her efforts to lose her baby, just so she could separate Sylvia and Odell.


    Now, in order to take back her man, she had attempted suicide.


    Sylvia began to admire Tara''s dedication.


    Thud.


    Odell suddenly flicked her forehead and stared at her coldly. "Do not badmouth her."


    Annoyed, Sylvia argued, "I want to, and I will!"


    Odell frowned and shot a stern look at her.


    Sylvia chuckled. "Look at you, you still care about her, yet you said that you love me. You are a bad liar."


    Odell furrowed his brows tightly.


    He was more certain than ever that it was Sylvia that he had feelings for but he also understood why he cared so much about Tara.


    A whileter, he said, "Tara is important to me."


    "Then go look for her. Stop forcing yourself onto me!" Sylvia wanted to push him away.


    However, Odell grabbed both of her dainty hands and pinned them above her head.


    Sylvia was petrified.


    Odell finally softened his stern expression after Sylvia had calmed down. He then said, "She apanied me through many tough times. Even if I don''t love her anymore, I will make sure she lives a great life."


    Sylvia frowned. The tough times that he was referring to was when his stepmother had oppressed him and had almost snatched everything from him.


    Before he and Sylvia had even gotten married, Tara had already entered his life and tried to win his heart.


    Therefore, it only made sense that the two had been through a lot.


    Unfortunately, it sounded sour in Sylvia''s ears. She too had liked him since they were young. When they had been married for those two short years, she had tried her best to try to ease things between him and his stepmother as well.


    However, all that was in the past now and she no longer wanted to remember them. She said, "Then you should keep your promise and protect her for the rest of your life, not do this to me."


    Odell''s brows remained furrowed. He said deeply, "Sylvia, I''m exining myself in a very serious manner."


    "Well, I''m serious too," Sylvia looked into his eyes and continued, "And, I don''t love you anymore."


    Her voice was t as she looked at him calmly.


    She made it sound so easy when she said she no longer loved him.


    Odell''s face fell. He stared at her quietly.


    Sylvia also boldly stared back at him.


    Things went quiet for a long time in the car.


    Some timeter, he asked coldly, "Then, who do you love now? Edmund? Tristan? Or some other man that I don''t know about?"


    Sylvia frowned. She could understand if Odell imed that she loved Tristan. But, Edmund?


    She and Edmund were merely acquaintances. In any case, none of that mattered.


    She answered him calmly, "There isn''t anyone that I''m interested in now."


    He grinned. "That means you still love me."


    Sylvia was rendered speechless. She emphasized again, "I said, I don''t love anyone now."


    "Okay, you don''t need to find any excuse for yourself. I understand."


    "I''m not! I really don''t¡ª¡±


    Before she could spew the word ''love'', Odell silenced her by pressing his lips against hers.


    With Sylvia''s hands pinned above her head and his strong body right above her petite one, there was no chance for her to escape.

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287 After a long time, he finally released her lips and allowed her to gasp for air. She hurriedly


    gasped. When she had finally regained her breath, she red at him. Odell caressed her face. ¡°You


    don¡®t need to find an excuse for yourself. I understand.¡±


    He grinned.


    His lips curled but Sylvia noticed the sense of eeriness behind it. His words were full of threat as well.


    She believed that if she continued to defy him, he would sumb to his desire and force himself upon


    her in the car.


    Sylvia was afraid of that. She gulped her grievance down and zipped her lips.


    To her surprise, he kissed her again.


    Unlike the previous one, or any other one, which usually felt forced, he was gentle this time and he did


    not try to suffocate her.


    The kiss started soft and slowly grew stronger.


    After a deep kiss, he released her lips once more and said with a smile, ¡°I¡®m sure Isabel and Liam are


    missing you like mad. I¡®ll take you to them.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes went nk and her mouth went silent.


    He went back into the driver¡®s seat and the back of Sylvia¡®s seat bounced back up.


    The car turned around and headed to the Old District. Sylvia¡®s brows remained furrowed throughout the


    journey back. Her eyes were glued to the window as she stared at the moving scenery nkly. When the


    car finally stopped in front of Carter¡®s Residence, the bodyguards came over and opened their doors for


    them.


    The bodyguards were rather shocked to see Sylvia in the passenger¡®s seat.


    Sylvia did not mind the unusual stare. She simply got out and headed inside.


    By the time Odell had gotten out of the car, Sylvia had already gone into the living room, as if she was


    afraid of being seen together by Madam Carter and the kids. Odell¡®s face fell. He then told the


    bodyguards, ¡°From now on, no matter what time shees to see the kids, don¡®t stop her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, what happenedst night? Brother and I kept calling you but we couldn¡®t reach


    you.¡±


    Isabel and Liam hugged and kissed their mother upon seeing her arrival. Then, Isabel had asked the


    million dor question, to which Liam¡®s eyes had widened in curiosity as he looked


    at his mother as well.


    Sylvia did not want to lie to them but she could not allow them to find out that she had slept with Odell.


    She tried to think of how to phrase her words carefully in order to fabricate an excuse. However, before


    she could say anything, Odell came in. He said, ¡°She was with mest night.¡±


    Isabel and Liam looked at him nkly.


    The living room went silent for a moment.


    Even the butler who was chatting with Madam Carter looked at his master in shock. Sylvia widened her


    eyes in shock and red at the man.¡°Shut up, Odell. I was not!¡± Odell tightened his lips and approached


    her. ¡± Sylvia instinctively faltered, but Odell stopped in front of her. He then took a silver ne out of


    his pocket and ced it on the coffee table


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    ¡°You left this behindst night.¡±


    Sylvia, ¡°...¡± The ne was hers and it had still been around her neck that morning. Odell must have


    taken it off when he had pressed himself against her in the car earlier. It was definitely not from the night


    before. However, his words silenced everyone in the living room. Isabel and Liam stared at her with wide


    eyes. Even Madam Carter and the butler had smirks on their faces. Sylvia was silent. She felt as if


    something had gotten stuck in her throat, preventing her from saying anything.

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288 After putting the ne down, Odell went upstairs.


    The living room went silent again for a while. ¡°Mommy, what did you do with Baddiest night?¡± Isabel


    asked in her adorable voice as she raised her chubby little face.


    Herrge eyes were round and bright with curiosity.


    Just like her, Liam looked up at his mother with big innocent eyes.


    Sylvia blushed. In a stilted voice, all she could say was, ¡°We didn¡®t do anything. It¡®s just that something


    unexpected happenedst night.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± Isabel pursed her tiny lips.


    Just as Sylvia was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Liam asked, ¡°Mommy, did you and Daddy run into


    some kind of problem?¡±


    Sylvia nervously fabricated an excuse in her mind and said, ¡°Mommy attended a dinnerst night and


    ran into him. Then, one of my friends got drunk, so we sent my friend to the hospital.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°No wonder you didn¡®te over to y with us.¡±


    Liam did not ask any more questions either.


    Sylvia finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    On the other hand, Madam Carter and the butler continued to smirk at her.


    Sylvia said, ¡°Grandmother, I¨CI¡®ll take them to their room.¡±


    The smirk on Madam Carter¡®s face widened. ¡°Of course, go ahead.¡±


    The look she was giving her was that she knew Sylvia was embarrassed but that she wouldn¡®t


    embarrass her.


    Sylvia hurriedly took the two little kids back to their room.


    After some y time with the kids, Sylvia waited until they obediently went to bed beforeing out of


    their room.


    To her surprise, Madam Carter, who would usually be resting at this hour, was still awake.


    As Sylvia headed down to the living room, Madam Carter waved her over as she said, ¡°Come over here,


    Syl.¡±


    Sylvia had a bad feeling but she went over nheless.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Madam Carter then asked, ¡°Tell me, did something happen between you and Odellst night?¡± Sylvia


    hastily exined, ¡°Grandmother, we really just sent one of my friends to the hospital.¡± ¡°Don¡®t use that


    excuse on me. You can fool Isabel and Liam but not me.¡± Madam Carter saw through her thoughts with a


    nce. She continued, ¡°How could it be so coincidental that you would bump into Odell at the


    restaurant? Even if you and him sent someone to the hospital,


    then how did your ne end up in his hands?¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless. Madam Carter lowered her voice and continued, ¡°The person who was


    drunkst night was vou, right? Did you have one ss too many so Odell took you away? Where did


    you guys spend the night?¡±


    Her experienced and aged eyes were piercing and even gleaming with life.


    She was obviously very interested and excited to know more about what had happened between Sylvia


    and Odell.


    Sylvia could not help but blush. She knew no amount of excuses or lies would work on Madam Carter.


    She decided to be honest with the olddy and said with resignation, ¡°Grandmother, it was really just an


    ident.¡± Madam Carter¡®s grin widened until she was beaming from ear to ear. ¡°This is great!¡± ¡°I will tell


    Odell to break up with Tara. You should hurry and gather up your documents so that you can marry


    again!¡± Madam Carter got up, intending on going to find odell.


    Sylvia held her back and said, ¡°Grandmother, wait a minute! Please calm down.¡± ¡°You guys got together


    again! How can I remain calm now? Don¡®t worry, I will make sure he gives you a satisfying answer


    tonight.¡± ¡°It¡®s okay. You really don¡®t have to.¡± ¡°Syl, I know you are worried that Odell has misunderstood


    you, but I can tell that the look in his eyes is different now. The way he looks at you is different. I¡®m


    positive that he has feelings for you. I will talk to himter, I won¡®t make it look obvious or let him think


    that you were the one who urged me to do it.¡± Madam Carter patted Sylvia¡®s hand to reassure her. She


    looked determined to talk to Odell about the marriage. Sylvia said, ¡°Grandmother, it¡®s not that. I just don¡®t


    want to marry him again.¡±

 Chapter 289

    Madam Carter was stunned.


    At the same time, behind the railing on the stairs on the second floor, the man who had long been


    standing in the shadows also froze for a moment


    The room went silent for two seconds before Madam Carter asked, ¡°Syl, may I ask why?¡± ¡°I don¡®t have


    feelings for him anymore.¡±


    A few years ago while she was pregnant, she had been imprisoned at home and had been forced to give


    birth alone. On top of that, Odell had even pped her sixty times and thrown her out of the house.


    She could still remember these memories as clearly as if they had happened yesterday.


    She had long since made up her mind to never love Odell again. She was determined that she would


    never put herself in such a situation or be the other half of this marriage again.


    She did not want to repeat the same mistake again. Madam Carter¡®s excited face instantly fell. She


    looked at Sylvia in disbelief. ¡°Syl, tell me the truth. Do you truly have no feelings for him anymore?¡± ¡°Yes.


    I do not want to be with him at all.¡±


    Unwilling to give up just yet, Madam Carter asked, ¡°But you would still have Isabel and Liam. If you


    married him again, you¡®d be able to live with them under the same roof and spend time with them


    whenever you want. Wouldn¡®t that be good?¡±


    Sylvia had considered many scenarios in which she lived together with her kids but none of them had


    ever included Odell¡®s presence.


    She had no more feelings for him.


    Moreover, Tara would never let him go and he had also promised to take care of Tara forever.


    Even if she agreed to marry Odell again, their marriage would not be a smooth one. ¡°Grandmother, I


    know what you are trying to say but it¡®s really not necessary. I don¡®t want to marry him again.¡± Madam


    Carter saw the determination on her face and sighed. ¡°Sigh... Fine.¡± In the shadows above the stairs,


    Odell¡®s gloomy merged perfectly with the darkness. Even after time had passed, the gloominess on his


    face did not lighten up.


    On the second day at Carter Tower, after a meeting with the executives, all the attendees hurriedly left


    the meeting room. During the meeting that hadsted less than half hour, everyone felt as if they had just


    been through hell.


    Not only their old mistakes were brought, but even new ones had been unearthed. Even that one person


    who had snuck out during working hours to see his girlfriend had been given a big


    scolding. The lightest punishment was the cancetion of this year¡®s bonus while the severe cases


    involved demotion. One of the executives had tried to argue his case but had instead been fired on the


    spot.


    It was not until Odell had walked into the elevator and left that everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    One of them pulled Cliff aside to ask, ¡°Assistant Bogard, what happened to Master Carter today? Did


    something happen?¡± It was obvious that Odell had vented his anger on them.


    Cliff said, ¡°I don¡®t know what happened either.¡± He had been lucky enough to escape any punishment but


    he too had received several frosty res from Odell during the meeting.


    It was like being in the same room with a hungry lion. It was not a good feeling at all. Even more so


    because Cliff had to type out the minutes for the meeting and hand it in to Odellter.


    The nervous crowd scattered back to their workstations.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Cliff took a deep breath before he entered the elevator.


    After a whileter, the meeting minutes had beenpleted so Cliff went to deliver it to Odell¡®s office.


    Odell was sitting on the couch beside the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows. He was staring out the window with a


    grim look on his face. There was an obvious sense of frustration in his eyes.


    Cliff did not dare to approach him. He simply ced the meeting minutes on the desk and said, ¡°Sir, the


    minutes for the meeting are ready.

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290 Even after waiting a while, Cliff did not receive any reply, so he consciously turned to leave.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Cliff froze. He turned around and asked, ¡°Yes, sir? Is there anything else?¡±


    Odell turned his chair around to Cliff and asked, ¡°I have a friend who is divorced. His ex¨Cwife used to


    love him a lot. So much so, that she even went to the extent of using dirty means to make the marriage


    between them happen. Now, this friend of mine wants to marry his ex wife again, but the ex¨Cwife has


    said that she no longer loves him. Do you think what she said is true?¡±


    Feeling awkward, Cliff pursed his lips and thought, ¡®You¡®re referring to yourself, right?¡®


    However, he dared not expose his boss. After considering his thoughts carefully, he said, ¡± Maybe it¡®s


    because the ex¨Cwife was deeply hurt during the divorce that she has no more feelings for him.¡±


    The office plunged into silence after he voiced his opinion. Cliff noticed the grim look on his boss¡® face.


    He anxiously exined, ¡°Sir, I¡®m just making a spection. I¡¯m not saying that you... your friend hurt his


    ex¨Cwife.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes and said emphatically, ¡°She used to be a vile woman. Her ex¨Chusband never


    hurt her without a reason. As for the divorce, it was only because she asked for it herself.¡±


    Hurt her? If she had not pushed Tara down the stairs, causing Tara to miscarry and be unable to bear a


    child anymore for the rest of her life, he would not have been angry enough to divorce her.


    She had even been pped sixty t?mes because she had been vicious enough to p Tara first.


    Cliff pursed his lips, feeling conflicted.


    His boss had always assumed that Sylvia was mean but he had also known Sylvia for many years now.


    Whether before their marriage or after the divorce, Sylvia had always treated him politely. She was a lot


    more easy¨Cgoing than Tara and had never given him a hard time. There was one time where he had


    gone on a business trip with Odell and had forgotten something important. It was Sylvia who had helped


    to deliver the item to him and helped him keep it a secret from Odell. If not, his bonus for that year would


    certainly have been canceled.


    He really had no idea why Sylvia had beenbeled as a mean and evil person.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After thinking about it, Cliff decided to feign ignorance and said, ¡°Sir, it¡®s hard for outsiders to judge family


    matters. Why don¡®t you ask your friend why he would want to marry his ex wife again if she is such a vile


    person?¡± Odell red at him. Cliff lowered his head and continued to y dumb.


    Odell said, ¡°He¡®s fallen in love with his ex¨Cwife. That¡®s why he wants to marry her again.¡±


    Cliff bit the bullet and said, ¡°Then, his ex¨Cwife can¡®t be the bad person that your friend assumed.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡®t have fallen for her again, right?¡±


    After thinking about it a while, Odell said, ¡°His ex¨Cwife used to be a mean person but she¡¯s be a


    better person now.¡± Cliff then said, ¡°Then you should tell your friend to let go of the past. Since he¡¯s fallen


    in love with his ex¨Cwife but she doesn¡®t want to marry him again, why doesn¡®t your friend just start over


    again? Start by asking her out, date her and restart the whole rtionship.¡± Odell furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Ask his ex¨Cwife out?¡±


    She had been the one who had shamelessly clung to him in the past. Did he now have to do the


    opposite by asking her out instead? Cliff said, ¡°Yeah. If he really loves his ex¨Cwife, then I think it could


    work.¡±


    Feeling vexed, Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°You may leave now.¡±


    Cliff went out as directed and left his boss alone in the quiet office.


    Propping the side of his forehead on his hand, Odell mulled over Cliff¡®s suggestion,


    The day went by quickly.


    Sylvia spent the entire day in her painting studio,


    Since Isabel and Liam should havee back home from school at his hour, she got up, tidied up and


    headed to the Carter Mansion.


    Coincidentally, just as she had arrived at the road outside the old mansion, she spotted Odell¡®s ck


    sports car.


    It looked like he had juste home.


    Sylvia turned a blind eye and tried to walk around his car.


    Honk!


    The car suddenly honked at her. Sylvia pretended not to have heard it and continued forward.


    The ck sports car then drove past her and stopped right in front of her.


    Odell¡®s towering figure came out from the car. He pursed his lips and asked, ¡°Did youe here to see


    the kids?¡±


    For some reason, he sounded normal without any hint of his usual frostiness. Sylvia was also surprised


    to see the gentle smile on his face.


    Something was not right.

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291 Given his temper, wouldn¡®t he have questioned her over why she had ignored him? Why


    was he wearing such a warm but strange smile on his face?


    Regardless, it was better than his usual frosty re.


    Sylvia hummed in reply. Odell then went to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Next, Sylvia


    watched him pull out a bouquet of roses. There were probably 99 stalks of roses there.


    Then, he carried the roses and handed them to her.


    Sylvia was stunned for a few seconds before she asked in disbelief, ¡°Are these for me?¡± Seeing that she


    was confused and not at all surprised, Odell was a little upset and asked, ¡°Is there any other woman here


    other than you?¡±


    Sylvia let out an awkward chuckle. Odell frowned and said, ¡°Take it.¡± Sylvia whispered, ¡°Uhmm... No, tha


    ¡ª¡± Before she could utter the word ¡®thanks¡®, she noticed the dark look on his face. ¡°Take it... now,¡± he


    said coldly. Sylvia¡®s eyes shifted a bit and she nervously reached out to hold the bouquet of roses. Odell


    grunted softly and said, ¡°Wait here. I¡®ll go in with you.¡± ¡°It¡®s ok ? Before she could finish, he shot his frosty


    re at her.


    Sylvia was forced to swallow her words.


    He got into his car, parked it nicely and came back to her.


    He said to her, ¡°Come over here.¡±


    Sylvia went over to him while holding the bouquet of flowers.


    Then, he put his arm around her shoulder whichpletely shocked her.


    Sylvia quickly moved aside and slipped away like an eel.


    Odell frowned at her reaction.


    Sylvia exined with an awkward smile, ¡°Odell, thank you for the flowers, but it¡®s inappropriate for us to


    have any body contact.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and dropped his arms to his side.


    He strode forward and headed towards the house. However, after a few steps, he noticed that the ce


    by his side was empty. He turned around and saw Sylvia standing there like a log.


    With a frosty look on his face, he said, ¡°Keep up.¡® Still smiling awkwardly, Sylvia said, ¡°You go in first. I¡®ll


    follow soon after.¡± Odell frowned and he looked even more gloomy.


    He simply stared at Sylvia in silence.


    Sylvia pursed her lips as she was forced to follow him to the entrance.


    Just as they were about to enter the living room, Sylvia¡®s eyes shifted slightly and she bent over to put


    the bouquet of roses aside. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The man¡®s sorrowful voice sounded. Sylvia felt chills


    run up her spine when his voice entered her ears. She quickly straightened her body with the bouquet of


    roses. ¡°Uh, nothing. I thought my shoces were loose, so I bent over to take a look.¡± Odell grunted.


    ¡°Hold the roses and follow me.¡± with no other choice left, Sylvia was forced to go into the living room with


    him while holding the bouquet of roses. As expected, the lively atmosphere in the living room plunged


    into silence the moment they entered. Madam Carter and the butler stopped talking while Isabel and


    Liam stared at them in


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    confusion.

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292 Sylvia raised her hand slightly and covered her face with the bouquet of roses. However, in


    the next moment, a strong hand took hold of her wrist and pulled her hand down, revealing her face to


    the others.


    She saw Madam Carter and the butler smiling at her. She also saw Isabel and Liam¡®s adorably curious


    and confused faces.


    Smiling awkwardly, Sylvia said, ¡°Grandmother, I came here to see Isabel and Liam.¡±


    Madam Carter smirked. ¡°It¡®s okay, I understand.¡± Odell then released her wrist. After he greeted Madam


    Carter, he sat on the couch and casually picked up a book to read.


    Isabel and Liam came over to Sylvia.


    Isabel tilted her head and asked, ¡°Mommy, why did youe home with the Baddie? And why are you


    holding a big bouquet of flowers?¡±


    Before Sylvia answered her, Liam said, ¡°The flowers must be from Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Why did Baddie give Mommy flowers?¡± ¡°It¡®s because he likes Mommy, and he is trying to win her heart.¡±


    ¡°I thought he liked the ugly woman?


    ¡°He must have moved on.¡±


    The two little one continued to chat with each other without noticing the stiff expression on Sylvia¡®s, or


    the petrified look on Odell¡®s. Neither did they notice Madam Carter covering her mouth as she snickered


    away.


    A whileter, after their little conversation ended, Isabel frowned at her mother and indignantly said,


    ¡°Mommy, that meanie is a stinky bad guy, don¡®t say yes to him.¡± Sylvia was speechless, and so was


    Odell.


    Madam Carter and the butler were also stunned.


    Liam consoled his sister, ¡°Sis, Daddy will turn over a new leaf.¡±


    Once again, everyone else was silenced. Isabel crossed her arms and looked away. ¡°Hmph, I won¡®t


    agree to it anyway!¡± Liam patted her head and said, ¡°Why won¡®t you give Daddy a chance?¡±


    Sylvia stared at the little boy. He should have said that to his mother, not his sister.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After the reassuring pat on her head, Isabel calmed down. The sulky look on her face faded but she


    continued to pout.


    ¡°Let me think about it alone for a while.¡±


    After stating such a phrase that belied her age, Isabel ran towards her room and Liam went after her.


    Sylvia heard a loud ¡®bang¡® as the little girl mmed the door shut. The little girl was obviously unhappy.


    Sylvia put the roses aside and headed towards the little girl¡®s room. Back in the living room, Madam


    Carter regained herposure after a while and she sighed helplessly. The butler said in a small voice,


    ¡°Madam, Isabel is just throwing a tantrum. She will be fine after a while.¡±


    ¡°Let¡®s hope so.¡±


    Madam Carter nted her eyes in Odell¡®s direction.


    Odell had remained seated on the couch. His brows were tightly furrowed and his eyes narrowed as he


    stared at the roses that Sylvia had put aside. For some reason, there was aplicated look on his


    face.


    On the other hand, Sylvia took quite a lot of effort in order to coax the little girl to open the door.


    The door opened to reveal the little girl with a frown on her face and pouty lips. Even her cheeks had


    puffed out.


    Sylvia took her into her arms and stroked her little head. In a gentle voice, she said, ¡°Isabel, this is


    between your Daddy and I. It¡¯s an adult problem. I will handle it, don¡®t worry, okay? Don¡®t be angry,


    please?¡± Isabel¡®s lips protruded even further. ¡°But Aunt Tonya said that the Baddie almost beat you to


    death before. I don¡®t want him to pick on you anymore.¡± Sylvia¡®s eyes warmed as she said with a smile,


    ¡°It wasn¡®t that serious. Aunt Tonya was just exaggerating. I¡®m sure it won¡®t happen again.¡± She was no


    longer her old self who was deeply fixated on him and she believed that she would never marry him


    again. It was then that Liam joined the conversation and said to Isabel, ¡°Sis, if Mommy and Daddy were


    together, we would be able to live with Mommy everyday and we would be able to sleep with Mommy


    too.¡± Liam¡®s big eyes looked at them expectantly.

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293 Liam had always been a quiet kid who rarely showed much emotion. However, when he


    mentioned the possibility of living with his mother, not only his eyes shone but even the corners of his lips


    curled up in a smile. Sylvia frowned as she looked on in confusion.


    Hearing what her brother had said, Isabel replied with a pout, ¡°But what if the Baddie picks on Mommy


    again?¡± ¡°We will protect Mommy together and we won¡®t let him pick on Mommy.¡± ¡°What if he picks on


    Mommy when we are at school?¡±


    Liam thought about it for a moment and said, ¡°Great¨Cgrandma and Uncle Maxworth will look after her for


    us.¡±


    Isabel continued to pout, while Sylvia did the same as she gathered her thoughts. It was then that the


    butler came to inform them that dinner was ready.


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    Sylvia nodded and led the two little rascals to the dining table.


    The little girl held her hand tightly, unwilling to let go. Even the little boy held on to her other hand softly


    Madam Carter said, ¡°Please stay for dinner, Syl.¡±| Sylvja looked at her kids who refused to be separated


    from her. She nodded and said, ¡°Okay, Grandmother.¡±


    A feast had been spread out on the table.


    Sylvia sat together with her kids while Odell sat opposite her. Madam Carter chuckled at the family of


    four and said, ¡°Let¡®s eat.¡± Sylvia hummed in reply and started eating with the two little rascals. During the


    meal, Odell ced a piece of roasted chicken drumstick on Isabel¡®s te, which was her favorite. The


    little girl grunted but she still munched on the drumstick nevertheless.


    Dinner went by peacefully.


    After dinner, Sylvia apanied the kids for a little longer, and when they had finally gone to bed, Sylvia


    wanted to leave.


    However, when she was about to walk out of the living room, Odell stopped her and said, ¡° Take the


    roses.¡±


    Sylvia obediently turned around and picked up the bouquet of roses from the coffee table. Odell looked


    at her and said, ¡°Tomorrow is a Saturday, so I n to take the kids out. Would you like to join us?¡± Of


    course, Sylvia wanted to spend quality time with the kids, but she felt that Odell¡®s invitation


    came with an ulterior motive. Thinking quickly, she said, ¡°I might be busy¡ª¡± ¡°I will bring them to your


    ce when I pick you up at 9 o¡®clock tomorrow morning.¡± Before Sylvia had been able to finish her


    sentence, Odell had interrupted her in a strong tone of voice that brooked no opposition.


    Sylvia gulped as she stared at him nervously. Odell grinned. ¡°What? Is there anything else?¡± Without


    answering him, Sylvia turned and left the house with the bouquet of roses in her arms.


    The next morning, before it was even 9 o¡®clock, Isabel was already at Sylvia¡®s gate, calling out to her


    mother.


    Sylvia had already had her breakfast and had been waiting for them. The moment she heard the little


    girl¡®s adorable voice, she immediately came out of her house.


    Isabel was wearing a pink plush jacket and a little hat on her head as she waved happily at her mother.


    Liam was beside her wearing a kids blue trench coat and a scarf around his neck. He was looking


    bashfully at his mother too.


    Behind them, Odell waszily leaning against the door of his car.


    He had on a dark¨Ccolored trench coat coupled with a casual cored shirt and slim fit pants. His fringe


    fell casually at his temples and the pronounced facial features on his face made him look refined and


    handsome.


    The moment Sylvia¡®s gazended on him, his lips curled into a warm smile as he said, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. A few years ago, while she had been pregnant with the kids and had not learned


    about his affair with Tara yet, this was the scene that she had constantly pictured in her mind. In that


    scene, he would be standing together with their two adorable little children as they waited for her with a


    bright smile.


    It was just like it was now.

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294 Sylvia would never have thought that the fantasy that she had a few years back would


    come true before her eyes.


    However, things had changed. She could no longer feel the happiness of the warmth that she had felt in


    her fantasy. She gathered her thoughts and went up to the kids. After hugging and kissing them a while,


    she asked Odell, ¡°Where are we taking them today?¡± ¡°We¡®ll be going skiing first, then we¡®ll go to watch a


    movie.¡± Skiing? Sylvia was taken aback. She could not ski because Isabel had been too young back then


    and she had never taken the little girl to a ski resort before.


    However, the look on the little girl¡®s face showed just how much she looked forward to going.


    Sylvia answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    One by one, she carried the kids into the car.


    Once the kids were seated, she got into the car.


    The back seat was spacious, so she intended on sitting in between her kids.


    However, just as she sat down, Odell came in through the other door to sit at the back.


    There was still space at the front but he chose to cram with them in the rear seat.


    Just as Sylvia was about to ask if he could move to the front, he picked Isabel up and ced her onto his


    lap, which freed up quite some space.


    Then, he moved to sit beside Sylvia.


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Isabel started to grumble after being put onto hisp. ¡°Baddie, I want mommy! I don¡®t want


    you!¡±


    Odell wrapped his arms around her tiny body and said, ¡°Mommy has to carry Liam, so she doesn¡®t have


    the extra hands to carry you.¡± Hearing her brother¡®s name being mentioned silenced her. She pouted and


    sulked but did not try to throw a tantrum anymore.


    Sylvia helplessly pursed her lips before carrying Liam into her arms. In this way, Liam and Isabel were


    ced next to each other. Isabel squirmed a little on her father¡®sp before she crossed her arms and


    leaned back in her father¡®s arms like ady boss. She then asked Liam, ¡°Brother, have you ever been to


    a ski resort? Is it fun?¡± Liam sat on his mother¡®sp obediently as he answered, ¡°I¡®ve been there once


    before. I think it¡®s not bad.¡±


    Isabel¡®s eyes gleamed. ¡°Then, do you know how to ski?¡±


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    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Teach me! Mommy never took me skiing so I don¡®t know how.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liam was not much of a talker but he always answered his chatterbox of a sister¡®s question. The brother


    and sister then chatted happily, even though Isabel did most of the talking and Liam was just there


    answering.


    Soon, the family of four arrived at a famous indoor ski resort in Westchester.


    Odell was a VIP member of the ce. Just as Sylvia brought the kids out of the car, the staff came over


    to wee them. Under the staff¡®s guidance, Sylvia took the kids to the changing room and changed


    into their ski outfits.


    Both of her and Isabel¡®s ski outfits were white.


    After dressing up, she held Isabel¡®s hand as they walked out of the changing room. She spotted Odell


    and Liam, who were much faster in changing their outfits. Both the man and boy wore ck, and were in


    a slim fit design. They all had ski outfits on but Sylvia and Isabel looked like a pair of marshmallows,


    while both father and son looked handsome.


    There were even a number of girls who fixated their eyes on the handsome duo.


    ¡°This man is so handsome!¡±


    ¡°Is that his son next to him? He¡®s cute!¡±


    ¡°I¡®m sure they are! Can¡®t you see the matching outfits?¡± ¡°I¡®m so jealous. I wonder which woman is so


    lucky to have them both? A handsome husband and a cute son.¡± Hearing all of it, Sylvia awkwardly


    cleared her throat.

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295 Sylvia then led Isabel over to her father.


    When the other infatuateddies spotted Sylvia and Isabel, they wisely decided to leave the father and


    son alone,


    Isabel¡®s big round eyes widened when she looked at Odell before she asked Liam, ¡°Brother, why don¡®t


    you and Baddie here look fat at all?¡±


    Liam patted her little head and said, ¡°Sister, you look very cute.¡±


    Svivia almost burst out intoughter. It was obvious that Liam had called his sister cute because he did


    not want to call her fat.


    Fortunately, the puffy ski wear did look cute on Isabel. Sylvia suppressed her urge tough and said,


    ¡°Come on, let¡®s get our ski gear.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Let¡®s go skiing!¡± Isabel pulled on Liam¡®s hands and ran forward.


    Sylvia moved to go after the kids but when she walked past Odell, he whispered, ¡°You look cute too.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. She turned to him and saw him squinting at her with a pleasant expression on his


    handsome and charming face. All of a sudden, Sylvia became inexplicably bashful. She ignored him and


    went after the two children.


    A whileter, after the family had been outfitted with their ski boots, skis and snowboard, they entered


    the skiing field.


    Liam held Isabel¡®s hands as he taught her how to ski.


    Sylvia simply stood and watched. One of the staff members noticed Sylvia standing idle, so he politely


    asked, ¡°Mrs. Carter, do you need any help?¡± Just as Sylvia was about to answer, Odell came over.


    ¡°It¡®s okay. I¡®ll teach her.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Master Carter.¡±


    The staff then left the couple alone.


    Odell reached his hand out to her and said, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Sylvia did not respond to his offer. She said with a smile, ¡°It¡®s okay. I¡®ll just watch you guys


    y.¡±


    The moment she finished speaking, Isabel¡®s adorable voice sounded.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mommy, I learned how to ski!¡±


    Sylvia saw Isabel skiing around on the snowfield like a little puffy penguin. She seemed to be doing quite


    a good job at it.


    Liam was like a little hawk who was hovering over her, watching her every move cautiously.


    Isabel giggled and called out to her mother, ¡°Mommy,e here!¡±


    Sylvia tightened her lips. She really wanted to join her kids but she did not know how to ski.


    She thought of ignoring Isabel¡®s demand but the little girl¡®s voice became louder. ¡°Mommy,e here


    quick!¡±


    She turned to Odell and found him looking at her with a raised brow.


    After staring at each other for a while, Sylvia finally reached her hand out to him.


    Odell¡®s lips curved. He held her hand and guided her onto the snowfield.


    Then, he stood behind her and patted her on the shoulder. He said, ¡°Make sure your shoulders and your


    legs are at the same width. Keep your legs rxed and bend your knees slightly...¡±


    His charming voice sounded melodious to her ears. Sylvia obediently did as she was told. Then, he said,


    ¡°Try to slide forward.¡± Sylvia leaned forward slightly but she quickly lost her bnce and fell onto the


    snow with a thud.


    The sound of peopleughing could be heard from around her. Feeling wretched, Sylvia turned around


    and saw Odell standing beside her with a frown on his face as he looked at her in disbelief. He seemed


    to find it hard to believe that someone would fall on their very first step. Sylvia was even more


    embarrassed than before. She got to her feet and said to him, ¡°Go y with Isabel and Liam, I¡®ll try


    practicing on my own.¡± Odell ignored her request and said, ¡°I¡®ll demonstrate for you. Look closely.¡±


    The moment he stopped speaking, he raised his ski poles and moved forward.


    His towering figure then dashed out like the wind and skied around the field freely and nimbly.


    In the blink of an eye, he had almost reached the other end of the field.

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296 Odell slowed down to a stop and turned around to Sylvia. He raised his hand and gestured


    to her to try sliding toward him. Sylvia took a deep breath. She tried recalling Odell¡®s posture and


    movement before she slowly slid forward.


    The ski slowly slid on the snow before it elerated forward.


    Sylvia was delighted, but it onlysted for a second because she did not know how to stop. She was


    gaining speed more than intended and she slowly lost control. Shocked, she started screaming at the


    other skiers who were in her way, ¡°Move!¡± The other skiers quickly moved out of her trajectory, afraid of


    being run over.


    Sylvia¡¯s ski continued to gain speed.


    Just when she closed her eyes and braced herself for a terrible crash, a figure shed in front of her and


    caught her.


    Thud!


    She rammed herself into a sturdy chest and was finally forced to a stop.


    She froze for a moment before she started to gasp for air to calm herself down. Then, when she opened


    her eyes, she saw a man looking at her with deep eyes and a bewitching grin.


    Sylvia blushed. She instinctively wanted to move aside but Odell clung to her waist.


    ¡°Why? Aren¡®t you going to thank me?¡± Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± If he had not


    caught her, she would probably have crashed terribly.


    Odell grinned before he released her waist. He then said, ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡®t know how to stop. Why don¡®t I just stand aside and watch you guys ski?¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows and wore a cold look. ¡°You¡®re going to quit halfway?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No. I¨C¡±


    ¡°If not, then again,¡± he said with a stern voice. Sylvia tightened her lips and hummed a forceful reply. ¡°I¡®ll


    show you again. Look closely at how I stop.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    His towering figure then slid off

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297 Sylvia steadily slowed down to a stop. She looked at her legs which managed to stop after


    multiple tries and giggled as she sighed a breath of relief.


    Odell patted her head. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Sylvia pouted and said, ¡°Don¡®t touch my head.¡±


    Odell chuckled. ¡°I didn¡®t evenin about you bumping into me neen times.¡±


    He then put his hand on her head and rubbed it a few times.


    Sylvia blushed in silence before she turned around and went to Isabel and Liam.


    Odell smiled and followed her over.


    Skiing was an exciting and fun sport.


    Not only did Isabel enjoy it, but even Sylvia also started to challenge higher difficulty moves once she


    mastered the basics.


    She fell a couple of times in the process but overall, it was a fun experience.


    It was untilte in the afternoon, when the two little ones got tired after all the skiing, the family finally left


    the ski resort.


    The warm interior of the car feltfortable. When the family came back in, the two kids started to fall


    asleep.


    Even Sylvia started to doze off after a while.


    When she finally opened her eyes, she realized she had been leaning on Odell¡®s shoulder.


    She quickly sat straight up and pretended nothing happened. Odell nced at her, but she looked out of


    the window and asked, ¡°Are we having dinner here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡®s go down first. When the kids wake up, it will be time to eat.¡±


    Isabel and Liam were still fast asleep in their arms.


    Sylvia hummed a reply and got out of the car with him. To her surprise, Odell made a booking at a


    famous hot pot restaurant.


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    As far as she could remember, Odell never liked hot pot and due to his mysophobia so he disliked


    everyone sharing the same pot and used the same cutlery to eat.


    Therefore, back when they were married, the few times that they ate outside were all at expensive


    restaurants.


    Sylvia remained surprised as she carried Liam inside.


    Despite being a hot pot restaurant, it was still an expensive one. The moment they arrived, two waiters


    came out and weed them. They were then guided to a VIP room.


    When the two kids finally got up, they started ordering. Both Sylvia and Isabel loved hot pot, and Liam


    was never a picky eater. Sylvia ordered a table of meat and vegetables.


    The moment the ingredients were served, Isabel excitedly said, ¡°Mommy, I want meat. Put the meat in


    first!¡±


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She skillfully put the meat into the boiling pot.


    Isabel enjoyed everything her mother put into her bowl. She even looked at her brother and said, ¡°Liam,


    try this meatball. It¡®s crazily good!¡± Dinner was livelier than usual. Since Isabel had a nap earlier, she was


    full of energy after dinner. She turned to Odell and asked, ¡°Hey Baddie, are we going to the movies


    later?¡± Odell looked at his watch and said, ¡°There¡®s still an hour before the show starts. We can rest for a


    little longer.¡±


    Then, he pulled his phone out and tapped on YouTube to open some kids¡® cartoons for them.¡± Watch


    some cartoons with your brother.¡±


    ¡°Ohh.¡± Isabel took the phone and sat closer to Liam. The two of them fixed their gaze on the screen.


    Things went quiet in the room. Odell sat in his seat as he stared at Sylvia. His scorching gaze started to


    make her feel ufortable. ¡°Odell, if you¡®re bored, why don¡®t you go out and have a walk? The kids


    and I will wait for you here.¡± Odell grinned. ¡°I¡®m okay. I¡®m not really bored.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Then


    can you not stare at me like that?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Sylvia protruded her lips. She then sat beside the kids and started to watch cartoons with them.


    The cartoon was about a pink pig with an inspiring story. The story was simple but it was quite interesting


    Sylvia was hooked after a few nces.


    Right when the story reached the climax, the phone received a call and it started to buzz.


    Sylvia had a nce at the caller ID, Tara.

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298 At the same time, Odell¡¯s long arm reached out to his phone and took it back.


    Sylvia slightly furrowed her brows.


    Her rather delightful mood was somehow stained by the name she saw on his phone as if something


    disgusting was stuck in her throat.


    The frown on her face quickly turned into a grim look.


    At the next moment, just when she thought Odell would answer the call or go find Tara, Odell put the


    phone back.


    Isabel and Liam continued watching the cartoon on the phone.


    It seemed like he did not answer Tara¡®s call and even declined it.


    Sylvia was shocked.


    Odell had a calm nce at her.


    For some reason, Sylvia started to feel guilty. Her eyes shifted for a bit before she continued watching


    the cartoon with her kids.


    After that, Tara did not try to call anymore.


    Half an hourter, they headed to the cinema.


    Odell bought out the entire theater and the movie they were watching was thetest 3D animation by a


    famous studio. The story was paced rather quickly but its simplicity deviated from the usual cliche trope.


    Isabel chuckled throughout the entire movie and even Sylvia was hooked.


    After the movie ended, Isabel even cried for more but it was already 11 p.m.


    Sylvia caressed her head and said, ¡°That¡®s all for today. We¡®re going home.¡±


    Isabel pouted.


    Liam then said, ¡°Isabel, there will be more interesting movies next month. Let¡®se again.¡±


    Isabel¡®s lips remained protruded.


    ¡°We¡®lle again tomorrow.¡±


    A man¡®s deep and charming voice suddenly sounded. Isabel squealed, ¡°Yay!¡± Sylvia tightened her lips


    and turned to Odell. He was just beside her and when he noticed her gaze. He said, ¡°I¡®m free tomorrow.


    If you¡®re busy, I¡®ll bring them here alone.¡± Isabel quickly said, ¡°Mommy is free! Mommy will alsoe!¡±


    Liam remained quiet but he too looked at Sylvia with his googly eyes filled with anticipation.


    Odell wore a vague grin on his face.


    Sylvia gulped. It seemed like she did not have a choice, so she said, ¡°I¡®m free as well. I¡®lle.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Great.¡±


    Isabel jumped and cheered happily. ¡°Yay!¡±


    Liam also wore a smile on his face. He barely had any interest in the movie but if he could spend more


    time with his family, he would be more than happy to.


    ...


    Lake Victoria Vi.


    It had been three hours since Tara called Odell and she still had not gotten a reply from him.


    More precisely, her number was cklisted by him and no matter how many times she called, she could


    not get through.


    It was a Saturday and in the past, he would more or less spend a few hours with her.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°He must be with Sylvia!¡±


    Tara held the urge to flip the table and curse. She nced at the bodyguard outside the living room and


    started to cry. Her cry grew louder and louder and her throat started to get hoarse.


    The bodyguard frowned after hearing her cry. He pulled his phone out and wanted to call Odell.


    He was stationed here by his boss to look after Tara and to prevent her from doing something stupid. A


    few beepster, the call got through. The bodyguard respectfully said, ¡°Sir, Ms. Avery is crying again and


    she¡®s crying loud this time.¡±

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299 The bodyguard then pointed his phone at Tara and it captured her dreadful cries.


    Back at Carter residence, Odell had juste home with the kids and when he heard the crying through


    the phone, it furrowed his brows tightly. ¡°I got it.¡± He hung up the call with the bodyguard and wanted to


    call Tara himself. However, when he pulled up the contact list, he only realized he had cklisted Tara¡®s


    number earlier because he did not want her to disturb the kids from watching cartoons on his phone.


    With a few taps on the screen, he recovered Tara¡®s contact from the cklist and called her.


    The call got through as soon as it started dialing. Tara¡®s sobbing and feeble voice came through the


    phone. ¡°Odell, I just want to listen to your voice just now. I don¡®t mean anything else. Did I interrupt


    something?¡±


    Odell slightly furrowed his brows. He did not think that she just wanted to hear his voice.


    He said, ¡°Yes, but it doesn¡®t matter now.¡±


    ¡°I¡®m sorry Odell. I didn¡®t mean to.¡±


    ¡°It¡®s okay. Just have some rest.¡± Tara wanted to talk to him a little longer but she understood that if she


    continued to be clingy, it would irritate him.


    She obediently said, ¡°You too.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm.¡±


    The call ended. Odell then transferred two million to Tara¡®s bank ount as a little token of


    compensation.


    When Tara received the transfer notification, her gloomy eyes gleamed.


    She quickly wiped her tears away and returned to her room.


    If Odell did not care about her anymore, he would not have transferred money to her.


    He must still think about her. He was just bewitched by that b*tch!


    After aforting bath, she put on an expensive mask and wore her limited edition pajamas before she


    elegantlyy down on the couch.


    Then, she pulled her phone out and texted Edmund.


    ¡°Mr. Price, have you been contacting Sylviately?¡±


    Edmund texted her back after a while. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡±


    He was irritated.


    Tara softly grunted and replied, ¡°I¡®m just trying to tell you Odell doesn¡®t care about me anymore. He¡®s


    going to be with Sylvia.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said Odell only loves you?¡±


    ¡°Of course he loves me but he has this refreshing feeling for Sylvia.¡± Edmund did not reply this time. A


    quick thoughtter, Tara added, ¡°Mr. Price, I think Sylvia still has some feelings for you. Don¡®t give up on


    her just yet.¡±


    Edmund still did not reply.


    Tara wore a cold look. She thought about how much effort she spent just to drug Sylvia at the dinner and


    yet Edmund was still one step slower than Odell. She cursed out loud, ¡°What gangster is he? Useless


    piece of shit!¡±


    Frustrated, she wanted to throw her phone away but the mask on her face crumpled a little.


    She quicklyy back down and clutched her phone tightly instead. All the things she possessed right now


    were things that most people could only dream of.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    A man as perfect as Odell was the best boyfriend or husband that a woman could ask for.


    She swore to be Mrs. Carter and she could not allow Sylvia to snatch it from her again.


    Inside the VIP room of Lush Heaven, Edmundid downzily on the couch and was drinking off the


    bottle.


    He was no idiot. He knew Tara wanted him to separate Sylvia and Odell for her. That was why she


    imed that Sylvia still had feelings for him.


    However, the thought of Sylvia and Odell getting back together still pained him. Ned, Harry, and Lloyd


    were having a great time with the girls. They were drinking and singing, and even dancing with the


    ladies. Everyone had fun except Edmund.


    Then, a woman with a voluptuous body squirmed her way closer to Edmund and said, ¡°Mr. Price, have a


    drink.¡±

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300 The woman spoke coquettishly as she moved her hands toward Edmund¡®s chest.


    At the next second...


    Thunk!


    Edmund kicked the woman to the floor, silencing the spacious room. The woman curled up in pain while


    laying on the ground and the others dared not say a word. Edmund got up with a grim look on his face.


    ¡°Get out! Get the hell out!¡± All the other women ran out in a hurry and they also brought the unlucky girl


    away. Both Harry and Lloyd stayed behind but they were quivering and they stood further away from


    Edmund.


    Harry said in a small voice, ¡°Mr. Price, there are so many women in the world. I¡®m sure there are others


    who look better than Sylvia. You shouldn¡®t be so fixated on her.¡± Lloyd adhered, ¡°Yeah, we¡®ll get you a


    beautiful girl right away!¡± Edmund hurled a ss at the two of them. ¡°Get. The. Hell. Out!¡± The two men


    left hurriedly.


    After escaping their angry boss, Lloyd said to his friend, ¡°Harry, what are we going to do now? Mr. Price


    seems to have fallen deep into this rabbit hole.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. I mean Sylvia is quite a decent woman, so I understand...¡± Harry mulled over the situation for a bit


    before he continued, ¡°Come on, let¡®s go talk to Sherry. She¡®s Sylvia¡®s best friend and if we can get her to


    talk to Mr. Price, he¡®d listen.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Let¡®s go find her!¡±


    On the second day, after Sylvia finished her breakfast, Isabel¡®s adorable voice came from the


    gate.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Mommy, we¡®re here!¡± Sylvia quickly went to the gate. The brother and sister worepletely different


    outfits from yesterday. Isabel wore a red padded jacket and had a scarf around her neck. Liam had the


    same scarf and padded jacket but his jacket was ck.


    The brother and sister¡®s puffy cheeks looked extra adorable under the sun. The man behind them was


    also eye¨Ccatching himself.


    The dark blue trench coatplemented his rigid physique and the gray scarf around his neck gave a


    hint of warmth to his frosty look. Simr to yesterday, Sylvia hugged and kissed the kids before she got


    into the car with them.


    Odell got in and carried Isabel onto hisp and Sylvia carried Liam. They did not go to the movies just


    yet. Instead, they drove to an amusement park. The amusement park was themed after famous fairy


    tales.


    Isabel dragged Liam all around the park and Sylvia and Odell simply followed them around. The family


    only leftter in the afternoon. They then headed back to the cinema and watched the same movie


    again. Since Odell bought out the entire theater hall again, the four of them chose the bed seats in the


    spacious hall. Having watched the movie twice and sitting on afortable seat, Sylvia was fast asleep


    after running around the amusement park for a whole day. Liam also fell asleep after a while.


    Odell had a nce at the boy sandwiched between him and Sylvia.


    A quick thoughtter, he carried Liam up and exchanged seats with the boy.


    Then, he put his hand over Sylvia¡®s seat and moved her head that was tilted toward Isabel toward his


    shoulder.


    He adjusted his posture and allowed Sylvia to lean on his shoulder.


    The movie went on.


    Isabel did not notice anything as she was carried away by the bucket of popcorn and the funny story: It


    was until the end of the show that Isabel turned to her side and saw her mother fast asleep on her


    father¡®s shoulder.

 Chapter 301

    Odell did not change his position. He held out a hand and patted Liam¡¯s shoulder, waking him


    Odell said to him, ¡°Let¡¯s go to have our dinner.¡±


    Liam rubbed his eyes and got up, walking out while holding Isabel¡¯s hands.


    Odell then carried Sylvia in his arms, who was still sound asleep, and walked behind the kids.


    The cinema was located in a bustling square.


    After a long walk, they reached the parking lot. The driver quickly got out of the car and helped Liam and


    Isabel up.


    Then, Odell got in the car with Sylvia in his embrace. Inside, Sylvia was still sitting on him. Her butt was


    on hisp, and her head rested on his shoulders. Sitting beside them, Liam and Isabel raised their


    chubby cheeks, and their sparkling ck eyes stared at Odell in confusion. After a while, Isabel huffed,


    ¡°Baddie, you can put Mommy down.¡± Odell nced at her. ¡°Mommy is still asleep. She¡¯ll be


    ufortable if I put her down.¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips and did not say anything else, along with her brother.


    Odell raised his brows and tightened his arms.


    The car started soon and left the parking lot. At this time, Tara was standing in a shade not far away with


    a few of her good friends. They saw it when Odell came over with Sylvia in his arms and the two kids.


    Tara paled, and her delicate face with makeup was a little twisted. The few people beside her were even


    more shocked. In their minds, Odell was Tara¡¯s prince charming, and he only loved her. Why was he


    carrying another woman now?


    What was more, they all knew the woman. It was Sylvia, who had a grudge against Tara since she first


    came to the Art Association.


    They had also heard from the people who participated in the nchester City activity that Sylvia was


    Odell¡¯s ex-wife. The two kids that went in the car with them must be their children.


    However, Tara exined to themter that Odell divorced Sylvia for her. She said that Odell loved her


    from the start, but Sylvia snatched him with despicable means.


    However, Odell carried Sylvia to his car now? It was hard for them not to overthink after seeing that


    intimate action.


    Someone broke the silence soon and said softly, ¡°Tara, the man just now was Master Carter?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Tara gritted her teeth, and her eyes reddened the next second. She spoke in a dejected manner, ¡°Let¡¯s


    go to eat. I¡¯ll treat you all to the Elysian House.¡± Hearing about the Elysian House, her friends¡¯ eyes lit up,


    but they could all read the room. Tara was looking ill right now. A woman then said, ¡°Tara, why don¡¯t we


    call it a day?¡± Tara smiled instead. ¡°I¡¯ve been living my life alone for a few days. Can you treat it as


    apanying me to a meal?¡± When she smiled, tears were glistening in her eyes, making her look


    pitiful. The few women did not hesitate and agreed readily.


    Sylvia woke up when the car stopped. She saw the man¡¯s sharp jawline as soon as she opened her eyes


    and immediately sat up in shock Odell¡¯s eyes crinkled up.


    His handsome face was right in front of her and extremely close.


    Sylvia had not yete back to her senses when she heard Isabel¡¯s crisp voiceing from the side.


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re finally awake. Come down now! That Baddie has been hugging you for a long time.¡±

 Chapter 302

    Sylvia immediately lowered her head and saw herself sitting on Odell¡¯sp in an ambiguous position. Her


    face heated, and she could not help asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me?¡± She remembered that she had


    fallen asleep in the cinema, but they were now at a restaurant in another area.


    Odell¡¯s lips curled. ¡°I didn¡¯t wake you because you seem to be having a good sleep.¡±


    His voice was maic and gentle, pleasing to the ears.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. Just as she was about to say something, Liam suddenly muttered, ¡°I was also


    sleeping soundly in the cinema.¡± Odell immediately nced at him. Liam pouted expressionlessly, and it


    was quiet in the car for a while. Odell pinched Sylvia¡¯s thin waist and asked with a smile, ¡°How long do


    you want to sit on my


    Sylvia blushed and quickly opened the door to get out of the car.


    A cold breeze blew past and scattered her heated emotions after Odell and the kids got down the car.


    She pretended that nothing had happened and walked into the restaurant while holding Liam and


    Isabel¡¯s hands.


    Odell looked at their backs and smiled slightly, then strode after them.


    S


    They were at a restaurant famous for its homemade local specialties, and the owner was obsessed with


    creating new dishes.


    After Sylvia sat the children down in a private room, the owner served the prepared appetizers in turn,


    which included light and heavy dishes. They were all delicious. When they were done, the owner served


    the main dishes, which had an extraordinary taste. Not only did Isabel dig in happily, but Liam also ate


    more than usual. Sylvia ate quite a lot as well.


    After they filled their stomachs, Sylvia stood up.


    Odell asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°I¡¯m paying the bill.¡± Odell paid for their expenses in


    the cinema today and the day before. Although he was notcking money, Sylvia could not keep


    spending his money. After all, they were divorced.


    Odell frowned, and he looked displeased. ¡°No need. I have an ount here, and our bill will be


    deducted from my card.¡± Sylvia hesitated for a second. ¡°Okay.¡± She sat back down and ate some fruits


    with Liam and Isabel before they left.


    The driver drove steadily on the way back, and Liam and Isabel fell asleep.


    The car was silent all the way.


    After the car stopped, Odell took Liam down the car, and Sylvia carried Isabel into the house.


    Madam Carter was already asleep at this hour.


    Sylvia and Odell brought the kids back to their room.


    Thinking that Odell did not know how to take care of the kids, Sylvia said, ¡°Odell, go to rest. I¡¯ll take care


    of them.¡± She was also afraid he would wake the kids.


    Odell ignored her and put Isabel on her small bed. He took off her boots first and then systematically


    took off her clothes, changing her into loose pajamas, and finished with a pat on her butt:


    The little girl rolled over and continued sleeping. Odell then looked at Sylvia.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 303

    Sylvia was dumbfounded, and then she lowered her head to change Liam into his pajamas. Her actions


    were the same as Odell¡¯s, but she was slower, possibly because her hands were smaller than his.


    After a while, she finished changing Liam. She then carried him up and put him down on the inside of the


    bed.


    The brother and sister were sound asleep with the nket covering them.


    Sylvia could not help kissing their cute little cheeks and said softly, ¡°Goodnight.¡± Then, she walked out of


    their room. Odell was standing in front of the door. Seeing that she was about to leave, he asked, ¡°Don¡¯t


    you have anything to say to me?¡± His brows were slightly arched, and his expression was indifferent, not


    showing any hint of happiness or anger.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    However, his tone sounded displeased.


    Sylvia thought and said, ¡°Goodnight.¡± After that, she walked past him.


    A long arm suddenly reached for her and circled her waist., Sylvia was immediately in front of him, and


    her face almost bumped into his chest.


    She quickly held out her hand in front of his chest to resist him, looking up at the same time.


    Odell lowered his head simultaneously, and their lips touched.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but he pulled back just as she was about to push him.


    His dark gaze stared at her, and his lip curled up. ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    As his words fell, Odell let go of her waist. Sylvia¡¯s face was blushing, and she felt angry. After ring at


    him, she walked away quickly.


    In the Elysian House, Tara ordered a few bottles of wine after going in with her friends.


    She seemed to be drunk. After a few sses, she leaned on the table in a tipsy manner.


    Soon, she wailed, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t understand why she would do that¡­¡±


    The women sitting with her saw her upset look and asked immediately, ¡°Tara, who are you talking


    about?¡±


    ¡°Tara, are you talking about Sylvia and Master Carter? If you¡¯re sad, tell us. Don¡¯t keep it inside. We¡¯ll


    listen to you.¡± As if she was touched by their concern, Tara said while crying, ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t know she


    liked Odell too. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten together with him. I was already dating Odell


    at that time, but she could still drug him and climb up his bed¡­¡±


    The few women widened their eyes in surprise.


    Tara continued, ¡°She even called her family to witness them on the bed. Odell had to marry her under his


    family¡¯s pressure, and I was forced to break up with him¡­ But I¡¯ve nevere between them, and Odell


    also divorced her because she kept harming and bullying me due to her hatred for me¡­¡± As she spoke,


    Tara cried sadly. In a short while, a woman could not help but ask, ¡°What happened next?¡± Her friends


    looked like they were pitying Tara, but it was not hard to discover their yearning for gossip under the


    pretense of pity. Tara ¡°drunkenly¡± said, ¡°She left Westchester City and came backst year, bringing her


    daughter. Odell and I didn¡¯t expect that she had carried twins. I never thought that she¡¯d keep using her


    identity as Sunflower to suppress me, and she had not given up on Odell yet¡­¡±


    Before finishing her words, Tara covered her face and wept. Her friends immediately defended her. ¡°It


    seems that Sylvia is a downright b*tch!¡± ¡°She must¡¯ve used some underhanded tactics to seduce Master


    Carter.¡±


    ¡°It must be their children. She¡¯s the children¡¯s birth mom. Didn¡¯t you guys see that they were bringing two


    kids along? Sylvia must¡¯ve let her daughter go back to the Carters and wanted to use her to get close to


    Master Carter. Their feelings will reignite with time!¡±

 Chapter 304

    These women are also from the Art Association, and they seldom interacted with Sylvia. However, they


    were quite close to Tara. When they went shopping before, they bumped into Tara and Odell, and Odell


    even paid for them on behalf of Tara.


    At that time, they were only window shopping in the luxurious brand outlets, not nning to buy anything


    Such situations had happened more than once. If they did not know Tara, they would never know Master


    Carter, let alone enjoy this kind of privilege. Looking at Tara¡¯s drunken and painful expression, they


    immediately defended her against the injustice she had suffered. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. She¡¯s a famous


    artist now. How could she still use such dirty tricks?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because Master Carter is too outstanding.¡±


    ¡°Tara, don¡¯t be upset. Master Carter was temporarily seduced by Sylvia, but he¡¯ll still choose you in the


    end.¡±


    The women started tofort Tara.


    Tara wiped her tears and stood up shakily.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I promised to treat you, but I made you all listen to these unpleasant matters.¡±


    Her friends helped her walk out and said, ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re good friends.¡±


    ¡°I get it. Sylvia kept bullying you because you¡¯re too kind and gentle!¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t bear to see you like this. When we return, I¡¯ll tell everyone about the disgusting things Sylvia


    had done. Let¡¯s see if she still has the face to remain in our circle!¡±


    The few women defended Tara while helping her to walk out.


    Tara¡¯s head hung low, and her hair covered most of her face, looking drunk. However, the corners of her


    lips curled up at this moment, her eyes gleaming from a sessful scheme.


    She had heard that Odell was bringing Sylvia and the kids to a movie today, so she estimated the time to


    bring her friends over. She wanted them to witness Sylvia together with Odell with their eyes. Although it


    made her upset to see Odell carrying Sylvia to the car, it had a great effect. Those fools now believe that


    Sylvia was the mistress.


    The Westchester Art Association was going to hold an annual artpetition in coboration with the Art


    Academy.


    Sylvia received the news from Christopher a few days ago. He wanted to invite her to a meeting with


    other members of the Art Association to discuss thepetition¡¯s rules.


    The meeting was set for 2 p.m. on Monday.


    After lunch, Sylvia hailed a car to the office building of the Art Association. The car stopped outside in the


    parking lot. Sylvia saw a few familiar faces once she got out. When she was about to greet them, they


    turned away as if they did not see her and walked forward.


    Sylvia did not bother about it and walked in too.


    She met a few other familiar faces, but they ignored her without exception. A girl even threw a disdainful


    nce at her as if she did something disgusting. The scene somehow felt familiar.


    Sylvia thought about the time when she was isted in nchester City due to the rumors Tara spread.


    However, she had cleared the misunderstanding, and she did not meet Tara recently. Did anything


    happen again? Sylvia frowned and walked in with a cold face. Only a few people were willing to talk to


    her, but they were merely polite on the surface. That was until she met Simon. Simon was frowning, and


    he looked pissed. He walked to Sylvia quickly and said to her, ¡°Sylvia, I heard some bad rumors about


    you.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia nced at the few women peering at her in the corner not far away. They were talking about her.


    She asked Simon, ¡°What did they say about me?¡±

 Chapter 305

    Simon directly said, ¡°They said you destroyed Odell and Tara¡¯s rtionship and became a mistress. I


    asked them to stop spreading nonsense, but they didn¡¯t listen to me. What b*llshit! How could youe


    between someone?¡± He got angrier the more he said. Sylvia¡¯s gaze turned cold.


    She was almost certain that Tara was behind it.


    Sylvia said, ¡°Forget about them. Let¡¯s go in first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Simon followed closely beside her. Sylvia had known him for many years, and they always had a


    good rtionship. Simon was like her fierce bodyguard. He red at anyone who dared to look at Sylvia


    with a peculiar look.


    Sylvia was quite mad a while ago, but she was soon amused by Simon. ¡°Simon, ignore them,¡± Sylvia


    took a seat with Simon after saying so while smiling. They sat together in the first row. When it was


    almost time for the meeting to start, Christopher walked in with a few other leaders of the association.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After they came in, Tara walked in with the help of two women she was close with, her face pale.


    One of them was Ariane Pugh, who entered the national artpetition with Tara at the same time and


    got an Excellence Award. The other was Renna Cummings, who just joined the Art Association not long


    ago.


    As they walked past Sylvia while supporting Tara, they looked at Sylvia coldly in unison. Sylvia met their


    gaze coldly as well.


    Ariane and Renna¡¯s eyes flickered, possibly because Sylvia¡¯s gaze was too steady and intent.


    Tara said, ¡°Ariane, Renna, stop it. I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s quickly sit down.¡±


    Ariane coldly snorted at Sylvia, and then she and Renna helped Tara to the seats behind. They acted as


    if Tara¡¯s frailness was caused by Sylvia.


    Soon, Christopher¡¯s voice broke the stiff atmosphere.


    He went straight to business and talked about the artpetition they were holding in coboration with


    the Art Academy.


    Thepetition was open to every art student in Westchester City, and there were not many changes in


    the rules.


    After introducing the details, Christopher asked, ¡°Is there anyone who would like to add any


    rmendations?¡±


    A few people experienced inpetitions gave some suggestions. About half an hourter, they came


    up with some good suggestions. Then, Christopher said, ¡°We¡¯d like to invite a few experts to be our


    judges this time.¡±.


    As he spoke, he nced at Sylvia and two other famous artists and asked with a smile, ¡°Sylvia, Simon,


    Mr. Smith, and Mr. Johrison, are you free during thepetition period?¡±


    Mr. Smith and Mr. Johnson both said they could clear out their schedules. Simon replied, ¡°I have a trip


    overseas, so I might have to be absent one or two times.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Christopher then looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia was about to speak, but Ariane, who was sitting a few rows behind her, suddenly stood up. She


    challenged, ¡°President Dendro, the participants in thispetition are all students. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s


    suitable for Ms. Sunflower to be a judge.¡± The room was quiet for a second, and then someone echoed,


    ¡°I agree with Ariane.¡± ¡°Ms. Sunflower¡¯s amazing deeds had spread through our circle. If she bes a


    judge at this point, how would the public look at the Art Association?¡± ¡°Yeah, shecks virtue. She


    probably won¡¯t be a good judge either.¡±


    Their words became sharper and more sarcastic.

 Chapter 306

    Sylvia¡¯s face unconsciously hardened.


    Simon also stood up in anger.


    He looked at the people who objected to Sylvia being a judge directly. ¡°How is Sylviacking in virtue?


    Did she deceive you or scam your money?¡±


    Simon was still a person of status in the artist world.


    The few people who agreed with Ariane shut their mouths, seeing that Simon was angered.


    The scene was only quiet for a few seconds before Ariane stood up and yelled at Simon, ¡°I saw it! In


    Starlight Square¡¯s parking lot, we saw Tara¡¯s boyfriend carrying Sylvia up to his car! Me, Renna, and Tara


    saw it!¡± As her words fell, some people started whispering to each other about this matter


    Simon also frowned and looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia did not expect them to see her at the parking lotst night. However, Odell only carried her


    because she fell asleep while the movie was ying in the cinema.


    Odell wanted to marry her again, so he must have broken up with Tara.


    Even if something happened between her and Odell, she did not disregard her virtue to seduce someone


    else¡¯s boyfriend!


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    The scene was a mess right now, and everyone seemed to side with Tara and Ariane. In their


    impression, Odell should be Tara¡¯s boyfriend.


    Sylvia still exined things to Simon honestly. ¡°I went to watch a movie with Odell for the kidsst night,


    and he carried me because I fell asleep.¡±


    Simon knew her character, and he believed her. He immediately replied to Ariane after hearing her


    words, ¡°What you saw was a misunderstanding!¡±


    Ariane snorted after listening to Sylvia¡¯s exnation. She said with a cold smile, ¡°Fell asleep in the


    cinema? Who would believe that? I think you faked it so that Master Carter would carry you to his car.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen much of this tactic in dramas, but I¡¯ve never thought it would happen in real life too.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s such a pretentious b*tch.¡±


    (


    ))


    Their voices were sharp and harsh, and their insults became more ridiculous.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth coldly.


    She did not want to lose herposure at this ce, and she did not want to argue with them over


    these sheer spections. However, Ariane and Renna got more excited seeing that she did not speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious. Even if Ms. Sunflower fell asleep, why did she go to a movie with Master Carter during the


    weekends?¡± Simon snapped, ¡°Are you deaf? They¡¯re spending time with their children!¡± Ariane said,


    ¡°With their children? I say she wanted to get it on with Master Carter while using her children as an


    excuse!¡±


    Renna added, ¡°Yeah, you guys didn¡¯t know yet. Many years ago, she got it on with Master Carter and


    had her familye over to catch them on the bed to force Master Carter to marry her. At that time,


    Master Carter was already with Tara!¡± ¡°Oh my God, is this true?¡±


    ¡°Does a woman like that have virtue?¡±


    (6


    )


    The taunts from the crowd got louder. Simon could not endure it anymore and growled, ¡°Can you guys


    stop being so sarcastic?¡± His growl made the air quiet for a few seconds. However, a few secondster,


    Ariane pointed her finger at Simon and smiled coldly. ¡°Mr. Amos, why are you defending her so much?


    Do you have something going on with her as well?¡±


    i


    Simon¡¯s face immediately turned rigid, and Sylvia also stood up. She looked straight at Ariane, her eyes


    stone-cold.


    Ariane¡¯s gaze flickered, but a momentter, she restored her disdainful expression and sneered. ¡°Ms.


    Sunflower, did I say anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t. You were just unaware of bing someone¡¯s dog.¡±


    Ariane¡¯s words choked in her mouth. ¡°Who are you calling a dog?¡±


    Sylvia did not bother with her but turned to Tara, who was looking weak beside Ariane. She snickered,


    ¡°Tara, didn¡¯t you tell them that Odell had broken up with you?¡± As her voice fell, silence immediately


    befell the room. Everyone widened their eyes in astonishment.

 Chapter 307

    Ariane and Renna also looked at Tara in surprise.


    Broken up? If they had broken up, Sylvia did note between them at all! Tara¡¯s gaze darkened, and


    her eyes filled with tears almost instantly. She still showed Sylvia a smile. ¡°Sylvia, Odell only asked me to


    have a good rest recently. He never told me that he wanted to break up. Did he tell you we had broken


    up?¡±


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    Before Sylvia responded, Ariane yelled, ¡°Master Carter didn¡¯t tell her that he had broken up with you.


    She came up with a lie to exin herself.¡± Renna said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect she could still lie that you have


    broken up with Master Carter. How shameless!¡± Tara nudged them. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can stop talking.


    Perhaps Odell told her so.¡± As she spoke, she leaned toward the table weakly, looking as if she did not


    want to argue with Sylvia anymore.


    Ariane and Renna asked in concern, ¡°Tara, how are you? Have you not recovered from your sickness


    yet?¡± ¡°It must be because you drank too muchst night and stayed in the cold wind for too long.¡±


    The others asked, ¡°Why did Tara drinkst night?¡±


    Ariane said, ¡°It¡¯s all because of that sl*t. She climbed into Master Carter¡¯s bed to force him to marry her,


    and now she used her children to seduce him. Tara drank a few more cups after she saw Master Carter


    carrying her.¡± ¡°Sigh, why bother?¡± ¡°If it was me, I¡¯d feel upset too.¡±


    In an instant, everyone sided with Tara again.


    They looked at Tara with sympathy and naturally felt more disdain for Sylvia. Sylvia was speechless. She


    froze.


    She did not expect that not only did Tara refuse to admit it, but she also reacted quickly and put on a


    good act.


    It was that Tara was prepared from the beginning. Perhaps she had schemed for today¡¯s episode when


    she and her friends saw Odell carrying her into the carst night.


    She came with preparation!


    Sylvia waspletely unguarded.


    The discussion among the crowd grew louder and louder.


    Everyone felt pity for Tara, and the voices that scorned Sylvia increased.


    It was not until Christopher raised his voice and bellowed, ¡°Alright, quiet down!¡± that the room returned to


    silence.


    Simon also dragged Sylvia back to her seat.


    Christopher nced at Sylvia with aplicated gaze and said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the judges next time.


    You¡¯re all dismissed.¡±


    After that, he stood up.


    Sylvia was in no mood to stay, and she stood up to go out.


    She did not expect everyone in the room to follow her. They stood in the corridor while looking at her,


    and it was unknown whether it was intentional or they merely wanted a show.


    At this time, Tara walked over with Ariane¡¯s help, blocking Sylvia¡¯s path.


    Sylvia had to halt her steps.


    Tara¡¯s mouth curled into a kind smile, and she spoke weakly to Sylvia, ¡°Sylvia, we were best friends in


    the past. Perhaps I had misunderstood you. You won¡¯t date Odell, will you?¡± Sylvia frowned.


    Of course, she would not date Odell. She even wanted to give Tara a confirmation, but Tara did not say


    this out of nowhere.


    Indeed, Sylvia heard her next words soon.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, please keep your distance from Odell. You know that Odell doesn¡¯t love you. I don¡¯t want


    history to repeat itself, and I also don¡¯t want them to misunderstand you, ruining your reputation.¡±


    Tara spoke as if she was thinking for Sylvia, but she was reminding Sylvia that Odell only loved her. She


    wanted Sylvia to remember how she was thrown out of the Carters in the past.


    If Sylvia did not want her reputation ruined, she would keep her distance from Odell. If not, she would


    forever be called a mistress, and she would have no ce to stand in the Art Association.

 Chapter 308

    Her voice was dripping with threats and schemes.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression could not help turning cold. Everything that happened when Odell divorced her


    suddenly rushed to her mind.


    It was as if her face felt those sixty loud ps again.


    Not long ago, Tara had just spiked her drink and caused her to sleep with Odell.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Now, she set up this trap to let the Art Association members humiliate and boycott her to force her to


    stay away from Odell!


    Did Tara plot against her over and over again, thinking that she would not strike back?


    ¡®Or does she think that her n would put me in a tight ce, and I would be at her mercy?¡¯ Sylvia¡¯s lips


    curled into a cold smile. ¡°Tara, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d have to let you down.¡±


    If she did not get together with Odell quickly, how could she repay Tara for her schemes and plots? After


    that, Sylvia took out her phone without waiting for Tara to react. She immediately dialed Odell¡¯s number


    and put it on speaker. The call was soon connected.


    The man¡¯s maic and pleasant voice sounded, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Looking at Tara¡¯s uneasy face, Sylvia grinned and said, ¡°Odell, let¡¯s remarry.¡±


    The room fell silent. Everyone perked their ears attentively, whether it were the ones who pitied Tara and


    scorned Sylvia; Simon, who believed in Sylvia; or the ones who joined in the fun for gossip.


    After three seconds, the pleasant male voice sounded again. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I¡¯lle home now, reaching in approximately 40 minutes.¡±, Odell said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll fetch


    you an hourter. Prepare your documents.¡± Seeing Tara¡¯s pale face, Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After that, she wanted to hang up. Odell added, ¡°I must see you an hourter. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to drag


    you there.¡± His tone was dominant and overbearing.


    Sylvia chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Then, she hung up.


    She was surrounded by people, but the atmosphere was weirdly silent,


    Sylvia kept her phone and looked at Tara, who was still blocking the path in front of her. She reminded,


    ¡°Tara, I have to go prepare my documents. Please make way.¡±


    Tara¡¯s face was as pale as a ghost. It was obvious she could not hold it in anymore.


    Sylvia smirked, ¡°Tara, are you trying to stop me from getting registered with Odell by blocking me?¡±


    Tara forced an ugly smile. ¡°Sylvia, Odell said he¡¯ll marry me. I don¡¯t know what you did to make him


    marry you, but don¡¯t you want your reputation anymore?¡±


    Reputation?


    What was reputation to her?


    Sylvia only wanted Tara to have a taste of her own medicine and experience how it felt like to be plotted


    against!


    Sylvia smiled and replied, ¡°Odell could even brand trash like you to be an artist. I believe he could also


    make my scandals disappear.¡± Tara¡¯s voice was choked, and her face turned green. Her eyes looked


    sinister. ¡°Sylvia, don¡¯t go overboard!¡± Sylvia raised a brow. ¡°Oh, aren¡¯t you feeling unwell? You¡¯re


    sounding energetic right now.¡±


    Tara was rendered speechless.


    They were in a stalemate for a few seconds. Tara suddenly closed her eyes and leaned toward Ariane


    weakly.


    Ariane quickly held her and yelled at Sylvia angrily, ¡°Ms. Sunflower, aren¡¯t you going too far?¡±

 Chapter 309

    Sylvia ignored her and walked past them from the space freed when Tara leaned toward Ariane.


    Simon followed her closely.


    Ariane and Renna saw that Tara seemed very sick, so they hurriedly helped her out.


    In the room, the majority of the people were still rooted to the spot.


    After a while, someone spoke, ¡°How did Sylvia make Master Carter agree to remarry her with a


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    call?¡±


    ¡°Are you dumb? It¡¯s clear that Master Carter wants to remarry Sylvia, and Sylvia just agreed to him.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Then isn¡¯t Sylvia the person Master Carter loves? Why did Tara insist that Master Carter only


    loves her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t get it either.¡± ¡°But Sylvia said something right.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tara¡¯s


    professionalism was indeed average. She got to this point only because Master Carter was helping her


    behind the scenes. Sylvia was much better than her in terms of appearance and ability. I suddenly feel


    that it was reasonable for Master Carter to choose Sylvia.¡±


    ¡°Well said. I quite dislike Tara sometimes. She had no ability, but she became the Art Academy¡¯s visiting


    professor, and she always put on airs around us. Sylvia was friendlier than her.¡±


    ¡°Me too¡­¡±


    On the other side, after Sylvia and Simon left, Simon asked her with a confused face, ¡°Sylvia, what¡¯s


    going on? Isn¡¯t it a misunderstanding? Why are you suddenly remarrying Master Carter?¡±


    The outdoor wind blew past her face, cooling Sylvia¡¯s brain down. Simon was her good friend. Sylvia was


    not afraid of being misunderstood by others, but she could not let her friend misunderstand her.


    She simplified matters and briefly told Simon what happened in the past, and how Odell divorced her


    because of Tara. After that, she also told him how Tara spiked her drink and caused her to sleep with


    Odell not long ago.


    Simon¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he listened to her.


    He asked after taking it in, ¡°So you called Master Carter just now to piss Tara off?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Simon asked again, ¡°Are you still going to register with Master Carter now?¡± Sylvia frowned. She had to


    admit that she was reckless.


    She had a great time bringing their kids out with him the past few days, and she could feel that Odell


    cared about her.


    However, what happened in the past had rooted in her heart. She could not determine whether Odell had


    fallen for her.


    She never nned to remarry Odell. However, she had already called Odell, and she could not go back


    on her word.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯ll go home first.¡± Simon sighed and said, ¡°Sylvia, I hope you¡¯ll continue living happily no


    matter what your choice is. I never want to see you in the state when I first met you again.¡± Sylvia pursed


    her lips and replied with a smile, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± She first met Simon a few years ago when


    Odell had thrown her out of the Carters, and she left Westchester City with Aunt Tonya and Isabel in her


    arms. She was at the lowest point of her life during that period and lived miserably. Sylvia stopped


    reminiscing and hailed a cab home after saying goodbye to Simon.


    In half an hour, the car reached her house.


    Sylvia got off the car and saw a man standing beside her door immediately. He wore a white shirt and a


    ck suit, paired with a wind-resistant coat. He stood sturdily.


    Sylvia was stunned. She did not expect him to arrive so soon.


    Odell frowned as he saw her stunned look. He said with a displeased face, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you could


    reach home in forty minutes? Why did you onlye back after an hour?¡±

 Chapter 310

    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shed, and she replied, ¡°I was stuck in the traffic, so I got dyed.¡±


    It was nonsense. She waste because exining those things to Simon took some time.


    Odell sized her up and said, ¡°Go prepare your documents quickly and change into suitable clothes.¡±


    Sylvia hummed and walked through the door, with Odell following closely behind.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Sylvia had put all her crucial documents in a storage box. She found them soon after she went into her


    room.


    Holding her documents, she looked back at the man who walked toward her as she thought of


    something. ¡°Odell, did Tara call you?¡±)


    Tara did not want them to remarry, and she must have tried to stop them. Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°How


    did you know that she called me?¡± Sylvia¡¯s gaze flickered, and she replied, ¡°I guessed it.¡± Odell looked at


    her and said, ¡°She did, but I hung up.¡± Sylvia was a bit surprised. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take it?¡± She


    remembered Odell saying that Tara was the one who apanied him through his darkest times and


    was important to him.


    ¡°No need to hurry. I could still call Tara back after we register.¡± Sylvia muttered, ¡°It won¡¯t take much time


    to pick up a call.¡± ¡°What? Do you want me to take her call so much?¡± Odell¡¯s gaze sharpened at her.


    Sylvia subconsciously avoided his gaze and replied, ¡°No. I¡¯m just asking.¡± Odell¡¯s gaze darkened, and


    then he said, ¡°Go change quickly.¡± Sylvia walked into her cloakroom and changed into a white shirt and


    ck cks. After that, she nced at herself in the mirror and walked out.


    The moment she walked out, Odell held her hand in his big hands.


    Sylvia had yet to react when Odell dragged her out of the room. She quickly said, ¡°My documents!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve


    taken them for you.¡± Odell waved the ck leather bag in his other hand. Sylvia pursed her lips and


    walked out with him. They got in his car and soon, the engine started. Not long after, they stopped


    outside of the City Hall.


    Looking at the door to the City Hall, Sylvia suddenly recalled the scene when she first got their marriage


    certificate with Odell many years ago.


    He had a cold face, looking as if any extra second spent with her was torture. It was because he


    was coerced into marriage at that time.


    Although Sylvia wanted to be with him, she was also tormented during that experience.


    She remembered that when they were in front of the City Hall, she even said to him, ¡°Let¡¯s call it off if


    you¡¯re unwilling. I¡¯ll exin to your father and the others.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression did not ease after that, and h¨¦ nced at her gloomily instead, speaking in a cold


    voice, ¡°What will you exin? Exin how we were on the same bed? Or get them to threaten and


    reprimand me again?¡±


    Then he dragged her into the City Hall, his force strong enough to break her wrists.


    The night they registered their marriage, Sylvia moved into the Carter family, and then he gave her the


    silent treatment for two or three years¡­ Suddenly, he patted her head. Sylvia came to her senses and


    saw the man that was looking at her. Odell had gotten down from the car and opened the door for her.


    His brows were slightly furrowed, and his voice was still gentle even though he sounded a bit displeased.


    ¡°What are you zoning out for? Get down the car.¡± Sylvia sucked in a breath and looked at him, asking,


    ¡°Odell, are you sure you want to marry me


    again?¡±

 Chapter 311

    Odell pursed his lips and looked at her in silence.


    Sylvia thought again and asked, ¡°What would you do if you realized that you don¡¯t like me and regretted


    it?¡±


    Odell ignored her words and only stared at her. His sharp gaze seemed to see through her thoughts.


    Soon, he snorted. ¡°Do you want to go back on your word?¡± Sylvia¡¯s gaze flickered. ¡°N-no, I was just


    afraid you¡¯re being reckless and want you to think it through.¡± Before finishing her words, he dragged her


    down the car. Odell walked into the City Hall with Sylvia in his arms. Sylvia was almost carried in by him,


    and only her toes touched the ground. The passersby looked at them suspiciously. Sylvia quickly said,


    ¡°Odell, I can walk. Let me go now.¡±


    Odell ignored her and only let go of her when they reached the registration counter. At this time, the


    phone in Sylvia¡¯s front pocket rang.


    Before Sylvia took it out, a big hand had taken her phone away from her pocket.


    Sylvia wanted to snatch her phone, but she saw that the caller ID was Edmund. Odell hung up the call


    before she touched it and put the phone in his pocket.


    Sylvia frowned at him, and Odell pinched her cheek softly.


    The man did not use much force as if he was ying with her cheeks, and his eyes twinkled with a smile.


    ¡°Sylvia, you called me and said you wanted to marry me. Today, you¡¯ll register with me if you want to


    walk out of this ce.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s words choked in her throat, and she pursed her lips. Odell then hugged her shoulder and sat


    down, handing their documents to the clerk at the counter.


    The registration process was still the same as the first time. In half an hour, they got their marriage


    certificate.


    The certificate weighed pounds in her hands like a heavy rock. Sylvia¡¯s brows furrowed,cking the joy of


    a newlywed couple. Just as she was about to keep the certificate, the man¡¯s hand took it away from her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it for you.¡± As Odell spoke, he kept both of their copies in his leather bag. Then, he grasped her


    hand and walked out of the City Hall.


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    When they walked out of the door, Tara¡¯s frail figure standing by the roadside entered their sight.


    She only wore thin clothes, and her hair swayed with the wind. Her face was pale, and her eyes were


    red. She looked as if the wind could blow her away.


    Tears rushed out of her eyes when she saw Odell walking out with Sylvia, their hands locked together.


    She asked Odell in disbelief, ¡°Odell, you¡­ Did you really marry her again?¡±


    Odell frowned. Sylvia could not help curling her lips and said, ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re once again married. Do you


    want to see our marriage certificate?¡± Tara¡¯s face fell, and she looked at Sylvia coldly.


    Sylvia smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like this. It¡¯s all thanks to you for spiking my drink and impatiently


    setting me up for humiliation in the Art Association.¡±


    Tara immediately yelled, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. You¡¯ve already married Odell as you


    wished. What would you gain by framing me now?¡± Sylviaughed and said without a care, ¡°I just wanted


    to remind you that this oue was caused by you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re spewing nonsense! You¡¯ve already


    snatched Odell away from me, and now you¡¯re still ndering me. Sylvia, why are you so cruel? Why do


    you treat me this way¡­?¡± Tara felt more upset as she spoke and cried as she covered her face. She


    quickly tilted in the direction the wind blew, falling to the ground.

 Chapter 312

    Sylvia did not hold it in and let out a cold chuckle.


    The next second, Odell looked daggers at her.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. Odell then walked to Tara and helped her up from the ground. Tara conveniently


    leaned into his arms and did not let go. Odell had helped her up, but Tara was still clinging to him. She


    wailed, ¡°Odell, I don¡¯t want to leave you. I cannot live without you¡­¡±


    She wailed her throat dry.. Odell patted her back. Seeing that she was still crying miserably, he nced


    at Sylvia and said, ¡°Go home first. I¡¯lle to you after sending Tara back.¡±


    Sylvia looked at them cuddling and tugged her lips. She replied indifferently, ¡°Go with her. You don¡¯t need


    to find me.¡± After that, she turned and walked to the road.


    Odell frowned and wanted to chase after her, but Tara held his waist tightly.


    ¡°Odell¡­ Don¡¯t go. I beg you, don¡¯t go¡­¡± she cried hoarsely. Odell closed his eyes and suppressed the


    annoyance rising in his heart. He said, ¡°I won¡¯t go. I¡¯ll send you home first.¡±


    Sylvia went back to her ce. Upon seeing her, Aunt Tonya quickly walked to her and asked, ¡°Syl, I


    heard from Tom that Odell brought you out. What are you guys doing at this time? He didn¡¯t bully you, did


    he?¡± Sylvia quickly replied, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t bully me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Aunt Tonya heaved a sigh of relief and


    asked again, ¡°Then where did you go?¡± Sylvia did not mean to hide it from her and answered, ¡°We went


    to get registered in the City Hall.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Aunt Tonya¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°All of a sudden? Isn¡¯t he dating Tara?¡± Sylvia kept quiet because


    she also regretted it now. She regretted recklessly marrying Odell again to pay Tara back.


    However, it was no big deal. At worst, Sylvia could divorce him the next day.


    Anyway, it was not the first time she was divorced. It did not matter to her now.


    Upon seeing that she did not speak, Aunt Tonya asked anxiously, ¡°Syl, what¡¯s going on? Tell me now.


    Don¡¯t make the same mistake again!¡± Although Aunt Tonya could see that Odell¡¯s attitude toward Sylvia


    had changed, and she could


    also notice Odell¡¯s feelings for Sylvia, Tara was not someone to be trifled with. She was afraid Sylvia


    would be hurt and harmed again. Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, rx. I don¡¯t n to let history


    repeat itself.¡± She would never obsess over Odell in the same way before. She only married him out of


    impulse.


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    Let alone Tara, Sylvia would promise to divorce him at any time if he fell in love with another


    woman.


    ¡°Sigh, as long as you know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Aunt Tonya sighed and nagged, ¡°There are some


    benefits to being remarried. You can be with Liam and Isabel anytime now, and you don¡¯t need to worry


    about their new stepmother abusing them.¡± 1


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She would do this for the children. Thinking of Liam and Isabel, she suddenly did not feel so regretful.


    Sylvia walked into the living room with Aunt Tonya and was about to sit down when the phone in her


    pocket rang It was Edmund. Sylvia recalled that Odell had hung up Edmund¡¯s call when he dialed earlier,


    so she answered his call. She said apologetically, ¡°Edmund, I had some business to deal with just now.


    Do you need anything?¡± Edmund¡¯s rich voice sounded on the phone, ¡°Nothing much. I just miss you after


    not seeing you for so long.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Sylvia thought he had something important. ¡°Are you at home now?¡±


    Edmund suddenly asked.

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313 ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m at home.¡±


    .


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass by your house while running some errands. I¡¯m almost at your gate. Why don¡¯t we go for a meal


    later?¡± After a pause, he said, ¡°I asked Sherry too, and she¡¯ll join us.¡± Sylvia thought and answered,


    ¡°Okay.¡± Anyway, Odell was with Tara, and he probably would not look for her today.


    She still owed Edmund a meal.


    Not even two minutes after she hung up, her doorbell rang.


    Sylvia saw Edmund¡¯s car on the road when she came to the door. He was wearing ck sunsses.


    When Sylvia walked to him, he leaned half of his body out the window and showed a crooked smile. ¡°Lil


    Syl, get in the car.¡±


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    Sylvia smiled and got into the car. Edmund then started the engine.


    Sylvia did not think he would arrive so soon. She asked curiously, ¡°What errands do you have here?¡±


    Edmund¡¯s eyes darkened under the sunsses. He replied, ¡°Some business. You won¡¯t understand


    even if I told you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia stopped asking. Edmund pursed his lips and nced at her through the


    rearview mirror. Sylvia wore a white shirt and ck cks, only having a windbreaker on the outside. Her


    hair fell on her shoulders naturally, and her bare face was delicate and fair. However, she looked


    indifferent, totally devoid of the happiness that should be there after getting newly married. Recalling the


    scene where she and Odell walked out of the City Hall, and she left with a cold face after Odell helped


    Tara up, Edmund frowned. He stepped on the elerator. Sylvia was shocked by the sudden increase in


    speed. She quickly asked, ¡°Edmund, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Edmund curled his lip. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Sylvia said softly,


    ¡°Can you go slower?¡± Edmund sucked in a breath. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The car then drove smoothly on the bustling street.


    After driving through a few streets, they stopped at a seafood barbeque restaurant not far away from


    Lush Heaven.


    The restaurant was spacious, but it was a private restaurant. Only members could enter.


    Edmund appeared, and the server in front of the door recognized him. The server opened the door for


    them with a smile and brought them to a private room on the upper floor.


    Sherry, Harry, and Lloyd also arrived.


    With a chatterbox like Sherry and Harry, the atmosphere soon got lively.


    Sylvia smiled as she watched them order, thinking of telling Sherry alone about her remarriage to Odell


    after they finished eating.


    At the same time, Odell brought Tara back to Lake Victoria Vi. After the car stopped, Tara refused to


    get out of the car. Her eyes were red from the tears, and she leaned on the car seat weakly, unable to


    get up. Odell could only carry her out of the car. Tara immediately hugged him tightly, her whole body


    clinging to him. Odell frowned and hastened his steps into the vi. Soon, they reached the living room.


    When he wanted to put Tara down on the couch, she suddenly lifted her face and kissed him, her hand


    touching his face intimately.


    Odell¡¯s face turned cold, and he avoided her kiss immediately.


    Tara pressed her body to Odell and begged softly, ¡°Odell, please pity me. Take me this once, will you? If


    you¡¯ll take me tonight, I¡¯ll never disturb you and Sylvia again.¡±

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314 The air turned quiet.


    Tara had dragged down her shirt¡¯s cor to expose her bare shoulders. Her tearful face looked pitiful and


    inviting. A normal man would find it hard to resist this kind of seduction, but Odell¡¯s face darkened


    immediately. Not only did Odell feel no desire or lust, but he also furrowed his brows in disgust. Then, he


    peeled her off his body and threw her on the couch. Tara rolled over in humiliation. She could not believe


    that the man did not take her bait. Most of the men would ept her invitation!


    Rare devastation surged up her head, and Tara cried at him, ¡°odell, you said you¡¯d take care of me


    forever! You said you¡¯d marry me!¡±


    Odell¡¯s brows frowned tightly. ¡°I went back on my word. I¡¯llpensate you and take care of you as a


    family forever. You¡¯ll never have to worry about money.¡±


    After pausing for a second, he said harshly, ¡°This is the first andst time I¡¯ll allow you to go overboard


    like this. If you do it again, I will not see you anymore.¡± Tara stiffened, and she pouted and looked at him


    obediently. Her tears flowed in silence.


    Seeing her like this, Odell suddenly remembered their time together as teenagers. Guilt rose in his heart.


    He said, ¡°Rest well. Look for my men if you need anything, and call me if you encounter any difficulties.¡±


    Tara choked. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Odell did not stay any longer. Sylvia¡¯s face when she left the City Hall was still


    printed in his mind. It was cold and pale, and she smiled without care. He needed to look for her quickly.


    Right after he walked out the door, Tara got down from the couch and smashed everything she could in


    the living room.


    Her eyes were red and sinister as she screamed, ¡°Sylvia, you b*tch! You¡¯re a b*tch! B*tch!¡± She had


    nned everything, but Odell still chose Sylvia in the end! She refused to give in! She was unwilling!


    The ck sports car sped through the road.


    Suddenly, his phone rang, and Odell put the call on speaker.


    Cliff¡¯s voice sounded on the phone. ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯ve gotten news from the men you sent to watch


    Edmund. Edmund went to the Old District this evening and passed by Ms. Ross¡¯ ce. He brought her to


    a seafood barbeque restaurant¡¯nearby Lush Heaven.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze turned chilly. ¡°Are they still at the restaurant?¡± Cliff said softly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Send me the address.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Nearby Lush Heaven, in a private room in the seafood barbeque restaurant, the dishes were being


    served one after another.


    After Harry and Lloyd stuffed their stomachs full, they said to Edmund, ¡°Mr. Price, we¡¯re done. We want


    to go to Lush Heaven for a few drinks.¡± Edmund threw them a credit card. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks, Mr.


    Price!¡± Harry took the card and went out with Lloyd while smiling.

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315 Edmund then nced at Sherry.


    Sherry stood up and said to Sylvia, ¡°Syl, I still have some work. I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    Sylvia followed suit. ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m done eating too. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    She wanted to tell Sherry about her marriage registration with Odell, but Sherry sat her back down.


    Sylvia frowned in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ugh, forget it. I¡¯ll just tell you.¡± Sherry looked at Edmund


    and then said to Sylvia, ¡°Syl, Mr. Price has something to say to you alone. I¡¯ll not stay here.¡± Sylvia then


    looked toward Edmund in uncertainty.


    Edmund grinned, but his smile was unnatural. He looked a bit foolish.


    Sherry went out soon.


    Sylvia asked him directly, ¡°Edmund, what do you want to tell me?¡± Edmund was not in a hurry to answer.


    He opened a box of beer instead and took out a bottle, drinking from it after unscrewing the bottle cap.


    He did not stop until half of the bottle was gone. Then, he stared at Sylvia.


    The look beneath his eyes was not his usual sloppy look. It was serious and even a bit passionate.


    Sylvia felt that something was not right. She asked, ¡°Edmund, what do you want to say?¡± ¡°Lil Syl, you


    don¡¯t want to remarry Odell, do you?¡± Sylvia was stunned.


    At this time, outside the door, the man that had just arrived stopped in his steps.


    He took a step forward, and his thick brows furrowed, quietly listening to the voices inside. Sylvia quickly


    asked Edmund inside the private room, ¡°How did you know I remarried Odell?¡± Edmund stared at her


    intently and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t important. Tell me, did you remarry Odell because of your children or some


    other reason?¡±


    Sylvia did not understand. ¡°Edmund, this is between him and me. Why are you asking about this?¡±


    ¡°Lil Syl, answer my question first.¡± Edmund stared at her with a hopeful gaze.


    Sylvia smiled with self-mockery. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I think. I¡¯ve already remarried him.¡±


    Edmund said anxiously, ¡°No, this is important! If you were forced to marry him because of your children


    or other reasons, I could help you!¡± Sylvia asked curiously, ¡°You¡¯ll help me? How will you help me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Sherry. You came back to Westchester City because of the children, and you listened to


    everything Odell said to spend time with your children. I can help you get back your children, and you


    can leave Westchester City immediately with them. You don¡¯t need to face Odell anymore, and you can


    be with your children.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shed. She had thought of running away with the children, but it was impossible. She


    said, ¡°Odell is powerful. You can¡¯t beat hirn.¡±


    ¡°On the surface, I can¡¯t beat him, but I have my ways. I¡¯ll keep my word. As long as you¡¯re willing, I could


    bring the children over for you and send you away from Westchester City, and I¡¯ll not let Odell find you.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. She thought of it many times before, but it had changed now.


    Although Isabel had not yet epted Odell, her hostility toward Odell had lessened, and Sylvia could


    see that Isabel yearned for her father¡¯s love. As for Liam, he grew up beside Odell, and he secretly


    wanted them to get back together. Although Odell was not too kind to her, he was still a great father to


    the kids. Sylvia could not take the children away from their father because of her own thoughts and never


    let them see Odell again.


    She knew Edmund was thinking for her, so she replied nicely, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ve already remarried Odell, and


    the children are getting along with him. You don¡¯t need to do this for me.¡±


    ¡°How about you? Don¡¯t you think about yourself?¡± Edmund suddenly raised his voice.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 316

    Sylvia noticed that something was wrong with Edmund but she still asked, ¡°As long as I can be with my


    kids, I¡¯ll do anything.¡±


    Edmund got up and looked at her. ¡°Are you not afraid of Odell throwing you out just like how he did four


    years ago? He even pped you sixty times because of Tara. Do you still want to sleep on the streets?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    A sudden realization came to her and she said, ¡°Did Sherry tell you?¡±


    Edmund said, ¡°I ran into her at Lush Heavenst night and I asked her about your past.¡±


    He had drunk a lotst night, and it was Harry and Lloyd who had gotten Sherry toe talk to him. He


    had asked Sherry about Sylvia and Odell¡¯s past and Sherry had revealed a lot to him. Sylvia frowned. ¡°I


    have my own career now, the same thing won¡¯t happen again.¡± Edmund refused to give up just yet. ¡°Are


    you not afraid that Odell will hurt you again because of someone like Tara?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Afraid? She had never been afraid but she too was uncertain if Odell would ever hurt her again because


    of Tara.


    Just as she was considering how she would answer, the door opened.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need an outsider poking his nose into our matters.¡±


    The man¡¯s cold voice sounded, followed by his towering figure as he came in. He grabbed Sylvia¡¯s wrist


    and pulled her up from her seat. Before Sylvia could react, she was already in his arms.


    At the same time, he red at Edmund frostily. ¡°If you have the time to worry about my wife, why don¡¯t


    you spend more time worrying about the new business that you¡¯ve developed with your brother?¡±


    Edmund¡¯s face turned cold as he smiled sardonically and said, ¡°Odell Carter, do you think I¡¯m afraid of


    you?¡± Odell grinned back. ¡°You might not be but the men who follow you around with their families might


    think differently.¡±


    The spacious room plunged into silence for a while and tensions started to rise.


    With Odell¡¯s arms tightly encircled around her, Sylvia could not help but say, ¡°Odell, let¡¯s go.¡±


    She simply did not want Odell to make Edmund his target just because of her.


    Odell looked down at her.


    His deep gaze felt frosty and unpredictable.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrank back slightly. Just when she thought that she did not know what else to do, Odell


    suddenly smiled and softly said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Holding her around the waist, he turned around.


    Striding away with wide steps, Sylvia had to speed up to keep up with him.


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    Momentster, they came out of the building.


    The cool breeze blew against Sylvia¡¯s face, making her feel quite awake and refreshed. Finding Odell¡¯s


    embrace a little too tight, she protested, ¡°Odell, we¡¯re already outside. You can let go of me now.¡± Odell


    turned a deaf ear and held her waist even tighter. Sylvia was practically carried to the car by his strong


    arms. Right after the car¡¯s engine roared to life, the car sprinted off onto the freeway. The look on his


    face was even darker than usual but the aura he emanated was less frightening than expected. Sylvia


    stayed quiet for a while before she asked, ¡°Odell, how did you find me here?¡± Odell pursed his lips. Just


    when Sylvia thought she would not be getting an answer, he said, ¡°I searched.¡± Given his influence and


    connections, it would not be that hard for him to locate someone or something Sylvia moved on to the


    next topic. ¡°Weren¡¯t you at Tara¡¯s ce?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that I was going over there.¡± He sounded annoyed.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°She was crying her lungs out. Shouldn¡¯t you spend some time with her??


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I have to be by her side.¡±


    Sylvia did not answer but her lips remained pursed, obviously not believing him.

 Chapter 317

    Screech!


    The car screeched to an abrupt stop by the side of the street.


    Sylvia was startled. She then noticed the gloomy gaze that Odell shot at her.


    ¡°Sylvia, do you really think I should be spending time with her? Or do you think that I¡¯m joking about


    wanting to marry you again?¡±


    He had already decided to marry her again. Why would she think that he would have an affair with


    another woman?


    How bad of an image did she have of him?


    His expression turned bitter, the frustration even causing the veins on his forehead to pop out. He looked


    so grim that it was really terrifying.


    Sylvia shrunk back in fear. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    He cupped her face and asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s with that expression on your face just now?¡±


    Sylvia tightened her lips, not daring to say a word.


    Odell had been so angry that he had cupped her face and squeezed it hard before withdrawing his hand.


    After letting her go, he sat back down in the driver¡¯s seat and said in an annoyed tone of voice, ¡°Sit


    tight.¡±


    He straightened his body and put his hands on the steering wheel. Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief as she


    adjusted her posture.


    The car then drove off steadily.


    It was quiet throughout the journey. When the car finally stopped in front of Carter Residence, it was


    already 9 o¡¯clock at night,


    Sylvia got out of the car hurriedly as she was worried about her kids.


    Odell got out of the car after her and watched her rush inside, not knowing if she simply wanted to see


    the kids or to avoid him. His brows furrowed as he watched her intently.


    The words that Edmund had said to Sylvia back in that room still echoed in his head. He stood beside


    the car for quite some time before he took a pack of cigarettes out and started smoking.


    On the other hand, the moment Sylvia entered the living room, Isabel jumped into her arms. ¡°Mommy,


    why are you sote today?¡± The girl hugged her mother as she pouted. Sylvia kissed her on one of her


    chubby cheeks and said with a smile, ¡°Mommy had dinner with a friend outside, so I waste.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    The little girl was not overly bothered.


    Sylvia smiled and held the little girl¡¯s hand as they went inside.


    Madam Carter was on the couch and so was Liam.


    Liam was looking at his mother in anticipation.


    Sylvia greeted Madam Carter first before she carried Liam and kissed him in the same way she had


    done with Isabel. Liam¡¯s thin lips curved into a smile. Sylvia wanted to apany them to their room but


    Odell came in from outside. Madam Carter and the two kids turned to him. Madam Carter noticed


    something strange. ¡°Odell, did youe home together with Sylvia?¡± Sylvia had arrived only a few


    minutes earlier than him, so it was difficult for Madam Carter not to specte as such.


    Odell hummed in reply.


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    Madam Carter¡¯s eyes gleamed and looked at Sylvia. Isabel and Liam also looked at their mother with big


    round eyes. Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted but she did not say anything in reply. To her surprise, Liam suddenly


    asked, ¡°Mommy, are you wearing a matching outfit with Daddy?¡± Sylvia was taken aback. She then


    realized she was wearing a white shirt and ck pants, which was the same as Odell¡¯s outfit. Moreover,


    they had just got their registration papers earlier in the day. Thinking quickly, Sylvia smiled as she said,


    ¡°No, we¡¯re just-¡± i ¡°We just got our marriage registration papers just now.¡± Odell then tossed the papers


    onto the couch. The living room went silent for two seconds before Madam Carter excitedly reached out


    to take the papers for a closer look.


    Even Isabel and Liam went over to have a look.

 Chapter 318

    Madam Carter then happily said, ¡°Great! This is great!¡± Isabel and Liam huddled together and saw the


    picture on the papers. Isabel curiously asked, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s this? Why did Baddie take a picture with


    mommy?¡±


    ¡°This means Daddy and Mommy are married. They are now husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°Husband and wife? You mean like a hubby and wifey?¡±


    (Yeah?.¡±


    Isabel pouted.


    Liam stroked her head and said with a smile, ¡°Sis, we don¡¯t have to be separated from mommy


    anymore.¡±


    Isabel immediately asked, ¡°Then can we sleep with Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°This is great!¡±


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    The two little rascals¡¯ cheers and Madam Carter¡¯sughter lit up the atmosphere in the living room.


    Sylvia did not know what to feel anymore. Happy? Depressed? At the same time, she sensed Odell¡¯s


    gaze on her.


    He was a little further away, with his brows slightly furrowed even as his lips curled into a smile.


    Sylvia averted his gaze and turned her attention back to the kids.


    Odell¡¯s face fell, but it no longer matter because now that they were married once more, she had officially


    be Mrs. Carter and his woman again. No other man would be able to snatch her away anymore.


    Moreover, they had time to develop things further. A whileter, Madam Carter said to Sylvia, ¡°Syl, since


    you and Odell are married again, you should move in with us. Don¡¯t live separately anymore.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes shifted as he looked at her.


    Isabel and Liam also looked at her in great anticipation.


    Sylvia thought about it for a second before she said, ¡°I¡¯ll discuss this matter with Aunt Tonya.¡±


    Madam Carter knew that Sylvia was close with Aunt Tonya, so she too happily hummed in


    reply.


    Sylvia then took the kids to their room.


    The living room turned quiet after the boisterous kids had gone upstairs.


    Just as Odell put the papers away, Madam Carter cleared her throat and sized him up. She said, ¡°Odell,


    are you going to take this seriously this time?


    Odell stared at the direction that Sylvia had left with the kids and said, ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°What about Tara? Have you cut ties with her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made it clear to her.¡± Madam Carter breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Great. Don¡¯t you dare abuse Syl


    again like you did before.¡± Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t.¡± He had abused Sylvia back then


    because she had made a lot of mistakes but now that he had acknowledged his feelings for her and also


    reinstated the marriage, he felt that he would live a good life with her.


    As always, Sylvia yed with the two little ones and told them a bedtime story to help them sleep. After a


    kiss on each of their chubby cheeks, Sylvia left the room. Outside, Odell¡¯s towering figure was leaning


    against the wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest.


    He must have been here waiting for her for quite a while.


    Sylvia nced at him and asked, ¡°Is anything the matter?¡± ¡°Come to my room. I have something to talk


    to you about.¡±


    His room?

 Chapter 319

    Sylvia was frozen to the spot. She then said, ¡°There¡¯s no one here. We can just talk about it here.¡±


    Odell sensed the caution on her look.


    He frowned and asked, ¡°Edmund said you slept on the streets before. What does that mean?¡±


    Sylvia had not expected this question toe from Odell. Shifting her gaze, she said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s in


    the past now, I¡¯ve already forgotten about it.¡±


    She did not want to relive the bitter memories.


    ¡°Why did you end up on the streets?¡± he asked.


    She refused to answer.


    Odell approached her and cupped her cheeks again to forcibly look intently into her eyes and said,


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    The tone of his voice did not allow for her to refuse.


    Feeling upset, Sylvia said, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t have money.¡± ¡°How was that possible?¡±


    Sylviaughed bitterly. ¡°Have you forgotten? You took everything from me when you divorced me back


    then.¡±


    Odell frowned. Back then, Sylvia had pushed Tara down the stairs which had resulted in her permanent


    infertility. So, out of anger, Odell had told thewyer to prepare the divorce papers that would take


    everything from her.


    However, in the two years that they were divorced, he had eventually given her a monthly alimony and


    he had heard that she had inherited quite a sum from her biological mother.


    How could she have been penniless?


    Sylvia noticed him staring nkly at her. Losing her patience, she said, ¡°Odell, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll


    be going now.¡±


    Odell blinked and regained hisposure.


    Letting her go, she said, ¡°Bring your things over tomorrow. If Aunt Tonya is okay with it, you can ask her


    to move in with us as well.¡±


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    Sylvia did not answer.


    Odell tapped on her head and said, ¡°Did you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered reluctantly.


    After she left, Odell was left alone in the corridor.


    He then pulled his phone out and called Cliff.


    ¡°I want to know where Sylvia has been in the past few years after she left Westchester and why she


    didn¡¯t have any money to survive.¡±


    It was already spring but the night remained cold. Sylvia zipped up her padded jacket as soon as she


    came outside and walked towards her house.


    Her mind, however, was still reying the questions that Odell had asked her earlier.


    He must have overheard her conversation with Edmund outside the VIP room and Edmund must have


    heard it from Sherry.


    Sylvia had told Sherry about what had happened before but she had not revealed what had caused her


    to be in such a terrible state.


    Back then, after she had been pped sixty times, she had gone to her own family, the Rosses, but had


    been chased out as well. The money her mother had left for her had beenpletely taken away by her


    father and his wife Dona. She had not even gotten a single penny from her family.


    The monthly alimony that Odell had given her was not that little but had not exactly been sufficient


    either.


    Before the divorce and while she had still been living at the Carter Mansion, in order to prevent Odell¡¯s


    stepmother from nting a spy around him or bribe a bodyguard or a maid, she had taken arge


    portion of money from her monthly expenses to be distributed to the people that worked around Odell.


    Her bank ount had already been heavily burdened when Tara hade up with her fake miscarriage


    and she had been imprisoned by Odell.


    During her imprisonment, Odell had not given her any money and she had not wanted him to know that


    she was pregnant with twins because she knew that he would have definitely taken them away from her.


    Therefore, she had used whatever had been left in her bank ount to pay the nurses and doctors to


    keep herself safe.


    Therefore, when she had taken Isabel and Aunt Tonya away from the house, she had barely had any


    money on her.


    Aunt Tonya had been worried that Sylvia would be permanently disfigured, so she had spent her life


    savings to heal her face.


    On top of all that, Isabel had still been a baby and everything cost money.


    Tara had even made her a target and foiled every job interview that she had in Westchester.


    Since she basically had no money left, Sylvia had spent many nights in a 24 hours fast food restaurant


    with Isabel and Aunt Tonya, and they had even slept on the streets over the course of two days before.


    It was not until she had met Simon and Thomas that her life had started to get back on track.

 Chapter 320

    Sylvia reached her house without even realizing it.


    Aunt Tonya was already asleep but had kept the lights on for her.


    There were even some of her favorite pastries left on the table.


    Sylvia smiled. She sat down and enjoyed the pastries.


    Eating was an effective way to help put her bitter memories aside.


    She was no longer her old self. She never wanted to live through those dreadful nights again and she


    would never let anyone else hurt her again.


    Back at Carter Mansion, Odell was sitting at the balcony in his room. His towering figure stood in front of


    the rail as he looked towards Sylvia¡¯s ce through a pair of binocrs. A whileter, his phone rang.


    The call was from Cliff. He answered the phone and heard Cliff say, ¡°Sir, what I just found out was that


    after you kicked Ms. Ross out, she had gone back to her family but the Rosses did not take her in. I also


    found out that the money her mother had left for her had been taken away by her biological father and


    stepmother. She was left with nothing.¡± Odell frowned. ¡°Is there anything more?¡± ¡°Ms. Ross had used a


    large portion of the expenses that you gave her every month to pay the bodyguards and servants. What


    was left of the money was used to pay the hospital after she had been imprisoned. She had been afraid


    that you would find out about the twins, so she had tried to silence the hospital.¡±


    Those were the reasons why she had been left with almost no money.


    After a long silence, Odell asked, ¡°Where did she go after that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not clear about that either but I heard of people seeing her spend the night at a fast food restaurant¡¯s


    entrance around Greend Avenue. Then, maybe because she had been afraid that you would find out


    about her taking Ms. Isabel away, she had then left Westchester.¡±


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    Spending the night at a fast food restaurant entrance?


    Odell frowned even more, as his chest started to tighten.


    She was the daughter of the Rosses after all. She had been born into a well-known family, yet she had


    ended up on the streets.


    After a long silence, he asked, ¡°What about after Westchester?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, That¡¯s all I managed to get. There¡¯s no news about Ms. Ross after she left Westchester. I


    reached out to many private investigators but none of them had an


    LIIIII. thing ?


    Odell pursed his lips. After another long silence, he said, ¡°Sylvia and I are married again, so please don¡¯t


    address her as Ms. Ross anymore.¡±


    Cliff answered, ¡°Yes, sir. I understand. May you and Mrs. Carter grow old together!¡±


    Odell¡¯s grim look softened a little.


    After the call, Odell continued to watch Sylvia¡¯s ce. The living room lights were off and so were the


    lights in her room. She must be asleep. He stood in silence for quite some time before he returned to his


    room.


    The next morning while they were having breakfast, just as Sylvia was about to discuss moving to Aunt


    Tonya, two cars stopped in front of her house.


    One was a MPV and the other was a moving truck.


    From the MPV, Madam Carter came down with the help of the butler; followed by Isabel and Liam.


    The little girl started squealing at the door. ¡°Mommy, we are here to pick you up!¡± Surprised, Sylvia got up


    and went outside. She was surprised to see Madam Carter. ¡°Grandmother, what made youe here?¡±


    Madam Carter smiled at her and said,¡± I came here to pick you up.¡± Sylvia was ttered. She said, ¡°I


    nned to be there after I finished packing up. You really didn¡¯t have toe here.¡±


    Madam Carter frowned. ¡°No, no, no. Odell had some work matters to settle at the office, so I had toe


    over. I couldn¡¯t just let you move alone, could I?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay, pleasee on in.¡± She helped Madam Carter inside with the two little kids in tow.

 Chapter 321

    There were also several bodyguards who hade to help Sylvia move. Aunt Tonya guided them inside.


    ¡°Please follow me. I¡¯ll take you upstairs.¡±


    She then led the bodyguards to the second floor.


    Sylvia wanted to help with the moving but Madam Carter held her back.


    She said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They are all strong men, Tonya won¡¯t have to do a thing.¡±


    After that, Sylvia had a nce outside the gate and saw a middle-aged woman dressed in professional


    attire with two metallic boxes in her hands.


    Madam Carter then said to Sylvia, ¡°She¡¯s my personal makeup artist who has been working for me for


    many years now. She¡¯s good. So get changed and I¡¯ll tell her to put on some makeup for you. Then, we


    can go back to the mansion.¡± Baffled, Sylvia asked, ¡°Grandmother, what¡¯s the asion?¡±


    Madam Carter said, ¡°You are moving back. Today marks the day that you will be living with Odell again. I


    have to make it a little more official and grand.¡±


    Isabel also cheered delightfully. ¡°Yeah! Great-grandma is right! Brother and I also dressed up specially


    for the asion!¡± Not only had the two little kids put on their best clothes, their faces had even been


    lightly made up, making them look like walking dolls.


    Sylvia simply smiled and went to her room with the makeup artist. The makeup artists had a slim red


    dress in one of the boxes. Its design was based on a retro style but it was beautiful. On top of that, there


    was also a pair of red leather heels. Sylvia changed into the dress and heels before the makeup artist


    put on makeup for her.


    The makeup artist had done a decent job, except for being slightly heavy-handed with the blush that she


    had applied on Sylvia¡¯s cheeks.


    After the dress and the makeup, Sylvia looked like she was ready for an important social event.


    Madam Carter grinned widely at her stunning look and praised her endlessly. Isabel even danced and


    jumped around her mother, being her little fan. ¡°Mommy, you are so beautiful!¡±


    Liam was not much of a talker but his eyes were glued to his mother¡¯s jaw-dropping look. Madam Carter


    noticed the little boy¡¯s fixed gaze on his mother and asked, ¡°Liam, is Mommy beautiful?¡±


    Liam gathered his thoughts and said, ¡°Mommy is beautiful in anything.¡±


    Madam Carter burst intoughter, and even Sylvia chuckled.


    After most of the things had been moved out, Sylvia brought Aunt Tonya together with


    Madam Carter and the two kids back to the Carter Mansion.


    The mansion, both outside and inside, had undergone a small makeover.


    Some of the furniture was new and a lot of new decor had been installed.


    Sylvia felt as if she had walked into a brand new house. Madam Carter said with a smile, ¡°Syl, go have a


    look at your room with Odell.¡±


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    The bodyguards were also moving her luggage into Odell¡¯s room. Sylvia frowned slightly, feeling slightly


    difited. However, since she had already married Odell again, it would be normal for them to sleep in


    the same room. She then brought her two little loyal followers into the master bedroom. Upon entering


    the room, she saw a brand new brightly colored bed. It was not only the bed. Even the walls and the


    windows were colored brightly, including the ceiling If not for the closet, which had not been modified or


    painted over, she would not have guessed that the room had originally been designed in a monochrome


    style. She wondered how Odell would react when he returned home to this¡­


    Isabel and Liam were also sizing up the room. Momentster, Isabel said, ¡°Mommy and Baddie¡¯s room is


    so colorful!¡± ¡°Great-grandma said it¡¯s good to paint the room in a refreshing tone to wee a brand new


    start,¡± Liam said.


    ¡°I see, I see.¡±

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    Sylviaughed helplessly. Even during her first marriage with Odell, she had never slept in such a


    colorful room before.


    However, all that was in the past so it was no longer necessary for her to reminisce about it.


    After the bodyguards had ced and arranged all her clothes into the closet, Sylvia told them to get


    some rest. She then continued to tidy up the rest without asking any of the maids to help. She did not


    mix her clothes with Odell¡¯s. Instead, she found two empty cabs and ced all her stuff inside.


    When she was done with tidying up, she took the kids to Aunt Tonya.


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s room was located on the first floor, which was just next door to Madam Carter¡¯s.


    The room had specially been prepared for her because the decor and arrangement of the furniture had


    all been done ording to Aunt Tonya¡¯ preferences.


    When Sylvia came downstairs to check on Aunt Tonya, she found her happily chatting with Madam


    Carter.


    Seeing Aunt Tonya¡¯s happy smile relieved her. At first, she had worried about Aunt Tonya not being able


    to adapt but now, it seemed like her concerns were unnecessary.


    By the time she had settled down, it was alreadyte in the afternoon.


    Sylvia, Aunt Tonya, Madam Carter and the two kids were chatting happily in the living room until Odell


    came home.


    His towering figure came through the door with a ck formal suit and his arrival ceased the chatter in


    the living room.


    ¡°Grandmother, Aunt Tonya, hi.¡± Odell took the initiative to greet everyone.


    !


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya hummed in reply with a smile.


    Odell then turned to Sylvia.


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    When his deep gazended on Sylvia, he was obviously taken aback.


    The little surprise was then reced by a forced smile, as if he was trying to hold back hisughter.


    Sylvia knew her makeup and her dress made her look like a walking bright red apple but she was still


    annoyed by his reaction and she red at him with pursed lips.


    Odell simply reacted with a vague smile. It felt warm but enchanting at the same time.


    Feeling inexplicably shy, Sylvia quickly turned around to the kids. Madam Carter had noticed the little


    interaction with her keen eyes. She then instructed the butler, ¡°Sebastian, tell the kitchen to prepare


    dinner.¡±


    ¡°Right away, madam,¡± the butler said with a nod before he left for the kitchen. Madam Carter then said to


    Aunt Tonya, ¡°Come, Tonya. Let¡¯s go for a walk.¡± Aunt Tonya knew what Madam Carter was hinting at.


    She nodded with a smile and said, ¡°of course.¡±


    The twodies then left the house, leaving Sylvia and Odell alone together with the two kids.


    Odell walked over to the couch. He moved Liam away from Sylvia and sat down beside her.


    He looked at her overly red cheeks and asked, ¡°Did grandmother have someone dress you up like this?¡±


    Sylvia quietly hummed in reply. Odell moved closer to her and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± He was so


    close that Sylvia could feel his breath on her.


    She blushed but did not answer. Isabel raised her chubby face and cried out, ¡°You meanie, of course my


    mommy is pretty!¡± Odell smiled conservatively and hummed in reply.


    Sylvia¡¯s face became even redder.


    There were a few seconds of awkward pause in Odell¡¯s words which somehow made the atmosphere a


    little strange. Sylvia turned to him and said, ¡°Odell, could you not stare at me like that?¡± He had not


    stopped staring at her since he had greeted Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya. Odell grinned widely and


    said, ¡°You are my wife now, I can stare at you for as long as I want.¡± Sylvia could not tolerate his


    scorching gaze anymore, especially when the kids were staring at


    them with curious and innocent gazes.

 Chapter 323

    She got up and took Isabel into her arms before reaching out to Liam. ¡°Liam,e on. Let¡¯s go y in


    the room.¡±


    just as Liam reached out to hold his mother¡¯s hand, he found himself being lifted up by Odell single-


    handedly.


    Odell carried the boy in his arms and said to Sylvia with a smile, ¡°I have some time. Let¡¯s go


    y.¡±


    Before Sylvia could say a word, Odell was already walking towards the kids¡¯ room with Liam in his arms.


    Sylvia blinked nkly for several seconds before she followed both father and son with Isabel in her


    arms. Other than the sleeping area, Isabel and Liam¡¯s room had a designated space for them to y


    where all kinds of toys were avable.


    Sylvia asked Isabel and Liam, ¡°What do you guys want to y?¡± Liam said, ¡°Anything.¡±


    Isabel scanned the room with her big round eyes and said, ¡°Let¡¯s y Princess Racer! The loser will


    have to take one flick on the nose!¡± Sylvia had yed this game with them before. ¡°Okay.¡± They then


    turned their attention to Odell.


    Odell had a nce at Sylvia and said, ¡°What are we waiting for?¡±


    Isabel pulled out four toy steering wheels and distributed them to everyone. Then, she stood in front and


    started telling them about the rules.


    The first and second ce winners would win a price; the third would neither have a prize nor a


    punishment.


    As for thest ce, the loser would have to be flicked on the nose by the first, second and third ce


    winners. Then, Isabel turned on the screen that was hanging on the wall. The toy steering wheels, which


    were also controllers for the game, were linked to the game system.


    Isabel chose the coolest red sports car. Liam picked a blue car. Sylvia picked a white one while Odell


    went for the ck one.


    When the countdown timer reached zero, the race started.


    Isabel¡¯s red car zoomed into first ce followed closely by Liam.


    Sylvia might not have been as good as her kids but she was better than Odell who crashed at the first


    corner. .


    In the end, the result for the first round was that Isabel had won first ce, Liam was second, Sylvia was


    third and Odell wasst. Sylvia looked at them with a smile, ¡°What prize would you guys like?¡± Isabel


    pondered the question but was unable toe up with an answer. ¡°Mommy, I haven¡¯t figured it out yet.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Liam said.


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    (nul


    ¡°Then let us punish the person inst ce first,¡± Isabel suggested. Feeling excited, she stared at Odell


    with a mischievous grin, as if she had been waiting for this for a long time. Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Bring it


    on.¡± ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ll show you!¡± Isabel jumped forward excitedly. She aimed properly at Odell¡¯s nose and


    flicked as hard as she could. However, Odell did not budge, he did not even flinch when the flicknded


    on his nose. The little girl¡¯s flick was like a tickle to him. Isabel pouted. She then turned to Liam and said,


    ¡°Brother, give it your best! Don¡¯t hold back on him!¡±


    Liam crawled up to his father and took aim at the high bridge of his nose.


    He flicked, but it was neither strong nor soft. Isabel sighed in disappointment. She then turned to her


    mother, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re next! Don¡¯t hold back on the meanie!¡± Sylvia awkwardly chuckled. ¡°I think I¡¯ll


    pass.¡± Being an adult, flicking another adult¡¯s nose felt childish to her. Isabel pouted and said, ¡°No, you


    can¡¯t!¡±


    Odell also threw a sour look at her. ¡°This is a rule of the game. Come on.¡±


    Fine¡­¡¯


    Sylvia moved closer. Odell curved his eyes and lips into a faint smile, which made him look extra warm


    and enchanting.


    Sylvia blushed. After she took aim at his nose, she bit the bullet and flicked his nose.

 Chapter 324

    Immediately after the flick, she quickly moved back to her spot.


    Obviously, there had been multiple intimate interactions between Sylvia and Odell before this. In fact,


    they had even had sex before. However, this little flick was unlike any of the others. Her heart raced and


    her face blushed.


    Fortunately, the two little kids had not noticed her unusual reaction.


    Isabel then yelled out, ¡°Let¡¯s continue!¡±


    As she picked up the controller, she said to Sylvia and Liam, ¡°Mommy, Brother, don¡¯t hold back against


    the meanie!¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay!¡± Liam nodded and hummed a reply.


    The little girl then turned to Odell and raised her chubby face to provoke him. ¡°Hehe, Baddie. You are


    finished. Hmph!¡±


    Odell simply smiled at the girl before sneaking a nce at Sylvia.


    Isabel then shouted, ¡°LET¡¯S GO!¡±


    The four racers on the screen started racing again as they dashed away from the starting line.


    Isabel¡¯s red car and Liam¡¯s blue car secured the first and the second ce like before.


    Sylvia¡¯s white car was cruising smoothly until she reached a sharp turn where the ck car overtook her


    with ease.


    On top of that, as the ck car drove past her, it knocked her out of the track.


    Sylvia was shocked. She immediately turned to Odell.


    Odell was also looking at her with a grin.


    He had done it on purpose!


    ¡®But he crashed at the first turn in thest game¡­¡¯


    Sylvia was both baffled and annoyed. The second round ended with Isabel and Liam securing first and


    second ce respectively. This time around, Odell had gotten third ce while Sylvia wasst. The two


    little ones were busy driving and had not noticed that their father¡¯s car had knocked their mother¡¯s car out


    of the track. All they saw was the final result on the end screen.


    Both of them were baffled by the result.


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    Isabel then turned to Sylvia and said, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll try again.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sylvia said with a smile.


    The two little ones then went up to their mother and caressed her nose as part of the so-called


    ¡®punishment¡¯.


    Then, Odell came closer.


    He narrowed his eyes at her which caused her to frown cautiously.


    Isabel and Liam watched closely from the side.


    The little girl even shouted out uneasily, ¡°Baddie, don¡¯t you hurt my mommy.¡± Odell reached out to


    Sylvia¡¯s chin and lifted it up. His face then swiftly approached hers. Just as the distance between their


    faces drew closer, Sylvia instinctively felt like moving away but his grip on her chin was quite strong and


    she could not break free from his fingers. Annoyed, Sylvia said, ¡°Odell, hurry up.¡± The kids were still


    watching their intimate interaction. ¡°Okay,¡± he said with a smile and continued moving his face closer. His


    thin lips thennded on her sulent lips. After a two second pause, he withdrew himself and returned


    to his spot. His handsome face showed nothing but a calm expression, as if a kiss was as childish as a


    flick on the nose. Sylvia was both embarrassed and annoyed. Both Isabel and Liam werepletely


    wide-eyed at the jaw-dropping scene. They were awestruck by what Odell had done to Sylvia. Very


    quickly, Isabel regained herposure and screamed at Odell, ¡°Baddie! You were supposed to flick


    Mommy¡¯s nose, not kiss her!¡±


    She was sandwiched in between her parents, so the short distance allowed her to whack Odell a few


    times as she yelled.


    Odell waspletely unperturbed about the little girl who was causing a scene. He asked her,¡± Do you


    want to continue?¡±

 Chapter 325

    ¡°Of course! Of course we are going to continue!¡± Isabel grunted. She then turned to her mother and said,


    ¡°Mommy, you have to win this round so that you can beat him up!¡±


    Sylvia nodded. ¡°Okay!¡±


    She took a deep breath, her hands on the controller.


    This time around, she had to stay ahead and make sure Odell did not overtake her.


    However, the moment the countdown timer came to zero, the ck car sprinted off like the wind.


    It even overtook Isabel and Liam¡¯s cars and scampered into first ce, leaving them all far behind.


    Isabel pouted and Liam frowned. Sylvia had ended up inst ce again. The two little rascals simply


    caressed her nose as ¡®punishment¡¯ again. Isabel then turned to Odell and said, ¡°Baddie, don¡¯t you kiss


    my mommy again!¡± Odell hummed in reply. He clutched Sylvia¡¯s face andnded a soft kiss on her lips


    again.


    Sylvia was silenced and so was Liam.


    Isabel bolted up in anger. She screamed at Odell, ¡°You big meanie! It¡¯s on! It¡¯s on now!¡± She then turned


    to Liam and said, ¡°Brother, we¡¯ll knock him out of the trackter!¡± There was also a hint of grievance on


    Liam¡¯s chubby face. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Another round started. The two little rascals teamed up to try to take out Odell¡¯s car and the race became


    even fiercer.


    At the entrance of the third turn, Isabel said with a scoff, ¡°Hehe, big Baddie. You¡¯re finished!¡±


    Her little hands mashed the buttons on the toy steering wheel and her red car rammed into Odell¡¯s ck


    car.


    However, right before impact, the ck car suddenly elerated and drifted out of the turn.


    Isabel¡¯s red car missed its original target and continued to slide towards the blue car, which was Liam¡¯s.


    Liam had been waiting for his sister¡¯s signal to send their father¡¯s ck car out of the track but their


    father had outsmarted them both.


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    Isabel¡¯s car then rammed into Liam¡¯s car and the two of them went off the track together.


    Isabel pouted and sulked. Even Liam put his controller down.


    It was no surprise that Odell had won first ce. Sylvia was in second ce, Liam was in third while


    Isabel wasst.


    The little girl¡¯s chubby cheeks puffed up even further as she sulked, as if she had turned into


    an expanding balloon. Sylvia stroked her head as sheforted her. ¡°Isabel, it¡¯s just a game. Let¡¯s do it


    again.¡± ¡°Hmph! Baddie bullied us!¡± Isabel continued to pout. She then bolted up and righteously said, ¡°I


    am a big girl now and I can ept my loss just fine. Come flick my nose!¡± Sylvia held herughter back


    as she touched the little girl¡¯s nose; Liam did the same. When it came to Odell¡¯s turn, he carried the little


    girl into his arms and pinched her little nose. He then said, ¡°Your skills are pretty good, but you need


    more practice and experience.¡± In other words, he was saying that Isabel was too young and did not


    have the thinking skills topete with him yet. Isabel was too young to understand the true meaning


    behind her father¡¯s words either. All she heard was her father praising her skills. The praise made her


    sulk less. However, she said indignantly, ¡°I was just careless.¡±


    Odell smiled and simply hummed in reply.


    It was then that the butler, Sebastian, knocked on the door. ¡°Sir, Madam, dinner is ready. Madam Carter


    and Madam Tonya are back from their walk.¡±


    ¡°Great. We¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± Odell said. He then stood up with Isabel in his arms and headed out


    of the room. Sylvia also put down the controller and picked Liam up before following both father and


    daughter out. A feast had beenid out on the table. When Sylvia and Odell brought the kids down, they


    saw Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya chatting by the table, looking delighted. Madam Carter then waved at


    them and said, ¡°Come,e. Dinner is ready.¡± Sylvia nodded. After she sat the kids down, unlike before,


    she chose to sit beside Odell, which was opposite the two kids.

 Chapter 326

    The two little ones did not react either.


    The dinner went by in a very lively manner.


    After eating, Madam Carter dragged Aunt Tonya away to chat.


    Sylvia got up, intending on apanying the children back to their room, but Odell grabbed her hand.


    She tried to pull it back, but he held onto her so tightly that she could not break free.


    She could not help but frown at him.


    Odell smiled at her, his deep eyes burning with some heat as he looked at her. ¡°We¡¯ve already yed


    with them for a long time. It¡¯s time for them to rest.¡± Sylvia subconsciously avoided his gaze and said, ¡°I¡¯ll


    give them a bath.¡±


    ¡°The nanny will take care of them.¡±


    She knew that Isabel and Liam had a nanny to look after them.


    At Odell¡¯s words, the nanny in charge of taking care of the children walked up and said to Sylvia with a


    smile, ¡°Madam, you and Master Carter can go and rest. I¡¯ll bathe the children.¡± Then, she took Isabel and


    Liam¡¯s little hands and said to them gently, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll give you two a bath.¡±


    The little ones surprisingly did not say anything and obediently followed the nanny away. Sylvia wanted


    to go after them, but she was instantly dragged back by Odell.


    He narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to rest.¡±


    His voice was low with a sense of oppression.


    Then, without waiting for her to speak, he picked her up bridal style.


    Sylvia blushed. ¡°Put me down, Odell. I can walk by myself.¡± He ignored her and quickly walked upstairs


    with his long legs.


    In the blink of an eye, he carried her to their bedroom.


    Bam.


    The moment the door closed and she found herself pinned to the door by him.


    A scalding hot kiss pressed down upon her.


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    He had not given Sylvia any time to prepare at all.


    After a long time, when he finally eased up a little, Sylvia immediately tried to push him away, but he


    refused to budge.


    The room was not lit, so it was very dark.


    She could not see his face, but she clearly felt his gaze. It was the gaze of a predator hiding in the


    grasnd, stalking its prey. Intense, fierce, and domineering. Sylvia shrank and asked in a soft voice,


    ¡°I¡¯m not mentally prepared yet. Can we do it another time?¡±


    He cupped her face with one hand, pressing his face close to her, and replied in a low and husky voice,


    ¡°No.¡± He had been patient for a very long time. Now that they had finally married again, he refused to


    hold back anymore. Upon saying that, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers again. Sylvia


    was unable to push him away and had to let him do as he pleased.


    Then, he suddenly picked her up again and pressed her onto the bed. She was startled and cried out,


    ¡°Odell, could you please take a shower first?¡± Odell froze. ¡°What?¡± Sylvia babbled, ¡°You stink a little.¡±


    Odell was confused. He frowned and looked at her sharply.


    She steeled her nerves and met his gaze.


    After a few seconds of stalemate, he pinched her face. ¡°I¡¯ll take a shower then. Be a good girl and wait


    for me toe back.¡±


    Then, he withdrew and went to the bathroom.


    The sound of rushing water soon came. Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief, got up and turned on the room


    light. Looking at the bed again, her brows furrowed. Even now, she still had not been able to digest the


    fact that they had married again, let alone having to do that kind of intimate act with him.


    Furthermore, that man was obviously determined to consummate their rtionship.


    After thinking about it for a while, she could not figure out a way out, so she sat down in front of the


    dresser and started putting on ¡®makeup¡¯. Time passed silently.


    Ten minutester, the sound of water running in the bathroom stopped.

 Chapter 327

    The man came out in his bathrobe.


    Sylvia was sitting on the bed with her back facing the bathroom.


    When she heard his footsteps, she turned back to look at him.


    His figure was tall under the light, and beads of water dripped down from the wet strands of his hair,


    landing on his exquisite corbones before flowing down to his abs.


    Whether it was his cold face or his tall body, he was the definition of perfection.


    Sylvia suddenly gulped. When Odell saw her, he instantly stopped and frowned.


    Then, he looked at her with a gloomy gaze.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± Sylvia snapped back to her senses and yed dumb. ¡°What? What¡¯s


    wrong with my face?¡± Odell narrowed his eyes and said in disgust, ¡°It¡¯s red and ugly.¡± Except for her


    eyebrows which were thick and bushy, the rest of her face waspletely red. Her cheeks, especially,


    looked like ripe tomatoes, and her lips looked like sausages. It was simply unbearable to look at. ¡°Huh?


    Really? Maybe it¡¯s an allergic reaction. I¡¯ll go find some medicine. You can go to bed first. There¡¯s no


    need to wait for me.¡± Sylvia stood up and moved to go out. Odell stood between her and the door.


    Seeing through her clumsy acting, he narrowed his eyes and did not move. When she was just about to


    pass him, he used arge hand to pull her into his arms.


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    Sylvia screamed in shock. Odell cupped her face and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s ugly, but it¡¯s quite cute.¡± Then, he gave


    her a peck on the lips.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    ¡®I already painted my face to this extent, yet he still kissed me. How hungry must he be?¡¯


    At that moment, Odell not only wrapped his arm around her and did not let go, he even used his free


    hand to undo her clothes.


    The warmth of his palm rubbed against her back a few times, seemingly unintentionally.


    Sylvia¡¯s body tingled as she froze.


    Odell let out a low hum, picked her up, and threw her on the bed.


    The moment he climbed on top of her, the door of the room was suddenly pushed open with a


    bang. ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re here to sleep with you!¡± Isabel¡¯s crisp voice sounded out as she stood outside the


    door. Odell instantly frowned.


    Sylvia was so shocked that she pushed him away and sat up.


    Isabel and Liam wore matching panda pajamas and ran in. The both of them had obviously bathed and


    come here to sleep with her. They were even holding some things in their hands. Liam was holding a


    comic book while Isabel clutched the little plushie she always had to hold when she went to sleep. The


    two came to stand by the bedside in the blink of an eye.


    Ignoring Odell, they climbed on the bed and went to Sylvia¡¯s side. Then, they noticed her face. Isabel


    asked curiously, ¡°Huh? Mommy, what happened to your face?¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I think it might


    have gotten a little swollen, but it¡¯ll be fine after I wash my face.¡± ¡°Then go wash your face quickly. Liam


    and I will wait for you toe back.¡± Isabel burrowed into the covers as she spoke.


    Liam also tucked himself in. Then, Isabel yed with her plushie while Liam read theic book that he


    had brought along. The two of them did not even look at Odell. The air was quiet for a few seconds.


    Sylvia looked at Odell. He was also staring at them with a dark expression on his face. It looked like he


    was about to pick them up and throw them out in the very next moment. Sylvia quickly said, ¡°Odell, why


    don¡¯t we just sleep with them tonight?¡± Odell immediately turned to look at her. His eyes were


    frighteningly cold.

 Chapter 328

    Sylvia pursed her lips in fear.


    Then, Odell said to Isabel and Liam, ¡°Go back to your room.¡±


    His voice was cold and stern.


    Isabel and Liam shrunk back in fear.


    However, Isabel shouted indignantly, ¡°We came here to look for Mommy, not you. If you¡¯re not happy,


    then you go out instead.¡± Her voice was firm.


    Odell frowned coldly.


    Sylvia had a bad feeling and quickly shielded the little ones. She frowned at him and said,¡± Odell, if


    you¡¯re not happy, I¡¯ll take them back to their rooms to sleep. But, you can¡¯t lose your temper at them.¡±


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    He probably did not know how scary he was whenever he lost his temper. Sylvia was really afraid that


    Isabel and Liam would be frightened by him.


    Odell pursed his lips and swallowed his anger. At that moment, Isabel and Liam poked their heads out


    from behind Sylvia. They each held onto each one of her arms as they looked at him warily.


    He nced at Isabel.


    Isabel¡¯s little face puffed up. ¡°Hmph.¡± Then, he turned to look at Liam.


    Liam tilted his head and fell into Sylvia¡¯s arms.


    It was clear that neither of them were going to separate from Sylvia.


    Odell gave Sylvia another look again before he got off the bed and walked out of the room. Sylvia


    instantly sighed in relief.


    The two little ones also hugged her happily. She smiled and said, ¡°Wait here for me. I¡¯ll go wash up and


    come back.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel and Liam obediently answered.


    Sylvia went to the bathroom.


    After a simple rinse, she quickly changed into her pajamas and walked out.


    Isabel and Liam were obediently sitting on therge bed. Sylvia climbed into bed quickly.


    The little ones immediately crawled to her side and she wrapped them up in both her arms.


    Isabel giggled happily. ¡°Mommy, from now on, Liam and I can sleep with you every night.¡±


    Every night?


    Sylvia could not help butugh. ¡°Yes. Go to sleep, it¡¯s gettingte.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hm!¡± Isabel squirmed a little, rested her head on Sylvia¡¯s arm, and closed her eyes.


    Liam also quietly and obediently snuggled up to her.


    Before long, Sylvia heard their soft and even breaths.


    Sleepiness also came to her quickly.


    She covered them with the nket and closed her eyes.


    The room was silent.


    After some time had passed, the room door was pushed open.


    The man walked in with a cold expression on his face.


    On therge bed, the two little ones nked Sylvia, clinging to her like parasites that could not be shaken


    off.


    The mother and children slept soundly.


    Odell had been right outside the room earlier and had heard what the little ones had said to her. They


    wanted toe over every night from now on.


    Only God knew how much he had wanted to throw them out at that moment. After a while, he walked to


    the bed and reached out to tug Isabel. The little girl was hugging Sylvia¡¯s arm tightly and refused to


    budge. He went to tug on Liam instead.


    The boy was also hugging Sylvia tightly and did not let go.


    Odell pursed his lips in annoyance andid down on the other side of Isabel.


    Fortunately, the quilt wasrge enough for all of them.


    Early in the morning, Sylvia opened her eyes only to see Isabel and Liam to the left of her.


    She was stunned and sat up.


    Then, she saw Odell on the other side of them.


    The two little ones were like a river separating Odell and her.


    At that moment, Isabel had her arms crossed as she told Odell off. ¡°Baddie, Mommy belongs to me and


    Liam. You¡¯re not allowed to sleep with Mommy behind our backs.¡±


    When she finished, Liam said, ¡°But since you¡¯re our father, we¡¯re willing to give you a share.


    In the future, the area beyond this line will be your territory.¡±

 Chapter 329

    Liam pointed to a red scarf in front of Isabel and him. At that moment, Odell was lying on the other side


    of the red scarf. He would fall off the bed if he so much as turned around.


    Odell frowned and pursed his lips coldly without a sound.


    If they were not his children, he would have kicked them out already.


    These two little rascals needed to be taught a lesson!


    Isabel and Liam were staring at him like two little judges.


    Odell pursed his lips in silence. His expression was gloomy, but he could not do anything about them.


    Sylvia could not hold back herughter.


    Odell instantly looked at her.


    The little ones also turned around to pounce on her.


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re awake.¡± Isabel fell into her arms.


    Liam politely asked, ¡°Mommy, did we wake you up?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and kissed their little cheeks. ¡°You didn¡¯t wake me up.¡±


    Isabel and Liam also kissed her.


    The mother and her children were being very mushy.


    Odell cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem!¡±


    Only then did they stop.


    Isabel looked at him in displeasure. ¡°What are you coughing for?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°He¡¯s probably jealous.¡± Isabel did not understand. ¡°Jealous? About what?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°He¡¯s jealous that Mommy kissed us and not him.¡±


    Sylvia and Odell were speechless.


    The little ones had not even realized that there was anything wrong with their words. In fact, Isabel grew


    smug at Liam¡¯s words and pecked Sylvia on her cheeks twice. Then, she said, ¡°Mommy, kiss me back.¡±


    She pressed her chubby face to Sylvia¡¯s face. Humoring her, Sylvia held back herughter before giving


    Isabel two kisses as well.


    After that, Isabel called out to Liam. ¡°Liam, youe too.¡±


    Liam cooperated very well and brought his face close to her, after which she kissed him too.


    At the same time, Isabel stuck her tongue out at Odell and shouted provocatively, ¡°Hehe, look, Baddie.


    Mommy won¡¯t kiss you. Go ahead and be angry!¡±


    Sylvia was speechless..


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened.


    In the very next second, he carried Isabel and Liam off the bed.


    Isabel immediately cried out.


    Liam also iled his legs.


    However, no matter how much they struggled, Odell continued to carry them without changing his


    expression.


    Before Sylvia could react, he had already carried them out of the bedroom.


    Worried, Sylvia got out of bed and went to look for them.


    However, when she reached the door, Odell had already turned back.


    His hands were empty. It seemed like he had really thrown the little ones out.


    Sylvia hurriedly asked, ¡°Where are Isabel and Liam?¡± Odell ignored her, went up to her, and picked her


    up.


    Sylvia let out an ¡°ah¡± in shock.


    The next thing she knew, she was thrown onto the bed by him.


    His tall figure shrouded her. Then, he sealed her lips with his. The hot and domineering aura swept her in


    like a fierce storm. Sylvia had no way of resisting him, and her senses were soon filled with his breath.


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    A long time passed before he finally softened his movements. However, he continued to kiss her for a


    long time before finally releasing her. Sylvia gasped for breath. When her breathing had finally calmed


    down, she could not help but re at him. ¡°Why are you angry with the children?¡±


    Odell frowned as his gaze clouded over.


    Sylvia immediately pursed her lips and fell silent. He snorted coldly and bent his head to kiss her again.


    The kiss this time was ve


    Their breaths intertwined, and the temperature around them rose inexplicably.

 Chapter 330

    lust as Odell¡¯srge hand moved to Sylvia¡¯s cor, Isabel¡¯s shout rang out again outside the door.


    ¡°Baddie, you¡¯re not allowed to molest my mommy!¡±


    At the same time, the butler¡¯s embarrassed voice said, ¡°Young Miss, your brother and you will bete for


    school. Please hurry up and have your breakfast.¡±


    Isabel shouted, ¡°I want to have breakfast with Mommy!¡±


    Liam was also outside the door and echoed, ¡°We¡¯ll eat breakfast when Mommyes out.¡±


    Inside the room, Odell closed his eyes and forcibly held back his anger.


    He had instantly lost the mood to continue. Shooting Sylvia a nce, he straightened up and strode out


    of the room.


    Soon, Sylvia heard Isabel shouting at the ¡®baddie¡¯ again. Liam and her had obviously been carried away


    by Odell. For a moment, Sylvia did not know whether to be happy or exasperated.


    She got out of bed, quickly washed up, and went downstairs.


    In the living room, Isabel and Liam were sitting across Odell.


    Isabel¡¯s face was puffed up, while Liam¡¯s expression was indifferent. Odell looked surly.


    The atmosphere was tense. Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya were watching at the side, but they could not


    say anything.


    It was only when Sylvia came over that Isabel and Liam¡¯s little faces lit up.


    Sylvia smiled and said to them, ¡°Come on, kids. It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s eat breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The two of them obediently responded and went to sit at the table without Sylvia needing to lead them.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and subconsciously looked at Odell. His expression was still dark. She also smiled


    at him. ¡°Odell, you still have to go to workter. Let¡¯s eat breakfast.¡±


    Only then did his face warm up a little.


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    ¡°Mm.¡±


    He got up and walked over.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya exchanged a look and smiled helplessly.


    Breakfast passed without incident.


    The little ones had to go to preschool. Sylvia apanied them to the door, hugged and kissed them,


    and saw them get into the car. Then, Odell¡¯s car was driven over by the chauffeur. Odell had already


    changed into a suit, and his tall, figure walked out of the house. Sylvia had just sent the two children off


    and was about to enter the door when she bumped into him.


    She smiled at him and tried to walk around him to enter.


    Odell moved a step to the side and directly blocked her path. He frowned, looking a little displeased.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± Sylvia asked in confusion, ¡°What?¡± Odell pursed his lips coldly and


    raised his hand to straighten his cor. She remembered.


    When they were first married, she would see him off at the door every morning when he left for work.


    At that time, because she had loved him so much and had always wanted to spend a little more time with


    him, she would always deliberately approach him to fix his cor and say something like, ¡°All the best at


    work. I¡¯ll be waiting for you toe home.¡±


    However, it was different now. She did not even want to send him off, let alone fix his cor. She simply


    said, ¡°Your cor is quite neat. There¡¯s no need to tidy it.¡± Odell¡¯s expression instantly darkened. ¡°Come


    here.¡± ¡°What for?¡± He took a step toward her, cupped the back of her head, and lowered his head to kiss


    her lips. After several kisses and a punishing nibble on her lips, he released her. He looked at her


    blushing face and said, ¡°Be good and wait for me at home.¡± Then, he drew back and walked out. The


    driver opened the car door for him, and he bent down and got into the car. The ck MPV drove away


    swiftly. Sylvia shook her head, suppressing the unexined emotions, and turned to go back to the


    house.

 Chapter 331

    The Carter residence had three floors.


    There was a sunroom with a very good view on the third floor. Sylvia¡¯s studio was moved there.


    It was clear that the ce was specially made for her.


    All the painting tools she brought with her were neatly arranged.


    Sylvia stayed there for the entire day.


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    She did not go downstairs until the two little ones came back from school in the evening.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya had gone out for a trip in the morning and would not be back for about a


    month.


    The old butler and two maids apanied them


    There were not many people left at home, but it became very lively as soon as the little ones came back.


    Isabel, especially, chattered about the interesting things that happened in preschool that day, while Liam


    asionally put in his own two cents. Sylvia simply smiled and listened to them.


    Odell came in just when they were chatting happily. He was still wearing the same clothes he left in the


    morning. His coat was draped over his hand, and his shirt and pants hugged his tall and upright figure.


    ¡°What are you all talking about?¡± he asked.


    Isabel was in a good mood and replied, ¡°We¡¯re talking about preschool.¡±


    Odell picked up Liam, who was sitting on Sylvia¡¯s right, sat down in that seat immediately, and ced


    Liam to his right instead.


    He obviously wanted to join their chat. Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, but she said nothing. Isabel continued to


    chatter away.


    Only Liam, who was carried away, frowned a little.


    After they had enough talking, they had dinner.


    When dinner was over, Odell had some stuff to take care of and went to the study.


    Sylvia yed with the little ones for a while.


    When they were tired, she apanied them back to their bedroom and gave them a bath.


    The little ones put on matching yellow duck pajamas after showering.


    Sylvia tucked them into bed.


    The two children responded obediently. Then, when she went to Odell and her room, she saw the little


    ones following behind her like little ducklings.


    Sylvia could not bear to chase them away, so she brought them in as well. She said, ¡°You two go to bed


    first. Mommy will go take a shower ande out in a moment.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The children cried obediently.


    Sylvia took her clothes into the bedroom.


    Just then, Odell came back from the study. As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw Isabel and


    Liam ying in Sylvia and his bed. Liam was ying with a small toy. Isabely on his calf and held her


    mobile phone, watching a show. Theypletely regarded the ce as their territory. Odell¡¯s expression


    sank for an instant. ¡°Ahem.¡± The little ones looked at him. Their eyes were innocent with no trace of a


    guilty conscience.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your mother?¡± he asked. Liam replied, ¡°Mommy is taking a shower.¡± Odell looked in the


    direction of the bathroom and then back at the children. They were still sitting in the middle of the bed,


    continuing to do their own thing. Odell said in a low voice, ¡°Your mom and I are going to rest soon. Go


    back to your rooms.¡± Isabel and Liam looked up at him at the same time and lowered their heads again.


    ¡°Isabel?¡± he called her.


    Isabel immediately put away her phone, got under the quilt, and clutched the hem tightly. Her expression


    seemed to say, ¡°You can¡¯t take me away.¡± Then, Odell looked at Liam. ¡°Liam?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°I¡¯ll be where Mommy is. If you insist that we go back to our room, we¡¯ll wait for Mommy to


    come out and go back together.¡± Isabel poked her head out of the quilt and echoed, ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

 Chapter 332

    Odell frowned.


    Then, he strode to the bed.


    Liam immediately backed away. Isabel also clutched the quilt.


    ¡°Name a condition.¡± Odell crossed his arms and looked at them seriously. ¡°As long as you go back to


    your room and sleep, I¡¯ll agree to anything.¡±


    Liam answered calmly and firmly, ¡°We won¡¯t agree no matter the condition.¡±


    Isabel echoed, ¡°Uh-huh. We won¡¯t be separated from our mommy.¡±


    Odell was silent for a moment and said, ¡°You¡¯re already four years old. It¡¯s not suitable for you to


    continue sleeping with your mom.¡±


    Liam said, ¡°You¡¯re already thirty. If you can sleep with Mom, so can we.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Isabel immediately popped her head up from under the quilt and shouted at him, ¡°You¡¯re


    already thirty, but you still want to sleep with Mommy. Shame on you!¡±


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    Odell was speechless.


    He closed his eyes and resisted the urge to throw them out.


    At that moment, Sylvia came out after taking a shower. ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel called out to her anxiously, ¡°The


    baddie wants to separate us and hog you, Come here quickly and don¡¯t let him seed!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s lips twitched.


    Odell¡¯s expression was dark and sullen. He looked very displeased.


    She hurriedly said, ¡°You guys misunderstood. Your dad wants us to sleep together.¡±


    ¡°But he just told Liam and I to go back to our room. He even told us to name a condition. He said that


    he¡¯ll agree to anything as long as we go back.¡±


    Isabel suddenly bbered everything.


    Odell¡¯s expression instantly darkened.


    Sylvia was also stunned for a moment.


    When she saw his unpleasant expression, she smiled and said, ¡°Liam and Isabel don¡¯t want to leave me.


    Why don¡¯t we let them sleep here for the time being?¡±


    Her tone was ttering, but her look was expectant.


    She wanted him to agree.


    Odell¡¯s eyes deepened. After suppressing another wave of annoyance, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to wash up.¡±


    Then, he went straight to the bathroom.


    It seemed like he agreed.


    Sylvia sighed in relief and went to bed.


    Isabel and Liam immediately snuggled up to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, kids. Go to sleep.¡± She coaxed them softly. ¡°Okay.¡± The little ones responded obediently


    and fell asleep beside her. Looking at them sleep so adorably and soundly, Sylvia also soon became


    sleepy.


    She wrapped her arms around them and closed her eyes drowsily. Then, the bed sunk, and something


    pressed on her lips. The man¡¯s domineering breath was mixed with the fragrance of the shower gel.


    Sylvia woke up with a start.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    She hurriedly pushed him away. Odell pinned her hands above her hand and continued to kiss her.


    A long time passed before he let her go. His dark eyes stared at her like a wolf.


    Sylvia was annoyed and whispered harshly, ¡°Calm down. Isabel and Liam are still sleeping.¡± The children


    were right beside her and would be able to see the adults pressed together as soon as they opened their


    eyes. Odell narrowed his eyes and said in a husky voice, ¡°They¡¯re fast asleep. I¡¯ll move lightly and won¡¯t


    wake them up.¡± Sylvia¡¯s face flushed as she hissed angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t be insane!¡± He bowed his head,


    bringing his handsome face to her eyes. The tip of his nose brushed against hers. ¡°Sylvia, we¡¯re husband


    and wife now. It¡¯s only natural to do those things.¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath and said to him in an even tone, ¡°Calm down, you¡¯ll wake the children like this.


    I don¡¯t want them to see it.¡±


    ¡°Do you not want them to see it, or do you not want me to touch you?¡± His voice suddenly turned cold.


    Sylvia choked.

 Chapter 333

    She indeed did not want to do that kind of intimate act with him.


    Odell¡¯s expression visibly turned cold. After a moment, he asked, ¡°Are you thinking of another man?¡±


    His voice was gloomy. Sylvia quickly said, ¡°No.¡± He pinched her face and asked coldly, ¡°Then why don¡¯t


    you want me to touch you?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not mentally prepared yet.¡± ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then how long will it take for you to be mentally prepared?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± 1


    He pinched her face tightly, his voice was still gloomy. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Or do you n on not letting me


    touch you?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face hurt at being pinched by him, and she tried to pry his hand off. ¡°Stop it, Odell. Let¡¯s talk


    about this.¡±


    .


    He pressed down on her and asked coldly, ¡°Talk about what? Talk about how you agreed to remarry with


    me for the sake of the children or talk about how you have another man hidden in your heart?¡±


    His hand pinched her face so hard that it was as if his fingers were welded to her skin. She could not


    move at all.


    His body was also very heavy, and Sylvia was pressed into the mattress by him.


    Sylvia was in pain and depressed, and could not help but say, ¡°Odell Carter, can you stop being so


    unreasonable? It¡¯s true that I remarried you partly because of the children, but if I like another man, I


    certainly wouldn¡¯t agree to remarry you!¡± Her voice rose uncontrobly near the end. Odell¡¯s eyes


    flickered. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t like another man?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Seeing her eyes re at him, he curled his lips and loosened his grip. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you a few days to


    prepare. Let me know when you¡¯re ready.¡± Sylvia was still angry. She pursed her lips and said nothing.


    Odell pinched her face again. ¡°Did you hear me?¡±


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    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Smack.


    He pecked her on her lips and rolled over to the bed. Hey down in the area that Isabel and Liam left for


    him.


    Then, he turned off the light.


    Sylvia rolled over so that her back was facing him and went to sleep.


    In the morning, when Sylvia opened her eyes, the little ones and Odell were already awake. Compared


    to yesterday morning, the three of them were clearly much more harmonious this morning


    Isabel held out her little hands and let Odell put on her coat for her.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, and she took the initiative to say ¡°good morning¡± to him. Odell looked at her.


    ¡°Breakfast is ready. Get up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia got out of bed.


    Odell went downstairs with Isabel and Liam first.


    Sylvia went to the living room after washing up and saw the three of them sitting quietly at the table,


    waiting for her. She sat in the seat beside Odell. When she sat down, Odell said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± The little


    ones picked up their tableware. Sylvia also picked up their small bowls to serve them breakfast.


    When she was about to serve herself, a bowl of eggs and bacon was ced in front of her by Odell¡¯s


    large hand.


    Sylvia was instantly stunned. Odell gave himself a bowl after serving her. When he saw her in a daze, he


    raised a hand and knocked on her forehead. ¡°What are you spacing out for? Eat.¡± Sylvia let out a sound


    and lowered her head to eat. Her mind and heart were still buzzing. There was an indescribable feeling


    inside. When they were married in the past, she was always the one who served him the food. She even


    picked out food to give to him.


    She never thought that there would be a day when he served her food instead.

 Chapter 334

    After breakfast, Liam and Isabel went to school.


    Sylvia hugged and kissed them at the door and watched them get into the car.


    Just like yesterday, after they left in the car, Odell¡¯s car was driven over.


    Odell stood beside her and looked at her.


    Sylvia¡¯s mouth twitched.


    For a moment, she wanted to wish him all the best at work, but the words that left her mouth were,


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered. He wrapped one hand around her waist and pulled her to him, then kissed her


    lightly on the lips. ¡°Wait for me toe back.¡±


    Then, he turned and got into the car.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and went back into the house.


    Several days passed like this without incident. That evening, Isabel and Liam returned home first as


    usual.


    Sylvia was sitting on the ground ying with them when Odell came in.


    He carried a box of exquisite pastries in his hand. Isabel, the little glutton, immediately stared at it.


    ¡°Baddie, what¡¯s that in your hand?¡±


    ¡°Pastries.¡± He put the box on the small table.


    Isabel immediately ran over.


    She took out a pastry and ate it, then shouted at Liam, ¡°Liam, it¡¯s delicious! Come over and try it!¡±


    Liam cooperated and went over.


    Odell went to Sylvia¡¯s side and patted her head with hisrge hand. ¡°I bought a lot. You should go try it


    too.¡±


    ¡°No need. Let Isabel and Liam eat first.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Odell immediately frowned and looked unhappy


    Sylvia pursed her lips. At that moment, Isabel shouted at her, ¡°Mommy,e and eat too!¡±


    Sylvia got up and walked over.


    There were a variety of pastries in the box, so Sylvia randomly took one and put it in her mouth.


    The softness and fragrance of the pastry spread throughout her mouth.


    It was delicious!


    She immediately took another one. Therge box of pastries was swiftly finished by Isabel and her. Liam


    only ate a few pieces. Odell did not have a single one. Sylvia wiped her mouth with tissue in


    embarrassment and asked, ¡°Where did you buy these pastries, Odell?¡± He said, ¡°I bought it on the way


    back.¡± ¡°What was the name of the shop?¡± ¡°I forgot.¡± Well.


    Sylvia flipped the box over and looked at the store logo on it.


    She knew this store and had heard Sherry mention it. It had been in the news before because customers


    often waited in line for hours.


    There was only one outlet in Westchester City. Sylvia looked at the address and saw that it was on a


    street on the outskirts of the city. However, Carter Tower was downtown. The store was in apletely


    different direction.


    There was no way he bought it on the way home. Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered as her chest stirred slightly. With


    his temper, he could not have gone to line up personally. He probably had Cliff or


    someone else queue for it. However, that still surprised her. When she was married to him in the past, he


    rarely even gave her a gentle look, let alone bring back delicious food for her. A momentter, she hid


    her emotions and put the box back, pretending not to know anything.


    In Tara¡¯s house at Lake Victoria Vi. Tara sat on an expensive couch, looking at the information she just


    received on her phone. The message was sent to her by a maid in the old Carter residence.


    Before Sylvia brought Isabel back to Westchester City, Tara bribed the maid and told her to watch over


    the movements in the residence.

 Chapter 335

    After Sylvia remarried Odell and moved to the old residence, Tara often contacted that maid.


    The maid sent her a message saying, ¡°Ms. Avery, it¡¯s been more than a week, but Master Carter and her


    are still sleeping with the children every night.¡± Tara¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®If they sleep together with the children,


    doesn¡¯t that mean they can¡¯t do anything intimate?


    ¡®Sylvia is so stupid for bringing the children to bed together.¡¯


    Tara asked, ¡°How¡¯s Odell treating her?¡± The maid replied, ¡°Quite good. He kisses her every morning


    before leaving for work.¡± Tara¡¯s expression instantly turned cold.


    Odell had never been affectionate. Every time he had to be separated from her, the most he would do


    was hug her or touch her head. He never took the initiative to kiss her before!


    ¡®Sylvia, that b*tch!¡¯


    Tara cursed with jealousy in her heart and asked, ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re sleeping with the children every


    night?¡±


    The maid replied, ¡°Yes. The Young Miss and Young Master go over every night after bathing. They were


    picked up twice by Master Odell during the first day and made quite a fuss. Even Master Carter was


    helpless. I don¡¯t know what happened afterward, but Master Carter let them go over.¡±


    Tara frowned deeply. ¡°What about Sylvia? What was her reaction?¡± The maid replied, ¡°She seemed quite


    happy.¡± Happy? She was happy that she could not do that kind of thing with Odell?


    Was it possible that the two children were encouraged by her?


    ¡®No, I don¡¯t believe it. That b*tch fina


    emarried Odell. How could she not pester him?


    ¡®She either doesn¡¯t like Odell and doesn¡¯t want to be intimate with him, or she¡¯s ying hard to get.¡¯ Tara


    could only believe thetter possibility. ¡®Sylvia must be deliberately seducing Odell. The more she acts


    like this, the more he¡¯ll want to be close to her. ¡®That b*tch is really cunning! ¡®But it¡¯s been more than a


    week. Odell must be at the limits of his endurance.¡¯


    After a long time, Tara calmed down and smiled coldly.


    Two dayster.


    That afternoon, Sylvia went out to attend an event hosted by the Art Association.


    However, she did not expect the event tost for so long, so she sent a message to Odell in advance.


    She told him to let Isabel and Liam rest first after he returned. There was no need for them to wait for


    her.


    Odell asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the event?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡®Does he want to pick me up?¡¯ In ordinary times, Sylvia would not have told him.


    However, she suddenly sent him the address on a whim.


    Odell replied, ¡°Ok.¡± Sylvia put away her phone and continued with the event.


    It was past 9 p.m. when it ended. The night outside was pitch ck. Sylvia walked to the road at the exit


    of the venue.


    There were cars parked on both sides, but none of them was Odell¡¯s.


    ¡®Maybe he hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡¯


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    At that moment, the other people who came to the event left in their cars one after another. Christopher


    was thest toe out. When he saw her standing by the road, he immediately asked, ¡°Sylvia, you


    didn¡¯t drive here?¡±. ¡°No, a driver sent me here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±


    Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°There¡¯s no need, President. There¡¯ll be someoneing to pick me upter.¡±


    Everyone in the Art Association knew that Odell and she had remarried.


    Christopher smiled, said goodbye to her, and left!


    In an instant, she was the only one left on the curb. Sylvia zipped up her jacket and waited a while


    longer.


    When Odell still did note, she could not help but send him a message. ¡°Odell, are youing?¡±


    However, even after ten minutes, there was no reply.

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 336 Sylvia frowned.


    He did not have the habit of not replying to her messages. Even when he hated her so much during their


    first marriage, he would reply to her messages every time unless he was angry with her or had


    something urgent to deal with at work.


    Maybe there was an emergency at hispany.


    Sylvia stopped standing around and called a car.


    There were not many cars on the road at this time, so she reached home in around twenty minutes.


    When Sylvia entered the living room, a maid said to her anxiously, ¡°Madam, Master Carter has gone to


    Lake Victoria Vi. He asked me to tell you that you should go there too when youe home.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Tara lives at Lake Victoria Vi. Did he go there to see her?


    ¡®But why did he tell me to go?¡¯


    Sylvia felt that something was wrong, so she asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t he call me directly and tell. me to go?¡±


    The maid replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He was in a hurry when he went over, so I guess he didn¡¯t have time to


    call you.¡±


    ¡®He was in a hurry?


    ¡®Did Taramit suicide again?¡¯


    Sylvia held back her displeasure. ¡°All right.¡±


    However, she still went upstairs to look at Isabel and Liam.


    When she saw that they were sleeping soundly in Odell and her bed, she turned and hurried to Lake


    Victoria Vi.


    After she left, the maid took out her phone and sent a message. ¡°She went over, Ms. Avery.¡±


    In Tara¡¯s house in Lake Victoria Vi.


    Everything was the same as before. However, the maid and bodyguard who were responsible for looking


    after her were all locked outside her bedroom.


    She also locked herself in her bedroom for a day.


    She did not eat anything for the entire day.


    No matter how the maid and guard persuaded her, she ignored them. She simply called for Odell from


    time to time.


    To the maid and bodyguard, it looked like she was going crazy. They did not dare to be negligent and


    immediately called Odell to report this.


    Thus, Odell took a detour on his way to pick Sylvia up and came here instead.


    He arrived outside Tara¡¯s room and knocked on the door, saying coldly, ¡°Tara, open the door.¡±


    Tara was standing right behind the door.


    She held her phone in her hand.


    The message the maid sent to her was fifteen minutes ago, so Sylvia should be arriving soon.


    Her eyes flickered as she put the phone aside, and she said in a weak voice, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Odell. Just go.


    Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Odell frowned. His expression could not hide his annoyance. ¡°Stop fooling around and open the door.¡±


    Tara instantly heard the impatience in his tone.


    Her eyes shrank, and she said in a low voice, ¡°Tell them to leave. I don¡¯t want to be seen by them. I don¡¯t


    want to see them either. I only want to see you.¡±


    Odell turned to the bodyguard and maid. ¡°Go out.¡±


    The two agreed and went downstairs.


    Then, Odell said to Tara, ¡°They¡¯re gone. Open the door.¡±


    ¡°Odell, can you stay with me for a little longer tonight? I had nightmares when I closed my eyes every


    night. I¡¯m so scared that I can¡¯t sleep. I miss you so much.¡±


    The more she spoke, the softer her voice became.


    Odell said to her gently, ¡°Open the door first.¡±


    ¡°No, promise me first.¡±


    He pursed his lips in annoyance. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Creak.


    The door handle twisted, and the door opened from the inside.


    Odell¡¯s tall figure stood in front of the door.


    Tara quickly walked out from behind the door and appeared in front of his eyes.


    The light was switched on in the bedroom.


    It was a purple wallmp. The light was not bright, but it gave off a very seductive atmosphere.


    Tara was also wearing a light purple dress.


    5

 Chapter 337

    The dress was transparent tulle and could be seen through at a nce. Her hair was draped over her


    shoulder, and the makeup on her face was bewitching.


    V


    There was no sign of weakness on her face at all. She only looked charming and seductive.


    Odell was not prepared at all and saw her body at a nce.


    She did not wear anything under the dress.


    His gaze was stunned as his body froze.


    At the same time, Sylvia drove the car up to the main gate. She stopped the car and walked in.


    The door was not closed, and the lights were on in the living room.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    However, she was stopped by a guard as soon as she entered. The guard knew who she was and said


    to her politely, ¡°Ms. Ross, Master Carter and Ms. Avery are talking upstairs. Why don¡¯t you go back


    first?''¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°Odell told me toe here. Move.¡±


    The guard continued to block her. ¡°Ms. Avery is in a very bad mood and wants to be alone with Master


    Carter. Please don¡¯t make things hard for me.¡± ¡®She wants to be alone with Odell? To do what? ¡®It was


    Odell who told me toe here! How dare this guard chase me away?


    ¡®Doesn¡¯t he know that I¡¯m Odell¡¯s wife now?¡¯ Sylvia was very displeased. ¡°I said, move!¡± Sylvia pushed


    him away and quickly walked up the stairs.


    Soon, she arrived at the corridor outside Tara¡¯s bedroom.


    She saw the purple light spilling out of the bedroom as well as Tara¡¯s abnormal panting. Sylvia¡¯s body


    went cold as her heart seized. ¡®So, that¡¯s why the guard stopped me.


    ¡®Well, I guess it makes sense. I haven¡¯t let him touch me since we got married. He¡¯s a normal man, and


    Tara has a very important ce in his heart, so it¡¯s normal that he couldn¡¯t hold back and go to her


    instead.¡¯


    Sylvia exhaled and turned around to leave. At that moment, the guard chased after her as if afraid that


    she would do something impulsive. He shouted anxiously, ¡°Ms. Ross, please calm down. Ms. Avery


    needs Master Carter now.¡±


    Sylvia coldly curled the corners of her mouth, ignored him, and went to the stairs.


    Just as she was about to go downstairs, a familiar male voice suddenly came from behind her.¡± Sylvia?


    What are you doing here?¡±


    His voice was as low and maic as always. It did not have the huskiness that should be present if he


    were doing that kind of thing, and he did not sound guilty at being caught either.


    Sylvia could not help but turn around.


    Then, she saw him dressed in a suit. The buttons on his coat were still buttoned.


    His short ck hair hung neatly at his temples without the slightest trace of messiness. Sylvia was


    confused. ¡°Why do you look so tidy? Didn¡¯t Tara and you¡­?¡± His expression darkened before she could


    finish speaking. She pursed her lips. He nced at the bodyguard. ¡°Go down.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Carter,¡± the bodyguard answered and left.


    Odell then asked her, ¡°What did you say Tara and I were doing?¡±


    His voice was gloomy. Sylvia looked away and said, ¡°I heard Tara crying out.¡± ¡°So you thought I was


    doing something with her?¡± She nced toward Tara¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Her cries were rather suggestive, and


    so was the lighting.¡± Odell looked at her and could not help but scoff. Then why didn¡¯t youe and see


    what was going on?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to disturb you,¡± she said honestly. His expression was dark. Sylvia


    sensibly shut her mouth. Then, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her to Tara¡¯s door.


    The first thing Sylvia saw in the bedroom was Tara. Her hair was disheveled, her body was wrapped in a


    sheet, and she was crudely tied to the bed with a few scarves.


    When Sylvia looked over, Tara jerked her body, trying to break free. Her mouth made anxious and


    muffled grunts because of her struggles.

 Chapter 338

    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    What was going on?


    Soon, Tara also saw her


    Her expression changed and she immediately stopped struggling. Instead, she cried softly at Odell,


    ¡°Odell, please let me go. I was wrong¡­¡±


    Odell frowned, his eyes narrowing in annoyance.


    However, ¡®Tara was the woman he promised to take care of for life. He could not ignore her.


    He was just about to step forward.


    At that moment, his wrist was held by a small hand.


    He looked at Sylvia.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    She smiled at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate for a man and a woman to touch each other. I¡¯ll go untie


    her instead.¡±


    Although Tara was wrapped in a bed sheet, it was pulled down by her, revealing the amorous scene on


    her shoulders.


    Sylvia saw the transparent tulle dress she was wearing, and her face also clearly wore heavy makeup,


    making her look impure.


    However, Sylvia did not expect that Odell did not take the bait even though Tara was dressed like this.


    Odell withdrew at her words. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs.¡±


    He turned and went out.


    Tara¡¯s expression instantly changed as she looked resentfully at Sylvia.


    Sylvia walked up to her and asked with a smile, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, Tara? I wasn¡¯t the


    one who tied you up.¡±


    Tara paled and glowered at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so smug, Sylvia. Odell is just being with you for the novelty.


    The person he loves is me!¡± ¡°Oh, then why did he tie you up like this?¡±


    Tara gnashed her teeth and held back her anger before saying, ¡°Because I¡¯m in poor health. He doesn¡¯t


    want to hurt me.¡±


    Sylviaughed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe that?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Tara choked from anger and red at her.


    Sylviaughed and untied the scarves around Tara¡¯s body. The scarves were untied, and the bed sheet


    also dropped.


    Sylvia instantly saw the transparent tulle dress Tara was wearing. She was stunned for a moment and


    could not help but click her tongue. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Odell didn¡¯t touch you


    even when you¡¯re dressed like this.¡±


    Tara immediately snatched the bed sheet up again. She red at Sylvia to the point where it looked like


    her eyes were about to fall out. ¡°Odell didn¡¯t touch me because he¡¯s afraid of hurting my body! It¡¯s not


    because of a sly b*tch like you!¡±


    She lost herself in her rage. All her words came out in a yell. Sylvia could not be bothered with her and


    turned to leave. Tara screamed at her back, ¡°Sylvia Ross! Don¡¯t be toocent. Don¡¯t think that he¡¯ll


    remain interested in you because you deliberately sleep with him and your children and refuse to let him


    touch you! There¡¯s a limit to his patience. Sooner orter, he¡¯ll see through your tricks and get sick of


    you. Then, he¡¯lle back to me!¡± Sylvia immediately stopped. She looked back at Tara and asked,


    ¡°How did you know that I sleep with him and the children every night?¡± Tara¡¯s gaze shed, then she


    raised her chin and said, ¡°Odell told me!¡± Sylvia sneered. ¡°Tara, you¡¯re not the only one who knows


    Odell. I understand him quite well too.¡±


    Although he was bad-tempered, he never liked to talk about the shorings of his family. There was no


    way he would tell Tara about their private affairs, such as sleeping with the children at night.


    Sure enough, at Sylvia¡¯s words, Tara¡¯s face instantly shed with guilt at being exposed. Then, she


    shouted, ¡°Anyway, Odell will recognize your dirty tricks of ying hard to get sooner orter!¡± ying


    hard to get? Sylvia did not expect Tara to think of that. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t think that everyone is like you. I


    don¡¯t care to y those little tricks like you do.¡±

 Chapter 339

    Tara¡¯s face turned ashen, and she choked for several seconds before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t try to make excuses.


    You¡¯re using this trick to seduce Odell!¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then be my guest.¡±


    Sylvia could not be bothered to argue with her and turned to leave.


    However, her attitude instantly made Tara confused. ¡®Impossible. Why won¡¯t she allow Odell to touch her


    if not to whet his appetite?


    ¡®Could it be that she doesn¡¯t like Odell?


    ¡®No, that¡¯s impossible! She did not have time to think about anything else. She got up, wrapped a coat


    around herself, and ran outside.


    ¡®I can¡¯t let Sylvia take Odell away just like that!¡¯


    Sylvia quickly walked down the stairs and arrived in the living room.


    There, Odell was sitting on the sofa, waiting for her with a sullen face.


    When Sylvia arrived, she said to him, ¡°I already untied her. If you still want to stay with her, then I¡¯ll go


    back first.¡±


    Odell¡¯s brows knitted, and his expression soured as he looked at her.


    Sylvia shrunk away and asked in confusion, ¡°What are you looking at me like that for?¡±


    Did she say something wrong? Odell stood up and walked to her side, instructing the bodyguard and


    maid, ¡°Watch Tara. If she doesn¡¯t eat, let her starve. If she faints from hunger, then take her to the


    hospital. Just don¡¯t let her die.¡±


    He was very angry. His voice was gloomy and low.


    The bodyguard and maid hurriedly agreed. Tara also stopped on the stairs at that moment and heard


    Odell¡¯s words.


    Seeing that he was about to go out with Sylvia, her eyes reddened, and she could not help but shout,


    ¡°Odell, please! I was wrong. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± She ran down the stairs as she cried.


    However, her foot slipped at that moment, and she fell to the ground with a thud.


    She burst out into tears.


    Sylvia knew that this was her usual trick and watched expressionlessly.


    The man next to her did not move a muscle either.


    Not only did he not help Tara up, but he also looked at her with cold eyes and said, ¡°I don¡¯t


    like to repeat myself. If this happens again, I won¡¯t care about you anymore.¡± 1 After saying that, he


    clutched Sylvia¡¯s hand and walked out. Seeing his figure lead Sylvia out intimately, Tara instantly sat up


    from the ground. She also forgot her kind and gentle person in front of Odell and opened her mouth to


    shout at him.¡± Odell, Sylvia doesn¡¯t love you at all! She only promised to marry you to get back at me!¡±


    Odell stopped. Sylvia also stopped and frowned. Then, he gave her a deep look. Their eyes locked onto


    each other. Sylvia did not know whether she should exin herself or not, so she pursed her lips.


    He turned back to Tara. She continued to shout, ¡°It¡¯s true! I admit that I deliberately made the people in


    the association think that she was the third party before. I wanted them to iste her because I was


    afraid that you¡¯d be taken away by her. I just wanted her to stay away from you, but I didn¡¯t expect that


    she¡¯d call you on the spot and ask to remarry you! You two went to get a marriage license on the same


    day. It¡¯s clear that she only agreed to remarry you because she was trying to get back at me. She doesn¡¯t


    love you at all!¡±


    Her voice was hoarse when she said thest sentence.


    Odell looked at Sylvia again, his eyes sharp. Sylvia subconsciously blinked and avoided his gaze. The


    next second, he gripped her hand and walked out the main door.

 Chapter 340

    His grip was tight, and he walked quickly.


    Sylvia was practically dragged out by him.


    Seeing that they were about to reach his sports car, she quickly said, ¡°Odell, I also drove here.¡±


    Her little car was parked not far away.


    Odell ignored her and did not pause at all.


    He dragged her to a stop next to his car, opened the door, pressed her head down, and shoved her


    inside.


    Then, he quickly went around the front of the car and got into the driver¡¯s seat with a dark expression.


    He instantly started the car.


    With a ¡°vroom¡±, the car shot out to the road.


    The atmosphere was stiff inside the car.


    Sylvia held the seat belt in front of her body and looked at him cautiously.


    However, what she saw made her shrink back in fear.


    His dark eyes were terrifying.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and said nothing.


    If she made a sound now, it would probably make him angrier.


    She did not know how to exin it to him either.


    After all, what Tara said was the truth.


    After some time, the car turned at a fork in the road.


    It was not in the direction of the old Carter mansion, but to Odell¡¯s own residence.


    Sylvia could not help but say, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t go there. Let¡¯s go home and talk about this, okay?¡±


    The answer she got was the car elerating.


    She was afraid that he would simply ignore the traffic rules if she said anything more, so she pursed her


    lips.


    The car soon stopped outside Odell¡¯s residence.


    His face was as gloomy as before.


    He pushed open the door with one hand and walked toward Sylvia while unbuttoning his coat.


    Sylvia immediately shivered.


    The next second, she quickly got out of the car, wanting to run to the road to avoid him.


    However, before she could run, the back of her cor was grabbed by hisrge hand.


    She hurriedly tugged her cor. ¡°Odell, calm down. Don¡¯t-Ah!¡±


    He threw her on his shoulder before she could finish speaking.


    His firm and hard shoulder dug ufortably into her stomach.


    Her legs were pinned by his hands, so she could not get down.


    She was carried into therge bedroom where they used to live. He turned on the lights. Then, he threw


    her on the bed like she was an object. Fortunately, the bed was very soft, so Sylvia merely bounced on it.


    However, before she could turn over and get up, a ck shadow enveloped her. His heavy body pressed


    directly on hers. She hurriedly held her hand in front of her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He propped one hand


    on the quilt beside her and cupped her face with the other hand, asking, ¡°Is what Tara said true?¡± Sylvia¡¯s


    eyes flickered. ¡°Answer me.¡± His voice suddenly went cold. Sylvia bit the bullet and said, ¡°Yes.¡± The


    corners of his lips pulled coldly. ¡°No wonder you were so hesitant when we were getting registered. It¡¯s


    because you were just trying to get back at her.¡±


    Sylvia felt cold sweat seep from her pores. She moved her mouth and said, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ notpletely to get


    back at her.¡± ¡°Then, what else?¡± He looked at her sharply. Sylvia bit her lip and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s because


    of the children.¡± Odell was silent. He choked for a moment and could not help but let out a cold snort.


    ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t because of me at all, right?¡± Sylvia frowned.


    ¡®Well, duh? I already said that I don¡¯t love him.


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t havee back to Westchester City at all if not for the children.¡¯


    However, she swallowed back those words.


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    She looked at him and said, ¡°We¡¯re already remarried, Odell. Can¡¯t you stop getting hung up about


    details like that?¡±

 Chapter 341

    ¡°No.¡± Odell¡¯s face was still frighteningly cold.


    Sylvia stopped talking.


    ¡°Say something.¡± He pinched her face and ordered.


    She was exasperated. ¡°If you insist on bickering, then there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    His chest suddenly choked with anger.


    He felt suffocated.


    The next second, he lowered his head and sealed her lips.


    He forcefully pried open her lips and teeth.


    Sylvia could not help but cry out in resistance.


    She pushed him hard, but her hands were pressed against his chest with a crushing force.


    Then, one of hisrge hands grabbed her waist.


    She was wearing a belt.


    Sylvia stiffened for a moment and struggled harder.


    After a long time passed, when her belt was pulled out and her coat was disheveled, he loomed over


    her.


    Sylvia was so furious and panicked that she lost her rationality.


    The moment she could catch her breath, she raised her hand and pped him across the face.


    A crisp ¡°smack¡± sounded.


    Odell froze and narrowed his dark eyes, staring at her coldly.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk, but she steeled her nerves and shouted at him, ¡°Odell Carter, stop being crazy!¡± At


    the same time, she clutched at her own cor tightly.


    Odell pried her hands away and pinned them to the sides of her head. Then, he said coldly to her, ¡°I¡¯m


    going to carry out our spousal obligations. I¡¯m not being crazy.¡± Sylvia snapped, ¡°Spousal obligations


    have to be agreed upon by both the husband and wife. You¡¯re just forcing yourself on me!¡±


    He curled his mouth. ¡°So what if I am?¡±


    She was speechless. She flushed with anger and red at him with wide eyes.


    Odell snorted and leaned over again.


    Sylvia immediately floundered and struggled.


    When her clothes were about to be torn off, she kicked wildly again, not letting him have his


    way. Then, her calf suddenly pulled, and a tingling sensation immediately spread all over her body. Her


    small face twisted, and she could not help the cry of pain that left her mouth. Odell¡¯s tall figure froze


    again. He looked at her suspiciously. ¡°I haven¡¯t touched you yet. Why are you crying out?¡±


    Sylvia pouted. ¡°It hurts¡­ It hurts!¡±


    It was so painful that tears were streaming out of her eyes. Odell was confused. He had no choice but to


    get down. Sylvia instantly curled up. Her calf was cramped and swollen. It hurt terribly. She rubbed her


    hands up and down it, but the more she rubbed, the more painful it became. Soon, she was rolling on the


    bed in pain.


    Odell was speechless.


    His head throbbed in exasperation, and he sat in front of her to hold her cramped calf in one hand.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Sylvia hissed. ¡°Ow!¡± ¡°Does it hurt here?¡± he asked while gently squeezing her calf. Sylvia pursed her


    mouth and let out a hum. ¡°Bear with it.¡± Then, he sped her foot with hisrge hand and said,


    ¡°Straighten your leg.¡± Sylvia said, ¡°It hurts.¡± She could not straighten it at all. Odell gave her a side nce


    and instantly pulled her leg straight. She could not help but scream in pain again. He immediately


    pressed her foot up and moved hisrge hand to her calf to rub it gently. Sylvia did not know whether it


    was because he was using just the right amount of force, or his palm was warm, or both, but her calf felt


    much better.


    Although there was still some residual pain, it was not as piercing as before.


    She exhaledfortably and looked at him quietly with eyes that were still a little red. Odell looked back


    at her. When he saw her watery eyes, his sullen emotions were inexplicably gone, and he softened his


    voice to ask, ¡°Better?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and said, ¡°Much better.¡±

 Chapter 342

    Odell squeezed two more times before releasing her calf.


    Sylvia sat motionless.


    He gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll wash my hands and be right back.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Her answer was very obedient.


    Odell gave her another look and went into the bathroom. Sylvia took a deep breath and started to calm


    her restless mood.


    Before long, he came out of the bathroom.


    She had also straightened her clothes and was sitting at the head of the bed.


    She raised her head to look at him.


    He was also looking at her.


    An unexined and awkward atmosphere immediately emerged in the air.


    Sylvia said, ¡°Thanks for earlier.¡± Odell ignored her and simply looked at her coldly!


    She was also suddenly a little upset. If he had not tried to bully her, she would not have struggled until


    her leg was cramped. However, his actions when he massaged her leg earlier were quite gentle. Sylvia


    thought about it and added, ¡°I was wrong for agreeing to remarry you to get back at Tara. For that, I


    apologize. You can scold me if you¡¯re still angry. I won¡¯t talk back.¡±


    Her face was sincere.


    Odell¡¯s expression changed, and then he whacked her over the head. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that


    unreasonable?¡±


    She wanted him to scold her?


    However, since she looked sincere when she admitted her fault, he was not that angry anymore.


    Nevertheless, it would be embarrassing if he forgave her so quickly.


    He continued to look at her coldly.


    Sylvia curled her mouth and looked at him with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. Let¡¯s live a good life from now


    on, okay?¡± Her eyes curved like the crescent moon, shining brightly. Odell let out a low hum. ¡°I¡¯ll spare


    you this time. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Then, he carried her out of bed.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He walked out of the mansion and went back to the car.


    When the car was about to reach the old district, Sylvia suddenly thought of something and asked,


    ¡°Odell, did you tell me to go to Lake Victoria Vi?¡± Odell¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°No. Who told you to go?¡± He


    was also curious why she showed up at Lake Victoria Vi at that time. Sylvia replied, ¡°It was Holly.¡± She


    was a maid from the old Carter residence. She was probably bribed by Tara. Sylvia thought of something


    else and called Ben, the bodyguard. Ben and Jacob were both in charge of Isabel and Liam¡¯s security.


    The call was answered swiftly. Sylvia asked him to go to her room to check on the children. Ben quickly


    replied, ¡°Madam, the Young Master and Young Miss are sleeping soundly. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Sylvia


    breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Pass me the phone, ¡± Odell suddenly said. He was driving and could not hold


    the phone, sa Sylvia brought it to his ear. Then, she heard. him instruct Ben, ¡°Grab Holly immediately


    and wait until I get home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Carter,¡± Ben answered.


    Sylvia saw that they were done talking and took back the phone. The car drove steadily forward. Not


    long after, he asked her, ¡°What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 343

    What else could she think? Sylvia replied bluntly, ¡°She was probably bribed by Tara.¡± ¡®Otherwise, why


    else would she tell me to go to Lake Victoria Vi? ¡®Also, how did Tara know about Odell and me


    sleeping with the children every night? ¡®More importantly, if Odell didn¡¯t control himself and slept with her,


    I would¡¯ve walked in on them.


    ¡®Tara¡¯s n was obviously to disgust me.¡¯


    Odell did not say anything.


    Sylvia could not help but look at him.


    The expression on his face was cold and indifferent. She could not see any emotions on his face.


    ¡®Well, Tara is a very important person to him. Even if he knows that she nned it, he won¡¯t be that


    angry.¡¯


    They soon returned to the old Carter residence. When Sylvia and Odell entered, Holly was tied up and


    watched by Jacob and Ben. When Holly saw theme back, her expression changed and she


    hurriedly shouted, ¡°Master


    Carter, I was framed. I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Odell took Sylvia to the sofa and looked at Holly coldly.


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Tara?¡±


    Holly¡¯s eyes flickered, and she said, ¡°Ms. Avery? I know who she is, but I¡¯m not acquainted with her.¡±


    Sylvia could not help but ask, ¡°If you don¡¯t know her, why did you tell me to go to Lake Victoria Vi?¡±


    ¡°Huh? When did I tell you to go to Lake Victoria Vi?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s mouth pulled downward.


    ¡®As expected of someone who¡¯s working with Tara. She¡¯s good at acting too.¡¯ She said, ¡°In other words,


    you¡¯re saying that I didn¡¯t see you at all when I came back at night, and you didn¡¯t say a word to me?¡±


    Holly yed along and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. My shift ended in the evening, so I didn¡¯t even see you


    come back.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and said to Ben, ¡°Ben, please check the surveince cameras. I want to see the footage


    from the one in the yard facing the living room door. Pull up the footage from around 10 p.m.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Ben agreed and went to do as he was told.


    Holly paled and instantly realized that she had fallen into Sylvia¡¯s trap. She hurriedly cried,¡± Madam,


    Master Carter, I was wrong! I won¡¯t do it again!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned cold as she asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t talk to me tonight? What did you do


    wrong?¡± Holly did not expect Sylvia to think of checking the surveince cameras and said remorsefully,


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have deceived Master Carter and you. I was bribed by Ms. Avery. A long time ago, before


    Master Carter and you remarried, Ms. Avery had alreadye to me and promised to give me a tip


    every month if I helped her watch the movements of Master Carter and the young master. I only


    asionally sent her some messages, and we didn¡¯t maintain much contact, but after you remarried


    Master Carter, she began to look for me frequently. Since I received money from her, I had to listen to her


    and monitor Master Carter and you. However, I only told her a few things about you. I didn¡¯t do anything


    bad! I know I made a mistake. Please forgive me!¡±


    Sylvia did not expect her to confess everything so quickly. However, Holly had been working here for a


    long time before Odell and her remarried. After thinking about it, she looked at Odell. His expression was


    dark. N?velDrama.Org content.


    A momentter, he said, ¡°Throw her out. Don¡¯t allow her to take a step near here again.¡± Holly


    immediately cried out. ¡°No, Master Carter! I was wrong! I won¡¯t dare to do it again¡­¡± She moved and


    tried to crawl to Odell, but Ben and Jacob quickly lifted her and carried her out. Silence quickly returned


    to the living room. Sylvia looked at his downcast face and took the initiative to say, ¡°It¡¯ste, Odell. Let¡¯s


    rest.¡± He said, ¡°You go wash up first. I¡¯ll go upter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia was already tired, so she responded and went upstairs.


    In the living room, the man sat in ce, his face sullen and his gaze dark.


    He was thinking back on Tara¡¯s behavior recently.


    When Sylvia just returned to Westchester City, Tara used Tristan to scheme against Sylvia. Sylvia agreed


    to remarry him to get back at Tara, and today, Tara made the whole scene at Lake Victoria Vi. She


    waited for him to go over and also instigated Holly to tell Sylvia to go over as well, obviously to ¡°catch


    them red-handed¡±. How was this the kind and soft-hearted Tara that he knew? Did she turn this way


    because he had feelings for Sylvia?

 Chapter 344

    The night was deep


    Odell sat for a long time before he got up and went to the bedroom.


    Sylvia had washed up and was dressed in in pajamas. She slept in between Isabel and Liam.


    The wallmp in the bedroom was left on for him. After entering, he subconsciously slowed down his


    pace and went straight to the bathroom.


    He washed up briefly and went to the bed in his pajamas.


    He carried Liam, who was sleeping in Sylvia¡¯s arms, to the side of the bed. Then, hey down at the spot


    where Liam was previously and wrapped a long arm around Sylvia, pulling her into his embrace.


    She was deep asleep and did not stir at all.


    Just the thought that she only agreed to remarry him to get back at Tara made him very upset.


    He lowered his head and pressed on her lips, nibbling on the flesh repeatedly. When her lips were


    swollen, the displeasure in his heart abated slightly.


    Then, he held her in his arms like she was a pillow and closed his eyes soothingly.


    The night passed.


    In Lake Victoria Vi.


    Tara threw several tantrums and pped a maid¡¯s face many times before returning to the bedroom to


    sleep. She kept thinking about Odell¡¯s face after she said those words to him when he took Sylvia away. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She clearly remembered that he looked furious.


    ¡°That b*tch doesn¡¯t know how to please a man at all. She won¡¯t get out of it this time.


    ¡®With Odell¡¯s temper, there¡¯s no way he would forgive her.¡¯


    Thus, the first thing Tara did after waking up was call Holly. She wanted to ask if anything happened to


    Sylvia after she was taken back by Odellst night.


    Unexpectedly, after the phone was connected, Holly wept bitterly.


    She cried and said that she was kicked out by Odell.


    Tara was not interested in that at all and asked testily, ¡°What about Sylvia? Was she driven away by


    Odell?¡±


    ¡°No, Master Odell and her are fine.¡±


    Tara¡¯s face instantly stiffened.


    ¡®How could that be? How could Odell still be getting along with her? Did she think of a way to


    soothe his anger?¡¯ On the phone, Holly started to cry again. ¡°Ms. Avery, Master Carter won¡¯t let me go


    back. Can you talk to him? I don¡¯t want to lose this job¡­¡±


    Tara hung up the phone immediately and blocked Holly¡¯s number. ¡®A useless piece of trash wants me to


    help her? In her dreams!¡¯ However, when she thought of how Sylvia managed to get out of this situation,


    she was so angry that she kicked over the nightstand, cursing furiously, ¡°B*tch! I underestimated you!¡±


    She panted heavily in anger several times before her mood gradually stabilized. At that moment, there


    was a knock from the maid outside the door. The maid bowed her head, afraid that Tara would vent her


    anger on her again, and stood at the door without daring to enter. She said in a small voice, ¡°Ms. Avery,


    breakfast is ready. The kitchen prepared all your favorite food. Would you like to eat?¡±


    Tara narrowed her eyes coldly. ¡°Come in and talk to me. I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    The maid took a few steps closer but still stood a few feet away. Tara said coldly, ¡°Closer.¡± The maid took


    a small step forward. Tara suddenly got up to walk to the maid and raised her hand to p her face,


    screeching, ¡°Are: you deaf? Can¡¯t you understand English?¡± After saying that, she threw another p.


    The maid held her face and cried, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Ms. Avery. I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Her attitude was very


    humble and respectful. Only then did Tara¡¯s expression ease up a little. ¡°Lowly people like you should


    know your ce. If you dare to disregard my words again next time, I¡¯ll throw you out and make sure you


    never find a job ever again.¡± The maid gritted her teeth and responded, ¡°I understand, Ms. Avery. I¡¯ll keep


    that in mind.¡±

 Chapter 345

    Tara scoffed and strutted out of the bedroom.


    Odell was already angry, so she could not use tactics like going on a hunger strike to lure him over. She


    had to eat properly and think of another way


    In the old Carter residence.


    After sending Isabel, Liam, and Odell off, Sylvia went to the busy downtown area and met up with Sherry.


    They ate some food together, shopped for a while, and then sat down at a cafe. Sherry kept staring at


    Sylvia, seemingly hesitating to say something, so Sylvia asked, ¡°Just say what you want to say.¡± Sherry


    pursed her lips. ¡°Syl, we¡¯re best friends, so tell me honestly. How has it been since you remarried Odell?


    Did he bully you?¡±. Sylvia replied, ¡°He¡¯s quite good to me. He didn¡¯t bully me.¡±


    ¡®Well, except for that time when Tara provoked us, but I managed to make it clear.¡¯


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry continued to ask, ¡°He didn¡¯t give you the silent treatment or anything?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°No.¡± There were times when she wished he would give her the silent treatment. Sherry


    looked at Sylvia¡¯s rosy appearance and finally sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Sylvia asked,


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Same old.¡±


    After chatting for a long time and strolling outside, Sylvia said goodbye to her and went back when it was


    the evening.


    Sherry also went straight to Lush Heaven.


    The club had just opened at that time. The sky was not dark yet, so not many people came to y.


    She went straight to the VIP room.


    Inside, Edmund was lying on the sofa, drinking.


    There was no one else in the room besides him.


    When he saw Sherrye back, he quickly sat up and asked, ¡°Did you meet Lil Syl?¡± Sherry leaned on


    the wall not far away and replied truthfully, ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s living well.¡± Edmund was a bit unconvinced. ¡°Are


    you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. She¡¯s my best friend, and I know her. I¡¯d be able to tell if she was having a bad time.


    He lowered his head and did not say anything.


    Sherry knew that he liked Sylvia, but it was not her ce to say anything to him, so she sighed. ¡°Mr.


    Price, it¡¯s not good for you to stay cooped up in my nightclub every day. You still have so many bros


    outside waiting for you to eat together. You should just forget about Syl.¡±


    After saying what needed to be said, she turned and walked out. Edmund was silent for a long time.


    Then, he opened another bottle of wine and took a swig straight from the bottle.


    The door of the room was pushed open again.


    Edmund looked over.


    The person who came wore a baseball cap and in clothes. It was Tara.


    Edmund nced at her and shouted, ¡°Get the hell out!¡± Tara went to him with a smile and said, ¡°Mr.


    Price, I¡¯m here to talk to you about Sylvia.¡±


    At the mention of Sylvia¡¯s name, Edmund immediately put down the wine bottle. He narrowed his eyes


    and looked at Tara with a hostile gaze. ¡°What about her?¡±


    Tara quickly took a step back and said, ¡°Ever since Sylvia remarried Odell, they sleep together with the


    children every night.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Since they sleep together with the children, there¡¯s no chance that they


    could do that sort of thing. Do you think that¡¯s normal?¡± Edmund¡¯s expression changed. ¡°You¡¯re saying


    that Odell didn¡¯t touch her?¡±


    Tara replied, ¡°It seems like Sylvia is deliberately letting the kids sleep with them because she doesn¡¯t


    want him to touch her.¡±

 Chapter 346

    Edmund frowned and asked out of annoyance, ¡°So? What the hell are you trying to say?¡± Tara giggled


    and said, ¡°Mr. Price, I¡¯m saying Sylvia doesn¡¯t love Odell at all. She loves you.¡± Edmund was taken aback


    for a second before he wore an eerie grin. ¡°Tara Avery, do I look like an idiot to you?¡±


    Tara exined nervously, ¡°Mr. Price, I¡¯m telling the truth. If she doesn¡¯t like you, she¡¯d have let Odell


    touch her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s in love with another man, why me?¡± Edmund scoffed and exposed Tara¡¯s little scheme.


    ¡°Tara, you better put your lousy n away. If you want Odell to look at you again, you better find


    something in yourself that¡¯s worth loving, not using me as your pawn.¡±


    She came all the way to tell him all this nonsense because she wanted him to snatch Sylvia away or ruin


    Odell and Sylvia¡¯s marriage so that she could seize the opportunity for herself.


    Tara did not expect the rejection at all. She quickly exined, ¡°Mr. Price, I¡¯m not using you. I¡¯m just trying


    to get back to Odell but I don¡¯t want you and Sylvia to be apart. So, I¡¯m just trying to create a win-win-¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Smash!


    Edmund smashed a bottle of beer on the floor.


    Startled, Tara screamed and faltered backward in fear.


    Edmund red at her with menacing eyes and warned her, ¡°Tara, you better get the f*ck out of my face


    or I¡¯ll expose your dirty past to the public. I¡¯ll tell the media how you ruined people¡¯s families and make


    them go bankrupt. I¡¯ll make sure you cannot live in Westchester City anymore!¡± 1 Tara¡¯s expression


    changed and she left hurriedly.


    After running out of Lush Heaven, Tara returned to her car with a bitter look and cursed out loud, ¡°That


    good-for-nothing f*cking b*stard!¡± She vented her emotions for quite a while before she finally regained


    her cool. She could not just give up like that. She had to make something happen between Odell and


    Sylvia so that Odell would abandon that b*tch!


    Carter residence.


    Odell had to attend a meeting after work, so he would be homete. He called Sylvia beforehand and


    informed them to go ahead with dinner.


    After dinner, the two little ones returned to their room to get changed and be prepared for bed.


    When Sylvia came out of the bathroom, she saw them whispering to each other.


    The two of them looked serious as they exchanged whispers. Out of curiosity, Sylvia asked, ¡°Isabel,


    Liam, what are you guys talking about?¡±.


    The two little ones separated immediately. Isabel¡¯s eyes shifted as she turned to Liam. Liam then


    answered, ¡°We¡¯re talking about yschool.¡± ¡°yschool? Did something interesting happen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a


    secret between us and our friends. We can¡¯t tell you.¡± Sylvia was not overly bothered either. She put her


    curiosity aside and started to read them a bedtime story.


    The two of them concentrated on the story and after a while, their eyes started to close. Sylvia put the


    storybook down and switched off the lights, leaving only the dim nightlight for Odell.


    As sleepiness took over, Sylvia also went to bed.


    Around twenty minutester, footsteps came from outside the door.


    Odell was back from work.


    Seeing the fast asleep mother and children, he slinked into the bathroom for a bath.


    He came out after he washed himself up and got changed into some fresh new pajamas. Simr to two


    nights before, he ced Liam aside and crawled up to Sylvia¡¯s side and hugged: her in his arms.


    Just when he was about to close his eyes, the edge of his sight noticed two tiny figures sitting beside


    him.


    His eyes suddenly widened, and he turned around to find Liam sitting up. Even Isabel who was sleeping


    on the other side sat up.

 Chapter 347

    Isabel narrowed her eyes at him as if she caught a thief red-handed.


    Liam was a lot calmer. He simply stared at his father with his big googly eyes. His puffy face was almost


    expressionless except for the hint of grudge. ¡°Daddy, have you been putting me away for the past two


    nights?¡± Odell¡¯s eyes shifted a little. ¡°Mommy will feel ufortable if you sleep snugly beside her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also sleeping next to her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m different.¡±


    ¡°How different?¡±


    Looking expressionless, Odell exined, ¡°I¡¯m an adult. I¡¯m taller and stronger than you. Mommy will feel


    comfortable if I sleep close to her.¡±


    Liam pouted and furrowed his brows.


    Isabel then said, ¡°But Mommy said she¡¯sfortable sleeping with us.¡±


    Odell remained expressionless and said, ¡°She¡¯s lying.¡±


    Isabel pouted. She bawled, ¡°No! I don¡¯t believe you! Mommy won¡¯t lie to us!¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t want you to be


    unhappy, that¡¯s why she lied to you.¡±


    The serious look on his face never changed for a bit as he fabricated his lies.


    Isabel could not ept Sylvia lying to her, so she immediately raised her voice and cried, ¡°No! I don¡¯t


    believe you. You¡¯re a big baddie, big fat liar!¡±


    Odell frowned and signaled her to lower her voice, but it was toote.


    Before he could stop his daughter from causing a scene, Sylvia woke up. She woke up to find a sulky


    and aggrieved Isabel, a disheartened Liam beside Isabel, and Odell beside herself.


    Surprised, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Isabel protruded her lips and asked, ¡°Mommy, Baddie says us


    sleeping with you will make you ufortable! Is it true?¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Sylvia answered without a second thought, ¡°Of course, it isn¡¯t true. I feel the mostfortable when I


    hug you two babies to sleep.¡± ¡°I told him the same thing but he said you lied because you didn¡¯t want us


    to be unhappy.¡± Sylvia immediately turned to Odell with a frown


    Odell awkwardly touched his nose in silence and looked evasive.


    Sylvia hugged Isabel into her arms and said to Odell, ¡°Bring Liam here.¡± Odell single-handedly carried


    Liam into Sylvia¡¯s arms.


    Sylvia hugged both of them in each arm and said in a small voice, ¡°Daddy is lying. Mommy


    feelsfortable when sleeping with you two.¡±


    Liam¡¯s big eyes gleamed. Isabel pouted at Odell and bawled, ¡°Hmph! Big baddie, big fat liar!¡± Odell


    pursed his lips. He was leaning against the wall with his arins crossed, looking handsome and elegant,


    but they did not conceal the guilt on his face. It was the first time Sylvia saw him lose to the kids.


    She had an urge tough at him but she managed to hold it back. She said, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t you lie to the


    kids again.¡± Odell simply hummed begrudgingly. Both Isabel and Liam finally cheered up. Odell returned


    to his side of the bed and Sylvia hugged the kids to sleep. After the kids fell asleep, Odell suddenly got


    out of bed and headed to the balcony.


    Sylvia wanted to sleep but the little drama that happened earlier robbed her of her sleepiness.


    She snuck out of bed and headed outside as well.


    Odell¡¯s towering figure was standing by the rail as he stared into the distant sky, seemingly mulling over


    something.

 Chapter 348

    Sylvia went up to him and asked, ¡°Not sleeping?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    His gravelly voice had a hint of grievance.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You still have to go to work tomorrow. Hurry up and go to bed.¡±


    Odell ignored her. Since he gave her the silent treatment and showed no signs of moving, Sylvia wanted


    to head back.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    She came all the way out here just to call him back to sleep but since he refused to go back, she could


    not do anything either.


    However, before she could walk inside, he stopped her..¡±Hold on.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sylvia turned around to the man.


    Odell¡¯s brows were furrowed. He was rather unhappy with her reaction. ¡°Can¡¯t you just say it to me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Say you want me to go back and rest. Is that too much for you?¡±


    Sylvia did not know how to answer his question, so she chose silence.


    Odell red at her.


    Sylvia was afraid that the man might go out of control again, so sheplied and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte,


    you better have some rest.¡±


    The frosty look on the man softened but he remained standing. ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Come closer. I didn¡¯t hear what you said.¡±


    Sylvia walked closer to him and just when she wanted to tell him to go back, his strong arm curled


    around her waist and lifted her.


    At the same time, he pressed his lips onto hers.


    After they remarried, they kissed more times than she could count. Even if she did not want to be used to


    it, she had to.


    She did not resist him this time and allowed him to have his way for a while.


    A satisfying kisster, Odell released her with aforting smile lingering on his face. Sylvia asked,


    ¡°Can we go back to sleep now?¡± His arm refused to release her waist. He narrowed his eyes at her and


    said, ¡°Are you going to let the two little ones sleep with us like this forever?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still young. We¡¯ll see how it goes after a while,¡± she said.


    She no longer resisted sleeping on the same bed with him but knowing that Isabel and Liam wanted to


    sleep with her as well, she did not have the heart to reject them.


    ¡°A while is how long?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Odell grunted. His hand at her waist mischievously pinched her.


    Sylvia tried to push him away out of annoyance. ¡°Odell, can¡¯t you just wait for a little while?¡±


    He answered with his gravel voice, ¡°I¡¯m a man and it¡¯s a basic requirement for a man to satisfy his urge


    with his wife. It¡¯s a sacred duty thates together with marriage.¡±


    ¡°Just hold on for a little while. I¡¯ll talk to them soon.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you one more week. If you still can¡¯t


    convince them otherwise, I¡¯ll take them back to their room myself.¡± Before Sylvia could say a word, Odell


    carried her up and went back into the room. Sylvia was afraid to wake the two little ones so she tightened


    her lips in silence.


    The weekend arrived in the blink of an eye.


    Sylvia received an invitation from the art academy to attend an event.


    After spending most of the days with the kids, she headed to the art academy in the evening. The event


    was about ssical art and Sylvia even ran into Harley and her friends. They chatted about some artsy


    stuff until break time. Sylvia headed over to the pantry to have a ss of warm water. It was then Tara


    came out of nowhere and approached Sylvia.


    She was still in branded clothes but not as extravagant as before. Even her hair was simply left draping


    over her shoulders. She looked a lot iner than before.

 Chapter 349

    Sylvia wore a skeptical look at her and asked, ¡°Tara? Is there anything?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Tara did not bother to conceal her frosty gaze. ¡°Can¡¯t Ie here? Do you think Odell doesn¡¯t care about


    me anymore after our breakup? Hmph. He just transferred two million into my ount.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s look turned frosty. However, since Odell mentioned that he could not simply leave Tara alone,


    giving her money to cover her living expenses was a normal thing to do.


    She did not want to listen to Tara¡¯s nonsense, so she said, ¡°If you have anything you want to say, just


    spill it; if not, please get away from me.¡± ¡°Hmph. I underestimated you. Not only did you bewitch Odell,


    but you even extended your spells to Edmund. Ever since you remarried Odell, Edmund has been


    drinking at the club almost every night.¡± Sylvia frowned. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know Edmund likes you,¡± Tara said with a scoff, ¡°And you say I¡¯m the acting


    b*tch? I can say the same to you as well.¡±


    Sylvia wore a frosty look. ¡°Tara, are you trying to ask for a beating?¡±


    Tara instinctively staggered backward, but she managed to squeeze a frosty smile and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not


    the b*tch that you imed, you better go talk to him. He¡¯s been drunk ever since and if this continues,


    he¡¯d drink himself to death.¡±


    She then left in a hurry, leaving a baffled Sylvia frowning over her words.


    That night, when Sylvia agreed to remarry Odell, she had dinner with Edmund. Judging from what she


    heard, she had a feeling that Edmund liked her.


    Since she was not a narcissist and Edmund never made his feelings verbal, she simply feigned


    ignorance.


    Besides, Odell took her away that night and they remarried. She had never contacted Edmund since


    then.


    She never would have thought Edmund would try to drink himself to death every night. Though Tara


    must havee here to deliver this message with a purpose, what could it be?


    Harley came to her after a while, reminding her of the event.


    Sylvia simply put her thoughts aside and followed Harley back to the event venue.


    At the end of the event, she received a call from Sherry.


    She excused herself from the crowd to answer the phone.


    ¡°Sherry? What is it?¡±


    Sherry said with a sigh, ¡°Sylvia, if you have the time, please drop by Lush Heaven. Edmund refused to


    leave. He was drunk for two nights straight and even spent the night here. ¡°Harry and Lloyd tried to bring


    him away but he refused to listen. I think you¡¯re the only one


    who can talk to him now.¡±


    Sylvia pondered it for a moment before she said, ¡®Okay, I understand.¡±


    The call and the event ended at the same time.


    Sylvia parted ways with Harley and her friends. Just when she walked out of the venue, she saw Odell¡¯s


    car waiting for her outside.


    The window rolled down and revealed his handsome face and deep gaze staring at her affectionately.


    He came all the way here to pick her up.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted for a moment before she went into the car.


    The car then drove off. She clearly remembered he told her that he had to attend a social meeting with


    some business partners tonight, so she asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t go home?¡±


    ¡°I was home. I had dinner with Isabel and Liam before I came.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Things went quiet for a bit.


    Sylvia¡¯s brows were slightly furrowed as she stared outside the window. She was rather worried about


    Edmund.


    Suddenly, Odell asked, ¡°Have you seen the money I transferred to you?¡± ¡°What money?¡±


    ¡°The monthly expenses for the family. You should¡¯ve received it during the day. Take a look.¡± Sylvia


    pulled her phone out. She had been busy for the entire day and was barely on her phone.


    She checked on it and found several unread messages.


    One of them was a notification from the bank, informing her that she received a twenty million transfer


    into her ount.


    She was awestruck by the amount of money.


    Odell then said, ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, just let me know. I¡¯ve told you the password for the safety box at


    home. If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, you can just go take some money from there.¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. This is a lot.¡±


    When they were first married, the money he gave her was only less than one-tenth of what she received


    now.


    Back then, she had to pay the bodyguards, the servants, and maintain the daily expenses of the house.


    Now, all the servants at the house were hired under Madam Carter herself.


    Sylvia no longer needed to pay them.


    Liam and Isabel¡¯s school fees were already paid fully in advance, so she did not have to pay a penny


    there as well.


    The twenty million she received was purely for her own expenses.

 Chapter 350

    Sylvia stared at the number on her screen nkly.


    A lot had happened after they remarried and she felt that he cared about her.


    A tiny ember seemed to have gotten into her heart and melted away theyer of frost she used to seal


    her feelings away. She even started to recall the sixty ps she received back then but now, it did not


    hurt as much as before.


    Since he was serious about the marriage this time and they already remarried, she ought to do her best


    to live with him under one roof.


    Then, Sylvia said, ¡°Odell, I want to go to Lush Heaven to have a look at Edmund.¡±


    The steadily cruising sports car screeched and wobbled for a fraction of a second. Odell thought he


    heard wrongly, so he asked with furrowed brows, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Sylvia exined, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I¡¯m just trying to talk some sense into him. I heard


    he¡¯s been drinking like crazy in Lush Heaven and I don¡¯t want to see him waste his life like this because


    of me.¡± The car screeched to a stop by the roadside.


    Odell red at her and asked in a gravelly voice, ¡°You seem to care about him.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted for a bit but she looked into his eyes nheless and decided to be frank with him.


    ¡°Odell, I have no idea that he liked me before. I thought he was just some art lover. I only found out about


    his feelings for me recently. He bought a lot of Simon¡¯s work because of me and even invested in several


    projects of the association, I don¡¯t want to owe him anything.¡±


    Odell¡¯s frosty look warmed up a little upon hearing her exnation, but he was still unhappy about it.


    ¡°Then, how are you nning to talk to him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it clear.¡±


    ¡°What if he still decides to drink after you make it clear? Are you nning to let it go on?¡± Odell narrowed


    his eyes, ¡°Of course, not. We¡¯re married. I¡¯ll never have any other thoughts about other men.¡± She knew


    where to draw the lines. Odell wore a satisfied look after listening to her exnation. He shot an


    approving nce at her before he turned the car toward Lush Heaven¡¯s direction. Sylvia immediately


    said, ¡°Odell, I can go there on my own.¡±


    Odell did not answer.


    Sylvia wisely zipped her mouth and allowed him to fetch her there.


    Less than half an hourter, the car stopped in front of Lush Heaven¡¯s parking lot. Odell remained seated


    and showed no signs of getting out of the car. He had a nce at the watch and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not out in


    fifteen minutes, I¡¯ll go get you.¡± She had fifteen minutes to settle everything with Edmund.


    Sylvia nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± She got out of the car and quickly strode into Lush Heaven.


    On the other hand, Tara was hiding in the dark corner of the corridor leading toward the rooms on the


    second floor.


    After informing Sylvia of Edmund¡¯s situation back at the art academy, Tara made her way here and had


    been waiting for Sylvia¡¯s arrival ever since.


    The moment she saw Sylvia, her eyes gleamed and she started to record the video with her phone.


    As Sylvia was in a hurry, she did not notice Tara hiding in the corner. She ran up the stairs and located


    the first room. Sherry, Harry, and Lloyd were chatting outside the entrance when they saw Sylvia. They


    were delighted by her arrival as if they were graced by hope. Lloyd said, ¡°Ms. Ross, you¡¯re here! Please


    go talk to the boss!¡± Harry said with a sigh, ¡°He doesn¡¯t care about anythingtely. Several of our


    businesses were taken away by ourpetitor.¡± Sherry added, ¡°Syl, do your best. We¡¯ll wait for you


    outside here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to him,¡± Sylvia said.


    Odell only gave her fifteen minutes to settle this with Edmund so she could not afford to dy


    1. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 351

    Sylvia went inside after that. The room was dimly lit, and the stench of alcohol in the air stung the


    nostrils.


    Right after Sylvia came in, she saw Edmund dozing off on the couch. He wore a floral shirt that was


    unbuttoned down to his chest, revealing his broad muscles. The stubble around his chin was apparent


    while even his messy hair was longer. He looked severely disheartened.


    Sylvia frowned and called out to him. ¡°Edmund.¡±


    Edmund¡¯s eyeballs shifted before he opened his eyes.


    ¡°Syl?¡± He bolted up and looked at her in awe.


    Sylvia¡¯s brows remained furrowed. ¡°I heard Sherry said you¡¯ve been drinking here. What happened?¡±


    Edmund put the bottle of whiskey that he had been holding on onto the table. He hurriedly tidied his


    clothes and hair before he smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just bored, so I came to have some fun.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of me?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Edmund¡¯s face fell, his lips tightening. ¡°Edmund, I¡¯ve remarried Odell. It¡¯s not worth it anymore. Don¡¯t do


    this because of me.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He looked away with a bitter scowl and said, ¡°It¡¯s not because of you.¡±


    ¡°Then, you shouldn¡¯t drink your life away here. Are you really going to ignore your men outside? They


    follow you because they want to do business with you, but here you are being irresponsible.¡±


    Edmund frowned. A hint of annoyance started showing on his face. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I¡¯ll deal


    with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Then, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Sylvia already said what she wanted to say, so it was time for her to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Edmund held her back.


    Sylvia turned around and saw him on his feet.


    He tried approaching Sylvia but stopped when he was a meter away from her. Despite really wanting to


    be closer, he held the urge back. He stared at her and said, ¡°Syl, tell me, how have you beentely?¡±


    Sylvia looked into his eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Odell is treating me well.¡±


    Edmund frowned. ¡°He doesn¡¯t abuse you?¡± ¡°He did during our first marriage, but this time, he really


    doesn¡¯t abuse or bully me. I have also decided to do my best to spend the rest of my days with him.¡±


    Edmund lowered his head in disappointment. ¡°Okay, nice to know.¡±


    In that dim room, when he looked down, Sylvia could not quite capture the expression on his face. All


    she heard was loneliness in his words.


    Some thoughtster, she said, ¡°Edmund, thank you for wliat you¡¯ve done for me. I appreciate it. I really


    hope you can do better in the future. I don¡¯t want to see you keep wasting your life


    away.¡±


    She did not want to see him like this because of her.


    However, Edmund remained quiet.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and wanted to leave.


    It was then that Edmund held her back again. ¡°Syl, can I hug you?¡±


    Sylvia turned around and saw a pitiful Edmund begging her like a boy asking for candy. She did not want


    to hurt him, but lines must be drawn. She bit the bullet and said, ¡°I think you¡¯d better save it for your


    future wife.¡±


    Edmund forced a bitter smile and curved his bloodshot eyes. ¡°Okay, I will.¡± She then left the room without


    turning back anymore. After a few more exchanges of words with Sherry, Harry, and Lloyd, Sylvia went


    downstairs. Tara managed to capture a shot of Sylvia from the corner. Since Sherry, Harry, and Lloyd


    were waiting at the entrance, Tara was unable to get a shot inside the room. So, even after Sylvia left,


    Tara stayed behind. She must have a shot of Edmund, or else when she showed it to Odell, Sylvia would


    try to argue again.


    Just when she was trying to figure out how to get a shot of Edmund, the door of the VIP room opened.


    Edmund finally came out.

 Chapter 352

    Harry and Lloyd almost burst into tears when they saw their bosse out of the room. They stared at


    Edmund with teary eyes.


    ¡°Master Price, you¡¯re finally out!¡±


    Edmund gave each of them a kick on the bum. ¡°Shut up! Stop acting like pussies!¡±


    The two of them did not only stay after the kick, but they even hugged Edmund excitedly.


    Although Edmund had disgust all over his face, he did not try to push Harry and Lloyd away. He then


    said to Sherry, ¡°Ms. Fowler, thank you for calling Syl over. You can go back to work now. I¡¯ll pay you


    double for the whiskey I¡¯ve drank in the past two days.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Sherry did not even try to be


    courteous. She wore a sweet smile and then returned to work.


    Edmund then pulled the clingy Harry and Lloyd off his waist.


    Intrigued, Harry asked, ¡°Master Price, what did Sylvia say to you?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He clearly remembered that Sylvia had only gone in for a few minutes.


    Lloyd also narrowed his eyes. He protruded his lips and wore a perverted look as he said, ¡± Master Price,


    did Sylvia kiss you?¡±


    Smack!


    Edmund immediately smacked the back of Lloyd¡¯s head. ¡°Kiss my ass!¡±


    Lloyd immediately clutched his head and shut his mouth.


    Edmund then exined, ¡°We talked, and that¡¯s it. We didn¡¯t do anything inside the room. If you keep up


    with your bullshit, I¡¯ll cut your tongues out!¡±


    Harry awakwardly smiled and said, ¡°Of course, of course! Master Price, we all know what kind of person


    Sylvia is.¡±


    Lloyd nodded in agreement.


    Edmund then looked at the entrance of Lush Heaven and sighed. ¡°Go book me a spa. I want to have a


    good bath.¡± ¡°Right away, Master Price!¡± Harry pulled out his phone and started dialing. Edmund then had


    a nce at Lloyd. ¡°Bring the car over.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Lloyd then immediately went downstairs. Momentster,


    Harry said, ¡°Master Price, I¡¯ve made a reservation with the spa. Are we going over now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Edmund strutted downstairs.


    Looking at his boss¡¯ energetic pace, Harry could not help but praise Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia is outstanding! All it


    took her was a few minutes with the boss, and he came back to us!¡±


    Edmund was walking ahead when he overheard Harry. His lips then curled into a silent smile.


    Indeed, Sylvia¡¯s arrival reenergized him. It also served as a reminder to not waste life as he had in the


    past two days, and it also made him realize that life should not be a smooth ride. He swore to work


    harder. No matter what it took, he ought to reach the same height as Odell. Since Sylvia said that life


    was good for her, he would not try ruin them anymore or snatch her away. If one day, he found out that


    Odell abused her or bullied her, he would then take her back. He could no longer tolerate being


    threatened and overwhelmed by Odell¡¯s influence, just like what happened back at the restaurant.


    He had been having dinner with Sylvia when Odell barged in unannounced and threatened him with his


    business and his men before taking Sylvia away. There was also that time on the yacht when he had


    nned to confess her feelings to Sylvia.


    They were all insults that smacked him in the face.


    Right after Sylvia came out of Lush Heaven, she went back to Odell¡¯s car.


    Odell was still waiting elegantly in the driver¡¯s seat. He propped the side of his forehead on his hand


    when Sylvia came in and immediately stared at her with a deep gaze. His eyes were charming, but there


    was also an inexpressible feeling to them. Sylvia asked, ¡°How is it? I¡¯m notte, am I?¡± ¡°You are 36


    secondste.¡± He was counting by the seconds?! Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go


    home.¡± Odell raised a disgruntled brow. ¡°Is there something you want to tell me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    His face turned frosty.


    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°I came out after having a word with Edmund. I¡¯mte for whatever seconds


    because I also had a chat with Sherry and the others.¡±

 Chapter 353

    ¡°What did you say to Edmund?¡± ¡°I told him to get himself together.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Odell narrowed his sharp eyes.


    A quick thoughtter, Sylvia continued, ¡°I even told him that I¡¯m having a great life now and that he


    should live a happy life as well. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Come over here.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    His frosty eyes remained narrow, Sylvia held her reluctance back and moved closer to him Odell put his


    hand behind her neck and kissed het He even nipped her on the lips before releasing her.


    ¡°This is your punishment for beingte for 36 seconds.¡±


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    Sylvia was speechless but did not talk back


    The man also looked a lot more satisfied after he had his kiss After that he pushed her back onto the


    passenger seat and drove away from the parking lot


    Sylvia did not even want to argue with him


    On the way home, Sherry texted and told her that shortly after she left, Edmund had gone out with Harry


    and Lloyd and seemed to be in a good mood


    Sylvia heaved a breath of relief after reading the text she had suffered from rtionship problems before


    and did not want to be hurt anymore. It was only natural that she refused to hurt others


    At the same time, Tara was also on the way home from Lush Heaven and was giggling at the video she


    took Although she failed to capture the scene inside the room, she was able to record Sylvia and


    Edmunding out of the room one after another. Edmund even looked reenergized; even an idiot knew


    it was because of Sylvia. She just had to edit out the part where Edmund had imed that nothing


    happened inside the room and then show it to Odell.


    The next morning at Carter Tower¡¯s highest office, Cliff knocked on the door before he went in. He said to


    the man behind the desk, ¡°Sir, Ms. Avery is here. She ims that she has something important to show


    you.¡± Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°Did she say what is it about?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t reveal the details but insists it is important and that you ought to know.¡± Odell suppressed his


    irritation and said, ¡°Bring her in.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± A few minutester, Tara came into the office with her


    phone in her hand. She looked rather conservative in a shirt and jeans. There was no makeup on her


    face, and her hair was simply tucked behind her ears. She looked in, somewhat tired.


    Odell had a nce at her, and the frosty look on his face softened a little.


    It seemed like she had learned her lesson.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Odell. It will only take you a few minutes and I¡¯ll leave after that. I don¡¯t want to disturb your


    work.¡±


    She then went to his side and started, ¡°Odell, I know you like Sylvia a lot now, and you must be having a


    happy life with her, but I¡¯m telling you she¡¯s not who she used to be.¡± Odell¡¯s expression turned frosty.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you want to say to me?¡± Tara immediately exined, ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe me without


    evidence, so here it is.¡± The look on his face changed. ¡°What evidence?¡± ¡°I think Sylvia likes Edmund.


    You might not know about this, but after you and Sylvia remarried, he¡¯s been drinking at Lush Heaven


    every day. My friend identally snapped a video of Sylvia looking for himst night. Look.¡± Tara then


    tapped on her phone and yed the edited video for Odell. The video started off with Sylvia entering


    Lush Heaven and dashing up to the second floor.


    Judging from the angle, the person who shot the video must have been following her from the start. The


    camera then followed Sylvia upstairs and showed her going into the VIP room.

 Chapter 354

    Sometimeter, the door finally opened. Sylvia came out and chatted with Sherry and the two men


    before she went off. Then. Edmund came out. He looked a little disheveled but vibrant. Sylvia must have


    talked some sense into him.


    After that, his men chatted with lim.


    One of the men asked him, ¡°Master Price, what did Sylvia say to you?¡±


    Edmund did not answer.


    The other one then asked, ¡°Master Price, did Sylvia kiss you?¡± The video then ended abruptly.


    Odell did not hear Edmund¡¯s answer.


    Tara also carefully looked at Odell¡¯s reaction after ying the video and spotted nothing but frostiness


    and a wry expression. He was upset, and it must be because of Sylvia.


    ¡°Odell, look, I¡¯m not lying. Sylvia really went looking for Edmund. If there¡¯s nothing between them, why


    would she have gone into his VIP room?¡±


    Tara noticed the cold reaction on his face and continued, ¡°This video is a trimmed version of the original.


    My friend sent it to me. She said Sylvia went in for almost an hour. I really want to know what they were


    talking about inside there.¡± Odell suddenly shut his eyes.


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    Tara took his silence as a sign of anger. She believed he must be painting a picture of Sylvia and


    Edmund doing unspeakable things based on her exnation.


    She was thrilled but had to conceal her feelings. She then added, ¡°Sylvia is such a nice girl. I don¡¯t think


    she¡¯d do something that bad behind your back, right?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Odell suddenly spoke in a gravelly voice.


    Tara was immediately silenced.


    Odell then opened his eyes. He shot a frigid gaze at her and said, ¡°She did see Edmundst night, but it


    onlysted for ten over minutes.¡± Tara¡¯s expression changed. ¡°How did you know? Did Sylvia tell you?¡± ¡°I


    know because I am the one who sent her to Lush Heavenst night,¡± he said in a deep voice,


    emphasizing each and every word that he uttered. Tara widened her eyes in disbelief. She started to


    panic. ¡°W-What? H-How is this possible?¡± Odell red at her and continued, ¡°Last night, I picked her up


    after her event at the art academy, and with my permission, I dropped her off at Lush Heaven at 10:05


    p.m. and she came back into the car precisely at 10:20 p.m.¡±


    Tara¡¯s face turned pale. She did not expect Odell to be the one who sent her there.


    ¡°Why? I thought she didn¡¯t love Odell. Why did she tell Odell if she was going to see Edmund?!¡¯ Odell


    watched as the expression on Tara¡¯s face changed multiple times. A hint of disgust appeared in his eyes.


    Feeling disappointed, he asked, ¡°Tara, what happened to you? What have you be? Or was I wrong


    about you all the time?¡±


    Tara was frightened by the disgust in his eyes, and she started to stagger backward.


    As her eyes welled up, she burst into tears. ¡°Odell, my friend sent me the video, she told me Sylvia went


    in for an hour! I don¡¯t know why she lied to me. It¡¯s a misunderstanding! It¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have


    doubted Sylvia. I don¡¯t believe my friend anymore!¡±


    She wept pitifully.


    Odell frowned. He lost the intention of holding her responsible and did not even bother to find out if her


    ¡®friend¡¯ really existed.


    ¡°Get out. Don¡¯t ever appear before my face again.¡±


    ¡°Odell¡­¡±


    As Odell wore a grim look, his furrowed brows spelled frustration.


    Tara dared not linger and ran out of the office in tears. The office then returned to peace and quiet.

 Chapter 355

    Odell was still deeply irritated. It was not just because of Tara¡¯s little fiasco but also because of what he


    had seen in the video.


    After Sylvia left the room, Edmund emerged reenergized.


    Even his men were shocked by how fast he recovered and asked if it was a kiss from Sylvia that brought


    him back to life.


    However, the video ended abruptly, and he could not determine if that part was maliciously edited or not.


    Recalling Sylvia¡¯s frank and honest reaction after she returned to the carst night, she did not show any


    sense of guilt at all, so she must have never kissed Edmund.


    Odell was just wondering if Edmund had forced himself on her. The thought put a scowl on his face.


    Momentster, he summoned Cliff. ¡°Send some men to keep an eye on Edmund. Inform me if he does


    anything out of the blue, especially when it¡¯s rted to Sylvia.¡±


    Cliff was taken aback. He curiously asked, ¡°Sir, what did Ms. Avery say to you just now?¡±


    Odell shot a fierce re at him. ¡°Just do your job.¡±


    Cliff dared not press on the matter anymore. He immediately nodded and said, ¡°Right away, sir.¡±


    He then quickly left the office.


    After some deliberate consideration, Odell called the bodyguard he sent to watch over Tara at Lake


    Victoria Vi.


    The call went through within a second. ¡°Follow Tara wherever she goes from now on. If she¡¯s acting


    weird, inform me immediately.¡±


    Sylvia had no idea Tara went to Carter Tower just to tell Odell some fabricated lies. She was exining


    to Madam Carter why she was still sleeping with the kids at night.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya had just returned from outside when the former heard from the servants


    that the couple slept with the kids in the same room every night. She went to Sylvia and asked, ¡°Syl, tell


    me. Are you still feeling repulsed? You don¡¯t want Odell to touch you, am I right?¡±


    ¡°No, Grandmother, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you still sleeping with the kids every night?¡± Madam Carter asked.


    Sylvia sighed helplessly and answered, ¡°Isabel and Liam have made it into a habit, and theye over


    every night after their bath.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She started off resisting intimate interaction with Odell, but now, the two little rascals had made a habit


    out of it and had be extremely clingy. That was the reason why the family of four slept together


    every night. She simply did not have the heart to chase the two of them


    back to their room. Madam Carter also sighed helplessly after listening to the situation. She knew how


    feisty the little girl and boy were, but things could not remain like this forever. Madam Carter sincerely


    said, ¡°You have to talk to them and tell them to go sleep in their room. You and Odell just married again.


    This is an important time for you two to develop your rtionship. You can¡¯t sleep with the kids


    anymore.¡±


    Sylvia said with an undercurrent of irritation, ¡°I understand, Grandmother. I know what to do. You don¡¯t


    need to worry.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Madam Carter left Sylvia alone and returned to her room with Aunt Tonya.


    s, Sylvia lost the mood to return to her painting. Odell gave her a week¡¯s time to tell the kids and calm


    them down, but it had been days and she had not been making any progress. She had to think of a way


    to break the news to the boy and girl.


    Later that evening, Isabel and Liam came home from kindergarten as usual.


    Odell had to workte again, and no one knew when he would be back.


    Nheless, Sylvia, Madam Carter, and Aunt Tonya had dinner with the two little rascals as usual.


    After dinner, Isabel and Liam went upstairs to have a shower. Instead of going back into her room, Sylvia


    followed the two of them to their room.

 Chapter 356

    Right after the two little rascals came out of the shower, they saw their mother waiting for them.


    ¡°Mommy, why are you here?¡± Isabel ran over to her with her tiny legs; Liam followed. Sylvia said, ¡°Daddy


    has to workte today, so let¡¯s sleep in your room tonight. I¡¯ll be here as


    well.¡±


    Isabel nodded obediently and hummed a reply while Liam did not say anything. As long as they could


    sleep with their mommy, the location did not matter.


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief at their calm reaction. Then, she got into bed with the two of them, and


    while she was sandwiched in between, she read them a bedtime story.


    The two little rascals fell asleep after a while.


    It was then that the door opened and Odell came in.


    Looking at the two little rascals fast asleep on their bed, his eyes showed a hint of delight and then he


    looked at Sylvia. His gaze was practically telling her to go back to their room since the kids were asleep.


    Sylvia had a nce at the two sleeping angels with their tiny hands on her. She turned to Odell and said


    in a small voice, ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t you go have a rest? I¡¯ll stay here with them tonight.¡±


    Unlike Isabel, Liam was a cautious person and was always alert to his surroundings. He might wake up


    the moment she tried to get up.


    Besides, Sylvia could not just leave them all of a sudden. She should guide them properly and slowly


    and teach them to be independent on their own. N?velDrama.Org content.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Come down.¡±


    Sylvia did not budge, so he strode over and wanted to pick her off the bed.


    However, before he could even touch Sylvia, Liam opened his eyes. He clung to Sylvia¡¯s sleeve and shot


    a begrudging gaze at Odell.


    Odell frowned at the little boy¡¯s fierce reaction.


    The father and son confronted each other for almost a minute, and neither of them wanted to step down.


    Sylvia had to intervene by saying, ¡°Odell, just go take a rest first.¡±


    Odell had a nce at her and decided to release her. ¡°You have three more days. You know what you


    have to do.¡±


    Leaving his final warning behind, he had oncest re at Liam before leaving.


    Sylvia hugged the little boy in her arms and said, ¡°Go to sleep, Liam. Mommy¡¯s not leaving.¡±


    Liam protruded his lips in silence and hugged her tightly. A whileter, after he finally fell


    asleep, Sylvia also shut her eyes.


    The next night, Sylvia came to their room and slept with them again.


    The bedtime story she chose today was about a child being independent and sleeping alone. She


    concentrated on delivering the story but Isabel fell asleep before the story even ended. Liam, on the


    other hand, listened to the end before he closed his eyes and hugged his mother to sleep. Sylvia kissed


    the two little angels on the cheeks before she, too, shut her eyes.


    Three days went by in the blink of an eye, and today would be the deadline that Odell had set.


    In the evening, Isabel and Liam came home as usual. Odell was only a few minutester than them


    because he did not have to workte today.


    The moment he entered the living room, he shot a profound gaze at Sylvia, but she averted it and


    continued ying with the kids. She got up halfway through the game and went to the bathroom.


    When she came up, she was stopped by a towering figure in front of the door. He looked at her and


    asked, ¡°Today is thest day. Have you spoken to them?¡± Sylvia tightened her lips. She looked like she


    had something to say but she just could not find the correct words.


    Odell wore a grim look at her hesitant reaction.


    ¡°Odell, today I¡¯ll ¡ª ¡± Before she could finish, Odell¡¯s big hand already clutched both sides of her face.

 Chapter 357

    With her face in his clutches, Sylvia was forced to look into Odell¡¯s eyes,


    Odell narrowed his eyes at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip tomorrow afternoon. We are going


    to multiple locations this time, so it will take at least ten days for me to get back. If you are not in the


    room by 10 p.m. tonight, I¡¯ll drag you in myself.¡± He then turned around and left.


    Sylvia helplessly pursed her lips.


    After dinner, Sylvia went to Isabel and Liam¡¯s room again.


    She picked a short bedtime storytoday and was finished even before Isabel started to feel sleepy.


    She then hugged the two of them and said in a small voice, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy wants to talk to you


    guys about something.¡±


    The two of them widened their eyes at her. Sylvia continued, ¡°From today onwards, I might not be able to


    sleep with you guys anymore, but I¡¯lle by and read you a bedtime story every night.¡±


    Isabel protruded her lips. ¡°Why? Are you going to sleep with that big meanie!?¡±


    Sylvia patted the little girl¡¯s head andforted her. ¡°Isabel, Mommy and Daddy have married again. We


    are husband and wife now, so it¡¯s only natural for us to sleep together. Besides, you and Liam should


    have your own private space as well. Mommy can¡¯t be with you forever.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s lips remained protruded, but she did not say anything else. Sylvia then turned to Liam and asked


    him, ¡°How about you, Liam?¡± Liam also protruded his lips. ¡°Whatever you say, Mommy.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and kissed his puffy cheek. She then said, ¡°Hurry up and sleep. I¡¯ll be here until the two of


    you are asleep.¡± The two of them were surprisingly obedient. After her words subsided, theyy down


    beside her and tried to sleep. Isabel even hugged her leg like a bolster pillow, as if she was not ready to


    sleep without her mother.


    Seconds turned into minutes, and the two little rascals soon fell asleep.


    Sylvia got up andid the nket over them.


    When she came out of the room, the time was not even 10 p.m. yet. She then went upstairs to the


    master bedroom and found out that the door was not fully closed, and there were no lights inside.


    Odell should not be sleeping this early. Had he gone to the study to continue his work? Nevertheless,


    Sylvia was not overly bothered and went inside.


    The moment she set foot inside, a towering shadow dwarfed her, and the door was mmed shut.


    A strong arm lifted her up in the dark and pressed her against the wall. The man¡¯s strong and scorching


    kiss ravaged her lips before she could even react. He did not give her any chance to resist at all


    Then, his slender and warm fingers moved across her neck, inciting a sensual sensation and causing


    goosebumps all over her body.


    ¡°Mmhmm¡­¡±


    She tried to push him away, and he also felt her struggle, but he responded by exerting more strength to


    pin her down. Sylvia was pinned on the wall like a pinata waiting to be cracked open. The rustling couple


    started to turn the heat up in the room. As he ravaged her body and unbuttoned her shirt, he carried her


    to the bed. While Odell¡¯s towering figure was on top of her half-naked body, he was staring at her with a


    deep gaze overflowing with lust and power.


    Sylvia¡¯s lips were finally freed. Her face was as red as an apple as she said in a small voice,¡° Odell, 1¡­


    I¡­¡±


    He seemed to be in a good mood, so he patiently asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Sylvia bit the bullet and said, ¡°I am


    having my period!¡±


    The pleasure on his face was instantly reced by shock and bitterness. Feeling embarrassed, Sylvia


    borated, ¡°It started earlier in the day, and I didn¡¯t expect it as well.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    She wanted to tell him about it when he stopped her in front of the toilet earlier in the day, but he had not


    given her the chance.

 Chapter 358

    Odell shot her a grim look. Sylvia awkwardly chuckled and said, ¡°Um, can you be a little more patient?¡±


    He pressed his lips onto hers to silence her. The kiss felt more like a punishment because he only


    released her after her lips were swollen.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    He got off from her and strode to the bathroom. The shower was turned on as soon as he mmed the


    door shut.


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief and sat herself up.


    A whileter, Odell came out of the bathroom in his robe. She stared at him shyly, but he simply replied


    with a frosty gaze.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and went into the bathroom. To her surprise, the bathroom remained chilly even


    after Odell¡¯s shower. There was not the slightest bit of warmth inside.


    She frowned. ¡®Did he shower in cold water just now?¡¯


    Sylvia turned on the heater and took a shower.


    When she came out in her pajamas, she saw Odell reading a book on the bed.


    Sylvia crawled into bed andy down beside him. She then turned to him and softly said to him, ¡°It¡¯s


    gettingte. You should get some rest.¡¯


    Odell gave her the cold shoulder. He must still be mad about not being able to have sex with her.


    However, Sylvia could not help it as well. She lost count of her menstrual cycle and did not expect to get


    it today. She pursed her lips helplessly and turned to the other side to sleep.


    In the next second, a warm presence embraced her from the back. The man¡¯s long arms curled around


    her waist and hugged her into his chest tightly.


    His gravelly voice then entered her ears, ¡°Can¡¯t you chat to me a little more?¡±


    In other words, he wanted her to coddle him more.


    Sylvia gulped nervously and said, ¡°It¡¯ste. Get some rest.¡±


    He lowered his head to her neck and took a nibble.


    Sylvia gasped in shock, but before she could react, he said, ¡°Call me at 8 p.m. every night. If I don¡¯t pick


    up because of work, text me. I want you to do it for as long as I am away for the business trip.¡±


    Sylvia was afraid that he would bite her again, so she yed along and said, ¡°Okay, I will.¡± Only with her


    assurance, did he withdraw his strength from her.


    After a dreamless night, the next day arrived.


    Cliff came over around noon with his briefcase to pick Odell up.


    Sylvia sent them off at the entrance. While Cliff helped put Odell¡¯s luggage into the trunk, Odell turned


    around and hugged Sylvia in his arms. The two of them would not be seeing each other for at least ten


    days, and even she felt a little empty.


    She returned his hug and said, ¡°Odell, good luck with your work.¡±


    Odell lowered himself to kiss her. The kisssted for a while before he released her. He then stared at


    her with the warmest gaze and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Cliff watched from afar and chuckled at the scene.


    Sylvia started to blush. She said, ¡°Hurry up. Don¡¯t bete.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Wait for me.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    He turned around and hopped into the car. Sylvia watched as the car disappeared beyond the junction


    before she went back inside.

 Chapter 359

    Odell was the one who left for his business trip, but Sylvia felt like the house was empty. At night, after


    she apanied her kids to bed, she went back to the master bedroom and slept alone there.


    She had already told Isabel and Liam that she could no longer sleep with them at night, or else they


    would only cultivate a bad habit.


    Two days went by in the blink of an eye.


    That afternoon, Sylvia headed to the art association office to conclude the unfinished meeting from the


    other day.


    She had originally refused to attend, but Christopher had called her twice and texted her a bunch of


    messages, asking her to judge the Westchester Art Competition which was hosted specifically for the


    students.


    Sylvia eventually agreed, hence her attendance.


    The atmosphere of the meeting was a lot better thanst time. Other than Ariane and Renna who


    intentionally avoided her, the others were rather friendly and even greeted her with a smile. Some of


    them even took the initiative to apologize to her about the previous meeting.


    The meeting progressed smoothly.


    After the meeting, Sylvia went to the toilet and identally overheard Ariane and Renna¡¯s conversation.


    Renna asked, ¡°Ariane, have you contacted Tara anyhow? I texted her, but she doesn¡¯t even reply to any


    of my messages. Is it true that she broke up with Odell?¡±


    Ariane answered with a sigh, ¡°I heard that it¡¯s true. Sylvia already remarried Odell, and since the


    romance has been reignited, Tara must have broken up with him. I bet she¡¯s suffering a lot


    now.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we should visit?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. She doesn¡¯t even want to talk to us. What makes you


    think she wants to see us?¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± The gossip ended when the two of them left the toilet. Sylvia then came out shortly


    after. Thest time she saw Tara was at the art academy where she had informed her about Edmund¡¯s


    drunken situation at Lush Heaven. She had a feeling back then that Tara must be nning something


    malicious.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    She even wondered if Tara still harbored feelings for Odell. However, judging from Tara¡¯s outfit from that


    night and Odell not evenying a finger on her, even if Tara still had feelings for him, Odell would not be


    romantically rted to her anymore. With the thought put aside, Sylvia washed her hands and left.


    At Lake Victoria Vi, Tara was lying down on her newly bought cashmere couch in her branded silk


    pajamas. Her brows were tightly furrowed as she stared at the screen of her phone.


    After being chased out of Carter Tower the other day, Odell had cklisted her number. No matter how


    many times she tried, it just could not get through. Fortunately, Odell did not block her on WhatsApp, so


    she could still text him. However, despite texting him more than a hundred times since that day, she did


    not even get a single reply. He obviously was giving her the silent treatment.


    Tara was frustrated. If he did not want to talk to her, why would he arrange a bodyguard to follow her


    around? Even if she was out shopping, the bodyguard would follow her, robbing her of any chances that


    she could use to use or frame Sylvia.


    Just when she was about to smash her phone on the floor, the servant came in and said respectfully,


    ¡°Ms. Avery, there¡¯s a middle-aged woman at the door looking for you. She said she knows you and that


    she¡¯s family. Her name, if I remember correctly, is Ms. Mnie Miriam.¡±


    Tara¡¯s expression changed. She bolted up and said, ¡°Bring her in!¡±


    A whileter, a woman with curly hair, heavy makeup, and a crimson red dress came in. She twisted her


    robust waist as she walked around and sized up the room with gleaming eyes.


    Tara raised a brow at her and then said to the servant, ¡°You can go out now. Don¡¯te in if I don¡¯t call


    for you.¡¯


    The servant nodded and left.


    Tara then looked at the woman. ¡°Mom, what brings you here? I thought I told you to stay away from this


    ce.¡± Mnie red at her daughter with a stern gaze. ¡°If I continue to leave you be, you¡¯ll be


    chased out of Westchester by that little bitch.¡±


    Tara was shocked. ¡°H-How did you find out?¡±


    Mnie¡¯s eyes shifted. ¡°Do I even need someone else to tell me? Everyone in Westchester knows that


    Odell remarried his ex-wife, Sylvia.¡±


    The name reignited Tara¡¯s frustration. She furrowed her brows and sat down on the couch.


    ¡°Odell and Sylvia might have gotten back together, but he still gives me the same sum of money. I¡¯ll think


    of a way to snatch him back. You don¡¯t have to worry. Go back. Don¡¯te here anymore.¡±


    Mnie¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°He really gives you the same sum of money as before?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s even more than before actually.¡±


    Tara felt slightly better thinking about the huge sum of money that Odell gave her as living expenses.


    Mnie also wore a delighted look. She then said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If they ask who am I. l¡¯ll say


    I¡¯m your aunt. I won¡¯t let Odell know I¡¯m your mnother.¡±

 Chapter 360

    ¡°No. Odell is having a little misunderstanding about me. You can¡¯t stay here,¡± Tara said with a frown.


    If Odell found out that she had a mother, he would know that she had lied to him back then.


    Once he found out the truth, her perfect life would disappear overnight. She did not even have to think


    about winning his heart back. Not only that, given his temper, she would probably pay a severe price for


    lying to him. Mnie understood her concern, so she said, ¡°Tara, don¡¯t worry. Just call me Aunt Mnie.


    I won¡¯t let others find out about me and you. I¡¯m not just here to visit. I¡¯m here to help you deal with that


    little bitch Sylvia. I want her to give you back the title of Mrs. Carter!¡±


    Tara wore a frustrated look. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything. I don¡¯t know how to deal with her. Any bright ideas?¡±


    Mnie was just an old woman whose glory days were behind her. She used to have several rich


    boyfriends, but she had failed miserably and lost every one of them. What could she possibly have to


    help Tara?


    Odell was unlike the men she met in the past. He was young, handsome, capable, and considered the


    perfect man. Almost all the girls in the upper social circle were infatuated with him, not only because he


    was the eldest son of the Carter but also because of his personal charms. Mnie held her daughter¡¯s


    hands and said, ¡°Tara, I¡¯m older and more experienced than you. As long as we can seize the chance, I


    assure you we can chase that little bitch away. Just trust me once.¡±


    She came prepared this time because she had a ¡®consultant¡¯ behind her back. This ¡®consultant seemed


    to have a conflict with Sylvia as well.


    If she could just separate the little bitch from Odell, not only would she do her daughter a big favor, but


    she would also receive a huge sum of money from her ¡®consultant¡¯. She would never have to worry about


    the rest of her life anymore. Tara felt reluctant, but looking at her mother¡¯s confidence, shepromised


    because she was out of ideas.


    Mnie then said, ¡°I heard Odell went on a business trip abroad and will only be back in ten days. Let


    me stay here and help you.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes shifted. ¡°Odell went on a business trip? Where did you get this news?¡± ¡°I have my


    connections.¡± Mnie grinned confidently and wore a smug look on her face. Tara¡¯s expression


    changed. ¡°Can your connection be trusted?¡± ¡°Of course! He¡¯s able to get anything that I want to know,¡±


    Mnie answered immediately. ¡°Who is this guy?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know his name either. I know him from my ex-boyfriend. I just know he has a vastwork and


    has a certain influence.¡± Mnie had a sense of respect and fixation on her face that was covered in


    heavy makeup when she mentioned her mysterious contact.


    Tara knew there were influential figures who decided to keep a low profile from the public, like Edmund


    who had retired from his gangster life but remained influential. Mnie must be referring to someone of


    his caliber, or else he would not have known that Odell went on a business trip abroad two days ago.


    Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed. She did not expect her mother to know someone this influential, but it would


    definitely help her snatch Odell back from the little bitch¡¯s possession.


    Later that night at the Carters¡¯ residence, dinner ended before 8 p.m. Sylvia was ying with Isabel and


    Liam in their room. She set an rm for 8 p.m. to remind her to call odell. After two nights, the two little


    rascals knew she had to call Odell at this time, so they put their toys down and stayed quiet. ¨C


    Sylvia was sandwiched between the two of them when she called him.


    Two dial tonester, the call ended abruptly. Sylvia thought he was busy, but just when she was about to


    put her phone away, she received a text from him. ¡°Video call me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

 Chapter 361

    If he had the time to text her and inform her to video call him, why didn¡¯t he just video call her


    straightaway? Sylvia speechlessly tightened her lips as she video-called Odell. The call got through and


    his handsome face appeared on screen. It still seemed to be daytime on his side as he was sitting


    beside the floor-to-ceiling window.


    He stared at her in silence. Sylvia took the initiative and asked, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve taken my lunch.¡±


    ¡°We just had dinner.¡± Sylvia then moved the phone further away and allowed Isabel and Liam into the


    frame. When Odell saw the mother and children sitting together, his frosty expression looked warmer.


    ¡°Did anything happen today?¡± ¡°The same ol¡¯ stuff. Isabel and Liam went to school and came back Being


    the good kids they are, nothing much happened.¡± Odell hummed a reply. Sylvia then turned to Isabel and


    Liam. ¡°Isabel, Liam, do you guys have anything to say to Daddy?¡± Liam stared at the screen with his big


    eyes and said with a solemn stare, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She then turned to Isabel, hoping for a different oue.


    Isabel was pouting as she bawled at Odell, ¡°Big meanie, don¡¯t you dare touch other women outside. If I


    find out about your affairs, I¡¯ll tell Mommy to divorce you!¡± Sylvia was at a loss for words. The girl must


    have watched too many drama series with Aunt Tonyately and picked up the bad influence there.


    Just when Sylvia was trying toe up with appropriate words in her mind, Odell answered,¡± Okay,¡±


    He looked calm and normal without the slightest irritation on his face. His lips were even curled into a


    vague grin.


    Listening to his assurance, Isabel smiled widely. She reigned the tone of an adult and said, ¡± Then, I


    have nothing else to say. You can talk with Mommy.¡±


    Odell then looked at Sylv¨ªa.


    Sylvia did not know how to react to Isabel¡¯s amusingments. She looked at Odell and said,¡° I¡¯ll y


    with them a little longer. You can go back to your work now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not busy at the moment.¡± Surprised, Sylvia asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have work today?¡±


    Odell lifted his wrist to have a nce at his watch. ¡°There¡¯s a meeting, but it¡¯s in three hours.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something you want to do?¡± he asked. ¡°Nope, nothing.¡±


    He raised a brow and asked, ¡°Were you home during the day?¡± ¡°I went out shopping with Sherry in the


    afternoon,¡± Sylvia said. The odd conversation went on and on, and before they knew it, half an hour


    passed. The conversation ran into a dead end as neither of them had any new topics to talk about.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Syi then said, ¡°odell, the kids are tired. I have to tuck them in now.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and said, ¡°Okay. Good night.¡± Sylvia then hung up the video call.


    Isabel was already dozing off while Liam was yawning like crazy. Sylvia carried both of them to their


    respective beds, tucked them into the sheets, and then returned to her room to rest.

 Chapter 362

    Two dayster, which was a Saturday, the two little rascals did not have to go to school. Sylvia was


    starting to get bored after staying at home for several days, so she brought the kids to the amusement


    park..


    Right after her car left the Carters¡¯ residence, another car drove out from the corner and tailed her.


    It was Mnie.


    She had been waiting outside the Carters¡¯ for days now and finally saw Sylvia going out. She told the


    driver that she hired, ¡°Follow that car. Hurry! Don¡¯t lose it!¡±


    Odell had registered Isabel and Liam for several luxury amusement park memberships, so Sylvia


    brought them to one of them.


    The amusement park was well-equipped with all kinds of attractions and even a full-fledged cafeteria.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Isabel roamed around like a horse without reins and dragged Liam to every attraction avable; Sylvia


    simply followed them around. They spent a whole day in the amusement park and only left in the


    evening.


    There was a new anime movie showing in cinemas now, and ever since Isabel spent the whole weekend


    at the movies with her family, she had been wanting to go again.


    Therefore, aftering out of the amusement park, Sylvia brought them to the movies right away. The


    theatre hall was almost fully seated, and even the air smelled like popcorn.


    As soon as they arrived, Isabel bawled, ¡°Mommy, I want po and drinks!¡± ¡°You can have popcorn but


    no soft drinks for you, little missy.¡± Isabel widened her googly eyes and begged, ¡°Just a tiny bit!¡±


    ¡°Not even a sip,¡± Sylvia said strictly.


    Isabel protruded her lips and said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have orange juice.¡±


    Sylvia patted Isabel and Liam and said, ¡°Stay here. I¡¯lle back with juice and popcorn.¡±


    The two little rascals nodded obediently.


    The snack counter was further away from the waiting area. After sitting the two of them down on the


    bench, Sylvia went over to the counter to queue up.


    It was then that Mnie emerged from the shadows.


    She thought Sylvia was bringing her kids out as a smokescreen for her to meet other men, but they


    spent a whole day at the amusement park and then went to the movies.


    She heard from Tara that Sylvia had no feelings for Odell. If that was the truth, shouldn¡¯t she


    be meeting other men while Odell was away on a business trip? Mnie wasted a full day following


    Sylvia around, and seeing the kids further fueled her irritation.


    If Sylvia had not given birth to the two little rascals, Tara would have married Odell instead of her.


    Since Mnie failed to capture any pictures of Sylvia seeing another man, she changed her n to


    abduct the two kids and sell them off. She put on her mask and approached the kids.


    She curved her eyes into a warm smile and said, ¡°Hey, little girl, do you want to have a bottle of Pepsi?¡±


    Isabel and Liam looked at her.


    Isabel blinked nkly and Liam remained quiet.


    Mnie suddenly locked eyes with Liam, and for some reason, the boy¡¯s overly calm gaze made her


    anxious. However, knowing that they were just two four-year-olds, Mnie calmed herself down and


    continued to entice them. ¡°Why don¡¯t I buy you two a bottle of Pepsi?¡± Isabel grinned and said, ¡°Okay!¡±

 Chapter 363

    Mnie¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°But the Pepsi here is not that good. Follow me and I¡¯ll bring you somewhere


    better.¡± Isabel looked at Liam who tightened his lips but did not say a word. Mnie did not notice the


    little interaction between the brother and sister, so she continued,¡± Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a bad person. I


    just want to buy you a drink because you two are so adorable.¡± Isabel widened her eyes. ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Mnie then reached out to the little girl. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll buy you something nice to drink.¡±


    Isabel also extended her hand in response to her invitation.


    As Mnie bent over to pick Isabel up, the little girl reached out and scratched her face. Her tiny nails


    did not only scratch Mnie¡¯s face but even pulled her mask off.


    Mnie squealed in pain. The expression on her face turned frosty as she dropped her n to take the


    girl away by force. Isabel then immediately jumped into her brother¡¯s arms and shouted, ¡°Help! Help!


    Someone is trying to kidnap me! Help!¡± The girl might be tiny and always spoke in a feeble voice, but


    when she screamed, she could be as loud as a grown woman. Her scream immediately gathered a


    crowd, and even Sylvia, who was at the snack counter, turned around. She saw Isabel clinging to her


    brother tightly as she red at the middle-aged woman before her. The middle-aged woman was


    completely dressed in ck and had a cap on. When Sylvia ran back, the woman hurriedly put her mask


    on and attempted to escape from the growing crowd. Isabel continued screaming, ¡°Catch her. She¡¯s an


    evil person! She¡¯s a kidnapper trying to sell me off!


    The crowd grew anxious when they heard the term ¡®kidnapper¡¯. Several righteous men tried to stop the


    middle-aged woman from leaving


    Sylvia was caught in a panic. She stayed by her children¡¯s side and protected them from further harm


    However, the middle-aged woman was as slippery as an eel. She almost tripped and fell after being


    kicked several times by the crowd but managed to escape.


    Sylvia was worried about her children, so she did not go after the woman.


    The crowd dispersed shortly after that, and some of them stayed back to offer somefort.


    Sylvia thanked everyone who helped. She then turned to Isabel and Liam with a worried expression, ¡°Are


    you guys okay? Are you hurt?¡± Isabel calmed down after the kidnapper left. She wore a smirk and said,


    ¡°Of course not. Hehe, I even scratched her face.¡± Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. She then hugged the


    little girl into her arms and held Liam¡¯s hand tightly.


    Isabel continued, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry. Bro and I knew at first nce that thatdy is an evil person, so


    we tried to trap her but she still ran away.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°Next time, if you run into a bad person, don¡¯t try to provoke or engage them. Run, or


    scream for help, do you understand?¡±


    They were fortunate because they were in a crowded ce this time. If they had been in a secluded


    ce, given their feeble strength, they would never have stopped a grown person from taking them


    away. Isabel noticed the serious look on her mother¡¯s face. She protruded her lip and nodded obediently.


    ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡± Liam then quipped, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry. I will protect Isabel and myself.¡±


    Sylvia finally sighed a breath of relief. She believed it would be better to call Ben and Jacob along on


    their next outing.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The popcorn and juice were finally ready over the counter. Sylvia saw the little girl¡¯s pleading eyes and


    eventually bought a bottle of Pepsi for her.

 Chapter 364

    Mnie ran out of the cinema for her life and headed straight to the car in the parking lot. The moment


    she jumped into the car, she screamed at the driver, ¡°Drive! Drive right away!¡± She was afraid that the


    security guards would catch up to her. The driver immediately floored the eleration pedal. She only


    calmed down when the car arrived at Lake Victoria Vi.


    She was kicked several times on the back, and it still hurt. She even had a reddish w mark on her


    face.


    Mnie was furious. ¡°That little piece of shit!¡± She strode into the vi right after she got out of the car.


    The housekeeper who worked for Tara gaped at the w mark on her face. Out of frustration, she


    pped the housekeeper in the face. She shouted, ¡°What are you looking at? I¡¯ll p the shit out of you


    if you keep staring!¡± The housekeeper immediately looked away. Mnie grunted before she headed to


    Tara¡¯s room. Tara anticipated her mother¡¯s return. After she closed the door, she asked, ¡°How was it?¡±


    Mnie grumbled, ¡°Sylvia spent the whole day with her children. She didn¡¯t meet any men in secret.¡±


    ¡°That bitch is too cunning,¡± Tara cursed as she sat down on the couch. Mnie pondered about it for a


    moment and asked, ¡°Tara, is it possible that she isn¡¯t seeing


    anyone?¡±


    ¡°Impossible! She must be seeing other men out there, or she would have fallen for Odell.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be too sure about that. She might not have any more feelings for Odell, but it doesn¡¯t mean


    that will stay permanent. Now that they are remarried, maybe she¡¯s developing feelings for him again.¡±


    Tara frowned tightly. She immediately recalled the kind look she saw on Odell¡¯s face.


    Now that he loved Sylvia, he no longer had disgust and contempt for that woman and must be treating


    her well. No woman would be able to resist his kindness, so it was entirely possible for Sylvia to love him


    again.


    The more Tara thought about it, the angrier she got.


    She had to separate them as soon as possible. She could not allow this to continue because the longer


    she dragged it out, the lesser chance she had to return to Odell¡¯s embrace.


    She turned to her mother and asked in a hurried tone, ¡°Do you have any other ideas other than following


    her?¡±


    Mnie immediately answered, ¡°Tara, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll think of something. I promise I¡¯ll help you to win


    Odell¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°I want the bitch to disappear!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯lle up with a n right away.


    When the mother and kids returned home from the movie, it was already 10 p.m. Isabel and Liam were


    already fast asleep in the car.


    Sylvia carried both of them back to their room and helped them change into their pajamas. Shey down


    beside them and recalled what had happened before the movie.


    The thought of almost losing her children to the kidnapper left her anxious. She pulled her phone out and


    wonder if she should inform Odell about this.


    Two hours ago at 8 p.m., she had texted him that they were watching a movie, so Odell had simply


    replied with a brief text.


    He must have been busy working at that time.


    Sylvia wondered if he was still working now. After some deliberate consideration, she decided to put her


    phone away. Since Isabel and Liam were fine and Odell was working abroad, she believed it would be


    better to inform him when he came back and save him the worry.


    The next day, Sylvia stayed at home and apanied the kids for the whole day.


    After the weekend, it was time for the kids to return to school, but she was afraid after what happened.


    On Monday morning, she called Ben and Jacob to follow her as she brought the kids to kindergarten.


    She stayed and watched the kids go inside before she left. In the evening, Sylvia arrived at the


    kindergarten to pick them up.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

 Chapter 365

    Like any other parent, Sylvia waited for her kids in the waiting area. When Isabel and Liam came out,


    she went over immediately. Isabel and Liam¡¯s eyes gleamed when they saw their mother.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel threw herself into Sylvia¡¯s arms. Liam also strode over excitedly. Sylvia held their hands


    and wanted to take them home. It was then that one of their ssmates, a plump boy, said, ¡°Isabel, your


    Mommy is really pretty.¡±


    His mother was also there to pick him up. Sylvia smiled. Just as she wanted to thank the little boy for the


    compliment, Isabel proudly said, ¡°Of course.¡± Sylvia could not help butugh at her daughter¡¯s reaction.


    She then had a chat with the little boy¡¯s mother.


    After that, she brought Isabel and Liam back to the car. Isabel crawled into her arms and Liam sat beside


    her obediently. As the car drove off, Isabel chuckled and asked, ¡°Mommy, why did youe to pick us


    up from kindergarten today?¡±


    Sylvia did not want to tell Isabel that she was worried about them being kidnapped, so she said, ¡°I¡¯m free


    today.¡± Isabel asked, ¡°Then, will you be picking us up tomorrow?¡± She widened her big googly eyes and


    begged as Liam did the same. Sylvia did not have the heart to reject them. ¡°I¡¯lle to pick you two up


    tomorrow as well.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Isabel buried her face into her mother¡¯s stomach.


    Liam also curled his thin lips into a grin. Sylvia forced a helpless smile on her face. She did not expect


    the two little rascals to like her to pick them up so much. Right after their car left the kindergarten,


    another car appeared from the corner of the street. The driver asked, ¡°Are we still following them?¡±


    Mnie looked frustrated. ¡°That¡¯s it Let¡¯s go back first.¡±


    Following Sylvia home would probably be useless anyway.


    The driver then turned in the other direction,


    Mnie pulled her phone out and texted a contact for help. She had no ideas left, so she thought of


    asking him for help.


    Before they arrived at Lake Victoria Vi, she got a reply. ¡°Keep following her.¡± Mnie was baffled. She


    had been following Sylvia for many days now and got nothing at all. She started to believe that this


    ¡®consultant¡¯ of hers had no idea how to approach this matter as well, but she maintained her politeness


    and texted, ¡°Okay. As you wish.¡±


    The next morning, after breakfast, Sylvia brought Isabel and Liam to kindergarten. After they got out of


    the car, she walked them to the entrance before bidding them goodbye. She then watched them go


    inside the ssroom before she turned around. Before she got into the car, she saw a familiar off-roader


    stopping beside the road. The window rolled down and a haughty face emerged. ¡°Edmund? Why are you


    here?¡± Sylvia was surprised to see Edmund. ¡°I¡¯ve got a meeting with a client around the area,¡± Edmund


    said, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to send my kids to school.¡± Edmund had a nce at the


    kindergarten behind her. ¡°Okay, I have to go now. Talk to you soon.¡± ¡°Okay. See you.¡± Sylvia then


    returned to her car.


    Further away in another car, Mnie managed to snap some pictures with her phone. Although Edmund


    and Sylvia barely chatted for a minute, she was still able to get several incriminating pictures.

 Chapter 366

    What Sylvia did not expect was to meet Edmund again when she went to the kindergarten to pick up the


    children in the evening.


    At that moment, the roadside was full of cars picking up the children from kindergarten, so the road was


    a bit congested.


    Edmund¡¯s car happened to be stuck on the road. He lowered the window and shed Sylvia a charming


    look. ¡°Lil Syl.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. Beside her, Isabel jumped up and called, ¡°Mr. Price!¡± Edmund immediately smiled


    at her. ¡°Hey, Isabel. How have you been recently?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been great.¡± Isabel asked him solemnly, ¡°What


    about you?¡± Edmundughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been great too.¡±


    Then, the car in front of him started to move. He had no time to say anything and waved at them. ¡°I have


    to go now, Isabel. Bye.¡±


    He looked at Sylvia again and drove the car away. Sylvia carried Isabel and Liam to the car. Just as she


    was about to get into the car, she suddenly sensed something and looked around. However, there was


    nothing suspicious except for the vehicles parked on the road, which belonged to parents who were


    picking up their children. ¡®It must have been my imagination.¡¯


    She did not think much about it and bent down to get into the car.


    In an ordinary car parked diagonally behind Sylvia¡¯s car, Mnie sat up from the rear car seat. She


    looked at the photo she had just taken and smirked happily.


    A night passed In the morning, Sylvia got up on time. After eating breakfast, she apanied the two


    children to kindergarten as usual.


    She did not know if it was a coincidence, but just like yesterday, she turned around and bumped into


    Edmund after sending the little ones off.


    He also happened to drive by there.


    When he saw Sylvia, he lowered the window and smiled. ¡°What a coincidence, Lil Syl. Are weted?¡±


    Sylvia did not want to answer that question and walked to her car. ¡°I¡¯m just joking.¡± Edmundughed and


    added, ¡°Have you had breakfast? I bought some buns


    from a famous store. Do you want some?¡±


    She replied, ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ve had breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He did not say anything else and drove away.


    Sylvia also got into her car and closed the door. The day passed in a sh. In the evening, when it was


    time for kindergarten to end, Sylvia arrived at the entrance on time. She picked Isabel and Liam up


    shortly.


    Holding their little hands, they walked toward the roadside parking area.


    Just as she reached the other side, she saw Edmund¡¯s car driving over. The road was congested, so his


    car was stuck in traffic and could not move.


    He lowered the window and shot her a charming look. ¡°Lil Syl, we really are linked by fate.¡±


    1


    Sylvia could not help but ask, ¡°Why are you here again?¡± ¡°I happened to finish work and came over,¡± he


    answered frankly.

 Chapter 367

    He really did not expect to meet in the morning and evening two days in a row. Nevertheless, Sylvia did


    not think much of it. After all, he was working in this neighborhood, so it was normal to run into each


    other.


    She turned around and was about to take the children to the car. However, Edmund suddenly brought


    out two delicately wrapped presents and said to Isabel,¡± Isabel, this is a gift for your brother and you.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes lit up, and she ran over to take the gifts. At the same time, she said, ¡°Thank you, Mr.


    Price.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Go home with your Mommy now.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Isabel happily returned to Sylvia¡¯s side


    with the gifts in her arms. Sylvia pursed her lips helplessly and said to Edmund, ¡°Thank you for buying


    them gifts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I just bought them on the way over.¡± Since he met Isabel yesterday, he


    thought that he might meet her again this evening and prepare a couple of gifts. Unexpectedly, he really


    ended up meeting her.


    After saying that, he wound up the window and drove away when the congested vehicles in front of him


    moved up.


    Sylvia carried Isabel and Liam to the car.


    Inside the car, Isabel opened the box excitedly. There was a red remote control sports car as well as a


    Megaminx.


    Liam loved to y with the Rubik¡¯s Cube, and the red remote sports car was obviously Isabel¡¯s.


    After giving the Megaminx to Liam, she held the sports car and fiddled with it, her chubby face full of


    happiness. Liam took the Megaminx and started to y with it quietly. The little ones were obviously very


    interested in Edmund¡¯s gifts.


    For a moment, Sylvia did not know whether to be happy or upset. She knew that Edmund was doing it


    out of kindness, but she really did not want to have anything to do with him.


    At Lake Victoria Vi, Mnie got out of the car and ran to Tara¡¯s room. She excitedly showed the photos


    to Tara and said, ¡°Tara, look. That little b*tch met that man in front of the kindy again, and he even gave


    the two brats gifts.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Tara quickly looked at the photos on the phone. The photos had Umestamps of when they were taken.


    There were pictures of Sylvia and Edmund meeting this morning and evening.


    The photos that Mnie took of them yesterday were also around the same time frame. Although


    Edmund did note down from his car, and Sylvia did not approach him then, in


    that evening¡¯s photo, Isabel had gone up to his car and picked up his gift! Furthermore, there was clearly


    an overjoyed smile on her chubby face. Tara let out a smirk when she saw the pictures and hurriedly sent


    them to her own phone.


    She organized them for a while, selected a few, and sent them to Odell with the caption,¡± Odell, a friend


    who lives near Isabel and Liam¡¯s kindy identally saw Sylvia and Edmund together when she got off


    work. She sent me these photos. I didn¡¯t think it was anything much when she sent them to me


    yesterday, so I didn¡¯t tell you about it, but she saw them again early in the morning today. Just now, when


    she returned from work in the evening, she saw them chatting happily in front of the kindy. I think that


    there¡¯s something going on¡­¡±


    The message was quickly sent out.


    Mnie came up and asked, ¡°How is it? Did Master Carter reply?¡±


    Tara frowned back at her. ¡°Odell is probably busy.¡±


    After thinking about it, she sent another paragraph. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just overthinking it. It¡¯s probably a


    coincidence that they have been meeting in front of the kindy in the morning and evening for the past two


    days.¡±


    In Liberty, Odell, who had just finished a meeting, was sitting in the car on his way back to the hotel.


    He looked at the photos of Sylvia and Edmund chatting that Tara sent him, and the way Isabel happily


    went to receive the present from Edmund. His expression suddenly turned cold.


    The photos had timestamps on them, but even if he did not look at the timestamps, since Sylvia was


    wearing two different outfits, he could see that she had met Edmund in front of the kindergarten for the


    past two days. The timestamps happened to be during the period when Isabel and Liam were picked up


    and sent to and fro school.

 Chapter 368

    Odell¡¯s expression was gloomy for a long time.


    He looked at the texts sent by Tara and asked Cliff, ¡°Has there been any news from the people sent to


    monitor Edmund?¡±


    In the passenger seat, Cliff replied, ¡°They haven¡¯t sent me any messagestely, and I haven¡¯t had time to


    ask them for the past few days.¡±


    ¡°Well, ask them now,¡± Odell said coldly. Cliff shivered and quickly replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll ask now.¡±


    Then, he took out his phone.


    The call ended in a short time. He looked back at Odell and said seriously, ¡°Master Carter, they report


    that Edmund has been engaged in a business project recently. He took on arge project two days ago


    which happens to be near the Young Miss and Young Master¡¯s kindergarten. These two days, when the


    children go to ande back from school, Edmund happened to pass by the kindergarten and met


    Madam. However, he stayed in the car, and the Madam only chatted with him for a little while before


    leaving. There are no other abnormalities.¡±


    Odell curled his lips coldly.


    ¡®Is it a coincidence that Edmund¡¯s project is located near the kindy? Is it a coincidence that Sylvia only


    started to take the children to school two days ago? They obviously nned this.¡¯


    Odell pursed his thin lips as his expression was shrouded in ayer of gloom.


    That night, like before, Sylvia went to the children¡¯s bedroom to apany them after dinner. N?velDrama.Org content.


    However, the little ones did not seem to need her much. Isabel was excitedly ying with the remote


    control sports car given by Edmund while Liam was also fiddling with the Megaminx in his hand.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia sat to the side and carved.


    Then, her rm went off. It was time to call Odell at 8 p.m.


    She picked up her phone and gave him a video call.


    The call was answered in seconds. The next thing she saw was his handsome face.


    However, his expression looked sullen.


    Her gaze flickered as she asked, ¡°Odell, did work go well today?¡± ¡°Yes, it went well,¡± he replied. His voice


    also seemed downhearted.


    Sylvia was a bit puzzled. Why did he seem so gloomy if his work went well? She asked, ¡°You don¡¯t look


    too good. Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Fine.


    Sylvia stopped probing. He asked instead, ¡°How was your day at home? Did you meet anyone or do


    anything?¡± She thought of Edmund, who she had run into for the past two days. However, Odell was sure


    to be upset if she mentioned Edmund¡¯s name, so she did not bring it up and said, ¡°It¡¯s the same as


    always. I didn¡¯t meet anyone or do anything.¡± On the other end of the video, the man¡¯s already dismal


    expression darkened further. ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked again. Sylvia felt that something was wrong, but she


    could not tell what, so she answered, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Where are Isabel and Liam?¡± he asked.


    Isabel immediately turned the camera to Isabel, who was ying with the sports car, and Liam, who was


    ying with the Megaminx. The two little ones were too engrossed in their own entertainment to look that


    way.


    Odell was silent for a few seconds and asked, ¡°Did you buy new toys for them to y with?¡± Sylvia


    replied, ¡°No, it was a gift from a friend.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know him.¡± Sylvia subconsciously avoided his


    eyes when she said this. It was not that she did not want to admit it to him. However, he would definitely


    be upset if she said that they were from Edmund.

 Chapter 369

    Odell saw her avoid his gaze, and his eyes grew even more gloomy. However, the filter on the camera


    smoothed over his expression a lot. Sylvia only saw that he seemed to be a little upset, but she did not


    notice his terrible aura at the moment. When he did not say anything else, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll hang up now if


    you don¡¯t need anything else.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Sylvia then hung up. In a five-star hotel, far away in Liberty, Odell¡¯s expression darkened when he looked


    at the ck phone screen. Cliff, who was standing not far away, trembled and lowered his head. He


    could not help but whisper, ¡°Master Carter, the people sent to spy on Edmund say that it really did seem


    like a coincidence that he met Madam the past two days. They only said a few words to each other. I


    think Madam is reluctant to mention him to you because she¡¯s afraid that you¡¯ll misunderstand and get


    angry.¡± Odell pursed his lips coldly. ¡®Is she afraid that I¡¯ll misunderstand and get angry? If she¡¯s scared


    that I¡¯ll misunderstand, then she should¡¯ve confessed to me instead of lying to me!¡¯ After a while, he said


    coldly, ¡°Tell them to continue to follow Edmund. Inform me immediately as soon as he meets Sylvia!¡± Cliff


    quickly replied, ¡°Understood.¡±


    The next morning, Sylvia sent the two little ones to kindergarten as usual.


    However, since she was afraid of running into Edmund again, she did not rush back to her car on the


    side of the road after sending them to school. Instead, she stayed there for a while,


    She only went to her car after about ten minutes. Sure enough, she did not encounter Edmund. In the


    evening, she arrived at the kindergarten gate on time to pick up the children.


    After picking up Isabel and Liam, she chatted with their ssmates¡¯ parents for a while before taking


    them back to the car.


    As expected, she did not meet Edmund either.


    Their car drove into the traffic, and Sylvia smiled and sighed in relief.


    Behind them, inside a nondescript car that had been secretly following them, Mnie let out a cuss and


    called Sylvia a b*tch when she failed to take the photos she wanted.


    At that moment, Tara sent her a message, asking, ¡°How was it? Did you see Edmund and her?¡±


    Mnie replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know if that little b*tch knows what¡¯s going on, but she sent the


    children to school early in the morning and waited for a long time before going back to the car, missing


    Edmund. It was the same just now when school ended. She waited for a long time before taking the


    children back to the car. I also don¡¯t know what Edmund is thinking. I clearly saw his car parked here for


    a while in the morning. He obviously wanted to meet that little b* tch, but I don¡¯t see his caring


    now.¡±


    The more she thought about it, the more she did not understand it. She did not want to think about it


    either and snapped at the driver, ¡°What are you spacing out for? Drive!¡± The driver quickly started the


    car. In Lake Victoria Vi, Tara was also extremely annoyed when she got the news. ¡®Could Sylvia have


    noticed Mnie following her and deliberately avoided Edmund? No, if she really noticed her, she won¡¯t


    let Mnie go. ¡®But that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is that if we can get another picture of them to


    show Odell, they won¡¯t be able to exin their rtionship to him anymore. I have to find a way to let


    Mnie seed.¡¯


    At that time, in a studio near the kindergarten, Edmund was reclining on the sofa, ying a game. Lloyd


    and Harry apanied him. After a while, Lloyd could not help but say, ¡°Mr. Price, I¡¯m going to starve to


    death. When are we going to get off work?¡± Edmund asked while ying, ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already 6


    p.m.¡±


    Edmund¡¯s gaze flickered. ¡®6 p.m. Lil Syl should¡¯ve brought the children home by now.¡¯


    In the morning, when he passed by the kindergarten, he saw Sylvia and wanted to say hello to her, so he


    waited by the roadside for a while. However, he saw that she preferred to loiter by the gate rather than


    go back to her car and leave. It was most likely because she was afraid of meeting him


    Thus, when it was time to get off work, he did not rush to leave and dyed things until now. Since she


    was afraid to meet him, he would not make it hard for her.


    He said, ¡°We¡¯ll go after I finish this round.¡± Lloyd said happily, ¡°Great. Chop-chop, Mr. Price.¡±

 Chapter 370

    In a five-star hotel in Liberty, Cliff, who had just finished a phone call, went to the suite where Odell was


    resting


    In the living room, Odell was sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, reviewing documents. Upon


    seeing Cliffe in, Odell nced at him and asked, ¡°Is there any news from Westchester City?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Cliff smiled and replied, ¡°Master Carter, the people sent to watch Edmund say that he didn¡¯t meet up with


    Madam again today when he went to and fro work.¡±


    The cold look in Odell¡¯s eyes eased up a little. ¡°Tell them to keep watching him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Cliff answered and withdrew.


    However, Odell¡¯s expression was still a little dark. He still did not understand why Sylvia suddenly wanted


    to do the school run for the past few days. Coincidentally, Edmund¡¯s recent workce was near the


    kindergarten as well.


    Was he overthinking?


    In the blink of an eye, it was Friday again.


    That evening, Sylvia picked up Isabel and Liam on time and returned to the Carters¡¯ residence.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya were chatting about something.


    When they saw Sylviae back with the two children, Madam Carter immediately said, ¡°Syl, the new


    holiday resort at Northpeak has opened. I n to go there with Tonya for the next few days. Do you and


    the children want toe along?¡±


    Sylvia knew about the Northpeak Holiday Resort. Thendscape in Northpeak before development was


    very unique with both mountains and rivers. It was home to very beautiful sceneries.


    Alter development, there were presumably many new facilities added, so there should be something


    suitable for the children.


    Sylvia asked Isabel and Liam, ¡°Kids, do you want to go out tomorrow?¡±


    Isabel beard the word ¡®out¡¯ and immediately yelled, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Liar said, ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever Isabel and Mommy go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia smiled and said to Madam Carter, ¡°We¡¯ll go together with you, Great-grandma.


    Madam Carter immediately told the butler to book the tickets.


    Soon, it was time to cal dinner.


    Madam Carter suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s been ten days since Odell left. Shouldn¡¯t he be back soon?¡± Sylvia


    replied, ¡°It should be a few more days before he returns.¡± These days, she called him every night at 8


    p.m., but he never said anything abouting back, so he might still take a while.


    After dinner, Sylvia apanied the little ones to their room.


    At 8 p.m., she gave Odell a video call. The call was quickly answered, and the man¡¯s handsome face


    appeared clearly on the screen. It seemed like he was going out as he was dressed quite formally. He


    wore a white shirt with a ck tie and a well-ironed suit. His short hair wasbed behind his ears, and


    he looked very handsome. However, since he looked a little stern, people did not dare to look him


    straight in the eye.


    Sylvia took the initiative to ask, ¡°Odell, are you going out?¡±


    He answered, ¡°Yes. I have a meetingter.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll hang up first. I won¡¯t take up your time.¡± He


    nced at the time and said, ¡°There¡¯s still ten minutes. There¡¯s no hurry.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia thought about it and asked directly, ¡°When will you be back?¡±


    Although her heart had been calm throughout the ten days he left, she could not say that she did not


    miss him at all.

 Chapter 371

    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered as his lips curled. ¡°Why? Miss me?¡±


    Sylvia avoided his gaze and said, ¡°No, but Isabel and Liam do.¡±


    To the side, Isabel was immersed in her toys and did not hear Sylvia at all. Liam looked her way, but then


    lowered his head and continued to fiddle with the Megaminx. Odell pursed his lips and said, ¡°It¡¯ll be


    around another three days before I can go back.¡± Sylvia responded somewhat bashfully, ¡°Okay.¡±


    At that moment, Cliff¡¯s figure appeared behind Odell and said, ¡°Master Carter, it¡¯s time to go to the


    conference room.¡± Odell hummed and said to Sylvia, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia hung up


    Meanwhile, inside a building in Liberty, Odell got up and walked outside. Cliff followed him and could not


    help but ask, ¡°Master Carter, didn¡¯t you book a flight back tonight? Why did you tell the Madam that you¡¯ll


    be back in three days?¡±


    Odell remembered her asking when he would be back during the video call, and his mood which had


    been low for several days suddenly cheered up.


    In a rarely happy mood, he replied to Cliff, ¡°I want to give her a surprise.¡± Cliff immediately smiled.


    ¡°Madam will be overjoyed to see youe back early.¡±


    Meanwhile, in Tara¡¯s house in Lake Victoria Vi, Tara wasining to Mnie, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d


    help me get rid of Sylvia? How many days has it been? Why haven¡¯t you gotten anything?¡±


    Mnie said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯ve really been following her these days, but she doesn¡¯t go out at all except to


    pick up the children, let alone meet Edmund outside.¡± She wanted to use Sylvia of having an affair


    with another man, but there was no way to do


    1.


    Tara gnashed her teeth in anger. ¡°That b*tch Sylvia is really cunning!¡±


    At that moment, Mnie¡¯s phone rang. She picked up the phone and looked at the message, then said


    to Tara, ¡°Tara, Master Carter will be back in Westchester City tomorrow!¡±


    Tara was startled and looked at her. ¡°Really? Odell ising back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The news came from his people, so it must be true.¡±


    Tara frowned.


    ¡®A few days ago, I sent Odell the photos of Edmund and Sylvia having chance encounters for two days,


    but he ignored me. He either didn¡¯t believe me or maybe Sylvia managed to exin herself.


    ¨C


    TL TL


    ¡®After all, it was just a chance encounter for two days, and they chatted to each other with a respectable


    distance between them, so it¡¯s easy to exin that there was nothing going on. ¡®If Odelles back


    tomorrow, Sylvia might tell him that I¡¯m trying to sow discord between them. If that happens, Odell¡¯s


    grudge against me will only grow deeper. ¡®Although Odell has no intention of getting involved with me


    emotionally anymore, if hees back, Sylvia can pillow talk with him, and I won¡¯t be able to find


    another opportunity to separate him from Sylvia!¡¯ She said to Mnie anxiously, ¡°Mom, hurry up and


    think of a way. You have to get a picture of Sylvia and Edmund before Odelles back!¡±


    Mnie frowned. ¡°But, Tara, what if that little b*tch doesn¡¯te out?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow is Saturday, so she should be bringing the kids out.¡± Tara thought about it and said, ¡°As long


    as we find a way to call Edmund out and make them meet, we¡¯ll be able to take a picture of them


    together.¡± As long as there were pictures of them together, no matter how far they were or whether theyPlease check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    had an affair or not, she would be able to make something up for Odell to believe! Mnie quickly said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll tail her first thing in the morning.¡± ¡°Call me immediately when you see Sylvia go out tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Mnie then asked, ¡°What about Edmund? How do we get him to look for Sylvia?¡±


    Tara thought about it and said, ¡°Let¡¯s see where Sylvia goes first. I¡¯ll find a way to make Edmund go find


    her.¡±

 Chapter 372

    Early the next morning, the sun rose as usual.


    After having breakfast, Sylvia took the kids and followed Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya into an MPV.


    The car drove straight to Northpeak It took almost an hour before the car arrived at the resort and


    stopped in front of a very distinctive inn.


    The steward came out to greet them enthusiastically.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya got out of the car first. Sylvia then carried Isabel and Liam out of the car


    and walked in with them.


    The resort used a membership system, so non-members could not enter. At that moment, not far from


    the entrance of the resort, Mnie, who had followed them here, was stopped from entering


    She quickly went back to the car and called Tara.


    The call was answered quickly, and she told Tara that she followed Sylvia to this resort.


    Tara asked, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s the new holiday resort at Northpeak?¡± ¡°Yes, I even tried to go in, but they


    stopped me because I¡¯m not a member.¡± Tara said anxiously, ¡°Then, hurry up and apply for a


    membership.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Okay.¡±


    Although it cost a lot of money, if Tara could be Odell¡¯s wife in the future, she would have endless


    amounts of money to spend.


    Mnie only hesitated for a moment before getting out of the car and applying for a membership


    At that moment, Tara, who was far away in Lake Victoria Vi, paced back and forth anxiously. She was


    thinking of how to get Edmund to go to that resort as well.


    Just as she could not think of a solid solution and wanted to send a message to Edmund directly,


    Mnie suddenly called her.


    Her voice sounded excited on the phone. ¡°Tara, I saw Edmund just now. Did you ask him toe?¡±


    Tara was stunned. ¡°What? Are you sure that was Edmund?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. I even took a picture and sent it to you.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Tara immediately tapped on the photo Mnie sent. The photo was of a few men who wereing out


    of a car. The leader was Edmund, and the two next to him were obviously his men. It seemed like they


    also went to the resort for leisure. Tara¡¯s eyes lit up.


    God was really helping her!


    She immediately said to Mnie, ¡°Mom, hurry up and follow them. Don¡¯t lose sight of them. As soon as


    you see them together, take a picture of them immediately. It¡¯s best if you can take a picture of them


    alone.¡±


    ¡°I know. Wait for my good news.¡± Mnie also happily put away her phone.


    At that time, in the resort, Edmund brought Lloyd and Harry into the inn to check in.


    Lloyd carried a few bags, and Harry was on Edmund¡¯s other side. The two looked around and chattered,


    ¡°Mr. Price, this ce looks pretty good. I heard there¡¯s a natural hot spring here.¡± Edmund smirked and


    said nothing. Lloyd continued, ¡°The boss of the project we¡¯re coborating with this time is really


    generous. He actually gave us free two-day tickets. Will we really be able to visit all the attractions with


    those tickets?¡±


    Harry raised his hand and pped Lloyd on the head. ¡°Duh. It¡¯s already written on the ticket that we can


    visit all the attractions.¡±


    Lloyd giggled happily.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia had just put away all the things she brought into the suite. Madam Carter and Aunt


    Tonya were already ready and waiting for her. She quickly held the children¡¯s hands and walked out with


    them.


    Then, when she walked down the corridor, she bumped into Edmund, Lloyd, and Harry head on.


    She froze.


    Edmund, Lloyd, and Harry were also stunned.


    ¡°Mr. Price!¡± Isabel called out excitedly and ran up to him with her stubby legs.


    Edmund snapped back to his senses and picked her up with a grin. Just then, Madam Carter also turned


    to Sylvia and asked, ¡°Syl, are they your friends?¡±

 Chapter 373

    Sylvia replied with a frank expression, ¡°Yes, Grandmother. This is Edmund, and those two are Harry and


    Lloyd.¡±


    Edmund also heard their conversation and shed a polite smile, greeting them, ¡°Hello, Madam Carter


    and Aunt Tonya.¡±


    After he spoke, Lloyd and Harry also greeted Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya. They were just like


    students meeting a teacher as both of them straightened their backs and looked incredibly obedient.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya instantlyughed in amusement and chatted with them. Sylvia also could


    not help but giggle. They did not talk much and simply exchanged a few pleasantries. Sylvia carried


    Isabel back and followed Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya out of the inn.


    Edmund also took Harry and Lloyd to the suite where they were staying.


    The corridor soon quieted down. Mnie emerged from the shadows with an annoyed frown on her face.


    Although Sylvia and Edmund chatted a little earlier, there were too many people. No matter which angle


    she tried to take the picture, other people would end up in the frame as well.


    She had to think of another way.


    At the same time, a ne flying from Libertynded smoothly at Westchester International Airport.


    The man disembarked from the ne and took the businessne directly to the pick-up point where an


    expensive ck MPV had been waiting for a long time.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Cli, who was following him, quickly went forward and opened the door for him. Odell got into the back


    seat whilst Cliff sat in the passenger side.


    The car sped o11.


    Not long alter, Cliff¡¯s phone rang, and he answered it in a low voice.


    Alter the call ended, he looked at the man in the back seat cautiously. ¡°Master Carter, the people you


    sent to watch Edmund said that he brought his men to Northpeak Holiday Resort carly this morning¡±


    ¡°What did they go there for?¡±


    ¡°Leisure, probably However¡­¡± Cliff hesitated but still continued, ¡°This morning, Madam Carter, Madam,


    and the Young Miss and Young Master also went to Northpeak Holiday Resort,


    It was unknown if Edmund had gotten the news and gone there intentionally or not. It was too


    much of a coincidence.


    The temperature in the car plummeted at Cliff¡¯s words.


    Odell¡¯s expression was gloomy, and he said in a cold voice, ¡°Go straight to Northpeak Holiday Resort.¡±


    The driver quickly agreed, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    At Northpeak Holiday Resort, Isabel was a ball of excitement. Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya were both


    getting old and could not keep up with Liam and her. Thus, after apanying the children around for a


    while, Madam Carter was so tired that she gasped for breath.


    Aunt Tonya helped her sit on a bench on the roadside.


    The little girl was covered in sweat after ying. Sylvia apanied her to run around the area twice


    before carrying her over as well.


    This area was an exquisitely decorated recreational area. Across them was a curvedke, to their left


    was a high hill, and to the right were food stalls. The decorations made the whole area look stunning


    At that moment, a bamboo raft bobbing across theke attracted Isabel¡¯s attention.


    Her eyes instantly lit up, and she shouted excitedly, ¡°There are boats! Let¡¯s go ride on the boats!¡±


    Madam Carter was also excited. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go for a ride together.¡±


    Aunt Tonya did not say anything, but she was obviously interested in riding the bamboo raft as well.


    Isabel looked at Liam. The little boy was quiet, but there was a glimmer in his eyes. It seemed he wanted


    to take a ride as well. Sylvia humined and led the group to the bamboo raft ride.

 Chapter 374

    Unfortunately, there were only four seats on the bamboo raft. Aunt Tonya immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll get


    seasick, so I won¡¯t join the ride. You guys can go on.¡± Sylvia knew that Aunt Tonya was trying to give up


    her seat, so she put her life jacket on Aunt Tonya. ¡°Aunt Tonya, this is a bamboo raft, so you won¡¯t get


    seasick. Grandmother and you can ride with the children. I¡¯ll wait here for you.¡± Aunt Tonya could not


    persuade her otherwise, so she helped Madam Carter onto the raft. Sylvia said to the little ones, ¡°Have


    fun, but pay attention to your safety. Mommy will wait for you here.¡± ¡°Okay. We know, Mommy,¡± Isabel


    responded crisply. Liam also hummed and then led his sister to sit on the two seats in front of Madam


    Carter and Aunt Tonya.


    The long bamboo raft soon drifted away from the shore under the guidance of the boatman, rowing


    toward the other side in the direction of the flowing water.


    The weather today was very pleasant, and the breeze was cool andfortable. The scenery on the


    lake was nice, but the panorama in the distance was also very beautiful.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes zeroed in on the small hill to the side. The view from the top of the hill must be amazing


    Madam Carter, Aunt Tonya, and the little ones would probably take a while toe back, so she decided


    to walk up the hill.


    Not far away, hiding behind two trees for a long time, Mnie finally saw hope. ¡°That little b*tch is finally


    alone.¡¯


    She squatted there for a while. After seeing Sylvia go up without the intention ofing down for the


    time being, she went to look for Edmund. Just as she was wondering how she would find Edmund, she


    saw him smoking alone by theke.


    Mnie did not hesitate and immediately went up to him. ¡°Young man, I just saw a beautiful girl with long


    hair and wearing a light red dress go up the mountain. I heard that it¡¯s quite dangerous there, but I¡¯m too


    old to climb up. Can you go up and call her down?¡±


    She pretended to look anxious,


    Edmund¡¯s expression changed upon hearing her words. ¡°What did you say she was wearing?¡±


    She replied, ¡°A light red dress. She seemed to be wearing a shawl too.¡± Odell instantly dropped his


    cigarette and went up the hill.


    A beautiful girl with long hair and a light red dress. It¡¯s clearly Sylvia. Why did she go up the hill alone?¡¯


    Edmund did not think much about it and quickly climbed up.


    After he left, Mnie took out her phone and sneakily followed him up. As long as she could take a


    picture of Sylvia and him alone, she would have seeded!


    At that moment, the raft stopped at the shore after onep.


    Unfortunately, Madam Carter was too seasick and could not continue to ride on the raft.


    Aunt Tonya wanted to help her down, but Madam Carter waved her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go find


    Syl. You stay with Isabel and Liam.¡±


    There was still another fun ce down the river, but the children had to be apanied by an adult.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Aunt Tonya had no choice but to agree. ¡°You should call Syl then.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Madam Carter went back to the shore with the help of the boatman. The boatman jumped back


    on the raft, and in the blink of an eye, the raft drifted out into the river again.


    Madam Carter called Sylvia.


    On the hill to the side, Sylvia stood at the highest point and looked out at the nearby scenery. Her phone


    suddenly rang. Seeing that it was from Madam Carter, she quickly answered the call and learned what


    had happened. ¡°Grandmother? I¡¯m on the hill right next to you. Sit down and rest for a while. I¡¯lle to


    you now.¡±


    The phone was quickly hung up. Sylvia did not stay any longer and turned around to walk in the direction


    she came up from. After taking a few steps, Edmund appeared in front of her, appearing a little anxious.


    When he saw her, he asked, ¡°Lil Syl, what are you doing here alone?¡±

 Chapter 375

    Sylvia was stunned.


    It seemed like he came here to look for her. She asked instead, ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±


    Edmund replied, ¡°I heard from ady that you came up here alone. She said that it wasn¡¯t safe up here


    and asked me toe to call you down.¡± Sylvia was still confused. The hill looked very tall, but there


    were reinforced guardrails on both sides. How could it not be safe?


    However, no one went to the hill, so maybe the kind-hearteddy was just worried that Sylvia came up


    alone.


    She did not think much about it and told him, ¡°Grandmother and Aunt Tonya took the kids to ride on a


    bamboo raft. It could only seat four people, so I didn¡¯t follow them.¡±


    Edmund looked relieved at her words. ¡°Then, why did youe up here?¡±


    ¡°The scenery here seemed nice.¡±


    He touched his nose and stopped asking any further. ¡°Grandmother is seasick, so I¡¯ll go check up on her.


    You can go find Lloyd and the others. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± she said and went forward.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Edmund also turned around.


    At that moment, there was a sudden flurry of movement a short distance ahead, apanied by a


    scream. That voice clearly belonged to Madam Carter!


    Sylvia¡¯s expression instantly changed. ¡°Grandmother!¡± ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    She quickly ran over. However, it was toote.


    Before she arrived, she saw the old woman roll down the slope down to the ground. Blood seeped out


    from her head.


    Sylvia went pale and was stunned.


    Grandmother was just talking to me on the phone. How did she suddenly fall?¡¯


    At that moment, a group of resort stall ran over to the bottom of the hill in a panic. In addition to the stall,


    there was a familiar tall figure who was quickly moving through the crowd and soon reached Madam


    Carter¡¯s side.


    His figure visibly stiffened for a moment, then he shouted sternly, ¡°Ambnce! Call an ambnce!¡±


    The staff immediately whipped out their phones to do so.


    Cliff, who came with him, also took out his phone and immediately made a call.


    Soon, Odell raised his head. His stern eyes looked straight at Sylvia, who was standing at the bottom of


    the hill, and then at Edmund, who was beside her. Her heart clenched painfully the moment she locked


    eyes with him, and a strong uneasiness suddenly engulfed her body.


    ¡®Odell? Why is he here now?¡¯


    However, now was not the time to think about that. She quickly ran down the hill.


    Fortunately, the resort had a professional first aid team. When Sylvia ran over, someone had already put


    Madam Carter onto a stretcher. Her head was still bleeding, and she was unconscious. Sylvia wanted to


    follow but was mercilessly stopped by a long arm. When she looked up, she saw Odell. His face was


    frigid, and there was no warmth whatsoever in his eyes. ¡°Get out!¡±


    Sylvia went cold.


    Looking at his terrifying face at that moment, she suddenly remembered the time when Tara had framed


    her for being pushed down the stairs all those years ago.


    He had stared at her with the same kind of gaze back then. No, the look in his eyes now was even more


    terrifying than before. Sylvia shuddered and said, ¡°Odell, I didn¡¯t push¡­¡± Before she could finish


    speaking, he turned around mercilessly and stepped into the ambnce.


    Madam Carter was already carried inside. He got in the ambnce and immediately closed the door.

 Chapter 376

    The ambnce drove off in the blink of an eye. Sylvia was stunned for a moment before she started


    running.


    She wanted to catch up to the ambnce so that she could apany Odell and Madam Carter to the


    hospital. She had to tell him the truth!


    However, before she could even shorten the distance, the ambnce disappeared beyond her sight.


    She also tripped on a piece of brick and fell on the ground. The ground felt cold, and so were her


    feelings. Just when she was at a loss as to what she should do, Edmund came by. He helped her up


    from the ground and said, ¡°Syl, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send you there.¡± As she got to her feet, she resolved to


    leave her negative emotions on the icy cold ground. ¡°Okay!¡±


    She could not allow herself to be misunderstood like before.


    Sylvia ran to the parking lot with Edmund and got into his car.


    The car roared to a start and drove off the resort.


    Twenty minutester, Edmund took her to the nearest first aid center.


    ¡°Syl, if I¡¯m correct, Madam Carter should have been admitted here.¡±


    Sylvia dashed out of the car without saying anything. After searching around for a bit, she saw Odell


    standing outside the ER ward.


    His towering figure stood like a monolith in front of the door with the red sign on. His brows were lightly


    furrowed and he had the grimmest look on his face.


    He noticed Sylvia when she came over.


    His handsome facial features were clouded by anger and bitterness.


    ¡°Get out of my face.¡±


    His voice sounded frosty


    Sylvia froze. She looked at him and said, ¡°Odell, I didn¡¯t push Grandmother. It wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    Odell red at her with the sharpest gaze.


    Sylvia boldly stared back into his eyes, refusing to step back


    It was then that Edmund came up the stairs


    He must have overheard the brief conversation Sylvia and Odell had, so he said, ¡°Master Carter, please


    believe her. She didn¡¯t push Madam Carter down the hill. I can vouch for her We


    don¡¯t know what caused Madam Carter to fall down the hill.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°You better get out of my face right away.¡±


    His brief warning was filled with threats. Edmund was annoyed. ¡°What¡¯s with that tone, Odell? I¡¯m not


    trying to lie or anything¡­¡±


    With Odell¡¯s expression looking even frostier than before, the tension in the narrow corridor started to


    rise.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Before Edmund could even finish his argument, Sylvia stopped him and said, ¡°Thank you, Edmund.


    Please give us some space.¡±


    As Edmund frowned at her, she returned his frown with a sense of begging in her eyes.


    Odell had always been prejudiced against him and his presence would only make it harder for Sylvia to


    exin the situation.


    Edmund sighed. He suppressed his rising annoyance and left the two alone.


    The narrow corridor swiftly quieted down.


    Sylvia then looked at Odell but all she saw was the icy abyss behind his deep gaze.


    ¡°You too. Get out of my face.¡±

 Chapter 377

    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°Odell, I really didn¡¯t push grandmother¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself!¡± He


    raised his voice to a frightening level. Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted in fear. She pursed her lips and begrudgingly


    left the man alone. She did not go far though, she simply turned to the stairs and sat down in a corner of


    it. It would be easier for her to keep an eye on the ER ward while also keeping out of Odell¡¯s sight.


    A whileter, a series of hurried footsteps came from the lower end of the stairs.


    It was Sebastian the butler, and he had several other people together with him. They were all Madam


    Carter¡¯s rtives from her mother¡¯s side. The eldest one among them was Madam Carter¡¯s cousin sister,


    Ramona, who was also the closest to Madam Carter.


    She nced at Sylvia as she passed by but did not say anything. She then went up to Odell and


    nervously asked, ¡°Odell, how did Ophelia fall off the hill?! Her legs have never been very strong, so why


    was she up there climbing and all?¡± Odell pursed his lips in silence.


    Ramona might be anxious and worried but she was able to spot the grim look on Odell¡¯s face and chose


    to stay quiet for the moment.


    She then went back to Sylvia.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She had heard that Sylvia and Odell were married again, and she also met Sylvia twice when she visited


    her cousin the other day.


    She asked Sylvia, ¡°Sylvia, I heard that Ophelia went to the resort with you. What happened?¡±


    Sylvia answered honestly, ¡°Grand-aunt Ramona, I don¡¯t know what happened either. I was at the top of


    the hill enjoying the scenery. Grandmother might havee up because she wanted to talk to me, but I


    didn¡¯t know she wasing. Then, I heard her screaming and the next thing I knew, she had fallen off


    the hill.¡±


    Ramona was furious. ¡°Why would she be climbing up a hill and falling down for no reason? You were


    there, how could you not know about this? Are you trying to lie to me just because you think I¡¯m old?¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her brows. She wanted to know why Madam Carter had fallen down the hill as well, but


    she did not have any clues or answers.


    If she were to tell Ramona that she had been chatting with Edmund and had neglected Madam Carter¡¯s


    presence, it would only make things worse. Hence, she kept her silence.


    Ramona had a rather poor impression of Sylvia. She had visited Carter Residence twice and imed


    she was there for Madam Carter, but she had, in fact, been there to ask Sylvia for some paintings so that


    she could boast about them in front of her friends.


    Sylvia, however, did not understand Ramona¡¯s intention. Not only had she not given Ramona any


    paintings, she had not even shown thedy any of her work.


    Now that Sylvia had chosen silence over giving her an exnation, it fueled Ramona¡¯s anger further.


    She lifted her arm to p Sylvia¡¯s face.


    p!


    Sylvia was defenseless against the p, which left her left cheek burning after the p.


    Ramona even screamed at her after the p, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, are you a mute?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips coldly.


    Just as Ramona was about to give her another p, a towering figure came to her side. He said to


    Ramona, ¡°Grand-Aunt Ramona, this is a hospital, please be quiet.¡±


    Ramona staggered backwards and calmed herself down. She then sighed and exined,¡± Odell, I didn¡¯t


    really want to hit her, I¡¯m just worried about your grandmother.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll find out what really happened, you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± he said.


    He looked expressionless and his voice sounded t but it was filled with pressure and threats.


    Ramona zipped her mouth closed and went over to the ER¡¯s entrance.


    Odell also left and returned to the waiting spot in front of the door. He did not even spare a nce at


    Sylvia.


    Sylvia remained in the corner and clenched her fists tightly asplicated thoughts flooded her mind.


    Some timeter, the ER door finally opened up.


    Sebastian, Ramona and the others went up to the doctor immediately.


    Sylvia only watched from afar without joining the others. She heard the doctor say, ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯m


    sorry. We¡¯ve done everything we could. Madam Carter might be alive for now but she received a heavy


    blow on her head. Given her age, her body does not recover as fast as people who are much younger,


    so we are not sure if she¡¯ll be able to wake up and recover.¡±

 Chapter 378

    Ramona asked, ¡°Are you saying Ophelia is in aa?¡± The doctor said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡±


    After the doctor left, Madam Carter was discharged from the ER. Ramone had basically grown up


    together with Madam Carter, so seeing her closest family memberying on the sickbed unconscious,


    she broke down in tears beside her.


    ¡°Ophelia, how did you fall down the hill? You¡¯re not young anymore, why did you go climbing? What got


    into you? Are you going toy unconscious until the end?¡± Odell stood beside his grand-aunt with tightly


    furrowed brows. His usual straight back seemed a little hunched.


    He seemed to have fallen into a slump and was shrouded with a gloomy presence.


    The unconscious olddy on the sickbed was his dearest family member. He was even closer to her than


    to his biological father.


    His mother had passed away when he was young and his father had left him alone after marrying his


    stepmother. Thus, it was his grandmother who had basically raised him.


    Now, his dearest and closest family member was lying unconscious before him and he could not do


    anything about it.


    He narrowed his eyes and shot a frosty re at Sylvia.


    Sylvia¡¯s legs turned weak. She bit her lips tightly as she tried to go up closer to have a look at Madam


    Carter. However, before she could get any closer, Ramona pushed her away.


    Ramona was strong and her agitated push sent Sylvia to the ground.


    Sylvia fell to the ground wretchedly.


    Tears rolled down Ramona¡¯s cheeks as she screamed at Sylvia, ¡°You! It¡¯s all your fault! Why did you go


    climbing? Didn¡¯t you know that Ophelia¡¯s legs are weak?! If it wasn¡¯t for you, she wouldn¡¯t have fallen


    down the hill and knocked her head! Were you trying to kill her?!¡±


    Sylvia looked down in silence. Her eyes started to get teary.


    She might not be the culprit but if she had not been chatting with Edmund, or if she answered Madam


    Carter¡¯s call and gone to her right away, Madam Carter would not have fallen.


    She sat on the ground and allowed Ramona to vent her anger on her.


    Only when the nurses pushed the sickbed away did Ramona stop scolding her and went after her


    dearest cousin,


    Sylvia had wanted to follow but when she tried to get on her feet, her eyes met a pair of deep eyes


    peering down at her.


    It was Odell.


    ¡°Odell, 1-¡±


    Before she could finish, Odell said to the butler, ¡°Sebastian, keep an eye on her. Don¡¯t let her leave.¡±


    Sebastian failed to grasp the meaning of his order but due to the seriousness of the matter and the


    heavy look on Odell¡¯s face, he nodded and hummed in reply.


    Odell then followed the nurses away.


    His towering figure soon disappeared beyond the corridor.


    Sylvia feebly got to her feet. A whileter, several bodyguards came over and surrounded her. They had


    obviously been sent here by Odell.


    The suffocating feeling in her chest grew stronger and robbed her of her strength, causing her to fall to


    the ground again. Sebastian could not help but inquire, ¡°Madam, were you involved in Madam Carter¡¯s


    ident?¡±


    With a sardonic smile on Sylvia¡¯s face, she looked at him and replied, ¡°Would you believe me if I say


    no?¡±


    Sebastian pursed his lips and walked to the side. Sylvia also tightened her lips. She felt bad about what


    happened. The deep gaze that Odell had shot her before he left was like an arrow that perforated her


    heart. Thinking about it caused more pain in her chest.


    She felt as if she had gone back a few years in time, when Tara used her and framed her for things


    she had not done. Back then, no matter what she had said, no one had believed her either.


    Would history repeat itself again? Seconds turned into minutes. Things were tense in the quiet corridor.


    Momentster, Sylvia remembered that the kids and Aunt Tonya were still at the resort, so she pulled her


    phone out and called Aunt Tonya.


    The call got through after a few dial tones but it was Cliff¡¯s voice that answered instead of Aunt Tonya.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Madam, Aunt Tonya, Isabel and Liam are safe and sound at home. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

 Chapter 379

    Before Sylvia could ask anything, Cliff hung up. Sylvia frowned but she could not do anything. She put


    her phone away and continued sitting on the ground for quite some time.


    When the sky outside turned dark, a series of familiar footsteps finally came from the other end of the


    corridor.


    Sylvia looked up and saw Odell. His long legs were making quick strides as he approached her rapidly.


    The frosty look on his face remained, as if he was an emotionless person. Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted a little but


    she managed to get on her feet and asked, ¡°Odell, how¡¯s Grandmother?¡± Odell cupped her face tightly


    and bellowed, ¡°You heard the doctor.¡± ¡°Odell, I know I was being careless, but I really don¡¯t know what


    happened to Grandmother or how she fell down the hill.¡± ¡°You and Edmund were at the peak of the hill.


    How could you not know when Grandmother fell down?¡±


    ¡°I was at the peak with Edmund but I only realized what had happened after I heard her scream.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Then why were you with Edmund?¡±


    ¡°I was enjoying the scenery up there and he heard that it was not safe, so he came looking for


    me.¡±


    Odell chuckled coldly. His hand continued to cup her face. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? How dare you use


    that excuse on me?¡±


    Any stronger and Sylvia believed Odell could crush her face and disfigure her. She pushed him away


    due to the pain. ¡°Odell, I¡¯m not lying! If you don¡¯t believe me, call the police!¡±


    She had not done it, so the police would surely be able to clear her name. Odell coldly snorted, and


    wrapped his other arm around her waist, holding her body and both her arms tightly in his embrace.


    ¡°The police?¡± He red at her with bloodthirsty eyes as if he wanted to eat her alive. ¡°You must have


    come up with this excuse a long time ago. That¡¯s why you cleared up the scene beforehand, am I right?¡±


    Sylvia was shocked to learn that the scene had been tampered with. ¡°The scene was cleared


    up?¡±


    Without answering, Odell simply stared deeply into her eyes. ¡°Let me guess¡­ Grandmother must have


    caught you doing some filthy things with Edmund up there, so you pushed her down the hill!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s frustration was stuck in her chest, causing her pain. She screamed, ¡°No! I didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± he


    scoffed.


    He did not believe her.


    Sylvia was disheartened because of the distrust.


    So many years had passed and they had even gotten married again, yet he still did not believe her at all!


    ¡°Odell, if you don¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s nothing else left for me to say.¡±


    Sylvia lifted her leg and kicked Odell on the shin.


    Odell frowned in pain, and Sylvia seized the opportunity to break free from his grasp. Before she could


    run far, Odell caught up to her and grabbed her by the back of her cor. He pulled her back into his


    arms and lifted her up over his shoulder. He was extremely rough, not caring if he hurt her at all. Sylvia


    struggled and hit his back ceaselessly, but it did not stop him from striding away. A short whileter,


    Sylvia was carried out of the hospital.


    When they reached the parking lot, Edmund, who had been waiting in the car, jumped out. When he saw


    Odell handling Sylvia so harshly, he shouted, ¡°Hey, Odell, what the hell are you doing? Put her down


    immediately!¡± ¡°Tie him up for me,¡± Odell said to the bodyguards who followed.

 Chapter 380

    The bodyguards went up to Edmund immediately. Edmund resisted for a while before he was pinned to


    the ground. He shouted, ¡°Odell, what the hell is wrong with you? What did I do?!¡± ¡°Throw him in the


    trunk,¡± Odell said. The bodyguards then tied the man up and tossed him into the trunk as ordered. ¡°Let


    me go!¡± ¡°Shut him up,¡± Odell said. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Odell, you freaking¡ª¡±Before Edmund could even finish, a


    piece of cloth was shoved into his mouth and the trunk was shut tight.


    At the same time, another bodyguard opened the door for Odell. He tossed Sylvia inside the car before


    getting in as well.


    ¡°Drive,¡± he said coldly. The driver immediately drove the car out of the parking lot and joined the traffic on


    the freeway.


    Sylvia squirmed and sat herself straight.


    The loud and heavy thuds from the trunk did not stop.


    Edmund was trying to break free and he showed no signs of stopping.


    Odell sat quietly with his eyes glued to the front. There was a sense of irritation and annoyance in his


    frosty gaze.


    Sylvia was forced to speak to break the silence. ¡°Odell, there¡¯s nothing between me and Edmund. I¡¯m


    responsible for what happened to Grandmother, so vent on me all you like but Edmund has nothing to do


    with this. Please let him go.¡±


    Odell turned to her with frosty eyes. ¡°So, are you that anxious to protect him?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She forced herself to calm down and said with a serious look, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m not


    protecting him, I¡¯m telling you the truth. This has nothing to do with him.¡±


    Odell wore a scornful simirk. His rigid body leaned towards her a little.


    Sylvia instinctively leaned back until her back touched the door.


    Odell moved closer to her and pinched her chin with his slender fingers. ¡°How long has it been going on


    between you I wo? Before or after we remarried?¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She screamed, ¡°Odell, are you out of your mind?¡± She had said it multiple times that she


    and Edmund were innocent. How could they possibly be


    together?


    The loud thuds from the trunk of the car suddenly stopped, causing the atmosphere in the car to freeze.


    Odell was not bothered at all. He continued to pinch her chin as he tried to force her to tell him the truth.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Tell me the truth. Tell me when the two of you started being together and I¡¯ll release him immediately.¡±


    Sylvia was more speechless than ever. ¡°Odell, I even married you for the second time. How could I be


    with him?¡± ¡°Oh, so it was before we remarried?¡± Sylvia was at a loss for words as she realized that she


    was unable to talk sense into his thick skull.


    The thuds sounded from the trunk again and this time, Edmund started to make muffled sounds. Odell


    grinned coldly and said, ¡°Look, I was right. He¡¯s nervous.¡± Sylvia gulped and said to Edmund, ¡°Stop


    moving and let me exin it to him.¡± The trunk then went silent and the car became peaceful and quiet


    again.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim.


    ¡°He listens to you, yet you say there¡¯s nothing between you and him?¡± He clutched her face tightly and


    moved his grim face closer to hers. ¡°Sylvia, do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± Sylvia shrank back but she was


    mostly speechless.


    Edmund continued to struggle in the trunk as he wanted to exin to Odell that there was nothing


    between them as well.


    First, Odell had used Edmund of being nervous because he was right, but when Sylvia had told


    Edmund to stop and Edmund had stopped, he had said that Edmund listened to her because of their


    secret rtionship. If he was not crazy, then who was? Sylvia lost her patience and yelled at Odell,


    ¡°Odell, you¡¯re f*cking crazy!¡±

 Chapter 381

    All at once, the loud thumps came from the trunk again. Odell tightened his grip on Sylvia¡¯s face. Sylvia


    felt as if her jaw was being ripped off. She became anxious and started to push him away.


    ¡°Odell, let me go¡­ Ugh!¡± Before she could finish, his thin lips pressed against hers. Sylvia was silenced


    by a ravaging kiss which started to suck the air out of her mouth. She struggled. The harder she


    struggled, the stronger he became. Even Edmund noticed something was not right from the trunk. He


    began to struggle a lot harder and started to make louder noises.


    Some timeter, Sylvia managed to bite Odell¡¯s lips and caused it to bleed, so Odell freed her.


    He red at her and shouted to the driver, ¡°Stop the car!¡± The driver immediately stopped the car by the


    road. He then said, ¡°Get out! All of you!¡±


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    The driver and the bodyguard who was in the passenger¡¯s seat went outside right away. Odell then


    pulled Sylvia into his arms. He constricted her waist with one of her arms and held her dainty face with


    his other hand. His bloodshot eyes stared at her ferociously as if he was a predator staring at its prey.


    Sylvia felt numb. ¡°Odell, what are you trying to do?¡± Odell curved his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve never let me touch you.


    Are you trying to save yourself for him?¡±


    ¡°No! Stop it!¡± ¡°If not, then I shall exert my duty as a husband to his wife.¡± ¡°Odell, you crazy,¡± He shut her


    up with a forceful kiss again.


    He was rough and restless. Being a woman, Sylvia was no match for his strength.


    She struggled with all her might but she was unable to free herself.


    The thudding sounds in the trunk suddenly went quiet.


    The car was parked by the side of the road on a windy night.


    The bodyguard and driver were standing guard further away, shivering under the chilly breeze.


    The car¡¯s windows were tightly shut, not an inch of breeze was able to invade the steamy


    atmosphere.


    Some timeter, Sylvia was in apletely disheveled state as she was held in his arms.


    Her face was as red as an apple and her eyes were red. She had cried until her tears had run dry and


    her throat had started to hurt due to the dryness.


    She clenched her teeth and red at the man beside her. ¡°Odell, I hate you.¡±


    He knew Edmund was tied up in the trunk They were only separated by some seat cushions yet he had


    still forced himself into her. He had done it on purpose, just to insult her.


    Odell was already properly dressed, even his hair had beenbed neatly.


    He returned to his elegant self. His slender fingers caressed her cheeks and said with a smile,¡° Don¡¯t


    worry, there¡¯ll be plenty more opportunities for you to hate me in the future.¡± Sylvia instantly twisted her


    face away and avoided his fingers.


    However, his fingers grasped her chin and turned her back to his face, forcing her to look into his eyes.


    His smile remained as he said, ¡°As long as Grandmother remainsatose, don¡¯t even think about living


    afortable life.¡± Originally, Sylvia had thought that she could hold herself back but now, all the insults


    and grievances rushed into her head at once.


    She shouted at him, ¡°Odell, I didn¡¯t push Grandmother down the hill!¡± He went silent for a second and


    said, ¡°Then it must have been him.¡±


    The ¡®him¡¯that Odell was referring to was obviously Edmund.

 Chapter 382

    Sylvia took a deep breath and emphasized, ¡°Neither of us pushed Grandmother down the hill. We were


    just chatting on the hill!¡±


    Odell grasped her face tightly. With a scornful look on his face, he said, ¡°After so many years, I really


    thought you had changed. I didn¡¯t think that you would still be the same disgusting liar.¡±


    Sylvia was disheartened. Her hands and legs were cold but her heart had be even colder.


    She tightened her lips and refused to argue anymore. Seeing that her face had suddenly turned ashen,


    he tightened the grip on her face and said, ¡° Why the silence? Where¡¯s all the excuses?¡± Sylvia remained


    silent but her eyes were looking at him nkly, as if there was no more life in her gaze. Odell suddenly


    felt irritated. Again, he gripped her face tighter and shouted, ¡°Speak!¡± Sylvia stayed quiet. He threatened


    her again. ¡°Speak, or I¡¯ll f*ck you here again!¡±


    Sylvia finally spoke but without emotion, like a soulless robot. ¡°I pushed Grandmother down the hill


    because I did something bad and she caught me red-handed. I was afraid that she would expose me, so


    I pushed her. I¡¯ve been seeing Edmund since before we got married and it continued even after I moved


    in with you.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± He shouted, the grim look on his face was terrifying.


    Upon being shouted at, Sylvia immediately shut her mouth, her eyes remained lifeless and nk


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Odell tossed her aside. Loosening his cor as he wound down the window, he barked at his driver who


    was standing outside.


    ¡°Come back and drive. We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Meanwhile at Lake Victoria Vi, Mnie had just arrived home in a taxi. When she got out, she


    nervously and cautiously looked around before she ran all the way to Tara¡¯s room.


    Tara had been waiting for her mother, so when she finally came back, Tara bolted up and asked, ¡°How


    was it? How¡¯s the olddy?¡±.


    Mnie shut the door immediately. She ced a hand on her chest as she tried to catch her breath


    before she said, ¡°I heard the olddy is in aa now and won¡¯t be able to wake up anymore.¡±


    ¡°What about Odell? Where¡¯s he now?¡±


    ¡°I saw him leaving the hospital with Sylvia and Edmund. He looked pissed,¡± Mnie said. ¡°Great! This is


    great!¡± Tara¡¯s lips curled up and continued, ¡°He must have thought Sylvia and Edmund pushed that old


    lady down hill!¡±


    Mnie also wore a smile on her face but it was her first time physically causing harm to someone, so


    she was still scared. ¡°Tara, they won¡¯t know it¡¯s me right?¡± ¡°Did you avoid all the surveince cameras?¡±


    Mnie nodded repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I even heard from the resort staff that many of their surveince


    cameras were under repair, so I¡¯m certain none of them caught me.¡± ¡°Then they won¡¯t know it¡¯s you. Now


    that the olddy is in aa and Odell has seen Sylvia and Edmund together on the hill, he should


    believe that it was Sylvia and Edmund who tried to harm the olddy!¡±


    Tara had not expected that their ns would have gone more smoothly than she had thought. As a


    matter of fact, when Edmund had gone up the hill to look for Sylvia, Mnie had followed him. It was


    then that Mnie had spotted Madam Carter nearby and she immediately called Tara. Tara had


    immediatelye up with an idea. She had instructed Mnie to trick Madam Carter into believing


    Sylvia was privately meeting with a man at the peak of the hill, which had then convinced her to climb up.


    Right before Madam Carter could get near, Mnie had then been told to push her down the hill and


    leave the scene right away. It would then look like Madam Carter had fallen after she had witnessed


    something at the peak of the hill. Being the only ones up there, Sylvia and Edmund would end up being


    the biggest suspects.


    To her surprise, Odell had arrived at the scene just on time!


    It had turned out a little too perfectly for Tara. Not only had the annoying olddy essentially be a


    vegetable, Odell had even seen with his own eyes that Sylvia and Edmund were at the top of the hill


    when the incident had happened. with Sylvia and Edmund being the top suspects, Odell was sure to


    hate Sylvia! Mnie then asked, ¡°Tara, what are we going to do next?¡±


    Tara giggled and said, ¡°Nothing. We¡¯ll just wait for Odell to send the b*tch to prison.¡±


    Madam Carter meant a lot to Odell and now with her in aa, Odell would surely want to strangle


    Sylvia with his own hands.


    Given Tara¡¯s understanding of the man that had once loved her, she was certain that Odell would make


    Sylvia¡¯s life miserable.

 Chapter 383

    The simplest oue would be sending Sylvia into prison and letting the prison do the job of torturing


    her.


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    Mnie eximed happily, ¡°That¡¯s great. As long as that b*tch is behind bars, she won¡¯t be able to


    snatch Odell from you!¡±


    The ck SUV drove through the night for almost 20 minutes before it stopped in front of the mansion,


    the old Carter Mansion.


    The familiar view of the entrance caused Sylvia to clench her fists tightly. The driver and the bodyguards


    got out and opened the door for Odell. ¡°Get out,¡± he said in a tone of voice that brooked no objection.


    (


    Sylvia pulled her jacket tighter around her and got out of the car as ordered.


    The other two cars who had followed them here also stopped and all the bodyguards came out.


    Odell had a nce at the trunk and said with disgust, ¡°Bring him out.¡±


    Two bodyguards then opened the trunk and pulled Edmund out.


    There was street light by the road and when he was taken out, Sylvia noticed his bruised forehead.


    His mouth had been gagged so he could not speak, but his bloodshot eyes were ring fiercely at


    Odell.


    Even the bodyguards drew back some distance from him after seeing the anger on his face.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted. She felt the urge to free Edmund from his bondage but Odell pulled her back into


    his arms and held her tightly.


    Sylvia said, ¡°odell, he has nothing to do with this.¡± He had already humiliated her in the car with Edmund


    in the trunk. What else did he want to do with the poor man?


    Odell held her by the waist and said coldly, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for him, you wouldn¡¯t have pushed Grandmother


    down the hill. Of course he¡¯s involved.¡±


    Sylvia tightened her lips helplessly


    He seemed to believe that Sylvia and Edmund were romantically involved and that they must have


    pushed Madam Carter down the hill because she had caught them in the act.


    He refused to listen to her no matter how hard she tried to exin.


    It was then that Edmund finally broke free from the rope that bound him and bolted up.


    Odell pulled Sylvia closer and took a step backwards.


    The bodyguards also had Edmund surrounded which prevented him from approaching Odell.


    Fortunately, Edmund did not have any intentions to start a fight. With his eyes fixed on Odell, he tore the


    tape off his mouth. He then said, ¡°Odell, I was the one who pushed Madam Carter down the hill. Come at


    me, don¡¯t take it out on a woman.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes.¡¯


    Sylvia was shocked. She shouted at Edmund, ¡°Stop it! You didn¡¯t push grandmother down the hill!¡±


    She had enough of being used and she did not want to get Edmund involved. Edmund smiled at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m a responsible man, I can¡¯t let you take the fall for me.¡± ¡°Stop it! Edmund, stop spewing nonsense!¡±


    Sylvia shouted. Odell, however, tightened his constriction around her waist as her shout subsided. Sylvia


    clenched her teeth as the pain around her waist made her feel like she could snap in half. Odell said to


    his bodyguards, ¡°Send him to the police station, make sure he confesses what he did before the two of


    youe back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The two bodyguards immediately tied Edmund up again and tossed him into the car. Several other


    bodyguards got in as well before the car drove off.

 Chapter 384

    Sylvia wanted to stop the bodyguards but she was unable to break free from Odell¡¯s grasp even though


    she mustered all of her strength.


    As the car drove away, she turned around and bit Odell on the shoulder. Odell was only wearing a simple


    shirt and she managed to bite down hard on his flesh. However, the man¡¯s rigid body did not even


    budge. After a while, she looked up and shot a furious re at him. He was also looking at her but his


    eyescked warmth, as if he was a vicious monster who struck fear into people¡¯s hearts. At other times,


    Sylvia might be scared of him but now, all she had was hate for him. She yelled, ¡°Odell, you stupid idiot!


    All you know is how to f*ck around¡ª¡±


    He suddenly grabbed her face and silenced her.


    Sylvia¡¯s words were stuck in her throat. Since she was unable to scold him, she aimed a re at him that


    was as sharp as knives. Odell looked at her wide eyes and his lips curled into a grin. ¡°That¡¯s right. If I


    wasn¡¯t stupid, why would I fall for a woman like you?¡± Then, he lifted her up and carried her through the


    gates like a piece of luggage.


    This mansion was the one he had used to imprison her for six months while she had been pregnant.


    He strode in at a quick pace and they soon reached the bedroom in the blink of an eye.


    Barn!


    He tossed her on the bed as if she was just a sack of potatoes. His towering figure then dwarfed over her


    as he climbed on top of her. Sylvia fought back. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°You b*stard! This is not the end!¡±


    Herstruggle did notst long. She was subdued by sheer force as he held her tightly beneath


    Even her lips were sealed by a powerful kiss,


    On the next day, the sun shone through the window, Sylvia opened her heavy eyelids and forced herself


    to get up,


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    Odell was nowhere to be found, she was naked and alone on the messy bed that was in this spacious


    room. She felt weak. After having been ravaged for an entire night, she had barely had any strength left


    in her. She recalled the horrible experience and cursed out loud, ¡°That b*stard!¡± She clenched her fists


    as she got out of the bed. As she stood in front of the window, she saw bodyguards stationed at the


    entrance. It came as no surprise that the man was trying to imprison her again. She barely had any


    strength left at the moment. She simply washed up, put on some fresh clothes and headed down to the


    living room. The ce was empty. No people, no food, no water, nothing. She headed to the kitchen to


    find something to fill her stomach. No meal had been prepared in the kitchen, but the refrigerator was


    filled with ingredients. Boiling a pot of water, she cooked herself some instant noodles. When she had


    regained her energy, she tried walking out of the living room but the bodyguards at the entrance followed


    her around. As she approached the main gate, the other two bodyguards went up to her and surrounded


    her.


    All four bodyguards stopped her from going out. One of them politely said, ¡°Madam, Master Carter gave


    us an order to keep an eye on you. You are not allowed to leave this ce. Please go back inside.¡±


    Sylvia swept an indifferent nce at them before deciding to go back inside.


    She still had her phone with her.


    She picked it up, intending on calling Aunt Tonya and her kids but there was no signal at all. She was not


    even able to send a text message. If she did not guess wrongly, her phone signal was being blocked.


    Feeling annoyed, she tossed her phone away and left the living room.

 Chapter 385

    The two bodyguards that guarded the living room followed her as she started to move around. Sylvia had


    a nce at the entrance and headed to the yard for a walk. The two bodyguards followed her like her


    shadow. When she was tired of walking, she went back inside to seek other entertainment.


    She turned on the television, only to find that it was not connected to the Inte and had no signal.


    Fortunately, there were some carving tools and wood pieces that she had previously left behind in her


    room. She picked up the wood piece and quietly started carving as she sat on the floor.


    Meanwhile in a luxurious ward in Westchester Hospital, Madam Carter was bedridden with a respirator


    over her face. Her eyes were tightly shut and there were no signs of her waking up anytime soon. Odell¡¯s


    tall and rigid figure sat beside the bed. He hade to the hospital before dawn and had been sitting


    beside his grandmother ever since. Suddenly, there was a careful knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Odell said. Cliff came in and said in a quiet voice, ¡°Sir, the bodyguards from the mansion have


    reported that Madam is being rather quiet. Other than one attempt to leave the house earlier, she simply


    walked around the house before staying in her room for the rest of the day.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes and said coldly, ¡°Tell them to keep watching her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Noticing the grim look on his boss¡¯ face, Cliff continued, ¡°Sir, Isabel and Liam are asking for


    Madam and they are throwing a tantrum. Liam has been rather quiet but Isabel has been crying for a


    while now. Aunt Tonya tried to calm them down but failed. Do you think we should send them over to


    Madam¡¯s ce?¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes coldly, which scared Cliff.


    A few momentster, Odell gathered his emotions and said in a calm tone of voice, ¡°Keep an eye on the


    two of them. I¡¯ll go back and talk to themter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Cliff said with a nod.


    The day went by peacefully. The sky was already dark but the bodyguards did not not seem to have any


    intentions of


    changing shifts or taking any rest. Sylvia put the carved piece of wood down and cooked herself


    something to eat. She went to the yard for a walk after the meal and the two bodyguards who guarded


    the living room followed her as before. Sylvia thought for a moment before turning around to ask them,


    ¡°Are you guys not having dinner?¡±


    The expressionless bodyguards chose to remain silent. Annoyed, Sylvia pursed her lips and returned to


    her room. The bodyguards did not follow her to the room on the second floor, so she was alone as she


    stood at the northern balcony.


    The house had a backdoor but it was as tall as the front gate and the walls around it, which were at least


    three meters in height.


    There was nothing Sylvia could use to climb over the walls or the door.


    After thinking about it, Sylvia pulled two chairs from the room and tossed it over the balcony.


    The noise from the chairs attracted the bodyguards¡¯ attention.


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    All four of them heard the noise beneath the balcony which startled them.


    One of the bodyguards at the gate said to the others, ¡°D*mn it! Madam is trying to escape from the


    backdoor! Go have a look!¡±


    The three bodyguards immediately scattered and headed to the backdoor, leaving only one to guard the


    gate.


    Now that the security at the gate had weakened, Sylvia came out from the living room. She dashed to


    the gate quickly, her sudden appearance shocking the lone bodyguard that had been left behind.


    The bodyguard tried to stop her but Sylvia grinned and threw a kick at his crotch.


    Thud!


    ¡°Argh!¡± The bodyguard screamed in pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Leaving behind her apology, Sylvia tried to open the gate but it was locked and she did not have the key


    Fortunately, the door was only around her height.


    Pulling at the top of the door with both hands, she used the force of both her legs to jump and push


    hersell up.


    Just when she was about to jump over and leave the house, a beam of blinding lights shot at her.


    Her eyes were blinded momentarily. By the time she had adapted to the strong light, she


    noticed a ck sports car had appeared before her eyes.


    Through the windshield, she saw Odell in the driver¡¯s seat.

 Chapter 386

    His face was cold and his eyes were frigid and stern as he stared at Sylvia who was trying to escape.


    Sylvia¡¯s legs trembled, causing her to almost lose her bnce and fall. The bodyguard who had received


    a kick to the crotch finally came over. Sylvia remained hanging at top of the door, feeling undecided as to


    whether she should jump out or jump back in. An awkward feeling began to set in on the atmosphere.


    Momentster, Odell got out of the car and approached her. His towering figure ced him almost at the


    same eye level as Sylvia despite her being on the door. He shot a gloomy gaze at her and said, ¡°Are you


    coming down, or are you waiting for me to give you a hand?¡± He stood in front of Sylvia as he gave her


    the warning but the moment he finished speaking, he moved his slender leg forward as if to kick the door


    open and bring her down. Sylvia bit the bullet and jumped forward. The moment her feetnded on the


    ground, she ran. Unfortunately, before she could gain an effective distance from the house, she was


    pulled by a tug at the back of her cor. ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The sudden tug choked her for a moment.


    The bodyguard finally opened the door.


    Odell simply grabbed her by the cor and dragged her inside without even looking at her. Sylvia was


    dragged across the yard and the living room wretchedly, and taken upstairs by the man,


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    It was not until they were in the room and Odell had kicked the door to a close that he finally let her go.


    The room was dark and the dim environment reminded her of how he had ravaged her the night before,


    Sylv¨ªa wanted to run but she felt a constricting force around her waist.


    The man wrapped his long arms around her, instantly binding her close to his chest.


    His unfeeling yet hot breath tickled the back of her neck.


    Sylvia had goosebumps all over her neck. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Hechuckled. ¡°Trying to escape?¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath and solemnly said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m not your pet, nor am I an object that belongs to


    you. I¡¯m a person! You have no right to imprison me here!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m imprisoning you. What can you do about it?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She lifted her leg to give him a back kick but Odell predicted her move.


    The moment she lifted her leg, Odell caught it with his other arm. She was lifted up in an embarrassing


    position and tossed onto the bed. His towering figure then climbed on top of her. Sylvia grunted and


    struggled as hard as she could, but no matter how much she fought back, he subdued her with almost no


    effort at all.


    In the end, the same thing happened again. She was stripped naked, her clothes thrown to the floor, and


    ravaged all over again.


    The night was dark.


    After several rounds of passionate sex, the room finally returned to peace and quiet. Under the warm


    bedding of therge bed, Sylvia was held tightly in his arms.


    The bed reeked of sweat and it was extremely stuffy, which made it difficult to breathe.


    Sylvia did not want to look at him, so she turned her back to him but his strong hand gripped her face


    and turned her back to his handsome face.


    His eyes were half narrowed, a sense of frostiness in his wickedly charming eyes. ¡°This is the


    punishment for betraying me.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth and averted her gaze.


    Her eyes were red and teary.


    Odell was somehow irritated by her stubborn look so he pressed his lips to hers and bit her strongly. He


    said, ¡°I¡¯ll make you pay for what you did to Grandmother.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth tightly and refused to make a sound until he finally released her and got out of


    bed.


    He got dressed and walked out of the room. The door was not locked, so Sylvia overheard the


    conversation he had with the bodyguards in the corridor


    ¡°From now on, whenever she leaves this room, follow her; if she dares to escape again, there¡¯s no need


    to report to me. Just break her legs.¡± His voice was so cold and stern that it was terrifying The


    bodyguards nodded, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Sylvia clenched the sheets tightly and closed her teary eyes.


    Her warm tears rolled down her cheeks and wet the pillow.


    She felt so much hatred. She hated his cold attitude and his distrust of her, and she hated how


    helpless she was yet again.

 Chapter 387

    However, she could not just allow him to ravage her whenever he wanted. She was a person, a living


    person, not a pet or a mistress that he kept in a house.


    The next morning, Sylvia woke up as usual. She went to the kitchen to make herself some food, and


    then she ate a few cloves of raw garlic and a few pieces of onions.


    The stench of garlic and onion lingered in her mouth whichsted until evening. However, even after


    midnight, Odell was nowhere to be found.


    Sylvia nced outside the door. The bodyguards were still there watching the gate yet there were no


    signs of any car arriving. She dared not lower her guard though. She refused to brush her teeth and went


    to bed in the most conservative pajamas that she owned.


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    The next morning, the garlicky stench in her mouth assaulted her nose and forced her to wake up.


    She immediately brushed her teeth twice to remove the stench.


    As a precaution against Odell, she ate some garlic and onion again that afternoon, the smellsting all


    the way till evening.


    Sylvia cautiously went to bed but on the next day, the garlicky stench woke her up once again. She


    quickly headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth again.


    Looking at herself in the mirror, she frowned in annoyance.


    ¡®Is he noting, anymore?¡¯


    Alter removing the stench, she headed to the kitchen to make breakfast for herself.


    One of the bodyguards followed her as soon as she stepped out of the bedroom.


    While cooking herself some instant ramen, she asked the bodyguard, ¡°Do you know what Odell¡¯s been


    uplotely?¡±


    In he was on business Up or too busy toe over, she would stop eating the garlic because


    she was torturiny herself as well


    The bodyguard answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Sylvia finished cooking the noodles and ate them.


    This time around, she did not eat any garlic but kept several cloves in her pocket.


    She nned to shove them into her mouth as soon as Odell arrived. Simr to the past two days, Odell


    did not show up even by midnight. ¡°I think he¡¯s noting.¡± Sylvia put on her conservative pajamas and


    went to bed, holding the cloves of garlic. She stared out of the window as her eyes slowly shut. The night


    was quiet as she fell fast asleep. Some timeter, the door slowly opened and the arrival of a person


    broke the peace in the room.


    A towering figure came in. He locked the door and moved his slender legs to stand closer to the woman


    on the bed. He grinned at the sleeping woman before starting to undress himself. He lifted the sheets


    and pressed his hard body over hers.


    His thin lips then locked onto hers.


    The pressure on her lips woke Sylvia. She opened her eyes to see the man¡¯s lustful gaze. She tried to


    push him away but in the process, she identally dropped the garlic cloves that she had been


    clutching. Odell momentarily paused when he saw the cloves of garlic falling from her hand. He picked


    one up and squinted his eyes at it. ¡°What is this? Garlic?¡± Feeling embarrassed and annoyed, Sylvia


    argued, ¡°No, this is the brain that you forgot.¡± Odell was speechless. He narrowed his eyes at her


    blushing face and curved his lips into a mischievous grin. ¡°So this is what you like, huh?¡± He then peeled


    the garlic skin and put them into his mouth. Then, he pressed his lips onto hers again. ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°This b*stard! He¡¯s stuffing all the chewed garlic into my mouth!¡¯


    After a while, when the room finally returned to peace and quiet, Sylvia felt more embarrassed than ever.


    Her face was as red as apple as she widened her eyes to re at him in disbelief. Intrigued, Odell


    pinched her face and said, ¡°It¡¯s a little smelly but it¡¯s quite amusing.¡±


    ¡°You are a psychopath!¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Well, I think you should prepare something else next time, something tastier. The smell of


    this garlic is too strong,¡±

 Chapter 388

    ¡®Prepare, my *ss! Sylvia tried to push him away but he wrapped his hand around her neck and kissed


    her. She was once again silenced by his forceful kiss, all the while wishing she could bite him to death!


    Momentster, Odell freed her and simr to before, he got up and got dressed.


    While he was still getting dressed, Sylvia seized the moment to ask, ¡°Odell, I want to see Isabel and


    Liam.¡±


    ¡°You are not worthy of them,¡± he said coldly, the disgust showing on his face. Sylvia clenched her fists.


    ¡°They¡¯ll be worried if they don¡¯t see me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ve talked to them. They


    won¡¯t be seeing you for a while.¡± ¡°Why? What did you tell them?¡±


    Odell looked at her with a nk gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Odell soon buttoned up his shirt. Seeing her looking angry and gnashing her teeth silently somehow put


    a delighted grin on his face. He then left the room without saying anything else. Sylvia was left alone,


    feeling speechless and helpless.


    For the next few days, Odell would drop by but it would never be at a fixed time.


    Sometimes he would arrive before midnight and sometimes he woulde in the wee hours of the


    morning.


    Sylvia would either be carried off to bed in the man¡¯s strong arms or woken up in the middle of the night


    to satisfy him.


    The man was like a beast with an insatiable lust. Each time he took her, he would torment her physically


    and mentally, until she almost cried her tears dry.


    On this particr night, after Sylvia came out from the bathroom, she wore a thin night camisole andid


    down on the couch next to the bed. Even though it waste, she did not want to go to bed just yet.


    It had been a week since she had seen Isabel and Liam and had not even gotten to call them.


    She was worried about the kids. She wondered if they were eating well, if they were going to school on


    time or if they were throwing a tantrum because they could not see their mother.


    She really wanted to see them.


    Her arms were crossed in front of her as she stared at the door from time to time. Soon, the door was


    opened and the man¡¯s towering figure came in. He was in a ck shirt today and his face looked as


    frosty as usual. There was even an intimidating aura around him. After a week, Sylvia had already gotten


    used to his indifference.


    This time, she took the initiative to get up and walk to him. Odell was surprised. He stared at her with


    narrowed and cautious eyes. For Isabel and Liam¡¯s sakes, she bit the bullet and helped him unbutton his


    shirt.


    By the time she reached the third button, he suddenly held her wrist, which startled her. ¡°That¡¯s too slow.


    You should do it like this.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He moved her hands to his cor, forcing her to hold each side tightly before giving it a hard yank


    Rip!


    His shirt instantly fell apart. Before she could enjoy his toned, powerful abs, she was lifted into the air


    and tossed onto the bed.


    The bed trembled and squeeked as they had enthusiastic sex.


    This time, Sylvia did not try to fight back and allowed him to have his way with her body.


    Several hourster when they had finally settled down, he propped up his forehead with one hand as he


    lay beside her and stared at her blushing face.


    Seeing that he was not in a good mood, she quickly seized the chance and asked, ¡°Odell, can I see


    Isabel and Liam?¡±

 Chapter 389

    He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. ¡°Are you being obedient today just because of them?¡±


    Sylvia could not tell if he was happy or unhappy about this at the moment. After considering his question,


    she answered, ¡°Not really.¡±


    Odell continued staring at her with a profound look on his face.


    Sylvia continued, ¡°Can you let me see them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± His answer was resolute.


    Sylvia¡¯s face fell but at the very next moment, she curved her lips into a smile


    ¡°Then can I video-call them or just simply call them?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± His tone remained resolute as before.


    Sylvia was disheartened.


    Then, with a strong gulp, she asked, ¡°Then can you tell me how they have been doingtely?¡± If he


    would not allow her to see them, he could at least tell her how they were doing. Odell pinched her chin


    and said with a smile, ¡°A mother of such low character like you is not worthy of knowing how her kids are


    doing.¡± Almost instinctively, Sylvia swung a p at his face, but he was faster. Before her hand even


    touched him, he had caught it and pinned down to the bed. She screamed, ¡°Let go of me!¡± Odell grinned


    and crawled on top of her.


    Some timeter, he finally released her after he had satisfied his lust again.


    Sylviay weakly on the bed. He tapped her face and said, ¡°Only when you¡¯ve atoned for your sins, then


    you can think about seeing ther.¡±


    He then got up, got dressed and went out.


    Sylvia mustered thest bit of her strength and sat up to throw a pillow at him.


    Unfortunately, Odell was already out of the room and the pillow simply hit the door before it fell on the


    floor.


    Sylvia red at the door and shouted, ¡°You f*cking b*stard!¡±


    Back at the Carter Residence, it was alreadyte at night but Aunt Tonya was still up.


    She was in Isabel and Liam¡¯s room watching the two of them as they slept. Liam was fine and healthy


    but Isabel was having a fever. She kept crying for her mother but her wish was not granted.


    Aunt Tonya and Liam had to coax and convince her for quite some time to take the medicine. The


    medicine stabilized her condition temporarily but Aunt Tonya was worried that it might get worse


    overnight, so she dared not move her eyes away from her.


    The girl was obviously fast asleep. She buried her little flushed face in her brother¡¯s arms and clung to


    him tightly. Liam also hugged her closely. Aunt Tonya felt bad as she observed the little girl. She knew


    that Isabel was a healthy girl and hardly fell ill even when she had been one or two years old.


    The reason for her sudden fever must be because she had not been able to see Sylvia for almost a week


    now. The crying and sulking must have taken a toll on her physical and mental health, hence causing the


    fever.


    Aunt Tonya had no idea what had happened as well. Madam Carter was in aa and Sylvia had been


    locked up by Odell in some mysterious ce. Odell had even confiscated the kids¡¯ phone, forbidding


    them from contacting Sylvia. One morning, a few days ago, Odell had even threatened his kids that if


    they continued throwing a tantrum, they would never see their mother again.


    LI


    Isabel and Liam could not ept that fact, but they were helpless against it. The only option they had


    was to stay quiet and obedient, hence neither of them had continued to ask for Sylvia.


    Aunt Tonya started to feel tired and shut her eyes for a little rest.


    After a while, Aunt Tonya suddenly heard the little girl groaning in pain. She opened her eyes and ced


    her hand over the girl¡¯s forehead.


    It was burning!


    Isabel also woke up. She pouted and said in a small voice, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I don¡¯t feel good.¡± Aunt Tonya


    immediately said, ¡°Isabel, you¡¯re going to be fine. Wait here, I¡¯ll go get a doctor for you.¡±


    She got up and hurried outside to get help.


    Isabel whimpered as she sat up.


    Aunt Tonya was away, Liam was asleep, no one else was there to listen to her, so the big baddie would


    not know if she cried for her mother.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried, ¡°I miss my mommy¡­¡±


    It was then that an assuring hand patted her head.


    Liam woke up and sat beside her. Taking her into his arms, he whispered, ¡°Isabel, just cry all you want.


    The big baddie won¡¯t be able to hear you.¡±

 Chapter 390

    Isabel broke down into tears. She cried as loud as she could and screamed for her mother. ¡°I want


    Mommy, I want Mommy¡­¡± Liam simply hugged her and stayed by her side until Aunt Tonya came in with


    the family doctor.


    Isabel immediately stopped crying but her eyes remained teary.


    It was a heart-wrenching scene to look at.


    The doctor took her temperature. ¡°39.7 celsius degrees, she¡¯s having a high fever. We must lower her


    body temperature right away.¡±


    The doctor then tried to coax the little girl, ¡°Isabel, be a good girl and take your medicine, okay?¡± Isabel


    pouted. ¡°I want my mommy.¡±


    Liam patted her head and said, ¡°Sis, please take the medicine first. I¡¯ll think of a way to get to mommy.¡±


    Isabel whispered, ¡°Okay,¡± and obediently took the medicine. Then, Liam let her go and continued to stay


    by her side. Aunt Tonya and the doctor stayed back as well.


    The doctor took Isabel¡¯s temperature once every 30 minutes just to be safe.


    Several hours went by but Isabel¡¯s face remained flushed and hot. Her furrowed brows were a sign that


    she was in difort and her little mouth would call out for her mother from time to time.


    The doctor frowned and said in a worried tone, ¡°I think it would be better to let her see her mother. She¡¯d


    feel better in her mother¡¯s presence and her body would recover faster. If not, I¡¯m worried that the fever


    might not go away.¡± Feeling helpless, Aunt Tonya said, ¡°Their father is not letting them see their mother.


    Even my phone was confiscated, so there¡¯s no way for me to contact Sylvia.¡±


    It was then that Liam opened his eyes.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He continued to hug his sister as he asked the doctor, ¡°Doctor, could you lend me your


    phone?¡±


    The doctor was surprised. ¡°What do you need my phone for?¡± ¡°I want to call my daddy.¡± ¡°Okay. Hold on.¡±


    The doctor lent the boy his phone. Liam took the phone and skillfully keyed in Sylvia¡¯s number.


    However, when he dialed the number, the systematic voice informed him that it was unreachable.


    Liam frowned. He then dialed Odell¡¯s number.


    It took a while before the call got through but he immediately said, ¡°Sis is having a high fever. The doctor


    says that if she doesn¡¯t get to see Mommy, her brain will be damaged by the fever. You know what to


    do.¡±


    He then ended the call without giving Odell a chance to speak. Aunt Tonya was stunned, and even the


    doctor felt a little awkward. He did not remember saying that Isabel¡¯s brain would be damaged if the fever


    continued from not being able to see her mother.


    Half an hourter, Odell strode into the house.


    He immediately headed to Isabel and Liam¡¯s room and found Liam hugging his sister on the bed.


    Isabel was sleeping in his arms. Her face remained flushed and her brows were furrowed. It was clear


    that she was in a lot of difort.


    Odell went up to the kids and ced his hand over Isabel¡¯s forehead. It was hot.


    He turned to the doctor and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? It has been a whole night yet the fever is still not


    going away.¡±


    The doctor said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve already given Isabel some medicine but I believe she¡¯s still having a fever due


    to mental issues, not physical ones.¡±


    Odell frowned. He tried to carry Isabel into his arms but Isabel suddenly opened her eyes. She cried


    upon seeing her father. ¡°Go away, Baddie, I don¡¯t want you! Go away! I want Mommy, I want Mommy!¡±


    Her voice grew hoarse because of the fever and theck of strength caused her to fall back into Liam¡¯s


    arms again.


    Liam hugged her and stared at Odell coldly at the same time.


    Odell frowned.


    A momentter, he pulled his phone out and made a call. When the call got through, he immediately


    said, ¡°Bring Sylvia to Carter Residence right away.¡±


    Sylvia was woken up by the bodyguard knocking on the door.

 Chapter 391

    The bodyguard did not reveal any additional details. He simply said that Odell wanted her at Carter


    Residence and they had to depart right away. Sylvia¡¯s instinct told her it had to be rted to Isabel or


    Liam. She grabbed her jacket and quickly got into the car with the bodyguard. In less than 20 minutes,


    the car arrived at Carter Residence. The main gate opened to reveal Sebastian waiting at the entrance.


    The moment Sylvia exited the car, Sebastian urged her, ¡°Madam, please hurry up. Isabel is having a


    fever and she¡¯s been wanting to see you.¡± Sylvia became anxious after learning what had happened.


    She immediately ran into the house and headed to Isabel and Liam¡¯s room.


    The doctor and Aunt Tonya were standing to one side while Odell sat beside the bed with a grim look on


    his face.


    On the bed, Isabel was hugging Liam, her face was flushed as she sobbed uncontrobly. It was heart-


    wrenching for Sylvia to see Isabel in such torment. She called the girl as soon as she walked in, ¡°Isabel,


    Mommy¡¯s here.¡± Isabel turned around and cried out with her pouty little mouth, ¡°Mommy!¡± She extended


    both her chubby arms for a hug. Sylvia went over and took the little girl into her arms. The little girl¡¯s body


    was burning hot. Sylvia hugged andforted her, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Isabel. Mommy¡¯s here. You¡¯ll be fine soon.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s tiny hands held her mother tightly as she buried her face into her mother¡¯s chest. She continued


    to weep and said, ¡°Mommy, please don¡¯t leave.¡± Sylvia hugged her tightly. ¡°Mommy is not leaving, I¡¯ll be


    here with you.¡± Isabel¡¯s weeping finally quieted down as her emotions gradually calmed down. Then, the


    doctor said, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time for Isabel to take her medicine.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia epted the medicine and the ss of water from the doctor before feeding it to Isabel. Isabel


    obediently took the medicine and drank the ss of water before she buried herself in her mother¡¯s arms


    again. Sylvia simply hugged her and softly rocked her to sleep. The girl¡¯s breathing started to stabilize


    again. Sylvia looked down at the little girl in her arms again and saw that she was fast asleep.


    Her chi


    ice looked a lot morefortable than before.


    The doctor came closer to take the girl¡¯s temperature. With delight, the doctor announced, ¡°Great, the


    temperature is going down.¡± Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°However, it¡¯s better to keep her under


    observation first. At least, until she fully heals. Madam, I think you¡¯d better stay by Isabel¡¯s side,¡± the


    doctor said. Sylvia did not say a word, she turned to Odell instead.


    Odell¡¯s expression remained grim.


    ¡°Doctor, you can leave now. I¡¯ll call you if there¡¯s anything else.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Okay.¡± The doctor nodded and then left with Aunt Tonya.


    Sylvia noticed that Liam was still awake. She said, ¡°Liam, you should go to sleep too.¡± She carried Isabel


    to the bed and sat down beside Liam.


    Liam tightened his lips beforeying down beside his mother.


    Sylvia sat quietly with Isabel in her arms and Liam by her side. She did not even spare a nce at


    Odell.


    The room¡¯s atmosphere finally quieted down. Odell nced at her a few more times before he walked


    out. With his absence, Sylvia finally shut her eyes to get some rest. The next day arrived without her


    knowing.


    The doctor came by to take Isabel¡¯s temperature. Isabel woke up but her hands remained glued to her


    mother. The doctor then said with a smile, ¡°Her temperature has returned to normal.¡± Sylvia breathed a


    sigh of relief. With a smile, she said, ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s my responsibility to take


    care of her.¡± The doctor gave some extra pieces of advice before he left.


    Odell¡¯s towering figure then came in and looked at Sylvia.

 Chapter 392

    Sylvia instinctively hugged Isabel tighter. Isabel lifted her chubby face from her mother¡¯s chest and


    bawled at Odell, ¡°You big Baddie, go away! Don¡¯t you stare at my mommy!¡± Her little kiddy voice was


    clear and strong already. Odell frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡±


    His words were meant for Sylvia. He then left the mother and daughter alone. The little girl then buried


    her face into Sylvia¡¯s chest again and hugged her tighter. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave!¡± Sylvia patted the girl¡¯s


    head. ¡°Mommy isn¡¯t leaving. I¡¯m just going to have a word with Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The girl stared at her with longing eyes. Sylvia replied with a smile,¡±Of course. I¡¯ll be back


    soon.¡±


    Isabel pouted but she finally let go of her mother. Sylvia put Isabel beside Liam and said to the boy,


    ¡°Liam, take good care of your sister while I¡¯m away. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Liam held Isabel¡¯s hand and said,


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Sylvia patted the boy¡¯s head and got out of bed.


    Odell was alone in the living room.


    Sylvia walked closer and stopped two meters away from him. She said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m not going


    back.¡±


    Odell looked at her with frosty eyes. ¡°You have no right to refuse me now.¡± Sylvia furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Isabel¡¯s health is still unstable now, I can¡¯t leave her.¡±


    Odell lifted his watch and had a nce at the time. ¡°You will have until noon today to say your goodbyes.


    I¡¯ll allow you to see the kids once a week or you can choose to not see them at all.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Without any other options at the moment, she was forced to agree to his terms.


    In the corridor to the two little ones¡¯ room, Isabel and Liam hade out of bed and were huddled


    together with their heads poking out towards the living room as they tried to listen to their parents¡¯


    conversation in the living room.


    Isabel tried listening for a while but was unable to hear them properly. She asked Liam,¡± Brother, can you


    hear what the Baddie is talking to Mommy about?¡±


    Liam furrowed his brows. ¡°I can¡¯t hear it clearly either.¡±


    .


    It was then that Sylvia came over.


    The two of them immediately turned around and scurried back to their room like the wind.


    By the time Sylvia returned to their room, the two of them were already back on their beds.


    Isabel leaned on her brother¡¯s shoulder as she pouted and feigned grievance on her face.


    Sylvia sat down beside them.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Isabel crawled into her mother¡¯s arms and said, ¡°Mommy, what did the Baddie say to you?¡± Sylvia


    hugged the little girl. ¡°We talked about your condition, nothing else.¡± ¡°Me? Why did you talk about me?¡±


    Isabel was unhappy with the answer. Sylvia smiled. ¡°The two of you are not just my children, you¡¯re also


    his children. Of course he cares about you two.¡±


    She might hate Odell but she could tell Odell really did care about Isabel and Liam.


    As a mother, of course she would not choose to badmouth the father in front of the kids because of her


    personal gains or feelings.


    The towering figure was waiting outside the door.


    The expression on his face shifted a little when he overheard the conversation inside. He showed no


    intention of leaving.


    Isabel grunted in annoyance after hearing her mother. Sylvia simply smiled at the girl. Then, Liam asked,


    ¡°Mommy, where have you been for the past week? And where¡¯s Great Grandma? We haven¡¯t seen her


    for a while now.¡± His big clear eyes looked at his mother with curiosity as Isabel did the same.


    With a troubled look on her face, Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted for a bit. It seemed that Odell had not told them


    about Madam Carter or his suspicion that she and Edmund had pushed Madam Carter down the hill.

 Chapter 393

    She said, ¡°Great-Grandma is unwell now and she¡¯s recovering. I¡¯ve been by her side taking care of her.¡±


    If she told the kids that she was being imprisoned by Odell, they would probably be upset with Odell


    again.


    Sylvia just wanted them to live a happy and healthy life. She did not want them to be troubled by the


    terrible problems of adult life. She would rather endure all of the problems herself than giving them a bad


    childhood. The two little ones believed her but they were also disheartened. Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, is


    Great-Grandma better now?¡± ¡°Not yet, but I believe she will be soon.¡± ¡°Yeah, I believe it too.¡±


    Odell heard the conversation from outside the door and his expression turned grim.


    ¡°This shameless woman has the nerve to mention Grandmother and even pretended to be taking care of


    her in front of the kids. She even said that she believed that Grandmother would wake up.


    If Grandmother really woke up, she would be able to testify against this shameless woman¡¯s filthy act.


    Surely this woman wanted Grandmother dead more than anyone else!


    Sylvia chatted with the two kids for a while, helped them change and brought them down for breakfast.


    Odell was not around.


    While they were eating at the table, Sylvia looked around but did not see Sebastian or any of the


    bodyguards. She turned to Aunt Tonya and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, can I borrow your phone?¡±


    She wanted to call Sherry. Then, she could just sit back and allow Odell to do whatever he wanted to


    her.


    She also had to clear her name and save Edmund from the police.


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s irritation showed on her face. ¡°Sebastian took my phone on the day we returned from the


    resort. I tried borrowing a phone to contact you but no one would help. They even guarded me as if I was


    a thief these few days.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She had to give up on the thought of contacting Sherry.


    Maybe because of the rough night that they had, Isabel and Liam started to yawn after breakfast.


    Sylvia sat beside their beds and watched them sleep.


    It was then that Aunt Tonya came in.


    She pulled Sylvia to the door and asked in a small voice, ¡°Syl, tell me what happened that day? How did


    Madam Carter end up in aa? What happened to you in the past week?¡±


    Since the two little ones were already asleep, Sylvia told Aunt Tonya everything that had happened.


    From Madam Carter falling off the hill to Odell mistaking her and Edmund as the culprits behind the


    incident, she told Aunt Tonya all the details.


    Aunt Tonya was furious after learning what had happened. ¡°How could he think that you and Edmund


    were having an affair? This is unreasonable! Let me go and reason with him!¡± Sylvia pulled her back.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, calm down. He¡¯s angry right now, so it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t provoke him for now. I¡¯ll think of a


    way to exin it to him. Just help me to watch the kids while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve been wronged. How


    could he suspect you without any evidence?¡± Aunt Tonya sighed helplessly. Sylvia had no idea as well.


    He was probably just as distrustful of her as he was a few years back. She talked to Aunt Tonya a little


    more before she returned to the kids. Two hourster, Isabel and Liam finally woke up from their morning


    nap. Liam was rather calm when he woke up. He simply leaned against Sylvia quietly. Isabel, however,


    became nervous the moment she opened her eyes. When she found her mother beside her, she buried


    herself in her mother¡¯s embrace.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Sylvia could feel the clingy girl in front of her chest. She held Isabel with one arm while she hugged Liam


    with the other. After chatting with them for a while, she noticed they were in a good mood. So, she said, ¡±


    Isabel, Liam, Mommy has to tell you something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Isabel looked at her with her big eyes.


    Liam also looked at her quietly. ¡°Mommy has to go back to look after Great-Grandmater because she


    needs someone by her side. So Mommy won¡¯t see you two again until a weekter.¡±

 Chapter 394

    Sylvia pouted.


    Liam said, ¡°Mommy, you don¡¯t have to worry. When you go to look after Great-Grandma, we¡¯ll go and


    look for you there.¡± Isabel immediately agreed. ¡°Yeah, yeah, we¡¯ll look for you there every day.¡± Sylvia¡¯s


    eyes shifted. She pondered the matter for a bit before she said, ¡°Great-Grandma needs to rest. It


    wouldn¡¯t be good to disturb her. You two can stay at home and wait for me to visit.¡±


    Liam pouted but did not voice his disagreement.


    Isabel also pouted, the annoyance clearly written all over her face.


    Sylvia hugged the two of them tightly and said softly, ¡°Come on, be a good girl and a good boy for


    Mommy, please?¡±


    Isabel begrudgingly hummed in reply.


    Sylvia then turned to the quiet Liam. ¡°Liam?¡± Liam looked at her. ¡°Mommy, is it because of Daddy? Is it


    because he doesn¡¯t want you to stay with us?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. She quickly said, ¡°Of course not. Mommy has to look after Great


    Grandma.¡±


    Liam pouted even more but said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Just then, there was a knock from the butler from outside the door.


    ¡°Madam, the car is ready,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be right out,¡± Sylvia said.


    She hugged the two little ones for a little while longer before she left.


    It was the same car that she had arrived in the night before.


    There was a driver and two bodyguards inside.


    As Sylvia got into the rear seat, to her surprise, Isabel and Liam came running after her.


    Sebastian closed the gate and stopped them from going into the car.


    With tears in her eyes, Isabel cried out, ¡°Mommy! Come back soon! I miss you!¡±


    Liam was beside Isabel Even though he did not say anything, there was a strong sense of longing in his


    eyes as well.


    Tears filled Sylvia¡¯s eyes and quickly rolled down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them away and said to


    the driver, ¡°Drive quickly.¡±


    She was afraid that she would lose control and jump out of the car. The car drove off quickly. As the two


    of them slowly disappeared from her sight, Sylvia looked down and buried her face in her hands.


    After a while, her tears eventually stopped. She knew tears could not solve her problem right now. She


    had to think of a way to clear her name and Edmund¡¯s reputation so that she could return to her kids.


    After she returned to the old Carter Residence, Sylvia passed the time by carving on wood pieces.


    However, after carving for a while, she started to feel sleepy. It was probably due to Isabel¡¯s condition


    last night that she had exhausted herself in the process. In the evening, she finally sumbed to her


    sleepiness and went to bed.


    While she was fast asleep, she felt an immense pressure falling on top of her body, as if a giant rock had


    landed on top of her.


    She grunted and opened her eyes. The man¡¯s handsome face appeared right in front of her eyes as he


    kissed her roughly. She instinctively tried to fight back but her hands were pinned above her head.


    Simr to before, she was subdued easily and all she could do was submit to his lust. There was no


    chance for her to fight back at all.


    Some timeter, the sky fully turned dark and night arrived,


    The room finally returned to peace and quiet.


    Unlike before, he did not put on his clothes and leave. Instead, heid down beside her and stared at her


    gloomily.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Sylvia could not stand seeing his face, so she turned away. Odell grabbed her face and forced her to


    look at him. He said, ¡°I¡¯ve discharged Grandmother and brought her here to recuperate.¡± He paid close


    attention to her reaction as he broke the news to her. Sylvia was surprised. ¡°Why did you bring


    Grandmother here?¡± He sneered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does this scare you?¡±

 Chapter 395

    She had not done anything wrong. Why would she be afraid? Sylvia said, ¡°Grandmother should be


    recovering in a proper hospital with medical equipment.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I¡¯ve hired


    the best medical team here.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips. Odell noticed the calmness on her face and


    the absence of guilt or nervousness. He gripped her face tighter and said coldly, ¡°The medical team is


    short of manpower. I want you to take care of Grandmother every night from now on. If something


    happens to her, you can spend the rest of your life locked up here.¡± Sylvia only felt the pain on her


    cheeks and nothing else. She furrowed her brows and said, ¡°I understand.¡± Odell freed her and


    continued, ¡°You can get up now and go watch over Grandmother.¡±


    Sylvia stretched out her sore legs and got out of bed. She got dressed and left the room without sparing


    a nce at the man. Odell frowned. He was vexed by her reaction. He pulled out a packet of cigarettes


    from the drawer beside the bed.


    Sylvia went downstairs and found a team of people discussing Madam Carter¡¯s diet. Judging by their


    professional medical attire, they had to be the medical team that Odell had hired to look after Madam


    Carter.


    Other than the medical team, there was another young woman by their side. Sylvia had never seen the


    woman before despite the woman wearing the same maid uniform from the other Carter Residence.


    When Sylvia noticed her, the young woman went up to her and introduced herself with a smile, ¡°Madam,


    I¡¯m Violet and I¡¯ll be in charge of taking care of Madam Carter during the


    day¡±


    ¡°Hi,¡± Sylvia said.


    Violet continued, ¡°Please follow me to Madam Carter¡¯s room. I¡¯ll let you know about the things you need


    to be mindful of.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡± Sylvia nodded and followed Violet to Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    The most spacious room on the first floor had been chosen to be Madam Carter¡¯s temporary ward.


    Madam Carter had a respirator over her face since she was bedridden and could not even move a finger


    Sylvia¡¯s heart sank when she saw her.


    Violet then took a small notebook out of her pocket and said, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll make notes as I go over the


    things you need to be careful of. If you can¡¯t remember it all, you can refer to this notebook.¡±


    ¡°Hand me the notebook, I¡¯ll make the notes myself,¡± Sylvia said.


    Violet was taken aback for a second before she handed Sylvia the notebook and a pen.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Violet then talked about all the things that Sylvia needed to be mindful of while taking care of Madam


    Carter.


    Sylvia took notes as Violet exined everything to her. Little did she know, on the upper right ceiling of


    the room was a tiny surveince camera. It was capturing everything that was happening in the room


    and transmitting the scenes in real time to the guest terminal on the other end.


    Odell was fully dressed and sitting before the floor-to-ceiling window with his phone in his hand. He was


    smoking as he watched the surveince camera through his phone.


    Violet left the room after exining everything to Sylvia.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Sylvia then put the notebook down on the table beside the sickbed.


    She pulled a chair over and sat down beside Madam Carter, her eyes never straying away from the


    unconsciousdy on the bed.


    The surveince camera clearly captured the look on Sylvia¡¯s face. She simply sat and watched Madam


    Carter quietly without any sense of fear or guilt anywhere on her face.


    Odell frowned.


    hameful over what


    How is she this calm? Has she noticed the camera or is she not feeling she has done?¡¯


    Back in Madam Carter¡¯s room, Sylvia sat quietly for an hour or so before she started to doze off.


    Odell had ravaged her the previous night and after what had happened to Isabel, she had barely gotten


    any rest. ¡°Ahem.¡±


    All of a sudden, a voice came from the ceiling.


    Shocked, Sylvia opened her eyes and looked around. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± The man¡¯s deep and maic voice sounded.


    Sylvia looked up to the corner of the ceiling and spotted a camera.

 Chapter 396

    Sylvia was speechless and her brows furrowed. Odell then said, ¡°If I catch you dozing off again, don¡¯t


    even think about seeing the kids again.¡±


    His sinister voice was filled with threats.


    Sylvia called him a crazy man in her heart but verbally said, ¡°I understand.¡±


    The room returned to silence.


    Sylvia was robbed of her sleepiness, but to prevent herself from dozing off again, she took her carving


    knife and wood pieces out to kill some time. To her surprise, at the next second, the man¡¯s irritated voice


    sounded from the ceiling again.¡± Who allowed you to carve things? Put them away!¡± Sylvia sighed. She


    pocketed the carving knife and wood pieces and simply widened her eyes at Madam Carter.


    Other than changing the disposable underpad twice and feeding Madam Carter once, Sylvia spent most


    of her time staring at Madam Carter. The sky soon turned bright and Violet came in.


    ¡°Madarn, breakfast is ready. You can go have a rest now. I¡¯ll take over from here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sylvia rubbed her tired eyes and walked out. She had a few spoons of cereal and then copsed on the


    couch in the living room.


    It was not that she refused to return to her room, but she was afraid that Odell would wake her all of a


    sudden to satisfy his lust again.


    She slept until the evening.


    Odell did not seem to being over any time soon.


    She got up and checked on Madam Carter before she returned to her room.


    She felt terrible even after getting some peaceful sleep, so she nned to get a warm shower to refresh


    herself.


    The moment she turned on the shower, the bathroom¡¯s door was opened.


    Startled, she turned around and saw Odell leaning at the door.


    The suit that he woreplemented his towering figure and it made him look elegant.


    He handsomely stared at her with his deep gaze, voided of any emotions.


    Sylvia blushed. She blocked her private parts with her hands and shouted, ¡°Get out!¡±


    He raised a brow but did not budge.


    Sylvia wanted to grab the shower robe to cover herself but his towering figure barged in. She was


    pushed to the corner forcefully and the warm shower wet both of them. He clutched her face and


    forcefully pressed his lips onto hers.


    Several hourster, the room returned to silence as Sylviaid on the bed weak and exhausted.


    Odell had already left.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia wanted to rest a little longer but knocks came from the door.


    It was Violet. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time for your shift to take care of Madam Carter.¡±


    As though she was afraid that Sylvia wouldsh out at her, she continued in a small voice, Master Carter


    informed me to notify you. Please get up.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath and got out of bed.


    Meanwhile, at Lake Victoria Vi, Tara had been waiting for Odell to send Sylvia to jail since Madam


    Carter¡¯s incident.


    To prevent anyone from finding out it was Mnie who pushed Madam Carter, she told her mother to


    leave Westchester City and return to her old ce while waiting for the coast to be


    cleared.

 Chapter 397

    Mnie had her own ns as well. After she left Westchester City, she had been gathering information


    for Tara. It had been a week since the incident but all she got was Edmund confessing to the police and


    being apprehended.


    Sylvia might have been ced under house arrest but Odell went to her more often than before. He even


    sent Madam Carter to the old Carter residence for recovery.


    Tara did not expect any of this.


    Anger got control of her actions and caused her to smash a bottle on the ground. While ring at the


    broken sses on the floor, she thought of something. She picked one of the shattered ss up and


    sliced her wrist.


    She then started to cry on the floor. The servant heard the smashing of the bottle and then Tara¡¯s crying.


    She immediately brought the first aid box over and said, ¡°Ms. Avery, please let me help you.¡±


    Tara hugged her hand and continued crying.


    The servant was afraid of her after several beatings, and without her permission, the servant dared not


    touch her. She went off and summoned the bodyguard for help. The bodyguard said, ¡°Ms. Avery, please


    stop crying. We must stop the bleeding.¡± Tara continued to weep and she said, ¡°I want to see Odell.¡± The


    bodyguard was afraid that she would hurt herself again and since Odell had not visited for a long time so


    he decided to give Odell a call.


    Meanwhile, inside a cruising ck MPV, Odell was staring at his phone in the rear seat. He was


    watching the surveince camera in Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Sylvia sat beside Madam Carter as soon as she got inside She was afraid that Odell might catch her


    dozing off and since he forbade her from carving, she took some pencils and a sketchbook inside to kill


    some time. She was sketching something in the book. She used the pencil and her fingers together to


    create a shape on the paper.


    While Odell was concentrating on his phone, he received a call.


    It was from the bodyguard that he stationed at Tara¡¯s ce.


    He frowned but he answered the phone nheless.


    ¡°What?¡± His voice sounded heavy. The bodyguard said, ¡°Sir, Ms. Avery identally cut her wrist with the


    bottle and she refused


    to receive any treatment. She¡¯s crying and she wants to see you.¡± ¡°I got it.¡± Odell then hung up the phone


    with furrowed brows. A few quiet momentster, he turned off the surveince footage on his phone and


    said to the driver, ¡°Turn around. We¡¯re going to Lake Victoria Vi.¡±


    Half an hourter, Odell arrived at Tara¡¯s ce.


    He went inside with a grim look.


    The bodyguards and servants weed him as soon as he came in. One of the servants then informed


    Tara of his arrival. ¡°Ms. Avery, Master Carter is here to see you.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed. She then squeezed the little cut on her wrist and stopped it from recovering Odell¡¯s


    towering figure came into the room. The moment Tara saw him, she feebly got on her feet. She stared at


    him with teary eyes,¡° Odell, I heard something happened to Grandmother. Is it true?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Odell frowned. The look on his face turned serious. ¡°Where did you hear it from?¡±


    ¡°I got it from a friend.¡± Tara then walked closer to him and hurriedly asked, ¡°How¡¯s Grandmother doing? Is


    she alright?¡±


    It had been more than a week since Madam Carter¡¯s incident. Although Odell used his influence to


    suppress the media from reporting the crucial part, concealing the truth would only dy the inevitable,


    so it was normal that Tara started to receive news about Madam Carter from her socialwork Odell


    was not overly bothered. He had a nce at the bodyguard and the servant and sent them out.


    He then held Tara¡¯s bleeding wrist and said, ¡°How did you hurt yourself?¡± ¡°I was shocked when I learned


    something happened to Grandmother, so the bottle slipped.¡± A quick pauseter, Tara added, ¡°It¡¯s just a


    small cut. I¡¯ll be fine with some bandages. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±


    She wore the warmest and kindest look.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and stared at her for a few seconds. He led her to the couch, opened the first


    aid box on the table, and applied some iodine on the wound before he bandaged her wrist.


    Tara¡¯s heart raced as she stared at his handsome looks, but she managed to suppress her delight and


    excitement.


    When Odell was done with the bandaging, he looked up and saw her teary eyes and heart warming


    expression.

 Chapter 398

    The look on her face reminded him of their past.


    When he first met her during their younger days, she became his savior.


    After they knew each other better, she had always been kind and understanding. Even after he married


    Sylvia, she never threw a tantrum before him and had been enduring the torment in the dark alone just


    because she did not want to give him any trouble.


    If Sylvia was half as loyal as Tara or had even a sliver of her obedience, Madam Carter would not have


    ended up in aatose state.


    Odell frowned. He wiped the tears off her face and said softly, ¡°Stop crying.¡±


    Tara threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. She continued to weep as she asked, ¡± Odell,


    how are youtely? You must be devastated now that Grandmother is bedridden.¡± Odell pursed his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not being able to help you.¡± ¡°Just take care of


    yourself for me.¡±


    Odell tapped her back and wanted to remove her from his chest but Tara chose to cling on tightly


    He felt sorry for her, so he allowed her to continue the hug and he even patted her back. Tara finally


    released him after a while.


    Lund huif KINDE


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    looked at him and said, ¡°O


    ell, I want to visit Grandmother. Is it


    Her tea okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll bring you over there tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Have some rest.¡±


    Odell got up and wanted to leave. Tara bolted up as well and said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯ll see you out.¡±


    Odell did not reject her. He simply let her follow him to the entrance.


    He got into the car and drove away from the vi.


    Tara could no longer suppress her joy and her lips curled into a wide grin.


    After a peaceful night at Carter residence, Violet punctually arrived and took the shift over from Sylvia


    Like before, Sylvia simply had a few bites of breakfast and went to sleep on the couch in the living room


    The sunlight came in through the ceiling-to-floor window and shed its light on her sleeping figure.


    She was fast asleep. She could neither feel the wind blowing in from the door nor notice the arrival of


    Odell and Tara.


    Odell frowned when he saw Sylvia curled up on the couch. Tara was also surprised to see Sylvia


    sleeping in the living room. She gasped in shock and said, ¡°Why is Sylvia sleeping here?¡± Odell did not


    answer. He went straight over to the couch and kicked Sylvia on the bum.


    He had to kick her a few times topletely wake her up.


    The first thing Sylvia saw when she opened her blurry eyes was Odell¡¯s gloomy face. She instinctively


    clung to the sheets and sat herself up. Odell red at her and said, ¡°Get up.¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath and got up.


    Then, she saw Tara behind her dressed up decently in a slim-fitted white dress thatplemented her


    long ck hair.


    Tara smiled at Sylvia and said, ¡°Good morning, Sylvia.¡±


    Sylvia felt suffocated by Tara¡¯s presence. She gave Tara the cold shoulder and wanted to go upstairs.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± the man bellowed.


    Sylvia looked at him with furrowed brows. ¡°What?¡±


    He wore a frosty look at her. ¡°Tara said good morning, didn¡¯t you hear her?¡± ¡°I heard.¡± ¡°If you heard her,


    reply.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth and turned to Tara. Tara maintained her polite smile. Sylvia could tell behind


    that fake smile that Tara was delighted to see her like this. She gulped her grievance and simply


    hummed a reply at Tara.


    Tara¡¯s expression turned grim.

 Chapter 399

    Sylvia then turned to Odell. ¡°I¡¯ve answered her. Can I go now?¡± Odell¡¯s expression fell. He pursed his thin


    lips for a few seconds and then said, ¡°Get out of my face.¡±


    Sylvia went upstairs without sparing another nce at either of the two. Tara then said, ¡°Odell, Sylvia


    doesn¡¯t seem weing at all.¡±


    She sounded gravelly. Odell looked in the direction Sylvia ran off in and said, ¡°Just ignore her.¡±


    He then led Tara to Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Tara followed him into the room.


    For some reason, her fists were tightly clenched. When she saw Sylvia sleeping wretchedly on the


    couch, she was delighted but the kiss marks around the neck were also obvious.


    There was abination of new and old kiss marks. The older ones already turned into bruises.


    ¡°That b*tch!¡¯ Tara cursed in her heart as she followed Odell into Madam Carter¡¯s room. Violet


    immediately lowered her head and left the room when Odell came in.


    Odell went closer to the bed.


    Tara went up and saw Madam Carter unconscious on the sickbed with an oxygen mask over her face.


    While she happily cursed Madam Carter deep down in her heart, she feigned sadness and said with a


    weeping tone, ¡°Odell, what happened to Grandmother?¡±


    Odell remained silent. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Tara had a nce at his reaction and decided to switch the topic. ¡°Odell, why is there only one maid


    here? Is there someone else in the house to take care of Grandmother?¡±


    ¡°There are doctors next door who would check on her from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Great. But isn¡¯t one servant a little too less?¡± Tara thought for a moment before she said, ¡± Why don¡¯t I


    stay here and look after Grandmother?¡±


    ¡°The servant you saw just now was in charge of the morning shift and Sylvia was in charge of the night.


    You don¡¯t have toe over.¡±


    Tara was shocked.


    No wonder Sylvia was sleeping on the couch earlier. She was looking after Madam Carter during the


    night


    Tara grinned secretly. Odell must have put her on the night shift to punish her. ¡°Okay. If you need


    anything at all, just tell me.¡± Tara then moved closer to Odell and curled her arms around his arm.


    Odell frowned and removed her hands. ¡°I¡¯m a married man. You shouldn¡¯t be holding me like that.¡±


    Tara bit her lip. ¡°I understand. I just don¡¯t want you to be sad and try tofort you. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Her expression fell and she also sounded disheartened. Odell tapped her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go out.


    Grandmother needs to rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tara did not want to spend another second seeing the olddy


    anyway, so she left with Odell. When they were outside, Tara asked again, ¡°Odell, can Ie to visit


    Grandmother frequently?¡± Odell knew his grandmother disliked Tara, so after some serious deliberation,


    he said, ¡°If you want toe over, inform me first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    In the bedroom on the second floor, Sylvia was having a hard time sleeping back after being woken


    once.


    She locked the door and headed to the bathroom to refresh herself. After she got changed into fresh


    clothes, she headed to the balcony.


    It was then she saw Tara walking out of the living room and heading to the gate. After the woman got into


    the car, she even turned around for a long stare at the mansion.


    Sylvia was able to sense grievance in her look.


    It was after the car left that Sylvia realized that Odell did not leave with her.


    Then, before she knew it, the doorknob started turning.


    Sylvia immediately jumped into the bed and covered herself with the sheets.


    The door was locked from the inside and the key was left in the keyhole, so even if he had the key, he


    could not open it from the outside. After he was denied entry, he stopped turning the doorknob and


    knocked on the door instead.


    Knock, knock

 Chapter 400

    Sylvia shut her eyes and pretended to sleep. The man¡¯s gravelly voice sounded through the door.


    ¡°Sylvia, open the door.¡± Sylvia continued shutting her eyes and turned a deaf ear to the man¡¯s calling. ¡°I¡¯ll


    count to three,¡± he warned with a cold voice. Sylvia pursed her lips. Even if he counted to three hundred,


    she would not open the door. Odell counted to three outside the door and he was still denied entry. He


    then bellowed, ¡°Knock the door down.¡±


    He was saying to the bodyguard outside the door. Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted but before she could do anything,


    the bodyguard rammed the door open.


    Bang!


    The door finally opened.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Sylvia was startled. She popped her head out of the sheets and saw Odell¡¯s grim expression. He red


    at Sylvia and said to the bodyguard, ¡°You can leave now.¡± The bodyguard immediately left the room. His


    towering figure then approached the woman on the bed.


    Sylvia sat herself up and wrapped herself with the sheets. She wore a cautious look at him and said,


    ¡°Odell, I¡¯m trying to rest. Please go out.¡± He grinned. ¡°Are you going to take the sheets off or do you need


    me to lend you a hand?¡± Sylvia¡¯s already pale face turned bleach white. Even her legs under the sheets


    started to shake. The man was a psychopath! He ravaged her violentlyst night and now he wanted to


    touch her again. Not only yesterday night, but ever since she was imprisoned here, he would ravage her


    almost every day. Was he that strong?


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well today. If you can¡¯t hold back your lust, go ask Tara for help.¡± Odell¡¯s


    expression turned grimmer than before. He moved his towering figure closer to her.


    Sylvia responded by tightening the sheets around her. He grunted. He put his hand into the sheets and


    grabbed her bare ankle. At the next moment, she was dragged underneath his rigid body and the sheets


    were taken off. Sylvia punched him out of frustration. ¡°Odell, if you¡¯re a man, you shouldn¡¯t be this rough


    to


    mel)


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out if I¡¯m a man or not.¡± He clutched her face tightly and kissed her.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    She felt like a fish drowning in water. The room was spacious but she could barely catch a breath.


    After another round of rough sex, it was alreadyte in the afternoon. Odell went to the bathroom for a


    shower.


    Sylvia remained on the bed as she tried to grasp for air. She did not want to remember it but her mind


    kept reying the scenes where he forced himself on her. The b*stard treated her like an animal to


    satisfy his lust. He was not a human.


    Soon, the shower noise stopped and Odell came out in his robes. Sylvia tossed a pillow at him.


    Odell flinched.


    She red at him and shouted, ¡°Odell Carter, you¡¯re a freaking psycho!¡± Her face was as red as an


    apple and her eyes were covered in bloody veins. The tears that trickled down her cheeks wet her face.


    Odell narrowed his eyes.


    He went up to her and held her by the chin. He wanted to kiss her but Sylvia pushed him away. Her


    strength was nothing to him but he could tell she was trying her best. He grunted and then pulled her


    underneath himself again.

 Chapter 401

    Sylvia knew that she was no match for Odell and had already epted this fact a few days ago. Still,


    she could no longer bear to keep silent and burst out with tears in her eyes. ¡°Odell, why are you doing


    this to me? I¡¯m just another regr person. I¡¯m not some kind of object for you to vent your anger at!¡±


    Odell grabbed her by her jaw and looked into her eyes that were soaking with tears. He answered grimly,


    ¡°Because you betrayed me and you hurt Grandma!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Sylvia could no longer hold herself back. She cried out in a tearful voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt Grandma.


    And there was never anything going on between me and Edmund. Why do you just refuse to believe


    me?! Why?!¡±


    Odell frowned deeply. After a moment of silence, he answered, ¡°Because you don¡¯t deserve my trust at


    all.¡±


    She fell silent. She stared at his stoic expression, her vision had long turned blurry due to the tears in her


    eyes. She stared nkly for a second before she began to chuckle madly, ¡°Heh¡­ hehe¡­¡± It was true.


    He already proved that he did not trust her when he had her pped sixty times years ago. How could


    she forget? Why did she agree to remarry him? What would it take for her to learn her lesson? She did


    this to herself! She could not stop herughing fit which only grew louder and more hysterical as time


    went on.


    Odell seemed repulsed by this disy and immediately got out of bed. He grabbed a set of clothes and


    exited the room.


    He did not return for a couple of days.


    She did not know if he came back during the day when she was sleeping. All she knew was that she had


    never seen even a glimpse of his shadow during the hours when she was awake.


    Until the day she was to see the children.


    She woke up and did her makeup, then put on a simple dress before heading to the Carter¡¯s old


    residence with the bodyguards escorting her. Isabel and Liam had been waiting for her.


    She saw them as soon as she stepped out of the car.


    She ran to them immediately and took them into her arms.


    ¡°Mommy, I miss you so much.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I miss you too.¡±


    Isabel and Liam said in unison.


    Sylvia fought back her tears and forced herself to smile. ¡°Mommy missed both of you too.¡±


    After they hugged for a while, Sylvia took them back into their room.


    She sat with them and began asking what they got up to recently. Isabel happily obliged and rambled


    about the interesting things that happened at school.


    Liam chimed in from time to time with his own stories as well.


    Sylvia listened to them.


    After they finished, it was Liam¡¯s turn to ask her, ¡°Mommy, how have you been?¡±


    Sylvia answered without thinking, ¡°Mommy is doing well.¡±


    ¡°What about Great-grandma?¡± Sylvia paused for a second and thought about it before answering,


    ¡°Grandma contracted this disease that makes her sleep all the time, but she¡¯s doing very well.¡±


    This time, Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, when will you be back with Great-grandma?¡± Sylvia answered with a


    soft smile, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but we¡¯lle back as soon as we can.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel noted with a slight


    twitch in her voice.


    Sylvia smiled tenderly and patted her head.


    Shortly after that, the butler informed them from outside, ¡°Miss, time¡¯s up. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to go


    back.¡± The color in Sylvia¡¯s eyes dimmed ever so slightly as she replied, ¡°Got it.¡± Isabel jumped into her


    arms and hugged her endearingly. Sylvia smiled dly and helped Isabel up. Then she took Liam¡¯s hand


    with her free hand and walked out of the room with them.


    They went to the gate.


    She kissed and hugged them in turn, then she turned back to the car. The children stood at the door and


    stared at her.


    Forcing herself to turn her head away from them, Sylvia ordered the driver, ¡°Drive.¡±


    Half an hourter, the car stopped at the gates of Odell¡¯s ce.


    Sylvia got out of the car and saw a white car parked outside the house. Sylvia recognized the car. It was


    Tara¡¯s.


    She stepped into the house with an indifferent look.


    She saw Tara sitting on the sofa like she owned the ce. She was chewing on some snacks


    while chatting with Violet, ¡°Take good care of Grandma. She¡¯s Odell¡¯s most cherished family member.


    Don¡¯t let anything happen to her, do you understand?¡±


    Violet answered dutifully, ¡°I understand, Miss Tara, no worries.¡±


    Tara seemed like she had something more to say and was just about to speak when she suddenly saw


    Sylvia enter.

 Chapter 402

    Sylvia looked at her with an indifferent look in her eyes.


    Tara smirked and said in a smug voice, ¡°Sylvia, it was Odell who asked me to visit Grandma. I¡¯m sure


    you won¡¯t mind.¡± Sylvia smiled a crooked smile and replied crossly, ¡°I do mind. Would you mind getting


    out of here?¡±


    The smirk on Tara¡¯s face was wiped away instantly.


    Sylvia continued staring at her with hostility. Before long, Tara formed a smile again. ¡°Sylvia, Odell did


    ask me toe. He also requested that I visit Grandma more often in the future so if you¡¯re not happy


    with me being here, why don¡¯t you talk to Odell about it? If he wants me to leave, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    Sylvia scoffed. ¡°Then what¡¯s the point of asking me if I mind?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ we used to be friends. I just wanted to talk to you.¡± ¡°You sure you¡¯re


    not just intentionally saying that to irritate me so I¡¯d suspect you got together with Odell again?¡±


    Tara¡¯s face turned visibly pale.


    She never expected Sylvia to expose her scheme in such a calm and straightforward manner. This


    woman should be fuming with jealousy and rage any second now. Sylvia could not be bothered to y


    this foolish game of exchanging witty insults back and forth. She grunted and walked past Tara, heading


    upstairs. She was not expecting Tara to immediately trail after her.


    Sylvia had just entered the bedroom when Tara pushed the door open.


    Tara seemed like she had transformed into another person now that she hade upstairs. She stood


    at the doorway and observed Sylvia¡¯s room with a look of disgust.


    ¡°This room is so dark. Why do you live in some kind of ruin like this?¡± Sylvia snapped crossly, ¡°Close the


    door.¡± Tara snorted. ¡°Sylvia, do me a favor and drop the act. Stop acting all high and mighty and ept


    the fact that no matter how hard you try to seduce Odell, he¡¯s still going to use you as a device to vent


    his anger.¡±


    Sylvia felt a tightness in her chest and red at her adversary. ¡°Tara, you¡¯d better get out of here right


    now!¡±


    Taraughed at this threat. ¡°Wait, was I right? It¡¯s strange to me that you¡¯d do something like pushing


    Grand?na down the cliff with Edmund helping you when you finally seed in remarrying Odell You¡¯ve


    ruined Grandma¡¯s life. How could you be so evil?¡±


    Sylvia red at her murderously ¡°You want to repeat that?¡±


    Tara turned up her nose at Sylvia and taunted, ¡°I¡¯m saying that you¡¯re a shameless b*tch!¡±


    Almost instantly, Sylvia lunged at her and delivered a blow to her face.


    The smack was as loud as thunder.


    Tara¡¯s eyes widened with shock. ¡°How dare you hit me?!¡± Sylvia pped her on the other cheek with her


    backhand. Tara stumbled several steps backward, writhing with pain. She covered her swollen face and


    gave Sylvia a sinister look. Sylvia was expecting her to strike back, but that was when she suddenly


    copsed and sat on the floor, covering her face and whimpering weakly, ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Sylvia frowned. It


    did not take long for her to understand why Tara reacted this way.


    While she was crying her heart out, Odell¡¯s tall and distinctive body suddenly appeared.


    He approached Tara and helped her up, immediately noticing her reddening and swollen cheeks.


    His expression darkened. ¡°What happened to your face?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Sylvia wasn¡¯t happy when she saw meing to see Grandma. I only came up to exin to


    her I was only here to visit Grandma and nothing else, but she refused to believe me


    Odell nced at Sylvia. There was a storm inside his eyes. Sylvia grimaced. Tara probably saw Odell


    approaching before she came upstairs. This would exin how she timed it so well. She intentionally


    riled Sylvia up so she would hit her, then Odell would stumble into the scene. With such supreme acting


    skills, it would seem like time had done nothing to blunt her skills.

 Chapter 403

    Tara flung herself into Odell¡¯s arm and voiced her sorrows, ¡°Odell, it''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have


    come to see Grandma at this time. I should¡¯ve known that Sylvia wouldn¡¯t like seeing me here. I hope I


    don¡¯t cause you any trouble...¡±


    Odell gently patted her on her back and assured her, " It''s not your fault."


    Then, he turned to Sylvia and asked with sharp hostility, ¡°Did you hit her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I hit her...¡± Sylvia met his gaze boldly and motioned with her hands. ¡°Not just once but twice. My


    hand is still shaking from how hard I hit her. ¡±


    Odell, "..."


    Sylvia crossed her arms and continued, ¡°Are you going to p me to make things right for her? What¡¯s


    it gonna be, twenty or two hundred ps? Hurry up and get on with it if you¡¯re going to do it. I need to


    rest after.¡±


    His face darkened.


    The cries of Tara who was still clinging onto him had turned into soft whimpers by this point.


    Tara slowly turned to Sylvia and noticed the bold and arrogant expression she wore. She sped her


    hands firmly and turned back to Odell, sobbing a little as she said, "Odell, forget it. I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m just


    going to go home and rub some ointment on it and it will recover in a few days. I hope I don¡¯t cause any


    problems between you and Sylvia.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Odell frowned sternly.


    Tara looked at him with tears in her eyes and looked fully like a damsel in distress.


    The air became terribly still for a moment, until Odell broke the silence. ¡°Alright, you just go home and


    take care of yourself.¡±


    Tara was astonished by this response.


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Sylvia chuckled.


    Odell turned up and shot her a look.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and held back herughter.


    To think that she initially expected Odell to punish her with twenty ps at least.


    Tara seemed to be fighting back tears at this point and she spoke with a nasally voice, ¡°Alright, then I''ll


    leave first. Please don¡¯t quarrel with her because of me, especially since you two finally remarried.¡±


    Odell''s eyes turned dark for a split second. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, be careful on the way home.¡±


    He let her go.


    Tara was infuriated and clenched her teeth silently. She continued putting on a wounded look as she


    went downstairs.


    Sylvia closed the door as she was going to rest.


    Before she could close the door, arge hand pressed against the surface of the door and shoved it in


    the other direction.


    Bang!


    The door mmed hard against the wall.


    Odell stepped toward Sylvia with a grim expression like the devil himself.


    Sylvia instinctively grabbed at the cor of her shirt while slowly pacing backward. "Odell, I... I''m going


    to rest."


    Odell smirked coldly. ¡°You seem very energetic to me.¡±


    Sylvia felt the words caught in her throat. She prepared to dash past him and make a run for it.


    Just when it seemed like she could get away, she felt arge hand grabbing her from behind.


    He effortlessly pulled her into his body with only one arm, then wrapped another arm firmly around her


    waist.


    Sylvia immediately tried to push him away.


    He snorted as if amused. Then, he cupped her face with his palm and silenced her with his lips.


    Sylvia could not possibly resist his domineering strength.


    Within seconds, she was thrown onto the bed.


    Odell seemed like he was going to rip her limbs apart as if this was his way of indirectly avenging Tara


    for the two ps she received.


    Silence finally descended on the room around evening when Sylvia finally passed out.


    She curled into a ball like a cat would, exhaustion spread across every cell of her body.


    Odelly beside her and noticed something was wrong. He raised his hand and gently caressed her. "


    Sylvia."


    Sylvia closed her eyes tightly. Her chapped lips quivered, ¡°No... don''t..."


    She was trembling all over.

 Chapter 404

    Odell looked at her face which was glowing beet red. After a brief silence, he stroked her forehead


    again.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    It was burning.


    Odell immediately reached for his phone and made a call. ¡°Tell Mr. Forger toe here immediately.¡±


    Shortly after, the family doctor arrived with a medicine box in tow.


    Odell stood beside the bed and looked at Sylvia who was still passed out from sleep on the bed. He


    enquired with a stern frown, "What''s wrong with her? 11


    ¡°Master Carter, the madam has a fever and is very weak at the moment. She needs a good rest more


    than anything else.¡± After a brief hesitation, he added in a low voice, ¡°I think you two should abstain


    from making love for the next few days.¡±


    Odell answered with a queer look, "Got it."


    The doctor turned around and left.


    Sylvia was still curled up like a ball and in a deep sleep.


    Odell stared at her silently.


    After a long time, he walked out with a sullen expression.


    It was almost 9 p.m. when Sylvia woke up.


    She quickly rolled herself out of bed.


    She was still feeling terribly exhausted and could hardly muster the strength to move.


    She reached the living room on the first floor with her legs trembling the entire time she walked.


    She drank three sses of water in one go and found something to eat. Only then did she feel slightly


    better.


    Then, she went to Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Violet was watching the madam by the bed and when she saw Sylvia appear, she got up and informed,


    ¡° Miss, Master Carter says that you should focus on resting tonight. Please get some rest, I''ll watch


    over the madam.¡±


    "No, you should get some rest as well,¡± Sylvia said and sat down beside the bed.


    Since Sylvia insisted, Violet had no choice but to leave the room.


    Sylvia did not bring any painting supplies this time around.


    She was still feeling utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to just sit and watch Madam


    Carter.


    After a long silence, she began to feel some of her vitality returning to her. She began talking to Madam


    Carter, ¡°Grandma, I went back to see Liam and Isabel today. They are doing very well and they both


    miss you very much..."


    She retold some of the stories the children told her as if she was making small talk with the bedridden


    patient.


    ....


    Meanwhile, in a car parked just outside the gate.


    Odell was by himself in the backseat with a phone in his hand. The disy showed live surveince


    footage of Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Every word Sylvia uttered could be heard clearly.


    It was not hard to hear the tint of exhaustion in her voice.


    Still, she managed to speak gently and with rity.


    She told Madam Carter all sorts of stories about Isabel and Liam, making sure to pick the most


    interesting little tales.


    Soon, Odell¡¯s jet-ck eyebrows twitched.


    Ever since he moved Madam Carter here, Sylvia had been watching over her every night. Simrly, he


    watched over them every night as well.


    Even now, he could not figure out how was it that the same person who hurt Madam Carter could


    speak to her with such affection.


    How was she not haunted by guilt? Why did she never oppose the idea of living with Madam Carter?


    Unless...


    No, impossible.


    She had to be the one who hurt Madam Carter.


    The only reason that she could carry herself as if she had never done wrong was that she did not have


    to push Madam Carter off the cliff herself. It was Edmund who did the dirty work for her!


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    In these three days, Odell never showed up once when Sylvia was awake.


    Sylvia had the luxury of freedom. She slept during the day and watched over Madam Carter at night. In


    her free time, she would make conversations with Violet.


    She managed to extract some information from Violet.


    For instance, she found out that Violet worked in the house during the day but had to spend the night in


    a separate house.


    The moment she stepped into the house for her shift, she had to hand over her phone to the bodyguard


    posted by the door.


    Even the doctor who came to examine Madam Carter was no exception to this rule.


    This meant that there was no way for Sylvia to get her hands on a phone to contact the outside world.

 Chapter 405

    Over time, Sylvia and Violet became morefortable with each other and eventually, Violet broached


    the subject. ¡°Miss, I think Master Carter seems kind of distant toward you. Did you two fight?¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback by this question and asked Violet, ¡¯¡¯Don 1 you know about what happened?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Violet asked with a nk look.


    Sylvia seemed surprised by this and proceeded to exin, ¡°He thinks I¡¯m the one responsible for


    putting Madam Carter in this state.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Violet asked with widened eyes.


    Sylvia became curious. "Haven''t you heard anyone talk about this?"


    Violet exined, "Everyone said that Madam Carter became like this because she identally fell.


    Besides, I don 1 think you ¡¯ re that kind of bad person who would do something like that.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and said nothing.


    She suddenly remembered what Tara said to her on purpose to provoke her thest time they met.


    Since even Violet was not informed of the details, how was it that Tara came to know how she was the


    one who pushed Madam Carter down the hill? How was she so confident in using her of working


    with Edmund?


    It seemed to Sylvia that Violet knew about what happened at the resort on that day.


    Was it Odell who told her, or did she get the information from someone else?


    1


    1


    Come to think of it, Ramona and the others knew about what happened to Madam Carter as well. Even


    though Ramona and Tara were not acquainted, Ramona was an avid collector of paintings and must


    have connections to many famous artists. It was rather likely that their social circle intersected at one


    point or another and that was how Tara came to know of the details.


    The next morning.


    Sylvia was just swapping shifts to take care of Madam Carter. As soon as she stepped out of Madam


    Carter¡¯s room, she ran into Odell.


    He was wearing a ck shirt with an uninterested look on his face. His aura was as imposing as usual.


    She shrank subconsciously.


    Odell nced at her before walking past her to enter Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    She heaved a sigh of relief, then went upstairs to the bedroom.


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    She took a shower, put onfortable pajamas, and nned to catch some rest.


    As soon as she emerged from the shower, she saw a man inside her room.


    He was leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed in front of him. His dark eyes fixed intently


    on her.


    She felt the strength drain out of her legs against her will.


    That was when a thought suddenly urred to her.


    She recollected herself and went to him without being prompted to.


    He gave her a narrow look.


    She put her arms around his neck, then stood on tiptoe to kiss him on his lips.


    A queer sort of silence descended on the room for several seconds.


    He wrapped hisrge, muscr arms around her waist.


    In an instant, she found herself on the bed.


    ...


    After a series of hectic actions, a wave of silence reigned over the room again.


    Sylvia was lying in his arms. Upon noticing that he was about to leave, she pinned him down with her


    weight and spoke in a soft voice, "Odell, could you stay here?¡±


    Odell paused and regarded her with an odd look.


    She suddenly exined, "I know you hate me, but I want to be more than a tool for you to release your


    frustration on. I want you to sleep with me even if just for a while."


    With that, she fixed him with an expectant look.


    He remained silent for a moment with a furtive look. Then, hey down and shared a pillow with her.


    He did not utter a single word, but he silently put his arms around her.


    It would appear that he agreed to her request.


    She rested her head on his chest.


    After some time, she could feel Odell¡¯s breathing turn into a slow and regr rhythm. That was when


    she carefully pried herself away from his arms.


    She gently rolled past him and got out of bed. Then she dug his phone out of the shirt thrown on the


    floor.


    She found the phone.


    She had seen him unlock it with a fingerprint.


    She picked up his right thumb and pressed it onto the fingerprint sensor. Immediately, the phone was


    unlocked.


    She stealthily took the phone to the balcony and entered the familiar phone number of Sherry. She


    drew a deep breath and made the call.


    It only rang twice before someone picked up.


    The first thing Sherry asked was, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Sylvia whispered, ¡°Sherry, it''s me."

 Chapter 406

    Sherry cried out excitedly the moment she heard Sylvia¡¯s voice, ¡°Sylvia! Where are you? Why is your


    phone turned off? I¡¯ve been trying to find you for days and I even went to Odell but he couldn¡¯t even be


    bothered to give me the time of the day. Did something happen to you?¡±


    Sylvia lowered her voice to a hushed whisper, " Something did happen to me, but you don''t have to


    worry."


    "How am I supposed to not worry? I haven¡¯t heard from you for so many days." She suddenly added


    when another thought came to her, "By the way, I heard that Madam Carter had an ident, but I


    couldn''t find any more details when I began asking around."


    Sylvia''s eyes shifted when she heard this. "Grandma fell off a cliff and is now in a vegetative state."


    "What?!" Sherry eximed.


    Sylvia quickly asked, "Don''t you know anything about this ident?¡±


    "Of course, I don''t. All I heard is that there¡¯s been an ident involving Madam Carter, but no one


    knows what happened and of course, nobody knows that she¡¯s now in a vegetative state.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Sherry was very well-connected in Westchester City. She knew all kinds of people and knew everything


    that happened day in and day out.


    Unless Odell had purposely kept what happened to Grandma a secret.


    If he kept it a secret, how did Tara find out?


    Sylvia vividly remembered how Tara used her and Edmund of being the ones responsible for what


    happened to Grandma thest time they met.


    Did Odell tell her?


    Sherry enquired on the phone, ¡°Sylvia, say something. Where are you now?"


    Sylvia answered, "I''m in Odell¡¯s house. He¡¯s keeping me imprisoned here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s his problem?¡±


    "When Grandma fell, I just happened to be having a chat with Edmund. The moment he saw me with


    Edmund, his immediate reaction was to suspect that I was having an affair with Edmund and that we


    pushed Grandma off the cliff to silence her because she stumbled into us being together.¡±


    ¡°What, what¡¯s wrong with this line of reasoning?! ¡± Sherry piped furiously. ¡°Sylvia, just sit tight. I''ll send


    someone to rescue you."


    Sylvia hurriedly persuaded her, ¡°Sherry, let¡¯s calm down first. There are eyes on me everywhere and


    you can''t break me out even if you send someone.¡±


    "Then how am I supposed to save you?"


    "Don''t worry." Sylvia nced into thebedroom to make sure that Odell was still asleep. She continued, ¡°


    I¡¯m calling you with Odell¡¯s phone right now. When I manage to think of something, I¡¯ll take his phone


    again and contact you. Just don¡¯t call this phone yourself no matter what.¡±


    "Okay, I understand."


    ¡°Until next time.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Odell was a very vignt man with instincts sharp like an eagle. Sylvia was deathly afraid of him


    catching her so she quickly wrapped up the call with Sherry and made sure to delete the record of the


    call.


    Then, she put the phone back in his pocket and climbed back onto the bed.


    Shey beside him, thinking about what Sherry had just told her.


    Soon, she heard rustling from beside her.


    She immediately closed her eyes.


    Odell¡¯s long arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her into an embrace.


    Sylvia drowsily opened her eyes to look at him, acting as if she had just woken up.


    His dark eyes were also staring straight at hers.


    She smiled gently. ¡°Thank you for keeping mepany.¡±


    He ignored her and withdrew his arms.


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    The look in Sylvia''s eyes shifted as he crawled on him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist


    while speaking softly to him, "I understand that I was in the wrong. I promise to dedicate myself to you


    and only you from now on. I¡¯ll also take good care of Grandma to make up for my wrongs. I don''t ask


    for forgiveness, but I hope that you won¡¯t stop venting your anger on me in the future."


    She said this all in one breath and silently breathed a sigh of relief.


    It turned out that giving this sort of false confession was not as difficult as she anticipated.


    Odell still did not respond.


    She looked up at him and met his dark, sharp eyes.


    He gently held her by her chin. "You¡¯re acting very strange today. What are you up to?¡±


    She chuckled sarcastically. ¡°What can I possibly get up to? You¡¯re keeping me prisoner in this ce,


    remember?¡±


    He narrowed the look in his eyes and cast a severe look at her.


    She sighed and added, "It¡¯s just that I suddenly had an epiphany. Instead of continuing my stubborn


    resistance, it¡¯s easier to just admit my mistakes so I can live without a guilty conscience from here on.¡±


    He chuckled softly. ¡°Wise decision.¡±

 Chapter 407

    Sylvia smiled and maintained a perfectly obedient behavior.


    Odell seemed greatly relieved to hear this. He pinched her cheeks and kissed her on the lips a few


    times, then he spoke, ¡°Get some rest. Remember to watch Grandma at night."


    With that, he rolled over and got out of bed.


    Seeing his figure departing, Sylvia suddenly called out to him, "Odell."


    He stopped and turned back at her.


    Sylvia asked in a low voice, "Did you tell anyone about what I did to Grandma with Edmund?"


    His face darkened. "Do you think I''ll let people know about me being cuckolded?"


    Sylvia smiled apologetically and said, "Don''t be upset. I just want to know if it¡¯s still possible for me to


    right my wrongs.¡±


    Odell gave her an unpleasant look and walked out.


    Sylvia''s expression dropped in an instant.


    She remembered that Odell immediately brought her here after what happened to Grandma. The


    information she gathered suggested that he immediately cleaned up the scene so nobody could tell


    what happened. This seemed like a rather curious point to her.


    Since she knew it was not her nor Edmund who pushed Grandma, what evidence was there to clear


    from the scene?


    Once again, she ced her suspicions on Tara.


    Even Sherry was not aware of what happened to Grandma, and Odell could not possibly tell her either.


    How did she find out?


    Was she there when it happened?


    She must have been responsible for what happened!


    A few dayster.


    Sylvia woke up around noon and immediately heard Tara''s voice downstairs.


    She was talking to Violet. She hade to see Madam Carter again.


    Sylvia''s eyes flickered, and she proceeded to head downstairs.


    By this point, Tara had already entered Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Violet had gone out to prepare food for them, leaving Tara by herself.


    She stared at the elderly woman sleeping soundly on the bed. It seemed like she would wake up when


    people least expected it. Something shed in her eyes, but she did not dare draw closer to the


    bedridden olddy.


    ¡®Damned old fart, hurry up and die already.¡¯


    She cursed silently, but still made sure to wear the samepassionate expression.


    The first time she came in, she immediately noticed the camera perched on the ceiling. She knew that


    even if nobody else was present in the room, she could not show any disrespect to the sleeping


    Madam Carter.


    She continued looking ahead with a thousand-yard stare. She suddenly heard a noise from behind her.


    She nearly jumped when she detected the presence of another person in the room with her.


    "Heh." Sylvia, who was standing by the door, chuckled.


    Tara turned and noticed that it was Sylvia. She immediately red at her and said with unconcealed


    anger, "Sylvia, don¡¯t you know to knock on the door when entering?¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia leaned against the door frame and regarded her with a queer look before mentioning, "Tara, this


    is my house.¡±


    Tara retorted, "This is Madam Carter¡¯s room."


    ¡°Your point being?¡± Sylvia asked sardonically.


    Madam Carter¡¯s room was still part of the house, was it not?


    Tara clenched her hands and said, "I know this is your house, but it''s rude to spook me like this.¡±


    ¡°Spook you? When did I do that? Did I suddenly shout to scare you?¡± Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "Or


    perhaps it¡¯s because you¡¯re feeling guilty?"


    The look in Tara¡¯s eyes transformed. She instinctively drew herself away from Sylvia and suddenly


    eximed, "What am I guilty of? Enough nonsense! I didn''t do anything."


    Sylviaughed heartily. "What are you getting so defensive about? I never said that you did anything


    that you should feel guilty about.¡±


    "It seems that you still don''t wee me so I¡¯ll leave,¡± she said and immediately strutted out of the


    room.


    She vanished in the blink of an eye as if wary of being exposed.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression darkened.


    If she was unsure before, she was now certainly convinced that Tara was in one way or another


    involved in Grandma¡¯s ident.

 Chapter 408

    Tara went straight to Lake Victoria Vi after leaving Odell¡¯s ce.


    She went back to her room and after making sure that the housemaids and bodyguards were still in the


    yard and not following her, she immediately called her mother.


    As soon as the call connected, she immediately asked, "Mom, you didn¡¯t let anyone know that you


    pushed Madam Carter, did you?¡±


    Mnie answered, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Why would I tell anyone that?¡±


    Tara was still rather skeptical. "Are you sure? Did you tell your informant?¡±


    "Of course, not. I don¡¯t even dare to let anyone know that I¡¯m your mother.¡±


    Tara sighed weakly. ¡°Alright, you just stay where you are and don''te back to Westchester City no


    matter what and especially don¡¯t approach me.¡±


    "Okay, I got it.¡± Mnie reassured Tara, then she suddenly asked, ¡°Speaking of which, why are you


    asking me this all of a sudden? Did something happen?"


    Tara frowned and confessed, ¡°I think Sylvia is suspecting me."


    "What? How¡¯s that possible? You weren¡¯t even present when it happened. Of all the people she should


    suspect, you should be thest on the list.¡±


    Tara suddenly connected the dots.


    It was true. She should be thest person Sylvia should suspect.


    Besides, it was not her who pushed Madam Carter, it was her mother.


    Sylvia must have been intentionally messing with her!


    Just the thought of it infuriated her to no end. To think that she had fallen into Sylvia¡¯s trap and


    panicked like a fool.


    That b*tch must be even more suspicious of her now.


    Furthermore, she seemed to be getting along well with Odell.


    Recently, Tara always made sure to badmouth Sylvia whenever she had the chance to talk to Odell on


    the phone. The problem was that Odell seemed to not take her words seriously and at times would


    even cut her off irritably. On several asions, he even went as far as to hang up on her.


    The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.


    She could not afford to have Sylvia continue whispering her spells in Odell¡¯s ears. She could not risk


    having Odell suspect her!


    A dayter, in Odell''s house.


    It was afternoon and Sylvia had just woken up. She opened her eyes to see Odell sitting on the couch


    nearby.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He was dressed elegantly in a tailored suit.


    Sylvia got out of bed and walked to the couch to sit next to him. She wrapped her arms around his arm.


    "Odell, you''re here," she greeted him in a raspy, still not fully awake voice as she burrowed her neck


    into his shoulders.


    In a split second, she felt a pair of arms tugging around her waist and before she realized what was


    happening, she was thrown on her side andnded on his muscr thighs.


    He looked at her with his profoundly deep eyes, a ray of scarlet glimmering within them as they shone


    with primitive lust.


    Like a hunter that finally found wild game.


    Sylvia''s eyes quivered. She craned her neck toward him without being prompted to.


    Odell lowered his head and hungrily devoured her lips.


    Everything spiraled out of control after that.


    ? ??


    Two hourster, the room was quiet again.


    Sylvia wasying in his arms with her eyes closed.


    She waited until his breathing turned into a slow and regr rhythm. Then, she opened her eyes.


    She gave him a gentle shove.


    He barely reacted at all. He was asleep.


    Sylvia immediately took out the phone from his pocket and slipped off to the balcony.


    She called Sherry.


    Sherry picked up at the first ring, and Sylvia hurriedly asked, ¡°Hey Sherry, any news?¡±


    Sylvia had contacted Sherry two days ago and asked her to find out if Tara had been to Northpeak


    Holiday Resort on the day that the fateful ident happened to Madam Carter.


    Since the holiday resort was highly exclusive, only members were allowed to enter.


    If Tara had been there, her name must be on the membership list.


    Unfortunately, Sherry answered with a distinct note of dejection, "I went through the membership list


    and I couldn¡¯t find Tara Avery on any of their lists.¡±

 Chapter 409

    Sylvia knitted her eyebrows into a frown. "What about the surveince footage? Did you see her?¡±


    "I checked but it just so happened that many surveince cameras in the resort were being repaired at


    the time. I couldn''t find any angles near the hillside where Madam Carter fell. I also checked the


    surveince cameras positioned on the roads and by the gates but I couldn¡¯t see any signs of Tara


    either."


    Sherry asked, ¡°Sylvia, do you have any other ideas?"


    Sylvia answered bluntly, "No."


    Her mind was nk.


    Her intuition told her that Tara had something to do with what happened with Grandma, but the fact was


    that she was not present at the resort on that day.


    If she was not even present, how could she possibly be the one that pushed Grandma?


    Sherry said, ¡°Don¡¯t stress yourself trying to find another solution. I¡¯ve already contacted all the people I


    know and we¡¯ve been at this for some time already so it¡¯s time to wrap it up. Find an opportune time


    and I¡¯ll bust you out of there.¡±


    "Not yet.¡± Sylvia thought for a while and insisted. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s Edmund doing?¡±


    Sherry sighed. "He''s in custody. I went to see him yesterday and he said he''s fine and that there¡¯s no


    need to worry about him."


    Sylvia frowned weakly and muttered, "Okay."


    She promptly hung up after that.


    As usual, she erased the record and shoved the phone back in Odell''s pocket. Then, she went back to


    the bed andy next to Odell.


    She stared at his sleeping face that somehow retained the same dashing look as when he was awake.


    She had to hold back the urge to punch him in the face, then she settled with turning to face the other


    way and get some shuteye.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Meanwhile, Tara had been stewing at home for two days and was still feeling incredibly restless.


    Sylvia must have discovered something. That was the only exnation for her suspicions.


    She could not let Sylvia continue to pry deeper into the matter.


    She had to figure out something to keep her away from Odell.


    The sun had only just risen and she was already headed to Odell¡¯s ce.


    Her n was to instigate another argument and get Sylvia to attack her again. Only this time she would


    get Sylvia to hit her harder to a point where even Odell would be angered by her actions.


    The car was only one turn away from reaching Odells¡¯ house when she suddenly spotted something.


    "Stop!¡± She immediately prompted.


    The driver pulled the car to the side of the road.


    Tara squinted and looked across the road.


    There was a park across the road and at the entrance of the park was none other than Sherry. She was


    standing on a veryrge boulder and she was facing


    Odell¡¯s house with a pair of binocrs in her hands.


    Her behavior was highly suspicious.


    Tara immediately took out her phone and snuck several pictures in.


    After a while, she turned to the driver and ordered with a note of satisfaction in her voice, "Turn around


    and go back."


    No need to recycle her old tricks this time around.


    The driver heeded and turned the car around.


    Tara then sent Odell the pictures of Sherry standing on the boulder with binocrs in hand, facing


    toward his house.


    This was the message she attached to the picture. ¡° Odell, I was just visiting Grandma when I


    happened to spot Sherry here. I know that she¡¯s very close with Sylvia so why is she acting so


    suspicious in this picture? Surely she¡¯s not up to anything, right?¡±


    The Carter Tower.


    Odell was reviewing documents in his office.


    When his phone vibrated, he picked it up and peeked at the message.


    After he read the messages he received from Tara, his face instantly turned cold.


    He was sure he had seen the woman in the picture Tara had sent her at one point.


    She hade to him not just once but twice. It was a while ago and both times she came looking for


    Sylvia but was chased away empty-handed.


    Now she was seen standing at the park near his house with binocrs in hand. What else could she be


    up to other than scheming to save Sylvia?


    The question was, how did she know that Sylvia was locked up in his house to begin with?


    Did she somehow gather the information herself?


    Or did someone tell her?


    Odell''s eyes became ck as night. He immediately called the bodyguards stationed at his house.

 Chapter 410

    Meanwhile, at Odell¡¯s house.


    Sylvia had just exchanged shifts with Violet.


    She went back to her bedroom upstairs but was not in a hurry to rest. Instead, she went straight for the


    balcony and turned toward a small park in the southwest direction.


    She managed to call Sherry yesterday afternoon.


    She was still suspicious of Tara¡¯s involvement with Grandma¡¯s ident. Even if Tara did not go to the


    resort that day, that did not eliminate the possibility that she had an aplice who went in her ce.


    She asked Sherry to look up all the people who went to the resort that day.


    There were no more than fifty people present on that day, and this was including three newly registered


    members.


    The person she was looking for must be among them. Maybe Sylvia knew this person too.


    However, the resort greatly emphasized protecting the sensitive information of its esteemed members.


    Although Sherry knew one of the managers of the resort, the manager only allowed her to review the


    information of the guests in person. That was, she had to go to the resort to look up the information she


    needed. She was not allowed to take pictures of said sensitive information or else her membership


    privileges would be revoked effective immediately.


    Since Sherry could not send Sylvia the information they needed, she could only take her to the resort to


    see them in person.


    Sylvia wanted to find a chance to slip away sometime within the next two days so she could head to the


    resort to have a look.


    The most ideal avenue out of this ce was the park located to the southwest.


    There was a blind spot to the west that allowed her coverage from the bodyguards. If she managed to


    scale the wall, she would find herself on a river at which Sherry would be waiting for her in a boat.


    Then, they could sail to the opposite park.


    Sherry should be scouting the location by now.


    Sylvia opened the window on the balcony and stuck her head out.


    After standing outside for a while, she turned back to the room.


    As usual, she climbed into the bed and wrapped herself in the quilt, promptly falling asleep.


    She slept through the afternoon.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw Odell who had arrived at some point.


    The ck tailored suit he wore perfectlyplemented his figure.


    He sat with elegance on the couch, observing her with his jet-ck eyes.


    Sylvia froze for a second. Then she expressed a smile with her eyes. "Odell, you¡¯re here.¡±


    "Hmm." He grunted.


    Sylvia rolled over and got out of bed. She was barefoot and wore nothing but a skimpy nightdress as


    she approached him.


    She was going to sit down beside him when he wrapped his arms around her waist.


    Shended on top of hisp.


    She felt his hot, steamy breath on her soft skin.


    She slowly, seductively inched her cheeks toward him.


    He bowed his head and kissed her.


    They went at it again.


    After some time, silence again.


    Sylviay next to Odell, both of them had their eyes closed.


    When his breathing calmed to a regr rhythm, she opened her eyes.


    She slipped out of bed gently, sneakily took his phone out of his pocket, and snuck to the balcony to


    call Sherry.


    Sherry answered almost instantly.


    She immediately ryed, ¡°Sylvia, I sawyou this morning. Everything is progressing as nned and the


    boat is ready. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. So, when are you nning to leave?"


    Sylvia considered for a moment and announced, "9 a.m. tomorrow."


    That was usually the time she slept.


    Violet would not make an unannounced visit and the bodyguards would have their guard down around


    that time. Odell would be none the wiser as well.


    ¡°Alright, I''ll wait for you here at 9 a.m. sharp.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Just like that, Sylvia hung up.


    She carefully erased the call record as usual and turned back to the bedroom.


    She shoved Odell''s phone back in his pocket to make it seem as if it was untouched. Then, she went


    back to bed and ducked into the covers next to him.


    His eyes were shut and he was sleeping soundly.


    The sheer thought of how obedient and submissive she had been these past few days to appease him


    made her snigger.


    ¡®Just you wait!¡¯

 Chapter 411

    Once Sylvia found out who was truly responsible for what happened to Grandma and cleared Edmund


    and her innocence, she would show Odell!


    After a while, she turned back to face Odell and closed her eyes.


    Little did she know, Odell¡¯s fists were tightly clutching onto the nkets.


    The night passed uneventfully.


    After dawn, Sylvia emerged from Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    She ate some breakfast before heading upstairs to her bedroom under the close surveince of the


    crew of bodyguards.


    She locked the bedroom door, then sat on the sofa and got some shuteye.


    At 8:50 a.m., she got up and went to the balcony.


    At this time, the bodyguards were not paying close attention to this section of the yard.


    Sylvia scaled past the balcony and hopped to a nearby tree that she couldtch onto, then slid down


    the tree and reached ground level.


    After that, she continued her stealthy advance toward the wall on the west side of the yard.


    The wall was not very high.


    She managed to climb over the wall in a matter of seconds.


    Once she was on the other side of the wall, she noticed a kayak floating on the river only a short


    distance away.


    Sherry was manning the kayak.


    The moment she noticed Sylvia, she drew the kayak to her.


    ¡°Be careful, Sylvia, I¡¯ve got you." She cautioned as she stretched a hand out to Sylvia.


    Sylvia slowly crept down the wall with Sherry¡¯s help and nted her feet firmly on the kayak.


    After making sure that she was fine, Sherry noted. " Sit tight."


    Sylvia let out a deep breath. "Okay."


    In the blink of an eye, Sherry drew the kayak to the other side of the river.


    Both of them went ashore and immediately ran to the park.


    Sylvia ran as fast as her legs could take her, knowing that she had to get back as early as she could,


    ideally by the afternoon.


    Sherry trailed after her.


    As soon as they bolted out of the park and were about to reach the roadside, a crew of bodyguards


    suddenly appeared from within the bushes and cut off their path.


    They were dressed in matching uniforms and wore the same nk, almost robotic expression on their


    faces.


    Sylvia''s eyes widened in shock and she immediately halted.


    Sherry was just as baffled. She muttered a quick ¡° Crap! ¡± and then shouted at the top of her voice,


    "Who do you think you guys are? Get out of the way!"


    "Tie her up." Odell¡¯s deep and unfeeling voice came from behind the bodyguards.


    Sylvia''s face turned pale.


    Several bodyguards rushed up to apprehend Sherry.


    Sherry was no match for them. They effortlessly bound her hands and feet with ropes.


    Sylvia wanted to go to Sherry to save her, but tworge figures immediately stepped in front of her to


    dissuade the idea.


    Shortly after, she saw the familiar and stout figure of Odell emerging from a car nearby.


    There was a sheet of darkness cast over his eyes, and his expression was incredibly menacing.


    Sylvia could feel her lips quiver as she tried to exin, "Odell, I''m not trying to escape. I just needed to


    go outside real quick to do something.¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Odell shot her a disapproving look and ordered, "Tie her up too."


    The bodyguards immediately obeyed the instruction given.


    Two of them stepped forward and held Sylvia down as they tied her up.


    With her hands and feet bound, she had to sit on the ground in an awkward and ufortable


    position.


    She gritted her teeth and met Odell¡¯s loathsome gaze. "Odell, Sherry is innocent. It was me who


    wanted her to help me. Just let her go."


    Sherry supplied, "Odell, Sylvia wasn¡¯t trying to run away. She just wanted to find out the real identity of


    the person who hurt Madam Carter! ¡±


    Odell nced at Sylvia and instructed the bodyguards, ¡°Take her back home.¡±


    Sherry''s face became twisted as she struggled with all her might while screaming brazenly, ¡°Screw you,


    Odell! Come closer if you dare, I ¡¯ll w your eyes out! Untie me right now, you...¡±


    The bodyguards were coordinated and efficient.


    Within seconds, they had carried Sherry away.


    Her cries and screams slowly faded out.


    Soon, a wave of silence descended upon them again.


    fx)

 Chapter 412

    The crew of bodyguards stood in formation, cutting off every path of escape.


    Even if Sylvia could stand, she had nowhere to run.


    She slumped to the ground and looked up at the figure who stepped in front of her.


    Odell lowered his head with a hostile look in his eyes as he looked at her condescendingly.


    Sylvia was as troubled as she was puzzled. She had to ask, "Odell, how did you know?"


    She had taken measures to make sure he would not find out about her calling Sherry when he was


    asleep.


    Odell got closer and squatted in front of her, his long and slender fingers pinched her cheeks. ¡°I was


    awake when you stole my phone yesterday afternoon to call her.¡±


    Sylvia suddenly became incredibly vexed.


    He was just pretending to be asleep!


    What a douchebag!


    Sylvia cursed in her mind, and then said to him, "I''m not trying to escape. I was just going to go to the


    resort to look up the details of their members because I need to find out who hurt Grandma."


    Odell curled his lips into a scornful scowl. "Do you think I¡¯ll believe you now?"


    How dare she lie to him again?


    Besides, this was not the first time she stole his phone to contact people outside.


    "Let me guess when you first stole my phone to contact the outside world.¡± He grabbed both sides of


    her face with his palm and began to specte. ¡°Was it two days ago when I was asleep or was itst


    week when you suddenly admitted to your wrongdoings and apologized to me, telling me not to leave?


    When you asked me to stop using you like a tool and that you¡¯d make up for your mistakes?¡±


    As he went on, his voice grew harsher and he applied more force to his grip.


    Sylvia winced in pain. "Odell, I didn''t mean to lie to you."


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    "Heh." He scoffed. "So all this time, you taking the initiative to please me and all that talk about wanting


    to make up for your mistakes and that you¡¯d dedicate yourself to me was all just a bunch of lies, is it?¡±


    She was in so much pain she could hardly form a sentence. "I... I just wanted to find out who was


    behind what happened to Grandma.¡±


    "Sylvia, do I look like an idiot to you?! ¡±


    He suddenly bellowed, further tightening his grip.


    She groaned in pain, her tears fell against her will.


    Pain.


    She was in agony.


    He was going to crush her skull!


    When he noticed her crying, the look in his eyes softened and he quickly retracted his hand.


    She threw herself away from him as far as she could to create some distance between them.


    She wore an aggrieved look as she looked at him, and said in a choked-up voice, "Odell, I only wanted


    to go to the resort to review the information of the members who were present at the resort on the day


    Grandma had the ident. I wasn¡¯t trying to run away."


    He zipped his lips into a thin line and muttered, " Come here."


    She could feel her cheeks burning and throbbing with pain. It was probably swollen by this point. She


    was worried that he was going to tear her skin right off her cheeks and did not dare to approach. She


    only sat and stared at him with reddened eyes.


    Odell''s expression darkened.


    She insisted again. ¡°Everything I told you is true. If you don''t believe me, just ask Sherry. During this


    time, I¡¯ve only ever used your phone to contact her. We¡¯ve talked around four or five times. If I wanted


    to escape, I¡¯d have been long gone by now. I wouldn¡¯t wait until now.¡±


    Odell''s eyes sharpened.

 Chapter 413

    Sylvia looked at Odell with a determined and calm look.


    That was when Tara suddenly appeared from behind the row of bodyguards surrounding Sylvia.


    "Odell, Sylvia, what''s going on here? Why are you guys here? Sylvia, why are you all tied up?¡± she


    remarked with stark surprise.


    Odell shot a look at her. ¡°None of your business here, go back first."


    "Odell, did Sylvia get into trouble again?" Not only did she not express any intention of leaving, but she


    even began giving advice to Sylvia as if she was on her side. "Sylvia, please stop causing trouble for


    Odell. I saw Sherry loitering around here the other day and I heard rumors that she was telling people


    she was going to break in to rescue you and get you out of Westchester City. Why don¡¯t you


    understand that all Odell ever wanted was for you to take good care of Grandma?¡±


    Odell''s expression turned harsher again upon hearing of this. The dark and murderous look in his eyes


    made it seem like he wanted to tear Sylvia apart!


    Sylvia immediately refuted, "Tara, spare your nonsense!¡±


    Just when it seemed like she was finally getting through to Odell, Tara swooped in and said all that to


    imply that everything she told Odell was a bunch of lies!


    Tara suddenly became distressed. "I''m sorry Sylvia, did I say something wrong? I''ll just keep my mouth


    shut.¡±


    Sylvia closed her eyes topose herself.


    If not for these ropes, she would throw herself at this woman and beat her to death right in this spot!


    She did all she could topose herself and suppress her burning rage. Then, she turned to Tara.


    "Tara, did you hear what I said to Odell just now? You''re beginning to panic, aren¡¯t you? You¡¯re afraid


    that if I go to the resort, I¡¯ll manage to dig out information linking you to Grandma¡¯s ident and find


    out that it was you all along, is that right?¡±


    Tara feigned innocence. "Sylvia, I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about."


    ¡°Drop the act. It¡¯s you who hurt Grandma. You framed me and Edmund!¡±


    Tara suddenly grew anxious. She became defensive and whimpered meekly, "Sylvia, I don''t even know


    when the ident happened. Why are you using me for no reason? You¡¯re not trying to put the


    me on me for what you and Edmund did to Grandma, are you?¡±


    Sylvia was baffled by this act she was putting on and could not suppress the urge to roll her eyes.


    "It wasn¡¯t me. All I know is that I was at home and when the entire thing happened. How am I supposed


    to pull it off from my house?¡± Tara exined withposure before suddenly deflecting to Sylvia again.


    "Sylvia, you need evidence before you use me. So, what evidence do you have to prove that it was


    me who did it?"


    Sylvia was done with this bickering so she went straight to the point. ¡°Of course evidence is needed.


    That¡¯s the reason I snuck out to begin with. I was trying to find evidence, not leave the city! ¡±


    "But I didn¡¯t do it!¡± Tara''s eyes had a wounded look in them and glowed red as she turned to Odell.


    "Odell, it wasn¡¯t me. Why would I hurt Grandma?¡±


    Odell''s face was grim and highly irritated by this point.


    Sylvia scoffed. "Because you want to drive a wedge between me and Odell. When the ident


    happened, I happened to meet Edmund and we were very close to where Grandma fell. Thanks to that,


    Odell not only suspected that I was having an affair with Edmund, but he also suspected that it was us


    who pushed Grandma off the cliff for fear of her telling on our affair! This was all part of your n!


    Besides, you¡¯ve done your fair share of work trying to sabotage things between me and Odell in the


    past as well.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Odell frowned and looked at Tara.


    Tara seemed wounded by these usations. "I didn''t! It wasn¡¯t me! I admit that I want to be with Odell,


    but I know how important Grandma is to Odell. I¡¯d be insane toe up with such a sinister plot to


    bring harm to her!¡±


    With that, Tara burst into tears again and went to Odell. "Odell, you have to believe me! It wasn¡¯t me! ¡±


    Odell grimaced.


    It was true that Tara had pulled off some dirty tricks to break up him and Sylvia in the past, but he


    doubted that she would stoop so low as to hurt a vulnerable olddy.


    Upon noticing Odell¡¯s silence and how he was not speaking up for her yet, Tara panicked.


    She could not afford to have Odell suspecting her, absolutely not!


    An idea suddenly came to her. She screeched amidst bouts of tears. "Odell, if you don''t believe me, I¡¯ll


    prove it to you with my life! ¡±


    As soon as she said that, she leaped up and bashed her head against a pir next to her. Odell barely


    had time to react.


    Odell''s expression transformed, and he rushed over to help her at once.


    Sylvia was taken aback by this turn of events.

 Chapter 414

    Tara had split her skull as lines of crescent-red blood spilled out of the cut. She had already long since


    fainted.


    Odell grabbed her before she copsed on the ground and cast a leery look at Sylvia. Then, he


    instructed the bodyguards, ¡°Take her back and watch over her closely.¡±


    "Yes, sir.¡± The bodyguards stepped up to the task.


    Odell did not waste another second and went into the car with Tara in his arms.


    Sylvia was also carried off by the bodyguards toward the direction of the house.


    A chilly gust of wind beat on her worn-out body.


    She frowned and looked up at the sky above, still reeling back from the shock of what transpired.


    She was not expecting Tara to resort to such drastic measures.


    Westchester Hospital.


    Tara was carted out of the emergency room.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    She was already awake by this point, but her face was sickly pale. There wereyers uponyers of


    bandages wrapped around her forehead. She still looked very weak.


    Odell was waiting outside.


    Tara''s eyes began to water the moment she saw him.


    Her lips quivered as she spoke in an anguished voice, " Odell, it wasn¡¯t me who hurt Grandma."


    He murmured, "I believe you. Just get some rest first. We can talk about thister."


    Tara groaned softly.


    Odell apanied her to the ward.


    Noticing that her eyes were still wide open, he tried to coax her, ¡°Come on, get some rest.¡±


    Tara tugged at his hand weakly. "Odell, would you stay with me? I¡¯m scared of being by myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I''m not leaving. I''ll leave when you feel better."


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Tara then closed her eyes to rest.


    Odell sat sullenly on the chair next to the bed.


    Shortly after, the phone in his pocket vibrated.


    He picked up the call and put the phone to his ear, ¡° Find anything?"


    It was Cliff who answered on the other end of the phone, ¡°Master Carter, just as you requested, I went


    through the list of people who were present at the resort on the day of Madam Carter¡¯s ident. I don¡¯t


    see Ms. Avery¡¯s name, nor did I see anyone who¡¯s closely affiliated with her.¡±


    Odell frowned a little as he looked at Tara who was lying on the hospital bed.


    Soft and fragile as she was, she had been devoted to him from the very beginning, never once had she


    left his side.


    To think that he suspected her over some trite and inconsequential things she did in the past.


    He must have been utterly fooled by Sylvia, the wretched woman who had betrayed him time and time


    again!


    A chilling look surfaced inside his dark pupils.


    He got up and left.


    Suddenly, he felt Tara grabbing his hand again.


    She slowly opened her eyes and stared at him nkly, "Odell, don''t leave.¡±


    A sharp look appeared in Odell''s eyes as he turned to her. ¡°Get some rest first. I''ll see youter."


    Tara grimaced, tears immediately trickled down her cheeks again. ¡°Do you still suspect me of hurting


    Grandma? I never did anything remotely close to hurting her. You have to believe me, Odell.¡±


    Odell raised his hand and gently caressed her head. "I know Sylvia is trying to frame you."


    The look in Tara''s eyes shifted upon hearing this. She suddenly supplied, ¡°Odell, maybe she didn''t


    mean to hurt Grandma either. You had to go through so much just to remarry her. Don¡¯t make such a


    fuss about it...


    Hnghh.¡±


    Nearing the end of her sentence, she suddenly winced from a sharp throb of pain in her head.


    A solemn look came upon Odell¡¯s face. He took a deep breath before announcing, "Don''t worry, I''ll take


    care of it."


    Tara smiled weakly and asked in a low voice, ¡°Would youe to see meter?"


    Tears were still swelling in her eyes. Her terribly paleplexion and the thick bandages wrapped


    around her head only added to the pity Odell felt for her at that moment.


    Odell promised solemnly. "You just focus on resting. I promise you I¡¯ll make things right.¡±


    With that, he strode out.


    Tara looked at his departing figure and the bone chilling aura emanating out of his body. She curled her


    lips into a wry smile.


    Surely, he would not forgive Sylvia this time.


    At Odell¡¯s house.


    Sylvia was taken back to the residence and flung onto the floor of the living room.

 Chapter 415

    The bodyguards surrounded her in all directions.


    Violet entered the living room at one point and was frightened by this disy. She quickly fled back to


    Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Every second that passed was full of torment.


    Sylvia was pressed against the cold hard tiles of the floor, and her limbs had grown stiff and cold over


    time.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    She was pinned on the ground on her side and stared vacantly at the threshold leading into the living


    room.


    After a long time, a tall and stout figure appeared in sight.


    He was still wearing the ck suit he wore when he carried Tara away the same morning and he wore


    a pair of trousers thatplemented his long and slender legs. Handsome as always, he fixed a


    menacing look on her.


    He entered the living room.


    The look in Sylvia''s eyes wavered. She wanted to call his name but found her voice caught in her


    throat.


    Odell sat down on the sofa and looked at her usingly. "Is there anything you want to say to me?"


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    She wanted to exin herself, but realized that she had done that more than enough times by now.


    It was pointless.


    Odell grunted. ¡°Have you given up on justifying your actions?¡±


    Sylvia smirked wryly. "I''ve said everything I need to say. There''s nothing left for me to say."


    ¡°I see.¡± He narrowed his eyes and regarded her with a fierce and contemptuous re.


    After a brief moment, he suddenly turned to the bodyguard. ¡°Grab a bat and break her leg."


    They seemed to question their ears and were visibly startled by thismand. One of them asked


    again to be sure, ¡°Master Carter?¡±


    Odell red at them severely.


    One of the bodyguards quickly bolted out of the living room.


    Sylvia broke out in a cold sweat. She was trembling with fear by this point.


    She shifted her body away from Odell and cast a desperate look at him. "Odell, have you lost your


    mind?¡±


    What had she done to deserve such treatment? All she did was scale a wall!


    Odell calmly took a sip from the teacup before swiping a nce at her. "This is your punishment for


    trying to escape and forcing Tara to have to hurt herself to prove her innocence.¡±


    Sylvia immediately retorted, ¡°She did it to herself. What¡¯s that got to do with me?! ¡±


    Odell took another sip of tea.


    Meanwhile, the bodyguard who left the room previously returned with an iron bat and said in a hushed


    voice, ¡°Master Carter, this was the only thing lean find.¡±


    "Hmm." Odell nced at Sylvia''s folded legs, pondered for a moment, and decided. ¡°Start with her left


    calf.¡±


    The bodyguard answered dutifully, "Yes, sir.¡±


    Then, he walked up to Sylvia and said, "Madam, please stretch your legs out.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her legs tightly together.


    She did not want her legs broken!


    ¡°Tear her legs out if you have to, ¡± Odell frowned and ordered impatiently.


    Sylvia cried out desperately, "Odell, stop this. I¡¯m begging you. I promise I¡¯ll never try to leave again! ¡±


    She looked at him with a pleading look, filled with fear and agitation.


    Odell frowned at such a sight.


    He seemed to hesitate momentarily, but in the end still insisted to the bodyguard, ¡°Go on."


    The two bodyguards next to him promptly stepped forward and pried Sylvia¡¯s legs out from underneath


    her.


    "Madam, I''m very sorry,¡± the bodyguard with the iron bat whispered to Sylvia, then he slowly raised the


    iron bat in the air and swung it down on her left calf.


    There was nowhere for Sylvia to run to.


    In an instant, the iron bat smashed into her leg, producing a grating crack the moment it made impact.


    Her bones snapped with a brutal crack.


    A wave of agonizing pain spread all over the body.


    "Ah!!! ¡± she cried out in pain.


    Havingpleted the gruesome task, the bodyguards recoiled and immediately released her while


    shuffling away.


    Sylvia grabbed her leg and rolled on the floor, writhing in pain.


    Meanwhile, Odell, who remained on the couch the entire time, looked at her tossing and turning like a


    madwoman on the ground. He knitted his brows into a tight frown.


    After a moment of silence, he got up and went to her side.


    She was still twitching weakly on the ground when he squatted and forcefully turned her head to face


    him.


    Her reddened eyes and streaks of tears flowing down her cheeks were put on full disy before him.

 Chapter 416

    At that moment, she opened her mouth and spat on his face.


    Sylvia¡¯s body trembled, and she screamed at Odell in a hoarse voice, ¡°Odell, you will regret it! I will pay


    you back for what you did to me! ¡±


    Odell was silent for a few seconds before his lips curled. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. Anyway, don¡¯t ever think of


    escaping again.¡±


    As he spoke, his warm thumb rubbed her face.


    Sylvia felt so much pain that all she wanted to do was kill this man!


    ¡°B*stard!¡±


    Odell merely smiled lightly.


    Sylvia gnashed her teeth in hatred. She suddenly felt a surge of strength, so she raised her head until


    her face reached his chest. She opened her mouth and bit him fiercely through the shirt without letting


    go.


    The force of how hard Sylvia bit him was equivalent to the pain that she felt in her leg. She did not let


    go even though her mouth was full of the metallic taste of blood.


    Having used up thest of her strength, she suddenly fainted and her world went ck.


    ¡°Master Carter, are you alright?¡± A bodyguard immediately stepped forward to ask.


    Odell looked at Sylvia who was lying on the ground and said in a deep voice, ¡°Leave and bring Dr.


    Forger here. Ask him to bring medicine for a broken leg.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The few bodyguards left the living room.


    Odell gathered Sylvia in his arms and walked to the bedroom upstairs.


    Sylvia¡¯s sleep was unpleasant as the pain in her calf upied her consciousness.


    Moreover, she had a nightmare in which she dreamt that Odell¡¯s murderous face was in front of her,


    causing her to be bathed in a cold sweat.


    Suddenly, she heard someone calling her name. Sylvia shuddered and opened her eyes.


    The man¡¯s face appeared in front of her, frowning.


    In an instant, Sylvia reached her hand out to push him away as she shrank back in bed as if she had


    seen a ghost.


    ¡°Go away, get out!¡± She looked terrified.


    Odell looked at her with his brows furrowed.


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    After a while, once she had calmed down slightly, he finally spoke, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve woken up, you


    should eat.¡±


    There were several small tes containing light meals on the small table beside the bed.


    Sylvia looked at her broken leg which was already encased in ster. She felt as if the pain was


    shooting up to her brain.


    She realized that the scene where Odell had tried to kill her earlier was only a dream. However, her


    resentment toward Odell only increased after she woke up.


    She gritted her teeth and red at him.


    Odell¡¯s sturdy figure stood by the bed.


    Standing with his back to the light, Sylvia could not see his expression. However, she could feel the


    cold air around him. The natural coldness and indifference that was in his bones.


    This was the man that she had married twice and been rewarded with sixty ps. Now, he had even


    broken her leg!


    Sylvia wanted to bite him to death, but she hated herself even more.


    She had decided not to love him anymore after he had pped her sixty times and snatched her child


    away!


    Yet, she had agreed to marry him again!


    If she had not married him again, Madam Carter would still have been fine, and she would not have


    been imprisoned by him here, let alone have her leg broken!


    She had brought this on herself! Tears flowed out of her eyes uncontrobly.


    Sylvia sniffed and forced back her tears. Then, she sucked in a breath and told him calmly, ¡°Odell, let¡¯s


    get a divorce.¡±


    The man¡¯s body froze. Then, he leaned down, and his cold face approached her. Sylvia met his gaze


    without evading it in the slightest.


    He grabbed her face and said gloomily, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Sylvia said without changing her expression, ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce.¡±

 Chapter 417

    His lips curled up. ¡°Are you nning on going to Edmund after divorcing me?¡±


    Sylvia did not want to argue with him about Edmund. Instead, she said, ¡°I want to kill you


    when I look at you now. Do you think we can still go on together?¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze darkened, and he smirked again. ¡° We¡¯ll talk again when you actually have the


    ability to kill me.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s grip tightened. She wanted to p him, but there was no strength left in her body.


    She was thirsty, hungry and weak, and her leg throbbed with pain. It would be hard for her


    to lift her hand, let alone p Odell.


    She panted and said, ¡°Why not just send me to jail?¡±


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    The man grabbed her chin and snarled, ¡°So, you want to join Edmund in jail?¡±


    Sylvia said weakly, ¡°It¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to see you again. I feel disgusted whenever I


    look at you.¡±


    She emphasized the word ¡°disgusted.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face darkened, and he lowered his head to her. He ced his face right in front of


    Sylvia, almost touching her. ¡°Say it again?¡±


    Sylvia shut her eyes, making it obvious that she did not want to look at him.


    Odell¡¯s chest felt stuffy and he wanted to pry her eyes open.


    However, seeing how weak she was now, he swallowed his anger.


    After a while, he let go of Sylvia¡¯s face and said coldly, ¡°Remember to eat.¡± He left quickly after that.


    The door shut with a bang.


    Sylvia opened her eyes. ncing at the closed door and the dishes on the small table, and then finally


    outside the window.


    It was dark now.


    She should have been guarding Madam Carter¡¯s room. Now that her leg was broken, Odell must have


    assigned someone else to do it.


    Sylvia sat still and stared out of the window in a daze.


    In the morning, someone suddenly knocked on her door.


    Sylvia opened her eyes.


    From outside the door, Violet asked, ¡°Mrs. Carter, are you awake?¡±


    Sylvia replied feebly, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Violet then pushed the door open and walked in. When she saw Sylvia on the bed, she gasped. ¡°Mrs.


    Carter, how... How did you end up like this?¡±


    At this time, Sylvia¡¯s eyes were red, and she had heavy bags under her eyes. She looked pale, with her


    hair falling messily around her shoulders, and even her pajama cor had fallen to one side.


    She also looked very skinny, more like a ghost than a human.


    Violet immediately put the porridge and snacks on her tray at the bedside and said, ¡°Mrs. Carter,


    Master Carter ordered the kitchen to prepare these. You haven¡¯t eaten for a whole day. Please have


    some.¡±


    Sylvia moved her dry lips. ¡°How¡¯s Grandmother?¡±


    Violet replied, ¡°Still the same, but don¡¯t worry. Master Carter hired another caretaker to


    guard Madam Carter during the night. You don¡¯t have to go there anymore.¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply and said, ¡°You can leave now. I¡¯d like to be alone.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Please remember to eat the food.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Violet then left.


    Sylvia did not have an appetite, so she sat without moving and without touching the food.


    Soon, her brain became foggy and she wondered if it was due to her exhaustion or


    weakness.


    She closed her eyes and fell asleep.


    After some time, while she was still in a daze, she heard someone calling her and patting


    her on the head.


    With difficulty, Sylvia opened her eyes and saw Odell¡¯s frosty face before her. His dark


    eyes stared at her fiercely as if he wanted to tear her apart.


    Sylvia did not want to see him so she closed her eyes again.


    Odell pulled her up and snapped, ¡°Eat first before you go back to sleep! ¡±

 Chapter 418

    He carried Sylvia to the bedside table, where several snacks and a fragrant bowl of


    porridge had beenid out.


    Sylvia nced at the food without any expression on her face and said, ¡°I have no


    appetite.¡±


    Her throat was hoarse.


    Odell grabbed her shoulder and coldly enunciated each word, ¡°Eat the porridge


    immediately.¡±


    The look in Sylvia¡¯s eyes was nd and spiritless. She did not seem to have any intention


    of eating.


    Odell cupped her face. ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯m talking to you. Do you hear me?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and ignored him.


    In a low voice, Odell growled, ¡°Do you think that by going on a hunger strike, I will divorce


    you and send you to be reunited with Edmund in jail? If you don¡¯t eat today, you can give


    up on walking through this door!¡±


    As the words fell from his mouth, he let go of her.


    Like a broken puppet, Sylvia lost her support and she fell to the bed.


    Shey on the bed without moving, staring at the ceiling in a trance.


    Seeing her act like that, Odell felt an anger that he had never felt before surging to his head.


    This woman had harmed his grandmother and yed him like a fool. He had only broken one of her


    legs, yet she was now refusing to eat and was acting as if she wanted to die!


    She was just asking for it!


    Odell immediately walked to her, picked her up, and held her head in ce. He picked up the bowl of


    porridge. Then, he took a sip and kissed her mouth.


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    He tried to pry her mouth open and force the porridge down her throat, but Sylvia gritted her teeth.


    The first mouthful of porridge trickled down the corners of her mouth.


    Odell frowned coldly.


    Next, he bit her mouth, forcing her to open it. However, the porridge still flowed down the sides of her


    mouth.


    It was apparent that Sylvia had not swallowed.


    The porridge flowed from the corners of her mouth to her chin and even her neck.


    However, her eyes were still nk, and she looked as if she had lost her soul.


    Odell instantly burned with rage. With a bang, he threw the bowl to the ground. The bowl shattered into


    pieces, and the porridge sshed all over the floor.


    He cupped her face and fixed her with a sinister re. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to meet Liam and Isabel?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s emotionless eyes suddenly rolled.


    Odell looked at her eyes and continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t, you can die of starvation here. You will never


    meet them again in this lifetime!¡±


    After that, he withdrew his hand.


    Sylvia¡¯s body shook, but she steadied herself quickly and did not fall back on the bed.


    Odell nced at her, a little disdainful of her current disgraceful appearance, and walked


    out of the room.


    Sylvia remained in a daze for a few seconds, then she grabbed the snacks that had been


    left on the table and devoured them.


    Using her hand, she ate them inrge mouthfuls. Shortly after, the tes were cleaned.


    Her throat felt dry, but the moisture from the porridge that had spilled on the floor had


    already been absorbed by the carpet.


    She hesitated for a moment and dragged herself to the bathroom with her broken leg. She


    turned on the tap, scooped up some water, and drank it.


    Just as Sylvia was gulping down the water, Violet¡¯s shriek sounded outside the door. ¡°Mrs.


    Carter, what are you doing? Please stop! This water is not clean. You can¡¯t drink it!¡±


    The only thoughts that upied Sylvia¡¯s brain now were of Liam and Isabel, so she did not


    hear Violet.


    When she was done drinking, she stopped and looked at Violet who was standing just


    outside.


    Violet¡¯s eyes were red as if Sylvia had frightened her. ¡°Mrs. Carter, you are still so young!


    Please don¡¯t torture yourself, okay?¡±

 Chapter 419

    Sylvia¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°Thanks for the reminder. I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Liam and Isabel were waiting for her. She could not go on like this. No matter how much


    she hated Odell, she had to endure it.


    Violet heaved a sigh of relief when she heard this.


    She helped Sylvia toe out and let her sit her down on the couch. Then, she changed


    the bedsheets swiftly and reced the carpet with a new one.


    She also opened the door and windows to let in the fresh breeze in.


    Sylvia wanted to close her eyes and rest for a while, but her stomach suddenly churned.


    She immediately got up and limped to the bathroom, ignoring the stinging pain in her leg.


    She held the toilet and puked out all the food that she had eaten.


    When Violet saw this, she hurriedly said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, hold on! I¡¯ll get the doctor right now!¡±


    After that, she ran out of the room.


    As she ran out, she saw the man leaning against the wall outside the door.


    Violet did not know how long he had stood there. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his face was


    frighteningly cold.


    Violet stopped in her tracks and tried to greet him.


    Odell nced at her and said, ¡°Go do your work.¡±


    Violet instantly swallowed her words and ran down the stairs. The family doctor was downstairs at the


    moment.


    Within two minutes, Violet had brought the doctor to Sylvia¡¯s room.


    By that time, Sylvia had alreadye out of the bathroom. She sat on the couch weakly, letting the


    doctor check her pulse.


    Soon, the doctor said, ¡°Mrs. Carter didn¡¯t consume any food for a long time, so when she suddenly ate


    a huge amount of food all at one go and drank cold water, her stomach became over- stimted and


    upset. Let the kitchen prepare some light food that is easy to digest, and she should be fine after


    recuperating for two days.¡±


    Violet replied, ¡°Okay, doctor.¡±


    The doctor looked at Sylvia¡¯s leg and could not help but advise her, ¡°Mrs. Carter, you desperately need


    to rest now. If you don¡¯t take good care of your body, your leg might not recoverpletely.¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Got it.¡±


    The doctor then got up and headed out.


    Violet left as well to go to the kitchen.


    For a while, Sylvia leaned against the couch weakly.


    When Violet came in with another tray of freshly- made food, she started to eat slowly. After filling her


    stomach, she put down her cutlery, changed into clean clothes, and rested on her bed.


    She felt much morefortable, probably due to having a full stomach, and fell asleep quickly.


    It was at this time that the man outside the door walked in.


    He walked to the bedside and bent down, looking at her sleeping face. His warm palm


    covered her pale and frail face, his deep gaze also staring at her.


    If she could think things through and stop going on a hunger strike, stop thinking about


    looking for Edmund, and stop thinking about leaving him, he would not mind forgiving her


    for the sins she hadmitted. He would give her another chance.


    A week flew by.


    Sylvia lived her days in a regr pattern, eating and sleeping ording to schedule.


    Her face looked healthy again, and the pain in her leg lessened.


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    Of course, she did not see Odell during the week. However, she missed Liam and Isabel


    every day.


    She could not walk yet, so she did not want the two kids to be unhappy if they saw her like


    that. Therefore, Sylvia did not mention anything about going to meet them.


    The weather was great on this day. After breakfast, Sylvia pushed her wheelchair to the


    courtyard. When she closed her eyes to bathe in the sunlight, a car stopped outside the


    gate.


    She opened her eyes and looked over, watching as a bodyguard opened the door of a


    business vehicle respectfully.


    Odell¡¯s upright figure got out of the car.

 Chapter 420

    Sylvia¡¯s face fell, and she immediately turned her wheelchair around to head back to her


    room.


    ¡°Stop.¡± The man¡¯s deep voice sounded.


    Sylvia acted as if she did not hear him and continued moving forward, but soon, his


    looming figure appeared behind her and grabbed her wheelchair.


    No matter how hard she pushed, the wheelchair did not budge.


    Sylvia withdrew her hand and decided to stop pushing.


    Odell grunted and turned the wheelchair around so that she would face him.


    Sylvia¡¯s pale, cold face looked back at him.


    He frowned as he felt a little irritated. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    Sylvia looked at the ground and ignored him.


    Odell took her face in his hand. ¡°Look at me.¡±


    Sylvia continued to look at the ground. Her face was cold and pale. Her eyes were soulless, as if she


    had lost the desire for everything in life.


    Odell tightened his hold on her face and said coldly, ¡°I want you to look at me.¡±


    He seemed to be threatening to dislocate her jaw if she did not listen to him.


    Sylvia did not seem to hear the threat lying in his words. Instead, she looked elsewhere and continued


    to refuse to look at Odell.


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    Even though he leaned in close to her, she still looked elsewhere.


    Odell nced at her with a dark face for some time before he suddenly loosened his grip and walked


    straight past her to Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Sylvia also pushed her wheelchair back to her room. She only came out after Odell had left.


    For the next two days, Odell woulde over in the morning.


    Sylvia would bump into him either in the courtyard or the living room. Of course, she ignored him. She


    either pretended not to see him, or she would turn her head and leave.


    Odell merely nced at her indifferently before going to see Madam Carter. He would then leave a


    short timeter.


    This afternoon, the weather was great. So, Sylvia came to the courtyard and set up a small table on her


    wheelchair. Then, she leaned on it and started carving.


    She was almost always carving to pass the time these days and ease her longing for her two kids.


    She carved some gifts for them.


    She was so immersed in it that she only noticed the man when her light was blocked by a tall shadow


    looming over her.


    Sylvia raised her head and looked at him indifferently.


    Odell¡¯s dark gaze focused on her as he stood still without any intention of moving.


    He asked, ¡°What are you carving?¡±


    Sylvia ignored him and spun her wheelchair to the side. She lowered her head and


    continued to sculpt when there was light again.


    Looking displeased, Odell took a step forward, his tall body blocking the sunlight once


    more.


    Sylvia frowned and moved to the side again.


    Dark clouds seemed to form on Odell¡¯s face, and he strode toward Sylvia again.


    Her source of light was once again blocked.


    Sylvia did not get mad or make a scene. She just put her carving materials and the small


    table away. Then, she pushed her wheelchair, intending on returning to her room.


    Odell¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Stop.¡±


    Sylvia continued to push her wheelchair away.


    Odell strode over and grabbed the wheelchair. He cupped her chin, and his angry gaze


    fixated on Sylvia. ¡°I was talking to you. Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±

 Chapter 421

    Sylvia¡¯s pale lips stayed tightly closed, her eyes utterly devoid of feelings.


    It was clear that she nned to ignore Odell entirely.


    He shouted, ¡°Answer me!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s mouth remained closed.


    Odell lowered his head so that their gazes met and he was so close that the tips of their


    noses were touching. With a low voice, he spat, ¡°So you n to never talk to me again?¡±


    Sylvia kept silent.


    Odell was so infuriated that his veins were about to pop.


    However, Sylvia seemed calm andpletely unbothered.


    It was as if whatever Odell had said just went in one ear and out the other.


    Odell was at his wit¡¯s end but his hands were tied.


    He let go of Sylvia and walked toward Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    The same as what he had been doing the past few days.


    Sylvia did not stay either. She turned her wheelchair around and returned to the bedroom.


    In the afternoon, on the same day.


    Sylvia was making a wood carving in the yard when Tara walked in through the gate.


    As soon as Tara entered, she immediately noticed Sylvia in her wheelchair and the cast around her left


    calf.


    She quickly walked toward Sylvia and asked in a faux-friendly manner, ¡°Sylvia, what happened to your


    leg?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s hand paused, her carving knife frozen in mid-air.


    However, that was all that happened. She then continued carving andpletely ignored Tara.


    Noticing that there was nobody else around them, a smirk pulled on Tara¡¯s lips before she taunted, ¡°


    Did Odell break your leg?¡±


    Sylvia lifted her head, her eyes cold and emotionless as she stared at Tara. ¡°Yes, Odell Carter hired


    somebody to break my leg.¡±


    Tara had never expected such an answer from Sylvia, and for thetter to answer so nonchntly too.


    She was instantly taken aback, unsure of what to say.


    Sylvia stared at her and asked, ¡°Are you happy now? If you are, then please kindly disappear from my


    view.¡±


    Tara immediately grew angry at Sylvia¡¯s words. She did not walk away. Instead, she circled Sylvia. She


    observed Sylvia¡¯s carvings for a while before asking, ¡°Sylvia, what are all these things that you¡¯re


    making?¡±


    Sylvia ignored her and continued meticulously chipping away at her wood block.


    She had no expression on her face and was obviously treating Tara like air.


    Tara grew even angrier.


    How dare this b*tch ignore her!


    Then, she reached out to grab a decorative Rubik¡¯s cube that Sylvia had carved before sneering, ¡°


    What is this ugly thing?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face instantly changed. ¡°Put that down!¡±


    Instead of putting it down, Tara threw the cube to the ground instead.


    ¡°Ah, my hand slipped.¡± Then, she acted as if she was going to pick it up, only to step on it instead.


    Crack.


    A corner of the cube had been chipped away.


    Tara retracted her foot and smiled at Sylvia condescendingly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sylvia. It was an


    ident.¡±


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    Sylvia¡¯s face was stone-cold as her hands, which were holding the wood block and carving


    knife, trembled with rage.


    She had just finished carving the Rubik¡¯s cube after working on it for days. It was meant to


    be a present for Liam!


    Seeing Sylvia trembling with anger, Taraughed gleefully.


    ¡°Sylvia, don¡¯t be like that. I didn¡¯t do that on purpose.¡± As she spoke, she picked up the


    Rubik¡¯s cube before putting it back on the table in front of Sylvia. Then, she grabbed a


    wooden crown that was also on the table. ¡°What is this?¡±


    Sylvia immediately grabbed hold of Tara¡¯s wrist. ¡° Put it down.¡±


    Sylvia was also holding onto her carving knife with the same hand as she had not


    managed to put it down.


    With a glint in her eye, Tara forcefully pulled her hand out of Sylvia¡¯s grip.


    As she did so, the back of her hand slid across the de of the carving knife.


    ¡°Ah!¡± screamed Tara the next moment.


    Fresh blood began spilling from Tara¡¯s hand.


    Sylvia frowned.


    At the same time, Odell¡¯s car had just pulled to a stop right outside the gate.


    As soon as Tara noticed the car¡¯s arrival, she cradled her bleeding hand and started crying,


    ¡° Sylvia, I really didn¡¯t mean to break your carving.


    I apologize if I upset you but why did you have to threaten me with a knife...¡±

 Chapter 422

    Sylvia had also spotted Odell¡¯s car just outside the gate.


    Usually, Sylvia would have gotten angry at the baseless usation. She might have even


    done something to prove her innocence.


    However, at the moment, not only did she seem calm on the outside, she was calm on the


    inside as well.


    She could not even be bothered to continue watching Tara¡¯s act.


    Instead, Sylvia put the crown and Rubik¡¯s cube behind her before she put the rest of her


    things away. She then nned to go back into the house.


    At this moment, Odell was already walking quickly towards them.


    He immediately noticed Tara¡¯s bleeding hand.


    With furrowed eyebrows, he asked Tara, ¡°What happened to your hand?¡±


    Tara choked back a sob, as if she was unwilling to speak, but her eyes shot over to Sylvia.


    Odell looked askance at Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia, stop right there!¡±


    Sylvia did not feel like giving him any attention nor did she want to exin herself. She


    threw the carving knife that was stained with Tara¡¯s blood onto the floor before levelling


    Odell with a cold stare.


    The look in her eyes clearly said, ¡®This was what I used to hurt her.¡¯


    Odell¡¯s face darkened.


    Things hade down to this yet she still refused to open her mouth to speak to him!


    Was she that stubborn?!


    Suddenly, Tara cried out, ¡°Odell, this was all my fault. I noticed that she had made a few carvings that


    looked really nice, so I picked them up to properly admire them. However, I identally dropped one


    and caused it to chip slightly. Sylvia then identally cut me in her anger.¡±


    Odell asked, ¡°What was it that you dropped?¡±


    Tara nced behind Sylvia and answered, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what it was exactly.¡±


    Odell looked behind Sylvia too.


    Sylvia hurriedly hid her hands behind her back as she clutched the crown and Rubik¡¯s cube tightly.


    Odell reached over behind Sylvia.


    His big hand pulled open her hands easily, and he soon retrieved the Rubik¡¯s cube with a chipped


    corner and the small crown.


    Both items were not even as big as the palm of his hand. The Rubik¡¯s cube no longer seemed like a


    cube and the small crown had a simple design.


    Both werepletely ordinary wood carvings.


    He red at Sylvia. ¡°You cut Tara¡¯s hand because of these two pieces of crap?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips tightly.


    She obviously did not want to answer him or exin herself.


    Odell scoffed. Then, he dropped both items onto the floor and stepped on them.


    Crack!


    The Rubik¡¯s cube broke apart entirely, and the small crown split into several pieces.


    Sylvia¡¯s face went pale and she red at Odell.


    If it were not for her broken leg and for the sake of being able to see her children, she would have


    lunged at him immediately. She did not care if she was physically weaker, she would never go down


    without a fight!


    Sylvia¡¯s face had gone red with anger, yet her mouth stayed tightly sealed. Odell was beside himself


    with fury at her unwillingness to evensh out at him.


    ¡°Apologize to Tara this instant!¡± he shouted.


    Sylvia shot him another icy re but paid no attention to Tara. Instead, she turned her wheelchair


    around and began moving toward the house.


    Odell¡¯s face went frigid. He walked over to her and grabbed her wheelchair. Then, he forcefully


    wheeled her toward Tara.


    Sylvia could not resist. She quickly neared Tara, meeting thetter face-to-face.


    Tara held back a smile and weakly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Odell. It¡¯s just a small cut. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    As she spoke, she cradled her hand gingerly.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The wound was long, and fresh blood seeped through it continuously.


    Odell shouted at a nearby bodyguard, ¡°Get me Dr. Forger immediately!¡±


    The bodyguard rushed off instantly.


    Tara then said, ¡°Odell, let Sylvia go in to rest. She doesn¡¯t seem to be feeling well.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyebrows were knit tightly together and the rims of her eyes were red, obviously


    trying to endure the pain on her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her, she¡¯s more than fine.¡± Odell replied before he said to Sylvia, ¡°If you


    don¡¯t apologize to Tara right now, don¡¯t even think about going into the house! ¡±


    Sylvia kept her mouth closed.


    Time ticked by.


    Dr. Forger soon emerged with a first-aid kit.


    Sylvia sat unmoving in her wheelchair, her mouth still tightly shut.


    Dr. Forger opened the first-aid kit and said, ¡°Ms. Avery, please give me your hand. I need


    to clean and dress your wound.¡±


    Tara warily stretched her hand out.

 Chapter 423

    Odell glowered at Sylvia before he ordered the bodyguard, ¡°Watch her and do not let her


    into the house.¡±


    The bodyguard immediately tailed after Sylvia.


    Odell rushed to Tara and watched as Dr. Forger dressed her wound.


    The doctor was quick and efficient.


    He disinfected the wound, stopped the blood, and dressed it up. Once he was done, Tara¡¯s


    hand was wrapped up in a clean bandage.


    The doctor then instructed, ¡°Ms. Avery, you must rest more. Before the wound scabs, you


    mustn''t let it touch water.¡±


    Tara obediently answered, ¡°Understood. Thank you, Dr. Forger.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡±


    The doctor bid goodbye to Odell before leaving.


    Tara gazed at Odell. ¡°Odell, I¡¯m fine. Please stop worrying.¡±


    Odell hummed a reply before looking toward Sylvia.


    Tara did the same.


    However, all they saw was Sylvia leaning back against her wheelchair with her eyes closed.


    It seemed as if she had fallen asleep.


    Odell and Tara were at a loss of words.


    The atmosphere was dreadfully awkward for a few seconds.


    A few momentster, Odell ordered through gritted teeth with each word enunciated clearly, ¡° Wake her


    up now.¡±


    The bodyguard immediately did as ordered.


    Sylvia opened her eyes almost instantly.


    She took one nce at Odell¡¯s dark expression and Tara¡¯s angry one, before leaning back into her


    wheelchair again and closing her eyes.


    She truly did not want to see them or pay them any attention.


    The atmosphere turned awkward once more.


    The bodyguard asked softly, ¡°Master Carter, do you want me to wake Mrs. Carter again?¡±


    Odell closed his eyes for a moment and tried to suppress his fury. ¡°Everyone, leave.¡±


    The bodyguard left immediately.


    Tara timidly said, ¡°Odell...¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    His voice was as cold as ice.


    Tara shot Sylvia a defiant look before turning around and walking off.


    Suddenly, Odell lifted Sylvia off her wheelchair and over his shoulder.


    He strode into the house and headed directly to the bedroom, before promptly dropping her onto the


    bed.


    Sylvia took a moment to find her bearings.


    As soon as she did so, the first thing she saw was Odell¡¯s dark expression.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Odell suddenly bent down to hover over her, effectively trapping her underneath him.


    Before Sylvia could push him away, he pulled her face toward himself and kissed her.


    Odell was strong and his actions were not gentle in the slightest.


    Sylvia kept her lips pursed tightly together.


    Even when she felt like she was going to suffocate, she did not make a sound.


    That was until she felt Odell begin to unzip her skirt.


    Her gaze turned sharp and she bit down on his lips. Odell ignored her biting and continued


    to unzip the garment.


    Sylvia could bear it no longer and finally shouted, ¡°Odell Carter, stop this right now!¡±


    In an instant, he stopped movingpletely.


    However, he remained hovering over her. At the sight of her face which was red with anger,


    he smirked. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Sylvia red at him ferociously.


    Noticing that she had gone mute again, Odell narrowed his eyes and his hand went back to


    the zipper of her skirt. As his hand travelled up her leg, his warm fingertips caressed her


    skin.


    Through gritted teeth, Sylvia spat, ¡°Stop it!¡±


    Odell withdrew his hand at her outburst before patting her lightly on the cheek. ¡°So you can


    speak. For a while there, I thought you had be a mute.¡±

 Chapter 424

    Sylvia immediately turned her face away to avoid his touch and his stare.


    Odell patted her on the cheek again before he growled, ¡°If you ignore me again when I¡¯m


    talking to you, I¡¯ll sew your mouth shut.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Odell¡¯s voice was cold as he asked, ¡°Did you hear me?¡±


    Sylvia resisted the urge to bite him and replied, ¡° Loud and clear.¡±


    Only then did Odell push himself off the bed.


    Suddenly, as if a thought had just urred to him, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll turn a blind eye to you


    hurting Tara today, but you won¡¯t get off so easily if it happens again.¡±


    With that said, Odell strode away.


    Sylvia slowly got up from the bed.


    Using crutches to support her, she made her way to the bathroom and started to wash her


    face.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia washed her face several times and brushed her teeth twice before returning to the bedroom.


    A momentter, Violet walked in with her wheelchair.


    Noticing that Sylvia was sitting alone by the window in a daze, Violet asked softly, ¡°Mrs. Carter, are you


    alright?¡±


    She had been in Madam Carter¡¯s bedroom all this while. However, she had heard themotion


    outside and seen Odell carry Sylvia into the bedroom.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take my leave. Please call for me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Violet then left the room.


    Sylvia pulled the wheelchair closer before retrieving the smashed wooden Rubik¡¯s cube and wooden


    crown.


    She had wanted to give the Rubik¡¯s cube to Liam and the crown to Isabel.


    However, both werepletely destroyed and beyond repair now.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze turned cold before she threw both wooden carvings into the trash. Then, she retrieved a


    new wood block from her bag and began to carve a new piece again.


    The next afternoon, Sylvia was carving wood in the yard when Tara arrived again.


    She was in a form-fitting dress, with a branded cashmere shawl draped around her, and high heels.


    As soon as she entered the residence, she walked over to Sylvia.


    ¡°Sylvia Ross, are you still making wood carvings? Don¡¯t you have anything better to do with your time?


    Odell gave me five million dorsst night so I went shopping. Many boutiques had disyed some


    new items. I saw so many limited edition handbags and essories. Do you want to know what I


    bought?¡± Tara asked with a smile.


    Her tone dripped with ridicule.


    Sylvia ignored her, not even bothering to lift her head to look at Tara as she meticulously worked away


    at the wood block.


    Seeing that Sylvia was ignoring her, Tara felt insulted. She stretched out a hand to try and


    grab the wood block from Sylvia¡¯s work desk.


    Sylvia immediately put her hand on the desk, her carving knife facing upwards as she


    levelled a cold stare at Tara.


    Tara quickly withdrew her hand and chuckled dryly. ¡°Sylvia, what do you thinkyou¡¯re doing?


    I just wanted to see what you¡¯re carving.¡±


    Sylvia scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re here today because you want to see if Odell tortured me after you


    left yesterday, right?¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes trembled slightly.


    Sylvia had hit the nail on its head.


    She then added, ¡°After you left yesterday, Odell carried me into the bedroom. He only


    kissed me forcefully a few times before leaving.¡±


    An ugly expression pulled at Tara¡¯s face.


    Sylvia could not helpughing at her reaction. ¡° I¡¯m sorry for disappointing you, but he


    didn¡¯t torture me.¡±


    Tara forced a smirk. ¡°Hmph. Your leg is broken and you¡¯re trapped here like a dog on a


    leash.


    What is there for me to be disappointed about?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I did have my leg broken, but he also got a doctor to put it in a cast so I think I¡¯ll


    bepletely recovered soon. And yes, I am trapped here and I can¡¯t leave, but what


    about it? Odell still refuses to divorce me, let alone want to be with you.¡±

 Chapter 425

    Looking at Tara¡¯s sour expression, Sylvia added, ¡° Tara Avery, you¡¯ve done so many things


    yet Odell still refuses to divorce me. Even if you¡¯re not upset, I¡¯m upset for you.¡±


    The fake smile on Tara¡¯s face disappeared instantly. She red venomously at Sylvia and


    spat, ¡°Odell¡¯s just thinks of you as entertainment. Once he grows bored of you, he¡¯ll


    definitely divorce you and make your life a living hell! ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Sylviaughed lightly. ¡°But he¡¯s unwilling to divorce me now, so he won¡¯t be


    with you officially.¡±


    ¡°You... You b*tch!¡± Tara was trembling with rage.


    She wanted nothing more than to beat Sylvia up, but there were bodyguards everywhere


    so she could only resist her violent urges.


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°Tara, if you¡¯re really that capable, you¡¯d better convince Odell to divorce


    me soon. Otherwise,¡± Sylvia paused, a cold smile on her face, before continuing, ¡°as long


    as I¡¯m alive, as long as I can breathe, I¡¯ll repay what you did to me tenfold.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s tone was gentle and her voice was weak, barely above a whisper.


    However, her words drained all the color from Tara¡¯s face as thetter backed away slowly.


    By the time Tara realized she was actually scared of Sylvia, she had already put quite a


    distance between herself and Sylvia.


    Soon, Tara came back to her senses. In a fit of guilt and annoyance, she shouted, ¡°You don¡¯t scare me


    at all! Odell will definitely grow bored of you soon because you¡¯re nothing more than a pretty b*tch.


    However, you¡¯re no match for me!¡±


    With that said, Tara spun around and walked toward the gate.


    She was quick and soon disappeared from Sylvia¡¯s view.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Sylviaughed dryly before continuing to carve her wood block.


    Not long after Tara¡¯s departure, Odell¡¯s car pulled to a stop outside the gate.


    Sylvia waspletely focused on her carving so she did not notice the sound of his car¡¯s engine.


    Only when his tall figure stood directly in front of her, effectively blocking her light source, did she


    realize Odell had arrived.


    Sylvia furrowed her eyebrows and continued to carve her wood block.


    Odell studied the wood block in her hand before asking, ¡°What are you carving?¡±


    Sylvia ignored him and acted as if she had not heard him speak.


    At herck of a reply, Odell¡¯s face grew cold. ¡° Have you forgotten what I told you yesterday?¡± He was


    referring to his threat of sewing Sylvia¡¯s mouth shut if she ignored him.


    Sylvia swallowed her pride and replied, ¡°I¡¯m making a Rubik¡¯s cube.¡±


    ¡°A Rubik¡¯s cube?¡± Odell was stunned for a moment. ¡°Are you talking about the cube that Liam often


    ys with?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Odell looked closer at the cube Sylvia was holding before he suddenly thought back to the cube he had


    stepped on the day before.


    He had been angry that he had not realized it, but it had definitely been a finished carving of a Rubik¡¯s


    cube that had been meant as a gift to Liam.


    The other carving that had resembled a crown must have also been meant for the children.


    At the realization, his chest grew tight. Then, he said, ¡°It¡¯ll be lunch time soon, continue carving after


    you¡¯ve rested a little.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him.


    Odell lowered his voice in a warning and said, ¡° I¡¯m asking you to take a break. Did you not


    hear me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry and I don¡¯t want to rest,¡± came Sylvia¡¯s reply.


    Her tone was calm and collected.


    Odell stretched out his hand, wanting to take away the things in Sylvia¡¯s hands.


    However, Sylvia¡¯s reflexes were quick. She quickly hid the carving knife and the half-


    finished carving behind her back before she stared at him watchfully.


    It was as if she was afraid he would step on her carvings again.


    Odell felt a knot in his throat and did his best to suppress his emotions. ¡°Just put your


    things down and go have lunch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll eat even if you¡¯re not hungry!¡± Odell suddenly shouted.


    Sylvia frowned before putting her carving knife and the half-finished carving into a small


    bag that was hanging off the side of the wheelchair.

 Chapter 426

    Sylvia followed Odell into the dining room.


    The dining table had already beenid out with a sumptuous meal.


    Odell did not sit down immediately. Instead, he walked over to Sylvia as if to help her sit on the dining chair.


    At this, Sylvia quickly pulled herself up by her right leg.


    She did not want his help, much less have him touch her.


    However, in the next moment, a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist.


    Odell immediately carried her onto the chair at the table.


    Sylvia furrowed her eyebrows before lowering her head to eat.


    Odell sat directly opposite her.


    As usual, he picked up his utensils and started eating slowly and gracefully.


    Before he was even half done with his food, Sylvia had already set down her utensils.


    She then pulled her wheelchair to her side. Using her right leg as support, she shifted herself back onto the wheelchair.


    Sylvia then pushed herself back to the bedroom.


    She did everything without saying a word or sparing so much as a nce at Odell.


    Odell set cutlery down with a cold expression on his face.


    At Lake Victoria Vi.


    Tara felt extremely uneasy ever since she hade home.


    Sylvia¡¯s words repeated themselves in her head like a mantra.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on her bedroom door. The maid¡¯s voice said, ¡°Ms. Avery, lunch is ready.


    Pleasee and have something to eat.¡±


    Tara was shaken out of her reverie by the knocking sound. She swung open the door and pped the


    maid across the face.


    The maid put her hand over her face before stepping backwards.


    Tara angrily screamed, ¡°Did I ask you to step away?¡±


    The maid walked forward timidly before softly saying, ¡°Ms. Avery, I just came to let you know that lunch


    is ready. If you do not wish to eat, I¡¯ll go and remove the food.¡±


    Ignoring the maid, Tara pped her across the face again.


    Unshed tears began pooling in the maid¡¯s eyes but she did not dare to cry or step backwards. All she


    could do was purse her lips to hold back her pain.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Tara spat venomously, ¡°Useless b*tch, just get lost right now!¡±


    The maid quickly turned and ran off.


    Just then, Tara¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    Once she saw who was calling, she quickly closed her bedroom door before answering the call.


    Through the phone, Mnie¡¯s voice could be heard asking, ¡° Tara, so many days have passed now.


    Has Master Carter divorced Sylvia Ross yet?¡±


    Tara was immediately reminded of what had happened that morning.


    That b*tch, Sylvia, had already had one of her legs broken because of Odell, yet she still dared to taunt


    and threaten her!


    Tara answered in annoyance, ¡°Odell broke one of her legs but they¡¯re still together.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s quite a cunning fox.¡± Mnie then continued, ¡°Tara, you must break the two of them apart now. Otherwise, if she


    gives birth to another of Master Carter¡¯s children, breaking them up will be even harder.¡±


    Tara suddenly thought back to the hickeys she had noticed on Sylvia¡¯s neck and a jealous expression appeared on her


    face.


    Then, she thought of Isabel and Liam and her expression turned even uglier. ¡°You¡¯re right, I must not let her leech off


    Odell anymore.¡±


    Mnie asked, ¡°Then do you have a n in mind?¡±


    Tara narrowed her eyes menacingly. ¡°I¡¯ll make her disappear from Westchester City.¡± ¡®And from the face of this Earth,¡¯


    she thought.


    Mnie thought that Tara¡¯s n was to have Sylvia kidnapped and taken out of Westchester City, so she immediately


    warned, ¡°Tara, don¡¯t act too rashly. She¡¯s currently under house arrest in Master Carter¡¯s house so I¡¯m sure many


    people are looking after her. It¡¯ll be difficult for you to do anything.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but I¡¯ll think of something,¡± Tara said sinisterly.


    As long as Sylvia disappeared, she would not be able to take revenge on Tara. Not only that, the title of Mrs. Carter


    would also be hers and Odell will never find out about that matter!


    At the Carters¡¯ old residence.


    Sylvia stayed in her bedroom the whole afternoon. She only appeared in the living room once more when Violet called


    her for dinner.


    However, what Sylvia never expected was to see that Odell was here again.


    As soon as she went to sit down at the dining table, he sat down opposite her. Then, he asked, ¡°What were you doing


    in your room the entire afternoon?¡±


    Sylvia replied brusquely, in a cold tone of voice, ¡°Carving.¡±

 Chapter 427

    Odell nced at her before picking up his cutlery to eat.


    Sylvia started eating as well, taking big bites as she went along.


    While she was not exactly crude, she was not exactly eating elegantly either.


    Sylvia quickly finished her food. She then set down her spoon and turned around to begin moving back into her


    wheelchair.


    Odell furrowed his eyebrows at her. ¡°You¡¯re done eating?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He pursed his lips at her short reply.


    Sylvia then wheeled herself back into her bedroom.


    Odell instantly lost all his appetite so he stood up and went to Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    He sat down on the chair by her bed and looked at Madam Carter. Then, he asked Violet, ¡°What has she been doing


    recently?¡±


    Odell was obviously referring to Sylvia.


    Violet replied, ¡°Mrs. Carter has been making wood carvings recently.¡±


    ¡°Nothing else?¡±


    Violet answered, ¡°Besides making wood carvings, Mrs. Carter only eats and sleeps.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyebrows knit tightly together.


    After spending a bit more time with Madam Carter, he stood up.


    However, instead of leaving immediately as he would usually do, he instead went to Sylvia¡¯s bedroom.


    Odell pushed open the door to see Sylvia seated at the table, the carving knife in her hand moving


    continuously against a wood block.


    Only the sounds of wood being chipped away could be heard in the bedroom.


    Odell walked toward Sylvia and took a look at her carving.


    From the shape of it, it seemed to be the crown he had stepped on previously.


    Odell¡¯s eyes shifted inexplicably as he asked, ¡°What are you making a carving of?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°A crown.¡±


    ¡°What kind of crown?¡±


    ¡°A wooden crown.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Odell pursed his lips tightly before saying, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should sleep soon.¡±


    Sylvia did not say anything but continued with her carving.


    A few momentster, Odell¡¯s face darkened and he asked in a low voice, ¡° Did you hear what I just


    said?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you preparing to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    As Sylvia spoke, she carved away at the wood block and her gaze was also focused entirely on it. Her


    tone when answering Odell was cool and calm, not bearing the slightest emotion.


    It was as if she was talking to a stranger.


    Odell felt an unexined sense of annoyance.


    He snatched away Sylvia¡¯s carving knife and spat coldly, ¡°Go to bed now!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s body stiffened.


    A momentter, she answered ¡°Okay.¡± Then, with the support of a cane, she went to wash up in the bathroom.


    Her face did not shift in the slightest and waspletely devoid of emotions. It was as if she was a marite.


    Odell angrily shouted, ¡°Stand there!¡±


    Sylvia immediately stopped walking.


    Odell stared at her back and ordered, ¡°Turn around and look at me.¡±


    Sylvia did as she was told, her cold gaze meeting his fiery one.


    Odell walked right up to her and grabbed her chin. Then, he snarled, ¡°Do you n on acting like this around me from


    now on?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy about it, then divorce me.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold and his grip around her chin tightened. ¡°Are you still thinking about Edmund Price?¡±


    ¡°If you want to think that way, I can¡¯t stop you.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t even think that you¡¯ll be able to see him again.¡± He stared at her coldly. ¡°As long as you¡¯re still breathing, I


    won¡¯t ever divorce you!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes stayed nk and emotionless. It was as if even if he dislocated her jaw right now, she would still feel no


    pain.


    So with this threat, she felt nothing at all.

 Chapter 428

    At Sylvia¡¯s emotionless reaction, Odell grew even angrier. He tried his best to suppress his rage and asked coldly, ¡°Did


    you hear me?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Loud and clear.¡±


    Her answer was instantaneous but there was still no emotion on her face.


    Odell¡¯s expression grew dark and he felt as if the raging fire in his body could burn the whole house down.


    He asked, ¡°Sylvia Ross, have I not been kind to you?¡±


    Sylvia did not answer nor did she show any emotion.


    Odell released her chin and turned around to flip her desk to the floor.


    Crash!


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Everything on the desk, from her wood blocks and carving tools to the finished carvings, fell to the floor.


    The two new carvings she had made for Isabel and Liam were alsopletely crushed by the table.


    Sylvia was shocked and began bending forward to pick up her things.


    Just as she did so, Odell¡¯s hand gripped her shoulder.


    His hand pressed down into her shoulder, not at all wanting to give her the chance to pick up her


    things.


    She red at him venomously. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Odell did not budge and his lips pulled into a smirk. ¡°So you haven¡¯t turned into an idiot, I see.¡±


    Sylvia did not want to argue with him so she pushed him away with all her might.


    Odell used her force to pull Sylvia into his embrace, effectively trapping her against him.


    Sylvia was immediately rendered helpless.


    She looked up and sent Odell another venomous re.


    Odell looked down to meet her angry eyes with his mirthful ones that also seemed to sh with ridicule.


    It was like he was a superior being looking down on someone that fought back despite not having the


    ability to do so.


    Sylvia was using all the strength she could muster yet she still could not push him away.


    At his mocking expression, she felt blind rage and immediately bit down on his chest.


    Her sharp teeth broke through his shirt easily.


    Even when she could taste blood in her mouth, Odell held on tightly. Therefore, Sylvia could not resist


    sending him another re.


    Odell smirked, ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Sylvia sent him a piercing re, her eyes rimmed red from anger. ¡°Odell Carter, you are absolutely


    disgusting!¡±


    Odell chuckled. ¡°You made me angry first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing everything that you told me to, what else do you want from me?!¡±


    Odell pinched at her cheeks. ¡°What I want is not for you to act as if you would rather be dead than be


    here, I want you to be like how you used to act.¡±


    Sylvia scoffed. ¡°Odell Carter, you broke my leg. Do you think we can go back to how we were before?¡±


    ¡°That was because you kept ying me for a fool.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    She had long exined herself.


    She did not want to repeat anything nor did she want to give Odell any more attention.


    Odell threatened, ¡°You better act properly from now on. If you want to continue acting like a mindless idiot, I¡¯ll make it


    so that you can¡¯t carve anything!¡±


    Sylvia turned her face away, not wanting to look at Odell anymore.


    Odell instantly turned her face back to face him so that their eyes were meeting once more. At that moment, his phone


    started to ring.


    He immediately released Sylvia to check who was calling


    It was Cliff Bogard.


    Cliff would never call sote in the day unless there was something important to report.


    Odell quickly answered the call.


    Through the phone, Odell hastily said, ¡°Master Carter, Second Master Carter ising back. He¡¯ll be on a flight tonight


    and is probably boarding the ne right now. He¡¯ll be arriving in Westchester City in the morning.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes turnedpletely cold. ¡°Why is heing back?¡±


    Cliff answered, ¡°The person in charge of supervising him said that he didn¡¯t bring anything with him and is on the flight


    alone. He must have found out about Madam Carter¡¯s condition and ising back to see her.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Odell rxed slightly and continued, ¡°Send a few people to the airport to watch for him. As soon as he


    gets off the ne, I want a tight surveince to be kept on him.¡± ¡°Yes, Master Carter. I¡¯ll have it arranged at once.¡±

 Chapter 429

    Odell ended the call and put his phone back into his pocket. Then, he looked at Sylvia.


    At this moment, Sylvia was on the floor picking up her wood carvings.


    The desk was still flipped over so Sylvia tried to lift it up with one hand while she tried to grab the wooden crown with


    the other.


    However, as the desk was heavy, she could not hold it up for long. It crashed back down andnded on her hand with a


    thud.


    Sylvia flinched in pain and quickly pulled her hand away.


    Odell rushed to kneel by her side and moved to take her injured hand so that he could have a look.


    As soon as he touched Sylvia, she withdrew her hand away from him.


    Odell furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°Let me see your hand.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to care,¡± Sylvia spat before continuing to pick her things up from the floor.


    There was a red mark running across the back of her hand from the impact.


    However, it seemed normal so it was probably nothing to worry about.


    Odell took onest look at Sylvia before standing up. ¡°Go to bed once you¡¯re done picking everything


    up.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him.


    Not expecting her to reply anyway, Odell turned around and walked out of her bedroom.


    Not long after he walked out, Violet came rushing in.


    She quickly lifted the desk into an upright position before picking up everything else that was still on the


    floor.


    Sylvia thanked her.


    Violet instantly replied, ¡°Mrs. Carter, this is my responsibility so there¡¯s no need to be so polite with me.


    It¡¯s gettingte so you should sleep soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    At her answer, Violet then walked out.


    Sylvia sat back down in front of her desk. She picked up her carving knife and began chipping away at


    the carving that had been chipped from the fall.


    It was not that she did not want to rest, but all she could think about now was that b*stard Odell and


    how he had broken the carvings she had made for Isabel and Liam by flipping her desk.


    If Sylvia did not shift her attention to something else immediately, she was afraid that she would not be


    able to stop herself from thinking of everything Odell had done to her all this while!


    She was afraid that she would lose control and kill him!


    Thus, Sylvia continued carvingte into the night. Only when her hands started feeling sore and her


    eyes could no longer stay open did she finally stop. Then, she climbed onto her bed and fell into a deep


    slumber.


    In the morning of the following day, Sylvia was eating her breakfast when Odell appeared again.


    She quickly finished her breakfast and went back to her bedroom.


    Odell merely nced at her retreating back a couple of times but made no move to follow her.


    Sylvia locked the door behind her as soon as she entered her bedroom. Then, she settled in by her


    desk and started carving again.


    After some time, Violet came knocking on her door.


    Sylvia quickly opened it.


    Violet walked in to set down a te of freshly-cut fruits.


    At the gesture, Sylvia thanked Violet.


    However, Violet was in no rush to leave. Instead, she dreamily said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, Second Master Carter is here to see


    Madam Carter. Would you like to go down and take a look?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted slightly. ¡°Who did you say was here?¡±


    Violet replied, ¡°I heard him address Master Carter as his older brother, so I presume that he is Second Master Carter.¡±


    ¡°What does he look like?¡±


    Ablush dotted Violet¡¯s cheeks as she replied, ¡°He¡¯s very tall, almost as tall as Master Carter. His face looks like it was


    sculpted by the gods but he seems to be quite thin. Besides that, he also seems much colder than Master Carter, but


    definitely not as overwhelmingly intimidating as Master Carter.¡±


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    A slender and tall figure suddenly appeared in Sylvia¡¯s mind.


    She hadst seen him four years ago and she wondered whether or not he had changed.


    Sylvia wanted to see him again but once she realized that Odell was also downstairs, her urge quickly disappeared.


    She went back to her desk and continued carving.


    Violet asked, ¡°Mrs. Carter, don¡¯t you want to take a look?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I need to finish my carvings, so I won¡¯t be joining them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Violet then promptly left the room.

 Chapter 430

    Sylvia suddenly noticed that the light in her bedroom had been turned on and her curtains were closed.


    She quickly turned the light off before opening the curtains.


    Bright sunlight poured into the room, illuminating Sylvia and her desk.


    She looked out the window to see the view and felt herself rx greatly.


    Then, she lowered her head and continued with her carving.


    Her desk had been ced directly in front of a window so she could see into the courtyard downstairs merely by lifting


    her head.


    Soon, a slender figure that had entered the courtyard through the living room caught her attention through the corner of


    her eye.


    She quickly lifted her head to look.


    The man was wearing a loose gray shirt and long pants.


    His figure was slender and lean, and he walked with a graceful air about him.


    His appearance was like a prince of a romance novel, only that he seemed to emanate a mncholic aura.


    Perhaps because he felt Sylvia¡¯s eyes on him, he suddenly stopped and lifted his head to look in Sylvia¡¯s direction.


    His soft and slightly-curled fringe was lifted by a passing breeze, revealing his fair yet cold face.


    His cold eyes were looking straight in Sylvia¡¯s direction.


    However, he only spared her a single nce before he turned around and walked out the gate.


    Sylvia guessed that he must not have seen her.


    Sylvia¡¯s thoughts did not dwell on the man and she went back to her carving.


    Then, her bedroom door opened and Odell walked in.


    Although Sylvia had her back to the door and did not see him enter, she could immediately tell it was


    him through his footsteps.


    She quickly put her carvings into the desk drawer.


    Odell immediately noticed what she had done.


    He frowned and his expression turned sour.


    He had merely wanted toe and see her, yet it was obvious that she was being cautious around


    him.


    Odell quickly walked to Sylvia¡¯s side. Acting as if he had not seen what she had just done, he asked,


    ¡°What did you just put away?¡±


    Sylvia coldly replied, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Odell grew even angrier at her emotionless reaction. He moved out of the way and subsequently


    opened the drawer.


    In the drawer were Sylvia¡¯spleted wood carvings.


    Besides a wooden Rubik¡¯s cube and a wooden crown, there were also a few other things.


    However, what grabbed Odell¡¯s attention the most was a ¡° red¡± rose.


    Each petal on the rose was bright red in color and had obviously been stained with blood!


    Odell¡¯s expression turned frigid. With the rose in his grip, he asked Sylvia, ¡°Where did the blood on this


    come from?¡±


    Sylvia knit her eyebrows tightly but did not answer.


    He stared at her coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again, where did the blood on thise from?¡±


    Sylvia assumed that Odell thought she had done something wrong, so she replied, ¡°It¡¯s my blood.¡±


    Odell immediately grabbed her hands to take a look.


    On her hands which were full of calluses, he could see two freshly-healed wounds.


    One was on the back of her right hand, and the other was on the fingertip of her left hand¡¯s index finger.


    The wounds did not seem shallow at all.


    His dark expression instantly grew darker.


    The next moment, he threw the blood-stained rose onto the floor before stepping on it forcefully.


    Crack!


    The red rose was instantly smashed to pieces.


    Sylvia¡¯s face went pale. She angrily shouted at him, ¡°Odell Carter, are you out of your mind? I didn¡¯t even use your


    blood! Why are you so mad?¡±


    Odell grabbed her by the chin and threatened coldly, ¡° If I ever see you carve wood again, I¡¯ll destroy everything else


    too!¡±


    With that said, he then turned around and left.


    Sylvia was so outraged that she felt as if she could beat him to death. However, as soon as she stood up, a sharp pain


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    pierced through her left calf, forcing her to sit back down in her wheelchair.


    However, she could not resist throwing a wood block in the direction that he had just left in.


    Bang!


    Odell was long gone by now so the wood block fell heavily onto the floor.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes were rimmed red with anger. ¡°Odell Carter, you b*stard!¡±

 Chapter 431

    A whileter, Violet came in.


    She picked up the wood block and looked at Sylvia with a concerned look. ¡°Madam, what happened with Master


    Carter?¡±


    Sylvia did not want to vent her anger on the poor girl. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just leave.¡±


    Violet stood still and stared at her in hesitation.


    Sylvia noticed the stare. She asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    Violet had a nce at the desk in front of her and said, ¡° Before Master Carter left, he ordered me to take away all your


    carving materials.¡±


    Sylvia choked on her anger.


    She clenched her teeth to swallow the grievance and then sat down on the couch beside the desk using her crutches.


    The desk was free for Violet to clean up.


    Violet wore an apologetic look and then took her carving tools plus the wood blocks away.


    Even the rose that Odell stomped was swept away.


    The room returned to silence.


    Sylvia was robbed of her hobby, so she simply sat in front of the ceiling-to-floor window and stared outside nkly.


    The scar on the back of her right hand got itchy while she was gazing out. She scratched a few times


    and stopped.


    She got the scar and the one on her right index finger a few days ago and it was because of the


    frustration she had over the pain in her legs. She identally cut herself using the knife while carving.


    The cut was deep and she bled quite a lot.


    Thankfully, she was done carving the rose, so she painted the rose red with her blood.


    Since the cut was nothing serious, she asked Violet for some medicine and patched herself up. The


    wound started to scab after a night.


    The man somehow lost his mind and stomped on the rose that she carved. He even forbade her from


    carving.


    He must be crazy!


    After leaving Carter residence, Odell drove to the boxing gym.


    Odell had been a regr at the boxing gym recently and the staff already recognized him. Upon his


    arrival, the staff immediately opened the door and weed him.


    Several coaches were in the gym when he arrived but neither of them had the audacity to even look at


    him. Some even turned a blind eye and walked away.


    Odell looked at them and said, ¡°Who¡¯s up today?¡±


    The coaches exchanged a baffled look and no one dared to answer Odell¡¯s challenge.


    Irritated, Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°A million an hour!¡±


    The coaches were intrigued and their eyes gleamed.


    A million an hour was a massive sum but as they recalled how Odell beat the previous coach to the


    ground, several of them hesitated even before therge sum of reward.


    Fortunately, a brave coach finally answered the challenge.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a go with you, Master Carter.¡±


    Odell changed into his boxing attire and got into the ring.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The coach stood opposite him, staring at him like a predator.


    Odell replied with a nce. ¡°Bring it on.¡±


    The coach threw himself forward.


    Odell easily dodged the forward punch and countered with a jab.


    Bang!


    The coach screamed in pain.


    ¡°Again!¡± Odell bellowed.


    Thinking about the million-dor reward, the coach threw himself forward again.


    ? ??


    Half an hourter, the coach finally copsed to the ground with his face swollen.


    He mustered his remaining strength and looked at the man who had just knocked him out. He tried lifting his swollen


    face and begged in pain, ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯m done. Please stop.¡±


    Odell frowned hard. ¡°Get off the ring and bring two more men up here! ¡±


    ¡°R-Right away!¡±


    The coach immediately crawled off the ring.


    A few momentster, two more coaches got into the ring.


    One of them asked in a small voice, ¡°Master Carter, who do you want to spar with first?¡±


    Odell had a nce at them and said, ¡°Both of you together.¡±

 Chapter 432

    It had been an hour since the sparring started but the man showed no signs of stopping.


    Sweat rolled down the edge of his face and highlighted the contour of his pronounced features. It even wet his rigid


    corbone and shirt.


    He nimbly dodged the coaches¡¯ attack andnded a punch on each of their faces.


    While punching his opponent to the ground, his mind was reying the scene of that bloody wooden rose.


    ¡®That woman painted the wooden rose with her own blood?! Has she gotten out of her mind? Is she trying to kill herself


    just to make me mad?¡¯


    Suddenly, a powerful punch approached his face.


    Odell narrowed his deep eyes and countered with a jab.


    Bang!


    He punched a coach in the face and sent the man to the ground.


    As the fallen coach squealed in pain, the other coach faltered out of fear.


    Odell red at the two of them.


    Due to their responsibility and the promised reward, the two coaches regained theirposure and


    continued sparring with Odell.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Outside the ring, all five coaches, who had sparred with Odell earlier and got beaten up, sat together


    and panted heavily.


    They sympathized with their colleagues who were crying in pain in the ring and were grateful that they


    survived Odell¡¯s thrashing.


    ¡°What has gotten into Master Carter today? He¡¯s really angry.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. I think the two of them are at their limit.¡±


    ¡°But Master Carter doesn¡¯t seem tired at all. All of us had sparred with him. Are we going for a second


    round?¡±


    The five of them got nervous.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll die if I get into the ring again.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I can¡¯t even get on my feet.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do now?¡±


    They found themselves in a quandary.


    Suddenly, one of them suggested, ¡°I know. Do you guys remember Ms. Avery that Master Carter


    brought over here the other day? I heard they¡¯re close. Why don¡¯t we call her and ask her to talk him


    out of his thrashing frenzy?¡±


    The suggestion intrigued the others. ¡°Great idea! Hurry up and contact Ms. Avery!¡±


    Half an hourter, thest two coaches of the boxing gym copsed to the ground.


    One of them feigned death and the other begged for his life.


    ¡°Master Carter, we¡¯re not your match even if we teamed up against you. We surrender. Please let us


    go.¡±


    Odell had a nce at the two of them and said, ¡°Get out.¡±


    The two coaches immediately got out of the ring as if they were granted a second life.


    Odell received a bottle of water and a towel from a staff member. He sipped some water before he stared at the five


    other coaches sitting beneath the ring.


    The five coaches averted his gaze hurriedly. They either looked down or looked elsewhere. No one dared to exchange


    a look with him.


    Odell frowned. Just when he was about to call either two of them, he saw Tara running in.


    ¡°Odell!¡±


    Tara wore a slim waist white dress and she ran to the ring. She looked up at him with a concerned look and said, ¡°I


    heard you¡¯re boxing here all day now. Did something happen?¡±


    Odell frowned at her. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Tara stared at his wet but handsome face and said in a small voice, ¡°I heard you were in a bad mood. I was worried, so


    I came.¡±


    She was already thinking about seeing him earlier and after the coaches called her, she immediately came over to


    check on him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go home,¡± Odell said.


    Tara wore a worried look. ¡°You¡¯re drenched. Are you still going to continue?¡±


    Odell¡¯s patience wore thin.

 Chapter 433

    Fortunately, the woman before his eyes was someone he knew. He suppressed his irritation and


    said, ¡°Wait for me outside. I¡¯lle find you after I get changed.¡±


    Tara obediently hummed a reply.


    Odell got out of the ring and went to the changing room.


    After he had a quick shower, he changed into his own clothes and went out.


    Tara was waiting for him outside the changing room.


    She sat on the bench quietly and her slender figure screamed of elegance and softness.


    She curled her lips when she saw him. With a soft voice, she said, ¡° Odell.¡±


    Odell immediately thought of the woman back home.


    The woman would either bite him, scold him, or even stare at him nkly as if she lost her soul.


    She even mutted herself just to make him angry.


    If she was half as obedient and caring as Tara, he would not have gotten so angry that he


    stomped the wooden rose.


    He sat opposite Tara and the staff came serving him a ss of water.


    He had a sip from the ss.


    It was then his other arm constricted by Tara¡¯s arms.


    He tightened his brows and withdrew his arm from her embrace.


    Tara said, ¡°Odell, I just want to see if your hand is swollen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t look like you¡¯re fine.¡± Tara looked at him with a soft look and said in a small voice, ¡°Did


    you argue with Sylvia again?¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim as soon as he heard the name.


    Tara saw the change of expression on his face. She immediately said, ¡°Odell, I know how you feel


    about her but I don¡¯t want to see you like this. Why don¡¯t you just divorce her?¡±


    Odell frowned and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll never divorce her. Don¡¯t you mention this again.¡±


    ¡®Divorce? So that she could go to Edmund? Never!¡¯ he thought.


    Tara secretly clenched her fists. She then said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything else. I just don¡¯t want to see you


    like this.¡±


    Odell had another sip of water but it did not wash away the gloom on his face.


    Tara saw everything. She said, ¡°Odell, if you don¡¯t want to divorce her, then try to understand her and


    make things work between you two. Or else it¡¯s just torture for the both of you and it will be a


    problem sooner orter.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression softened as he turned to her.


    Tara wore the kindest and warmest look on her face.


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°If she¡¯s half as understanding as you...¡±


    Tara smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯s because you broke her legs and imprisoned her. It blocked her off from the


    outside world. That¡¯s why she¡¯s throwing a tantrum. Besides...¡±


    ¡°Besides?¡±


    Tara continued in a smaller voice, ¡°I think there¡¯s something wrong with her up here.¡±


    She pointed at her own head.


    Her gesture immediately reminded Odell of Sylvia¡¯s cut on her hand and the bloody rose that she


    carved.


    If it was not a mental issue, why would she mutte herself?


    Tara continued to observe his expression. ¡°I heard that a person¡¯s mind will go crazy if he or she


    is locked up for a long time and is denied all kinds of contact with the outside world. I¡¯ve met


    Sylvia twice and she struck me as mentally ill. Odell, why don¡¯t you release her and stop


    imprisoning her?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    ¡®Release her? That would mean giving her the freedom to go wherever she wants...¡¯


    Tara continued, ¡°Odell, I don¡¯t think Sylvia will run away again. She cares about Isabel and Liam


    and she won¡¯t leave them behind.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze shifted.


    ¡®Indeed, the woman cared about the children...¡¯


    Some careful considerationster, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Tara then wore a smile and said, ¡°Odell, no matter your decision, I¡¯ll support you.¡±

 Chapter 434

    It was midnight at Carter residence. Sylvia had been drawing for the entire day inside her room.


    She barely had any inspiration on what to draw and her carving tools were confiscated, so other


    than sketching, she had nothing to do.


    She sat on the floor and scribbled whatever was in her mind.


    It was until the door opened and the man¡¯s uniformed footsteps sounded.


    Sylvia frowned but did not look at him. She continued scribbling on the floor.


    Odell walked closer to her and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Sylvia chose to remain quiet.


    Odell approached her side and saw her scribbling a dark drawing.


    The entire drawing was dark, drawn only with different shades of ck.


    The dark sky, the ck forests, and the crows on the branches, the entire drawing screamed of


    depression.


    She was scribbling with charcoal, so her hands were also tainted ck.


    Odell frowned and said in a heavy tone, ¡°Stop drawing.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him and continued moving her charcoal across the canvas.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned frosty. He grabbed the canvas and tossed it away.


    Sylvia immediately looked at him and it allowed Odell to finally have a clear look at her face.


    Her petite face was dirty because of the charcoal. Her forehead, her cheeks, her nose, and even the


    edge of her mouth were all ck and dirty.


    In addition to her messy hair and clothes, she looked like an insane woman who had gotten fed up with


    life.


    A strong feeling choked Odell¡¯s chest. He bellowed, ¡°Who told you to make yourself like this?¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her brows. Her gaze went nk as she stared at him as if she could not understand his


    words.


    Her countenance in addition to her dirty attire really made her look like a crazy woman.


    Odell was even more frustrated at her nk response.


    He wished he could toss her into the bathtub and cleanse her of not only her body but also her


    thoughts.


    Unfortunately, her left calf remained in a cast and he worried that strong methods might further


    stimte her in the wrong way. So he resolved by raising his voice, ¡°Go get yourself clean immediately


    or don¡¯t ever think of drawing again.¡±


    The frostiness on his face was terrifying.


    Sylvia believed the man must have lost his mind. She clenched her teeth as she got on her feet and


    limped toward the bathroom.


    After she got in, she locked the door and looked into the mirror.


    Her face was dirty, her hair was messy, and she was covered in charcoal stains.


    The eerie look surprised even herself.


    No wonder the man was mad at her. He must be disgusted at her disheveled look.


    Though she did not care.


    After she cleaned herself, she changed into some fresh new pajamas and went out.


    Odell was still in the room and he was sitting on the couch.


    Maybe because of the dim environment, Sylvia felt like the man was covered in ayer of frost


    and his gaze at her felt cold and unpredictable.


    Sylvia had a nce at where she was drawing earlier.


    The charcoal and paint remained but the canvas was gone.


    Confused, she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my drawing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thrown it out.¡±


    Sylvia widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°Odel Carter, are you out of your mind?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression remained frosty as always as if her raising her voice did not anger him at all.


    He said, ¡°You should rest.¡±


    Sylvia limped toward the exit with her crutches. She wanted to


    retrieve her drawing.


    Odell bolted up and stopped her from leaving.


    ¡°Move aside,¡± she said.


    Odell shot a cold gaze at her and emphasized, ¡°You should rest.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do!¡± Sylvia tried to push him away using one of her hands.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

 Chapter 435

    However, her little push did not even budge Odell¡¯s towering figure.


    Sylvia was forced to muster all the strength in her.


    Unfortunately, not only did she fail to move him, but due to her excessive exertion of strength,


    the crutches under her arm slipped off and she lost her bnce.


    Odell caught her from falling and carried her in his arms.


    Sylvia froze for a moment before she started struggling.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    She struggled with all her strength. It was an obvious sign that she resisted his touch.


    Odell¡¯s expression fell. He then strode to the bed and tossed her on it.


    Sylvia got up and wanted to get out of bed but Odell held her by the neck and pushed her back.


    He shot a frosty re at her and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t do what I say, I¡¯ll throw away all your drawing


    tools.¡±


    Sylvia was flustered. She red at him for a few seconds before shey down begrudgingly. She


    took a deep breath and no longer tried to resist him.


    Odell withdrew his hand when Sylvia finallyplied.


    Sylvia immediately turned her back on him.


    Odell had onest nce at her before he moved over her and left the room.


    Bang!


    The door was shut.


    After a while, Sylvia got out of bed and got on her crutches. She believed it was almost time for Odell to


    leave, so she wanted to look for the drawing that he threw away.


    The moment she opened the door, a frosty and towering figure entered her sight.


    Odell was standing opposite the door. He leaned against the wall and had his arms crossed in front of


    his chest.


    His eyes turned cold the moment he caught hering out of the room.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk. She instinctively wanted to retreat into the room but the man was faster.


    The moment she shrunk into the room, the man approached her.


    Before she could close the door, he lifted her by the waist and carried her to the bed again.


    After tossing her back onto the bed, he opened the window and tossed all her drawing tools and paints


    out of the window.


    Everything st outside the yard.


    Sylvia was petrified as if her blood froze.


    Maybe because her anger reached its boiling point, her mind went nk for a moment as she stared at


    his emotionless face. She


    cackled inughter and said using a frighteningly calm tone, ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t you throw me out of the


    window as well? You can avenge Grandma and vent your anger once and for all.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. He strode to her and grabbed her face strongly.


    He wore the most terrifying look on his face as he approached her. He then said in a crisp but scary


    tone, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t dare to throw you out of the window? If it¡¯s not for Isabel and Liam, I¡¯d have


    made you pay for what you did to Grandma the day she fell down the hill!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s frosty gaze softened upon hearing Isabel and Liam¡¯s names. She bit her lips tightly.


    Her obedience andpliance calmed his raging anger.


    He grunted and pushed her face away.


    Sylvia covered herself with the sheets and turned her back on him before she shut her eyes


    closed.


    Odell also left the room without pause.


    The depressing room returned to silence.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes were tightly shut but she was void of any intent to sleep. Not only that, but her shut


    eyes also failed to contain her tears.


    Odell strode out of the house and got into his car.


    He wound down all the windows and started smoking a cigarette.


    ¡®The woman must be suffering from mental illness. But I just imprisoned her and broke one of her


    legs. She has ess to food and even servants to take care of her. I didn¡¯t torture her or


    whatsoever...¡¯


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He imprisoned her and broke her leg because she and Edmund hurt Grandma.


    However, her losing her mind was her fault!


    The thought of her tainting her face ck and the two scars on her hand choked him. He could


    barely breathe properly as if there was an invisible hammer pounding his chest, suffocating him.

 Chapter 436

    Ding.


    Odell''s phone suddenly rang.


    He took out his phone and looked at it.


    Tara sent him a message.


    She asked, "Odell, is Sylvia in a better mood today?"


    He gently breathed out smoke.


    She sent another message. "There''ll be an event in Westchester City in a few days, and there''ll


    be a very nice fireworks show in the evening. Why don''t you take Sylvia out for a day and let her


    get some air?"


    Odell was silent for a moment before his long fingers tapped on the screen. "What event?"


    Tara immediately sent the name of the event. "Cloudy Heart Lake Night Tour."


    In addition, she also sent over the location and time of the event.


    Odell frowned when he looked at the time.


    ''I''ll be going on a business trip tomorrow for a very important project and will take at least three


    or four days beforeing back


    ''However, the Cloudy Heart Lake Night Tour will be held in the evening the day after tomorrow.


    ''I don''t think I''ll be able to make it back1


    At that moment, Tara sent another message. "Odell, this event is perfect for rxation."


    Odell replied, "Yeah."


    Tara asked, "Then, will you apany Sylvia there?"


    He typed, "We''ll see."


    He put away his phone, took out another cigarette, and ced it between his lips.


    Before long, another message popped up on his phone.


    It was from the bodyguard he arranged to take care of and monitor Tara in Lake Victoria Vi.


    The bodyguard would report to him Tara''s behavior every week. This time, the bodyguard reported on


    what she did for the past week as usual.


    She only stayed at home, went to the Art Academy, or participated in the activities of the Art


    Association. She also visited the Carter residence twice and went to the boxing gym to find him this


    morning, which he knew of.


    It was the same as before. There was no unusual behavior.


    Odell replied, "You don''t have to follow her from tomorrow onward."


    ''She''s still as gentle and kind as before, and even persuaded me to take Sylvia out for some fun. How


    could she possibly do something that would destroy Sylvia and me?''


    At the same time, in Tara''s residence at Lake Victoria Vi.


    She stared at the message Odell sent to her.


    She already told Mnie to ask around. Odell would be going on a business trip tomorrow morning and


    would not be back for several days.


    This event was in two nights, but he definitely would not be able to make it back, so there was no way


    he could apany Sylvia.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ''ording to my understanding of him, he already suspects that Sylvia has a psychological problem,


    so he won''t keep her locked up anymore.


    ''He''ll get someone else to apany her instead.''


    At that thought, Tara smiled coldly as a calcting light shed in her eyes.


    ''As long as that b*tch goes out, I''ll make her disappear forever!''


    In the morning, the sun rose as usual.


    In the Carter residence.


    Sylvia''s carving tools were gone, and her painting tools were thrown away too. She sat in bed in


    a daze after breakfast, not knowing what else to do.


    Suddenly, the door was pushed open.


    The tall figure of a man appeared in her sight.


    Sylvia looked at him with an unfocused gaze. Her face was cold and pale.


    Odell looked at her. "I''m going out and won''t be back for a few days. Be good and stay at home


    these days."


    Sylvia did not say anything.


    He frowned. "Did you hear me?"


    "Mm."


    He gave her another look, turned around, and walked out of the room.


    Silence swiftly returned to the room.


    Sylviay back on the bed in boredom.

 Chapter 437

    Odell was probably really on a business trip since Sylvia did not see him the entire day.


    However, perhaps because she did not see him, her mood was much better than it was in the


    morning.


    She went out of the room and wheeled herself to Madam Carter''s room.


    At this time, it was still Violet who was taking care of Madam Carter.


    Violet smiled when she saw Sylviaing. "Mrs. Carter, do you want to spend some time alone


    with Madam?"


    "No, I''ll just sit here for a while."


    "Sure."


    Sylvia pondered and asked, "How¡¯s Grandma''s healthtely?"


    Violet replied, "The doctores to check on her every day and says there''s no problem with


    her health. She just has no signs of awakening yet. He doesn''t know if she''ll wake up again


    either."


    Sylvia nodded.


    The air was quiet for a while, and Violet said to her with a smile, " Mrs. Carter, are you bored?


    Let''s chat."


    Sylvia also smiled. "Sure."


    "What do you want to hear?"


    "Tell me about what''s going on outside."


    "Oh, there''s a movie that just started showing recently. It''s really popr. I''ll tell you about some of the


    gossip about the movie''s lead actor."


    "Okay."


    ¡öI ii


    As they chatted away, before they knew it, it was already midnight


    Another maid in charge of the night shift came over to take over Violet''s shift.


    Sylvia told Violet to go back to rest, but stayed there for a while longer. When she was sleepy, she went


    back to the bedroom to rest.


    Perhaps it was because she sleptte at night, but it was already 10 a.m. when she opened her eyes


    again.


    After washing up, she went to the living room and ate, then went to Violet and listened to her continue


    to talk about gossip outside.


    Unknowingly, another day passed.


    That evening, Sylvia was sitting in her room in a daze when Violet suddenly pushed the door open


    excitedly. She rushed in and said, " Mrs. Carter, hurry up and change your clothes. Let''s go out to


    attend the Cloudy Heart Lake Night Festival!"


    Sylvia thought she had heard wrong. "What?"


    Violet said happily, "Edward told me to call you. He said that the car is ready and asked if you want to


    go."


    Edward was the head of the bodyguards working here.


    ''If he said that, it means that he has Odell''s permission.


    ''However, why did Odell suddenly allow me to go out? He''s letting me go to the Cloudy Heart Lake


    Night Festival?''


    "Mrs. Carter, I heard from Edward that Master Carter wants you to go out for some fresh air," Violet


    chattered while looking at


    Sylvia''s expression. "Although he told you toe back before 10 p.m., I think he still cares about


    you."


    The corners of Sylvia''s mouth pulled down coldly.


    ''If he cared about me, he¡¯d trust me. If he cared about me, he wouldn''t have broken my leg.''


    Violet looked at her cold and indifferent face, and asked, "Mrs. Carter, do you want to go?"


    "Yes. Wait for me. I''ll change my clothes ande out."


    ''If I can go out, of course I want to go out.


    ''I heard of the Cloudy Heart Lake Night Festival before. It''s held once a year and is always lively.


    ''If only I could go with the little ones.''


    Sylvia looked at her leg and instantly dismissed the idea of going to the children. She turned and


    went into the cloakroom.


    Cloudy Heart Lake was thergestke in Westchester City.


    When Sylvia arrived by car, pedestrians were all around the shore. In addition to food and


    snacks, many vendors were selling small objects like wishingmps andnterns.


    She sat in a wheelchair after getting out of the car.


    Violet pushed the wheelchair, and Edward and another bodyguard nked them.


    Sylvia was only able to shop for a while before she attracted the attention of many passers-by,


    perhaps because of the number of people following her and the fact that she was in a


    wheelchair.


    She was a bit ufortable at the stares and said to Violet, "Let''s go to a less crowded ce


    for a walk."


    "Sure."


    Violet responded and pushed her back.


    At the same time, two groups of people suddenly appeared on the side of the road. There


    seemed to be a dispute, and they threw punches and kicked at each other. Some even


    overturned a few roadside food stalls and grabbed the benches to smash on the other people.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 438

    The surrounding pedestrians immediately screamed and scattered.


    Violet also eximed and quickly pushed Sylvia past the two groups.


    After a while, when they were far away from themotion, Violet finally stopped in relief.


    Sylvia let out a breath on the wheelchair and asked, "Violet, are you okay?"


    Violet replied, "I''m fine, but we seem to have been separated from Edward and the others. They


    didn''t follow us."


    Sylvia nced back.


    The two groups of people were still fighting, but there seemed to be uniformed security guards


    who went over to stop them. Edward and the others were professional bodyguards, so they


    would not be hurt.


    Sylvia said, "They''ll find us. Let''s go over there."


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She looked to the front.


    Violet responded and pushed her forward.


    Soon they arrived at the other side of Cloudy Heart Lake.


    This area was connected to two small hills several dozen of meters high. The hills blocked out a lot of


    light, so there were very few people here.


    Violet said, "Mrs. Carter, there¡¯s no one ahead. Let''s not go there and wait for Edward and the others to


    come instead."


    Sylvia hummed in agreement.


    At that moment, the fragrance of snacks came from not far away.


    There were several stalls set up with local specialties that Sylvia loved to eat.


    She did not eat dinner, so her appetite was instantly whetted.


    Violet saw her expression andughed. "Mrs. Carter, I''ll push you over to buy some."


    Although there were not many pedestrians here, there were quite a lot of people lined up over there to


    buy snacks.


    Sylvia said, "You don''t need to push me over. I''ll wait for you here. Buy some more so we can eat


    together."


    They were in an elevated area, and the food stalls were on the bottom. It would be a waste of effort to


    wheel Sylvia down and push her up againter.


    "Okay, then wait for me here. I''ll be right back."


    "Mm."


    Violet immediately ran over to the snack stand.


    Sylvia turned her wheelchair to face Cloudy Heart Lake. She watched the crowd walking below while


    feeling the fresh breeze blowing over theke.


    Then, her wheelchair suddenly moved backward.


    Sylvia was shocked and turned her head to look.


    She saw a man wearing all ck as well as a baseball hat and mask.


    The brim of the hat was so low that she could not even see his eyes. It was like he was a professional


    killer.


    Sylvia was frightened and immediately opened her mouth to call for help.


    At that moment, a dagger was ced against her neck.


    She stiffened and asked in a small voice, "Who are you? What do you want? Do you want


    money?"


    The dagger suddenly pressed down on her neck.


    The sharp and cold de would slit her throat at any moment.


    It was clear that he did not want her to speak.


    Sylvia''s body was covered in ayer of cold sweat. She quickly shut her mouth.


    At the same time, an expensive MPV raced out of the airport and drove in the direction of Cloudy


    Heart Lake.


    In the car, a man in a suit sat straight in the backseat.


    However, there was a frown on his face as he nced at his watch from time to time. He looked


    somewhat anxious.


    In the passenger seat, Cliff looked at the man''s face through the rearview mirror and said,


    "Master Carter, the fireworks show at Cloudy Heart Lake will only start in about twenty minutes.


    We''re not far from there now, so we should be able to make it in time."


    The man in the back seat was none other than Odell Carter.


    He had just rushed back from another state and had to go back to the field early tomorrow


    morning to continue hosting the project.


    He came back at this time to see if the woman regained some of her normalcy. He also bought


    some gifts for her and nned to watch the fireworks with her.


    He opened the box at his side and looked at it.

 Chapter 439

    The limited-edition crystal Rubix Cube and a diamond crowdy quietly in the box.


    Next to it was a red diamond ring in the shape of a rose.


    After a moment, he said, "Go faster."


    Cloudy Heart Lake was a scenic area in the daytime, but its hills were closed at night.


    It was currently night now, and there were no lights at all.


    Sylvia was pushed into the elevator which led to the top of the hill.


    After entering, her hand was gripped by the thug''s gloved leather hand, who used her fingers to


    press a button.


    Sylvia did not know what he wanted to do, but there was still a dagger on her neck, so she could


    only do as he pleased.


    The elevator went straight up to the top of the hill.


    The moment the door opened, she saw a slim figure.


    The figure wore a baseball cap and a dark sweatshirt. It looked like a woman.


    It also looked somewhat familiar.


    Just as Sylvia was wondering, the wheelchair was pushed out of the elevator, and she arrived at the


    top of the hill.


    The cold night wind suddenly blew from all around.


    The woman in front of her raised her head to look at her.


    Sylvia was shocked. "Tara? Why did you bring me here?!"


    "Take a guess." Tara smiled back at her, but her eyes were full of coldness and malice that could not be


    hidden.


    Sylvia immediately turned the wheelchair to leave.


    The sharp dagger pressed against her neck again.


    She froze.


    Tara snorted coldly and looked at the thug she hired. "Quickly feed her the drug."


    The thug immediately stuffed a pill into Sylvia''s mouth.


    She clenched her teeth together, but he pried them apart.


    Not only that, but he also lifted her face and covered her mouth, forcing her to swallow the pill.


    Her body soon began to feel weak and soft.


    She could not even lift her hands, let alone turn the wheelchair.


    The thug watched as the drug took effect before releasing her.


    Sylvia flopped to the side, leaning helplessly against the wheelchair.


    Tara smiled in satisfaction when she saw Sylvia like that, and said to the thug, "Go down and keep


    watch. I''ll go down after I have a few words with her."


    The thug immediately walked down the side of the gentle slope and went down the hill.


    Tara walked behind Sylvia and pushed her to the edge of the cliff.


    In front of her was a height of a few dozen meters, and then the boundless Cloudy Heart Lake.


    Sylvia broke out in cold sweat.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She wanted to run away, but she simply did not have the strength to do so.


    She could only stiffly look at Tara and ask, "What you''re doing is illegal, Tara."


    Taraughed as if she just heard a funny joke. She giggled and said, "Don''t try to scare me. That


    damned old hag has been a vegetable for so long, but the police still haven''t found anything."


    Sylvia''s eyes turned cold. "It really was you who harmed Grandma."


    "Hah, it''s that damned hag''s fault for being unlucky. Also, if you hadn''t stolen away Odell like the


    b*tch you were, I wouldn''t think of using this kind of method to deal with you either."


    Sylvia could not help but say, "I never wanted to have anything with Odell after I divorced him,


    and I never wanted toe in between you either. He was the one who insisted on remarrying


    me. If you hadn''t tried to harm me time and time again, I wouldn''t have agreed to remarry him


    either!"


    Tara''s expression instantly turned icy, and her eyes were sinister as she red at Sylvia. "Stop


    being pedantic. If you hadn''t seduced him like a sl*t, how could he have wanted to remarry you?


    Besides, if it weren''t for you climbing into his bed and forcing him to marry you, he and I would''ve


    gotten married a long time ago! The title of Mrs. Carter should belong to me! You''re just a


    wretched b*tch!"


    With a yell, she raised her hand and swung it at Sylvia''s face with a smack.


    Sylvia''s face was struck to the side, and her cheeks stung.


    Tara seemed to find an outlet for her anger and immediately raised her hand to p Sylvia''s face


    again.

 Chapter 440

    Smack, smack, smack.


    It was only after an unknown amount of ps until both sides of Sylvia¡¯s face were red and


    swollen before Tara stopped with satisfaction.


    At that moment, Sylvia was still slumped in her wheelchair.


    She did not even have the strength to dodge, let alone raise her hand to fight back.


    Her cheeks began to swell and hurt.


    She gnashed her teeth and endured it.


    When Tara saw how angry Sylvia was yet could not do anything to fight back, she burst out


    laughing. "Sylvia, are you angry? Do you want to hit me back? Haha, it''s a shame that you''re a


    cripple now!"


    Sylvia looked at her coldly. "Tara Avery, you''d better let me go. Odell knows that I''m here, and he


    arranged for several bodyguards to follow me. They''ll find me here soon!"


    Tara immediately showed an exaggerated frightened expression. " Really? I''m so scared."


    Sylvia froze.


    Tara continued to say, "Oh, didn''t you know? I was the one who persuaded Odell to let youe


    here tonight. I asked him a few days ago and told him that there would be an event here at


    Cloudy Heart Lake."


    Sylvia instantly frowned. "So, you nned this in advance?"


    Tara smiled. "That''s right."


    Sylvia thought of something and asked, "Two groups of people suddenly got into a fight below and


    caused the bodyguards to scatter. Was that part of your n too?"


    "Yep." Tara grinned. "Even the food stalls down below were arranged by me."


    Sylvia could not help butugh. "Tara, you took great pains to get rid of me."


    "Of course. I have to pay more attention when I''m dealing with a sly b*tch like you."


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    The cold wind blew from all directions from time to time.


    Sylvia felt cold all over. Only her swollen cheeks felt hot and feverish.


    She leaned feebly against her wheelchair and looked at Tara.


    ''She even dared to harm Madam Carter, and set up such a big trap for me. Even if I kneel in front of


    her and beg her, there''s no way she''ll let me go.''


    A coldugh left Sylvia''s lips.


    When Tara saw her suddenlyugh, she red and asked, "What are youughing at?"


    "I''mughing at how pathetic you are." Sylvia sighed and said, " Do you think that Odell will fall in love


    with you again if you kill me?"


    Tara''s expression darkened. "What are you trying to say?"


    "If he really loved you, he wouldn''t even think of remarrying me. You made him think that I harmed


    Grandma, but he didn''t divorce me, let alone want to get back together with you. That means he


    doesn''t love you at all. Even if I die, and even if he gets back together with you, he''ll fall in love with


    another woman sooner orter!"


    Smack!


    Tara threw a vicious p at Sylvia. "B*tch! He was only seduced by you. The one he loves is me!"


    Sylvia merely curled her lips and sneered.


    Tara instantly wanted to tear her mouth off.


    At that moment, she suddenly thought of something and looked at Sylvia''s left calf which was in a cast.


    Sylvia''s expression changed.


    Tara smiled sinisterly, raised her foot toward Sylvia''s left calf, and forcefully stomped on it.


    Crack!


    The ster was instantly crushed.


    She stomped her foot again and again.


    After stepping on Sylvia''s fracture several times, she finally stopped.


    Sylvia instantly wrinkled her face.


    The sharp stabbing pain felt like it was going to kill her!


    She could not help but scream in pain as she curled to one side of the wheelchair.


    Taraughed happily. "Hehe... Sylvia, you look so ugly and disgusting now."


    Sylvia gnashed her teeth. "Even if you beat me to death, it won''t change the fact that Odell


    doesn''t love you!"


    When Tara looked at her pained expression, she did not get angry but smiled instead. "Even if


    he doesn''t love me, the person he cares about the most is me."


    Sylvia choked for a moment.


    She thought of Odell''s attitude toward Tara.


    Whether it was when Tara pretended to be a kind person, or when the bad things she did were


    revealed to him, the most he would do was to send someone to watch her. He never treated her


    harshly before.

 Chapter 441

    Indeed, Odell had always cared about Tara.


    When Tara saw Sylvia fall silent, she deliberately sighed and said, " So what if Odell likes you?


    Not only does he care about me the most, but the person he trusts the most is also me. Look,


    you went through so much trouble to get Odell to remarry you, but he doesn''t trust you at all. I''m


    sure that you''ve been telling him this entire time that I was the one who harmed that old hag, but


    what happened? Not only did he not believe you, but he even broke your leg. I feel a little sorry


    for you."


    Sylvia only felt her chest tighten.


    The things that Odell did to her these days shed in her mind one by one.


    No matter how she exined, he did not believe her.


    He put her under house arrest, used her as an outlet, broke her leg, trampled on the wooden


    sculptures she carved for the children, threw away her paintings...


    His cold, hateful, and terrifying face shed through her mind.


    Why?


    He was the one who wanted to remarry. Why did he refuse to trust her? Why would he rather


    trust Tara than her?


    Sylvia did not know whether it was because her leg hurt too much or because the night breeze


    stung her eyes, but her tears suddenly poured out.


    Tara became even happier when she saw Sylvia crying. "Hehe, Sylvia, you''re so pitiful."


    Sylvia clenched her teeth, trying to hold back her tears.


    Tara sighed again. "I''ll stop wasting my breath on a b*tch like you. It''s already sote. I still have to go


    back to my beauty sleep."


    Then, she pushed the wheelchair forward.


    Sylvia''s feet were raised in the air.


    Looking at the coldke underneath, she gritted her teeth and said, "Tara, I won''t let you off even if I


    die."


    Taraughed. "Then die."


    After saying that, she let go.


    The wheelchair rolled off the cliff, and Sylvia instantly fell toward theke several dozen meters below


    her.


    At that moment, she could not feel the pain in her face and legs. Besides the despair of death, what


    upied her head were thoughts of the two little ones.


    ''I''m going to die here. After my death, the hatred that man has for me should lessen.


    ''Isabel and Liam are also his children. He should be able to raise them well.''


    At the same time, the calm and dark sky above Cloudy Heart Lake suddenly burst into huge fireworks.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    The gorgeous fireworks covered the sky, illuminating the entireke.


    Sylvia did not know if it was a hallucination, but she suddenly saw a familiar figure standing on the


    opposite shore.


    The man had a sturdy figure and was dressed in a suit.


    However, his face was cold, and his frigid aura made others not dare to approach him.


    As Sylvia thought about it, her body suddenly crashed into the water.


    Pain and the icy water assaulted her from all directions.


    She lost consciousness after struggling a few times.


    At the shore.


    Odell had already reached for a while. Unexpectedly, Sylvia was missing from Violet and the two


    bodyguards!


    Violet''s eyes were red. "Mrs. Carter was right here when I went to buy snacks. She clearly said


    that she¡¯d wait for me here. Where did she go?"


    The two bodyguards also quickly came running from somewhere else.


    "Master Carter, we''ve searched all around but couldn''t find Mrs. Carter. No one has seen her


    either."


    Violet said anxiously, "Mrs. Carter is very recognizable in a wheelchair. How could no one have


    seen her?"


    The two bodyguards also looked puzzled and gloomy.


    Odell frowned and looked at the hill next to him.


    The two bodyguards and Violet followed his line of sight and looked over.


    One of the bodyguards immediately said, "We''ll go check it out immediately!"


    Odell ignored him and stepped forward to go to the small hill.


    At that moment, fireworks exploded in a flurry of bangs, and the entire Cloudy Heart Lake was


    illuminated by gorgeous fireworks.


    Odell looked up. Through the light, he saw a figure falling from the top of the hill. The figure fell


    along with a wheelchair.


    His tall figure froze.


    The box he had been carrying in his hand also fell to the ground with a thud.

 Chapter 442

    The next second, Odell rushed to the shore and jumped into the water.


    "Master Carter!" Violet and the two bodyguards eximed in shock.


    The bodyguards did not dare to dally and immediately took off their coats to jump into theke.


    Violet trembled all over.


    She saw a figure fall from the top of the hill.


    Although she did not see who the figure was, she saw a wheelchair falling as well.


    Who else could the figure be but Sylvia?


    She quickly took out her cell phone and called the police.


    Late at night, the gorgeous fireworks show ended, and the festival ended on schedule.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The tourists left in satisfaction, and Cloudy Heart Lake soon became silent. It was enveloped by


    endless darkness and tension.


    Next to the hill, a group of professional rescuers was preparing to go into the water.


    At that moment, there was already a group of rescuers emerging from theke. They did not find


    anything.


    The two bodyguards also dragged Odell up from theke.


    The man frowned and shouted at them coldly when he got on the shore, "Get out of my way!"


    The two bodyguards stopped him firmly. "Master Carter, you can''t go. It''s too windy and dangerous!"


    "Yes, Master Carter. Let the professional rescue team do their job."


    Odell looked at them with an ashen face and roared, "I said, get lost!"


    The two bodyguards sucked in a breath and firmly stood in front of Odeh.


    Seeing this, Violet whispered, "Master Carter, they''re a professional rescue team. They''ll be able to find


    Mrs. Carter, so you should wait over here."


    Odell''s icy gaze instantly turned to her.


    Violet was so scared that she took a few steps back, but she could not help but say, "You''ve already


    gone down several times, but you couldn''t find her."


    Odell''s expression grew colder.


    At that moment, a slender figure suddenly came from the direction of the road.


    With her long hair draped over her shoulder, Tara, wearing a dress, ran over in a hurry.


    She looked at Odell''s soaked body and hurriedly said, "Odell, a friend of mine who came for the festival


    told me that she saw you jump into theke. Did something happen?"


    Odell was not in the mood to exin it to her. He fixed his gaze on theke, ignoring her.


    Tara''s expression changed, and she looked at Violet with a worried face. "What happened?"


    Violet looked at Odell''s face and whispered, "Mrs. Carter fell into theke."


    Tara immediately eximed, "What? How did Sylvia fall into theke?"


    Violet pursed her lips.


    The two bodyguards who were stopping Odell also lowered their heads.


    Odell''s expression was dark and sullen.


    The atmosphere around him was heavy and frightening.


    Tara quickly shut her mouth and said in a low voice, "Sylvia will be fine."


    Odell continued to look at theke, ignoring her.


    The bodyguards and Violet did not pay attention to her either.


    Tara secretly clenched her hands and looked toward theke.


    The night passed, and the sky became brighter.


    There were many more pedestrians around theke.


    At the hill was a group of professional rescue personnel.


    It had been a night, but they did not find anything.


    The weather was cold, and the atmosphere was still tense.


    No one dared to speak loudly.


    On the top of the hill to the side, a man stood at the spot Sylvia was at before she fell.


    The clothes on his body had long been dried by the wind. His face was cold and somewhat pale


    as he looked at theke below, and his body exuded a depressed and disheveled aura.


    Tara stood behind him. She stayed with him all night.


    She shrank her neck and deliberately said in her voice that was trembling from the cold, "Odell,


    eat some breakfast. You''ll only have the strength to continue looking for Sylvia if you eat."

 Chapter 443

    All she got in response was the man''s silence.


    He did not even seem to hear her at all, let alone notice that she was freezing.


    Tara said in a sobbing tone, "Don''t be like this, Odell. I don''t want to see you like this."


    Her answer was the man''s hoarse roar, "Get out!"


    Tara immediately shivered in fear.


    At that moment, Cliff came from the side and said to her, "Ms. Avery, why don''t you go down


    first?"


    No words would get through to Odell now. She would only cause more trouble if she kept trying


    to persuade him.


    Tara had no choice but to agree and turned around to leave.


    Cliff walked up behind Odell and said in a low voice, "Master Carter, they said that the wind was


    very strong yesterday, and this area is connected to the river. They suspect that Mrs. Carter was


    likely washed into the river."


    Odell growled, "Then fish her up from the river!"


    Cliff hurriedly said, "A group of people has rushed there."


    Odell pursed his lips.


    Cliff did not dare to say anything more and stood by carefully.


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    Behind arge rock, Tara heard their conversation clearly.


    The corners of her mouth curled up secretly.


    ''They haven''t found her even after searching the entire night. Even if Sylvia was carried away by the


    river current, she would most probably be dead.''


    Another day passed.


    The sky turned dark.


    Rescue teams were stillbing through Cloudy Heart Lake and the nearby river.


    The temperature also plummeted.


    The man sat in the same ce, his back straight and motionless.


    Cliff came up from the foot of the hill.


    He looked at Odell''s cold back and came up carefully, not daring to make a sound.


    Then, Odell asked him, "Have they found her?"


    Cliff said in a low voice, "They found her wheelchair, but not her body."


    After he finished, the air was silent again.


    Odell did not say anything more and simply stared at theke below.


    His back was thin, and he looked very lonely and depressed in the night sky.


    Cliff could not help but say, "Master Carter, it''s been a day and a night. Mrs. Carter is probably¡ª"


    "Shut your mouth!" Odell suddenly roared.


    Cliff hurriedly closed his mouth.


    The night wind was icy, blowing incessantly from theke.


    The man sat where he was, his brows knitted together.


    After a long time, when his emotions calmed down a little, he asked, "What did the police say?"


    Cliff replied, "They came to investigate twice. The elevator only had one record of going upst


    night and didn''te down. They also found Mrs. Carter''s fingerprints on the buttons. They


    retrieved the nearby surveince footage, but this area is a blind spot, so they couldn''t find out


    whether anyone else came here.


    However, most people went to wait for the fireworks show at that time, and the staff also said


    that people don''te here at night. Thus, the assumption is that Mrs. Cartermitted


    suicide."


    Odell frowned deeply.


    His mood which had calmed down suddenly bubbled in anger again. The veins at theers of


    his forehead throbbed.


    ''Suicide?


    ''How could she havemitted suicide?


    ''She did so many evil things. She didn''t even feel guilty after hurting Grandma. How could she be


    vulnerable enough tomit suicide?


    ''At most, she just had some mental issues!''


    After a long time, he said in a cold voice, "Tell them that there''s no way shemitted suicide.


    Tell them to continue investigating!"


    "Yes, sir."


    Cliff answered and went down.


    The icy cold wind on top of the hill continued to blow.


    Odell clenched his fists and stared at the darkke a few dozen meters below.


    ''That woman must be ying a trick again. She''s just trying to get away from me and break free


    from my control.


    ''It must be!''

 Chapter 444

    The sun rose as usual, illuminating the entire Cloudy Heart Lake.


    On the hill by theke.


    A man sat here all night.


    Suddenly, the elevator door opened, and Cliff came over anxiously.


    Odell heard his hurried footsteps and immediately turned to look at him. "Did they find her?"


    Cliff frowned and said, "There''s no news about Mrs. Carter, but the Young Miss has a high fever."


    Odell''s expression tightened. "Didn''t they call for a doctor?"


    "The doctor examined her, but the Young Miss has been screaming for her mother. She refused


    to quiet down no matter how much Aunt Tonya and Sebastian coax her. It was the Young Master


    who coaxed her into eating a few bites of food. Now, they found out that she had a fever for an


    entire day, and it hasn''t gone down yet."


    "Send her to the hospital immediately."


    Cliff looked at his expression and said, "Master Carter, it''s better if you go back and see for


    yourself. Sebastian said that the Young


    Miss is very emotional now. The doctor also said that she needs her parents to be with her."


    Odell was silent for a moment before he suddenly stood up.


    While walking to the elevator, he said, "Continue to keep an eye over here. Notify me immediately if


    there''s any news."


    Cliff quickly replied, "Yes, sir."


    In the old Carter residence.


    In the children''s bedroom.


    The butler, Aunt Tonya, and the family doctor were anxiously standing by the side.


    On the bed, Isabel clung tightly to Liam''s arm. She did not want anyone but Liam.


    When Odell walked in, he saw Isabel''s feverish body and her ufortable face as she held Liam.


    He looked at the doctor. "What''s wrong with Isabel?"


    The doctor quickly said, "Master Carter, I''ve tried my best, but the Young Miss is moring for her


    mother and refuses to eat or take medicine. There''s nothing I can do."


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian also looked helpless.


    Odell immediately turned to Isabel.


    The girl had her chubby face buried in her brother''s shoulder. She did not want to see Odell.


    Odell could only walkup and take her into his arms with one hand.


    Isabel immediately thrashed about, punching him with her little fist while shouting, "You big baddie! I


    don''t want you! I want Mommy! Bring Mommy back!"


    Odell hugged her tightly and looked at Liam. "Come here too."


    Liam frowned and rolled out of the bed.


    Odell brought them to the living room.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The maid immediately brought up a nutritious breakfast.


    Odell sat in a chair with Isabel on hisp. He held her with one hand and fed her oatmeal with a spoon


    in the other hand.


    Isabel instantly puffed up her face and pursed her mouth tightly.


    Odell frowned and said, "If you don''t eat, you won''t get to see Mommy."


    Her mouth suddenly fell open with a wail.


    "Waaah... I want Mommy..."


    Her tears flowed out, and her chubby face was aggrieved and pitiful.


    Her fleshy little body was still hot.


    Odell suddenly felt powerless.


    He put the spoon back, gently touched her head, and said, "Eat first. After you eat, I''ll take you to


    see your mommy."


    Isabel sniffled and looked at him with teary eyes. "Really?"


    Odell pursed his lips. "Really."


    After saying that, he scooped up another spoonful of oatmeal and brought it to her face.


    Isabel opened her mouth and ate it.


    In a short while, he finished feeding her the bowl of oatmeal.


    Isabel was full and continued to look at him with somewhat watery eyes.


    She was waiting for him to take her to her mother.


    Odell looked at the doctor.


    The doctor immediately handed over the medicine.


    Aunt Tonya also brought a cup of warm water.


    He brought the pills to Isabel''s mouth and said, "Eat the medicine. H


    Isabel shrunk away.


    She did not like bitter stuff, but when she thought that she could see her mother soon, she


    quickly opened her small mouth and swallowed the pill.


    Glug glug glug.

 Chapter 445

    With a cup of water, she swallowed several pills into her tummy.


    Then, she said to Odell, "I''m done eating, Baddie. Hurry up and take me to Mommy."


    Odell was silent for a moment. "Okay."


    Then, he carried her outside.


    Liam also immediately jumped down from the chairand followed him out the door and into the


    car.


    The journey was silent.


    Isabel sat in Odell''sp, looking out the window expectantly with herrge eyes.


    Liam also looked out from time to time.


    Only Odell¡¯s expression remained gloomy.


    Soon, the car arrived at the Carter residence.


    Odell carried Isabel and took Liam inside.


    He brought them straight to Sylvia''s bedroom.


    After opening the door, he put Isabel down.


    Isabel immediately went inside with Liam. However, even after searching the room, they did not find


    Sylvia.


    Isabel quickly raised her face and asked Odell, "Where''s Mommy?"


    Odell replied calmly, "She might have gone out to do something."


    Isabel''s expression instantly changed as she shouted at him angrily, "You baddie! You just don''t want


    us to meet with Mommy again!"


    Odell pursed his lips and said nothing.


    At that moment, Liam suddenly said, "This was carved by Mommy, it


    Isabel turned around and ran to his side, looking at the wood carvings that Sylvia left there.


    There were a Rubik''s cube, a little crown, and a few other widgets.


    She took the little crown and babbled, "Uh-huh. This was carved by Mommy. She said that she¡¯d give


    me a crown!"


    Liam also touched the small Rubik''s cube.


    Then, he looked at Odell withrge eyes and asked, "Dad, did Mommy really go out?"


    Odell''s expression did not change. "Yes."


    Isabel asked, "Why did she go out?"


    "I don''t know."


    She said, "Hurry up and call her to ask."


    Odell said, "She forgot to take her phone."


    Isabel frowned deeply. "Then when will shee back?"


    Odell said, "I don''t know."


    "You don''t know anything," she grumbled in displeasure. Then, her eyes flickered and she lifted her feet


    to jump onto Sylvia''s bed.


    Sheid on the bed and said, "Then I''ll wait here with Liam for Mommy toe back!"


    Odell pursed his lips and said nothing at her enthusiastic appearance.


    Beside him, Liam also frowned as he stared at Odell withrge and clear eyes.


    ''Dad is acting strange.''


    Isabel and Liam stayed there.


    Before long, Sebastian and Aunt Tonya also came.


    They let out a sigh of relief when they saw Isabel dozing on Sylvia''s bed and Liam sitting quietly,


    ying with the Rubik''s cube.


    Aunt Tonya turned around and found Odell.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    She asked directly, "I heard from Sebastian that you were looking for someone in Cloudy Heart


    Lake these past two days. Did something happen to Syl?"


    Odell pursed his lips in silence.


    Aunt Tonya''s expression turned cold and she could not help but shout, "Say something! What


    happened to Syl?"


    Odell looked at Sebastian. "Sebastian, look after the children. I''m going out."


    Then, he stepped toward the door.


    Aunt Tonya was so angry that she wanted to go up to interrogate him, but Sebastian pulled her


    back.


    "Calm down, Tonya."


    Aunt Tonya cried with reddened eyes, "Something happened to Syl. How can I be calm?"


    Although Odell did not say anything, she was not a fool. She could guess that Sylvia fell into the


    lake.


    ''How could Sylvia have fallen into theke?


    ''It''s been two days. Something must¡¯ve happened to her!''


    Sebastian sighed. "If they haven''t found her yet, it means she might still be alive. There''s no


    point in being anxious. We have to take care of the children."

 Chapter 446

    That night, Isabel had a fever again.


    She did not see Sylvia after waking up, so she refused to eat or drink, and she did not take the


    fever medicine either. Thus, her fever came back.


    Sebastian was worried and immediately called Odell again.


    Before long, Odell strode in from the outside.


    Upstairs, in Sylvia''s bedroom.


    On therge bed.


    Isabel hugged Liam''s arm tightly, her cheeks puffed out in anger.


    Odell said in a low voice, "Come down for dinner."


    She shouted, "I want Mommy!"


    He said patiently, "Mommy is still outside and can''te back now."


    "Then tell her toe back!"


    "She didn''t bring her phone, so I can''t call her."


    Isabel puffed up her face again as her eyes reddened. "I want Mommy. I want to eat with


    Mommy."


    Her childish voice was tinged with a sob. It sounded heartbreaking.


    The atmosphere in the room suddenly became low and depressing.


    To the side, Aunt Tonya''s eyes reddened, and Sebastian could not help but lower his head.


    Odell knitted his brows tightly.


    After a moment, he took arge step forward and reached out to carry her from the bed.


    Isabel instantly struggled, not wanting him to hold her.


    Odell reigned her in and nced at Liam. "Youe down too."


    Liam got off the bed and quietly followed behind them.


    The father and two children soon came to the living room.


    Just like in the morning, Odell carried Isabel in hisp to feed her.


    Isabel pursed her lips firmly, her emotions more resistant than in the morning.


    Odell was silent for a moment before saying, "If you don''t eat, I''ll send you back and you''ll never see


    your mother again."


    Isabel instantly red at him.


    Odell met her re without changing his expression.


    The girl could not defeat him, so she soon deted and burst out into tears.


    Odell simply watched as she cried.


    When she was tired after crying, he scooped up a spoonful of oatmeal and brought it to her mouth.


    Isabel opened her mouth in grievance and sobbed as she ate.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell fed her patiently.


    It took almost half an hour before the small bowl of oatmeal was fed into her stomach.


    After feeding her the medicine again, he carried her back to Sylvia''s room.


    He waited until Isabel closed her eyes and went to sleep before going out.


    When he went out, a small figure followed him.


    He turned around and looked at Liam.


    Liam tilted his head and looked at Odell seriously. "Dad, did something happen to Mommy?"


    Odell said, "No."


    "Then why isn''t sheing back?" Liam stared at him sharply with hisrge eyes. "I saw Aunt


    Tonya hiding in the corner crying today too."


    Odell was silent for a few seconds and replied, "I had a fight with her a few days ago. She left


    because she was angry."


    Liam frowned.


    At that moment, Isabel''s small figure suddenly scurried out from behind the door.


    She was not sleeping and overheard their conversation.


    She rushed up to Odell and pounded her little fists on him. "You baddie! So Mommy left because


    you made her angry! Hurry up and coax her back! Let here back!"


    She was still wearing her pajamas.


    However, perhaps because she was sick, her fleshy face seemed to appear slimmer, and her


    tummy was not as bulging.


    Odell''s eyes flickered as he reached out to hold her in his arms.


    Isabel cried while hitting him.


    Odell let her hit him and carried her into the room again.


    He ced her on the bed.


    However, she tried to turn over and jump off.


    He sat on the bed and held herby his side, saying, "If you don''t go to sleep, I''ll take you back


    right now."


    Isabel harrumphed at him.


    Odell looked at her calmly.


    She quickly rolled over and turned her back to him angrily.

 Chapter 447

    Liam saw this and also climbed onto the bed to go to Isabel''s other side.


    Isabel immediately hugged him and said in a choked voice, "Liam, I want Mommy."


    Liam stroked her little head and hugged her back, saying, " Mommy wille back."


    "But Mommy left because Baddie made her angry. She didn''t even take her phone."


    "She''lle back when her anger goes away."


    "Really?"


    "She''ll definitelye back for us."


    "You''re right. We''re her precious babies."


    ****


    As they chatted, Isabel''s voice grew smaller and smaller.


    Liam also closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    The room quieted down.


    Odell looked at their small figures hugging each other, and suddenly felt his vision blur for a few


    moments.


    Three dayster.


    In the area where Cloudy Heart Lake was connected to the river.


    A group of people who had just finished a round of salvaging sat around, eating boxed lunches


    together.


    While eating, they could not help but chat.


    "Ugh, it''s been almost six days. Why can''t we find anyone?"


    "She was either washed away to some corner, or she was rescued by someone else."


    "No way. We''ve already searched the vicinity during the night of the ident, and we''ve checked all


    the surrounding areas as well. There''s no trace of anyone who saved someone from theke."


    "The wind was very strong that night, and I heard that Mrs.


    Carter''s leg is crippled. It would be hard to save herself even if she was a capable swimmer. She must


    be gone by now."


    "Yeah. I just wonder where her body washed up."


    ii ii


    The wind blew from upstream, blowing their conversation clearly into an MPV parked not far away.


    The car was dimly lit.


    A man sat alone in the back. His expression was not visible in the dark.


    However, the car was filled with a suffocating and depressing atmosphere.


    In the driver''s seat, Cliff sat ramrod straight. He did not even dare to look in the rearview mirror, let


    alone turn around.


    An unknown amount of time passed.


    Just as Cliff was about to suffocate from the tension, a phone suddenly rang.


    It was Odell''s phone.


    He brought the phone to his ear.


    The carriage was quiet, and Cliff vaguely heard the voice of the old butler.


    He did not know what the butler said, but Odell suddenly said, " We''re going back."


    Cliff quickly responded and drove the car.


    In the Carter residence.


    Isabel was annoyed after not seeing Sylvia for several days, so she walked around and identally


    stumbled into the room where Madam Carter was resting.


    The door was always locked on Odell''s orders.


    However, Isabel stared at this room in curiosity.


    She even suspected that the baddie locked her mommy up in this room.


    Thus, she found Liam, and the siblings came up with a n. They threw something at the door.


    Violet, who was keeping watch inside, heard themotion and opened the door to see what


    was going on.


    Isabel and Liam took advantage of the situation to scamper inside the room, where they saw


    Madam Carterying on the bed.


    "Great-grandma?"


    The two little ones froze at the same time.


    Violet was startled and quickly said to them, "Young Master and Young Miss, Madam Carter


    needs to rest. You two go out first, okay?"


    Liam went straight to the bedside.


    Isabel also followed and climbed onto the bed.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Violet did not know what to do and quickly ran out to find Sebastian.


    The two little ones had already climbed to Madam Carter''s side.


    "Great-grandma."


    "Great-grandma, wake up."


    They called out to Madam Carter.


    However, the olddy still had her eyes closed, sleeping peacefully.

 Chapter 448

    Isabel asked suspiciously, "Is Great-grandma sleeping?"


    Liam said, "It doesn''t look like it."


    "Then why is she closing her eyes and ignoring us?"


    Liam looked at the door.


    Isabel also looked over.


    There, Aunt Tonya and Sebastian walked in, looking at them with aplicated gaze.


    Isabel could not understand their expressions and cocked her head in confusion.


    Liam asked directly, "Is Great-grandma sick?"


    Aunt Tonya lowered her head.


    Sebastian sighed and said, "Yes."


    "What kind of sickness is it?"


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    Sebastian thought for a moment and said, "I don''t know the technical term. I just know that people with


    this sickness have to sleep for a long time to recover."


    Isabel tilted her head again. "What kind of sickness makes a person sleep for a long time?"


    She still could not understand, but Liam suddenly said, "Great grandma became a vegetable."


    Isabel¡¯s little face changed.


    She knew about vegetative people. She saw many people on TV who became vegetables and never


    woke up.


    She immediately looked at Sebastian. "How did Great-grandma be a vegetable?"


    Sebastian pursed his lips.


    He could not tell them that Madam Carter''s condition had something to do with their mother.


    The atmosphere in the room became depressing.


    Isabel¡¯s lips trembled as she started to cry.


    She felt upset when she thought that their Great-grandma who doted on them the most would never


    wake up again, and she felt even worse when she thought that her mother would nevere back.


    She wailed. "Great-grandma became a vegetable, and Mommy left because she was angry at Baddie.


    Liam and I are going to be unwanted orphans..."


    Her voice was hoarse from crying and sounded heartbreaking to hear.


    Sebastian, Aunt Tonya, and Violet''s expression fell at her words. They knew that the children still had


    Odell as their father and were not orphans, but they did not know how to coax the children.


    That was because their mother would probably nevere back.


    Behind them stood Odell, who had just rushed back.


    His tall figure stood straight, and his handsome face was as if shrouded in ayer of frost, cold and stiff.


    Meanwhile, in a high-end hospital hundreds of miles from Westchester City.


    In the quiet single ward, Sylvia, who had been unconscious for several days on the hospital bed,


    opened her eyes.


    Her mind was still a bit chaotic, and her vision was a little blurry.


    She faintly heard someone cry, "The patient is awake!"


    She froze.


    ''Didn''t I fall into theke?


    ''I''m not dead?''


    Soon, a familiar face appeared in her sight.


    Sylvia blinked and saw the person clearly.


    "Thomas?"


    The young man stood beside her bed, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile. "It''s me."


    Sylvia asked, "I''m not dead?"


    "Yes, you''re still alive."


    She immediately tried to sit up.


    However, a stabbing sensation came from her left calf, and she hissed in pain before lying back


    down.


    Thomas said, "Your leg is still injured, so don''t move about."


    Sylvia nodded.


    She felt it.


    Her calf hurt, but it also told her that she was alive!


    After a while, she regained herposure and asked, "Did you save me again?"


    A few years ago, after she fell for Tara''s scheme and was awarded sixty ps by Odell and


    forced to leave Westchester City, it was because she met Thomas that Aunt Tonya and her got


    through the crisis of poverty. He was also the one who introduced her to Simon, and with


    Simon''s help, Sunflower finally made her mark in the world.

 Chapter 449

    Thomas replied, "My friends and I were waiting for the fireworks show near the ce you fell, so


    we saved you."


    Sylvia showed an expression of gratitude. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee."


    His voice was faint, and his cool face did not look emotional.


    Sylvia knew his temper. Although she was very grateful inside, she did not thank him again.


    Suddenly, his brown eyes stared at her and asked, "Why did you jump into theke?"


    Jump into theke?


    Sylvia smiled coldly. "Do I look like I¡¯d do something like that?"


    He asked in confusion, "Then how did you fall into the water?"


    Her gaze turned cold. "I was pushed down by Tara."


    "Tara? Are you talking about Odell''s girlfriend?"


    "Yeah."


    "I remember that he also divorced you because of her a few years ago."


    "That''s right."


    Sylvia could not help but recall the many things that happened, such as Tara''s repeated schemes, and


    how Odell always defended her.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    However, that was not important. What was important was that Sylvia was not dead.


    ''I''ll return to them everything that they did to me!


    ''Especially you, Tara Avery.


    ''If I don''t pay you back a little, it''ll be a waste of your sinister calctions.''


    Sylvia took a breath and propped herself on the bed.


    She looked around. "Which hospital is this?"


    Thomas replied, "Coastrock Hospital."


    Sylvia was stunned. "Coastrock? We''re at Coastrock City now?"


    He looked at her and said, "I thought you jumped into theke because you were suffering too much in


    Westchester City, so I took the liberty of bringing you here to recuperate."


    Coastrock City was a famous coastal city with good scenery and weather. Not only was it a pleasant


    city to live in, but the water also was clear and the soil was fertile. For a long time, it had been a ce


    where sick people came to heal, especially those who have illnesses of the heart and mind.


    Sylvia knew that.


    Still, she was a little surprised.


    She did not expect Thomas to bring her here from hundreds of miles away to save her.


    She said with a smile, "Thomas, thank you, really."


    Thomas replied, "You''re my sister-inw. You don''t have to thank me."


    Sylvia frowned. "You don''t have to think of me as your sister-in-w. Just think of me as your older


    sister."


    "As far as I know, Odell and you seem to have remarried again."


    She said coldly, "We''re not suitable for each other. I''ll divorce him when we get back."


    Thomas hesitated and added, "I''m one year older than you."


    Sylvia choked. "Then you can just call me by name."


    He also smiled faintly. "Sure."


    Then he asked, "Since you didn''tmit suicide, are you going back to Westchester City?"


    Sylvia thought about it and asked, "Did you tell Odell that I''m in Coastrock City?"


    "No. I brought you here after rescuing you. I thought youmitted suicide because you didn''t


    want to see them, so I didn''t tell anyone."


    "Good." Sylvia exhaled and looked at her left calf which was encased in ster again. "Please


    help me keep my whereabouts a secret for now. I want to wait a bit before I go back."


    ''Wait for my injury to heal, wait for my n to be ready, wait until the time is ripe.''


    Thomas looked at her cold and pale face. "Okay."


    Sylvia suddenly wrinkled her brows again.


    He asked, "What''s wrong? Does your wound hurt?"


    "I''m fine."


    She just could not help but think about Isabel and Liam.


    The little ones must be very anxious after not seeing her for so long.


    However, Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were watching over them. Although that damned man Odell


    hated her, he was still good to the children and surely would not treat them harshly.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth and endured her longing for them.

 Chapter 450

    A monthter.


    In the Carter residence in Westchester City.


    It was very quiet inside and outside the mansion, so quiet that the air itself seemed to grow


    heavy.


    That was because there was still no news of Sylvia.


    Isabel kicked up a fuss for many days and seemed to have lost her strength recently. She was


    listless every day, either following Liam at his heels or going to Madam Carter to speak ill of


    Odell.


    Liam was quiet and did not cry or make a fuss. Every day, he coaxed Isabel to eat and sleep, or


    fiddled with the Rubik''s cube Sylvia made for him.


    That night.


    Isabel missed her mother so much that she could not sleep after dinner, and she wandered into


    Madam Carter''s room.


    Violet was used to hering, so she quietly stood by the side and let Isabel climb onto the bed


    to lie beside Madam Carter and speak ill of Odell.


    "Great-grandma, Baddie forced me to eat carrots this morning and even used Mommy to


    threaten me. Hmph. Mommy left because she''s angry at him, but he doesn''t know how to coax


    her back. All he does is threaten me. Great-grandma, wake up quickly and cut off your ties with


    him. Kick him out of the house and call Mommy back..."


    Her childish voice sounded very serious.


    Violet listened and did not know whether tough or cry.


    Before long, there was a sudden knock at the door.


    Violet got up and opened the door. When she saw the visitor, she was shocked before greeting politely,


    "Ms. Avery, are you here to see Madam Carter?"


    Tara returned her greeting with a kind tone. "Yes, how¡¯s Grandma doingtely?"


    "The Madam is still the same as before."


    Tara hummed and walked in.


    At this time, Isabel got up and stood by the bed.


    She wrinkled her little eyebrows and shouted at Tara, "Ugly woman, you''re not wee here. Get out!"


    Tara''s expression twisted, but she quickly put on a gentle look and said with a smile, "Isabel, don''t


    misunderstand. I''m here to visit Grandma."


    "Great-grandma doesn''t wee you either!"


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    Tara secretly cursed at the child in her heart but continued to say, " Calm down. I don''t mean any


    harm."


    "Hmph, you don''t have to act here. Baddie causing my mommy to leave in anger must be because of


    you!"


    "You misunderstood, Isabel. I don''t know why your mother left." As she said this, she cursed the


    motherless child in her heart again.


    If not for the fact that Odell instructed her not to mention that


    Sylvia had fallen into the water and disappeared, she would have told this damned child that her


    mother was dead and let her cry her eyes out.


    Isabel did not believe her and turned her head to call Violet. "Ms. Violet, tell her to get out! Neither


    Great-grandma nor I want to see her!"


    Violet looked at Tara and was just about to politely ask her to go back, but a tall figure appeared in front


    of the door.


    The man wore a ck shirt. He had just returned from outside. There was a cold aura surrounding him.


    Violet''s eyes flickered, and she quickly shut her mouth.


    Tara immediately looked at him with a hurt expression. "Odell, I just wanted toe see and talk


    to Grandma."


    Odell looked at Isabel, who was standing by the bed.


    Isabel had her hands on her hips as she raised her chubby face to look at him. "Baddie, tell that


    ugly woman to go away, or I''ll sever our father-daughter rtionship!"


    Odell frowned and said in a low voice, "Come down."


    "Tell her to leave, or I won''te down!"


    Odell''s expression instantly turned cold.


    Isabel was frightened by his face and shrank away, but she still stood by the bed and did not


    move.


    At that moment, Tara said anxiously, "Okay, Isabel. It''s my fault. Don''t get upset with your father


    because of me. Come down quickly. Be careful not to fall."


    Isabel shouted at her, "If you know it''s your fault, then why aren''t you leaving?"


    Tara''s face instantly stiffened.


    Then, she looked at Odell with reddened eyes.


    Odell frowned at her. "You go back first."

 Chapter 451

    Tara''s eyes flickered. She gritted her teeth and agreed before saying softly, "I''ll go now, Odell.


    Rest early."


    "Mm."


    With that, she clenched her fists and walked out.


    Odell looked at Isabel.


    When Tara went out, Isabel''s little face suddenly eased up. She plopped back on the bed andy


    beside Madam Carter, hugging her arm as if she wanted to sleep there.


    Odell nced at Violet. "Call me when she falls asleepter."


    Violet replied, "Yes, sir."


    He turned and went out.


    Isabel saw him leave and instantly muttered to Madam Carter, " Great-grandma, I chased away that


    ugly woman. You can go to sleep now. I''ll apany you..."


    Violet watched this scene and could not help but smile.


    ''Isabel is the cutest little girl I''ve ever met. Although she has a huge temper, she only directs it at Odell


    and Tara. She''s never lost her temper with us and is sometimes so well-behaved that it''s heartbreaking.


    It''s clear that Sylvia brought her up well.


    ''As for Tara...If not for my good friend who worked in Lake Victoria Vi as her housekeeper and told


    me many things, I would probably have been fooled by Tara''s hypocritical act.


    ''Anyway, she can''t evenpare to Sylvia. Unfortunately, Sylvia is gone.''


    Violet looked at Isabel on the bed and sighed.


    ''I just hope her father will never marry Tara and she ends up as her stepmother.''


    On the other side, Tara left the residence and got into her car. Then, she cursed at the child several


    times.


    However, when she thought about how Sylvia was as dead as a doornail, she soon felt happy again.


    At that moment, her phone rang. It was Mnie.


    Tara brought the phone to her ear.


    On the phone, Mnie asked bluntly, "Tara, has that bitch''s body been found?"


    "Not yet. She has probably been washed away to somece else."


    Mnie asked in a small voice, "Could she have been rescued?"


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Tara smiled coldly and said, "Impossible. There''s no way she''s still alive."


    Sylvia had been administered a drug before falling into the water, and her leg had been broken


    as well. She did not even have the strength to shout for help. How could she still be alive?


    Furthermore, Odell had called for search and rescue not long after she had fallen into the water.


    At that time, Tara had been worried that Odell would save her, but more than a month had


    passed now. The rescue team had finishedbing Cloudy Heart Lake and the nearby river


    several times but still did not find Sylvia.


    Thus, Tara was sure that Sylvia had been swept away by the current that night.


    Odell had even issued a huge reward for anyone who found her, dead or alive. The reward


    surpassed more than an ordinary person could imagine. If Sylvia really was alive, she would


    have been sent back by the person who saved her.


    Mnie heard Tara''s firm tone, and her uneasy heart calmed down considerably. She then said,


    "Since that little bitch is gone, when will you and Odell get together?"


    Tara could not help but think of the two damned eyesores, Isabel and Liam. She had gone to the


    Carters'' residence a few times before, but they always chased her out.


    Tonight, she came here before Odell returned because she wanted him to witness her being


    bullied by Isabel. She wanted him to see how rude Isabel was.


    Unexpectedly, he told her to leave!

 Chapter 452

    On the phone, Mnie sensed Tara''s hesitation and asked, "Why aren''t you saying anything,


    Tara? Did you encounter some kind of difficulty?"


    Tara said with annoyance, "It''s those two runts that Sylvia left behind. They won''t let me get


    close to them at all. They won''t even let me approach that old hag."


    "Those damned children... They must have been taught that way by their bitch of a mother,"


    Mnie cussed. Then, she said, " There''s no rush. Sylvia isn''t around anymore, so you can coax


    them patiently. When you and Odell get married, you can find a way to get rid of them then."


    ''Yes, since that bitch is gone, as long as I get married to Odell, I have plenty of time to torment


    themter."


    Tara looked much better. "I know."


    In the Carters'' residence, Odell had not been standing outside for long when Violet came up to


    him and said, "Master Carter, the Young Miss is asleep."


    Odell stepped into the room and reached out to pick up Isabel from Madam Carter''s side. He


    carried the little girl upstairs to the bedroom where Sylvia used to stay before.


    There was only a warm wallmp lit in the bedroom.


    Liam was sitting on the floor next to the bed, his hands fiddling with the Rubik''s cube that Sylvia


    personally made for him. His small figure was very quiet, and hisrge eyes were trained on the cube.


    It was like he had reverted back to the days before Sylvia brought Isabel back.


    Odell ced Isabel on the bed, then went to Liam and said to him, " Bedtime."


    Liam ignored him and continued to fiddle with the toy. It was obvious that his attention waspletely


    focused on the cube. He did not hear Odell''s words.


    Odell simply picked him up from the floor to the bed and took away the Rubik''s cube in his hands.


    Liam frowned at him.


    Odell said in a low voice, "Sleep. I''ll return the cube to you tomorrow morning."


    His expression was cold and serious, filled with the sternness of a father.


    Liam pursed his lips and turned around toy down next to his sister. He wrapped his little arms around


    her and closed his eyes.


    Odell stood there for a long time. After they fell asleep, he turned off the lights and walked out.


    Several dayster, Tara came again in the evening.


    Isabel and Liam were not home, and neither was Odell was not around either. When she arrived, only


    Sebastian was in the living room.


    She smiled and said to him, "Sebastian, I''vee to see Grandma and the kids."


    Sebastian did not feel anything for Tara because Madam Carter did not like her, but knowing that Odell


    cared about her, he replied politely, "Ms. Avery, the doctor is examining the Madam at this moment, so


    it''s not convenient for you to see her. The Young Master and Young Miss haven''t returned from school


    either. Why don''t youe back another day?"


    "It seems like I''vee at a bad time." Tara showed a regretful look and handed over the things


    that she was carrying. "These are the gifts I bought for Isabel and Liam. I hope they''ll like it."


    Sebastian took them and said politely, "You shouldn¡¯t have gone through the trouble."


    "Sylvia isn''t around anymore, and Odell is very busy, so it''s only right that I take care of them."


    Sebastian''s expression flickered as he said nothing.


    Tara suddenly looked toward the kitchen. "They should be back from school soon. I''ll go cook


    dinner for them."


    He suddenly said, "No need, Ms. Avery. Dinner will be prepared by someone else."


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    "It''s better if I cook. I remember that they love Sylvia''s home- cooked food. Sylvia and I used to


    be good friends, so I know how to cook basically everything she does."


    Then, she went into the kitchen before he could say anything.


    Sebastian frowned and quickly shot a look at a maid to follow him.

 Chapter 453

    After nearly an hour, Isabel and Liam came back by car.


    Aunt Tonya was worried about them and had been taking them to and fro school with the


    bodyguard during this period of time.


    After the car stopped, she got out of the car with them and led them to the gate.


    Just as they arrived at the living room, Tara suddenly walked out of the kitchen with an apron,


    holding a te of freshly cooked appetizer in her hand.


    When she saw Isabel and Liam return, she instantly smiled warmly and gently. "Isabel and Liam,


    go and sit down. Dinner will be ready soon."


    However, Isabel and Liam looked at her coldly.


    Aunt Tonya''s expression turned frigid, and she shouted, "Who told you toe? Get out!"


    Tara''s face stiffened, but she forced a kind smile and said to Aunt Tonya, "I informed Odell before


    I came. I just want to cook dinner for the children. Don''t misunderstand."


    Aunt Tonya knew what kind of person Tara was. However, she could not swear in front of the children,


    so she simply looked at Tara coldly. "Tara Avery, you don''t have to keep up an act here.


    Just leave!"


    Tara instantly appeared hurt. "I was going to leave after cooking. Don''t be angry, Aunt Tonya. I''ll leave


    after I finish thest dish."


    Nevertheless, Aunt Tonya did not take the bait and yelled, "No need. Get out right now!"


    Tara''s eyes turned icy for an instant. She cursed the old woman in her heart before saying, "Okay, I''ll


    leave."


    Then, she untied her apron and jogged out with one hand covering her face. She looked like she had


    been bullied into leaving.


    Aunt Tonya snorted coldly. "What a hypocrite. All she knows is to act!"


    "Ahem." Sebastian cleared his throat.


    Aunt Tonya instantly came back to her senses and said gently to Liam and Isabel, "You guys go y


    first. I''ll cook some noodles for you to eat."


    "Okay," Isabel answered, "Aunt Tonya, don''t be angry. I''ll help you drive away that ugly woman next


    time shees."


    Aunt Tonya smiled and stroked her head. "Yes, I know. Go on, go and y with your brother."


    "Okay."


    Isabel obediently took her brother''s hand.


    Liam went along and followed her to Madam Carter''s bedroom.


    Meanwhile, Tara also walked out of the Carters'' residence.


    However, she did not leave. Instead, she squatted in the doorway and buried her face in her hands.


    When it was dark, Odell''s car came back.


    He got out of the car and saw her squatting in the doorway, and could not help but ask, "Tara, what are


    you doing here?"


    Tara lifted her face.


    A pair of eyes red from crying appeared in front of him.


    Odell knitted his brows. "What happened?"


    Tara quickly stood up. "Nothing. Something got into my eyes."


    Odell''s expression sank. "Tell me the truth."


    She pursed her lips and said, "Sylvia isn''t around anymore, and you''re busy too. I was worried


    about Isabel and Liam, so I wanted to make dinner for them, but Aunt Tonya seems to think that I


    want to harm them..."


    She choked up as she spoke.


    Odell asked, "Did Aunt Tonya kick you out?"


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Tara let out a low hum.


    The air was silent for a few seconds.


    Odell looked in the direction of the living room and said, "Go back first."

 Chapter 454

    Tara could not help but be shocked.


    Nheless, Odell''s expression was indifferent without much emotion. It was clear he did not


    intend on kicking up a fuss with Aunt Tonya because of her.


    Tara swallowed her anger and choked out, Okay."


    She walked to her car with her head bowed while her slim figure looked aggrieved and hurt.


    Odell watched her get into the car and stepped into the front door. If it were in the past, he would


    have warned Aunt Tonya to be more polite to Tara.


    However, now... he was not in the mood at all.


    Another month passed in the blink of an eye.


    During this period, although Isabel and Liam disliked Tara, she still came over every now and


    then. However, she usually came when they were away at school.


    Every time she came, she brought a gift and then went to Madam Carter''s room for a while


    before leaving.


    It was the same today, but she came over a littleter than usual. That was because she learned that


    Odell was nearby and would probably be back by noon.


    She brought the toys she bought for the two children and went to Madam Carter''s room.


    When she saw the old woman sleeping on the bed, she endured her difort and sat there until it


    was almost noon.


    Soon, through the window, she saw the man walking through the front door.


    Her eyes flickered, and she immediately moved the chair over to Madam Carter''s side. Then, she said


    gently and respectfully, " Grandma, if you can hear me, get well soon. Odell has been in a bad mood


    lately, and Isabel and Liam need you very much. They''ll be very happy if you wake up."


    Odell had just arrived outside the door.


    He stopped in his tracks when he heard her words, and the look in his eyes softened slightly.


    Then, he walked in.


    Upon hearing his footsteps, Tara turned back to look at him and instantly revealed a surprised


    expression. Then, she smiled at him. "Odell, you''re back."


    "Mm." Odell asked her, "How long have you been here?"


    "Not long. It''s only a little while."


    "It''s been hard on you."


    Tara quickly said, "No, I just want to help you share the burden."


    Odell did not say anything else and sat down at Madam Carter''s bedside.


    Tara''s gaze flickered, and she got up and said, "Since you''re back, I''ll leave now."


    "Have lunch before you go."


    Her eyes instantly lit up, but she said hesitantly, "Um... Isabel and Liam don''t like me, so I''d better go."


    "They won''t be back at noon."


    "Okay, then." She secretly curled her lips up.


    Odell''s face was cold without any emotion as he merely looked at Madam Carter quietly.


    Not long after that, Violet walked in. She brought clean warm water to wipe the olddy''s hands


    and feet.


    Tara''s eyes flickered, and she immediately went forward to take the cloth, saying, "I''ll do it."


    Violet was shocked. Then, when she saw Odell by the bed, she pursed her lips and retreated to


    the side.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Tara rolled up her sleeves and moved diligently to wipe Madam Carter''s hands and feet. After


    wiping, she said to Odell, "Why don''t Ie and help take care of Grandma in the future?"


    Odell replied, "No need. She has specialists to take care of her."


    "I see." She showed a disappointed look, but her heart sighed in relief.


    Odell''s tone softened as he said to her, "Come and have lunch."


    She smiled and answered, "Okay."


    Then, she followed him out of the bedroom and into the living room.


    Two meals were set on the dining table.


    Not long after Odell sat down, he received a call. It seemed to be an urgent matter. After he


    finished answering the call, he got up and walked out.

 Chapter 455

    When Tara saw him leave, she instantly lost interest in staying.


    She soon made an excuse to Sebastian, saying that she was leaving. Then, she instructed Violet


    to take care of Madam Carter and walked out.


    Her car was parked right outside. When she got back to the car, she immediately took wet paper


    towels and wiped her hands vigorously.


    However, she felt that it was not enough. She swiftly returned to Lake Victoria Vi, went to the


    bathroom, and took a shower. Just the thought that her hands washed the old hag''s hands and


    legs and touched her skin made her feel sick.


    She took the hand sanitizer and doused her hands several times before putting on a new dress


    and walking out of the bedroom.


    She reclined on the sofa and ordered the maid, "Hurry up and massage my hands."


    The maid quickly replied, "Yes, Ms. Avery."


    Then, she hurriedly took the tools and supplies for the massage and squatted beside Tara. The


    maid''s movements were very careful.


    Tara felt the disgust in her heart dissipate, and her body rxed.


    It had been more than two months, but the man''s mood was still very cold. He never smiled at anyone,


    but he had smiled at her today.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    It was obvious that he cared about her. That was why he did not want her to take care of Madam


    Carter.


    Thus, her efforts over this period of time were not in vain. It would probably be soon before she could


    return to his side.


    That night, the Carters'' residence was shrouded in darkness.


    Violet finished her day''s work and walked out, strolling along the sidewalk.


    About five minutester, just as she was about to reach the house she lived in, a figure suddenly


    stepped out of the shadows. Her eyes flickered, and she stepped back as if she had seen a ghost.


    Soon, a slender hand grabbed her. "It''s me, Violet. I''m not dead."


    Early the next morning, Violet returned to the mansion.


    Sebastian saw her and asked curiously, "Violet, why are you here so early?"


    Violet replied, "There''s nothing to do at home, so I thought ofing early."


    Sebastian nodded and did not ask anything more.


    She went to the living room.


    Isabel and Liam were downstairs with Aunt Tonya. It was clear that they had just woken up as their


    faces still looked slightly sleepy.


    Violet smiled at them. "Good morning, Young Master and Young Miss."


    Liam politely replied, "Good morning."


    Isabel also said sweetly, "Good morning, Ms. Violet."


    Violet smiled and stood to the side as Aunt Tonya led them to the dining table.


    With Odell away, the atmosphere of the meal was a little more rxed than usual. Isabel, in


    particr, only picked up what she loved to eat. She did not touch the carrots and vegetables.


    After a few bites, she remembered her mother and opened her mouth to ask Aunt Tonya, "Aunt


    Tonya, do you know where Mommy went?"


    Aunt Tonya blinked and said, "I''m not sure. I think she went away to do some still-life drawings."


    "Where did she go? Why isn''t she back yet?" Isabel pouted. "Does Mommy not want Liam and


    me anymore?"


    Aunt Tonya hurriedly said, "No, your Mommy loves your brother and you the most. There''s no


    way she wouldn''t want you anymore, ii


    Isabel continued to pout.


    Violet frowned and could not help but say, "Young Miss, Aunt Tonya is right. Mrs. Carter loves


    you the most. She''ll definitelye back."


    Isabel had heard such words many times over this period of time. She simply hummed with an


    expressionless face.


    However, Liam looked at Violet. His wide eyes were quiet and belied his age.

 Chapter 456

    Violet''s gaze met his big eyes, but it somehow made her feel guilty, and she turned her head


    downward.


    Momentster, she looked up and saw them eating quietly at the table. She pulled out her phone


    and secretly snapped several pictures of them.


    However, before she could take more, Liam suddenly turned to her and shot his crystal clear


    gaze at her, startling her greatly. The phone slipped from her shaky hands and fell on the floor.


    Liam furrowed his brows.


    Isabel also turned around to the littlemotion. She was able to see the picture on Violet¡¯s


    phone. She tilted her head and asked with a smile, ¡°Violet, are you taking pictures of me and


    bro?¡±


    Violet¡¯s gaze shifted. She immediately exined, ¡°You guys are so cute, so I thought of snapping


    pictures of you as my phone wallpaper.¡±


    ¡°You should have asked.¡± Isabel jumped off the chair and started posing for her. ¡°Violet,e


    on. Take my picture! ¡±


    Violet picked up her phone and took several pictures of Isabel while holding herughter back.


    Several posester, Isabel dragged her brother off the chair and said, ¡°Bro,e on. Let¡¯s pose


    for Violet!¡±


    Liam did not deny her request. He simply stood beside his cheerful sister and let her guide him in


    posing. They both held hands and curled arms, and Isabel even jumped onto Liam¡¯s back for the best


    picture. She chirped, ¡°Violet, did get the perfect picture?¡±


    After taking a dozen pictures, Violet said with a smile, ¡°Yeah! I got a lot of great pictures. You guys


    should continue eating.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Remember to pick the best one for your wallpaper! ¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Violet answered with a smile.


    Isabel and Liam returned to the table and continued eating.


    Violet then tapped on her phone. She looked like she was scrolling through the pictures she had taken,


    but she was actually sending the pictures to a contact.


    After sending all the pictures over, the contact replied, ¡°Thank you, Violet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. What else do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Please keep this a secret.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Violet then pocketed her phone. It was then that she realized Isabel was standing before her and was


    staring at her with her huge eyes.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She was stunned.


    Isabel widened her crystal clear eyes and asked, ¡°Violet, have you selected the best picture?¡±


    ¡°Uh... Not yet. I¡¯ll go through themter.¡±


    ¡°Then, why were you staring at your phone just now?¡±


    Violet wore a nervous smile and said, ¡°I was looking at the pictures. They are all so cute that it¡¯s going


    to take me some time


    to select the best.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    The two of them were adorable no matter how the pictures were taken.


    Isabel smiled and curved her eyes into two crescent moons. ¡°Okay, you take your time. Bro and I


    are going to school.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Be careful.¡±


    Isabel turned to Liam and said, ¡°Bro, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Liam nodded and picked up his bag. He had a few more nces at Violet before he left the


    house.


    Violet finally sighed a breath of relief.


    Later that night, Isabel and Liam went to Madam Carter¡¯s room after dinner.


    Isabely down beside Madam Carter and chattered about what happened at kindergarten while


    Liam was beside her ying with his Rubik''s cube.


    Violet was also in the room watching over them and Madam Carter.


    Suddenly, Liam looked at Violet and said, ¡°Violet, I want to y some games. Can you lend me


    your phone?¡±


    Violet was taken aback. She said, ¡°Liam, my phone doesn¡¯t have any good games, only the


    default ones.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just want to tap on something.¡±

 Chapter 457

    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Violet did not spare any thought about it and gave Liam her phone.


    Upon getting the phone, Liam started ying with it. He was sitting opposite Violet, so there was


    no way Violet could see what he was essing.


    The room was rather quiet, so Violet¡¯s attention was focused on him. The games on her phone


    should have some noise, but she did not hear a single sound from Liam or her phone.


    She suddenly remembered the chat that she had with Sylvia earlier and that she had forgotten to


    delete the chat history. Quickly, she got up and went over to Liam.


    She saw him tapping on the phone rhythmically with his thumbs with the screen showing some


    mini-games she had. The game was muted.


    Violet felt relieved. ¡°Liam, why don¡¯t you turn on the sound?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too noisy.¡±


    ¡°Okay...¡± Violet smiled and returned to her seat.


    The moment she went back, Liam switched the screen to another window.


    The screen showed the chat history Violet had with the contact that she named ¡®Secret¡¯. The chat


    contained the pictures that Violet had taken of him and his sister earlier.


    The ¡®Secret¡¯ contact even thanked Violet for the pictures.


    Violet had been texting ¡®Secret¡¯ for a while now, and the chat was mostly about Liam and his sister.


    There was even a line whereby Violet addressed the secret contact ¡®Madam¡¯.


    ¡®So, is this secret contact actually Mommy?¡¯


    Several days went by.


    The Carters'' residence returned to its usual state, quiet with a hint of depression.


    In the afternoon, Tara came. Like before, she brought presents for Isabel and Liam before heading to


    Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    Violet was beside the bed when Tara came in. She politely excused herself and wanted to give Tara the


    room.


    However, Tara held her back and said, ¡°Violet, I¡¯m just stopping by to have a look. I¡¯m leaving soon.


    You can stay.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Violet nodded and waited at the entrance.


    Tara stood a few steps away from the bed as she stared at the unconscious Madam Carter. She then


    asked Violet, ¡°How has Grandmother been recently?¡±


    ¡°Like always, Madam Carter is physically healthy, but she just doesn¡¯t seem to wake up.¡±


    ¡°What about Liam and Isabel? How have they been behavingtely?¡±


    ¡°Isabel and Liam are still the same, but they keep asking about


    Madam.¡±


    The word ¡®Madam¡¯ caught Tara¡¯s attention and it made her turn to Violet.


    Tara shot a frosty gaze at her and then said with a sigh, ¡°Please keep an eye on them. If there¡¯s


    anything, contact me right away.¡±


    She sounded like she was already the owner of the house or the mother of the kids.


    Violet was not in a position to express her opinion, so she wore a polite smile and answered,


    ¡°Ms. Avery, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate. I¡¯m only in charge of taking care of Madam Carter.


    Even if I have to provide updates on Isabel and Liam, I think it¡¯s better for me to update Master


    Carter directly.¡±


    She obviously refused toply to Tara¡¯s request, who she deemed an outsider.


    Tara¡¯s expression turned frosty.


    Violet noticed the shifted expression on her face and quickly looked down in silence.


    At this juncture, Tara raised her chin. She had a nce outside the door and realized there was


    no one there, so she warned Violet coldly, ¡°Violet, do you know who am I to Odell?¡±


    Violet knew she was Odell¡¯s ex-girlfriend, and she had heard from Aunt Tonya that Odell seemed


    to care about this woman a lot. In short, the woman held an important position in Odell¡¯s heart


    and might even be more important than Sylvia.


    A quick thoughtter, Violet said, ¡°Ms. Avery, I am just a servant in charge of Madam Carter¡¯s


    well-being. I am not familiar with your rtionship with Master Carter.¡±


    Tara then demanded, ¡°Look up.¡±


    Violet curiously looked up, and the next thing she knew, a pnded on her face.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 458

    p!


    The burning sensation assaulted Violet¡¯s cheek.


    Shocked, she raised her voice at Tara, ¡°Ms. Avery, why did you p me?¡±


    Tara wore a frosty look. ¡°You little bitch, I can p you whenever I like!¡±


    After Sylvia¡¯s death, Tara came over more frequently than before, yet the housekeeper treated


    her like some outsider.


    Violet was infuriated. ¡°Ms. Avery, please hold some respect for others. I only work here and I¡¯m


    also human!¡±


    p!


    Tara responded with another smack to Violet¡¯s face.


    ¡°You are nothing but a little bitch. How dare you talk back to me? I¡¯ll tell Odell to fire you and


    make sure you can¡¯t find another job in Westchester.¡±


    Violet had never been threatened like this before.


    She had heard from her friend working at Lake Victoria Vi that Tara was abusive. She felt bad for her


    friend and thought that her friend was too weak to speak up, but now, she finally understood why the


    latter chose tolerance over insurrection.


    Tara did not treat the helpers like humans. She abused them because she had Odell¡¯s support and


    people without any background or influence could never defy her.


    Violet clenched her teeth tightly.


    Tara grunted scornfully at her.


    It was then that the butler, Sebastian, appeared at the entrance.


    He had heard the littlemotion inside and went in to check on the situation. He then saw Violet¡¯s


    reddish cheek and the afflicted expression she wore.


    He asked, ¡°What happened here?¡±


    Violet choked emotionally, but before she could exin, Tara switched to her kind and caring persona


    andined to Sebastian, ¡°Sebastian, she almost dropped something on Grandmother¡¯s face. I


    reminded her to be careful, but she talked back to me, so I pped her.¡±


    Sebastian frowned.


    Violet felt terribly wronged. ¡°No, it¡¯s not...¡±


    Tara interrupted her and said, ¡°Stop trying to find an excuse. I know I¡¯m a little impulsive to have


    pped you, but if you continue to be careless, I won¡¯t let it slip anymore.¡±


    Her eyes were filled with frosty threats when she warned Violet.


    Violet shot a desperate nce at Sebastian.


    Sebastian stayed quiet for a moment before he scolded Violet, ¡°Be careful next time!¡±


    In response, Violet wept in silence.


    Seeing Violet¡¯spliance, Tara curled her lips into a subtle grin and then said to Sebastian,


    ¡°Sebastian, I have to go now.


    Remember to talk to Violet about her work ethic. She¡¯s lucky that I¡¯m here. If it were Odell, she would


    probably have been fired.¡±


    Sebastian nodded and said, ¡°I will.¡±


    Tara then left the room.


    After she went off, Violet broke down in tears and said, ¡°Sebastian, I didn¡¯t drop anything on Madam


    Carter¡¯s face. I¡¯m always a careful person. You know that.¡±


    Sebastian sighed. ¡°I know, but she is Master Carter¡¯s woman. Neither you nor I can afford to get on her


    bad side. Wipe your tears away.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean she can use people and twist the fact to her advantage!¡±


    Sebastian finally understood why Madam Carter never liked Tara. She was indeed a vicious


    woman with ruthless methods.


    ¡°Sigh. Madam Carter remainsatose, Sylvia is gone, and that woman ising here more


    and more frequently. She even gets toe and go as she will. It¡¯s only a matter of time before


    she bes the owner of the house. I think you¡¯d better learn how to tolerate her temper.¡±


    ¡°Who gave her the permission toe and go as she wills? Madam is still¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish venting, Violet immediately covered her mouth as she suddenly


    remembered something important.


    Sebastian looked at her with a raised brow. ¡°Madam is still?¡±


    Violet immediately rearranged her words and continued, ¡°Madam is still... I mean she still has


    two kids. Both Isabel and Liam don¡¯t


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    like that woman either.¡±


    ¡°Isabel and Liam are just two four-year-olds, what could they possibly do to that woman?¡±


    Sebastian refused to linger on the topic. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Pull yourself together and


    watch over Madam Carter.¡±


    Sebastian then left the room.


    Violet wiped her tears away and pulled her phone out to text. ¡° Madam, can I go over to your


    ce tonight?¡±


    She got a reply almost instantly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±

 Chapter 459

    ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Avery. She came and used me of something I didn¡¯t do. I¡¯m feeling terrible and I


    would like to meet up.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll send you the address after your shift. Come over to my ce.¡±


    The night at Lush Heaven was always lively and crowded.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    The darkened sky marked the beginning of night entertainment. The ce was filled with people


    gyrating to loud music and drinking alcohol with their favorite people.


    It was Violet¡¯s first visit to such a raucous ce.


    She had gotten the instructions from Sylvia earlier through text, so she went up to one of the


    bouncers and said, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Violet. I¡¯m looking for Ms. Sherry Fowler.¡±


    The bouncer said, ¡°The boss is on the second floor. I¡¯ll bring you up.¡±


    Violet followed the man through the lively crowd and went up to the second floor.


    The bouncer brought her to a VIP room and left her at the door. Violet thanked the man and then went


    inside.


    The room was a little dark, but she was able to clearly spot the twodies sitting on the couch.


    The one with wavy hair wore sexy clothes and looked coquettish. The other looked a lot simpler in her


    jacket and pants. She even


    had a cap to hide her fair and delicate face. Despite the in getup, she still emanated an elegant


    presence.


    Violet stared at thedy for quite a while before she finally recognized her. She called out to thedy,


    ¡°Madam!¡±


    Thedy in in clothes was none other than Sylvia.


    Sylvia took her cap off and gave Violet a warm smile. ¡°Come, have a seat.¡±


    Violet went over as told.


    Sherry then got up and said, ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯ll leave you be. Call me if anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sherry left the room, leaving Sylvia alone with Violet.


    Violet stared at Sylvia¡¯s frosty but familiar face and she got teary.


    Sylvia noticed her emotional breakdown. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Madam, you have no idea what Ms. Avery did. She came over to the house frequently and acts like


    she¡¯s the owner. She even requested I update her on Isabel and Liam. I said I was only hired to take


    care of Madam Carter and that it was inappropriate for me to fulfill her request.


    ¡°She then called me a bitch and used me in front of Sebastian, and even pped me because I


    didn¡¯t take good care of Madam Carter...¡±


    Violet blurted out all the things that frustrated her.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression turned cold as she listened to Violet¡¯s experience.


    If Tara had switched her attention to Isabel and Liam, she must be eager to marry Odell and


    be Mrs. Carter.


    Violet said hurriedly, ¡°Madam, please go back. If you don¡¯t return now, she¡¯ll rece you soon.¡±


    Sylvia scoffed. ¡°Yeah, she wishes.¡±


    ¡°Then, when are you nning to go back?¡± Violet asked.


    ¡°Now is not the time,¡± Sylvia looked at her seriously and said, ¡° Hold yourself together for now.


    Try to avoid her as much as possible before Ie back.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Anything you said. Do you need me to do anything?¡± Violet asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just do your job and take care of Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I have to go now.¡± Violet then got up and wanted to leave. Suddenly, she spotted a bunch


    of documents beside Sylvia.


    The first page of the pile of documents had a colored picture that showed a middle-aged woman


    dressed in a demure manner.


    Violet hummed curiously.

 Chapter 460

    Sylvia noticed Violet¡¯s reaction. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Madam, I think I''ve seen this woman before,¡±


    Violet said as she pointed at the picture.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted. She picked up the picture and asked, ¡° Do you know her?¡±


    She and Sherry had gotten the picture from Northpeak Holiday Resort¡¯s member list.


    The woman¡¯s name was Mnie Miriam, and she had only joined the resort as a new member


    on the same day as Madam Carter¡¯s ident. Although there were two other new members who


    joined on the same day, Mnie was the prime suspect.


    Most of the surveince cameras at the resort on that day were being repaired but not the ones


    at the main entrance.


    Sylvia managed to get her hands on the surveince footage and found out that Mnie had


    followed them to the resort.


    After she had gotten out of the car, she had even followed them in but was stopped by security.


    The footage then showed her making a call before following the security guard over to the


    reception to register as a member of the resort.


    If Sylvia was correct, the call Mnie made had been to Tara.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    However, Sherry utilized every connection and resource she had and still could not find out anything


    about the woman.


    It was a surprise that Violet had seen the woman before.


    Violet then said, ¡°Ah, I remember now! She¡¯s Ms. Avery¡¯s aunt.¡±


    Sylvia was shocked. ¡°Tara¡¯s aunt? Are you sure?¡±


    Violet then pulled her phone out and showed Sylvia the chat history she had with her friend.


    She scrolled up the chat and said to Sylvia, ¡°Madam, my friend is a housekeeper at Lake Victoria Vi,


    where Ms. Avery stayed. Ms.


    Avery loved to abuse her and she dared not even talk back to her, so she always vented her anger out


    on her.


    ¡°There was a time when Ms. Avery¡¯s aunt would visit the vi frequently and would abuse her as well.


    She even had the thought of taking her own life because of all the mental stress. I talked her out of it


    and then sheined about Ms. Avery¡¯s aunt to me. She even snapped a few pictures of the


    woman.¡±


    Violet then found the picture on the chat. It could still be essed since it was not deleted. She tapped


    on it and erged it for Sylvia.


    The middle-aged woman on Violet¡¯s phone was exactly the same as the woman in the picture. She was


    indeed Tara¡¯s aunt!


    Sylvia¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Violet, can you send this picture to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but why? You already have her picture. How did you get her picture in the first ce?¡±


    Violet asked.


    Sylvia was unsure before learning Mnie¡¯s true identity, but now, she was absolutely certain that she


    was the culprit who had hurt Madam Carter.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one who pushed Grandmother down the hill.¡±


    Violet was deeply shaken by the revtion.


    Sylvia then said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just pretend you don¡¯t know anything and continue working like


    normal.¡±


    Violet swiftly calmed down after seeing Sylvia¡¯s determined and kind gaze. She hummed a reply


    and then said, ¡°Madam, you must be careful as well.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    She had ''died¡¯ once, and now, other than herself, no one could hurt her anymore.


    After Violet left, Sherry came back.


    Sylvia told Sherry about Mnie being Tara¡¯s aunt, much to her shock. As she regained her


    composure, Sherry said, ¡°Then, Tara must have instigated her to push Madam Carter! ¡±


    Sylvia nodded as she shared the same thought.


    Sherry was riled up. ¡°Then, what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go expose them!¡±


    ¡°Not yet. We don¡¯t have any solid evidence. We must first locate her.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°She¡¯s a sneaky one. She¡¯s nowhere to be found in Westchester.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s probably not in Westchester.¡±

 Chapter 461

    ¡°Yeah. Tara must have sent her away from the city. What are we going to do now, Sylvia?¡± Sherry asked.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Wait. We wait for her to show up,¡± Sylvia said as she narrowed her eyes.


    Two weeks went by.


    It was a Saturday and Tara arrived at the Carters'' residence early in the morning.


    Odell was not home but Isabel and Liam were.


    Like always, Tara went to the living room as soon as she arrived, but Aunt Tonya stopped her at the entrance.


    She smiled and said to Aunt Tonya, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I¡¯m here to see Isabel and Liam, and also Grandmother.


    Please move aside.¡±


    Aunt Tonya bellowed, ¡°Tara, you are not wee here. Get out of this house immediately! ¡±


    Tara had a nce into the living room and wanted to go in.


    Although Aunt Tonya stopped her again, she forced herself through and even tried to push Aunt Tonya


    away.


    Feeling irritated, Aunt Tonya pushed back. She barely used any strength as she just wanted to stop


    Tara from going in.


    To her surprise, Tara faltered and fell down to the ground.


    Tara¡¯s eyes got teary as she wore a wronged look. She cried, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I don¡¯t mean anything. I¡¯m


    just here to see Isabel and Liam. They lost their mother at such a young age, and it¡¯s important that


    they receive the love and care from a mother figure.¡±


    Aunt Tonya frowned. She pointed at Tara and continued, ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Isabel and Liam were in the living room, and until now, Aunt Tonya had not told them about what had


    happened to Sylvia. She could not let the two of them hear what Tara said.


    Tara cried louder and even raised her voice, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I know there¡¯s some misunderstanding


    between us, and I admit there was some conflict between Sylvia and me in the past, but Sylvia is dead.


    I just want to care for the kids. If the two of them can grow up healthy, Sylvia will be happy.¡±


    ¡°You...¡± Aunt Tonya choked on her anger.


    Tara seemingly wanted to continue causing a scene that wore her patience thin. She approached Tara


    and wanted to drag the woman away, but at this point, she noticed the two little ones standing by the


    door behind her.


    Isabel and Liam were looking at them with widened eyes.


    Aunt Tonya was shocked.


    Isabel¡¯s eyes became teary, and even Liam furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, is it true? Is Mommy dead?¡±


    Aunt Tonya got nervous. She could not bear seeing the two little ones cry, but Sylvia was indeed gone and the


    lie could not continue forever.


    The two of them took Aunt Tonya¡¯s silence as an affirmative answer.


    Isabel pouted and broke down in tears while Liam furrowed his brows tightly and wore a sorrowful look.


    Aunt Tonya did not have the time or mood to care about Tara anymore. She immediately went to the two little


    ones and hugged them tightly.


    As Isabel cried a river, Liam hugged his sister and consoled her quietly.


    Aunt Tonya was at a loss of action, so all she could do was sigh helplessly.


    Tara then got up on her feet.


    The tears and snot on Isabel''s features put a grin on her face. She went closer to them and feigned a worried


    expression. ¡°Isabel, Liam, I know your Mommy is not here anymore, but I¡¯ll take care of you two for her.¡±

 Chapter 462

    Isabel cried even louder, and Liam shot a frosty gaze at her.


    Tara¡¯s gaze shifted when she saw the boy¡¯s eyes, but she quickly regained herposure because they were


    just a pair of four-year- olds who had just lost their mother.


    Suddenly, Aunt Tonya got up and pped her on the face.


    The force of the p sent Tara faltering backward.


    Tara covered her face in pain. While she cursed Aunt Tonya deep in her heart, she continued to feign a teary


    look and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I meant what I said!¡±


    Aunt Tonya pointed at her and scolded, ¡°Get out of this house immediately, or I¡¯ll p you again! ¡±


    Tara then left with a recalcitrant expression.


    Aunt Tonya grunted and turned around to the brother and sister. Liam was rather calm, but Isabel cried


    ceaselessly.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Both Aunt Tonya and Sebastian tried everything they could think of and still could not stop the girl from


    crying, so Sebastian was forced to call Odell.


    After the call with Odell, Violet heard the crying and came out of Madam Carter¡¯s room. When she saw


    the little girl crying a river, she asked, ¡°Sebastian, Aunt Tonya, what¡¯s wrong with Isabel?¡±


    Aunt Tonya grumbled, ¡°It¡¯s that Tara. She came earlier and pretended to care about them. Se even said


    she wanted to take care of them now that Sylvia is gone. I told her to leave and she started to cause a


    scene, so they overheard the conversation.¡±


    Violet understood what happened.


    Tara came causing a scene because she wanted Isabel and Liam to know that their mother was gone.


    She must be trying to persuade them to ept Sylvia¡¯s death so that they could ept her and Odell


    being together.


    ''Scheming against two four-year-olds? What a horrible woman! ¡¯ Violet thought.


    She then went over to Isabel and Liam and said, ¡°That¡¯s not true. Don¡¯t listen to her. Your Mommy is


    temporarily away and she can¡¯t make it back now. She¡¯s not dead.¡±


    Isabel paused her crying. She continued sobbing and choking as she asked, ¡°Really?¡±


    Liam also stared at Violet.


    ¡°Of course! ¡± Violet answered firmly.


    Liam simply stared at her while Isabel turned to Aunt Tonya and Sebastian. She wanted to hear from


    them that her mommy was still alive.


    However, Aunt Tonya and Sebastian did not know that Sylvia was actually alive, and since they did not


    want to lie to the little girl, they simply averted her gaze.


    Isabel realized that her mother had been gone for a few months, and if she was still alive, she would


    havee back. Violet must be lying to stop her from crying!


    She continued to sob and said in a small voice, ¡°Violet is lying...¡±


    Violet was silenced. She really wanted to tell the girl that her mother was alive, but due to the promise


    she had made with Sylvia, she was forced to swallow the truth for now.


    Tara did not actually leave after being pped. She stayed outside and waited beside the gate.


    Now that the two kids had learned that their mother was dead, they ought to throw a tantrum.


    Sebastian would have to call Odell to tell him about the situation, and he would definitelye back. Tara was


    actually waiting for Odell.


    She wanted him to see the mark from the p she got from Aunt Tonya and make him think that she had not


    divulged Sylvia''s death to the kids on purpose.


    Soon, Odell¡¯s car turned in from the junction and screeched to a stop in front of the house.


    Tara went up to the car immediately.


    The man¡¯s towering figure came out of the car and she went up to him with teary eyes.


    ¡°Odell, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t know Aunt Tonya hated me so much. I shouldn¡¯t havee here to


    check on Isabel and Liam at this hour.¡±


    Odell saw the reddish cheek on her face and asked in a gravelly voice, ¡°What happened to your face?¡±

 Chapter 463

    ¡°It¡¯s Aunt Tonya...¡± Tara observed the reaction on his face and continued, ¡°But I believe she doesn¡¯t mean it. I


    didn¡¯t know Isabel and Liam were in the living room, and I exined that I was there to see them. It slipped my


    mind and I identally mentioned Sylvia¡¯s death, so the kids heard it, then she pped me.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°Go home first.¡±


    He was worried about the kids and had no time tofort Tara.


    Tara immediately said, ¡°Okay. Go check on Isabel and Liam. They need you right now.¡±


    While Odell hummed a reply and went into the house, Tara sighed a breath of relief and wore a grin. Now that


    the two little monsters knew their mother was gone, they would stop asking for her.


    All Tara needed to do was visit frequently and show them care and love. They might then start to ept her


    and rely on her as a mother figure.


    Until then, she could be with Odell again without any more hindrance.


    Odell strode into the living room.


    Isabel was still crying loudly while Liam was hugging her. Both Sebastian and Aunt Tonya were


    helpless when it came toforting the girl.


    The two of them stepped aside when Odell came in. He then carried the two of them back to their


    room.


    Isabel was crying her lungs out and did not even care about who carried her. She buried her face in


    Odell¡¯s neck, and her tears and snot wet his cor.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam was rtively calm. He turned to his father and asked, ¡° Daddy, is Mommy really dead?¡±


    He widened his big eyes in silence and observed his father¡¯s reaction.


    Odell was taken aback by how calm Liam was.


    However, the boy was quiet and never expressed his emotions easily.


    With that aside, Odell decided to be frank with the two of them. ¡° Mommy fell into theke and we still


    can¡¯t find her now.¡±


    Liam thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Then, is there a chance that mommy is still alive?¡±


    Odell went silent for a moment before he hummed a reply. It was possible that she was still alive, but


    the odds were slim.


    Liam then turned to Isabel and said, ¡°Sis, Daddy still hasn¡¯t found mommy. Mommy might be alive.¡±


    Isabel paused her crying and looked at her brother with reddish eyes. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really. Mommy wille back soon.¡±


    ¡°What if Mommy neveres back?¡±


    Liam wiped her tears and snot away and said, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll continue to wait.¡±


    The determination in his eyes calmed Isabel down. She sniffled and said, ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll wait for Mommy toe


    back! ¡±


    Odell pursed his lips at Isabel¡¯s brightened mood and the strange hope that they grasped onto. For the first


    time in months, he finally wore a smile on his frosty face.


    Later, Isabel and Liam finally went to sleep. Odell sighed a breath of relief and left the room.


    The room returned to silence, but the little girl¡¯s tears continued to trickle down her cheeks.


    Fortunately, Liam was there to hug her to sleep.


    A whileter, he noticed a moving figure outside the door, so he quietly had a nce at the doorway.


    Outside the door, Violet leaned against the wall and took pictures of inside the room with her phone.

 Chapter 464

    After getting a picture of the brother and sister sleeping soundly, Violet sent the picture to Sylvia.


    ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. Isabel isn¡¯t crying anymore.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Violet.¡±


    Violet chatted with Sylvia for a while before sneaking away.


    Little did she know, the boy was watching her with his big eyes from inside the room.


    Inside a secret room in Lush Heaven, the windows were shut tight. Sylvia was sitting by the window, studying


    the picture she had gotten from Violet.


    The picture showed Isabel curled up in her brother¡¯s arms. Her face was flush, and there seemed to be tears


    lingering at the tip of her eyshes.


    Liam was the same age as her, but he looked after her like an adult would.


    The picture choked Sylvia up and made her emotional, but thinking that Tara was the one who caused all this


    stopped her from tearing up.


    It was not the time to be emotional. She had to find a way to locate Mnie!


    Back at the Carters'', Isabel and Liam went to Madam Carter¡¯s room after dinner.


    Isabely down beside Madam Carter and rambled away as usual, and she bad-mouthed about Tara


    exclusively today.


    Violet listened to the little girl¡¯sints and giggled.


    Then, Liam suddenly said, ¡°Violet, can you lend me your phone? I want to y a game.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Violet gave him her phone without a second thought.


    Liam sat opposite her and turned the phone horizontal to make it look like he was ying games.


    In fact, he was checking on the chat history Violet had with the secret contact.


    He widened his eyes and read through all the contents of the chat.


    After he went through all the messages, his hands trembled a little. He was certain that this secret


    contact was his mother.


    His mother had told Violet to check on their emotions for the day, and if she noticed anything out of the


    blue, she was to inform her right away.


    Besides that, he even saw in their previous chat history that his mother had told Violet to look for her in


    Lush Heaven.


    ¡®So, Mommy is in Lush Heaven?¡¯


    Violet then suddenly said, ¡°Liam, hold the phone further away.


    Your eyes will be strained if you¡¯re too close.¡±


    Liam subtly closed the chat window and continued ying his game.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    At night, the brother and sister slept beside Madam Carter.


    Odell came in and carried them back to the room where Sylvia used to stay. They had been sleeping in


    this room for some time now, and it felt just like they had done so many nights ago.


    He took their jackets and shoes off before tucking them under the sheets.


    The moment Odell went out, Liam opened his eyes. He shook his sister¡¯s arm to wake her.


    Isabel opened herblurry eyes and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Liam said in a small voice, ¡°Sis, I know where Mommy is.¡±


    Isabel widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Really?¡±


    Liam protruded his lips and said, ¡°Cross my heart.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go find Mommy! ¡± Isabel got so excited that she tried to climb out of bed.


    Liam pulled her back and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless. Mommy is in a secret ce, so we cannot expose


    her. We must firste up with a secret n, and we mustn''t let other people know, not even Aunt Tonya.¡±


    He could tell from Violet¡¯s chat history that his mother did not want anyone to locate her at the moment, so


    they had to act in secret.


    Isabel hummed a reply, pleased that she could finally see her mother.


    The two of them hid under the sheets and devised a n to reunite with their mother.

 Chapter 465

    Odell was in the other room and had no idea that his children were plotting to locate their mother.


    He stood in front of the balcony with the windows opened. The night breeze blew against his towering figure.


    He was leaning against the wall with a cigarette in his mouth while toying with a wooden tortoise in his hand.


    The wooden tortoise¡¯s edges had been filed down by the repeated caresses, but the words carved on its


    stomach was still visible.


    As he stared at the little tortoise with a deep gaze, his mind uncontrobly yed the scenes of that woman.


    Her arrogance, the injustice to her, and the nk expression that she wore...everything was being reyed in


    his mind. From the moment he confirmed his feelings for her to the moment she jumped into theke, every


    expression on her face shed in his mind.


    He still failed to understand why would the woman, being the shameless person who cared a lot about the


    kids, would have jumped into theke.


    If he could start over, he would not have broken her leg anymore. As long as she acknowledged her mistake


    and promised to live a peaceful life with him, he could forget about her affair with Edmund and even his


    grandmother¡¯s incident.


    All of a sudden, a strong gust blew.


    It blew the cloud of smoke away and cleared his vision together with his thoughts.


    It had been four months, four whole months since she had fallen into theke.


    If she were alive, she would havee back for the kids, but she was nowhere to be found. There was


    not even a trace that she was alive.


    ''Is she really dead?¡¯


    After that, he tossed the cigarette butt on the ground and uncorked the whiskey on the table. He


    swigged straight from the bottle instead of pouring it into a ss.


    The next day, Isabel and Liam got up as usual, but no matter what Aunt Tonya and Sebastian said,


    they refused to eat. They simply grabbed a few bites and that was it.


    Aunt Tonya even tried to coax them with their favorite snacks, but it was useless. Not only Liam, but


    even the gluttonous Isabel also refused to look at the snacks.


    In the afternoon, Sebastian told the kitchen to prepare their favorite food and they still refused to eat.


    Aunt Tonya asked, ¡°Isabel, Liam, are you two feeling alright?¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Here. This hurts.¡±


    She pointed at her chest.


    Aunt Tonya helplessly turned to Sebastian, requesting help.


    Sebastian then pulled his phone out and called Odell.


    Then, Liam suddenly said, ¡°We want to go out.¡±


    Sebastian held the call and said, ¡°You want to go out and y?¡±


    Aunt Tonya was intrigued too.


    Isabel then said, ¡°We want to go to Aunt Sherry¡¯s ce.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Aunt Sherry?¡± Sebastian asked.


    Aunt Tonya said, ¡°Sherry is Sylvia¡¯s best friend.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s contact her immediately,¡± Sebastian said.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give her a call.¡±


    Aunt Tonya just happened to have Sherry¡¯s contact, so she made the call. Meanwhile, Isabel and Liam stood


    side by side and stared at Aunt Tonya with an intrigued gaze.


    Half an hourter, Sherry drove a fancy pink car to the house.


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, my babies! I¡¯m here! ¡± Sherry strode into the living room.


    Liam and Isabel exchanged a quick nce before they ran towards Sherry.


    Liam politely greeted, ¡°Aunt Sherry.¡±


    Isabel said, ¡°Aunt Sherry, you look so beautiful today! ¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 466

    Isabel and Liam¡¯s cuteness was Sherry¡¯s weakness, so she lowered herself to their eye level to hug and kiss


    them. She left a ton of kiss marks on their puffy cheeks before releasing them.


    Liam might not be a fan of intimacy, but for the sake of his mother, he tolerated being ravaged.


    Isabel was fine with the kisses and hugs, and the thought of her mother made her return a kiss on Sherry¡¯s


    cheeks.


    The returned kiss almost melted Sherry¡¯s heart. She smiled and hugged the two of them, and asked, ¡°Where


    do you two want to go today? I¡¯ll bring you anywhere you want! ¡±


    Isabel looked at Liam expectantly.


    Liam said, ¡°We want to eat hotpot!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then! I¡¯ll bring you two to the best hotpot shop in town!¡±


    Sherry held their hands and wanted to leave the house, but Aunt Tonya wanted to follow them.


    Liam turned to Aunt Tonya and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, why don¡¯t you take a rest today? You don¡¯t need to


    apany us.¡±


    Sherry also said, ¡°Yeah, Aunt Tonya, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send them home before dark.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but I¡¯ll send Ben to watch over them.¡± Sylvia was already gone, and even though Aunt Tonya


    knew that Sherry was Sylvia¡¯s best friend, she still had her concerns.


    Sherry nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liam pouted but did not say anything. Ben then followed the three of them.


    Sherry brought the two little rascals to a famous hotpot shop and asked for a private room.


    Isabel and Liam were free to order whatever they liked.


    Isabel had skipped two meals for this, and her stomach was growling, so she spared the courtesy and


    ordered everything she and her brother liked.


    Soon, a boiling pot was served together with the ingredients they ordered.


    Sherry and Isabel enjoyed the meal, and even Liam ate quite a bit.


    After the satisfying meal, Sherry asked, ¡°Do you guys want to go to an amusement park?¡±


    Isabel shook her head and said, ¡°We don¡¯t want to go anywhere else. We just want to be with you, Aunt


    Sherry.¡±


    Sherry was a little surprised. She appreciated their enthusiasm, but it was too much to handle at times.


    Liam then said, ¡°Aunt Sherry, you are like our Mommy. We can almost smell her scent on you.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback.


    Sylvia¡¯s scent? Indeed, she had been spending a lot of time with Sylviately, so could she have identally


    picked up Sylvia¡¯s scent?


    Just as she tried to gather her thoughts, Isabel jumped into her arms and hugged her. She said meekly, ¡°Aunt


    Sherry, we just want to be with you. We promise we won¡¯t be naughty, so please let us stay with you.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s heart was almost melted by the girl¡¯s meek voice. She hugged the girl and said, ¡°Isabel, even if you


    are naughty, Aunt Sherry will never leave you.¡±


    ¡°Then, can you bring us along with you?¡± Isabel widened her googly eyes.


    Sherry answered without a second thought, ¡°Of course! Of course, you can! I¡¯ll give my life away to make sure


    you two are with me! ¡±


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    After that, she brought the kids out of the hotpot shop.


    The two of them refused to go to the amusement park and chose to stay by her side quietly instead. They were


    obedient and quiet kids, and Sherry wished she could give them all her love.


    After they got into the car, before Sherry could think of a ce to bring them, Isabel fell asleep on herp. Liam


    was also dozing off by her side.


    A quick thoughtter, Sherry said, ¡°Ben, can you bring us to Lush Heaven?¡±


    Ben knew it was a nightclub, so he voiced his concerns, ¡°Ms. Fowler, you¡¯re bringing Isabel and Liam to a


    nightclub?¡±

 Chapter 467

    ¡°Isabel and Liam just want to be with me, and I have a lounge for them to rest there. There¡¯s no one


    there at this hour, so it¡¯s quiet. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Sherry simply wanted Sylvia to have a peek at them while they were asleep so that she would feel a


    little better.


    Ben was forced toply since the two little rascals clung to her. He hummed a reply and drove the


    car to Lush Heaven.


    Twenty minutester, the car arrived at Lush Heaven¡¯s entrance.


    Both Isabel and Liam were fast asleep. Sherry told Ben to carry Liam while she carried Isabel down


    from the car.


    They went up to the first room on the second floor. Sherry knocked on the door before she opened it.


    The room was actually a spacious and well-lit bedroom.


    Both Sherry and Ben then ced the two little rascals on the bed.


    Sherry said, ¡°Ben, you can go out now. I¡¯ll apany them.¡±


    Ben had a nce at the two sleeping children and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After he went out, Sherry locked the door. She looked around to make sure there was no one else


    around. She then turned to the bathroom and called out, ¡°Sylvia, the coast is clear!¡±


    Sylvia had been hiding behind the bathroom curtain. She came out and saw her kids who she had not


    seen for four months.


    Immediately, her hands trembled emotionally.


    Sherry nudged her and said, ¡°Go on. They are asleep.¡±


    Sylvia went to the bed and caressed their puffy cheeks before she gave each of them a kiss. Just when


    she wanted to stand up, she felt a tug on her shirt.


    She turned around and saw Isabel¡¯s hand grabbing her shirt.


    Sylvia tried to remove Isabel¡¯s hand, but as soon as she pulled the girl¡¯s fingers off, the girl grabbed her


    shirt once more.


    Sylvia stared at the girl¡¯s puffy face. Both her lips and even her eyes were tightly shut.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted. She removed the girl¡¯s hand and stood up.


    In the next second, the girl bolted up and hugged her at the back of her neck. The girl squeezed her as


    though she was afraid that her mother would abandon her. She even cried, ¡°Mommy, please don¡¯t go!¡±


    Sylvia pinched her puffy cheeks and wore a helpless smile. ¡°You are still pretending to be asleep?¡±


    Isabel immediately opened her eyes to stare at her mother. She had not been sleeping from the start.


    Liam realized they were exposed, so he also opened his eyes and sat up.


    Sherry was surprised to find the two little rascals awake. She came over and asked, ¡°You guys aren¡¯t


    asleep?¡±


    Isabel giggled. ¡°We faked it.¡±


    Sherry was baffled. She looked at Liam, but he was calmly staring at Sylvia.


    Sylvia then sat down in between them and hugged both of them in her arms. She asked, ¡°Did you two


    ask Sherry to bring you here?¡±


    Isabel looked at Liam who hummed a reply.


    Sherry was still baffled about what was going on.


    Isabel then said, ¡°Bro found out from Violet¡¯s phone that Violet was chatting with Mommy, and he


    suspected that Mommy is here, so we thought of asking you to bring us here.¡±


    Sherry finally understood what happened. The two of them had used her and the excuse of getting


    hotpot to locate their mother.


    However, looking at their adorable expressions, Sherry pinched the two of them on their faces. ¡°You


    two little rascals! ¡±


    They were two four-year-olds, yet they managed to string her along!


    Isabel giggled silly.


    Liam puckered his lips. ¡°Aunt Sherry, thank you for bringing us to Mommy.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 468

    Sherry could not help but giggle at the girl. She was not mad at the kids at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, SyL.¡± She looked at Sylvia apologetically. She had promised Sylvia to keep her existence a secret


    and shut off all possible news that might lead to her discovery.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    She would never have thought that Liam would be smart enough to search Violet¡¯s chat history with her and


    even devise a n to use Sherry to bring them to her.


    The two little rascals were not at all guilty even after their schemes were exposed. They even clung to Sylvia


    tighter than ever.


    Isabel curled her tiny arms around her mother¡¯s neck and nuzzled against her cheeks.


    Liam also sat closer to his mother. His big eyes also showed an obvious sense of delight.


    Sherry pinched the kids¡¯ cheeks once more before she left them with their mother.


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    After nuzzling their mother for a while, Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, why are you hiding here?¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her brows and said in a small voice, ¡°Mommy got into some trouble, and I have to handle all of


    them before I can go back to you guys.¡±


    ¡°But the people outside said you are dead, and so did Aunt Tonya and Uncle Sebastian. That ugly


    woman wants to marry big meanie and she visits Great-grandma frequently. She even cooked for me


    and Bro but we are too smart to fall into her trap.¡±


    Her tiny mouth was ceaseless when she mentioned Tara.


    Sylvia could not help but giggle at the girl¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°Isabel and Liam, you are the smartest.¡±


    Isabel giggled shyly when hearing the praise.


    Liam then asked, ¡°Mommy, Daddy said you fell into theke. Why did you fall into theke?¡±


    He looked up at his mother and stared at her with a curious gaze.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°I identally fell into theke.¡±


    She was not trying to defend Tara, but she did not want her kids to know how malicious a person could


    be at such a young age. If she revealed the truth, she might traumatize their growing minds.


    Liam pouted and stopped with his question.


    Isabel then took over and continued, ¡°Mommy, how long more are you going to stay here for?¡±


    ¡°Soon. When I handle everything, I ¡¯ll go back to you guys.¡± A quick thoughtter, Sylvia continued, ¡°But


    before I return, please keep this a secret. Promise me, don¡¯t let anyone else know I¡¯m here.


    Okay?¡±


    The two little rascals chorused in the same voice, ¡°Okay.¡±


    While they wore a determined look on their puffy faces, Sylvia wore a gratified smile.


    Later that evening, Odell returned home earlier than usual.


    He brought Isabel and Liam¡¯s favorite snacks home, but when he entered the living room, he only saw


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian. The two little rascals were nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Where are Isabel and Liam?¡± he asked.


    Sebastian answered, ¡°Isabel and Liam went out with Ms. Fowler, Sherry Fowler.¡±


    ¡°Sherry Fowler?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Maybe they just want to go out and have some fun. Since they remembered Ms. Fowler, Tonya called


    her in the afternoon, and Ms. Fowler happily brought them out.¡±


    Odell had a nce at his watch. It was almost 6 p.m.


    ¡°Did no one follow them?¡±


    ¡°Ben went out with them.¡±


    Odell pulled his phone out and called Ben. The call got through right away.


    ¡°Are Isabel and Liaming home now?¡± he asked.


    Ben answered in a small voice, ¡°Isabel and Liam are still with Ms. Fowler.¡±


    ¡°Where are they?¡±


    Ben stuttered, ¡°T-They are at Lush Heaven and I think they are still sleeping.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Keep an eye on them. I¡¯ming over.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Odell put his phone away and stormed out of the door.

 Chapter 469

    Back at Lush Heaven, Sylvia was in the room with her kids who were still clinging to her.


    Sylvia talked to them about their lives, how things had changed and how they were adapting.


    Liam barely spoke as Isabel did all the talking.


    Isabel talked about how much she missed her mother, how she apanied her great-grandmother with her


    brother every night, and even the things she encountered at kindergarten.


    Sylvia simply listened to her bbering until Sherry¡¯s phone rang.


    After she answered the call, she turned to Sylvia with a horrified look ¡°Syl! My security told me Odell ising!


    ¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk She immediately turned to her kids and said, ¡° Isabel, Liam, I cannot let your Daddy find


    me. Remember what I said. I¡¯ll find you after I''ve handled everything. Remember!¡±


    Liam hummed a reply and Isabel pouted. ¡°Mommy, pleasee back soon!¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Sylvia kissed both of them on the cheeks and ran towards the window.


    The bedroom had no ce for her to hide except in the bathroom, and there was only one shower


    curtain inside. One could easily spot her through the translucent shower curtain.


    She could not afford to let Odell find her now, so she climbed out of the window immediately.


    Sherry went over to the kids and sat down beside them. ¡°Isabel, Liam, pretend to be asleep! ¡±


    The two of them responded swiftly andy back down on the bed with their eyes closed.


    Then, knocks came from the door.


    It was Ben. ¡°Ms. Fowler, Master Carter is here for the kids.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay! ¡± Sherry ruffled her hair to make it look like she had just woken up from a nap before she


    opened the door.


    Odell was right in front of the door.


    Sherry had a nce at him before she stepped aside and let him in.


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    He strode all the way to the bed and carried Isabel in his arms. He nced at Ben and signaled him to


    carry Liam, so Ben did as he was signaled.


    The room looked cozy and quiet and there was no sign of anything inappropriate.


    Odell¡¯s frosty expression softened a bit. Before he left, he had a nce at Sherry and said, ¡°Thank you


    for apanying them for the day.¡±


    Sherry grunted. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. I¡¯m doing this for Syl.¡±


    Odell kept quiet and left with Isabel in his arms. Ben also carried Liam and followed his boss outside.


    It was time for Lush Heaven to start its business for the day.


    The crowd remained tame for now, but the staff was gathered in front of the changing room.


    The changing room was located next to the bedroom where Isabel and Liam were supposedly sleeping.


    Sylvia snuck into the changing room through the window and hid behind the door while having a peek outside


    through the seam. She saw the man¡¯s towering figure leave with Ben behind him. Both of them were carrying


    Isabel and Liam respectively.


    Just when they were about to walk down the stairs, one of the dancers outside the room opened the door.


    Bang!


    The door was mmed into Sylvia¡¯s nose, causing her to squeal in pain.


    The dancer immediately apologized. ¡°Oh my gosh! I¡¯m so sorry! Are you okay?¡±


    Before Sylvia could reply, she sensed a familiar gaze aimed in her direction.


    Odell, who was about to go down the stairs, heard her squeal. He backed up a few steps and shot his sharp


    gaze at the changing room.

 Chapter 470

    Sylvia quickly turned around.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell furrowed his brows and then strode towards the changing room.


    Sylvia could already hear his footsteps approaching. Her pained squeal must have caught his attention.


    The changing room was not as spacious as the bedroom, and if he barged in, he would definitely spot


    her. There was no time for her to think of a delicate n, so she dashed out of the changing room and


    ran towards the toilet on the other end.


    Odell was shocked to see the familiar figure run past him. He immediately hastened his steps and went


    after her.


    Before Sylvia could step into the toilet, a strong hand caught her by the shoulder.


    Sylvia froze.


    It was at that moment that Isabel released a sudden scream.


    Sylvia seized the chance and slipped into the toilet.


    Odell¡¯s expression shifted. He wanted to chase after the woman, but Isabel started to punch him.


    ¡°Big meanie, why are you holding me? Put me down! ¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Put me down and I¡¯ll be quiet!¡± Isabel continued punching him.


    Odell had a nce at Ben, who also followed him to the toilet, and ordered, ¡°Watch her.¡±


    He put Isabel down on the floor and stepped into the female toilet.


    ¡°Big meanie, why are you going into the female toilet!?¡± Isabel bawled and wanted to chase after him


    but Ben held her back. She frowned and wore a worried look.


    ¡®Is the big meanie going to catch Mommy?¡¯


    Odell¡¯s appearance in the female toilet caused the girls inside to scream. Nheless, he ignored


    everyone and went inside. He soon stood before a row of tightly shut toilet stalls and waited for the


    users toe out.


    A whileter, all the toilet users came out from their respective stalls except for thest one.


    He went over to thest stall and knocked on the door, but there was no response.


    He narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°Sylvia, I know it¡¯s you. If you don¡¯te out, I¡¯lle in.¡±


    There was still no response after a few seconds, so he put his hand on the handle. Before he pushed


    the door open, the door opened from the inside.


    A coquettish woman dressed in a revealing outfit appeared before his eyes. The woman furiously


    bellowed, ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you? Can''t a person take a shit in peace?!¡±


    Odell was stunned.


    The woman looked exactly like the person that he saw outside earlier. Be it the hairstyle or the jacket


    that she wore, they were an exact copy. Had he mistaken someone else for Sylvia?


    The woman screamed, ¡°You fucking pervert! Get the fuck out of my face or I¡¯ll call the cops!¡±


    Odell¡¯s face fell and he left the female toilet.


    After the left, the woman sighed a breath and closed the door, behind which Sylvia was actually hiding.


    The woman smiled at Sylvia and dered, ¡°Sylvia, he¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sammy,¡± Sylvia said with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I got you, girl. I have to go back to work.¡± The girl, Sammy, then took off the jacket and


    wanted to return it to Sylvia.


    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°Wait. Take it. I¡¯m afraid that he will be back.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go out first.¡± Sammy then wore Sylvia¡¯s jacket out of the toilet.


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief.


    Sammy was a part-time dancer at Lush Heaven and was Sherry¡¯s most trusted employee. Sylvia had


    been hiding in Lush Heaven for a few months now and had gotten closer to Sammy.


    It was fortunate that she ran into Sammy in the toilet, or else Odell would have caught her.


    After leaving the toilet, Odell carried Isabel into his arms.

 Chapter 471

    The little girl did not reject his embrace this ime. She allowed her father to carry her around as she


    peered at him with her big eyes. Ben also watched the father and daughter while holding Liam in his


    arms. Odell soon noticed the brother and sister looking at him. He asked, ¡°Why are you two staring at


    me?¡±


    Liam asked, ¡°Daddy, why did you go into the female toilet?¡±


    Isabel blinked innocently and echoed, ¡°Yeah, I heard thedies inside call you a pervert.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Quict.¡±


    Isabel and Liam pursed their lips. They wisely abandoned the topic and secretly sighed a breath of relief.


    Tliey were relieved that their father did not find their mother.


    Odell wore a glum expression as he went downstairs with the two of them. His mind, however, was still


    thinking about the familiar cry and the figure that ran past him. The cry was obviously Sylvia¡¯s, and the


    figure he spotted highly resembled his presumedly dead wile.


    His gaze sbisted and suddenly stopped walking


    Ben followed his boss to a shadowyer. Isabel looked at him and asked, ¡°Big meanic, why are you


    stopping?¡± However, Odell ignored the girl and looked up the stairs. Momentster, he spotted the young


    woman that he had barged into in the female toilet. With the same hairstyle, the same jacket, and her


    physique that highly resembled Sylvia, he was now convinced that he had mistaken her for Sylvia.


    He felt slightly disheartened after finding out the truth.


    Without further ado, he carricd Isabel out of Lush Heaven together with Ben and Liam.


    Meanwhile, back in the bedroom, Sylvia stood by the window as she watched Odell carry the kids into


    the car.


    The car¡¯s engine roared to life, and it swiftly joined the traffic on the road.


    Sherry suddenly rushed into the room and nervously asked, ¡°Syl, I heard that Odell went into the female


    toilet. Did he see you?¡±


    Sylvia hummed a reply and exined, ¡°Yeah, but I ran into Sammy in one of the stalls, and I swapped


    my jacket with her, so we managed to fool him.¡± Sherry sighed a breath of relief. ¡°Thank goodness.¡±


    ¡°Sherry, I want to make this public.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sherry falled to understand her friend.


    Sylvia turned around and looked at her. ¡°What is the entire Westchester finds out that Odell Carter


    chased a woman into the female toilet at Lush Heaven? What would happen then?¡±


    Sherry wore a malicious grin. ¡°Syl, you are trying to make a joke out of him? Evil, I like it.¡± Odell never


    would have expected that his search for Sylvia in Lush Heaven would be twisted into him chasing a


    woman into the female toilet. It would definitely leave a dent in lils reputation and upset him.


    Sylvia giggled. That was not all that she sought.


    Tara was cager to be Mrs. Carter, and if she found out that Odell was chasing after some woman in


    a nightclub, how would she react? Would she be more anxious than before?


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll spread the news.¡± Sherry then left the room. She was also eager to see Odell be a


    public joke.


    Midnight marked the climax al Lush Heaven.


    Sammy and the other dancers were twirling on stage, and the audience enjoyed theirpany. After the


    first song, Sammy stopped and went off stage. She seemed to be in a soul mood as she strode to the


    bar for a drink


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Her sanboys who were there only for her surrounded her immediately


    ¡°Sammy, what¡¯s wrong with you today? Are you having a bad day? Did someone bully you?¡±


    ¡°Come on. Tell me. I¡¯ll beat the bastard up.¡± Sammy took a gulp from her ss and crumbled, ¡°I¡¯m so


    pissed. I have never seen someone as horny as him.¡±


    Her fanboys were intrigued. ¡°What happened? Come on, tell me, which bastard bullied you?¡±

 Chapter 472

    Samy said in a small voke, ¡°Forget about itNot even all of you together can do anything


    One of her fanboyt tapand the router and wid, ¡°Cordeon Other than the Cartes, I¡¯m not


    of anyone in Welchuur Telltist wtu t ind


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ut ate you going to do about it. Can you go leash hima


    ¡°You te night it¡¯s in Odell Carier true tot fe


    The young man


    w


    i rd, and we the others


    ¡°No Way Afr you sur iti odr! Cartet*


    ¡°I clearly terembet har detrats are like thie, and I heard he¡¯s been diving in Cloudy Heart Lulu for months


    now to find lots intune wife 171 Wilhebelirte?¡±


    Nortollit puitd. 11119


    s They with the the sulle


    totaliollertutuld. Ommy


    T he von l iramuth 11 you don¡¯t beliarm0 Bor or the other girls


    ry urn (bell Cartet dat mcinto ile toilet op one in one of


    Be and the other site usetruu but then, to the menthen furied to them. The girls nodeled in untion,


    indging 1 Sammy said


    The Then wete hoint Authough they discoveted a new continent, they were around by the News and


    tirthy oknabout 1


    ¡°Hahaha who would have thought that the almighty Otell Carter woulde down to this kind of purto


    look for a woman?¡±


    ¡°Igress he¡¯s just horry now that his wife is gone I really didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be that bold¡±


    ¡°I heard he hubl a pirifttend of a mistress Tara Avery, if I remember correctly. They have been toyether for


    many years now.


    ¡°He must be bored with that woman I know, because I¡¯m a


    n


    too.¡±


    The healed discussion spread actors the Moor and soon became the topic of the night in Lush Heaven


    Later that night, the news even trended on social media. The title ¡®Odell Carter chases a woman into the


    toilet in a nightclub¡¯ became the headlines for many online media outlets


    Ortell had juste out of Isabel and Liar¡¯s room when he received a call from Cliff Cliff said in a small


    voice, ¡°Sir, your name is trending on social media.¡± Odell askund, ¡°My nane? What about? Finance? Or


    something else? ¡°No it¡¯s possip chiff breathed deeply before he blurted out everything, ¡°People are


    tallong


    about you chasing a woman into the toilet in Lush Heaven and that you even stopped her in front of one


    of the stalls.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. He continued in his calm voice, ¡°Make sure it¡¯s gone.¡±


    Cliff noticed his boss did not sound overly bothered, so he sighed a breath of relief and said, ¡± We¡¯re


    working on it, but a lot of people are sharing and retweeting, so it might take some time.¡±


    Odell put his phone away and returned to his room.


    There was a table on the balcony, and there was an uncorked wine on top of it.


    He picked up the bottle of wine and drank it directly from the bottle. After he drained it to thest drop, he


    returned to his room.


    At Lake Victoria Vi, Tara saw the trending news after it went viral. She texted Odell immediately to find


    out what happened, but several hours went by, and she still did not get a reply from him. The online


    discussion garnered a lot of attention. Although the first few tweets and posts were taken down, a lot of


    netizens believed that they were removed because Odell felt pressured, so they bounced back stronger


    than before. Tara refused to believe it at first. Given her understanding of Odell, he would never go to a


    ce like Lush Heaven to find some cheap woman. She believed someone must be trying to stir up a


    scandal and hurt his reputation, so she went on her secondary ount and tried to defend him.


    Sherry was the owner of Lush Heaven, and since she was friends with Sylvia, Tara believed the news


    must be fabricated by Sherry who wanted to avenge her friend.


    However, when she saw the picture released by a dancer in Lush Heaven, whose ount was verified,


    she was awestruck The picture showed the dancer in Lush Heaven¡¯s female toilet.

 Chapter 473

    The picture showed the female toilet of Lush Heaven, and Odell was standing at the side of the picture,


    staring at the row of toilet stalls, Although the picture only showed the side view, Tara recognized him at


    first nce.


    ¡®Did he really chase some woman into the toilet?¡¯


    Tara¡¯s face turned pale and anxiety rose.


    ¡®Has he fallen for some other woman again? No, I got rid of Sylvia. I can¡¯t just let some other woman


    snatch him away from me!¡¯


    The next morning.. Tara dressed up and went to Carter Tower.


    The security guards and reception recognized her, so she gained free ess to the office. Tara pot into


    the elevator and went straight up to the highest floor.


    Inside the spacious office, the man inahandsome ck suit was behind the desk working his way


    through a stack of documents.


    The door opened, and he looked up to find Tara at the entrance. There was a hint of annoyance in his


    expression


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Tara clearly knew he disliked being disturbed while working, but she could not care about it anymore. Her


    eyes were teary as she ran over to him with hurt on her face. Her fair skin was showing while her alluring


    physique was emphasized by the tight dress she wore.


    However, Odell was not attracted by the features she emphasized. He suppressed his annoyance and


    looked at her face. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Tara asked in a small voice, ¡°The whole intemet is talking about you chasing a woman into the toilet. Is it


    true?¡±


    Odell¡¯s frosty look remained. ¡°It is.¡±


    Tears rolled down her cheeks and she broke down in tears.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± He was baffled by her reaction.


    Tara sobbed. ¡°Odell, you¡¯d rather chase some woman in a nightclub than ept me again?¡± She looked


    pitiful with her tears and weeping.


    Unfortunately, Odell frowned and was initated by her crying. He just wanted to work and did not want to


    waste his time on nonsense, so he did not bother to exin the situation to her. Nheless, her crying


    gradually got out of hand, and it seemed like she would not leave without an exnation.


    ¡°Yeah, I chased a woman into the toilet, but it¡¯s not like what the inte sald. I¡¯m not there for that


    woman.¡±


    Tara¡¯s teary eyes gleamed. ¡°Really?¡± Odell hummed a reply. Tara then frowned. If Odell had not been


    there for the woman, why did he chase her into the toilet?


    However, the man refused to exin further. Tara still did not get aplete answer from him, so she


    stood there and looked at him with a pitiful gaze. She even subtly removed the shawl on her shoulder.


    Odell shifted his attention back to the documents on the table. ¡°I still have to work. Go home.¡±


    Tara¡¯s gaze shifted. She ran to his side and hugged him tightly. ¡°Odell, please let me return to your side. I


    want to be with you. I can help you take care of the kids and look after Grandmother.¡±


    The man frowned as he removed her arms from himself, but she hugged him again and even threw


    herself into his arms.


    As Odell¡¯s expression turned frosty, he pushed her to the ground, and she looked at him in disbelief. Her


    eyes were teary as she wore a wronged expression.


    Odell then coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t have the mood for this now. Go home now.¡±


    Sylvia had been dead for four months, and he still could not find the body. Aside from the fact that he no


    longer had feelings for Tara, even if he selt something for her, he would not choose to be with her at this


    sensitive time.

 Chapter 474

    Tara wept. ¡°Odell, are you in love with another woman?¡±


    Odell shut his eyes in annoyance.


    If Tara had not apanied him in his darkest times, lie would have called security to throw her out of


    the office.


    Luckily, he suppressed his irritation and exined, ¡°No. The things on the inte are all fake. I¡¯m not


    interested in some dancer.¡± ¡°Then, why won¡¯t you be with me? You have no idea how ugly things are


    online. Many dignitaries and influential figures of Westchester have even started to mock you andugh


    at you. If we get together again, we will be able to clear all the rumors and scandals.¡±


    Odell¡¯s frosty look remained. ¡°I don¡¯t care about all those, and you don¡¯t have to either.¡±


    Cliff was already dealing with the situation. If he could just leave it for a few more days, the heat would


    cool down and people would eventually forget about it.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Tara froze. She had purposely dressed herself up and cried her lungs out, vet lic showed no intention of


    being with her.


    Could it be that lie no longer wanted to be with her? Or had be really fallen for some other woman?


    The thoughts fueled Tara¡¯s anxiety.


    A whileter, she feebly got to her feet and said in a gravelly voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to disturb


    you, Odell.¡± She then beaded towards the door. She wobbled with each step, and right before she


    stepped out of the door, she fell to the side.


    Odell noticed her unusual reaction from the moment she got up, so when she finally fell, he ran to her


    and caught her. He saw her teary eyes and pale face which worried him. ¡°Tara? Tara?


    Tara merelyy limp in his arms feebly.


    Odell carried her out of the office.


    Back in Sylvia¡¯s room in Lush Heaven, she was carving wlien Sherry came in. Sherry immediately said,


    ¡°Syl, you¡¯re right! I sent someone to follow Tara, and she went to Carter Tower early in the morning to


    see Odell. A whileter, Odell carried her out of the building, and she seemed to be unconscious. I


    wonder why she passed out.¡± Sylvia grinned. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she faked it.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡±


    Sylvia understood Tara¡¯s tricks better than anyone. ¡°She should have seen the news online


    and suspected that Odell has fallen for another woman, so she probably faked it to earn his attention.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk. And here I was wondering why she passed out. So, what should we do next?¡± Sherry asked.


    ¡°Nothing. We just have to wait for Odell to agree to marry her.¡±


    Sherry was surprised. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    Sylvia calmly said, ¡°She spent a lot of effort just to erase me from the picture and yed the role of best


    caretaker to take care of Grandmother for four months now, but the news of Odell chasing another


    woman in the nightclub surely fueled her anxiety. She must be anxious now. Only marrying Odell will


    calm her down and rest her mind.¡±


    Meanwhile, at the hospital, Tara was transferred to a VIP ward after being discharged from the ER. She


    was sleeping on the sickbed. The doctor said to the man beside her, ¡°Master Carter, reports show that


    Ms. Avery is physically healthy, but the shock that she received must have taken a toll on her weak body.


    Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll wake up soon.¡± Odell eased his furrowed brows and hummed a reply.


    The doctor then went out. Odell had a nce at his watch and saw that it was almost noon.

 Chapter 475

    He had a meeting to attendter in the afternoon. He had another nce at Tara and noticed a healthy


    glow on her face, so he nned to get up and go back to work All of a sudden, Tara bolted up with a


    scream.


    Odell turned around to her, and she threw herself into his arms. She hugged him with her trembling arms


    and said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m very scared.¡±


    Odell patted her back. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I dreamt of the baby we would have had. My stomach was big¡­and I fell down the


    stairs.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°It¡¯s over now. Don¡¯t think about it anymore.¡± She started crying, ¡°Odell, can you stay a


    little longer?¡± Odell remembered Sylvia pushing Tara down the stairs and causing the miscarriage. Back


    then, he was rather surprised that Tara had gotten pregnant after having sex with him just once.


    Sylvia was also pregnant then, and she was his legal wife, so lie actually had a thought of making Tara


    abort the baby.


    However, the doctor had said that her body could not sustain the damage and that the child must not be


    aborted. Therefore, he had gifted Tara the vi at Lake Victoria and told her to take care of herself until


    she was due forbor.


    He felt like he owed her a lot, so he often would drop by the vi to visit her.


    Then, Sylvia showed up and pushed her down the stairs, causing her to miscarry and damaging her


    body permanently. She could never be pregnant again.


    Ultimately, he was responsible for what happened. ¡°Okay, just lie down first.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    He sat down beside the bed and Tara simplyy in his arms, hugging him tightly. He pitied her for having


    a nightmare, so he did not push her away this time.


    He then pulled his phone out to call Cliff.


    ¡°Dy the afternoon meeting by an hour.¡± Tara secretly curled her lips into a grin. After the call, she


    looked up at him and said meekly, ¡°Odell, am I disturbing your work?¡± He answered softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay,


    don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Tara sniffled and continued in a sobbing tone, ¡°Odell, why won¡¯t you marry me?¡± She shot a soft gaze at


    him.


    Odell was displeased by the request and furrowed his brows.


    She immediately exined, ¡°I know it has only been four months since Sylvia has been gone, and the


    timing is inappropriate, but you have to work and you need someone to take care of the kids and


    Grandmother at home. By marrying me, I can share your burden rightfully, or else people will keep


    talking about it.¡± In the end, she lowered her head and feigned a sorrowful look. Odell asked, ¡°Who¡¯s


    talking about it?¡± Tara pursed her lips in silence. ¡°Is it Aunt Tonya? Or someone else?¡±. Tara lowered her


    head further and said meekly, ¡°I can¡¯t take it, so please don¡¯t ask anymore.¡± Odell stared at her in silence.


    She was as kind and understanding as always and would be the perfect wife to take care of his house.


    However, he really did not have the intention to marry her.


    Tara then said, ¡°Odell, if Sylvia were still here, I wouldn¡¯t make you marry me. I just don¡¯t want to see you


    so tired, taking care of work and family together. Besides, I can no longer give birth, and if you don¡¯t want


    me, I don¡¯t know what reason I have to be alive.¡± Her words made Odell choke. The woman used to


    carry his child and apanied him through his darkest days. It was not an exaggeration to say that


    without Tara, he would not have made it today. In return, she had lost more than she gained from him


    and could never be pregnant anymore.


    He owed her more than he could ever return. A long silenceter, he said, ¡°Give me some time to think


    about it.¡± Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed. She said meekly, ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 476

    The next day, at the Carter residence.


    Tara arrived as usual. She was also carrying two delicate boxes. After entering the living room, she


    bumped into Sebastian and Aunt Tonya. She changed her expression and showed them a smile.


    ¡°Sebastian and Aunt Tonya, good morning.¡± Sebastian replied, ¡°Hello, Ms. Avery.¡±


    Aunt Tonya simply snorted coldly and turned her head to the side, pretending not to see her.


    Tara secretly cussed at the woman in her heart, but she walked up to Aunt Tonya with a smile on her


    face.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, these are gifts that I picked out for Isabel and Liam. Could you please help me take it to


    their room?¡± She handed over the boxes to Aunt Tonya. Aunt Tonya¡¯s face instantly went cold. ¡°Tara


    Avery, what kind of tone is that? Do you consider yourself the master here?¡±


    ¡®How dare she directly order me to do something?


    ¡®Does she think I¡¯m too old and stupid to understand her meaning?


    Tara immediately put on an innocent expression. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, Aunt Tonya. Isabel and Liam


    are the closest to you. I can¡¯t go up to their room, so I just thought that I could ask you to help me take it


    over to them.¡± Aunt Tonya became furious when she saw Tara¡¯s one-man act. ¡°Out of everyone here,


    why did you ask me to help you? You¡¯re just deliberately asking for a fight!¡± Tara¡¯s eyes reddened as if


    she was about to cry.


    Aunt Tonya could not help but roll her eyes.


    Seeing the situation, Sebastian moved forward and tugged Aunt Tonya to her to stop shouting at Tara.


    Then, he said to Tara, ¡°Ms. Avery, I¡¯ll help you take the things to the children.¡± He extended his hand


    toward Tara.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    However, Tara continued to exin anxiously, ¡°Aunt Tonya, that¡¯s really not what I meant. I don¡¯t think of


    myself as the master here. I just wanted toe see Grandma and help Sylvia take care of the


    children.¡±


    Aunt Tonya was incensed at her words. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare speak Syl¡¯s name! You¡¯re not worthy!¡± Tara said


    aggrievedly, ¡°I know that you watched Sylvia grow up, and her passing has made you very sad, but don¡¯t


    worry. I will take care of you on her behalf.¡± Aunt Tonya felt like her lungs were about to explode.


    ¡®In all my years of living, I¡¯ve never seen such a good actor! ¡®Not only is she good at acting, she even


    deliberately picked out words that I don¡¯t like to hear. She acts like she¡¯s kind while also pretending to be


    hurt, thus making me look like an unreasonable person.¡¯


    Seeing Tara¡¯s weak and soft look as if she was about to cry, Aunt Tonya could not hold back anymore


    and rushed up to p her face. Smack!


    Tara let out a scream and fell to the ground. Aunt Tonya pointed to her and scolded, ¡°You really know


    how to act, little girl. So, you¡¯ll take care of me? Huh¡­. I¡¯m sure that if you ever married into this family,


    the first thing you¡¯d do would be to kick me out!¡±


    Tara covered her face and cried. ¡°That¡¯s really not what I meant¡­¡± ¡°Stop acting already! !¡¯ll beat you to


    death!¡± Aunt Tonya was about to charge at her. Sebastian saw that things were looking bad and quickly


    tried to stop her. At that moment, a tall figure came down the stairs. When Sebastian saw that Aunt


    Tonya had not noticed Odell¡¯s presence and was about to hit Tara, he quickly shouted, ¡°Master Carter!¡±


    Aunt Tonya froze and turned to see Odell¡¯s dark and displeased face. Tara immediately cried and looked


    at Odell. ¡°Odell, I just wanted to give Isabel and Liam a gift. I didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡± Odell walked


    straight up to her and helped her up from the ground. ¡°I know.¡± He had overheard her conversation with


    Aunt Tonya from upstairs. Tara had beenpromising since the beginning. It was Aunt Tonya who was


    being unreasonable.


    LE


    Tara suddenly fell into his arms and sobbed pitifully.

 Chapter 477

    Odell looked at Aunt Tonya coldly.


    Aunt Tonya shrank back, but she still said indignantly, ¡°She clearly meant something else. She just wants


    to take Syl¡¯s ce as the mistress of this mansion!¡± He continued to look at her coldly. ¡°Aunt Tonya,


    didn¡¯t Sylvia tell you that Tara is a very important person to me?¡±


    Aunt Tonya choked.


    Odell said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you off for Sylvia¡¯s sake this time, but if it happens again, you won¡¯t have to stay here


    anymore.¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s eyes widened. She was so angry that she wanted to leave immediately.


    However, Isabel and Liam were still so young. If she left too, how would they fight back against Tara in


    the future?


    She forced herself to swallow her anger and said, ¡°Understood.¡±


    Only then did Odell¡¯s expression ease up a little


    Thien, he took Tara upstairs,


    Aunt Tonya stood where she was as she watched their intimate figures, wanting nothing more than to go


    up to them and tear them apart.


    Sebastian sighed beside her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t look, Tonya.¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s eyes reddened with anger. ¡°Syl has only been gone for a short time. How could lie do this?¡±


    ¡°Master Carter has always cared a lot for Ms. Avery. The Madam has been gone for four months now. It¡¯s


    only a matter of time before they get together. Please, just put up with it for


    the sake of the Young Master and Young Miss.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Upstairs, Odell led Tara to the study.


    He led her to a chair where she could sit before taking out an ointment that could reduce swelling from


    the first aid kit and applied it evenly to her face. Tara raised her head and looked at him with watery eyes.


    After applying the ointment, he put it back into the first aid kit and asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Looking


    touched, she said, ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡± Odell pursed his lips. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t hurt, then you may go


    outside. I still have some things to take care of.¡± Tara instantly looked disappointed but hummed in reply.


    When she stood up, she suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Odell, Aunt Tonya watched


    Sylvia grow up. Although Sylvia isn¡¯t around anymore, Aunt Tonya probably doesn¡¯t want anyone to take


    her ce, so I can understand why she hates me. However, Isabel and Liam like her, so please don¡¯t be


    angry with her.¡±


    Odell suddenly remembered Aunt Tonya¡¯s arrogant appearance as she scolded Tara downstairs.


    Although she truly loved Isabel and Liam, if she continued to raise them, who knew what the little ones


    would learn from her?


    It was obvious that the woman in front of him now was more suitable for educating the children. After a


    few seconds of silence, he looked at her and said, ¡°Go back and rest well. We¡¯ll get engaged at the end


    of the month and discuss the marriageter.¡± Once they were engaged, she would be considered as the


    mistress here. Even if Aunt Tonya hated her, she would not dare to make things difficult for her. As for


    Tara, her eyes widened with joy at hearing what he said. Then, excited tears flowed out of her eyes. She


    choked and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Then, she left the study and walked down the stairs to the living room.


    Sebastian was still there. She kept a polite smile when she saw him. Sebastian returned her smile. Then,


    she walked out of the living room into the yard.


    Aunt Tonya was trimming the flowers and nts in the garden and instantly red at Tara when she saw


    her.


    Tara maintained her smile as she walked up to her. Then, her expression suddenly changed as she


    looked at Aunt Tonya contemptuously. ¡°You¡¯re right, Aunt Tonya. When I be the mistress of this


    ce, the first thing I¡¯ll do is kick you out, you old b*tch.¡±

 Chapter 478

    Aunt Tonya instantly turned ashen with anger.


    Tara quickly took two steps back and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Aunt Tonya. I¡¯ll leave right now.¡±


    Aunt Tonya choked in ce. When Tara saw her about to explode with anger, she could not help but


    laugh. Then, she turned around and walked out.


    That night, in Lush Heaven.


    After Sherry got the news, she hurriedly went to Sylvia¡¯s room and said, ¡°Syl, the person who was sent to


    follow Tara said that she went to several bridal dress stores today. It seems that she wants to book a


    dress for an engagement.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    Sherry observed how Sylvia merely continued to carve the wooden block indifferently and could not help


    but say, ¡°Odell is going to be engaged to her. Why are you so cal?? Do you really want her to get


    her way and marry him?¡± Sylvia looked at her and asked, ¡°Sherry, do you think Mnie will show up


    when they get engaged?¡± Sherry was stunned for a moment before she grinned in understanding. ¡°Oh,


    so you want to use this method to lure Mnie out.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    At Lake Victoria Vi.


    Tara just returned here by car. Alter entering her cloakroom, she went to look at her jewelry. Whether it


    was a diamond ne or a jeweled bracelet, each and every one of them was very expensive. All of


    them had been gifted by Odell or bought using the allowance that he had given her. However, she had


    already worn all of these pieces. It would be better to wear a new one during the engagement party. She


    quickly dismissed the idea of picking out any jewelry for the engagement party from this selection.


    Instead, she called the maids to draw a bath and give her a massage to help her rx and unwind.


    She wasfortably soaking in the bathtub when her cell phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she shot a


    nce at the maid. The maid immediately understood and left the room.


    Tara answered the phone. On the other end, Mnie asked the usual question. ¡°Tara, how has your


    progress with Odell in the past few days been like?¡±


    The corners of Tara¡¯s mouth curled up and said, ¡°Odell has agreed to marry me. We¡¯re getting engaged


    on the 28th of this month.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Mnie raised her voice in excitement.


    ¡°Of course. The venue has already been set, and the ring has been chosen.¡± It was a six-carat diamond


    ring. Mnie asked happily, ¡°Where¡¯s the venue?¡±


    ¡°Westchester Hotel.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ May I go?¡± Mnie asked.


    Tara frowned.


    She did not want Mnie toe to Westchester City, and she especially did not want her to appear in


    front of Odell¡¯s eyes.


    However, she liad been introduced to Odell as her aunt before. He had even mentioned her that day and


    asked her to invite Mnie over.


    Tara pondered for a few seconds before replying, ¡°Sure, but you¡¯ll have to leave the same day.¡±


    She could not let her mother stay. It would be bad if Odell noticed something.


    Mnie quickly responded, ¡°Yes, I know.¡± She had never been to Westchester Hotel before in her entire


    life. Furthermore, this time, she would be going to the engagement party between her daughter and the


    master of the most powerful family in Westchester City. Her old friends would surely die of jealousy just


    from looking at the pictures!


    A few dayster, at the Carter residence.


    The news that Odell would be getting engaged to Tara had spread all over.


    Aunt Tonya was so angry that she lost her appetite to eat for two days. However, when she saw Isabel


    and Liam¡¯s tiny appearances, she forced herself to eat.


    That morning


    Isabel and Liam went to school. After Aunt Tonya had sent them to preschool, she came back to help


    trim the garden. At that moment, Tara walked in through the door.


    She wore a beautiful dress and looked as if she was full of spring energy. It was obviously different from


    the weak and fragile look that she was used to showing when she came over. Sebastian¡¯s eyes slickered


    as he took the initiative to greet her. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Avery.¡±


    Tara hummed in reply and continued to walk inside.

 Chapter 479

    Passing by the garden, Tara noticed that Aunt Tonya was there.


    Aunt Tonya knew she wasing but since did not want to see hier at all, she turned her back. Tara


    nced at her coldly and headed straight for the living room. There were several young maids in the


    mansion. When they saw hering, they gathered around to greet her. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Avery.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Avery, would you like some tea?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned around and sat on the s.


    A maid immediately poured her a ss of lemonade. Tara elegantly picked up the ss and took a sip,


    then said, ¡°Call Violet.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Avery.¡±


    A maid quickly went to Madam Carter¡¯s room and called Violet over.


    When Violet saw Tara acting like the mistress of the house, she lowered her head and asked in a low


    voice, ¡°Why did you call for me, Ms. Avery?¡±


    Tara looked at her arrogantly and asked, ¡°How is Grandma¡¯s health these days?¡± Violet replied, ¡°She¡¯s


    the same as before. All her indicators are normal.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Tara took a sip, paused for almost a minute,


    and continued to ask, ¡°What about Liam and Isabel? How are they doing?¡±


    Violet secretly clenched her hands.


    Violet felt that Tara was obviously trying to give her a hard time. If she answered her again the way she


    had thest time, she would not just stop at pping me. She would definitely chase her out as well.


    Violet swallowed her anger and replicd, ¡°The Young Master and Young Miss are also the same as


    before. They go to school ande home at the same time every day. They also eat and sleep on


    time.¡± ¡°Do they ever call for their mother?¡± Tara looked at her coldly. Violet thought about it and said,


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I spend most of my time here in Madam Carter¡¯s room, so I rarely see them.¡± ¡°Fine. You


    can go back to take care of Grandina now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Violet quickly turned around and left.


    Tara snorted contemptuously. At least she was knowledgeable, otherwise she would be the first person


    that she would get rid of.


    After a while, she said to a maid, ¡°Call Aunt Tonya over. Tell her that I have something very important


    that I would like to say to her alone.¡±


    The maid agreed and went out. Before long, she led in Aunt Tonya, who came in with an indifferent


    look on her face. Tara said to the maids, ¡°All the rest of you may go downstairs. I want to talk to Aunt


    Tonya alone.¡±


    The maids did as they were told.


    The living room was quiet.


    Aunt Tonya said directly, ¡°Get to the point. I¡¯m busy.¡±


    Tara smiled and stood up to walk to Aunt Tonya¡¯s side. Then, she raised her hand and pped the


    woman¡¯s face.


    Smack!


    Aunt Tonya was instantly stunned.


    Before she could react, Tara pped her on the other side of the face as well.


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Tara Avery, you¡ª¡± Smack! Smack!


    Tara pped her two more times. Then, the corners of her mouth curled as she said, ¡°This is just a little


    punishment for you in return for disrespecting me. If you¡¯re not happy, you can pack your things and get


    out now. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Aunt Tonya had never been hit like this before. Although she had always


    been responsible for taking care of Sylvia, Sylvia had always been a good girl since she was young.


    She had never even scolded Aunt Tonya before, let alone hit her! However, this woman, who was not


    even engaged to Odell yet, dared to hit her! She wanted to p Tara in return, but she could not help


    from thinking of Isabel and Liam. The two poor little ones had already lost their mother. If she left as


    well, Tara might abuse them in the future.

 Chapter 480

    Aunt Tonya stood still and red at Tara. ¡°Unless I die, don¡¯t even think that you can make me leave.¡±


    Tara snorted and looked at her contemptuously. ¡°Then you¡¯d better be more respectful to me in the


    future, or be prepared for your life to be ufortable.¡±


    Aunt Tonya pursed her lips bard.


    Tara elegantly sat back on the s and ordered, ¡°Come and pour me a cup of Ica.¡±


    Aunt Tonya endured her anger, swiftly stepped forward, and poured a cup of tea before cing it in front


    of Tara.


    Tara took a sip before suddenly throwing the teacup at Aunt Tonya¡¯s licad.


    Thud!


    The teacup hit her lead and fell to the ground, and the bottca also slowed down her face.


    Tara screamed in anger, ¡°How could you pour such hot tea for me? Are you trying to scald


    me?!¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s eyes reddened in anger.


    The tea was indeed hot, but it was not to the point wliere it was undrinkable. Tara was doing it on


    purpose!


    However, when she thought of Isabel and Liam, she endured it,


    She poured another cup and waited a short while for it to cool down. Then, she ced the cup in front of


    Tara.


    Tara took a slight sip and smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Get lost. I don¡¯t want to see you now.¡± Aunt Tonya


    instantly turned around and walked out of the living room.


    Tara grinned and looked around the living room.


    She observed that the furnishings here were a bit old and had probably all been touched by Sylvia.


    When she moved in alter getting engaged to Odell, she would have to immediately rece everything.


    Meanwhile, in the corridor behind the living room that led to Mm Carter¡¯s room.


    Violet had been crouching there for some time,


    She had stayed there from the moment Aunt Tonya had been called,


    She had thought that Tara would say something to Aunt Tonya, so she had taken out her phone and


    recorded a video. However, slie had never thought that Tara would be so arrogant as to directly p Aunt


    Tonya four times! After all, although Aunt Tonya was responsible for taking care of Isabel and Liam, no


    one had over Ircated her like a servant before. Even Odell was always pollie to her.


    SEIL LITE


    Violet was furious. After she returned to Madam Carter¡¯s room, sne immediately sent une video that she


    had recorded to Sylvia.


    In Sylvia¡¯s room in Lush Heaven Hearing the phone ring, she put down the carving knife in her hand and


    picked up her phone.


    After opening the video, she saw the Carter residence¡¯s living room. Tara was sitting on the sofa as if she


    was the mistress of the house.


    She saw Aunt Tonya walk into the room.


    After Aunt Tonya said something to Tara, Tara walked up to her and pped her four times.


    Aunt Tonya seemed to swallow her anger, most likely thinking of the two children.


    However, Tara still did not let hier go. She deliberately made things hard for Aunt Tonya and even threw


    a teacup at her head.


    Even so, Aunt Tonya had endured and poured her another cup¡­


    Sylvia stared at Aunt Tonya¡¯s reddened eyes and Tara¡¯s arrogant appearance in the video. The hand that


    she was using to hold the phone could not help but tighten, and her gaze also went cold.


    At that moment, Violent sent lier another message. ¡°Madam, pleasee back quickly. I saw Aunt Tonya


    crying.¡± Sylvia frowned and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. Please help mefort Aunt Tonya.¡± Violet said,


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go to her after Tara leaves.¡±


    Sylvia looked at the date. It was the 21st today.


    There was still one week left before Odell and Tara got engaged.


    The hand that she was using to hold her phone slook.


    All the things she had experienced in those days and the past few years flooded her brain.


    She had been framed and pped sixty times, her children had been snatched away, she had been


    chased away, then she had been framed again and had her leg broken. In the end, her leg had been


    broken once again and she had been pushed into an icy coldke¡­ All these scenes, whether it was of


    Odell¡¯s indifference and distrust of her, or Tara¡¯s schemes or provocations to her, rushed through hier


    mind one by one. Theyd done so much to her and were finally together. She just had to give them a


    big gift in return!


    A weekter.


    It was a very foggy day in Westchester City. The sun had hidden behind the clouds since the carly


    morning, so it was gloomy and dreary.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 481

    However, inside the Westchester Hotel, the atmosphere was the opposite of the weather outside.


    The lights were bright, and festive and romantic decorations were hanging everywhere.


    Expensive drinks had also been ced on the table.


    All the people in the hotel started to set up the venue early in the morning. Even the hotel manager


    himsell was personally at the scene. Although it was just an engagement party, the main focus of the


    engagement was the master of the Carter family. Not a single mistake could be made.


    Soon, it was morning.


    The sky was still foggy and hazy.


    Al that moment, various luxury cars drove to the hotel gates.


    Tara, being one of the main focus of the event, also arrived by car, apanied by Mnie.


    They rode in a limited edition tinum MPV.


    Before the car had even stopped, the hotel manager was waiting to greet them at the door with several


    waiters.


    They opened the car door respectfully. Mnie and Tara got out of the car.


    Mnie wore a red gown, having gotten her makeup done by a famous makeup artist. Paired with the


    emerald ne around her neck, she looked like a noblewoman.


    Tara¡¯s long hair had been curled and draped over her shoulder, and her makeup was very delicate. She


    wore a slim white dress with many fine diamonds lining the hem of the dress.


    The moment they came out of the car, the hotel manager and the several waiters with him were shocked


    by their attire. Then, they quickly nodded and escorted them into the hotel.


    At the same time, Sylvia was sitting with Sherry inside an inconspicuous car on the roadside directly


    opposite the hotel lobby. She wordlessly watched as Mnie and Tara¡¯s figures walked in. Sherry


    laughed and said, ¡°You were right, Syl. Mnie really dide.¡± Sylvia smiled. Sherry asked, ¡°I¡¯ve made


    the arrangements with the hotel. When are we going in?¡± Sylvia looked at the time and said, ¡°There¡¯s no


    rush. Let¡¯s wait.¡± At that moment, a ck car passed by their car, turned the corner, and pulled up to the


    hotel


    lobby


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    The hotel manager rushed out to greet them. The door of the car was opened, and a man stepped out.


    He wore an crisp ck suit, and his figure was as tall and straight as ever. However, because of the


    distance, Sylvia could only see his figure and not his face.


    Just as she was staring, the man who was about to walk through the door suddenly stopped and turned


    around.


    His sharp eyes looked straight at the car that she was in.


    Sylvia subconsciously looked away and put on her sunsses and hat: In front of the hotel lobby. Cliff


    noticed that Odell had suddenly stopped and followed his gaze to an ordinary car that was parked on the


    other side of the road.


    The windows of the car were tinted, so he could not see inside it.


    He could not help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Master Carter?¡± Odell snapped back to his senses. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Perhaps he was too sensitive but he had thought that someone was staring at him.


    After saying that, he stepped into the hotel. The manager led the way for him. Cliff followed closely


    behind. Soon, they arrived at the venue of the engagement party. The guests who had already arrived


    got up to greet him.. Tara also walked over with Mnie. ¡°Odell, you¡¯re here.¡± She looked at him with a


    gentle smile on her face. ¡°Mm.¡± He nced at her before turning to look at Mnie, who was standing


    beside her.

 Chapter 482

    The middle aged woman was dressed very luxuriously, but she had ace that looked and petty Shervon


    tesembled Tara in some ces,


    can


    However, she was Tara¡¯s aunt, so it WAN normal to have low simrities


    He greeted her politely, ¡°Hello, Aunty.¡±


    Mnie¡¯s eyes flickered as she answered, ¡°Hello, hello.¡±


    Oxell did not say anything else and walked straight toward the stage


    Tara quickly took his armi,


    The crowd also followed the and sunseloste le venue


    Mnie instantly let out as


    of relier.


    Only God uw how ICTVOUS she had been wien Odell had start at her. She had thout that Hier was


    about to jump out!


    Suddenly, someone Cappellier on the shoulder,


    Sheshricked in rm and turned around to see an infamiliar woman


    The woman was decently dressed and it was clear that she was a statem e nt party. She Nintendo Wiyul


    all. ¡°You¡¯re Ms Avery¡¯nunt, it? I¡¯m from the Fowler Camily. My family is soms ¡®n dealings with the C C ¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Mnie¡¯s game changes, and stomacul berchant to look at


    woman arrogantly. ¡°Yorili, wimit


    Sherry maintained herttering, look and asked, ¡°I wonder if I could have the lionor of Now with you?¡±


    The look on Mnie¡¯s face instantly became contemplijous,


    She was to be oxell¡¯s mother inw. How could someone who only had some business dealing with


    the Carter family care toe and brown non er ¡°Go back to whatever hole you crawled out from,¡± she


    said in disim. Then, she adintelor shawl and walked to the first row of Neats below the stape. Sherry¡¯n


    lips (wliched Thon, she quietly followed her to the second row. Alter Mnie bad sat down, sheryl down


    in wind hier


    Meanwhille Olond Tan wadio stand in front of the superder overyone¡¯s fazen


    ¡°The engagement ceremony was hopit very simple Milliam Cortor could not con due to waith reasons.


    Also, Odell¡¯s Istolovical parents had panned away, and Manoliad only invloed her want There was a host


    walting for them. When they calle over, (w lone lvled all the pants to NII down, before b egan to read out


    the program,


    Aller lile upeilig Speeuil, le Sdlu exileury, LeL S Invite lile new SUUII-10-be-married couple to the stage!¡±


    Apuse rang out, along with the sounds of a soothing love song. Odell held Tara¡¯s hand as they walked


    onto the stage. The spotlight shone on their bodies.


    The man¡¯s handsome face and elegant figure were illuminated.


    The diamonds on Tara¡¯s dress also sparkled. It caused many women in the seats below to break out into


    whispers.


    ¡°Master Carter is so handsome.¡±


    ¡°Not only is he handsome, but he¡¯s also rich. Do you see what Tara is wearing? It looks like one of the


    latest designs from Chanel.¡±


    ¡°Master Carter is the most powerful man in Westchester City, and Carter Corporation is under his control


    now. Who could be richer than him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of Tara.¡± ¡°Sigh, the pitiful Mrs. Carter has only been


    dead for a few months.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to feel sorry for her. The previous Mrs. Carter just didn¡¯t have


    the fortune to enjoy this life.¡±


    Their chatter intermittently reached the stage. Tara listened as she raised her chin while maintaining an


    elegant and decent smile. She liked being envied by them, and she especially enjoyed when they looked


    at her with such jealousy in their eyes. From this moment on, she was Odell¡¯s fiancee. She was basically


    Mrs. Carter now. Soon, the host came up and announced the ring exchange ceremony.

 Chapter 483

    A staff member brought over a pair of engagement rings. The box containing the rings was opened,


    allowing the camera to pan over to the six-carat diamond-ring and disy it on therge screen at the


    back. It immediately caused a huge stir.


    Not only was the diamond huge, the exquisite design made it clear at a nce that it had been designed


    by world-ss masters. The women who were in attendance could not help but sigh in envy.


    Tara maintained her elegant posture as she listened to their envious voices.


    The host also smiled and said, ¡°Master Carter, Ms. Avery, would you like to say anything to each other


    before exchanging rings?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    He had a meeting to attend this afternoon and just wanted to get the engagement process out of the way


    quickly.


    Tara saw the look in his eyes and immediately took the microphone, saying in a gentle voice,¡± Odell, I


    know you don¡¯t like sweet talk, but I would still like to say a few words to you.¡±


    The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became quiet, and everyone silently looked at Odell and Tara


    who were on the stage.


    Giving him a look of great affection, Tara continued. ¡°Thank you for your care and love for me. Thank you


    for not leaving me all these years. I¡¯m willing to chase after you forever and


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    apany you for the rest of my life I¡¯ll be a good fiance to you.¡±


    At the end, her eyes reddened as her voice choked up. Odell¡¯s eyes deepened. The scene from the night


    of his first encounter with her shed through his mind. This woman was the light that illuminated his


    dark life. She was the person he had promised to take care of for the rest of his life. He reached out and


    took her into his arms, pressing a kiss on her forehead. He said softly, ¡°I also want to thank you for


    staying by my side.¡±


    The corners of Tara¡¯s mouth instantly listed in happiness.


    A burst of apuse erupted from the guests sitting below the stage, along with the envious voices of the


    women. Everyone, except for Sylvia, who was sitting in the corner.


    Through her sunsses, her eyes looked at the intimate figures of the man and woman on the stage.


    She looked at the diamond ring disyed on therge screen behind them and could not help the


    corners of her lips from curling up in a cold smile. It was just an engagement ceremony, yet the venue


    had been decorated as if it were a wedding.


    The luxuriousness of the engagement ring was also not of the ordinary kind. Sylvia thought of the two


    marriages she had with him. They had not even had a wedding ceremony, let alone wedding rings. The


    contrast was really too much of a mockery.


    At that moment, her phone vibrated. It was a message from Sherry. ¡°Syl, everything is ready. Can we


    start?¡± Sylvia tapped on the phone screen and replied, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s start.¡±


    On the stage, Odell and Tara quickly separated.


    The host smiled and said, ¡°The feelings that Master Carter and Ms. Avery have for each other are truly


    touching. Now, for the moment we¡¯ve all been waiting for, let us ask the couple to exchange their rings


    with each other!¡± A romantic piano piece began to y. Tara gazed softly at Odell. The man¡¯s strong


    figure and handsome face was right in front of her eyes. Although his expression was a little cold, his


    body was shrouded with a noble and elegant aura that many men were unable to reach, he was still the


    best in both status and appearance. He was the perfect man that countless women dreamed of.


    At that moment, he was in front of her eyes, about to be her fiance.


    She was about to be the most noble woman in Westchester City. Other women could do nothing


    but envy her!


    Soon, Odell raised his hand and picked the diamond ring up from the box. Tara lifted her left hand. He


    held her palm with one hand and the ring with the other, intending on sliding the ring onto her middle


    finger. However, just as the ring was about to touch her fingertip, a ¡®click¡¯ suddenly sounded. All the lights


    went out, and the entire venue was instantly plunged into darkness.

 Chapter 484

    Before anyone could react, the sound of the piano changed into something else. It was the sound of the


    wind, and the gushing of a river.


    Whistling and sshing sounds intermingled with one another, sounding very bizarre.


    Not only that, a cold wind suddenly blew in from somewhere as well. The gusts howled, so strong that it


    could blow thets off people¡¯s heads.


    Some women immediately screamed in fear.


    Aman shouted, ¡°What is this? Are we encountering a ghost?¡±


    The crowd in the guest seats became agitated.


    On the stage, Tara was so frightened that she hid behind Odell, clutching his clothes in a death grip.


    That was because the sound of the wind and water sounded especially like the night she had pushed


    Sylvia into Cloudy Heart Lake!


    Was Sylvia¡¯s ghosting for her? No, there was no such thing as ghosts in this world. Someone had to


    be ying a trick!


    However, who would dare to go against Odell here in Westchester City?


    Was it really a glost?¡¯


    The more that Tara thought about it, the more uncertain she became and started to tremble in


    panic.


    Odell soon sensed her fear.


    Although he thought that she was behaving a little exaggeratedly, he did not think much of it and merely


    thought that she was timid and scared.


    He said to Cliff, who was standing next to the stage, ¡°Get the hotel manager, and call a few security


    guards to catch the culprit!¡±.


    He wanted to see who had such a death wish that they dared to y such tricks under his nose!


    Cliff answered and ran out of the venue in the darkness.


    There were security guards outside the hall who had most likely already sensed something wrong.


    However, before Cliff could run out, the wind stopped, and the sound of the wind and water also


    disappeared,


    All the lights also lit up at that moment,


    Therge venue was illuminated. In the middle of the room, on therge carpet in front of the stage, a


    ligure in ck had


    appeared in front of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The woman was wearing a hat with a ck veil, sunsses, a long ck dress, and a white flower


    pinned to her chest.


    She had a slender and straight figure, and emanated a cold aura from her. Judging by the way she was


    dressed, anyone who did not know any better would think that she was here for a funeral.


    The people who were sitting around her and saw her, shrieked. On the stage, Tara, who had only just


    rxed slightly now froze again. Odell also frowned. His cold gaze looked at her as he asked coldly,


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Huh.


    Sylvia sneered and raised her hand to take off her hat and sunsses.


    Meanwhile, she looked at him and Tara. ¡°Odell, Tara, isn¡¯t it inappropriate for you to get engaged without


    inviting me, Mrs. Carter?¡±


    As she spoke, her cold and delicate face also appeared under the light. Therge venue was plunged


    into silence. Everyone drew in a cold breath. On the stage, the man¡¯s tall figure stiffened, and his eyes


    dted for a moment. Tara, who was standing beside him, instantly turned pale and trembled. ¡°S-Sylvia?¡±


    Sylvia smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disappointing you, Tara. I¡¯m still alive.¡±


    Thud!


    Tara fell to the ground in a heap. The man beside her jumped off the stage and went straight toward


    Sylvia. She stood in ce and stared at him coldly. Odell stared back at her intently. He walked faster


    and faster, as if afraid that this was an illusion and she would suddenly disappear. However, just as he


    was about to reach her, several strong figures rushed over and blocked his way.

 Chapter 485

    Odell¡¯s expression changed as he yelled, ¡°Get out of the way!¡±


    The bodyguards did not move.


    He clenched his lists.


    ¡°You guys can move away now,¡± Sylvia said.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The bodyguards parted to stand on both sides,


    Odell immediately went up to her and stared Intently at her with his dark eyes.


    Sylvia smiled coldly. ¡°Are you very disappointed to see me alive, Odell?¡±


    Ignoring her words, die immediately pulled her into his arms and hugged her tighuy.


    He used so much strength that it was as if he was trying to absorb her into his body.


    Sylvia frowned and listed her foot lo stomp hard on huis tocs.


    However, he did not let go of her, as if he did not feel the pain,


    Slie said, ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Tell me that!his isn¡¯t a dream,¡± he said hoarsely,


    Sylvia raised her fool and stomped on him again.


    He did not let go even though she continued to kick lim.


    After some time had passed, le linally let her go, just as she tired of kicking him. However, he continued


    to clutch her hand tightly.


    Sylvia resisted the urge to punch him and said coldly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me running, Odell. I


    came back because I have things I want to clear up.¡±


    He smiled and asked, ¡°What is that?¡±


    Sylvia thought to hersell. This man is a psycho.¡¯


    He had been extremely cold and disgusted with lier when he had put her under house arrest. Why was


    he so happy now?


    However, now was not the Ume to think about that. She said bluntly, ¡°I found the real person wlio harmed


    Grandmother.¡±


    The smile on Odell¡¯s face instantly cooled down.


    Sylvia continued, ¡°Also, I didn¡¯t Juinpinto theke. I was pushed by Tara.¡±


    He immediately frowned. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Sylviu looked at Tara, wlio was slumped on the stage, and raised her voice. ¡°I sald, I didn¡¯t jump into the


    lake. I was puslied by Tara!¡±


    In an instant, the venue wenil silent again,


    All the guests were dumbfounded. Their eyes were wide open, and their ears perked up. On the stage,


    Tara also panicked and shouted, ¡°No. I didn¡¯t push her, Odell! She¡¯s ndering me!¡±


    Sylvia could not be bothered to argue with her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see soon enough whether I ndered her or not.¡± After a pause, she said, ¡°However, before that, I


    have to settle the matter of how you told your aunt to push Grandmother down the hill and frame it on


    me.¡±


    Her words were clear, and her voice was very crisp.


    Every word and every sentence was clearly transmitted throughout the venue.


    Everyone looked toward Tara in shock.


    Odell also frowned and instantly looked at Tara sharply. Tara¡¯s body trembled.


    She had never expected Sylvia to still be alive, let alone find out about Mnie!


    She was so panicked that her mind went nk.


    Then, she looked at Odell and said with red eyes, ¡°Odell, I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s talking about. How


    could my aunt have harmed Grandmother? She¡¯s framing me!¡±


    Odell frowned and looked at Sylvia. ¡°How did you know that her aunt did it?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°I found out.¡± Odell asked, ¡°¡­What did you find out?¡± Sylvia knew that he would not trust her


    easily and said patiently. ¡°Grandmother and I took Aunt Tonya and the kids to Northpeak Holiday Resort,


    and Mnie followed us there. By the way, she also registered to be a member on that same day. If


    you don¡¯t believe me, you can check the surveince footage of the road outside the resort that


    morning.¡±


    Odell looked at her silently.


    Sylvia saw that he seemed slightly convinced and asked, ¡°Why do you think she followed us to the


    resort? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange that Grandmother would try to climb the hill despite knowing that her


    legs are weak? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much of a coincidence that you just so happened to see Edmund


    and me together when Grandmother had her ident?¡±

 Chapter 486

    Olell stared at her calm and fair face. When he saw thic confidence in lier, his deep gaze became


    complicated.


    However, he strongly believed that Tara was a gentle and kind woman. How could she have urged her


    aunt to hurt Madam Carter? After a long silence, le said, ¡°Grandmother¡¯s legs are weak but it¡¯s not


    entirely impossible for her to climb up the hill for you. I¡¯m also sure you know the reason that I saw you


    and Edmund together.¡±


    Sylvia tried to shake his hand off but he continued to hold on to her wrist tightly, not giving her a chance


    to free herself.


    She shot a cold re at him and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, fine, but I¡¯ve already investigated and


    found out the truth.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Odell¡¯s eyes remained glued on her as he said to Cliff, ¡°Cliff, please ask the guests to disperse.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Cliff immediately asked the guests to leave,


    Most of the guests were rtives of the Carter family, while some of them were close friends


    and business partners.


    They were curious about the truth but they were able to read thie room.


    During the engagement party, Odell¡¯s presumably dead wise hade back from the dead and brought


    a ton of explosive truth with her. If this became widespread news, it would leave a dent on his reputation.


    The guests cooperatively got up and left.


    The spacious hall soon became quict.


    Tara came down from the stage and limped over to Odell¡¯s side. With tears streaming down her face, she


    said, ¡°Odell, my aunt dide to me before Grandmother¡¯s ident but she¡¯s here to do some traveling.


    She also went out on the same day so I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s ever been to Northpeak Resort but she


    doesn¡¯t even know Grandmother or Sylvia. Even if she was there, she wouldn¡¯t have hurt Grandmother


    and used Sylvia.¡±


    ¡°Tsk¡­ Tara, you really know how to shill the me.¡± Sylvia clicked her tongue and curved her lips into a


    sharp grin.


    Tara Immediately argued, ¡°I¡¯m not shifting the me, I¡¯m telling the truth!¡±


    Odell frowned and looked at Sylvia. ¡°What else did you find out¡±


    ¡°Release me first.¡± Sylvia tried to pull her hand out of his grip.


    He narrowed his eyes and Sylvia raised a brow at liis reaction.


    ¡°I won¡¯t talk if you don¡¯t release me.¡±


    Odell went silent for a moment before looking at Cliff. ¡°Bring all the hotel security over and tell them to


    block all the exits.¡±


    Cliff nodded and went out to carry out the order. Within a short time, all the security guards stood guard


    at the two main entrances.


    Odell then released Sylvia¡¯s wrist.


    Sylvia took a few steps back to widen the distance between them.


    She crossed her arms and raised a brow at Tara¡¯s pitiful look before she said, ¡°Tara, ten days before


    Grandmother¡¯s ident, Odell went on a business trip abroad and your aunt arrived on the same day,


    am I right?¡±


    Tara¡¯s gaze shifted. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember anymore. It happened too long ago.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, l¡¯ll help you remember then.¡± Sylvia continued, ¡°You were being watched by the bodyguard that


    Odell sent to your house so you couldn¡¯t go out freely. When your aunt visited, she would go out every


    morning and even hired a driver for the purpose of following me wherever I went.


    There were two days when I sent Isabel and Liam to kindergarten that I bumped into Edmund, so she


    took pictures of me and him together. If I¡¯m not wrong, she sent the pictures to you and you sent them to


    Odell.¡± The moment her voice subsided, Odell aimed a sharp look at Tara.


    He had indeed received the pictures from Tara and it was precisely because of those pictures that he


    had started to have suspicions about Sylvia and Edmund¡¯s rtionship. It had driven him to end his


    business trip prematurely and make his return where he had witnessed his grandmother falling down the


    hill. Tara nervously looked down. She had not expected Sylvia to find out about all of that, so she


    suspected that Sylvia must have located the hired driver as well.

 Chapter 487

    As she felt Odell¡¯s sharp gaze upon her, Tara decided to bite the bullet and reveal a part of the truth. She


    continued to cry as she said, ¡°Odell, I did receive the pictures from my aunt, but it¡¯s only because Sylvia


    and I were friends that my aunt recognized her. She told me that she had taken the pictures of Sylvia and


    Edmund by chance and asked me about it. I didn¡¯t know she had hired someone to follow Sylvia!


    ¡°She told me she came to Westchester as part of her travels and I believed her. I don¡¯t really contact her


    that often, so why would I have incited her to do all this?¡±


    When Sylvia had shown up earlier, Tara had already realized that Mnie had disappeared. She


    suspected that her mother must have run away after sensing that something was wrong.


    Since Mnie was no longer present at the scene and Odell would not be able to locate her, Tara shifted


    all the me onto her mother.


    As she proceeded with her n, she continued to weep and act as is a great injustice had been done to


    her.


    Odell frowned.


    Sylvia scoffed. ¡°Tara, didn¡¯t you just say that your aunt doesn¡¯t know me or Grandmother and would


    never have hurt her and used me?¡±


    Tara choked upon hearing those words. ¡°I¡­ I thought that my aunt didn¡¯t remember you anymore!¡±


    ¡°So you now believe that your aunt has been following me and that she trailed me to Northpeak Resort to


    push Grandmother down the hill and framing me for that?¡±


    Tara looked down and said in a small voice, ¡°It might be true but I have to confirm it with my aunt first.¡±


    She secretly clenched her fists and cursed Sylvia for being ab*tch deep in her heart. Mnie was


    already gone and as long as she continued to deny it, it would be difficult for Sylvia to prove to Odell that


    it was her who had incited Mnie tomit the act. The room went silent for a second. Sylvia then


    chuckled and said, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll have to call your aunt toe forth so that you can question her.¡± Tara


    immediately looked around and pretended to look for Mnie. She then seigned a consused look and


    asked, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh. She ran away?¡± Sylvia also felgned a surprised look. Tara¡¯s gaze


    shisted as she continued to say, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I remember she was sitting over there.¡±


    Odell then turned to Cliff.¡±Look for her immediately!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Sylvia suddenly said.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Odell shot a baffled gaze at her, as did Tara. Sylvia then turned to the stage and raised her voice, saying,


    ¡°Sherry, bring her out.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, two people emerged from behind the stage.


    One was Sherry who was wearing a cap while the other one was Mnie, who had been tied and


    gagged with a cloth.


    Sherry pushed Mnie forward.


    Their appearance silenced the room again. Odell looked intently at Sylvia¡¯s frosty but confident look.


    Beside him, Tara widened her eyes in disbelief and her body started to tremble. In the blink of an eye,


    Mnie was led over to Sylvia.


    S


    Mnie widened her eyes in fear as she stared at Tara. She made a muffled noise with her gagged


    mouth as if she was trying to exin herself.


    Sherry then removed the piece of cloth from her mouth. Before Mnie could say a word, Tara cried


    even louder and said, ¡°Aunt Mnie, did you really follow Sylvia without me knowing? I thought you said


    that your purpose ofing here was to travel? Why did you do this behind my back?¡±

 Chapter 488

    Mnie gulped nervously and exined, ¡°Tara, I did it for your benefit. I could see how much you loved


    Master Carter and I just couldn¡¯t bear to see you like this everyday. I thought I could find some evidence


    that Sylvia was seeing another man so that you could return to Master Carter!


    ¡°You still shouldn¡¯t have followed Sylvia!¡± Tara screamed. She wiped her tears away and continued, ¡°Tell


    me the truth, did you follow Sylvia and Grandmother to Northpeak Resort?¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Mnie¡¯s gaze became evasive. She said, ¡°I did, but I didn¡¯t push Madam Carter down the hill!¡±


    The surveince cameras at the resort had been down that day so no one had seen her go up the hill. As


    long as she continued to deny it, no one would be able to prove that she had pushed Madam Carter


    down the hill.


    Tara then asked her, ¡°You really didn¡¯t push Grandmother down the hill?¡±


    Looking resolute, Mnic insisted, ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it!¡±


    Tara then turned to Odell. ¡°Odell, my aunt said that she didn¡¯t do it.¡±


    Odell nced at Mn¨ªc before turning to Sylvia.


    Sylviaughed. Sheughed at Mnie and Tara¡¯s magnificent acting skills before saying,¡± That day,


    Grandmother and Aunt Tonya had taken the kids to po rafting so I went hiking up the hill alone. All of a


    sudden, some middle-aged woman found Edmund and deliberately told Edmund that I might be in


    danger up there. That was the reason that Edmund went up there to look for me.¡±


    She then looked at Mnie, ¡°Mnie, were you that middle-aged woman?¡±


    Mnie¡¯s gaze remained evasive. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me. I simply explored the resort that day and I didn¡¯t


    even see Edmund at all.¡±


    Sylvia shot a frosty gaze at her and said, ¡°But Edmund said that the middle-aged woman who told him to


    look for me was you.¡±


    Sherry had taken Mnie¡¯s picture to the detention center and confirmed it with Edmund.


    Mnie screamed, ¡°I didn¡¯?! You little b*tch, don¡¯t you dare try to frame me!¡±


    Sylvia stared at her coldly.


    Odell also stared at the woman coldly.


    Mnie became nervous and looked at Tara. ¡°Tara, she¡¯s trying to frame me!¡±


    In her heart, Tara secretly cursed her mother¡¯s stupidity.


    Sylvia had simply said something and Mnie had already reacted so nervously. She had even called


    Sylvia a bitch out loud. If that was not a guilty reaction, what was? Fortunately, most of the surveince


    cameras had been down on that day, so Edmund¡¯s


    testimony alone could not prove anything. Tara put on a pitiful look on her face as she looked at Odell


    and said, ¡°Odell, I don¡¯t think my aunt¡¯s actions were intentional. She¡¯s just a little impulsive.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. The nk look on his face veiled bis true emotions.


    Tara then looked at Sylvia and said, ¡°Sylvia, maybe you are right but even if my aunt told Edmund to go


    find you, it doesn¡¯t mean that she pushed Grandmother down the hill. Besides, Edmund clearly knows


    that you¡¯re married yet he still went up there to look for you. Shouldn¡¯t he have been a little smarter and


    just walked away?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s lips curved into a cold grin. ¡°Tara, are you still trying to shift the me onto me and Edmund?¡±


    Tara immediately said, ¡°I am not. That¡¯s not what I meant. Please understand!¡±


    She then looked at Odell pitifully and said, ¡°Odell, please believe me.¡±


    Odell remained silent, his eyes glued to Sylvia. The deep gaze had a strong hint ofplexity behind it,


    which made it difficult for others to know what he was really thinking.


    Sylvia had no intention of trying to discern his emotions. Her current priority was to clear her name and


    prove Edmund¡¯s innocence.


    She smirked as she looked at Tara and said, ¡°Tara, did you really think that I¡¯d be talking nonsense with


    you without any solid evidence?¡± Tara¡¯s gaze shifted. She asked in a small voice, ¡°What evidence?¡±


    ¡°After Grandmother fell down, the police found sour sets of footprints on the hill. Other than me, Edmund


    and Grandmother, there¡¯s one more set of unidentified footprints which the police kept as evidence until


    now. Can you confirm that the set of footprints doesn¡¯t belong to your aunt?¡±


    Tara was shocked.


    Footprints? She had managed to find Mnie¡¯s footprints?


    Sylvia continued, ¡°If you think your aunt is innocent, then let¡¯s take her to the police station and see if the


    footprints belonged to her.¡±


    Sylvia then shot a frosty and sharp gaze at Mnie.


    Mnie¡¯s legs grew weak and she fell onto the floor with a thud.


    The spacious hall went silent once again. Sylvia grinned as she looked at Odell. He was staring at


    Mnie with an extremely cold and intimidating expression on his face.


    Mnic iminediately began to break out into a cold sweat. She said in a trembling voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. I


    didn¡¯t push Madam Carter. Those are not my footprints!¡± Sylvia scoffed. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the police


    station and prove that those are not your footprints.¡±

 Chapter 489

    ¡°No! No! I don¡¯t want to go!¡± Mnie started screaming. She struggled and tried to break free from


    Sherry¡¯s grasp. However, her hands and legs were tied up, so as soon as she managed to break free,


    she fell on the ground.


    Sherry chuckled.


    Sylvia smiled coldly.


    The grim expression on Odell made him look terrifying.


    Tara secretly clenched her fists but her body trembled uncontrobly.


    There was a moment of silence as everyone turned to stare at Mnie.


    Even a fool could tell that she was feeling nervous and guilty.


    Soon, Mnie broke down from the pressure and realized that her crimes had been exposed.


    Not daring to look at Odell or Sylvia, she avoided their gazes and turned to Tara. She panicked and tried


    to crawl towards Tara as she cried out for her help. ¡°Tara, please lielp me! Help me! I did all this for your


    benefit!¡±


    Tara took a few steps backwards and looked at Mnie with an expression of disbelief and pain. ¡°Aunt


    Mnie, even if it was for my benefit, you can¡¯t just hurt grandmother! She¡¯s Odell¡¯s dearest family


    member! How am I supposed to face Odell from now on?¡±


    Mnie now realized that Tara was shifting all the me on to her and was trying to cut ties with her. Her


    eyes widened in disbelief and lier body froze. It was obvious that Tara was not nning to help hier and


    had decided to push all the me on her.


    Mnie was forced to stomach all the grievances because she was Tara¡¯s mother. However, she did not


    want to die just yet because she still wanted to live an extravagant lise.


    Mnie crawled to Odell and started to beg, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Carler, i momentarily lost my head, please


    forgive me!¡± Odell peered down at her with a frosty look on his face. His emotionless face was like a cold


    piece of sculpture, with only a murderous intent showing: He would never have thought that his


    grandmother had been pushed down the hill by this middle-aged woman. Not only that, the woman had


    even framed Sylvia and made it look as it Sylvia had done it to cover up that she was having an affair


    with Edmund.


    To think that he had believed it! He had really believed that Sylvia and Edmund had hurt his


    grandmother!


    Not only had he imprisoned Sylvia and made her watch over his grandmother, he had even broken her


    leg


    With eyes as cold as ice, he lifted his leg and kicked Mnie away.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Mnie screamed in pain as the kick sent her rolling away. She rolled and crashed into the


    corner of a table. The spacious hall was shrouded by a depressing atmosphere that was suffocating.


    Tara was deeply shaken. She simply stood and watched Mnie as trembled in pain without saying a


    word. Sylvia was also shocked by the man¡¯s strong reaction but she regained herposure quickly.


    After all, Mnie was the one responsible for Madam Carter¡¯satose state, so the kick from Odell


    was nothing inparison. The man bellowed fiercely, ¡°Arrest her!¡± Cliff signaled the security guards


    immediately. Sylvia¡¯s lips moved as she wanted to say something but before a single word could escape


    her mouth, two tiny figures dashed into the hall.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    They were moving fast as they called out to Sylvia. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The adorable voices broke through the depressing atmosphere in the hall. Sylva¡¯s gaze shifted. She then


    bent down and weed them with open arms. Isabel and Liam jumped into her arms, almost knocking


    Sylvia over. She held them tightly in her arms and said, ¡°Isabel, Liam, why are you two here?¡± Liam said,


    ¡°Aunt Tonya heard that you were here, so she brought us over.¡± Sylvia then spotted Aunt Tonyaing


    in from the entrance. Aunt Tonya was shaking as she looked at Sylvia with teary eyes. Sylvia patted her


    kids on the head and got up to face Aunt Tonya. With a smile on her face, she said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I¡¯m


    sorry to have put you through all this. I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m still alive.¡±

 Chapter 490

    Aunt Tonya wiped her tears away, her voicepletely choked up as she said, ¡°You terrible girl¡­ Why


    didn¡¯t you tell me that you were still alive? I really thought you were gone.¡±


    Sylvia hugged her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made you warry.¡± Aunt Tonya sighed and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s okay,


    as long as you¡¯re alive.¡±


    ¡°I still have something to take care of. I¡¯ll exin it all when we get back home.¡±


    Sylvia released Aunt Tonya from her embrace after calming her down.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She then returned to Odell¡¯s side and said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯ve already called the police and they are waiting


    outside.¡± Odell pursed his lips in silence and simply stared at her with aplicated look in his eyes.


    Sylvia then pulled her phone out from her pocket. Her phone was already engaged in a call so she said,


    ¡°officer Sach, you cane in now.¡±


    From the moment she had arrived at the engagement party, she had already connected the call with the


    police officer.


    The conversation that she had with Tara and Mnie had all been heard by the officers outside.


    The room went silent again.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and stared at her.


    Tara clenched her fists and stood by Odell¡¯s side. She shot a frosty gaze at Mnie and did not bother


    helping her mother up.


    Everyone was shrouded in gloom, except for Isabel and Liam who cheerfully stood beside Sylvia. Not


    long after, a group of uniformed police officers entered the room. The leader of the group was Officer


    Sach, who had been on the phone with Sylvia from the start. Sylvia smiled at him and said, ¡°Thank you,


    officer Sach.¡± Officer Sach returned her smile and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for gratitude, it¡¯s our duty.¡±


    He also gave a polite smile to Odell.


    Then, he pointed at Mnie who was on the floor and said to his men, ¡°Take her away.¡±


    Two more young officers came in and cuffed Mnie¡¯s hands before taking her away.


    Officer Sach then said, ¡°Master Carter, Ms. Ross, we¡¯ll take the suspect back to the station for


    questioning and update you on our findingster.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Sylvia said.


    Chaptor 90


    Officer Sach then led his men away. Mnie was also arrested and taken away.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Liam suddenly cried out and stopped the police officers. Sylvia turned to Liam and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong,


    Liam?¡± Liam went up to Mnie and studied her face carefully. Isabel also curiously went over and


    stared at thedy¡¯s face. Soon, Isabel pouted and said, ¡°Brother, I think I¡¯ve seen her before.¡±


    Liam then said, ¡°Remember that time when we went to the cinema with Mommy and you wanted a


    Coke? She¡¯s the one who tried to kidnap us while Mommy was buying popcorn and drinks.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Oh yes! It¡¯s her! She said she would buy us drinks but she was actually there to


    kidnap us!¡±


    The room once again turned silent. Sylvia quickly carried them away from Mnie and asked, ¡°Are you


    two sure that it¡¯s her?¡±


    She remembered the attempted kidnapping at the cinema but Mnie had run away too quickly so she


    had not been able to get a good look at her face. Isabel and Liam were certain. ¡°We¡¯re sure!¡± Sylvia shot


    a cold gaze at Mnie. Mnie lowered her head in guilt.

 Chapter 491

    Mnie was overwhelmed by guilt. ¡°Officer Sach, please charge her with attempted kidnapping after the


    questioning. As long as she¡¯s prosecuted ordingly, the Carters will donate a handsome amount to


    every station in Westchester annually to provide aid and help for the officers who are injured in duty,


    ¡°Odell said.


    His voice sounded heavier than usual as if he was holding a certain emotion back.


    If not for the presence of the police, lie would have put Mnic through hell.


    Officer Sach solemnly answered, ¡°We will proceed ordingly. Don¡¯t worry, we will carefully investigate


    and make sure she confesses to every crime that she hasmitted.¡±


    Then, Officer Sach instructed his mou to take Mnie away.


    Peace and quiet returned to the hall.


    Sylvia looked at Odell. ¡°Odell, do you really think a woman like Mnie is capable of nning all this


    alone? Do you really think she¡¯s acious enough to push Grandmother down the hill without any help or


    support?¡± She nced at Tara who was beside him.


    Odell pursed his lips.


    Tara immediately said, ¡°Odell, I really didn¡¯t know about the crimes that my auntmitted. I know how


    much Grandmother means to you. How could I have incited her to hurt Grandmother? I admit that I am


    also partly responsible, I should have kept an eye on her, if I had done so, Grandmother wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    She then buried her sobbing face behind her hands.


    She cried her lungs out as if she was in pain from ming herself.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Odell was deeply irritated.


    Without sparing a nce at Tara, le looked to Sylvia instead and said, ¡°Let¡¯s put an end to all this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± Sylvia said, before grinning softly at Tara, ¡°But she and I are not over.¡±


    Tara was relieved when she realized that Odell did not n lo hold hier responsible. However, when she


    heard Sylvia¡¯s words, her gaze shisted. She reigned an innocent look and said, ¡± Sylvia, I have no idea


    what you are talking about, What else is there else between us?¡±


    Sylvia snecred. ¡°Tara, have you forgotten? That night four months ago, on top of that little hill at Cloudy


    Heart Lake.¡± Tara hurriedly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. I went to Cloudy Heart Lake on


    the same day as your ident but I went there to look for Odell. I only went up the hill on the following


    day.¡±


    Officer Sach then led his men away.


    Mnie was also arrested and taken away. ¡°Wait!¡±


    Liam suddenly cried out and stopped the police officers. Sylvia turned to Liam and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong,


    Liam?¡±


    Liam went up to Mnie and studied her face carefully. Isabel also curiously went over and stared at the


    lady¡¯s face.


    Soon, Isabel pouted and said, ¡°Brother, I think I¡¯ve seen her before.¡±


    Liam then said, ¡°Remember that time when we went to the cinema with Mommy and you wanted a


    Coke? She¡¯s the one who tried to kidnap us while Mommy was buying popcorn and drinks.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Oh yes! It¡¯s her! She said she would buy us drinks but she was actually there to


    kidnap us!¡±


    The room once again turned silent. Sylvia quickly carried them away from Mnie and asked, ¡°Are you


    two sure that it¡¯s her?¡± She remembered the attempted kidnapping at the cinema but Mnie had run


    away too quickly so she had not been able to get a good look at her face. Isabel and Liam were certain.


    ¡°We¡¯re sure!¡±


    Sylvia shot a cold gaze at Mnie. Mnie lowered her head in guilt.


    Chapter 491 Mnie was overwhelmed by guilt. ¡°Officer Sach, please charge her with attempted


    kidnapping after the questioning. As long as she¡¯s prosecuted ordingly, the Carters will donate a


    handsome amount to every station in Westchester annually to provide aid and help for the officers who


    are injured in duty,¡± Odell said. 1


    His voice sounded heavier than usual as if he was holding a certain emotion back If not for the presence


    of the police, he would have put Mnie through hell.


    Officer Sach solemnly answered, ¡°We will proceed ordingly. Don¡¯t worry, we will carefully investigate


    and make sure she confesses to every crime that she hasmitted.¡±


    Then, Officer Sach instructed his men to take Mnie away.


    Peace and quiet returned to the hall.


    Sylvia looked at Odell. ¡°Odell, do you really think a woman like Mnie is capable of nning all this


    alone? Do you really think she¡¯s audacious enough to push Grandmother down the hill without any help


    or support?¡±


    She nced at Tara who was beside him. Odell pursed his lips. Tara immediately said, ¡°Odell, I really


    didn¡¯t know about the crimes that my auntmitted. I know how much Grandmother means to you.


    How could I have incited lier to hurt Grandmother? I admit that I am also partly responsible, I should


    have kept an eye on her, if I had done so, Grandmother wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    She then buried her sobbing face behind her hands.


    She cried her lungs out as if she was in pain from ming herself. ¡°Enough!¡± Odell was deeply irritated.


    Without sparing a nce at Tara, he looked to Sylvia instead and said, ¡°Let¡¯s put an end to all this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you,¡± Sylvia said, before grinning softly at Tara, ¡°But she and I are not over.¡± Tara was


    relieved when she realized that Odell did not n to hold her responsible. However, when she heard


    Sylvia¡¯s words, her gaze shifted. She reigned an innocent look and said, ¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia, I have no idea what you are talking about. What else is there else between us?¡±


    Sylvia snecred. ¡°Tara, have you forgotten? That night sour months ago, on top of that little hill at Cloudy


    Heart Lake.¡±


    Tara hurriedly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. I went to Cloudy Heart Lake on the same


    day as your ident but I went there to look for Odell. I only went up the hill on the following day,¡±


    Sylvia noticed that both Isabel and Liam were listening, so she bent down and said to them,¡± Isabel,


    Liam, Mommy needs to discuss something with them. Can you to go outside with Aunt Tonya and wait


    for me there?¡± She did not want her kids to know about all these kinds of schemes and plots at such a


    young age. It would certainly distort their thinking Isabel pouted. She refused to leave her mother¡¯s side


    but she could not disobey her mother, so she begrudgingly looked at Liam. Liam saw Sylvia¡¯s soft smile


    and he said, ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia patted his head. ¡°Okay, please take your sister and follow Aunt Tonya


    outside. ¡± Liam hummed in reply and led Isabel to Aunt Tonya. Sylvia smiled at Aunt Tonya. ¡°Aunt Tonya,


    don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take long.¡± Aunt Tonya had no idea what she wanted to do but it had to be important,


    she hummed in reply and left the hall with the two kids Sylvia then lookt Tara who was behind Otell


    and her expression tumai cold. She walked over. Tara shrank back She nachei out to cling onto one of


    Odell¡¯s arms and said with teerates Oliell, I mually didn¡¯t do anything to her.¡± Qiell¡¯s eyes remained


    glueito via


    ¡°Oiell, step aside pleuse. Don¡¯t worry. I know she¡¯s important to you, I just want to talk to har, I promise I


    won¡¯t do anything to her,¡± she said with a smile. Qiell furrowex his brows and then removal Tara¡¯s hands


    from his am. ¡°Oddell¡­¡± Tara stanai at him pitifully Olell did not answer. He simply stepxxx aside and


    allowai yavaa to LUX Tata Sylvia wore a smile: ¡°Tara, you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Tara¡¯s gar shitted. She


    lookexiat Stia cautiously as she nnithe part of a victim and saude in an aggrieval tone ¡°Sylv, I know


    there¡¯s been some misundertanding been duri have nothing to do with you falling into the


    l i on¡¯t know what happen to you. Ten cui¡¯t just runt jour anger on me¡¯n trane ke like this It¡¯s evilor you!¡±


    Sylvia morridosrand raisei ler hand,

 Chapter 492

    The p was so powerful that it turned Tara¡¯s face. Before Tara could react and before Odell could stop


    her, Sylvia raised her hand again.


    She swiftly pped Tara three more times on the face.


    Tara was stunned.


    Sylvia then said with a grin, ¡°These four ps are for Aunt Tonya.¡±


    Tara widened her eyes in shock. ¡°Sylvia, you-¡±


    Thud!


    Before she could even finish her sentence, Sylvia kicked her on the left shin.


    Tara¡¯s expression twisted in pain as she cried out and sell to the ground after losing bnce.


    With a cold smile, Sylvia moved closer and kicked Tara again.


    She remembered the way Tara had kicked her leg while it had been in a cast back at Cloudy Heart Lake,


    so she felt that she was just returning the favor.


    Thud! Thud!


    The force of her kick was strong and produced a loud sound. Tara curled up in pain on the floor but her


    cries did not stop Sylvia¡¯s furious kicking.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression remained cold as she was not moved by Tara¡¯s fake acting. She was barely using


    any strength in the kicking so no matter how hard she kicked, it was still not as painful as what she had


    endured back then when Tara had kicked her broken leg while it had still been in a cast.


    As Sylvia was getting carried away by lier revenge, a towering figure approached her and stopped her.


    She was pulled away from Tara.


    She looked up and saw the cold look on the man¡¯s face.


    The furrowed brow¡¯s made him look grimmer than usual.


    Sylvia regained herposure and gave a cold smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Odell, I got carried away.¡±


    ¡°Aaargh! It hurts! It hurts! Tara suddenly cried louder and hugged her leg in pain. She curled herself up


    and cried to Odell, ¡°Odell, it hurts, my leg hurts! I think it¡¯s broken.¡±


    She looked miserable and pitiful. Sylvia shook Odell¡¯s hand off and said, ¡°Odell, your fiance is calling


    you. Shouldn¡¯t you check


    on her?¡±


    Odell shot a frosty look at her before giving an order to clill, ¡°Cliff, call two men over to take her away.¡±


    Cliff nodded and brought in two security guards. Sylvia was rather surprised. She had been under the


    impression that Odell would carry Tara away himself.


    Tara, who had been lying on the ground, sat up and looked at Odell with teary eyes. She sobbed as she


    said, ¡°Odell, I didn¡¯t do it, I didn¡¯t push her into theke, I really didn¡¯t. Please believe


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    me!¡±


    Odell turned a deaf ear to her. His hand continued to grip Sylvia¡¯s wrist as his eyes were glued to her.


    Sylvia tried but was unable to free herself from his grasp. Frustratedly, she looked away.


    Two security guards came in and carried Tara away.


    Tara¡¯s face was swollen but her eyes remained teary as she stared at Odell. ¡°Odell¡­¡± Odell ignored her


    completely Sylvia could not help but chuckle. Tara¡¯s gaze shifted and secretly red at Sylvia. Sylvia


    remained smiling and said, ¡°Tara, I said it before. What you did to me, I¡¯ll make sure to return the favor.¡±


    After a slight pause, she slowed down and said, ¡°This is just the beginning there¡¯s still a lot more to


    come.¡±


    Tara¡¯s leg seemed to hurt even more after hearing Sylvia¡¯s provocation. Her body even began to shake


    as her words choked in her chest. She tried to turn to Odell for help but Odell did not even spare her a


    nce. The security guards carried her away swiftly. The spacious hall returned to peace and quiet.


    Even though Sylvia stared at Odell coldly for a long time, the man still refused to release her. She said,


    ¡°Odell, you can let go of me now.¡± He continued to hold onto her wrist as his deep gaze remained fixed


    upon her face, as if she was the most fascinating being on earth. Sylvia¡¯s expression turned frosty.


    ¡°Odell, if you don¡¯t let me go, I¡¯ll make you.¡±


    He smiled.

 Chapter 493

    His smile was soft bui bewitching, and also mischievous,


    Sylvia turned to Sberry for help


    Sherry then looked at the bodyguards that she had hired and said, ¡°Guys, you know what 10


    do.¡±


    The moment she finished speaking, C stepped up and said to the bodyguards, ¡°The man she just asked


    you to beat up is Odel Carter. I believe you guys would know the consequences or that.¡±


    The bodypuards stopped and exchangod nces with each other,


    Annoyed, Sberry cried, ¡°I hired you guys at my expense! Don¡¯t you guys want to get paid?¡±


    Clill remained siniling, ¡°Stay put and I can pay you double or whatever she¡¯s paying, you guys.¡±


    Sherry redat CIII. ¡°I¡¯ll beat the crap out of you!¡±


    Cliff continued, ¡°I have a ck belt in karate, you are more than wee to try. Ms. Fowler,¡±


    Sherry was silenced


    She red at Cliff before shooting, a helpless gaze at Sylvia


    Sylvia had heard everything


    In frustration, she red at Odell and said, ¡°Odell, you¡¯ve left me no choice but to do this!¡±


    She raised her leg to kick in the direction of his crotch. However, before she could hit anything, she felt a


    force at her waist that listed her up entirely.


    She was spun 180 degrees in midair before shended on the man¡¯s shoulder


    Sylv¨ªa pounded the man¡¯s back. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Odell ignored her. He held down her legs to stop her from struggling and exited the hall.


    Sherry wanted to chase after them but Cliff stopped her.


    Outside the hall, Aunt Tonya was waiting for Sylvia together with Isabel and Liam and had continuously


    been peeking inside nervously from time to time.


    Isabel was licking on the ice-cream that she had gotten with her eyes fixed upon the entrance as she


    waited for her mother with Aunt Tonya and her brother.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Odell came out with Sylvia over his shoulder. Aunt Tonya was stunned and even


    the two kids widened their eyes in shock Completely forgetting about her ice-cream, the little girl ran after


    her father. ¡°Big Baddie, where are you taking my mommy? Let her go!¡± Together with Aunt Tonya, Liarn


    also began chasing after them.


    He opened the door and shoved Sylvia inside.


    By then, the two little ones had run up to him. Isabel immediately grabbed one of his legs before he could


    get into the car.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    She pouted and red at him indignantly as she yelled, ¡°Big Baddie, give me back my mommy!¡±


    Odell grabbed her by the back of her cor and tossed her into Aunt Tonya¡¯s arms.


    Isabel quickly turned to her brother and cried, ¡°Brother, please save Mommy! Hurry up!¡± Liam


    immediately moved closer to the car but his father¡¯s frosty re stopped him from doing anything else.


    He stopped and pursed his lips. ¡°Daddy, where are you taking Mommy?¡± ¡°I have to talk to your mother


    alone for a while. Go home first. I¡¯ll bring her home soon.¡± Liam dubiously asked, ¡°Are you really going to


    bring her back?¡± Odell looked at the boy with a firm gaze. ¡°I will.¡±. He then got into the car and closed the


    door. Sylvia tried to flee from the other side of the car but Odell grabbed her by the waist and held her


    tightly in his arms. He then said to the driver, ¡°Drive.¡±


    The driver started the car before asking in a lowered tone of voice, ¡°Sir, where are we going? Back to the


    house?¡±


    ¡°Anywhere but the house.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The car swiftly joined the traffic on the road.

 Chapter 494

    Odell looked at the woman in his arms. Sylvia was also staring at him with her big round eyes. Although


    the look in her eyes was icy cold, she looked full of life. His deep gaze softened and his lips curled into a


    smile. ¡°The woman I saw at Lush Heaven, it was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Sylvia tried to break free from his arms.


    ¡°Let me go first.¡± ¡°Tell me and I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    Without a second thought, Sylvia replied, ¡°Yeah, that was me.¡±


    He then asked, ¡°Was it also you who told them to spread the news of me entering the female toilet to


    chase someone on the Inte?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was me as well.¡± Sylvia grinned. ¡°It seems like you are not all that stupid.¡±


    Odell was not angry at all, instead he chuckled. Secretly calling him a psychopath, Sylvia then asked,


    ¡°Can you let go of me now?¡± He lifted his other hand to touch her face. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Sylvia tried to


    avoid his touch. Both her voice and her reaction were filled with resistance.


    Odell pursed his lips and released her.


    Sylvia adjusted her posture and moved to sit further away from him.


    Odell¡¯s eyes never left her. A long silenceter, he asked, ¡°When did Mnie try to kidnap Isabel and


    Liam?¡± Sylvia stared outside the window and calmly said, ¡°A week before Grandmother¡¯s incident. You


    had just gone on a business trip.¡± Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Sylvia did not


    really want to converse with him but there were still things that she had to exin to him. ¡°You were on a


    business trip and I didn¡¯t want to disturb your work. I had nned on telling you when you got back¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze deepened. He clearly remembered that after that weekend, Sylvia had personally started to


    send Isabel and Liam to kindergarten and bring them liome herself. Could it be¡­


    After a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°Is it because of this that you began to send the kids to


    school yourself?¡±


    ¡°Why else? Did you really think that I personally sent them to school just because I was trying to run into


    Edmund?¡± she asked. Before Sylvia had located Mnie¡¯s hired driver, she had failed to understand why


    Odell had been so suspicious of her. However, alter finding out that Mnie had been following her and


    had even taken pictures of her and Edmund together, she had finally understood why.


    However, even though she had run into Edmund for two days running, she had spoken to him at a


    distance and had not had any intimate interaction,


    Ultimately, Odell had chosen not to trust her.


    The atmosphere in the car had be quiet. Sylvia continued to stare outside the window as the man


    continued to look at her.


    There was aplicated expression on his face.


    She had sent the kids to school because she had been worried about their safety and her meeting


    Edmund up on the hill at Northpeak Resort had been a trap that had been set up by Mnie.


    There had never been anything between her and Edmund from the start and she had never secretly met


    Edmund behind his back, let alone had an affair.


    More importantly, it had not been her, nor Edmund, who had pushed his grandmother down the hill.


    However, he liad not believed a word she said. Instead, he had imprisoned her, ravaged her and even


    broken her leg.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    After a long silence, lie said to the driver, ¡°Head for home now.¡±


    Sylvia then said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to your house. Please let me down at the next intersection.¡±


    The driver shot a troubled gaze at Odell via the rear mirror, requesting further instruction.


    ¡°Sir?¡± Odell stared at the cold look on Sylvia¡¯s face and said, ¡°She¡¯s going home. Don¡¯t stop the car.¡±


    Sylvia cried, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m not going back!¡± ¡°If you are not going back, then where will you go?¡± ¡°I can go


    wherever I want, it¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    The corners of Odell¡¯s lips listed in a smile. ¡°You are my wise, of course it¡¯s my business.¡±


    The smile on his face was seductive but the tone of his voice was as domineering as ever. Sylvia


    scoffed. ¡°Odell, have you forgotten that you¡¯re supposed to be getting engaged to Tara?¡± He frowned and


    stayed silent for a few moments. Then, he said, ¡°We were just going through the motions. I didn¡¯tvow


    you were still alive.¡±

 Chapter 495

    ¡°Even if I had really died, it has only been four months since it happened!¡± Sylvia scoffed.¡± You can just


    save your lies for someone else!¡± Sylvia then turned to the driver and cried out, ¡°Stop the car!¡± ¡°Do not


    stop!¡± Odell said.


    Clearly, the driver would only follow Odell¡¯s orders, so he drove past the intersection without stopping.


    Sylvia grit her teeth and tried to force[ully open the door.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and ordered, ¡°Lock the door!¡±


    The driver did as he was told.


    Sylvia shot a furious re at the man.


    The man smiled at her and said, ¡°If you are notfortable in your seat, you can be in my arms instead.¡±


    Sylvia turned aside and sat closer to the door. She turned her eyes to look outside the window, giving


    Odell the cold shoulder.


    Odell¡¯s lips curled and continued to stare at her.


    After half an hour of a quiet journey, the car finally arrived at Carter Residence. Aunt Tonya was already


    home with the kids. Isabel and Liam ran out when they saw the car in front of the house. The moment


    Sylvia stepped out of the car, she spotted her two little ones running to her.


    Immediately, all of her frustrations faded away.


    Sylvia smiled as she held onto their tiny hands. Isabel and Liam looked up to their mother in delight.


    Isabel asked uneasily, ¡°Mommy, did the Big Baddie bully you?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± Sylvia answered. It was


    then that Odell got out of the car. The two kids gave him a quick nce before they switched their


    attention back to Sylvia. Odell also had a nce at the two of them before he shot a deep gaze at Sylvia.


    Sylvia simply ignored him. It was at this time that Sebastian, Violet and several other bodyguards came


    out of the house. Sebastian became teary-eyed when he saw Sylvia alive and well in front of him.


    ¡°Madam,


    thank goodness you are alive!¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sebastian, I didn¡¯t mean to make you worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. It¡¯s just that Isabel and Liam missed you so much and even Master Carter¡­¡±


    Sebastian suddenly noticed the grim look on his master¡¯s face, so he wisely rephrased his words and


    changed the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s not just stand here. Let us all go in!¡± Sylvia remained still.


    It was clear that those who had previously stayed at the old Carter Residence had already moved here.


    Thus, the ce was a lot livelierpared to the time when she had been imprisoned alone. Despite the


    company and the lively atmosphere, she could still remember her imprisonment clearly.


    She refused to go in.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian looked at her strangely.


    Isabel looked up to her mother and asked, ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Sylvia frowned. She wanted to take


    the kids away but Odell was just beside her and she knew that he would never let her go. Isabel


    continued, ¡°Mommy, let¡¯s go in! It¡¯s so cold outside!¡± Sylvia looked at the little girl and the little boy. Their


    chubby faces looked a little frozen. Even Aunt Tonya, Sebastian and Violet were looking at her in


    anticipation. Sylvia tightened her lips and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She held Isabel and Liam¡¯s hands as she went into the house.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Aunt Tonya, Sebastian and Violet followed her inside. The atmosphere inside the house was quite lively.


    After all of them had gone inside, Odell finally moved to follow them in.

 Chapter 496

    After settling down, Sylvia brought the lods and Aunt Tonyalo Madan Carter¡¯s room


    Violet and Sebastian followed as well


    The spa. sous room got twly for the first time


    They were happy that Sylvia came back


    They sat down and Aunt Tonya started asking ¡°Syl, fell me what happened to you in the past four month¡¯


    Sylvi kiuw they were curious, so slir briefly ren, ¡°Niet I fell into theke, one of my old friends wrdd me


    and brought into constfork City to heal When I felt better, I returned to Westchester City and contact


    Shetty and Violet


    She then looked at l¡¯holet in pratitude


    ¡°I have Violet to thank for mng it possible for me toe back this soon.¡±


    She omitted lot of details in boet story, such as being b ridden for a long time because of her bone


    fracture 11 was not nec Mary to tell the kids of Aunt Tonya what she had been through


    Violet sald, Madam, we missed you too if it¡¯s Ms Avery, neither of us will have a dry of


    ¡°I know night¡¯ Tata un¡¯t just good at scheming, she¡¯s evil in disguise!¡± Aunt Tonya grubled with gnashing


    teeth


    Even Sebastian, wtio never expressed his feelings or emotions, sighed. ¡°Lagree¡±


    He only recently found out thail Tita¡¯s aunt pushed Madam Carter down the hill and framed SylviaR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Tara must be more or less involved as well.


    Aunt Tonya then asked, ¡°Syl, how have you been recently?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I¡¯m doing good. Sherry has been taking good care of me.¡±


    Aunt Tonya was relieved to hear Sylvia¡¯s assurance. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡±


    Sylvia then had a nce at the unconscious Madam Carter. ¡°How¡¯s Grandma doing?¡±


    Violet answered, ¡°Madam Carter is as usual. There are no signs of her waking up but she¡¯s healthy


    overall.¡±


    As they continued chatting, the man stood outside the room and listened to every word they spoke inside


    His lowering ligure stood like a monolith, showing no signs of leaving


    Maybe the topic was not interesting enough, Isabel quickly fell asleep in Sylvia¡¯s arms.


    Liam also leaned on his sister and closed his eyes.


    Aunt Tonya lowered her voice since the kids were asleep. She continued, ¡°Syl, how did you fall into the


    lake?¡±


    Sylvia started from where she was rescued because she wanted to avoid the topic, Aunt Tonya knew her


    well and if it could be discussed openly, she would probably talk about it. She avoided the topic at first


    because she did not want her kids to know about it. Sylvia¡¯s gaze turned frosty and she said, ¡°It was


    Tara¡¯s trap.¡± Aunt Tonya was furious to hear it from Sylvia herself. ¡°I knew it was her! If she doesn¡¯t take


    you out of the picture, how could she take your ce altogether?¡±


    Sebastian siglied.


    Feeling annoyed, Aunt Tonya asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the sighing?¡± Sebastian said, ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to


    understand why Master Carter would trust her so much. She¡¯s an evil person and all she does is


    schieme.¡±


    Aunt Tonya continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know about you but I don¡¯t like her the moment I see her. She must¡¯ve


    cast soine spells on your master.¡± ¡°But I believe Master Carter only loves Madam. There must be some


    other reasons he trusted Ms. Avery that much.¡±


    ¡°Forget about it. Stop defending him. He probably hasn¡¯t forgotten about Tara but still wants Syl as his


    wise.¡±

 Chapter 497

    The two of them almost started an argument is not for Sylvia¡¯s intervention. She said, ¡°I n to have a


    divorce with Odell.¡±


    Sebastian was shocked, and so were Aunt Tonya and Violet. Confused, Sebastian asked, ¡°Madam, the


    misunderstanding has been cleared. Why do you still want to have a divorce?¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Sylvia did not answer his question. Instead she said, ¡°Sebastian, I¡¯ve already decided. Please look after


    Grandma as always.¡±


    Sebastian turned to Aunt Tonya and signaled her with a gesture to persuade Sylvia otherwise.


    Aunt Tonya turned a blind eye to him. Sebastian sighed helplessly. The man outside the door wore a


    frosty look and frowned. All of a sudden, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and put it beside his ear.


    Cliff¡¯s voice came from the phone and he said. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve sent Ms. Avery back to Lake Victoria Vi. The


    doctor said Ms. Avery only sustained some bruises on her leg, and there was no damage to ber bone or


    muscle. She¡¯ll be fine after a few days.¡± Odell answered coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to update me about her


    anymore.¡± Cliff immediately said, ¡°I understand, sir.¡± ¡°What about the matter that I asked you to


    investigate?¡±


    Clill continued, ¡°I¡¯m in Lake Victoria Vi now and I¡¯ve spoken to the bodyguard who¡¯s in charge of Ms.


    Avery¡¯s safety. The bodyguard said before Madam¡¯s incident, Ms. Avery barely stepped out of the house,


    but on the day that Madam fell into theke, Ms. Avery went out once in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Where did she go?¡±


    ¡°The bodyguard was unsure. He said you told him to stop following Ms. Avery, so he didn¡¯t follow ber that


    night.¡± Odell pursed his lips.


    Back then, Tara kept telling him to make amends with Sylvia and she was even concerned about Sylvia¡¯s


    mental health. She also suggested to him to bring Sylvia to the Cloudy Heart Lake night party, and he


    purely believed she did it out of kindness. That was the reason why he told the bodyguard to stop


    following her.


    He did not expect that on the same day, Sylvia fell into theke. Odell shut his eyes regrettably and sald,


    ¡°Dring: Tara¡¯s servant to me.¡±


    He wanted to question the servant for more answers,


    m Candy Crush Saga


    Cliff said, ¡°Sir, the bodyguard said the servant who served Ms. Avery left earlier today. Maybe because


    she had enough of Ms. Avery¡¯s temper, the bodyguard heard the servant scream ¡®I¡¯m finally free¡¯ when


    she left.¡± Odell¡¯s expression turned grim.


    The call got quiet for a moment and Cliff did not get an answer from his boss. He asked in a small voice,


    ¡°Sir, do you need me to bring her back?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary anymore.¡± He already had the answer that he was looking for. The call ended


    and Odell pocketed his phone. He continued listening to the conversation inside the room.


    Violet was talking to Sylvia. ¡°Madam, my friend already took up the job you introduced to lier. She said


    Mr. Amos is a good employer and the work there is a lot more rxing. She loved it and wanted me to


    thank you on behalf.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°As long as she likes it, it¡¯s the least I can do for her. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Madam, you¡¯re


    too kind. If you didn¡¯t help her, she¡¯s still suffering from Ms. Avery¡¯s temper.¡± ¡°She helped me a lot as well.


    Just tell her to work hard on the new job.¡± If it was not for Violet¡¯s servant friend, she would not have


    located Mnie¡¯s hired driver so soon.


    Violet hummed a reply and texted her friend about it. Outside the door, Odell¡¯s lips lightened and there


    was a hint of delight in his deep gaze. ¡®No wonder she knew so much about Mnie¡¯s whereabouts


    during that period. She got in contact with the servant at Tara¡¯s ce. She¡¯s been hiding in Lushi Heaven


    for months and she must¡¯ve done a lot of investigation. I think she even included my engagement with


    Tara in her ns.¡¯

 Chapter 498

    Alter Isabel and I.am woke up, Sylvin brought them out of Madani Carter¡¯s room. When they came out,


    they ww Odell mitolog on the couch in the living room, Odlell was looking at her and her arhim. Sylvlu


    immediately rotracted her paze and browlithe keto tlo door. The man¡¯s gravelly volce sounded, ¡°Where


    are you going?¡± Sylvia colilly answered, ¡°We¡¯re bumpy. I¡¯m bring to them out to cat.¡± ¡°The kitchen already


    prepared a meal. Laat dioni, con¡¯t 10 oul.¡±


    Sylvia turned a deaf car and continued going out


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Before she could stop out of the shoor, the bodylurdu pot in der w.ly.


    Sylvia¡¯s paze turned frosty and asked, ¡°Odell, are you still trying to imprison me?¡±


    She wore the coldest expression which she mentioned the word ¡°Imprison¡±.


    Odell slightly narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°Thiciell them to back ofl.¡± Odell gol up and


    went over to her. He grinned and looked at hier war?nly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to catatonic, we¡¯ll go out to cat


    Logether.¡± Sylvia averted his caze and answered, ¡°No. I¡¯ll bring them out alone.¡± Odell carried the


    drowsy-eyed Liam into his arms. Sylvia¡¯s right hand felt cmply all of a sudden. She quickly held Isabel


    lightly to lier left and stared at the man.


    Odell wore a bewitching prin and said, ¡°You cither cal at home or we go out to cal together. Your choice.¡±


    Sylvia red at him.


    If the kids were not around, he would have struck her.


    She swallowed her grievance and brought Isabel to the dining table.


    She sat Isabel down on her usual seat.


    Odell also put Liarn on his seat before he sat down opposite Sylvia,


    The meal was served.


    Sylvia and the kids ate without saying a word. The kids were obedient and she did not even have to


    worry about them.


    After the meal, Sylvia got up.


    Isabel and Liam followed and went to her side. The mother and kids then walked toward the door.


    However, the bodyguards stepped in and stopped them again. Sylvia turned around to the man at the


    dining table. The man shot a deep gaze at her and asked, ¡°Where are you bringing them?¡± Annoyed,


    Sylvia said, ¡°I¡¯m their mother. I can bring them wherever I want.¡± ¡°I¡¯m their father. You have to tell me


    wherever you¡¯re bringing them.¡± Sylvia refused to continue the argument. She cut to the chase and


    voiced her question, ¡°You just don¡¯t want me to go out, do you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath to calm her irritation. She then looked at Isabel and Liam and said, ¡° Isabel,


    Liam, can go you y in the yard? Mommy wants to have a word with Daddy.¡± The two little ones clearly


    sensed the tension between their parents. Isabel pouted. ¡°Mommy, is the big baddie going to bully you


    again?¡± Sylvia patted her head. ¡°No, he won¡¯t.¡± Liam looked at Odell. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re not going to bully


    Mommy, are you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The brother and sister then held hands and went out. Sylvia then turned to Odell and asked, ¡°Now that


    you already know the truth about Grandma¡¯s incident, what else do you want?¡±

 Chapter 499

    Odell pursed his lips and went silent. Sylvia walked up to him. ¡°Speak. Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The man chose to remain silent.


    Sylvia sneered. ¡°Are you still trying to imprison me to vent your emotions? The one who pushed


    Grandma is Mnic, Tara¡¯s aunt. She had been taken by the police and I know there¡¯s no one for you to


    lash out on, but you can¡¯t keep doing this to me. Or you can¡¯t bear taking it out on Tara, so you¡¯re trying


    to vent your anger on me?¡± He simply looked at her deeply and profoundly His reaction fueled Sylvia¡¯s


    anger.


    She screamed, ¡°Say something!¡±


    He moved his lips but did not speak. His frosty expression showed a sense of ainusement.


    Sylvia was angrier than before. She grabbed him by the cor and stared into his cyes. ¡°Stop acting


    crazy! if you don¡¯t want to talk, let me out!¡± He curled his lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m not letting you out of this


    house. What can you possibly do?¡±


    Sylvia tightened her grip on his cor. The shrinking cor was constricting his neck, but he remained


    nonchnt.


    Not only was he not angry, but he was also not anxious or nervous at all. He even smiled wider than


    before.


    Sylvia said coldly, ¡°You think I won¡¯t do anything to you?¡± He smiled. ¡°As you wish.¡± As long as she


    stayed, she could do whatever she wanted to him. Sylvia pulled his cor tighter, but her hands were


    losing strength. Even when his neck turned reddish due to the pull, he remained nonchnt. Sylvia lost


    interest and released him. ¡°If you don¡¯t let me out, I¡¯ll go out by myself!¡± She turned around but then she


    felt a pulling force on her waist. Before she knew it, she fell onto hisp. He hugged her tightly from


    behind and his warmth enveloped her body.


    Sylvia tried to break free but he was strong. It was impossible for her to leave. She screamed, ¡°Odell, get


    your hands off me!¡± He raised his other hand and pressed her face against his neck.


    Sylvia bit his neck without a second thought.


    The pain caused him to purse his lips. A momentter, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve wronged you.¡± Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted


    and her struggling body froze. She released his neck and he released her head.


    She looked up at him and saw a deep and warm gaze staring at her.


    He stared into her eyes and said in a small voice, ¡°Let¡¯s live a good life together. I won¡¯t misunderstand


    you again.¡± Sylvia scossed. ¡°Do you think we still can live a life together after what happened?¡± ¡°If you


    will it, we can.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Sylvia pushed him away and red at him. ¡°It¡¯s because Tara sent you a couple of pictures and


    you suspected me of having an affair with Edmund. And because of that, when Grandma fell down the


    hill, you hold me and Edinund responsible. ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to me and you didn¡¯t trust me. You


    imprisoned me and vent your anger on me. You even broke my leg, crushed the toy I carved for Isabel


    and Liam, and you even threw away my canvas and painting tools!¡± Her eyes got teary as she shouted


    but she was carried away by her anger and did not realize the tears.


    She continued, ¡°Not only that but Tara suggested you bring me to Cloudy Heart Lake and you did! You


    trusted her!


    ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t know about the trap she set up just for me. She caused a scene and distracted Edward


    and used the food stalls to make me send Violet oss. She hired a man and held a knife at my neck. I was


    taken into the elevator and was forced to push the button up to the hill.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the leg that YOU broke, I can¡¯t run or do anything. I was drugged and she hit me on the


    face. She broke the cast and fractured my bones, and she pushed me into theke!¡±

 Chapter 500

    All the terrible things that happened to her that night four months ago were being reyed in her mind.


    Sylvia red into his eyes and allowed the tears to roll down her cheeks freely. ¡°Odell, if you liad just


    trusted me, I wouldn¡¯t have to go through all that!¡±


    The man stared at her (rosty look. Her teary eyes showed nothing but resentment for him.


    He instinctively raised liis hand and tried to wipe the tears off her face, but before he could touch her, she


    pped his hand away and shouted, ¡°DON¡¯T TOUCH ME!¡± The tiree words had nothing but hatred for


    the man.


    His hand froze before he retracted it.


    Sylvia squirmed and then said, ¡°Get your other hand off me!¡±


    She was referring to his arm that he curled around her waist.


    Odell did not free her. He constricted her waist even lichter.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    He stared at lier deeply and said in a gravelly voice, ¡°I know I wrongly trusted Tara and I put you through


    helll¡¯ll make it to you. I¡¯llpensate you. I can give you anything except a divorce.¡±


    Compensate? Sylvia blurted, ¡°I want Tara dead. Can you do that?¡±


    He frowned in silence,


    Sylvia simply vented her anger. She did not wish for him to kill Tara. However, his silence made her scoff.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do it, can you?¡± ¡°I can teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°What coukl that be?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cut her off financially and I won¡¯t talk to her anymore.¡± Teach Tara a lesson by


    not giving her any money? Sylvia blurted, ¡°She broke my leg and almost killed me!¡±


    ¡°You also pushed her down the stairs five years ago and she can never be pregnant again. You hurt her


    before, so let¡¯s call it a draw.¡±


    Even now, the man could hardly believe Tara would set up such a huge trap just to remove Sylvia from


    the picture, No matter how he looked at the situation, he believed it all started because he loved


    someone cise and caused both women to generate hate for each other, lience the tragedy,


    He wanted to caress Sylvia on the face again but she pped his hand off again.


    Sylvia bit his neck without a second thought. The pain caused him to purse his lips. A momentter, he


    said, ¡°I¡¯ve wronged you.¡± Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted and her struggling body froze. She released his neck and


    he released her head. She looked up at him and saw a deep and warm gaze staring at her.


    He stared into her eyes and said in a small voice, ¡°Let¡¯s live a good life together. I won¡¯t misunderstand


    you again.¡±


    Sylvia scossed. ¡°Do you think we still can live a life together after what happened?¡±


    ¡°If you will it, we can.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Sylvia pushed him away and red at him. ¡°It¡¯s because Tara sent you a couple of pictures and


    you suspected me of having an affair with Edmund. And because of that, when Grandma fell down the


    hill, you hold me and Edmund responsible.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to me and you didn¡¯t trust me. You imprisoned me and vent your anger on me. You


    even broke my leg, crushed the toy I carved for Isabel and Liam, and you even threw away my canvas


    and painting tools!¡± Her eyes got teary as she shouted but she was carried away by her anger and did


    not realize the tears.


    She continued, ¡°Not only that but Tara suggested you bring me to Cloudy Heart Lake and you did! You


    trusted her!


    ¡°I bet you didn¡¯t know about the trap she set up just for me. She caused a scene and distracted Edward


    and used the food stalls to make me send Violet off. She hired a man and held a knife at my neck. I was


    taken into the elevator and was forced to push the button up to the hill. ¡°It¡¯s because of the leg that YOU


    broke, I can¡¯t run or do anything. I was drugged and she hit me on the face. She broke the cast and


    fractured my bones, and she pushed me into theke!¡±


    Chapter 500 All the terrible things that happened to her that night four months ago were being reyed


    in her mind. Sylvia red into his eyes and allowed the tears to roll down her checks freely. ¡°Odell, if you


    had just trusted me, I wouldn¡¯t have to go through all that!¡±


    The man stared at her frosly look. Her teary eyes showed nothing but resentment for him.


    He instinctively raised his hand and tried to wipe the tears off her face, but before he could touch her,


    she pped his hand away and shouted, ¡°DON¡¯T TOUCH ME!¡±


    The three words had nothing but hatred for the man.


    His hand froze before he retracted it. Sylvia squirmed and then said, ¡°Get your other hand off me!¡± She


    was referring to his arm that he curled around her waist.


    Odell did not free her. He constricted her waist even lighter.


    He stared at her deeply and said in a gravelly voice, ¡°I know I wrongly trusted Tara and I put you through


    hell. I¡¯ll make it up to you. I¡¯llpensate you. I can give you anything except a divorce.¡±


    Compensate?


    Sylvia blurted, ¡°I want Tara dead. Can you do that?¡±


    He frowned in silence.


    Sylvia simply vented her anger. She did not wish for him to kill Tara.


    However, bis silence made her scoff. ¡°You can¡¯t do it, can you?¡±


    ¡°I can teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°What could that be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut her off financially and I won¡¯t talk to her anymore.¡±


    Teach Tara a lesson by not giving her any money?


    Sylvia blurted, ¡°She broke my leg and almost killed me!¡±


    ¡°You also pushed her down the stairs five years ago and she can never be pregnant again. You hurt her


    before, so let¡¯s call it a draw.¡± 1


    Even now, the man could hardly believe Tara would set up such a huge trap just to remove Sylvia from


    the picture. No matter how he looked at the situation, he believed it all started because he loved


    someone else and caused both women to generate hate for each other, hence the tragedy. He wanted to


    caress Sylvia on the face again but she pped his hand off again.


    She red at him with teary eyes. Other than shock, she wore a scornful expression and said, ¡± Odell,


    until now, you believed it was me who pushed her down the stairs five years ago?¡±


    Odell looked at her in silence.


    Sylvia got an answer from his silence. He still believed Tara even after what happened. He might be


    under the impression that Tara did not set hier up, and it was all her delusion and her n to get back to


    Tara.


    She knew it was futile but she could not help it and said, ¡°Odell Carter, you¡¯re an idiot!¡±


    He frowned.


    Sylvia then freed herself from his embrace and drew distance from him.


    Leaving his side calmed lier down a lot.


    She turned around to him and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared the divorce papers and I¡¯ll send them to you


    later. See if there¡¯s anything you want to add. I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill them as long as you¡¯re willing to sign


    them.¡±


    She then walked toward the door.


    The man¡¯s gravelly voice sounded. ¡°You can go but you cannot bring Isabel and Liam together.¡± Sylvia


    froze.


    The man stood up and looked at her with a heavy expression.


    Feeling frustrated, Sylvia asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Literal meaning,¡± he said. Sylvia choked on her


    feelings. He added, ¡°If you want to stay, you¡¯re wee to do so but I won¡¯t sign the papers.¡± He could


    not allow her to bring the kids away or sign the divorce papers. It was clear that he refused to divorce her


    and nned to use the kids to hold her back. All Sylvia wanted was to leave. Right before she walked


    out of the living room, the two little ones came in. ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel called her adorably. Sylvia¡¯s boiling


    anger was suppressed by the girl¡¯s voice. She squatted and hugged the two of them.

 Chapter 501

    Isabel put her puffy face against her mother¡¯s cheek. ¡°Mommy, why are your eyes red? Did the big


    baddie bully you?¡± Sylvia answered in a small voice, ¡°He didn¡¯t bully one. We just had an argument.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Hmph! Did he argue with you? He¡¯s not a gentleman!¡± Sylvia wore an awkward smile. ¡°I¡¯ll


    go scold him!¡± Isabel almost ran up to her father but Sylvia held her back.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Mommy is fine. He lost the argument.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, really.¡± Sylvia said with a smile.


    Isabel¡¯s grumpy expression softened after seeing the smile on her mother¡¯s face.


    Liam then asked, ¡°Mommy, are we going out?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll y with you guys at home.¡±


    Liam nodded and Isabel hummed a reply.


    As long as the brother and sister could be with their mother, they did not mind the location.


    Sylvia was determined to get the divorce and if he resuscd, she had all the time to tangle with


    him.


    She put aside her other thoughts and brought the kids upstairs. Her old room was filled with the kids¡¯


    toys, so she yed with them on the floor.


    Time went by quietly.


    Isabel was the first to call it a day. She crawled into her mother¡¯s arms and fell asleep.


    Liam sat beside his mother and quietly yed with his Rubik¡¯s cube.


    The room quicted down.


    Sylvia then Texted Sherry and Sherry asked how she was doing, so she updated her friend with the


    latest situation.


    Alter learning Sylvia was no longer imprisoned, Sherry felt relieved but she also scolded Odell  text.


    When the chat was over, Sylvia sent the divorce papers she drafted to Odell.


    Outside in the corridor, the man¡¯s phone buzzed.


    The man stepped away from the door and pulled his phone out. It was a message from Sylvia and she


    sent him a document named ¡°Divorce Papers¡±.


    He was disheartened but he did not reply to her text. just as he wanted to put his phone away, his phone


    buzzed again. Sylvia texted her several pictures. They were all the contents of the divorce papers she


    drafted There were three pictures, each representing a page in the document He briefly went through


    them


    In summary, Sylvia wished for nothing of his wealth or property. Everything would remain as it was even


    after the divorce but Sylvia wanted the nights to Isabel and Liam


    Buzz!


    His phone buzzed again


    It was a text from Sylvia


    ¡°Odell, i know you want the rights to theds Give them to me and I¡¯ll fulfill every single or your requests.


    Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t deny your rights as a father. You can see then whenever you want.¡±


    Odell had a nce before he pocketed his phone He went doser to the door and had a peek inside


    Sylv¨ªa sat on the floor with the kids.


    Isabel was sleeping in her mother¡¯s arms and Liam was dozing off beside her.


    Sylvia was typing on her phone, seemingly chatting with someone.


    The room was quiet and the scene of the mother and kids felt harmonious.


    No one but himself knew how much he yeamed to see such a peaceful scene while Sylvia was gone.


    He dreamt of such a scene on many drunken nights as well


    Now, his fantasy came true, and there she was, sitting before his eyes. Yet she wanted a divorce?


    Never!

 Chapter 502

    Later that night, Sylvia had dinner with the kids and then yed with them again.


    After the two of them went to bed, Sylvia grabbed her jacket and left the room.


    When she walked past the living room, Odell was drinking tea on the couch.


    She had a nce at him and continued toward the door. ¡°It¡¯ste. Where are you going?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia ignored him and continued toward the door.


    Sherry¡¯s car was already waiting outside the house and Sylvia spotted her as soon as she came out.


    ¡°Syl, hurry up!¡±


    Sylvia smiled and got into the car.


    The car then drove away from the house.


    Shortly after the car turned into the junction, another ck sports car drove out of the house and


    followed them.


    Sherry was a great driver. Half an hourter, they arrived at a famous barbeque restaurant.


    Sylvia followed Sherry to a room on the second floor. When she walked in, she saw Edmund slouching


    on his seat, smiling at her. ¡°Syl, it¡¯s been a long time. Did you miss me?¡± He was still as frivolous as


    before, which was a relief to Sylvia.


    She wore an apologetic expression and said, ¡°Edmund, I¡¯m so sorry to drag you into all of this.¡±


    While she was imprisoned by Odell, Edmund was detained by the police. It had been six months since


    he was wrongfully arrested and he just got out recently. A lot could happen in six months and yet he


    spent them in the detention center because he was wrongfully used. Edmund waved frivolously and


    said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s all in the past now. If you want to apologize, sit and have a drink with me.¡± Sylvia


    smiled and sat down with Sherry. Lloyd and Harry were also there. They held this dinner to celebrate


    Edmund¡¯s release.


    Neither of them talked about the bitter past. They all switched the topic to something more delightful


    Lloyd bitterly said, ¡°Boss, you have no idea how hard it has been for me and Harry while you¡¯re away.


    Now that you¡¯re back, we can finally live our old lives back.¡± Smack!


    Harry smacked Lloy on the back of his head. ¡°You didn¡¯t lose anything, not a piece of meat or a strand of


    hair. You got a lottter while Boss is gone. Look at your double chin, it¡¯s almost at your chest! How hard


    could it have possibly been?¡± Lloyd pouted. ¡°It¡¯s hard mentally.¡±


    Sylvia and Sherryughed at their bickering. Edmund had a subtle nce at Sylvia and herughter put


    a smile on his face, The room¡¯s atmosphere was lively. Down at the parking lot, diagonally opposite the


    room¡¯s ceiling-to-floor window, a ck sports car was parked quietly.


    The window was half wound down.


    The man inside the car was smoking as he stared at the people in the room.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    He was able to see everyone clearly from lus angle.


    Sylvia sat with Sherry and Edmund was with hisckeys.


    Sylvia had a bright mood and the smile on Jier face never once faded.


    The man also noticed Edmund glued his eyes to Sylvia, which irritated him.


    A cloud of smoke was spewed from his mouth. He was at the end of his cigarette after a few pusss. ile


    tossed the cigarette butt away and lit another one as he continued to watch the room with deep gaze.


    An hourter, Lloyd waspletely drunk and Harry was tipsy. The two of them clung to Edmund and


    were kicked away mercilessly.

 Chapter 503

    Sylvia¡¯s smile remained as she stood up with Sherry. It was time for her to leave now that she was full,


    but she had something to say to Edmund alone. She said to Sherry, ¡°Sherry, can you wait for me


    outside? It will just take a few minutes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sherry grabbed the drunk Lloyd and Harry out of the


    room. The room became quiet with only the two of them. Edmund continued to slouch on his seat. He


    raised a brow at Sylvia and asked, ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±


    Sylvia looked at him seriously. ¡°Edmund, I heard from Harry that your business has been declining while


    you were away. I have some savings here. You can use it as funds to turn your business around.¡± She


    then pulled a bank card from her purse. The card contained half of her entire savings. It might not be


    able to make up for his losses but it should be enough to let him turn his business around. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Edmund chuckled. ¡°Odell Carter gave me a sum of money today and it¡¯s twice as much as what I lost.¡±


    Sylvia was surprised. ¡°He paid you?¡± Edmund got up from his seat and showed her the message he


    received from the bank on his phone. Sylvia had a nce at the number and it was ten times more than


    what she was prepared to give Edmund


    She pursed her lips. Edmund patted her head. ¡°Syl, I guess I didn¡¯t go away for half a year for nothing.


    Keep your card to yourself.¡± Sylvia was embarrassed to give him her card now that she found out Odell


    paid him for his losses. She hummed a reply and kept the card back in her purse. ¡°What are you going to


    do next?¡± ¡°Continue my business, of course.¡± Edmund crossed his arms and sat back down in his seat.¡±


    What about you? Have you spoken to Odell?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m nning to get a divorce and live my own life


    with my kids.¡± Edmund was taken aback. He then squinted his eyes and wore a mischievous grin. ¡°Then


    does it mean I¡¯m getting a second chance?¡±


    Sylvia simply smiled it off and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go home and rest.¡± She wanted to leave


    but then Edmund held her back. ¡°Hold on, Sylvia.¡±


    Sylvia turned to him, baffled.


    His gaze shifted and hinted at the ceiling-to-floor window.


    Sylvia had a nce outside and saw the parking lot. It was dark outside and it was difficult to have a


    clear look due to the lights in the room. However, she knew Edmund had always been a cautious person


    and he would not have signaled her without a reason. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s there outside?¡±


    Edmund said with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s a pair of eyes watching us from the moment you step in.¡±


    Sylvia immediately thought of Odell whom she walked past in the living room.


    He followed her here? Sylvia frowned and wanted to leave, but before she walked out of the room, she


    thought of something


    She paused and turned to Edmund. ¡°Edmund, can I ask you for a favor?¡±


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    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can you tell him about what Tara did?¡±


    Edmund was surprised. ¡°Why me? Can¡¯t you tell him yourself?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze turned frosty. ¡°He won¡¯t believe what I said.¡± ¡°Okay. Leave it to me.¡±


    Sylvia and Edmund left together. They walked to the parking lot and saw Sherry¡¯s car waiting for her.


    Sylvia said goodbye to Lloyd, Harry, and Edmund before she got into Sherry¡¯s car and left. On the other


    end of the parking lot, the ck sports car drove out of its spot.


    The man behind the wheels stared at the car that drove off.


    Just as he wanted to follow the car, a figure stepped in front and stopped him.


    Edmund stood in front of the car and grinned. ¡°Master Carter, a gentleman like you stalking a woman in


    the middle of the night? It doesn¡¯t sound appropriate, does it?¡±

 Chapter 504

    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Move!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯m just joking with you.¡± Edmund chuckled and continued, ¡°I just want a few words with


    you, can I?¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡±


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    ¡°I want to talk about Tara with you. I believe you haven¡¯t heard of her past before you met her,


    right?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Sherry¡¯s car already disappeared beyond the traffic. Odell went silent for two seconds before he wound


    down the window. Edmund went to the driver¡¯s side and leaned on the car. ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you. I was


    able to get to know Syl because Tara introduced her to me.¡± He then pulled his phone out and showed


    Odell the chat history he had with Tara. The entire chat history was revealed to Odell before his eyes.


    ¡°Mr. Price, Happy New Year! I heard you¡¯ve been single for a while now. Haven¡¯t you met someone nice?


    I know someone and I believe she¡¯s your type. Do you want to meet her?¡± Edmund asked her for some


    pictures. Tara then sent several pictures of Sylvia to him.


    The chat happened onst year¡¯s New Year¡¯s eve, and back then, Odell still had not confirmed his


    feelings for Sylvia and had not remarried her.


    He clearly remembered that Sylvia was not at home to spend New year¡¯s eve with the kids. He got angry


    and called her but it was a waitress at Lush Heaven who picked up the phone. He then learned that


    Sylvia was drunk.


    When he arrived at Lush Heaven, he saw Sylvia in Edmund¡¯s room.


    He was under the impression that Edmund made her drunk and tried to do something to her, but now he


    realized it was all part of Tara¡¯s n.


    Edmund noticed the grim expression and then said with a smile, ¡°Master Carter, right after Tara sent me


    the pictures, myckeys saw Sylvia outside our room. Do you think it¡¯s a coincidence?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips coldly.


    Edmund knew the man before him was smart. He continued, ¡°Tara must¡¯ve noticed your feelings for


    Sylvia, so she yed the matchmaker and tried to erase your thoughts for Sylvia.¡± It was unfortunate that


    things did not go his way. The harder he chased Sylvia, the stronger she rejected him.


    In the end, Sylvia remarried Odell, and Tara would be the first to disagree. It was her grievance that


    caused the series of tragedies that followed. Edmund sighed. ¡°If I know she¡¯s the one who hooked up


    with myckey and made him bankrupt, I should¡¯ve ended her back then.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Odell¡¯s gaze shifted.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot about this part.¡± Edmund continued smiling. ¡°Before Tara met you, she¡¯s already a woman


    with methods. I remember when I was still active in the gang, she always showed herself before me but


    she¡¯s not my type, so I never really cared about her.


    ¡°She hooked up with one of myckeys who was quickly on the rise. I have no idea what kind of spells


    she cast on him but he bought her this and that, and even gave her everything. She was still not satisfied


    and eventually hooked up with other men. ¡°I ran some checks on her for myckey and guess what I


    found out?¡± He raised a brow at Odell.


    Odell stared at him coldly. ¡°What?¡± Edmund skipped to the chase. ¡°Other than myckey, she was seeing


    three other men.¡± Odell¡¯s deep gaze showed a sense of shock.

 Chapter 505

    Other than Edmund¡¯sckey, Tara was seeing three other men? Which made it four men at the same


    time?


    Odell asked, ¡°When is this?¡±


    Edmund pondered for a minute and said, ¡°Around five years ago.¡±


    Five years ago? Odell¡¯s expression fell. Edmund narrowed his eyes and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t just sit back


    and watch myckey being cheated on by some woman, so I told him, but he didn¡¯t believe me. I


    convinced him to catch her in the act and I guess he got so angry when he caught Tara sleeping with


    another man, so he beat the man to death.


    ¡°He¡¯s still behind bars now and Tara left with all his money. Not even a penny was left for him, or his


    mother at home. My otherckeys and I wanted to teach her a lesson but she got lucky and found you,


    so the entire thing was forced to a halt.¡±


    The night breeze blew and whirred.


    The man in the car showed the grimmest expression to veil his true emotions. Edmund saw the look on


    his face. ¡°Master Carter, this might be a long time ago but if you want to, you should be able to dig


    something out. Myckey¡¯s name is Joshua Hamba and he¡¯s locked up in Westchester Prison. You can


    ask your men to have a check.¡±


    Edmund then left.


    The ck sports car remained parked on the spot for quite some time.


    Sometimeter, the man¡¯s phone buzzed.


    Odell put the phone next to his ears and asked, ¡°Did you get it?¡±


    Cliff reported what he found out.


    ¡°Yes, sir. There¡¯s a prisoner named Joshua Hamba in Westchester Prison and he was arrested five years


    ago for idental manughter. It was reported that his girlfriend cheated on him and he caught her in


    the act. He got so angry that he beat the man to death on the spot.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s his girlfriend?¡±


    Cliff inhaled deeply and said, ¡°I¡¯ve sent one of our men to Joshua¡¯s mother to ask for the name and the


    lady said the girlfriend¡¯s name was Avery. Tara Avery.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips tightly and coldly.


    Cliff continued in a small voice, ¡°Sir, Joshua¡¯s mother kept his phone at home and our men checked it


    and found the picture of him and his girlfriend. I saw it myself and it¡¯s really Ms. Avery. Do you need to¡­


    see it for yourself?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Odell then hung up the phone and tossed it aside.


    He leaned on the seat and shut his eyes with the grimmest look on his face.


    Five years ago, he just regained control over hispany and Sylvia got pregnant. He was happy.


    Although he still thought of Tara back then and hated the things Sylvia did to marry him, he did not want


    his feet on two boats. He thought that once thepany had settled down, he would make up to Tara.


    However, a few nights after he made up his mind, he slept with Tara. On the second day, Tara cried and


    comined to him it was her first time. She even said he did not need to bear the responsibility and as


    long as she could be with him, she would do anything.


    He had nothing but guilt and it got more difficult to push her away. Sometime after that night, Tara got


    pregnant.


    He gave her the house at Lake Victoria and told her to rest there.


    A few dayster, Sylvia pushed her down the stairs. She had a miscarriage and could never be pregnant


    again.


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    Sylvia never admitted that she pushed Tara down the stairs and even imed that Tara fell down on her


    own just to frame her. Not only did Tara ept the cruel fate, but she also defended Sylvia and pitied her


    as a fellow pregnant mother. She said Sylvia was his legitimate wife, so she had to endure it no matter


    what.

 Chapter 506

    He started to believe Tara was the victim and Sylvia was the vicious woman.


    He imprisoned Sylvia so that she would not go out and hurt Tara anymore, and his anger drove him to


    divorce her in the end.


    He had just regained control of hispany back then and he was busy handling work matters. He got


    so busy that he only had a few hours of sleep in the office for many nights.


    Tara sustained permanent damage from the fall and could never be pregnant again and she got a little


    mentally unstable. Therefore, whenever he got the time, he would go visit her.


    When he finally settled hispany matters, it had already been one month since Sylvia¡¯sbor.


    It was on the same day when he returned home, that he saw Sylvia pping Tara.


    He was furious.


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    It was Sylvia¡¯s fault that Tara could never be pregnant again, and Tara did not evenin once. She


    even visited Sylvia frequently. However, Sylvia did not appreciate Tara¡¯s effort and pped her six times.


    Not only that but Sylvia even gave him the cold shoulder after what happened. It was a drastic change


    from her attentive attitude from before where sheplied with every request and ced him ahead of


    everything in her life. He told the bodyguard to p Sylvia sixty times. He then left with Liam, not


    knowing that Sylvia had hidden Isabel.


    He also did not expect Sylvia to disappear for three years after that. The past came back to haunt him.


    This time, he did not think about Tara¡¯s pitiful look but the horrified expression on Sylvia¡¯s face after he


    shook her hand away and went to check on Tara after the fall.


    He even remembered the resentment and resolution on Sylvia¡¯s swollen face after the sixty ps.


    He choked on all the memories. Edmund was telling him the truth and he knew it was not Tara¡¯s first time


    when he slept with her that night. She had been lying to him for five years!


    She might not even be pregnant with his child in the first ce!


    She could fall off the stairs to lose the child and shift the me to Sylvia. A perfect one stone, two birds


    situation.


    Sylvia pping her must also be part of her n. She nned it meticulously so that he could see it with


    his own eyes. He was stupid enough to believe that Tara was the victim, the poor and helpless victim


    who


    understood all his needs. On that rainy night more than a decade ago, she used to be a kind and caring


    girl. What changed her? Aside from the changed personality, Tara stayed by his side for so many years


    but he knew nothing about her different faces. He even fell for her trap more than three times. Not only


    did Tara indirectly put his grandmother in aatose state, but she also made him think that it was


    Sylvia and Edmund who caused the ident, resulting in him imprisoning Sylvia and breaking her leg.


    Lastly, he even took Tara¡¯s suggestion and let Sylvia go to Cloudy Heart Lake. The chilly breeze came in


    through the window and assaulted his face. It felt like an invisible hand pping him on the face. He


    finally understood why Sylvia came back as a changed person after three years and was so resistant to


    remarrying him. He finally understood why she said he would regret it if he broke her leg. He also


    understood why she came back from the dead and insisted on a second divorce and scolded him a


    stupid idiot.


    She never lied to him from the start and never once hurt Tara on purpose.


    It was Tara who schemed and hurt her, not the other way around.


    However, he chose to believe in the witch more than his own wife at that time. He had been a stupid idiot


    for so many years and deeply hurt Sylvia multiple times. He clenched his fists tightly and even the veins


    on the back of his hand started to show.


    ¡­


    Ding. Inside the car that was stopping under the tree, Sylvia¡¯s phone buzzed.


    It was a text from Edmund.


    ¡°Syl, I¡¯ve got news from my men whom I sent to take care of myckey¡¯s mother. They said that


    someone just checked on Tara and myckey¡¯s past. It must be Odell and he should be aware of what


    the woman did in the past.¡±

 Chapter 507

    ¡°Thank you, Edmund.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Sylvia put her phone away.


    Now that Odell learned about Tara¡¯s past, he would not be that stupid to continue believing Tara was a


    pure and innocent girl. Sherry then said, ¡°Syl, it¡¯s Odell¡¯s car. He¡¯sing out. Should we follow him?¡±


    Sylvia looked ahead and saw Odell¡¯s car driving down the main road.


    It seemed like he was heading to Lake Victoria Vi. ¡®He¡¯s going to Tara¡¯s ce?¡¯


    Even though Sylvia no longer cared about his rtionship with Tara, she was still curious and yearned


    for more gossip. She grinned and said, ¡°Sherry, follow him. We¡¯re in for a good show.¡± Sherry wore the


    same wide grin. ¡°Alright!¡±


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    The ck sports car sprinted in the night.


    Half an hourter, the car arrived at Lake Victoria Vi, Tara¡¯s house.


    Odell got out of the car and the bodyguards immediately opened the door for him.


    The man strode inside the house.


    It was dark. The bodyguards did not notice the grim look on his face, so one of them went up to him and


    said, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re finally here. Ms. Avery has been throwing a tantrum for an entire day. She refused to eat


    or drink and only wanted to see you.¡±


    Odell ignored him and continued inside.


    He soon reached the living room and saw Tara on the couch.


    The bodyguard cleared his throat to alert Tara.


    Tara looked up. She saw Odell and she bolted up with excitement.


    However, the sudden excitement caused her to trip. Her scrawny figure in addition to her teary eyes


    made her look feeble.


    ¡°Odell¡­¡± she called out to him in sobs. Sylvia and Sherry arrived outside the house and were just in time


    for the show. Sylvia watched with a frosty look.


    Sherry clicked her tongue and said in disdain, ¡°She can really act.¡±


    Back in the living room, Odell peered down at Tara with a condescending gaze. He was expressionless.


    Tara noticed something was wrong. She got up on her feet and went up to him. With feigned innocence


    on her face, she said, ¡°Odell, I didn¡¯t hurt Sylvia. I have known her since we were young. I might be


    jealous that she wins your heart but I¡¯ll never hurt her.¡± Odell kept quiet and simply watched her.


    Tara thought of hugging him and continued her exnation but when she met his deep gaze, she had


    goosebumps and dared not have any body contact with him. Her gaze shifted and said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m telling


    the truth. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check on it. You can tell Sylvia to call the police. I did nothing


    wrong and I¡¯m not guilty!¡± The man that she hired to seize Sylvia at Cloudy Heart Lake was a hitter that


    Mnie introduced through some gangster in other cities. After Sylvia fell, the man left Westchester City.


    Even Tara had no idea who the man was, let alone Odell.


    Besides, the police failed to get any useful clues after months of investigation and as long as she denied


    it, no matter what Sylvia said, the police would have no evidence against her.


    Odell waited for her to finish and then pulled his phone out to show her the pictures he received from


    Cliff.

 Chapter 508

    He asked, ¡°Do you know the man in the picture?¡±


    Tara¡¯s face turned white as paper.


    The picture showed her clinging to another man.


    She uncontrobly faltered as she looked at Odell¡¯s frosty look. She said in a trembling voice,¡± 0-Odell,


    who sent you the picture?¡±


    ¡°Answer my question.¡±


    Tara¡¯s gaze became evasive. She hurriedly said, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know him. I¡¯ve never taken a picture like that!


    Someone is trying to frame me!¡±


    Odell then scrolled to the next picture.


    He showed her the phone again and said, ¡°So, this picture is also someone trying to frame


    you?¡±


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    The second picture showed her kissing Joshua intimately. Tara started to shake. ¡°Odell, I¡­¡±


    Odell looked at her as he scrolled through his phone and showed her every intimate picture she had with


    Joshua.


    She took the pictures with Joshua five years ago when they were still together. Those pictures should


    have been erased from existence after Joshua was arrested. How did Odell get his hands on them?


    Sweat covered her forehead instantly.


    Tara panicked. ¡°N-No, it¡¯s all photoshopped! Someone is trying to frame me!¡± She reached out and


    snatched the phone from him. Odell did not react. He continued staring at her with a cold gaze. Tara¡¯s


    legs turned weak. She fell on the floor with a thud. Odell peered down at her and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not


    telling me the truth, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± Tara¡¯s tears rolled down her face.


    If he was able to get that many pictures of her and Joshua, he must have known about her past


    rtionship and that Joshua was in prison because of her affair.


    Tara no longer dared to say the pictures were photoshopped. She crawled closer to him and cried,


    ¡°Odell, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have lied to you. The man in the picture was my ex boyfriend but we broke


    up five years ago! I only knew you after we broke up! ¡°I was forced to be with him. I had no support back


    then and he¡¯s a gangster. He fell for my looks and made me his girlfriend. I didn¡¯t do anything but he


    imed that I cheated on him! I just had tea with a male friend and he beat my friend to death! He¡¯s a


    scary person!¡±


    Sylvia and Sherry heard everything from outside the door. ¡°My gosh, she¡¯s good at twisting facts!¡± Sherry


    almost ran into the house and pped Tara. Sylvia stopped her from being reckless. Sherry frowned.


    ¡°Syl, I can¡¯t bear it anymore! I have to expose her! She¡¯s good at distorting facts! She¡¯s going to fool


    Odell again!¡± Sylvia was looking at the man¡¯s back inside the house when she said, ¡°Let¡¯s just observe


    for now.¡±


    She also believed Odell might be fooled but if he fell for Tara¡¯s tricks again, he would be the stupidest


    man alive. Even if she and Sherry went in to expose Tara, Tara might be able to turn the situation to her


    advantage and use it against them. The man¡¯s gravelly voice sounded as he asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying


    you never cheated on him?¡±


    Tara answered instantly, ¡°Yes! I didn¡¯t cheat on him but he ndered me! He imed that I slept with


    many men but I only love you, Odell! I was forced to be with him. How could I be with several men at


    once?¡±


    Odell¡¯s towering figure stood like a monolith.


    The air got quiet.


    Sherry started to lose her patience and even Sylvia pursed her lips nervously.


    Would the man believe her again? Just when Sylvia lost interest in watching and wanted to bring Sherry


    away, Odell showed Tara his phone again. Tara froze and was horrified after seeing the phone. Sylvia


    narrowed her eyes curiously.

 Chapter 509

    Sherry asked in a small voice, ¡°What did he show her?¡± Sylvia answered, ¡°It should be a picture of some


    sort.¡±


    Back in the living room, Odell indeed showed Tara another picture and it was a picture of her being


    intimate with another man other than Joshua.


    Tara only had a nce at the picture before Odell scrolled to the next picture.


    The picture was also from five years ago and it showed her being intimate with yet another unrecognized


    man.


    Tara was petrified. Odell continued to scroll through the screen until thest picture in the album. It was a


    picture of her with another man on the bed and it was taken by Joshua himself.


    Tara copsed on the floor.


    Odell retracted his phone.


    The filthy pictures would only stain his phone. He deleted all of them before he pocketed it. Then, he


    stared at Tara with the coldest gaze and asked, ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°I¡­¡­¡± Tara


    stuttered and failed to produce a full sentence. Odell then turned to the bodyguard. ¡°Tell the others who


    worked here to leave immediately. Everyone is to return to the Carter residence and no one is allowed to


    stay here.¡±


    The bodyguard was shocked but he nodded and answered, ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll inform the others right away.¡±


    The servant was long gone. All that was left was the bodyguard and two kitchen helpers.


    The bodyguard then went off to carry out the order.


    Odell then looked at Tara. His voice sounded as cold as his gaze when he said, ¡°From this moment


    onward, you and I are done. This house belongs to you and you¡¯re on your own now. Don¡¯t even appear


    before my eyes.¡± He then turned around and walked out. Tara was stunned on the spot. As she watched


    his towering figure walk toward the entrance, she cried, ¡°Odell, have you forgotten that rainy night more


    than a decade ago?¡±


    She refused to cut all ties with the man.


    Without him, she would have no money to spend on luxuries and branded items. She refused to live like


    a peasant!


    Odell paused. Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed with a sliver of hope.


    Odell turned around and shot a colder gaze at her.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that night, you¡¯re already a dead person.¡±


    Aside from the fact that she lied to him for five years, separated him from Sylvia, and driving him to do all


    those horrible things to her, her inciting her aunt to hurt his grandmother alone was enough for him to kill


    her a hundred times over.


    Tara¡¯s gaze shrunk. She dared not make a sound anymore.


    It was then the bodyguard who left to carry out the order cried, ¡°Madam?!¡±


    Odell froze, so was Tara.


    The two of them then looked outside the door.


    Sylvia and Sherry came out from the shadows.


    Sylvia smiled at the two of them and said, ¡°Hi, did I interrupt anything?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia and Sherry got carried away by the developing story. When they noticed the bodyguarding


    toward them, it was toote for them to leave. They tried to hide in the shadows but as a bodyguard, the


    man sharply noticed their presence and exposed them. Odell¡¯s eyes shifted and strode to Sylvia. Sylvia


    stood in her spot and allowed him to approach her.

 Chapter 510

    He grabbed her wrist and showed amusement in his gaze. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted a


    bit and said, ¡°I was wandering around and identally ended up here.¡± Odell grinned. ¡°It was you who


    told Edmund to reveal everything to me, is it?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t know.¡± Sylvia decided


    to y dumb. Odell did not linger on the question. He said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go back.¡± He then held


    her hand and walked out.


    Sylvia tried to retract her hand but his grip was too strong.


    She was dragged outside by force but before she left, she had a nce at Tara inside the house.


    Tara was still on the floor. She wore a horrified expression as if she saw a ghost, but the resentment


    behind showed that she wanted to eat Sylva alive.


    It was a horrible scene to look at.


    Sylvia grinned and looked away. Odell dragged Sylvia all the way to the main gate. Right before he


    shoved her into the car, Sylvia cried, ¡°Odell, stop!¡± Sherry came over. ¡°Odell, let go of Sylvia!¡± Odell


    looked at Sylvia and said softly, ¡°It¡¯ste. If Isabel and Liam don¡¯t see you tomorrow morning, they¡¯ll


    throw a tantrum.¡±


    Sylvia puckered her lips. She turned to Sherry and said, ¡°Sherry, go home.¡± Sherry was worried about


    her friend. ¡°Syl¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m going to be fine.¡± ¡°Call me right away if something happens.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    Sherry had a resentful re at Odell before she stepped away.


    Sylvia then got into the car willingly.


    After she fastened the seatbelt, Odell finally released her wrist. He closed the door and went over to the


    driver¡¯s seat.


    The ck sports car then drove onto the freeway.


    It was quiet in the car until he asked, ¡°Since when did you find out?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Her past.¡±


    te 510


    Sylvia had a nce at him. The man¡¯s eyes were on the road and his expression was cold. He was not


    exactly unhappy. Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted and turned a deaf ear at him. ¡°Are you referring to Tara cheating


    on you?¡± Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°A while ago, from Edmund.¡±


    While Edmund was detained in the detention center, she visited him once and he told her the truth


    behind Madam Carter¡¯s incident.


    Edmund then further informed her about Tara¡¯s past. If it was not for Edmund, Sylvia might still be unable


    to figure out why Tara was ruthless enough to lose her child just to frame her. It would be easier for Tara


    to win the fight if she gave birth and used the child to capture Odell¡¯s heart.


    After learning the truth from Edmund, she figured out that the child that Tara bore might not be Odell¡¯s.


    Ironically, the man chose to believe that his wife cheated on him while ignoring the fact that the woman


    he had slept with one time cheated on him the most.


    The car went silent again. Suddenly, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve misunderstood you.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia looked at him.


    He was driving. His eyes remained glued to the road but the expression on his face was serious.


    Two secondster, he added, ¡°I won¡¯t let this happen again and I won¡¯t misunderstand you anymore.¡±


    He sounded serious as if he was making a vow.


    Sylvia scoffed.


    Be it when Tara framed her back then or when she was imprisoned for four months, she had been


    desperate to tell him the truth and wanted to let him know that she was framed. However, all her efforts


    fell short and he refused to listen to her.


    Now, she no longer cared about his trust and now he told her he misunderstood her and promised he


    would never do it again.


    Irony. What a joke.


    Sylvia said, ¡°Don¡¯t spew nonsense. I don¡¯t care anymore. I just want a divorce. If you want to make it up


    to me, sign the papers.¡±

 Chapter 511

    Chapter 511 He grimaced.


    Even after a long and ufortable silence, he still did not elicit a response.


    He was trying to avoid the topic of divorce altogether.


    Sylvia pressed the issue. ¡°Odell, have you read the divorce settlement agreement I sent you earlier?¡±


    The unnatural silence continued to ring in her ears.


    She turned her head to look at Odell, only to see him staring nkly ahead, the color on his face was


    drainedpletely. He held the steering wheel firmly with both hands and was doing his best to ignore


    her.


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°Odell, say something.¡±


    He scowled. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when we get back.¡±


    His voice had be rather scratchy.


    There was a tint of exhaustion in his voice.


    Perhaps he was yet to get over what Tara did to him in the past, and how she made a fool out of him.


    He was still driving amid all this. Sylvia was beginning to get concerned that he would mistake the


    elerator for the brake pad in his emotionally unstable state.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she answered contently and looked out the car window. She kept quiet after that.


    The rest of the car ride went without conversation.


    Soon, the car parked outside Odell¡¯s house.


    Sylvia unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out of the car. The first thing she thought of was Isabel and


    Liam.


    Odell looked at her strutting inside the house with such a sense of urgency and grimaced at the sight. He


    stepped out of the car as well after that.


    Sylvia went straight to the children¡¯s room.


    They were sound asleep in bed.


    Sylvia took off her shoes and approached them.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Isabel seemed to have smelled her mother¡¯s scent even in her sleeping state. She drowsily snuggled


    under Sylvia¡¯s arms and wrapped her chubby arms under Sylvia¡¯s waist.


    Liam simply rolled over and snuggled up to her.


    Sylvia smiled at the sight of their adorable sleeping positions. She closed her eyes and fell


    prone 11


    asleep quickly.


    After a while, a jarring ¡°creak¡± intruded the silence of the room. The door was carefully opened from the


    outside, and a tall man stepped in. He went to the bed and bent over, quietly observing Sylvia.


    Meanwhile, his arms involuntarily edged closer and caressed Sylvia¡¯s fair white cheeks. As he stroked


    her cheeks gently, the look in his eyes gradually softened.


    The next morning, at dawn.


    Sylvia was still asleep when she suddenly felt a weight pressing on top of her. She slowly opened her


    eyes to see Isabel crawling on top of her, cuddling her as a kitten would to its mother cat.


    Liam, who was sleeping on the other side, was awake as well. He remained clinging to Sylvia just as he


    didst night.


    When they noticed that Sylvia was awake, they stared at her expectantly with their pearl-like eyes.


    Sylvia smiled and patted their heads. ¡°Isabel, Liam, time to get out of bed.¡± Isabel pouted and protested


    yfully, ¡°But Mommy, I want to sleep with you a little longer.¡± Liam did not utter a word. He only fixed the


    same quaint look at Sylvia. Sylvia was just as reluctant to part with them, so she stayed with them for a


    while longer. It was only when Aunt Tonya appeared to call them downstairs for breakfast that Sylvia


    finally woke them up. Breakfast was ready for them. Odell was nowhere to be seen. He must have left


    already. Sylvia frowned.


    She was going to discuss the details of the divorce with him after the children went to school.


    It would appear that she would have to wait until after he came home.


    She had breakfast with the two children along with Aunt Tonya. Then she took them to the kindergarten


    herself.


    Upon reaching the gate of the kindergarten, Sylvia gave them a quick kiss on their cheeks. She watched


    them enter the kindergarten hand in hand before turning and heading back to her car.


    She drove to Lush Heaven without making any stop along the way. After she picked up the luggage that


    she had packedst night, she drove to a small residential district near the kindergarten.

 Chapter 512

    Sylvia had already bought a house here. After she divorced Odell, she nned to move here with Aunt


    Tonya and the children.


    Although it was slightly cut off from the central district, it was very close to the kindergarten. The


    environment was rather ideal and this proved to be a good ce to settle down.


    After arriving, she carried her luggage into the house. In addition to her luggage, she had also ordered


    some furniture along with household essentials online, all of them which had arrived the same morning.


    After she was done putting away her luggage, the couriers arrived and pressed the doorbell. Sylvia


    began her busy day. Little did she know, the same ck sports car from previously had tailed her while


    she was on the way here. The ck sports car was now parked underneath the shade of trees right


    opposite the gates of her house. The man in the car lowered the car window and spied on Sylvia running


    around back and forth in the house.


    It took the better half of the day before Sylvia finally got the house in working shape. By this point, Isabel


    and Liam were already finished with kindergarten. Sylvia had no time to clean up so she immediately


    locked the doors and drove straight to Odell¡¯s. As soon as she parked her car outside the gates of


    Odell¡¯s house, Liam and Isabel bolted out of the door.


    Isabel ran up to her first and wrapped herself around her legs and began prattling, ¡°Mommy, where have


    you been? What took you so long?¡±


    Liam fixed a quiet stare at her.


    There was a tint of anxiety in their eyes. It was as if they were afraid that their mother was going to


    vanish and nevere back at any given moment. Sylvia felt a sinking feeling in her chest when she


    noticed this. She knelt and took them in her arms.


    She murmured, ¡°Mommy was just busy with some work and didn¡¯t notice the time.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t be sote next time.¡±


    Liam added, ¡°Mommy, you can call us next time.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make sure to do that.¡±


    After that, she led them into the house.


    Dinner was ready, but Odell was nowhere to be seen.


    Sylvia frowned.


    This morning, she texted him after she sent Liam and Isabel to kindergarten. She asked him if he had


    read the divorce settlement agreement and whether there were any uses that he wanted to amend.


    She was still waiting for a reply.


    Was he busy?


    When the butler appeared, Sylvia greeted him with a polite smile and asked, ¡°Sebastian, do you know


    where Odell went?¡±


    Sebastian answered, ¡°Master Carter went out early this morning and hasn¡¯te back yet. He must be


    held up by something at work.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Sylv¨ªa had nothing to add. She took Isabel and Liam to sit


    down at the table.


    After dinner, she took them back to the bedroom.


    The children were feeling particrly energetic today and it took them until past 10 p.m. before they


    finally fell asleep. Theytched tightly onto Sylvia, one around her waist and another around her arm.


    There was no way she could wring herself free so shey silently in between them. She did not feel even


    the slightest bit of sleepiness. The room was quiet. After quite some time, she began hearing familiarCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    footstepsing from outside. She instantly became alert and carefully lifted Isabel and Liam¡¯s hands off


    her, got out of bed, and went outside.


    She opened the door just in time to see Odell stepping into his room which was only right next to the


    children¡¯s.


    ¡°Odell,¡± she called out to him. Odell stopped and turned to look at her.


    There was a subtle look in his calm, thoughtful eyes that seemed to question her, asking,¡± What do you


    need?¡±


    Sylvia closed the door behind her and walked up to him. ¡°Did you read the divorce settlement agreement


    I sent you yesterday?¡±


    His eyes gleamed for a moment and he seemed to brush off the topic. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy these two days. I


    haven¡¯t had time to go through them.¡± ¡°Then go through them now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. I¡¯ll take a shower


    first,¡± he said as he opened the door. Sylvia quickly rushed in front of him and cut off his path into the


    room.


    She red at him adamantly. ¡°It¡¯s just three pages. It won¡¯t take long at all. You can take a


    shower after you go through them.¡± He grimaced and answered with a stoic expression, ¡°I left my phone


    in the car.¡±

 Chapter 513

    Sylvia became speechless.


    She knew better than to search for his phone. With a disdainful re, she told him, ¡°I¡¯ll get my phone and


    show you. Wait here.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Sylvia quickly went back to her room where the children were still sleeping soundly. Her phone was on


    the bedside table.


    After getting the phone, she ran out on her tiptoe, only to see a quiet and empty corridor. She frowned.


    She then walked to the next room and pounded on the door several times.¡± Odell, are you in there?¡±


    Nothing but a buzzing silence.


    She knocked several times, but still, there was no answer.


    She pondered for a moment, then she proceeded to call him.


    The moment the call was connected, she could vividly hear a phone¡¯s ringtoneing from inside the


    room.


    It only rang twice before the automated message interrupted and informed, ¡°The number you have dialed


    is currently unavable¡±. The ringtone she hearding from inside the room was cut off simultaneously.


    He was inside and intentionally avoiding her! Sylvia frowned.


    All she did was ask for a divorce. In the divorce settlement agreement, she had only asked for the


    custody of the children, and not a word was brought up concerning money or property. Why was he


    acting as if she had demanded his very life?


    Sylvia became more and more irritable the more she thought about it.


    She scoffed and turned back to the children¡¯s room. She walked straight to the balcony.


    There was only a small separation between the balcony in this room and Odell¡¯s. It was very easy to


    cross to the other side.


    She stuffed her phone in her pocket and lifted herself on the railing. Then, she climbed over.


    She effortlessly reached the railing of the balcony of Odell¡¯s room.


    With a firm push, she threw her weight across the railings andnded with her feet nted firmly on the


    ground.


    The lighting was very dim.


    He did not turn on the light.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia went into the bedroom and called out, ¡°Odell.¡±


    Within a second, she caught a glimpse of arge shadow charging toward her. Before she could react,


    she found herself pinned against the wall. She could feel the figure¡¯s erratic breathing beating against


    her face. In an instant, her lips were sealed.


    Ugh. She ruthlessly shoved him out of the way. Odell immediately caught her hands and held them


    tightly in front of her. She could not pull herself away.


    She was furious and widened her jaws. Then she snapped them shut on his hands.


    He only let go of her hands after her mouth was already filled with the metallic taste of blood.


    Still, he held on to her tightly in his arms.


    He rested his chin on the top of her head and growled in a low voice, ¡°Must we get a divorce?¡±


    His voice was very low and deep like a rumbling drum. There was what seemed to be a hint of


    desperation in his voice, which was a sharp contrast to his usual arrogant demeanor. Sylvia felt a swell of


    irritation rising in her chest and said without thinking, ¡°Why not divorce me so you can officially marry


    Tara?¡±


    He struck back. ¡°I¡¯ve cut off all ties with her. I¡¯m sure you heard about itst night as well.¡±


    Sylvia did hear about that.


    With that said, arge part of why he did that was because he found out that Tara had lied to him.


    Furthermore, he must have figured out that Tara had something to do with what happened to Madam


    Carter.


    One way or another, he certainly did not cut off rtions with Tara for Sylvia¡¯s sake.


    What was Tara to him? Who was she, if not the single highlight of his youth, his one and only muse?


    Even if they had severed all rtions, he still made sure to entrust the house in Lake Victoria Vi, a


    property priced near at least a hundred million to Tara.


    The truth was that he cared deeply for Tara.


    Sylvia had only one thing on her mind and that was to be divorced and be done with all of this. She


    retorted, ¡°And? What does this have to do with our divorce?¡±

 Chapter 514

    Odell turned and stared at her with a fiery intensity in his eyes as he said in a deep voice, ¡°I promise you


    that I won¡¯t get myself involved with her in the future. All I want is to live out the rest of my days with you,


    Isabel, and Liam. I want to watch them grow together as a family.¡±


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes.


    She remembered when she was pregnant, he was living in the house in Lake Victoria Vi with Tara. She


    remembered how she spent countless nights without sleep, thinking about what she could do to


    persuade him to change his mind. She recalled the moment she got the news that she was pregnant with


    twins, and the first thing she did was to go to him and share the good news with him. For all of that, what


    she got was essentially a half-year imprisonment, filled with repulsive looks cast at her all the time, not to


    forget the sixty ps she received.


    When they remarried, she had a mind to live harmoniously with him. That was until he chose the words


    of Tara over her again! Now when she had decided to get divorced and put an end to all these bickerings


    between them, he was resorting to telling her that he would cut off rtions with Tara, and that he only


    wanted to be with her?


    Was this his idea of a joke?


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia held back herughter and said in a strained voice, ¡°Odell, that¡¯s nice and all, but don¡¯t forget that


    Tara almost killed me.¡±


    Odell muttered almost guiltily, ¡°I know.¡±


    He believed what Sylvia told him about Tara pushing her down theke.


    She was surprised to see him taking her side for once and jumped at the opportunity. ¡°In that case, I


    want you to report her to the authorities. I don¡¯t need her to redeem her sins with her life. I only want to


    see her own up to the crimes she hadmitted. I want to see her charged for attempted murder and as


    long as she gets the punishment she deserves, I won¡¯t divorce you.¡± After that, a looming silence


    descended on the room.


    Odell frowned.


    Sylvia sneered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t you do that?¡±


    He answered solemnly, ¡°I won¡¯t be so lenient with her if she ever tries to hurt you again.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face became twisted and she hissed with contempt. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the future. I¡¯m talking


    about now.¡±


    He grimaced.


    She immediately shoved him away and demanded. ¡°Odell, if you¡¯re still not over her, just sign these


    divorce papers and get it over with!¡±


    ¡°She saved me in the past. I can¡¯t have her convicted in court.¡±


    Sylvia frowned irritably. ¡°Then just sign these papers.¡±


    He remained silent.


    She would have punched him right there, but something suddenly urred to her and she switched her


    tone. ¡°Odell, you may not know this, but I already have irrefutable evidence of what Tara tried to do to


    me. If you won¡¯t bring her to court, I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Odell¡¯s eyes quivered. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let her off the hook if you sign these divorce papers.¡± Sylvia challenged in a ruthless voice. ¡°And if you


    don¡¯t, I¡¯m taking her to court.¡± There was no chance that Sylvia would simply forgive Tara. The only


    challenge she faced was theck of evidence, otherwise, she would have had Tara convicted long ago.


    She gave this one final ultimatum with an air of determination.


    Odell grimaced. Under the dim shade of light, a subtle glimpse of a smile greeted his lips. He thought


    about what happened on the day of the engagement ceremony. If Sylvia truly had obtained evidence of


    Tara¡¯s crime, Tara would have been thrown into prison by now.


    He remained silent for a few seconds, then said, ¡°You¡¯re serious about having found evidence of her


    crimes?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Sylvia answered confidently. Odell smirked. ¡°Then let me think about it.¡±


    ¡°How long do you need to think about it?¡± ¡°Three days.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She decided that she could handle waiting for another three days. Then she asked again, ¡°Do


    you want me to send you another copy of the divorce settlement agreement?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sylvia turned and headed toward the balcony.


    Odell remarked, ¡°There¡¯s a door over there.¡± She turned and walked toward the door. She was not


    paying attention to where Odell stood and identally bumped into him as she turned around.


    She jumped and drew herself away from him like a spring bouncing off a surface. She strutted to the


    door in the blink of an eye, grabbed the door handle, and tugged at it before vanishing from the room.


    Thud.


    The door was closed.


    The bedroom suddenly fell silent.


    Odell knelt on the ground and leaned his weight against the wall. Then he took out a pack of cigarettes.

 Chapter 515

    Sylvia slept with the children until the sun came up. After they washed up and made themselves ready


    for the day, they went to the living room and saw Odell sitting on the couch.


    He was wearing a ck shirt thatplemented his statue-like figure, still looking as handsome as


    always. She darted a nce at him and looked away.


    She took Isabel and Liam to the dining table.


    After they seated themselves, Odell joined them and sat on the opposite end of the table. He shed a


    quick smile and greeted them, ¡°Morning.¡±


    She ignored him.


    Breakfast was served.


    Unlike the usual healthy breakfast prepared for them every day, the breakfast today was a wide array of


    snacks and bites you can find sold by vendors on the streets. These were all Sylvia¡¯s favorites.


    Sylvia was slightly taken aback. Then she pretended to not notice anything peculiar about it, proceeding


    to eat as if nothing worthwhile had happened.


    That was when a hand suddenly extended toward her te and put a piece of steaming bread on her


    te.


    Odell said to her in a low and pleasant tone, ¡°This is the popr butter bread with crab filling. Go ahead


    and give it a try.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and kept quiet. She did not so much as touch the bread handed to her.


    Beside them, Isabel and Liam could sense that something was off. They turned up and looked at the


    adults.


    Isabel was quick to ask, ¡°Hey big baddie, did you make Mommy angry again?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Before he could say anything, Sylvia suddenly interjected, ¡°Your father didn¡¯t make me angry. Now hurry


    up and eat and stop guessing.¡±


    Isabel jerked her lips to the side. Was it just her, or was the atmosphere rather weird?


    This time, it was Liam who asked, ¡°Mommy, Daddy, did you two fight again?¡±


    Sylvia answered with a sh of a smile, ¡°We didn¡¯t.¡±


    Liam looked at Odell Odell nced at Sylvia and repeated, ¡°No.¡±


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    .-


    The children turned their attention back to their breakfast.


    They knew nothing about what went on between their parents and Tara, and thest thing Sylvia would


    do was to let them know about it. The rest of their breakfast session went without a word.


    The children were the first to finish eating.


    Sylvia put down her utensils after they finished and went outside with them.


    As soon as the soles of her feet touched the ground, Odell walked behind her and said to her,¡± I¡¯ll take


    them to kindergarten with you.¡±


    She was floored by this offer.


    Isabel and Liam heard it too and turned their heads to him in unison.


    Sylvia was just about to politely turn down this offer when Isabel suddenly asked, ¡°Baddie, why are you


    suddenly sending us to kindergarten?¡± Odell smiled at her nondescriptly. ¡°I just happened to have time


    today.¡± Isabel suddenly thought of Candice Bell, one of the students in kindergarten. Recently, Candice¡¯s


    father had been taking her to school and many children at the kindergarten beganmenting on how


    handsome her father was. Isabel was particrly vexed about this because Candice¡¯s father was not


    good-looking to begin with. She had been telling everyone that Candice¡¯s father was nowhere near as


    handsome as her father, to which Candice responded by using her of being jealous. Long story short,


    they fought and were yet to make up


    Since the baddie was going to take her to kindergarten today, she would prove to them how handsome


    her baddie father was!


    Something gleamed in her eyes as she quickly said, ¡°Sure, since you want to send us to kindergarten so


    much.¡±


    Odell smirked.


    Sylvia smirked as well.


    The car ride was quiet the entire way there. After almost half an hour, the car parked outside the gates of


    the kindergarten.


    Sylvia was seated in the back with the children, squeezed in between them.


    Isabel sat on her right. Sylvia needed to wait for Isabel to exit the car before she could get out.


    She was waiting for Isabel to open the door.


    However, the queer little girl was acting strangely today. She opened the door but did not step out of the


    car at all. When Odell stepped out of the car and went to her side, she extended her chubby hands


    toward him.

 Chapter 516

    Odell effortlessly took her into his arms.


    The corners of Sylvia¡¯s mouth twitched before she got out of the car together with Liam.


    Taking Liam by the hand, she followed Odell and Isabel as they entered the gate of the kindergarten


    together.


    As usual, this was the time of the day when all the parents brought their children to the kindergarten


    There was also a crowd of parents and children who were headed toward the entrance.


    Odell stood out amongst the crowd by virtue of his model-like appearance. Many mothers who were


    present caught themselves stealing nces at the handsome man. Even the kindergarten teachers were


    fawning amongst themselves,


    Sylvia paid no attention to the noise around her. She was silently walking with Liam when she heard


    Isabel exim at the top of her voice, ¡°Candice, good morning!¡±


    Isabel was waving at a girl about her age with braided hair.


    The girl in question was with her father.


    Hearing Isabel¡¯s greeting, she turned in her direction and immediately caught sight of Odell carrying


    Isabel. She froze almost instantly.


    Isabel put an arm around Odell¡¯s neck and dered with pride, ¡°Candice, this is my daddy. Do you


    believe me when I say that your dad is nowhere near as handsome as my dad now?¡± Candice grunted


    grumpily and turned away. Isabel raised her eyebrows and scoffed condescendingly.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Odell: ¡°¡­¡±


    Sylvia: ¡°¡±


    It would appear that the reason Isabel was so enthusiastic about Odell showing up was because she


    wanted to prove a point to her ssmate.


    The atmosphere became rather awkward for a few seconds.


    Candice¡¯s father smiled awkwardly at Odell before he led his child through the gate.


    Sylvia and Odell sent Isabel and Liam to the gate as well.


    Odell gently ced Isabel on the ground.


    Immediately after her feet had touched the ground, she ran to Sylvia.


    Sylvia bent over and hugged both her and Liam together, before bidding farewell to them,¡± Alright, it¡¯s


    time for school.¡±


    ¡°Okay, goodbye Mommy!¡± Perhaps as a gesture to thank Odell for boosting her image, she turned to


    Odell, ¡°Bye-bye, Baddie.¡±


    Odell grinned at her in response,


    Isabel and Liam entered hand in hand.


    After watching them enter the ssroom, Sylvia turned and left.


    Odell immediately trailed after her.


    He asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Sylvia replied harshly, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    He scoffed at this show of hostility and offered, ¡°I have time. I¡¯ll take you to wherever you need to go.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll just take a taxi by myself.¡±


    ¡°This ce is packed with cars already, the taxi is going to have a hard time squeezing in


    here,¡±


    Sylvia nced at the traffic condition.


    It was the morning rush, with peoplemuting to work. Also, it did not help that there was a


    kindergarten, an elementary school, and a middle school all in close vicinity.


    The traffic condition of the main road was at aplete standstill. The traffic leading out of the


    kindergarten was at least moderate, but the trafficing in was horrid. She turned back and looked at


    Odell.


    He was looking back at her with a gentle look on his face.


    Sylvia was feeling a little annoyed and said, ¡°Odell, you don¡¯t need to worry about what I¡¯m up to. Just


    worry about yourself.¡±


    She had already made up her mind about the divorce. She longer wanted to have any other dealings


    with him if it had nothing to do with their children.


    With that, she headed to the sidewalk and began walking down thene.


    She walked as quickly as she could and vanished in the blink of an eye.


    Odell frowned and remained rooted to the same spot.


    It was a twenty minute walk to Sylvia¡¯s new ce which she had recently bought. The house still needed


    some thorough cleaning before they could move in, so she had hired someone from a cleaningpany


    to do it for her. Shortly after she arrived, a van full of cleaners arrived. They were very professional and


    efficient with their work as well.


    There was no necessity for her to intervene in any way and it only took less than half the day before the


    house was spick-and-span.


    All that was left to do was to see to some of the household essentials


    Later that same afternoon, she arrived at the kindergarten before the kids were done with their sses


    that day.


    She stood in the waiting area with the other parents who had alsoe to pick up their children.


    Soon, the conversation between some of the mothers who were waiting for their children reached her


    ears.


    ¡°God, he¡¯s so handsome.¡± ¡°I saw him this morning, I¡¯m not sure which child he is the father of though.¡±

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    Chapter 517


    Sylvia turned to look suspiciously at what the source of the crowd¡¯schatter was and noticed that Odell was walking towards her.


    He was wearing the same ck shirt from this morning, Only this time, he also had a long overcoat over it since it was getting


    cold


    His defined figure was very eye-catching to this crowd.


    Even the other good-looking fathers appeared to be quite ordinary when put in contrast to this dashing man who had appeared


    among them


    He smiled as he walked toward her


    It was a very subtle smile, but it had this strange effect of adding to his charm


    Some of the mothers who were nearby covered their mouths as they gasped andwned over him.


    Sylvia frowned and turned her away without looking at him


    Odell appeared behind her.


    He inquired nonchntly, ¡°Where have you been all day today


    ¡°None of your business.¡± Then, the school bell rang and the door opened. A group of children emerged in an orderly manner


    Shortly after that, Sylvia spotted Isabel and Liam.


    The two of them were holding hands. The moment Isabel saw her, she tugged at Liam¡¯s hand and ran to her. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sylvia bent over and caught them as they flew into her arms.


    She was about to take them by their hands so that they could walk out together.


    To her surprise, Isabel wriggled herself free and immediately went to Odell as she stretched out her hands towards him.


    Odell proceeded to reach out and took her into his arms.


    Isabel wrapped her chubby arms around his neck and cast her pearly eyes in a particr direction as if looking for something,


    It was Candice who was also being carried in her father¡¯s arms. Upon sensing Isabel¡¯s gaze, she snorted and turned to look


    away.


    It was clear that Isabel was trying to use Odell to establish her superiority over Candice again.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and took Liam with her.


    Odell looked at Sylvia before following her Io ile side of the road, while still carrying Isabel


    The car was parked on the side of the road


    Just like in the morning, Sylvia sat in the back with the children Odell was the designated driver


    The car quickly pulled out of the congested road and drove towards the city


    They were not heading back home


    Sylvia scowled upon noticing this and was just about to speak when Odell answered her unspoken question, ¡°We''re eating out


    tonight. What would you like to eat


    Sylvia only grimaced


    Liam was quiet as usual and showed no inclination of wanting to answer


    It was only Isabel who pondered this question with a serious look before announcing, ¡°I want to eat hot pot¡±


    She did not neglect to ask Sylvia and Liam, ¡°Mommy, what would you and Brother want to


    eat


    Sylvia smiled at her. ¡°Anything is fine for Mominy


    Liam noted, ¡°Same¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Well, hot pol it is then!¡±


    Odell spied Sylvia¡¯s indifferent look using the rearview mirror and replied, ¡°Okay ¡±


    They went to a newly opened high end specialty hol pot restaurant and asked for a private rooin


    Odell let them order


    Isabel loved all kinds of meat and ordered nearly everything she could Sylvia made sure to order some vegetables, seeing as


    Isabel had almostpletely neglected to order some greens for their meal It was a rather lively dinner. Isabel had turned rosy


    red from all the steaming hot food that she was eating and Liain ate quite a lot as well Shonly after they returned to the car, the


    children quickly fell asleep pressed up against their mother


    Sylvia held them in her arms and looked out the car window


    Odell¡¯s slender hands were firmly holding the steering wheel in the driver seat in front, The atmosphere in the car was silent

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    Chapter 518


    The ufortable silencested until they reached Ilse gates of Odell¡¯s house Odell got out of the car and went to carry the


    sleeping Isabel in his arms


    Sylvia, meanwhile, carried Liam out of the car


    They walked into the house together and went to the children¡¯s bedroom, the one that Sylvia usually slept in with them


    Upon entering, Sylvia ced Liam on the bed and turned to Odell, ¡°lust put Isabel down, I''ll take care of them.¡±


    Odell did not answer. He deftly put Isabel on the bed, before going to the dresser where he sound two sets of pajamas


    Sylvia was bewildered by this.


    She watched as he promptly removed Isabel''s little boots, coat, and trousers, all in an orderly fashion, and proceeded to put her


    in one of the pajama sets.


    Then, he did the same with Liami, taking off his shoes and clothes before putting on the pajamnas for him


    In no time, both siblings had been ced in the middle of the bed, and carefully covered with the quilt.


    He did all of this as if he had done it all his life.


    Sylvia frowned at the sight of this, she supposed that he had taken over these duties during her absence


    That was when hisrge shadow loomed over her as he approached her He touched her head gently and said softly. ¡°You should


    get some rest as well.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s immediate reaction was that of revulsion.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    However, before she could back away, he withdrew his hands and walked out He departed very quickly and the door was shut


    gently The room became quiet


    Sylvia closed her eyes in annoyance


    When she opened her eyes again, the coldness in the depths of her eyes remained


    In the early morning, the sound of Aunt Tonya knocking on the door to wake them up for breakfast broke through the silence of


    the room.


    Sylvia went to the living room with the children.


    Odell was already waiting for them. Just like yesterday, Odell and Sylvia took Isabel and Liam to kindergarten after breakfast.


    Immediately afterward, Sylvia left on her own to continue with the cleaning and tidying up of


    her new ce. In the evening, she met Odell again when she went to the kindergarten to pick the children up. After they had


    picked Isabel and Liam up, they headed back to the car. Odell drove.


    After they pulled out of the congested road, he asked, ¡°What would you all like to eat tonight?¡±


    Sylvia was quiet Liam did not answer either. Seeing that neither of them wanted to offer up an option, Isabel immediately stated,


    ¡°I still want to eat hot pot.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sylvia protested, ¡°We already ate that yesterday. We can¡¯t eat that again.¡¯ The taste of hot pots


    were too rich. Isabel and Liam were still young so eating this kind of meal should only be eaten once in a while, but not too


    often.


    Isabel pouted, ¡°Noodles then.¡± Odell asked, ¡°What noodles?¡±


    Isabel turned to Sylvia, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s that tasty noodle shop that we went to before. | can¡¯t remember the name.¡±


    Sylvia stated, ¡°Chowder¡¯s, it¡¯s in the old district.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Odell nced at her in the rearview mirror, then the car picked up


    speed.


    On the way back from dinner, Isabel and Liam fell asleep again. Just like the night before, after returning to the bedroom, Odell


    changed them into their pajamas one after the other.


    There was nothing Sylvia could do to help, so she only watched silently. Odell covered them with the quilt and walked over to


    her. She subconsciously took two steps back


    The look in his eyes darkened, before he looked into her eyes, ¡°Tomorrow is Saturday, would you like to take them out


    somewhere to y?¡±


    Sylvia answered, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Get an early rest, we''ll leave tomorrow moming.¡±


    With that, he left.


    Noticing that he was about to leave, Sylvia suddenly blurted out, ¡°Tomorrow is the third day.¡±


    He paused, ¡°I know.¡±


    Then he went outside.


    Sylvia went to the bathroom to wash up.


    The next morning, Sylvia was woken up by Aunt Tonya just like the previous two days.

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    After waking up and getting dressed, she took Isabel and Liam to the living room. Odell was already waiting for them on the living


    room couch. Unlike his usual suit and dress pantsbo, he was dressed very casually today,


    He was wearing a ck hooded sweatshirt paired with a pair of fitted pants.


    His figure was lean and fit as usual, and the casual outfit did nothing to diminish his handsome looks. However, it did make him


    look a little less intimidating than usual.


    ¡°Morning.¡± He turned to Sylvia and greeted them with a quick smile.


    Avery charming smile. Sylvia ignored him and was about to take the two children to the dining table when Isabel suddenly


    greeted, ¡°Morning, Baddie.¡± Sylvia looked over suspiciously, She noticed that Isabel¡¯s eyes were fixed on Odell, as if she had


    been enchanted by his look today. Sylvia¡¯s lips (witched involuntarily when she noticed this, and she quickly tapped Isabel''s


    head.


    Isabelined, ¡°Mommy, why are you hitting me?¡±


    ¡°It''s time to eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±


    Sylvia led them to the table.


    Odell came over.


    He looked at Isabel and asked, ¡°Would you like Daddy to feed you?¡± An intriguing idea suddenly came to Isabel and her eyes


    visibly gleamed, she quickly offered,¡± Sure, but you can¡¯t feed me eat carrots.¡± Odell smirked, ¡°Deal.¡± Isabel jumped out of her


    chair and ran to Odell. Odell pulled her onto hisp with one hand. Isabel leaned her weight against him. Odell scooped a


    spoonful of porridge into her mouth. She opened her mouth and swallowed it in one big gulp, seeming to be very cooperative.


    Sylvia frowned and said nothing.


    After a while, Sylvia had eaten her fill and put down her spoon. Isabel was still sitting on Odell¡¯sp, she was already done eating


    and was currently upied with ying with Odell¡¯s hat.


    Liam was wiping his mouth with a napkin. Sylvia asked Odell, ¡°Where are you going to take them to yter?¡± Odell put down


    the spoon and answered, ¡°We''re going camping at Mount Westchester.¡±


    Sylvia was familiar with Mount Westchester.


    The scenery over there was picturesque. It was a more than ideal spot for both camping and painting alike.


    Ever since Mount Westchester had opened up, a lot of entertainment that was suitable for children had been added. It was a


    good ce to take Isabel and Liam. ¡°Okay, then I''ll go up and get ready.¡± Sylvia said and was about to get up. ¡°No, | already


    have the food and tent prepared.¡± Sylvia froze momentarily, before meeting his deep, thoughtful gaze.


    She immediately recoiled from his gaze.


    Odell pursed his lips and stood up while carrying Isabel in his arms, ¡°Come on, let''s go.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Sylvia answered before taking


    Liam¡¯s little hand.


    Mount Westchester was some distance away.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    The drive was roughly fifty minutes away from their destination. The camping spot was on the west end of Mount Westchester,


    the terrain was terraformed appropriately so it was safe while also boasting beautiful scenery. After they parked, a park member


    came to greet them. This ce operated on a membership basis, only guests who were registered as exclusive members were


    allowed to enter.


    The staff members were very professional and friendly and gave them a guided tour, telling them about the amenities.


    After the introduction to the ce, they were taken to a creek at the foot of the mountain, which was a spot that was suitable for


    camping.


    The leader of the staff said with a smile, ¡°Alright then, Mister and Miss Carter, I''ll leave you alone now but if you need anything,


    please feel free to contact us.¡±


    Odell nodded.


    The staff then turned to leave.


    Isabel immediately pointed to the stream and screeched, ¡°Fish! Fish! Brother, let¡¯s scoop them up!¡± Liam frowned.


    He was not a fan of the idea.


    ¡°let''s go, coinc on, let''s go!¡± Isabel did not care whether Liam was into it or not, she practically dragged him to the creek with her.


    Sylvia frowned, but just as she was about to stop them, Odell suddenly dered sternly in a


    low voice, ¡°Do not go into the water. Just y next to the creek.¡± He cast a stern look at Isabel and Liam

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    Chapter 520


    ¡°Sure.¡± Isabel pouted and answered in a slightly offended tone, ¡°Of course | know to not go into the water, I¡¯m not stupid.¡±


    After that, she sat down by the creek with Liam. Picking up a, they threw it into the water, hoping to catch something with it.


    Meanwhile, Odell pitched the lent for them. Seeing that the children were being very well-behaved, Sylvia decided to help Odell


    with the setup.


    The tent was ready in no time,


    Sylvia threw the nket and pillows that she brought into the tent


    Then, she sat under the tent and watched over Isabel and Liam. Liam was sitting quietly, without moving a muscle Beside him,


    Isabel was ceaselessly throwing the into the creek before pulling it back in again, her hands constantly moving the entire


    time


    It was around this time that the sun began to rise from behind the hill opposite them.


    Beholding the majestic scene, Sylvia felt as if she was looking at an oil painting.


    As the sun rose, the rays of sunlight sshed across the sky, painting a gradient of scarlet red and yellow over the sky above.


    The sunlight reflected on the surface of the creek and shone over the children.


    It seemed to inject a spirit of vigor and brand new hope for the days toe. Sylvia suddenly had the urge to paint and capture


    the moment, Remembering how Odell had smashed her drawing board before, the look in her eyes darkened and she quickly


    suppressed the urge to paint Suddenly, Odell¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°There¡¯s still a lot to check out in the area, why don¡¯t


    you go take a look?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Sylvia answered indifferently. ¡°The view here is pretty good. If you¡¯re not going to y


    with them, maybe try drawing something instead.¡± With that, he ced a canvas and a set of painting tools in front of her. Sylvia


    was caught unawares by this and looked at him with a surprised look on her face,


    There was a very subtle smile on his face as he met her gaze with a soft look in his eyes. Sylvia blinked and stated, ¡°I don¡¯t want


    to draw either.¡± ¡°Then what do you want to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and shrugged, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He turned and walked toward Isabel and Liam. The canvas and paint set were still in front of Sylvia.


    She frowned.


    He had made it a point to put together this set of painting materials for her


    She did not want to use them, but she was having a hard time not giving into temptation.


    After stewing over it for a while, she finally picked up the brush and began painting the scenery


    By the time she was nearingpletion, Isabel and Liam had managed to catch a bucket of fish.


    Odell called the staff over, who helped them prepare the fish ordingly There was a barbecue grill right next to the tent where


    the staff members helped them grill their catch.


    Upon noticing that Sylvia had put down her paint brush, Isabel, who had just sat down with her father and brother, immediately


    called out to her, ¡°Mommy,e and eat some fish with


    us!¡±


    Sylvia got up and walked over.


    After they were full, Sylvia took the kids for a nap in the tent, After the nap, Isabel ran outside, feeling energetic again. As usual,


    she dragged Liam with her wherever she went


    Sylvia was worried and made sure to follow them. She also yed with them wherever they went.


    There were all kinds of entertainment, such as tram tracks that crossed over the hills, or they could sail kayaks on the creek


    Even after taking ap around the area, Isabel was still feeling robust and full of energy. She suddenly cried out to Sylvia,


    ¡°Mommy, let''s y tug-of-war! Thedy said that if you win, you can get a little mermaid! | want the little mermaid!¡± She tugged at


    Sylvia while gesturing excitedly with her hands. Sylvia followed her to a field.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    There were several other families gathered at the field as well. The staff was exining the rules of the game of tug-of-war.

 Chapter 521

    Chapter 521


    It was a tug-of-warpetition between all the participating families. Since there were exactly six groups of families at the


    scene, it would be yed out in an elimination format. Each family would draw lots to see who they would be matched up


    against, and the winners of each matchup would advance to the next round. This meant it would be a best-of-six, then a best-of-


    three before moving onto the grand final.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    The winners would get a mermaid doll. The mermaid dolls were being disyed on a table. Each doll had been delicately made,


    depicting a chubby and adorable little mermaid. Most of the fathers in the participating families wererge and burly men. Sylvia


    had been separated from Odell while apanying Isabel and Liam as they went around the area.


    This meant it was just the three of them at the moment.


    There was a chance they would not even get past the first round Since Isabel was very eager about thepetition, Sylvia did


    not want to ruin the asion for her, so she let her go ahead and draw a lot.


    The lucky number they got was six.


    They were matched up against a family of four, which consisted of arge and stocky father, along with the mother and two


    plump boys.


    When the two plump boys saw that their opponents were Isabel and Liam, they chuckled at the sight of the two little pipsqueaks,


    as if they had already won the round before it even began. Isabel scoffed and made a face, ¡°You better watch out, we¡¯re not


    afraid of you!¡±


    At this point, the two plump boys wereughing so hard that they had practically doubled over fromughter. Even their parents


    began snickering when they saw theical scene of the tiny Isabel taunting them. Sylvia grimaced quietly. Liam wore the same


    look as his mother. There was no way to back down unless they were to give up entirely. Sylvia stood behind Isabel and Liam


    and picked up the rope with them. Their opponents, a family of four, also picked up the rope.


    Seeing how obviously outmatched they were, the father of the family gave a wry smile and said, ¡°Miss, let me apologize


    beforehand.¡±


    Sylvia felt something catch in her throat but kept quiet. Shortly after, the referee stood at the middle point and announced,


    ¡°Begin!¡± Sylvia immediately yanked the rope with all the strength in her.


    However, their opponents were significantly stronger than them. Even though she had already exerted all her strength, they were


    still being tugged towards the other direction. Forget about offense, they could hardly y on the defense.


    Just when it looked like their feet were about to cross the middle point, the rope suddenly jerked from behind and stopped. Sylvia


    felt a powerful pull on their side, the sheer force of this pull was so overwhelming that within seconds, they had gained ground


    over the other team again. Sylvia was bewildered. Moments after that, she heard the low, masculine voice of Odell from behind


    her, ¡°Don¡¯t zone out, just pull.¡± Sylvia suppressed the restless feeling in her chest and tugged as hard as she could. In no time,


    they managed to pull the rope all the way back. The two boys on the opposite team lost their bnce and tumbled onto the


    ground, losing control of the rope. The referee raised a hand and announced ceremoniously, ¡°Congrattions, you are the


    winners.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Isabel jumped for joy and stuck her tongue out at the two fat boys who had made fun of her.


    Sylvia smiled and turned to Odell.


    He was standing behind her, staring at her quietly. Sylvia was perplexed and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± He answered coolly,


    ¡°You''d have lost if | hadn¡¯te.¡± Sylvia¡¯s lips pursed Odell raised his hand and patted her head, ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time for the next


    round.¡±


    Seeing as he had been the main contributor to their victory, Sylvia knew better than to get upset about him patting her head and


    answered with a brisk ¡°Sure¡±.


    The family they were matched against in the second round was also a family of four, only this time the entire family looked like


    they were all into fitness and gym, which was evident by their fit and muscr build. One of the kids was nearly as tall as Sylvia.


    The parents almost fell in love with Isabel and Liam at first sight, their eyes glowed up when they saw how adorable they were.


    The mother said to Isabel, ¡°What a lovely girl, | don¡¯t have the heart to defeat you guys!¡±


    Isabel immediately turned her nose at her and boasted, ¡°Hmph, we won¡¯t know who wins or loses before the game starts. You


    guys better be careful, we won''t go easy on you!¡±

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    Chapter 522


    ¡°Hahaha...¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    They beganughing heartily upon seeing Isabel''s confident taunts. Part of it was because they were charmed by how cute she


    was, but theirughter was also mixed with some ridicule.


    That was no surprise, considering how Isabel and Liam were a pair of four-year-olds, while both Sylvia and Odell looked fairly


    skinny.


    One thing they had to admit was that this was a rather good-looking family. Isabel was so angered by this that she turned around


    and cried out to Sylvia and Odell,¡± Mummy, Baddie, we have to show them what we¡¯re capable of!¡±


    Sylvia answered meekly,cking the confidence to back up Isabel''s talk, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell smirked, ¡°Got it.¡± Shortly after that, upon the referee¡¯s signal, they all picked up the rope.


    Then, the whistle sounded.


    The rope was jerked into a straight line in an instant.


    Although Sylvia was not very confident about their chances this round, she gave it her all for Isabel¡¯s sake.


    Within seconds, she felt the rope being tugged in their direction as they all took several steps backward, drawn by the


    momentum of their pull.


    The referee blew the whistle and raised a hand to dere the winners.


    Sylvia was baffled. Isabel jumped up and down enthusiastically, ¡°Yay, Mommy, Baddie, you two are so strong!¡± Sylvia chuckled


    dryly, before hearing Odell chuckle the same way she had from behind her. She could not quite put her finger into it, but she


    could make out what seemed to be a sarcastic element in Odell¡¯s dry chuckle. It must be because she had contributed next to


    nothing, it was mostly thanks to his strength that they managed to win. She turned to look at him.


    Odell smiled and stroked her head, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the next round.¡±


    After saying that, he went to the other side of the field.


    Sylvia frowned and walked over to him with Isabel and Liam. Their final opponent was also a family of four, but they seemed on


    the thinner sidepared to their first two opponents. The children were not particrlyrge either.


    However, they knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Theirst two opponents had seemed very strong but what had


    been the oue? They had managed to defeat them.


    Sylviaposed herself for the finals. The moment the whistle sounded, they yanked at the rope with all their strength, nearly


    causing their opponents to tumble to the ground and drag their bodies against the grass.


    Needless to say, they won first ce.


    Isabel jumped in celebration,


    Odell caught her in his arms and carried her to the podium. Isabel happily imed the mermaid doll and wrapped her arms


    around them.


    The sun was setting by now, and their side of the mountain was basked underneath the evening glow.


    Isabel sat in Odell¡¯s arms, still holding the mermaid doll with a wide grin on her face With a satisfied smile on his face, Odell


    turned to look in Sylvia¡¯s direction. The afterglow of the setting sun cast on his handsome face and suddenly filled Sylvia with an


    unnerving, dizzy feeling.


    She immediately looked away. Odell approached her with Isabel in his arms.


    Isabel showed her the doll, ¡°Mommy, look Isn¡¯t this doll pretty?¡±


    Sylvia looked at the doll and said to her with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    Isabel chuckled.


    ¡°There¡¯s a hot spring and restaurantbo over there, let¡¯s go get some rest at the hot spring, then we''ll eat dinner,¡± said Odell,


    making the decision for them,


    Before Sylvia could offer any opinion, Isabel held up the doll in her hand and announced,¡± Okay! I¡¯m going to the hot spring in my


    mermaid dress!¡± Sylvia had no choice but to take Liam and follow both father and daughter.


    When they arrived at the hot spring, they were attended to by the staff members.


    They were taken to a separate section of the yard.


    There was arge hot spring that had steam rising atop its surface.


    The water was clean and slowed like a steady stream.


    The staff promptly left after taking them here.


    Sylvia took Isabel to the women¡¯s locker room while Odell took Liam to the men¡¯s locker room.


    Both father and son were wearing ck bathrobes with belts over their very simr, lean figures.


    Sylvia wore a white bathrobe with a belt tied around her waist, while Isabel wore a red dress that they had just bought, with frills


    that had been stitched like the fins of a mermaid.


    The dress was not very tight-fitting but was wrappedfortably around her chubby little body.

 Chapter 523

    Chapter 523


    Upon wearing the dress, Isabel now looked like a chubby little mermaid.


    Aftering out of the locker room, Isabel ran over to Liam and immediately began to ask, ¡± Brother, how do | look?¡±


    Liam stroked the hair of her head andplimented her in a very polite manner, ¡°You look


    good.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, let''s go to the hot spring then.¡± The two of them slowly lowered themselves into the hot spring, holding hands the entire


    time. Sylvia followed after them. When she walked past Odell, she suddenly found her arm being tugged by him. Sylvia


    immediately pulled her arm back and scowled at him.


    He cautioned softly, ¡°Careful, it''s slippery. Be careful when you go down and make sure you don¡¯t fall.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him.


    She was not an idiot nor was she blind, of course she could tell that it was slippery.


    She went to the edge of the hot spring. Just as she nervously raised her right foot and prepared to step in, her left foot suddenly


    slipped on the surface of the slippery tiles.


    There was no time for her to react and she instantly tumbled into the hot spring.


    The hot water immediately submerged her and the dramatic temperature change almost made her lose consciousness.


    She tossed and turned in the water, searching for a way out. Suddenly, she felt a hand firmly ced around her waist and with a


    gentle tug, she found herself being lifted out of the water in an instant.


    She immediately gasped for air. Then, she saw his handsome face only inches away from her.


    There was a hint of a seductive and teasing smile lurking in the corner of his eyes,


    She was immediately ovee by a wave of embarrassment and shoved him away from her, feeling infuriated.


    He let go of her and stepped back He cautioned again, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    She ignored him.


    That was when Liam and Isabel approached them. The first thing Isabel did was to ask, ¡°Mom, did you hurt yourself?¡±


    Liam only fixed a wide-eyed stare at her.


    Sylvia gently touched the top of their heads and assured them with a smile, ¡°Mommy is fine. | identally slipped but it didn¡¯t


    hurt.¡±


    She avoided looking at Odell who was just standing next to her. Then she went to the other side of the hot spring where she


    leaned against the wall and basked in the warm temperature of the hot spring


    Liam followed her


    Isabel was wading around in the water like a little plump fish.


    One moment, she would drift near Sylvia, then she would suddenly switch course and go to Odell¡¯s side in the next.


    They stayed in the hot spring for a long time. The heat of the hot spring was perfect for relieving the built-up fatigue from all the


    activities throughout the day. Soon, Sylvia noticed that even the pent-up anger inside her had slowly deted


    After some time had passed, she heard Odell¡¯s low-pitched voice from behind, ¡°Come on up, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    Sylvia opened her eyes.


    Odell had already gotten out of the hot spring, he was holding the little plump and exhausted mermaid, Isabel, in his arms.


    Her vision slowly regained focus and she merely hummed in reply before stepping out of the hot spring with Liam.


    After getting changed, they went to the restaurant outside for dinner.


    Halfway through the meal, Isabel fell asleep in her chair.


    Liam was beginning to drist off to sleep as well and was fully asleep by the time he was finished with his meal.


    Sylvia put down the cutlery and took him into her arms. Odell also took the sleepy Isabel into his arms. He looked at her, ¡°Shall


    we go home now?¡± She replied, ¡°Let''s.


    The kids were asleep, so there was no point in staying here. Moreover, the three days she had given Odell were now up.


    HI


    An hourter, they returned to Odell¡¯s house.


    Just like the previous two nights, Odell dressed Isabel and Liam in their pajamas all by himself, then he put them into the bed


    and covered them with a qullt.


    The room was quiet


    After he was done, he turned to look at Sylvia with a deep look in his eyes.


    Sylvia looked back at him.


    Seeing that he was looking at her, she suddenly blurted out, ¡°Your three days are up, have you made up your mind yet?¡±

 Chapter 524

    Chapter 524


    Sylvia¡¯s figure was reflected in Odell¡¯s obsidian eyes. He studied her for a few seconds before suggesting, ¡°Let''s talk outside.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± With Isabel and Liam sleeping in here, this was not an ideal location to discuss their divorce. They went to the balcony


    of the next bedroom. There was a table and chairs on the balcony. Several bottles of beer and a box of cigarettes could be seen


    on the table.


    Sylvia sat across from Odell.


    He picked up a bottle of beer and offered, ¡°Would you like a drink?¡±


    Sylvia was not a fan of liquor. More importantly, she was not in the mood to share a drink with him so she turned down the offer,


    ¡°| don¡¯t drink.¡±


    Without saying anything, Odell reached for a bottle of beer and poured it into a ss. Then, he leaned back in his chair, picked


    up the ss of beer, and drank cheerfully and casually


    All the while, he did not speak


    Sylvia could not stand it anymore and repeated the question, ¡°Odell, it¡¯s been three days, have you made up your mind?¡±


    Odell looked at the impatient look on her face and saw the look of determination that showed how much she wanted the divorce.


    Pursing his lips, he said, ¡°Send me another copy of the divorce settlement agreement. I¡¯ve been busy these days, and | haven¡¯t


    had time to read it.¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath and swallowed the urge to give him a scolding, before taking her phone out to send him another copy.


    Very slowly, perhaps even gracefully, Odell reached for his phone.


    Sylvia watched his movements closely. She saw himzily opening the messages application and scrolled to her contact.


    Something that would have only taken a second or two, now took him up to ten seconds to aplish


    He continued to sip on his drink as he read.


    She took another breath, folded her forearms, and rested them on the table as she sat with her back straight while aiming a


    prating stare at him.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    There were only three pages to the divorce agreement and was no more than two thousand words long. The font was


    considerablyrge which made it easy to read as well. It could be read in two minutes, yet even after ten minutes had passed, he


    was still reading it. Her patience was reaching its limit so she asked, ¡°Odell, have you finished it yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°How many more pages do you have to go?¡± ¡°Two pages left.¡± Sylvia, ¡°...Can¡¯t you read faster?¡± Odell nced at her and stated


    in apassionate voice, ¡°If you''re in a hurry, you should get some sleep first. I¡¯ll give you an answer tomorrow morning.¡± She


    stared at him in disbelief, ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± He frowned, ¡°Doing what on purpose?¡± Sylvia drew a deep breath,


    then she rose and walked out. She went back to the children¡¯s bedroom and searched for her bag in one of the cabs. After


    she found her bag, she took out a small leather satchel (rom inside the bag. Taking the leather satchel, she went back to Odell¡¯s


    room.


    Odell was still sitting on the balcony. He had already put his phone back on the table, probably thinking that she was not


    retuming. When she entered, he was still holding a ss of beer and gracefully drinking from it. She returned to her seat.


    Something glearned in Odell¡¯s eyes when he saw her. She looked at him and got straight to the point, ¡°Odell, | know you don¡¯t


    want to get a divorce, and everything that you''ve done so far is an attempt to convince me to not divorce you.¡± Odell grimaced


    and directed his attention to the leather satchel that she was holding. ¡°What are you holding?¡± Sylvia opened the satchel and


    took out a stack of paper, which she set on top of the table in front of him.

 Chapter 525

    ?Chapter 525


    Odell frowned.


    The first page was a printing of an X-ray.


    It showed a broken bone in the calf.


    The calf bone had almostpletely split down the middle and had also been bent at an unnatural angle.


    Just from this picture, one could get an idea of how pain the person must have suffered.


    Sylvia looked at him and stated withposure, "Odell, this photo was taken more than four months ago. It was right after I was rescued and admitted to the hospital."


    The hands Odell that was using to hold the papers suddenly trembled.


    Sylvia went on, "Have you ever experienced a broken bone before? Do you know how much it hurts? Just as I was about to recover from it, someone had to step on the same break again and again."


    Odell scowled, and his face darkened.


    He continued to flip to theter pages.


    Sylvia continued to to speak, "I was hospitalized in the Hospital at Coastrock for two whole months. I was bedridden pretty much the whole time there. It was not because of the injury on my calf, but because I simply did not have the strength to get up at all. It took everything in me just to take a deep breath."


    At this point, Odell had turned to thest page.


    It was a medical record outlining Sylvia''s physical condition, one of the most eye-catching parts of the document was the term "trauma-induced miscarriage".


    The grip of his hands tightened and the paper trembled involuntarily. He stared at the words, unable to pluck his eyes away from it.


    The record was very borate and written in professional terms, "Patient exhibited signs of a miscarriage upon entering the unit. Due to the patient''s severe condition, the emergency operationsted for several hours until the patient was resuscitated..."


    His eyes began to redden as he turned back to look at Sylvia.


    Sylvia was also staring at him, she wore a nk expression on her face as she went on, Well, now you know what happened. In those two months, on top of having to nurse my injury, I also had to deal with a miscarriage."


    Things simply had not worked out for the child inside of her. Before Sylvia had even gotten to know her unborn child, the child had been lost.


    Till now, she could remember every detail of the pain she had to suffer during those two months.


    On several asions, she had even been forced to urinate on the bed because the nurses had not been able to provide her with help in time.


    It was Thomas who saved her life.


    Otherwise, she would have long been dead. Murdered by Tara, and killed by Odell''sck of trust in her.


    Although her life had been saved, her affection for him was now dead. Forget about three days, it would be impossible for Odell to redeem himself even if he was given three years!


    Odell grimaced and peered into Sylvia''s eyes.


    Sylvia went on, "I understand that you were deceived by Tara''s web of lies and that you didn''t mean to hurt me. But if I had to be honest with you, whenever I close my eyes, I can still see the way you gave the order to have my legs broken, all because you couldn''t trust me. I remember all the things you did to me for Tara''s sake, and I would give anything to see you suffer the same as I did if you weren''t also the father of my two children!"


    Her tone became icy and malicious toward the end, to a point where there was now a murderous look in her eyes.


    She snapped her eyes shut to shut out the endless noise inside her mind.


    That was when she suddenly felt a palm press onto the hand that she had ced on the table.


    She felt the immediate warmth of his hand coursing into hers.


    The warmth stung her like an electric shock and she instantly pulled her hand away and cried out, "Don''t touch me!"


    He did not speak but only continued to look at her.


    Sylvia sighed softly and gathered herself together. Then she addressed Odell again, "Odell, every time I see you, I am reminded of what you have done to me. We should divorce as soon as possible. I believe this will be the best thing for both of us."


    With that, she got up and took back the stack of documents from Odell and returned them to the leather satchel.


    Then, she turned and left the room.


    As she neared the door, she heard Odell''s deep voiceing from behind her, "I can promise you a divorce."


    Sylvia looked back at him immediately.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    He remained seated, his face was hidden beneath the shadow that was cast by the surrounding lights, and a strange aura surged from him as he went on.


    He offered his terms, "I can also give you the custody of Isabel and Liam, but I have some extra conditions to add to the divorce settlement agreement."


    Sylvia asked, "What terms?"


    "First, that I am still their legal father, and that I can visit them anytime I''d like."


    "Deal."

 Chapter 526

    Chapter 526


    ¡°Second, you are not allowed to take them out of Westchester without my permission. If they leave the city without my explicit


    permission, | will reim full custody of them.¡±


    Deal.¡±


    ¡°And third,¡± he peered into her eyes, and announced solemnly, ¡°You can¡¯t remarry. If you remarry, | will reim full custody of


    them as well.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Sylvia answered readily.


    She had no ns to ever marry again.


    Seeing that he was done with his terms, Sylvia said, ¡°If you have no other requests, I''ll be taking my leave now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He remained in his seat, a dark shadow enveloped him.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Without staying a moment longer than necessary, Sylvia turned and left.


    In the morning


    Aunt Tonya knocked on the door at the same time as usual.


    Sylvia opened her eyes.


    Liam was awake and already dressed himself. Sylvia woke Isabel who was lying on top of her. Just like the previous mornings,


    she took them to the living room after they had washed up and gotten dressed.


    Only Aunt Tonya and the butler were in the living room. Odell was nowhere to be seen. She thought about their conversation


    concerning the divorce, and turned to the butler with a stern frown, ¡°Sebastian, do you know where Odell went?¡± The butler


    answered dutifully, ¡°He left in the middle of the nightst night. It seems that he had an urgent matter that he had to take care


    of.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Sylvia did not press for more information. She ate breakfast with the kids and sent them to kindergarten.


    After watching the two enter the kindergarten hand in hand, she turned around and took out her phone to call Odell.


    ll rang a few times before the call was finally picked up.


    Sylvia was about to ask him where he had been, but he cut her off before she could get a word in, ¡°Finalize the divorce


    settlement agreement and meet me at City Hall at three today afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia responded in a cheerful voice. Then, she ended the call and drove to Sherry¡¯s.


    Borrowing Sherry¡¯sputer, she added the three terms that Odell had proposed to the divorce settlement agreement. Then,


    she printed out three copies


    Sherry observed Sylvia at work and felt like she had to ask, ¡°Sylvia, don¡¯t you think his condition about you not marrying again is


    crossing the line a little?¡±


    ¡°He is willing to give me full custody of both Liam and Isabel. | don¡¯t think that¡¯s excessive at


    all.¡±


    Sylvia had never even imagined that he would give her custody of both children. Sherry frowned and asked, ¡°But what if you


    meet a man that you like in the future?¡± ¡°It won''t happen.¡± She was done with romantic rtionships It was too exhausting


    Having Isabel and Liam by her side was all she needed.


    At Carter Tower


    Although the weather was considered rather pleasant, there was a cloud of fog, surrounding the tower


    From the top floor of the tower to the basement, every single person that was employed at the Carter Tower scrupulously went


    about their duties Not a single one of them dared to ck ofl at work


    Meanwhile, in the office on the top floor. Odell had been working since he had arrived at the towerst night and ordered the


    lights to be turned on


    Not only had he cleaned up the outstanding work that he had left from the previous days, but he had also gathered all the


    supervisors of each department for a meeting. They went over every single ongoing project in thepany, during which two


    junior executives had even been fired in the process of the meeting. At the moment, he was sitting in his usual leather chair. Alter


    he wrapped up the phone call, he took a break from work and stared absent-mindedly out the ss window, his mind drifting off


    somewhere else.


    Knock knock


    Asteady knock sounded on the door.


    Odell announced, ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door was pushed open and cliri appeared. ¡°Master Carter, 1 found the Greenstein Hospital you were talking about,¡±

 Chapter 527

    Chapter 527


    Chapter 527


    Odell¡¯s attention perked up, ¡°Go on.¡±


    Cliff began an borate brief, ¡°The night the missus fell into theke, she was admitted into this hospital. The doctor who


    operated on her was the best doctor employed in the hospital ording to the words of the doctor¡¯s assistant, the missus was


    indeed in critical condition when she was brought there. However, the injury in her leg was severe but not fatal. She had


    sustained major injuries all over her body because of the altitude that she fell from, which had also led to the miscarriage. They


    say that if she had been brought to the hospital even a momentter, she might very well have died.¡±


    The room was filled with a deathly silence


    There was such a terrible look on Odell¡¯s face that anyone would be too intimidated to look at him.


    Cliff barely dared to look at his face. He lowered his head and continued, ¡°They don¡¯t know the name of the person who sent the


    missus to the hospital, they could only remember that it was a very handsome young man. After the missus was no longer in


    critical condition, he took her and transferred her to another hospital overnight. They left Westchester and went to a very


    reputable private hospital in nchester¡±


    *Dig up every single piece of information that you can that has to do with her recovery timeline in nchester!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Cliff hurriedly walked out Odell¡¯s office was filled with silence yet again. He soberly shut his eyes, as every word that Cliff had


    uttered in his report continued to y in his inind. Grave injuries, broken leg, miscarriage, had nearly lost her life It was no


    wonder that she hated him so much that she even wanted to see him dead. If them getting divorced could quell even a tiny


    ounce of her anger and resentment, then so be it.


    After having lunch, Sylvia arrived at the entrance of City Hall close to 2 p.m. with the divorce settlement agreement and relevant


    documents in hand.


    She texted Odell, ¡°im here, what time are youing?¡± Shortly after, her phone rang. She quickly answered the call and


    immediately heard his voice through the phone, ¡°I¡¯m right behind you¡±


    Sylvia turned around immediately. He was standing less than iwo ers behind her. He was wearing a suit as usual and stood


    tallCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ds a totem pole


    His charming looks drew the attention of several women who happened to be passing by and caused them to fawn over him


    Pursing her lips, Sylvia asked, ¡°Did you bring all your documents?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He looked at her and asked, ¡°Has the divorce settlement agreement been finalized)¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡± Sylvia said and took out the three printed copies of the divorce settlement agreement from her bag and handed them to


    him


    Odell took it in his hands and quickly slipped through them.


    He went through all three copies of the divorce settlement agreement


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    * Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go in¡±


    With that, Sylvid walked towards the entrance of City Hall


    Odell frowned and went after her


    The process was rather borate First, they had to head to the counter for divorce applications, then hand over the documents


    and the signed divorce settlement agreement to the start. After that, they had to wait for the staff to review the documents


    The person at the counter was a middle-ageddy


    Sylvia and Odell had only just sat down when they felt thedy¡¯s eyes sizing them up rapidly


    She did not seem to be in any rush to review the documents, but instead asked them with an enquiring smile, ¡°Are you two


    getting divorced willingly?¡±


    Sylvia had already expected to hear questions along these lines. These veiled attempts at persuading them to not go through


    with the divorce were the same as when they had gone through their first divorce. She remeinbered how the staff had also tried


    to dissuade them from going through it. However, Odell had been very adamant about going through with it so she had stayed


    silent.


    Since this was not her first time going through a divorce, she stated calmly, ¡°We know what we''re doing.¡±


    The clerk turned to Odell.


    Odell was staring at Sylvia, he observed her indifferent expression and mumbled, ¡°Yeah,¡±


    The clerk suddenlymented with a sh in her eyes, ¡°Oh, it looks like you guys were divorced once and then remarried again


    What happened this time that made you want to go through the hassle of getting divorced again?¡±


    ¡°Nothing inuch¡± Sylvia was tired of these idle talks and stated nonchntly, ¡°The first divorce was ause he cheated on me. It¡¯s


    the same this time¡± 1


    wirl,¡± ¡±


    The smile on the clerk¡¯s face was instantly wiped away. She darted a cross look at Odell and muttered, ¡°You look like a fine man,


    why couldn¡¯t you just keep it in your pants?¡±

 Chapter 528

    Chapter 528


    Odell pursed his lips.


    Sylvia continued to keep an indifferent look on her face.


    The clerk went through their documents and asked Sylvia, ¡°Miss, have you two divided your assets properly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all written in the divorce settlement agreement.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± The clerk sighed and went through the procedures. Shortly after that, she set down two copies of the proof of divorce


    in front of Odell and Sylvia. Sylvia took her copy, thanked the clerk, and left. ¡°Miss, wait a minute.¡± The clerk suddenly called her.


    Sylvia stopped The clerk nced at Odell, who was still standing there, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Odell darted a look at Sylvia,


    then he grabbed the divorce papers and left. After he left, the clerk suddenly became much more friendly and conversational.


    She spoke to Sylvia with a gentle smile, ¡°Miss, you are still young and very beautiful. You still have a whole life ahead of you.


    Don¡¯t be discouraged because of a man like him. | have faith that you will find a much better husband in the future!¡±


    Her warm smile was infectious so Sylvia responded with a kind smile to her, ¡°Thanks for your kind words, 1 will take good care of


    myself.¡±


    With that, she left.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    The moment she stepped out of the city hall, she bumped into Odell who had the same dark and sullen expression on his face


    as always.


    He had not left yet, and continued to look at her gloomily.


    Now that they were divorced, Sylvia had no reason to fear him. She raised an eyebrow and questioned, ¡°Odell, why are you


    looking at me like that?¡± She had not badmouthed him or anything like that. After all, it was true that he had cheated on her. She


    had already been generous enough to not bring up the fact that he had broken her leg. He suddenly took a step in front of her,


    cutting off her path with hisrge frame, ¡°Are you going to look for another man?¡± Sylvia took a quick step back. She figured out


    that he must have overheard her conversation with the nice clerk back there. She answered, ¡°I just told her that | wasn¡¯t nning


    to look for another man.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes as he continued to stare at her.


    It was as if he wanted to peer into her mind.


    She reassured him, ¡°I will follow the termsid out in the divorce settlement agreement, there is nothing for you to worry about, |


    won''t be looking for a stepfather for Isabel and Liam.¡± ¡°You can be with a man again.¡±


    She was rather shocked by this.


    He stared into her eyes, ¡°However, that man can only be me.¡±


    Sylvia choked up and it was some time before she could even answer him. ¡°Odell, the moment you broke my leg, it was over


    between us. I¡¯ll never look back, but | still wish you all the best in your life¡±


    After her calm deration, she turned and walked away.


    Odell¡¯s figure stood in the same spot like a monument, clutching the divorce certificate tightly in his hand, nearly crushing the


    cover.


    Without moving, he watched as Sylvia walked away without a second thought.


    It was only until Sylvia drove away that he mustered up the strength to drag his feet to leave


    Inside the parking lot, an expensive ck car was parked near the entrance.


    Upon noticing Odell, Cliff quickly stepped out of the car to open the door for him.


    Odell entered the car.


    Cliff did not dare to check on Odell¡¯s expression, but instead, immediately returned to the driver¡¯s seat


    After starting the engine, he asked in a low voice, ¡°Master Carter, shall | take you home?¡±


    ¡°Back to the office.¡± Cliff did a double-take. He peered at Odell''s face through the rearview mirror and answered dutifully,


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The ck car drove out of the parking lot and headed towards the city. Meanwhile, there was an unassuming car parked on the


    corner of the parking lot. In the backseat of the car was a young man with a slender figure in a loose gray sweater.

 Chapter 529

    Chapter 529


    Beneath his fluffy bangs was a pair of sharp eyes which was closely following the ck car that had just driven out of the parking


    lot.


    There was a certainposure within his hazel eyes, mixed with the barest hint of a smile.


    Sylvia drove to her new ce.


    After locking up the divorce certificate along with the divorce settlement agreement in a box, she tidied up the house before


    heading back to the kindergarten.


    Shortly after she arrived, the school bell rang.


    She stood outside the gate like the other parents.


    Agroup of children happily ran outside Isabel and Liam were moreposed than the other kids as they followed behind while


    holding hands.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Almost all of the children had alreadye out by the time they showed up. When they saw Sylvia, they quickened their pace.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Together, they ran over to her. Sylvia smiled and bent down to embrace them.


    They threw a nce behind her. Noticing the absence of someone, Isabel pouted and asked, ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t Baddie


    come?¡±


    Something changed in Sylvia¡¯s eyes for a split second before she answered, ¡°Your father has something to attend to. Mommy


    will take you home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel muttered.


    Liam kept quiet. Sylvia took their hands and walked out. She took them back to Odell¡¯s house. The butter and Aunt Tonya were in


    the house, but Odell was missing. Sylvia was not bothered by his absence. After ying with the children for a while, she had


    dinner with them.


    After dinner, she took them back to their room.


    ¡®The divorce had already been finalized, and she had already bought a new ce. She was not nning to stay here inuch


    longer.


    The problern was that she could not let them know about the divorce.


    They were children and they needed their parents to be by their side. After some consideration, she turned to Isabel whose


    attention was fixed on the television and Liam who was busy gaming, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy has something to tell you two.¡± Liam


    promptly put the controller away upon hearing this and Isabel turned to her with rapt attention as well.


    Sylvia smiled and announced the good news, ¡°Mommy bought a house near your kindergarten and I¡¯m nning to move you two


    there.¡± Isabel asked curiously, ¡°Why did you buy a house? Why are we moving there?¡± She exined, ¡°Mommy will begin


    working in that area in a few days, it¡¯s a little inconvenient to get to work from here.¡±


    It was true, she would be teaching at the art academy soon.


    Christopher had made the offer many times and upon receiving news that she was back, he had bombarded her with messages.


    The gist of it was that she would be a guest professor at the academy and would only be required to give two sses a week


    The pay would be very good as well. Furthermore, the art academy had already fired Tara. Word had it that Tara hadmitted


    a very serious mistake at work. As a result, many people had reported her over the past two days. The final decision by the


    academy had been to remove her. ¡°What about Daddy, is he moving in with us too?¡± Liam suddenly asked. Sylvia turned to him


    without the slightest change of expression and said, ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient for daddy to go to work from the new house, so he won''t


    be moving in with us, but he will spare the time toe visit you two.¡± Liam raised an eyebrow at this. His gut feeling told him


    that there was more to it than this. Isabel thought of Madam Carter and asked, ¡°Mommy, will Great-grandmae with us?¡±


    ¡°Great-grandma needs to rest and will stay here where the professionals can take care of her.¡± After a pause, Sylvia added, ¡°But


    if you visit Great-grandma, | will bring you here to see her whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Isabel had no more questions to ask, so she turned her head and went back to watching cartoons.


    Liam also lowered his head and grabbed his controller again. Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.


    Later that night, when the two had fallen asleep, Sylvia walked out of the room and looked for Aunt Tonya in Madam Carter''s


    room.

 Chapter 530

    Chapter 530


    Chapter 530


    Sylvia told Aunt Tonya about her divorce from Odell.


    After she finished, Aunt Tonya stated, ¡°I will support you whatever your final decision is.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and informed her, ¡°I¡¯ve already bought a new ce and everything has been set up. I¡¯m nning to move in


    tomorrow.¡± Aunt Tonya was taken aback by this, ¡°Are you in such a hurry? Have you talked to Isabel and Liam about it?¡±


    ¡°| have.¡±


    ¡°While you were away. Isabel and Liam began to grow rather attached to Odell,¡± Aunt Tonya muttered before asking, ¡°How did


    you tell them?¡±


    Sylvia answered truthfully, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them about the divorce, | just told them that we''ll be moving to a new ce that would


    make it easier for me to get to work and for them to go to their kindergarten.¡± ¡°I see, | suppose that¡¯s fine.¡±


    It was gettingte already Sylvia looked at the time and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, why don¡¯t you get some rest? I¡¯ll apany


    Grandmother for a while.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I''ll go and pack my things.¡± Aunt Tonya got up and left. The room fell silent.


    As Sylvia sat by the bed and looked at the olddy who was still sleeping, the look in her eyes softened.


    She took Madam Carter¡¯s arm and gently massaged her arm the same way she used to do when she had been imprisoned here


    by Odell. ¡°Grandma, | just got divorced from Odell. Please don¡¯t be angry or feel bad for me, we were just never meant to be


    together.¡±


    None of this would have happened if she had never gotten together with him.


    Whether it had been their first or second marriages, both had been an endless torment for her. Enough was enough. Even


    Madam Carter had ended up in a vegetative state. She and Odell were simply ipatible. Sylvia continued, ¡°It''ll be a good


    thing for us to be apart. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s still Isabel and Liam¡¯s father and | won''t stop him from visiting them. I¡¯ll also bring them


    to visit you from time to time as well.¡±


    She said sostly Just on the other side of the door. Odell¡¯s tall figure was standing right in front of it. Through the wooden panel of


    the door, he had heard every word that Sylvia had said to


    Madam Carter and he tightened his lips to a line.


    After some time passed, his phone suddenly vibrated.


    He turned around and walked to the end of the corridor before putting the phone to his ear,¡± What is it?¡±


    cliffs voice was trembling on the other end of the phone, ¡°Master Carter, Miss Tara...¡± It took him a couple of seconds to


    structure his sentence properly before continuing. ¡°She just cut her wrists. She tried tomit suicide.¡± Odell''s eyes were like a


    pool of still water, ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cliff informed, ¡°She was found just in time and saved. She just called me and begged me


    to look for you. She wants to see you.¡±


    4


    vw


    Odell¡¯s eyes gleamed with ice, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Wait.


    Cliff prompted, ¡°Sir, do you have any other orders?¡±


    ¡°There is no need to report her to the authorities any longer. Also, you no longer have to update me about how she¡¯s doing. |


    don¡¯t need to know whether she¡¯s dead or alive.¡±


    She must have had a breakdown and chosen suicide when she had been fired from the art academy and had her name taken


    down from the board of the art association.


    This was what she deserved for what she had done to Sylvia.


    He would not continue to prosecute her, seeing as he owed her for what she had done for him more than a decade ago on that


    fatelul rainy night. However, he would have nothing to do with her from this point on.


    Cliff answered dutifully, ¡®Understood, I''ll make the arrangements.¡±


    The next morning, after sending Isabel and Liam to kindergarten, Sylvia and Aunt Tonya packed their bags and moved into


    Sylvia¡¯s new ce. The children¡¯s luggage was packed and taken there as well. After everything had been unpacked and tidied


    up, it was already evening. Aunt Tonya bought groceries and made dinner at home while Sylvia went to the kindergarten to pick


    up Isabel and Liam. The two of them still came out behind most of the other children. When they saw their mother, they smiled in


    unison.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 531

    Chapter 531


    Chapter 531


    Sylvia smiled as she took their hands, then she brought them to their new home.


    Their new home had a wonderful yard covered with a bed of soft grass. Sylvia also made sure to set up a little y area for


    them, which included slides and swings with an additional mini racing track for remote control toy cars. Isabel ran to the y


    area as soon as she entered. She snatched up the controller and sent the toy car racing down the tracks She eximed


    excitedly, ¡°Brother, over here!¡± Liam was quietly surveying the new environment, Isabel yelled for him again when he did not


    show up, ¡°Brother,e quickly!¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and walked toward her.


    The two sat on the ground and yed together.


    Sylvia had nothing else to do, so she sat with them and watched them y. When it got dark, Aunt Tonya called them into the


    house for dinner.


    Sylvia immediately went to the kitchen to help Aunt Tonya set the food on the dining table. Then, she called for the children,


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, time for dinner.¡±


    Isabel answered at the top of her voice, ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡±


    Shortly after that, she trotted in with Liam. As Sylvia served them dinner, they sat on the chair and ate obediently. Sylvia chatted


    with them from time to time. ¡°Did you two do anything fun at school today?¡± Isabel rambled on and on, ¡°Nothing much happened


    today. Oh, Candice and the other girls from the other ss kept ncing at Brother today. Also, one of the girls stuffed two


    pieces of chocte into his pocket, but | ate them all.¡± Sylvia made a look and stole a nce at Liam. The child held a spoon in


    hand and was slowly, even gracefully scooping mouthfuls of food into his mouth. His movements were precise and deliberate,


    completely looking like an adult himself.


    It was also rather apparent that he was not interested in the girls Isabel mentioned. Sylvia found it very humorous. Aunt Tonya


    chuckled heartily, listening to Isabel''s tales. Meanwhile, there was a ck car that had been parked outside the gate for a long


    time. A man sat by himself alone in the backseat, his obsidian eyes silently observing the scene in the living room through the car


    window.


    It was only a short distance from the entrance of the house to the living room. With the transparent windows surrounding the


    living room on both sides, it was not difficult to see the residents dining inside.


    The children seemed very well behaved, and the two women seemed to be in a jovial mood as Well.


    ¡°Master Carter, don¡¯t you want to go in and have a look?¡± Ben blurted out. ¡°No, let¡¯s go back¡± Ben stayed silent and did as he


    was told, revving the car¡¯s engine. The car exited the area shortly after that. As Odell looked at the house in the rearview mirror,


    the shape of the house slowly shrunk as they drove farther away. ¡°Has everything been arranged?¡± Ben assured Odell, ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry. Our tearn is posted around the clock just as you have instructed. If anything happens to Ms. Sylvia or the children, our


    team will be alerted immediately and they will take swift action to ensure their safety.¡± ¡°Good.¡±


    After dinner, Sylvia took Liam and Isabel to their room. There were two beds inside the room that had a very cozy setup.


    However, Isabel was still not used to sleeping alone, so she crawled into Liam¡¯s bed after she took a shower.


    Sylvia sat on the edge of the bed with a book and told them bedtime stories until they fell asleep, then she got up and went out.


    She had a peaceful, dreamless sleep. The next morning, she got up and went to the children¡¯s room again to find that they were


    still sleeping. Isabel had tangled herself around Liam, one of her legs even resting right on top of his torso.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

 Chapter 532

    Chapter 532


    Sylvia chuckled at this sight and woke up them gently. ¡°Isabel, Liam, it''s time to wake up.¡± Liam was the first to open his eyes,


    Isabel woke up right after that and drowsily burrowed herself into Sylvia¡¯s arms.


    Sylvia sat down on the edge of the bed and shared an intimate hug with both the kids for a moment.


    After they had fully woken up, she helped them get dressed. When they had washed up, they went to the living room. Aunt Tonya


    had already made breakfast for them. She made Eggs Benedict which was one of both Liam and Isabel''s favorite dishes,


    After breakfast, Sylvia took them to kindergarten.


    Their days were simple and carefree, and three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was soon Friday. Sylvia arrived at the gate of the kindergarten around evening, just in time to pick up Liam and Isabel. Then,


    she took them home.


    While Aunt Tonya was busy with dinner, Sylvia yed with the kids in the living room. Isabel was lying across her arms, her


    attention fixed on the cartoon she was watching. Liam sat next to her and was fiddling with a Rubik''s cube.


    Everyone was quiet and upied with their activities.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, Liam set the Rubik¡¯s cube aside and had an absent look on his face.


    Sylvia noticed something was wrong and asked him, ¡°Liam, what''s wrong?¡±


    Liam turned to her, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s Friday, why isn¡¯t Daddying to see us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the big baddie hasn''t shown up for several days.¡± Isabel turned away from the screen and echoed the same sentiment,


    ¡°He didn¡¯t find some other woman, did he?¡±


    Sylvia shot them a look and gently patted the top of Isabel¡¯s head before informing the two of them, ¡°He¡¯s very busy with work.


    Maybe he just doesn¡¯t have time toe here.¡± Liam frowned.


    Sylvia caressed his forehead and suggested carefully, ¡°Give your Daddy a call if you miss him.¡±


    When Liam looked silently at her, Sylvia smiled softly in return. ¡°Okay,¡± he answered with a sh of suspiciousness in his eyes.


    It did not seem like Mommy and Daddy fought, but he could not shake off the feeling that something was going on between the


    two of thein.


    At night, In m and Isabel¡¯s room, Sylvia told them bedtime stories as usual. 11 did not take long for Isabel to begin snoring,


    and Liam had shut his eyes as well.


    Seeing that they were almost asleep, Sylvia gently pecked their cheeks with a quick kiss and left their room. Immediately after


    she went out, Liam snapped his eyes wide open. He sat up with a ruminative look, then he got his phone and deftly dialed


    Odell¡¯s number. The call was answered rather quickly. Liam heard Odell¡¯s scratchy voice from the other end of the phone, ¡°Liam,


    why are you Calling me at this hour. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sleeping?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Liam asked. ¡°Working.¡± ¡°Are you busy?¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Liam inquired, ¡°Did you fight with


    Mommy?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Odell responded, ¡°No, things are fine with your mother.¡± ¡°Then, why aren¡¯t youing


    to visit us?¡±


    ¡°I''ve just been busy these days.¡± After a pause, Odell offered, ¡°It¡¯s Saturday tomorrow. Is there anywhere you want to go to


    tomorrow?¡± Liam thought about it for a second and asked, ¡°Are you going to take us somewhere tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°um.¡±


    ¡°Sis is already asleep. Why don¡¯t you ask her tomorrow after you get here?¡± ¡°Alright, now you go to bed as well.¡± Liam hung up


    andy back under the covers. He closed his eyes and put his arm around his sleeping sister¡¯s shoulders.


    The next morning, the sun rose at the same time as usual.

 Chapter 533

    Chapter 533


    Chapter 533


    Sylvia woke up at the same time as usualBelonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Since it was Saturday, she was in no particr hurry to wake Isabel and Liam up. She made breakfast with Aunt Tonya before


    she went to get the children


    To her surprise, Liam was already awake and already dressed. He was ying with the little Rubik''s cube that she had


    handmade for him. Upon noticing Sylvia entering, he greeted her casually, ¡°Good morning, Mommy.¡± Sylvia smiled at him and


    returned the same greeting, ¡°Good morning, Liam.¡±


    Then, she woke up Isabel, thezy little pig.


    After Isabel got washed and dressed as well, she took them to the living room for breakfast They wolfed down their breakfast


    very quickly. Sylvia took her phone and was just wondering where to take them today when Aunt Tonya suddenly marched


    through the door, appearing a little jumpy


    Sylvia immediately inquired, ¡°Aunt Tonya, is something the matter?¡±


    Aunt Tonya darted a nce at Isabel and Liam, and lowered her voice to a hushed whisper,¡± He¡¯s here.¡±


    Something gleamed in Sylvia''s eyes, and she proceeded to ask calmly, ¡°Odell is here?¡± This immediately drew Isabel and Liam¡¯s


    attention


    Aunt Tonya nodded


    Sylvia smiled and turned to Isabel and Liam, ¡°Liam, Isabel, your Daddy is here to bring you out. Why don¡¯t you two go to him?¡±


    Isabel was rather delighted and climbed off the sofa immediately


    Liam asked, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t youing?¡±


    Isabel turned to Sylvia with a curious glimmer in her eyes.


    Sylvia looked at the two pairs of perfectly round eyes staring at her. She gave them a troubled look and said with a strained


    smile, ¡°I have other things to deal with today, so | won¡¯t be going with you kids today. Have fun with your Daddy.¡± Liam did not


    have anything to say while Isabel only muttered a short ¡°oh¡± in a slightly dejected tone.


    However, the prospect of getting to go somewhere fun filled her with joy again. After Sylvia urged them to go to their father,


    Isabel dragged Liam behind her and went to find Odell.


    After they left, Sylvia recollected hersell. She sat on the sofa and stayed there while Aunt Tonya followed the kids outside


    After a stretch, she came back into the living room, probably because Isabel and Liam had left with Odell. She asked in a slightly


    puzzled manner, ¡°Sylvia, the kids kept looking back at the house as they got in the car. Why didn¡¯t you go out to send them off?¡±


    Sylvia stated, ¡°They''ll see me again when theye back tonight, so there was no need to send them off.¡±


    It was not so much that she did not want to do so; she just wanted to avoid seeing Odell again. After all, it was important to set a


    clear boundary after their divorce. Unless it was to settle matters directly concerning their children, there was no need for them to


    meet. Aunt Tonya had a hint of what was on Sylvia¡¯s mind, so she just sighed and decided against giving an opinion.


    Meanwhile, the car was coasting down thene. Odell was seated in the backseat with Isabel and Liam. He nced at the


    rearview mirror.


    Through the rearview mirror, he caught the reflection of Sylvia¡¯s house. He still could not spot Sylvia emerging from the house.


    Aunt Tonya must have gone inside already, and it seemed like Sylvia had no intention of sending the children off. ¡°Hey, baddie,


    where are you taking us today?¡± Isabel suddenly crawled up to him. Odell wiped away the worrisome look in his eyes and took


    Isabel into his arms. Isabel responded very well to this gesture. She leaned her weight against his arm, and wrapped her short


    arms around him, then fixed a curious stare at him.


    He shed a subtle smile and answered, ¡°I¡¯m taking you two somewhere fun.¡± ¡°What kind of fun ce?¡± ¡°You''ll know when you


    get there.¡± Isabel¡¯s eyes shone with excitement as she turned to look out the car window. What Odell said had piqued her


    interest, so she became restless and could not sit still on hisp anymore. After a while, she crawled to the other window to peer


    out.


    Odell would grab at her shirt from time to time to prevent her from losing bnce and falling off the seat. Meanwhile, Liam had


    not uttered a word since he got into the car. He was very stoic and sat motionlessly.

 Chapter 534

    Chapter 534


    It was evening, and the sky was gradually darkening. Sylvia was painting in the studio when Isabel¡¯s cheerful voice tore through


    the quaint space of the house.


    ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re back!¡±


    Sylvia got up and went to the window to see Isabel running in from outside. She was holding two trinkets that looked like toys in


    her hands, and she waved them around as she ran.


    The toy would catch and reflect light asionally.


    Meanwhile, Liam had also stepped out of the car. His demeanor was a sharp contrast to


    Isabel''s. He tucked his hands into his pockets and walked calmly and silently.


    The driver then closed the door. The man in the car did not get out.


    Sylvia nced at the car before turning and walking out of her room. When she arrived at the living room, Isabel had already run


    in. ¡°Mommy, look! | won these balls from some skinny guy today!¡± She showed off the two colored balls in her hands to Sylvia.


    Sylvia smiled and praised her, ¡°Great job, Isabel.¡±


    ¡°Look, they can even sing,¡± Isabel said as she flicked a switch. The two trinkets immediately began ying a familiar and


    cheerful nursery rhyme. Sylvia smiled, then looked at Liam who had just walked into the living room. He was very quiet as usual.


    There was not a hint of expression on his face.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Liam, did you have a good time with your sister and Daddy today?¡± Liam muttered, ¡°Yeah.¡± Sylvia walked up to


    him, looked at his face up close, and asked again, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re happy?¡± Liam fixed his thoughtful eyes on her and said,


    ¡°| would be happier if Mommy had been there as well.¡±


    Sylvia felt her heart drop. Then, she stated, ¡°Well, | am free tomorrow, so I''ll take you two somewhere.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel did not get up until almost noon the next day. She seemed to be all worn out from spending time with Odell yesterday.


    Liam, on the other hand, seemed rather drained. Sylvia took them out after lunch. They went to a nearby heritage street where


    they gorged on delicious food and returned home only when it was getting dark The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    The following day, Sylvia took them to kindergarten as usual After watching them enter through the gate while holding hands, she


    turned around and left, and went straight to the art academy


    Today was her first day working at the art academyContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Upon arrival, she was received by a teacher tasked to attend to her. Christopher showed up as well and led her to her new office.


    It was a very pleasant office that almost seemed homely, She was given aplete set of painting tools along withinon


    office supplies.


    After Christopher showed her the office, he turned to her with a weing smile, ¡°Sylvia, if there¡¯s anything you need at all, just


    let me know.¡±


    Sylvia returned a smile and thanked him, ¡°Sure, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Haha, no need to be so formal with me. It is an honor to have you teach at our academy.¡±


    They exchanged a bit of small talk before Christopher eventually left


    Sylvia looked at the timetable. She had two sses scheduled in the afternoon and no assigned sses in the morning.


    Although she hade to the academy to conduct talks with the students several times in the past, this would be her first time


    Officially giving lectures. She wanted to make sure that she was well-prepared, so she sat down and focused on preparing her


    lectures, The morning went by in the blink of an eye. By the time she took her eyes off her tasks, it was already lunchtime. She


    got up and walked outside. As soon as she stepped out of her office, she heard somemotioning from a certain


    direction. She noticed a group of female teachers crowding around someone and merrily chanting, ¡°Mr. Carter, let''s have lunch


    togetherter!¡± ¡°Mr. Carter, you must be bored by yourself. Let¡¯s go watch a movie together at night.¡± Meanwhile, Mr. Carter, who


    was the center of their attention, seemed to be moving toward Sylvia

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    Chapter 535


    Chapter 535


    The teachers trailed after him.


    Before Sylvia could even realize what was happening, one of the teachers identally backed into her and sent her tumbling to


    the floor. It was a harder shove than it seemed. Sylvia stumbled twice and fell to the floor. Her knees scraped against the hard


    ground. She frowned, then picked herself up off the floor


    It was at this point that arge, and delicate hand suddenly extended in front of her.


    The restless group of teachers instantly stopped their ceaseless fawning and became silent.


    Sylvia was rather taken aback by this. She looked up and saw a very familiar and handsome face.


    Underneath the man¡¯s fringe was a pair of cool and beautiful eyes staring back at her.


    Sylvia opened her eyes wide and mouth agape, ¡°Thomas? Why are you here?¡± Thomas curled his lip into a smile. ¡°I work here.¡¯


    With that, he grabbed her by her wrist and lifted her from the ground. Sylvia was still reeling back from the shock ¡°When did you


    start working here?¡± ¡°A month ago.¡± After a pause, he asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    1


    ¡°I''m working here too. | only just started today.¡±


    ¡°Have you had lunch yet?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Let''s have lunch together.¡±


    Sylvia felt countless needles prickling every part of her body. She looked behind her. It was the loathsome re of the group of


    teachers prating through her. She chuckled dryly and changed her mind. ¡°You know what? Maybe | shouldn''t.¡± Thomas


    turned to look at his worshippers with a piercing gaze in his eyes that were devoid of warmth. They felt a chilling pang of cold


    seeping through their skin when they felt his gaze on them.


    Thomas stated politely, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, teachers. You girls should quickly get something to


    eat.¡±


    They took the hint. Some of them grunted a word or two in response while the others immediately turned and left, lookdng


    defeated. In time, they all walked away and branched off into several groups. Sylvia and Thomas went to a small restaurant near


    the school. Aster sitting down, Sylvia had many questions on her inind. ¡°Thomas, what are you teaching here?¡±


    Froin what she could remember, he was very withdrawn and was not fond of talking. BackContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    when Otell and their stepmother were still fighting for ownership of the family business. their stepmother had wanted him to work


    in thepany in a managerial position Head expressed very little interest in the arrangement, and in time, their stepmother ve


    up on the ided ehitirely


    Alles ihe whole debade was wrapped up, their stepmother left the family business and waspletely disgraced After that she


    had taken Thomas with her and let Westchester Till now, Sylvia did not know what line of work Thom.s took mterest in


    It was rather surprising that he hade in the ademy to work is teacher


    Thomas answered her oblig.ingly. ¡°I teach ng¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glowed She remembered that he liked ying the pian, and that he was very Food at it


    When she still lived with the Carters, she would always hear hun ying the piano


    Though they did not live in the same block, she could still hear the music as clear as day From time to time, she would also


    noticelum ying no through the window Whenever he yed the piano, she would feel waves of inspiration During that


    period, she frequently pallided whenver he yed no


    ¡°What about you? What are you teaching here?¡± he asked suddenly


    She replied, ¡°I fechari¡±


    He nodded and seemed like he had nothing to add


    The water brought the menu


    She asked, ¡°What would you like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Anything works.¡±


    ¡°Very well¡±


    Knowing that he was not a very talkative man, she stopped pestering him. She ordered her favorites and ordered something


    normal for her, then she handed the menu back to the waiter. They are their lunch in silence


    After the meal, she went to ask for the bill before he could, only to find out that the bill had already been paid. She turned around


    with an astonished look


    Thomas just happened to be approaching her, his tall figure impossible to miss. Noticing the look on Sylvia¡¯s face, he brandished


    his phone ¡°Online payment.¡±

 Chapter 536

    Chapter 536


    Sylvia gave a troubled look They walked out of the restaurant together and strolled along a path leading back to the academy


    Sylvia spoke her mind, ¡°Thomas, please let me pay the bill next time.¡± Although she was divorced from Odell, she still considered


    Thomas her younger brotherBelonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Furthermore, he had rescued her not once but twice in her times of greatest need She simply did not loow how she could ever


    repay the favor she owed him, and she certainly could not have Thomas paying for her food


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He grunted.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.


    After a while, they reached the academy office, beside which was his office


    After saying their goodbyes, the two of them went back to their respective offices.


    Since Sylvia did not teach academic courses, her sses had a looser structure.


    She had prepared everything in advance, and the students had very good dynamics with her as well. The two sses she taught


    turned out to be very rxing and productive.


    The two sses flew by in the blink of an eye. She returned to the office, ready to pack her things and head to the kindergarten


    to pick up Isabel and Liam.


    However, she stumbled into Thomas again when she was leaving her office


    He wore a crear-colored coat over his white shirt, the drape of the fabric perfectlyplementing hisnky figure. He could


    easily pass for a model. Sylvia asked him with a smile, ¡°Thomas, are you done for the day as well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Where do you stay?¡± ¡°I stay in the school dormitory.¡± After a pause, he looked at her and asked, ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°| live in the area.¡± Sylvia looked at the time and saw that she was runningte, so she hurriedly said to him, ¡°See you. | need to


    pick Isabel and Liam up from kindergarten.¡±


    ¡°See you.¡±


    Sylvia turned and trotted in the direction of the stairs,


    Thomas stood like a statue and quietly observed her figure from behind.


    Sylvia arrived at the kindergarten just as their sses ended.


    Isabel and Liain walked out together holding hands as usual. They trotted toward Sylvia the


    moment they saw her


    Delighted to see them, she kissed them on the checks and took them home


    As always, Sylvia yed with thein for a wuleafter dinner, then she told them bedtime stories and waited until they fell asleep


    before heading back to her room


    In Carter Tower, Westchester City, it was already midnight, but the lights in the office on the top floor were still turned on


    There was a tall figure of a man sitting on a leather chair, illuminated by the ceiling hghts After reviewing the final document, he


    looked at the watch on his wrist He zipped his lips into a line and swung the chair around to face the window He looked at the


    night view of the city. the tint in his eyes as ck as the night sky


    Knock knock


    There was someone at the door


    Odell called out, ¡°Come in.¡± Cliff opened the door and walked in cautiously


    ¡°Master Carter, you''ve already arranged everything for the next half month Do you want to go back and get some rest?¡± Odell


    pursed his lips, ¡°How are things over there looking like Cliff did not need any further boration to know that he was talking


    about Sylvia


    Since he and Sylvia divorced, he had been in the office almost every day from top to bottom. everyone from the managers to the


    janitors was wracked with nerves, knowing that they had to face the man every hour of the day.


    Upon hearing this, he informed in a servile way, ¡°Noi much, the missus stays home most of the time as usual. She went to the art


    academy today. It seems like she was recently recruited as a guest professor at the academy¡±


    Guest professor? That was hardly surprising. With her talent and reputation, she was more than qualified to be a guest


    professor.


    Aglimpse of a grin appeared in the corners of his thin lips as he informed, ¡°I''ll be sleeping here tonight as well, so you can head


    back.¡±


    Chiff answered curtly. ¡°Yes, sir¡±


    Sylvia only had two sses a week at the acadeiny, one on Monday and the other on Thursday. thus she had plenty of time to


    herself

 Chapter 537

    Chapter 537


    Chapter 537


    After two days of staying at home, she went to the academy again on Thursday.


    Just like Monday, she prepared for her lessons as soon as she got to the office. She focused on her work until her phone


    chimed.


    It was a message from Thomas.


    In the message, he asked, ¡°Want to have lunch?¡± Sylvia checked the time. It was already noon, so she answered, ¡°Sure.¡±


    After putting on her coat, she walked out of the office and saw Thomas leaning against a wall, waiting for her.


    He was wearing a long gray coat and tucked his hands in his pockets. His heightbined with his refined looks drew the


    attention of several female teachers who passed and fawned over him


    Unfortunately for them, he did not seem to take interest in any of them at all. He hardly looked at them and wore the same nk


    look as he always did.


    ¡°Hey, Thomas,¡± Sylvia greeted him.


    Thomas looked at her and walked toward her.


    She asked, ¡°What do you want for lunch?¡± He merely answered, ¡°Anything works for me.¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡±


    As they walked outside, Sylvia went on her phone and searched if there was any good food nearby


    Meanwhile, several young teachers were spying on the duo from a safe distance.


    ¡°Who is that walking with Mr. Carter? Why haven''t I ever seen her before?¡±


    ¡°| think she¡¯s the guest professor President Dendro invited. Her name is Sylvia Ross, 1 believe.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, | know that name. Isn¡¯t she Ms. Sunflower? She was involved in a couple of our academy¡¯s activities in the past.¡± The other


    teachers seemed very surprised upon hearing this. There was growing envy among them as they gawked at Sylvia who got to


    spend time and have lunch with Thomas.


    One of them noted, ¡°But why does Mr. Carter only eat with her?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Thry ate at the same restaurant they are at thest time, only this time it was Sylvia footing the buli


    Aller their ineal, they went back to the academy and binmediately relured to their respective


    offices. During another short break, Sylviay her head on the table and prepared to get some brief shuteye. That was when


    another female teacher suddenly knocked on the door and entered her office


    ¡°Hi, Ms. Sylvia. My name is Leah, and | teach the elective courses.¡±


    Sylvia smiled back kindly. ¡°Hi, Mrs. Leah.¡± Leah approached the table and said in a sincere voice, ¡°I heard that you are Ms.


    Sunflower. Would you mind if | asked you for some pointers?¡± Sylvia answered cheerfully, ¡°Of course.¡±


    There were a couple of chairs in the office, so Leah grabbed one and sat next to Sylvia She then procured her drawing book and


    handed it to Sylvia.


    Sylvia looked through her work, taking it very seriously. Leah did not major in art, and it was evident in her painting since she


    seemed to slightlyck the fundamentals. Therefore, Sylvia decided to help work on her basic skills first.


    After giving an honest critique with a healthy supplement of advice, Sylvia added, ¡°Overall, | like the art direction of your work |


    believe that you will improve after working on your fundamentals.¡± Leah smiled nervously. ¡°Alright, I''ll make sure to keep that in


    mind.¡±


    Now that they were done, it seemed like she had no intention of leaving just yet.


    Sylvia could sense that there was something more to this sudden visit and asked, ¡°Is there anything else you''d like to ask?¡±


    Leah tousled her hair with an air of embarrassment, and a strange look surfaced in her eyes.¡± Ms. Sylvia, what¡¯s your


    rtionship with Thomas?¡± Sylvia immediately caught on. Chances were that the primary reason she came here was to enquire


    about this.


    She answered honestly, ¡°I¡¯ve known him for many years, and he¡¯s like a brother to me.¡±


    Although Thomas was several months older than her, she had been his sister-inw since the day she met him and had always


    thought of him as something like a little brother. Leah was visibly surprised by this, ¡°Like a brother? You two look around the


    same age though, and you two don¡¯t share the same surname.¡±


    ¡°Our grandparents were friends,¡± Sylvia remarked.


    She was not eager to discuss how she used to be his sister-inw since it would only lead to more unnecessary gossip leading


    back to Odell. Besides, Tara had only done enough of rumor mongering, telling people that Sylvia had once dated Odell, and she


    did not need more such talk going around. She only came here to teach. These gossips were certainly neither helpful nor


    productive.

 Chapter 538

    Chapter 538


    Leah seemed to have obtained a satisfactory answer, so she remarked, ¡°I see.¡±


    After some small talk, she took her things and left.


    Sylvia got a little more rest after that.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    There was only a single partition wall separating her office from the next office. At the same time, there was anky figure of a


    man leaning against the wall. The partition walls were made of wood and were not exactly known for having good sound


    instion. He could overhear the conversation in the neighboring office just by leaning against the wall.


    A brother?


    Did she still think of him as nothing more than a brother even till now?


    Fast forward to Friday, around evening, Sylvia arrived at the kindergarten on time to pick up the kids. She led each of them in


    one hand. Since tomorrow was the weekend, Isabel was skipping along and seemed very happy.


    Liam was the exact opposite of her. She trailed behind Sylvia without a word. There was no telling what was on his mind, and he


    seemed more like a miniature adult than a child.


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, where do you two want to go this weekend?¡±


    Isabel chirped merrily, ¡°Mommy, | want to go to the amusement park!¡±


    Sylvia nodded and turned to Liam who answered without any visible change in expression,¡± I''ll follow Isabel.¡±


    The next morning, Sylvia had just finished breakfast and was about to pack up and take the children to the amusement park


    when Aunt Tonya slid in through the door and whispered to her, ¡°Sylvia, he¡¯s here.¡± Sylvia zipped her lips into a grimace. She


    suddenly approached Isabel and Liam, smiling meekly as she informed them, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy suddenly received an


    invitation to join a certain art exhibition. Since your Daddy happened toe by, you two can go out with him today instead.¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips andined, ¡°Mommy, why do you have something suddenlying up again?¡±


    Liam fixed a stare on Sylvia with hisrge eyes that contained a countenance that made him seem older than he was.


    e good and on DULILU VODU UC BUUU ILIUCIIULISTIC MILIL VUULUUV LUYOV


    Jou two


    DUULICITY CILI


    JUII VOU LYYU


    Sylvia blinked a few times and patted their heads. ¡°Mommy didn¡¯t expect it toe up so suddenly either. Both of


    pend time with you tomorrow, alright?¡± Isabel grunted. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Meanwhile, Liam was silent The pair went out shortly after. Sylvia stood at the door and watched them leave. When she noticed


    the tall figure of a man turning toward them, she immediately ducked for cover and no longer tried to steal a second nce.


    Outside the gate, Odell got out of the car and was waiting for Isabel and Liam toe to him.


    Isabel was skipping toward him while Liam walked slowly withposure. As soon as they reached the car, both of them turned


    back to look at the house in unison.


    Odell followed their gaze and looked at the house as well. He barely managed to catch a glimpse of a figure disappearing around


    the corner. He pursed his lips and concealed the dark look in his eyes, then he grabbed Isabel and Liam one after the other and


    put them into the car. Isabel seemed upset being carried this way and immediately voiced herint upon entering the car,


    ¡°Baddie, can¡¯t you be more gentle with us kids?¡± Odell sat between them and took her into his arms. ¡°Did | hurt you?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡±


    Isabel pouted, and said with herrge eyes beaming, ¡°But can¡¯t you properly carry me and my brother into the car next time?¡±


    Odell shot her a look and grunted. ¡°Alright.¡± Isabel leaned into his chest and announced, ¡°We want to go to the amusement park


    today.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


    11


    ¡°And we want ice cream.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The father and daughter chatted candidly. As Liam sat quietly beside them, he would dart a nce at Odell from time to time


    throughout the drive.


    Around evening when the amusement park was closing, Liam and Isabel walked out with Odell. The girl must have been


    exhausted from the day¡¯s activity, so she put her chubby hand out toward Odell, clearly signaling what she wanted. Odell obliged


    and took her into his arms with one hand. She burrowed her chubby face into his neck and quickly fell asleep. It did not take long


    before they returned to the car.

 Chapter 539

    Chapter 539


    Odell hugged Isabel who was sleeping soundly. Liam sat quietly beside him, just like he did on the way here. The car followed


    the path down thene. Out of the blue, Liam suddenly broke his silence. ¡°Dad, did you and Mommy get divorced?¡± Though his


    voice was that of a child¡¯s, he spoke with an air ofposure umon in children.


    Odell frowned and shot a look at him. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°No one told me.¡± Liam lowered his head and continued, ¡°Two of our


    ssmates have divorced parents as well. They don¡¯t live together, just like you and Mommy. They take turns bringing their kids


    out as well.¡±


    Odell wore a grimace and fell silent. The atmosphere inside the car suddenly became unbearably ufortable. After what


    seemed like forever, he finally answered, ¡°Your mother and | got divorced, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that we''re still your


    parents.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Liam frowned and looked at him. Odell replied, ¡°Well, there are many reasons.¡±


    It all came down to one thing in the end-he had wounded her too deeply to a point where he could not even justify what he had


    done or forgive himself for it. If not for this conscience within him, he would have never agreed to the divorce. Liam asked again,


    ¡°Did you do something unforgivable?¡± Odell muttered meekly, ¡°Yeah.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Liam looked out of the car window.


    Odell lifted a hand and gently patted the little boy on his head. ¡°This is between your mother and me. You and your sister don¡¯t


    have to worry about it.¡± However, Liam ignored him. Odell frowned. He cleared his throat and asked cautiously, ¡°Liam?¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± he spoke in a very reticent tone.


    Odell quietly looked at Liam¡¯s troubled demeanor and added, ¡°If you want to live with me, just call me and | will pick up both you


    and our sister, and you two cane to stay with me even if it''s just for a short while.¡±


    At the end of the day, the boy had grown up with his father and must miss him. s, as soon as Odell proposed this option, Liam


    immediately answered insistently, ¡°No, | want to live with Mommy and Sis.¡±


    Odell was speechless.


    Before long, the car stopped outside Sylvia¡¯s house. The driver immediately got out of the car and opened the door for them.


    Liam stepped out immediately.


    Isabel was still asleep when Odell carried her out of the car. She was sleeping very soundly and Odell was careful to not wake


    her up. He carried her in his arms as he walked toward the door with Liam beside him.


    That was when Aunt Tonya heard their arrival and appeared. She smiled politely and beckoned.


    ¡°Master Carter, I''ll take Isabel,¡± she said with her arms put out toward Odell. Odell frowned and obliged. Aunt Tonya hugged


    Isabel tightly and entered the living room as Liam followed her. Odell peered inside, then he proceeded to leave without much


    fanfare.


    Sylvia waited for the car to drive away beforeing out. She put Isabel on the sofa and tucked her in with a small nket, then


    she pulled Liam to her side and gave him a big hug. ¡°Liam, where did you and Daddy go today?¡± Liam snuggled up to her and


    answered, ¡°To the amusement park¡± ¡°Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was fun.¡± There was hardly any excess emotion on his


    expression. Sylvia pursed her lips and stopped pressing the matter. She switched to another topic instead. ¡± Are you hungry?¡± ¡°A


    little.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to eat? Mommy will make anything for you.¡± As Liam looked at his mother¡¯s gentle smile, something gleamed


    in his eyes, ¡°I want to eat spaghetti.¡±


    ¡°Alright,ing up right away. Get some rest first for now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia gently ruffled his hair before getting up to cook while Liam sat next to Isabel and quietly peered in the direction of the


    kitchen.

 Chapter 540

    Chapter 540


    The weekend passed in the blink of an eye. On Monday morning, Sylvia took Isabel and Liam to kindergarten, and after dropping


    them off, she went to the academy.


    The weather was getting cold, and there was already a sheet of ice floating atop the surface of theke near the school.


    Sylvia walked in the direction of the office.


    The surface of the steps on the stairs was glittering because someone had spilled water on the stairs.


    After taking two steps up the stairs, Sylvia slipped and felt her body toppling backward. She was thrown off guard instantly and


    nearly shrieked when suddenly, she felt an arm reaching from behind and wrapping itself around her waist.


    s


    She was already thrown off bnce as she fell backward into a broad and muscr chest. ¡°Are you alright?¡± She heard the


    voice of a man filled with concern. Sheposed herself and quickly stood up and thanked her savior with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine.


    Thanks, Thomas.¡± Thomas cautioned, ¡°Be careful. The floor is wet.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Sylvia answered and walked up cautiously this


    time. While Thomas followed after her and walked by her side, his arm was pressed against her nearly the entire time.


    Sylvia shot him a look


    Due to the condition of the stairs, she had to walk at a turtle pace and move forward with him next to her side. Upon reaching the


    top of the stairs, she promptly quickened her pace to create some distance between herself and Thomas.


    When they got to her office door, she looked back at him and said to him with a smile,¡±


    Thanks for saving me just now.I¡¯m going to work now. Have a good day.¡± Thomas provided a nonchnt response, ¡°Alright.¡± As


    Sylvia hurried into her office, Thomas nced in the direction of the stairs and entered his office as well.


    RILA


    Sylvia sat down and shook her head to awaken her senses. She must be overthinking this. Thomas had only walked up the


    stairs with her as a precautionary measure in case she fell


    again.


    Meanwhile, at the stairwell, the female janitor appeared. She frowned as she looked at the water sprinkled over the stairs and


    muttered to herself in bewilderment, ¡°That''s weird. | just cleaned it up. Where did all this watere from?¡±


    Around noon the same day, Sylvia received a message from Christopher.


    He told her that there would be a seminar on Saturday that a lot of the teachers in the academy would be taking part in it, and in


    turn, invited her to join. Sylvia figured that Odell would pick up the children on Saturday, so she promptly confirmed her


    attendance. Shortly after that, she received a message from Thomas.


    He asked, ¡°Are you going to the seminar on Saturday?¡± Sylvia texted back, ¡°I¡¯m going. Are you?¡± He replied, ¡°Yeah, probably.¡±


    ¡°Okay, see you at the seminar then.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Just as Sylvia predicted, on Saturday morning, Odell¡¯s car showed up as usual.


    Snow was falling from the sky.


    Sylvia ensured that Isabel and Liam had thickyers of padded clothes before sending them off.


    Isabel suddenly pouted and asked her, ¡°Mommy, are you not going out with us today again?¡±


    Liam stayed silent and only regarded her with an expectant look. Sylvia exined with a soft smile, ¡°Mommy needs to attend a


    seminar held at the school today, so | can¡¯t go out with you two.¡±


    Isabel grunted. ¡°Hmph, why do you have to join these events every Saturday?¡±


    Sylvia pinched Isabel¡¯s chubby cheeks yfully and tried to appease her, ¡°Be good, Isabel. Your Daddy will take you and your


    brother somewhere fun today. Go on, go with your brother.¡±


    Isabel''s eyes glowed at the prospect of going somewhere fun, but immediately after that, she grumbled again, ¡°If you don¡¯te


    and y with us the next time, I¡¯m going to get angry.¡±


    Sylvia grimaced weakly. She was about to say something to Isabel when Liam suddenly interjected, ¡°Sis, if we still don¡¯t leave,


    the snow is going to pile up on the road.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡± Isabel grabbed Liam and ran out. Liam nced at Sylvia. ¡°Bye,


    Mommy.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 541

    Chapter 541


    Sylvia smiled back ¡°Goodbye.¡± Shortly after that, they arrived at the gate. Sylvia turned and returned upstairs upon making sure


    that they had entered Odell¡¯s car. She changed her clothes, put on a coat and a scars, then she went to her car and proceeded


    to drive to the venue where the seminar was hosted.


    Meanwhile, in the other car that was already speeding down thene, the driver was focused on driving In the backseat were


    Liam, Isabel, and Odell. Liam was sitting quietly by himself while Isabel was propped on Odell¡¯sp. She was staring intently at


    the snow outside when she abruptly turned around and stared at Odell.


    Odell noticed her staring at him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Isabel asked with a tight grimace, ¡°Are you bullying my Mommy again?¡±


    Odell frowned and answered, ¡°Not that | know of.¡±


    He had not seen her for almost a month by now, so he could not do anything to her even if he wanted to.


    Isabel narrowed her eyes suspiciously. ¡°Why is it that every time youe to pick us up, Mommy tells me that she can¡¯t go with


    us because she has something else nned?¡± Odell fell silent for a couple of seconds, then exined, ¡°Maybe she really is


    busy.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She turned back to the window, immediately entranced by the snow falling from the sky outside.


    Odell stole a nce at Liam who was sitting beside him.


    The boy was seated upright with his eyes gazing forward stoutly. There was not a trace of emotion on his face, so he could not


    possibly decipher what was on his mind. It would seem that he did not tell Isabel about their parent¡¯s divorce. The boy was quite


    mature for his age.


    Sylvia arrived at the venue of the seminar shortly after that.


    It was in a hotel near the academy. The venue was very cozy, and many teachers had already arrived.


    Christopher was here as well. Upon seeing Sylvia, he immediately went up to her with a sizable crowd following him as well.


    Sylvia greeted everybody with a warm and infectious smile, then she sat down next to Christopher. While waiting for everybody


    to arrive, they began making small talk.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia ate snacks and listened to their conversation,


    Suddenly, there was amotion outside.


    Sylvia inspected the scene curiously and saw a group of young female teachers flocking towards the entrance of the venue. The


    hall echoed with their rabid cries.


    ¡°Oh my God! My heart!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter is so handsome!¡±


    Upon hearing the name ¡°Mr. Carter¡¯, Sylvia understood that it was Thomas arriving.


    Christopher was irked by this inappropriate scene and cleared his throat a few times.


    Immediately after that, two teachers of considerable seniority went to the crowd and got them to disperse. Shortly after that,


    Thomas''s tall and slender figure appeared before their eyes. He was wearing a fitted suit paired with dress pants. With one hand


    tucked inside a pocket, he approached them with graceful steps like that of a model floating down a runway.


    Sylvia waved at him.


    Thomas noticed her and walked straight toward her.


    The seat next to Sylvia happened to be vacant, so he proceeded to sit down beside her.


    All of the female teachers continued keeping an eye on Thomas.


    Christopher swept a nce around the hall, then he grabbed the microphone and announced,¡± Everyone is here. Now let''s jump


    straight to the topic.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Finally, the venue descended into silence.


    After that, the teachers in charge of hosting the seminar took the microphone and gave everyone a brief rundown of the day¡¯s


    itinerary


    The seminar, as its name suggested, was to encourage the participating teachers to exchange their experiences and serve as a


    tform for academic discussions. The structure of the seminar was rather casual, and participants were encouraged to speak


    their minds. To be precise, it was more apt to call it a social gathering than a seminar.

 Chapter 542

    Chapter 542


    With that, they entered the phase of free-form discussions. Many teachers rose from their seats and split off into groups of three


    to five. Several teachers went straight for Sylvia.


    Needless to say, Thomas remained the most popr one by a wide margin. Many young female teachers gathered around him


    immediately after the hostid out the itinerary. One of the teachers asked him inquisitively, ¡°Mr. Carter, | heard that you teach


    piano. What do you usually teach?¡±


    Thomas answered nkly, ¡°Piano.¡±


    There was an awkward silence. Sylvia was sitting close by and heard Thomas''s curt answer, so she nced over.


    The surrounding teachers seemed rather at a loss for words, but they refused to give up and asked him again, ¡°Do you only


    teach them piano in ss? Are there any other things you teach them?¡±


    To this, Thomas grunted an odd response, ¡°Hm.¡± The teachers werepletely speechless.


    Sylvia darted another look at Thomas. He was seated very gracefully and had the same distant look both on his expression and


    in his eyes. Chances were that he was not interested in talking to them. Nevertheless, the surrounding teachers refused to leave.


    One of them suddenly suggested, ¡°Mr. Carter, you must be very good at ying the piano. There¡¯s a piano right over there.


    Would you mind ying a piece for us?¡± ¡°Yeah, Mr. Carter, we¡¯d love to see you y something for us.¡± In time, all the seminar


    attendees were drawn toward the mysterious piano teacher, perhaps because his crew of rabid fans were being too loud and


    attracted attention.


    Many of them looked on with anticipation, eager to see Thomas y the piano.


    However, he wore a frown and still did not utter a single word.


    The venue was suddenly filled with silence.


    Christopher quickly sensed that something was off and remarked with an earnest smile, ¡°Mr. Carter, it seems like everyone


    wants to see you y the piano. Please do oblige us.¡± Thomas looked at Sylvia, and she smiled at him. He suddenly asked her,


    ¡°Do you want to hear me y too?¡± Sylvia did not understand why he had to specifically ask her, but she answered with a quick


    nod, ¡°Yeah,¡±


    He abruptly rose and walked toward the grand piano set on one side of the venue. Then, he sat in front of the piano and rested


    his slender, delicate fingers on top of the ck and white


    piano keys. Everyone held their breaths and watched him silently.


    Sylvia was staring at him with a fixed look too. The first note rang across the air. The melody was smooth and enticing,


    immediately drawing in the collective attention of everyone present and fully immersing them in the music. His fingers danced


    effortlessly along the keys like water flowing down a creek. The music itself was harmonious, alternating between high and low


    tempo, switching from a somber mood to a cheerful waltz now and then.


    The listeners felt their ears cleansed by the music. It was nothing short of wonderful.


    By the time he finished the piece, everyone was still intoxicated by the music and demanded more.


    One of the teachers cheered, ¡°Mr. Carter, let¡¯s do an encore.¡±


    Thomas looked at Sylvia.


    Suddenly feeling his gaze on her, Sylvia froze for a moment before subconsciously looking away to avoid his stare. Meanwhile,


    everyone else was cheering for an encore from Thomas the pianist. Unfortunately, Thomas seemed less receptive than they


    would hope for. Atst, Christopher announced authoritatively, ¡°Alright, Mr. Carter has entertained us enough. Let¡¯s stop trying to


    get him to y more. We have other things to get to, so let¡¯s get back to it.¡±


    There was a general murmur of disappointment, then everyone dispersed and went back to their discussions


    Thomas rose and walked back to his seat as well.


    Sylvia kept her head bowed to avoid looking at him, but she managed to catch a glimpse of him sitting down from the corner of


    her eye.


    Many teachers were having different conversations and holding all sorts of discussions.


    Sylvia was about to look up when she suddenly heard Thomas¡¯s low and mellow voice say,¡± The song | yed was for you.¡±


    Sylvia was startled by this remark and spun around to look at him.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

 Chapter 543

    Chapter 543


    He was seated in a very princely manner with his hands resting on the table. A cold gleam of ice shone in his eyes, but he was


    110t looking at her. Perhaps she had misheard?


    Sylvia pursed her lips and wondered if she should ask if he was talking to her just now.


    Her opportunity was lost when several teachers approached her and asked her enthusiastically, ¡°Ms. Sylvia, would you mind


    sharing some of your insights in painting with


    us?¡±


    Sylvia dismissed the idea of asking Thomas and smiled back at them. ¡°Okay.¡± She took the time to talk with them. Soon, she was


    entranced by the conversation to a point where she no longer noticed the way the man looked at her only a short distance from


    her.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Before even realizing it, Sylvia had chatted with them until it was noon.


    They only wrapped things up after Christopher informed them that it was time for them to get something to eat.


    Thomas was still sitting near her. Sylvia walked with him and several teachers towards the dining room where they had lunch.


    On the way to the dining room, he kept a respectful distance from her just like the other teachers did


    Upon reaching the dining room, they found an upied table and sat down. He was seated right next to her, but they did not


    exchange a single word throughout the entire meal. He had a cold and unapproachable temperament as he always did. Sylvia


    heaved a sigh of relief. It seemed to her that she must have misheard what he said to her just now.


    After lunch, Sylvia and the others returned to the venue to continue their discussion. It was around evening when Christopher


    announced the conclusion of the seminar. Since it was also dinner time, he had made reservations at a nearby restaurant and


    invited everyone to dine with him.


    Everyone went to the exit in an orderly manner.


    Sylvia walked to Christopher and said to him, ¡°President, | have children at home waiting for me, so I¡¯m afraid | won''t be joining


    you for dinner.¡± Christopher did not try to pressure her and was very understanding of her circumstance.¡± Alright.¡± Shortly after


    that, they stepped out of the hotel. What came into view was a world covered in white. Thickyers of snow d everything. It


    was on the trees, all over the asphalt, and on


    top of cars. Snow was still falling from the sky Christopher expressed thoughtfully, ¡°Sylvia, be careful driving on the road.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Sylvia answered before turning to Thomas to inform him, ¡°Thomas, | won''t be having dinner with everyone. | need to


    head back first.¡±


    Thomas peered at her and answered in a vaguely expressive voice, ¡°Be careful on the road.¡±


    ¡°| will. You be careful on the way home after dinner too.¡±


    ¡°um.¡±


    With that, Sylvia went straight to the parking lot.


    Thomas stood still and watched her.


    Several female teachers were eyeing him the entire time as well. Noticing that he did not leave yet, they immediately went up to


    him and asked, ¡°Mr. Carter, aren¡¯t you leaving yet?¡±


    ¡°We''re going to drive to the restaurant. Why don¡¯t you get in the car with us as well?¡± Thomas withdrew his gaze from the


    direction of the parking lot and answered briskly, ¡°I won''t be joining dinner. Something came up at home.¡±


    With that, he turned and strode off very quickly, barely giving time to the teachers to elicita response.


    Sylvia quickly drove back home, To her surprise, Isabel and Liam had returned. They were still wearing the same outfit from this


    morning and were ying in the living room.


    Isabel was lying next to Aunt Tonya watching television while Liam was seated next to them with a toy in his hand. Upon noticing


    Sylvia returning, the two of them turned toward her in perfect synchronization. ¡°Mommy, you''re back!¡± Isabel jumped off the sofa


    and ran to her. Liam rose as well. Sylvia kissed and hugged them in turn before asking, ¡°Why did you twoe back so early


    today?¡±

 Chapter 544

    Chapter 544


    Chapter 544


    Isabel trumpeted, ¡°The weather is bad today, so baddie says it¡¯s not safe for us to be outside and sent us back home earlier.¡±


    Hearing this, Sylvia nodded with understanding and asked, ¡°Did you have a good time today?¡±


    ¡°Mimin, we went shopping with baddie and ate a lot of delicious food, then we bought a bunch of fun stuff. Oh yeah, Mommy, we


    even bought you a gift!¡±


    With that, Isabel turned and trotted inside. Sylvia observed her curiously Soon, Isabel returned carrying arge box in hand.


    Sylvia asked with intrigue, ¡°What''s in there?¡±


    ¡°You''ll know when you open it!¡± Isabel said as she handed her the box.


    After taking it, Sylvia went to the couch and moved the box onto herp to open it. It contained a music box with a crystal ball


    attached, and it was glowing luminously like a mysterious orb from a fantasy world.


    Inside the crystal ball were two little children sitting together. It was apparent that the two children inside were carved in the


    likeness of Isabel and Liam. Liam¡¯s figure was stoic and cool, while Isabel¡¯s was grinning from ear to ear.


    It was an adorable trinket.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glowed as she slicked the switch.


    The music box immediately yed a melodic and soft rhythm, while kes of snow spun around inside the crystal ball. At the


    same time, the two tiny figures inside the crystal ball began spinning around on an axis.


    It was a scene filled with warmth and beauty. Sylvia smiled happily upon witnessing this, then she looked to her side and saw


    Isabel and m staring at her expectantly. She threw her arms around them with a grateful smile and thanked them, ¡°Thank you,


    Mominy loves this gift.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Isabel grinned and added, ¡°Mommy, it was the stinky baddie who helped us make this. We didn¡¯t even know we could


    have our figures put inside.¡±


    Sylvia suddenly frowned. ¡°Oh yeah, the stinky baddie bought gifts for us too.¡± Sylvia tried to keep a calm appearance and asked


    with a pleasant smile, ¡°What did your Daddy buy for you?¡± Liam showed off the toy in his hand. It was a quirky toy that could


    have its shape tweaked by hand.


    Sylvia patted his head and turned to Isabel who looked at her with her pearly eyes and suddenly held out her hands. She let


    Sylvia look at her bare wrists.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    A pair of star-shaped diamond bracelets that she wore on both of her arms immediately caught Sylvia¡¯s attention. But that was


    not all.


    She craned her neck upward to reveal her neck. Sylvia caught a glimmer of something shining and gently tugged at her cor to


    reveal a shiny star-shaped diamond ne. There was a logo etched on the ne, proving that it was a luxury brand. This


    set had to be worth millions.


    Sylvia jerked her lips in a repulsed manner. Isabel asked with pride, ¡°Mommy, what do you think about these stars? Aren''t they


    shiny?¡± At a young age, she had no concept of money and only liked it for its star-shaped design. ¡°They¡¯re nice,¡± Sylvia


    complimented before inquiring, ¡°Did your Daddy buy it for you?¡± ¡°Yeah, he asked me if | had anything | wanted. | thought about it


    for a long time and couldn¡¯t think of anything, so he took us to this shop where we bought this.¡± Oh well, Isabel and Liam were


    his rightful children, so he could splurge on them as much as he wanted.


    Sylvia patted Isabel¡¯s head and kept quiet. That was when the child suddenly regarded her with an intrigued look. Sylvia asked


    suspiciously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Isabel smiled and revealed, ¡°Mommy, we picked out a ne for you too.¡± Sylvia was


    bewildered by this. Isabel looked at Liam and motioned, ¡°Bro, show Mommy.¡±

 Chapter 545

    Chapter 545


    Chapter 545


    Liam took out a delicate purple wooden box from his pocket.


    Sylvia opened it and saw a sunflower-shaped diamond ne inside. It was crafted with attention to detail and was


    breathtakingly beautiful. She pursed her lips.


    Isabel stared at her and asked, ¡°Mommy, we picked this out for you. Do you like it?¡± Sylvia strained a forced smile. ¡°I love it.¡±


    ¡°Put it on! Can we can go outside and build a snowman after this?¡± ¡°Alright, you two wait for me here. I''ll take the music box


    upstairs for you first.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Sylvia picked up the ne and the music box and went upstairs to her room. She put the


    crystal ball on the small cab next to the bed. Shen then stashed the ne inside a drawer in the dresser Although Isabel


    and Liam were the ones who had picked the ne out, Odell must have been the one who paid for it. Clearly, it must have


    cost a fortune. Having divorced him, it was not right for her to wear the things he paid for. After putting it away, she quickly went


    downstairs.


    Isabel had already run out to the yard to feel the snow. Liam was standing silently by the door and waiting for Sylvia as


    instructed.


    Sylvia took Liam¡¯s hand and led him into the yard where he made snowballs with Isabel.


    Just outside the gate, there was a ck car parked underneath the shade of trees. There was a man seated by himself in the


    back seat. He had the side windows rolled down, and chilly gusts of wind would blow into the car from time to time.


    There was a tall wall surrounding the house which cut off his view of the yard, but he could hear the peals ofughtering


    from the opposite side of the wall.


    The cries of Isabel calling for her brother and the asional shouts of their mother could be heard over the wall.


    Sylvia would call out for Isabel and Liam from time to time.


    Although Lian¡¯s voice could not be heard, one could vaguely make out the picture in the yard based on Isabel''s cries and tell that


    Liam was helping her make snowballs. It seemed that the trio of mother and children was having a great time.


    The rold wind was still blowing.


    (xtell leaned against the back of the seat and stared at nothing in particr in front of hum. He world thin smile lingering on the


    corner of his lips.


    Wx¡¯s Thir day turned dark, there was no inoreughter to be heard in the yard. All there was del Wahilip Jonw ting of the wind


    blowing. It was only then that he finally instructed, ¡°Let¡¯s


    The driver started the car immediately.


    s


    The days went by very quickly without any eventful happenings. In the blink of an eye, it was the start of Isabel and Liam¡¯s winter


    holiday.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    That morning, Sylvia made a reservation at a hotpot restaurant.


    In the evening, she went to the kindergarten with Aunt Tonya to pick Isabel and Liam up. From there, they went to the hotpot


    restaurant, Sylvia ordered various vegetables and meat that Isabel, Liam, and Aunt Tonya liked. She also ordered fruit juice and


    some desserts to be included in the meal as well before handing the menu back to the waiter.


    Since they were here early, the food was served rather quickly. Sylvia immediately distributed the utensils to everyone and made


    the hotpot for the children.


    Liam ate slowly and with grace while Isabel went on a spree. They finished their meal rtively quickly. Isabel was the first to


    finish. She leaned back in satisfaction and massaged her stomach while burping. Liam gently set down his utensils and patted


    his mouth dry with a piece of tissue, not forgetting to help wipe Isabel''s mouth too. Sylvia and Aunt Tonya were full in no time too.


    Liam blurted out of nowhere, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m starting to miss Great-grandma.¡± Something gleamed in Isabel¡¯s eyes and she


    chimed, ¡°Me too. | miss Geat-grandma. Mommy, let¡¯s go to see Great-grandma tomorrow.¡±


    Sylvia checked the date. It was Tuesday and the next day was Wednesday, so she figured that Odell probably had work


    tomorrow. After some brief consideration, she decided atst, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you two to see your great


    grandrnother tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 546

    Chapter 546


    later that night, after Sylvia put Isabel and Liam to bed, she went to the living room Aunt Tonya put her phone down when she


    saw Sylvia appearing and informed her, ¡°Sylvia, | just talked to Sebastian. He said ever since the divorce, Odell has pretty much


    always been in the office as long as it is a working day Sometimes, he even spends the night in his office instead of going home.


    Even at this hour, he¡¯s still at the office, so there¡¯s no chance that he¡¯s going to be home tomorrow¡¯ Sylvia smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Since he was not going to be home, she could bring Isabel and Liam to see Madam Carter


    Meanwhile, in Carter Tower, in the central district of the city, the lights were still turned on inside the office on the top floor


    After all his work was done, Odell leaned against his chair and did some reading


    Ding ding


    His phone suddenly chimed. It was Sebastian calling him.


    Odell put the phone to his ear.


    ¡°Sebastian, what¡¯s the matter?¡± he asked.


    Sebastian cautiously whispered into the phone, ¡°Sir, Tonya just called me to ask if you are at home tomorrow. | think she¡¯s asking


    for Ms. Sylvia. She might being around tomorrow with the kids to see the madam.¡±


    Odell sell silent for a moment before answering, ¡°Got it.¡±


    He hung up. He set down the book and turned to look out the window and behold the night view of the snowing city.


    There was looming darkness inside his eyes. It had been almost two months since their divorce, and even now, she was still


    unwilling to see him.


    The next morning. Sylvia woke Isabel and Liam out of bed and had them change into a set of adorable winter coats. She then


    wrapped a scarf around them and gave them a hat to wear. Alter everything was set, she look Aunt Tonya, and they all went to


    Odell¡¯s ce.


    Sebastian knew that they wereing and kept the door open for them.


    Sylvia went straight into the house with the kids and Aunt Tonya and went to Madam Carter¡¯s Toom


    Violet was still tasked with taking care of Madani Carter during the day. Sylvia greeted her and sat down on the chair by the bed


    Isabel took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, then she plopped hersell down next to Mm Carter while ni sat down


    beside the bed.


    Sylvia checked in with Violet. ¡°Violet, how has Grandma been doing these few days?¡± Violet answered obligingly. ¡°No worries,


    she¡¯s doing the same as she was before.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia nodded firmly. Isabel began babbling into Madam Carter¡¯s ears. She told her great-grandmother all sorts of stories,


    ranging from random gossip at the school to her outings with Liam, Sylvia, and Odell. Sylvia chuckled at the tales Isabel told, and


    Violet and Aunt Tonya were just as entertained. The atmosphere in the room was very wholesome. Meanwhile, outside the room,


    a tall man was leaning against the door. He crossed his arms and quietly listened to Isabel rying her stories. He would also


    hear Sylvia snicker from time to time. Soon, a subtle smile formed on his lips.


    Before they knew it, it was already noon. Isabel got tired of talking and was cuddling next to Madam Carter and yawning. Liam


    seemed to be fighting waves of drowsiness as well, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. Sylvia spoke softly to Madam


    Carter, ¡°Grandma, I''ll be taking Isabel and Liam home. We''ll see you again sometime soon.¡± With that, she and Aunt Tonya took


    Isabel and Liam out of the room. Inside the living room, Sebastian greeted them with a polite smile. He promptly informed Sylvia


    upon seeing her, ¡°Ma¡¯am, lunch is ready. You should let the young master and miss eat something before going home.¡±


    Sylvia returned a kind smile. ¡°Thanks for the hospitality, Sebastian. But | think it¡¯s better that | don¡¯t linger too long since I¡¯m


    already divorced with Odell, so we''ll be heading back first.¡±

 Chapter 547

    Chapter 547


    Chapter 547


    Sebastian darted a look at Aunt Tonya. ¡°I...¡±


    Aunt Tonya supplied, ¡°Sebastian, Sylvia is right. We need to head back first. Don¡¯t worry about us, we''ll be fine.¡±


    Sebastian nced in a particr direction upstairs before giving in. ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia said goodbye to him and walked out with Liam


    in her arms. Aunt Tonya followed closely with Isabel in her arms. They crossed the yard and went past the gate in no time.


    Meanwhile, in a bedroom upstairs, a tall man was stalking them near the window. He had a deep and thoughtful look in his eyes


    as he stared at Sylvia in particr.


    The sun cast its gentle rays on her slender back, the warmth of the sun making her seem especially delicate.


    The academy would be having their winter break as well. This Thursday was going to be Sylvia¡¯sst ss for this semester.


    After getting up in the morning and having breakfast with the kids and Aunt Tonya, she hugged and kissed the two little guys in


    turn before informing them, ¡°Liam, Isabel, Mommy is going to go to work and will be back in the evening. Now, both of you stay


    home and be good children. Listen to Aunt Tonya, got it?¡±


    Isabel chirped, ¡°Okay!¡¯ Liam echoed, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, Sylvia left. She drove to the academy, and the first thing she did was prepare for her sses, just like she always did.


    After everything was settled, she went to get lunch.


    Since Thomas''s office was next to hers, she sent him a text message. ¡°Thomas, are you at the academy today?¡± She received a


    very quick answer. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She invited him to lunch. ¡°Want to get something to eat?¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia put on her coat and went out.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    As soon as she stepped out of her office, out came Thomas from his office as well. He was wearing a long gray coat, and his


    figure was tall and stately like a statue. His appearance was dashing as always.


    Sylvia smiled at him and asked, ¡°What would you like to eat today?¡± Thomas walked next to her and remarked, ¡°Anything you''d


    like.¡± ¡°Alright


    Sylvia was in the mood for something on the heavier side today, so they went to a restaurant that served Thai food. She ordered


    several spicy dishes for herself and made sure to order


    something lighter for Thomas, then she handed the menu back to the waiter. The air conditioning in the restaurant seemed to be


    set to a rather high temperature.


    After sitting for just a while, Sylvia began to feel hot and sticky with sweat. She took off her coat and put it aside.


    Thomas was feeling hot too, so he did the same and hung his coat on his chair.


    Upon looking up, Sylvia¡¯s eyesnded on two sharp edges protruding from slightly below his shoulders, and she studied his


    defined and alluring cor bones. He was wearing a t-shirt with a loose cor, so whenever he leaned forward, one could get a


    glimpse of the treasures thaty underneath.


    Sylvia suddenly felt her temperature rise, as if it was not hot enough already. She averted her gaze. Thomas did not seem to


    notice anything peculiar. After their food arrived, he made sure to move the spicy dishes to Sylvia¡¯s end of the table All of a


    sudden, Sylvia gave a few dry coughs. Thomas looked at her with a queer gaze. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Sylvia looked away and


    murmured with an air of embarrassment, ¡°Um, could you fix your cor?¡±


    Thomas inspected his cor and answered, ¡°My cor is fine.¡± Sylvia turned stiff for a moment as her eyesnded on his cor.


    They were still so revealing... Sylvia immediately lowered her head. ¡°It¡¯s a little low. Could you pull it up?¡± Thomas made a slight


    grimace and informed her, ¡°This shirt is designed like this. If you insist, then | will put my coat on.¡± Sylvia hurriedly changed the


    topic. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s eat.¡± With that, she quickly picked up her spoon and went back to eating. Seeing this, Thomas did


    not reach for his coat and proceeded to eat as well. Perhaps it was a mixture of the already hot and humid room as well as the


    sheer spiciness of the Thai cuisine that Sylvia''s face turned into a bright red hue by the time she was finished eating

 Chapter 548

    Chapter 548


    Chapter 548


    After they settled the bill, Sylvia grabbed her coat and walked outside


    Thomas followed her. Suddenly, she felt the sensual touch of a finger gliding across her face, Sylvia was startled by this and cast


    a perplexed look at Thomas.


    Thomas touched her face again, and this time said in a monotonous voice, ¡°Your face is so red. Did you catch a fever?¡± Sylvia


    stammered, ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. Maybe it¡¯s because those dishes are too spicy.¡±


    Thomas looked at her warily. ¡°Then, don¡¯t eat such spicy things next time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia looked ahead again. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to


    the academy.¡± She sped up her pace and widened the gap between the two of them in the blink of an eye. While Thomas stayed


    where he was, his lips suddenly twitched as he looked at her fading figure.


    Sylvia sat in her office for a long time before her face returned to a normal shade. She remembered that when she first married


    Odell, Thomas still had a thin buildup of baby fat on his face.


    Now, he was no longer as boyish as he was in the past even though he still looked fairly young He was several months older


    than her, so there was nothing wrong with him wearing a low cut shirt.


    Perhaps she was too conservative and thought that she should stop treating Thomas like a child the way she once did.


    After clearing her mind, she managed to calm down. She stopped troubling herself with these thoughts and proceeded toy


    down on the table for a quick nap.


    Downtown, on the top floor of Carter Tower, in Odell¡¯s office... Ding! The disy glowed up and the caller ID shed on the


    disy. Odell took a quick look. It was his grandaunt Ramona calling. He answered and put the phone to his ear, ¡°Hey,


    Grandaunt, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ramona answered cheerfully, ¡°odell, the Springsteen family are moving back to the city in about


    half a month. Seeing as how Madam Springsteen grew up with me and your grandma, we are going to celebrate with a small


    party when we get back. After all, the Springsteens have had a lot of rtions with your family in the past. Do you have time to


    join us?¡± Otell thought about it for a second and answered, ¡°No.¡±


    It was true since he had a business trip in half a month.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Can''t you just spare a few hours? They care a lot about the rtionship between your two families, and they will be very


    disappointed if you don¡¯t show up.¡±


    ¡°| have a business trip around that time, so you can go in my ce instead.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°1 still have work to do. See you for now.¡¯


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Odell hung up promptly.


    Meanwhile, at the Deckers¡¯, Ramona was sitting at a table with Madam Springsteen who was around the same age as her. Upon


    noticing Ramona putting away her phone, Madam Springsteen asked urgently. ¡°So? Is the Carter boy joining?¡±

 Chapter 549

    Chapter 549


    Chapter 549


    Ramona sighed exasperatedly and stared, ¡°He says he¡¯s got this business trip in half a month and won''t be able to make it.¡±


    Madam Springsteen frowned sternly. ¡°Even if he¡¯s busy, I''m sure he can make time.¡± ¡°He''s very career-focused. | can¡¯t persuade


    him.¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s normal for him to be busy since he has to oversee the operations of a corporation all by himself.¡± Madam


    Springsteen considered it for a while and noted, ¡°How about | discuss with the old man and see if we can change the date of the


    party two days earlier?


    Ramona sat up, then she asked with concern, ¡°Will this disrupt your schedule?¡±


    Madam Springsteen smiled and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s just two days earlier anyway.¡±


    There were two reasons for their return this time. One was to develop their business in Westchester, and the other was to find a


    prospective partner for her darling granddaughter.


    Her granddaughter had minimal interest in anyone in Westchester apart from Odell himself. Although Odell was married and had


    two children, he was already divorced by this point, and his ungrateful ex-wife was the one with full custody of the children. This


    meant that the children her granddaughter would eventually give Odell would be the rightful, legitimate recognized heirs of the


    Carters. As for that vile ex-wife of Odell, she had better not be harboring any sneaky ideas of pilfering even a single cent of the


    Carters¡¯ assets. All of this was for the future happiness of her darling granddaughter, thus she would not mind moving the party a


    week earlier if she needed to. Ramona smiled optimistically. ¡°Alright, once you have decided on a date, | will inform Odell again. |


    will persuade him toe to your party.¡± ¡°Thanks for the help.¡±


    ¡°You''re like a sister to me. No need for such formalities.¡±


    ¡°Have some tea. This is a locally sourced tea leaf that | brought to you from Loughton. Give it a try.¡± Madam Springsteen picked


    up the teacup and offered. Ramona raised a teacup of her own and took a sip.


    Her dislike for Sylvia had been brewing for a long time even though it turned out that they had wrongfully used her of what


    happened to Madam Carter in the end. Regardless, it was her who had the audacity to file for a divorce with Odell and take


    custody of the children. Let their misery be a window of opportunity for the Springsteen girl to marry into the Carters. If everything


    bode out well, she would be the one to benefit most from all of this, since she was closely rted to the Springsteens,Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Odell¡¯s car arrived outside Sylvia¡¯s gate the first thing that morning. He must have found out that Liam and Isabel¡¯s winter break


    had just begun. The two kids always had fun every time they went out with Oddell. Isabel craned her neck outside the windows


    in anticipation wlien she found out that her father was there


    After Sylvia put on a thick padded jacket and a little hat for her, she shouted excitedly and almost impatiently, ¡°Mommy, get


    dressed too. Let¡¯s go out and y together!¡± Sylvia patted her head and rejected the offer, ¡°Mommy has some other things to


    take care of and can¡¯t go with you. Go ahead with your brother.¡± Isabel perched her hands on the side of her hips and pouted


    angrily, ¡°Why do you always have things to do?¡± ¡°Be a good girl and go with your brother.¡± Sylvia smiled and caressed her


    cheeks Liam approached them and hooked his arm around Isabel''s. ¡°Come on, Sis. Let''s go, Daddy said he¡¯s going to take us


    skiing today.¡± Skiing?


    Isabel''s eyes lit up upon hearing this magical word. She snorted grumpily at Sylvia before tumine to leave with Liam.


    Sylvia stood behind the living room archway and watched as they ran through the front gate and climbed into the car. It was only


    after the car had driven off that she tumed to get back to her tasks. She went to the studio and was about to mix her paints when


    her phone red.


    It was a text from Christopher. ¡°Hey, Sylvia, the Springsteen family just moved back to Westchester. Master Springsteen is a


    known collector in the international art collectors scene and has been in touch with our Westchester Art Association. They said


    that they will be hosting a banquet next Wednesday to celebrate their relocation to Westchester and invited me and several other


    artists. The thing is, he is very fond of your work and named you specifically. | was wondering if you would have time to join us.¡±


    Springsteen? Master Springsteen? When Sylvia was young, she heard from her grandparents that the Springsteens in their


    heyday wereparable to the Carters. They ended up moving abroad because they wanted to expand the scope of their


    business in international markets. Sylvia¡¯s grandparents were not very close with the Springsteens. She remembered hearing


    her grandmotherining about how haughty Madam Springsteen was, that she only had eyes for venerable families and


    had no respect formon folks like the Rosses. Still, her grandparents had some good things to say about Master Springsteen


    himself. Sylvia pondered for a while, trying to decide whether she should ept the invitation when Christopher sent her another


    message. ¡°Hey, Master Springsteen just called me himself and said that he was really hoping to see you. Besides, there¡¯s going


    to be a lot of bigwigs showing up at the banquet, so | do hope you''ll make an appearance as one of the representatives of our art


    issociation.¡±


    Since he put it that way. Sylvia had no ground to refuse anymore. She replied, ¡°Alright, President. I''ll be there¡±

 Chapter 550

    Chapter 550


    Later that evening, the evening glow basked over the earth and itsnds. A ck car was coasting down the highway. Inside the


    car was nothing but unfiltered silence as the driver destly steered the car.


    In the back was a man leaning straight against the seat while he held a sleeping Isabel in his arms. Liam was seated to his right.


    The boy was also asleep, leaning against his shoulder. After a while, the car stopped outside Sylvia''s house. Odell gently woke


    Liam up and got out of the car, still carrying Isabel in his arms.


    Aunt Tonya got out of the car after them. She took the still sleeping Isabel from Odell and said with a polite smile, ¡°Master Carter,


    I''ll take the children inside and won''t be seeing you off, so goodbye.¡±


    With that, she turned around with Isabel in her arms. Liam rubbed his sleepy eyes and did not follow after her. Instead, he looked


    up at Odell He stared mutely at Odell for a while before suddenly telling him, ¡°If you want to see Mommy. just go right in.¡± Odell


    frowned. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go in.¡±


    Liam scoffed, ¡°Coward.¡±


    He walked into the house Odell was speechless. If it was not for the boy¡¯s quick escape, he would have grabbed him to teach


    him a lesson on manners.


    Coward?


    He wished he was a coward. If he had been a coward, he would not have hurt her so much. The reason he would not enter was


    to respect her wishes so that she would not be upset by the sight of him again. After the two kids entered the house, Odell tumed


    and got back into the car.


    The engine started with a low rumble.


    Shortly after that, the phone in his pocket vibrated. It was Cliff. He put the phone to his ear and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Cliff


    reported dutifully, ¡°Sir, the Springsteens have just sent an invitation. They are hosting a party to celebrate their move back to


    Westchester. It¡¯s next Wednesday.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What''s my schedule for next Wednesday?¡±


    ¡°You have two meetings on Wednesday. One of them is an international meeting.¡±


    exdell dnded briskly. ¡°Turn down the invitation.¡±


    Chul hesitated for a moment before continuing in a low voice, ¡°One more thing, sir. | was told that Master Springsteen has invited


    meinbers of the Westrliester Art Association, which wwludes Ms Sylvia as well They say she has epted the invitation¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes. After a moment, he instructed, ¡°Postpone the two meetings by a day.


    Cliff answered swiftly, ¡°Consider it done.¡±


    Odell then hung up


    Putting his phone away, he looked in the rearview mirror of the car.


    They were some distance down the road from Sylvia''s house, but he could still vaguely make out the shape of her house. If he


    was not mistaken, it had been two full months since the divorce when theyst met.


    Fast forward to Wednesday, Christopher sent a message to Sylvia first thing in the morning to remind her of the party at the


    Springsteens¡¯ter that night.


    Sylvia prepared a simple dress that was fitting for the venue, then she spent the day at home with Isabel and Liam.


    She changed into the dress and left in the evening. She first went somewhere near the academy to meet up with Christopher


    and the others. Then, they all carpooled together to the Springsteens. Their ce was not far away. It was a veryrge piece of


    land and seemed more like a grand manor.

 Chapter 551

    Chapter 551


    Chapter 551


    Sylvia and Christopher arrived at the entrance. After showing their invitation card, the butler guided them inside


    They followed the butler along the pathway and went into a castle-like house.


    Dinner was held in the main hall on the first floor. In the center of the ceiling of the spacious venue, there was a crystal


    chandelier that shed its morous light all across the hall.


    After bringing them into the hall, the butler wore an apologetic smile and said, ¡°Please make yourself at home. Due to our


    master¡¯s health, it might take him longer toe downstairs.¡± Christopher politely answered, ¡°It¡¯s totally fine. We understand.¡±


    The butler excused himself before he went to serve other guests.


    Sylvia, Christopher, and the others sat down on one of the couches.


    At the same time, there was a young woman in a sky blue dress and wearing beautiful makeup above the spiral stairs, watching


    them from afar. She was looking in Sylvia¡¯s direction with a sense of prying. Momentster, a white-haired elderly woman, who


    was covered in expensive jewelry, walked over to the young woman and asked, ¡°Lily, why are you out here?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. |


    just came out for a walk.¡± Madam Springsteen furrowed her brows and looked in the direction Lily was staring. She saw a group


    of people chatting on the couch. They were dressedmonly and probably were the artists the old man had invited. She


    restricted her disdainful gaze and was more perplexed than before. ¡°Lily, what exactly are you looking at?¡± ¡°Some irrelevant


    person.¡± Lily then turned around and elegantly paced towards her room. As his ex-wife, Sylvia was indeed beautiful but


    commonly dressed, which was expected of someone without a powerful background.


    Downstairs, after having a seat, Sylvia sensed that someone was eyeing her. She scanned around and saw groups of people


    chatting among themselves. She then looked up at the spiral stars but saw no one there.


    ¡°Am | overthinking? Sylvia put the thought aside and munched on some fruits and snacks while listening to Christopher¡¯s chat.


    She waited for quite some time and still did not see the host of the event anywhere Sensing the urge to use the tollet, she


    excused herself from Christopher and the others before heading to the washroom However, after she left the hall for the


    washroom, tumultuous noises came from inside the hall m ediately, the guests in the hall got up from their seats


    The butler ran upstairs and helped Master Springsteen down the stairs. Together with him was Madam Springsteen and her two


    sons and daughters-inw. Even her daughter and son-inw came out


    The crowd at the entrance automatically moved aside and paved a pathThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Under the morous light, the man¡¯s towering figure appeared in the guests¡¯ eyes. His ck custom-made suitplemented


    his straight figure, and he seemed to exude a strong aura. Each step he took would further expand the path in between the


    crowd. The guests wanted to greet or talk to him, but they dared not make a noise.


    The quiet atmosphere was broken when Master Springsteen brought his family in front of the man


    Master Springsteen smiled and said, ¡°Master Carter, it''s great to finally meet you in person.¡±


    Odell shook the man¡¯s hand. ¡°You''re too kind. | have heard a lot about you. You have seniority, so please just address me by my


    name.¡± ¡°Haha... Okay okay, let¡¯s go inside,¡± Master Springsteen said with a delighted smile.


    Odell nodded and walked by his side.


    Madam Springsteen was on the other side of her husband, and her eyes were glued to Odell. The more she looked at him, the


    harder it was for her to suppress the urge to grin. At first, she thought that Ramona was exaggerating when she described


    Odell¡¯s appearance, but now she could verify that the man was even more handsome than described. His looks coupled with his


    capabilities made him the perfect man that was considered rare. Odell epted Springsteen''s hospitality and took a seat on the


    couch. He looked around and spotted Christopher and his group, but he did not see Sylvia anywhere.


    She didn¡¯te?¡¯

 Chapter 552

    Chapter 552


    Odell was slightly disheartened. Master Springsteen and his family were just beside him, and they all sharply noticed the slight


    change of expression. Madam Springsteen asked, ¡°Master Carter, is there anything that you are not happy with?¡± Odell


    conserved his emotions and said, ¡°No, everything is great.¡± He picked up the ss for a sip of alcohol.


    Madam Springsteen shot a quick nce at Ramona who was sitting further away. Ramona smiled at her and signaled her not to


    be worried because it was just Odell¡¯s usual demeanor. Therefore, Madam Springsteen sighed a breath of relief.


    Meanwhile, in the corridor that connected the hall and the bathroom, Sylvia came out after


    relieving herself and saw the crowd surrounding Odell like fans cheering on their idol.


    She stopped at once.


    She did not expect Odell to attend this event, but considering the rtionship between the Carters and the Springsteens, it was


    not that surprising for him toe. She stood there and waited for more and more people to surround Odell before she snuck


    back into the hall. She went back to Christopher¡¯s group and showed her back to Odell.


    Christopher knew about herplicated rtionship with Odell. He shot aplex gaze at her and asked in a small voice,


    ¡°Sylvia, just follow me around. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Sylvia smiled in appreciation. ¡°Thank you, Mr. President.¡± The atmosphere was lively.


    Some time into the event, Master Springsteen went to the center hall with the aid of the butler. The butler then said, ¡°Everyone,


    may | have your attention?¡± His voice silenced the entire hall, and everyone shifted their attention onto Master Springsteen.


    Master Springsteen smiled and said in his gravelly voice, ¡°First of all, thank all of you foring. Let¡¯s have a toast first.¡± He then


    raised the ss in his hand and everyone followed. Sylvia did the same as well and had a sip.


    After the toast, Master Springsteen gave a short speech about how he wished to settle down in Westchester with his family once


    and for all, and he asked for everyone¡¯s warm wee. Lastly, he said, ¡°To express my gratitude, my granddaughter, Lily, will


    present everyone with a brief performance.¡± His voice incited exciting discussions among the guests. ¡°Lily Springsteen? | heard


    she¡¯s a famed pianist known for her talent. She even got global recognition!¡±


    ¡°| heard that every single one of her performances was sold out. It¡¯s even harder to get a ticket than to fly to the moon.¡± ¡°I guess


    we are in for a show tonight.¡±


    The crowd''s anticipation was heightened. Then, the light from the crystal chandelier dimmed. A few secondster, the spotlight


    shone on the spiral stairs, highlighting the young woman in the sky blue dress.


    The young woman had silky long hair and beautiful makeup thatplemented her delicate facial features. Both her


    countenance and demeanor screamed of elegance.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Almost all the other young men were captivated by her presence. Even Sylvia had an extra nce at her. Lily was smiling ina


    particr direction. She caressed her hand along the rails and elegantly walked down the stairs.


    The hall was silenced by her beauty. All that could be heard was the clicking of her heels. The spotlight trailed her as she moved


    to the white piano located in the corner. She smiled at the crowd and then sat down before the piano. Her fingers elegantly


    perched on the ck and white keys.


    The quiet hall was soon graced by melodious music. She was skilled, and the song that she yed captivated everyone¡¯s


    attention.

 Chapter 553

    Chapter 553


    However, Sylvia was a frequent listener of Thomas¡¯s piano-ying, and he had also yed this song for her before. Be it the


    ying or the tune, Thomas felt a lot more naturalpared to Lily, so Sylvia lost interest after a while. She picked up her te


    of snacks and continued munching.


    It was then that a tall figure appeared on her left.


    Startled, Sylvia looked up at the figure, and before she could show any proper reaction, the figure sat down beside her.


    The entire hall was dark, and the only spotlight was on Lily and her piano, so it took Sylvia quite a while to recognize the person


    beside her.


    ¡°Thomas?¡± she asked in a small voice.


    ¡°The one and only,¡± he said. Sylvia was baffled by his arrival. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Lily and | were ssmates. She invited me here,¡± he said.


    Sylvia nodded in realization.


    There were no more questions from her, and Thomas also quietly enjoyed the recital. He did not speak a word after he exined


    his arrival. After Lily finished ying the song, the crowd apuded. Lily stood up and elegantly bowed at the apuding crowd


    while being highlighted by the spotlight. Then, Master Springsteen¡¯s voice sounded from the dark. He delightfully said, ¡°The ball


    is starting soon, but before that, is there any young gentleman who would like to have a dance with my granddaughter?


    ¡°It might sound surprising, but my granddaughter has never gotten a boyfriend, and | wish that she will find her Mr. Right soon.


    So, would any young man like to give her a chance?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather?¡± Lily shyly shot a nce at her grandfather. Many young men among the crowd started murmuring and voicing


    their excitement. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to be able to have a dance with Ms. Springstreen!¡± ¡°Ms. Springteen¡¯s recital was melodious


    and | admire her talent!¡±


    The young men among the crowd grew excited as every one of them wanted a chance to have a dance with Lily.


    Lily stood quietly but a hint of disdain shed deep in her eyes. She looked down on all the caper young menbined. She


    then had a nce at the butler behind her.


    The butlet rated the inicrophone and said, ¡°Thank you for your admiration of our Ms. Lily. veryone Lach and every young


    gentleman is outstanding in your own way, and it is difficult


    to pick just one for the dance. ¡°Here, | would like to suggest a little game: the spotlight will randomly move around, and when Ms.


    Lily says stop, the spotlight will pick the lucky gentleman for the dance.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | can go with that!¡±


    The young men agreed to the little game. Someone then said, ¡°This little game is fun and fair to all the young men here. It also


    won''t put Ms. Springsteen in an awkward position.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The butler then asked Lily, ¡°What do you think about the game, Ms. Lily?¡± Lily smiled politely and said, ¡°I think it''s a good idea.


    Thank you, Arthur.¡± ¡°You''re too kind, mydy.¡± The butler then turned to the crowd and said, ¡°Without further ado, the game will


    begin in the count of three.¡± The hall went quiet before the countdown.


    Almost every young man looked at Lily in anticipation. The other guests were also interested in finding out who would be the


    lucky guy chosen to have the dance with Lily. Sylvia was sitting in the corner. It was the first time she had heard of the game, and


    it captured her attention. She tapped Thomas¡¯s shoulder and asked in a small voice, ¡°Thomas, what do you think about Lily?¡±


    She suddenly realized that Thomas was not a youngster anymore and that he was already at a suitable age to date. Thomas


    replied coldly, ¡°I am not interested in her.¡±

 Chapter 554

    Chapter 554


    Sylvia felt like cold water was just poured onto her. She pursed her lips and decided to abandon the question. The spotlight


    started moving. It spun randomly around the crowd for around ten seconds before Lily called for it to stop.


    The spotlight froze immediately, capturing everyone¡¯s attention. When the crowd looked at where the spotlight shone on, a


    majority of them gasped in shock. Even Sylvia was surprised. The spotlight chose Odell. The man elegantly sat on the couch


    with a ss of wine in his hand. As though he did not expect the attention, his brows frowned, and he looked slightly annoyed.


    Voices then came from the quiet crowd.


    ¡°It''s Master Carter?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Master Carter is perfect for Ms. Springsteen. It¡¯s like they are made for each other.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Be it his looks or his capabilities, he is probably the best one out of the bunch!¡± ¡°But | heard Master Carter used to be married


    and even has children.¡± ¡°So what? His status is more than fitting for Ms. Springsteen.¡± Someone then mumbled, ¡°Is this


    predetermined? Out of all the young guys here, Master Carter got chosen? The coincidence is uncanny.¡± Yellow lights then came


    on. It was still not too bright in the hall but enough for the guests to see one another.


    Master Springsteen then stood up with a giggle. Lily then walked over to her grandfather from the piano and curled her hands


    around his arm intimately. The other Springsteens and guests also stood up gradually.


    Sylvia followed the crowd but was surrounded by people taller than her. She was unable to see what happened with Odell and


    Master Springsteen and could only hear them. Master Springsteen smiled and said, ¡°Haha, | didn¡¯t expect the spotlight to choose


    you for the dance, Odell.¡± He then turned to Lily and called her. ¡°Lily.¡± Lily maintained her elegant demeanor and shed a smile


    at Odell. ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I¡¯m Lily.¡±


    Odell had a nce at her and answered, ¡°Ms. Springsteen, you are skilled with the piano.¡± ¡°You''re toond.¡±


    Madam Springsteen then said with augh, ¡°Everyone is waiting for the first dance. Why don¡¯t you two save the chat for alter the


    dance?¡±


    Ramona also went up to Odell and said ¡°That¡¯s right. Odell, go have the dance with Ms. Springsteen.¡±


    Odell was quiet for two seconds before he extended his arm forward. Lily blushed as she put her hand on his. The crowd


    stepped back and gave them the floor. Sylvia was pushed to the side, and fortunately, she had Thomas blocking the moving


    crowd, or else, she would have been pressed against the wall. The floor then emptied out for the couple to have the first dance.


    Sylvia had a nce at Odell and Lily walking to the center. His figure was tall and straight as ever as he held Lily¡¯s hand to


    approach the center. Lily also looked morous and elegant under his lead. The two looked perfect for each other. Sylvia pursed


    her lips and watched coldly. Then, on her left, Christopher suggested, ¡°Sylvia, why don¡¯t we go out and have a walk? The


    scenery outside is beautiful.¡±


    Sylvia knew he was being considerate. As a matter of fact, it really made her ufortable, but she had to acknowledge her


    divorce from Odell. After all, she also got the rights to her children.


    Therefore, Odell dancing with another woman was none of her business anymore. Sylvia smiled at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Mr.


    President. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±

 Chapter 555

    Chapter 555


    When Christopher saw the forced smile on her face, he pursed his lips and decided to stay quiet.


    Sylvia continued watching the dancing couple at the floor.


    Odell and Lily were swaying romantically along with the soothing music.


    Odell¡¯s towering figure looked elegant as he held Lily''s hand around. Lily followed his lead. She tiptoed and spun elegantly from


    time to time, showing off not only her dancing skills but also her slender figure. The two of them really looked great with each


    other Sylvia simply watched in silence Thomas also watched them beside her, and he would observe her expression from time to


    time.


    However, Sylvia was captivated by the dancing couple and did not notice Thomas¡¯s gaze. At the end of the music, the first dance


    ended.


    The crowd apuded enthusiastically, and even Sylvia pped a few times just to go along with the flow


    As the apuse subsided, Odell held Lily¡¯s hand as they walked off the dance floor It was then that the yellow lights went off,


    and the spotlight came back on to shine on the butler.


    The butler smiled as he raised the microphone to his mouth. ¡°Thank you for the first dance, Master Carter and Ms. Lily. May | ask


    for everyone¡¯s patience?


    ¡°To express our gratitude for everyone¡¯s attendance, Master Springsteen has prepared presents for everyone. Three big prizes


    have been prepared for the couple who get the first, the second, and the third dance


    ¡°Master Carter is already our first lucky winner. With that being said, let us continue with the spotlight game to choose our next


    lucky winners. When | call ¡®stop¡¯, the spotlight will shine on two people and they will have the second dance. The same process


    will repeat for the third couple


    ¡°All of the lucky winners will receive the prizes from Master Springsteen himself, so be prepared!¡±


    The crowd was intrigued and aroused by the sudden announcement. Everyone started to Pather around the butler Only Sylvia,


    Thomas and several more remained still


    Otell returned to his scat He released Lily''s hand as soon as he stepped off the dance floor, and he had been sipping on his


    ss ever since he sat down.


    Lily sat down bryde him and asked, ¡°Master Carter, may | have a word with you?


    xell took another nip¡±Speak¡±


    He sounded cold and distant, which displeased Lily and made her furrow her brows. Considering Odell¡¯s status, Lily was forced


    to stomach her grievance. ¡°I just came back to Westchester, and | would like to know if there are any fun ces to visit. | wonder


    if you have the time to be my tour guide around the city. Maybe in a day or two?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the time.¡± Lily choked on the


    reaction she received. The crowd gathered at the butler¡¯s side went quiet before the spotlight picked its second winner: a middle-


    aged couple. The couple was rather well-known in Westchester. The butler then said, ¡°Let us wee Mr. and Mrs. Redhorn to


    give us the second dance of the


    night.¡±


    The yellow lights went on again. The crowd dispersed and made space for Mr. and Mrs. Redhorn in the center. The two of them


    dancedfortably.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Lily had a quick nce at the couple before she shifted her attention back to Odell. She regained her polite smile and asked, ¡°If


    you don¡¯t have the time, | won''t insist, but can you enlighten me about some interesting ces to visit?¡± ¡°You can find them on


    the inte.¡±


    ¡°I know | can, but those reviews are not urate.¡±


    Odell sipped and ignored herpletely. Lily stared at his perfect yet cold side face. She swallowed her grievance again and


    said, Master Carter, you''re really not a talker, | see. Do you not like to smile as well?¡± Odell ignored her. She moved to his front


    and continued in a meek voice, ¡°I bet your smile looks great.¡±

 Chapter 556

    Chapter 556


    Odell frowned. He put his ss down and bolted up, which startled Lily. Master Springsteen had returned to his chamber due to


    his health reason, so only Madam Springsteen and the other family members were around. The moment he stood up, he caught


    the attention of the other members of the Springsteen family.


    Odell turned to Madam Springsteen and said, ¡°Madam, please excuse me as | need to attend to my work affairs.¡± Madam


    Springsteen was stunned, and so was Lily. The expression on the youngdy¡¯s face froze.


    Before anyone could react properly, Odell was already walking toward the exit. It was then the lively crowd became quiet again


    as the second dance ended.


    They were to pick the third and final lucky pair to have the third dance. All the lights went off, leaving only the spotlight on to pick


    its lucky pair.


    A few secondster, it stopped on the third pair of couple and the result shocked everyone.


    Someone said out of surprise, ¡°Who are they? | haven¡¯t seen them before.¡± ¡°Maybe they are the artists Master Springsteen


    invited.¡±


    The man who was striding toward the exit stopped, and turned to the highlighted couple. His towering figure was then petrified


    on the spot.


    The third and final couple that the spotlight picked was none other than Sylvia and Thomas.


    Sylvia did not expect to be picked even when she was standing in the corner. She even had a te of snacks in her hand and


    munching half a piece of pie when the spotlight shone on her. She stared at the crowd nkly. Thomas was a lot calmer than


    she was. He helped put her te on the table and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t keep everyone waiting,¡± he said.


    His fair and slender hand reached out to her.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Sylvia did not liave a choice. The game rule was determined by the Springsteen family, so it WAS inappropriate for her to decline


    the invitation in front of everyone


    A few secondster, she reluctantly put her hand on Thomas¡¯ hand and walked toward the dance floor with him


    The romantic music sounded


    Sylvia took a cerp breath to calm lierself downi.


    Thomas held her hand with one hand and hugged her waist with the other. He whispered to her, ¡°Calm down.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°I''ll


    do my best.¡± It was just a dance, and it would be over. She followed Thomas¡¯ lead and started dancing along to his pace. It had


    been a while since she moved her body to any rhythm. Her movements were a little stiff but Thomas was kind enough to slow


    down to her pace. There were a few hups here and there but they did not cascade into a huge embarrassment. While Sylvia


    wanted the dance to be over quickly, Ramona, sitting on the couch on the opposite side, grumbled, ¡°Shameless.¡± Madam


    Springsteen heard Ramona. She curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you know thisdy?¡± Ramona lowered her voice and


    continued, ¡°She¡¯s Odell¡¯s ex-wife.¡± Madam Springsteen was surprised by the revtion. She immediately shot a cautious nce


    at Lily.


    Lily was also looking at the dancing couple but she was rather intrigued and amused. There was even a smile on her face.


    Madam Springsteen whispered, ¡°She¡¯s no longer Master Carter¡¯s wife, so there¡¯s no problem for her to dance with another man.


    Why did you call her that?¡± Ramona sighed. She might not like the second son of the Carter family but Thomas was still her


    cousin¡¯s grandson. If others learned that Thomas was getting close to his ex-sister-inw, it would be nothing short of


    embarrassing. Moreover, Thomas was a simple person, and a loner. Other than the few close rtives of the family, no one


    knew his identity. Ramona decided to spare Thomas, so she said, ¡°I don¡¯t like her. Look at her, she looks like a shameless


    vixen.¡±


    Madam Springsteen had a nce at Sylvia. ¡°She indeed stood out from the others.¡± She, too, had the same feeling about Sylvia.


    Then, Odell''s towering figure came back

 Chapter 557

    Chapter 557


    Chapter 557


    Madam Springsteen was surprised by his sudden return. She immediately smiled at him politely


    Lily also turned to him. Ramona asked with a smile, ¡°Odell, aren¡¯t you going back?¡± Odell sat down on a single couch and


    answered, ¡°I figured | haven¡¯t received the prize from Master Springsteen.¡±


    He sounded cold, simr to his frosty look Ramona chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Oh right, you were the first lucky winner of the night.¡±


    Madam Springsteen shot a suggestive gaze at Lily.


    The man sounded unhappy. Could it be that he was unhappy about his ex-wife dancing with another man? Lily stared at Odell


    with aplicated look. Odell started sipping on his ss of wine elegantly as he stared at the dancing couple with a frosty look


    The music was at its conclusion


    Sylvia spun two turns under Thomas¡¯ arm and precisely stopped her movements along with the music


    The crowd apuded.


    Sylvia and Thomas bowed at everyone and wanted to return to where they came from.


    However, the butler came over and stopped them with a smile. ¡°Sir, madam, please hold on for a moment. Since you two are the


    third lucky winner, please follow me for your prize.¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her brows. She felt like she was being watched. She had no interest in the prize whatsoever. All she wanted was


    to return to her corner.


    Thomas nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He lield Sylvia¡¯s hand and followed the butler to the side of the dance floor. The grand chandelier


    brightened up as soon as they left the dance floor. Romantic music sounded again, and it was a signal for the other couples to


    have their own dance of the night


    It got more spacious outside the dance floor.


    Sylvia and Thomas followed the butler to the side and saw Mr. and Mrs. Redhorn, plus Otell who was sitting on the couch with


    his legs crossed.


    lle12 shot a deep x?ze al Sylvia and Thomas


    It wikill and Sylvia''s firsi face to face meeting since their divoter


    Tote to con, Sylvierted his pare


    However, knowing that she was no longer his wife and she was just friends with Thomas, there was nothing for her to be afraid


    of. She bit the bullet and looked away, showing Odell a frosty side face. Odell¡¯s gaze was glued to her. After she averted his


    gaze, he looked down toward her hand being held by Thomas. His gaze turned cold and he uncontrobly gripped his ss


    tighter. Even the veins on the back of his hand were showingCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Thunk!


    He put his ss down on the table and the sound that it released captured quite the attention. Both Madam Springsteen and


    Ramona were startled and neither of them dared to say a word. Lily shot a quick gaze at the butler. The butler immediately


    ordered the servants to bring over five gifts for the winners.


    He then smiled at Sylvia, Thomas, and Mr. and Mrs. Redhorn. ¡°These are the gifts my master prepared for you tonight. We hope


    that you''ll like it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master Springsteen.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Redhor happily received the present. The butler then turned to


    Thomas and Sylvia. Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Master Springsteen for your generosity.¡± Just when she wanted to


    receive the gift, she realized Thomas was still holding her hand, Her brows subtly furrowed as she pulled her hand off and


    received the gift.

 Chapter 558

    Chapter 558


    Thomas had a subtle nce at her before he took his gift. The butler smiled at them after giving them their respective gifts. He


    then took thest box from the servant and went over to Odell with his back arched. He wanted to present the gift to Odell


    himself.


    Sylvia had one nce at the direction and saw Odell¡¯s frosty gaze.


    She looked away immediately and went back to the corner on the other side of the hall.


    Thomas also followed her away.


    Thud!


    Odell suddenly bolted up. The butler was startled by the man¡¯s sudden reaction. He stepped back immediately and said in a


    small voice, ¡°Master Carter, this is for you.¡± Odell frustratedly frowned and said, ¡°Give it to my grandaunt.¡± He then walked toward


    the direction where Sylvia and Thomas went off. ¡°Uh... Sir? But...¡± The butler awkwardly turned to Madam Springsteen and Lily,


    requesting further instructions Madam Springsteen reacted bitterly, and so was Lily. The youngdy¡¯s face was smeared with


    displease and frostiness. The atmosphere went quiet for a few seconds before Madam Springsteen said with a sigh, Just bring it


    here.¡± The butler then delivered the gift to Ramona, who was sitting beside Madam Springsteen. ¡°This little vixen, she¡¯s still trying


    to tease Odell,¡± Ramona resentfully cursed as she received the delicate box from the butler. Madam Springsteen¡¯s expression


    grew bitter. She said, ¡°Ramona, please excuse me. I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± ¡°I''ll walk you to your room.¡± Ramona offered. ¡°It¡¯s fine. |


    can go up by myself.¡± Madam Springsteen refused to talk to Ramona anymore and simply went toward the stairs.


    Ramona knew Madam Springsteen was mad at herself, so she directed her grievance at Sylvia and cursed her deep in her


    heart.


    The ball continued in a lively atmosphere. Sylvia shuttled through the crowd and returned to Christopher and the others. Thomas


    followed her


    ¡°Sylvia, Mr Carter, congrattions!¡± One of the people from the Art Association smiled and


    congratted them. He then stared at the boxes in their hands and asked, ¡°Can we have a look at what gift Master Springsteen


    prepared for you two?¡± Sylvia generously opened the box Inside the box was a pen forged in gold with diamonds embedded


    around the cap. It looked extravagant. Christopher and the others were awestruck by the luxurious prize. Even Sylvia was


    surprised. As expected of the Springsteen family, generous as always. She put the lid back on after showing the others the gift.


    She then said to Christopher, ¡°Mr. President, it¡¯s gettingte. | have to go back to take care of my children. Please excuse me.¡±


    She noticed the unfriendly gaze from Odell and it grew ufortable for her. She did not wish to stay any longer, and it was


    best to avoid any kind of interaction with that man. Christopher straightforwardly said, ¡°Okay, be careful.¡± Sylvia turned around


    and saw Thomas. Before she could say a word, Thomas said, ¡°I¡¯m going back as well. Why don¡¯t | give you a ride?¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. | can go on my own.¡±


    She then headed toward the exit.


    The night was dark and it was extremely cold outside. Before she even stepped outside the building, the freezing breeze gave


    her chills. She grabbed her jacket from the servant and put it on as she walked outside.

 Chapter 559

    Chapter 559


    There was quite a distance from the door to the inain gate. Both sides of the pathway were covered with nts of different


    heights. Many of themps were blocked, causing the pathway unusually dark


    There was no one on the pathway at the moment and the chilly night breeze whirred in the air, making it extremely eerie to look


    at or to be on it.


    Sylvia tightened her jacket and held her breath as she strode along the eerie pathway.


    Just a few stepster, a long arm reached out to her from the dark and grabbed her arm. Sylvia was shocked but before she


    could scream, she was dragged into a familiar embrace. The man¡¯s strong and hurried breathing came from above her head.


    Sylvia looked up and saw a handsome but frosty face.


    The man stared at her with a sharp gaze.


    Sylvia blinked twice before she tried to break free from the man¡¯s embrace but his long arm constricted her waist tightly,


    preventing her from breaking free. She shouted, ¡°Odell, let go of me!¡± The man tightened his hug and pressed her against his


    chest Sylvia was forced to tiptoe. Her entire body was already leaning on him. She red at him and shouted, ¡°odell, stop this


    immediately! We''ve already divorced!¡±


    ¡°Is that why you go after another man?¡± His gruff voice sounded terrifying.


    Sylvia argued, ¡°I didn¡¯t! | just had a dance with Thomas, that¡¯s it! The spotlight chose us. We can¡¯t just decline and ruin the game


    rules, can we? It¡¯s disrespectful to the Springsteen family!¡± He pinched her face and bellowed, ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t dance with


    him!¡± Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk but she regained herposure and argued, ¡°You danced with Ms. Springsteen as well!¡± ¡°There¡¯s


    nothing between us!¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing between me and Thomas as well!¡±


    He frowned as she refused to back away. They confronted each other for a few seconds before he asked, ¡°Then why are you two


    together?¡±


    ¡°I came here with President Dendro and the people from the Art Association! Thomas was invited by Ms. Springsteen and we just


    happened to run into each other! He and | are working in the Art Academy! We''re close, but we¡¯re not what you think!¡± A quick


    thoughtter, she further exined, ¡°Odell, he¡¯s your brother. Even if | longed for a inan¡¯s Touch, I''d sleep with any man but lim!¡±


    He stared at her blushing face and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that so!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not.¡± Sylvia already


    exined herself clearly and she refused to further tangle with the man. She pushed him and shouted, ¡°Let go of me! | want to


    go home!¡± He pursed his lips in silence and stared at her. She furrowed her brows and continued, ¡°Did you hear me? Let go of


    me!¡± He continued to stare at her face and his arm remained tight around her waist. Sylvia gasped and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t let me


    go, I''ll scream!¡± They might be quite far away from the hall but as long as she screamed her lungs out, someone would be able


    to hear her cry for help. Odell curled his lips as if he did not believe she would scream for help. Sylvia was frustrated but she


    decided to approach this matter with patience. She said, ¡°Odell, I''m not one of your upper social circle people, and I¡¯m not afraid


    of embarrassing myself. ¡°You, on the other hand, if others see you harassing a woman in someone else¡¯s front yard, what would


    they think of you?¡± Odell chuckled at her strange confidence. ¡°Do you think | care about what others think of me?¡± She was his


    ex-wife and even if they were already divorced, she was not allowed to see other men. She must only be his woman and if


    anyone had anything to say about him harassing her, he would rip their mouths off their faces.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia choked and flushed.


    She widened her eyes and stared at him for around ten seconds before she took a deep breath and screamed, ¡°HELP-¡±


    Before she could utter the word ¡°me¡±, her lips were sealed.

 Chapter 560

    Chapter 560


    Chapter 560


    The man¡¯s strong scent of cologne assaulted her nose like a tsunami.


    Sylvia tried pushing him away but he hugged her with both his arms. He hugged her so tightly that it cramped both her arms in


    between their chests. There was no space left for her to struggle.


    The chilly breeze continued to whirr and the leaves of the trees and nts rustled.


    Under the dim environment, the two of them stayed close together and showed no signs of separating for quite a while.


    Further away, behind a robust tree, a tall figure saw the two of them. He stared at the intimate duo and saw how the man forced


    himself onto the woman. Both hands of the woman were cramped tightly and she could not break free at all.


    He continued to stare with his frosty gaze.


    Sometimeter, as though the chilly breeze finally stopped, Odell let go of her.


    Sylvia seized the chance and pushed him away. Odell was caught off guard and was pushed to a stagger.


    Sylvia also took several steps backward.


    She wiped her mouth as she screamed with her teary eyes, ¡°Odell, you b*stard! You just can¡¯t keep your promise, can¡¯t you?¡±


    She made it clear during the divorce and after a few months of separation, she almost forgot how he used to ravage her without


    her consent.


    Now, he forced his lips onto hers and it upset her.


    She then ran toward the gate after screaming at the man. The man stood where he was and his towering figure froze under the


    chilly weather.


    His dark brows furrowed.


    He was being impulsive but he did not regret it. Being separated for a few months now, there was not a day he did not think


    about her body and how he wished he could sleep with her again.


    He was losing control over his lust and desire.


    This was a warning. If she continued to have intimate interactions with Thomas, he would force himself onto her again.


    Then, he strode toward the gate


    lip on the second floor, there was a balcony that faced the main gate and Lily was there with a thick jacket over her shoulder


    She watched as lell walked out of the gate. As she narrowed her eyes coldly, she grunted to verter her depression,Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Lily, it¡¯s cold outside. Stop standing out there ande on in.¡± Madam Springsteen came out to the balcony and suggested her


    granddaughter go inside. ¡°I don¡¯t feel cold at all. | want to stay here for a bit,¡± she said in a frosty voice.


    Madam Springsteen could tell that she was upset. She sighed and said, ¡°Lily, Odell is being tasteless. It¡¯s not your problem. That


    woman is iparable to you. All she had was that beautiful face of hers. Come on, listen to me ande inside. I''ll find you a


    better man than


    him.


    Lily frowned. She believed no one in Westchester City could be better than Odell.


    She remained quiet and simply went inside the room. Madam Springsteen sighed a breath of relief and followed the girl inside.


    Sylvia went home without pause. Aunt Tonya and the two little ones already had dinner and they cleaned the table up beautifully


    Sylvia headed to their room and saw Isabel sitting in Aunt Tonya¡¯s arms while watching TV. The show was about a modern


    romance story. Aunt Tonya was dozing off but the girl was deeply captivated by the story. Her eyes widened and she never


    looked so concentrated before. Liam was beside the two of them, ying with a toy. Sylvia¡¯s frustration faded the moment she


    saw her kids. She curled her lips into a smile and knocked on the door. Isabel and Liam immediately turned to her and their eyes


    shone brightly.

 Chapter 561

    Chapter 561


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel scuttled away from Aunt Tonya and ran toward her mother.


    Sylvia carried the little girl in her arms and sat down beside the quiet little boy


    She then smiled at Aunt Tonya. ¡°Aunt Tonya, I''ll take care of them. Why don¡¯t you go have some rest?¡±


    Aunt Tonya rubbed her eyes tiredly. ¡°Okay. you too.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Aunt Tonya then went out of the room.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia sat down on the bed with both of her children in her arms.


    The two little ones looked at her and the girl asked, ¡°Mommy, why is your face red?¡±


    Sylvia recalled Odell¡¯s forceful kiss and it made her blush even harder.


    She gasped for air and forced a smile on her face. ¡°Maybe it''s the wind.¡±


    ¡°Are you sick again?¡± Isabel then got up and put her tiny hand on Sylvia¡¯s forehead. Her soft and warm hand stroked the


    forehead for a few seconds before she retracted it. She could not tell if her mother was having a sever or not.


    Sylvia smiled and stroked her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy is fine¡± The little girl hummed a reply obediently Liam then asked,


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re early today.¡±


    ¡°The event ended early, so | came back.¡±


    Liam tilted his head and stared at her with his obsidian-like eyes. He was a four-year-old but his gaze felt like an adult. Sylvia


    nervously blinked a few times.


    Liam pursed his lips and hummed a reply before he continued ying with his toy.


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. She apanied the two of them until they were sleepy. After she put them to bed, she got up


    and returned to her room.


    Meanwhile, at Carter residence, Odell had been sitting beside Madam Carter¡¯s bed ever since he got horne. A whileter, the


    phone buzzed. He pulled it out and answered, ¡°What did you find¡±


    Hill''s voice came through the phone. ¡°I found out that the Second Master is teaching elective PIA sses in the Art Arademy, but


    he didn¡¯t jt the same time is Madam. He was amely there a month brlore Mariann joined¡±


    Odell furrowed her brows. ¡°Since when did the Art Academy provide elective piano courses?¡±


    ¡°I''ve checked on that as well. This elective course was introduced justst year and since Second Master is a musical genius


    from Liberty Music Academy, they had been wanting to invite him to teach at the academy.¡±


    ¡°Does he have any other jobs in Westchester City other than this?¡± ¡°So far we only found out that he¡¯s teaching at the Art


    Academy.¡± Odell¡¯s gaze turned frosty. ¡°What about his mother?¡± ¡°She¡¯s still abroad. The men we arranged there informed us that


    she has been living more or less the same routine daily and would only go out shopping once in a while.¡± The frostiness in


    Odell¡¯s eyes softened a bit. He continued, ¡°Continue to keep an eye out on her. Send someone to the Art Academy to watch


    Thomas as well. Starting from the next semester, | want to know every interaction he has with Sylvia.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir. I''ll make the


    necessary arrangements.¡± The call ended. Odell pocketed his phone and stared out the window. Thomas was a few years.


    younger than him. He was not exactly close with his brother but there was no conflicting interest as well. Even though Odell


    chased Thomas¡¯ mother out of thepany back then, there was still no argument between the brothers. However, as a widely


    recognized musical genius, why did he not pursue his musical career or even teach in a more prestigious institute such as the


    one he graduated from? Why would hee to Westchester City to be an elective course lecturer? He was teaching in the


    same ce as Sylvia and joined the institute a month earlier than her.


    The coincidence was uncanny.

 Chapter 562

    Chapter 562


    On the second morning, Sylvia was still fast asleep when she felt something heavy on her stomach. It felt like a soft rock falling


    on her.


    She opened her eyes and saw Isabel giggling at her. ¡°Mommy, the sun is up! Hurry up and wake up!¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Isabel? Why are you awake at this hour?¡± Sylvia got up with a confused look. ¡°The baddie is here. He said he¡¯s taking us to


    some fun ce today.¡± Isabel then looked outside the door.


    Sylvia followed her gaze and saw Odell waiting outside the door. He was leaning on the frame with a sleepy Liam in his arm. He


    had been staring at her deeply when she was still asleep. Sylvia red at him the moment she widened her sleepy eyes. He got


    in! Not only that, he came all the way to her room! Odell curled his lips. ¡°I¡¯m here to bring the kids out. Are youing?¡±


    Sylvia did not want to talk to him but she tended to be less frosty to him in front of the kids. ¡°I have to attend some events at the


    Art Academy today. | don¡¯t have the time.¡± Odell¡¯s delight froze and shattered. Before he could say a word, Isabel pouted and


    bawled. ¡°Mommy, why are you busy again? You don¡¯t like to y with us anymore?¡±


    Sylvia immediately pampered the girl and said, ¡°Isabel, Mommy loves you and Liam the most. | wish | could y with you all day


    long but | have to attend an event at the academy. You and Liam can go y with Daddy. Be a good girl.¡± Isabel pouted her puffy


    face. ¡°I want to y with Mommy, Liam, and the baddie!¡± Sylvia shot a troubled gaze at Odell and furrowed her brows, signaling


    him to calm the girl down.


    Odell turned a blind eye to her. Not only did he ignore Sylvia, but he also started patting Liam.


    Sylvia choked on the reaction she received.


    Isabel was still throwing a tantrum in her arms. The girl nuzzled her head against her shoulder and pouted as if she was going to


    cry.


    Sylvia knew the little girl well enough to know that the girl would not simply cry because of such a trivial matter. She was merely


    acting


    However, the acting worked and Sylvia started to feel bad for the girl


    Shr hugged the pill for a while and came up with an excuse. ¡°Isabel, i¡¯ve already promised I¡¯d attend the event, so | can¡¯t just


    leave like that. Huut the event ends early, I''ll go find you and Lian How about that?¡±


    Isabel''s pour y rxpression changed ¡°Heally?¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± Sylvia said.


    She had to attend the Art Academy''s New Year event but even if the event ended early, she would probably not join her kids.


    Isabel believed her and the pouty expression went away. ¡°Mommy, then you must hurry up and go meet uster!¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I will.¡±


    The little girl jumped down and ran to Odell. Odell stood outside the door and shot a cold gaze at Sylvia.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression turned frosty as she shot a strong gaze at him.


    The little girl reached his side. Odell bent over and carried Isabel up with his idle arm. He had onest nce at Sylvia before he


    went away with the kids. Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. She got up and started to prepare for the eventter.


    The New Year event was held in a spacious hall. Christopher invited almost all the lecturers of the academy.


    The event was filled with all kinds of activities and they were all quite interesting.


    The event started at 10:00 a.m.

 Chapter 563

    Chapter 563


    Sylvia arrived at the event venue just on time and it was already crowded with people. She greeted the other lecturers she saw


    on the way as she went inside. Christopher found her soon enough and waved at her. ¡°Sylvia,e on! We''re preparing to bake


    our New Year¡¯s cake! They are all waiting for you!¡±


    Sylvia went over with a smile.


    The cakes were already baked, so all that was left was the decoration. There were colorful creams, icing, chocte-made


    figures, and all kinds of intricate decorations for everyone to decorate their own cake. Almost everyone participated in the cake-


    decorating event. It was even livelier than the Springsteen family¡¯s eventst night.


    The liveliness spread swiftly and Sylvia soon found herself decorating the cake with several other lecturers.


    One of the lecturers asked, ¡°Ms. Ross, | heard you and Mr. Carter danced at the Springsteen family¡¯s ballst night.¡± Her words


    directed almost all the attention toward Sylvia.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted as she said calmly, ¡°We were standing together and the spotlight just so happened to pick us, so we had to


    dance.¡±


    ¡°Why do | think you and Mr. Carter are perfect for each other?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Mr. Carter has a frosty personality and he doesn¡¯t like to talk to us. Before you joined the academy, we invited him to


    many events but he never once showed up. It was after you joined, that he would attend events that you attend. Look, speaking


    of the devil, there he is!¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her brows and saw Thomas standing with the other male lecturers on the other side.


    His tall figure and outstanding presence stood out from the rest, making him easily recognizable.


    When Sylvia looked at him, he too, looked at her. Sylvia slightly furrowed her brows and retracted her gaze. She continued


    decorating the cake and exined, ¡°Our parents were good friends, and we knew each other since we were young, so we''re


    rather close.¡±


    ¡°Really!¡±


    ¡°Yeah ¡± Sylvia put an end to the topic with thatst word


    The other lecturers wanted to continue the gossip but Sylvia reinained quiet throughout the Tolentirse questioniny, so they all


    returned to the cake decorating


    Alors Sylvia divorced Odell for the first time, she learned culinary skills froin Auni Tonya and i granted les am o ur of food, be it


    necorating or cooking


    The other lecturers were also creative in their decorations Half an hourter, everyone was done with their cakes. Sylvia and the


    lecturers sat down for a rest and snacked on the fruits provided. However, the other female lecturers were only interested in


    Thomas¡¯ private life, so the topic eventually switched back to him. Two of them even had multiple nces at Sylvia.


    The prying gaze started to make Sylvia feel ufortable, so she simply came up with an excuse and left the group.


    She went over to the literature side of the event where some of the literature lecturers were reciting famous quotes from books.


    Sylvia listened to the recitation and got carried away. She did not even notice that a man was standing beside her. ¡°Okay,


    everyone. Stop what you''re doing. It¡¯s time to eat cakes!¡± It was until Christopher called out to everyone, only then Sylvia


    regained herposure. The moment she turned around, she saw Thomas standing beside her.


    His hands were pocketed in his jacket and he was listening to the recitation until Sylvia turned around.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Sylvia smiled at him and wanted to go back to the cake section. It was then a chilly finger stroked the tip of her nose.

 Chapter 564

    Chapter 564


    Chapter 564 Sylvia froze


    Thomas stroked and wiped the tip of her nose and then siniled at her. ¡°There¡¯s icing on your


    nose.¡±


    He smiled softly, as though he was a flower that bloomed in the spring after the snow melted away.


    He looked a lot warmer than his usual frosty self.


    Sylvia had a difficult time smiling or appreciating his kind gesture.


    Thomas noticed her nk reaction, so he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°N-Nothing. Let''s go back, our cake is waiting,¡± she stammered and nervously walked away. trying to draw distance from him.


    Thomas felt slightly disheartened, but he followed her nevertheless.


    However, when he was at the table, he saw Sylvia got herself sandwiched between two female lecturers.


    He paused for a moment and sat down opposite her.


    The group soon gathered around the table.


    Apiece of cake, taken randomly from everyone¡¯s masterpiece, was served together with boxes of fruit juices. Christopher said


    with a smile, ¡°Before we dig into our masterpiece, let''s have a toast using the juice box!¡±


    Sylvia raised the juice box along with everyone else but she met Thomas¡¯ gaze as soon as she looked up The man was looking


    at her with a frosty gaze.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze turned evasive before she nervously looked away. After a sip of Juice, she started scooping the cake into her


    mouth Thomas sat opposite her, eating his own te of cake while watching her eat


    He felt disheartened when he noticed she showed no intention of looking at him.


    The event continued after the cake-eating session but Sylvia lost interest to enjoy the other activities


    She tried her best to avoid Thomas¡¯ gaze at all times. She either squeezed herself into a group of female lecturers or stayed


    beside Christopher


    When it was time to y inint games and everyone way requested to have intiinate Interaction, she carne up with an excuse and


    escaped to the wasliroon


    She managed to make it until the end of the eventThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    fter Christopher announced the end of the event, Sylvia grabbed her coat and left from the nconspicuous side door, attempting to


    flee to the parking lot without being noticed. However, the moment she stepped out of the door, a person came in from the side


    and stood in front of her The man stared into her eyes coldly. Sylvia awkwardly smiled and asked, ¡°Thomas? What are you doing


    here?¡± ¡°Why are you avoiding me?¡± Thomas went straight to the point with his question. Sylvia¡¯s gaze turned evasive. She said,


    ¡°W-What? Since when am | avoiding you?¡± ¡°From the cake-eating to the mini games, you have been avoiding me,¡± he said as he


    continued to stare into her eyes, Sylvia gulped nervously. His eyes were crystal clear with a hint of resentment. He was like a boy


    whose candy was taken away from him.


    Sylvia felt bad and guilty because of his gaze. A few seconds of awkward silenceter, Sylvia helplessly said, ¡°Thomas, I¡¯m not


    avoiding you on purpose.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°If we''re too close, it will raise a lot of questions and garner unwanted attention. A lot of


    people think we¡¯re romantically involved.¡± A quick pauseter, she continued, ¡°You''re still young. You haven''t even started dating.


    | cannot ruin it for you.¡± He continued staring at her. ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± She avoided him because she was afraid to ruin


    his future? Or had she noticed his feelings for her, hence the intentional avoiding? Sylvia blinked nkly and said, ¡°of course, I¡¯m


    telling the truth.¡± Thomas looked at her. ¡°You won¡¯t ruin it for me.¡± Sylvia was stunned by his words and also bis deep and sincere


    gaze,

 Chapter 565

    Chapter 565


    Chapter 565


    He curled his lips and eyes and continued with a warm smile, ¡°You''re only ruining it for me when you avoid me.¡±


    His words were like explosives that went off in Sylvia''s head. It sted all the messy thoughts away and widened her eyes in


    shock


    What did he mean by that?


    Thomas noticed the nk look on her face. He pinched her nose and said, ¡°Stop staring into the air Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± His


    touch felt like a sting from a bee and it startled her, causing her to stagger a few steps to the side.


    It was at that moment that she saw Odell standing further behind Thomas.


    The man was wearing a navy blue coat. The frosty expression on his face was as cold as the weather


    Isabel was in his left arm and Liam was on his right, holding his hand.


    The brother and sister were also staring at her and Thomas.


    Sylvia froze ¡°Odell? Why did you bring Isabel and Liam here?¡±


    Thomas heard her and turned around too.


    Odell stood there and red at her and Thomas for a few seconds before he said, ¡°Isabel and Liam miss you. | brought them


    here to pick you up.¡±


    He then put Isabel down on the ground


    The little girl ran toward her mother and then sized up Thomas from top to bottom


    Liam also came over and did the same.


    The girl then asked, ¡°Mommy, who''s this handsome guy?¡± Sylvia awkwardly chuckled Before she could exin, Odell¡¯s gruff


    voice said, ¡°He¡¯s your uncle.¡±


    Uncle? Isabel¡¯s eyes gleamed she turned around to her father and asked, ¡°So, he¡¯s your brother?¡±


    Oddell hummed a reply


    Isabel then turned back to Thomas and introduced herself with her meek voice, ¡°Hi, Uncle. I¡¯m Thabel. This is my brother m.¡±


    The girl was infatuated with Thomas¡¯ good looks.


    Thoinas smiled and greeted her and m, ¡°Hello¡±


    Isabel grind and her eyes curved into the shape of acresent inoon


    1 anin simply stated at hun quietlyCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Isabel then curiously asked, ¡°Uncle, what are you doing here with Mommy?¡± Before Thomas could exin, Sylvia said, ¡°Mommy


    and your Uncle Thomas are working here in the Art Academy, so we attended the event together.¡± ¡°Oh, | see.¡±


    The girl had no more questions. Thomas and Odell stood opposite each other. One of them emanated a frosty presence and the


    other one looked like a monster with obvious killing intents. Sylvia felt the awkwardness in the air and it gave her chills.


    She carried | sabel into her arms and held Liar¡¯s hand. She then said to Thomas, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. | have to bring the kids back


    home.¡±


    She then had a nce at Odell and he shot a deep gaze at her. Sylvia retracted her nce and walked past him with the kids.


    The mother and children headed to the parking lot.


    Soon, she brought Isabel and Liam to the car. She strapped the two little ones in the rear seats before she got into the driver¡¯s


    seat. It was then Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, are we not waiting for the baddie?¡± Sylvia had a nce at the side door. Odell was still


    silently confronting his brother Neither of them budged and they seemed to have a lot to talk to each other. Sylvia said, ¡°I think


    Daddy has a lot to talk to your uncle Let¡¯s not wait for him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel obediently sat down on the child''s seat and Sylvia


    started the car.

 Chapter 566

    Chapter 566


    At the side door of the hall, the chilly wind whirred in the air.


    ¡°It''s been a long time, Brother¡± It was Thomas who spoke first after the long silent confrontation


    Odell shot a deep gaze at him and asked, ¡°Why are you teaching here at the academy?¡±


    ¡°For a particr someone.¡±


    Odell¡¯s frosty expression turned grim. He uttered each word with a hint of coldness, ¡°She¡¯s your sister-inw ¡±


    Thomas¡¯ calm and frosty look remained as he said, ¡°As far as | know, you divorced her already¡±


    ¡°Even if we were already divorced, she could only be mine! She¡¯s not someone you can extend your filthy fantasy to¡±


    Thomas grinned in silence


    Oddell also pursed his lips in silence


    As he regained hisposure from his sudden anger, he said to Thomas, ¡°I¡¯d stop whatever thoughts | have for her if | were you


    I''ll spare you this time but if | find out you''re trying to do anything to her, you''ll suffer the consequences.¡± Thomas did not answer


    His calm and frosty look remained on his face


    Odell had another nce at himn and went to the parking lot,


    Alter he left, Thomas grinned and mumbled, ¡°Brother, you''re going to be disappointed. | can never stop thinking about her for the


    rest of my life


    When Sylvia reached home with Isabel and Lian, it was already dark


    Aunt Tonya Was preparing dinner in the kitchen


    Sylvia left the two little ones to y in the living room while she lent Aunt Tonya a hand


    Son, di WAS Verved


    Isabel and Lsam rathered at the table obediently and got into their seats Sylvia putih dishes onto their tes Just when she


    wanted to sit down and have dinner, a fowiin ligure one in through the doorContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    (wili Whare you doing her** Sylvia furrowed her brow¡¯s


    (


    two


    Moked at Aunt Tonya and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, can you get


    another ser


    AU! 1w


    twardly looked to Sylvua for 1wip


    visited or trenutno to A SWITHTH what wiowiubel and anaout the


    Y dydd (ka wa 1 1 urot viu uniw by i


    Therefore, she could not chase him out of the house in front of the kids.


    A quick thoughtter, she shot a nce at Aunt Tonya.


    Aunt Tonya received the signal and went into the kitchen for another set of cutlery


    Odell sat down beside Sylvia


    Sylvia also sat down on her seat but she could not hold her urge back and stepped on his foot


    They reached an agreement before this and yet the man came here to have dinner


    What was he nning? Odell did not react to Sylvia¡¯s stomp on his foot as if he could not feel pain. He started eating without


    saying a word.


    Sylvia also started eating without being overly concerned


    All of a sudden, the talkative Isabel said, ¡°Baddie, why are you free tonight? Are you not busy anymore?¡±


    Odell had a nce at Sylvia and said, ¡°Mhmm. I''lle here every night from now on.¡±


    Isabel''s eyes widened brightly Sylvia lost her appetite. She red at him as fiercely as she could. Odell responded to her re


    with a ridiculing gaze. The grin on his face reeked of disdain and frostiness Isabel noticed the expression on her mother.


    Confused, she asked, ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?


    Sylvia curled her lips and answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, honey¡± ¡°Then why are you staring at the baddie?¡± Sylvia bit the bullet and


    answered, ¡°You''re mistaken. I¡¯m not looking at him. Isabel continued staring at her mother and father curiously Then, Liam said,


    ¡°Isabel, your food is getting cold¡± ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Isabel shifted her attention from her parents to the te of food before her. She dug in


    and no longer cared about what happened before Sylvia and Odell, Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. Dinner went by peacefully.


    Odell remained seated without showing any intention of going back. Not only that, but he also said 10 Isabel and Liam, ¡°Liam,


    bring your sister back to the room. | have something to talk to your mother.¡±


    Liam hunned a reply Isabel possipv ¡°dklle, are you going to wluisper to Momny¡±

 Chapter 567

    Chapter 567


    Chapter 567 Odell curled his lips and huinmed a reply


    ¡°Okay Liam and | will leave you be.¡±


    The mature little girl then followed her brother upstairs to the room. Aunt Tonya cleaned the table and took the tes into the


    kitchen


    The living room became quiet, and so was the atmosphere.


    Sylvia got up and took a few steps back to draw distance from him.


    She then asked coldly, ¡°Odell, what is it?¡± Odell remained seated on the chair as he stared at her. ¡°Come closer and I''ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°| can hear you just fine Speak and leave.¡±


    He pursed his lips and stared at her silently


    Some time passed but he showed no intentions of speakingCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia took a deep breath and said, ¡°What is it that you want to say?¡±


    He grinned ¡°Come closer ¡±


    Sylvia just wanted him out of the house, so she begrudgingly stepped forward.


    Before she knew it, his long arm grabbed her and hugged her around the waist.


    She fell onto hisp before she could even scream


    She pushed him away but his other hand caught both her hands


    He was strong and Sylvia was too weak to break free from his constraints


    He red at him and cried, ¡°Let go of me!¡± Odell stared at her with a frosty gaze His voice was gruft when he said, ¡°He touched


    your nose Just now, didn¡¯t he?¡± Sylvia¡¯s gaze shiited. She was also surprised when Thomas touched her nose It was at that


    moment that she learned of Thomas¡¯ feelings for herself He wanted to be Tomantally involved


    The constraints Maried to render her ufortable she did not have the mood to exin, so


    e und -ho is between me wvd hun li''s one of your business¡±


    Hi Mn wou forgotten the terms on the divorce paper¡± he asked with the collest volup Who could have deti ho to the Ku s hr could


    never get another man¡¯spany


    It''s not what you walk and it¡¯s


    wiwali r


    u whole for us to lovely


    thraivosturin bratrylling me


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°How can you make sure?¡± Make sure? Why would he need assurance for something like this?


    A quick thoughtter, Sylvia said, ¡°I can assure you that nothing will happen between us. We''re just friends.¡±


    ¡°What if he touches your nose again?¡±


    ¡°| won''t let him.¡±


    ¡°| said if.¡± He lowered his voice and moved his frosty face closer to hers.


    Sylvia tried to move backward but he caught her by the waist. She could not do anything as he moved his face closer to her, to


    the point that the tip of his nose touched hers. She clenched her teeth and said in a small voice, ¡°There''s no if.¡± Odell moved his


    lips closer to hers and emphasized each word he said, ¡°If | see himying a finger on you again, I''ll move in and stay with you.¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless. She was choked by her grievance. She wanted to scream and argue but for some reason, she


    was unable to utter a single word. Odell hugged her waist. ¡°Do you get me?¡± Sylvia clenched her teeth. ¡°Mhmm...¡± Then, his lips


    pressed onto hers. The man¡¯s thin lips ravaged her luscious ones.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened and wanted to struggle but due to the constraints, she could not do anything He took some time ravaging


    her lips before he released her.

 Chapter 568

    Chapter 568


    Sylvia red at him with a flush. Odell grinned. ¡°This is the punishment for letting him touch your nose.¡± Sylvia widened her eyes


    at him.


    Odell then released her hands and waist with a mischievous smile.


    Sylvia bolted up and took a few steps back from him. Her eyes remained ring at him as she said, ¡°Odell, | can agree to


    whatever request youe up with today but please follow the terms we agreed on the divorce papers. Don¡¯t break your


    promise.¡± Odell got up. Seemingly in a good mood, he shot an amused gaze at her and said, ¡°As long as you listen to me, I''ll


    keep my promise.¡±


    The man strode toward the exit. Sylvia cursed the man in her heart until hepletely left her sight.


    She took a deep breath to calm down and then went upstairs to Isabel and Liam¡¯s room. The two little ones stared at her with


    their puffy faces. Isabel curiously asked, ¡°Mommy, why are you up already? You finished talking to the baddie?¡± Based on all the


    TV that she had been watching, the girl truly believed adults must kiss for a long time before separating. She thought she would


    have to sleep early with her brother tonight as her mother would be busy kissing her father. ¡°Yeah, we''re done.¡± Sylvia went over


    and sat down beside the girl. Isabel had a nce at the door. ¡°Where''s the baddie?¡± ¡°He left. He has work to do.¡± ¡°Okie dokey,¡±


    Isabel murmured with protruded lips. Sylvia stroked her head and then looked at Liam.


    Liam was sitting beside her ying with his little toy. He looked quiet as if he did not hear their conversation at all.


    Liam was a lot more mature than his sister. He barely asked questions or asked to be pampered, so Sylvia barely had to cheer


    him up or exin herself out of guilt. She felt relieved to have such an understanding boy. She apanied them until they fell


    asleep before she returned to her own room. Right before she went into the bathroom for a shower, her phone rang. It was from


    Thomas.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Did | scare you today?¡±


    Sylvia was hesitant when she saw the message


    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± Sylvia decided to y dumb. If she acknowledged what he said, it would mean she


    acknowledged his feelings for her. She could never develop a rtionship with Thomas. She had no intentions to hurt him. He


    saved her and helped her multiple times. He was not only a savior to her but also a close friend, like Sherry. After much careful


    consideration, she decided to try her best to maintain the fragileyer of ambiguity. Two minutester, Thomas replied, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    The chat ended without a result. Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. ¡°Thomas, good night.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Sylvia put her phone down


    and took a shower. Meanwhile outside her house, there was a tall figure standing under the tree diagonally opposite the street.


    The streetmp failed to shine through the leaves, hence leaving the man¡¯s cold expression in the dark He stared at Sylvia''s


    window with a deep and frosty gaze.


    A quiet night went by. On the second morning, Sylvia woke up without the rm and she heard giggles outside the door.


    It was Isabel. Sylvia curiously walked to the window, opened it and saw Sebastian, the butler of Carter residence, outside the


    yard. Other than Sebastian, Ben, Jacob, and several other bodyguards were also there ying with Isabel.


    The girl was having a great time judging from her ceaseless giggles. Liam was there but he did not join her. He watched from the


    side quietly with a delighted expression.


    Sylvia was surprised by the visit.

 Chapter 569

    Chapter 569


    ¡°Shouldn''t Sebastian and the others be at Carter residence? Are they here because they miss the kids?¡±


    While Sylvia was baffled by the surprise visit, a ck MPV drove over from next door and stopped in front of her gate.


    She knew at first nce it was Odell¡¯s personal car.


    Isabel also recognized it. She moved her short legs and ran to the gate before she shouted,¡± Baddie! Are you going to work?!¡±


    The door opened and Odell¡¯s towering figure emerged from within. He carried the little girl into his arms and said, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m


    going now.¡± Isabel pouted. ¡°You don¡¯t want to eat breakfast?¡± ¡°I had breakfast.¡± ¡°Oooh, okay.¡± The girl protruded her lips,


    seemingly unwilling to part with her father. Odell patted her head. ¡°Go y. I''lle back and have dinner with you guys.¡± He


    then put the girl down. Then, the man looked up to the second floor, where Sylvia¡¯s room was.


    Their gaze met mid-air and Sylvia immediately turned around to avoid it.


    Odell grinned. He shot a gaze at Ben and Jacob further away to signal them. The two bodyguards stood straight up and wore


    serious looks. Odell then returned to his car and left for work. Ben and Jacob returned to the yard. One of them yed with


    Isabel and the other one looked at the house.


    The mission they received from their boss was to watch Sylvia. Whenever she left the house or interacted with other men without


    the presence of a third party, they were to report it to him.


    After Odell left, Sylvia came down.


    Aunt Tonya was in the living room, looking bitter. She expected Sylvia to see what happened from her room, so she said, ¡°Syl, |


    heard from Sebastian that he bought the house next door and even brought Madam Carter over.¡±


    Annoyed, Sylvia frowned. ¡®What''s this man trying to do?¡¯ It was then Isabel ran in after seeing her mother.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Sylvia bent over and carried the girl into her arms.


    The girl¡¯s puffy face flushed as she bawled, ¡°Mommy, Baddie is living next to us!¡± Sylvia awkwardly smiled. The girl then tilted her


    head and asked, ¡°But why isn¡¯t he staying with us?¡± ¡°Our house is small and it can¡¯t fit that many people.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh...¡±


    Isabel had an odd feeling but since her mother¡¯s words made sense, so she moved on from the topic.


    After breakfast, Sylvia texted Odell.


    It was the first time they texted after the divorce.


    ¡°Odell, what''s the meaning of this?¡±


    Awhileter, she received a reply.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Sylvia choked for a few seconds.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Why did you move next door to me? Did you forget our terms on the divorce papers?¡±


    It clearly stated that they would stay out of each other¡¯s life. ¡°Do the papers forbid me from moving there?¡± Sylvia was once again


    silenced. She gulped the grievance and decided to approach this matter with patience. ¡°Odell, if you want to see the kids, you


    cane to see them whenever you want. | won''t keep them from you but we''re divorced and it¡¯s inappropriate for us to


    continue seeing each other.¡± The text went out but he did not reply this time. Sylvia frustratedly tossed her phone aside. Both


    Isabel and Liar went next door to look for Madam Carter. It had also been some time since Sylvia visited Madam Carter, so after


    some struggle, she went next door as well.

 Chapter 570

    Chapter 570


    The house looked almost the same as hers. The interior and the decoration followed a minimalistic yet luxurious design style. It


    did not seem like it had just finished renovation. ¡®Did he buy the house fully furnished?¡¯ Madam Carter¡¯s room was located on the


    first floor, where it faced the east. When Sylvia walked into the room, Liam was beside the bed and Isabel was on the bed,


    bbering next to Madam Carter¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Great-grandma, Liam and | will be able toe to see you every day. Wakey, wakey...¡±


    The two of them were adorable and obedient.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. She stood by the door for a while before she went inside.


    At night, Sylvia prepared dinner with Aunt Tonya as usual.


    Both Isabel and Liam were in the living room.


    For some reason, the girl did note into the kitchen tonight, not even once. She would usuallye in a few times to mess


    around. Sylvia was not overly bothered by her absence. When dinner was ready, she walked out of the kitchen and saw the man


    sitting on the couch with a book in his hand. He leaned on the couch with his legs crossed, slouching elegantly. He acted like he


    was the owner of the house. Isabel was beside him, leaning on his arm while ying with her tablet. Liam was sitting opposite


    them alone, reading a book Sylvia furrowed her brows and walked over. The father and children looked at the mother when they


    heard her footsteps. Odell stared at her expressionless. Both Isabel and Liam looked at her with googly eyes. Sylvia ignored


    Odellpletely and said to her kids, ¡°Isabel, Liam, it''s time for dinner.¡± Both of them hummed a reply and obediently got up.


    Odell also put the book down and naturally followed the kids to the table. Sylvia had a re at him, but he turned a blind eye to


    her and sat down by the table. Aunt Tonya served dinner swiftly. Sylvia put the food on Isabel and Liam¡¯s te but not Odell''s.


    Aunt Tonya sighed and took the initiative to put some food on Odell¡¯s te. Dinner went by silently.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    After Sylvia wiped Isabel''s mouth, the girl ran over to Odell. Sylvia sighed subtly and wiped her mouth before she looked at Liam.


    The little guy said, ¡°Mommy, you can go rest. You don¡¯t need to apany me.¡± As though the boy noticed his mother¡¯s sour


    mood.


    Sylvia patted his head and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m not tired. Let me stay with you for a while.¡± Liam widened his bright eyes. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia carried the boy and sat down on the other couch, which showed her back at Odell. The boy quietly sat beside her with a


    book in his hand. Sylvia curiously had a peek at the boy¡¯s book and she realized she did not understand a single thing about it.


    She took a few more nces and realized the book was about how to make a robot.


    A four-year-old reading such a boring book?


    Sylvia was surprised but she did not disturb him. She feigned ignorance and went on her phone to check the message she


    received. There was a text from Sherry asking how she was doing and there was also a text from Simon asking about painting


    tips. Sylvia chatted with them and eventually forgot about the annoying man in her house.

 Chapter 571

    Chapter 571


    Chapter 571


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± All of a sudden, the man¡¯s gruff voice came from above her.


    Startled, Sylvia vented her annoyance at him. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    The moment the words escaped her mouth, she realized she was not speaking in the right tone. She immediately looked at


    Isabel and saw the girl snoozing on the couch. Sylvia had a nce at the boy beside her.


    The boy was not asleep but he was carried away by the book, seemingly uninterested in his parents¡¯ conversation.


    She sighed a breath of relief.


    Without further concealing her feelings, she red at Odell.


    Odell was looking at her with a bewitching grin.


    Sylvia wished she could scold him out loud but she had to hold back urge and chose to whisper her reminder instead, ¡°It¡¯s


    gettingte. You should go back and rest.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    The man then strode out of the house without pause.


    Sylva stared at his figure as he left her sight. Her brows strangely furrowed.


    At the end of the day, Odell only came by at night and apanied Isabel. Other than the one question that he asked, he had


    no other interaction with Sylvia.


    She started to believe he moved next door to be with the kids, so the suspicion soon escaped her.


    Regardless of the reasons, she never wanted anything to do with him anymore. She raised her hand and patted Liam''s head,


    and said softly, ¡°Liam, it¡¯s gettingte. Time for bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Liam obediently closed the book and put it aside. Sylvia smiled and


    then carried the sleeping Isabel into her arms. She then walked Liam back to their room.


    After Liam fell asleep, Sylvia returned to her own room.


    In the next few days, Sylvia basically spent most of her time at home apanying the kids. The two little ones would either


    y at home or run next door to visit Madam Carter.


    At night, Odell woulde over for dinner punctually and stayed for a while until Isabel fell asleep Sylvia and Odell were like


    strangers sharing the same roof. They sat in the living room


    together but there was little to no interaction between them.


    Soon, New Year''s eve arrived.


    Both Aunt Tonya and Sebastian decorated the ce early in the morning. Sylvia also put on new clothes for Isabel and Liam to


    celebrate the New Year¡¯s arrival. She even tied the little girl¡¯s hair into two tiny buns. Liarn continued to read quietly. Although


    dressed in brand new clothes, it did not diminish his cool presence.


    Isabel was like a puppy out of the cage, running around and jumping up and down cheerfully. With Ben and Jacob watching her,


    Sylvia was not worried about the girl getting hurt, so she went on to help Aunt Tonya with the decoration. She soon arrived in the


    living room with the celebratory decorations.


    dder was needed to hang the decorations over the door and window.


    Sylvia went up thedder instead of asking Aunt Tonya. Aunt Tonya passed her the decorations and reminded her to be careful,


    ¡°Be careful up there.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia nodded and stood higher on thedder to stick the decoration over the door. When she was about to get down,


    her foot suddenly slipped. She screamed out of shock and started falling backward. Just when Sylvia expected a terrible fall and


    Aunt Tonya screaming in horror, a pair of strong arms came in and caught her.


    The expected pain did not arrive, which was a relief. She then turned to the man who caught her.


    The man wore a ck overcoat over his handsome suit. His towering figure made it easy for him to catch her and he was looking


    at her with his handsome looks.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia turned around andnded on her feet before she left his embrace.


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Tell Ben or Jacob to do the dangerous things. Don¡¯t put yourself in harm¡¯s way anymore.¡±

 Chapter 572

    Chapter 572


    Sylvia was rendered speechless by his words. She disliked his condescending tone but he did save her. Had she fallen, she


    would either have broken a leg or at least been bruised.


    Sylvia quietly walked away and continued decorating the living room


    Odell stood there and stared at her back for a moment before he went out.


    The morning went by without any more idents,


    The entire house was in a festive mood.


    Later in the afternoon, two chefs came from next door and prepared for the New Year''s eve feast at night.


    When it was time for dinner, a feast was prepared at the table.


    Isabel was drooling over the food.


    Odell came in when dinner was served.


    The moment his towering figure appeared, Isabel ran over to him and he carried the girl into his arms.


    Isabel stared at the alluring food on the table and mumbled, ¡°Baddie, I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat!¡±


    Odell carried the girl to the table and sat her down. He then shot a deep gaze at Sylvia and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    He woulde over for dinner almost every night recently, so it had be a routine and Sylvia had gotten used to it.


    Moreover, the feast was prepared by his chefs, so Sylvia simply humined a reply and called Aunt Tonya and Liam over for


    dinner.


    As expected of professional chefs, the dishes served were delicious. It was a lot better than Aunt Tonya¡¯s cooking or even her


    own cooking


    Not only did Isabel enjoy the food, but Sylvia also ate more than usual.


    After dinner, Isabel dragged Liam to the yard and wanted to y with fireworks Sylvia was worried about them being burned so


    she followed them out.


    Isabel set the fireworks on the ground and Liam followed her with the lighter


    When she was done, Liam lit the fuse.


    Sylvia watched from the side.


    The moment the fuse was lit, she carried Liam away.


    At the same time, a strong arm also carried Isabel away from the fireworks.


    Rang! The fireworks shot up into the sky and exploded into a beautiful sparkle


    Isabel sat in Odell¡¯s arms, covering her ears and giggling at the beautiful disy. Sylvia slightly bent over and covered Liam¡¯s


    ears while she listened to Isabel¡¯s giggling. She looked up at the fancy fireworks and it put a smile on her face. As the sky flitted


    in colors, the man stood beside her, staring at her beautiful face with a deep gaze.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing the smile on her face put one on his face too.


    At the same time outside the door, under a robust tree, a tall figure had been watching from the dark


    The gate was opened, so the exploding fireworks shed their temporary brilliance all over the yard.


    He was able to see the family of four in the yard and his gaze turned frosty.


    Sometimeter, he turned around and went into the dark

 Chapter 573

    Chapter 573


    At midnight, the New Year arrived with a bang


    At Lake Victoria Vi, where Tara lived, the house was in total darkness except for amp in the living room.


    The dim light revealed the messy interior


    Other than the necessary furniture, all the branded and luxurious items were gone.


    Tara wore her newly bought coat and was drinking on the couch.


    Then, a series of footsteps came from outside the door.


    Tara turned around and saw a tall figure and a handsome, but cold, face.


    She felt like she saw the man before but the frosty eyes made her shy away.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Tara nervously looked away and cautiously asked, ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡± Thomas stopped in front of her


    and looked at her. ¡°Do you want to regain your old life?¡± Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed. Of course, she wanted her old life back. After


    cutting ties with Odell, all she wished for was to return to her extravagant andvish life.


    Although she was still able to fill her stomach and wear new clothes, almost all the expensive furniture and items were sold off to


    fuel hervish addiction. If she could note up with a way to regain what she lost, she would eventually end up as everyone


    else, living a normal life.


    Ance at the man told her that he was not just any John Doe. The cold presence that he emanated was bone-chilling Some


    thoughtster, she asked in a small voice, ¡°Can you help me to regain my old life back?¡± ¡°I can, as long as you wish for it.¡±


    Thomas looked at her coldly.


    ¡°| want it! | want it!¡± Tara anxiously cried. She then asked, ¡°What do you want me to do? What do | need to do to regain my old


    life back? I''ll do anything!¡±


    Thomas peered down at her anxiety. A few seconds of silenceter, he said, ¡°I can help you to get back to Odell¡¯s side, as long


    as you work with me.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes were of hope but she recalled the resolve and the frostiness Odell showed when he cut ties with her, and it made her


    eyes shrink in fear. She said in a small voice, ¡°But Odell has cut all ties with me. Can you really bring me back to his side?¡±


    Thomas sized her up from top to bottom. She was neither ugly nor outstanding, just a material woman who would give up her


    body in a heartbeat to gain wealth. She was probably the cheapest and lowest woman there was.


    If without any special reasons, his brother would not be fixated on her for so long ¡°First, you need to tell me how you met Odell


    back then and why he¡¯s so infatuated with you.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes shifted. She continued in a small voice, ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°To help you, of course.¡± A few seconds of hesitationter, she asked again, ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Thomas stood there with


    a frosty look. His noble demeanor emanated a distant and cold feeling that could easily push people away. He calmly said, ¡°You


    can say no to my offer and continue selling your things to keep yourvish and extravagant life.¡± Tara¡¯s eyes shrunk in fear. She


    could not let it continue as she refused to live normally. She wanted to wear branded clothes and eat expensive food! She could


    not be outshone by her friends! Soon, she made up her mind and said, ¡°I met Odell many years ago on a rainy night. | was still


    young and Odell was just a teenager. Because of his stepmother¡¯s schemes, he almost got beaten to death...¡±


    Tara choked on her words. She took a deep breath and continued, ¡°I saved him and apanied him in an alleyway, but | left


    on the second morning. After that, | met him again after many years.¡± ¡°Why after many years?¡± Tara gasped for air and


    exined, ¡°Because during that night, | don¡¯t know his name and he doesn¡¯t know who | am. We didn¡¯t even see each other''s


    faces clearly.¡± ¡°How did you recognize him after that?¡± Tara lowered her head and said, ¡°After | saved him, he gave me a


    sapphire ring. Some yearster, | went to the wealthy district together with Sylvia. She¡¯s one of my old friends. He coincidentally


    saw the ring | wore during an event, so we recognized each other.¡±

 Chapter 574

    Chapter 574


    Chapter 574


    Thomas looked at her in silence.


    No wonder his brother treated Tara so special. She saved his life before.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Though it was difficult for him to picture a weak woman like her saving Odell from a bunch of professional hitters. Tara then


    looked at him. ¡°I''ve told you everything. How are you doing to help me?¡± ¡°You''ll receive a text in two days. Just follow the


    instructions.¡±


    Thomas then turned around and walked outside. Tara stared at his back. Before he could step outside, she held him back.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Thomas paused.


    ¡°Can you tell me who you are?¡± she asked.


    The answer she got was Thomas leaving quicker than before and the chilly breeze from the night.


    Tara frowned


    She suddenly thought about what her mother, Mnie, said when she first arrived. Mnie mentioned that there was someone


    powerful supporting her to separate Sylvia and Odell.


    Mnie also mentioned that the particr someone was mysterious but also handsome. She refused to reveal too many details


    as she was afraid of the person. Tara somehow had a feeling that the man she had just seen was the mysterious man Mnie


    mentioned However, it was not the time to ponder the man¡¯s identity. As long as he could help her return to Odell¡¯s side, she did


    not care about his identity at all.


    Two dayster, while the New Year mood was still in the air, Sylvia dressed up Isabel and Liam for the asion


    Liam carried his book as usual.


    Isabel jumped and ran to the next door as soon as she got dressed. Ever since Oddell moved in next door, the girl had been


    running back and forth.


    Especially when Odell was having his New Year break, the girl spent most of her days over there


    Although she mostly went next door to eat and snack, she also snuck a lot of valuable stuff back home, sixhas more snacks


    Odell also gave the iwo of them presents for the New Year, including toys and diamonds for P# of thpun


    Sylvia kept all the valuable items the two of them received in their exclusive safety box


    Since the girl was in a festive mood and was happier than usual, Sylvia simply let her be. The day went by quickly. During the


    evening, when Sylvia came out from her art studio and nned to help Aunt Tonya with the cooking, a towering figure came in


    from the door.


    The man was in a handsome ck suit with an overcoat. He was carrying Isabel with a bag of snacks.


    Sylvia was baffled by his arrival.


    He came over almost every day but he would onlye during the dinner hour, so why the early visit today? Odell carried Isabel


    to her.


    ¡°I''m going out tonight. You guys don¡¯t need to wait for me.¡± He then passed the girl to her mother.


    Sylvia took Isabel from him and furrowed her brows.


    He sounded like Sylvia would wait for him for dinner every night. Sylvia zipped her mouth. The girl said, ¡°Baddie,e home


    early.¡± Odell smiled and stroked her head. He then showed an enchanting smile at Sylvia. ¡°I''ll be back soon.¡± Sylvia choked on


    his words and decided to ignore him. Odell then turned around and left.


    After he left the gate, Sylvia carried Isabel to the couch.

 Chapter 575

    Chapter 575


    There was a restaurant with a hundred years of history in the Old District and it had almost all the specialties of Westchester City.


    To dine at the restaurant, one would need to book one month in advance. Tonight, the ce was bought out by someone.


    That someone was none other than Odell.


    He woulde to this restaurant every New Year to have dinner with his peers and seniors from the extended Carter family. It


    was a social gathering for the family members and also a chance for each of them to maintain their rtionship.


    He attended the dinner like every other year and when he arrived, most of the Carter extended family members were already


    there. The seniors were sitting up front while the juniors, or his peers, were at the back Odell greeted each of the seniors before


    he followed them up into the room on the second floor.


    The dishes tasted as good as always and the family members talked to him about more or less the same thing.


    After a few drinks, one of the seniors asked, ¡°Odell, | heard you divorced Sylvia again and even let her obtain the rights to the


    kids? What happened?¡±


    Everyone at the table turned to him instantly.


    Odell put his ss down and said, ¡°Third Grandfather, I''ve agreed to keep the details private, so | can¡¯t reveal too much.¡±


    The elderly known as Third Grandfather knew Odell''s temper well enough to know when to stop asking. He sighed and slightly


    altered the question. ¡°But you can¡¯t just give her the rights to the children. It¡¯s the New Year. All your cousins brought their kids


    here, and you''re here alone. How lonely is that?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and said, ¡°Third Grandfather, thank you for your concerns, but I¡¯m doing just alright.¡± Isabel was being clingy


    recently and she even told him to go home early before he left for dinner


    As he said, he was doing just alright, Third Grandfather swallowed his other questions and stopped prying into his private life.


    Sometimeter, Odell put his cutlery down. When he stood up, the others followed immediately, Odell looked at them and said,


    ¡°Third Grandfather, you guys continue. | have to go back to attend to some private matters.¡±


    Everyone knew his temper, so they bid him farewell and did not even persuade him to stay.


    Odell strode out of the restaurant and headed to the parking lot. The driver opened the door for him.


    After he got in, the driver got into the driver¡¯s seat and asked, ¡°Sir, are we going home?¡± ¡°Mhmm...¡±


    It was snowing outside. The snow looked like marshmallows under the streetmps. After turning into the junction, the car had to


    travel along a long road to leave the Old District.


    There were almost no other cars on the lengthy road, so the car cruised smoothly ahead.


    Just before it turned out of the road, a woman in rags dived in from the side. Startled, the driver stepped on the brake


    immediately.


    The woman fell to the ground and was horrified by the near-death experience.


    It was then several other men, seemingly part of a gang, came over from where the woman dived in.


    They were armed and they were eyeing the woman¡¯s body. ¡°Hey girl, where are you going?¡± ¡°Come on, I''ll make sure you enjoy


    it.¡± ¡°No! Help! Help me!¡± The woman cried and got on her feet. She threw herself on the car and cried for help from the driver The


    driver finally had a clear look at the woman¡¯s face and it shocked him. He turned around to the man in the rear seat and sald,


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Ms. Avery!¡± The men put their hands on Tara and tried to pull her away from the car Odell''s eyes turned frosty ¡°Save her¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The driver nodded and stepped out of the car,

 Chapter 576

    Chapter 576


    Chapter 576


    The driver practiced martial arts, so he was able to fend off the gangsters by aiming a kick at each of them.


    Realizing that they were no match for the driver even if they teamed up, the gangsters shot a resentful gaze at Tara before they


    fled.


    Then, the driver helped Tara up.


    ASSI


    When Tara realized it was Odell¡¯s driver who had saved her, an expression of surprise showed on her face as she looked at the


    car with tear-filled eyes.


    ¡°Odell...¡± she said as she choked back a sob.


    Odell continued to sit inside the car with his signature frosty look on his face.


    The driver had not received any further orders from his boss, so he could not do anything else even if he wanted. He said to


    Tara, ¡°Ms. Avery, it¡¯s gettingte. Please go home.¡±


    He then let go of her hand, intending on returning to the car.


    However, as soon as he let her go, Tara fell onto her side with a thud.


    With the front light of the car shining upon her pale face and her closed eyes, she looked so weak that it looked as if she could


    die at any moment.


    The driver was shocked. He turned towards his boss who had remained inside the car and waited for further instructions.


    Back at Sylvia¡¯s ce, Sylvia spent some time with the kids after dinner.


    Liam read his book quietly but his sister was unusually restless and was unable to concentrate on her favorite TV shows.


    Instead, she kept looking outside the window.


    Finally, when she had be so sleepy that she could barely keep her eyes open, she turned to her mother and asked,


    ¡°Mommy, why is the big Baddie not home yet?¡±


    Sylvia answered softly, ¡°Daddy attended a social gathering, so he will bete.¡±


    Isabel pouted ¡°But he promised toe home early.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Perhaps there were too many people that he had to meet, which might have dyed him.¡± Sylvia stroked her little head and


    continued, ¡°Il¡¯s gettingte. Why don¡¯t you go to bed with Lian now, okay?¡±


    Isabel rubbed her eyes and hummed in reply


    ¡°Lian, you can continue reading tomorrow. It¡¯s time for bed,¡± she said to Liam.


    The boy obediently put his book down,


    Sylvia held their hands and led both children back to their room,


    Alter they had fallen asleep, she came out of the room


    It was showing outside and the ground was already covered with a thickyer of snow.


    Sylvia was about to wash up and get ready for bed when a piece of local news popped up as a notification on her phone. The


    news was about a multiple car ident in Westchester.


    Aman who had been driving under the influence had rammed into the car in front of him at a high speed. Then, due to the wet


    and slippery road, the car he had crashed into had continued to ram into other cars. In short, the ident had been a


    devastating one and someone had even died on the spot. Sylvia tapped on it and saw that one of the badly damaged MPVs


    highly resembled Odell¡¯s private car. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked at the picture.


    It was almost midnight yet he was still not home. Had something happened? After wrestling with her thoughts, Sylvia returned to


    the kids¡¯ room and texted him using Isabel¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Are you back yet?¡± The text went out but she did not receive any reply. Had he been caught in that multiple car ident?


    Sylvia¡¯s brows furrowed tightly.


    They might no longer be husband and wife but he was still the kids¡¯ father.


    Immediately, she grabbed a jacket and headed outside. She intended on going next door to look for Sebastian, to see if he could


    contact Odell¡¯s driver for an update She hastened her steps and walked out of the living room. However, as she walked down the


    snow covered stairs just outside the door, she slipped and fell with a thud.


    She fell backwards andnded on her bottom. The sound of her fall was especially loud and heavy in the quiet night.

 Chapter 577

    Chapter 577


    Chapter 577


    Sylvia fell on the calf that Odell had broken previously and immediately gasped in pain.


    Aunt Tonya rushed out from her room upon hearing the loud thud and found Sylvia on the ground just outside the door. She ran


    over to help Sylvia up and asked, ¡°Syl, what happened to you? Did you hurt yourself?¡±


    Sylvia gasped and said to her, ¡°Aunt Tonya, please look for Sebastian and ask him to contact Odell¡¯s driver.¡±


    Aunt Tonya suspiciously asked, ¡°Why do you need him to contact Odell¡¯s driver?¡±


    ¡°| just saw a piece of news about a car crash and one of the cars involved looked a lot like Odell¡¯s.¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Okay. You go inside and sit down, I''ll go look for Sebastian.¡±


    She then ran next door.


    Sylvia was not in the mood to go back into the house. Besides, the pain on her calf prevented her from moving properly as well.


    She sat back down at the top of the stairs and waited anxiously.


    A few minutester, Aunt Tonya came running back from next door.


    Aunt Tonya smiled at her and said, ¡°Sebastian contacted the driver. They are fine and they will be back soon.¡±


    She finally calmed down upon receiving the update. However, now that her anxiety had been eased, she seemed to feel the pain


    in her calf more intensely. Clenching her teeth in pain, she forced a smile on her face and asked, ¡°Aunt Tonya, could you take me


    to the hospital?¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed. ¡°Girl...¡±


    Sylvia had slipped and hurt her leg again, just because she thought something had happened to Odell.


    Aunt Tonya really did not know what to say about her anymore.


    Meanwhile in a hospital near the Old District, Tara woke up after having been transferred out of the ICU.


    Shey on the bed as she looked at Odell with her reddened, teary eyes.


    ¡°Odell, thank you for saving me.¡±


    Odell merely nced at her. Upon knowing that she was fine, he prepared to leave. Tara then burst into tears and said, ¡°Odell,


    it''s not what you think | didn¡¯t do anything to provoke those men, I¡¯ve just been trying to earn a living with my own hands, but |


    was unlucky enough to encounter them on my way back from work. | was so afraid...¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin yourself. | only saved you because | just happened to be passing by.¡±


    He then walked towards the exit.


    ¡°Odell, wait!¡± Tara anxiously raised her voice.


    Ahint of annoyance appeared on Odell¡¯s face as he frowned. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Feebly, Tara looked at him and pulled out a sapphire ring from her pocket.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Odell looked at her coldly.


    Tara meekly said, ¡°I''ve been meaning to return this ring to you. Now that you are here, it¡¯s time to give it back.¡±


    She curled her lips into a warm and kind smile.


    The smile reminded Odell of that rainy night, where he had almost been killed, ten years ago. Had Tara not showed up just on


    time, he would either have been beaten or frozen to death.


    Either way, after he had survived that deadly night, he had been determined to regain everything from his stepmother and chase


    that woman out of thepany.


    It was also that night that he had been reborn into a different man.


    It was not too much of an exaggeration to say that his current achievements had all been made possible because of Tara.


    After a long silence, the icy look in his eyes warmed up a little. ¡°Since | already gave it to you, It¡¯s yours. You don¡¯t need to return


    it to me.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes gleamed upon hearing his words. Weakly, she tried to sit up and said, ¡°Odell, | know | was wrong and | shouldn''t


    have lied to you but had my reasons. | have lived in torment from the moment we separated...¡±

 Chapter 578

    Chapter 578


    Chapter 578


    Tears began to roll down Tara¡¯s cheeks.


    m not asking for forgiveness. | just hope that my actions have not affected you too badly. | really, really hope that you can live


    a happy life with Sylvia, every single day. Then, even if | die, | will be able to rest in peace.¡±


    There was an annoyed look on Odell¡¯s face. ¡°You are just weak, you won¡¯t die.¡±


    Tara bitterly smiled. ¡°Dying is better than living in extreme guilt and pain.¡±


    ¡°What happened is all in the past now and | will consider that we¡¯re now even. | won''t hold you responsible for what you did, so


    don¡¯t be so harsh on yourself.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll do whatever you want.¡± ncing at her phone, Tara looked at him with anticipation and


    said, ¡°Odell, | still have to workter tonight and I¡¯m runningte. Could you give me a ride? It¡¯s just outside the Old District. |


    promise that after this, | won¡¯t appear before you anymore. Let¡¯s just think of this as the conclusion to our rtionship. Please?¡±


    Odell nced at his watch and saw that it had already passed midnight.


    Both Isabel and Liam should already be asleep.


    That woman had probably done so as well.


    After thinking a while, he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    There was only one small hospital near Sylvia¡¯s ce. However, there was a major roadblock along the only way to the hospital


    due to the earlier car ident.


    Fortunately, her ce was close to the Old District, which was only a twenty minutes drive away. Sylvia arrived at the bigger


    hospital at Old District with Aunt Tonya.


    After handling the registration, Aunt Tonya requested for a wheelchair for Sylvia before she pushed her to the doctor¡¯s


    consultation room.


    They soon came to an elevator. However, since the building was more than ten stories high, they had to wait for quite some time


    for the elevator to reach the first floor.


    Ding!


    The doors slid open.


    Just as Sylvia was about to wheel herself in, she looked up and saw a tall, familiar figure


    The man was dressed in a well-cut suit, matched with an overcoat. The aura that he exuded was cold and stern,


    It was Odell. Sylvia was not only shocked by his appearance but also ¡®Tara¡¯s, who was beside him as if she was his wife.


    Tara looked weak and pale, like a small animal that needed protection


    Sylvia¡¯s expression turned cold,


    Both Odell and Tara¡¯s expressions changed as well when they saw her. Odell strode to her and stared at her leg, ¡°What


    happened to your leg?¡±


    Sylvia felt chills running up and down her spine, the cold seeming to freeze her from her heart to the rest of the body.


    She scoffed and said, ¡°So you came here to apany her?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Before he could exin, ¡®Tara immediately said, ¡°Sylvia, it¡¯s not what you think. Odell just happened to save me from some


    gangsters and | asked him to give me a lift.¡±


    Just a coincidence?


    ¡°What a coincidence. So, you just happened to be chased by gangsters and just so happened to be saved by Odell? Tara, don¡¯t


    tell me it''s one of your schemes again,¡± Sylvia said coldly. Tara¡¯s gaze changed and tears began to roll down her cheeks.


    Weakly, she said, ¡°You are free to believe whatever you want as long as you don¡¯t misunderstand Odell.¡±


    ¡°My my. It¡¯s been a while since we''ve met and | have to say that your acting skills have gotten better.¡±


    Tara wiped her tears away as she choked up. Sylviaughed. ¡°Tara, please stop. | didn¡¯t really say that much. You don¡¯t need to


    put on such a big act.¡± Tara continued to weep as she said to Odell, ¡°Odell, I''ll leave you two alone now. I''ll take my leave now.¡±


    Covering her face, she immediately ran outside the hospital. Before she could run far, she slipped on the slippery ice and fell to


    the ground. ¡°Hmph!¡± Sylvia scoffed. Odell shot a gaze at Sylvia. ¡°Enough.¡± Sylvia turned to Aunt Tonya and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya,


    let''s go up.¡± Aunt Tonya immediately pushed Sylvia into the elevator. Sylvia saw Odell walk to Tara but the doors slid to a close


    before she could see what he would do with her.


    The elevator went up.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia clenched her hands into fists, the palms of her hands were cold and mmy. Looking at her injured calf, she felt a sense


    of irony.

 Chapter 579

    Chapter 579


    It was obvious that the man had been apanying Tara at the hospital. Yet, Sylvia had thought that he had been involved in a


    car ident and had even hurt her leg because of it.


    She had really brought this upon herself.


    She had pretty much just worried for nothing.


    Sylvia was immediately wheeled into the doctor¡¯s consultation room after exiting the elevator. After discussing her condition with


    the doctor, she was sent to be X-rayed. Fortunately, none of the bones in her leg had been hurt. However, her calf was red and


    swollen.


    After some medication had been applied, Sylvia was wheeled out of the doctor¡¯s consultation room.


    Just as Aunt Tonya took her back to the elevator, the elevator doors opened up and Odell came out again.


    He was frowning and had an anxious look on his face.


    The moment the doors opened, he strode out and went to Sylvia¡¯s side. ¡°What did the doctor say? How¡¯s your leg?¡± Sylvia had


    already calmed down after seeing the doctor, so she simply stared at him and said emotionlessly, ¡°My leg is fine. You don¡¯t need


    to worry.¡±


    Odell looked at Aunt Tonya.


    Aunt Tonya snorted and ignored him.


    He then walked over to Aunt Tonya and offered to push Sylvia. ¡°Aunt Tonya, please allow me to push her.¡±


    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, don¡¯t let him push me!¡±


    Aunt Tonya immediately tightened her grip on the handle and wheeled Sylvia into the elevator.


    Odell followed them inside and stood beside Sylvia, his eyes never leaving her.


    Sylvia looked away and ignored him


    The elevator soon reached the first floor.


    The monsent the doors slid open, Aunt Tonya wheeled Sylvia out into the lobby


    Site shivered as otse was hit by the chilly night breeze,


    Just as Aunt Tonya Was about to wheel her outside, two strong arms reached out towards herCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia fet a lightening grip around her waist before she was lifted into the all and carried into a warm enbrat before she even knw


    what the trappened


    iter expression semalled cold as she looked at him and demanded, ¡°Put me down!¡± Odeti by noted lerstead, he looked straight


    ahead with his deep gaze and carried her to his


    car in the parking lot.


    Carefully, he put her down in the rear seat.


    Aunt Tonya also chased after them to the car and got into the rear seat beside Sylvia.


    Odell went to the front and sat in the passenger¡¯s seat.


    Sylvia pursed her lips in silence.


    Odell nced at her before instructing the driver, ¡°Take us back home.¡±


    The driver nodded and the car left the parking lot.


    Further away in the parking lot, there was another ck MPV watching Odell¡¯s car as it left the ce.


    Aman was sitting alone within the dark interior, right at the back.


    In addition to the man, there was also the driver and Tara, who hade back after Odell had sent her off.


    She leaned against the window and watched as Odell¡¯s car disappeared from her sight. In frustration, she asked, ¡°Are we going


    to let them go just like that?¡±


    Odell had obviously been angry when Sylvia had scolded Tara in front of the elevator, yet he had still carried her out of the


    hospital.


    If this continued, the two of them would be back together again in no time.


    Thomas also watched as Odell¡¯s car joined the traffic on the road.


    He clenched his fists slightly and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be anxious.¡±


    Their first attempt may have failed, but they could always try again.

 Chapter 580

    Chapter 580


    The car journeyed back to Sylvia''s ce in silence. As soon as the car stopped, Aunt Tonya immediately got out to help Sylvia


    out of the car. However, Odell beat her to it. Opening the other door, he wrapped his arm around Sylvia¡¯s waist and carried her


    out of the car. Sylvia red at him.


    Odell pursed his lips as he carried her inside. He carried her all the way to her room, only letting her go when he put her down on


    her bed. Sylvia huffed and turned away from him.


    However, even after a long time, the room remained quiet and the man did not make any move to leave.


    Annoyed, she turned to him and asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    With his arms crossed in front of him, he stood by the bed and gazed at her intensely. ¡°How did you hurt your leg?¡± She knew if


    she continued to keep quiet, he would never leave. She gulped and begrudgingly said, ¡°I slipped and fell.¡± ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°At the front door.¡± Odell pursed his lips and said gruffly, ¡°Be careful next time.¡± Sylvia ignored him.


    Odell stared at her in silence for a few moments before he went out.


    Aunt Tonya was standing just outside the door. When Odell came out, she shot a cautious re at him.


    Odell was confused by her hostility.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Aunt Tonya stared at him for a few more seconds before she entered Sylvia¡¯s room.


    Without staying any longer, Odell then left Sylvia¡¯s house and returned to his own house next door


    Sebastian weed him back as soon as he walked through the door.


    ¡°Sir, where have you been? It¡¯ste.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°I got caught up with something.¡± Sebastian did not question him further about it but switched the topic instead.


    ¡°Tonya came by earlier and asked me to contact Jim. She said that Madam saw a piece of news about a car crash and she


    thought that it was you She got worried and asked Tonya to look for me to confirm that you were alright.¡±


    Odell froze. ¡°What did you say?¡± Sebastian furrowed his brows and repeated what he had just said. Odell furrowed his brows


    tightly and asked, ¡°When did Aunt Tonyae over!


    Sebastian nced at his phone and said, ¡°Two hours earlier


    Two hours earlier?


    Odell had met Sylvia at the hospital an hour and a half ago. It would also have taken twenty to thirty minutes to reach the


    hospital in Old District irom the house Therefore, she must have hurt her leg when she had toid Aunt Tonya to look ior Sebastian


    Since she had fallen down in front of the front door, could it be that she had be andous when she had thought that he was


    involved in the car crash and identally slipped on her way out? All of a sudden, he thought of something and pulled his phone


    out.


    There were no missed calls but there was an unread message


    It was from Isabel''s phone.


    ¡°Are you back yet?¡±


    The text was from two hours ago. Since it was alreadyte, Isabel must have already been asleep at that time.


    The little girl would have called him directly if she wanted to talk, not text him.


    Therefore, it could only have been from Sylvia. He recalled the cold look that Sylvia had given him at the hospital and the hostility


    that Aunt Tonya had shown him in front of Sylvia¡¯s room.


    Aller thinking about it carefully, he said to Sebastian, ¡°Sebastian, please arrange for some men to clear the snow in front of her


    yard and make sure to install anti-slip flooring on all the stairs there before morning.¡±


    Sebastian smiled and said, ¡°Right away, Sir.¡±


    He then went out to make the necessary arrangements.


    Odell remained standing where he was with his phone in his hand. The text from ¡®Isabel¡¯ was sull disyed on the phone screen,


    After a long silence, a small smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°She''s as stubbom as ever.¡±

 Chapter 581

    Chapter 581


    Sylvia slept until she woke up naturally. When she woke up, Isabel and Liam were sitting beside her as they looked at her with


    their wide, round eyes.


    They looked like two little buns and were extremely adorable. Sylvia sat up with a smile and asked them, ¡°What are you two


    doing here?¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Mommy, Aunt Tonya said you hurt your leg again.¡± Liam said nothing and simply stared at her quietly. Sylvia


    smiled. ¡°Mom is fine. It¡¯s just a light injury. I''ll recover after a few days.¡± Isabel¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡± Sylvia quickly said, ¡°Really.¡±


    The little girl''s expression finally improved. Sylvia also rolled over and got out of bed. Her calf was still a little swollen and painful,


    but it was obviously much better thanst night. She could not walk too quickly, but she could still walk normally. Under the


    supervision of her two little wardens, Isabel and Liam, Sylvia quickly washed up, put on her coat, and went out of the room with


    them.


    Then, she noticed an extra long carpet in the corridor.


    She stepped on it suspiciously.


    It was very soft and plush.


    Soon, she came to the staircase and saw that the stairs leading to the living room had also been carpeted.


    Sylvia walked down and saw that the same type of carpet had beenid on the stairs just outside the living room door.


    Furthermore, the snow in the yard was also gone and the ground had been covered by an additionalyer of non-slip tiles.


    At that moment, Odell was sitting on the sofa, slowly and methodically drinking tea from his cup


    Sylvia did not even have to think to know that he was behind this.


    However, she still could not help but remember the stupid thing she had done the previous night. She took a breath and calmly


    said to Isabel and Liam, ¡°Kids, you guys go ahead and look for Aunt Tonya first. | want to have a few words with your dad.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡±


    The two little ones obediently walked out together.


    The moment they went 0111, Sylvia''s expression cooled,


    She said directly to him, ¡°You''re not wee here. Get out.¡± Odell put down his teacup and looked at her with his intense eyes.


    ¡°You hurt your leg because you were concerned that | was hurt.¡± Sylvia frowned, ¡°You''re thinking too much. | identally fell and


    hurt mysell.¡± llo smiled. ¡°I already asked Aunt Tonya.¡±


    She instantly chokec.


    Odell looked at her cold, frowningce and got up to walk toward her.


    Sylvia immediately took a step back.


    llowever, her call was still swollen and painful. Unable to move fast, he easily managed to block hier way in the blink of an eyes


    This arm encircled her waist and he pulled her into his arms.


    ¡°Odell Carter, let me go!¡± She cried out, giving him a hard push. Hle pursed his lips in a seductive and domineering smile. Sylvia


    red at him.


    He gave her a wicked look as he said, ¡°You still love me, Sylvia.¡±


    Without thinking, Sylvia retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourselfl¡±


    ¡°Why else would you have fallen and hurt your leg?¡± ¡°I-I fell by ident-".


    Before she could finish her sentence, the man forcefully pressed his lips on hers.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia instantly tightened her lips. Furiously, she opened her mouth to bite him. The taste of blood soon filled her mouth.


    Odell also quickly let go of her. Sylvia pinched the long arm that was still mped around her waist. ¡°Hands off!¡± He pursed his


    lips and stared at her. ¡°Aboutst night, it isn¡¯t what you think it is.¡± She frowned. ¡°We''re already divorced. You don¡¯t need to


    exin yourself to me.¡±

 Chapter 582

    Chapter 582


    Odell continued, ¡°Last night, | was in the Old District to attend a family dinner. | happened to bump into Tara when | came out at


    the entrance into the alleyway. She was being harassed by a few ruffians and fainted in front of my car, so | had no choice but to


    help her. Due to our past rtionship, | apanied her to the hospital, which was where | met you¡±


    He spoke in a calm, maic voice that was very pleasant to the ears.


    Sylvia turned her face away to avoid looking into his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin that to me. | don¡¯t care what rtionship


    you have with her now.¡±


    Odell used the warm palm of his hand to cup her face and lifted her squirming face as he said with a smile, ¡°If you don¡¯t care,


    then why are you so angry?¡±


    Sylvia blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡±


    He lowered his handsome face to her and asked in a low and maic voice, ¡°Really?¡±


    She blushed. ¡°Yes¡±


    Before she could finish, his lipsnded upon hers again


    Unlike the forceful kiss from before, this one was very gentle, albeit still a little domineering


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment before she tried to push him away. However, as soon as she tried, he tightened his grip around


    her waist. Even when she had struggled to the point where all her strength was exhausted and she could not move anymore, he


    still did not let her go. The heat between their lips only increased.


    His domineering breath filled her nostrils. Sylvia¡¯s body went weak. Although she hated herself at the moment, she


    subconsciously clung to his arms in desire.


    This went on for a long time.


    Just as her mind began to grow fuzzy, he finally broke the kiss. However, he kept one hand encircled around her waist.


    His deep eyes seemed to hold a smile as he looked at her.


    Although he did not speak, Sylvia could see that his eyes seemed to say, ¡®Are you sure that you don¡¯t love me?


    Red faced, she red at him and cried out, ¡°Let me go!¡±


    When she heard how husky and weak her voice had be, her face flushed even more.


    Odell let out a low chuckle,


    Sylvia imminediately punched him. She cleared her throat and shouted at him, ¡°Odell Carter, let me go!¡±


    Odell smiled and let her go.


    She immediately took several steps back At that moment, she suddenly spotted two small figures from her peripheral vision.


    Sylvia turned to look and saw that Isabel and Liam were pressed up against the floor-to ceiling window in the living room. Isabel


    had covered her little chubby face with both hands, but her wide eyes were peeking out from between her fingers.


    Liam stood beside her, his eyes flickering. The two sneaky little imps had obviously been peeping in from the outside! Sylvia¡¯s


    cheeks flushed red, and she could not help but yell out, ¡°Isabel! Liam!¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam turned and walked out to the courtyard.


    Isabel shouted, ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything!¡± and ran away after Liam.


    Sylvia continued to feel embarrassed. She red at Odell. Odell curled his lips in a smile and reached out to touch her face as


    he shamelessly asked,¡± Why is your face so red?¡±


    Sylvia raised her hand to smack his hand away. However, at that moment, Aunt Tonya suddenly ran in from outside. ¡°Odell


    Carter, let go of her! Don¡¯t you dare bully Syl!¡± she shouted in anger as she ran over with a broom in her hand.


    Sylvia immediately took a few steps back.


    Odell also backed up to the side.


    Naturally, Aunt Tonya did not dare to actually hit him. Instead, she ran over to Sylvia and continued to re at Odell while holding


    the broom in her hands. ¡°Why are you here instead of apanying that Avery girl? Get out!¡± Odell nced at Sylvia. ¡°Rest


    well. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    Then, he walked away. Aunt Tonya instantly sighed in relief and turned to ask Sylvia, ¡°Syl, did he bully you?¡±

 Chapter 583

    Chapter 583


    Chapter 583


    Sylvia responded with a smile, ¡°He didn¡¯t bully me. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Aunt Tonya put down the broom in her hand,


    Sylvia thought of something and asked suspiciously, ¡°Aunt Tonya, didn¡¯t you see Odell earlier this morning?¡± Why did Aunt Tonya


    seem so surprised to see him now? Aunt Tonya also looked puzzled. ¡°I didn¡¯t see him. | was called out by Sebastian not long


    after | got up. | only saw Odell when | came back.¡± Sylvia frowned. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t you that told him that | hurt my leg because of


    him?¡± Aunt Tonya quickly said, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Sylvia choked and felt her face heat up.


    That man had clearly lied to her!


    Aunt Tonya saw that she looked upset and worriedly asked, ¡°What''s wrong, Syl?¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing. I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s make breakfast.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ve already prepared the ingredients. I''ll go get them now,¡± Aunt Tonya


    said and went to the kitchen.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia nced outside and followed her to the kitchen.


    In the evening. Sylvia and Aunt Tonya had just brought dinner to the table when Odell came over, uninvited.


    He wore dark loungewear, which gave his straight figure a slightly more down-to-earth air than usual.


    When he came in, he sat down in the chair that he usually sat in.


    Sylvia exined everything to Aunt Tonya during the day, so thetter merely nced at him without saying anything. Isabel and


    Liam obediently climbed into their seats.


    Dinner passed calmly.


    After the meal, Sylvia wanted to help Aunt Tonya clean up, but thetter sternly refused.


    Thus, she limped over to the sofa and sat down.


    As usual, she sat beside Liam. The little boy read his book while Sylvia took out her phone and prepared to read the news


    released by the Art Academy. At that moment, Odell, who usually sat on the other side with Isabel, suddenly came over and sat


    beside Sylvia Isabel sat on hisp, while holding a tablet in one hand and a snack in the other. She looked incredibly


    comfortable.


    Although a cartoon was ying on the tablet, and her mouth was munching away on her snack, Sylvia still felt awkward.


    Inadvertently, she thought of the long kiss that she had shared with him that morning.


    Her cheeks heated up, and her throat went dry. Without looking at him, she took a sip of water from her cup. ¡°Is your leg better?¡±


    Odell suddenly asked.


    Sylvia paused for a moment before humming in reply. ¡°Have you reapplied the medication?¡± he asked. She said honestly, ¡°I''ll


    spray some on before going to bedter.¡± ¡°Hm.¡±


    He did not say anything further, as he held Isabel with one hand while flipping through a book with the other.


    A quietness settled upon the atmosphere.


    Sylvia¡¯s mood also quickly calmed down. She turned on her phone again and scrolled through some of the news that had been


    released by the Art Academy, reading each one carefully.


    In the brightly lit and spacious living room, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious that was rarely found here.


    Meanwhile, outside the gate.


    Under the shade of a thick tree, Thomas was leaning against a tree. With one hand in the pocket of his coat, he pinched a


    cigarette between his fingers, and smoked as he observed the scene in the living room. A long time passed and it was only when


    he had finished smoking the whole pack of cigarettes that he finally stepped away. His body was slender and thin in the night.


    However, under his fluffy bangs was a fairplexioned face and a pair of beautiful eyes that were filled with gloom and


    coldness.

 Chapter 584

    Chapter 584


    Chapter 584


    A few dayster. Early that morning, the bright sunshine spread all over thend.


    The snow that had nketed the ground melted away as the weather warmed up.


    Sylvia was still asleep when she was woken up by Isabel. Her little hands tugged at Sylvia as she yelled, ¡°Mommy, get up. We''re


    going to y outside with Baddie today!¡±


    Sylvia opened her eyes.


    Not only did Isabele into view, but she also spotted Odell and Liam standing by the door.


    Both father and son were looking at her while standing in the same posture.


    Sylvia instantly became alert and sat up.


    Subconsciously, she wanted to say that she already had ns and tell them that they could go y by themselves. However, for


    some reason, her words got stuck in her throat.


    As if she could guess that she might say that she had something else to do, Isabel quickly crossed her arms as she pouted and


    spoke crossly to Sylvia, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m gonna be angry if you don¡¯t y with us today!¡± Sylvia pursed her lips.


    By the door, Odell and Liam continued to stare at her.


    She had no choice but to say, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± The little girl immediately beamed from ear to ear.


    Sylvia helplesslyughed.


    Liam''s quiet and wide eyes lit up, and Odell¡¯s lips also curved into a small smile.


    Sylvia¡¯s leg had more or less healed so she quickly washed up and got dressed. After having a quick, simple breakfast, Sylvia


    and Odell led the little ones out the door.


    Isabel wanted to ski, watch a movie, and have some delicious food.


    Thus, they went to the ski resort in the morning and ate the little girl¡¯s favorite BBQ for lunch. Then, they went to the movie


    theater and watched two movies consecutively, onlying out when it was almost dark.


    Isabel was so tired that she fell asleep on Odell¡¯s shoulder.


    Liam was feeling lethargic and was obviously tired as well.


    Sylvia picked him up and said to Odell, ¡°Let''s go home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Perhaps knowing that they were returning, dinner had already beenid on the table by theCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    time Sylvia and Odell came back with the children. Just by the smell of the food, Sylvia knew that it had been prepared by the


    chef that Odell had engaged previously


    Odell was just about to ce Isabel on the sofa to let her sleep a while longer when she smelled the food and opened her eyes.


    She looked at the table eagerly and refused to let go of his cor Thus, he carried her over to the dining table. Sylvia also carried


    Liam, who was still awake, over. She called Aunt Tonya as well, and they all ate together.


    However, halfway through the meal, Odell¡¯s phone rang. He nced at Sylvia. ¡°You guys continue eating.¡±


    Then, he got up and went to the door to answer the phone.


    The night outside was very dark. Sylvia could not hear his voice, but she saw him pacing back and forth several times.


    She suddenly remembered their first marriage many years ago.


    There had been a period of time where he had constantly fought with his stepmother. Back then, he had constantly been on his


    phone while at home. There had been numerous times when he had paced back and forth like this when answering the phone.


    Awave of unease rushed up.


    She pursed her lips and suppressed the uneasiness.


    It had been many years since he had taken over the Carter Corporation, so his position should already be stable. Surely, he was


    not facing a problem now.


    Ashort whileter, he turned around and walked back into the room.


    Sylvia looked up and saw that his expression had be a little cold.


    She subconsciously asked, ¡°Did something happen?¡± Odellposed his emotions and said, ¡°There¡¯s a slight situation at the


    office, so I''ll have to go over to deal with it. You should rest early tonight. There¡¯s no need to wait for me.¡± Sylvia hummed in


    reply. He said nothing more. Then, he picked up his jacket, and walked out. Sylvia clenched her fists.


    He was not an ordinary man. There was likely not much that he would not be able to solve.

 Chapter 585

    Chapter 585


    Chapter 585


    Without thinking too much about it, Sylvia picked up her fork to take some food for Isabel and Liam.


    After dinner, she tucked the little ones into bed. They were tired out from ying during the day and fell asleep before Sylvia


    could even begin to tell them a bedtime story.


    She kissed their tender little faces, got up, and went back to her room.


    After washing up, she went to the window and looked outside.


    She could look into the yard from here.


    There were several parking spaces in the yard, but Odell¡¯s car was not there. He was obviously still away


    After standing for a while, she turned around and went to bed.


    However, she tossed and turned for a long time and did not manage to fall asleep until theter part of the night. Then, she woke


    up before dawn.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    She got up and went to the window to take a look at the yard.


    The parking spaces were now full, including Odell¡¯s car. He had probablye back after handling his affairs. Sylvia sighed in


    relief, went back to bed, and sleptfortably.


    Two hourster.


    She was awakened by the sound of Isabel talking.


    The little girly beside her as she muttered to herself. ¡°Today is such a strange day. Why are both Mommy and the baddie


    sleeping in?¡±


    Sylvia opened her eyes.


    ¡°Mommy, you''re awake!¡± The little girl¡¯s eyes lit up as she immediately burrowed into Sylvia¡¯s arms.


    Sitting up, Sylvia hugged her as she asked in confusion, ¡°Is your dad still asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | checked up on him several times, but he¡¯s still asleep.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    That man did not usually have the habit of sleeping in. Even when he was busy, he would only sleep for a few hours a day at


    most. Since she had only seen his car in the yard early that morning, that probably meant that he had only returned not too long


    ago.


    After thinking about it, she stroked Isabel¡¯s little head and asked, ¡°What would you like to eat for breakfast?¡±


    Isabel raised her little face and said, ¡°I wanna eat the pancakes and bacon that Mommy makes.


    ¡°Okay. Go outside and y with your brother. Mommy will make breakfast for you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡±


    The little girl obediently climbed out of bed and ran out.


    Sylvia also quickly got up and washed up. The little girl loved to eat pancakes and bacon. Thus, she nned to make pancakes


    with various vors as well as some oatmeal.


    Meanwhile, Isabel ran to the living room.


    Seeing that her brother was reading a boring book on the sofa, she ran up to him and tugged one of his hands. ¡°Liam, let¡¯s go


    and y with the baddie.¡±


    Looking at her eager expression, Liam put down his book and said calmly, ¡°Dad is still sleeping. Let¡¯s not disturb him.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°But the sun is already up.¡±


    Liam pulled her over to his side and exined patiently, ¡°It looks like he only just came home not too long ago.¡± She was even


    more confused. ¡°Why did hee back sote?¡± ¡°He went out to workst night, so he probably didn¡¯t sleep all night.¡± A long


    time ago, before he had been reunited with Sylvia and Isabel, Liam had already gotten used to Odell often being away from


    home and asionally sleeping at home during the day.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She thought, ¡®He must be tired if he didn¡¯t sleep all night.¡¯


    After a few seconds of silence, she jumped off the sofa again,


    She said to Liam, ¡°I''ll go take another look. | won¡¯t wake him up.¡±


    Liam smiled at her. ¡°Sure.¡±

 Chapter 586

    Chapter 586


    Like a little puppy, Isabel ran next door again.


    Sebastian and the other maids all smiled when they saw hering again.


    Isabel also greeted them with a sunny smile before going into Odell¡¯s room.


    On therge bed, Odelly on his back as he slept soundly.


    She stayed by his side for a while before bing bored. So, she decided to climb into bed and snuggled up to him. She had


    only intended on apanying him, but for some reason, she grew sleepy after lying down for a while.


    Her little hands clutched the front of his shirt, as she rested her little chubby face on his arm. Soon, she was fast asleep.


    The room was quiet.


    The man continued to sleep soundly.


    After quite some time had passed, he slowly woke up.


    While he was still hall asleep, he felt as is a little fat cat was cuddling him. The little body was fleshy, and felt asfortable to


    hug as a nice fluffy pillow.


    His consciousness had always been alert.


    So, as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw that Isabel was sleeping soundly in his arms.


    Awarm feeling bubbled up inside him, and the fatigue he felt from the night before immediately disappeared when he saw the


    little girl nestled in his arms.


    He smiled as he sat up with her in his arms, allowing her to continue sleeping on his chest.


    At the same time, his other hand picked up his phone.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    There were quite a few unread calls and messages. In addition to the report from Cliff, there were also several calls and


    messages of apology and pleas for mercy from the shareholders of thepany that he had dealt with the previous night.


    He ignored the messages from the shareholders and tapped on Cliffs message.


    The report was very brief. Cliff basically stated that he had finished carrying out Odell¡¯s instructions


    Alter reading it, he put down his phone.


    At that moment, Isabel also woke up and looked up at him. ¡°Baddie, why are you awake? Did | wake you up?¡±


    Smiling, Odell touched her little round head. ¡°No, | woke up on my own.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then you should hurry up and get up for breakfast. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Her little belly growled a few times as she said that


    Odell carried her out of bed and lowered her to the ground. ¡°Go outside and get something to


    cat first. Wait for me. I''ll be out soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel obediently walked out.


    About ten minutester, Odell walked out of the room.


    Isabel just happened toe running in from outside. She held a piece of pancake in her hand as she called out to him,


    ¡°Baddie, hurry up! Mommy made lots of delicious pancakes!¡± As Odell came closer to her, he could smell the fragrant smell of


    the pancakes. Taking her into his arms, he quickly walked outside. Soon, they arrived next door. The table wasden with a


    variety of pancakes, oatmeal, baked beans, plus several strips of bacon and eggs. Although it was not that hearty, it looked


    incredibly appetizing. Al that moment, Sylvia came out of the kitchen, wearing an apron, with a pot of hot soup in her hands.


    Seeing that Odell was carrying Isabel in, she awkwardly looked away and said, ¡°Sit down and cat before the food goes cold.¡±


    Something in his heart fluttered, and he replied with a smile, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He carried Isabel over to the table and sat down.


    Sylvia, Liam, and Aunt Tonya also sat down.


    Then, they all began to tuck into theirte breakfast.


    The taste of the pancakes and bacon was different from the food they could get outside, but it was warm and delicious.


    The warmth of the baked beans spread inside their stomachs.


    Odell ate a lot


    The little girl siting on hisp also ate without stopping.


    Liam also ate a lot more than usual,

 Chapter 587

    Chapter 587


    lly the time breakfast was over, every single ce and bowl on the table was omply,


    Covering her buying stomacli willinen


    mies, Isabel cried out, ¡°Mommy, | thinklo 100


    Helplessly, Sylvia purseddyllpos.ind was 1990 bout 10 up to go some distive enzyme Tablets which Odell said, ¡°Whoeverre the


    best I¡¯ll port them.¡±


    Ashe spoke, le stood up


    ce Isabel in die arms.


    Sylvii sale, ¡°II''s in the medicine box under the cab over there¡±


    She pointed in the direction of the living room.


    Odell quickly went over and browht out. bottle of clipestive enzyme tablets.


    Sylvia took two tablets and ced them in the little girl¡¯s mouth, Brently saying, ¡°Chow them slowly.¡±


    The girl modded and began to chew.


    Sylvia looked at Liam. ¡°What about you? Do you feel bloed?¡±


    with a serious look on his face, Liam pursed his mouth and said, ¡°No.¡±


    Sylvia looked at luis stomach.


    llis shirt seemed to be bulging out as well, yet he had said ¡®no¡¯?


    tablet and insisted, ¡°You cat one too. It''ll help with


    Holding back a smile, Sylvia handed him your digestion.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He put the tablet in his mouth and said to Isabel, ¡°Isabel, let''s go out and y.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel had also had enough of sitting, so she climbed oll Sylvia¡¯sp and walked out of the living room while holding Liam¡¯s hand.


    Aunt Tonya gathered the dishes and went into the kitchen.


    Only Sylvia and Odell were left in the living room,


    Odell sat elegantly with his arms crossed in front of him and stared at her with an unconcealed smile in his eyes. ¡°You made this


    breakfast specially for me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Without looking at him, Sylvia said, ¡°No, | made it because Isabel wanted to eat it.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Heughed, obviously not believing her.


    Sylvia continued to avoid his eyes. ¡°You can leave now that you''re full.¡±


    ¡°Mm. There¡¯s sull stull to deal with at the office.¡± He stood up.


    Not expecting him to be so obedient, she inexplicably felt gloomy.


    She pursed her lips silently.


    Then, the light on her side was suddenly blocked.


    She looked up to see that he had walked over to her.


    She froze and was about to say something when he bent down. His shallow lips instantly approached her and covered her own.


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment.


    Asecondter, she reached out to push him away.


    Hisrge hand was one step ahead of her and held the back of her head as his lips continued to kiss her without letting go. After


    a long time, just as her senses werepletely overwhelmed by his scent], he finally let her go.


    His deep eyes looked at her seductively, and he said in a low and husky voice, ¡°Thanks for breakfast.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia was speechless. Her cheeks were hot, and she felt as if something was stuck in her throat. For a moment, she did not


    know what to say.


    When Odell looked at how charming she looked while she was stunned, he could not help but peck her on the lips again before


    saying, ¡°Rest well at home. I''lle back early tonight.¡±


    Almost subconsciously, she answered, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Then, her expression changed, and she instantly turned away.


    Odell could not help but chuckle and caressed her head again before stepping away.


    Sylvia only turned her head back when she heard his footsteps walking away.


    Only when his tall and straight back had left the door did shee back to her senses and realized that she had been


    mesmerized by his looks again.


    She was so angry that she bit her lip and smacked her own head with her hand.


    It was a long while before she finally managed to get her emotions back under control.

 Chapter 588

    Chapter 588


    Sure enough, Odell came back in the evening before it got dark.


    He was dressed in a suit with a long ck coat over it, whichplemented his tall and imposing figure


    He had only just stepped inside when Isabel came running up to him.


    ¡°Baddie, you''re back!¡±


    Odell picked her up and said to Liam, who was reading a book in the yard, ¡°It¡¯s cold. Come inside to read.¡±


    Liam did not say anything but obediently put away the book and followed him in.


    They would be having pizza for dinner.


    At that moment, Sylvia was sitting at the table with Aunt Tonya, making the dough.


    They both looked up when they saw the father and childrene in from outside.


    Odell smiled at her and quickly walked to the table. Then, he ced the box that he had been carrying in his other hand on the


    table. ¡°I bought some snacks along the way. You should eat them while they¡¯re hot.¡±


    Through the box, Sylvia could smell the fragranceing from inside.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°Okay.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Seeing that Isabel was eyeing the box greedily, he put her down before sitting down on one end of the sofa to drink some tea


    and read a book.


    Isabel went to Sylvia¡¯s side.


    Sylvia opened the box and saw that therge box was full of tacos.


    The juicy meat in the tacos made their mouths water.


    The logo for that brand of taco was printed on the box. It was one of the top taco restaurants in Westchester City.


    Sylvia gave Aunt Tonya, Isabel, and Liam one each and they all began to eat.


    Liam and Odell had simr tastes and did not like heavy food, so Liam only ate a few bites belore he went back to read his book.


    Soon, the box of tacos was finished by Isabel and Sylvia.


    The little girl had sauce smeared over her mouth. When she finished eating, she rubbed her belly and said, ¡°Thecos were so


    good. | want more.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and wiped her mouth.


    Al that moment, Odell¡¯s low and maic voice came from the other side of the room. ¡°I''ll buy them again for you tomorrow.¡±


    Isabel immediately cheered.


    Sylvia also siniled and pursed her lips,


    The peaceful and harmonious days passed until almost half a month had gone by without them realizing it.


    Today was the day when the new term of preschool was about to start.


    The day before school started, Sylvia and Odell decided to celebrate their return to school by taking the two little ones out for a


    full day of fun again. They went to the amusement park, watched movies, ate a lot of delicious food, and only came backte at


    night. Even Sylvia was tired, let alone the kids.


    She nodded off in the backseat as she carried Liam.


    Odell sat beside her as he carried Liam.


    Seeing how she was dozing off, he held back his smile and said, ¡°If you¡¯re sleepy, you can lean on my shoulder and take a nap.¡±


    Sylvia momentarily woke up and insisted, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not that sleepy.¡±


    Although her rtionship with him had improved a lot recently, the things that had happened before had scarred her heart badly.


    She could admit to herself that she still had feelings for him, but she could not bring herself to let him into her heart again.


    After speaking, she turned to gaze out the window.


    Odell looked at her with his deep eyes and fell silent.


    The car continued to move forward smoothly. Without realizing it, Sylvia finally fell asleep. When she woke up, she found that the


    car had already stopped in front of her house. Liam, who she had been holding in her arms, was now nowhere to be found, and


    her head was actually resting on Odell¡¯s shoulder. Her body was leaning so close to him that she was practically sitting in his


    embrace. She quickly sat up in shock.

 Chapter 589

    Chapter 589


    Sylvia pretended that she was unaware that she had been leaning against him and asked, ¡°Where are Isabel and Liam?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Aunt Tonya and Sebastian carried them back to their room to rest.¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply and opened the door to get out of the car.


    A gust of cold wind suddenly blew, making her shiver.


    Just as she was about to move forward, there was a sudden weight on her shoulders, and she found that arge and warm


    men¡¯s coat had been draped over her shoulders.


    Sylvia stiffened.


    Odell tapped her forehead. ¡°What are you spacing out for?


    She ignored him and quickly walked inside. She stopped when she reached the living room.


    Odell followed her in.


    He was only wearing a thin woolen shirt and pants, but his figure was straight and upright as usual.


    Sylvia raised her hand to take his coat off and return it to


    him.


    However, he grabbed the cor of the coat.


    The coat was already oversized on Sylvia''s body.


    When he pulled the coat, she was wrapped in it like a


    cocoon..


    Furthermore , she was forced upwards onto her tiptoes, and her whole body was leaning toward him.


    Odell lowered his head and kissed her on the lips.


    One hand continued to grab the cor while the other hand sped the back of her head. He kissed her until her body heated up


    before he finally let her go.


    With a red face, Sylvia red at him. ¡°Odell Carter, could you give me a warning first?¡±


    Odell smiled and stroked her cheeks with his warm fingers as he spoke in a low voice, ¡°If | did that, you wouldn¡¯t let me kiss


    you.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    ¡°Rest early and return the coat to me tomorrow.¡± He gently pinched her face again before turning around and walking out.


    Sylvia bit her lip in shame, then she turned around as well and entered the living room.


    Unbeknownst to them, Aunt Tonya and Sebastian had been standing in the dark courtyard when Odell and Sylvia had kissed in


    the doorway. They did not dare to move a single step.


    Aunt Tonya was too embarrassed to move, not wanting to disturb them. Sebastian had not dared to move either, for fear of


    disturbing them.


    They let out a sigh of relief at the same time when the couple finally left.


    Then, Sebastian smiled and said, ¡°It looks like Master Carter and the Madam are finally making up.¡±


    Aunt Tonya could not help but give him a look. ¡°They''ll make up, and then your Master Carter will bully Syl again, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t say that. | know Master Carter. In his heart, he truly loves the Madam. He was just fooled by others before.¡±


    ¡°If he really cared about Syl, he wouldn¡¯t have been deceived by that horrid woman named Tara time and time again.¡±


    ¡°Master Carter has already broken off his rtionship with her. It definitely won¡¯t happen again.¡± However, Aunt Tonya thought of


    the scene that she had witnessed at the hospital in the middle of the night. She wondered, ¡®If he¡¯s already broken off the


    rtionship,


    why had he still sent that horrible woman to the hospital?


    Sylvia may be stubborn, but she had a soft heart.


    Anyway, Aunt Tonya did not hold any hope for Odell now. All she wanted was for Sylvia to take the children and stay away from


    him.


    However, Odell was a very powerful person and would definitely not let Sylvia out of his sight. In that case, it was not impossible


    to continue living like this, as long as Sylvia did not get hurt.


    Aunt Tonya sighed as she said, ¡°I hope that things will carry on like this and nothing bad will happen again in the future.¡±


    Not long after the two little ones started school, the Art Academy also resumed their sses.


    Sylvia did not teach any core sses, and she was not involved in any projects, so she only had to go to school on the days


    which she had sses.


    Thus, it was only halfway through the week that she needed to prepare to go in for her sses.


    Early that morning after breakfast, Sylvia grabbed her backpack and was about to take Isabel and Liam out with her when she


    saw Odell¡¯s car outside.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The car window lowered, and his deep eyes looked at her. ¡°Get in, I''ll give you a ride.¡±

 Chapter 590

    Chapter 590


    Sylvia wanted to refuse, but before she could, Isabel had already pulled open the car door and climbed in.


    Thus, she had no choice but to take Liam and sit inside as well.


    The little girl sat in Odell¡¯s arms.


    Sylvia also took Liam into her arms as she sat beside Odell.


    Odell said, ¡°Drive to the preschool first.¡±


    The driver responded and started the car.


    In less than ten minutes, the car stopped outside the preschool.


    Sylvia and Odell apanied the children out of the car and watched them enter the school grounds before turning around and


    returning to the car.


    She sat at a distance from him.


    After less than ten minutes, the car stopped in front of the Art Academy.


    Sylvia turned to get out.


    Suddenly, there was an iron grip on her wrist pulling her until she was turned around and pressed against a broad


    chest.


    She looked up in annoyance.


    In the next second, the man¡¯s handsome face came closer to her.


    Her lips were soon covered by his. The man¡¯s breath dominantly filled her mouth.


    It was a long while before he finally let her go.


    Sylvia could not help but re at him.


    He smiled. ¡°Go to work.¡±


    She ignored him, pushed open the door, and went out.


    Odell waited until she was out of sight before saying to the driver, ¡°Go to thepany.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Meanwhile, Sylvia brisk-walked all the way to the faculty building


    When she walked up to her office floor, she bumped into several familiar teachers.


    They all greeted her with a smile.


    Sylvia also smiled and responded to them.


    Then, she heard a female teacher say to her, ¡°Ms. Ross,


    why is your face so red? Your mouth looks a little swollen too. Did your boyfriend send you to work?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face heated up for a moment before she quickly said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of the wind outside.¡±


    Then, she hurriedly went into her office.


    The other teachers alsoughed and left. Next door to her office, a man¡¯s slender figure leaned against the wall by the door.


    The door had been left open, so he had heard the conversation outside clearly. The cold look on his face did not change, and he


    stood there for a long time before returning to his seat.


    The contents of Sylvia''s ss was the same as the previous semester.


    After taking the whole morning to prepare her lesson n, she was just about to go out for lunch when she suddenly received a


    message from Thomas.


    This was the first time he had sent her a message since the Art Academy event a year ago.


    The message was simple. He had only asked if she wanted to go out for lunch.


    Sylvia thought about it and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not free at noonContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    today and I¡¯ve already ordered some take-out. Why don¡¯t you go out to eat with the other teachers?¡±


    After half a minute, Thomas replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She sighed in relief.


    She was already feeling hungry, but she could not go out


    now.


    It would be awkward if she ran into him along the way.


    She sat for a few more minutes before getting up to go to Thomas¡¯ office next door. She reached out and pushed the door open.


    The inside was neat and empty. It was clear that he had already gone out.

 Chapter 591

    Chapter 591


    Sylvia immediately turned around and went downstairs to a street next to the Art Academy.


    It was the end of school hours, so most of the snack bars were upied by students.


    Sylvia came to a small but cozy restaurant.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    The owner was very weing and asked her what she wanted to eat as soon as she entered.


    She ordered a main and two sides before going inside, intending to sit down at the innermost window seat.


    However, before she could do that, she saw that someone was already sitting there.


    That person was Thomas Carter.


    What was even more embarrassing was that the moment


    she saw him, he also looked up and spotted her. His eyes were clear and cold as usual, but his lips were curled up in a shallow


    smile.


    ¡°...Hi.¡± Sylvia smiled stiffly.


    Thomas asked, ¡°Did youe here to get take-out?¡± Sylvia¡¯s eyes twitched. She was just about to look for an excuse to bluff her


    way through when the boss brought


    her order over and asked with a smile, ¡°Your order is ready, Miss. Where would you like to sit?¡±


    The expression on Sylvia''s face froze.


    Thomas looked at her quietly.


    After choking for a moment, she pointed to Thomas¡¯ table. ¡°I''ll sit here.¡±


    She sat down in the empty seat opposite Thomas. The boss also put down the dishes that she had ordered.


    Thomas hade earlier than her and also ordered something. However, his meal looked clear and nd.


    She did not think much of it and picked up the cutlery to eat her meal.


    Thomas did not mention her supposed take-out order, so Sylvia had a pretty smooth lunch.


    After eating, they went back to the Art Academy together.


    Their journey back was very quiet, and only when they reached the office door did Sylvia say to him, ¡°I''ll be heading back to my


    office now. Bye, Thomas.¡± Thomas hummed in reply. She turned around and went into her office.


    Thomas looked at her closed door and silently smirked.


    At the same time, in Carter Tower.


    At the top floor, in Odell¡¯s office.


    Cliff knocked on the door and entered. When he saw the man working inside, he frowned and said, ¡°Master Carter, the police


    sent word that Mr. Weiss has run away. He was gone when they tried looking for him at his house. His wife and children also left


    Westchester City a few days ago. However, the police have already sealed off all the entrances and exits of Westchester City.


    They won¡¯t allow him to escape.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes turned cold, and he said, ¡°Put up a reward. Whoever finds him first will get a cash reward of five million.¡±


    Cliff quickly said, ¡°Understood , Master Carter. I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡±


    Spencer Weiss was a senior executive of thepany, as well as a small shareholder. Some time ago, thepany had gotten


    into trouble because he had embezzled the public funds of arge project, leading to massive problems with the project. If not for


    Odell¡¯s swift and decisive efforts to turn the situation around in one night, Carter Corporation would have been facing arger


    crisis now.


    Furthermore, Spencer had been promoted to his position by Odell, yet he had still dared to do such a thing behind Odell¡¯s back.


    With the issuing of the order offering this


    reward, Spencer would most likely be caught soon. With Odell¡¯s temper, he would probably rot in jail for the rest of his life.


    However, he would reap what he had sowed. Cliff finished speaking and headed out.


    As he walked to the door, he suddenly thought of something and gave a careful look at Odell.


    Odell noticed it and said in a cold voice, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Cliff whispered, ¡°I just received news that the Madam ate lunch with Second Master Carter. They ate in a small restaurant next to


    the Art Academy.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression instantly darkened.


    Cliff quickly said, ¡°However, they went to the restaurant separately, so it seems that they met by ident. Furthermore, they


    went straight to their respective offices after eating. There was no othermunication.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression was still extremely cold.


    Cliff shivered and said in a low voice, ¡°Master Carter, if there¡¯s nothing else, Ill take my leave now.¡±


    Odell did not say anything, and the atmosphere was very quiet.


    Cliff bowed his head and went out.


    The man sat where he was, his hand squeezing the pen so

 Chapter 592

    Chapter 592


    Chapter 592 In the evening


    Sylvia¡¯s two sses were sessfullypleted.


    The students were very enthusiastic , and she talked to them for a while before returning to the faculty building with her


    backpack.


    She went up the stairs and soon arrived at her office.


    The door was unlocked, so she pressed the handle and pushed it open.


    The next thing she saw was a man leaning on her desk.


    He was dressed in a suit as he stood there in anguid and casual manner. However, his aura was so cold that no one would


    have dared to approach him.


    Sylvia was startled. ¡°Odell? What are you doing here?¡±


    With one hand, Odell toyed with one of her brushes as he looked at her. ¡°Nothing, really. | just came to see you.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°This is my office. Please don¡¯te here in the future. It won¡¯t be good if other people see you.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression immediately turned cold. ¡°Why would it be bad?¡±


    His voice was dark as if he was implying something.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Sylvia was momentarily confused before giving her answer, ¡°The faculty building is full of people. We''ve already been divorced


    for a long time. If they see youing to me, they''ll talk about me behind my back.¡±


    She did not want to be a topic of conversation. Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Sylvia subconsciously said, ¡°What else?¡±


    He pursed his lips silently and looked at her.


    Sylvia ignored him and walked behind her desk. She organized her desk, packed up her belongings , and got ready to get off


    work.


    Suddenly, the man¡¯s low and maic voice sounded again. ¡°Did you have lunch?¡±


    Sylvia did not know why he was asking such a mundane question. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What did you eat?¡±


    ¡°Steak.¡±


    ¡°All by yourself?¡±


    She suddenly remembered that she had bumped into Thomas at the restaurant. After two seconds of hesitation, she replied,


    ¡°Hmm¡±.


    The surrounding atmosphere suddenly went cold.


    Sensing something was wrong, she looked up at him and her eyes met his gloomy eyes. Her gaze flickered, and she asked,


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Surely he could not have known that she had lunch with Thomas, right?


    Odell¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    His smile was even colder than the expression on his face.


    Feeling that he was behaving quite strangely, she picked up her backpack and moved to go around him.


    As she passed by him, he suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    She did not have time to react andnded on him.


    She immediately pushed him away and said, ¡°Odell Carter, this is a school. Please stop messing around.¡±


    Odell trapped her in his arms, forcing her to struggle. Then, he lowered his voice to speak into her ear, ¡°No one will hear us as


    long as you stay quiet.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face went hot, and she could not help but look up and re at him.


    His handsome face suddenly came closer to hers. The tip of his nose brushed against hers as his thin lips naturally covered her


    own.


    Sylvia was not in the mood to kiss him here and she


    struggled with all her might.


    However, the harder she tried, the more he increased his strength. In the end, she was held down by him, and her lips were


    completely covered.


    Because she could not breathe , she could not hold back the muffled groans from her mouth.


    The office was only separated from the one next door by a wall.


    Thomas sat at his desk that had been ced against the wall. His posture was as elegant as usual, but the hands resting by his


    side were clenched into fists.


    After a long time, Odell finally let her go. Sylvia gasped for air. Her whole face was flushed due to having held her breath for so


    long. Her reddened, swollen lips were as plump as charmingly, delicate flowers.

 Chapter 593

    Chapter 593


    Her whole face looked very charming. Odell¡¯s throat bobbed.


    Not waiting for Sylvia to catch her breath, he cupped her face and kissed her again.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    ¡®This b*stard!


    When he finally let her go again, she quickly took a few steps back and yelled at him, ¡°Odell Carter, did you take the wrong


    medication today?¡± Odell merely smirked seductively as he looked at her.


    Secretly calling him a lunatic in her mind, she picked her backpack up and moved to walk outside.


    With his long legs, Odell quickly caught up with her.


    No matter how fast she walked, he followed along beside her.


    In the end, she had to jog away.


    She ran to the parking lot, heading straight for her parking spot, and took her keys out to unlock the car door.


    Just then, the sound of the car door being pulled open came from the other side.


    Sylvia looked up and saw that the man was already sitting on the passenger side, smirking at her.


    At this point, she could not kick him out again. She red at him, quickly got into the car, and drove the car out of the school.


    In the office building, Thomas¡¯ tall figure stood in front of the window next to her office. His cold gaze watched the car disappear


    around the corner as it drove out of the school gate.


    After a while, he took out his phone and sent a message.


    Three dayster.


    Sylvia had two more sses at the Art Academy.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Just like before, she dropped off the two little ones at preschool in the morning before heading to the academy.


    It was a full day for her that day.


    In the evening, she walked out of the office with her backpack and went to the parking lot, intending on going home.


    However , just as she reached the parking lot, a strange man dressed neatly but with disheveled hair suddenly


    appeared.


    Before she could react, he went up to her and pressed a


    pistol against her waist.


    Sylvia froze.


    With a fierce gaze, he said in a low voice, ¡°Scream and I''ll shoot!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s body was covered with ayer of cold sweat as she whispered, ¡°Is it money that you want? | can give it to you.¡±


    The man sneered and stared at her face. ¡°I don¡¯t want money. I just want Carter to die.¡±


    Her eyes flickered. ¡°Carter? Who¡¯s that? | don¡¯t know him. | think you have the wrong person.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. | know that you¡¯re Odell¡¯s wife.¡±


    Sylvia forced herself to remain calm and insisted, ¡°I divorced him a long time ago. We have nothing to do with each other now.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap!¡± He dug the muzzle into her waist with more force.


    She quickly shut her mouth. Seeing that she was nowplying with his orders, he snorted coldly. ¡°Come with me. If you dare to


    y any tricks, I''ll kill you immediately.¡±


    Situated next to the parking lot was one of the exits of the Art Academy.


    He forced Sylvia to walk toward the exit. The muzzle of the gun was still pressed against her waist. All he needed to do was


    squeeze the trigger and Sylvia would have a hole sted right through her stomach. She did not want to die, so she could only


    cooperate with him and walk out.


    Soon, they left the Art Academy and came to a secluded path.


    Sylvia wanted to try and plead with him again, but she was suddenly whacked on the back of her neck.


    Her vision instantly went ck.


    At Carter Tower.


    Odell had just finished an important meeting and wasing out of the conference room when the phone in his pocket suddenly


    vibrated.


    It was a call from Isabel.


    He put the phone to his ear, and the girl''s sweet little voice rang out, ¡°Baddie, Liam and | have been waiting at the gate forever.


    Why haven¡¯t you and Mommye to pick us up yet?¡±

 Chapter 594

    Chapter 594


    Odell frowned. ¡°Did your mom not go to pick you up?¡± He had known that he would be rtively busy today, so he had told


    Sylvia in advance and asked her to pick the children up. She had agreed as well.


    The girl replied, ¡°Mommy didn¡¯te. Liam and | called her, but she didn¡¯t answer her phone either.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression sank. After a moment, he suppressed his emotions and said, ¡°Wait at the gate with your brother and don¡¯t go


    anywhere. I''ll ask Uncle Jacob to pick you up.¡± The girl said obediently, ¡°Okay.¡± Odell immediately called Jacob and instructed


    him to pick the children up from the preschool as soon as possible.


    Then, he called Sylvia. Unexpectedly, the phone connected after only a few rings. He frowned. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°It''s been a long time, Master Carter.¡± An eerie male voice sounded from the phone.


    Odell¡¯s eyes went cold. ¡°Spencer?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, yeah, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Why is Sylvia¡¯s phone with you?¡± ¡°Because | kidnapped her.¡± Spencer smiled and said,¡± Master Carter, do you want to save your


    woman?¡±


    Just as Odell was about to speak, he suddenly heard another voice shouting in the background through the phone. ¡°Odell, don¡¯t


    come here. He wants to harm you. You must note over!¡±


    That voice. Was it Tara?¡±


    Odell asked coldly, ¡°How many people did you kidnap?¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°One is the former love of your life, and the other is your ex-wife who gave birth to your children. | didn¡¯t know which one you


    loved the most, so of course | had to grab them both to threaten you.¡±


    ¡°Let them go, and I''ll forget everything that you''ve done.


    After a few seconds of silence on the phone, Spencer sneered and said, ¡°Everyone in Carter Corporation knows about your


    temper, Odell. You''ll have me killed the moment | let them go.¡±


    ¡°If you let them go, you''ll still be able to live. Otherwise, only death will await you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. | don¡¯t want to live anyway, so I''ll just drag them to hell with me!¡±


    Odell frowned tightly. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I''m at Cloudy Heart Lake, but | won¡¯t tell you the exact location. I''ll tell you when youe here.¡± After a pause, he said,


    ¡°Remember toe alone. If | see any police officers or bodyguards, I''ll kill them immediately!¡± Odell turned around and headed


    out. ¡°Don¡¯t touch them. I''ll be right there.¡±


    ¡®Ow, it hurts... It¡¯s so cold.¡¯


    Sylvia was awakened by a gust of cold wind and she opened her eyes.


    She had been tied up by the shore. In front of her was the junction where Cloudy Heart Lake met the strong river current. The


    sky was gloomy, and it was currently drizzling at the moment.


    She shrank back and looked around before seeing the man who had kidnapped her sitting behind her, staring at her with a fierce


    and bloodshot gaze.


    To her left, Tara had also been tied up.


    Sylvia frowned as she wondered why Tara had also been tied up?¡¯


    Tara was awake, so when she saw that Sylvia had woken up, she immediately asked, ¡°Sylvia, are you okay?¡±


    Sylvia ignored her.


    At that moment, Spencer raised the gun in his hand and shouted at her, ¡°Shut your mouth!¡±


    Tara quickly closed her mouth in fear.

 Chapter 595

    Chapter 595


    Sylvia looked over at Spencer and said, ¡°Sir, Odell and | really divorced a long time ago. You can¡¯t threaten him by kidnapping


    me.


    Spencer sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. | used your phone to talk to him, and he said that he¡¯s on his way here now.¡±


    Sylvia choked.


    Tara also did not speak.


    It was still drizzling, and the sky was slowly getting darker.


    After some time had passed, Sylvia heard the sound of a vibrating phoneing from Spencer''s pocket. She saw him take out


    the phone, look at it, and put it back into his pocket. Then, with a wicked smile, he looked at Sylvia and Tara as he said, ¡°One is


    the former love of his life, and the other is his ex-wife who gave birth to his children. Who do you think he loves the most?¡±


    As he said that, he knocked the gun in his hand on the ground.


    Tara said, ¡°I did have a rtionship with Odell, but I. don¡¯t believe that the person in his heart is me.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have wanted to break up with me and marry Sylvia again. However, he has already divorced Sylvia as


    well, so maybe he doesn¡¯t love her either.¡±


    Aderisive smile appeared on Sylvia¡¯s face.


    On the surface of this statement, it seemed as if Tara was trying to rify their rtionships with Odell. However, anyone with


    ears would have been able to catch what she was actually trying to imply... that he had broken up with Tara to marry Sylvia


    again. Sylvia realized that Tara was just implying that Sylvia was the person that Odell cared about the most.


    Sylvia could not help but say, ¡°Tara, even now, you''re still acting like a pure and innocent woman.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡®| would have been more impressed if she had just told the kidnapper that | was the one that Odell cared about the most.¡¯


    Tara instantly looked hurt and said, ¡°How could you say that about me? | just want us all to leave this ce safely.


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s stupid? Do you think he won¡¯t understand what you¡¯re implying?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. | really wasn¡¯t implying anything.¡±


    At that moment, Spencer knocked the ground with his gun again and said impatiently , ¡°Enough! If you make any more noise, I''ll


    blow your brains out!¡±


    Tara immediately shut her mouth, but she put on an aggrieved expression.


    Sylvia¡¯s hair and clothes had gotten wet from the rain, and her body was already shivering from the cold.


    The man who had kidnapped them did not look like a professional kidnapper. It was clear that he was not doing this for money.


    He probably had a grudge against Odell.


    Sylvia thought about it and said, ¡°Mister, you might not know this, but even though Odell and | have gotten married twice, we


    divorced both times because of Ms. Avery. She¡¯s Odell¡¯s true love. Even if she cheated on him, he would never be able to bring


    himself toy a hand on her. He didn¡¯t break up with her because of me, it was only because he learned that she had cheated on


    him.¡± Spencer¡¯s gaze changed, and he grinned. ¡°Oh? Is that true?¡±


    Tara instantly cried out, ¡°Sylvia, how could you¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, Spencer pressed the muzzle to the back of her head. ¡°Did | say you could talk? Shut your d*mn mouth!¡±


    Tara quickly shut her mouth. Sylvia continued , ¡°I have no reason to lie to you. | have no rtionship with Odell now. You should


    be able to confirm easily that we already divorced a long time ago. Ms. Avery is the true love of his life. Only she can be used


    to threaten Odell.¡±


    Spencer immediately looked at Tara. ¡°Is she telling the truth?¡±


    Tara shrank back. It was not clear if it was because she had been scared silly or was frozen with fear, but she answered, ¡°Yes...


    it''s partly true. Odell does care about me, and | guess | should be the only one who can be used to threaten him. You should let


    her go and just keep me here instead.¡±


    Sylvia frowned in surprise.


    She wondered if Tara had gone insane.


    Meanwhile, on a path leading this way, the man who had just arrived had heard thest part of the conversation. He frowned and


    quickened his pace. Before Sylvia could ponder what Tara had meant, a man¡¯s low voice rang out behind them. ¡°Spencer, I¡¯m


    here. Let them go now.¡±

 Chapter 596

    Chapter 596


    Sylvia looked over. The man was wearing only a thin shirt and trousers. He clearly rushed over as soon as he got the news.


    There was no one around him. He came alone.


    Spencer immediately took out two pistols and pressed them against Sylvia and Tara¡¯s heads respectively.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Sylvia felt the muzzle. If he squeezed the trigger, her life would end in an instant.


    She immediately tensed her body and did not dare to move.


    Tara, however, said to Odell with tears in her eyes and a smile, ¡°Odell, I''ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. Sylvia and you divorced


    a long time ago. She''s innocent. Hurry up and tell him to release her.¡±


    Sylvia was dumbfounded before she was struck by a realization.


    ¡®She¡¯s acting like a pure and innocent woman to let Odell sympathize with her.


    ¡®When she told Spencer to let me go earlier, she probably saw that Odell was approaching, so she said that on purpose to let


    him hear.¡¯


    Sylvia smiled coldly and yed along, saying, ¡°Tara is right, Odell. We divorced a long time ago and have nothing to do with


    each other. This man probably has a grudge against you, but he kidnapped the wrong person. Tell him to let me go.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Of course, he wanted her to leave safely, but this woman did not hesitate to choose to dissociate herself from him. It made him


    very upset.


    Instead, Tara still looked weak and kind, so much so that he could not help but think of that rainy night more than ten years ago.


    It was also on a cold night like today that she disregarded her own life to save him.


    After a moment''s silence, he looked at Spencer. ¡°Spencer, they''re both innocent. I¡¯m the one you want revenge on. Let them


    go.¡±


    Spencerughed. ¡°Haha, do you think I¡¯m stupid? If | let them go, what am | supposed to threaten you with?¡±


    Odell said, ¡°Let them go. I¡¯ll let you tie me up.¡±


    Spencer hesitated and thenughed. ¡°Looks like one of them is especially important to you.¡±


    Odell took two steps toward him. ¡°Stop!¡± Spencer shouted and nudged the pistols on Sylvia and Tara¡¯s heads.


    Odell stopped and raised his hands. ¡°You can tie me up with a rope now.¡±


    ¡°Heh, | didn¡¯t agree to trade you for them.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want?¡±


    ¡°| want you to suffer a fate worse than death!¡± Spencer roared. Then, he smiled again. ¡°But since you promoted me before, | can


    give you a choice. I''ll release the person you want me to release , but the remaining one will die with me.¡±


    Then, his thumb flicked the safety off.


    As soon as he squeezed the trigger, the bullet would instantly pierce Sylvia and Tara''s heads.


    Sylvia froze from the fear of dying. She did not dare to move or speak, but she could not help but look at Odell in


    anticipation They divorced, remarried, and divorced again. Countless things happened between them. He said that he would


    never hurt her again, and he promised to live well with her. Recently, he often went to her ce so that they could eat together.


    He kissed her and took care of the children with her...


    So... would he choose her?


    Odell looked at her.


    Her face was purple from the cold. Although she looked calm, the panic and fear in her eyes betrayed her. His heart clenched


    tightly. ¡°Odell, tell him to release Sylvia. I''ll be fine,¡± Tara suddenly spoke out from the side. Odell looked at her.


    Her body was shaking from fear. However, she still smiled at him and told him to save Sylvia.


    At that moment, another strong gust of wind blew, blowing open her cor.


    She wore a ne around her neck. The ring with a blue gem on it tied to a chain instantly glinted in his eyes.


    It was his mother¡¯s legacy. He gave it to her on that rainy night more than ten years ago.


    That night was as cold as this moment, and the scene at that time suddenly shed in his mind.


    He suddenly felt like a mess and closed his eyes.


    Spencer quickly got tired of waiting. ¡°Have you decided? If you haven''t, I¡¯ll send them both to heaven now.¡±


    Odell opened his eyes and looked at Spencer gloomily. Then, he raised an arm.


    The rain was still falling, and the droplets seemed to grow heavier and heavier.

 Chapter 597

    Chapter 597


    Sylvia¡¯s clothes were drenched.


    It was so cold that her body was freezing. She felt like she would faint at any moment.


    However, her mind suddenly became clear, and the freezing sensation of her body disappeared.


    She stared intently at his raised arm.


    Hisrge, slender hand pointed at herself.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened.


    An unprecedented joy at being chosen also rushed to her brain.


    However, at that moment, hisrge hand suddenly moved parallel to the left and pointed to Tara.


    Sylvia froze.


    The next thing she heard was his low voice. ¡°I choose her.


    Her, as in Tara Avery.


    Sylvia was stiff and slumped to the ground.


    The cold wind blew from all directions, but her face was cold as if her soul had been taken away. Her eyes looked at him


    vacantly.


    Odell did not look at her and stared at Spencer instead.


    Spencerughed and said, ¡°Good. I''ll let her go.¡± Then, he lifted his foot and kicked Tara on the back.


    Tara screamed in pain and instantly rolled to the side. Odell frowned.


    Spencer smiled and said, ¡°Master Carter, I''ll give you one minute to untie her and let her escape. Otherwise, I''ll go back on my


    word.¡±


    As he said that, he raised the gun that he had previously held against Tara¡¯s head and aimed it at her again.


    Odell looked at Sylvia.


    On the rainy night, she was like a soulless statue, sitting nkly in ce.


    Spencer said, ¡°Master Carter, ten seconds have passed.¡±


    Odell quickly walked over to Tara and untied the rope that bound her hands and feet.


    The next second, she jumped into his arms and cried,¡± Odell, you shouldn''t have saved me...¡±


    Sylvia looked at their hugging figures nkly and could not help butugh.


    What a touching and mocking scene.


    Probably because he was afraid that Tara would be in


    danger if she stayed , Odell quickly pushed her away and said in a strict voice, ¡°Leave here immediately.¡±


    Tara secretly nced at Sylvia smugly, but she said,¡± What about Sylvia?¡±


    Odell frowned in impatience.


    Seeing this, Tara quickly stepped back. ¡°Okay, I''ll leave now.¡±


    She could not help but nce at Sylvia again.


    Sylvia was still sitting on the ground with a gun pressed to her head.


    When she left, a blue item hanging on her neck suddenly shed in Sylvia¡¯s eyes.


    She felt as if she had seen it somewhere and instantly narrowed her eyes to look closely.


    However, the next second , Tara clutched her neckline , turned, and ran away.


    Sylvia did not see it clearly, and she was not in the mood to think about it now.


    She was lifted off the ground by Spencer.


    He grabbed her with one hand while holding the gun to her head with the other.


    The fear of death and the despair of being abandoned paralyzed her, and she already lost all sensation.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    At that moment, he said to Odell, ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯ve already shown you my benevolence. Since you chose the love of your life,


    your ex-wife who gave birth to your children will apany me to the afterworld!¡±


    Odell whirled around. ¡°Spencer, | can¡ª¡±


    Bang! Before he could finish speaking, a deafening gunshot rang out.

 Chapter 598

    Chapter 598


    After the gunshot, the entire Cloudy Heart Lake fell silent for a moment.


    Then, there was a ¡°thud¡±.


    Spencer, who was dragging Sylvia, fell back to the ground.


    Sylvia¡¯s legs went limp as she slumped to the ground as


    well.


    With wide eyes, she stared nkly at Spencer, who had


    fallen to the ground with blood pooling around him.


    ¡®lm not dead?This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡®The one who was shot was Spencer?¡¯


    Just as her mind was overwhelmed, a burst of footsteps sounded from the grass not far behind her.


    Sylvia turned to look.


    She saw a group of uniformed police officers, and Thomas running at the front.


    He ran up to her in the blink of an eye. At that moment, Odell, who had chosen to see Tara off, also ran over.


    He reached out to pick her up.


    Sylvia ced her hand on Thomas¡¯ outstretched one. Thomas pulled her up and wrapped her in his arms.


    He hugged her and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s over. I''ll take you home now.¡±


    If it was before the kidnapping, Sylvia might have pushed him away


    However, at that moment, fear, cold, despair, and all kinds of feelings intertwined in her body.


    She was cold. Even her organs felt cold.


    His embrace was very warm, so warm that she did not want to push him away at all.


    She buried her face into his chest and choked out a sob.¡± Thank you for saving me, Thomas.¡±


    Thomas said with a faint smile, ¡°No need to thank me. I¡¯m used to saving you.¡±


    He obviously wanted to tease her with those words.


    Sylvia¡¯s lips could not help but twitch.


    ¡®Yes, he saved me again. When | was about to die, he saved me once again.¡¯


    Thomas smiled when he heard herugh.


    Then, he said to the police officer next to him, ¡°Officer Sach, i''ll leave this ce to you. She¡¯s not in good shape,


    so I''ll send her home first.¡±


    The police officer in charge said, ¡°All right. You guys go back quickly.¡±


    Thomas held her and walked toward the road.


    However, after a few steps, they were blocked by a tall figure.


    Odell stared at Sylvia, who was being held by Thomas, and said in a low voice, ¡°Give her to me.¡±


    Thomas locked eyes with him and looked down to ask Sylvia, ¡°Do you want to go with him?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sylvia said bluntly. Her voice was very cold. Odell frowned and reached out to her. ¡°Come back with


    me.


    Thomas immediately pulled Sylvia several steps away.¡± Odell, you''re a grown man. It¡¯s not appropriate to force a woman, right?¡±


    Odell looked at him coldly.


    Thomas continued, ¡°Or did you forget the choice you made just now?¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia and said with a frown, ¡°I chose her because-¡±


    ¡°Because she saved your life before, because she was the light of your youth, right?¡± Sylvia looked up at him and


    could not help but sneer. ¡°Then what are you still here for? You should go to her now instead!¡± ¡°Sylvia, 1¡ª¡± She was not in the


    mood to listen to him. As soon as she saw him or heard his voice, she could not help but remember the scene of how he chose


    Tara.


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe | thought that he¡¯d choose me.


    ¡®| really ttered myself. I''m so ridiculous!


    ¡®This man doesn¡¯t love me at all!


    ¡®All the promises he made, and all the words of love he said to me recently are lies. They''re all fake!¡¯


    Thus, without waiting for him to finish his sentence, she hissed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you again. Not now, not ever!


    Odell¡¯s gaze changed, and his tall figure froze. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Thomas,¡± Sylvia turned away and said to Thomas.


    Thomas immediately held her and walked toward the road.

 Chapter 599

    Chapter 599


    Sylvia¡¯s body was too weak, and she became dizzy and leaned against Thomas after a few steps. Thomas helped her up several


    times before directly carrying her in his arms. Her face was pale against his arms as shey motionlessly.


    Then, she was brought into a warm car.


    Thomas sat beside her, still holding her with one hand.


    The car soon started to drive.


    Sylvia closed her eyes ufortably and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Thomas, | don¡¯t want to go home now. Drop me off


    somewhere else.¡±


    She could not let the little ones see her like this.


    Furthermore, Odell lived right next door. She did not want to see him at all!


    Thomas quickly said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The car turned at the corner and drove to the other side of Westchester City.


    About half an hourter, they arrived at a quiet, high ss residential area.


    Sylvia was carried out by Thomas and she opened her eyes in a daze. ¡°Where''s this ce?¡± Thomas replied, ¡°It¡¯s where | live.¡±


    He carried her into the elevator, which went straight up and stopped.


    Then, he carried her into his unit.


    It was arge apartment, spacious and neatly furnished. The color palette was very simr to his temperament : gray and white.


    It was noble and minimalistic with a hint of coolness.


    Sylvia had a splitting headache and did not say anything else. She let him ce her on the couch.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Seemingly sensing her difort, his warm hand touched her forehead and said, ¡°Lie down for a while. I''ll go get the medicine


    box ande back soon.¡±


    Sylvia stammered in response andy down on thefortable couch, closing her eyes.


    The pleasant environment soon rxed her spirit, but the difort in her body became more and more obvious. Before long,


    her consciousness turned blurry.


    When Thomas returned with the medicine box, he saw her red face and knew that something was wrong. Her brows were


    furrowed tightly, and her expression twisted from time to time.


    He called her softly, ¡°Sylvia?¡± ¡°Aunt Tonya...¡±


    Her mouth called for Aunt Tonya.


    It was clear that she was so unwell that her consciousness was hazy.


    Thomas frowned and immediately fed her hot water and medicine.


    Then, he changed the wet clothes on her body.


    Ascarlet light soon emerged in his eyes.


    However, he quickly put on a set of clean pajamas for her.


    Perhaps since her body was morefortable now, her face also looked much better.


    Her frown smoothened away as shey down quietly.


    Thomas crouched in front of her, looking at her small face. His long fingers could not help but brush against her face, gently


    rubbing it.


    Suddenly, one of her hands grabbed his wrist.


    His eyes flickered.


    Then, he heard her mutter, ¡°Aunt Tonya...¡±


    Aunt Tonya again. Thomas could not help but smile.


    He sat down on the couch and took her into his arms.


    Shey on his arm and sleptfortably, probably because she thought he was Aunt Tonya.


    Thomas looked at her, and a joyful smile surfaced in his eyes.


    ¡®Finally, she¡¯s going to be mine.¡¯


    At that moment, his phone rang abruptly. It was from Sylvia¡¯s cell phone that he ced to the side.


    He took the phone and looked at it. The caller ID was ¡°Jerk¡±.


    Who else could it be besides Odell? Thomas hung up the call without changing his expression and turned off the phone.

 Chapter 600

    Chapter 600


    When Sylvia opened her eyes, the fine sunlight was shining through the gaps between the curtains and into the room.


    It was clear that a night had passed.


    Her mind was still a little dazed, and she sat up weakly with her hand propped up on the bed.


    Then, she saw the unfamiliar surroundings.


    The gray-toned bed should be Thomas¡¯. She was also wearing a set of men¡¯s pajamas, which should also be his.


    She frowned and looked inside the pajamas.


    At that moment, the door of the room was suddenly pushed open.


    Sylvia was startled and looked up.


    Thomas came in with food. Seeing the embarrassment on his face, he said, ¡°I changed your clothes for you while blindfolded.¡±


    Sheughed dryly. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee.¡± He walked to the bedside , ced the food on the small tabletop , and said, ¡°You were sick the entire night


    last night and need to replenish your energy. Eat some food.¡±


    The oatmeal exuded a fresh fragrance, and the side dishes looked refreshing.


    Sylvia did not rush to eat. She remembered his sudden appearance with the policest night and asked, ¡°By the way, how did


    you suddenly bring the police therest night?¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°I saw you being threatened by that kidnapper in the parking lotst night so | secretly followed you to Cloudy


    Heart Lake and then called the police.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°I see.¡±


    She did not want to think about what happenedst night and picked up a small spoon to eat.


    Her stomach was hungry, so she ate quickly.


    It was also when she was halfway through eating that she noticed that Thomas was standing next to her, watching her. It did not


    seem like he had any intention to leave.


    She could not help but say, ¡°Thomas, you can go do your stuff. Don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    He looked at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m not busy today.¡±


    His gaze was very different from his usual cool demeanor and was filled with tenderness and passion instead. Sylvia did not dare


    to look directly at him.


    She lowered her head and said with some difort,¡±


    Then you should go eat breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I''ve just eaten.¡±


    She choked.


    The next second, there was a weight on her head.


    His head rested on the top of her head, petting it a few times before withdrawing. He said to her, ¡°The food will get cold if you


    don''t eat.¡±


    Sylvia hummed.


    Then, she lowered her head and quickly ate all the food on the small table.


    Thomas took out the empty tes and bowls, not giving her time to react.


    After he went out, the room returned to silence.


    Her body felt much stronger, and her mind was more refreshed after eating.


    When she remembered that she stayed out all night, she looked around and finally saw her cell phone by the pillow.


    For some reason, the phone was turned off.


    Did it automatically shut down because of the rainst night?Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not think much about it and turned on the phone.


    Then, she saw dozens of missed calls and messages. There were a few from Aunt Tonya and Isabel, but the rest were from


    Odell.


    The scene fromst night immediately surfaced in her mind.


    Sylvia¡¯s chest seized hard. Then, she blocked his number and called Aunt Tonya.


    The call was quickly answered, and Aunt Tonya asked,¡± Syl, where did you gost night? Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone?¡±


    Sylvia calmed down and replied, ¡°Something happened. I¡¯m at a friend¡¯s ce now. I¡¯ll be backter.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°That''s good.¡± Aunt Tonya sighed in relief.

 Chapter 601

    Chapter 601


    Chapter 601


    Sylvia pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Aunt Tonya, how were Isabel and Liamst night?¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed and said, ¡°They¡¯ve been waiting for you since they came home from school in the evening. They refused to


    eat until Odell came by and said that you were busy outside. However, when they woke up this morning and you still weren¡¯t at


    home, they said they won''t go to school until they see you.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Tell them that I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m going back now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I''ll tell them right now.¡±


    Sylvia hung up the phone and turned around to get out of


    bed.


    However, her body was weaker than she thought, and her legs felt like jello.


    She could only walk slowly toward the door.


    When she reached the door, her knees suddenly buckled, and her body fell toward the ground.


    At that moment, a long and slender figure arrived in front of her and held onto her.


    Sylvia leaned in his arms and smelled the faint scent of


    his cologne. It was refreshing and not pungent at all. She took a breath and tried to get out of his arms.


    However, Thomas held her shoulder tightly and looked at her intently. ¡°You haven''t recovered yet. You need to rest.


    Sylvia knew that he cared about her and said with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Thomas , but I¡¯m much better now. Isabel and Liam are


    still at home waiting for me. | have to go back and see them now.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She pulled his hand away.


    Thomas did not insist anymore. Instead, he held her arm and said, ¡°I''ll send you back.¡±


    His tone was firm.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Wait here for me.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    He went to another room and brought back a thick men¡¯s coat.


    The coat was on the smaller side. It was clear that he deliberately picked it out for her.


    ¡°Your clothes were soakedst night, and | haven''t finished washing them yet. You can wear mine first,¡± he draped the coat over


    her shoulders as he spoke.


    his cologne. It was refreshing and not pungent at all.


    She took a breath and tried to get out of his arms.


    However, Thomas held her shoulder tightly and looked at her intently. ¡°You haven''t recovered yet. You need to rest.


    Sylvia knew that he cared about her and said with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Thomas , but I¡¯m much better now. Isabel and Liam are


    still at home waiting for me. | have to go back and see them now.¡±


    She pulled his hand away.


    Thomas did not insist anymore. Instead, he held her arm and said, ¡°I''ll send you back.¡±


    His tone was firm.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Wait here for me.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    He went to another room and brought back a thick men¡¯s


    coat.


    The coat was on the smaller side. It was clear that he deliberately picked it out for her.


    ¡°Your clothes were soakedst night, and | haven''t finished washing them yet. You can wear mine first,¡± he draped the coat o


    Software update ready to install. spoke.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia looked at him gratefully and added, ¡°But you don¡¯t have to wash my clothes for me. I''ll just take them back now.¡±


    Thomas pursed his lips. ¡°They¡¯re already in the washing machine,¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± She did not say anything else and stepped out,


    Thomas quickly followed her, holding her arm with one hand to prevent her from walking insteadily.


    Sylvia did not refuse.


    Thus, he helped her to his car downstairs.


    After she sat tight, he started the car.


    The car drove out of this residential area and headed toward the other side of Westchester City.


    After they passed several traffic lights, Sylvia suddenly remembered that she had not told him her address. She said, ¡°My ce


    is near the Art Academy.¡± She looked at the road ahead and added, ¡°You''re on the right path. There¡¯s no need to turn. Just go


    straight ahead.¡±


    Thomas¡¯ cold eyes flickered, ¡°Got it.¡±


    The journey was silent, and half an hourter, the car stopped at the entrance of her house.


    Sylvia ate medicine and drank a lot of water on the way


    over, so her physical strength was much better than when she was in his home.


    She opened the car door herself and walked down, saying to him quickly, ¡°I¡¯m much better, Thomas. You can go now.¡±


    Thomas looked at her more-or-less healthyplexion and hummed.


    Then, she walked to the front door of her house.


    He stared at her back for a few moments before turning the car around and leaving.


    Meanwhile , not long after Sylvia came back, two small figures ran out of the living room one after the other.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel was the first to rush to her. Her chubby face was full of longing and worry for Sylvia.


    Liam came right after her. It was not hard to see the same look in his eyes as well.


    Sylvia¡¯s heart warmed, and she bent down to hold them in her arms.

 Chapter 602

    Chapter 602


    Chapter 602


    ¡°Mommy, where did you gost night? Why did you turn off your phone?¡± The little girl¡¯s childish voice rang out.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Mommy was at a friend¡¯s house to take care of some stuff. My phone turned off automatically because it ran out


    of battery.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± she said with a smile.


    Isabel immediately sighed in relief when she saw that Sylvia¡¯s smile was real. However, she frowned and said,¡± Next time, you''re


    not allowed to turn off your phone anymore. Liam and | thought you were going to suddenly disappear again just like thest


    time.¡±


    The girl¡¯s tone was fierce, but her expression was aggrieved.


    Although Liam did not have much emotion on his small face, his gaze was also sullen.


    It was obvious that he was afraid that she would disappear for many days again , like thest time when Tara pushed her down


    Cloudy Heart Lake. That was why he refused to go to school and wanted to wait for her at home.


    If not for Thomas¡¯ timely appearancest night, she


    would really have disappearedpletely.


    Sylvia¡¯s chest tightened. She hugged them and said, ¡°No, Mommy won¡¯t ever leave you two again.¡±


    The two little ones also hugged her for a long time before releasing her.


    They were already quitete for school. Sylvia had called their teacher on the way here, so she did not n to send them to


    preschool today. She led them into the living room. She was still wearing Thomas¡¯ clothes. The clothes fit her, but they were not


    her own, so she was a little ufortable wearing them. She said to the children,¡± I''lle down after changing my clothes.


    You two stay here and y with Aunt Tonya first.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Isabel answered obediently. Liam nced at the clothes she was


    wearing and let out a hum.


    Sylvia turned and went upstairs.


    She followed the stairs to the second floor and quickly reached her bedroom door.


    She raised her hand and pushed the door open.


    Instantly, the figure of a man sitting on the couch inside came into sight.


    He wore a ck shirt and slim trousers. It was seemingly the same as the one he worest night when he went to Cloudy Heart


    Lake.


    At that moment, the look on his handsome face was cold and dark, and an icy cold aura also enveloped him. Sylvia was startled,


    but her expression soon chilled as


    well.


    She looked at him coldly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Odell frowned at the men¡¯s clothes she was wearing and asked gloomily, ¡°Where did you gost night?¡±


    Sylvia ignored him and said directly, ¡°I don¡¯t wee you here. Get out!¡±


    He stood up, and his tall figure pressed two steps toward


    her.


    Sylvia immediately backed up to avoid him and make way for him to leave the room.


    However, the man had no intention of going out at all. He went straight toward her.


    She had no choice but to step back again.


    Odell reached her in tworge strides and forced her to the wall.


    Sylvia red at him coldly. He also looked at her gloomily, and asked word by word,¡±


    Where did you go with himst night?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze flickered, and then she could not help but sneer.


    ¡®He clearly chose to save Tarast night.


    ¡®His true love is Tara, but he¡¯s questioning me on where | went with Thomasst night?


    ¡®What kind of logic is that?¡¯


    ¡°Odell Carter, are you out of your mind?¡± she asked.


    Odell pinched her face with one hand, his gloomy face pressing closer to her. ¡°Answer me.¡±


    Sylvia met his gaze and smiled back at him. ¡°You see the clothes I¡¯m wearing. Where did you think | went?¡±


    His hand that was cupping her face suddenly tightened.

 Chapter 603

    Chapter 603


    Sylvia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in pain. However, when she saw his expression which looked as if he wanted to kill her, she


    suddenly felt satisfied. Even though her face hurt from his pinching, the corners of her mouth curled into a smile. ¡°What did you


    do with himst night?¡± he asked.


    It was as if he would kill her immediately if she said she did something with Thomas.


    However, Sylvia did not have the slightest fear. She met his gloomy gaze and smiled back at him. ¡°We did everything you could


    imagine and more.¡± Then, the stinging pain of the bones in her face about to be crushed spread throughout her


    body.


    Sylvia tightly wrinkled her brows, but her mouth was still curled in a smile. Odell¡¯s face was horribly gloomy. He looked at her for


    a long time before saying, ¡°Wow. Just


    great!¡±


    Then, he let go of her face, turned around, and walked outside.


    His tall figure quickly disappeared from her sight. Sylvia touched her face which was swollen from his pinching and cursed at him


    in her heart. She went back to her bedroom and washed her face with warm water. When the redness and swelling on her face


    did not go away, she took out a spray for swelling from the medicine box and sprayed it. When her face was almost back to


    normal, she quickly changed her clothes and went downstairs.


    The living room was quiet. Isabel and Liam sat quietly beside Aunt Tonya, not moving at all.


    Sylvia was puzzled and went over.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± When the two little ones saw her, their expressions instantly changed.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel jumped into her arms.


    Liam also walked to her side.


    Sylvia immediately wrapped her arms around them.


    Aunt Tonya also looked a little scared and asked, ¡°Syl, how did Odelle down from upstairs? When did he go up?¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°It''s strange. He came here oncest night, but | remember that he left,¡± Aunt Tonya


    muttered.


    Seeing that the children and Aunt Tonya¡¯s expressions seemed off, Sylvia quickly asked, ¡°Did he say anything when he came


    down just now?¡±


    ¡°No, but he looked particrly scary. He even ignored Isabel when she talked to him. The children got scared of him,¡± Aunt


    Tonya replied. Sylvia remembered his face when he left and frowned. Isabel lifted her chubby face from Sylvia¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy,


    did you have a fight with Baddie?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°We had a little argument, but it has nothing to do with you or Liam.¡± Isabel pouted. ¡°The baddie¡¯s face was really


    mean and scary just now.¡±


    Sylvia stroked her head and said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± However, in her heart, she could not help but curse at him.


    ¡®That jerk! It¡¯s fine if he wants to be angry, but how could he take it out on the children?¡¯


    ¡°Mommy, did Dad bully you just now?¡± Liam suddenly asked her. Sylvia¡¯s heart warmed, and she quickly replied, ¡°I''m fine. We


    just argued a little. | wasn¡¯t bullied by him.¡± Although her face was pinched until it was swollen, the swelling had already gone


    down, so it. was no big deal. Liam¡¯s big eyes looked at her quietly for a few seconds before he was relieved. At that moment,


    Isabel''s little hand was still tightly wrapped around her. There were still traces of fear on her face. Sylvia rubbed her head and


    said, ¡°Isabel, | happen to be free today. Why don¡¯t | bring you and your brother out to y and eat delicious food?¡± The little girl¡¯s


    eyes lit up, and she said warmly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia called Aunt Tonya, made the preparations, and took the two little ones out.

 Chapter 604

    Chapter 604


    Chapter 604


    Not long after they arrived at the amusement park, Isabel let loose and dragged Liam all over the park.


    After ying the whole day and eating her favorite food, it was finally dark. Sylvia and Aunt Tonya brought the children back


    home. It was also on the way back that Sylvia saw a message from the Art Academy teachers¡¯ group chat.


    The messages were from several young female teachers. One message, in particr, caught her eye. ¡°Why did Mr. Carter quit


    the group?¡± Another person replied, ¡°I saw that too. Why did he leave the group for no reason?¡± ¡°Does anyone know what


    happened? @ChristopherDendro¡± Christopher, who was tagged, soon replied, ¡°Mr. Carter resigned for personal reasons, so he


    quit the group.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why did he suddenly resign?¡± ¡°What a shame. He was the most attractive person in the Art Academy.¡± ¡°With his face, he


    could be the most attractive person in showbiz as well.¡±


    The young female teachers discussed this sadly.


    Sylvia frowned.


    ¡®Why did Thomas resign now out of all times?¡±


    She could not help but remember Odell¡¯s terrible and gloomy face when he left in the morning.


    ¡®Did he do something that forced Thomas to leave the Art Academy?¡¯ She did not think any further and called Thomas straight.


    The line rang three times before connecting. Sylvia asked directly, ¡°Thomas, why did you suddenly resign?¡± He was silent for a


    moment before replying, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to work there anymore.¡±


    His voice was dull


    Sylvia looked at Isabel and Liam, who were already asleep beside her, and lowered her voice to ask, ¡°Did Odell go to you?¡±


    He did not say anything. Her chest felt stuffy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Thomas, It was my fault.¡± ¡®il | hadn¡¯t said those words to Odell in a fit of


    anger, he wouldn¡¯t have troubled Thomas.¡¯ He replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay, | only took this job to pass the time anyway, so it¡¯s fine.¡± His


    tone was much more rxed than before.


    Sylvia still felt guilty. After thinking about it, she said, ¡°I''ll go to himter to make things clear.¡±


    Although she did not want to see him again, she had to exin that nothing was going on between Thomas and her.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m already d that you called me.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°You''ll only end up unhappy if you go to him, and that''ll


    make me unhappy too.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s throat choked up. For a while, she did not know what to say.


    ¡°Don''t feel guilty, Sylvia. This job isn¡¯t important to me. The most important thing to me is you.¡± His voice was light and gentle like


    a bubbling stream. It was very pleasant. However, Sylvia frowned. Since he said that, it was impossible for her to continue


    ying dumb.


    She said, ¡°Thomas, I... I¡¯m not worth it.¡±


    She was divorced with children, but that was not the point. Most importantly, he used to be her brother-inw.


    He was silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°You''re worth it.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. He said, ¡°Remember to take your medicine and rest early tonight.¡±


    She replied, ¡°Okay. You rest early too.¡±


    The call ended. She breathed out and ced the phone back into her pocket. At that moment, the car stopped in front of her


    house. Sylvia and Aunt Tonya carried Isabel and Liam out of the car.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Outside the gate, a professional locksmith had also just arrived and was waiting for her.

 Chapter 605

    Chapter 605


    Sylvia told him to wait a moment. After Aunt Tonya and her sent the children back to their room, she quickly turned back and


    went to the front gate.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She wanted to change the locks of the front door and living room door to prevent that man froming uninvited again.


    She reced the locks with fingerprint locks.


    After the locksmith installed it, Sylvia entered Aunt Tonya and her fingerprints separately, and it waspleted.


    Then, she locked both doors and returned to the house with Aunt Tonya.


    Aunt Tonya noticed that something was wrong and asked in a low voice, ¡°Sylvia, weren''t you and him fine before? Did something


    happenst night?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze went cold. She did not want to think aboutst night when Odell chose Tara when they were kidnapped at the same


    time. Aunt Tonya would only be angry and worried if she knew, so Sylvia simply said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. | just finally decided that | don¡¯t


    want to be involved with him anymore.¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Late at night, Sylvia finally managed to fall asleep, but her phone suddenly rang.


    She was startled awake and picked up the phone to see Sebastian as the caller ID. She was confused. ¡®Why is Sebastian calling


    me at this time?¡±


    Without thinking much about it, she brought the phone to her ear, but what came from the phone was a man¡¯s gloomy voice.


    ¡°Open the door.¡±


    ¡®Odell?


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. She hung up the phone and turned it off.


    Outside the gate, Odell¡¯s tall figure stood straight in the night.


    He looked in the direction of Sylvia¡¯s bedroom. His dark expression almost blended in with the night.


    ¡®Is this woman nning to break it off with mepletely?¡¯


    Alter a moment of silence, he turned to Sebastian, who was not far away, and said, ¡°Call for someone to smash the door down!¡±


    Sebastian shrunk and said in a small voice, ¡°Master Carter, that¡¯s not very appropriate.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes were cold


    Sebastian did not dare to say anything else and could only do as he was told,


    Bam!


    Sylvia bounced up from the bed the moment a loud bang sounded. She quickly put on a coat and ran out. Soon, she saw her


    front door lying on the ground. The tall figure of a man stood in front of the living room, and Sylvia clearly saw his gloomy and


    terrifying face through the transparent door panel. At that moment, several bodyguards holding a battering ram prepared to


    smash the door of her living room. Sylvia could not help but call out, ¡°Odell Carter, tell them to stop!¡±


    He looked at her coldly. ¡°They''ll stop if you open the door.¡±


    Her breath stuck in her chest. At that moment, she wanted to kill him!


    She took a deep breath and looked at him with eyes filled with anger. Then, she picked up her phone, dialed the emergency


    number, and showed him the screen. ¡°I''ll call the police if you don¡¯t stop them!¡±


    He smiled coldly. ¡°Continue to break down the door!¡± In an instant, several guards swung the battering ram on the door panel.


    Sylvia stepped back in fright. Before she could press the dial button, she heard a ¡°crash¡±, and the ss door shattered.


    Odell took onerge step forward and arrived in front of her eyes.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened, and she subconsciously turned around and ran. However, before she could take a few steps, the back of


    her cor was suddenly yanked.


    The next second, she was dragged into a broad but cold embrace.


    Her waist was tightly pinched. The phone in her hand fell to the ground.


    Her feet left the ground, and she was carried by him into the cold night outside.


    ¡°Odell Carter, let me go!¡± she screamed in shock. Odell ignored her, but his pace became quicker. At that moment, Aunt Tonya


    also heard themotion and ran out. When she saw Sylvia being carried out by Odell, she chased after them and shouted,


    ¡°Odell! Put Syl down now! You¡¯re not allowed to bully her!¡± However, she was stopped by several guards just before she could


    catch up to them.

 Chapter 606

    Chapter 606


    Sylvia was carried to his house next door.


    There were no lights on in the room, so her vision was dim when she entered.


    She could not see his face, but she could clearly feel his breathing be rapid due to anger. Thud!


    He threw her on the bed.


    Her body jolted, but the next second, she tried to climb out of the bed from the other side. Odell instantly grabbed her ankle and


    dragged her back under him. Then, his tall and heavy figure pressed against her body. Sylvia stifled a grunt. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    He pressed her with more force.


    She almost got crushed to death.


    She struggled with all her might.


    Odellughed coldly and pinned both her hands above her head with one hand, then lowered his head to kiss her lips fiercely.


    The man¡¯s domineering and suffocating breath instantly overwhelmed her. Sylvia''s limbs were pinned, and she could not struggle


    at all. She could only keep squirming to escape from his pressure.


    However, the more she did so, the rougher his movements became.


    When his breathing grew heavier, he stopped moving and looked at her with a scarlet light in his eyes. Sylvia trembled and


    quickly said, ¡°We¡¯re divorced, Odell. What you¡¯re doing is illegal!¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± He chuckled in a low voice.


    The next second, hisrge hand easily ripped off her coat.


    Sylvia struggled hard,


    However, she was no match for him. In just a few seconds, she was only left in a thinyer of clothes.


    He bowed his head and kissed her again.


    She bit him in anger


    However, even as her mouth filled with the scent of blood, he did not have any intention to stop


    Just as she exhausted her strength and was about to give up, a phone suddenly rang,


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened as he looked at the phone he ced on the table.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The caller ID showed ¡°Cliff¡±. He stretched out his long arm, slid his fingers across the screen, and hung up the call directly. Then,


    he lowered his head and kissed the woman below him. However, after a while, his phone suddenly rang again.


    The caller ID was still Cliff.


    He continued to pin Sylvia down and stretched out arge hand to bring the phone to his ear.¡± What?¡±


    His voice was hoarse and bloodthirsty. On the phone, Cliff said carefully, ¡°Master Carter, thepany is in trouble.¡± Odell


    frowned, looked at the woman under him who was ring at him, and asked coldly,¡± What happened?¡±


    ¡°Someone yed tricks behind our back. The stock price suddenly fell.¡±


    ¡°Inform all the shareholders to go to thepany immediately. I''ll be right there.¡± After he spoke, he got up and got out of bed.


    When Sylvia was free, she instantly grabbed her ripped clothes from the side, covered her body, and sat up. Odell nced at her


    coldly. ¡°Stay at home like a good girl. I''ll deal with you when |e back.¡±


    Then, he turned and walked out of the bedroom.


    Sylvia closed her eyes, forced back the stinging in her eyes, and gritted her teeth, cursing, ¡°B* stard!¡±


    ¡®He chose Tara to live when we were both at gunpoint.


    ¡®He knew that Tara did so many evil things. He chose to cut off rtions with her. He said that he would make it up to me, but he


    still chose to let Tara live instead! ¡®He doesn¡¯t love me at all! Why is he doing this to me? ¡®Does he think it¡¯s fun to torture me?!¡¯


    Sylvia immediately put her clothes back on, not caring whether she was dressed neatly or not. Alter wearing them, she ran out as


    fast as she could.

 Chapter 607

    Chapter 607


    Outside, Sebastian and the others did not stop her when they saw her running out.


    Sylvia ran to her house in one breath.


    Aunt Tonya hurriedly came up to her.


    Looking at Sylvia''s messy hair, she asked anxiously, ¡°Syl, what happened to you? Did he hit


    you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sylvia exhaled and looked inside. ¡°Aunt Tonya, did Isabel and Liam get woken up?¡±


    The noise of Odell smashing the door was too loud. She was worried about the two children. Aunt Tonya replied, ¡°The sound


    instion in their room is very good. | just went to take a look, but they¡¯re still sleeping soundly.¡± Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was good that they were not woken up.


    She then said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, go pack your bags. We''re leaving here tonight.¡±


    With that, she quickly went inside.


    ¡®That man is an insane pervert. | can¡¯t live so close to him anymore!¡¯


    Aunt Tonya wanted her to stay away from Odell for a long time, so she ran into the house and started packing


    Outside were workers arranged by Odell who were reinstalling the door. There were also a few bodyguards, but Sylvia did not


    know if they were there to supervise the workers or to keep an eye on her.


    She did not pack much and only took the children and her personal documents.


    Aunt Tonya also finished packing soon and went upstairs to find her.


    She asked worriedly, ¡°Syl, | saw Ben and the others standing at the door. How are we going to get out?¡±


    Sylvia frowned and said, ¡°We''ll have to go through the back door.¡±


    ¡°But your car is parked in front.¡±


    ¡°Leave it behind.¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed. ¡°That¡¯s our only choice.¡±


    Sylvia thought about it and took out her phone to call Thomas


    The line rang for a long time before it connected.


    Thomas''s voice was slighuy hoarse over the phone. It seemed he had been sleeping and was woken up by her. ¡°Yes?


    Sylvia said apologetically, ¡°Thomas, | need a favor.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± His voice cleared up a lot.


    She quickly said, ¡°I want to take the children and leave my house, but | can¡¯t call a cab. Could you drive over and pick us up?¡±


    In less than half an hour, Sylvia¡¯s phone received a message from him.


    She immediately said to Aunt Tonya. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Aunt Tonya carried the sleeping Liam and sneakily went from the living room to the back door.


    Sylvia carried a backpack and the sleeping Isabel in her arms.


    There were no lights on in the living room, so it was very dark.


    Fortunately, they were both familiar with theyout of the house.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    In a short time, they passed through the secret door behind the living room and arrived at the back door.


    Thomas¡¯ car was parked outside. Seeing Sylvia and Aunt Tonya carrying the children out, his slender figure quickly got out of the


    car. He took the children and helped them ce the children in the car. Sylvia looked at him gratefully. ¡°Thank you, Thomas.¡±


    Thomas smiled at her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Hurry up and get in.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She quickly pulled Aunt Tonya into the car.


    In Carter Tower.


    After Odell called all the shareholders, he found a solution in the shortest possible time and kept a close eye on the stock


    market.


    Time passed second by second.


    Finally, when it was dawn, the stock market returned to normal. All the shareholders breathed a sigh of relief.


    Odell¡¯s expression was normal as he nced at Cliff behind him. ¡°Have you found the traitor?¡± Cliff said softly, ¡°Yes, it was Mr.


    Sanders, but he disappeared when the ident happenedst night.¡±

 Chapter 608

    Chapter 608


    Odell¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Will Sanders?¡±


    Cliff looked at his expression and said softly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Will was considered a small shareholder of thepany and was in charge of very important work.


    Like Spencer, who betrayed Odell before, Will was also promoted by Odell. Furthermore, he was promoted when Odell drove


    away his stepmother and took charge of Carter Corporation.


    However, he betrayed Odell, just like Spencer.


    They were too ungrateful. It was unfathomable.


    Odell closed his eyes and raised his hand to rub his temples. After a moment of silence, he said in a cold voice, ¡°Call the police


    and add another five million reward.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''ll do it right away.¡± ¡°Also, inform all the shareholders and executives that | want to hold a meeting.¡± He opened his eyes


    which were filled with coldness. ¡°No one is allowed to be absent, or they''ll be kicked out of Carter Corporation directly.¡±


    He wanted to see how many traitors there were.


    How many of them were so tired of living that they would dare to y such tricks under his nose?


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Cliff quickly did as he was told.


    At that moment, the logistics department brought in breakfast and especially sent the best one to Odell.


    However, he had no appetite.


    He thought of the woman he did not manage to deal with and left on the bedst night.


    In an instant, he picked up the phone and called Jacob, the bodyguard he arranged to watch her


    The call connected quickly.


    He asked, ¡°What is she doing now?¡± On the phone, Jacob replied respectfully, ¡°The Madam returned to her house after you left


    last night.¡±


    ¡°Did she do anything else after going back?¡± ¡°No, | saw the lights in her bedroom turn off not long after she went back. Aunt


    Tonya also turned off the lights in the rest of the house and went to rest.¡±


    That was very obedient of her


    Odell looked at the time. It was already seven in the morning


    He asked, ¡°Are they still resting now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He immediately frowned.


    There was no way they were still resting at this time! He said coldly, ¡°Check their rooms at once!¡±


    On the phone, Jacob hurriedly agreed.


    About a minuteter, he said nervously, ¡°Master Carter, the Madam, Aunt Tonya, and the two children are gone. Their belongings


    are still here, but they¡¯re nowhere to be found.¡±


    Bam!


    Odell instantly stood up.


    His face turned cold as he walked out and ordered, ¡°Check the surveince cameras of all nearby roads from the time when she


    went back. Don¡¯t miss anything!¡± ¡°Yes!¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    In a remote suburb of Westchester City, in a vi park surrounded by nature.


    It was far from the noise of the city. The air was fresh, and birds were singing everywhere. Sylvia and Aunt Tonya sat in the car


    with the children for almost three hours before arriving. It was her first timeing to a ce like this in Westchester City. She


    did not know that there was such a beautiful vi here.


    Thomas took them to one of the modest-looking vis. Sylvia asked him, ¡°Thomas, is this your house?¡± He humined in response


    and parked his car outside the building,

 Chapter 609

    Chapter 609


    Sylvia said with some embarrassment, ¡°You didn¡¯t need to go through the trouble. You can just take me to a ce Odell can¡¯t


    find. We''ll stay in a hotel.¡±


    ¡°He''ll find the hotel with your personal information.¡±


    She choked. That was true.


    Thomas looked back at her and smiled. ¡°I hardlye here, so the house is usually empty. If you guys live here, it''ll be like


    adding some warmth to the house. You''ll be doing me a favor.¡±


    He smiled as gently as the spring breeze.


    Sylvia smiled back and said sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Thomas.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Then, he got out of the car.


    Sylvia carried the still-sleeping Isabel and got out of the car.


    Aunt Tonya followed behind her, but before she got out of the car, she could not help but nce at Thomas a few times.


    There was a housekeeper here named Theodore. He was in his fifties and looked very amiable.


    Thomas greeted him.


    Sylvia and Aunt Tonya carried the two children and entered the vi under Theodore¡¯s guidance.


    The kitchen, dining room, and living room were on the first floor. There was also a bedroom facing the east, which was suitable


    for Aunt Tonya to stay in.


    After all, it was Thomas¡¯ house, and Sylvia was only staying there temporarily. She nned to stay in a single bedroom on the


    second floor with the children.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    When Theodore heard her say this, he nced toward Thomas.


    Thomas pursed his lips and remained silent.


    Thus, Theodore did not say anything either and simply asked, ¡°Ms. Ross, what kind of food do you and the children like to eat?


    We can invite a professional chef to prepare it for you.¡± Sylvia replied with a smile, ¡°Thank you for the consideration, but we


    usually cook ourselves, so there¡¯s no need to trouble you for that.¡±


    Theodore nced at Thomas again.


    Thomas continued to remain silent.


    Theodore said, ¡°Very well, but this ce is remote, and it''s not convenient for you to go out shopping. Before you arrived, we


    already had fresh meat and vegetables delivered here through special channels. The groceries in the future will be acquired the


    same way, so there¡¯s no need for you to go out to buy ingredients yourself.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°All right. Thank you, Theodore.¡±


    ¡®After | get through this, I''ll give back all the money spent here to Thomas. ¡®Even if he doesn¡¯tck money, | have to make him


    ept it.¡¯ Theodore showed her around the house before going out. Thomas said, ¡°Go and sleep first before having breakfast.¡±


    Sylvia remembered that he drove for more than three hours and hurriedly said, ¡°Okay. You should go and rest too.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Sylvia and Aunt Tonya took the two children upstairs and came to a spacious bedroom.


    The bedroom was neat and tidy, and the bedding was clean as well.


    It smelled fresh, most likely because it was cleaned up frequently.


    Sylvia put both Isabel and Liam on the bed and said to Aunt Tonya, ¡°You should go get some sleep.¡±


    It was almost dawn.


    However, Aunt Tonya was a bit refreshed. She asked with a smile, ¡°Syl, Second Master Carter and you...¡±


    Sylvia could see the gossip on her face.


    She frowned and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, he¡¯s Odell¡¯s brother. Don¡¯t think about nonsense.¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s face went cold at the mention of Odell¡¯s name. ¡°You divorced him a long time ago. Are you nning to live the rest


    of your life single after leaving him? Besides, | think that Second Master Carter is quite good. At least, he treats you very well.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Aunt Tonya. Hurry up and go to bed. I¡¯m not in the mood to think about that now.¡± She just wanted to hurry up and break it


    off with Odell. As for Thomas, she knew that he was good to her, but she did not dare to think about anything else.


    Aunt Tonya rubbed her eyes. ¡°All right. You also hurry up and rest.¡±


    ¡°Mm.


    She went out


    Sylvia took off her shoes and coat and went to bed. Shey in between the two little ones, sniffing their milky scent, and soon fell


    into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 610

    Chapter 610


    Near the Art Academy, in Sylvia¡¯s previous residence.


    It was early spring, and the morning wind was a little cold.


    After the man rushed back from thepany, he strode into her house inrge strides.


    He searched from outside to inside, in every room and every corner, but her figure was nowhere to be found.


    Finally, his tall figure stood in front of the dark and inconspicuous door at the back of the living room. His cold eyes fixed on the


    back door not far behind.


    It was obvious that Aunt Tonya took the children and ran away from the back door in the middle ofst night, shortly after he left!


    That infuriating woman!


    At that moment, Jacob and Ben ran over. ¡°Master Carter.¡± They both lowered their heads and sounded very careful. Odell asked


    coldly, ¡°Did you find her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jacob said, ¡°Last night, about 1 a.m., a silver MPV appeared on the road outside the back door.


    The Madam and Aunt Tonya took the two children through the back door and left in the


    car.¡±


    Asilver MPV?Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Did you check the license te?¡±


    Jacob lowered his head again and said in a low voice, ¡°Yes, it belonged to Second Master Carter.


    Odell¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Thomas?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    He coldly pursed his lips, and his hands hanging at his sides also clenched into tight fists.¡± Find her. Find all the houses he has in


    Westchester City!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Jacob and Ben hurriedly answered and went to do as they were instructed.


    Odell¡¯s face was gloomy, He nced in the direction of the back door, and then turned around and walked out.


    Spencer and William, two people he personally promoted, suddenly betrayed him one after another. It was clear that there was


    someone behind this.


    His stepmother was abroad now. Even if she wanted to scheme against him, she was too far away to do anything


    After he took charge of Carter Corporation, although he ruled with an iron fist, he let thepany¡¯s earnings increase year by


    year. Those shareholders were happy with their annual dividends, so they would not be stupid enough to do such things.


    ¡®Now that | connect the dots, it¡¯s clear that Thomas is behind this.


    ¡®| just didn¡¯t expect a seemingly aloof and quiet man who only likes to y with the piano to be able to engage in such schemes.


    ¡®| really underestimated him!¡¯ Odell quickly walked out of the door. At that moment, Tara suddenly ran over from the side. She


    wore a tight dress with only a shawl over it, and her hair and makeup were specially styled to make her look somewhat flirtatious.


    ¡°Odell!¡± She ran straight up to him, looking at him with soft eyes.


    Odell frowned in annoyance. His already gloomy face instantly turned terrifying.


    Tara shrank in fright and quickly took a step back. Then, she asked softly, ¡°What''s wrong, Odell? Did something happen?¡±


    He did not have time to chat with her. He said in a low voice, ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Tara hurriedly moved to the side, but she said, ¡°Odell, | came here to thank you for saving me that night. | heard that Sylvia was


    also saved. Are you and her okay now?¡± What answered her was the sound of Odell getting into the car and closing the door. In


    the blink of an eye, his dazzling ck sports car roared into the driveway.


    Tara was left frozen in ce.


    Her face and figure were a little stiff, and her eyes were filled with a strong look of disappointment.


    ¡®He clearly chose me that night. Why is he so cold to me now? ¡®Did Sylvia say something about me to him?


    ¡°That b*tch!

 Chapter 611

    Chapter 611


    Tara cursed in her heart and looked around. When she saw that there was no one around, she took out her phone and sent a


    message to a contact named ¡°Second Master¡±. ¡°Second Master, Odell clearly chose me that night. Why did he refuse to pay


    attention to me when | came to him? Did that b*tch Sylvia say something to him?¡±


    She did not know the real name and identity of this ¡°Second Master¡±, but she heard Spencer call him that when she put on a y


    with himst time.


    Furthermore, he was more powerful than she thought. Not only did he know Odell and Sylvia very well, but he was also able to


    n everything perfectly. When he told her to cooperate and y along with Spencer, she had not believed that Odell would


    choose her. However, he said very firmly, ¡°He''ll definitely choose you.¡±


    Later, she skeptically followed his n, and unexpectedly, Odell really chose her at thest moment!


    At that thought, she clutched the sapphire ring hanging on her chest again, and her gaze became firm.


    ¡®As long as | have this, and with Second Master¡¯s help, Odell will let mee back to his side!¡¯


    In the suburbs, in a remote vi.


    Wd


    The sky was already bright when Sylvia opened her eyes. Liam was also awake and was sitting beside her, looking at her. His


    little face was quiet without any trace of shock or panic. He simply watched over her silently. Sylvia sat up, stroked his head, and


    asked with a smile, ¡°Liam, where¡¯s your sister?¡±


    He said, ¡°She went downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s also go down and have breakfast.¡±


    It was alreadyte.


    Sylvia rolled out of bed and took him into her arms.


    The little boy was very obedient, but he suddenly asked, ¡°Mommy, did you fight with Dad again?¡±


    Sylvia frowned Before she could figure out how to answer, he asked, ¡°Was it a big fight?¡±


    Histone was calm, just like a little adult


    Sylvia¡¯s chest felt stuffy. Then, she softly replied, ¡°Mommy ns to separate from your dad for a while. We both need some time


    to cool down.¡±


    Liam looked at her and said nothing,


    She continued, ¡°But | won''t forbid you and Isabel from seeing him. When we both calm down, I¡¯ll take you back, so just stay here


    with me in the meantime, okay?¡±


    Her voice was as gentle as her expression.


    Liam pursed his lips. ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia immediately sighed in relief. Soon, she carried him to the stairs leading to the living room. As


    soon as she looked down, she saw Isabel¡¯s chubby figure sitting beside Thomas on the sofa in the living room.


    Her small hand was holding something to eat as she looked at him withrge and blinking eyes.


    It was clear that she was mesmerized by him.


    Sylvia pursed her lips helplessly and quickly carried Liam downstairs.


    When she carried Liam to their side, Thomas¡¯ phone screen on the coffee table suddenly lit up.


    Someone sent him a message.


    Sylvia saw the profile picture of the person and felt that it was familiar. It was as if she had seen it before.


    She was curious and wanted to take another look, but Isabel¡¯s childish voice suddenly sounded. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re awake!¡±


    She raised her chubby face, grinning at Sylvia.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She was obviously in a good mood. Sylvia did not look at Thomas¡¯ phone anymore and put the familiar profile picture to the back


    of her mind


    She smiled and hummed at the little girl.


    Al that moment, Thomas picked up a clean handkerchief and wiped the crumbs on the corner of Isabel''s mouth.


    The biule girl said sweetly, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Thomas.¡±

 Chapter 612

    Chapter 612


    Chapter 612


    Thomas smiled at her. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Then, he picked up the phone on the coffee table, put it into his jacket pocket, and got up to say to Sylvia, ¡°Breakfast is ready.


    Let¡¯s eat.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia smiled back at him. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She carried Liam to the dining table.


    Thomas also led Isabel over.


    Sylvia called Aunt Tonya, who was busy working outside, and started to eat breakfast at the table.


    They had a hearty breakfast. All the dishes were Sylvia¡¯s favorite.


    The little ones and Aunt Tonya were not fussy eaters and liked everything.


    Thomas sat beside Isabel and ate slowly and methodically.


    However, during this period, his eyes flickered toward Sylvia several times.


    She ate seriously and put food on Isabel and Liam¡¯s tes from time to time. Her fair and delicate face looked normal, and there


    were no strange emotions in her expression.


    ¡®It seems she didn¡¯t see that message.¡¯


    His expression rxed, and he picked up a bowl to pick some food for the adorable girl beside him.


    The girl¡¯s sweet and crisp voice said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Thomas, but | can serve myself. You eat too. You don¡¯t need to care


    about me.¡± Thomas could not help but smile. ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel picked up the small fork and started to eat. Looking at her cheerful


    expression, Sylvia said gently, ¡°Isabel, eat slowly. Be careful not to choke.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The girl obediently slowed down her movements. Sylvia smiled.


    Thomas secretly nced at her, and the corners of his cold lips could not help but curl up as well.


    However, at that moment, he sensed something and turned around to meet a pair ofrge eyes.


    Liam, who was sitting beside Sylvia, was looking at him with eyes that did not match his age.


    Thomas¡¯ expression flickered, and he revealed an amiable look.


    Liam lowered his head expressionlessly and continued eating.


    Breakfast passed quickly. Thomas stood up.


    Sylvia also got up after him. He looked at her and said in a gentle voice, ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while. You guys make yourselves at


    home. Don¡¯t worry about anything.¡± Sylvia smiled back at him. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Bye-bye, Uncle Thomas!¡± Isabel did not forget to wave


    her chubby hand at him when she saw him about to leave.


    Thomas smiled at her. ¡°Bye.¡±


    He looked at Sylvia again before walking out. When he was gone, Isabel withdrew her gaze and looked at Sylvia instead, asking,


    ¡°Mommy, why did you bring us here to Uncle Thomas?¡± Sylvia already exined it to Liam once, so she simply repeated herself.


    ¡°Mommy and Daddy got into a little fight. We need some time to calm down, so | brought you two here to y for a while.¡± Isabel


    puffed up her chubby cheeks. ¡°Mommy, did the baddie bully you again?¡± Sylvia responded with a smile, ¡°No, we just argued a


    little.¡± The little girl breathed out. ¡°That''s good.¡± Sylvia also sighed in relief. Immediately after, the girl tugged on Liam¡¯s hand and


    said excitedly, ¡°Liam, | saw lots of fun stuff in the back this morning. Let''s go y together!¡± Liam responded somewhat


    emotionlessly and was dragged out by Isabel. Sylvia could not help butugh, and her heart waspletely relieved.


    However, she still followed them from afar and came to a dreamy fairy tale forest.

 Chapter 613

    Chapter 613


    This ce was very different from the architectural style of the vi. It was an artificial forest with colorful lights hanging all over


    the treetops. In addition to those beautiful decorations, there were many toys that were only avable in ygrounds. When


    Sylvia arrived, she also saw several workers carrying stuff inside as if to build a carousel.


    ¡®It seems like these were preparedst night...


    ¡®Did Thomas specially prepare this for the children?¡± Sylvia suddenly felt a little heavy.


    At that moment, Isabel had already dragged Liam to sit on the cute cartoon train. While driving the train, she shouted at Sylvia,


    ¡°Mommy, youe too!¡±


    Sylvia smiled helplessly and walked over toward them.


    At that moment, a pure white MPV was driving on the road.


    Thomas sat in the back, looking at the message on his phone.


    It was sent to him by the housekeeper, saying that Sylvia was apanying the two children to y in the newly built


    yground in the back. He also took a few pictures of Sylvia.


    In the pictures, she was smiling gently and sweetly at the two children.


    He could not help but rub his fingertips on her face.


    Ding! Abruptly, a message popped up. It was from Tara again.


    He did not reply to her in the morning, and this time, she sent, ¡®Second Master, are you free today? Can we meet?¡±


    Thomas¡¯ long fingers tapped the screen a few times and removed her from his friends¡¯ list.


    He had already helped her to this point. The rest was up to her own ability. Besides, she was no longer of any use to him.


    In Tara¡¯s residence in Lake Victoria Vi? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Tara watched the screen for a long time, but there was no reply.


    She was very anxious, ¡®Odell was obviously annoyed with me in the morning. | have to think of a way to make him change his


    mind about me as soon as possible! Now, only this ingenious Second Master can help me


    Soon, she sent hiin another message.


    However, she got a system prompt saying that the other person was no longer her friend, and


    she needed to add him as a friend again before she could send him a message.


    Tara¡¯s eyes shed in shock. ¡®Why did he delete me?


    ¡®Did | say something to offend him? ¡®No, that can¡¯t happen! ¡®I still haven¡¯t returned to Odell¡¯s side yet!¡¯


    She was just about to send him a friend request again.


    However, at that moment, her phone suddenly received a call from an unknown number.


    She answered suspiciously.


    Asomewhat sinister male voice sounded on the phone. ¡°Tara Avery, right? I¡¯m Second Master''s assistant. He told me to tell you


    that Master Odell has broken contact with his ex wife, and his ex-wife left with the children. Master Carter is alone now. Whether


    you can return to his side is up to you.¡± Tara¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? Odell and Sylvia really broke contact?¡± ¡°You can check it


    yourself if you don¡¯t believe me. Besides that, | have to give you a warning. Second Master likes peace and quiet. You''d better


    not harass him again, or you''ll face the consequences.¡± Then, he hung up the phone. Tara¡¯s eyes flickered. However, when she


    thought that Odell and Sylvia broke off contact, she could not help but curl the corners of her mouth.


    ¡°That b*tch took those two little runts and left. Now''s the best time for me to return to Odell!


    Immediately, she got up and went to her room. She changed into a slim long skirt with a low neckline thatpletely exposed


    the sapphire ring hanging around her neck. After putting on delicate makeup, she went out of the room again.

 Chapter 614

    Chapter 614


    Chapter 614


    In Carter Corporation.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    They had just ovee a major crisis, but the entire building was enveloped by a dark cloud. The atmosphere was so


    suffocating that people could not breathe. Inside Odell¡¯s office on the top floor. The man¡¯s tall figure stood in front of the floor-to-


    ceiling window, staring into the distance with dark eyes.


    Knock, knock


    Someone knocked on the door carefully.


    He said in a cold voice, ¡°Enter.¡±


    Cliff walked in, stopped two meters behind him, and whispered, ¡°Master Carter, ording to your instructions, we¡¯ve screened all


    the staff from top to bottom. These are the suspicious ones. Please have a look.¡±


    Cliff handed over the documents in his hand.


    Odell took it and looked over it.


    Those people were all senior executives. The document recorded their information in great detail, including some of the activities


    for the past half month. The amount of money under their names had changed. They were all transferred to offshore ounts.


    It was obvious that they were trying to run.


    Odell narrowed his eyes coldly. Cliff looked at his expression and said, ¡°Master Carter, should we do anything to them?¡± ¡°No,


    don¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Cliff did not understand. ¡°But thepany just went through a crisis. What if they do something again?¡±


    ¡°Arrange for people to keep an eye on them secretly. Don¡¯t let them notice.¡± Odell coldly pulled the corners of his mouth. His


    deep eyes were filled with a chill. ¡°I want them to regret it when it¡¯s toote.¡±


    Chil''s gaze trembled, and he quickly said, ¡°Understood.¡±


    He took two steps back, but then he thought of something and said, ¡°Master Carter, there¡¯s one more thing We found out what


    happened in the two months after the Madam fell into Cloudy Heart Lake.¡±


    Odell immediately looked at him, ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°She was saved in Greenstem Hospital and then immediately transferred to Coastrock city, Walchais hundreds of miles away, to


    recuperale in an upscale private hospital The people investigating also found Second Master Carter¡¯s figure in the surveince


    footage of that hospital.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. ¡°Thomas?¡± ¡°Yes. The medical staff in that hospital also confirmed that Second Master Carter


    was by the Madam¡¯s side almost every day during that period. He didn¡¯t leave until her health had improved.¡± Cliff saw his


    terrifying expression and took a step back before continuing, ¡°I guess that the Madam was saved by Second Master Carter


    immediately after she fell into the water.¡±


    Although Thomas had a cold rtionship with Odell, he was still Odell¡¯s brother. Thus, it was impossible for him not to know


    about Sylvia¡¯s rtionship with Odell, and even more impossible for him not to know that Odell had flipped over every stone in


    Cloudy Heart Lake to find Sylvia back then.


    However, he deliberately transferred Sylvia to Coastrock City after saving her. He must be deliberately trying to separate Odell


    and Sylvia. As expected, after Cliff finished speaking, Odell¡¯s expression turned dark. A horrible and suffocating aura surrounded


    him. Cliff pursed his lips and lowered his head, not daring to breathe. After an unknown amount of time, Odell said in a cold


    voice, ¡°Did you find out the route of his silver carst night?¡±


    Cliff hurriedly replied, ¡°We only managed to track him to a fork between the city and the southern outskirts.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression was icy as he yelled, ¡°Keep checking!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Cliff answered and quickly jogged out. Therge office was suddenly plunged into endless oppression. The man¡¯s hands hanging


    at his sides were tightly clenched into fists, and the veins at the corners of his forehead rippled.


    ¡®T''ll find that infuriating woman, even if | have to overturn every pebble to do it!¡±


    Achoo!


    Sylvia had just finished ying on the carousel with the two little ones when she suddenly sneezed.


    Her body also inexplicably shivered,

 Chapter 615

    Chapter 615


    Isabel and Liam raised their little heads to look at her.


    Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, did you catch a cold?¡±


    Sylvia smiled at them. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It was probably just the wind.¡±


    She had no symptoms of difort, and her voice was normal. It was not a cold.


    Maybe someone was badmouthing her behind her back.


    At that moment, a slender figure came from outside the forest.


    Isabel was the first to see him. Herrge eyes lit up, and she called out, ¡°Uncle Thomas!¡±


    Thomas smiled and walked over to them.


    The girl immediately ran up to him.


    He reached out to pick her up, and his soft eyes looked at Sylvia. Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°What brings you here, Thomas?¡±


    It was not that she did not want him toe over. Besides, this ce was his territory, so he coulde and go whenever he


    wanted. She was just curious why he did not go back to his usual ce in the city but came all the way back here instead.


    Thomas was silent for two seconds before saying, ¡°I may have to stay here in the future.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    ¡®What did that mean?¡¯


    ¡°Did he...?¡± Seeing that both children were around, she stopped halfway through her sentence. Thomas caught onto the


    meaning of her words and let out a soft hum. Isabel, who was being held by Thomas, looked at Sylvia and then back at him with


    wide eyes. She asked in confusion, ¡°Mommy and Uncle Thomas, what are you talking about?¡±


    Liam also raised his head to look at them.


    Sylvia forced down her gloomy mood and replied, ¡°Just some adult stuff.¡±


    Isabel hummed and did not ask any more questions.


    It was already evening by then. Sylvia held Liam¡¯s hand and led them out of the woods and back to the house in front.


    Alter dinner, the two little ones ran to the couch to y, and Sylvia found an opportunity to talk to Thomas


    She asked sullenly, ¡°Thomas, did Odell do something to you?¡±


    Thomas replied calmly, ¡°He just posted a reward for news about me. He didn¡¯t do anything to


    Sylvia sighed with relief, but still said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. | dragged you into this.¡± ¡®Odell is looking for Thomas with great


    fanfare. It¡¯s most likely because he realized that we


    took the children away, so he wants to find me and the children. ¡®His true love is Tara, so he naturally won''t care that much about


    me. He¡¯s just angry that | took the children away.¡¯Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It''s fine. I''m staying alone, so it doesn¡¯t matter where | live.¡± Thomas looked at her, and his cold gaze softened to the naked eye.


    ¡°Plus, Liam and Isabel are very cute, and Aunt Tonya is very friendly. | like to be here too.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face heated up, and she subconsciously turned her head to avoid his gaze. Thomas looked at her reddened side profile.


    His eyes flickered as he stayed silent.


    In Carter Tower.


    When it was almost midnight, the lights of the top floor office finally turned off.


    Ashort whileter, a man¡¯s tall and strong figure came out of the first floor lobby.


    In the dark, Tara, who had been waiting here for almost a day, saw his handsome appearance. When she saw that he was about


    to walk over, she quickly rushed up to him. Her beautifully dressed figure instantly appeared by Odell¡¯s side. ¡°Odell,¡± She looked


    at him softly and spoke in an extra gentle voice.


    Odell¡¯s figure froze.

 Chapter 616

    Chapter 616


    The very next second, his dark brows knitted, and an annoyed look emerged on his face.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    His voice was so cold that it was frightening.


    Tara¡¯s gaze trembled as her eyes immediately began to tear up. She took a small step back to the side and asked in a small


    voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Odell? Is something troubling you?


    Odell ignored her. Without even looking at her, he walked directly past her. Tara¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at him in panic


    and reluctance. Seeing that he was about to walk away, she chased after him and grabbed hold of one of his arms. In a sobbing


    voice, she said, ¡°Odell, please don¡¯t be like this. You can tell me if you¡¯re unhappy. Being angry isn¡¯t good for your health. | don¡¯t


    want you to be unhappy.¡±


    Odell stopped in his tracks and looked at her with his deep and dark eyes. ¡°Go back to your own ce and don¡¯t appear in front


    of my eyes again.¡±


    His voice was grim and it was obvious that he was restraining his emotions. However, Tara did not notice this. All she knew was


    that Sylvia and him had separated, and he was alone now, so she had to hurry up and take the opportunity to return to his side!


    In the next second, she pressed herself softly against him, and her voice became delicate. ¡°Odell, please let me stay with you. |


    can help share your¡ª Ah!¡± Before she could finish speaking, he had flung her away and she fell straight to the ground. Using his


    long legs, Odell strode toward the spot where he had parked his car.


    Tara remained on the floor with an expression of confusion on her face.


    What was going on? Why was this happening? Hadn''t he already separated from Sylvia? He had clearly chosen to let her live


    while they were at gunpoint. Even the sapphire ring he had given her was hanging around her neck. Why had he still pushed her


    away?¡¯


    In a remote vi in the suburbs.


    Day and night, the ce remained quiet and the air was iparably fresh. Fresh ingredients were brought in every day without


    Sylvia having to go out. Even the living supplies for her, Aunt Tonya, and the two little ones were neatly arranged in their rooms


    within a day.


    Sylvia silently noted all these down in a book, thinking that when she left in the future, she would pay Thomas back in cash for all


    these supplies.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Even so, she still felt very guilty in her heart.


    That was because Thomas had helped her so much. Even if she used all her assets to pay him back, it might still not be


    enough.


    That morning, her eyes opened just after dawn.


    Isabel and Liam were still asleep.


    Sylvia kissed their little faces, got up, and went to the balcony to see a beautiful view of the sunrise.


    In the distance, the round red sun rose from the mountains. The warm sunlight shone diagonally across and spread over the


    whole vi, giving people a feeling of vitality and hope.


    Her eyes lit up. Then, she took out the drawing board and her paints, and started to paint while sitting on the ground. The paint


    that had been prepared was sshed on the white canvas with reckless abandon.


    She wanted to record this beautiful scene before the sun rose, so she moved quickly. Her expression was extraordinarily


    serious.


    It was only when thest stroke fell that she became aware of a figure standing behind her.


    As the man¡¯s slender figure leanedzily against the wall, the sunlight that fell upon his brown eyes reflected a gentle luster.


    Sylvia was startled. ¡°Thomas? How long have you been here?¡±


    Thomas pursed his lips. ¡°Not long.¡±


    She smiled and got up, asking him, ¡°What do you think of this painting?¡±


    She was asking about the picture of the rising sun that she had just painted.


    His lips curled as he said, ¡°It¡¯s very beautiful.¡±


    Whether it was the visual impact or the feeling it gave off, it was a masterpiece.


    It was even better than the real beauty outside.

 Chapter 617

    Chapter 617


    It was at the level of a world-ss painter, which was the level she was at.


    Sylvia asked again, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Thomas looked at her. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s yours. However, the painting still needs to dry. I''ll send it to you when it¡¯s dry.¡± She moved the painting board to the


    vent to the side.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    His eyes flickered. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. | owe you much more than this painting.¡±


    He did not say anything.


    She knew that he was someone who did not like to talk much, so she did not mind.


    After putting the painting away, she walked up to him and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go out.¡±


    Thomas suddenly raised his hand, ced his warm fingertips on her forehead, and gently rubbed it twice.


    Sylvia froze.


    After rubbing, he said in a soft voice, ¡°There was paint on your forehead.¡±


    Sheughed dryly. ¡°I could''ve wiped it myself. You didn¡¯t have to do it for me.¡±


    It was a little ambiguous. However, Thomas¡¯ lips curved into a gentle yet seductive smile. ¡°I wanted to wipe it for you.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Well.


    Without saying anything else, she quickly walked back into the bedroom while avoiding his eyes. Inside the bedroom, Liam had


    already woken up, but his little face showed that he was still slightly drowsy as he stared at the direction of the balcony.


    He looked incredibly cute.


    Sylvia quickly regained herposure and went to his side.


    Liam''srge eyes looked at her. ¡°Mommy, what were you doing on the balcony?¡±


    She replied, ¡°I was painting.¡±


    At that moment, Thomas came out from the balcony.


    He nced at Liam and said to Sylvia, ¡°Tell me when the painting is dry. I¡¯lle to pick it up.¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    He did not linger and went straight out.


    ¡°Mommy, did you give Uncle Thomas your painting?¡±


    Sylvia replied truthfully, ¡°Yeah, he helped me a lot, so | painted this painting to thank him.¡± Liam¡¯s eyes flickered as he asked,


    ¡°What did he help you with?¡±


    It was rare that this little one wanted to chat with her, so Sylvia gave him a brief exnation of how Thomas had helped her.


    ¡°Many years ago, when your sister and you were very young, | had to live on the streets because | had no money. It was Uncle


    Thomas who unexpectedly appeared to help. He even introduced me to a great painter, Uncle Simon. Without Uncle Thomas¡¯


    help, | might not have the career that | have now... There was also that time not long ago when | fell into the water and


    disappeared. It was also Uncle Thomas who saved me.¡±


    Although she still could not help but want to curse Odell when she thought of those past incidents, she still avoided talking about


    him and only mentioned how Thomas helped her. Liam listened attentively and looked at her after she finished. ¡°Mommy, was


    Dad not around when you faced those problems?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze changed.


    ¡®Not only was he not around, it was his fault that | had to


    go through all that in the first ce.¡¯


    She held back her anger and said, ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Odell was good to the children. What had happened between the two of them had to remain between them. No matter how much


    she hated him, she just could not pass on that hatred to the two children.


    Unexpectedly, after she spoke , Liam fell into her arms.


    He said, ¡°I''ll protect you from now on, Mommy.¡± Sylvia''s heart instantly felt warm. She smiled and said softly, ¡°Thank you, Liam,


    but | only want for your sister and you to live a happy life every day. | can handle adult matters by myself.¡± Liam did not say


    anything. He was thinking that if she could handle it, she would not have suffered so much and been saved so many times by


    this odd andplicated Uncle Thomas.

 Chapter 618

    Chapter 618


    Chapter 618


    Aweek went by in the blink of an eye.


    During that week, Sylvia was able to see her two little ones every day the moment she opened her eyes. Thendscape of the


    vi was extremely beautiful, every angle was like an artwork of its own. While apanying the children, she also had the


    inspiration to paint.


    Although Thomas lived here as well, he only asionally appeared in the morning or evening. Even though he did not conceal


    his feelings for her, it was obvious that he also did not try to make things ufortable for her.


    Thus, Sylvia lived here infort and ease.


    That particr day, perhaps because Isabel was tired of eating Sylvia and Aunt Tonya¡¯s cooking every day, the little girl suddenly


    cried out that she wanted to have a barbecue meal.


    The kitchen had been stocked up with all sorts of fresh ingredients, so there was no shortage of meat and other groceries.


    Sylvia thus decided to have an outdoor barbecue at the artificialke behind the vi.


    At noon, she moved the ingredients over with Aunt Tonya and Theodore¡¯s help.


    It was warm in spring, and the breeze was very pleasant. The willow trees by theke were full of lush green leaves. Sylvia sent


    a message to Thomas, asking him toe down and join the barbecue.


    Unexpectedly, just as she had gone over with Aunt Tonya and the children , his slender figure suddenly appeared.


    He was wearing a loose white shirt with an open cor. The short brown hair at his temples was tousled by the wind, and his fair


    face looked very handsome beneath the sunlight. He looked like an elegant prince from a manga. ¡°Uncle Thomas!¡±


    As soon as he appeared, the little girl eagerly ran over to


    him.


    Thomas¡¯s figure looked thin, but he easily picked the chubby little girl up.


    Isabel happily sat in his arms.


    The corners of his lips were slightly curled as he walked up to Sylvia with a gentle and spring-like smile.


    Sylvia also smiled at him. ¡°Why are you here so early, Thomas?¡±


    ¡°There was nothing to do in my room,¡± he said.


    Well.


    Sylvia said, ¡°Make yourselffortable then. Aunt Tonya


    and | will start the barbecue.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia sat on a chair and took some wooden skewers to prepare the ingredients for the barbecue with Aunt Tonya.


    Thomas carried Isabel and walked to Liam¡¯s side. Liam looked like a little adult as he sat alone on a bench while seriously


    reading a small book.


    Noticing Thomas and Isabel, he only raised his eyes faintly before continuing to read.


    Thomas nced at his book and smiled. ¡°Are you interested in Al?¡±


    Liam''s big and quiet eyes looked up at him. ¡°How did you know | was reading about that?¡±


    The book he was reading was about a very niche subject and did not specifically mention artificial intelligence. Only someone


    who was very well ¡ª versed in this subject would be able to see the connection.


    ¡°| know a little about the topic.¡± After a pause, Thomas continued, ¡°I was the one who wrote the book you''re reading.¡±


    Liam''s wide eyes were stunned, but the next second, he returned to his usual impassive look and said, ¡°You''re very impressive.¡±


    ¡°So are you.¡± Liam was so young, yet he could actually


    understand the book.


    Thomas had written that book as an extracurricr textbook for university students. Liam was only five years old. He was


    obviously gifted.


    ¡°Uncle Thomas and Liam are both very impressive.¡± Isabel, who was sitting in Thomas¡¯ arms, suddenly spoke up.


    Her sweet and childish voice was very pleasant to hear.


    Thomas could not help but pat her on the head before he


    anything you don¡¯t understand or want to know more about.¡±


    Liam continued to fix his eyes on the pages and said, ¡± Okay, thanks.¡±


    Thomas pursed his lips. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Isabel suddenly pouted.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    She suddenly felt that her brother and Uncle Thomas were a bit boring


    Soon, she climbed down from Thomas¡¯ arms and went to find Sylvia and Aunt Tonya with her little legs.

 Chapter 619

    Chapter 619


    As the smell of the charcoal grill began to rise, the sun set halfway down the mountain.


    The fiery clouds in the sky reflected on theke, staining it orange and red as well.


    Sylvia was experienced in cooking barbecue and soon served up a te of grilled meat.


    Isabel had been waiting with her mouth open for a long time, so Sylvia immediately took two skewers to her. However, instead of


    rushing to stuff her own mouth, the little girl ran over to Thomas and Liam. She gave them the two skewers beforeing back


    to ask Sylvia for more.


    Before they knew it, the te of skewers was empty.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia grilled another te.


    Isabel held the te and divided the food among Thomas, Liam, Aunt Tonya, Theodore, and the workers who were in charge of


    pruning the garden.


    The atmosphere was very lively.


    Sylvia could see that Isabel was behaving very well even though she was rather noisy, so she focused on grilling the other


    ingredients.


    However, while she was focused on her task, she suddenly heard a ssh from not far away.


    She was shocked.


    Then, Theodore cried out, ¡°Isabel fell into the water!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s hands shook, and she immediately ran toward theke.


    It was not dark yet, so she could see the little girl iling in the water.


    Just as Sylvia was about to jump in, a figure beside her was faster and instantly leaped inside. With a ssh, he jumped into the


    water and quickly swam over to Isabel. He then scooped her up in his arms before swimming back to the shore.


    Sylvia hurriedly crouched down and reached out to them.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    In a short while, Isabel was brought over to her.


    Sylvia quickly carried her up.


    The little girl was choking on the water.


    Sylvia turned her body sideways and patted her on the back.


    After spitting out a mouthful of water, the little girl''s chubby face began to look a little better.


    Sylvia could not help but frown and look at Isabel sternly.


    Probably knowing that she had done something wrong, the girl¡¯s small mouth trembled, and her eyes instantly reddened before


    she fell into Sylvia¡¯s arms. She babbled on as she sobbed, ¡°I was wrong, Mommy. | won¡¯t y by the water ever again.¡± Sylvia


    hugged her tightly in her arms. Although her heart ached, she still said seriously, ¡°I''ll forgive you this time, but if this happens


    again, | won''t forgive you the next time.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. | know.¡±


    Sylvia immediately picked her up. Then, she saw Thomas, who was still soaking wet.


    Theodore had handed him his jacket, but Thomas did not put it on. He looked at Isabel in Sylvia''s arms.


    Sylvia said to him, ¡°Thank you, Thomas. Isabel is fine now. I''ll take her back to change her clothes. You should also change into


    some clean clothes so that you don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Thomas looked relieved. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia quickly carried Isabel back to the house.


    Liam also followed them.


    She dried the little girl¡¯s hair, changed her into some clean clothes, and met Liam in front of the door.


    The little boy''s face was impassive and cool as he stared


    at Isabel.


    Isabel pouted and called out, ¡°Liam.¡±


    Liam extended a small hand toward her. She immediately ced her chubby hand in it.


    He said, ¡°Follow me. You¡¯re not allowed to stay more than half a meter away from me.¡±


    He clearly still had a child¡¯s voice, but his tone was overbearing


    Sylvia pursed her lips. For a moment, she did not know whether to feel happy or helpless.

 Chapter 620

    Chapter 620


    Worried about the possibility of further idents, Aunt Tonya and Theodore moved the barbecue grill and ingredients over to the


    front yard.


    Sylvia and the two little ones saw them just as they came out of the living room.


    When she got a whiff of the fragrant barbecue, Isabel immediately forgot that she had just fallen into theke ying with the


    water. She immediately wanted to run over with her little legs so she could eat the meat, but she was pulled back by Liam¡¯s


    hand.


    She pouted unhappily.


    Liam frowned.


    Instantly, the little girl put on an obedient expression and said earnestly, ¡°Liam, | want to eat some meat.¡±


    Liam hummed in reply. Then, he led her to the table and got her to sit down before allowing her to eat.


    When she observed this scene, Sylvia did not know whether tough or cry.


    After a while, when Isabel had almost eaten her fill, Thomas came out of the house.


    He had changed into a loose gray sweater and a pair of


    trousers. His blow-dried hair casually hung down at his temples.


    However, his face looked even paler than before.


    Feeling like something was wrong, Sylvia went up to ask him, ¡°Thomas, did you catch a cold?¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Your voice sounds a little hoarse.¡±


    ¡°I''ll be fine after drinking some water.¡± He smiled at her. With that, he went to sit in the other chair and poured himself a cup of


    warm water.


    Sylvia saw that there did not seem to be anything wrong, so she did not dwell on it.


    After dinner, she took the two little ones to their room as usual.


    Although Isabel seemed hale and hearty, she had fallen into the water earlier. Thus, Sylvia was worried that she might get sick


    and gave the girl some medication to prevent a cold.


    Then, she gave Isabel a bath before tucking both Liam and her into bed.


    It was alreadyte at night.


    She was just about to wash up when she suddenly remembered how Thomas had jumped into the water to save Isabel.


    ¡®| wonder if he took any medicine to prevent a cold.¡¯


    After thinking for a moment, she decided to go ask him.


    He lived on the third floor. Sylvia left her room, walked up the stairs, and quickly arrived outside his room door. Knocking on the


    door, she asked, ¡°Thomas, are you asleep?¡±


    After two seconds, a hoarse male voice sounded from inside. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Something was obviously wrong. She hurriedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°I''m fine,¡± he replied. Sylvia immediately pressed the door handle.


    Fortunately, the door was unlocked, so she opened it and walked in.


    Only the wallmp was on in the room. Under the dim light, the man¡¯s slender figurey on his side on the bed. When Sylvia


    came in, he propped himself up with his arms.


    His face was pale, and all the blood seemed to have left his lips.


    She immediately went to his bedside and reached out to touch his forehead. It was scalding hot


    He obviously had a fever.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go get some medicine for you.¡± She was just about to turn around and go out.


    However, she found that her wrist had been grabbed by him.


    She turned back to look at him.


    Thomas looked at her with a somewhat disorientated gaze and said hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can go back and rest. Don¡¯t worry


    about me.¡±


    Sylvia suddenly felt a little annoyed.


    He had fallen ill because he had saved Isabel. How could she not care about him? Yet he had even told her to go and rest? He


    really did not care about himself!


    Sylvia insisted, ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy now.¡±


    Then, she shook his hand off and quickly walked out.


    There were medicines for treating colds and fevers in the medicine box.


    Sylvia took the pills, got the thermometer , and poured a ss of water before going back to Thomas¡¯ room.


    He was already sitting up and leaning weakly against the bed


    She took his temperature first.


    Fortunately, it was not that high. ¡°Hold out your hand,¡± she said.

 Chapter 621

    Chapter 621


    Thomas looked at her and held out a hand.


    Taking out two pills, Sylvia ced them on the center of the palm of his hand and said, ¡°Put them in your mouth.¡±


    He put them into his mouth.


    She then handed a ss of water to him, ¡°Here, drink this and swallow the pills.¡±


    He did as he was told.


    With that, Sylvia managed to get him to take the medicine that would help with the symptoms of his cold.


    After it all was done, she told him, ¡°Lie down and get some rest.¡±


    Thomas smiled and thanked her, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°All | did was get you some medicine , you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡±


    She truly meant what she said.


    Compared to what he had done to help her, what she had done was barely even worth mentioning at all, especially considering


    that the reason he had gotten sick in the first ce was because he had saved Isabel.


    Thomas did not answer but regarded her with a quiet look.


    She was used to having him stare at her like this by now. She was not bothered by this and gently told him, ¡°Get some rest.¡±


    He pursed his lips and said, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    Sylvia wanted to offer to make him some tea to help him sleep, but before she could say anything, he suddenly asked, ¡°Could


    you stay with me for a while?¡±


    There was a faint tone of longing in his voice.


    Having no reason to refuse this request, Sylvia agreed,¡± Alright.¡±


    His lips turned up into a faint smile.


    His smile was filled with a certain warmth and added to his handsome charms, he suddenly looked younger and more vibrant.


    Sylvia returned his smile and said, ¡°You should lie down first.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    Hey down as he was told and rested his head on the pillow. However, his eyes remained wide open as he stared at her.


    Despite having be ustomed to his gaze by this point, Sylvia still found it oddly embarrassing from being stared at all the


    time.


    She blurted out, ¡°You should close your eyes too.¡± ¡°If | close them, you''ll leave,¡± was his answer.


    Something caught in her throat as she insisted, ¡°I won''t leave yet. I''ll only leave when you''ve fallen asleep.¡±


    ¡°I''ll close my eyes after | fall asleep,¡± he parried with a smile.


    Sylvia had nothing left to say so she turned her head and looked away to avoid having to look at him.


    Time passed.


    Half an hourter, Sylvia turned to look at him again.


    He was still in the same graceful sleeping position, but his eyes were still wide open and he was still staring at her.


    She then took out a thermometer so that she could take his temperature.


    His temperature was still roughly the same as before, it had neither increased nor had it decreased.


    Sylvia frowned and insisted more sternly this time,¡± Thomas, you need to rest.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Thomas replied easily, ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy.¡±


    ¡°You have to sleep even if you are not sleepy. If you don¡¯t get some proper rest, you''ll never recover from your fever.¡±


    ¡°| feel better like this than when I¡¯m sleeping.¡±


    Sylvia could not understand what he was trying to say.


    He added, ¡°Actually, no, | have never felt better than this.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± This only confused her more.


    He looked at her tenderly and said in a low voice,¡± Because you are by my side.¡±


    Sylvia waspletely speechless at this point. She felt as if something was lodged inside her throat.


    She could feel the intensity of his burning gaze. It felt so hot until all she wanted to do was just turn away from him and avoid his


    gaze. Still, she forced herself to confront his gaze and told him, ¡°Thomas, you can¡¯t do this. The two of us together would never


    work out.¡±


    ¡°Why?"A sharp tone surfaced in his voice.


    Sylvia said truthfully, ¡°Even though Odell and | have gotten divorced, the fact is that | used to be your sister-in w. This is


    something that everyone knows, so the world would never take to the news kindly if they find out that we are together.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t care.¡± After a short pause, he went on, ¡°If you are bothered by that, | can take you to another ce


    where no one can find us and we don¡¯t ever have toe back.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and retorted solemnly, ¡°Your mother would never give her blessings either.¡±


    His mother was a strong and opinionated woman. She would never approve of Sylvia either.

 Chapter 622

    Chapter 622


    ¡°It''s up to me to decide what¡¯s good for me.¡± Thomas dered with a tinge of hardness in his voice.


    Sylvia frowned sternly, ¡°She¡¯s your mother, you can¡¯t just ignore her feelings.¡±


    ¡°I''ll change her mind and make her give us her blessings.¡± He insisted adamantly.


    Sylvia could not help but turn to look at him.


    The look in his eyes did not contain the usual stillness within them. Instead, they now looked deep and filled with an


    immeasurable darkness, as if they were bottomless pools.


    There was a stubbornness in his eyes, mixed with something she could not recognize.


    It suddenly seemed as if there was no challenge in this world that would be too great for him.


    It took Sylvia a while before she came back to her senses. She stated solemnly, ¡°Things are not as simple as you think.¡±


    He immediately answered, ¡°It¡¯s not asplicated as you think it is either. | can handle anything as long as you are willing to let


    me.


    Sylvia fell silent for several seconds, before she averted her gaze from him and dered, ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Please stop wasting


    your time on me.¡±


    To this, he made no reply and only silently looked at her.


    The room fell silent and the very air seemed to freeze as if the coolness from outside was seeping in through the windows.


    Sylvia turned to him and frowned.


    He still looked pale and very weak, but his eyes were stubbomly fixed on her like a child who was longing for candy.


    Sylvia chose to be frank with him, ¡°Thomas, there is another reason that | can¡¯t be together with you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°| signed a divorce settlement agreement with Odell and one of the uses clearly stated that if | ever remarried, | would have to


    give up custody of the kids to him.¡±


    Her children were everything to her. There was no way that she would ever give up custody of them, so she could never


    remarry.


    Silence descended upon them again for several seconds.


    Acoy smile suddenly appeared on his face as he asked,¡± So, that means you can still be in a rtionship, can¡¯t


    you?¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback by this.


    There was a serious and gentle look in his eyes as he went on, ¡°As long as | can be with the person | love, it doesn¡¯t matter to


    me whether we get married or not.¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback by this yet again.


    She lowered her head to avoid his burning gaze and said,¡± It¡¯s not fair to you.¡±


    He was a good man, she could not make him sacrifice his future happiness for her.


    ¡°If | can¡¯t be with the person | love, I''d rather live in solitude until | die.¡± After a pause, he went on, ¡°Do you think this is fair for


    me?¡±


    Sylvia frowned and felt a tightness in her chest.


    It seemed to her that he had always been by himself ever since the day she had met him, which was the day she had married


    into the Carter family.


    Despite Mrs. Carter¡¯s best attempts to find him a partner, he had always chosen to be solitary over havingpanionship.


    At one point, she had even suspected that he was not into girls.


    She had never thought that she was the reason he had been single all this time.


    Countless interactions with him over the years suddenly reyed in her mind.


    Almost every time she had been in trouble, he had appeared at the most critical time. At this point, he had already saved her life


    twice.


    His kindness to her was not something that could be exined with mere words. It was not something she could simply repay


    either.


    If he could not be with her, would he really rather be alone until he became old?


    Silence dominated the room.


    Sylvia waspletely lost in her thoughts. After what seemed like forever in this disorientating state, she suddenly felt


    something cool on her forehead.


    She looked up only to meet his handsome, even if slightly pale face.


    At some point, he had gotten out of bed without her noticing. He stood in front of her, dressed in light clothing and gazed at her


    deeply as he asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you give me a chance?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sylvia stammered, ¡°...What kind of chance?¡±


    As if he could not see that she was ying dumb, Thomas smiled and rified, ¡°A chance to prove my dedication to


    you.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. He smiled faintly, ¡°I''ll just take your silence as a yes.¡±

 Chapter 623

    Chapter 623


    Chapter 623


    Sylvia continued to purse her lips as she stayed silent.


    Thomas suddenlyughed out loud, the sound of hisughter was soft but full of satisfaction. Immediately after that, he pulled


    Sylvia into his arms. He did it very gently, as if Sylvia was a precious vase that was extremely fragile. Sylvia was not used to


    being in such close contact with him and instinctively felt the urge to push him away. However, the moment she touched him she


    could feel the abnormal heat emanating from his body.


    He was still feverish.


    Frowning, she drew her hand back. After allowing him to hold her for a while, she insisted again, ¡°Thomas, it¡¯s time for you to


    rest.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He promptly drew away upon hearing this, then he stroked her head gently and spoke softly, ¡°I''ll go to sleep now. You


    should head back to your room to rest as well.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Sylvia answered and walked out.


    As she stepped outside, she turned to close the door and stole a nce at him while doing so.


    He had already returned to the bed and was looking at her softly.


    Sylvia pursed her lips at him, then closed the door.


    The room fell silent.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Thomas leaned back against the head of the bed and continued to stare absent-mindedly in the direction of where Sylvia had


    been. He smiled. Meanwhile, inside his bathroom , the shower head had not been shut properly the entire time. Thus, a small


    stream of water slowly continued to flow out of it and onto the floor. The slow, steady current of water flowed into the drain and


    then into the pipes.


    The temperature inside the bathroom was still as cool as it was before. The current of water remained uninterrupted and kept the


    temperature inside constant, without any heat.


    Probably because she had sleptte the night before, Sylvia ended up waking up an hourter than usual the next day.


    Neither Isabel nor Liam were in their room.


    Sylvia quickly washed up and went to the living room.


    She had only taken several steps out of her bedroom when she heardughtering from downstairs.


    She could also smell the distinctive aroma of her favorite street food.


    It smelled like the breakfast that she usually bought from the roadside stalls that she loved eating.


    Her mouth watered at the thought and Sylvia quickened her pace as she made her way to the living room.


    Isabel was ying with a remote control race car. When she noticed Sylviaing down, she immediately cried out joyously,


    ¡°Mom! Uncle bought a lot of delicious food for us and even got us a brand newtest model race car!¡±


    Sylvia froze and looked across the living room.


    Sitting on the couch next to the floor-to-ceiling windows was a man in a loose gray sweater. He was sitting there in a princely,


    dignified manner. Holding a book in his hand, he subtly turned his head to look at Sylvia when he heard Isabel''s enthusiastic


    shouts and his lips curved into a faint smile.


    The morning light shone through the window illuminated his fairplexioned face. His smile seemed luminescent as well.


    Sylvia froze for a moment before asking him suspiciously, ¡°Thomas, did you go out?¡±


    Thomas answered, ¡°I went out earlier this morning to run some errands, then | bought these on the way back.¡±


    There was a wavering look in Sylvia''s eyes as she remembered how ill he had been the previous night. She drew closer and


    asked, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    Thomas put his book down, got up, and walked over to her.


    They closed the gap between each other very quickly and got closer than they usually did. If they were to take just half a step


    more, they would practically be stuck together.


    Sylvia¡¯s breath stalled and she tried to draw herself backward.


    However, he was faster than her. He touched her head with his hand and greeted her in a pleasant voice, ¡°I¡¯m feeling much


    better. Let''s have something to eat.¡±


    Sylvia felt her cheeks burn when she remembered their conversation the night before about his intention to pursue her. She


    merely murmured, ¡°Ok.¡±


    She walked with him to the table.


    Aunt Tonya, Isabel, and Liam had already had breakfast.


    At the moment, Aunt Tonya was busy outside. Liam was sitting next to Isabel as he read a book, while Isabel was having the


    time of her life ying with her new race car.


    Thus, it was just Sylvia and Thomas at the table.


    Upon sitting down, Thomas pushed several dishes over to Sylvia.

 Chapter 624

    Chapter 624


    Chapter 624


    Sylvia was astonished.


    She was usually not a picky eater and was fine with eating just about anything. She had rarely, if ever, told anyone what her


    favorite dish was.


    With that said, arge assortment of her favorite foods had beenid out across the table.


    The tes that Thomas pushed toward her were filled with the foods that she particrly liked having for breakfast.


    Even Aunt Tonya probably did not know that these were her favorites. How had he known?


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened and she blurted out, ¡°Thomas, how did you know what my favorite dishes were?¡±


    Thomas smirked with satisfaction and spoke softly,¡± Knowing what your favorite foods are should be one of the most basic


    pieces of information that your suitor should have.¡±


    Sylvia felt her face growing hot.


    Very well.


    4


    She lowered her head to avoid his gaze, then she picked up the utensils and began to eat.


    Everything she ate tasted just the same as she remembered them.


    She was so touched that she even felt like she was about to cry.


    After having a portion of food, she looked at Thomas and smiled, ¡°Thank you, Thomas.¡±


    She was truly appreciative of this gesture.


    Thomas rubbed the tip of her nose with a finger and said in a cool voice, ¡°Please don¡¯t be so formal with me. I''ll be angry if


    you keep on thanking me like this.¡± Sylvia smiled, ¡°Alright, point taken.¡±


    After that, she resumed eating. She practically gobbled everything up without any hint of her previous reservation.


    Thomas grinned from ear to ear when he saw how happy she was as she ate.


    The day passed quickly.


    It was only around evening when the sky was almost dark when Sylvia saw Thomas again. He came back after having gone out


    and brought with him a few more things.


    He had gotten toys for Isabel and Liam as well as gifts for


    Aunt Tonya While Liam coolly and courteously thanked him, Isabel was very sweet as she thanked him. Meanwhile, Aunt Tonya


    received her gifts very enthusiastically and could not stop smiling


    Finally, he drew his slender figure closer to Sylvia. Sylvia could not figure out what was on his mind and only stared at him in


    confusion. That was when he took out an exquisitely crafted tiny wooden box from his pocket and handed it to her, saying ina


    low voice, ¡°This is for you.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°What''s this?¡± Sylvia asked with a tint of curiosity.


    Thomas opened the box to reveal a sunflower-shaped pendant inside.


    Sylvia could not tell what material it was made from, but it was truly an exquisite piece of jewelry.


    Her eyes lit up. ¡°I saw it at the ce of a friend of mine who is a designer and | bought it.¡± He took the pendant out of the box and


    ced it around Sylvia¡¯s neck.


    The tiny and delicate sunflower rested between her corbones . Its reflective surface glimmered under the luster of the light


    above and looked very enchanting.


    Sylvia was no fool. Even without a brand logo on it, she


    could see by the exemry workmanship that the pendant must have been worth a fortune.


    He had even gone out of his way to buy it for her.


    She was very grateful, ¡°Thank you, Thomas.¡±


    Thomas gently touched her head and said in a low voice,¡± If you really want to thank me, you could watch a movie with me.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned by this offer. She hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Alright, but | need to wait until Isabel and Liam are


    asleep.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He smiled and said, ¡°See you at ten p.m. tonight, don¡¯t forget.¡± Sylvia smiled back at him as she epted the


    invitation,¡° Okay.¡±


    The kids were very habitual animals.


    The clock had only just struck nine when Isabel began to yawn.


    Sylvia helped her wash up before helping her into her pajamas. Liam has always been independent , so he did not need Sylvia''s


    help to wash up and brush his teeth.


    By the time Sylvia had carried Isabel to bed, he had just


    finished washing up and emerged from the bathroom in his pajamas.


    Sylvia told them a bedtime story as usual.


    Isabel fell asleep first, followed by Liam who closed his eyes soon after.


    By ten o''clock, they were both sleeping soundly and peacefully.


    Sylvia kissed them on their cheeks before walking out of the room with her coat in hand. Thomas was waiting for her in the living


    room.

 Chapter 625

    Chapter 625


    Thomas was wearing a white shirt and trousers underneath a long trench coat.


    His figure stood tall and straight.


    When he saw Sylvia, he smiled in delight at her.


    Sylvia returned the smile and greeted him, ¡°Hey, let''s


    go.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sylvia walked out of the living room with him and they both got into a white car.


    The car drove out of the district as they headed for the nearby cinema.


    There were not many people at this cinema, partially because this was a rather remote and sparsely popted area to begin


    with.


    Sylvia and Thomas were the only ones in the theater for this particr showing.


    They chose the most ideal seat for the best viewing angle, then they sat together and watched a very newly released romance


    film.


    The story was pretty wholesome until an unexpected twist happened nearing the end of the story.


    It turned out that all of the wholesome scenes they had seen up until this point had merely been the fantasies inside the head of


    the male protagonist. The romantic interest of the protagonist had passed away from an ident long ago and before her


    passing, the protagonist had been unjustifiably cruel to her.


    Apiece of sad and somber background music began ying as the tone of the movie took on a depressing turn.


    It was a touching and sad movie, and Sylvia could not help but rte her experiences with the story itself. Her eyes began to


    water against her will.


    She tried to use a piece of tissue paper to wipe away her tears.


    Thomas swiftly extended his hand in front of her as he held a piece of tissue paper in between his slender and delicate fingers.


    Sylvia was suddenly filled with embarrassment.


    Had he seen her cry?


    She quickly epted the tissue paper and wiped her nose while remarking nonchntly at the same time, ¡°It¡¯s pretty cold in


    here.¡± She was trying to insinuate that it was the cold that had gotten to her, not the movie.


    Thomas noticed her red and puffy eyes as he looked at her, but he echoed the same sentiment by saying, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a little


    cold.¡±


    The movie ended.


    Sylvia and Thomas stood up at the same time.


    Before she could even take a step, he took his coat off and draped it over her shoulders. Immediately afterward, he deftly wiped


    the corners of her eyes with his hand. His warm fingertips ran across the corners of her eyes which were swelling with tears, and


    she instantly felt a strange sense offort wash over her.


    She was taken aback by this gesture.


    Thomas looked down at her and smiled faintly, ¡°Your eyes are all red from the cold. Hurry up and put on the


    coat.¡±


    He was obviously teasing her.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Sylvia yfully swatted at him but as she pulled her hand away, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. She froze, and her first instinct


    was to jerk her hand back again.


    Looks were definitely deceiving and Thomas was much stronger than his gentle appearance suggested.


    Sylvia could not pull her arm away as he was clenching her wrist tightly.


    Feeling difited, she looked at him and said, ¡± Thomas, 1-¡±


    ¡°Let''s go have some supper,¡± He interrupted her.


    With that, he led her outside.


    Sylvia darted a nce at his hand that was still holding onto hers and pursed her lips.


    She supposed that it was no big deal. Since she already agreed to let him pursue her anyway, there was nothing wrong with


    holding hands. Not feeling bothered any more, the two walked out of the cinema hand in hand. They ate supper at a nearby


    restaurant and only returned around midnight.


    The car stopped outside the house.


    Thomas was still holding Sylvia¡¯s hand as they stepped out of the car.


    She gently shook her hand that was still entangled with his to remind him that he was still holding on to her.


    Unexpectedly, he suddenly strengthened his grip on her hand.


    With a swift ¡®thump¡¯, Sylvia found herself in his embrace,


    with her face pressed against his chest. She could feel his beating heart as she was pressed against his warm body. That was


    when he suddenly said, ¡°Goodnight.¡± With that, he let go of her.


    The pink shade glowing on his fair cheeks made him look every bit like a teenager who had just the first taste of love and was


    feeling shy. Sylvia smiled upon seeing this and said, ¡°Goodnight.¡±

 Chapter 626

    Chapter 626


    Chapter 626


    Two dayster.


    On this particr morning, Sylvia was spending time in the manor with the children.


    Liam had be rather obsessed with reading recently. Additionally, he had been making a point of sticking close to Isabel ever


    since she had fallen into the water.


    The little girl had so far been very obedient and no matter how excited she became while she was ying, she still made sure


    that she stayed near her brother. At the moment, the two siblings were sitting together. Liam was reading silently while Isabel


    was watching a cartoon on a tablet. Sylvia sat nearby as she carved away at a piece of wood in her hands. She nned on


    carving a piano figurine for Thomas. Over the past few days, he had bought all sorts of gifts for the children as well as Aunt


    Tonya. Even though she had agreed to allow Thomas to pursue her, she could not justify epting all these gifts without giving


    anything in return. Suddenly, Isabel turned off the tablet and crawled over to her mother¡¯s side. Laying her little chubby face


    against Sylvia¡¯s arm, she muttered, ¡°Mom, how long are we going to stay here?¡± This is the first time she had asked such a


    question since they moved here. Sylvia hesitated for a few seconds before forming an answer, ¡°We might have to stay here for a


    while.¡± Isabel muttered, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Seeing the look of boredom on her little chubby face, she suggested, ¡°Hey, do you want to go outside to y?¡±


    Isabel pursed his lips and stated, ¡°No, | was just wondering how the baddie is doing.¡±


    It was obvious that she missed Odell.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Liam who had been upied with his book all this while suddenly looked up and gazed at Sylvia with his big and quiet eyes.


    Sylvia fell silent for a while before saying, ¡°He should be fine.¡±


    He was the leader of the Carter Corporation and his influence enveloped the entirety of Westchester. There was no chance that


    he would not be doing fine.


    Chances were that he was still very upset that she had taken the children away and was not able to see them. Still, she doubted


    that this would affect his life in any significant way. Besides, he still had Tara who was always at his beck and call.


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Isabel responded, although she still looked despondent.


    Sylvia gently caressed her hair and said softly, ¡°Mommy will contact himter and ask how he¡¯s doing, okay?¡±


    Isabel''s eyes lit up, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Truth be told, there was no way she could contact Odell.


    While the children were taking a nap, she took her phone out.


    This was not her phone, but one that Thomas had lent her. Even the SIM card had been registered under someone else¡¯s


    information as well.


    Sylvia very rarely used this phone to make calls, search the Inte, or do anything along those lines.


    Odell was easily the most famous person in Westchester, so news about him would be extremely easy to find on the Inte.


    She figured that she would be able to find some recent news concerning him.


    She clicked into the browser and entered two keywords into the search bar: Odell Carter.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    The page loaded and provided the search results. The first headline read: ¡°Carter Corporation¡¯s bad streak of poor investment


    continues. With the corporation facing its greatest crisis yet, will the young leader be able to steer the ship out of trouble?¡± 1 The


    article was very recent and was dated just yesterday.

 Chapter 627

    Chapter 627


    Chapter 627


    In other words, the crisis was still very much ongoing.


    Sylvia frowned and continued to scroll down.


    Although she was not well versed with the intricacies of such situations, it was not hard to tell judging by these headlines that the


    Carter Corporation was facing a great crisis.


    If not handled properly, it may very well be that the financial giant would face bankruptcy and copse entirely.


    While she was still intently reading the articles, another new post popped up on her screen.


    She read the headline written in bold: Master Carter¡¯s Drunken Fit at the Bar, is Carter Corporation Doomed to Copse?


    Sylvia clicked on the link and saw that there was a picture right below the headline of the article.


    It was a long-distance shot that looked like it had been stealthily taken. Upon zooming in, it could be seen that the picture was of


    a very low resolution. However, she instantly recognized the man in the picture as none other than Odell. He was sprawled out


    on the sofa with a bottle of liquor in his hand.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sylvia was taken aback by what she saw.


    Even though she could not see the expression on his face due to the blurriness of the picture, it was not difficult to recognize the


    disheveled state he was in.


    She immediately recalled the time when Odell had been forced to deal with his stepmother and how he had been yed by the


    vicious woman every step of the way. Even then, he had not faltered and used alcohol to cope with the situation.


    To be precise, she had never seen him like this before.


    He was someone who could handle anything, even if the sky were to crash mightily onto the earth. Why was he resorting to


    alcohol now?


    Feeling a certain tightness in her chest, she nced at Isabel and Liam who were both sleeping on the bed.


    They would be crushed to see their father in this state.


    After thinking about it, she went to the balcony and called Sherry.


    It looked like the picture had been taken at Lush Heaven, which meant that Odell must have been drinking therest night. She


    knew that Sherry was always very well-informed and figured she would be the best person that she would be able to acquire


    information from. Perhaps the news outlet had merely exaggerated the news about the downfall of the Carter Corporation?


    The call was answered within the first few rings.


    Sylvia greeted in a light whisper, ¡°Sherry, it''s me.¡±


    Sherry cried out enthusiastically the moment she heard Sylvia¡¯s familiar voice, ¡°Sylvia! Where


    have you been? | couldn¡¯t find you at all and your number was unavable. Did something happen?¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly reassured her, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m in a very safe ce with my children. Everything is fine. There¡¯s nothing to worry


    about.¡± ¡°Then why weren¡¯t my calls getting to you?¡±


    ¡°| wanted to cut off contact with Odell, that¡¯s why...¡± Sylvia did not really want to talk about this. Instead, she quickly changed the


    topic and said, ¡°Hey, | saw the news about Carter Corporation. Is it all true?¡±


    Sherry sighed and expressed, ¡°It¡¯s all true. | heard that many problems came up in their major projects and their funding has


    essentially been cut off entirely. | don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way for Odell to recover from this. He might have to dere bankruptcy


    at any moment now.¡±


    Sylvia felt as if a heavy weight was pressing on her. She took a moment to digest this information and asked again, ¡°Is the news


    about him getting drunkst night true as well?¡±


    ¡°It''s all true, he pretty much lives here now.¡± Sherry suddenlyined upon hearing mention of this, ¡°Even with things as bad


    as they are, he still insists on reserving the VIP room and spends pretty much all day and night here. Every day, | see him kicking


    his assistants out of the room in a fit of anger. If not for his bodyguards standing guard outside the room, | would have kicked him


    out a long time ago.


    Sylvia pursed her lips, feeling at a loss for words.


    After a while, Sherry probed, ¡°Sylvia, why are you hiding your children from him? | thought you two got a peaceful divorce? Did


    something happen again?¡±


    Sherry was her best friend, so Sylvia saw no reason to hide the truth from her. She told her everything, from the time that Odell


    had moved in as her neighbor, to the episode where Tara and her had gotten kidnapped, and finally to how Odell had chosen to


    save Tara while being held at gunpoint. Sherry cried out furiously upon hearing the events that had transpired, ¡°What the hell! I''ll


    kick his ass out of here right now!¡± Sylvia knew that Sherry was fully capable of doing precisely that and quickly tried to talk her


    out of it, ¡°Sherry, calm down! I¡¯m fine now, everything is alright.¡± Sherry was still seething with anger, ¡°He, of all people, should


    know what kind of person Tara is. How could he have chosen her under such circumstances? Unbelievable!¡±


    Sylvia was just as perplexed by the man¡¯s line of reasoning. He was well aware of all the terrible things Tara had done and yet,


    he would not hold her ountable. This only showed what Tara meant to him. She was his muse, after all. 1


    Despite his ims that he would cut off rtions with Tara, it was clear that she still had a im to his heart.

 Chapter 628

    Chapter 628


    Chapter 628


    After the call, Sylvia went back to bed and tried to nap with the children.


    For some reason, she did not feel even the slightest hint of sleepiness. The only thing that continued to turn over in her mind was


    the picture she had seen on the Inte of Odell getting drunk


    This waspletely contradictory to everything that she knew of him so far. For someone asposed as him to resort to


    alcohol, the Carter Corporation must truly be facing an unprecedented crisis, the likes of which he could not navigate his way out


    of.


    Sylvia rolled over with an irritated frown.


    They were already divorced. Even if she were to put aside everything that happened between them in the past, the single


    episode where he had chosen to save Tara while being held at gunpoint himself should be enough to fortify Sylvia¡¯s opinion that


    she had nothing to do with him anymore! She could not care less even if he died!


    Despite that, she found herself in a turbulent, irritated state.


    Even after Liam and Isabel had both woken up, her mind was still in the same haphazard state.


    When the children woke up, they were still drowsy from sleep. Isabel groggily burrowed herself into Sylvia¡¯s arms while Liam


    pressed himself against her as well.


    Sylvia sat up and took them both in her arms. She took a deep breath and inhaled their warm, soft scent, and found it to be very


    therapeutic. When it all came down to it, that man was their biological father. He had been a dutiful father to them and nobody


    could tell her otherwise. If not, Isabel who had once disdained him would not be talking about how much she missed him now.


    rge part of her concern for him had to be because of her two little ones. When she thought about it this way, she felt a sense


    of relief. However, even by the time night time rolled around, she still could not fall asleep. She tossed and turned in her bed but


    she still did not feel tired. Putting on a robe, she went to the living room to make herself some soothing tea to help her sleep,


    when she bumped into Thomas who had just returned.


    He was good-looking as ever and was wearing a ck tuxedo that gave him a dignified air. His expression suddenly softened


    upon seeing Sylvia, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to bed when it¡¯s thiste?¡±


    ¡°Can''t sleep,¡± Sylvia answered and then returned with a question of her own, ¡°Why are youing back thiste at night?¡±


    ¡°| was held up by something.¡± He drew closer to her as he said this and touched her head,¡± Let''s have some supper together.¡±


    Sylvia was quite ustomed to his touch by now and answered with familiarity, ¡°Alright.¡±


    She was not going to sleep anytime soon anyway.


    Thomas must have given advanced notice to the kitchen staff.


    Shortly after they sat down, the chef presented them with their supper.


    Sylvia ate with him.


    After a while, a thought suddenly urred to her and she remarked, ¡°Thomas, I''d like to take Isabel and Liam out tomorrow.¡±


    Thomas paused and asked, ¡°Where are you taking them?¡±


    Sylvia answered him truthfully, ¡°I want to take them to meet Odell.¡± Thomas looked at her, with the same unchanging expression


    in his eyes. Sylvia met his gaze and exined, ¡°I saw the news today about the Carter Corporation¡¯s troubles and | saw that he¡¯s


    been drinking.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about him?¡± He asked.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia promptly replied, ¡°There¡¯s no longer anything going on between us, but | can¡¯t deny that he is the father of my children. |


    don¡¯t want to see him wasting away like this. Maybe if he gets to see Isabel and Liam tomorrow, he might feel better and find the


    strength to pick himself back up.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡±


    His brown eyes seemed to bore into her, ¡°Do you want to meet him?¡±


    Sylvia answered briskly, ¡°No, there is no need for us to meet.¡±


    She was not his true love. She was only taking the children to meet him because he was their father.


    Thomas pursed his lips, ¡°Okay, I''ll take you there since I¡¯m free tomorrow anyway.¡±


    ¡°You should rest at home. I''ll just take a taxi.¡± Sylvia did not want to cause him any unnecessary inconvenience.


    Thomas frowned and his voice suddenly dropped by several pitches, ¡°Do you still see me as an outsider?¡±


    Sylvia quickly rified, ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 629

    Chapter 629


    Thomas smiled as he insisted, ¡°Then let me drive you there.¡± He had made the offer in such a tender, understanding way that


    Sylvia found that she could not refuse him.


    In the end, she said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The next morning when Sylvia told the kids that she was going to take them to see their father, Isabel jumped out of the bed and


    ran to brush her teeth and wash her face without any urging from Sylvia.


    After breakfast, Sylvia took them to Thomas¡¯ car. The car drove out of the district and headed towards the city.


    News of Carter Corporation''s recent troubles had been spreading like wildfire across Westchester. At this point, almost everyone


    had already known about it.


    Meanwhile, at Lush Heaven.


    Tara was holding a stack of documents as she frantically paced around the entrance. She had never imagined that something


    like this would happen to Carter Corporation. Neither had she ever expected that Odell would choose to wallow in his grief and


    wash it down with alcohol, whilepletely neglecting his responsibilities.


    It was clear that he could note up with any solution to address the crisis at hand.


    It was only a matter of time until Carter Corporation toppled over and bankruptcy seemed to be looming on the horizon. When


    that happened, Odell would have to liquidate all the assets under his name to repay the debt.


    She knew that the property in Lake Victoria Vi that he had given to her was still technically registered under his name. She had


    to get him to transfer the full ownership of the property to her before the Carters officially went down under. If not, the property


    would be liquidated in the process and she would be left with nothing.


    Although she was genuinely fond of Odell, she did not see herself sticking it out with him through to the end with all that was


    happening. Carter Corporation was about to copse and very soon, he would be left with nothing. Besides, he had been


    neglecting her recently anyway.


    She made up her mind and went inside.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Shortly after, she found her way to thergest private room on the top floor.


    There were tworge and muscr men standing guard outside the door, who she quickly recognized as Odell¡¯s bodyguards.


    She greeted them with a polite smile, ¡°I want to see Odell, is he in there?¡±


    Ben peered at her and answered stoically, ¡°Master Carter is not receiving any visitors.¡± Tara silently cursed. Thispdog still


    dared to give her such an attitude when his owner was in such a state.


    However, she kept the smile on her face and informed him, ¡°I¡¯m Tara Avery, Odell¡¯s ex girlfriend. I¡¯m sure you know who | am. I


    just need to have a few words with him, then I''ll be gone before you know it. | won¡¯t disturb him.¡±


    She continued to clench the stack of documents in her hand as she said this.


    Ben noticed the documents and assumed that it had to do with some important and official business. He exchanged a look with


    Jacob, who promptly pushed the door open and entered to speak with Odell. Soon, he emerged and informed Tara, ¡°Miss, the


    young master says that you may enter.¡± Tara immediately pushed the door and stepped inside. The moment she stepped in, she


    felt the suffocating atmosphere in the room that was filled with the smell of alcohol.


    She recognized Odell¡¯s tall figure sprawled out on the sofa. He was unkempt and hardly reminiscent of his usual fastidiousness


    when it came to his looks. His cor was unbuttoned and even though the elegance of his posture remained, it was clear that he


    was not in a good state.


    Upon noticing Tara enter, he lifted his eyelids and regarded her with his obsidian eyes.


    Tara called his name softly, ¡°Odell.¡± ¡°What did youe to see me about?¡± he asked. His voice was dull and heavy.


    Even in his haggard, rock-bottom state, Tara still felt an inexplicable sense of pressure when confronting him.


    She clenched the documents in her hand and was suddenly filled with panic. She did not know how to broach the topic. Odell


    nced at the documents in her hand. His sharp eyes instantly recognized the text on the front cover that read: Deed of


    Assignment. Was she here to offer some help in these troubling times by giving her property to him so he could weather the


    storm that was toe? Something gleamed in his eyes. He cleared his throat and stated, ¡°I¡¯m doing fine, don¡¯t worry about me.


    Just go back if you have nothing else to tell me.¡± He had not stooped so low as to need to take her property from her.

 Chapter 630

    Chapter 630


    Chapter 630


    Odell¡¯s voice was obviously much gentlerpared to when Tara had just entered, so her nervousness immediately eased.


    She thought about what had happened previously when she and Sylvia had been kidnapped and how he had chosen her


    between the two of them. It was a clear indicator that she still held an important ce in his heart. Besides, it did not seem like


    he was going to punish her for what she had done to him in the past. Thus, she figured that he would probably not squabble over


    the rights to Lake Victoria Vi.


    She took a deep breath and walked up to him, presenting the documents to him with bold hands.


    Odell took them and briskly flipped through them. Most of the people who hade to visit him recently had all wanted


    something from him. Not a single person hade to express concern or to offer any help. He wondered what property Tara


    wanted to yield to him to help him out. That was when he flipped to the first page and the ring words ¡°Lake Victoria Vi¡±


    jumped out at him. His thick brows instantly furrowed into a frown, and the warmth in his eyes quickly evaporated. He


    remembered giving the property to her at one point. It was only that he had not sorted out the legal procedures of transferring it


    to her yet.


    He read the following lines and immediately understood what this was about.


    11


    She was not here to offer him help by way of the Deed of Assignment. Just like every other person who had approached him in


    the past few days, she was here to seize the chance to im Lake Victoria Vi for herself before he dered bankruptcy. She


    wanted him to give her the property and name her as the legal owner. His hand stiffened and he turned up to look at her. She


    crossed her arms in front of her body as if to protect herself from something. There was a sort of meek and tender look on her


    face. It was the same look as she had in the past whenever she promised Odell that she would stick by his side through thick


    and thin for the rest of her life.


    However, now that he was about to go bankrupt, she hade to him not to offer himfort or help, but to demand the rights


    to his property.


    Odell suddenly remembered that rainy night from more than a decade ago.


    He remembered the way she had disregarded her safety and helped him shake off the brutes who had been after his life. He


    also remembered how she had saved him and stayed the whole night with him.


    Back to the present, it was as if this was apletely different person from ten years ago. He could no longer recognize her.


    Tara spoke softly, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m sorry, | didn¡¯t want to do this either. I¡¯ve just been worrying that they will take this property away


    when something happens to you. If you sign this now and transfer the house to my name, it will at the very least keep their hands


    off the ce so that when you need a ce to stay, you cane to me. | promise you that | will take you in without any


    questions.¡±


    If it had been at any other time, Odell would have believed her. However, everyone who hade to himtely had pretty much


    said something along those lines as well.


    Forget it. After all, he had promised the property to her a long time ago anyway. He understood that she was no longer the same


    person who had saved him on that fateful day during his youth.


    He motioned, ¡°Give me the pen.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes lit up and she immediately handed him a pen.


    A


    Odell swiftly signed his name on the paper. After ensuring that he had given his signature, she immediately stuffed the


    documents back into her bag. Hey back on the sofa without looking at her again. She gazed at him. Even in this disheveled


    state, he was still very handsome. She suddenly offered, ¡°Odell, since this ring belonged to your mother, | think | should give it


    back to you.¡±


    She had gotten someone to appraise this ring and found that it was only an ordinary sapphire. Its value was not even remotely


    close to a diamond. She deemed that there was no use in her keeping it so she might as well give it back to him as a gesture of


    goodwill. Who knows? Maybe he would turn the situation aroundter on, then she would still be in his good grace and could


    come back to him.


    She took the sapphire ring out of her pocket. ¡°Put it on the table.¡± Odell said with indifference Tara set the ring on the table, then


    she walked out with the purse containing the signed documents. 1C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Meanwhile, a white car made a turn at the junction and swerved into the parking lot of Lush Heaven.


    It had been a long drive here and Isabel had fallen asleep halfway through the journey. Sylvia gently tapped her arm to wake her


    up, ¡°We''re here, Isabel, wake up.¡± 2 She had only been taking a brief nap so she woke up rtively quickly.


    She rubbed her eyes and looked outside while mumbling drowsily, ¡°Mommy, isn¡¯t this Aunty Sherry¡¯s ce? Is Baddie here?¡± 1


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s here, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡±

 Chapter 631

    Chapter 631


    Chapter 631


    Sylvia carried Isabel out of the car.


    Thomas and Liam got out from the other side. 1


    Upon noticing that Thomas wanted to follow them, Sylvia kindly informed him, ¡°Thomas, just wait for us in the car.¡± Thomas.


    answered briskly, ¡°It¡¯s kind of boring waiting in the car. I''ll go with you.¡± So be it. One way or another, she was not nning to see


    Odell with the kids. After leaving the parking lot, they arrived at the entrance of Lush Heaven. Sylvia spoke to Sherryst night


    about theiring. She texted Sherry again when they reached the entrance.


    Within half a minute, Sherry almost sprinted out of the building.


    ¡°Isabel, Liam! | miss you kids so much¡ª"Before she could finish her sentence, her sights focused on Thomas.


    She immediately shifted her behavior and turned into a modest, dignifieddy instantly while cautiously asking Sylvia, ¡°Sylvia,


    who¡¯s the hottie?¡± Sylvia smiled and introduced, ¡°He¡¯s Thomas Carter.¡± Sherry was startled by this. ¡°Thomas Carter, as in Odell¡¯s


    brother?¡± Sylvia said, ¡°Yeap.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Thomas greeted courteously. Sherry gave him a very friendly smile. ¡°Hello, hello. I¡¯m


    Sherry, Sylvia¡¯s close friend.¡± Thomas pursed his lower lip and kept quiet. Sherry was very perceptible. With a nce at Thomas


    and Sylvia, she suddenly announced,¡± Odell is upstairs. I''ll take Isabel and Liam up first.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sylvia answered swiftly.


    Both Liam and Isabel suddenly turned their faces at her curiously,


    Isabel asked suspiciously, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t youing?¡±


    Sylvia smiled softly and said, ¡°Mommy has some other things to do. You can go with Aunty Sherry.¡±


    Isabel grimaced and grunted, ¡°Okay.¡± Liam did not speak and swiftly took Isabel¡¯s hand. The siblings followed Sherry inside hand


    in hand.


    Sylvia looked at their tiny figures waltzing into the building.


    After the two left with Sherry, Thomas suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s wait in my car. No need to stand around in a public ce like this.¡±


    It was a good point as many passersby were loitering around the area.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sylvia wanted to avoid being seen by people who knew Odell. She agreed and walked back to the parking lot with Thomas.


    Meanwhile, behind a stairway perpendicr to where the two were.


    Tara was holding her breath and hiding around the corner.


    She came down moments before Sherry came down. When she noticed Sylvia showing up with Thomas and her two children


    through the window, she quickly ducked out of view.


    After Sylvia and Thomas had walked a safe distance away, she let out arge sigh. Her face wracked with fright.


    Was that not the second master Thomas? The mysterious second young master of the Carters, the one who suddenly showed


    up previously and proposed to help her get back together with Odell!


    Forget about that. Why was he here with Sylvia and the kids? It seemed like he was pretty affectionate with Sylvia. What was


    going on? Why was he with Sylvia?


    Also, why did he propose to help her get back together with Odell to begin with? The more Tara thought about it, the stranger it


    all seemed to her. Her face became pale and sweat began to pool on her forehead.

 Chapter 632

    ?


    Meanwhile, the two children followed Sherry and arrived at the entrance of the VIP box.


    Ben and Jacob, who were standing guard, immediately recognized them and cried out with delight, "Young master? Young miss?"


    Isabel greeted them politely, "Uncle Ben, Uncle Jacob, how are you?"


    Ben and Jacob smiled at her happily. "Hello, young miss."


    Jacob promptly pushed the door open and invited them inside. "Master Carter is just inside. Step right in please."


    "Okay!"


    Isabel answered cheerily and strutted in.


    Liam followed her.


    Odell was still sleeping when he heard light footsteps tapping against the floor.


    He snapped his eyes open at once.


    Immediately afterward, the two small figures entered his line of sight.


    Something immediately brightened in his deep, dark eyes.


    He sat up and looked at them, perplexed. "Why are you two here?"


    Isabel stood in front of him and put her hands on her hips, reprimanding him like an adult would. "Stupid Baddie, we haven''t seen each other for so many days. Don''t you miss us?" Odell''s expression softened, and he immediately pulled her into a warm embrace.


    Isabel still hung a bratty pout on her face. "It''s so stinky here. How do you sleep here?"


    She saw him sleeping on the couch when she entered.


    Odell peeked out the door with a pondering expression, then he asked Isabel, "Didn''t your mome with you?"


    Isabel answered, "Mommy came, but she says she has other things to do. I think she''s running some errands with Uncle."


    Uncle?


    A sharp look shed in his eyes. He contained his temper as best as he could and probed, " Your uncle came with you?"


    "Yeah, it was Uncle who sent us here. We''ve been living at Uncle''s ce for a while and he''s been very good to us."


    There was a vibrant, joyous change in her demeanor upon the mention of Thomas.


    Odell''s eyes darkened, and he clenched his hand into a ball of of fist.


    After a short pause, he called out, "Jacob."


    Jacob stood to attention. "Yes, sir?"


    "Take some men with you and take a look outside," he said this in a strange, almost threatening manner.


    Jacob knew what he was implying. He grunted and immediately ran outside.


    Isabel did not understand what Odell meant by this order. She suddenly flushed with anger in his arms and cried out usingly, "Baddie, are you bullying Mommy again?"


    Mommy told her she could not join because she had something else to deal with, but she had a feeling that it was because her mommy did not want to see the baddie.


    They must have had a fight, otherwise, their mommy would not have taken them for such an extended stay with their uncle.


    Odell''s expression darkened, and his lips twitched to one side.


    Before waiting for an answer, Isabel clenched her tiny fist and beat against Odell''s chest repeatedly. "Hey Baddie, stop bullying Mommy!"Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell kept his arm around her and let her have her way with him, repeatedly pounding at his chest while he silently stared at Liam who was only nearby.


    The brat regarded him with an icy look the moment he stepped inside.


    Odell asked him, "Do you know where your mom and uncle go?"


    "I don''t know," he replied crossly.


    "Hmph, just ask Mommy yourself if you''re so curious!" Isabel suddenly cried out.


    Odell frowned.


    He wanted to ask just as much.


    The problem was that the scheming woman not only turned off her phone, but she even


    made sure to turn off Aunt Tonya and the children''s phones.


    There was no way for him to contact her at all!


    Still, why did she choose now of all times to take the children to him?


    Did she not know about the circumstances surrounding him?


    No, if she was oblivious to what was happening, she would not have brought them to Lush Heaven of all ces to see him.


    Sherry must have known everything and ryed it all to Sylvia.


    She was definitely caught up to date with everything that was happening.


    This meant that... she fully intended to bring the children to him to bring him somefort. Was she trying to encourage him?

 Chapter 633

    ?Chapter 633


    Almost everyone had been avoiding him these days. On the off chance that someone came to him, they merely wanted to gain something from him. Even Tara, who had once saved him and stood by his side, the girl who he always thought was the embodiment of kindness, only came to him to take away Lake Victoria Vi.


    It was this woman who had hurt him most who ended up bringing his children to him.


    Even if she refused to see him because she was with another man.


    He closed his eyes somberly, then tightened his embrace around Isabel who was still whimsically prattling on and on.


    In the parking lot outside.


    After seeing Isabel and Liam head into the building, Sylvia and Thomas got back into the car.


    Time slowly trickled by.


    Suddenly, several familiar figures stepped into the parking lot.


    They were led by Jacob the bodyguard at the head of the group.


    Sylvia frowned warily.


    Sensing her difort, Thomas asked, "What''s wrong?"? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "They''re Odell''s bodyguards," Sylvia stated.


    The look in Thomas'' eyes sharpened as he turned in the direction of Jacob and his crew.


    He thought for a moment and assured Sylvia. "Don''t worry, they can''t see us from outside the car."


    Sylvia grunted softly and muttered, "Maybe they''re not looking for me."


    She doubted that Odell would have the time to look for her when he could barely keep himself afloat.


    Besides, she was not important to him.


    Thomas nced at her and kept quiet.


    Shortly after, Jacob and his crew approached closer and stood only several meters away from the car.


    Sylvia held her breath.


    Shortly after, they stepped away from the car.


    They were not here for her.


    Meanwhile, Jacob and the rest headed toward the other end of the parking lot and peeked inside each car.


    One of the bodyguards following him stated, "Jacob, I don''t think this is going to work. What if the missus is hiding in a decoy car?"


    Jacob informed, "No, she''s with the second master. He''s known for being a germaphobe. Even if he''s not driving a luxury car, it''s going to be a clean and well-maintained car."


    There was a lot of mud on the exterior of the white car they saw just now. He was sure it was not Thomas'' car.


    Sylvia was surprised to see that Isabel and Liam still had note out even after the sun had set.


    She texted Sherry immediately.


    Sherry replied with a voice message.


    Sylvia yed the message only to have Sherry''s screams ring into her ears. "Sylvia, Odell is refusing to let Isabel and Liam go! When I went to get them, the bodyguards at the door wouldn''t even let me in! I''m so pissed off!"


    Sylvia frowned.


    How could he take them by force? With the way things were for him now, how could he still expect himself to take care of them?


    Was there something wrong with his head?


    She immediately answered, "Okay, don''t worry. I''ll go take a look."


    With that, she reached for the door handle, only to have another hand grab her wrist to stop her.


    She stared nkly at Thomas.


    Thomas looked at her stoically and dered, "I''m going to bring them back."


    Sylvia answered, "It''s alright, Thomas. He probably was just hoping to spend a bit more time with them. He''ll misread the situation if he sees you picking them up. I have to do it myself."


    As the way things were between the two of them now, it was still rather inappropriate for him to go in her ce to get her kids.


    Besides, Odell had bodyguards with him. It would be terrible if he brought harm upon Thomas if Thomas caught him in a bad mood.


    Thomas still held on to her wrist. "I''ll go with you."


    Sylvia frowned, feeling conflicted.


    Noticing her inner conflict, he suggested, "I''ll wait for you outside the door. I won''t go


    inside with you to see him."


    Sylvia was in a hurry and had no time to hesitate and continue squabbling around, so she agreed to this proposal. "Alright."

 Chapter 634

    Chapter 634


    The VIP box was located on the second floor of Lush Heaven. Sylvia and Thomas scaled the stairs and arrived at the entrance of


    the box after turning a corner.


    Both Ben and Jacob were posted by the door. The moment they saw Sylvia and Thomas emerging from the corner, they cried


    out in shock, ¡°Missus?!¡± Sylvia turned to Thomas. ¡°Thomas, wait for me here. I''lle right out after | get the kids.¡± Thomas


    nced at Ben and Jacob, and murmured, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia then walked to the entrance.


    Ben and Jacob were staring at him closely. Sylvia did not see the sharp look of vignce in their eyes. They seemed terrified that


    she would spring off and run away at any given moment. She asked them, ¡°Is Odell in there?¡± ¡°Master Carter is in there. He¡¯ll be


    very happy to see you,¡± Ben remarked with a smile. Then, he pushed open the door for Sylvia. She promptly stepped inside. Her


    mind was filled with nothing but thoughts of her children. Upon stepping in, she was swarmed by a thick scent of liquor. The room


    was basked in darkness.


    The door suddenly closed with a bang.


    Sylvia jumped. She was about to turn when suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the darkness and appeared in front of her. She


    felt something grabbing her waist. Even under these conditions where her vision was hindered, she could feel a familiar,


    overbearing air enveloping her entirely. She immediately tried to shove him away, but he effortlessly picked her up and pressed


    her against the door.


    Her feet were almost dangling above the ground.


    ¡°Odell, let go!¡± She hissed.


    ¡°Have you been with him all this time?¡± he interrogated.


    The sharp, using tone in his low and hoarse voice was further magnified in this dark and deste ce.


    She answered grumpily, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been with him the entire time.¡±


    ¡°Are you two dating?¡± he asked in a vicious tone.


    She suddenly shivered all over. Then, she thought about how they had divorced long ago, as well as how he had chosen Tara


    and forsaken her. These unhappy memories brought her back to her senses and she answered icily, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re together now.¡±


    Suddenly, she felt a twitch of pain around her waist.


    He was hurting her. ¡°How dare you?!¡± he growled.


    Sylvia gasped in pain and quickly shoved him.


    She barely exerted any strength when he viciously shoved her into the door again, pushing against her with all his weight.


    In an instant, her lips were sealed.


    She tried to close her lips and fight him off.


    He merely scoffed and kissed her with increasing fervent. He pried through the walls of obstacle, which was her lips, then her


    stubborn teeth. He did not allow her room to escape. All she could do was ept him as part of her. His body reeked of alcohol.


    Sylvia was gasping for air. In her frantic state, she bit down hard on his lower lip. She immediately tasted the iron scent of blood.


    Atst, he removed himself from her lips.


    Underneath the dim lights, his dark eyes seemed like that of a ferocious and rabid beast, casting a demonic look at her.


    Sylvia took a breath and screamed,pletely furious, ¡°Odell, we''re already divorced a long time ago!¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, all you wanted the entire time was to be with another man? Did you forget about our divorce settlement agreement?¡± He


    tightened his grip around her waist again. She felt like he was going to tear her waist off with raw strength. She winced in pain


    and cried out, ¡°Let go, let me go!¡±

 Chapter 635

    Chapter 635


    Chapter 635


    Odell was unrelenting. He took another step forward and pinned her body between his body and the door.


    He inched his lips toward her ears and hissed sharply. ¡°If you want to be with him, don¡¯t even think about taking Isabel and


    Liam!¡±


    Sylvia was aghast. Was he intentionally keeping Isabel and Liam to lull her here?! No, that was not the primary point of concern


    here. She brought the children to see him as an act of kindness, only to have him use them against her as chess pieces? Where


    was his humanity?!


    Sylvia reproached him harshly, ¡°Odell, you b*stard! | should¡¯ve never brought them here to see you!¡± Odell only scoffed at this. ¡°I


    thought you already knew that I¡¯m ab*stard long ago?¡± As he said this, he brought his face closer to hers again, the tips of their


    nose were almost touching by this point. His lips hovered mere inches away from hers and they would have kissed with the


    slightest movement. Meanwhile, his hands that were holding onto her waist began moving about. He was caressing and feeling


    the touch of her skin through her clothes. Sylvia shivered all over. ¡°Stop that right now!¡± He continued doing as he liked and


    proceeded to kiss her. He asked her with his lips still all over hers, ¡°How many times have you two slept together?¡± 16 Sylvia


    tried to zip her lips shut.


    ¡°Do you two do it every day?¡± he asked again, his tone dark and menacing. Sylvia¡¯s pupils became contracted with fear, but it


    was nothingpared to the vexation boiling inside her.


    If she could, she would pummel this disgusting man into lumps of meat!


    ¡°Odell, with things the way they are now, you better worry about yourself first.¡± Sylvia calmed herself down and said, ¡°You can¡¯t


    even take care of yourself now. You can¡¯t expect to be able to take care of Isabel and Liam here. If you still call yourself their


    father, you''d let me go and let me take them.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going to take them? To live with their uncle? Are you going to get them to acknowledge him as their father?!¡± His


    tone was frighteningly cold.


    Sylvia shuddered and took a deep breath. Then, she calmly exined, ¡°Don¡¯t get so jumpy yet. | won¡¯t remarry and vite the


    terms of the divorce settlement agreement. Thomas and | are just a regr couple. I¡¯m not going to tell the children to call him


    their father. No matter what, they''re going to stay as your children.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± He chuckled sullenly. ¡°Sylvia, do you honestly believe that the reason | don¡¯t want you to remarry is that | don¡¯t want to


    see the kids acknowledge another man as their father?¡±


    ¡°What else? You''re not going to tell me it¡¯s because you don¡¯t want to see me married to someone else.¡± Sylvia was perplexed


    and sneeredpulsively. ¡°Odell, your true love is Tara. You think | don¡¯t know that?¡±


    The moment she uttered these words, a domineering silence seized the room. Underneath the dim light, Sylvia could not make


    out the expression on his face. She could only faintly sense his erratic breathing.


    Still, his silence was enough proof of the ims she just put to him. The silence continued to reign for some time and soon,


    Sylvia shrugged and said impatiently,¡± Odell, let me go. It¡¯s gettingte and | need to take the children home.¡± She was still


    pinned against the wall. Odell suddenly spoke solemnly, ¡°He¡¯s not as good as you think he is.¡±


    By ¡°he¡±, he was clearly talking about Thomas.


    Sylvia immediately reproached him. ¡°No matter how horrible you think he is, | can assure you that he has treated me ten


    thousand times better than how you treated me!¡±


    Again, nothing but silence. After all her efforts to calm down, she found herself in a boiling fury again. ¡°Odell Carter, have you


    forgotten everything you''ve done to me in the past? Thomas is nothing like you. He respects me and takes care of me. And he¡¯s


    there for me every time | need help. I¡¯d have died a long time ago if it wasn¡¯t for him!¡± Odell sat in ufortable silence for


    several seconds before expressing, ¡°So you¡¯re going to stay with him?


    ¡°What else? Do you think I¡¯d rather be with you? You piece of garbage that did nothing but torture me the entire ti


    Her mouth was gagged before she could finish her thought.


    He kissed her forcefully with greater intensity than before.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Even if she had torn out his lower lip, he would still not let go.


    He reached for the zipper on the clothes behind her back and tugged at it. Sylvia felt as if a switch was turned on. She began


    resisting mightily and bit down hard on him.


    Despite all her resistance, he exhibited the slightest hint of wanting to let her go. On the contrary, he mmed her against the


    door with all his strength.


    Suddenly, there was a loudmotion of what sounded like people fighting outside. Bang!

 Chapter 636

    Chapter 636


    There was a tremendous pound on the door from someone being flung into it. Sylvia was frightened when she felt the tremors


    through the door. Odell, who was on the verge of losing his sanity, suddenly stopped his movements. He grabbed Sylvia and


    dragged her several steps back, then he looked toward the door with ominously red eyes and hissed icily. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Ben, who was standing guard outside, answered him.


    ¡°Master Carter, the second master brought... a lot of people here. We''re no match for him. You have to go now!¡± he informed


    while struggling for breath.


    It was him who was mmed against the door.


    Asunken loop appeared in Odell¡¯s eyes, then he peered at Sylvia who was bound in his arms Sylvia red back at him. ¡°Odell,


    let me go unless you want to get beat up!¡± Odell smiled grimly. She felt an inexplicable shiver run through her body. He suddenly


    raised his hand and turned on the lights. 1 Brightening rays of light washed over the entire space inside the box. Sylvia winced


    and closed her eyes involuntarily. When she opened them again, she realized he was carrying her toward the back.


    As he passed by the table, he suddenly noticed something peculiar. He reached out and grabbed a sapphire ring set on the table


    which he shoved into his pocket. Then, he continued heading toward the back.


    There was a hidden door behind the box that he could sneak out of.


    Sylvia looked astonished. It was not the existence of a secret door that shocked her, but the sapphire ring she saw him stuff into


    his pocket.


    Why did she find the ring so familiar?


    Suddenly, she felt a surge of cold wind beating around her.


    It was only then that she realized that they had left Lush Heaven and that they were now in a separate outdoor parking lot.


    ¡°Odell, where are you taking me?¡± she asked him while struggling in his arms.


    Odell ignored her. He held on tightly to her and close to his chest.


    He shielded her from the cold wind with his body.


    Sylvia frowned and stared at him guardedly.


    Shortly after that, Odell carried her to a spacious car.


    There was a driver in the car who got out of the car and opened the door immediately upon


    seeing Odell arrive.


    Odell flung her to the back. Then, he entered and sat next to her.


    Before she could make an effort to get up, hisrge hand grabbed her by her waist and tugged her to sit right next to him, so she


    could hardly move. 1


    The car engine started. She knew that she could not possibly overpower him, but after a couple of meager ps on his arm, she


    stopped struggling. She looked outside and asked again, ¡°Odell, where are you taking me?¡± He nced at her and answered,


    ¡°We''re going to see Isabel and Liam.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Sylvia¡¯s expression transformed, and her restlessness immediately dissipated as well. Odell continued to stare at her


    shamelessly, making the least attempt to remove his gaze from her.


    Sylvia stared at him ufortably and confronted him. ¡°Could you stop looking at me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    His tone was insistent and sharp. Sylvia turned her head away, feeling annoyed and leaving him with the view of the back of her


    head.


    Just a secondter, he grabbed her by her chin and made her turn back to face him.


    Sylvia red grumpily at him and met his dark eyes. It was like the bottom of the ocean, devoid of light, concealing the deepest,


    darkest feelings known to men. Sylvia immediately turned away again and said, ¡°Odell, what¡¯s the point of doing this? Instead of


    wasting your effort like this, you should be worrying about what you¡¯re gonna do after Carter Corporation falls.¡±


    Vil

 Chapter 637

    Chapter 637


    Odell looked at her profoundly, his lips held into a frown. Sylvia thought that all that stress from recent events must have gotten


    to his head which led to him acting this way.


    She refrained from going on for fear that it might cause him to further lose his mind. Either way, she would find some way to get


    Isabel and Liam out of this ce after she met themter. After it seemed like Odell had calmed down, she peered at his pocket.


    Odell caught her stealing looks at his pocket and asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just put a ring in your pocket?¡±


    Sylvia asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Odell took it out of his pocket, assuming that Sylvia took interest in the ring. The streetmps along the


    side of the road cast beams of light down to where they were. Under such sufficient lighting, Sylvia could easily recognize the


    delicately polished, vintage sapphire ring that rested in the center of his palm. She immediately frowned. Odell was paying close


    attention to her reaction and upon noticing her change of expression, he blurted, ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Sylvia looked up at him with


    puzzlement and asked, ¡°Why is this ring with you?¡± Odell narrowed his eyes and asked suspiciously, ¡°Do you know this ring?¡±


    Instead of answering him, Sylvia asked another question, ¡°Did Tara give it to you?¡± Odell¡¯s eyes gleamed with certain alertness.


    ¡°How did you know that she gave it to me?¡± Sylvia eyed the ring again. She exined without paying attention to the perplexed


    look in Odell¡¯s eyes, ¡°Because this ring used to be mine. | gave it to her because she liked it.¡± Nothing but silence for several


    seconds. After the brief silence, the man suddenly roared, ¡°Stop!¡± The driver braked.


    The suddenmand frightened him. He promptly pulled the car to the side of the road.


    Since there was not much traffic along the road, the entire road was filled with an eerie silence after the car stopped.


    Though it was quiet, there was not a sense of peacefulness one would expect. Odell grabbed Sylvia¡¯s face with an ominous look


    fixed on her. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    He suddenly became so agitated that it seemed like his eyes were bulging and were going to pop out.


    Sylvia had never seen him lose his cool like this and was slightly taken aback. Still, she managed to exin withposure, ¡°I


    said this ring used to be mine, back when Tara and | were still good friends. | ended up giving her the ring because she told me


    that she liked it.¡±


    ¡°Is this ring yours?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Who gave it to you?¡±


    ¡°A boy gave me the ring, but | didn¡¯t know him.¡± Odell¡¯s hands suddenly shuddered. He sharpened the pointed look in his eyes


    and questioned,¡± Why did this boy give you this ring?¡± Sylvia sensed something wrong with his temperament but still answered


    him truthfully, ¡°I believe it was as a gift of gratitude for saving him. Right, | believe it was his mother who left this ring to him.¡±


    ¡°When was this? What do you mean by ¡®saving¡¯ him?¡± he continued interrogating, a bass-like tremor sounded in his voice.


    ¡°It was many years ago when | was only ten years old and lived with my grandparents in the old district. It was on a rainy night


    and | was heading out to buy some snacks. | passed by an alley and stumbled into a group of people beating up a boy no more


    than a few years older than | was. | remember being very scared at the time, but | was also worried that he would be beaten to


    death, so | cried out ¡®Police! Police!¡¯ to scare the group away. He already received a pretty bad beating by that point and | stayed


    with him for a long time. My grandparents ended up looking for me by the time the sun rose the next day. The boy gave me the


    ring before we separated.¡±


    After Sylvia finished recounting the story, she looked into his reddening eyes. It seemed like he was experiencing a turmoil of


    emotions. Sylvia was startled by this behavior. ¡°Odell, what''s wrong with you?¡± He said, ¡°Your mother died shortly after you were


    born. Your father and stepmother were never fond of you so you ended up staying with your grandparents.¡± ¡°Yeah, what are you


    trying to say?¡± Her circumstance growing up was pretty much public knowledge.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    He pursed his lips, and a certain raspiness transformed his voice. ¡°It was raining that night. The boy told you about how he was.


    abused by his stepmother, which was why you shared your story with him to show that he was not alone. Is that so?¡±


    A baffled look appeared in her eyes. ¡°You... How did you know?¡±


    Odell clenched his jaw.


    He quietly looked at her tender and innocent expression and noted how adorable she looked. He felt a rush to his head and had


    to take a couple of seconds before he could utter these words, ¡°Because | was that boy.¡±

 Chapter 638

    Chapter 638


    It was a stormy night filled with the ringing of thunderstorms. Ten-year-old Sylvia was still living in the old district with her


    grandparents at the time. That night, she wanted to eat snacks from a certain street vendor and snuck out of the house without


    her grandparents knowing. That was when she encountered the fateful scene of a boy surrounded by a group of people at the


    entrance of an alley. The poor boy was beaten up. 1 It was a rainy day and it was very dark. Not a soul passed by the alley.


    She wanted to call someone for help but there was no one around and she did not have a phone either. She knew that she could


    not just watch as the poor boy continued to get brutalized. She grabbed a pocket journal from her pocket and put it to her ear to


    pretend that it was a phone. Then, she stood at the mouth of the alley and began calling for the police and informing the police of


    her current location. She put on a tremendous act to make it seem like she was truly calling the police. With how dark it was, the


    hooligans did not know that it was not a phone that she had in hand. So, they vanished in a puff of smoke.


    That was when she ran to the boy. He twitched impulsively before she even touched him. He was in a terrible state. Sylvia could


    not help him up either. She ended up telling him to wait in the same spot while she went to get someone to call an ambnce.


    That was when the boy grabbed onto her wrist and pleaded meekly, ¡°Don¡¯t... don¡¯t go.¡± They could not make out each other¡¯s


    appearance in the dark, but Sylvia could clearly remember seeing the way he was trembling. She held an umbre and stayed


    by his side for a very long time. Many years had passed since that fateful incident, and Sylvia¡¯s memory of what they talked


    about then was very hazy by this point. All she could recall was how the boy refused to disclose what his name was or where he


    lived.


    He only told her that it was his stepmother who put him in this state.


    Upon this mention, Sylvia thought of her stepmother as well and told him how she had lost her mother when she was very


    young, and how his father had abandoned her. She figured that they had a sort ofpanionship in misery.


    He seemed to open up upon hearing that and he asked her, ¡°Does your stepmother pick on you too?¡±


    She told him, ¡°i lived with my grandparents since | was a child, so there¡¯s no way for her to get to me.¡±


    ¡°My grandmother is very good to me too.¡± He shared.


    So, they had a very long conversation. Suddenly, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Sylvia answered, ¡°You tell me your name first, and I''ll tell you mine.¡±


    This was not the first time she asked for his name that night.


    He fell into a very guarded silence. She noticed that he was ufortable and quickly switched to another topic. He no longer


    spoke and only listened to what she said.


    She stayed with him all night and even let him borrow her coat. He sheltered underneath the umbre with her coat around his


    shoulders.


    It was only nearly dawn when her grandparents began calling for her name frantically nearby when she rose.


    He grabbed her again.


    She told him that she had to go.


    He tucked a sapphire ring into her hands and said to her, ¡°This is for you.¡± 1


    Her first response was to refuse as she could not take it, He insisted that she take it and pressed it into her hands. He was very


    insistent. She took it and ran out of the alley to find her grandparents.


    Her grandparents were very agitated and quickly took her home when they saw her.


    It took a lot of effort for her to exin what happened and by the time they returned to the alley she mentioned, there was


    nobody there. Even now, she could recall how the day had brightened and how the sun had shone on specks of dried blood on


    the wall.


    After that, she was taken home by her grandparents. Soon after, Tara came to y with her and that was when she fell in love


    with the sapphire ring Sylvia thought the world of Tara at the time, for she was her best friend. Seeing that Tara liked it so much,


    she decided to give it to her.


    She recounted the story of the mysterious boy she met on that rainy night to Tara as well.


    After that, she never met the boy again, and as time passed, she forgot the details of that night. Still, she would asionally


    think of the boy and wonder if he managed to get away from his wretched stepmother.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

 Chapter 639

    Chapter 639


    It was bizarre to think that the boy ended up bing her husband in the future, the now twice-divorced ex-husband that had


    given her nothing but suffering...


    Memories came flooding back.


    Sylvia looked at the night sky through the car window. Her mind was nk.


    Odell sat next to her and stared thoughtfully at her.


    It was as if his gaze would prate her skull.


    Sylvia found it hard to believe that he was the boy she rescued that night. She suddenly felt an inexplicable heaviness in her


    heart and after a while, a thought suddenly urred to her. She turned to him and asked, ¡°Odell, you don¡¯t think that Tara was


    the one who saved you that night, do you?¡± Odell made a look and stayed silent. The disturbed look in his eyes was all the


    answer she needed. She felt something stuck in her throat and did not know what to say She recalled how he always talked


    about how much Tara had done for him in the past, and how she was his single ray of hope in the dark days of his youth. Did


    Tara end up bing this contorted idea of his muse by taking the sapphire ring? Could it be that Sylvia was his true muse all


    along? This was ridiculous!


    If she had not given the ring to Tara, would Odell have even met Tara at all?


    Perhaps they never would have gotten divorced? Perhaps he would never have her pped sixty times to avenge Tara?


    Perhaps all the events that transpired would never have happened. Perhaps he would have never broken her leg!


    Would he have chosen her over Tara without any hesitation back then?


    However, there was no such thing as ¡°if¡± in the harsh reality they lived in. Everything happened the way it did. She could still


    remember the sharp pain in her leg. They were never destined to be together!


    Sylvia frowned icily, then turned her head to look out the car window again.


    She felt his arm slowly draw away from her waist.


    Perhaps he let go of her because he could not handle this sudden relegation.


    She immediately shifted to the other side of the car to get as far away from him as she could.


    The car was still parked on the side of the road.


    The streetmp shone through the car window and on her frail, tired face.


    Meanwhile, Odell sat rooted to the same spot. He waspletely motionless as if his soul had drifted out of his body. He was


    completely drained.


    He stared at her, the veins in his eyes bulging with red.


    This woman... This woman who he had hurt countless times was the girl who saved him that night?


    Were the heavens messing with him?


    How could this be?!


    How could it be her?!


    He broke the silence, his voice was unbelievably hoarse. ¡°Are you lying to me? | know that you were good friends with Tara when


    you two were young. She must''ve told you about her saving me that night and shown you this ring in the past, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    Sylvia rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Believe it or not, | don¡¯t care.¡±


    Odell formed his lips into a thin,pressed line.


    He knew that Sylvia wanted nothing more than to be done with him, so there was no motivation for her to conjure such a


    ridiculous tale.


    After he thought about it, he realized that Sylvia¡¯s voice and entire demeanor were very simr to the girl who saved him on that


    rainy night.


    The streetlights outside the car window could not reach his side of the backseat as he sat amid the darkness.


    Perhaps all this was too much and too sudden for him to process. He slumped weakly against the backseat, his tired eyes slowly


    closed. After what seemed like forever, he suddenly informed, ¡°Isabel and Liam should be at my grandmother''s now.¡± Sylvia was


    alerted by this and nced at him.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She could only make out his bare silhouette amid the harrowing darkness that surrounded him. It was eerie in a certain way.


    She kept quiet. Then, she opened the door and stepped outside.


    She called for a taxi on the side of the road. After about half an hour, the taxi drove across a junction near the Art Academy and


    she arrived at the ce where she lived with Thomas.

 Chapter 640

    Chapter 640


    There was not a spot of light seen in her residence, while Odell¡¯s was glittering with lights everywhere.


    It was still as well furnished as it was in the past. There were even two bodyguards posted by the entrance.


    There was no sign of any depravity that came upon the property.


    Perhaps this was thest remnant of his time in the spotlight before the Carter Corporation faced total copse.


    The bodyguards recognized Sylvia and immediately opened the door for her when she approached.


    Shortly after she entered, the housekeeper, Sebastian, greeted her enthusiastically. Sylvia exchanged several kind words of


    greeting with him before she went to Madam Carters¡¯ room.


    As expected, Isabel and Liam were inside the room with her.


    Liam was sitting by the bed and had his attention squarely fixed on his book, while Isabel had fallen asleep next to her great-


    grandmother.


    Sylvia slowly walked to Liam''s side.


    Liam turned up to look at her. His adorable, chubby cheeks seemed to puff up along with hisrge, round eyes.


    Sylvia patted his head. Liam softly murmured, ¡°Mommy, | want to stay here with Great-grandma.¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°Okay.¡± She was


    not going to take the kids back home anyway even if he had not said that. The two of them missed their great-grandmother


    fervently. Besides, they had been staying at Thomas¡¯ for a long time already.


    Seeing as how Odell released her tonight, she figured that he was not going to try to impose his will on her anymore. If they


    could get along in the future, she no longer saw a reason to stay at Thomas¡¯ ce.


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    It was Thomas calling.


    Sylvia stepped out of the room to answer the call.


    Thomas¡¯ voice immediately sounded through with rity from the speakers. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    While on the way here, Sylvia had sent him a message and assured him that there was nothing to worry about.


    She answered him truthfully, ¡°I¡¯m at my ce near the Art Academy with Isabel and Liam.


    Don¡¯t worry about me, just go home and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Him, as in Odell.


    Sylvia pondered for a brief moment and answered, ¡°He dropped me off halfway here. | don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to do anything to


    me from here on.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you get some good rest as well.¡±


    ¡°um.¡±


    After hanging up, she returned to the room and watched over Madam Carter with the children. As the night went on, Liam began


    dozing off as well. Sylvia had Sebastian help her carry the kids into her room which was directly adjacent. During her absence,


    her room was regrly cleaned every day, even the nkets were changed to new and clean ones.


    There was no need for any further cleaning up, so she put the two kids on their beds. She looked around, still feeling perturbed


    by everything that was happening. Then, shey in between the two children.


    Every time she closed her eyes, the image of the sapphire ring surfaced in her mind, haunting her and preventing her from


    sleeping no matter how much she tossed and turned. It was only when the first light of dawn began flirting near the edge of the


    horizon that she finally gave in to sleep.


    ¡°Uncle!¡±


    Isabel''s cheerful cries rang through the morning air.


    Sylvia was jolted awake and pried her eyes open. The sky outside the window was aze with light. It was already past nine in


    the morning.


    She got up and walked out of the room.


    Liam was standing by the door with his arms folded across his chest, his pearly eyes fixed toward the living room downstairs. It


    seemed like he was simultaneously watching over his sister in the living room while also keeping guard over his sleeping mother.


    He seemed every bit like a tiny adult.

 Chapter 641

    Chapter 641


    Sylvia ruffled his hair and asked, ¡°Liam, why are you standing here?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡± Liam looked at her and said, ¡°Mommy, Uncle is here.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let''s go downstairs,¡± she said while taking Liam''s hand.


    Liam peered at her face and noticed the dark, heavy circles under her eyes, sharp evidence of herck of sleep.


    He reflected that he should have never let Isabel go downstairs. It must have been her shouts that woke up their mother.


    He made a subtle, silent frown and restored the cool, stoic expression on his face shortly after.


    They arrived in the living room.


    Thomas was seated on the couch in the living room while the enamored Isabel was sitting on hisp and seemed very delighted


    to see him. ¡°Uncle, drink some tea and have some snacks. Don''t be shy.¡±


    Thomas smiled faintly.


    Aunt Tonya, who was busy pouring him tea, was simrly amused by Isabel ying host and chuckled heartily.


    Sylvia took Liam to them and greeted Thomas with a smile, ¡°Thomas, why are you here at this hour?¡±


    ¡°| brought Aunt Tonya here.¡± He looked at her tenderly and added, ¡°And I¡¯vee to see you.


    Sylvia could feel her face burning with embarrassment.


    Aunt Tonya snickered upon witnessing this scene, then she turned to Isabel and Liam. ¡°Isabel, Liam, | brought you two


    something tasty to eat. It¡¯s outside. Could you kidse with me to


    get it?¡±


    The moment she heard that there were tasty treats, Isabel sprung to action. ¡°Alright!¡±


    She immediately hopped out of Thomas¡¯ arms and strutted to Aunt Tonya.


    Liam remained quiet the entire time. He gaped at Thomas with hisrge eyes, then at Sylvia before silently strutting over to


    Isabel. After that, the pair went off with Aunt Tonya and exited the living room.


    It was just Sylvia and Thomas left in the living room.


    Thomas got up and approached her. He gently brushed the corner of her eyes, the warmth of his fingers seemed to seep


    through. ¡°You have bags under your eyes. Did you get any sleepst night?¡±


    Sylvia blinked several times and replied, ¡°I slept well. Maybe | just dreamt too much.¡±


    Since she had broken things off with Odell, she saw no need to mention the sapphire ring.


    Thomas did not press the issue and switched the topic. ¡°I bought your favorite breakfast while


    | was on the way here. Let''s eat.¡±


    Sylvia answered pleasantly, ¡°Okay.¡± Shortly after, Aunt Tonya returned with the children. They were carryingrge bags of food.


    The containers did very little to contain the delicious aroma of the food within them.


    Sylvia gulped hungrily. Then she made Thomas sit and eat breakfast with her.


    While they were enjoying their merry breakfast, a phone suddenly rang and interrupted their moment.


    Thomas took out his phone and nced at it, then he turned to Sylvia. ¡°I need to answer this. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± With the phone in hand, he walked to the yard outside the living room. Sylvia paid no attention to this and continued


    enjoying her breakfast with Aunt Tonya and the children.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Meanwhile, Thomas¡¯ expression immediately transformed the moment he stepped past the threshold of the living room. A sharp,


    icy look seized his expression, giving him apletely different and even intimidating presence.


    It was his assistant calling. His assistant reported dutifully, ¡°Second Master, it¡¯s nothing but chaos inside the Carter Corporation


    now. It¡¯s the perfect storm for you to take over. Do you want to...?¡±


    Thomas peered at Sylvia who was eating merrily in the living room and dered, ¡°No. Follow the original n. Destroy Carter


    Corporation.¡±


    The assistant tried to persuade him. ¡°Second Master, Carter Corporation is a big deal. If you can take over now, not only will you


    fulfill your mother¡¯s wishes, but there¡¯s a lot you can gain from it too...¡±


    Thomas frowned sternly. ¡°Just do as | say.¡±


    The assistant recognized the sharpness in his voice that was not to be opposed. He took a deep breath and answered, ¡°Alright, |


    understand.¡±


    Thomas hung up the phone immediately and looked at Sylvia in the living room again.


    She was upied with the meal at the table. She would also dart the asional nce at Isabel and Liam, and every time she


    looked at them, a wonderful smile would grace the corner of her lips.


    Asoft, endearing look appeared in Thomas¡¯ eyes. He smiled and went back to the living room.


    If he had seized Carter Corporation right now, she would easily make out the connections between him and the recent crisis that


    befell Carter Corporation. It took so much for him to get to this point with her, so he could not risk letting her discover his


    involvement with what was happening

 Chapter 642

    Chapter 642


    Chapter 642


    Lush Heaven.


    The atmosphere inside the VIP box was a sharp contrast to the world outside. There was hardly any light inside and the air was


    filled with the pungent scent of alcohol.


    Atall man was slumped against the ck couch with a ss of liquor in his hand which he hung suspended in the air, fixed in a


    trance.


    Knock knock


    There was a sudden knock on the door.


    He opened his eyes but did not answer the knock.


    Cliff was standing on the other side of the door. After not receiving an answer for some time, he very cautiously opened the door.


    He walked up to Odell and frowned when he saw the state Odell was in, but took caution to maintain the respectful tone in his


    voice. ¡°Master Carter, | just got back from the police


    station.¡±


    Odell pried his eyelids open and revealed a sharp look underneath them. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Your suspicions were correct. After the police


    interrogated Mnie and looked further into her rtionship with Miss Tara, they found that she was not her aunt. The two of


    them were mother and daughter.¡±


    Bang! Odell flung the ss of liquor into a nearby wall, shattering it into numerous pieces in an instant.


    Cliff was taken aback by this and promptly drew several steps backward.


    Odell clenched his hands tightly. Even the veins on the back of his hand began to pop.


    He should have known.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    If their rtionship was as simple as aunt and niece, why would Mnie go through all the effort ofing out here to help


    Tara? What wouldpel her to bear the responsibility for everything after the conclusion of the events that transpired?


    This was because she was not Tara¡¯s aunt but her mother!


    On that rainy night, Odell remembered how the young Sylvia had recounted the facts of her life to him. Tara then tried to pose


    herself as Sylvia, and the fact that she had a mother was a ring inconsistency amid it all.


    She had yed him like a fool!


    To think that he thought of her as his salvation at one point. To think that he had let her persuade him into mistreating Sylvia who


    was still pregnant at the time, and what about the sixty ps?! What about how he had kicked her out of the house immediately


    after she gave birth to the children?!


    As if this was not enough, he had unfairly used Sylvia of what happened to Grandmother


    and had her legs broken. What about her fall into Cloudy Heart Lake where she nearly died...? ¡°Master Carter, is there anything


    else | can do for you?¡± Cliff looked at Odell¡¯s terrifying expression and asked in a low voice.


    Odell shut his eyes, immediately putting away the murderous, menacing look burning in his eyes.


    After heposed himself, he expressed weakly, ¡°What else is there to do?¡± Something gleamed in Cliffs eyes and he


    suggested, ¡°Thepany is in a chaotic state right now. Would you like to go back and have a look at the state of things?¡± The


    answer he got was a deep, primal roar, ¡°Scramn! Afraid of having his head smashed by a bottle of liquor, Cliff quickly fled from


    the room.


    OM


    Sylvia¡¯s house.


    Thomas left shortly after breakfast. Although the house was cleaned daily, there were still certain tasks that needed attending to


    after such a prolonged absence.


    Sylvia and Aunt Tonya took the kids to a nearby shopping mall, then to a supermarket. They only returned home in the evening


    when the sky was darkening. Liam watched Isabel y in the living room. Meanwhile, Sylvia helped Aunt Tonya with dinner.


    Shortly after,rge portions of hot, steaming food were served on the dining table.


    It was around the time when Sylvia, Aunt Tonya, and the children finished eating when Sebastian appeared outside the living


    room. He seemed to be hovering about the threshold, anxiously pondering if he should enter. By the time Sylvia and Aunt Tonya


    noticed him, Liam and Isabel had seen him as well. Before Sylvia could speak, Isabel jumped out of her chair and ran to him.


    ¡°Uncle Sebastian, what are you doing here? Come on in!¡±

 Chapter 643

    Chapter 643


    Chapter 643


    Sebastian answered her warmly, ¡°I... No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    That was when Sylvia and Aunt Tonya stepped forward to see him.


    Sylvia gently patted Isabel''s head and urged, ¡°Isabel, go inside and y with your brother.¡± Isabel muted a quick ¡°Okay¡± and ran


    back into the living room. Sylvia went up to Sebastian and addressed him, ¡°Sebastian, are you here to say something to


    me?¡±


    Sebastian hesitated for several seconds and with an exasperated sigh, began rying,¡± Missus, | just wanted to see if | can


    persuade you to speak to Master Carter. Jacob told me that he went to the bar today again. | know that circumstances are hard


    with what''s happening¡±. with thepany, but he can¡¯t keep living like this. Sylvia frowned sternly. ¡°I divorced him a long time


    ago. It¡¯s not in my ce to talk to him.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no one more suitable for this task than you. You just need to go to him and say a few words. I¡¯m sure he''ll return to


    his usual form after that.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that the person he cares about most isn¡¯t...¡± Before she even implied the possibility of that person being her, she


    stuttered. Her thoughts went to the sapphire ring again. It all happened because she had given the sapphire ring to Tara. That


    was why Odell mistook Tara as his guardian angel and believed that she was the most important person in his life. If she had not


    given the ring to Tara at the time, he would have seen her as his guardian angel instead. Perhaps she should never have given


    the ring to Tara, but he was just as guilty and foolish to think that Tara was the one who saved him that night! She felt something


    heavy and oppressing expanding inside her. Her mind was a muddled mess ¡°Missus, I¡¯m begging you at this point.¡± Sebastian¡¯s


    voice became choked up as he said this, and tears swelled in his eyes.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia gnashed her teeth. ¡°Let me think about it. Sebastian responded eagerly, ¡°Alright, alright. She went back to the living room.


    Liam and Isabel were sitting together in the living room.


    Isabel was watching cartoons on the tablet while Liam sat next to her reading a book.


    Sylvia was feeling overwhelmed but did not want to sour their mood as well, so she sat on the other side.


    Sebastian''s voice rang in her ears like a spell. She could not forget how Odell had chosen Tara over her when being threatened


    by Spencer previously.


    She knitted her brows into a tight frown,


    Even before Spencer kidnapped her and Tara, Odell had broken things off with Tara for some time. She vividly remembered how


    Odell had told her that he had severed all rtions with Tara. In that case, it did not make sense that he still ended up saving


    Tara because of the sapphire ring


    Deep down, he must still care a great deal about Tara, enough to choose to let Tara live even when threatened at gunpoint by


    Spencer.


    Nas


    While she was zoning out, she suddenly felt a chubby hand touching her forehead. It was as if the thunderstorm inside her mind


    cleared instantly. She looked down and saw Isabel crawling into her arms and Liam standing in front of her. The two of them


    were looking at her innocently. Isabel asked with sweet concern in her voice, ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong? Did something bad


    happen?¡± Sylvia smiled and assured her. ¡°Mommy is fine.¡± ¡°But | saw your eyebrows knitted together like a straight line.¡±


    Sylvia had no choice but to confess, ¡°It''s just something troublesome that Mommy has to deal with. It doesn¡¯t matter. Mommy will


    feel better eventually.¡±


    Isabel leaned into her chest and rubbed her chubby cheeks against Sylvia''s. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Mommy. I''ll always be with you.¡±


    Liam silently sat next to her as well Sylvia immediately took both of them into her arms. She felt a warm and fuzzy feeling


    gushing inside her. ¡ª


    That was when she found the answer she had been seeking the entire time. She should talk to Odell, at least for the children¡¯s


    sake. 1 Whether he would listen or not was an entirely separate matter.

 Chapter 644

    Chapter 644


    Chapter 644


    Midnight.


    Sylvia waited until the children had dozed off into a deep sleep before leaving and driving to Lush Heaven


    The night was when the city truly came alive, and Lush Heaven was no exception either. It was very lively inside but most of the


    activities were restricted to only the first floor. Some paparazzi were wandering around the corridor on the second floor. They


    were here for Odell.


    Sylvia did not want to appear in the news, so she got in touch with Sherry.


    Shortly after, Sherry had the security escort the group of paparazzi who snuck into the building Sylvia said something to Sherry,


    then she went to Odell¡¯s box all by herself. As usual, Ben and Jacob were posted by the entrance door. The two of them promptly


    opened the door for her the moment they saw her.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Just like that, Sylvia entered. The pungent smell of alcohol lingered in the air as usual. She frowned, then looked at the man lying


    on the couch. He was wearing a pair of ck shirt and pants. The cor of his shirt was unbuttoned and he barely even tucked


    his shirt.


    Sylvia could not tell if he had simply fallen asleep or if he was drunk. His eyes were closed and he was even starting to look like


    he was dead.


    She stopped approaching him and simply called his name instead, ¡°Odell.¡± His hands that were dangling on the couch suddenly


    shook, followed by him snapping his eyes open. His dark eyes adjusted to his waking state. He stared at her for a while before


    asking, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    She answered honestly, ¡°Sebastian asked me toe. He wants me to talk to you.¡±


    He squinted. ¡°And you came just because he asked you to?¡±


    His voice was very raspy. Sylvia could tell that he was hinting at something else with that statement


    It was as if he was implying that she came here because she cared about him, that Sebastian urging her was simply an excuse


    for her.


    She could not be bothered to exin herself. ¡°Believe whatever you want to.¡±


    Odell smirked coyly. ¡°I believe you.¡±


    There was a soft, vulnerable look in his eyes and he wore a sweet smile that gave him a somewhat endearing charm.


    Sylvia frowned and avoided his gaze. Then she began to lecture him. ¡°Everyone faces setbacks at one point or another. It¡¯s


    nothing out of the ordinary for a corporation asrge as Carter Corporation to face some crisis now and then. You don¡¯t have to


    me yourself for not being able to salvage the situation. So what if you go bankrupt? You''re still young and there¡¯s always a


    chance for you to start again. You still have many days ahead of you.¡±


    Odell sat up, reclined on the sofa, and rested his head on his palm.


    He suddenly smiled upon hearing Sylvia¡¯s speech. There was a glowing warmth in his eyes. Sylvia went on. ¡°You don¡¯t have to


    worry about the children for the time being. | have enough money saved up to take care of them until they grow up. | can also


    help you take care of Grandma, but I¡¯m afraid i''ll have to dismiss the service of all the housemaids and bodyguards except for


    Sebastian and the caretakers. | can¡¯t support all of them by myself.¡±


    After she finished, silence descended upon the room. There was no answer from Odell, which prompted Sylvia to turn to him.


    She saw him slumpedzily against the couch with a strangely affectionate smile on his face that almost bordered along the lines


    of psychopathy. She became irrationally upset when she saw him behaving this way. ¡°Odell, I¡¯m talking to you. Were you even


    listening?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I was.¡±


    She pressured him. ¡°And what about you? Are you going to keep sulking here and drinking?¡± After several seconds of silence, he


    asked, ¡°What would you do if | choose to keep doing that?¡± She wanted to p him. Then again, what right did she have to do


    that?


    She was his ex-wife. She only came to speak to him for the sake of their two children, Isabel and Liam

 Chapter 645

    Chapter 645


    Chapter 645


    Sylvia supposed that there was not much else she could do if Odell would not listen.


    She shot a re at him, then promptly turned to leave. Just as she reached the door and raised her hand to turn the door knob,


    his raspy voice suddenly traveled across the room to her. ¡°When Spencer kidnapped the two of you, | wanted to choose to spare


    you the entire time.¡± Sylvia froze for a moment and hissed sharply. ¡°Odell, do you think I¡¯m blind and deaf?¡± Even now, she could


    remember how he had pointed at her first, then changed his choice to Tara after a mere two-second pause. She remembered


    how he had reaffirmed that his final choice was Tara!


    ¡°| tried to negotiate with him and offered him a lot of terms. | even told him that I¡¯d sacrifice myself if he¡¯d let you two walk free.


    He didn¡¯t agree to my terms and instead, required me to choose between you two. He only wanted to use your lives to exact


    revenge on me.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and stayed quiet.


    Odell¡¯s voice turned into a low, maic tremor. ¡°When he told me to choose to let one of you live, | was convinced that he was


    laying a trap on me. | believed that he was deliberately allowing me to choose the one | cared about most to walk free, just so he


    could kill that person right in front of me. | was fully expecting him to resort to such dirty tactics.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. He was suggesting that Spencer was aware that she was the one Odell cared about the most. He was afraid that


    if he had chosen her, Spencer would execute her right then and there. Was this why he ended up changing his choice to Tara


    instead?


    She suddenly became very confused by the current situation. Something told her that this was another trick of his. How could


    she be so foolish as to be convinced of the logic behind this ridiculous tale?! She stopped trying to figure out the consistency of


    the story he spun and announced, ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that anymore. You don¡¯t have to keep exining.¡± Odell smirked.


    ¡°I''m already done exining.¡± Sylvia felt irrationally upset. She immediately swung open the door and stormed out. Odell looked


    at her stomping way, the door flung back the other way and she disappeared behind it. Still, he continued to wear the same


    cheery smile. His expression was contorted with joy.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    That was when the door opened again and Cliff entered.


    wad


    He noticed the smile on Odell¡¯s face that seemed impossible to wipe away andmented cheerily, ¡°Master Carter, looks like


    the missus still cares a lot about you.¡±


    With the news of the Carter Corporation¡¯s eventual downfall going around, all of Odell¡¯s rtives spun all kinds of excuses to


    avoid him. Even Tara who imed to love him and could not survive without him only came to him to demand the rights to his


    property. Amid all this, it was only Sylvia who made the effort toe to see him not once, but twice. The first time was with the


    children to bring himfort and the second time to speak some sense into him.


    It was admirable how she never asked for a single penny from him and even offered to take care of his grandmother.


    Especially considering how Odell had hurt her so much in the past.


    Her affection for him seemed every bit genuine. It seemed extremely unlikely that she did not care for him.


    Odell merely grunted in response. There was still a faint shadow of a smile on the corners of his lips.


    Cliff smiled and remarked, ¡°Even the missus hase to see you. Do you think you could go back to thepany?¡±


    Odell made a look and asked, ¡°What day is it today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s twenty-fourth.¡±


    Odell suddenly smiled again. Instead of the jubnt smile from earlier, it now took on a different appearance. There was a


    hungry, grim undertone in his smile. Even his eyes began to glower.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Hey back on the sofa and ordered, ¡°Get me several bottles of good wine.¡± Cliff grimaced. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t you think you''re


    getting addicted-¡± Before he could finish, he was seized by a murderous re from Odell. He promptly zipped his lips and walked


    outside. +


    After leaving Lush Heaven, Sylvia went straight back home. Sebastian was standing by the door and looking around anxiously.


    He hurriedly greeted Sylvia upon noticing her return and enquired nervously, ¡°So, how¡¯s Master Carter doing?¡± 1) Sylvia gave


    him an honest answer, ¡°I told him everything | believe | should tell him in such circumstances, but | can¡¯t tell you if he listened.¡±


    Sebastian sighed. ¡°If you can¡¯t persuade him, then no one else can.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should go back to rest.¡± Sylvia


    suggested. After a short silence, she added, ¡°Sebastian, if Odell is done in by this, you should bring Grandma with you ande


    live with me and Aunt Tonya in the future.¡±


    Sylvia was aware that Sebastian had no financial burdens and nock of job opportunities even if he lost his job after the Carter


    Corporation dered bankruptcy. Despite all that, she knew that he would have a hard time parting ways with the Carter


    household, especially with Madam Carter whom he had formed a familial bond after all these years.


    Something shone in his ssy eyes and he said with great difficulty, trying to contain his weariness, ¡°Alright...alright.¡±

 Chapter 646

    Chapter 646


    Sylvia talked with Sebastian for a little while longer, then she watched silently as he went back to his room before returning to her


    room.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    She took a quick shower and prepared to settle in for the night.


    Then, her phone rang.


    It was Thomas who texted her and asked, ¡°Are you sleeping?¡± Sylvia picked up the phone and replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to bed soon.¡±


    Thomas: ¡°Why are you up sote?¡± Sylvia: ¡°I had to go out to handle something.¡± Thomas: ¡°What happened?¡±


    Sylvia was not expecting him to press the issue, so she considered for a moment and answered: ¡°Sebastian was worried about


    Odell and asked me to talk to him, so | went to see


    him.¡±


    She did not want to lie to him.


    He replied shortly after: ¡°I see, get some rest.¡±


    Sylvia: ¡°You too.¡±


    After she sent the text, she tossed the phone aside andy down on the bed. Meanwhile, right outside the gates to her house


    was a tall, brooding figure standing in the


    darkness.


    It was Thomas. He looked in the direction of Sylvia''s bedroom, his phone still in hand.


    He only turned to leave after Sylvia switched off the lights in her room.


    Sylvia drifted in and out of sleep all night. As if possessed by a demon, the scene of Spencer kidnapping her and Tara shed


    past her mind every time she closed her eyes. The exnation Odell gave to herst night kept reying incessantly as well.


    He imed that he had chosen her from the very beginning. He kept exining to her how he believed that Spencer was trying


    to set him up and lull him into choosing the woman she cared about most, which was why he ended up choosing Tara to mislead


    him.


    After thinking about it carefully, she realized that what Spencer did was very abnormal.


    If he wanted to get revenge so much, killing the person Odell cared about the most would be the best way to appease his wrath.


    Why did he let Tara go immediately after Odell chose Tara?


    The more she thought about it, the more muddled her head became. When she opened her eyes again, she saw that the first


    light of dawn had glimpsed the sky outside.


    She gave up on getting any sleep and headed downstairs after she made her bed.


    Aunt Tonya was already awake. She was watching some time-piece drama on the television


    while preparing breakfast. Sylvia greeted her briskly and walked out to the yard. Then, she looked at the neighboring house.


    Odell¡¯s car was nowhere to be seen. He was yet toe home. She frowned and took out her phone, troubled by a frustrating


    feeling inside her. Before she could type anything on the search bar, a trending headline immediately popped up on the top of the


    screen. It read, ¡°Carter Corporation shareholders dere intention to vote to remove Odell Carter.¡± She tapped into the article


    instantly. The article was very descriptive and ording to reports, Carter Corporation had been experiencing internal turmoil


    since two days ago. Since Odell refused to return to clean up the mess, the shareholders were getting more anxious by the


    minute. Initially, most of them still voiced support for Odell but over time, their confidence began to waver as Odell¡¯s absence


    continued. 12


    Insider information revealed that most of the major shareholders had decided to hold a general meeting where they would aim to


    remove Odell from the board. After that, they would move on to find someone capable who could take over and curb the ongoing


    crisis.


    All of these events described above transpired over thest two days, including the shareholder meetings.


    There were countless online discussions revolving around the topic. Most people believed that it was very unlikely that Carter


    Corporation would survive. The corporation¡¯s only lifeline was if some ultra-wealthy plutocrat with an enormous amount of capital


    swooped in and addressed all the issues with theck of funding inside the organization.


    The consensus was that Odell Carter, the leader of the corporation, would have to be forcefully ejected. Whose fault was it that


    he chose thefort of alcohol in these harrowing times?


    Many people directed insults at him.


    She closed the article after briefly ncing through thements.

 Chapter 647

    Chapter 647


    Suddenly, a silver car swerved in from the side of the road and stopped in front of her.


    Sylvia recognized that it was Thomas in the driver¡¯s seat.


    She was taken aback. ¡°Thomas?¡±


    Thomas got out of the car and walked up to her, towering over her with his height. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Grandma.¡±


    She muttered a curt ¡°Oh.¡± in response.


    Thomas put a hand forward and touched her head, then he stared at her hazel eyes. ¡°Why are you up so early?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She strained an unconvincing smile. ¡°I just happened to wake up early.¡± ¡°You have bags under your eyes. Did you not sleepst


    night?¡± he asked. She avoided his gaze and brushed it off. ¡°I slept okay.¡±


    He softly rubbed the corner of her eyes with his warm fingertips, his voice was gentle andforting. ¡°Is there something


    bothering you?¡± 1 Sylvia frowned. She was moved by the tenderness in his voice. So moved that she wanted to confide


    everything in him, but she figured that he would not be pleased to find out that it was about Odell.


    Before she could find a way to answer the question, Thomas spoke in a low, mellow voice, ¡°Is it because of my brother?¡±


    She immediately cast him a look.


    He wore the same understanding expression and said, ¡°I saw the news. The corporation is a mess now and it seems like he¡¯s


    going to get pushed out.¡±


    Sylvia answered, ¡°I just saw the news too.¡±


    Thomas gently patted her head again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s very resilient. I¡¯m sure nothing bad will happen to him.¡±


    It was true. He was nearly killed by his stepmother before he even reached adolescence and survived all by himself. Surely he


    was still the same Odell, made of something greater than steel.


    However, she could not be so confident when she remembered the way he was relying on alcohol to sustain himself now.


    Thomas suddenly caressed her cheeks again with his slender, pointed fingers. A darker tone surfaced in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to


    get upset if you keep worrying about him.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Thomas. | didn¡¯t want things to be this way either.¡±


    If only she had not seen the sapphire ring, then Odell would not have told her about all his internal monologue back when


    Spencer kidnapped her and Tara. She would not be put in this state of mind to begin with. 1


    Thomas looked at her frail expression and fell silent for a few seconds. Then, he murmured,¡± You don¡¯t need to apologize to me.


    I''m not upset because you''re concerned about him. | just don¡¯t want you to get yourself hurt by getting involved with him again.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him with a ruminative look, then she blurted out, ¡°He exined everything to


    me.


    ¡°Exin what?¡±


    Just as she was about to confess, she suddenly took her hand and suggested. ¡°There¡¯s this ce that serves really good


    breakfast. Let¡¯s talk while we eat.¡± He smiled gently at her. She felt a weight drop off her chest and smiled pleasantly back at him.


    1 After that, she got into the car with him. They arrived at the restaurant she talked about shortly after. Thomas requested a


    private room upstairs. The two of them sat face to face and Sylvia exined everything to him, including the rhetoric behind why


    Odell had chosen Tara instead of her. 1 After listening to her exnation, hemented, ¡°His exnation sounds reasonable


    enough.¡± She stayed silent. She doubted that Odell would lie to her as well. Besides, he was not the type to lie. Thomas poured


    her a drink and said, ¡°But | think he has this strange obsession with that Tara girl. It does seem like he cares a lot about her as


    well.¡± Sylvia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s all because of the ring.¡± Thomas¡¯ hand that was holding a ss suddenly stiffened. He paused for a


    moment before reverting to his natural state and asked with an inquiring look, ¡°What ring?¡±


    ¡°There was this rainy night many years ago where | rescued him in an alley in the old district. Back then, we barely saw each


    other''s faces and didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s names but before he left, he gave me a sapphire ring. | was very close with Tara back


    then and she fell in love with the ring the moment she saw it, so | gave it to her. That¡¯s how Odell came to mistake her as the one


    who saved him that night instead of me.¡±

 Chapter 648

    Chapter 648


    Chapter 648


    Asharp silence took over the moment Sylvia disclosed these past events.


    Sylvia assumed that Thomas was baffled by the tale and chuckled self-deprecatingly. ¡°You think it¡¯s absurd too, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He clenched his hand into a ball of fist underneath the table, but hung a faint smile on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s pretty incredible, | admit.¡±


    After a pause, he asked again, ¡°Does that mean he realized that you were the one who saved him all along?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Tara ended up returning the ring to him. It was sometime around when you took me to Lush Heaven with Isabel and Liam


    to visit him. After that, | paid him another visit and that¡¯s when | identally saw the ring.¡± An awkward silence descended upon


    them again. She sensed that something was off and stole a look at him. His handsome expression seemed to beam underneath


    the ceiling lights. She could see her own reflection inside his hazel eyes. He spoke suddenly, ¡°So, are you nning to go back to


    him?¡± This flustered her and invoked a sense of guilt that came out of nowhere. ¡°I never even thought about that, Thomas.¡± He


    curled his lips into a faint smile. ¡°We''re not officially together yet so you can go back to him if you want to.¡± ¡°I won''t ever get back


    together with him again,¡± she dered firmly, ¡°There was some misunderstanding between us, that¡¯s true. But it doesn¡¯t erase all


    the hurt he¡¯s done to me in the past.¡±


    The pain he caused her was not something that can be erased with mere exnations and the evidence of the sapphire ring.


    Asoft, endearing look returned to Thomas¡¯s eyes. He suggested, ¡°So does that mean we can begin dating officially?¡±


    Something gleamed in Sylvia¡¯s eyes, and she stammered for words, ¡°I... I...¡±


    ¡°You haven''t made up your mind?¡± he asked. She avoided his gaze and grunted, ¡°Hm.¡±


    This was all too sudden so she was unprepared. ¡°Is two days enough for you?¡±


    ¡°Two days?¡± She was still registering what he said. He grinned and stated, ¡°Two days for you to consider whether you would


    be my girlfriend.¡±


    She felt her cheeks radiating with heat. ¡°Okay.¡±


    He looked at her with a profound look, then he added, ¡°You can choose to return to him after these two days if you want to.


    However, if you promise to be my girlfriend, | won¡¯t simply give you up anymore.¡±


    He dered with a sharp, resolute tone.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Okay.¡±


    After breakfast, she went back home with Thomas. He promptly went to see Madam Carter while she returned to her room.


    Isabel and Liam were already up.


    By the time she entered the room, Liam had already put on a shirt and a pair of denim trousers with suspenders. He was busy


    helping his sister with the cor of her shirt. Upon noticing her, Isabel rushed to her and asked, ¡°Mommy, Aunt Tonya told us you


    went out. Where have you been?¡± Sylvia patted her head and said, ¡°Your uncle is here to see Great-grandma. Mommy was


    having breakfast with him just now.¡± Isabel''s eyes lit up. ¡°Uncle is here?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s visiting Great-grandmother next door.¡± ¡°I want


    to see Great-grandma too!¡± She wrung herself free from Sylvia¡¯s arms and bolted outside. Sylvia emitted a soft sigh, then she


    took Liam¡¯s hand and left the room.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Aunt Tonya had just made breakfast. It was a special ndodle dish that the children loved. Since it did not seem like Isabel was


    going toe downstairs anytime soon, Sylvia ate a little more than usual with Liam and Aunt Tonya.


    Shortly after they finished eating, two figures of different sizes emerged. Isabel had a bunch of treats in her arms and was lying


    comfortably in Thomas¡¯ arms. The moment she showed up, she announced at the top of her voice, ¡°Mommy, Uncle says that


    he¡¯s going to bring us somewhere very fun!¡± Sylvia turned to Thomas.

 Chapter 649

    Chapter 649


    Thomas smiled at Sylvia. ¡°There¡¯s this new children¡¯s clubhouse that opened in the new district. There are all kinds of activities


    going on there which I think should be very fun for Isabel and Liam.¡±


    With Isabel being so excited, there was no reason that Sylvia should refuse. She turned to Liam and asked, ¡°Liam, do you want


    to go?¡±


    He stared nkly at Thomas.


    Isabel was worried Liam would not want to go and quickly urged, ¡°Liam, lets¡¯ go. Lets¡¯ go!¡±


    Liam gave a curt answer, ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia turned to Thomas and smiled faintly. ¡°Alright Thomas, we''ll leave in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Just as Thomas described, there were all kinds of fun activities in the children¡¯s clubhouse. There were even some high-tech


    instations that offered virtual gaming experiences such as the spacewalk simtor. Isabel had a st. Even Liam enjoyed


    some of the simtions. There was also an escape room designed for a family-sized group. There were several tricky stages,


    but Thomas and Liam managed to effortlessly solve the puzzles. Even Isabel, who was always obsessed with messing around,


    managed to find important clues so they could pass the level. Sylvia barely had to contribute anything and they all made it out.


    The day came to a close before they realized it. The sky had darkened by the time they stepped out of the clubhouse.


    Thomas drove in the driver''s seat.


    Sylvia and the children were seated in the backseat. The children were worn out from the day¡¯s activity and fell asleep next to


    Sylvia shortly after getting in the car.


    Even Sylvia was a little exhausted after they left the clubhouse. She was absent-mindedly scrolling through her phone when she


    saw another article on Carter Corporation that immediately jolted her awake.


    It was quiet inside the car. She peered outside the car windows and looked at the cityscape at night.


    Soon, the car stopped in front of the house.


    Thomas turned to the backseat and announced, ¡°Sylvia, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Sylvia immediately recollected herself. They carried a child each and took them back to their room to settle in for the night.


    Then, the two of them went to the living room.


    Aunt Tonya smiled very politely and cheerily at Thomas. ¡°Thomas, sit down and have some


    tea.¡±


    He answered politely with a friendly smile, ¡°Sure.¡±


    He sat on the couch.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia was going to walk him out and was not expecting Aunt Tonya to invite Thomas for a cup of tea. She ended up sitting on


    the couch as well.


    After Aunt Tonya set the brewed tea for them, she informed dutifully, ¡°Take your time, you two. I¡¯m going out for a walk.¡±


    N


    With that, she vanished.


    Sylvia pursed her lips meekly. Thomas turned to her. ¡°You don¡¯t look very good. Are you tired?¡± She avoided his gaze and


    answered, ¡°Maybe a little.¡±


    He drew closer to her, making sure to still keep a respectable, short distance from her. Then he broached the topic. ¡°Carter


    Corporation is on the news again. Have you seen it?¡± She did not lie to him and grunted, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Looks like my brother is still


    shacked up at Lush Heaven.¡± She frowned. ¡°I guess so.¡± As she said this, she felt the cool touch of his fingertips pressed against


    her brows. She slowly turned to him and met the soft gaze in his eyes. He was gently massaging her brows and temple. ¡°You''re


    frowning. Are you worried about him?


    ¡°I''m not,¡± she said defensively. He smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t be angry. | just don¡¯t want you to be in a bad mood because of him.¡± ¡°Thomas,


    you don¡¯t have to be so good to me, 1 ¡ª


    Before she could finish, her voice was muffled by his finger pressed against her lips.


    She zipped her lips shut.


    He looked at her tenderly. ¡°Even though | don¡¯t have a legitimate profession, the projects | have invested in these years have


    paid off remarkably well. | also have shares in Carter Corporation, so | managed to save up a decent amount of money this way.


    Even if Carter Corporation goes down, | will do what | can to help Odell. He¡¯s my brother after all.¡±

 Chapter 650

    Chapter 650


    Something warm glowed in Sylvia¡¯s eyes. Just as she was about to voice her opinion, a sharp and intent look surfaced in


    Thomas¡¯ eyes. Even the very air around him seemed to solidify. He dered, ¡°I''ll see to it that he will not be reduced to poverty,


    so there¡¯s no need for you to worry about him or concern yourself with this news concerning the state of Carter Corporation.¡±


    With that, he removed his finger from her lips. Sylvia smiled and thanked him sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Thomas. I¡¯ll stop worrying


    myself over these matters.¡±


    Now that she had Thomas¡¯ word, she finally could stop worrying about Odell.


    With Thomas¡¯ help, it was very feasible for Odell to recover from this and make aeback in the future. She only needed Odell


    to live through this and stand on his two feet so the children have a father to turn to.


    She felt a weight lift off her chest. Finally, she could breathe easily again. Thomas turned up his wrist and looked at the time on


    his watch. Then he urged, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should get some rest.¡±


    He rose.


    Sylvia got up and offered, ¡°Let me walk you out.¡± He swept a nce at her. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Cold tuffs of wind blew across the night sky. Sylvia had just stepped out of the doorway and a gust of wind swept past her and


    made a mess of her hair, sweeping them all over her face. She tried to pry her hair away from her face.


    Thomas was one step ahead of her. He briskly gathered her hair into a small clump and tucked them behind her ears.


    She turned to look at him.


    He stood like a totem in front of her and gazed into her eyes.


    The streemp shone on them.


    In just one nce, she could vividly see his genuine feelings, passion, and fervent for her.


    Something flickered in her eyes. She tried to lower her head to avert his gaze. Thomas moved his hand from the back of her


    head to her chin and softly raised her chin to look at him again.


    Immediately afterward, he lowered himself and nted a light, gentle kiss on her forehead.


    His lips were soft to the touch.


    Sylvia felt as if she had been electrocuted. Her body stiffened and her eyes widened.


    Thomas let go of her after the kiss. A faint red shade began to color his pale cheeks as he mumbled shyly, ¡°Sorry, | couldn¡¯t hold


    back.¡±


    She broke out into a hearty chuckle upon seeing him in this state. ¡°It''s okay. Hurry up and get home. Drive safely.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± With that, he turned and got into the car.


    The silver car came to life as its engines rumbled.


    Sylvia waited for the car to drive away before turning back to the house.


    Meanwhile, across the dark road and underneath the shade of trees diagonally across her gates was a ck car hidden from


    view. It had been parked there since Thomas and Sylvia returned home with the children and never left since.


    There was nothing but dead silence inside the car. The air inside was stagnant.


    The driver as well as Cliff who was seated in the passenger seat held their breaths and kept their mouth shut the entire time,


    afraid to even utter a single whisper.


    In the backseat was Odell¡¯s broad figure. Through the car windows, he gaped at Sylvia who was just stepping into the living room


    There was imprable darkness inside his eyes. His body exuded a bone-chilling air that made the driver and Cliff want to


    escape from the car and make a run for it.


    After what seemed like forever, when the driver and Cliff were on the verge of suffocating, Odell suddenly broke the silence.


    ¡°When are the shareholders holding their meeting?¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Cliff gulped and answered cautiously, ¡°Tomorrow, at 3p.m. in the afternoon.¡±


    Three p.m. tomorrow afternoon.


    Odell nced at the time on his watch, neen hours to go. He pressed his knuckles together and cracked his fingers one by


    one. The crunch of bones resounded in the car and echoed unendingly.


    He shut his eyes to suppress the vicious, murderous intent that felt like it was going to lunge out of his body.


    After a while, he asked, ¡°Is everything arranged?¡± Cliff promptly answered, ¡°Everything has been arranged, all ording to your


    instructions.¡±

 Chapter 651

    Chapter 651


    Chapter 651


    ¡°Go back,¡± he said in a cold voice.


    The driver quickly turned the car around while asking in a low voice, ¡°Master Carter, are you going back to the nightclub or to the


    company?¡± ¡°The nightclub.¡±


    The driver¡¯s gaze changed, and he could not help but nce toward Cliff.


    ¡®The shareholders are about to meet and kick him out, and his wife is with another man. How can he go back to the nightclub?


    Shouldn''t he rush back to thepany to try and save himself before the shareholders¡¯ meeting?¡¯ Cliff pursed his lips and shot


    the driver a look that said, ¡°Mind your own business and drive.¡±


    Thus, the driver obediently drove in the direction of Lush Heaven. ¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    That night, Sylvia slept much better than the previous night. However, when it was almost dawn, she had a dream that Odell


    became an impoverished deviant. Not only did he separate her from her children, but he also locked her up again.


    She begged him for mercy and said that she was willing to give him all her savings, but his expression remained gloomy as ever.


    In the end, he yed with a sharp knife and cornered her. His handsome face suddenly became dark and twisted as he said to


    her, ¡°Sylvia, you''re mine even in death.¡± The intense fear woke her up instantly


    Sylvia sat up in bed at once. When she saw that it was her room and that the sky outside was starting to brighten, she realized


    that she simply had a nightmare and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Even if Odell were down in the dumps, he wouldn¡¯t be that


    kind of deviant. Besides, Thomas said that he¡¯d try his best to help Odell, so he definitely won¡¯t end up in poverty.¡¯ However, she


    still felt vaguely uneasy in her heart.


    She picked up the phone and tapped on the financial news section. Sure enough, she saw articles rted to Carter Corporation.


    The article said that there would be a shareholders¡¯ meeting that day, but the journalists did not know the specific time. Most


    likely, after today, Odell would no longer be the head of Carter Corporation. His handsome, indifferent face appeared in Sylvia¡¯s


    mind for no reason. ¡®He¡¯s such a decisive and powerful man. It must be a huge blow for him to be kicked out of Carter


    Corporation.¡¯


    dson


    At that moment, a message from Thomas suddenly popped up on her phone. He asked, ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    It was only 6 a.m. Sylvia hesitated and replied, ¡°I just woke up. Can | help you?¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°I¡¯m right at your doorstep.¡±


    She immediately got out of bed and walked to the window. After pulling the curtain, she saw his slender figure outside the door.


    His line of sight was directed at her.


    Sylvia waved at him and quickly went downstairs to open the door for him. She asked suspiciously, ¡°Why are you here so early?¡±


    ¡°| had to go take care of some things and bought you some breakfast along the way.¡± As he spoke, he walked to his car and


    carried out a huge lunch box that was tightly wrapped. The aroma of the food wafted out of the box. It was filled with the aroma


    of Sylvia¡¯s favorite breakfast.


    As her eyes flickered, she smiled and thanked him. Then, she asked, ¡°Have you eaten breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He smiled and rubbed her head, asking, ¡°Are you free today?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything nned.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯lle back at


    noon.¡±


    Sylvia hummed.


    He stroked her head again before turning around and going back to the car. Sylvia took the lunch box and returned to the living


    room. There were dozens of smallerpartments in the lunch box. They were still steaming hot when Sylvia opened the box,


    so it was obvious that he had just bought them. Her gaze flickered. She stopped thinking about Odell and went to call Aunt Tonya


    and the two little ones to get up for breakfast. Carter Corporation''s fate was sealed. She already said what she had to say, and


    Thomas also promised to help Odell after today. There was no point in worrying about it now, so she might as well live in the


    present.

 Chapter 652

    Chapter 652


    Sure enough, when Sylvia was helping Aunt Tonya cook lunch, Thomas came over.


    The first person to see him was Isabel, who was in the yard. She immediately ran toward him, calling out his name.


    Aunt Tonya shooed Sylvia out of the kitchen.


    She and Thomas sat on the sofa chatting, and Isabel sat between them, her little voice piping in from time to time. It seemed


    very lively with the ongoing banter. After lunch, Isabel was sleepy and wanted to take a nap, and Liam¡¯s eyes also seemed


    heavy, so Thomas helped her carry the two little ones back to the room. When the children were fast asleep, they left the room.


    He asked, ¡°Do you have any ns for the afternoon?¡±


    She replied, ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Then, let''s go out for a walk.¡± He looked at her with a soft gaze. Sylvia was torn. The children had just


    fallen asleep. If they woke up and could not find her, they might be unhappy. Suddenly, Aunt Tonya spoke up from the side, ¡°Syl,


    lll look after Isabel and Liam. You can go out with Thomas.¡±


    She wore an expression that contained excitement and seemed to be teasing her. Sylvia pursed her lips while Thomas looked at


    her with clear eyes. His expression was gentle but full of expectation.


    In the end, she had no choice but to agree. ¡°Okay.¡±


    He smiled and took one of her hands, leading her outside.


    The car passed by a famous scenic route in Westchester City. The route was full of beautiful natural scenery. The windows were


    half open, letting the soothing breeze blow in. The air was mixed with the fragrance of flowers and other nts, making it smell


    refreshing.


    Perhaps because it was a weekday, there were not many cars on the road that day. The scenic spots along the way were also


    not filled with tourists. All they saw were beautiful flowers and nts.


    The car drove for almost two hours before stopping at the entrance of a forest park. It was spring, and the forest park¡¯s gates


    were covered with bright, vibrant flowers.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia and Thomas got out of the car and walked inside together.


    With a few tourists in the park, the paths were clear. There were only the sounds of insects and birds chirping in their ears. It was


    all very tranquil.


    Sylvia did not expect this ce to be so quiet and pleasant. She could not help but ask,¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°I¡¯m right at your doorstep.¡±


    She immediately got out of bed and walked to the window. After pulling the curtain, she saw his slender figure outside the door.


    His line of sight was directed at her.


    Sylvia waved at him and quickly went downstairs to open the door for him. She asked suspiciously, ¡°Why are you here so early?¡±


    ¡°| had to go take care of some things and bought you some breakfast along the way.¡± As he spoke, he walked to his car and


    carried out a huge lunch box that was tightly wrapped. The aroma of the food wafted out of the box. It was filled with the aroma


    of Sylvia¡¯s favorite breakfast.


    As her eyes flickered, she smiled and thanked him. Then, she asked, ¡°Have you eaten breakfast?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He smiled and rubbed


    her head, asking, ¡°Are you free today?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything nned.¡±


    ¡°Good. I''lle back at noon.¡±


    Sylvia hummed.


    He stroked her head again before turning around and going back to the car. Sylvia took the lunch box and returned to the living


    room. There were dozens of smallerpartments in the lunch box. They were still steaming hot when Sylvia opened the box,


    so it was obvious that he had just bought them. Her gaze flickered. She stopped thinking about Odell and went to call Aunt Tonya


    and the two little ones to get up for breakfast


    Carter Corporation¡¯s fate was sealed. She already said what she had to say, and Thomas also promised to help Odell after


    today. There was no point in worrying about it now, so she might as well live in the present.

 Chapter 653

    Chapter 653


    Chapter 653


    After running past the curved walkway surrounded by flowers, Sylvia saw a pavilion that was filled with all kinds of painting tools.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    There was an excellent viewpoint right next to the pavilion. She bought a few tools, sat down on the grass next to the pavilion,


    and started to sketch thendscape.


    Thomas stood under the pavilion, leaning his back against the pir as he looked at her. Not long after that, the phone in his


    pocket rang with an iing call. He picked it up to nce at it, and the soft light under his eyes instantly vanished. His face


    returned to its usual coldness. He brought the phone to his ear and asked in a faint voice,¡± What is it?¡±


    On the phone, his assistant said nervously, ¡°Second Master, the shareholders¡¯ meeting has already started. Now, two-thirds of


    the shareholders are sure to vote to rece Master Carter. If youe over now and inject money into Carter Corporation to


    solve their difficulties, they¡¯ll definitely acknowledge you as the new head of thepany!¡± Thomas pursed his lips in silence.


    Upon hearing this, his assistant continued, ¡°Second Master, Carter Corporation is no ordinarypany. If you take over Carter


    Corporation now, your name will definitely show up on the list of the world¡¯s richest people. Yourst name is Carter, and you¡¯re


    also a master of the Carter family. Your skills aren¡¯t inferior to Odell¡¯s. Don¡¯t you want to achieve something big?¡± Achieve


    something big? Thomas narrowed his eyes, but his gaze could not help but look over toward Sylvia. The sun shone on her


    delicate face. She was obviously in a good mood, and the corners of her mouth were curled up in a smile that was even brighter


    than the sunlight at that moment.


    Memories from long ago suddenly rushed into his mind.


    It was many years ago. Due to their mother¡¯s schemes, she had married his brother, Odell. However, they had only registered


    their marriage and had not held a wedding. After the marriage, Odell had also been very indifferent to her. He basically never


    came back during the day and only came backte at night. At first, they did have any interaction. They lived under different


    roofs, and he was never close to his brother.


    He once had a serious bout of stomach flu and was in a particrly bad mood. The family doctor he called had been scared of


    him and had not dared to treat him at all, perhaps because he had scared her by making a fuss and throwing stuff around. Then,


    Sylvia came into the picture.


    At first, he had thought she just came tough at him. He did not think that she would have pinned him down to the bed, urged


    the servants and the doctor to hold him down as well, and force-fed him the medicine.


    The family doctor and the servants had all left because they were afraid that he would do something to them.


    However, not only did she not leave, but she had even acted like a wise old woman. With flushed cheeks, she had said, ¡°No


    matter how angry you are, you can¡¯t y around with your health. If you do that again, I''ll tell your mother.¡±


    She was obviously the same age as him. In fact, she was even a few months younger than him, but why did she act as if she


    was older?


    Was it because she was the wife of his older brother? At that time, he had been so surprised by her puffed-up look that he had


    frozen and forgotten to get angry. Later, every time he met her, she would exchange pleasantries with him while still speaking


    like she was older than him. However, he somehow liked being cared for by her.


    Maybe it was because not even his mother, the person closest to him, cared about him like that since childhood. His mother was


    only interested inpeting for Carter Corporation, and all she had ever said to him was that he had to fight his older brother for


    the family business. However, she never asked if that was what he wanted in the first ce.


    Afterward, he started watching her on the balcony. He watched as she busied herself with preparing dinner for his brother,


    watched as she talked andughed with Aunt Tonya, and watched as she sat on thew and painted, just like what she was


    doing now.


    The light in his eyes softened unconsciously


    On the other end of the phone, the assistant still did not hear an answer, so he asked softly,¡± Second Master, are you still there?¡±


    10 Thomas snapped back to his senses and said coldly, ¡°Go ahead as nned and don¡¯t call me again until Carter Corporation


    goes bankrupt.¡± Then, he hung up the phone.


    At the same time, in Conference Room 1 in Carter Corporation, the atmosphere was quiet and oppressive. All the shareholders


    were sitting in their seats, ready to vote on whether to remove Odell¡¯s position as the current head of thepany.


    Opposite the conference room, in a small and inconspicuous office, a man in a suit sat on a leather chair by the window.


    Cliff stood in front of him, pouring him tea while looking at his expression. ¡°Master Carter, they have started voting.¡± Odell picked


    up the teacup and took a sip, asking, ¡°Has he arrived?¡±

 Chapter 654

    Chapter 654


    Cliff responded softly, ¡°The people downstairs have been keeping an eye out, but they haven¡¯t spotted Second Master Carter¡¯s


    figure at all. However, our people who are following the Madam said that he went out together with her not long after lunch.¡±


    Crack!


    The teacup instantly shattered.


    Odell¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold and gloomy.


    Cliff quickly closed his mouth, not even daring to breathe loudly. After a long time, a sinister snort came from him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect


    him to be the infatuated type.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    He had allowed Carter Corporation to develop to this point, yet he was still able to hold himself back instead of taking advantage


    of this situation to take over thepany. He was even taking his woman out. What was that if not infatuation?¡¯ Cliff trembled as


    he looked at Odell¡¯s face and asked carefully, ¡°Master Carter, should we continue to wait for Second Master Carter toe


    over?¡± Odell nced at him.


    Cliff was so scared that he took two steps back.


    Then, Odell stood up and strode out with his long legs. His face was cold and stern, and he spoke as he strode, ¡°Call the police.


    I''ll get all of them in one go!¡± So, they dared to tamper with the project funds under his nose?


    They dared to betray him. In that case, he would let them all rot in jail! 1


    In the forest park, Sylvia, who was immersed in her artwork, was still sketching on the piece of paper. It did not take long before


    she had finished the simple painting.


    She walked up to Thomas with the painting and asked with a smile, ¡°Thomas, what do you think?¡±


    He looked over.


    The scenery in the painting was dreamy yet bold, and it was clear that the subject of the painting was the current location. Even


    the pavilion behind him as well as his figure had been included.


    With just a few simple dabs of paint, his painted figure was made to be slender and beautiful, and it seemed to exude a


    mysterious aura.


    The corners of his lips subconsciously curled up. He looked at her and acknowledged, ¡°It¡¯s very good.¡±


    After a pause, he asked, ¡°May | have this painting?¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    He could not help but tweak her nose.


    She froze.


    Heughed. ¡°There was paint on your nose.¡± Embarrassed, Sylvia said, ¡°I''d like to go to thedies. You can let the painting dry


    for a while.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    There was a washroom not far away, so she handed over the painting to him before jogging over.


    When she got to the washroom, she subconsciously looked at the mirror above the sink. Her face waspletely clean. Her


    nose was unblemished either. Where was the paint mark he mentioned?


    Helpless, she pursed her mouth and went to relieve herself beforeing back out.


    Thomas was standing under the pavilion as he waited for her. His slender figure leanedzily against the pir. One hand was in


    the pocket of his pants as the other hand held her painting.


    The weather was very warm at that moment, so he had taken his coat off and slung it over one of his shoulders. The breeze blew


    the bangs at the side of his forehead, and his fair face was particrly handsome and charming in the sunlight. His lips curled up


    when he saw her. That smile made it seem like their surroundings had lost their color inparison to him.


    Sylvia was stunned for a few seconds before realizing that she had spaced out for a while. Her face heated up, and she quickly


    composed herself before walking over to him. ¡°It¡¯s almost dry now. Let''s go for a walk.¡± He rolled up the painting as he spoke


    before taking hold of one of her hands again.


    Sylvia looked at the hand he was holding, hummed in reply, and walked with him along the sidewalk.


    There was a small forest in front of them.


    Both he and Sylvia entered the forest and strolled there for a while before they finally made their way out of the woods.


    On the other side of the woods, the scenery was simr to the previous location. However, when they got out of the woods, she


    unexpectedly found a dazzling golden yellow reflected in her eyes.

 Chapter 655

    Chapter 655


    Sunflowers.


    They were all sunflowers.


    Whether it was on the t ground or on the distant hillside, it was densely packed with golden sunflowers.


    The sunlight shone from one direction, and all the flowers faced that side, standing vivid and gorgeous. It was like being ina


    world full of sunflowers which felt utterly magical. Sylvia''s eyes widened in astonishment. After a long time, she finally came back


    to her senses and muttered, ¡°Why are there so many sunflowers here?¡± It did not seem to be the season for sunflowers to


    mature and bloom. ¡°Do you like it?¡± The man¡¯s low and pleasant voice rang out. Sylvia subconsciously answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Only


    after saying that did she realize something was off. When she nced around, there were only the two of them besides the


    sunflowers. There was no one else in sight. How could there only be two tourists in a forest park with such a magnificent sea of


    sunflowers? ¡®Could it be...?¡±


    cls


    Her eyes flickered, and she immediately turned around to look at Thomas.


    He stood just a meter away from her, his loose white shirt reflecting his fairplexion. His slender figure was elegant and


    casual, and his fluffy bangs swayed with the wind. Underneath them, a pair of deep brown eyes looked at her tenderly. However,


    Sylvia was not in the mood to appreciate his beauty. She asked him, ¡°Thomas, did you prepare these sunflowers?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She was instantly stunned, and an unspeakable emotion surged in her heart.


    At that moment, he took a step forward, and his slender figure came directly in front of her.¡± It''s almost been two days. Have you


    thought about it?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened.


    He raised his hand to cup her face and said softly, ¡°Sylvia, be my girlfriend.¡±


    She was still stunned.


    ¡®It''s impossible for me not to be moved. | know how good he is to me, but | never thought he¡¯d prepare this mountain of


    sunflowers for me.¡±


    ¡°Thomas, 1...¡± She suddenly did not know what to say.


    ¡°Just tell me-yes or no?¡± He smiled and said in a soft voice, ¡°No matter what you say, | will


    ept your answer.¡± 1


    Sylvia pursed her lips, met his expectant gaze, and said with a smile, ¡°Yes.¡± 1 Even if he did not prepare these sunflowers, she


    would still say yes.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The moment her words fell, something tightened around her waist. She was swept into his arms, and her forehead bumped his


    chest. Her body stiffened for a moment but quickly returned to normal.


    She raised her head to look at him.


    Thomas gazed down at her, his handsome face filled with an overjoyed smile. Sylvia also could not help but curl up the corners


    of her mouth. ¡°Thomas, thank you for preparing these for me.¡± He cupped her face with one hand. ¡°You''re worth it.¡± As he spoke,


    his face lowered to her eyes. Sylvia''s breath stalled for a moment as her eyes widened. Thomas closed his eyes. His thick and


    curved eyshes quickly erged in front of her eyes. Her gaze flickered. She had already agreed to be his girlfriend, so a kiss


    was nothing. Her breathing soon became normal, and she also closed her eyes. However, at that moment, a rush of footsteps


    suddenly came from the forest behind them.


    Sylvia quickly opened her eyes. Thomas reacted faster than she did and shielded her behind him before she could look over.


    The neers were a group of uniformly dressed bodyguards with weapons in their hands. Among them were Jacob and Ben,


    with whom Sylvia was familiar. She was instantly stunned.¡± Jacob? Ben? What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 656

    Chapter 656


    Chapter 656


    The group of bodyguards all stared coldly at Thomas.


    Upon hearing Sylvia¡¯s words, Jacob¡¯s expression eased, and he said, ¡°Madam, we''re here on Master Carter''s orders to request


    Second Master Carter toe with us.¡±


    ¡®Is this how you make a request with others? It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re here to arrest him.¡¯


    She asked directly, ¡°What does he want with Thomas?¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We''re not sure. We''re just following orders.¡± Jacob looked at Thomas and said politely,¡± Second Master Carter, the show is over.


    Master Carter has sorted out the mess at Carter Corporation. The people under your instruction have all been dealt with by


    Master Carter. Pleasee with us.¡±


    Thomas''s gaze flickered, and he said after a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you''re talking about.¡±


    Jacob maintained his polite tone. ¡°That¡¯s fine. You''ll understand if youe with us.¡± Thomas looked around. In addition to


    Jacob and Ben, there were dozens of bodyguards. Then, he restrained the cold light in his eyes, looked at Sylvia, and said softly,


    ¡°Maybe Odell needs me for something. Don¡¯t worry. I''ll go ande back soon.¡±


    After saying that, he let go of her.


    Sylvia¡¯s mind was in turmoil right now. ¡®Wasn¡¯t Odell about to be kicked out of Carter Corporation? Why did Jacob say that he¡¯s


    dealt with the mess at Carter Corporation? Also, why is he suddenly sending his men to take Thomas away?¡¯ She immediately


    grabbed one of his hands. ¡°I''ll go with you.¡± Thomas¡¯s eyes flickered. He raised his hand to rub her head and pulled her hand


    away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Odell won¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    After he spoke, he walked over to Jacob and Ben.


    Several bodyguards instantly surrounded him. Sylvia wanted to follow them but was stopped by Ben. She red at him.


    However, he merely smiled politely at her.


    She could only watch as Thomas was taken into the woods by Jacob and the others. Soon, their figures disappeared.


    Her expression turned cold as she looked at Ben again. ¡°Can you let go of me now?¡±


    Ben looked behind her and then withdrew his arm in front of her. She immediately wanted to go forward and catch up to Thomas.


    Unexpectedly, she heard the sound of whirring from behind her.


    She hurriedly turned around to look.


    To her horror, she saw dozens ofrge bulldozers driving from all sides of the sea of sunflowers, running the flowers over. The


    sunflowers that were ttened underneath were all crushed into the mud without exception.


    Ack sports car also drove toward her at this time, its wheels squashing the bright sunflowers. Sylvia''s chest tightened, and


    her legs filled with lead. She could not move at all.


    Screech!


    The ck sports car stopped steadily a few feet in front of her. Then, a tall figure came down from the car. His ck suit


    emphasized his straight and upright posture that was like a devil from hell, and a terrifying and murderous aura surrounded him.


    He reached her in two or three steps.


    Sylvia¡¯s pupils shrank, and she subconsciously took a step back. The bulldozers were still operating, tearing down the sea of


    sunflowers patch by patch. She looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar and dreadful man in front of her and asked with a frown,


    ¡°Odell, did you bring these bulldozers here?¡± Odell looked at her angsty face and raised his brows with an affirmative hum. That


    short sound was cold and arrogant. Sylvia was instantly furious. ¡°Tell them to stop!¡± He hooked his finger at her. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Her expression was wary, and she stood without moving.

 Chapter 657

    Chapter 657


    Chapter 657


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°If youe here, I¡¯ll make them stop immediately.¡±


    Sylvia was somewhat unconvinced.


    However, if they did not stop, these bright sunflowers would really all be destroyed, so she asked, ¡°You''ll keep your word, won¡¯t


    you?¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Of course.¡±


    She walked toward him with small steps.


    Just when she was a step away from him, a long arm suddenly reached out and dragged her directly to him. She yelped in


    surprise and immediately tried to push him away. Nevertheless, he pulled her to his body, wrapping his arm around her waist like


    an iron mp. Sylvia¡¯s back was immediately pressed against his chest.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± she shouted as she struggled.


    Odell used his free hand to clutch her face.


    She hissed in pain and instantly lost the strength to struggle. He let out a low, sinisterugh. ¡°These sunflowers are very pretty.¡±


    Sylvia shivered and said in a trembling voice, ¡°Tell them to stop, Odell! You promised that you would tell them to stop if | came to


    you!¡±


    He lowered his head, half-pressing his face against her cheek, and said in a low voice, ¡°He specially prepared this for you, didn¡¯t


    he?¡±


    It was clear that he was not listening to her. Sylvia was furious and annoyed, but she was also scared. She bit her lip and said


    nothing.


    He asked again, ¡°If | hade just one secondter, would you two have kissed here?¡± She paled as all the hair on her body


    stood on end. ¡°This jerk was spying on us!¡¯ ¡°Hmm? Why aren''t you saying anything?¡± He pinched her face again. Sylvia gritted


    her teeth. ¡°Odell Carter, we divorced a long time ago. Who | decide to be with is my freedom.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    After thinking of something, she added, ¡°The divorce agreement only stiptes that | can¡¯t remarry. It doesn¡¯t say | can¡¯t date


    again!¡±


    His voice suddenly chilled. ¡°So, you''re really with him now?¡± She took a deep breath and answered frankly, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m with him


    now.


    The air suddenly went quiet.


    Sec


    After a few seconds, he said gloomily, ¡°Then, what about me? What am I?¡± Sylvia¡¯s chest clenched, but she said, ¡°My ex-


    husband.¡±


    Heughed coldly. ¡°So, you want us to end here? Isabel and Liam, the sapphire ring, and everything that happened between


    us... You don¡¯t care about those anymore?¡±


    ¡°| only care about Isabel and Liam. The rest is in the past, so they¡¯re unimportant.¡± His mood was obviously off, so she softened


    her voice and said, ¡°But you¡¯re their father, so | won''t stop you from seeing one another.¡±


    He pressed his face against hers and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you still hate me in your heart because of the things | did to hurt


    you?¡±


    ¡®Do | hate him? | think I do. All the pain | suffered was real. How could | not hate him? However, I¡¯ve already chosen Thomas. |


    agreed to be his girlfriend right here. That¡¯s why, whether | love Odell or hate him, | can no longer be involved with him.¡¯


    Taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t hate you anymore. All those things are in the past. | just want to live a good life from now


    on.


    He said in a cold voice, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You''re lying.¡± Sylvia was annoyed for no reason. ¡°Whatever floats your boat.¡±


    He tightened his grip on her waist again and said grimly, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, I''ll tell them to tear this entire ce down!¡±


    The bulldozers had already destroyed a third of the sea of flowers.


    Awave of anger rushed to Sylvia¡¯s head. She wanted to beat him to death, but her body was pinned beneath him, so it was


    impossible for her to push him away, let alone hit him.


    She suddenly felt powerless and closed her eyes, saying, ¡°Odell, | don¡¯t love you anymore. The person | like now is Thomas.¡±

 Chapter 658

    Chapter 658


    The air instantly fell silent. The atmosphere around her also became oppressive, and the temperature seemed to plummet by


    dozens of degrees.


    Sylvia¡¯s body was tense until the man¡¯s low voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Say that again.¡±


    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°I don¡¯t love you anymore. The person | like now is T¡ª¡±. Before she could finish, her body was


    spun around. Then, he pinched her face again. Sylvia stared at his gloomy and intimidating face. Meanwhile, his fingertips


    rubbed her cheeks. ¡°Look me in the eye and tell me who the person you like is.¡±


    Her gaze trembled. She thought of the nightmare she had had before waking up that morning. The Odell in her dream had


    almost the exact same look as the Odell in fron


    almost the exact same look as the Odell in front of him right now.


    However, the sun here was shining brightly, and even the wind in the air was warm.


    Sylvia¡¯s mind was also very clear. She remembered the things that he had done to her before, and she also remembered that


    they had divorced a long time ago. Except for the two little ones at home, they had nothing to do with each other at all!


    Her tension quickly stabilized, and she met his gloomy gaze, dering, ¡°I like Thomas.¡±


    His expression froze.


    After a long moment of stunned silence, he finally spoke. ¡°Fine. | see.¡± Just when she thought that he would let her go, he turned


    her back to the sea of sunflowers again. He gripped her waist tightly with one hand and cupped her face with the other, forcing


    her to face the sea of flowers. A cold voice came from behind his teeth. ¡°Since you like him, I''ll let you watch with your own eyes


    how this sea of flowers he prepared for you turns into rotten mud!¡±. Sylvia was so furious that her chest hurt, and she could not


    help but curse out loud, ¡°Odell Carter, you''re a lunatic! Let go of me!¡± ¡®I already said | don¡¯t like him. What else does he want?


    We''re already divorced!¡¯


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.


    However, the man behind her did not move an inch and continued to hold her, not allowing her to struggle.


    She could only watch as the beautiful sunflowers were bulldozed and crushed into the mud Her pupils shrank. She did not know


    if it was because she was too angry, or because her face was in too much pain from being pinched, but it did not take long


    before tears flowed out of her eyes.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She sniffled and tried to stop the tears, but the more she did, the more her nose stung, and her tears poured out even more


    furiously.


    She gnashed her teeth, forcing herself not to cry out. Her tears rolled along her cheeks and fell onto his hand that was squeezing


    her face.


    Odell released her face and looked at his hand. The back of his hand clearly had traces of water droplets tracing across it. He


    frowned and instantly turned her back to face him.


    Then, he saw her red eyes and the tears that were streaming out.


    She was crying her eyes out, but her gaze was fierce. It was as if she wanted to bite him to death. She was like a wild cat who


    was clearly angry but could not resist. His eyes flickered for a moment.


    However, when he remembered her saying that she liked Thomas, a killing intent rushed to his head again.


    He raised his hand and wiped her tears while asking with a sneer, ¡°It¡¯s just shoveling some flowers. Do you have to be this


    angry? Do you care so much about the things that he gave you?


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Her voice was hoarse, and her expression was full of disgust. It was as if his hands would dirty her face.


    Odell''s hand froze.


    The scene of her being here with Thomas shed in his mind. She had let him hold her in his arms and had even raised her little


    face, closing her eyes to kiss him.

 Chapter 659

    Chapter 659


    Chapter 659


    The difference in the treatment Thomas got then and the treatment Odell was getting now was like night and day


    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold. He cupped her small face and directly sealed her lips.


    ¡°Mm!¡± Sylvia was forced to make a sound. She tried to struggle, but he was so strong that she could not even lift her hands. She


    could only bite his lips fiercely.


    However, the more she bit him, the more force he used.


    After some time passed to the point that her mouth went numb, he finally let her go. His deep eyes were covered with scarlet,


    staring at her like a beast.


    Sylvia was instinctively afraid, but at that moment, the fire in her heart exceeded her fear of him. She raised her hand and


    pushed him away, her voice choking as she berated him, ¡°You''re a b*stard, Odell! Let me go! | want to leave. | don¡¯t want to be


    with you¡ª¡¯. Before she could finish shouting, her feet were lifted off the ground, and she was picked up by her waist. She


    screamed in fear and shoved him.


    Odell let her scratch his body like she was a cat as he strode with wide steps.


    Ben was not far away. Seeing that Odell was taking Sylvia away, he quickly went up to ask,¡± Master Carter, should we leave the


    flowers?¡±.


    Sylvia¡¯s hand that was pummeling him suddenly stopped. Odell noticed her response and ordered word for word in a gloomy


    voice, ¡°Don¡¯t leave a single one intact.¡±


    Ben¡¯s gaze trembled as he replied, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Sylvia immediately looked up and red at the man in front of her. Odell also


    nced at her coldly and continued to carry her through the forest to the open space outside where his car was parked.


    The driver was inside the car and immediately opened the back door when he saw them.


    Sylvia stopped struggling and let him throw her into the car. She immediately moved to the inside and curled herself into a ball.


    Odell sat beside her, seemingly not wanting to look at her. After sitting, he fixed his gloomy gaze straight ahead.


    The car soon started.


    The atmosphere inside the car was silent and depressing.


    After a long time, when the car drove out of the scenic area and came to a road with more traffic, she quietly lowered the car


    window.


    The breeze came through, and she opened her mouth to catch her breath. Her stuffy and tense emotions instantly eased


    considerably.


    Then, she took out her phone to send a message to Thomas, asking about his situation.


    However, when she turned on the screen, a news notification popped up. The headline was: ¡± Shocking! Carter Corporation¡¯s


    crisis was actually part of Master Carter¡¯s n!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, and she immediately clicked on the news. It was a famous financial news column in Westchester City.


    As soon as she opened the page, she saw a photo of many reporters gathering in front of Carter Tower. However, the most eye-


    catching part was not the group of reporters, but the few men who were handcuffed by the police as they were surrounded by the


    reporters. Some of them were young while some were older.


    Underneath that was a caption stating that they were all shareholders and executives of Carter Corporation.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The reason they were taken away in handcuffs was that they had tampered with several of Carter Corporation¡¯s major projects.


    In other words, the crisis that thepany encountered this time was their doing.


    The article used a lot of business jargon that Sylvia did not understand, so she merely skimmed through it.


    Then, she scrolled to thest page of the article where a photo was stered across the screen.


    The photo was inside the tower. It seemed to have been taken in a conference room. The executives had not been handcuffed


    by the police yet and were all on their knees, begging and crying with ashen faces.


    Nas


    They all knelt in the same direction, facing a man. The person who took the picture did not capture the face of the man in that


    seat. There was only a long arm and a pair of straight legs as he leaned back into the chair. However, from the man¡¯szy but


    elegant sitting posture, it was not difficult to figure out that he was Odell, the same person who was sitting beside her at this


    moment.

 Chapter 660

    Chapter 660


    Chapter 660


    Sylvia¡¯s hand inexplicably shook.


    She looked down again.


    The next two lines did not contain business terminology and were written in in terms.¡± ording to insiders, the Carter


    Corporation crisis was a part of Master Carter¡¯s n. He allowed public opinion to re up so that he could smoke out the


    shareholders who were kneeling in the picture. This is both shocking and amazing. | believe that in the future, the management


    of Carter Corporation will only go further under the hands of the young and


    promising Master Carter!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s heart trembled after reading that.


    ¡®The Carter Corporation crisis has always been under control by Odell? So, his drunken fiasco at Lush Heaven before was just


    an act? He had no problem with the crisis because he wasn¡¯t affected at all!


    She thought of how she had brought the children to see him because she had been worried that something would happen to him


    and had even persuaded him out of kind intentions. She suddenly felt angry and could not help but look up and re at him.


    Odell sat with his back leaning against the seat. He seemed to be aware of her gaze and quickly looked at her.


    His deep eyes were cold, and there was a prating sense of oppression that would make one fearful.


    Sylvia immediately looked away and avoided his gaze before snorting coldly. Odell frowned and looked at the phone in her hand.


    They were not far away, so he could see the headline of the article at a nce. The article was released with his approval, so he


    knew the contents.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    That woman had probably finished reading it. ¡®Why is she snorting? Is she angry at me for hiding this from her? Doesn''t she like


    another man now? Why is she angry at me?¡¯


    He narrowed his eyes.


    Sylvia closed the article after reading it and turned around, afraid that Odell would see. She faced the car door and brought the


    phone in front of her, holding it with both hands. Her thumbs tapped on the keyboard as she sent a message to Thomas.


    She asked, ¡°Thomas, where are you now? Are you okay?¡± A long time passed since she sent it, but there was still no reply. She


    frowned. ¡®Did something happen to him?¡± At that moment, Odell¡¯s phone suddenly rang. She warily put her phone away and


    looked back at him. He opened his phone and looked at the message on it. She did not know who sent it to him, but


    his expression turned cloudy after reading it.


    The next second, he stared at her with daggers.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and red at him stubbornly. ¡®I didn¡¯t do anything. What is he looking at me like that for?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to see him?¡± he suddenly asked.


    She froze.


    ¡°He¡¯s locked up now, and his phone was confiscated, so he can¡¯t see the message you sent him. ¡°He raised his brows and said


    coldly, ¡°If you want to see him, you can start by begging me.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, and she said angrily, ¡°He¡¯s your brother, Odell. | got together with him willingly. If you¡¯re angry, then take it


    out on me. Why are you locking him up?!¡± After she said that, his expression darkened at a speed visible to the naked eye. The


    calm atmosphere in the car was instantly broken.


    He tugged his cor and approached her. The door was locked, so Sylvia had no way to retreat and could only watch him warily.


    He pinched her chin and said gloomily, ¡°Guess what I¡¯m going to do to him now that I¡¯ve locked him up.¡± Sylvia shrunk her neck


    and whispered, ¡°You can¡¯t force emotions. | know we had misunderstandings before. Although you hurt me so much before, you


    were blinded by Tara. | can forgive you, but we''re over, Odell. We''re done.¡±

 Chapter 661

    Chapter 661


    Chapter 661


    Odell knitted his brows. He looked at her sharply and asked, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia took a breath and said, ¡°Let Thomas go. Although you don¡¯t have a good brotherly bond, he was quite worried about you


    when you were in trouble. He also said that even if Carter Corporation copses, he will use his savings to help you as much as


    possible and won''t let you live in poverty.¡±


    He rubbed her face and asked, ¡°Did he really say that to you?¡± She met his gaze and said, ¡°Yes, he did.¡± Her expression was


    frank, much franker than it was when she had said she forgave him earlier. Odell smiled. ¡°Then | have to thank him.¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°No, you just have to let him go.¡± When he saw how anxious she was to save Thomas, the smile on his


    face instantly cooled. Sylvia did not expect his expression to change at the drop of a hat. Her gaze shrank, and her mouth


    pursed up.


    ¡°What if | don¡¯t?¡± he asked.


    She swallowed her anger and resisted the urge to punch him, saying, ¡°He¡¯s your brother, Odell. It¡¯s not right for you to lock him


    up.¡±


    He curled his lips. ¡°But | want to lock him up.¡± ¡°Then, lock me up instead. Lock me up if you¡¯re angry, but let him go, okay?¡± The


    smile on his lips instantly turned cruel again. His hand pinching her face also increased in strength. ¡°You care about him so


    much. Wouldn''t it be like giving you two my blessings if | let him go that easily?¡± Sylvia lost her patience and asked directly,


    ¡°Then, what do you want in order to let him go?¡±


    Her little face was puffed up, and her eyes and nose were still red from crying. She looked incredibly charming.


    The look in his eyes changed as he sized her up and down from her forehead to her eyes, nose, mouth, and chin, then to the


    bottom of her neck.


    Sylvia felt ufortable and subconsciously shrunk away.


    Seeing her defensive look, he resisted the urge to teach her a lesson and grabbed her cor, saying in a low voice, ¡°That''ll


    depend on how you behave.¡±


    She immediately pped his hand away, ring at him and cursing at him, ¡°Bastard!¡±


    Odell curled his lips silently and sat back in the car seat. His straight back leaned against the seat, and his slender legs casually


    crossed at the knee. His posture was upright and elegant, giving him a noble air.


    However, Sylvia could not help but call him a bastard in her heart again.


    The car crossed two more streets and turned into the road where their residence was located.


    Soon, the car stopped outside their door.


    The moment it stopped, Sylvia pushed open the door and ran like hell to her house.


    It was already dark.


    Aunt Tonya was in the living room with the two little ones. When Sylvia entered, Isabel was the first to run toward her.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Sylvia¡¯s expression changed as she quickly hugged the girl. Isabel obviously missed her and said with a pout,


    ¡°Mommy, where did Uncle Thomas and you


    go?¡±


    Sylvia was about to reply to her when she saw Aunt Tonya and Liam''s gazes look behind her and instantly hesitated. She


    hurriedly turned around and saw Odell¡¯s figure walking in. As soon as the tall figure entered, the atmosphere in the living room


    became somewhat depressing Sylvia frowned and subconsciously took a few steps back. However, the little girl stretched her


    chubby arms directly toward her. Odell looked at Sylvia, took two steps to her, and carried Isabel with one arm. Then, he looked


    at the girl. Isabel huffed, ¡°Baddie, why are you back sote? Didn¡¯t you tell Liam and me that you''d be back soon at Aunty


    Sherry¡¯s ce just now?¡±

 Chapter 662

    Chapter 662


    Chapter 662


    Odell stroked her head and said gently, ¡°I was dyed by some stuff.¡± ¡°Fine. I''ll forgive you this time.¡±


    He smiled and asked, ¡°Have you and your brother been well behaved at home these days?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Liam and | are the best.¡± The father and daughter chatted idly. The air was many times more rxed than when they


    were in the car.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression also gradually rxed, but she still avoided him from afar. Then, Isabel''s stomach suddenly rumbled. She


    pouted and whined to Sylvia, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Sylvia asked, ¡°What do you want to eat? I''ll cook for you.¡±


    ¡°| want to eat noodles. Mommy, please cook more!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia did not want to see Odell anyway, so she turned around and went into the kitchen.


    sino


    Not long after she entered, Aunt Tonya also came in. Aunt Tonya walked up to her and helped her prepare the ingredients,


    asking in a low vo Syl, why did youe back with him? Where¡¯s Thomas?¡±


    Ice


    Sylvia frowned and said, ¡°He left because something came up.¡±


    Aunt Tonya would be frightened if she were to know that Odell locked Thomas up. ¡°Then, how did you and Odell meet?¡± she was


    still puzzled.


    ¡°| bumped into him at the door.¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± Aunt Tonya stopped asking but lowered her voice again to say, ¡°Syl, | heard Sebastian say that Carter Corporation is


    completely fine and that the incident before was all part of Odell¡¯s n. Did you know about it?¡±


    Sylvia hummed. ¡°I saw the news on my phone earlier.¡± ¡°I really thought that Carter Corporation would copse. | didn¡¯t expect it


    to all be a part of his n.¡± Aunt Tonya sighed and said, ¡°How is he so powerful at such a young age?¡±


    Sylvia did not say a word. She also did not expect this crisis to be part of his n. Moreover, his methods were more powerful


    than she imagined.


    Suddenly, Aunt Tonya whispered into her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t tell him about Thomas and you. I¡¯m worried that he¡¯ll bully you again if he


    finds out.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s body instantly froze.


    ¡°Oh, Aunt Tonya, not only does Odell already know but he¡¯s even locked Thomas up.¡¯ She lowered her head silently and focused


    on making the noodles. However, when she was cutting the vegetables, she identally sliced her finger. The skin broke, and


    bright red blood


    flowed out.


    Before she could react, Aunt Tonya eximed in fear and pushed her out of the kitchen.


    Sylvia did not want to go out, but she could not resist and had to leave the kitchen.


    In the living room, Odell was sitting on the sofa with Isabel in his arms while Liam was sitting beside him. Perhaps because they


    heard Aunt Tonya¡¯s yell, they all looked over when Sylvia came out.


    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Isabel asked with a crisp voice. Sylvia put her hands behind her back, avoided Odell¡¯s gaze, and said


    to Isabel and Liam, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Then, she went around them to the other end of the living room where the first aid box was kept. She took out the antiseptic


    solution from the box, cleaned the wound, and wrapped the Band-aid around her finger.


    ¡°Mommy, what happened to your hand?¡± Liam¡¯s childish voice suddenly sounded. Sylvia turned her head to see him standing


    behind her with his small eyebrows furrowed. Her gaze flickered, and she said with a smile, ¡°I identally cut my finger when |


    was chopping the vegetables earlier. It¡¯s just a small cut, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Liam was still frowning.


    At that moment, Isabel ran over. She heard the conversation between Sylvia and Liam earlier. She ran to Sylvia, looked at her


    finger, and said with a pout, ¡°Mommy, how could you be so careless?¡± 1 Sylvia quickly assured them, ¡°I''ll be more careful next


    time.¡±

 Chapter 663

    Chapter 663


    Chapter 663


    Isabel picked up Sylvia¡¯s hand and blew on her finger while chanting, ¡°Pain, pain, go away.¡±


    Sylvia could not help but smile. ¡°Thank you, Isabel. It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±


    Then, she touched Isabel and Liam¡¯s heads affectionately and said, ¡°You two go and y while | help Aunt Tonya. Dinner will be


    ready soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Isabel answered obediently.


    Sylvia walked the same way back to the kitchen.


    Isabel looked at her figure walking away and muttered in confusion, ¡°Strange, you can go directly to the kitchen from here. Why


    does Mommy have to go around to the door to ess the kitchen?¡±


    when she said that, she raised her finger and pointed to a walkway that led directly to the kitchen.


    Liam pursed his lips and did not say anything. A man¡¯s straight figure sat on the sofa at the edge of the walkway. He looked in the


    direction of the kitchen, and his expression darkened when he heard Isabel¡¯s childish voice.


    Before long, Sylvia and Aunt Tonya walked out with a pot of piping hot noodles.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    While Aunt Tonya ced it on the table, Sylvia helped to set the table. Isabel and Liam came up with their bowls in an obedient


    manner. Only Odell sat down, his deep and cold eyes still looking at Sylvia.


    Nevertheless, she did not look at him and simply went about her own business. Although she wanted to kick him out, he was the


    father of the little ones, and Thomas was still in his hands, so she could not mess with him too much.


    After serving the children and Aunt Tonya, she gave him a bowl of noodles as well and ced it in front of him.


    Then, she sat down herself.


    The atmosphere was a little stiff as Isabel and Liam ate quietly and obediently. Aunt Tonya did not speak.


    Sylvia also had nothing to say and ate with her head down. When she finished her bowl and raised her head, her gaze locked


    with a pair of deep and dark eyes.


    Odell was looking at her. The bowl in front of him was already empty. It was obvious that he had finished the noodles too.


    Sylvia avoided his gaze and looked at Isabel and Liam. The children were still eating, but they were almost finished.


    Thus, she watched the little ones until they were done eating and got up to clean up.


    Aunt Tonya quickly said, ¡°Go and rest, Syl. I''ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, you can go y with Isabel and Liam. I''ll tidy up the kitchen,¡± Sylvia said and quickened her movements.


    Before Aunt Tonya could react, Sylvia ran into the kitchen with a stack of dishes in her hands as if there was a wolf chasing her.


    Aunt Tonya was stunned.


    Isabel also tilted her head and muttered, ¡°Mommy is acting strange today.¡± Liam looked in the direction of the kitchen and did not


    say anything. Odell¡¯s handsome face darkened again.


    After entering the kitchen, Sylvia washed the dishes used one by one. Then, she tidied up the kitchen which was already very


    clean. When she looked up at the time after an hour and guessed that Odell should have left, she took off her gloves and apron


    and went to the door.


    The moment she reached out and pushed open the kitchen door, a tall and straight figure appeared in her line of sight.


    The man was leaning against the wall with his back to the door and his arms crossed in front of him. One of his long legs was


    bent at the knee, and the other was straight. Despite his devil may-care posture, he exuded an aura of indifference and a strong


    sense of oppression. Sylvia''s pupils shrank. Then, she looked ahead, pretending not to see him, and took fast steps forward


    ¡°Stop,¡± he suddenlymanded.

 Chapter 664

    Chapter 664


    Chapter 664


    Sylvia instinctively stopped in her tracks.


    The living room was quiet at the moment. Not only were the two little ones not around, but Aunt Tonya was also nowhere to be


    found.


    After hesitating for a moment, Sylvia quickened her steps and walked forward. Odell frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see him?¡± She


    stopped in her tracks and looked back at him, asking suspiciously, ¡°Will you let me see him if | say yes?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± He curled


    his lips and added, ¡°Come to me and I''ll let you see him.¡± Sylvia immediately looked at him warily. ¡°You said the same thing to


    me this evening in the forest park.¡±


    He had also said that he would tell the bulldozers to stop if she went to him, but in the end, he told them not to spare a single


    flower!


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯te here, then you''ll never see him again.¡± Her chest tightened as she red at him.


    Meanwhile, he leanedzily against the wall, looking at her calmly.


    Sylvia resisted the urge to punch him and took a deep breath, saying, ¡°Odell, if you¡¯re angry, just take it out on me. Thomas is


    innocent. Can''t you let him go?¡± He looked at her with cold eyes with no intention of answering her, let alone agreeing with her.


    She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Fine. I''ll break up with him.¡± His gaze changed slightly. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I''ll break up with


    him!¡± she raised her voice. ¡°As long as you let him go, I''ll break up with him immediately, okay?¡±


    He curled up his lips. ¡°I can¡¯t hear you. Come here and say it.¡± Sylvia could not help but yell, ¡°You prick!¡± Odell smiled wickedly,


    his expression seemingly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t try to negotiate with me if you refuse toe here.¡±


    Sylvia was so angry that her chest hurt.


    However, there was no other way. Furthermore, he looked like he was in a good mood, so it should be possible to negotiate with


    him.


    She quickly walked to him and stopped about half a meter away from him.


    Odell curved his lips and stretched out a long arm to wrap around her waist and pull her into his arms.


    Sylvia instantly raised her hand to push against his chest and looked up to re at him.


    He smiled at her and asked, ¡°What if you guys get together again behind my back after | let


    him go?¡±


    ¡°I''m not you. | won''t go back on my word,¡± she replied instantly in a righteous manner. Odell looked at her face puffed up with


    anger and could not help but chuckle. Then, he took her left hand and lifted it up.


    The finger that she cut earlier was the index finger of her left hand. The tip of her finger was still wrapped in a Band-aid.


    Aas


    He gently touched the finger and asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    Sylvia frowned in annoyance. ¡°No.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It was just a cut on her finger. When he had broken her leg before, it was much more painful than this.


    He held her hand and looked at her. ¡°Be careful in the future.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    ¡®What''s that supposed to mean? Is he concerned about me?¡¯


    Her heart was irritated for some reason, but she calmed down quickly and looked at him. ¡°I will. Can you let Thomas go now?¡±


    Her tone was significantly better than before and even held a trace of pleading. However, Odell¡¯s expression instantly cooled.

 Chapter 665

    Chapter 665


    Chapter 665


    In the past, he probably would have taken her to bed directly and taught her a lesson.


    However, the woman in front of him that he hurt countless times was the girl who saved him on that rainy night. Although she


    liked another man now, and although he was so angry that his heart ached, he had to hold back. He could not hurt her anymore.


    4Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He restrained his emotions and said, ¡°No.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face was cold. She was just about to push him away, but before she could use her strength, he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t lock him up


    because of you.¡± She instantly froze.


    Odell looked at her and continued, ¡°He¡¯s the mastermind behind Carter Corporation¡¯s crisis this time.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened again. ¡°He¡¯s the mastermind? How can that be? Weren¡¯t you the one who nned the crisis?¡±


    He could not help but pinch her face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you read the news today?¡±


    His voice was cold and helpless, as if he was very angry but could not do anything to her, so he could only hold himself back


    She pursed her lips and remembered that the news article shared her opinion. Was she wrong? Odell pursed his lips. ¡°The


    shareholders who were taken away by the police were manipted by him.¡±


    She instantly remembered the shareholders who were handcuffed and the exnation of the reason for their arrest on the news.


    The reason was clear. They had tampered with the funds of several of Carter Corporation¡¯s major projects. If Odell had not been


    prepared in advance, Carter Corporation would have been gone by now.


    It was indeed impossible for him, the head of the corporation, to create a crisis for his ownpany.


    Although she did not know much about that, Carter Corporation''s stocks had been falling for some time now.


    The crisis this time should be caused by those few shareholders. Odell had most likely learned about it early and let them


    convene the shareholders¡¯ meeting in order to wait for them to reveal their true colors and wipe them out all at once.


    However, how could those shareholders have been manipted by Thomas?


    Sylvia still did not believe him and looked at him, asking, ¡°Who said that it was Thomas who manipted them? Did they confess


    to it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then, how do you know?¡±


    ¡°Spection.¡± ¡°Do you have proof?¡±


    Odell was speechless. For some reason, he suddenly felt attacked.


    When Sylvia saw him remain silent, she asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have any evidence?¡±


    Odell hummed.


    She immediately said, ¡°There¡¯s no way Thomas could have done such a thing. He¡¯s only keen on ying the piano and shouldn''t


    be able to manipte people. Besides, he¡¯s your brother and still has shares in Carter Corporation. If thepany copses, he


    won''t be able to get the dividends, so he has no reason to do that either.¡±


    Her tone was firm, and her small face was brimming with faith in Thomas. Odell pursed his lips, and his expression went cold


    uncontrobly. Sylvia only wanted to quickly quash his suspicions and did not notice anything off about him. She thought about it


    and continued, ¡°During Carter Corporation¡¯s crisis, Aunt Tonya, the kids, and | lived with him. Although | wasn¡¯t with him every


    moment, | saw him every day. He doesn¡¯t have time to scheme about those matters...¡±


    Her small mouth continued to chatter, every sentence a defense for Thomas. As if defending him was not enough, she also


    stressed that they were together every day. The man¡¯s expression quickly became gloomy. Then, he suddenly lowered his head


    and sealed her mouth.


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s unfinished words were instantly blocked off.


    At the same time, the man¡¯s domineering breath barged in. He did not give her a chance to struggle. She was furious and tried to


    bite him, but before she could, he nibbled on her mouth.


    She cried out in pain, and he finally let her go.


    He took her little face in hisrge hand and looked at her darkly. ¡°Say one more word to defend him and your mouth might never


    open again.¡±

 Chapter 666

    Chapter 666


    Sylvia shivered and pursed her lips. However, she could not stop ring at him. Her eyes were wide and round, and her cheeks


    were red from anger. She looked like she was obviously furious yet had no choice but to endure


    it.


    The man¡¯s eyes flickered. His thin lips curled, and he lowered his head to peck her lips again.


    Sylvia gnashed her teeth with anger. Odell hummed augh and cupped her face. ¡°Although | haven¡¯t found any evidence yet,


    there¡¯s no one but him who would set me up like this.¡± His expression and tone were much better than when he had just


    forcefully kissed her. Sylvia¡¯s apprehension eased, and she said, ¡°Anyone can set you up except for Thomas.¡± She said it very


    seriously. Her words were full of unwavering trust for Thomas. As Odell¡¯s expression instantly darkened, Sylvia shrunk her neck


    and pursed her lips.


    Their eyes met for a few seconds.


    He pursed his lips and said, ¡°When thepany first got into trouble, Spencer Weiss kidnapped you and Tara to force me to


    choose. By coincidence, | chose Tara, and Thomas just so happened to appear when Spencer was about to shoot you. Don¡¯t you


    think it''s too much of a coincidence?¡±


    He always went straight to the point. He was taciturn and never exined himself to others, but he was obviously rifying


    things to her.


    Sylvia also felt that it was odd that Spencer let Tara go directly, but... ¡°Spencer kidnapped me from the parking lot of the Art


    Academy. The parking lot isn¡¯t far from my office with Thomas, so he happened to see it and secretly followed us to the ce


    where | was kidnapped and saved me.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Is that what he told you?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Yes. | believe what he said is true.¡±


    His throat choked.


    ¡®That exnation is clearly full of oddities. How can this woman trust him so much?¡¯


    He resisted the urge to nibble her lips and added, ¡°When thepany had another ident, we happened to be quarreling.


    Right after | left, he came over and took you guys away. Do you think that¡¯s a coincidence too?¡±


    Sylvia exined in exasperation, ¡°That wasn¡¯t a coincidence. | took the initiative to ask him to take us away.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression changed. ¡°But he took you all somewhere | couldn¡¯t find you.¡±


    She said, ¡°I was the one who wanted to stay away from you, so he took us to a ce you wouldn''t be able to find us.¡±


    ¡°Why does he listen to you so much?¡±


    ¡°He has always listened to all my requests.¡± Odell was speechless. He pursed his thin lips, and his expression turned dark and


    gloomy.


    Sylvia sensibly closed her mouth.


    The next second, something mped down on her wrist. Her whole body stumbled forward and was forced to follow him outside.


    His strides wererge, and his pace was fast, so Sylvia had to jog to keep up with him. When they reached the door, she was


    shoved into his car. The dazzling ck sports car quickly started up and shot far away with a roar.


    Sylvia had not sat down properly and almost hit the car door. The car was already on the road by the time she got adjusted in the


    seat.


    The car zoomed like lightning, and they overtook a few normal cars in the blink of an eye. He also quickly cut through traffic


    without the slightest intention to slow down.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    It was impossible to say that she was not afraid. Sylvia stared at the road in front and whispered, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°To


    see him.¡± He wanted to show her what that man was really like behind her back!


    His voice was so gloomy and frightening that she did not dare to speak.


    After a while, seeing that the car still had no intention of slowing down, she could not help but ask, ¡°Can you drive a little slower?¡±


    The moment she said those words, the speeding car slowed down significantly. Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief although she was


    shocked. She did not expect him to listen to her. Her eyes quietly looked over toward him. He was looking ahead, and his face


    was still stormy and scary in the dim light.

 Chapter 667

    Chapter 667


    Sylvia silently withdrew her gaze.


    The car crossed several streets and stopped outside the gates of the Carters¡¯


    Yes, it was the Carters¡¯.


    There were two vis in the residence. The one on the east was where Sylvia used to live with Odell, and the one on the west


    that had been empty for a long time was where Thomas and his mother used to live.


    At that moment, the west vi was lit up, and the entrance was guarded by bodyguards.


    Thomas was obviously imprisoned here.


    Sylvia got out of the car and obediently trailed behind Odell.


    Before long, they arrived at a clean and tidy study on the second floor. However, there was no one around.


    She was stunned and was about to open her mouth to ask Odell where Thomas was, but she immediately shut her mouth in fear


    when she saw his sudden nce.


    He looked at her askance. ¡°If you want to see him, just stay here.¡± What did that mean?


    Sylvia did not understand.


    Nevertheless, he turned around and walked out before she could reply.


    Thud.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The door of the room was gently closed.


    She wrinkled her brows in confusion.


    Then, there was the sound of the door opening and the scrape of a chair from next door. Sylvia quickly went to the wall and


    pressed her ear against it.


    At that moment, in the quiet and empty room next door, the moment Odell came, a dim light was turned on in the darkness.


    Ayoung man wearing a white shirt sat on a chair by the window. His figure was slender and held a faint trace of loneliness.


    When he heard the sound of approaching footsteps, his eyelids slowly opened. The clear, cold


    gaze in his eyes did not change as he asked, ¡°Odell, why did you bring me here?¡±


    Odell directly sat on the sofa not far away. His straight legs were folded together, and his arms were crossed in front of his body


    as he looked ahead with a cold and oppressive gaze. ¡°You know very well why.¡± Thomas smiled and asked, ¡°Is it because Sylvia


    and | getting together made you unhappy?¡± Odell curled his lips. ¡°I''ll naturally get even with you for that eventually, but what


    we''re talking about now has nothing to do with that.¡±


    ¡°Then, what is it?¡± he asked. Odell looked at him with sharp eyes. Thomas met his gaze, his clear and cold eyes unflinching and


    unchanged.


    The air was quiet for a while before Odell said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so shrewd.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know what you''re talking about,¡± Thomas replied.


    Odell pursed his lips as his expression went cold.


    ¡°Spencer Weiss, Will Sanders, Jonah Campbell, lvan Lachman...¡± he unhurriedly listed a string of names. Then, he asked, ¡°You


    know all these people, right?¡±


    Thomas replied without changing his expression, ¡°No.¡±


    The corners of Odell¡¯s mouth pulled down coldly. ¡°But they all im that they know you.¡± Thomas''s gaze flickered. After two


    seconds, he replied, ¡°I have some shares in Carter Corporation, and they¡¯re all shareholders of thepany, so it¡¯s not strange


    that they know me.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°How did you know they were shareholders of thepany?¡± The air was quiet for another two


    seconds.


    Thomas looked at him and answered, ¡°I read the news about you on my phone before you confiscated it.¡±


    Odell¡¯s sharp eyes continued to stare at him. ¡°Then, why did you say that you didn¡¯t know them earlier?¡±


    ¡°| haven¡¯t met them in real life, so it¡¯s true that | don¡¯t know them.¡± Odell sneered. ¡°You''re good at making excuses.¡± Thomas


    smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡±

 Chapter 668

    Chapter 668


    At that moment, the room fell into silence again.


    It took about half a minute before Odell broke the silence. ¡°They already confessed that you were the mastermind.¡±


    Thomas met his gaze and replied, ¡°Did they really say that | ordered them to do so?¡± Odell¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Thomasughed. ¡°Then, why am | still here? Shouldn''t the policee and take me away?¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes went cold. ¡°They¡¯re already on the way.¡±


    ¡°Well, I''ll wait for their arrival.¡±


    ¡°If you admit that you did it, | can help you get away before they arrive.¡± Odell leaned back against the sofa and looked at


    Thomas. ¡°But if you''re interrogated at the police station, | won¡¯t be able to help you anymore.¡±


    Thomas maintained his smile. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but an innocent man doesn¡¯t have to fear anything. It¡¯s impossible


    for them to conclude that I¡¯m rted to those shareholders who betrayed Carter Corporation.¡±


    Odell pursed his thin lips. His face also turned gloomy and cold in that instant. ¡°I advise you to take this chance while it¡¯s on the


    table.¡±


    Thomas¡¯s expression changed, and he asked, ¡°What''s that supposed to mean?¡±


    Odell called out in a cold voice, ¡°Enter!¡± The next second, the door was pushed open, and two bodyguards swiftly came in. They


    held Thomas''s shoulders down, pinning both his arms on the table in front of him. Then, another bodyguard with a sharp ax


    came over and stood by the table, waiting for Odell¡¯smand.


    Thomasy on the table wretchedly.


    Odell elegantly sat in ce. ¡°Since you''re my little brother, if you admit that you did all those things right now, I can give you a


    chance. Not only will I let you go, but I''ll also tell the police not to pursue you.¡± After a pause, he leaned forward and said ina


    cold voice, ¡°Otherwise, I''ll chop off your piano ying hands.¡±


    Thomas frowned and met his gloomy gaze, answering, ¡°I haven¡¯t done what I haven''t done. Even if you kill me, | won¡¯t admit it.¡±


    Odell nced at him. ¡°I''ll give you another ten seconds to think about it.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Thomas pursed his lips.


    As Odell looked at the time on his wristwatch, the second hand ticked away.


    Soon, ten seconds passed.


    He frowned coldly. Then, he said, ¡°Chop off one of his fingers first.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the bodyguard answered and raised the ax.


    However, at that moment, there was a thud outside the door.


    Then, the tightly closed door was pushed open. By the door, the bodyguard who was guarding it fell to the ground, clutching his


    crotch. Sylvia, who had just knocked him down, rushed in like a gust of wind and reached Thomas''s side in an instant, shoving


    the two bodyguards away.


    The two bodyguards were caught off guard and were pushed aside.


    Sylvia pulled Thomas up and dragged him behind her before spreading her arms out to protect him. She red coldly at Odell.


    ¡°Odell Carter, he¡¯s your brother! How could you do this to him?


    Her eyes were red, full of fear and anger. There was also a hint of disgust. Odell¡¯s already gloomy expression was suddenly


    shrouded with ayer of haze, and the surrounding temperature also dropped. Sylvia¡¯s pupils shrank. Then, sheposed her


    emotions and said in a pleading voice, ¡°I heard everything earlier. Thomas has nothing to do with Carter Corporation¡¯s crisis at


    all. Can you let him go?¡±

 Chapter 669

    Chapter 669


    Odell looked at her. ¡°Come here.¡± Sylvia said softly, ¡°Let Thomas go first.¡±


    He nced at her and looked at the two bodyguards with sinister eyes. ¡°Bring her here.¡±


    The bodyguards did not dare to hesitate and reached out for Sylvia.


    She immediately fought back. However, her mediocre self-defense skills were no match for them. In a short time, she was held


    down by a bodyguard and brought to Odell.


    He snorted and reached out to trap her in his arms.


    Then, Thomas was pinned to the table by the other bodyguard again, and the ax-wielding bodyguard raised the weapon in his


    hand as well.


    Half of his face was ttened on the desktop, and his figure looked miserable. However, his expression did not look tense at all.


    He merely stared intently at Sylvia.


    Sylvia could not struggle, and she grabbed Odell¡¯s arm, crying anxiously, ¡°Odell, tell them to stop! Thomas is your brother! If


    you''re not happy, just fight with him, but you can¡¯t cut off his hand!¡±


    Thomas loved ying the piano and was a musical genius. How could he continue living if he lost his hand?


    Odell ignored her and looked at Thomas coldly. ¡°I''ll give you onest chance. If you admit it, I''ll let you leave intact.¡±


    Thomas looked at Sylvia and saw how she was being pinned down by Odell and could not resist. Looking at her eyes filled with


    anxiety, he coldly pulled the corners of his lips and said, ¡± If you''ll only be happy if | admit that | did it, then I''ll admit to it.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened.


    At the same time, the woman in his arms gripped his arm desperately. ¡°Odell, he admitted to it. Let him go. Hurry up and let him


    go!¡± Sylvia looked up at him and shouted anxiously.


    Odell looked down at her.


    Her eyes were red, and the look on her face had nothing but panic and anxiety. ¡®She probably doesn¡¯t believe Thomas¡¯s


    ¡®confession¡¯ and is still scolding me in her heart.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Awave of anger was stuck in his chest.


    He tightened his arm, took her by the waist, looked at the bodyguard with the ax, and ordered


    in acold voice, ¡°Cut off one of his fingers!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The bodyguard answered and was about to swing the ax.


    ¡°No!¡± Sylvia screamed. She clutched Odell¡¯s arm tightly with both hands. ¡°Odell, I''ll break up with him. I''ll break up with him now.


    I''m begging you, okay? Please let him go!¡±


    There were only Odell and Thomas in this room earlier. Thomas did not know that she was


    eavesdropping next door,


    All of Odell¡¯s questions had been sharp. If Thomas really had something to do with the Carter Corporation crisis, he would


    definitely have let something slip. However, he did not admit anything from beginning to end, even when he was pressed onto


    the table and almost had his finger cut off. It was enough to show that he was innocent. Therefore, Odell probably wanted to cut


    off Thomas¡¯s finger simply because he was angry with Thomas for Sylvia wanting to be with him.


    She could not let Thomas lose his hands because of her. She would die of guilt! She was so anxious that tears spilled from her


    eyes. Her gaze was filled with begging.


    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered, and he immediately frowned.


    The bodyguard with the ax saw this and stopped, not daring to swing the ax down again.


    The air was quiet for about ten seconds. Odell raised his hand and wiped the tears on her face.¡± Do it.¡±


    This was obviously said to the bodyguard. The bodyguard immediately raised his ax again.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened. When she saw that the sharp ax was about toe down on Thomas''s hand, she shivered and


    screamed uncontrobly, ¡°Stop! Odell, I¡¯ll sleep with you! If you want me to sleep with you, I''ll do it right now. Let him go. | beg


    you to let him go!¡±

 Chapter 670

    Chapter 670


    Chapter 670 All was silent again.


    Probably frightened by her hysterical scream, the bodyguard stopped moving for a moment. The ax stopped right above


    Thomas''s hand.


    Everyone looked at Sylvia and the extremely grim-faced man who was holding her.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes were red, and the tears could not stop flowing out. She looked at him and choked. ¡°I''ll do anything as long as you


    let him go.¡±


    There was only pleading on her red face. There was no trace of the usual arrogance she had when facing him.


    It was as if a long thorn was stuck in Odell¡¯s chest. He pursed his lips, held back his emotions, and cupped her face, asking ina


    low voice, ¡°Are you really willing to do anything for him?¡±


    Sylvia did not hear the meaning of his words. She only wanted to get Thomas out of the house. Thus, she agreed to his words.


    ¡°If you want to sleep with me, I¡¯ll let you sleep with me now. You can do whatever you want as long as you let Thomas go.¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Fine, then we''ll do it here.¡± His face suddenly turned cold, and he said to the bodyguards, ¡°Take him next


    door.¡± The bodyguards nodded in reply and carried Thomas off the table. He suddenly struggled. One of the bodyguards was


    taken off guard and almost let Thomas go free. He subconsciously kicked Thomas, stepping on his leg. Thomas stumbled and


    almost fell to the ground. Soon, the two other bodyguards pinned him down.


    He struggled to stand where he was. His usually cold gaze was now full of wrath as he looked at Odell. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,


    Odell. You should just cut off my hand.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Sylvia looked anxious and immediately said, ¡°Thomas, I¡¯m fine. Hurry up and leave. | ¡ª Mm!¡±


    Before she could finish her words, her entire body was spun around, and her lips were sealed in that instant.


    She did not hear what else Thomas said. She only heard a small movement of struggle, and then the door of the room was


    closed.


    She wanted to turn around and look, but before she could move, the strength of the arms binding her grew even stronger. She


    could not even move her face to the side.


    The man mped her in his arms and nibbled on her lips, attacking with force without the slightest hint of mercy.


    Before long, she was thrown onto the bed not far away. Therge bed creaked loudly, and the clean and tidy bedsheet was also


    creased and messy.


    Sylvia was stripped bare before she had time to struggle. The window was open, and the cool


    breeze from outside kept blowing in, so she instantly shivered from the cold. Seemingly sensing her shivering, the man stopped


    moving and crouched over her, his gaze scarlet. Sylvia asked weakly, ¡°Can you close the window first?¡± He raised his brows.


    ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    She let out a low hum.


    He propped her chin up. ¡°Move more and your body will heat up.¡± Her face grew hot, and she subconsciously wanted to push


    him away, but before she could raise her hand, the look on his face instantly turned dark. Her courage waned, and she quickly


    put down her hands. Odell snorted augh and looked at her, demanding, ¡°Kiss me.¡±


    Sylvia frowned andy still.


    He also frowned, looking unhappy. ¡°Weren''t you willing to do anything for him? What do you want to back out?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s throat choked. Then, she sat up on the bed and took the initiative to approach him. The tip of her nose brushed against


    the side of his face, and her soft lips gently pressed on his thin lips.


    Just as she was about to pull away immediately, her body suddenly sank.


    Thud! She was knocked back onto the bed by him with so much force that she felt her insides shake

 Chapter 671

    Chapter 671


    The man¡¯s hot and dominating breath surged like a tsunami, prying open her lips and teeth as he kissed her forcefully and left


    her no room for resistance.


    The sound of movement in the room never stopped and did not end until the next day when it was almost bright.


    This man was the devil. It was as if he would not rest until he tortured her to death!


    Sylvia felt like she was dying, but fortunately, she managed to do everything that he told her to do.


    She gripped his arm tightly, holding onto herst ounce of strength to say, ¡°Odell, you said that you would release Thomas if |


    didn¡¯t hold back my voice. You''ll keep your word, right?¡±


    Her voice was so hoarse that she could hardly speak.


    At that moment, not only was her face puffy, but her eyes were also bloodshot. It was obvious that she had cried for a long time.


    There were still tears on her eyshes. The man only felt a surge of anger choke his chest. ¡®Even now, she¡¯s still thinking of


    another man! If not for the fact that | can¡¯t bear to, | would make it so that she can¡¯t even talk anymore!


    When he did not respond, she looked at him eagerly. ¡°Answer me, Odell.¡± Her voice was anxious, slightly aggrieved, and


    delicate.


    Odell frowned and bundled her into his arms. He looked into her eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°. Fine.¡±


    He was a man, so he would naturally keep his word!


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes lit up. However, when she remembered how he had gone back on his word several times before, she said, ¡°Swear


    on it. You''re not a man if you renegade.¡±


    Odell choked up. She clung to him with watery eyes full of pleading.


    After a long time, he pursed his lips. ¡°I swear. I¡¯m not a man if | renegade.¡±


    The next second, his arm sank.


    The woman who was still clinging to him fell asleep on his arm. A sense of powerlessness suddenly broke through his other


    emotions.


    He was silent for a few seconds, then he kissed her lightly on the forehead and ced her back on the bed.


    The bathroom was to the side. After a brief shower, he put on his clothes and walked out of the room.


    He said to Jacob outside the door, ¡°Let him go.¡±


    Jacob was stunned. ¡°Master Carter, are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Odell¡¯s eyes were cold as he added, ¡°Arrange for a few people to follow him secretly.¡± ¡®His lips are sealed tight, and his


    methods are mind-blowingly powerful. | don¡¯t know how he bewitched the shareholders. None of them confessed that it was him.


    Even if | keep him locked up here, | won¡¯t get anything out of him.¡¯Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jacob answered and turned to go next door. Odell did not leave. His straight back leaned against the wall, then he took


    out a cigarette from the pack and ced it between his lips.


    White smoke soon spilled out from his lips.


    At that moment, the door to the next room opened, and Thomas, who had been inside all night, emerged. He was still wearing


    the white shirt that he had wooed Sylvia in the sea of sunflowers yesterday, but he obviously did not look as spirited as before.


    At that moment, every inch of his body was filled with a stifling aura. He red at Odell when he came out, and his normally cool


    eyes were bloodshot at that moment. Odell curled up the corners of his lips. ¡°What? Did you not sleepst night?¡± Thomas


    clenched his fists. After a long time, he smiled grimly.¡±Are you letting me go?¡± ¡°Your sister-inw worked hard the entire night, so


    | have to give her some credit.¡±

 Chapter 672

    Chapter 672


    Chapter 672


    The smile on Thomas¡¯s mouth suddenly disappeared, and he said word for word, ¡°You''ll regret this, Odell.¡±


    Odell threw the unfinished cigarette on the ground and crushed it with the sole of his shoe.¡± Who will make me? You? Try again


    in your next life.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the bodyguard gave Thomas a hard shove. His slender and thin figure stumbled forward a few


    steps. After standing firm, he turned his head to nce at Odell¡¯s bedroom to the side. Then, he looked away and walked


    downstairs.


    Sylvia did not know how she fell asleep. She only felt like she was going to die. Her waist felt like it had snapped, and her body


    seemed like it had been dismantled into pieces.


    Even in her sleep, she was in a state of exhaustion, pain, and panic. She was dazed and confused. After an unknown amount of


    time, she seemed to suddenly awaken when a ray of sunlight illuminated her face. She quickly rolled over to sit up.


    Then, the soreness of the muscles in her body hit her so hard that shey back down in pain. It took a while before she sat up.


    The room was quiet. There was no one but her. However, the messy bedsheets looked the same as when they were tossing


    around all nightst night.


    She took a deep breath, put on her clothes, and got out of bed.


    It was quiet outside the door.


    She went into the next room, but there was no one inside either. She frowned and was just about to go downstairs when Jacob


    came over from the stairs.


    ¡°Madam, Master Carter let Second Master Carter go early this morning.¡±


    Sylvia felt relief flood her. Then, she took her phone out of her pocket and found Thomas¡¯s number.


    When she was about to press it, the scenes of her being held down and coerced by Odellst night shed into her mind again.


    After a few seconds of hesitation, she sent him a message. ¡°Thomas, are you okay?¡±


    He replied in less than a minute. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She thought about it and asked again, ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    Thomas replied, ¡°In the house on the outskirts.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Odell did not know about that ce, so Thomas must have gone back on his own.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and put the phone back in her pocket. She did not know what to say to him now. After all, she had


    only agreed to be his girlfriend yesterday afternoon but ended up with Odellst night...


    Furthermore, Thomas had just been next door. The soundproofing was so poor that he must have heard it all.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth and headed downstairs.


    Jacob followed her at a distance. ¡°Madam, do you want to go back? I''ll send you back.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied coldly.


    Jacob said, ¡°Master Carter told me to bring you back.¡±


    She stopped and turned to re at him. Her eyes were red, and her gaze was cold.


    Jacob pursed his lips and did not dare to say anything else. Sylvia¡¯s legs were incredibly sore, so she could only go outside while


    taking one small step at a time.


    It usually only took a few minutes to get to the front door, but it took her almost ten minutes instead.


    There were no cabs in the vicinity, so she called for one online and stood quietly on the side of the road, waiting for the car to


    arrive.


    Jacob did not dare to follow her. When he saw her waiting for a car, he immediately took out his phone and called Odell.


    The call was quickly connected, and he respectfully said, ¡°Master Carter, Madam didn¡¯t let me send her back. She called a cab.


    Do you want to have a look?¡±

 Chapter 673

    Chapter 673


    The phone was quiet for two seconds before the man¡¯s low voice rang out. ¡°Follow her.¡±


    Jacob quickly answered, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Before long, an ordinary car drove up to the door.


    Sylvia clutched her waist and sat in the backseat.


    At that moment, in the building to the east of the mansion, Odell¡¯s strong figure stood on one side of the balcony. He had been


    there since Sylvia came out of the house and shuffled to the gate.


    In the sunlight, his eye sockets were deep, and his eyes were cold and dark.


    After a long time, he waited until the car Sylvia called disappeared around the corner before he spoke out, ¡°Where is he now?¡±.


    Ben, who was standing behind him, quickly replied, ¡°Second Master Carter returned to a vi in the suburbs and hasn''te out


    since. He¡¯s still inside. The report says he has been staring at a painting in a daze.¡±


    ¡°Watch him. If that woman goes to him, report to me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Sylvia returned to her residence in half an hour.


    Aunt Tonya was tidying the garden when she saw Sylvia. She immediately dropped her tools and ran up to her. ¡°Syl, where did


    Odell take youst night? Did he pick on you again?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°No, we just had a fight. I¡¯m a little tired after not sleeping


    much at night.¡±


    There were some things that she could bear alone. There was no need for Aunt Tonya to worry about her again. 1


    Her voice was incredibly hoarse as if she were ill. Aunt Tonya frowned and said, ¡°Then, go and rest. Isabel and Liam are still


    sleeping too.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia did not dally.


    After passing by the children¡¯s room and seeing them sleep soundly, she immediately went to her bathroom and took a warm


    shower.


    The warm water washed away her soreness. After that, she went to the children¡¯s room in her pajamas, theny down beside


    them and fell asleep.


    After an unknown amount of time, when her consciousness began to rouse, she felt something soft and cool around her neck.


    She opened her eyes slowly and saw Isabel and Liam sitting in front of her.


    Liam sat in the back, holding a bottle of ointment for treating bruises, and Isabel, who was sitting in front, scooped up the


    ointment with her small hand and applied it to Sylvia¡¯s neck. They both looked very serious and adorable.


    When Sylvia woke up, the little girl said crisply, ¡°Mommy, you''re awake.¡±


    Sylvia sat up and touched their little heads, asking curiously, ¡°What are you putting on me?¡± The little girl pouted, ¡°You¡¯ve been


    bitten by mosquitoes all over.¡± Bitten by mosquitoes?


    Sylvia was even more confused.


    Just then, Isabel brought her small mirror in front of Sylvia, and Sylvia immediately saw the red marks around her neck.


    They were uneven in size and looked like mosquito bites at first nce. However, they were in fact traces left by Odellst night.


    Her face burned uncontrobly for a moment. She endured her emotions and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. They¡¯ll disappear in a few


    days.¡±


    Isabel mumbled, ¡°Uh-huh, but you still have to apply the medicine on time.¡±


    Seeing Liam and Isabel caring for her like this, Sylvia''s chest warmed up, and she smiled at them. ¡°Okay, I''ll remember.¡± 1


    It was already dark outside, so Aunt Tonya should probably have made dinner.


    Sylvia took them out of bed and headed to the living room for dinner. However, when she got to the stairs, a figure happened to


    walk into the living room from the outside. Wearing a ck shirt, his body was tall and straight, and his figure radiated a cold


    aura that kept others at bay.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    It was Odell, the person who had kept her up all night. Her legs weakened uncontrobly, and she suddenly stopped.

 Chapter 674

    Chapter 674


    The many suffocating scenes fromst night rushed to Sylvia¡¯s head whether it was physically or mentally, she did not want to


    see him at this moment at all!


    She quickly said to the children, ¡°Isabel and Liam, | suddenly have a stomachache and need to go to the toilet. You guys go


    down and eat first. There¡¯s no need to wait for me.¡±


    Isabel replied, ¡°Okay.¡± However, Liam frowned, ¡®Why did Mommy suddenly get a stomach ache when Daddy came?¡¯


    Before he could understand, Sylvia turned around and ran back to the room. The two little ones walked down the stairs together


    In the living room, Odell had just sat down. When he saw theming down, he nced behind them and saw empty air.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t that womane down?¡¯


    At that moment, Isabel also walked up to him with her chubby face puffed out. She looked quite cute.


    He reached out and took her into his arms.


    The girl crossed her arms and looked at him, asking, ¡°Baddie, where did you and Mommy gost night? Why are the mosquito


    bites all over Mommy¡¯s neck?¡±


    Mosquito bites? They were probably the marks he leftst night. His lips curled up, and he said without changing his expression,


    ¡°Oh, there were a lot of mosquitoes where we wentst night.¡±


    Isabel pouted and looked at his neck. ¡°Then, why aren¡¯t there any mosquito bites on your neck?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    There were indeed no mosquito bites on his neck, but there should be a lot of scratches left by that woman on his back.


    However, before he could figure out how to answer her, a cold and childish voice sounded from the other side. ¡°It''s because


    Daddy is thick-skinned.¡±


    Odell was speechless.


    Isabel''s eyes widened in realization. ¡°You¡¯re right. Mommy is fragrant and tender, so the mosquitoes must like her better.¡±


    Odell was speechless,


    Yes, that woman was indeed fragrant and tender.


    However, why did he want to teach these little runts a lesson the more he looked at them?


    At that moment, Aunt Tonya¡¯s voice came from the direction of the kitchen. ¡°Isabel and Liam, where¡¯s your mother?¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.


    Then, the little girl in his arms said, ¡°Mommy had a tummy ache and went to the toilet. She told us to eat first.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Aunt Tonya looked at Odell and replied, ¡°Okay, thene and eat. | cooked noodles tonight. You have to eat them quickly or


    they''ll get soggy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel climbed down from Odell¡¯s arms, and the little ones sat down at the table together.


    Odell¡¯s eyes cooled as he nced upstairs, and he got up and walked to the table.


    Upstairs, after Sylvia returned to her bedroom, she kept pacing in front of the window. She wanted to wait for Odell to leave


    before going down. After about half an hour, his tall figure strode from the living room to the yard. Sylvia stood by the window and


    saw him clearly. Her eyes lit up. Seeing him about to reach the gate, she immediately prepared to turn around. Unexpectedly, he


    suddenly stopped and turned his head, and his deep eyes shot straight at her. Sylvia¡¯s gaze shed as she hurriedly ducked


    down. At the gate, the man curled his lips imperceptibly and stepped out. Meanwhile, Sylvia squatted for a long time and only


    stood up when she heard Isabel¡¯s shout outside the door.


    The little girl called out to her sweetly. ¡°Mommy, is your tummy feeling better? Aunt Tonya cooked noodles again. Do you want to


    eat some?¡±


    Sylvia looked outside where Odell''s figure had disappeared. She sighed in relief and answered, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ming down now.¡±


    A day passed by in a sh.


    Sylvia stayed at home that day with the two little ones and did not go anywhere. Soon, it was time to eat dinner in the evening.

 Chapter 675

    Chapter 675


    The man¡¯s tall and straight figure walked in from the main gate on time. In the living room, Sylvia saw him at a nce and


    immediately said to Aunt Tonya and the children, ¡°I suddenly remembered that | have something to do. You all eat first. Don¡¯t wait


    for


    me.


    Then, without waiting for them to react, she ran upstairs swiftly.


    Aunt Tonya was dumbfounded. The two little ones raised their heads in confusion as well. Just then, Odell walked in.


    Aunt Tonya was the first to react and smiled dryly. ¡°Dinner is ready. Come and eat.¡±


    Isabel hummed and walked over with Liam. Odell¡¯s face was expressionless as he sat at the table with them.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia had already returned to her room. She went to the window and painted something out of boredom while


    paying attention to the movement outside.


    Almost half an hourter, the sound of footsteps came from the door of the living room downstairs.


    She half-crouched down to peek outside. However, just before she could see the tall figure, a cell phone ringing came from


    below. She remembered it as his ringtone, and she held her breath. Downstairs, the man who had just stepped out of the living


    room put the phone to his ear and asked indifferently, ¡°What is it?¡±


    On the phone, Jacob reported in a low voice, ¡°Master Carter, our man secretly watching Second Master Carter said that he


    hasn''t eaten since he returned yesterday morning.¡±


    Odell froze.


    ¡®Is he going on a hunger strike? Who¡¯s he trying to prove himself to? Does he think that I''ll be soft-hearted and dispel my


    suspicions?¡¯ He said coldly, ¡°Leave him be. Tell me when he starves to death.¡± He hung up the phone and lifted his long legs to


    walk outside. Upstairs, in Sylvia¡¯s bedroom, she remained in a half-crouching position and soon saw his tall figure walking out


    the door.


    However, her brows were knitted together. She could not rx after having heard the conversation on his phone earlier.


    ¡®Is someone on a hunger strike? The tone of his reply was so indifferent and even seemed a little disgusted. It¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t


    care about whether that person lives or dies.¡¯


    Sylvia suddenly thought of Thomas.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Ordinarily, he would send her a few messages even if he did note to find her. However, two days had passed now, but he


    had not sent her a single message.


    ¡®Is it because Odell and ... provoked him that night?¡¯ Suddenly, the door was pushed open. Sylvia turned her head and looked


    over. Isabel and Liam stood outside the door in tandem. Isabel''s little chubby face squeezed in, and her childish voice asked


    sweetly, ¡°Mommy, are you done?¡±


    Sylvia knew that she hade to call her for dinner. However, her mind was filled with the words Odell had uttered on the


    phone. After a moment of hesitation, she smiled at Isabel and said, ¡°I still have to work for a while.¡± Isabel pouted. ¡°Then, hurry


    up. The food won''t taste good if it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°Okay. Go ahead and y with your brother. I''ll eat when I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The little


    girl obediently went back to her brother''s side. Liam¡¯s deep eyes looked at Sylvia for two more seconds before leading his sister


    away. Sylvia sat sullenly on the floor and took out her phone to send a message to Thomas. She asked, ¡°Thomas, are you


    okay?¡± However, he did not reply even after twenty minutes. She frowned and called him directly. The line continued to ring and


    finally connected during the final ring.. Sylvia quickly asked, ¡°Thomas, what are you doing now? Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t


    worry,¡± he replied. His hoarse voice was obviously permeated with weakness.

 Chapter 676

    Chapter 676


    Sylvia hurriedly asked, ¡°Are you sick?¡± Thomas was silent for a few seconds before he replied, ¡°Yeah, | caught a slight cold, but |


    already took some medicine.¡±


    She felt that something was strange.


    ¡®If he only caught a cold, why had he taken so long to reply?¡¯ She asked bluntly, ¡°Have you eaten dinner?¡±


    He paused for another two seconds before saying, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What did you eat?¡± ¡°Steak and red wine.¡± ¡°Didn''t you take medicine


    for your cold? How could you still drink red wine?¡± He was silent. Sylvia was exasperated. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m


    a bit sleepy, so I''ll hang up now.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Then, he ended the call.


    Sylvia clutched her phone. ¡®He must have gone on a hunger strike.¡¯ After mulling it over in her mind for a while, she got up and


    walked outside. In the living room, Aunt Tonya was watching TV with Isabel. Liam sat next to them, reading a book


    Seeing her hurry downstairs, Aunt Tonya asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Syl? Are you going out?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Sylvia looked at the two little


    ones and quickly said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, | might not be back untilte. You and the children can go ahead and rest first. There¡¯s no


    need to wait for me toe back.¡±


    Then, she said to the children, ¡°Isabel and Liam, please listen to Aunt Tonya and go to bed early.¡± Isabel replied obediently,


    ¡°Okay.¡± Liam also hummed in reply.


    Only then did Sylvia feel relieved and walked out.


    alll


    LU


    Even going at her fastest speed, it still took Sylvia two hours to arrive at the vi. There were two bodyguards standing outside.


    Sylvia walked up to them, feeling a little doubtful.


    She recalled that Thomas did not like to hire bodyguards. He only had a housekeeper, a cook, and a maid here.


    The two bodyguards also noticed her and looked at her warily. Sylvia walked up to them and frowned when she saw their faces.


    The two bodyguards were also startled, then silently backed up to the sides. She nced at them coldly before walking straight


    through the door.


    Although she did not know their names, she had seen them quite a few times before. They were Odell¡¯s bodyguards.


    Obviously, they were not here to protect Thomas.


    Sylvia was not in the mood to think too much about this and hastened her steps to walk inside. After she left, one of the


    bodyguards took his cell phone out and made a call.


    Ding! The phone suddenly rang. By the floor-to-ceiling window, a man was sitting elegantly in his leather chair. When he saw the


    caller ID, he put down the tall ss in his hand and brought the phone to his ear.


    On the phone, Jacob''s voice cautiously spoke out. ¡°Master Carter, the person in charge of monitoring Second Master Carter said


    that Madam just went to his ce.¡± Beneath the light, ayer of gloom instantly covered the man¡¯s cold face. ¡°Tell them to follow


    her. If they behave intimately at all, break his hand immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, I''ll inform them now!¡±


    In the vi in the suburban area.


    Sylvia walked all the way to the door of the bedroom where Thomas resided.


    The door of the room was tightly closed.


    She took a deep breath, raised her hand, and knocked on the door.

 Chapter 677

    Chapter 677


    After waiting for a while and not hearing a response, she called out, ¡°Thomas, it¡¯s me.¡±


    In the next second, the sound of footsteps could be heard from inside.


    The door to the room was quickly pulled open from the inside.


    Sylvia looked up to see a handsome but very frail face. The shape of his body also seemed to be thinner than usual. She


    frowned.


    Thomas also furrowed his brows. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t havee here. Go back.¡± Sylvia knew he was worried that Odell might bully


    her again if he knew that she was here.


    ¡°Don''t worry, I¡¯m just here to see you. He won''t do anything to me.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°Besides, he doesn¡¯t know that |


    came over.¡±


    The moment she spoke, she saw two figures sh past from her peripheral vision. She instantly looked over. In the blink of an


    eye, the two figures quickly dodged and hid in the next room.


    They looked like the two bodyguards that she had seen at the front door earlier.


    Unable to help.it, her eyes turned cold. She reached out and grabbed Thomas¡¯ wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and talk¡±


    Thomas tried to pull his hand back, but he did not seem to be as strong as her and was quickly dragged down the stairs to the


    living room.


    She pulled him over to a chair next to the dining table and looked at him seriously. ¡°Sit here. I''ll go to the kitchen and ask them to


    make you something to eat.¡±


    Then, she turned and went into the kitchen without waiting for him to speak.


    Thomas pursed his lips.


    She quickly reached the kitchen, but found it to be cold and empty. There were no chefs around and no trace of any ingredients


    either. Only the kitchen utensils were still there. She went through the refrigerator and cabs but still did not find any


    ingredients, not even instant noodles.


    ¡®How could this be?


    ¡®Wait, where¡¯s Theodore and the others?


    ¡®Why is the chef gone? Theodore and the maid are gone too.¡¯


    She immediately rau back to the living room.


    Thomas was still sitting at the table. When he saw her return, he smiled at her.


    Not fpeling in the mood to return his sinile, Sylvia got straight to the point and asked,¡± Thomas, where are llicodore and the


    others? Why is there nothing to eat in the kitchen?¡±


    Thomas¡¯ face turned cold as he remained silent.


    ¡°Answer me. What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked anxiously. He said in a low voice, ¡°They''ve probably all left.¡±


    ¡°They probably all left? What was that supposed to mean?¡¯


    Her expression turned cold. ¡°Did Odell get rid of them?¡± Thomas looked at her. When he saw her eyes go round in anger, he


    smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. Odell probably only did this because he still suspects that | have something to do with the crisis


    that Carter Corporation was facing, but he doesn¡¯t mistreat me. There¡¯s someone that promptly brings me food three times every


    day.¡± She immediately asked, ¡°Then why haven''t you been eating?¡± He pursed his lips and said nothing. Sylvia¡¯s sharp eyes


    caught his line of sight and followed it to see a takeout box that had been ced on the corner of the table. She immediately


    rushed over and picked up the box. The box had been ced in an ordinary stic bag. The lunch box inside was still somewhat


    hot, but it emitted a pungent scent and had a very sharp smell. She opened the box and saw the meal inside.


    It looked like a spicy beef stew. There was a thickyer of spicy oil floating on the surface of the stew, but the ingredients inside


    were clearly of poor quality. Some of the greens were even rotten...


    Even people who liked spicy food would not be able to eat this, let alone someone like Thomas, who had not been able to eat


    spicy food since he was young. It was no wonder he had gone on a ¡®hunger strike¡¯. A wave of anger immediately surged up


    within her chest. If not for the fear of dirtying his house, Sylvia was filled with the urge to throw this package of stew on the floor.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°That *sshole!¡± She cursed, ready to walk out. However, Thomas grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Don''t go to him. I¡¯In sine. I¡¯ll just be hungry for a while. It won¡¯t kill me...¡± The more he spoke, the smaller his voice became. He


    obviously did not have much strength


    Sylvia quickly pushed down her emotions. ¡°Okay, I''ll do as you say and | won¡¯t go to him, but you have to cat now sit here. I¡¯ll go


    out and buy you some food.¡±


    He grabbed lier hand again ¡°There¡¯s no need. You might not be able to get in here again if you buy inir food¡±

 Chapter 678

    Chapter 678


    Chapter 678 What did that mean?


    If she bought something for him, would the bodyguards that Odell had assigned here not let her back in again? ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not


    that hungry,¡± Thomas said again, his gaze softly looking at her.


    Sylvia felt her heart ache from anger. ¡®Odell Carter was such an utter pr*ck! ¡®He was clearly trying to starve Thomas to death!


    ¡®How could he do this to his brother?!¡¯ Just as she had be so angry that she wanted to beat Odell to death, the grip on her


    hand suddenly loosened. She froze and looked over.


    Seemingly having no more strength to hold her, Thomas ced his hand on his leg and said to her with a smile, ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯m


    really d that you came to see me, but my brother¡¯s temper is vtile. | don¡¯t want you to be bullied by him because of me


    anymore. If you really want to help me, just sit down and chat with me for a while.¡±


    Sylvia immediately felt guilty. Did he think it was because of him that she was not being bullied by Odell? It was clear that she


    was the one who had gotten him into trouble. Even without him, Odell would¡¯ve done that to her anyway. After all, it was what he


    had always done.


    However, she still turned and sat across from him. If Odell was in control here, it would be challenging for her to go out and buy


    him any food. Seeing that the two bodyguards had no intention ofing down, she lowered her voice and said, ¡°Thomas, let


    me take you away.¡± Thomas¡¯ gaze flickered. Then, he smiled wryly. ¡°I can¡¯t leave.¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°We can escape while they''re not looking!¡±


    She had only seen two bodyguards since she hade in. There might be some hiding in the shadows, but their numbers


    should be few. This vi was so big that there were ces to escape and hide everywhere. As long as she used her brain, she


    would definitely find a way to get biin out


    He shook his head. ¡°Let''s stop talking about this. Look, the moonlight is beautiful today.¡±


    He looked outside as die spoke.


    The floor to ceiling, window was very high, and Sylvia turned around to see the moonlight onitsid


    Above the vi, the moon wasrge and round, surrounded by stars. It really looked beautiful.


    However, she was currently not in the mood to appreciate it at all. ¡°Sylvia, could you draw me another painting?¡± he suddenly


    asked. Sylvia was stunned for a moment before asking, ¡°What is it that you want me to draw for you?


    Thomas smiled and said, ¡°Just draw the night scene outside at this moment.¡± She was not in the mood to paint now. ¡°Thomas,


    you can¡¯t keep staying here. Let¡¯s find a way out first. When you''re safe, I¡¯ll paint you whatever you want me to paint.¡± Thomas


    sighed in a low voice. ¡°I went on a walk outside yesterday. Guards have been stationed everywhere that | could possibly go.


    There¡¯s no way that you can take me out of here.¡±


    Sylvia froze.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    He raised his hand and patted her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Odell might just be trying to teach me a lesson. He won''t kill me.¡±


    Then, he smiled and looked at her with a gentle and expectant expression. ¡°Sylvia, | really want to see you paint. Could you just


    humor me?¡± Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°All right.¡±


    She could not get him out of here at the moment anyway. If painting could make him feel better, then she would paint.


    She quickly went upstairs and retrieved a set of painting tools from the room that she had stayed in before. Sitting on the ground


    beside him, she painted the night scene outside the floor-to-ceiling window.


    Not long after, Thomas also sat down cross-legged beside her and quietly gazed at her canvas. Sylvia turned to look at him. His


    face still looked weak, but he looked much happier than when she had first seen him. Her depressed mood eased somewhat,


    and she turned around to continue painting. The moon tonight was not that round, but it was very bright, reflecting the


    surrounding sea of glittering stars.

 Chapter 679

    Chapter 679


    The light in the courtyard outside seemed unnecessary in this moonlight.


    Sylvia spread ayer of base color from top to bottom of the canvas, then added in the moon and stars.


    Her brush strokes were quick and decisive, and in no time, she quickly painted the scenery in the yard.


    There was a garden in the yard that was filled with a variety of flowers as well as dense trees.


    She looked over twice and drew the flowers and nts. Then, she looked over again, intending to remember the shape of the


    trees in the area.


    There were not many trees, but each one had a different shape and size. Their leaves were all lush and of varying shades.


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes and observed carefully.


    From top to bottom, she looked at eachyer of the treetops until she saw the bottomyer. Then, she spotted a tall and dark


    shadow leaning against the trunk of the furthest tree.


    The shadow was tall and straight. The more she looked at it, the more familiar it seemed.


    Sylvia was shocked, closed her eyes, and looked again. The shadow was still there. Vaguely, it seemed to be a sharp and cold


    sight that was shooting at her.


    tter.


    The brush in her hand fell to the ground.


    Thomas, who had been watching her paint, quickly looked at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Sylvia raised her hand and pointed to the ck shadow under the tree outside. ¡°Thomas, look under that tree. Is that a person?¡±


    Thomas¡¯s eyes followed the direction that her hand was pointing in and looked over there.


    After a moment, he said, ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s someone there.¡±


    She asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that person looks familiar?¡± Thomas said, ¡°I believe that¡¯s Odell.¡±


    As soon as he spoke, the tall ck figure leaning against the tree came striding over. Soon, he left the shadow of the tree and


    walked into the light. His strong figure and handsome but gloomy face were reflected more and more clearly in Sylvia''s eyes.


    She paled


    She was scared of his sudden appearance which inade him seem like the devil.


    However, she soon suppressed that lear and got up to shield Thomas¡¯ body


    Odell walked over quickly and stopped in front of her. She raised both arms to protect Thomas behind her and asked warily,


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Odell¡¯s dark eyes looked at her, and he retorted, ¡°What are YOU doing here?¡± ¡°I came here to see


    Thomas.¡± ¡°I came here to see Thomas as well,¡± he said. Sylvia¡¯s throat choked. She could not help but re at him. ¡°Then you''re


    just in time. | have something to say to you.¡±


    Odell raised his brows. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Why did you imprison Thomas here when you promised me that you would release


    him? Not only are you imprisoning him, you even kicked out the housekeeper and cook who work here. Why have you been


    making him eat all that rotten food? He hasn¡¯t eaten for two days already. Are you trying to starve him to death? He¡¯s your own


    brother. How can you treat him like this? Are you even human?¡±


    Odell was speechless. ¡®I imprisoned him? | drove away his housekeeper and chef? | made him eat rotten food?


    ¡®What the hell is all this?


    ¡®When did | do all that?¡¯ Before he could react, she yelled angrily at him, ¡°Odell Carter, if you¡¯re still a man, tell the bodyguards


    who are watching him to get out of here now!¡± Odell was silent.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

 Chapter 680

    Chapter 680


    Chapter 680


    Under the light, his handsome face was instantly covered with ayer of gloom.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already know whether or not I¡¯m a man from that night''s experience?¡± Odell took one step forward to her and raised


    his hand as if to break her neck.


    Sylvia paled as she instinctively wanted to step back. He grabbed her by the cor, his gaze cold as he approached her. ¡°Or do


    you want to experience it again?¡±


    Her legs went weak at once. At that moment, Thomas approached them. He stood weakly beside her as he said to Odell,¡± I¡¯m


    the one who developed feelings for Sylvia, and | was the one who took the initiative to pursue her. Juste at me if you''re


    unhappy, but please don¡¯t bully her again!¡±


    ¡®What is he saying?


    ¡®If ''m unhappy, of course I''ll take it out on him. I¡¯m not stupid!¡¯ Odell frowned and narrowed his cold eyes at Thomas. ¡°You¡¯d


    better get out of the way now, or I''ll break your arm.¡±


    Thomas stood unmoving. ¡°I''ll get out of the way if you want to, but let go of Sylvia first.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes.


    In the next second, he started to lift his leg. However, before he could raise his leg, the woman in front of him pounced on him.


    Sylvia quickly jumped into his arms and blocked his leg.


    Then, she held onto him as she cried out to Thomas who was behind her, ¡°Thomas, he¡¯s going to kick you. Get away!¡±


    Thomas frowned. She turned her head. When she saw that he had not moved, she said anxiously, ¡°He won¡¯t kick me. Hurry up


    and get away or I''ll be angry!¡±


    Thomas clenched his fists and took a few steps back.


    Odell was speechless.


    After a moment of choking, he pressed on Sylvia¡¯s forehead to try and pry her out of his arms.


    However, she immediately locked her hands behind his back as she screamed, ¡°Odell Carter, don¡¯t press on my head!¡± Odell


    red at her. ¡°Let go and I''ll stop.¡± Sylvia puffed her face up and ignored him without letting go. Perhaps it was due to her puffed


    up look being quite cute, but Odell suddenly felt his anger lessen.


    He withdrew his hand and said with a sinile, ¡°Since you want to hug me that much, you canOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org.


    just keep doing it. If you dare to let goter, I''ll kick him to death.¡± His face and voice turned cold at the end of the sentence.


    Sylvia¡¯s arms around him instantly trembled. Odell looked at her grimly. She pursed her lips and continued to keep her arms


    tightly locked around him. He snorted andughed before ncing at Thomas, whose face was so pale that he seemed about to


    copse from anger. Then, he asked her, ¡°What did you mean when you said | was imprisoning him?¡± Sylvia was shocked. ¡°You


    don¡¯t understand?¡± Odell looked at her with dark eyes. ¡°Should | understand?¡± ¡°Why are you still pretending?¡± Odell was


    speechless. What was he pretending? She said bluntly, ¡°I saw two bodyguards when | came over. You told them to guard this


    ce, didn¡¯t you?¡± His expression did not change. ¡°Yes, | did.¡± Sylvia rolled her eyes. ¡°Exactly.¡± Odell¡¯s heart was stunned for a


    moment.


    ¡®What did she mean by that?¡¯ His expression was filled with confusion.


    Sylvia snorted in anger as she thought, ¡®What¡¯s that face supposed to mean? Is he still trying to deny it?¡¯


    She bluntly said, ¡°They''ve been watching over Thomas, you forbade him from going out, and even chased away his


    housekeeper and chef. The meals that have been sent to him three times a day are all of poor quality. Weren¡¯t all those done on


    your orders?

 Chapter 681

    Chapter 681


    Odell frowned. ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to concern yourself with that. Tell me, was it you who did it?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim.


    Before he could utter his reply, Thomas¡¯ feeble voice sounded from further away, ¡°Sylvia, calm down. Maybe Odell doesn¡¯t know


    about this, maybe it¡¯s those people who set this up.¡±


    Odell was baffled


    ¡°Those men only listen to Odell. It would be impossible that they would have set this up themselves,¡± Sylvia argued.


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something going on that we don¡¯t know yet. | don¡¯t think Odell would do something like this,¡± said Thomas.


    Sylvia continued to re at Odell. ¡°Hmph. Then you have underestimated your brother. He¡¯s capable of doing anything.¡± That


    night, he had ravaged her in all ways possible.


    Odell was silenced by her statement and her re.


    His already grim expression worsened and he looked as if he could strangle Sylvia in the very next second.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Thomas noticed the sour look on his brother¡¯s face and immediately said, ¡°Odell, Sylvia is just here to visit me. If you¡¯re not


    happy with that, juste at me. Just please don¡¯t hurt her.¡±


    He walked closer to Sylvia and Odell. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Thomas. He won''t do anything to me, don¡¯te near us,¡± Sylvia said. Thomas


    looked at her worriedly. ¡°Sylvia, this is between me and my brother, | can¡¯t drag you into this again and let you take the fall


    because of me.¡±


    ¡°Thoimas, no matter what he does to me, he won''t do what he did to you to me. Don¡¯te here, or I''ll be really angry-¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± The man suddenly roared.


    Startled, Sylvia''s mouth snapped shut, and even Thomas pursed his lips. The spacious house suddenly fell into silence. with an


    extremely dark look on his face, Odell red at Sylvia before he pulled her into his arms. Then, he shouted out into the thin air,


    ¡°Come out!¡±


    l''wo bodyguards then emerged from the shadows.


    Odell red at Thoinas. ¡°Hold him down and beat him to death!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The bodyguards answered and walked to Thomas to pin bin down


    Sylvia cried inimediately. ¡°Stop it!¡±


    The bodyguards instinctively froze. Sylvia then looked at Odell and pleaded, ¡°Odell, Thomas hasn''t eaten anything for two days.


    They will kill him if they really beat him up. I just came here to visit him. | had no intentions of continuing anything with him.


    Please just let him go, | beg you!¡± Odell choked on his own emotions as he felt something seem to suffocate his chest. The


    words that Thomas had said to her sounded very much like words to separate them. Not only was Sylvia''s trust in Thomas so


    unwavering, but now, she was even begging him because of his brother. Had she lost her mind or had her feelings for Thomas


    shrouded her judgment? Momentster, Odell bellowed, ¡°Just do it!¡± The bodyguards each gave Thomas a kick. Thomas grunted


    painfully and fell to the ground. Sylvia was horrified. Her eyes widened in fear as she grabbed his cor, begging him with teary


    eyes. ¡°Odell, stop it! Let him go, you¡¯re going to kill him!¡± Odell remained silent.


    The two bodyguards continued to beat Thomas up.


    Sylvia was so afraid that Thomas would die because of her that her tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrobly. She continued


    to beg Odell, ¡°Odell, | won¡¯t see him anymore, please, | promise. Just tell them to stop!¡± Odell furrowed his brows but refused to


    answer. The bodyguards continued to beat Thomas since they only took orders from Odell. As her anxiety built up, she shouted


    at Odell, ¡°Odell, I''ll have sex with you! I''ll sleep with you one more time! Please just tell them to stop!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡±

 Chapter 682

    Chapter 682


    The two bodyguards immediately stopped the moment they heard him shout.


    Thomas covered his abdomen with his hands and continued to curl up on the ground in pain.


    Sylvia wanted to help him up but was pulled back into the arms of the man who was behind her.


    She crashed into his chest and found that her waist was constricted by his long arms. She was then lifted up over his shoulder,


    just like a sack of potatoes.


    Hisrge steps and hastened pace allowed him to leave the house in a blink of an eye.


    In the dark night, his expression remained grim, making him look like a grim reaper that was iming a life.


    Sylvia shrunk back in fear and did not dare to move.


    She saw the bodyguards leave the living room, so she had to assume Thomas was safe for now.


    Within a short time, he carried her out of the shade and arrived at an open space.


    His ck sports car had been parked there.


    Sylvia was shoved into the car, knocking her head on the car with a thud in the process.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She groaned in pain which caused the man¡¯s hands to freeze.


    Then, one secondter, he pressed her head down with his strong hand before pushing her into the passenger''s seat. Before he


    could say a word, Sylvia automatically fastened the seat belt and sat down obediently.


    Her mind began to rey the memories of him ravaging her body in all kinds of ways, which made her legs tremble.


    The confined space began to feel cold and depressing. Sylvia¡¯s hands gripped the seat belt in front of her tightly. Just when she


    thought the car would sprint away, she realized that the car had remained still. The man in the driver¡¯s seat pulled out a box of


    cigarettes and started to smoke.


    White clouds of smoke filled the air of the interior.


    Sylvia was not used to the smell of tobo, so the pungent smell got to her nose and caused her to choke.


    Odell shot a deep gaze at her. Sylvia immediately covered her nose and stared at him feebly, as though she was saying she did


    not cough on purpose. Odell had a quick nce before he wound the windows down on both sides of the seats. He tossed the


    cigarette out of the window and asked, ¡°Who told you | was imprisoning him


    and torturing him?¡± Sylvia failed to understand why he was asking her this. It was obvious, why would she need someone else to


    tell her? ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± she said.


    He narrowed his eyes and looked at her. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Here.¡± ¡°You saw me imprison him?¡± ¡°Those bodyguards that beat him up...


    Didn¡¯t you arrange for them to be there?¡± Sylvia questioned him. Odell was silenced.


    He had indeed arranged for them to be there but he had never told them to imprison Thomas. Sylvia continued, ¡°The butler and


    the chef of the house are gone. You must have fired them too, right¡± ¡°Who told you that their absence is because | fired them?¡± ¡°If


    it wasn¡¯t you, then why have they gone away?¡± Sylvia questioned him again but with slight annoyance.


    Odell pursed his lips, with a gloomy look on his face. Sylvia assumed Odell¡¯s silence was due to him refusing to acknowledge


    what he had done to Thomas. She added, ¡°I saw a takeout box on the table. You had those bodyguards bring it to Thomas,


    right?¡±


    Odell stared at her in silence.


    Annoyed, Sylvia looked at him and said, ¡°The food in that box was rotten. Not even a stray dog would eat that kind of food.¡±

 Chapter 683

    Chapter 683


    Sylvia took Odell¡¯s silence as his acknowledgement. She sighed and added, ¡°Odell, Thomas hasn¡¯t eaten anything in two days.


    You''re starving him to death.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes coldly.


    Sylvia was startled by his gloomy gaze, she instinctively moved closer to the door. ¡°Did he tell you all that?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia cautiously looked at him and answered, ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me anything, | saw it with my own eyes.¡±


    Odell choked on his emotions upon hearing her exnation. His hands uncontrobly clenched into fists.


    Sylvia¡¯s sharp eyes noticed his clenched fists and was filled with fear that he might hit her in the next secondThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Immediately pressing her back against the door, she nervously said, ¡°Odell, Thomas really didn¡¯t tell me anything. Please don¡¯t


    be like this.¡±


    He scoffed. ¡°He might not have told you anything, but what if he had intended for you to see all of those things?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Sylvia cried out without a second thought. ¡°Thomas wouldn¡¯t do something like that. He wouldn¡¯t lie to anyone and


    definitely not to me!¡± The tone of her voice was firm, which clearly showed her trust in Thomas.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned frosty. ¡°Do you trust him that much?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | trust him that much.¡±


    ¡°What about me? Don¡¯t you trust me at all?¡± he stared at her with an intensely cold gaze.


    Sylvia was taken aback


    The facts had all been in front of her eyes. Of course, she would never believe whatever Odell had to say. However, if she said


    that out loud, would he beat her to death?


    Odell saw the besitation on her face and his expression turned grimmer ¡°Answer me.¡±


    Sylvia quivered ¡°I


    trust you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± he asked in a gruff voke ¡°Well ¡± Suppressing a shudder, she thought of something else and added, ¡°If you let Thomas


    po and promis me that you won''t imprison him anymore, I¡¯ll trust you even more.¡±


    (ap


    Hermed on the meelerator and the ck sworts car dashed away froin the open spai¡¯r II


    ¡°Vandritadakilerlevite


    The undertalelor elion wred Sylvia and inadr ser screarn Heptured pairs she lune anto Int |.-I!


    Fortunately, there were not many cars on the road at this hour. The ck sports car drove out of the suburbs without any


    hindrance and returned to their residence.


    Screech!


    The car screeched to a stop in front of the gate. Sylvia''s tense body swayed forward due to the momentum, but before she could


    recover, the door was opened. Her seat belt was unfastened and she felt a strong arm around her waist. The next thing she


    knew, she was dragged out of the car by the man. Sylvia¡¯s body was still a little weak from the shock of the high speed driving.


    The window had remained open throughout the journey and the wind had blown her bangs upwards. Her thoughts were still in


    chaos until she heard a bang on the door and she realized that he brought her to the room. He put her down on the bed, forcing


    her to sit up. He stood in front of her, and bent over, moving his handsome face closer to hers. His warm hands stroked her head


    and he asked, ¡°How did you find the wind? Did it help you figure it out?¡± Sylvia remained confused. ¡°Figure out what?¡± Odell¡¯s


    expression turned grim. He carried her up and walked to the balcony. With a thud, Sylvia was tossed onto the floor. The chilly


    breeze blew towards the balcony and messed up her bangs again. Odell reached out and smoothed down her messy bangs and


    stared at her with a deep gaze.¡± Think about what you saw at his ce. Call me when you''ve figured out what was wrong.¡± He


    then left her outside on the balcony and went inside alone.

 Chapter 684

    Chapter 684


    Sylvia¡¯s tense body rxed as she breathed a sign of relief and cursed her own nerves,


    She had seen everything with her own eyes, how could there be anything fishy going on?


    What a big man. Did he really have such a difficult time admitting what he had done?


    Moreover, she had not even tried to me him. All she had said was that she wanted him to release Thomas


    Thankfully, by locking her out on the balcony, at least she would not have to sleep with him.


    with that thought in mind, Sylvia curled herself up and leaned against the wall to sleep.


    The night breeze was a bit chilly during this season but it was not bone-chillingly cold. The breeze blowing lightly on her was


    actually quitefortable.


    After a while, Sylvia fell asleep. Seconds turned into minutes.


    The man stood in front of the window in the study room next door as he smoked.


    The wind came in from the opened window and carried the smoke away. His gloomy expression slowly eased, until he reached


    thest cigarette in the box.


    He tossed the box into the trash can and left the study room.


    Two hours had already passed, so he assumed Sylvia must have figured it out by now. He walked to the balcony next door and


    saw Sylvia sleeping on the balcony.


    He was stunned.


    His gloomy expression blended together with the shadows.


    After a moment of silence, he pursed his lips and went out onto the balcony. He then carried her into his arms and went back


    inside the room.


    After a dreamless night, Sylvia woke up to find the sun shining on her. She was still in Odell¡¯s room but she noticed that the bed


    was tidy and she even still had her clothes on.


    He had notld a finger on herst night.


    Sylvia got out of bed and went outside.


    Sebastian was in the living room, smiling at her when she came down.


    Sylvia smiled at him politely and asked, ¡°Sebastian, where¡¯s Odell?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Master went out carly this morning,¡± he said Sylvia nodded in silenu¡¯r and went back to her house next door


    She ate breakfast with her two little ones before alle called Thomas with her phone.


    She called multiple times but she did not receive any reply. Her anxiety rose. Sylvia called for a ride and headed to Thomas¡¯


    vi.


    She stopped by a shop to buy some breakfast for Thomas, thinking that she would sneak it inside for him.


    Awhileter, she arrived at the vi.


    She was afraid that the bodyguards might confiscate the breakfast she had brought for Thomas, so she got out of the car ata


    rather inconspicuous entrance on the side. The moment she snuck closer to the door, several intimidating men in suits came


    over. They looked her up and down and noticed the bag of food that she held in her hands. They ordered, ¡°Throw that away.¡±


    Sylvia stepped back and cautiously stared at them. ¡°Did Odell send you guys here?¡± They were dressed differentlypared to


    the usual bodyguards and there were no familiar faces as well. Though other than Odell, no one else would have arranged for


    any bodyguards to be here.


    The leader of the group answered, ¡°Yes, Master Carter stationed us here.¡±


    As expected.

 Chapter 685

    Chapter 685


    Chapter 685


    Sylvia¡¯s face was cold as she said, ¡°What if | insist on bringing it in?¡±


    The man sneered. ¡°Then don¡¯t me us for being rough.¡± After that, each man in the group then revealed a small axe from


    behind their backs. Sylvia was stunned. She had hidden two pieces of bread in her pockets, so even if she could not take the


    whole breakfast set inside, it would not be too much of a problem. She just had to go inside and check on Thomas.


    After thinking about it, she ced the breakfast on the ground.


    The men stepped back and granted her ess to the vi.


    Sylvia ran into the vi. After she went inside, the man who had threatened her pulled out his phone and texted someone.


    Meanwhile inside the vi, Thomas was sitting by the window in his room. He stared outside nkly, allowing the sun to shed its


    brilliance on him.


    He had on a white shirt and thebination with the brilliance of the sun on his pale skin made him look a little ghostly.


    All of a sudden, the phone beside him lit up, notifying him that he had received a message. He nced at the message and then


    continued to stare at the man who was in front of the window opposite him. That man wore a suit of ck and was sitting


    elegantly with his back to the light.


    The man had already been here for a while now but he had not spoken a word since he had sat down.


    The two of them stared at each other in silence.


    A few secondster, Thomas took the initiative to break the ice. ¡°Odell, | had nothing to do


    pany¡¯s crisis and | won¡¯t admit to what I didn¡¯t do. Go back¡±


    ¡°lm not here to talk about that.¡±


    Thomas looked at Odell ¡°Then, what is this about?¡±


    ¡°Imprisoning you, firing your butler and chef, giving you rotten food?¡± Odell looked at him with frosty eyes. ¡°You set this all up to


    make it look like you''re starving in order to separate me and Sylvia. Why?¡±


    Thomas morkingly grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you''re talking about.¡±


    ¡°41 you don¡¯t understand, then just remember what | am about to say.¡± Odell stood up. The sun cast arge shadow froin his


    towering physique and overshadowed Thomas.


    Heppend dowli at Thomas and said coldly, ¡°y tricks with me again and | will really lock? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    yone upure so that you will never see her for the rest of your life¡±


    11cmas''¡¯stscribed by his side us he remuned silent


    Odell scoffed at Thomas¡¯ feeble demeanor. He straightened his body and turned to leave the room.


    It was then that Thomas bolted up and dashed towards him. He stood directly in front of him to stop him from leaving. With his


    pale face, he red at his brother, looking as if his emotions were about to explode. Odell narrowed his eyes coldly.


    At the same time, Sylvia ran all the way up the stairs and headed to Thomas¡¯ room. Right before she knocked, she heard


    Thomas¡¯ weak but desperate hissing voiceing from inside the room, ¡°Odell, it¡¯s fine if you want to add to your crime, but


    must you push me to the brink before you''re willing to stop?¡± Bang! The moment he stopped speaking, the heavy thud of a kick


    could be heard. Sylvia immediately pushed the door open after realizing what happened.


    She saw Thomas on the ground, seemingly in utter pain. Odell¡¯s leg was raised, as if he was about to kick Thomas a few more


    times. Sylvia shouted, ¡°Odell, stop it!¡± The man froze and looked at her with brows furrowed. Sylvia did not notice the shock in


    his eyes. She ran to Thomas and opened her arms in front of Odell. She red at him strongly and cried, ¡°Odell, Thomas is


    innocent, he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. If you want to vent your anger, just vent it on me! Don¡¯t hurt him, or | won''t let this go


    easily!¡±


    She had not expected Odell to torture Thomas again. This was really too much! Odell¡¯s towering figure froze. Seeing the


    resentment that Sylvia was aiming towards him all because of Thomas, choked him. She looked as if she was prepared to


    sacrifice herself and drag him down together with her.

 Chapter 686

    Chapter 686


    His cold face instantly became gloomy. Walking up to her, he looked at her and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m beating him up. What are you


    going to do about it?¡±


    ¡°....Sylvia stuttered. Then, she threw herself into his arms and tried to constrict his arms by wrapping her arms around him. She


    looked up to him and said, ¡°odell, | won¡¯t let you hit him!¡±


    Odell stood still, allowing her to hold him tightly. His lips and eyes curled as he chuckled, ¡°Just you alone?¡± Sylvia increased her


    strength. She refused to surrender and shouted defiantly, ¡°Yes, me alone! As long as I¡¯m breathing, | won''t let you hit him!


    The moment the words fell, both her arms were wrenched away with a greater force.


    Sylvia was shocked. She tried to grab him again but the man caught her by the waist.


    She found herself being lifted up and pinned under the man¡¯s arm.


    She was then carried closer to Thomas and forced to watch himnd a kick on Thomas with his foot that was encased in a


    leather shoe.


    Thomas curled up in pain, but his eyes remained fixed on Sylvia. His eyes were bloodshot as he weakly cried out, ¡°Leave me


    alone...¡± Sylvia cried, ¡°Odell, stop! Stop! I¡¯m sorry, | shouldn''t have said that to you, please let him go!¡± However, the more she


    begged, the harder he kicked. He continued until Thomas had been knocked out.


    Sylvia broke down into tears and cried out, ¡°Odell, stop it! He¡¯s your brother. You''re going to kill him!¡±


    The man furrowed his brows tightly and retracted his leg.


    Sylvia wanted to check on Thomas but Odell tightened his arms around her.


    She started pounding on his backOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell grunted. He nced at the unconscious Thomas on the floor before taking Sylvia out of the room In the living room, he


    saw the two bodyguards that he had stationed in the building and he said, ¡°Take him to the hospital. Make sure he doesn¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The two bodyguards immediately ran upstairs. Sylvia was relieved by his words and she stopped pounding his back.


    However, her eyes remained reddish as she stared at him.


    Oxfell noticed the look of resentment that she had in her eyes. He bellowed, ¡°Wait!¡±


    The bodyguards (ruze and turned around.


    His eyes were glued to Sylvia as he said, ¡°When he¡¯s done with the treatment, bring him back and lock him up. If he tries to


    escape, break his legs.¡± Since his brother loved ying all these tricks and the woman in his arms refused to believe him, he


    might as well lock his brother up until he died! ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The two bodyguards then ran up the stairs. ¡°Odell, this is ridiculous!¡± Sylvia pounded his back again as she cursed him, ¡°You''re


    insane, you''re an *sshole!¡±


    Odell grinned and said menacingly, ¡°Scold me again and I''ll make sure he dies in this ce.¡±


    Sylvia shut her mouth up immediately and stopped pounding him.


    Her face remained flushed but she was a lot more obedient than before. Odell grunted and carried her out of the house. The two


    bodyguards were very quick. As Sylvia was being shoved into the car, the bodyguards had already carried Thomas into another


    car. Sylvia wanted to have a look by sticking her head out of the window but Odell pushed her back inside. As she red at him,


    he narrowed his eyes at her, Sylvia angrily withdrew her gaze and sat quietly. The car sped down the driveway and the scenery


    outside the window passed by rapidly. The man in the driver''s seat remained cold as he kept his eyes glued to the road and did


    not engage in a conversation with her. On one hand, she was worried about Thomas while on the other, she also resented him


    so much. There was no way she would want to talk to him.

 Chapter 687

    Chapter 687


    Chapter 687


    When the car stopped in front of her ce, Sylvia unfastened her seat belt and moved to leave the car.


    ¡°Don''t let me catch you there again, or | will really destroy him,¡± he said as he shot a gloomy gaze at her. Sylvia¡¯s eyes shifted


    slightly before she got out of the car and ran into her house.


    That night, Sylvia could not sleep at all. She rolled around on her bed as she struggled to sleep.


    It was not until midnight that she finally received a text back from Sherry.


    ¡°Syl, | found out that Thomas was admitted into a private hospital in the suburbs. He¡¯s a little weakened, dehydrated and has


    some superficial injuries, but nothing serious. He was discharged this evening.¡±


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. However, the thought of Thomas being imprisoned again made her heart sink She had toe


    up with a way to save him and take him away from Westchester. After another hour of struggling to sleep, she got up to approach


    the window and had a peek at Odell¡¯s house.


    She made sure his lights had been switched off before she snuck out of the house.


    Two hourster, she arrived at Thomas¡¯ vi again. This time around, she skipped the main entrance and the side entrance,


    which she had tried earlier that day, and went straight to the inconspicuous wall. She had brought Isabel here before when she


    had lived here with Aunt Tonya and the kids.


    The walls were not very high and there were some rocks that she could step on at the side. It was inconspicuous enough for her


    to avoid the bodyguards.


    She easily climbed over the wall and realized that there was no one around.


    She arched her back and tiptoed along the wall to the front of the house.


    The bodyguards had been stationed at the front, so Sylvia climbed into the house through the window and made her way to


    Thomas¡¯ room.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The door was unlocked, so she opened it quietly.


    The lights were on inside and she saw Thomas¡¯ thin figure sitting by the window, seemingly lost in thought. His thin face added to


    his mncholic look.


    Sylvia snuck inside and closed the door.


    Thomas heard the sound at the door and turned around to find Sylvia there. His gaze shifted as he furrowed his brows and said,


    ¡°What are you doing here at this hour? Shouldn''t you be at


    home now?¡±


    ¡°I''m here to save you,¡± said Sylvia as she went up to him and held his hand.


    Thomas did not stand up. ¡°I can¡¯t leave. Go back, and don¡¯t let Odell find out you''re here.¡± ¡°Il know how to get us out of here


    without being noticed. It¡¯s not toote. Come on, follow me,¡± said Sylvia as she tried to tug him out of the chair.


    Thomas remained seated.


    Sylvia exerted more strength to tug him out of the chair. She managed to get Thomas up but she had overestimated her strength


    and identally caused him to knock a vase off the table that was next to him.


    The vase fell and shattered on the floor.


    The noise sounded extremely clear in the quiet night and seemed to echo throughout the entire vi


    Horrified, Sylvia immediately got up and hid behind the curtains.


    As expected, a bodyguard came in a few secondster and scanned the room. He asked,¡± Second Master, what happened to


    the vase?¡±


    Thomas was already back in his seat when the bodyguard came in. He looked at the bodyguard coldly and said, ¡°I smashed it


    because | was angry.¡± The bodyguard gave an awkward chuckle. ¡°It¡¯ste. Please get some rest.¡±


    The bodyguard¡¯ then closed the door and left.


    The room returned to silence after a while, Thomas looked in the direction of the curtains and said with a smile, ¡°He¡¯s gone. You


    cane out now.¡±

 Chapter 688

    Chapter 688


    Chapter 688


    Sylvia came out from behind the curtains and went to his side.


    She grabbed his hand again and said seriously, ¡°Thomas, please leave with me now. Believe me, | can get you out of here.¡±


    Calmly, he stared into her eyes and asked, ¡°Then after that, what next?¡± ¡°I''ll take you away from Westchester. As long as you


    leave the city, Odell won''t be able toy his hands on you anymore.¡± ¡°What about you? Will you be leaving with me?¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. She began to avoid his scorching gaze and said in a small voice, ¡°I can¡¯t leave. | have to be here to take


    care of Isabel and Liam.¡±


    ¡°Then leaving does not mean anything to me,¡± Thomas said with a chuckle. ¡°I''d rather be locked up here by Odell. At least I¡¯d still


    be able to see you.¡±


    ¡°No! Odell is unpredictable, he might break your legs tomorrow or beat you up the day after.¡±


    ¡°As long as | can see you, | don¡¯t mind being crippled,¡± he said to her with a gentle smile. Sylvia felt a sinking feeling in her heart.


    Him trying to console her only made her feel worse. ¡°Thomas, it¡¯s not worth it. I¡¯m not worth going through all of this. It¡¯s more


    important for you to take care of yourself.¡± ¡°To me, being with you is the most important thing.¡±


    For a moment, Sylvia choked up. It was true that he had promised to be with him but she could not just leave her kids because of


    him either.


    As she pondered the quandary she was in, he continued, ¡°Sylvia, why don¡¯t you bring Aunt Tonya, Isabel and Liam along and we


    could all leave this ce together?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sylvia was shocked by his suggestion.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He looked at her and whispered, ¡°If you really want me out of here, and if | could get out, would you be willing to bring them


    along and leave with me?¡± Sylvia pursed her lips, her mind in a whirl. The terms in the divorce papers had clearly stated that she


    was not allowed to take the kids away from Westchester without his permission. ¡°Like you said, Odell is unpredictable. If you


    continue to stay here, I¡¯m afraid that he might eventually hurt you. | have some assets abroad, and the environment there is just


    as good as Westchester. It''ll be a good ce for the kids to grow up too.¡±


    Sylvia was still feeling torn. She had really never considered the option of leaving Westchester with her kids.


    ¡°Thomas, 1...¡±


    Thomas siniled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just think about it first. When you''ve finally made up your mind, it


    still won''t be toote to take me out of here.¡± Sylvia frowned. She had snuck into the vi in the middle of the night to save him


    and she could not guarantee that it would go smoothly again next time. After considering it for a while, she sighed and said,


    ¡°Fine.¡± Odell was indeed an unpredictable person. At times, he could even be said to be crazy. If he was capable of torturing his


    own brother in this way, there was a high chance that he might do worse to her in the future. Thomas was right to be concerned


    for her.


    The two kids needed a healthy environment to grow up as well, not an environment where their parents would engage in


    constant conflicts. Sylvia said, ¡°Thomas, | promise you that when | manage to get you out of here, I''ll bring Isabel, Liam and Aunt


    Tonya along and we will leave Westchester together.¡± Thomas grinned. ¡°Great.¡± This time, he stood up by himself without


    Sylvia¡¯s help. Sylvia then pulled him along by his hand to walk to the door. Her movements were unhurried. Instead, she opened


    the door very slightly to check the situation outside. After the coast was clear, she quietly led Thomas out of the door.


    They moved along the wall and headed towards the stairs.


    She nced at the bodyguards who were standing at the entrance before she held her breath and walked down together with


    Thomas.


    Finally, they arrived at the window that she had used to climb into the house earlier.

 Chapter 689

    Chapter 689


    The window was the same as it had been when Sylvia had climbed in. She popped her head to look both ways before she


    climbed out.


    Then, she turned around and reached out to Thomas, saying, ¡°Thomas,e on. I¡¯ve got you.¡±


    Thomas¡¯ eyes shifted for a bit before he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    sping her hand, he stepped onto the window sill before he pushed himself out of the window in one movement.


    Sylvia immediately pulled him along by the hand as she led him back to where she hade from.


    Just as she was about to lead Thomas into some shady bushes, a bright light suddenly came on.


    The strong light blinded Sylvia for a moment.


    By the time her eyes had adapted to the light, she noticed a group of men ahead of her in the bushes.


    More than a dozen bodyguards in uniforms stood in front


    of her, forming a barricade.


    Before them was Odell, sitting elegantly on a dark leather chair.


    The lights were bright enough for Sylvia to spot the


    frosty look on Odell¡¯s face with just one nce.


    Her face turned pale as she stuttered, ¡°Odell, I... | was just taking him out for some fresh air.¡±


    Odell ignored her excuse as he was more preupied with looking at their joined hands.


    Sylvia nervously pulled her hand back and exined,¡± Odell, Thomas has nothing to do with this. | was the one who dragged him


    out forcefully. He didn¡¯t even want to leave.¡±


    Odell continued to ignore her. Instead, he looked at Thomas.


    Thomas met his gaze. He stepped forward, stood before Sylvia and said to his brother, ¡°Odell, Sylvia was just trying to save me,


    there¡¯s nothing between us. Let her go and you can do whatever you want to me.¡±


    Odell shot him an icy cold gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to remind me of that.¡±


    Two of the bodyguards went over to Sylvia''s side.


    Sylvia was no match for two big strong men so she was easily caught and dragged over to Odell¡¯s side.


    Left without any more options, she shouted to Thomas,¡± Thomas! Go back inside! Go hide in your room!¡±


    Thomas lips curved into a smile as he looked at her.¡° Don¡¯t worry, Odell won''t kill me just yet.¡±


    Odell chuckled. ¡°Break his arms.¡±


    He sounded nonchnt, as though the action of breaking Thomas¡¯ arms were asmon as ughtering a chicken for dinner.


    Thomas furrowed his brows. Sylvia screamed, ¡°No! Thomas, run!¡±


    The bodyguards were quick. As soon as Sylvia shouted , they caught hold of Thomas and pushed him to the ground with both


    his handsid out in front.


    At the same time, another bodyguard raised a baseball bat into the air.


    With wide eyes, Sylvia screamed, ¡°NO!¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The bodyguards were startled by her scream and instinctively paused. They looked to Odell, as if requesting for further


    instructions.


    In desperation, Sylvia cried out to Odell, ¡°Odell, | was wrong! | shouldn''t havee here! | shouldn¡¯t have disobeyed you. Just


    do whatever you want to me! Please let Thomas go!¡±


    Odell¡¯s face remained cold as he ignored her.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth tightly and added, ¡°I''ll sleep with you, twice or how many times you want¡ª¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    His cold words suddenly cut into her pleas.


    Before she could react, a loud thunk sounded as the bodyguard swung the bat onto Thomas¡¯ left hand.

 Chapter 690

    Chapter 690


    Even the clear sound of bones breaking could be heard.


    Thomas screamed in pain, until even the veins on his face bulged out.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Her leg had been intentionally broken before, so she knew how it felt as the bone broke.


    He had to be in excruciating pain. On top of that, Thomas was a pianist. The blow on his hand would not only hurt him physically,


    it would also hurt his future.


    However, that was not the end as the bodyguard raised the bat again and aimed for the right hand.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes turned red as she continued to scream,¡° Odell! Stop! Please make them stop, or I¡¯ll die in front of


    you!¡±


    Her shout caused the bodyguards to stop again and they looked to Odell for further instructions.


    Odell¡¯s gaze clouded over, but after a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Continue.¡±


    The bodyguard raised the bat once more.


    Suddenly, there was a scream of pain.


    Sylvia had bitten the arm of the bodyguard who had been holding on to her. The pain forced him to release Sylvia as he


    staggered backwards in pain.


    Sylvia ran as soon as she had broken free. However, she did not head towards Odell or Thomas , but to ake 20 meters away.


    She had no idea how deep theke was but she jumped in without hesitation.


    Ssh!


    The sound of the ssh rang out over the quietke and everything went silent afterwards.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Immediately, the man seated on the leather chair bolted up and dashed towards theke.


    As though he was an arrow that had been let loose, he ran to theke and jumped in without a second thought.


    After being pushed into theke by Tara once, Sylvia had been afraid of water. However, after that incident, she had learned how


    to swim to prevent it from happening again.


    She would never have thought that she would have to jump into theke again, much less voluntarily.


    As soon as she dived in, the oppressive feeling of not being able to breathe assaulted her from all directions.


    Isabel and Liam¡¯s faces shed in her mind as she struggled. She tried to swim upwards but she knew if she did, Odell would


    never spare Thomas. On the brink ofplete suffocation, a dark figure appeared from behind her and grabbed her by the


    waist.


    Sylvia could not see his face yet she could feel that he was strong, so strong that he could easily drag her out of the water.


    Soon, she had been brought to shore. Feeling weak, she spat water out of her mouth as she curled up and shivered whileying


    on the ground. As her vision began to clear up, she saw the man squat down before her.


    He was soaked to the skin and his hair was dripping wet. However, this did not affect his handsome looks nor the terrifyingly


    intimidating look on his face.


    Sylvia was so terrified of him that she shrank back.


    Odell cupped her face to stop her from squirming away. Almost gritting his teeth, he spat out, ¡°You jumped because of him? You


    were willing to abandon Isabel and Liam because of HIM?!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s teeth chattered. ¡°You... You forced me...¡±


    Tears flowed from her eyes as soon as those words left her mouth.


    The tear tracks on her face looked crystal clear under the bright lights, making her wet little face look weak and pitiful.


    Odell¡¯s fist clenched tightly.

 Chapter 691

    Chapter 691


    He was feeling utterly helpless.


    Not only did the woman not love him any more, she had even tried to kill herself because of another man.


    He wondered if she was truly so in love with this man that she was willing to abandon her children!


    ¡°Sylvia, you''ve really done it this time,¡± Odell said with a deep chuckle as a gleam shed in his eyes before he released her


    face.


    He stood up and said to his bodyguards, ¡°Release him and move out. There¡¯s no need for all of you toe to this ce


    anymore.¡±


    The bodyguards were shocked by his order and responded with a loud, ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief, but she felt her chest seize up with panic, as if her heart was experiencing a cramp. The further


    Odell walked away, the stronger the cramp became.


    She believed that it must have been the water that was interfering with her breathing.


    Taking a deep breath, she pushed the thought aside. After the bodyguards and Odell left, she got up and ran over to


    Thomas.


    Thomas was still curled up on the ground.


    She held his arm and said, ¡°Thomas, hold on. I''ll take you to the hospital.¡±


    She mustered up all of her strength and pulled him up from the ground.


    ¡°You''re being stupid. What if something really happens to you?¡± he asked weakly.


    Sylvia anxiously assisted him outside and said, ¡°I just wanted to save you. I¡¯m capable of swimming, so even if Odell had not


    saved me, | still wouldn¡¯t have drowned.¡±


    It''s just that she had not expected Odell to spare Thomas and remove all of the bodyguards. It seemed that he would not be


    imprisoning Thomas anymore.


    Thomas frowned as he said, ¡°You cannot put your life at risk like that anymore.¡±


    Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | won''t.¡±


    Thomas did not say anything further, but he would stare at her with his deep gaze from time to time. After a long time, once he


    realized that Sylvia was no longer looking his way, his lips curled up into a grin.


    Sylvia took him to a hospital that was well-known for its orthopedic division.


    They were fortunate that they had made it there just in time. The doctor gave him a full examination and with the proper


    treatment, they were able to save his left hand from beingpletely destroyed.


    However, it would still take him a few months to recover.


    Thomas had to be hospitalized for two days, so Sylvia stayed back to apany him.


    Sylvia followed the nurses as they transferred him to a quiet ward.


    Thomas changed into his hospital gown andid down on the bed. With a smile, he said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go back and have some rest.¡±


    Sylvia rubbed her tired eyes and said with a smile , ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I''ll just go back in the morning.¡± 1


    He did not try to persuade her any further but stared at her warmly instead.


    After some time, one of the nurses brought in a meal.


    It was the delivery food that Sylvia had ordered. The container contained a sd and several other side dishes made out of


    organic ingredients.


    She brought the takeout container over to Thomas and ced the food on the te for him. ¡°You should eat something.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded and ate slowly with his right hand.


    Sylvia watched him finish his food before she took the te and the box outside.


    When she came back, she saw that he was leaning back against the pillows with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.


    Sylvia went over to adjust his posture properly so that he could rest morefortably.


    Just as she was about to leave, he held her hand and stopped her.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Please , don¡¯t leave...¡± His eyes remained closed as he murmured. It was as if he was dreaming about her.


    Sylvia answered softly, ¡°I¡¯m here, don¡¯t worry.¡± He did not release her hand, so Sylvia pulled the chair over and sat down beside


    him.


    The room was quiet and the temperature was just nice.


    After a while, she fell asleep since she was exhausted as well.


    Once she had fallen fast asleep, the man opened his eyes.


    He began to smile as he looked at her affectionately.


    Under the lights, his face looked healthy without any sign of weakness. There was a cunning look on his face, making him look


    more like an evil mastermind who had


    just achieved his evil goal.

 Chapter 692

    Chapter 692


    Chapter 692


    The dark night sky was gradually reced by the bright light of the sun.


    The sun rose high andpletely illuminated the sky.


    On the balcony, the strong figure of the man leaned against the railing as his bloodshot eyes continued to observe the entrance


    to the house next door.


    He had stood outside on the balcony since the moment he hade home.


    It had been six hours and the woman still had not returned.


    Was she apanying him at the hospital ? Or had she spent the night with him somewhere else?


    Crush!


    The man suddenly crushed the steel cigarette case in his hand.


    The cigarette that he had been smoking was tossed to the floor and crushed with his foot.


    At that moment, Jacob cautiously entered the room and stood a few meters away from the man. He nervously reported, ¡°Sir,


    after you leftst night, Madam took Second Master Carter to the hospital. Second Master


    Carter was advised by the hospital that he should stay for two nights at the hospital for observation . | heard from the nurse that


    Madam is still by Second Master Carter¡¯s bed and has not left since he was admitted.¡±


    Something in the man¡¯s gaze changed, but it was still terrifyingly frosty.


    It was already morning, yet she was still at the hospital with another man. Did she really want to abandon her children?


    He shot a frosty gaze at Jacob and said, ¡°Who told you to update me with this? Did | say that | needed to know what they were


    doing?¡±


    Jacob shivered in fear and muttered softly, ¡°Sir, you told us to watch Second Master Carter and report everything he does...¡±


    ¡°| told you to watch him, not the both of them!¡±


    Jacob immediately shut his mouth.


    With a grim expression on his face, Odell bellowed, ¡°Get


    out!¡±


    Jacob immediately fled the room without any hesitation.


    Back at the hospital, when Sylvia opened her eyes, the sunlight that was streaming in had already illuminated the room.


    She turned to Thomas and saw that he was already sitting up, watching her with a soft gaze. He looked a lot better than he had


    the night before.


    Sylvia smiled awkwardly as she said, ¡°When did you wake up?¡±


    ¡°Awhile ago.¡±


    ¡°Feeling better already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The nurse just reapplied the medicine, so I¡¯m feeling better than | didst night.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.


    She then pulled her phone out to look at the time.


    It was already 10:00 a.m.!


    She bolted up and said, ¡°Thomas, | have to go home. Please get some rest. I''lle visit you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Take care,¡± he said softly.


    Sylvia hummed in reply and left.


    Even though Sylvia rushed home as fast as she could, the journey still took her more than an hour.


    As soon as she stepped out of the car, she strode into the house.


    After crossing the yard, she soon arrived at the door to the living room.


    The living room was quiet and no one seemed to be around. She called, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy is back.¡±


    After calling her kids, she entered the room. However, when she turned around, she saw Odell sitting on the couch alone.


    The aura emanating from him immediately made the atmosphere in the living room feel eerie and depressing.


    Sylvia stopped and instinctively took a few steps back.¡° Odell? Why are you here? Where''s Isabel and Liam? And Aunt Tonya?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you still remember them? | thought you had already forgotten about them,¡± Odell said as he shot a cold gaze at her.


    Annoyed, Sylvia argued, ¡°How could | forget them? Stop talking like this. Where are they?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell stood up and walked closer to her.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk out of fear and she immediately retreated to the yard.


    Odell came out from the living room but he seemed to have no intention of paying her any more attention. He strode past her


    and headed towards the main gate.


    Sylvia was surprised by his cold attitude. She chased after


    him and questioned him, ¡°Odell, where are they?¡±


    Odell ignored her.


    She grabbed his arm and forced him to stop.


    The man then turned around to her.

 Chapter 693

    Chapter 693


    His deep eyes gleamed dangerously. ¡°Release your hands or I''ll cut them off.¡±


    Sylvia withdrew her hands immediately.


    The expression on the man¡¯s face became even more grim.


    Sylvia was so scared that she instinctively staggered backwards. She could not help but feel as if her nerves had shattered.


    He was the one who had asked her to release her hands. She hadplied, yet he looked even angrier than before.


    Odell took onest nce at her before he walked away.


    Sylvia ran in front of him immediately. As he continued to walk forward, she followed him by walking backwards as she cried,


    ¡°Odell, where¡¯s Isabel, Liam and Aunt Tonya?¡±


    Odell continued to ignore her.


    Sylvia¡¯s patience wore thin. She blurted out, ¡°Did you lock them¡±


    Thunk!


    Before she could finish, she had banged her head on the front door.


    Her face scrunched up as she groaned in pain. She quickly put her hands behind her head and rubbed it to ease the pain.


    After easing the pain on the back of her head, she looked up and saw Odell looking at her.


    There was a hint of amusement in his pitch ¡ª ck eyes.


    Before Sylvia could say a word, he said, ¡°Well, you had iting.¡±


    Sylvia red at him.


    Odell grunted and then said, ¡°Aunt Tonya took them out to y. If you want to know where they are, find it out for yourself.¡±


    As his voice subsided, he walked past her and left the premises.


    Sylvia released a muffled grunt. She pulled her phone out and called Aunt Tonya immediately.


    The call connected after a few dial tones.


    Cheerful noise and lively music came from the other end of the phone. Even Aunt Tonya sounded excited when she said, ¡°Syl,


    we''re having a lot of fun here. Isabel and Liam are here. Have you already gone back home?¡±


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly asked, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m home. Where are you guys?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know. Sebastian and Ben brought us here. It seems to be a newly opened theme park. It¡¯s very lively. Isabel is having the


    time of her life.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell Ben to send me the location? I''ll go there right away.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After the call, she received the message from Ben.


    The theme park was located in the south-west direction of the newly operational district.


    Sylvia immediately headed to the theme park by car.


    Half an hourter, Sylvia arrived at the theme park.


    It was a newly opened theme park thatbined all kinds of fantasy-themed attractions that were very captivating to children.


    The entrance looked like the doorway to a wondend.


    Sylvia met up with Ben at the entrance and he led her inside to Aunt Tonya and the kids.


    Isabel was over the moon as she ran around, ying with everything in sight. Liam''s face was as cool and calm as ever as he


    followed his sister around. However, he did not seem interested in any of the attractions.


    Aunt Tonya was already exhausted before Sylvia¡¯s arrival, so she was sitting on the bench with Sebastian.


    Sylvia greeted them before she headed over to Isabel and Liam.


    The two little ones were excited by her arrival.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel jumped into her mother¡¯s arms.


    Sylvia hugged the girl with a wide smile before taking Liam¡¯s hand in hers as they continued to y around the theme park.


    They only left the theme park when the sky turned dark.


    Isabel fell asleep on the way home.


    When they reached home, Sylvia carried the girl to bed before helping the boy to get ready for bed.


    The little boy was exhausted but still refused to close his eyes.


    His pitch ¡ª ck eyes stared at his mother as he asked,¡± Mommy, where did you gost night?¡±


    Sylvia helped him take off his clothes. ¡°I want to visit your uncle.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°He had an ident. We went to the hospital, so he¡¯s fine now.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to see him tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going thereter.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips. Looking at her with his big, round eyes, he said, ¡°Then, pleasee back early.¡±


    Sylvia felt a warmth in her chest. She stroked the boy¡¯s head and answered, ¡°Okay, I''ll bear that in mind.¡±

 Chapter 694

    Chapter 694


    Chapter 694


    After Liam had fallen asleep , Sylvia walked out of their room.


    She had spent the whole day ying at the theme park with the two little ones. After all of that, she reeked of sweat.


    Taking her time, she went back to her room to take a shower. Then, she changed into some fresh clothes before she headed to


    the front door.


    Meanwhile on the balcony next door, a towering figure was watching her from the shadows.


    He had a ss of wine in his hand as his deep gaze continued to be watchful of the yard next door.


    Soon, he saw the woman that he had been waiting for.


    His gaze turned cold and his grip on the ss tightened involuntarily. Any stronger and he would be able to break it with his bare


    hand.


    The sky had only just turned dark yet the woman was going out again and had even changed into fresh new clothes!


    Sylvia stopped by some shops to buy some fruits and


    dinner before heading to the hospital.


    Thomas remained in his ward, still wearing his hospital gown. His slender figure leaned against the back of the bed, looking


    rather pale.


    When Sylvia arrived , he put down the book in his hand and greeted her with a smile on his usually cold face. As she sat down


    beside him, she put the food on the table and said, ¡°Thomas, please have something to eat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    The man picked up the cutlery.


    Sylvia sat beside him and watched him eat.


    Perhaps it was for her sake, Thomas ate everything that she had brought over until not even a drop of gravy was left on the


    te. Sylvia noticed his increased appetite, and asked, ¡°Had enough?¡±


    Thomas smiled. ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and started to tidy the table.


    She took the trash outside and when she came back, she saw that Thomas was staring at her with a warm smile on his face.


    Sylvia nced at his injured left hand and saw that it was still wrapped in white gauze.


    Noticing her nce, he said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it takes time to heal. I¡¯ll recover eventually.¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply and sat beside him.


    ¡°Sylvia, |...¡±


    He suddenly seemed to want to say something, but hesitated.


    ¡°What is it, Thomas?¡±


    He frowned and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Maybe | was mistaken.¡±


    ¡°What is it? Did you see something?¡±


    Thomas remained quiet.


    Sylvia got nervous. ¡°Tell me, what did you see?¡±


    Thomas sighed helplessly and said, ¡°This morning, after you left, | went out to get some fresh air and | spotted two men watching


    me in the dark. They looked familiar, so | wondered if maybe they were Odell¡¯s bodyguards .¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression turned cold. She wanted to stand but Thomas stopped her.


    ¡°Hold on, Sylvia. Calm down. There were many people moving around downstairs earlier and all of them were dressed in


    hospital gowns so maybe | was mistaken.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    As he said this, he nced at the door.


    Two figures seemed to sh past outside the door and this time, Sylvia spotted them as well.


    Sylvia bolted up and ran to the door. She saw two men in hospital gowns secretly moving towards the ward next door.


    She was able to catch a glimpse of the side of one of the man¡¯s faces and she was certain that the man was one of


    the bodyguards that Odell had stationed at the vi.


    Odell had said that he would spare Thomas , yet he had sent bodyguards here to watch him secretly.


    Sylvia immediately closed the door and went back to Thomas. ¡°Thomas, did they do anything to you?¡±


    ¡°No, but | believe that Odell is still suspicious of me,¡± he said as his face sank.

 Chapter 695

    Chapter 695


    Sylvia¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°You can¡¯t stay here anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what | thought as well. Sylvia, let¡¯s leave tomorrow,¡± Thomas said.


    Sylvia was taken aback.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Thomas studied her face closely, his eyes full of tenderness and expectation.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. She had promised to leave Westchester with him, but she had not thought it would be tomorrow.


    Thinking quickly, she said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little too rushed?¡±


    Thomas¡¯ eyes darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to leave with me?¡±


    The disappointment was clear in his voice.


    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what | meant. | just thought that it was a little too rushed. I¡¯m not ready


    yet.¡±


    Thomas smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be ready. Just bring Aunt Tonya, your kids and the necessary documents. As for the other


    things, we can settle it all when we reach the


    other country.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips even tighter as she struggled with her thoughts for a while. Then, she said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell had not kept his promise. He had said that he would leave Thomas alone, yet his men continued to watch Thomas from the


    shadows. He might even capture Thomas again and lock him up to torture him, so it was necessary for Thomas to leave as soon


    as possible.


    Besides, she had promised him that she would leave with him. Aside from what he had done for her, his arm had been broken by


    Odell because of her.


    After agreeing to his suggestion , Sylvia told him to get some rest before she left the hospital.


    She had to go home to prepare for this.


    Ding!


    The phone on top of the table outside the balcony rang.


    Odell put his ss down and picked up the phone.


    Jacob¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°Sir, our men from the hospital reported that Madam visited Second Master Carter at the


    hospital tonight. She brought some food and fruits for him but only stayed for less than half an hour.¡±


    At the same time, the sound of screeching brakes could be


    heard from next door.


    Odell turned at the sound and saw a shabby car stop in front of the gate.


    The door opened and Sylvia came out.


    She strode into the house quickly. Odell was not even able to get a good look before she had disappeared from his sight.


    Despite this, her return eased the cold look on his face.


    ¡°There¡¯s also one more thing,¡± Jacob continued.


    Odell had a sip of wine. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It seems that Madam noticed the two of them. They had tried to peek into the ward when Madam was inside the ward but


    Second Master Carter spotted them. They tried to run but Madam caught sight of one of their faces.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°Swap them out for two other people.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m on it,¡± Jacob said.


    Aunt Tonya was still avake when Sylvia returned so she entered her room and shut the door and all the windows.


    She told Aunt Tonya that she would be taking her and the two kids out of the city together with Thomas.


    Aunt Tonya was shocked at first but after listening to Sylvia¡¯s exnation , she regained herposure . She


    anxiously said, ¡°Syl, I''ll go pack right away.¡± Sylvia immediately said, ¡°No, leave the things behind. We''ll just be taking the


    necessary documents. If we bring any luggage with us, Odell will suspect something.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. I''ll go get the documents ready then.¡±


    Sylvia chatted with her for a while longer before leaving.


    The two kids were fast asleep, but she could not shut her eyes in peace. She had no idea how to break it to them that they would


    be leaving the city tomorrow.


    She kissed them on their cheeks and returned to her room to prepare for the next day.

 Chapter 696

    Chapter 696


    Chapter 696


    The next morning, Sylvia headed to the kids¡¯ room with a bag.


    Inside the bag were the documents for the kids, Aunt Tonya, and her own.


    Isabel and Liam had just woken up, their eyes remained puffy and blurry The girl noticed the bag on her mother. Her mother


    would only take the bag when they go out to y. Her eyes widened in excitement and got energized. ¡°Mommy, where are we


    going to y today?¡±


    Sylvia stroked the girl¡¯s head. She said with a smile,¡° We''re not going to y today. I¡¯m bringing you to visit your uncle at the


    hospital today.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°What happened to Uncle? Why are we visiting him at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°His hand got hurt, but it¡¯s no big deal. He''ll recover soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    The girl was excited to see her handsome uncle again. She crawled out of bed and got ready for the trip. Sylvia did not even


    need to help her get ready.


    Liam also automatically got up and went into the bathroom


    After breakfast, Sylvia brought the kids and Aunt Tonya into the car.


    An hourter, the car finally arrived outside the hospital.


    The girl was the first to get out of the car. Aunt Tonya followed her.


    Maybe because today was the day that she brought the kids and Aunt Tonya away from Westchester City, and most importantly


    away from Odell, her heart had been pounding wildly since the morning. She failed to put theplex feeling in words.


    She took a deep breath, held Liam¡¯s hand tightly, and went inside the hospital.


    They soon arrived at Thomas¡¯ ward.


    He was still in the same patient¡¯s garb but had a jacket outside. He looked a lot healthier than before, but he still looked weak.


    The weakness did not dampen his outstanding looks and demeanor though.


    Isabel''s eyes shone brightly from the moment she saw him.


    ¡°Uncle!¡± The girl ran to Thomas.


    Thomas carried the girl with his right hand.


    Isabel looked at his bandaged left hand and furrowed her brows. ¡°Uncle, what happened to your hand?¡±


    ¡°| got hit by a rock,¡± he said softly. Isabel felt terrible for him. ¡°Is it painful?¡±


    Thomas smiled. ¡°It''s okay now.¡±


    Isabel felt relieved at his assuring words.


    Thomas turned to the door. He saw Aunt Tonya and then Sylvia with Liam outside the door.


    He curled his lips into a smile and asked, ¡°Packed everything?¡±


    Sylvia hummed a reply.


    He added, ¡°I¡¯ve got a car ready. When are we leaving?¡±


    Sylvia had a nce at the corridor. There was no one there, and no suspicious figures were spotted in sight.


    The wards next door were empty as well. The bodyguards that Odell arranged for her were probably gone.


    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Now.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay. We follow the n.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    It was then Isabel asked curiously, ¡°Mommy, what are you guys talking about?¡± Liam looked up to his mother with his puffy face,


    questioning her with a baffled look. ¡°Mommy, where are you guys going?¡± The question choked Sylvia.


    She thought of a ton of excuses but when she faced her kids¡¯ innocent and adorable looks, it felt extremely difficult for her to lie


    to them.

 Chapter 697

    Chapter 697


    Just as Sylvia was fighting her thoughts, trying toe up with the best excuse for her kids, Thomas suddenly said, ¡°The


    weather is good today. Mommy and | are nning to bring you guys to y abroad.¡±


    The word ¡°y¡± intrigued the little girl as her eyes shone in excitement and she screamed, ¡°YAY!¡±


    Liam asked softly, ¡°Uncle, what about your injury?¡±


    Thomas met the boy¡¯s questioning gaze and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury. It won¡¯t affect our schedule.¡±


    Liam then turned to his mother. ¡°Mommy, where are we going today?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and reluctantly answered, ¡°We still haven¡¯t decided yet. We''ll n on the way there.¡±


    Liam then lowered his head in silence.


    Thomas then shot a nce at Sylvia. ¡°I''ll bring them downstairs first.¡±


    Sylvia answered, ¡°Okay. I''ll be there in a moment.¡±


    Thomas carried Isabel out of the ward. Aunt Tonya followed him.


    Sylvia then said to Liam, ¡°Liam, follow Aunt Tonya andThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    your sister downstairs. Mommy has to take your uncle¡¯s medicine first. I''ll meet you downstairs.¡±


    Liam furrowed his brows.


    His gut told him his mother and uncle were acting strange but he strongly believed his mother would never lie to him.


    He hummed a reply and followed Aunt Tonya downstairs.


    Sylvia went into the ward and grabbed all the medicines into her bag.


    The n that they discussedst night was that she would pretend to bring the kids to visit him and he would bring them down


    for a spin in the garden.


    After they had a stroll around the garden, she would then go down and join them, making it look more natural, especially to


    Odell¡¯s men who were assigned to watch them.


    The bodyguards would only assume that they were strolling in the garden and not trying to escape the city. However, since she


    arrived at the hospital, she did not spot the bodyguards anywhere. Maybe they were cking off in some stairway, or maybe they


    were hiding in the dark to avoid her detection.


    Sylvia put the suspicion aside and bagged Thomas¡¯ medicine.


    Right before she left the ward, she slipped and fell on the floor.


    She frowned because of the pain and when she was about to get on her feet, she spotted a white phone under the bed.


    The phone was deep under the bed. Maybe it slipped off from the seam. If she had not fallen on the floor, she would not have


    noticed it.


    It looked familiar, seemingly belonging to Thomas.


    He forgot to bring his phone? Sylva crawled under the bed and took it out. Just when she was about to put the phone into her


    bag, the screen shone.


    The phone received a message.


    Sylvia had a glimpse of the content.


    ¡°Second Master, time¡¯s up. If you don¡¯t reply to me, I¡¯ll tell Odell what you¡¯ve done!¡±


    The content surprised Sylvia.


    ¡®What? Second Master? What¡¯s this about?¡±


    The sender¡¯s profile picture and the way it addressed Odell looked and sounded exactly like Tara.


    Sylvia instinctively tapped on the notification.


    There were a dozen exchanges between the sender and Thomas, and it all happened in thest two days.


    ¡°Second Master, I¡¯m Tara. | know you blocked me on WhatsApp, so | have to text you. | don¡¯t mean anything else, | just want you


    to save me. Odell locked me up in Lake Victoria Vi. | know you''re resourceful. Can you please send someone to save me?¡±


    Next, a few more exchanges followed a few hours after the first.


    ¡°Second Master, | know you¡¯re Thomas Carter, the second son of the Carters.


    ¡°You said you can help me to get back to Odell¡¯s side and told me to stage a y that night, making it look like | was chased by


    some gangsters. You told me to pretend to fall and be hurt in front of Odell¡¯s car and make him bring me to the hospital. We ran


    into Sylva at the hospital


    shortly after that.


    ¡°Then, you told me to wear the sapphire ring to Spencer Weiss and pretended that he kidnapped me together with


    Sylvia. It made Odell choose me because of the ring.


    ¡°It might seem like you''re trying to help me in those two incidents but actually, you¡¯re trying to make Sylvia leave Odell so that


    you can be with her, am | right? I¡¯m just a tool to you.


    ¡°What do you think would happen if | tell Odell that you


    set this all up? Do you think he''ll let you go so easily?¡± Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale after she went through all the messages. Her


    hand trembled as she continued to scroll down for more.

 Chapter 698

    Chapter 698


    ¡°Second Master Carter , | believe you must¡¯ve seen the texts. You don¡¯t reply because my information isn¡¯t worthy for you to save


    me? Then, let me tell you one more thing


    ¡°You know Mnie ? She¡¯s my mother. She¡¯s in prison because she helped me to deal with Sylvia. Before she was arrested, she


    told me she knew someone mysterious who helped her from the dark and this mysterious person knows Carter Corporation from


    the inside out. He even grasped Odell¡¯s schedule precisely, knowing when he¡¯s away for work and when he''ll be back.


    ¡°Because of that mysterious person, | was able to frame Sylvia for pushing that old hag down the hill. | was also able to push


    Sylvia into theke because that mysterious person caused a diversion during the event and he even helped me to get a


    trustworthy hitman for the job.


    ¡°Is it safe for me to say that you''re that person who helped me?¡±


    Sylvia was shocked. Her trembling hands almost dropped the phone to the floor.


    She suddenly felt weak and had to lean on the wall to maintain her bnce. Her forehead was covered in sweat but she decided


    to continue scrolling down the phone.


    ¡°| wondered why that b*tch was so lucky enough to survive theke. She was crippled when | pushed her down. But nowe


    to think of it, it''s also part of your n, am | right? You saved her. Your borated n started the moment my mother arrived in


    Westchester City and offered to help me to separate Odell and Sylvia. It¡¯s all you pulling the strings. Second Master, | have to


    say you''re good at this but what if Odell finds out about this? Do you think he''ll let you go?


    ¡°Second Master, | want to be out of the house by this time tomorrow. Please arrange for someone to bring me out, or I''ll tell Odell


    about what you''ve done!¡± While Sylvia was still going through the messages, a cold voice of a man came from the door. ¡°What


    are you looking at?¡±


    The phone slipped off Sylvia¡¯s shaking hands and fell to the floor.


    Thomas stood in front of the door and stared at her with his caramel eyes.


    Sylvia leaned against the wall to keep herself from falling. ¡°N-Nothing.¡± Thomas saw the phone that fell off from her hands.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk in fear and immediately said, ¡°I fell down just now and saw the phone under the bed. | believe it¡¯s yours, so |


    picked it up.¡±


    Thomas looked at her pale face. His gaze shifted as he asked, ¡°How did you fall?¡±


    He walked closer to her as he spoke , his gaze remained warm and caring, but Sylvia felt otherwise.


    His warmth and care felt like a cover for something terrifying underneath, and it terrified Sylvia.


    Her body trembled uncontrobly as she stuttered , ¡°M Maybe because of the slippery floor...¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°N-No.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Thomas wore a smile and continued, ¡°Isabel and Liam are waiting downstairs , hurry up. I''ll take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay.¡± Sylvia anxiously walked past him and ran as fast as she could.


    She had to rejoin Aunt Tonya and her kids to bring them away from this dangerous man.


    Thomas stood still and watched Sylvia scuttle away. The warm gaze suddenly turned frosty. He then bent over to pick up the


    phone on the floor, which he nned to abandon in the first ce.


    When he tapped on it, it was showing the chat window she had with Tara.


    A few seconds of silenceter, he tapped on the phone and dialed a number.


    Sylvia ran out of the hospital without pause and headed to the parking lot.


    There were a lot of cars there, so it was difficult for her to locate Aunt Tonya and the kids at first nce.


    She shuttled around for a while before she finally spotted the silver MPV that Thomas mentioned.


    Aunt Tonya and the kids should be inside.


    Sylvia went over and tried to open the door.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, hurry up and bring the kids¡ª¡± Before she could utter the word ¡°down¡±, she was shocked by what she found inside.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    There was no one in the car. Aunt Tonya and the kids were nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 699

    Chapter 699


    Sylvia frowned, but before she could wrap her head around the situation, she was shrouded by an elongated shadow from the


    back.


    She froze for a split second and then quickly turned around.


    Thomas was a few steps away from her, wearing a grin and looking at her with a warm expression.


    At the next moment, he asked, ¡°Have you seen the texts?¡±


    The sun was hanging high up in the sky. It was a scorching hot summer day. His eyes were as warm as before but she felt


    otherwise. She was quivering in fear and sweating nervously. She feigned ignorance and asked, ¡°Thomas , where are Aunt


    Tonya and the kids?¡± ¡°They are in another car.¡±


    ¡°Where''s that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They''re being taken care of,¡± he said with a smile.


    ¡°| can take care of them myself. Tell me where''s the car.¡±


    Thomas went closer and stroked her head. His smile


    remained as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. When we reach the airport, you''ll be able to see them.¡±


    Sylvia feigned a silly smile and said, ¡°They aren''t used to traveling abroad. Aunt Tonya has airsickness . | have to give them


    some pills before we board.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. I¡¯m sure someone will take care of that as well. I¡¯m sure they''ll travelfortably.¡±


    ¡°| know you''ll take care of them but if Isabel and Liam don¡¯t see me, they''ll throw a tantrum.¡±


    ¡°I''m sure they¡¯re sleeping now and | assure you the first thing they see when they open their eyes is you.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What did you give them?!¡± Thomas stroked her head again and said softly, ¡°Some candy to make


    them sleep. It won¡¯t harm them, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sylvia was worried sick!


    Her kids were her whole world!


    She threw a sucker punch at him, trying to force him to hand over Aunt Tonya and the kids.


    However, her punch was stopped in mid-air.


    She followed up with a second punch but it was stopped too.


    His hands were surprisingly huge given his slender


    figure. He was able to catch both her hands easily.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He was strong, so strong that Sylvia could not retract her fists.


    Sylvia widened her eyes in realization.


    Thomas was not weak at all. He had been pretending to be weak from the start to lie to her!


    Thomas lowered his head closer to her face and whispered, ¡°Sylvia, you promised you¡¯d leave Westchester City with me. If you


    don¡¯t keep your promise, I¡¯m going to be mad.¡±


    The horrific realization put tears in Sylvia¡¯s eyes.


    Her voice trembled as she said, ¡°I promise you, Ill leave with you. Please let Aunt Tonya and my kids go!¡±


    Thomas raised his bandaged left hand and stroked her cheek near the edge of her eye. ¡°As long as you leave with me, I¡¯ll give


    you everything.¡±


    Sylvia stared at him with utmost anticipation. ¡°Then, can you release Aunt Tonya and my kids?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a junction near the


    airport. I''ll let you see them when we''re there. Feel free to bring them along but if you¡¯re having a second thought, | can send


    them back to Odell.¡±


    Sylvia nervously said, ¡°Okay, okay! I''ll leave with you.¡±


    Thomas grinned and kissed her sweaty forehead.

 Chapter 700

    Chapter 700


    Meanwhile at Carter Tower, in the top floor office, the man had just gone through a pile of documents and wanted to rest his eyes


    for a bit.


    It was then his phone rang. It was from Jacob.


    He put the phone near his ears and heard Jacob¡¯s anxious voice.


    ¡°Sir, Ms. Avery is looking for you.¡± There was an obvious disgust in his expression when he heard the name. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing her.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Avery said she wanted to talk to you about Second Master Carter. She said he was the one who nned for Spencer Weiss


    to kidnap her and madam. She also said that Second Master Carter did more than that. He has been pulling the strings from the


    dark since Mnie arrived in Westchester City and before she pushed Madam Carter down the hill. He has been plotting from


    the dark.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°What has he been nning?¡±


    ¡°She refused to say. She¡¯d only say when she sees you.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Keep an eye out for her. I¡¯ming right over.¡±


    He bolted up and strode out of the office.


    Twenty minutester, his car stopped in front of Lake Victoria Vi.


    Odell got out and strode into the house.


    There were several bodyguards in the yard, who he assigned for her since he found out Tara impersonated Sylvia using the


    sapphire ring. However, since he was still dealing with the ¡°Carter Crisis¡±, he did not have any spare time or energy to deal with


    her, so he ordered his men to watch her first.


    Two days ago, when Tara learned that he overcame the crisis, she threw a tantrum asking for a meeting with him but he told his


    men to send her home.


    Her presence disgusted him. He was afraid that he would lose control and end her life upon meeting. He also told Cliff to inform


    her that he knew she impersonated Sylvia and told her to be ready to pay the price for fooling him for so long.


    She must be scared, hence her decision to tell on Thomas.


    Soon, his towering figure entered the gate. He did not go inside the house though. He sat down on the chair by the tea table in


    the yard.


    Awhileter, two bodyguards escorted Tara out of the


    house.


    She wore a white dress and had heavy makeup on.


    Probably because she had been living in fear for many days now, her skin looked rather dark and was slimmer than before. Even


    the tight dress looked loose on her.


    Her eyes were glued to the elegant and handsome man at the tea table as she paced weakly toward him. It took her longer than


    usual to reach his front.


    Odell frowned. His disgust for her was showing through his furrowed brows.


    The expression scared Tara. It turned her legs weak and she fell to her knees in front of him.


    ¡°Odell, | was wrong, I...¡±


    Odell shot a stern re at her.


    The re silenced her for a moment. She then meekly said, ¡°O¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned frosty. There was an obvious hint of killing intent in his presence. Tara knew the disgust he had for her.


    He barely looked at her even before he found out about the sapphire ring, and now that he learned the truth, he probably wanted


    to tear her apart with his bare hands.

 Chapter 701

    Chapter 701


    She lowered her head in fear and remained on her knees. She changed her words and continued , ¡°Master Carter, | was wrong. I


    shouldn''t have lied to you.¡±


    Odell asked, ¡°What did Thomas do?¡±


    A quick pauseter, he sized her up with a frosty gaze and continued, ¡°If you can provide any useful information, | might consider


    letting you live.¡±


    Tara¡¯s eyes shone hopefully and said, ¡°Master Carter! Second Master Carter isn¡¯t who you think he is! He came to me and said


    he could help me to win your heart again, so he instigated me to fake being chased by gangsters so that you can save me. He


    also instructed Spencer Weiss to kidnap me and forced you to choose me instead of Sylvia. He was the mastermind behind


    these two incidents.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Tara looked up and met his eyes. ¡°Do you remember Mnie ? She¡¯s actually my mother, not my aunt. She came to


    Westchester City when you and Sylvia just remarried. She said there was a mysterious person who had been helping her in the


    dark. Not only did this mysterious person know your schedule, but this person also had connections to dangerous hitmen. | was


    able to frame Sylvia for pushing Madam Carter down the hill and then pushing Sylvia into theke because he helped me.


    Hi! niazi You have 6 notifications.


    I''ve never seen this mysterious figure before but | can confirm he¡¯s Second Master Carter.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°He was the one behind Grandmother¡¯s incident?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Tara¡¯s eyes turned evasive. ¡°H-He should be.¡±


    Odell wore the grimmest look. ¡°Tell me how he helped you from the dark. | want to know everything.¡±


    Tara shook uncontrobly.


    She dared not keep secrets from the man anymore now that she decided to be honest. She recalled the details as she said, ¡°My


    mother and | originally nned to make you think Sylvia was having an affair with Edmund, but we were making no progress at


    all. It was he who provided my mother with useful information, so she followed Sylvia with the schedule he provided.


    ¡°That¡¯s why my mother was able to snap a picture of Sylvia and Edmund together. Then, my mother followed them to Northpeak.


    Not only did he know that the surveince cameras in the resort were down, but he also told us that you''ll be back that morning. |


    was anxious, so | instructed my mother to push Madam Carter down, and then you came back and caught Sylvia and Edmund


    together...¡± Tara cautiously looked up and saw Odell ring at her.


    The killing intents in between his furrowed brows and


    gloomy expression were brazen.


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir...¡± Tara then continued , ¡°I thought of making Sylvia disappear from the face of the earth during the night party at Cloudy


    Heart Lake, so my mom contacted him for help. He arranged for a group of people to start a fight by theke and separated


    Sylvia from the bodyguards during themotion.


    ¡°He also arranged for the stalls to sell Sylvia''s favorite food. Since she was in a wheelchair back then, she had to ask the servant


    to buy them for her. When she was alone, the hitman he arranged for me took her to the hill and | pushed her down theke...¡±


    The sun was hanging high in the sky.


    Tara was petrified after she confessed everything. Her back was drenched and she was sweating bullets.


    The man on the seat wore the grimmest expression on his face. The frosty presence he emanated felt like it could freeze the air


    in seconds.


    He finally knew why Thomas was able to save Sylvia from theke that night.


    It was all part of his n and he had been nning this for a long time.


    He raised his hand and gestured to Jacob.


    ¡°Sir.¡± Jacob immediately came over.


    ¡°Inform the men at the hospital and tell them to tie Thomas up!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Odell shot onest nce at Tara kneeling on the ground. He said coldly, ¡°Watch her.¡±


    After he apprehended Thomas, he would deal with both of them together and make sure they suffer worse than death!


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The bodyguards answered en masse. Tara felt weak, her knees failed to hold up and she copsed to the ground. Odell strode


    out of the gate without sparing a nce at


    her.


    The ck MPV sprinted on the freeway.


    His frosty gaze was glued to the front. Momentster, he pulled his phone out and searched his contact for a ¡± Stupid Woman¡±.


    He dialed the number but the mechanical voice informed him that the phone was switched off.

 Chapter 702

    Chapter 702


    Chapter 702 Had she cklisted him again?


    His brows remained furrowed when he said to the driver, ¡°Turn around. We''ll go home first.¡±


    He wanted to bring the woman along so that when he finally exposed Thomas and Tara of their schemes , she would be able to


    see Thomas '' true self.


    He wanted to know if she would still follow Thomas after learning what happened. It was then Jacob in the passenger seat


    received a call. His expression changed before he turned around and said, ¡° Sir, something happened! We can¡¯t reach the two


    new bodyguards that we sent to the hospitalst night. A nurse picked up one of their phones and informed us that they were


    found knocked out cold outside the hospital an hour ago. They were severely injured and still hadn¡¯t woken up.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Knocked out an hour ago?


    The timing was uncanny.


    He said coldly, ¡°Contact the hospital right away. Tell them Thomas is a dangerous murderer and ask them to apprehend him


    immediately.¡±


    Jacob nodded and contacted the hospital right away.


    Momentster, he turned around with a pale look.


    He dared not look at Odell¡¯s grim expression as he cautiously reported, ¡°Sir, the hospital said Second Master Carter left the


    hospital half an hour ago. Several nurses spotted him together with a beautiful young woman in the car. They also spotted him


    bringing a middle-aged woman and two kids to the parking lot, seemingly leaving together.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze shrunk. A beautiful young woman, a middle -aged woman, and two kids?


    Sylvia, Aunt Tonya, Isabel, and Liam! Had the woman nned to elope with him?


    He asked in seething anger, ¡°Where did they go?¡±


    ¡°The hospital isn¡¯t clear about that,¡± Jacob said in a small voice.


    Odell shut his eyes to suppress his boiling anger and pondered the situation.


    The bodyguards were knocked out, the kids and Sylvia were taken away from the hospital , and if Thomas only wanted to bring


    them out to y, there was no reason for him to knock out the bodyguards.


    Therefore, he might be nning to leave Westchester City with Sylvia and the kids!


    He widened his eyes in anger and bellowed, ¡°I want men at all the possible exits of the city!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir! Right away, sir!¡± Jacob immediately made the necessary phone calls.


    Odell clenched his fists tightly. ¡°How far are we from the airport?¡±


    The driver said, ¡°About 20 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Go to the airport right away!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Meanwhile, in another white MPV heading to the airport, the driver drove steadily toward the destination.


    Sylvia and Thomas were in the rear seat and it had been a quiet journey since they departed from the hospital.


    She sat close to the door, drawing as much distance as possible from him. Her eyes would stare out of the window from time to


    time.


    It was impossible for her to not be afraid of him after learning the truth. She never would have thought Thomas was the one


    behind everything


    What scared her the most was he had Aunt Tonya and the kids. She was worried about their safety.


    Since they left the hospital, she did not spot any other cars following them, so it was likely that Aunt Tonya and the kids did not


    travel using the same route.


    Fortunately, they were near the airport now.


    She clenched her fists tightly and turned to Thomas.


    Thomas leaned back on the seat casually and wore nonchnce on his face.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He noticed her gaze on him, so he turned to her, curling his lips into a warm smile. Even his frosty eyes showed a hint of delight.

 Chapter 703

    Chapter 703


    Sylvia pursed her lips and asked in a small voice,¡° Thomas, we''re arriving at the airport soon. Where¡¯s Aunt Tonya and my kids?¡±


    ¡°Soon. You''ll be able to see them after two more junctions.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Okay...¡± Sylvia tightened her fists.


    She hid a knife in her curled fist. The de was the one she used to cut fruits for her kids whenever they went out, so she


    always had it in her bag.


    When she reunited with Aunt Tonya and her kids, she might be able to threaten Thomas to release them with the knife.


    Thomas had a subtle nce at her tightly clenched fists, and he secretly curled his lips into a faint grin.


    Soon enough, the car passed two junctions with traffic lights and arrived at a crossroad. Every car wanting to go to the airport


    from the city had to pass this crossroad.


    There were barely any cars on the road at this hour.


    The car stopped by the road in front of the crossroad. Sylvia spotted another silver car ahead of them, and two


    intimidating men were standing beside it.


    She got out of the car and ran forward, but the two men stopped her in front of the car.


    Through the window, she was able to have a glimpse of the interior.


    Aunt Tonya was sandwiched by her kids in the rear seat. They were unconscious, seemingly having fed some unknown drugs.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya? Isabel? Liam?¡± Sylvia cried.


    She called them a few times but they did not answer. She nervously turned around to Thomas who came by.


    ¡°What did you give them?¡± she questioned him coldly. ¡°Some medicine to aid their sleeping. They''ll wake up in two hours.¡± He


    walked closer to her and stared at her with the warmest gaze, asking, ¡°Do you want to bring them along, or do you want me to


    send them back to my brother?¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth. ¡°I... | want¡ª¡±


    ¡°You want to threaten me with that de in your hands?¡± He interrupted her.


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale, and she immediately moved her hands behind her back.


    Thomas smiled at her.


    The risen guilt made her avoid his gaze. ¡°I''ll go with you. Send them back to Odell.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Thomas then looked at the two men beside the car. ¡°Send them back to Carter Tower.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± said one of the men.


    Before the men got into the car, Sylvia cried, ¡°Wait! Hold


    on!¡±


    Thomas shot a sharp gaze at her. ¡°What else do you


    want?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes got teary as she said, ¡°I just want to hug them.¡±


    It was heavy for her to leave them but she could not bring them along, not when she learned how dangerous Thomas was.


    This might be thest time she would see her children. She had no idea how long she would be gone with Thomas. She might


    not even see them again for the rest of her life.


    Thomas furrowed his brows. ¡°Bring the kids down.¡±


    The two men opened the door and carried the sleeping children down.


    Isabel and Liam were soundly asleep, their puffy cheeks were adorable.


    Sylvia hugged them tightly one by one and kissed them on the cheeks.


    Awhileter, she reluctantly gave her children back to the men.


    Thomas held her hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯ll send Aunt Tonya and the kids back to Carter Tower, and when they do,


    they''ll send me a video of it.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips in silence.


    The two men then received a nce from Thomas and then carried the kids into the car.


    It was at that moment, that a ck MPV arrived and it screeched to a stop in front of them.

 Chapter 704

    Chapter 704


    Jacob jumped out of the car and attacked Thomas.


    The defenseless Thomas was ambushed and he received a punch on his face.


    The ambush on him also freed Sylvia from his restraints.


    Sylvia was also surprised by Jacob¡¯s attack and before she could react, another strong hand held her.


    She turned around and saw Odell¡¯s handsome but frosty face.


    It was as though Odell was afraid that she would try to save Thomas , he held her tightly and he shot a gloomy gaze at her.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes got teary and she started to choke on her emotions.


    Odell frowned.


    Was she trying to beg him to release Thomas again?


    He pursed his lips tightly to suppress his anger and said to her, ¡°Thomas isn¡¯t who you think he is. He¡¯s not only involved in the


    company¡¯s crisis, but he¡¯s also the one who instigated Spencer Weiss to kidnap you. He¡¯s also involved in Grandma¡¯s ident


    and you being pushed into theke by Tara.¡±


    He was afraid that she refused to believe her, so he continued, ¡°I have proof. Bring the kids and go home with me. I''ll show you.¡±


    Jacob had apprehended Thomas by now but Isabel and Liam were still being held hostage by the two men.


    Sylvia looked at Thomas. ¡°Thomas, why don¡¯t you...?¡±


    She wanted to ask him to tell his men to release the kids and she would beg Odell to let him go.


    However, before she could finish, Thomas curled his lips into a warm smile and said, ¡°Sylvia, Odell is trying to use me. | don¡¯t


    know what he¡¯s talking about.¡±


    Sylvia choked on her unfinished words.


    Thomas obviously refused to make this deal with her.


    The two men seemed to understand their employer¡¯s meaning, so they put their hands on Isabel and Liam¡¯s necks.


    Sylvia¡¯s chest tightened. She turned to Odell and begged, ¡°I believe Thomas. | won¡¯t go back with you.¡±


    She wanted to pull her hand off his restraint.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim and gripped her wrist tighter than before. ¡°Have you lost your mind? | said | have proof. I''ll show


    you who he really is!¡±


    The pain on her wrist made her frown, and in addition to


    the chest pain, tears rolled down her cheeks.


    She bit the bullet and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care who he really is or what he did. I¡¯m going with him!¡±


    Anger caused the veins on Odell¡¯s forehead to bulge. He tugged her wrist and said coldly, ¡°Even if you die here today, | won''t let


    you go with him!¡±


    He then shot a gaze at Thomas. ¡°Tell your men to release Isabel and Liam, or you won''t leave Westchester City today, alive.¡±


    As his words subsided, the two men removed their hands from the children¡¯s necks and turned to Thomas for further instructions.


    Sylvia also looked at him, anticipating his answer. All she could do was beg and plead for him to release the kids.


    Thomas looked at her with a warm smile instead of a grim one, but it scared Sylvia rather than assured her.


    Next, he said, ¡°If | can¡¯t be with you, I¡¯d rather be dead. Why don¡¯t you kill me now, Odell?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia turned to the men holding her children hostage. Their hands were back at the children¡¯s necks again.


    Their robust hands were over the two little kids¡¯ necks. The slightest exertion of strength would snap their heads off.


    Sylvia¡¯s heart pounded wildly.


    She cried and turned to Odell. ¡°Odell, release me. | must leave with Thomas. Let me leave and | can give you back Isabel and


    Liam!¡±


    Odell frowned. His handsome face showed nothing but rage and disbelief.


    ¡°You love him that much? To the point that you¡¯re abandoning your children?¡± he questioned her gruffly.


    His words were like needles poking into her heart.


    She did not love Thomas at all. She promised to be with him because of guilt and gratitude.


    Had she learned about the truth earlier, she would not be clouded by her guilt and brought the kids to him.

 Chapter 705

    Chapter 705


    The fear tormented Sylvia badly, but she had no other choice.


    Thomas used her kids against her.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    If she refused to go with him, he would tell his men to snap Isabel and Liam¡¯s necks.


    Sylvia took a deep breath and looked up to Odell with teary eyes. She pleaded, ¡°Odell, please.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. His handsome looks were shrouded by ayer of gloom. His eyes were frosty and if gaze could kill, he


    would have strangled her.


    Secondster, he tightened his lips and said, ¡°I won''t let you go.¡±


    Sylvia started to choke on her emotions. ¡°Don¡¯t force my hands.¡±


    Odell scoffed. ¡°I am. What can you possibly do about it?¡±


    Sylvia shut her eyes and then charged into his arms.


    A muffled thud was heard at the next moment.


    The man¡¯s upright and straight body suddenly curved forward, and Sylvia started to stagger backward.


    Drops of blood dripped and fell on the ground.


    One of his hands covered his abdomen with a pink knife in it.


    Sylvia stabbed him with the fruit knife she hid in her hands.


    The air went quiet for a moment. ¡°SIR!¡± Jacob shouted. He pushed Thomas away and ran to his boss.


    Odell remained standing as he stared at Sylvia.


    He was in shock and disbelief, and then they were reced by a mocking grin. He said each and every word clearly, ¡°Okay, I''ll


    let you go. But bear this in mind. From this moment onward, you¡¯re no longer Isabel and Liam¡¯s mother. Don¡¯t even think about


    seeing them anymore.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s hands were trembling uncontrobly.


    Tears gushed from her eyes ceaselessly and blurred her sight. 1


    She did not see his expression clearly. She only heard his gruff voice speaking to her and she could tell he was in a lot of pain,


    both physically and mentally.


    She wept as she said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She then walked to Thomas¡¯ side.


    Thomas hugged her into his arms and looked at her deeply. He then said to the men, ¡°Give the kids back to


    my brother.¡±


    The two men handed the sleeping Isabel and Liam to Odell.


    Sylvia wanted to have onest nce but Thomas held the back of her neck tightly and stopped her from turning back.


    Awhileter, she heard doors opening and closing, and cars driving away.


    When Thomas released her, she turned around nervously but Odell, Thomas, Jacob, and their car were gone. All


    that was left was a puddle of blood on the ground.


    It was Odell¡¯s blood, and she stabbed him. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We''re going to miss the flight,¡± Thomas said warmly.


    Sylvia snorted and looked at the men¡¯s car. Aunt Tonya was still there.


    After what had happened, she could not let Aunt Tonya follow her anymore. She nned to escape in the future and if Aunt


    Tonya followed her, it would only put her in harm¡¯s way. Thomas might even use Aunt Tonya against her.


    She said, ¡°Tell them to bring Aunt Tonya home.¡±


    Thomas smiled and wiped the tears off her face. ¡°Aunt Tonya watched you grow up. You¡¯re moving to a new


    ce, it¡¯s better to have a family member by your side.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I''ll be okay alone.¡±


    The smile on his face suddenly felt cold, his expression remained warm but it felt scary


    He saw through her thoughts but he did not want to expose her, nor did he want to feign ignorance.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk. She wore a cold look as she pushed him away and went into the car.

 Chapter 706

    Chapter 706


    Thomas got into the car after her.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    However, the car did not go to the airport directly. It made a U-turn and drove into the freeway that led to nchester City.


    Sylvia frowned.


    It was as though Thomas was able to read Sylvia¡¯s expression. He said with a smile, ¡°We''re leaving from nchester City¡¯s


    airport.¡± nchester City¡¯s airport?


    They were right in front of Westchester City¡¯s airport and yet he decided to leave from nchester City¡¯s airport? ¡°My brother is


    unpredictable, so | have to be cautious,¡± he said.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and ignored him. The car cruised smoothly.


    The weather was great, the sun was warm, and the wind was breezy, but Sylvia did not have the mood. All she could think of


    was the blood on the ground and the fact that she stabbed Odell.


    He must resent her deeply.


    ¡°Have something to eat.¡±


    Suddenly, a meticulously wrapped box was handed to her by a pair of fair hands.


    Sylvia did not even look at the box. She moved closer to the door and turned her back on him.


    The rejection was obvious, and it froze Thomas¡¯ hands for a moment.


    His smile remained as he said, ¡°It¡¯s your favorite. Have something to fill your stomach first. It¡¯s going to take us a few more hours


    to reach the airport.¡±


    He sounded soft.


    If she was still the ignorant girl that she was before, she would have epted his offer.


    Now that she learned the truth, she only felt repulsive and scared of him, so she refused to ept anything from


    him.


    ¡°I''m not hungry,¡± she said coldly.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya is waking up soon. Don¡¯t you want to see her?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. She turned around to him and asked, ¡°What are you going to do to her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s your family. | won¡¯t


    do anything to her. | just want you to eat properly,¡± he said.


    Sylvia tightened her lips. She grabbed the box and started eating.


    She ate quickly.


    Thomas smiled and said, ¡°Slow down, you''ll choke yourself.¡±


    Sylvia widened her mouth and ate even faster.


    Thomas wisely stopped talking.


    Meanwhile, at Westchester City Hospital¡¯s VIP ward, the man who just had his injury treated and bandaged was on the bed with


    a grim look.


    Cliff and several bodyguards were there but they dared not make a sound.


    Sometimeter, Jacob came in and reported softly, ¡°Sir, our men at the airport said they didn¡¯t see Second Master Carter or


    madam at all. They aren¡¯t at the airport.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze shrunk.


    ¡®Not at the airport? Did Thomas avoid Westchester City¡¯s airport because he¡¯s afraid that | can check where they are going?¡¯


    The room went silent for a moment. Cliff stepped up and said in a small voice, ¡°Sir, the freeway is just outside the airport. |


    believe Second Master Carter must''ve taken


    madam to another city¡¯s airport. I''ll contact the others to track them down.¡±


    ¡°Leave it.¡±


    Both Cliff and Jacob were stunned.


    Odell looked at his children sleeping soundly beside him and said gruffly, ¡°Don¡¯t track them anymore.¡±


    She loved Thomas that much. She abandoned her children and even stabbed him so that she could be with that man. Since he


    agreed to let them go, he tended to keep his promise.


    It was just an instant but the atmosphere in the ward switched drastically.


    It felt depressing and sad.


    Maybe because of the lights, after the words subsided, the man¡¯s watery eyes gleamed.


    Cliff and Jacob remained stunned for a while before they exchanged a quick gaze.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± they answered en masse.


    Half a monthter.

 Chapter 707

    Chapter 707


    On a beautiful ind in Galston, there was an old European castle on top of the hill.


    Sylvia was inside the castle , sitting before a ceiling -to wall window with her wood sculpture.


    Aunt Tonya was knitting beside her.


    Suddenly, rhythmic footsteps sounded from the door. Aunt Tonya had a nce and said to Sylvia, ¡°Syl, he¡¯s here.¡±


    She bolted up and stood before Sylvia.


    Sylvia turned to the door and saw Thomas.


    He wore a light-colored shirt that loosely draped over his slender figure. He wore a smile as he walked over.


    Seeing Aunt Tonya in front of Sylvia, Thomas¡¯ gaze turned cold but he kept his polite smile and said, ¡°Aunt Tonya, can | have the


    room? | want to have a word with Sylvia.¡±


    Aunt Tonya wore a cautious look and refused to budge.


    Sylvia shot a gaze at her and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a talk, he won''t do anything to me.¡±


    It had been half a month since she was imprisoned in thisThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    castle by Thomas and he did nothing to her.


    Aunt Tonya begrudgingly left the room.


    After Aunt Tonya left, Thomas smiled at her. ¡°Where have you been this morning? | didn¡¯t see you.¡±


    Sylvia averted his gaze and coldly said, ¡°Where else can | go? | went for a walk around the castle.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see anyone?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t talk to anyone?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    m!


    He mmed a handkerchief on the floor.


    Sylvia saw the bloodstained handkerchief on the ground. There was also a severed finger with a golden ring on it. Her face


    turned pale and staggered backward in fear. She looked at Thomas in horror and asked, ¡°Whose finger is this?¡±


    Thomas¡¯ gaze remained soft as he exined , ¡°You just spoke to him in the morning. Have you forgotten?¡± Sylvia thought of the


    gardener in the garden. She recalled the gardener had a golden ring on one of his fingers, but she just had a chat with him! She


    just asked


    him about the castle and nothing else. She did not even ask him to help her leave the ind!


    Her face was as pale as paper. Horrified, she stared at him and asked, ¡°What did you do to him?¡±


    He said with a terrifying smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. | just cut off two of his fingers.¡±


    Sylvia shook uncontrobly. Two fingers? The gardener relied on his hands to make a living and yet he cut off the man¡¯s fingers!


    ¡°Thomas, you''re a freaking psycho!¡± she scolded.


    Thomas giggled. It sounded helpless for some reason.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who has been a bad girl,¡± he said as he walked closer to her and stroked her pale face. ¡°You promised to live with me


    but ever since you came here, you have been nning your escape.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shrunk in fear. ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You really think | don¡¯t know what you''re thinking?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. She wore a frosty look that rejected his presence.


    It had been half a month and she had been showing the same frosty look at him every day. Thomas¡¯ gaze turned cold. ¡°Why


    can¡¯t you live a life with me here? Am | not good enough?¡±


    Sylvia inhaled deeply and said as she met his eyes,¡° Thomas, you used Mnie and Tara to put me and Odell through hell. Not


    only did you hurt Grandma, but you''ve alsomitted crimes. How can | live a life with you?!¡±


    He frowned. ¡°I just want to live with you. | didn¡¯t think of hurting Grandma.¡±

 Chapter 708

    Chapter 708


    ¡°Had you not helped them in the dark, they wouldn¡¯t have pushed Grandma down andatose her! Odell wouldn¡¯t have


    misunderstood me and he wouldn¡¯t have broken my leg. Tara wouldn''t have gotten the chance to push me down theke!¡±


    ¡°| just want to let you know Odell doesn¡¯t really love you. He hurt you because of Tara. He cared only about Tara even after your


    second marriage. | just want you to leave him!¡± Thomas took a deep breath and continued,¡± Grandma¡¯s incident is beyond me. |


    know I¡¯ve hurt her and | admit | was the one who ushered Tara to push you down theke, but it¡¯s under my control. | won''t let


    you die!¡±


    Sylvia had no intention to argue with him about his meticulous scheme. She went along with his words and said, ¡°Yeah, you


    saved me but if you¡¯re a minuteter, I''d have drowned!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®if¡¯.¡± He slightly lowered his head and moved closer to her, whispering, ¡°Do you remember the hitman who pushed


    you up the hill?¡±


    Sylvia was confused by this particr question. She said with furrowed brows, ¡°Yeah, but | didn¡¯t see his face.¡±


    ¡°It was me,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°After | pushed you up the hill, | went down to theke and waited at your


    possiblending spot. I''ve also arranged for several good swimmers to save you as soon as you fall into the water.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Thomas was the hitman who seized the knife at her neck and pushed her up the hill! He was the one who let Tara break her leg


    and push her into the water!


    Though on second thought, it was not surprising since he had been plotting this for a while.


    Madam Carter being pushed down the hill, her being pushed into the water, her second marriage with Odell, her being


    kidnapped by Spencer, and Carter Corporation¡¯s crisis ¡ª everything had been his borate n.


    She even thought Odell had imprisoned and tortured him, and she threatened Odell with death!


    Sylvia was furious and terrified. She wanted to back away from him.


    Thomas saw the fear she had for him in her eyes.


    He frowned and hugged her into his arms.


    He hugged her trembling body and said solemnly, ¡° Sylvia, | did everything just because | want to be with you. | know the


    process might have hurt you, but I''ll make it up to you. As long as you will it, | can pluck the star from the sky for you.¡±


    Sylvia moved her trembling lips. ¡°I want to leave. | want to go back to Westchester City.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Except that.¡±


    ¡°| want to see Isabel and Liam. | want to see them.¡±


    His gaze turned frosty. ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯m a patient person but there¡¯s a limit as well. Stop challenging my patience.¡±


    Sylvia shut her mouth up.


    Thomas wiped the sweat off her forehead and hugged her tighter. He whispered to her ears, ¡°Isabel and Liam will be fine with


    Odell. If you like kids, we can have one of our own. I¡¯m sure the baby will be as adorable as Isabel and Liam.¡±


    Sylvia tightened her fists and clenched her teeth in silence.


    Another week had passed.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Back at Carter Tower in Westchester City, as soon as the meeting ended, the man bolted up and strode out of the meeting room.


    He strode to the elevator and then reached his office on the top floor.


    Cliff, who had been following since the meeting room, went up and opened the door for his boss.


    Odell strode inside and saw his kids upying his desk and chair.


    Liam was on his chair with a cool look, looking a lot like a mini version of him.


    Isabel sat on his desk with her legs crossed. She did not only mess up the ce but she even ate some snacks and had powder


    all over her face.


    Liam stared at him as soon as he stepped in.


    Isabel also pouted. She crossed her arms and bawled, ¡°Big baddie, it has been a month! Have you found Mommy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He went over to the desk and carried her off the table.


    It was as though the girl was afraid that he would escape, so she hugged his leg and looked up at him with her puffy face. ¡°Are


    you lying to us? Did something happen to Mommy?!¡±


    Her eyes got teary when she asked the question.

 Chapter 709

    Chapter 709


    The girl was afraid that something had happened to her mother.


    Odell somehow choked on his emotions after seeing the girl''s teary eyes. A sense of disgust rose from the bottom of his heart.


    It had almost been a month and yet the woman did not even give the kids a call, not even once.


    Aside from that, both she and Aunt Tonya switched off their phones as if they were afraid that he could track them through phone


    signals. He pursed his lips and hugged the girl into his arms.


    The girl stared at him with teary eyes, looking adorable yet pitiful.


    He carried the girl to the bathroom and wiped her dirty face with a wet towel.


    After that, he said, ¡°Mommy and Daddy had an argument. She¡¯s fine, but she doesn¡¯t want toe back because of me.¡±


    Isabel pouted and punched his chest. ¡°Why can¡¯t you be patient with her?!¡±


    Odell let the girl punch his chest as much as she liked. She


    got tired after a while and started to weep.


    He hugged the girl andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I''ll think of a way to bring Mommy back.¡± The girl snorted and said with a


    sobbing tone, ¡°Big baddie, if you don¡¯t bring Mommy home, | won''t talk to you anymore!¡±


    The girl then curled her tiny arms around his neck and buried her sobbing face into his chest.


    Odell hummed a reply and headed out of the bathroom.


    As soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, a tiny yet upright figure entered his sight.


    Odell turned to the boy and the boy did the same. Liam stared at him with his googly eyes and puffy face. He was not afraid to


    stare at his father.


    He was trying to spot clues in his father¡¯s expression.


    Odell raised his hand and patted the boy¡¯s head. ¡°Go do your homework for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I''ve finished my homework for tomorrow,¡± the boy answered.


    ¡°Then go do the one for the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Isabel hasn¡¯t done her homework for yesterday and the day before yesterday.¡±


    Isabel''s sobbing expression froze before she buried her


    face into Odell''s neck.


    Odell shot a nce at his son and said, ¡°Help her finish them.¡±


    Liam was speechless.


    Odell carried Isabel back to the desk and sat down on the chair.


    Liam went over to a toddler¡¯s table by the window and sat down.


    He took Isabel''s homework and started to write down hints and tips for the questions to let her understand them better.


    He refused to do her homework for her but he must teach her how to do them.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel decided to cling to Odell since she did not want to do her homework. Odell carried her with one hand and continued


    flipping through the documents with his other hand.


    Cliff came in a whileter and said, ¡°Sir, Ms. Lily Springsteen at the reception, asking for a meeting about a coboration.¡±


    Odell had a nce at the girl dozing off in his arm and said, ¡°Bring her to the meeting room. I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡±

 Chapter 710

    Chapter 710


    Half an hourter, Odell left the sleeping girl on the couch and told Liam to watch over his sister before he left the office.


    Cliff had been waiting outside the office.


    When his boss came out, he followed him to the well-lit meeting room downstairs.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a young woman in a tight-fit red dress and meticulous makeup sitting on one of the chairs.


    She stood and smiled at Odell when he came in and extended her hand for a handshake. ¡°Good morning, Master Carter.¡±


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Odell shook her hand and sat in the center seat. Lily sat down on his left.


    Her assistant immediately provided Cliff with a document and Cliff opened it up for his boss.


    Odell had a nce through the content and responded with a solemn look. There was no other expression on his


    face.


    Lily''s gaze shifted. He said, ¡°Master Carter, my family has been working on this project before we moved back to


    Westchester City. The Carter Corporation is influential in this city, so we hereby sincerely invite you to join us. Of course, if you


    have any other terms and conditions, please do voice them.¡±


    Odell continued reading the document without giving her a reply.


    Until he reached thest page and thest line, he looked at her and said, ¡°This seems like an innovative project.¡±


    Lily smiled. ¡°Thank you. | wonder if you¡¯re interested to be part of it.¡± ¡°Please provide me with the project¡¯s details and I''ll get


    back to you by next week.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    Odell got up and wanted to head out.


    ¡°Master Carter, please wait,¡± Lily called as she stood up. He turned around and asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Lily curled her


    lips into a sweet smile and said, ¡°I wonder if you''re free tonight? Maybe we can talk more about the details and my opinion on


    this project over dinner.¡±


    ¡°I''m upied tonight. Please send me your opinions together with the details of the project.¡±


    He then stepped out of the meeting room.


    The sweet smile on her face froze.


    She dressed meticulously for this meeting, and yet the man did not even spare a nce at her and even rejected her invitation


    for dinner.


    ¡°Ms. Springsteen, are we leaving now?¡± her assistant asked.


    Lily''s face turned cold and red at her.


    Odell left without showing the slightest courtesy. Why would she want to stay?


    She took a deep breath to adjust her mood and walked out. Her assistant carefully followed her.


    She regained herposure and returned to her confident and elegant self as soon as she stepped out of the meeting room.


    She was just starting her pursuit of him. When the project she proposed made progress, she would have more chances to meet


    him.


    She was confident that he would look at her differently in time and eventually fall in love with her.


    That evening, when the sky was almost dark, Odell was still going through documents at his desk.


    Suddenly, his stomach started growling.


    He turned and saw Isabel sitting on the couch, awakened.


    Her tiny hands were on her stomach as she looked at him with a yearning look.


    She pouted when she met his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m hungry...¡±


    Odell had a nce at the time. It was 6:00 p.m. already.


    He put the documents down and went over to her.


    He carried the girl into his arms and then shot a nce at the boy, reading at the side.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Liam put the book down and walked to his father.

 Chapter 711

    Chapter 711


    Odell brought them out of Carter Corporation to a business district.


    There were many good restaurants, and the environment was quiet and ssy.


    Odell asked, ¡°What do you two want to eat?¡±


    Isabel immediately pointed her little finger toward a hot pot restaurant sign and said, ¡°I want to have meat in a hot pot!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They had been eating children¡¯s meal sets for the past few days. They could have a change of menu on that day.


    It was the peak hours. The private rooms upstairs were fully booked, but there was a wide seat by the windows.


    Odell sat there with the children.


    Awaiter walked over with a smile and asked politely, Sir, what soup would you all like?¡±


    Soup?


    Odell frowned.


    He always had Cliff with him whenever he was outside. It was Cliff who did the ordering.


    Even if Odell had eaten hotpot several times with Sylvia and the children, Sylvia and the two kids always ordered the food. He


    never intervened.


    Upon thinking of Sylvia, his chest felt stuffy. After suppressing his emotions, he asked Isabel and Liam,¡° What soup do you two


    want?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam did not say a word.


    Isabel stretched her hand and pointed to a pot with two soups on the menu. ¡°I want this hot pot. Serve all of the meat you have


    here too.¡±


    The waiter was struck by her adorable look. He smiled and replied, ¡°Okay, little kid. Do you want any vegetables?¡±


    Isabel did some quick thinking. ¡°I don¡¯t want vegetables.¡±


    However, after she spoke, Liam said, ¡°She wants carrots, corn, cabbage, and mushrooms.¡±


    Isabel immediately pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t want them.¡±


    Liam''s little brows knitted into a tight frown at that moment.


    Isabel closed her mouth instantly. After Liam was done ordering the vegetables , the waiter took the menu and left. Only then did


    she mutter, ¡°Bad Liam.¡±


    Liam looked toward her with his big cold eyes.


    Isabel''s gaze turned timid. She turned around and snuck under Odell¡¯s arms.


    Liam let out a ¡°hmph¡± and did not look at her anymore.


    Isabel breathed a sigh of relief since he was no longer looking at her.


    Odell took in the siblings¡¯ interactions. The corners of his lips curved slightly. He did not know whether to feel happy or resigned.


    Soon, the hot pot and fresh side dishes were served.


    Isabel demanded to have meat. Odell helped her to put the meat slices into the pot right away.


    However, not long after he started putting them in, Isabel made a fuss again. ¡°Baddie, slow down. The meat will be tough if


    you put so much in one go. It¡¯s not nice if it¡¯s tough.¡±


    Odell immediately slowed down his speed of putting the meat.


    Amomentter, Isabel nagged again. ¡°Baddie , why are you so slow? Quickly put that te of meat into the pot!¡±


    Odell put the te of meat slices she was pointing at into the pot.


    The next moment, she grumbled yet another time, ¡°Why


    did you put them all in the spicy soup? You have to put some on the other soup too.¡±


    Odell breathed in and continued putting the vegetables into the pot ording to Isabel¡¯s instructions.


    At that moment, Lily was watching that scene with great shock outside the ss windows of their seat.


    She did not think she could meet Odell while she was shopping. More unexpectedly , Odell personally brought the two children


    to eat hot pot. Not only did he apany them to have hot pot, but he also kept being ordered around.


    He was the man leading Carter Corporation. He was the Young Master Carter whom all the wealthy people of Westchester City


    feared!


    Yet, he was endlessly doting on children!


    In particr , the daughter sitting in his arms obviously had no manners. She must have been spoiled by Odell¡¯s ex -wife.

 Chapter 712

    Chapter 712


    A hint of annoyance targeted at Isabel shed across Lily''s eyes. She entered the restaurant through the back entrance and


    headed straight to Odell¡¯s table.


    It was only then that Odell noticed and looked toward her. Lily smiled and said, ¡°Young Master Carter, what a coincidence. | didn¡¯t


    think you''d personally bring the children to have a meal here. Is this the important matter that you mentioned during the day?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Before he spoke, Lily continued, ¡°However, the children are indeed important. If | had such adorable children, I¡¯d leave my work


    aside and apany them more too.¡±


    Odell¡¯s brows rxed. He asked out of courtesy, ¡°Is Ms. Springsteen here to eat as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m meeting other friends at another ce. | have to head over now. Enjoy your meal.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lily said to Isabel and Liam with a smile, ¡°Young Master, Young Miss, enjoy your meal too.¡±


    Isabel looked toward her with her big eyes.


    For some reason, she could not bring herself to like that


    aunty. However, her mom told her to treat others politely, especially when that aunty looked quite polite. Therefore, she replied,


    ¡°Bye, aunty.¡±


    Lily smiled. She also grinned at Odell, then turned around and left the restaurant.


    Odell did not look at her anymore. He took his fork and continued getting meat for Isabel.


    Isabel stared at the pot and gave orders on what she wanted to eat.


    Opposite them, Liam was slowly eating the food he scooped from the clear soup.


    He was quiet, and his movements were elegant.


    It was as if the noise in the world had nothing to do with


    him.


    Even Lily did not look in his direction when she came just now.


    Liam was thinking of his mom.


    He did not care about having his dad tending to him. However, if Mom were there, she would have taken care of him attentively


    like how Dad was taking care of his sister. She would gently tell him to eat more and keep getting food for him. He would happily


    eat more instead of losing his appetite after a few bites, which was what he was feeling right then.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Aweekter.


    Carter Tower.


    Odell freed some time and went through the proposal Lily sent over.


    She even sent her thoughts on the project. Every line was exined in detail. Allhough some parts were unrealistic, her


    perspective was unique.


    He went through her idea, which had a few thousand words. After that, he gave her a call.


    The call was connected after it rang twice.


    Lily''s gentle voice came from the phone. ¡°Young Master Carter, have you taken a look at the proposal and my thoughts that |


    sent you?¡±


    ¡°Mm. | have additional opinions. Come to Carter Corporation when you''re free. Let¡¯s talk face-to-face.¡±


    ¡°| have time this evening. Is this evening convenient for you?¡±


    ¡°| can make it after 2:00 p.m.¡±


    ¡°Let''s meet at the cafe in Carter Tower at 2:30 p.m.¡±


    Odell thought about it. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The cafe was not far, so walking over would not waste


    much time.


    2:00 p.m.


    Odell returned to his office after a short meeting. Liam was reading a book at his table by the window. Isabel, who was supposed


    to study and read with him, was secretly watching dramas on the phone.


    When she saw Odell returning, she immediately hid the phone in her sleeve.


    However, she did not turn off the volume. Odell could listen to everything clearly.


    He walked to Isabel¡¯s side and extended his big hand in front of her. ¡°Give me the phone.¡±


    Isabel pouted.


    Odell frowned. His expression turned even more stern.


    Isabel did not dare to hide the phone any longer. She quickly took it out from her sleeve and handed it to him.

 Chapter 713

    Chapter 713


    Odell turned off the drama and ced the phone in his pocket. He said to Isabel, ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs and will be back soon. Be


    obedient and study with your brother. Don¡¯t be naughty.¡± Isabel pouted. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell nced at Liam. ¡°Liam, keep an eye on your sister.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After that, Odell turned around and left. Isabel stood up while letting out a ¡°hmph¡± when the office¡¯s door closed.


    She crossed her arms in front of her chest and scolded,¡± Baddie.¡±


    Those books were too boring. They were not as interesting as dramas. She did not want to read them at all.


    However, her phone was confiscated, and there were no other toys she could y with. Isabel was depressed for a moment.


    Then, she suddenly thought of something and


    ran out with her short legs.


    However, just when she reached the door, she was grabbed by her cor from behind.


    Her chubby figure was pulled back.


    Liam stood behind her and asked sternly in his babyish voice, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Liam, | just want to see what Baddie is


    going to do,¡± Isabel exined hastily. She looked toward Liam eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s too stuffy here. Let''s go out and y together for a


    while.¡±


    Liam was silent for a few seconds. ¡°We can only y for at most half an hour.¡±


    Isabel immediately replied, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Then, she crouched down and snuck out like a thief.


    Liam followed her.


    Not long after, their two little figures went to the first floor by elevator.


    At that moment, Odell''s towering figure was walking out of the main entrance.


    Liam and Isabel exchanged nces. They bent down together and snuck out along the wall.


    There was a cafe with a great ambiance within 30 meters of Carter Tower¡¯s entrance.


    There were not many people in the cafe at that hour. As soon as he entered, Odell spotted Lily sitting by the


    windows.


    Her hair was curled. She wore a blush-colored haute couture dress and was sitting elegantly.


    When Lily saw Odell entering, she smiled at him right away.


    Odell returned a polite smile and sat on the seat opposite hers.


    At that moment, a waiter walked over and asked what coffee he wanted.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Before Odell could speak, Lily said, ¡°Give Young Master Carter an Americano.¡±


    The waiter left after receiving the order.


    Odell looked toward Lily. ¡°How did you know my preference?¡± She smiled until her eyes curved into arches. ¡°| made a guess.¡±


    Odell pressed his lips together.


    Lily said, ¡°I lied. | had my assistant get the information from Assistant Bogard when she contacted him two days ago.¡±


    After speaking, she winked andughed yfully while maintaining herdylike elegance.


    Odell smirked.


    He did not like joking around with his business partners, but the Springsteen family and the Carter family had been friends for


    many generations. The project that Springsteen Corporation wanted to join was creative and promising


    Odell returned a smile out of courtesy. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s get into the main topic.¡±


    Lily was taken aback, but she returned to her usual self the next second. She smiled and said, ¡°Okay. | wonder what suggestions


    Young Master Carter has for this project?¡±


    ¡°| think there are a few parts that are inappropriate.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me about them.¡±


    ¡°Firstly, | suggest that the project''s construction site be switched to the new district . Although the new district has just started


    developing and can¡¯t bepared to the city center, it has good prospects. Our families have to establish a new market there


    too. Secondly...¡±


    His voice was husky and powerful like the ones on tapes. Every word was pronounced clearly.


    Lily sat opposite him and listened attentively.


    However, she could not help but stare at Odell¡¯s handsome face as she listened to him. Her head went nk uncontrobly.

 Chapter 714

    Chapter 714


    Itsted until Odell took a sip of his coffee. He said to Lily, ¡°These are all my suggestions.¡±


    Lily''s gaze changed. She quickly said, ¡°Okay, Young Master Carter. I¡¯ll have them make the changes after | return.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Odell put down his cup. ¡°Let¡¯s end our conversation here.¡±


    When Lily saw that he was about to stand up, so she said right away, ¡°Wait.¡±


    Odell looked toward her.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Lily smirked. The admiration in her gaze at him could not be hidden. ¡°Young Master Carter, | just took over my family¡¯s business,


    so there are a few things that | don¡¯t know how to handle. Can | get some guidance from you?¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°You¡¯ll know how to handle those matters after you work for some time.¡±


    As he spoke, he was going to stand up. ¡°I haven¡¯t told you about the questions yet, Young Master Carter,¡± Lily called him and


    looked at him with anticipation. ¡°Can you give me a few more minutes? | promise that | won¡¯t dy your time for too long.¡±


    Odell nced at the time.


    He had been there for almost 20 minutes. He was not worried about Liam. On the other hand, Isabel did not like to read or study.


    He had confiscated the phone she liked to y with. He did not know whether she would be obedient or not.


    However, a few minutes only meant exchanging a few sentences.


    After a moment, Odell looked toward Lily. ¡°You can talk.¡±


    The corners of Lily''s mouth curved up. She smiled and asked him, ¡°Young Master Carter, what will you do if you meet someone


    who made your heart pound during work?¡±


    Odell immediately replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never been attracted to anyone during work.¡±


    ¡°It''s just a hypothetical question.¡±


    ¡°There are no ¡®ifs¡¯.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°Does Ms. Springsteen have any other questions?¡±


    Lily smiled again. ¡°Can | have a meal with you tonight?¡±


    ¡°I''m not free tonight...¡±


    Smack.


    Sounds wereing from behind him all of a sudden.


    Odell was interrupted. He turned his head and had a look.


    He saw the two kids, who were supposed to be studying in his office obediently, behind him.


    Isabel had slipped and fallen on the floor. Liam¡¯s hands were ced below her armpits as he tried to help her get up.


    Seeing that Odell had discovered them, their actions stiffened. They looked toward him with big eyes.


    ¡°Young Master , Young Miss, why are you here?¡± Lily¡¯s surprised voice rang. Isabel got up with help from Liam. They walked to


    Odell¡¯s side. Odell was looking at them with a stern expression. Isabel quickly let out a ¡°hmph¡±. ¡°Baddie, didn¡¯t you say you''d


    come downstairs and be back soon? Why are you talking about love with this aunty? Are you going to have an affair again?¡± She


    got even more confident as she spoke.


    Odell felt a lump in his throat.


    Lily''s expression stiffened. After a moment, Odell stood up and carried Isabel in his arms.


    He turned back to look at Lily. ¡°Ms. Springsteen , | think you should consult other people on this question.¡±


    Lily smiled awkwardly. ¡°Sorry for troubling you.¡± Odell did not say anything else. He exited while carrying Isabel.


    Liam turned around to look at Lily. Then, he went after them.


    Lily sat at her ce. Her expression was stiff and awful.


    Did they not know that their mother had left with Thomas?


    Even if they did not know, they should not have eavesdropped on adults like that. How impolite of them!


    Odell quickly brought Isabel and Liam back to his office.


    On the way, he exined that he and Lily were merely business partners several times.

 Chapter 715

    Chapter 715


    Not only did Isabel not listen to Odell, but her eyes even reddened. She stared at him angrily. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she talk to you about


    work? Why did she have to ask whether you feel attracted? Why is she even treating you to a meal?¡±


    Although she was young, she had sharp eyes. That aunty¡¯s eyes were almost glued to Odell when she looked at him. It was


    obvious that she liked him!


    Odell was instantly speechless.


    Smack.


    He could not resist spanking Isabel''s butt. ¡°Where did you learn all these from?¡±


    Besides being well ¡ª spoken but unreasonable for a five year-old kid, she even knew about love.


    Isabel raised her chin and said smugly, ¡°Despite being young, I''ve watched many dramas.¡±


    She was proud.


    Odell''s mouth twitched.


    After that, his expression turned cold. He said to Isabel sternly, ¡°From today onward, you''re only allowed to be on the phone for


    an hour. It''ll be confiscated during the rest of the day.¡±


    Isabel''s eyes widened.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    How could she ept that she could only have her phone for an hour a day? She still had to watch many dramas every day!


    However, Baddie¡¯s expression was scary. It was scarier than her not being able to watch dramas.


    If Mommy were there, she would definitely not treat her so fiercely.


    She missed her mom.


    Isabel pouted. She raised her face and started crying.¡° Boo hoo... Baddie bullied Mommy until she left, and now he¡¯s bullying


    Izzy! Izzy misses Mommy! Izzy wants Mommy...¡±


    Her crying intensified . Big drops of tears slid down her chubby face.


    Odell¡¯s brows were knitted into a tight frown.


    If it were before, Isabel would not cry so hard even if he prohibited her from touching her phone for a day.


    She must have truly missed her mom.


    Odell toned down his emotions. He took out a handkerchief and wiped Isabel¡¯s tears. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m already looking for Mommy.¡±


    Isabel''s crying softened. She opened her eyes to look at


    him. ¡°Where¡¯s Mommy? Izzy wants to find her now...¡±


    ¡°| haven''t found her yet.¡±


    ¡°Boo hoo...¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Isabel''s mouth which was about to open closed immediately. She stared at him with red eyes.


    Odell wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes again. He said softly, ¡°I''ll tell you when | find her.¡±


    Isabel let out a ¡°hmph¡±.


    Odell sighed and said to Liam, ¡°Bring your sister to do her homework. I''ll check it tonight. Your homework tomorrow will be


    doubled if she doesn¡¯t do well.¡±


    Liam was expressionless. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The Springsteen family.


    Lily finished working and returned homete at night.


    The butler of the Springsteen family greeted her with a smile. The maids went up to her and took her bag and coat from her in an


    orderly manner.


    Lily walked to the living room.


    Under the extravagant chandelier , Madam Springsteen was taking a nap on the couch with a shawl over her.


    When she heard the sound of footsteps, she immediately opened her eyes to take a look.


    Seeing it was Lily, she said excitedly, ¡°Lily,e to Grandma¡¯s side.¡±


    Lily went over and sat down beside Madam Springsteen.


    Madam Springsteen stared at her and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the progress on the partnership with Carter Corporation ?¡± Lily said tiredly,


    ¡°It''s going well.¡± ¡°What about you and Young Master Carter?¡±


    Lily immediately frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no progress between


    Us.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Didn''t you two meet each other frequentlytely?¡± ¡°He¡¯s very busy, and sometimes he¡¯ll be pestered by the


    two kids.¡± Lily¡¯s expression turned cold upon recalling the scene in the cafe during the day. ¡°Especially his daughter. She doesn¡¯t


    know that her mom had left with Second Master Carter. She asked Young Master Carter whether he was going to have an affair


    when | exchanged a few more sentences with him. Young Master Carter carried her away and didn¡¯t even say goodbye to me.¡±

 Chapter 716

    Chapter 716


    Madam Springsteen said in shock, ¡°What? She¡¯s just a five -year-old child. How dare she question her father in public like that?


    How rude of her!¡±


    Lily also felt that Isabel was quite an unruly child too. However, there was nothing she could do about it. ¡°Young Master Carter


    dotes on her a lot.¡± ¡°Hmph. She really has been spoiled rotten!¡± Madam Springsteen was furious. She said, ¡°This isn¡¯t going to


    work. She¡¯s only five years old, yet she¡¯s already controlling him and not letting him interact with you. Due to Young Master


    Carter pandering so much to her, when she grows older, it''ll be harder for you to spend time with him.¡±


    Lily frowned. There was an annoyed expression on her face. ¡°You''re right, but | can¡¯t think of a good solution for that now.¡±


    She was the eldest youngdy of the Springsteen family. The line of men who wanted to woo her could stretch across the whole


    of Westchester City. There was no way she would even try to please a rude five-year-old child.


    Madam Springsteen pondered this matter for a moment before a thought suddenly came to her mind. She smiled and said, ¡°By


    the way, Ramona even asked about you and Young Master Carter today. She has a lot of ideas. | can


    ask her about it.¡±


    ¡°Is that Madam Carter¡¯s sister, Ramona Decker?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Young Master Carter greatly respects her. She''ll definitely be able to think of something.¡± Lily''s gaze brightened. ¡°Then you


    should call her to ask about it.¡±


    Madam Springsteen immediately picked up the handset of thendline phone that was on the coffee table.


    Two dayster, in the morning.


    It was a weekend.


    Perhaps it was because they had been under strict control in the past two days. Isabel, who would usually rush to climb into the


    car to follow him to thepany, now hid inside Madam Carter''s room right after breakfast.


    On the other hand, Liam calmly sat and read his book.


    Odell nced at him. ¡°Be good and stay at home with your sister. Call me if there are any problems.¡± Liam said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell turned around and walked out.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    When he got into his car and left, a ssy white car drove from the opposite end of the road and parked just outside the door.


    Sebastian heard the sound and walked out.


    Adriver opened the car door. Ramona got down from the car with an emerald ne around her neck.


    Sebastian smiled and greeted her. Ramona offered her hand to him. Sebastian quickly held it and helped her walk inside. As she


    walked , Ramona asked, ¡°How¡¯s my sister doingtely?¡± Sebastian replied, ¡°Madam Carter¡¯s health is the same as before.


    Everything is normal.¡±


    ¡°What about Odell?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Carter is doing fine too.¡±


    ¡°What about Izzy and Liam?¡±


    ¡°The young miss and young master are doing well.¡± ¡°The children are at home, right?¡± Ramona asked


    Sebastian thought that she was here to visit Madam Carter and the children so he quickly replied , ¡°They¡¯re here. They¡¯re


    apanying Madam Carter in her room.¡±


    Ramona lifted her chin and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Half an hourter.


    The car that Odell had sat in arrived at the entrance to Carter Tower.


    He got down from the car and walked in.


    The people that he passed stopped and greeted him.


    Odell walked past the crowd. Cliff, who had just arrived at work, quickly greeted Odell at the elevator. Walking alongside Odell,


    he reported , ¡± Young Master Carter, the private investigator you instructed to investigate Mrs. Carter has returned with some


    information.¡±

 Chapter 717

    Chapter 717


    Chapter 717


    Odell immediately halted his steps and looked at Cliff.¡° Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Two months ago, Mrs. Carter boarded a ne at nchester Airport with Second Master Carter. The ne was headed to


    Galston¡¯s capital, Woodville.¡±


    Odelle¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Is she still in Woodville?¡±


    ¡°The private investigator said he used all his connections in Woodville but couldn''t find any traces of Mrs. Carter. She¡¯s probably


    not in Woodsville any longer, but she¡¯s definitely still somewhere in Galston.¡±


    Galston was a developed coastal country. It was not very big, but it was not that small either. It was made up of more than ten


    cities of different sizes, and every city had arge poption of locals and immigrants. There are even a few cities where


    criminal gangs aremon. It¡¯s quite a mixture of people.¡± Odell frowned. ¡°Contact the local private investigators in Galston and


    continue the investigation.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cliff replied.¡±By the way, Young Master Carter, there¡¯s some information that the private investigator discovered about


    Second Master Carter as well.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold instantly.


    Cliff said in a low voice, ¡°Second Master Carter seems to be the leader of an organization with unknown motives. It has been


    operating underground and also with the government. The organization has handled many illegal businesses and is rted to


    several famous underground organizations overseas.¡±


    Odell snorted. ¡°He¡¯s really not that simple of a person.¡±


    To think that he had thought that Thomas was just a naive fool whose only interest was ying the piano in the past. He had not


    expected him to turn out to be such a cunning fox.


    Suddenly, the phone in Odell¡¯s pocket rang.


    He took his phone out. It was Sebastian who had called. He ced the phone to his ear. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sebastian?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Carter, you have toe back now,¡± Sebastian said urgently. ¡°Madam Carter¡¯s sister came right after you left. |


    thought she was here to visit Madam Carter, as well as the young miss, and young master. | didn¡¯t expect her to tell the young


    miss and young master about Mrs. Carter and Second Master Carter. She even said that you and Mrs. Carter had already gotten


    a divorce long ago. The young miss is throwing a tantrum and demanding to leave home to look for her mom. The young master


    isn¡¯t able to hold her back either.¡± Odell¡¯s expression darkened. He immediately turned


    around and walked outside. At the same time, he said, ¡°Ask Ben and Jacob to keep an eye on them. I''m heading back now.¡±


    Cliff quickly went up to Odell and asked, ¡°Did something happen, Young Master Carter?¡±


    ¡°It''s a family matter. Continue contacting the private investigators in Galston and offer them a highmission. Ask them to find


    that woman''s location as soon as possible!¡±


    Cliff replied, ¡°Okay. I''ll do it right now.¡±


    The ck MPV was speeding on the road.


    Odell reached his ce within 20 minutes.


    He pushed the car door open and got out of the car.


    Before he had even entered the door, he could hear Isabel wailing


    Her throat had be hoarse and she sounded extfemely sad.


    Odell¡¯s brows knitted into a tight frown. He quickened his steps and went into the living room.


    Sebastian, a few maids, Ben, and Jacob were standing together, forming a human barrier as they encircled Isabel and Liam.


    Isabel was sitting on the floor with a backpack full of stuff on her back. Her favorite pink bag had been slung across her body


    She hugged her pink bag, not allowing anyone to touch her. She was all choked up as she sobbed, ¡°Izzy wants to find Mommy...


    You are all bad people. Let me go out now


    Her little face had turned red from crying, and her eyes were swollen.


    Sebastian had tears in his eyes from witnessing the heartbreaking scene before him. Ben, Jacob, and other people around


    Isabel were looking at her worriedly.


    However, they had already tried everything in their efforts to try and coax her. They hadpletely run out of ideas on how to


    coax her any further.


    Luckily, Isabel was still willing to talk to Liam and let him wipe her tears.


    As Odell quickly walked over, he saw Liam wiping Isabel¡¯s tears with a wet wipe.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The girl was sniffing and sobbing. She looked utterly pitiful.


    Odell immediately became anxious. He quickly moved forward to take Isabel into his arms.


    When Isabel saw him, she pouted and started crying more


    pitifully. ¡°Boo hoo... Baddie, please take me to find Mommy now. Izzy wants Mommy...¡±


    Odell pressed her face to his chest as he moved to carry her upstairs.


    After taking two steps, he turned toward Liam, who was still sitting on the floor. ¡°Youe along too.¡¯


    Liam did not say a word. He stood up obediently and followed Odell.

 Chapter 718

    Chapter 718


    Odell took them to his study upstairs.


    The study was facing the sun, so the sunlight shone through the windows and the temperature wasfortable as well.


    Odell sat down on the sofa with Isabel in his arms. At the same time, he looked over at Liam.


    Liam then climbed up to sit beside Odell. The little girl was still sobbing, but her cries had be softer than it had been


    downstairs.


    Odell wiped her tears. Then, he asked, ¡°What did Grand Aunt Ramona tell you?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°She said that you and Mommy had gotten divorced a long time ago and that she had not left us because she


    fought with you. Instead, she has run away with Uncle Thomas to go abroad. She also said that Mommy didn¡¯t want us anymore


    and told us not to meddle in your private life.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Seeing that he had not said a word, Isabel asked, ¡°Baddie, what she said was false, right? She was just lying to brother and me,


    right?¡±


    ¡°There are both truths and lies in her words.¡±


    Isabel frowned and asked, ¡°Which of them is true and which one is false?¡±


    ¡°It''s true that your mommy and | have gotten divorced. She then developed feelings for Uncle Thomas after we got divorced. She


    didn¡¯t run away with him. They''re actually together in a proper way.¡± Odell suppressed his anger as he said this. He said while


    stroking Isabel''s head lightly, ¡°Mommy wouldn¡¯t abandon you guys. She might¡¯ve been dyed by some issues and could not get


    in touch with you two in time. Daddy will find her as soon as possible and ask her to return a message to you.¡±


    Isabel''s eyes widened. There was surprise and confusion in her eyes.


    Mommy had really divorced Baddie.


    Mommy had even got together with Uncle Thomas.


    Was that not a plot that would only appear in TV dramas?


    However, why had Mommy not given her and her brother a call? Had she been dyed by some problems?


    After a short while, she looked at him with her reddened eyes and bashfully asked, ¡°Baddie, is everything you said


    true?¡±


    Odell said, ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°But Great-Aunt Ramona said Mommy doesn¡¯t want Izzy


    and brother anymore.¡±


    ¡°She lied to you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Isabel looked toward Odell with teary eyes.


    Odell¡¯s chest tightened. He wiped her tears with his fingertips and replied softly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Isabel''s tears stopped flowing.


    She sniffled and then she huffed, ¡°Izzy hates Great-Aunt Ramona.¡±


    Odell sensed that something was not right. He asked, ¡° Did she say anything else about you?¡±


    Isabel pouted.


    Before she spoke, Liam said, ¡°Great -Aunt Ramona said Isabel has bad manners and that she''ll be an unwanted, naughty


    kid if she keeps meddling in your private life.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression went cold instantly.


    Had he been giving Great-Aunt Ramona too much respect? She had actually dared to enter his house and speak in that way to


    his children!


    He took a moment to suppress his anger before saying to Isabel, ¡°Great-Aunt Ramona is indeed hateful. Daddy won''t allow her


    toe over anymore.¡±


    Isabel''s big eyes blinked. Then, she rested against his


    chest and replied, ¡°Mm.¡±


    Her baby voice was cute and sweet as she became well ¡ª behaved again.


    Odell¡¯s gaze rxed. He spoke to Liam. ¡°Call me immediately if anyone mentions Mommy to you, okay?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°Okay.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    After some time had passed.


    Once Isabel''s emotions had stabilized and she was sleeping soundly in his arms, he finally carried Isabel back downstairs again.


    Liam was beside him.


    When the father and children came downstairs, Sebastian and the others looked at them at the same time.


    Odell looked at Sebastian and said in a low voice,¡° Sebastian, please inform Great-Aunt Ramona that it will not be necessary for


    her toe here to visit Grandmother anymore. If shees again, I''ll revoke her monthly living expenses.¡± Sebastian quickly


    replied, ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll give her a call immediately.¡±


    He was also quite angry that ady of such an advanced age woulde to pick a fight with a five-year-old child.


    He would call her immediately after Young Master Carter went out and ry Young Master Carter¡¯s exact words to her. He would


    see if she still dared toe in the future!


    That same evening.


    While Odell was sitting in the office and handling some matters, Lily gave him a call. He nced at Isabel, who had dozed off on


    his desk, and ced the phone next to his ear.


    Lily said apologetically through the phone, ¡°Young Master Carter, | heard from my grandmother that Aunt Ramona went to look


    for the young master and young miss this morning because of me. Is that true?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened.


    He had intended on talking to her about it, but he had not expected her to call him first.


    Lily seemed to sense his mood from the other side of the call. She said hastily, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Young Master


    Carter. | didn¡¯t tell my grandmother anything. Grandmother and Aunt Ramona have always wanted to bring us together. Since


    we''re working on a coboration together now, my grandmother likes to ask if anything else has happened between us. Having


    no other choice, | used the excuse of saying that the children didn¡¯t want you to have a girlfriend. Both she and Great


    Aunt Ramona are close friends. | guess she mentioned it to her, and Great-Aunt Ramona went to look for the young master and


    young miss.¡±


    After exining, she said guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to have caused trouble to you, the young master and young miss.¡±


    Her tone was sincere.

 Chapter 719

    Chapter 719


    Odell¡¯s expression softened, but his voice remained cold.¡° It¡¯s okay. You didn¡¯t do it intentionally, Ms. Springsteen. However, I¡¯m


    not a good match for you. If Madam Springsteen asks about us again, you can just tell her that I¡¯m not interested in women at the


    moment.¡±


    For a few moments, Lily was at a loss for words but then she recovered and said, ¡°Okay, | understand. I¡¯m truly sorry about this


    incident.¡±


    Odell did not say anything else and hung up the phone. He nced at Isabel, who was still sleeping soundly, and the cold


    expression on his face eased.


    At the Springsteen family¡¯s home. Lily stared at the phone screen that had gone dark and frowned unhappily. That man truly did


    not know how to treat a woman with tenderness.


    Madam Springsteen had been sitting by Lily¡¯s side throughout the call. Seeing that Lily had put away her phone, she asked, ¡°Lily,


    how was it? What did Young Master Carter say? Did he believe you?¡±


    ¡°He most probably did, but the tone of his voice was not very nice so he must''ve been quite angry.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. He¡¯s angry at Ramona for going to his home and making that rude little girl cry, not you.¡±


    She had a point there. Lily had already given an exnation and pushed the responsibility off herself. Odell would surely not be


    mad at her.


    Besides, his two kids already knew that he and his ex wife had gotten a divorce. Her goal had been achieved.


    Lily''s expression changed, but a smirk soon appeared on her face again.


    Having received Odell¡¯s warning , Ramona did note back to look for the children for some time afterward.


    The two children had be quieter than before. Odell did not feel at ease leaving them at home so he would take them to the


    company from time to time. When the summer break ended and school started again, he sent the children to preschool.


    The contract for the joint project with Springsteen Corporation had also been signed and preparations were underway to start the


    project.


    There was a regr pattern to Odell¡¯s everyday life. First, he would send the two children to preschool before going


    to thepany. He would then keep busy untilte at night. asionally, he would pick the kids up from preschool when he got


    off work early. He would also make an effort to keep his weekends free for them.


    The days passed quickly and soon, three months went by in the blink of an eye. The temperature dropped, and the weather


    turned cold. Winter arrived in Westchester City. There was still no news about that woman.


    Knock knock


    The sound of someone knocking on the door could be hearding from outside the office.


    Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the man concealed the darkness in his gaze. He extinguished the cigarette and


    threw it inside the ashtray.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door was pushed open and Cliff entered with a document.


    ¡°Young Master Carter, this is the document that you wanted.¡±


    ¡°Leave it there.¡± Odell sat down behind the office table after speaking. Cliff ced the document in front of him. After seeing


    Odell¡¯s expression, Cliff said softly, ¡°Young Master


    Carter, there¡¯s still an hour until the start of the event held by Westchester Business Association.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°Remind me in half an hour''s time.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cliff turned around and exited the room.


    The Westchester Business Association would hold a few events every year. The event that would be held that night was a


    businessworking event. Large and small businesses that were members of the business association had been invited.


    The venue for the event would be the Westchester Hotel.


    Even before the event had started, the hotel¡¯s parking lot was already filled with all sorts of luxury cars.


    Young and talented youths, as well as mature and experienced business tycoons , had arrived beforehand.


    Men wore suits, while women wore exquisite evening gowns. They were greeting each other and chatting in small groups with


    wine sses in their hand.


    Just as the event was about to start, Lily entered wearing an exquisitely made haute couture dress.


    The venue instantly fell silent and everyone turned their heads at the sound.


    Even the business association¡¯s president went up to


    wee her with a smile.


    Lily smiled and shook hands with the president before entering the venue.


    As she was entering, she would sweep her eyes over the crowd from time to time.


    A frown was just about to appear on her face because she could not find a certain person, the crowd suddenly became agitated.


    The people who had just been staring at her a moment ago suddenly rushed to the entrance. There was someone velling in the


    crowd, ¡°It looks like Young Master Carter is here!


    Lily''s gaze changed and she immediately turned to look at the entrance.


    Soon, a towering figure entered while being surrounded by people


    The man was wearing an haute couture suit that was simple but expensive. He looked strong and handsome under the lights,


    but he seemed so cold to the extent that no one dared to go too near to him.


    Lily stood at the same spot.


    Within a short time, Odell came to stand by her side.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Lily smiled at him. ¡°Good evening. Young Master Carter.¡± ¡°Good evening, ¡± Odell replied, before walking right past

 Chapter 720

    Chapter 720


    The expression on Lily¡¯s face froze.


    However, it was only for a moment before she quickly turned to follow him.


    She felt that she understood his personality pretty well due to the time she had spent interacting with him on the joint project.


    He just had a standoffish personality and did not like to talk much.


    He was also the head of the Carter Corporation and the wealthiest person in Westchester City. He was young and handsome


    too. It was normal for such a person to have some attitude.


    Lily followed him to the seating area.


    Odell sat down on a sofa.


    Lily stood still without moving from her spot. Once the single ¡ª seat sofas on both sides of Odell had been filled, she smiled and


    said, ¡°Young Master Carter , would you mind if | sat beside you?¡±


    Odell looked around, then replied, ¡°Please feel free to do so, Ms. Springsteen.¡±


    Lily smiled and sat beside him at a distance of ten


    centimeters away.


    When she sat down, many people¡¯s gazes focused on them, including the president of the business association sitting on the


    single-seated sofa that was on Odell¡¯s right. The president of the business association was an old man. Upon seeing the


    situation, he smiled and said, ¡°Oh, it seems that Young Master and Ms. Springsteen seem to know each other well.¡±


    Just like today, Odell had never brought a femalepanion whenever he attended the business association''s events in the


    past. He would never sit with any other people, whether it was anyone of the same gender, much less any member of the


    opposite sex. No one dared to sit next to him.


    Odell frowned.


    Lily noticed his expression and quickly said to the president, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand , Mr. Crawford. Springsteen


    Corporation and Carter Corporation have been working on a project togethertely, so I''ve met Young Master Carter many times


    during this period of time. We''re quite familiar with each other, but we''re just good friends.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Mr. Crawford smiled and said, ¡°Oh no, no, | didn¡¯t misunderstand anything.¡± However, he continued to look at them in a teasing


    manner.


    Lily and Odell were a perfect match. Even their family backgrounds were simr. In the eyes of other people , they looked like a


    match made in heaven.


    Lily noticed the look the president was giving them but did not correct him further.


    Soon, Mr. Crawford started talking to them regarding topics on business.


    He asked for their opinions on some things that had urredtely. Lily immediately expressed her opinions. There was logic


    and key points in her words, all of which she expressed very eloquently


    From time to time, Mr. Crawford would look at her very appreciatively.


    Odell sipped from the wine ss that he held in his hand. He would only give a reply when a question was directly addressed to


    him.


    They chatted like that for a while but Mr. Crawford sensed that Odell was not interested in those topics at all. He quickly switched


    the topic by saying, ¡°Let''s not talk about these matters anymore. You guys were called here to have fun today. The dancing has


    already started. Young Master Carter and Ms. Springsteen , why don¡¯t you both have a dance together?¡±


    Lily''s expression changed and she looked toward Odell.


    Looking indifferent, Odell pressed his lips together. It seemed as if he had no intention of replying.


    The atmosphere fell silent for a few seconds.


    Lily smiled and said, ¡°Young Master Carter, could | invite you to dance?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Lily maintained her smile and said gracefully, ¡°Young Master Carter, seeing that ourpanies will be working together, please


    just do me the honor of dancing with


    me.


    After she spoke, not only did Mr. Crawford stare at Odell, but a few people around them looked over too.


    They were mostly prominent figures of Westchester City.


    Odell sighed.


    Forget it. He could not reject a woman in front of so many people.


    ¡°You''re too modest, Ms. Springsteen. Being able to dance with you would be my honor,¡± Odell stood up as he answered politely.


    Lily immediately smiled sweetly at him.


    Odell returned her smile and walked to the dance floor with her.


    Several people with sharp eyes dancing on the dance floor


    spotted them and made way for them. The brightly ¡ª lit dance floor was emptied very quickly. Odell and Lily walked to the middle


    of the dance floor.


    He extended a hand to her in a gentlemanly manner.


    Lily ced her hand on his while smiling bashfully.


    After that, both of them danced along to the romantic music.

 Chapter 721

    Chapter 721


    Chapter 721


    Everyone around the dance floor had their eyes glued to the scene before them.


    Some people could not help but discuss what they were seeing. ¡°Young Master Carter and Ms. Springsteen look so good


    together. Are they already a couple?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t hear anything about it, but isn¡¯t Young Master Carter married with children?¡±


    ¡°He does have children, but he already divorced his wife long ago.¡± ¡°But | never heard any news of him and Ms. Springsteen


    being together.¡±


    ¡°When have you seen Young Master Carter dancing with a woman at these events? There must be something going on between


    them even if they¡¯re not officially together.¡±


    The background music obscured some of their chatter, so they could not be heard unless one was listening closely. Odell was


    not interested in anyone¡¯s chatter so he did not listen attentively. He simply wanted to end the dance as soon as possible.


    Lily kept the corners of her mouth curved up the whole time, as she smiled at him sweetly.


    For thest moment at the end of the dance, they performed a dip in which she leaned her back against Odell¡¯s arm, with one of


    her legs bent.


    Their perfect movements and outstanding appearances immediately sparked a round of apuse.


    Odell brought Lily back upright and moved to exit the dance floor.


    However, just as he had brought Lily¡¯s body upright, he found that her face was right in front of him.


    Before he could react, she pecked him on the side of his


    lips.


    He frowned and let her go immediately.


    Before his expression could change, Lily smiled and said, ¡°Young Master Carter, thank you for dancing with me.¡±


    Odell recalled that she had grown up overseas where kissing was normal. Therefore, he suppressed his emotions.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to say thank you,¡± he said coldly. Then, he turned and walked away from the dance floor.


    Lily''s gaze changed and she followed him out.


    At that moment, some of the people around the dance


    floor were still wide-eyed with shock, while some others turned to look at Odell and Lily teasingly.


    They had already kissed in public. What else could it mean other than that they were together?


    The event only endedte that night.


    Odell walked out of the hotel apanied by Mr. Crawford and a few business tycoons.


    Their cars had been driven to the entrance outside by their respective drivers. The group halted and smiled at Odell.


    Mr. Crawford said, ¡°Young Master Carter, be careful on your way back.¡±


    A middle-aged man said, ¡°Young Master Carter, do remember to invite us when you and Ms. Springsteen get married.¡±


    Another person added, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Odell frowned and replied, ¡°Ms. Springsteen and | don¡¯t have the kind of rtionship that you are all thinking about.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Young Master Carter. We''re all acquaintances here. You don¡¯t have to keep it from us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Besides, you and Ms. Springsteen are a good match. There¡¯s nothing to hide.¡±


    Odell was about to exin when Lily walked over from the side.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She stood beside him and said while smiling at those people, ¡°Mr. Crawford, Mr. Williams, Mr. Moore, you have all really


    misunderstood Young Master Carter and me. We''re just friends and not what you think.¡±


    Mr. Crawford and the othersughed. ¡°Okay. Whatever you say.¡±


    ¡°It''ste. We won''t disturb you two anymore and we''ll take our leave first.¡±


    Before Lily could say anything else, they walked away. Lily looked toward Odell with her brows knitted in a tight frown. ¡°I¡¯m sorry


    to have caused you trouble again, Young Master Carter.¡± Her expression was apologetic. Although Odell was unhappy, he would


    not be that calctive about such things. He replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let''s keep a distance from each other in future and the


    misunderstanding should then clear up.¡±

 Chapter 722

    Chapter 722


    Lily winked and said with a smile, ¡°But what if | don¡¯t want them to clear up the misunderstanding?¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze darkened.


    Lily said hastily, ¡°I was just joking. Why are you so serious?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression was still grim as he said, ¡°I don¡¯t like this kind of joke.¡±


    The moment he finished speaking , he walked to where his car was parked.


    Lily walked beside him. ¡°Okay. | won¡¯t make these kinds of jokes in the future.¡±


    Odell did not give her a reply. Instead, he walked to the car and got in.


    ¡°Young Master Carter, do you miss your ex-wife?¡± Lily suddenly asked.


    Odell¡¯s gaze went dark and his whole face turned gloomy.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied.


    Lily looked flustered, but after a few seconds, she regained herposure. With a smile, she asked, ¡°Do you have any ns for


    a second marriage?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Odell¡¯s tone was still cold, but it was not as severe as it had been earlier.


    Lily did not know whether to feel relieved or be depressed. She said in a resigned tone of voice, ¡°Alright, | won¡¯t disturb you


    anymore. Goodbye.¡±


    She politely took a few steps back.


    The driver closed the door and went back to the driver''s seat.


    The ck MPV soon vanished in the traffic.


    Lily''s smile disappeared right away as well.


    Why was he not intending on marrying again? Did he really not miss that woman anymore?


    Half an hourter, the ck MVP stopped outside the front door of Odell¡¯s residence.


    Odell got down from the car and walked inside.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sebastian came out to wee Odell as usual, but he pressed his lips together out of fear after seeing his dark expression.


    Odell asked him, ¡°Have the children gone to sleep?¡± Sebastian replied, ¡°They''re already asleep.¡± Odell did not ask further.


    He tookrge strides as he went upstairs and went to the children¡¯s bedroom.


    There were two beds in the bedroom.


    Isabel was not sleeping on her little pink bed. She had climbed onto Liam''s bed again.


    At this moment, her little chubby face was pressed against Liam''s ear with one arm wrapped around him too.


    The siblings were sleeping soundly. Odell approached the bed.


    Although Isabel was chubbier than Liam, they still looked quite simr. They had inherited their simrities from that woman.


    For example, their brows and eyes.


    After staring at them for some time, Odell bent over and touched the siblings¡¯ brows and eyes lightly without thinking


    He only snapped back to his senses after a while.


    His expression darkened. Then, he stood up and walked out.


    Upon returning to his bedroom, he walked to the balcony, took out a cigarette and lighter, and started smoking.


    He soon exhaled the white smoke through his lips.


    After some time had passed, there was a pile of cigarette butts around his feet, but the gloominess in his eyes still had not


    disappeared. How happy of a life was that f*cking woman leading in the outside world that she had not even sent a message to


    the children?


    Bang


    The metal cigarette box was crushed by his hands and thrown to the floor.


    Odell turned around and went back inside. He retrieved his phone that had been ced on the bed.


    There were quite a lot of messages on the phone. They were greetings that had been sent by other people.


    On the other hand, his chat history with that woman remained empty. He opened her Instagram profile. Herst post was still


    dated more than five months ago


    She had clearly not blocked him, but why had she not posted anything since then? Why had she not replied to any of his


    messages?

 Chapter 723

    Chapter 723


    Chapter 723


    Was she dead?


    Odell¡¯s fingers scrolled the phone screen until he returned to his chat interface with her.


    He pressed the voice recording button and said in a deep voice, ¡°Sylvia, this is myst time informing you. If you don¡¯t reply to


    me with a message by tomorrow, you''re no longer Liam and Izzy''s mother. Even if you were about to die in the future, don¡¯t even


    think of meeting them even one more time again!¡±.


    With the release of his finger, the message was sent.


    His dark, deep-set eyes stared at the screen.


    A dayter.


    It waste at night when Odell put down thest document that he had gone through and took his phone.


    The screen only still had the message he sent herst night.


    There was still no reply from her. Odell closed his eyes and forcefully suppressed his emotions which had almost be


    uncontroble. After a moment, he abruptly stood up and walked outside. Half an hourter, the ck MPV stopped outside Lush


    Heaven. Cliff and Jacob, who were with Odell, had brought about ten bodyguards with them into Lush Heaven. Odell headed


    straight for the premium private room and sat on the ck leather sofa.


    There was a sudden sound of amotion, but not long after, the nightclub went silent.


    Amanager who was working there ran in with a bitter look on his face. ¡°Young Master Carter, we''re really not lying to you. Ms.


    Fowler is not here. It¡¯s been a week since shest came here. | heard that she was abducted by her ex-boyfriend. We haven''t


    been able to contact her until now either!¡±


    Odell picked up a wine ss andzily took a sip of wine.


    Cliff, who was standing beside him, nced at his expression. Then, he said to the manager, ¡°Manager Walker, please think of a


    way to contact her as soon as possible. If you manage to do so, Young Master Carter will immediately allow your store to be


    back in business.¡±


    Manager Walker was on the verge of tears.


    However, the expression of the man on the seat was intimidatingly grim, so Manager Walker did not dare to


    say anything else. He had no choice but to think of a way of contacting Sherry.


    The dim private room went silent again. The alcohol on the man¡¯s table very quickly disappeared.


    Cliff said softly, ¡°Young Master Carter, it¡¯s very easy to get drunk on this wine. You might want to drink a little less.¡±


    Odell picked up thest ss of wine and asked Cliff,¡° Have you found out Sherry¡¯s location?¡±


    Cliff quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating it these past few days. | can confirm that she¡¯s indeed not here. | heard that


    something happened in her family, so they sold her. | think they sold her to the York family.¡± Cliff studied Odell¡¯s expression and


    said, ¡°Young Master York and Ms. Fowler had a rtionship before. It seemed like their breakup had been rather unpleasant.


    Now that Young Master York has regained control of the York family¡¯spany, | think Ms. Fowler is likely in his hands now.¡±


    ¡°Is Young Master York in Westchester City now?¡±


    ¡°No. | think Young Master York never returned since he cut ties with the York family a few years ago.¡±


    The ss of wine was emptied very quickly.


    Odell ced the ss back onto the table. He said in a low voice, ¡°Dismiss the people downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cliff was about to head out after replying. ¡°Wait.¡±


    Cliff halted his steps and looked toward Odell.


    Odell was leaning against the sofa. His unhappy gaze was focused on the table.


    ¡°Bring more drinks up,¡± he said.


    Cliff did not dare to disobey him. He replied, ¡°Okay.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Lush Heaven was the nightclub that ranked first not only because of its size and great interior but also the


    iparable alcohol that was served there.


    The bartenders there were top-ss.


    Not long after Cliff went downstairs, several waiters brought a few trays of various alcoholic drinks and lined them up on the table


    in front of Odell.


    The man picked each ss up, one after another.


    Half of them were finished in a blink of an eye.


    Cliff saw his cold expression, but did not dare to say anything to stop him. The ringtone from a phone rang out at that moment.


    When Cliff looked toward the man who was still drinking, Cliff quickly said, ¡°Young Master Carter , your phone is

 Chapter 724

    Chapter 724


    Chapter 724 Bang!


    After the phone fell to the floor, he kicked the table in front of him as well, and caused it to flip.


    The wine sses shattered all over the ground.


    Odell remained sitting in the same spot. The anger roiling in his eyes was even scarier than the mess on the floor.


    Cliff stepped back out of fear. He pressed his lips together, not daring to make a sound.


    The man shouted, ¡°Bring more alcohol here!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cliff replied and ran out hastily.


    The dim private room was soon filled with the smell of alcohol.


    The man had be so utterly drunk that he did not smash any more phones or flip any tables. Instead, he was ying with a


    wood-carved tortoise.


    He continuously rubbed it in his hands as if he wanted to crush the tortoise to pieces.


    Ding


    The untimely ringing of a phone rang out in the air again.


    Odell raised his gaze and looked over.


    Cliff was startled and quickly said, ¡°It''s my phone, Young Master Carter. I''ll go out to answer the call right now.¡±


    Then, he quickly made his way outside. Odell withdrew his gaze and continued fiddling with the tortoise.


    After ying with it for a while, his consciousness began to blur from his extreme state of drunkenness. He leaned against the


    sofa and slept.


    On the other hand, Cliff had answered the call.


    Unexpectedly, the person who had called him was Lily. ¡°Ms. Springsteen, how may | help you?¡± Cliff asked politely. Lily asked,


    ¡°Assistant Bogard, do you know where Young Master Carter is? | don¡¯t know why he¡¯s not picking up my calls.¡±


    Recalling the phone that Odell had smashed to the ground, Cliff said, ¡°Young Master Carter isn¡¯t at thepany now, and it¡¯s not


    inconvenient for him to answer any calls now. Do you have any business with him?¡±


    ¡°| just wanted to greet him. Could you tell me where he is now?¡±


    She was the young miss of the Springsteen family, after all. It would be difficult for Cliff to hide it from her.


    Therefore, he answered honestly, ¡°Young Master Carter is at Lush Heaven now. I''ll ry your greeting to him when he¡¯s sober.¡±


    The night passed and soon it was morning.


    In the dim private room.


    The man started to regain his consciousness.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    In a blur, he found that he was holding a soft hand in the palm of his hand.


    The touch of the hand was the same as that woman.


    He was startled.


    ¡°Sylvia!¡±


    He shouted. At the same time, he strongly pulled that hand into his embrace.


    The woman shrieked.


    Odell opened his eyes and saw the woman that he had pulled into his arms.


    It was not Sylvia but Lily. He immediately became alert. His gaze changed, and he released his grip on her. Lily quickly got up


    and stepped back.


    Her expression changed. Quickly giving him a polite smile, she asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t startle you, right, Young Master Carter?¡±


    Odell sat up and nced at Cliff, who was standing nearby. ¡°Pour a cup of water for me.¡±


    Cliff replied and walked out.


    Only then did Odell look toward Lily. ¡°Ms. Springsteen, when did youe here?¡±


    Lily nced at the time on her watch. Then, she replied with a tired gaze, ¡°I''ve been here for more than five hours.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    It was the morning of the next day. Had shee at midnightst night? Odell eyed Lily.


    Her clothes were neat, and there were no signs of them being torn.


    Cliff had been standing guard, so there was no way Odell would have done something rude in his drunken state.


    Odell said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry | startled you just now.¡± Lily said with a smile, ¡°Young Master Carter had grabbed my hand and held it for a


    whole night until | couldn¡¯t even pull it back. You should apologize to me, or else I''ll


    take it to heart.¡±


    She rubbed her left hand as she spoke.

 Chapter 725

    Chapter 725


    Odell pressed his lips together. Then, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lilyughed and said, ¡°If you really want to apologize , then treat me to a meal. I¡¯m a little hungry from sitting here for so long.¡±


    At that moment, Cliff brought the ss of warm water that Odell had requested for.


    Odell epted the ss and took a few sips. After that, he instructed Cliff, ¡°Go and book a restaurant. Ms. Springsteen and | will


    head over there immediately.¡±


    Cliff''s expression changed. He could not resist sneaking a nce at Lily. Then, he said, ¡°Okay, Young Master Carter.¡±


    Cliff went to carry out his orders.


    Odell got up from the sofa. His gaze shifted toward the phone that was still on the ground.


    The screen had already shattered.


    His gaze darkened.


    However, at the same time, Lily picked up the phone and passed it to Odell. She smiled and asked, ¡°Is this your phone, Young


    Master Carter?¡±.


    ¡°Mm. Thank you.¡± Odell took the phone from her.


    Lily followed him out. She asked again, ¡°Did the phone offend you somehow? Why did you treat it so cruelly?¡±


    ¡°It identally fell onto the floor.¡±


    His voice was cold, obviously not pleased with her questions, even though she had asked them in a humorous way.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lilyughed. She was tactful and did not ask further questions.


    Cliff prepared the car.


    Odell and Lily walked out of Lush Heaven and took the car to a breakfast cafe.


    The cafe¡¯s environment was nice. It was secluded and elegant. The food there tasted good too.


    The moment they entered, Lily chose a seat by the windows.


    Odell sat down opposite her.


    Both of their movements were elegant as they ate.


    After he finished eating, Odell put down his cutlery. He then said to Lily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry forst night. I¡¯m willing to add more funds to


    the joint project. You can bring up any other requests you have, Ms. Springsteen.¡±


    Lily blinked her eyes. ¡°Will Young Master Carter agree to any request of mine?¡±


    ¡°I''ll satisfy your requests to the best of my abilities as long as it''s within a reasonable range.¡±


    Lily pondered about it. ¡°Well... Can Young Master Carter give me some time? | haven''t thought of what | want. I¡¯ll let you know


    when | think of something, okay?¡±


    Odell replied right away, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After speaking , he got up. ¡°I''ll be taking my leave first. Please enjoy your meal, Ms. Springsteen.¡±


    Lily said with a smile , ¡°Goodbye, Young Master Carter.¡±


    Odell nodded and walked out.


    Only after he got in his car and left did the smile on Lily¡¯s face gradually cooled.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She had taken the opportunity to stuff her hand into Odell¡¯s hand when Cliff had not been paying attention. However, Odell had


    slept in a proper manner until morning. He had not had any other thoughts. However, he had probably yanked her into his


    embrace just now in Lush Heaven because he had mistaken her for that lowly woman.


    Never mind that. That woman would definitely not be able to return. Besides, Lily''s rtionship with Odell would most likely


    improve very soon.


    Upon thinking of that, she nced at a paparazzi hiding behind a pir.


    That paparazzi made an ¡°Ok¡± sign to her and left with his camera.


    A dayter.


    Odell finished working and returned to his homete at night.


    The lights outside of the door were lit. Sebastian came out to greet him as usual.


    Odell asked, ¡°Have Liam and Izzy slept?¡±


    Sebastian replied, ¡°They went back to their room after having their dinner. They must be asleep already.¡±


    Odell nodded. As usual, he went to their room after entering the house.


    The room''s lights were off and it was pitch ck.


    Odell turned on the lights.


    Next, he saw Isabel sitting on Liam¡¯s bed. Her hands were folded across her chest and she was staring at him with her big,


    round eyes.


    Liam was not as fierce. He was not staring at Odell. He simply looked at him quietly, but he was not very friendly either.


    Odell frowned. ¡°Why aren''t you asleep at such ate hour?¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Hmph!¡± Liam said, ¡°We couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    They obviously had something to say about Odell.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned stern. ¡°Why couldn''t you sleep?¡± Isabel said, ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re already going around with another woman


    behind our backs. How could we be in the mood to sleep?¡±

 Chapter 726

    Chapter 726


    Chapter 726


    They were behaving as if he had betrayed them. Odell was speechless. ¡°Who told you that | was dating another woman?¡±


    Isabel turned to look at Liam as the little boy took out his phone.


    Odell walked to their bedside and took the phone. He saw the webpage of a local economics newspaper¡¯s gossip section on the


    screen.


    This section would often post some gossip news about celebrities in Westchester City.


    Currently, the headlines were about him and Lily.


    He immediately saw a picture of when he and Lily had walked out of Lush Heaven and another where they were enjoying


    breakfast together. The paparazzi had been very good at capturing the pictures. Even though they had not had any physical


    contact, they looked intimate in every picture and appeared to be like a couple who were in a rtionship.


    The captions for the pictures reinforced this idea even further.


    For example: ¡°We''ve heard from Lush Heaven that Miss


    Springsteen spent the whole night in the private room with Master Carter. It makes us wonder what happened during the night.¡±


    The number ofments had already exceeded more than ten thousand.


    ¡°Hehe, they stayed in the private room for a whole night? Master Carter and Miss Springsteen really know how to live it up.¡±


    ¡°They danced and kissed at the event held by the Westchester Business Association before. They must be dating!¡±


    ¡°If they are not together, I''ll livestream myself eating sh*


    ia


    ¡°But both of them are from wealthy families. Why would they meet in a nightclub?¡±


    ¡°Hey, thement before me, don¡¯t you know how exciting it is?¡±


    Odell''s face darkened as he read thements.


    Soon, he exited the website and put the phone in his pocket.


    He looked at Liam and the very angry Isabel. ¡°I¡¯m not in a rtionship with her. Do not focus on such gossip anymore and go to


    sleep immediately.


    Isabel pouted, and unwillinglyid down on her bed.


    Liam followed suit.


    Odell pursed his lips, turned around, and walked out. Walking out of the room, he quickly called Cliff and ordered him to contact


    the economics newspaper. He wanted the article about him and Lily deleted as soon as possible and to control the heated


    discussion on the Inte.


    After that, he returned to the kids¡¯ room to check if they had obediently gone to sleep. Just when he had stopped by the door, he


    heard them whispering.


    Isabel muttered to Liam, ¡°Brother, did Baddie really fall in love with that woman?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°He said he has no rtionship with her so | don¡¯t think he does.¡±


    Isabel harrumphed , ¡°Can you really believe his words? Who knows if he¡¯s being honest.¡±


    Liam kept quiet as if he was rendered speechless by her words.


    Not long after, Isabel sighed like an adult again. ¡°I feel quite pitiful for him too. He must be lonely. If he wants to date someone


    else, I''ll let him.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell was silent.


    Bile rose in his throat, and he raised his hand to knock on the door.


    Immediately, the two kids quieted down. Odell asked, ¡°Are you two asleep?¡± Isabel''s crisp and childish voice sounded. ¡°Brother


    and | are sleep-¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, her mouth was covered.


    It had to be Liam.


    Odell pursed his lips and said, ¡°I''lle again half an hourter. Both of you will be punished if you¡¯re not asleep by them.¡± After


    ensuring that the kids did not speak any further, Odell turned around and left the room.


    Not long after he reached his room, his phone suddenly rang It was Lily.

 Chapter 727

    Chapter 727


    Chapter 727


    Thinking about his scandal with her, Odell picked up the phone.


    Lily immediately asked, ¡°Master Carter, did you see the online article?¡±


    She sounded anxious. Odell replied, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve asked Cliff to handle it. The news will be taken down by tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also


    handling it on my side, but | did not expect my family to see it,¡± Lily said glumly. Since it had happened because of him, Odell


    asked, ¡°Do you need me to personally exin the situation to them?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve tried exining it, but my grandfather is quite


    stubborn in his old age and has refused to listen to me,¡± She sighed as she said this. ¡°It''s okay. I''ll think of something and not


    disturb your rest.¡± Odell agreed.


    Two dayster, at the Carter Tower.


    Odell sat behind his desk as usual as he went through some documents.


    Suddenly, someone knocked on his door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± He said.


    Cliff pushed the door open as he walked in and said respectfully , ¡°Master Carter , Miss Springsteen is here. She said that she


    has to see you about an urgent matter.¡±


    An urgent matter?


    Odell frowned. ¡°Let her in.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He continued reading the document.


    When the door opened again and Lily came in, Odell put


    aside the document in his hand.


    His indifferent gaze swept over her. ¡°Please have a seat.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lily smiled at him, but it was clear that something was on her mind. She sat on the couch that was nearby and said,


    ¡°Master Carter, | didn¡¯t mean to disturb you, but | have no other choice.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°Please get straight to the point.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lily sucked in a deep breath. Her exquisite little face faced him and said, ¡°Let''s get engaged.¡±


    Odell¡¯s brows furrowed. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Miss Springsteen, are you joking with me?¡±


    Lily did not back down from his intimidating gaze and replied, ¡°Master Carter, I¡¯m serious this time. | want you to get engaged


    with me.¡± ¡°I do not n to remarry.¡± ¡°I know, but | have no other choice.¡± Lily sighed and said, ¡°Do you remember our scandal a


    few days ago on the Inte?¡±


    ¡°Nothing remains on the Inte now.¡±


    ¡°But my grandfather, as well as some of my rtives, still remember it. They think something happened between us that night in


    Lush Heaven, especially my grandfather. You know him. He is conservative and stubborn and refuses to listen to my exnation.


    He thinks that I¡¯ve been fooling around outside and fainted in anger yesterday. He even refused to meet me today. If we do not


    have an official rtionship, I''m afraid he won¡¯t meet me until he¡¯s on his deathbed.¡±


    Odell was silent for a while. ¡°I can exin it to him.¡± ¡°It''s useless. Grandfather has shut himself in his room and refused to see


    anyone, even my grandmother. | believe he''ll only meet with you if we get engaged and you ask to see him as my fiance.¡± Odell


    frowned deeply.


    Master Springsteen was indeed stubborn and conservative, but he did not n to ever remarry.


    Once he was engaged to Lily, marriage would then soon be next on their agenda.


    Although Odell had no feelings for her, he was aware of her feelings for him. It was just that he did not want to bother with it.


    Moreover, Madam Springsteen and his Grand-aunt Ramona had always tried to set them up anyway.


    However, he was indeed the cause of this scandal.


    ¡°Master Carter, do you remember that on that morning two days ago, at Lush Heaven, you personally granted me a request?¡±


    Lily suddenly said.

 Chapter 728

    Chapter 728


    Chapter 728


    Odell fell silent. ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°| hope you could agree to be engaged with me.¡± Her beautiful eyes widened, staring hopefully at him. Odell pursed his lips, and


    his expression darkened.


    Lily looked at his face and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. | won''t force you to marry me. | only want to make my grandfather feel better. After


    we are engaged, if you think I¡¯m unsuitable to be your wife, | will find a way to talk to my grandfather and break off our


    engagement.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze eased as he nced at her. ¡°It will be a hindrance to your future and a waste of time.¡±


    Lily''s lips curled into a smile, and she shrugged. ¡°As long as Grandfather¡¯s health improves, | don¡¯t care.¡± Odell¡¯s mouth


    tightened into a thin line as he kept quiet.¡° I''ll give you a reply by tomorrow morning.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Okay, then | won¡¯t disturb


    you anymore.¡±


    After that, she got up and walked out.


    Odell leaned toward his chair and gloomily closed his eyes.


    Two hourster, Cliff pushed open the door and came in.


    Odell nced at him. ¡°Have you gotten any information?¡±


    Cliff replied, ¡°Yes. Master Springsteen has been in a terrible state these days. Since your scandal with Miss Springsteen, he


    scolded her and refused to ept any exnation. He dered that he would not meet Miss Springsteen if she didn¡¯t give him a


    satisfactory answer. Yesterday afternoon , he shut himself in his room after waking up. He only lets in the servants that send him


    food and has even refused to see Madam Springsteen.¡±


    Odell rubbed his temples and asked, ¡°What time is it


    now?¡±


    Cliff looked at his expression and replied softly, ¡°It¡¯s half past five.¡±


    Odell got up and walked out while saying, ¡°Postpone the meeting tonight to tomorrow night.¡±


    Cliff hurriedly replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell returned to his home within half an hour.


    The two kids had juste home from school and were in the living room.


    Liam was reading while Isabel sat cross-legged on the floor, ying with a remote-controlled car that Odell had bought for her a


    few days ago.


    Odell walked straight to them. The two kids put down their stuff once they saw him walking over.


    Qiell picked Isabel up from the floor and sat down on the couch beside Liam with her in hisp.


    He said, ¡°I need to tell both of you something.¡±


    Isabel raised her little chubby face, and Liam looked at him.


    Odell pursed his lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to be engaged to a woman.¡±


    The two kids immediately quieted down. They said nothing and stared at him.


    Seeing that they had not reacted , Odell continued, ¡°We are getting engaged due to other reasons. I¡¯m not marrying her.¡±


    The kids still kept quiet.


    Odell asked, ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Thai silently sulked


    Odell stroked her round head ¡°Don¡¯t get any funny ideas, Make sure you behave in the future, got it?¡±


    Lialli said yes Odell then looked at Isabel, who still said nothing ¡°Isabel


    Isabel murmured softly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    It was dinnertime, and the servants were setting up the table.


    Odell carried Isabel and nced at Liam, who was still sitting. ¡°Get up and eat.¡±


    Liam stood up and followed him to the dining table, sitting down.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    They finished the meal in silence.

 Chapter 729

    Chapter 729


    After a few bites, Isabel said she was full. Then, she jumped down from her chair and ran back to her room.


    Seeing that Isabel had left, Liam excused himself as well.


    Odell immediately lost his appetite. After a brief silence, he stood up and went to their bedroom.


    The door had been left ajar.


    He stood in front of the door and saw Isabel''s busy little figure through the gap in the door.


    She opened the safe that she and Liam had hid under the bed. Then, she rummaged through the things inside before running to


    the other side of the room to take out a small box that she had hidden.


    Something was ttering inside the box. It was like the sound of jewelry shing. Then, she ced the box inside the safe.


    Liam stood at the side and watched her. He asked in confusion, ¡°Sister, why are you organizing all this?¡±


    Isabel nted her little butt on the floor as she continued stuffing things into the safe, and replied, ¡°I¡¯m preparing for our future.¡±


    Liam was even more confused. ¡°What preparations?¡±


    ¡°Baddie is marrying a stepmother. He will be like our stepfather in time! He will only care about the stepmother and the child


    she has in the future. We have to prepare a way out early.¡± Liam was speechless. Outside the door, Odell was lost for words as


    well.


    After a few seconds, Liam said, ¡°Daddy said they would only get engaged. He will not marry her.¡±


    Isabel huffed, ¡°Two days ago, he still told us that he had nothing to do with that woman!¡±


    Liam''s mouth tightened into a thin line


    Isabel hummed and quickly stuffed everything from the box inside the safe. Then, she pushed the safe deep under her bed.


    After hiding the safe, she climbed out beneath the bed and said to Liam, ¡°Brother, we need to take the opportunity of the time


    when Baddie hasn''t married that woman to get more stuff from him!¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and said nothing.


    Isabel pouted as she racked her brains for ideas. She said, ¡°In the dramas, everyone goes for the stock in an inheritance fight.


    Brother, why don¡¯t we steal Baddie¡¯s stocks?¡±


    Her big eyes stared at Liam mischievously.


    Liam hesitated and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s easy to


    steal.¡±


    ¡°He must have put them in his safe. Let¡¯s get it when he¡¯s not paying attention.¡±


    Liam agreed after a pause.


    Outside the door, Odell was rendered speechless.


    At this moment, he did not know whether to feel helpless or tough at how ¡°meticulous¡± this little girl was.


    Stealing his stocks from his safe? Only Isabel could have thought of this.


    He turned around without making a sound and went back to his room.


    Odell had saved most of his assets in the bank, and his safe only contained some valuable collectibles.


    After thinking for a while, he took a piece of paper and wrote the word ¡°stock¡± on it. Then, he used the paper to wrap up some


    valuable gemstones and put them at the lowest level of the safe.


    As for the real stocks, he could only give them to the kids after they became adults.


    Amonthter, the temperature in Westchester City dropped.


    It was a beautiful day and also the day of Odell and Lily¡¯s engagement ceremony.


    Perhaps it was to celebrate their engagement, but the day soon darkened and snow began to fall from the sky.


    Soon, the ground was covered by ayer of snow.


    Their engagement ceremony was held at the Westchester Hotel. Before it was time for the ceremony to start, the parking space


    outside the hotel was already full of cars.


    At the same time, at the airport, a ne that had departed from Galston had justnded.


    The hatch opened, and the passengers walked off the ne.


    The flight attendant gently reminded the passengers that it was snowing outside and that everyone should be careful as they


    walked.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    After everyone had gone out, a woman wearing a hat, a mask, and a long, loose ck dress that covered her whole body slowly


    walked out,

 Chapter 730

    Chapter 730


    The flight attendant saw her stomach and asked gently,¡° Madam, it¡¯s snowing outside. Do you need me to help you get to the


    shuttle bus?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± The woman thanked her politely before walking down. She took each step down the stairs steadily as she


    headed towards the shuttle bus at the airport¡¯s exit.


    The bus was heated.


    It was warm inside, and someone offered their seat to her not long after she got on.


    She thanked the person and sat down.


    The shuttle bus moved steadily along the road.


    After a while, the man who had given up his seat for her answered a phone call. The conversation on the other end of the call


    could not be heard, but the man hurriedly replied, ¡°Okay, Dad. | know Master Carter and Miss Springsteen are getting engaged


    tonight, and | don¡¯t want to miss their ceremony either, but there¡¯s only this flight today. | just got off the ne and will rush over


    immediately. Don¡¯t worry. I''ll be there in half an hour.¡±


    After that, he ended the phone call. Sensing something , he nced down and encountered a pair of eyes that were filled with


    shock and disbelief.


    ¡°Madam, why are you looking at me like this?¡± He asked in confusion.


    ¡°You said Master Carter and Miss Springsteen are getting engaged. The Master Carter that you mentioned... Is it Odell Carter?¡±


    The woman''s voice trembled.


    The man smiled and said, ¡°Yeah, is there another Master Carter in Westchester City?¡±


    The woman lowered her head and clenched her fists.


    The man sized her up and asked, ¡°Why are you asking about this? Are you also rushing to attend Master Carter and Miss


    Springsteen¡¯s engagement ceremony?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    The woman was silent for a while before saying yes.


    The man smiled. ¡°Are you going alone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re heading the same way, why don¡¯t we go together?¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    While they were talking, the shuttle bus stopped steadily.


    The woman got up and got down from the vehicle.


    When she walked to the car door, a gust of wind blew past and blew her hat and mask off.


    Her face, as fair as snow, was revealed.


    Perhaps it was because of the cold, but the woman¡¯s eyes were also red.


    The man happened to see this scene, and he was stunned for a few seconds. He quickly picked her hat up off the ground.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± The woman said as she took the hat.


    ¡°It''s nothing,¡± The man smiled. Looking at her delicate and pretty face, he asked, ¡°Why are you alone? Where is your husband?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯te back.¡±


    A hint of disappointment shed through the man¡¯s eyes.


    This woman radiated a sad aura. He thought that perhaps she hade back after a divorce.


    He quickly handed over his business card and said, ¡°My name is Zach Hadwin. What¡¯s yours?¡±


    The woman took his card and replied, ¡°My surname is Ross.¡±


    ¡°Ross?¡±


    ¡°Sylvia Ross.¡±


    Zach smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a good name.¡±


    Acorner of Sylvia¡¯s lips lifted, but she said nothing.


    At Westchester Hotel, the biggest hall had been booked for the ceremony. The lights shone down in the hall, and there was


    expensive wine everywhere.


    However, the ceremony should have started half an hour ago, but the main couple had not arrived yet.


    The Springsteen family and the hotel¡¯s person-in-charge exined that there were some problems with the hotel¡¯s broadcast


    equipment, and they needed to repair it. They calmed the guests down.


    The majority of the guests were from the upper society in Westchester City. Although they felt quite confused, they did not show


    it on their faces.


    At this time, in a room behind the engagement hall, a fully-dressed Lily sat on the chair with Madam Springsteen and a few other


    family members as they waited for the groom to arrive.

 Chapter 731

    Chapter 731


    Lily frowned as she looked at the phone in her hand. Beside her, Madam Springsteen could not help urging.¡° Lily, call Master


    Carter again and ask where he is. It¡¯s already half an hour, and your grandfather is getting impatient.¡±


    Lily replied, ¡°Cliff said the traffic has cleared. They should arrive soon.¡±


    Suddenly, her mother asked on the other side, ¡°Lily, does Master Carter not want to get engaged to you?¡± Lily smiled and replied,


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t overthink it. He was stuck in the traffic.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her mother frowned and murmured, ¡°Why didn¡¯t hee over sooner? Doesn''t he realize that you''re getting engaged tonight?¡±


    Madam Springsteen coughed. ¡°He¡¯s handling the Carter Corporation. How could such a big organization not have some


    urgencies?¡±


    Lily''s mother pursed her lips and said nothing.


    Lily nced outside the window.


    She must im this man as her own. No matter how long Odell was stuck in the traffic tonight, she would wait for


    Chapter 731


    him.


    At this time, outside the hotel, in a car parked by the roadside for a long time. The window was rolled down. The man inside


    smoked a cigarette while keeping silent.


    On the passenger¡¯s seat, Cliff looked at the time and said softly, ¡°Master Carter, half an hour has passed. Should we go in now?¡±


    The man¡¯s dark gazended on the snow-white ground outside the window.


    After a long time, he threw the unfinished cigarette into the snowy ground and said hoarsely, ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Cliff hurriedly went out of the car to open the door for him. Odell walked out, and his sturdy figure soon disappeared at the hotel


    entrance.


    At the same time, a white business car drove over and stopped steadily. ¡°Sylvia, we¡¯ve reached. The ceremony should¡¯ve


    already started. Let¡¯s go down and see if we¡¯re still on time.¡± Zach got out of the car and smiled at Sylvia.


    Sylvia¡¯s smile seemed forced. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, she pushed open the car door with difficulty.


    In the hotel, the guests finally weed the emcee and the elders of both families on stage after waiting for nearly forty minutes.


    The emcee said some greetings and asked all the guests to take their seats. Then, the ceremony officially started.


    Everyone stared at the stage.


    Following the romantic music, the stars of the day finally walked out.


    The man wore a suit and stood sturdily. His figure was exceptional, and he was also very handsome.


    The woman wore a white gown that outlined her slim figure. Her appearance was also easy on the eyes.


    The two were a match made in heaven in terms of appearance and family background. The guests could not help pping their


    hands.


    Odell and Lily walked to the center of the stage.


    The emcee made sure the ceremony process flowed smoothly.


    Soon, they exchanged engagement rings and hugged in front of everyone.


    The scene was heart-warming and pleasing.


    4l4


    Another round of apuse sounded and only stopped after Odell released Lily.


    The emcee¡¯s voice then rang out. ¡°Thank you, everyone, foring! Let us move to the restaurant next door and enjoy the


    feast!¡±


    As his voice fell, the guests stood up orderly and walked to the restaurant.


    On the stage, Odell also turned around and went down. He happened to catch a familiar figure out of the corner of his eyes.


    He immediately nced toward the hall¡¯s center.


    Amid the moving crowd stood an unmoving woman.


    The woman wore a ck hat and a loose ck skirt, looking like a ghost that had lost her soul.


    As if noticing his gaze, she suddenly turned around and walked out. Odell¡¯s gaze hardened.


    That figure. It could not be anyone else other than that woman! Instantly, he jumped off the stage.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 732

    Chapter 732


    Chapter 732


    Sylvia walked at a fast pace, almost running out of the hall.


    The snow was still falling outside, and the ground had already umted a thickyer of snow. Sylvia¡¯s feet immediately


    slipped just as she stepped out. She did not dare to run anymore but still walked quickly.


    ¡°Stay still!¡± A familiar gloomy voice rang out behind her. Sylvia frowned and quickened her steps. Within seconds, the man who


    was still hugging another woman on the stage hade before her, his looming figure blocking her path.


    Sylvia had to stop her steps. Then, she felt a cold wind on her head.


    The man standing before her had ruthlessly thrown the hat she wore on the ground. He sneered, and his voice was colder than


    the snow. ¡°It¡¯s really you, Sylvia.¡±


    Sylvia shuddered. She did not say anything, nor did she dare to look up at him.


    ¡°Why did youe back? | thought you were dead.¡± As


    his voice fell, he reached out and lifted her chin.


    He used much strength, and Sylvia was forced to raise her head. She saw his handsome but gloomy face, his gaze looking like


    he would swallow her alive.


    Sylvia sucked in a breath and curled her lips forcefully, smiling at him. ¡°Odell, congrattions on your engagement.¡±


    Her face was pale, almost the same color as the snow on the ground, without a hint of warmth. It also made her eyes look extra


    reddish.


    Odell¡¯s gaze was stunned.


    After a few seconds of silence, he smiled coldly. ¡°Why do you look so pale? Are you not living happily with your man outside? Did


    he dump you?¡±


    Sylvia blinked and swallowed the sourness in her heart. She replied, ¡°I¡¯m good. Perhaps the weather in Westchester City is too


    cold. I''m not used to it.¡±


    Then, she rubbed her stomach.


    Sensing her actions, Odell looked down and immediately saw her bulging stomach.


    It was round and sharp.


    His stunned gaze locked onto her stomach. The next second, he released her chin, and his towering figure staggered back.


    Chapter 732


    3/4


    As if the cold wind had taken away his ability to think, he stood still for a moment beforeing back to his senses. His ck


    and cold eyes nced at Sylvia and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Who''s the father? Is it him?¡±


    Sylvia curled her lips. ¡°Who else would it be?¡±


    The snow was still falling around them,nding on her hair and nose.


    As if she was freezing, the tip of her nose was red, and the corner of her eyes was blood -red. Tears gleamed in her eyes,


    looking gentle and lovely. Odell stared at her. Looking at her shivering shoulders, he sneered and gritted his teeth. ¡°Sylvia, you


    always manage to surprise me.¡±


    He had thought something huge had happened that caused her to vanish for half a year. She did not even call the kids. However,


    it turned out that she got pregnant again in such a short time!


    It was really out of his expectations.


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°Odell, stop it. Didn¡¯t you find your own happiness now?¡±


    The cold smile at the corner of Odell¡¯s lips instantly froze.


    His handsome face was covered with ice, leaving only endless frost.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He stared at her and forced the words out. ¡°From now on,


    414


    don¡¯t let me see you again. Otherwise, you''ll bear the consequences!¡±


    As his voice fell, he stepped away and brushed past her shoulder. Sylvia¡¯s shoulder shook. After a while, she could not help


    looking back.


    She only saw Odell walking toward the hotel entrance , where Lily was waiting for him.


    Odell walked over and took off his coat, putting it on Lily''s shoulder, and walked in with Lily in his arms.


    Their intimate figure quickly disappeared at the door. Sylvia felt as if her mind went nk. She could not support herself anymore


    and fell to the snowy ground.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 733

    Chapter 733


    The frosty snowkesnded on her unscrupulously following the cold breeze. She covered her face and cried while shuddering.


    She did not know why she was crying. Perhaps because the weather was too cold. Perhaps she missed the two little ones too


    much. Perhaps someone was tearing her heart apart because she was in so much pain that she could not breathe.


    In the hotel, the banquet hall was behind the ceremony hall. They had to walk a few corridors to reach it.


    At the moment Odell and Lily walked into the hotel, he let go of her.


    Odell looked straight ahead, his face cold and scary. He walked in big steps.


    Lily immediately ran after him, taking his arm. She said softly, ¡°Master Carter, we''ll reach the banquet hall after this corner. Do


    you want to sort out your emotions first?¡±


    He might frighten the guests if he went in like this.


    Odell halted.


    Lily''s lips curled up, smiling at him gently.


    Odell frowned and stayed silent for a while. He took back the coat on her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going out. You can go in first.¡±


    Then, he took the coat and walked back.


    Lily''s expression changed, and she immediately grabbed his arm. ¡°Master Carter, the banquet has just started. My grandfather,


    grandmother, and other rtives are all present. If you''re not there, it will be hard to exin.¡±


    Odell¡¯s brows furrowed while Lily stared at him expectantly.


    However, the next second, Odell pulled out his arm.


    He said coldly, ¡°Tell them | have something urgent. If Master Springsteen is mad, I''ll take responsibility.¡±


    Their engagement was only a deal. Since they hadpleted the engagement ceremony, he had already fulfilled Lily''s request.


    After that, he walked out quickly.


    Lily stood still. Her face cooled down uncontrobly.


    Did Thomas not trap that woman in Galston? Why did shee back at this time?


    Her face was twisted. After a while, she sucked in a deep breath and regained her usual elegantposure. Then, she walked


    into the banquet hall.


    No matter what, Odell was already her fianc¨¦ in name. That woman was still toote.


    Odell quickly walked back to the hotel entrance. However, he only saw a ground of snow. The woman was nowhere to be seen.


    Where did that d*mned woman go?Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He immediately fished out his phone and called her.


    Instead of the usual unreachable ringtone, the call went through this time.


    Odell¡¯s gaze darkened, and he listened to the ringtone.


    After a few seconds, the call was connected.


    ¡°Hello.¡± The woman¡¯s hoarse and tentative voice sounded.


    Odell¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°lm in the car.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing in the car?¡±


    ¡°Talking to you through the phone.¡±


    Odell was speechless. His face darkened, and he replied coldly, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°I want to visit Liam and Isabel.¡±


    His lips pursed, and his face was instantly covered with ayer of dark clouds.


    Sensing his change in emotions, Sylvia whispered on the other end of the phone, ¡°I''ll hang up now. You can do your stuff.¡±


    Then, she hung up.


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened, and he walked toward the parking lot.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 734

    Chapter 734


    Sylvia sat by the window on the back seat of a car she called from a ride-hailing service , driving smoothly on the road.


    It was a snowy night, so the driver drove slowly.


    Sylvia grabbed her phone in one hand and touched her stomach with the other.


    Thinking of Liam and Isabel, whom she had not seen for half a year, her heart skipped a beat, and the little fellow in her stomach


    also kicked her.


    It had been half a year. The kids should have grown taller.


    She did not know if they med her.


    As her thoughts drifted away, the car arrived at their destination. The driver kindly reminded, ¡°Madam, we''re here. Please be


    careful of the ground.¡±


    Sylvia thanked him and then pushed the door open and got off.


    At this moment, it was still snowing.


    Her house was also covered in ayer of snow, shrouding her roof and yard. It was dark.


    However, the snow in Odell''s yard had been cleared, and the lights were on. The two kids must still be living here.


    Chapter 734


    Sylvia sucked in a deep breath and walked toward his house, but when she reached there, Uncle Ben came over.


    He looked at her with aplicated gaze and said, ¡°Ms. Ross, you can¡¯t go in.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. Odell must have ordered that.


    When she switched on her phone today, she saw the messages he had sent her. He forbade her from seeing Liam and Isabel.


    Besides, when she left half a year ago, Odell had said that she would never meet Liam and Isabel again if she really left.


    Her eyes lowered, and she looked disappointed. Sylvia hummed and looked inside the house with longing. Then, she turned


    away and left.


    Uncle Ben was surprised. He did not expect her to leave without hesitation.


    He thought Sylvia would think of another way toe in, so he stood there and waited, but he only saw her walking further


    away. He frowned and went back to the living room.


    On the couch, the man who had reached home for a while sat straight.


    His face was cold, and he leaned toward the couch, holding a cup of tea from the servant.


    Upon hearing Uncle Ben¡¯s footsteps, he asked, ¡°Did she


    come?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Carter.¡±


    ¡°Did she insist on intruding?¡± he asked again.


    Uncle Ben replied, ¡°No. She had left.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he looked at Uncle Ben.¡° Really?¡±


    Uncle Ben hurriedly said, ¡°Yes. | told her she couldn¡¯te in. She turned around to leave.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure she really left?¡± Odell''s face became cold.


    Uncle Ben felt sullen. Was Master Carter not the one who banned Sylvia froming inside? Why was he unhappy now that she


    left readily?


    However, he still replied carefully, ¡°I¡¯m sure. | watched Ms. Ross walk away and get into a car before reporting to


    you.


    Odell pursed his lips and snorted.


    Uncle Ben shivered from fright.


    After a while, Odell said, ¡°Keep an eye on the outside. If she dares toe again, you don¡¯t need to chase her away. Tell me


    immediately!¡±


    Uncle Ben quickly said, ¡°Got it!¡± Then, he ran out.


    The living room became silent.


    Al4


    The man leaned on the couch and pinched the empty cup in his hand.


    Aservant waited beside the coffee table but did not dare to ask for the cup that had been empty for a while after seeing Odell¡¯s


    expression.


    The clock ticked by, and the atmosphere in the living room became more tranquil.


    The temperature suddenly dropped as if the cold air gushed in from outside.


    The servant shut his mouth and did not dare to breathe loudly.


    The man¡¯s face darkened on the couch.


    After roughly half an hour, he suddenly stood up and mmed the cup on the table. Then, he strode out.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 735

    Chapter 735


    Chapter 735


    Sylvia went to a nearby mall.


    She had just returned to Westchester City. She did not have anything with her except for her phone and identity card.


    The weather in Westchester City was cold. Although she had clothes at home, they were left untouched for half a year. She


    needed to wash them before wearing them.


    Sylvia simply bought a few cold-resistant cotton jackets and some essentials. Then, she hailed a cab to go home.


    After getting off the cab, she could not help ncing over at Odell¡¯s ce.


    The lights were still on, but Liam and Isabel should already be asleep at this time.


    She wondered if his engagement ceremony with Lily had ended.


    Regardless of whether it had ended, she would not be able to see the two kids given Odell¡¯s temper.


    Sylvia decided to tidy up her house and settle down before thinking of a n. Anyway, Odell could not possibly keep the kids at


    home.


    Thinking of this, she heaved a sigh of relief and held the


    214


    heavy stic bags as she walked to her house.


    However, as she reached the doorstep, a tall figure suddenly entered her sight.


    She yelled in surprise, staggering a step backward.


    Beside the door, a man leaned against the wall behind a decorative tree. He crossed his arms, and his dark gaze was as cold as


    the night, staring at her.


    She did not know how long he had stood there. There was snow on his shoulders.


    Sylvia recognized him quickly, but she was not sure of it.


    After all, even if the ceremony had ended at this time, he should not be back home so soon.


    Besides, he had just threatened her not to show up in front of him. How could he be waiting for her now?


    She whispered, ¡°Odell, is that you?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked instead with a cold and gloomy voice.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze flickered, and she asked again, ¡°Why are you standing here?¡±


    He ignored her and only stared at her.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sylvia shuddered and asked, ¡°Do you need anything?¡±


    Odell still ignored her, but his gaze turned more ominous.


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°I just bought something. | haven''t tidied up the house yet. Do you want toe in for a while?¡±


    Odell stepped forward and walked toward her.


    Sylvia curled up her lips, smiling politely with a hint of ttery.


    Odell only looked at her coldly. When he reached her side, Sylvia opened the door and walked into the living room with him after


    passing through the snow in her yard.


    The living room was filled with dust. Sylvia could even see ayer of dirt on the couch and coffee table.


    Sylvia walked over and brushed off the dust on the couch using her sleeves. Then, she took out a newly bought coat and spread


    it on the couch. ¡°Please have a seat,¡± she said to Odell.


    Odell frowned. ¡°Take the coat away.¡±


    ¡°The couch is a bit dirty.¡±


    He nced at her coldly. Sylvia pursed her lips and took the coat away.


    Then, Odell sat down.


    His straight figure, tidy attire, and clean shoes looked out of ce.


    4l4


    Sylvia sized him up carefully and sat opposite him on the single couch. ¡°Cover your stomach,¡± he suddenly spoke with a cold


    voice, sounding a bit disgusted.


    Obviously, he did not want to see her stomach.


    Sylvia did not say anything and covered her stomach with the coat.


    The air was silent for a few seconds.


    She whispered, ¡°Can | see Liam and Isabel?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± His voice was as cold as his face.


    Sylvia clicked her tongue and could not help mumbling,¡± Then why did youe here?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 736

    Chapter 736


    Odell frowned sternly. ¡°What did you say?¡± Sylvia quickly changed her tone. ¡°Nothing. | was just wondering if you were thirsty.¡±


    He scoffed. ¡°No.¡±


    She answered briskly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He red at her. She was perplexed by this behavior and blurted out,¡° Odell, don¡¯t re at me like that. It¡¯s not like I''m begging


    you to let me see the children.¡±


    ¡°| wouldn''t care even if you begged.¡± ¡°I know.¡±


    He red at her again.


    She stopped talking and let him stare at her as much as he wanted.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    After a while, he crossed his hands in front of his chest and studied her expression. He observed how she looked like she had


    suffered some great injustice and smirked coyly. ¡°So why did youe back? Thomas doesn¡¯t want you anymore?¡±


    She frowned and kept quiet.


    She wore a very hostile look and was visibly not interested in engaging in this discussion.


    He chuckled. ¡°Weren''t you very insistent on going with him back then? Why? Did he get bored of you in just half a


    year??


    She remained silent.


    Heughed again. ¡°I thought he was deeply in love with you or something like that. Turns out it¡¯s just a half-year fling.¡±


    She frowned with great irritation. ¡°Could you stop talking about him?¡±


    Heh. He mused. ¡°So, he did dump you.¡±


    Sylvia: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°So, what do you n to do with that?¡± he said as he gestured toward her stomach with a pointed look.


    Upon mention of the child, the look in her eyes softened slightly. She stated, ¡°I n to keep the baby.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression suddenly stiffened when he saw the way her face glowed with tenderness upon mention of the child.


    The temperature in the living room seemed to plummet to a freezing point instantly.


    Sylvia made a look and shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You


    won''t have to deal with this. It¡¯s not going to affect your future life with Miss Springsteen either.¡± ¡°Of course | won¡¯t have to deal


    with that. It''s not even mine anyway.¡± He hissed with contempt.


    She bit her lips and asked after a few seconds of hesitation, ¡°How¡¯s Isabel and Liam been doing thesest


    six months?¡±


    He peered at her. ¡°What do you think?¡± She stated cautiously, ¡°They''re your children, surely you''ve been taking good care of


    them?¡±


    ¡°You''re telling me.¡±


    She got annoyed and blurted out, ¡°Could you stop acting like this?¡±


    Odell¡¯s face darkened.


    She promptly rified herself, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scold you. | just wanted to have a proper talk with you.¡±


    A proper talk?


    Odell raised one of his legs and rested it on top of his other leg. Then he leaned into the couch with a squint filled with scrutiny.


    ¡°You stabbed me in the back for that man half a year ago. You''d rather go with him than be with your children and just like that,


    poof, you disappear for half a year. You didn¡¯t even bother to call your children to check on them this entire time. | feel like I¡¯m


    4/5


    being extremely generous even being willing to talk to you now.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and muttered meekly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She lowered her head and hid her face from him, afraid of confronting his


    gaze. Like a frail, helpless little maiden who had her heart broken by a monstrous man, but too afraid and much too guilty to turn


    back to where she came from.


    Where was the same vicious, cruel-hearted girl who wounded him and insisted on going with Thomas half a year ago? She


    deserved it!


    A torrent of anger nearly erupted near the top of Odell¡¯s head. He resisted the urge to pinch her cheeks and stated with an icy


    re, ¡°You should say that to Isabel and Liam.¡±


    Sylvia suddenly turned up to look at him, her eyes reddened and wet with tears. ¡°I will. Would you please let me meet them?¡±


    Odell felt something caught in his throat.


    After a brief moment, he gave his answer, ¡°No. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    She lowered her head again and kept quiet. She sped


    her hands in front of her and kept rubbing them back and forth as if she was trying to hide her agitation. Odell suddenly became


    very irritated upon seeing this. ¡°Stop rubbing your hands,¡± he said with a long sigh. She immediately did as she was told and


    stopped. The look in his eyes softened. He swiftly looked around them and observed the piled-up dust everywhere , then he


    asked, ¡°Why did youe back alone? Where''s Aunt Tonya?¡±


    She frowned and answered, ¡°Aunt Tonya isn¡¯t doing well and is focusing on recovering. She needs some time beforeing


    back.¡±


    ¡°Are you not nning to go back after this?¡± he asked with a sidelong nce.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 737

    Chapter 737


    Sylvia grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going back.¡± ¡°Yeah, | suppose there really is no point for you to go back since he was already


    willing to dump you despite knowing that you¡¯re pregnant.¡±


    His words were filled with unconcealed sarcasm.


    Sylvia made no furtherments.


    Odell gave her another look and asked, ¡°Is there nothing else you want to ask me?¡±


    She looked at him and smiled in an almost pandering way. ¡°Are you in a better mood now?¡±


    Something gleamed in Odell¡¯s eyes. He was not expecting her to care about his feelings.


    He gave a dry cough and answered curly, ¡°Well enough.¡±


    Sylvia immediately followed up. ¡°Then could you let me meet Isabel and Liam? | just need a quick look at them even if it''s from a


    distance.¡±


    Acold and harsh look immediately arrested his handsome expression.


    Sylvia grimaced.


    As the atmosphere in the room gradually thickened, the


    sudden re of a cell phone interrupted the moment.


    Sylvia looked at Odell¡¯s pocket.


    He promptly took out his phone and took a quick look at the caller before he muted his phone.


    It was clear that he was not in a rush to answer the call. Instead, he got up and observed Sylvia with a gloomy haze in his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you do anything stupid. If | catch you trying to contact Isabel and Liam, | won''t let you off the hook.¡±


    She simply grunted in response.


    He answered the call and promptly stepped outside.


    His figure slowly vanished into the blur of snow outside.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia went upstairs.


    She waspletely drained from the day¡¯s journey. She tossed a set of clean clothes on the pillow, then she immediately


    copsed into the bed and dozed off into a deep and heavy sleep.


    Meanwhile , Odell had just walked out of the house and


    stopped right by the entrance.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He put the phone to his ear.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked in an indifferent voice.


    It was Lily calling. She said with a smile, ¡°Not much. | was just calling to let you know that I¡¯ve exined everything clearly to


    Grandma and Grandpa. The dinner went very well tonight. Nobody had anyints or anything of that sort.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°By the way, how¡¯s the woman doing? Have you helped her settle in?¡± Odell frowned and expressed irritatedly, ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Lily


    sensed the note of irritation in his voice and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry, | shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you


    need?¡± She answered briskly, ¡°Nothing else, goodnight.¡± With that, Odell hung up. He turned around for another look at Sylvia¡¯s


    house.


    The lights in the living room were switched off and he could notice dim lightsing from her bedroom.


    Shortly after that, the lights in the bedroom were switched off as well.


    He locked his brows into a displeased frown.


    Sleeping already? She could not even be bothered to sweep the ce up.


    Immediately upon registering this thought, it urred to


    him that he was worried about her. The cold, stoic look immediately returned to his expression as he waltzed back to his ce.


    Half a year ago, not only did she abandon the children, but she even stabbed him and then vanished with Thomas only toe


    back now with a baby. He would be clinically insane to even care about her!


    Midnight, Sylvia had only slept for several hours.


    In the middle of her sleep, she faintly felt someone pinching her cheeks, then moving on to rubbing her nose like her face was a


    ball of dough that needed kneading. She grunted groggily and rolled to the other side.


    Shortly after that, she felt the same touch on her cheeks again. Just when it seemed like she was about to pry herself out of her


    sleep ande to her senses, the hand quickly retreated.


    She faintly felt the hand draw away, then she fell back into a liminal state and slowly drifted back to sleep.


    Meanwhile , there was a tall figure standing next to her bed.


    Amid the darkness was a pair of obsidian eyes studying her sleeping face.


    315)


    What was all that about wanting to see Isabel and Liam? How was she still sleeping after he pinched her for so long?


    She never cared for them! He scoffed contemptuously, then turned and left.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 738

    Chapter 738


    Early morning ¡°Wow! There¡¯s so much snow! Liam,e out and y!¡± Isabel bolted out of the living room and hopped like a


    bunny in the snow-covered yard.


    In the neighboring house, Sylvia¡¯s room. She was awakened by the familiar noise of Isabel¡¯s cries and promptly got out of bed.


    The bedroom was engulfed in darkness. It was as if it was still in the middle of the night.


    She could distinctly hear Isabel''s voiceing from outside. She was telling Liam toe out and y with her.


    She walked barefoot to the window and pulled the curtains back.


    What came into view was a giant sheet of metal.


    The sheet of metal covered the entire window and blocked off what view there was.


    She could not pry it away from the window no matter how hard she tried.


    She frowned.


    She noticed no such instation when she closed the curtains before heading to sleepst night. How did this thing appear out of


    nowhere overnight? She decided to not give it too much thought and quickly left the room.


    All she wanted now was to see Isabel and Liam!


    She quickly headed to the yard after leaving the room. This time, she was greeted by the same spectacle of a giant metal sheet


    attached to the gate in her yard. It was previously a fence gate but now it acted like a wall that separated her yard from the


    outside world. Furthermore, there was arge chain attached to the gate. There was no way to open it without a key.


    She stomped her feet angrily.


    Who else but Odell coulde up with something like this?


    She immediately reached for her phone and that was when she noticed the message she received an hour ago:* Don¡¯t try to


    meet the kids or I''ll have you banished back to Galston.¡±


    She quickly typed a reply, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m not going to try to meet them. I¡¯m just trying to go out on a walk. Can¡¯t you have someone


    open the gate for me?¡± It was true, she wanted to meet them. But if that was not


    possible, she could just spy on them from a distance!Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ding ding.


    Odell replied almost instantly. Sylvia read the single-word reply, ¡°No.¡±


    She gnashed her teeth.


    Suddenly , her phone rang again with another message from Odell that read, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare make any noise either or I''ll have


    you banished back to Galston.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    She wore a tight grimace.


    Meanwhile, she could hear the noiseing from the adjacent yard as well as Isabel¡¯s hearty chuckles. She seemed to be


    having a good time.


    She drew out a deep breath. Then she approached the wall that connected the two yards and pressed her ear against it to listen


    to their voice.


    ¡°Liam, let¡¯s make a head for the snowman!¡±


    ¡°Liam, hurry up!¡±


    Isabel was prattling on and on.


    Liam would only speak from time to time and caution her, ¡°Be careful of the slippery snow.¡±


    Chapter 738


    AIS


    Although she could not see their faces, listening to their tender and high-pitched voices was enough to put a smile on her lips.


    The voices that she had dreamt of constantly over thest half year.


    She closed her eyes and listened quietly and attentively. Suddenly , her eyes began to water against her will and soon, drops of


    tears poured out of the corners of her eyes.


    She continued listening to them ying. Her bare feet had been buried inside a dense thicket of snow the entire time but she


    barely noticed the freezing cold.


    Soon, she heard the voice of Sebastian telling them that it was time to go to school.


    She listened to their stomping footsteps and judged that they were heading outside. She quickly shuffled her feet to the gate as


    well. Through the denseyer of metal sheet, she could distinctly hear the sweet voice of Isabel bidding farewell, ¡°Bye-bye


    Baddie, bye-bye Uncle Sebastian.¡± Odell made no reply. Sebastian answered lovingly, ¡°Goodbye, young miss and young


    master.¡±


    Sylvia heard the engines roar, then the sound of tires rolling through the pavement.


    Chapter 738


    315)


    She came back to her senses.


    She raised a hand and wiped the tears away from her eyes. Just as she was about to head back to the house, she heard a


    sudden tter.


    The chain wrapped around the door dropped to the floor. The door was slowly pushed open. Then she noticed a long, slender


    leg stepping in through the threshold.


    Before she had time to recollect her emotions, Odell stepped in and confronted her head-on.


    She stared at him all wide-eyed.


    Odell sized her up and down and locked his brows into a frown.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 739

    Chapter 739


    The silencested for several seconds.


    Sylvia was the one who spoke first, ¡°I... | just came out to get some fresh air.¡±


    She was insinuating that she was not trying to meet the kids or spy on them either.


    Odell ordered with a sharp scowl, ¡°Get back in there.¡±


    Sylvia grimaced.


    She did not need him to order her around. She was going to go home anyway.


    She hade out in a hurry and forgot to put on a pair of slippers or even a coat at the very least. All she had on were two thin


    layers of clothing to protect her from the cold.


    She did not utter a word, then turned and headed toward the living room.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡± Odell suddenly barked behind her.


    His sudden exmation ended up spooking Sylvia. The soles of her bare feet slipped against the slippery snow. She lost her


    foothold and felt her body plunging toward the bed of snow.


    Everything happened in an instant. Then, she felt a


    275


    muscr arm firmly holding on to her.


    With such strength, she was pulled back to her feet in an instant.


    The inertia drew her backward and plunged her into his muscr chest.


    In an instant, she sensed the warm body temperature of Odell enveloping her. She could smell his familiar scent.


    She had an impulse to hug him.


    However, her rational mind took over and made her draw two steps backward. She apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | didn¡¯t mean to fall


    into your arms.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face darkened.


    She kept quiet after that.


    She thought that he would inevitably get upset no matter what she said, so it was better for her to never appear in front of him


    ever again.


    She frantically walked into the living room.


    Upon entering , she quickened her pace and climbed up the stairs.


    Just like that, her clumsy and frantic figure vanished out of sight.


    Odell was sitting underneath the morning sun with a thin morning mist surrounding him, but there was a raging


    Chapter 739


    fire burning inside his eyes.


    Did she think that he was some sort of beast? That he would eat her alive?


    What happened to her strength half a year ago when she stabbed him? Where did that all go?


    How did she turn so cowardly? Was it because she got dumped by Thomas?


    Sylvia quickly returned to her bedroom.


    Her hands and feet were freezing. She took a hot shower and put on thickyers of cotton-made clothes before stepping out.


    The yard was now empty. There was nobody to be seen.


    Odell must have left. She breathed a sigh of relief. Then she called a house cleaning agency and requested help for cleaning the


    ce


    up.


    After settling these affairs, she went to a nearby shopping district where she found a decent ce for breakfast.


    The inside of the restaurant was warm and cozy.


    She chose a seat right next to a window.


    Shortly after that, the waiter brought her a te of hot and steaming breakfast.


    She smiled politely and thanked the waiter, then she got started on her breakfast.


    Ashort distance from the restaurant was a ck car parked by the roadside.


    Aman sat by the car window and was spying on Sylvia through the car window. His eyes were two balls of lightless void.


    He was close enough to be able to see the most minute movement she made while eating. Even though it was just amon


    meal, she seemed to be eating with great delight. As if she was eating the greatest delicacy known to man. As if she had been


    starving for ages.


    By the time she finished, she even picked up the bowl and drank everyst sip of soup in it. After she set down the bowl, she


    identally let out a burp.


    Heh. The man chuckled.


    The driver who was in the front row seat with him was looking at Sylvia as well. When he heard Odell¡¯s chuckle, he followed suit


    and chuckled as well.


    Odell¡¯s expression immediately transformed as he asked sternly, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± The driver quickly exined, ¡°I


    thought that Miss Sylvia looks pretty cute when she¡¯s eating.¡±


    Chapter 739


    315)


    ¡°You want to repeat that?¡± His voice was sharp with ice this time.


    Awavering look appeared in the driver¡¯s eyes as he repeated reluctantly, ¡°I thought that Miss Sylvia looks pretty cute when she¡¯s


    eating.¡±


    ¡°Say it again.¡±


    ¡°|...1...¡± the driver stammered. Did he say something he was not supposed to say? He was at a loss of what to do when he spied


    from the corner of his eyes the sight of Sylvia stepping out of the restaurant. He quickly pointed out in desperation. ¡°Master


    Carter, she just left the restaurant. Should we follow her?¡±


    ¡°Go.¡±


    He quickly started the car engine.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He thought he was out of the woods and was about to heave a sigh of relief when suddenly, a cold and using voice came


    from the back again. ¡°Do you have a thing for


    her??


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 740

    Chapter 740


    Chapter 740


    What? As in he fancied her?


    Awave of panic coursed through his body and he quickly exined, ¡°Master Carter, | have nothing but respect for Miss Sylvia. |


    don¡¯t have any other ideas about her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s cute?¡± Odell suggested.


    He said this in a surprisingly friendly tone.


    The driver rified again, ¡°I just thought that Miss Sylvia has a very interesting way of eating. | didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and looked at Sylvia, who was walking along the sidewalk. He reminded the driver,¡± Slow down. Can¡¯t have


    her noticing us.¡±


    The driver calmed down and answered, ¡°Alright.¡±


    The people from the house cleaning agency arrived shortly after and they were very efficient with their work. Sylvia¡¯s house was


    spick and span after a day¡¯s work. She had contributed just as much and thoroughly cleaned out everything in her dresser.


    She also washed all the clothes in Isabel, Liam, and Aunt


    Chapter 740


    215


    Tonya¡¯s room.


    The day was very hectic and passed in the blink of an eye.


    In the evening before the sky even darkened, she arrived at the gate again. She leaned against the gate and listened for any


    movements on the other side.


    After waiting for some time, she heard Isabel''s loud voice booming through the fence.


    ¡°Uncle Sebastian, I¡¯m back!¡± she called out for Sebastian.


    Sebastian greeted her with a gentle smile, ¡°Hello, young miss. Did you have a good time at school today?¡±


    Isabel sighed and expressed somberly like an adult. ¡°It was alright. There¡¯s this boy that I¡¯ve been having beef with but | took


    care of him.¡±


    Sebastian immediately burst outughing.


    Hidden behind the gate, Sylvia grinned from ear to ear.


    Shortly after that, she heard them walking into the house and the sound of them conversing gradually faded.


    She was struck by a sudden wave of dejection. Meanwhile, at the gate of Odell¡¯s house.


    The car that picked the two kids up from school was still parked by the gate.


    Odell¡¯s figure stood tall and upright by the gate.


    After ensuring that Isabel and Liam had entered the house with Sebastian , he directed his sharp gaze to the gate leading to the


    neighboring property. Even though the fence gate had been blocked off entirely withrge sheets of metal, there was still a tiny


    gap in the bottom section.


    He noticed a pair of pink slippers behind the tiny crevice.


    The pair of feet stood unmoving the entire time.


    Odell did not even have his men lock the door after he opened it this morning, but Sylvia was still hiding behind it obediently. She


    did not even attempt to open it and steal a peek at his yard.


    When did she be so obedient?


    He frowned and made a faint cough. The moment he coughed, the pair of feet wearing the pink slippers scuttled away instantly.


    Like a mouse who spied an approaching cat.


    Odell''s face darkened. Then he walked back into his house.


    It was nighttime.


    Chapter 740


    4/5


    Sylvia made a bowl of noodles for dinner. After she was full, she squatted by a wall connected to the neighboring house and


    began listening attentively for any signs of movement from the other side.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Two hourster, she could faintly hear Isabel''s cheerful cries. It sounded like she was having a gaming session with Liam judging


    by the contents of the muffled shouts she could hear through the wall. After that, she walked away feeling content. Instead of


    going back to her bedroom, she went to the room where Isabel and Liam once stayed.


    Shey on their bed, rested her head on their pillows, and covered herself with the quilt they once used. She shut her eyes and


    very quickly drifted off to sleep.


    Meanwhile, a tall shadow stepped out of the yard in the neighboring house and walked past the gate connecting the two


    households.


    He stepped through the yard and arrived in the living room, camouged by the darkness. Then, he walked to Sylvia¡¯s bedroom


    unobstructed since there was nobody else in the house.


    He opened the door and promptly switched on the lights, only to be greeted by an empty room and an empty bed. He frowned


    and headed to the dressing room, then to the bathroom to see if there was anybody home at all.


    BS)


    However, his search turned out to be fruitless.


    Where was she?


    Where could she possibly be in the middle of the night?


    Acold and vexed expression surfaced on his face. He turned and walked out of the room and prepared to leave the house, but


    suddenly came to a stop when he passed by the adjacent room.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 741

    Chapter 741


    This bedroom was once the bedroom of the children.


    He pondered for a moment. Then, he opened the door and turned on the lights.


    Immediately after the lights were on, he saw the figure of the woman who was sleeping soundly on the bed.


    His stern expression immediately softened.


    The warmth in his eyes only lingered for a brief moment for his expression immediately sharpened again as he peered at her


    with a displeased look.


    Why was she sleeping in the children¡¯s room?


    Was it out of guilt because she abandoned them for half a year? Or did she only begin to miss them after she was dumped by


    Thomas and suddenly remembered they even existed?


    These thoughts only upset him further. He felt like walking up to her to pinch her cheeks.


    That was when the still sleeping Sylvia suddenly shifted her hand to her belly and softly rubbed her belly.


    She must have been having a nice dream, evident by the sweet, dreamy smile on her face.


    He looked at her bulging belly.


    Her belly was bulging like a balloon , to a point where it seemed like an eyesore to him.


    He stamped his feet, then he turned around and walked out with a dark look.


    The next day was Saturday.


    Sylvia got up early in the morning, had some breakfast, and then went to the wall again to listen to signs of any movements


    going on in the next house. After a while, she began to hear some muffled sounds. She heard Sebastian¡¯s voice asking, ¡°Young


    miss, young master, where are you two going?¡±


    Isabel answered cheerily, ¡°Uncle Sebastian , we¡¯re going to drive around. You don¡¯t have toe with us. We''ll be back really


    soon.¡±


    ¡°Haha, alright then.¡±


    Sylvia pricked up her ears and listened to the sweet, angelic voice of Isabel. She grinned from ear to ear upon listening to her


    voice. Meanwhile, in the neighboring house.


    After Isabel''s exchange with Sebastian, she hopped into a red car.


    Chapter 141


    Liam entered the car from the other side and sat right next to her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    It was a children-sized electric car. After both of them strapped themselves down, Isabel began turning the steering wheel with


    both hands. She drove the car past the gate of the house and made a turn. Soon, she arrived outside Sylvia''s ce. Isabel


    looked behind her cautiously and urged urgently,¡° They¡¯re not following us. Hurry up and open the gate!¡± Liam nodded firmly and


    promptly opened the door to step out of the car. He was slightly taken aback when he saw the metal sheets covering the gate.


    Then, he proceeded to press his fingers to the fingerprint sensor.


    Beep!


    The gate opened at once.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Isabel called after him hastily.


    Liam scrambled back into the car.


    With Isabel at the helm, the red electric car drove into Sylvia''s yard with a swift ¡°woosh¡± before stopping in the middle of the living


    room.


    Meanwhile, in the yard in the next house. Sebastian and the bodyguard Ben had just stepped


    Chapter 741


    4/5


    outside.


    Sebastian may have permitted the kids to go out and y on their own, but he was not going to let them gopletely


    unsupervised since that would be irresponsible.


    He was not expecting Isabel to stomp the gas pedal and vanish out of sight before they had time to react.


    By the time they stepped into the yard, the car hadpletely vanished out of sight.


    Sebastian instructed with a stern frown, ¡°Ben, tell the men to look around the area.¡±


    Ben looked at the ground and guessed. ¡°Sebastian, | think the young miss and young master drove the car into Miss Sylvia¡¯s


    ce.¡±


    Sebastian seemed very astonished and eximed, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Ben gestured at the tire marks on the ground.


    The marks were not deep but were visible enough that one could easily tell it must have been left behind very recently by the


    electric car the kids were driving.


    Ben followed the trail and quickly saw the wide-open gate at Sylvia¡¯s house.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Panic took over. Sebastian immediately took off running toward the next house.

 Chapter 742

    Chapter 742


    Chapter 742


    Meanwhile, in Sylvia¡¯s living room.


    After Isabel and Liam hopped out of the car, they carried a small safe out of the car.


    Sylvia was hiding behind a couch. Her body was tensing all over as she stared agitatedly at the two of them working with the


    safe.


    She watched as they carried a trolley out of the car.


    It took a lot of effort for them to lug the safe onto the trolley. After that, they pushed the trolley up the stairs.


    She held her breath and tailed after them.


    The two of them reached her room and went inside. She peeked through the crack underneath the door and saw them hiding the


    safe under the bed.


    Isabel had to crawl under the bed to stash the safe before crawling out again. She immediately asked Liam upon emerging from


    under the bed, ¡°Are you sure nobody will find the safe if we hide it here?¡±


    Liam was cautiously surveying the room and answered her distractedly, ¡°Probably not.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°That''s true, this is Mommy¡¯s house after all. Even if stepmom takes over the house in the future,


    she won''t get a say over what happens to Mommy¡¯s room and probably won''t take away our stash.¡±


    Liam made no further response. He was quietly staring at the speckless floor. His pearl ¡ª like eyes seemed to gleam amid the


    darkness.


    Outside the door, a shadow cast over Sylvia¡¯s expression. She was thinking about Lily who had just gotten engaged to Odell. Lily


    was the poster child of the Springsteen family and was destined to inherit the family¡¯s assets. She was a perfect match for Odell


    in terms of her social status.


    They would get married very soon, then she would be the madam of the Carter family and take charge of all the affairs


    going on in the Carter household.


    She was not expecting Isabel to have nned so far ahead and begin making preparations for her future with her brother.


    She was impressed by their wisdom at such a young age but at the same time, a somber and heavy feeling consumed her.


    If she had not let herself be deceived by Thomas half a year ago, would Odell and Lily still have gotten engaged?


    There was no such thing as ¡°what if¡¯ in the world.


    Suddenly, she heard Isabel chirping from inside the room again. ¡°I think | smell Mommy.¡±


    She sniffed at the air like a puppy as she said this.


    Sylvia¡¯s expressions contorted and she quickly drew backward.


    Inside the room, Liam began surveying the room attentively again and was inspecting the bed this time. The quilt on the bed was


    neatly arranged. It seemed like an entirely different set of bedsheetspared to thest time he came here with his sister.


    The house should have been vacant for thest six months. Why was the room so clean?Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    While he was still puzzled over these facts, he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps going from outside.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s here,¡± Isabel noted warily. Liam took her hand and walked out of the room with her.


    The moment they stepped out of the room, they saw Sebastian and Ben running toward them.


    Liam seemedpletely unfazed.


    Isabel asked intriguingly, ¡°Uncle Sebastian, Ben, why are you two here?¡±


    Sebastian observed their expression and interrogated,¡± Young Miss, | thought you two were just going for a short drive. Why are


    you two here?¡± Isabel exined calmly, ¡°I wanted to find a toy | left here


    4/5


    Chapter 742


    so | brought my brother here.¡±


    Something in Sebastian¡¯s eyes shifted. ¡°Did you two see anything strange?¡±


    ¡°See what? We didn¡¯t see anything strange,¡± Isabel answered cooly and confidently. It was clear that they did not see Sylvia.


    If they saw her, they would not be as calm as they were.


    Sebastian let out a short sigh of relief when Liam suddenly raised a question, ¡°Uncle Sebastian, is there something we¡¯re not


    supposed to find here?¡±


    His ck eyes seem to emit a strange glow within them.


    Despite being only five-year-old, he had sharp senses that rivaled that of an adult''s.


    Sebastian¡¯s eyes gleamed as he quickly exined, ¡°No, | was just asking.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Liam made no more questions and led Isabel downstairs.


    Sebastian and Ben hurriedly followed them.


    After all of them had left, Sylvia emerged from around the corner.


    She sighed exasperatedly and began grinning from ear to ear.


    Even if she did not get to reunite with them, she got to


    315)


    see them at the very least.


    They had grown taller over thest half year but were still as adorable as the day they were born.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 743

    Chapter 743


    Isabel was a little thinner now but still retained her past chubbiness.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    While she was still relishing the joy of getting to see her darling children again, arge shadow suddenly jumped at her from


    within the darkness.


    She saw a familiar, handsome face appearing inches away from her.


    She immediately retreated a step backward and asked cautiously, ¡°Odell, why are you here?¡±


    Odell stopped in front of her and red at her viciously.¡± | heard Isabel and Liam came here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they came here just now.¡± A thought suddenly urred to her and she quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | made sure they


    didn''t see me.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not lying to you,¡± she answered resolutely. ¡°I¡¯m sure you must be very happy to see them.¡± Sylvia jerked her lips. ¡°Hm.¡±


    Of course, she was way happy.


    ¡°Good,¡± he answered in a queer tone.


    She looked at him suspiciously. He directed a gloomy look at her in return and ordered,¡± Pack up. I¡¯m taking you to the airport.¡±


    She was confused by this. ¡°Why are we going to the airport?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sending you back to Galston.¡±


    Her face turned pale in an instant. ¡°I...I¡¯m not going back.


    He gave her a sharp,manding look. ¡°It¡¯s not your decision to make.¡±


    His tone was authoritative and unbending, just like his entire demeanor.


    Sylvia bit her lips. She tried to take off right then and there and head downstairs.


    Before she even managed two steps, Odell grabbed the cor of her shirt.


    He forcefully yanked her back and made her stand in front of him.


    She struggled stubbornly but despite her best effort, she failed to break free. Worse than that, she ended up with Odell¡¯s arm


    wrapped around her neck.


    She knew better than to continue her struggle and tried to plead with him. ¡°Odell, | made sure they didn¡¯t see me


    at all. Please don¡¯t send me back to Galston, please?¡±


    Her voice was filled with desperation.


    Odell frowned and stayed quiet for a few seconds before announcing, ¡°I already told you. If you even stole a peek at them, I¡¯m


    sending you back to Galston. No debates.¡±


    He lowered his head and drew his lips close to her ears.¡± Or do you not take what | say seriously at all?¡±


    Sylvia shrank her neck away from him and rified , ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to stalk them. | wasn¡¯t expecting toe in here either and


    identally saw them while | was trying to hide.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    He scowled. ¡°I don¡¯t care. You still saw them even if it''s by ident.¡± Her heart dropped. After a short, lingering silence , she


    suddenly chomped down on his arm which was wrapped around her neck.


    She put all her force into the bite, like a rabid dog.


    Odell winced in pain and drew his arm away.


    She bolted away in an instant.


    She ran to the mouth of the stairs, then turned to re at him and shouted, ¡°Odell, you¡¯re the one who forced me


    to do this!¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°I''m going to go to Isabel and Liam!¡± With that, she took off and almost threw herself down the stairs along the handrail.


    She was going to find them and let them know that she had returned.


    She did not care whether they were upset at her for abandoning them or not. She was going to reunite with them one way or


    another.


    Even if Odell wanted to send her to Galston, he was going to have to obtain the children¡¯s permission!


    She ran as fast as her legs could take her.


    Odell stood at the top of the stairs and watched her running away clumsily and smirked at theical sight.


    He only took his first step after she made it out of the living room.


    She had only made it to the yard when she felt the terrific hunter breathing down her neck and grabbing at her cor.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 744

    Chapter 744


    Sylvia trembled all over and suddenly yielded to Odell like a kitten being grabbed by the scruff of her neck. Odell made a look.


    ¡°Why did you stop running?¡± Sylvia murmured, ¡°Please let go of me.¡±


    The cor of her shirt was pulling at her neck and restricting her breathing, making her feel very ufortable.


    Odell scoffed. ¡°So you can bite me again?¡±


    This was to say that he was not going to make the same mistake of wrapping his arm around her neck to expose his weakness.


    to her.


    Sylvia insisted. ¡°Let go of me, please.¡± Odell asked, ¡°Do | look stupid to you?¡±


    She grimaced and threatened. ¡°Odell, do you think they can hear me if | screamed right here and now?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He smirked menacingly. ¡°Go ahead and try.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    He was the one who forced her hand!


    She drew a deep breath and let out a cry, ¡°Lia-¡±


    Before she could scream their names out, she felt a hand over her mouth muffle her.


    He put his entire palm over her mouth, she could barely open them at all.


    She tugged at his hand with all her strength but could not pry them away. The only noise she could produce was a muffled cry.


    She was furious and tried to stamp on the soles of his feet but all she managed to stamp on was the cold hard ground.


    Heh. The man suddenly chuckled in what seemed like abination of mockery and amusement at her aghast expression.


    This only infuriated Sylvia further. She stamped her feet again and again.


    Odell stood a safe distance behind her and watched her frantic attempts to resist as he smiled coyly.


    He was having the time of his life entertaining himself when suddenly, he felt something wet drip onto the back of his hand.


    She stopped struggling and was standing motionlessly in ce.


    He was startled by this sudden sensation and upon taking a closer look, he saw that her tears had fallen on his hand.


    Chapter 744


    He grabbed her by her shoulder and made her turn to face


    him.


    She lowered her head to avoid his gaze. There was a strange stillness to her now that was aplete transformation from only


    mere moments ago.


    He frowned and turned her chin up to look at her reddened eyes that reminded him of a rabbit. Her face was scrunched in


    sorrow. It suddenly made him feel sympathetic for her pain.


    He felt something tighten in his chest and asked, ¡°What are you crying about?¡±


    He was not trying to reproach her or needlessly aggravate her sorrows. He was not serious about sending her back to Galston to


    begin with.


    What made her cry so suddenly?


    Sylvia pursed her lips and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. | shouldn¡¯t have stabbed you six months ago. | was wrong about


    trusting him, and | misunderstood you back then. You don¡¯t have to forgive me if you don¡¯t want to. You can scold me and hit me


    as much as you want but please don¡¯t


    Upon arriving at this note, her sentence turned into a drawl as if she was afraid to go on, knowing that what she wanted to say


    would only upset him. He asked impatiently, ¡°Please don¡¯t what?¡±


    ¡°Can you please not send me back to Galston?¡± Tears poured out of her eyes uncontrobly when she said this.


    Odell was struck speechless.


    He felt a giant lump stuck in the middle of his throat.


    Was she frightened to the point of tears just because he said he was sending her back to Galston? ¡°What happened to your


    courage ?¡± He lifted her by her chin and slowly caressed her cheeks with the tip of his thumb. ¡°Haven''t you been living well with


    Thomas in Galston over thest half year?¡±


    Something flickered in her eyes. She clenched her hands tightly to the side of her body and mentioned, ¡°I... I''m getting tired. |


    need to get some rest.¡±


    With that, she turned to leave.


    Odell wrapped his arm around her body and held her close to him.


    He looked at her reddened cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s only eight. Haven''t you just woken up?¡± Sylvia was bound in ce.


    She pursed her lips and remarked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that a pregnant woman needs more sleep than usual?¡±


    He narrowed the look in his eyes.


    He could feel her bulging belly.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 745

    Chapter 745


    Odell drew a step backward and red at her with an icy, demeaning look in his eyes. ¡°I''ll let you off the hook this one time for


    Isabel and Liam¡¯s sake. If this happens again, I¡¯m sending you right back to Galston!¡± ¡°I understand, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Sylvia nodded obediently.


    With that, he turned and walked out.


    His tall figure disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    He mmed the door shut, which produced a loud bang that echoed through the house. The tremendous m made Sylvia


    shiver. Then she quickly headed back to her room.


    In the neighboring house, inside the spacious living room.


    After Isabel and Liam got home with Sebastian and Ben, they began ying with the remote-control cars.


    She was in a very pleasant mood, knowing that she had aplished the task with her brother and hidden the safe. She yed


    a little longer before taking a break.


    She went up to Liam who seemed like his mind was somewhere else. She asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter


    Chapter 745


    with you?¡±


    ¡°Weird,¡± Liam muttered.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What''s weird?¡±


    ¡°Mommy''s house is clean.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what''s weird about that?¡± Isabel could not make out what Liam was trying to suggest. ¡°Our room was very clean as well.


    Even the nkets and bedsheets were changed with new ones.¡±


    Isabel still could not catch his meaning. ¡°What about that?¡±


    ¡°Why are the bedsheets changed if nobody is living in the house anyway?¡±


    Isabel suddenly seemed frightened andmented shrilly, ¡°Is the house haunted?¡°


    Liam was speechless.


    He looked determined. ¡°I suspect someone is living in Mommy¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Sylvia stayed in the house all day and was practically


    bound to the living room.


    It was not so much that she wanted to stay at home. She only worried that she could not resist the temptation to try to steal a


    look if she headed outside and overheard the voices of Isabel and Liam through the wall.


    Even if she identally caught a glimpse of them, Odell would send her back to Galston without a word.


    It took so much for her toe back here. She could not risk having her progress thwarted!


    The sky outside darkened over time.


    That was when she heard the shrill cry of Isabeling from the neighboring yard.


    It sounded like she was ying with Liam in the yard. She could hear her calling for her brother from time to time.


    Her voice was like that of a songbird, angelic and soothing to the ears.


    After she listened silently for some time, she gave in to temptation and walked outside.


    She behaved like a thief even though she was in her house. She sneakily approached the wall that connected the yards of the


    two houses.


    She stood next to the wall and listened attentively to the children ying merrily in the yard next door. She immediately felt better


    as if the somber feelings in


    her chest from what happened earlier that day were instantly washed away. Even the baby inside her seemed to resonate with


    her feelings as she felt a gentle thump against her belly.


    The corner of her lips curled up into a satisfied and content smile.


    Unbeknownst to her, there was a pair of obsidian eyes spying on her since the moment she walked out of the living room


    Therge shadow of a tall figure was lurking around the corner of the gate, staring at her.


    Odell leaned against the wall with his hands folded in front of him. He observed the way she caressed the belly as she listened to


    the activity going on on the other side of the wall. He twitched his lips.


    Was she possessed or something?


    Not only had she turned into a coward over thest half year, but she had probably gone mental as well, to a point where lurking


    behind a wall was what gave her joy.


    He could also hear Isabel and Liam ying from where he stood, but what was so amusing about that anyway? They were not


    doing anything particrly amusing in the first ce. What was it that entertained the woman so much?


    Had she lost her mind after being scarred by Thomas dumping her?


    He scoffed mercilessly upon thinking of this and muttered to himself, ¡°Serves you right.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 746

    Chapter 746


    Chapter 746


    The night was tranquil.


    Odell¡¯s voice traveled to Sylvia who was hiding behind the wall.


    She immediately turned toward the gate. It took her a while before she finally noticed a silhouette inside the darkness around the


    corner.


    Who else could it be but Odell?


    Why did hee here instead of resting at home at this hour of the night?


    Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned and sprinted back into the house like a thief fleeing a crime scene.


    As if she had seen a ghost.


    Odell¡¯s face darkened when he saw the way she reacted.


    He took out his phone and sent her a message: ¡°If | catch you trying to listen to them again, I¡¯m sending you back to Galston!¡±


    Her reply came within seconds: ¡°I got it. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    She even made sure to add a smiling emoji at the end of her message.


    Pandering


    Odell was speechless.


    His finger hovered above the keyboard. He was not sure if he should reproach her or praise her for her obedience.


    After a moment, he put the phone back in his pocket and took out a lighter along with a pack of cigarettes.


    Night had fallen.


    Isabel and Liam in the yard next door dragged their tired bodies into the house, supervised by Sebastian. They went back to their


    room.


    After some time passed, the shut door slowly opened. Isabel stuck her head out and looked down the corridor cautiously, then


    she whispered behind her, ¡°There¡¯s no one outside. Come on out.¡±.


    Liam walked out of the room with her.


    At this hour, most of the members in the household must be sleeping. The only ones awake should be the bodyguards on shift


    tonight.


    Two tiny figures sneaked to the gate.


    They looked at the bodyguard who was dozing off, then they held their breaths and slipped out the gate silently. It did not take


    long for them to reach Sylvia¡¯s ce.


    Isabel was taking the lead but she suddenly stopped and scuttled behind Liam. She grabbed at Liam¡¯s sleeve and muttered


    anxiously, ¡°There are no ghosts inside, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Liam dered confidently as he raised the stun baton in his hand.


    Isabel managed to steal the stun baton from Ben earlier that day.


    They walked to the entrance. Liam put his finger on the fingerprint sensor.


    Beep.


    The fingerprint sensor verified his identity and swiftly opened. He opened the door and walked inside, alertly holding the stun


    baton in one hand and taking Isabel¡¯s hand with his off-hand.


    The yard was basked in the darkness of the night. The house was pitch ck as well.


    Isabel shrunk into a ball and whispered into his ears,¡± Liam, I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Liam squeezed her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡±


    They walked cautiously and gradually inched toward the living room.


    ck!


    Something suddenly ttered against the floor.


    Isabel shrieked, ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Liam made sure he held her close and turned around with the stun baton pointed toward the darkness and shouted, ¡°Who¡¯s


    that?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Odell¡¯s tall figure emerged from within the shadows. Liam frowned. ¡°Dad?¡±


    Isabel also eximed, ¡°Baddie, why are you here?¡±


    Odell threw the stub of the cigarette on the ground and peered at them sternly. ¡°What are you doing here? Shouldn''t you two be


    sleeping?¡±


    Liam stayed quiet.


    Isabel made a look and confessed , ¡°Liam suspects that someone is living here. We wanted to see if Mommy came back.¡±


    Odell frowned again and said sharply, ¡°There¡¯s nobody here. Now get back to sleep.¡±


    Isabel immediately hid behind Liam.


    Liam looked at Odell defiantly. Underneath the moonlight, there was not a hint of fear in his cool


    expression. ¡°Dad, why is Mommy¡¯s house so clean?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 747

    Chapter 747


    Odell sized him up and answered nkly, ¡°Because we have cleanerse by from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Do they clean the room me and my sister used to sleep


    in?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Do they change our bedsheets?¡±.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Liam grimaced.


    He was still standing stoutly without the slightest hint of wanting to leave. After a prolonged standstill , he looked around the dark


    house and frowned before asking suspiciously, ¡°Are you sure Mommy didn¡¯te back?¡± When they came here this morning, he


    was sure he caught the scent of his mother.


    Odell fell silent for a few seconds before dering, ¡°No.¡±


    It was not so much that he was not willing to let them see their mother, but that the wretched woman did not have the right to see


    them this easily!


    Liam turned to Isabel. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Isabel answered with a firm nod.


    There was a clear look of disappointment on their faces.


    Odell frowned and nced in the direction of Sylvia¡¯s room. Then he followed them and walked them out.


    They held on tightly to each other¡¯s hands and slowly walked out with their heads craned to the ground. Their tiny figures


    seemed to be filled with grief as if they were abandoned children.


    Even though their father was right next to them. ¡°Hurry up,¡± he urged. Isabel pouted, she resisted the urge to cry and muttered,¡±


    Okay.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    The two of them quickened their steps and went back to their house one block over.


    Odell followed them until they reached the door of their bedroom. He kept their eyes on them and made sure they crawled back


    into their beds before he turned away and closed the door.


    Meanwhile, inside Sylvia¡¯s bedroom.


    She was squatting by the window with her hands cupping her cheeks.


    She heard movements the moment Isabel and Liam opened the door and came into the house.


    Chapter 747


    She heard their entire conversation with Odell as well.


    Something must have aroused their suspicion when they came during the day, which was why they decided to sneak here at


    night again. She could tell by their voice that they missed her dearly and were dejected at not getting to see her.


    These thoughts consumed her mind and made her spiral out of control. Tears began to fall against her will.


    No, no. She had to control herself.


    Now she knew that her children missed her. Since she was back already, it was only a matter of time until Odell allowed her to


    see them. Even if he adamantly opposed it now, time would tell.


    She got up and went to the bathroom where she washed her face with warm tap water.


    It was around ten in the morning by the time Sylvia opened her eyes. She must have slept tootest night.


    The bedroom windows were still sealed tightly with iron sheets, obstructing sunlight from entering the room. She washed up and


    went to the living room. The scorching sun was burning in the skies above. The day was bright.


    Al4


    She came into the yard and stretched out underneath the glow of the sun.


    After that, she went to the wall as usual and tried to listen to any signs of movement in the neighboring yard.


    Since it was Sunday, she figured that the children must be at home.


    She stood there for an entire hour and heard nothing but themon chatter of two housemaids in the house.


    She went back to the living room and sat on the patio. She bathed under the sun and reached for her phone where she sent a


    text to Odell: ¡°Good morning.¡±


    With a smiley face at the end.


    She wanted to get on his good side.


    There was no reply sometime after the text was sent.


    Either he had not read the message, or he was not interested in replying.


    Thetter seemed like a more likely possibility.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and continued sitting on the patio where she zoned out for some time. Since there were no signs of any


    activity in the neighboring yard after some time, she upped and went to the kitchen where she fixed herself something to eat.

 Chapter 748

    Chapter 748


    After dinner, Sylvia grabbed a chair and sat by the wall where she continued to listen to any form of movements on the other


    side.


    Even after several hours had passed, she heard nothing remotely resembling Isabel and Liam chattering on the other side.


    It was Sunday. Were they not at home?


    After she pondered for a while, she reluctantly grabbed her phone and selected Odell¡¯s contact.


    She hovered her finger back and forth over the keyboard for some time and after some more consideration, she sent a message:


    ¡°Hey, good afternoon.¡± Followed by a cute smiling emoji as usual.


    Ten minutes passed, then half an hour... Then three hours had passed, and he did not answer.


    He was probably not going to reply at all by this point.


    Sylvia put the phone back in her pocket. The sky was slowly darkening by this point. Just as she was about to head back into the


    house, she suddenly heard what sounded like a car parking in front of the gate.


    She perked up with alertness and immediately went to


    Chapter 748


    2/5


    the barred gate where she put her ear over the sheet of metal in hopes of hearing something. She heard Lily¡¯s voice, ¡°Isabel,


    Liam, did you two have fun today?¡±


    She frowned.


    She heard Isabel answering, ¡°We had a lot of fun. Thank you very much, Aunt Lily.¡±


    Judging by her formal tone, Sylvia could make out that Isabel was not particrly distrustful of her stepmother, but she was not


    exactly in love with her either.


    She was always the type that showered you with love if you extend any sort of genuine goodwill toward her, but would hold a


    grudge if you got on her bad side. However, she also had a knack to maintain perfect neutrality if a person was otherwise


    indifferent to her as well.


    The end result was that she was not exactly fond of Lily, but she was not mean toward her either.


    That was well enough. Sylvia doubted that Lily would be intentionally cruel toward the children once she married Odell.


    Lily expressed with a polite smile, ¡°No need to thank me. I¡¯m just d you two had a great time. That way, | won''t feel like | let


    your father down.¡±


    Neither Isabel nor Liam made a response.


    Chapter 748


    3/5


    ¡°You two can head inside first,¡± a new voice that was deep and heavy with bass spoke this time. Sylvia was taken aback by this.


    Odell? Why was he there? Did he spend the day with the children along with Lily? Her first reaction was to look at the phone that


    she still held in her hands.


    This exined why he did not answer her messages. He was spending time with his fianc¨¦e.


    She figured that if she was in Odell¡¯s position, she probably would not be answering the text of an ex-wife when she was


    spending time with a fianc¨¦e.


    The footsteps of the children gradually faded over time. They must have gone into the house.


    Sylvia was not interested in eavesdropping on Odell and Lily''s conversation and went back into her house.


    Meanwhile, Odell and Lily were still standing outside the


    gate.


    After making sure that Isabel and Liam had gone into the house, Odell turned to Lily and thanked her, ¡°Thanks for taking the time


    today.¡±


    Something urgent came up with work today so he had been busy all day until just now.


    4/5


    It was Lily who took Isabel and Liam out to y.


    Lily smiled sweetly and answered, ¡°No need, Odell. | just brought them to a theme park where there was staff who took care of


    them and yed with them. They were very good and didn¡¯t cause any trouble for me or anyone else.¡±


    Isabel and Liam were both adorable , but they were the children of Sylvia Ross, an otherwise insignificant person of a not


    particrly impressive family or background that Lily would hardly spare the time of her day to acknowledge. She doubted that


    she would ever take a liking to the children, but she made sure to at least take her grandmother¡¯s advice and get on their good


    side since Odell cared a great deal about them.


    For what it was worth, it was not much trouble for her. All she did was take them to a children¡¯s theme park and had the staff


    inside look after the two of them for the entire day. The staff members did the bulk of the work while all she had to do was to pick


    them up. It was not much trouble for her at all.


    Odell expressed, ¡°I owe you one.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The children seemed to be in a very good mood. They must have enjoyed their day at the theme park.


    Something gleamed in Lily¡¯s eyes and she said with a smile, ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you treat me to something nice?¡±


    Odell stayed quiet for several seconds before promising,¡± Alright, we''ll do that someday.¡±


    ¡°Which day are we talking about? Could you give me an exact date so | can free up my schedule?¡±


    Odell frowned and stole a nce at the barred gate connected to the next house and decided on a date. ¡°Next Thursday night.¡±


    He set the date for four days from now because he was not particrly in a mood to go outside to eat within the next day or so.


    ¡°Okay then. See you Thursday night.¡± With that, she turned and went back to her car.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 749

    Chapter 749


    Chapter 749


    Odell went into his house as well.


    The engine of the white luxury car roared.


    Upon entering her car, Lily put on a pair of sunsses. When she drove past Sylvia¡¯s house, she cast a brief sidelong nce at


    the house before directing her eyes back to the road and going on her way.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia made herself a simple bowl of noodles.


    After she finished eating, she went to the wall to listen for any signs of movement to gauge what Isabel and Liam were doing


    There was nothing to be heard. They must have been exhausted from the day of activities.


    After she sat for a while, she went back to the living room.


    It was very quiet and she was beginning to get bored.


    She sat on the couch and reached for the remote to turn on the television and proceeded to put on a show to watch.


    Shortly after that, she began to feel tired and let out a long, dragged-out yawn. Her head felt groggy with sleep.


    After an indiscernible amount of time passed, she had the


    brief sensation of something chilly causing her skin to stand up on end, so she opened her eyes groggily.


    That was when she noticed a man leaning against a wall nearby peering at her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    The look in her eyes changed. She was immediately jolted and practically sprang up to a sitting position on the couch.


    Odell frowned displeasingly.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and asked in a hushed voice, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    He walked up to her, his legs were like two long and thick tree trunks.


    She wanted to duck away from him but he immediately put a hand out to touch her face.


    She froze and did not dare to move. It was as if a spell had been cast on her and immobilized her.


    The look in his eyes darkened, and he spoke with an undertone of anger, ¡°What¡¯s this? Weren¡¯t you the one bombarding my


    phone with messages earlier today? Don¡¯t you want to see me?¡±


    ¡°| wasn¡¯t bombarding your phone with messages. | texted you twice.¡± Sylvia cautiously corrected him.


    His face immediately darkened by several shades. Sylvia hurriedly rified, ¡°| wasn¡¯t trying to do anything.


    Chapter 749


    | was just greeting you and seeing how you were doing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing very badly right now.¡± ¡°Sorry to hear that.¡± Odell: ¡°...¡±


    His face was ck as ink.


    Sylvia immediately zipped her lips. She already apologized to him. Why was he still so upset?


    She was just as flustered as she was scared. Her eyes turned into tworge circles that beamed with innocence.


    Odell felt terrible.


    Was he a rabid wolf? Or some sort of demon?


    Where was her past audacity thatpelled her to use him of being a disgusting man? Did she shrink into her current


    pathetic state after Thomas dumped her?!


    After a long silence, he let go of her, then he turned around and walked out.


    He walked very quickly and reached the entrance of the living room in the blink of an eye.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.


    At that very moment, he suddenly stopped and turned around.


    His cold, hostile gaze swept over her.


    She was stunned. She barely had time to suppress her sigh.


    She pursed her lips.


    He continued to peer icily at her. She blurted out, ¡°Did | say something wrong? If | said something to upset you, you can just tell


    me and I''ll make sure to be careful from here on.¡±


    ¡°I''m very upset.¡± He gnashed his teeth and dered, ¡°It pisses me off seeing you like this.¡±


    She lowered her head and turned her body silently in another direction , leaving him to stare at the cold hard figure of her back.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 750

    Chapter 750


    Odell frowned with irritation. ¡°Why are you turning away?¡±


    Was this her way of expressing her sorrow and emptiness? A show of her somber state?


    ¡°Does this make you feel better?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Odell was puzzled by this.


    ¡°Next time, let me know in advance before youe here. That way, | can get something like a shawl to cover my face so you


    won''t have to look at my face again.¡± After a pause, she asked again, ¡°Does this make you feel better?¡±


    Odell was speechless.


    Did she think that her face was the reason for him being upset?


    A burst of vexation rushed up to his head. He walked up to her in just a fewrge strides. Then, he sped hisrge palms


    around her chin and made her turn to face him. !!


    Hisser eyes seemed like they were going to bore holes into her. ¡°Is something wrong with your head?¡± Sylvia narrowed her


    eyes and answered, ¡°Not that | know


    of.¡±


    He red at her.


    She immediately changed her tone. ¡°If you think there¡¯s something wrong, then it¡¯s probably correct.¡± Odell pursed his lips. He


    felt what seemed like a lump in his throat. After that, he put one arm around her waist and carried her off the couch.


    Sylvia almost shrieked by the suddenness of his action but did not dare to struggle. She grabbed at his cor and asked sharply,


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°To a mental hospital,¡± he said with a vicious look, ¡°Let¡¯s have them dissect your brain to see what''s wrong with


    you!¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The look in Sylvia¡¯s eyes became alert, she clenched his cor tightly. Just as Odell was about to carry her past the door, she


    asked out of nowhere, ¡°Do you still have a thing for me?¡±


    Odell stopped abruptly and stared darkly at her.


    ¡°You''re just trying to get a feel of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked again, this time with her reddened eyes cast off to another direction.


    Odell¡¯s face darkened and hemanded sharply, ¡°Say that while looking at me.¡±


    Sylvia gritted her teeth and confronted his gaze. She built up the courage to say to him, ¡°You¡¯re engaged to Miss Springsteen .


    You''re someone¡¯s fianc¨¦ now and it¡¯s not appropriate for you to carry me like this. It would be a bad look on you if someone sees


    us like this, so you''d better put me down right now.¡± He crooked one of his eyebrows. ¡°And what if | don¡¯t?¡±


    Sylvia chirped softly. ¡°People will talk.¡± Odell fell quiet.


    The yard was as quiet as a cemetery. It was a cold night but there was no wind.


    He stared quietly at her.


    She avoided his gaze, a cautious look hung over her face.


    After a while, she suddenly winced, and her entire expression became contorted in pain.


    Odell became alert. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Sylvia gestured at her belly and whispered, ¡°The baby is kicking me again.¡± It was a strong


    kick.


    Odell frowned and looked at her bulging belly.


    Perhaps the brat inside heard and understood the conversation between the two of them. He seemed to be able to feel the


    baby¡¯s movements. It was as if the baby


    was kicking Sylvia¡¯s stomach to protest and defend Sylvia.


    The look in his eyes cooled down and he promptly let go of her.


    He announced in a sharp voice, ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything toward you now. Stop being so full of yourself or else I''ll send you back to


    Galston.¡±


    With that, he stepped past her and walked outside.


    Sylvia stood fixed to the same spot with her hands on her stomach.


    She gently stroked the rowdy child through her belly and made a long sigh.


    If he imed to not feel anything toward her, then so be it. Besides, he had a fianc¨¦e, so it was only to be expected.


    She said that on purpose to rile him up so he would put her down.


    After a while, the baby seemed to settle down atst. She murmured, ¡°It¡¯s okay, all Mommy wants is to have you, your brother,


    and your sister.¡±


    Several days passed in the blink of an eye. Sylvia had been spending her days and nights listening to Isabel and Liam through


    the wall.


    Odell never showed up again, but she still ritually texted


    Chapter 750


    him every day to greet him even if he never replied even once.


    It was Thursday.


    Just like the past few days, when the two little ones came back from school in the evening, Sylvia quickly went to her usual spot


    and tried to listen in for anything particrly interesting.


    Since it was a colder night than usual, Isabel and Liam only hung around the yard for a short while before


    entering the house.


    Since there was nothing to be heard over her side of the wall, Sylvia retreated into her house as well.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 751

    Chapter 751


    Chapter 751


    The house was very quiet, so quiet that only her breathing could be heard.


    It was rather boring, so after sitting for a while, she grabbed her coat and walked out of the house, intending to go to the nearby


    street for a stroll.


    Meanwhile, inside a car somewhere else that had just merged onto the highway, the driver was driving attentively.


    Odell sat by himself in the backseat.


    Ding ding.


    His phone chimed.


    He opened it and saw that it was a message from Lily.¡± Hey, I¡¯m all ready. Are you done with work yet?¡±


    He texted his reply and sent it, ¡°I just finished work. I''ll just have a quick look at the kids, and then I''lle meet you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then I''ll wait for you at the restaurant first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He put away his phone and looked out of the car window.


    The cold wind blew across the street, sending dry leaves rattling everywhere. It was colder than Sylvia had imaginedContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She suddenly regretted evening out, but there were still two junctions until she reached the street. She took a deep breath


    and continued advancing forward , wrapped in a thick coat.


    Just as she was about to step past a junction, her feet slipped from underneath her as she identally stepped on a thinyer of


    ice that had formed on the road.


    She could not get a steady foothold and tumbled backward,nding on the cold hard ground with a resounding thud.


    Her body trembled all over while she felt a terrible jolt in her belly. She cried out in pain.


    That was when a ck car swerved into the junction from a distance. The man seated in the backseat immediately recognized


    her figure at first nce.


    The look in his eyes changed, and he immediately ordered, ¡°Stop!¡±


    The driver urgently mmed on the brakes. Within a second, the door was thrown open and the man rushed out of the car to run


    to Sylvia''s side.


    She moaned.


    Chapter 751


    3/4


    ¡®It hurt. Everything hurts.¡¯ Sylvia put her hands on her stomach and turned her head around frantically. She wanted to find a


    passerby to help her contact an ambnce.


    However, there was not a soul anywhere nearby. There was not even a single car to be seen passing by this junction.


    Her nerves were getting to her, and she felt like she was on the edge of crying when she suddenly heard the sound of hurried


    footsteps behind her.


    When she turned around, the tall and familiar figure of the man suddenly came into view.


    She felt a sharp sting pricking her nose. ¡°Odell...¡±


    Odell went up to her and picked her up from the ground without a word. She pursed her lips and let him carry her into his car.


    It was warm inside the car, but her initial feeling was difort. Her stomach was still hurting, so she covered her stomach and


    frowned deeply.


    Odell took a nce at her and shouted to the driver, ¡°Go to the hospital immediately!¡±


    The driver turned the car around at once, and all was quiet again.


    Sylvia gnashed her teeth and did not utter a word whereas


    Odell stared at her pointedly.


    After about ten minutes, they finally arrived at the hospital.


    Sylvia wanted to open the door and step out of the car herself when Odell¡¯s long and slender arm stretched out in front of her


    and took her into his arms. He bolted into the hospital.


    The cold wind was blowing in from every direction.


    Due to the mix of cold and the severe pain she was in, she buried her face into the spot between his neck and his shoulder. His


    neck seemed to be radiating heat which provided her with somefort being in this position.


    Something seemed to glimmer in Odell¡¯s eyes, and he immediately quickened his pace again.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 752

    Chapter 752


    Chapter 752


    An hourter, Sylvia was admitted to the hospital.


    After treatment , her condition was returned to a stable state. Although she still felt some tightness in her stomach, she was not


    in pain anymore. Still, she had to stay hospitalized for several days.


    She leaned back against the head of the bed and looked weakly at the man standing by the door.


    He was leaning against the wall, his posture seeming ratheridback, but his eyes conveyed a different impression as he stared


    at her with grim intensity.


    It took a while for Sylvia to pluck the courage to thank him. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He looked at her harshly. ¡°Damn right you have to thank me. If | hadn¡¯t run into you, your baby would probably have been gone


    by now.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    The doctor attending to her informed her that if Odell brought her to the hospital just a littleter, it might have been over for the


    unborn child. Odell was her life savior tonight.


    Her eyes gleamed and she thanked him again. ¡°Thank you for saving us.¡±


    Odell shot her a look and asked, ¡°What were you doing out there instead of staying home?¡±


    Sylvia answered, ¡°I got a little bored at home, so | thought I''d head to the street to take a walk.¡±


    His face darkened upon hearing this.


    The weather was so cold that any puddle of water in the city was frozen into ice. A pregnant woman had no business walking


    around in such conditions, especially at night!


    As if that was not bad enough, she was even traveling on a road where there was not a single person in sight! If she had not


    been fortunate enough to chance into him tonight, there was a chance that she would have lost her life along with the baby!


    He became irrationally angry and burst out, ¡°It looks to me that you¡¯re suicidal!¡±


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes, pursed her lips, and remained quiet.


    Odell walked to the window angrily and looked outside while she stared at his stout figure from behind.


    Along silence descended upon the room.


    After a while, seeing that he was still upset, Sylvia proposed, ¡°Everything is fine now. Why don¡¯t you go home to get some rest?¡±


    Chapter 752


    Odell turned back to her. His gaze was sharp and cold.


    Sylvia was startled by his vicious look and shrank away. She suddenly felt another throb in her stomach, so she cried out in pain.


    Odell¡¯s expression immediately shifted. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just a pain in my stomach, but it¡¯s gone now.¡± Sylvia


    smiled back at him.


    It was true, it was just a momentary pain. Her child must have responded to her fear.


    Odell frowned, then he turned and walked out. His tall figure disappeared in the blink of an eye.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia felt an emptiness brewing inside of her.


    Just like that, he was gone.


    Shortly after that, the doctor who had attended to her entered the ward and inquired about her current condition.


    Sylvia answered the questions obligingly. The doctor breathed a sigh of relief upon noting her condition and instructed her to


    focus on getting an ample amount of rest, then he left the ward.


    Sylvia looked out of the door again.


    As soon as Odell left, the doctor had shown up and checked up on her. Did he send the doctor in?


    After not seeing a glimpse of Odell for a while, she pursed her lips andy back on the bed. He was probably gone by now.


    Meanwhile , at the end of the corridor outside her ward.


    Odell was standing by the window, looking at the view outside with a gloomy look in his eyes.


    The doctor, who had just spoken to Sylvia, appeared behind him and informed dutifully, ¡°Master Carter, Miss Sylvia is doing fine.


    All she needs is a good rest, and there will be no further problems.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I''ll get back to it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The doctor turned away.


    As Odell opened the window, a gust of cold wind beat against his face.


    Meanwhile, inside a certain expensive restaurant in Westchester, Lily sat gracefully on a chair, looking


    immacte in her designer dress.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 753

    Chapter 753


    Chapter 753


    Lily read the message Odell had just sent to her phone and immediately frowned irritably.


    Half an hour ago, she had texted him to ask whether he was on his way. His reply was: ¡°Sorry, something came up. Let''s eat


    next time.¡±


    When she asked Odell what hade up so urgently, he did not reply again.


    After a while, she took a deep breath and called her assistant.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her assistant picked up within the first few rings, and she immediately ordered, ¡°Get in touch with Odell¡¯s driver. Ask him where


    Odell has been tonight.¡±


    The assistant hurriedly replied, ¡°Alright, Miss, I''ll have that done right away.¡±


    The next morning, the nurse woke Sylvia up. She got up and washed up, then she had a hearty breakfast.


    The weather was rather pleasant today, and the warm sun shone into the room through the window slits.


    The nurse watched Sylvia very closely to make sure that she would not leave the ward, so she had to return to bed.


    Chapter 753


    The sunlight shone from such an angle that it touched the edges of the bed. She stretched her back toward the direction of the


    sun.


    Suddenly, she heard the distinctive sound of heels cking against the concrete floor. She turned her head just in time to see a


    young woman stepping into the ward. The visitor was slender and tall. She was dressed elegantly, and her refined taste shone


    through her articles of clothing. She regarded people with her chin held high, a symbol of her prominent background, unyielding


    and dignified.


    Wasn''t this the daughter of the Springsteens, Lily Springsteen?


    Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted. She immediately reverted to her normal posture and smiled politely at Lily. ¡°Miss Lily, to what do |


    owe this visit?¡±


    Lily answered indifferently, ¡°I came to see you.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and kept the same courteous smile hanging across her lips. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    As Lily approached the bed, her eyes immediately darted at Sylvia¡¯s bulging belly. She asked with a sharp look in her eyes, ¡°Are


    you pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Who is the father?¡±


    Sylvia tightened her hands and answered, ¡°Not Odell.¡±


    The look in Lily''s eyes seemed to soften, and then a contemptuous sneer took over. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go abroad with the Second


    Master? Where is he now? Why are you by yourself?¡±


    Sylvia lowered her head and answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t like it there, so | came back.¡±


    ¡°What about the Second Master? Didn¡¯t he want toe back with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback.


    Lily peered at her coldly, all while maintaining the same elegant smile and noting, ¡°That exins why you need another man to


    take you to the hospital.¡±


    By another man, was she referring to Odell? Was she upset because Odell had brought her herest night? Sylvia quickly


    exined, ¡°Miss Lily, please don¡¯t misunderstand . | just happened to see Odell when | fell


    on the roadst night. He¡¯s my ex-husband, so he couldn''t just ignore me and took it upon himself to send me to the hospital.¡±


    Lily''s expression shifted.


    Don¡¯t misunderstand ? Did Odell not tell her about their agreement concerning the engagement?


    Even before the two of them got engaged, they already agreed that they would not let the world know that they had gotten


    engaged under false premises until they had officially called it off. She was not expecting Odell to not keep Sylvia in the know.


    Wasn''t he nning to salvage things with Sylvia? With this in mind, she smiled and said, ¡°So, that¡¯s how it is. | was wondering


    why he stood me up.¡±


    Odell stood her up?


    Sylvia frowned and apologized sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | won¡¯t cause him any trouble again in the future.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. | know what he¡¯s like, and | get why he¡¯s doing this. And of course, I¡¯m sure that you will live up to your


    promise.¡±


    Sylvia felt her chest tightening. Lily''s statement might have sounded pleasant, but she was subtly establishing her dominance .


    She was Odell¡¯s fianc¨¦e , hence she had everything right to do this.


    With this in mind, Sylvia smiled and said to her, ¡°Miss Lily, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. There are no longer any lingering


    feelings between me and Odell since our divorce. You have my word that | won¡¯t get in between you two.¡±


    Chapter 753


    315)


    Lily answered with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me your word. | believe that you are an upright person. | have a meeting to


    attend, so | won''t be taking your time. Goodbye.¡±


    Without waiting for Sylvia to say anything, she turned and walked out. Just as when she arrived, she strutted out in an elegant,


    dignified manner. She was worlds apart from Sylvia who seemedpletely disheveled, sitting on her hospital bed.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 754

    Chapter 754


    Sylviay down again after Lily left. She pulled the quilt over her head to block the sunlight from shining into the room.


    Meanwhile , Lily stepped out and immediately ran into Odell who was next to the doorway.


    His tall andnky figure was leaning against the wall next to the door, and there was a distinctly dark look on his handsome face.


    Lily took a step back, startled by the sight of him. ¡°Odell? Why are you here?¡±


    Odell red at her with mild contempt. ¡°I should be asking you the same question.¡±


    Alook of panic shed across Lily¡¯s face, then she promptly exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | should have told you before | came. You


    didn¡¯t reply to my messagest night, and | became concerned that something bad happened to you, so | got in touch with your


    driver. That¡¯s how | found out that you brought Miss Sylvia here, so | figured I''de to visit her as well.¡±


    ¡°You came to visit her?¡± There was a tint of ice in his voice, and his current expression seemed almost demonic.


    It was a world¡¯s difference from his usual mild and


    indifferent temperament. This was the first time Lily had seen him in such a foul mood.


    She had a gut feeling that she was not the true reason for Odell being so upset. After all, she had onlye to make a


    statement and never said anything particrly nasty or hurtful to Sylvia.


    With that said, she was still feeling particrly unnerved and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, maybe | acted selfishly, but | never held any


    ill will against her.¡± ¡°Keep it to yourself. I¡¯m not interested in you.¡± Lily¡¯s expression transformed. This was the first time in her life


    that a man was telling her straight to her face that she did not interest him. It was especially worse considering it came from a


    man that she was desperate to have for herself!


    She was a Springsteen! Numerous men would do everything in their power to have a chance with her! How could he say such


    things to her?


    She frowned and stated, ¡°Odell, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s very hurtful for you to say that?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and ignored her.


    Lily promptly walked past him and stormed down the hallway. After she vanished, the hallway was filled with silence.


    The man wore the same intense look on his face. When he


    looked at the woman in the ward who was wrapped in a thick quilt, the look in his eyes darkened momentarily.


    Their divorce was something he could live with, but why would she even promise Lily that she would not step in between the two


    of them?


    How much contempt could Sylvia have for him to want to draw such clear boundaries with him?


    Was she still thinking about Thomas who dumped her?


    Sylvia was discharged after two days in the hospital.


    It was not because she disliked the hospital but because she missed Isabel and Liam. She could not wait to hear their familiar


    voices.


    Upon returning to her house that afternoon, she immediately moved her chair to the wall connected to the next house and sat


    there, listening patiently for any signs of movement.


    Even after an hour had passed, she could not hear the children¡¯s voices. In fact, she could not even hear the usual voices of


    Sebastian and the others chatting about their day.


    It was so quiet as if the next house was abandoned.


    longer, Sylvia decided she had enough. She rose and


    walked outside.


    She looked at the next house. There was not a single person around the gate, not even the bodyguards that were usually posted


    there.


    She stepped in front of the gate and tried to peer inside through the gaps. The yard was empty, and the door leading to the living


    room was closed. Not a single person could be seen.


    She raised her hand to ring the doorbell.


    The doorbell seemed to echo and drone on endlessly, but nobody emerged from the house. It seemed like the house was empty.


    Everything was fine before she went to the hospital , so what suddenly changed? Why was there nobody at home?


    She immediately took out her phone and called Odell. It only rang once before the call got disconnected. Sylvia frowned and


    send him a message after pondering over it for a while. She asked him, ¡°Hey, have you moved out? Why is there no one home?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 755

    Chapter 755


    A minuteter, Sylvia received a reply that read: ¡°Yeah.¡±


    It was a one-word reply, concise and brutal.


    She tried to press for more information. ¡°Why the sudden move? Did something happen?¡±


    Odell ignored her.


    She sent yet another message. ¡°Where did you move to?¡±


    She received a pop-up that informed her that the message could not be sent because she was not on the recipient¡¯s friend list


    and that she had to be on the friend list to send a message. Needless to say, it was because Odell had blocked her.


    She frowned sullenly.


    She had been staying in the hospital for the past two days and had never done anything wrong, so why did he block her out of


    nowhere?


    An unbearable sadness rushed up to her head in an instant as she rubbed her eyes.


    After that, she gged a taxi by the road.


    If Odell would not tell her, she would find it herself.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The taxi took off to her appointed destination. She first


    2D}


    went to the Carters¡¯ residence which was very quiet there,


    and she could tell there was nobody home.


    Then, she went to the Carters¡¯ ce in the Old District .


    However, before she even stepped out of the car, Ben, who was posted at the gate, stepped up to the car and spoke to her


    through the car window, ¡°Miss Sylvia, Master Carter has instructed us to tell you that you¡¯re not wee here. Please leave.¡±


    Sylvia quickly asked, ¡°Did he relocate all of you here?¡±


    Ben answered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sylvia tried to crane her neck to get an angle into the house.


    Ben quickly shifted to the side , shielding her view with his body.


    Left with no choice, Sylvia had to tell the driver to leave the ce.


    Immediately after turning around the corner, she had the driver drop her off at the junction. She crouched down like a thief and


    slowly snuck her way back to the vicinity of the Carters¡¯ house.


    She knew that the kids were in the middle of their winter break and should be at home most of the time. She did not need to see


    them. All she wanted was to just hear their voices.


    Chapter 755


    3/5


    Three bodyguards were posted by the gates, and all of them standing an equal distance from one another. They were very


    vignt and scanned the area from time to time as if their sole task was to look out for any signs of Sylvia.


    She did not want to risk drawing any closer than necessary and chose to hide behind a tree instead.


    The day darkened without her realizing. Even the temperature seemed to drop by several degrees.


    Atst, two of the bodyguards went back into the house. They must have gone to get dinner.


    Sylvia held her breath and leaned her back against the wall. She began to slowly creep closer toward the house in that manner.


    Just as she was drawing closer to the gate, she saw a very familiar-looking ck car driving toward the house. Her heart nearly


    jumped out of her chest. She quickly retreated several steps and found a curved section of the wall to burrow herself into.


    However, no matter how hard she tried to press herself into the curved section of the wall, her pregnant belly still slightly bulged


    out. It was impossible to hidepletely. It was toote. The car hade to a stop, so she could not run and look for another


    hiding ce. All she could do was hold her breath and pray to all the gods that they would not find her hiding here.


    4/5


    Meanwhile , the bodyguard at the gate was opening the gate for Odell.


    Odell stepped out of the car and strode toward the house. His long feet were like two thick trunks.


    ¡°Did that woman show up?¡± he asked as he strode. The bodyguard answered informatively, ¡°She came once this evening, and


    Ben told her to leave.¡±


    Odell was just about to step into the house when he suddenly caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He


    stopped with a squint in his eyes and observed the belly bulging out of the section of the wall and noted, ¡°Is that so? Did she


    leave?¡±


    As soon as he said that, the belly moved slightly as if it was trying to burrow itself deeper into the wall, only to no avail. The


    curved section of the wall was nowhere near deep enough to offer her enough room to hide. Heh. He could not help but chuckle


    at such a humorous scene.


    The bodyguard was about to say something when he suddenly heard Odell¡¯s chuckle. He asked with intrigue,¡± Master Carter,


    what are youughing at?¡± ¡°Nothing, | just thought of a joke.¡±


    This only confused the bodyguard further.


    Before he could make sense of what was happening, Odell


    Chapter 755


    suddenly added, ¡°There¡¯s this pig that thinks it¡¯s the smartest pig in the world. In truth, it''s unbelievably stupid and clumsy, but it¡¯s


    too stupid to even realize it.¡±


    The bodyguard was confused. What sort of joke was this supposed to be?


    Why was it that this joke sounded more like a spiteful


    statement, full of reproach?


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 756

    Chapter 756


    Odell looked at the tip of the protruding stomach in the dark and asked again, ¡°I arranged for three people to be on guard here.


    Why are you alone now?¡±


    The bodyguard quickly replied, ¡°They went to have dinner and will be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Watch this ce properly. Don¡¯t let even a fly get in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Odell looked away and walked inside.


    The bodyguard immediately shot up in alert, standing ramrod straight in front of the main door.


    Around the corner, Sylvia secretly breathed a sigh of relief. However, at the same time, she could not help but frown.


    ¡®Why do | have a feeling that the pig he was talking about was me? No, he can¡¯t have seen me. With his temper, if he saw me


    sneaking around here, he¡¯d definitely drag me out and send me back to Galston.¡¯


    She did not think much about it. Then, she skimmed the wall gingerly and walked back toward the way she came.


    The other two bodyguards would be back soon. With three of them standing guard, she would definitely be


    Chapter 756


    found if she stayed any longer. It was better to go back and think of another way.


    Although the old Carters¡¯ residence was located in the Old District, the mansion was surrounded by greenery, and the nearest


    neighbor stayed several hundred meters away.


    Moreover, there were no nearby houses for rent, so Sylvia could not eavesdrop on their movements as easily as before.


    Odell had probably moved here all of a sudden to prevent her from eavesdropping.


    Sylvia felt depressed. What made her even more dismal was that she could not get close to the Carters¡¯ residence at all.


    Whenever she came near, the bodyguards would find her.


    She could not see Isabel and Liam at all, much less hear anything about them.


    That night, she had just sneaked into the grove next to the residence when she was surrounded by Ben and several bodyguards.


    They all looked at her with expressionless faces. Ben, the leader, said helplessly, ¡°Ms. Ross, please go back.


    This was the closest she had been to the Carters¡¯


    Chapter 756


    3/4


    residence these days, and she was just a few steps away from the wall of the courtyard. As long as Isabel and Liam were ying


    in the yard, she would definitely hear their movements.


    She was unwilling to leave just like that, so she said with a smile, ¡°Ben, | won¡¯t go in. I''ll just go over to that wall for a while and


    then leave.¡±


    Ben was troubled. ¡°Ms. Ross, Master Carter said that you¡¯re not allowed in a hundred-meter radius of this ce. You''ve already


    crossed the line. | can¡¯t let youe any closer.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and stared at him.


    Ben sighed. ¡°Master Carter should being back soon. You should leave.¡±


    Her chest suddenly tightened in pain. She had been away for half a year. It was true that she did not call the children for half a


    year, but she did not mean to leave! She had not wanted to lose contact with her children for half a year either!


    She did not even hope to meet them anymore. She just wanted to hear their voices!


    Sylvia was so dejected that she simply sat down on the ground, saying to Ben, ¡°If you don¡¯t let me go, I''ll just sit here!¡±


    Ben and the other bodyguards were shocked. They did not


    Al4


    expect her to do this, so they exchanged nces with one another.


    Although Odell had told them not to let here close, he did not say that they could do anything to her.


    Furthermore, she was a pregnant woman. What if something happened when they forcefully carried her away?


    Just when they did not know what to do, a tall ck shadow appeared from the side.


    The grove instantly turned several degrees colder. After seeing him, the bodyguards respectfully called out,¡± Master Carter.¡±


    It was Odell. He wore a ck suit and a long coat. With a cold expression, his figure was tall and straight, and his whole body


    exuded a chilly aura.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 757

    Chapter 757


    Chapter 757


    On the ground, Sylvia''s eyes immediately widened.


    Before she could get up, the man walked up to her and peered down at her. His dark eyes were even darker than the night at


    that moment.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± he asked. Sylvia hurriedly moved back. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Ben and the other bodyguards were speechless. ¡®Where did all your spunk earlier go?¡±


    Odell snorted coldly. ¡°Then, why are you sitting here?¡± Sylvia''s eyes shed, and she said, ¡°I was a little tired from standing, so |


    sat down to rest.¡±


    Ben and the others were at a loss for words,


    Her face had a natural blush. It was unknown whether it was because she was cold or scared, but the rims of her eyes were


    slightly red. She looked like a silly little cat who was lost, appearing somewhat cute.


    However, Odell still clearly remembered what she said to Lily in the hospital a few days ago. She had said that she had no


    feelings for him and had promised not to ruin their rtionship.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    What a perfect ex-wife.


    214


    Odell snorted augh. ¡°Do you want to go back to Galston?¡±


    Sylvia paled.


    The next second, she sprung up, turned around, and walked out of the grove. She walked very fast for fear of being caught by


    him. Odell stood there, watching her quickly disappearing figure, and his expression darkened uncontrobly.


    After a moment, he said coldly, ¡°Station more people here. The next time you see her, arrest her!¡±


    Ben quickly answered, ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    In the Springsteen residence, after returning from the hospital that day, Lily stayed in her room and rarely came out.


    That evening, Madam Springsteen went to her room. When she saw Lily¡¯s still slightly angry expression , she smiled and said,


    ¡°Lily, don¡¯t be angry. | just heard from Ramona that Master Carter moved back to the residence in the Old District with the


    children and Madam Carter.¡±


    Lily''s expression changed. ¡°They really moved back?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems he deliberately moved away because he doesn¡¯t want that


    woman to see the children.¡±


    Chapter 757


    3/4


    Lily thought of Sylvia who she saw in the hospital that day, and a look of contempt surfaced in her eyes. She was timid and


    unkempt, looking utterly disgraceful. If she was allowed to get too close to the children , they would probably grow up to be as


    disgraceful as her.


    However, did Odell really move away because he did not want to let Sylvia see the children?


    Lily asked, ¡°Grandma, did Aunt Ramona say anything else?¡±


    Madam Springsteen replied, ¡°She said that Master Carter¡¯s temper is still the same. He probably only said such cold words to


    you because he doesn¡¯t think of you that way yet. If you two meet more and he develops feelings for you, he''ll definitely be


    devoted to you.¡±


    Lily frowned and looked a little upset. ¡®We already met up so many times, but he¡¯s still not interested in me.¡¯


    Madam Springsteen saw Lily¡¯s emotions and said with a smile, ¡°Lily, his ex-wife and he have known each other for more than ten


    years, but you¡¯ve only been together with him for several days. It¡¯s normal for him not to have any interest in you yet. However, |


    believe in you. With your looks and ability, sooner orter, you''ll rece that woman in his heart.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s nothing.¡± Lily scoffed coldly. ¡°Not only will | rece her, but I''ll also surpass her as well.¡±


    Chapter 757


    4/4


    ¡®| want Odell to fall in love with me and marry me. | also want to have children with him. | want to give birth to children who are a


    hundred times better than Liam and Isabel!¡¯


    ¡°Of course. That woman is from a no-name family and isn¡¯t even worthy to carry your shoes.¡± Madam Springsteen saw Lily return


    to her usual state and smiled. ¡°Lily, Ramona is holding a party for her 70th birthday this Saturday. Master Carter will definitely


    attend, so you can apany me as well.¡±


    Lily''s eyes changed, and the corners of her mouth curled up. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 758

    Chapter 758


    Chapter 758


    Sylvia did not dare to go back to the old Carters¡¯ residence again for fear of being sent back to Galston.


    She cooped herself up in the house and did not go anywhere. She did not want to do anything either.


    She only ordered takeout. When she was not eating, she was lying on the bed or the sofa, looking at the photos of Isabel and


    Liam that she had saved on her phone..


    The weather in Westchester City was terrible these days. It was either cloudy or raining.


    That morning, the weather in Westchester City turned clear, and the sun rose early in the morning, spreading its rays on the


    ground. The sunlight shone through the window and filled the living room. On the sofa, Sylvia opened her eyes to the sunlight.


    Her phone was still in her hand, and on the screen was a picture of Isabel and Liam. She had stared at this photo countless


    times and had already memorized its location in the album.


    She stared at the photo for a while longer before exiting the interface.


    She logged into her social media ount and sent a greeting to Odell just like she had been doing the past few


    Chapter 758


    days.


    Sure enough, the message was not delivered. She was still blocked.


    She frowned and tapped the screen to log out, but she misclicked and saw a post from Zach.


    ¡°Congrattions to Ms. Decker on her 70th birthday. See you at Paulonia Hotelter.¡±


    Several pictures were included in the post. They were all taken invishly decorated areas, and the middle one was of a person


    who was decked out in jewels. That person was none other than Ramona.


    Sylvia paused.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Paulonia Hotel was a five-star hotel where grand banquets were held. Was Ramona holding her birthday party there? ¡®She¡¯s


    Madam Carter¡¯s sister, so Odell should be there too, right? Will he bring Isabel and Liam with him?¡¯


    Her emotions that had been depressed for a few days suddenly changed into excitement.


    She got up and looked at the time. It was almost 11:30 a.m. now, almost two hours since the post had gone up.


    Her eyes glinted in determination, and she got up and headed out.


    At her urging, the driver sped her to Paulonia Hotel in


    less than half an hour.


    Sylvia immediately got out of the car and walked to the hotel entrance but was stopped by the security guard.


    The bodyguard said politely, ¡°Paulonia Hotel is booked out today for Ms. Decker¡¯s birthday. If you want to go in, please show me


    the invitation to the party.¡±


    Sylvia said with a smile, ¡°I just need to find someone. I''lle out after | say a few words to him.¡±


    The guard continued to stop her and asked, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s throat choked up.


    Seeing her fall silent, the guard immediately said coldly,¡± If you can¡¯t tell me, then leave, or don¡¯t me me for being impolite.¡±


    She frowned.


    ¡®The two little ones are most likely inside with Odell. | can¡¯t leave now. | have to go in and see them.¡¯


    Just as she did not know what to do, a familiar figure came up from the side.


    ¡°Sylvia?¡± Zach looked at her in surprise.


    Sylvia was also shocked.


    At that moment, the security guard who said he would be impolite to her suddenly changed his expression and


    en het Mr Hacwin, do you know her)¡±


    stranded ¡°She¡¯s my friend¡±


    Topp The guard bowed his head and apologized to sha. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. | was wrong to stop you.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. Just let me in,¡± Sylvia replied.


    The guard quickly backed away.


    Zach also walked up to her and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sylvia''s eyes shed. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 759

    Chapter 759


    ¡°This ce is fully booked today. Who are you looking for?¡± Zach asked with a smile. It did not seem like he saw through her lie.


    ¡°|-I just want to see if they¡¯re here or not.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know them. They should have followed their father to attend Ms. Decker¡¯s birthday party.¡± ¡°Then, why did youe


    here to see them?¡±


    ¡°I''m very close to them, but we haven''t seen each other for a long time. | really want to see them very much. I¡¯ll take one look


    and then leave.¡± Sylvia looked at him with expectant eyes.


    Zach crossed his arms and smiled. ¡°Sylvia, | truly think of you as a friend. I''ll be upset if you lie to me again.¡±


    Sylvia hesitated and said, ¡°They¡¯re my children. | really just want to see them. I¡¯ll just take one glimpse from afar and go.¡±


    ¡°Who is their father?¡±


    She pursed her lips.


    Zach sighed. ¡°I just took over Paulonia Hotel, and today is my first day of work. | can¡¯t let you in if | don¡¯t


    understand the situation clearly. Don¡¯t worry. As long as you tell me the truth, I''ll find a way to let you in to see your children.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, and she said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s Odell.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Zach was startled, thinking he had heard wrongContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She repeated, ¡°Their father is Odell Carter.¡±


    Zach looked at her in silence for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Her eyes lit up. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He smiled and said while leading her inside, ¡°The banquet has already started, so | can¡¯t send you in directly. Do you want to sit


    in my office ande back down when the banquet is over?¡±


    Sylvia frowned and replied, ¡°No, I''ll just go in and take a look at them, and then I''ll leave.¡±


    Odell would definitely bring the two children out together with him when the banquet was over. He was a vignt man, so it would


    be bad if he noticed her.


    Furthermore, the banquet would not be over for another hour or two.


    Zach thought for a moment and said, ¡°There¡¯s a way for you to get inside.¡±


    Chapter 759


    Sylvia looked at him. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Ten minutester, Sylvia wore a loose uniform and put on a hat, then she followed the waiter manager that Zach had arranged


    for into the banquet hall. The hall was dazzlingly lit andvishly decorated. Many tables were arranged in an orderly manner, and


    the guests were all seated. It looked like a sea of heads at first nce.


    ¡°| have to go to work now, so you take care of yourself,¡± the manager said and left.


    Sylvia put her hands in front of her body and followed the actions of the other waiters, carefully walking along a wall to enter the


    hall.


    At the thought that she was about to meet her children, her heart could not stop racing.


    However, after just a few steps, she suddenly saw Lily.


    Lily was dressed in an expensive dress, looking exquisitely beautiful and elegant. She was walking over from another direction


    and seemed to be headed in front.


    Sylvia quickly lowered her head.


    Suddenly, Lily also stopped beside her. She turned her head to look at Sylvia who kept her head down and did not move.


    Chapter 759


    Lily looked at her for a few seconds and then said, ¡°Pour me a ss of wine.¡±


    There was a wine table right next to Sylvia with wine and sses on it.


    She did not make a sound as she frowned and kept her head down to pour a ss of wine. Then, she brought it to Lily.


    Lily took the ss, but in the next second, the ss slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a crash. The wine instantly


    spilled onto her shoes.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 760

    Chapter 760


    The crash was not loud in therge banquet hall, so it did not attract much attention, but a manager who was patrolling nearby


    noticed and went over.


    This manager was different from the one who brought Sylvia in. He came over and reprimanded her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?


    How could you be so careless? Hurry up and apologize to Ms. Springsteen!¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and did not say anything. She could not speak. If she did, Lily would recognize her voice.


    When the manager noticed her remain silent, he became even angrier and was about to scold her again, but Lily suddenly spoke


    up. ¡°It¡¯s not her fault. | didn¡¯t hold it steady.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also because she did not serve you well. | apologize to you on her behalf.¡± The manager nodded and bowed.


    ¡°It''s okay.¡± Lily smiled coldly and suddenly added, ¡°But my shoes are dirty.¡±


    The manager quickly said, ¡°I''ll get something to wipe them for you.¡±


    ¡°Let her do it.¡± Lily looked at Sylvia, her expression coldly contemptuous and condescending.


    The manager hurriedly turned around and scolded Sylvia, ¡°What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and wipe Ms.


    Springsteen''s shoes!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia clenched her hands.


    ¡®She clearly took the ss when | handed it to her. She deliberately threw the ss on the ground. Did she do that because she


    recognized me?¡¯


    However, when she thought of Isabel and Liam, she sucked in a deep breath, took the napkin handed to her by the manager,


    and bent down to squat.


    She dabbed the tissue on Lily¡¯s shoe and wiped it up little by little.


    Lily stood unmoving, but the corners of her lips were coldly hooked up.


    After a while, her shoes were clean, and Sylvia withdrew her hand back.


    At the same time, Lily''s foot moved to the side, and she directly turned around and walked away.


    Her elegant and arrogant back faced Sylvia.


    Sylvia stood up and threw the napkin into the trash can.


    The manager was instantly relieved when Lily left, but he did not forget to scold Sylvia again. Then, he went away to continue


    working.


    Sylvia looked up in the direction Lily left. She seemed to have gone to the front.


    Ramona was good friends with Madam Springsteen, and Odell was engaged to Lily, so wherever she went, it should not be far


    from Odell. Therefore, the two little ones should be sitting over there as well. At that thought, Sylvia immediately suppressed her


    unhappy mood and moved along the wall in that direction.


    Sure enough, she soon saw Lily¡¯s figure.


    Lily was sitting next to Ramona.


    Sylvia took two more steps forward and saw Odell sitting on her other side.


    At that moment, there were many people gathered behind him, ready to toast and greet him.


    Sylvia vaguely saw his silhouette , but the person sitting on his other side was blocked by all those people, so she had to go


    around to the other side to see.


    Isabel and Liam were probably sitting on his other side.


    She immediately lowered her head and quickened her pace.


    However, when she finally saw the people on his other side, what she saw were several unfamiliar adults, all of whom were


    rtives and friends of Ramona.


    He did not bring Isabel and Liam over.


    The light in Sylvia¡¯s eyes darkened, and she turned around in disappointment , walking back along the way she came.


    After walking for a while, a figure came running from the side and directly blocked her. Sylvia almost bumped into her and quickly


    stopped. Then, she looked up to see Sonia, whom she had not seen in a long time.


    Sonia was dressed up gorgeously, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw that it was Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia, is it really


    you?¡±


    Sylvia did not expect to bump into Sonia here and instantly turned around to leave.


    However, Sonia was quicker than her and went in front to block Sylvia¡¯s path. Then, she coldly and contemptuously sized her up.


    ¡°Aren''t you the famous painter Sunflower? How did you be a waitress here?¡±


    ¡®| thought that her back looked familiar, and it was no wonder that Lily stopped her and made her wipe her shoes. It¡¯s because


    she¡¯s Sylvia.¡¯ Sylvia did not want to be discovered by Odell or the other people here, so she said bluntly, ¡°It¡¯s none of your


    business. Get out of the way.¡± Sonia¡¯s expression went cold.

 Chapter 761

    Chapter 761


    Sonia still remembered what happened before. Not only did Sylvia make her lose her engagement to Tristan, but as a result, her


    father also coldly ignored her for a long time.


    She¡¯s just a slightly famous painter. What''s the big deal about that? | didn¡¯t expect her to work here as a waitress!


    ¡®Dad recently wants to make connections with the Springsteen family. If | teach this b*tch a lesson, it should make Master


    Carter¡¯s fiancee , Ms. Springsteen, very happy, right?¡¯ At that thought, Sonia raised the wine ss in her hand without a second


    thought.


    Ssh! The wine immediately sshed on Sylvia¡¯s face.


    Sylvia stiffened.


    Sonia looked at her with a cold smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move. What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s hands that were hanging by her sides clenched, and she could not help but re at Sonia.


    Sonia snorted augh. ¡°Oh, weren''t you quite capable ? Didn¡¯t you remarry Master Carter again? Why were you


    dumped again and end up doing the lowly job of cleaning someone''s shoes here?¡±


    Sylvia gritted her teeth and tried to walk around Sonia to leave.


    However, Sonia directly grabbed her arm.


    Sylvia immediately tried to fling her hand away.


    Sonia scoffed coldly and raised her hand to p Sylvia''s face. A crisp smack rang out.


    Sylvia¡¯s body was also pushed back, and she crashed into the liquor table next to her.


    The wine sses and cups on the table were piled up like a mountain, and the wine in the cups immediately tilted toward her


    with a crash,Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    At the same time, the lively banquet hall also became silent.


    Everyone, including the people at the front table, who were eating and drinking stopped their movements and looked over


    Hearing themotion, Ramona stopped chatting with Madam Springsteen and looked over with a frown. Lily also looked over.


    The group of people who came to give Calell a vast also


    nulld not help but stare.


    Odell indifferently raised his eyes and nced in the same direction. It was a bit far, but he vaguely saw a waitress who had


    been pushed down.


    At that moment, Ramona asked annoyedly, ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Lily nced at Odell as if she had no idea and replied,¡± Aunt


    Ramona, it seems that a guest has a conflict with a waitress here.¡±


    On the other side, the sses of wine were still tumbling as rivulets of wine trickled down.


    Sylvia leaned wretchedly against the table leg and closed her eyes tightly. She opened her eyes only when thest ss of wine


    had fallen on her head.


    Sonia was still standing in front of her, ring at her.


    At this time, the banquet hall was also quiet, and many people were looking over.


    Sylvia paled. She could not be seen by Ramona or those who knew her. More importantly, she could not be seen by Odell. She


    braced herself on the ground and stood up, intending to get out quickly.


    Unexpectedly, Sonia refused to let her go and grabbed her arm. ¡°You b*tch! You ruined so much wine. Where do you think you''re


    going?¡±


    Sylvia immediately flung her hand away, hurting Sonia¡¯s


    hand. Sonia raised her hand to p Sylvia¡¯s face again.


    The smack instantly resounded throughout the banquet hall.


    Sylvia also took a few steps back miserably.


    Immediately afterward, someone in the hall let out a cry. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the former Mrs. Carter?¡±


    Sylvia froze. In an instant, everyone¡¯s eyes in the hall looked over.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 762

    Chapter 762


    Some ogled, some watched indifferently, and some held disgust.


    At the front table, Ramona¡¯s face was full of contempt and anger.


    Mrs. Springsteenughed condescendingly and looked


    away as if she felt dirty just looking at Sylvia.


    Lily''sposure was elegant, but the corners of her lips could not hide a contemptuous smile. 1


    The man who was surrounded by several people who wanted to toast him suddenly stood up. It seemed like he could not believe


    that it was her. His handsome face sunk the moment he saw her. His dark eyes were instantly filled with anger.


    Sylvia¡¯s skin tingled, and her body was so cold that she shivered.


    After freezing for a second, she forcefully pushed away Sonia, who was still trying to cause her trouble, and ran outside the


    banquet hall as fast as she could. She did not even care about supporting her belly as she dashed outside. All she wanted was


    to get out of here and disappear from this world!


    She ran out of Paulonia Hotel¡¯s entrance to the road and


    only stopped when she saw a cab.


    Shivering, she got into the car and ordered the driver,¡± Drive. Hurry up and drive!¡±


    The driver was an older man who asked her nicely, ¡°Miss, you haven''t told me where you''re going.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s mind was in a mess, so she said directly, ¡°Back home.¡±


    The driver was speechless. ¡°Where''s your home?¡±


    ¡°A-at No. 36, XX Street.¡±


    ¡°Is it near the Art Academy?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Hurry up and take me there!¡± she shouted anxiously.


    ¡°Okay, calm down. I''ll send you there now.¡± The driver started the car.


    Half an hourter, the cab stopped in front of Sylvia¡¯s residence.


    She got out of the car, shrunk into a ball and looked left and right, and only ran to her house when she did not see anyone else


    on the road.


    She bolted the gate, the front door, and her bedroom door before crawling into her bed. Then, she wrapped the quilt around her


    liquor-covered body and sat on the bed like she was a cocoon.


    At that moment, the cab that brought her back made a turn and was heading back.


    The driver turned the steering wheel and could not help but mutter, ¡°Did thatdy suffer some kind of fright?¡±


    In Paulonia Hotel, not long after Sylvia ran out, Odell also left his seat.


    However, after he took a few steps, Ramona stopped him. She quickly said, ¡°Odell, my birthday party isn¡¯t over yet. Where are


    you going?¡± Odell frowned coldly and looked at her with a gloomy gaze. ¡°I have something urgent to attend to. Please excuse


    me, Aunt Ramona.¡± Ramona, who had never seen him look so scary, was so frightened that she took a step to the side.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Odell walked past her.


    Seeing this, Lily hurriedly followed him. ¡°Master Carter, do you need me to apany you?¡± ¡°No.¡± His voice was as cold as his


    expression.


    Lily frowned and stopped walking. Not long after, his tall figure walked out of the banquet hall.


    The hall was still silent at that moment. All the guests


    had not yet recovered from the scene where Sylvia turned into a waiter, got pped by Sonia, and was smashed into a table full


    of wine.


    After Odell left, their eyes turned to Ramona and Lily. After all, Ramona was the main character of today¡¯s event, and Lily was


    Odell¡¯s current fiance.


    Ramona was so angry that her face turned ashen.


    Madam Springsteen was also rather enraged, but now was not the time for that. She said helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Ramona.


    Today is your birthday, so you should be happy instead. It¡¯s not worth getting angry because of an ignorant person like that.¡±


    Ramona came back to her senses and sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. That kind of person is not worth it.¡±


    Then, she said to Lily, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, Lily. Odell must be angry at her because she ruined my party and went to get even with


    her.


    Lilyposed her expression and quickly answered, ¡°I know, Aunt Ramona. | won''t overthink it. You should sit down.¡±


    Ramona sighed and pulled Madam Springsteen to sit down together. Before long, the atmosphere in the banquet hall regained


    its lively buzz, but many people were still talking about Sylvia¡¯s sudden appearance.


    Lily listened to the chattering from time to time, and her lips held an imperceptible but constant curl.

 Chapter 763

    Chapter 763


    That woman made a spectacle of herself today.


    Even if Odell cared about her, he would hate her even more.


    Meanwhile, the tall figure of a man walked out ofContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Paulonia Hotel


    Outside the entrance was a t and wide open space. He looked around a few times, but he could not locate her figure.


    ¡®Did she leave by car?¡¯


    SEUL


    Immediately , he took out his phone and called her. The line rang, but no one answered it till the end.


    He called again, but it still remained unanswered. His expression went cold as he called the driver.


    The call connected quickly, and he said, ¡°Bring the car here now!¡±


    Before long, the driver drove the car from the parking lot over to the entrance.


    Odell got into the car and instructed, ¡°Go to Sylvia¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the driver answered and turned the car around.


    The car drove steadily on the road.


    The man sat alone in the backseat. The scenery outside the window shed by, but his mind kept going back to the scene he


    saw in the banquet hall.


    She had been dressed as a waitress and had been drenched in liquor. There had even been part of a wine ss upside down on


    her head when she ran away. She had looked like a clown.


    However, when he had met her gaze, her eyes had been round and filled with tears. At that moment, her expression had


    obviously been full of panic and distress. She had looked like a poor little puppy, or like a small child who was panicked and


    afraid because she had done something wrong.


    It was his first time seeing her like that.


    Even during their first marriage, when she carefully tried to please him, she had never made that expression before.


    That look only made him panic.


    He immediately opened his phone to call her again. The line rang, but there was still no answer. His eyes sank.


    ¡°Faster. Drive faster!¡±


    The driver hurriedly sped up.


    Finally, they arrived at Sylvia¡¯s doorstep.


    Odell directly pushed open the car door and walked down. He quickly went to the front door and pressed his finger on the


    fingerprint lock.


    Ding


    The lock was opened, but the door could not be pushed open. It was clear that she had locked it from the inside as well.


    That woman was at home!


    He raised his hand and pressed the doorbell. The doorbell chimed, but when it was over, there was still no movement inside.


    His expression darkened, and he called out to the driver,¡± Get me a wooden club!¡±


    The driver quickly took out a self-defense baton from the trunk. The baton was iron and very thick and heavy.


    Odell took it and directly smashed it on the lock. After smashing it a few times, the fingerprint lock fell directly to the ground.


    He pushed open the door with one hand and took a big step inside.


    What he did not expect was that the living room door was also locked. However, the door was made of ss, so he simply


    swung the baton and shattered the door.


    He picked up his pace and went upstairs to her bedroom to find that the door was locked as well.


    He frowned tightly and said in a low voice, ¡°Sylvia, open the door now!¡±


    What answered him was the silence in his ears. His expression darkened as he raised a long leg.


    Bam!


    With a heavy thud, the whole door flew open as he kicked it. The door panel shook and nearly fell off its hinges.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 764

    Chapter 764


    Chapter 764


    Odell did not linger and strode in.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Then, he saw the figure on the bed, wrapped in the quilt and shivering. He walked directly to the bed, raised his hand, and ripped


    the quilt off her body.


    He instantly stripped therge quilt cocooning her and threw it onto the floor with one hand. Then, he suddenly froze.


    At that moment, Sylvia was curled up in a ball with both hands violently gouging herself. Her wrists and the back of her hands


    were all covered in blood and dripped down. However, she seemed to feel no pain and continued to scratch herself.


    Her blood was reflected in Odell¡¯s dark eyes, and he shouted coldly, ¡°Stop that!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s fingers trembled before continuing again.


    At the same time, her tear-blurred eyes looked at him without focus. Her voice trembled and was filled with careful pleading. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, | didn¡¯t mean to ruin Aunt Ramona¡¯s birthday party. | just wanted to see Liam and Isabel. Don¡¯t send me back to Galston. |


    don¡¯t want to go back. Please don¡¯t send me back...¡±


    His breath suddenly stuck in his throat, making him


    unable to breathe.


    After freezing for a moment, he bent down, grabbed her wrists, and forcefully separated her hands.


    Her loose sleeves fell to her elbows. He caught a glimpse of her two slender arms and the two cuts on them that had long since


    faded into scars. The marks were stark and harsh.


    His body tensed up uncontrobly, and his gaze honed in on her. He restrained his emotions and asked in a low voice, ¡°What are


    these injuries?¡±


    Sylvia bit her lip.


    ¡°| asked you where these injuries came from!¡± He could not help but raise his voice.


    Sylvia instantly shuddered, but she continued to bite her lip and said nothing.


    He was so angry that his eyes turned red, and the veins at the corners of his forehead rippled.


    ¡°Do you want to see the children?¡± he suddenly asked.


    Sylvia immediately looked at him, her eyes bing clear at once. ¡°Yes, will you let me see them?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He looked at her and said clearly word for word, ¡± | can let you see the children, but you have to tell me what happened


    during the six months you were in Galston with him.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face went white, and she replied in a trembling voice, ¡°Nothing happened. Nothing happened in those six months.¡±


    ¡°Tell me! What exactly did he do to you to turn you into this state?!¡± he shouted in a heavy voice. His face was so cold that it was


    frightening. Sylvia trembled and wanted to scratch herself again. However, her hands were forcefully pried apart, so her fingers


    could only scratch the air.


    Odell closed his eyes and forcefully suppressed the anger that he could not stop. Then, he picked her up from the bed and


    walked out inrge steps. He hugged her very tightly.


    Sylvia pressed against his body and felt the heat emanating from him. Her uncontroble emotions inexplicably stabilized


    considerably, but she asked quietly, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°To the hospital,¡± he said coldly.


    Sylvia shrunk her neck and asked, ¡°Which hospital?¡±


    Odell looked down at her.


    Her eyes were red with fear and unease as if she was afraid that he would take her to some horrible ce.


    He was silent before replying, ¡°A hospital for traumatic injuries.¡±


    She immediately let out a breath of relief.


    The man withdrew his eyes, frowned deeply, and walked faster. It did not take long to get out of her house and put her in the car.


    He got in right after that and instructed the driver, ¡°Go to the nearest hospital.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the driver answered and started the car.


    The car was silent.


    Odell¡¯s face was cold as he stared ahead. However, soon, he noticed something wrong with his peripheral vision.


    Sylvia, who was ced in the seat next to him, was inching closer to him. It was as if she wanted to be close to him but was


    afraid to be too close for fear of being discovered by him, so she moved very carefully. Odell pursed his lips.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 765

    Chapter 765


    Chapter 765


    When Sylvia was about to reach Odell¡¯s side, he turned to look at her.


    She had been secretly peeking at him. When he suddenly looked over, her eyes widened, and she immediately tried to go back


    to her seat as though she was a guilty thief. 1


    Odell pursed his lips, wrapped his arm around her back, and pulled her to his side. Then, he looked down at her.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, and the corners of her mouth curled at him with a pleasing smile. She looked a little silly.


    He snorted coldly.


    After a while, she said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m fine. My hands are just a little itchy.¡±


    Odell ignored her.


    She exined, ¡°I got the injury on my left arm after | scraped niyself when | identally fell.¡±


    He pursed his lips as his face turned cold again. ¡°That''s clearly a cut from a de, but she ims it¡¯s a scrape? Inor¡¯s she think


    I''m a fool?¡±


    Sylvia Sow his cold face which was seeiningly uniwilling to listen to hics She immediately puryd hier lips and


    stopped talking. In a short while, the car drove to a hospital. Odell pushed open the door and went down.


    Sylvia got out from the other side, and his tall figure reached in front of her, holding her hand in hisrge one.


    Although his face was very cold, his palm was hot and spread warmth all over her body. She could not help but follow him


    closely, almost sticking to him as they entered the hospital.


    She registered for a consultation. In less than half an hour, Sylvia¡¯s hands were bandaged. Then, he led her out of the hospital,


    and they returned to the parking lot. He suddenly let go of her hand and said to her, ¡°I need to make a phone call. Get in the car


    first.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him.


    He had already pulled out his phone, and his expression was as cool as ever. He must have something he had to deal with


    She turned around and got into the car.


    At the same time, Odell looked at her with deep eyes and said to the other person on the phone, ¡°Contact Skr immediately.¡±


    The space inside the car was spacious, and the


    temperature was warm. While Sylvia sat inside obediently, her eyes could not help but secretly nce at the man outside.


    As he spoke on the phone, he had a very serious expression on his face.


    Now that her mind was clear, her heart grew uneasy again.


    ¡®My condition has obviously improved aftering back to Mediana, but it¡¯s acted up again. Will he notice? Will he think that I¡¯m


    a psycho?¡±


    Her brows furrowed.


    Then, the car door on the other side opened, and the tall and straight figure of a man came in.


    She immediately turned up the corners of her mouth and looked at him with a smile.


    However, Odell looked at her coldly and turned ahead, saying to the driver, ¡°Go to the cafe | often go to.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you want coffee?¡± Sylvia questioned.


    Odell looked at her.


    She smiled and said, ¡°I can treat you to coffee if you want


    some.¡±


    He ignored her and simply looked at her with cold eyes.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze slirank, and she pursed her lips. Meanwhile,


    the car drove ahead steadily.


    About half an hourter, the car arrived at a remote location where there was a very elegantly decorated cafe.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 766

    Chapter 766


    Chapter 766


    Sylvia followed Odell out of the car.


    As soon as they reached the door, a young woman in a white shirt came out. She smiled at Odell. ¡°Good afternoon, Master


    Carter.¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Good afternoon.¡±


    Skr then looked at Sylvia and asked, ¡°This is Ms. Ross, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Her smile seemed to be contagious and was very affectionate.


    Sylvia smiled politely. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°My name is Skr O¡¯Brien.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Skr then said to Odell, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    He held Sylvia¡¯s wrist and led Skr and her into the cafe.


    The cafe was quiet as there were not many customers. Sylvia followed them to a seat by the window. The light from outside


    spilled in, and the area was very spacious.


    She and Odell sat on one side whereas Skr sat across from them.


    At that moment, a waiter came over and asked, ¡°May | take your order?¡±


    Skr smiled and said, ¡°I''d like atte.¡±


    The waiter then looked at Odell and Sylvia,


    Odell said, ¡°ck coffee.¡±


    Sylvia echoed, ¡°Same for-¡±


    ¡°She wants a pot of tea.¡± Odell looked at her coldly. Sylvia weakly pursed her lips.


    Before long, the waiter served the drinks in front of them.


    Sylvia happened to be a little thirsty and picked up the tea to drink.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Ms. Ross, what happened to your arms?¡± Skr suddenly asked her.


    Sylvia immediately put her hand under the table and peeked at Odell. He was drinking coffee, and his face was cold and


    expressionless. Skrughed again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Ross. I¡¯m just curious. You don¡¯t have to answer me if you don¡¯t want to.


    Sylvia frowned and asked, ¡°Are you Odell¡¯s friend?¡±


    She replied, ¡°Yes, | went to the same middle school with Master Carter. I¡¯m a psychiatrist now.¡±


    ¡®A psychiatrist? Did Odell bring me here to see a psychiatrist?¡±


    Sylvia paled and immediately insisted, ¡°I¡¯m not sick. I¡¯m very healthy.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say there was anything wrong with you, Ms. Ross.


    | just want to have a chat with you.¡±


    ¡°No need. I-I have something to do at home. I''ll be leaving now.¡± Sylvia tried to stand up to leave, but her eyes looked at Odell¡¯s


    gloomy gaze again.


    His figure sat on the seat beside her, blocking her way out. It seemed like he had no intention of letting her go.


    Sylvia frowned at him.


    He looked at her and asked, ¡°Do you want to see the children?¡±


    Her gaze instantly changed.


    He raised his brows. ¡°If you do, then sit down.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her fists and asked with uncertainty,¡± Will you let me see the children if | sit down?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Really.¡± His face was cold, but his tone was patient.


    Sylvia sat back down.


    Skr took note of her actions and demeanor and said with a smile, ¡°Have some tea, Ms. Ross. We''ll just have a casual chat.¡±


    Thinking that she could see Isabel and Liam, Sylvia immediately downed her cup of tea in one gulp. Then, she plucked up the


    courage to look at Skr and said, ¡°The injury on my arm is because | scratched it.¡±


    ¡°Why did you scratch yourself? Was it because you were in a bad mood?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 767

    Chapter 767


    Thinking about what happened at noon in Paulonia Hotel, Sylvia immediately looked at Odell while she, clenched her hands


    uncontrobly.


    Skr¡¯s eyes flickered, and she looked at Odell. ¡°Master Carter, I''d like to talk to Ms. Ross alone. Can you step outside for a


    while?¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia. She did not dare to meet his eyes and lowered her head.


    He frowned, then got up and walked out of the cafe.


    The moment his tall figure left, Sylvia lifted her head and sighed in relief.


    Skr smiled. ¡°Ms. Ross, can you tell me now?¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡®If | tell her, will she tell Odell?¡¯


    Skr added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Ross. What you tell me is a secret between us. | promise you that | won¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression rxed, and she said, ¡°I was indeed in a bad mood today, but | didn¡¯t want to do it. | just couldn¡¯t control


    myself.¡±


    ¡°Does this usually happen when you''re in a bad mood?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°When¡¯s thest time you hurt yourself?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze darkened as she looked at her arm that was covered by her sleeve and replied, ¡°Two months ago.¡±


    ¡°Was it also because you were in a bad mood?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me why you were in a bad mood at that time?¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Skr asked gently, ¡°Was it also a situation like today?¡±


    Sylvia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Where were you then?¡±


    ¡°At Galston.¡±


    Skr¡¯s gaze flickered, and she asked, ¡°Can you show me the scars fromst time?¡±


    Sylvia hesitated for two seconds, then lifted her sleeves and showed her the scars on both arms.


    Skr sighed and said, ¡°You must have been in a very bad mood at that time.¡±


    Sylvia did not speak. She could not remember much about the incident at that time. She only remembered that she could not


    control herself. It was as if she would go insane at any moment.


    However, that was all in the past. She was back here now, where her friends, children, and the people she missed every day and


    night were. As long as she did not go back, everything would be fine.


    Skr saw her expression and asked, ¡°Why did you want to return to Westchester?¡±


    Sylvia immediately answered, ¡°I miss my children. | came back to see them.¡±


    ¡°You must love your children very much.¡±


    Thinking of Isabel and Liam¡¯s cute little faces, Sylvia could not help but smile. ¡°Yes, | love them very much.¡±


    They continued like that with Skr asking questions, and Sylvia answering them.


    Skr did not pursue anything Sylvia did not want to answer but asked about her daily life instead.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia unknowingly let down her guard and chatted idly with her. When her mouth was dry, she came back to her senses and


    poured herself another cup of tea. ¡°Thank you for chatting with me, Skr. | feel much better now.¡± Sylvia smiled at her while


    drinking her tea. Skr smiled back at her. ¡°You''re wee. If you really want to thank someone , then thank Master Carter.


    He''s the one who called me over.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and did not say anything.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, there are many people facing psychological pressure in this era, so you don¡¯t have to be ashamed about anything. |


    can feel that you''re trying to get better, and | believe that you''ll soon be healthy again.¡± Skr stood up and handed over a


    business card. ¡°This is my contact number. You can call me if you need anything.¡±


    Sylvia stood up to ept the card and said with a smile,¡± Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. See you.¡±


    Sylvia walked her to the door of the cafe.


    Odell¡¯s tall figure was standing not far from the door.


    When Skr went out, she waved at him and said, ¡°I¡¯ve finished chatting with Ms. Ross, so I''ll leave now.¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia, who followed her out, and hummed. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 768

    Chapter 768


    Skr soon walked away. The sun had not set yet, and the golden light shone straight through and illuminated their bodies.


    Perhaps it was because of the nice weather, or maybe because Sylvia was in a rxed mood after a nice chat with Skr that


    she asked him directly, ¡°Odell, I''ve finished talking to her. Can you take me to see the children now?¡±


    Her cheeks had a natural blush, and her eyes were shining. It was the opposite of the way she had looked in the banquet hall in


    Paulonia Hotel at noon.


    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. He curled his lips up imperceptibly and walked forward.


    Sylvia immediately followed him. Afraid that he would go back on his word, she grabbed his sleeve. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Odell looked at her. ¡°Are you going to meet them dressed like this?¡±


    Sylvia looked down at herself. She was still wearing the Paulonia Hotel¡¯s waitress uniform, and her body was still stained with


    wine. Not only was she filthy, but her hair was also a mess.


    Her eyes flickered, and she quickly said, ¡°I''ll go back to tidy up and go to the old residence immediately to find them.¡±


    Then, she was about to run to the road to hail a cab.


    Odell pulled her and gave her a side nce. ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    It was obvious that he wanted to send her back.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and followed him back to his car with a smile.


    In less than half an hour, the car arrived at her doorstep.


    Odell leaned back against the seat and said in a cold voice, ¡°I''ll give you twenty minutes t.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll be out soon.¡± Sylvia got


    out of the car and quickly walked inside the house.


    The man sat in the same ce, watching her hurry into the house. He took out his phone from his pocket and opened the


    chatroom with Skr.


    Skr had sent him several voice messages.


    He clicked on them.


    ¡°Master Carter, Ms. Ross should be suffering from depression. Her illness didn¡¯t develop overnight. | heard that she spent half a


    year at Galston. She must have had a very bad time during that period. | can confirm that her


    current state is better than when she was in Galston, but she still needs further observation and treatment. Fortunately, her mood


    is optimistic, so she should be able to return to normal as long as she takes the right medicine.


    ¡°| talked with her about a lot of things. If I¡¯m not mistaken, one of the factors of her illness is that she misses her children. If she¡¯s


    allowed to spend more time with them, it''ll help her condition a lot.¡± ¡®It did not develop overnight? Did she get dumped by


    Thomas right after she went to Galston with him? What the hell did she go through in these six months?¡¯


    Odell closed his eyes and leaned back on the seat. The air in the car was soon enveloped by the oppressive aura emanating


    from him.


    Then, there was the sound of footsteps.


    He opened his eyes to look out the car window.


    Sylvia wore a long skirt with a lush coat over it. Her hair was neatly draped over her shoulders, and she even put on makeup.


    Her appearance was elegant, spirited, and quite good-looking.


    He narrowed his eyes, and the oppressive atmosphere in the car disappeared.


    Soon, Sylvia pulled open the car door and sat inside. She sat beside him and said to him with a smile, ¡°Odell, I¡¯mContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ready now. Take me there quickly.¡±


    Odell nced at her, ignored her, and said to the driver,¡± Drive.¡±


    The driver started the car.


    Sylvia immediately sat upright, her eyes looking out the car window.


    While she thought that she would see Isabel and Liam, she was so excited and expectant that she could not help but touch her


    bulging belly.


    The loose coat fell open to the sides, and Odell soon saw her swollen belly. When he saw her happy expression, his face


    darkened, and he said coldly, ¡°Cover your belly.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, and she quickly buttoned up the coat. However, her bulging belly could still be seen.


    She looked at him weakly.


    Odell looked at her coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want them to know that you¡¯re pregnant with someone else¡¯s child, find a way to cover it


    up.¡±


    He really did not want to see it.


    ¡°Thomas hurt her so much that she developed depression, but she can still touch her stomach so lovingly Does she still love


    Thomas in her heart?¡¯


    Odell iumediately turned his head and looked coldly ahead, not sparing her another nce.

 Chapter 769

    Chapter 769


    Sylvia was frightened by his face and carefully turned sideways so that her belly faced the outside of the car.


    They sat like this for more than twenty minutes.


    The car drove into the Old District and to the gates of the old Carter mansion.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes lit up, and she was about to push the car door open right away.


    ¡°Come back,¡± the man suddenly spoke in a cold voice.


    Sylvia looked at him in confusion. He looked at her icily. ¡°You left for half a year and didn¡¯t so much as send them a text


    message. | have to ask them if they¡¯re still willing to meet you.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s chest seized. She withdrew her hand from the car door and replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Odell turned and got out of the car. His tall


    figure quickly walked through the door.


    Sylvia sped her hands together and stared in the direction of the gate. She had not sent them a message in six months, so


    they should resent her and be angry at her. However, they should also miss her.


    On the other side, Odell soon arrived at the children¡¯s room.


    Liam was reading a book by the window, and Isabel was buried in aic book. The room was neat and tidy, much better than


    he expected.


    When they saw himing, they both looked at him.


    Liam nced at him and looked away. Isabel asked, ¡°Why are you here, Baddie?¡± Odell crossed his arms and looked at them. ¡°I


    have something very important to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Your mother is back.¡±


    Isabel''s eyes widened instantly.


    Liam also looked over.


    Odell looked at them and asked, ¡°Do you want to see her


    now?¡±


    Outside the gate, in a ck MPV, as time passed , Sylvia could not control her anxiety. Her hands were clenched tightly, and her


    eyes nced at her wristwatch from time to time.


    Almost twenty minutes had passed since Odell went in.


    With his stride, he could have reached the children¡¯s room in two minutes at most. With the speed of the children¡¯s walking, they


    should be able toe out in three minutes at most. However, they had note out even after twenty minutes.


    Did they not want to see her?


    She stared at her watch.


    The seconds ticked by.


    Soon, another two minutes passed, but there was still no movement inside.


    ¡®Are they angry at me? That''s right. | promised them that | wouldn¡¯t leave them again, but this time, | left for half a year. Not only


    was | unable to call them, but | also didn¡¯t even send them a single message in the past six months. They must resent me and


    think that | don¡¯t want them anymore.


    But | miss them so much. | miss them so much that I can¡¯t sleep at night. | miss them so much that | can only take a razor and


    slice my armyer byyer to relieve my longing...¡¯


    Asour emotion suddenly filled her whole body.


    She closed her eyes and raised her hand to cover her face. She wanted to swallow back her tears. She did not want to lose


    control of her emotions anymore. However, the more she did that, the more her chest hurt.


    ULUU


    Just as her breathing became rapid and she was about to break down, a sweet cry suddenly came. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s body tensed up, and she immediately turned her head to look in the direction of the door.


    There, she saw Isabel wearing a puffy red dress, running out of the door with her short legs.


    Liam wore a neat little suit, following Isabel and running toward Sylvia as well.


    Next Chapter


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 770

    Chapter 770


    Chapter 770


    Tears instantly welled up in Sylvia¡¯s eyes. They were tears of excitement and joy!


    She quickly wiped the tears away, pushed the car door open, and got out of the car. When Isabel and Liam saw her, they


    instantly sped up their short little legs.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia smiled and bent down, extending her arms toward them.


    Soon, the little ones crashed into her arms. She immediately tightened her arms and hugged them fiercely.


    Isabel and Liam¡¯s small hands also clutched her tightly, afraid that she would disappear again.


    The man who followed them out stood behind the gate and saw this scene, and the look in his eyes subconsciously softened.


    After an unknown amount of time, Isabel raised her chubby face from Sylvia''s arms and looked at her with red eyes while


    muttering, ¡°Where did you go, Mommy? Wliy didn¡¯t youe back?¡±


    her voice was soll, aggrieved, and had a slight sob.


    Sylvia¡¯s chest seized. She raised her hand and gently stroked Isabel¡¯s head, holding back a choked sob as she replied, ¡°Mommy


    went far away. Something happened there, so | couldn¡¯te back until now.¡± Isabel pouted with watery eyes. ¡°What happened?


    Was it more important than Liam and me?¡±


    Liam''srge and clear eyes were also staring at her. Sylvia quickly said, ¡°Your brother and you are the most important people to


    me. | met a bad guy. | couldn¡¯te back until now because of him.¡±


    After she finished speaking, the children were startled. She was afraid of scaring them and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. The


    bad guy didn¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    Isabel''s expression rxed, then she fell into Sylvia''s arms again and said softly, ¡°Mommy, you must have suffered a lot.¡±


    Sylvia only felt unprecedented warmth and happiness now. She wrapped her arms around the children and said with a smile, ¡°I


    haven''t suffered at all.¡±


    As long as she could see them, she would not feel suffering


    Behind the gate, the man¡¯s dark brows knitted. ¡®She met a bad guy and couldn¡¯te back because of him? Who was that bad


    guy? Thomas?


    ¡®She was all alone in Galston. Would she really be able to escape him if he tried to keep her there? Furthermore, if she really


    thinks that he¡¯s a bad guy, why is she keeping his baby? | haven''t forgotten how determined she was to leave with him six


    months ago, and how gentle she looked every time she touched her belly. She obviously cares about Thomas''s seed in her


    belly!


    ¡®Heh, she must havee back because he dumped her. She really knows how to find excuses for herself.¡±


    At that moment, Isabel and Liam¡¯s emotions were much calmer.


    Liam was the first to notice something wrong and raised his hand to gently touch Sylvia¡¯s stomach. Isabel followed suit and


    asked curiously, ¡°Mommy, why is your tummy so big?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. Behind the door, the man¡¯s dark and broody eyes looked over. He wanted to hear how she would exin


    it to them.


    Sylvia raised her head and looked around. After she did not see Odell¡¯s figure, she rxed and said to the children, ¡°Because


    there¡¯s a little baby growing in my tummy.¡±


    Aliule baby?


    Isabel and Liaui widened their eyes as they stared at hier


    stomach. There was shock written on their little faces.


    Sylvia was also at a loss.


    This pregnancy was very sudden, and she had only found out about it when she was three months along. She had been


    shocked as well and was not ready to ept it at first.


    Furthermore , Isabel and Liam were only five years old. She did not know if they would be able to suddenly ept a younger


    brother or sister.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 771

    Chapter 771


    Sylvia looked at their faces.


    After a while, Liam asked her, ¡°Mommy, am | having another little brother or sister?¡±


    His eyes were bright and clear, and there seemed to be some kind of expectation shining within them.


    Sylvia took a deep breath and answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Liam looked at her belly again.


    Isabel''s chubby little face was also confused.


    Just when Sylvia was a little uneasy and wanted to exin to them, Isabel¡¯s hand suddenly touched her belly again. She


    muttered, ¡°Am | gonna have a little brother or sisterUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    too?¡±


    Sylvia let out a low hum. ¡°Yay! I''m gonna be a big sister!¡± Isabel''s eyes lit up. She immediately rubbed her face against Sylvia¡¯s


    belly.


    Sylvia was stunned and looked at Liam again. Although he did not say anything, the corners of his mouth were curled up, and


    the expression on his face was obviously one of delight.


    Sylvia¡¯s tense mood was instantly rxed. She smiled and hugged them in her arms, saying softly, ¡°Isabel and


    Liam, no matter if | give birth to a younger brother or sister, you two are still my most precious treasures.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Isabel


    rubbed her belly and muttered,¡± Mommy, Liam, and my little brother or sister are also my most precious treasures!¡± Liam


    dered with a serious expression, ¡°Mommy, I''ll protect my younger siblings well in the future.¡± He was adamant about being a


    good big brother.


    Sylvia¡¯s nose stung, and she said with a smile, ¡°I know. | will also protect you and your younger siblings as well.¡±


    The mother and children hugged each other again.


    It was a warm scene in the afterglow of the evening.


    Behind the door, the man¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. After a while, he returned to his senses, and his expression went cold again.


    Although the seed in her belly did not belong to him, it was indeed rted to Isabel and Liam by blood.


    Sylvia is quite good at avoiding talking about the father of that child.¡¯


    ¡°Ahem.¡± He cleared his throat in displeasure.


    Outside the door, Sylvia instantly stopped hugging the children, but she still held their hands. Her eyes looked at him with some


    trepidation as if she was afraid that he would separate her from the children.


    He walked up to her with a cold face.


    Isabel and Liam pressed closer to Sylvia at the same time.


    Isabel looked at Odell¡¯s cold face and asked warily, ¡°What do you want, Baddie?¡±


    Odell stopped and looked at Sylvia. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Come inside and talk.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression rxed.


    Isabel quickly grabbed Sylvia¡¯s hand and dragged her inside the mansion, saying, ¡°Your hands are freezing, Mommy. Let¡¯s go


    inside quickly.¡±


    Liam and her were also dressed quite lightly, and their hair was neatlybed. It was not obvious with Liam, but it was clear that


    Isabel had deliberately tidied herself up. Sylvia thought , ¡®If I¡¯m not wrong, they tidied up beforeing out to meet me. No


    wonder they came out sote.¡¯


    She smiled and followed Isabel while holding Liam¡¯s hand.


    When they passed by Odell, the little girl suddenly tilted her head and snorted at him. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. If you didn¡¯t make Liam


    and me change beforeing out, Mommy wouldn¡¯t have waited outside for so long, and her hands wouldn''t be so cold.¡±


    Sylvia was confused.


    ¡®It was (del) who told them to change beforeing out?¡¯


    She could not help but look at him.


    Odell pursed his thin lips and looked at her coldly.


    Yes, he had deliberately made Isabel and Liame outte. He wanted her to suffer and wait for a while. It was her


    punishment for abandoning the children and leaving for Galston with Thomas for half a month beforeing back.


    He allowed her to meet with the children, but that did not mean that he forgave her.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 772

    Chapter 772


    Chapter 772


    Sylvia pursed her lips and looked away.


    Then, she followed Isabel and Liam¡¯s footsteps into the old residence. Theyout and decoration inside were the same as


    before.


    After entering, she sat with them on the sofa in the living room. The little ones sat at her sides, snuggling up to her and staring at


    her. Isabel bbered, ¡°Mommy, have you been fighting with the bad guy for the past six months?¡± Her eyes were bright and


    shining with gossip and curiosity.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sylvia thought about it and answered, ¡°Sort of.¡±


    ¡°Are you really not hurt?¡±


    ¡°I''m fine. He didn¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The little girl touched Sylvia''s belly again.


    Then, Liam suddenly asked, ¡°Mommy, is the bad guy you¡¯re talking about Uncle Thomas?¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Isabel also instantly looked at her.


    Outside the door, the man who was about to walk in also


    stopped in his tracks. The air was silent for a few seconds, and she said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Isabel wrinkled her little brows and asked in disbelief,¡± How did Uncle Thomas turn into a bad guy?¡± ¡°He disguised himself very


    well. | only found out about itter.¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips and snorted. ¡°That¡¯s right. He wouldn¡¯t have kept Mommy away from us if he wasn¡¯t a bad guy!¡±


    Although she used to really like her Uncle Thomas in the past, she started to dislike him ever since she found out that her mother


    left with him.


    Furthermore, her mother loved Liam and her so much, so why did she note back to them? She must have been stopped by


    that bad uncle!


    The more Isabel thought about it, the angrier she got. Then, she hugged Sylvia again and pressed her face to her belly.


    Sylvia melted from the little girl''s adorable expression and stroked her head,ughing. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Isabel. Mommy won''t


    ever leave you again.¡± Then, she looked at Liam and asked curiously, ¡°Liam, how did you guess it was him?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like a good guy.¡±


    He did not like his uncle from the very beginning and always felt that Thomas was strange.


    Six months ago, at the hospital, Isabel, Aunt Tonya, and he had been sitting in the car. He had insisted on letting them eat candy,


    which had caused them to fall asleep, and Sylvia was gone by the time they woke up.


    ¡®Mommy clearly said that she was going to take us on a trip together. Why would she have left without us? He must have taken


    her away. Grand ¡ª aunt Ramona and the others said that she ran away with Uncle Thomas and abandoned us, but | don¡¯t


    believe them at all.¡¯


    Sylvia could not help but smile. Seeing how Isabel and Liam were both firmly on her side, the negative emotions that had


    umted over the past six months suddenly disappeared.


    She lowered her head again and kissed them on their cheeks. ¡°Liam and Isabel, Mommy really missed you these six months.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, | really, really missed you too.¡± Isabel puckered her mouth and kissed Sylvia back.


    Lian did not say anything, but he raised his little face to give her a kiss on the cheek.


    Sylvia felt her chest swell with happiness, and she wrapped her arins around them and asked, ¡°Can you guys Tell me about


    everything you¡¯ve encountered in the past


    six months?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Isabel answered and started to chatter. ¡°Liam and | went through all sorts of things...¡± Their conversation continued.


    Outside the door, Odell looked at Sylvia smiling with a rosy face. Her happiness seemed palpable. His eyes softened slightly, but


    he could not help but snort coldly.


    ¡°She abandoned the children six months ago and even stabbed me with a knife to force me to let her go with Thomas. At that


    time, she was clearly madly in love with Thomas. She would have probably chosen to be with him even if she had known his true


    nature. Now that she¡¯s back, it¡¯s most likely because he dumped her.¡¯


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 773

    Chapter 773


    ¡®However, she med her not being able toe back on Thomas and said that it was he who didn¡¯t let here back. Only


    those two five-year-olds will be fooled by those words.¡¯


    The sky darkened.


    Isabel was still bbering energetically. She only stopped when Sebastian came over and said that it was time for dinner.


    At the same time, Isabel and Liam took Sylvia''s hand each and dragged her to the dining table.


    When Sylvia followed them and sat down, the tall figure of a man walked in through the door. She immediately stood up. Odell


    looked at her indifferently.


    Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°Odell, may | stay here and have dinner with them?¡±.


    When she finished, Isabel and Liam looked at him in unison. Their res were fierce as if they would never forgive him if he did


    not let her apany them for dinner.


    He frowned. ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Sylvia looked rxed and immediately sat back down between the little ones.


    Dinner was quickly served.


    Odell sat opposite Sylvia. She watched him and waited for him to pick up the cutlery before she picked up her own.


    There was a sumptuous spread for dinner. Not only were Isabel and Liam¡¯s favorite foods served, but so was Sylvia¡¯s. It was


    much better than the food that she ate at her own ce.


    She ate two servings and drank three bowls of soup. Only when she was full did she realize what she had done.


    Then, she looked into a pair of deep eyes. Odell narrowed his eyes at her and looked at her as if he was looking at a pig. Sylvia


    pursed her lips and smiled at him. ¡°The food here is really delicious.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell¡¯s lips twitched as he ignored her. Sylvia did not say anything else either. She wiped her mouth and went back to the living


    room sofa with Isabel


    and Liam. The children continued to snuggle up to her, and Isabel continued the conversation that she had yet to finish before


    the meal. She only stopped when she got tired and


    yawned.


    Liam''s eyes were also droopy. He was obviously sleepy.


    Sylvia touched their heads and said with a smile, ¡°Go back to bed if you''re sleepy.¡± Isabel immediately hugged one of her arms


    and said, ¡± Mommy, | wanna sleep with you.¡±


    She could not even keep her eyes open, but her little hands continued to cling to Sylvia. Her face was also pressed against


    Sylvia¡¯s body.


    Liam''s sleepy and dazed eyes looked at her.


    Sylvia did not want to part with them either, but...


    She looked at Odell. He sat on a leather chair not far away, reading a book.


    Noticing her gaze, he raised his eyes to look at her. He heard what Isabel said.


    For the sake of Isabel and Liam, he could reluctantly let her stay here. However, he would still chase her out when she got better


    and returned to normal.


    At that thought, his gaze turned cold as he nced at her. That look instantly made Sylvia cower.


    ¡®Does he not want me to stay? Oh, right, he¡¯s engaged to Lily now, so it¡¯s not appropriate for his ex-wife to stay in bis house.¡¯


    At that thought, she said to Isabel and Liam, ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for me to live here now, but I can still sleep with you. I''ll leave


    when you fall asleep and thene over to see you tomorrow, okay?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 774

    Chapter 774


    Isabel pouted while Liam frowned.


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened.


    The atmosphere was suddenly a little tense.


    Sylvia keenly perceived the change in Odell¡¯s expression and thought that he was not happy with her staying oring back the


    next day. She quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Odell. | won¡¯t disturb you. I''ll leave when they''re asleep. | promise to leave before it gets


    dark tomorrow onward.¡±


    Odell was speechless.


    When did he say that she was disturbing him?


    With anger stuck in his chest, he gave her a sidelong nce, stood up, and headed upstairs. He was gone in the blink of an eye.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at the children. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your room.¡±


    Soon, they went back to the children¡¯s room. The room was still decorated just like before, and their bed was very cozy.


    Sylviay in the middle with one arm around each of them.


    ¡°Mommy, | don¡¯t want you to go,¡± Isabel wliined in a soft


    voice.


    Sylvia whispered, ¡°Isabel, do you know about your Daddy and Aunt Lily?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°I know. They¡¯re engaged.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s not appropriate for me to live here anymore. If | stay here, it''ll make others misunderstand. It¡¯s not good for


    Daddy¡¯s and my reputations,¡± she exined patiently.


    Isabel hummed.


    Liam''s eyes also darkened.


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°But I¡¯m still your Mommy, and your Daddy is still your Daddy. Even if we''re not together, we¡¯re still your


    Mommy and Daddy who love you the most.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, you won''t leave again, right?¡± Liam suddenly opened his dark eyes and looked at her.


    Sylvia instantly replied, ¡°No, | won''t leave again.¡±


    ¡°Promise!¡± Isabel suddenly shouted. She was obviously so sleepy that she could not even open her eyes, but she still tried to be


    energetic.


    Sylvia smiled and said to them seriously, ¡°I promise. | won''t ever leave again. If | break my promise , then I''ll be a little pig.¡±


    ¡°Hehe...¡± Isabel giggled.


    Sylvia hugged them affectionately. When Isabel stoppedughing, she said, ¡°It¡¯ste now. Go to sleep.¡±


    The little ones obediently closed their eyes.


    After a long time, when they were both asleep, Sylvia got out of bed. She grabbed her coat, walked out of the room, and headed


    straight outside. Passing by the courtyard, she met Sebastian. She smiled and greeted him before continuing onward. Suddenly,


    Sebastian asked her, ¡°Did Tonyae back?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, and she said, ¡°Aunt Tonya is sick and is still recovering in Galston. She can¡¯te back until she¡¯s well.¡±


    ¡°How did she get sick? Is it serious?¡± Sebastian asked.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°She¡¯s much better now. She''ll be able toe back when she recovers.¡± He sighed with relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Sebastian , if there¡¯s nothing else, I''ll get going now.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Take care.¡±


    Sylvia walked straight out.


    At that moment, on the open balcony on the second floor, the strong figure of a man stood in front of the railing. He held a ss


    of wine in one hand while looking at Sylvia''s distant figure.


    When she left by car, he turned around and returned to the bedroom . He put down the ss and went straight into the


    bathroom.


    After washing up, he went to the bedside and picked up his phone.


    More than twenty minutes had passed since she left. She should have arrived home at this point.


    After thinking for a moment, he took out his phone and sent her a message. ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    Ding.


    She swiftly replied. ¡°I just arrived home and am preparing to wash up. Do you need something?¡±

 Chapter 775

    Chapter 775


    Odell raised his hand to tap on the screen and sent a message. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. | just want to inform you that Isabel and Liam need


    to study now. They can¡¯t waste time like before. Remember to supervise their studies when youe tomorrow morning.¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Okay, | got it.¡±


    Then, she sent him a cute smiling emoji.


    Heh.


    He could imagine her obedient and pleasant appearance through the screen. However, when he thought of her current mental


    condition, his gaze darkened slightly.


    The next morning, Sylvia arrived early at the old Carters¡¯ residence.


    The two little ones had just finished breakfast. Odell seemed to have gone out, and there were only Sebastian and a few


    bodyguards at home with them.


    When they saw hering, they immediately ran out to wee her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia kissed and hugged them before going to their room.


    Suddenly, she remembered the text message Odell sent


    herst night. After ying with them for a while, she asked, ¡°Liam and Isabel, do you have any homework to do?¡±


    Liam answered, ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ve finished it.¡±


    ¡°Good boy, Liam.¡± Sylvia looked at Isabel.


    Isabel''s eyes flickered as sheughed. ¡°Mommy, Liam finished my homework too.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. After choking for a moment, she asked curiously, ¡°What kind of homework are you working on?¡±


    Isabel immediately brought a few books out.


    There was art and piano, both of which looked to be entry -level and were not too difficult.


    However, there were also a few foreignnguage books. She could understand learning one, but was it not a bit much to learn


    six differentnguages at the same time?


    Even she could only understand one out of these sixnguages...


    In addition to those, there were several textbooks about mathematics and physics. Although they were all entry level, it might be


    too much pressure for a five-year-old to learn these.


    Sylvia could not help but caress their heads. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    Isabel grinned and said, ¡°Actually, Liam does all my homework for me, so | didn¡¯t work hard.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless and looked at Liam. He flipped through the small book in his hand and said without changing his


    expression, ¡°I didn¡¯t work hard either. Those are easy.¡±


    ¡®Well then, it seems like | was overthinking.¡¯


    A day passed by.


    It was evening and about to get dark.


    Sylvia kissed their faces. ¡°I have to go back now. Remember to rest early at night.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, have dinner before you leave. It must be very lonely if you go back now and eat alone.¡± Isabel hugged her, reluctant to


    part.


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°I stayed with you all day today, so I¡¯m not lonely at all.¡± She was indeed in a very happy mood. It was a


    satisfaction that she had not felt in the past six months.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia kissed her again, then let go of her and Liam to go out. The little ones followed her like two shadows. Only when she left in


    the car did they turn around and walked


    back inside.


    At that moment, a ck MPV drove over from the other side and stopped in front of the gate. Odell got out of the car and saw


    the children standing by the door and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°We''re sending Mommy off,¡± Liam replied. Odell


    frowned. ¡°She has left?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Her car just turned around the corner over there.¡± Isabel pointed at the road.


    Odell looked over. There was no trace of the car anymore. His eyes instantly darkened.


    ¡®Why did she leave in such a hurry? Is she afraid of seeing me?¡¯


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 776

    Chapter 776


    A dayter.


    At the old Carter Residence.


    Seeing that it was getting dark, Sylvia said goodbye to the children just like the day before, then headed for the door.


    Isabel and Liam both followed her to see her off.


    Unexpectedly, before she could walk out of the living room, the tall figure of a man came up to her.


    He wore a ck suit topped with a long coat. His figure was straight and strong, and his appearance was as handsome as ever.


    However, the cold aura emanating from his body intimidated people from approaching him. Sylvia stopped and took the initiative


    to smile at him.


    Odell looked at her coldly. ¡°Have they finished their homework today?¡±


    She had not expected him to ask this question, so she momentarily froze before replying, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Isabel finished hers too?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s finished.¡±


    ¡°Did she do it by herself?¡±


    Sylvia hesitated and said, ¡°Liam helped her do it.¡±


    Isabel and Liam were standing right behind them and raised their little round faces with dumbfounded expressions.


    Isabel thought, ¡®Hasn¡¯t Liam always done my homework?¡¯


    Liam thought, ¡®Haven''t | always done Isabel''s homework? Why is Daddy asking when he already knows the answer?¡¯


    While they were confusedly pondering his question, Odell¡¯s expression suddenly became more unhappy. ¡°She didn¡¯t do it


    herself?¡±


    Sylvia did not understand why he was upset, but she said honestly, ¡°No, she didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What kind of mother are you? Is that how you watch her study?¡± Sylvia was speechless.


    Odell looked at her coldly. ¡°Do today¡¯s homework again and watch her as she does it. You can only leave after she¡¯s done.¡±


    Then, without waiting for Sylvia or the two children to react, he simply walked past them to go upstairs.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Isabel pouted as well.


    However, Liam said, ¡°Mommy, you can stay with us for a


    little longer now.¡± Sylvia¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Isabel immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s right! Mommy, let¡¯s go back to our room to do our homework!¡± With her little hand, she dragged


    Sylvia along and headed back to the room.


    Sylvia smiled and went back to the room with the children. However, she could not help but nce in the direction that Odell had


    left.


    ¡®Was he really angry at me for not watching Isabelplete her homework? Or did he also want me to stay here... longer?


    ¡®No, that can¡¯t be. He¡¯s already engaged. He wouldn¡¯t have those kinds of thoughts about me anymore.¡¯Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She quickly dismissed the idea.


    The little girl was quite smart, but the difficulty of the homework was obviously higher than what a child of her age would know.


    Not even Sylvia could understand it, let alone Isabel.


    It was Liam who taught her the entire time.


    Sylvia simply sat by the side and watched. Then, she saw Sebastianing to call them for dinner.


    Sylvia followed them to the dining room.


    Odell was already sitting down.


    Sylvia smiled politely at him. He gave her an indifferent look. It was as if he did not want to acknowledge her. Sylvia was in a


    good mood and did not mind, so she sat down with the two little ones and started to eat.


    Dinner was finished in silence.


    She was just about to go back to the room with the children when she heard him ask, ¡°Has Isabel finished her homework?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°There¡¯s still half of it left.¡±


    ¡°Take her to my study to do it,¡± he said coldly.


    It was as if he was afraid that she would lie and allow Isabel to ck.


    Since he had custody over the children, she had no choice but to say, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 777

    Chapter 777


    Not long after, Sylvia came to Odell¡¯s study with Liam and Isabel


    The study was spacious and bright. Liam and Isabel sat behind his desk to do their homework on it.


    Sylvia moved a stool over to sit on the other side of the desk to watch them.


    What she had not expected was that not long after, Odell also came in.


    He was still wearing his suit.


    After he entered, he took a book from the shelf without sparing her a nce and went to the sofa to read it.


    It seemed that he hade in to read a book.


    Sylvia peeked at him twice before withdrawing her gaze to continue watching Isabel and Liam.


    The study was very quiet.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The only asional sound was from Liam as he taught Isabel how to do her homework.


    Sylvia ced her arms on the desk and rested her chin on her folded arms to stare at their cute little faces in the


    comfortable posture. On the sofa, the man who was reading a book raised his eyes and noticed her lounging posture at a


    nce. The look in his eyes softened slightly, but not long after, he cleared his throat.


    Hearing his voice, Sylvia instantly straightened her back and sat upright. Odell¡¯s lips curled and he looked down again to


    continue reading


    This time, Sylvia sat rigidly for a while. When her waist began to get sore, she cautiously looked over at him. Seeing that he was


    still reading his book, she exhaled andzily plopped back down onto the table. Eventually, Isabel finished her homework.


    It was alreadyte at night by the time she put down her pen and raised her face to yawn.


    Liam¡¯s little face also looked tired.


    Sylvia quickly took them by the hand and said to Odell,¡± Odell, Isabel has finished her homework. I''ll send them to bed now.¡±


    Odell looked at the pages of the book in his hands and simply hummed in reply. Sylvia led them back to their room.


    Only when they were both asleep in bed did she turn around and left the room.


    Coincidentally, as she passed the living room, she saw Odell again.


    He was sitting on the sofa, holding the same book that he had been reading in the study.


    As Sylvia walked over, he raised his eyes to look at her. Meeting his gaze , Sylvia immediately said, ¡°Isabel and Liam have fallen


    asleep. I''ll be going back now.¡±


    He picked up his teacup and took a sip, saying indifferently, ¡°Starting tomorrow, if lsabel¡¯s homework is still done by Liam, you


    won''t have toe back anymore.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°I understand. I''ll keep an eye on her. I''ll leave now if there¡¯s nothing


    else.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    She stopped and looked at him.


    ¡°It''s not easy to get a cab at this hour. Ben will send you back.¡± He looked at his book and spoke in a cold and light voice.


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to bother. | can get a cab at the intersection.¡±


    He raised his eyes to look at her, and the look in his eyes


    instantly turned cold. Sylvia immediately changed her words. ¡°Okay, | won''t call for a cab.¡±


    Odell looked down at his book and ignored her.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and walked out.


    Awhite MPV was parked outside the door.


    When she went out, Ben stepped out from the car and helped her open the backdoor.


    She smiled at him. ¡°Thank you, Ben.¡±


    Ben smiled and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. It was all arranged by Master Carter.¡±


    It had probably been arranged for her for the sake of the two children.


    However, a warm feeling still arose in her chest.


    After getting into the car, she took out her phone and sent a message to Odell. ¡°Thank you for arranging for Ben to send me


    home.¡±


    After waiting for a while and not seeing a reply, she pursed her lips in slight disappointment and put the phone back into her


    pocket.


    Meanwhile, in the living room of the old Carter Residence, the man was holding his phone. He looked at the line she sent, and a


    smile curled on his lips.


    ¡®At least she has a little conscience.¡±

 Chapter 778

    Chapter 778


    The night passed quickly, and Sylvia came to the old Carter mansion early in the morning the next day again.


    Today, a tutor came to give the two little kids their lessons.


    Sylvia yed with them all morning and apanied them to ss in the afternoon.


    After the teacher left, she urged them to do their homework.


    Liam had always been someone who would do it without any prompting, so she did not have to manage him at all. On the


    contrary, as soon as Isabel was asked to do her homework, she tried to think of ways to ck off, as she rolled around and acted


    like a spoiled child. Sylvia could not bear to be fierce to her at all, but after Liam gave her a stern look, she finally agreed to do


    her homework.


    It was only when it was time for dinner that she finished the homework assigned by the tutor with Liam¡¯s assistance.


    Odell also came back from work at this time.


    Although he was cold to her, he did not do anything to drive her away, so Sylvia stayed for dinner, put Isabel and Liam to sleep,


    and left.


    Ben sent her back again.


    Several days passed in the same way.


    That morning, Sylvia came to the old Carter residence after having breakfast. Coincidentally , she saw Odell just as she arrived


    outside the residence.


    He was wearing a straight suit, which emphasized his strong figure and handsome appearance. Even though she knew his face


    by heart, she still could not help her heart from beating faster when she saw him. Her cheeks heated up as well.


    ¡°Hi, good morning.¡± She took the initiative to smile at him.


    Odell gave her an indifferent look as he replied, ¡°Hm.¡±


    Then, he walked past her.


    These past few days, Sylvia had already gotten used to being ignored by him, so she simply pursed her lips and headed inside.


    As soon as she walked through the door, two small figures bounded over to her like little rabbits.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel shouted sweetly as she ran as fast as she could.


    Seeing how adorable they were, Sylvia immediately forgot about Odell¡¯s cold eyes and smiled at them, opening her arms to


    them.


    Just outside, Odell had just gotten into his car.


    He casually lowered the car window and gazed at the three of them deeply. The corners of his lips curved up, and he waited for


    them to go inside before saying, ¡°Drive.¡±


    The driver immediately started the car.


    The ck MPV drove smoothly in the direction of the city.


    Ding!


    Not long after, his phone suddenly rang. He took the phone out of his pocket, looked at the screen, and brought the phone to his


    ear with a frown on his face. On the phone, Lily¡¯s gentle yet lively voice rang out.¡± Good morning, Master Carter. Are you busy?¡±


    ¡°Do you need something?¡± he asked directly.


    Lily hesitated before saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing important. | just want to ask if you¡¯re free tonight. Can you make up for the dinner that


    you owed me fromst time?¡±


    ¡°I''m not avable tonight.¡±


    ¡°How about tomorrow night?¡±


    ¡°I''m not avable tomorrow night either.¡±


    ¡°Then when will you be free?¡±


    Odell was silent for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t really have much free timetely.¡±


    Lily chuckled and said, ¡°As far as | know, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything big happening at Carter Corporation recently. You''re


    not trying to avoid having that meal with me, are you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on at thepany, but | have things to do at home.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She hesitated for a second and asked, ¡°May | ask what''s going on at home?¡±


    Odell frowned and looked a little impatient. ¡°I have to watch the children study.¡±


    Lily was speechless.


    She choked for several seconds before uttering, ¡°I see. | apologize for bothering you.¡±


    Odell hung up immediately.


    Meanwhile, in the Springsteen residence.


    Seeing that she had been hung up on, Lily frowned in displeasure.


    Madam Springsteen was sitting next to her. When she saw the unpleasant expression on Lily¡¯s face, she immediately asked,


    ¡°What happened? What did Master Carter say to you?¡± Lily clutched her phone as she said unhappily, ¡°He said he has to stay


    home to watch the children study and isn¡¯t avable to have dinner with me.¡±

 Chapter 779

    Chapter 779


    Chapter 779 ¡°What?¡±


    Madam Springsteen was instantly confused.


    He had to watch his children study?


    He was at the helm of a conglomerate and was in charge of hundreds of millions worth in assets, yet he had to go home to watch


    his children study? Wasn''t it the tutor¡¯s job to do that?


    ¡°He spoils those two children too much.¡± At the thought of the two children left by his ex-wife, Madam Springsteen also became


    upset. ¡°He probably isn¡¯t doing it just to watch the children,¡± Lily said in a cold voice.


    Madam Springsteen immediately looked at her. ¡°What other reason is there? Could it be for that woman who posed as a waiter,


    messed up Ramona¡¯s birthday party, and made a public spectacle of herself?¡±


    Lily frowned.


    She was thinking that if she were Odell, she would definitely not be involved with that vulgar and lowly woman.


    After all, her appearance, ability, and family background was not inferior to that woman. How could he be


    unwilling to even have a meal with her? Perhaps that woman might have used her children to tie him down.¡¯


    Two dayster.


    That night, Sylvia waited for the little ones to fall asleep as usual before walking out of the bedroom.


    All the lights were on outside, and it was very quiet.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sylvia silently walked to the stairs, holding the handrail with one hand and supporting her belly with the other. She carefully


    walked down the stairs step by step.


    At the bottom of the stairs, she came to the living room.


    Odell was sitting on the sofa, drinking tea and reading a book.


    He raised his eyes to look at her, most likely because he had heard her footsteps.


    Sylvia subconsciously curved the corners of her mouth toward him in a sweet and pleasing smile.


    Odell looked at her and asked, ¡°Are Isabel and Liam asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How did they do with their homework today?¡± ¡°They did fine.¡±


    Saying that, Sylvia walked up to him and handed him the homeworkpleted by Isabel and Liam, just like the other days.


    Odell took it.


    Sylvia sat down on the sofa next to him.


    Time passed quietly. His long and slender fingers flipped through the children¡¯s homework.


    After checking it, he put it down and gave her an intense look. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°So can | go now?¡±


    His expression turned cold as he looked askance at her.


    Sylvia had just begun to lift her butt off the sofa but she instantly sat back down.


    He still looked at her coldly. ¡°Do you think | want you to


    stay?¡±


    She looked at his expression and said, ¡°No, | don¡¯t think


    so.¡±


    ¡°In the future, you can leave if you want. There¡¯s no need to ask me again.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then I''ll leave now.¡±


    It was already veryte, and she had almost fallen asleep


    in the children¡¯s room earlier. She had to go back quickly and get enough sleep so that she would have the energy toe over


    tomorrow to y with them.


    After she spoke, she got up and walked out.


    The man who was sitting on the couch was speechless. The expression on his handsome face instantly cooled.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia quickly walked out of the gate.


    Ben was waiting for her by the car.


    Just like before, he quickly came over and opened the car door for her when he saw here out.


    Sylvia smiled and thanked him before getting in. Ben also got into the car and started to drive.


    At that moment, diagonally opposite the gate, a car was parked in the shade of the trees for a long time.


    Inside the car, Lily sat alone in the backseat. She watched as the car that Sylvia was in went further and further away, and her


    brows furrowed coldly. After a while, the driver asked in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Springsteen, the person has already left. Would you


    like to follow them?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 780

    Chapter 780


    Chapter 780


    Lily said coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to follow. We''ll go back.


    Was that woman even worthy of being followed by her?


    She had onlye here just to see if Odell had really gone home to see the children. Unexpectedly, in the two days she had


    come here, she had seen that woman emerging from the house at this time at night on both days.


    The woman had already divorced Odell a long time ago. What was she still doing here every day? To apany the children?


    Even if that were the case, it was inappropriate for her to stay here untilte at night every day!


    Lily''s face was cold as she thought of the promise that Sylvia had made to her that day when she had gone to the hospital to visit


    her. ¡®She said she already had no more feelings for Master Carter since before their divorce, and she said she wouldn¡¯t ruin my


    rtionship with him.


    ¡®So what is she doing now?


    ¡®She goes to her ex-husband¡¯s house every day untilte at night and even makes hime back in the evening as soon as his


    work has ended. Is this how an ex-wife should


    act?¡±


    Lily could not help but scoff coldly.


    ¡®Well, it''s true that women from a lowly family like hers are always trying to get to the top by all means. So why would she be


    willing to let go of a man like Master Carter? ¡®I just don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with Second Master Carter and her. He clearly


    took her to Galston, so why was she back here again?¡¯ Lily unlocked her phone and looked at Thomas¡¯ avatar, from whom she


    had not received any reply messages, and fell deep into thought. After a long time, she put her phone away and stared coldly out


    of the car window.


    No matter what happened between Thomas and that woman, she would not allow her to pester Odell any more.


    She could not lose to this kind of disgraceful woman!


    Early in the morning.


    Sylvia got up not long after the sun rose.


    She casually made herself breakfast and walked to the door after eating, intending to call a car to go to the old Carter residence.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as she arrived at the gate, she saw


    a high-ss MPV across from the gate.


    She looked over suspiciously. The driver got out of the car and went to the back to open the rear door.


    In the backseat, a very nobly dressed Ramona sat elegantly, wearing a fur coat and a hat. She looked aloof and arrogant.


    Sylvia was startled, before asking politely, ¡°Aunt Ramona, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t address me so familiarly. Both you and


    Odell divorced long ago, so | have nothing to do with you.¡± Ramona spoke in disgust.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and maintained a polite tone. ¡°Is there a reason you''vee to see me now?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Ramona said in a cold voice, ¡°I¡¯m here to give you a warning. Since you were Mrs. Carter before, you should have some sense


    not to behave so shamelessly!¡± Shamelessly? Sylvia frowned. ¡°Are you referring to the incident at your birthday party? | didn¡¯t


    mean to do it that day, but | indeed made a fool of myself, so | apologize.¡±


    Ramona snorted. ¡°So you know that you made a fool of yourself that day. | thought you had no shame at all.¡±


    As she said that, she swept her eyes contemptuously at


    Sylvia¡¯s bulging stomach. Sylvia clenched her hand and did not speak. ¡°But I¡¯m not referring to that matter,¡± Ramona continued.


    Sylvia looked at her in confusion. ¡°Then what are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°You know very well.¡±


    Sylvia really did not know. After her return that day, she had been taken to the hospital by Odell. Since then, she had spent all my


    days with the children without going anywhere else at all. What kind of shameless behavior had she done?¡¯


    Ramona looked at her bewildered expression and instantly scoffed. ¡°That''s enough, stop acting. Let me ask you, during this


    period of time, haven¡¯t you gone to Odell¡¯s house every day? Haven''t you stayed there untilte at night before you leave, every


    single day?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 781

    Chapter 781


    Chapter 781


    Sylvia frowned and replied, ¡°Yes, but | went there to be with the children. | didn¡¯t do anything besides that.¡±


    ¡°You''re a woman who runs to your ex-husband¡¯s house every single day and stayste into the night. How is it that you do


    nothing but spend time with the children?¡± Ramona was furious at the direct look that Sylvia was giving her and red at her. ¡°I


    think you¡¯re truly contemptible and shameless!¡± Sylvia¡¯s body turned cold and she immediately clenched her hands.


    Seeing that Sylvia continued to look as if she had not done anything wrong, Ramona sneered, ¡°Stop pretending to act noble in


    front of me. If you hadn¡¯t done anything, you wouldn''t have followed Thomas abroad ande back with a big belly. If you have


    any shame, then stay away from Odell. He has a fiancee now. You¡¯re not even bothered about maintaining your own virtue. How


    dare you try to steal Lily¡¯s man?¡± After saying that, she barked at her driver. ¡°Hurry up and drive. Just looking at her makes my


    eyes feel dirty.¡± The driver immediately closed the door and returned to the driver¡¯s seat.


    The high-ss MPV quickly drove away and disappeared.


    Sylvia stood where she was.


    She could not even be sure whether it was because the wind was too cold, but her body felt like it was freezing.


    The words Ramona had said were like a magic spell that continued to reverberate in her head.


    ¡®Shameless.


    ¡®Contemptible and shameless.


    ¡®Not bothered about maintaining your own virtue.


    ¡®Just looking at her makes my eyes feel dirty...¡±


    Every word was like a sharp and icy thorn.


    The more Sylvia thought about it, the more her body stiffened up


    After a long time, she finally came back to her senses when her phone rang. Isabel was calling her.


    Her hand trembled as she brought the phone to her ear.


    ¡°Mommy, where are you? Why aren¡¯t you here yet?¡± The little girl¡¯s crisp and childish voice sounded out.


    Sylvia¡¯s tense body suddenly loosened. She smiled and said, ¡°I was a little dyed by something. I''ll be right over.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then hurry up. Liam and | are waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I''ll be there soon.¡±


    Hanging up the phone, Sylvia took a deep breath and went to the roadside to hail a cab.


    When she arrived at the old Carter residence, she found that Odell had already left. Isabel and Liam ran over to


    her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Both their faces were adorable.


    The moment Sylvia saw them, her mood eased greatly.


    However, what Ramona had said continued to ring in her head from time to time.


    She really could not stay here untilte anymore. If Lily, Odell¡¯s fiancee, found out, she would definitely be unhappy. Thus, when


    it was time for Isabel to do her homework in the afternoon, Sylvia did not let her y anymore but patiently coaxed her to do her


    homework.


    However, the little girl still wanted to y and kept acting like a pampered child.


    Sylvia could not bear to be strict with her, so she made up an excuse and said, ¡°Isabel, be a good girl and do your homework. |


    have to go home early at night, or your little brother or sister will be ufortable.¡±


    Isabel''s eyes widened. ¡°Why would my little brother or sister be ufortable?¡±


    Liam also looked over.


    Sylvia said stiffly, ¡°Because | have to rest early. It¡¯s not bad for the baby if | restte.¡±


    Actually, she would apany the little ones to nap here every day, so she had enough daily sleep. When Isabel heard this, she


    pursed her small lips, and her chubby face immediately looked contrite. ¡°Mommy, did you and baby not rest well before?¡±


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°No, | was fine before. | just didn¡¯t feel well rested these past two days.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 782

    Chapter 782


    Isabely on Sylvia¡¯s stomach, rubbing her little face onto the stomach. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby. | didn¡¯t mean to do it. | just wanted to


    stay with Mommy a little longer.¡±


    After saying that, the girl obediently sat behind the desk and picked up the pen. She also did not forget to call out to Liam. ¡°Liam,


    hurry up and teach me how to do my homework.¡±


    The little girl figured that the sooner she finished her homework, the sooner she would be able to y with her mommy and let


    her go back to rest early.


    Liam put his book down and sat next to her.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and forced back the stinging in her eyes.


    The little girl was very efficient when she decided to be serious, and she finished all her homework in less than half an hour.


    Then, she clung to Sylvia''s side again.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sylvia smiled and kissed her, then she yed games with her and Liam.


    When it was almost dark, Odell¡¯s car came back.


    Sylvia took theirpleted homework and came to the


    living room with them.


    The man¡¯s tall and straight figure walked in through the door.


    Sylvia smiled at him.


    Odell nced at her and sat down on the sofa.


    ¡°Odell, they''ve finished their homework today.¡± Sylvia walked up to him and handed the children¡¯s homework to him for him to


    check as usual.


    Odell looked at Isabel behind her.


    The little girl and Liam both clung to Sylvia¡¯s side, each child hugging one leg each as they looked at him obediently with their


    little chubby faces.


    However, Odell frowned.


    He knew that the little girl did not usually do her homework until the evening. Why was she so well behaved today?


    Before he could figure it out, she suddenly pouted at him and muttered, ¡°Hurry up and check the homework, Baddie. Mommy


    and baby have to go back early to rest.¡±


    4


    His eyes darkened as he looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia gave him a polite and pleasant smile.


    ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s almost dark. Hurry up.¡± Liam also suddenly urged him.


    Odell instantly withdrew his gaze and looked at their homework with a cold face.


    He nced at it quickly and finished flipping through it in just two minutes.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°They did well, right?¡± ¡°Hm.¡± His voice was low and displeased.


    Sylvia also sensed his displeasure, but she did not want to figure out what it meant. Furthermore, Ramona¡¯s words were still


    echoing in her head. She could not stay here untilte at night for no reason.


    ¡°Then I''ll take my leave now.¡± After that, she looked at Isabel and Liam. ¡°Be good and go to sleep after dinner. I''lle see you


    again tomorrow.¡± Isabel said, ¡°Okay.¡± Liam also hummed in reply. Sylvia turned and walked out.


    The two little ones followed at her heels. Only Odell remained sitting alone on the sofa, his face cold and dark.


    ¡®Go back to rest early? She usually goes backte. Has she not been getting enough rest?


    ¡®Or is it because she doesn¡¯t want to tire Thomas¡¯ child in her belly?¡±


    The night passed quickly. The next day, Sylvia came to the old residence on time.


    Isabel was not as naughty as before and finished her homework with Liam early, leaving ample time to spend with Sylvia.


    Time flew by as they were having fun, and in the blink of an eye, evening had arrived. Sylvia waited until it was dark but did not


    see Odelle back.


    ¡®He should have been back a long time ago. Has he been dyed by something?¡¯ At that thought, she took out her phone and


    sent him a message. ¡°Odell, are you on the way back?¡±


    After waiting for a few minutes without a reply, she immediately took her phone, photographed the homework that the children


    hadpleted, and sent it to him page by page.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 783

    Chapter 783


    Not far outside the gate, a ck MPV had been parked there for a long time.


    Ding ding ding... The phone in the man¡¯s hand kept on ringing.


    It rang for about a dozen times before stopping.


    Looking at the pictures shing by on the screen, his face could not help but darken.


    ¡®This woman is really smart. She even remembered to take pictures and send them to me.


    ¡®Is she in such a hurry to leave?¡¯


    Ding! His phone rang again. It was another message from her.¡± Odell, this is Isabel and Liam¡¯s homework. You can check them


    when you''re free.¡±


    His expression chilled, and he put the phone back into his pocket.


    At that moment, a slim figure walked out of the door of the mansion.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Yes, that slim figure was Sylvia.


    Although her belly had already begun to swell, the rest of


    her body was still the same as before. From the back view, she even seemed slimmer than she had been six months


    ago.


    She did not look his way but went out of the gate toward the other side of the road. It was clear that she was intending on hailing


    acab.


    He stared at her in silence.


    After a long time, when she got into the car and left, he said, ¡°Get Ben to follow her secretly.¡±


    In the driver¡¯s seat, Jacob quickly answered , ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Late at night, in the Springsteen residence.


    Lily had just finished washing up and was sitting at the small table by the window. She was wearing designer silk pajamas as she


    elegantly held a tall ss of wine.


    Aknock sounded outside the door, and Madam Springsteen called out, ¡°Lily, are you asleep?¡±


    Lily replied, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Madam Carter pushed open the door and walked in, carrying Lily¡¯s favorite snacks in her hand. Lily smiled at her. ¡°Thanks,


    Grandma.¡±


    Madam Springsteen sat opposite her and asked with a smile, ¡°How was it? Have you heard back from the person


    who went to keep an eye on the Carter residence?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I''ll ask him.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Lily took her phone out and made a call.


    The call ended quickly, and her expression turned a few degrees colder.


    Madam Springsteen asked, ¡°What did he say? Is that woman still staying at the mansion?¡±


    There was a contemptuous look in Lily¡¯s eyes. ¡°She still went over every day for the past two days, but she left before it got


    dark.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, how dare she still go there? I''ll call Ramona again.¡± Madam Springsteen was about to get her phone.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, Grandma.¡± Lily picked up the ss and sipped the wine. ¡°She has the two children as a bargaining chip. If


    Aunt Ramona goes to her again, she might be unhappy and use the children toin to Master Carter. That won¡¯t be


    good for Aunt Ramona either.¡±


    ¡°You''re right, but are we just going to let here and go out of the Carter residence like this? Although you only have a contract


    engagement with Master Carter, youpleted the engagement ceremony in front of all your friends and rtives. It''s too


    uncultured for her toe and go out of his house like this!¡± Madam Springsteen


    became angrier and angrier as she spoke.


    Lily sneered. ¡°Of course, | won''t let her do as she pleases.


    Madam Springsteen''s expression changed as she asked,¡± Do you have an idea on what to do?¡±


    Lily narrowed her eyes. ¡°The best way is to make Master Carter feel disgusted with her and then fall in love with


    me.¡±


    Madam Springsteen smiled. ¡°How are you nning to do that?¡±


    ¡°| heard that she¡¯s Sunflower.¡±


    Madam Springsteen frowned and said in disdain , ¡°Yes, she has been highly sought after in previous years, but she hasn''t


    produced any works in the past year. I¡¯ve seen her paintings, but they¡¯re nothing spectacr.¡±


    Lily smiled. ¡°Creation requires inspiration and skill. So, she hasn¡¯t produced any work for a year. Maybe she can¡¯t paint


    anymore?¡±


    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s most likely that case.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, Grandpa is holding an art event in a few days. Let''s invite her there too.¡±


    Madam Springsteen¡¯s eyes lit up as she smiled. ¡°Yes, it just so happens that she¡¯s on the invitation list. I''ll contact the Art


    Associationter and make sure that they


    invite her over.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 784

    Chapter 784


    Chapter 784 A dayter.


    Sylvia stayed at the old Carter residence with Isabel and Liam as usual.


    The sun was shining nicely today and it warmed up the room, making everyone feel a littlezy.


    Isabel was watching a show on her tablet as shey her head on Sylvia¡¯sp.


    Liam sat beside her with his back to the sunlight that was shining through the window, as he quietly read a book.


    Sylvia yawned and was about to doze off as she leaned against the wall when her phone suddenly rang.


    It was a message from Christopher.


    She had reconnected with the Art Association a while ago after her return, and Christopher had sent her a message two days


    ago, asking her to attend an art activity held by Master Springsteen.


    Not only had the famous artists from Westchester been invited to this event, but many collectors had also been invited. With the


    Springsteen family¡¯s reputation, many people from high society would definitely attend the event.


    Sylvia had not wanted to show her face, so she had refused the invitation.


    This time, Christopher sent her another message inviting her to the event.


    His words were sincere. ¡°Sylvia, Master Springsteen¡¯s assistant contacted me again, saying that Master Springsteen really wants


    you to go, so he instructed me to ask you again. We haven''t seen each other in a long time too, and Simon and the others miss


    you as well. Why don¡¯t you join us? Think of it as a get-together with us.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    She did not want to go not only because she did not want to make an appearance, but also because she had not produced any


    new works in the past year.


    It was not that she had not wanted to paint, but since the time she had gone to Galston, she had not finished a painting It was


    because she had not had any inspiration for half a year. She even wondered if she had already run out of ideas.


    If a painter¡¯s creativity dried up, how could she have the courage to participate in such activities?


    After a moment of silence, she replied, ¡°Sorry, President Dendro. | really don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    Christopher replied, ¡°Has something happened to you, Sylvia?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant, so it''s not convenient for me to participate in such activities.¡± Christopher typed, ¡°That¡¯s fine. You


    can just sit down and chat with us.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and held her fingers over the screen without replying Probably guessing that she was still thinking of an


    excuse not to go, Christopher sent another message. ¡°Sylvia, | don¡¯t want to force you either, but Master Springsteen already


    had someone call me three times. He has always sponsored the Art Association. With his identity, | can¡¯t afford not to listen to


    him.¡± ¡®He called three times? Is Master Springsteen that eager to see me?¡¯


    Sylvia frowned and asked, ¡°What exactly is this activity?¡±


    He replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a get-together to appreciate a few paintings. There should be nothing more.¡±


    She asked, ¡°Will there be a live painting session?¡± Christopher replied, ¡°I''ve seen the itinerary, but there¡¯s no such program, so


    there shouldn''t be.¡±


    Sylvia let out a breath and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you


    then.¡±


    Christopher immediately replied, ¡°Send me your address. I''ll go and pick you up.¡±


    Sylvia responded, ¡°There''s no need. I''ll go to you.¡± After chatting a little more, Sylvia put down her phone. At that moment, Isabel


    and Liam both raised their faces to look at her.


    The moment she met their cute and confused expressions, Sylvia¡¯s face changed as she asked with a smile, ¡°What''s wrong?


    Why are you guys looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, you kept frowning just now. Did something bad happen?¡± Isabel fell into her arms and hugged her. Sylvia replied, ¡°I


    was talking to a friend about something. It wasn¡¯t anything bad.¡± ¡°What were you talking about?¡± Isabel questioned.


    Sylvia told them the truth. ¡°He invited me to an event the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What kind of event?¡±


    ¡°It''s just a gathering.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 785

    Chapter 785


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Did you agree, Mommy?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°Yeah, | did, so | might have to leave a little early the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, do you not want to go?¡± Liam looked at her with his big, clear eyes.


    Sylvia was stunned. She had not expected him to ask that.


    Before she could answer, he continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, then you shouldn''t go.¡±


    He was clearly just a five-year-old boy, and he still had a child¡¯s voice, but he spoke like a little adult.


    Hearing that, Sylvia actually felt a little bit more reassured.


    She smiled and stroked his little face, saying gently, ¡°I already promised, so | can¡¯t go back on my word.¡±


    Liam frowned. ¡°But you''ll be unhappy.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I was just a little worried. I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    Seeing her gentle and happy smile, Liam pursed his lips silently.


    ¡°Mommy, why don¡¯t we go with you?¡± The little girl


    suddenly spoke up.


    Liam instantly looked over.


    Sylvia was silent for a moment. ¡°The event isn¡¯t suitable for you two. Just be good and stay at home. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel pouted and said, ¡°Mommy, just remember to go back home early to rest.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°I know.¡± The little girl


    quickly picked up her tablet and continued to watch her show.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Liam also turned back to read the book in his hands.


    Two dayster.


    It was a Saturday.


    The children had no homework to do over the weekend.


    Sylvia came early in the morning and yed with them to their heart''s content.


    After lunch, when the little ones were sleepy and she had started to doze off, she went back to their room with them.


    It was only when she put the children to sleep that she found that she had received a message from Christopher and Simon on


    her phone.


    The event Master Springsteen was holding would be this evening. They both asked for her address so they could pick her up.


    Sylvia could not refuse them, so she sent them the address of the old Carter residence and told them to pick her up in the


    evening After chatting with them, she soon became sleepy and fell asleep At this time, a ck MPV was parked at the gate of


    the old residence.


    The man who had been socializing all morning got out of the car, walked up to the front door with a steady pace, and entered the


    living room.


    The living room was empty, and he asked Sebastian beside him, ¡°Didn¡¯t shee today?¡±


    Sebastian quickly said, ¡°She did. She¡¯s in the children¡¯s room now. | believe she should be napping with them around this time.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression softened. He strode up the stairs and soon arrived at the children¡¯s bedroom.


    The door was unlocked , so he pushed down the handle and pushed it open.


    In the warm bedroom and cozy bed, Sylviay in the middle with Isabel in her arms and Liam sticking close to


    her.


    Mother and children were sound asleep.


    The look in his eyes softened slightly, and his legs subconsciously moved. Soon, he walked up to the bedside and bent down,


    looking at her sleeping face from up close.


    This was the first time he had been this close to her since he had allowed her toe here to see the children. He did not know


    if depression had made her timid and anxious, but every time she saw him, she was like a mouse looking at a cat. She seemed


    to want to stay away from him rather than spend more time with him.


    Looking at her moist and smooth face, he could not fight the urge in his fingers to raise his hand and cup her face.

 Chapter 786

    Chapter 786


    It felt good. He pinched her face several more times until there was a reddish mark on her cheek before letting go of her.


    Sylvia was fast asleep so she did not even react to the pinch.


    Sleeping like a pig


    Odell snorted but even his narrowed eyes and furrowed brows could not hide his amusement.


    Next, his eyes fixed upon Sylvia''s luscious lips.


    Her pink lips were moist and full.


    After staring at her for a while, he started to feel his desire rise.


    He narrowed his eyes further and moved his face closer to hers.


    Just before his handsome face touched her delicate cheeks, he sensed someone looking at him from the side.


    His gaze shifted. He straightened up and saw Liam staring at him with his big round eyes.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The boy had been sleeping beside Sylvia. Somehow he had woken up without his father¡¯s knowledge and was now staring at


    him intensely.


    ¡°Daddy, are you trying to kiss Mommy?¡± he asked.


    Odell awkwardly cleared his throat and said, ¡°No.¡±


    The boy stared at him. He was quiet yet his face clearly showed his disbelief.


    Odell¡¯s gaze shifted and said solemnly, ¡°I saw a mosquito on her face just now, so | was just trying to check if it¡¯s still there.¡±


    The boy continued staring at him in disbelief. Odell frowned and his face instantly turned cold. ¡°Why are you looking at me?


    Close your eyes and go to sleep!¡±


    Liam pouted and shut his eyes. The boy showed no interest in arguing with his father.


    Odell gulped nervously. He loosened his cor and said to Liam, ¡°Don¡¯t tell your mother, or you won¡¯t see her


    again.¡±


    Liam did not answer him. Instead, the boy got up and kissed Sylvia on the cheek before burying his face in the crook of Sylvia¡¯s


    neck while turning his back to his father.


    Odell was rendered speechless and his expression turned grim.


    He suppressed the urge to pull the kid away from her. He pursed his lips and left the room.


    Sylvia woke up after an hour or so.


    Liam was already up and reading a book beside her.


    Isabel had also woken up but she remained sleepy. She hugged Sylvia¡¯s arm tighter and refused to let go.


    Sylvia hugged the girl and stayed in bed for a little longer. Only when the little girl had finally be more alert, did Sylvia bring


    both sister and brother to the living room.


    She saw Odell sitting on the couch as he read a book while having some tea.


    The ck shirt and ck pants on himplemented his elegant seating posture.


    When Sylvia looked at him, he turned to look at her, looking as cold and aloof as usual. Sylvia lifted the corners of her lips into a


    smile. ¡°Good afternoon.¡±


    He hummed in reply and then looked at Liam beside her.


    Liam returned his gaze with a frosty look of his own. His little chubby face looked cold, the expression very simr to his father.


    Odell cleared his throat awkwardly before taking a sip of tea from his cup.


    Sylvia did not notice the quick exchange between the father and son. She sat down on the other side and yed


    with the remote-controlled car with Isabel.


    Liam hopped onto the couch and read his book. The peace and quiet of the living room was shattered by the little girl¡¯s cheerful


    screams. Sylvia would joke with Isabel from time to time, their cheerful and energetic voices sounding very pleasant to the ears.


    Odell was distracted from his reading, he soon shifted his attention to the mother and daughter having fun. However, the


    precious family time was cut short by a phone call.


    Sylvia¡¯s phone rang.


    Odell quickly returned to his book and pretended nothing happened. Isabel pursed her lips and kept quiet. Only Sylvia¡¯s voice


    could be heard in the living room.


    ¡°Mr. President, have you arrived there already?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 787

    Chapter 787


    ¡°Oh, okay. Hold on, I''ll be right out.¡±


    Sylvia then hung up the phone.


    She then looked at Isabel and Liam.


    The girl pouted and said, ¡°Mommy, are you leaving now?¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply and stroked the little girl¡¯s head. She then looked at Odell.


    Odell was still reading his book on the couch but he was looking even grimmer than before the phone call.


    Sylvia was some distance away from him, so she did not notice the change of expression on his face. She said, ¡° Odell, | have to


    go out for a while.¡± Odell looked at her. ¡°What else is more important than apanying your kids?¡±


    His voice was cold and he sounded slightly unhappy.


    Sylvia exined, ¡°I¡¯ve promised President Dendro that | would attend Master Springsteen''s event. They are already outside the


    gate so | have to go.¡±


    An event hosted by Master Springsteen? It had to be rted to art.


    It was true that Sylvia had to reconnect with the outside world, so Odell approved her outing.


    The cold look on his face eased as he said, ¡°Fine. Go.¡±


    Sylvia felt relieved upon hearing his approval. She then kissed her kids on the cheeks before walking out of the door.


    Shortly after she left, Odell¡¯s phone rang.


    Lily was calling.


    His brows furrowed to express his annoyance but he answered the call nheless.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Lily¡¯s soft voice came through the phone. ¡°Master Carter, are you freeter?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said.


    Lily awkwardly froze for a moment before she forced a smile and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t even told you what this is about yet. Why don¡¯t


    you hear me out first before rejecting me?¡±


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather organized an art event and invited a lot of artists and collectors. Would you be interested in dropping by?¡± His gaze


    shifted. ¡°The event organized by Master Springsteen? Is it today?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It''ll be starting in 30 minutes at the hotel ballroom near the academy.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I''ll be there.¡±


    The call ended.


    He got up and shot a gaze at Liam. ¡°I¡¯m going out. You stay home with your sister, do you hear me?¡±.


    Liam asked, ¡°Where are you going? Are you going to meet Mommy?¡± Odell gave the boy a sidelong nce and said, ¡°Just take


    care of your sister and yourself.¡±


    Liam''s gaze shifted and hummed in reply.


    Odell then retrieved his jacket from the side of the door and left the house.


    Meanwhile, at Springsteen¡¯s ce, an MPV drove out through the mansion¡¯s gate.


    Lily and Madam Springsteen sat beside each other. Both of them had fur wraps around their shoulders.


    Lily had frowned after Odell had hung up on her.


    Madam Springsteen asked, ¡°What''s wrong? Is he noting?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯sing.¡±


    However, Odell¡¯s answer had been extremely quick. Madam Springsteen smiled and asked, ¡°Then why the long face?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    The man had very likely agreed to attend the event because he knew Sylvia was going, hence the speedy reply.


    Regardless , Lily was confident that she would show him that they were made for each other!


    Sylvia walked out of the house and saw Christopher and Simon waiting for her on the roadside.


    They smiled warmly at her and she did the same. Christopher said with a smile, ¡°Come on, get in. The event starts in 30


    minutes.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡±


    Sylvia got into the car with the two gentlemen.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 788

    Chapter 788


    Chapter 788


    The car headed to the art academy.


    Moments after they had set off, Simon asked, ¡°Sylvia, where have you been for the past six months? You haven''t been picking


    up my calls.¡±


    Sylvia knew that Simon was asking purely out of curiosity, but she really did not want to think back on all the things that had


    happened in the past six months. She casually said, ¡°Something happened and | went abroad for a while.¡±


    Simon''s gaze shifted. ¡°Are you alright now?¡±


    His voice was full of concern. Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m doing okay now.¡±


    Simon smiled in relief and simply let the topic go.


    Then, he chatted to Christopher about the event.


    The event was more of a social gathering. Other than the artists who had been invited, many other influential figures had been


    invited as well.


    Suddenly, Christopher asked, ¡°Simon, did you bring your


    work?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | did.¡±


    ¡°Great, as long as you remember.¡±


    Simon then asked Sylvia, ¡°Sylvia, did you create any new work recently?¡± His gaze showed anticipation , seemingly wanting to


    see her new work.


    Sylvia shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    Thinking about how there must have been a bitter reason for her to disappear for six months before returning, Simon thought


    that it was normal that she had been unable to create any new work. He pursed his lips and added, ¡°I see. If you do produce any


    new works, please be sure to tell me! | want to be the first to see it!¡±


    Simon admired Sylvia¡¯s work the most among all the artists under the art association, so he had been looking forward to her new


    work since a year ago.


    Sylvia simply hummed in reply.


    Awhileter, the car drove past the art academy and arrived at the morous art hotel.


    The art hotel¡¯s event hall had been fully booked by Master Springsteen for his event and the guests required an invitation card to


    enter.


    Sylvia was with Christopher and Simon, so she was granted entry without any hindrance.


    Minutes before the event started, the event hall was


    already filled with people. The guests were standing in groups as they chatted over some champagne and admired the artwork


    on disy. Christopher , being the president of the art association , knew many of the guests, so he greeted each and every one


    of them from the moment he stepped inside.


    Both Sylvia and Simon were not fans of mingling, so they hung back and waited patiently for the event to start.


    Minutester, there was amotion from outside the door.


    Christopher left the crowd and came back to them and said, ¡°Simon, Sylvia, Master Springsteen is here. Let''s go and say hi.¡±


    Sylvia could not refuse this time as Master Springsteen was the host of the event.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said.


    Sylvia and Simon then followed Christopher outside.


    The crowd surged over.


    They waited for the others to finish greeting Master Springsteen before they stepped forward.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Under the bright lights, an elderly man with silvery white hair with a solemn but kind look on his face walked over with the help of


    his assistant.


    Christopher stepped forward and reached out for a


    handshake. ¡°Master Springsteen.¡±


    Master Springsteen smiled happily at Christopher''s


    friendly gesture. He shook the man¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Oh, Chris! I¡¯m d you made it!¡±


    Christopher then stepped aside and introduced Sylvia and Simon to Master Springsteen. ¡°Master Springsteen, | would like for


    you to meet Mr. Amos and Sunflower.¡±


    As soon as Christopher¡¯s word subsided, Master Springsteen widened his eyes at the two of them with utmost excitement.


    The crowd also started to size up the two of them.


    Simon wore a smile and said, ¡°Master Springsteen. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    Master Springsteen smiled. ¡°Wee, wee. There¡¯s no need to tter an old man like me. | am just an avid collector of your


    work.¡±

 Chapter 789

    Chapter 789


    After speaking, Master Springsteen then turned his wise and experienced eyes to Sylvia.


    He was intrigued by Sylvia, or more precisely, Sunflower.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sylvia¡¯s lips curved up in a smile as she said, ¡°Master Springsteen.¡±


    Master Springsteen smiled back. ¡°You''re Sunflower?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | am.¡±


    ¡°You''re so young.¡±


    ¡°You tter me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are the one who is too kind to an old man. You are a mother-to-be yet you''re attending my event,¡± he said as he shifted


    his gaze to her belly.


    Before Sylvia could answer, a sharp voice came from behind him. ¡°Of course, she would not miss this great opportunity to climb


    the socialdder to meet you in person, Master Springsteen.¡±


    Sylvia froze.


    Master Springsteen, Christopher and the others immediately turned to the owner of the voice.


    At the entrance, Ramona, dressed morously and


    covered in dazzling jewelry, came over with Lily and Madam Springsteen, who were simrly dressed.


    As soon as Ramona¡¯s voice subsided, Madam Springsteen furrowed her brows. ¡°Ramona , | think it¡¯s better not to talk about


    such things on such an asion.¡±


    Ramona snorted in Sylvia¡¯s direction and continued,¡± Why? If she has the guts to show up here, then | can say whatever | want.¡±


    Lily also frowned. ¡°Aunt Ramona , this is grandfather¡¯s event, | think it''d be better if you stop.¡± Their little squabble had silenced


    the crowd and everyone was now looking at them, baffled.


    Master Springsteen asked solemnly, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡±


    Ramona immediately answered , ¡°Master Springsteen , didn¡¯t you know? Sunflower here is not what she seems. Her name is


    Sylvia Ross and she¡¯s my grand-nephew¡¯s ex -wife.¡±


    Her words echoed across the silenced crowd.


    Everyone shifted their attention to Sylvia, including Master Springsteen. Almost everyone in Westchester knew that Lily was


    Odell¡¯s new fiance and yet Sylvia , his ex-wife, had still attended the event.


    Had she not known Master Springsteen¡¯s granddaughter was her ex-husband¡¯s current fiance?


    Sylvia trembled under the pressure of having all the eyes on her, sizing her up.


    She looked down, with brows furrowed and fists clenched.


    She had forgotten about Lily being Master Springsteen¡¯s granddaughter and she had not expected Lily to attend this event either.


    While she was at a loss for what to do, a kind voice suddenly spoke up to defend her, ¡°Ms. Ross might be my fiance''s ex-wife,


    but she¡¯s also the famous artist Sunflower . She was invited by my grandfather through official means, so please stop looking at


    her like that. You too, Aunt Ramona.¡±


    It was Lily who had defended Sylvia.


    Sylvia had not expected Lily, out of anyone, to defend her. She looked at the beautiful young woman in surprise.


    Lily smiled generously and elegantly. Her words had attracted all the attention to herself and everyone was now looking at her in


    awe. Someone eximed, ¡°Ms. Springsteen really has a great temperament, as expected of the daughter of the Springsteens.¡±


    The frosty look on Ramona¡¯s face eased and she smiled at


    Lily. ¡°Fine, I''ll spare her tonight for your sake.¡±


    Many of the guests continued to stare at Sylvia contemptuously.


    Sylvia¡¯s chest tightened under all the pressure, she pursed her lips and looked down. ¡°Enough,¡± Master Springsteen suddenly


    firmly stated, sounding very unhappy. The guests immediately withdrew their gazes.


    Ramona and Madam Springsteen were surprised by Master Springsteen¡¯s reaction as well.


    At the same time, Christopher and Simon walked over to stand beside Sylvia.


    Simon looked at her with apassionate gaze. Christopher then said to Master Springsteen, ¡°Master Springsteen, Sylvia is


    indeed Master Carter¡¯s ex-wife, but they divorced peacefully some time ago. It¡¯s in the past now. She had not actually wanted to


    come today but | was the one who had insisted on inviting her.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 790

    Chapter 790


    Chapter 790


    Master Springsteen looked at Sylvia and then said toThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Christopher, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to exin this to me. | only see the famous artist Sunflower at my event tonight, not


    someone''s ex-wife.¡±


    Christopher¡¯s eyes gleamed. He smiled and said, ¡°I understand, Master Springsteen.¡± Sylvia¡¯s cold, clenched hands rxed


    slightly.


    In relief, she smiled at Simon and gestured at him not to worry.


    The remaining guests who were still standing around to watch the scene, now withdrew their scrutinizing gazes from Sylvia and


    resumed what they were doing before.


    Only Ramona was left looking unhappy, as if she had suddenly been pped in the face.


    Madam Springsteen was also displeased but she was in no position to lecture her husband, hence the silence.


    As for Lily, she maintained an elegant smile on her face.


    After Christopher and Master Springsteen finished talking, Lily stepped forward and hooked an arm through one of the elderly


    man¡¯s. She then said with a smile, ¡° Grandfather, don¡¯t just stand here. Let''s invite Mr. Amos and Ms. Sunflower inside.¡±


    Master Springsteen had always loved his only granddaughter and was especially pleased after she had courageously stood up


    for Sylvia. She had not disappointed him at all.


    ¡°Okay, okay, let¡¯s go in,¡± he said with a smile.


    He then looked at Christopher, Simon and Sylvia, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go in. Don¡¯t just stand here.¡±


    ¡°After you, Master Springsteen,¡± Christopher said with a nod and then looked at Sylvia and Simon.


    He was relieved when he saw that Sylvia was holding up just fine. He said to her in a whisper, ¡°Sylvia, Master Springsteen has


    already made it clear what his sentiments are, so | believe that olddy won''t give you a hard time anymore. Just follow me and


    Simon. Don¡¯t wander away alone.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay, | understand.¡± She stayed close to Simon and followed the group of guests, led by Master Springsteen, into


    the event hall.


    After that, the event progressed smoothly and the atmosphere grew livelier by the minute. While everyone was talking about the


    works of art on disy, a towering figure entered the hall.


    The man wore a ck suit and when he came in through the door, his eyes scanned over all the guests.


    ¡®That woman should have already arrived, right?¡¯


    He did not spot the woman that he was looking for, so he strode further into the crowd.


    Someone recognized him shortly after his arrival.


    ¡°Master Carter?¡±


    ¡°Master Carter is here?!¡± Odell pushed his way through the crowd as he tried to approach Sylvia. Just as he spotted her and


    wanted to go closer, Lily walked over to him.


    With a smile on her face, she took one of his arms and whispered into his ear, ¡°Master Carter, if you don¡¯t want Ms. Ross to


    be the center of attention again, you better keep your distance from her.¡± Odell shot a frosty gaze at her. ¡°What do you


    mean?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? We''re engaged. Grandfather and grandmother are here too,¡± she reminded him.


    Odell frowned and stopped moving, but his eyes were still fixed upon Sylvia.


    Sylvia was with Simon. For some reason, her delicate face looked pale and tired, making her seem a little out of ce with the


    lively atmosphere here.


    ¡°Master Carter, my grandfather is over there. Let¡¯s go say


    hi,¡± Lily said. Master Springsteen was the most senior person in the hall and also the host of the event, everyone who attended


    would have to greet him in person. Odell withdrew his gaze. He then pulled his arm away from Lily and walked over to Master


    Springsteen. Lily pouted and frowned as she followed him over to her grandfather. On the other hand, Sylvia had already heard


    themotion from the crowd when Odell had arrived.


    ¡®He¡¯s here?! Is it because of Lily?!¡¯


    Since Master Springsteen was the host of the event and Lily was also in attendance, as her fiance, it was not unusual for Odell


    to show up. However, if Sylvia had known that Odell and Lily would attend the event together, she would have never agreed to


    come even if Christopher had held a knife to her neck.


    She started to regret her decision.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 791

    Chapter 791


    It was toote to regret her earlier decision now and it would be inappropriate for her to leave at this stage.


    It would also be a terrible idea for her to meet Odell face to face.


    ¡°Sylvia, | saw Master Carter looking at you,¡± whispered Simon to her.


    Sylvia was slightly surprised. ¡°Are you sure you weren''t seeing things?¡±


    ¡°My eyesight is very good, so I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    Sylvia remained silent.


    Even if Odell had been looking at her, there was no way he would havee running over to her.


    ¡°However, it looks like he¡¯s going over to Master Springsteen with Lily, so | think he¡¯s going to greet the old man,¡± Simon said.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡®See, | knew he had note here for me.¡¯


    Sylvia lifted her head up and looked in that direction.


    She was roughly a dozen meters away but due to Odell¡¯s towering figure, she was able to spot him at one nce.


    However, all she could see was his back. He was standing beside Lily as he talked to Master Springsteen.


    The two of them looked good beside each other.


    Sylvia immediately withdrew her gaze.


    Everyone knew she was Odell¡¯s ex-wife, so if she was overly concerned about his arrival, it would definitely attract unwanted


    attention.


    At the same time, another group of guests cheered loudly.


    Christopher came over and said to Sylvia and Simon with a wide grin, ¡°Sylvia, Simon, Mr. Carmine is doing a live demonstration


    and he would like you to critique it.¡± Mr. Carmine was a well-known collector in Westchester. He used to produce his own works


    of art when he was younger but had been unable to gather enough attention to be famous.


    Since he had requested for Sylvia and Simon toment on his work, it would be rude for the two of them to decline it.


    The two of them followed Christopher to the crowd of people.


    Mr. Carmine stood before the table that had been covered with art paper and was showing off his skills.


    He was painting andscape in oil. Judging by his skills, it looked like he painted a lot and wasfortable handling


    a paint brush. By the time Sylvia and Simon had reached the table , Mr. Carmine was already half done with his painting. The


    two of them continued watching the live demonstration. From time to time, Christopher would tter the man.¡° Mr. Carmine , this


    brush stroke of yours is really good!¡± Hearing his ttery really boosted Mr. Carmine¡¯s mood. A short whileter, hisndscape


    painting waspleted. Christopher praised, ¡°Mr. Carmine, this is great! | believe that as a fellow collector, this painting


    produced by your hands would be quite valuable.¡± ¡°You tter me,¡± said Mr. Carmine as heughed heartily. Then, turning to


    Sylvia and Simon, he said, ¡°Mr. Amos, Ms. Sunflower , why don¡¯t you two give me some feedback about my painting? Just be


    frank, there¡¯s no need for you to tter me whatsoever.¡±


    Simon turned to Sylvia.


    Sylvia knew that Simon had a very straightforward personality. If he were toment on Mr. Carmine¡¯s painting, he would


    definitely anger the man.


    After thinking about it carefully, Sylvia said, ¡°Mr. Carmine, there¡¯s a slight w in your painting but it¡¯s not a big deal. The overall


    painting is good, just like what Mr.


    Dendro said. It has an imposing look.¡±


    The expression on Mr. Carmine¡¯s face changed. He was displeased when he heard thement. ¡°w? What w?¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia had not expected him to be bothered by this tiny w that she had mentioned. In fact, she had thought that he would be


    happy at hearing the praise. She had only mentioned the w casually because it had just been one of many that she had


    spotted. After a slight hesitation, she stepped forward and pointed at the painting, ¡°I think the strokes and the paint here are a


    little too heavy.¡±


    Mr. Carmine frowned. ¡°This is the foot of the mountain. If it¡¯s not thick enough, how would others know it¡¯s a mountain?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. She was at a loss for words.


    It was then that Lily¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Uncle Carmine, your painting is great but Ms. Ross has also made a good point


    as well. However, | believe this particr spot doesn¡¯t affect the overall beauty of the painting at all. Your strokes have brought


    out the beauty of the scenery in the painting, making the painting quite impressive.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 792

    Chapter 792


    Chapter 792


    Mr. Carmine turned to the voice, as did Sylvia. Lily was standing about a meter away from the crowd with Odell beside her.


    The man¡¯s upright figure and handsome looks stood out from the others.


    When Sylvia turned around, she found him looking at her with his deep gaze. The cold look on his face shielded his thoughts


    from her. Sylvia locked eyes with him for a second before she looked away. Mr. Carmine smiled and asked, ¡°Lily, are you trying


    to tter me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Lily said with a smile.


    Mr. Carmine was over the moon because of the praise. He then shot a displeased gaze at Sylvia, expressing his annoyance.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Simon wanted to step up to defend her. He disliked the man¡¯s attitude and wanted toment on his painting as well but Sylvia


    stopped him.


    She then said to Mr. Carmine, ¡°Ms. Springsteen is right. Your painting is impressive, it''s me who is short sighted.¡±


    Only then did Mr. Carmine give her a slight smile.¡± You¡¯re still young, but I''ll take your advice and see what to improve.¡±


    Sylvia tightened her lips but remained quiet.


    Then, someone in the crowd said, ¡°Ms. Springsteen is a fan of painting as well. Why don¡¯t you give us a live demonstration as


    well?¡±


    Everyone then looked at Lily.


    Lily smiled. ¡°Painting is just my hobby, I¡¯m an amateur in this. | wouldn¡¯t want to embarrass myself.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Springsteen, we are all amateurs here, please grant us the pleasure of watching you paint.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Ms. Springsteen. We really want to see you paint.¡±


    The others started to echo the suggestion.


    Mr. Carmine chuckled and added, ¡°Lily, it''s been many years since I¡¯ve seen you paint. This is your grandfather''s event, and as


    his granddaughter, | think you should do a live demonstration for us, for his sake.¡±


    With an embarrassed smile on her face, Lily said, ¡°Okay, but please don¡¯tugh at me if | embarrass myselfter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, who would dare tough at you in front of Master Carter?¡± Mr. Carmine said. ¡°Yeah, we would not dare to.¡±


    The crowd teased her and she smiled shyly.


    Odell stood beside her as he listened to the ttery and praise with an expressionless look on his face. His eyes, however,


    remained fixed on Sylvia.


    Sylvia looked down and silently stood in between Simon and Christopher as if she were a statue.


    He frowned. Then, as the crowd cheered, Lily moved over to the table with the painting tools. The crowd gathered closer as they


    wanted to watch Lily paint up close. Sylvia was quickly pushed to the back of the crowd Since she did not want to be sandwiched


    in amongst the crowd, she held her belly with one arm and slowly retreated from the crowd.


    As she drew distance from the crowd, someone knocked her on the shoulder and made her lose her bnce.


    Fortunately, before she fell, a strong arm caught her and helped her back to her feet. She had thought it was Simon or


    Christopher , but when


    she regained her bnce and turned around, she saw Odell¡¯s handsome looks.


    He frowned and gruffly said, ¡°Be careful.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted and she quickly drew back her arm. She then hurriedly walked away from the crowd, leaving the man


    behind.


    The man was disheartened when she left him in such a hurry.


    He wondered if she was really that scared of him?


    Seeing that she had made her way over to Simon and Christopher, he grunted before turning away.


    He headed to the rest area, where Master Springsteen was.


    The rest area on the second floor was equipped with a soft couch. Not only did it provide a ce for people to rest, but it also


    enabled one to have a bird¡¯s eye view over the hall.


    Master Springsteen was seated there as he enjoyed his tea.


    Someone whispered into his ear, ¡°Sir, Ms. Lily is painting. Would you like to go and take a look?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 793

    Chapter 793


    ¡°It''s not necessary. | know what level she¡¯s at,¡± Master Springsteen said. Odell¡¯s entrance into the rest area caught Master


    Springsteen''s attention. With a polite nod to Master Springsteen , Odell then sat down on the other side of the couch. Master


    Springsteen nced at him a few times before


    continuing to sip on his tea.


    As soon as Lily started painting, the hall quieted down.


    Sylvia, Simon and Christopher left the crowd and sat down, but Christopher''s extroverted side soon drew him back to the crowd.


    Sylvia continued to sit with Simon.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sylvia, are you alright?¡± Simon asked.


    Earlier, Ramona had been mocking Sylvia about her status as an ex-wife. Then, Mr. Carmine had given her a hard time. Even as


    a bystander, Simon had not been able to stand the insults, let alone the victim herself.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    She had been able to put up with the insults so far.


    Simon felt relieved after seeing her rxed expression.


    It was then the crowd that surrounded Lily suddenly erupted.


    ¡°Oh my god! Ms. Springsteen¡¯s painting is gorgeous!¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing! It carries a certain mood.¡±


    Sylvia turned to the lively crowd.


    Simon grumbled, ¡°Bunch of suck-ups.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Maybe she really is good at painting.¡±


    ¡°If she was really that good at painting, she wouldn¡¯t be nameless in the art world. Given her family¡¯s influence, if she possessed


    even a sliver of talent, her family would definitely have turned her into a famous artist.¡±


    Sylvia did notment on his remark.


    Then, Christopher came back. ¡°Sylvia, Simon, Ms. Springsteen would like your critiques on her painting. Please go and have a


    look.¡±


    Simon frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Christopher pursed his lips. ¡°Come on, please do it for


    me.¡±


    Simon pouted in silence.


    The crowd around Lily quieted down and started to look


    in their direction. They were waiting for them toment on Lily''s painting.


    Christopher found himself in a quandary.


    Sylvia then said, ¡°Mr. President, please allow me.¡±


    If Simon reallymented on Lily¡¯s painting, he would definitely offend every one of the Springsteens.


    Christopher breathed a sigh of relief but whispered into Sylvia¡¯s ear, ¡°Remember not to mention the ws and just focus on the


    good things.¡±


    ¡°l understand.¡±


    Sylvia and Christopher returned to the crowd and went to Lily.


    Everyone had their eyes on Sylvia and Lily.


    Some of them could not suppress their urge to gossip.


    One of them was Odell''s current fiance while the other one was the man¡¯s ex-wife. The two of them might be polite and friendly


    to each other, but who knew what was truly behind their smiles? Especially now that the fiance had requested for the ex-wife to


    comment on her painting


    Lily smiled at Sylvia and said, ¡°Ms. Ross, pleasement on my painting and give me a piece of advice or two.¡±


    Sylvia replied with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She then had a look at the painting.


    The painting had been done with watercolor. At first nce, the colors were vibrant and lively, but on second look, it had a poor


    finish.


    Fortunately, even though her skills were not fully developed yet, her painting could be considered the one of the best among


    amateurs. With Christopher''s reminder in her mind, Sylvia said, ¡° Ms. Lily is a good painter, the colors are vibrant and lively.¡±


    Lily smiled. ¡°Then are there any ws?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Lily smiled wider. ¡°How would you rank my painting among painting enthusiasts?¡± ¡°It could be considered as one of the best.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What if it¡¯spared to the professionals?¡± she asked.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 794

    Chapter 794


    Chapter 794


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    To be honest, anyone from the Westchester Art Association could do better than her. But if Sylvia chose to be honest, she would


    definitely make Lily unhappy.


    As Sylvia was pondering how to resolve this dilemma, Christopher stepped in with a smile, ¡°Ah, naturally Ms. Springsteen¡¯s skills


    are on par with the professionals.¡± Lily looked at Sylvia excitedly, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, really,¡± was Sylvia''s stilted reply.


    Lily smiled brightly.


    Before Sylvia could breathe a sigh of relief, Lily added,¡± Ms. Ross, | heard that your paintings are hard to find. Why don¡¯t you do


    a demonstration for us and enlighten us with your skills?¡±


    The hall quieted down once again as everyone turned their attention to Sylvia.


    Sylvia was stunned. She choked on her words for a few seconds before she sessfully uttered a full sentence.¡± Ms.


    Springsteen is too kind, but | don¡¯t have any inspiration now. Perhaps another time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s being humble, Ms. Ross. You are the


    famous Sunflower. Even if you are not at your best, even your scribbles must be better than mine,¡± Lily said.


    Someone echoed Lily''s words.


    ¡°Ms. Sunflower, why don¡¯t you grace us with a demonstration of your painting skills? I''ve never seen a master at work with my


    own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, please do a live demonstration. | want to see Ms. Sunflower¡¯s skills.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and turned to Christopher for help.


    She had no inspiration at all and she was not prepared to paint.


    Christopher also found himself in a quandary.


    While he was considering whether to reject the request on Sylvia¡¯s behalf, there was amotion from behind. ¡°Master


    Springsteen is here,¡± someone said.


    ¡°Is he here to see Ms. Sunflower paint?¡±


    The crowd automatically parted to open up a path as Master Springsteen came over with the help of his assistant. He looked


    very excited, as if he was looking forward to seeing Sylvia paint.


    The assistant brought him a chair from the side.


    After Master Springsteen sat down, he said to the crowd with a smile, ¡°You guys continue, just ignore me.¡±


    Christopher immediately swallowed his thought of rejecting the request. He walked to Sylvia and said in a small voice, ¡°Sylvia,


    why don¡¯t you just draw something? Just a simple item or a scenery.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    She wanted to tell everyone that she could not draw a thing now. It had been six months since she had touched a brush or


    canvas now. She even felt as if she had started to forget how to hold a brush.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, is there a problem? Or do you really not feel like painting?¡± Lily asked.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Some of the guests started to grumble softly. ¡°No way. Is she going to reject Master Springsteen as well after saying no to Ms.


    Springsteen and us?¡± Christopher stepped in to defend her. ¡°Ms. Springsteen, | believe Sylvia is thinking about what to paint


    now.


    He then shot a gaze at Sylvia, signaling her to simply paint something


    Sylvia then looked at Lily.


    The youngdy was standing demurely nearby, with a constant smile on her face. She looked polite and kind as her lips curved


    into a smile. Yet behind that fake smile was the nobility and aggressive arrogance of the well family that she came from.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the crowd. Everyone was looking at her. If she rejected the request, it would mean being


    disrespectful to everyone, including Master Springsteen.


    With that many pairs of eyes on her, Sylvia walked to the table with the paper and tools and simply picked up a brush. She


    dipped some paint and performed a stroke on the paper.


    The crowd gathered closer to have a better look at what she was drawing


    Even Master Springsteen extended his neck to have a better look at her painting. Everyone anticipated her painting, except for


    the man with the towering figure, standing further away. He was looking at her pale face through the crowd and his brows


    furrowed. ¡®She¡¯s good at painting, so why is she so reluctant to paint now?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 795

    Chapter 795


    The hall went quiet for a while.


    Shortly after Sylvia had started painting, some people in the crowd gasped.


    Several people started to grumble and some started to whisper.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It''s a blob of ck. Even my dog can paint better than


    her.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she a famous artist? Is that all she¡¯s got?¡±


    ¡°God knows. Ms. Springsteen is a lot better than her, yet she calls herself a master artist.¡±


    Surrounded by the crowd, Sylvia was standing stiffly in front of the table with the brush in her hand.


    She had only painted a ck blob on the paper before her. There was no pattern and no shapes to it whatsoever.


    She had no idea what to paint and while she was struggling with her thoughts , she had heard the crowdmenting on her


    skills.


    Everyone mocked her and belittled her for her poor performance.


    Their words woke her up from her trance. Then, when she saw what she had drawn on the paper, the brush fell from her hand.


    Her limbs went cold and her body stiffened.


    The criticism skyrocketed.


    Mr. Carmine, who shemented on earlier, grunted andined , ¡°I thought she was a good artist yet she¡¯s even worse


    than me, an amateur.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not even half as good as you, yet she critiqued your painting.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about this but I''ve heard that her artworks


    were highly sought after in the past. | wonder what has happened?¡± Ramona and Madam Springsteen had already stood beside


    Lily the moment Sylvia started painting.


    Seeing Sylvia¡¯s wretched appearance put a smile on their faces.


    Ramona even echoed the criticism that she heard from the crowd. ¡°Hmph. She must have done so many evil deeds that it has


    robbed her of her ability to paint.¡±


    Sylvia was so petrified that her hands were tightly clenched.


    Standing just outside the crowd, Odell frowned coldly at the situation. Just as he was about to walk over to her,


    Simon came in from the side and stood in front of Sylvia.


    Odell froze. He pursed his lips and suppressed his urge to go over. Aiming a frosty look at the crowd, Simon argued,¡± Watercolor


    is not her forte and yet you people forced her to paint with this. It¡¯s natural that she isn¡¯t able to perform well.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not her forte, she shouldn¡¯t have done so poorly.¡± ¡°Yeah, wasn¡¯t she good before?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so anxious, Mr. Amos. Is it your baby that she¡¯s having?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She divorced Master Carter some time ago, yet now she¡¯s pregnant?¡± ¡°I heard she has aplicated private life.¡±


    The criticism started to grow out of control.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sylvia clenched her hands tightly, until even her nails were digging into the palms of her hands.


    Simon angrily argued, ¡°You people call yourself the upper ss yet none of you can speak decently?¡±


    Tensions rose to a new high.


    The crowd became angrier after being shouted at by Simon and a few seconds of silenceter, the insults


    became worse.


    ¡°He¡¯s so anxious that we must be right.¡±


    ¡°He calls himself a master artist with that personality? | think he¡¯s a liar.¡±


    Further away, Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. He moved his feet and wanted to intervene. ¡°Enough!¡±


    All of a sudden, Master Springsteen bellowed.


    It silenced the crowd immediately, and it also stopped Odell froming over.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 796

    Chapter 796


    Chapter 796


    Master Springsteen came over with the help of his assistant.


    He shot a fierce nce at Ramona and Madam Springsteen before he scanned the crowd coldly. ¡°Sylvia and Simon are my


    guests and you people insulted them in front of me? Are any of you unhappy with me?¡±


    The few of them from the crowd who insulted Sylvia and Simon immediately looked down in shame.


    The others shut their mouths and put on a serious look.


    Then, Master Springsteen looked at Sylvia and Simon. He said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this.¡±


    Simon answered, ¡°Master Springsteen, it''s not you who insulted us, it¡¯s them. You don¡¯t need to apologize on behalf of them.¡±


    Christopher then stepped in and said, ¡°Master Springsteen , Simon had always been a straightforward person. Please excuse


    his frankness.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. He¡¯s right.¡± Master Springsteen then looked at Sylvia.


    As the harsh criticism faded, Sylvia¡¯s emotion returned to normal for a bit and when she sensed Master


    Springsteen''s gaze, she regrouped her thoughts and regained herposure before she looked at him.


    Master Springsteen smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you have to go through all that.¡±


    Sylvia forced a smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m not performing well either.¡±


    Master Springsteen¡¯s gaze shifted. He had another nce at the painting on the table and sighed. ¡°Please excuse me, I¡¯m tired.¡±


    The assistant then apanied him away.


    Before he left, he turned around to the crowd and said,¡± Anyone who tries to badmouth them again will be seen as a direct


    challenge against me and you will not be invited to any of my future events anymore.¡± The crowd was shocked by his words.


    Everyone immediately went up to him and sent him off attentively. As the crowd left with Master Springsteen, the hall quieted


    down. Just as Sylvia turned around, she saw the towering figure further away watching her.


    He was four to five meters away. His handsome face looked depressing, his thick brows furrowed, and his deep gaze glued to


    her. Sylvia widened her eyes in surprise and then choked on


    her grievance.


    ¡®He was here just now? What did he see?¡¯Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Did he see how poorly she painted? Did he hear how the crowd criticized her?


    Before Odell could react, Sylvia turned around and ran outside.


    Simon and Christopher immediately went after her.


    Odell was left alone with a heavy look on his face.


    Awhileter, after Simon and Christopher left, Odell moved his feet but before he could leave, Lily came over to him.


    She asked, ¡°Master Carter, are you leaving now?¡± Odell looked at her coldly and said, ¡°Is there anything


    else?¡±


    His voice sounded unhappy.


    Lily''s gaze shifted. ¡°Oh, nothing. | was just asking if you¡¯re leaving because | am. Why don¡¯t we leave together?¡±


    Odell walked out of the hall with Lily beside him.


    Lily suppressed her urge to giggle as she recalled how Sylvia embarrassed herself in front of the crowd.


    She feigned apassionate look and asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ms. Ross to underperform. Is she doing okay?¡±


    Odell frowned in silence.


    Lily continued , ¡°I thought she could enlighten me with her skills and if | know she¡¯s not in a painting mood, I¡¯d not have asked her


    to demonstrate and let others insult


    her.¡±


    Odell also recalled the scene where the crowd insulted Sylvia and Sylvia looked down depressingly and stood still like a log


    She looked helpless and wretched.


    Odell¡¯s chest started to tighten. He said coldly, ¡°Stop it.¡± Lily¡¯s expression changed. She maintained the smile and said, ¡°Okay. If


    you don''t like it, | won¡¯t say a word.¡± They walked out of the hotel. It was already dark outside and the night breeze felt cold.


    Lily quivered and grumbled, ¡°It¡¯s so cold.¡±


    Odell ignored her and walked ahead. ¡°Master Carter, are you leaving now?¡± Lily asked immediately.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 797

    Chapter 797


    Chapter 797


    Odell hummed a reply.


    ¡°Can | trouble you to give me a ride? Grandmother and Aunt Ramona left already and | don¡¯t have a ride,¡± she said as she


    quivered in the breeze,


    Odell frowned in annoyance.


    It was then several figures opposite the road came under the streetmp, and one of them was Sylvia. 1


    The car that came to pick them up stopped in front of them.


    Sylvia got into the car first and then Christopher and Simon followed. The car drove away after that.


    The car was left in the direction of Sylvia¡¯s ce, so it was likely that they were sending her home.


    Odell¡¯s frosty look eased up. He retracted his gaze and said to Lily, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Lily curled her lips and followed him.


    The driver soon drove the car around.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Odell got into the rear seat and Lily sat beside him.


    She had a peek at his handsome face, but it was cold and expressionless, simr to when he was still inside the


    event hall.


    Lily believed that after seeing Sylvia painted worse than her and being insulted by the crowd, Odell would be disgusted at Sylvia


    more.


    He would not have told her to stop talking about Sylvia otherwise.


    Sylvia and Simon got into the rear seat of the MPV and as the car joined the traffic on the road, Sylvia had a glimpse at the rear


    mirror and saw Odell getting into his car with Lily.


    She stared into the mirror until Odell¡¯s car left her sight.


    She uncontrobly scratched her hand. Momentster, the terrible painting from earlier and the criticism that she received


    troubled her thoughts. It tormented her like an incurable curse.


    ¡°Sylvia, are you alright?¡± Simon asked all of a sudden.


    Christopher , who was sitting in front, turned around as well and looked at her with a worried expression.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Stop pinching and scratching your hands then. You''ll hurt yourself,¡± Simon said.


    Sylvia then realized she was pinching and scratching her


    hands.


    She quickly released her hands and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Simon thought for a second and continued, ¡°Sylvia, don¡¯t let them affect you. They are just a bunch of suck-ups favoring the rich.


    You''re just having a slump. | believe when you ovee it, you''ll paint even better.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him with slight surprise.


    Was it because of her condition or a so-called slump? Nevertheless, she was grateful for his care. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, | mean


    it. | don¡¯t know what happened to you but | know you''ll ovee it.¡± Sylvia started to choke on her emotions. She clenched her


    teeth and said, ¡°Thank you. I''ll have to adjust myself.¡± Simon sighed a breath of relief.


    ¡°Sylvia, it¡¯s my fault too. | shouldn¡¯t have insisted for you toe.¡± Christopher apologized.


    ¡°It''s not your fault. You didn¡¯t expect any of those either,¡± she said.


    Both Simon and Christopher were being kind and their warm words cheered her up a bit.


    However, she still could not forget the scene where she locked eyes with Odell before she left the event hall.


    He must be embarrassed by her, but it no longer mattered.


    After all, she was his ex-wife, a part of his history.


    Even if she became a topic of discussion , people would only talk about his current fianc¨¦e Lily, and not mock him with his ex-


    wife.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 798

    Chapter 798


    Meanwhile, another ck MPV cruised on the road smoothly and arrived at the Springsteen family¡¯s mansion in less than 20


    minutes.


    ¡°Master Carter , thank you for sending me home,¡± Lily said with a sweet smile.


    ¡°You''re wee,¡± he answered coldly.


    Lily noticed the grumpy look and she assumed it was because of Sylvia¡¯s embarrassment, so she got out of the car without


    saying anything.


    ¡°Goodnight, Master Carter.¡±


    Lily waved at him and then headed into the house.


    The car drove away as soon as she walked in.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    It was quiet inside the car. The man¡¯s eyes were glued to the front and his expression was frosty as usual.


    He had a nce at his watch. It had been 20-plus minutes since they left the hotel and since that woman was living near the Art


    Academy, she should have gotten home by now.


    He took his phone out and texted her.


    Thest message he received from her was her updating


    him about the kids¡¯ homework.


    A few seconds of hesitationter, he started typing.


    ¡°Are you home yet?¡±


    He stared at the screen after he hit the ¡°Send¡± button.


    The car continued cruising and seconds turned into minutes.


    However, he did not receive a reply even after 10 minutes. Given how much of a coward she had be, it was impossible for


    her to ignore his text, unless her condition was acting up again.


    He wore a disheartened look and immediately called her.


    The dialing tone sounded but no one picked up. He immediately said to the driver, ¡°Turn around. To Sylvia¡¯s ce.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the driver answered immediately and made a U -turn at the junction. Another 20 minutester, the car arrived at


    Sylvia¡¯s ce.


    Odell dashed out of the car and strode to the door.


    He broke her lock the other day, so Sylvia had a new fingerprint lock installed. On the same night, he registered his fingerprints


    into the lock to gain ess.


    He put his thumb on the scanner and the door opened up


    with a beep.


    He strode through the dark living room and went to her room on the second floor.


    He knocked on the door but there was no reply.


    He put his hand on the doorknob and wanted to open it.


    At the same time, Sylvia just turned off the shower in the bathroom. She did not bring her pajamas inside , so she simply


    wrapped herself in a towel and went outside.


    The moment she stepped out of the bathroom, her room door opened.


    Before she could react, the man¡¯s towering figure appeared within her sight. The man shot a deep gaze at her as soon as he


    stepped in. Sylvia widened her eyes in shock. ¡°Odell? What are you doing here?¡± Odell was shocked by what he saw.


    Her porcin skin glistened under the light, the towel might have veiled her private parts but her shoulder and slender legs were


    eye-catching as well. The blush on her face made her look extremely alluring. He narrowed his eyes and slightly curled his lips.


    The nervousness in him faded instantly.


    He moved his long legs and walked closer to her.


    Sylvia instinctively stepped back and stared at him cautiously. She said, ¡°Odell, | just finished my shower. Can you go downstairs


    and wait for me? I''ll be there after | get dressed.¡±


    He did not stop. He strode up to her and shut the bathroom door behind her to prevent her from slipping inside again.


    Sylvia backed up to the ss door nervously. She held her towel up with her hand and stared at him feebly.


    Odell shadowed her with his towering figure. He pped the ss door next to her right ear and lifted her chin with his other


    hand.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reply to my message?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia was taken aback. ¡°You texted me?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 799

    Chapter 799


    Chapter 799


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my call?¡± he asked again.


    Sylvia clutched her towel tightly and pointed at her bed, whispering, ¡°I was in the bathroom. My phone is left charging by the bed.


    | didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    ¡°What took you so long inside the bathroom?¡± he continued to voice his annoyance.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and said, ¡°It¡¯s just half an hour...¡±


    He stared at her protruded lips.


    His gaze felt cold and dominating, and her rounded eyes felt meek and helpless.


    They locked eyes for a few seconds before the man looked down at the towel around her chest.


    ¡°You don¡¯t wear clothes at home?¡± he asked.


    ¡°| just came out from the shower. | didn¡¯t even get the chance to put anything on,¡± she said in a small voice.


    The man¡¯s expression remained frosty. ¡°You have to put something on even after a shower. What if someonees in?¡±


    ¡°Ive locked the door...¡±


    ¡°Someone still cane in even if you lock the door.¡±


    ¡°No one else came in other than you.¡±


    Odell was rendered speechless.


    His expression turned grim before he lowered himself to seal her lips with a kiss.


    Sylvia widened her eyes in shock and tried to push him away.


    However, he caught the back of her head and stopped her from pushing him away.


    He kissed her until her luscious lips were swollen and her mouth was filled with his breath. Only then did he release her lips.


    He narrowed his eyes and looked at her with a wickedly charming gaze. It was as though he was waiting for her to challenge his


    authority again.


    Sylvia tightened the towel around her chest and stared at him nkly. Her eyes widened, the tip of her nose and her cheeks


    blushed and it granted her a charming presence.


    Her alluring expression drove him mad. He gulped and then kissed her lips again.


    Sylvia did not expect a second kiss, so she struggled as hard as she could but the more she struggled, the harder


    he kissed.


    Her lips were pried open as his dominating breaths invaded her mouth. However,pared to the first, the second kiss was a lot


    more gentle. She started to lose her strength over the kiss. The terrible mood that she tried washing away with the shower but


    failed somehow faded at this moment.


    She even had the intention to answer his kiss, but as soon as the thought appeared, her rationality pulled her back. She could


    not do this to him. He got a new fianc¨¦e, which was Lily.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    She bit him on the lips and he finally released her due to the pain. Sylvia took a step to the side and escaped his restraints.


    Odell red at her. ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    Sylvia froze before she could walk far.


    She frowned and looked at him. ¡°Odell, you¡¯re engaged to Lily.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± he asked coldly.


    Sylvia dared not retort. A quick thoughtter, she continued , ¡°Can you control yourself? If someone finds out about this, not only


    does it harm your reputation, but people will even scold me for being a slut...¡±


    Her voice grew softer as she exined. Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Who scolded you?¡±


    ¡°N-No one. I¡¯m just reminding you.¡± He chuckled and walked to her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to control myself now.¡±


    If she was decently dressed, he would not be aroused. All she had was a towel and nothing else. Her excellent body was


    seducing him and it was slowly wearing his patience thin.


    Sylvia staggered backward. She noticed the dominating and wicked expression on his face. Her face blushed and said, ¡°Stop it!


    Don''t do this!¡±


    Odell ignored her and continued to approach her.


    Sylvia was soon forced to the corner.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 800

    Chapter 800


    Chapter 800


    His towering figure surrounded her like iron walls.


    She got nervous and her face got redder. He chuckled at her reaction. He lifted her face and kissed her again until he felt pain on


    his lips once more.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    He gasped in pain and was forced to release her lips.


    He stared at her coldly and she reacted by shrinking her neck meekly.


    He grunted and then held the back of her neck.


    Just before they locked their lips again, she said, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m still pregnant. Don¡¯t do this, please.¡±


    His hand froze and he stared at her nkly.


    Her eyes were reddish and teary. She was begging for him to stop as if she was worried that he would hurt the baby in her belly.


    Disgust rose all of a sudden and he took a step back.


    Sylvia held the towel around her chest with one hand and hugged her belly with the other. She was in a defensive


    stance.


    He red at her coldly and then decided to leave the


    room.


    His towering figure disappeared from her sight in the blink of an eye, and the door was mmed shut.


    The room returned to silence.


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief but her chest hurt all of a sudden.


    She stood by the door for a while before she got dressed and went back to her bed.


    She picked up her phone and saw the unread texts and two missed calls from Odell.


    They were from half an hour ago, which was when she went into the bathroom for a shower.


    Why would he text her all of a sudden and ask her if she was home yet? Was he worried about her after she was embarrassed in


    front of a crowd because of her poor painting?


    Was she not a disgrace to him?


    Her gaze shifted. The tightness in her chest that had been troubling her since the hotel suddenly disappeared.


    Awhileter, she texted him back, ¡°Odell, thank you foring.¡±


    As she recalled his grumpy look when he left, she added another text, ¡°But you¡¯re engaged to Lily. It''s better for


    you and me to keep some distance.¡± Maybe because he was still mad at her, she did not receive any reply from him. Sylvia got


    sleepy as she waited. She put her phone down and went to sleep.


    Meanwhile, ever since he hade out from Sylvia¡¯s house, Odell had been waiting inside the MVP parked outside the house.


    The window was half wound down and the chilly breeze entered the car.


    His eyes were glued to the screen of his phone where it disyed his chat with her. At the same time, he would look at her


    window from time to time.


    Until her lights were out, he said to the driver, ¡°Go home.¡±


    The driver nodded and started the car.


    Awhileter, the car left the district.


    He pulled his phone up again and saw the text she sent him earlier. His brows instinctively furrowed.


    Keep some distance between them?


    Was it because of his engagement to Lily? Or was it because she was worried that he would hurt


    Thomas¡¯ baby in her belly?


    Or maybe it was because she still loved Thomas, who gave her depression and anxiety, hence rejecting his request to have sex


    with her.


    On the second morning, Sylvia woke up as usual, had breakfast, and then headed over to the Carter Residence.


    ¡°Mommy, you''re here!¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Mommy!¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 801

    Chapter 801


    Isabel and Liam were waiting for her at the door.


    Their smiley faces looked extra adorable under the sunshine.


    Sylvia smiled and kissed each of them on the cheeks before she brought them into the house.


    A day went by in the blink of an eye.


    The sky turned dark without noticing and Odell still had note home.


    ¡°Why is the Big Baddie not home yet?¡± Isabel pouted and asked.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and said, ¡°Daddy might be busy with work.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. | think he¡¯s dating,¡± the girl grumbled.


    Sylvia looked disheartened . She stroked the girl¡¯s head and said, ¡°Daddy and Aunt Lily are engaged. It¡¯s normal for them to go


    on dates.¡±


    Isabel pouted but did not say anything else.


    Liam, on the other hand, frowned.


    He clearly remembered his father tried to kiss his mother the other day and now he went out dating Aunt Lily?


    Awhileter, Odell was still not home and it was gettingte. Sylvia got up and said to the kids, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy is going


    home for the day. I''lle again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the girl answered. She got up and kissed her mother on the cheek and said, ¡°Bye-bye, Mommy.¡±


    Sylvia kissed her and Liam before she left.


    After she left the Carter Residence and got into the car, she pulled out her phone and texted Odell and updated him about the


    kids¡¯ homework for the day.


    IL


    She then added, ¡°They were obedient today.¡±


    Her phone was quiet even after she sent the text out.


    She did not receive any reply from him. Disheartened, Sylvia put her phone away. Meanwhile, under a tree by the road opposite


    Carter Residence, there was a ck MPV parked there for a while.


    The man was slouching in the rear seatzily but he still looked elegant.


    The window was half wound down. His slender fingers were holding a lit cigarette and his deep eyes watched her car drive away.


    Since she wanted to keep a distance between them, he ought to grant her the wish.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    In the next few days, Sylvia visited Carter Residence early in the morning and left before it was dark. She did not see Odell even


    once.


    Maybe because he was busy, or maybe because he did not want to see her.


    This would probably be the best oue though. It would not affect his rtionship with Lily and it also would not affect her


    visiting the kids.


    Today, Sylvia visited Carter Residence as usual. It was already evening without her knowledge, so she sat down beside Isabel


    and Liam and said, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Mommy is going for a pregnancy check-up tomorrow morning. I''lle by in the afternoon.¡±


    Isabel curiously asked, ¡°Mommy is going to check on our little brother or little sister?¡±


    Sylvia answered in a small voice, ¡°Yeah, Mommy is checking on the baby to see if it''s healthy.¡±


    ¡°Isabel wants to follow.¡± The girl curled her arms around her mother¡¯s arm and stared with her big googly eyes.


    Liam also looked at his mother.


    Sylvia said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. | can go alone.¡±


    First of all, the weather was freezing outside and she did not want them to catch a cold. Second, Odell only allowed her to visit,


    so she did not have permission to bring them out. It would be difficult for her to sneak them out of the house.


    ¡°But Isabel wants to go with you.¡±


    Sylvia pinched the girl¡¯s nose and feigned a gruff voice.¡° Mommy wants you to study here.¡±


    Isabel pouted. Sylvia stroked her head and then looked at Liam. ¡°Liam, stay home and study with your sister tomorrow morning.


    Mommy wille in the aftemoon.¡± Liam answered, ¡°Okay, Mommy. I''ll take care of Isabel. You can go do your check-up.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Thank you, big man.¡±


    It was evening, and simr to before, Sylvia took a picture of their homework and sent them to Odell as she left. Her phone was


    quiet along the way. He still refused to answer any of her texts.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 802

    Chapter 802


    On the second morning, Sylvia woke up punctually and had breakfast like usual.


    She then took a ride to the gynecology hospital in the city center.


    She waited for her turn in the public waiting area.


    All the other young mothers who were also waiting for their turns were apanied by their husbands.


    One of the young mothers was having a difficult time and her husband pampered her by hugging and cheering her


    up.


    The other young mothers were also chatting with their husbands intimately and there was even a couple behind Sylvia


    discussing their child¡¯s name.


    Everything felt heartwarming and yet it was a luxury that she could not afford.


    She looked down at her belly and said softly, ¡°My dear child, Daddy isn¡¯t here but I''ll be here with you always.¡± 1


    Meanwhile, in the office on the highest floor of Carter Tower, the man was behind his desk working on his documents.


    Ding!


    His phone rang and the caller ID showed Lily¡¯s name.


    The shared project between the Carter family and the Springsteen family finally made new progress and Lily calling him at this


    hour must probably be work-rted.


    He put his document down and answered the call.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.


    Lily said with a chuckle, ¡°Master Carter, it''s about the proposal on the project. My design team has edited it and I¡¯ve sent it to


    your mail. Please have a look.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡±


    ¡°One more thing. I¡¯m nning to go on a site visitter. Are youing?¡±


    Odell thought about it fora moment and said, ¡°I''lle.¡±


    There was no scheduled meetingter in the afternoon, so he had the time to visit the site.


    ¡°Then...¡± Lily prolonged her tone intentionally. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have lunch together?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Before he could reject, she said, ¡°Master Carter, you still ove me a meal and we can go visit the site after lunch. | promise | won''t


    waste your time.¡±


    A few seconds of silenceter, he said, ¡°Okay. I''ll go pick you upter.¡±


    Lily happily answered, ¡°Okay, I''ll wait for you at my office.¡±


    At the gynecology hospital, it was finally Sylvia''s turn after an hour of waiting.


    After shepleted the pregnancy check-up and left the hospital, it was alreadyte in the afternoon.


    Other than the baby being smaller than expected, everything else seemed to be normal.


    She bagged the report and headed toward a lively street outside the hospital for lunch. She spent the entire morning in the


    hospital without a drop of water or a bite of food, so her stomach was growling and all she wanted to do was have something to


    eat.


    There were a variety of restaurants on the street. She had a quick stroll around and finally found a local specialty restaurant for


    lunch.


    The ce was not extremely crowded, so she went inside and sat down on a two-people seat near the wall. She ordered all her


    favorite food and started gobbling down as soon as the dishes were served.


    The serving speed was rather quick. Her table was filled with dishes in a short while.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    While she was enjoying her lunch, she heard a familiar voice from the entrance, ¡°Master Carter, there are two seats here. Let¡¯s


    go in.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    A familiar voice of a man also entered her ears.


    Sylvia froze. She carefully turned around and saw the couple sitting down beside her.


    She was just one divider away and all she saw was the back of Odell¡¯s head.


    Her pounding heart immediately calmed down and continued eating her lunch after a quick sigh.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 803

    Chapter 803


    However, she could still hear their voices from behind the divider.


    The waiter attended to them politely. ¡°Wee, sir, madam. This is our menu. What would you be having today?¡±


    Lily asked, ¡°Master Carter, what do you want?¡±


    Odell said, ¡°I¡¯m okay with anything. You order what you like.¡±


    Lily said with a smile, ¡°I came back to Westchester City for less than a year and I¡¯m still having a hard time learning the local


    specialty. Why don¡¯t you order for us? I¡¯m okay with anything as well. I¡¯ll have what you are having.¡±


    She sounded lively and gentle.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Odell then said to the waiter, ¡°All your signature dishes.¡±


    ¡°Uh... Okay, yes sir. Right away, sir.¡± The waiter was slightly taken aback by his order.


    Lily was also stunned speechless.


    Sylvia was also surprised. Lily was his fianc¨¦e and yet he acted like he was having dinner with a stranger. For a moment there,


    she failed to hold back her urge and


    giggled.


    The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy.


    Sylvia anxiously covered her mouth with her hands and dared not move a muscle.


    Momentster, the waiter came by and said, ¡°Sir, madam, do you want anything to drink?¡±


    Lily said, ¡°Two orange juices please.¡±


    ¡°Right away, madam.¡± The waiter nodded and walked past Sylvia.


    Things got quiet again. Neither Lily nor Odell spoke to each other.


    Awhile went by and they still did not speak to each other.


    ¡®Had he noticed me? If he did, he¡¯d give me a hard time...¡¯


    A quick thoughtter, Sylvia decided to have a peek.


    She carefully turned around but the moment she moved, she saw a towering figure before her eyes.


    The man was standing less than a meter away from her.


    Sylvia froze for a moment. She then feebly looked up and saw the man¡¯s deep eyes staring at her. Odell crossed his arms as he


    peered down at her.


    Sylvia awkwardly curled her lips and said, ¡°Hey, what a coincidence.¡±


    Odell grinned. ¡°Was it funny?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sylvia feigned ignorance.


    He continued to re at her, and she pursed her lips.


    Lily then came by with a smile on her face. ¡°Ms. Ross, what a coincidence! Why are you having lunch here alone?¡±


    As a fellow woman, Sylvia could hear the annoyance in Lily¡¯s words. It seemed like Lily assumed she was here to ruin their date.


    Sylvia said, ¡°I was having a pregnancy check at the hospital earlier, so | came here for lunch.¡± She had a nce at her bag with


    the report as she exined.


    Lily followed her nce and saw the report as well. After she noticed the feast on her table, her expression shifted. She smiled


    and asked, ¡°You''re here for a pregnancy check? How was it?¡±


    ¡°It went well.¡±


    Lily then shot a nce at her bulging belly. ¡°Ms. Ross, your belly looks like you''re six months pregnant. | think you can do a 4D


    scan of the baby and find out if it¡¯s a girl or boy.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°No, it¡¯s not even six months yet so it¡¯s not ready for the scan.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | see. | was hoping to have a look at your baby. | believe with your beauty, the baby must either be handsome or beautiful,¡±


    Lily said. ¡°You''re too kind, Ms. Springsteen,¡± Sylvia replied softly.


    She clearly felt a frosty look ring at her and it came from behind her.


    The man was also staring at her belly.


    It was as though the baby sensed the dangerous presence, it kicked her.


    Sylvia put her hand on her belly to calm the baby down but Odell took it as a sign of her protecting the baby, which put a grim


    look on his face.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 804

    Chapter 804


    Chapter 804


    Just when the situation started to get awkward, the waiter served their dishes.


    The waiter was also surprised by their demeanor, but he managed to keep his smile and said to them, ¡°Sir, madam, your order is


    here.¡±


    Lily smiled at Odell and said, ¡°Master Carter, we shouldn¡¯t be disturbing Ms. Ross. Let¡¯s go back and sit down.¡±


    Odell shot onest nce at Sylvia before he returned to his seat. Lily sat down opposite him.


    The waiter served their food as soon as they returned.


    The baby in Sylvia''s belly finally calmed down.


    She sighed a breath of relief and continued eating.


    She gobbled down everything as quickly as possible and went to the counter to pay for the meal.


    After making the payment, she strode out of the restaurant.


    Little did she know, Odell had been staring at her from the moment she got up until she left his sightpletely.


    He felt disheartened as he watched Sylvia leave in a hurry as if she was being chased by something.


    Why would she react so anxiously? Was it because she thought he still had feelings for her and would do something unexpected


    to her?


    m!


    Odell mmed the cutlery on the table. Lily was shocked. She saw the grim look on his face and asked softly, ¡°Master Carter,


    what''s wrong? Is it because of the food?¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing. You continue.¡±


    He stood up all of a sudden.


    ¡°Are you going after Ms. Ross?¡± she asked. Odell frowned. ¡°No.¡±


    Going after her? He was not a shameless man.


    Lily smiled and asked, ¡°Then why are you standing up? We haven''t even finished our food.¡±


    ¡°| had enough. I¡¯m going out for some air.¡±


    He then strode outside the restaurant.


    Lily frowned as she watched him stride out.


    She saw him pull out a pack of cigarettes outside the restaurant and started smoking.


    Her furrowed brows eased up after knowing he did not go after Sylvia.


    Why was he angry though? All that woman did was giggle at the start. She sounded polite and did not provoke him or anything.


    Was it because he hated her so much that he lost his appetite?


    The sun hung high in the sky but the breeze remained chilly in this season.


    Sylvia called a ride by the street while the breeze attacked her bare neck.


    She got into the car and left.


    The driver was a middle-aged woman and she asked shortly after they left the ce, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re pregnant and you''re alone?


    Where''s your husband?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a husband,¡± Sylvia said with furrowed brows.


    1VA


    ¡°Huh? What happened to him?¡±


    ¡°| had a divorce.¡±


    The driver sighed and wisely zipped her mouth.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sylvia also looked down at her bulging belly and pursed her lips tightly.


    In the next few days, Sylvia visited her kids at Carter Residence as usual.


    She went over in the morning and left in the evening. It had be a routine for her.


    Thankfully, she did not see Odell at all in the past few days.


    The weather got colder. The festive spirit was everywhere, including the malls and shops. All thepanies were having their


    Christmas break.


    The streets were decorated in red and green.


    Sylvia felt a lot sleepier recently and today, she woke up an hourter than usual.


    She immediately called Isabel and Liam and told them she would bete.


    She got up, had a simple breakfast, and put on the sweater and scarf before she headed out.


    Half an hourter, she arrived at Carter Residence. Isabel and Liam should be ying in the yard at this hour but today, maybe


    because she waste, they were not there.


    She headed inside the living room and saw the man reading the newspaper on the couch.


    His ck turtleneck and pants wrapped him whole as he


    leaned on the couch casually.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 805

    Chapter 805


    Liam was reading his book on the other end of the couch. Isabel was writing her homework at the table. Her grumpy looks stated


    that she was forced or even coerced into doing her homework.


    Sylvia was surprised to find the father and children in the living room.


    The three of them turned to her as soon as she came in. ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel abandoned her homework and ran to her mother.


    Liam also put his book down and got up.


    Only Odell remained at his seatzily. His eyes, however, were looking at her coldly.


    Sylvia carried Isabel and walked to Liam before she greeted the owner of the house, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Odell continued reading his newspaper and ignored her greeting


    Sylvia pursed her lips and then said to her children in a small voice, ¡°Isabel, Liam, why don¡¯t we go back to the room and Isabel


    can continue doing her homework there.¡±


    Odell was obviously unhappy with her, so it would be


    better for her to disappear from his sight.


    Isabel hummed a reply and went to tidy up her homework. Liam grabbed his book and then returned to his mother to hold her


    hand.


    Sylvia then brought the kids to their room.


    The man who hid his face behind the newspaper felt disheartened.


    He had been busy for the entire week for the year-end closing of hispany and he had to work untilte at night every day.


    When he finally came home at night, she had already gone home. She left punctually for the whole week, which resulted in him


    missing her every time he came home.


    Now when he finally saw her, she used the kids as an excuse to avoid him?


    How badly did she want to avoid him?


    He tossed the newspaper aside and bolted up.


    As he walked out of the house, he ran into Sebastian.


    Sebastian noticed the grumpy look on him and he asked,¡± Sir, where are you going?¡± ¡°Social meeting,¡± he said.


    Sebastian found it surprising. ¡°I thought you¡¯re having your holiday?¡±


    Odell ignored him and strode out of the gate.


    The man¡¯s grumpy look scared Sebastian, so he dared not ask anymore.


    Back in the kids¡¯ room, Sylvia had no idea that Odell just left so she apanied the kids until it was lunchtime.


    Sebastian knocked on the door to inform them lunch was ready.


    Sylvia brought the kids downstairs and finally learned Odell went out.


    ¡°| thought Daddy is having a holiday? Why did he go out?¡± Liam asked.


    Sebastian said, ¡°He said he¡¯s going to a social meeting.¡± Sylvia frowned. Social meeting? Christmas was around the corner and


    there should not be any more social meetings at this time of the year.


    He probably went out because he did not want to see her.


    Odell did note back for dinner.


    Sylvia texted him an update on Isabel and Liam¡¯s homework and left. Another night went by peacefully.


    On the second day, Sylvia arrived at Carter Residence punctually.


    Coincidentally, she ran into Odell just when she was about to get out of the car. Odell was walking out of the house and when


    she saw him, her hands on the handle retracted.


    She said to the driver, ¡°Can you wait for a while? I''ll go down after he leaves.¡±


    The driver nodded.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her ride was right outside of Carter Residence.


    Little did she know, Odell spotted her as soon as the car stopped in front of the house.


    He could easily see her through the ss window, and he also spotted her lowering her head when he came out.


    He narrowed his eyes coldly as he walked past the car and headed to his ck sports car.


    The ck sports car roared to life and drove off. Sylvia finally came out of the car.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 806

    Chapter 806


    Chapter 806


    Two days went by in the blink of an eye.


    In the past two days, Sylvia would run into him in the morning when he left for work but other than that, she did not see him at all.


    He probably waited for her to leave before he came home. Today, after her simple breakfast, Sylvia took a ride to Carter


    Residence as usual. Again, when the car stopped in front of the house, the familiar towering figure came out from the gate.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He went straight to his ck sports car as if he did not notice Sylvia¡¯s ride stopping in front of the house. Sylvia hesitated for a


    second before she got out.


    She wanted to tell him that she would not being for a few days, so he did not have to avoid her for the time being


    However, before she could catch him, he got into the car and drove off.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows as she watched the car disappear from her sight.


    20 minutester, the ck sports car arrived at the boxing gym in another district.


    The man came down from the car and strode inside.


    The boxing gym was empty. Other than the equipment, there was no one around.


    The coaches who trained him a few days ago were also absent.


    He frowned and looked around the empty gym.


    He then spotted the gym owner hiding in the office at the back.


    The owner immediately wore a ttering smile after being spotted and said, ¡°Master Carter, you''re here to train?¡±


    ¡°Where are the coaches?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°They went home for Christmas. Christmas is in a few days, shouldn''t you be home with your family during this festive season?¡±


    the owner asked.


    Odell frowned.


    Home? If he was home, the woman would avoid him like cancer and she would probably stop visiting the kids.


    ¡°Master Carter, | remember you have two kids. It¡¯s Christmas soon, so shouldn''t you be spending time with them? The kids need


    their parents, especially during


    festive seasons,¡± the owner said meekly. Odell looked at the owner. ¡°Do you think | don¡¯t want to go home?¡±


    The owner¡¯s eyes shrunk in fear and continued meekly,¡± If you want to go home, why are you here?¡± ¡°Someone doesn¡¯t want me


    to be home.¡± ¡°Who is it? Your family?¡±


    Ashort silenceter, he said coldly, ¡°No.¡±


    They had a divorce a long time ago and she was pregnant with another man¡¯s child. Even if he wanted her to be his family, she


    might not share the same thought.


    The owner was stunned. He could not help but ask, ¡°If it''s not your family, then why don¡¯t you go home?¡± Odell frowned. ¡°Why?


    You''re not opening today?¡±


    ¡°Well since you''re here, of course | have to open, but the coaches are all back home. No one can spar with you or train you,¡± the


    owner said meekly.


    Odell ignored him and went into the changing room. After he got changed, he jumped into the ring and started punching the


    punching bag. Each punch was stronger than the previous. A whileter, he was already sweating buckets. The sweat rolled


    down the edge of his face and highlighted his


    contour before it fell on the floor.


    At the same time, his mind was reying everything about Sylvia.


    From the engagement night with Lily to Sylvia having an anxiety attack, the way she rejected him because she was afraid that he


    would hurt Thomas¡¯ baby, and her tendency to avoid him whenever she saw him recently...


    If she was not suffering from depression and anxiety, he would never let her see the kids.


    Not only that she was not grateful for what he did for her, but she even avoided him and refused to let him touch


    her.


    How deeply in love she was with Thomas? How deeply in love she was with the baby she had with him?


    Disgust rose and took over his sanity.


    Bang!


    He punched the punching bag as strongly as he could.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 807

    Chapter 807


    The punching bag fell on the floor and he froze.


    Frustrated, he tossed the boxing gloves on the ground and strode toward the changing room.


    The owner was right. She was no longer her family, so why would he stay outside instead of spending time with his kids?


    He wanted to go home and if the woman avoided him, he would throw her out and stop her from seeing the kids anymore.


    Back at Carter Residence¡¯s spacious living room, the sun shone through the window and shed its brilliance on Sylvia.


    Sylvia was sitting on the carpet beside the window and she started to doze off as the sun warmed her up.


    Isabel was watching anime on her phone by her mother¡¯s legs while Liam was on the other side reading his book.


    The scene felt heartwarming, but the peace and quiet were broken when the ck sports car screeched to a stop outside.


    The screech woke Sylvia up immediately. She turned to


    the window and saw the ck sports car driving into the porch.


    Sebastian and the two maids were terrified and quickly left the living room.


    The car door opened up and the man¡¯s towering figure emerged from within.


    His expression was frosty even under the sun and he looked furious.


    Sylvia was terrified. She bolted up and held both Isabel and Liam''s hands. ¡°Isabel, Liam, let¡¯s go back to the room.¡±


    She assumed something must have happened to the man outside, hence his grumpy look. Since he already resented her


    presence, it would be unwise to be spotted right now.


    The kids were dumbfounded but they followed her up the stairs nevertheless. However, before they got upstairs, the man came


    in and stopped them. ¡°Hold it right there!¡±


    Sylvia froze.


    Isabel was frightened and she hugged her mother¡¯s leg. Liam moved closer to his mother.


    Sylvia held them close and looked at Odell.


    He was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He was less than a meter away from her when he shot a fierce gaze at her. ¡°Where


    are you bringing them?¡±


    Sylvia said meekly, ¡°I¡¯m bringing them to their room.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    She continued to avoid him.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sylvia was confused by his answer, but before she could find out why, he shot his fierce gaze at the kids. ¡°You two, go back to


    your room.¡± Isabel was scared. She hid behind her mother but she was also worried about her mother being bullied by Big


    Baddie , so she popped her head out and bawled , ¡°No! | want to stay with Mommy!¡±


    Liam stood beside his mother and showed no intentions of leaving Odell stared at Sylvia coldly and then said to the kids, ¡°If you


    two don¡¯t go back inside, I''ll send this woman home right away.¡±


    Isabel widened her eyes in shock. Even Liam furrowed his delicate brows.


    The boy then held his sister¡¯s hand and brought her upstairs.


    The girl continued to bawl at her father as she reluctantly


    followed her brother upstairs.


    ¡°Big Baddie, don¡¯t you bully Mommy!¡± The two of them disappeared after a while. Only Odell and Sylvia were left alone in the


    quiet living room.


    Sylvia¡¯s legs felt weak, so she carefully took a step to the side and held the rail. Odell stared at her coldly as he moved his legs


    up the stairs.


    He approached her step by step and the intimidating presence grew stronger. Sylvia felt like he was going to kill her.


    She instinctively stepped back and up the stairs while holding the rail. It was then a white MPV stopped outside the house.


    Lily came down from the car.


    Her assistant brought the presents she bought and followed her into the house.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 808

    Chapter 808


    Sebastian was just outside the door when Lily arrived. He wore a bright smile and weed her.


    ¡°Ms. Springsteen, what brings you here?¡± he asked politely.


    Lily smiled. ¡°It''s almost Christmas, so | was thinking of visiting the kids and Madam Carter.¡±


    Sebastian recalled Odell¡¯s grumpy look when the man returned, so he begrudgingly furrowed his brows.


    Lily sharply noticed his reaction and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sebastian? The kids aren¡¯t around?¡±


    Sebastian thought about it for a moment.


    Odell was fine when he left in the morning but he returned with a grumpy look, so something must have happened outside.


    Sylvia was also inside with the kids, so things should be fine. He said, ¡°The kids are home but their mother is here as


    well.¡±


    Lily''s expression changed. ¡°Ms. Ross is here?¡±


    Sebastian said, ¡°Yes. She¡¯s here to apany the kids, and | believe she¡¯s leaving in the afternoon.¡± Lily recovered her frozen


    smile and said, ¡°I see.¡±


    She then brought her assistant and walked past Sebastian into the living room. Back in the living room, things were getting


    tenser by the second.


    Sylvia held the rail as she retreated up the stairs. She carefully said, ¡°Odell, did | do something wrong that made you angry?¡±


    He ignored her and continued to approach her. He enjoyed the intimidation. He would only take one step up when Sylvia took


    one step back. Sylvia was sweating nervously. ¡°If | did something to make you angry, | apologize, please.¡± Odell continued to


    ignore her and took one step up the stairs.


    The grim look on him did not ease up at all.


    Sylvia was at a loss for action. She just wanted to escape.


    As her feet moved past the final step of stairs and reached the second floor, she tried to run.


    However, before her feet could move, a strong hand caught her.


    She was dragged and forced to turn to him. His strong hand lifted her chin and stared into her eyes coldly. ¡°Where are you


    going?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s lips quivered as she said, ¡°No, | didn¡¯t...¡± ¡°So you''re trying to avoid me?¡± He lowered his head and forced his gloomy but


    handsome face closer to her. ¡°N-No, | was thinking that you¡¯re having a bad day, so |N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    -?


    He was not in the mood to listen to her excuse and silenced her with a forceful kiss.


    Sylvia rounded her eyes in shock and tried to push him away.


    Unfortunately, he caught both her hands single handedly and restrained her in front of his chest.


    His other hand held the back of her head as he ravaged her lips.


    No matter how hard she struggled , she could not break free from his restraints.


    It was until a loud thud came from the bottom of the stairs.


    Odell released the back of Sylvia''s head and looked downstairs coldly. Sylvia also looked down.


    They saw Lily with a pale look and the horrified assistant behind her. Sebastian was also stunned by what he saw.


    Sylvia froze. She mustered all her strength to push the man away and ran downstairs.


    She had no words to exin the situation. She just wanted to run away.


    She ran down the stairs and ran past Lily without even looking at her.


    The living room returned to silence.


    As Sylvia ran out of the house, Odell frowned coldly and red at Lily.


    Lily met his re and it scared her. Soon enough, she wore a ful expression and said,¡° I¡¯m sorry for interrupting.¡±


    She then turned around and left the house with her assistant.


    Sebastian was left alone on the spot with no knowledge of what to do.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 809

    Chapter 809


    Chapter 809


    Sylvia booked a ride as soon as she ran out of Carter Residence and went back to her own house.


    The sky was still bright as the sun was still shining. She returned home and copsed on the couch, her heart was pounding


    wildly.


    Why did he kiss her all of a sudden?


    Lily even caught them in the act!


    She assured Lily that she would not ruin their rtionship and now, no matter how many excuses she coulde up with, it


    would not clear her name anymore.


    While the frustrated thoughts bogged her mind, her phone rang.


    She pulled it out and saw a text from Odell.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    Even through the phone, Sylvia could sense the man¡¯s anger.


    He was the one who forced himself onto her. She should be the one angry, not him.


    However, her kids were still with him and she could not afford to offend him in any way.


    She pursed her lips and replied, ¡°I¡¯m at home.¡± Odell did not reply after that. Sylvia was struggling with her thoughts. She texted


    him again out of concern, ¡°How are things with you and Ms. Springsteen? Did you exin it to her?¡± He continued to ignore her.


    It was beyond her control now. Since she was not the one who started it and she kept her distance from the man, it was his fault


    he kissed her all of a sudden.


    She put her phone away and with that, her thoughts too.


    Meanwhile, on the balcony back at Carter Residence, the man stood outside with his cigarette.


    As he spat clouds of smoke from his mouth, he stared at the texts he received from Sylvia.


    Things went out of control and yet she was concerned about his rtionship with Lily? Was she afraid that she would ruin the


    rtionship between him and Lily?


    Was she hinting that if he continued to be with Lily, he could not and should not make a move on her?!


    At the same time at the Springsteen family¡¯s mansion, Lily stormed into her room as soon as she arrived home.


    She did not even speak to Madam Springsteen in the living room.


    ¡°What''s wrong with Ms. Lily?¡± one of the servants asked.


    Madam Springsteen immediately thought of Lily going over to Odell¡¯s ce to visit the kids and Madam Carter. She bolted up


    and said, ¡°I''ll go have a look.¡±


    Thedy arrived at Lily''s door but it was locked.


    She knocked on it and said, ¡°Lily, open the door. Tell me what happened. Don¡¯t lock yourself up there alone.¡±


    Lily did not reply and it somehow fueled Madam Springsteen''s worry.


    She watched Lily grow up and although she was pampered since young, the girl never ignored her or locked her out of the room.


    She told the servant to bring the spare key over.


    Soon, she gained ess to Lily¡¯s room.


    Lily was on her bed, crying and sulking.


    Madam Springsteen had never seen her granddaughter heartbroken.


    Her precious granddaughter was the most well-known socialite in Westchester City, the first daughter of the Springsteen family.


    She had always been an elegant and nobledy and not a weak girl who would cry on her bed.


    She went nk for a moment before she went up to her granddaughter. ¡°Lily, what happened? Tell me what happened.¡±


    Lily pursed her lips in silence.


    ¡°Lily,e on. Don¡¯t make me worry. Tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Lily cried, ¡°He still loves that woman.¡±


    Madam Springsteen was shocked. ¡°What? What did you see just now?¡±


    Lily said with gnashing teeth, ¡°I saw him kissing that woman.¡±


    The man resented that woman and yet he kissed her strongly!


    Madam Springsteen¡¯s expression changed. She grunted and said, ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve underestimated her. She embarrassed


    herself at your grandfather¡¯s event and yet she¡¯s still able to seduce Master Carter!¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 810

    Chapter 810


    Chapter 810


    Lily''s expression changed. ¡°Grandmother, you''re saying that that woman seduced Master Carter?¡±


    Madam Springsteen angrily said, ¡°What else could it be? If she kept her distance, there shouldn''t be anything between her and


    Master Carter. You saw them kissing at home. It''s almost Christmas, so Master Carter should be at home since it¡¯s the


    holidays... | believe she went over every day just to see him and once it got frequent, it wasn¡¯t strange for something to happen


    between them.¡±


    Lily angrily clutched her hands.


    She thought after announcing her identity as Odell¡¯s fianc¨¦e at her grandfather''s event, Sylvia would stay away from the man,


    but now things got worse.


    Madam Springsteen sat down beside Lily and said, ¡°Lily, don¡¯t be sad. I''ll teach her a lesson and I''ll make her remember the


    consequences of her actions. No disgraceful woman shall snatch the man of your dreams away from you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grandmother.¡±


    She originally thought Odell still had feelings for Sylvia but after listening to her grandmother, she believed otherwise.


    She was no longer disheartened.


    She lifted her chin and said coldly, ¡°Grandmother, what are you going to do to her? Do | need to do anything?¡± Madam


    Springsteen smiled as her granddaughter recovered from the sorrow. ¡°No, dear. You just have to wait for my good news.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Later that afternoon, when Sylvia woke up from her nap, she heard her phone buzzing ceaselessly. She picked it up and saw


    multiple messages from different chat groups. She got tagged in the chat group for the Art Academy and other art groups. She


    tapped on the chat group for the Art Academy and saw the painting that she painted at Master Springsteen''s event.


    Her face turned pale.


    Comments flooded her screen and people were criticizing her poor performance.


    ¡°No wait, even a toddler can do better. How could this be Ms. Ross¡¯ painting?¡±


    ¡°| heard from someone who attended the event and he said he saw Ms. Ross paint it live.¡±


    ¡°I''m sure that person is spewing nonsense.¡± Some of them refused to believe it was Sylvia¡¯s work.


    However, someone soon sent the group a screenshot from another art group.


    The other art group consisted of many well-known art collectors and the screenshot showed the conversation between Mr.


    Carmine and some other collectors.


    Mr. Carmine, ¡°This is the painting that she painted. | was there, and | saw it with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carmine, are you certain it¡¯s her?¡±


    ¡°I''m not blind. Of course, I¡¯m certain it''s her. She¡¯s pregnant and she evenmented on my painting and pointed out my ws.


    Look at her own work. | feel embarrassed for her.¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness. What happened to Ms. Ross?¡±


    ¡°She hasn''t been painting for a year now. Did something happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened but no matter what she¡¯s facing,


    she shouldn''t have gotten this bad.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which , she¡¯s the face of Westchester City Art Academy. If this painting of hers spreads out, the outsiders will


    definitelyugh at the academy.¡± ¡°She¡¯s garbage.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s body felt cold as she read through thements. Her fingers started to shake but her body could not move.


    Then, someone tagged her in a new message. ¡°Ms. Ross, is this your work?¡±


    Sylvia clutched her freezing hands. Just when she was about to reply, she received a private message from Christopher and


    Simon. Simon, ¡°Turn off the notification. Don¡¯t care about what they say.¡±


    Christopher , ¡°Sylvia , just ignore them. Don¡¯t look at it and don¡¯t reply.¡±


    Both of them were concerned about her well-being and she was grateful for their care,


    Her stiff body rxed a bit.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 811

    Chapter 811


    It was then someone from the Art Academy typed a new message.


    ¡°We''ve been tagging her for two hours now. Even a blind man can see it. | think she¡¯s avoiding us.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s scared and embarrassed to admit it.¡± Christopher had enough of the criticism and decided to step up.


    ¡°Enough. Stop this at once.¡±


    However, his warning did not deter them as it only fueled their frustration more.


    ¡°Mr. President, her work represents the face of the academy. If this gets out, it''ll embarrass the whole organization. You sided


    with her too much.¡±


    ¡°| know how much you liked her before but now, she¡¯s a piece of garbage.¡±


    ¡°You want us to stop because we¡¯re saying the wrong thing? No, it¡¯s the truth. If you want to stop us from talking about this, we''ll


    leave the academy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we''ll leave.¡±


    The situation slowly snowballed out of control and many of them threatened to leave the academy.


    Sylvia decided to type a reply with her shivering hands.


    ¡°| painted it.¡±


    The chat group went silent for a few seconds before more criticism came.


    ¡°Ms. Ross admitted it.¡± ¡°What happened to you, Ms. Ross? How could you paint this in a live demonstration? Have you run out of


    inspiration?¡±


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s out of inspiration, it shouldn¡¯t be this bad either. | believe Ms. Ross¡¯ previous paintings are all painted by someone


    else.¡± ¡°My, my, it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ms. Ross. Now that you¡¯ve embarrassed everyone in the art industry and ruined the reputation of the Art Academy, what


    are you going to do about it?¡± Sylvia frowned. ¡°I''ll leave the academy.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She quit the chat group right after she tapped the ¡°Send¡± button. She then continued to quit other art-rted chat groups one


    after another. Soon, everything returned to peace but she was also shivering in fear.


    She no longer wanted to see any of the criticism or be


    rted to anyone from the art industry. She tossed her phone aside and buried her face in her pillow.


    The room plunged into silence.


    Her head kept reying the harshments she


    received and the painting that she did.


    She was nothing but a piece of garbage who could not paint.


    Tears rolled down her cheeks. She covered her face with her hands and wept silently until she felt a sting in her belly.


    The baby in her stomach kicked her. Sylvia¡¯s expression changed and she immediately stoked her belly tofort the little guy.


    ¡°I''m sorry my baby. Did | make you ufortable?¡± 1


    She thenid straight on the bed to release the pressure and tension from her belly.


    However, the little guy kicked her again.


    Was it because the baby knew she was sad?


    Sylvia wiped her tears away and took a deep breath. She said softly, ¡°Okay, okay, I''ll stop crying. Please don¡¯t kick me anymore.¡±


    As soon as her words subsided, the baby stopped moving.


    Sylvia was amused by the reaction and she could not help


    but chuckle.


    Her terrible mood got better.


    She got out of bed and washed her face with warm water before she sat down in front of the ceiling-to-floor window to stare at


    the sky.


    The warm sun shed its warmth on her, warming not only her body but also her mood.


    The sun washed away the terrible criticism and the painting away from her mind. She shut her eyes to rest and put her hands on


    her belly softly.


    She sat there until the sun set and the sky turned dark.


    She only got up when her stomach started growling.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 812

    Chapter 812


    There were only some instant noodles in the kitchen.


    After a quick search and finding nothing in the refrigerator , she decided to go out to have some freshly cooked food.


    She walked along the street and stood at amercial street filled with stalls and restaurants.


    She went inside the restaurant where she was a regr. The dishes served matched her pte, hence her fondness for it.


    She sat by the window. She ced her order and the food was served after a while.


    Eating hot food warmed her body and she enjoyed the meal a lot.


    Halfway through dinner, several familiar figures came in.


    Sylvia frowned.


    The men and women seemed to be from the Art Academy. She met them once or twice during events but since she usually


    spent time with Christopher and Simon, she was not close with them.


    Some of them were the ones who scolded her in the group chat earlier.


    It was then they turned around and spotted her. Sylvia nervously looked down and continued eating, feigning ignorance.


    To her surprise, a few of them came over and surrounded her with scornful remarks.


    ¡°Yo, look at this. Isn¡¯t that Ms. Ross?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ross, why didn¡¯t you say hi?¡±


    ¡°| know you were great before but even if you''ve fallen from the spotlight, you can at least say hi.¡±


    ¡°We''re not qualified to even pour you tea before but now, | think we¡¯re better than a piece of garbage.¡± The spoon fell off Sylvia¡¯s


    hand. She lost her appetite. She grabbed her bag and bolted up but the few of them surrounded her and refused to let her leave.


    They wanted to mock her and make fun of her more.


    Sylvia¡¯s face gradually turned pale. Her hands holding her bag started to shake, but she managed to muster her words and said,


    ¡°I''m no longer a member of the academy. Please leave me alone.¡± Two of them grinned and stepped aside and made way for her


    to leave.


    To her surprise, they went after her and even started taking videos of her.


    ¡°Hurry up and take this!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everyone wants to see what she¡¯s doing right


    now.


    Sylvia had chills run down her spine. She hastened her steps and headed to the exit but before she could leave, two waiters


    stopped her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Madam, you haven''t paid for your food.¡± Those who gloated at her scornfully said, ¡°Oh my, are you trying to dine and dash?¡± ¡°No


    way! Did you get that on video? | want everyone to see that the once famous Sunflower is having a dine and dash!¡±


    They excitedly took videos of Sylvia. Sylvia looked down and anxiously stuffed some cash into the waiter before she ran out.


    It was freezing outside and she only realized she left her scarf inside the restaurant.


    She dared not go back inside, so she braced herself for the cold and went away.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 813

    Chapter 813


    Just when she was about to cross the street, a white MPV drove toward her and blinded her with the headlights.


    Sylvia froze and suddenly slipped, falling on her bum.


    The white car screeched to a stop in front of her.


    Sylvia tried to catch a breath but then an elegant woman came down from the car.


    The woman wore a delicate dress and had a thick shawl around her shoulders. The driver also came down and walked her


    closer to Sylvia. Thedy then peered down at Sylvia scornfully.


    Sylvia finally got a clear look at thedy and it shocked her. ¡°Madam Springsteen?¡± Madam Springsteen grinned at her. ¡°How¡¯s


    your day been?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale. She immediately thought of the criticism she received from the group chat and ran into a few of them in


    the restaurant.


    She shivered under the freezing wind. As she clutched her hands, she asked, ¡°It was you who released the painting?¡±


    ¡°It was one of my men,¡± Madam Springsteen said with a grin, ¡°I want everyone to know how bad the famous


    Sunflower¡¯s work is and | want to use it to teach you a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Those at the restaurant... It was you as well?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°Yes, it was me.¡± Madam Springsteen lifted her chin and wore an arrogant expression. ¡°I want to ruin your reputation in the art


    industry and condemn you to hell.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth angrily. ¡°Why? What did | do?¡±


    ¡°Why? Stop acting like a fool in front of me,¡± Madam Springsteen grunted. ¡°Go look into the mirror! Other than your pretty face,


    you''re nothingpared to my Lily. You have no talents , no skills, and no connection. You''re not even worthy to be Lily¡¯s ve


    and yet you try to seduce her fianc¨¦?¡±


    Sylvia finally understood what happened.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    It all happened because Lily caught Odell kissing her in the morning. However, it was Odell who kissed her. She never thought of


    seducing him or ruining their rtionship.


    Unfortunately, the kiss was real and if she insisted that it was Odell who forced himself onto her, Madam Springsteen would


    never believe her, and it would exacerbate things.


    She lowered her head in silence.


    Madam Springsteen scoffed. ¡°This is a little lesson for you. If you want to continue living in Westchester City, know your ce.


    Don¡¯t even go to Carter Residence anymore and don¡¯t even think about snatching Lily''s man, or I''ll make you suffer!¡±


    Madam Springsteen then returned to her car.


    The car then drove past Sylvia, leaving her in the cold.


    Sylvia sat on the ground for a while despite the freezing wind assaulting her.


    Meanwhile, in the white MPV that drove off, Madam Springsteen grinned as she looked at Lily beside her. ¡°I thought she¡¯s a


    tough one but that¡¯s it. | gave her a little lesson and she¡¯s terrified already. She¡¯s not a graceful woman.¡±


    Madam Springsteen gloated at Sylvia¡¯s wretched look, especially when she ran out of the restaurant in a hurry and fell to the


    ground. Lily looked into the rear mirror and saw Sylvia sitting on the ground. Upon hearing her grandmother''s words, she


    grinned.¡° That¡¯s all she got?¡±


    Lily thought she was tactful in seducing men and yet she was defeated with the slightest effort. It seemed like she was not the


    audacious woman Lily thought she was.


    Sylvia could not remember how she got home. Maybe it was when she felt warmth on her cold body. She slowly regained her


    composure and saw her hands covered in several bloody scars.


    She frowned. She quickly washed her hands and put some band-aids over the injuries.


    As she slowly gathered her thoughts, she returned to her room and picked up her phone. She originally nned to stop going to


    Carter Residence tomorrow and now with Madam Springsteen onto her, it only strengthened her thought.


    However, she had to tell her kids about it.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 814

    Chapter 814


    After she adjusted her thoughts, she switched on her phone.


    She saw several missed call notifications from Isabel and Liam.


    They even sent her a voice message shortly after that. Sylvia tapped on it and heard Isabel¡¯s adorable voice speaking to her. 1


    ¡°Mommy, why is your phone off? Are you going to leave me and Liam again?¡±


    She sounded sad.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows and tapped on the second voice message.


    ¡°Mommy, if you don¡¯t call us back in an hour, we''ll go to the police,¡± Liam said.


    Sylvia immediately checked the time she received the message. It was exactly an hour ago.


    She called them immediately and the call got through in less than a second.


    Isabel bawled, ¡°Mommy! Where have you been? Why did you turn off your phone?¡±


    Sylvia exined softly, ¡°My phone¡¯s battery died, and | fell asleep. | just woke up and saw you guys texting me.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± The little girl sighed a breath of relief. She continued , ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t youe over in the afternoon? Is it because


    of Big Baddie?¡±


    Sylva frowned. ¡°No, | have to leave because something happened.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, Honey.¡±


    The girl hummed a reply and stopped with the question.


    Since she called to inform the two of them that she would not be going over starting tomorrow, she asked, ¡°Isabel, is Liam beside


    you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s here,¡± the girl said.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Mommy has something to tell you. Mommy¡¯s belly isn¡¯t feeling welltely and | n to stay at home to rest for a few days. | can¡¯t


    go over to your ce for now. I''ll visit again after New Year. Is that okay?¡±


    Odell would be returning to work after New Year, so it would be safer for her to visit the kids then.


    The girl asked, ¡°Mommy''s stomach isn¡¯t feeling well? Are you sick?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s normal during pregnancy. The doctor also


    suggested that | stay put for a while,¡± Sylvia said. ¡°Oh, okay. Mommy, take some rest.¡± The girl sounded disappointed.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and then asked, ¡°Liam, are you there?¡±


    ¡°I''m here,¡± the boy said.


    ¡°| won''t be going over starting tomorrow. Be sure to listen to your Daddy and take care of your sister during the holidays,


    please?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The boy¡¯s adorable voice sounded assuring.


    Sylvia felt relieved. She then said, ¡°If you two miss Mommy, you can just give me a call.¡±


    Isabel said, ¡°Okay, but you cannot switch off your phone anymore!¡±


    Sylvia giggled. ¡°Okay, | got it.¡± They chatted for a while before Sylvia ended the call.


    The terrible mood faded a little. She put the phone down and headed to the bathroom.


    Meanwhile, in Isabel and Liam¡¯s room at the Carter Residence, the girl started to feel sleepy after the call.


    ¡°Liam, | want to sleep on you,¡± she said as she rubbed her eyes.


    Liam straightened his legs and let his sister lie down on his thighs.


    The girl shut her eyes and the body continued reading a book.


    The room became quiet after a while. The man who was standing outside the room finally left after a while.


    He strode down the stairs and out of the living room before he got into his ck sports car.


    The gate opened up and the car drove out into the dark. His long arms held the steering wheel tightly as his frosty eyes were


    glued to the road. His head was reying what he heard in his children¡¯s room.


    She decided not toe starting tomorrow?


    He just kissed her once and she decided not toe? She did not even want to apany the kids?


    How badly did she want to avoid him?


    Vroom!


    He stepped on the eleration pedal.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 815

    Chapter 815


    The ck sports car sprinted like the wind in the night and soon arrived at Sylvia''s ce. The car stopped in front of the gate.


    Odell wound down the window and shot a deep gaze at her house.


    The lights on the second floor were still on.


    It was almost 10:00 p.m. and being a pregnant woman, why was she still awake?


    She no longer painted or sculpted. What was she doing up?


    Was she thinking about the man who abandoned her?


    His eyes turned frosty and he decided to call her.


    The dial tone went on for a while before she picked up.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Odell? What is it?¡± she asked in a small voice.


    Her voice sounded rough, seemingly awoken from her sleep.


    The frosty look on his face eased up a little. He asked, ¡° What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I''m sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°lm sure...¡±


    What else could she be doing if not sleeping? Dreaming with her eyes closed?


    ¡°Then why are your lights on?¡± ¡°I forgot to switch them off.¡± A second of silenceter, she asked out of curiosity, ¡°How did you


    know my lights are on? Are you outside?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m taking a wild guess,¡± he lied without even blinking.


    ¡°Then what is this about?¡±


    ¡°| heard you''re noting over starting tomorrow. What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Yeah, my belly is acting up. | want to rest at home for a few


    days.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to the hospital?¡±


    Asecond of hesitationter, she said, ¡°I did and the doctor suggested that | stay at home for a few days, and don¡¯t move around


    too much.¡±


    ¡°It''s not because of something else?¡±


    A few more seconds of hesitationter, she said, ¡°No.¡±


    Odell stared at her room and his expression turned grim.


    If it was the truth, she would not have hesitated! She


    must be lying! ¡°Is there something else?¡± she asked softly after a few seconds.


    He pursed his lips coldly and hung up the phone.


    The ck sports car then drove away.


    Back in Sylvia''s room, she had been standing by the window when she received the call and through the seam, she saw the


    ck sports car drive off and disappear into the junction. The car sprinted off quickly like the wind.


    Sylvia¡¯s anxiety rose.


    Why would Odell be in front of her house?


    Had he found out about Madam Springsteen? No, it should not be. Madam Springsteen would never have let him know what she


    did.


    He must have overheard the kids and learned that she would not being starting tomorrow, hence thete night visit and the


    strange call. Some careful thoughtter, she texted him.


    ¡°It''ste now. Drive slowly.¡±


    She knew he always drove fast and she was worried that something might happen to him.


    Inside the sprinting sports car, the phone buzzed and the screen lit up.


    The man had a nce and saw the text from her. He slowed down and picked his phone up for a nce. His gloomy expression


    brightened up a bit. Why would she text him about his safety? Was she worried?


    It was then a blinding light shone from the side and when he turned around, a huge truck already filled his sight.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 816

    Chapter 816


    Chapter 816 Ding!


    Shortly after Sylvia woke up in the morning and was about to make breakfast, her phone suddenly rang.


    She looked at her phone and saw that Isabel was calling her, so she immediately picked up. Immediately after picking up, she


    heard Isabel bawling into the phone, ¡°Hnghh...Mommy, the big baddie had a car ident!¡±


    ck.


    Her phone ttered against the floor.


    She felt the strength drain out of her legs in an instant.


    It took her a moment to register what she had heard. She bnced herself against the wall with one hand as she crouched down


    to pick up the phone and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Isabel, when did it happen? How is he doing now?¡±


    Amidst her sobs, Isabel answered, ¡°I think it wasst night. Uncle Sebastian said that he is still in aa in the hospital... He¡¯s


    not going to die, is he?¡±


    Last night?


    Sylvia answered with a frown, ¡°No, the doctors will do


    everything they can to save him. He won''t die so easily.¡± Since he had been admitted to the hospitalst night and was now


    comatose, that meant that they had managed to save his life. The only question now was when he was going to wake up. Isabel


    whimpered, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mommy would never lie to you.¡±


    This seemed to calm down Isabel.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Feeling a little more in control of herself now as well, Sylvia said, ¡°Where is Liam?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Liam promptly answered her. ¡°Stay


    at home with your sister and make sure you two get something to eat. Don¡¯t overthink this matter, understand?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After reassuring them a little while longer, she finally ended the call.


    As soon as she had done that, she went outside and called herself a taxi.


    The taxi brought her to the Westchester Hospital.


    She had learned from Liam that Odell was in Westchester Hospital.


    She sped her hands tightly together during the entire ride.


    Atst, the taxi came to a stop.


    She rapidly flung the door open and rushed out.


    Noticing that his passenger was pregnant, the driver called out to her, ¡°Slow down, girlie.¡±


    Before he could even finish his sentence, Sylvia was already nearly out of sight. She had barely heard what the driver said to


    her.


    She walked with a sense of great urgency and arrived in the lobby of the hospital before she knew it. She rarely came to this


    particr hospital and was not familiar with itsyout.


    There were many people in the lobby at this hour,ing and going in different directions. She looked everywhere but could not


    find any signs pointing the way to the intensive care unit.


    She was in a hurry and quickly stopped a random passerby and asked, ¡°Hi, do you know where the intensive care unit is?¡±


    The passerby merely shook their head.


    She had to ask two more people for directions before someone finally pointed out the way to her.


    With that, she promptly headed to the elevator and went


    to the eighth floor.


    This was where the intensive care unit was located.


    She hurried down the corridor.


    She paced around the floor several times before she finally ran into a nurse that was just stepping out of a ward. She promptly


    stopped the nurse and inquired, ¡°Hi, could | please know which ward Odell Carter is in? What¡¯s his condition like now?¡±


    The nurse seemed rather puzzled, ¡°Odell Carter? There is no patient named Odell Carter here.¡±


    Sylvia urgently ryed, ¡°He had a car identst night and was taken here, | heard that he was still unconscious now.¡±


    ¡°Ma''am, there¡¯s no patient named Odell Carter here.¡±


    ¡°He was sent herest night, are you sure about that?¡± ¡°I am very sure, there are no patients with the name Odell or Carter here.


    Why don¡¯t you go to the general ward to have a look?¡± With that, the nurse left.


    Sylvia frowned.


    No patients named Odell Carter? Was Odell not in this hospital? Or had he been ced in the general ward? 1


    She immediately went back to the elevator.

 Chapter 817

    Chapter 817


    The general ward was located in a separate building


    After stepping out of the elevator, Sylvia took a shortcut and went to the other building


    Just as she was about to cross through the park to the entrance of the building, she noticed two familiar figures approaching from another direction


    They were none other than Lily and Madam Springsteen, who had just confronted her yesterday.


    She hurriedly stopped and ducked behind a tree.


    Both Madam Springsteen and Lily were looking anxious.


    "Grandma, what if something happens to Odell?¡±


    ¡°That won''t happen. | asked around and they said that he was transferred to the general wardst night. That must mean that he¡¯s doing fine now.¡±


    They did not notice Sylvia at all and went into the building right away.


    Sylvia quietly followed them in only after they had entered


    She hid around the corner and noticed that they took the elevator to the sixth floor.


    It seemed like Odell was now staying in a ward on the sixth floor, and that he was no longer in a critical situation.


    She felt a weight lift off her heart.


    She turned around and walked out. She did not leave the hospital but hung around the vicinity of the park outside instead.


    She figured that she would wait for Lily and Madam Springsteen to leave first, then she would sneak into the ward to take a look


    at how things were going.


    She ended up waiting the better half of the day before Lily and Madam Springsteen finally emerged from the building.


    The park was only a short distance away from the entrance. The moment she saw them stepping past the entrance, she quickly


    ducked behind a tree with her back to them.


    They were having a conversation.


    "Grandma, let''s eat something and then get you home. You''ve seen how badly injured one of his hands is and he¡¯s having


    trouble moving around. He¡¯s going to have a lot of trouble just doing simple tasks. Even though there are nurses looking after


    him, I''d still like to stay by his side and keep himpany,¡± said Lily.


    Madam Springsteen smiled and said, ¡°Alright, youe back here after we have dinner and bring him some food. This will be a


    good chance for you to bond with him.¡±


    They walked away as they talked.


    The frown on Sylvia¡¯s face eased.


    It appeared to be that he had injured one of his hands quite severely, so he was probably going to need some time before he


    recovers.


    The tenseness that had been lingering in her body nearly all day finally subsided. With that, she promptly left the hospital after


    Madam Springsteen and Lily had gone.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, inside a private ward on the sixth floor of the hospital.


    The man himself was sitting on the bed, one of his hands was covered in bandages and he was holding a book with the other.


    His eyes darted out the door from time to time.


    After a while, he could wait no longer and asked, "Is she not here yet?"


    Cliff was standing by the door and whispered back to him, "No."


    Odell frowned harshly, "Did she not know that | got into a car ident?"


    Cliff observed the look on his face and answered back: ¡°ording to Sebastian, the young miss called Miss Sylvia first thing in


    the morning when she found out that you got into an ident. | believe Miss Sylvia should be informed about your ident.¡±


    Odell''s face darkened.


    She knew that he was in a car ident and yet she had note to visit him!


    Hadn''t she sent him a text messagest night asking him to drive slower? Why was she not here yet?


    Was she not worried about him?


    The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy and oppressive


    Cliff shuddered and took a step back, then he probed cautiously, ¡° Master Carter, why don''t | go to Miss Sylvia and ask her toe to visit you?¡±


    Odell red at him, "Do | look like | need her sympathy?"


    Cliff zipped his lips shut, afraid to utter another word


    Internally, he muttered, ¡®You were the one who created this ident to get Miss Syivia''s attention. Why are you getting angry at me?¡¯


    The room was filled with silence.


    After a while, Odell suddenly broke the silence. ¡°Assign two men to keep an eye on her, report to me what she''s getting up to at home.¡±


    He would excuse her if she did not visit because she was feeling unwell


    Or perhaps she was upied with some other matters... He would not mind if she cameter, as long as she showed up


    What if she never showed up, he would


    He closed his eyes and hissed sharply, "Go!"


    Cliff answered dutifully, "Yes, sir!¡±

 Chapter 818

    Chapter 818


    Sylvia called Isabel when she reached home


    The little girl called out affectionately the moment the call connected, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    She seemed to be in a much better moodpared to that morning when she called to ask if her father was going to survive.


    Sylvia smiled and asked, ¡°Isabel, did Uncle Sebastian tell you how your father is doing?¡±


    ¡°He did, he says that the big baddie has woken up and only needs a few days of rest to recover from his injury.¡±


    Liam¡¯s voice followed afterward, ¡®Mommy, we''re going to the hospital to see Dadter. Do you want to go too?¡±


    Sylvia instantly recalled encountering Lily that afternoon.


    She was probably by Odell''s side now,


    After thinking about it, she answered, ¡°You kids can go. | won''t be joining you.¡±


    Liam did not speakContent is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel whispered in reply, "Okay.¡±


    Sylvia chatted with them for a while before hanging up.


    By this point, she was starving and the child in her tummy seemed to be kicking her to remind her to feed them both.


    She went into the kitchen to get some food.


    After filling her stomach, she got bored and watched some television to pass the time.


    It did not take long before she eventually fell asleep on the couch.


    Westchester Hospital, inside Odell''s ward.


    The lunch that was served was an exquisite full-course meal.


    However, after only taking a few bites, he became irritated and had the nurse take the rest of the food away.


    Then, he heard someone knocking on the door.


    His eyes gleamed as he rapidly turned to see who it was.


    Unfortunately, all he saw was that Lily hade back to see him again.


    The light in his eyes dimmed. He picked up the book beside his pillow and began reading while speaking without directly looking


    at Lily, "| don''t need you to take care of me, you can go back."


    "| Know you don''t need to be taken care of, but you must be bored being here all by yourself. | figured I''de sit with you since


    | don¡¯t have anything to do anyway.¡± She said with a smile.


    "I''m not bored.¡±


    The smile on Lily''s face froze.


    After a while, she stated, ¡°Well, as | said, | don¡¯t have anything to do anyway.¡±


    She put some health supplements on the table next to the bed, before sitting down on a nearby couch.


    ¡°Hey, can | borrow you a book to read?" She asked while gesturing at the books stacked on the table.


    Odell looked at the book in his hand and answered, ¡°Do what you want.¡±


    Lily picked out a book and read it.


    There was nothing but a deep silence inside the ward.


    About half an hourter, a stampede of footsteps suddenly tore through the silence.


    Odell''s expression changed. He then quickly set down the book and looked out the door.


    A few secondster, Isabel''s chubby little figure came rushing in


    She barely even noticed Lily as she ran straight to Odell


    Iwas only when she threw herself onto the bed that Liam walked in from outside, followed by Sebastian


    The quiet ward suddenly became very lively.


    Isabel wrapped herself around Odell''s uninjured arm while staring at his other bandaged arm and asked, ¡°Hey, Baddie, does it stil hurt?¡±


    Odell took her into his arms and said tenderly, "It doesn''t hurt anymore.¡±


    Then, he darted his eyes past Liam and Sebastian to look outside the door.


    There was nobody else in the corridor.


    He asked, ¡°It''s just you guys?¡±


    Isabel answered, ¡°There''s Uncle Jacob too. He went to park the car.¡±


    Odell''s eyes went cold and he stayed silent.


    Just then, Lily, who was sitting on the sofa, got up and approached them.


    "Hello, Young Master and Young Miss.¡± She greeted Isabel and Liam with a smile


    It was only then that Liam and Isabel finally noticed her.

 Chapter 819

    Chapter 819


    The demeanor of the two little ones immediately changed as they turned to greet her, ¡°Hello, Aunt Lily.¡±


    Sebastian seemed more reserved as well and politely greeted, " Hello, Miss Lily.¡±


    Lily smiled and said to Isabel and Liam, "Come over and sit here.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She gestured to the couch.


    Isabel''s eyes glittered, but her tiny hand did not let go of Odell


    She did not want to move over to the couch just yet, she wanted to be with her father a little longer.


    Lily frowned slightly as the slightest hint of vexation passed through her eyes.


    Liam sat down.


    Upon sitting down on the single couch, he produced a Rubik''s cube from his pocket. He noticed that Sebastian was still standing and tured to him, ¡°Uncle


    Sebastian,e take a seat as well.¡±


    Lily''s expression changed


    Sebastian smiled as he replied, "I''m not tired. I''ll just go out for a walk.¡±


    With that, he went outside.


    Liam frowned and continued to y with the Rubik''s Cube in his hand.


    Meanwhile, Isabel continued her conversation with Odell, ¡°Hey


    Baddie, how did you get into a car ident?"


    Odell stroked her head and answered, "I identally hit a street light."


    It had not been idental, it had been intentional.


    He had slowed the car down when he received a text from Sylviast night.


    If he had not slowed down at the time, he would have rammed headfirst into an oing truck and things would have been far


    worse if that had happened.


    Her text had saved his life.


    Isabel snorted, ¡°You''re silly, Baddie. | can¡¯t believe you hit a streetlight.¡±


    Odell yfully tapped her on the forehead. ¡°Do you dare to say that again?¡±


    Isabel flung herself into his arms again, pressing her chubby face against his chest while chuckling all the while, ¡°Hehe, stupid,


    silly baddie.¡±


    Odell gently smacked her on the bum several times.


    Although he put on a show of reprimanding her, he was smiling the entire time.


    Meanwhile, Lily watched the two interact with one another. With her hands tightly sped together and an indiscernible look on


    her face, it took some time before she managed topose herself again.


    As if calling her own father a degrading name like ¡®silly baddie¡¯ was not bad enough, she had the ill manners to say her father


    was stupid.


    What was worse was that Odell did not seem in the least bothered by it at all.


    He was spoiling this uncultured girl too much!


    If she was to marry him and start a family with him in the future, she had a feeling that this brat would be a real problem, she had


    to instill some manners in her before it was toote.


    The day quickly passed and the sky began to darken.


    Inside the ward


    Isabel was sound asleep in Odell''s arms.


    Liam was still fiddling with the Rubik''s Cube.


    Odell was reading a book


    Lily rose and approached him, ¡°It''s gettingte, | won''t continue to bother you.¡±


    Odell barely nced at her, ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Both his voice and his expression show his disinterest


    Lily was slightly upset by this but still made sure to maintain a polite smile as she bid him farewell and left.


    She had just taken her first step out of the ward when Isabel lifted her head from Odell''s arms.


    Odell smiled gently and cupped her face, "When did you wake up?¡±


    Isabel smiled and confessed, ¡°I''ve been awake for a bit.¡±


    "Then why are you still pretending to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Lily doesn''t like it when I keep hugging you so if | don''t pretend to be asleep, she will want me to sit on the couch.¡± She pouted grumpily at the mention of


    Lily


    Over time, she had be more and more aware that Lily was not fond of her.


    Odell frowned, "Don''t worry about what she says.¡±


    They were only engaged because of a private agreement. They were more like business partners in a coboration than an actual couple.


    Isabel pouted, ¡°You might like me now, but when you marry her and have a baby with her, we will stop being your favorites.¡± Odell fell silent

 Chapter 820

    Chapter 820


    Chapter 820


    Isabel and Liam went home with Sebastian after having dinner with Odell


    Therge medical ward was suddenly filled with silence


    Odell leaned back against the bed, his cold eyes staring out the window.


    Soon, Cliff entered the room


    He brought a few documents and ryed several reports to Odell


    After he was done with the report, he asked in a low voice, ¡°Sir, do you have any other orders?"


    Odell said in a sharp voice, "What''s the situation with her?¡±


    Awhole day had already passed. What on earth could she be so busy with that she still had note to see him?!


    Observing Odell''s expression, Cliff answered cautiously, ¡°Two of our men have been assigned to keep an eye on Miss Sylvia. She took a two-hour nap after


    lunch. Then after she woke up, she just sat on the balcony and sort of zoned out for a while. She watched some television after that and went off to get dinner at


    a restaurant nearby before heading back to her ce again.¡±


    As Cliff went on, his voice gradually grew softer


    The ward seemed to be quieter while the temperature inside seemed to have dropped to freezing point.


    The face of the man on the bed became darker as he asked, ¡°That''s all she did today?¡±


    "Yes, nothing else."


    "Is she a pig?¡±


    Even pigs were more productive than her!


    If she had that much time toze about at home, why could not she take a taxi ande to visit him at least?


    Cliff spoke softly, "Should | contact her? | can ask her toe.¡±


    Odell red at him venomously, "Do | look like | want to see her?¡±


    Cliff stammered ¡°No... No, you don¡¯t.¡±


    Odell picked up the book again and continued to read.


    Underneath the ceiling lights, his handsome face looked quite ominous.


    Cliff suddenly added, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve tomorrow. Don¡¯t you want to sort out your discharge from the hospital first?¡±


    Odell red at him coldly, ¡°Get out of here.¡±


    Cliff obliged and hurriedly scrambled away.


    The next day, Sylvia slept until she woke up naturally.


    She was all alone at home. After having breakfast, she went to work putting up decorations on the windows and the door to


    celebrate the New Year. Having done all that, she went back to the couch.


    Today was New Year''s Eve and after midnight, it would be themencement of a new year.


    She took out her phone and pulled up Aunt Tonya¡¯s contact number before proceeding to call her.


    As before, the phone on the other end still seemed to have been turned off.


    She tightened her grip on the phone.


    It was no big deal, she could wait a little longer.


    Westchester Hospital.


    Lily went to see Odell after breakfast but ended up being denied entry by Cliff.


    Cliff stated politely, "Miss Lily, Master Carter has some very important matters to deal with right now. Why don''t you go back first?¡±


    Lily frowned and asked, "What kind of important matters?¡±


    "Its work-rted and highly confidential.¡± Cliff stated curtly


    The look in Lily''s eyes shifted. She suddenly smiled and said," Okay, then I''lle back in the afternoon.¡±


    "You don''t have toe in the afternoon either.¡±


    Her expression tensed up, "Why?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°He''s going to be busy the entire day.¡±


    "Today is New Year''s Eve, is he going to work the entire day?¡±


    Cliff nodded, "Yes."


    Lily took a quick nce at the ward before she promptly turned and left


    Cliff stood nailed to the same spot and waited until she entered the elevator before heading back into the ward himself.


    A gust of cold wind blew in through the open windows


    Odell''s tall figure was standing next to the window as he smoked a cigarette.

 Chapter 821

    Chapter 821


    The hazy mist of cigarette smoke was dispersed by the wind


    However, the hazy, gloomy look on his face failed to be deterred by the wind


    Cliff came to stand several meters behind Odell and whispered, ¡° Sir, Miss Lily is gone. | don¡¯t think she wille back to bother you today.¡±


    After waiting for a while without receiving a response, Cliff added, ¡°Our guys just told me that Miss Sylvia just had breakfast. She then put up some decorations


    around the house before sitting back on the sofa and has been watching television since. It doesn''t seem like she has any ns to go out so far. Also, Sebastian


    just called to ask if you were going to leave the hospital today. He says that the young master and the young miss are already at home waiting for you to head


    home for the New Year''s celebration. Would you


    Would you like me to sort out the procedures for you to be discharged?¡±


    Perhaps due to the cold wind blowing in from outside, he shivered involuntarily when he finished speaking


    Odell was still standing like an unmoving totem next to the window. His wounded hand hung limply by his side as he held a cigarette with the other hand


    A dark, oppressive aura seemed to emanate from his body, which seemed to be even colder than the wind outside. Cliff even began to feel like he was


    suffocating


    After not receiving a reply from Odell for a long time, he slowly withdrew from the room.


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    Sylvia had just finished dinner when she got a call from Isabel


    The little girl immediately chattered on, asking her if she had eaten anything along with all sorts of random questions


    Sylvia answered each of her questions, except that she left out the detail that she had only eaten a bowl of noodles the entire


    day. Then, she asked Isabel how she and her brother were doing.


    The little girl suddenly grumpily muttered, ¡°It¡¯s just me and brother eating at home tonight.¡±


    Sylvia seemed mildly surprised by this, "Did your father note home yet?"


    Wasn''t it mostly just his hand that was injured? Shouldn''t he havee home by now?? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Isabel informed, ¡°Uncle Sebastian says that the baddie is still in the hospital and that he¡¯s noting back yet.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. Were his injuries more serious than she thought?


    Suddenly, Isabel shouted out, "It must be an excuse! He must have gone on a date with Aunt Lily! | see this all the time on TV


    shows. Couples in love have to spend the New Year together, especially since they are already engaged.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and mentioned, ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m sure he wille back to spend time with you and your brother


    tomorrow."


    ¡°Hmph, let him spend time with his new girl, we can¡¯t be bothered to see him.¡±


    She huffed as she spoke, clearly feeling very unhappy.


    Sylvia smiled and tried to console her, ¡°Be a good girl, Isabel. The way your dad cares about you and your brother is different


    from the way he cares about Aunt Lily...¡±


    It took a long while to console the disgruntled little girl.


    Then, Sylvia chatted a short while with Liam before finally wrapping up the call.


    Silence fell upon the living room again.


    She stared at the time on her phone and zoned out.


    Before long, she fell asleep without realizing it.


    She slept until around midnight when the sound of fireworks exploding in the sky above suddenly tore through the silence.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes snapped open immediately.


    She picked up her phone and removed Thomas¡® contact from the cklist.


    She promptly wrote a message and sent it to him: ¡°It¡¯s the New Year now, can you let Aunt Tonyae back now?¡±


    Beforeing back, the two of them had made an agreement that if she managed to hold out alone in Westchester until the


    New Year, he would fulfill his end of the deal and allow Aunt Tonya to return.


    He must have known about Odell¡¯s engagement with Lily, and that was why he had intentionally sent Sylvia back to Westchester


    on the day of their engagement.


    Even though there had been some hups along the way, Sylvia had persisted until now.


    After sending the text, she clenched her phone tightly and stared intently at the disy.


    About a minuteter, her phone notification rang like a bell


    Thomas replied to her and told her: ¡°Okay.¡±


    Her eyes glowed up, and a brilliant smile immediately appeared on her face


    He said yes!


    Aunt Tonya wasing back! With Aunt Tonya back, all of them along with the children would be reunited in Westchester and never have to be separated again!


    With this in mind, she picked up the phone again and began typing a new text. She wanted to ask him when he would be sending Aunt Tonya back to


    Westchester. It was then that the lights in the living room suddenly went out, plunging her surroundings inplete darkness.


    Sylvia jumped from the sudden ckout, but then she noticed lightsing from the yard


    She noticed that the door leading to the living room had been thrown open, letting in wisps of cold air from the outside


    That was when she noticed a tall, dark, figure standing by the door of the living room


    The ominous figure was leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes seemed to gleam from within the darkness as they were fixed


    upon her.


    Itwas an eerie sight that made her shudder.


    ¡°Who... who are you?" she asked in a quivering voice

 Chapter 822

    Chapter 822


    Chapter 822


    The dark shadow strode toward Syivia in an instant.


    It moved like a bolt of lightning


    Sylvia had just sat up when the figure stopped in front of her. His slender hand cupped her chin as his face lowered close to hers with a pair of sharp eyes that


    seemed to bore holes into her with its prating gaze. His rough voice said, "What? It''s only been a few days that we haven''t seen each other and you can¡¯t


    recognize me already?"


    This gloomy voice... Who else could it be except for Odell?All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Even when he had been standing at the doorway, Sylvia had already gotten the feeling that it was him. It was just that she could not be sure because his face


    had been hidden within the shadows, especially considering he was around the same height as Thomas.


    She felt a strange sense of calmness and asked, "Odell, aren''t you suppose to be recovering in the hospital? Why are you here?¡±


    She suddenly felt a twinge of pain in her jaw as soon as she finished her sentence.


    She sucked in a breath of cold air and promptly grabbed at his hand that was still holding her chin tightly, ¡°Let go.¡±


    However, he only squeezed even tighter.


    She began to press her nails into his arm


    "Il break your jaw if you keep doing that.¡± He threatened icily.


    She quickly withdrew her hand


    He seemed to reciprocate and loosened his grip as well, but he still made sure to hold on to her.


    There was a sudden silence


    Locking his dark eyes on her face, Odell refused to avert his gaze from her and asked, "What were you smiling so happily about


    just now?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particr.¡±


    "Who were you messaging? Him?" He pressed.


    Sylvia made a look and answered, ¡°Not him, just a friend.¡±


    ¡°Which friend? What''s his name?"


    ¡°You don¡¯t know this friend.¡±


    ¡°lll know him after you tell me.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and muttered, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between the two of us anymore, | shouldn''t have to report everything to you."


    He clenched her jaw again, "If you don''t tell me, don''t think about ever seeing Isabel and Liam again."


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°...1 was texting Simon.¡±


    ¡°Simon? | do know him. Didn''t you say that it was someone | didn¡¯t know?¡±


    Sylvia refused to back down, "| assumed you didn¡¯t know him.¡±


    Odell became quiet


    After a few seconds of silence, he ordered, "Give me the phone."


    Sylvia immediately hid her phone behind her.


    He narrowed his eyes coldly and insisted, "Give it to me."


    "You have no right to intrude on my privacy."


    "Don''t want to see the children anymore?" He hissed sharply.


    Sylvia gnashed her teeth, "It''s not Simon.¡±


    ¡°Who is it then?¡±


    ¡°Its him.¡±


    "Who is this him?¡±


    "Thomas."


    Immediately after that, she felt the grip around her jaw loosening.


    ¡°Good, very good,¡± Odellmented with a slight chuckle.


    The way he said it evoked an ufortable, stuffy feeling inside Sylvia''s chest


    Again, silence.


    His tall figure stood in front of her as straight as a totem pole.


    The cold wind continued to blow their way.


    Sylvia shivered from the cold. She then lowered her head and asked in a low voice, "Odell, is there anything else you need?¡±


    "| have something to ask you."


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    "You knew that | was in a car ident, right?"


    Sylvia simply hummed in reply.


    ¡°Why didn''t youe to visit me?¡± Odell asked, this time lowering his head to face her as he caressed her cheeks. His dark eyes seemed like two bottomless


    pools.


    Sylvia sped her hands in front of her and stated, ¡° | didn''t think it was appropriate for me to go."


    ¡°Why is it inappropriate?¡±


    "You have a fiancee now and I''m your ex-wife. Me visiting you will only cause a controversy.¡±


    ¡°Do you truly think that its inappropriate, or is it simply because you didn''t want toe to visit me?¡± There was a pang of brittleness in his voice.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Seemingly due to the tension, she pressed her hands together in front of her.


    Nothing but silence reigned in the air around them:

 Chapter 823

    Chapter 823


    Sylvia, let me ask you just one more question.¡± He held her chin tightly in his hands. A rush of his hot breath blew against her face, "Do you still love me?"


    Sylvia froze, her hands sped together tighter than before


    Did he still have feelings for.


    But wasn''t he engaged to Lily?


    They had gotten engaged in front of all of their friends and families


    If she imed that she still loved him, would he call off the entire thing to be with her?


    What about Lily?


    How would he exin things to the Springsteens?


    She remembered the time Madam Springsteen hade to confront her.


    She was still mentally unstable. Someone who could not draw and keep her emotions stable... How could someone like her be with him and give him happiness?


    ¡°Answer mel¡± He suddenly bellowed


    Sylvia snapped back to her senses and answered in a trembling voice, "No... no.¡±


    He red at her fearful eyes and asked usingly again, ¡°You don¡¯t love me anymore?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is there not even the slightest trace of affection left for me?¡±


    Sylvia dug her fingernails into her palms and gritted her teeth as she forced herself to answer, ¡°No more."


    ¡°Alright, | understand now.¡±


    He spoke in a low and pleasant voice, almost like a song. He said it in a way that seemed like he was going to burst out


    laughing.


    However, hearing it made Sylvia''s heart feel an inexplicable hurt.


    Without waiting for her to say anything, he suddenly let go of her and departed, his tall figure vanishing into the night.


    The living room was filled with unbearable silence, and only the cold wind continued to roar.


    After what seemed like forever, Sylvia came back to her senses and looked outside.


    The dim lights from the outside illuminated her face that she had not even realized were already covered with her tears.


    Outside her house


    The car that had been parked outside for a long time revved its engine and drove away as soon as Odell got in.


    Meanwhile, there was yet another car that had been parked in a secluded area the entire time.


    From inside the car, Lily looked at the ck car that had just driven away, then she gave an order to the driver, ¡°Tail that car.¡±


    The driver promptly swerved out from the shade of the trees and onto the road.


    Lily stared at the car in front.


    She had been to the hospital three times today; the morning, afternoon, and evening.


    She had been turned away by Cliff both times during the morning and noontime.


    When she had gone again this evening, she had spotted Odell stepping out of the hospital with a dark expression on his face.


    That was when she had decided to tail him.


    She had expected him to stay here for the night. However, he hade out again within an hour. However, the expression he


    now wore seemed even darker than the one he had when he had stepped out of the hospital the same evening.


    Perhaps it was because the woman inside had not offered the hospitality he was expecting? Had she said something that upset


    him that much?


    Forty minutester, the car stopped at Lush Heaven.


    She looked at therge, stately door of Lush Heaven, at its grandiose banner and decorations. After a moment of hesitation, she


    pushed the door open and stepped out of the car.


    The next afternoon


    Due to having sleptte, Sylvia had also woken up veryte.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She felt as if her head was still spinning and she was unbelievably


    groggy. Her body felt weak, which was probably caused by low blood sugar.


    Propping herself up from the bed, she then got out with great difficulty and tried to go to the kitchen to find something to eat.


    As she approached the stairway, a wave of dizziness came upon her which made her fall to the side.


    Thump!


    As she fell on the stairs, her pregnant belly mmed against the handrail which sent a wave of pain throughout her body. Shortly after that, she noticed a stream


    of transparent liquid flowing out from her lower body.


    Sylvia felt so weak that she felt ike she was about to pass out.


    She held her breath and reached for the phone that had fallen onto the stairs


    The phone had been set up with a fingerprint sensor lock. The moment she pressed her finger against the fingerprint sensor, the phone verified her identity and


    unlocked ordingly.


    She had been on her phone all nightst night, debating whether she should send a text to Odell to tell him to drive carefully or something along those lines. It


    was almost dawn when she finally fell asleep.


    When the phone was unlocked, the disy showed her conversation with Odell that she had been staring at all nightst night


    She could not bear the pain anymore and did not have the strength to navigate to other contacts, it took everything left in her to press


    the dial button


    Beep!


    With one click, the call went through


    It only rang for one second


    Immediately after that, the call was ended from the other end


    Her face turned pale as she reached for the phone again and tried to call an ambnce. This time, however, her vision slowly faded into ck before she could


    even press a single button.


    Thump.


    Her hand slumped weakly against the ground and she passed out on the stairs

 Chapter 824

    Chapter 824


    Chapter 824


    Meanwhile, inside the VIP room at Lush Heaven,


    Itwas very dimly lit and there was a strong scent of alcohol in the air.


    The sleeping man on the couch slowly opened his eyes.


    Lily who was sitting next to him sprang to attention and promptly put his phone back onto the table behind her.


    She put a smile on her face and greeted Odell, ¡°Hey, you finally woke up?¡±


    Odell¡¯s head was throbbing with pain, he raised his hand and pressed it against his forehead, then he asked her, "Why are you here?¡±


    "A friend of mine told me that she saw youing herest night, so | figured I''d just drop by to see you.¡± She stated unflinchingly.


    Odell sat up and checked the time on his watch


    He frowned, then he got up and approached the table to pick his phone up


    Lily mentioned, ¡°Just so you know, the young miss called you two times today. | didn''t answer the first time and figured I''d tell you when you wake up. Since you


    continued to sleep, | ended up helping you answer the second time she called. | told her and the young master that they did not need to worry about you.¡±


    Odell shot her a look


    Lily observed his expression and apologized in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry for taking liberties with your privacy like that. You''re not angry at me, are you?¡±


    "No, thanks for answering the call for me.¡±


    If not, the children would be worried sick about him considering he had not been home for a day, especially since it was the New


    Year.


    Something glimmered inside Lily¡¯s eyes as she rose and walked outside with him.


    ¡°In that case, would you mind if | pushed my luck and asked you why you came here to drinkst night?¡± She asked.


    ¡°It''s none of your business.¡±


    His voice was raspy as he spoke in a cold and affectionless way.


    Lily probed in a low voice, "Is it rted to Miss Sylvia?¡±


    His footsteps suddenly came to a halt.


    Lily stopped as well


    After a few seconds, he suddenly grunted, "Don''t ever mention her again."


    ¡°Not today, or...¡±


    ¡°Not ever, don¡¯t ever bring her up.¡±


    His voice was cold and gloomy.


    Something gleamed in her eyes, ¡°I see, | understand.¡±


    After a while, they walked out of Lush Heaven together and arrived at the parking lot.


    Noticing that Odell was about to enter his car, Lily hurriedly stepped in front of him and said with a quick smile, ¡°Could | invite you


    to be a guest at my house tonight? There¡¯s going to be a family dinner tonight and even if our engagement is not genuine, it¡¯s still


    important to keep up appearances as an engaged couple. I''d like to bring you along. My grandparents would love to see you.¡±


    Odell fell silent for a moment, then he agreed, "Got it."


    The sky was getting darker.


    Acar was coasting down the highway.


    Isabel and Liam were seated together in the back row.


    The thought of getting to see her mother again excited Isabel and she kept gazing at the view outside with her big, round eyes


    Ben was driving, while Jacob was in the passenger seat.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Odell had given them strict orders that Isabel and Liam were not allowed to go to Sylvia without explicit permission. Thus, Ben and Jacob had essentially been


    forced by the two little ones to take them to Sylvia despite their reluctance.


    Upon noticing that they were approaching the junction leading to Sylvia''s ce, Jacob informed, ¡°Young Master, Young Miss, your father will be back in two


    hours. You can only stay here for two hours at most, otherwise he will know that we brought you two here and he''ll skin us alive.¡±


    "Don''t worry, Uncle Jacob, we won''t let you get punished by the big baddie.¡± Isabel swore as she raised her little chubby face confidently.


    Jacob smiled and turned his head, not noticing the subtle, devious gleam in Isabel''s eyes


    There was no chance that she would go back home so easily after making all this effort to visit her mother.


    The stinky baddie had stayed outside all night with that woman to celebrate New Year''s Eve, so chances were that he would not being home tonight. She


    had it all nned out, she and Liam were going to spend the night with their mother.


    The sheer thought of it made her grin from ear to ear.


    Soon, the car stopped outside Sylvia''s house


    Isabel threw the car door open and hopped out of the car.


    The front door was closed, so she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her finger against the fingerprint sensor.

 Chapter 825

    Chapter 825


    Even after Isabel had tried all ten fingers, the door still refused to budge.


    She frowned and turned to Liam, ¡°Why can''t | unlock it?¡±


    ¡°The lock has been changed, it¡¯s not the same one as before.¡± Liam stated after observing the lock, then he proceeded to ring the doorbell


    He rang the doorbell several times. They could hear the doorbell echoing inside the house, but nobody emerged from the house.


    Isabel murmured ruminatively, "Why isn''t Mommy opening the door? Isn''t she at home?"


    Liam took his phone out and searched for the contact saved as ¡® Mommy¡¯ and proceeded to calll her.


    At this time of day, the surrounding area was fairly quiet.


    Upon making the call, both of them could hear a faint ringing of Sylvia''s phoneing from inside the house.


    "Mommy''s phone is in there, | heard it ring!" Isabel cried out and gestured toward the house


    Liam frowned


    Why wasn¡¯t Mommy answering her phone?


    Liam turned to Ben and Jacob, "Uncle Ben, Uncle Jacob, could you two please go in and open the door for us?¡±


    ¡°Got it¡±


    Jacob responded and promptly jumped over the fence andnded on the other side. He then unlocked the door from the inside.


    Liam immediately ran in.


    "Brother, wait for me!" Isabel followed him and ran inside.


    When they entered the living room, they immediately noticed Sylvia passed out on the stairs.


    The two of them turned pale in an instant.


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    They cried out and ran to her in a frenzy.


    Meanwhile, a regr taxi arrived outside the house.


    Aunt Tonya, who had been rushing around all day, got out of the car and dragged her suitcase out of the back.


    Thinking about Sylvia, she moved her feet with a sense of urgency. Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped food into the living


    room, she was greeted by the sight of Ben and Jacob carrying the unconscious Sylvia out.


    Liam and Isabel were following them from behind, as Isabel repeatedly cried for her mommy.


    The color drained away from Aunt Tonya¡¯s face instantly. She quickly went up to them and asked, "What''s wrong with Sylvia?


    Why is she unconscious?"


    Jacob answered, ¡°We found her like this. It looks like she¡¯s inbor.¡±


    Aunt Tonya took a look at Sylvia.


    Sylvia¡¯s water had broken and blood was leaking out.


    She was seized by fear upon noticing this and her voice trembled, ¡° Quick, we need to get her to the hospital!"


    ¡°We''re taking her there right now.¡± 11 11


    They quickly put Sylvia in the car.


    Aunt Tonya squeezed into the back with Isabel and Liam


    Jacob drove quickly but carefully, and soon they arrived at a nearby hospital


    Ben went to get a doctor. Immediately after that, nurses showed up with a hospital bed in tow.


    Sylvia was ced on the bed and carted to the obstetrics department.


    Aunt Tonya, Isabel, and Liam followed after.


    After a while, a doctor stepped out of the delivery room and asked Aunt Tonya, "Are you her family member?¡±


    Aunt Tonya answered urgently, "| am. How is she doing now?"


    ¡°It''s not looking very optimistic. She''s still unconscious. Our readings show that she has a very low blood sugar level and she''s very weak in general. You have to


    prepare for the worst.¡±


    "What do you mean by preparing for the worst?¡±


    Both Isabel and Liam tilted their heads and stared up intently at the doctor.


    The doctor expressed with a deep sigh, "The child may not survive.¡±


    Aunt Tonya almost felt ike fainting, but she quickly grabbed onto the doctor and pleaded with everything in her, ¡°You have to keep her safe, at the very leastAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Please, you have tol ¡±

 Chapter 826

    Chapter 826


    Chapter 826


    "Alright, we are doing everything we can to guarantee the safety of mother and child, but we will need you to sign an agreement with us beforehand.¡±


    "What agreement?"


    ¡°Its a prenatal agreement. One of our nurses will bring it to you. Just read through it and sign it."


    With that, the doctor hurried back into the delivery room.


    Aunt Tonya sped her hands in front of her and walked back and forth anxiously,


    What did she know about the protocols?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    All she knew was that Sylvia''s life was at stake and that the child inside her was very important to her.


    After pacing about for a while, she suddenly noticed something amiss. She looked at Ben and Jacob who were both standing next to her and asked, "Where''s


    Odell? Where has he gone? Why didn''t hee?"


    Ben and Jacob exchanged an awkward nce and muttered with embarrassment, "Aunt Tonya, Master Carter is at Miss Lily''s. He doesn''t know that Sylvia has


    gone intobor.¡±


    Aunt Tonya''s expression immediately changed as she said, "Miss Lily, who is Miss Lily? Look at the state Sylvia is in. Shouldn''t you have called him and told him


    toe over here?"


    Ben and Jacob pursed their lips and remained silent


    Isabel pouted and said, "Aunt Lily is Baddie¡¯s fiancee. He must have gone on a date with her."


    "What!" Aunt Tonya roared furiously, ¡°Sylvia almost lost her life several times as she did everything she could to ensure the


    safety of this child of his, then he turns around and gets engaged to someone else? How could he do this to Sylvia? What sort of


    monster is he?¡±


    Ben and Jacob¡¯s eyes widened.


    Liam and Isabel were thrown off guard by this as well.


    Jacob immediately asked for further confirmation, "Aunt Tonya, so the child inside Sylvia is Master Carter¡¯s?"


    "Who else¡¯s child could it be if it wasn''t his?"


    ll call Master Cater right now! ¡± Jacob knew that time was of the essence and he immediately reached for his phone.


    Atthe Springsteen''s.


    The whole family were seated together at a long table beneath a glittering, dazzling chandelier.


    At the head of the table was Master Springsteen, with Madam Springsteen on his right, and Odell on his direct left.


    Except for Lily who was seated right next to Odell, the rest of the seating had been arranged ording to the order of seniority,


    with the youngest seated farthest from Master Springsteen.


    It was a very cozy atmosphere.


    Several members of the family were discussing a certain major project.


    Halfway through the conversation, they turned to Odell and Lily and asked, ¡°Master Carter, Lily, what do you two think about this


    project?"


    Lily nced at Odell, who was taking his time eating and was clearly uninterested in their topic. With a smile on her face, she


    commented, "I have a lot of thoughts about the project..."


    She continued to borate on the topic for a while.


    Her listeners seemed impressed and nodded with satisfaction.


    Immediately after, the second aunt of the family asked Lily¡¯s mother, ¡°Sister-inw, Odell and Lily seem to be getting along so


    well. When will their official wedding ceremony be?¡±


    As soon as she brought this up, everybody at the table immediately turned their attention to Lily and Odell.


    Before her mother could say anything, Lily herself quickly said, ¡°Oh, Aunt, my main focus now is to make sure that | do


    everything that Grandpa has entrusted to me faithfully first. We''re not in a rush to get married.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, that won''t do. Your mother is eagerly waiting to hold her very own grandchild. Even your grandmother is waiting to hold


    her great-grandchild too."


    "Yeah Lily, is it possible that you and Master Carter have already made arrangements for the wedding, but are not telling us?"


    Lily hurriedly exined, "No, we''re not keeping anything from you.¡±


    "Then, haven''t you two thought about when you''re going to get married yet?"


    Lily''s face changed and she turned to Odell to plead for his help


    Odell put down his cutlery and stated, "We''re not nning on getting married for the time be¡ª"


    Ding!


    Asudden ring from his phone interrupted him


    "Sorry, | need to take this.¡± With that, he took his phone and walked to the living room door where he pressed the phone to his ear.


    "What''s this about?¡± He asked


    Aunt Tonya was practically screaming hysterically into the phone, "Odell, you ungrateful b*stardl You''d better get to the hospital right this moment. If you don''t,


    don''t ever even think about seeing Sylvia ever again!¡±


    Odell frowned and asked icily, "What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°We''re not sure what''s going to happen to the baby inside her. I''ll never forgive you if you don''te to see her right now!¡±


    Was something happening to the baby?

 Chapter 827

    Chapter 827


    Chapter 827


    His brows were knit together into an intense frown and his eyes were as cold as ice


    He remembered exactly what the woman had told himst night, word for word? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Not only had she told him that the baby inside her did not belong to him, she had even insisted that she felt nothing for him and waspletely unconcerned


    about him even though he had gotten into a car ident.


    Why should he go and see her at the hospital?


    She deserved to lose her baby!


    Nobody had forced her to go to Galston with that man. Whose fault was it that she had be depressed over getting dumped?


    His expression became colder and colder as he hissed into the phone, ¡°Let me know when she has lost the baby.¡±


    With that bitter statement, he ended the call


    Inside the hospital


    Aunt Tonya waspletely baffled as she stared at the phone


    After recoiling from her shock, she went on a rant, ¡°Odell, you ungrateful, disgusting, despicable b*stardl If something happens to Sylvia, | will make sure you


    never hear the end of it!¡±


    After her outburst, she covered her face and bawled her eyes out.


    Liam and Isabel who were next to her were baffled by this sight.


    Liam immediately asked, ¡°Aunt Tonya, what did Dad say? Isn''t heing?"


    Aunt Tonya cried out, "He hung up on me! He also told me to let him know when your mom loses the baby! ¡±


    Liam frowned


    At the Springsteens


    After the call with Aunt Tonya, Odell returned to the dining table.


    For some inexplicable reason, he felt an intense wave of irritation boiling inside him and his brows seemed to be locked into a


    permanent frown.


    After eating for a while, he put down the cutlery.


    This immediately drew the attention of Lily and the rest of the family.


    ¡°The rest of you, please take your time eating. | have something urgent to deal with. Please excuse me.¡± With that, he got up and


    walked outside.


    Master Springsteen put down his cutlery, obviously displeased by this.


    Madam Springsteen cast a look at Lily.


    Lily tried to diffuse the situation, "Grandpa, Grandma, why don¡¯t you two continue to eat first? I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    She immediately ran out to chase after Odell.


    It was dark and cold outside.


    Odell strode over to the parking lot.


    However, just as he was about to get into the car, Lily suddenly stopped in front of him.


    ¡°Odell, what kind of urgent business do you have? Why are you leaving in such a hurry?" She asked in puzzlement although she


    made sure that a smile remained on her face.


    "It''s none of your business." He snapped harshly.


    Lily continued to smile politely and asked, "Is it rted to Miss Sylvia?¡±


    Odell frowned and looked annoyed


    "Sorry, | know you warned me to not mention her again this afternoon. | shouldn''t have brought her up.¡± Lily took a step back.


    Odell suddenly remembered his confrontation with Sylvia along with everything that had happened over the past half year, from the most minor detail to the


    major events


    Just for the sake of being with Thomas, the d¡¯mned woman had stabbed him. She had not cared about her two children and had vanished for half a year only to


    come back just because she had gotten dumped. As ifing back pregnant was not bad enough, she even had the audacity to im that she missed that man


    and was depressed because of it!


    How was he in any way inferior to the man who dumped her?


    Even if she did not love him at all, he was still her ex-husband and


    the father of their children. Shouldn''t that have been enough justification for her to visit him at the hospital, at least just for the sake of their children?


    He had waited for her in the hospital for two days and had barely even caught a glimpse of her shadow!


    This was no longer about whether she loved him or not. She just simply had no intention of seeing him


    Snap!


    He flicked the lighter and lit a cigarette.


    White smoke blew from between his lips


    He turned and leaned against the car.

 Chapter 828

    Chapter 828


    Chapter 828


    Bathed within darkness, his figure stood tall and lean


    Even though his face was covered in darkness, it did not affect his handsome appearance in any way.


    Lily was fascinated by it. She only came back to her senses after he had finished the cigarette, then she asked cautiously, ¡°Odell, are you going to look for


    Sylvia?¡±


    Odell threw the cigarette butt on the ground, ¡®I''m not going.¡±


    What kind of fool was he to allow himself to be strung along?


    Lily saw this as a chance and suggested, ¡®Why don''t | go on a walk with you?¡±


    Ding!


    As soon as she said this, Odell¡¯s phone rang again


    In irritation, he pulled the phone out of his pocket.


    The caller ID showed that it was Liam calling


    Why was the brat calling him this time?


    After hesitating for a few seconds, he reluctantly put the phone to his ear, "What''s the matter?¡±


    "Dad, if you don''te to see Mommy again, you''re not only going to lose her, but you will lose me and Isabel also.¡± Liam''s childlike voice was full of


    resentment


    Odell''s eyes were cold as ice as he demanded, "You''re in the hospital too? Who took you there?¡±


    "It doesn''t matter. Mommy needs you more than anything now.¡±


    Odell clenched his phone tightly and tried to suppress the hostility in his voice, ¡°What she needs is the father of the child in her


    womb, not me."


    On the other side of the phone, Liam¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he asked in a confused voice, "Didn''t Aunt Tonya tell you just now?


    The baby inside Mommy¡¯s tummy is yours.¡±


    Huhl


    Odell waspletely bewildered by this, "What did you say?


    Whose child is it?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Tonya said that Mommy was pregnant even before she went to Galston. It''s been almost nine months since then, which


    means the baby is yours."


    Almost nine months?


    Thest time he had run into her while he had been dining with Lily, hadn¡¯t it been Sylvia herself who had imed that it had


    barely been six months?


    Odell stood up straight and desperately asked for further confirmation, ¡°Repeat that again... Whose baby is it?¡±


    Liam promptly ended the call.


    Odell¡¯s face darkened, he turned around and pulled the car door open before jumping inside.


    The ck car swerved out of the parking lot in an instant and zoomed down the road like a bolt of lightning.


    Lily was left standing there,pletely dumbfounded by


    everything she had just witnessed.


    Inside the delivery room,


    Sylvia had no idea how she hade to the hospital. All she knew is that when she opened her eyes, she had seen a crew of


    doctors and nurses pacing about urgently in front of her.


    All she could see was a blur of figures, perhaps due to how weak she was feeling. She could see their mouths moving as they


    spoke to her but she could not make out a single word of what they were saying.


    She felt terrible and her stomach was throbbing so badly that she could not even muster the energy tofort herself.


    Huff.


    She gasped weakly.


    Ithurt. Everything hurt.


    She could not muster up the slightest bit of strength either.


    Sigh, forget it, so be it. She should never havee back. Perhaps this child shouldn''t stay either.


    She shut her eyes again.


    Her consciousness became like a muddled pool as the countless memories from the past six months repeated in a chaotic order inside her mind


    The time she had found out Thomas¡¯ true colors


    When she had disregarded everything and stabbed that man to


    save her child and Aunt Tonya


    The painful, grueling half-year she had spent locked up alll alone in that dark castle in Galston.


    Itwas karma that things were ending up this way.


    She should have never allowed herself to be deceived by Thomas¡¯ superficiality. She should have never trusted him at all


    She didn¡¯t me Odell for hating her so much.


    But now, she would be going to the other world with her unborn child. Odell would never have to see her again and be upset by the sight of her. Then he could


    happily spend the rest of his days with Lily.


    She was fading away.


    Just as she thought that the sweet embrace of death would take her away for once and for all, she suddenly felt an intense grip on her arms


    She heard a familiar voice, "...Sylvia, Sylvia, wake up, wake up!¡±


    She felt someone shaking her violently.


    Was it him?


    No, it could not be, he had even refused to answer her call. How could he be here now?Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She continued to drift off to sleep and sink further into the darkness.


    There was yet another vigorous shake that nearly threw her off the bed, as she heard a deep roar, "I told you to wake up! Are you deaf? If you don''t open your


    eyes, | will let you never see Isabel and Liam again! I''ll make sure you never see them again even if you die!¡±

 Chapter 829

    Chapter 829


    Liam, IsabellAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, her eyes snapped open


    Her muddled mind suddenly regained a certain rity and her blurred vision became clear again


    She looked at the man in front of her.


    There was ayer of antibacterial covering over his tailored suit. He also had a head cover and a mask on that concealed his appearance.


    The only thing that helped her recognize him was the all-too- familiar look in his eyes


    Such dark eyes with such an intense look within them, who else could it be if not Odell?


    Still, she had a hard time believing it


    He had hung up on her. What had made him suddenly decide toe here?


    "Am |... Am | dead?" Was this just a hallucination?


    Odell told her, "... You''re not dead, you''re still alive.¡±


    His gaze was sharp as a knife and his voice was cold and gloomy.


    Sylvia shuddered, as rity began to return to her brain


    She asked weakly, "You... Why are you here? Didn''t you hang up on me?¡±


    Odell red at her, "Aunt Tonya and Liam called me and told me toe. They told me that the baby is mine.¡±


    Sylvia stared at him wide-eyed. Her mind went nk and for a moment, she did not know how to respond.


    She tilted her head and closed her eyes to pretend that she was dead.


    Odell turned her face toward him with one hand, and hissed menacingly in her ear, ¡°I''ll count to three, and if you don''t open your


    eyes again, you will never get to see Liam and Isabel again.¡±


    Sylvia''s eyelids twitched, but before Odell could go on, she opened her eyes and said breathlessly, "I didn''t mean to hide it from


    you."


    ¡°Then it¡¯s intentional.¡± His voice was somber.


    Sylvia pursed her lips, not daring to speak. She barely even had the strength left to utter a single word.


    The doctor interjected, ¡°Master Carter, she¡¯s in a much better condition now. All she needs now is to recover her strength. We


    just need to let her eat something quickly."


    With that, a nurse appeared with a bowl of soup.


    Odell took the bowl in his hands before sitting on the edge of the bed. With one arm, he lifted Sylvia up and allowed her to rest


    her head on his shoulder as he spoonfed her the soup.


    "Open your mouth." His voice was brash andmanding.


    Sylvia opened her mouth as she was told and swallowed the soup down bit by bit until she had finished the entire bowl.


    The nurse then brought them some chocte.


    Odell crushed the chocte into small pieces and put each piece in


    her mouth one by one.


    Sylvia ate them all


    Gradually, she felt the strength returning to her body.


    All her exhaustion seemed to disappear. However, that only made the pain in her belly seem more pronounced now.


    She frowned.


    ¡°What''s wrong?" Odell noticed and asked immediately.


    ¡°It hurts.¡±


    "Where does it hurt?"


    "Stomach... my stomach hurts." Sylvia grumbled.


    Odell immediately turned to the doctor, "Why is she in so much pain?¡±


    The doctor said helplessly, ¡°Master Carter, that¡¯s just whates with having a baby. She¡¯s doing much better now, so it¡¯s time


    for us to take her to delivery.¡±


    Odell frowned and looked at Sylvia, "Can you handle it?¡±


    Sylvia gnashed her teeth in pain, ¡°I... | should be able to.¡±


    ¡°You have to, no matter what! Or else, you''ll get it from mel¡± He suddenly roared


    Syivia shivered with fear, thus intensifying the pain in her lower body.


    She could not bear the sharp pain and cried out loud


    ¡°Master Carter, we''ll be sending her to the delivery room now, so


    I''ll have to ask you to leave now.¡± The doctor urged anxiously.


    Odell tuned to Sylvia, "Sylvia, listen up now, if you make it through this, Ill excuse everything that happened in the past. But if something goes wrong from


    here, then I''ll, then you''ll seel Do you hear me?¡±


    Sylvia took a breath and whispered weakly, ¡°Word for word.¡±


    Odell got up and left the room


    Immediately after that, two nurses began to push the bed


    Seeing that Sylvia was about to enter the delivery room, Odell grabbed the doctor by his cor and pleaded, ¡°If anything goes wrong at all, | want you to ensure


    her safety first and foremost! As long as you keep her alive, | swear that | will provide everything the hospital needs if anythinges up in the future!¡±


    The doctor remarked with a confident smile upon hearing this, " Don''t worry, sir. Even if you didn''t tell us, we would still do everything in our power to ensure


    the mother''s safety.¡±


    With that, Sylvia was pushed into the delivery room


    Although she was dealing with the intense pain in her belly, she had heard the entire exchange.


    She suddenly could not help but smile


    Not only that, she also felt a surge of energy swell inside her.

 Chapter 830

    Chapter 830


    Aunt Tonya, Isabel, and Liam were huddled together in the corridor, all of them staring intently at the delivery room.


    When Odell came out, Aunt Tonya immediately rushed towards him and asked,¡±How is Sylvia doing?¡±


    The children anxiously turned to him as well.


    He answered,¡±She¡¯s doing much better, and she¡¯s in the delivery room now.¡±


    Aunt Tonya immediately heaved a sigh of relief,"That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Isabel and Liam seemed just asforted by the news.


    Odell gently patted Liam and said,¡±Take your sister with you and have Ben and Jacob take you two


    somewhere to eat dinner.¡±


    Liam insisted, ¡°I want to wait here for Mommy toe out.¡±


    Isabel chimed,¡±! want to wait for Mommy too.¡±


    Odell red at them coldly, ¡°Either you go and get dinner right now, or you go home. The choice is yours.¡±


    Liam


    frowned.


    Isabel scoffed at him.


    With that, they departed hand in hand with Ben and Jacob.


    Odell turned to Aunt Tonya,¡±Aunt Tonya, can you tell me what happened during the six months that you went to Galston?¡±


    Chapter


    830


    ¡°Aren''t you already engaged to Miss Springsteen ?


    What''s the point of asking me this now?¡± Aunt Tonya expressed angrily.


    ¡°I''m sorry, | shouldn¡¯t have spoken to you like that on the phone just now.¡±


    This seemed to appease Aunt Tonya, though she was still rather upset,¡°Like | said, you¡¯re already engaged to someone else.


    There¡¯s no point in you knowing all this.¡±


    ¡°Our engagement only came to be because of a private agreement.¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s expression changed,¡¯What do you mean? Has this been a fake engagement the entire time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± After a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°I want to know why Sylvia is suffering from depression.¡± He also wanted to know


    why she was carrying his child but had refused to tell him.


    Aunt Tonya sighed, ¡°Well, so many things happened in those six months. Neither of us ever imagined that Thomas would turn


    out to be someone like that. The entire reason she went to Galston in the first ce was to save me, Isabel, and Liam.¡±


    Odell immediately probed,¡±Didn¡¯t she go to Galston to be with Thomas?¡±


    Aunt Tonya immediately rified,"Of course not! She didn¡¯t even love Thomas to begin with and even if she did, she wouldn''t


    simply abandon the children!¡±


    Odell seemed dumbfounded and asked again, ¡°She doesn¡¯t love Thomas?¡±


    Chapter 830


    3/4


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s always just been Thomas who was pursuing her. She only agreed to date him out of a sense of obligation because


    she felt like she owed him and she thought that it was the least she could do.¡± Aunt Tonya told him candidly.


    Odell was baffled. How was this possible? She had even stabbed him in order to go away with Thomas. How could it be that she


    had never had feelings for him at all?


    He felt his body tensing up as he pressed further, ¡°How did you know she dated him only because of all these reasons that you


    stated?¡±


    ¡°I''ve been by her side the entire time. | watched her grow up and | know everything there is to know about her. How do you think


    | know?¡± Aunt Tonya had not expected Odell to bepletely oblivious of everything that had happened. It would seem that


    Sylvia had never told him anything since her return.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Immediately after this, she followed up with,"The morning we left Westchester , she happened to find a phone that Thomas had


    once used. She read everything that Tara had sent to him and found out about all the despicable things he had done.


    Unfortunately, Thomas himself found out about this as well and promptly had me, Isabel, and Liam all drugged. He then used us


    to threaten her. After that, she had no choice but to go with him.¡±


    Odell felt as if he had been knocked off his feet.


    He remembered how when Thomas¡¯ men had brought the children to him, they had seemedpletely out of it and they had


    slept an absurdly long time before finally waking up.


    At the time, he was still fuming over Sylvia stabbing him, so all


    830


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s always just been Thomas who was pursuing her. She only agreed to date him out of a sense of obligation because


    she felt like she owed him and she thought that it was the least she could do.¡± Aunt Tonya told him candidly.


    Odell was baffled. How was this possible? She had even stabbed him in order to go away with Thomas. How could it be that she


    had never had feelings for him at all?


    He felt his body tensing up as he pressed further, ¡°How did you know she dated him only because of all these reasons that you


    stated?¡±


    ¡°I''ve been by her side the entire time. | watched her grow up and | know everything there is to know about her. How do you think


    | know?¡± Aunt Tonya had not expected Odell to bepletely oblivious of everything that had happened. It would seem that


    Sylvia had never told him anything since her return. Immediately after this, she followed up with,¡±The


    morning we left Westchester , she happened to find a phone that Thomas had once used. She read everything that Tara had


    sent to him and found out about all the despicable things he had done. Unfortunately, Thomas himself found out about this as


    well and promptly had me, Isabel, and Liam all drugged. He then used us to threaten her. After that, she had no choice but to go


    with him.¡±


    Odell felt as if he had been knocked off his feet.


    He remembered how when Thomas¡¯ men had brought the children to him, they had seemedpletely out of it and they had


    slept an absurdly long time before finally waking up.


    At the time, he was still fuming over Sylvia stabbing him, so all


    Chapter


    830


    4l4


    these details had simply gone over his head.

 Chapter 831

    Chapter 831


    Now that he recalled everything that happened that day, he was beginning to notice many peculiarly odd details...


    Which meant that she had been lying to him ever since that time?


    She never meant to go with Thomas. She only went to Galston with him to save Aunt Tonya and the children!


    He balled his hand into a fist and fell into an ominous silence for a long time. Atst, he spoke,¡±How did shee to be


    depressed?¡±


    ¡°Sigh... After she went to Galston, she did everything she could to sneak back to Westchester City but Thomas caught her every


    time. He had several people¡¯s hands chopped off to intimidate her and to send a message. This isn¡¯t even the worst of it because


    later, he separated me from her and had her locked in a room where she could not even see the light of the sun or tell what time


    of the day it was. He locked her up in there like an animal for three months before he finally let her out. | don¡¯t


    even know what he did to her in those three grueling months. By the time she came out, she waspletely hysterical and


    covered in blood. | think it was because she wed herself while she was stuck in there...¡±


    Aunt Tonya became choked up as she revealed all of this.


    Odell stood tall and ominous before her.


    ¡°... She was justpletely out of it. It frightened not only me but Thomas as well. Eventually, he agreed to let here back on


    her own and said that if she could manage by herself until the next year, he¡¯d let mee back as well.¡±


    10


    After she finished, she wiped away tears from her eyes.


    The corridor became silent.


    Odell stood stiffly like a stone sculpture for a very long time before his voice broke out. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she tell me? Why didn¡¯t she at


    least give me a call..?¡±


    Aunt Tonya choked up. ¡°There was no signal at all where we lived. She couldn''t escape and couldn¡¯t get her hands on a phone


    to contact you with.¡±


    Odell zipped his lips into a thin line and remained silent.


    His solitary figure stood still in front of the delivery room and did not even budge for the longest time.


    He recalled the day she returned.


    There was heavy snow on that day. He had just gotten engaged with Lily as well. He remembered seeing her toward the end of


    the engagement ceremony and went after her. He said a lot of harsh things to her and left her all by herself in the snow and


    when he went outside, she had gone back to her ce.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her ce was covered in dust at the time. He remembered how she carefully ced her new clothes


    on the couch to make a ce for him to sit without getting his clothes dirty. She smiled and pandered to him as much as she


    could just so that she could see the children.


    Not only did he refuse, but he also barred the windows so she could not see the children. All she could do was lean against the


    wall like a thief just so she could hear their voices


    Later, he ended up taking the children with him back to his old ce. She still tried to sneak inside but to no avail.


    During Ramona¡¯s birthday, she expected him to bring the children to attend the banquet so she dressed up as a waiter to sneak


    her way into the banquet. The only thing she got from all that effort was public embarrassment , getting pped by her sister in


    front of everyone, and drenched in wine...


    It was only until he found out that she had depression that he conceded and let her see the children.


    The entire time, he thought that she got dumped by Thomas and came back with depression. He assumed that the child


    belonged to Thomas and so responded by treating her condescendingly.


    To think that ... All his assumptions were wrong the entire time!


    She never got dumped, and the baby was never Thomas!


    She never even loved


    Thomas!


    She was taken to Galston by force. Thrown into solitary confinement, all the fear and agitation led to her depression ...


    In all this time since her return, he had never extended any kindness toward her, not even once.


    Time stood still for him for what seemed like eons.


    Isabel and Liam came back from dinner and made sure to get some food for Aunt Tonya as well. Aunt Tonya finished eating and


    sat with them on the chair opposite the delivery room and waited for a long time.


    Eventually, Isabel began to doze off and fell asleep in Aunt Tonya¡¯s arms. Even Liam was beginning to doze off when suddenly, a


    loud cry emitted from inside the delivery room.


    The man who had been standing still in front of the delivery room the entire time suddenly sprang to attention and turned around.

 Chapter 832

    Chapter 832


    The door opened from the inside


    The nurse held a baby wrapped in a nket and smiled at Odell. ¡°Master Carter, congrattions, it¡¯s a boy!¡±


    Odell barely spared a look at the child and turned to the nurse with a frantic look on his face. ¡°What about her? How is she?¡±


    The nurse informed, ¡°Both the mother and the baby are safe. She exerted a lot of strength during childbirth and is very tired.


    She¡¯s asleep now and should be fine after being given some time to rest.¡±


    Odell tried to go inside but the nurse stopped him from doing so.


    The nurse smiled politely. ¡°Please wait just a moment. We''ll have her out in no time.¡±


    Odell halted.


    ¡°You should take the boy first, he¡¯s adorable,¡± the nurse said and handed the boy to him.


    Odell finally took a good look at the boy.


    His skin was smooth as silk and fair. He was a tiny boy.


    The look in Odell¡¯s eyes immediately softened, and he took the boy into his arms.


    Perhaps the boy sensed Odell¡¯s beating down, he pried open his eyelids to reveal two ck pearls that were dark as onyx


    stone.


    It was as if the boy was sizing him


    1.


    ¡°Oh, the boy is beautiful,¡± Aunt Tonya approached and eximed in awe upon seeing the boy closely.


    Odell smiled with pride.


    That was when the closed door was pushed open again, Sylvia was carted out in the hospital bed, still soundly asleep.


    Odell immediately passed the baby to Aunt Tonya and took a look at Sylvia.


    She was sound asleep. Herplexion was pale after exerting so much strength, and her brows were still fixed into a frown.


    He drew closer and put a hand over her brows to ease her frown, and quietly observed her expression with a pondering look.


    Shortly after that, the doctor informed that Sylvia needed more rest and proceeded to have the nurse cart her to her ward. It was


    only then that Odell removed himself from her reluctantly.


    The next morning, in a private ward.


    Sylvia, who had been sleeping all night, opened her eyes and found herself on a soft, feathery bed.


    Her head was still dizzy.


    She looked at the ceiling above, then began turning around to get a sense of where she was. Soon enough, she identified the


    man sitting on a chair by the bed.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He was leaning against the back of the chair with his arms folded across his chest. He stared at her with a dark and sharp look in


    his eyes.


    Sylvia¡¯s first instinct was to quickly shut her eyes and pretend to be still asleep.


    Ayful grin surfaced on Odell¡¯s grim expression.


    ¡°Do you want to see the boy?¡± he asked.


    His voice was filled with depth.


    Sylvia was very tempted.


    ¡°Open your eyes if you want to see the boy.¡± Odell supplied.


    Sylvia carefully opened her eyes and smiled sweetly at Odell to avoid upsetting him. ¡°Where¡¯s the boy?¡±


    ¡°Outside. Aunt Tonya, Isabel, and Liam are watching over him.¡±


    Sylvia looked out toward the door.


    The doors and windows were closed so she could not see anything.


    She wanted to get up but her body was so immensely weak that she could barely sit up, let alone get out of bed.


    She stared helplessly at Odell with a smile and asked politely,¡± Can you let them in?¡±


    He did not answer and only regarded her with a sharp and indifferent look


    Sylvia pursed her lips and muttered,¡±If you''re not going to let them in, fine. But could you at least let Aunt Tonya in?¡±


    She wanted to ask Aunt Tonya what she ended up telling Odell. Then she would get her to persuade Odell to let her see the boy.


    He sat motionless and announced,¡±She told me everything about what happened to you during your six months stay in Galston.¡±


    Sylvia opened her eyes wide. ¡°Did she tell you everything?¡±

 Chapter 833

    Chapter 833


    ¡°Yes, everything there is to know,¡± Odell spoke with a tint of ice in his voice.


    Sylvia twitched her lips.


    Odell refused to avert his intent gaze from her.


    Astark silence descended upon the room.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± he suddenly asked, breaking the silence.


    Sylvia tried to avoid his gaze and wanted to y it off. ¡°Tell you what?¡±


    ¡°That he forced you to go to Galston with him, that he was the reason you ended up with depression, and to tell me that the boy


    is my son!¡± He became more infuriated as he went on. He was practically shouting toward the end of his sentence.


    Sylvia was not as frightened as she thought she would be.


    Not only was she not afraid of his outburst, but she even found herselfughing uncontrobly like a mad woman. She mocked


    him, ¡°You''re already engaged. What''s the point of telling you all this to begin with?¡±


    She originally intended to tell him.


    On the ne back to Westchester City from Galston, she had alreadyposed everything in her head.


    She wanted to exin to him that she did not stab him so she could be with Thomas. She wanted to tell him everything that


    happened to her in Galston during thest six torturous months. She wanted to tell him that despite all odds, she managed to


    keep their child alive.


    However, she received news that he was engaged as soon as she got off the ne.


    The very moment she saw him embracing Lily after their engagement, she swallowed everything she wanted to say including the


    things she hadposed inside her mind on the way back home.


    ¡°Odell,e down to it, we¡¯re simply not meant to be.¡± Sylvia looked at him again. She seemed on the verge of tears but was


    smiling. ¡°Thank you foring herest night. I¡¯ve never done anything with Thomas


    and you can rest assured that the boy is yours. Since Isabel and Liam belong to you now, I''d like to keep the boy by my side. If it


    pleases you, I''ll tell him that you''re his father, but if you think that it would sour things between you and Lily, | will never tell him.


    You don¡¯t have to tell Lily either. She doesn¡¯t need to know that this boy even exists.¡±


    She was still very weak and the exhaustion was showing in her voice.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Fortunately, the ward was quiet enough that Odell could still make out every word of what she was saying.


    Something seemed to freeze inside his bottomless eyes.


    He got up and sat beside her on the bed. He bent over and held her frail face in hisrge palms, bringing his face closer to hers.


    ¡°You''d wish. | want both you and the boy,¡± he dered this with utter certainty. He had never been more confident than now.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes froze, and she felt something lurch inside her chest.


    After several seconds, she shifted her eyes away from him and murmured,¡±I¡¯m not going to be your mistress.¡±


    Odell was quiet.


    After debating over it for a while, he suddenly murmured,¡±Lily and | are only engaged because of circumstance.¡±


    Sylvia turned to him with mild surprise.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    He looked at her agape eyes and exined, ¡°We only got engaged to appease Master Springsteen. There was this


    misunderstanding some time ago that stirred up rumors that | was seeing her. Master Springsteen was so furious by those


    rumors that he ended up fainting.


    It was quite an ordeal. In the end, she came to me and struck a deal to get engaged because she was worried about Master


    Springsteen''s condition.¡±


    Sylvia was still trying to make sense of the situation. ¡°That means it¡¯s not a real engagement after all?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s more like a private coboration more than anything.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    She suddenly recalled her confrontation with Ramona and Madam Springsteen and asked suspiciously, ¡°Then why did Ramona


    and Madam Springsteene to me and warn me to stay away from you?¡±


    Odell seemed alerted by this, evident by his sudden wrathful look. ¡°They came to you?¡±


    At this point, Sylvia did not see a point in hiding things from him and owned up,¡°Yeah, they came to me.¡±


    ¡°What did they tell you?¡±


    She did not want to recall those hateful things they said to her and only stuck to the important details. ¡°They told me to stay away


    from you and not ruin things between you and Lily.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that your engagement with Lily wasn¡¯t real.¡± Sylvia scoffed grumpily.


    Odell narrowed the look in his eyes.


    Sylvia quietly peered at him.


    After a moment, he chuckled softly. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, | should¡¯ve told you earlier.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glowed up. She asked again in a slightly doubtful tone,¡°So, it was a fake engagement all along? There¡¯s nothing


    going on between the two of you?¡±


    Odell looked into her eyes. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d still be here if my feelings for her were true?¡±

 Chapter 834

    Chapter 834


    Sylvia made a look and smiled silently.


    Odell watched her and could not suppress the urge to draw his face closer toward her and kiss her lips.


    After sharing a brief kiss, Sylvia drew her hand toward his neck and gently nudged him away.


    Odell frowned and stared at her unhappily.


    Sylvia suddenly brought up. ¡°I just remembered something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If the engagement wasn¡¯t real, why did you go on a date with her two days ago?¡±


    ¡°Who told you that | went on a date with her?¡± he expressed angrily.


    Sylvia informed, ¡°Isabel and Liam told me that you didn¡¯t go home to see them on New Year''s eve.¡±


    Odell pinched her cheek and exined, slightly upset,¡±After you left that night, | went to Lush Heaven right away. | ended up


    drinking too much and fell asleep there.¡±


    Something gleamed in her eyes. ¡°Oh.¡±


    That was right. On the day of New Year¡¯s eve, he came to visit her and ask her if she still loved him.


    Odell narrowed the look in his eyes and looked at her with a wicked expression. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and brought up. ¡°Why did you hang up on me yesterday afternoon ? Was it because you were angry with


    me?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression changed. ¡°You called me yesterday afternoon?¡±


    ¡°| can¡¯t remember when exactly because | was very dizzy at the time, but | remember very clearly that | called you at one point


    and you hung up on me the moment the call connected. | fainted after that.¡±


    Odell took out his phone.


    Noting this, Sylvia also went to get her phone underneath the pillow. She went to her call logs and found the record of her calling


    Odell. The information on the call log disyed that the call was not connected.


    ¡°Here, look.¡± She turned the screen to him.


    Odell looked at the phone and immediately after that, his eyes darkened.


    He proceeded to open the call log on his phone instead.


    There was nothing indicating an iing call from Sylvia from yesterday afternoon.


    During that general timeframe yesterday, he was still in Lush Heaven with Lily by his side.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Sylvia asked carefully when she noticed the change in Odell¡¯s demeanor.


    wicked expression. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and brought up. ¡°Why did you hang up on me yesterday afternoon ? Was it because you were angry with


    me?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression changed. ¡°You called me yesterday afternoon?¡±


    ¡°| can¡¯t remember when exactly because | was very dizzy at the time, but | remember very clearly that | called you at one point


    and you hung up on me the moment the call connected. | fainted after that.¡±


    Odell took out his phone.


    Noting this, Sylvia also went to get her phone underneath the pillow. She went to her call logs and found the record of her calling


    Odell. The information on the call log disyed that the call was not connected.


    ¡°Here, look.¡± She turned the screen to him.


    Odell looked at the phone and immediately after that, his eyes darkened.


    He proceeded to open the call log on his phone instead.


    There was nothing indicating an iing call from Sylvia from yesterday afternoon.


    During that general timeframe yesterday, he was still in Lush Heaven with Lily by his side.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Sylvia asked carefully when she noticed the change in Odell¡¯s demeanor.


    He answered solemnly, ¡°She must¡¯ve hung up on you.¡±


    ¡°She? Who''s she?¡±


    ¡°Lily.¡±


    Sylvia was floored by this.


    Odell turned to her.,¡±| wasn¡¯t awake when you called me. She was by my side.¡± ..


    ¡°Oh,¡± Sylvia only muttered weekly.


    Sensing the change in her mood, he quickly rified, ¡°She came by after | fell asleep after getting drunk. | didn¡¯t even know she


    was there and only saw her when | woke up.¡±


    All of the misunderstandings between them stemmed from the fact that he never told her that his engagement with Lily was all a


    tuse this entire time. He decided that there would be no more secrets between them.


    Sylvia''s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    She seemed very satisfied to hear this.


    Odell narrowed his eyes, then he lowered himself toward Sylvia and kissed her again.


    He pressed his weight on Sylvia, and she sank into the pillow.,


    She did not have the strength to resist his passion. Her hands were bound by him so there was no room for resistance to begin


    with. She took it all.


    Even after some time, he still refused to let go of her and only increased the intensity of his kiss. He kissed as if he was trying to


    vent his pent-up emotions.


    Sylvia was quickly losing breath and grunted in a muffled voice.


    Odell finally let her


    ¡®bContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She quickly opened her mouth and gasped for air. That was when she noticed that Odell¡¯s eyes were glowing red like he was


    holding back tears.


    She asked with concern,¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to see me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He held her face gently. ¡°I''ve been waiting for you in the hospital for two days. Why didn¡¯t you see me? Is it because you thought


    it was inappropriate just because I¡¯m engaged to Lily?¡±


    Sylvia realized what he was talking about. She met his gaze and confessed, ¡°I went.¡±

 Chapter 835

    Chapter 835


    Chapter 835 Odell seemed greatly affected by this. ¡°When did youe ?¡±


    ¡°| went that morning immediately after Isabel called me to tell me that you got into a car ident. When | got there, | wasn¡¯t


    expecting both Lily and Madam Springsteen to show up at the same time so | was afraid to head up there to see you because


    they were there as well. | hid somewhere and waited until they came out. That was when | heard them mention that you were


    fine, and | ended up leaving after that.¡± Sylvia ryed everything that happened during her visit to the hospital that day.


    Odell frowned.


    He remembered that Lily and Madam Springsteen hade rather early that day and had stayed with him nearly the entire noon


    before leaving.


    It was only after Lily left that afternoon that he asked Cliff to send someone to spy on Sylvia, only to learn that she had been


    staying at home all day, doing nothing.


    At the time, he thought that she could not be bothered to see him at all. Never in his wildest dreams would he expect that she


    had been at the hospital since that morning and had been waiting there for the better half of the day to learn how he was


    doing...


    He felt a tightness in his chest and turned to meet her gaze.


    Herplexion was still pale and frail, but her eyes glittered with energy. She did not try to avoid his gaze.


    After a moment of silence, he cupped up her face and kissed her again.


    He was afraid to get too rough with her this time, but he could not deny his wants at the same time.


    He sped the back of her head and kissed her fervently for a moment before forcing himself to let go of her.


    He rubbed her face with his fingertips and whispered,¡±Don¡¯t keep secrets from me from here on.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips and whispered back, ¡°You can¡¯t keep secrets from me either.¡±


    ¡°I''ll tell you everything you want to know from here on.¡±


    He spoke gently and firmly.


    Sylvia felt a great sense of relief. She felt something warm spreading inside her chest and smiled as she had never smiled


    before.


    Odell smiled the same way and mentioned, ¡°I''ll bring them in.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He got up and went outside.


    After a while, a stampede of footsteps tore through the silence of the room.


    Isabel and Liam ran hand in hand.


    Sylvia leaned back against the head of the bed and smiled at them.


    The two of them hopped onto the bed andy side by side, staring at her.


    Aunt Tonya entered as well with the newborn baby in her arms.


    ¡°Sylvia, the boy just woke up, take a look,¡± Aunt Tonya said as she rested the child in front of her.


    Sylvia took the boy very carefully.


    The boy did not cry or threw a tantrum as he looked at his mother with his pearly eyes.


    He was like a giant marshmallow, very adorable.


    Sylviaughed heartily when she looked at her newborn son.


    Both Liam and Isabel smiled cheerfully as well when they saw their mother¡¯s joy.


    ¡°Mom, does my brother look like me?¡± Isabel asked with a grin, her eyes shaped into a crescent-moon smile.


    Sylvia turned to her and Liam. Then she smiled and said, ¡°He looks a lot like you and your brother.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°But he looks more like me, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    Sylvia looked at Liam, the boy was silently observing his newborn brother and did not seem at all bothered by this strange


    competition Isabel drew up. She smiled and said,¡±Yes, he looks a lot like you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Keep


    your tablet safe Turn on Find My Mobile so you can locate and remotely control your tablet if... v


    Odell¡¯s tall figure leaned against the door frame by the entrance. He was taking in the dreamy view of the mother and her


    children, and the corners of his lips formed into a smile.


    He had never smiled in such a soft and delicate way.


    The warm atmosphere in the room seemed like it couldst forever.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Until Isabel suddenly mentioned , ¡°Mommy, he doesn¡¯t have a name yet.¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback.


    It just urred to her that she never thought about what to name the boy.


    She turned to Odell.


    Odell pursed his lips.


    He only found out that the child was hisst night and barely had time to think about a proper name.


    He approached the chair beside the bed and sat down. He carried Isabel into his arms and asked her, ¡°What do you think we


    should name your baby brother?¡±

 Chapter 836

    Chapter 836


    Isabel puffed up her cheeks and pondered. She seemed to take the task very seriously.


    ¡°Flint.¡±


    It was Liam who said this.


    Odell, Sylvia, and Isabel turned to him


    collectively.


    Sylvia asked him with a smile,¡°Liam, why do you want to name your brother Flint?¡±


    Liam looked at his baby brother who was sleeping soundly and remarked, ¡°His eyes are dark like coal. | thought Flint would be a


    nice name.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and gave her blessings. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s call him Flint.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s body was still rather weak.


    She had breakfast, went to the bathroom, then chatted with everyone for a while before falling asleep with Flint next to her.


    Seeing that her mother and her new brother were sleeping together, Isabel wanted to crawl into the bed and sleep with them, but


    Odell stopped her.


    He took her into his arms and patted Liam''s small shoulder with the other. ¡°Come on out. Your brother and mother need some


    rest.¡±


    836


    Liam nced at the two sleeping figures on the bed and reluctantly followed Odell out to the next room.


    They rested in the adjacent roomst night.


    Odell put Isabel who was already drifting off to sleep on the bed, then he shot a look at Liam before heading out.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell paused and turned back to see Liam looking at him with a sort of grim look.


    He flicked an eyebrow and told him, ¡°To be with your mother.¡±


    Liam suddenly asked in a challenging way,¡±So you''re not going to see Aunt Lily?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Something shifted in Liam¡¯s eyes when he suddenly asked,¡°Did you and Mommy make up?¡±


    Odell smiled in a rather queer way and stated, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Liam seemed encouraged to hear this, but he asked again when a thought urred to him, ¡°It¡¯s not going to be the same thing


    again where you two get into a fight againter on?¡±


    ¡°No, we won''t be separated again.¡±


    Even if this woman stabbed him ten times, he still would not let her go.


    Liam grinned happily upon hearing this.


    Odell returned the same smile and left behind instructions,¡±


    836


    Take care of your sister.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Liam answered dutifully.


    Odell then turned around and went out.


    Soon, he was back in Sylvia¡¯s room next door.


    Aunt Tonya was still sitting beside the bed. He promptly informed her, ¡°Get some rest in the next room. I''ll watch over them.¡±


    Aunt Tonya suggested cautiously,¡±You barely sleptst night. You should get some sleep while | watch over them.¡±


    ¡°I''m not sleepy,¡± he said as he plopped himself down on a chair.


    Aunt Tonya had no choice but to leave.


    The room became quiet.


    After sitting for a while, he leaned closer to Sylvia and nted a kiss on her forehead.


    Sylvia was awakened by the cry of the baby.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw Odell standing in front of the bed holding Flint in his arms. It seemed like he was trying to


    get him to stop crying but had no clue how to achieve that.


    He wore a tight frown and whispered,


    ¡°Don''t cry.¡±


    Flint suddenly zipped his mouth, but only moments after that immediately broke out into a tremendous cry again.


    Odell was speechless.


    836


    Sylvia was afraid that Odell would hit the child, so she hurriedly said to him,¡±He¡¯s hungry. Quick, give him to me.¡±


    Noticing that Sylvia was awake, Odell put the baby in front of her.


    Sylvia immediately unbuttoned her clothes but stopped abruptly when she was halfway through. She turned to Odell who was.


    still standing idly beside the bed and mentioned, ¡°I¡¯m going to breastfeed Flint. Can you go outside for a while?¡±


    Odell frowned and seemed displeased by this.


    Sylvia had topromise. ¡°Well, just turn around.¡±


    He darted a nce at her chest and proceeded to turn around.


    With that, Sylvia continued unbuttoning her shirt.


    The boy instantly fell silent.


    After he was full, he fell asleep again.


    Sylvia gently set the boy down beside her. ¡°Is he full?¡± Odell asked, his voice heavy with bass.


    Sylvia turned in the direction of his voice and noticed that he had turned around at some point without her noticing.


    Her face flushed red and she reprimanded him angrily, ¡°Who told you to turn around?¡± Odell narrowed his eyes harshly.

 Chapter 837

    Chapter 837


    Chapter 837


    Sylvia sheathed the sharp look in her eyes and softened her tone, ¡°When did you turn around?¡±


    ¡°Just now.¡±


    As soon Odell answered, he drew closer to the bed and leaned in toward Sylvia. He took her chin in his hand and said with a coy


    smile, ¡°Repeat what you just said.¡±


    Sylvia repeated, slightly puzzled, ¡°When did you turn around ?¡±


    ¡°No, the previous sentence.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s confusion was ever-growing.


    She looked at him evasively.


    His handsome face was only inches from her. He had a self satisfied smile and seemed rather amused by the current situation.


    How was he so amused when Sylvia was upset at him only a moment ago?


    Unsure of what was on his mind, Sylvia decided to y it off. ¡°I forgot what | said.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Odell grunted icily.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes narrowed and she carefully whispered, ¡°I said, who told you to turn around?¡±.


    ¡°You said it in a different tone just now,¡± he said with a stern look on his face.


    Sylvia added a tint of aggression to her voice,¡±Who told you to turn around?¡±


    ¡°More assertive.¡±


    Sylvia tried her best. ¡°...Who told you to turn around?!¡±


    ¡°Which part don¡¯t you understand?¡± He grabbed her chin andmanded fiercely,¡°More assertive!¡±


    Sylvia felt greatly troubled by what he was making her do, she channeled her frustration and roared, ¡°Who told you to turn


    around?!¡±


    Immediately after that, Odell cracked a queer smile. He seemed rather satisfied with Sylvia¡¯s disy.


    He gently caressed her cheek. ¡°Just like that. From here on, you don¡¯t have to suppress your emotions anymore. Let it all out if


    you''re angry.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡±


    As soon as she said that, a ck look surfaced on Odell¡¯s face.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Asilence fell upon them.


    Sylvia muttered meekly, ¡°You told me to not suppress my emotions, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°| said that you shouldn¡¯t suppress your emotions. | didn¡¯t tell you to get angry at me.¡± He immediately tapped Sylvia on her head


    upon saying this.


    He did it yfully so it did not hurt in the slightest.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and muttered,


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Her stomach began to growl.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Her expression stiffened.


    Odell smiled and asked,


    ¡°Hungry?¡±


    Sylvia nodded.


    ¡°Yeah¡±.


    ¡°Just one second. I''ll get them to bring food here.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell took out his phone and made a call.


    Within a few minutes, a nurse walked in with a tter of nutritious food. She set the tter next to the bed before leaving.


    Odell sat down on the edge of the bed and moved the dishes onto a retractable table in front of Sylvia.


    She looked at his slender hands that were operating swiftly, setting the meal for her. Something urred to her and she asked,


    ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡±


    ¡°Just had dinner with Aunt Tonya and thekids.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    837


    4l4


    Sylvia picked up the cutlery and began eating.


    After she had her fill, shey back on the bed.


    Odell put the cutlery and tes back onto the cart that the nurse had brought in, and then made a phone call.


    After a while, the nurse came over and pushed the cart out.


    The ward fell silent again.


    Sylvia looked at him, her eyes wide open.


    Odell sensed her staring at him and confronted her gaze.


    She promptly closed her eyes.


    He smiled and chuckled to himself.


    After a while, her breathing gained a slow and steady rhythm as she had fallen asleep. That was when he rose and moved to a


    nearby couch.


    He had been awake for nearly twenty-four hours and was beginning to feel tired as well.


    He leaned on the couch, then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


    After an indiscernible amount of time, he heard a knock on the door.


    He slowly opened his eyes to steal a peek.


    There was a window attached to the door and from the window, he immediately recognized Lily who was standing outside.

 Chapter 838

    Chapter 838


    Chapter 838


    Something dark surfaced in his eyes. He darted a nce at Sylvia who was still sound asleep and then he went outside.


    Lily smiled politely when he stepped outside and greeted him courteously,¡°! heard that Miss Sylvia just gave birth and | figured I''d


    come to take a look. How is she doing?¡±


    ¡°She''s doing fine,¡± Odell spoke with a shade of hostility.


    Lily was very sharp and immediately sensed his vexation. She considered for a moment and asked, ¡°I think she¡¯s only pregnant


    for half a year. How¡¯s the baby doing?¡±


    ¡°The baby is doing fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good as she delivered only after half a year of pregnancy. | was wondering if some sort of ident happened that led to


    such an early delivery.¡±


    ¡°Something along those lines did happen, but this isn¡¯t considered an early delivery. She¡¯s only half a month away from the


    original expected date.¡±


    Lily seemed rather shocked by this, evident by the look on her face. ¡°I thought thest time we met her she mentioned that she


    had not been pregnant for more than half a year?¡±


    Odellpletely ignored this statement and returned with a question of his own. ¡°Were you the one who hung up on her when


    she called yesterday afternoon?¡±


    The look in his eyes was piercing.


    Chapter


    838


    Lily suddenly turned horridly pale. ¡°.... | figured you were in a bad mood at the time and since you were resting, | didn¡¯t want


    you to be disturbed, so | hung up for you.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you delete the phonerecord?¡±


    Lily lowered her head and said apologetically,¡±I¡¯m sorry, that was out of line.¡±


    Odell looked at her sternly. ¡°Miss Lily, it seems that I¡¯ve been too cordial with you.¡±


    Lily frowned and expressed unhappily,"What do you mean by this? Apart from this one minor incident, I¡¯ve done nothing else.¡±


    ¡°On the surface.¡± After a pause, he turned around and looked through the window on the door to see Sylvia who was still


    sleeping on the bed. He made up his mind. ¡°On the subject of our engagement, | can help you talk to Master Springsteen if you


    don¡¯t want to to rify things with him. As for Madam Springsteen, | think it¡¯s better if you speak to her and ask her to stop


    troubling Sylvia in the future.¡±


    The look in Lily''s eyes wavered. She began to grow anxious and asked, ¡°Odell, are you going to forfeit our marriage?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s never been a marriage to begin with.¡±


    ¡°We got engaged in front of all our rtives and friends!¡±


    Odell looked back at her with an ominous look in his eyes.


    Lily was startled by this look and shrank into herself.


    ¡°Quiet, don¡¯t you wake her up. If you do, I''ll make sure Master


    838


    Springsteen finds out about youing to me to propose an engagement,¡± he spoke with zero affection in his voice.


    Lily became flustered and upset.


    She was panicking because of the way Odell looked at her with such hostility. She was upset because from the beginning to the


    end, it was clear that he was on Sylvia¡¯s side!


    She was an unbing woman who came from a wholly insignificant background like she was unworthy!


    At least Sylvia was the renowned Mrs. Sunflower in the past but now, she was nothing but a worthless castaway, kicked out of


    the Art Association and mocked by the masses!


    Lily suppressed her boiling rage and asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s your n now? Are you going to remarry her because she


    ims that she needs you? Are you going to help your brother take care of his child?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell¡¯s eyes gleamed icily. ¡°The boy is mine. If you ever dare to say that in front of me again, I''ll make sure that the Springsteen


    family will never see the light of day so long as | breathe!¡±


    Lily drew arge step back.


    Her eyes were wide open with horror , and her face pale like a sheet of paper.


    She observed his vicious expression that seemed like he


    would not hesitate to destroy her right then and there and eximed,¡° Master Carter, that¡¯s absurd. How could you say


    something like that?¡±


    838


    4l4


    She covered her face in her hands and ran down the stairs.


    Odell barely even spared a look at her. He pushed the door open and went back into the ward.


    The ward was warm and tranquil as always.


    Sylvia was still sleeping soundly, but Odell observed that it did not seem like she was facing this side of the bed when he went


    outside just now.


    He suspected something and slowly drew closer to the bed and stared intently at her face.


    Sylviay motionless.


    She must have not felt his presence in the room


    because after a while, her eyes seemed to move underneath her eyelids and she gently, ever so slowly pried her eyes open.


    Only to immediately meet a pair of smiling eyes, devious and deeply amused.


    Odell was staring right at her.


    She was caught red-handed and figured there was no need to pretend she was sleeping anymore.

 Chapter 839

    Chapter 839


    ¡°You... When did you wake up?¡± She rubbed her eyes, acting as if she had just woken up.


    Odell leaned in closer, drawing his handsome face only inches away from hers.


    He smiled mischievously at her.


    Sylvia made a look and muttered,¡°You don¡¯t have totell me if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°| woke up just a little earlier than you,¡± he stated.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Sylvia tried to turn away to look the other way.


    The moment she turned, Odell grabbed her by her chin and made her turn to face him.


    He applied just enough strength so that she could not resist him, but not to a point where it would hurt her.


    She stared pointedly at him.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± she asked meekly. ¡°Nothing, | just wanted to see your face.¡±


    He observed her like she was a curious experiment subject.


    There was no longer the same look of hostility on his face. He seemed considerably more pleasant than when he was talking to


    Lily.


    839


    214


    Sylvia endured his gaze and suddenly smiled.


    She shed such a brilliant smile that her eyes curved into the shape of a half-crescent moon. She smiled until she revealed a


    row of speckless, shining teeth underneath her lips.


    Odell narrowed his eyes.


    After taking in the sight of her smile, he smiled as well and asked her suspiciously,"What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°| heard everything,¡± Sylvia answered.


    She dropped the act. She figured that he must have put two and two together and knew that she had been awake the entire


    time.


    Odell leaned in closer and kissed her.


    After he had enough of kissing her, Sylvia slowly whispered,¡± Odell, don¡¯t you think you''re a little too cruel with Miss Lily? | have


    a feeling that she might have a thing for you.¡±


    Odell made a look. ¡°Do you want me to fix things with her?¡±


    Sylvia changed her mind. ¡°Well, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    Odell yfully scoffed and pinched her face. ¡°You should worry about yourself first before worrying about others.¡±


    Sylvia snickered and nodded.


    Meanwhile, Lily bolted out of the hospital and went back to her car in the parkinglot.


    839


    Apart from the driver, Madam Springsteen was also inside the car.


    Upon noticing her red-eyed and visibly agitated appearance, Madam Springsteen asked anxiously, ¡°Lily, what''s wrong? Was it


    that wretched woman?¡±


    Lily gnashed her teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t see her.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Then what made you run out so quickly? What made you end up like this?¡±


    ¡°| met Master Carter. He wants to tell Grandpa about the truth behind our engagement. He also wants me to pass a message to


    you. He says that you should stop bothering Sylvia from here on!¡±


    ¡°What? Are you sure that b*tch didn¡¯t hypnotize him with some kind of drug?¡±


    ¡°He also said...¡±


    ¡°What else did he say?¡±


    Lily gnashed her teeth angrily and said,¡±| asked him if he was going to help his brother raise the child, to which he immediately


    responded by saying that if | ever said something like that again, he¡¯d make sure that it will be the end of our family!¡±


    Madam Springsteen''s face darkened. ¡°How could he say such a thing? He must take you for a joke. I''ll have a word with him


    right away!¡±


    839


    With that, she prepared to step out of the car.


    Lily managed to grab her just in time. ¡°Grandma, maybe it¡¯s my fault. | shouldn¡¯t have said something like that to him to begin


    with.¡±


    ¡°Everything you said is true. Isn¡¯t he going to tell your grandfather everything just so that he could be together with that wretched


    woman? It¡¯s Thomas¡¯ boy that she gave birth to. Why would he bear the responsibility of looking after his brother¡¯s son?¡±


    Lily lowered her head and whispered as if she was disclosing a dark secret, ¡°He told me that Sylvia¡¯s baby was his.¡±

 Chapter 840

    Chapter 840


    ¡°What?!¡± Madam Springsteen screamed inplete astonishment.


    Lily added,¡±He also said that Sylvia didn¡¯t give birth prematurely and that there''s only half a month left before her due date.¡±


    Madam Springsteen put up her fingers and begancounting.


    If it was just as Odell imed, would this not suggest that she was pregnant with this child even before she went to Galston with


    Thomas?


    All along, the child was Odell¡¯s?


    ¡°No... No, | heard from Ramona that the b*tch had been divorced from Odell long before she went to Galston with Thomas. |


    heard that the two of them had been involved long before they even departed for Galston.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she was still secretly involved with Odell at the time, we just didn¡¯t know about it yet.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what a scoundrel !¡± Madam Springsteen cussed, then immediately spected. ¡°This only makes it more likely that the


    boy is Thomas¡¯.¡±


    Lily''s expression shifted. ¡°Are you saying that she¡¯s intentionally iming that the boy is Odell¡¯s to convince him to be with her?¡±


    ¡°What other bargaining chip does she have by this point apart from the boy?¡± Madam Springsteen expressed angrily,¡°Looks like


    myst meeting with her failed to


    instill any fear in her, to


    840


    ¡°What?!¡± Madam Springsteen screamed inplete astonishment.


    Lily added, ¡°He also said that Sylvia didn¡¯t give birth prematurely and that there¡¯s only half a month left before her due date.¡±


    Madam Springsteen put up her fingers and began counting.


    If it was just as Odell imed, would this not suggest that she was pregnant with this child even before she went to Galston with


    Thomas?


    All along, the child was Odell¡¯s?


    ¡°No... No, | heard from Ramona that the b*tch had been divorced from Odell long before she went to Galston with Thomas. |


    heard that the two of them had been involved long before they even departed for Galston.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she was still secretly involved with Odell at the time, we just didn¡¯t know about it yet.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what a scoundrel !¡± Madam Springsteen cussed, then immediately spected. ¡°This only makes it more likely that the


    boy is Thomas¡¯.¡±


    Lily''s expression shifted. ¡°Are you saying that she¡¯s intentionally iming that the boy is Odell¡¯s to convince him to be with her?¡±


    ¡°What other bargaining chip does she have by this point apart from the boy?¡± Madam Springsteen expressed angrily,¡®Looks like


    myst meeting with her failed to instill any fear in her, to think that she still had such an ace up her sleeve!¡±


    Sylvia spent two more days in the hospital before she was finally discharged.


    It was a sunny day at the hospital.


    Odell carried her in his arms the entire way out.


    Aunt Tonya carried Flint, with both Isab and Liam trailing closely after her.


    Sylvia could barely feel the sting of the freezing weather outside before she was put inside the car.


    Odell got into the car right after, holding her in his arms the entire time.


    Sylvia could barely move, not that she had the strength to do so anyway. She relied on him for everything.


    Once the car began to move, she looked out the car window and soon realized that they were not headed back to her ce.


    She asked,¡±Odell, where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Home.¡± He patted her head and emphasized ,¡°To ourhome.¡±


    Something gleamed in Sylvia¡¯s eyes.


    Isabel, who was sitting in the front row, turned around and expressed joyously,¡®Mommy, Baddie had someone move all of your


    things to our house. We''ll never be separated again!¡±


    840


    Sylvia cast a look at Odell.


    He returned the same look at her. Upon noticing her silence, he narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Why, don¡¯t you want to move


    back with us?¡±


    ¡°No, | just haven''t...¡±


    ¡°Haven''t what?¡±


    ¡°Haven''t prepared myself for this.¡±


    Things were progressing so quickly. She never even imagined that his engagement with Lily was not real the entire time.


    Only three days ago, on New Year''s eve, she was convinced that she was going to have to spend the rest of her life with Flint as


    a single mother.


    To think that she was going to be reunited with Isabel, Liam, and Odell. Everyone wasing together as a family again.


    She was moved and smiled as she thought of this.


    Odell gently lifted her chin and nted a kiss on her lips when he saw her in this state.


    She felt her face glowing red hot as she darted a shy look at him.


    Aunt Tonya and the kids were in the same car as them.


    Odell grinned. He took her in his arms in a tight embrace.


    Even if she refused to move in with him, he would still make her do so one way or another as he was going to keep her by


    his side.


    In time, the car swerved into the old district and stopped in front of Odell¡¯s ce.


    Aunt Tonya held Flint in her arms and stepped out of the car first, followed closely by Isabel and Liam.


    Odell carried Sylvia down the car.


    Sebastian and all of the housemaids employed in the household were already waiting for them in the living room.


    Upon seeing Odell entering with Sylvia in his arms,


    Sebastian greeted Sylvia with a bright smile, ¡°Madam, wee home.¡±


    All of the housemaids greeted her in unison. All of them wore the same charming and weing smile.


    Sylvia felt on the verge of tears. She smiled and thanked everyone, ¡°Thank you, Sebastian. Thank you, everyone.¡±


    Sebastian felt like crying as well. He could not even fathom how much Sylvia and Aunt Tonya had to endure over thest half


    year.


    He was choked up with tears as he expressed, ¡°No need. It¡¯s only part of our duties.¡±


    Aunt Tonya smiled pleasantly. ¡°Alright, enough talk. Let¡¯s get Sylvia some rest and take her back to the room.¡±


    Sebastian nodded cordially and had everyone make way for the master of the household.


    840? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    315)


    Odell carried Sylvia up the stairs until they reached the bedroom on the second floor, the bedroom they once shared.


    Theyout of the bedroom was as familiar as always, and it was clean and tidy. Upon entering, he set her down on the bed.

 Chapter 841

    Chapter 841


    The nkets were as soft as snow. Everything else such as pillows, bolsters, and whatnot was made ready for her.


    Aunt Tonya took Flint in her arms and entered the room with Isabel and Liam following closely.


    She set Flint right next to his mother.


    Isabel demanded attention as usual and immediately crawled onto the bed andy down next to Flint.


    Liam did not climb onto the bed.


    He brought a chair with him and moved it next to Sylvia¡¯s bed to sit.


    Sylvia addressed him tenderly,¡°Liam, climb on the bed with us.¡±


    The bed was veryrge and there was still space.


    Liam turned to look at Odell who was standing nearby and leaning against the wall closely observing him.


    His gaze was sharp and cold.


    Liam made a look and stated,¡¯I''ll just sit.¡±


    With that, he took out a book from his pocket and began reading.


    Sylvia smiled and sighed softly.


    Knock knock


    841


    Soon, there was a knock on the door.


    Sebastian informed, ¡°Sir, the matrons we hired for the madam are here.¡±


    Odell beckoned,¡±Come in.¡±


    The door was open, and Sebastian entered with two well-natured -looking middle-ageddies.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Master Carter, Madam Carter. My name is Wanda.¡±


    ¡°My name is Flora.¡±


    The two of them introduced themselves politely to Odell and Sylvia.


    Sylvia was slightly taken by surprise. She was not expecting Odell to go out of his way to hire two matron nurses for her.


    Before she even spoke, Odell cast a sharp look over the two matron nurses.


    They were seized with fear the moment they felt Odell¡¯s gaze on them and lowered their heads evasively.


    Odell then turned to Aunt Tonya. ¡°Please show them around and get them familiarized with the ce.¡±


    Aunt Tonya stood to attention. ¡°Alright, right away.¡±


    What he was implying was that she was now put in charge of the two of them.


    Aunt Tonya smiled politely and waved to them. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    841


    Flora and Wanda hurried after her.


    With that, Sebastian turned and left as well.


    Odell nced at Liam and Isabel.


    Isabel shut her eyes immediately.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam shifted the book upward to act as a shield for covering his face.


    Odell approached the bed and sat down next to Sylvia.


    As if the child and toddler on the bed were not even there at all, he cupped her chin in his hands and whispered in her ears,


    ¡°They are the highly-rmended matron nurses that Sebastian hired. Let them take care of Flint where you focus on getting


    enough rest.¡±


    Sylvia smiled appreciatively. ¡°Okay, | understand.¡±


    He then took a nce at his watch and announced, ¡°There¡¯s something at work | need to attend to. | have to leave now, and I''ll


    be back by evening.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell nced at Isabel and Liam again. Seeing that neither of them was paying attention to him, he kissed Sylvia on the


    forehead again.


    Sylvia did not foresee him disying such affection in front of the children and gently shoved him away with a stark red blush on


    her cheeks.


    Odell held her hands and kissed her a little longer before finally letting go.


    His lips seem to have a different glow to them as he spoke,¡± Wait for me, I''ll be back.¡±


    Sylvia blushed.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He patted her head again before getting up and leaving.


    After he left, a queer silence fell upon the room only for several seconds before someone burst out giggling.


    Sylvia turned her head to see Isabel covering her chubby face with her hands.


    Her face became flushed with red again.


    She frowned a little and patted Isabel''s head gently. ¡°Isabel ?¡± ¡°Mommy, | didn¡¯t see anything,¡± she remarked while chuckling.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Liam who was still covering his face with the book added. Sylvia: ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 842

    Chapter 842


    The two matron nurses were very professional. Apart from when Sylvia needed to breastfeed Flint, they took charge of looking


    after the boy the entire time. There was nothing that Aunt Tonya needed to worry about.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    By the end of the day, Sylvia was already getting friendly with them and began addressing them as Aunt Wanda and Aunt Flora.


    After lunch, Sylvia breastfed Flint again and took a nap with Isabel and Liam after that.


    She was soundly asleep when suddenly, there was a loud and abrupt noise outside.


    She opened her eyes wearily.


    It was only her and Flint left on the bed. Liam and Isabel were nowhere to be seen.


    She could still hear themotioning from outside. She got out of bed to take a look.


    Meanwhile, inside the living room.


    Aunt Tonya was doing her best to hold back Ramona.


    Ramona jabbed a finger at Aunt Tonya and eximed furiously,¡± Do you know who | am? Get out of the way!¡±


    Aunt Tonya stood her ground and dered adamantly, ¡°I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re the madam¡¯s sister. Sylvia is resting with


    the children right now! Even if Odell permitted you to see them, | still wouldn¡¯t allow you to head up there!¡±


    ¡°What are you to tell me where | can or cannot go?!¡± Ramona wanted to charge past her.


    Isabel suddenly appeared from behind Aunt Tonya and stood in front of Aunt Tonya. She shouted at Ramona angrily with a


    defiant look on her face,¡±Old hag, don¡¯t disturb my mother and my brother while they¡¯re sleeping!


    Ramona seemed infuriated by this.


    However, she knew that she could notnd a hand on Isabel since she was Odell¡¯s daughter. She became incredibly upset and


    scolded her,¡°You damned brat, who taught you to talk to your elders like this? Move out of the way!¡±


    ¡°| said no!¡± Isabel cried out and made a face at her with her tongue pointed out. ¡°Bleh...¡±


    Ramona was speechless.


    All her anger was caught in her throat, and her face flushed with red.


    She did all she could to hold the anger inside her but eventually, she erupted and raised a hand at Isabel. ¡°You brat, I''ll teach you


    a lesson for your father!¡¯


    Things took a drastic turn.


    Sebastian suddenly rushed into the picture while Aunt Tonya pulled Isabel into her arms.


    ¡°Uncle Jacob, please remove her from the house,¡± Liam ordered in an authoritative and calm voice.


    He was standing just above the stairs and regarded Ramona with a hostile look in his eyes.


    Jacob and Ben just arrived in the living room.


    Everyone was slightly taken aback by Liam¡¯s suddenmand.


    Jacob quickly sprang to the task and marched toward Ramona.


    Sylvia showed up just in time to witness everything that had gone down.


    She was horrified and immediately cried out,¡±Stop!¡±


    Jacob immediately came to a halt.


    Liam approached Sylvia immediately.


    Aunt Tonya approached her as well with Isabel in her arms and asked frightfully, ¡°Sylvia, did we wake you?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, I¡¯m fine,¡± Sylvia answered and proceeded to inquire,"What¡¯s happening here?¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡¯s expression tightened as she cast an unfriendly look at Ramona as she proceeded to exin,"She showed up


    suddenly and went on a ramble about wanting to see you and the children. | told her that you were resting but she insisted on


    barging in. She was going to hit Isabel just now.¡±


    Sylvia turned to Isabel, her face painted with concern. ¡°Isabel, are you alright?¡±


    Isabel grinned and assured her. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m fine. The old hag didn¡¯t hit me.¡±


    842


    4l4


    Old hag?


    Sylvia twitched upon hearing this.


    As expected, this got on Ramona¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°You rascal, where are your manners?!¡± She was furious.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Aunt Tonya cried out before Sylvia could get a word out,¡±! already told you that Sylvia and the kids are resting, but you still


    insisted on barging in. You''re the one who has no manners!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you''re an uncivilized old hag!¡± Isabel chimed in while she was still held in Aunt Tonya¡¯s arms.


    Sylvia was silent.


    Ramona, who was repeatedly insulted with names such as old hag and uncivilized, was speechless as well.


    Even with all her make-up, she suddenlyseemed old and haggard.


    It all happened in a sh. Her eyeballs suddenly rolled back into their sockets and she tumbled to the ground.

 Chapter 843

    Chapter 843


    Chapter 843


    Sebastian was appalled by this and managed to step in just in time to hold Ramona steady.


    Sylvia was just as horrified.


    Fortunately, Ramona regained her bnce in time. She beat her chest with her hand several times and seemed to regain her


    composure after that.


    Herplexion still seemed rather pale.


    ¡°| just wanted to see the children. | have no other intentions. How could all of you gang up on a frail old


    lady like me?¡± She wiped her eyes with her hands and seemed like she was going to cry.


    Aunt Tonya frowned upon earring this.


    Isabel pursed her lips indifferently.


    Sylvia became more hospitable after this as she offered kindly.¡° Come up if you really want to see the boy.¡±


    Although she was not very fond of Ramona, she was still Grandma¡¯s sister at the end of the day. The least she could do was to


    extend a bit of hospitality.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Ramona seemed appeased by this, evident by the sudden transformation of her expression. Then, she promptly strutted up the


    stairs.


    Sylvia made a look at Aunt Tonya, implying that there was nothing to worry about.


    She gently patted the heads of Isabel and Liam before she led Ramona to the bedroom.


    Flint was sleeping soundly on therge, cushy bed.


    Ramona bolted toward the bed as soon as she entered. She seemed very fond of the boy. Sylvia frowned as she sensed


    something off about the olddy.


    Aunt Tonya quickened her pace and stopped next to the bed where she watched over Ramona warily.


    Ramona expressed with a shine in her eyes, ¡°The boy is beautiful.¡±


    Aunt Tonya snorted at thisment. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Ramona suddenly bent over and reached for Flint.


    Aunt Tonya immediately grabbed her hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Can''t | just hug my sister''s great-grandson ?¡± Ramona asked sullenly Aunt Tonya looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia only smiled, indicating that it was fine.


    No matter how much Ramona hated her, surely she would not hurt a harmless child.


    Aunt Tonya released Ramona¡¯s hand but still made a point of keeping an eye on her.


    843


    Ramona took the sleeping Flint into her arms.


    She quietly gazed at Flint¡¯s adorable and tiny head as she gently caressed him with her fingers.


    After a while, she put Flint back on the bed.


    She looked around the bedroom and asked, ¡°Where''s the bathroom? I''d like to wash my hands.¡±


    Why would she need to wash her hand immediately after holding the baby?


    Aunt Tonya seemed less than impressed by this and expressed grumpily,¡±"What do you mean by you need to wash your hand?


    You should be d that Flint isn¡¯t protesting getting held by someone as filthy as you. Do you think Flint got grime on your


    hands?¡±


    Ramona was infuriated. ¡°Filthy? What did you say?¡±


    Sylvia sighed and stated nonchntly, ¡°Bathroom is that way.¡±


    She gestured toward the bathroom.


    Ramona red at Aunt Tonya, then she quickly walked to the bathroom and closed the door.


    Aunt Tonya scoffed.


    Sylvia approached the bed and smiled. ¡°Aunt Tonya, just be nice to her.¡±


    This seemed to calm Aunt Tonya slightly. ¡°I just can¡¯t stand her attitude toward you.¡±


    Chapter


    843


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°I''ll be fine.¡±


    She was used to it.


    Besides, now that she wasmunicating properly with Odell, all the misunderstandings between them were resolved. All she


    wanted now was to focus on living a good life with him and the children. The other trite details did not bother her any longer.


    After a while, Ramona came out of the bathroom.


    She arrogantly looked at Sylvia and walked straight out of the room and disappeared as if she had never shown up at all.


    Aunt Tonya muttered grumpily, ¡°Look at her! She was acting as if she would die if she didn¡¯t see Flint, and now she¡¯s scurrying


    away like a thief! What¡¯s her problem?¡±


    Sylvia remained silent.


    She had the faint impression that there was something suspicious about Ramona¡¯s behavior as well. Then again, she figured


    that Ramona probably had enough of her and Aunt Tonya, thus deciding she did not want to overstay her wee.

 Chapter 844

    Chapter 844


    Ramona marched straight to the living room without stopping.


    Sebastian was going to walk her out.


    She red at him venomously. ¡°Don¡¯t bother walking me out. I¡¯ll nevere back to this ce again!¡±


    Sebastian smiled as politely as he could and stopped following her.


    Ramona suddenly stammered, and red at Sebastian again before strutting out of the house.


    Her car was parked right in front of the gate.


    Upon reaching her car, she could not wait a moment longer and promptly extracted a transparent stic bag from the leather


    bag she carried with her. She made sure that the two strands of hair inside were still intact.


    One of them was the hair she plucked from Sylvia¡¯s baby whose identity of the father was stillrgely unclear. The other hair was


    the one she picked up from the drain in the shower.


    Based on her estimations, Sylvia who had just given birth and got home today must not have had time to take a shower yet.


    Therefore, this strand of hair from the shower must belong to Odell.


    She chuckled with pride when she thought of how swiftly she had executed the task entrusted to her by Madam Springsteen.


    ¡°Aunt Ramona, did something good happen?¡±


    She suddenly heard the low-pitched voice of a man resounding from behind her.


    She was seized with fear and immediately stuffed the transparent bag back into her leather bag.


    She turned and saw Odell who had appeared behind her without her noticing. She smiled nervously and greeted him, ¡°Odell,


    when did you get back?¡±


    ¡°| just got back.¡± Odell eyed her bag. ¡°What''s that you just put inside there?¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing, just some of my own things.¡±


    ¡°What sort of thing warrants you sealing it inside a ziplock bag?¡± He studied her expression with a fierce look on his face.


    Ramona was visibly panicking so she made something up on the spot. ¡°Some medication for people my age. Younglings like you


    wouldn''t know.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the ziplock bag itself, or the strands of hair you kept inside the ziplock bag?¡±


    Ramona¡¯s face turned pale and felt her voice caught in her throat.


    ¡°Aunt Ramona, give it to me.¡± Odell held out a hand, his expression was fierce like a demon underneath the glow of the sun.


    Chapter


    844


    -3/4


    Ramona was unnerved by this. She clutched her hands tightly around her bag.


    ¡°Odell, I¡¯m doing this for your own good. You of all people should know about how Sylvia had been hanging out with your brother


    after you got divorced. How can you be so sure that the boy is yours?¡±


    ¡°This child is mine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°She divorced you way before she got herself pregnant. How can you be so sure? Are you going to help your brother raise his


    child?¡±


    Odell nced venomously at Ben who was standing nearby and ordered, ¡°Bring me her bag.¡±


    Ben promptly approached Ramona and grabbed her leather bag.


    Ramona refused to let go and eximed furiously, ¡°Odell, I¡¯m your grandma¡¯s sister! I¡¯m doing this for your own good! | can¡¯t just


    sit by and watch you get taken advantage of by this wretched woman! Tell him to let go!¡±


    Odell stood motionlessly. The look in his eyes remained unflinching the entire time.


    Just as Ben grabbed the bag, Ramona suddenly jabbed at his waist.


    Ben was not prepared for the sudden attack and cringed from the pain.


    Ramona took advantage of the opening and snatched the bag from Ben while also shoving him with all her strength.


    4/4


    844


    Ben was thrown off bnce and shuffled several steps away from Ramona


    Before Odell could even react, she opened the door and got into the car.


    ¡°Drive!¡± she yelled at the driver.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The driver immediately revved the engine and drove off.


    Odell snapped viciously. ¡°Chase her! Retrieve the ziplock bag with the hair in it at all costs!¡±


    Ben sprang to the task immediately. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m on it!¡±


    He immediately ran toward a nearby car and began the chase.


    Odell stood in front of the gate and watched as Ben drove off. After a while, the tense look subsided from his face

 Chapter 845

    Chapter 845


    He promptly went back into the house.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Shortly after that, he arrived outside the bedroom.


    The door was open. He could immediately spot Sylvia lying on the bed inside.


    Her face still seemed rather pale, but she seemed more vibrant than the night when she gave birth.


    She was talking to Isabel and Liam.


    ¡°Even though your great aunt is very unruly, you both still have to respect her as an elder, especially since she¡¯s the mother of


    your great-grandmother, understand?¡±


    She spoke gently with an underlying undertone of sternness.


    Liam had a silent look and had nothing to add.


    Isabel pouted and protested. ¡°She¡¯s so annoying! Back then, she even told us that you don¡¯t want us anymore and ran off with


    Uncle.¡±


    Sylvia frowned upon hearing this. ¡°She said that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! She says that we¡¯re abandoned children that nobody wants!¡± Isabel was very upset upon remembering this. The tip of her


    nose glowed red.


    Sylvia promptly took her into her arms while also patting Liam


    845


    with another hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault.¡±


    Isabel scoffed. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s not your fault! It¡¯s that stinky old hag!¡±


    Sylvia smiled weakly. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s the one at fault. Your mommy isn¡¯t very fond of her either.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you want us to be nice to her?¡±


    ¡°She might be annoying, but not to the point of being excessive. Besides, both you and your brother should show some respect


    to her considering she¡¯s an elder.¡±


    Isabel pouted and seemed not very receptive to Sylvia¡¯s advice


    Sylvia considered briefly and stated, ¡°Alright, how about this? Next time you two see her, | want you two to be as polite as you


    can. If she¡¯s still grumpy with you two like today, then both of you can just ignore her, alright?¡±


    Isabel seemed pleased with this solution. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give her a chance for Mommy''s sake.¡±


    Sylvia smiled softly and turned to Liam.


    ¡°Liam?¡±


    Liam answered,¡®l was very polite to her today.¡±


    Sylvia blurted out, ¡°You told Uncle Jacob to kick her out. How is that polite?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°I was going to get Uncle Jacob to kick her butt.¡° Sylvia was speechless. So be it.


    The children had their ideas as well, so she could not force them to submit to her will.


    She smiled and wrapped her arms around both of them and said softly, ¡®Isabel, Liam, Mommy is very happy that the two of you


    stood up for me and your baby brother.¡±


    Isabel remarked with pride,¡±It¡¯s what we should do!¡±


    Liam stayed quiet but seemed rather delighted to be praised like this.


    Sylvia kissed both of them in turn, enamored by how adorable the two of them had grown up to be.


    Isabel gave her a peck on the cheek as well.


    Sylvia looked at Liam.


    Liam took the hint and proceeded to draw close to Sylvia and kissed her on the cheek as well.


    It was a very loving scene.


    The man who had been standing by the door the entire time smiled upon witnessing this interaction.


    He gave Sylvia and the children some more time to bond before he made a soft cough to draw their attention.


    Sylvia, Isabel, and Liam all turned to him in unison from the bed.


    Suddenly, Isabel threw herself against Sylvia and pretended to be asleep.


    Liam adjusted his position next to Flint and proceeded to grab a


    845


    3/4


    The children had their ideas as well, so she could not force them to submit to her will.


    She smiled and wrapped her arms around both of them and said softly,¡®Isabel, Liam, Mommy is very happy that the two of you


    stood up for me and your baby brother.¡±


    Isabel remarked with pride, ¡°It¡¯s what we should do!¡±


    Liam stayed quiet but seemed rather delighted to be praised like this.


    Sylvia kissed both of them in turn, enamored by how adorable the two of them had grown up to be.


    Isabel gave her a peck on the cheek as _ well.


    Sylvia looked at Liam.


    Liam took the hint and proceeded to draw close to Sylvia and kissed her on the cheek as well.


    It was a very loving scene.


    The man who had been standing by the door the entire time smiled upon witnessing this interaction.


    He gave Sylvia and the children some more time to bond before he made a soft cough to draw their attention.


    Sylvia, Isabel, and Liam all turned to him in unison from the bed.


    Suddenly, Isabel threw herself against Sylvia and pretended to be asleep


    Liam adjusted his position next to Flint and proceeded to grab a book to read.


    It was only Sylvia who turned to acknowledge him. She smiled tenderly and affectionately.

 Chapter 846

    Chapter 846


    Chapter 846


    Odell¡¯s eyes were dazed for a moment.


    He raised his long legs and walked into the room.


    Soon, he arrived at the bed. He bent down, reached past Isabel, and his handsome face came close to Sylvia and kissed her on


    the lips directly.


    Sylvia immediately pushed him away.


    The little ones were still around.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell kissed her twice before releasing her.


    His tall figure sat by the bed. Pretending nothing happened, he looked at her and asked,¡±Did Grand-aunt Ramonae over?¡±


    Sylvia hummed. ¡°She came to see Flint.¡±


    ¡°Did she scold you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied.


    ¡°She scolded me and Aunt Tonya!¡± Isabel, who was pretending to be asleep, immediately opened her eyes to snitch on


    Ramona.


    Odell¡¯s eyes cooled. ¡°Why did she scold you?¡±


    ¡°Mommy and Flint were sleeping when she came over, so Aunt Tonya and | didn¡¯t let here up, but she insisted oning


    up. Not only did she scold Aunt Tonya, she even said | have no proper upbringing! Humph!¡±


    She puffed up her chubby little face as she spoke.


    846


    214


    Odell¡¯s expression suddenly darkened.


    Sylvia hurriedly said,¡±Odell, Aunt Tonya, the children, and | are all fine. Maybe Ramona was just anxious to see the baby.¡±


    The man¡¯s expression sank even further.


    He was angry with Ramona for not showing any respect


    for the mother and children, and he was angry at himself for letting Ramona off the hook.


    If not for the fact that he showed her too much respect in the past, how would she dare to barge in here and dare to steal Flint


    and his hair?


    However, the woman in front of him knew nothing and was still speaking up for Ramona.


    ¡°Odell, we''re really fine,¡± Sylvia said to him again.


    She wore a smile and a gentle look.


    Odell pursed his lips.


    At this moment, Isabel poked her head out of the nket again.¡± Baddie, | scolded her until she almost fainted, so we didn¡¯t lose


    at all!¡±


    Her little face was very smug.


    Odell chuckled as the look on his face softened.


    Isabel giggled.


    He reached out to stroke her round head, and his deep eyes looked at Sylvia. ¡°If she acts like this again the next time shees


    over, just have Sebastian kick her out. There¡¯s no need to show her any respect.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned before smiling at him.


    ¡°Okay, | know.¡±


    ¡°It''s not only her. In the future, even if an elderes over but doesn¡¯t treat you or the children with respect, tell them to get out


    immediately.¡± His voice was cold and deep.


    She was stunned for a few seconds before she came back to her senses, and she curled her lips back at him. ¡°Okay, | know.¡±


    Night soon fell.


    After eating dinner, Sylvia moved around the room for a short while before lying back on the bed.


    Isabel and Liam ran in after eating dinner.


    The two of them yed with Flint for a while, and when he fell asleep, they climbed into bed andy beside Sylvia.


    Sylvia could not y games with them in her current state, so she took a storybook and read it to them.


    Before long, they also fell asleep.


    At that moment, Odell came in from outside. He picked them up with one hand each and carried them back to their room.


    Then, he turned around and came back.


    He wore dark lounge clothes, so he looked much


    gentler than when he was dressed in his usual suit. However, his figure was still upright, and his firm face was very handsome.


    Chapter


    846


    It was unknown if it was because of the dim and warm lighting in the bedroom, but his eyes looked very soft and charming when


    he looked at her.


    Sylvia¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. She blushed a little and looked at him. ¡°Are Isabel and Liam asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they''re both asleep.¡± He leaned down, hooked her chin up, and kissed her on the lips again. ¡°We should go to sleep too.¡±


    ¡°You can sleep in the other room. | have to get up at night to feed Flint.¡±


    The little one had to be nursed at night, so it would disturb Odell¡¯s rest.


    After she said that, Odell¡¯s eyes darkened again.

 Chapter 847

    Chapter 847


    Sylvia looked at him in confusion. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Do you not want to sleep with me?¡± His voice also sank.


    She quickly said, ¡°Flint will cry when he¡¯s hungry, so it''ll disturb your rest. Besides, I... ... .


    ¡°You what?¡±


    She looked down to avoid his eyes and whispered, ¡°I just gave birth and haven¡¯t recovered yet. | can¡¯t do anything with you for a


    month.¡±


    Smack.


    Her head was immediately pped. He frowned at her. ¡°I genuinely just want to sleep with you.¡±


    Was he a pervert? He already endured for more than half a year. Could he not endure it fora month more?


    Sylvia immediately looked embarrassed and lowered her head even more.


    Odell held back hisughter and lifted her face. Seeing her red face that refused to look at him, he asked in a low voice, ¡°What


    are you thinking in that head of yours, Sylvia? Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Sylvia closed her eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. | misunderstood


    you.¡±


    He gave a low hum, then sealed her lips and nibbled on them fiercely.


    ¡°Mm!¡± Sylvia cried out in pain.


    Odell pinched her nose again. ¡°If you think about nonsense again, then | won¡¯t let you off next time.¡±


    She pursed her lips and smiled.


    It was a little silly and cute.


    The man¡¯s eyes subconsciously softened.


    He turned around and sat beside her. ¡°Go in.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia burrowed into the sheets.


    Theyy together, with Odell¡¯s long arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly to his side.


    She leaned against his chest and fell asleepfortably in no time.


    In the middle of the night, Flint cried in hunger.


    Sylvia woke up in a sh, immediately took him into her arms, and lifted her top.


    In a short while, the little one closed his eyes when he had his fill, he fell asleep again.


    She touched his bottom and felt that it was a little wet, so it was time to change the diaper.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and Aunt Tonya asked softly, ¡°Syl, it¡¯s me. Does Flint need his diaper changed?¡±


    Sylvia looked at Odell, who was still sleeping, and walked to the door to whisper, ¡°I can take care of it. You should go back and


    rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Wanda and the rest of us aren¡¯t deep sleepers, so call us if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Aunt Tonya went back.


    Sylvia carried Flint to the bathroom. Aunt Tonya and Aunt Wanda originally wanted to take care of the baby next door, but Sylvia


    could not bear to part with him.


    Furthermore, the little one had only been born for a few days, so she did not want him to be separated from her at night.


    Fortunately, the baby was very obedient and would only cry when he was hungry. He basically slept quietly for the rest of the


    time.


    Sylvia soon finished changing his diaper and carried him back to the bedroom


    The man was still sleeping on therge bed.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    There seemed to be no sign of him being disturbed.


    Sylvia was relieved. After cing Flint in his crib, she went back to the bed andy down next to him.


    Looking at his handsome face, her eyes flickered, and she raised her face to kiss him on the cheek.


    Then, she wrapped an arm around him, leaned against him, and closed her eyes.


    She soon drifted off to sleep.


    What she did not know was that while she fell asleep, the man lying next to her opened his eyes. His gaze was deep and clear.


    Before long, he turned to his side and pinched her face.


    The sleeping Sylvia did not react.


    He smiled and got out of bed.

 Chapter 848

    Chapter 848


    Picking up the phone that was ced on the nightstand, Odell went outside to the balcony.


    He called Ben.


    The call was quickly answered.


    Over the phone, Ben said nervously, ¡°Master Carter, | failed to catch Madam Decker¡¯s car, so | went straight to her ce, but I


    still don¡¯t know where she went. | waited here the entire time, but she hasn¡¯te back yet.¡±


    The man¡¯s handsome face suddenly cooled. ¡°Continue to keep watch there. Don¡¯te back if she doesn¡¯t return.¡±


    Ben quickly said, ¡°I was wrong, Master Carter. I¡¯ll think of a way to find her.¡±


    Odell hung up the phone and called Cliff.


    The call was also swiftly picked up.


    Cliff quickly asked, ¡°How may | help you, Master Carter?¡±


    ¡°Immediately investigate all the hospitals and institutions in Westchester City that provide paternity tests. Find out which


    institution Ramona Decker went to this afternoon and inform me immediately when you find out!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll get right to it.¡±


    The cold wind blew on his face.


    However, the man¡¯s expression was even colder than the breeze,


    He squeezed his phone, his face gloomy and dark.


    After a long while, he turned around and went back into the room.


    The room was heated, so the temperature was warm.


    On therge bed, Sylvia was sleeping while lying on her side.


    Beside the bed was a crib, and Flint slept soundly in a dry diaper.


    Odell went around the edge of the bed toe to the crib. He reached out and gently poked Flint¡¯s cute little face.


    Flint¡¯s eyes were still tightly closed.


    He slept like a little pig.


    The corners of Odell¡¯s lips curled up as his face softened.


    The little thing was quite cute.


    Early in the morning, Sylvia was woken up again by the sound of Flint crying.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw him crying in Odell¡¯s arms.


    Yes, Odell was holding the baby with a dark expression.


    It seemed like he wanted to coax the little one, but it only caused Flint to cry even harder.


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°He must be hungry. Give him to me.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Odell handed the baby to her.


    Perhaps recognizing her as his mother, the little one stopped crying as soon as he got into her arms before he started nursing.


    He just looked at Sylvia with tworge eyes, making her heart melt.


    She did not care about Odell, who was standing next to her, and lifted her shirt directly.


    When Flint was full, she realized that Odell was still next to her.


    She raised her face and looked over.


    The man¡¯s tall figure stood next to the bed, and his eyes were also looking at a certain part of her body.


    His expression was not bashful at all and was very calm.


    Sylvia¡¯s cheeks instantly heated up. ¡°Odell Carter!¡±


    She pulled her shirt down at the same time and red at him with a blush.


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Yes?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Her anger choked in her throat as her face turned red.


    He bent down toward her, hooked her small face with one hand, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Why is your face so red?¡±


    ¡°You know why!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Sylvia red at him with round eyes.


    Seeing her look so cute when angry, he could not help but peck her lips twice and coax her with a smile. ¡°I won¡¯t look next time.¡±


    She immediately stopped ring at him, but her face was still bashful.


    Odell stroked her head. ¡°Breakfast is ready. Get up and eat.¡±

 Chapter 849

    Chapter 849


    Chapter 849


    Then, Odell smoothly took Flint from her and carried him in his arms.


    Sylvia hummed and rolled out of bed to go to the bathroom.


    When Odell saw her go in, he sat on the couch with little Flint in his arms, waiting for her to clean up so they could go downstairs


    together.


    It was only when he sat down did he realize that the little one was not asleep. He stared up at Odell withrge and shiny eyes as


    if sizing him up.


    Odell narrowed his eyes.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, his phone rang.


    He kept one hand around Flint and took out his phone with the other hand. Seeing that it was from Cliff, his expression changed


    and he brought the phone to his ear. ¡°Did you find out?¡±


    Cliff replied, ¡°Yes. Madam Decker went to Westchester Center in the west of the city around 4.00 pm yesterday to get a paternity


    test done. We found out that she requested an expedited test, so the results should be out soon.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Take someone there and stop the results. I¡¯ll be right there!¡±


    Then, he hung up the phone.


    At the same time, a ¡°wah¡± came from the baby in his arms.


    He cried very hard, perhaps because he was scared by Odell''s cold shout earlier.


    Odell frowned and lowered his voice to coax the little one. ¡°Stop crying.¡±


    ¡°Wahhh...¡±


    He was speechless.


    Sylvia came out of the bathroom at that moment.


    ¡°What''s wrong with Flint?¡±


    Odell immediately got up and handed Flint to her. ¡°I need to leave for something urgent. Look after him and don¡¯t go anywhere.


    Just wait for me toe back.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.


    He strode out before she could give a response.


    She frowned.


    She was still recovering from giving birth, so she had to stay home and could not go anywhere.


    ¡®What happened to him?


    ¡®Did something urgent crop up at thepany?¡¯


    At the paternity test institution in Westchester Center.


    An expensive MPV stopped in the parking lot outside.


    The driver got out of the car and opened the doors on both sides.


    Ramona, Madam Springsteen, and Lily got out of the car.


    Yesterday noon, after running away from the old Carter residence, Ramona went to Madam Springsteen for fear of being caught


    by Odell. She had juste over from the Springsteen residence.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°The appraisal results should be out now. Let¡¯s go in and have a look.¡± Ramona could not wait to drag Madam Springsteen in.


    Madam Springsteen maintained an elegant posture and said with a smile, ¡°They probably just opened their doors now, so there¡¯s


    no need to rush. The test results are already out, so there¡¯s no changing it anyway.¡±


    Although that was what she said, her footsteps fell a little faster.


    Lily walked beside them. A smile curled on her lips at the thought that she would be able to see the result soon.


    She heard Ramona say yesterday at noon that Odell caught her stealing hair at the gate of the old Carter residence. Odell


    anxiously wanted to catch her, so it was probably because he was not sure whether or not the child was truly his. He was


    probably afraid of Ramona getting the hair tested, and the results came out as something he did not like.


    Thus, as long as the results were out, and as long as the evidence that the child was not his was ced in front of his eyes, he


    could not fool himself and stay with that woman anymore!


    Soon, they arrived at the ce where the appraisal report was given.


    The staff member was a middle-aged man. When he saw theme in, he gave a polite smile.


    Ramona quickly asked, ¡°Has the reporte out?¡±


    ¡°Are you Ms. Decker?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The results are out.¡± The doctor took out a brown envelope from the drawer.


    The report was in the envelope.


    Ramona hurriedly asked, ¡°How was it? Are they biological father and son?¡±


    ¡°Read it and find out.¡± The doctor maintained a mysterious smile.


    She immediately took the envelope.


    Lily and Madam Springsteen also came up to her.


    However, just as Ramona was about to open the envelope, the door of the office was suddenly pushed open.


    Odell strode in with a dark expression.

 Chapter 850

    Chapter 850


    Ramona paled and eximed, ¡°Odell? What are you doing here?¡±


    To the side, Madam Springsteen and Lily¡¯s expressions also changed.


    Odell¡¯s cold eyes swept past them and looked at the unopened envelope in Ramona¡¯s hand.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She immediately clutched the envelope and said with a smile,¡± You''re just in time. | just got the report. Let¡¯s look at the results


    together.¡±


    She moved to open the envelope.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Odell shouted coldly.


    Ramona was frightened and froze.


    Then, she looked at him in confusion. ¡°Why are you stopping me? We''ll know if that child is really yours if | open this envelope.


    I''ll be happy for you if he is.¡±


    Odell took a few steps to her and looked at her coldly. ¡°Give me the envelope.¡±


    He extended his hand.


    At that moment, Cliff, Jacob, and several other bodyguards followed in and blocked the door.


    Therge space suddenly became crowded and tense.


    Ramona¡¯s face paled in fear and panic. However, more than


    that, she was upset. She held the envelope tightly and shouted unhappily, ¡°What are you doing, Odell? Do you already know that


    the child isn¡¯t yours?¡±


    Odell frowned as his expression suddenly clouded with anotheryer of gloom. ¡°Grand-aunt Ramona, I''ll say this again. Give me


    the envelope.¡±


    Ramona immediately shivered.


    Seeing this, Lily quickly said, ¡°Master Carter, | don¡¯t know what Ms. Ross told you, but you¡¯re the person in charge of Carter


    Corporation. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t deceive yourself when ites to children. Do you really want someone else¡¯s child to have a


    stake in your property in the future?¡±


    Odell¡¯s cold gaze swept toward her. ¡°You have no right to speak up here.¡±


    Lily''s eyes flickered , but she was even more resentful that he was bewitched by such a disgraceful woman. She immediately


    became furious and said, ¡°Ms. Ross gave birth to Thomas¡¯ child. Her private life is chaotic and shameless. If you continue to


    deceive yourself and ept her, with her virtue, she''ll definitely use this child to steal all your property in the future!¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression was dark.


    The air pressure in the entire room also plummeted.


    The atmosphere was terribly oppressive.


    Odell¡¯s icy gaze looked at her. ¡°Would you believe me if | said I''ll make you go back abroad right now?¡±


    Lily paled. The next second, she widened her eyes and was just


    about to say something in anger, but Madam Springsteen dragged her to the side before she could.


    Odell looked at Ramona and said in a grim voice, ¡°Grant-aunt, I¡¯m asking onest time. Give me the report.¡±


    Ramona¡¯s gaze trembled.


    She was really afraid of Odell being angry, but when she thought that he wanted to break off his ties with Lily to remarry Sylvia,


    she became even angrier.


    ¡®That lowly b*tch who can¡¯t draw and had even been with Thomas before can¡¯t hold a candle to Lily!


    ¡®Odell must bepletely bewitched by her!


    At that thought, her gaze changed, and she immediately ripped the envelope open.


    Rip!


    The envelope was torn open.


    The two pages of the report inside fell out at once, fluttering in the air beforending on the ground.


    In the margin of one of the pages there, written clearly in red and bold print, were the words: 99% match.


    The air suddenly became silent.


    The man¡¯s cold expression instantly softened.


    Lily and Madam Springsteen were stunned.


    Ramona¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How can this be?¡±


    She ke up the report aga n and on the fina | court


    me thon she turns her med and Brea pronat C) Gith no behind the desk ¡°Do you onske ambao 13 someone e¡¯ ses report

 Chapter 851

    Chapter 851


    The staff still did not know what was going on and looked confused. At Ramona¡¯s words, he immediately came back to his


    senses and said, ¡°Miss, you were the only one who requested an expedited list yesterday noon. This report is yours. We''ve


    carefully examined the hair samples that you provided, and the results show that they belong to a father and son who are


    biologically rted.¡±


    Ramona instantly trembled. ¡°How could this be...?¡±


    She looked at Odell with a dumbfounded expression.


    Odell looked at her coldly. ¡°Thank you for confirming that the child is mine, Grand-aunt. However, there¡¯s no need for you to


    interact with the Carters again in the future.¡±


    With those words, he turned around and walked out. Cliff, Jacob, and the others who followed him also left, leaving the office


    silent.


    Ramona fell to the side with a sickly pallor.


    Madam Springsteen quickly helped her up.


    Ramona held one of Madam Springsteen¡¯s arms. ¡°How can this be? That bitch has obviously been with Thomas for a long time!¡±


    She stomped her foot indignantly.


    Madam Springsteen was also not in the mood tofort her and was even slightly annoyed.


    Caste- 851


    If she hadnt kept saying that Sylvia had been with Thomas for a long time and was confident that the child wasn¡¯t Odell¡¯s, 1


    wouldn''t have brought Lily toe to get the report with her. That way, Odell wouldn¡¯t have seen us here.¡¯


    At that moment, Madam Springsteen felt angry and embarrassed. ¡°Whether or not she was with Thomas before, the report can¡¯t


    be wrong. The child is his. Don¡¯t feel bad about it.¡±


    After saying that, she let go of Ramona and said to Lily, who was still staring at the report, ¡°Lily, let''s go home.¡±


    Lily said nothing. Her eyes seemed to simmer as she stared at the paternity test report.


    Madam Springsteen sighed and had no choice but to go up and


    grab Lily''s hand, dragging her out.


    ¡°Argh! How can this be? What am | doing here?!¡± Ramona sat on the floor and reached out to tear up the two reports.


    She was furious and regretful, and her action of tearing the reports was very vulgar. It was a far cry from her usual elegant and


    proud appearance.


    In the old Carters¡¯ residence, Sylvia had breakfast and sat on the sofa in the living room with the children.


    The doors and windows were closed tightly, so not even the slightest cold breeze could blow in.


    She sat between Isabel and Liam while holding Flint, who had just fallen asleep after feeding, in her arms. Her eyes looked


    outside the living room from time to time.


    ¡®Odell left in a hurry this morning, and his expression looked quite sour. | wonder if the urgent matter that cropped up got handled


    well.¡±


    At that thought, she could not help but nce out of the living room again. Then, she saw the man walking over withrge


    strides. He wore a long back coat, and his figure was tall and upright. He quickly pushed open the living room door and walked


    straight toward her.


    Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°Odell, you''re¡±


    Suddenly, her arms were empty.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    He picked Flint up and put him into Liam¡¯s hands. Then, he pulled Sylvia up and hugged her tightly in his arms. He squeezed her


    fiercely.


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment before raising her hands to hug him back, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°lm fine. The matter was resolved,¡± he said in a low voice.


    Sylvia was even more confused. ¡°Then, why are you hugging me?


    ¡°I''m happy.¡± His voice was a little deep. She frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t sound like you''re very happy.¡±

 Chapter 852

    Chapter 852


    Chapter 852


    ¡°It''s because I¡¯m too happy.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She did not say anything else and let him hug her.


    Odell¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, and his expression was heavy. He was very happy. He was happy that she had always


    belonged to him alone. He was happy that this little brat was his son.


    However, in addition to being happy, he also felt very guilty.


    That was because before opening the report, he was not 100% sure that Flint was really his son.


    Although Aunt Tonya had told him that Sylvia never liked Thomas, and Sylvia also imed that she had never slept with Thomas


    before, her pregnancy with Flint happened to be shortly after their divorce when they had fallen out because of Thomas. During


    that time, she had basically lived with Thomas, and Odell had only touched her once.


    Thinking about it now, Flint must have been conceived at that time.


    If she had really been together with Thomas during that time, she could not have been sure that Flint was Odell¡¯s child. In other


    words, she really had not gotten up to anything with Thomas.


    However, Odell onlypletely believed her when he saw the


    paternity report...


    His chest felt stuffy, and he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± Sylvia thought she heard wrong and immediately wanted to look up at him, but he held her head down


    again before she could move.


    Then, his low and pleasant voice rang in her ears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault for making you suffer so much.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze trembled, and she could not help but smile. ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    He hugged her without letting her go. After a long time, he finally hummed. ¡®I won''t let her suffer anymore. | won''t distrust her


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°Odell, what kind of emergency happened today?¡± Sylvia asked. She felt that he was acting weird. Why did he suddenly hug her


    and even apologize to her as soon as he came back?


    ¡°Mm, something happened, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what it is?¡± She looked at him with a smile.


    Odell pinched her cheek and curled his lips. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±


    Sheughed and hummed.


    ¡°Kiss me and I''ll tell you.¡± He narrowed his eyes in a wicked smile.


    Sylvia immediately blushed and mumbled, ¡°Isabel and Liam are right there.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Mommy, you can pretend that we aren''t here.¡± Isabel covered her face with both hands, but her eyes obviously peeked out from


    behind her fingers.


    Sylvia was instantly embarrassed.


    Odell shot Isabel a cold look. As a result, Isabel pursed her lips and turned her chubby face away.


    Then, he looked at Liam. The boy was holding Flint with his back to them sensibly.


    After that, Odell took Sylvia¡¯s finger and pointed to his lips. ¡°Over here.¡±


    Sylvia looked at the little ones who were looking away, went on her tiptoes, and pecked him on the lips. Then, she saw him


    frowning in displeasure.


    He growled, ¡°Are you just brushing me off?¡±


    She puckered her lips and went on her toes to kiss his thin lips. This time, she stayed for a few more seconds before letting go.


    She asked, ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°It was better than thest one, but not enough.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    He raised his brows. ¡°Do you want to know or not?¡±


    She really did want to know.


    After a few seconds of hesitation, she reached up to kiss him

 Chapter 853

    Chapter 853


    After kissing him for a long time, just when she felt that it was enough, hisrge hand held her head down, and he firmly sealed


    her lips.


    He kissed her deeply.


    He only let her go after a long time.


    Sylvia¡¯s cheeks were red, and her eyes were watery. She smiled at him. ¡°You can tell me now, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Odell curled his lips and raised his hand to brush her nose with a smile. ¡°Nope.¡±


    She immediately blinked at him.


    He grinned, seductively and gently.


    When she saw that he really had no intention to tell her, she immediately punched him.


    Odell took hold of her fist and deliberately lowered his voice.¡± Do you want another kiss?¡±


    Sylvia instantly pulled her hand back. After being fooled by him, she was no longer curious about what emergency he just


    encountered . She turned around and took Flint into her arms, saying to Isabel and Liam, ¡°Let¡¯s go, kids.¡±


    Ignore him!


    ¡°Uh-huh! We''ll ignore people who don¡¯t keep their word!¡± Isabel


    jumped off the sofa, made a face at Odell, and followed Sylvia.


    Liam waited until they were far away before getting off the sofa. He looked at Odell and asked like a small adult, ¡°Daddy, was the


    matter you went out to deal with this morning rted to Mommy?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Don¡¯t butt into adults¡¯ business.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and turned to walk in the direction Sylvia and Isabel left.


    Odell muttered, ¡°Little brat.¡±


    Lily and Madam Springsteen sat in the backseat of an expensive MPV that was driving toward the Springsteens¡¯ vi.


    Lily''s face was cold as she remained silent.


    Madam Springsteen also took a long time to get over it. She sighed and said, ¡°Lily, just forget about it. Grandma will find a more


    suitable match for you.¡±


    Although it was difficult to find another man in Westchester who was young and powerful like Odell, now that Sylvia had given


    birth to another child of his, and he still had no feelings for Lily, Madam Springsteen could not force it anymore.


    Lily shouted coldly, ¡°Which part of me is inferior to that lowly woman?!¡±


    Madam Springsteen quickly assured her, ¡°That lowly girl isn¡¯t even worthy of being your servant. Of course, you''re better than


    her in every aspect.¡±


    ¡°So, does he want to remarry her just because he gave him another son?¡± Lily clenched her fists indignantly.


    ¡°That little b*tch is really tactful. She actually managed to give birth to his child.¡± Madam Springsteen also refused to ept the


    circumstances . ¡°Didn¡¯t she go to Galston with Thomas for half a year? Why did he let her keep the child ? By the way, did you


    manage to contact him yet?¡±


    Lily frowned. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡®| also want to know what¡¯s going on. He clearly said that he settled abroad with Sylvia after taking her away. Why did he let her


    come back again? Could he have found out that Sylvia was pregnant with Odell¡¯s child, so he was disgusted with her and sent


    her back?


    ¡®No, Sylvia already gave birth to two of Odell¡¯s children. If he was really disgusted with her, he wouldn¡¯t have developed feelings


    for her.¡¯


    Madam Springsteen sighed. ¡°Forget it. That''s not important anymore. I''ll find a way to tell your grandfather about Odell and you


    when we get back, so don¡¯t worry about it and get some rest when we go home.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t tell Grandpa yet.¡±


    Madam Springsteen frowned. ¡°Lily, don¡¯t tell me you still...¡±


    Lily raised her chin and said coldly, ¡°Even if | can¡¯t be with him, | won''t let that woman be with him either!¡±


    I''m the high and mightydy of the Springsteens. | will never be defeated by such a lowly woman! If | can¡¯t be with him, then


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 854

    Chapter 854


    A few dayster, there was a snowstorm in Westchester City thatsted from the evening until the next morning.


    When Sylvia woke up, she saw a thickyer of snow everywhere outside.


    Unfortunately, she was still recovering from giving birth and could not go out


    She could only look through the window and watch Isabel rolling snowballs outside, her chubby face flushed from ying. She


    was obviously tired, but she did not forget to call out to Liam, asking him to help her with this and that.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were worried about their safety, so they yed with them in the yard.


    The little girl brought the party to the yard by herself, and Aunt Tonya and Sebastianughed at her antics.


    Even little Flinty, whom Sylvia was holding in her arms, was staring at them with big, shiny eyes.


    Sylvia could not help but smile.


    It was not until a whileter that Skr suddenly walked in from outside.


    Sylvia was stunned and stood up with Flint in her arms.


    Skr greeted Aunt Tonya and Sebastian in the yard before walking in.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, | didn¡¯t disturb you by suddenlying over, did 1?¡± Skr asked with a smile.


    Sylvia smiled back at her. ¡°Of course not. Please have a seat.¡±


    She sat at a small table by the window with an empty chair across from her.


    Skr did not stand on ceremony and sat down instantly. When she saw Flint in Sylvia¡¯s arms, she gave a warm, maternal smile.


    ¡°Is this the little Young Master? He¡¯s so adorable.¡±


    Sylviaughed. ¡°His name is Flint.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good name. Who came up with it?¡±


    ¡°It was Liam.¡±


    ¡°Your other son is very extraordinary too.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you tter me.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    With that opening conversation, Sylvia and Skrunched into small talk.


    Skr mostly drove the conversation using questions. First, she asked about the children, then she asked if Sylvia had been


    feeling down in the past few days after giving birth.


    Sylvia knew that she had specificallye to understand her current situation, but she did not avoid any of Skr¡¯s questions.


    After chatting for a long time, Skr said, ¡°Ms. Ross, you seem to be in a much better ce than thest time | saw you. It


    seems that the medicine that healed you isn¡¯t just the children but also Master Carter.¡±


    She smiled teasingly.


    Sylvia¡¯s cheeks heated up. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    She also felt that since Odell and sheid everything out on the table after the birth, she had been very rxed every day for the


    past few days.


    ¡°Hehe, | hope you''ll keep it up. | have to go back to the clinic now, so | won¡¯t disturb your rest.¡± Skr stood up after speaking.


    Sylvia could not get up while holding Flint, so she said to Wanda who was next to her, ¡°Aunt Wanda, please help me see Ms.


    O''Brien off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Wanda went up to Skr and sent her out the door before returning.


    Flint was asleep again.


    Sylvia carried him back to the bedroom, intending to nap with him for a while. However, just as she was lying on the bed with the


    baby in her arms, her cell phone dinged beside her pillow.


    She picked up the phone. As soon as she turned on the screen, she saw a message from a ck and white avatar. ¡°How have


    you been doingtely?¡±


    Sylvia went pale and blocked the number without thinking. Then, she turned her phone off and tucked it under her pillow.


    She had unblocked him on New Year¡¯s Eve night, asking if he had released Aunt Tonya. Then, she was so anxious while waiting


    for news of Aunt Tonya and suddenly fainted and went intobor the next day, so she had forgotten to block him again.


    Unexpectedly, he was now sending her a message!


    Sylvia was angry and scared. She was afraid of being hauled to Galston again and terrified of returning to that cold castle and


    dark room.


    Shivering, shey down under the covers again, holding little Flint tightly in her arms.


    Meanwhile, after Skr left the old Carters¡¯ residence and got into her car, she took out her phone to call Odell.


    Next Chapter


    A few dayster, there was a snowstorm in Westchester City thatsted from the evening until the next morning.


    When Sylvia woke up, she saw a thickyer of snow everywhere outside.


    Unfortunately, she was still recovering from giving birth and could not go out


    She could only look through the window and watch Isabel rolling snowballs outside, her chubby face flushed from ying. She


    was obviously tired, but she did not forget to call out to Liam, asking him to help her with this and that.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were worried about their safety, so they yed with them in the yard.


    The little girl brought the party to the yard by herself, and Aunt Tonya and Sebastianughed at her antics.


    Even little Flinty, whom Sylvia was holding in her arms, was staring at them with big, shiny eyes.


    Sylvia could not help but smile.


    It was not until a whileter that Skr suddenly walked in from outside.


    Sylvia was stunned and stood up with Flint in her arms.


    Skr greeted Aunt Tonya and Sebastian in the yard before walking in.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, | didn¡¯t disturb you by suddenlying over, did 1?¡± Skr asked with a smile.


    Sylvia smiled back at her. ¡°Of course not. Please have a seat.¡±


    She sat at a small table by the window with an empty chair across from her.


    Skr did not stand on ceremony and sat down instantly. When she saw Flint in Sylvia¡¯s arms, she gave a warm, maternal smile.


    ¡°Is this the little Young Master? He¡¯s so adorable.¡±


    Sylviaughed. ¡°His name is Flint.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good name. Who came up with it?¡±


    ¡°It was Liam.¡±


    ¡°Your other son is very extraordinary too.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you tter me.¡±


    With that opening conversation, Sylvia and Skrunched into small talk.


    Skr mostly drove the conversation using questions. First, she asked about the children, then she asked if Sylvia had been


    feeling down in the past few days after giving birth.


    Sylvia knew that she had specificallye to understand her current situation, but she did not avoid any of Skr¡¯s questions.


    After chatting for a long time, Skr said, ¡°Ms. Ross, you seem to be in a much better ce than thest time | saw you. It


    seems that the medicine that healed you isn¡¯t just the children but also Master Carter.¡±


    She smiled teasingly.


    Sylvia¡¯s cheeks heated up. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    She also felt that since Odell and sheid everything out on the table after the birth, she had been very rxed every day for the


    past few days.


    ¡°Hehe, | hope you''ll keep it up. | have to go back to the clinic now, so | won¡¯t disturb your rest.¡± Skr stood up after speaking.


    Sylvia could not get up while holding Flint, so she said to Wanda who was next to her, ¡°Aunt Wanda, please help me see Ms.


    O''Brien off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Wanda went up to Skr and sent her out the door before returning.


    Flint was asleep again.


    Sylvia carried him back to the bedroom, intending to nap with him for a while. However, just as she was lying on the bed with the


    baby in her arms, her cell phone dinged beside her pillow.


    She picked up the phone. As soon as she turned on the screen, she saw a message from a ck and white avatar. ¡°How have


    you been doingtely?¡±


    Sylvia went pale and blocked the number without thinking. Then, she turned her phone off and tucked it under her pillow.


    She had unblocked him on New Year¡¯s Eve night, asking if he had released Aunt Tonya. Then, she was so anxious while waiting


    for news of Aunt Tonya and suddenly fainted and went intobor the next day, so she had forgotten to block him again.


    Unexpectedly, he was now sending her a message!


    Sylvia was angry and scared. She was afraid of being hauled to Galston again and terrified of returning to that cold castle and


    dark room.


    Shivering, shey down under the covers again, holding little Flint tightly in her arms.


    Meanwhile, after Skr left the old Carters¡¯ residence and got into her car, she took out her phone to call Odell.

 Chapter 855

    Chapter 855


    Chapter 855


    At the same time, in Carter Tower, Odell was having a meeting with the executives.


    When he saw the call from Skr, he picked up his phone, walked out of the conference room, and answered the phone.¡± Did


    you meet her?¡±


    Skr quickly said, ¡°I just came out of your house.¡±


    He followed up by asking, ¡°Is her depression cured?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ross¡¯ state is much better than thest time | saw her, but depression isn¡¯t a physical illness. It won¡¯t go away so easily.


    However, | can confirm that she¡¯s in the healing stage now. As long as she maintains her current condition and doesn¡¯t get


    stimted again, she should be able to get rid of her depression soon.¡±


    Odell¡¯s face softened. ¡°Okay, | got it.¡±


    He hung up the phone and returned back to the conference room.


    Although Skr¡¯s feedback was not what he wanted to hear, it was not bad either. He was in a good mood, so the few


    executives under him had a better time as well.


    The meeting went smoothly and was over before office hours ended in the evening.


    He immediately walked out of the office and took a car home.


    The snow on the ground had not yet melted.


    After walking through the gate, Odell got out of the car and saw five snowmen piled up together in the yard.


    Although they were a little roughly molded, it was not hard to tell that the two adults standing together were Sylvia and him


    whereas the two children in front were Isabel and Liam, and the little one in the very front was Flint.


    It was a family of five.


    Odell¡¯s deep eyes suddenly softened. At that moment, Isabel, who had her hair tied into twin buns, jumped and ran out.


    ¡°Baddie, you''re back!¡±


    Odell reached out and caught her in his arms.


    Isabel wrapped one hand around his neck, pointed to the five snowmen with her other hand, and said, ¡°Liam and | made these


    five snowmen. Aren¡¯t we amazing?¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    He carried her inside. When he saw that Sylvia was not in the living room, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your mother?¡±


    ¡°Mommy and Flint are sleeping.¡± Isabel pouted and added,¡± They''ve been sleeping all afternoon.¡±


    The snow on the ground had not yet melted.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    After walking through the gate, Odell got out of the car and saw five snowmen piled up together in the yard.


    Although they were a little roughly molded, it was not hard to tell that the two adults standing together were Sylvia and him


    whereas the two children in front were Isabel and Liam, and the little one in the very front was Flint.


    It was a family of five.


    Odell¡¯s deep eyes suddenly softened.


    At that moment, Isabel, who had her hair tied into twin buns, jumped and ran out.


    ¡°Baddie, you''re back!¡±


    Odell reached out and caught her in his arms.


    Isabel wrapped one hand around his neck, pointed to the five snowmen with her other hand, and said, ¡°Liam and | made these


    five snowmen. Aren¡¯t we amazing?¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    He carried her inside. When he saw that Sylvia was not in the living room, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your mother?¡±


    ¡°Mommy and Flint are sleeping.¡± Isabel pouted and added,¡± They''ve been sleeping all afternoon.¡±


    They had slept all afternoon?


    Odell put her on the floor and walked upstairs in long strides. Soon, he arrived at their bedroom!


    On therge bed, Flint was sleeping alone on one side. Sylvia was wrapped in the nket with her head covered.


    Odell immediately went to the bed and lifted the nket. She was curled up in a ball, and her face was also furrowed. It seemed


    like she was having a nightmare.


    He frowned and sat beside her, gently patting her. ¡°Sylvia?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Sylvia screamed, swinging her hand at his face.


    There was a heavy smack.


    Odell was shocked.


    Sylvia, who was sleeping in a daze, also awakened and opened her eyes at once. She froze when she saw the man in front of


    her. ¡°Odell?¡±


    Odell took her into his arms and frowned. ¡°Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    LE!


    She exhaled, and her body flopped down in his arms like a cat. Then, she gave a low hum. ¡°What was it about?¡±


    THIS LITTLE


    She hesitated and said, ¡°I dreamt about the six months | was in Galston.¡±


    Odell immediately tightened his arms and hugged her fiercely,


    saying in a soft voice, ¡°It''s just a dream. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±

 Chapter 856

    Chapter 856


    ¡°Mm.¡± Sylviay her face on his chest. Feeling the heat from his body, the chill she had from those scenes in the dream soon


    faded away.


    After a long while, she lifted her face to look at him and said directly, ¡°I received a message from him today.¡±


    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°From who?¡±


    ¡°Thomas.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    His eyes sank, and he raised his hand to touch her face, asking in a low voice, ¡°When did he send it to you? What did he say?¡±


    ¡°It was after Skr left. | wanted to bring Flint back to bed when | suddenly received a message from him. He asked me how |


    was doing recently. | didn¡¯t reply to him and blocked him directly, ¡°Sylvia answered honestly.


    Suddenly thinking of New Year¡¯s Eve, she looked at him again and said, ¡°I sent him a message on New Year''s Eve night,


    wanting to ask if he could let Aunt Tonyae back. | made a deal with him before that as long as | stayed in Westchester until


    New Year¡¯s Eve, he would let here back, so | sent him a message that night just after midnight.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Hm.¡±


    He already guessed it.


    ¡®When Sylvia was giving birth, Aunt Tonya told me about the deal that Thomas made with her. However, | can¡¯t figure out why he


    nned all that and actually let Aunt Tonyae back. It¡¯s very much out of line with his sinister and calcting nature. Whether


    he really intends to let Sylvia go or has other purposes, | have to be on guard against him.


    ¡®No, | can¡¯t just be on my guard. If he dares to return to Westchester, as long as | catch him, I''ll settle the old and new scores with


    him and send him to hell!¡¯


    After a moment of silence, he restrained the coldness in his eyes and said to Sylvia, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Next time he contacts you,


    tell me first.¡±


    This time, Sylvia was really not afraid anymore. She smiled and answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    With every passing day, Flint grew.


    Although there was Wanda and Flora to help take care of him, Sylvia did not want to be too far away from him and would take


    care of him herself most of the time.


    However, she was still very weak after giving birth, so Aunt


    Tonya told her to recover for a month and a half.


    Time passed quickly, and the day came when her recovery period was finally over.


    The cold temperature was blown away by the spring breeze, and the sun shone brightly.


    Sylvia opened her eyes and saw the sunlight streaming into the room. She immediately got up and went to the window, wanting


    to open it to inhale the outside air. However, arge hand


    dragged her back as Odell bundled her into his arms.


    He had just finished washing up and had changed into a ck slim-cut suit. He held her with one hand and gave her a side


    nce. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°I want to feel the outside air.¡±


    He looked at her excited eyes, pinched her face, and picked up the nket ced on the sofa next to her.


    ¡°It''s chilly outside. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± He draped the nket over her and wrapped it around her.


    Sylvia¡¯s body warmed as she replied, ¡°I know.¡±


    Then, she turned around while wrapped in the nket and pushed the window open with one hand.


    In an instant, the whistling wind blew in her face. Although it was not cold, it was quite chilly. Sylvia immediately shrunk her neck.


    At that moment, two long arms wrapped around her from behind.


    The man held her in his arms and asked, ¡°Are you still cold?¡±


    She leaned against his chest, feeling the heating from his body, and smiled back at him. ¡°I was, but not anymore.¡±


    He lowered his head and pressed his thin lips against the side of her face, close to her ear, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you


    going to the hospital for a checkup today?¡± ¡°Yeah. Isabel and Liam will go with me after breakfast.¡±


    Sylvia had told the children about the appointment a few days


    ago.


    ¡°Good.¡± After a pause, he lowered his voice again, ¡°Tell me the results when the checkup is done.¡±


    The thin lips brushed against her ear, and his maic voice tickled her a little.


    Sylvia could not help but think that he only wanted to know the results because he wanted to do that with her. Her cheeks heated


    up as she said, ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 857

    Chapter 857


    After breakfast, Odell took the same car to work as usual.


    Not long after he left, Sylvia took Isabel and Liam to the hospital where she gave birth.


    The chief doctor of the gynecology department was already waiting for her.


    Odell had most likely sponsored this hospital after she gave birth, so the doctor¡¯s attitude toward her was very warm. All kinds of


    tests were done very carefully. The examination report came out on the same day. Her body had recovered well, and there were


    no otherplications.


    Sylvia was satisfied and led Isabel and Liam out of the hospital.


    Their car was in the parking lot where Jacob was waiting.


    Sylvia wanted to make a phone call to Odell, so she said to the children, ¡°You two get in the car with Uncle Jacob first. Mommy


    will make a call to Daddy, and I''ll be right there.¡±


    Upon hearing that she was going to call Odell, Isabel agreed immediately and pulled Liam to the car with Jacob.


    Sylvia took out her phone and called Odell.


    TE


    The line rang twice before picking up, and the man¡¯s pleasant voice asked, ¡°Is the checkup done?¡±


    She replied, ¡°Yeah. The doctor said my body is recovering well.¡± Odell was silent for a few seconds. ¡°Good.¡±


    Sylvia thought for a moment and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going home with the kids now. I''ll wait for you at home.¡±


    ¡°| might have a meeting tonight.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Her expression changed as she subconsciously let out a sound, her tone full of displeasure and disappointment.


    At the other end of the phone, the corners of the man¡¯s lips were already curled into a smile. He held back hisughter and


    asked, ¡°What do you mean, ¡®huh?¡±


    She hurriedly said, ¡°N-nothing.¡±


    ¡°I lied.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t have a meeting.¡±


    Sylvia was embarrassed, and her face suddenly turned red with shame.


    On the phone, the man¡¯s maic voice said softly, ¡°Hurry home. Be a good girl and wait for me at home. I''ll go back early in the


    afternoon.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡± She hung up the phone after speaking.


    Then, she turned around to go to the ce where the car was parked. However, the moment she raised her head, a straight and


    slender figure came into view.


    The young man wore a long light-colored coat and was standing in front of a car. His brown eyes held a long smile as he looked


    at her.


    Sylvia paled as she took arge step back.


    Thomas stood in the same ce, his expression unchanging He simply looked at her. After sizing her up, he asked, ¡°Have you


    been welltely?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s body trembled uncontrobly.


    Almost subconsciously, she turned around and ran to the side. She dashed away as if she had just seen a ghost.


    She circled the parking lot in a single breath and ran to where Jacob parked.


    When Jacob saw her running like the wind from another direction, he immediately got out of the car and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°We''ll talkter. Hurry up and go back!¡±


    Sylvia was afraid that Thomas had set up some kind of ambush there, so she pulled open the car door and got into the car.


    Jacob also quickly got into the car and started the engine. The car sped out of the parking lot and weaved into traffic.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief, but her body was tense, and her hands still trembled.

 Chapter 858

    Chapter 858


    Isabel and Liam both looked at Sylvia. When they saw her panicked face, Isabel immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mommy?


    Did you meet a bad guy?¡±


    Sylvia snapped back to her senses and saw Isabel and Liam¡¯s worried eyes.


    She quickly hugged them, feeling their soft little bodies, and her emotions soon calmed down. She said, ¡°I just saw a bad guy


    trying to rob someone at knifepoint, but he was stopped by the hospital security. | was just a little frightened, but I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Mommy. Liam and | are here.¡± Isabel immediately burrowed into her arms and hugged her.


    Liam frowned and said, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t walk around alone anymore.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | know.¡± Sylvia also did not think that she would run into Thomas in the short while she was alone when calling Odell.


    The little ones were most likely fooled by her excuse and did not ask any more questions. They merely sat close to her.


    However, Sylvia still felt very uneasy. She took out her phone and sent a message to Odell. ¡°I saw him right after | called you.


    He''s back.¡±


    The moment the text message was sent, her phone rang.


    It was Odell.


    After ncing at the two little ones, she brought the phone to her ear.


    The man¡¯s gloomy and anxious voice rang out. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I¡¯m on my way home with the children. We''ll reach in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t turn off your phone. Give me a call as soon as you get home,¡± he said.


    She hummed before he hung up. She hugged Isabel and Liam, looking at the rearview mirror from time to time.


    The cars around them passed them without incident. There were no vehicles that seemed to be following them.


    He most likely did note after them.


    In Carter Tower, after hanging up the phone, Odell walked out of the office inrge steps.


    Cliff quickly followed him and asked, ¡°Where are you going, Master Carter? There¡¯s a multinational meetingter.¡±


    ¡°Cancel it. The recement date will be determinedter.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll inform them right away.¡±


    ¡°Also, contact Officer Sach again and tell him that Thomas has reappeared. He was sighted ten minutes ago at Westchester


    Hospital near the Art Academy,¡± Odell instructed as he walked.


    Cliff''s expression changed, and he immediately said, ¡°Yes, I''ll contact Officer Sach right now.¡±


    Officer Sach was a detective who had solved severalrge cases in the past two years. Odell had once asked him to investigate


    Thomas, so they were somewhat acquainted.


    On the other side, Sylvia¡¯s car soon returned to the old residence.


    She immediately brought the two children out of the car and quickly entered the bedroom.


    Aunt Tonya, Wanda, and Flora were sitting and chatting together, and in their middle was a small crib in which Flint was


    sleeping.


    Seeing the little one sleeping soundly, Sylvia¡¯s nervousness was relieved slightly.


    However, Thomas¡¯s sudden appearance still made her feel uneasy.


    She found an excuse to drag Aunt Tonya to the bathroom and told her what she had just seen in the hospital. She told Aunt


    Tonya to be more careful and not to leave the house if possible.


    Aunt Tonya quickly asked, ¡°Did he do anything to you?¡±


    ¡°| ran as soon as | saw him,¡± Sylvia replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± After a pause, Aunt Tonya asked, ¡°Did you tell Odell?¡±


    ¡°| told him on the way back.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    After that, Sylvia went back to her room. She took Flint into her arms and pulled Isabel and Liam to her side. Meanwhile, Aunt


    Tonya sat not far away.

 Chapter 859

    Chapter 859


    Chapter 859


    Even so, Sylvia¡¯s mood was still unsettled.


    ¡®Why did he suddenlye back? He already released Aunt Tonya, so he should have intended to leave me alone. Why did he


    approach me again?¡¯


    Just as she was feeling more and more uneasy, and her body went cold, a strong figure suddenly walked in through the


    doorway.


    Sylvia quickly looked up as her eyes brightened. ¡°Odell?¡±


    Odell took a few big steps to her side and looked at her up and down. Then, he said to Isabel and Liam beside her, ¡°Go back to


    your room.¡±


    The little ones obediently got off the bed and followed Aunt Tonya out.


    Only Sylvia and Odell were left in the room along with Flint, who was sleeping soundly.


    Odell sat next to Sylvia and took her into his arms. One hand was wrapped around her, and one hand held her hands that were


    sped together.


    It was only then that Sylvia noticed her hands were sped together again. She quickly let go,


    Odell frowned and held one of her hands in his palm. Her body was still cold, and her hands were icy. She was obviously still


    afraid.


    inn Go


    *Don¡¯''t be scared. The police have set up a perimeter around Westchester As long as he dares to show his face again, he won''t


    be able to escape.¡±


    After saying that, he held her head down to his chest.


    Sylvia pressed her face against his chest, listening to the sound of his powerful heartbeat, and her restless emotions instantly


    stabilized.


    ¡°Okay.¡± She hugged him and asked, ¡°Why did you suddenlye back? Did | interrupt your work?¡±


    ¡°No, you did well. Next time you encounter him or any urgent matters, immediately tell me.¡± To him, she was the most


    important thing now.


    Sylvia pursed her lips, and her body could not help but press up against him. Just like a clingy child, she almosty her entire


    body on top of him.


    The man¡¯s eyes immediately softened upon feeling her movement.


    Not long after that, he hooked her small face upward gently and said in a faint voice, ¡°Show me the examination report.¡±


    The examination report was still inside her bag which was on the nightstand beside the bed.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia hummed with a blush and reached out to take her bag.


    However, he still held her. Even though she stretched her whole arm out, she still could not reach the bag.


    ¡°Let go for a moment,¡± she said.


    ¡°Is the report in this bag?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Odell did not let go of her but stretched out a long arm and easily brought the bag to him instead.


    Sylvia leaned against his chest, obediently opened the bag, and took out the report


    Odell took it and read it. The results of each test were marked in great detail. To sum it up in one sentence, her body was


    recovering well.


    With his shallow lips curled, he put the report and her bag back on the nightstand beside the bed and looked at her with


    charming eyes.


    Sylvia also looked at him with bright and clear eyes. She said, ¡°I secretly asked the doctor, and she confirmed that we can share


    a room.¡±


    Odell instantly narrowed his eyes.


    Sylvia¡¯s face heated up when she saw his reaction. She rolled over and buried her face in his chest, muttering, ¡°That''s not what I


    meant. I¡¯m just telling you. It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± He let out a chuckle.


    The next second, her whole body was pinned underneath him. Her body sank, and without waiting for her to catch her breath,


    his hot kiss pressed down on her. ¡®If | don¡¯t want to? No way in hell!¡¯

 Chapter 860

    Chapter 860


    The spacious bedroom suddenly became hot.


    However, when the two were about to strip, a loud wail broke the tension.


    They immediately stopped moving.


    Not far away, Flint, who was still in swaddling clothes, was wailing.


    Odell frowned and looked at him with displeasure. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Flint continued to wail even louder than before.


    Odell reached toward him.


    Sylvia thought he was going to fling the baby and quickly held his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him, Odell.¡±


    ¡°I''ll give him to Aunt Tonya.¡± His voice was still displeased.


    She instantly got out from underneath him and took the little one into her arms.


    ¡°He¡¯s hungry. He''ll be fine after | feed him.¡± Then, she lifted the top that he had unbuttoned.


    Thinking of something, she looked at him again and said with a simpering expression, ¡°Can you turn around for a moment?¡±


    Odell frowned and instantly looked even more upset. However, he still turned around.


    Sylvia then started to feed Flint.


    The little one stopped crying the moment he got his milk and swallowed inrge gulps. The whole bedroom was filled with the


    sound of him drinking milk.


    The man¡¯s hands hanging at his sides subconsciously clenched into fists.


    ¡®That little brat is eating quite well.¡¯


    After a long time, when he stopped hearing movement, he turned back to look at them. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yeah, but he doesn¡¯t


    seem sleepy anymore.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips and pointed to Flint in her arms.


    Flinty on her chest, his face fair and tender, and his eyes were wide open.


    Odell reached out and took him into his arms.


    In an instant, Flint opened his mouth to wail, ¡°Wah...¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As he cried again, Odell forced down the urge to throw him out and said in a low voice, ¡°Stop crying.¡±


    Unfortunately, Flint continued to cry.


    Sylvia could not bear to watch this and quickly took Flint back. For some reason, the little one stopped crying the instant he was


    back in her arms.


    Other than that, his dark eyes also shifted and looked at Odell. It was like he was provoking Odell.


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened for a moment. A few secondster, he reached out again.


    Flint¡¯s small mouth opened. ¡°Wah...¡±


    Odell withdrew his hand.


    Flint pursed his lips and stopped crying.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Odell muttered, ¡°Little brat...¡±


    At that moment, Aunt Tonya¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Syl, why does Flint keep crying? Is he feeling ufortable?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. He¡¯s just hungry.¡± ¡®And he doesn¡¯t want his father to hold him.¡¯


    Aunt Tonya hummed and left. The room was silent again as little Flint¡¯srge and dark eyes looked at Odell.


    Odell also looked at him.


    The father and son seemed to be having a stand-off.


    Sylviaughed dryly and said, ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t we keep our adventure for tonight instead?¡±


    Odell did not say anything and coldly pursed his lips, looking at Flint who was still staring at him. Then, he narrowed his eyes and


    reached out to poke Flint¡¯s face.


    Maybe it was because Flint was still lying in Sylvia¡¯s arms but he did not cry. Furthermore, he continued to stare at Odell.


    The look on the man¡¯s face softened slightly. A whileter, he reached out toward Flint again.

 Chapter 861

    Chapter 861


    Chapter 861 Seeing that Flint did not seem like he was about to cry, Sylvia tried to ce him in Odell¡¯s arms.


    Unexpectedly, the little oney obediently on Odell¡¯s chest as soon as he got into his arms, without crying or making a fuss.


    Sylviaughed. ¡°Odell, he¡¯s epted you.¡± Odell smiled and hummed.


    ¡®Good, at least he knows that I¡¯m his father.¡¯


    He gently hugged Flint until the baby fell asleep on his chest.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Flint?¡± Sylvia tried to call him.


    Flint still had his eyes closed, obviously asleep.


    Odell¡¯s expression changed, and he immediately carried the baby to the crib next to the bed. Then, he turned around and looked


    at Sylvia on the bed with a deep and wicked gaze.


    Sylvia blinked, and her cheeks reddened at a speed visible to the naked eye. The cor of her shirt was still loose, and her two


    fine, pale legs were casually folded to one side. She was like a quietly blooming flower, appearing soft and charming.


    His tall figure pressed toward her at once.


    Immediately, he pinned Sylvia to the soft mattress. He was so strong that she could not struggle at all.


    However, his movements were very gentle, so gentle that she


    could not help but press herself against him.


    Just as their kiss grew deeper and more passionate, and the situation was about to go out of control, a phone suddenly rang.


    The two of them froze.


    ¡°Odell, | think that¡¯s yours,¡± Sylvia said in a hoarse voice.


    Odell frowned, nced at the phone, and lowered his head to kiss her. ¡°Ignore it.¡±


    The ringing stopped after a while.


    However, in just a few seconds, it rang again. On top of that, it also woke up little Flint, who had just fallen asleep for a short


    time, and he started to cry again.


    Odell¡¯s straight figure froze.


    Sylvia also pushed him away. ¡°You go answer the phone. I''ll coax Flint to go back to sleep.¡±


    He was so angry that he bit her lip, then picked up the phone and walked to the balcony.


    Sylvia quickly straightened her clothes and took Flint into her arms. The little one stopped crying when he was held and was very


    easy to calm down.


    Meanwhile, on the balcony, Odell brought the phone to his ear and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Cliff hurriedly said, ¡°Master Carter, Officer Sach just found a clue about Second Master. He most likely came back to


    Westchester City yesterday, stayed at Westchester Hotelst night, and went


    Chapter 861


    3/4


    to the hospital this morning. Surveince shows that he went back to the hotel after Madam left the hospital, but when Officer


    Sach took people to the hotel, he was no longer there.¡±


    ¡°Are there any other clues?¡±


    ¡°Not for now, but Officer Sach wants to meet you. He said he wants to talk to you again face to face to understand the situation


    with Second Master.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    He hung up the phone and turned back around into the bedroom.


    Sylvia was still standing by the bed with Flint in her arms. When she saw himing back, she looked at him with a gentle


    expression.


    The cold look in his eyes faded, and he walked to her side to touch her head. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit. You and the kids stay at


    home and try not to go out.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just going to meet someone. Ill be back soon.¡±


    Sylvia looked relieved. ¡°Okay.¡±


    After Odell picked up his jacket that was hanging on the side and walked out, Sylvia carried Flint to Isabel and Liam¡¯s room.


    In the suburbs, Lily arrived at a secluded cafe located near the Springsteen vi by car after receiving the message.


    When she got out, she took off her sunsses and looked


    around. Seeing that no one was walking around, she walked into the cafe.


    The cafe was dimly lit, and the atmosphere was quiet. Only a figure sat in the innermost corner. The young man wore a gray


    sweater with his back facing her, sitting in an elegant posture.


    Lily immediately walked over, sat down in the seat opposite him, and asked with a smile, ¡°Second Master Carter, | thought you


    disappeared to Galston. Why are you back?¡±

 Chapter 862

    Chapter 862


    Chapter 862 Thomas looked at her with eyes that were devoid of warmth. ¡°I don¡¯t think you came to see me to say these useless


    words to


    me.¡±


    Lily''s expression changed. ¡°I indeed have a lot of questions to ask you.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know anything except for the six months she was in Galston.¡±


    Her face turned cold, and she asked, ¡°Why did you let her return to Mediana? Why did you let her keep Odell¡¯s child?¡±


    Thomas picked up his coffee and took a sip, not answering her. It was obvious he did not intend to answer those two questions.


    Lily did not pursue the topic and asked instead, ¡°Can you tell me why you suddenly came back?¡±


    ¡°Because of her.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lily sneered. ¡°She already gave birth to Odell¡¯s child and is living in the Carters¡¯ residence. Can you still snatch her back?¡±


    Thomas retorted, ¡°Have you already given up on my big brother?¡±


    Her expression changed, and she¡¯said in a cold voice, ¡°I will never lose to a woman who¡¯s inferior to me in every aspect.¡±


    Chapter 862


    He pursed his lips. ¡°Then, let¡¯s cooperate.¡±


    Lily smiled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Odell did not expect to talk to Officer Sachs for so long. It was alreadyte at night when he returned.


    He went to Sylvia and his bedroom, but it was empty and unupied.


    Then, he went to the two children¡¯s room, where the bed was already crowded.


    Sylvia slept in the middle, with Isabel sticking to her right and Flint to her left. Further left was Liam, who was sleeping ina


    straight posture.


    Odell¡¯s expression changed. He first brought Flint to Aunt Tonya and the others, then carried Sylvia back to their own bedroom.


    After washing up, he went back to bed, wrapped his arms around her, and closed his eyes.


    However, even after a long time, sleep never came to him. Instead, his body got hotter and hotter. Only God knew how long he


    endured the torture.


    Before she came back, he slept alone every night. After she came back, she had to recover from giving birth for a month and a


    half. He had to go through a long period of self-hypnosis before managing to go to sleep almost every night.


    Her body was finally recovered, but that little brat and Thomas''s


    matter rained on his parade again.


    Now, when he was finally able to have alone time with her, she was asleep instead!


    In an instant, he opened his eyes and looked at the woman in his arms with a dark gaze. She was sleeping soundly. Her cheeks


    had a natural blush, her lips were pink and puffy, and her little face was quiet and charming.


    After just two nces, the fire in his body burned up.


    ¡°Sylvia,¡± he called her in a low voice.


    s, what answered him was the silence of the room!


    He raised his hand to pinch her face. ¡°Sylvia?¡±


    She still ignored him.


    He frowned and said in an irritated voice, ¡°If you ignore me again, I¡¯m going to kiss you.¡±


    There was still no response.


    He snorted augh. ¡°You asked for it.¡±


    Then, he cupped her face and sealed her mouth.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    The sleeping woman had no defense, so he easily pried open her lips and teeth.


    After an unknown amount of time, probably when she was about to run out of breath, she suddenly woke up and saw the man¡¯s


    eyes that were scarlet with lust.


    He gently caressed her cheek. ¡°Awake?¡± His voice was low and husky.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Odell? When did youe back,¡±


    He kissed her again before she could finish her sentence.


    The domineering and gentle breath eroded her sanity like poison.


    In a short while, Sylvia was putty in his arms.


    ¡°Odell, you,¡±


    He sealed her mouth again before she could finish, nipping her and murmuring, ¡°Save it forter.¡±

 Chapter 863

    Chapter 863


    Chapter 863 Sylvia moaned. Odell plugged her mouth again, no longer giving her the chance to open her mouth to speak.


    Soon, their clothes fell to the floor, and their bodies writhed.


    The man, who had held back for a long time, finally got what he wanted.


    As for Sylvia, she was like a flower that was methodically disassembled, dismantled, and assembled, only to be dismantled all


    over again...


    Just like that, they repeatedly tossed and turned untilte at night before the man let go of her and she fell asleep.


    The room was silent.


    Odell saw her fall asleep as soon as her eyes closed and could not help but pat her rosy face. ¡°Sylvia?¡±


    She ignored him.


    He chuckled. ¡®She¡¯s really fallen asleep.¡¯


    Then, he got out of bed and walked into the bathroom with an insatiable look. The warm water washed away his sweat.


    After washing, he returned to the bed in his pajamas and wrapped her back in his arms.


    ¡°Can you be gentler?¡± The woman¡¯s hoarse voice suddenly


    spoke up.


    He froze and looked at her.


    Sylvia had her eyes closed, but her brow was furrowed. She was obviously ufortable despite sleeping. The words were also


    clearly spoken subconsciously.


    He suddenly remembered the words that he had stopped her from saying when he was making out with her. Was this what she


    wanted to say?


    He smiled and said softly, ¡°Okay, I''ll be gentler next time.¡±


    He touched her forehead, intending to tidy up her hair but was burned by the temperature of her skin.


    His eyes flickered, and he immediately touched her forehead again. It was hot. Not only was her forehead hot, but her cheeks.


    were scalding as well.


    ¡°Sylvia? Sylvia, wake up,¡± he hurriedly called her.


    Sylvia frowned deeply, not willing to open her eyes. Shey in his arms and muttered, ¡°Odell, | don¡¯t feel too good...¡±


    Odell immediately sat up and wrapped her in his arms. He used one hand to pick up the cell phone ced by the bed and called


    Jacob.


    The call quickly connected.


    He frowned and said, ¡°Call the doctor immediately!¡±


    When Sylvia woke up again, it was already the next morning.


    Chapter 863


    Odell sat beside her, his gaze fixed on her. Isabel and Liam were also lying in her bed, looking at her withrge eyes. Aunt Tonya


    stood not far away with Flint in her arms.


    Seeing Sylvia awake, she quickly asked, ¡°Syl, are you feeling better?¡±


    Sylvia was embarrassed and could not help but re at the man beside her.


    ¡®It¡¯s all his fault! If he hadn¡¯t been so... | wouldn¡¯t have had a feverst night! Now, I¡¯m surrounded by the three children and Aunt


    Tonya! It''s so embarrassing!¡±


    Odell gave a low cough. ¡°I''ll be gentle in the future.¡±


    Isabel immediately asked, ¡°What do you mean, Baddie? Does Mommy''s fever have something to do with you?¡±


    Liam also looked at him in confusion.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Odell looked at them coldly, ¡°Mind your own business.¡±


    Isabel pouted and harrumphed.


    Aunt Tonyaughed dryly and said, ¡°Uh... Syl, if you¡¯re okay now, then feed Flint. He¡¯s hungry now.¡±


    Sylvia quickly took Flint into her arms.


    Odell looked at Isabel and Liam, who were still staring at Sylvia.¡± You two, get out.¡±


    ¡°You get out too!¡± Sylvia chided with a raised voice.


    Odell¡¯s eyes flickered.


    The two children and Aunt Tonya were also startled.


    Sylvia realized that she had lost her temper after yelling, but before she could say anything, Odell stood up and smiled at her.


    ¡°Okay, call me if you need anything.¡±


    Then, he picked up the children with one hand each and carried them out.

 Chapter 864

    Chapter 864


    Chapter 864 Sylvia¡¯s heart thudded. The unhappy feeling of being tossed around all night until she developed a fever


    inexplicably disappeared.


    She pursed her lips and nursed Flint.


    Aunt Tonya stood next to her and could not help but smile secretly when she saw Sylvia''s happy face.


    The trauma of those six months had finally passed. It would be best if Thomas never appeared again.


    The scene where Thomas appeared suddenly was like an illusion.


    For the next few days, Sylvia did hear any news from him, and she did not receive any messages from him on her phone either.


    He seemed to have disappeared from Westchester.


    Did he suddenly appear in front of the hospital that day just to see her and ask how she was doing?


    Sylvia warily cooped herself up at home for most of the month before she could no longer resist going out.


    Isabel and Liam started school long ago.


    That morning, Sylvia took Flint and sent them to preschool with Aunt Tonya, then went to the nearby shopping street for a stroll.


    It was spring, so the weather and atmosphere were excellent.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jacob and Ben also followed them closely.


    He


    After a day of shopping and eating, it was time for the two little ones to leave school in the evening. Sylvia took the car to pick


    them up and returned home with them.


    Soon after she came back, Odell also came back from work.


    Isabel jumped toward him as soon as he entered the door. He picked the little girl up with one hand and went to sit next to Sylvia.


    Sylvia was ying with Flint. The little one was not as sleepy as before and had his eyes wide open. When he saw Odell and


    Isabel, he immediately looked at them.


    When Isabel also picked up a toy to tease him, Flint reached out to grab it. The brother and sister yed around like this for a


    while.


    Odell looked at Sylvia and asked, ¡°Did you go out today?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Aunt Tonya and | took Flint out. We sent Isabel and Liam to preschool and went shopping for the day.¡±


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± he asked again, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to pull her to his side.


    Sylvia leaned against him and said, ¡°We went to a mall, ate lots of good food, and bought lots of stuff for you and the children.¡±


    The corners of her mouth had a smile as she said that. She was obviously very happy. Odell curled his lips and asked, ¡°What did


    you buy for me?¡±


    ¡°Some ties, belts, and pajamas.¡± Her voice grew smaller when she said the word ¡®pajamas¡¯.


    Seeing that she did not dare to look at him and was even blushing, he held back hisughter and asked, ¡°What kind of pajamas


    did you buy for me?¡±


    Sylvia did not look at him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when we go back to the room tonight.¡±


    She did not want to talk to him about this in front of the children.


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Dinner was quickly finished.


    Odell handed Flint to Aunt Tonya, shooed Isabel and Liam who wanted toe up to their bedroom away, and went back with


    Sylvia.


    As soon as they entered, he pinned Sylvia to the wall and kissed him. He was very strong, and his kiss was very overbearing,


    not giving her any time to get ready.


    However, Sylvia was also used to making out with him this time, so she had some immunity physically and mentally. She had no


    other difort apart from some weakness in her legs.


    However, Odell did not take her to bed or tear her clothes on the spot like usual. After kissing her for a while, he released her and


    looked at her with a deep gaze. ¡°Where are the pajamas you bought me?¡±


    Sylvia blushed as she looked at him. ¡°In the closet.¡±


    Odell immediately dragged her to the walk-in closet. Sylvia opened his wardrobe and took out a stack of newly bought pajamas


    for him. The styles were almost the same, and they were all perfectly modest tops and pants. The only difference was that some


    were long and some were short.

 Chapter 865

    Chapter 865


    Chapter 865


    The colors were either ck or gray.


    Odell raised his brows. ¡°That''s it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The clothes are made of quality materials, so they won''t tear easily. They shouldst for a while.¡± Furthermore, they were


    not expensive, so she would not feel bad even if he tore one every day.


    Odell curled his lips and asked, ¡°Did you buy some for yourself too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see. | didn¡¯t ask to see yours either.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°I won''t wear them, but I want to see.¡±


    His wicked eyes seemed to see through her at a nce.


    Sylvia¡¯s face grew hot, and many scenes of her being bullied by him suddenly shed in her mind. She was embarrassed for no


    reason and refused him directly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Odell strode in front of her, pinned her to the wardrobe, and lifted her chin. His thin lips brushed against her own as he said ina


    husky and overbearing voice, ¡°If you don¡¯t wear it tonight, then you don¡¯t get to wear it. Period.¡±


    Sylvia could not help but re at him.


    Chapter 865


    He smiled wickedly.


    What else could she do?


    She did not want to have another fever.


    She turned around, opened her wardrobe, and pointed to the pajamas hanging there. ¡°It¡¯s all there. Most of yours are matching


    couple sets.¡±


    Odell nced over and saw the array of ck and gray. They were not just matching couple sets. Even the style was the same


    as his, with abination of tops and pants. There was not a single dress.


    His expression darkened. ¡°Throw them all away. You¡¯re not allowed to wear them.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him. ¡°What if | don¡¯t?¡±


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Try me.¡±


    If she dared to wear any of those, he would tear it all up.


    Sylvia could not help but punch him. ¡°I spent a lot of money on these clothes.¡¯


    ¡°Do | look like |ck money?¡± His voice was displeased.


    Sylvia said nothing.


    He did notck money, and she also had savings and was not short of money, but she did not want to squander money.


    She had bought these modest pajamas because she did not want him to tear up her pajamas every night. He did not know


    Chapter 865


    how the servants in charge of cleaning the room viewed her every day.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I''ll allow you to wear it once.¡± He suddenly reached out and touched her face.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered, then she frowned, looking reticent. It was obvious she did not want to wear it for just one night.


    Odell was silent for a few seconds. ¡°I''ll let you wear it for two nights.¡±


    Sylvia continued to frown.


    ¡°Three nights.¡± She pursed her lips and frowned.


    Odell pursed his lips gloomily. ¡°One week.¡± Sylvia¡¯s eyes brightened, but not long after that, she frowned again, pretending to be


    unhappy. However, he pinched her face.


    He narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°If you give me that look one more time, then | won''t let you wear it at all.¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°Okay, one week. One week will do.¡±


    Then, she curled her lips andughed.


    She already wanted tough when he said he would let her wear it for one day. She was just messing with him, but


    unexpectedly, hepromised for a week.


    Odell saw her suddenly smiling face and immediately pinned her hips to the wardrobe.


    The wardrobe seemed unable to bear the force and creaked. However, that was just the beginning.


    After he kissed her lips, he never put her down again.


    That night, it was only when she lost consciousness that she realized she did not even manage to put on her newly bought


    pajamas.


    When she begged for mercy out of exhaustion and fell asleep, Odell changed her into one of the new ones.

 Chapter 866

    Chapter 866


    Chapter 866


    Since the day she went out for a stroll, Sylvia had been going out for a walk every now and then.


    Thomas might really not appear again. Almost three months had passed, but Sylvia did not see him, let alone receive any news


    about him.


    Her days were beautiful and peaceful.


    Flint was almost half a year old. His height had doubled, he was chubby and round, and cute as hell.


    The temperature also rose sharply, and it was soon the hot summer season.


    Isabel and Liam were on summer vacation again, but Odell did not keep them idle and arranged a summer tutor for them to


    continue their studies.


    Liam was fine since the sybus and homework were not difficult for him, but Isabel never liked studying. She got sleepy in ss


    and cked off whenever she got the chance, using the excuse that she had to take care of her younger brother, Flint. In fact,


    she simply watched him y and showed off how good she was at ying games in front of him.


    The little girl was an expert at acting pampered. Sylvia was helpless against her, and Odell spoiled her, so most of the time, it


    was Liam who dragged her back and watched her finish her homework.


    That afternoon, Sylvia was about to take Flint for a nap when the girl slipped in again.


    ¡°Mommy, Flinty, I¡¯m here!¡± she came in and shouted. Not only did she wake Sylvia up, but Flint also woke up as well.


    When Flint saw his older sister, he grinned and extended his hands toward her.


    Isabel immediately carried him off the bed. She put him on the nket on the floor and let him sit with his back against the wall.


    Then, she sat next to him and took out the RC car from behind her, saying to him, ¡°Flinty, I''ll show you a race car.¡±


    Her voice was still childish. She was clearly a little girl, but she sounded like a big sister.


    However, little Flint was a sucker for that and looked at her with shining eyes, grinning all the while.


    Isabel yed with her new little racing car. Before she could enjoy it to its fullest extent though, Liam suddenly pushed open the


    door and walked in.


    His cool little face looked at her. ¡°Isabel, have you finished your homework?¡±


    Isabel''s chubby face which was ying seriously immediately changed into a fawning look. She said in a sweet voice, ¡°Big bro,


    I''m ying with Flinty now. Can | finish it at night?¡±


    Liam gave her a cold look before looking at Flint beside her.


    When Flint saw Liam look over, he obediently stretched out his little arm toward his big brother. It was obvious he wanted Liam


    Chapter 866


    to hold him.


    Liam did not hesitate and walked over to pick him up from the ground. Then, he said to Sylvia, ¡°Mommy, I''ll take Flint out to y


    for a while.¡±


    Sylvia saw the undercurrents between them and smiled. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Liam carried little Flint away, shooting Isabel an unpleasant look.


    Isabel, who was left behind, was in no mood to y games anymore. She put down the RC car and ran out after Liam and Flint,


    shouting, ¡°I''ll go do my homework now. Will you y games with me and Flintter?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Liam said, ¡°Talk to me after you finish your homework.¡±


    They went away quickly. Judging by the sound of their voices, they went to the living room downstairs.


    Aunt Tonya and the others were outside, so they would definitely look after the children.


    Sylviay back on the bed and sleptfortably.


    After an unknown amount of time, there was suddenly a wet sensation on her face. She opened her eyes and saw little Flint. His


    little butty on her pillow as his mouth kissed her.


    The baby¡¯s body was soft and covered with the scent of milk.


    Sylvia was wondering how he came back when she saw Odell sitting on the edge of the bed.


    He was still wearing the ck suit he wore to work that


    morning His back was straight as his deep eyes looked at her.


    She was stunned. ¡°Odell, when did youe back?¡±


    ¡°Not long ago.¡±


    She was shocked again. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°Almost six.¡±

 Chapter 867

    Chapter 867


    Chapter 867 Sylvia frowned and muttered, ¡°How did | sleep for so long?¡±


    She had actually slept for almost three hours.


    After saying that, she sat up and took Flint into her arms.


    The little guy must be hungry.


    Just as she was about to lift her top, the man¡¯s pleasant voice rang out again. ¡°He already fed in the living room.¡±


    Sylvia remembered the spare milk she left in the fridge. She had slept for a long time, so Aunt Tonya and the others must have


    fed him.


    Suddenly, there was a warm touch on her forehead.


    Odell ruffled the stray hair in front of her forehead and said softly, ¡°Tomorrow is the weekend. Let¡¯s go out shopping.¡±


    Sylvia thought about it and said, ¡°It¡¯s been too hottely. Forget it.¡±


    She did not have to worry about Isabel and Liam, but Flint was still small and had to be looked after constantly, so it was


    troublesome. Aunt Tonya and the others were not young anymore, and Sylvia did not want to trouble them.


    Odell said, ¡°Leave the kids at home. We''ll go out alone.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him to see that his lips were curved in a gentle arc.


    Chapter 867


    She could not help but feel tempted, but when she thought of little Flint, who was clinging to her arms, she frowned and said,¡±


    Flint is still small. He can¡¯t leave me.¡±


    ¡°Isabel, Liam, and Aunt Tonya will be with him. He''ll be fine.¡±


    She wanted to say something else, but he suddenly held her face.


    ¡°How long has it been since you apanied me?¡± His voice was unpleasant, and his face was gloomy.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t | just apany youst night...¡± Sylvia muttered in a small voice.


    If he had not tossed her around until sotest night, she would not have slept for so long this afternoon.


    He pinched her face. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°What''s different about it?¡±


    ¡°You haven''t gone shopping with me.¡± His gaze was deep.


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Indeed, it seemed like she had never gone shopping with him before.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    During their first marriage, he was too busy working and neglected her.


    During their second marriage, they went shopping, but it was always with Liam and Isabel. They only yed with the children


    and ate with them. They had never been out on a date alone before.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked down at Flint. ¡°Flinty, Mommy and Daddy will go out shopping tomorrow, so you stay at


    home with Aunt Tonya and your siblings, okay?¡±


    She did not know whether Flint understood her or not, but he opened his mouth and let out an ¡®ah¡¯.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and smiled at Odell. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go shopping.¡±


    Odell smiled and caressed her face.


    The next day, Sylvia crawled out of bed early in the morning. She fed Flint, left enough milk in the fridge for the day, and started


    washing and dressing up.


    Although she had gone out many times before, it was always with Aunt Tonya and the others, so she never put on makeup.


    However, she was going out with Odell alone today. The man was very attractive, so she naturally could not lose to him. She


    picked a light pink dress that cinched at the waist from the wardrobe.


    However, the dress was tighter than expected, especially in the bust area. Sylvia used a lot of effort to pull the back zipper up,


    but not only did she fail, the zipper even got stuck and could not be pulled back down again either.


    She had no other choice but to shout for the man waiting outside for her, ¡°Odell, could youe in for a second?¡±

 Chapter 868

    Chapter 868


    Chapter 868


    Odell walked in.


    Sylvia¡¯s back was turned to him. When she sensed him approach her, she asked, ¡°Can you help me with the zip?¡±


    The man was silent for a moment and raised his hand to tug the zipper on her back. His warm fingertips brushed against her


    skin, and Sylvia¡¯s nerves inexplicably tingled, making her back go numb.


    Before she could snap back to her senses, a loud rip rung out.


    Her chest instantly felt tight, and she almost could not catch her breath. She turned her head and red at him. ¡°Who told you to


    pull it up?¡±


    The man raised his brows slightly, his deep eyes looking at her bulging chest.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to zip you up?¡± he asked instead, his voice low and maic.


    Sylvia instantly noticed something wrong and looked at him with a blush. ¡°Stop looking. Hurry up and undo my zipper. This dress


    is too tight. | have to change into another one.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Then, she turned her back to him again.


    However, the next second, the man¡¯s arms circled around her waist and pulled her into his chest. His hot breath came from


    above her, brushing against her neck.


    Sylvia¡¯s body went numb as she struggled. ¡°Odell, we still have to go out shopping. Hurry up and undo the zipper. I-¡±


    Before she could finish, he pressed her against the wall.


    An unknown amount of time passed.


    It was only when the sun was almost overhead that the movements in the room calmed down.


    Sylvia¡¯s dress was not only unzipped but it was also ripped into two on the ground along with his shirt. Shey naked in his arms,


    ring at him.


    Odell lowered his head and kissed her rosy cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Hurry up and go change.¡±


    He spoke as if she was the one who dyed the time.


    Sylvia ignored him, got out of bed, and went straight to the closet to select a loose white dress. It was an A-line dress. It was not


    form-fitting, but it was very ssy.


    The weather outside was hot. After putting on makeup, she took a sunhat and walked out of the closet.


    The man was standing outside waiting for her.


    Unlike the dissatisfied look he had on the bed when she went into the cloakroom, he had already changed into a suit. His figure


    was tall and straight, and his handsome face carried an aura of indifference hanging over him.


    If he had not looked at Sylvia¡¯s chest at that moment, she might have forgotten that he had just carried her to bed and ravaged


    Chapter 868


    her dress earlier.


    She could not help but re at him. ¡°Odell Carter!¡±


    ¡®Will you stop staring at my chest? Can¡¯t you act like a gentleman?¡¯


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°This dress is pretty nice.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him.


    He took one of her hands and led her outside while asking,¡± Where do you want to go shoppingter?¡±


    ¡°Anywhere works.¡±


    Soon, they went downstairs to the living room where Aunt Tonya, Wanda, and Flora, who were sitting around Flint, stopped


    talking and looked at them.


    Liam, who was reading a book, and Isabel, who was watching a


    TV drama, also raised their heads in unison to look at them.


    ¡°Mommy, Baddie, what took you so long?¡± Isabel asked in confusion.


    Sylvia¡¯s cheeks heated up at their gazes. Just as she was wondering how to exin it to him, the man beside her said,¡± We got


    sidetracked.¡±


    His voice was low as usual, and his face was serious as if the man who had just been staring at her chest in the room earlier was


    not him.


    Fortunately, his words managed to fool the two children.


    Isabel urged them, ¡°Hurry up and go on your date. It¡¯s going to be dark soon.¡±


    Aunt Tonya, Wanda, and Flora chuckled. ¡°Syl, we''ll take care of Flint, so don¡¯t worry abouting backte.¡±


    Sylvia hummed with a red face as Odell led her out.


    Outside, the sun was shining brightly, and the temperature was very warm.

 Chapter 869

    Chapter 869


    Chapter 869


    There were not many people walking around.


    Sylvia was just pondering about where it would be morefortable to go shopping when the car pulled into thergest luxury


    mall in Westchester. The mall retailed luxury brands from all over the world, including all kinds of jewelry and bags.


    However, she frowned and asked, ¡°Why did you bring me here, Odell?¡±


    ¡°To shop.¡±


    ¡°This is a luxury mall.¡± Sylvia was in no way short of jewelry and was not that interested in stuff like these.


    ¡°Aren''t you women all about shopping?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Shopping doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we have to go to a mall. There are so many fun ces in Westchester.¡±


    The car had already stopped, so Odell ignored her and dragged her out. Only after they entered the mall, he let go of her.


    Since they were already there, Sylvia did not insist on going back and strolled about with him.


    As expected of a mall where luxury brands converged, the interior design was very opulent, and many disy windows were


    exquisitely decorated.


    Sylvia strolled around this floor for a long time but did not enter a single store. For one, she was not interested in these


    Chapter 869


    products, and secondly, she felt that a man like Odell would not be fond of shopping in jewelry stores either.


    Unexpectedly, when she was about to go upstairs, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. She looked up and saw his frown.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°What''s wrong? Didn¡¯t you want to shop?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡± His voice was very upset.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go into any stores and take a look? Are you not interested in them? Or do you not want to shop with me?¡±


    He fired off three questions in a row, confusing her.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯


    ¡°In that case, go in.¡± After saying that, he took out his wallet from his pocket and pulled out a card. ¡°There¡¯s 100 million on this


    card. If you don¡¯t max out this card by today, then don¡¯t even think about leaving this ce.¡± !


    Sylvia was speechless.


    He stuffed the card into the bag she was carrying.


    Well, what else could she do? She had no choice but to go into the store with him.


    However, her lips could not help but curl up. She did not like to be wasteful, and she was not keen on luxury goods, but she liked


    how this man cared about her.


    Thus, under his coercion, Sylvia started to shop seriously.


    Many luxury goods had appealing designs, but Sylvia did not go wild picking things up. She carefully selected the ones that she


    liked.


    When there was jewelry, she tried it on and asked Odell if it looked good.


    Odell would look, but every time she asked, he would nod his head or say that it looked good, then tell the clerk to wrap it up for


    her.


    This time, Sylvia put on a pair of pearl earrings and asked him,¡± What about these?¡±


    Odell curved his lips. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°You say that every time.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you look good in everything.¡± He smiled gently.


    She could not help but smile.


    Just like that, they covered the first floor before going up to the second.


    Odell left their address at several stores and told them to deliver the items directly to his home. His hands were also filled with


    shopping bags.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze flickered as she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to shop anymore. Let¡¯s have some food.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She smiled at him.


    He took out his phone and looked at the text message from his bank notifying him about their expenditure. She had shopped for


    so long, yet she had only spent one percent of the limit. ¡°Shop more before eating,¡± he instructed and walked forward.


    Sylvia tugged one of his arms. ¡°But I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Bear with it.¡±

 Chapter 870

    Chapter 870


    Chapter 870 Sylvia shopped around the floor with him again.


    When they reached the elevator, she wanted to go down, but he held her hand and went upstairs instead.


    ¡°Let''s go to one more floor to shop before we eat,¡± he said. His tone was strong and gave her no room for refusal.


    Sylvia held back her anger.


    ¡®Whatever. We''ve already covered two floors. What¡¯s one more?¡¯


    Taking the elevator, they soon arrived at the third floor.


    As soon as they came up, they saw a spacious gallery. It was a temporary art gallery, which meant that someone was probably


    holding an exhibition here. Many famous paintings were disyed outside the entrance.


    Sylvia stopped and could not help but look over, Odell held her hand and asked, ¡°Do you want to go in and have a look?¡±


    As soon as his voice fell, a familiar and beautiful figure came out of the gallery.


    Lily''s expression was startled as if she did not expect to meet them. Her eyes swept over the shopping bags that Sylvia and


    Odell were carrying, then she smiled and walked up to them.


    ¡°Master Carter, Ms. Ross, what a coincidence. Are you here to


    Chapter 870


    214


    shop?¡±


    Odell gave a cold hum.


    Lily looked at Sylvia and smiled politely. ¡°Ms. Ross, this is a painting exhibition jointly organized by my grandfather and the Art


    Association. The president, Christopher, and several people from the association are inside. Why don¡¯t youe in? They''ll be


    overjoyed to see you.¡±


    Sylvia could not bring herself to smile, and she did not want to go in either.


    Ever since she had withdrawn from the Art Association after being mockedst time with the ink painting, she never contacted


    Christopher and the others again.


    Before she could refuse though, Lily said, ¡°Are you still concerned about the painting incident back then? | also heard about it,


    but that was a long time ago. They won''t bring it up again.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale. The scenes of being mocked by the group for not being able to paint, and the scenes of being used


    of dining and dashing, and being secretly filmed by the people of the Art Association all flooded back into her mind.


    The words of refusal were stuck in her throat.


    ¡®If | say | won''t go in, wouldn''t it be the same as saying | still care about the painting incident?¡¯


    ¡°We have other ns, so we won''t go in.¡± The man¡¯s low voice suddenly sounded.


    He tightly gripped Sylvia¡¯s hand, and the heat of his palm spread all over her body. Without waiting for Lily to say anything, he led


    Sylvia and turned around, walking to the esctor leading down.


    Soon, they walked out of the mall.


    The weather outside was hot, but Sylvia''s expression was a little downcast. She kept her head down.


    Odell held her hand tightly and asked, ¡°What do you want to eatter?¡±


    ¡°Anything''s fine.¡±


    She did not have any appetite now.


    He looked at her obviously depressed expression, and his gaze deepened. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat, we¡¯ll continue shopping.¡±


    Sylvia quickly said, ¡°No, let¡¯s eat.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Neither did she want to shop anymore or meet Lily again.


    Odell smiled. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze flickered as she stated, ¡°Ice cream.¡±


    The weather was hot, so she wanted to eat something cold and sweet.


    Odell pinched her rosy cheeks and asked again, ¡°What do you want to eat for lunch?¡±


    She thought seriously and said, ¡°Grilled meat.¡±


    She had not eaten grilled meat for a long time. However, she was breastfeeding the baby, so it did not seem appropriate to

 Chapter 871

    Chapter 871


    Unexpectedly, Odell smiled and answered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Not only did he agree easily, but his low and maic voice also seemed to be a little doting on her.


    Sylvia¡¯s heart trembled, and she could not help but press herself against him, holding his arm as they walked to the parking lot.


    Meanwhile, in the gallery on the third floor of the mall, Lily stood in front of the window wall, watching their intimate figures leave.


    When Sylvia and Odell left by car, she immediately took out her phone and called Thomas.


    The line rang for a while before connecting, and she asked coldly, ¡°Second Master, more than three months have passed. When


    exactly will your n start? Are you going to let Sylvia give birth to his fourth child before you start?¡±


    She got angrier the more she spoke.


    Especially when she thought back to the scene of Odell holding Sylvia earlier , and how he held Sylvia¡¯s shopping bags for her.


    He was the master of the Carter family and the head of the entire Carter Corporation. It was condescending enough for him to


    apany her shopping, but he actually carried her bags for her!


    Seemingly sensing her emotions, Thomas asked in a light voice, ¡°Did you meet them?¡±


    Chapter 871


    2/4? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Lily took a breath, calmed down, and said with a sneer, ¡°Yes, | saw Master Carter apanying Ms. Ross to shop. They were


    holding hands and looked very affectionate.¡±


    Thomas was silent for a while and asked, ¡°Has your project with Carter Corporation started yet?¡±


    ¡°It started long ago.¡± Lily''s expression changed. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    ¡°Are there a lot of things that need to bemunicated in the future?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but they''ll be dealt with by the subordinates.¡±


    ¡°| suggest you pick a few important matters and go to him personally.¡±


    Lily frowned. ¡°He saw me when | went with my grandmother to get the paternity report with Grand-aunt Ramona. He definitely


    won''t agree to meet me.¡±


    She could feel the man¡¯s aversion to her. She did not want to go to him as if she was begging for his attention.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll meet you,¡± Thomas replied.


    Lily''s gaze flickered as she asked, ¡°Do you have a n?¡±


    Sylvia and Odell came to a barbeque restaurant.


    Although the weather was hot, there were quite a few people in the restaurant.


    Odell asked for a suite, and they sat face to face at a table. They ordered all the dishes that she liked to eat as well as what he


    usually ate.


    Before long, the dishes were all served.


    Sylvia was about to start grilling the meat when she saw him pick up the skewers and methodically ce the meat and


    vegetables on the grill. Her eyes widened.


    Upon seeing her surprise, Odell said without changing his expression, ¡°I took Isabel and Liam to have grilled meat a few times


    when you were away.¡±


    Her gaze darkened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don''t apologize. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He put up a piece of cooked meat on her te and added, ¡°I¡¯m their father. It¡¯s only right that


    I take care of them.¡±


    The person who should apologize was him. Aside from all the things he had done to hurt her in the past, he should have taken


    care of them as a husband and father. However, he repeatedly distrusted her and almost caused her to have another ident.


    Sylvia blinked, then took her hand and pinched her face.


    Odell frowned. ¡°Why are you pinching yourself?¡±


    She smiled and said, ¡°I was wondering if | was dreaming.¡±


    He was speechless, and his handsome face instantly darkened.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered as she quickly said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by it. I¡¯m just ecstatic.¡±


    Then, seeing that he was still a bit upset, she reached out and tried to grab a slice of grilled meat.


    However, Odell pped her hand away. He said in a cold voice,¡± Don¡¯t touch that.¡± Sylvia withdrew her hand with a feeble


    response, ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 872

    Chapter 872


    Seeing her like this, Odell instantly gave her another piece of meat. ¡°Eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia immediately devoured the meat.


    As soon as she swallowed it, more pieces appeared on her te. The meat and vegetables were just the right degree of


    heat.


    She dipped them in the sauce and munched on them.


    For some reason, she felt that the food here was particrly delicious. It was much better than all the grilled meat she had eaten


    before.


    Odell saw her lips twitching in a smile. He held back hisughter and asked, ¡°Is it good?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You have some too.¡± Sylvia picked up her fork and gave him a piece.


    She just realized that she did not use themunal tongs. Just as she was about to tell him not to eat it, he picked up the meat


    and shoved it in his mouth.


    ¡°Not bad,¡± he said.


    Sylvia curled up the corners of her mouth.


    Odell smiled and continued to grill the meat.


    ¡°Til do it. You can eat instead.¡±


    ¡°No need, you eat.¡± His voice was gentle yet firm,


    Thus, Sylvia ate. The more she ate, the happier she became, especially when he gave her the cooked food from time to time.


    Odell took in the look in her eyes. The corners of his lips curled up, and the gaze in his eyes deepened.


    How bad was he in the past for her to be so pleased with him just doing such a menial task as cooking meat for her like this?


    The meal ended on a happy note.


    Sylvia went out to watch a movie with him again. Like an ordinary couple, after watching the movie, they went to a food street


    and indulged in the ice cream she wanted along with some snacks. They only went back when it was dark.


    The car smoothly parked outside the old residence.


    Sylvia got out of the car and quickly walked in.


    It was Flint¡¯s first time being away from her for so long since he was born. She wondered if he cried or made a fuss.


    Soon, she walked into the living room.


    In the bright living room, Aunt Tonya and the others were sitting together chatting, and Sebastian sat beside them.


    On the other side of the sofa, Flint sat in between Isabel and Liam, watching his older siblings y with race cars with his bright


    eyes open. His earnest gaze was adorable.


    Sylvia¡¯s nervous mood rxed.


    At that moment, they all saw Odell and here in and looked at her.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Isabel and Liam put down their remote controls. Instead ofing directly, the little girl picked up Flint beside her and said,


    ¡°Flinty, Mommy is back!¡±


    Flint immediately reached out toward Sylvia, babbling excitedly.


    Sylvia quickly went over and took him into her arms. The little one threw his arms around her neck as if afraid that she would


    leave.


    At that moment, Odell also came in.


    Flint nced at him and continued toy his face on Sylvia¡¯s shoulder, choosing to stick to his mother.


    Sylvia held him and sat between Isabel and Liam. ¡°What did you all do at home during the day?¡±


    Liam''s eyes flickered as he looked at Flint, who was in Sylvia¡¯s arms, and said, ¡°Read, y with Flint, y games.¡±


    Isabel said, ¡°Ditto.¡±


    Sylvia immediately asked, ¡°You also read?¡± Isabel giggled. ¡°I did everything except that.¡±


    Sylviaughed.


    ¡°Mommy, where did you and Baddie go for your date?¡± The girl looked up to ask her, her curved eyes as bright as the crescent


    moon, full of curiosity and nosiness.


    Sylvia looked at Odell who sat on Isabel¡¯s other side, reading the evening paper as if he did not hear the girl¡¯s words.


    Sylvia said, ¡°We went shopping, ate, and watched a movie.¡± Isabel''s eyes flickered. ¡°Did you kiss?¡±

 Chapter 873

    Chapter 873


    Chapter 873 Sylvia¡¯s face heated up as she immediately smacked the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Isabel Ross, did you watch one of your idol¡¯s


    dramas again?¡±


    Isabel replied haughtily, ¡°I only watch cartoons, not dramas.¡±


    ¡°She held Flint and watched dramas with Aunt Tonya for two hours today,¡± Liam, who was reading a book, said seriously.


    Sylvia frowned at Isabel.


    Isabel immediately hid in Odell¡¯s arms, hugging him while shouting at Liam, ¡°You snitch!¡±


    However, Liam ignored her.


    Aunt Tonya said sheepishly, ¡°I went back to my room to watch TV during their afternoon nap. | didn¡¯t know when they came in


    either. It was only after the show ended that | realized that she was holding Flint and hiding behind me.¡±


    Sylvia looked at Isabel who turned her head and buried her face in Odell¡¯s chest. It was as if Sylvia was helpless against her if


    she did that.


    She was holding Flint, so she really could not do anything to Isabel, but she did not want to let Isabel off the hook just like that.


    Thus, she said to Odell, ¡°Odell, say something to her.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Odell, who always spoiled Isabel, smacked her bottom and even said, ¡°As punishment , you''re not allowed to


    watch TV for a week, and your daily homework is doubled.¡±


    Then, he said to Liam, ¡°You''re responsible for watching her.¡±


    Liam said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel puffed up her little face and red at him. ¡°You baddie! don¡¯t want you anymore! Hmph!¡±


    Odell did not fall for that trick. He circled her with one hand to prevent her from falling and picked up the evening paper with the


    other hand to continue reading it.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel was so angry that she punched him twice, then shey on his chest to re at Liam.


    Sylvia could not help butugh.


    The sound immediately attracted Flint¡¯s attention, who also giggled.


    When the little guyughed, everyone in the living room looked up with a smile.


    Isabel immediately shouted at Flint, ¡°What are youughing at, you stinky baby?¡±


    Flint continued to giggle as Isabel angrily buried her face in Odell¡¯s arms.


    Everyone in the living room instantlyughed.


    Happy times always passed by quickly.


    In two days, Odell would be going on a business trip and would not be back for a week.


    Chapter 873


    One week was not that long. She did not see him for half a year before giving birth, and she did not see him for years before


    that.


    However, since the birth, he woulde back every day even if he was busy and stayed at home with her when he was free on


    weekends.


    Now, he was only gone for a day, but Sylvia already felt sick all over.


    Although she had Aunt Tonya and the children to apany her, when she returned to the bedroom at night, she could not


    sleep when shey on the bed that they shared. She had to chat with him over the phone before she could fall asleep.


    After a long week, just when she thought that he coulde back this afternoon, she got the news that he had to go back to the


    company to deal with some urgent matters.


    Sylvia did not want to affect his work. Although she was depressed, she said with a smile, ¡°Okay, I''ll wait for you at home.


    He said softly, ¡°I might be backte today, so don¡¯t wait for me. Go to sleep if you¡¯re tired.¡±


    ¡°Okay, | know.¡±


    They then hung up.


    He was probably busy again.


    Dinner was served on time.


    Sylvia fed Flint milk and had dinner with Isabel, Liam, Aunt


    Tonya, and the others.


    After dinner, Flint fell asleep while Isabel and Liam also went back to their room to sleep after being tuckered out from ying,


    and the whole house fell into silence. It was also quiet outside.


    However, Sylvia was not sleepy at all.


    Just as she stood by the window waiting anxiously, an idea suddenly rushed into her mind. ¡®If he¡¯s too busy toe back, | can


    go to him instead.¡¯

 Chapter 874

    Chapter 874


    Sylvia called Cliff to make sure that Odell was still busy working and asked Jacob to drive her to Carter Tower.


    Thete night was quiet, and most of the employees in the building had already left work.


    The security guard knew Jacob and learned her identity from him so he immediately opened the door and let them in.


    Sylvia entered the elevator while holding her breath.


    She thought, I''ll just take a look. If he¡¯s really busy, then I''ll just say hi and leave. If he¡¯s almost done, then I''ll wait for him quietly


    and leave with him when he¡¯s finished.¡¯


    The elevator soon rose to the top floor.


    Just as Sylvia was about to rush out, a familiar and beautiful figure came out from Odell''s office. It was none other than Lily


    Springsteen.


    Sylvia froze.


    Lily obviously did not expect to meet Sylvia here and was startled. However, she soon showed an elegant smile and walked up


    to Sylvia in her high heels.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, you are here ratherte to see Master Carter, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sylvia hummed and nced at her.


    Lily wore a zer, a pencil skirt, and ck high heels. Her hair


    was pulled into a low ponytail, and her makeup was not very heavy whereas her body exuded an elegant andpetent aura.


    She was also holding a folder in her hands, so she was most likely here to talk to Odell about work.


    However, why did shee at this time to talk about work instead of earlier?


    Sylvia did not think about it. She nced at Lily and breezed past her.


    ¡°Master Carter has a lot of things to do, so | think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t disturb him,¡± Lily suddenly said.


    Sylvia stopped and said coldly, ¡°He¡¯s my husband, and you''re only his business partner. | don¡¯t think it¡¯s your ce to determine


    if I''m disturbing him.¡±


    In the past, she thought that Lily and Odell were really engaged, so she held back because she was afraid of ruining their


    rtionship . She held back the humiliation of having to clean her shoes at Ramona¡¯s birthday party and the humiliation of Mrs.


    Springsteen having her mocked by the entire art circle in Westchester. She did not even dare to tell Odell that the baby was his.


    However, although Lily no longer had any rtionship with Odell now, she still dared to act high and mighty, saying such stuff to


    Sylvia. It was as if Lily was very close to Odell while Sylvia was the outsider.


    Sylvia naturally would not tolerate it anymore.


    Lily''s expression instantly turned cold, but she quickly recovered her elegant and haughty posture. ¡°Master Carter is indeed your


    Chapter 874


    man, but he¡¯s also the head of a corporation, and | have a partnership with him. If you disturb him and affect his work, it¡¯s also


    likely to affect my cooperation with him.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Lily nced at her up and down, her eyes falling on Sylvia¡¯s feet that were still wearing house slippers, and she sneered, ¡°If you


    can¡¯t help Master Carter at work, it''s better to be a good housewife at home and not cause him any trouble.¡±


    Then, without waiting for Sylvia to say anything, she walked straight into the elevator.


    Sylvia stood where she was. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed for a long time before she finally moved her feet.


    She wanted to turn around and leave, but unexpectedly, Cliff suddenly walked out of Odell¡¯s office. His eyes lit up when he saw


    her. ¡°Madam, are you here to see Master Carter? He¡¯s right inside.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t he swamped now?¡±


    Cliff replied, ¡°The important stuff is almost settled. He¡¯s wrapping up now and should finish working soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°You should go in quickly. | have something to do, so I''ll leave first.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Cliff then left


    Sylvia pushed open the door of the office and went in. The space inside was spacious and brightly lit. The furnishings were still


    simr to how she remembered.


    Behind the desk, the man¡¯s suit-d figure sat in a chair. He held documents in his hand and flipped through them. Upon hearing


    the sound of the door opening, his deep eyes looked over.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia immediately smiled at him. ¡°Odell I-I¡¯m here to see you.¡±


    The man¡¯s shallow lips curled up. His expression earlier was so cold that no one dared to approach him, but now it instantly


    became warm and gentle.


    ¡°Come here,¡± he said.


    Sylvia walked to his side, but afraid of disturbing his work, she said, ¡°You continue working. I''ll just wait for you here.¡±

 Chapter 875

    Chapter 875


    Chapter 875 What answered her was therge hand that wrapped around her waist.


    In an instant, he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto hisp.


    Immediately after, his handsome face lowered and approached her, and his thin lips covered her own.


    Sylvia¡¯s cheeks heated up, but she did not push him away. She had not seen him for a week, so she also missed him terribly.


    After a short while, her hands clutched his cor, and her body softly pressed against his.


    The kiss got deeper and deeper.


    When Sylvia felt hot and out of breath, he suddenly picked her up. The next second, she was pinned to the desk. His tall figure


    loomed over her.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and she said, ¡°Odell, this is your office. Don¡¯t mess around.¡±


    He looked at her with scarlet eyes like a wolf watching its prey.


    Her gaze shrank, and she asked again, ¡°Don¡¯t you have work?¡±


    She just missed him and wanted to see him. She did not n on anything else.


    Odell lowered his head again and kissed her lips, saying in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡±


    ¡°It''ste. Why don¡¯t you finish your work, and we can go home and-¡±


    He blocked her mouth directly, not giving her a chance to say anything again. He also stopped the possibility of her struggling.


    Before long, the legs of the desk shook. The documents and ornaments on the desk also fell to the floor.


    It waste into the night.


    The usually spacious, quiet, and cold office was not only messy but also filled with a romantic atmosphere.


    He had ced Sylvia on the sofa. She was wrapped in the long coat she wore when she came, but the rest of her clothes were


    all torn and could not be worn anymore.


    Meanwhile, besides a few strands of messy hair on his forehead, Odell was still straight and tidy.


    At that moment, he was sitting at his desk, holding a folder. He looked cold and severe, appearing unapproachable. It was


    completely different from the person who had pinned her on the table and bullied her.


    Her legs were still shaking weakly. Sylvia could not help but re at him when she saw his sanctimonious appearance.


    The man who was reading the document seemed to sense her line of sight and suddenly raised his eyes. His sharp eyes looked


    straight at her.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes shed as she immediately looked away.


    The man smiled imperceptibly and continued to read the documents. Perhaps it was because he was in a great mood, but his


    work efficiency was much faster than usual.


    Before long, he put down his work, got up, and went to her.


    Sylvia was ying with her fingernails . She did not realize his approach until a dark shadow covered her. Instinctively, she


    shrank back.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and looked unhappy.


    She smiled at him. ¡°Are you done working?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, let''s go home quickly,¡± she said and got off the sofa.


    However, before she could stand firmly, something grabbed her waist.


    With a whoosh, she was dragged into his arms like an inanimate object, almost like she was attached to him.

 Chapter 876

    Chapter 876


    Chapter 875 What answered her was therge hand that wrapped around her waist.


    In an instant, he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto hisp.


    Immediately after, his handsome face lowered and approached her, and his thin lips covered her own.


    Sylvia¡¯s cheeks heated up, but she did not push him away. She had not seen him for a week, so she also missed him terribly.


    After a short while, her hands clutched his cor, and her body softly pressed against his.


    The kiss got deeper and deeper.


    When Sylvia felt hot and out of breath, he suddenly picked her up. The next second, she was pinned to the desk. His tall figure


    loomed over her.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and she said, ¡°Odell, this is your office. Don¡¯t mess around.¡±


    He looked at her with scarlet eyes like a wolf watching its prey.


    Her gaze shrank, and she asked again, ¡°Don¡¯t you have work?¡±


    She just missed him and wanted to see him. She did not n on anything else.


    Odell lowered his head again and kissed her lips, saying in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s not important.¡±


    ¡°It''ste. Why don¡¯t you finish your work, and we can go home and-¡±


    He blocked her mouth directly, not giving her a chance to say anything again. He also stopped the possibility of her struggling.


    Before long, the legs of the desk shook. The documents and ornaments on the desk also fell to the floor.


    It waste into the night.


    The usually spacious, quiet, and cold office was not only messy but also filled with a romantic atmosphere.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He had ced Sylvia on the sofa. She was wrapped in the long coat she wore when she came, but the rest of her clothes were


    all torn and could not be worn anymore.


    Meanwhile, besides a few strands of messy hair on his forehead, Odell was still straight and tidy.


    At that moment, he was sitting at his desk, holding a folder. He looked cold and severe, appearing unapproachable. It was


    completely different from the person who had pinned her on the table and bullied her.


    Her legs were still shaking weakly. Sylvia could not help but re at him when she saw his sanctimonious appearance.


    The man who was reading the document seemed to sense her line of sight and suddenly raised his eyes. His sharp eyes looked


    straight at her.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes shed as she immediately looked away.


    The man smiled imperceptibly and continued to read the documents. Perhaps it was because he was in a great mood, but his


    work efficiency was much faster than usual.


    Before long, he put down his work, got up, and went to her.


    Sylvia was ying with her fingernails . She did not realize his approach until a dark shadow covered her. Instinctively, she


    shrank back.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and looked unhappy.


    She smiled at him. ¡°Are you done working?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, let''s go home quickly,¡± she said and got off the sofa.


    However, before she could stand firmly, something grabbed her waist.


    With a whoosh, she was dragged into his arms like an inanimate object, almost like she was attached to him.

 Chapter 877

    Chapter 877


    Unfortunately, he was unable to stay for long. After having a


    quick breakfast, he left for work.


    Even on the weekend, he left early in the morning.


    Sylvia had been staying at home for more than a week, so she made ns to go out with Aunt Tonya and the kids for a change


    of environment.


    They went on a day trip to the amusement park and only returned home in the evening.


    Even at that time, Odell still did note home for dinner.


    Seeming to sense Sylvia''s feelings of mncholy , Sebastian said to her, ¡°Madam, Master Carter often forgets to eat when he¡¯s


    working. Why don¡¯t you take some food over to his office for him?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face lit up, but after thinking about it, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think so, | believe he''ll be too busy.¡±


    Sebastian smiled. ¡°No matter how busy he is, he still has to eat. He wouldn¡¯t refuse it if you were the one to deliver dinner.¡±


    Sebastian was right. No matter how busy Odell was, he still had to eat.


    Sylvia could keep himpany over dinner, which would not disturb his work.


    She agreed.


    Sebastian immediately informed the kitchen to prepare two sets of dinner, packed them up and gave them to Sylvia.


    Sylvia took the food and went to Carter Tower by car.


    It was the weekend, so there were only a few cars outside the building. Since it was already night, the surroundings were quiet.


    Just as she was about to enter with the food, she saw a group of peopleing out of the building.


    They seemed to have juste out of a meeting and were walking in groups of twos and threes as they discussed something


    With her low ponytail hairstyle and tight dress, Lily stood out from the rest. She led the group out of the building; none of the men


    daring to overtake her.


    Even her assistant followed her from behind as he updated her about something.


    Coincidentally, Sylvia ran into her.


    Lily stopped and smiled. ¡°Ms. Ross, are you here to deliver dinner to Master Carter?¡±


    The men behind her immediately stopped and gave Sylvia a scrutinizing look.


    Sylvia was unable to fake a smile as well as Lily, so she simply hummed in reply


    Keeping the smile on her face, Lily said, ¡°Master Carter just ate with us in the meeting room. | doubt that he¡¯ll be able to eat


    anymore. | don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need to deliver any dinner to him.¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her brows.


    Lily then walked past her without pause.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Her assistant and the other men followed her away. Several of them nced at Sylvia before they left.


    Sylvia heard them talking about her.


    ¡°What era is this? There are delivery services everywhere , yet she¡¯s here to deliver dinner herself?¡±


    ¡°Who is she? Master Carter¡¯s girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°| believe that¡¯s Master Carter¡¯s ex-wife. | heard that they just got back together again.¡±


    ¡°No way! Ms. Springsteen is ten times better than her. Why would Master Carter pick someone like her over Ms. Springsteen?¡±


    ¡°Was it just because of her looks?¡±


    ¡°But Ms. Springsteen is beautiful as well.¡±


    The gossipy chatter faded as the group of people disappeared from Sylvia¡¯s sight.


    Sylvia was left standing stiffly in the same spot, unsure whether to go in or leave.


    After a while, just as she was about to turn around, Cliff called out to her.


    ¡°Madam?¡±


    Cliff strode to her with a smile. ¡°Are you here to deliver dinner to Master Carter?¡±


    Sylvia adjusted her emotions and smiled. ¡°I heard he already had his dinner, so | don¡¯t want to bother him.¡±


    ¡°Who said he already had dinner?¡±


    ¡°| ran into Ms. Springsteen earlier.¡±


    Cliff''s expression changed. ¡°Ms. Springsteen brought her people over to discuss work-rted matters. Master Carter barely even


    spoke to her. Even if they had to, it was all about work.¡±


    He was trying to exin that there was nothing between Lily and Odell.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not that. | was just thinking that since he already ate, | wouldn''t need to deliver dinner to him anymore.¡±

 Chapter 878

    Chapter 878


    Cliff''s expression changed and he said, ¡°Master Carter did eat something but it wasn¡¯t much.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Why would | lie to you? Please go on up. I¡¯m sure Master Carter will be happy to see you.¡±


    Sylvia hesitated. ¡°Will | be disturbing him at his work?¡±


    ¡°You won''t,¡± Cliff said confidently.


    After receiving Cliffs reassurance, she finally felt that it would be fine for her to go up.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Cliff before she walked into the elevator.


    As soon as the elevator door closed, Cliff called Odell.


    The call got through in mere seconds. ¡°Sir, Madam is here with dinner.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°She''s in the elevator and she''ll be there soon.¡± Cliff quickly added, ¡°Oh, she also mentioned that she ran into Ms. Springsteen


    earlier and heard you''d already eaten. She wanted to leave because she was afraid that she might disturb you, | told her that you


    wouldn''t.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm...¡± The man¡¯s voice became gentler. ¡°Go home for the night and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir. You and Madam stay safe,¡± Cliff said with a smile on his face.


    The elevator reached the highest floor.


    Sylvia carried the food to the office and knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± the man said.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Sylvia went inside and saw Odell behind his desk.


    He put the document down and smiled at her.


    Sylvia saw his bewitching, gentle smile and she blushed. She quickly ced the food on the desk.


    ¡°Sebastian asked me to bring you dinner,¡± she said.


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°He told you to do so?¡±


    ¡°He was worried that you might miss dinner.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°Were you worried about me missing dinner?¡± He stared at her intensely.


    Sylvia blushed even more and instinctively evaded his prying gaze. Then, she said, ¡°You''re not a baby. Why would | need to be


    worried about you?¡±


    He looked slightly disheartened. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Even his voice sounded slightly disappointed.


    Sylvia did not want to engage in such a cheesy conversation. Instead, she bent over and unpacked the food for him.


    ¡°You should eat quickly. It''s getting cold. All these foods are your favorite.¡±


    Odell nced at her. ¡°Go grab a chair and sit beside me.¡±


    Sylvia grabbed a chair but sat opposite him.


    m!


    He mmed the cutlery on the desk and red at her.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°It would be too inconvenient for you to eat if | was beside you.¡±


    ¡°If you''re not beside me, | won''t eat,¡± he said.


    Sylvia was rendered speechless.


    She choked up and begrudgingly moved her chair beside him.


    As soon as she sat down, the man lifted her face.


    He kissed her on the lips, savoring the feel of his lips on hers for a while before he released her.


    His lips curled into a grin, and the delight showed all over his face.


    Sylvia pouted, then she picked up her cutlery and started to eat dinner with him.


    ¡°Did you see Lily on your way up?¡± he asked suddenly. Sylvia hummed in reply.


    ¡°What did she say to you?¡± ¡°She said you¡¯d already eaten. Nothing else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting pretty busy at thepanytely. A number


    of projects are starting up and new progress has been made in the coboration between the Carter Corporation and the


    Springsteens. | have to meet her quite frequently to discuss work.¡±

 Chapter 879

    Chapter 879


    He did not want to have anything to do with Lily any longer but he could not avoid her at work.


    Sylvia took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°Il know. Just go ahead and continue eating.¡±


    Odell stroked her delicate cheek and asked, ¡°Are you feeling bored at home?¡±


    ¡°No. | have the kids with me, so I¡¯m not bored at all.¡±


    ¡°Are they giving you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°No, they have all been good.¡±


    The two of them continued to chat over dinner until they had eaten their fill.


    ¡°You can continue working now. I¡¯m going home.¡± Sylvia got up and started to tidy the empty containers from the desk.


    Before she could put everything away, the man put his arms around her waist and sat her on hisp.


    Hugging her from the back, he whispered into her ear, ¡°Stay here for a while and we''ll go home together.¡±


    Sylvia blushed. Annoyed, she said, ¡°Odell, you still have work to do. Why don¡¯t you finish your work first before you go home?¡±


    He could not help but pinch her adorable face. ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m asking you to wait for me on the couch while | finish


    my work.¡±


    Sylvia blushed even harder. She turned around and red at him.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Odell seized the chance to kiss her.


    They locked lips for a while before he released her.


    He smiled, ¡°Good girl. Now, go wait for me over there.¡±


    Sylvia tidied up the desk and carried the containers to the couch that was nearby.


    With a serious look on his face, Odell returned to working mode. The look on his face showed that he was not to be disturbed.


    Sylvia stared at him from the couch.


    He was blessed with handsome looks. No matter how she looked at him, she could not find a single w on his face.


    She stared at him until he put down his pen and paper.


    Sylvia withdrew her gaze and nervously yed with her fingers as her face blushed.


    Soon, his towering figure loomed over her as he tapped her on the head.


    ¡°You''ve been staring at me for an hour, stop pretending,¡± said the man pleasantly.


    Sylvia blushed even more and insisted, ¡°I did not.¡±


    ¡°Then it must have been some puppy who did that.¡±


    Sylvia looked up to him.


    His lips curled up bewitchingly.


    Sylvia blushed even harder. She turned around and red at him.


    Odell seized the chance to kiss her.


    They locked lips for a while before he released her.


    He smiled, ¡°Good girl. Now, go wait for me over there.¡±


    Sylvia tidied up the desk and carried the containers to the couch that was nearby.


    With a serious look on his face, Odell returned to working mode. The look on his face showed that he was not to be disturbed.


    Sylvia stared at him from the couch.


    He was blessed with handsome looks. No matter how she looked at him, she could not find a single w on his face.


    She stared at him until he put down his pen and paper.


    Sylvia withdrew her¡°gaze and nervously yed with her fingers as her face blushed.


    Soon, his towering figure loomed over her as he tapped her on the head.


    ¡°You''ve been staring at me for an hour, stop pretending,¡± said the man pleasantly.


    Sylvia blushed even more and insisted, ¡°I did not.¡±


    ¡°Then it must have been some puppy who did that.¡±


    Sylvia looked up to him.


    His lips curled up bewitchingly.


    Sylvia could not help but giggle. However, she still refused to admit it. ¡°You are the puppy.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm?¡± He narrowed his eyes as he hummed.


    Sylvia immediately switched the topic. ¡°Are you done with work?¡±


    He put his hand out and said, ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Sylvia put her hand in his.


    The broad palm of his hand enveloped her tiny hand with instant warmth.


    Sylvia got up and followed him out.


    After a few steps, she remembered the containers that she had left inside the office.


    She turned towards the couch and said, ¡°I forgot to take the containers.¡±


    Odell strode back to the couch to grab the containers. Then, he grabbed her hand and they left the office together.


    Feeling the warmth from the palm of his hand, Sylvia smiled.


    They held hands as they walked out of the building and got into the car.


    After their car had left the building, another car by the side of the road followed them.


    Lily and Thomas were in the car¡¯s rear seat and were looking at the MPV in front of them.


    Lily asked, ¡°Is this your n?¡± Second Master Carter?¡±


    She had followed his instructions and bumped into Sylvia twice now, yet Sylvia and Odell continued to look closer than ever.


    There was no sign of them falling out with each other.


    ¡°Why do | have a feeling that they are getting closer instead? Are you lying to me?¡± she questioned him.


    Thomas put on his cap to cover the calm caramel eyes underneath.


    After the ck MPV drove off from his sight, he calmly said, ¡° The game has only just begun.¡±

 Chapter 880

    Chapter 880


    Odell remained busy for the next few days.


    He went out early in the morning and came homete at night.


    Sylvia would be lying if she said that she did not miss him.


    Therefore, she decided to visit the office once every two to three days. Sometimes, it would be during lunch, sometimes during


    dinner.


    Today, while Flint, Isabel, and Liam were taking their nap, she went to Carter Tower to visit Odell.


    The security guard and receptionist already knew her, so they weed her with a polite smile.


    Sylvia went to his office but was informed by his secretary that he was having a meeting.


    She got bored while waiting, so she decided to take a stroll around the building.


    When she arrived on the first floor, she overheard several


    employees talking about her.


    ¡°Why is ourdy boss here once every two days?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of Ms. Springsteen. Since ourpany is working closely with the Springsteens on the new project, Ms.


    Springsteenes here often to have meetings with our boss. | believe ourdy boss might be afraid that her husband is


    spending too much time with another woman, so she¡¯s here to


    keep an eye on him.¡±


    ¡°Men don¡¯t like to be watched, especially someone like our boss. | think something will happen sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°| know, right? A woman must be tactical and resourceful.¡±


    ¡°| believe that our boss treats her well though. If | was Master Carter, | would have chosen Lily Springsteen instead. She¡¯s a


    wonderful woman, unlike this one, who is just a pretty face.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Her frequent visits were just because she missed Odell and wanted to spend some time with him.


    She pursed her lips and entered the elevator to return to Odell¡¯s office.


    The secretary reminded her, ¡°Madam, Master Carter is still having a meeting, so it might take a while.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. I''ll wait for him inside.¡±


    Sylvia then entered the office.


    The office was spacious but empty. She sat down on the couch and waited


    There were some books on the table, which were probably books that he would usually read.


    She picked one up and skimmed through it for a while. It was a book about economics and business, so she got bored after only


    reading a few pages.


    Her eyes became heavy and she started to yawn.


    Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep on the couch.


    Sometimeter, while she was still asleep, she felt someone lifting her as if she was being carried among the clouds.


    The feelingsted for only a moment before she felt a pressure on her body.


    She groaned and opened her eyes, immediately seeing the man above her.


    Odell was loosening his tie. He grinned when he saw her eyes open and kissed her lips before she could make a sound.


    Before Sylvia even realized what had happened, she was stripped naked.


    The bed squeaked sharply as he made love to her.


    When they were done, the squeaking finally stopped.


    Odell continued to hold Sylvia in his arms but she pushed him away and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to work?¡±


    She hade to visit him, not to disturb his work or spontaneous have sex with him.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Odell smiled and kissed her forehead. In a charming voice he said, ¡°I am quite free today. Just have some rest. I¡¯lle get you


    when I¡¯m done and we can go home together.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He kissed her lips again before he went out.


    Sylviaid back on the bed but was now no longer sleepy.


    Her body felt sticky with the sweat she had gotten after their exertions.


    She got out of bed and tiptoed into the bathroom next door to clean herself up.


    She got dressed and returned to the room.


    It was then that she heard someone conversing next door.


    Odell was talking to a woman and she thought that the woman¡¯s voice sounded familiar.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. She snuck to the door and had a peek.


    The door was not locked, so she saw Lily on the couch through the seam.


    Lily was discussing work-rted matters with Odell in her professional attire and elegant posture.

 Chapter 881

    Chapter 881


    ¡°Master Carter, what do you think of my suggestion?¡± Lily asked.


    Odell scanned through the documents in his hand and hummed in reply. ¡°It¡¯s decent but we might face problems executing it.¡±


    Lily looked slightly disheartened. ¡°What kind of problems?¡±


    ¡°It''s unrealistic. The details need to be adjusted,¡± he said as he put the documents on the table.


    There was an unpleasant look on Lily¡¯s face.


    Sylvia did not know if it was her imagination, but she felt as if Lily was looking in her direction.


    Sylvia immediately turned around and ttened herself against the wall.


    Lily could not know that she was there.


    With that in mind, she continued to lean towards the door to peek out again.


    By now, Lily was already standing in front of Odell¡¯s desk and taking back the document.


    She smiled. ¡°Master Carter, I''ll adjust the details, but please do not forget about the dinner tomorrow night. My partners will be


    there, and they are looking forward to meeting you.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Odell hummed in reply. Lily added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to bring Ms. Ross as well. My partners


    are intrigued by the rumored Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Odell picked up a document, ignoring Lily''s words.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, then | will take my leave now. Goodbye.¡± Lily walked out of the office with a polite smile.


    As soon as her elegant figure walked out of the office , Sylvia returned to the bed.


    There was a dinner tomorrow?


    Was it about the coboration between Carter Corporation and the Springsteens?


    Why had he never mentioned it to her before?


    Was it because of his busy schedule?


    Sylvia furrowed her brows and rolled over on the bed in annoyance.


    It was almost dark when the door finally opened and the handsome man in the suit came in.


    He leaned over to the woman on the bed and patted her on her head. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes remained shut.


    Momentster, she felt his dark shadow over her, and then he was kissing her before she could react.


    The man¡¯s dominating breath invaded her mouth.


    Sylvia immediately opened her eyes and pushed at him.


    Odell released her and smiled with narrowed eyes. ¡°Are you


    done pretending?¡±


    Sylvia smiled sheepishly. ¡°How did you know | was pretending?¡±


    Odell pinched her face. ¡°I know what you look like when you''re asleep and when you''re awake.¡±


    Sylvia then asked, ¡°Are you done with your work?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Let''s go home.¡±


    Sylvia got out of bed and followed Odell out of the office.


    The day went by peacefully.


    On the next day, Sylvia stayed home with the kids.


    In the evening, after Sylvia fed Flint, she sat in front of the floor to-ceiling window with the baby and stared outside.


    Her phone rang shortly after.


    It was Odell.


    Sylvia answered it and heard him saying, ¡°I have to attend a meetingter. I''ll bete tonight. Don¡¯t wait for me to have dinner.


    Just go to sleep if you''re tired.¡±


    Sylvia recalled the dinner that Lily had mentioned yesterday and a hint of disappointment shed in her eyes. ¡°Okay, take care.¡±


    The call ended and Sylvia continued to stare at the setting sun.


    When the sky waspletely dark, Isabel came over to remind her that dinner was being served.


    Sylvia carried Flint over to the dining table.


    After dinner, Isabel carried the baby to Liam.


    Sylvia watched them y until it was time for bed. Then, she ushered Isabel and Liam to bed before bringing Flint back to her


    room.


    After she had settled Flint, her phone rang.


    She picked it up and saw a message from an unregistered number.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he take you along to the dinner tonight?¡±

 Chapter 882

    Chapter 882


    Chapter 882


    Sylvia was startled and her hands began to tremble.


    The number was local but not registered in her contact list.


    This person clearly knew that Odell would be attending the dinner tonight and had even guessed what her thoughts would be.


    Judging by the way the person had asked the question, it sounded like Thomas.


    Sylvia gasped. (Who is this?]


    (Thomas. ]


    Thud!


    She tossed the phone to the bed. Her face turned pale, and her body began to shake.


    After a while, her phone rang again.


    The screen lit up and showed the message that she had just received.


    (Did he not tell you about the dinner tonight? ]All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia took a deep breath and picked up the phone again. Her fingers shook as she typed, ( It¡¯s none of your business!)


    She cklisted the number immediately but she could not control the fear in her heart.


    She paced in the room for a while before she called Odell.


    The dial tone sounded, but he did not pick up


    She frowned. Then, she carried the sleeping Flint and went to Isabel and Liam¡¯s room.


    Both the little ones were asleep.


    Sylvia sat down beside their bed with Flint in her arms.


    Having all three of her children by her side eased her anxiety. Although she could notpletely rid herself of the uneasiness,


    she finally felt the sleepiness overtake her.


    She leaned against the headboard of the bed and dozed off.


    It was only when her arms suddenly felt empty that she opened her eyes and saw Odell putting Flint back in the bed.


    He looked handsome in his ck suit. The faint smell of wine continued to linger on him, which meant he had juste home


    from dinner.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    After putting Flint down, Odell looked at her and saw that she was awake.


    He raised his hand to touch her head and asked, ¡°Why are you sitting here?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Sylvia then put up her legs on the bed andy beside Flint. ¡°I''ll be sleeping here tonight. You can go back and rest.¡±


    Odell narrowed his eyes when he saw that she seemed out of sorts and asked, ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. | just want to spend the night with the kids.¡±


    She sounded annoyed.


    Odell pped her on the bum and said, ¡°Get up.¡±


    Sylvia shut her eyes and ignored him.


    ¡°Tl count to three,¡± he said.


    ¡°Even if you count to a hundred, I¡¯m still not getting up.¡±


    Before her words had even subsided, she found herself lifted up.


    Sylvia squealed in shock but did not want to wake the kids. So, she struggled andined in whispered tones, ¡°Put me


    down!¡±


    Odell carried her back to their room.


    Sylvia was tossed on the bed and before she could sit up, his towering figure overwhelmed her.


    Thud.


    She was forced toy down on the bed with him above her.


    He cupped her chin and stared at her deeply. ¡°Are you angry?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sylvia looked away.


    Odell turned her face back and kissed her.


    The kisssted longer than usual, only releasing her when Sylvia was almost out of breath.


    He asked, ¡°Why are you angry?¡±


    Sylvia pouted as she ignored his question.

 Chapter 883

    Chapter 883


    Chapter 883


    He kissed her again.


    After a long kiss, he finally let go of her and pinched one of her cheeks, which was flushed either due to anger or shyness. He


    narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°If you refuse to speak properly, I''ll make sure you can¡¯t speak anymore.¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless.


    She red at him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take me along to the dinner?¡±


    Odell was surprised. ¡°Did you want to go?¡±


    Sylvia tightened her lips. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you mad?¡±


    ¡°Did you even think about bringing me along?¡±


    Or had he assumed that she could not be taken out in the public because she would embarrass him?


    Odell narrowed his eyes and flicked her forehead. ¡°What is in this little head of yours? Who told you that | didn¡¯t bring you along


    because | didn¡¯t want to?¡±


    Sylvia pouted.


    He continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring you along because | didn¡¯t think you would want to go. | was only attending as a courtesy so there¡¯s


    no point for me to take you there.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s spirit lifted and she hummed in reply.


    Odell then rubbed her forehead. ¡°Did that hurt?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia giggled. ¡°No.¡±


    It had sounded loud but it had not hurt.


    Odell narrowed his eyes as he looked at her sharply. ¡°How did you know | had a dinner to attend?¡±


    He had mentioned a meeting, not dinner.


    Sylvia¡¯s lips tightened and she said, ¡°I overheard your conversation with Lily yesterday and | received a text from Thomas just


    now.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°What did he send you?¡± Sylvia took her phone that she had left by the bed and showed the


    message to him. ¡°I cklisted his number, so he texted me with a new one.¡±


    Odell looked at the message from Thomas and his expression grew even grimmer.


    Thomas knew that he had not brought her to the dinner and had nned to use this to sabotage their rtionship again.


    Thomas was indeed a persistent man.


    However, when Odell saw the message that Sylvia had sent back in reply, his anger faded. He even found it amusing.


    However, he did not reveal his amusement. Instead, he continued to aim a cold look at her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me when he


    texted you?¡±


    ¡°| called, but you didn¡¯t pick up,¡± she said immediately.


    She sounded confident this time.


    Odell pursed his lips.


    Sylvia stared at him.


    ¡°The music at the dinner was loud so | missed the call.¡±


    Loud?


    ¡°Did you guys dance?¡± she asked with a frown on her face.


    Odell saw the unhappy expression on her face and hummed in reply.


    Sylvia continued to re at him.


    Odell could not help but kiss her on the lips. Then, he whispered, ¡°They danced, but I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Sylvia refused to look at him.


    Odell stroked her cheek with a smile and then got out of bed. ¡°I''ll go make a call. I''ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Why are you using my phone?¡± Sylvia asked as he was holding her phone.


    Restraining the frostiness in his eyes, Odell said, ¡°I¡¯m getting this unregistered number checked out.¡±


    Sylvia nodded in silence.


    He walked to the balcony and Sylvia buried herself under the quilt.


    She had no idea who he was asking for help but it took him quite a while before he came back.


    As his footsteps approached, Sylvia shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep.


    At the next moment, she felt a heavy pressure on her body. She grunted.


    Before she could say a word, her lips were covered by his.

 Chapter 884

    Chapter 884


    Chapter 884


    Meanwhile, in an MPV that was cruising steadily along the traffic, Lily sat elegantly in a long dress with a bustier top.


    The thought of Odell attending the dinner alone filled her with joy.


    She smiled as she looked at the man beside her. ¡°Thomas, he didn¡¯t bring Sylvia along with him. Does it mean he¡¯s already fed


    up with her?¡±


    Thomas opened his cell phone. Then, he pulled the sim card out. and tossed it out of the window that had been wound down


    halfway.


    ¡°Why did you throw the sim card away?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°It''s useless,¡± he said.


    Lily furrowed her brows.


    She had known the man since university. Not only had he amazed everyone with his piano skills, but he also had looks that


    stood out. He had been the most handsome guy on campus, and girls had been infatuated with him. However, after the old


    Master Carter had passed away, Odell had been appointed as thepany¡¯s heir. As the second son of the Carters, Thomas


    had lost any rights to inherit thepany.


    Lily had never been romantically interested in him but he had been quite the star back then, so she had befriended him.


    Now, they had known each other for a decade and she still


    could not see through his thoughts.


    She was baffled as to why a man as great as him would fall for a lowly woman like Sylvia.


    However, none of that mattered as long as he could help her break up Odell and Sylvia¡¯s rtionship.


    She asked, ¡°What''s our next step?¡±


    Thomas stayed quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°I don¡¯t think he would get fed up with Sylvia this fast.¡±


    Lily''s expression changed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We wait.¡±


    Ding!


    The phone rang early in the morning.


    The man opened his eyes and put the phone near his ear.


    The call was from the officer that he contactedst night, Bowman.


    Bowman said, ¡°Mr. Carter, we''ve gotten some information on the number that you provided. The owner of the number is a 15


    year old middle-schooler. We just contacted his parents and got confirmation that the kid had registered the number on behalf of


    a handsome man a week ago. The man offered him ten grand toplete the errand, so he agreed. We highly suspect that the


    man was Thomas Carter.¡±


    Odell got up and looked at the woman who was soundly asleep


    beside him. ¡°Did you manage to trace the cell phone signal?¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry. | arranged for my men to trace the locationst night, but the phone had been switched off. | must admit that your


    brother is good at counter-surveince,¡± Bowman sighed.


    ¡°Do you have any other leads on him?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment.¡± In a lowered tone of voice, Bowman continued , ¡°Sir, based on what | know, Thomas¡¯ target is your wife.


    Why don¡¯t we use her as bait to lure him out?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°No.¡±


    Sylvia had been imprisoned for six months and had suffered from severe depression and anxiety because of it. If Thomas


    somehow got his hands on her again, she would have to endure unimaginable torment again.


    Even though Thomas would not physically hurt her, Odell would never give Thomas the chance to take her away again.


    Using Sylvia as bait was out of the question.


    Bowman said seriously, ¡°Sir, we assure you that Thomas won''ty a finger on your wife.¡±


    Odell said coldly, ¡°Until you can locate him, your assurance is useless to me.¡±


    They had been tracking Thomas for days and still had no clue as to his whereabouts.


    This proved just how cunning Thomas was, and how superior he was in terms of nning and scheming.


    Bowman said, ¡°I apologize for being presumptuous. We''ll do our best.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    It was then that Sylvia suddenly rolled over, as if she was waking up.


    Odell ended the phone call and put the phone back down. Heid back on the bed and took her into his arms.


    Sylvia obedientlyid in his embrace and ced her arm around his waist.


    The cold look on his face eased up and he tightened his hold on her waist.

 Chapter 885

    Chapter 885


    Due to Thomas¡¯ sudden text, Sylvia stayed home for the next few days.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She spent her days taking care of her children and did not even visit Carter Tower during lunch or dinner time.


    Odell was still busy but he woulde home every night and check on her via text during the day.


    After several days of rest, Sylvia finally mustered up her courage to try going out alone.


    As she took a stroll in a crowded mall, all she saw were strangers and passersby. She did not encounter any suspicious people,


    let alone Thomas.


    Sylvia assumed he could only text her from the shadows and could not show himself openly.


    They were back in Westchester after all, not Galston.


    No matter how influential and resourceful Thomas was, he would not dare wreak havoc in Westchester.


    Later in the day, just as Sylvia was about to take a bus home, she ran into Bowman while she was walking out onto the street.


    Bowman, or Officer Sach, was the one she had been in contact with when she had exposed Tara to the authorities aftering


    back from the dead to Westchester.


    ¡°Officer Sach, hi,¡± Sylvia greeted him with a smile.


    Bowman had not expected to run into her at this time. He smiled and nodded at her. ¡°Ms. Ross.¡±


    Sylvia believed Bowman had matters to attend to, so she did not dare to dy him and moved to leave.


    ¡°Hold on, Ms. Ross. There is something I¡¯d like to discuss with you,¡± Bowman said.


    Sylvia turned around. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Thomas Carter.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale.


    Noticing the look on her face, Bowman asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Master Carter tell you that he was working with us to track him down?¡±


    Sylvia shook her head nkly.


    Odell had only told her that he had sent someone to track Thomas down. He had not mentioned that it was the police.


    Maybe because he knew she would be afraid to hear about him, Odell barely mentioned Thomas in front of her.


    Bowman struggled with his thoughts for a moment before he said, ¡°I contacted Master Carter a few days ago, and | suggested


    luring Thomas out with your help. However, he strongly denied the suggestion.¡±


    He looked at Sylvia. ¡°Ms. Ross, could we talk somewhere else?¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Bowman noticed her concerns. He said, ¡°If you have other


    if | really do fall asleep.¡±

 Chapter 886

    Chapter 886


    Chapter 886


    Under the soft light, her smile looked as gentle and sweet as her voice was.


    Unable to help himself, he bent down to cup her adorable face before asking in a quiet voice, ¡°Why is your mouth so sweet


    today? Did you eat some candy?¡±


    Sylvia blushed but did not push him away. She moved closer to him and offered up her luscious lips to the man. ¡°Why don¡¯t you


    give it a try and find out for yourself?¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression changed, and he instantly kissed her.


    His towering figure slowly moved over her as their lips locked.


    The quiet bedroom was then filled with the sound of their antics.


    It was only in theter part of the night that their activities finally stopped.


    Sylvia was swept up into his arms, feeling drowsy as shey her head on his chest


    However, the man did not allow her to shut her eyes. Instead, he stroked her head and pinched her cheeks as he asked, ¡°Did


    you go out alone today?¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°| went for a stroll.¡±


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°The Old Street and several othermercial streets.¡±


    ¡°Did you do anything else apart from shopping?¡±


    Sylvia hummed again, afraid that he would continue asking her more questions. Then, she buried her face in his broad chest and


    shut her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡±


    Odell looked at her blushing face. He narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Did you run into anyone outside?¡±


    With her eyes closed, Sylvia said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Did anything happen?¡± Annoyed, Sylvia frowned and grumbled, ¡°What¡¯s with the interrogation? Can we just go to sleep?¡±


    Her eyes remained shut but the annoyance was clear in her voice.


    Odell looked displeased. He pped her bottom and asked,¡± What did you say?¡± He had only been asking a few questions. Why


    was she annoyed?


    Sylvia pursed her lips in silence. She wanted to sleep and not argue with him.


    Odell grunted and pped her bottom again. ¡°Go take a shower.¡±


    ¡°You first,¡± she said as she rolled to the side.


    Odell nced at her. He got up and went to the bathroom.


    Sylvia opened her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.


    After a while, the sound of water flowing came from the bathroom.


    As if it was like magic, the sound had a soothing effect and listening to it actually put Sylvia to sleep.


    Sylvia was fast asleep when Odell came out of the bathroom with his robe on.


    He frowned, resisting the urge to wake her up and got back into bed instead.


    His long arm instinctively wrapped around her waist and he held her tightly in his arms.


    When Sylvia opened her eyes the next day, Odell had already gone to work.


    The kids had also had breakfast. So, Sylvia ate something and spent some time with the kids before she received a call from


    Bowman.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, are you ready?¡±


    Sylvia nced at her three adorable children before answering,¡± I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let''s go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The call ended. Sylvia ced the baby in Aunt Tonya¡¯s care and then patted Isabel and Liam''s heads.


    ¡°Isabel and Liam, Mommy is going out to meet an old friend. Please be a good boy and good girl while you stay at home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel nodded.


    ¡°lll take care of the two of them. Just leave them to me,¡± Liam said.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

 Chapter 887

    Chapter 887


    Sylvia took a ride to Westchester¡¯s New District. The New District had actually been considered a suburb a few years ago.


    However, due to rapid development, there were a lot more people and traffic passing through the area now.


    She hade to the New District to lure Thomas out.


    Bowman had found traces of Thomas¡¯ activities, all of which had led to this part of the city. He strongly believed that Thomas was


    in the district.


    He had no other way of luring Thomas out other than using Sylvia as bait. He instructed her to take a stroll in the New District in


    the hopes that it might catch Thomas¡¯ attention.


    Sylvia got out of the car and started wandering around along the sidewalk.


    Pretty soon, she came to a retro-looking bar.


    Having caught her attention, she decided to go inside.


    The owner of the bar, a youngdy, personally weed her when she came in.


    Sylvia was not much of a drinker but she wanted to pretend that she hade to have a drink as a means to drown her


    sorrows.


    She ordered a fruit wine with a low alcohol percentage and some snacks.


    After seeing that nothing had happened even after she had sat


    te for a few hours, she decided to leave.


    Fowman had said that Thomas would not be that easily fooled and that it might cause suspicion if Sylvia sat there for too long


    The day went by quickly.


    The next day, Sylvia came to the same bar and sat for hours again.


    Nothing happened again, so she decided to leave again.


    Later that night, after Sylvia had put Isabel and Liam to sleep and carried Flint to her room, she received a text on her phone


    when she returned to her room.


    ¡°Is he treating you badly?¡±


    Flint was asleep and Odell was workingte.


    The room was quiet with only onemp switched on.


    Sylvia clutched her phone with trembling fingers : [ Who is this? ]


    (Thomas)


    Immediately, she took a screenshot of the text and sent it to Bowman


    Bowman replied almost instantly: ( He should have found out by now that you went to the bar in the past two days, so please go


    there again tomorrow. | believe he will approach you soon. Don¡¯t worry, | have assigned undercover men to protect you. He won''t


    be able to hurt you.)


    Sylvia¡¯s heart pounded wildly. (Okay.)


    After thinking about it, she decided to reply to Thomas. [ It¡¯s none of your business. ]


    She switched off her phone and carried Flint to the bed.


    Perhaps due to her nervousness at the n that she had to carry out the next day, she could not sleep.


    She was still unable to sleep when she heard the familiar footstepsing into the room.


    The door opened, and the man in the suit walked into the room with his long legs.


    Sylvia sat up with Flint in her arms.


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡±


    ¡°| can¡¯t sleep,¡± she said.


    ¡°Is our baby giving you a hard time?¡±


    Odell walked over to the bed and looked at Flint who she was holding in her arms.


    Sylvia shook her head.


    ¡°Then why?¡± He asked with a sharp but gentle gaze at her.


    Sylvia avoided his gaze and begrudgingly said, ¡°I want to hug you to sleep.¡±


    Odell grinned. He lifted her chin for a kiss. ¡°Wait for me. I''ll take a shower and be back soon.¡±


    Sylva pursed her lips and hummed in reply.


    The shower did notst long and before she knew it, Odell came out in his robe.


    The dim lighting highlighted the contours of his body. The neckline of the robe exposed his broad, strong chest.


    First, he carried Flint over to the crib before he got into bed with Sylvia.


    Sylvia immediately snuggled into his arms like a kitten.


    Shortly after, she fell asleep. Perhaps it was due to the fragrance of her shampoo or the warmth of his body that soothed her


    mind.


    However, the man was aroused as soon as shey in his arms.


    Just when he was about to take her clothes off, he began to hear her steady breathing.


    ncing at the time, he noticed that it was almost midnight.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He sighed.


    ¡®Fine. I''lle back home early tomorrow night and be with you then.¡¯ :

 Chapter 888

    Chapter 888


    Chapter 888


    Sylvia slept until she woke up naturally, which was around the same time as usual but Odell had already gone to work.


    She got up and washed her face.


    Then she changed into fresh clothes, nursed Flint and had breakfast. She also spent some time with Isabel and Liam before she


    handed Flint over to Aunt Tonya when she thought it was almost time to go.


    Leaving Isabel and Liam with a reminder to be good, she then took a ride to the bar in New District.


    Ben had been the one to drive her to the bar in the past two days. Before she got out of the car, he said, ¡°Madam, I''ll be waiting


    in the car. Just call me if you need anything.¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply and got out of the car.


    The bar and its surroundings looked the same but there were two more tables with customers inside.


    The customers gave subtle nces at Sylvia as soon as she went in.


    Thinking about what Bowman had told her, Sylvia assumed that they were undercover police officers.


    The thought eased her nervousness slightly.


    Aftering here for two days straight, thedy owner was able to recognize her. She smiled and said, ¡°Two bottles of rose


    champagne and some snacks?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and hummed in reply.


    Thedy owner served the drinks and snacks shortly after.


    Sylvia took a sip to ease her mind.


    The seconds turned into minutes, and the minutes into hours.


    Almost two hourster, she had finished the two bottles of rose champagne. By then, the other customers seemed to have


    finished their drinks as well and they gestured to thedy owner for more.


    Sylvia frowned. She had drunk a little too much today and was starting to feel tipsy.


    Unfortunately, Thomas still had not shown up. ¡®When is he going to appear?¡¯ She thought.


    Suddenly, just as she was thinking about leaving, she heard a knocking sounding from beside her.


    Sylvia was sitting by the window and she saw that someone was knocking on the ss window from the outside.


    She froze and raised her head, only to see a pair of cold-looking eyes looking right back at her.


    Thomas¡¯ slender figure appeared within her sight.


    They were only separated by ayer of ss.


    He was smiling lightly at her.


    fell on the table with a thud.


    The whole bar suddenly went quiet.


    Sylvia did not turn around but she sensed that the undercover police officers were looking in her direction.


    She pursed her lips and stared at Thomas stiffly.


    Thomas¡¯ smile widened. ¡°Could | have a word with you outside?¡±


    Sylvia reluctantly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go outside. Come inside if you want to talk.¡±


    She had to lure him in because there were police officers in theContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    bar.


    Thomas stared at her in silence for a while. Gathering all her courage, she stared back.


    Just as she was about to lose the staring contest, he grinned and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He came in through the entrance and sat opposite Sylvia.


    Sylvia sat stiffly. ¡°What was it that you wanted to talk about?¡±


    Thomas looked at her. ¡°Are they police officers ?¡±


    He turned to nce at the other customers.


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale.


    The undercover police officers immediately bolted up.


    However, Thomas calmly remained seated. He even continued to smile at Sylvia.


    Sylvia had a feeling that something was not right.


    However, before she could understand why, she heard a sudden scream.


    Aman had seized thedy owner by putting a knife to her neck.


    The police officers immediately froze.


    Sylvia cried, ¡°The owner is innocent, let her go!¡±


    Thomas smiled. ¡°Come with me and I''ll spare her.¡±


    Sylvia clutched the table tightly.


    Thomas chuckled at her nervous reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | just want to have a few words with you. | won¡¯t take you away.¡±

 Chapter 889

    Chapter 889


    Sylvia furrowed her brows.


    Thedy owner screamed again.


    Sylvia saw that blood had started to drip from thedy owner''s neck. The man had cut her skin with the de.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in shock and fear, and her body started to shake.


    All she had wanted was to lure Thomas out of hiding. She had not wanted any innocent people to be involved.


    ¡°I''ll go with you. Just please, let her go!¡± 1


    Sylvia bolted up.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Great. Come, take a walk with me and he''ll release her.¡±


    Thomas got up and smiled at the police officers. ¡°You guys better stay put. | have more men in this ce than you could possibly


    imagine.¡±


    The officers stared at him cautiously.


    The leader of the group bellowed, ¡°Thomas Carter, stop this at once!¡±


    Thomas took a quick nce at Sylvia before he walked outside.


    Sylvia took a deep breath. Then, she nced at thedy owner who was being held hostage and took a deep breath before she


    followed Thomas out.


    Not long after, she followed Thomas into an alleyway near the bar.


    The alleyway was long and narrow, slightly humid and dark.


    Upon entering the alleyway, he turned around and wrapped his arms around her.


    Surprised, Sylvia immediately tried to push him away.


    He hugged her tightly. ¡°How has he been treating you?¡±


    Sylvia shouted back, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business! Let me go!¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s treating you badly, I''ll take you away from him,¡± he whispered.


    Sylvia trembled. The dark memories of Galston, which she had buried, returned to haunt her.


    She began to tremble violently.


    She did not want to go through that hell again, even if it cost her her life.


    She uttered in a trembling voice, ¡°He¡¯s good to me. He¡¯s a million times better than you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    She felt a chilly sting at her neck the moment her voice subsided


    Thomas had kissed her neck and left a mark there before he released her.


    Chapter 889


    Sylvia anxiously rubbed her neck.


    ¡°If he¡¯s really good to you, | bet he won''t mind this little kiss mark,¡± he ridiculed.


    Sylvia red at him as she subconsciously tried to distance herself from him.


    Thomas noticed her retreat and went silent for a few seconds. Then, he said, ¡°The bar is mine and thedy owner works for me.


    She''s safe, so you can leave now.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. She immediately ran out of the alleyway and returned to the bar.


    The ce was a mess. Thedy owner and the man who had threatened her were gone, and even the police officers were


    nowhere to be seen.


    It was then her phone rang.


    It was Bowman.


    Sylvia answered the call and heard Bowman¡¯s nervous voice.¡± Ms. Ross, where are you now?¡±


    ¡°Thomas let me go. I¡¯m at the bar now. Where are the others?¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness you''re fine.¡± Bowman breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°My men went after Thomas and his men. The bar was part of


    Thomas¡¯ trap. | believe that he must have known that you and | were expecting him. | underestimated him.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°You were just trying to help. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia rubbed the kiss mark on her neck. ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Go home for now.¡±


    Sylvia did not dare to linger for another second. She immediately went back to the car that was parked by the side of the road.


    She tugged on her cor to hide the mark on her neck before she said, ¡°Ben, let''s go home.¡±


    Ben had just woken up from his nap so he did not notice anything unusual. He nodded and drove home as usual.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 890

    Chapter 890


    They reached home shortly after.


    The three kids were taking a nap, while Aunt Tonya and the others were resting.


    Only Sebastian and two bodyguards were in the yard.


    Sylvia greeted them and hurried inside.


    She went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror.


    There was a red mark on the upper left part of her corbone.


    It was not exactly huge but was still rather eye-catching.


    She dipped the towel in warm water and ced it over the spot.


    After the towel had cooled down, she removed it but saw that the hickey remained.


    All of a sudden, Flint¡¯s cry sounded, indicating that the baby must have woken up.


    Sylvia immediately grabbed a cored pink dress from the closet to cover the hickey.


    She changed into the dress and went to the childrens¡¯ room.


    Flint¡¯s cry had woken both Isabel and Liam. Isabel was so sleepy that she was rubbing her eyes. Liam was sleepy as well but he


    was carrying the baby in his arms to try and calm him down.


    Sylvia immediately took over and said, ¡°Isabel, Liam, go back to


    sleep. I''ll take care of Flint.¡±


    Isabel nodded and fell back onto the bed.


    Liam alsoid back on his bed.


    Sylvia then carried the baby out of their room.


    Aunt Tonya and Aunt Wanda came over because they had heard the baby crying.


    Sylvia told them to go back and rest as she wanted to feed the baby alone in her room.


    She had to keep the hickey hidden for as long as possible.


    Flint went back to sleep after he had eaten his fill.


    The whole house turned quiet again.


    Sylvia, however, was not tired at all. She put Flint in the crib and looked into the mirror, as she pondered how to remove the


    hickey


    She spent the whole afternoon either trying to erase or lessen the redness, but her efforts fell short. It was getting dark and the


    only way was to conceal it with a thickyer of foundation.


    It was still slightly reddish but looked a lot better than before.


    She sighed and buttoned her cor.


    It was then that the door opened.


    Sylvia turned around and saw Odell walking toward her.


    He was in his usual ck suit with his jacket hanging over his arm.


    Sylvia was shocked. She blurted, ¡°Odell? Why are you home so early?¡±


    The man froze and narrowed his eyes sharply. Sylvia immediately buttoned up the remaining buttons.


    Odell saw her nervous reaction. He moved his eyes down to her body.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She was sitting in front of the makeup table with an opened bottle of foundation.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia regained herposure and stood up. She smiled.¡± Nothing. | just woke up, so | was just looking into the mirror.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and went up to her. He lifted her chin and rubbed her tender cheek.


    There was no makeup on her face.


    However, his sharp eyes noticed her buttoned up cor.


    Sylvia sensed his gaze and tried to push him away but failed. She pushed harder but he restrained her by putting his arm around


    her waist.


    Swoosh!


    The man then ripped her cor open and exposed her neck.


    He scanned her neck with a deep gaze.


    Feeling anxious, Sylvia wanted to cover her neck but he restrained her hands with his other hand.


    He continued to scan her neck.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 891

    Chapter 891


    Sylvia thought he would not notice the thickyer of foundation that she had applied to her neck. So, she feigned annoyance and


    cried out, ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Odell ignored her. Releasing one of his hands, he used it to stroke the spot on the upper left side of her corbone.


    Sylvia trembled when she felt the warmth of his touch on her neck.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Why is there a thickyer of foundation here?¡± He raised a brow and gazed deeply at her. ¡°Are you trying to hide something?¡±


    ¡°NO!-Ah!¡±


    Before she could finish, she was lifted onto the makeup table.


    His towering figure leaned over her, not giving her a chance to escape by single-handedly holding her hands behind her back.


    He reached out to retrieve a makeup remover wipe from her makeup bag.


    He then rubbed it all over her neck.


    The makeup remover was cool, which gave Sylvia goosebumps.


    Not surprisingly, his expression was gloomy as soon as he removed theyer of foundation.


    Sylvia bit her lip as she avoided looking at his terrifying face. ¡°I can exin...¡±


    Odell lifted her chin using the same hand he had used to remove


    theyer of foundation. ¡°Look at me when you give your exnation.¡±


    Sylvia gathered her courage to look at him. His dark, deep eyes were staring sharply at her.


    Shrinking back in fear, she softly exined, ¡°If | said it was a mosquito bite, would you believe me?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± he said coldly as he narrowed his eyes.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. As she was trying to think of how to begin to exin herself, he asked, ¡°Who did it?¡±


    ¡°T-Th...¡±


    ¡°Thomas?¡±


    Sylvia reluctantly hummed in reply.


    Before she knew it, he leaned over and pinned her to the table.


    He swept her makeup off the table and swooped in to kiss her


    lips.


    He moved from her lips to her neck and kissed the same spot that Thomas had.


    He was so strong that Sylvia was unable to break free.


    He ravaged her without giving her a chance to talk or break free.


    Time went by.


    Isabel tried knocking once but was told to go away. The same thing happened to Aunt Tonya when she came to call them for


    Chapter 891


    dinner.


    It was the middle of the night by the time things finally returned to peace and quiet.


    Wrapped up in a quilt, Sylvia sat on a corner of the bed.


    In addition to the bed, the room was a mess.


    Her makeup table had been flipped over, and her cosmetics were all over the floor.


    Their clothes were scattered and her dress had been ripped in parts.


    One might assume that a war had been fought in the room.


    However, she had not been beaten physically but she had been punished with sex. The violent session had robbed her of her


    strength and rendered her sore and weak.


    The man was standing in the middle of the messy room, casually putting on his clothes.


    He swiftly got dressed and returned to his usual dignified self.


    His cold eyes swept over Sylvia before he walked towards the door.


    Sylvia choked up as she said, ¡°Where are you going?¡± He paused but refused to answer her question.


    Before he walked out of the door, Sylvia anxiously said, ¡°Nothing happened between us. | was just trying to lure him out. He saw


    through the trap that Bowman and | had prepared, and set us up instead. He tricked me into going into an alleyway and left this


    on my neck.¡±


    He stopped and turned around to look at her coldly.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Bowman, or Office Sach. He knows about what happened this


    afternoon.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 892

    Chapter 892


    The reply she got was of him walking out of the door without looking back.


    Sylvia¡¯s chest tightened. She wanted to chase after him but she was naked.


    She ran to the closet to put on a simple dress,bed her hair and went outside.


    Isabel, Liam and Flint were in the brightly lit living room with Sebastian, Aunt Tonya , Aunt Wanda and Aunt Flora, but Odell was


    nowhere to be found.


    They all looked at Sylvia when she came down. They were all looking at her in confusion, except for Flint, who stretched out his


    chubby little arms to ask for her to carry him.


    Sylvia looked at the exit with a frown.


    Sebastian said, ¡°Master just went out. He said it was because of work.¡±


    Aunt Tonya asked, ¡°Syl, did you two just argue?¡±


    Isabel and Liam looked at her nkly.


    Sylvia carried Flint into her arms and said, ¡°Yeah, we did have a little argument.¡±


    Aunt Tonya noticed the unusual expression. ¡°Did he do anything to you?¡±


    Sylvia shook her head with a smile. ¡°No. We only argued


    verbally.¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed.


    Sylvia noticed that they were still looking at her. She awkwardly said, ¡°Come on, let''s have dinner.¡±


    ¡°We already ate,¡± Aunt Tonya said.


    ¡°Oh, okay. I''ll go grab something to eat then. You guys continue with whatever you''re doing.¡± Sylvia then walked to the dining


    table.


    Isabel and Liam walked over as well and Liam helped to take care of Flint.


    Isabel lifted her chubby face to her mother and asked with a gossipy look on her face, ¡°Mommy, why did the Big Baddie argue


    with you?¡±


    Sylvia pinched the little girl¡¯s chubby face. ¡°This is an adult¡¯s matter. You wouldn¡¯t understand it even if | told you.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Still, a man like him can¡¯t just throw a tantrum at you. Hmph.¡±


    Sylvia found it surprising. ¡°How did you know about that?¡±


    ¡°He came down with a terrifying look on his face, so | believe that¡¯s what he did.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Mommy is fine. We just have to wait for him to calm down.¡±


    She had already exined it to him and Bowman knew what had happened. Besides, there were surveince cameras around


    theAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    bar which could be used to prove her ims.


    He did not return the whole night, not even sending a text.


    On the next morning, Sylvia got up early and texted him but he did not reply.


    By the afternoon, Sylva ran out of patience and called him, but he ended the call before it even got through.


    She had tried her best to exin and had even apologized through text. Why would he continue to be mad at her?


    Was he that angry? Or did hepletely distrust her?


    Sylvia sulked and tossed the phone on the bed.


    ¡°Fine. If you don¡¯t believe me, then don¡¯t!¡±


    Sylvia spent the entire afternoon in Madam Carter¡¯s room with her kids.


    Although she was still inaa, Madam Carter was doing well. Her odds of waking up were slim, but it did not stop Isabel from


    chattering into her ear.


    Sheined about how Liam picked on her and how naughty Flint was.


    After a while, she was tired and fell asleep.


    As night fell, the house became more peaceful and quiet.


    All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door.


    Sylvia became slightly excited and she wondered if Odell hade back


    She got up, still holding Flint in her arms.


    Sebastian''s voice came through the door. ¡°Madam, it''s time for dinner.¡±


    Sylvia was disheartened. ¡°Okay. I''ll be right there.¡±


    She woke Isabel up and informed Liam before carrying Flint out.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 893

    Chapter 893


    After dinner, Sylvia carried Flint as she apanied the older kids to their room to y with them as usual.


    Isabel was super excited and unted her skills in ying games in front of her little brother.


    Liam sat beside Sylvia to read his book.


    Later that night, Isabel became tired and fell asleep, and so did


    Flint.


    Liam was still reading his book.


    ¡°Liam, it¡¯s time for bed,¡± Sylvia said.


    Liam obediently put the book down and nced at the window. He asked, ¡°Mommy, is Daddy workingte tonight again?¡±


    Sylvia looked disheartened. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    She stroked his head and said, ¡°You should go to bed.¡±


    The boy climbed into bed.


    Then, Sylvia carried Flint back to her room.


    The servants had already tidied up the room much earlier. It was quiet, with no one inside.


    Sylviaid down on the bed as she carried Flint in her arms.


    She waited until midnight yet the man still did note home and she dozed off while waiting.


    Chapter 893


    At the same time in Carter Tower, an important meeting had just ended.


    All the attendees left the meeting exhausted.


    Odell went through the documents and stayed until everyone went out.


    Lily, who had attended the meeting, was standing just outside the meeting room.


    When she saw that he wasing out, she went up to him with a smile. She noticed he was still reading the documents.¡± Master


    Carter, it¡¯ste. Aren¡¯t you going home?¡±


    Odell ignored her and continued reading the document.


    Lily''s gaze shifted. ¡°If you don¡¯t go home, Ms. Ross might worry about you.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze turned frosty. ¡°Is there anything else that you want to discuss?¡±


    His implication was obvious, he wanted Lily to leave.


    Lily froze for a moment. Then, she regained herposure and said, ¡°I just wanted to ask you something about the project.¡±


    ¡°We can talk tomorrow. I¡¯m busy now.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He went straight to the elevator, leaving Lily frozen to the spot.


    However, when she noticed that the elevator went up instead of down, her sour look was reced with a smile.


    It seemed like Odell nned to stay in the office tonight.


    She left Carter Tower after a while.


    Almost all the employees had left, and there were almost no cars on the road.


    Her ride arrived at the entrance shortly after she came down.


    She opened the door and saw the man who was wearing a cap waiting inside for her.


    Her gaze shifted slightly as she went in.


    ¡°Drive.¡±


    The driver drove immediately.


    The man beside her asked, ¡°Did shee to visit my brother today?¡±


    Lily knew Thomas was referring to Sylvia. ¡°I was here the whole day but | didn¡¯t see her.¡±


    Thomas grinned.


    Lily''s lips curved into a smile. ¡°I think your kiss worked. Odell hasn¡¯t gone home for two days now. | think he must be fed up with


    that woman already.¡±


    Thomas remained quiet.


    Lily looked at him. ¡°What should we do next?¡±


    ¡°Strike while the iron is hot.¡±


    Lily was confused by his words. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You should continue to keep an eye on him. Then, when shees over, | will tell you what to do.¡±


    In the dim light, most of his face was covered by the brim of his hat and only his fair, sharp chin and lips could be seen.


    Lily had no idea what he had in mind. Out of concern, she asked, ¡°Thomas, are you sure you can separate them this time?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm...¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 894

    Chapter 894


    Sylvia opened her eyes as soon as the sky turned bright the next morning.


    Flint was still sleepingN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She touched the other side of the bed but found it cool, without the slightest bit of warmth.


    He had note home the night before.


    She frowned, then she got out of bed and washed her face.


    Flint woke up shortly after and cried for his milk.


    Sylvia fed him before walking out of the room.


    After breakfast, she sat in the living room with the kids, watching them y.


    However, waiting only fueled her annoyance and frustration.


    However,


    She called Odell but would always be greeted with a busy tone.


    She wanted to curse out loud.


    ¡®Is this really necessary? It has been two days. Why is he still mad? Does he really think I¡¯m cheating on him again?¡¯


    Regardless, her patience wore thin.


    She refused to engage in a silent war with him. Since she had already decided to live with him now, they had to learn to be


    honest with each other. 1


    Sylvia frowned and tried to ignore her.


    However, Lily stepped in and stopped her. Sylvia looked at her coldly. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Master Carter is in the middle of a meeting. | don¡¯t think he wants to see you right now.¡±


    1D


    Sylvia clenched her hands. ¡°How would you know he doesn¡¯t want to see me? Did he tell you himself?¡±


    IL


    Lily¡¯s expression froze for a moment. She had not expected Sylvia to have the nerve to question her back even after knowing


    that Odell resented her.


    She regained herposure and assumed her haughty posture again. ¡°I¡¯ve spent most of my time with him in the past two days,


    except when he¡¯s sleeping.¡± She shot a scornful gaze at Sylvia and continued, ¡°He didn¡¯t say that he didn¡¯t want to see you but |


    could see it from his expression. He doesn¡¯t want to see you at all. If he even had the slightest thought about you, he wouldn''t


    have stayed in the office for the past two nights straight.¡±


    It was a hot day, yet Sylvia was shivering.


    She froze for a while before she recovered. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t want to see me, that¡¯s between us. You have no right to stop me


    from going to him.¡±


    She stared strongly at Lil.


    Lily tightened her lips. ¡°Ms. Ross, why are you still trying to hold on? If you had a little self-awareness, you would leave.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 895

    Chapter 895


    Chapter 895 Sylvia chuckled. ¡°I think | have a little more self-awareness than you, Ms. Springsteen. At least when | thought you


    two were engaged, | stayed away from him. Unlike you now, even though you know that we¡¯ve gotten back together, you still try


    to unt yourself in front of him.¡±


    Lily''s expression turned bitter. ¡°Who do you think you are to speak to me like that?¡±


    Sylvia maintained her politeness. ¡°Ms. Springsteen, move or | will call security¡±


    She was determined to see Odell, no matter what.


    Even if he was mad at her or refused to see her, she wanted to hear him say it to her face.


    Lily''s face was cold as she stepped aside.


    As Sylvia walked past her, she said, ¡°I forgot to tell you he¡¯s not in the office at the moment.¡±


    He went out


    Sylvia ignored her and continued forward


    She took the elevator and went to the highest floor.


    Odell¡¯s office was locked


    The secretary informed her tha: Odell had gone on an on-site visit with Cliff


    ¡°Where is the site?¡±


    ¡°It''s in the New District.¡±


    ¡°When will they be back?¡±


    ¡°lm not sure.¡±


    In disappointment, Sylvia left the building.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She saw Lily waiting for her under a tree as soon as she walked out of the entrance.


    Lily was still dressed in the same professional and elegant attire but she was looking a lot more approachable than before.


    Sylvia frowned but after a quick nce, she continued to move forward.


    Lily called her. ¡°Ms. Ross, do you have a minute? Let''s talk.¡±


    Confused, Sylvia said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe we have anything to say to each other.¡±


    Lily smiled. ¡°I apologize for my rude behavior earlier. | thought about it and | believe | crossed the line.


    Her actions and words were very polite, so there was no reason for Sylvia to ignore her.


    Sylvia stopped walking. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Lily pointed forward. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk over coffee?¡±


    Sylvia did not want to engage in any kind of conversation with Lily. What she wanted was to see Odell and talk to him but it did


    not seem like he would be back anytime soon.


    Since Lily wanted to talk, she decided that she might as well talk to her and find out what she wanted.


    Sylvia followed her across the road.


    ¡°Ms. Ross. My car is here.¡±


    Lily pointed at the white MPV by the road.


    Sylvia went over to it.


    Lily stayed behind her, seemingly wanting her to go in first.


    Sylvia opened the door and got in,


    The door closed. Just as she thought Lily woulde in from the other side, the car moved and joined the traffic on the freeway.


    Sylvia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Hey, stop the car, I¡¯m not Lily. She¡¯s not in the car yet!¡±


    The car drove even faster and went off the freeway shortly after.


    Sylvia had a closer look at the driver with the cap. The closer she looked, the more she recognized the driver. ¡ª


    She said in a trembling voice, ¡°Thomas?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 896

    Chapter 896


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale. She reached for the handle and tried to push the door open.


    Unfortunately, both sides of the door were locked.


    ¡°Stop the car! Let me out!¡± she screamed.


    Thomas ignored her and continued driving.


    Sylvia pulled her phone out to call Odell but the moment she reached for her phone, her consciousness started to fade and her


    sight blurred. Even her limbs grew weak.


    She passed out cold on the seat in the next second.


    Back at Carter Tower, Lily grinned as the car left her sight. When the car disappeared into the junction, she pulled her phone out


    and called Odell.


    Meanwhile, Odell arrived at a luxurious coffee shop in the New District after he finished the site visit.


    He sat by the window while Cliff stood beside him.


    The other two project managers were opposite him, updating him on the details of the project.


    He sat upright with a frosty look.


    The project managers dared not be sloppy. They updated him on every detail meticulously.


    Ding!


    His phone rang all of a sudden. He nced at it and saw Lily¡¯s name on the caller ID.


    He declined the call expressionless and then said to the project managers, ¡°Continue.¡±


    The project managers continued their reports.


    Two minutester, his phone rang again. It was from Lily.


    Odell frowned.


    Lily always had a sense of propriety. She must be calling because of something urgent.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he said to the project managers and answered the phone.


    Lily''s anxious voice sounded in his ears. ¡°Master Carter, something happened to Ms. Ross.¡±


    Stomp!


    Odell bolted up. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°| think Second Master Carter just took her away.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Thomas?¡±


    ¡°Yes. | just came out of the building and ran into her. She said


    she wanted to see you but you''re not around, so | invited her for a stroll. Second Master Carter swapped out my driver and when


    Ms. Ross went in, the car drove away. | just found my driver tied up in an alleyway. He said Second Master Carter knocked him


    out and left him here.¡±


    ¡°When is this?¡±


    ¡°Around ten minutes ago. Master Carter, do we need to call the police? What''s going to happen to Ms. Ross?¡± Lily asked


    nervously.


    ¡°Send me your car¡¯s number te.¡±


    He hung up the call and brought up his contact list for ¡°Stupid Woman¡±.


    He dialed the number and it got through right before it went into the mailbox.


    Odell¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Sylvia, where are you?¡±


    ¡°She''s in a safe ce.¡±


    The one who spoke was Thomas.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Odell¡¯s expression turned frosty. ¡°Thomas, let her go.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, Brother. I''ll treat her good, better than you.¡±


    ¡°I''m telling you to let her go! Lay a finger on her and I''ll make sure you wish you were dead!¡±


    The answer he got was a t tone.


    Disheartened, Odell strode out of the coffee shop.


    Cliff ran after him. ¡°Sir, what happened to madam?¡±


    ¡°Bring the car over!¡± Odell bellowed.


    Odell then called Bowman.


    The call got through after a beep, and before Bowman could say a word, he bellowed, ¡°Thomas took Sylvia from mypany¡¯s


    entrance ten minutes ago. He¡¯s driving Lily''s car. I''ve texted you the te number. Get on it!¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 897

    Chapter 897


    Bowman said, ¡°I''ll utilize all the avable officers and we''ll locate Ms. Ross as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t want it as soon as possible, | want it now!¡± Odell. shouted madly.


    OU


    Bowman immediately said, ¡°Alright sir, I¡¯ll contact you once we find her.¡±


    The call ended.


    Cliff drove the car around. When Odell got in, he asked in a small voice, ¡°Sir, are we going to the station or back to the


    company?¡±


    Odell shut his eyes to ease the frustration. He said gruffly, ¡°Back to thepany.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    R


    Sylvia was taken away in front of thepany. He wanted to go back to see if there were any clues left behind.


    THE


    11


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    When Sylvia opened her eyes, she saw sunlight shining on her face through the refraction on the window.


    She was on a huge bed with clean sheets.


    She got out of bed and tried to open the door, but it was locked.


    The handle did not even budge.


    She went to the window and realized it was sealed shut as well.


    She looked outside and saw a field of lush. Trees and nts were growing vibrantly before her.


    However, the lush field scared her.


    She realized she was in Thomas¡¯ manor in the suburbs.


    Back then when she was lied to, she brought Isabel, Liam, and Aunt Tonya to this ce before and even stayed for a period of


    time.


    If she was correct, the room that she was in currently was Thomas¡¯ room back then.


    She reached out to her pockets and found nothing.


    Everything was taken away.


    ¡°Are you looking for your phone?¡±


    The man¡¯s rich and pleasant voice sounded.


    Sylvia squealed out of shock. She looked to the corner of the room and saw Thomas leaning against the wall there.


    He removed his cap and changed into a loose white shirt and long pants, whichplemented his fairplexion and slender


    figure. He had her phone in his hand.


    He had been in the room for a while but Sylvia did not notice him.


    Sylvia¡¯s face turned pale. She asked in a small voice, ¡°Can you give me back my phone?¡±


    Chapter 897


    Thomas grinned. ¡°Not now.¡±


    He pocketed her phone.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Thomas walked over to her.


    The room was spacious but it was only that big. There was nowhere for Sylvia to run or hide, so she was forced to stay still as he


    approached her.


    He reached out to her and wanted to stroke her face but she instinctively took a step back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± she said with a trembling voice.


    Thomas¡¯ hand froze for a moment before he retracted it.


    ¡°You''re sweating. Is it hot?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia clutched her hands.


    She did not sweat because of the temperature but because of her nervousness.


    She said, ¡°Thomas, we agreed when we came back from Galston that as long as | can stay until New Year, you''ll release Aunt


    Tonya. | did it, and it¡¯s over between us. Why did you bring me here?¡±


    He grinned. ¡°I promised to release Aunt Tonya but | didn¡¯t say I¡¯d note back for you.¡±


    Sylvia choked.


    He might sound gentle and his soft smile seemed harmless but


    she could never forget the six months she spent in Galston. She could never forget how he tossed the bloody finger in front of


    her and how he locked her up in the dark room to torture her mentally


    Her body shook uncontrobly. ¡°Let me out.¡±


    He stared at her in silence.


    Sylvia looked at him. ¡°I beg you, let me out.¡±


    She did not want to go through the horrible days again. She just wanted to spend more time with Odell and the kids.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 898

    Chapter 898


    He reached out to her again.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted but did not avoid it this time.


    She would agree to let him touch her face if he agreed to let her go.


    As she showed no intentions of avoiding his touch, he stroked her face and said softly, ¡°Sylvia, you two had been through a lot


    together, and he still doesn¡¯t trust you. He hates you, he¡¯s not a man you can rely on.¡±


    Sylvia pped his hand away. ¡°No, he trusts me and he likes me. He¡¯s good to me.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he bring you to dinner the other day?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he knew | didn¡¯t want to go. He¡¯s just there for the sake of showing up. There¡¯s no reason to bring me along.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Is that what he told you?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes and | believed him,¡± she said as she stared into his eyes.


    ¡°Okay. I''ll let it slip.¡± A quick pauseter, he continued, ¡°Then why is he not talking to you for the past two days? Is it because of


    the kiss mark | left on your neck?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Look, he¡¯s concerned and he doesn¡¯t trust you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not like that!¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s not like that, why didn¡¯t he go home to you? Why didn¡¯t he pick up your call? Why do you have to go to his office instead


    of himing back to you?¡± he said as he stared at her.


    ve to got


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°How did you know?¡± He widened his grin. ¡°I went through your phone.¡±


    Sylvia found his grin terrifying. She immediately thought of Lily, who lured her into the car, and asked with a trembling voice,¡° You


    and Lily are together in this?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± he answered frankly.


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°Thomas, why can¡¯t you let me go? | have my own life and | never did anything wrong to you. Why are you


    torturing me like this?¡±


    Astrong sense of disgust gushed into her head and it caused her to push him away.


    He staggered but he regained his bnce and approached her once more, hugging her into his arms.


    He curled his strong arms around her and refrained her from raising her arms. At the same time, he whispered, ¡°Sylvia,e


    back to me. | promise I''ll be good to you, | won''t threaten you anymore.¡±


    ¡°No! I''ll die rather than be with you!¡±


    Sylvia bit his shoulder since he refused to release her.


    She bit as hard as she could.


    Thomas froze for a moment before he hugged her tighter.


    ¡ª 3/4


    ¡°Bite, bite all you want. If it can make you happy, you can bite me to death,¡± he said.


    Sylvia released his shoulder and scolded him, ¡°Thomas, you''re crazy!¡±


    Thomas looked at her pale face and bloodshot eyes.


    Tears filled her eyes and they would roll down any moment now.


    He frowned. He stroked her cheek and said, ¡°I¡¯ll change. | promise | won''t do the same thing again. Give me another chance.¡±


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°Over my dead body!¡±


    Thomas was disheartened by her words.


    If it were the six months period back in Galston, she would be terrified by his expression, but now she was no longer afraid of


    him, for whatever reason.


    She clutched her hands tightly and continued ring at him.


    Momentster, he widened his smile. ¡°You just want to be with him? Is he the only one?¡±


    ¡°Yes! He¡¯s the only one | want to be with!¡±


    ¡°Even if he disliked you, hated you, and abandoned you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s between me and him. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± He


    smiled. He took a candy-like pill from his pocket.¡° Take this and I''ll let you go.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She wanted to draw distance from the monster


    but he restrained her with his arm around her waist. There was nowhere she could escape to.


    She cried, ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡±.


    She then tightened her lips.


    When she was locked in the dark room back in Galston, he fed him the candy-like pills multiple times.


    The pill would rob her strength and smudge her consciousness. She would be absent-minded for days once she consumed the


    pill.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 899

    Chapter 899


    Chapter 899 Other than the pills, Thomas would even swing a pendant before her eyes to hypnotize her.


    She could barely keep her consciousness clear and could not even tell where she was. She would even forget who she was at


    times.


    She did not want to be a mindless zombie anymore!


    Thomas grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This one here won''t rob your consciousness, it¡¯s poisonless.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s lips remained tightened.


    ¡°| thought you wanted to leave?¡± he said.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Can you just let me go instead of forcing me to eat this?¡±


    His smile remained. ¡°Sylvia, there¡¯s no free lunch in this world.¡±


    ¡°Then state another condition or term. | don¡¯t want to eat this.¡±


    ¡°l only have one condition and this is it. Take it and I''ll let you


    Sylvia stared at the pill in his hand.


    She did not want to take it but she wanted to escape him more than anything.


    After struggling with her thoughts for a while, she reluctantly asked, ¡°Just this?¡±


    ¡°Just this.¡±


    ¡°You''re not going to lie to me, are you?¡± she asked.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°| won''t.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°| take it and you''ll release me?¡± she asked again.


    He patiently hummed a reply..


    Sylvia took a deep breath.


    Thomas then put the pill near her mouth.


    She opened her mouth and the tasteless pill was delivered to her mouth.


    ¡°There, | ate it,¡± she said.


    ¡°Swallow it,¡± he said.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression froze for a moment. She then reluctantly moisturized the pill with her saliva and swallowed it.


    Thomas then released her from his embrace.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression brightened up.


    She strode to the door immediately but before she could open it, her legs suddenly felt weak.


    She tried to reach the handle but her arms turned soft.


    Thud.


    She copsed to the ground. Her strength was drained and she started to lose sight of Thomas¡¯ figure.


    She remained conscious and she could feel that he carried her to the bed.


    He then stayed by her side with no intention of leaving.


    She mustered her remaining strength and struggled to convert them into words. ¡°Y-You said you''ll let me go.¡±


    ¡°| will but not now.¡± Heid down beside her and grinned at her as she struggled to keep her eyes open.


    If she had any kind of strength left, she would have beaten him to death


    Thomas grinned. He lifted his watch to look at the time.


    Then, he stared at her again and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. When do you think he''ll find you?¡±.


    Sylvia ignored him.


    In the next second, his figure shadowed her sight and she immediately felt warmth on her lips.


    He kissed her.


    ¡°Ugh...¡± Sylvia wanted to put him away but shecked the strength to do it. She tried to tighten her lips but her remaining


    strength was not strong enough.


    She groaned in a muffled voice to express her resistance.


    Thomas stroked her head and kissed her. ¡°Sylvia, do you think he will still trust you when he finds you?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s chest tightened. Tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Thomas¡¯ hand suddenly froze from stroking her face.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 900

    Chapter 900


    Inside the security room of Carter Tower, the atmosphere was tenser than usual, and the pressure was suffocating.


    Odell went straight to the security room as soon as he returned. Bowman was also there.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The security guards showed them the surveince footage from all the cameras and repeated it multiple times.


    Bowman went back and forth to make calls and arrange his men for further investigation, but until dark, there was no clue about


    Sylvia


    Lily¡¯s car disappeared into thin air.


    It was then Bowman received a call.


    He came back to the security room after the call and looked at Odell with a heavy look. ¡°Sir, my men said Ms. Springsteen¡¯s car


    last appeared on the road in the suburbs. My men are scouring the ce as we speak.


    ¡°We have also set up blockades at every single exit of the city and we haven''t spotted Thomas or Ms. Springsteen¡¯s car. I¡¯m sure


    Thomas is still within the city and he¡¯s hiding in the suburbs. Why don¡¯t you go home and have a rest first? I¡¯ll contact you


    immediately once we get something.¡±


    Odell sat in front of the monitor. His deep eyes stared at Sylvia''s figure as she entered Lily¡¯s car. He pursed his lips in silence and


    turned a deaf ear at Bowman¡¯s suggestion.


    Bowman sighed and went out of the room.


    Cliff and the other security guards stayed but neither of them dared to make a noise.


    The silence was broken when Odell¡¯s phone rang.


    He pulled it out from his pocket, saw the caller ID, and answered


    cD


    Since the security room was quiet, the others were able to hear Isabel¡¯s adorable voice from the phone.


    ¡°Big Baddie, why aren¡¯t you back with Mommy yet? Are you two still arguing?¡±


    Odell frowned as if he was suppressing his anger. He remained quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°We''ve reconciled but we¡¯re


    not going home tonight. You and Liam go to sleep first with your little brother.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm...¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t sound happy.¡±


    Odell shut his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m busy at work for the whole day, I¡¯m a little tired.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Mommy? Why is her phone off?¡±


    ¡°Mommy''s phone ran out of battery. She¡¯s already asleep.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. Okay. Good night.¡±


    ¡°Mhmmm...¡±


    The call ended.


    He stared at the monitor as he wore a frosty look on his handsome face.


    ¡°Is there any news from the private investigator?¡± he asked.


    Cliff answered in a small voice, ¡°Nothing yet, sir.¡±


    ¡°Are they all useless?¡±


    m!


    He shoved some of the items on the table to the floor.


    Cliff and the security guards were startled.


    Odell bolted up and turned to them with a grim look. ¡°Add in a 100 million bounty. As long as anyone can locate Sylvia, I''ll


    transfer the money into their bank ount immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m on it!¡± Cliff nodded and ran out.


    The security guards were left alone in the room as Odell walked out.


    The air outside was fresher than during the day but it felt humid.


    Odell loosened his cor and started smoking a cigarette.


    The white smoke swirled in the air as he exhaled.


    He finished the cigarette in minutes and went on to the second one.


    ¡°Master Carter, I''m sure Ms. Ross is going to be okay.¡±


    It was then Lily approached him and tried to console him.


    Lily stayed back since Thomas took Sylvia away.


    She was there when Odell returned to thepany.


    However, Odell was not in the mood to talk to her. He looked angrier than ever before and it scared her. She dared not even


    further the conversation and it made her regret helping Thomas abduct Sylvia.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 901

    Chapter 901


    To her surprise, the man, who she assumed resented Sylvia, stayed in the security room and reviewed the footage of Sylvia


    being taken away countless times. He stayed back until now, tried to smoke to divert his attention, and even added a 100 million


    bounty to locate Sylvia.


    Had he not resented Sylvia because of Thomas¡¯ kiss mark on her neck?


    He had not gone home for two days, yet he did all that just to locate Sylvia.


    Was it because of his children that he had to find her?


    Lily felt terrible looking at his depressing figure.


    Spark!


    He ignited his lighter and started exhaling clouds of smoke again.


    His actions were slick and smooth. There was no extra or unneeded movement throughout the process.


    Lily''s expression froze. She pursed her lips bitterly.


    Momentster, she added, ¡°Master Carter, Sylvia followed Thomas to Galston for six months and she came back unharmed.


    She¡¯s even pregnant with your child. | think he cares about her as well. | believe he won¡¯t harm her in any way. Why don¡¯t you go


    home and take a rest?¡±


    Chapter 901 To her surprise, the man, who she assumed resented Sylvia, stayed in the security room and reviewed the footage


    of Sylvia being taken away countless times. He stayed back until now, tried to smoke to divert his attention, and even added a


    100 million bounty to locate Sylvia.


    Had he not resented Sylvia because of Thomas¡¯ kiss mark on her neck?


    He had not gone home for two days, yet he did all that just to locate Sylvia.


    Was it because of his children that he had to find her?


    Lily felt terrible looking at his depressing figure.


    Spark!


    He ignited his lighter and started exhaling clouds of smoke again.


    His actions we


    There was no extra or


    unneeded movement throughout the process.


    Lily''s expression froze. She pursed her lips bitterly.


    Momentster, she added, ¡°Master Carter, Sylvia followed Thomas to Galston for six months and she came back unharmed.


    She¡¯s even pregnant with your child. | think he cares about her as well. | believe he won¡¯t harm her in any way. Why don¡¯t you go


    home and take a rest?¡±


    Odell crushed the cigarette bare-handed. His deep eyes stared into the distance coldly.


    ¡°You have a minute to disappear from my eyes,¡± he said coldly.


    Embarrassed, Lily immediately turned and left.


    The man stood there alone and started smoking his next cigarette.


    The night went by.


    In the morning at Carter Residence, Liam woke up as soon as he heard Flint¡¯s cry.


    He got out of bed, went out and saw Aunt Tony and others trying to calm the baby down.


    ¡°Flint, be a good boy. Don¡¯t cry. The milk is almost ready.¡±


    Liam frowned. ¡°Aunt Tonya, Mommy is still not back?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Aunt Tonya noticed the boy. She immediately said, ¡°I think she¡¯s still out with your father. It¡¯s still early. Hurry up and go back to


    sleep.¡±


    Liam returned to his room and called Sylvia using his phone.


    The call did not go through.


    He went over to Isabel and woke her up.


    Isabel reluctantly opened her eyes and bawled, ¡°What do you want? Why did you wake me up?!¡±


    Odell crushed the cigarette bare-handed. His deep eyes stared into the distance coldly.


    ¡°You have a minute to disappear from my eyes,¡± he said coldly.


    Embarrassed, Lily immediately turned and left.


    The man stood there alone and started smoking his next cigarette.


    The night went by.


    In the morning at Carter Residence, Liam woke up as soon as he heard Flint¡¯s cry.


    He got out of bed, went out and saw Aunt Tony and others trying to calm the baby down.


    ¡°Flint, be a good boy. Don¡¯t cry. The milk is almost ready.¡±


    Liam frowned. ¡°Aunt Tonya, Mommy is still not back?¡±


    Aunt Tonya noticed the boy. She immediately said, ¡°I think she¡¯s still out with your father. It¡¯s still early. Hurry up and go back to


    sleep.¡±


    Liam returned to his room and called Sylvia using his phone.


    The call did not go through.


    He went over to Isabel and woke her up.


    Isabel reluctantly opened her eyes and bawled, ¡°What do you want? Why did you wake me up?!¡±


    ¡°Something might have happened to Mommy.¡± Isabel widened her sleepy eyes immediately. ¡°What? What happened to


    Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Her phone is still unreachable,¡± he said.


    ¡°Maybe she hasn''t charged it.¡±


    ¡°It''s been a whole night and it¡¯s impossible that she wouldn''t charge it. Besides, when you called Daddyst night, he also


    sounded weird.¡±


    Isabel was shocked after hearing her brother¡¯s exnation.¡± Then we should go find Mommy immediately.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. We should go look for Daddy at hispany first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The morning at Carter Tower remained cold even when the sun shone through the window.


    The man has been sitting in front of the monitor in the security room for the entire night.


    Cliff and the other securities stayed up for the whole night too.


    Even though Odell offered a 100 million bounty and shook the private investigation industry, no one could provide any news


    about Thomas or Sylvia.


    The atmosphere in the security room was suffocating.


    Two adorable kids came in when everyone was about to lose


    their breaths.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 902

    Chapter 902


    Surprised, Cliff said, ¡°Isabel? Liam? Why are you two here?¡±


    Isabel and Liam came into the security room and looked at their father.


    Liam wore a frosty look. ¡°Daddy, what happened to Mommy?¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Yeah, what happened to Mommy?¡± Odell frowned coldly. ¡°Who brought you two here? Go home!¡±


    He had been up for the night, making his voice gruffly.


    The kids stood still with no intention of leaving.


    Odell looked at Ben. ¡°You brought them here?¡±


    Ben trembled and helplessly said, ¡°Sir, they made me. Sebastian and Aunt Tonya can¡¯t do anything about it as well. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Isabel red at her father. ¡°Stop ming Uncle Ben. Tell me what happened to Mommy? Did you do something to her again and


    she left you?¡±


    The girl got agitated as she spoke. Her eyes were teary, and her face pouted.


    Odell frowned. He wished she left because of him but that was not the case.


    Liam noticed his father¡¯s silence. He added, ¡°Daddy, tell us what happened to Mommy. If not, Isabel and | will find a way to locate


    her.


    Chapter 902All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell sighed. ¡°Thomas took her.¡±


    Isabel widened her eyes in shock. ¡°Uncle Thomas?¡±


    Odell nodded.


    Isabel got even more agitated. ¡°Is he bringing Mommy abroad again?¡±


    ¡°No. They are still within the city but we don¡¯t know where he¡¯s hiding your mommy.¡±


    ¡°That stupid uncle!¡± Isabel cursed.


    Liam was a lot calmer than his sister. He asked, ¡°Daddy, do you have an idea where they went?¡±


    Odell wished not to discuss Sylvia¡¯s abduction with two kids and even if he did, they would not know what to do either.


    However, it had been a whole night and he had no clue where Sylvia was. He ran out of options, so he started cing his hope


    on his kids, even though it sounded unpractical.


    ¡°The suburbs,¡± he said.


    Liam''s eyes gleamed. ¡°Is it the northwest direction?¡±


    Odell noticed the boy¡¯s reaction. ¡°Yeah. You know where it is?¡±


    ¡°Uncle has a huge manor there. Isabel and I, and Aunt Tonya, once lived there for some time.¡±


    Odell bolted up instantly.


    ¡°He has a manor there? Are you sure it¡¯s a manor?¡± Odell asked.


    Bowman searched almost the entire suburbsst night, focusing on properties that were registered under Thomas¡¯ name but did


    not find anything about him owning a manor.


    Liam said, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Isabel nodded in adherence. ¡°I remember it too. The stupid uncle even made us a theme park there.¡±


    Odell looked at Cliff.


    ¡°I''ll go inform Officer Sach right away,¡± Cliff said and ran out of the room.


    Odell then looked at his kids. ¡°Do you remember where the manor is?¡±


    Isabel started to recall it with a tilted head.


    Liam said, ¡°I remember.¡±


    Odell carried him and strode outside.


    Isabel regained herposure and chased after her brother and


    The father and kids got into the car and sprinted toward the suburbs.


    Lily came out of the dark and texted Thomas before she followed Odell in another car.


    Meanwhile, in the manor located in the suburbs, Thomas¡¯ phone


    rang.


    He had a nce at the text he received and grinned.

 Chapter 903

    Chapter 903


    Chapter 903


    Thomas then looked at the woman beside him and stroked her fair cheek. ¡°He''s finallying for you.¡±


    Sylvia turned away to avoid his hand.


    She felt better and strongerpared to yesterday but still remained weak. She could


    only slightly move her limbs but it would onlyst seconds.


    She could not do anything buty on the bed and allow the man to do whatever he wanted. She could not even resist his touch.


    Thomas grinned and got out of bed.


    He took his shirt off before he walked out of the room.


    Sylvia frowned when she watched the scrawny figure leave her sight.


    However, she soon realized what Thomas was trying to achieve.


    An hourter, several cars screeched to a stop in front of the manor.


    Bowman and his men got out and went up to the door.


    Odell and Cliff led the bodyguards out of their car.


    Cliff then pointed at the white MPV parked under the tree further


    away. ¡°Sir, that''s Ms. Springsteen¡¯s car. Madam should be inside.¡±


    Odell frowned coldly.


    Isabel and Liam wanted toe out but Odell red at them.¡± Stay in the car.¡±


    The two of them shrunk back into the car.


    Odell looked at Cliff and Ben. ¡°Stay here and keep an eye on them. Don''t let theme near the manor.¡±


    Cliff frowned. ¡°Sir, what about you?¡±


    ¡°Il. go in with Bowman and the other officers. I''ll be fine.¡±


    He then followed Bowman and the other officers into the manor.


    The two kids tried to escape but Cliff and Ben stopped them.


    They could only pop their heads out of the window and watch.


    The manor was nketed with a field of lush. Not only was it breezy, but it was also strangely quiet.


    ¡°Chief. This ce is too quiet.¡±


    ¡°| have a bad feeling as well. Why did he park the car in such an obvious spot and didn''t lock the gate?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    The police officers voiced their concerns as they ventured inside.


    Bowman had a nce at them. ¡°I know, I¡¯m not blind. You guys take the other way and be careful of traps.¡±


    ¡°Yes, chief.¡±


    The group spread out to cover more ground.


    Odell and Bowman followed the pathway forward.


    When they were about to reach the manor''s main building, a young man in loose clothes stoodzily in front of the door.


    Odell¡®s expression turned cold. ¡°Thomas!¡±


    Bowman pointed his gun at Thomas.


    Thomas grinned. ¡°Hello, Brother.¡±


    Odell clenched his teeth. ¡°Where''s Sylvia?¡±


    ¡°She''s inside. She just woke up but hasn''t gotten out of bed.¡±


    Odell strode forward with Bowman behind him.


    Thomas smiled. ¡°There¡®s a time bomb in her room.¡±


    Odell froze. He red at Thomas and shouted, ¡°Thomas, stop this at once. Believe me when | say I''ll kill you.¡±


    Bowman tried to talk Thomas out of it. ¡°Thomas Carter, you''re surrounded. Surrender immediately.¡± ¡°Only | know where¡®s the


    bomb.¡± Thomas looked into Odell¡®s cold gaze. ¡°Brother,e with me alone or | will not tell you where the bomb is.¡±


    Odell strode inside.


    Bowman was shocked. ¡°Mr. Carter, stop! Don''t go inside!¡±


    Odell ignored him and strode inside without pause.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 904

    Chapter 904


    Odell soon reached the living hall.


    The huge building had a lot of rooms.


    He scanned around and asked, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Thomas looked at him in silence as if he was carried away by his thoughts.


    Odell strode up to him and tugged his cor. He shouted,¡± WHERE IS SHE?!¡±


    Thomas regained hisposure and said, ¡°She''s in the room facing the east on the third floor.¡±


    Odell pushed him away and strode up the stairs.


    Thomas watched his nervous brother stride up the stairs and asked, ¡°Brother, there are bombs in every other room


    other than hers. Are you sure you want to go there?¡±


    Odell nced at him and continued forward.


    Thomas grinned. ¡°Are you not afraid I''m luring you into a trap?¡±


    Odell continued to ignore him and strode up the stairs.


    Thomas¡¯ smile faded, and he returned to his frosty self.


    He murmured, ¡°Even if you''re not afraid of bombs, you''ll resent her when you see her.¡±


    Back in the room on the third floor, Sylvia struggled to move her body across the wide and messy bed.


    She pushed the shirt that Thomas left behind on the ground as she wanted to recover her clothes.


    Thomas stripped her naked and tossed all her clothes on the ground.


    She wriggled to the edge of the bed


    and tried to reach her clothes on the ground. Half of her torso was hanging over the edge as she put her hand out.


    Before she could reach her clothes, she lost bnce and fell from the bed


    Thud!


    The door opened.


    Sylvia turned to the door and saw Odell''s towering figure. Her face turned pale.


    Odell also froze when he saw the naked Sylvia.


    The air went quiet for a moment.


    Sylvia mustered all her strength and said, ¡°O-Odell, ...¡±


    She should be happy that he was here but when she saw the look on his face, she was at a loss for words.


    She was naked on top of her and Thomas¡® clothes. They spent a night together and if she imed nothing happened between


    them, would Odell believe her?


    His towering figure approached her when she was choking at her words.


    He put his warm hands over her waist and thighs before he lifted her.


    He then picked up her clothes and put them on her one by one.


    After covering her body quickly, he hugged her and whispered,¡± It''s okay, I¡¯m here. I''m here now.¡±


    Sylvia burst out into tears. Sheid weak in his arms and wept.¡° Odell, he


    gave me some pills and it robbed me of my strength. He stripped me naked and left his clothes here. Nothing


    happenedst night, believe me.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°I know. | know,¡± he answered. He carried her in his arms and wanted to leave.


    The moment he walked out of the room with Sylvia, he heard beeps from multiple directions.


    It was the countdown from the bombs!


    ¡°What''s that noise?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Odell ran to the stairs without answering.


    He carried her to the second floor and just before they headed down to the first, he saw a bomb strapped to the handrail.


    The timer on it was in its final thirty seconds.


    He moved.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 905

    Chapter 905


    Chapter 905


    Sylvia¡®s face turned pale.


    Not only did she notice the bomb, but she also saw a deep hole at the


    end of the stairs. What should be the floor connecting to the stairs became a hole several meters deep.


    If the bombs went off, they would fall into the hole even if they survived the st.


    She hugged him tightly and he strode even faster.


    Then, Thomas¡® voice sounded from below.


    ¡°Brother, if you put Sylvia down, you might be able to escape.¡±


    Thomas was in front of the riser, looking at them with a smile as he leaned on the pir.


    Odell ignored him and continued to stride.


    Sylvia soon realized something was wrong.


    Given Odell''s speed, he could go down in less than thirty seconds.


    Why would Thomas say what he said?


    She understood when Odell suddenly stopped running.


    She saw an iron fence, as tall as her, in front of the stairs and it blocked the only exit to the first floor. It was welded on the wall


    and the rail.


    The rail might not be high, but since the stairs were floating


    above a deep hole, they would fall into the abyss if Odell decided to jump over to escape. The only


    way for them to escape unharmed was to go through the iron fence and reach the first floor.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Odell kicked the iron fence several times but it did not even budge.


    The countdown timer continued to haunt them with monotonous beeps as if it was counting down to thest moment of their lives


    The man then lifted the woman over his head and attempted to throw her over the fence.


    However, if he threw the woman over, he would not be able to


    cross anymore.


    Sylvia¡®s chest tightened. ¡°Odell, put me down! Leave me and go!¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, just wait for me over there.¡± He then tossed her across the iron fence.


    The thick carpet on the floor was there to catch her. It felt like it was prepared beforehand.


    Sylvia¡®s body shook uponnding on the carpet. She immediately turned to Odell.


    She saw Odell climbing over the fence with all four of his limbs.


    It was at that moment the countdown timer reached zero.


    Kaboom!


    The stairs were sted into pieces. Odell¡®s towering figure slipped off the iron fence and fell into the abyss.


    Sylvia¡®s mind went nk. She felt like something had reached into her chest and ripped her heart off.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her body froze for a moment before gaining a mysterious strength to support herself to the hole¡®s edge.


    Before she could jump inside, a fair hand held her back and hugged her from behind.


    Thomas¡® breath came from above.


    She resented his presence. She struggled to break free but had yet to regain her strength.


    She was strong enough only to stand up and not break free from his embrace.


    She shouted, ¡°Let me go! Let me go!¡±


    Thomas hugged her tightly. ¡°He¡®s dead. Are you sure you want to go down there for him?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 906

    Chapter 906


    ¡°Even if | die, | want to be with him! I''m going to find him. Let me go. I''m going to look for him!¡± Sylvia yelled louder and louder.


    Thomas was stunned.


    Lily, who had been hiding outside the door for a long time, was startled too.


    She unconsciously moved to the side and gazed at the young woman shouting with all her might in Thomas¡® embrace.


    She seemed like she was going crazy.


    At that moment, Thomas raised his hand


    and caressed Sylvia¡®s face. He said softly, ¡°If you die with him, your children will lose their mother. Are you abandoning them too


    Po


    Tears unknowingly poured out and flowed all over Sylvia''s face.


    She turned back and looked toward Thomas with reddened eyes. ¡°Thomas, you''re a madman. Madman! Madman!¡±


    Her tone got increasingly sharper. Her expression looked like she was about to go insane too.


    Thomas¡® handsome face seemed to be taken aback at that moment.


    Lily, who watched that scene, frowned as well.


    Soon, Sylviaughed. She yelled sharply as sheughed and cried, ¡°Even if the world


    disappears, I''m going to die with him. I''ll also be a demon and torment you day and night! I''ll make


    your life a living hell!¡±


    Thomas¡¯ brows were knitted into a tight frown. He watched her with a flustered gaze. ¡°Sylvia, you... Ouch!¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Sylvia bit his arm hard.


    It was a strong bite that could almost draw blood.


    Thomas was in pain.


    He released his grip.


    Sylvia, who broke free of him, turned around and jumped into the dark, bottomless pit.


    When she was ready to wee death, a pair of arms received her in the dark


    Awarm, familiar embrace came afterward.


    However, before she could snap back to her senses to thoroughly feel that embrace, she lost consciousness as her brain could n


    ot withstand the sudden change.


    Not long after, lights lit up in the ¡°pit*.


    The dark pit turned into a two¡ªmeter-high basement in an instant.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    There were stairs at the side.


    Odell walked up quickly while carrying the unconscious Sylvia.


    Thomas rushed over. His gaze was locked on Sylvia, who had passed out. He asked anxiously, ¡°Why did she faint? Did she


    hurt herself from the fall?¡±


    Bang.


    Odell kicked Thomas to the ground.


    At the same time, Bowman walked in from the door with a few other police in casual wear. They quickly apprehended Thomas.


    Thomas could not break free of them. He had no choice but to stare at Odell, who was carrying Sylvia out. He shouted,


    ¡°What''s wrong with her? Tell me this instant!¡±


    He had lost his usual calm and indifference.


    Odell¡®s steps halted. He turned to nce at Thomas.


    His gaze was cold and void of warmth. ¡°If she¡¯s even a little bit hurt, I''ll return it to you ten times harder.¡±


    After speaking, he walked out of the living area in long strides while carrying Sylvia. He did not even give Lily a nce when


    he passed by her.


    In the living area, Thomas tried to break free of the civilian police¡¯s restraint. However, he


    was then handcuffed and kicked in the leg.


    He staggered and knelt on the ground. He watched Sylvia, who was being carried away by Odell. He frowned and


    had a regretful expression. ¡°I didn''t want her to faint. | just wanted to help her to test Odell...¡±


    Acivilian police officer holding Thomas down asked Bowman,¡± Boss, what''s wrong with him?¡±


    Bowman did not quite understand the situation too. His head was still in a blur. He waved his hand. ¡°Bring him


    back first. We''ll interrogate himter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Two hourster, at Westchester City Hospital.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 907

    Chapter 907


    The door of the emergency room opened. Sylvia was pushed out.


    The man who had been waiting outside the door rushed over immediately.


    Upon seeing that Sylvia was still unconscious, Odell frowned.¡± How is she?¡±


    The lead doctor said, ¡°There are only a few scratches on her body. Her brain is normal too.¡±


    ¡°Why hasn''t she woken up?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she had received an immense shock mentally, so she has to sleep before regaining


    consciousness.¡± As the doctor saw Odell had an anxious expression, he added, ¡°Don''t worry, Master Carter. We can guarantee t


    hat there¡®s nothing wrong with her body.¡±


    Odell''s tightly knitted brows rxed.


    Isabel and Liam, who had followed him, breathed a sigh of relief too.


    Not long after, Sylvia was transferred to a ward.


    Odell sat by the bed.


    Seeing that his expression did not look well, Isabel and Liam sat obediently and quietly at a side.


    Time passed.


    The sky turned dark. Isabel was so tired that she fell asleep on Liam. The ward was still silent.


    Sylvia was still ina deep sleep on the bed. There were no traces of her waking up.


    At the bedside, Odell extended his hand and took one of Sylvia¡®s hands below the nket. He called her softly, ¡°Sylvia.¡±


    What replied to him was the quiet atmosphere in the ward.


    Odell recalled every scene that urred in the manor that day.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    From him pushing the door open, seeing


    Sylvia naked and her panicked expression when she saw him, to her rxing and exining to him that nothing had happened b


    etween Thomas and her.


    He also remembered


    how she anxiously told him to escape first when he carried her downstairs and was about to break through the iron fence.


    Ultimately, he had fallen into a pit that was not deep and even lined with mattresses. He heard her sharp


    voice shouting at Thomas that she wanted to die with him and would be a demon to torment Thomas.


    Was she unable to wake up yet because she had experienced


    too much in a day and received a huge shock as she thought he had truly fallen to his death?


    Knock knock


    Suddenly, there was the sound of the door being knocked outside.


    Odell turned around to take a look.


    Bowman pushed the door open and entered. He saw Sylvia, who was still unconscious. He asked


    in a low voice, ¡°Master Carter, how¡®s Miss Ross¡® condition?¡±


    Odell frowned. His expression was gloomy and annoyed.


    He just wanted Sylvia to wake up quickly. He did not want to have a useless talk with Bowman.


    When Odell was about to ask Bowman to get lost, Liam''s naive voice


    rang. ¡°The doctor said Mommy¡®s body is fine, but she has to sleep because she had experienced a shock.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that''s good.¡± Bowman breathed a sigh of relief. He said to Odell, ¡°Master Carter, | interrogated Second Master Carter just no


    w. Although he was unwilling to say much, | roughly understood everything from my investigation. He kidnapped Ms. Ross not to


    take her away but to verify your feelings toward her.


    ¡°| had my people conduct a thorough check on his manor. The time bombs were all fake. The one that bombed the stairs was a fe


    probably to set this up and verify your feelings.


    ¡°By the way, he told me to tell you that he didn¡®t do anything to Ms. Ross. He only fed her a pill which made her limbs feel weak.¡±


    After speaking, Bowman did not linger upon seeing that the man before him did not react. He turned around and left.


    Silence returned to the ward.


    After some time, Odell turned to look at the two children sitting behind him.


    Liam was sitting upright while Isabel was leaning against him and sleeping soundly.


    Odell turned his gaze to outside the door.


    Cliff and Jacob, who had been standing guard outside, entered the ward.


    Cliff asked, ¡°Do you have any instructions, Master Carter?¡±


    Odell nced at Liam and Isabel. ¡°Send them back home.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 908

    Chapter 908


    ¡°I''m not going back. | want to wait for Mommy to wake up here.¡± Liam said immediately.


    Odell¡®s gaze turned cold.


    Liam pressed his lips together.


    ¡°Take them away,¡± Odell said.


    Cliff and Jacob did not dare to stand there any longer. They quickly went forward and carried Liam and Isabel respectively.


    After they left, the ward became quieter.


    Odell stood up and sat by the bedside. His upright back bent over, and his handsome face neared Sylvia''s sleeping face.


    At the same time, he raised his hand


    and caressed her face lightly. ¡°Sylvia, | believe you. | know nothing happened between you and Thomas.¡±


    Odell did not care about those things at all. He had been worried from the moment he saw her lying naked on the ground weakly.


    Even if something really happened between her and Thomas, he would not mind.


    Odell just wanted her to be safe and sound.


    Sylvia was still ina deep sleep.


    Odell kissed her forehead lightly. He said, ¡°Sylvia, all of this was Thomas trick. I''m perfectly fine and well. He was arrested too.


    I''ll make him stay inside there for the rest of his life. No one can disturb our lives again in the future.¡±


    His gaze was gentle as he touched her cheek. ¡°We''ll have our wedding after you wake up. Then, we''ll go on a honeymoon ...¡±


    His husky voice could be heard continuously in the quiet ward.


    However, Sylvia, who was on the bed, still had her eyes closed. There were no signs of her regaining consciousness.


    There was no clue how much time had passed. When the sky was utterly dark, Odell touched Sylvia''s head and asked in a low v


    oice, ¡°Are you angry at me? You don''t want to wake up?


    ¡°| was indeed furious the


    day before yesterday, but it wasn''t because Thomas had deliberately left a hickey on your neck. It was because you went to mee


    thim on your own without telling me. You were aware that he was dangerous, yet you


    coborated with Bowman behind my back to bait him out. | was afraid you''d


    be kidnapped by Thomas again. | wanted to teach you a lesson, so | didn''t go back home for those two nights.¡±


    Odell touched Sylvia''s face again. ¡°Everything | said was true. Did you hear me?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes were closed. Her expression was still as calm as


    before.


    Odell frowned. He called her again, ¡°I''m begging you, Sylvia. I''ll do anything you want as long as you wake up.¡±


    There was still nothing but silence in the ward.


    His expression darkened. He pinched her face and said in


    dissatisfaction, ¡°Sylvia, wake up. If you don''t open your eyes, I''m really going to get angry!¡±


    Lily, who had been standing beside the ward¡®s door for some time, frowned


    She had been there since she came an hour ago. She heard everything too.


    As she watched the arrogant man doing all sorts of things to beg Sylvia to wake up, her hands resting beside her thighs clenche


    d into fists. Tears filled her eyes.


    Lily felt jealous and was unwilling to back down. However, she admitted her defeat too.


    After some time, she let out a sigh.


    Forget it. She had lost.


    She lost to Thomas¡® scheme and Odell''s feelings for that woman.


    Lily closed her eyes. She turned to leave after holding back her tears.


    The sunlight chased away the night.


    It was morning.


    When the first ray of sunlight shone through the windows, Odell opened his eyes.


    He quickly looked toward the bed before him.


    However, the bed was empty. There was only a nket that was flipped to the side.


    His expression changed. He got up and walked to the bathroom.


    The bathroom was empty too.


    There were no signs of Sylvia¡®s figure in the entire ward.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Odell walked out of the ward. He stopped a nurse passing by and asked, ¡°Have you seen my wife? Where did she go?¡±


    The nurse recognized him. She replied, ¡°I just got to work, Master Carter. | don¡®t know where your wife went.


    Could she have gone out to get breakfast?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 909

    Chapter 909


    Odell ignored the nurse. He walked toward the staircase.


    Half an hourter, in the hospital''s surveince room.


    Odell sat in front of the surveince monitor. His brows were knitted into a tight frown as he stared at the monitor.


    The process of Sylvia exiting the hospital an hour ago was ying on the monitor.


    The security footage had a high definition.


    Sylvia wore her patient''s gown with slippers on her feet. She was practically jogging as she left the hospital.


    That was not the point. The important thing was that she had a panicked expression. She was flustered like a child


    who was lost. It seemed as if she wanted to escape that ce immediately.


    He had been right by her bedside. Why did she not call him when she woke up? Why was she leaving in such a hurry?


    Did she think he would not believe her?


    Ding.


    Suddenly, Odell''s phone rang.


    It was Cliff who called.


    Odell ced his phone by his ear right away. ¡°Have you foundAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    something?¡±


    Cliff quickly replied, ¡°Master Carter, it seems like the young madam had returned to the Ross family.¡±


    Odell stood up. ¡°The Ross family? Which Ross family?¡±


    ¡°It''s her parents¡® home. The Ross family at Bayside Gardens.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°Why did she go back there?¡±


    Cliff whispered, ¡°It seems like there¡®s a problem with the madam¡®s head... Forget it. You shoulde and see for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Keep a close eye on her. I''m heading over now.¡±


    After speaking, Odell exited the surveince room right away.


    In the Ross family¡¯s home at Bayside Gardens.


    In the fairly wide living area, Sylvia


    sat on the couch, still in her patient''s gown. She looked coldly at her father and stepmother, Emmanuel and Dona, and Sonia, wh


    o was hiding behind them.


    Her brows knitted into a frown, and she had a puzzled


    expression.


    She was just unconscious for a night. Why did it feel like the world had changed?


    Dona looked down upon her with a sarcastic expression when she tricked her into entering


    Odell¡®s room at the hotel yesterday. Why did Dona seem to be afraid of meeting her gaze?


    Why did Emmanuel, who had always been indifferent and cold toward Sylvia, look like he was scared of her too?


    Sonia was even weirder. She was still arrogant and was going to hit her with a vase yesterday. Why


    was she hiding behind Emmanuel and Dona?


    Were they guilty because they tricked her into having sex with Odellst night?


    No matter the reason, Sylvia was furious.


    Although she was engaged to Odell, he did not treat her nicely. He would not even give her a proper nce whenever they met.


    She even got herself into the hospital after having sex with him and made him stay by her


    side for the entire night. Without needing to think, she knew that it must have been his family that forced him to be with her in the


    hospital. His hatred toward her must have gotten deeper.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Why did you all deceive me? | like Master Carter, but | don''t want to be with him this way! Can you guys respect


    me?¡±


    Emmanuel said, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Dona and Sonia were at a loss for words.


    The three of them raised their heads simultaneously and looked at Sylvia with a confused expression.


    They got even more puzzled when they saw Sylvia¡®s eyes were red from anger.


    Sonia asked softly, ¡°Dad, Mom, what is she talking about?¡±


    Dona whispered, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Emmanuel said, ¡°I don¡®t know either.¡±


    Seeing them acting that way, Sylvia stood up confusedly. ¡°What are you guys muttering? Can you


    answer my question? Why did you trick me into entering Master Carter''s room?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 910

    Chapter 910


    Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia were speechless.


    The three of them widened their eyes.


    The atmosphere went quiet for a few seconds.


    Sonia muttered and asked, ¡°Is there something wrong with her brain?¡±


    Dona lowered her voice and replied, ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Emmanuel said, ¡°I think so too.¡±


    Upon seeing that the three of them were still standing together,


    Sylvia walked in their direction.


    Sonia¡®s gaze changed. She thought Sylvia was getting revenge because she had hit her before, so she turned and ran away.


    Dona and Emmanuel stepped back hastily too.


    However, Sylvia was quicker. She walked up to Dona¡¯s front.


    When she saw Dona seemed to have gotten older by ten years overnight, she was confused. However, she could not help but


    ask, ¡°Aunt Dona, why did you trick me into going to Odell''s room? Why did you do that?¡±


    Dona said, ¡°.... Haven''t you had three children with Master Carter and got back together with him? | haven''t


    seen you in a long time. When did | trick you into going to his room?¡±


    Emmanuel added, ¡°That''s right, Sylvia. Didn''t you and Master


    Carter end up together after separating and reuniting a few times? What fuss are you making this time? Did


    your sister bully you again?¡±


    ¡°| didn''t!¡± Sonia said hastily, ¡°Dad, | never saw her again after pushing her once during


    Madam Decker''s birthday party. I¡®m telling the truth!¡±


    Sylvia was bewildered.


    She stared at them and asked, ¡°What


    are you guys talking about? When did | break up, reunite, and get together with Master Carter? When did | have three


    children with him?¡±


    Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia were stunned. They started exchanging nces.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°There¡¯s really something wrong with her brain, right?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°Did she experience some shock and lose her mind?¡±


    After that, Sonia turned toward Sylvia. She asked a question to test Sylvia out. ¡°Sylvia, how old are you this year?¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°20 years old. Why?¡±


    Sonia was stunned.


    Emmanuel and Dona were taken aback too.


    Not long after, Sonia seemed to have thought of something. She smiled and walked to Sylvia. She said, ¡°Let me tell you


    why Mom tricked you into entering Master Carter''s room.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Sylvia asked coldly.


    ¡°Mom did it for your own


    good. Master Carter was seduced by your best friend, Tara. Mom didn''t want the man you liked to be snatched by another perso


    n, so she thought of that idea. Don''t mistake a good person for a bad one.¡±


    Dona and Emmanuel exchanged nces. They said, ¡°Yes. That''s right. | did it because of that reason. You don''t even know how


    good Tara''s tricks were. If | didn''t help you, your man would''ve been snatched away by Tara.¡±


    Dona nudged Emmanuel after speaking.


    Emmanuel replied in the affirmative , albeit a little stiffly, ¡°Your Aunt Dona and sister are


    right. They did it for your sake. Don''t forget how good we were to you when you''re with Master Carter in the future.¡±


    ¡°Tara?¡± For some reason, Sylvia suddenly felt that name was unfamiliar like it


    had not been mentioned for a long time. However, she had just met Tara not long ago.


    ¡°Yes. It was Tara.¡±


    Sylvia said coldly, ¡°It''s impossible. How could | not know that she got together with Master Carter?¡±


    Sonia said, ¡°Because you were deceived by Tara.¡±


    Dona added, ¡°That''s right. You were lied to.¡±


    The more Sylvia looked at them, the stranger she felt things were. She instinctively asked, ¡°Are you guys up to something


    bad?¡±


    Emmanuel and Dona looked toward Sonia.


    Sonia said angrily, ¡°What are you talking about? Do you still have a conscience? We''re the people


    closest to you. How can we possibly scheme against you?¡±


    The people closest to her?


    Sylvia could not help but sneer. ¡°You all had stolen the inheritance my mom left for me and made me stay in the attic all this


    time. Do you think I''ll believe your words?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 911

    Chapter 911


    Usually, she might not have been so straightforward. However, she somehow felt she was filled with confidence.


    Emmanuel and Dona¡¯¡®s expressions turned sheepish. They wanted to get angry but did not dare tosh out.


    Sonia immediately got furious.


    She had always disliked Sylvia. Never mind that Sylvia was beautiful and also a famous artist, she also got married to Master Ca


    rter and became the female owner of Carter Corporation. Although Sylvia and Master Carter''s rtionship journey was full of twi


    sts, that did not stop Sonia from hating Sylvia.


    Sylvia¡®s brain was even broken at that moment. She most likely broke up with Master Carter again.


    Upon thinking of that, Sonia¡®s expression changed. She scolded Sylvia, ¡°You b*tch. Who are you using for stealing your short


    lived mom¡®s stuff?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s expression turned cold. ¡°Sonia, watch your mouth!¡±


    Sonia immediately retorted, ¡°B*tch! Short-lived mom! B*tchy short-lived mom¡ª¡±


    p!


    Sylvia charged at Sonia and pped her almost instinctively.


    The air was still.


    Emmanuel and Dona were shocked.


    Sonia was stunned for a moment. Then she raised her hand against Sylvia. ¡°You b*tch. You dared to hit me?¡±


    She was about to hit Sylvia.


    Although Sylvia was used to being bullied by


    Sonia, she did not want to get beaten at that moment. She unconsciously took a step backward.


    Sonia missed. She scolded again, ¡°B*tch. How dare you avoid it?¡±


    She went to chase after Sylvia.


    Sylvia quickly retreated.


    However, she stepped back too quickly and identally tripped over the leg of a chair. She fell backward uncontrobly.


    Just when she thought she would suffer a hard fall, a strong arm suddenly circled her waist.


    Sylvia fell into a warm, hard chest.


    On the other hand, Sonia, who was chasing after her to hit her, seemed as if she had seen a ghost. She got


    startled and withdrew her hand. She hid behind Dona and Emmanuel right away.


    Emmanuel


    and Dona had shocked expressions as well. They said hastily, ¡°Don¡®t misunderstand , Master Carter. Sonia was just scaring Sylvi


    a to tease her. She wasn''t going to hit her.¡±


    ¡°That''s right, Master Carter. Sylvia even pped Sonia just now.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. She quickly turned her head.


    She saw the man hugging her.


    He was still wearing the same clothes he wore in the hospital that morning. However, she did not look at his face closely in


    the morning. She just realized that he had stubble above his lips. Although he still looked handsome, he seemed to have


    aged a lot overnight. He got even more mature andposed too.


    That made her feel unfamiliar.


    Odell had lowered his head to look at


    Sylvia too. Seeing that her eyes were widened and she looked confused, he cupped her face and asked softly, ¡°What did they do


    to you? Did they bully


    you?¡±


    ¡°No, no. We didn''t.¡±


    ¡°How could we dare to bully her?¡±


    ¡°Master Carter, | really was just teasing her. Not even a finger of mine touched her.¡±


    Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia spoke almost simultaneously and waved their hands.


    Odell ignored them. His dark eyes were looking at Sylvia gently.


    However, she pushed him away at the next moment.


    After pushing him away, Sylvia turned and ran upstairs. She dashed and disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    Odell frowned. His cold, sharp gaze turned toward Emmanuel,


    Dona, and Sonia.


    ¡°Master Carter, we really didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    The three of them put on an innocent expression.


    Odell went upstairs in big strides.


    Next Chapter


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 912

    Chapter 912


    Sylvia thought she might have seen a ghost in broad daylight.


    Master Carter had always been lukewarm to her. How could he have treated her so gently?


    Was it because he had sex with herst night?


    However, ording to Sylvia¡®s understanding, he should have been angry


    She could not figure it out.


    Not only could she not understand Odell, but she was also confused by Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia.


    Sylvia just wanted to return to her room and calm down.


    However, when she ran to the attic, she realized the inside was filled with junk and misceneous stuff.


    Nothing she owned was in there. The attic was filled with dust and cobwebs too.


    It looked like no one had lived there for a long time.


    She did not return for only a night...


    Why did things be like that?


    What on Earth happened?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Just as she could not understand anything, a towering figure appeared behind her.


    Sylvia was startled. She turned around quickly and stepped back.


    Odell did not move. He frowned as he gazed at her. ¡°Are you okay, Sylvia?¡±


    His eyes were filled with worry.


    His voice was gentle.


    He was like apletely different person from the one in her memories.


    Sylvia pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I''m sorry. | didn¡¯t enter your room on purposest night.¡±


    Odell stared at her and did not say a word.


    ¡°Did your family force you to marry me?¡± Sylvia scratched her fingers. She said, ¡°It''s okay. You don''t have to take responsibility. If


    it''s inconvenient for you to persuade them, | can go talk to them.¡±


    Odell still did not say anything. His gaze turned deeper, and his expression turned serious.


    Sylvia thought he was unhappy because she guessed his thoughts correctly.


    She exined again, ¡°Although | like you, | never thought of getting together with you in this manner. Don''t worry.


    | won''t use this to pressure you to marry me.¡±


    Both of them were standing a few meters apart in the dark space.


    After some time, Odell spoke bitterly, ¡°How old are you this


    year?¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Why was he also asking for her age? Did he want to talk to her about marriage?


    Sylvia answered honestly, ¡°I''m already 20 years old. I''m at the age where | can get married, but you really don''t


    have to be responsible for me.¡±


    He said, ¡°I''m 33 years old this year.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sylvia widened her eyes. ¡°Aren''t you four years older than


    me?¡±


    Odell smirked and chuckled. ¡°Do | look like I''m 24 years old now?¡±


    He was tall, and he wore a ck shirt and long pants.


    He had dark, dashing eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a tall nose, and thin lips on his firm face.


    Every part of him was good-looking. His aura had gotten stronger than in her memories, and he had be


    more mature andposed.


    His utterly gentle gaze whenever he looked at her was more different.


    Was Odell really 33 years old?


    Sylvia turned around in a blur and looked around her messy surroundings.


    Those junk, dust, and cobwebs could not have been there within a night.


    Suddenly, she saw a full4ength mirror ced nearby.


    She walked toward the mirror and used her hand to wipe the dust on it. Then, she saw herself in the mirror.


    Her cheeks were fair and soft, and her features were still hers. However, no matter how much


    she stared, she had the face of a mature woman. It did not look like the face of a 20-year-old girl at all...


    Sylvia stiffened up.


    At that moment, Odell''s figure appeared in the mirror.


    He went behind her and watched her reflection in the mirror. He said softly, ¡°Sylvia, you


    experienced a shock and lost your memories. This isn''t your home. Let me take you home. The children


    are waiting for you there.


    Lost her memories?


    Her children?


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 913

    Chapter 913


    Chapter 913


    ¡°Did | even give birth to your children ?¡± Sylvia turned her head and asked Odell out of surprise.


    ¡°Mm.¡± Odell raised his hand tob through


    her messy hair. He said softly, ¡°Three children. The youngest one hasn''t been weaned.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. Her face strangely felt hot.


    She had no memories of having children at all. Nine years had passed after


    she woke up, and she even had three kids with Odell?


    It was too illusional.


    Sylvia suspected that she did not lose her memories. Instead, she had most probably transmigrated from nine


    years ago to the present.


    Suddenly, his warm, big hands held one of her hands.


    Sylvia wanted to withdraw her hand immediately, but Odell held it tighter.


    He smiled and said to her, ¡°Come on. Let''s go home.¡±


    Sylvia was led out with her hand in his.


    Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia stood together in the living area.


    When they saw Sylvia and Odell walking down, they smiled warily.


    Odell nced at them. He stopped and looked toward Sylvia. He asked, ¡°They stole the inheritance your mom left for you, right?¡±


    Sylvia did not expect him to ask


    about that all of a sudden. She was taken aback. When she was about to reply to him, she heard Emmanuel exin, ¡°We didn''t


    steal it. She was still young when her mom passed away. We were simply safekeeping it for her temporarily. Some issues urr


    ed within the family a few years ago, so | used some of the inheritance. I''ll organize and return it to her in fullter.¡±


    Odell''s gaze at Emmanuel was void of warmth. ¡°I''ll give you a week to sort it out.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Emmanuel replied quickly.


    Odell did not stay any longer. He walked out while holding Sylvia''s hand.


    Emmanuel, Dona, and Sonia let out a breath of relief. They felt as if they had just sent away an ancestor.


    Sylvia nced at them. After that, she gazed at the man in front of her.


    His strides were long, but he was not walking fast. It seemed like he was aligning his steps to hers on purpose.


    Sylvia¡®s gaze shook. She pressed her lips together and remained silent.


    She was still in a daze and could not ept that she had turned 29 years old from 20 years old overnight.


    Soon, she was brought outside the door by Odell.


    A ck MPV was parked there.


    Cliff and Jacob opened the door. They smiled at her and Odell.


    STRE


    Sylvia nced at them suspiciously.


    She recognized Cliff, but who was the young man beside Cliff?


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Jacob was taken aback.


    Odell nced at him. ¡°Introduce yourself.¡±


    Jacob quickly said, ¡°Ms. Ross, I''m Jacob Turner. I''m Master Carter''s and your bodyguard. I''m usually responsible for the young


    master and young miss¡¯ safety. You can just call me Jacob.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Sylvia replied. Then, she grinned at him. ¡°Nice to meet you,


    Jacob.¡±


    Her smile was polite.


    Jacob was stunned again.


    Before he snapped back to his senses, Sylvia was rushed into the car by Odell.


    Cliff tapped Jacob. ¡°Stop spacing out. Get in the car.¡± Jacob followed Cliff and asked in a low voice,


    ¡°Cliff, why do | think Ms. Ross smiled like a young girl just now?¡±


    Cliff gave him a sideways nce. ¡°Do what you should do. Don''t discuss Ms. Ross casually.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Did Jacob not see how dark Master Carter''s face was when Ms. Ross smiled at him?


    Jacob did not talk nonsense anymore. He quickly got into the car with Cliff.


    The ck MPV started moving on the road steadily.


    Sylvia and Odell sat together in the backseat of the car.


    He was still holding one of her hands, and she sat very near him.


    Sylvia still could not get used to it. She frowned.


    Although she had always fantasized about being with Odell, she never expected to have such a quick development with him.


    Aside from the fact that she had three children with him in the past nine years, he kept taking the initiative and


    treated her in such a gentle manner as if he loved her madly.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 914

    Chapter 914


    Chapter 914 It was too magical


    It was so magical that she was unable to ept it.


    Therefore, she slowly withdrew her hand from his palm.


    After that, she moved to the side toward the door and focused her gaze on the scenery outside the window. The road outside did


    not seem to exist ¡°yesterday¡±.


    It must have been built within nine years.


    She kept eyeing the passing scenery outside with curiosity as if she came from outer space.


    The man sat in the same spot. His hand was still in the same position, resting by his side.


    Odell saw her figure avoiding him from his peripheral vision. He pressed his thin lips together and kept quiet


    throughout the journey.


    The car stopped outside the Carter residence shortly.


    Sylvia¡®s expression lit up. ¡°Isn''t this the ce where Grandma lives?¡±


    Odell pressed his lips. ¡°Mm.¡±


    Sylvia turned to look at him. She asked, ¡°Why did you bring me to Grandma¡®s ce? Are we visiting her?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Odell replied, ¡°This is our home now.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    At that moment, the sound of happy footsteps and a clear, babyish voice came from outside. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sylvia turned her head instinctively. She saw a fair, chubby, adorable little girl in two braids running in her direction.


    She was in a daze.


    Was that little girl calling her ¡°Mommy?¡±


    Isabel quickly ran up to Sylvia. Seeing Sylvia was still sitting in the car and staring at her nkly, she pouted. She muttered puzzl


    edly, ¡°Mommy, why aren''t you getting down from the car?¡±


    ¡°Are you calling me?¡± Sylvia asked with uncertainty.


    Isabel widened her eyes and was stunned.


    At that moment, Liam walked to Isabel''s side while carrying Flint.


    When Flint saw Sylvia, he raised his chubby hands at her and babbled incoherently.


    Sylvia gazed at Liam and Flint''s simr, utterly cute faces. She asked, ¡°Are you two my children too?¡±


    Liam frowned.


    Flint was still whining and extending his arms to Sylvia for a hug.


    The air went still for a few seconds.


    After that, Isabel opened her mouth and started crying. She said, ¡°Boo hoo, Mommy doesn''t remember us...¡±


    Once she cried, Flint could not hold it in and started wailing too.


    Sylvia was at a loss for words.


    Her heart ached. She immediately got down from the car and went to them. She patted Flint''s head and then Isabel''s . ¡°Don''t cry.


    I''ll buy candy for you guys, okay?¡±


    ¡°Boo hoo...¡±


    ¡°Uhuhu...¡±


    Isabel and Flint''s cries got even louder.


    Sylvia felt her head was about to explode.


    She turned toward Odell, who was standing not far away with a serious expression. She sent him a gaze to seek help


    Odell walked over in tworge strides.


    He took Flint into his arms and then patted Isabel''s head. ¡°Don''t cry. Mommy lost her memories. She didn''t forget you all on purpc


    Isabel felt even sadder. She turned and hugged Liam while crying aggrievedly. ¡°Brother, Mommy forgot that we are her children...


    Liam''s brows were knitted into a frown. Hisplexion did not look good either.


    He raised his little hand and patted Isabel''s back.


    Sylvia¡®s heart tightened. She immediately went to pull them into a hug.


    Isabel sobbed when she felt Sylvia''s embrace.


    Liam raised his head and looked toward Sylvia. At the side, Odell''s expression lit up for a moment too. The


    next moment, he heard Sylvia talking to them gently. ¡°Don''t be sad. Although | don¡®t remember you, I''ll still treat you


    all as my children.¡±


    The gleam in the man¡®s eyes dimmed.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 915

    Chapter 915


    Chapter 915 Liam pressed his lips together. His clear eyes glinted with tears in an instant.


    Isabel said, ¡°Boo hoo... I''d rather you not console us.¡±


    She cried even harder.


    Sylvia looked toward Odell helplessly.


    He frowned and said in a deep voice, ¡°Liam, take your sister inside.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips gloomily. He took Isabel''s hand and walked toward the house while she was still crying with her face up.


    Odell held Sylvia''s hand tightly.


    He headed inside the house with one hand holding Sylvia''s and the other carrying Flint, who was staring at Sylvia.


    Just as they entered the door, Sebastian, Aunt Tonya, and Aunt Wanda walked over hurriedly.


    They probably heard Isabel crying, so they looked toward Sylvia nervously.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya!¡± Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up. She withdrew her hand from Odell''s right away and ran to Aunt Tonya.


    Aunt Tonya stared at her. ¡°Syl, do you still remember me?*


    ¡°Of course, | do.¡± Sylvia even wanted to ask where Aunt Tonya


    had gone while she was on the road. She smiled and asked,¡± Why are you here?¡±


    Aunt Tonya sobbed.


    The people surrounding them went silent and looked at her withplicated expressions.


    Sylvia sensed something was not right. She asked softly, ¡°Have you always been with me throughout those nine years?¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed and said, ¡°Where could | possibly go besides being by your side?¡±


    ¡°Let''s continue talking after going inside.¡± Odell¡¯s husky voice rang behind Sylvia.


    She immediately circled Aunt Tonya¡®s arm and walked into the house with her intimately. As she walked, she whispered a questio


    n, ¡°Aunt Tonya , am | really married to Odell ? Did | give birth to the three children?¡±


    Aunt Tonya gazed at Sylvia''s expression, which had the innocence of a young girl. She held back her sadness and replied, ¡°Yes,


    it''s all true.¡±


    Sylvia pressed her lips together. Aunt Tonya would not lie to her. It seemed like everything was real.


    They reached the living area as they talked.


    Liam and Isabel were already inside, sitting on the couch. One had a cold face, while the other


    had red eyes and looked aggrieved. Both of them stared at Sylvia.


    Sylvia gave them a friendly smile.


    Liam''s little face turned colder. Isabel pouted.


    Sylvia¡®s smile vanished sheepishly.


    After that, she looked around her and asked out of curiosity,¡± Wheres Grandma? Why isn¡®t she here?¡±


    The space went quiet again.


    Everyone''s expressions turned solemn.


    Sylvia pressed her lips together. She looked toward Odell cautiously. ¡°Did | say something wrong?¡±


    His expression was a little dark, but the gaze he gave her was still gentle. It was as though he would not get angry


    no matter what she misspoke.


    ¡°No.¡± After a slight pause, he said again, ¡°Grandma is in her room. Her body doesn''t allow her toe out.¡±


    ¡°Is Grandma sick?¡±


    ¡°Mm.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Can | visit her?


    Her voice and expression were polite and felt distant.


    Odell frowned. ¡°Yes.¡°.


    Sylvia turned and went to Madam Carter''s room.


    Aunt Tonya was worried and followed her.


    Isabel and Liam wanted to follow as well, but they were stopped


    by Odell''s gaze.


    ¡°Stay here obediently,¡± as he spoke, he passed Flint to Liam.


    Liam frowned.


    Isabel''s cheeks puffed unhappily too.


    Odell nced at them and said to Sebastian, who had been standing at the side, ¡°Sebastian, keep an eye on them.¡±


    Sebastian sighed before replying, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell started walking toward Madam Carter''s room.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 916

    Chapter 916


    Madam Carter''s bedroom was located on the first floor, facing the sun.


    Upon opening the door, Sylvia immediately spotted Madam Carter who was sleeping soundly in bed.


    Amaid who seemed to have been entrusted with taking care of the madam was seated right next to the bed.


    Upon noticing Sylvia, the maid stood up and greeted her politely, ¡°Madam.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia stared at the olddy on the bed.i


    Madam Carter lookedpletely different from the kindly olddy who used to take her by her hand and address her affectionat


    ely as her darling granddaughter . Madam Carter''s hair was noticeably whiter now and she looked much older.


    Why was she sleeping in the middle of the day? Why did she need a maid to attend to her?


    ¡°Aunt Tonya , what''s wrong with Grandma ?¡± Sylvia asked Aunt Tonya who was standing by the doorway.


    Aunt Tonya regretfully informed her, ¡°She suffered significant damage to her head and entered a vegetative state.¡±


    Sylvia frowned, ¡°How did that happen?¡±


    Aunt Tonya a conflicted look appeared on her face as she seemed at a loss to convey the events that had led up to this.


    After some hesitation, she said, ¡°Many things have happened over these past years.¡±


    Sylvia walked in and sat next to the sleeping Madam Carter.


    The maid left the room to give Sylvia some privacy and Aunt Tonya did not enter the room either.


    The only ones left in the spacious room were Sylvia and Madam Carter who remained lying on the bed.


    Sylvia took Madam Carter''s hands the way she had always taken hers and whispered, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m here to see you.¡±


    Madam Carter did not respond.


    Sylvia pursed her lips, not knowing what to say.


    She had no recollection of what had happened over the past nine years.


    Even if she was suffering from amnesia, how was it possible to have forgotten everything?


    Something mystical must have happened to transport her soul from nine years ago to the present day in an instant.


    With no one around, she spoke to Madam Carter, ¡°Grandma, the truth is,


    I''m not the Sylvia from the present day, I¡¯m the Sylvia from nine years ago. Everyone thinks that I''ve lost my


    memory, but | know | haven''t . I''ve just somehow been transported here from nine years ago. | thought that this was all a dream


    until i pinched myself hard several times when | found myself here.¡±


    She was very serious as she said this.


    Meanwhile, the man who was standing by the door pursed his lips, not knowing whether tough or cry.


    ¡°If something as bizarre as this could happen to me, I''m sure your recovery would not be impossible either.¡± Sylvia muttered,¡± By


    the way, | also gave birth to three beautiful great grandchildren for you and they are adorable...¡±


    She stopped talking when she felt herself choking up.


    ¡°Grandma, I''ll leave you alone for now.¡±


    She still had to find out what had happened in the past nine years.


    She got up and walked out, immediately spotting Odell in the corridor just outside the door.


    He was leaning against the wall with his arms folded in front of him.


    He regarded Sylvia with a dark, intense stare.


    There was such depth in his eyes that Sylvia could not decipher what was on his mind.


    Sylvia greeted him nkly, ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Have you finished your chat with Grandma ?¡± he asked softly.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sylvia asked, ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Just now.¡± He answered without a change of expression.


    Sylvia sighed, slightly relieved.


    If he only just came here, he probably had not caught a word of what she had said to Madam Carter.


    ¡°Let''s go, it''s time to eat.¡± He said as he took her hand.


    He held onto her hand so tightly that it was impossible for her to wring herself free.


    She was hungry anyway and followed him into the living room.


    Asumptuous meal had beenid out on top of the dining table, consisting of most of her favorite dishes.


    Odell pulled out a chair for her to sit.


    She looked around.


    Sebastian, Aunt Tonya, and the three children were nowhere to be seen, it was just


    the two of them in the living room at the moment.


    Sylvia asked suspiciously, ¡°Aren''t you going to ask Aunt Tonya and the kids to eat dinner as well?¡± ¡°They already ate.¡±

 hapter 917

    hapter 917


    Chapter 917


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    She was fine with them not being here because she knew that the children would cry again if they saw her, especially the cute


    little chubby girl. The sheer thought of it upset her.


    She picked up the spoon and began eating.


    She went straight for her favorite dishes.


    She eyed a te of fish that was just slightly too far away from her. However, she estimated the distance and guessed that she


    would have to stretch her arms almost across the table just to reach it, so she decided against it.


    She lowered her head and went back to eating what was already on her te.


    That was when a piece of the fish that she had been eyeing was ced on her te.


    It was none other than Odell who had given it to her.


    He put one piece on her te, then another, and yet another before stopping.


    Sylvia was very astonished by this as if she had witnessed some sort of miracle. She thanked him kindly, ¡°Master Carter, don''t


    worry about me, please just enjoy your meal.¡±


    Odell frowned and spoke in a gentle voice, ¡°I''m your husband, just call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± muttered Sylvia , and ate the piece of fish with her head lowered.


    She ate quickly and set down her cutlery after she had eaten her fill.


    ¡°I''m already full. Please, take your time.¡±


    She stood up and prepared to leave.


    Odell grabbed her wrist and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I want to talk to Aunt Tonya.¡±


    She wanted to ask Aunt Tonya what had happened all these nine years.


    ¡°You want to ask her about the past nine years?¡± His dark eyes were staring at her so intently that it felt as if they would bore


    holes into her skull.


    Sylvia blinked and muttered, ¡°Something like that.¡±


    Odell made a look, ¡°I can tell you about it.¡±


    ¡°There¡®s no... No need, I''ll just ask Aunt Tonya.¡± She pulled her hand free, then turned and walked outside.


    Odell¡®s expression darkened, he informed, ¡°Aunt Tonya is upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia turned around and went up the stairs.


    She walked as fast as she could, making sure to avoid Odell''s gaze as if she was afraid of being devoured by him.


    Odell stared at her deeply. After she went upstairs, he took out


    his phone and called Skr.


    When Skr picked up, he asked immediately, ¡°Are you freeter?¡±


    ¡°Good, let''s meet up.¡±


    Meanwhile, Sylvia spotted both Liam and Isabel squatting side by side in the corner the moment she walked up the stairs.


    It was quite obvious that the two had been trying to eavesdrop.


    When they saw Sylviaing up the stairs, they seemed overwhelmed with guilt and stared at her warily.


    Sylvia smiled and acted as if she did not know what they were doing. She asked curiously, ¡°What are you two doing here?¡±


    Isabel, ¡°Hmph! You know exactly what we are doing!¡±


    She seemed very upset and puffed up her round cheeks until she looked like a ball.


    Liam frowned and turned to her, ¡°It''s not like Mom wants to forget about us, don''t be angry at her.¡±


    There was still a grimace on Isabel''s face, but her eyes began swelling up with tears.


    Sylvia quickly approached them. Then, she knelt and patted the girl''s head, ¡°Dear, even if | don''t remember you now, just know


    that I''m still your mother and | wouldn¡¯t abandon you.¡±


    Perhaps it was because of their blood rtionship, she had taken a liking to them as soon as she had seen them and seeing


    them upset made her sad as well.


    Isabel burrowed herself tightly into Sylvia''s embrace and muttered weakly, ¡°I don''t want Mommy to forget me.¡±


    Sylvia felt something tightening in her chest as she silently embraced Isabel.


    Isabel seemed to calm down after this, she turned up and looked at Sylvia with a vulnerable expression , ¡°Mommy, you''ll


    remember us, won''t you?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sylvia was dumbfounded.


    She had been transported here from nine years ago, how was she supposed to remember?¡±


    However, the little girl''s hurt expression wounded her, so she promised her, ¡°Yes, | will.¡±

 hapter 918

    hapter 918


    Asmile instantly appeared on Isabel''s face.


    Liam seemed delighted to hear this as well.


    Noticing that the two of them were feeling better, Sylvia smiled and asked, ¡°By the way, what''s your name?¡±


    Isabel''s smile was instantly wiped away and her eyes began to well up again.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam instantly became stoic as well and his mouth pursed up in unhappiness.


    Sylvia patted Isabel''s head, afraid of saying the wrong thing,¡±


    Uh...¡±


    ¡°Hmph, stinky Mommy, you don''t even know my name anymore!¡± Isabel turned and ran away.


    ¡°My name is Liam Carter, and my sister¡®s name is Isabel Ross.¡± Liam informed coolly before turning around and chasing after


    Isabel.


    Sylvia froze again.


    Liam Carter, Isabel Ross.


    How was it that both siblings had different surnames?


    She let these questions sit inside her head and searched around until she found Aunt Tonya in thergest bedroom.


    Aunt Tonya was taking care of Flint alongside two matron nurses,


    Flint was sleeping soundly on the bed.


    As soon as Sylvia came in, the two matron nurses stepped out of the room to offer her some privacy.


    Sylvia approached Aunt Tonya and sat down next to her on the couch positioned right next to Flint''s bed, ¡°Aunt Tonya, please tell


    me about what happened in thest nine years.¡±


    Aunt Tonya stared at her nkly and asked, ¡°Sylvia, do you really not remember a single thing at all?¡±


    Sylvia was worried that Aunt Tonya would think that she had lost her mind if she mentioned that she hade here from the


    past so she just said, ¡°No, | don''t.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay.¡± Aunt Tonya sighed and took her hand, ¡°A lot happened in the past nine years, | guess I''ll start with the night


    everything started between you and Odel...¡±


    Her gentle voice rang out inside the spacious and cozy room.


    Meanwhile, inside an elegantly decorated cafe in the old district.


    Odell and Skr sat facing each other across a table right next to the window.


    He was describing Sylvia''s symptoms of memory loss and enquired, ¡°Do you know what''s going on?¡±


    It was the first time that Skr had encountered such a bizarre scenario as well. After considering for a moment, she felt like


    she had to ask, ¡°Master Carter, are you sure that she did not sustain any significant injuries to her head?¡±


    m certain that there is nothing wrong with her physical state.¡±


    Sylvia had undergone two full-body examinations yesterday. The first time was when she had been taken to the hospital and the


    other had been after she was found unconscious. He had specifically instructed the doctors to perform an examination on her


    brain but they had not found any issues with her.


    ¡°She was doing fine thest time | saw her. The second master took her away for a day but | doubt that he could do anything to


    wipe away nine years of memory.¡± Skr spected , ¡°Could it be that | missed something? What could it be?¡±


    Odell was very understanding, ¡°Don''t worry, take your time and think about it.¡±


    Skr did exactly that.


    After some time, she raised another question, ¡°Master Carter, what is the cutoff point of Mrs. Sylvia''s memory?¡±


    Odell frowned and informed, ¡°It was on this night from nine years ago when both of us had been simrly deceived by our


    respective stepmothers and we spent the night in the hotel. She¡®s only able to remember everything that led up to that point.¡±


    ¡°Why this night specifically?¡± Skr asked again, ¡°Could you tell me what happened that night?¡±


    ¡°After that night, my stepmother had someone barge into the room to catch me in the same bed with her before forcing me to


    marry her.¡±


    ¡°And after that?¡±


    ¡°There was a big misunderstanding at the time because | thought she was in cahoots with my stepmother. Even after we got


    married, | was indifferent and at times, even cruel to her. Thissted for almost two years until | took Carter Corporation back into


    my hands and banished my stepmother. | got together with another woman after that and due to another misunderstanding, | had


    her locked up for half a year until she gave birth. | then kicked her out after that.¡±


    The more he spoke, the heavier his tone became.


    Skr sighed, ¡°It seems to me that that night is something of a crucial turning point for Mrs. Sylvia.¡±

 hapter 919

    hapter 919


    Chapter 919


    Odell grimaced in silence.


    After a while, Skr continued, ¡°Since there are no signs of any physical damage, then the source of it all must be mental. |


    doubt that the second master kidnapping her for a day would have resulted in her losing memory of everything over thest nine


    years. | believe that her amnesia should be closely rted to the trauma from her half-year stay in Galston that resulted in her


    depression.¡±


    With all that information provided, she asked, ¡°She refuses to tell me about those six months in Galston. Do you by any chance


    know what she experienced during that time?¡±


    Odell answered, his voice was hollow, ¡°She was imprisoned by Thomas in those six months and was frequently threatened, and


    even terrorized by him.¡±


    ¡°Was that all he did?¡±


    Odell frowned and added, ¡°She was locked up in a dark room, all by herself, for more than three months.¡±


    Skr pressed further, ¡°What did he do to her during those three months?¡±


    ¡°| have no idea:¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    All of what he just told Skr had been ryed to him by Aunt Tonya.


    Sylvia had never mentioned anything about her time in Galston. It was a traumatizing mark in her life that she preferred not to


    acknowledge.


    As much as he wanted to know, he was aware of how hard it was for her to speak about it and had never asked her about it.


    Skr observed Odell''s expression and mentioned carefully, ¡°I believe the second master is still in Westchester now.¡±


    Asharp gleam appeared in Odell¡®s eyes as he said, ¡°He''s at the police station.¡±


    ¡°| believe that what happened to Mrs. Sylvia was a direct result of those three months. Do you think you should ask the second


    master about it?¡±


    Odell grimaced, ¡°Hm.¡±


    He supposed he would have to.


    At Carter''s old residence.


    Aunt Tonya told Sylvia about everything, from the beginning to the end. First, she covered Sylvia''s marriage with Odell, then


    about how Tara had tried to get in between them. She told Sylvia about how they had gotten divorced after that and how it had


    ended with Sylvia taking Isabel away. Then they had reunited and remarried three yearster. After that, things had gone awry


    with Madam Carter and Sylvia nearly lost her life at Cloudy Heart Lake because of Tara. The story continued until the point


    where


    Sylvia had gotten kidnapped by Thomas and ended up unconscious at the hospital.


    As the story had gone on, the sky outside had turned from day to night. Sylvia was dumbfounded by all the information that she


    had received and was having trouble processing all of them. After a long while, she asked in utter disbelief, ¡°I got married and


    divorced twice with Odell?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it was all because of that witch, Tara.¡± As an afterthought, Aunt Tonya suddenly added, ¡°And Thomas.¡±


    Tara and Thomas.


    Sylvia felt a burst of rage burning inside her upon hearing the mention of their names, perhaps due to everything she heard


    about them from Aunt Tonya.


    It was especially so regarding Tara. When she considered how they had grown up together in the district, she thought of her as


    her friend. She used to share everything with her, whether it was her deepest secrets or her most treasured belongings.


    She felt much better upon hearing that Odell had finally realized what Tara truly was and cut things off with her for good.


    ¡°So where is Tara now?¡± She asked curiously.


    Aunt Tonya shook her head, ¡°I''m not too sure about that either. | haven''t seen or heard about her since you returned from


    Gaston.¡±


    Sylvia nodded.


    Her thoughts went to Thomas.


    ¡°Thomas.¡± She muttered.


    As the name escaped her lips, it felt strangely familiar, even though she had no memory of it. She asked in a puzzled voice,¡°


    Why did he do all this to start with? I''ve never done anything to get on his bad side, so why did he want to tear me away from


    Odell?¡±


    Aunt Tonya seemed very troubled and was at a loss as to how to answer such a question.


    After she thought about it, she asked, ¡°Sylvia, do you have no memory of Thomas at all?¡±


    ¡°No, this is the first time I''ve heard about a secret brother of Odell. I''ve never even met him before.¡±


    The man who had been standing by the door the entire while smiled upon hearing this.

 hapter 920

    hapter 920


    Chapter 920 Aunt Tonya sighed, ¡°Right, | almost forgot. You only met him after you married Odell.¡±


    Sylvia repeated her question, ¡°So why did he do all this to me? Was it because Odell took back the corporation and drove him


    and his mother away?¡±


    Just as Aunt Tonya was about to reply, there was a knock on the door.


    Sylvia looked over along with Aunt Tonya.


    ¡°Who''s that?¡± Aunt Tonya asked.


    ¡°It''s me.¡± Odell said in a low voice, ¡°Are you two done yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we''re almost done.¡± Aunt Tonya said as she stood up.


    Sylvia was about to stand too but Aunt Tonya made her sit again and remarked, ¡°This is the bedroom that the two of you share.


    You don''t have to leave.¡±


    Sylvia stood up anyway.


    Aunt Tonya looked at her curiously.


    She whispered, ¡°I¡¯d better go out with you, | don''t want to be alone with him.¡±


    She was afraid of him.


    Before the age of twenty-four, Odell had seemed very indifferent and the thought of approaching him filled her with


    apprehension. Meanwhile, the Odell in the present day seemed much more attentive toward her, but now that he was older,


    there seemed to be some sort of mysterious air that instilled this sense of seniority in him. This factor only made her more wary


    of approaching him.


    Her thoughts about the present Odell were evident on her face. She was like that twenty¡ªyear¡ªold girl of the past who was still


    rather naive and innocent of the way of the world again.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Feeling heartbroken and helpless over this, Aunt Tonya muttered softly, ¡°Alright, then.¡±


    Sylvia immediately took her arm.


    The door was pushed open, and Odell strode into the room.


    When he saw Sylvia walking out with Aunt Tonya, he was stunned. As she was about to walk past him alongside Aunt Tonya, he


    grabbed her arm and said, ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±


    His voice was gentle, but his tone was strong and irrefutable .


    Before Sylvia could answer, Aunt Tonya gently moved her hand away and addressed her with a motherly smile, ¡°Sylvia, take


    your time. I''ll be waiting right outside, | won''t be far.¡±


    With that, she went out and closed the door.


    Suddenly, it was just the two of them left in the room.


    Sylvia suddenly jerked her arm away and tried to wring herself free from Odell.


    Odell stared at her silently for a moment before letting go.


    She instantly took two steps back.


    Odell took a sapphire ring out of his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°Remember this?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up as she said, ¡°Didn''t | give this to Tara?¡¯


    ¡°Yes, this was the ring that | gave to you on that rainy night that | first met you, which youter gave to Tara. With this ring, she


    convinced me that she was the one who had saved me that night.¡±


    Sylvia was baffled by this.


    She still remembered that night, but she could not believe that Odell was the same boy that she had met.


    She remembered what Aunt Tonya had just told her about Tara¡®s involvement with her and Odell.


    She processed everything in her head and asked, ¡°So, was it because of this ring that you ended up with her?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips.


    As far as she was concerned, none of these things existed in her memory so she was not sure how to even respond in this


    situation.


    ¡°Take it,¡± He offered suddenly.


    She obediently lifted her hand.


    He put the ring in the palm of her hand and helped her close it


    into a fist before staring into her eyes, ¡°Keep it and don''t give it away again.¡±


    She murmured, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Tara is in jail now,¡± He informed suddenly.


    She was startled by this revtion, ¡°How did she end up in jail?¡±


    ¡°She turned herself in.¡±


    She ended up turning herself in after she had confessed to everything that Thomas had instructed her to do, perhaps out of fear


    of Odell''s wrath.


    She was right to be afraid because Odell had used some of the resources at his disposal upon finding out about this


    development to make sure that she would not have a good time in jail.


    Sylvia scoffed, ¡°She deserved it.¡±


    Even if she could not recall any of what Tara did to her, she knew that Tara was the one who had put Madam Carter ina


    vegetative state and had to be bound to a bed for life.


    Odell observed how flushed her cheeks were with anger. He reached out and caressed her cheeks.


    Sylvia immediately moved backward as if she had been electrocuted.


    Odell frowned..


    Sylvia chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Uh... Was there anything else you wanted to say?¡± She figured that if there wasn''t, she would rejoin


    Aunt Tonya.


    Odell realized how desperately she wanted to escape and he remarked, ¡°There is one other thing.¡±

 hapter 921

    hapter 921


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Go out with me tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°We''re going to meet someone.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°You''ll know when you get there.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia agreed before asking again, ¡°Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?¡±


    He looked her up and down and stated, ¡°That''s all.¡±


    ¡°Then I''ll go out first.¡± Sylvia walked out.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± He suddenly stopped her.


    Sylvia turned back to him and asked, ¡°What''s up?¡±


    He walked up to her and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her forehead, ¡°You don''t have to leave, I''ll just sleep in the


    guest room myself.¡±


    With that, he walked past her and walked out of the room.


    Sylvia felt a strange tightening feeling in her chest.


    She pursed her lips, then sat back down onto the sofa and took out her phone.


    The phone seemed far more advanced than the one she had nine years ago.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    She turned on the phone and went through the list of ounts she followed on social media and the people on her friend list.


    She barely knew a vast majority of them.


    After she went through her contacts, she flipped through her photo album


    The moment she opened it, she noticed that most of the pictures were of her three children.


    There were pictures of Liam quietly sitting by himself, usually upied with reading books or ying with puzzles. There were


    also pictures of Isabel in silly, hrious poses as well as group pictures that she took with the kids.


    She looked at the way she had smiled in those pictures and noted that she seemed genuinely happy.


    She found herself immersed in these pictures and went through the thousands of photos that were there, one after another.


    At one point, she fell asleep.


    It was the next morning when she woke up.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw three adorable faces staring at her..


    Liam and Isabel were standing side by side next to her bed while little Flint was sitting next to her pillow. All three pairs ofrge


    eyes were staring at her intently.


    They were adorable.


    She immediately sat up and took Flint into her arms first, then she reached for both Liam and Isabel, ¡°Why are you kids here? Is


    there anything you need?¡±


    Awounded look surfaced in Isabel''s eyes, ¡°Mommy still doesn''t remember us.¡±


    Liam did not seem very pleased either, he grimaced and stayed quiet.


    A sh of emotion appeared in Sylvia¡®s eyes.


    Had theye to see her first thing in the morning in hopes that she would recall who they were?


    She patted their heads and said softly, ¡°Don''t be upset, Mommy will do her best to remember all of you, okay?¡±


    Liam pursed his lips.


    Isabel pouted and remarked, ¡°You usually kiss us when you want to make us feel better.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and asked, ¡°Really? May | kiss you then?¡±


    Isabel grunted, ¡°Humph!¡±


    Liam stated coolly, ¡°You''re our mom, of course you may.¡±


    Sylvia immediately moved over and gave them each a kiss on their adorable little faces.


    The two kids seemed rather appeased by this gesture.


    Flint squealed as if he was demanding to be kissed as well.


    Sylvia hurriedly carried him into her arms and kissed him on the cheek.


    Flint giggled.


    Sylvia was amused and nted another kiss on his cheek, then she turned to ask Isabel and Liam, ¡°Do you two want to kiss


    your brother?¡±


    Liam turned away Isabelined, ¡°I don¡®t want to kiss a snot-faced baby.¡±


    Both of them seemed repulsed by the suggestion.


    Sylvia was speechless. So be it.

 hapter 922

    hapter 922


    Chapter 922 Shortly after, Aunt Tonya knocked on the door to call them for breakfast


    Liam took Flint into his arms and walked out with his sister.


    Sylvia rose from the bed and washed up, then she went through the closet and chose abination of a white shirt and a pair of


    jeans. She tied her hair into a high ponytail before heading to the living room.


    Odell and the children were seated together at the dining table.


    They all turned to her at the same time upon noticing her enter.


    Sylvia met Odell''s eyes and smiled politely, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Odell returned the greeting, ¡°Morning.¡±


    Sylvia sat across from Odell with the two children.


    After a while, Odell asked, ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡±


    In between bites of food, Sylvia answered him, ¡°I slept pretty well.¡±


    Odell stared at her rosy cheeks and stayed quiet.


    The silence continued for some time until he was full and set down the cutlery. Then he looked at her again, ¡°We''re heading out


    soon, is there anything else you need to get?¡±


    Sylvia remembered him mentioning something about them going to meet someone today and replied, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Hey Baddiee, where are you going?¡± Isabel asked curiously.


    ¡°We''re going out to meet someone.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel did not press for more information.


    Odell got up and walked out, as if to wait for Sylvia outside.


    Sylvia was almost finished with her food. She wiped her lips with a napkin and asked Isabel curiously, ¡°Isabel, why do you call


    your dad Baddie? Is that how you usually address him?¡±


    Isabel grinned, ¡°Yeap.¡±


    ¡°Why would you call your father that?¡±


    Isabel''s eyes suddenly welled up with tears and she answered meekly, ¡°Because he wasn''t nice to you before.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips at the thought. So, it really had been because of her.


    Aunt Tonya had informed her of Odell¡¯s past wrongdoings, but she decided that she would not add any furtherment


    considering how she could not recall any of them.


    She gently caressed Isabel''s cheeks and told her, ¡°Isabel, I''ll be back with your daddy in no time. We''ll y some games


    together when | get back, alright?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel''s eyes sparkled and she chirped joyfully, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Sylvia stood up and went outside.


    A ck car was parked just outside the door. The windows and doors were closed, so Sylvia could not see


    who was inside the car.


    She figured that Odell was probably sitting inside and waiting for her already.


    She quickly approached the car and opened the door to the passenger seat only to see Cliff seated inside.


    Cliff smiled awkwardly. ¡°Good morning, Madam.¡±


    Sylviaughed dryly and took a step back, then she opened the rear door and got inside to sit with Odell.


    He was wearing a ck tailored suit and sat up straight in an elegant, confident manner.


    The atmosphere inside the car seemed rather heavy, possibly due to the dark look on his face.


    Sylvia quietly lowered the window to let some air into the car to alleviate the tension.


    ¡°Drive.¡± Odellmanded.


    Jacob who was driving promptly started the car.


    Half an hourter, they drove out of the city and arrived at a detention center located on the outskirts.


    Sylvia followed Odell out of the car.


    She silently gazed at the gates leading to the detention center with a look of confusion on her face.


    ¡®What are we doing here?


    Shortly after, a young police officer in uniform approached


    them. He greeted them with a very pleasant smile, ¡°Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter, good morning.¡±


    It seemed like he was acquainted with them.


    However, Sylvia could not for the life of her remember who he was, she simply returned a simple greeting, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Odell took her hand and said to him, ¡°Show us the way.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    They entered the lobby of the guardhouse after that.

 hapter 923

    hapter 923


    Chapter 923


    Officer Sach nced at Sylvia and asked, ¡°Master Carter, would you like to head inside with Miss Ross?¡±


    ¡°Il go in first.¡± Odell said while letting go of Sylvia¡®s hand. Then, he turned to inform her, ¡°Wait for me here for a while and don''t


    wander around.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia answered, but inside her mind, she muttered a silentint, ¡®Why would | just wander around? I¡®m not a child.¡®


    Odell turned to the officer again, ¡°Officer Sach, please have someone watch over her.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Officer Sach proceeded to summon two of his officers and entrusted them with the task of watching over Sylvia.


    They had Sylvia sit down somewhere nearby.


    Meanwhile, Odell went into the room.


    It was a heavily guarded room, and was as quiet as a cemetery inside. It was rather dark inside and there was nothing save for a


    table and two chairs inside.


    Odell sat down in one of the chairs.


    After a while, Thomas came in through another door.


    His hands had been handcuffed and he was still wearing the same clothes from the other day. By this point, his clothes had


    already be very creased.


    The look in his eyes shifted the moment he saw Odell and he asked with a sense of urgency, ¡°Is Sylvia awake? How is she


    doing?¡±


    Odell red at him icily.


    Thomas proceeded to sit opposite him and continued to pester him with questions, ¡°How is she doing now?¡±


    ¡°When you took her to Galston with you for half a year and kept her locked up for three months, what did you do to her during


    that time?¡±


    Thomas rolled his eyes and asked, ¡°Why are you asking me about this?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, what did you do to her in those three months?¡± A menacing re shone from within Odell''s eyes.


    Thomas grimaced and stayed quiet.


    The silence lingered in the air for several seconds longer.


    Odell suddenly asked, ¡°Do you want to see her?¡±


    Thomas''s eyes seemed to gleam at this offer, but darkness quickly returned to them, ¡°You''re going to let me see her?¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you did to her in those three months, then I''ll let you see her.¡±


    Thomas frowned and asked suspiciously, ¡°You promise to let me see her if | tell you?¡±


    Odell responded, ¡°Yes, certainly.¡±


    Thomas seemed to withdraw his gaze from Odell and fell silent for several seconds before confessing, ¡°I tried to hypnotize her


    during those three months.¡±


    Odell frowned, ¡°Hypnotize her?¡±


    Thomas grinned sardonically, ¡°| wanted her to forget about you. | gave her some drugs that helped with easing the nerves in the


    brain before | began conducting certain hypnotizing practices on her.¡±


    Needless to say, his experiment had been aplete failure since not only had he failed to achieve his original task, she had


    even started to self-harm due to the depression that had befallen her from the experience.


    It was either because the technique had not been viable to begin with, or she simply loved Odell too much.


    Odell¡®s face darkened and he pressed further, ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Thomas looked at him, ¡°Can | see her now?¡±


    Odell shot a hostile look at him.


    In any other circumstances, he would not allow Thomas to see Sylvia even if it was a matter of life and death.


    But now, he figured that it would be fine.


    He frowned contemptuously and dered, ¡°Sure, I''ll let you see her now.¡±


    With that, he got up and walked out of the visitation room.


    Thomas seemed rather startled by this answer. He had not expected Odell to be so cooperative.


    However, none of this mattered.


    He straightened his cor and ran his fingers through his hair.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Shortly after, the closed door was open again, and a slender figure walked in.


    Thomas smiled and looked at her.


    Sylvia was looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.


    She started by saying, ¡°Are you Odell''s brother, Thomas Carter?¡±


    The smile on Thomas lips instantly vanished.


    He froze as he watched Sylvia looking him up and down as if he was aplete stranger. After a moment, he muttered to


    himself, ¡°That exins it...¡±

 hapter 924

    hapter 924


    Sylvia became very ufortable when she saw how Thomas was scrutinizing her up and down and asked, ¡°What do you


    mean by that?¡±


    Thomas suddenly chuckled, as if amused by something.


    It was no wonder that Odell had asked him about those three months.


    This exined why he was fine with him meeting Sylvia.


    ¡°It''s nothing.¡± He brushed it off.


    Sylvia sat on the chair that Odell had sat in previously and asked suspiciously, ¡°| heard that you wanted to see me. Why did you


    want to see me?¡±


    Thomas rubbed his hands together and asked with a smile, ¡°You don''t remember me at all?¡±


    Sylvia shook her head and answered genuinely, ¡°I only remember what happened nine years ago.¡±


    They had not even met each other yet nine years ago.


    Thomas pursed his lips.


    Noticing his silence, Sylvia asked impatiently, ¡°What exactly did you want to see me for?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, | just wanted to see you.¡±


    ¡°To see how I''ve been doing?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he said.


    Sylvia scoffed, ¡°Well, | suppose I''ll have to disappoint you by letting you know that I''ve been doing just fine. Even if | don''t


    remember what happened over the past nine years, | now have three lovely children and Odell has been nothing but kind to me.


    Carter Corporation is doing very well under his leadership, so you can just sit tight here and rot away. Don''t think about hatching


    any strange ideas to hurt any of us.¡±


    She spoke with such righteous nepotism that her cheeks were flushed red with anger.


    Thomas listened to her patiently and could not help but burst outughing toward the end, ¡°Sure, I''ll take you at your word.¡±


    Sylvia frowned, ¡°Why are you acting so strangely?¡±


    Why was he stillughing even in his present state? What was with that strangeugh?


    Thomas suddenly fell silent.


    Sylvia shot him a look and asked, ¡°Do you have anything else to say? If not, then I''m leaving.¡±


    He sped his hands together and said, ¡°I''m done.¡±


    Sylvia immediately got up and walked out. Just as she was about to reach for the door handle, she suddenly heard his voice


    from behind, ¡°I wish you nothing but happiness.¡±


    She froze and looked back at him.


    She turned just in time to see his figure from behind.


    He had a tall and lean frame, and the light around him produced a strange effect of loneliness that filled her with a certain


    somberness.


    She felt a rush of inexplicable emotions swelling inside her.


    She figured that this sense of sympathy she felt for Thomas had to be due to his blood ties to Odell.


    She pursed her lips and walked out the door.


    Odell was leaning against the wall next to the door so as soon as Sylvia emerged, she bumped into him and almost stumbled


    into his arms.


    She quickly drew herself backward and remarked with a quick smile, ¡°I''m done talking to him.¡±


    Odell frowned and held out a hand toward her.


    Sylvia was confused by his behavior, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    He frowned, ¡°Give me your hand.¡±


    He spoke with a sense of authority.


    She grimaced slightly.


    His face darkened.


    She noticed his darkening mood and immediately lifted her hand.


    He instantly sped her hand with his.


    Then, he led her out of the detention center and asked, ¡°What did you two talk about?¡±


    ¡°Not much.¡±


    ¡°Neither of you talked?¡± He looked at her coldly.


    More than anything else, Sylvia was afraid of the way Odell was ring at her and quickly blurted out, ¡°We talked a little.¡±


    ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± He asked.


    She decided that honesty was the best policy, ¡°I told him to stay in there and not think about hatching any strange ideas. | told


    him to not think he could steal Carter Corporation away from you.¡±


    Holding back a smile, Odell asked, ¡°What was his answer?¡±


    ¡°He behaved quite strangely.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Not only did he not get upset, but he even had this weird smile on his face the entire time | talked to him.¡± She suddenly turned


    to face Odell, ¡°Don''t you think he¡¯s pretty weird?¡±


    Odell could not hold it in any longer and chuckled.


    The pent-up tension inside him over the past two days since finding out about Sylvia''s amnesia seemed to dete at once.


    ¡°What are youughing about?¡± Sylvia asked, just as puzzled as before.


    He raised his hand and gently pinched her cheeks, ¡°I''mughing at him.¡±

 hapter 925

    hapter 925


    Chapter 925


    ¡°Why are youughing at him?¡±


    ¡°Because he got what he deserved.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± It was true, he had gotten exactly what he deserved. There had been no reason for him to do what he did and cause her


    lapse of memory


    They drove back steadily the same way they came until the car reached the old Carter residence and stopped in front of the


    gate.


    The bodyguard that was guarding the gate promptly approached and opened the door for Sylvia.


    Sylvia turned around and prepared to get out of the car, but she suddenly felt something tugging at her hand.


    She turned and looked at Odell suspiciously.


    His deep eyes were looking at her tenderly and as he spoke, his voice was deep with bass but pleasant to the ear, ¡°I need to go


    back to the office to deal with something. Just stay at home and don''t wander around. Call me if anythinges up at all.¡±


    Sylvia grimaced.


    He was treating her as if she was a child.


    Even if she had lost her memory, she was still an adult.


    Upon noticing her silence, Odell patted her on the head and asked, ¡°Did you hear me?¡± Sylvia''s mouth twitched, ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go.¡±


    He let go of her hand.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia turned and got out of the car.


    The car drove away as soon as she stepped out.


    She stole onest look at the car before walking into the house.


    Sebastian, Aunt Tonya, and the others were chatting happily in the yard.


    Sylvia approached them and asked curiously, ¡°Aunt Tonya, what are you two chatting about?¡±


    Aunt Tonya was taken aback by this.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sebastian and the others were just as astounded by this.


    They were still getting used to the new Sylvia. The Sylvia from before would have never joined in their gossip sessions.


    Aunt Tonya remarked with a smile, ¡°We''re talking about Wanda¡®s hometown.¡±


    Aunt Wanda added, ¡°To be specific, we''re talking about my cousin.¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± Sylviamented.


    Aunt Tonya had always been fond of making small talk and gossiping with the others. Sylvia figured that she might as well join


    them since she had nothing else to do. Besides, she figured it would be a good way for her to figure out what was going on these


    days.


    She turned and sat with them.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were once again startled by her behavior.


    She merely smiled and said, ¡°Please continue. Don¡®t mind me.¡±


    Aunt Wanda and Sebastian both turned to look at Aunt Tonya.


    With a resigned look on her face, Aunt Tonya turned back to Aunt Wanda and said, ¡°So, you were saying?¡±


    Aunt Wanda chuckled and picked up where she left off, ¡°Yeah, we were talking about my cousins¡¯ wife, she sure is something...¡±


    She prattled on and on.


    The conversation resumed as if it had never been interrupted. Both Sebastian and Aunt Tonya loved listening to such tales and


    chimed in with some funny remarks now and then.


    After a while, Sylvia felt a little overwhelmed.


    She even started to feel sleepy, perhaps due to the pleasant weather.


    Moments before she was about to doze off, she suddenly heard someone scoff.


    Aunt Wanda suddenly stopped talking and both Aunt Tonya and Sebastian¡®s expressions suddenly changed.


    Sylvia was alerted by this and woke up. Something told her to turn to the living room where she immediately spotted Isabel


    standing with her arms crossed in front of her as she pouted. The little girl seemed rather upset.


    She was taken aback by this disy, so she smiled and asked,¡± Isabel, what''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°You told me that you were going to y with me and my brother when you came back. Why are you sitting here with them?


    Don''t you want to y with us?¡± Her voice grew fiercer as she went on


    It seemed like her rage was boiling over.


    Sylvia seemed astonished.


    It was not so much that she did not want to y with them, she had merely forgotten.


    She had nearly forgotten that she had three children.


    She hurriedly exined, ¡°Isabel, I''m very sorry, | just wanted to hear what Aunt Tonya was talking about. | promise it''s not


    because | didn¡®t want to y with you.¡±


    Isabel was still very upset, ¡°You''re lying! I''ve been watching you for a long time. You were almost about to fall asleep. You weren''t


    even listening to their conversation!¡±


    Sylvia was silent.


    Aunt Tonya and the rest of them were quiet as well.


    There was a sort of awkward tension in the air fora moment until Isabel suddenly turned red and started to scream with tears in


    her eyes, ¡°You used to look for us the moment you came home every time!¡±

 hapter 926

    hapter 926


    There was an aggrieved expression on the little girl''s chubby face and she looked as if she had just been told that she had been


    abandoned.


    Sylvia felt her heart ache upon seeing Isabel in this state. She hurriedly got up and upon approaching Isabel, she quickly


    gathered her into her arms and apologized, ¡°Isabel, I''m very sorry, it''s my fault. | shouldn¡¯t have forgotten my promise.¡±


    Isabel pouted and huffed, ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Her tears welled up inside her eyes and she was still visibly upset.


    Sylvia caressed her cheeks and offered, ¡°I''ll y with you right now, is that alright?¡±


    Isabel''s expression did not change and she did not seem very receptive to the idea.


    She wanted to y with her mother but at the same time, she was reluctant to forgive her so easily.


    Sylvia suddenly had an idea, so she lowered her head and gently pecked Isabel on the cheek.


    This seemed to do the trick, and Isabel muttered, ¡°Hmph, | guess I''ll forgive you this time.¡±


    Sylvia smiled, ¡°Thank you.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She led Isabel into the living room.


    There were all sorts of toysid out in one corner of the living room. They had evenid out the tracks for the toy cars.


    Liam and Flint were seated side by side on the carpet, Liam held a book in his hand while Flint was chewing on a toy.


    When he noticed that Isabel had appeared with their mother, Liam put down the book and turned to look at her with a cool


    expression on his face.


    Sylvia quickly apologized, ¡°Liam, I''m sorry to keep you and your sister waiting.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and murmured, ¡°It''s okay.¡±


    ¡°Wah... Flint dropped the toy and stretched out his little chubby arms towards Sylvia.


    Sylvia hurried toward Flint with Isabel. Then, she sat down on the floor with them and took Flint into her arms.


    The little boy fell into her arms and was very well-behaved.


    Sylvia set Flint right next to her and picked up two controllers . She handed them to Isabel and Liam and challenged them,¡±


    Come on, let''s race!¡±


    It was one of Isabel''s favorite games to y, evident by how she enthusiastically took the gamepad while not forgetting to turn to


    her brother, ¡°Come on, hurry up!¡±


    With that, the trio of mother, son, and daughter began to y at car racing.


    Despite being only children, Liam and Isabel were as good as veterans and could more than hold their own. Very soon, Sylvia''s


    car was overtaken by them as soon as the race began. After she finally managed to overtake them again, they revved their


    engines and passed them yet again, Isabel even rammed into her car several times in the process.


    Isabel''s exuberant cries echoed in the living room.


    Flint was also giggling despite notpletelyprehending what was happening.


    Even the usually quiet Liam was having a good time, evident by the wide grin on his face.


    Sylvia felt happy as well to see that they were having a good time.


    The day quickly passed by in the blink of an eye.


    When evening came around, Sylvia had them switch to ying another kind of multiyer game.


    Each one of them remained holding one controller.


    Sylvia was rather uncoordinated when it came to gaming and her avatar was always knocked out as soon as the round began.


    Even Isabel was beginning to make fun of her by calling her a dummy.


    She was getting frustrated , she had already memorized all of the controls and yet her character was still knocked out every


    round as soon as she spawned.


    She frowned in frustration.


    Isabel sighed softly.


    Liam, ¡°Mommy, you''ll get the hang of it after a few more rounds.¡±


    Sylvia wore a tight-knit frown.


    It would not help even if she yed ten more rounds, she was simply not good at the game.


    Just when she was about to give up, a tall figure who had already been standing behind them for some time suddenly


    approached her.


    He gently carried Liam who was sitting on her right and moved him aside. Then he sat down next to her with his legs crossed


    and said, ¡°Here, let me try.¡±


    His low, maic voice seemed to mesmerize her as he took the controller without her even realizing it.


    Sylvia was appalled by the suddenness of it all. She silently gazed at his handsome side profile, as she felt her heart skip a


    beat.


    Isabel turned to Odell and challenged him, ¡°Hey Baddie, are you sure you want to y against us? There will be punishments if


    you lose to us!¡±


    Odell nced at Sylvia and taunted Isabel yfully, ¡°Bring it on.¡±


    Something gleamed in Isabel''s eyes, she turned to Liam and said, ¡°I''ll even let you take first ce after we beat him!¡±


    Liam murmured, ¡°Sure.¡±


    With that, the scoreboard was reset to zero and a new roundmenced.

 hapter 927

    hapter 927


    Chapter 927


    Sylvia held Flint in her arms as she stared intently at the screen.


    The moment Isabel said ¡°Start¡°, Odell¡¯s avatar immediately sprang into action and threw Isabel''s avatar off of the tform before


    she could even react.


    Isabel''s eyes immediately widened in confusion. She immediately turned to Liam and cried out, ¡°Brother, you have to avenge


    me!¡±


    Only moments after she said that, Liam¡®s avatar was picked up off the ground by Odell''s avatar and thrown out of the tform


    before he could even blink.


    The sound of cheering and apuse echoed around the arena on the screen. Odell was the victor.


    Isabel huffed angrily.


    She approached Odell grumpily as she offered up her face to him.


    Odell raised his hand and flicked a finger against the bridge of her nose.


    Having received her punishment for losing, Isabel sat back down in a huff and angrily insisted, ¡°One more round!¡±


    Liam was more reserved than she was, even with his nose turning red after getting flicked by Odell''s finger.


    The three of themmenced the second round.


    It ended the same as the first time, with Liam and Isabel each receiving a flick on their noses.


    Then came the third round...


    Although she was not the one ying the game, Sylvia was having the time of her life only watching, she was grinning from ear


    to ear the entire time.


    After Odell had flicked their noses yet another time, an image suddenly shed past Sylvia''s mind. She could vaguely recall a


    very simr scene to what was happening now, one with everyone of them ying games together in the living room where the


    loser has to be punished.


    It was like a sh of images that went by so fast that it barely felt real to her.


    Had she seen something simr in the past?


    ¡°What''s on your mind?¡± She suddenly felt a tap against her forehead.


    Sylvia looked up and her eyes met Odell''s dark ones.


    She brushed it off and said, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    He handed her the controller, ¡°Do you want to y?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and refused, ¡°No, I''ll just watch you guys y.*.


    She was not good at the game.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Odell seized the controller again.*.


    Isabel rolled her big round eyes and started toin, ¡°Hey


    Baddie, can''t you just let us win one round?¡±


    Odell peered at her and offered, ¡°Only if you call me Daddy.¡±


    Isabel put her tongue out, ¡°Hmph!¡±


    Once again, she was the first one to get knocked out.


    ¡°Daddy.¡± Liam said out of nowhere.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Odell was not expecting this, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°There, | said it. Aren¡¯t you going to let me win now?¡± Liam said suddenly.


    Odell was silent


    He immediately took his fingers off the controller.


    His in-game character immediately stopped moving on the screen. Moments after, Liams¡® character charged at him and knocked


    him out of the tform in one swift blow.


    Liam won and turned to him, ¡°Thank you, Daddy.¡±


    Odell smirked, ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Both father and son both darted a yful look at Isabel.


    She was so infuriated by this that it seemed like she was going to explode at any given moment.


    She was furious.


    ¡°One more round?¡± Odell taunted.


    Her lips tightened into a thin line as she exerted a great effort to force the words out, ¡°Dad...¡±


    Odell narrowed the look in his eyes, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡± She suddenly shouted, clearly upset at having to say it.


    ¡°Come again? | can barely hear you.¡± Odell¡¯s expression barely changed.


    Isabel''s cheeks puffed up like a balloon. Then, she suddenly hopped in front of Odell and began yelling in his ears, ¡°Daddy!


    Daddy! Daddy...¡±


    The entire living room was filled with her voice chanting daddy over and over.

 hapter 928

    hapter 928


    It was only after Odell lifted Isabel that she finally stuck her tongue out and snorted grumpily.


    Although the little girl was irritable, she was also adorable at the same time.


    Sylvia chuckled at the sight of her.


    The other three suddenly turned to look at her.


    She quickly hid the look in her eyes and tightened her lips into a line.


    Isabel frowned andined, ¡°Meanie Mommy, are youughing at me?¡±


    Sylvia gestured frantically with her hand, ¡°No, no!¡±


    Isabel made a look and asked again, ¡°Then you''re making fun of Baddie, aren''t you?¡±


    Sylvia waved her hand more anxiously now and repeated , ¡°No, no, | wasn''t!¡±


    ¡°Then what are youughing about?¡±


    Sylvia considered her reply carefully, ¡°I just thought that the way you called your daddy was very cute, that''s why | was.


    laughing.¡±


    Isabel seemed to sense something, ¡°Were youughing because | called Baddie as Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Sylvia hurriedly answered.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel turned to Odell again, ¡°Since Mommy likes it, | will start calling you Daddy.¡±


    Sylvia could not help butugh again when she saw how benevolent Isabel acted as she said this.


    Isabelughed along with her and settled down next to her.


    Odell took a quick look at Isabel before casting his deep eyes upon Sylvia and a tender look quickly surfaced within his eyes.


    Sylvia felt the burning intensity of his stare and quickly averted her gaze.


    It was only when the three of them went back to their game that Sylvia sneakily darted a nce at Odell to carefully observe his


    handsome, perfect jawline.


    This time around, Isabel calling Odell Daddy seemed to do the trick atst. The moment the round began, Odell¡®s avatar stood in


    ce and let Isabel knock him out of the tform. After that, Isabel struck Liam¡¯s avatar with a sneaky blow and imed first


    ce. She then flicked both of their noses with pride.


    They had dinner after their gaming session. By the time they finished dinner, both Sylvia and Flint were tired.


    ¡°Sylvia, I''ll take care of Flint. You should go get some rest.¡± Aunt Tonya had noticed Sylvia yawning and immediately stepped up


    to offer to take Flint.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia instinctively wrapped her arms around Flint.


    She had been holding Flint all day and was reluctant to be separated from him.


    Besides, the boy was very chubby and felt like a pillow in her arms, so she wanted to sleep with him.


    ¡°It''s alright, Aunt Tonya, I''ll sleep with him tonight.¡±


    Aunt Tonya¡®s eyes lit up as she said, ¡°Okay sure. Call me if you need anything at all.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    With that, Aunt Tonya left.


    Sylvia put Flint on the bed, then she washed up and changed into a fresh set of pajamas before heading back to bed to sleep


    with the body.


    The mood inside the spacious bedroom was wholesome and cozy.


    After some time passed, the door was slowly nudged open.


    Atiny head poked through the gap and peeked inside the room. The tiny figure turned to look behind her and whispered,¡±


    Mommy is asleep.¡±


    Two tiny figures sneakily drew closer to the bedside and stared at Sylvia who was sleeping.


    They looked at how Sylvia was sleeping with her arms wrapped tightly around - Flint. Isabel muttered, ¡°Why did Mommy sleep


    with Flint tonight? Do you think she finally remembered us?¡±


    ¡°| don''t think so.¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t Mommy ask us to sleep with her?¡± Isabel pouted,¡± Do you think Mommy doesn''t love us anymore?¡±


    Liam frowned, ¡°She just forgot about us, is all. It doesn''t mean that she''ll stop loving us.¡±


    ¡°She forgot Flint as well, so how do you exin her sleeping with Flint now?¡± ¡°Flint still needs to be breastfed.¡±

 hapter 929

    hapter 929


    Chapter 929


    ¡°Okay then.¡± Isabel decided to not hold it against Flint since he was still a toddler.


    After a while, Isabel pouted again and groaned, ¡°Ugh, when will Mommy remember us? What if she never remembers us? She


    seems so dumb now.¡±


    ¡°| don''t know.¡±


    Beneath the glow of the moonlight, a dark, somber look came over their faces.


    After a while, Isabel suddenly proposed , ¡°Why don''t we sleep with mommy too?¡±


    ¡°No, we''re already six years old, we can''t keep sticking to Mom all the time.¡±


    Isabel pouted, ¡°Okay.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    After staring at Sylvia for a while longer, they went out.


    After that came a tall figure.


    He flicked on the bedsidemp that Isabel had just turned off and sat on the edge of the bed. He silently gazed at Sylvia¡®s


    sleeping face with his deep, dark eyes.


    He could not resist the urge to reach his hand out and caress Sylvia¡®s cheeks.


    Sylvia was sleeping soundly and did not feel his touch.


    With a gentle look in his eyes, Odell recalled what had happened that afternoon.


    He thought about his meeting with Skr, and the conversation they had concerning Sylvia.


    After he had ryed everything he knew, Skr had told him,¡± Master Carter, I''ve heard about this sort of hypnosis but | always


    thought it was just mere talk and spection. | never expected this kind of evil act to be an actual thing. Now that we know this


    strange sort of memory eraser hypnosis exists, I''m sure that there is a way to reverse it as well. Give me some time. | need to do


    some research and see how we can reverse her condition. I''lle to you the moment | find a cure.¡±


    After the meeting with Skr, he had gone back to the detention center to speak to Thomas again.


    Thomas revealed that he had spent a fortune to learn the hypnosis technique from a mysterious teacher that he had found in


    Galston. He did not know how to reverse it or whether it was even possible to reverse it in the first ce, but he did provide a


    general idea of where Odell could find this mysterious teacher.


    After receiving information about where this mysterious individual could be found, Odell passed on the news to Skr.


    Skr immediately booked a flight to Galston after that.


    Judging by the timeline, Odell figured that she should have boarded the ne by now.


    Sylvia must have felt the heat emanating from the palm of his hand and shifted her head toy on top of it. It seemed like a very


    comfortable position for her.


    Odell smiled and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.


    He would do everything he could to help her regain her lost memory.


    The next morning, Sylvia was awakened by Flint crying.


    Immediately after that, Aunt Tonya and Aunt Wanda hurried in from outside.


    ¡°Sylvia, Flint must be hungry. Why don''t you get some more sleep while | get him some milk?¡± With that, both of them took Flint


    and left the room.


    Sylvia could not fall asleep after that.


    Even though she did not remember ever giving birth to Flint, hearing him cry filled her with sorrow.


    She got up and followed them.


    Aunt Tonya and Aunt Wanda had taken him to the next room where Aunt Flora prepared a bottle of warm milk and handed it to


    them.


    As soon as the teat from the bottle touched his lips, Flint started drinking.


    After he finished the bottle of milk, Aunt Flora took a look at his behind and informed, ¡°It''s time to change his diaper.¡±


    They took him to the bathroom.


    The boy did not cry or protest being carried around since he already had his breakfast, so hey idly and let them have their way


    with him.


    Sylvia silently gazed at hisrge, round eyes and smiled softly.


    Just as she was about to head back to her room to brush her teeth, she turned around to see Liam and Isabel standing by the


    doorway, both staring at her.


    The two of them were looking at each other quite dejectedly.


    Sylvia quickly went to them and knelt so she could be at eye level with them and asked, ¡°What happened to you two? Did your


    baby brother''s cries wake you up?¡±


    She was genuinely concerned about them.


    Isabel smiled sadly and said, ¡°Nothing, | just wanted Mommy to kiss me.¡±

 hapter 930

    hapter 930


    Chapter 930


    So that''s what it was, Sylvia thought. She immediately kissed Isabel and Liam¡®s cheeks respectively.


    Both of the children returned the favor and nted a kiss on her cheeks as well.


    Their bodies had a sweet scent that Sylvia could smell when they came in close for the kiss. The texture of their lips were soft to


    touch.


    Sylvia felt an indescribable sense of joy welling inside of her when they kissed her.


    She smiled as she had never smiled before, and that was when a tall figure suddenly approached from behind.


    The man was wearing a ck tailored suit and stood tall like a giant over the children. It was impossible to not notice him.


    When Sylvia looked at him, she saw his dark eyes sweeping over her with a tender and affectionate look within them.


    She felt her cheeks glowing red hot as she greeted him shyly,¡± Good morning.¡±


    With a subtle smile on his face, he said, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any ns for today?¡± He asked.


    She blurted out, ¡°I don''t think so. I''m probably just going to stay at home.¡±


    She was still adjusting to her new life.


    She had gone through the contacts on her phone and found that she had lost contact with most of the friends she had known


    from nine years ago. The only close friend she knew on the list was Sherry, but she had not been replying to any of the texts that


    she had sent over thest two days. It was as if Sherry had vanished off the face of the earth.


    ¡°| have something to attend to in the afternoon but | should be free by evening,¡± Odell informed.


    Sylvia was not really what he meant by this so she just softly said, ¡°Oh¡±.


    Odell pursed his lips, ¡°Stay at home and wait for me. I''ll take you shopping when | get back.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sylvia thought her ears were deceiving her and asked,¡± Why are you taking me shopping?¡±


    Odell nced at Liam and Isabel who were still standing between them and instructed them, ¡°You two, go downstairs.¡±


    Isabel''s round eyes moved back and forth between her parents, before she left with her brother just as she was told to.


    Odell stepped inside.


    In onerge step, he stopped in front of Sylvia, his presence was impossible to be denied.


    Sylvia subconsciously tried to step back, but Odell managed to grab her just in time.


    He caressed the back of her head softly with therge palm of his hand and repeated, ¡°I''m taking you shopping this evening.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Even though Odell was different from the version she knew from nine years ago, the one who was hostile and even repulsed by


    her, it still did not seem like he was the type to want to go shopping.


    Besides, he was the leader of an organization as heralded as the Carter Corporation. Surely, he had a mountain of things to deal


    with day in and day out.


    She could not believe it and even felt reluctant to ept his offer.


    ¡°It''s alright, you don''t have to worry about me. I''ll just stay at home with the kids.¡± She remarked with a smile.


    Odell¡®s face darkened gradually.


    Sylvia tried to draw away but could not as Odell was still holding onto the back of her neck.


    She asked cautiously, ¡°What''s wrong? Did | say something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± It suddenly urred to him that she had no recollection of the bond they had formed over thest nine years. Once


    again, there was a gap between them.


    He gently brushed the back of her head and asked, ¡°Don''t you like shopping?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± She muttered without giving it much thought.


    ¡°Okay, then just stay with the children at home. Call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She muttered again.


    She was very well-behaved, just like Isabel and Liam.


    The darkness in his eyes seemed to pulse. He slowly drew his arm away, then turned and walked out.


    She heaved a sigh of relief.


    It was not that she refused to be intimate with him. Aunt Tonya had told her about everything that had happened between the two


    of them over thest nine years, but everything sounded like something that had happened to another person instead of


    something she had truly experienced for herself. It was difficult to be immediately intimate with someone who was


    essentially still a stranger to her.


    After breakfast, Odell left the house.


    Liam and Isabel''s tutors arrived shortly after to give the two of them lessons.


    Sylvia spent time with Flint in the living room.


    After she yed with him for a while, he got tired and fell asleep.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Left with nothing else to do, Sylvia turned on the television and watched some of thetest popr shows to while away her


    time.


    The living room was quiet except for the sounds from the TV.

 Chapter 931

    Chapter 931


    It did not take long for Sylvia to get sleepy as well. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, her phone suddenly rang.


    Amessage from Sherry popped up on the disy: ¡°Sylvia, help!¡±


    Sylvia sprang to attention immediately. She texted back: ¡°What''s going on? Where are you now?¡±


    Sherry replied: ¡°I¡¯m in nchester.¡±


    nchester?


    The popr tourist destination next to Westchester City?


    Sylvia asked frantically: ¡°Which part of nchester? What happened? Are you ok?¡±


    After that, radio silence again.


    Sylvia immediately called her only to find out the number was unavable. The phone was turned off!


    Sylvia could not sit still after that. She paced around frantically and tried to call Sherry again to no avail.


    She flipped through her contact list again. There was not a single person she remembered that could be of any help to her. The


    only person who could help her was Odell.


    After troubling over the idea for several seconds, she bit the bullet and called Odell.


    It rang only twice before the call was answered.


    Odell¡¯s deep, bass-heavy voice resounded. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    Sylvia stammered anxiously, ¡°Something happened to Sherry. She texted me just now asking for help, then she disappeared


    again after only sending a few more texts to me. She mentioned that she¡¯s in nchester. Do you know anyone over there? Can


    you help me find her?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Odell answered, ¡°She must be with Master Stockton.¡±


    Sylvia was startled by this response. ¡°Master Stockton? Do you mean John Stockton? Why would she be with him?¡±


    ¡°They dated in the past. There¡¯s some history between them.¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly asked, ¡°What kind of history? What did Sherry do to him? What will he do to Sherry?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, Sherry shouldn''t be in danger.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not going to hurt Sherry?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Odell assured her. ¡°I''ll have someone dig up more information and let you know as soon as there¡¯s any news.¡±


    Sylvia was relieved by this. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    Odell was quiet for several seconds, then he said softly, ¡°You¡¯re wee.


    Even though what Odell told her was very reassuring, Sylvia was still feeling very restless.


    All she remembered were events from nine years ago.


    Even back then, she had heard about a certain Master Stockton. She could vaguely recall there being a marriage arrangement


    between the Stockton family and Sherry¡¯s family. However, today was the first she ever heard of the two dating. Furthermore,


    she had never even met John Stockton and did not know what he was like.


    If Sherry was with him, she prayed that he would not hurt her.


    Ding!Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    It was Odell.


    She quickly answered it and asked without skipping a beat, ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Sherry is locked up in one of his vis in nchester .¡±


    ¡°How is she doing?¡±


    ¡°She''s fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very sure she¡¯s fine.¡± Odell reassured confidently.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good.¡±


    Odell was silent.


    Seeing that he was not going to hang up himself, Sylvia decided she would wrap it up. ¡°Thank you, I''ll let you get back to your


    work.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, she hung up.


    She thought about it for a moment and decided to open the web browser and enter the keyword ¡°John Stockton¡± into the search


    bar.


    Immediately afterward, the search result ¡°John Stockton, the richest man in nchester¡± popped up on the disy. She began


    reading


    Previous Post


    Next Post

 Chapter 932

    Chapter 932


    Chapter 932


    There were no pictures of John online. There was not much information either and all Sylvia could find were brief details.


    For instance, there were details about him getting banished from the Stockton family around six years ago, for reasons unknown.


    What happened to him after that was aplete mystery, up until two years ago when he suddenly re-emerged as the


    wealthiest plutocrat in nchester. He had single handedly built up the tourism and entertainment industry in nchester and


    made the city a leader in these sectors.


    Shortly after that, the Stockton family, who had been on a steady decline since his departure, decided to relocate from


    Westchester City to nchester.


    John was epted back into the family and revived them to their previous glory and more. They were now the icon of


    nchester.


    There was a particr remark that caught Sylvia¡¯s attention which wrote: Benevolent and ruthless beyond imagination.


    She wrinkled her brows upon noting this. These two terms were antonyms. How could they be used to describe the same


    person?


    Perhaps his appearance was gracious and kind but deep down, he was vicious and cruel?


    Odell did mention there was some history between John and Sherry.


    Since he had Sherry locked up in his vi, he must not be harboring good intentions even if he did not directly hurt Sherry. Why


    else would she contact Sylvia for help otherwise?


    Aunt Tonya had mentioned that Sherry had helped her on many asions over the past few years.


    Even if she forgot all of these events, she could still recall her friendship with Sherry even as far back as nine years ago. She


    could not sit by idly and watch as Sherry got tormented all alone in what was essentially a jail cell.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    She did not want to trouble Odell anymore. Besides, his territory was Westchester City so he should not have to be troubled to


    make demands on John Stockton.


    She thought about it and decided that she would go to nchester herself to look for Sherry.


    The day passed quickly.


    She devised a rather simple n. First, she would go to nchester and figure out where the vi Sherry was imprisoned in


    was. Then, she would sneak inside and break her out once she managed to locate her.


    Right after she had decided to go forward with the n, she heard the screech of the brake of a car that stopped outside the


    gate.


    Isabel, who was next to her, hopped off the couch and eximed excitedly, ¡°Baddie Daddy is back!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glowed up. She rose from the couch with Flint in her arms.


    She turned to Liam who was still sitting calmly on the couch, reading a book. Then, she asked him, ¡°Liam, aren¡¯t you going to


    greet your father?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°Isabel can do it.¡±


    It was just Dad anyway, there was no need to wee him.


    Upon noticing Liam¡¯s cool attitude, Sylvia suddenly felt conflicted and unsure if she should wee Odell.


    Soon, Odell walked in with Isabel in his arms.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Good evening.¡±


    Odell smiled faintly as well. ¡°Hey, how are things at home today?


    ¡°Pretty good.¡±


    ¡°l see.¡±


    There was a sudden awkwardness.


    Sylvia thought she should say something. ¡°How''re things in thepany?¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Again, there was an awkward silence.


    ¡°Sigh...¡± Isabel suddenly sighed and climbed off Odell, then she motioned at Sylvia. ¡°Mommy, I''ll take Flint. Liam and i can y


    with him.¡±


    It looked like the girl wanted to give her and Odell some privacy.


    Sylvia took the hint and handed Flint to her.


    Isabel took her baby brother and quickly went to Liam.


    It was Sylvia and Odell left standing by the doorway.


    Sylvia mentioned, ¡°Dinner is almost ready. Come on in.¡±


    Odell stood like a sculpture with his coat hung across his shoulder.


    He looked stoically at her. lit was impossible to tell what was on his mind.


    Sylvia thought for a moment and offered. ¡°Want me to get your coat?¡±


    He pursed his lips, a powerless look surfaced in his eyes.


    ¡°Come here.¡± After another brief pause, he added, ¡°Come in front of me.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± Sylvia asked with stark curiosity. Odell frowned again with a deep look in his eyes.


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 Chapter 933

    Chapter 933


    Chapter 933


    Sylvia took two steps forward and stopped in front of Odell.


    He cupped her face in one hand and gently brushed her cheeks with his fingers. The warmth on his fingertips seemed to transfer


    over. He asked in a cautious voice, ¡°Are you still worried about Sherry?¡±


    Sylvia froze, partly because she was afraid of upsetting him by drawing away, but also because she was stunned by how he


    seemed to read what was on her mind.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m quite worried about her,¡± she answered him truthfully.


    He informed, ¡°I asked around. She¡¯s doing fairly well apart from the fact that she¡¯s not allowed to leave the vi.¡±


    ¡°Is John hard on her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s private. | don¡¯t know much about that.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Noticing this, Odell informed, ¡°He still has feelings for her and won''t do anything terrible to her.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But Aunt Tonya mentioned that back then when there was a misunderstanding between us. You also...¡± Sylvia quickly zipped


    her lips when she realized that she was treading on dangerous territory


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°What?¡±


    His voice was still calm and gentle, and it did not seem like he was upset.


    Sylvia cautiously darted a nce at him.


    He had a gentle glow in his eyes. It even seemed like he found something humorous in what she said.


    She continued, ¡°You kept me imprisoned and broke my leg.¡±


    His expression darkened.


    She tried to rescind what she said, ¡°I won''t bring this up again if you don¡¯t like hearing about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what | meant,¡± he rified, although it was true that he did not like hearing about his past wrongdoings.


    He took a half step forward and closed the gap between the two of them. They would be skin-to-skin if he shifted just a little


    closer.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    He held her chin in his hands and whispered, ¡°I admit that | was in the wrong, but John is nothing like me. Furthermore, their


    situation ispletely different from ours so believe me, Sherry will be fine.¡±


    His voice was soft and convincing.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and muttered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After dinner, Odell went to his study.


    Sylvia yed with Liam and Isabel for a while before taking Flint back to her room.


    After she showered, she entertained Flint for a while until the boy fell asleep, then shey on the bed as well.


    Sherry continued to upy her thoughts.


    She tossed and turned for a long time. She decided that she had to go to nchester to see Sherry and make sure she was


    alright. Only then would shee home.


    As soon as she hatched the idea, she drifted off to sleep.


    Meanwhile, on the balcony.


    There was a ss wall separating the balcony from the bedroom.


    Odell had been standing by the balcony for some time.


    The balcony was connected to the study where he came from. He had been standing out here since Sylvia put Flint to bed and


    saw how she tossed and turned endlessly in bed.


    He was relieved when he saw how Sylvia finally managed to fall asleep.


    He stood for a while and only stepped into the bedroom after making sure Sylvia was soundly asleep.


    The first thing he did was lean closer to nt a kiss on her forehead. After that, he turned off the bedsidemp for her and left.


    After returning to the guest room where he was temporarily using, he reached for his phone and contacted Cliff.


    Cliff picked up within the first few rings. Odell immediately went to the matter at heart. ¡°Do you still have the proposal letter for


    cooperation that we received from John Stockton¡¯s team in nchester?¡±


    Cliff informed, ¡°Yes, | kept it in the drawer in your office.¡±


    ¡°Alright, | want you to contact John¡¯s team first thing tomorrow morning. Tell them that I''ll be swinging by nchester in two days


    for a quick survey.¡±


    Cliff asked curiously, ¡°Sir, | thought you don¡¯t have high expectations for that particr project?¡± ¡°Which is why I¡¯m doing a


    survey.¡±


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 Chapter 934

    Chapter 934


    Cliff was still perplexed. Even though the project was not a minor one, it was not impotent enough to warrant an in-person survey


    from the leader of Carter Corporation. It would have made more sense to send someone over to dig up the details.


    Still, Odell must have his reasons for wanting to do it himself. Cliff knew his ce and did not pester him with more questions.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll let them know first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    After hanging up, Odell put the phone beside the bed and looked out the window gloomily.


    If his suspicions were correct, the reason Sylvia tossed and turned in bed and had trouble falling asleep was that she was


    worried about Sherry.


    He knew that John would wee him in person when he visited nchester. It would be a good chance for him to talk to him


    about Sherry and gauge how he felt toward Sherry. This was the least he could do to put Sylvia at rest.


    A dayter, in the evening.


    Sylvia was on her phone and was just about to buy a train ticket to nchester tomorrow when she heard a car stopping outside


    the house.


    Isabel took Flint with her and went outside while chanting¡° Baddie Daddy¡±.


    Sylvia hurriedly put away her phone.


    She figured it would be fine if she told Odell only after the fact.


    Shortly after, Odell showed up inside the house with Flint in his arms and Isabel trailing after.


    Sylvia smiled politely. ¡°You''re back.¡±


    Odell returned a faint smile. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°| have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°| have something to tell you-¡±


    Both of them spoke at the same time and stopped at the same time as well.


    Odell chuckled. ¡°What were you going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°| think you should go first.¡± She realized she had notposed what she was going to say in her head.


    Odell cast a strange look at her before handing Flint to Isabel.¡± Take your brother and go to Liam, Mommy and Daddy need to


    talk.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Isabel took Flint as she was instructed and went off to find Liam.


    Odell drew closer to Sylvia in a few steps and gently informed her, ¡°I¡¯m going to nchester tomorrow morning. I''ll probably be


    there for about two days.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted dramatically. ¡°You''re going to nchester?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, going on a business trip.¡±


    Sylvia made a look and asked timidly, ¡°Can | go with you?¡±


    Her eyes were sparkling with anticipation.


    Something shifted in Odell¡¯s eyes. He pinched her cheeks and asked in a raspy voice, ¡°You want to go with me?¡±


    Sylvia could feel her cheeks burning. She wanted to retreat from his touch but could not.


    She met his alluring gaze and muttered, ¡°Hm.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°We''re leaving at eight tomorrow morning so get some early rest tonight.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°So, what were you going to tell me?¡± Odell suddenly remembered and asked while still brushing Sylvia¡¯s cheeks.


    Sylvia hesitated for a moment then brushed it off. ¡°I forgot.¡±


    Since he was going to take her to nchester anyway, there was no longer a need to tell him about her ns to go to


    nchester herself.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Besides, he mentioned he was going to nchester for a business trip. It would only distract him if she told him about her ns


    of looking for Sherry at John¡¯s ce.


    Odell narrowed his eyes into a slit. ¡°You¡¯re sure you forgot?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She avoided his gaze.


    ¡°Tell me when you remember.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The next day, Sylvia opened her eyes before the rm on her phone even went off.


    She had packed her luggagest night.


    After washing up, she tied her hair up and put on a set offortable clothes, then she lugged the suitcase behind her and went


    to the living room.


    It was still rather early so the children were still sleeping.


    Two housemaids were cleaning the living room.


    Odell had been waiting for her. He wore a freshly ironed suit and was sitting on the couch reading a newspaper while drinking


    coffee.


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 Chapter 935

    Chapter 935


    Odell was ready for the trip as well. His suitcase was right next to the couch.


    Sylvia put her suitcase next to his and greeted him with a bright smile, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Odell turned to her and muttered, ¡°Morning.¡±


    Then, he put down the newspaper and rose from his couch to approach her. He rested arge palm on her head and beckoned,


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat breakfast.¡±


    Sylvia went to the dining table with him.


    The thought that she would be heading to nchester to look for Sherry filled her with anticipation. She ate as fast as she could


    and pushed the te away as soon as she had eaten enough.


    Odell nced at her. ¡°Are you full?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Noticing that Odell was about to set his spoon and fork down, she quickly stated, ¡°Take your time if you¡¯re not full yet.


    Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°I''m full, too.¡± He wiped his hands and his lips with a towel, then got up. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go now.¡±


    He held out a hand toward her.


    She hesitated briefly before cing her hand on his.


    Three hourster, the car exited the highway and entered the city center of nchester.


    Sylvia kept looking out the window.


    The city was certainly an exemry tourist destination. The city view was wonderful, and the streets were filled with greenery


    and art.


    Odell sat next to her and maintained the same pose the entire drive here. He silently looked at the way she continuously gaped


    at the view outside.


    Shortly after that, they stopped outside a five-star hotel.


    Odell raised a hand and gently tapped Sylvia¡¯s head. ¡°Here it is.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Sylvia pushed the door open and went outside.


    Odell followed her out of the car.


    The entrance of the hotel was nothing short of majestic. It was as if they had been transported to the middle of a forest. There


    was even a man-made waterfall by the lobby.


    Sylvia was astounded by what she saw, and she opened the camera on her phone and approached the entrance.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Odell trailed after her. They had only taken a handful of steps when several officials dressed in suits and leather shoes


    approached them. Each one with a weing smile on their face.


    Ayoung man at the head of the group stretched out his right


    hand toward Odell and greeted him politely and formally, ¡°Good morning, Master Carter. I¡¯m Mr. Stockton¡¯s assistant. My name is


    Peter Johnson but you can call me Peter. Mr. Stockton was going to receive you in person but unfortunately, something urgent


    came up that he had to attend to. He should be able to meet you by noon and regrets that he couldn''t receive you in person.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Odell shook hands with Peter. From the corner of his eye, he could see Sylva who was taking a selfie by the hotel¡¯s


    entrance.


    Peter added, ¡°Master Carter, we''ve already reserved a room for you. This way please.¡±


    Odell chuckled.


    It was not directed at Peter. He was merely amused by the sight of Sylvia taking a selfie.


    She put on a very smug pose and was trying to align the frame for a perfect selfie.


    She suddenly untied her hair, perhaps she thought her hair did not look good tied up. After she took several pictures, she


    changed angles and began clicking away again, making sure to alternate expressions in between each shot. She was.


    completely mischievous.


    Odell observed her closely and smiled.


    Peter followed his line of sight and noticed Sylvia.


    She was wearing a t-shirt, along with a pair of jeans and white sneakers. At first nce, one would think that she was a twenty


    year-old girl.


    Was the legendary Master Carter not already married?


    Word was that his wife was a close friend of his boss¡¯ woman.


    He thought for a moment before turning to Odell to enquire , ¡± Master Carter, is thatdy your friend?¡±


    Odell stated, ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡±


    Peter was taken aback by this as he smiled andplimented,¡± She looks very young. I¡¯d have thought that she was twenty


    years old.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened.


    Sylvia was indeed twenty years old in her present state.


    The sharp-eyed Peter immediately noticed the sudden change in Odell¡¯s demeanor. He immediately became very flustered. Had


    he said something wrong?


    Did he not like being told that his wife was very youthful?


    He cast a nce at Cliff as if signaling for help.


    Cliff returned a look to signal that this was a risky topic.


    Peter took the hint and promptly changed the subject. ¡°Master Carter, what sort of food do you and your wife like? We have all


    sorts of authentic restaurants here in nchester and I¡¯m sure every single one of them will delight you. Just let me know what


    kind of food you two prefer and I''ll have everything arranged for you. We''ll bring you to the restaurant after | show you to your


    hotel room.¡±


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 Chapter 936

    Chapter 936


    Chapter 936


    Odell considered briefly. ¡°Whatever is the specialty in nchester.¡±


    Sylvia was not a picky eater anyway, so she could stomach any food that tasted good.


    She had more than enough of her favorite food back in Westchester City. Since they were in nchester , they should try


    whatever the local specialty was.


    Peter nodded. Then he turned and gave instructions to the others who came with him.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia had been rabidly taking pictures. It was only after she finally took some pictures that she was satisfied with


    when she finally felt several pairs of eyes on her.


    There was Odell and Cliff, along with several men in suits. They were probably the ones Odell was meeting up with to discuss


    business.


    She immediately put away her phone and trotted back to Odell.


    She whispered cautiously, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, am | taking up your time?¡±


    Odell brushed the hair from her forehead and tucked it behind her ear. Then he took her hand and answered her, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Carter, good to see you. My name is Peter Johnson. You can call me Peter,¡± Peter greeted her with a brilliant smile.


    Sylvia smiled back at him. ¡°Hello, Peter.¡±


    ¡°Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, this way please. I''ll show you to your room.¡± He turned and led them into the hotel.


    Odell took Sylvia¡¯s hand and entered the hotel with them. Then they took the elevator to the presidential suite on the top floor.


    The room befitted the name of the presidential suite. The decorations were the epitome of luxury living, and every single thing


    they would ever need could be found, ranging from a bedroom, study, living room, bathroom, and even a private gym. The only


    minor problem was there was only one bedroom.


    Peter asked with a smile, ¡°Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, does this work for you two?¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia smiled and informed, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful.¡±


    It was the best room they could have got in the city. She thought she woulde off as ungrateful if she pointed out theck of


    an additional bedroom.


    ¡°Wonderful indeed. Please let us know if there¡¯s anything else you two need.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks for the help.¡±


    Peter was pleasantly surprised by how polite Sylvia was and responded with a smile, ¡°No problem at all. The pleasure is mine.¡±


    After that, he informed, ¡°We''ve made reservations for you two at the restaurant. Would you like to catch some rest first before


    going, or do you want to leave now?¡±


    Sylvia turned to Odell.


    Odell stared back at her with a look in his eyes that suggested that she could make the call.


    ¡°Let''s go now then.¡± The sooner they came back from lunch, the sooner Odell could attend to his work, and the sooner she could


    find out which vi John kept Sherry cooped up in.


    Peter took them to a local restaurant where the furnishings were cozy and homely.


    During the meal, Peter decided to give a toast. Sylvia frowned upon noting this.


    Odell darted a look at Cliff.


    Cliff took the hint and immediately informed, ¡°Peter, Master Carter and Mrs. Carter aren''t very fond of alcohol.¡±


    Peter was very understanding and swiftly apologized , ¡°I see, | apologize for being so sudden.¡±


    He shot a quick look at his colleagues.


    His colleagues took the hint and nodded.


    The rest of the meal was rtively silent.


    From time to time, Peter would exchange some small talk with Cliff. Apart from that, the rest of the table only stole asional


    nces at Odell and Sylvia.


    Odell was taking his time with the meal, making sure to putPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    some food on Sylvia¡¯s te from time to time.


    His sole focus was Sylvia.


    Sylvia barely noticed Peter and the others observing her as she was wholly focused on the food.


    It was indescribably delicious.


    She never expected to eat such delicacy in nchester.


    She only diverted her focus from the te after she had finished everything.


    Odell asked with a smile, ¡°Are you full?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Let''s go then.¡±


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 Chapter 937

    Chapter 937


    Chapter 937


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sylvia said and rose with Odell. However, moments before they stepped out of the room, she suddenly felt an urge to pee. She


    stated with slight embarrassment, ¡°I need to go to the bathroom.¡±


    Odell smiled and let go of her hand. ¡°Go, I''ll be waiting for you here.¡±


    She quickly shuffled to the bathroom.


    After she came out of the toilet, she overheard the tail end of what was Peter saying something to Odell, ¡°...On the way to the


    hotel, he should arrive in about ten minutes.¡±


    Odell, ¡°Alright.¡±


    He took Sylvia¡¯s hand when he saw her. ¡°Let''s go. John is about to reach the hotel. We''ll go meet him first, then you can explore


    the city after that.¡±


    Sylvia obliged. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Their driver took them to the hotel after that.


    After they got out of the car, they walked toward the lobby. That was when Sylvia suddenly mentioned, ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t you go


    on ahead? I¡¯ll just walk around and check out the city.¡±


    Odell looked at her.


    Sylvia shed an innocent smile at him.


    He turned to Jacob who came along with them to serve as driver and bodyguard and instructed, ¡°You go with her.¡±


    Sylvia protested hastily, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I''ll just walk by myself,¡±


    Before she could even finish her sentence, she noticed how a look of gloom overtook Odell¡¯s face.


    She promptly zipped her lips.


    Odell instructed, ¡°Keep your phone on ande back once you''re done exploring.¡±


    Sylvia assured him. ¡°I got it.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    She was not a child.


    After that, Odell stepped into the hotel.


    Cliff and Peter trailed after him. The only one left was Jacob.


    ¡°Madam, where would you like to go?¡± Jacob asked with a kind smile.


    ¡°Hold on, let me take a look,¡± she said as she reached for her phone.


    She found a list of the properties John owned on the inte. It would appear that he had dozens of properties scattered all over


    the country so she eventually narrowed it down to a handful of properties he owned in nchester specifically.


    These included some condominiums located in less than ideal locations in the city, a certain vi inside a very upper-ss


    district, as well as arger vi with a yard located in the suburbs.


    Odell previously mentioned that Sherry was kept in a vi.


    She wagered that Sherry would not be housed in the vi in the city district since there were so many prying eyes about as John


    would not want to risk people finding out about him keeping a frail woman imprisoned. Going by that rhetoric, Sylvia homed in on


    the vi located in the suburbs.


    With that out of the way, she turned to Jacob. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the suburbs. I''d like to check out the area.¡±


    ¡°Alright Ma¡¯am , I''ll go get the car right now. Please wait for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Jacob was a steady driver and within half an hour, they arrived at the street Sylvia specifically appointed.


    It was a rather reputable street in nchester, known for its beautiful view of the mountain. Most of the vis in the area were


    privately owned and there were not many ces she could walk around without security clearance. No outsiders were allowed to


    enter unless they had been directly verified.


    Despite that, she tried to enter. As soon as she walked toward one of the vis, a giant and intimidating-looking security guard


    appeared and cut off her path.


    She quickly took a step back and asked with a polite smile,¡± Think | could go in and take a look?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t enter without a permit.¡±


    ¡°What kind of permit?¡±


    The security guard red at her menacingly and did not answer.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. Just as she was puzzled over what to do, she suddenly heard someone calling her name from a distance.


    ¡°Sylvia ?¡± A short distance away from her was a red sports car that had just emerged from the private district. A handsome young


    man pried his head out the window and called for her.


    The security guard standing in front of Sylvia immediately stepped back.


    Sylvia was startled by this. She quicklyposed herself and approached the car.


    She was hoping that she could recognize this man. Unfortunately, upon drawing closer, she still had no recollection of who the


    man was.


    Thankfully, the man initiated before she did. ¡°It¡¯s only been seven or eight months? You forgot about me already?¡±


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 Chapter 938

    Chapter 938


    Sylvia chuckled awkwardly and mentioned, ¡°Something happened a short while ago and | lost my memory.¡±


    She had exined this to so many people that she had the entire monologue memorized.


    Zach was understandably baffled by this. ¡°Wait, you lost your memory?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | forgot everything that happened thest nine years. It¡¯s not that | intentionally forgot who you were.¡±


    ¡°| guess that makes sense, you look different from when | saw you thest time.¡± Zach sighed and sounded slightly disappointed,


    then he suddenly asked when a thought urred to him, ¡°Do you recall there being this man called Odell?¡±


    Sylvia was not expecting this question of all things but answered truthfully, ¡°I do, we¡¯ve known each other since we were very


    young. | already knew him nine years ago.¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± He sighed again, seemingly disappointed and frustrated. Suddenly, a strange smile formed on his face as he asked, ¡°Are


    you still with him now?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± Sylvia was rather confused by his behavior.


    Meanwhile, Jacob had been following Sylvia the entire time. He stepped next to her and red at Zach with a vignt look in his


    eyes.


    Zach rubbed his nose andughed it off. ¡°I was just curious.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sylvia seemed to not notice anything strange and answered, ¡°We''re still together.¡±


    Zach sighed meekly, ¡°I see.¡±


    Sylvia was still intent on looking for Sherry and decided to ask him, ¡°What''s your name? Why are you here?¡±


    Zach brushed a loose strand of hair off his forehead and introduced himself, ¡°The name is Zach Hadwin. I¡¯m living here currently


    because there¡¯s this ongoing project at my house in the city center so | figured I''d move here for a bit.¡±


    After he answered the question, he turned to ask Sylvia, ¡°How about you? Why are you here?¡±


    Sylvia stated, ¡°I thought the scenery here looks pretty nice so | came here to look around.¡±


    Zach smiled and offered, ¡°Do you want to go inside?¡±


    Sylvia jumped at the opportunity. ¡°Yes, can you bring me inside?¡±


    ¡°| can, but | can only bring you one of you. This ce is very strict and only allows one outsider at a time.¡± He nced coyly at


    Jacob as he said this.


    Jacob tried to persuade Sylvia. ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you go somewhere else for a walk? There are many beautiful ces in


    nchester. This isn¡¯t the only ce you can sightsee.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and protested. ¡°But | want to check out this ce specifically.¡±


    Jacob seemed very troubled by this. He looked at Zach who was putting on his best disy of a harmless smile, then he turned


    back to Sylvia. ¡°We don¡¯t know who this person is. | can¡¯t just let you wander off by yourself with him. What am | supposed to tell


    Master Carter if something happened to you?¡±


    Zach seemed slightly upset by this. ¡°Hey now, sir. My dad is involved with Carter Corporation and I¡¯ve given you my name


    already. What do you mean by you don¡¯t know who | am?¡±


    Jacob looked at him with a frown.


    Sylvia spoke, ¡°Jacob, he doesn¡¯t look like a bad guy at all. Don¡¯t worry, I''lle right out after | take ap inside. Nothing will go


    wrong.¡±


    She did not want to be treated like a toddler.


    Besides, she saw the name Zach Hadwin in her contacts. It seemed like they even chatted a few times and judging by the looks


    of it, it seemed like he had helped her out in the past even if she did not remember anything from their past dealings.


    With that, she turned and approached Zach¡¯s car before Jacob could even get a word out.


    Zach winked at Jacob and revved the engine.


    The red sports car drove past the checkpoint unobstructed and entered the district that was filled with fauna.


    The view inside was indescribably beautiful.


    Having said that, the view was not what Sylvia came for. She briefly nced around the area before asking, ¡°How many vis


    are there in this area?¡±


    ¡°Six in total.¡± Zach slowed the car down and established eye contact with her using the rearview mirror. ¡°You''re nning to buy a


    ce here?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, | was just curious.¡± After a brief hesitation, she asked again, ¡°Are all of them sold already?¡±


    ¡°As far as | know, all of them were sold during the early construction stages.¡± ¡°Do you know any of the owners of the other five


    vis?¡±


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 Chapter 939

    Chapter 939


    ¡°Yeah, | know a few.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡± Sylvia asked with an expectant look in her eyes as she wanted to know more.


    Zach smirked. ¡°I thought you were here to sightsee. Why are you asking me all this?¡±


    ¡°| was just curious.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± He handled the steering wheel and made no furtherment.


    It seemed like he was not intending to answer her questions.


    Sylvia considered for a moment and blurted out, ¡°Do you know John Stockton?¡±


    ¡°The richest man in nchester. Who doesn¡¯t know him?¡±


    ¡°| think he lives here too. Do you know which one of these vis belongs to him?¡±


    Zach burst out chuckling by this point.


    He parked the car on the side of the road, and turned to Sylvia with a smile on his face though his demeanor was otherwise


    serious. ¡°Sylvia, you didn¡¯te here to sightsee, did you?¡±


    Sylvia dropped the act. There was no point in feigning it since he already knew, so she nodded.


    Zach¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Why are you asking about John?


    Are you looking for him?¡±


    ¡°I''m not here for him. I¡¯m here for something else.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the richest man here in nchester . Even my family has several ongoing projects with hispany so | cannot risk


    getting on his bad side. If you don¡¯t tell me what exactly you''re here for, I¡¯m afraid | can¡¯t tell you which one of these vis is his.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    They had been inside here for some time and yet there was no sight of any houses or even gates, which was a testament to how


    large this ce was. Even if Sylvia got out of the car and tried to locate John¡¯s ce herself, she would only either get lost or get


    caught by the security forces eventually.


    She chose the honest approach. ¡°I have a friend named Sherry and she¡¯s kept locked up by John. | need to find her.¡±


    ¡°Why did John keep your friend locked up?¡±


    ¡°They dated many years ago and it looks like there¡¯s some history between them. | was worried that he¡¯d bring harm to her.¡±


    Zach ruminated on this information and stated, ¡°I doubt it. I''ve seen him a few times and he¡¯s as gentlemanly as hees. I''d


    even say he¡¯s very kind.¡±


    ¡°He and you are business partners. It¡¯s not the same with Sherry.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Zach looked at her and stated solemnly, ¡°Still, the security facilities are top-of-the-line, and I''d certainly expect his house


    to be more closely guarded than ours. | don¡¯t think you can sneak in yourself.¡±


    Sylvia considered for a moment and asked, ¡°Is there any way | can sneak inside?¡±


    There was a gleam in her eyes. She seemed like she was ready to infiltrate like an assassin.


    Zachughed at her confidence and proceeded to tell her,¡± None. You can¡¯t even get in even if you turned into a fly.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Was it that hard?


    ¡°You just want to see her and won¡¯t do anything else?¡± Zach asked suddenly.


    ¡°Yes, but if she doesn¡¯t feel safe inside, then I''ll find a way to break her out.¡± She supposed she would have to ask Odell for help


    if it came to that.


    ¡°The madam of the house is going to hold a party here tomorrow afternoon and | was invited as well. | could take you inside.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°However, you''ll have to go as my femalepanion. I¡¯m usually a lone wolf so if we attend together tomorrow, people will


    inevitably get the wrong idea concerning the nature of our rtionship, if you know what | mean.¡± After a pause, he looked at her


    with an intriguing look and asked, ¡°Are you sure Master Carter won''t get angry if he finds out?¡±


    ¡°He won''t get angry because he won''t find out,¡° Sylvia stated confidently.


    He would be busy with his work tomorrow, so he had no time to monitor her tomorrow.


    ¡°Alright,e here tomorrow past noon. I''ll take you inside.¡± ¡°Alright.¡±


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 Chapter 940

    Chapter 940


    Chapter 940


    After the two hade to an agreement, Zach took Sylvia out to the entrance.


    Jacob was standing guard waiting for her and the moment he saw her, he ran up to her and nervously inspected her up and


    down, worried that something had happened to her while she was gone.


    Sylvia smiled and reassured him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, | just took ap inside.¡±


    Jacob breathed a sigh of relief and asked, ¡°Madam, do you want to go anywhere else?¡±


    ¡°No, let''s go back to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Inside the penthouse suite of the hotel.


    Both Cliff and Peter were standing by the entrance to the study with their backs perched straight and at attention.


    The door was closed. Not a wording from inside the study could be heard.


    Meanwhile, the two men were seated by a tea table inside the


    study.


    Both of them sat on a leather-bound chair, facing each other.


    There were two tea cups as well as a sheet of letter of coboration set on the table.


    Odell briefly stated his options and expectations concerning their coboration.


    John listened attentively and atst, remarked with a smile. ¡°As expected of Master Carter, the leader of the renowned Carter


    Corporation. You¡¯ve raised some very concise and good points. I''ll have my team review the points you¡¯ve made and make


    changes ordingly.¡±


    Odell nodded and took a sip from his cup.


    John followed suit and took a sip of tea as well, then he suddenly asked, ¡°I heard that you came here with your wife. Howe


    she¡¯s not around?¡±


    ¡°She went to tour the city.¡±


    ¡°| see, there are many fascinating destinations in nchester . I''ll appoint an experienced tour guide to take your wife around the


    city so she can get the best experience possible during her time here.¡±


    ¡°No need for the trouble. I''ll just go with her and explore on our own.¡±


    John smiled and stated, ¡°It seems like you two get along even better than | thought.¡±


    Odell smiled softly and turned to him. ¡°Master Stockton, you''re around the same age as me, aren¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t you going to look


    for a wife of your own sometime soon?¡±


    John seemed to falter at the mention of this. After a few seconds of silence, he stated solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in that at the


    moment.¡±


    ¡°You''re not interested in women either?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just like any other man, of course, I¡¯m attracted to women.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Are you dating anyone currently?¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°| wouldn''t call it a girlfriend.¡± Something cold gleamed in his eyes for a split instant before he remarked, ¡°It¡¯s just casual.¡±


    Odell picked up his teacup and took a sip.


    ¡°Master Carter, do you have anything to add to this agreement?¡±


    ¡°None for the moment.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He added with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a party that my mother is hosting at my home tomorrow afternoon. She


    heard that you came to nchester and specifically instructed me to invite you as well. Are you free tomorrow by any chance?¡±


    Odell considered for a moment and asked, ¡°What time does it start?¡±


    ¡°Three o''clock.¡±


    ¡°I believe | should be able to make it.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, see you tomorrow afternoon then.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    John did not linger much longer and promptly left after that.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia just got out of the car and entered the hotel.


    She went to the elevator.


    Ding!


    The elevator door opened shortly after and two handsome young men in suits walked out.


    The man who seemed the superior of the two wore a dark green suit. He was tall and built like an Olympian. Despite his


    handsome and gentle features, he seemed to exude a sinister aura that was a sharp contrast to his appearance. It had a way of


    intimidating others around him.


    Sylvia nced at him, then the person standing behind him quickly caught her eyes.


    She was taken aback. ¡°Peter?¡±


    Peter smiled politely at her. ¡°Hello there, Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Hearing this, John took a closer look at Sylvia.


    He smiled politely at her.


    Sylvia felt a strange, oppressive feeling looming atop her when he smiled at her.


    She made a point of smiling back at him to keep up appearances, then she walked into the elevator.


    The elevator doors shut quickly after that.


    Previous Post


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 Chapter 941

    Chapter 941


    There was an indescribable, menacing look hidden beneath John¡¯s smile as he walked outside.


    Peter stayed right behind him and informed, ¡°Sir, that¡¯s Master Carter''s wife.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia Ross, | believe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | looked up her information. That¡¯s her full name.¡±


    John chuckled softly.


    Peter seemed perplexed by this reaction. ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing.¡± He glowered, ¡°Hire ten more men and send them to her ce.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Peter¡¯s expression changed and he replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it right away.¡±


    Meanwhile, Sylvia quickly made her way to the penthouse suite.


    Cliff was just sorting out the documents when Sylvia showed up. He greeted her with a polite smile, ¡°Madam, wee back.¡±


    Sylvia returned an easy smile and asked, ¡°Where''s Odell?¡±


    ¡°Master Carter is in the study.¡±


    ¡°Is he busy?¡±


    Someone as attractive as Odell needed someone ofparable beauty as apanion.


    With that in mind, she changed into a floral skirt that fit around her waist snugly, coupled with an adorable hat. She put on some


    simple makeup and made sure to apply some lipstick before joining Odell.


    Odell was sitting on the couch in the living room and waiting patiently when he saw Sylvia emerge all dressed up. He was


    stunned by what he saw.


    Sylvia smiled and approached him shyly as if afraid of exuding too much of her beauty in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m ready, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Odell smiled and muttered, ¡°Hm.¡±


    He stood up and held out a hand toward her.


    Sylvia was used to holding hands with him by now, so she instinctively put her hand forward to offer herself up.


    The two stepped out of the hotel hand in hand and had Jacob drive them to a nearby district.


    There were many factors contributing to nchester being a perfect tourism spot. Apart from the wonderful scenery, there were


    also countless entertainment facilities as well as extravagant shopping malls, a symbol of the city¡¯s wealth.


    Odell took Sylvia to one of the most famous shopping districts in the city. The district featured all sorts of luxury brands from all


    over the world, and all sorts of limited-edition clothes and jewelry could be seen everywhere.


    ¡°No.¡± A voice came from the study.


    Sylvia turned in the direction of the study and saw Odell stepping out of the study with an affectionate look inside his eyes.


    Cliff hurriedly gathered the documents and went outside, making sure to close the door behind him as he left.


    It was just Sylvia and Odell left inside the penthouse suite.


    Sylvia felt her heart skip a beat.


    She stood motionlessly,


    Odell strode toward her and asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Back so soon? Did you have fun?¡±


    Sylvia pouted. ¡°It¡¯s kind of boring wandering by myself so | came back.¡±


    Odell gently pinched her cheeks and remarked with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s still early. Go out for a walk with me.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glowed up, then a thought suddenly urred to her. ¡°But aren¡¯t you busy with work?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet.¡±


    ¡°Then I''ll go get dressed and join you right away.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Sylvia quickly went to her room.


    Since they were going to head outside together, she needed to dress appropriately.


    Although Sylvia was never fond of luxurious items, some of the intricate designs did catch her eye.


    Furthermore, Odell was insistent on buying her something as well so by the time they finished traveling down the street, both


    Jacob and Odell¡¯s hands were full with their haul for the day.


    Sylvia had enough of shopping and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Odell seemed like he was not done yet. ¡°Just a little longer. We need some jewelry.¡±


    ¡°No need, this is enough for me.¡±


    ¡°Most of the things you bought were for the children. You need something for yourself,¡± he said as he yfully pinched her


    cheeks.


    She protested meekly. ¡°I did buy something for myself.¡±


    Besides, there was already countless sparkling jewelry in her dresser at home that had never even been worn yet.


    Odell¡¯s expression darkened by several shades.


    Sylvia understood that she would be ungrateful to turn down his offer. Besides, he had money to spend.


    Despite that, she knew that he had to work hard to umte all his wealth so it was imprudent to splurge just because she


    could.


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 Chapter 942

    Chapter 942


    With this in mind, Sylva confronted Odell and insisted adamantly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to shop anymore. If you still want to shop, just


    take Jacob with you and go shopping by yourself.¡±


    She did not try to duck from his gaze after saying this and maintained the same stubborn look on her face.


    Odell narrowed his eyes. ¡°Sylvia?¡±


    She ignored him.


    ¡°Sylvia?¡± he asked again, his voice growing deeper this time.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked in a grumpy manner.


    He chuckled softly and conceded. ¡°Alright, no more shopping. Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Something gleamed in Sylvia¡¯s eyes.


    He smiled tenderly and stretched a hand toward her to offer her to take it.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and put her hand on his.


    Jacob put everything they bought in the car.


    Meanwhile, the couple went to a nearby street known for itsrge variety of street food vendors to find something to eat.


    With his dress suit and amazing looks, Odell stood out like a sore thumb among the crowd. He looked like a fantasy


    character that wandered into real life.


    Everywhere they went, countless women stared at him and some even tried to sneak in some pictures as well.


    Upon noticing this, Sylvia lost all appetite to eat and began tugging at his hand to get him out of the area.


    Odell noticed the shift in her demeanor and asked suspiciously,¡± You don¡¯t want to eat anymore?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Are you full?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡±


    Odell stopped and observed her closely.


    The intensity of his gaze wasparable to the one from the man Sylvia met at the elevator earlier during the day. It just never


    urred to her that Odell could be so fierce because he had always treated her with warmth.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± He demanded to know.


    Sylvia spoke sullenly, ¡°I don¡¯t like the way those girls keep looking at you.¡±


    The look in Odell¡¯s eyes shifted. He tried his best to hold back a smile and asked, ¡°They were looking at me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Sylvia asked promptly.


    ¡°| don''t.¡±


    His attention was solely focused on her, so he barely noticed anyone staring at him at all.


    While they were in the middle of their conversation, a youngdy with a voluptuous figure and alluring outfit directly approached


    Odell with a seductive look in her eyes. ¡°Hey handsome, could | have your number?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Asurge of rage exploded inside her.


    She plucked the courage from deep inside her and immediately pulled Odell to her. Then she stepped in front of him boisterously


    to establish her ownership over Odell and roared at the stranger, ¡°Do | look invisible to you?¡±


    How dare thisdy ask for her man¡¯s number when she was right next to him?!


    The woman''s makeup seemed to melt away as she cringed from embarrassment as she quickly blurted out, ¡°You''re his girlfriend


    ? | thought you were his niece or something like that.¡±


    After that, she quickly sized Sylvia up and down with a scrutinizing gaze before escaping the scene.


    It was as if she was making fun of her figure.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Niece?


    Was she trying to say that she looked like a teenager?!


    She was almost thirty!


    Also, her figure was fine. She just happened to be wearing a loose skirt!


    While she was still teeming with fury, she heard a low chuckle from behind her.


    She immediately swung around.


    Odell was looking at her in an amusing way.


    This only upset her further. ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡®Does getting approached by a hottie on the street make you that happy?!


    ¡°I''mughing at you.¡± Odell pinched her cheek and said with a


    smile, ¡°You looked so cute just now.¡±


    She was so protective of her man.


    In an instant, all her rage dissipated. She turned around and wanted to walk away.


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 Chapter 943

    Chapter 943


    Sylvia barely managed to take a step when Odell grabbed her wrist from behind and pulled her into his arms.


    ¡°Look at you, you''re jealous. What do you want for dinner?¡± he said with a charming look in his eyes.


    She felt her cheeks burning red hot. ¡°You''re the jealous one!¡±


    He patted her head and asked again patiently, ¡°Hotpot or street food?¡±


    She pouted and decided. ¡°Hotpot.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    After they finished their dinner, it was nearly ten.


    By the time they got back to the hotel, it was midnight already.


    Sylvia had been yawning even when they were on the way back to the hotel. The moment they walked back into their suite,


    Odell patted her head gently and told her, ¡°Use the bathroom inside the bedroom. I''ll use the one outside.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia grunted with a tint of sleepiness before going to the bathroom inside the bedroom.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    The shower turned out to wash away her sleepiness.


    She suddenly remembered that there was only one bedroom in the suite.


    After she put on her pajamas, she walked out of the bathroom and stared at the only giant bed in the middle of the room.


    After a while, Odell appeared in a bathrobe.


    Hisrge figure seemed to take up most of the space in the room and shrink it into half its original size.


    He noticed how Sylvia was staring nkly at the bed, then he approached her and rested his arm on the top of her head.¡± Aren¡¯t


    you sleepy? Why don¡¯t you go to bed?¡±


    Sylvia looked at him and pointed out. ¡°There¡¯s only one bed here.


    Odell squinted. ¡°What? Do you want me to sleep on the couch outside?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what | meant, I-*.


    ¡°Then go to bed.¡± With that, he pressed his arms on her shoulder and made her sit on the bed.


    After that, he walked around the bed and sat down on the other edge of the bed.


    The mattress was as soft as clouds. She felt like sinking into sleep the moment she sat.


    Despite that, the rational part of her mindpelled her to say,¡± Actually, | wouldn¡¯t mind sleeping on the couch.¡±


    A dark look in Odell¡¯s eyes swept over her. ¡°If you don¡¯t lie down,


    Ill help you.¡±


    She pursed her lips and silentlyy down on the bed.


    She stayed on her side of the bed and seemed hesitant to cross the middle point


    Odell nced at her and stated, ¡°Sleep. I''ll go get changed into pajamas.¡±


    With that, he got up and went to the dresser, making sure to turn off the lights on his way.


    Darkness descended upon the room.


    It was so quiet that Sylvia could hear the sound of clothes ruffling inside the dresser.


    The darkness seemed to carry a hypnotic effect and before long, she faded into sleep.


    Odell returned to the bed shortly after.


    He gently pinched her cheeks and called her name a few times. Upon noting that she was soundly asleep, he carried her to the


    center of the bed andy down with his arms around her.


    He could still smell the sweet fragrance of shampoo in her hair. It was the fragrance he was used to as it was the way she


    smelled before she lost her memory.


    The only difference was that she was still Sylvia from nine years ago. There was a certain separation between the two of them.


    Despite that, he no longer felt as dejected as he felt several days ago. On the contrary, he was rather d.


    Especially when he recalled how she was so defensive and stood up to thedy who asked for his number, and the way she was.


    annoyed by other people flirting with him.


    To think that Sylvia from nine years ago was so innocent and adorable.


    During that time, he had trapped her in his house and neglected her for two whole years. He had brought her so much pain...


    He felt a tightening sensation in his chest. He curled his body over her and brought her into his arms.


    Sylvia slept until she woke up naturally. It was almost ten in the morning by the time she woke up.


    She scrambled out of the bedroom in a hurry, her hair was bunched up like a bird¡¯s nest.


    Odell was sitting on the couch in the living room and going through a stack of documents while Cliff sat next to him and ryed


    thetest reports to him.


    Both of them turned to her in unison when they heard her footsteps.


    Sylvia was not expecting Cliff to be present, as she was still in her pajamas. She quickly made to turn back into the bedroom.


    Odell turned to Cliff. ¡°Why don¡¯t you head out first?¡±


    Cliff obliged and stepped outside.


    Odell put down the documents and turned to Sylvia. ¡°Finally


    awake?¡±


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 Chapter 944

    Chapter 944


    Sylvia answered with a soft grunt, sounding slightly embarrassed.


    She never had a habit of sleeping in and was never expecting herself to wake up sote.


    Odell got up and approached her. Then he ruffled her tousled hair. ¡°Take a shower. We''re going to eatter.¡±


    She asked, ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡±


    He answered withposure, ¡°I had breakfast. | haven''t had lunch yet.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    At least he had breakfast.


    She quickly went to the bathroom to shower and changed into a set of clean clothes before joining Odell.


    They went to the restaurant connected to the hotel.


    They entered and chose a seat next to the window.


    They had a view of the mountains from the window seat. It was a wonderful scenery to dine over.


    Sylvia thought about her appointment with Zachter that afternoon and asked nonchntly, ¡°Do you have any ns this


    afternoon?¡±


    ¡°Well, I''m attending this event.¡± Odell shot her a look. ¡°Would you like to go with me?¡±


    Sylvia turned down the offer. ¡°No, it¡¯s business rted, isn¡¯t it? | won¡¯t trouble you. I''ll just go sightseeing again like yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Odell pursed his lips. He was fine with her not joining him.


    John was no fool and must have figured out the true purpose for himing to nchester in person. Since Madam Stockton


    wanted to hold a party at their house, John must have taken measures to make sure nobody to find out that he kept Sherry


    locked up in his ce. Odell figured that even if he brought Sylvia with him, chances were that she was not going to get to see


    Sherry.


    He decided that he would wait until he had a better grasp of


    John¡¯s temperament before asking him to let Sylvia meet Sherry.


    He put a slice of filet on Sylvia¡¯s te and reminded her, ¡°Make sure to keep Jacob close with you when you go out.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Sylvia nodded and ate the slice of filet Odell set on her te.


    After they ate, they went back to the presidential suite.


    Odell went straight to the study.


    Sylvia sat by the window and scrolled her phone absentmindedly.


    Time trickled by and soon, it was nearing 1 p.m. Odell was still inside the study and it did not seem like he was emerging anytime


    soon.


    Sylvia received a message from Zach asking if she was on the way.


    Sylvia told him to wait for a moment, then she walked toward the study.


    The door was open, so she poked her head to look inside.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Odell was seated at the desk, his posture erect and noble. He was focused on his tasks, his eyes fixed on theputer screen.


    He wore a very serious expression on his face and was clearly immersed in his work.


    Sylvia was pondering if she should call out to him when his eyes suddenly turned to her.


    Asoft look immediately came upon them as he asked, ¡°What is


    it?¡±


    Sylvia sounded like a child asking for her father¡¯s permission to leave. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯te home toote.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sylvia nodded, then she turned around and left.


    Odell nced at his watch to see what time it was and it was two hours until the appointed time, so he still had some time to


    spare.


    He diverted his attention back to theputer.


    After leaving the hotel, Sylvia requested Jacob to take her to the suburbs they went to the previous evening.


    Jacob seemed rather reluctant. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re not going to see that man again, are you?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°There¡¯s something | need to settle with him. Please take me there quickly.¡±


    ¡°What business could you possibly have with him?¡± He recalled Zach¡¯s dandy appearance and his lord-like behavior. It seemed


    like he had a thing for Sylvia.


    It was gettingte already. Knowing that Zach was waiting for her, Sylvia began to get impatient. ¡°Just take me there, don¡¯t worry


    about it.¡±


    Jacob refused to start the car. ¡°Master Carter will be very upset if he finds out that I¡¯m driving you to meet another man in private.


    If you don¡¯t tell me why you are going to see him, I¡¯m afraid I''ll have to report this to Master Carter.¡± Sylvia was at a crossroads.


    Please quickly take me there.¡± Sylvia urged.


    Jacob was not a big fan of the idea, nheless, he stepped on the gas pedal.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped by the entrance of the district.


    Sylvia opened the door and stepped out of the car.


    Jacob promptly followed after her.


    Sylvia turned to him. ¡°You don¡¯t have toe. I''ll go myself.¡±


    Jacob did not utter a word but continued following her anyway.


    So be it.


    No matter what, Zach could only bring one person inside so the


    entrance was as far as Jacob could go..


    Sylvia ignored him and kept walking.


    Shortly after, she spotted Zach and his red sports car by the entrance.


    Zach was leaning against his car and scrolling his phone waiting for her. Upon noticing her, he quickly waved her over.


    Sylvia smiled and waved to him as well.


    She apologized upon approaching him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting for so long.¡±


    ¡°No, | didn¡¯t wait long at all. Come on, I''ll take you inside.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    There were only two seats inside the sports car. Sylvia turned to


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 Chapter 945

    Chapter 945


    Why did Jacob have to phrase it like she was doing something criminal in meeting Zach?


    She took a deep breath and announced sternly, ¡°There are some important matters | need to settle with him.¡±


    Jacob did not budge. He would not start the car until Sylvia had told him the truth.


    Sylvia had no choice. ¡°I''ll tell you, but you can¡¯t tell Odell.¡±


    Jacob agreed. ¡°I won''t inform Master Carter about this as long as it¡¯s not something scandalous.¡±


    Sylvia jerked her lips to the side.


    She would have punched Jacob right then and there if not for his long-time service to Odell.


    ¡°Do you remember a good friend of mine called Sherry?¡±


    Jacob recognized the name. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve met Miss Sherry a few times.¡±


    That made it easier for Sylvia to exin things. ¡°She¡¯s kept locked up in John¡¯s vi, the same one that Madam Stockton is going


    to host a party atter. Zach is going to be there as well and he¡¯s going to help get inside.¡±


    Jacob frowned. ¡°Why is Master Stockton doing this to Miss Sherry?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know. All i know is that she has to be inside the vi.


    Jacob and instructed him to hang around by the entrance and wait for her to contact him when she was going to leave. After


    that, she got into Zach¡¯s car.


    Zach drove inside. They drove for close to ten minutes down a long and windy road before finallying to a stop.


    Sylvia was greeted by the sight of a modern architecture vi. It was very grand but not as showy as she expected.


    ¡°This is my ce. Come on, let¡¯s go inside,¡± Zach said and got out of the car.


    Sylvia followed him out of the car but was rather confused.¡± Why are we going to your ce?¡±


    Zach eyed her up and down and remarked briefly, ¡°Nobody will believe that you¡¯re my partner for the night if you go inside there


    dressed like this.¡±


    Sylvia took another look at her outfit.


    She was wearing a t-shirt with a pair of jeans and sneakers. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and not a single part of her outfit


    seemed like she was going to a party.


    ¡°You have women¡¯s clothes ?¡± Sylvia followed him inside and asked.


    ¡°Yes, all kinds of clothes you''ll ever need.¡±


    ¡°Um, do those belong to your girlfriend? Isn¡¯t it inappropriate for me to wear it? Don¡¯t bother, I''ll go outside and buy a new one


    right now.¡± Zach was already doing a big favor for her as is so she did not want to trouble him further.


    Zach mentioned with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t have a girlfriend. It was my mother who got all those clothes. She said it¡¯s in preparation for


    my future wife, whatever that even means. Nobody¡¯s wearing them at the moment and it¡¯s not like | have any use for them either.


    Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee, just remember to return the favor and help me out in the future if | ever need it.¡±


    Sylvia promised. ¡°Anything | can do to help.¡±


    She was being sincere.


    Zach noted how genuine she was and smiled. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a promise.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Previous Post


    Next Post

 Chapter 946

    Chapter 946


    Chapter 946


    Sylvia followed him into arge cloakroom.


    The closets were filled with brand new clothes, probably all prepared by his mother for his future wife. There were a lot of clothes


    and jewelry that were still unopened in their boxes.


    Zach opened a wardrobe dedicated to luxury dresses and let her pick at will.


    Naturally, she could not just pick one. She was embarrassed enough at having him help her so much.


    Furthermore, her goal today was to sneak in with him to find Sherry, so she would just dress appropriately.


    She took out a simple light pink skirt that cinched at the waist.


    After changing, she went out of the cloakroom, where Zach was waiting for her. ¡°How do | look?¡±


    Zach nced at her up and down. ¡°It¡¯s good, but you still have to put on makeup.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    There was a dressing table to the side.


    ¡°Okay, give me a moment.¡± Sylvia sat down and started applying makeup in front of the mirror.


    She worked quickly and blew her hair, then stood up and asked him, ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    Zach looked at her pink appearance and smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go quickly.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After walking out of his vi, they got into his car, drove for another ten minutes, and arrived outside the gate of the Stockton


    residence.


    It was exactly 2:30 pm.


    On the way here, Zach mentioned that the party would start at 3 sharp. Although there was still half an hour before it started,


    there were already many luxury cars parked outside the door, so it was obvious that many people hade.


    Sylvia got out of the car and walked side by side with Zach toward the inside.


    It was not summer yet, but the venue was deep in a natural scenic area. It was near the mountains with greenery everywhere,


    and the wind blowing on her body was cool and veryfortable.


    When they were about to walk to the door, Zach bent his arm at her. ¡°Hold me.¡±


    Security guards were checking the invitations right ahead.


    Sylvia did not hesitate and raised her hand to hold him.


    Soon, they walked to the door.


    Zach took out the invitation from his pocket and handed it to the guard.


    After looking at it, the guard took a step to the side and pointed to a path that led to the inside of the vi, saying, ¡°Master


    Hadwin, the venue is inside. Just follow this path for five minutes.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Sure enough, after walking for five minutes, Sylvia saw a green field.


    The venue was arranged on a softwn, and there were food and drinks everywhere. There was also a grand piano in one


    corner.


    At that moment, there was a young woman dressed elegantly ying the piano.


    There were also some people walking around the venue.


    Sylvia looked at the people but did not recognize anyone.


    Meanwhile, a few young men saw Zach and immediately ran over.


    ¡°Master Hadwin, how rare. What brings you here? | remember that you never liked to participate in this kind of activity.¡± The man


    in the lead nced twice at Sylvia as he spoke.


    Zach smiled and said, ¡°Madam Stockton kindly invited me, so | naturally had toe.¡±


    Everyone in nchester City wanted to build connections with the Stockton family.


    The man did not tease him anymore but stared at Sylvia and


    asked, ¡°Who''s this beautifuldy?¡±


    The few men all had dates with them, and thedies were all dressed up in bright colors.


    At that moment, several men looked at Sylvia with burning eyes.


    Zach saw the look in their gazes.


    They were all friends he knew in nchester and were alwaysparing with each other on whose girlfriend was more


    attractive. They also teased him a lot about not having a woman around him.


    It was clear that his date, Sylvia,pletely crushed all the other femalepanions that they brought along.


    They changed women as quickly as changing clothes, and there was something off with the way they were looking at Sylvia.


    Zach reached out and dragged Sylvia to his side, saying with a smile, ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend. Herst name is Ross.¡±


    Previous Post


    Next Post

 chapter-947

    chapter-947


    Chapter 947


    The men were instantly disappointed.


    However, they soon recovered theirposure and teased, ¡°I''ve never seen such a beautiful woman in nchester before.


    Where did you find her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, hurry up and tell us.¡±


    Zach looked at Sylvia, whose thoughts were obviously preupied. Her eyes were looking around.


    He said, ¡°We met in Westchester City.¡±


    ¡°| see. Which part of Westchester is she from?¡±


    Zach showed an unhappy expression. ¡°Are you trying to interrogate her?¡±


    As soon as he said that, the two other men quickly scolded the man who had just spoken.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Exactly. What has it got to do with you where Ms. Ross is from?


    ¡°If Ms. Ross is your type, you can go to Westchester to find another one yourself.¡±


    The women apanying them rolled their eyes, and onedy even directly turned her head and left in anger.


    The men who saw this stopped teasing Zach and quickly went to chase after their dates.


    Zach and Sylvia found a ce to settle down.


    Sylvia let go of his arm and said, ¡°Sherry isn''t here. I''ll go look for her inside.¡±


    Zach frowned uneasily. ¡°Be careful. This is a big ce. Don''t get lost.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, | won''t.¡±


    She walked inside along the path after speaking.


    The architecture of the buildings here was all in a vintage style, just like how old mansions were built. There were buildings after


    buildings as well as many paths, making it dazzling to navigate.


    After walking for a short while, Sylvia... got lost.


    She clearly remembered several road signs when she came, but she could not find them anymore.


    Worse, she was now at a fork in a three-way street, and the scenery of the buildings around each street was simr.


    She had no idea which path she came from.


    At that moment, the sound of several people¡®s footsteps came from the side.


    Sylvia quickly turned around and hid in the garden beside her.


    The flowering trees in the garden were quite tall.


    Through the gaps between the trees, Sylvia saw three women


    dressed extravagantly and elegantly.


    The one in the lead was a middle-aged woman, and she was followed by two women, one holding her arm with a charming look


    and the other following her submissively.


    The charming woman muttered irritably, ¡°Mom, | noticed in the morning that John added a dozen more bodyguards outside his


    yard. Is he afraid that someone might break in and bully that woman?¡±


    The middle-aged woman¡®s expression turned cold. ¡°If someone could have broken in, they would''ve done that long ago.¡±


    ¡°Then why did he add so many more bodyguards?¡±


    The middle-aged woman snorted coldly. ¡°Who knows?¡±


    ¡°All right, Queenie. This is John¡¯s business. Let''s leave it alone,¡± the meek woman smiled and spoke up.


    The woman named Queenie curled her lip. ¡°I just don''t like that woman! How good could a woman who works at a nightclub be?


    Why does John care so much about her?¡±


    Her voice got louder the more she spoke.


    The middle-aged woman immediately said in a stern voice,¡± Queenie, listen to your sister¡ªinw. Stay out of this matter from


    now on.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    They walked away.


    Sylvia crouched in ce, her eyebrows furrowed tightly.


    ¡°If I''m not wrong, that middle-aged woman is Madam Stockton, the woman called Queenie is the daughter of the Stockton


    family, and the meek and submissive woman is the wife of Second Master Stockton.


    ¡®The woman they just mentioned should be Sherry.¡¯


    Next Chapter

 chapter-948

    chapter-948


    Chapter 948


    After they went far away, Sylvia got up and walked out.


    She walked in the direction they came from and headed further


    The further she went, the quieter it became, most likely because people went to the front grounds. She could even clearly hear


    the sounds of birds chirping.


    After a while, she saw a courtyard behind a wall, blocked by a group of bodyguards.


    The courtyard was simr to the ones she saw along the way here, but it was obviously muchrger than the others.


    Furthermore, the walls were quite high, so she could not climb over them


    This courtyard should be long to John and was where he locked up Sherry. Sylvia narrowed her eyes and looked over at the


    group of bodyguards.


    Each of them was strong and sturdy. It was clear that they were trained.


    She probably could not beat a single one of them.


    How was she supposed to get in?


    Meanwhile, in a bedroom deep in the property.


    The door and windows were closed, the light was dim, and the air still smelled like the aftermath of an affair.


    On the messy bed, the man turned over and sat up, picked up his shirt, and put it on.


    In a few moments, he was fully dressed and put on the watch that was on the headboard.


    He stood up.


    Aslender and pale hand suddenly reached out from behind and clutched the hem of his shirt weakly. ¡°John, you said you¡®d let


    me go out to see Sylvia. You''re a man of your word, right?¡±


    John turned around to look at her.


    Sherryy weakly on the bed, obviously exhausted, but her gaze was fixed on him.


    He curled the corners of his mouth and said, ¡°You should know very well by now whether I''m a man or not.¡±


    She quickly said, ¡°I know you¡®re a man, so you''ll let me out, right?


    John ignored her and looked down at the time on his wristwatch. ¡°Master Carter should''ve brought that best friend of yours over


    by now.¡±


    Sherry¡®s face lit up. She thought that he agreed to let her leave and immediately lifted the quilt to put on clothes and go out.


    However, before she could pick up her clothes, the man¡¯s warm and pleasant voice sounded. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    His voice was puzzled, but his expression was smiling.


    It was a fox¡ªlike, dangerous smile.


    Sherry instantly sensed something bad and gave him a pleasing smile. ¡°I''m dressing to go out. Didn''t you agree to let me out?¡±


    ¡°When did | agree to let you out?¡± he asked.


    She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Just now.¡±


    John maintained his smile. ¡°I don''t have any recollection of saying that.¡±


    ¡°...You said that you''ll let me out as long as | serve you well!¡±


    She was so angry that her face turned red.


    John leaned down, cupping his fingers around her chin, and said in a low voice, ¡°I did say that.¡±


    Sherry¡®s gaze changed, and a trace of hope raised in her eyes again.


    The next second, he smiled and said, ¡°But | didn¡¯t feel good just now. You didn''t serve me well, so you should just stay here like


    a good girl.¡±


    Sherry suddenly raised her hand.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    However, before her hand could hit his face, it was caught in the air by one of hisrge hands.


    She red at him coldly.


    John merely smiled. ¡°Practice makes perfect. When you serve me well, I''ll let you out.¡±


    His voice was gentle, and his tone was generous.


    Sherry seemed to have reached the limit of her anger, or perhaps it was because she was used to his methods after being


    imprisoned here for so long.


    She gnashed her teeth and smiled. ¡°Master Stockton, you can¡¯t count on me alone to make sure that you''refortable in bed.


    I''ve slept with dozens of men before, but to be honest, you''re the worst one I''ve ever had.¡±


    As soon as she spoke, his modest and handsome face darkened.


    Seeing this, Sherry immediately curled her lips and said happily,¡± | really tried my best earlier, but if you still didn''t feel good, |


    suggest you get yourself checked in the andrology department.¡±


    John''s lips also curled in a very fake and sinister smile. ¡°Sherry Fowler, | suggest that you shut up now, or I''ll shut that beautiful


    mouth of yours myself.¡±


    Next Chapter

 chapter-949

    chapter-949


    Sherry curved her eyes. ¡°By the way, | know a few good doctors who specialize in andrology. Do you need a rmendation ?¡±


    Bam!


    He instantly let go of her chin and threw her back on the bed.


    Sherry¡®s body shook.


    John walked out.


    However, he soon came back with a few belts and ropes in his hands.


    She immediately shrank into the bed.


    John sneered and dragged her out by her ankles.


    ¡°Let me go! Don''t touch me!¡± she screamed.


    Hepletely ignored her and tied up her hands and feet to the bed.


    She waspletely bound and could not break free no matter how much she tried.


    She red at him furiously. ¡°You f*cking prick! When | get free, I''m going to cut off your¡ª¡±


    Riiip!Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    The tape was wrapped from her mouth to the back of her head.


    After wrapping it around a few times, John stopped.


    Then, he pinched her face with one hand and said with a smile,¡± You should stop dreaming about that. You''ll never walk out of


    here for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°Mmph!¡±


    Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets with how hard she was ring at him.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    Johnughed, picked up his suit jacket that was lying on the side, and headed out.


    ¡®It''s almost 3 pm, so Master Carter should be here by now. If not for the fact that | have to entertain him in person, I''d have taught


    Sherry a lesson!


    Meanwhile, outside the courtyard wall.


    Sylvia went to all the sides of the courtyard except for where the entrance was.


    At this moment, she was staring at a tree on the other side of the wall.


    ¡®The wall here is a little shorter than the others, so if | can climb up it, I''ll be able to slide down to the other side with the help of


    the tree.¡¯


    However, although the wall was shorter than the others, it was still much taller than her.


    She could not even reach the top of the wall even if she jumped.


    She frowned.


    Smack.


    Suddenly, someone pped her shoulder.


    Sylvia immediately turned around in fright.


    Zach looked at her with a smile.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked curiously.


    ¡°You''ve been gone in a long time, and he also came in to look for you.¡± Zach moved a step to the side.


    Sylvia instantly saw Jacob behind him.


    She was startled. ¡°Jacob? How did youe in?¡±


    ¡°He came in by himself.¡± Zach looked at Jacob. ¡°Forget it. You exin it to her.¡±


    Jacob said, ¡°The security guard at the gate of the Stockton residence used to be my ssmate in the bodyguard academy. | told


    him | was Master Hadwin¡®s bodyguard, and he let me in.¡±


    What a coincidence.


    Sylvia nodded and asked, ¡°Then how did youe here from the outside?¡±


    ¡°| said that | was your bodyguard. That bodyguard recognized Master Hadwin and saw youe in with him. He also knows that


    I''m with you, so he let me in.¡±


    She looked at Zach suspiciously. ¡°I thought the invitees can only bring a plus one here?¡±


    Zach touched his nose. ¡°Um, let''s go out and talk. It wouldn''t be


    good if the Stockton family''s people find us here.¡±


    Next Chapter

 chapter-950

    chapter-950


    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°I can¡®t go out yet. Sherry is in this courtyard. | have to go in and see her.¡±


    Then, she thought of something and looked at them with bright eyes. ¡°Can you help me?¡±


    ¡°Help you with what?¡± Zach asked.


    Jacob also looked at her in confusion.


    Sylvia pointed to the wall to the side and the tree that grew beside the wall inside. ¡°Can you help me climb up? There''s a tree


    inside, so | can use it to slide down.¡±


    Zach¡®s mouth twitched. ¡°You want to climb the wall?¡±


    Jacob was not surprised by her behavior but asked uneasily,¡± Madam, this wall is a bit high. Won''t you fall?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, | definitely won''t fall.¡±


    Jacob did not say anything more and took a step forward to squat by the wall. It was clear he wanted Sylvia to step on his


    shoulder to climb up.


    Sylvia patted his shoulder, which was sturdy and strong. It should be able to support her.


    Immediately, she took off the high heels that were in the way and threw them to the side. She lifted her feet and said to Jacob,


    ¡°Jacob, tell me if you can¡¯t hold on.¡±


    Jacob hummed.


    Sylvia tried stepping her foot on his shoulder.


    Unexpectedly, Jacob did not seem to have any trouble at all. He even slowly stood up after she stepped on him.


    She was immediately lifted high.


    Zach did not just stand by either and hurriedly went up to support her, waiting for her to gain her bnce before letting go.


    Soon, she was taller than the head of the wall.


    She looked inside to make sure no one was there, then put her hands on the wall and flipped herself over.


    Zach and Jacob looked at her nervously.


    Sylvia whispered, ¡°Don''t worry, I''ll just go see her ande back out.¡±


    Then, she hugged the tree inside and slid down.


    Her feetnded firmly on the ground, and she walked into the house after dodging a maid who was walking over.


    Before long, she reached a bedroom.


    The door of the bedroom was left open, and the light inside was dim. It looked dark from the outside.


    She walked up to the door and gently pushed it open.


    It was quiet inside. Sylvia peeked in and then saw a young woman in unkempt clothes tied to the bed.


    Although her hair was messy and her mouth waspletely taped, Sylvia still recognized her immediately.


    ¡°Sherry!¡± she cried out in shock.


    Sherry opened her eyes wide. ¡°Mmh!¡±


    Sylvia could not stand still anymore. She hurriedly went forward and gently tore the tape wrapped around Sherry¡®s mouth, then


    started to free her hands and feet that were tied up by the belt.


    Sherry looked at Sylvia as if she had just seen her savior. ¡°Syl, how did you get in here?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°I climbed over the wall.¡±


    Over the wall?


    Sherry was stunned and asked, ¡°Where''s Master Carter? Isn¡®t he with you?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°He went to a partner''s event, so | sneaked in with someone else.¡±


    Sherry frowned.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡®How could she have sneaked in with someone else? Didn''t John say that Master Carter would bring Sylvia over today?*


    Meanwhile, Sylvia finished untying the belts on Sherry¡®s hands and feet.


    Sherry did not have the mood to think about anything else and quickly picked up her clothes from the side to put them on.


    Sylvia looked at her in heartbreak. ¡°Sherry, is John abusing you? Did he do anything else besides tying you up?¡±


    Next Chapter

 chapter-951

    chapter-951


    Sherry frowned and was silent for two seconds before saying,¡± It''s just that thing between men and women, but I''m fine. Let''s go


    quickly.¡±


    After saying that, she dragged Sylvia outside.


    Sylvia could feel that Sherry was very weak. She sank back toward Sylvia in just a few steps and almost slumped to the ground.


    Sylvia hurriedly held her up. ¡°Are you okay? Can you hold on?¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath and looked at her. ¡°Syl, thank you foring to me, but you should go first. Don''t mind me.¡±


    If there was nothing wrong with her, Sylvia would have left first and thought of another method afterward. However, Sherry


    looked like the living dead. How could Sylvia possibly leave her there?


    She pointed to the wall she came in from and the tree by the wall, saying, ¡°My friends are outside the wall. | remember that you


    know how to climb trees. Climb up that tree and over the wall, and you''ll be out.¡±


    Sherry looked over.


    The tree was sturdy, and the wall was not too high. Sylvia had friends outside the wall to meet them, and there was no one in the


    courtyard now. She would be a fool not to flee!N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Okay, let''s go quickly!¡±


    She immediately took a deep breath and walked out of the living room door with Sylvia and into the courtyard.


    However, the moment her feet hit the marble floor in the courtyard, an rm suddenly red from all directions.


    Sherry paled. ¡°Oh no!¡±


    Sylvia was also stunned. ¡°What is that sound?¡±


    Sherry cursed in anger, ¡°That piece of sh*t John put an rm on


    me!¡±


    As soon as her curse fell, a group of strong bodyguards poured in from outside the courtyard door, directly surrounding Sylvia


    and Sherry.


    Meanwhile, at the party in the front, a man in a suit was dancing with a young and beautiful woman. There was an elegant and


    seductive smile on his face as he took the lead to start the first dance of the party.


    Just when all the women were casting envious nces at the woman, the sharp sound of a phone suddenly rang out,


    shattering the beautiful atmosphere.


    John stopped his movement and picked up the call. When he heard the voice on the other side of the phone, he asked in a cold


    voice, ¡°She ran away?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you sure a young woman came to her rescue?¡± His eyes were startled as he looked toward the crowd. He quickly


    saw Odell, who was surrounded by several bigwigs in


    nchester. ¡°Keep an eye on them. I''ll be right over.¡±


    After he hung up, the cold look in his eyes instantly disappeared and was reced by a modest smile.


    ¡°Sorry, | have something urgent to take care of,¡± he told the woman he was dancing with.


    The woman replied shyly, ¡°It''s okay, your work is more important. Go ahead.¡±


    John quickly walked to Odell''s side. The several people surrounding Odell all stepped back when they saw John.


    ¡°Master Carter, could you pleasee with me?¡±


    Odell looked at him suspiciously. ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°To my backyard for a walk.¡± John smiled. ¡°The bodyguard on duty caught a burr sneaking into my backyard, and the


    description he gave of the thief slightly matches Mrs. Carter, so I''d like for you toe and confirm it.¡±


    Odell frowned. He remembered that Sylvia had gone out two hours ago.


    ¡®Didn''t she go out alone? Wait, Sherry is her best friend. She even lost sleep over Sherry when she was at home. Now that she


    knows that Sherry is in nchester, how would shee with him and not ask anything about her? How could she have really


    gone out alone? She most likely snuck in.


    His cold face fell, and he stood up. ¡°Alright.¡±


    John looked at his expression and waved his hand in an inviting gesture. ¡°This way.¡±


    The two then walked together to the back of the vi.


    Next Chapter

 chapter-952

    chapter-952


    Chapter 952 In the courtyard where Sherry was locked up, the rm rang for a while before stopping, but the group of


    bodyguards surrounded them tightly with no intention to leave.


    Sherry nced at them and whispered in Sylvia¡®s ear, ¡°Syl, i remember you learned self-defense. Can you beat them?¡±


    Sylvia froze. ¡°When did | learn self-defense?¡±


    Sherry was also stunned. ¡°Five to six years ago, after you first divorced Master Carter. You told me about it. Did you forget?¡±


    Sylvia bit her lip. ¡°I forgot to tell you, | have amnesia.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sherry was shocked.


    ¡°I''ve forgotten everything that happened in the past nine years.¡±


    Sherry was confused for a long time before snapping back to her senses. ¡°I was wondering why you were dressed so childishly


    today.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Sherry sighed and said to the group of bodyguards, ¡°I don''t know her. She got lost and wandered in here. I''ll go back to my room


    now, so just let her go.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The group of bodyguards stood expressionlessly in ce, but a few of them could not help but look at Sherry and Sylvia¡®s


    sped hands.


    Sherry immediately let her go and said, ¡°I really don''t know her.¡±


    Then, she elbowed Sylvia.


    Sylvia knew what she meant and immediately said, ¡°I also don''t know her. | really got lost and wandered in.¡±


    There was no way Sherry could leave in this situation, so Sylvia had to hurry back to Odell to find a way to save her.


    The bodyguards stood still and looked at them with expressions saying, ¡°Do we look like fools?¡±


    At that moment, Zach and Jacob came running in from the courtyard entrance. They had obviously heard themotion inside.


    They also heard Sylvia and Sherry¡®s conversation earlier. After running in, Zach said to Sylvia, ¡°Lil Syl, what are you doing here?


    Did you get lost again? | told you, this is the Stockton¡¯s residence, not our home. Why won''t you listen to me?¡±


    He finished with a helpless and gloomy face, and said to the group of bodyguards, ¡°Sorry, guys, but this woman is my girlfriend.


    She came with me to attend the party Madam Stockton is throwing. My name is Zach Hadwin. If you don''t believe me, you can


    ask Madam Stockton. She knows who | am.¡±


    The bodyguards looked at each other. Did they really not know each other?


    However, there was only one entrance in the courtyard, and they guarded it the entire time. No one except John had entered. It


    was impossible for someone else toe in unless they climbed over the wall.


    Did his girlfriend climb over the wall after getting lost?


    Before they could figure it out, a rich male voice sounded from outside.


    ¡°Master Hadwin, who did you say was your girlfriend?¡±


    Zach¡®s expression changed as he turned his head. ¡°Master Stockton, my apologies. My girlfriend has some mental issues and


    caused trouble.¡±


    Then, he saw John and Odell who had walked over together with him. Zach instantly paled. ¡°M¡ªMaster Carter?¡±


    Sylvia, who was still surrounded by the bodyguards with Sherry, eximed, ¡°Odell?!¡±


    Sherry was confused. ¡°What''s going on?¡±


    The air was silent for a few moments as the group of bodyguards automatically stepped back.


    Zach and Jacob also did not dare to say anything and stepped aside.


    John was the first to walk up to Sherry. He grabbed her hand and smiled dotingly when she tried to take a step back. ¡°Why are


    you running around outside when your body is so weak? | told you to rest inside. If you continue being disobedient, | won''t let


    you out again in the future.¡±


    Sherry naturally understood what he meant and paled, trying to withdraw her hand.


    However, John took her into his arms and looked at Sylvia with a meaningful smile before carrying Sherry into the living room.


    The group of bodyguards surrounding them automatically backed off and stood in unison in front of the living room door.


    Next Chapter

 chapter-953

    chapter-953


    Chapter 953


    Sylvia stood in ce, unmoving.


    Odell walked up to her and looked down at her with his deep eyes.


    Her hair was disheveled, her feet were bare, and her dress was obviously not the one she had worn when she went out that


    afternoon.


    Then, he looked at her small face.


    Sylvia looked at him weakly. ¡°W¡ªwhy are you here?¡±


    ¡°John invited me to attend his mother''s party.¡± His voice was a little cold.


    Sylvia also recalled something. ¡®The man who just carried Sherry into the room seems to be Odell''s partner that | met at the


    elevator of the hotel yesterday. | didn''t expect that business partner to refer to John. If | had known, | wouldn''t have asked Zach


    for help. | would''ve gone directly to Odell.¡¯


    She lowered her head and said in a small voice, ¡°I didn''t mean to hide it from you. | just wanted to see Sherry.¡±


    The air was silent for a few moments before he asked, ¡°Where are your shoes?¡±


    Jacob immediately ran from the side and held out the pair of high heels in his hands to Sylvia.


    Odell shot him a look.


    Jacob did not dare to say anything. He straightened up and stepped back.


    Seeing that the situation was tense, Zach quickly said, ¡°Master Carter, don''t misunderstand. Sylvia and | are just friends. | only


    said that she was my girlfriend in order to get her out of the hot soup.¡±


    Odell ignored him. His straight figure squatted down. Onerge and slender hand picked up the high heels while the other held


    Sylvia¡®s ankle, apparently to put on her shoes for her.


    Sylvia was stunned and tried to pull her foot back, but the grip on her ankle was very strong, so she could not move. She could


    only say softly, ¡°I''ll do it myself.¡±


    However, Odell directly lifted her foot and put on her shoe for her.


    Soon, both shoes were back on her feet.


    He stood up, took her small hand with hisrge one, and led her out.


    Sylvia looked at him carefully. His face was cold, colder than she had ever seen in the past few days. It was somewhat


    frightening. He was probably really angry.


    Zach and Jacob both stood by the side, looking at him nervously.


    Sylvia cast an apologetic look at Zach, reassuring him that she would exin it clearly to Odell so he would not be angry at


    Zach. Although she did not understand the business world, Zach said that his family had projects with Carter Corporation.


    He could not offend Odell.


    Zach pursed his lips and sighed somewhat helplessly. Jacob, on the other hand, followed them obediently at a distance. In order


    to get out, they had to walk through the only path in the party venue.


    Shortly, Sylvia arrived there with Odell.


    Coincidentally, a few of Zach¡¯s friends also walked over. When they saw Odell holding Sylvia, shock was written all over their


    faces.


    ¡°Isn''t that Master Hadwin¡¯s girlfriend? Why is she holding Master Carter''s hand?¡±


    ¡°Tsk... Who knows?¡±


    Then, Sylvia felt therge hand holding her tighten its grip, clutching her a little painfully.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She lowered her head and whispered, ¡°Don''t misunderstand. Master Hadwin only said | was his girlfriend so that | could get in


    here.¡±


    The man¡®s deep eyes looked ahead with his expression cold and his lips pursed. He did not say a single word to her even after


    they walked out of the door of the Stockton vi.


    Next Chapter

 chapter-954

    chapter-954


    Chapter 954


    The journey back was also quiet.


    The car was obviously spacious, but Sylvia felt so suffocated that she could not breathe. She wanted to exin but did not dare


    to say anything.


    Screech.


    The car stopped steadily in front of the hotel.


    The staff at the hotel entrance immediately came over and opened the door for them.


    Sylvia and Odell got out of the car at the same time. With his long legs and a cold face, he went inside without looking at


    anything else. Sylvia wrung her hands nervously and jogged behind him.


    Cliff and Jacob did not follow them.


    Soon, Sylvia followed him into the elevator.


    He stood straight in the middle of the elevator, and his expression was still cold. It was so cold that Sylvia shivered.


    Ding.


    Before long, the elevator stopped at the top floor.


    Sylvia did not dare to move and waited for him to go out before following him out. His strides were wide, and she followed closely


    behind him.


    Seeing his indifferent figure going back into the suite and how he was obviously still ignoring her, she could not help but say,¡±


    Zach and | are really just friends. Jacob was with us the entire time, so you can ask him if you don''t believe me.¡±


    His expression was really cold and frightening. She did not want to see him like this.


    Odell stopped in his tracks.


    Sylvia was right behind him and did not expect him to suddenly stop, thus her head directly hit his back.


    She instantly stepped back.


    The man in front of her suddenly turned around and wrapped an arm around her waist.


    In an instant, she was trapped in his arms.


    One of hisrge hands cupped her face, and his handsome face erged in front of her. Then, his thin lips pressed against


    hers.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes widened in shock.


    As if worried that she would struggle and resist, his arm wrapped around her with great strength, and his hand held her face with


    an iron grip.


    Sylvia could not resist even if she wanted to. She could only ept the sudden forceful kiss. He seemed to have drunk some


    wine as there was the smell of alcohol between his lips.


    Sylvia protested several times before her face reddened. Her body softened uncontrobly and pressed against him.


    When the man in front of her let her go, her hands were holding the cor of his shirt. Her lips were red and swollen, and her


    eyes were round and moist as she looked at him.


    She was like a delicate flower that was just watered, beautiful and seductive.


    The man¡®s throat bobbed. However, when he thought about what happened at the Stockton¡®s, his anger instantly suppressed


    that dry heat. He lowered his head and kissed her again, biting her lips hard.


    Sylvia cried out in pain.


    Only then did he let her go and look at her with cold eyes.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and stared up at him. ¡°If you''re still unhappy, you can bite me again. | can take it.¡±


    Odell¡®s throat choked. The next second, his hand cupped her face. ¡°Do you know why I''m angry?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She said softly, ¡°Because | pretended to be Zach¡¯s girlfriend and went to the Stockton¡®s with him.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Sylvia uttered in confusion.


    The man¡®s handsome face instantly turned cold again.


    Sylvia¡®s gaze shrank as she stuttered, ¡°I-I shouldn''t have climbed over the wall to find Sherry?¡±


    John and he were partners after all. Would this episode affect their rtionship?


    Odell cupped her face with one hand and said clearly and coldly, ¡°You shouldn''t have hidden it from me.¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°I didn''t mean to hide it from you. | didn¡®t know John was your partner. | thought you were busy, so | didn''t


    want to disturb you.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°So, you hid it from me and went to find another man?¡±


    Next Chapter

 chapter-955

    chapter-955


    Sylvia bit her lip. ¡°I really didn¡®t want to disturb your work.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia, who am | to you?¡±


    She hesitated. ¡°Well, you are my husband.¡±


    He lifted her face, his dark eyes staring into hers. ¡°Instead of seeking help from your husband for such a big matter, you went to


    an unfamiliar man instead? Would you be happy if you were me?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s chest tightened, and her throat choked up.


    After a while, she said softly, ¡°I''m sorry. | didn¡¯t mean to. | just...¡±


    ¡°Didn''t want to disturb me, huh?¡± His lips curled up in a cold and self-deprecating smile.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. That was what she thought. She just did not know why he was this angry.


    The atmosphere was quiet for a long time, and his hand suddenly let go of her face.


    His dark eyes looked at her somewhat distantly. ¡°Forget it, it''s not your fault.¡±


    After all, she had forgotten everything that happened in the past nine years. She had forgotten so many memories of being with


    him, so he could not me her for being so distant from him.


    He then turned around and walked into the study.


    Sylvia froze in ce. For some reason, her chest was tight, and she felt suffocated.


    Perhaps because the environment outside the hotel was too quiet, Sylvia felt that the room was also very quiet.


    She sat in a chair that was ced right next to the study door. She sat there for as long as Odell was inside.


    It was getting dark outside now.


    Grumble...


    Her stomach protested in hunger.


    Sylvia turned her head toward the closed door of the study and stared at it.


    ¡®Should | knock on the door and go in to call him? But what would I say to him? Should | apologize?


    ¡®| already exined it to him, but he still refuses toe out. He must still be angry with me. If he sees me, he might get even


    angrier.¡¯


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    However, at that moment, the door of the study creaked as it was opened from the inside.


    Sylvia turned her head around.


    Odell¡®s tall figure came out, and his dark eyes looked at her.


    She smiled sweetly at him. ¡°Are you finished with work?¡±


    Odell looked at her figure sitting cross¡ªlegged on a chair and asked, ¡°Were you here this entire time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said in a small voice, ¡°I didn''t disturb you, did I?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± His voice suddenly turned a few degrees colder.


    Sylvia¡®s lips twitched. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Just as the atmosphere quieted down again, another growl broke the silence.


    She hurriedly covered her stomach and looked at him with a face red with embarrassment.


    Odell curled his lips and patted her head. ¡°Go and change. We''re having dinner with Johnter. He said that he''ll bring Sherry


    along as well.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I''ll be ready in a minute.¡±


    She jumped off the chair and ran into the bedroom with her bare feet.


    She changed into a lc dress that cinched at the waist, her hair was pulled behind her head with a purple hairband, and she


    wore delicate leather shoes.


    The man¡¯s straight figure sat gracefully on the sofa.


    Sylvia trotted up to him and said with a smile, ¡°I''m ready.¡±


    Her smiling face was bright. Coupled with her outfit, she looked


    fresh and yful.


    He pursed his lips, got up to hold her hand, and led her out.


    Feeling the heat of his palm, Sylvia looked at him a few times. Although his face was as cold as usual, it seemed that he was not


    angry at her anymore.


    Feeling relieved, she pressed herself to his body.


    The man¡¯s tall figure stiffened for a moment. Then, he took her shoulders and wrapped her in his arms, saying in a low voice,¡±


    Stop squirming.¡±


    Next Chapter

 chapter-956

    chapter-956


    Chapter 956


    When did she squirm? She just leaned on him.


    Sylvia did not notice that something was off with him and merely hummed. Then, she asked, ¡°How did you get John to bring


    Sherry out?¡±


    Although she only saw John for a moment in the afternoon, from Sherry¡®s reaction, it was not difficult to see that he had tortured


    her. John was probably a gentleman on the surface but was, in actuality, very perverted on the inside.


    He had already imprisoned Sherry. How could he easily agree to take Sherry out to have dinner with them?


    They walked into the elevator and went down.


    Odell put his arm around her and said, ¡°I said that Sherry and you were good friends, and you two haven''t seen each other for a


    long time, so | asked if he could bring her out to have dinner with us.¡±


    ¡°He agreed to that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Seeing her face of disbelief, he curled his lips. ¡°I haven''t finalized the cooperation with him yet. He''s a smart


    businessman, so he won''t say no.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up. She almost forgot that this man was the head of Westchester City''s Carter Corporation. His ability was


    certainly no worse than John¡®s.


    She asked again, ¡°Did you arrange all that when you were on the


    phone with him in the study this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sylvia pouted. ¡°If | had known earlier, | wouldn''t have asked Zach for help. | would''ve told you directly.¡±


    The matter could have been solved with just a phone call, but she actually went to such great lengths to climb over the wall at


    John''s house. Other than failing to rescue Sherry, she even made Odell angry. It was really not worth it.


    As she spoke, she pressed herself in his arms subconsciously, wrapping one hand around his waist.


    Odell¡®s eyes flickered as his thin lips curled up.


    At that moment, the elevator stopped on the first floor.


    As he put his arm around her and walked out, he said, ¡°The reason why he agreed to bring Sherry out so easily is also thanks to


    you breaking in and seeing her today.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn''t gone in, | wouldn''t have been sure that he had Sherry under house arrest. However, since you and | both saw


    Sherry in front of him, he couldn''t refuse to bring her out even if he didn''t want to.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sylvia understood.


    Ten minutester, Sylvia rode with him to an authentic local restaurant in nchester.


    The restaurant seemed to be booked out. When Sylvia and Odell went in, they only saw the waiter who was smiling at them.


    John and Sherry had already arrived and were sitting in an elegant


    room.


    John wore a clean white shirt and slim¡ªfitting pants. Sherry also looked a lot neater than she had in the afternoon. Her hair was


    draped over her shoulders, and she wore a white dress. However, her face looked a little pale.


    When Sylvia and Odell came in, John showed a smile and stood up while holding Sherry.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sherry also lit up the moment she saw Sylvia.


    ¡°gyi!¡±


    ¡°Sherry!¡±


    Sylvia immediately ran toward Sherry and hugged her.


    John had no choice but to let go of Sherry¡®s hand and walk toward Odell. He extended a hand toward him with a smile.¡± Good


    evening, Master Carter.¡±


    Odell and he exchanged a handshake. ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡±


    ¡°We just arrived as well.¡±


    After the greetings, the two of them looked over toward Sylvia and Sherry.


    They had finished hugging and were sitting together on the other side of the table, hand-in-hand. Seeing Odell and John look


    over, they both looked at the men with wary eyes.


    Next Chapter

 chapter-957

    chapter-957


    Chapter 957 John¡®s smiling gaze turned cold for a moment.


    Odell looked at Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia,e sit with me.¡±


    Sylvia knew that he wanted to maintain cordiality on the surface, so it would not be wise to go against John now. However, she


    finally got to see Sherry. She really did not want to see Sherry sitting next to John, the big bad guy.


    After thinking about it, she said, ¡°Sherry and | haven''t met for a long time. | want to sit with her. You two are going to be talking


    about business, so we won''t disturb you.¡±


    Odell frowned as his expression turned cold.


    Sylvia turned to look at Sherry, pretending not to see his expression.


    John saw this happening and nced at Sherry imperceptibly, then said, ¡°Mrs. Carter is right. They haven''t seen each other for a


    long time, so they must have much to say to each other. Let them sit together. We can talk about our deal as well.¡±


    Odell looked at him. ¡°All right.¡±


    The two of them sat down.


    Immediately after that, the waiter brought in the food and set it on the table.


    However, Sylvia was not in the mood to eat. Seeing Odell and


    John clinking their sses, she leaned into Sherry¡®s ear andOwned by N?velDrama.Org.


    whispered, ¡°Sherry, did John bully you after we left this afternoon?¡±


    Sherry clenched her hand and smiled. ¡°No, he couldn''t do anything to me in such a short span of time.¡±


    ¡°What about usually? How does he treat you?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. Her eyes nced toward John with a murderous gaze. However, she soon calmed down and replied,¡± He


    just won''t let me out of the courtyard. He didn''t do anything else to me.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sylvia did not believe her.


    ¡®| personally saw John tying Sherry to the bed this afternoon. Sherry has always been the one who taught others a lesson. When


    has she ever been tied up like that?*


    Sylvia felt heartbroken when she remembered how Sherry looked at that time.


    Sherry patted her hand. ¡°He only tied me up like that because | deliberately provoked him in the afternoon. He usually doesn''t


    treat me like that.¡±


    ¡®It''s just that he''ll use other tricks to torment me.¡® Her tone was rxed, and she said it like it was true.


    Sylvia sighed with relief and said, ¡°Sherry,e with uster.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes flickered. Just as she was about to speak, John¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Mrs. Carter, where are you taking my Sherry ?¡±


    The corners of his mouth were curled in a gentle and polite smile.


    However, Sylvia blinked in panic.


    ¡®He could actually hear what we were saying from so far away?


    Before she could figure out how to answer, Sherry said, ¡°We''re not going anywhere. She just wanted me to apany her to


    thedies.¡±


    John looked at her with a smile still on his face. ¡°Go ahead, then.


    Sherry immediately stood up.


    Upon seeing this, Sylvia also stood up. She nced at Odell and dragged Sherry out


    Thedies¡® was at the end of the corridor outside the door. However, there were waiters standing all along the corridor. After they


    came out, the waiters stared at them.


    Sylvia and Sherry went to the washroom.


    There was no one inside, and Sylvia immediately said, ¡°Sherry, run now while John isn''t here. Run as far as you can. I''lle to


    pick you up soon.¡±


    Seeing her anxious look, Sherry smiled and said, ¡°I can''t run. Did you see the waiters outside? They''re all John¡¯s bodyguards.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.


    It was no wonder so many waiters were stationed outside, and all of them were evidently physically strong men.


    ¡°He''s such a wicked man.¡± Sylvia''s voice could not help but break, and she was so angry that she frowned deeply.


    Next Chapter

 chapter-958

    chapter-958


    Chapter 958


    Sherry raised her hand and touched Sylvia''s head. ¡°Don''t worry, Syl. He just wants to get back at me. He won''t do much to me.¡±


    Sylvia looked at her.


    There was a smile at the corners of her mouth, but her pale face made her look a little weak. However, there was no anger in


    her


    expression.


    Sylvia could not help but ask, ¡°Why does he want to get back at you? Did you do something to him before?¡±


    Sherry sighed as sadness shed in her eyes. ¡°I cheated on him.


    Sylvia had thought of that possibility as well. ¡°Even if you cheated on him before, he wouldn''t go this far just to get back at you,


    right?¡±


    ¡°| hurt him pretty deeply.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Forget it. It''s all in the past, so let''s not talk about it.¡± Sherry looked at her. ¡°What about you? Did Master Carter misunderstand


    you when you sneaked in with someone else


    this afternoon?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips at the sound of Odell¡®s name and replied with a smile, ¡°No, | exined everything to him clearly.¡±


    Seeing her sweet expression, Sherry sighed in relief. ¡°That''s


    good.¡±


    Then, she asked, ¡°But how did you suddenly lose your memory?¡±


    ¡°| don''t know either. When | woke up, | only remembered things from nine years ago. They all say | suffered from some kind of


    shock.¡± Sylvia did not want to think about that any further and waved her hand, saying, ¡°Sherry, you¡®d bettere with us. I''ll


    go to Odell. He''ll definitely have a way to save you.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes flickered several times, and she said calmly, ¡°| know that Master Carter will be able to save me, but this is


    nchester . John is much more cunning than you think, and he''s just ying around with me now. Men are all the same. He''ll


    let me go when he gets tired of me.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°But what if he locks you up for life and doesn''t let you go?¡±


    ¡°He won''t. He¡¯s the eldest son of the Stocktons, and his younger brother passed away from an illness two years ago. He¡¯s the


    only male in the family now, so he has to get married and carry on the family line.¡± Sherry pursed her lips and smiled coldly.¡± He''ll


    have to release me when he gets a wife.¡±


    Sylvia still felt that something was wrong.


    ¡®She clearly wanted to escape with me when | saw her this


    afternoon. Why is she refusing to leave now?*


    Sylvia looked at her. ¡°Sherry, did he threaten you?¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes flickered, and she was just about to say something when footsteps came from outside.


    They immediately looked over warily.


    Awaitress walked in and looked at them with a smile. ¡°Ms. Fowler and Ms. Ross, Master Stockton asked me toe to check


    on you and ask if you''re done. They''re waiting for you to start eating.¡±


    Sherry said coldly, ¡°We''re going now.¡±


    The waitress answered and went out.


    Sylvia and Sherry went back to the elegant room.


    As soon as they entered, John stood up and greeted them. He went up to Sherry, touched her face, and asked, ¡°Why were you


    gone so long? Are you not feeling well?¡±


    The look on his face seemed worried.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°I''m a bit constipated, but it''s fine.¡±


    John''s face stiffened for a moment, but the next second, he smiled again and pinched her face dotingly. ¡°If you''re constipated,


    then eat lighter food. You''re not allowed to eat spicy food in the future.¡±


    Sylvia stood beside them and watched their sweet interaction, only to feel a little weird.


    ¡°Sylvia.¡± Suddenly, Odell¡®s low voice sounded.


    Sylvia looked over.


    Odell''s straight figure sat in ce, and his brows were knitted as he looked at her with a somewhat sunken gaze. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Sylvia hummed and walked to his side before he dragged her down to sit beside him.


    John also walked back with Sherry and sat together across them.


    Sylvia nced at Sherry who gave her a look, telling Sylvia not to worry.


    ¡°Let''s eat.¡± The man¡¯s low and maic voice rumbled beside her ear.


    Sylvia lowered her head and ate the piece of meat that Odell gave her.


    After eating, she was about to take a sip of juice, but as soon as she picked up the cup, the man beside her snatched it away.


    Sylvia frowned at him.


    Odell picked up the kettle and poured hot water into an empty cup in front of her. ¡°You''re about to have your menstruation. No


    cold drinks for you.¡±


    Next Chapter

 chapter-959

    chapter-959


    Sylvia pouted. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Then, she reluctantly took a sip of hot water.


    Not far away, John and Sherry watched their interaction and were both silent for a moment.


    Dinner was over.


    Odell held Sylvia¡®s hand while John took Sherry¡®s as they walked out of the restaurant together.


    The wind outside at night was cold.


    Aftering out, they walked along the roadside. Sylvia wanted to walk with Sherry, but Odell gripped her hand.


    Sherry was also in John¡¯s grip and obviously could not break free. Sylvia could only turn her head to look at Sherry from time to


    time.


    Not long after that, John suddenly said, ¡°Master Carter, | heard that Mrs. Carter and you are going back tomorrow, right?¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What time are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°10 a.m.¡±


    ¡°What bad timing. | have an important meeting to preside over at that time, so | can¡®te to see you off. I''ll ask Peter to see


    you off.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°It''s fine. There''s no need to bother Peter.¡±


    ¡°That won''t do. Not only is this our first time working together, but your wife is also best friends with my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Why don''t you let Sherry see us off?¡± Sylvia turned her head to look at him when she finished speaking.


    John¡®s smile froze for a moment.


    The air also went deathly silent.


    Then, he smiled again. With his arm still around Sherry, he looked at Sylvia and said with a smile, ¡°It seems that Mrs. Carter is


    very reluctant to part with Sherry. If you''re free in the future, you''re always wee to look for her.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    ¡®This guy¡¯s ability to change the subject is quite sharp.


    She added, ¡°Then, can you let Sherry see us,¡±


    Before she could say the word ¡°off*, she was dragged into Odell''s arms. He gave her a look that told her to stop talking and said,


    ¡°Sherry is Master Stockton¡®s girlfriend. It''s not appropriate for her to see us off.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Oh.¡±


    After walking for a while, John said that it was gettingte and they had to go back, so Odell nodded. The two of them


    exchanged a few more pleasantries.


    Sylvia looked at Sherry worriedly before being dragged away by


    Odell.


    Seeing Sherry being swept away by John, she frowned and asked in confusion, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let Sherry see us off?¡±


    Odell looked at her. His deep eyes saw right through her thoughts. ¡°You want her toe with us, don''t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°If you can think of it, then John can too.¡±


    ¡°Well, how am | going to save Sherry?¡±


    Odell raised his hand and touched her head, saying, ¡°You don''t have to do anything. Be good ande home with me.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°What about Sherry? Are we going to just leave her?¡±


    ¡°John will take care of her.¡±


    After saying that, he held her hand and continued to walk forward.


    Sylvia¡®s heart was stifled, and she immediately stopped in her tracks. Odell had no choice but to stop and look down at her.


    Next Chapter

 chapter-960

    chapter-960


    Chapter 960 Sylvia frowned with a gloomy face. ¡°John will bully her.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. His warm andrge hand touched her small face, and he said softly, ¡°That''s their business. We''re


    outsiders, so we can''t interfere.¡±


    ¡°She¡®s my best friend.¡±


    ¡°| know, but they¡®re lovers now, so not even best friends cane in between them.¡±


    ¡°He''s only with her for revenge. He might abuse her.¡±


    ¡°That may be so, but he won''t let anything happen to her.¡±


    ¡°How would you know?¡± She looked at him.


    He looked down at her, his eyes dark and gentle. ¡°Because he''s a man like me. | can tell that he still has feelings for Sherry.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned and still confused. ¡°How can he bully her if he still has feelings for her?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he still has some resentment in his heart.¡±


    Sylvia pouted.


    Odell cupped her cheek and said, ¡°I''ve arranged for a few people to stay here. If anything happens to Sherry, they''ll tell me


    immediately. Don''t worry, | won''t let her be in danger.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered. When she looked at his eyes which were even darker than the night, her heart suddenly raced


    uncontrobly. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Odell patted her head. ¡°I''m your man. There¡®s no need to thank


    me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sylvia walked hand in hand with him.


    After a few steps, she suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed the corner of his mouth when his guard was down.


    The man stopped and looked down at her.


    Sylvia looked away, pretending that she did not do anything.


    Seeing that he was not moving, she tugged his hand and asked,¡± Why aren''t you,¡±


    Before she could say the word ¡°walking*, she was yanked into his arms. His otherrge hand directly cupped her head, and his


    handsome face was lowered to her eyes at once. His thin lipsnded on hers steadily.


    Their intimate figures created shadows on the ground, illuminated by the streetlight.


    Along time passed before he let her go.


    Sylvia blushed and punched him. However, her fist was soft as cotton. There was no force behind it at all.


    Odell chuckled and could not help but hold the back of her head and nip at her again.


    After dallying for a long time, they arrived back at the hotel.


    As soon as they entered the suite, Sylvia''s phone rang. It was a video call from Isabel.


    Sylvia quickly answered the phone.


    Achubby face instantly appeared on the screen. ¡°Mommy, did you forget that you have three lovely babies?¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°No, how could | forget you?¡±


    ¡°Then, why didn''t you call Liam and me for the past two days? You weren''t like this before!¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. She was so preupied with Sherry¡®s matter these days that she really forgot to call them. She looked at


    Odell, wanting him to help coax the children.


    He did not seem to understand her gaze and said, ¡°You guys talk. I''ll go wash up.¡±


    Then, he touched her head again and went to the bathroom.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Isabel harrumphed again.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and coaxed with a smile, ¡°I''m sorry. It''s my fault. | was caught up with stuff for the past two days, so | didn''t


    manage to call you.¡±


    Isabel stopped sulking, but she still looked very angry.


    Sylvia remembered the gifts she bought for them when she went shopping with Odell yesterday. ¡°Isabel, | bought gifts for you


    and your brothers. Your father and | will be back tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 961

    Chapter 961


    Isabel''s eyes instantly lit up, but she was still angry and did not utter a word.


    Soon, the phone was taken away by a small hand. Liam¡®s cool appearance and Flint''s adorable face appeared on the screen.


    Liam hugged Flint and asked, ¡°Mommy, when will you and Daddy be back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°We''re going back in the morning, so we should reach home at


    noon.¡±


    At that moment, Flint also waved his chubby hand at her. His mouth babbled, obviously wanting her to carry him. His adorable


    expression melted Sylvia''s heart, and she could not help but pucker her mouth and make a kissy noise at him.


    Flint immediately burst out into giggles.


    Then, Isabel''s scoff was heard from the side. It was clear that she was unhappy again.


    Sylvia¡®s expression changed, and she quickly said, ¡°Isabel,e here and let Mommy kiss you too.¡±


    ¡°I''m not that naive.¡± As soon as she spoke, her chubby pouting


    face squeezed into the screen.


    Sylvia held back herughter and blew a kiss at the screen. After that, she called out to Liam. ¡°Liam, let Mommy kiss you too.¡±


    Liam''s cool little face was right beside Isabel. When he heard


    that, he did not say anything, but his eyes stared brightly at Sylvia.


    Sylvia immediately blew a kiss at him.


    On the screen, the three little ones looked bright and adorable.


    Isabel stopped pouting and asked in a sweet voice, ¡°Mommy, what gifts did you buy us?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I bought you some jewelry, Liam some trinkets, and Flint some small toys.¡±


    Isabel frowned. ¡°That''s all?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Did you want anything else?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Isabel pouted, her expression clearly disappointed. Liam¡¯s little face also became cooler with no emotion at all. Only Flint''s eyes


    shined brightly at her.


    Sylvia could not help but ask, ¡°What''s wrong? Don''t you like these gifts?¡±


    Isabel said, ¡°We like all the gifts that you buy, but we like special gifts more,¡±


    Special gifts?


    Sylvia asked, ¡°What kind of special gifts?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Um...¡± Isabel thought about it and said, ¡°Ones that Mommy makes personally.¡±


    ¡®Personally made gifts?¡® Sylvia was confused.


    Just as she was very confused, Isabel added, ¡°Because Mommy


    puts more care into gifts she makes herself.¡±


    Sylvia understood.


    ¡®It''s not that they don''t like their gifts. They just don''t like gifts that | randomly pick out for them. It''s my fault. | was so focused on


    Sherry¡®s matter the past two days and didn''t even call to ask how they were doing. | didn¡¯t ask if they had any gifts they wanted


    and simply bought some when | went shopping. It''s a little perfunctory.¡¯


    Noticing her emotions, Isabel changed her tone and said, ¡°It''s okay. As long as it''s from you, Mommy, we''ll love it.¡±


    Then, she turned to Liam. ¡°Right, Liam?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He was very cooperative.


    Sylvia could not help butugh. ¡°It''s good if you like them.¡±


    At the same time, she thought in her heart that she would make something herself when she got back.


    ¡®Aunt Tonya said that besides being Sunflower, my carving skills are also quite good. | wonder if | can still carve something


    despite nine years of my memory being missing.¡®


    Sylvia chatted with them for a long time.


    When Odell came out of the room, he took her phone, urged the children to go to bed, and hung up. Finally, he gave the phone


    back to her and said, ¡°Go wash up.¡±


    Sylvia hummed and went to the bathroom.


    Unexpectedly, her menstruation really started. She had just


    taken off her clothes when she saw blood stains on the inner lining.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 962

    Chapter 962


    Chapter 962


    Startled, Sylvia wrapped herself in the bathrobe and walked out.


    In the bedroom, Odell was wearing a ck robe, and his tall figure sankzily on the sofa. Seeing here out without


    showering, he was stunned and asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    Sylvia said embarrassedly, ¡°I''m on my period.¡±


    ¡°That''s it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The light in the bedroom was quite bright, so Odell could see the plea in her eyes at a nce. His eyes narrowed as he said,


    ¡°Oh, |


    see.¡±


    Then, he picked up the book next to him and read it again.


    Sylvia¡®s throat choked. ¡°Um, can you...¡±


    ¡°Can I, what?¡± He looked at her again with dark eyes.


    At this point, Sylvia simply said, ¡°Can you ask someone to buy me a pack of tampons?¡±


    Odell curved his lips in a seductive smile. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Sylvia blushed and could not help but re at him. Just as she was about to take her phone to ce a delivery order from a


    supermarket, he suddenly picked up thendline next to him.


    The phone was quickly connected. He looked at Sylvia and said to the person on the phone, ¡°Bring up a pack of tampons.¡±


    Then, he hung up the phone and said to her, ¡°Someone will send it up right away. Go take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia then went to take a shower.


    When she finished , she saw a pink box of tampons sitting on the stool by the bathroom door. She quickly took the box and


    brought it in.


    She came out after she was fully dressed.


    The man was still wearing the ck robe and was now sitting on the side of the bed, reading a book.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Sylviay on the other side of the bed just likest night.


    Soon, the lights in the room were turned off, and there was a rustling noise behind her. He had apparently alsoid down.


    Sylvia closed her eyes and tried to sleep.


    However, it did not take long before a dull pain started in her stomach. It was not that painful, but it was very ufortable. She


    frowned and could not help but turn over.


    Just when she was so ufortable that she could not sleep, arge hand suddenly encircled her from behind, and the man¡®s


    body pressed against her back.


    ¡°Cramps?¡± he asked in a low voice.


    Sylvia held her stomach and hummed.


    Then, his warm palm found a ce on her stomach. Through a thinyer of clothing, the heat from his palm continuously spread


    to her belly.


    Surprisingly, she felt much better. She instantly stopped tossing around and kept her back against his chest without moving.


    Ashort whileter, he asked softly, ¡°Better?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Much better.¡±


    Her voice was very clear in the silent night.


    As Odell rubbed her stomach again, Sylvia could not help but stick to him.


    After an unknown amount of time, sleepiness took over and blurred her consciousness. She turned over and faced him, with her


    cheek on his chest and one arm around his strong waist,


    sleepingfortably.


    The man¡¯s straight figure stiffened for a long time. After a while, when the heat in his body subsided, he breathed out a low sigh.


    The next day, it was 9 a.m. when Sylvia opened her eyes.


    Not far away, the man was sitting on the sofa in his suit, browsing through a document.


    When he heard her get up, his deep eyes looked over. ¡°Does your stomach still hurt?¡±


    Sylvia thought of the scenest night when he had rubbed her stomach. She pursed her lips and smiled back at him. ¡°It doesn''t


    hurt anymore.¡± ¡°Good. Get up and wash up. We''ll go back after breakfast.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 963

    Chapter 963


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After washing up and getting dressed, they had breakfast. By the time they finished, it was exactly 10 a.m.


    Sylvia and Odell walked out of the hotel together.


    Jacob and Cliff were already waiting for them, and John¡®s assistant, Peter, had also arrived.


    After Peter greeted them, he picked up a beautiful box and said with a smile, ¡°Master Carter and Mrs. Carter, this is a gift that


    Master Stockton personally chose for you. He is sorry that he couldn''te over to give it to you in person, but this is a little


    token of his appreciation.¡±


    Odell nced at Cliff who immediately went forward to take the box.


    Odell said, ¡°He shouldn''t have. Please pass on my thanks to him.


    Peter said, ¡°Yes, I''ll definitely convey it to Master Stockton.¡±


    After the formalities, Sylvia and Odell got into the car, and so did Cliff and Jacob.


    The ck MPV quickly drove into traffic.


    Cliff handed over the gift.


    Odell nced at it and gave it to Sylvia.


    She weighed the box in her hands. The box was exquisitely wrapped, but she could not hear any movement inside, so she did


    not know what it was.


    The more she looked at it, the more curious she became. ¡°Can | open it and take a look?¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°Open it if you want to. There¡®s no need to ask


    me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Sylvia did not hesitate and reached out to open the box. Then, she saw a delicate lighter and a diamond ne in the shape of


    a me inside.


    Other than the logo of a luxury brand that was apparent on the lighter and the ne, Sylvia and Odell¡®s initials were engraved


    on them. They were very exquisite and looked like they had been selected with care.


    Sylvia looked at them and passed the box over to Odell to let him see as well.


    Odell nced at it and took both the lighter and the diamond ne out. The lighter was engraved with Sylvia¡¯s initials while


    his initials were engraved on the ne.


    Rubbing his finger over the engraving, the corners of his shallow lips curled up. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± he asked her.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I quite like it.¡±


    Odell put the lighter and ne back into the box, stroked her head with his free hand, and said to Cliff in the passenger seat,¡±


    When we go back, contact John¡®s assistant and say that I''m looking forward to this cooperation with him.¡±


    Cliff''s expression changed as he responded, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Meanwhile, at the entrance of the hotel, a luxury MPV had been parked for almost two hours. The atmosphere was quiet, and


    the driver kept his mouth closed, not even daring to breathe loudly.


    In the backseat, a young man wore a white shirt and slim pants and sat in a dignified posture. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed


    sses. At that moment, he was looking at the car in which Sylvia and Odell were sitting.


    The car was quickly engulfed in traffic.


    He turned his head to look at the woman by his side. She was sitting against the car door, her eyes gazing out. It was obvious


    that she was looking in the direction Sylvia and Odell¡®s car had driven away.


    The gaze behind his lenses turned cold as he asked, ¡°What, do you want to go back to Westchester with them?¡±


    Sherry immediately withdrew her gaze and looked straight ahead while John curled his lips andughed.


    At that moment, Peter also came over from the hotel entrance. He got into the passenger seat and turned to John, saying


    respectfully, ¡°Master Stockton, Master Carter epted the gift


    and asked me to convey his thanks to you.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°What did you give them?¡±


    John turned to look at her.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Sherry¡¯s face was not only cold, but also wary and defensive. It was as if he had sent them a time bomb.


    His expression became chilly subconsciously, and he reached out to cup her chin. ¡°I gave them a very special gift.¡±


    Smack!


    Sherry pped his hand away directly and red at him coldly.¡± What special gift?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 964

    Chapter 964


    John shook off the hand that she pped away. He nced at the two people in the front row with a grim gaze. ¡°You two, get


    out.¡±


    The driver and Peter hurriedly got out of the car.


    Then, his straight figure approached Sherry, and one hand reached for her face again.


    Sherry sat in ce, her hands clenched into fists by her side as she looked at him coldly. Just when his hand was about to


    squeeze her face, she suddenly got up.


    Bam!


    With a heavy sound, she pressed John back against the car


    seat. She pinned him down, clutching his cor with both hands, and asked him coldly, ¡°What did you give them?¡±


    Her face was red, and her eyes were full of hatred and killing intent.


    John was stunned for a moment. Then, his face returned to normal. ¡°Seems like I''ve treated you too well these few days.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap!¡± Sherry directly grabbed his neck, her gaze sinister. ¡°Tell me. What exactly did you give them?¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to help the Fowlers and your childhood friend get through their crisis?¡±


    Sherry¡®s gaze stiffened, but only for a moment. She tightened


    her grip on his neck again and said coldly, ¡°Syl is my best friend. If youy a finger on her, I''ll drag you to hell with me!¡±


    ¡°So, you don''t care about the Fowlers and that childhood friend of yours?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, | don''t give a damn about them!¡±


    She really looked as if she wanted to strangle him to death. He suddenly curled his lips andughed. ¡°So, the Fowlers and your


    childhood friendbined aren''t as important as this best friend of yours. If | had known that, | would''ve gone after that friend


    instead.¡±


    ¡°Don''t you dare!¡± Sherry snorted coldly. ¡°Do you think Odell is a pushover? If you dare to touch Syl, he''ll bury your business


    empire in nchester along with you!¡±


    John merelyughed. ¡°You''re right. After all, he didn''t even spare his own brother.¡±


    Sherry froze. Why was he going along with her words?


    Seeing her stunned look, Johnughed and said, ¡°Sherry Fowler, do you think I''m an idiot?¡±


    She frowned.


    ¡°If you can guess it, so can I.¡±


    She froze again. The moment she let her guard down momentarily, he suddenly grabbed her hands holding his neck.


    The next second, she was pushed off the car seat and fell onto the floor.


    He loomed over her as she cried out from the impact.


    John pinched her face, his expression grim. ¡°You''re just a ything to me. Do you think I''ll offend the richest man in Westchester


    for a ything?¡±


    Sherry¡®s chest tightened as she pursed her lips.


    He lowered his head, approaching her eyes. His gold¡ªrimmed sses almost pressed against the bridge of her nose. ¡°This time,


    I''ll spare you for the sake of your friending all the way to secure the cooperation for me. Next time you dare to make a move


    against me, I''ll chop off both your hands and feed them to the dogs.¡±


    After saying that, he squeezed her hand hard.


    Sherry immediately gnashed her teeth so that she did not cry out.


    John snorted, then got up and sat back down again.


    Sherry tried to get up by propping herself on the ground, but when she was about to get up, he kicked her in the butt.


    Bam!


    She fell to the ground miserably, then she looked up and red at him.


    John pushed up his sses and looked at her with a smile.


    Sherry gritted her teeth fiercely, swallowed back the curses that reached her throat, then got up and sat back down.


    When Sylvia woke up from her nap, the car had already driven into Westchester City. It did not take long for the car to stop


    outside the old residence.


    Sylvia thought about the three little ones, got out of the car, and ran inside without looking back.


    While running, she called out, ¡°Isabel, Liam, Flint, I''m back!¡±


    Her voice was crisp and clear. The birds in the surrounding trees fluttered and flew away.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The man, who had not gotten out of the car yet, was also speechless.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 965

    Chapter 965


    At that moment, Sylvia''s cry drew a response.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Isabel''s loud voice sounded, and she scurried out like a gust of wind.


    Immediately after that, Liam and Aunt Tonya, who was carrying Flint, also came out.


    Sylvia first hugged Isabel, kissing her chubby face a few times, then took Liam into her arms and did the same to him and Flint.


    Flint giggled at all the kisses.


    Isabel and Liam were confused, obviously not expecting Sylvia to kiss them so fiercely as soon as she came back. However,


    they were only stunned for a few seconds before smiling silently.


    At that moment, Odell''s tall figure walked over.


    Isabel''s eyes lit up as she ran to him. ¡°Bad Daddy!¡±


    Odell picked her up with one hand and walked over.


    ¡°Aah!¡± Flint, who was in Sylvia¡®s arms, also seemed to miss his father and immediately reached out his chubby little hand toward


    Odell.


    Odell carried him with his other hand.


    Seeing the two children being held by their father, Sylvia subconsciously looked at Liam. The little boy''s face was very quiet and


    cold, seemingly not feeling much about his father carrying his sister and brother.


    However, Sylvia still reached out and picked him up. Liam¡®s bright eyes were confused before he wrapped an arm around her


    neck. Obviously, he did not reject her hug.


    Odell and she then carried the children into the house.


    Jacob and Cliff also followed in with the things that they had brought from nchester.


    Sylvia handed them the gifts she bought for them. Isabel and Liam opened the gifts.


    Sylvia looked at their little faces and asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Isabel smiled. ¡°Yep. | love it!¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Liam also hummed and directly wore the little watch on his wrist.


    As for Flint, who could not even speak yet, he grabbed the toys that Sylvia bought for him and started chewing on them.


    The three little ones were very filial to her.


    Sylvia could not help the corners of her mouth from curling up when she saw them so happy.


    At that moment, the back of her head was suddenly tousled, so she turned her head.


    Odell was buttoning his suit as he said, ¡°I have to go to the office. Call me if you need anything.¡±


    Sylvia thought that he was busy. ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡±


    Then, she turned around and continued ying with the children.


    Odell''s expression darkened. After a moment, he wargedwonten turned, and walked out. Cliff was already waiting for wat car.


    He sat alone in the backseat ¡°Drive.¡±


    Cliff hurriedly started the car, but Odell frowned and looked annoyed. Not long after that, he took out his phones and called


    Skr.


    The line rang a few times before connecting,


    He asked directly, ¡°Have you found the sorcerer?¡±


    The environment on the other side of the phone was a bit most and Skr''s voice was loud. ¡°I found him, but the old fogey 15:11


    easy tomunicate with. He won''t say a word to me¡±


    ¡°Why won''t he talk to you?¡±


    ¡°He asked me for five million as soon as he opened his mouth. | was afraid that he would fool me, so | told him I''ll pay him when


    he teaches me the way to lift the hypnosis, but then he ignored


    me.


    Odell¡®s expression changed. ¡°I''ll transfer the money to you now Tell him that five million is just the deposit. If he sessfully


    passes you the knowledge, give him another five million.¡±


    ¡°Um... Master Carter, isn¡®t that too much?¡±


    ¡°If you seed, I''ll double your pay as well.¡± ¡°Right, I''ll go find him immediately.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 966

    Chapter 966


    Sylvia yed with the three little ones until the evening.


    In the evening, Isabel and Liam both had a piano lesson. Aunt Tonya brought Flint to bed.


    Sylvia went to the third floor by herself. There was a big room with three walls facing the sun.


    At this time of the day, the orange sunset nted from the west andnded on the neat and clean table, the floor, and the


    painting and carving tools on the table.


    Aunt Tonya had told her about this ce, saying that it was a workshop specially prepared for her.


    Although Sylvia had no memory of this ce, she had a familiar feeling as soon as she stepped inside. She could not help but


    look at theplete sets of painting tools, and the two paintings hanging on the wall.


    The paintings were framed. Both of them werendscapes, and the artist''s signature stamp on the bottom read: Sunflower. The


    signature stamp was ced in a box in a corner of the table.


    Sylvia lifted her hand to touch it, but when she remembered that one of these things belonged to her nine years ago, she quickly


    withdrew her hand again.


    Then, she walked around the table, went to the other side where the carving tools were ced, and sat down. She picked up a


    small wood block with one hand, the carving knife with the


    other, and carved aimlessly.


    To her surprise, carving came to her quite smoothly. It seemed that she was born to carve.


    ¡®Does that mean that although | crossed over from nine years ago, my body still retains the memory of carving?¡¯


    The more Sylvia carved, the more excited she became.


    Unknowingly, it turned dark. She did not notice the flow of time and continued to be immersed in carving.


    Perhaps because she had not touched a carving knife for too long, as she carved, a painful sensation suddenly shot up her wrist.


    She had identally scratched her hand with the carving knife.


    Blood instantly oozed from her finger, and she let out a hiss of pain.


    ¡°What happened?¡± A man¡®s anxious voice suddenly sounded behind her.


    Sylvia was immediately startled again.


    Before she could turn around and look, Odell walked to her side and picked up her cut finger. After examining it, he took out his


    cell and made a phone call.


    She did not know who he called, but the other party answered quickly. Odell said in a low voice, ¡°Bring the first aid kit to the third


    floor.¡±


    Almost instantly, Sebastian and a maid came in with the first aid kit.


    Seeing that Sylvia only cut her finger , Sebastian and the maid sighed with relief at the same time. They put down the kit and


    went out.


    Odell brought the first aid kit over and took out the disinfectant and Band-aid from inside. First, he cleaned her wound, then he


    put the Band-aid on her finger and advised her, ¡°Don''t touch water today.¡±


    His voice was grim.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up, and she could not help but ask,¡± When did youe back?¡±


    ¡°Half an hour ago.¡± He put the kit aside as he spoke, then picked up what she had carved. It was a sunflower that was about to


    take shape, and it was quite exquisite. His thin lips curled up.¡± It''s quite good.¡±


    Sylvia instantly smiled at hispliment. ¡°I think so too. | originally thought that | wouldn''t be able to do it.¡±


    Odell looked down at her with deep eyes.


    When he did not say anything, Sylvia asked, ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡±


    ¡°Did you know how to carve nine years ago?¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    She shook her head. ¡°I liked to carve erasers when | was in school, but | never yed with wood carvings.¡±


    ¡°So, do you remember anything now?¡± His eyes burned with anticipation.


    She shook her head again. ¡°No.¡±


    Odell''s expression darkened for a moment, then he put back the unfinished sunflower.


    ¡°Come down for dinner,¡± he said.


    ¡°No need. I''m not hungry. This flower is almost done, so I''ll go downter.¡± Sylvia was still enthusiastic about finishing up. She


    picked up the carving knife and was about to continue.


    The next second, the sunflower was snatched back by arge hand.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 967

    Chapter 967


    Chapter 967


    Odell looked at her with a stern gaze. ¡°You''re not allowed to carve anymore. Wait until your hand is better.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Odell frowned again as his expression turned cold. It was clear that his words were not up for discussion, so she had no choice


    but to put down the carving knife and stood up.


    He held one of her hands and led her outside.


    When she passed the painting area, she could not help but


    nce at the two paintings again.


    Odell noticed her gaze and looked over.


    ¡°Odell, did | really paint those two paintings?¡±


    He looked at her and pursed his lips. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I''m really amazing.¡±


    He held back a smile and said, ¡°If you feel your hands itch, you can paint for the next few days and continue carving when your


    hands are better.¡±


    Sylvia hesitated. ¡°I''d rather not.¡±


    The reason why she could carve so smoothly was most likely because she used to carve erasers for fun when she was in


    school. However, the two paintings in front of her were in no way something that she could have painted nine years ago. Both


    the skill and the artistic concept of the paintings had been


    beyond her reach nine years ago. She had better not ruin her reputation.


    Furthermore, for some reason, she did not dare to touch those brushes. A repulsion seemed to throb from her heart.


    Odell pursed his lips in silence.


    Sylvia did not look at the two paintings again and took the initiative to drag him out.


    Although she agreed to stay away from carving for the time being, she still could not help but feel tempted.


    Thus, the next morning, not long after Odell left for work, Sylvia arrived on the third floor.


    The door was transparent. She looked excitedly at the table with the carving tools inside and raised her hand to press the door


    handle, but it did not budge.


    Frowning, she pressed it a few more times before confirming that it was locked. It was clearly unlocked when she came in


    yesterday.


    She turned to the living room, found Sebastian, and asked him,¡± Sebastian, do you know where the key to the door on the third


    floor is?¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Sebastian smiled and replied, ¡°There¡¯s only one key for the third floor, and Master Carter usually keeps it with him.¡±


    ¡®So, the key is with Odell? He locked the door on purpose? He¡®s such a meanie!


    Sylvia frowned in displeasure and then asked, ¡°Can you call a locksmith?¡±


    Sebastian looked troubled. ¡°I''m afraid | can''t do that. If Master Carter didn¡¯t open the door, then it can''t be opened.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    At this time, Isabel and Liam were in ss, so Sylvia could only y with Flint.


    Fortunately, the little guy was quite interesting. Not only did he not cry or make a fuss, but he was also quiet and obedient.


    Time with him went by quite fast, and it was the afternoon in a sh. Flint napped for a few hours every afternoon while Liam and


    Isabel also had to continue their sses.


    However, the door of the third floor was still locked. Sylvia was really bored, so she went out. Jacob drove her around.


    ¡°Where would you like to go?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia thought about it and said, ¡°Let''s go for a walk around the Art Academy.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jacob steadily drove the car.


    Sylvia put one hand on her cheek and looked outside.


    Aunt Tonya said that she had spent some time over at the Art Academy and that the area was a famous art paradise in


    Westchester, so she decided to go on a stroll there.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 968

    Chapter 968


    Chapter 968


    Half an hourter, Sylvia arrived at a pedestrian street near the Art Academy


    The street architecture and instations exuded a vintage and schrly feel. Various stores were interspersed with the galleries


    and several small art stores, among which were two sculpting studios.


    Sylvia went in for a stroll.


    Some of the carvings were not very skillful, but they had a distinct design. Sylvia bought two trinkets to carry in her hand and


    then continued to stroll inside.


    Unknowingly, she reached the end of the street and entered an open painting exhibition.


    In front of her was a moderately-sized square filled with paintings of all kinds.


    Sylvia was confused for a moment, but her steps did not stop as she walked toward the paintings.


    Some of the paintings were mature, some were childish, some were introspective , and some were cheerful and with a lot of


    personalities. It did not seem like they were the work of students of the Art Academy. Instead, they looked like they were painted


    by a professional.


    Sylvia did not think much about it. She drank the lemonade she had just bought and weaved in and out of the aisles to admire


    the painting.


    Then, when she turned the corner at the end of the row, she saw a young woman heading in her direction. The woman wore a


    white Aine skirt and had long hair. Her makeup was not thick but very delicate, and her posture was elegant.


    When Sylvia looked at her, the woman seemed to be staring at Sylvia as well. The woman¡®s gaze was cold and haughty, as if


    she wanted to smile but could not bring herself to do so. In short, her expression was very unnatural.


    Sylvia turned her head to look behind her, but there was no one there.


    ¡®Is she looking at me? But | don''t know her.¡¯


    Sylvia looked over toward her again.


    The woman was walking toward her with her eyes straight forward. It was obvious that she was going to walk past Sylvia.


    ¡®| guess | was mistaken then.¡¯ Sylvia did not think much about it and turned around to continue looking at a painting beside her.


    Lily, who was about to walk over, instantly turned ashen. Then, she coldly snorted and walked away quickly.


    Sylvia admired painting after painting and did not leave a single one behind.


    If something caught her eye, she would look at it a while longer. If it did not catch her eye, she would just nce past it. She did


    not stop until she had seen all the paintings in the square.


    At that moment, she also came to the end of the exhibition, where a group of people with work tags on their chests, seemingly


    the staff of this painting exhibition, were discussing something. The atmosphere was very lively.


    Sylvia threw the cup of lemonade into the trash can next to her and was about to turn around and leave.


    However, at that moment, someone in the crowd suddenly called out to her. ¡°Sylvia?¡±


    At once, all of them stopped their discussion and looked at her.


    Sylvia also looked over curiously. The man who called her looked like he was in his thirties or forties, with a beard and hair that


    went past his ears. He looked very schrly and somewhat unapproachable, but he was looking at her with a glowing gaze. It


    was clear that he knew her.


    However, Sylvia could not remember who he was.


    The group of people around him were also staring at her. It seemed they all knew her.


    She could not remember any of them. She only recognized the young woman beside him as the one who was staring at her


    when she was admiring the paintings earlier.


    Out of politeness, Sylvia smiled at him.


    Simon immediately walked up to her and asked with a smile,¡± Why didn''t you tell me you wereing here?¡±


    ¡°| was just going on a stroll and happened toe in here.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she saw the woman from before walking up to her. The woman smiled at Sylvia.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 969

    Chapter 969


    The smile was polite and graceful, but it was also condescending.


    Sylvia felt awkward, so she did not look at the woman and continued to look at Simon instead.


    Simon also looked her up and down. ¡°Sylvia, why do | feel that something''s different about you this time?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and was just about to say that she lost her memory when an unpleasant female voice rang out. ¡°Ms. Ross,


    even if we had some misunderstandings before, you don''t have to ignore me, do you?¡±


    Lily¡®s expression still maintained its politeness and elegance, but her gaze was cold and contemptuous.


    The air instantly fell silent.


    Simon¡®s expression changed, and everyone else was quiet.


    Sylvia paused and looked at her. ¡°Do we know each other?¡±


    The atmosphere froze in an instant.


    Lily turned ashen. ¡°Sylvia, do you think you can act all high-and mighty now that you have Master Carter to protect you?¡±


    ¡®How dare she talk to me like this in public?! Act high-and mighty?¡® Sylvia asked directly, ¡°Do you know me?¡±


    Lily red at her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°So, you were looking at me earlier, right? Why did you ignore me then as well? | thought that we didn¡®t know each


    other.¡±


    As soon as she spoke, the atmosphere around them stiffened even more in awkwardness. Everyone looked at Sylvia in disbelief


    and could not help but look at Lily.


    ¡°So, they already met earlier, but Ms. Springsteen ignored her.¡¯


    Lily¡®s face turned purple again. She thought that Sylvia was deliberately saying that to make her look bad in public.


    ¡°Sylvia, it seems that you''ve been living a happy life with Master Odelltely.¡±


    ¡®How dare she trap me like this?!


    Her expression changed, and she smiled and said, ¡°You should be recovering well, right? We were just saying that none of the


    paintings on disy today are outstanding. Why don''t you paint one for us in public and boost our exhibition¡®s poprity?¡±


    Except for Simon, although everyone else knew that Lily was deliberately making things hard for Sylvia, they still cast expectant


    looks at her.


    Someone echoed, ¡°Yes, Ms. Sunflower . You haven''t produced any works for a long time. If you paint on the spot, it''ll definitely


    attract a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ross, I''ll prepare the brushes and paper for you.¡± In just a few seconds, someone ran to set things up for her.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia hurriedly backed up and waved her hand. ¡°No, no, | haven''t painted for a long time and can''t paint well anymore, so |


    won''t make a fool of myself.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ross, all of your paintings in the past were masterpieces. Even if you haven''t painted for a long time, your skills must still be


    extraordinary.¡± Lily smiled at her. ¡°Besides, you''re obviously in better shape now than before, so your paintings will definitely be


    better now.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be so modest, Ms. Ross. Hurry up and paint.¡±


    Sylvia continued to wave. ¡°Thank you for thepliments, but | will pass.¡±


    Seeing this, Simon also came over to help her, but he was interrupted by Lily¡®s cold voice. ¡°Ms. Ross, you repeatedly refused so


    many of us. Is it because you think we don''t deserve to see you paint on the spot?¡±


    The air was silent at once as the group of people all stared at Sylvia.


    Simon also choked on his words.


    Just when everyone thought that Sylvia had no way to refuse, she showed a smile as fake as Lily¡®s and said, ¡°It''s not that you''re


    unworthy. It''s me that''s unworthy.¡±


    Then, without giving Lily and the others to organize their reply, she turned around and ran. She fled directly toward the way she


    came from. She escaped quickly, as if afraid that they would tie her down and force her to paint.


    Lily was speechless, and Simon and the others were also at a


    loss for words. They all stood where they were, stunned.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 970

    Chapter 970


    Chapter 970


    Sylvia ran all the way out of the street.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Jacob had been following her from the shadows. When she started to run, he went after her and caught up with her when she


    finally stopped.


    He asked anxiously, ¡°What''s wrong, Madam? Did you meet someone who wants to harm you?¡±


    Sylvia panted from exhaustion. ¡°N.¡ªno.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you running?¡±


    ¡°| met a group of difficult people.¡± Thinking of the young woman who led the group in heckling her earlier, she looked at Jacob


    and asked, ¡°Do you know who the people who just talked to me were?¡±


    ¡°| know a few. Except for Ms. Springsteen, the others should be from the Westchester Art Association.¡±


    ¡®The Art Association? So, the man who was warm and cordial to me earlier was my good friend Simon Foster? As for Ms.


    Springsteen...


    She asked, ¡°Is Ms. Springsteen the woman who stood in front and talked to me?¡±


    Jacob responded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡®No wonder she was acting strangely toward me. She''s Lily Springsteen, the eldest daughter of the


    Springsteen family who had a fake engagement with Odell before.¡¯


    ¡°Madam, did Ms. Springsteen say anything to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, she tried to encourage me to draw in public.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°And then | ran.¡±


    Jacob looked at her righteous appearance and felt his lips twitch.


    It was already dark when she returned home.


    Liam and Isabel were still having piano lessons. Flint had also just woken up and pped his lips, wanting to drink milk.


    Sylvia fed him and held him in the living room to y.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, the phone in her pocket rang.


    She held Flint with one hand and took out her phone with the other. It was a message from Simon. ¡°Sylvia, are you okay?¡±


    Sylvia typed with one hand. ¡°I''m fine. What''s wrong?¡±


    Simon replied, ¡°That''s good. | just feel that you seemed a little off.¡±


    Sheughed and replied, ¡°I forgot to tell you, but | have amnesia.¡±


    Simon typed, ¡°...¡±


    She continued, ¡°I''m sorry. | didn''t mean to not recognize you just


    now.¡±


    ¡°So, you really don''t know Lily?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    They went on to talk about her memory loss.


    After an unknown amount of time, when Sylvia was getting carried away by the conversation, she was suddenly pped on the


    head.


    ¡°Ow!¡± She cried out in pain and looked up to see Odell.


    He wore a ck shirt and slim pants carrying his jacket in one hand. He looked at her somberly. ¡°Who are you chatting with?¡±


    Sylvia replied honestly, ¡°Simon.¡±


    ¡°What are you two chatting about so happily?¡± She did not even notice him after such a long time.


    ¡°We''re talking about my memory loss.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes, his expression still unhappy. ¡°How did you get to that topic?¡±


    Sylvia told the story of her meeting Simon in the afternoon. ¡°I went near the Art Academy this noon and met him at an outdoor


    painting exhibition. Lily and the others kept trying to get me to paint, but | ran away directly, so he sent me a message because


    he was worried.¡±


    Odell''s eyes flickered.


    He lifted Flint up and handed him to Aunt Tonya, then sat down beside Sylvia and wrapped his long arm around her shoulder,


    pulling her into his arms. Then, he asked, ¡°Lily and the others tried getting you to paint?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but they didn''t seed.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Looking at her somewhat smug expression, he smiled and asked, ¡°How did you escape?¡±


    ¡°lran away.¡±


    When she said those words, she raised her brows as if she was very proud of herself. It was like she did something very clever.


    Odell could not help but curl his lips. ¡°Then what?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 971

    Chapter 971


    Chapter 971 ¡°Then, | came back.¡±


    Odell smiled and pinched her face, asking, ¡°Why did you suddenly go to see a painting exhibition this afternoon?¡± Sylvia¡®s eyes


    flickered. ¡°It''s boring just being at home.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips silently.


    She looked up at him with glowing eyes. ¡°Can you open the door on the third floor?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to continue carving?¡± He looked at her with a sharp gaze.


    Sylvia hurriedly avoided his sight and said, ¡°I want to paint.¡±


    ¡°Do you really just want to paint?¡°,


    She continued to avoid his eyes and hummed.


    Odell smiled. ¡°Sure. I''ll open it tomorrow morning before | leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The next morning, after Odell left for work, Sylvia arrived on the third floor. She raised her hand and pressed on the door handle.


    Creak.


    The door of the room was pushed open.


    Her eyes lit up and she immediately walked in, going past the painting area to the carving section.


    After walking to that side, the light in her eyes instantly dimmed.


    There was nota single carving tool in sight on the wide table in front of her. There was not even a piece of wood. The only things


    on the table were some carvings that she had finished before.


    She looked around and finally fixed her eyes on the locked cab behind her. She remembered that the doors of the cab


    had been open thest time she came here.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Did he lock all the tools for carving into the cab? Why is this man so sinister?


    Sylvia¡®s heart shattered, and she had no choice but to go to the painting section where aplete set of painting tools were


    neatly arranged.


    Thinking of Simon and the others she met yesterday noon, she remembered the woods Simon had sent to encourage her to


    paint. Sylvia hesitated, but she set up the drawing board and tried to pick up the brush.


    She wanted to paint.


    However, her mind was empty. Even after thinking for a long time, she had no idea what to draw. After pressing a few dots on the


    drawing paper, she put the brush back and got up to


    leave.


    In the living room, Isabel was ying with Flint, obviously having sneaked out of ss.


    Aunt Tonya was reprimanding her. ¡°Isabel, your father will be upset if he knows you''re skipping ss. Go back to ss after you


    finish this game, okay?¡±


    Isabel''s hands were furiously mashing the gamepad she was holding, and herrge eyes stared at the screen, obviously not


    listening to Aunt Tonya¡®s words.


    Aunt Tonya was about to sigh when she suddenly saw Sylviae over. She immediately said, ¡°Syl, say something to her.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Let her y.¡±


    Isabel and Liam had foreignnguage ss in the morning. Furthermore, it was anguage that was rarely used.


    School was about to start as well, and Isabel and Liam were both going to be in first grade. There were only a few days left in the


    holidays, so there was no need to force her to study.


    Aunt Tonya added, ¡°Syl, you can''t spoil her so much. | heard from Sebastian that the children from Odell¡®s cousin¡®s family


    already know three foreignnguages by second grade.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. Isabel is still young. There¡¯s plenty of time to learnter.¡±


    Aunt Tonya sighed at that and said nothing more.


    Isabel, who was ying the game without listening to anything else, turned her head and grinned at Sylvia. ¡°Thanks, Mommy!¡±


    Sylviaughed. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    After the little girl finished that round, she dragged Sylvia to her


    side to y with her. Sylvia then took Flint and yed games with Isabel for the rest of the day.


    When it was almost evening, Flint got sleepy, so Sylvia took him to her room to sleep. She also fell asleep herself not long after.


    Night came quietly.


    Ack MPV stopped outside the main gate, and the tall figure of a man stepped down from the car.


    First, he went to the bedroom and saw Sylvia and Flint, who were sleeping. Then, he went to the third floor.


    He had locked up everything she used for carving, so the only thing she could do was paint. He wondered if she had painted


    anything.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 972

    Chapter 972


    The door to the third floor was open.


    As soon as he entered, he saw the small painting on the easel.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    No, to be precise, it was two small circles that seemed to be randomly painted. The rest of it was nk.


    The brushes were also casually put away, and the paint was not used at all. The surrounding ground was also clean.


    It was not hard to figure out that she had only stayed here for a short time before leaving.


    ¡®She still can''t paint?*


    He was silent for a while, turned around, and walked out.


    Sylvia was woken up by Flint. He did not cry when he woke up, but he kept pressing his head against Sylvia, his little face


    particrly cute.


    Sylvia kissed him and carried him to the living room.


    In the living room, Odell was sitting on the sofa, reading the newspaper. Isabel was snuggled up to him, watching a show with


    the phone in her hand. Liam was sitting on the other side, reading a book.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were both outside, and the atmosphere was quiet.


    Then, Isabel noticed Sylvia and Flint.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± She jumped off the sofa and ran over.


    Odell also put down the paper and nced at Liam. ¡°Come over and eat.¡±


    Aunt Tonya heard themotion and came in from outside, carrying Flint to feed him milk.


    Sylvia took Isabel and sat at the table with Liam and Odell.


    It was already past their usual meal time. They were obviously waiting for her to eat dinner.


    After sitting down, Sylvia could not help but ask, ¡°Why didn''t you call me?¡±


    Odell gave her a slice of meat. ¡°It''s okay.¡±


    Isabel echoed, ¡°Uh-huh. Liam and | had snacks earlier, so we''re not hungry.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and lowered her head to eat the meat on her te.


    ¡°Were you at home the whole day?¡±


    Sylvia looked up and met his deep eyes. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°| spent the day ying with Isabel.¡± Thinking of something, she added, ¡°Isabel and Liam will start school in a few days, so didn''t


    let Isabel go to ss today.¡±


    Odell knew how Isabel usually acted, so he said, ¡°You can make the decision on these matters. There¡®s no need to report to


    me.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    After dinner, Sylvia took Flint to Isabel and Liam¡®s room to y with them for a while. Odell also went straight to the study.


    Coincidentally, when Sylvia came out with the sleeping Flintte at night, she bumped into Odell, who had juste out from the


    study, in the corridor. He stopped in his tracks.


    She smiled at him. ¡°Are you going to rest too?¡±


    His dark eyes looked at her. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± Sylvia waved at him. ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    It was like saying goodbye to a friend.


    Odell''s eyes darkened. ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    Sylvia carried Flint back to their bedroom while Odell also turned around and went to the guest room on the other side.


    The guest room was smaller than the master bedroom, but it was well furnished.


    He walked to the window, pushed it up, and took a cigarette from the box before putting it between his lips.


    Then, he pulled out his phone and called Skr, who was far away in Galston. The line rang several times before connecting.


    Skr muttered sleepily, ¡°Master Carter, it''s 3 a.m. in Galston now. Is there something urgent you need me for?¡±


    ¡°Did the sorcerer teach you how to lift the hypnotism?¡± ¡°He did, but it''s a bit difficult, so | haven''t mastered it yet.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 973

    Chapter 973


    ¡°When will you learn it?¡±


    ¡°It''ll take a few months at the earliest.¡±


    Odell frowned and said coldly, ¡°Come back in a month.¡±


    ¡°Master Carter, you must be kidding. The sorcerer himself took years to learn this. I''m just an ordinary person, not a god,¡±


    ¡°Come back within a month and I''ll triple your reward.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I''ll get up and learn now. I''ll be back within a month!¡±


    Odell hung up the phone and exhaled another breath of smoke. Then, he extinguished the cigarette and threw it out of the


    window.


    The weather had turned cooler, and the temperature was much lower than before.


    Sylvia did not coop herself up at home anymore. Thinking that the two little ones would start school soon, she took them out


    every day for the next few days to y. They went to the amusement park, watched movies, and yed games.


    Isabel was overjoyed, and Liam was also quite happy. Flint could only sit in the stroller and watch as they yed.


    Soon, it was the day for the two children to start school. They were starting first grade at the top elementary school in


    Westchester. The school was only two kilometers away from


    the residence.


    After eating breakfast, Sylvia carried Flint and sent Isabel and Liam to school with Odell.


    The car turned two corners and stopped outside the school.


    Today was the first day of school, so there were many parents outside the gates who were sending their children off.


    Sylvia and Odell quickly sent Isabel and Liam, who were dressed in the school uniform, to the entrance.


    Isabel and Liam stopped and looked back at them.


    Sylvia handed Flint to Odell, bent down, and touched the little ones¡® heads. ¡°Kids, from today onward, you''re officially elementary


    school students. Study hard!¡±


    Isabel pouted, her expression slightly disdainful. ¡°Mommy, why are you so cold¡ªfashioned? Liam and | aren''t little kids


    anymore.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Liam looked at her with a quiet and serious face. ¡°Don''t worry, Mommy. I''ll look after Isabel.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay, | believe you.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Isabel suddenly pouted. Although she was wearing a school uniform, her chubby face was still cute as hell.


    Sylvia instantly kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Isabel, Mommy believes in you too.¡±


    Isabel''s expression instantly improved.


    Sylvia kissed Liam as well and said, ¡°It''s gettingte. Hurry up and go in.¡±


    The two little ones walked into the school gate together. They looked back at her, Odell, and Flint once, then walked away.


    Sylvia sighed. ¡®It''s only been a few days since | woke up seven years in the future, but | feel as if my children have finally grown


    up.


    ¡°Let''s go back.¡± The man¡¯s low and maic voice came from behind


    Sylvia hummed and went back to the car with him and Flint.


    The car that was crowded when they arrived suddenly became empty and quiet.


    Sylvia¡¯s mood also inexplicably soured. Then, she asked, ¡°Has there been any news about Sherrytely?¡¯


    ¡®It''s been so many days. | wonder how Sherry is doing in nchester


    Flint crawled toward her from Odell''s arms. Odell held his side up with one hand to prevent him from falling down, and replied,


    Apart from her not being allowed to leave that courtyard, everything is normal.¡±


    ¡°Did John do anything to her?¡±


    ¡°John is usually very busy and only goes back once every few days. Every time he goes back, he''ll only spend a night there and


    leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips and did not ask again.


    ¡®It''s good as long as Sherry is fine.


    At that moment, Flint also crawled into her arms. The little one seemed to sense her depression. As soon as he got into her


    arms, he softly pressed against her.


    Sylvia¡®s heart warmed, and she could not help but smile.


    In the seat next to her, Odell looked at her gentle smile and suddenly vaguely saw how she was before she lost her memory.


    Whether it was the way she sent Isabel and Liam off at school, or how she was being gentle and loving to Flint at this moment, it


    all resembled her when she did not have amnesia.


    The emotions surged in his eyes, and the next second, he dragged her to his side.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 974

    Chapter 974


    He kissed her.


    His thin lips clung intimately to hers. It was forceful but also very gentle all at once.


    Sylvia did not expect him to suddenly kiss her and was so shocked that her eyes widened.


    Jacob was still driving in front, and Flint was still in her arms! What was wrong with this man?N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    After a while, seeing that he still had no intention to let her go, Sylvia could only reach up and scratch him.


    Only then did Odell let her go. His dark eyes stared at her face like a hawk, with a strong sense of oppression.


    Sylvia wanted to re at him, but she did not even dare to make eye contact with him. With a blush, she looked at Flint and


    asked in confusion, ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡®Why did you suddenly kiss me?*


    Odell looked at her shy appearance and gentle tone as if she was a young maiden, and his eyes instantly darkened.


    If it were before she lost her memory, she might have blushed as well, but she would have red at him and punched him


    directly instead of asking him what was wrong with him so politely.


    He said in a low voice, ¡°Sorry, | couldn''t hold back.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay.¡± Sylvia looked at Flint, who was grinning. ¡°Just give me a heads up next time.¡±


    They were husband and wife anyway, so it was normal to kiss.


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The car soon returned to the old residence.


    Sylvia picked Flint up and said to him, ¡°Go to work. I''ll get out


    now.¡±


    He looked at her gently. ¡°Mm.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered, and she picked up Flint''s hand. ¡°Flinty, say bye-bye to Daddy.¡±


    Flint giggled.


    Odell smiled and reached out to touch the little one¡¯s head, and then Sylvia¡®s. ¡°Go inside. I''ll be back early after | finish work.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She hugged Flint and got out of the car.


    Jacob then started the car and drove ahead.


    Odell looked at the side mirror.


    Sylvia was still holding Flint, standing at the spot where she got off the car, her eyes looking his way. His expression could not


    help but soften, and he pursed his lips. ¡°Drive slower.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Jacob quickly slowed down the car.


    However, before long, the car turned around the corner, and Sylvia and the child disappeared from the mirror.


    Odell¡®''s expression turned cold. ¡°Drive faster.¡±


    Jacob was confused. ¡®Didn¡®t you just tell me to drive slower ? Why are you suddenly telling me to drive faster now?*


    Nevertheless, he did not dare to ask and simply did as he was told.


    Odell took out his phone and sent a message to Cliff. ¡°Send me today¡¯s itinerary.¡±


    He wanted to finish work quickly so that he could go home sooner to be with her and the kids.


    With two fewer children in the house, it suddenly became much colder.


    For some reason, Flint was much more energetic than before. Sylvia yed with him all morning, but he was still not sleepy.


    After lunch, Sylvia took him to Madam Carter¡®s room. Flint seemed to want to be close to the old woman and reached out toward


    her as soon as he entered.


    Sylvia put him on the bed. The little guy crawled to Madam Carter and bumped his head against her.


    Sylvia smiled and said to Madam Carter, ¡°Grandma, Isabel and Liam went to school today. They¡®re in first grade now. | don''t


    know if they can adapt to the first day of ss, but they''re brilliant, so | don''t think anything will be too hard for them...¡±


    She also did not know what was wrong with her, but she spoke


    like an elderly.


    After talking about Isabel and Liam, she talked about Flint.¡± Flinty is a good boy. Look at how much he¡¯s nudging you. It''s clear


    that he likes you a lot...¡±


    Just as she was talking, she suddenly heard a cry.


    ¡°Mama.¡± Sylvia was stunned and immediately looked at Flint.

 Chapter 975

    Chapter 975


    Hey beside Madam Carter with his butt sticking up, raising his head to look at Sylvia. His eyes were wide and shiny.


    Sylvia thought she heard wrong and asked softly, ¡°Flint, did you just say something?¡±


    Flint went, ¡°Mama...¡±


    His childish voice was crisp and sweet.


    At that moment, Sylvia felt like her entire body was filled with honey. It was such a sweet sound to hear!


    ¡°Oh!¡± she eximed loudly.


    Flint opened his mouth and giggled.


    Sylvia also could not help butugh. Then, she said to Madam Carter, ¡°Grandma, did you hear that? Flint is learning how to


    speak.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    She pulled Flint into her arms and pointed to Madam Carter, saying, ¡°Flint, that¡¯s your great-grandma. Why don''t you try calling


    her?¡±


    Flint blinked, seemingly not knowing where to start.


    Sylvia taught him. ¡°Great-grandma.¡±


    Flint continued to blink.


    ¡°Great-grandma.¡±


    After an unknown amount of time, just when Sylvia was about


    to wear out her lips, Flint finally said, ¡°Nana...¡±


    Sylviaughed. ¡°Nana works too.¡±


    It seemed like he only knew how to repeat one-syble words.


    Flint giggled.


    Sylvia ced him back beside Madam Carter and instructed him, ¡°Call Nana again.¡±


    Flint blinked.


    Sylvia pointed to Madam Carter¡®s ear.


    This time, he understood and crawled to the olddy¡®s ear. His little mouth lowered to her ear and said, ¡°Mama.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    The corners of her mouth twitched, and she corrected him again, ¡°That''s Nana. I¡¯m Mama, not her.¡±


    Flint blinked his eyes, his chubby face looking very innocent.


    Sylvia¡®s heart seized, and she softened her voice to coax him again, ¡°Flint, She¡¯s Nana, and I''m Mama. You have to call her


    Nana. Na-na...¡±


    Flint''s little mouth moved. ¡°Nana.¡±


    ¡°That''s right!¡± Sylvia could not help but pinch his face. ¡°My little Flinty is so smart!¡±


    Flint, who loved thepliment, immediately opened his mouth to giggle.


    Meanwhile, a camera was capturing this warm scene in real


    time from theer of the wall above her.


    At Carter Tower, in the office on the top floor, the man was sitting in a chair, and his eyes were trained on the camera feed on his


    phone.


    He had just finished dealing with some important matters, and the lunch his secretary ordered had not arrived yet, so he wanted


    to see what was going on at home. Unexpectedly, he saw the mother and son in Madam Carter''s room and heard Flint''s voice


    calling Mama and Nana.


    ¡®The little thing is learning how to talk. That woman is also rather cute. She didn¡®t teach him how to call his father first, but instead


    taught him to call his great-grandmother.*


    Watching the interaction between the mother and son, the corners of his thin lips could not stop rising, and the smile did not


    disappear for a long time.


    Flint fell asleep aftering out of Madam Carter''s room. Sylvia had nothing else to do, so she took a nap with him.


    When she woke up, it was 3:30 p.m., an hour before Isabel and Liam finished school. She washed up briefly and changed into


    fresh clothes.


    Ack MPV stopped outside the front door when she came out of the walk-in closet.


    Sylvia happened to see it when she passed by the window. Her eyes lit up, and she immediately picked up Flint, who had just


    woken up from his nap and was ying on the bed.


    She touched his little nose. ¡°Flint, Daddy is back. Let''s go greet him.¡±


    Flint grinned and giggled as Sylviaughed and carried him out of the room.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 976

    Chapter 976


    Odell came in through the door just as Sylvia and Flint came into the living room.


    He stood there momentarily , tall and straight, as he stared at her and the baby with a deep and gentle gaze.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°You''re back.¡±


    Odell nodded and hummed in reply.


    He walked to her.


    Sylvia wanted to surprise him, so she said to Flint in her arms, * Flint, Daddy¡®s back.¡±


    She emphasized the word ¡®Daddy¡¯, to signal Flint to call his daddy.


    Flint looked at Odell and moved his tiny lips to utter, ¡°Daddy...¡±


    Odell''s lips curved into a smile, his delight showing in his eyes.


    He reached out to take Flint into his arms. Feigning ignorance, he asked Sylvia, ¡°Since when did he know how to say that?¡±


    Sylvia smiled at Odell¡®s delighted expression. ¡°I took him to Grandmother¡®s room earlier and he suddenly called me Mommy.¡±


    Odell raised a brow. ¡°He said ¡®Mommy¡¯ first?¡±


    Sylvia noticed the jealousy on his face. She could not help the feeling of pride even as she stammered, ¡°Y- Yes.¡±


    Odell squinted. ¡°Then who''s the second person that he learned to call?¡±


    A dangerous look appeared in his eyes.


    Sylvia¡®s gaze shifted and she evaded his gaze. ¡°Daddy, of course.¡±


    If he found out that she had taught Flint to call his grandmother instead of his daddy first, he would be upset.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Nana,¡± Flint suddenly said.


    Sylvia¡®s expression shifted.


    Odell looked at the baby.


    Flint''s eyes widened and he gave a silly little gurglingugh.


    Odell then looked at Sylvia sharply. ¡°Why did he say ¡®Nana¡®?¡±


    Sylvia immediately exined, ¡°I taught him ¡®Nana¡¯ after ¡®Daddy¡®, he must be practicing it.¡±


    Odell pinched the baby¡®s cheek and asked, ¡°Did Mommy teach you ¡®Daddy¡® or ¡®Nana¡¯ first?¡±


    Sylvia looked at Flint anxiously.


    She had a feeling that Flint could not understand Odell, but she also could not guarantee that he would not surprise his father.


    Then, Flint said, ¡°Nana.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s expression froze.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Odell narrowed his eyes as he looked at her.


    Sylvia nervously exined, ¡°Hey, | really did teach him to say Daddy¡¯ first!¡±


    ¡°Nana...¡± Flint said again.


    Sylvia was rendered speechless.


    Odell pursed his lips to hold the urge tough.


    ring at the little betrayer that was Flint, Sylvia said in a small voice, ¡°Grandmother was in the room so | told him to call her


    first. | just want to cheer Grandmother up.¡±


    There was no way that a grown man would want topete against his grandmother over this.


    Odell looked at her. ¡°Then why did you lie?¡±


    Sylvia pouted and said, ¡°I was afraid that you might get jealous.¡±


    ¡°Did you really think | would be jealous or mad that he called Grandmother first instead of me?¡± he said gruffly.


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°I just don¡®t want you to feel ufortable about it.¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows.


    He stared at her nervous look for a while before he sighed. He lifted her chin and looked at her seriously. ¡°| am your husband,


    not a guest of the house. You don''t need to be overly concerned about my feelings.¡±


    Sylvia hummed in reply.


    He continued, ¡°You don''t need to hold yourself back in front of me either. Just speak your mind. Be happy if you feel happy; be


    angry if you are angry. Understand?¡±


    ¡°| understand.¡±


    Despite what he said, Sylvia thought this was a little strange.


    Was she being too careful about his feelings?


    Had she overly restrained herself?


    She had been back here for many days now and everything was great. She felt a lot better and more natural than she had nine


    years ago.


    The one who seemed overly concerned was him.


    Sylvia kept her thoughts to herself and did not say it out loud, since she did not want him to be unhappy.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 977

    Chapter 977


    Odell noticed the distracted look on Sylvia''s face and realized that she probably had not heard what he said


    Sebastian came in and said to them with a smile, ¡°Sir, Madam, it''s almost time to pick Isabel and Liam up from school.¡±


    Sylvia looked at Odell. ¡°Let''s go pick them up then.¡±


    ncing at her, Odell hummed in reply and headed out with little Flint in his arms. Sylvia followed behind him.


    Awhileter, the couple arrived at the front of the school.


    The moment the bell rang, the kids ran out of the gate like a swarm of bees.


    Sylvia and Odell got out of the car and waited for the two of them in front of the gate.


    Isabel and Liam finally came out after all the other kids left.


    Liam''s hands were in his pocket as he walked while Isabel hopped along behind him like a cheerful bunny, even waving at the


    security guard as she left. ¡°Good bye, Uncle Ted!¡±


    She was so adorable that even the security guard was charmed and he waved back at her with a warm smile.


    Delighted, Sylvia waved at her kids, and they spotted her quickly.


    Liam¡®s eyes gleamed upon seeing his mother and Isabel started running towards her.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± The girl threw herself into her mother¡¯s arms.


    Sylvia hugged the girl and then the boy. She then held their hands and returned to the car with Odell and Flint.


    As the car started and they left the school, Sylvia asked about their first day at school.


    Liam said, ¡°Nothing special.¡±


    Sylvia then looked at Isabel.


    The girl blurted, ¡°The ssroom is a lot bigger than the one in kindergarten and the teachers are a lot fiercer! They won''t let me


    sleep!¡±


    Helplessly, the corners of Sylvia¡®s lips twitched. ¡°Izzy, you can''t sleep in ss.¡±


    ¡°| know, but | was sleepy.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sylvia was rendered speechless.


    ¡°From now on, you should go to bed at 9 o¡¯clock every night,¡± Odell said.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°But, the show that I''m watching ends at 10 o''clock!¡±


    Odell grimly said, ¡°If you don''t go to bed early, no more TV for


    you.¡±


    Isabel turned to Sylvia but Sylvia feigned ignorance and looked outside the window.


    ¡°Hmph! Fine!¡± The girl continued to pout.


    Perhaps it was because Odell''s face was so stern, Isabel did not dare to cause a scene and the atmosphere in the car began to


    cool down.


    Suddenly, a thought came to Sylvia¡®s mind and she turned to Isabel and Liam to say. ¡°Izzy, Liam, | have some happy news to tell


    you.¡±


    The two of them stared at her with bright, gleaming eyes.


    ¡°Flint knows how to call names now!¡±


    Upon hearing what their mother said, the two of them immediately turned to their little brother.


    Flint grinned brightly when he sensed his sister and brother''s enthusiastic gazes on him.


    Sylvia said, ¡°Flint. This is your sister and your brother. Do you remember what | taught you?¡±


    Flint instantly called out, ¡°Brother.¡±


    Liam¡®s expression changed and a secretly proud grin appeared on his face.


    Flint then stopped speaking.


    Isabel furrowed her brows. ¡°Hey, silly brother, what about me?¡±


    Flint, ¡°Brother...¡±


    ¡°Call me ¡®Sister¡®! Sister!¡± Isabel anxiously looked at the baby.


    Flint, ¡°Brother...¡±


    Isabel''s cheeks puffed up as she pouted. ¡°It''s ¡®Sister! Not¡¯


    Brother!¡±


    ¡°Brother...¡±


    No one knew if the baby was doing it intentionally.


    Isabel put her hands on her hips and red at her little brother.


    ¡°Brother... Brother...¡±


    ¡°You little...!¡±


    Everyone else in the car burst intoughter except Isabel.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 978

    Chapter 978


    Chapter 978


    The peaceful and happy days went by swiftly.


    Flint had started learning how to speak, so Sylvia started teaching him more and more words. Although the life they led was a


    little simple, it was not exactly boring.


    Odell came home from work on time almost every day. There were days when he had to work untilte at night, but fortunately, it


    was not frequent.


    Isabel continued to sulk and was annoyed by Flint for the next few days. The sulking finally ended when Flint finally called her¡¯


    Sister¡¯ for the first time and put an end to the whole unpleasant episode.


    Two weeks went by in the blink of an eye.


    Because it was a Saturday, both Isabel and Liam did not have to attend school and Odell did not have to work on weekends.


    Isabel wanted to go to the amusement park, so Sylvia and Odell took them out for the entire day.


    Even when the sky had turned dark, the little girl refused to go home and wanted to go to a movie instead.


    Odell nced at Flint who was sleeping soundly in Sylvia¡®s arms. He said, ¡°Your brother is still too young to go to a theater. We''ll


    go next time.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Oh...¡±


    She was disappointed. She had been looking forward to going to the movies but had to be considerate of her little brother too.


    Sylvia said, ¡°I heard that there¡®s a new 3D animation movie that was just released recently. It''s quite popr. Why don''t you


    watch the movie with the two of them while I''ll take Flint for a walk? We''ll go home together when you guys are done.¡±


    Odell¡®s lips tightened.


    Isabel then said, ¡°Mommy, let''s go home. We''ll watch it next


    time.¡±


    She sounded obedient but could not conceal the disappointment on her face.


    The disappointment on the girl''s face was heart-wrenching, so Sylvia suggested , ¡°The movie might not be showing anymore


    next week and you guys might not watch it anymore.¡±


    Isabel pouted. She wanted to watch the movie but did not want her mother and little brother to wait for them alone.


    Sylvia turned to Odell. ¡°Odell, just take them to the movies. I''ll be fine alone. I''ll go and take a stroll with Flint.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. He then looked at Ben and Jacob. ¡°Ben, you guys take them to the movies.¡±


    Ben said, ¡°Yes, Sir. We will take care of the two of them. Sir and Madam can go take a stroll or shop.¡±


    Ben and Jacob then went over to Isabel and Liam.


    Isabel was over the moon. She held her brother''s hand and said,


    ¡°Mommy, Baddie Daddy, you guys go dating. Liam and | will listen to Uncle Ben and Uncle Jacob! We''ll be good kids!¡±


    Sylvia smiled at the girl''s cheerful expression. ¡°Okay, you guys go ahead.¡±


    Isabel dragged her brother along as she ran while Ben and Jacob followed behind.


    Odell took Flint from Sylvia and held her hand. ¡°Where would you like to go?¡±


    They were a few steps away from the livelymercial street, which was also connected to a mall.


    Sylvia pursed her lips in thought before replying. ¡°Let''s just have a stroll here.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They held hands and strolled down the pathway.


    It was lively on the street.


    Groups of friends and couples in pairs were strolling along the street.


    Odell¡®s handsome looks attracted thedies¡® attention but when they saw him with the baby in his arms and Sylvia by his side,


    they withdrew their envious gazes and no one tried to catch his eye.


    Flint slept soundly and showed no signs of waking up.


    Sylvia had a rxing stroll and was even in the mood to queue up for food.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She waited in line for fifteen minutes to get some pizza.


    The pizza was famous for its spicy vor with cheese.


    After getting it, she returned to Odell who was sitting on a bench along the street with Flint in his arms.


    Sylvia sat down and put a piece of pizza near his mouth. ¡°Here, have a taste.¡±


    Odell hesitated.


    ¡°Come on, it''s getting cold,¡± Sylvia urged.


    Odell opened his mouth and took a bite.


    Sylvia stared at him with glimmering eyes.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 979

    Chapter 979


    He frowned as though he had eaten something strange. He then chewed for a while before swallowing it.


    ¡°You don''t like it?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°It''s a little spicy.¡±


    ¡°Spicy? Really? | didn''t feel anything.¡± Sylvia took a big bite and swallowed it after a few good chews.


    She took one bite after another and in less than two minutes, she finished off half of the pizza.


    Odell patted her on the head. ¡°Stop eating that already. Go buy something else to eat.¡±


    Sylvia shook her head as she continued eating. ¡°No. Let me finish this first.¡±


    Odell patted her on the head again. ¡°Take it slow. Don''t choke on your food.¡±


    ¡°Mhmmm...¡± She slowed down but eventually finished the pizza.


    After thest bite, she beamed happily at him. ¡°This was so good. | want more!¡±


    Her face was flushed like a happy little girl.


    Odell chuckled helplessly. He pulled out a piece of tissue paper from her bag and wiped her mouth for her.


    Sylvia lifted her head to allow him to do it.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Their intimate interaction attracted the attention of the people around them.


    ¡°Look, what an attractive man!¡±


    ¡°He''s so caring towards his wife! Not only is he carrying the baby, but he¡¯s even wiping his wife¡¯s mouth!¡±


    ¡°I''m so envious.¡±


    They were talking rather loudly so it was hard for Sylvia not to hear it.


    Odell finished wiping her mouth and tossed the tissue paper into the trash can.


    He held her hand and stood up.


    Sylvia licked her lips and hooked one of her arms with his as they walked forward.


    The sound of the chatters of envy finally faded when they left the crowded ce.


    ¡°Why are you so happy?¡± The man¡®s charming voice sounded from above her head.


    Sylvia looked up and saw him staring at her with a deep and gentle look in his eyes.


    She leaned on his shoulder. ¡°Nothing. I''m just happy.¡±


    Odell chuckled a while before he suddenly stopped.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Sylvia asked.


    He nced at a certain stall and said, ¡°There¡®s an ice-cream


    stall there. Want to go have a look?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes gleamed. ¡°Yeah! Let''s go!¡±


    She dashed towards the stall without a second thought.


    Odell was left speechless on the spot.


    His lips then curled into a loving smile with a hint of helplessness.


    He had pictured this heart-warming scene so many times.


    The baby in his arms, holding hands with her as they took a stroll on the street, all of these were part of his fantasy.


    His fantasy had finallye true even though she had lost her memories and she now behaved like a girl in her early twenties.


    Later that night, the MPV stopped in front of the mansion.


    Ben and Jacob got out and opened the door for their boss.


    Odell got out and handed Isabel and Liam off to them, one by one.


    Sebastian and Aunt Tonya came out when they heard the noise from the car engine.


    Odell handed the sleeping Flint over to Aunt Tonya before carrying Sylvia, who was asleep, in his arms.


    After settling mother and children in, Odell went back to the guest room that he had been sleeping in.


    He went to stand by the window and dialed Skr''s number.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 980

    Chapter 980


    The call got through after a few seconds.


    ¡°When will you be back?¡± Odell asked.


    ¡°Sir. I''m at a critical point in my studies. Please give me another week, tops. I''ll master it ande back.¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows and hummed in reply.


    The weekend went by in the blink of an eye.


    Perhaps it was because Isabel and Liam had slept early, they woke up earlier than Sylvia on Monday morning.


    Odell went to work after breakfast. Sylvia then sent the kids to school and watched them go inside before she went home.


    Flint had started to be clingy. He threw himself into his mother''s arms as soon as she came home and clutched at her


    clothes as he called her multiple times.


    ¡°Mommy. Mommy.¡±


    His adorable little voice melted Sylvia''s heart, so she held him as she continued to guide and teach him to call out other names.


    The little guy could only speak a few words for now, such as calling Aunt Tonya ¡®Nana¡¯ and Sebastian ¡®Dada¡¯.


    Both of them were delighted when Flint had called them.


    Sebastian had even blushed.


    Unable to conceal the wide smile on his face, he waved his hand repeatedly as he said, ¡°Oh my, oh my. This is too much for me


    to handle.¡±


    Even though Isabel and Liam were not at home during the day, the atmosphere at home was still quite lively with little Flint


    around


    Friday arrived in a sh.


    Sylvia had overslept that evening so she had not picked Isabel and Liam up from school today.


    When Flint woke her up from her nap, she saw Isabel running in.


    The little girl ran in wearing her uniform that was a little too tight on her. Her little legs were moving so fast that her pigtails


    fluttered behind her.


    ¡°Mommy, we''re home!¡±


    She was like a bird that had just been let out of its cage.


    Liam¡®s hands were in his pocket and he was behaving a lot calmer than his sister. He followed her inside at a steady pace.


    Sylvia carried Flint in her arms and walked up to them.


    ¡°Hey silly brother, let me carry you,¡± Isabel said as she reached her arms out to Flint.


    Flint reached his arms out to her as well.


    Sylvia then ced Flint in Isabel''s arms.


    The moment the little baby was ced in her arms, her little chubby face became flushed. However, she still managed to hold


    onto him tightly in her arms. She grumbled, ¡°Silly brother, you''re getting as fat as a pig.¡±


    Obviously not understanding her, Flint gave her a silly smile as he giggled and even tried to kiss her.


    ¡°| don''t want to kiss a fat piggy.¡±


    Despite saying so, she did not dodge her little brother''s kiss. She allowed him to suck on her cheek for a while before passing


    Flint over to Liam with a disgusted look on her face and throwing herself into Sylvia''s arms.


    Liam calmly carried Flint in his arms.


    Flint clearly liked his brother a lot. He grinned as he opened his mouth and said, ¡°Brother...¡±


    Liam gave a small smile and said, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Flint then nted a big kiss on his big brother''s face, leaving a trace of saliva all over his cheek.


    Liam frowned as he always preferred to stay clean and hygienic.


    Isabel burst intoughter when she saw the interaction between her brothers. ¡°Hahaha...¡±


    Liam red at her with furious eyes.


    ¡°Hahahaha,¡±


    Isabel stoppedughing when she sensed her brother''s re.


    Failing to hold herself back, Sylvia let out a little giggle. Isabel put her hands on her hips and looked at her mother.¡± Mommy, are


    youughing at me?!¡±


    Sylvia held back herughter and said, ¡°No. I''mughing because you guys are happy.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Why didn¡®t youugh when |ughed at Liam?!¡±


    ¡°| did. You just didn¡¯t hear me.¡±


    The girl''s eyes gleamed. ¡°Really?¡±


    Before Sylvia could reply, she sensed Liam¡®s gaze.


    The boy was staring at her calmly. Although he did not show much expression, Sylvia felt pressured.


    She found herself in a quandary.


    If she spoke the truth, Liam would be unhappy; if she lied, the girl would definitely throw a tantrum.


    Just as she was at a loss about what to do, a loud farting noise in the room.


    Isabel pinched her nose and jumped around. ¡°FLINT FARTED !!¡±


    Liam frowned as well.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 981

    Chapter 981


    Sylvia took Flint over from Liam and said, ¡°Flint might have pooped. You guys go ahead and y, | have to change his diaper.¡±


    Together with Flint, Sylvia then made her escape from Isabel and Liam.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Bro, | have a feeling that Mommy is trying to avoid our question.¡±


    Liam crossed his arms. ¡°Be confident and just remove the words ¡®have a feeling¡® from your sentence.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! She must choose between you and me today!¡±


    Isabel moved her tiny legs and quickly chased after her mother.


    Liam frowned and followed his sister out.


    The man outside the door overheard the little situation and chuckled.


    This woman might have lost all her memories of her children, but she was happy whenever she was with them. She was not as


    distant with them as she was with him.


    She was happy now most of the time. Most of the memories in the past nine years that she had forgotten were terrible ones. If


    she remembered all of them, would she continue to be happy and carefree?


    Ring.


    His phone rang. He answered it and put it next to his ear.


    Skr¡®s voice could be heard through the phone. ¡°Sir, | just got off the ne. Should | go to your ce now?¡±


    Odell went silent for two seconds. ¡°Go home and have a rest. We''ll talk about it tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Fortunately, Flint had only farted. He had not pooped.


    As if he knew that his fart had stunk to high heaven, he happily giggled as Sylvia carried him back to her room.


    Sylvia kissed him and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You farted at just the right time.¡±


    The moment she stopped speaking, the door creaked open.


    Isabel and Liam stood side by side at the entrance.


    Isabel put her hands on her hips and pouted. ¡°Mommy, didn¡®t you say you had to change Flint''s diaper?¡±


    Liam put his hands in his pockets as the expression on his face remained cool. ¡°What did you mean by ¡®farted at just the right


    time¡®?¡±


    Isabel asked, ¡°Were youughing at me just now, or were youughing at Liam?¡±


    ¡°Uh... Listen...¡± Sylvia stuttered.


    Both brother and sister pouted as they waited for their mother''s


    answer.


    Sylvia choked.


    This time around, Flint did not rescue her with another fart. Instead, he joined his brother and sister in staring up at her.


    Sylvia once again found herself in a quandary. It was then that a towering figure appeared behind Isabel and Liam.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up as if she had just seen her savior. ¡°You''re home!¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Liam and Isabel turned around.


    ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± the man asked.


    Isabel answered, ¡°We are trying to find out if Mommy wasughing at Liam or me just now.¡±


    Odell asked, ¡°What happened just now?¡± Isabel briefly exined what happened and then pointed at Sylvia. ¡°Mommy! Tell us!


    Were youughing at Liam or me?!¡±


    Sylvia looked to Odell for help.


    The man tightened his lips, not seeming to want to offer his help.


    Isabel and Liam looked at her.


    Sylvia helplessly said, ¡°Actually, | didn¡¯tugh at either of you. | wasughing at Flint.¡±


    Flint giggled when he heard his name.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Isabel grunted.


    Liam pouted coldly.


    Odell then carried them out one by one. ¡°Go back to your room and do your homework.¡±


    His voice sounded cold and serious, as if he would brook no objection.


    They had no choice but to leave.


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief.


    When Odell came back in, he saw Sylvia smiling at him.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 982

    Chapter 982


    Walking up to her, he stroked her head before taking Flint, who was reaching his arms out to him, into his arms and sitting down


    beside her.


    Flint tried to kiss him but Odell was a lot taller. Even though the little baby mustered up all his strength, his head could only touch


    Odell''s chin.


    The boy began to feel so anxious that he started to whimper.


    Sylvia could not help but say, ¡°Flint is trying to kiss you. You should allow him to do so.¡±


    Odell gave her a deep stare. ¡°I want to kiss you as well.¡±


    His face was serious although his charming voice sounded pleasant.


    Sylvia blushed and her heart began to pound. Shyly, she moved closer to him and granted his request.


    Odell grinned and kissed her softly on her lips.


    He then lifted Flint closer to his face and let the little guy kiss and slobber all over his face.


    After leaving traces of his saliva on Odell¡®s cheek, the little guy giggled happily.


    Sylvia pinched Flint''s cheek mischievously.


    Odell smiled to see both mother and sonughing so happily.


    When Flint had quieted down, Odell asked, ¡°Do you want to recover your memories?¡±


    Sylvia looked into his deep eyes.


    Recover her memories?


    She had jumped ahead from nine years ago without any knowledge or memories of the past nine years. What was there to


    recover?


    However, judging by his passionate gaze, he seemed to believe that she could recover her memories.


    After thinking about it, she asked, ¡°Do you have a way to help me recover my memories?¡±


    ¡°Well, there is someone who can.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°You met her before. Skr O''Brian, a psychiatrist.¡±


    Sylvia nodded silently.


    ¡°She just returned to Westchester, so if you want to recover your memories, I''ll tell her toe over tomorrow. If you don''t want


    to, we can just forget it.¡±


    He looked calm but Sylva had a feeling that he wanted her to remember what had happened in the past nine years.


    She said, ¡°Yeah. Tell her toe over.¡±


    She had jumped all the way here from nine years ago and been unable to remember anything so far. She might as well allow Dr.


    O''Brian to meet Odell¡®s expectations.


    Sylvia¡®s lips curled up in a smile. She looked pure and refreshing with her crystal clear eyes.


    Odell went silent for a few seconds. ¡°Why don''t you think about it first?¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. Just tell her toe over.¡±


    He pursed his lips as he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    On the second morning, Skr came.


    Sylvia sat down on the couch with Odell and her kids.


    Skr greeted Odell when she came in and then smiled at Sylvia. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Ross.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Hi.¡±


    Skr smiled at the kids before she said to Odell, ¡°Master Carter, | need to be alone with Ms. Ross in a closed room.¡±


    Odell nodded.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    He held Sylvia¡®s hand as they stood up. He stroked her face and said softly, ¡°Just follow her instructionster. Don''t be afraid.¡±


    Sylvia nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Odell let go of her hand and let her walk over to Skr.


    The two of them headed up to the second floor.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 983

    Chapter 983


    Chapter 983


    Skr had already given instructions the night before about how she wanted the room prepared for the therapy session.


    All the necessary items had been prepared in the storage room on the second floor.


    The storage room had no windows and when the door closed, it was as quiet as if all connection with the outer world was cut


    off.


    There were two chairs inside.


    Sylvia sat opposite Skr.


    With a warm smile on her face, Skr softly said, ¡°Ms. Ross, please rx.¡±


    Worthy of her title as a psychologist, she could sense Sylvia¡®s nervousness.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I''ll try.¡±


    She was a little nervous but she tried her best to suppress it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She took a deep breath to calm her thoughts.


    Skr then took a silver ne with a cross hanging from it out of her bag.


    She held the ne in front of Sylvia. ¡°Ms. Ross, please look at the cross.¡±


    Sylvia did as she was told.


    ¡°Look at it, empty your mind and don¡¯t think of anything.¡±


    Sylviaplied.


    Suddenly, she saw a shadow sh in front of her.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, did you see a shadow?¡±


    Sylvia nodded.


    ¡°Alright. Close your eyes.¡±


    Sylvia closed her eyes.


    Skr started to chant in a foreignnguage. It sounded like some incantation but thankfully to Skr¡®s soft voice, it did not


    irritate her ears.


    Sylvia had a feeling that her consciousness had been taken to another world.


    Her consciousness started to fade.


    Awhileter, she felt as if someone had picked her up from the chair and carried her to a big soft bed before covering her with a


    nket.


    She tried to open her eyes but found that she could not.


    It was then that images started to sh in her mind and flooded her mind like the rising tide.


    She saw herself in a luxurious hotel after having just had sex.


    There was a knocking on the door that woke her up.


    She opened her eyes and saw her stepmother, Dona, and Odell''s


    stepmother, plus several other rtives at the door, looking at them in disbelief.


    Someone screamed, ¡°Oh my goodness! Why are they sleeping together?!¡±


    Amid the chaotic situation, Sylvia noticed Dona¡¯s delightful grin and Odell¡®s stepmother''s cold grin.


    Terrified, she covered herself with the sheets and looked at Odell who was beside her.


    She tried to exin to him that she had note into his room on purpose. She had been drugged by her stepmother.


    However, the man had kicked her out of bed before she could say a word.


    She fell onto the floor with a loud thud.


    The pain as her back hit the floor almost knocked her out cold.


    The images then fast-forwarded to ater time.


    Before she knew it, she had married the man she liked and feared for many years and moved in with him.


    She thought her wish of staying with him had finallye through but what she had gotten in return was his endless indifference


    and disregard. Eventually, she had not even dared to appear before the man because she had been afraid that it would make


    him unhappy.


    After that, the man had defeated his stepmother and regained control of thepany. He had be so busy that he barely


    came home for half a month. She decided to visit the office and


    unfortunately, she caught her best friend, Tara, having an affair with him. The way he had looked at Tara was gentle and loving.


    This was something he had never shown her.


    Then, she had found out that she was pregnant with twins and she had thought that by telling him the good news, it would bring


    him back to her. Biting the bullet, she had gone to the vi that he had gifted Tara. However, Tara had then imed that she was


    also pregnant. Tara had fallen down the stairs and faked losing her baby just so she could frame her. Sylvia had tried to exin


    herself but he had imprisoned her for half a year without trying to understand the truth.


    In the six months that she had been locked up, he had never oncee home. She had been stuck at home with Aunt Tonya


    and her growing belly forpany.


    By the time he had appeared in her life again, it was one month after her delivery. Tara hade to her ce to provoke her and


    then falsely use Sylvia of pping her six times. Sylvia had then been pped sixty times before she had even fully


    recovered from giving birth to the twins. Her children had been taken away from her and she was chased out of the house.


    The images reyed themselves as though she was watching a movie. It was as vivid and clear as if she had just been through


    all of them in a matter of seconds.


    Her heart throbbed as if it were being held down and crushed on the ground.


    She suddenly opened her eyes and found herself in a room that was warmly lit with the man beside her.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 984

    Chapter 984


    Chapter 984


    The man was sitting on the chair beside the bed with his forehead propped up with one hand, seemingly asleep.


    The warm lighting cast a soft luster on the skin of his handsome face.


    He seemed so unlike the person she had seen in her mind, yet seeing him made her heart ache. She could even still feel the


    pain from the sixty ps on her face.


    She clenched her hands tightly and wept silently for a while.


    When she finally calmed down and regained herposure , she took a deep breath and got out of bed.


    It was 1 o¡¯clock in the morning. The whole house was shrouded in darkness.


    Sylvia went to the living room, walked past the yard and arrived at the gate.


    ¡°Madam?¡± Ben was on duty tonight and he was surprised to find Sylvia out here at this hour.


    ¡°What are you doing up in the middle of the night? Have you regained your memory?¡±


    Sylvia stared at him coldly. ¡°Yeah. | remember you were there when | was pped sixty times.¡±


    Ben¡®s face turned pale. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Six years ago, when Odell snatched my children away and


    chased me out of the house, you were there.¡±


    Ben took a step backwards and exined, ¡°Madam, | was merely carrying out Master Carter¡®s orders. | didn''t hold you down on


    the ground or p you. Those were done by other people. | did not participate in any of that. | was there because Master Carter


    told me to take care of Liam.¡±


    ¡°So you were there to take my child away from me.¡±


    In the night, her unusually pale face and frosty gaze made her look like a ghost.


    Ben quivered. ¡°I didn''t take Liam away. Master Carter told me to hold on to Liam, | didn''t take him away from you.¡±


    He was just an employee carrying out his boss¡® order.


    Sylvia simply stared at him coldly.


    Ben had goosebumps . ¡°Madam, those who pped you were eventually fired by Master Carter. If you are still angry about it, I''ll


    go find them and you can p them back.¡±


    ¡°Start the car and take me away.¡±


    Ben was shocked. ¡°Huh? Where are you going? Have you informed Master Carter?¡±


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°You have a minute to prepare. If you tell Odell, | will fire you first and don''t even think about making a living


    in Westchester anymore.¡±


    ¡°Madam, can ... say no? Jacob was also there when you were pped...¡±


    Sylvia took her phone out and started counting. ¡°You have fifty seconds left.¡±


    With great reluctance, Ben went to the garage to bring the car over.


    Sylvia got in.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Ben drove the car out looking very reluctant.


    After the car left the house, the gate automatically closed.


    Sylvia looked ahead with a frosty expression on her face.


    Ben then asked, ¡°Madam, where would you like to go?¡±


    Sylvia furrowed her brows. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Then why don''t we just go for a drive?¡±


    Sylvia did not say anything.


    Ben drove slowly as wandered aimlessly on the road. From time to time, he would nce at Sylvia''s terrifying expression


    through the rear mirror.


    After some careful deliberation, he asked, ¡°Madam, did you only recover the memories of the first few years?¡±


    ¡°Mhmmm.¡±


    ¡°Well actually... Master Carter already knows that he misunderstood you and you guys actually got together again after that.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and drive or I''ll fire you right away,¡± she said.


    Ben zipped his mouth shut.


    Sylvia stared out of the window.


    There were almost no cars on the road, only the sh of the streetmps as they passed each one. It was a quiet night, but she


    could not calm down.


    Before Skr had hypnotized her, she had strongly believed that she had time-traveled here from nine years ago.


    She had not even once suspected that she truly had amnesia.


    Aunt Tonya had told her what happened before but she had only described it briefly. She had not expected to feel such immense


    pain when she saw it with her own eyes!


    That b*stard!


    If she had not been afraid of waking him, she would have pped him back sixty times!


    She pulled her phone out and scrolled through the contact list.


    ¡°Go to nchester,¡± she said.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 985

    Chapter 985


    Chapter 985 Ben asked, ¡°Why are you going to Glenchester in the middle of the night?¡±


    Sylvia remained silent. She really did not want to talk at the moment.


    When he saw that Sylvia was refusing to talk, Ben secretly reached for his phone in his pocket with his free hand.


    ¡°If you text them, I''ll fire you immediately.¡±


    Ben¡¯s hand froze. He said in a small voice, ¡°Madam, Master Carter and the kids will be worried about you leaving without any


    notice.¡±


    ¡°Shut. Up. And. Drive.¡±


    Sylvia stared ahead coldly as she spoke like an emotionless ghost.


    Ben withdrew in fear and he dared not speak another word.


    Two hourster.


    Back at the Carter residence, the man suddenly woke up from his nap.


    He bolted up from his chair when he saw that the woman had disappeared from the bed.


    ¡°Sylvia?!¡±


    The only reply he got was silence.


    Sylvia was not in the bathroom or the closet. He strode to the kids¡® room, but they were sleeping soundly with Flint between


    them; Sylvia was not in their room.


    He strode to the living room, the yard, and the gate.


    He saw no one on duty at the gate and one car was missing from the garage.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    He pulled his phone out and called Ben but did not receive an answer.


    With a grim expression on his face, he shouted, ¡°Men!¡±


    Another hour went by.


    The sky slowly turned bright. It was almost dawn but Carter residence was in a tense situation.


    The servants did their chores in silence.


    Jacob and other bodyguards stood on alert in the yard.


    Aunt Tonya tried calling Sylvia''s phone but could not get through


    Sebastian was also nervous.


    Odell was checking the footage in the security room alone, constantly reying the same footage over and over again.


    The footage from several hours ago showed Sylvia at the gate, lightly dressed. She could be seen speaking to Ben but the


    footage had not captured their conversation.


    Odell could tell from Ben¡®s expression that he had been forced to take her away.


    But why had she wanted to go away?


    Was it because she had recovered some of the bad memories?


    However, they had already gotten back together before she lost her memory and they had even survived Thomas¡® trap together.


    They had vowed never to leave each other again.


    What had happened?


    It was then his phone rang.


    The call was from Cliff.


    He answered the phone and asked, ¡°Any news from Bowman?¡±


    Cliff said in a small voice, ¡°No news from Officer Sach yet but Peter, Master Stockton¡®s assistant, called me and he informed me


    that Madam is at the Stockton¡®s ce.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°Stockton¡®s ce? Why?¡±


    ¡°| heard she''s there to see Ms. Fowler.¡±


    Odell sighed. ¡°What else did John say?¡±


    ¡°Master Stockton has helped to calm madam down. He told you not to worry.¡±


    Not to worry? That was unlikely. The thought of tying Sylvia up and bringing her back from Glenchester even crossed his mind.


    He sighed and said, ¡°Tell John to look after my wife. I''m going to Glenchester now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡°


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 986

    Chapter 986


    Sylvia was led to a guest room at Stockton¡®s mansion after she arrived at Glenchester.


    The butler had even arranged for a bodyguard and a maid for her.


    It was already morning yet she had still not seen Sherry.


    She wanted to leave the room but the maid and the bodyguard stopped her.


    The maid smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, Ms. Fowler hasn¡¯t woken up yet. It''s not yet time for you to meet with her. Please wait for a little lo


    nger.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She had been waiting for an hour now.


    She might have arrived a little earlier than normal but even if John did not want her disturbing Sherry, her friend should have


    woken up by now.


    The bodyguard and maid must have gotten orders from John to keep her in the room, but why prevent her from seeing Sherry?


    Had he done something to her this time?


    Sylvia red at the bodyguard.


    The man was tall and strong, and there was no way she could defeat him.


    She went back into the room and shut the door.


    Meanwhile, Sherry had just woken up from bed in another room within the mansion.


    The windows and door were shut tight, the light was on and the room was in a mess as though it had just been through a war.


    Sherry sat on the bed dressed in her panties and camisole, with her legs crossed. At the moment, her eyes were locked on the w


    ell-dressed man.


    His white shirt, coupled with his golden¡ª


    framed sses,plemented his slender figure and elegant demeanor. It was as though he hade into this


    messy room by ident.


    If he had not ravaged Sherry on the bed earlier, she would have thought that the mess in the room had nothing to do with him.


    Sherry took a deep breath to suppress the urge to cut him up into pieces. ¡°Can | see Sylvia now?¡±


    John stared at her. He sat down beside the bed and turned his back on her. ¡°My shoulders are a little bit tight. Give me a massag


    e.


    ¡°You f*cking,¡±


    John turned around with a grin. ¡°Haven''t you had enough of * cking?¡±


    Sherry gulped and put on a ttering smile. ¡°Aye, a massage ? Right away.¡±


    She crawled over to him and put her hands on his shoulder.


    John turned away, and the ttering smile on Sherry¡®s face immediately turned cold.


    She squeezed his shoulder as hard as she could, but his shoulders were as hard as a rock. It almost broke her fingers.


    Sherry narrowed her eyes and started to muster all her strength to squeeze harder.


    ¡°Give me a good massage and I''ll let you see her,¡± the man said warmly.


    The cold expression on her face


    changed. She forced out augh and said, ¡°Alright, dear sir. I''ll make sure you get the best massage of your life.¡±


    She clenched her teeth and massaged him properly.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She knew how to massage well. When she was a child, she often gave massages to her grandmother who used to do


    a lot of farm work.


    When the man had chosen to be with her and was chased out of the Stocktons, they had lived on the streets for some time


    and she massaged him frequently.


    Images of distant memories flooded her mind all of a sudden.


    Her hands unwillingly gave his shoulders a good massage.


    The room went quiet.


    Only after some time had passed, the man finally said, ¡°Enough.¡±


    His voice was as cold as ice.


    Sherry regained herposure and pulled herself out of her thoughts. She quickly withdrew her hands immediately.


    John stood up. He headed to the door without looking back and said, ¡°They will bring her over here


    in a moment.¡± He then walked out of the room.


    Sherry¡®s expression changed before she got up and headed to the changing room.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 987

    Chapter 987


    Chapter 987


    Back in Sylvia''s room, she had just opened a window and was about to attempt to escape through it.


    When she was about to jump from the balcony to the yard, she heard a knocking at the door.


    The maid''s voice followed . ¡°Mrs. Carter, are you resting ? Ms. Fowler has woken up, so Master Stockton told me to bring you ov


    er to her.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes lit up. ¡°No, I''m already up. I''ming.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Riding a shuttle bus that had been especially designed to be driven within the huge manor


    grounds, it took Sylvia three minutes to reach the other building where Sherry¡®s room was located


    Several bodyguards were stationed outside the entrance. However, since John must have given the order, no one stopped her.


    She walked through the front yard and reached the door.


    When she entered the living hall, Sherry came out of her room.


    Her hair was loosely draped over her shoulder and she wore a long dress with slippers. It looked as if she had just woken up.


    There was nothing wrong with her attire but she was obviously thinner and paler than thest time Sylvia had seen her.


    Sylvia ran to her. ¡°Sherry, has he been abusing you?¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°He just doesn''t let me out of the premises. He hasn''t done anything to me.¡±


    ¡°You look a lot thinner.¡±


    Sherry looked evasive. ¡°I just haven''t had much of an appetite, so I''ve been skipping meals.¡±


    No appetite?


    Sylvia nced at her tummy.


    When she was pregnant with Isabel and Liam, she had also lost her appetite and be a lot thinner than before.


    ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±


    Sherry answered immediately, ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Why? How could you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°| take birth control pills every time we f*ck. There¡®s no way I''m having his baby.¡±


    Sherry looked serious. Sylvia frowned. ¡°Then why the loss of appetite? Aren''t they feeding you well?¡±


    The Sherry she knew would never lose her appetite. Even when Sherry had been chased out of her family and asked for Sylvia''s


    help, she had still been able to eat.


    Sherry avoided her questioning gaze. ¡°I just don''t feel like it. You know, being locked up and all.¡±


    Sylvia did not believe her.


    However, before she could ask any more questions, Sherry asked her, ¡°Sylvia, what brings you here? Did you argue with Odell a


    gain? Did he do anything bad to you?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s gaze turned cold. ¡°He didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then why did youe all the way here in the middle of the night? What happened?¡± Sherry asked out of concern.


    Sylvia tightened her lips and said, ¡°I recovered my memory.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What then?¡±


    ¡°| only recovered a part of it. Just the first three of the nine years.¡±


    The corners of Sherry¡®s mouth twitched. ¡°So you


    only remember the events before he pped you sixty times and kicked you out before taking the children away?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Okay, | got it.¡±


    At the same time, in the building next door, John sat before the dining table alone.


    Before him, a sumptuous breakfast had beenid out.


    He was on his phone, listening to a live recording of the conversation next door.


    His phone was connected to the receiver in the living hall, and


    he could hear every word that Sherry and Sylvia spoke.


    His brows furrowed when he heard Sylvia talking about the sixty ps.


    When he had first dated Sherry, he heard manyints about Odell. Originally , he had only thought that Odell


    did not like his wife, hence the silent treatment. He had not expected the man to


    have snatched his kids away, pped his wife sixty times and chased her out of the house.


    As expected of Odell Carter of Westchester. He was a ruthless person indeed.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 988

    Chapter 988


    Chapter 988 After chatting for a while, the servants brought in breakfast.


    The breakfast that was served contained all the specialties of Glenchester and was very sumptuous.


    Simultaneously, the two of them looked at the table of food, so Sylvia missed the sh of shock and surprise in Sherry''s eyes.


    ¡°Come on, Syl. Let''s eat.¡±


    She grabbed Sylvia''s hand and pulled her over to the table.


    Sylvia was also starving as she followed her over. But, hadn''t Sherry said that she had lost her appetite?


    After a while, Sylvia''s eyes swept over the empty tes on the table that Sherry had furiously wiped clean and felt baffled by it.


    ¡°Burp.¡± Sherry let out a huge belch and giggled. ¡°I don''t know why but my appetite came back when | saw you, Syl.¡±


    Sylvia remained quiet.


    John, who was eating next door, was left speechless. ¡°Hmph.¡±


    After breakfast, Sylvia asked, ¡°Sherry, why is John keeping you here?¡±


    Sherry sat with her back against the sun. ¡°I told you before, | cheated on him.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t mean he can keep you here for this long. It''s against


    thew. It''s uwful imprisonment!¡± Sylvia said as she frowned.


    Sherry lowered her head. ¡°Actually, I''m staying here voluntarily.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Sylvia was baffled.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°He helped the Fowler family before. So in exchange, | have to do whatever he tells me to do.¡±


    ¡°| thought you cut ties with your family.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That''s what | thought too,¡± Sherry let out a sarcasticugh to herself and said, ¡°Maybe I''m just cheap then.¡±


    She could have turned her back on the Fowler family. After all, her parents resented her and treated her like garbage. However,


    when they had knelt before her, begging for her help, and even proiming that they would jump off a building if she refused, her


    emotions had taken over and she had agreed to help.


    Sylvia sighed and softened her voice. ¡°] see. Don''t be like that. Tell me what happened. Maybe | can help you.¡±


    ¡°A lot has happened, and it''s too much to be summarized in a few words. Don''t worry. When | repay my debt, things will be fine,¡±


    Sherry said.


    Sylvia tightened her lips and stopped asking.


    The man next door sat on the couch elegantly as he eavesdropped. The words put a grin on his face.


    Repay her debt?


    ¡°Sherry, you''ll never be able to satisfactorily repay me in this lifetime.¡±


    It was then that the butler came in. He walked to his master respectfully and said, ¡°Sir, Master Carter is here.¡±


    John picked up his sses and put a gentle smile on his face.


    He got up, tidied his cor and said, ¡°Tell him I''ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Sylvia and Sherry were chatting when footsteps sounded from the door.


    Sherry was sitting by the window when she saw two men walking towards the door and it shocked her.


    She immediately said, ¡°Sylvia, Odell is here.¡±


    The look in Sylvia¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°If you don''t want to see him, go hide in that room.¡± Sherry pointed at the second bedroom.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia got up and ran to the room that Sherry was pointing at.


    The moment she locked the door, Odell and John came in.


    The two men blocked the sun from the door with their towering figures.


    Sherry got up and looked at them cautiously.


    Odell scanned the ce but did not see Sylvia.


    John asked with a smile, ¡°Sherry, where¡®s Mrs. Carter?¡±


    Sherry nced at Odell and said in a small voice, ¡°Syl said that she doesn''t want to see him now.¡±


    m not asking if she wants to see him, | am asking where she is,¡± said John as he maintained his smile.

 Chapter 989

    Chapter 989


    Chapter 989


    Sherry could not help but re at John as she said, ¡°I said, she doesn¡¯t want to see him.¡±


    John¡¯s smile faded.


    Odell looked at the door to the guest room that was the only one with the door closed. ¡°Master Stockton, Ms. Fowler, I''d like to


    talk to her alone, please.¡±


    John followed his gaze to the guest room and the smile returned to his face. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Odell went over to the closed door.


    Sherry¡¯s expression changed. She tried to stop Odell but John held her back.


    She tried to struggle but John forcefully cupped her face. ¡°Stop it. Come out with me.¡±


    He then carried her out of the living hall.


    The other servants followed them out and the whole house went quiet.


    Odell went up to the door and knocked.


    Sylvia was leaning on the wall beside the door.


    ¡°Sylvia,¡± he said.


    Sylvia did not answer.


    Odell frowned and spoke in a deep voice. ¡°I know it¡¯s my fault. |


    wronged you for the first three years.¡±


    He had received a call from Ben as he was traveling to Glenchester. Ben said he had been forced to take Sylvia to Sherry¡¯s


    ce. He had also mentioned that Sylvia only remembered what had happened in the first few years.


    Sylvia tightened her lips. ¡°Go back. | don¡¯t want to see you now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not convenient for you to be here. Pleasee back with me. You don¡¯t have to see or stay with me. We can meet again


    when you calm down.¡±


    He sounded gentle and patient, unlike the man she remembered


    from the three years of memories that she had of him.


    Sylvia shut her eyes. She knew what had happened after those three years but for now, all she had were the memories of those


    three years, and she could not forgive him based on that.


    ¡°It''s convenient enough for me to be here. Just go back.¡±


    Odell paused for a moment. ¡°The kids will miss you if they don¡¯t see you.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. The adorable faces of her children appeared in her mind and made her chest feel tight.


    Amomentter, she said, ¡°I''ll call them.¡±


    ¡°Are you really noting back with me?¡± he asked, the tone of voice sounding heavier.


    Annoyed, Sylvia said, ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be the third wheel here?¡±


    What? What was that supposed to mean? Was he trying to make her angry?


    Sylvia coldly snorted, ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m going to be the third wheel!¡±


    ¡°Fine...¡±


    He turned and left.


    Sylvia could hear his footsteps as he left since there was only one door between them.


    She frowned but did not do anything.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Odell left the living hall and headed to the yard.


    Sherry was being restrained by John as they waited for Odell.


    John smiled when Odell came out. ¡°Master Carter, where¡¯s Mrs. Carter? Didn¡¯t she follow you out?¡±


    Odell stared at him. ¡°She¡¯s not in the mood and she wants to stay with Ms. Fowler for several more days.¡±


    John¡¯s smile froze.


    Meanwhile, Sherry¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Odell did not seem to notice the displeasure on John¡¯s face at the news and he added, ¡°I''ll have to trouble you and Ms. Fowler


    for two more days. I''lle to pick her up and take her back when she¡¯s feeling better. | won¡¯t let her stay here for too long.¡±


    John forced a smile on his face. ¡°You''re being too courteous, Master Carter. You are my most important coborator and


    your wife is Sherry¡¯s best friend, after all. Sherry needs somepany as well, so I¡¯m d that Mrs. Carter is willing to stay to


    apany her for a few more days.¡±


    Odell smiled in return. ¡°As long as you''re okay with it, Master Stockton.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 990

    Chapter 990


    Not long after Odell left, Sylvia came out of the room.


    Sherry and John were in the living room.


    Sherry went over to her side as soon as she came out.


    John smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, Master Carter has already gone home. You can stay here for a few days in peace. If there¡¯s anything


    you need, just tell Arnold, the butler.¡±


    Sylvia was not overly fond of John either but she maintained her manners and thanked him. ¡°I appreciate that, Master Stockton.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± John got up and nced at his watch.¡± Please excuse me as | have work to attend to.¡±


    He then looked at Sherry. ¡°Sherry, please look after Mrs. Carter.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t need you to remind me of that,¡± Sherry retorted.


    John¡¯s gaze turned frosty for a second, but he maintained his smile and said to Sylvia, ¡°Mrs. Carter.¡±


    ¡°Master Stockton.¡±


    John then went out.


    The moment his figure disappeared through the door, Shery cursed loudly, ¡°That f*cking b*stard. Hypocrite!¡±


    Sylvia merely watched in silence.


    After John left, Sylvia called Aunt Tonya and the kids.


    Isabel and Liam answered the call instantly as they were worried about her.


    Liam, who was not much of a talker, only asked where she was.


    Isabel tried to persuade her toe back and even asked her why she had left.


    Sylvia was honest with her kids this time. She told them she had only recovered the memories of the first three years out of the


    nine.


    Isabel knew what had happened in those three years and she had told Liam about it before, so the both of them went quiet.


    Awhileter, Liam said, ¡°Mommy, I''ll take good care of Izzy and Flint, don¡¯t worry.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Isabel hummed in agreement.


    The promise warmed Sylvia¡¯s heart. ¡°Izzy, Liam, you guys have to go to school, okay? I¡¯ll be back in a few days.¡±


    ¡°We will,¡± they answered.


    Sylvia then talked to Aunt Tonya and told her what happened. She did not want Aunt Tonya to worry about her.


    Aunt Tonya simply told her to be careful and hung up.


    Sylvia put her phone away, intending on looking for Sherry. However, she did not see her friend in the living hall.


    ¡°Sherry?¡±


    She received no response.


    Sylvia walked outside and continued calling her friend. ¡°Sherry, where are you?¡±


    ¡°lm outside!¡±


    Sherry¡¯s voice came from outside the yard.


    Sylvia went out and saw Sherry sitting under a thick pine tree. She was holding a needle and thread as she embroidered flowers


    onto a piece of cloth.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Sherry waved at her. ¡°Come over here. It¡¯s cooler here.¡±


    Sylvia reluctantly walked over and looked at the items in Sherry¡¯s hands with disbelief.


    Sherry quickly began to sew again as if she had to catch up on her project


    Sylvia sat down beside her and watched her skillfully sew. She asked, ¡°Since when did you pick up this hobby?¡±


    Sherry was usually not patient enough to be good at crafts. She did not even have the patience to pick a dress while shopping


    with her, let alone handle a needle and thread.


    Sherry paused for a moment before she said, ¡°I was bored here, so | picked up a hobby.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sherry hastened her sewing.


    To Sylvia, it looked like Sherry was stabbing at someone with resentment instead of sewing something with love.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 991

    Chapter 991


    Sylvia nced at Sherry¡¯s sewing.


    It looked like she was sewing a lily. It resembled a flower but it was not exactly beautiful.


    All of a sudden, Sherry asked, ¡°Syl, are you hungry?¡±


    The question caught Sylvia off guard. ¡°I¡¯m okay, but | do feel like nibbling on something.¡±


    Sylvia was rather bored.


    Sherry then turned to the maid. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you hear her? Syl wants something to eat. Hurry up and bring some snacks over.¡±


    The maid frowned, seemingly reluctant to go.


    Sherry became agitated. ¡°Are you deaf? That b*stard John told us to take care of Syl. Don¡¯t you know who Syl¡¯s husband is?¡±


    The maid nced at Sylvia before she went off.


    Sherry then turned to smile at Sylvia. The change in her expression was faster than turning a page of a book.


    ¡°Hold on, Syl. The maid will bring something over.¡± Sylvia looked at her friend. ¡°Sherry, are you hiding something from me?¡±


    Sherry had never been a bully before, so why had she been so angry at the maid?


    She was also not someone who would love embroidery.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted. She smiled. ¡°It''s nothing. What could | possibly keep from you?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Of course.¡± She continued to sew her lily. ¡°I still have to sew. You go ahead and entertain yourself. Don¡¯t disturb me.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    She wondered if Sherry waspletely engrossed in her embroidery or if she was just trying to hide her emotions by lowering


    her head.


    The maid soon brought over some snacks and ced them on the table.


    The maid respectfully said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, please help yourself.¡±


    Sylvia smiled at her.


    There were some local pastries, a fruit tter and some cakes.


    Before Sylvia could reach for the cake, Sherry grabbed a piece and shoved it into her mouth.


    Surprised, Sylvia looked at Sherry.


    Sherry gobbled up the cake in the blink of an eye, ate two more pieces of oranges and continued to sew with her dirty hands.


    The white cloth that she was sewing on became stained with oil from her hands.


    Sylvia frowned.


    After a while, Sherry continued to eat. This time, she ate even


    more than before. Within a few minutes, half of the fruits and


    cakes were gone.


    She asked, ¡°Syl, why aren¡¯t you eating? Don¡¯t you like them?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°| suddenly don¡¯t feel like eating any more.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sherry grinned widely, showing her teeth stuffed with food. ¡° Then can | have all the cakes?¡±


    Sylvia fought hard to suppress her unusual feeling . ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡±


    Sherry gobbled all the food in minutes. After she had licked her fingers clean, she asked, ¡°Syl, is there anything else you want to


    eat?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say what you want to eat?¡±


    Sherry looked surprised . ¡°Uhm... I¡¯m done eating but | feel like having a ss of wine.¡±


    Before Sylvia said anything, the maid intervened . ¡°No. Master Stockton clearly stated that you are not allowed to have any


    alcohol. If he finds out that | served you any alcoholic beverages, he will fire me!¡±


    Sherry turned to her. ¡°Did | give you permission to speak?!¡±


    The maid was not afraid of her at all. She grunted and continued, ¡°I am doing this for your own good. If you don¡¯t want


    to


    ¡°Shut up! I''ll p you to death if you don¡¯t!¡± Sherry bolted up all of a sudden.


    The maid begrudgingly stepped back.


    Sherry sat back down and smiled at Sylvia. ¡°Sylvia, don¡¯t listen to her. I¡¯m an alcoholic, John is not allowing me to drink out of


    concern for me.¡±

 Chapter 992

    Chapter 992


    Sylvia stared at the empty tes in silence.


    ¡°Syl? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Sherry looked at her cautiously.


    ¡°Sherry, is it tue that John doesn¡¯t feed you? Did he also force you to do all this embroidery work?¡± Sylvia asked coldly.


    Sherry¡¯s expression froze. ¡°No, no. | would have starved to death if he didn¡¯t feed me. I''m doing embroidery to pass the time.¡±


    ¡°What about your phone? Did he confiscate it?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Sherry pursed her lips and she started to get teary.


    Sylvia¡¯s brows furrowed. She got up and sat beside her friend.¡± Sherry, please tell me the truth or I''ll be angry.¡±


    Sherry hugged her friend around the waist and wept. ¡°That b* stard is inhuman! He eats like a king every day but feeds me


    leftovers! | haven¡¯t even eaten any meat in such a long time!


    ¡°He even forced me to sew all this nonsense. | have to sew ten of these each week. He also forced me to do gardening! Look at


    the flowers there, | nted all of them with my own hands!¡±


    Sylvia looked at the garden next to them.


    The grass and flowers were a mess. Some of the grass had grown even taller than the flowers.


    When she first came here, she had wondered why the garden was in a mess. Now, she learned that it had all been done by


    Chapter 992


    Sherry.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Sylvia choked on her emotions. She patted her friend on the back to console her.


    Sherry cried, ¡°If | can¡¯t finish the tasks that he has assigned, my meals will get worse the following week. | might only get two


    meals per day!¡±


    Sylvia was rather speechless. She had thought of the many ways that John could torture Sherry but this unusual way had never


    crossed her mind.


    She waited for Sherry to calm down before asking in a small voice, ¡°He doesn¡¯t give you any meat?¡±


    In grievance, Sherry cried out, ¡°Yeah. Not even one bite.¡±


    She was reduced to being like a beggar on the street who was asking for mercy.


    Sylvia¡¯s brows furrowed, but before she could say anything else, the maid quickly interjected in displeasure.


    ¡°You''re the one who goes against Master Stockton¡¯s orders. Master Stockton made it clear that if you behaved, you would get to


    eat. You even ate a whole pork knuckle the other day!¡±


    Sherry¡¯s weeping paused, and she red at the maid. ¡°Are you asking for a beating?¡±


    The maid immediately stepped back, but she refused to stay quiet. She said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, please talk some sense into her. I¡¯ve


    tried everything. Master Stockton wouldn''t do this if she could follow orders or be less rebellious . She brought this all upon


    herself.¡±


    ¡°You little piece of shit! | must be treating you a little too well.¡±


    Sherry instantly bolted up and rushed over. She was looking particrly energetic now that she had just eaten well.


    The maid immediately ran away.


    Sherry chased the maid to the entrance before the bodyguards stopped her. She put her hands on her hips and yelled at the


    fleeing maid, ¡°You better note back or I¡¯ll p you to death!¡±


    Sylvia watched in silence.


    Sherry returned after a while and sat beside her friend with her head down.


    ¡°Sigh. | have only sewn three this week. | have seven more to go.¡±


    She continued embroidering the ugly lily on the white cloth.


    Sylvia went back to her seat and asked, ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    ¡°No. That b*stard doesn¡¯t allow me to get any help. If he finds out, I''ll have to sew another ten.¡±


    Sylvia tightened her lips.


    Time went by.


    The sun had set over the horizon by the time they returned to the living hall.


    Sylvia continued to watch Sherry sew.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 993

    Chapter 993


    The maid soon brought dinner over.


    Fearing that Sherry might scold or beat her, she quickly made her exit after serving dinner.


    Sherry tossed the needle and cloth aside before grabbing Sylvia and pulling her over to the dining table.


    Footsteps came from the door as soon as they sat down.


    The maid respectfully greeted the person. ¡°Good evening, Master Stockton.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s face suddenly turned pale and she put down her cutlery.


    Sylvia turned to look at the entrance.


    John, who was wearing a white shirt, walked over.


    He smiled at Sylvia. ¡°Please, Mrs. Carter, make yourself at home.¡±


    He then sat down beside Sherry.


    Sylvia¡¯s lips tightened as she sat down.


    The maid brought a new set of cutlery over.


    John picked his spoon up and smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, please help yourself.¡±


    He smiled gently and talked politely.


    If Sherry had not already told her what happened, Sylvia would


    never have believed that the man was such a hypocrite.


    Out of respect for the host, she thanked John and started to eat. From time to time, she would sneak peeks at Sherry.


    Only after John began to eat did Sherry begin to eat a small piece of vegetable.


    She did not dare reach for the meat that was served on the table.


    Sylvia frowned and put some pieces of meat onto Sherry¡¯s te, pretending that she did not know about what John had done.


    She smiled. ¡°Sherry, have some meat. You look a lot thinner than thest time | saw you. Don¡¯t just chew on the broli.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°It¡¯s not that | don¡¯t want to eat meat, but I¡¯ve just started to enjoy being a vegetarian.¡±


    Despite saying so, she gobbled a piece of steak.


    John smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter is right. Don¡¯t just eat the vegetables. She might think I¡¯m torturing you.¡±


    After saying that, he put several pieces of meat onto her te as well and looked at her gently. Sherry choked. It was either due


    to a sudden happiness or the disgusting hypocrisy that the man was showing.


    She turned away just in time to avoid spitting out the chewed meat that was covered in her saliva onto the table but itnded


    on John¡¯s face instead.


    The saliva covered bits of chewed meat slid off John¡¯s face onto his white shirt and dropped to the floor.


    Sylvia and the maid at the entrance were left speechless.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened in shock. John was stunned.


    The atmosphere went silent for several seconds, but it felt like ages.


    Just as Sylvia was trying to think of a way to escape the awkward situation, Sherry¡¯s mouth widened into a grin before she burst


    intoughter.


    The more sheughed, the more hysterical she became until her stomach started to hurt.


    All at once, the whole house was filled with herughter.


    Unsurprisingly, John¡¯s expression darkened, but he maintained the courtesy and politeness of a host.


    Forcing a smile on his face as he looked at Sylvia, he said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, | don¡¯t think | can continue to have dinner with you as |


    have to get myself cleaned up. Please go back to your room and | will tell the maid to send you a new serving of dinnerter.¡±


    Even a blind man could tell that he wanted to punish Sherry.


    Sylvia feigned ignorance and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You go ahead. Sherry and | can continue on our own. You don¡¯t need to prepare


    another serving for me.¡±


    John maintained his smile. ¡°Sherry¡¯s face is also dirty and she has to get herself cleaned up as well.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 994

    Chapter 994


    Sylvia nced at Sherry¡¯s clean face. ¡°You guys go ahead then. There¡¯s no need to worry about me. There¡¯s another guest room


    over there. | can spend the night there so | won''t have to go back to the previous room. | won¡¯t be a nuisance to either of you.¡±


    She refused to leave. She had a feeling John was angry enough to kill Sherry at this moment. She had to stay on to keep her


    friend safe.


    John¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°Mrs. Carter, are you insisting on staying?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted.


    Sherry mmed the table and yelled, ¡°You b*stard! Your anger is aimed at me, so don¡¯t talk to my friend like that!¡±


    John took his sses off and rubbed the lens with his fingers.


    All at once, the atmosphere became gloomy.


    Sylvia felt the chills running down her back. She said, ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m fine. Please calm down.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Carter, | think it''s better if you leave the room first.¡±.


    Now that John was looking at her without his sses, the grim and viciousness of a mature man could clearly be seen.


    As though he had seen through Sylvia¡¯s thoughts, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a gentleman, | won¡¯t hit a woman.¡±


    2/4


    Since John had already given his assurance, it would only make things worse between the two of them if Sylvia insisted on


    staying


    Sylvia got up and looked at Sherry.


    Sherry remained seated with her arms crossed and acted as if she was not afraid of the man. ¡°Syl, just go. He won¡¯t do anything


    tome.¡±


    Sylvia tightened her lips and left.


    As soon as she stepped out of the living hall, she heard a loud crash, as if the whole dining table had been overturned.


    She turned around but the maid blocked her way.


    The maid said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Carter. It¡¯s amon urrence around here. Nothing bad will happen.¡±


    ¡°Are they always like that?¡± she asked.


    The maid sighed. ¡°Yeah. | really don¡¯t understand Ms. Fowler. Countless women wish to win Master Stockton¡¯s heart, yet she


    does the exact opposite. She even tries to provoke him and make him mad. | believe that she spat on Master Stockton¡¯s face on


    purpose.¡±


    Sylvia remained quiet. With her understanding of her friend, she, too, believed Sherry had done it on purpose.


    The loud sounds quieted down after a while.


    Sylvia sighed and left.


    The maid followed her out and continued, ¡°Mrs. Carter. Please


    try to advise Ms. Fowler when youe over tomorrow. | am really worried that she might get herself killed when Master


    Stockton¡¯s patience runs out. | knew she¡¯s a good person deep down inside but she¡¯s behaving stupidly in front of the man.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled helplessly.


    Earlier that day, she had thought that Sherry and the maid were enemies but now, it seemed more like a love-hate rtionship.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know Sherry. She¡¯s not stupid.¡±.


    ¡°Then why does she insist on continually making Master Stockton mad?¡±


    Sylvia remained silent.


    If she was correct, Sherry was probably doing everything on purpose just to exhaust his patience, in the hopes that he might


    throw her out of the house.


    Back in the living hall, all the tes and cutlery had been scattered all over the floor.


    John lifted Sherry up from her seat as soon as Sylvia left. The dining table had been knocked over as she struggled to free


    herself from being restrained by him.


    The man carried her to the bathroom and pinned her down in the shower.


    The warm shower washed over their bodies like the pouring rain.


    He cupped her chin and kissed her, as his arms tightened


    around her waist and he bent her backwards. He paused and chuckled. ¡°It seems like you enjoy taking a shower with me.¡±


    ¡°F*ck-Ugh!¡±


    He silenced her with another kiss,


    The kisssted for some time before he finally released her lips.


    Sherry slipped out of his arms like a slippery fish and tried to run outside.


    John sneered. He quickly strode towards her and grabbed her by the waist.


    Ssh!


    Before she knew it, she was tossed into the water-filled tub.


    The maid brought Sylvia a new serving of dinner after returning to her room.


    She only had a few bites as she had lost her appetite after what had happened.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    A bodyguard had been stationed outside her door.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 995

    Chapter 995


    Chapter 995


    Sylvia wanted to go out, so she told him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to see Sherry. Can | go out for a walk?¡±


    The bodyguard said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, Master Stockton stated that you are not allowed to leave the premises tonight. Please forgive


    me.


    Sylvia had no choice but to turn around and go back into the room.


    She returned to the bed and video-called her kids.


    They seemed to be waiting for her call as they immediately answered within seconds.


    Three adorable faces appeared on her phone screen.


    ¡°Mommy, have you eaten?¡± Isabel asked.


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy...¡± Flint murmured.


    Liam watched in silence.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°I just ate dinner.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Are you living well over there?¡±


    ¡°It''s pretty good. Here, I''ll give you a tour of my room,¡± said Sylvia as she turned the phone camera around to show them the


    room.


    ¡°Mhmm. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s a little in though,¡± said Isabel.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Flint, ¡°Mommy, Mommy...¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Isabel, did you and Liam behave well at school today?¡±


    Isabel instantly lifted her chubby little face to say, ¡°Of course!¡±


    Sylvia chatted with them until it was time for them to go to bed.


    Back at the Carter residence, the three little rascals were disheartened when the call ended.


    Isabel turned to the man who had been sitting beside them but had refused to show himself during the call. ¡°Silly Daddy, when


    are you going to bring Mommy back?¡±


    Odell got up and took Flint from Liam¡¯s arms. ¡°Go to bed. I''ll check up on you twoter.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Isabel pouted.


    Liam sullenly pouted as well.


    Odell carried Flint out of the room.


    Ding!


    Sylvia received a text shortly after she had put her phone down.


    It was from Odell.


    He had sent her a picture of Flint drinking milk from his bottle, followed by a text message. ¡°Isabel and Liam are asleep. Flint is a


    good boy as well. I''ll put him to bed after this bottle. Everything is fine here. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sylvia heaved a sigh of relief but soon grunted out of annoyance.


    The man was trying to coax her by using the kids again but had underestimated her resolution.


    She refused to soften up this time.


    She tossed the phone away and went to the bathroom.


    The next morning, Sylvia hid two buns from her breakfast and brought them to Sherry¡¯s ce.


    John should have gone to work, leaving only one maid to clean the table.


    Sherry seemed to have eaten but for some reason, she was lying on the couch listlessly.


    Sylvia went over and put her hand on the forehead.


    Her temperature was fine and she was not having a fever but it did not exin why she looked so listless.


    ¡°What''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Sherry put her hands on her stomach and groaned. ¡°That b* stard only gave me a piece of bread.¡±


    After the vigorous and exhausting sex the night before, she had only been given a piece of bread with no butter as breakfast!


    Even a dog had a better breakfast than her!


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 996

    Chapter 996


    Sylvia was speechless for a moment before she gave Sherry the buns she snuck for her.


    Sherry gobbled the buns like a hungry wolf.


    She got up after finishing the buns and hugged Sylvia tightly.¡± Syl, thank goodness you¡¯re here! Or I''ll be dead!¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips helplessly when she noticed the red marks around Sherry¡¯s neck.


    Sherry came back from the dead and looked more energetic after gobbling the buns. She looked alive.


    Sylvia apanied her to the yard and watched her sew.


    Sherry sewed quicker today, but it was sloppy. She finished the ugly lily from yesterday in under an hour.


    She then picked up another piece of cloth and stared at it for a while. She said to Sylvia, ¡°Syl, why don¡¯t you help me draft


    something?¡±


    She had no idea what to sew and could not paint, so she asked her friend for help.


    Sylvia took the piece of cloth and asked, ¡°What do you want to sew?¡±


    Sherry pondered. ¡°A sunflower? Make it simple.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sylvia grabbed the pencil and started drafting.


    Maybe because of the beautiful sun and refreshing air, she got into her drawing trance quickly and easily drafted a simple yet


    meticulous sunflower.


    Sherry widened her eyes in delight. ¡°Syl, are you a witch? What spell did you cast on the pencil ? How could you draw such a


    realistic sunflower in just a few strokes?¡±.


    Sylvia giggled. ¡°If you¡¯re an art student, you could too.¡±


    She did not expect to draw an entire sunflower but it was not something sophisticated in her professional view.


    ¡°| learned drawing for three years.¡±


    Sylvia remained silent while looking at the poorly sewn lily.


    Sherry imed that she learned drawing for three years, yet the lily was the best she could do. .


    Sherry took the drafted sunflower and started sewing on it.


    The needle poked through the cloth and sewed the yellow threads along the drafted line. The sunflower was soon colored with


    yellow threads.


    Morning went by in the blink of an eye. The maid brought lunch over at noon. After serving the dishes on the table, she called the


    ladies in for lunch. ¡°Ms. Fowler, Mrs. Carter, it¡¯s lunchtime.¡±


    Chapter 996


    3/4


    Sherry put down the needle and thread and went over to the table with Sylvia.


    Lunch was a feast. There were meat, vegetables, and soup. A total of eight dishes were served just for the two of them.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    It was a lot better than lunch yesterday as many of the dishes were Sherry¡¯s favorite.


    Sylvia nced over the table of dishes.


    Was the feast prepared because she was here? Or was she just an excuse to prepare the meal for Sherry?


    ¡°Syl, don¡¯t just stand there. Sit down and eat!¡± Sherry shoved a piece of meat into her mouth.


    Sylvia smiled and sat down beside her.


    While they were enjoying lunch, twodies came in from the door.


    One of the youngdies wore a yellow mini dress thatplemented her golden wavy hair, making her look like a princess.


    She looked at Sylvia and Sherry arrogantly the moment she stepped in.


    She shouted at Sherry, ¡°Sherry, did my brother permit you to have meat? The dishes are prepared for Mrs. Carter! You¡¯re not


    allowed to eat any of them!¡±


    Before Sherry and Sylvia could say a word, the other youngdy in the white dress calmed and persuaded her softly, ¡°Queenie,


    we''re here to visit Mrs. Carter. Ms. Fowler is Mrs. Carter¡¯s friend, mind your manners.¡±


    Queenie retorted in annoyance, ¡°I¡¯m not talking to Mrs. Carter like that.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 997

    Chapter 997


    Julie furrowed her brows. She seemed afraid of Queenie, and even though she disagreed, she dared not stop her friend.


    Queenie grunted and stared at Sherry, who was still chewing on meat. ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m talking to you! Are you deaf?!¡±


    Sherry ignored her. She tugged Sylvia¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Sylvia, let¡¯s eat. Ignore her.¡±


    Sylvia awkwardly tightened her lips.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Queenie strode forward to the table. ¡°Sherry, what''s with that attitude? Don¡¯t forget you''re just a stripper from a club!¡±


    She went up to Sherry and tried to p her face.


    Sylvia frowned coldly.


    Julie screamed out of shock. ¡°Queenie, calm down!¡±


    p!


    Aloud p sounded, but it was not Sherry that was pped. It was Queenie.


    Before Queenie couldnd her p, Sherry got up and pped her first. The strong p turned her face and almost knocked her


    off her bnce.


    Everything plunged into silence for a moment.


    Julie nervously went up to Queenie. ¡°Queenie, are you alright?¡±


    With her hand covering her face, Queenie red at Sherry in


    Chapter 997


    213


    disbelief. ¡°Y-You pped me?!¡± ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I?¡± Sherry raised a brow and crossed her arms.¡± I¡¯d p you again even if your


    mother is here.¡± Queenie widened her eyes in disbelief.


    Julie was shocked. ¡°Ms. Fowler, | know Queenie is being rude, but she¡¯s still the daughter of the Stockton family and her mother


    is a respected figure. Please watch your words.¡±


    Sherry grunted. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    Julie¡¯s face turned pale as she was rendered speechless. Queenie shook Julie¡¯s hands off and shouted, ¡°Sherry, you b* tch! I''ll


    tear that dirty mouth off your face!¡±


    She threw herself at Sherry, who stood still like a rock.


    Sylvia bolted up and stood before Sherry, protecting her from Queenie.


    Queenie¡¯s hand froze when Sylvia intervened. She screamed,¡° Move!¡±


    Sylvia maintained her manners and said, ¡°Ms. Stockton, please calm down. I¡¯ll move when you behave.¡±


    Queenie shouted out of annoyance, ¡°This isn¡¯t Westchester City. I¡¯m not scared of you, even if you''re Mrs. Carter. You''re in my


    territory, Glenchester. If you don¡¯t move, I''ll p you too!¡± Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°You can try.¡±


    Julie immediately pulled Queenie away. ¡°Queenie, control yourself! Mrs. Carter is a guest. Your brother told the servants to


    take good care of her. Don¡¯t do it.¡±


    Queenie grunted angrily and red at Sylvia and Sherry. She then ran out of the door with teary eyes and cried, ¡°I''ll go tell Mom!


    | want her dead!¡±


    Julie immediately apologized to Sylvia. ¡°Mrs. Carter, Queenie is still young. Please forgive her manners.¡±


    She nced at Sherry before she went chasing after Queenie.


    Everything returned to peace and quiet..


    Sherry tugged Sylvia¡¯s arm. ¡°Syl, let''s eat. The soup is getting cold.¡±


    Sylvia lost her mood and appetite. She asked, ¡°Sherry, who are those two?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°That b*tch who scolded me is Queenie, John¡¯s sister. The one with a little more sense is Julie, John¡¯s


    sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°Is Queenie always this mean to you?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 998

    Chapter 998


    Chapter 998


    ¡°| rarely see her around. Her brother usually keeps her away. This is probably the third time | see her since | came here.¡±


    Sherry served a bowl of soup for Sylvia. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about me. I¡¯ve seen a lot of girls like her and | won''t let her climb on top


    of my head and do whatever she wants!¡±


    Sylvia sighed when she thought about Sherry pping Queenie earlier. She was still worried. ¡°You just pped her. What if she


    tells Madam Stockton about it? Will she do anything to you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Sherry shoved a piece of shrimp into her mouth.¡± Madam Stockton might call me things behind my back but she


    won''t do anything to me. The best she could do is tell John about it and let him deal with me.¡±


    Sherry knew the Stockon family well.


    Sylvia sighed and let the concerns slip.


    Maybe because Queenie snitched on Sherry, John came back before it was dark.


    Sylvia was in the yard with Sherry, watching her sew.


    Sherry had a nce at the man approaching and continued sewing. She sewed a lot faster than before, seemingly trying to


    ignore the man.


    John smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, it''s gettingte. Why don¡¯t you go


    ¡°| rarely see her around. Her brother usually keeps her away. This is probably the third time | see her since | came here.¡±


    Sherry served a bowl of soup for Sylvia. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about me. I¡¯ve seen a lot of girls like her and | won''t let her climb on top


    of my head and do whatever she wants!¡±


    Sylvia sighed when she thought about Sherry pping Queenie earlier. She was still worried. ¡°You just pped her. What if she


    tells Madam Stockton about it? Will she do anything to you?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Sherry shoved a piece of shrimp into her mouth.¡± Madam Stockton might call me things behind my back but she


    won''t do anything to me. The best she could do is tell John about it and let him deal with me.¡±


    Sherry knew the Stockon family well.


    Sylvia sighed and let the concerns slip.


    Maybe because Queenie snitched on Sherry, John came back before it was dark.


    Sylvia was in the yard with Sherry, watching her sew.


    Sherry had a nce at the man approaching and continued sewing. She sewed a lot faster than before, seemingly trying to


    ignore the man.


    John smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, it''s gettingte. Why don¡¯t you go


    YAK}Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    back to have some rest? | have something to talk to Sherry about, alone.¡±


    Sherry smiled profoundly at Sylvia. ¡°I''ll see you tomorrow, Syl.¡±


    The smile was a signal to tell her not to worry.


    Sylvia nodded and left, leaving the two alone in the yard.


    Sherry continued sewing.


    John walked up to her and saw her sewing the sunflower.


    Her sewing was bad but it did not diminish the beautiful shape of the sunflower. It seemed to be from an artist''s hand.


    ¡°You drew this sunflower?¡±


    Sherry ignored him and continued to sew.


    John grinned. ¡°Answer me, or I''ll make you sew ten more this week.¡±


    Sherry looked at him. ¡°Do you think | can draw something this beautiful?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why the f*ck do you ask?¡±


    The man was used to the woman¡¯s vulgarities. He looked at her and continued, ¡°Mrs. Carter drew it for you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, she did. Syl is the world-renowned artist, Ms. Sunflower,¡± Sherry excitedly said.


    ¡°She¡¯s Ms. Sunflower ?¡± John found the revtion surprising.¡± But | heard she¡¯s not doing well in the past two years. She didn¡¯t


    produce any paintings at all.¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t!¡± Sherry bolted up and shouted, ¡°Syl is just not in the mood. When she¡¯s better, she''ll paint something even better.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Let''s hope so.¡±


    ¡°Don''t. Because it will definitely happen!¡±


    John narrowed his eyes at Sherry¡¯s mysterious confidence.¡± Why are you so sure about it?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my best friend, and | believe her.¡±


    ¡°So with your best friend around, you got the nerves to p Queenie?¡±


    His smile faded at the end of the sentence.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted but just for a moment. She lifted her face arrogantly and smiled. ¡°I''ll p that girl whether Syl is around or


    not.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± John chuckled. ¡°It seems like you''re quite capable, Sherry.¡±


    ¡°Of course, | am. Who do you think | a-Ugh!¡±


    John clutched her face before she could finish her sentence.


    His frosty gaze was ring through the sses. He said coldly,¡± | supposed so. When you left me back then, you were a lot


    fiercer than one simple p on a girl''s face.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 999

    Chapter 999


    Chapter 999 Maybe because of the tightening clutch over her face or the skip of a beat in her heart, Sherry frowned.


    She gasped and gulped before she looked into that frosty gaze. She forced a smile and said, ¡°It''s been so many years, and


    you''re still clinging on to that? Do you hate me that much, or are you still thinking about me?¡±


    John tightened his clutch the moment her words subsided.


    There was only grimness on his handsome face.


    ¡°Sherry, am | being too lenient to the point that you misunderstood your ce?¡±


    The intense pain made Sherry feel like her cheekbone was breaking. She said with gnashing teeth, ¡°Strangle me to death or let


    me out of here. If you can¡¯t do both of them, you miss me.¡±


    John pursed his lips. His sses no longer concealed his terrible mood.


    He said, ¡°Strangling you to death will only stain my hand with your blood. Don¡¯t even try to agitate or provoke me to release you.


    I''ll keep you here for life and make sure you don¡¯t eat or sleep well. | want you to suffer like never before!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! You just love my beautiful face and body! You really know how to find an excuse.¡±


    John was furious. His veins started popping at his forehead.


    213


    He lowered his head closer to her face. ¡°Sherry, one more word and I''ll break your teeth!¡±


    He might not be able to strangle her to death but breaking her teeth waspletely viable.


    Sherry shut her mouth immediately.


    The man¡¯s grim expression softened a little.


    He scoffed. ¡°You better behave and stop provoking me. Or I''ll send your friend away and make sure you never see her again.¡±


    Sherry red at him with gnashing teeth.


    John stared at her distorted face. He slightly softened his clutch and asked, ¡°What did you call me inside?¡±


    ¡°You piece of sh*t, good-for-nothing, b*stard, prick, jerk, f*cker!¡±


    John¡¯s expression turned grim.


    ¡°You''re the one who asked me what I call you inside,¡± she said.


    ¡°How obedient of you,¡± John said with curled lips.


    Sherry curled her lips too.


    He maintained his smile and said, ¡°I''ll reward you with no meals for tonight and tomorrow morning. Ten more sewings this week.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°You f*ck...¡±


    ¡°One more f*ck and you lose tomorrow¡¯s dinner.¡±


    Sherry tightened her lips.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± John chuckled.


    He released her and returned to the house.


    Sherry punched and kicked the air madly after he left.


    The sky slowly turned dark, and so did the mansion.


    Sherry put all her sewing tools into the box and went back to the living hall.


    John had taken off his jacket and was drinking tea on the couch.


    Sherry had a nce at him. She sat down at the furthest spot and continued sewing.


    The living hall was quiet until the maid delivered dinner.


    The maid set up the cutleries at the table and served a feast.


    She also put a decanter with wine on the table.


    Sherry sniffed the aroma of wine from the couch. She stared at it and gulped anxiously.


    John nced at her before he walked over to the table.


    He had two sses of wine before starting to eat elegantly before Sherry.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1000

    Chapter 1000


    Chapter 1000 Sherry gulped as she watched. John ignored her scorching gaze and continued eating and drinking.


    Half of the wine in the decanter was gone before dinner even finished.


    Sherry clenched her fists and red at the man.


    John finally looked at her with an evil smile. ¡°You want some?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± She had yearned for the taste of wine for a while now.


    John smiled. ¡°Then watch me drink.¡±


    He poured himself another ss and drained it to thest drop.


    ¡°You prick,¡± Sherry said.


    Thest drop of wine in the decanter was soon poured into his ss. He leaned back and swirled the wine while looking at her in


    delight.


    Sherry¡¯s patience was at her limit.


    She bolted up and dashed toward him like the wind. John grinned and put the ss near his mouth.


    Sherry widened her eyes. ¡°Leave some for me!¡±


    She strode faster to his side and tried to snatch the ss.


    However, she was one step toote. Thest drop had fallen into his mouth when she touched the ss.


    All she got was an empty ss.


    She tossed it on the table. She put her hands around his neck and screamed, ¡°You b*stard, give me back the wine!¡±


    John grinned.


    The lighting highlighted the drop of red on his lips. Thest drop of wine and its reflection captured Sherry¡¯s attention.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed as though she had found the nectar of the gods. She pressed her lips onto his and sucked whatever she


    could.


    Unfortunately, it was too little, but she still got a taste of it.


    She sucked on his lips for a while until the taste was gone. She recovered from her alcohol frenzy and wanted to push him away.


    To her surprise, the man held the back of her head and stopped her from moving.


    She was pressed against his lips again.


    ¡°Mhmm!¡±


    She screamed in a muffled voice.


    The man silenced her by sealing her lips and robbed any chance for her to speak. He pried her lips open for more.


    Awhileter, he stood up with her in his arms, causing the chair to fall backward.


    Sherry seized the window and shouted, ¡°You prick! Put me down! | don¡¯t want to f*ck you tonight! | have to sew! Put me down!¡±


    John ignored her, allowing her to scream as loud as she wanted. He carried her into the room and mmed the door


    shut.


    Sherry¡¯s scream went silent the moment the door closed.


    Meanwhile, in the other guest room, Sylvia received dinner from the maid shortly after she returned.


    Like yesterday, she called her kids after dinner.


    The call got through in a second, and three adorable kids appeared on the screen.


    Isabel grinned. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy!¡± Flint murmured. Liam smiled in silence but he looked as adorable as the other two.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°How are you guys today?¡± ¡°We are good boys and good girl!¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia chatted with them for an hour before ending the call.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1001

    Chapter 1001


    Chapter 1001 It was alreadyte when Sylvia finished the call.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    She put her phone down and went to the bathroom for a shower.


    After she came out from her shower, she saw her phone blinking. Someone texted her.


    She picked up the phone and saw the messages from Odell.


    The first message was a picture of Flint drinking a bottle of milk.


    ¡°The kids are doing fine today. Isabel didn¡¯t cause any trouble at school. Everything is fine at home.¡±


    It was followed by another text another minuteter.


    ¡°How about you? Are you doing well at the Stockton family¡¯s ce?¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    She had the urge to text back but her fingers froze before they typed. She struggled for a moment before ultimately tossing her


    phone away.


    The next morning, Sylvia snuck several buns from breakfast for Sherry again.


    John had gone to work.


    When Sylvia arrived at the living hall, Sherry was sewing on the couch but she looked weak.


    Chapter 1001


    ¡°Sherry?¡± Sylvia called her.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Syl! Did you bring anything for me to eat?!¡±


    Sylvia gave her the bag of buns she snuck over.


    Sherry jumped on the buns like a hungry wolf.


    She gobbled the buns while cursing John behind his back.


    After eating and cursing, she continued sewing.


    Sylvia sighed. She sat on the couch and watched her friend sew.


    Three days went by peacefully.


    It was a Friday. Sherry was carried away by the sewing. She only spent five minutes on lunch and the day went by peacefully.


    When John came back in the evening, Sylvia got up and went back to her room.


    After dinner, she video-called the kids like usual. 1


    The kids¡¯ adorable faces once again appeared on her screen.


    Sylvia asked how they did at school and chatted with them.


    Isabelined about being scolded by the teacher for falling asleep in ss


    Flint giggled silly as he did not understand what his sister said.


    Liam remained silent throughout the call and it caught Sylvia''s attention. ¡°Liam, do you have anything to talk to me about?¡±


    Chapter 1001


    Liam paused for a moment and asked, ¡°Mommy, when are youing home?¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback by the question. She pursed her lips in silence.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯ve been away for six days now. We missed you.¡±


    Flint protruded his lips and tried to reach out to his mother as though he understood his sister now. ¡°Mommy, Mommy...¡±


    Liam put his brother¡¯s hands down to prevent him from toppling the phone.


    Sylvia¡¯s chest tightened as her kids looked at her with teary eyes.


    She wished she could go back right away and hug them in her arms.


    However, the terrible memories rooted themselves in her brain and she kept reying the horrible scene over and over again in


    the past week.


    Even though Odell would text her every night, even though she knew he was no longer the same person, it was still a lot to


    digest and it was difficult for her to simply forgive him for what he did in those three years.


    Along silenceter, Sylvia said softly, ¡°Aunt Sherry needs me now. I''ll go back in a few more days.¡±


    She shifted the topic to Sherry and coincidentally, it was also the truth.


    Sherry seemed to have made John angry in the past few days. She did not get breakfast or dinner and all she got were the buns


    Sylvia provided her in the morning.


    If Sylvia left her, she would probably starve to death.


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Oh...¡±


    Flint started to gurgle.


    Liam asked, ¡°Is Aunt Sherry in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | have to stay by her side for now. You guys go to school on time and behave. When Aunt Sherry is getting better, I''ll go


    back home,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Liam answered.


    Isabel stayed quiet.


    Flint continued to gurgle.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1002

    Chapter 1002


    Chapter 1002 The callsted for quite a while as Sylvia had to cheer her kids up. When the call finally ended, she got up and


    prepared for bed.


    After cleaning herself up, she picked up her phone again to check on the message, but she got nothing.


    From when she left Westchester City, Odell had been texting her, updating her about the kids¡¯ situation.


    ¡®Is he busy? Or is he mad that | didn¡¯t reply to him every time he texted me?


    Sylvia grunted and tossed the phone aside.


    She tried to sleep but for some reason, her mind was thinking about the text messages and her eyes were staring at her phone.


    Shey awake until midnight and still did not receive any messages on her phone.


    He should have texted her no matter how busy he was.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression turned cold. Frustrated and annoyed, she covered herself with the nket and slept.


    On the next morning, Sylvia woke up around 9 o¡¯clock. Maybe because she slepttest night, she woke upter than usual.


    It was way past breakfast hour. Sherry must be starving.


    She bolted up, washed her face, and went to the living room.


    The maid assigned to take care of her said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, please wait for a moment. I''ll bring breakfast over, *


    Breakfast was served after a while,


    Sylvia simply ate some and stuffed some of them into the bag for Sherry


    When she walked out of the door, she saw a cart with loaded passengersing toward her.


    She had a nce and saw the man with the familiar deep gaze.


    She was stunned on the spot.


    In his handsome ck suit, Odell carried Flint in his arms and sat in front of Isabel and Liam.


    Sylvia locked eyes with him when she looked over.


    He curled his lips and smiled gently at her.


    Isabel and Liam also saw Sylvia when she came out. Before the cartpletely stopped, the girl jumped off and ran toward her


    mother,


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The girl jumped into her mother¡¯s arms.


    Liam got off the cart with his father and brother.


    Sylvia stared at the man nkly, ¡°What..What are you guys doing here?¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°The kids missed you, and it¡¯s the weekend, so | brought them over.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. She blushed for some reason but quickly concealed it by looking down at Isabel.


    ¡°Mommy, | missed you.¡± Isabel hugged her mother tightly.


    Sylva¡¯s expression softened up. She patted the girl¡¯s head and hugged Liam into her arms. ¡°Mommy missed the two of you as


    well.¡±


    ¡°Gur...¡± Flint also tried to reach out to his mother despite being in his father¡¯s arms. He looked anxious and eager to hold his


    mother.


    Sylvia stuffed the bag of food into Odell¡¯s arms and carried Flint.


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy...¡± Flint giggled and tried to kiss her.


    The unique baby odor enlightened her mood. She kissed the boy on the forehead.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Isabel suddenly grunted.


    Sylvia turned to the girl and saw her pouting.


    ¡°Mommy, you didn¡¯t kiss me and Liam.¡±


    Sylvia held the urge tough. She quickly bent over and kissed the two of them on the cheeks.


    A bright smile reced the girl¡¯s grumpy look while Liam smiled conservatively


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Sylvia turned to Odell.


    The man wore a gentle but mischievous smile and looked at her


    with a hint of anticipation. It was as though he wanted a kiss from her as well.


    Sylvia squinted at him.


    The butler, who drove them into the premise, said, ¡°Sir, Madam, my master is waiting. Why don¡¯t we go in first?¡±

 Chapter 1003

    Chapter 1003


    Odell nodded and then looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia carried Flint into the cart.


    There were four seats behind the driver''s seat.


    Sylvia sat in the first row. Isabel immediately sat beside her.


    Liam calmly sat in the second row, just behind Sylvia.


    Odell was thest to get in. Instead of sitting beside Liam in the second row, he carried Isabel and put her beside her brother. He


    then took Isabel''s seat and sat beside Sylvia.


    Isabel pouted after her father snatched her seat. ¡°Stupid Daddy!¡±


    The cart drove off.


    Odell looked at Sylvia, who refused to look at him. He shook the bag in his hand. ¡°What''s this? Is it food?¡±


    Sylvia hummed a reply coldly.


    Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°You didn¡¯t have breakfast?¡±


    te.¡±


    ¡°Then what''s with the bag of food?¡±


    Sylvia ignored him.


    Odell stroked her hair. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡±


    Sylvia answered angrily, ¡°Why are you talking so much?¡±


    ¡°| haven''t seen you for a week. | have a lot to talk to you about,¡± he stared at her with his deep and gentle gaze as he exined.


    Sylvia blushed and looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡±


    His expression remained gentle. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you talking?¡±


    ¡°| can¡¯t help myself when | look at you.¡±


    ¡°Then don''t look at me.¡±


    ¡°I can''t.¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless.


    The man felt like a whole new person.


    Sylvia turned her back on him.


    Odell pursed his lips in silence.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The cart drove them to the rear yard but not the one Sherry was in.


    This particr yard was decorated meticulously, and it seemed like the main building of the premise.


    The cart stopped and the family of five got out.


    Madam Stockton and John stood at the entrance to wee them. Queenie and Julie were behind them.


    ¡°Master Carter, wee to my humble abode.¡± John reached out for a handshake.


    Odell shook his hand. ¡°It¡¯s me who''s bothering you.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I''m honored by your presence.¡± John smiled.


    He then nced at Sylvia and the children.


    His sses usually concealed his emotions but he could not hold his surprise when he saw the kids. He smiled. ¡°You guys must


    be the young master and young miss of the Carter family.¡±


    Odell looked at the two little ones. ¡°Liam, Isabel, this is Uncle John, Daddy¡¯s friend.¡±


    Liam politely greeted John, ¡°Uncle John.¡±


    Isabel sized up John with her crystal clear eyes. ¡°Hello Uncle John. I¡¯m Isabel, you can call me Izzy.¡±


    Isabel''s bright smile was more adorablepared to that of Liam''s.


    John was stunned by the dazzling smile for a second. ¡°Hello, Izzy.¡±


    Isabel curved her eyes and lips. ¡°Uncle John, how old are you? Do you have a girlfriend?¡±


    Everyone was left speechless by the girl¡¯s question.


    Two secondster, Liam said, ¡°Isabel, | believe Uncle John is Aunt Sherry¡¯s boyfriend.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1004

    Chapter 1004


    Chapter 1004 The ember of hope in the girl¡¯s eyes died off.


    She put her hands on her hips and raised a brow at John. ¡°So, you''re the jerk who has been bullying Aunt Sherry? Do you know


    you should love your girlfriend instead of bullying her?¡±


    John¡¯s expression froze.


    Odell sternly said, ¡°Izzy, stop it. Don¡¯t be rude.¡±


    Sylvia immediately pulled the little girl behind her back.


    The girl pouted and sulked in silence.


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie¡¯s expressions turned cold.


    Things got awkward until John chuckled. He looked at the girl with her puffy face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the girl to know so much about


    rtionships at this age.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve seen almost all the romance dramas out there!¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless, and even Odell felt embarrassed.


    ¡°Hmph. A girl her age calls a man a jerk because of romance drama? | think she¡¯s learning all the bad things instead of the good


    ones,¡± Queenie voiced her grievance behind John.


    John turned around and red at her. ¡°Shut your mouth if you don¡¯t know how to speak.¡±


    He sounded rather cold and stern.


    Madam Stockton and Julie immediately signaled Queenie to stop causing a scene.


    They were unhappy with the girl¡¯s remarks but dared not offend Odell.


    Queenie¡¯s gaze shrunk and sulked in silence.


    John then turned to Odell. ¡°Please excuse my sister for being a spoiled brat, Master Carter.¡±


    Odell nced at Queenie. He maintained a polite smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s my daughter who''s being rude.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Young miss is just being straightforward, it¡¯s okay. | think it''s cute of her to express herself frankly.¡±


    Isabel furrowed her brows when she was called cute. ¡°Stupid uncle, are you calling me cute? Do you mean it?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Of course, | mean it.¡±


    ¡°Okay. You might bully Aunt Sherry but you¡¯re also a handsome guy.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± John burst intoughter.


    His brightughter somehow gave Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie chills.


    John then introduced thedies to Odell. ¡°This is my mother, my sister, Queenie, and my sister-inw, Julie.¡±


    Madam Stockton and Julie smiled politely when being


    introduced, only Queenie looked lowered her head in silence.


    Odell smiled at them. He then looked at Liam and Isabel. ¡°Liam, Izzy.¡±


    Liam was like a lifeless robot when he greeted them.¡± Grandmother Stockton, Aunt Queenie, Aunt Julie.¡±


    Isabel repeated the greetings like a machine before she looked at Queenie. ¡°Aunt Queenie with the yellow hair, why are you


    looking at the ground? Are you looking for something?¡±


    Queenie looked at the girl. She tried her best to hold her anger back and said, ¡°My hair is blonde, not yellow.¡±


    ¡°Yellow is blonde,¡± Isabel said as she protruded her lips. It was as if the girl wanted to provoke Queenie, and she continued , ¡±


    Why did you dye your hair yellow? You look like a lion.¡±


    Sylvia almost burst intoughter.


    The others were rendered speechless and things got awkward again.


    Queenie flushed. She was angered by the remark.


    Just before she could shout at Isabel, Madam Stockton cleared her throat to signal her not to cause any trouble.


    Queenie was forced to stay quiet, but she continued to re at the girl.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Isabel stuck her tongue out and made faces at her.


    John saw the faces the girl made and it amused him. He then said to the couple, ¡°Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, I''ve prepared


    some snacks. Why don¡¯t we go inside?¡± Odell nodded and followed the host inside.


    Isabel followed him in and looked around like a curious cat.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1005

    Chapter 1005


    Sylvia carried Flint and held Liam¡¯s hand as she followed them inside.


    They arrived at the living hall after going through a short corridor.


    Tea and snacks were prepared on the tea table.


    Odell and John went to the couch and sat opposite each other.


    Sylvia and the kids sat beside Odell, while Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie sat on the other end.


    Odell and John talked about work.


    Sylvia looked around the ce. She believed it was Madam Stockton¡¯s ce judging from the retro designs and decorations.


    There were even two middle-aged maids outside the door.


    Sherry should be at her usual ce.


    While Sylvia was wondering if Sherry had breakfast, Flint


    suddenly crawled out of her arms.


    Sylvia turned to the boy and saw him crawling toward the end of the couch.


    The boy crawled toward Queenie, who was the nearest, and looked up at her. Then he gurgled happily.


    Queenie did not expect the baby¡¯s interest and she was awestruck by his adorable smile and voice.


    Madam Stockton and Julie were beside her and the baby¡¯s gurgle caught their attention.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s stern expression was immediately reced by a kind smile. ¡°Hey little guy, do you want a hug?¡±


    Flint widened his eyes at her and murmured, ¡°Grandma...¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s heart was melted by Flint¡¯s adorable voice. She wore a gentle and caring expression and said, ¡°Come here,


    you adorable thing.¡±


    Flint raised his tiny hands at her.


    Madam Stockton carried the boy into her arms and held him like a precious treasure.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. At the same time, she held Isabel from going over. She said in a small voice, ¡°Grandma Stockton will take


    care of Flint. Don¡¯t worry.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Isabel grumbled. ¡°The boy really knows how to win hearts.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled.


    Flint was not afraid of strangers. He weed anyone who wanted to hug him.


    Isabel could not stay idle. She snuck to Queenie¡¯s side and widened her innocent eyes at her.


    Maybe because she was bored or deemed Queenie a bulliable target, she asked, ¡°Ms. Lion, can | touch your hair?¡±


    Annoyed, Queenie red at Isabel. ¡°Who are you calling Ms. Lion, kid?¡±


    ¡°You, pretty girl,¡± Isabel said adorably.


    Queenie¡¯s annoyed expression froze. She did not expect the naughty girl to call her pretty after teasing her.


    She also found the girl to have beautiful eyes.


    Before Queenie could say a word, Isabel continued, ¡°Can | touch your hair, Ms. Pretty Lion?¡±


    Queenie¡¯s gaze changed. She turned away arrogantly and feigned ignorance at the girl. ¡°You can only touch once and don''t call


    me Ms. Pretty Lion.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Little Lion.¡±


    ¡°Don''t call me Little Lion!¡± Queenie turned to her immediately.


    Isabel yed with a lock of her hair. ¡°Okay, Big Lion.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled uncontrobly.


    Her chuckles caught Flint¡¯s attention and he, too, chuckled happily in Madam Stockton¡¯s arms.


    The boy¡¯s adorable smile amused Madam Stockton. She did not even care about Isabel calling Queenie a lion because of her


    blonde hair.


    Odell and John were distracted from their work-rted chat. They turned to thedies and saw a heartwarming scene. It put a


    warm smile on their faces.


    Julie noticed John looking at her, so she feigned a smile and pretended that she was teasing Flint with Madam Stockton.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1006

    Chapter 1006


    There was an air of coziness in the living room.


    Sylvia could not sit still for long as she needed to look for Sherry.


    Grabbing the paper bag with food inside from Odell, Sylvia got on her feet.


    All eyes turned to her.


    Sylvia looked at Odell and John. ¡°Carry on with your conversation. I¡¯m going to check on Sherry.¡±


    Despite the emotions behind his eyes, John let out a smile. ¡°Be my guest, Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Odell returned her a smile. ¡°Go on.¡±


    Julie abruptly asked, ¡°Mrs. Carter, do you need me toe along?¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. | know the way. | can go there myself.¡± She kept her eyes on Flint and Isabel while replying.


    Flint was being his cute self in Madam Stockton¡¯s arms. Detecting Sylvia¡¯s gaze, Madam Stockton¡¯s face fell as she clung onto


    Flint with reluctance to let go.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Isabel was coiling Queenie¡¯s hair around her finger, engrossed in styling her hair.


    Queenie shifted away from Sylvia¡¯s gaze as she sat still for Isabel to do her up.


    Letting out a helpless grin, Sylvia threw a question to Liam.¡± Liam, do you want to go with me?¡±


    Isabel was too much into Queenie¡¯s hair while Madam Stockton clearly had a hard time parting with Flint. They should be fine


    here since Odell was around. By the way Liam was clutching onto his book, it seemed he was bored. She might as well bring


    him out for a stroll.


    Liam''s eyes lit up. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He got up and held Sylvia¡¯s extending hand.


    Hand-in-hand, Sylvia took off with Liam.


    With Liam and her gone, Madam Stockton and Queenie heaved relief altogether.


    ¡°Mommy, are you staying here this week?¡± Liam blurted out the question in his mind not too far along the walk.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Yes, but it''s my first time here at thispound. | normally hang around with Sherry in the guest room ahead.¡±


    ¡°Are the people here nice to you?¡± The boy looked up and stared into her eyes.


    Sylvia met his eyes as her mind shed back to the day Odell took Liam from her when Odell kicked her out of the house.


    The knuckle-sized face in her memory had now grown into distinctive features. The kid, who only cried as he was taken away


    back then, was now looking out for her.


    Feeling loved, Sylvie softly responded, ¡°Mr. Stockton is your daddy''s partner in business. No one would try to pick on me here.


    They have been polite to me.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips without pursuing further questions.


    Sylvia took Liam by the hand and quickly arrived at Sherry¡¯s space.


    Hiding under the shade of a thick yellowwood tree, Sherry sprawled over the table and worked on her needlepoint. She


    appeared lifeless and sluggish.


    Sylvia quickened her pace toward Sherry.


    Picking up on footsteps , Sherry lifted her chin and saw Sylvia together with Liam. They were family in her eyes. ¡°Syl, what a nice


    surprise.¡±


    She bolted toward Liam.


    Liam courteously greeted Sherry, ¡°Good morning, Aunt Sherry.¡±


    Sherry studied his handsome and adorable face while cheekily asking, ¡°Liam dear, can | have a hug?¡±


    Furrowing his brows, Liam hesitated for a moment before uttering, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sherry pulled him into her arms and vited his face with relentless kisses.


    It was toote for Sylvia to stop her.


    Unsurprisingly, Liam asked the magic question the moment Sherry set him free. ¡°Where''s the loo?¡±


    Thinking he needed to take a leak, Sherry pointed in a direction with a smile. ¡°That way.¡±


    Liam swiftly made his way there.


    Sylvia then queried Sherry, ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡±


    Sherry slumped over as if her soul left her. ¡°D*mn John gave me half a bun.¡±


    Sylvia immediately passed over the paper bag with food in it.¡± Here you go. Eat it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    With a glowing expression, Sherry took the paper bag and fished out the food to eat. Despite having food in her mouth, Sherry


    had to ask, ¡°Syl, why did Liame along?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1007

    Chapter 1007


    Chapter 1007


    Sylvia let Sherry know about Odell bringing all three children over.


    Shocked, Sherry immediately swallowed the food that was nearly spat out. With her mouth no longer full, she pressed on with


    more questions. ¡°So, Isabel and Flint are here too? Where are they?


    ¡°They''re with Odell at Mrs. Stockton¡¯spound.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Meanwhile, Liam was returning from the loo.


    His face was drenched, and so were his hair strands in the front.


    Sherry remarked in surprise, ¡°That was quick, Liam.¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°All | did was wash my face and nothing else.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did you go to the loo just to wash your face?¡±


    Liam answered, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    His straight face bore no other emotions.


    Sherry was reminded of the smooches she forced onto him moments ago. ¡°...¡±


    Hurt, she munched on the bread.


    Once her belly was full, Sherry sat back down and went back to her needlework.


    Chapter 1007


    Sylvia and Liam sat inpany with her.


    To Sylvia¡¯s surprise, Liam was fixated on Sherry¡¯s embroidery because she expected Liam to be bored out of his mind.


    With Liam¡¯s attentiveness getting Sherry worked up, thetterpleted her needle piece in an hour. Sherry asked, ¡°Liam, are


    you keen on needlepoint?¡±


    Liam shook his head.


    ¡°Why were you staring throughout?¡±


    ¡°| was curious.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°How you manage to stitch something so hideous.¡±


    By the looks of his facial features, he meant business.


    Sylvia, ¡°...¡±


    Sylvia burst outughing. ¡°...Haha.¡±


    Ashort whileter, a maid of Madam Stockton emerged, making a beeline toward Sylvia. The maid said to her, ¡°Mrs. Carter, the


    madam and Mr. Stockton sent me to inform you that it¡¯s time for lunch.¡±


    Sylvia looked at Sherry.


    ¡°Go on, Syl.¡± Sherry gave Sylvia a wink.


    It was a look to smuggle Sherry some food.


    Sylvia grinned. ¡°Sure.¡±


    She then picked up the paper bag that had not been thrown away.


    The paper bag had ayer of film inside. Sylvia came across the secretpartment in the guest room. The paper bag may


    appear small, but it could hold a lot of stuff.


    By the time Sylvia led Liam to the destination, a sumptuous feast was already spread out across the dining table.


    Following their arrival, everybody in the room rose to their feet.


    Madam Stockton ced Flint, who was fast asleep, on anOwned by N?velDrama.Org.


    unfurled rug before smiling at Odell and Sylvia . ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Carter, get the children seated for lunch.¡±


    Returning a polite smile, Sylvia took Liam¡¯s hand and approached the table.


    Odell walked over to join her.


    Isabel had the same thought in mind, but Queenie pulled her back by her pigtail. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re going anywhere after what


    you did to my hair, kiddo. You can leave once you


    smoothen out the knots.¡±


    It was then Sylvia¡¯s eyes were drawn to the bird¡¯s nest on Queenie¡¯s head. No, a bird¡¯s nest would be apliment...


    God knew what Isabel did to Queenie during the time of her and Liam''s absence because Queenie looked as if she was fresh


    out


    of a madhouse.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1008

    Chapter 1008


    Chapter 1008 Sylvia winced, and it showed in her lips.


    Unimpressed by Queenie¡¯s appearance, Madam Stockton furrowed her brows and gave the former a look to wash up. s,


    Queenie¡¯s full attention was on Isabel who was trying to run away. Unaware of the looks she was getting, Queenie picked Isabel


    up and pinned the girl down on the seat next to her.


    Isabel, held by the scuff of her neck, helplessly remarked, ¡°Miss Lion, you can¡¯t find a boyfriend if you¡¯re so nasty and rough.¡±


    Queenie red at her. ¡°I might not get a boyfriend, but I¡¯m still going to hold you down!¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Madam Stockton averted her gaze, pretending to see nothing while extending hospitality to Odell and Sylvia. ¡°Mr. and Mrs.


    Carter, don¡¯t be a stranger. Make yourselves at home.¡±


    She was clearly trying to steer Odell and Sylvia''s attention away from Queenie¡¯s hair.


    Sylvia courteously responded before cing a napkin over herp.


    Apart from the asional bickering between Queenie and Isabel, it was a pleasant lunch.


    At the end of lunch, most people had put down their cutleries .


    Sylvia had also put down her silverware and discreetly held the paper bag of food in her hands.


    It contained some desserts and meat, which Sylvia snuck into the bag while everybody was distracted by Queenie and Isabel''s


    spat.


    Out of nowhere, Julie turned to her and asked with a smile,¡± Mrs. Carter, | noticed that you packed some food into the bag. Did


    you fancy the food? Should | tell the chef to prepare some for you?¡±


    Her tone and words reflected eagerness.


    Nevertheless, it put Sylvia in the spotlight.


    Madam Stockton appeared surprised.


    Isabel and Queenie looked at Sylvia in wonder.


    Sitting beside her, Odell took a nce at the paper bag Sylvia was clutching onto.


    Her facial muscles tensed as Sylvia was caught at a loss for words.


    It was not as though she could say that it was for Sherry in John¡¯s face.


    Besides, she already had lunch. To say she packed the food forter was giving the Stockton family an excuse to look down on


    her.


    John suddenly uttered, ¡°Tell the kitchen to prepare food and have it sent to the guest room.¡±


    Julie replied, ¡°Sure, John.¡±


    There was tension in the air.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie stared at Sylvia in disbelief.


    The fact that Mrs. Carter of Westchester City packed a doggy bag during a visit was hard to swallow; not to mention, she did it


    on the sly.


    Sylvia could read the look in their eyes.


    Just when Sylvia could sink through the floor, the deep voice of the man beside her took over the room.


    ¡°Thank you, John. | have a weak stomach, so | tend to have smaller but frequent meals. Since my visit was unnned today, |


    hadn''t brought any food with me. Sylvia packed the food for me.¡±


    Dumbfounded, Sylvia gawped at him.


    Odell looked at her with a smile and tenderly ran his fingers down her hair. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that for me. Next time, you can


    just let Madam Stockton know.¡±


    There was a flicker in Sylvia''s eyes. ¡°Oh... Got it.¡±


    Getting a grip on herself, Madam Stockton stered a smile on her face. ¡°That¡¯s right. No need to take it upon yourself. I''ll have


    the maid send it to your room.¡±.


    She looked askance at Julie.


    Although Madam Stockton was unconvinced the doggy bag was for Odell, Julie should not have put Sylvia on the spot.


    Hiding the emotions behind her eyes, Julie apologetically said to Sylvia, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Carter. | was inconsiderate. | should''ve


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1009

    Chapter 1009


    Chapter 1009 Odell pursed his lips.


    The mention of Sherry drained the color off everyone else¡¯s faces at the table.


    John fell silent for a while before curling his lips. ¡°Mrs. Carter, you¡¯ve been with her for a week. It¡¯s okay to miss one afternoon


    now that Master Carter and the children are here. How about | take all of you on a stroll around nchester?¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    The air was still in the room until a t albeit young voice broke the silence. ¡°Can¡¯t we bring Aunt Sherry along?¡±


    Liam stared at John with his clear yet still eyes.


    Sitting beside Queenie, Isabel echoed her brother¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Uh -huh. Aunt Sherry shoulde along to make it a double


    date!¡±


    Silence befell the room once again.


    Madam Stockton pulled a long face.


    Queenie whispered to Isabel, ¡°What do you know, kiddo? Don¡¯t talk about her.¡±


    Julie¡¯s head hung low.


    Sylvia and Odell looked at John.


    Adjusting his sses up his nose, John replied with a smile,¡± Sure. Anything Liam and Isabel say. Let''s take her along.¡±


    Chapter 1009


    214


    Immediately, Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie, who kept her head down the whole time, looked at John in surprise.


    Madam Stockton uttered, ¡°John...¡±


    John interrupted before Madam Stockton could say anything.¡± Mom, we probably have our dinner out tonight. Don¡¯t wait for


    us.¡±


    Madam Stockton pursed her lips with a scowl.


    Julie curled her lips and said, ¡°Go and enjoy yourselves, John. I''ll be here with Mom.¡±


    John nodded his head.


    Queenie murmured in a low voice, ¡°John, I...¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John turned his eyes to her. ¡°What?¡±


    Queenie stole a look at Isabel before curling her lips. ¡°Can | go with you guys?¡±


    The question saw a change of expression in John¡¯s eyes as her request came unexpectedly.


    Madam Stockton and Julie were shocked.


    Amomentter, John replied, ¡°If you want to go out, go with your friends. It¡¯s not a good time today.¡±


    Queenie grunted, ¡°Oh.¡±


    It did not take long before Flint woke up from his nap on the rug.


    He was crying out for his daddy.


    314


    Odell quickly got up and walked over.


    Sylvia did not fall far behind.


    The little guy quit yapping in his father¡¯s arms, but Flint spread out his hands at the sight of Sylvia. ¡°Mommy...¡±


    Letting out a grin, Sylvia carried him into her embrace.


    John gleefully uttered, ¡°Since the young master¡¯s up, let¡¯s get ready to go out.¡±


    Odell responded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    With Flint nestled in her arms, Sylvia turned on her heel.


    It never urred to Sylvia that Madam Stockton was standing behind her, fixating on Flint.


    The gaze did not go unnoticed as Flint beamed at Madam Stockton.


    Madam Stockton smiled lovingly and urged Sylvia, ¡°Flint is young and gets tired easily. Don¡¯t take him to loud ces and don¡¯t


    be out long.¡±


    Sylvia could tell that Madam Stockton took to Flint. Hence, Sylvia remarked in delight, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Stockton. We''ll take


    good care of him.¡±


    After a brief chat, Sylvia, Odell, and John, together with three children, went on their way.


    Although they were gone, Madam Stockton, Julie, and Queenie¡¯s eyes lingered at the door.


    Reading the expression on Madam Stockton¡¯s face, Juliemented with a grin, ¡°The Carter family¡¯s little man sure is adorable.


    He doesn¡¯t kick up a fuss.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1010

    Chapter 1010


    Chapter 1010 The thought of Flint¡¯s adorable little face put a smile on Madam Stockton¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a sweet kid.


    If only John had a kid as well.¡±


    ¡°John¡¯s still young. He¡¯ll have a child sooner orter.¡± As her eyes shifted, Julie added, ¡°But Master Carter has three strange


    children. All three of them have different personalities. They might share some resemnce in appearance, but that¡¯s how far


    their simrity goes.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s face fell. ¡°The oldest is quite like Master Carter. The not very well-behaved girl probably takes after her mom.


    It''s too early to identify personality markers on the


    youngest.¡±


    Julie chimed in. ¡°Yeah. The youngest is the cutest. | hope he stays that way. He better not be like his sister.¡±


    Madam Stockton callously remarked, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°| think the kiddo is adorable,¡± standing behind them, Queenie mumbled under her breath.


    Madam Stockton turned her head and looked at Queenie. Her unsightly hairdo was an eyesore. ¡°Adorable ? The naughty girl


    must''ve gotten to your head. Go to your room and fix your hair!¡±


    Queenie pursed her lips. ¡°Got it.¡±


    After leaving Madam Stockton¡¯spound, Sylvia took the


    children to Sherry¡¯s ce.


    Sherry had eaten by then. Although the food was nothing like the gourmet at Madam Stockton¡¯s , Sherry was not left hungry.


    Nevertheless, Sherry stashed away the bag of food that Sylvia painstakingly got her. It could be kept forter.


    Then, she locked Isabel and Flint in her arms for a kissing frenzy.


    With the smooching throwing Isabel into a daze, she grumbled, asking Sherry for a heads-up next time.


    Flint smacked his lips and returned wet kisses, leaving a trail of drool over Sherry¡¯s face. Sherry was dumbstruck for a moment


    before holding Flint tight without letting go.


    It was only when Sylvia mentioned that they were going somewhere togetherter that Sherry released Flint from her clutches.


    Sherry sprinted into the bedroom for a change of clothes.


    Soon, Sherry walked out of the room in a little red number with a cinched waist. She also pped on some lipstick and wore a


    sun hat. Her figure was hot, to begin with, and the outfit simply added to the same vibe.


    Flint¡¯s eyes widened in amazement.


    Isabel was starstruck. ¡°Wow, Aunt Sherry. You look beautiful.¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Amused, Sherry raised an eyebrow. ¡°Duh.¡±


    She extended her hands to Sylvia. ¡°Give Flint to me, Syl. | want to bond with my youngest son.¡±


    Chapter 1010


    Before Sylvia could put a word in, Flint was one step ahead and reached his little hands out.


    Sherry pulled him into her arms. ¡°What a good boy!¡±


    Swaying her hips, she carried Flint out of there.


    ¡°Wait for me, Aunt Sherry!¡± Isabel staggered behind her.


    With a smile, Sylvia took Liam by the hand and followed in the back.


    A four-seater shuttle bus was parked outside thepound.


    Since the bodyguards keeping watch over thepound had been informed of the arrangement, no one stopped Sherry from


    leaving.


    For possible intentional reasons, Sherry decided to wander about in front of the bodyguards with Flint in her arms before getting


    into the shuttle bus.


    Isabel, Sherry, and Flint sat in the front row.


    Sylvia and Liam sat in the back.


    Four minutester, the shuttle bus arrived at the front door of the Stockton family¡¯s residence.


    Astretched limo was stationed outside.


    Odell and John stood by the vehicle.


    Under the sunlight, their figures outlined one lofty and another slender silhouette. These men might look different and bear


    contrasting presences of aloofness and gentle nature, but they


    were both dreamboats in their own right.


    In short, they were eye candies.!


    Sylvia was dazzled before she could get close to them.


    The shuttle bus quickly pulled up near the men.


    Odell went straight to Sylvia, reaching out his hand to help her get out of the car.


    Sylvia hesitated.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1011

    Chapter 1011


    Chapter 1011


    Seeing that Odell got her out of a fix during lunch, Sylvia decided to cut him some ck.


    She put her hand on his.


    The man¡¯s dark brows on fleek and deep eyes reflected his surprise. However, the curl across his lips soon followed as he held


    her hand. ¡°Take your time. Watch your feet.¡±


    Turning her head away, Sylvia paid him no heed.


    Odell quietly curled his lips.


    On the other side, John approached the shuttle bus after Odell.


    Standing next to Sherry¡¯s seat, John checked Sherry out from head to toe before asking with a smile, ¡°Do you need my help to


    get off the bus?¡±


    As cheerfulness lifted from her face, Sherry mimicked his fake smile and replied with a question, ¡°Are you willing to help me?¡±


    ¡°It would depend on whether you need it.¡±


    ¡°| need if you want to, but | don¡¯t if you won''t.¡± He was not the only one who had a way with words.


    John never broke character with the grin. ¡°I want if you need. | won''t if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Sherry responded, ¡°Ha... Why don¡¯t you guess if | need it then?¡±


    John snapped back. ¡°You can guess if | want to.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry retorted, ¡°I asked you first.¡±


    John remarked, ¡°I know. So?¡±


    Sherry looked daggers at him.


    Curling his lips, John smiled warmly.


    Sylvia had gotten down from the vehicle and was twitching by the corner of his lips. Itpletely slipped her mind that the man


    was still holding her hand.


    Off the bus, Liam and Isabel lifted their chins as they, along with Flint in Sherry¡¯s arms, watched the episode between John and


    Sherry. Curiosity and confusion could be read in their eyes.


    Awhileter, John and Sherry were still engaged in a stare-down.


    Sylvia elbowed the man beside her so that thetter could remind John to get a move along.


    ying dumb, Odell brought her into his embrace and breathed into her ear. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    His husky voice and warm breath swirled into her ear, sending a numbing tingle under her skin.


    Unamused, she pushed him and tried to break free, only for him to lock her tighter within his clutch.


    Sylvia red at him.


    Odell observed John and Sherry with a straight face as if unaware that she was pushing him away.


    He put his muscles to work and strapped her against his chest


    the more Sylvia put up a fight. Rage overtook Sylvia as she tried to kick him, but Isabel¡¯s innocent voice interrupted her from


    picking up her leg. ¡°Uncle John, Aunt Sherry, are you fighting ?¡±


    Sherry turned her face away.


    After a fleeting diposure, John turned to Isabel with a smile. ¡°No, we¡¯re just asking each other questions.¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips. ¡°You better not. That''s what we kids do. It¡¯s childish for adults to bicker.¡±


    John replied, ¡°...Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡±


    Sherry remarked, ¡°Ha.¡±


    She then told John, ¡°I want to carry my son down. Please move aside, and don¡¯t get in my way.¡±


    ¡°You''re very clumsy. You might bump the kid when you get down. It¡¯s best that you give him to me.¡± While speaking, John


    extended his hands to Flint.


    Before Sherry could refuse, Flint leaned his head and his fleshy hands toward John.


    Sherry, ¡°...¡±


    With a smirk, John brought Flint to his chest.


    The little man snuggled up against his neck and started to act cute.


    Lowering his head for a good look, John was caught in a daze.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1012

    Chapter 1012


    Chapter 1012 After getting ahold of himself, John reflected tenderness and joy through his facial features.


    With Flint in his arms, John turned around and said to Odell and Sylvia, ¡°Master Carter and Mrs. Carter, let¡¯s get in the car.¡±


    It did not matter to him whether Sherry had exited the shuttle bus as John carried Flint straight into the limo.


    Sherry jumped off the shuttle bus. ¡°Give me Flint!¡±


    She went after John.


    Since it was not the time and ce to pick fights with Odell, Sylvia let him take her into the car.


    It was a spacious vehicle.


    Sylvia and Odell were sitting down when Sherry squeezed into the seat next to John to fight over the baby. ¡°Give Flint to me


    now!¡±


    John was too preupied with holding Flint to give her the time of the day.


    Sherry extended her arms to steal Flint back.


    John finally looked at her. Behind the lens of his sses, his gentle eyes turned cold and hostile.


    Pale in the face, Sherry withdrew her arms, but nothing could stop her from mumbling her disgruntlement. ¡°I carried Flint out. He


    wanted me first.¡±


    214


    John scoffed with a smile as his eyes met a smiling Flint.


    Isabel and Liam got into the car. There were seats next to Sylvia and Sherry.


    Sylvia beckoned them over.


    The two children ignored her and went to sit in the row behind her together.


    Liam picked up a book to read.


    Isabel crammed into the seat and rested her head against Liam''s shoulder while rambling, ¡°We don¡¯t want to be the third wheel.¡±


    Sylvia, ¡°...¡±


    The remark sucked the noise out of the vehicle for a few seconds.


    Odell looked back. ¡°Put on your seat belts.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Isabel obediently responded before buckling up together with her brother.


    The car soon cruised along the road.


    John carried on with the baby-holding duty while Sherry stared intently at Flint, eyeing her chance to take him back.


    Sylvia¡¯s hand was still held captive by the man next to her.


    Since he did not seem to have any intention to let go, she tried to pull her hand back.


    Her hand only ended up trapped in his clutch.


    She lifted her gaze to look at him.


    The affection was visible through his dark eyes as he looked back at her.


    Somehow feeling the heat, Sylvia broke away from the stare and whispered, ¡°Let go.¡±


    He curled his lips and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Compared to her inaudible voice, he spoke in the normal range of volume that everybody in the same space could hear him.


    It was deliberate!


    Sylvia red at him while withdrawing her hand desperately.


    Keeping a smile across his lips, Odell worked his muscles without breaking a sweat.


    Try as she may, she could not escape from his clutches.


    Sylvia was seething.


    Had it not because John, Sylvia, and the children were in the car together, Sylvia would have cussed Odell out.


    It took a while for her to swallow her anger and look to the other side.


    Odell let out a smile while gripping onto her hand.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped at the entrance of a standalone vi.


    With Flint in his arms, John grinned at the rest. ¡°Master Carter and Mrs. Carter, this estate is the biggest resort in nchester. A


    lot of the scenic features are incorporated into the interior . The ce offers first-ss recreational services for children and


    adults.¡±


    Nodding his head, Odell remarked, ¡°Pass Flint to me.¡±


    It was inappropriate to burden John further since he carried the baby throughout the car ride.


    John replied, ¡°The young master doesn¡¯t want to part with me. Let me hold him for a while more.¡±


    Next Chapter


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 Chapter 1013

    Chapter 1013


    Chapter 1013


    Odell nced at Flint in John¡¯s arms.


    The little guy was tugging and pulling on John¡¯s cor, the same kind of stuff Flint would do when he was bored. There was no


    hint of the separation anxiety suggested by John.


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Sure.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was still a good idea for John to hold Flint so that the baby did note in between him and Sylvia.


    The estate was huge. They got out of the car, only for the resort host to pick them up on a shuttle bus.


    While on their way in, the host went on and on about the ce.


    As John stated, the ce boasted fantastic views and first ss recreational facilities.


    There was a massive yground just for the kids.


    The spa, sauna, steam baths, and so on were catered to the adults. It was everything Sylvia could think of and more.


    The shuttle bus first arrived at the children¡¯s zone.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes lit up at architecture that could only exist in fairytales.


    Isabel jumped off the shuttle bus but not without calling Liam toe with her. ¡°Come on, Liam!¡±


    The moment Liam stepped off the bus, Isabel dragged him into


    the children¡¯s zone.


    Despite Sylvia''s intention to join them, Odell held her back.


    She scowled at him.


    He faintly uttered, ¡°Let them have some fun. Ben and Jacob will watch them.¡±


    Ben and Jacob had been tagging along all the while. They were presently behind Isabel and Liam.


    John added, ¡°Mrs. Carter, they take security measures seriously here. You can rx. The young ones are in safe hands.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    She wanted to keep a distance from Odell, but the kids took off afar. What more could she say now that John put it that way?


    The shuttle bus drove along a winding path.


    It did not take long before the host turned his head back toward the passengers. The host uttered with a smile, ¡°Mr. Stockton,


    Master Carter, and misuses, the scenic spot is up ahead. | should leave you to enjoy the view.¡±


    ¡°I''m not his wife,¡± Sherry blurted.


    Taken aback, the host moved his gaze toward John.


    John nced at Sherry before chuckling . ¡°She¡¯s not my wife. Thank you, Mr. Powell. You can go about your business.¡± ¡°Um...


    Alright, Mr. Stockton.¡± Hitting the brakes, the host got off the bus and went on his way.


    John looked back at Odell and Sylvia. ¡°Master Carter, where would you like your first stop?¡±


    Odell remarked, ¡°It¡¯s quite a view here. We should split up.¡± The change in John¡¯s expression nearly went amiss. ¡°Sure. Exactly


    my thoughts.¡±


    He then hopped off the shuttle bus while cuddling Flint.


    Sherry chased after John right away. ¡°Why are you still holding Flint? Give me him!¡±


    Giving Sherry the cold shoulder, John had no ns to return Flint to Odell and Sylvia either. He traveled far in no time.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows and wanted to catch up with the runaway, but the nearby man grabbed her.


    Having put up with his antics thus far, Sylva shouted at the man, ¡°Let me go, Odell!¡±


    Odell turned a blind eye to her fury and calmly pointed in a direction. ¡°The scenery there looks good. Let''s walk around.¡±


    ¡°John carried Flint away!¡±


    ¡°| know,¡± he softly said, ¡°He and Sherry will look after him. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sylvia was notforted, to say the least. ¡°Do they even know how to care for a child since they¡¯re not parents themselves ?¡±


    ¡°They might have experience caring for children and want one of their own.¡±


    Sylvia met his profound eyes amid her shock.


    His dark pupils reflected the usual tenderness.


    Sylvia pulled away from the locking gaze. ¡°Go on then. I''m going to stroll around on my own.¡±


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own-¡±


    Before she could make a full snide remark, Sylvia was literally swept off her feet and carried down the shuttle bus.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1014

    Chapter 1014


    There were not a lot of tourists at the estate, but that did not mean there were none.


    A few nearby people looked over as Sylvia was lifted off the vehicle.


    Sylvia covered her face. ¡°Odell, what the hell are you doing? Put me down!¡±


    ¡°Tell me where you want to go.¡± Lowering his head, he brushed his thin lips against her ear and murmured gruffly, ¡°I''ll carry you


    there.¡±


    Sylvia, ¡°...¡±


    She felt a creeping rush under her skin while rosiness flushed her cheeks.


    Sylvia shot him an angry look. ¡°Put me down now!¡±


    Curling his lips, Odell put forth his charms. ¡°You can start by telling me where you want to go.¡±


    Sylvia shoved her fury back down her throat. ¡°I¡¯m not going to go off on my own. I¡¯ming with you.¡±


    No sooner had Sylvia said it than she was put back down on her feet.


    Without a chance to step away from Odell, Sylvia was seized by the hand.


    ¡°Come on. Let''s go over there.¡±


    Holding her hand, he led her to the pine tree forest.


    The pine tree lined up in neat rows with lush foliage hanging tall and proud. The rushing of breezes brought along whiffs of pine


    while the earth was scattered with pinecones.


    It was like walking into another world.


    The greenery took away all of Sylvia¡¯s worries and burdens, even to the point that she could forget about his control over her


    hand.


    The forest was pretty big.


    Although they had been hiking for quite a while, Sylvia believed that they were going deeper into the forest with no end in sight.


    Somehow or rather, other tourists were nowhere to be found. They were all alone.


    Suddenly, she felt a warm graze across her forehead.


    Sylvia lifted her chin and met him at eye-level. ¡°Why did you touch me?¡±


    The annoyance was apparent in her tone and face.


    The man simply grinned. ¡°A pinecone fell on your hair.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t | know about it?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you didn¡¯t feel it.¡±


    Sylvia stared intently at him. ¡°Where¡¯s the pinecone?¡±


    He kept a straight face throughout. ¡°It dropped on the ground.¡±


    Sylvia shifted her gaze to the ground and found pinecones everywhere.


    She red at him before moving ahead.


    Still holding her hand, Odell quietly stayed by her side. A cold breeze blew against their skin.


    Sylvia shivered as the wind was chillier than ever.


    Ajacket was then draped on her shoulders. The huge and wide jacket bore the warmth of his body.


    The warmth was transferred onto Sylvia¡¯s body.


    Less than two secondster, Sylvia reached out to pull the jacket off.


    Odell held her hand down. ¡°It¡¯s chilly. Don¡¯t take it off.¡±


    He sounded forceful.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows at him.


    All he was wearing was a ck shirt.


    ¡°I''m not cold. You can have it,¡± she replied.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Seeing that she was awkward about the whole thing, Odell uttered with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t feel cold either.¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t say you were cold.¡±


    ¡°| never said that you didn¡¯t say that | was cold.¡±


    Sylvia could burn holes in his head with the look she was giving


    him.


    He smiled faintly albeit tenderly and charmingly.


    This was not the same cold and cruel man as she remembered three years ago.


    Yet, this was the guy who was unfaithful to their marriage, knocked her off her feet, pinned her down, and pped her sixty times


    just because of what Tara said!


    Overwhelmed by restlessness, Sylvia blurted, ¡°Save your kindness for someone else. I''d rather freeze to death than wear your


    jacket.¡±


    Under the bright light, the man¡¯s lofty silhouette froze. Shock was written all over his handsome face.


    It never urred to him that these heartless words coulde from Sylvia.


    His hand over hers withdrew and fell by his side.


    Sylvia removed his jacket right there and then before tossing it at him. Turning on her heel, she walked on.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1015

    Chapter 1015


    The nerve of that prick. As if sweet nothings could make Sylvia get over all the hurt Odell had caused!


    Sylvia picked up the speed in her feet.


    All she could hear were the wind and the crushing of pinecones under her feet.


    The man, ustomed to power and prestige, was likely offended and would note after her.


    Letting out a deep breath, she slowed down the pace.


    Just then, a flurry of footsteps drew close from behind.


    An arm slipped around her waist before she knew what was going on.


    Thud.


    She crashed onto a firm chest.


    With one hand apprehending her, the man used the other arm to drape the jacket over her shoulders.


    Looking up, Sylvia appeared in a daze.


    Was he not angry? Why did hee after her?


    Odell put his arms around her over the jacket. Sensing her gaze, he lowered his head and looked into her eyes with a scowl.


    ¡°You have to wear it regardless.¡±


    His voice was raspy but reflected dominance.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°What if | refuse?¡±


    He curled his lips. ¡°You can try me.¡±


    cc


    Sylvia had no intentions to take off the jacket, but his remark got the best of her. She reached out to remove the jacket.


    Odell locked Sylvia in his embrace, linking both arms behind her to trap her against his chest.


    Sylvia¡¯s hands were held down despite her efforts to move.


    She red at him. ¡°Odell, you''d let go if you have the balls!¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°You''d know if | have the balls.¡±


    There was an emphasis on thest word.


    As a flush crept onto herplexion , Sylvia shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t mean that!¡±


    ¡°No need to exin. | get what you mean.¡± Curling his lips, he gave a suggestive look.


    Sylvia, ¡°...¡±


    It was probably the rush of blood to her head because she opened her mouth and bit him on the chest.


    She bit him over the fabric.


    The man¡¯s lofty figure stood still.


    Awhileter, Sylvia loosened her grip. Still, he showed no reaction.


    She had to lift her head to look at him.


    As they locked eyes, Odell grinned and asked, ¡°Feel better?¡±


    Something snapped inside Sylvia as she broke away from the stare. ¡°You''re imagining it. I''m not angry because of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really!¡±


    ¡°Why did youe all the way to nchester without a word? Why did you ignore me the whole week?¡± His deep eyes fixated


    on her.


    Shifting her gaze to the nearby pine trees, Sylvia coldly uttered,¡° Because | want to.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re mad with me.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You are.¡±


    Sylvia yelled, ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    She looked daggers at him.


    He was looking at her dead in the eyes, wiping the seductive smile off his face.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell said, ¡°Sylvia, I''ve done you wrong three years ago.¡±


    Sylvia was stumped like there was a catch in her throat. She was caught in a moment of loss.


    ¡°If | could go back in time, | won¡¯t ... Never mind. It¡¯s pointless saying that.¡± Cupping her face, Odell caressed her cheeks with his


    finger before proiming, ¡°Trust me when | say it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Sylvia parted her lips. ¡°Again? There¡¯s no again between us.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± He narrowed his eyes.


    There was a chilly undertone in his voice.


    Although her pupils dted for a moment, Sylvia was not afraid of him. She stared him straight in the eye and replied, ¡°There¡¯s no


    again between mgh-¡±


    His fine facial features abruptly magnified within her line of vision.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1016

    Chapter 1016


    Chapter 1016 Her lips were crushed and she found herself trapped in front of him with one of his arms as well.


    Sylvia had no chance of breaking away and could only reciprocate the kiss with her head held high.


    After some time, Odell finally released her. However, his cold face remained right in front of her eyes as his dark eyes were


    focused on her. ¡°Even if you never intend on forgiving me, the only man you can ever be with will only be me. If you even dare


    think of leaving me, I''ll trap you by my side and not let you go anywhere.¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback. Then, she pushed him. ¡°You''re impossible, Odell. Let me go!¡±


    Was he not supposed to think of a way to get her to forgive him?


    Why was he threatening her?


    Odell ignored Sylvia¡¯s struggle to break free and pressed her further into his embrace. He rested his chin on her shoulder and


    said in a low voice, ¡°Sylvia, I''ll never allow you to leave me.¡±


    ¡°Odell, this isn¡¯t the way to admit to your mistakes!¡± Sylvia shouted.


    All at once, Odell¡¯s eyes lit up.


    What did Sylvia mean? Did that mean that she was not breaking up with him but was merely waiting for him to admit his


    mistakes?


    ¡°Odell, I''ll bite you if you don¡¯t release me now!¡± Sylvia yelled.


    Odell pressed his lips together and did not say a word.


    Soon, he felt a sharp pain originating from his chest:


    It was painful but satisfying.


    Not long after, the pain vanished.


    The woman in his arms raised her head and red at him. Her eyes were as red as a rabbit''s as they stared at him. ¡°Odell, is


    there something wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. | can only be cured if you¡¯re by my side.¡± He looked at her gently.


    Sylvia choked and blushed.


    She had not expected this bad man to utter such sweet words like that.


    ¡°Where can | possibly go if you''re already going to trap me by your side?¡± Sylvia turned her head and spoke irritably.


    Odell pressed his lips together. ¡°You said that we wouldn¡¯t have a future together, so | thought...¡±


    He did not finish the sentence.


    Sylvia asked curiously, ¡°What did you think?¡±


    He lowered his eyes. ¡°I thought you were really leaving me.¡±


    There was a faraway look in his eyes as he seemed to have


    ter 1016


    3/4


    recalled some memories.


    Sylvia remembered about the six years of memories that she had not recovered yet. Aunt Tonya had told her that many things


    had happened between Odell and her in those six years. They had broken up many times, and she had even almost died several


    times.


    Had those things traumatized Odell?


    Sylvia turned her gaze and said, ¡°I still have the three kids so | won''t leave you for now.¡±


    Odell smirked. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    In another corner of the manor, there was a clear creek filled with carp.


    After getting off the shuttle bus, John took Flint over to the creek.


    Sherry followed after them the whole way.


    As expected, the baby was interested in the carp. He pped his hands in excitement, wanting to enter the creek to catch the


    fish the moment he arrived.


    John crouched down with Flint in his arms and allowed the little baby to lean forward to look at the fish.


    ¡°Keke...¡± Flintyughed while pointing at the fish with his tiny finger.


    He was utterly adorable.


    John smiled. Sherry, who had followed them, was also amused by little Flint¡¯s appearance. She crouched down beside John and


    asked Flint,¡± Flint, would you like to catch a fish to y with? Aunty will catch a fish for you, okay?¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As if he understood her words, the little baby babbled with his little mouth, ¡°Aunty, Aunty...


    Sherry immediately took her shoes off. ¡°Just wait and see, Aunty will catch a big fish for you now!¡±


    After speaking, she stepped into the clear waters of the creek.


    Flintyughed, ¡°Kekeke...¡± He waved his small hand happily. John, who was carrying Flint, frowned.


    The creek was not deep and only reached Sherry¡¯s calves. However, the water was very cold during that season, especially


    when the creek water flowed from the mountains.

 Chapter 1017

    Chapter 1017


    ¡°Oh...¡± Sherry had not expected the water to be that cold. Luckily, it was not to the extent that she could not handle it.


    After sucking in a few breaths, she became more used to the cold. She then bent over and started to try and catch a fish.


    Surprisingly, the carp were quite agile despite being so fat.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Aschool of carp swam away the moment she stepped into the water.


    Sherry did not manage to catch one carp even after bending over for a long time.


    Nevertheless, Flint became more and more excited. He keptughing.


    Sherry felt embarrassed and crossed her arms across her front. She asked, ¡°Flint, are youughing at me?¡±


    Flint grinned. ¡°Aunty...¡±


    He called her so sweetly.


    It was so sweet that Sherry could ignore the annoying John, who was staring at her strangely.


    ¡°Just wait and see. Aunty will definitely catch a fish for you today!¡± As she spoke, she turned and walked forward.


    Sherry slowed her movements to prevent rming the fish. She slowly bent down and inserted her hands into the creek. After


    that, she maintained her position.


    Soon, a few carp swam over.


    When she saw a carp swimming between her hands, her gaze focused on it and she put her palms together.


    Ssh!


    Although the carp was slippery, Sherry still caught it.


    She quickly stood up and raised the carp in her hand. She called out to Flint, who was watching her with wide eyes. ¡°Flint, Aunty


    caught one!¡±


    Flinty beamed from ear to ear as he waved his hands happily.¡± Aunty, Aunty...¡±


    Sherry went to him.


    However, just as she was about to reach Flint''s side, the sole of her foot stepped on a smooth stone. She slipped and eximed


    as she fell sideways.


    Just as she was about to fall into the water, a strong arm suddenly moved toward her and wrapped around her waist.


    In the blink of an eye, she was picked up.


    Flustered, Sherry raised her head and her eyes met a cold, disdainful gaze.


    The person who was carrying her was John.


    She was startled but before she could snap back to her senses, she found herself already being carried to shore.


    Immediately after, John dropped his hands.


    Bang!


    Sherry fell on the grass like a sack of potatoes.


    Luckily, the ground was not hard and she was not in pain from the fall.


    However, she rolled on the ground twice before she finally came to a halt.


    The grateful emotions that she had felt from being saved by John vanished in an instant. She got up and said furiously, ¡°Are you


    still a man? Don''t you know how to treat a woman gently?¡±


    John returned to sit by the creek with his back to Sherry. Flint was attempting to crawl into the creek to catch a fish, so John used


    one hand to pull him back while he used his other hand to take his wet shoes and socks off. It seemed like he did not have any


    intention of replying to her.


    Sherry was frustrated for a moment before she suddenly thought of something. Her hands crept up behind him, and she quickly


    snatched Flint over from his arms.


    John turned his head and stared at her coldly.


    Sherry immediately took two steps back while carrying Flint.


    She had just raised her chin at John and was acting smug when the baby in her arms suddenly broke out in tears.


    Sherry hastily looked toward the baby.


    Flint pouted. His face was flushed red, and he was crying pitifully.


    He had clearly been smiling a second ago. Why was he crying now?


    Sherry was flustered. ¡°Flint, what''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Wahhhhh...¡±


    Flinty cried even harder.


    At that moment, her arms became empty. Flint was taken away by John, who had walked over.


    He carried Flinty carefully and examined him from head to toe. After that, he gave Sherry a cold-eyed stare. ¡°Did you touch him


    anywhere when you grabbed him just now?¡±


    Sherry replied hastily, ¡°I only held him by his armpits. | didn¡®t touch anywhere else.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1018

    Chapter 1018


    John flipped Flint''s cor and sleeves up.


    Flint had a fleshy body. The skin under his shoulders, armpits and the other crevices was fair and soft with no abnormalities.


    What could be wrong with him?


    John was about to admit to himself that he could not figure it out, a pungent smell entered his nose.


    Maintaining his expression, he looked at the woman who was staring at Flint anxiously.


    ¡°Flint, what happened to you? Can you tell Aunty?¡± Sherry held Flint''s hand, her face full of worry.


    John pressed his lips together. Then, he said with a straight face, ¡°His buttocks might not be feelingfortable.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sherry looked toward John in puzzlement. ¡°How do you know his buttocks aren''t feelingfortable?¡±


    ¡°I''m just making a guess. I''m not sure of it yet.¡± John held Flint up and turned his little buttocks toward Sherry.


    She used her hand to touch Flinty¡®s buttocks. They were soft and did not seem to have anything wrong with them.


    John observed her expression and added, ¡°You can''t tell just by touching. You have to smell with your nose.¡±


    Since Sherry was worried about Flint, the strangeness of John¡®s words did not even ur to her and immediately ced her


    nose to Flint''s buttocks.


    The stinky smell of poop filled her nose in an instant and she almost died from the stench.


    Sherry quickly took a big step back.


    ¡°Ha!¡± The man¡®s pleasedughter rang.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry finally realized it.


    It was not that Flint¡®s buttocks were feeling ufortable. He had pooped!


    That man had most likely already smelt it before her and had deliberately made her smell Flint''s buttocks!


    What a b*stard!


    Sherry looked toward John coldly. ¡°Stupid John, believe it or not, I''ll p Flint¡¯s poop all over your face.¡±


    John smirked. Theughter in his eyes could not be hidden behind his sses as he gave an affectionate smile. ¡°Sure, | believe


    you. You can try it now.¡±


    Sherry immediately became cowardly.


    That man was at his most dangerous whenever he looked like that. She could not mess with him.


    She pressed her lips together and continued to look at Flint.


    Flint''s eyes were teary and he was still crying.


    John hid his smile and nced at Sherry. ¡°Bring Flint''s bag over.¡±


    As he was speaking, he sat on the ground with Flint in his arms.


    His fair, slender, andrge hands started to take Flint''s pants off.


    Sherry was relieved.


    When she hade down from the buggy to go after them, she had brought along Flint''s bag, which contained his bottle and


    diapers.


    The bag was nearby.


    By the time Sherry brought the bag over, John had already taken off Flint''s pants. He had also removed the diaper that was dirty


    with poop and ced it to the side.


    Flint was not crying anymore. Instead, his chubby body was sprawled casually on John¡®sp.


    The only thing was that his buttocks still had poop stuck to them.


    Sherry was overwhelmed by the bad smell as she approached them. She pinched her nose as she took wet baby wipes and a


    diaper out of the bag.


    John took the wet wipes and wiped Flint''s buttocks clean without changing the expression on his face at all.


    Upon finishing the job, he threw the wet wipes and the used diaper together and nced at Sherry. ¡°Throw these into the trash


    can.


    Sherry¡¯s lips puckered up in distaste but she took the items and threw them into a nearby trash can.


    When she returned, Flint was already dressed and was lying in


    John¡¯s arms. His chubby face was pressed against John''s neck.


    Suddenly, he called out, ¡°Daddy...¡±


    John''s straight back stiffened.


    Sherry was stunned too. She was about to correct the baby when she heard him saying, ¡°Milky.¡±


    John raised his head and looked toward her. ¡°Bring his bottle to me.¡±


    Sherry snapped back to her senses.


    It turned out that the baby was hungry and wanted to drink milk.


    Sherry took out the bottle from the bag.


    The milk bottle was insted and was filled with prepared form.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1019

    Chapter 1019


    Chapter 1019 John handed the nipple of the milk bottle to Flint.


    Flint immediately sucked on the nipple of the bottle. He held the bottle with his little hands and began to drink in earnest.


    As if the action of drinking his milk was not adorable enough, he also stared at John and Sherry with his big, round eyes. He was


    so cute and obedient that he could almost melt people''s hearts.


    Sherry cupped his face with both hands. ¡°Uhhh.... My little baby boy is so cute.¡±


    John, who was carrying Flint, pressed his lips together. His eyes that were behind his sses were filled with affection and


    gentleness.


    That child was indeed cute.


    The holiday resort was huge. It took Sylvia a whole evening to visit a few attractions.


    The sky turned dark before she had even reached the adults¡® entertainment section.


    She did not know where John and Sherry had taken Flint and neither did she know what Isabel and Liam¡®s situation was.


    Sylvia was not in the mood to walk around anymore so Odell did not force her to continue walking and led her to a rest point at


    the center of the resort.


    He called both John and Liam, and asked to head over to them.


    It was a beautiful night.


    Sitting on the long benches just outside the rest point, they could see a sky full of stars just by raising their heads.


    Sylvia and Odell had only sat there for a moment before they spotted John and Sherry walking over.


    Flint was still in John¡¯s arms and was sleeping soundly against the man¡®s chest.


    As Sherry walked beside John, she would turn her gaze to Flint from time to time. She had not carried Flint a lot the entire


    evening and she looked quite unhappy.


    Sylvia and Odell stood up.


    Odell walked up to John and took Flint into his arms. ¡°Thank you, Master Stockton.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    ¡°Where are Liam and Isabel? Haven''t they returned?¡± Sherry walked over to Sylvia''s side and hooked her arm through Sylvia¡®s


    as she spoke.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°We gave them a call. They should be here soon.¡±


    Just after she finished speaking, a shuttle bus stopped in front of them.


    There were street lights all around so it was quite bright.


    Except for the driver, there were only four people on the shuttle


    bus. Ben and Jacob were seated in the front row and back row respectively. Liam was sitting in the second row while an


    unidentifiable person, covered in mud from head to toe except for the eyes, sat in the third row.


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Odell frowned.


    John and Sherry were taken aback.


    The bus stopped.


    Liam got off the bus, without an expression on his face.


    The muddy little girl, Isabel, got out next and walked half a meter behind her brother.


    They stopped when they arrived in front of Sylvia and Odell.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Isabel, what happened to you?¡±


    Isabel''s head was lowered. She picked on her hands and murmured almost inaudibly, ¡°Brother...¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Liam nced at her coldly. ¡°Tell Mommy and Daddy yourself.¡±


    He clearly did not intend on helping her exin.


    Isabel let out a ¡°hmph¡± and muttered, ¡°I identally fell into a ditch.¡±


    Sylvia nced at her from top to bottom.


    There was not a clean spot except for her eyes. Could she have ended up like that just from falling into a ditch?


    At that moment, Odell looked toward Liam. ¡°You tell us, Liam.¡±


    Liam looked at Isabel. There was a resigned expression on his cool face. ¡°Isabel got into a fight with a few boys. They fought and


    ended up in a mud ditch.¡±


    Isabel had fought with several boys?


    Sylvia quickly asked Isabel, ¡°Are you hurt, Isabel ? Did they hurt


    you?¡±


    Isabel, who had her head lowered a moment ago, immediately raised her face. ¡°They''re all stupid pigs. None of them were even


    capable of challenging me!¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1020

    Chapter 1020


    ¡°Pfft...¡± Sherry could not hold back herughter.


    John, who was standing beside her, could not resistughing too.


    Only Odell¡®s face was dark.


    Very quickly, Isabel sensed the aura emanating from her father. She lowered her head and muttered, ¡°They were the ones who


    bullied someone else first. They pushed the person¡®s head into the muddy water. Not only did they bully him, they told him to


    kneel, beg and call them ¡®Daddy¡¯ They were so bad that | just wanted to teach them a lesson.¡±


    Sylvia asked, ¡°So you taught all of them a lesson by yourself ?¡±


    Isabel raised her head. ¡°That''s right!¡±


    With an expressionless face, Liam said, ¡°If Uncle Ben and Uncle Jacob weren''t there, you would¡¯ve been held down and forced


    to call them ¡®Daddy¡¯ too.¡±


    Isabel ced her hands on her hip and shouted, ¡°That''s not true! | had already bitten that fatty until he was in tears when Uncle


    Ben and Uncle Jacob came to help me.¡±


    ¡°You were only able to bite him because the fatty slipped and fell at your feet before he could even make a move.¡±


    ¡°Baddie brother! That''s not true!¡± Isabel was so angry that she went up to Liam and red at him.


    Liam''s brows knitted into a tight frown. ¡°Stay away from me.¡±


    Isabel puffed out her cheeks.


    Sylvia and Odell were speechless.


    John and Sherryughed. ¡°Haha...¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Boo hoo... Mommy, Brother is bullying me.¡± Isabel was exasperated. She then turned and flung herself into Sylvia''s embrace.


    The smelly mud that was on her instantly got on to Sylvia''s body.


    Sylvia frowned.


    However, that girl was her biological daughter.


    Sylvia sighed resignedly and hugged the girl. She said to Odell and the rest, ¡°You guys head over to the dinner spot first. I''ll take


    Isabel to wash up.¡±


    Odell nodded.


    Sylvia turned and got on the shuttle bus.


    When she was seated, Sherry came up to her and said with a smile, ¡°Syl, I''ll go with you.¡±


    Sylvia nced at John, who was standing with Odell.


    They had their backs to the sunlight, so she could not see their expressions. However, she could feel that John and Odell were


    looking in their direction. Not long after, the shuttle bus drove toward the lodgings behind the resort


    With Isabel in her arms, Sylvia asked Sherry, ¡°Sherry, were things okay between you and John this evening?¡±


    Sherry¡®s expression changed. She replied, ¡°It was fine. It''s just that he kept hogging Flint and didn''t let me carry him for even a


    short while.¡±


    Sylvia smiled but did not ask any further questions.


    Soon, the shuttle bus brought them to the lodging area.


    John must have informed the employees beforehand because a few employees came over the moment Sylvia and Sherry


    entered with Isabel.


    The head of the employees guided them to the washroom. Another two employees came behind them, bearing clean clothes.


    There was a set of children¡¯s clothes and two sets of adult women¡®s clothes.


    The children¡®s clothes were obviously for Isabel, while the other two sets were for Sylvia and Sherry.


    Sylvia looked at Sherry¡®s body.


    Sherry was still wearing the thin, red dress which was clearly much cleaner than Sylvia and Isabel''s clothes.


    Had John specially prepared the clothes for Sherry because he did not want her to feel cold?


    Sherry probably figured that out as well. When she reached the room to wash up, she only took one piece of outerwear and put it


    on. She refused to change into the full outfit.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1021

    Chapter 1021


    Sylvia did not know what happened between Sherry and John, and she had already said everything she could. It was


    inconvenient to say anything more in front of Isabel, so she took Isabel to the bathroom.


    On thewn of the higher ground of one side of the resort.


    The lights were bright and alcohol, beverages, and snacks had been arranged everywhere. A few waiters stood around, waiting


    to be summoned.


    There was a barbeque grill on one side, which was manned by a professional barbeque chef.


    That ce was the highest point of the whole resort. Just by looking up, one could even see a sky full of stars. If one lowered


    their head, they could see the night view of the whole resort from above. The field of vision was wide and beautiful.


    A rectangr dining table had been ced in the middle of the field.


    Odell was sitting on one side of the table with Flint sleeping soundly in his arms.


    John sat opposite him. Behind his sses, he nced toward Flint''s sleeping face from time to time. ¡°Young Master Carter, does


    Flint usually sleep at this hour?¡±


    Odell thought about it fora moment. ¡°Yes, it''s around this time.¡±


    ¡°When will he wake up?¡±


    ¡°| think he''ll be waking up soon.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Odell asked, ¡°Why are you asking about this, Master Stockton ?¡±


    John smiled gently. ¡°Nothing. I''m just curious.¡±


    ¡°Every child''s rest time isn''t fixed. Liam slept a lot more than Flint when he was young.¡± Speaking of that, Odell looked toward


    John. He smirked and said, ¡°If you''re curious about children, have one and you''ll know what it''s like.¡±


    John''s expression changed. After staying silent for two seconds, he smiled and said, ¡°I just like Flint a lot. I''m not really interested


    in children for now.¡±


    Odell pressed his lips together. He lowered his head to look at his son sleeping sweetly in his arms and did not say anything


    else.


    The atmosphere went quiet.


    John quickly noticed Liam, who was sitting alone on the stairs at the edge of the field alone and reading a book.


    The ce Liam was sitting was located on higher ground. Although he was not in front of an open space, from John¡®s angle it


    looked like Liam was sitting on a cliff. His little body looked as if it was surrounded by all the stars in the sky. He was young, yet


    he had the aloofness and mysterious aura that was unusual for a person his age.


    John went silent for a moment. He could not help but ask,¡± Young Master Carter, does Liam usually prefer being alone?¡±


    Odell looked toward Liam''s direction. He replied, ¡°Not necessarily. It depends on who he''s with.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Who is he with when he doesn''t prefer to be alone?¡±


    ¡°His mom and sister.¡± Upon mentioning Sylvia, the expression on Odell''s face softened.


    John said while smiling, ¡°You must be very happy to have these children.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±


    John asked curiously, ¡°Why not?¡±


    Odell gave him an answer. ¡°I was not very happy that Sylvia has been here at your ce for a week.¡±


    John was taken aback. Heughed and said, ¡°It seems like your feelings for Young Madam Carter run deep.¡±


    Odell remained silent for a while. Then, he said in a low voice, ¡°I used to have a huge misunderstanding about her. Liam had just


    been born at that time. Although I hated Sylvia, | loved Liam. | also recently realized that | probably had feelings for her even


    back when | had misunderstood her. If | had truly hated her, | wouldn''t have loved the child that she had birthed for me.¡±


    John had not expected that Odell, a man of few words, would tell him all those things. After feeling momentarily stunned, he said,


    ¡°It''s not toote to figure things out now. You still have a lot of good times ahead with her.¡±


    ¡°Despite saying it that way, if | could turn back in time, | would never have hurt her even if she had really done those bad thingsThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    from the start.¡± After pausing for a moment, Odell lifted his gaze and looked toward John. he said in a deep voice, ¡°Don''t ever


    hurt the person you love. If not, you''ll regret it your entire life.¡±


    John was stunned. It was only after a few seconds before his expression returned to normal.


    He chuckled. ¡°You have a point there, Young Master Carter.¡±


    It was a given that they should not hurt the people they loved.


    However, what if it were the person they despised?


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1022

    Chapter 1022


    Sylvia had to bathe Isabel many times.


    Not only did the girl have mud in her hair, but it had gotten in her ears too.


    Sylvia only managed to get her clean after bathing her for over an hour.


    Finally clean, the little girl was now fair with a hint of rosiness.


    The clothing that John had prepared for her was a puffy pink dress. Isabel transformed into a chubby little princess after putting it


    on.


    However, she sighed when looking at her reflection in the mirror. ¡°Ah, how childish.¡±


    Sylvia felt a lump in her throat. She said, ¡°Mommy thinks it looks nice. Besides, this was specially prepared by Uncle John for


    you. You can''t dislike it. It¡¯s impolite. Do you understand?¡±


    The little girl was cute and should be doted on. However, she could not be allowed to be overly spoiled.


    Nevertheless, it was Sylvia¡®s first time lecturing Isabel ever since she had lost her memory.


    Sylvia felt nervous after speaking.


    Surprisingly, Isabel pressed her lips together. Not only was she not behaving defiantly, but she also became bashful.


    ¡°| know. It''s just that | think that this is clothing that only preschoolers wear. | don''t dislike it. Don¡®t be angry, Mommy.¡± After


    speaking, she turned to hug Sylvia.


    Sylvia felt a warmth all over her body. She patted Isabel''s head and said softly, ¡°It''s good that you know that. I''m not angry.¡±


    Isabel immediately raised her chubby face and chuckled.


    Sylvia smiled too. Then, she took Isabel out to meet Sherry.


    They took the shuttle bus and not long after, they arrived at the dinner spot.


    The night was silent, and the lights were bright.


    The starry sky above their heads and the night view around them were amazing.


    Sylvia was mesmerized by the beautiful scenery once she arrived. She even had the urge to draw.


    However, this was not the time to draw so she quickly suppressed that urge.


    They walked along the stairs and reached the field that was at the top.


    Liam was sitting on the topmost step of the flight of stairs. When he saw theming, he raised his face and looked toward


    them with his big, round eyes.


    ¡°Hmph! Baddie brother!¡± Isabel was still holding a grudge over what had happened before so she put her hands on her hips and


    shouted at Liam. Then, she ran toward Odell and John.


    Liam''s face remained emotionless, obviously not taking Isabel''s words to heart.


    When Sylvia reached his side, he stood up.


    She held Liam¡®s hand and walked over to the barbeque grill with Sherry.


    Isabel was already seated on the chair beside Odell.


    She must have been hungry as she was already eating a piece of cake.


    Odell and John looked up when they saw the women walking over.


    Odell looked at Sylvia and smiled at her.


    Sylvia pressed her lips together. She then led Liam to sit down on the other side of Odell.


    There were only four seats on their side of the table, so it was instantly filled.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry had no choice but to sit beside John.


    At that moment, a waiter came to them and asked John respectfully, ¡°Master Stockton, has everyone arrived for your table?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Yes, you may start now.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The waiter informed the chef in charge of the barbeque. Next, he


    ced drinks and snacks on the table with the other waiters.


    Soon, all sorts of barbequed meat were also ced on the dining table.


    Isabel enjoyed the food the most.


    Sylvia¡®s appetite was also extremely good, probably due to the beautiful scenery around her. She did not stop eating from the


    moment the barbequed meat was served.


    Sherry, who was sitting opposite her, had an even better appetite and she ate even more than Sylvia.


    Halfway through the meal, John suddenly said, ¡°Eat slower. Be careful that you don''t choke.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.


    John was smiling as he talked to Sherry with a very gentle expression on his face.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1023

    Chapter 1023


    John was looking as if he actually cared about Sherry.


    However, Sherry¡®s face paled for a moment and she slowed down her actions a lot.


    Sylvia pressed her lips together. Just as she was about to say something, a piece ofmb chop appeared before her eyes.


    Odell had taken it for her. ¡°Eat quickly while themb chop is still hot.¡±


    His voice was gentle as he spoke.


    Themb chop was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. A tempting aroma wafted from it.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. Then, she picked up themb chop and began to eat.


    After taking a few bites, she noticed Sherry staring eagerly at themb chop in Sylvia¡®s hands.


    However... There was clearly another te ofmb chops on the table.


    Sylvia immediately took a piece ofmb chop for Sherry and put it on her te. Pretending as if she did not know anything,


    Sylvia said, ¡°Sherry, what are you looking at? Eat up while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    Sherry nced at John.


    John smiled and said, ¡°Why are you looking at me? Young Madam Carter herself has served you. Hurry up and eat it.¡±


    Without saying a word, Sherry took themb chop and began to eat.


    The atmosphere was somewhat peaceful.


    The peacested until Flint suddenly woke up. He began to call out towards the table that was full of delicious food as he waved


    his hands about, seemingly anxious to climb on top of the table.


    Odell grabbed Flint tightly and prevented him from climbing onto the table.


    Odell had been carrying Flint for a long time so Sylvia removed her gloves and said, ¡°Let me take Flint to be fed.¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°I''ll take him. You can continue eating for a little while more.¡±


    After speaking, he carried Flint and walked toward another area.


    Sylvia¡®s gaze moved but she had no choice except to continue eating.


    Odell only returned with Flint after some time.


    The baby still had milk stains at the corners of his mouth and he had clearly drunk his fill.


    Sylvia was done eating. ¡°Pass Flint to me.¡±


    Odell nced at her and said softly, ¡°It''s fine. I''ll carry Flint.¡±


    He carried Flint with one arm as he took food with the other.


    Flint was obedient after his hunger had been satiated. Although


    he continued to stare at the delicious food on the table, he did not grab any of it.


    Sylvia pursed her lips but did not say a word.


    With the presence of the two precious kids, Isabel and Liam, the dinner¡¯s atmosphere was quite lively.


    The dinner did not end untilte at night.


    Their amodation was situated at the lodging area where Sylvia had taken Isabel to bathe.


    The person in charge of that area personally weed them again and only left after escorting them to their amodation.


    Sylvia held Isabel and Liam¡®s hands as she walked behind Odell, who was carrying Flint.


    John and Sherry walked beside them.


    The employee had prepared two suites for them. The suites were in different directions.


    When they arrived at the lobby, they stopped.


    John smiled faintly and said, ¡°Young Master Carter, Young Madam Carter, your room is just to the side. Sherry and | won''t be


    escorting you two there.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°Okay.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After speaking, Sylvia and Odell were about to take the children and leave. However, Sherry suddenly spoke, ¡°Young Master


    Carter, Syl, could you guys lend Flint to me for a night?¡±


    She was staring intently at little Flint.


    Flint had not gone to sleep yet. His eyes were moving as he looked around out of curiosity.


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment before she was about to reject Sherry¡®s request.


    The baby was just eight months old. It was fine to let them carry the baby for a while during the day, but how could she feel


    assured to let them take care of the baby at night?


    However, before she could speak, the man beside her said,¡± Okay.¡±


    Sylvia looked toward Odell in shock.


    He passed Flint to Sherry and said, ¡°Flint is pretty obedient at night, but he''ll asionally wake up in the middle of the night for


    cuddles. It''ll be fine as long as you don''t disturb him.¡±


    Sherry quickly took Flint into her arms. She carried him lovingly and said, ¡°Don''t worry. | definitely won''t disturb him.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1024

    Chapter 1024


    John, who was standing beside Sherry, nced at her and Flint. Then, he smiled at Odell and Sylvia. He said, ¡°Master Carter,


    Mrs. Carter, rest assured and take Liam and Isabel to rest. We''ll take care of Flint properly.¡±


    Odell nodded. He circled an arm around Sylvia¡®s waist and turned around


    He led her to their suite without giving her a chance to break free.


    There were two bedrooms in the suite.


    When Liam and Isabel entered, by tacit understanding, they went into the smaller bedroom.


    The atmosphere immediately fell silent.


    Sylvia looked toward Odell with a frown. ¡°Why did you give Flint to them? Are they really capable of taking care of him well?¡±


    Odell lifted his hand to touch her face. He said in a low voice, ¡° They babysat Flint for the entire evening. They changed his


    diaper and fed him form . They¡®re already experienced and can take care of him well.¡±


    Sylvia was surprised. ¡°They changed Flint''s diaper and even fed him form?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°| checked Flint before dinner when you took Isabel for her bath. His diaper was clean, and the form in his bottle was gone.¡±


    Sylvia took a deep breath and pressed her lips together.


    She had not expected Odell himself to check up on Flint.


    It was true that he had only brought the three children, Ben, and Jacob. He had not brought Aunt Tonya and Aunt Wanda along.


    Back home, things like feeding Flint form and changing his diaper were usually done by Aunt Tonya and Aunt Wanda. Sylvia


    had even forgotten that Flint had to change his diaper and drink his milk frequently


    On the other hand, Odell, the young master of the Carter family and the boss of Carter Corporation, had done those things


    personally for his child. People would probably not believe it even if they heard it.


    However, he had really done it.


    Even during the dinner earlier, he could have asked one of the waiters to carry Flint for a while they were having dinner.


    However, he had continued to carry Flint throughout. Perhaps, like Sylvia, he did not like the idea of letting strangers take care of


    his children. Nevertheless, it was obvious that he had wanted to let her have her meal in a rxed manner.


    He was entirely different from the man who used to kick her out of bed and ordered someone to p her 60 times.


    Sylvia could not even recall his cold personality from before.


    She felt a stuffiness in her chest and said, ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go and


    have some rest.¡±


    After speaking, she entered the master bedroom.


    Odell''s expression changed and he followed her into the bedroom.


    There was only a huge bed and a bathroom in the bedroom.


    Since Odell had taken care of the baby the whole night, Sylvia said generously, ¡°You can wash up first. I''ll goter.¡±


    Odell smiled and stroked her head. ¡°I''m not tired yet. You go first.¡±


    Sylvia turned her head and indifferently showed her side profile.¡° If you don''t go, I''ll move to Liam and Isabel''s room.¡±


    Odell was stunned.


    After a short moment, he smirked. ¡°I''ll go now.¡±


    Then, his towering figure entered the bathroom.


    For some reason, Sylvia felt some satisfaction as if she had scored one over a big boss.


    She pursed her lips and sat on the edge of the bed. She took a magazine from the bedside table and started reading it.


    The bathroom door opened when she finished reading an article.


    Sylvia raised her head and looked over.


    The man¡¯s tall figure walked out.


    He wore a ck bathrobe with a belt casually tied around his waist.


    The neckline fell open on both sides. Under the lighting, there was a tempting gleam on his muscr chest and taut abdominal


    muscles.


    Sylvia instinctively gulped.


    Then, she quickly lowered her head and looked at the magazine in her hand.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell narrowed his eyes and walked up to her. Hisrge hand stroked her head. ¡°What are you thinking about that even your


    magazine is upside down?¡±


    Was the magazine upside down?


    Sylvia immediately closed the magazine to take a look at the cover.


    The picture and words on the cover were upright.


    Sylvia blushed and red at Odell.


    The corners of his lips curved as he smiled wickedly at her.


    Sylvia¡®s face heated up even more.


    She tossed the magazine onto the table. Then, she got up and pushed him.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1025

    Chapter 1025


    Chapter 1025 When Sylvia stood up, she lost her footing. Since she had used too much force as well, not only did she not push


    Odell away, but she also ended up throwing herself into his embrace.


    Thud.


    Her head hit his chest.


    Sylvia wanted to step back, but found that her waist had been encircled by Odell.


    Holding her with one arm, he lowered his handsome face to meet her eyes. His voice was husky. ¡°Don''t be hasty. Go and get a


    bath first. I''ll be here. | won''t run away.¡±


    After speaking, his warm lips left a kiss on her forehead as if he was reassuring her.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    She had only lost her footing. There had not been any other meaning to that.


    She instantly wanted to push him away.


    However, at that moment, Odell released her. He patted her head and said hoarsely, ¡°Go. I''ll wait for you.¡±


    Sylvia pped his hands away and ran into the bathroom.


    She took a long bath. Only when her emotions had calmed and her expression had returned to normal, did she put on her


    pajamas ande out.


    The man¡¯s tall figure was lying on one side of the bed. In his hands was the magazine that she had been reading earlier.


    When he saw that she had exited the bathroom, he ced the magazine back onto the table. The corners of his lips lifted into a


    smirk. His deep¡ªset eyes gazed at her.


    Moreover, the neckline of Odell¡®s robe was still falling open toward both sides. The beautiful view of his chest was revealed even


    more than when he had just stepped out of the bathroom.


    Sylvia¡®s face heated up. She quickly averted her gaze. She walked around the bed and got into it from the other side.


    She pulled a corner of the quilt andy down with her back facing him while keeping a distance between them.


    Snap.


    Odell turned off the warm-toned lights on the wall.


    The room was immediately shrouded in darkness.


    Next, a rustling sound came from behind Sylvia.


    Before she could react, a long arm slid under her waist and wrapped around her.


    Her entire back was pressed to the man¡®s wide, firm chest.


    His breath tickled her neck.


    Sylvia¡®s body heated up. She said irritatedly, ¡°Go away. Don''t touch me.¡±


    Odell did not say a word but his long arm remained wrapped


    around her without letting go.


    Sylvia tried to push him away with her elbow.


    Odell increased his strength.


    Sylvia could not even move.


    Twisting back towards him, she eximed softly, ¡°Odell Carter, don¡®t push your luck!¡±


    Odell still did not let go. He said in a low voice, ¡°Be good. Don¡®t move.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia twisted her body even more.


    Then, the tip of his nose suddenly touched the back of her neck.¡® | won''t be able to hold myself back anymore if you keep


    moving.¡±


    His breath was hot, and his throat hoarse.


    Sylvia¡®s body stiffened and she no longer dared to move.


    She still had not regained six years¡® worth of memories. However, during her first two years of marriage with Odell in the past,


    even though he rarely returned home, he would press her to the bed if she approached him in her pajamas when he returned


    home at night.


    His reaction at that moment obviously meant that he wanted to have sex.


    Sylvia pressed her lips together and did not make a sound. Her body was also like a sculpture, unmoving.


    He was not as repulsive to her as when she had just regained her memory, but she was still notfortable sleeping with him


    yet.


    The room quickly turned quiet.


    It was so quiet that Sylvia could listen to Odell''s breathing change from quick to slow and then slow to steady.


    The strength with which he was hugging her loosened greatly as well.


    Not long after, he whispered, ¡°Go to sleep.¡±


    Sylvia closed her eyes.


    Perhaps it was because his embrace was sofortable, her consciousness began to get blurry.


    She rolled over and slept with her face pressed against him.


    In the dim lighting, Odell''s gaze lowered. Seeing her small face pressed to his chest, he smiled quietly.

 Chapter 1026

    Chapter 1026


    Chapter 1026 Meanwhile, in another suite at the lodgings.


    Although they hade back to the room quite some time ago, Sherry remained on the couch as she yed with Flint.


    The little boy was like a fluffy marshmallow and was nice to cuddle with. He was still quite energetic as his eyes looked around,


    full of curiosity.


    Sherry took out a pack of gummies to tease him with.


    The boy''s eyes lit up the moment when he saw the food in Sherry¡®s hand and he began to mber on top of her without any


    caution.


    Sherry lifted the pack of gummies in the air.


    Flint was unable to reach it and after his attempts had failed, he burrowed his head into the crook of her neck and began to


    whine, ¡°Aunty... gummy...¡±


    Sherry gave in the moment she heard his soft and innocent voice.


    ¡°Here you go, Aunty is going to give you some gummies.¡± She no longer had the heart to keep teasing Flint and immediately


    presented a piece to him.


    Flint immediately began munching away.


    As Sherry quietly admired how adorable he was, she muttered


    yfully , ¡°How is it that you''re so cute? Aunty wants to steal you away someday.¡±


    That was when the door suddenly opened.


    Sherry¡®s expression shifted, and she promptly picked Flint up.


    It was John who had just stepped into the room.


    He had just finished showering and was in a silk nightgown paired with leather slippers that had been provided by the lodgings.


    The light entuated his slender figure. Without his sses, his appearance seemed more gentle than usual, it made him. look


    that much more approachable and alluring in a certain way.


    He approached Sherry and looked at Flint who was still happily munching on some gummies. Then he said to her, ¡°Go take a


    shower, I''ll take care of Flint.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There¡®s no need, | showered before eating.¡± Sherry looked at him cautiously and said to him, ¡°I''ll sleep with Flint on the couch.


    You just go ahead and sleep. Don''t mind us.¡±


    There was only one bedroom.


    The corners of John¡®s mouth lifted, ¡°I won''t mind you, of course. However, Flint here is Odell''s darling son. He¡®s only eight


    months old. Are you sure you want him to sleep on the couch with you?¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    John had raised a good point. It would not be a good idea to let Flint sleep on the couch. However, she could not resist Flint''s


    sheer cuteness and was reluctant to part with him.


    She thought for a moment and suggested, ¡°Well, do you mind sleeping on the couch then? I''ll take Flint to the bedroom with


    me.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± John chuckled, ¡°Have | been so liberal with you today that you think that you''re the boss here now?¡±


    There was a sh in Sherry''s eyes as she held on tightly to Flint with both arms, ¡°If you don''t want to, I''ll just take Flint to sleep


    on the couch with me.¡±


    John continued wearing the same slightly amused smile,¡° Seeing that I''m in a good mood today, I''ll give you two choices.¡±


    Sherry looked at him, ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°One, give Flint to me, then you can go ahead and sleep on the couch yourself. Or two,e sleep in the bedroom with me and


    Flint.¡± After a pause, he said, ¡°You have three seconds to think about it.¡±


    Something changed in Sherry¡®s eyes and she immediately rose with Flint in her arms to walk into the bedroom.


    It was not like she had never slept with John before.


    John chuckled softly and followed after her.


    The bedroom was ratherrge and brightly lit, with arge, round bed positioned in the center.


    Upon entering, the first thing Sherry did was crawl into bed with Flint.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Sherry looked at him, slightly upset, ¡°What is it this time?¡±


    John leaned against the wall with his arms across his chest and quietly looked at her with mild disgust, ¡°If you''re going to sleep in


    the bedroom with me, take a shower first. If not, then you''re going to have to sleep on the floor.¡±


    Sherry frowned and protested, ¡°I showered before eating.¡±


    John refused to yield, ¡°If you don''t shower, then you should sleep on the floor.¡±


    Sherry stood her ground as well, ¡°And what if | don''t?¡±


    With that, she prepared to climb onto bed.


    John said with a stiff smile, ¡°Then I''ll have to kick you out of bed.¡±


    Sherry was just about to sit on the bed when she suddenly froze.


    It was not an idle threat, John had done that more times than she could count.


    She heaved a long sigh and reluctantly looked at Flint, who was still happily nibbling at what was left of the pack of gummies.


    After setting him on the bed, she spoke to him softly, ¡°Flint, wait here for me, okay? I''ll be right with you.¡±


    Meanwhile, Flint was busy nibbling at his gummies and barely acknowledged Sherry.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1027

    Chapter 1027


    Sherry nced at John and whispered into Flint''s ears, ¡°You see that uncle over there? He''s very stinky, so don''t climb on top of


    him, got it?¡±


    Flint babbled in reply.


    He was focused on his gummies.


    The corners of Sherry¡¯s lips twitched and she turned to John to say, ¡°I was the one who asked Sylvia and Master Carter to let me


    take care of Flint, so he¡®s mine. Don''t even think about hogging him all to yourself.¡±


    John grimaced.


    Sherry immediately went into the bathroom.


    As soon as she stepped into the bathroom, John nonchntly approached the bed and carried Flint up into the air, and took him


    into his arms.


    Sherry had never showered so fast in her entire life, she emerged from the bathroom in a nightgown within less than five


    minutes.


    Beneath the warm glow of the ceiling lights, she saw John lying on his side in the center of the bed, one of his arms was


    wrapped around Flint who had burrowed himself into his chest.


    Flint seemed veryfortable lying in that position and was not


    causing a ruckus, almost as if John was his father.


    The two figures were resting in bed and made for a very wholesome picture.


    Sherry was consumed with fury upon seeing this, Flint was supposed to be hers tonight!


    She immediately jumped into bed and tried to get Flint back.


    John had already seen thising and quickly held on to Flint.


    Sherry red at him, ¡°Give Flint to me.¡±


    John nced at her, ¡°Get out of here if you''re not going to sleep.¡±


    Sherry silently muttered a flurry of curses in her mind.


    She grabbed at Flint''s tiny feet and tried to pull him away.


    However, she did not realize how strongly John was holding on to Flint, so the only thing her feeble attempt aplished was to


    make Flint whimper with fright.


    This gave her quite the scare and she quickly let go, fearful of doing any harm to the boy.


    John disyed a coy smile as if he had already been dered the winner.


    Although he had not uttered a word, it was clear that he was thinking something along the lines of, ¡°Go ahead, try to take him


    away now.¡±


    Sherry gnashed her teeth, ¡°It was me who asked Sylvia and Master Carter to let Flinte with me!¡±


    John parried, ¡°Your point being?¡±


    Sherry eximed, ¡°...Give him to me!¡±


    Johnughed sardonically.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry wanted to p him across the face right then and there!


    She took a deep breath and faced John as shey down behind Flint. She gently stroked his back, ¡°Hey, Flint, it''s your favorite


    aunt, don''t you want toe over to me?¡±


    All she got was silence.


    Flint had already fallen asleep.


    John gazed silently at her, Flint was positioned in the middle of the two of them.


    He cocked an eyebrow at her, seeming to be very amused by the current situation.


    Sherry scoffed in contempt and turned around so he could only see her back.


    Silence rang in her ears.


    At one point, the lights in the bedroom were turned off.


    Sherry listened attentively to any signs of movement. Eventually, she heard the soft, steady rhythms of John¡®s breathing that


    indicated that he had fallen asleep.


    She slowly turned around and carefully hooked an arm around Flint before proceeding to carefully pry him out of John¡®s arms. At


    last, Flint was back in her arms.


    The boy was sleeping soundly, feeling as soft as a ball of cotton in her arms and covered in his milky fragrance.


    She could not resist the urge to gently kiss his cheeks. After kissing him several times, she hugged him tightly and shut her


    eyes.


    That was when John, who was lying next to her, opened his eyes.


    His eyes quickly adapted to the darkness until he could see the outlines of her face.


    He quietly gazed at the manner in which she held Flint in her arms as if he was a prized treasure. She wore a satisfied smile,


    even her eyebrows were nted upwards with delight.


    Hmph.


    He had never thought that a woman like her would be so fond of children.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1028

    Chapter 1028


    Master Odell¡¯s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1028


    Chapter 1028 It was a dreamless night for Sylvia.


    It was ten in the morning by the time she woke up the next day.


    John and Sherry had taken all three kids out to y.


    Only Odell was waiting for her by the bedside.


    She quickly took a shower, dressed casually before stepping out.


    Odell was standing by the doorway leading to the bedroom, his towering figure gracefully leaning against the wall.


    He smiled when he saw her.


    Sylvia made a look as she looked at him. Then, she quickly turned her face away and tried to walk past him. However, the


    moment she approached him, he reached an arm out and grabbed her.


    His palms were warm and his grip was firm.


    Sylvia struggled a while before finally giving up.


    Shortly after they left their suite, they ran into John and Sherry.


    Flint was resting snugly in Sherry¡®s arms. However, the moment he saw Sylvia and Odell walking toward them, he waved his


    arms around frantically in their direction.


    Sylvia hurriedly stepped forward and took the boy into her arms.


    ¡°Sylvia, what took you two so long? What were you two doing?¡± Sherry asked coyly as she came to her side.


    Sylvia immediately caught on to what Sherry was implying and answered, ¡°I overslept because | didn''t set an rm.¡±


    Sherry snickered teasingly, ¡°There¡®s no need to exin, | fully understand.¡±


    Flint was giggling.


    Sylvia stayed quiet


    Then, John approached them with a wide smile on his face,¡± Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, Isabel and Liam are in the children¡®s


    area. Let''s go find something to entertain ourselves with.¡±


    Odell nced at Sylvia and said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    One-third of the estate provided various entertainment for adults.


    There was both an indoor and outdoor section.


    Since they had Flint with them, they figured outdoor activities would be rather inconvenient. With this in mind, John took them


    inside a castle.


    It was a veryrge castle, the lobby was on the first floor and all the other floors offered various forms of entertainment.


    Upon arriving on the second floor, Sylvia was immediately fascinated by the giant arcade hall filled with various high-tech


    entertainment instations.


    Flint jabbed his fingers repeatedly in the direction of a pink colored w machine and babbled on and on, ¡°Mommy, Mommy


    He wanted to y.


    Before Sylvia could get a word out, Sherry immediately turned to John and suggested , ¡°Why don''t you take Master Carter with


    you and find something to do, I''ll just stay here with Sylvia and Flint.¡±


    John nced at her, then turned to Odell, ¡°Master Carter, let''s go upstairs for a walk.¡±


    Odell looked around.


    Despite being an arcade, there were not the usual shing lights that one would expect. Furthermore, there were not many


    people here and there were no loud noises ring everywhere. It seemed like a decent ce for Flint to spend time in, only...


    He looked at Sylvia again.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia noticed his look and turned to him, ¡°Go ahead, I''ll entertain Flint here.¡± Besides, she was quite eager to y in the arcade


    as well.


    Odell pursed his lips, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia immediately took Flint to the section with the w machines.


    There was a vast array of w machines, each of them featuring hand-knit dolls or plushies of various sizes, colors, and


    designs. Sylvia had never seen such exquisitely made


    plushies.


    Furthermore, there was no need for coins, every machine could be yed an unlimited amount of times. The grappling hooks


    had not been rigged, so it was programmed in a way that it would be very usible to grab a prize as long as they were angled


    correctly.


    However, Sylvia had very little experience and she failed to grab onto anything in her first couple of tries. Flint began to get


    anxious and started thumping on the machine.


    Sylvia hurriedly grabbed his little hand to stop him from hitting the machine. Then, she carefully aligned the angle and after


    making sure that the trajectory was right, she raised Flint''s palms and tapped it against the button.


    The w went down swiftly and came back up with a plushie of a dog.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes glowed up, ¡°We got it!¡±


    Flint was giggling happily.


    He took the plushie and kissed it.


    Sylvia smiled and moved on to yet another w machine. Once she got the hang of it, she went on a winning streak.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1029

    Chapter 1029


    Before long, Sylvia managed to get so many plushies that Flint could not hold onto all of them. They had to ask one of the staff


    members to bring them a bag to carry them all.


    Eventually, Flint lost interest.


    He wrapped his arms around Sylvia''s neck and mumbled,¡± Mommy, Daddy, Daddy...¡±


    It seemed like he wanted to see his father.


    Sylvia looked at the time, it had only been an hour since they had split up.


    She spoke to Flint tenderly, ¡°Flint, let''s y for a little longer, then we''ll go get Daddy, shall we?*.


    Flint burrowed his head into the crook of her neck, ¡°Daddy, Daddy...¡±


    He was adamant about going to see his father right now.


    Sylvia sighed softly, ¡°Alright.¡±


    She left the section.


    As soon as she stepped out of the w machine section, she heard Sherry screaming out brazenly, ¡°Die, you b*stards!¡±


    She was carrying arge gun in her hands and was unloading a barrage of bullets at arge group of zombies on the disy.


    It looked like she was using the game to vent her frustrations .


    Flint was horrified by the zombies on the disy.


    Sylvia gently caressed Flint as she soothed him, ¡°Don''t be scared, Aunt Sherry is just ying a game.¡±


    Sherry happened to have just finished the round when Sylvia appeared. She noticed them and quickly approached them, Sylvia,


    are you two done already?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°He says he wants to see his daddy, so I''m going to look for Odell.¡±


    ¡°Okay, | think | know where they are, I''ll go with you.¡±


    With that, she walked outside.


    Sylvia followed after her with Flint in her arms and asked suspiciously, ¡°How do you know where they are?¡±


    Sherry paused for a moment before stating, ¡°I''ve been here before.¡±


    She said it in a strangely hushed voice.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sylvia sensed something was off and asked, ¡°Has John brought you here before?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Recognizing that Sherry seemed rather hesitant to discuss this, Sylvia decided to leave it at that and she made no further


    mention of it.


    After that, they entered the elevator and went to the sixth floor.


    Immediately upon entering, Sylvia noted how different this floor lookedpared to the previous floor. The walls were covered in


    what seemed like golden strips that reflected light. It was not to the point of being obnoxiously dazzling but she could tell that the


    material was not cheap.


    When they stopped in front of a red door, Sherry knocked on it.


    A male server opened the door from inside and let them in.


    Sherry nced inside, ¡°It seems pretty normal today.¡±


    Sylvia peeked inside.


    It was arge room with bright lights overhead. A long table dominated the center of the room where Odell and John were both


    seated on opposing ends of the table.


    There were chips, dice, and cards on the table.


    It looked like they had just finished a round. A dealer was clearing the table and preparing for a new round.


    Sylvia frowned, what did Sherry mean by that? It seemed like a regr table game to her.


    Before she could figure out what she meant, Flint cried out at the top of his voice, ¡°Daddy, Daddy...¡±


    Odell nced at Flint and a smile quickly surfaced on his otherwise indifferent expression.


    For some reason, Sylvia felt her face glowing hot when she saw him. Flint had been anxiously calling for Odell since they


    entered the room, so she quickly carried him over.


    The boy stretched his chubby hands out towards his father as soon as he got near him.


    Odell took the boy into his arms.


    After that, the server brought two chairs over and ced them next to Odell and John respectively, for both Sylvia and Sherry to


    sit.


    Sylvia sat down.


    Sherry dragged the chair a short distance away before sitting down.


    John nced at her, then turned to Odell with a smile, ¡°Master Carter, since Mrs. Carter is here as well, why don''t we switch to


    something more simple?¡± Odell looked at him, ¡°What are you thinking of?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1030

    Chapter 1030


    ¡°Just a simple numbers game. One of us rolls the dice and the other person will have to guess what number it is. Let''s say you


    roll the dice and | guessed correctly, then I''ll be the winner. If my guess is off, then that makes you the winner and vice versa.¡±


    After exining the rules, he asked, ¡°Does this work for you?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Odell said with a sharp look, ¡°What are we betting?¡±


    John smiled at Sylvia, then at Sherry who was seated a short distance from him.


    Sherry turned her head away immediately.


    Sylvia had a bad feeling.


    Why was he looking at them like that?


    Then, John turned back to Odell, ¡°How about the loser has to kiss the person next to him?¡±


    Odell seemed intrigued.


    After a moment, he agreed to the rules, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Sure? Had he even asked whether she or Sherry were willing to participate in this strange game?


    Perhaps Odell sensed what was on Sylvia¡®s mind, so he suddenly handed Flint to her and caressed her head. Then he softly


    assured her, ¡°Don''t worry, I''m usually pretty good at this.¡±


    Sylvia pouted and ignored him.


    John observed them and said with a smile, ¡°Master Carter, are you ready?¡±


    Odell announced, ¡°Let''s get started.¡±


    John promptly picked up a cup with a dice inside it and shook it.


    He mmed the dice cup on the table and smiled mischievously at Odell, ¡°Master Carter, take a guess.¡±


    Odell seemed to ponder for a moment, ¡°Six.¡±


    John picked the cup off the table to reveal the dice underneath, the face of the six-sided dice had three dots on top of it.


    Three.


    Along, lingering silence filled the room.


    John smiled and announced, ¡°Master Carter, I''m afraid that makes you the loser.¡±


    Odell turned to look at Sylvia.


    Sylvia felt her cheeks glowing red hot. She quickly tried to turn away, but then she felt arge palm pressing against the back of


    her head.


    Before she could respond, Odell''s face was inches from hers. He drew his lips to hers and kissed her.


    It was a soft, brief kiss. Then he let go.


    Sylvia was burning with embarrassment.


    As far back as she could remember this was the first time he had ever kissed her in public!


    She cast a surreptitious look at him.


    Odell had already turned away and was now facing John, ¡°My turn.¡±


    John smiled, ¡°Go.¡±


    The dealer promptly set the cup along with the dice in front of Odell.


    Odell picked up the dice cup with one hand and rolled the dice around inside the cup.


    Suddenly, he mmed the cup on the table, producing a sudden¡® bang¡¯ on the surface.


    He looked at John inquisitively, ¡°Go ahead, Master Stockton.¡±


    John smiled and nced at Sherry.


    She rolled her eyes at him.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    John chuckled and dered, ¡°Five.¡±


    Odell picked up the cup.


    Five.


    John smirked impishly, ¡°Master Carter, I''m sorry.¡±


    Odell turned to look at Sylvia.


    Sylvia exchanged a look with him.


    Aslight smile appeared on his face as he whispered to her, ¡°I


    can''t be a sore loser.¡±


    It almost seemed like he was asking for her permission.


    Something glittered in her eyes but she stayed still.


    Odell drew up close to her and kissed her on the lips.


    Just like thest time, it was a brief kiss.


    After the kiss, he turned back to John.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and continued to hold on tightly to Flint while she watched the two men continue their game.


    The dice set returned to John¡®s hands again.


    John repeated the same routine, ending with the mming of the cup on the table again while inviting Odell to make a guess,¡±


    Please, Master Carter.¡±


    Odell guessed, ¡°Two.¡±


    John lifted the cup.


    It was a five.


    Sylvia did not utter a word.


    Odell smirked at her, then he drew her to him and pecked her lips with a gentle kiss.


    Suddenly, he proposed a new arrangement, ¡°There¡®s no need to give the dice to me. You just keep on rolling and I''ll keep


    guessing.¡±

 Chapter 1031

    Chapter 1031


    John chuckled. ¡°Master Carter, are you sure about that?¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John put the dice inside the cup again and scrambled it inside the cup. ¡°Take a guess.¡±


    Odell took a guess. ¡°Three.¡±


    John lifted the cup.


    It was four.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Odell grinned and turned to her again.


    It had happened so many times that she was numb to it at this point. Without a word, she turned to him


    and offered her lips to him.


    Odell smiled and kissed her on the lips, then turned to John again. ¡°Hit me.¡±


    John smiled calmly and repeated the same motion, ending with pressing the cup against the table. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Odell, ¡°Six.¡±


    John lifted the cup.


    Three.


    Sylvia was at a loss for words.


    Had he not told her something about being good at this?


    What was this?


    How many times had he got it wrong by now? You would think that at one point he would at least chance into a correct guess, rig


    ht?


    Odell quickly turned to her again with a faint smile hanging on his lips. He had a look within his eyes that


    seemed like he was sorry for putting her through this.


    As if to say that this was not what he wanted.


    Sylvia stared at him nkly.


    Odell leaned into her and kissed her on the lips, then he brushed the top of her head and vowed, ¡°I''ll get the next one.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled dryly.


    Bang. Again, John had set the cup with the dice on the table. He smiled and invited Odell to guess yet again. ¡°Master Carter, you


    r time to shine.¡±


    ¡°Two,¡± Sylvia suddenly said.


    She was done kissing him in public.


    John wore the same caricature of a smile that concealed all traces of


    emotion. Meanwhile, Sherry was doing her best to hold in herughter.


    It seemed like Sylvia had enough of Odell''s losing streak.


    She was going to take matters into her own hands.


    John turned to Odell. ¡°Master Carter?¡±


    Odell smiled and nced at Sylvia. ¡°Two as well.¡±


    John lifted the cup immediately.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Four. They were wrong yet again.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Odell turned to her and smiled reluctantly.


    Sylvia went in for the kiss with her eyes closed.


    Shortly after, she felt the warmth of his lips.


    Only this time, it was different from the


    previous kisses. It was a deep, passionate, and prolonged kiss. He finally let go when Sylvia began to protest.


    She felt her entire body burning up.


    She cast a look at John and Sherry.


    John was still smiling while Sherry kept her mouth covered with both her hands. Her eyes had transformed into two slits, and


    she was on the edge of bursting out inughter.


    Flint looked at his


    mother with his mouth agape and his eyes turning into two circles as if he was wondering why his father was constantly pecking


    at his mother''s mouth.


    Sylvia thought she only had herself to me for making the wrong guess.


    That was when John finally asked, ¡°Master Carter, do you want to continue?¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Let''s take a break.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    The waiter brought drinks, fruits, and snacks to them.


    Flint pped enthusiastically when he saw the food presented.


    Sylvia picked up an orange and peeled the skin off its flesh before putting it into the boy''s mouth, slice after slice.


    Shortly after that, the manager in charge of the venue joined them inside the room.


    Upon entering, he greeted John and Odell with a polite smile and informed, ¡°Master Carter, Master Stockton, pardon my intrusion


    John nced at Odell and asked, ¡°What kind of event?¡±


    The manager


    informed dutifully, ¡°There¡®s going to be a number guessing game yed with dice. The winner is the one who gets the most corre


    ¡°What''s the prize?¡±


    ¡°There are three prizes, the third ce will win a polished ruby and the second ce gets a diamond ne. As for the first


    very own master embroider, Mr. Goldrk.¡±


    As he said this, several staff members appeared from behind with the mentioned prizes in a box.


    The ruby and diamond ne were captivating on their own, but they were nothingpared to the enchanting


    work of embroidery, detailing the mountainousndscape of nchester


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1032

    Chapter 1032


    It was a fantastic work of embroidery that depicted the hillyndscape of nchester. It was a work of art which sheer beauty se


    emed to exceed even that of reality where it weaved the mountainousndscape into an abstract form of art.


    It wasparably more valuable than the other two prizes.


    Sylvia was immediately enchanted by the wonderful work of art and could not pluck her eyes off of it.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Odell¡®s voice heavy with bass sounded in her ear.


    She promptly answered with a soft nod, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Who would not fall in love with such exquisite craftsmanship?


    That was when the manager of the venue asked again, ¡°Master Carter, Master Stockton, would the two of you be interested in joi


    ning?¡±


    ¡°I''m fine with anything,¡± John replied before turning to Odell with a quick smile. ¡°Master Carter, are you interested?¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him in surprise.


    Odell noticed the ways she


    looked at him and met her gaze. He brought a smile upon his lips and vowed in a low voice, ¡°Wait for the good news.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Was he saying that he was going to win the embroidery for her?


    What, with hisckluster skill that had not even got the correct guess even once?


    She pursed her lips and swallowed whatever offensive words that were about to emerge from her lips.


    Since Odell had already given his word to John, she figured she could not spoil his moment in front of John.


    John turned to the manager. ¡°Alright, count us in.¡±


    The manager announced politely, ¡°Alright, it will begin in just ten minutes. Master Carter, Master Stockton, please head to the


    event space if you will. Thank you.¡±


    With that, he left with his crew of staff members.


    John turned to Odell and smiled. ¡°Come on, let''s head over there.


    Odell nodded amiably. ¡°Sure.¡±


    He rose and took Flint in one hand while taking Sylvia¡®s hand with the other.


    John followed after and reached for Sherry¡®s hand.


    She hesitated for a moment but ended up offering him her hand anyway.


    Shortly after, they arrived at arge room only adjacent to their previous room.


    There were already some people here, most of them were participants in the game as well.


    It was not a very packed venue, with only close to ten men at most. Most of them were apanied by at


    least two beautifuldies in skimpy clothing.


    When Sylvia entered, she immediately saw several of thesedies sitting on theps of their malepanions.


    She was abashed by this scene and immediately covered Flint''s eyes.


    Odell frowned as well.


    John immediately turned to the manager.


    The manager


    was very perceptive and immediately turned to the present group and informed, ¡°These gentlemen are Master Carter and Master


    Stockton.¡±


    Awave of silence immediately swarmed over the room, and all of thedies immediately scuttled back to their seats.


    All of the men rose one after another and went to greet the new guests.


    ¡°Master Stockton, Master Carter, your reputation precedes you. I''m Michael from nchester''s Royal Cavalier''s Hotel.¡±


    ¡°Master Stockton, Master Carter, good to see you two. The name is Benjamin but you can just call me Ben.¡±


    It was a stark transformation from their previous indecent


    behavior. They had put on their masks and suddenly turned into formal businessmen again.


    John responded with a faint smile. Then he invited Odell to take a seat at the center of the long table.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Odell sat down with Flint in his arms, and Sylvia took a seat next to him.


    John sat across from them with his arms around Sherry.


    The others followed suit and sat with them at the table afterward.


    After a while, the manager showed up again with a dealer following him.


    He began to disclose the rules, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we''ll begin very shortly. Before that, let me exin the rules. It''s very sim}


    ups.¡±


    With that, he looked around the room and asked, ¡°Does anyone have any questions?¡±


    Ayoung man sitting between two women raised a question,¡± What if two of us end up with a tie at the end of the round?¡±


    The manager smiled and informed, ¡°In that case, there will be a tiebreaker round where the two willpete against each other


    again.¡±


    With that, he asked the room again, ¡°Does anyone have any other questions? If there are no more questions, we shall begin.¡±


    He was looking at John and Odell as he said this.


    Odell had Flint in his arms and seemed rather disinterested.


    John smiled and nodded to give the signal.


    The manager


    announced in a booming voice, ¡°Please get ready, everyone. We shall nowmence the game!¡± With that, he retreated into the


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1033

    Chapter 1033


    The dealer approached the table where he picked up the cup containing the dice and proceeded to shake it, all done


    in a swift, professional presentation.


    Bang.


    The cup pped against the table.


    The host announced with a vibrant smile, ¡°Everyone, please take your guess.¡±


    Everyone exchanged nk looks for a few seconds before picking up the signsid in front of them on the table.


    There was a varying number of guesses.


    Sylvia nced around the room before turning to Odell.


    Odell was staring back at her. He suddenly asked her, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Sylvia answered nkly, ¡°I don''t know.¡±


    She had very little experience.


    Odell said, ¡°Just make a guess.¡±


    To this, Sylvia answered, ¡°I don''t want to.¡±


    She never signed up for this so she did not want to guess.


    What if she got med for getting it wrong?


    Odell peered into her eyes and shed a faint smile before


    holding up a certain sign on the table.


    The sign he held up had the number four written on it.


    Sylvia frowned.


    She swiped a look across the room. She could tell most of the participants were regrs here and they


    all guessed different numbers. Why was Odell taking such a risk?


    That was when she noticed John holding up a sign that read four as well.


    She did not know what to make of this.


    The dealer finally lifted the cup to reveal the number on the dice. It was four.


    The host announced, ¡°Congrattions , Master Carter, Master Stockton, and these three gentlemen over here.¡±


    Sylvia blinked sporadically.


    Did Odell get it right atst?


    She stared at him.


    Odell looked back at her, the shallow corners of his lips curled into a dazzling smile.


    It was as if to say that this was all within his realm of expectations.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and ignored him.


    He just got lucky


    The second round followed after.


    The dealer ced the cup on the table.


    Again, everyone lifted the sign ording to their choice.


    Again, Odell¡®s number was different from most of the others.


    John held up the same number as him. It was as if he was just choosing whatever Odell chose.


    The dealer lifted the cup and presented the number underneath.


    Again, Odell was correct.


    Sylvia was baffled and looked at Odell in utter disbelief.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    He never even got it right once when he yed against John, and now he had it right twice in a row?


    Was he intentionally making the wrong guess back then?


    Perhaps the stars just happened to align. His luck would run out soon.


    Over the next three rounds, the number of the dice was three, four, and six respectively.


    The sign Odell held up for each turn was also three, four, and six.


    Every round, John would wait for Odell to raise his sign before raising the same number as him.


    Odell got it right on every single round.


    Everyone looked at him with veneration.


    Many of them tried to sucker up to him. ¡°Master Carter, youte


    amazing at this.¡±


    ¡°Master Carter is a veteran at this game.¡±


    Odell only smirked and darted a nce at Sylvia.


    A self-satisfied grin greeted his handsome face.


    Sylvia shot a look at him.


    It may be nothing but a coincidence in the first few rounds but now that he had five in a row, she had to admit


    that he had a particr talent at this game!


    How did this exin that he never even got it right once when he yed against John earlier?


    He must have done it on purpose, knowing that the punishment


    for losing was that he had to kiss her!


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1034

    Chapter 1034


    Chapter 1034


    Odell raised a hand and patted Sylvia''s head.


    She red at him.


    She would have pped his hand away right then and there if it did not


    mean that it would cause him to lose face in front of a group of strangers!


    Oblivious to the heightening tension, the dealer rolled the dice inside the cup again.


    Just like previously, he set the cup back on the table.


    The host urged, ¡°Everyone, please make your guess.¡±


    Many of them turned to Odell.


    It seemed like they were going to follow whatever his guess was.


    Odell paused for a moment before raising a sign that read one.


    The dealer lifted the cup and revealed the dice underneath. It was one.


    Three more rounds passed by in the same fashion.


    Odell guessed right on all three subsequent rounds.


    Everyone else who chose to copy whatever his choice was was equally rewarded for it.


    The host announced with a bright smile, ¡°This is thest round.


    Everyone, please get ready.¡±


    Someone suddenly raised a very valid point.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Hey, isn''t Master Carter and Master Stockton both tied up right now?¡±


    ¡°It does seem like it. Most of us got it wrong a few times in the beginning so we lost our chance at getting first ce. It''s either go


    ing to be Master Stockton or Master Carter.¡±


    ¡°Both of them are really good. There¡®s no telling who''s going to win yet.¡±


    ¡°| don''t know. It seems to me that it''s always Master Carter who makes his guess first and Master Stockton follows after that.¡±


    ¡°Why don''t we make a bet and see which one of them ims first ce?¡±


    They all turned in unison toward Odell and John after that.


    Sylvia could not resist the urge to steal a look as well.


    The man beside her seemedpletely unfazed by the stakes of the game as there was hardly a trace of emotion on his face.


    John was still smiling. He seemed pretty good at the game as well.


    Sylvia could not figure out which one of them was the superior of the two.


    That was when Odell suddenly turned to her with an intent look inside his dark eyes. ¡°Which one of us do you think is going to


    win?¡±


    Sylvia preferred to stay out of it. ¡°I don¡®t want to bet.¡±


    She was only here as an observer.


    Odell suddenly grabbed her chin. ¡°No, you have to.¡±


    Sylvia pouted. This man could be quite childish at times.


    She stayed silent.


    Odell squinted, a hostile look surfaced in his eyes. ¡°Who?¡±


    Sylvia mumbled, ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He could hardly hear her.


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°You will win.¡±


    Although she had to admit that Odell was getting on her nerves, she would be a fool to ce her bet on anyone other than him.


    Odell smiled with satisfaction. Not only did he not let go of her, but he even drew in closer until his lips were inches from her ears


    and whispered to her, ¡°If | get the embroidery for you, you''re going home with me after this, alright?¡±


    Sylvia felt her face glowing red.


    She sensed the atmosphere in the room shifting slightly. Everyone must be subtly staring at them right now.


    She put up a hand and pushed him away. ¡°Go away.¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡± He continued to hold on to her face with an unchanging expression, a charming glow illuminated his eyes.


    Sylvia had had enough. ¡°We''ll see what happens after you win.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±


    With that, he let go of her and turned to face the opposite end of the table, where he looked into John¡¯s eyes.


    John smiled at him.


    The host observed the group before turning to the dealer. ¡°Let''s begin.¡±


    All the air was drained out of the room at that moment.


    Everyone''s collective attention was fixed on the dealer.


    The dice rolled around inside the cup before a climactic ¡°bang¡± shattered


    the silence. The dealer kept his hand above the cup and prepared to lift it at any given moment.


    Immediately afterward, everyone turned to look at Odell and John.


    John smiled. ¡°Master Carter, why don''t | go first this time?¡±


    With that, he raised a sign that read four.


    Something shifted in Odell''s expression, even if subtly. He fell silent for a moment before raising a sign that read six.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1035

    Chapter 1035


    The other people upying the table were dumbfounded by this turn of events.


    Why did they raise different signs this time?


    After some brief hesitation, they finally raised their signs. Some of them followed Odell while others followed John.


    The host announced, ¡°Let''s reveal the answer.¡±


    The dealer lifted the cup.


    The dice hidden underneath were immediately brought into view. Six bright red dots on top of the dice¡®s gleaming white surface.


    Everyone was astounded by the grand reveal. They turned to Odell in unison.


    The host dered with pleasure, ¡°Congrattions, Master Carter! Youpletely aced the game with a dazzling ten¡ªout¡ª


    of ten uracy and with that, you''re the undisputed winner!¡±


    John congratted Odell with a bright smile, ¡°Congrattions, Master Carter, congrattions.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°Only because you let me win.¡±


    With that, the game was concluded, and the runner¡ªups were decided consecutively as well.


    Odell ced first with John following closed as a runner-up. The second runner¡ª


    up was another young man participating in the game while the rest of the participants received conciliatory prizes.


    The staff members presented the prizes to each of them.


    The host personally delivered the embroidery to Odell and congratted him again, ¡°Master Carter, congrattions.¡±


    Odell eyed Sylvia. ¡°Give it to my wife.¡±


    The host quickly swerved in Sylvia''s direction and presented the work of embroidery to her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Sylvia epted it with a gracious smile.


    It was truly a fine handiwork of a master embroiderer. It looked even more enchanting at a close distance.


    Sylvia wagered that she would not be able to parallel such a masterful work even if she had woven away for a lifetime.


    Sylvia was not the only one amazed by the work. Even Flint, who was resting snugly in Odell¡¯s arms, seemed to


    be interested in the embroidery and crawled over to Sylvia with his hands eagerly swatting at the embroidery.


    Sylvia let Flint touch it briefly before gently removing his hand from the work.


    Such exquisite craft must be preserved properly and carefully.


    While she was still enamored by the wonderful artifact, Odell¡®s maic voice suddenly echoed inside her ears. ¡°Sylvia,e


    home with me tonight.¡±


    Sylvia could feel her ears burning up along with her cheeks.


    She formed her lips into a straight line and tried to ignore him.


    Odell observed the way she blushed and said, ¡°I''ll take that for a


    yes.¡±


    Sylvia kept her lips zipped.


    Odell smiled yfully.


    Meanwhile, John was handed the runner-up prize, a wonderful sparkling diamond ne.


    The diamond was carved into the shape of a petal. It was remarkable and unique.


    He ced it on his palms to feel the weight, then he turned to Sherry.


    Sherry was silently staring at the sparkling diamond.


    As she gazed into the brilliant gem, even her eyes


    seemed to sparkle with the same radiance. It seemed like she was captivated by the beauty of the gemstone.


    John made a look and asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Sherry blinked.


    Of course, she liked it. Even ayman could tell that the diamond was worth a fortune. Who would not be drawn to such a pricele


    ss treasure?


    John noted his silence and remarked, ¡°I''ll just throw it away if


    you don''t like it.¡±


    This seemed to draw Sherry¡®s attention so she immediately blurted out, ¡°I like it, | do.¡±


    John smirked and tossed the diamond ne away out of nowhere.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The shining diamond ne flew into the air in a rainbow arc before falling into the box it was originally ced in.


    The staff member holding the box was caught by surprise.


    John suddenly turned to the staff member and said with a charming smile, ¡°It''s yours now.¡±


    The staff member''s eyes glowed with excitement and thanked John fervently, ¡°Thank you, Master Stockton!¡±


    Then, she promptly left with her unexpected gift.


    Sherry was speechless.


    Her face was frozen with shock


    John stared at her with a wry smile.


    She gritted her teeth. ¡°Master Stockton, I''ve never seen someone as full of himself as you.¡±


    She had never seen anyone as despicable as he was!


    John chuckled softly. He was hardly offended by such a rude statement and raised his hand to


    pat her head before telling her, ¡°I wouldn''t want to waste something as precious as that on the likes of you.¡±


    Sherry chuckled dryly. She suddenly clenched her hands into a fist.


    She swung hard at his smug face, only to have her momentumpletely cut off when he grabbed her fist mid-air.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1036

    Chapter 1036


    John was incredibly strong, strong enough to instantly nullify the weight Sherry threw into her punch.


    Sherry could not draw her fist away either. All she could do was re venomously at him.


    John rose from his seat and smiled candidly at her. ¡°Come on, let''s take Master Carter and Mrs. Carter to lunch.¡±


    The restaurant was located at the rear of the castle, in the middle of a garden.


    The restaurant was surrounded by all sorts of fauna. It was a dreamlike spectacle with the


    sweet fragrance of flowers filling the air.


    John had booked a private room on the second floor.


    The walls were made with reinforced ss and offered a wonderful view over the garden.


    Shortly after Sylvia, Odell, Flint, John, and Sherry arrived at the restaurant, the staff members in the venue brought Isabel and Li


    am to join them.


    Isabel had


    a ton of fun ying in the children¡®s section. Even though her clothes were mostly intact and rtively clean, she was drenched i


    n sweat, and strands of her hair were clumped with sweat as well.


    As soon as she entered, she ran to her baby brother and wanted to hug him. Odell immediately pressed a finger against


    her forehead and stopped her. ¡°Wash your hands first.¡±


    She protested. ¡°I washed them.¡±


    Odell ignored her.


    Isabel went to Liam.


    Liam seemed repulsed by her approach. ¡°Get away from me.¡±


    Isabel snorted. ¡°Hmmph!¡±


    She shook her head brazenly, tossing beads of sweat on Liam. before ducking behind Sylvia and crying for help, ¡°Save me, Mom


    my!¡±


    Sylvia stayed quiet.


    Liam ignored her and went to his seat.


    Sylvia made a hapless look and quickly took Isabel to the bathroom where she cleaned her up as well as she could before taking


    her back to the room.


    For lunch, they had the local specialty at nchester. It was as filling as it was delicious.


    Shortly after they finished lunch, Isabel, who had been worn out from the day¡®s activity, began to doze off. Liam seemed visibly e


    xhausted as well. Meanwhile, Flint was happily snoring away in Odell¡®s arms.


    Seeing this, John suggested, ¡°Master Carter, why don''t we take the children somewhere to take a nap first?¡±


    ¡°No need, let''s head back. We were nning to head back to


    Westchester City by this evening anyway,¡± he looked at Sylvia as he said this.


    Sylvia did not have anything to say to this.


    Both John and Sherry were slightly taken aback by this sudden decision. John smiled politely. ¡°Alright, I''ll tell the driver toe n


    ow.


    On the way back.


    John sat in front with Flint in his arms.


    Isabel and Liam had fallen asleep in the second row, both of them were leaning against Odell.


    Sylvia and Sherry sat in the final row.


    It was a rather quiet drive. Sylvia drew close to Sherry and whispered in a voice as low as she could, ¡°Take this. | discreetly instr


    ucted Jacob to buy this phone. Hide it properly and make sure John doesn''t find out about it. Use it to call me if anything happen


    s.


    She sneakily extracted a white¡ªcolored phone from her bag as she said this.


    Sherry was not expecting this. She hurriedly stashed the phone in her pocket


    She peered at John who was in the passenger seat with Flint in


    his arms. It did not seem like he noticed anything at all. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Sylvia. ¡°I got it. Don''t worry, ev


    after you get back as well. Stay away from trouble.¡±


    Sylvia assured her, ¡°Alright, don''t worry.¡±


    After another half an hour, the car stopped in front of John¡¯s house.


    John got out of the car with Flint in his arms.


    Liam woke up but Isabel was still snoring away like a pig and objected to waking up.


    Odell carried her out of the car.


    Sylvia and Sherry were thest ones to get out of the car. They immediately spotted Odell''s car after they


    stepped outside. Both Jacob and Ben were waiting for them.


    Next Chapter


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 Chapter 1037

    Chapter 1037


    John still had Flint in his arms when he asked, ¡°Master Carter, are you two leaving already?¡±


    Odell nodded regretfully . ¡°Yes, sorry for troubling you over thest two days.¡±


    John smiled and said, ¡°No trouble at all. | hope you twoe to visit now and then in the future.¡±


    With that, he handed Flint to Sylvia.


    That was when Madam Stockton, Julie, and Queenie emerged from the house.


    They must have received word from John that Odell and Sylvia were heading back to


    Westchester. There was a look of urgency on Madam Stockton¡®s face as she trotted toward them.


    She stepped right to Odell and Sylvia and when she noticed Flint in Sylvia''s arms, a tender expression came


    upon her. She asked with concern in her voice, ¡°Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, are you two heading back already?¡±


    Odell answered, ¡°Yes, there are a lot of things we need to attend to back home so we figured we''d stop troubling you guys over h


    ere.


    Madam Stockton looked endearingly at Flint who was asleep in Sylvia''s arms and bid them farewell. ¡°Stay safe on the trip back.


    Tell your drivers to be careful and make sure the kids are safe.¡±


    Odell assured her, ¡°Don''t worry, Madam Stockton. We''ll take


    good care of the children.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''m sure you will.¡± Madam Stockton turned to Flint again.¡± Could | hug him one more time?¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia was very polite. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Seeing as John had taken time out of his schedule to apany them for two


    days, Sylvia had no qualms with letting Madam Stockton hold Flint even if she was not


    particrly close with her. Besides, it did seem like she was genuinely very fond of Flint.


    She handed Flint to her.


    Madam Stockton cuddled the boy in her arms like he was her grandson.


    She


    gazed at Flint''s chubby cheeks that were shaped like buns as an affectionate and maternal look overtook her usual stoic express


    ion.


    Queenie and Julie stepped forward as well.


    Julie stopped next to Madam Stockton and silently looked at Flint as well.


    Queenie darted a cross look at Isabel who was sleeping soundly in Odell''s arms and remarked, ¡°The brat is sleeping like a pig.¡±


    Odell red at her.


    Sylvia immediately shot a look at her as well.


    She made a look and quickly stepped back as if trying to escape


    from their pointed re.


    That was when John stepped forward to join Madam Stockton and announced gravely, ¡°Mom, it''s time to send off Master Carter


    and Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Madam Stockton reluctantly returned Flint to Sylvia.


    John smiled at them. ¡°Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, have a safe trip home.¡±


    Odell returned a faint smile.


    Sylvia turned to Sherry.


    She stood in the far back, seemingly apprehensive of having to talk to Madam Carter and the others.


    It was only when it seemed like Sylvia was going to leave that she walked up.


    She hugged Sylvia and whispered in her ears, ¡°Sylvia, take care of yourself. Move on with your life and forget about what happe


    ned in the past.¡±


    ¡°| understand.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°The same goes for you as well.¡±


    Sherry tucked her lips together and stayed quiet.


    After that, Sylvia wasted no time and got into the car with Flint while Odell followed after her with Isabel in his arms.


    The car swerved into the road and disappeared out of sight once it swerved into a junction.


    Madam Stockton, Julie, and Queenie prepared to head back into the house.


    Madam Stockton suddenly red at Sherry.


    She still held a grudge over how Sherry pped her and immediately shouted at her, ¡°Mrs. Carter is already gone. What are you :


    Sherry shot a look at her before walking inside the house.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Madam Stockton suddenly stopped her.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry stopped and eyed her warily.


    Madam Stockton refused to directly acknowledge her and turned to John instead as she tried to advise John to the best of her ab


    one years old. It''s about time to get married, settle down, and have children.¡±


    John''s expression shifted. He turned to the madam and smiled tly. ¡°Mom, I''m not nning to get married for now.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1038

    Chapter 1038


    Chapter 1038


    The light in Sherry¡®s eyes dimmed. Was John trying to chase her out?


    This seemed to strike a nerve inside Madam Stockton as she expressed her pent-


    up frustration, ¡°You might not, but | want grandchildren already! All my closest friends already have grandchildren, and I''m the onl


    y one left that doesn''t have a shot at getting to hold my grandchildren anytime soon!¡±


    John frowned with a rigid expression on his face.


    Madam Stockton seemed to recognize this and immediately suppressed her anger and asked with a long sigh, ¡°John, weren''t yo


    u fond of Master Carter''s children as well? He¡®s around the same age as you but has


    three children already. When are you going to get married?


    Your brother is gone... Are you going to let me go to my grave without getting a chance to see my heir?¡±


    Her eyes reddened with emotion as she said this.


    Julie took her by her arm. ¡°Mom, don''t be angry. John is just busy with his career and has no time to get married for now. But that


    doesn''t mean that he''ll never get married.¡±


    Madam Stockton suddenly became infuriated and snapped at Sherry unprovoked. ¡°Why does he keep this woman around at


    home all day if you say he¡¯s so busy with his career?¡±


    John zipped his lips and stayed quiet. Noting John¡®s silence, Queenie suddenly chimed in and shouted


    at Sherry, ¡°What are you looking at? Pack your things and get out of here. We don''t wee you here!¡±


    Sherry smiled swiftly. ¡°Sure, I''ll get out of here.¡±


    Queenie was stunned. She was not expecting Sherry to respond this way.


    Madam Stockton and Julie stared at Sherry,pletely dumbfounded


    Sherry began walking down the road. It seemed like she did not even n to pack her things.


    ¡°Sherry,¡± John called out to her.


    Sherry stopped for a brief moment, then she continued trotting away, pretending to not have heard anything.


    John jerked with displeasure and suddenly threatened her with a hostile look. ¡°If you take one more step, I''ll break your legs.¡±


    This made Sherry stop.


    She turned to Queenie and expressed sarcastically , ¡°See? It''s not that | don''t want to leave. Your brother misses me too much.¡±


    Queenie was vexed by this. ¡°... You!¡±


    She was boiling with rage.


    John turned back to Madam Stockton and said, ¡°Mom, I''ll make ns to get married and will let you know once I''ve found a suita


    ble candidate. Why don''t you go get some rest now?¡±


    After that, he shot a look at Julie who was standing next to the


    madam.


    Julie


    took the hint and went to Madam Stockton. ¡°Mom, John has already given you his word so there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Why d


    on''t | take you home to rest?¡±


    Madam Stockton looked at John sternly. ¡°Are you serious about that? You''re going to start making arrangements?¡±


    She would not have been this pushy in the past, but something about hugging the adorable boy Flint in her arms had agitated he


    r long¡ªbuilt-up desire to have grandchildren!


    Besides, she could no longer tolerate the way Sherry kept John pinned down!


    John smiled. ¡°Yes, it''s a promise!¡±


    Upon receiving John¡®s word, Madam Stockton seemed greatlyforted and assured as well. ¡°Alright, I''ll be waiting for your goo


    d news then.¡±


    She red at Sherry onest time before letting Julie lead her back home.


    Queenie scoffed at Sherry before following after them.


    Atst, it was peaceful again.


    John wiped away the smile on his face and looked at Sherry.


    Sherry met his gaze and remarked wryly, ¡°Master Stockton, | have a lot of friends who are single. Do you want me to rmend


    John made a look. ¡°It''s three now. You still have five hours to finish up the ten pieces of embroidery you owe.¡±


    Sherry¡®s face became twisted with anger. ¡°You b¡¯*stard John, you''ll get what you deserve soon enough!¡±


    With that, she bolted into the house without another word.


    ¡°Heh.¡± John stood in ce and chuckled with delight as he stared at Sherry frantically running into the house.


    Two hourster, the car entered Westchester City.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia was holding the sleeping Flint in her arms while she gazed out the window.


    It was


    already evening. The canvas in the sky was seared with a gradient of orange and red. It looked peaceful and tranquil outside.


    Sylvia felt an indescribable sense of zen inside her as she stared at the captivating view outside.

 Chapter 1039

    Chapter 1039


    Chapter 1039 Odell sat next to her and peered at her from the corner of his eyes.


    Isabel had woken up some time ago. She was seated in the further back row with Liam.


    Liam was reading a book.


    Isabel leaned against his shoulder and stared at Odell and Sylvia in front. Her eyes widened like a giant ball.


    After staring for some time, she inched toward Liam and whispered, ¡°Do you think Mommy


    and baddie Daddy are going to get along from now on?¡±


    Liam darted a nce at the two sitting


    in front. He observed the tender, amiable expression on their faces and seemed convinced


    himself as well. He uttered a short ¡°hmm¡± in reply to Isabel.


    Isabel snickered joyously. ¡°That''s great. We''ll never be separated from Mommy and Daddy from now on.¡±


    Liam clicked his tongue.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped outside the house.


    Sebastian and Aunt Tonya had been waiting for them outside the house.


    The car had just screeched to a stop when Sylvia saw them approaching the car.


    Isabel was the first to hop out of the car.


    Sylvia carried Flint and could not wait to meet them as well. ¡°Aunt Tonya, Sebastian , sorry for making you two worry.¡±


    Aunt Tonya looked at her up and down and remarked with a bright smile, ¡°Everything is fine as long as you return safely.¡±


    After some small talk, they all entered the house.


    Sebastian and Aunt Tonya had prepared dinner.


    As soon as they entered the house, the housemaids set the meal on the table. It was a feast.


    Flint must have smelled the aroma of the food as well. He suddenly opened his eyes and began chanting at his mother while


    waving his hands around frantically,¡° Mommy, eat...¡±


    Sylvia smiled and was about to bring him to the table to find something for him to


    eat when a pair of long arms suddenly appeared from behind and took him from her arms.


    Odell had taken Flint with one arm and


    gently patted Sylvia''s head with another. ¡°You go to dinner with Liam Isabel first. I''ll find something for Flint to eat.¡±


    With that, he took Flint and went to the kitchen counter.


    Aunt Tonya quickly stepped forward and urged, ¡°Let me take Flint. You can eat with them.


    ¡°No.¡± Odell insisted. He scooped a spoon of baby food puree into Flint¡¯s mouth.


    They had a container full of baby food puree in the kitchen made in preparation for Flint. Flint opened his mouth immediately and


    swallowed a spoonful of puree with great delight.


    Odell continued feeding him with the same stoic look on his face.


    Sylvia had Isabel and Liam sit at the kitchen table before joining them.


    Flint was full after a while so Odell went to join them at the kitchen table.


    Aunt Tonya and Aunt Flora took Flint aside to y with him.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Meanwhile , Sylvia, Isabel, and Liam had nearly finished their food as well. Most of the food on the table had gone cold by now.


    Sylvia passed


    Odell a bowl of hot soup. ¡°This soup is still warm, drink it quickly.¡± Odell seemed touched by this gesture and looked at her.


    There was a shine in his jet-ck eyes as he seemed like he had something to say. Sylvia looked at him with a perplexed


    expression. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?


    Don¡¯t you want the soup?¡± During the first two years of their marriage , she would often serve food for him whenever they ate but


    he was never receptive and was nothing but hostile toward her.


    It must have left an impact on her. Deep down, she must still remember those unsavory events.


    Perhaps he did not want the soup, just like in the past? Odell smiled softly. ¡°Nothing, let me drink that.¡± With that, he took


    the bowl of soup and lifted it at an angle to drink it without needing a spoon.


    Sylvia stared at him silently. This was an improvement.

 Chapter 1040

    Chapter 1040


    Chapter 1040 After dinner.


    Odell had some work to deal with and went to his study.


    Isabel made Liam go to the children¡¯s room with her to y.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia stayed with Flint and chatted with Aunt Tonya for a while.


    Aunt Tonya was getting old and tended to tire easily, so she was getting sleepy toward the end of their chat.


    Sylvia told her to get some rest before taking Flint


    When she passed by the children¡®s room, she noticed the door was ajar. She saw Isabel and Liam sitting cross¡ª


    legged on the floor, each of them had a


    controller in their hand which they were furiously mashing away at. Isabel was the more excited of the two and


    was shouting madly, ¡°He was the one who killed me. Kick his butt!¡±


    Sylvia made a look and hurried past the room, making sure to cover Flint''s ears.


    It was 9 p.m.


    Flint was in good spirits, and he was not sleepy either. After a while, she decided to head to the study. The door was half¡ª


    open just like the children¡¯s room, so she stopped at the doorway before entering. During their first marriage,


    Odell¡®s study had always been off-limits to her as it was his hallowed ground.


    There were a few times she tried to go inside to bring him food and refreshments


    but it ended with her getting chased out relentlessly each time. After several times, she got the message and never tried to ventu


    re into the study again. She even developed a slight fear of entering his study.


    Although


    things were different now, she decided she was not going to pester Odell too long. She held onto Flint and slowly stepped forwar


    d, preparing to enter.


    Unexpectedly, the moment Flint recognized


    that the man inside was his father, he immediately cried out, ¡°Dad, Daddy...¡± His sweet, tender voice tore through the tranquility i


    n the study. Sylvia was startled by this and quickly looked


    at Odell, expecting a strong reaction. The man seated behind the desk had already spotted her


    and was looking straight through her with a sharpness in his eyes.


    Sylvia became slightly agitated. ¡°It''s alright, I''ll take Flint away right now.¡±


    She did not want to disturb him when he was working.


    She quickly scrambled away after that.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Odell called after her suddenly.


    She turned to him with a queer look.


    ¡°I''m almost done anyway. Come on in with Flint,¡± he . remarked with a soft smile while gentleness poured from within his eyes. |


    Sylvia hesitated briefly.


    Flint stretched his arms out as far as he could and tried to mber


    toward his father while mumbling on and on,¡± Daddy, Daddy, Daddy.¡±


    Odell was still looking at her.


    With no hesitation, she went inside.


    The boy missed his father. Sylvia walked right up to Odell and handed Flint to him.


    Odell took the boy into his arms.


    The boy tossed and turned around in his arms, then tried to climb onto his desk.


    He was so close to climbing onto his desk when Odell yanked him back.


    He stayed still for a few seconds, then he was at it again, stubbornly insisting to get on the table.


    Odell pulled him back yet again.


    The boy had


    his father''s blood flowing inside him, evident by how stubborn and unyielding he was. He refused to give in and tried to crawl on t


    he table again.


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°I''ll take him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Odell handed Flint to her and told her, ¡°If you''re bored, just stay here for a while. | only have some minor


    details left to sort out so don''t worry about disturbing me.


    He spoke in a low and sincere tone.


    Sylvia was appalled by this and almost stammered, ¡°Okay.


    She took Flint and sat on a nearby couch. This time, Flint wanted to climb up the bookshelf again. Sylvia no longer tried


    to stop him. She watched him go at it and prepared to intervene if he fell.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Despite his age, he was more adept at climbing than she thought. Soon enough, he managed to scale up the first row of the


    bookshelf and as if that was not enough, he


    wanted to go higher.


    Sylvia quickly approached him and wrapped her hands around him to prevent him from falling.


    Eventually, the boy who was still getting used to his clumsy body lost his bnce and toppled over.


    Sylvia grabbed him and supported him.


    Flint kicked his leg out during the fall and identally knocked over several books.


    The books fell off the shelf and pped against the ground. It was rather loud rtive to theplete silence in the study.


    Not only was Flint not remorseful of causing trouble, but he even seemed


    rather amused by it and began to chuckle as if he was proud of his stunt.

 Chapter 1041

    Chapter 1041


    Chapter 1041


    The study was filled with Flint''s cheerful chuckles.


    Sylvia instinctively turned to Odell.


    He was still seated at his desk, but his posture had changed. He rested his elbow against the table with his chin


    propped against his palm. He seemed very rxed and was looking at Sylvia with a hint of a smile in his eyes.


    Sylvia did not know how long he had been staring at her. He must have seen what Flint did.


    She felt her cheeks flush red and blurted out, ¡°Why are you staring at me? Aren''t you supposed to be working?¡±


    ¡°| don''t know,¡± Odell said, ¡°I just felt like staring at you.¡±


    Sylvia was silent.


    Was he trying to flirt with her?


    Her cheeks were seared with red as she gazed into his dashing face.


    She took Flint and turned to leave.


    ¡°I''ll stop pestering you so you can get back to it.¡±


    She paddled toward the door with Flint.


    However, Flint did not seem very cooperative and suddenly shouted, ¡°Dad, Daddy...


    Sylvia ignored his pleas and continued walking out. Flint was very stubborn. ¡°Uhh... Daddy, Daddy...¡±


    It sounded like he was on the verge of crying.


    It was as if Sylvia was a cruel witch who tried to separate him from his father.


    Sylvia quickly stopped.


    Odell was still seated in the same casual way and smiling at her.


    Sylvia turned to look at him.


    Flint was unrelenting. ¡°Daddy, Daddy...¡±


    Sylvia immediately approached Odell and shoved


    Flint into his arms before turning to leave. Suddenly, she felt a hand grabbing her wrist.


    She wanted to draw her wrist back.


    However, she immediately sensed Odell tightening his grip on her.


    She was flung backward in an instant andnded on Odell¡®s arm.


    Meanwhile , Flint was happily crawling on top of Odell¡®s desk as he finally got what he wanted.


    Sylvia¡®s face was red with embarrassment. ¡°What are you doing? Put me down.¡±


    Odell would not let her go. He gazed into her eyes alluringly. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    pointedly, ¡°Flint is on the table. Let me go.¡±


    She shot a look at Flint.


    He was pretty much sitting on top of the keyboard


    of Odell¡®sptop and seemed to find it quite amusing. He mmed his hands on the keyboard. Odell had caught him by his calf.


    That way, there was no chance of him falling.


    Sylvia was very vexed. ¡°You... don''t you have to work?¡± Odell observed her frantic expression. ¡°It''s nothing urgent.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvie


    and looked at Flint to avoid having to look at Odell.


    ¡°Just stay with me here for a while, okay?¡± Odell requested suddenly.


    Sylvia was startled by this request and immediately turned to him.


    There was a tender and expectant look in his eyes. Something suddenly urred to Sylvia, ¡°You... Won''t | get in


    the way of your work like this?¡± ¡°Please do.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    When did he learn to talk like this?


    She avoided his gaze again and blurted out, ¡°Well, | guess I''ll keep youpany since you want it so much. |


    don''t have anything to do anyway.¡±


    She slowly rose as she said this.


    That was when he suddenly grabbed her by her chin and made


    her turn to him. In an instant, his face was only inches away from hers and was still drawing in closer.


    She felt his lips pressing against hers.


    Her eyes widened in shock.


    He kissed her with his eyes closed , gently brushing her cheeks with the tips of his defined eyebrows. After a


    long kiss, he finally opened his eyes.


    Sylvia raised a hand and shoved him away. He smiled and let go of her.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1042

    Chapter 1042


    ¡°y with Flint over there. I''ll be right with you,¡± he let go of her as he said this.


    Sylvia pulled herself to her feet.


    Meanwhile, Flint was sitting on top of the table and facing them, staring at them curiously with thoserge eyes of his.


    He just saw them kiss!


    Sylvia¡®s cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she immediately took Flint into her arms.


    Odell had


    a Satisfied grin on and watched as Sylvia sat on the couch with Flint in her arms. Only then was he finally willing to go back to his


    work.


    There were countless undecipherable words typed out on theputer. It was Flint''s handiwork.


    He patiently erased everything before going back to his original documents.


    The window of the study was open, allowing a cool breeze of air to pour in from the outside.


    The day may be tranquil but the study was not. It was filled with the constant thumping, tapping,


    and various noises produced by Flint rummaging around.


    Sylvia had done all she could to minimize the


    trouble the boy caused. Flint even managed to kick an expensive teapot that belonged to Odell off


    the table while Sylvia was not looking Sylvia was distraught


    by this and quickly pulled Flint into her arms so he would not be cut by shards of ceramic. She nervously turned to Odell.


    Odell¡®''s eyes were fixed on theputer screen. He was very serious and was intently at work.


    How was he not bothered by all these noises?


    She was relieved and turned back to Flint.¡¯


    The boy waspletely oblivious to the trouble he had caused and was grinning ear to ear. Sylvia was at a loss. She would hav


    e punished him if not for him being only nine months old and none the wiser.


    It was an expensive teapot. If memory served her correctly, Odell had been using this particr teapot


    since the day she married into the family the first time.


    He must have really liked it to not have changed it after all these years.


    She wondered how he would react when he saw that the


    damage could not be salvaged.


    She sighed and stood up with Flint in her arms. She had to look for something to clean up the fragments.


    Before she even lifted her feet off the ground, Odell addressed her from across the room, ¡°Don''t touch it. I''ll


    Sylvia was taken aback by this and turned back to him.


    He was already on the phone. The


    call was answered very quickly and he immediately gave the orders, ¡°Sebastian, send someone into my study


    to clean something up.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    After that, he hung up and approached Sylvia.


    Sylvia seemed aggrieved and immediately apologized without needing to be prompted to,


    ¡°Odell, it was my fault for breaking the teapot. | should''ve kept an eye on Flint.¡±


    Odell patted her head. ¡°It''s just a teapot, no big deal.¡±


    Sylvia observed his forgiving expression and did not know how to react.


    It was hard to believe the stark transformation he had taken six years ago.


    She wondered what happened in these six years to prompt such a dramatic turn in his personality.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.


    Odell nced at the door and said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    A housemaid entered with a broom and dustpan.


    Odell took Sylvia¡®s hand. ¡°Come here, watch your steps.¡±


    Sylvia followed him to his desk.


    He moved another chair and put it next to his desk. ¡°Give me just a moment.¡±


    He sat back behind the desk and wore the same solemn, studious expression he had whenever he was working.


    Sylvia sat down with Flint in her arms.


    Flint had not learned his lesson and tried to mber onto the table again. Sylvia yanked him back into herp.


    Flint still did not get the message and continued his struggle to wriggle himself free while mumbling,¡° Mommy, Mommy.¡±


    It seemed like he was trying to persuade her to let him climb on top of the table.


    Sylvia refused to yield and continued holding onto him tightly.


    Eventually, he fell asleep in her arms.


    Atst, silence.


    The only sound emitted within the room was the clicking of Odell''s fingers against the keyboard.

 Chapter 1043

    Chapter 1043


    The fine weather in addition to the hypnotic rhythm of Odell¡¯s typing made Sylvia fall asleep as well. Before she realized it, she h


    ad drifted off to sleep.


    After some time passed , Odell wrapped up his tasks and closed theptop.


    He looked at the pair of mother and son who were both sleeping next to him and smiled lovingly. It was a heartwarming sight.


    He carefully took Flint from Sylvia''s arms and took him to the bedroom. After that, he returned


    to the study and carried Sylvia in his arms.


    ¡°Mommy, Mmmy.¡± Sylvia was woken up by a toddler''s babble. She opened her eyes to see Flint lying next to her and snuggling


    against her body. Odell


    was next to her as well. He was lying on his side with his head resting atop one hand. His gaze seemed to prate through her.


    She quickly sprung up from the bed. It was her bedroom, the same bed that she usually slept


    1. in.


    The only ones in the room were her, Odell, and Flint.


    The two of them were in pajamas. She could tell that they slept together.


    She expressed with a frown, ¡°Who let you sleep here?¡±


    He smirked. ¡°You did.¡± ¡°When did I say you could sleep here?¡± He said without the slightest twitch of expression, ¡°You fell asleep


    in my studyst night. When | carried you back here


    and put you on the bed, you held me and refused to let go. You told me to spend the night with


    you.¡± Sylvia looked at him, utterly baffled. ¡°Why can''t | remember any of that?¡± ¡°Because you fell asleep immediately after that.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Before she could raise another point, Odell touched her head. ¡°It''s gettingte. Go get something to eat. I''ll take Flint downstairs


    first.


    With that, he picked up Flint and got out of bed.


    There was not much Sylvia could do other than abide by Odell''s instructions and scramble off to the shower.


    It was Monday.


    Odell went to work after breakfast.


    Isabel and Liam went to school.


    Sylvia stayed home with Flint as usual.


    Sylvia took him to Madam Carter''s room and spent the morning there with him. After lunch, Flint began to get sleepy.


    Sylvia wanted to take a nap with him but found that she could not fall asleep.


    After tossing and turning for a long time, she got out of bed and had Aunt Tonya watch over Flint. Then, she went to her studio on


    the third floor.


    The door was closed but not locked.


    She opened the door and stepped inside.


    The room looked the same as she remembered it thest time she came here, only most of her tools were put


    back into their drawers.


    After pacing back and forth across the room a few times, she set up a drawing board and sat in front of it.


    The sunlight was ample today. The floor-to-ceiling window stood in front of her, offering a clear view outside.


    She looked outside and saw the scorching sun hang in the sky above, rays of warm sunlight basking over her.


    She took a deep breath and picked up a brush. With each stroke, she added color to the nk¡ªwhite drawing board.


    She painted the pale blue sky, lush green leaves, and the flowers that exuded a fine ssh of yellow and orange.


    The sky above dazzled with hope for the new day.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Shepleted most of the painting in one sitting as she was very inspired today.


    After finishing the painting, she sat back and observed her work with pride. She stretchedzily after that.


    That was when she noticed a silhouette from the corner of her eyes.


    She turned around hastily and saw Odell standing only two meters away.


    He was leaning against the wall with his arms folded in front of him


    and watching her paint. There was a shiny gleam in his eyes. He was enchanted.

 Chapter 1044

    Chapter 1044


    Sylvia asked without thinking, ¡°Odell, when did you get back?¡±


    Odell stared at her contemtively.


    He shed a brief smile and told her, ¡°For quite some time.¡±


    He drew close to her as he said this. He brushed a small patch of paint off the tip of her nose and asked her, ¡°Are you finished?¡±


    Sylvia nodded. ¡°It''s a great painting,¡± heplimented.


    Sylvia smiled with reservation. ¡°It''s alright.¡±


    It did turn out better than she was expecting, but it was still missing something she could not quite put her finger on.


    ¡°No need to be humble, it''s wonderful work.¡± As he spoke, he raised his hand and patted her head again.


    It was significantly better than the work she had put out during the event hosted by Master Springsteen thest time.


    It seemed to him that she was getting back to form.


    Sylvia whimpered, ¡°I know that, but I''m not trying to be humble.¡±


    It was a great work of art and she knew it, but it did not change the


    fact that itcked something to make itplete. Odell smiled. ¡°Anyway, dinner is ready. The kids are waiting for us downstairs.


    Let''s go down to eat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    After dinner, Sylvia yed with the children for a while before returning to her studio again.


    She had to find out what the painting was missing.


    She stared ponderously at the painting for nearly two hours and yet she failed to identify anything wrong with it. She left after


    filling in the colors. :


    It was veryte by this point and most of the people in the house had gone to sleep. It was as quiet as a grave.


    There was no noiseing out of the children¡¯s room either.


    When she passed by Liam and Isabel''s room, she went


    inside to take a look.


    Both children were sleeping in their beds.


    She went inside and gently kissed their cheeks before


    leaving and heading back to her bedroom.


    Upon pushing the door open, she saw two figures on the bed.


    Odell''s figure leaned gracefully against the head of the bed.


    He wore navy blue pajamas and held a book in his hand.


    Flinty beside him and was soundly asleep.


    She was surprised by this sight.


    Was he not nning to head back to the guest room to sleep? Odell turned to see who had entered. Upon noting that it was


    Sylvia , a smile greeted the corners of his lips as he informed her, ¡°Flint needed someone to watch over him to fall asleep so |


    figured I''d watch over him.¡±


    Sylvia swallowed the urge to say whatever she was going to say.


    He added, ¡°It''s gettingte. Go wash up ande to bed.¡±


    With that, he diverted his attention back to his book.


    It did not appear that he was going to leave anytime soon.


    Sylvia made a dry cough.


    Odell looked at her.


    ,¡®I''m here,¡± she announced.


    Odell looked puzzled. ¡°I know, what''s wrong?¡± Sylvia


    had trouble putting it out bluntly. How could he not understand what she was trying to say? Did she have to explicitly tell him to g


    et out?


    The only source of light in the room came from the readingmp


    Apart from a quiet suspicion, there was also a tender glow in his eyes. Sylvia could not possibly make him leave.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°No... It''s nothing.¡±


    Then she went to the bathroom.


    Before she walked into the bathroom, Odell put down the book in his hand.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The readingmp beat against one side of his face and cast a shadow over the other side as he smiled deviously.


    She wanted him to go to the guest room?


    Do not even think about it.


    Sylvia washed herself briefly and walked out in her pajamas.


    Odell hadid down on the left side of the bed with Flint tucked nicely in the middle of the bed.


    The room was quiet. He seemed to have fallen asleep.


    Sylvia got into the right side of the bed and gently kissed Flint''s chubby cheek, then she turned off the light and closed her eyes.


    After a while, she fell asleep.


    Late at night.


    Odell suddenly woke up. He gently carried the sleeping Flint to one side effortlessly, then he nudged closer to Sylvia''s side.

 Chapter 1045

    Chapter 1045


    Sylvia was woken up by the sweltering heat. It should have been mid¡ªautumn and yet she was drowned in sweat.


    She opened her eyes in a blur and saw the man sleeping in front of her. He looked very handsome even as he slept.


    His arms were wrapped around her waist, and she was almost held in his arms by him.


    She furrowed her brows and immediately shoved him away.


    Odell snapped his eyes open quickly.


    After a brief confusion, he quickly registered the situation.


    He smiled kindly and greeted her, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Sylvia peered at him. Odell let go of her waist and brushed his fingers against her cheeks. ¡°Why did you wake up so early?¡±


    Sylvia answered nkly, ¡°I woke up because | felt hot.¡± Odell paused for a moment, then asked with a coy smile,¡° Hot? Are you


    feeling unwell?¡±


    He pressed his palm against her forehead to check her temperature , then he shifted his arm to her neck to feel her body heat.


    Hemented, ¡°You''re sweating a lot.¡± Sylvia tried to suppress her voice. ¡°...


    | know, you can move your hands away now.¡± As if touching her neck was not enough, he was still moving his hands downward!


    Odell flicked an eyebrow and withdrew his hand.


    Sylvia sat up immediately.


    That was when his arm suddenly wrapped tightly around her waist again and tossed her back into the bed in his arms.


    Before she could even react, he had pressed her onto the bed and was on top of her.


    An alluring smile surfaced in his eyes as he asked in a low voice, ¡°How did you end up here?¡±


    Sylvia did not utter a word.


    Her cheeks were flushed red with mixed anger and embarrassment. ¡°Odell, you''re the one who¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sen


    tence, Odell sealed her lips with his lips.


    Sylvia tried to shove him away to no avail.


    After a long kiss, he let go of her.


    Hisrge figure pressed itself against her as he gazed into her eyes with a wild look in them.


    Sylvia¡®s cheeks were burning up.


    She red at him and protested, ¡°Odell... Move!¡± Her face was so hot that it would sizzle if you ced oil on it.


    It sounded more like she was meekly imploring him to do so rather than ordering him to...


    Sylvia was so fluttered that she wanted nothing more than to find a hole in the ground for her to bury herself in.


    She turned away from Odell.


    She found herself staring into another pair ofrge round eyes.


    Flint had woken up at one point. He was lying on his chest with his arms stretched out as he stared at them.


    He had a look full of innocence and curiosity.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes widened with horror as she quickly pushed Odell away. ¡°Flint is looking at us. Get off me!¡±


    Odell was startled by this and turned to look at Flint.


    He promptly reached over and picked up Flint and spun the boy around in a half¡ªcircle so he would face the other


    side instead.


    With that out of the way, he turned back to Sylvia and pressed his weight against her.


    Just as his lips were about to greet Sylvia''s, Flint suddenly swung back their way like a spinning top and faced them again.


    Sylvia tried to shove at Odell and whimpered, ¡°Flint...¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Her lips were sealed before she could get the word out.


    Odell barely noticed Flint turning around again.


    Sylvia was struck with disbelief.


    It was impossible to free herself from him as no amount of struggle would achieve that.


    Flint stared at them eagerly from the side. It was hard for her to kiss Odell like this.


    Just as she was going to resort to desperate measures and bite Odell, she suddenly heard a snicker.


    Odell stopped as well.


    Sylvia looked over at Flint.


    Flint was lying only nearly ten centimeters away from them.


    ¡°Hehe...¡± He smiled so happily that his eyes were formed into two half¡ªcrescent moons.


    Odell looked at Flint silently. A strange look suddenly appeared on his face. Sylvia


    took the opportunity to slip out from underneath him.

 Chapter 1046

    Chapter 1046


    Chapter 1046 Before Odell could make his next move, Sylvia quickly hopped off the bed and went to the dressing area to get


    changed.


    Odell looked at her silently.


    In an instant, all the lust inside him was washed away. He nced at Flint.


    Flint stopped snickering suddenly and looked at his father. His eyes widened into tworge, reflective marbles.


    The pair of father and son stared at each other sometime before Odell went to pick him up.


    Flint began crying out, ¡°Mommy, Mommy...¡±


    Odell¡®s face darkened briefly. He walked out of the room with Flint in his arms, but Flint''s cries only grew louder from that point


    on.


    Sylvia, who had just gotten changed, quickly stepped out of the dressing area. She stepped out just in time to catch a glimpse of


    Flint being carried out of the room by Odell, his feet wrangling frantically in the air as he repeatedly called for his mother.


    She felt a twitching sensation inside her chest when she witnessed this picture.


    ¡°Here¡®s Mommy, here¡®s Mommy.¡± She Immediately rushed over and took Flint into her arms.


    Flint wrapped his arms around her neck with a weak pout and looked at her with tears welling up in his eyes. He looked


    distraught.


    Sylvia frowned and turned to Odell with a pointed look,¡± Why is Flint crying? What did you do to him?¡±


    Odell did not utter a word.


    ¡°| didn''t do anything to him,¡± he finally said as he nced at Flint. Upon feeling Odell''s re, Flint immediately buried his face in


    Sylvia¡®s neck and began wailing again.


    While Odell was at a loss for words, his expression darkened.


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°Leave. You''re not allowed to sleep in this room from now on.¡±


    With that, she took Flint, who was bawling his eyes out, and left Odell.


    Odell stood rooted to the same spot like a sculpture and simply watched Flint being carried away. For the first time, he wanted to


    punish Flint to teach him a lesson.


    Flint was easier to appease than Sylvia had expected.


    Before she even had to do anything, Flint¡¯s mood took on a dramatic turn when she saw his brother and sister waddling down


    the corridor to greet him. He babbled on and on, ¡°Brother, brother...¡±


    Liam took him into his arms.


    Isabel appeared behind Liam and said, ¡°How about me? Call me Sister.¡±


    Flint babbled, ¡°Brother...¡±


    Isabel repeated, ¡°Sister!¡±


    ¡°Brother, Brother...¡±


    Isabel grumpily snatched her toy back from Flint''s hands.


    Nevertheless , Flint was not upset by this and continued burrowing his head into Liam¡®s neck.


    As Sylvia watched them silently , a voice inside her head told her that she had been unfair towards Odell.


    The children quickly went downstairs after that.


    Aunt Tonya and the others were waiting for them downstairs already, so Sylvia knew that she did not have to worry about the


    children. She turned back to the bedroom again.


    Odell had changed out of his pajamas and put on a fitted ck shirt and trousers. He was just stepping out of the dresser with a


    jacket in his hand when he stumbled into Sylvia.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hisrge figure obstructed the lights and cast a shadow over her.


    Sylvia stammered, ¡°You''ve already gotten changed?¡±


    Odell squinted. ¡°You don''t want me to?¡±


    ¡°No, that''s not what | meant. | was just asking.¡± Odell drew himself in front of her and immediately sensed her guilt from the way


    she mistreated him. He softly took her chin and asked, ¡°Is the brat still crying?¡±


    The brat?


    It seemed like he was still upset about Flint.


    She muttered a short reply, ¡°Yeah, he went down to y with Isabel and Liam.¡±


    She had only just said this when Odell suddenly leaned into her and pressed his lips against hers. She was shocked by this bold


    approach.


    He grabbed the back of her head with hisrge palms so she would not resist and kissed her deep and passionately for what


    seemed like forever. Before drawing away, he lightly bit her lips as if to reprimand her.


    Atst, he pinched her cheeks and said, ¡°Go get changed.¡± Sylvia pursed her lips to answer, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After breakfast, Odell went to work while Isabel and Liam went to school. Everything was routine as usual.


    Sylvia yed with Flint for a while until he became tired and fell asleep. After leaving Aunt Tonya in charge of the boy, she went


    to the third floor.


    The paint had dried on the painting she made yesterday and was resting on the table.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1047

    Chapter 1047


    Chapter 1047 She observed the painting for a while before moving off to where the sculpting tools were and went to work.


    The day passed quickly. Night soon fell and it was time for bed.


    When she returned to the bedroom from the third floor, she saw Odell and Flint''s figures lying on the bed.


    Flint was sleeping soundly next to Odell. Just like yesterday, the man leaned against the bedboard while reading a book.


    When Sylvia entered , he smiled and looked at her. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Sylvia grunted.


    He put down the book and got out of bed. It seemed like he was heading out.


    Sylvia immediately asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± He replied, ¡°To the guest room.¡±


    Why was he scuttling away to the guest room? She did not tell him to leave. She became slightly upset and said in an using


    tone, ¡°You were lying down already. Why are you going to the guest room?¡± Odell approached her with a somber expression.


    ¡°Didn''t


    you tell me this morning that I''m not allowed to sleep here again?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She suddenly seemed troubled and consumed by guilt. Odell looked at her for a few seconds , and upon


    noting her silence, he was prepared to walk past her and leave the room.


    When Sylvia noticed that he was going to go, she quickly exined , ¡°I was just upset at the time. | thought that you were getting


    angry at Flint which is why | said all that.¡±


    Odell turned to her. ¡°What do you mean? What did you


    say?¡±


    He said this with great solemnity, not understanding what Sylvia meant.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sylvia stammered, ¡°Y-you know, | got upset and it all just came out.¡±


    Odell squinted and approached her. Hisrge figure towered over her like a mountain.


    Sylvia stepped back instinctively.


    He continued advancing toward her without the slightest intention of stopping. Eventually, Sylvia backed into a wall with nowhere


    else to go. She looked at him unnervingly. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    As he grabbed her chin and grazed against her lip with his finger, a shimmer of light shed in his eyes. ¡°You know what.¡±


    Sylvia stayed quiet.


    ¡°I''ll kiss you if you¡®re not going to say anything.¡± With that, she zipped her lips and remained silent. Odell chuckled softly and


    drew closer.


    Their lips pressed together, and the dim lights inside the room gave the outline of their figures a different glow. .


    After the kiss thatsted an eternity , the silence in the room was atst broken.


    Odell picked her up effortlessly.


    Her cheeks were flushed with red, and her eyes seemed to sparkle. Underneath the lights, she blossomed like a flower.


    Odell could not resist the urge to continue to suffocate Sylvia with kisses. He advanced toward the bed with her in his arms.


    She began shoving at him. ¡°Odell, Flint is still...¡± ¡°He¡®s asleep.¡±


    ¡°What if he wakes up?¡±


    ¡°He won''t.¡±


    ¡°But if¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not buts.¡± With that, he sealed her lips again so that she would not utter another word of protest.


    Sylvia was not going to say anything, to begin with.


    Besides, Flint was asleep and was not going to wake up anytime soon. At this point, she would be a spoilsport to refuse him.


    They went at it until midnight.


    Just as Odell said, Flint remained sleeping in his crib the entire time.


    Sylvia was sweating all over and exhausted as she leaned against Odell.


    He rested his chin in one hand and looked at her contentedly like a hungry wolf relishing in the meal he just had. He suddenly


    asked, ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    Sylvia could fall asleep at any second, so she groaned weakly. ¡°Want me to carry you to the shower?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1048

    Chapter 1048


    Sylvia instinctively mumbled ¡®yes¡® and quickly regretted it when she met the gaze in Odell¡®s eyes.


    Although he was also drenched in sweat, he still seemed rather energetic.


    It was a trap!


    She wondered if she would even have the strength to walk out of the shower if she agreed to go with him.


    Tl


    ¡°That''s alright. I''ll go by myself.¡±


    After that, she scurried out of bed and went to the bathroom.


    Odelly on his side and watched her all the while, chuckling at her escape.


    Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table rang. It was a customized notification only triggered when receiving messages from a


    specific sender.


    He sat up and picked up the phone.


    It was a message from Skr. ¡°Master Carter, | got in touch with the irvoyant atst. He told me that the reason | could not


    help Sylvia restore all her memories was that | was going too fast. My skills were not honed yet, and | was rushing things. He told


    me that | should


    perform the hypnosis a few more times and that there''s a strong chance that it will help her restore all her monies.¡±


    On the day after Sylvia went to nchester, he had gone to Skr when he was on the way to join Sylvia and had requested


    Skr to contact the irvoyant again.


    She must have only just tracked down the irvoyant today.


    He pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Skr asked uncertainly, ¡°Umm... You''ve brought her home, haven''t you?¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That''s good to know. | should be in Westchester by noon tomorrow. I''ll head straight to your ce to look for her.¡±


    Odell frowned and told her, ¡°You shouldn''te here just yet.¡± ¡°Why not? Did something happen between you two?¡±


    ¡°We''re doing great.¡±


    Skr did not press the issue and replied, ¡°Okay, I''ll wait for your update then.¡±


    Odell set his phone down. He turned in the direction of the bathroom with a grim expression.


    He could not let Skr try hypnosis on Sylvia again.


    If her memories from the past years were restored, that


    wouldplicate things so much more.


    She would remember the crushing pain of having her leg broken, of how Tara almost murdered her at Cloudy Heart Lake, and


    she would remember the sixty ps.


    The sound of running water inside the shower stopped suddenly.


    Odell quickly wiped away the solemn look in his eyes.


    Shortly after that, the door was opened, and Sylvia emerged in a set of light pajamas. It took all the strength in her to keep her


    eyes pried open. When she got to the bed, she closed her eyes and copsed without even sparing a nce at Odell.


    Odell smiled and immediately pulled her into his arms.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Sylvia could smell the scent of sweat on him. Despite feeling revolted, she was too tired to do anything about it and could only


    mumble groggily, ¡°Go take a shower.¡± Odell murmured, ¡°Later.¡±


    ¡°You have to go now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He embraced her tightly and refused to let go.


    After a while, her breathing took on a slow and steady rhythm. He gently lowered her to the pillow and kissed her on the


    forehead before getting up to go to the bathroom.


    The next morning, the heat woke Sylvia up again. She opened her eyes and was instantly greeted by the sleeping Odell in front


    of her. He had his arms wrapped around her and was facing her.


    Sylvia gently moved his arm away because it was too hot. Odell slowly opened his eyes and immediately smiled.¡± Morning.¡±


    ¡°Hehe...¡±


    As soon as he said that, he heard a soft giggle from behind, so he turned around.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1049

    Chapter 1049


    Chapter 1049 Sylvia rose abruptly.


    Flint was awake and had crawled next to them at some point. Hey down next to Odell and observed them attentively, being the


    adorable and yful boy he was.


    Sylvia was enchanted by how adorable Flint was and waved him to go over with a loving smile. ¡°Flint,e to Mommy.¡±


    Odell smiled and sat up to make room for Flint.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The little rascal ended up crawling directly over him. He crept atop his leg as if he was mounting over an obstacle and


    approached Sylvia who smiled and took him in her arms.


    Flint babbled, ¡°Moh...ning.¡±


    Sylvia was pleasantly surprised by this and returned the greeting, ¡°Good morning, you.¡± While the boy grinned from ear to ear,


    Odell was delighted to see the mother and son¡®s wholesome exchange and grinned as well.


    The following days passed uneventfully.


    During the day, Odell would go to work while Liam and


    Isabel went to school while Sylvia stayed at home with Flint.


    She usually yed with the boy until lunchtime, after which the boy would quickly fall asleep.


    Then, she would hand him over to Aunt Tonya while she went up to the third floor. She had been going to the studio every day.


    Apart from some small sculptures, she alsopleted two paintings.


    They were merely sketches of thendscape and looked rather remarkable. However, just like the previous painting, she felt like


    it was missing something she could not quite put her finger on.


    She would dangle the paintbrush in the air with countless thoughts running through her mind only to ce it back.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. She picked up her phone and saw a message from Odell.


    ¡°Tomorrow is the weekend. Where do you want to go?¡±


    He further supplied several locations for her to choose from. They could either go sightseeing or go somewhere fun with the


    children.


    Sylvia picked somewhere where both children and parents could participate in activities together. Odell replied, ¡°Alright.¡±


    After two minutes, she received another message. ¡°It''s


    not very busy today, so we''ll have time to go out for dinner tonight. What do you want to eat?¡±


    Sylvia considered for a while and answered, ¡°Hotpot


    then.¡±


    ¡°Okay, just wait till | get home.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and replied, ¡°Got it.¡±


    She felt like she had never seen him chat this much.


    She still remembered what it was like when she first had a crush on him. He had apletely different air around himpared


    to his peers at the time and was known for his stoic temperament. Even though he rarely, if ever, uttered so much as a sentence


    around her, she still could not help but fall for him.


    It turned out that she liked him even more now that he was more talkative.


    She wondered what exactly they had experienced in those six years that led to such a dramatic change. Aunt Tonya had told her


    what happened, but still, she was merely an outside observer of these events and had no insight into what had truly gone on


    between them.


    She was aware that she could not rush the process of restoring her memory. Even someone as capable as Skr could not help


    her fully restore her memory yet. She stopped worrying about these matters and decided to scroll through her phone to look for


    Sherry¡¯s new contact.


    She sent her a message.


    ¡°Sherry, how have you been doing in nchester?¡± Thest time they texted each other was four days ago. Sherry usually took


    some time to reply to her. Sometimes, she would go missing for several days before an answer came. Chances were that she


    was being cautious so that John would not find out about the phone.


    After sending the message, Sylvia picked up her sculpting tools and went to work while waiting for a reply.


    Meanwhile, in the Stocktons¡® residence in nchester, more than a hundred kilometers away from Westchester, there was a


    lively party in the enormous garden.


    The glow of the sun created a warm atmosphere, and there was a soft breeze,


    Most of the people present at the party were daughters of wealthy households in nchester. All of them wore designer dresses


    in thetest fashion and patterns, and a lot of them donned a shawl as well which added to their refined look.


    Standing out of the crowd, Sherry had nothing but a simple ck dress on. She carried a handbag and walked through the


    crowd, feeling very out of ce and awkward. She went to a remote corner and drank from a wine ss.


    She leaned against a pir and enjoyed the delicious food served at the party while she silently stared at a young and beautiful


    lady not far away from her.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1050

    Chapter 1050


    The formal purpose of the party was for Madam Stockton to get together and catch up, but the true intention was to match John


    with a suitable candidate.


    By all ounts, Sherry had no right to be there because Madam Stockton would never acknowledge her as John''s partner.


    John must have been out of his mind to make her attend. He even threatened that she would have to embroider twenty pieces of


    garments if she did not show up.


    A gust of cold wind blew in her direction and made her shudder. She shielded herself from the wind with one hand and lifted the


    wine ss with the other.


    At least, the wine was good.


    The youngdies she saw attending the party were all captivating and beautiful. All of themmanded the attention of the


    passersby. As beautiful as they were though, she realized that she had never seen any one of them.


    They must all hail from nchester.


    When the party began, Madam Stockton showed up with Queenie and Julie to help her bridge themunication with the


    younglings at the party.


    Julie had her hair braided for the asion and wore a well ¡ªfitted gown that had elegance written all over. As Queenie followed


    after her, her curly blonde hair seemed to have a life of its own as it fluttered with every step she took. She donned a bright pink


    dress thatmanded attention.


    The moment they showed up, a group of people surrounded them. Julie was quite the socialite and made conversation with


    everyone.


    Once the crowd slowly dispersed, she noticed Sherry standing in the corner. She was startled by the sight of Sherry but quickly


    greeted her with a polite smile.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Although Sherry was not as sociable as Julie was, she had amassed more than enough experience in her years of managing


    Lush Heaven. In just one nce, she could tell that Julie was merely greeting her out of practical decency.


    Besides, she already knew that Julie had never been fond, of her. She was the heralded, much-praised daughter¡ªinw of the


    Stocktons, and she considered herself too good for Sherry.


    Sherry hated the way Julie smiled, knowing that she had nothing but contempt for herself deep down. Nevertheless, Sherry


    ignored her and turned her head away. She picked up a slice of cake and stuffed it into her


    mouth,


    However, Julie was not a fan of being ignored, so she seemed to do a double take.


    Meanwhile, Queenie, who was currently being showered with praises by everyone around her, noticed Julie''s strange behavior.


    She looked at her and asked curiously,¡° What''s the matter?¡± Julie raised her chin in Sherry¡®s direction and said, ¡°Isn''t that


    Sherry? Why is she here?¡±


    Upon hearing the mention of Sherry¡®s presence, Queenie¡¯s expression turned hostile. She followed Julie''s line of sight and


    quickly identified her nemesis who she approached.


    Sherry had just finished a sweet and delicious slice of cake and was about to help herself to another serving when she heard


    Queenie''s judgmental tone from behind,¡± Sherry, who said you could attend this party? What even makes you think that you


    have the right to be here?¡± Sherry picked up the cake and looked back at her. She smiled briskly while taking a bite out of the


    cake. ¡°Your brother was the one who asked me toe. | don''t understand why some poor old peasant like me needs to be here


    as well. Why don''t you ask him for me?¡±


    Queenie''s face became flushed red with anger. She finally burst out after a few seconds of silence, ¡°That''s a load of nonsense.


    Why would my brother let someone like you


    attend? Get out of here!¡±


    She screamed at the top of her voice and drew the attention of many people. Julie went up to them immediately and tried to calm


    Queenie down. ¡°Come on, since John asked her toe, we''d better leave her alone.¡¯


    Queenie only became more upset upon hearing this. ¡°My brother would never invite someone like her. She must have snuck in


    here herself! Howpletely shameless!¡±


    As soon as she said this, many people turned to gawk at Sherry.


    Did she really sneak in? How could anyone barge in here without being directly invited by Madam Stockton?


    This was a party to help Master Stockton find a suitable marriage partner, so who would have the audacity to sneak in here


    uninvited? It was truly shameless.


    Suddenly, everyone began to regard Sherry with a sense of hostility.


    Meanwhile, the apparently shameless Sherry took


    another ss of red wine and downed it in one go. She could not be bothered to care about what they thought of her. Queenie''s


    opinion was the least of her concerns.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1051

    Chapter 1051


    Their hostility meant nothing to her because she was busy savoring the fine food and liquor.


    Queenie''s face was contorted with anger, and Julie''s expression was not much better either.


    After a while, she tried to implore Queenie again, ¡°Forget about it. She must havee here with John¡®s permission.¡±


    What she was really trying to say was that there was no point chasing Sherry out since she was not going to budge anytime


    soon.


    Upon hearing this, not only did Queenie abandon her ns to chase her out, but she was also further enraged.


    This woman was always trying toy im to her brother. It was despicable for her to attend a party that was specially held by


    her mother to help him find a partner for marriage. She was even refusing to leave. What an insult!


    ¡°Sherry, you disgusting wench, go back to that dirty club you own and stop dragging your filth in here!¡± That rude remark was


    followed by her grabbing a ss of wine and sshing it on Sherry¡®s face.


    Ssh!


    Caughtpletely unprepared , Sherry was drenched in wine. She frowned deeply and seemed to be holding in her rage. In an


    instant, the venue fell silent. Everyone was struck by disbelief to hear how Queenie insulted Sherry and even more so when they


    saw how Queenie attacked her. A lot of them felt a sense of vindication when they saw how the wretched woman was punished.


    Meanwhile, on a balcony near the garden that was several meters high in the air and covered behind the shade of trees, John


    stood by the railing with a pair of binocrs in his hand. He had witnessed everything from the beginning to the end.


    Even from this distance, he could hear everything Queenie said to Sherry, word for word. A frown immediately formed across his


    handsome face when he observed how Queenie humiliated Sherry.


    His assistant Peter asked cautiously, ¡°Sir, do you want to head over?¡®


    Although he was not sure what was happening over there, he could hear Queenie scolding Sherry as well.


    If they did not head over there to pull Sherry out of the situation, it was likely to get worse from there on.


    John did not elicit an answer and instead asked, ¡°Are the Fowlers here yet?¡±


    Peter informed dutifully, ¡°They¡®re here. | saw Madam Fowler with Shannon Fowler about ten minutes ago when | wasing in


    here.¡±


    John smirked.


    Peter carefully probed again, ¡°Sir, are you nning to head over?¡±


    ¡°No need to rush. Let''s see how this clown fest ends.¡±


    Peter had nothing to add to that.


    In the garden, Sherry felt a sudden chill seeping all through her body due to abination of the chilly wind and the cold wine


    seeping down her neck and into her dress.


    She raised a hand and wiped the wine off her face before turning to Queenie and heckling, ¡°I didn¡¯t catch that. Do you mind


    repeating that?¡± A sharp gleam of ice surfaced in her eyes despite the scorching sun basking them with its warm glow.


    Queenie scowled and erupted after a few seconds of silence, ¡°What makes you think I''ll do that? It''s none of my business that


    you can''t hear!¡±


    Julie stayed silent, and so did everyone else watching this scene unfold.


    Sherry sneered dryly before she promptly turned and headed toward the restroom. She had only taken several steps when two


    familiar figures came into her view.


    She had no idea when they got here. The pair were walking side by side, and there seemed to be a protective ring around them


    separating them from the rest of the crowd. They stood several meters away from Sherry. One was her mother, Janine Fowler,


    and the other was her sister with whom she shared no blood rtions with, and yet was much more loved than she ever was,


    Shannon Fowler.


    Next Chapter


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.

 Chapter 1052

    Chapter 1052


    Chapter 1052 As Sherry suddenly stiffened, all the color drained from her face.


    Janine was wearing a moss green dress thatplimented her figure perfectly. Despite her age, all her years of proper


    maintenance provided ample upkeep for her appearance, and she seemed like she was only in her mid-thirties.


    Sherry immediately recognized the look of masked contempt on Janine¡¯s face despite her best attempts at hiding it.


    When Shannon caught Sherry¡®s eyes, she smiled a sarcastic smile and greeted her somewhat affably,¡± Sister.¡± .


    Just as she was about to approach Sherry, Janine quickly grabbed her by the arm, hence she turned back to Janine with a stark


    look of confusion.


    Janine did not utter a word and only cast a cruel look at Sherry. Sherry grimaced and continued heading toward the restroom


    The restroom was located on the edge of the garden, so it was rtively quiet, and there was nobody inside at the


    current moment.


    She went to the sink and sshed icy water on her face to rinse off the wine. Then, she grabbed a bunch of tissues to wipe her


    neck and her wrists clean.


    After cleaning herself, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and finally gathered the strength to head back outside having


    managed to calm herself down. As soon as she stepped outside , she met Janine who was waiting for her underneath the shade


    of trees. She was standing there by herself with not a soul nearby. With a scowl, Sherry shot a look at her and continued


    walking.


    Janine called after her in an offended tone, ¡°Stop! Can''t you see that I''ve been waiting for you?¡±


    Sherry sneered. ¡°I can see you. | just don¡¯t want anyone to see the two of us together. | wouldn''t dare cause you to lose face by


    letting them discover that | am your daughter.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Janine snorted condescendingly. ¡°Stop that nonsense. What made you suddenly live with the Stocktons after disappearing for a


    year? Was it truly Master Stockton himself who brought you here? Answer me.¡±


    Based on this statement , Sherry figured that the two of them had been here long enough to witness everything that happened,


    including her confrontation with Queenie.


    She smiled and replied, ¡°I cane and go wherever | please. What does that have to do with you?¡± Janine gasped in horror.


    ¡°Im your mother. Of course, it has everything to do with me!¡±


    ¡°Then, why haven''t you ever asked me about where I''ve been since | disappeared?¡±


    She had been stuck with John all year. Even Sylvia, who was miles away in Westchester, had gone through all that effort to


    locate her, and yet, her mother had no idea where she had been this entire time.


    What an exemry mother.


    Janine seemed appalled by this usation, evident by the shock that overtook her countenance. She peered icily at Sherry and


    defended herself, ¡°Your phone was turned off this entire time. How am | supposed to know where you are if | can''t contact you?¡±


    ¡°So, you gave up on finding me just because you couldn''t call me?¡± Sherry rebuked, ¡°I''ve been gone for a year. Were you never


    concerned that something bad happened to me? Let me guess, you were hoping that | would never show up again, that | had


    somehow died, weren''t you?¡± ¡°You!¡± Janine snapped angrily and tried to strike Sherry across her cheek. Sherry swiftly ducked


    out of the way and backed against a tree. She stared mockingly at Janine.


    ¡°You brat!¡± Janine red at her. ¡°As if you weren''t the one at fault for never contacting me or your father! How dare you use


    us of being the ones who never cared about you!¡± ¡°I suppose you have a point.¡± Sherry smiled wryly and suddenly raised another


    matter. ¡°But if Shannon disappeared for a year and didn''t contact you, would you still say all these things about her?¡±


    Janine suddenly did not know how to respond.


    Sherry smirked and dered , ¡°No, you wouldn''t. If she had disappeared for just two days, you would have been on the phone


    with the police andbed the world to look for her. Imagine how desperate you would be if she vanished for a year!¡± Janine


    glowered . ¡°Don''t you dare spout this nonsense. Answer me, why are you here?¡± These hypothetical rhetorics were getting them


    nowhere, and Sherry decided there was no use going on. She straightened up and answered, ¡°Why else do you think? John told


    me toe.¡±

 Chapter 1053

    Chapter 1053


    Chapter 1053 ¡°You two broke up a long time ago, so why would he bring you here?¡±


    ¡°How would | know? Why don''t you ask him yourself?¡±


    With that, Sherry turned around and walked away.


    Janine immediately barked, ¡°Stop right there. | haven''t finished talking to you yet!¡±


    Sherry continued to press forward without the slightest intention of stopping.


    Janine cursed her again and again, but Sherry was nearly out of her sight by this point.


    As she was about to step back into the party, Shannon emerged from a dark corner. Her long hair draped over her shoulders like


    a lion''s mane. She wore a snow-white dress fit snugly around her waist and carried a luxury handbag. Her jewelry sparkled as


    she walked. She was clearly a woman of exuberant and refined taste.


    It did not take much to figure out that she was the favorite child of the family.


    She addressed Sherry with a faint smile, ¡°Sister, long time no see. Where have you been all year?¡±


    Sherry snapped at her, ¡°Drop the act. She¡®s not even


    here.¡±


    Shannon had always been good at presenting herself as someonepletely harmless. If not for the countless times when


    Sherry had been set up and ruined by her in the past, she would also have been fooled by her feigned affection.


    Despite Sherry¡®s statement, she continued to wear the same sharine smile. ¡°Sister, what are you talking about? You''re my


    sister. Of course, | care about you.¡±


    Sherry scoffed, ¡°Who are you calling sister? Are we rted by blood?¡±


    Shannon froze for a second before continuing , ¡°Even if we are not rted by blood , Mom and Dad have always treated me like


    I''m their biological daughter, so there is no reason for me to not deem you as my sister as well.¡±


    ¡°Even though | am their born daughter, | have never thought of them as my parents. Don''t even think about getting on my good


    side. I''m not on the same level as you folks.¡±


    Shannon seemed hurt upon hearing this.


    Upon seeing her reaction, Sherry felt like throwing up


    everything she had just eaten.


    Before she could get a word out though , Janine¡®s vexed voice appeared from behind, ¡°Shannon, didn''t | ask you to wait for me


    over there? I told you to not talk to her.


    What if people find out that you two are rted? You will be shamed and disgraced, you''ll lose your ce in nchester!¡±


    Shannon whined, ¡°But, Mom, she is my sister after all¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh,e here. Don''t ever talk to her again!¡± Janine interrupted her.


    Shannon went to her with an aggrieved look.


    Sherry had long since gotten used to these antics of hers and simply rolled her eyes at them before walking away.


    However, Janine was still feeling incredibly upset.


    Shannon apologized with a pout, ¡°Mom, it''s all my fault. | must be the reason why Sister refuses toe home this entire time.


    I''m the reason why she sees you and Dad as her enemies.¡±


    This drew a reaction out of Janine, and she quickly corrected Shannon, ¡°Hush now. It''s not your fault. She''s just an immature,


    ridiculous brat. Both your father and | would never even acknowledge her if she wasn¡¯t our flesh and blood. Remember, you are


    our dear, beloved daughter, and | never want to hear you ming yourself for these things again, got it?¡± Shannon smiled wryly


    and said, ¡°Okay, | understand now, Mom.¡±


    Janine smiled and gently caressed her face before leading her back to the party.


    Shortly after they left, Sherry emerged from behind a tree. Despite the warm glow of the sun, her face gleamed with cold like a


    sheet of ice. There was not a trace of warmth underneath her nk stare.


    It seemed like her mother had conveniently forgotten about what happened a year ago when she had gotten on her knees and


    pleaded desperately for her to seek John¡¯s help to salvage the family crisis at the time.


    Then again, it all made sense. No matter what, Shannon was their dear and beloved daughter. The only thing they


    took away from that experience was the sheer humiliation they had to endure when they had gone down on their knees and


    begged her for help. Meanwhile, they had willingly chosen to discard the memory of her going out of her way to help them out of


    a crisis.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1054

    Chapter 1054


    Chapter 1053 ¡°You two broke up a long time ago, so why would he bring you here?¡±


    ¡°How would | know? Why don''t you ask him yourself?¡±


    With that, Sherry turned around and walked away.


    Janine immediately barked, ¡°Stop right there. | haven''t finished talking to you yet!¡±


    Sherry continued to press forward without the slightest intention of stopping.


    Janine cursed her again and again, but Sherry was nearly out of her sight by this point.


    As she was about to step back into the party, Shannon emerged from a dark corner. Her long hair draped over her shoulders like


    a lion''s mane. She wore a snow-white dress fit snugly around her waist and carried a luxury handbag. Her jewelry sparkled as


    she walked. She was clearly a woman of exuberant and refined taste.


    It did not take much to figure out that she was the favorite child of the family.


    She addressed Sherry with a faint smile, ¡°Sister, long time no see. Where have you been all year?¡±


    Sherry snapped at her, ¡°Drop the act. She¡®s not even


    here.¡±


    Shannon had always been good at presenting herself as someonepletely harmless. If not for the countless times when


    Sherry had been set up and ruined by her in the past, she would also have been fooled by her feigned affection.


    Despite Sherry¡®s statement, she continued to wear the same sharine smile. ¡°Sister, what are you talking about? You''re my


    sister. Of course, | care about you.¡±


    Sherry scoffed, ¡°Who are you calling sister? Are we rted by blood?¡±


    Shannon froze for a second before continuing , ¡°Even if we are not rted by blood , Mom and Dad have always treated me like


    I''m their biological daughter, so there is no reason for me to not deem you as my sister as well.¡±


    ¡°Even though | am their born daughter, | have never thought of them as my parents. Don''t even think about getting on my good


    side. I''m not on the same level as you folks.¡±


    Shannon seemed hurt upon hearing this.


    Upon seeing her reaction, Sherry felt like throwing up


    everything she had just eaten.


    Before she could get a word out though , Janine¡®s vexed voice appeared from behind, ¡°Shannon, didn''t | ask you to wait for me


    over there? I told you to not talk to her.


    What if people find out that you two are rted? You will be shamed and disgraced, you''ll lose your ce in nchester!¡±


    Shannon whined, ¡°But, Mom, she is my sister after all¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh,e here. Don''t ever talk to her again!¡± Janine interrupted her.


    Shannon went to her with an aggrieved look.


    Sherry had long since gotten used to these antics of hers and simply rolled her eyes at them before walking away.


    However, Janine was still feeling incredibly upset.


    Shannon apologized with a pout, ¡°Mom, it''s all my fault. | must be the reason why Sister refuses toe home this entire time.


    I''m the reason why she sees you and Dad as her enemies.¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    This drew a reaction out of Janine, and she quickly corrected Shannon, ¡°Hush now. It''s not your fault. She''s just an immature,


    ridiculous brat. Both your father and | would never even acknowledge her if she wasn¡¯t our flesh and blood. Remember, you are


    our dear, beloved daughter, and | never want to hear you ming yourself for these things again, got it?¡± Shannon smiled wryly


    and said, ¡°Okay, | understand now, Mom.¡±


    Janine smiled and gently caressed her face before leading her back to the party.


    Shortly after they left, Sherry emerged from behind a tree. Despite the warm glow of the sun, her face gleamed with cold like a


    sheet of ice. There was not a trace of warmth underneath her nk stare.


    It seemed like her mother had conveniently forgotten about what happened a year ago when she had gotten on her knees and


    pleaded desperately for her to seek John¡¯s help to salvage the family crisis at the time.


    Then again, it all made sense. No matter what, Shannon was their dear and beloved daughter. The only thing they


    took away from that experience was the sheer humiliation they had to endure when they had gone down on their knees and


    begged her for help. Meanwhile, they had willingly chosen to discard the memory of her going out of her way to help them out of


    a crisis.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1055

    Chapter 1055


    Chapter 1055 Soon, everyone lost interest in Sherry when they noticed how she was not up to anything and was only here for


    the food and wine. They all went back to their previous conversations as they waited for the true star of the evening to show up.


    It was around the point that Sherry was almost finished with her food when there was a mor amongst the crowd.


    ¡°Look, it''s Master Stockton!¡±


    ¡°Master Stockton is here!¡±


    Sherry looked at where the center of themotion was and quickly noticed a tall figure striding over. His long and slender legs


    glided gracefully underneath him. He wore a faint, charming smile that seemed to dazzle even underneath the radiant sun. If


    anybody could bepared to a princeing out of a fairytale, it was this man. A group of beautiful young women flocked after


    him wherever he went.


    This man was none other than John Stockton.


    Sherry scoffed at the sight of him.


    Awolf was what he was.


    She turned away and directed her focus back to her food. However, despite her best attempts to stay out of trouble, trouble


    ended up finding her instead.


    Before long, she found herself at the center of themotion. She looked up and saw John quickly advancing toward her with a


    group ofdies trailing after him.


    She frowned.


    What was this bastard up to this time?


    Before she could figure it out though, John had brought the entire group to her side.


    He turned around and leaned against a pir, then he casually snatched up a ss of wine on a tray next to Sherry. He turned to


    his group of followers and announced with a gentle smile, ¡°Thank you foring,dies. Let me give all of you a toast.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    How could they resist the warm and gentle glow of his eyes? They all packed toward the tray next to Sherry to get some wine to


    toast John.


    Sherry barely had time to rise and give her seat to them before they forcefully pushed her out of the way. In the mix of confusion


    and chaos, she stumbled, fell, and even rolled on the ground like a fool.


    When she pushed herself up, she met Queenie¡¯s eyes that were full of mockery.


    Everyone''s attention was solely focused on the star of the night, John. It was only Queenie who was looking at her. She had a


    deep suspicion that it was Queenie who had kicked her from behind and made her fall.


    What had she done to offend the Stocktons* spoiled daughter?


    She glowered at Queenie who grimaced and stuck out her tongue at Sherry in response.


    Sherry was rendered speechless by this and simply rolled her eyes. It was an insult to her intellect to even give this woman the


    time of her day. There was no point in fussing


    about with this Stockton imbecile.


    At this juncture, she rose and walked to the other side of the venue.


    To her surprise, Queenie rose and followed after her. She kept a safe distance behind Sherry, as if afraid of being struck. Then,


    she began to provoke her, ¡°Sherry, | thought my brother invited you here. Why is he ignoring you now? Why did you get kicked


    out?¡±


    ¡°Queenie , do you have an itch that needs scratching ?¡± Sherry red at her and gestured with her hands. ¡°Want me to scratch it


    for you?¡±


    Queenie immediately lunged backward and shot a look at


    her. ¡°Don''t you dare even try!¡±


    Sherryughed at this response. ¡°Well, don''t be shy. Come forward and you''ll know if | dare to try to or not.¡±


    ¡°Heh, enjoy this while itsts because once my brother finds a suitable partner, the first thing he will do is kick you out of the


    house! Don''t you ever think about showing up in our presence ever again!¡± With that, Queenie turned and trotted away.


    Sherry scoffed at this threat, ¡°I can¡®t wait.¡±


    She found another quiet corner and sat down.


    s, before she could even make herselffortable in her new seat, there was yet anothermotion.


    The group ofdies that crowded around John suddenly returned to the center of the venue and seemed to be fussing about


    something. They were frantically brushing their hair, attending to the creases in their dress, and fixing their makeup in


    anticipation of something important.


    That was when Queenie suddenly approached Sherry again and taunted her, ¡°My brother is going to pick his first dance partner


    for the night. My mother said that the first person he dances with tonight will be his future wife. Who do you think he will choose?¡±


    Sherry merely ignored her.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1056

    Chapter 1056


    Chapter 1056 When Queenie saw Sherry ignore her, she snorted. ¡°In any case, he''ll never choose you!¡±


    Just as she said those words , John, who was far away in another corner, stepped over. His slender figure passed the group of


    young women directly and walked straight toward Sherry.


    Therge garden was instantly silent, and everyone''s eyes widened as they followed his figure.


    Soon, he stopped in front of Sherry with a smiling gaze. He said in a gentle voice, ¡°It''s cold on the ground, so don''t sit here. Go


    over there and y with them.¡±


    Both his expression and his words were full of care and concern for her.


    The garden was suddenly quiet, and many women cast jealous looks at Sherry.


    Sherry, however, began to feel nervous. ¡®There¡¯s no way this jerk really cares about me. What''s he up to this time?¡¯


    Before she could make a sound, Queenie said anxiously,¡± John, she can just sit with me over here. You go about your business.


    I''ll keep an eye on her.¡±


    It was as if she was afraid that John would choose Sherry as his first dance.


    John nced at her, his gaze cold and sharp.


    Immediately, Queenie was frightened and pursed her lips.


    He looked at Sherry again, curling his lips. ¡°Go on. Be


    good.¡±


    He emphasized the words ¡°be good.¡± It was the tone he used when he was threatening her.


    Sherry hesitated, then stood up and walked to the crowd.


    As soon as she entered, she felt hostile intenting from all directions. If their eyes were guns, she would have been shot into


    Swiss cheese.


    She stood stiffly and did not move.


    The others looked at her secretly for a few moments and started to straighten their clothes while a few people behind her


    whispered and muttered.


    ¡°Who the hell is she? Why did Master Stockton personally tell her toe over?¡±


    Shannon, who was standing in the middle, said with a smirk, ¡°I heard Ms. Stockton say that she used to work in a nightclub.¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t that make her a party girl? Does Master Stockton really want to have the first dance with her?¡±


    The more they spoke, the more upset they were.


    Shannon said, ¡°Everyone has their own preferences.


    Maybe she just so happens to be Master Stockton¡®s type.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, this isn''t a normal party. Master Stockton will be choosing his future wife. How can he pick this kind of lowly woman as


    his wife?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. If Master Stockton really chooses her, he''ll definitely be theughing stock.¡±


    ¡°Hey, calm down a little,¡± Shannon said, ¡°Madam Stockton invited all of us. Which one of us is inferior to that woman?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Fowler, you''ve already bagged a fiance like Master Brown. You won''t understand our feelings.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, stop trying to persuade us. In any case, Master Stockton can choose anyone except for that woman. | won''t ept losing


    to someone like her.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Shannon sighed and stopped talking. However, her gaze when she looked at Sherry was also tinged with jealousy.


    Sherry was some distance away and was oblivious to their chatter. She folded her arms across her chest and looked at John.


    Outside the crowd, he was standing together with Julie who seemed to be introducing him to somedies. He held a ss of


    wine while asionally sweeping a nce over at Sherry.


    Then, Julie walked away from his side.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The pleasant sound of a piano resounded across the venue.


    The crowd around Sherry also regained theirposure and looked toward John who walked in Sherry¡®s direction.


    His lips were curled up, and his handsome face was seductive.


    Soon, he reached the crowd, but his feet did not stop. The faces of the women whom he walked past fell in disappointment and


    darkened.


    Everyone¡®s eyes remained fixed on him as he walked straight in one direction.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1057

    Chapter 1057


    Chapter 1057


    Sherry stood in his direction.


    Looking at his figure getting closer and closer, she wrinkled her eyebrows.


    ¡®What is that man nning? Is he really going to choose me for the first dance? Doesn''t he know the meaning of the first dance?


    Does he really want to marry me?¡¯


    Soon, he reached her.


    Sherry¡®s eyes flickered for a moment, and she held her breath nervously.


    He smiled gently. ¡°Move over. You''re in my way.¡±


    She was speechless, and her face suddenly froze. John maintained his smile. ¡°Did you not hear me? Do you need me to repeat


    myself?¡±


    Sherry immediately took a step to the side.


    He continued to walk forward and stopped after a few steps.


    The woman he stood in front of was Shannon.


    The garden was still silent, and everyone looked at him and Shannon.


    Shannon obviously also did not expect John to walk up to


    her. She was surprised with unconcealed excitement in her features.


    Sherry frowned as her body turned cold uncontrobly. Her hands hanging at her sides were also tightly clenched.


    John smiled at Shannon. ¡°Ms. Fowler, may | have the honor to ask you for the first dance of the day?¡±


    After saying that, he extended a hand toward her like a gentleman.


    The corners of Shannon''s lips twitched several times before she said, ¡°I-it''s my honor to dance with you, Master Stockton.¡±


    Then, she shyly ced her hand on his.


    John took her by the hand.


    The group of people saw this and consciously stepped back to make room for them. Only Sherry stood stiffly in ce.


    It was only when John and Shannon flowed into a romantic waltz and moved in front of her that she snapped back to her senses.


    She immediately took a few steps back.


    There were several women standing over there, and Sherry heard their tauntingughter as she stood there. ¡°Hehe, she was still


    spacing out there. Did she really think that Master Stockton would choose her?¡±


    ¡°How humiliating. If it were me, | would be too embarrassed to stay here.¡±


    ¡°She used to work in a nightclub, so the thickness of our skin naturally can''tpare to hers.¡±


    If it were any other day, Sherry would have definitely treated those words as if they were just the wind. However, for some


    reason, she felt like she was thrown into an icy gutter at that moment. She felt cold and disgusting


    When she saw the intimate figures of John and Shannon waltzing , nausea crept up her throat. She immediately turned around


    and walked out of the crowd.


    At that moment, several women in front of her were talking enviously about Shannon.


    ¡°| didn''t expect Master Stockton to choose Ms. Fowler, but | heard that she is betrothed to Master Brown.¡±


    ¡°It''s just a betrothal. They''re not engaged or married yet. Besides, Master Stockton is much more powerful than Master Brown. If


    it were me, I''d definitely choose Master


    Stockton.¡±


    ¡°Me too. | guess that Ms. Fowler will also definitely choose Master Stockton.¡±


    ¡°| really envy her.¡±


    Sherry immediately took several more steps back.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®If not for that jerk threatening me not to leave until the event was over, | would''ve crawled out of here even if my legs were


    broken!"


    Unluckily, she saw Janine again.


    Janine stared in the direction of John and Shannon. When she saw Sherry retreat to the side, her face turned cold. ¡°I thought


    you were more capable . Unexpectedly , Master Stockton chose your sister.¡±


    She instantly shed a smug expression when talking about Shannon.


    Sherry sneered, ¡°Yeah, | guess it''s my fault for being your biological daughter. If | weren''t, maybe | might be better than my sister


    instead.¡±


    Janine¡®s exquisitely dolled¡ªup face instantly twisted into a scowl.


    Before she could collect herself to scold Sherry, thetter walked past her and went somewhere else.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1058

    Chapter 1058


    Chapter 1058


    The garden was not small, but it was notrge either.


    After finally avoiding that group of people, Sherry ran into Queenie and Julie in a corner again.


    Queenie looked in the direction of John and Shannon and was upset. When she saw Sherry advancing, she red at thetter


    and then glowered at Shannon again.


    Julie smiled at Sherry. ¡°Ms. Fowler, | didn¡®t expect John to be interested in your sister.¡±


    Sherry picked up a ss of wine and drank it, ignoring her.


    Julie''s gaze changed, and she asked again, ¡°Ms. Fowler, how¡¯s the rtionship between John and your sister? Have they


    always been very close?¡±


    Sherry instantly lost her appetite to drink. She put the ss down and looked at Julie. ¡°Why are you asking that?


    Julie maintained a polite smile. ¡°I''m just curious why John picked your sister.¡±


    ¡°Then, you should ask him instead. | don¡¯t live in his brain, so how would | know?¡±


    ¡®She clearly knows about my rtionship with John, but


    he''s still asking me about him and Shannon. Either she¡¯s brainless or she wants to disgust me.¡¯


    Sherry had no doubt that it was thetter.


    Julie had most likely learned about it from John. How disgusting.


    Then, Sherry picked up the ss of wine again and took two steps to the side.


    Julie¡®s expression changed.


    Beside her, Queenie saw how Sherry snubbed Julie and instantly lost interest to re at Shannon. She turned to shout at


    Sherry, ¡°Sherry Fowler, what the hell are you talking about? Are you insane?¡±


    However, Sherry ignored her.


    Queenie said to Julie, ¡°Don''t bother talking to her, Julie. All the Fowlers are annoying. You''ll just end up lowering your


    standards!¡±


    ¡°Queenie , | know you care about me, but don''t worry,¡± Julie said softly, ¡°John invited Mrs. Fowler and Ms. Fowler. They''re our


    family¡¯s guests, so don''t say that about them.¡±


    Queenie was even more upset, ring at Sherry and shouting, ¡°They weren''t invited by Mom, so | don''t care. | hate them. I''ve


    never seen such a nasty family!¡±


    Perhaps it was because her voice sounded too much like aContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    chirping bird, but Sherry did not feel unhappy about being scolded. Instead, she could not control the corners of her mouth as


    they curved upward.


    Queenie was instantly furious. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡±


    ¡°I''m happy.¡±


    Queenie was both puzzled and depressed. ¡°I''m scolding you. Why are you happy? Is there something wrong with your brain?¡±


    Sherryughed. ¡°Maybe. In any case, the more you scold me, the happier | am.¡±


    Queenie was so angry that she stammered, ¡°Y¡ªyou... How could you be so shameless?¡±


    Nonchntly, Sherry took a pleasant sip of wine. Queenie was speechless. Her face instantly turned red, and she was just about


    to rush at Sherry. However, Julie quickly pulled her back. ¡°Calm down, Queenie. There are still many guests here. They''ll see us


    and talk.¡±


    Queenie stomped her foot in anger and shouted, ¡°Julie, she''s so annoying. Help me teach her a lesson!¡± Julie looked at Sherry


    somewhat helplessly. ¡°Ms. Fowler, since John has already chosen someone, why don''t you go back first?¡±


    Sherry also shared the same thought.


    Although it was a little disgusting to watch John and Shannon dance, she could still guzzle a little wine. However, if she went


    back, not only could she not drink wine and eat delicious food, but the dozens of embroidery work would also make her vomit.


    It was better to stay here and drink her revulsion away.


    Sherry turned her back to them and ignored Julie.


    She did not know what expressions they were making , but she heard Queenie huff, ¡°Shameless!¡±, and then there was no more


    sound.


    The dance ended quickly.


    Sherry faced the direction outside the garden but could not see what was going on. She only heard the music change and the


    sound of some people walking around. Behind her came the sound of Julie speaking to Queenie.


    ¡°Queenie, John and Ms. Fowler have finished dancing. Let''s go over and say hello to her.¡±


    Queenie voiced her annoyance, ¡°No, | don''t like her. | don¡®t want her to be my sister-inw!¡±

 Chapter 1059

    Chapter 1059


    Chapter 1059 ¡°Don''t be like that, Queenie. John already chose her, so


    ¡°Hmph! I''m going to find Mom!¡±


    Without waiting for Julie to finish, Queenie stormed off angrily to find Madam Stockton.


    As Julie sighed helplessly and walked over toward the crowd, Sherry narrowed her eyes.


    ¡®This woman is really good at instigating. ¡®If she hadn''t mentioned going to see Shannon, Queenie wouldn''t have thought of


    going to find Madam Stockton either. But what does John choosing a wife have anything to do with her?


    ¡®Does she hate Shannon? Or is she afraid that once Shannon marries John, she''ll steal her position as thedy of the house?


    Either way, it has nothing to do with me.¡¯


    Sherry downed another ss of wine and turned around. She wanted to see if John had left. If he was gone, there was no need


    for her to stay either.


    Soon, she saw him on a sofa about five or six meters directly in front of her. He sat together with Shannon, drinking and chatting


    while twirling a ss of wine. He


    wore a smile on his lips, and a gentle expression graced his face.


    Sherry did not know what they were talking about, but Shannon had her head half-lowered, and her expression seemed to be


    one of shyness as she blushed.


    Sherry turned around again and continued to drink while facing the view outside the garden.


    The event continued . Although the other young women did not gain John¡®s favor, they took advantage of the event to strengthen


    their rtionship with the Stockton family.


    Thedies were in groups, either looking for Julie to chat with or greeting John with sses of wine.


    Then, Madam Stockton appeared.


    In an instant, all of them immediately went up to greet her. Madam Stockton smiled and weed them one by one, and soon


    came to John and Shannon.


    Shannon quickly stood up and said respectfully, ¡°Hello, Madam Stockton. I''m Shannon Fowler. Just call me Shannon.¡±


    The smile on Madam Stockton¡®s face got colder. ¡°You''re the adopted daughter of the Fowlers, aren''t you?¡± The moment those


    words fell, the surrounding group of people¡®s expressions when they looked at Shannon suddenly changed.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Adopted daughter? So, she was not the real daughter of the Fowlers?


    Shannon¡®s face turned pallid.


    Janine , who was at the side , immediately went over and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Stockton, although Shannon isn¡®t my birth


    daughter, she¡¯s far better than my biological one. My husband and | have always treated Shannon preciously.¡±


    Shannon was better than her biological daughter?


    The people¡®s expressions looking at Shannon changed again.


    Not far away, Sherry¡®s gaze turned cold for an instant. Then, she turned around and looked over at them. It would be a shame to


    miss a show like that.


    Although the people¡®s expressions had be mild, Madam Stockton¡®s expression was still cold. ¡°Mrs. Fowler , you didn¡¯t forget


    your biological daughter , did you? Or do you not know where your biological daughter has been and what she¡¯s been doing all


    this time?¡±


    ¡®Your biological daughter became John¡®s hidden lover, but you''re still sending your precious adopted daughter here? Is the


    Fowler family trying to leech off the Stocktons?*


    Janine¡®s expression changed.


    The surrounding people looked confused. ¡®The Fowlers have a biological daughter too? Also, what does Madam Stockton mean?


    Could the biological daughter of the Fowlers have something to do with the Stocktons as well?

 Chapter 1060

    Chapter 1060


    Chapter 1060 Janine quickly regained herposure and smiled. ¡°My biological daughter has always been disobedient since


    she was a child. Did she do something to upset you again?¡±


    Madam Stockton snorted. ¡°That biological daughter of yours is very powerful¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mom.¡± John stood up. His face, which had still been smiling a second ago, was now sullen and cold.


    Madam Stockton¡®s gaze flickered as she pursed her lips.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    John showed a smile again as he looked at the group of people in front of him, and said, ¡°Todays event will end here. Everyone,


    please leave first. Let''s do this again another time.¡±


    The group of people looked at each other before responding.


    ¡°Alright, Master Stockton. We look forward to seeing you again.¡±


    Some people also bade farewell to Madam Stockton.¡± Madam Stockton , we''re going now. We''lle back to visit you some


    other time.¡±


    After exchanging a few polite words, they all left. Therge garden soon became empty and quiet.


    John smiled and looked at Janine and Shannon. ¡°Mrs. Fowler, Ms. Shannon, you should also go back first.¡±


    Janine froze, obviously not expecting John to make them leave as well. Meanwhile , Shannon looked at John with a disappointed


    expression.


    He also looked at her and asked warmly, ¡°Ms. Shannon, are you free the day after tomorrow?¡±


    Shannon¡®s eyes lit up, and she hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, my schedule is clear.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Then, let''s meet again. I''ll call you.¡±


    She blushed. ¡°Okay. I''ll wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Shannon gave him another shy nce before leaving with Janine.


    Perhaps because Sherry stood in the corner, they did not see her and walked straight out of the garden. Their figures soon


    disappeared.


    After everyone left, Madam Stockton said furiously,¡± John, what are you doing? You don''t really n on marrying the adopted


    Fowler girl, do you?¡±


    John sat back on the sofa, picked up a ss of wine, and drank it.


    Madam Stockton looked exasperated.


    When he did not say anything, Queenie quickly whined,¡± John, she¡¯s Sherry¡¯s sister. | don''t like her. | don''t want her to be my


    sister-inw. Don''t get together with her, okay?¡±


    John looked at her. ¡°Then, who do you want to be your sister-inw?¡±


    Queenie was stunned, then said while thinking, ¡°Ms. Lake is quite good, and there¡®s also Ms. Heath and Ms. Booth... In any


    case, | don''t want someone from the Fowlers. | like people like Julie. Just find someone like her.


    Julie, who was suddenly brought up, was startled and hurriedly said, ¡°Queenie, don''t be ridiculous. John will be spending the rest


    of his life with his wife. Of course, he has to choose someone he likes, not someone you like.¡±


    Queenie protested reluctantly, ¡°I''m not being ridiculous. In nchester, everyone knows that you''re the best daughter-intaw


    one could ask for.¡± ¡°Okay, Queenie , stop it.¡± Julie quickly looked at John.¡± Don''t listen to her nonsense, John. Queenie is still


    young and doesn''t know what she¡¯s saying.¡±


    John took a sip of wine and smiled. ¡°She¡¯s right, though.¡± Julie instantly froze, and a bright light shed in her eyes. While John


    smiled , Madam Stockton¡®s expression also softened. It was definitely good if John found a gentle


    wife like Julie who could take care of the family.


    At that moment, he put down the ss and said, ¡°Ms. Shannon is very simr to Julie. She should be a good daughter-inw


    for the Stocktons. Let''s settle on her.¡±


    Julie''s face froze.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie were also confused for a moment.


    Then, their expressions twisted.


    Madam Stockton was furious. ¡°John, you...¡±


    John looked at her with somewhat cold eyes. ¡°Mom, if you want to have a grandchild soon, then don''t say anything else.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡®s expression sank as she pursed her lips.


    Queenie wanted to say something but did not dare to. She puffed out her face in exasperation. At the same time, Julie lowered


    her head.

 Chapter 1061

    Chapter 1061


    Chapter 1061 John quickly stood up. His gaze nted toward the direction Sherry was standing. ¡°Don''t just stand there. Come


    here.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    It was like he was calling a dog.


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie also immediately looked over


    Sherry¡¯s lips twitched downward as she walked toward him. She stopped a meter in front of him before asking with a smile,


    ¡°Master Stockton , the event is over. May | go back now?¡±


    John also smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Sherry turned and left.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he suddenly called out to her.


    She turned around, restraining the urge to punch him in the face, and asked, ¡°Do you need anything else, Master Stockton?¡±


    John stepped in front of her, raised his hand, and touched her head. ¡°What''s the rush? Walk with me.¡±


    Then, he took hold of her hand.


    Sherry subconsciously wanted to pull her hand back, but even using all her strength, she was unable to break free.


    Thus, she could only follow him out.


    In the garden, only Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie were left.


    Madam Stockton turned ashen.


    Queenie stomped her foot in anger. ¡°The Fowlers are so annoying! They''re all minxes!¡±


    Julie looked at John leading Sherry away. Her gaze flickered several times, then she sighed and said in a low voice, ¡°Mom,


    Queenie, it''s too sunny here. Let''s go back first.¡±


    Madam Stockton snorted coldly and walked forward.


    Queenie and Julie both followed her.


    TIT


    John did not let Sherry go until they reached the courtyard she lived in.


    Without saying a word, she picked up the disinfecting wipes on the table and wiped her hand.


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Wiping my hand. Can¡¯t you see?¡± Sherry then said, ¡°It''s too dirty and disgusting, so | have to wash it several times, otherwise |


    won''t be able to sleep at night.¡±


    Then, she moved in the direction of the bathroom. John¡¯¡®s lips pulled downward. With two quick steps, he


    reached behind her and dragged her into his arms. He pinned her arms in front of him and looked down at her while smiling. ¡°Are


    you talking about me? ¡°How would | dare to talk about you?¡± Sherry smiled back at him. ¡°I''m talking about a dog.¡±


    John let out a low chuckle.


    ¡°Master Stockton, | want to wash my hands. If you don''t need anything else, let me go.¡±


    ¡°Funny that you mentioned it, but | thought of something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    His hand rubbed her waist. ¡°I want to sleep with you.¡±


    Sherry¡®s face turned sour as she immediately pushed him away.


    As Johnughed coldly, he pressed her on the wall to the side and bowed his head to seal her mouth.


    ¡°Mmh!¡±


    ¡®This jerk!


    After struggling for a while and failing, Sherry had no choice but to bite him.


    John hissed and immediately raised his head, looking at her coldly. ¡°How dare you bite me? You''ve grown some guts, haven''t


    you?¡±


    She red at him. ¡°Don''t touch me, or I''ll bite you to death!¡±


    His lips curled up. At the same time, he raised her face with one hand and pinched her mouth, asking, ¡°Do you still want your


    teeth?¡±


    Sherry clenched her teeth and red furiously at him.


    Heughed. ¡°Why aren''t you.saying anything?¡± ¡®Why aren''t | saying anything? It''s because I''m afraid | won''t be able to resist


    spitting in your face!"


    John lowered his head, bringing his face close to hers. His lips were just millimeters away from hers. ¡°If you have nothing to say,


    then I''ll carry on.¡±

 Chapter 1062

    Chapter 1062


    Chapter 1062


    Sherry clenched her fists.


    The ce in the garden where he had chosen Shannon to dance with in public was right in front of his eyes, but now he wanted


    to do that kind of thing with her again!


    An unprecedented feeling of disgust filled her chest. She could not help but open her mouth and say coldly, ¡°John Stockton, you


    really are the most disgusting person | have ever met in my life. No onees close to you.¡±


    He knew fully well that she was not treated well by her biological parents and that they favored Shannon. He also knew full well


    that Shannon and she had a poor rtionship despite being sisters.


    However, not only did he deliberately invite Janine and Shannon over to make a joke out of her, but he even chose Shannon as


    his wife! It was clear he wanted to sicken her to death!


    Maybe because Sherry was too angry, she could not control her emotions at all, and her eyes turned red after she finished her


    words. Bitter tears rolled out of her eyes.


    John frowned, but it was only for a few seconds, and his face returned to normal.


    He smiled and raised his hand to wipe away the tears that


    trickled to her lips. ¡°Why are you crying? Isn''t your heart made of steel?¡±


    Sherry immediately sucked in a breath, forcibly held back her emotions, and said, ¡°Let me go. | don¡¯t want to do that kind of thing


    with you now. The sight of you disgusts me.¡±


    ¡°Heh... If it''s something that will make you disgusted, of course, | have to do it.¡± .This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    As soon as he spoke, he lowered his head again and sealed her lips, not leaving the slightest gap. Obviously, he did not give her


    a chance to struggle.


    Even if Sherry bit his mouth, he did not have any intention of stopping.


    After a long time, in a room where the door and windows were closed, the movements thatsted for a long time finally stopped.


    John turned around and got out of bed. He wore the robe that was ced beside the bed and walked in the direction of the


    bathroom.


    ¡°When are you going to let me go?¡± Sherry, who was lying limply on her back with her hair in disarray, stared vacantly at the


    ceiling. John stopped and looked back at her. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    She knew he had heard her, but she had no energy to fight with him now and said, ¡°You''ve already chosen a wife. | think your


    new wife won''t want to see that you have a lover locked up in your house.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    Sherry immediately sat up and looked at him. ¡°So, when are you going to let me go?¡±


    John saw her eager look, and his expression suddenly turned cold.


    After a while, he replied, ¡°That''ll depend on when | actually marry my new wife.¡±


    Then, he walked straight into the bathroom.


    ILI


    Sherryy back in bed with her sore body, clenching the quilt on her body as she stared at the ceiling. ¡®Is he really going to marry


    Shannon? If he is, then he should hurry up and marry her. That way, I''ll be free sooner.¡¯


    The sound of water flowing in the bathroom soon stopped.


    AIL


    When John came out again, he had put on a fresh white shirt and pants. He picked up the gold¡ªrimmed sses on the table and


    walked out.


    LLLLLLL


    The bedroom became quiet.


    Sherry exhaled and took out the hidden cell phone from inside the pillow. The phone was usually on silent mode.


    Only after opening it did she see the message Sylvia sent a few hours ago


    The message read: ¡°Sherry, how have you been in nchester these days?¡±


    Inexplicably, the corners of her eyes stung, and tears welled up uncontrobly again.


    1


    ¡®Look, people who really care about me will ask about my wellbeing if they don''t hear from me for just a few days. How could


    they ignore me for a year?*


    She raised her hand to wipe her tears away and replied, ¡± I''m fine. Don''t worry. Except for not being able to leave, I¡¯mpletely


    fine.¡±


    LL


    In less than a minute, Sylvia replied, ¡°Has John been bullying you these days?¡± ¡°No, he didn''t do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°That''s good.¡± Sherry smiled and asked, ¡°What about you? How have you been?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I''ve been doing quite well.¡±


    Sherry thought about it and asked, ¡°Are you and Master Carter getting along?¡±

 Chapter 1063

    Chapter 1063


    Sylvia replied, ¡°He''s very good to me.¡±


    Sherry smiled.


    ¡®Yeah, if Odell treated her badly, she would havee to nchester to find me again.¡¯


    In the old Carters¡® residence in Westchester City, Sylvia held her phone, looking at the message she just sent to Sherry.


    ¡®| don''t know if I''m overthinking it, but | feel like Sherry is hiding something from me.*


    After thinking about it, she sent another message.¡± Sherry, if you encounter any difficulties or need anything, you have to tell


    me.


    ¡®Although she''s far away in nchester, | have Odell with me. I''ll definitely be able to help her.¡¯


    Sherry quickly replied, ¡°I know. Don''t worry, I''ll definitely tell you if something happens. Talk to youter. | have to get back to my


    embroidery now. | still have to finish five pieces for that sh*tty guy this week.¡± Sylviaughed. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, she put down her phone.


    Al that moment, she suddenly saw a ligure from the corner of her eye, so she hurriedly turned around.


    Odell¡®s tall figure leanedzily against the wall, staring at her with his deep eyes. Seeing her look over, he asked in a low voice,


    ¡°Who were you chatting with?¡±


    He had been standing there for a long time, but she never noticed him.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Sherry.¡±


    His eyes flickered, and he smiled. ¡°Have you finished talking to her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sylvia asked curiously, ¡°When did youe back?¡±


    ¡°Not long ago.¡± Odell looked at the small wooden carving ced in front of her and asked, ¡°Is the carving finished?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, almost.¡±


    ¡°Then, let''s go out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia got up and walked over to him.


    He immediately held her hand and led her to the downstairs living room. Sylvia immediately saw dinner arranged on the dining


    table.


    Aunt Tonya was sitting at the table with the three little ones. Upon seeing theme over, Aunt Tonya stood up with Flint in her


    arms.


    Flint, who still had egg yolk around his mouth, reached out and babbled, ¡°Mama, Mama...¡±


    Liam and Isabel also held cutlery in their hands.


    Sylvia was confused. ¡°Why are you all eating?¡±


    After all, they had agreed to go out for dinner. Odell said softly, ¡°We''re not bringing them out today. Let them eat with Aunt


    Tonya.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Isabel patted her chest and shouted, ¡°You two can go on your lovey¡ªdovey date. Don''t worry about us. Liam and | will make sure


    Flint sleeps early.¡±


    Liam did not say anything, but the serene look on his face was far moreposed than Isabel''s. Furthermore, with Aunt Tonya


    and Sebastian around, Sylvia did not have to worry about them.


    Beaming, she gave Flint a hug and stroked Isabel and Liam¡®s heads before walking out with Odell.


    The car drove for twenty minutes and arrived at a grand restaurant.


    At that moment, the lobby on the first floor was already full of people.


    The owner of the restaurant personally weed them in and led them to a private room on the second floor. The room was


    very spacious with a square table set up.


    Sylvia and Odell sat down face to face.


    The owner handed the menu to Sylvia. She ordered all the food she liked, then asked Odell, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    Odell smiled back at her. ¡°I''ll eat whatever you order.¡±

 Chapter 1064

    Chapter 1064


    The corners of Sylvia''s mouth twitched,


    ¡°That''s true. When ites to food, as long as it''s simple and delicious, he isn''t a fussy eater,¡¯


    Sylvia ordered a few more dishes to make sure it was enough for two people, then handed the menu to the owner.


    Before long, the ingredients were served on the table. She was just about to pick up the tongs when a slender hand quickly took


    them away.


    It was the man sitting opposite her,


    With a calm expression, he held the te with one hand and picked up the ingredients with the other. His action was methodical


    and skillful, just like a professional,


    Sylvia could not help but freeze,


    Ashort whileter, Odell looked at her. ¡°Stop spacing out. The food is ready.¡±


    She snapped back to her senses and went, ¡°Oh.¡± Then, she picked up the food.


    After dipping it into the sauce, she ced it into her mouth. The spicy vor exploded in her mouth. She


    immediately picked up two more pieces.


    ¡°The beef is ready too,¡± he said to her again not long after that.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia picked up the beef.


    The meat was tender and grilled to perfection. Sylvia ate several more pieces in a single breath.


    After a long time, she noticed that he was still grilling the meat without having eaten much, so she immediately felt embarrassed


    and said, ¡°Continue grillingter. You should eat first.¡±


    ¡°The heat right now is just nice,¡± Odell said and put another slice of meat on the grill. Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Then, I''ll do it. You


    eat.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She was just about to reach for the tongs again.


    Smack.


    Her hand was pped in mid-air.


    Sylvia looked at him in shock.


    He gave her a look. ¡°Just eat and don''t bother me.¡±


    She was speechless.


    ¡®Fine. Since he likes to man the grill so much, and he grills the meat and vegetables so well, | won''t steal his job from him.¡®


    After a while, just as she was getting carried away with


    indulging in the glorious food, a sudden argument erupted outside the door.


    ¡°Ms. Springsteen, I''m really sorry, but all the private rooms are full now. There''s still a table for four downstairs. Why don''t you sit


    downstairs instead?¡± the owner voiced out apologetically,


    He was answered by a young man¡®s angry and unhappy retort. ¡°The person standing in front of you is Ms. Springsteen from the


    Springsteen family. We already made a reservation with you this afternoon, but you''re saying that the rooms are full now? Do


    you want to kiss your business goodbye?¡± Ms. Springsteen? Lily Springsteen?


    Sylvia was stunned and looked at the man opposite her. He had just finished grilling a te of ingredients and was picking up the


    cooked meat. Then, he ced the slices on her te.


    His expression was serious as if he did not hear anything outside.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    The quarrel outside did not die down.


    The owner said apologetically, ¡°Um... When you made a reservation this afternoon, | mentioned that | couldn''t guarantee you a


    table in a private room.¡±


    ¡°| don''t care if you have a table avable or not. Vacate a


    room for us right now, or you won''t have to open this store ever again!¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡®Isn''t this man a bit too much?*


    Just as she was thinking about whether to go out to help the owner out, a familiar male voice rang out, ¡°Forget it. | think the


    environment downstairs isn''t bad either. There¡®s no need to insist on a private room.¡±


    Because she thought that the voice sounded familiar, she perked up her ears.


    Soon, another familiar female voice came. ¡°The smell of oil and smoke is too strong downstairs. | don''t like it. Let''s eat


    somewhere else instead.¡±

 Chapter 1065

    Chapter 1065


    Chapter 1065


    Her voice was aloof and arrogant. It should be Lily, the woman she met at the street exhibitionst time.


    The man replied, ¡°I still prefer this ce. You guys can go elsewhere instead. I''ll eat here by myself.¡±


    That voice belonged to... Simon? Svivia¡®s eyes lit up, and she immediately said to the man in front of her, ¡°Odell, | think | hear


    Simon¡®s voice.¡±


    Odell looked at her. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°Ill go out and have a look.¡± Since they met, she could not pretend not to know him. She got up and went out.


    Outside the corridor, the owner was bowing and apologizing to Lily and the young man beside her.


    Meanwhile, Simon stood to the side with a somewhat cold expression. It seemed he was annoyed.


    Sylvia saw him as soon as she stepped out. ¡°Simon.¡±


    Simon was shocked and smiled. ¡°Sylvia? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Odell and | are here for dinner,¡± she replied.


    Lily and the young man beside her also looked over. Their expressions changed, and the young man suddenly asked,


    ¡°Ms. Sunflower, are you and Master Odell the only ones in the room?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±


    The young man immediately smiled. ¡°That''s great. We don''t have a table, so why don''t we share one? Ms. Springsteen and


    Master Carter are friends, and you and Mr. Amos are also friends.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    The young man should also be from the Art Association. Although she did not remember who he was, his fake smile made her


    skin crawl. Furthermore, she disliked Lily, who was watching coldly beside him, even more.


    However, before she could speak, Simon said, ¡°No. Sylvia and Master Carter came out to have dinner alone. | don''t like to be the


    third wheel.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The young man quickly said, ¡°Mr. Amos, what''s the matter? We''re all friends here.¡±


    Just then, the door of the room was pushed open, and Odell came out. When his tall figure appeared, the scene quieted down.


    The young man instantly looked respectful. Lily''s expression changed, and she smiled at him. ¡°Long time no see, Master


    Carter.¡±


    Odell nced at her and looked at Simon. ¡°Hello, Mr.


    Amos.¡±


    Simon smiled and replied, ¡°Hello, Master Carter. I''m really sorry for disturbing your dinner with Sylvia.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°It''s fine. If there¡®s no table avable, you can join us instead.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine. | like eating alone. I''ll be ufortable with too many people around,¡± Simon quickly answered and said to Sylvia,


    ¡°Sylvia, Christopher brought up your name a few days ago. Let''s get together again when we have the time.¡±


    Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Then, I''m going off now. Enjoy your dinner.¡±


    Before Sylvia could stop him, and before Lily and the young man could say anything, Simon turned and left.


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Lily and the young man¡®s expressions also turned broody.


    However, Lily soon recovered her smile and said to Sylvia, ¡°Ms. Ross, you don''t mind if we join your table, do you?¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.


    ¡®Shouldn''t she be asking Odell instead? It''s not like we''re close to each other. Also, why did she phrase it in a way that would


    make me appear petty if | refuse?*


    The more she pondered, the more incensed she became.


    However, she soon mimicked Lily¡®s smile and said,¡± What if | say | do mind, Ms. Springsteen?¡±


    Lily''s face instantly froze, and then she looked at Odell.


    ¡®Although my engagement with Odell has long been called off, our families are still working together. He will definitely think that


    Sylvia is out of order for refusing me in front of him.¡®


    Odell also nced at her and said in an indifferent tone,¡± What are you still standing there for? Didn¡¯t you hear my wife?¡±

 Chapter 1066

    Chapter 1066


    Chapter 1066 Lily was speechless.


    Her exquisitely made up face instantly became stiff and even a little unpleasant.


    Even after several seconds had passed, she was still unable to recover her usual elegant demeanor.


    The young man beside her was also shocked, but he did not dare to say anything in front of Odell. Sylvia was momentarily


    stunned before she was able to return to her senses.


    She had already known that Odell would definitely stand on her side, but she had not expected him to speak so bluntly to Lily.


    Looking at the expression on Lily¡¯s face now, Sylvia could not help but smile.


    Lily¡®s face turned ashen in an instant.


    Looking at Sylvia coldly, she said, ¡°Ms. Ross, your mental state now seems to be better than previously. | believe that means that


    you should be able to paint now, right?¡± Sylvia thought of the paintings at home that she was not very satisfied with, and said


    nothing. Noticing her silence and her unwillingness to continue


    this topic, Lily guessed that Sylvia was definitely still unable to paint.


    Soon, her lips curled up as she smiled at Sylvia. ¡°There¡®s going to be a new art contest held in Westchester City. | heard that


    President Dendro wants to invite you to be a judge for the contest. He¡¯s already made an agreement with the sponsors of


    the contest. They''ll allow you to be a judge as long as you''re able to paint a work on the spot that''s up to their satisfaction when


    the contest starts.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    ¡®Christopher wants me to be a judge? | didn''t hear anything about that.¡¯


    Lily noticed her expression and said, ¡°Ms. Ross, | believe that in your current state, you would surely not disappoint them,


    right?"


    Her sinister tone of voice made Sylvia ufortable, and she said, ¡°You don''t have to worry about that, Ms. Springsteen.¡±


    Lily''s expression turned cold. ¡°Then I''ll look forward to your new work on the opening day.¡±


    After saying that, she turned and walked downstairs.


    The young man beside her looked at Sylvia with disdain and followed Lily.


    ¡°Master Carter and Mrs. Carter, I''m really sorry for


    disturbing you.¡± The restaurant owner immediately stepped forward and apologized to them.


    Sylvia smiled at him. ¡°It''s fine. You may continue with your job.¡±


    Then, she grabbed Odell¡¯s hand. ¡°Let''s go inside, or the meat will burn.¡±


    Odell looked at her and walked back into the room with her with a smile.


    He had already moved the meat off the grill and onto her te before he came out, and the meat was still steaming.


    The meat and vegetables that he had ced on the grill just beforeing out of the room were almost done.


    He picked up the tongs to serve her a lot of the food first before putting some into his own te.


    Sylvia took several bites first before stopping.


    She asked uneasily, ¡°Odell, will Lily do anything to this restaurant?¡±


    Lily had seemed very displeased when she left, and she had not managed to get what she wanted. Sylvia was worried that she


    would take her anger out on the restaurant owner.


    ¡°She won''t go as far as to retaliate against a restaurant owner.¡±


    That was true, but... ¡°What if?¡±


    Sylvia felt that Lily was quite petty.


    Lily was the big miss of the Springsteen family. Sylvia wondered why she kept on trying to mess with her?


    Odell gave her another slice of meat and said, ¡°I know the owner of this shopping street. I''ll talk to him after dinner and ask him


    to pay attention to this restaurant.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s face brightened. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, she picked up the tongs that he had just put down and clipped a piece of freshly grilled meat to put onto his te.


    He had been feeding her all night, so she had to return the favor.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell smiled and immediately put the piece of meat into his mouth


    After eating and drinking their fill, they left the ce feeling satisfied.


    It was the time when the night life was bustling.


    The streets were brightly lit, and there were crowdsing and going everywhere.

 Chapter 1067

    Chapter 1067


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1067


    Chapter 1067 Sylvia had only walked a few steps when she heard the man''s low, maic voicering out. "Do you want to go


    home?" She looked up and encountered his dark eyes, which reflected the lights of the night, making them look very seductive.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She pursed her lips. "Let''s walk out here for a while longer." Odell also smiled. "Sure." He took her hand andwalked toward the crowd. In


    the old Carter residence. Isabel, who had promised that she would take her younger brother to bed early, was now holding a gamepad


    and killing the people inside the game. "Hmph, you little piece of trash. How dare you sneak up on me? Die! "Yay! | won again!" After


    another round of the game, Isabel tossed the gamepad away and asked Flint, who was sitting beside her, "Little Flint, aren''t | amazing?" It


    was not clear if Flint actually understood or not, but he babbled, "Yah!" "Just watch. I''ll show you something even more amazing! Then,


    she picked up the gamepad again, went back to the game menu, and started another game with a higher difficulty level. As soon as she


    started the level, her game avatar fell from the sky with special effects and an imposing sound effect. Flint''s eyes widened in surprise. At


    the same time, the door was pushed open. Liam, who had already put on his pajamas, walked in from the outside. Flint saw him and


    babbled, "Brother, brother, brother!" Liam took Flint into his arms and looked at Isabel with a cold gaze. "Do you want me to turn off the


    game for you, or do you want to do it yourself?¡± Isabel held the gamepad and said anxiously, "I only just started this level. Put Flint down. |


    want to show him how amazing | am." Liam simply turned around and left while carrying Flint. Isabel was suddenly left alone in the game


    room. She snorted. "Meanie." Then, she continued to y. However, just as she was about to kill arge monster, the game screen


    suddenly froze. No matter how she pressed the buttons on the gamepad, there was no response. When she thought about how she had


    just been about to kill the monster, she was so angry that she threw the controller onto the floor. Then, in a rage, she walked out to look for


    Liam in their room. Liam was on the bed on the right side of the room, reading a book Flinty beside him, sleeping soundly. Isabel pouted


    until her cheeks were puffy and asked," Liam, did you do something to my game console?" Liam nced at her. "Yeah, | disconnected the


    home Inte." She shouted angrily, "You meanie! Turn it back on!" Liam frowned, his pale face appearing icy cold for an instant under


    the light. "Isabel Ross, if you scream one more time, I''ll throw you out." Isabel''s eyes flickered in fear, but she quickly climbed onto his


    bed. She sat crossed legged beside him, crossed her arms, and spoke to him in her smallest voice, "You meanie, how could you throw me


    out? You never used to be so mean to me! Don''t you love me anymore?" Liam put the book in his hand back to the side of the bed and


    looked at her with clear eyes. "One, you sleep immediately, or two, go back to your bed and sleep immediately." His voice was still that of


    a child''s, but it was full of intimidation. Isabel harrumphed andy down upside down next to him before pressing her chubby arms and


    legs onto him. Without an expression on his face, Liam turned off the lights. The room was soon left with only the sound of them breathing


    evenly. Outside the door, Aunt Tonya, who had been standing for a long time, breathed a sigh of relief and said to Sebastian, "They''re all


    asleep. Let''s go."

 Chapter 1068

    Chapter 1068


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1068


    Chapter 1068 It was alreadyte at night when they came home. Aunt Tonya and the others had already gone to sleep, and the


    three little ones were huddled in a bed, sleeping sweetly.


    Sylvia was exhausted and quickly went into the bathroom aftering back. After a simple wash, she walked out in her pajamas. Odell


    also cameback from the bathroom outside the room, draped in a ck bathrobe that half-exposed his neckline and strong chest. He


    looked quite seductive in the warm light. However, Sylvia was so tired that all she wanted to do was sleep. She could not help her eyes


    from giving his chest a second nce before she fell to the bed. The man''s tall figure came next to her, and his long arm bundled her up


    in his embrace. Sylvia''s face nuzzled against his chest. His skin was firm and full of sticity, and his body smelled fragrant after his bath.


    It felt veryfortable. Without thinking too much about it, she continued to close her eyes. However, just as she was about to fall asleep,


    arge hand moved to her waist and lifted her pajamas up. It was like his fingers were on fire. Every time he touched her, Sylvia felt as if


    her skin was burning. She did not need to think to know what this man wanted. However, she was so sleepy that she did not want to open


    her eyes. She pped his hand away and said, "Just go to sleep. We still have to take the kids out to y tomorrow. He lowered his head


    and kissed her forehead as he replied, "| booked tickets for two days. We can goter tomorrow." Sylvia did not reply. She was really


    sleepy. She closed her eyes and mouth, making him think she was going to sleep. At the very next second, there was a warm touch on


    her lips. He was kissing her. Sylvia pushed him away, but not only did he easily restrain her, she was also flipped over and pinned down


    by him. His scalding kiss moved down from her lips. Like fire, it burned her. Sylvia swore that she really wanted to sleep, but this man was


    really too good at teasing her. After struggling a few times, she finally gave in. The light illuminated the two intimate figures that did not


    stop for a long time. The next day. When Sylvia opened her eyes, it was already 10 am. The man who had caused her to sleep sote


    was already fully dressed and was sitting gracefully on the edge of the bed, with one arm holding Flint. Flint was also neatly dressed ,


    wearing a yellow sun hat. When he saw her wake up, he immediately extended his little hand to her. "Mama, mama." Sylvia quickly took


    the little one into her arms and stared at Odell. "Why didn''t you wake me up?" Odell smiled. "Don''t worry, Isabel and Liam only just


    finished packing up." Sylvia gave him a look, before thrusting Flint back into his arms. She quickly got out of bed and went to the


    bathroom. She washed up and changed her clothes as fast as she could. Odell and Flint were still waiting for her in the room. When


    Sylvia came out, she dragged them downstairs. In the living room, Isabel and Liam were sitting side by side on the sofa. Liam wore a shirt,


    ck overalls, and a ck newsboy hat. It was a look that was cute yet energetic.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 1069

    Chapter 1069


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1069


    Chapter 1069 Isabel wore a red pinafore, a red sun hat, and a small white bag slung over her shoulder. She looked cuteand


    pretty.


    After Sylvia and Odell came down with Flint, they both walked over. Isabel was bouncing with excitement while Liam remained calm likea


    little adult. Sylvia stroked their little heads as she spoke to Aunt Tonya and Sebastian. Then, she took the kids out with Odell. The ck


    MPV drove off in the direction of the suburbs. They were going to a very popr amusement park that was very suitable for families to


    visit. Isabel and Liam sat in the front row. The little girl was excited to y and looked out the window from time to time. Sylvia and Odell


    sat behind them with Flint. Not long after, Sylvia heard her phone ring. She took her phone out and saw that she had received a message


    from Simon. "Sylvia , are you free these days? Christopher hasn''t seen you in a long time and wants to meet with you. We would also like


    to talk to you about the artpetition." Sylvia thought about what Lily had saidst night about being a judge for the artpetition. She


    considered it and replied, "Does he want me to be a judge?" Simon replied, "Yes. We''ll talk about the details in person. Don''t worry, he


    won''t force you if you really don''t want to do it. We mainly just want to meet up with you." Looking relieved, Sylvia said, "Are you free


    tomorrow night? Let''s go out for dinner." Simon quickly responded. "I''m free. I''ll tell Christopher about it." Sylvia had also just hung up and


    put away her phone when a man''s low and maic voice rang out beside her. "Who messaged you?" Odell looked at her. In his arms,


    Flint also stared at her. Sylvia took Flint into her arms and replied, "It was Simon. Both him and Christopher would like to get together with


    me and discuss the artpetition. | agreed to meet up with them for dinner tomorrow night." There was a slight flicker in Odell''s eyes,


    and he asked softly, "Do you want to be a judge?" Sylvia shook her head. She did not think that Christopher would want her to be a judge


    either. She was not mentally prepared at all. She also still did not remember anything about how she hade to be Sunflower.


    Furthermore, she was not particrly satisfied with her current paintings, so she could not be a judge. The man suddenly ced the warm


    palm of his hand on her head and gently stroked it. "Don''t think too much about it now. Talk to them about it when you meet tomorrow


    night." His voice was maic and powerful, as if it held some kind of magic. She felt rxed after listening to him. The corners of her


    mouth curled up. "Okay." The amusement park was just as fun as it had been advertised to the public. There were so many kinds of


    attractions inside that it would take two days to y on all of them. That evening, not long after leaving the park, Isabel and Liam drifted


    off to sleep. Little Flint also slept on Odell''s shoulder. In the past two days, Odell had been the one who had mostly been taking care of the


    children. Furthermore, Sylvia and he had simply watched the children y, so Sylvia was not that tired. It was getting dark when she


    received a message from Simon. He asked if she was already out. Last night, Sylvia had agreed to meet up with them at a restaurant.


    Looking at the time, she replied, "I''ll be there in about twenty minutes." Simon replied, "Ok." They would be passing by the restaurant that


    they had booked on the way back to the Carter residence. About twenty minutester, the car arrived outside the restaurant. The three


    little ones were still sleeping soundly. Sylvia looked at Odell and said softly, "You take the kids back first. I''ll go back after having a meal


    with Simon and Christopher." Odell raised his hand to cup her face. "Okay. Come back early." "| know." She got out of the car.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 1070

    Chapter 1070


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1070


    Chapter 1070 Just before she got out of the car, Sylviaspotted Simon and a middle-aged man with a slightly plump face walking


    toward her from the door of the restaurant, The man was smiling at her affectionately.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She figured that he had to be Christopher Dendro. Sylvia also smiledand walked toward them. When she got closer, Christopher asked,


    "Sylvia, | heard from Simon that you have amnesia. Do you remember us now?" She pursed her lips. Seemingly receiving the answer


    from her face, Christopher smiled. "Forget it. It''s fine if you don''t remember us. Well just get reacquainted again." Sylvia smiled. "Sure."


    Simon said, "Let''s not just stand here. Let''s talk inside." She walked into the restaurant with them. It was a restaurant selling authentic


    local cuisine. They had booked a private room upstairs. It had a nice environment and was very quiet. Christopher was very easy-going,


    whereas Simon seemed quite reserved although he was very easy to talk to. Although Sylvia did not remember them, she felt close to


    them after chatting a while. After sitting down, she immediately brought up the artpetition to them. Christopher also said bluntly,


    "Sylvia, your appreciation for art is very unique, so I''ve wanted you to be a judge since we started preparing for thispetition. Don''t be


    in a hurry to refuse. Let me tell you about the process of thispetition first." Sylvia looked at him. "Okay, take your time." Christopher


    briefly exined the whole process of thepetition. Thepetition was mainly for youths from high school and college. There would


    be three rounds, and the winners would be judged based on thebined scores of the three rounds. The judges only needed to rate the


    artworks. The only caveat was that on the opening day, all the judges had to paint a picture in public to add excitement to thepetition.


    Christopher did not hide this from her and spoke frankly, "Originally, there was no need forjudges to paint in public, but they made this


    request because | wanted you to be a judge. They were worried that having you as a judge would cause a lot of dissatisfaction. As long as


    you can paint something that satisfies everyone on the opening day, they won''t only let you be a judge, they''ll also let you be the main


    judge." Sylvia frowned. She had not expected Christopher to be so optimistic about her. Then, she said, "President Dendro, I''m not


    particrly satisfied with my current paintings. Why don''t you consider someone else?" Christopher''s eyes flickered, and he asked, "Have


    you painted recently?" "Yeah, | painted a few." He quickly asked, "Where are they?" Simon also stared at her. "They''re at home, but | took


    pictures of them all." Sylvia took out her phone. She had always had the habit of taking pictures of her paintings after she finished them.


    Christopher and Simon immediately got up and went to her side. When they saw the paintings in her album, their eyes lit up in unison.


    Simon even took away the phone from her and carefully looked at the pictures one by one. After a long time, he finished looking at all the


    pictures and asked, "Sylvia, are these all your recent works?" Sylvia replied, "Yes." Simon smiled. "They''re amazing. They''re at the level


    you used to paint at. | think you''ve regained your previous state." ''Was that so?¡¯ Sylvia pursed her lips. "But | keep feeling that something


    is missing." "That''s because your expectations toward yourself are too high. | also think these paintings are on the level of Sunflower''s."


    Christopher smiled and said, "They''re enough to make you the main judge of this year''s artpetition." Sylvia was still unsure and


    looked at them. "Are you guys just pulling my leg?" For a few secoChristopher and Simon were speechless for a few seconds.

 Chapter 1071

    Chapter 1071


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1071


    Chapter 1071 Christopherughed. "I''m using my decades of experience to vouch for you as a judge. I''d be ruining myown


    credibility by fooling you." Simon looked at her seriously.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "You know that | wouldn''t lie to my friends." Sylvia pursed her lips. Christopherand Simon sat back down, obviously looking more rxed


    than before. Christopher said, "Sylvia, to be honest, before | saw these pictures, | couldn''t guarantee that you could paint something that


    would satisfy them. However, now, | can be sure that as long as you maintain the standard of these paintings on the day of the


    competition, you''ll definitely be able to convince all those people who doubt you." Simon followed up by saying, "I agree with the


    president''s words." Sylvia pursed her lips silently. She did not feel that her current level was bad. She just felt that it was not good enough.


    Christopher nced at Simon. Simon thought for a few seconds and said, "There''s still half a month before the artpetition starts.


    Think about it again and give us an answer three days before thepetition. Whether or not you''re willing to be a judge, the president


    and | will ept your decision." Christopher added, "Yes, Simon is right. Please think about it." Since they had put it that way, it would be


    ungrateful for Sylvia to refuse. She responded, "All right, I''ll give it some serious thought." After dinner, Sylvia walked out of the restaurant


    together with them. The night was very dark, and the cool wind whistled. Sylvia shivered and said goodbye to them. Christopher offered to


    send her home. She was just about to refuse when a tall and straight figure appeared in her peripheral vision. Sylvia quickly looked at the


    roadside. A dazzling ck sports car was parked there. Beside the car, a man wearing a ck suit leanedzily against the car door, his


    eyes looking at her. With that eye-catching appearance, who else could it be if not Odell? Sylvia said to Christopher and Simon,


    "President, Simon, you don''t need to see me off. My husband is here to pick me up. I''ll go now. Bye." Christopher and Simon smiled


    together and said goodbye to her. Sylvia immediately ran over to Odell. He straightened up. The moment she came over, he draped the


    suit jacket he had just taken off over her body, and wrapped one arm around her. Then, he touched her cheek and asked in a low voice,


    "Are you done talking?" Sylvia smiled at him. "Yeah, let''s go home." Odell curved his lips in a smile. "Okay." The ck sports car drove


    smoothly in the direction of the old Carter residence. Sylvia told him everything about how Christopher and Simon had tried to persuade


    her to be a judge. Then, she asked, "Odell, do you think | should go?" Odell''s eyes were on the road ahead as he asked, "Do you


    want to go?" "I didn''t want to go at first, but now I''m not sure." "Then think about it first." He looked at her, smiled, and said softly, "Whether


    or not you go, I''ll support you." Sylvia''s heart stirred, but she held back a smile. "Of course you have to support me. Would you dare not to


    support me?" There was an arrogant expression on her face. Screech! The car suddenly pulled over. Odell looked at her and narrowed his


    eyes. "What did you say? | didn''t hear you clearly. Say it again." Sylvia''s eyes shed, and she subconsciously replied, "I didn''t say


    anything. You heard wrongly."

 Chapter 1072

    Chapter 1072


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1072


    Chapter 1072 Click The seatbelt in front of him popped open, and his upper body suddenly leaned towardsher. His handsome


    face came closer to her eyes.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia''s breath hitched. "W-What?" Odell cupped her chin and said in a low voice, "Where did all that arrogance go?Did you lose


    your nerve?" Sylvia was speechless. ''l wasn''t being arrogant! | only asked if you would dare not to support me.¡¯ "Why aren''t you


    saying anything?" He lowered his head again, his thin lips almost brushing against hers. Sylvia''s body tingled , but she red at


    him. "Odell, are you trying to pick a fight?" He curled his lips. "Yeah, | am." She blushed and punched him. "Shut up and drive."


    Seeing her look so timid and charming , Odell chuckled and lowered his head to kiss her on the lips. "Okay." Then, he sat back in


    his seat. He fastened his seatbelt, ced his slender hands on the steering wheel, and quickly drove the car into traffic. Sylvia


    secretly looked at him as she blushed. She thought, ¡®What was wrong with this man? ¡®Does he like being beaten and scolded?¡¯


    For the next few days, Sylvia was bored as she stayed at home. During these few days, she painted two pictures, but the feeling


    she got was still the same. They looked good, but something seemed to be missing from them. That day, she spent another


    afternoon in her studio on the third floor. When evening came and she still could not see what was missing, she simply got up


    and walked outside, intending to go downstairs to look for Flint and rx a little. As she walked downstairs, her phone rang. It


    was from Odell. She brought the phone up to her ear and curiously asked, "What''s up?" "There''s some news about Sherry.¡± His


    voice was slightly low as he hesitated to speak. Sylvia hurriedly asked, "What happened to her?". "She''s fine, but | just received


    news that John is getting married to her sister." Sylvia''s eyes widened in shock. "John is going to marry Shannon?" "Yeah." She


    still could not believe it. "Isn''t Shannon engaged to Mason? Besides, John likes Sherry. Why is he marrying Shannon?" "I heard


    that a few days ago, Madam Stockton held a party in their home to choose a wife for John. She invited many famousdies in


    nchester, and the woman chosen by John to dance the first dance was to be his wife. "And he chose Shannon?" "Yes." Sylvia


    was furious.


    "How could he do this to Sherry?" Even if he had chosen someone else and did not marry Sherry, she would not be this angry. Other


    people did not know about Sherry''s family situation, but she did. Sherry was the eldest daughter of the Fowler family. Even though she


    was their biological daughter, after she was born, her family had given her over to the care of a nanny. That nanny had swapped Sherry


    with her own daughter and tossed Sherry over to her brother''s family to be raised in the countryside . The nanny''s brother''s family never


    thought of Sherry as part of their family, so they did not treat her well. ''When Sherry was fourteen, Shannon had gotten into an ident


    and needed a blood transfusion. It was only then that the Fowlers had realized that Shannon was not their biological daughter. However,


    after they found Sherry, they looked down on her because she had been raised in the countryside. If not for thete Master Fowler who


    had insisted on keeping Sherry, they would''ve tossed her back to the countryside. The Fowler couple was partial to their adopted daughter


    and did not care about Sherry at all. Shannon also picked on Sherry and not only tried to one-up her wherever she went. She had even


    stolen Sherry''s first love, Mason Brown. Because of all these things, Sherry had set out to make her own living after attending university


    and almost never went back to the Fowlers again.

 Chapter 1073

    Chapter 1073


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1073


    Chapter 1073 John was clearly nning on marrying Shannon just to anger Sherry! The moreshe thought about it, the angrier


    Sylvia became.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    At the same time, she was anxious. "Odell, | have to go to nchester to look forSherry." Odell softened his voice and patiently said, "I''ve


    already informed the people at John''s ce to pay more attention to Sherry. Don''t worry. Didn''t you give her a phone? Contact her first


    and ask for information. Just let me know if she needs any help." Sylvia sighed in relief at his words. "Okay, I''ll contact her now." As long


    as Sherry was fine, nothing else mattered. After hanging up the phone, she called Sherry. The line rang several times before it was cut off.


    Sylvia was just about to send her a message when a message came through. "Syl, | can''t answer the phone right now. Why are you


    looking for me?" The tone of the message seemed to be quite calm. Sylvia asked, "| heard that John is getting married. Is it tue?" The


    screen stayed silent for two minutes before she got a reply. "It''s true. Did Master Carter tell you that?" Sylvia continued to ask, "is John


    marrying Shannon?" Sherry hesitated for a while. "Yes." Sylvia asked, "Where are you now?" Sherry replied, "I''m still at the Stockton


    residence. Don''t worry about me. He said that he''ll let me go immediately after he gets married. I''m just waiting for him to hurry up and


    marry Shannon." After saying that, she sent a smiley face. Sylvia did not think that Sherry could really smile. She said, "Sherry, tell me if


    you''re unhappy about anything. Don''t hold it in all by yourself." Sherry replied, "Sheesh, don''t worry. I''m made out of iron. Back in the


    days, | could run Lush Heaven all by myself. All this is nothing." Sylvia frowned and was just about to say something when Aunt Tonya


    suddenly ran up from downstairs. Seeing Sylvia standing on the stairs, she shouted excitedly, "Syl, the Old Madam is awake! Come down


    quickly!" Sylvia''s eyes widened at once. "What did you say?" Aunt Tonya repeated, "The Madam is awake. She just woke up and is sitting


    up now!" Sylvia could no longer stand still and immediately ran downstairs. Almost in one breath, she dashed over to Madam Carter''s


    room. The door to the bedroom was open, and Sebastian and the maids who were guarding the door made way to Sylvia when they saw


    hering. Sylvia quickly walked in. On the spacious bed, the silver-haired Madam Carter sat on the head of the bed. She seemed to


    have just woken up, and her face looked a little dull. Her eyes stared intently at cute little Flint who was lying beside her. Sylvia''s nose


    stung. "Grandma..." Madam Carter sluggishly looked up, and then her expression lit up. She smiled and waved at Sylvia. "Syl,e over


    here to Grandma." Sylvia quickly went to her bedside and sat down, taking a hold of the hand she had extended. "Syl, how long have |


    been asleep? | still feel a little light headed." Madam Carter looked at her. Sylvia held back her tears and smiled. "You''ve been sleeping for


    more than two years." "H-How did | sleep that long?" "You hurt your head after you were pushed down the hill. "Oh, | remember. | was


    going up to look for you, but | was pushed down from behind before | could see you." "The person who pushed you was Tara''s mother.


    They were arrested long ago and are both in prison now." Madam Carter''s eyes widened. "They''ve really been locked up?"

 Chapter 1074

    Chapter 1074


    Chapter 1074 ¡°Yeah, it''splicated , so it would take a long time to exin. I''ll tell youter slowly.¡± Sylvia did not remember


    either. It was Aunt Tonya who had told her everything


    ¡°Oh, | see.¡± Madam Carter did not ask any more questions. Her eyes went back to Flint, and she asked curiously, ¡°Who is this


    cute little baby?¡±


    Probably having heard the word ¡°cute*, Flint opened his mouth and happily crawled toward the old woman. Sylvia quickly lifted


    him into her arms. Madam Carter had just woken up, and her body was weak, so she could not be crushed by him. Sylvia said to


    Madam Carter, ¡°Grandma, his name is Flint. He¡®s the son to me and Odell, and Isabel and Liam¡®s little brother. He''s your little


    great-grandson.¡±


    Hearing that it was her great-grandson , Madam Carter immediately grinned. ¡°My little great-grandson is already so big. Come,


    let me carry him.¡±


    She stretched out her arms toward Flint.


    Flint also stretched his fat little arms toward her, babbling, ¡°Nana, nana...¡±


    Madam Carter instantly smiled with tears and happily responded, ¡°Yes, yes, Nana is here. Let Nana hug you.¡±


    Sylviaughed and ced Flint in Madam Carter''s arms. However, she was still worried , so she held Flint''s butt with both hands


    so that Madam Carter would not hurt herself if she could not support him.


    Sure enough, the old woman¡®s hands ran out of strength after a short while.


    Her breathing became rapid.


    Sylvia quickly took Flint back into her arms.


    Madam Carter caught her breath and said to Sylvia, ¡°I''m


    fine. I''m just a little weak. I''ll be fine after some rest.¡±


    Then, she stared at Flint again lovingly.


    Sylvia sighed in relief and ced Flint beside her, letting him approach Madam Carter. Madam Carter wrapped one arm around


    him and quickly asked Sylvia, ¡°By the way, where are Isabel and Liam? And where¡®s Odell?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Isabel and Liam went to school and should be back soon. Odell should also be back from work soon.¡±


    Then, she stood up and said, ¡°Grandma, you can y with Flint for a while. | need to go out for a moment.¡±


    She had to hurry up and tell Odell the good news.


    Coincidentally, just as she stepped out of the room, she heard the sound of a caring from outside before she could take her


    phone out.


    It was Odell''s car!


    Sylvia immediately ran outside. In the blink of an eye, she rushed to the front door.


    Odell had just gotten out of the car. Sylvia was unable to stop the momentum of her feet and crashed into his arms.


    He quickly reached out and held her.


    She lifted her head and looked at him with reddened eyes. ¡°Odell, Grandma is awake! She woke up!¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    When Odell saw how she was about to cry, he smiled and said, ¡°I know. Sebastian called me.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. ¡°Sebastian told you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡®Right, Aunt Tonya was the first to tell me, so Sebastian must have called Odell immediately.¡¯


    Sylvia felt embarrassed and backed up a step, saying,¡± Then you should hurry up and go see her.¡± Odell stepped up to her and


    held her hand, smiling. ¡°Let''s


    go together.¡±


    Before she could say anything, she was dragged away by him.


    When Sylvia and Odell walked in, Madam Carter was giggling and ying with Flint. Sylvia called out, ¡°Grandma, Odell is back.¡±


    Madam Carter immediately looked up. Just like before, she smiled and said, ¡°Odell, you''re back.¡±


    His tall figure stiffened for a moment, and a turbulent surge shed in his dark eyes.

 Chapter 1075

    Chapter 1075


    Chapter 1075 Odell walked to the bedside and replied, ¡°Yes, Grandma. I''m back.¡±


    Madam Carter said, ¡°Please sit. Syl, youe and sit too. Tell those who are outside to bring chairs over and sit down. Tell me


    what happened in the two years while | was asleep.¡±


    Odell led Sylvia over to sit on the edge of the bed.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian also came in and sat down.


    Not long after, Odell¡®¡¯s dark eyes looked at Sylvia.


    Sylvia froze.


    ¡®What are you looking at me for? | still don¡®t have my memories of the past six years. How am | supposed to tell Grandma about


    what happened two years ago?


    The air was quiet for a few seconds before Aunt Tonya and Sebastianughed.


    Aunt Tonya said, ¡°Madam , a lot of things happened in the past two years while you were asleep.¡±


    Sebastian agreed. ¡°Yes.¡± Madam Carter asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Aunt Tonya started from the time Madam Carter was


    pushed down by Mnie.


    She talked about how Tara had told Mnie to push Madam Carter and frame it on Sylvia. She told how Odell had


    misunderstood Sylvia and had fought with her for a long time. However, she did not mention that Sylvia had been put under


    house arrest, had her legs broken, and had almost been killed by Tara.


    She also talked about Thomasing back, but did not mention how he had schemed against Sylvia and Odell because he had


    wanted to be with Sylvia. She only said that he had done something illegal because he had wanted to take over the family


    assets, causing Sylvia and Odell to be separated for more than half a year. She also mentioned that Thomas was being held by


    the police now.


    Sebastian echoed her words.


    The two quickly told a brief story of some things that had happened in the past two years.


    Probably due to the matter regarding Thomas , Madam Carter let out a long sigh, and her expression sank slightly.


    Sylvia was just about to say something tofort her when cheerful footsteps came from outside. ¡°Mommy, we''re back!¡± Isabel''s


    shout came from the living room outside. Sylvia''s eyes lit up, and she quickly called out, ¡°Isabel,


    come to Great-grandma¡¯s room with your brother. Great grandma is awake!¡±


    As soon as she spoke, two little figures ran in like a gust of wind.


    Then, they stopped at the bedside at the same time and stared at Madam Carter withrge eyes.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Madam Carter''s eyes widened as well and looked at their figures that had obviously grown. She beamed happily and said,


    ¡°Isabel and Liam,e up and let me have a look at you.¡±


    Isabel and Liam snapped back to their senses.


    The little girl kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. Liam was behind her and took his shoes off with his hands before


    climbing up as well.


    They sat next to the old woman.


    Madam Carter happily embraced them both in her arms. Isabel also hugged her, muttering, ¡°Great-grandma, you''re finally


    awake. Liam and | would''ve be adults if you kept sleeping. You don''t know how mean Liam is to me now. He''s always


    scolding me.¡±


    Liam gave her a look of indifference.


    Isabel immediately shouted, ¡°See, Great-grandma? Liam is giving me that look again!¡±


    Liam turned his head away and stopped looking at her. Isabel pouted until her face puffed up. ¡°Humph!¡± Madam Carter burst out


    intoughter. She could not stopughing at their cute appearances. Flint, who was lying on the side, looked at Madam Carter


    hugging his brother and sister. He crawled over as well and raised his face as he giggled with the old woman.


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Sylvia could not help but smile.


    Odell hugged her to his side as the corners of his mouth silently curved up.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian also wiped their tears and could not stopughing.


    The whole room was filled with joyfulughter.

 Chapter 1076

    Chapter 1076


    Chapter 1076 Probably because she had only just woken up, Madam Carter was tired after listening to what they said had


    happened in the past two years, and she went straight to sleep.


    Sylvia quickly held on to Flint, who was trying to crawl onto Madam Carter, and said to Isabel and Liam, ¡°Great grandma is tired.


    You guys go back to your room and do your homework first.¡±


    Isabel hummed in reply and obediently went out with Liam.


    Besides the maids who usually took care of Madam Carter, Sebastian and Aunt Tonya also turned around and left the room.


    Sylvia looked at the olddy who was sleeping again on the bed and frowned uneasily.


    At this time, Odell stroked her head and said softly,¡± Don¡¯t worry, take Flint out to rest for a while. The doctor will be here soon. I''ll


    stay and watch over Grandma.¡±


    Madam Carter had just fallen asleep, so it was not appropriate for too many people to be left in the room. Little Flint was making


    a lot of noise as well.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia carried Flint out.


    The doctor arrived half an hourter.


    He took a long time to examine the old woman beforeing out.


    Sylvia quickly asked, ¡°Doctor, how is Grandma¡®s condition?¡±


    The doctor smiled and said, ¡°It''s a miracle that she was still able to wake up after being in aa for more than two years.¡±


    She asked, ¡°So is she okay now?¡± ¡°Her body is fine, but she just woke up, so it''ll take her some time to go back to normal again.¡±


    Sylvia sighed in relief. ¡°That''s good.¡±


    The doctor left them with a few more instructions and left.


    Beside Madam Carter''s bed, Odell''s straight figure sat on a chair.


    Sylvia walked up to him, unable to help herself from saying happily, ¡°Odell, the doctor said that Grandma is fine, and she''ll be


    back to normal after a short period of adjustment.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± He had heard it all.


    Listening to his somewhat low voice, she asked in confusion, ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    At the same time, she reached out to touch him on his shoulder.


    At the next second, her hand was grabbed by him.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    His palm was very hot as he gripped her tightly.


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Soon, he rxed his strength again, and his fingertips gently rubbed her hand. ¡°I''m fine. Go ahead and eat with the children first.


    | want to stay here alone and watch over Grandma.¡±


    His voice sounded much more gentle and rxed.


    It was true that Grandma had been in aa for more than two years before waking up. Since she had single ¡ª handedly raised


    him, Sylvia felt his emotions now were probably not something that she could understand.


    It seemed as if he wanted to talk to Grandma alone.


    Sylvia let out a sigh and hummed in reply before going out. She then called upon the maid who usually took care of Madam


    Carter to leave as well.


    After dinner, Isabel and Liam looked in the direction of Madam Carter''s room at the same time.


    It was clear that they wanted to go to her.


    Sylvia said with a smile, ¡°Great-grandma is still resting.


    Your daddy is keeping herpany now. Let''s go upstairs first so we don''t disturb her.¡±


    Liam hummed in reply


    Isabel agreed as well. Sylvia picked Flint up, and they went back to the children¡¯s room.


    After ying with them until it was almost 10 pm, the kids obediently went to bed, and Sylvia carried Flint out.


    The lights in her bedroom with Odell were not turned on, and the whole house was quiet.


    She carried Flint, who was sleeping on her shoulder, and went downstairs.


    Ate of dinner had been left on the table. Sebastian and the maid who was in charge of looking after Madam Carter were


    standing outside her room.


    It was obvious that Odell was still inside.


    Sylvia carried Flint and walked over to the closed door.


    There were some noises inside that sounded like Odell¡®s murmuring voice. His voice was calm and low, so she could not hear


    clearly from outside the door.


    However, he definitely would not want to be disturbed at this time.

 Chapter 1077

    Chapter 1077


    Chapter 1077 Soon, Sylvia turned around and told Sebastian and the maid to go rest. Then, she carried Flint upstairs.


    Flint''s crib had been set up next to therge bed she shared with Odell.


    After cing him in the crib, she went to the bathroom to wash up.


    When she came out, Flint was still the only one in the bedroom, and there was no movement outside.


    Sylviay on her side of the bed near Flint and picked up her phone.


    The chat interface that she had used to send messages to Sherry had been left on the phone screen. She sent a quick message.


    ¡°Sherry, are you asleep? | have good news for you.¡±


    Surprisingly, Sherry replied instantly. ¡°What good news?¡± Sylvia said, ¡°Grandma woke up. The doctor examined her earlier and


    said that she will be back to normal after a period of adjustment.¡± Sherry replied, ¡°Holy crap. Madam Carter is already in her


    eighties, right? It''s a medical miracle that she woke up.¡±


    Sylviaughed. ¡°The doctor said the same thing.¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°That''s great. You and Master Carter should have no regrets now.¡±


    Sylvia asked, ¡°What about you? What are you going to do?


    Sherry replied, ¡°Didn''t | tell you? When John marries his wife, I''ll be free. At that time, | can do whatever | want.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    She understood Sherry. Even if there was something bothering her, if she would not be willing to say. No one would be able to


    pry it out of her.


    Sylvia did not force her. Instead, she said, ¡°Okay. Tell me if you need anything.¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°Yeah, don''t worry.¡±


    After chatting with her, Sylvia put the phone back on the nightstand before closing her eyes while facing Flint.


    Maybe it was because she had felt too excited after Madam Carter had woken up, or maybe she did not feelfortable


    sleeping alone because Odell was not around, but she was not the least bit sleepy. In fact, she seemed to feel more and more


    excited.


    She did not fall asleep even after tossing and turning for a long time.


    In the end, she simply opened her eyes and looked at Flint, who was sleeping in the crib. Her eyes softened, and she simplyy


    there until midnight


    Finally, she heard the sound of the door being pushed open.


    Sylvia immediately sat up and looked over. When she saw the mane in, she smiled at him.¡± Odell, you''re back.¡±


    Her smile was bright and gentle under the light.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The man¡¯s tall figure stopped in ce, and his deep gaze looked at her. ¡°Mm.¡±


    She asked, ¡°Have you eaten dinner?¡±


    He did not say anything.


    Sylvia looked at his deep face and asked in confusion,¡± What''s wrong? Did something happen to Grandma again?


    She also got out of bed and walked toward him. However, when she was about to reach him, he suddenly reached out a long


    arm to wrap around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace.


    Sylvia was stunned, but before she could regain her senses, his handsome face came close to her, and his lips


    instantly pressed onto hers.


    ¡°Mmh...¡±


    He kissed her fiercely.


    He pried open her lips without giving her any warning.


    Sylvia almost could not catch her breath.


    She pushed him away, wanting to ask him what was wrong.


    However, for some reason, the man kissed her and refused to let go.


    Not only that, he picked her up and ced her on the bed.


    Sylvia punched him and took the opportunity to ask,¡± What''s wrong with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Grandma is fine too,¡± he replied in a low


    voice, then sealed her lips with his again.

 Chapter 1078

    Chapter 1078


    Chapter 1078 It was like a fire that started out of nowhere, making the quiet bedroom hot.


    Sylvia¡®s pajamas were thrown to the floor.


    She was caughtpletely unprepared and blushed profusely.


    She did not know if it was because the man was stimted, but he only let her go at 3 am.


    Sylvia felt as if she had just been through a great journey full of obstacles. She copsed on the bed and was about to fall


    asleep.


    The next second, his hot chest pressed against her back.


    Sylvia jolted and quickly pushed him away. ¡°Odell... | can''t anymore...¡±


    TT


    Ww


    ¡®Have mercy on me.¡® The man let out a lowugh.


    He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly in his embrace.


    With his chin resting against the top of her head, he uttered in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°Sylvia, I''m so happy today.¡±


    He was happy that his grandmother had woken up, and he was happy to see the way she had looked when she immediately ran


    to the car to tell him that Grandma had woken up.


    He was even happier that she had waited for him in the room and asked if he had eaten dinner. This duplicitous woman still


    loved him after all.


    The answer he received was a long silence in the room.


    He raised his hand and pinched her cheek.


    There was no response.


    She had clearly fallen asleep. He smiled before closing his eyes as well.


    In the Stockton vi in nchester.


    In the courtyard Sherry was living in.


    She was embroidering in her bedroom.


    A few days ago, on a Sunday, John and Shannon went on a date and only came back at midnight. Sherry did not wait for him


    and fell asleep early.


    However, even though he hade back sote, he had not forgotten to check her homework. Since she had cked off on


    Sunday when he went out on a date, he had held her in bed for the whole night.


    In addition , he doubled her work and told her to finish thirty embroideries this week!


    It was already Thursday, three days before Sunday, but she had only finished twelve embroideries . There were still eighteen to


    go!


    Her eyes had already gone blurry for some time.


    She was like a mindless embroidery machine. Her eyes were unfocused as her hands stuck the needle into the


    cloth.


    Creak.


    Suddenly, the door to the room was pushed open.


    Sherry turned her head mechanically and saw John walking in


    He seemed to have just returned from a social gathering. His cor button was undone, his suit jacket was draped over one arm,


    and his body smelled of alcohol. Sherry nced at him silently before turning back to continue her embroidery work.


    John walked up to her and saw how ghastly the embroidery was. When he looked at the dark circles under her eyes, his eyes


    stiffened for a moment, and he said, ¡± Stop embroidering.¡± However, Sherry continued as if she had not heard him.


    John''s eyes narrowed and he said with a smile, ¡°If you don''t stop, I''ll add ten more pieces this week.¡± Sherry instantly raised her


    hand to re at him, and her eyes immediately cleared up. ¡°If you want me to die, just say so.¡±


    She could not even finish embroidering thirty pieces. She would die if he added another ten!


    John kept smiling. ¡°If you stop now, I''ll reduce this week''s quota by ten.¡±


    Sherry¡¯¡®s face lit up. ¡°Really?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°If you don''t think it''s true, you can continue.


    Smack.


    Sherry instantly threw everything in her hand into the storage basket.


    Then, she got up and headed to bed. However, a hand reached out behind her, wrapped around her waist, and dragged her


    back.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.

 Chapter 1079

    Chapter 1079


    Chapter 1079 Thud.


    She crashed into his arms at once.


    The strong smell of alcohol mixed with his breath rushed into her nostrils.


    Sherry subconsciously pushed him away. John pinned her hands behind her back, cupped her chin, and said, ¡°I''ll be leaving


    town at dawn and will be back in about three days.¡±


    ¡®He''s leaving for three days?This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡®Does that mean | won''t have to see him for these three days?¡¯


    Sherry was unable to control the excitement that appeared on her face.


    John''s eyes darkened.


    ¡°Are you that happy?¡± he asked.


    She quickly restrained her joy and replied, ¡°It''s none of my business whether or not you go on a business trip. What do I have to


    be happy about?¡±


    ¡°Heh, that''s right. You''re only my bed warmer anyway.¡±


    ¡°...Hah.¡± Sherry swallowed her anger and mimicked his


    smile. ¡°That''s right. You''re so bad in bed that if | wasn''t your bed warmer, you would''ve been kicked out a long time ago.¡± Under


    the light, the smile lurking at the corner of his mouth instantly disappeared.


    However, in just two seconds, he smiled again and took off his sses, tossing them to the side.


    His pale and handsome face lowered to her eyes, and his lips pressed against hers, rubbing them together as he said, ¡°It seems


    | haven''t been feeding you enough these days for you to have that illusion.¡± Then, he suddenly tightened his grip.


    There was a sharp pain in Sherry¡®s waist, and her body was instantly pressed against his.


    What followed was a wild and hellish storm.


    It was not until dawn that calm returned to the room.


    John got out of bed.


    Sherryy with her back to him and closed her eyes groggily.


    In her blurry consciousness, she heard him say, ¡°Be a good girl and stay home for the next few days. I''ll check your homework


    when | return in three days. If you fail to finish it, go to the garden and pull out all the weeds.


    You''ll only be able to stop after you''re done.¡± Sherry thought she was dreaming and said, ¡°F*ck you.¡±


    John froze while in the middle of buckling his belt.


    He looked over and saw her limp appearance as if she had been hollowed out. He snorted , picked up his coat, and walked out.


    It was already afternoon when Sherry woke up.


    There was a cold lunch on the table: toast and two small dishes.


    She ate the food with two cups of hot water, then picked up the storage basket with the embroidery tools and went out to the


    courtyard. Sitting in the shade of a tree, she picked up the needle and thread and began to embroider.


    At the same time, an MPV stopped outside the gate of the Stockton residence.


    Julie stood outside the gate. When she saw Shannon getting out of the car, she walked up and smiled. ¡°Ms. Shannon,


    unfortunately, Mom and Queenie suddenly received an invitation to visit a friend this afternoon.


    They already went out.¡±


    Shannon¡®s expression changed as she smiled back.¡± That''s really unfortunate. Then, please pass these gifts to


    Madam Stockton for me. | had a friend abroad ship them over here. | hope that Madam Stockton will like them.¡±


    After saying that, she looked at the driver. The driver immediately came up with two exquisite gift boxes.


    Julie smiled and said, ¡°I''ll pass them to her. Thank you.¡±


    She nced at the butler.


    The butler went up and took the two gift boxes from the driver.


    Shannon then said, ¡°Then | won''t impose on you any longer. Ille back to visit next time.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Julie called out with a smile. ¡°Although Mom isn''t home, she instructed me to receive you before you left. I''ve prepared


    tea. If you don''t mind me being the only one to entertain you, you cane in and sit for a while.¡±


    Shannon lit up and quickly said, ¡°It would be my honor to be received by you. How would | dare to mind?¡± The two of them


    exchanged a few pleasantries and got in the shuttle car.


    The car drove into the estate.

 Chapter 1080

    Chapter 1080


    Chapter 1080 The shuttle car went at a gentle speed so the passengers could appreciate the scenery and buildings on both


    sides of the road.


    After passing through the front garden , they arrived at one of the traditional courtyards in the back.


    Shannon had never seen such exquisite garden vis and could not help but look around. However, she only looked out of the


    corner of her eyes, lest she give Julie the impression that she was ignorant.


    Julie sat beside her and looked at her face. Before long, she began to introduce the courtyards to Shannon. ¡°This one is


    specially provided for guests to stay.¡± ¡°This one is to store misceneous items.¡± ¡°The one inside is Queenie¡®s residence.¡±


    Following Julie¡®s descriptions, Shannon looked at the courtyards and asionally responded politely.


    Then, the car drove to a courtyard where around four to five bodyguards had been stationed at the door.


    Julie¡¯s soft introduction stopped for a moment.


    Shannon also looked at her in confusion, only to see Julie pursing her lips. Her expression was a little off, as if she could not


    mention this courtyard.


    Shannon¡¯s eyes flickered and she asked suspiciously,¡± Ms. Julie, why are there so many guards in this courtyard? Is someone


    living there?¡±


    Julie¡¯s gaze shed, and she replied, ¡°N¡ªNo one lives here.¡±


    At that point, the car also passed by the bodyguards and arrived at the door to the next courtyard.


    Julie immediately pointed to the door and said, ¡°Ms. Shannon, this is the courtyard where John usually lives.¡±


    Shannon looked over.


    The appearance of the courtyard looked no different from others, except for the fact that it was connected to the courtyard


    guarded by those five bodyguards. The more Shannon looked at it, the stranger she felt.


    ¡®Why did Julie keep her mouth shut about that courtyard?


    ¡®Why is that courtyard connected to John¡®s residence?


    ¡®If there was some kind of treasure, then he would''ve just kept it in his own courtyard instead of using a separate one.


    ¡®Is there someone locked up inside?¡¯


    Shannon narrowed her eyes as a calcting look shed in her gaze.


    ¡®If that¡¯s the case, | have to find out what''s going on.¡¯


    In Sherry¡®s courtyard.


    The door was closed, so she had not seen anyone passing by outside.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her head was buried in her embroidery work.


    After an unknown amount of time, the embroidery piece was finally finished. She stretched her back and said to the maid


    standing by the side, ¡°Go and get me a ss of juice. I''m thirsty.¡±


    The maid said expressionlessly , ¡°Master Stockton said you can only drink water.¡±


    ¡°You can just get it for me secretly without telling him.¡±


    The maid pursed her lips. ¡°Master Stockton is getting married to someone else. | don''t understand how you''re still in the mood to


    drink juice.¡±


    She headed outside while muttering.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Sherry called her.


    The maid thought she was going to talk about John¡®s marriage and quickly turned back to look.


    Sherry grinned at her. ¡°Help me steal a drumstick or two as well.¡±


    The maid was speechless and could not help but stare at Sherry. Sherry made a heart shape with her fingers. ¡°Love ¡®ya, babe.


    When I''m free, I''ll make you rich and introduce a hunk to you!¡± The maid snorted. ¡°Who said I''m going with you?¡± Not long after,


    she came back with a tray in her hands. On the tray was a teapot and a teacup with a lid.

 Chapter 1081

    Chapter 1081


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1081This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Chapter 1081 The maid put the tray in front of Sherry and muttered," Hurry up and eat. Don''t let anyone find out."


    Sherryquickly lifted the lid of the teapot and teacup.


    In the teapot were tworge and juicy drumsticks , and the teacup was filled with freshly squeezed orange juice.


    "Baby, | loveyou to death!¡± Sherry threw a wink to the maid and picked up the drumstick to gnaw on it. The spicy drumstick and the sweet


    and sour orange juice were simply heavenly to her taste buds. However, just as she was indulging in the food, there was a sudden


    commotion outside the door. Sherry froze. "Hide the drumstick. I''ll go check," the maid said warily and ran to the door. Sherry continued to


    bite into the drumstick. John had gone out on a business trip, and the task of the bodyguards outside the door was to watch her so she did


    not leave the courtyard. Thus, even if they saw her secretly eating a drumstick, they would not go so far as to snitch on John. As soon as


    she had that thought, the door suddenly opened from the outside. The maid was standing behind the door, and Sherry yelled in fright,


    "Watch out! Get away!" The maid hurriedly stepped back. The door mmed into the wall and did not hit her. Sherry was just about to sigh


    in relief when a familiar voice sounded outside the door. "Sherry? What are you doing here?!" Looking at Shannon standing right in front of


    the door, Sherry''s hand holding the drumstick froze in mid-air. At that moment, Julie was being helped up from the ground by two


    bodyguards. The little shuttle car which had fallen on its side was also being propped up by some bodyguards. Sherry took a nce and


    more or less guessed what was happening.


    Shannon and Julie were most likely sitting in the shuttle car and passing by this courtyard when the car identally fell over, hitting the


    people inside and also knocking the door open. However, the shuttle car was usually fine. Why did it coincidentally fall right in front of the


    door here? "Sherry, I''m talking to you. Why are you here?" Shannon stepped in and red at Sherry, but her voice was full of grievance


    as if she was being bullied. Sherry¡¯s lips twitched. Then, she sat back down and bit into the drumstick while saying, "Didn''t that sh*tty John


    tell you?" "How could you call Master Stockton that? Also, what didn¡¯t he tell me?" "He didn¡¯t tell you that he locked me up in here." Sherry


    picked up the teacup and took arge sip of orange juice. Shannon''s face turned ashen. At that moment, Julie also walked in from the


    door. "Ms. Shannon, let''s go out first. John won''t be happy if he knows we came in." Shannon''s eyes instantly reddened. She held back


    her tears and said politely to Julie, "Ms. Julie, can you let me have a few words with my sister alone? Don¡¯t worry, | won''t tell Master


    Stockton that we saw her." Julie''s expression flickered slightly. "All right." Then, she turned around and walked out of the courtyard. The


    bodyguards were only responsible for keeping Sherry from going out and did not care about anything else. They all stood outside the door


    without moving. Soon, Shannon walked in front of Sherry. The maid saw the situation and wanted toe over, but Sherry shot her a


    look, and she withdrew with a puffing face. Shannon sized Sherry up. She no longer kept up pretenses and asked with a cold and blunt


    face, "Why are you here?" Sherry took a bite of the drumstick. "If you can be here, why can¡¯t |?" Shannon''s expression showed disgust.


    Thinking of the party where she saw Sherry, she asked again, "Have you been here all this time?" "Yep, I''ve been here for about a year."


    Shannon choked, and her expression could not help but twist. Sherry simply ate the drumstick with gusto. Her mouth and hands were


    covered with oil stains. Shannon was disgusted and furious. "Can you stop eating for one second?" "Nope." Sherry took anotherrge


    bite.

 Chapter 1082

    Chapter 1082


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1082


    Chapter 1082 Shannon''s face turned ashen again. After a long time, she raised herchin and looked at Sherry with cold contempt


    and disdain.


    "| thought you just didn''t want to go home. | didn''t expect you to act so lowly. You ranhere to be Master Stockton''s lover?" If Sherry and


    John got back together, John would not choose another wife. Thus, Sherry was only here as his lover. Sherry took a sip of orange juice


    and ignored her. Shannon red at her. "Sherry Fowler, I''m about to get married to Master Stockton soon. If you don''t want people to


    know that you interfered in your sister''s marriage, get the hell out of here and stop staying here!" "You should say that to John, not me."


    Sherry nced at the bodyguards outside the door. "See those bodyguards? John stationed them here to watch me." Shannon was


    shocked. "You mean, you''re being held here by Master Stockton?" "Yep. If you don''t believe me, just ask those bodyguards or Julie. She


    knows too." Shannon red at her coldly. Sherry started to gnaw on the second drumstick. The air was quiet for a while. Seeing that


    Sherry''s expression was still the same as before, Shannon snorted coldly, turned around, and soon walked out of the courtyard. From


    afar, Sherry watched Shannon walk up to Julie, and then they left together in the shuttle car. The maid hurriedly went up to Sherry and


    asked, "Who''s that woman? Why did she call you her sister? Also, why is she together with Ms. Julie?¡¯


    but we''re not rted by blood. She''s the wife that John chose not long ago." The maid''s eyes widened in shock. "...Does Master Stockton


    he''s Shannon Fowler, my sister,


    not know that she''s your sister?" "He knows." The maid frowned. "He knows, but he still chose her?" Sherry took a gulp of juice. "It''s


    because he''s despicable." The maid was speechless. Meanwhile, the car drove toward the main gate. In the car, Shannon''s face was


    pale, and her eyes were red. Her head was half-lowered as she sat beside Julie. Julie said apologetically, "Ms. Shannon, I''m sorry. | didn''t


    mean to hide it from you, but John instructed everyone not to let others know that she was here, so | couldn''t tell you." "It''s not your fault."


    Shannon choked a little. Julie sighed. "Ms. Sherry isn''t at fault either. John was the one who locked her up here. Without his order, none of


    us can let her go. Not even Mom can change his mind." Shannon was silent. IL TU Julie hesitated and asked, "Ms. Shannon ... What doThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    you n to do next?" "My mind is a mess right now. | don''t know." The car stopped in front of the main gate. Julie got out of the car and


    said in a kind voice, "Ms. Shannon , you should go home first and get some rest." "Okay." Shannon got into her own car. Julie waited for


    her to leave before she turned around and went back into the shuttle car. The look on her face also suddenly turned cold. Not long after,


    her phone rang. Seeing that it was from Madam Stockton, she immediately put on a respectful smile and brought the phone to her ear. On


    the phone, Madam Stockton asked in a cold voice," Has she left?"

 Chapter 1083

    Chapter 1083


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1083


    Chapter 1083 Julie replied, "I just sent her off." "Did she seeSherry?" "Ye:


    angry, and she even called Sherry by her full name.


    ¡®What was her reaction?" "Her first reaction was very


    Then, she went to the courtyard and talked alone to Sherry for a while. | don''t knowwhat they said, but she had a sad face when she came


    out." "She knows that it''s John who locked Sherry up, right?" "Yes." Madam Stockton sneered. "She found out that her sister is being


    locked up in her fiance¡¯s house, but she¡¯s only feeling sorry for herself. If she has any sense of family honor and self-respect, she won''t


    want to marry John anymore." Julie smiled. "You''re right." "It''s all thanks to you having this great idea. You''ve worked hard today. Queenie


    and | wille back now, and the driver will take you out shoppingter. You can buy whatever you want. Don¡¯t hold back on my


    ount." Julie hurriedly said, "Mom, | just want to share your burden. You don¡¯t have to be so polite to me." Madam Stocktonughed. "I


    know how thoughtful you are, but you''ve also been bored at home alone for a long time. It''s time for you to go out and get some air." Julie


    smiled and said, "Okay. Thank you, Mom." The phone hung up. When Julie raised her head again, her face returned to its cold


    expression. ¡®| hope that Shannon will have self- awareness and stop thinking about John. ¡®This man isn''t someone that a small family like


    the Fowlers can dream of having.¡¯ In the Fowler residence. After Shannon came back, she told her family about meeting Sherry at the


    Stockton residence. Janine was stunned. "She''s being locked up by Master Stockton? It¡¯s no wonder we saw her at the partyst time. It''s


    because she was there the entire time." Shannon''s eyes reddened. "Mom, Master Stockton seems to still have interest in her. |..." When


    Janine saw that Shannon was about to cry, she quickly said, "Don¡¯t be sad, Shannon. Although Master Stockton is the most excellent


    bachelor in nchester, Mason isn''t bad either. Why don¡¯t | tell your dad to go to the Brown family and ask them to let you two continue to


    be together?" "But Mason has always been lukewarm to me. | don¡¯t think that he likes me. He''s only with me because of his parents¡¯


    orders." Shannon rubbed her eyes and added," I¡¯ve met with Master Stockton several times during this period, and he¡¯s nothing like


    Mason. He''s always considerate and gentle to me. He''ll even use his handkerchief to wipe the corners of my mouth." Her face flushed as


    she said that. Janine could tell at a nce that Shannon had feelings for John. However, John and Sherry... John was the richest person


    in nchester City, so his means and abilities must not be ordinary. 1 Janine was afraid of hurting Shannon by being blunt, so she said


    tactfully, "Shannon, maybe Master Stockton may not be a good match for you." "But | seem to like him now. | also think that he likes me.


    "Tears fell from Shannon''s eyes as she spoke. Janine frowned. "But he already locked up Sherry in his home. Although your father and |


    don''t like Sherry, she''s still your sister. If other people were to hear about this, they''d point fingers and talk about our family. Your father


    and | don¡¯t mind, but you''re still young. | don¡¯t want you to be the subject of jokes." Shannon wiped her tears and looked at Janine.


    "Mon, if no one knows that she was locked up by Master Stockton for a year, and if he breaks it off with Sherry after we get married, no


    one would talk about us then, right?" Janine froze and said, "If no one knows about it, and he can break it off with Sherry, then no one


    would talk about you." Tm just afraid that he won''t break it off with Sherry.¡¯ "| think that he¡¯s a good man. If we marry, he''ll be devoted to


    me. Besides..." Shannon pursed her lips." When | saw Sherry today, | felt that she¡¯s also quite unhappy in the Stockton residence. She


    should also want to leave that ce very much. If! get married to Master Stockton , he won''t continue to keep her at home. He''ll release


    her." Janine''s expression flickered, "You silly girl. You''re still thinking about your sister at a time like this?" "She¡¯s my sister, after all. | have


    to think about her." Janine sighed. "Silly girl."


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1084

    Chapter 1084


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1084


    Chapter 1084 Night fell. At the Stockton family vi. The maid brought dinner to Sherry on time. Itwas oatmeal, some toast, and


    pickles.


    Although it was in and shabby, it was better than no food.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sherry ate until not a single crumb was left andfinished everything. Then, she continued to embroider. Not long after, there was the sound


    of footsteps outside. It was apanied by the sound of bells. Soon, Queenie walked in. She wore a fairy-like pink dress. There was a


    ne full of diamonds around her neck, and several pure gold bell earrings and bracelets on her ears and hands. In addition, she also


    wore two glittering gold hairpins on her head. Each of those items was exquisite, but when so many were worn at once on Queenie¡¯s


    body, Sherry felt like it looked incredibly gaudy. However, Queenie acted like she was unting. "Pfft." Sherry really wanted tough.


    Queenie instantly red at her. "Sherry Fowler, what are youughing at?" "I''mughing at you." Queenie continued to glower. "Why are


    youughing at me?" "Because you''re pretty." Queenie''s expression instantly changed. Sherry added, "You''re as pretty as a butterfly." A


    butterfly? Who would use butterflies as praise? Queenie¡¯s expression that had just softened instantly flushed red. "You''re the butterfly!


    No... With your looks, you''re clearly just a skinny little moth!" Sherry sighed with a smile. "Yes, I''m about to starve to death. Could you go


    to the kitchen and get some delicious food for me so | can be a butterfly instead?" Queenie snorted augh. "In your dreams. You


    should just starve to death. That way, | won''t be annoyed when | see you!" "Then why did youe all the way here to see me now?


    "Sherry looked puzzled. "Are you a masochist?" "Who''s here to see you? | came here to blind your eyes with my beauty!" Queenie raised


    her chin and walked up to Sherry. She first raised her hand to shake the bell bracelet on her wrist, and then lifted the diamond ne


    around her neck. Sherry simply stared at her. Queenie continued to show off, not noticing Sherry''s somewhat speechless expression.


    Then, she said smugly, "See? These are all the new essories | bought when | went shopping tonight. They''re all from thetest limited-


    edition collections." Sherry¡¯s lips twitched. "Tsk, they''re really nice." Queenie''s expression changed. "Of course, they''re nice. Why did you


    click your tongue as well?" Sherry said, "It was an exmation." Queenie did not believe her and continued to re. Sherry looked at the


    unfinished embroidery in her hand and asked, "Ms. Stockton, are you done showing off?" Queenie¡¯s eyes shed. "Who wants to show off


    to a woman like you who hangs out in nightclubs ? I¡¯m just showing you that the likes of you aren''t worthy of climbing up the socialdder


    with my family." Sherry smiled and said, "Oh, okay." Queenie instantly remembered that Sherry was only here because she was locked up


    by John. Her eyes shed, and she said, "That applies to your sister as well." "Then you should tell her that instead. There¡¯s no point in


    telling me." "But | want to tell you! What are you going to do about it? Sherry was speechless and lowered her head to continue


    embroidering Queenie yelled, "Hey, Sherry Fowler. I¡¯m talking to you!"

 Chapter 1085

    Chapter 1085


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1085


    Chapter 1085 Sherry threaded the needle through the cloth, ignoring Queenie.


    "Sherry Fowler, are you deaf?" Queenie yelled. Her voice was so shrill that it ran in Sherry''s ears.


    Sherry immediately used her finger to pick her ear. Queenie was about to charge at Sherry in anger, but atthat moment, Julie hurriedly


    walked in from the door. "Queenie, what are you doing here?¡± She hurriedly pulled Queenie and said in a pleasant voice, "Ms. Fowler is


    busy. Let''s not disturb her here. It''s gettingte now, so go back and rest." Queenie was still angry with Sherry and shook Julie''s hand off,


    rushing to Sherry''s side. However, before she could raise her hand, she saw the pattern that Sherry was embroidering. The pattern was


    crooked, and the lines of the embroidery were also a mess. Queenie instantly burst intoughter. "Hahaha! What''s that thing you''re


    embroidering?" "A butterflySherry responded without changing her expression. Queenie''s throat choked. Sherry held up the embroidery


    again and pointed to the picture , saying, "Look, it''s so colorful that it''s about to blind me with its beauty.""... Sherry Fowler! Do you want to


    get beaten up?!" Queenie''s face was red with anger, and her eyes were round and wide. Sherry raised the needle in her hand and pointed


    it at Queenie,ughing. "Why don''t you try?" Queenie instantly took a step back. Julie tugged her again. "Queenie, Ms. Fowler is just


    joking with you. Let''s go and stop bothering her." Queenie was still furious. "Just you wait, Sherry!" After shouting that at Sherry, Queenie


    turned around and walked out. Julie did not rush to follow, but walked up to Sherry and said with a smile, "Ms. Fowler, Queenie has


    always been straightforward and doesn''t pretend to fake how she feels about other people. She doesn''t have any malice in her heart.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Don''t mind her." "Of course, | won''t bicker with a fool." Sherry smiled at Julie and said, "You don''t have to specifically remind me that she


    hates me." Julie''s expression instantly froze, and she said, "You''ve misunderstood me, Ms. Fowler. That''s not what | meant." "You don''t


    need to exin it to me. | don''t care whether that was what you meant or not." ''In any case, I''ll leave immediately after John gets married.


    From then on, I''ll nevere back to nchester again, let alone have anything to do with the Stockton family.¡¯ After saying that, Sherry


    lowered her head and continued to embroider, not looking at Julie again. Julie''s expression shifted, and she turned and headed out.


    Queenie was right outside the door and had not left yet. When she saw Juliee out, she grumbled, "Julie, why are you still caring for


    someone like her?" Julie smiled. "She''s still John''s sweetheart." "John doesn''t like her at all." Julie''s eyes flickered, and she asked, "How


    do you know that he doesn''t like her?" "If he really likes her, why would he marry someone else? He must just be ying with her."


    Queenie was still angry. "Forget it, let''s not talk about her. | get annoyed at the thought of her." Then, she twirled in front of Julie and


    asked, "Do you think | look good in this?" Julie smiled and said, "Of course, you do. Everything you''re wearing is from a limited-edition


    collection, and it matches your temperament very well. You look really good." Queenie''s eyes lit up. "Really?" "Of course. Why would | lie


    to you?" She smiled as her displeasure at being snubbed by Sherry disappeared. She scoffed and said, "| knew it. Sherry is just jealous of


    me and deliberately called me a butterfly." Julie''s eyes dimmed and shed with a hint of mockery. However, it was only for an instant.


    She returned to her gentle and smiling appearance, saying, "Ms. Fowler is very skilled in belittling others. Don''t mind what she says.

 Chapter 1086

    Chapter 1086


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1086C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Chapter 1086 Queenie grunted. "That b*tch got it upon herself. When Iget my hands on her, I''ll rip that mouth off her face!¡± Julie


    smiled in silence.


    They soon arrived at the front yard of Queenie¡¯s ce.


    Queenie said, "We''re here. Thank you, Julie. You go home and get some rest.¡±


    "Yeah.You too." "Take care." Queenie got out and hopped toward the door. The bell on her rang clearly in the night. As Queenie¡¯s figure


    disappeared into the house, Julie scoffed and said, "Fool." Julie then returned to her own ce. She dismissed the servants as soon as


    she came in and stayed alone in the living room. She pulled her phone out and called the contact shebeled "Brother". The dial tone


    went on for a few seconds before the call got through. "Brother, | hope I¡¯m not disturbing your work by calling you at this hour," she said.


    John¡¯s warm voice came through the phone. "No. I¡¯m already resting in the hotel. What is it?" "Today..." Julie paused. "What about today?"


    "Shannon visited today and when she passed by Sherry¡¯s yard, she saw her through the window. I¡¯m sorry, Brother. It was my mistake,"


    she said anxiously. John went silent for several seconds before he answered calmly, "It¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t me yourself." A moment


    later, he added, "What''s her reaction?¡± Julie was slightly taken aback. ¡°You''re referring to Shannon?" John did not answer. Julie continued


    , "Shannon was angry at first. She went inside for Sherry, and it was inappropriate for me to stop her, so | let them chat for a while. | didn''t


    know what they talked about, but when Shannon came out, she looked rather beaten." "What about Sherry? What''s her reaction?" "Sherry


    was as usual. Queenie went to her ce earlier, and | followed. She was still sewing her stuff and she did not seem overly concerned


    about her sister finding out." The call got quiet for a moment. John somehow did not voice his opinion on this matter. "Brother, | failed to


    keep this under control. | shouldn¡¯t have let Shannon meet her sister. Why don''t you exin it to her? If you''re too busy, | can do it." "It''s


    fine. There¡¯s no need for an exnation." "Why? What if she refuses to marry you because of Sherry?" "That''s beyond your concern . Just


    stay home and take care of everything." "| understand. Have some rest and good night." The call ended. Julie stared at the screen of her


    phone deeply. "John, are you really going to marry Shannon or are you going to use her to make Sherry mad? You might im otherwise ,


    but you love Sherry, right? She doesn¡¯t care about your marriage at all, and it must piss you off a lot. Given your temper, you won''t just let


    it slip, am | right?¡± Regardless, she could not allow him to marry Shannon or Sherry. She would rather John keep Sherry in the house for


    the rest of her life than marry Shannon. There could only be one missus inmand of the house and it must be her! Meanwhile , in a


    presidential suite of a five-star hotel in another city, John sat on the couch before the window in his shirt and pants. He was toying with his


    phone as he stared at the night view outside the widow deeply.

 Chapter 1087

    Chapter 1087


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1087


    Chapter 1087 Ding! John''s phone rang. He slid to unlock the screen and saw the text from Shannon.


    "John, are you asleep? lheard it''s going to rain over there tomorrow.


    Remember to put on some clothes and please rest earlier after finishing your work."


    Hisface was emotionless when he nced at the text. He turned off the chat window and tapped on another voice recording app. A while


    later, voices came from the app. "You''ve been sewing all day. Why don''t you continue tomorrow?" It was the maid that was assigned to


    take care of Sherry. Sherry''s voice followed. "If you''re tired, go rest. Stop bugging me around." John wore a soft smile on his tired face.


    The maid said, "I''m not bugging you. | just don''t want to see your hands crippled before you''re released." "No way. My body is made of


    steel. That b*stard John will cripple first before | do," Sherry said. John squinted. "What are you talking about? I''m talking about your


    hands, not somewhere else," the maid said. "What? I''m talking about my hands as well. What''s in that little head of yours, honey?" Sherry


    started to sound provocative. "You''re still trying to act tough? | think your body isn''t made of steel, it requires a beating of steel!" "What''s


    (hs


    Stockton. Didn''t you hear me?" The maid was rendered speechless. "Hmph!" Sherry had a great day with John out of the house, and it


    wrong? Wanna beat me up?" "...1... Forget it!" "Tsk tsk. You''re as dumb as that b*stard John." "Who are you calling dumb?!" "John


    even spiced up her mood for an argument. The maid must be fed up with her nonsense because footsteps pounded, and the maid


    stopped talking. Sherry then moaned as she stretched her body. After a long sigh, she said, "Stupid John, I''ll poke you to death!" She


    seemed to be sewing again. John was left speechless. There were no more noises from the app after a while. He leaned back on the


    couch with the phone in his hand. Time went by swiftly. At midnight, he heard some noise from the app again. Sherry must have stopped


    sewing and put the needles and threads on the table. Until it finally went quiet for good, John put his phone down and went to the


    bathroom for a shower. Two days went by. Sherry was still locked up in the vi. She spent most of her time sewing other than eating,


    sleeping, and going to the toilet. On this particr evening, she managed to finish thest piece for the week before the sky turned dark.


    She stretched her body before the sun set over the horizon. She returned to her room,y in the bed and started ying with her phone.


    Knock. Knock. Knocks came from the door all of a sudden. Sherry nervously kept her phone away and said, "Come in." The door opened.


    It was Julie instead of the maid.


    Surprised and confused, Sherry looked at her. "Julie? What brings you here?" Julie said, "| heard you ate a week of bread and butter


    already. | know it''s John who gave the order but you''re still a human being. If you continue to eat poorly, your body will suffer. So, | brought


    you some food and they are on the table outside." Sherry''s eyes gleamed upon hearing the word "food", but it aroused suspicion.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1088

    Chapter 1088


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1088


    Chapter 1088 Julie once sent her food before, and it was the first time they met. If Sherry was correct, Julie usedthe excuse of


    sending her food just so she could have a look at her.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It had been a while since Julie sent her anything, andshe believed it was not purely out of care and concern. Despite thinking so, Sherry


    thanked her politely. "Thank you, Julie." Julie smiled. "You''re wee. John might not give you a name but you''re considered a guest


    here in the Stockton residence. | should be the one to take care of you." Sherry pursed her lips. What did she mean? Was she offering


    care and concern, or was she reminding Sherry that she was just a mistress John kept in the house? Before she could get a clear answer,


    Julie said, "Oh right, John got off the ne an hour ago, but | believe he''s going on a date with Shannon. He should bete tonight, or


    maybe he won''te back at all. You don''t have to wait for him, so better rest early." Sherry was stunned for a moment before she forced


    a smile on her face. "| understand. Thank you for letting me know." Julie''s expression subtly changed. She smiled. "It''s nothing. I''ll leave


    you be then." She then walked out of the room. Sherry watched Julie''s figure disappear from her sight as she pondered the situation. Julie


    came all the way to her room to not just remind her that she was John''s mistress, but Julie also informed her that John went on a date


    with Shannon right after he got off the ne. What was that? Was Julie trying to tell her that John cared about Shannon? Or was Julie


    trying to make her jealous of Shannon? John marrying Shannon was indeed infuriating but it was not as important as her own freedom.


    Even if she was mad at John and jealous of Shannon, what could she probably do about it? Sherry put the questions aside and went


    down to the living hall. Julie really brought her a feast and they were served on the table. Her eyes shone as she ran to the table and


    started eating happily. Her belly bloated before she could finish all the food. She looked at the leftovers and hesitated. She decided to


    keep some of the food in the drawer underneath the tea table, so that she could continue tomorrow, or when she was hungry again. She


    washed her hands and mouth after dinner, andy down on the couch with a full belly. Julie had been watching Sherry from outside the


    window and she frowned when she saw the womanying down on the couch with a carefree look. ¡®How could she be in the mood to eat


    that much and even snuck food away forter? John went on a date with her sister the moment he got off the ne, yet she didn''t feel


    anything? ¡®She''s being kept here by John without any title or name but there are countless women in Glenchester who want to get close to


    John, yet failed to. ¡®Any normal woman shouldn''t react like that! Shouldn''t she be angry about it? Shouldn''t she throw a tantrum when he


    gets back? Does she not like John at all?¡¯ Julie''s expression turned grim. "You don''t know what''s good for you." Sherry returned to her


    room afterying down on the couch for a while. She locked the door this time to prevent any unwanted interruption and started to y


    with her phone on the bed. She went on Twitter to read gossip and scandals. A whileter, a piece of local trending news caught her


    attention. "The richest man in Glenchester City is dating a mysteriousdy. Marriage soon?". Sherry tapped on the news out of curiosity.


    The tweet was a video of around ten seconds. The paparazzi shot the video from afar, hence the poor quality. Sherry, however, was able


    to recognize the couple in the video. It was John and Shannon having dinner. John even wiped Shannon''s mouth with a smile as if he was


    a loving boyfriend. Sherry almost threw up what she had just eaten. Thements underneath the tweet started to pile up.

 Chapter 1089

    Chapter 1089


    Chapter 1089 ¡°I thought Master Stockton doesn''t like women? Why is he dating all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°| think he¡¯s not gay, he¡¯s just busy with work.¡±


    ¡°Who''s thatdy? She¡¯s cute but not exactly beautiful.¡±


    ¡°| heard from a reliable source that the woman is Master Stockton¡¯s fianc¨¦e , from the Fowler family. | heard her family is quite


    influential as well.¡±


    ¡°| guess only a youngdy with a background is worthy of a wonderful man like Master Stockton.¡±


    John barely had to deal with scandals or gossip because he did a lot for Glenchester. He single-handedly developed Glenchester


    from a rural tower to a modern city.


    The people of Glenchester respected his contribution, so other than being curious about the identity of his fianc¨¦e, almost


    everyone gave him their blessing.


    Sherry tapped away after a few nces.


    John was a cautious man. She had been locked up in the house for more than a year now, yet no one knew about her


    disappearance. Only Odell was capable enough to find


    out clues about her imprisonment.


    Therefore, John must have allowed himself to be recorded while having dinner with Shannon.


    It seemed like he was serious about marrying Shannon.


    Sherry continued to scroll on her phone for a while before she grew bored of it. She kept her phone away and went to take a


    shower.


    After that, shey on the bed and stared nkly at the ceiling before she fell asleep.


    When she opened her eyes once more, she found John on top of her.


    She thought she was seeing things because before she fell asleep, John was having dinner with Shannon in the video, so why


    would John be on top of her?


    She closed her eyes and opened them again, and his handsome face appeared clearly before her.


    Before she realized it, he sealed her lips with a forceful kiss.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry pushed him away but she was too weak.


    John continued to kiss her. Her feeble struggle did not deter him at all.


    Sherry was forced to pinch the man on the waist.


    Fortunately, she was strong enough to stop the man from ravaging her mouth. The man narrowed his eyes at her dangerously.


    Sherry boldly stared back. ¡°Get the hell off me, you jerk!¡±


    He tried to rape her while she was asleep!


    John curled his lips. He held her hand that pinched his waist and pinned it above her head.


    Sherry tried to pinch him with her other hand but it was also stopped and pinned above her head.


    His handsome face moved closer to hers.


    Sherry turned away and his kissnded on her cheek instead of her lips.


    He frowned out of annoyance and impatience.


    He freed one of his hands to pinch her chin and turned it back to himself; he kissed her on the lips.


    The strugglested for a moment before Sherry bit him on the lower lip.


    She bit him fiercely, and it froze him.


    Then, he countered by biting her on her upper lip.


    ¡°Argh! F*ck!¡±


    She bit harder, he did the same.


    Sherry felt like he was going to bite her lip off her face. The pain made her brows furrow and she eventually lost the biting


    contest.


    John released her lip and continued to kiss her.

 Chapter 1090

    Chapter 1090


    Chapter 1090 The vigorous love-makingsted until midnight. Sherry¡¯s pajamas were scattered across the room. Her hair was


    messy. She covered herself with the edge of the sheets and watched the man dress himself with teary eyes.


    John picked up all his clothes from the floor and dressed himself.


    He turned around and grinned widely at Sherry.


    ¡°Since you finished your assignment this week, I''ll spare you for now. If you¡¯re sleeping when Ie back, I''ll make sure you


    won''t be able to get out of bed for three days.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! You better watch your back first!¡± Sherry retorted.


    John bent over and pinched her chin. His finger stroked her lips and said, ¡°Your mouth is really sweet but it will be sweeter if you


    shut up.¡± Sherry pursed her lips.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John chuckled and walked to the door.


    Before John stepped out, Sherry asked out of curiosity,¡± When are you going to marry Shannon?¡±


    John turned around with a sharp gaze. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°I want to know when | can leave. Spending every second with you disgust me. Give me a time, so that | know


    when it will end.¡±


    John¡¯s expression changed multiple times in the span of two seconds.


    In the end, he grinned. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°When?¡± Sherry looked at him. ¡°Next Saturday, Glenchester Grand Hotel.¡±


    He walked out the moment his words subsided.


    Bang


    The door shut.


    The man¡¯s figure finally disappeared from Sherry¡¯s sight. Sherry clenched her teeth and dragged her exhausted body off the bed.


    She went to the drawer beside the bed and took a box of pregnancy pills out.


    She took one before she headed to the bathroom.


    It was a Sunday, which meant six more days until the wedding


    Six more days and she could regain her freedom.


    Carter Residence, Westchester City.


    It was a Monday. After Sylvia saw the kids and Odell out for school and for work respectively, she went back inside the house.


    While in the wheelchair, Madam Carter chatted with Aunt Tonya in the living room. ene.


    The warm sunlight shone through the window and shed its warm brilliance on them and Flint, who was ying on the carpet. It


    was a heartwarming scene.


    Madam Carter was a lot better than before. She was asking Aunt Tonya how Sylvia and Odell got back together.


    She might be an elderly but she gossiped like youngsters on the inte.


    Sylvia did not join the gossiping and went up to the third floor instead.


    There was one week left until the artpetition, yet she had not painted anything that she was happy about.


    She could not pinpoint the problem from her paintings.


    What happened?


    She had a feeling that something was missing from her paintings. She sat in front of the canvas and checked her paintings


    repeatedly.


    Morning went by and she still could not spot anything out of the blue.


    It was then simon texted her, asking if she had produced any new work.


    Sylvia sent him a picture of a scenery painting that she painted two days ago.


    Simon replied to her with a voice message, saying, ¡°I have a great feeling about this painting. Your skills and the message you


    wanted to convey are great! Did something happy happen recently? | felt happy when | looked at your painting.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Grandma woke up from a two-yeara. I¡¯m d.¡±


    ¡°No wonder!¡±


    ¡°Simon, tell me the truth. Is my painting okay?¡±


    ¡°Your painting is vivid and lively, it¡¯s full of hope. This is your level of painting, | really don¡¯t see any problem with it. ?

 Chapter 1091

    Chapter 1091


    Chapter 1091 ¡°But I have a feeling that something''s missing.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia, are you demanding too much of yourself?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t think so. | think the paintings are okay, but it¡¯s just not there. Something''s missing.¡± A little pauseter, Simon continued,


    ¡°Maybe because you haven''t recovered the six years¡¯ worth of memories?¡±


    Sylvia was stunned.


    She remembered she still had six years of nkness in her mind.


    Sylvia called Odell after the chat with Simon.


    The call got through almost instantly.


    She said, ¡°Odell, can you contact Skr for me? | want to meet her.¡±


    The man paused for a moment. ¡°Why do you want to meet her?¡±


    Sylvia frankly said, ¡°I want to recover the remaining six years of memories, so | want to know if there¡¯s any way to do it.¡±


    ¡°| thought you heard it from Aunt Tonya. Why do you


    insist on recovering them?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°I feel like something is missing from my paintings. Maybe it has something to do with the memories | missed.¡±


    He said in a small voice, ¡°What if you can¡¯t draw after you recover your memories?¡±


    Sylvia was annoyed by his remark. ¡°How is it possible? | can draw now and | sure can draw after | recover my remaining


    memories.¡±


    She had a feeling Odell did not want her to recover those memories.


    A few seconds of silenceter, Odell said, ¡°I have a meeting to attend. I''ll call Skrter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I''ll wait.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the office on the highest floor of Carter Tower, the man stood in front of the ceiling-to-floor window, looking at his


    phone after the call.


    He frowned.


    He clearly remembered the painting Sylvia painted on Master Springsteen¡¯s event.


    After that and until she lost her memories , she avoided everything rted to painting or art.


    Besides, Skr said that she could not guarantee that Sylvia could recover the remaining memories. She might only remember


    what happened in those three years.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Back at Carter residence, Sylvia went downstairs after the call with Odell. She carried Flint and chatted with Madam Carter and


    Aunt Tonya while waiting for Odell¡¯s news.


    The day went by swiftly, but she did not get any updates from Odell even after Isabel and Liam came home from school.


    Had Odell been in the meeting for the entire day?


    It was almost dark. Sylvia lost her patience and decided to call Odell again.


    It was then Odell came in through the door.


    Isabel called, ¡°Daddy is back!¡±


    ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± Flint also weed his father home.


    Isabel ran over to her father.


    Odell hugged her into his arms and went over to Sylvia. Flint tried to crawl out of Sylvia¡¯s arms and head to his father¡¯s embrace.


    Odell carried the boy with his idle arm and walked past Sylvia as though she was invisible.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows. She went up to him and asked, ¡°Odell, had you contacted Skr?¡±


    He sat down on the couch with the two kids in his arms.


    Isabel then got off and ran to her brother¡¯s side. Flint continued to nuzzle against his cheek.


    Odell patted the boy¡¯s back and said, ¡°I just finished work. | didn¡¯t get the time to call her.¡±


    He then picked up a ss of water.

 Chapter 1092

    Chapter 1092


    Chapter 1092 Sylvia wanted to urge him to call Skr but when he started drinking, she paused and swallowed her words back.


    Flint, the naughty boy, swung his hands around and knocked the ss in his father¡¯s hand.


    Odell¡¯s hand slipped and the ss of water spilled over his pants.


    The baby chuckled happily after creating a mess. Odell looked at the baby. He immediately lifted Flint to save him from the


    water.


    Sylvia immediately carried Flint away.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Odell got up. ¡°I''ll go clean up.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia felt it inappropriate to urge him to call Skr now. She watched him go up the stairs and nned to talk to him after he


    cleaned himself up.


    However, the man took all the time he got and only came down in fresh new clothes after dinner was served.


    Madam Carter came out of her room.


    Sylvia did not want to talk about her memory loss in front


    of Madam Carter to avoid worrying her, so she was forced to put the topic aside again.


    After dinner, Isabel yed with Flint in the living room, while Liam toyed with his little gadget.


    Madam Carter watched her great-grandchildren y for a while before she went back to bed.


    Sylvia sat beside Odell, wanting to talk to him about recovering her memories.


    However, Odell called Cliff all of a sudden. ¡°Cliff, send me the meeting details from this afternoon.¡±


    He then looked at Sylvia with slight nervousness. ¡°I might have missed something important during the meeting in the afternoon.


    Stay with the kids. | have to go to the study room for a while.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and watched him go up.


    Two hourster, Flint was put to sleep in between Isabel and Liam, who were already snoring in bed.


    Sylvia pulled the sheets over them and went out. She walked to Odell¡¯s study room, but the door was shut.


    She knocked. ¡°Odell, are you done?¡±


    The man¡¯s charming voice sounded. ¡°I still have something to do. You go rest, don¡¯t wait for me.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me Skr¡¯s contact? I''ll contact her myself.¡±


    A few secondster, Odell answered, ¡°You''re not familiar with her. I¡¯ll contact her for you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call her after I¡¯m done


    with work.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and wore annoyance on her face.


    She had been waiting for him to contact Skr for the whole day now, yet he did not do it. How could she remain calm after all


    the waiting?


    Calling or texting Skr would only take a minute or two, at most five.


    Could the man refuse to contact Skr for her?


    Sylvia tried to open the door to get a clear answer but it was locked. The doorknob did not budge at all.


    Sylvia pursed her lips out of frustration and returned to the bedroom.


    The bedroom was equipped with a spacious balcony, and it connected to the other rooms from the outside, including the study


    room.


    Sylva snuck to the balcony and tiptoed to the study room.


    The curtains were not shut. Sylva leaned on the ss window and looked inside.


    The man was sitting behind the desk, slouching.


    There was a book in his hand, and since Sylvia was only a few steps away, she saw the title of the book that he was reading:


    Talks About Architecture.


    Sylvia reacted coldly.


    She might not know a lot about his work but she knew he was reading a book that was unrted to work. It was impossible for


    him to miss something from the meeting earlier.


    Knock.


    Sylvia knocked on the window.


    The man froze for a moment. He quickly turned around and saw Sylvia crossing her arms at him with a re.

 Chapter 1093

    Chapter 1093


    Chapter 1093 His handsome face looked shocked under the light. He curled his lips into a charming smile.


    Sylvia continued to re at him.


    Odell put the book down and walked to the window.


    He opened the window for her and hugged her into his arms. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Sylvia red at him coldly. ¡°If | didn¡¯te over from the balcony , | wouldn''t know that the important thing that you¡¯re referring


    to is reading a book.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for Cliff''s reply, so | thought | could kill some time with the book.¡±


    The man continued to give excuses.


    ¡°If you have the time to read, why can¡¯t you contact Skr for me?¡± Sylvia wanted to push him away but he hugged her tightly


    and kept her in his arms.


    Sylvia pounded his chest. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Odell continued to hug her. He looked at her gently and said, ¡°It¡¯ste. Skr might be asleep. I''ll call her tomorrow.¡±


    If Odell really wanted to contact someone, he would never care about whether the person was asleep or not.


    Sylvia was fed up with his excuses. She raised her hand and said, ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    She wanted to make the call herself.


    He continued to feign ignorance and held her hand.¡° Come on, let''s go back to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Give me her contact!¡±


    ¡°Let''s go back first. We''ll talk about it tomorrow.¡±


    Sylvia freed her hand from his embrace and reached out to his pocket, attempting to snatch his phone so that she could contact


    Skr.


    His shirt had no pockets, so she reached out to his pants.


    She barely controlled her strength as she was anxious to search for his phone in his pocket. As her hand went deeper, she


    identally grabbed his penis.


    Touching the bulging object shocked her. She blushed and immediately retracted her hand.


    She was still restrained by his hug, so when she pulled her hand out of his pockets, things got awkward.


    She awkwardly looked at him and saw his lust-filled eyes.


    ¡°|-| didn¡¯t mean it,¡± she stammered.


    Odell grinned and whispered, ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to exin.¡±


    The moment his words subsided , Sylvia was lifted from the floor.


    She squealed out of shock, and then tried to push him away. ¡°Odell, put me down! I didn¡¯t mean to hold your thing, | just want to


    get your phone!¡±


    He ignored her and carried her back to their bedroom.


    The moment they stepped inside, he pressed her against the wall and kissed her.


    Sylvia was silenced.


    ¡®Sleep with me...¡±


    After some vigorous love-making, the room returned to peace and quiet.


    Odell stroked her face and whispered, ¡°You wanna go wash up first? Or me?¡±


    Sylvia shut her eyes and turned away.


    Odell smiled. He got up and headed to the shower.


    The noise of water flowing came from the bathroom.


    Sylvia opened her eyes and grabbed his phone.


    She slid the screen and it required a password.


    She seemed to remember his password, so she tried keying it, but it was incorrect.


    She tried two more times but had no luck getting in.


    She tossed the phone away and sat up with her arms crossed in front of her chest.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She stared at the bathroom until the man came out of the shower.


    Odell saw the grumpy woman ring at him from the bed, and he found her amusing and cute.

 Chapter 1094

    Chapter 1094


    Chapter 1094 He returned to the bed and pinched her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m done. It¡¯s your turn.¡± Sylvia looked at him. ¡°Call Skr now, or


    give me her contact.¡±


    She sounded demanding.


    Odell held her chin and kissed her lips. ¡°Go wash yourself up. We''ll call her when you''re done.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°For real.¡±


    Sylvia jumped out of bed and dashed into the shower. After a quick shower and drying her hair, she came out in her sleeping


    robes.


    ¡°Odell, I¡¯m done. Let¡¯s call Skr¡±


    Before she could finish, she was stunned by the man sleeping on the bed.


    She had never been annoyed this much before.


    She clenched her fists and strode to the bed. She sat on his belly and started tickling him. ¡°Odell, wake up! Stop pretending!¡±


    She tickled his neck and armpits for a few seconds before his long arms grabbed her hands. Sylvia lost her bnce and fell


    backward. Next, she found herself underneath his broad chest. Odell stared at her blushing face deeply. He grinned. ¡°You want a


    second round?¡±


    Sylvia widened her eyes. ¡°You said you''ll call Skr after | shower!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | did.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you sleeping?¡±


    ¡°lm tired.¡±


    Sylvia continued to re at the man. ¡°Are you trying to keep me from contacting Skr?¡±


    The man pursed his lips.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows. ¡°Why?¡±


    He turned andy down by her side.


    Sylvia crawled to his side and stared into his eyes. ¡°Odell, tell me, why can¡¯t you contact Skr?¡± He looked at her deeply. ¡°Do


    you really have to recover your memories?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°I want to know what I¡¯ve been through in those six years.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Tonya told you.¡±


    ¡°She told me, but it¡¯s not real, at least | can¡¯t imagine any of it. She¡¯s not with me either and I¡¯m sure she missed out on a lot of


    the details.¡±


    Odell wore a heavy look and stared at her in silence.


    She asked, ¡°What''s wrong? Are you worrying about something?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm...¡±


    Sylvia was slightly surprised. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If you recover your memories, and decide to leave me again, what am | supposed to do?¡±


    Sylvia was stunned. She did not expect Odell to refuse to contact Skr because of this particr reason. A few seconds of


    silenceter, she smiled. ¡°Odell, what are you thinking? | came back from Glenchester with you. Why am | going to leave you


    again? | went to Glenchester to visit Sherry because | want a few days to clear my mind. I¡¯m not going to really leave you.¡±


    If she really wanted to leave him, she could have left for another city instead of going to Sherry and letting him grasp her


    whereabouts.


    Odell stared at her in silence.


    Sylvia ran out of options. Shey on his chest and hugged


    him. ¡°Odell, | promise you. | won''t leave you no matter how many years of memories | recovered. Okay?¡±


    His frosty looks softened up a little. He held her cheeks and said, ¡°How are you going to assure me?¡±


    Sylvia was surprised that he did not believe her.


    Was she not trustworthy before? Or was he losing a sense of safety around her?


    The thought made her ask, ¡°How do you want me to assure you?¡±

 Chapter 1095

    Chapter 1095


    His gaze shifted as he stroked her face. ¡°Cliff will deliver a guarantee tomorrow morning. Sign it.¡±


    ¡°What guarantee?¡± Sylvia was slightly confused.


    ¡°| want you to guarantee and promise that you''ll never leave me.¡±


    ¡°Since when did you tell Cliff to do that?¡±


    He pursed his lips. ¡°When you¡¯re showering.¡±


    The man was thinking about keeping her by his side while she showered?


    Everything that had happened was to lure her into his trap?


    Sylvia looked at him.


    Odell hugged her waist and whispered , ¡°Good girl. It¡¯s gettingte. Sleep now.¡± Sylvia asked immediately, ¡°What about Skr?


    I''ll sign whatever guarantee you want, so when are you going to contact her?¡±


    ¡°She''ll be here when you sign the guarantee.¡± Sylvia bolted up and stared at him. ¡°You contacted her already?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I did.¡±


    Sylvia was both amused and annoyed at the same time, and it rendered her speechless.


    She pouted, nced at him, and turned her back on him.


    The lights were switched off right after that. The man¡¯s strong arms then curled around her waist from the back.


    Sylvia closed her eyes. The man¡¯s rhythmic breathing sounded like a luby in her ears and she dozed off to sleep.


    The next morning, Odell did not go to work. He stayed at home with Sylvia after sending the kids to school.


    Awhileter, Cliff delivered the guarantee, which was only one page of content.


    In summary, Sylvia was to guarantee to never leave Odell no matter how many memories she recovered, or how angry she was


    or how much she resented him, or else she would need topensate him one hundred billion.


    Sylvia was left speechless by the ridiculous amount ofpensation.


    She went through the paper and signed her name on the paper.


    Odell folded it and then pocketed it.


    Sylvia looked at him. ¡°I''ve signed it. Where¡¯s Skr?¡±


    Cliff said, ¡°Madam, Ms. O''Brian is waiting outside. I''ll bring her in right away.¡± Cliff went out and brought Skr into the house.


    ¡°Master Carter, Ms. Ross, good morning,¡± Skr greeted the two as she slowly turned her attention to Sylvia.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± Odell held Sylvia¡¯s hand and went up. Skr and Cliff followed them.


    They went to the same storage room, where Skr previously treated Sylvia.


    The room was regrly cleaned, so it was spotless and refreshing even though it did not have a window.


    Odell released Sylvia''s hand in front of the door.


    Sylvia smiled to tell him not to worry.


    Skr said, ¡°Master Carter, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m better than before. Even if | can¡¯t help Ms. Ross recover all her memories, | can at


    least guarantee you nothing will happen to her.¡±


    Odell nodded and closed the door for them.


    Simr to the previous session, Sylvia and Skr sat opposite each other.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Skr chatted with her about trivial things to start things off. Until there was no more distraction , she pulled out the cross


    ne.


    ¡°Ms. Ross. Rx. We''re about to begin.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips after a deep breath. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She stared at the cross waving in front of her.


    Slowly, everything around her started to turn blurry except for the cross.


    Her consciousness started to fade into the void.

 Chapter 1096

    Chapter 1096


    Chapter 1096 Odell¡¯s towering figure leaned against the door outside the room.


    His brows were furrowed tightly as he waited. As he grew anxious, he took the guarantee letter from his pocket and stared at it


    nkly.


    Cliff said in a small voice, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t worry. Madam has signed it. She won''t leave you anymore.¡±


    Even though the content of the guarantee letter seemed a little outrageous, once Sylvia signed it, it would be a legal


    document with immediate effect.


    Odell rubbed the edge of the paper in silence.


    The guarantee was not just a method to scare her and deter her from leaving him, but it was also a constion he provided for


    himself.


    Even if she remembered the horrible things he had done to her and wanted to leave him again, he would seek another way to


    keep her by his side, and not use this guarantee letter against her.


    Seconds turned into minutes.


    An hour went by, and the door finally opened.


    Skr was drenched in sweat when she came out.¡±


    Master Carter , she¡¯s asleep. You may bring her back to the room.¡±


    Odell walked past her and carried the unconscious Sylvia into his arms. He strode back to their bedroom and ced her on the


    bed carefully.


    Then, he sat by her side and watched her in silence.


    He stayed by her side until the evening when the two little rascals, who had juste back from school, flung the door open.


    Isabel and Liam, together with Flint, popped their heads over the door to have a peek. They saw their father sitting by their


    mother¡¯s side.


    Flint waved. ¡°Daddy, Daddy...¡± Isabel covered her brother¡¯s mouth and stopped him from waving. The three of them quietly


    closed the door and left the two of them alone.


    The room returned to peace and quiet.


    Odell nced at his watch. It had been nine hours since the therapy session.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Sylvia had passed out for fifteen hours during the first session, so would she be unconscious for the same amount of time this


    time, or even longer?


    All of a sudden, a series of knocks came from the door.


    Odell turned and saw Liam at the door. The boy wore a


    grave expression as he said, ¡°Daddy, go have dinner. I''ll stay by Mommy¡¯s side.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. You guys go ahead. Take care of Isabel and Flint, and don¡¯t worry about Mommy.¡±


    Liam went silent for several seconds. ¡°Okay.¡±


    He had onest nce at his mother on the bed before he went out.


    The room returned to silence again.


    Odell held Sylvia¡¯s hand gently and continued to stay by her side.


    Sylvia¡¯s head was extremely heavy as if it was flooded by water, or swarmed by bees. Even though she was mentally prepared,


    it was difficult for her to digest that many memories in such a short period of time.


    She tried her best tob through the memories , and things finally started to clear up. The stories she had heard from Aunt


    Tonya turned into clear images in her mind.


    After the first three years, she brought Isabel back to Westchester, and they were reunited with Odell. Tara had then framed and


    used her of Madam Carter¡¯s ident. Her leg had been broken by Odell, and Tara had pushed her into theke, attempting


    to kill her.


    She could even remember the deadly chills that had crawled across her skin when she had fallen into the water.


    No wonder Odell was reluctant about her recovering her memories. She had truly resented him back then!


    Some timeter, when she finally arranged all her memories, she opened her eyes. Warm sunlight shone through the seam of


    the curtains, but the man¡¯s bloodshot eyes grabbed her attention. Instinctively, Sylvia pulled her hand away and sat herself up on


    the bed.

 Chapter 1097

    Chapter 1097


    Odell¡¯s hands felt empty while he stared at her intently.¡± Sylvia? How much do you remember?¡±


    His voice sounded gruff.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Sylvia looked at him coldly. ¡°You imprisoned me and broke my leg because of Tara. | remember everything.¡±


    Disheartened, Odell looked down. He seemed to have sunk into his own swamp of remorse, draining him of his energy and


    motivation. It seemed like all she remembered were terrible memories.


    Thud!


    Apunch suddenlynded on his broad chest.


    Stunned, Odell looked up at her.


    Sylvia said, ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? Can¡¯t | grumble a little?¡±


    The expression on his face changed. There was a hint of anticipation, but he was uncertain. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°| mean it literally. Can¡¯t you understand the humannguage?¡± Sylvia curled her lips into a smile. ¡°I remember everything, Odell.


    Tara almost killed me, Thomas schemed and took me to Galston, | gave birth to Flint, and then fell into his trap again. |


    remember it all.¡±


    Her face looked rather pale under the sunlight , but her smile was brighter than the flowers in the garden.


    Odell was stunned for a moment before he hugged her into his arms. He squeezed her tightly and whispered,¡± You really


    remember everything?¡±


    Sylvia leaned on his shoulder and voiced her annoyance," Why should | lie to you?¡±


    Odell released her and lifted her chin.


    The two of them locked eyes for a moment before they kissed.


    Sylvia put her arms around his neck as all the memories, bad and good, echoed in her mind.


    The clearest memory she remembered was when she had been abducted by Thomas, and Odell had tried to save her from the


    stairs strapped with a time bomb. He knew that only one person could escape alive, yet he had chosen to save her first.


    She had married the man twice, and there were many times that she wished she could bite him to death, but at the same time,


    the man had also supported her and provided her warmth many times.


    He had hurt her because Tara had deceived him, so it was unfair for her to cling to the bad memories.


    Since both of them loved each other, why not just live a


    life together?


    She could feel his warm breath on the tip of her nose.


    While they were kissing, an adorable voice rang out.


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy.¡±


    Sylvia froze. Odell immediately released her.


    The two of them turned to the door and saw Flint, in Liam¡¯s arms, waving at them. Isabel covered her eyes shyly while Liam


    looked away.


    Sylvia blushed. She red at Odell as if she wasining about kissing in front of the kids.


    Odell smiled and patted her head. He then looked at the peeking trio at the door and said, ¡°You guys go down first. Mommy and |


    wille down soon.¡±


    Sylvia felt embarrassed by the growling in her stomach. Odell smiled. He said to the kids before they went off,¡° Oh, and tell


    Sebastian to inform the kitchen to prepare something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Isabel answered and ran towards the living room.


    After Liam carried the gurgling Flint away, the room returned to silence.


    Odell stroked Sylvia¡¯s face and said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s get you up to eat.¡±


    Sylvia hummed a reply and got out of bed. She went to the bathroom to get changed , but the man followed her around. He


    waited outside when she cleaned herself up and leaned on the entrance of the closet as she picked some new clothes to wear.


    When Sylvia changed into some fresh new clothes, he held her hands.

 Chapter 1098

    Chapter 1098


    Sylvia went down to the living room with Odell.


    The meal was already prepared and the dishes were being served when they came down.


    Aunt Tonya came over and asked, ¡°Syl, have you remembered everything?¡±


    Sylvia smiled at her. ¡°Yeah, | remembered everything.¡±


    ¡°Great! Thank goodness!¡± Aunt Tonya cried excitedly.¡± Come,e sit down. You guys haven''t eaten anything for a whole day.


    Odell hasn¡¯t slept as well. Sit down and eat, and you guys can have a good rest.¡±


    Sylvia looked at the man beside her in surprise. He looked as frosty as usual, and when Sylvia looked at him, he gripped her


    hand tighter. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Sylvia finally realized his voice sounded rough.


    No wonder she had woken up to his bloodshot eyes. The man had stayed awake by her side for the entire night.


    Her gaze shifted as she hummed a reply and sat down.


    vish feast was spread out on the table. Sylvia filled her tummy quickly and then said, ¡°I¡¯m still feeling dizzy. Let''s go get some


    rest.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    He held her hand and walked toward the stairs.


    When they passed by the living room, Flint called out to them in his adorable voice again.


    Sylvia turned around and saw Isabel trying to silence her little brother. Even Liam held the boy¡¯s hand back and stopped him


    from moving.


    Isabel immediately said, ¡°Mommy, Daddy, you guys go rest. Leave Flint to me and Liam.¡±.


    ¡°We''ll take good care of Flint,¡± Liam assured.


    Flint gurgled in a muffled voice as his mouth and hands were being restrained.


    With that, Sylvia nodded with a smile and went upstairs with Odell.


    The curtains remained closed.


    Odell took off his slippers and shirt, and then pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tightly.


    Sylvia leaned on his chest and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. You should get some sleep too.¡±


    He hummed a reply.


    Sylvia shut her eyes. However, after falling unconscious for a day and a night, she could no longer go back to sleep.


    She opened her eyes after a few minutes and saw a pair of deep eyes studying her. Her gaze shifted. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±


    Having not slept for the whole night, should he not be tired?


    Odell looked at her and whispered softly, ¡°I want to have another good look at you.¡± Sylvia leaned on his chest. ¡°I¡¯m not going


    anywhere. Sleep.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The room was quiet until Sylvia lifted her head. She felt relief when she saw Odell soundly asleep.


    It was just that the embrace was a little too tight forfort, and staying in the posture would make her body numb.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She reluctantly tried to pull his hand off her waist to turn around, but his strong arm hugged her once more before she could


    even shift.


    Sylvia was once again pulled into his arms. His gruff voice came from above her head. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. | just


    want to turn around.¡±


    He lifted his hand off her waist the moment her voice subsided.


    Sylvia turned her back on him.


    He then put his hand on her waist again and hugged her once more. Sylvia pursed her lips and did not move anymore. She


    started to rey the memories that she had recovered. The good and the bad, everything yed like a movie reel in her mind.

 Chapter 1099

    Chapter 1099


    Chapter 1099 Sylvia fell asleep after lying idle for an hour or so.


    When she woke up, the sky was already dark.


    The man beside her had woken up and was staring at her with his deep eyes.


    She asked, ¡°When did you wake up?¡±


    He stroked her face. ¡°Just now.¡±


    Sylvia looked at the time.


    It was 6 o''clock in the evening. They had gone back to rest at around 11 o¡¯clock in the morning, so if he had just woken up, they


    had probably slept around seven hours.


    She sighed a breath of relief and leaned onto his chest.


    Odell stroked her head. ¡°Dinner is ready. Let¡¯s get up.¡± It was either because of the excessive sleeping or thefort of his


    chest, but she was not hungry and refused to wake up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move. | don¡¯t feel like getting up.¡± Odell pursed his lips


    and got out of bed. Before Sylvia could react, he put his hands under her arms and picked her up. Sylvia was surprised when he


    walked towards the door.


    Before they walked downstairs , Sylvia nervously said, ¡° Odell, put me down! | can walk!¡±


    Aunt Tonya, Madam Carter, and the kids were downstairs.


    Odell nced at her bare feet and continued walking down.


    Several pairs of eyes sized them up when he carried her down the stairs.


    Madam Carter, Aunt Tonya, Sebastian, Liam, Isabel, and even Flint turned to them. Everyone else smirked except for Flint, who


    was gurgling. Embarrassed , Sylvia turned away and buried her face in Odell¡¯s chest. She also softly pounded his chest to vent


    her embarrassment.


    Odell curled his lips in silence and carried her to the dining table.


    After dinner, Odell carried her back to the room. However, the kids followed their parents to the room this time.


    Isabel put her hands on her hips and bawled, ¡°Stupid Daddy, Mommy has been sleeping with you for a whole day now. It¡¯s our


    turn!¡±


    Flint babbled, ¡°Gur... Gur...¡±


    Liam carried Flint into the room before Odell could say a word.


    Sylvia waved at the kids. ¡°Izzy, Liam,e here.¡±


    While Isabel jumped onto the bed immediately, Liam put Flint on the bed before he climbed up himself.


    Sylvia hugged everyone in her arms.


    Even though Sylvia had remained close with the kids during her amnesia, it was not the same because they had not been part of


    her memories. Now, with all her memories recovered , she remembered everything they had been through together. It felt like a


    reunion after a long time.


    She kissed each of them on the cheeks after hugging them.


    Liam pouted shyly and Isabel cheered like a silly girl. Flint continued to gurgle on herp.


    Odell stood by the bed and watched the mother and kids with a nk expression.


    After some snuggling and nuzzling , Flint fell asleep on herp. Liam and Isabel finally felt tired after a long day.


    Odell went over to the bed and carried them up. He put the brother and sister on the floor and then put the baby in the brother''s


    hands.


    ¡°Go back to your room and prepare to sleep,¡± he said.


    ¡°| want to sleep with Mommy tonight ,¡± Isabel whined with a pout.


    Odell red at her.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hmph! Stupid Baddie!¡± Isabel grumpily stormed out of the room. Liam and Flint went out as well.


    Sylvia did not want the kids to go, so she frowned at Odell when they left. ¡°Odell, they are still young. Why are you so fierce to


    them?¡±


    ¡°If | were fierce, | would have thrown them out when they tried toe in.¡± He then made his way to the bed and approached


    her. Sylvia instinctively moved backward , but he caught her by the waist and held her chin with his other hand.


    Before she got the chance to retreat, he kissed her on the lips.

 Chapter 1100

    Chapter 1100


    Chapter 1100 Two dayster, after Sylvia fully digested the memories, her mind felt clearer than ever.


    Odell had been spending the past two days at home, apanying her. He would go to the study room to deal with work-rted


    stuff at times but mostly stayed by her side.


    Sylvia¡¯s phone chimed and attracted not only Sylvia''s attention but also Odell¡¯s. She picked up the phone and saw a text from


    Christopher. ¡°Sylvia, are you ready for thepetition?¡± There were only a few more days until the artpetition.


    She frowned at the text.


    Odell was beside her when she read the text. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°We are a few more days away from the artpetition, and the President is asking if I¡¯m ready for it.¡± His expression changed


    slightly. ¡°You haven''t decided?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know if | can do well.¡±


    The moment her words subsided, his warm palm patted her head and stroked it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go paint and find out??


    Sylvia looked into his deep eyes.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    As her heart pounded, she said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She then replied to Christopher. ¡°Mr. President, I''ll give you an answer by tonight.¡±


    Christopher replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She put her phone away and went up to the third floor.


    Odell followed her to her painting room.


    When she sat down before the easel, Odell sat down behind her, watching her with the kindest gaze. He seemed to want to stay


    by her side while she painted.


    Sylvia felt touched by his caring action, but she said, ¡° Odell, | might take a whole day. Why don¡¯t you go work on your things?¡±


    ¡°I''m not busy today.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sylvia pursed her lips.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia turned to the canvas. After a deep breath, she picked up her brush. A realistic image appeared in her mind, and she


    started to paint it ordingly.


    Strokes with different colors were painted on the canvas


    one after another.


    As time went by, the canvas was soon filled with a tapestry of colors.


    Sylvia went into a trance as she was carried away by the painting and concentrated fully onying the strokes. She did not even


    notice when Aunt Tonya and Sebastian came up with Flint to look for her and Odell.


    Odell told them to leave so that they would not disturb her.


    Some timeter, when the sunset¡¯s brilliance shone through the window andnded on her face, sheid thest stroke on the


    canvas.


    She put the brush down and sighed a breath of relief. She looked at the painting that she finished in that single session and


    smiled. Then, she turned around and saw the man sitting on the chair.


    ¡°¡¯''m done, Odell.¡±


    He smiled and walked to her to inspect her painting.


    It was a painting of their bedroom with a perspective from the window. In the picture , warm sunshine shone through the curtains


    and lit up the entire room.


    The painting looked simple but was skillfully presented. The first impression was that of warmth, brightness and energy.


    He had collected many famous paintings before and had the skills to identify a gem among artworks.


    It was not an exaggeration to say that she had painted a great masterpiece.


    Sylvia noticed his silence and grew nervous. ¡°How''s it?¡±


    He looked at her anticipatory gaze and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s really well done.¡±

 Chapter 1101

    Chapter 1101


    Chapter 1101 ¡°Compared to the ones | painted some time ago?¡±


    Odell pinched her cheek. ¡°You are the painter. Shouldn¡¯t you know better than me?¡±


    Sylvia felt she had done better than her previous work, but she wanted to hear it from a third person¡¯s view. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You tell


    me.


    Odell bent over and moved his handsome face closer. He looked at her with a bewitching smile and said, ¡°Kiss me and I''ll tell


    you.¡±


    Sylvia raised a brow at him. ¡°Odell, I¡¯m being serious here.¡±


    m too,¡± he said.


    Sylvia was left speechless because he did not look serious at all.


    She rolled her eyes at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, fine. I''ll go show it to the President and Simon. They will tell me.¡±


    She was clearly not in a lovey-dovey mood. She wanted to return to her painting, but his strong hand held the back of her head,


    so she was forced to turn back to him. Before she knew it, his handsome face was already in front of her.


    ¡°Mmm!¡±


    He kissed her firmly yet delicately on the lips, only releasing her after he had his fun. He looked into her eyes deeply. ¡°It¡¯s better


    than your previous ones.¡±


    It was even better than the painting that made her famous.


    Sylvia swallowed herints and smiled. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± he said firmly.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll go be the judge.¡±


    ¡°Sounds great.¡±


    Sylvia picked up her phone and texted Christopher.


    The artpetition was in three days.


    After Sylvia informed Christopher of her decision, she received the agenda for thepetition.


    There was a meeting before thepetition to finalize everyone¡¯s job scope and duty on that particr day.


    Sylvia woke up early for the meeting and went downstairs in fresh new clothes.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    When she was at the door, a cool-looking sports car was already waiting in front. In his handsome suit, the man leaned on his


    carzily while waiting for her.


    Sylvia went to the car and announced , ¡°I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He opened the door for her before he got into the driver¡¯s seat himself. The car then drove off to Westchester Art Association¡¯s


    Office.


    Half an hourter, the car arrived in front of the art association office. There was still half an hour until the meeting, and other


    than Sylvia, many people were arriving. Sylvia ran into Lily when she got out of the car.


    Lily wore a pair of high heels thatplemented her svelte dress. She also had a jacket draping over her shoulders and wore a


    pair of sses. Her outfit screamed high society, granting her a frosty demeanor that would keep people away.


    Her secretary was behind her. Other than the familiar few who greeted her, the others tried to stay out of her way. When she


    spotted Sylvia , she lifted her chin arrogantly and wore a vague smile.


    Sylvia looked away and pretended she did not see her.


    To her surprise, Lily came over and called out to her, ¡°Ms. Ross, are you here for the meeting as well?¡±


    Her condescending tone matched her haughty demeanor.


    Sylvia answered out of annoyance, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m here for fun?¡±


    Lily''s expression froze for a moment before she curled her lips into a grin. ¡°It seems like you have agreed to be the judge.


    I''ll be looking forward to the work you disy on the day itself.¡±

 Chapter 1102

    Chapter 1102


    Chapter 1102 Sylvia could not stand her hypocrisy. She ignored Lily and wanted to leave, but it was then that the car window


    wound down behind her.


    The man¡¯s handsome face emerged.


    ¡°Sylvia, you forgot your bag.¡± He extended his arm, holding her bag out of the window for her.


    Sylvia took her bag and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back first? | don¡¯t know how long the meeting will take.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°I have a meeting with a partner around the area. Call me when you''re done. I''ll pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Sylvia then turned around with her bag and went inside.


    Odell wound up the window and drove off in front of Lily.


    Lily¡¯s morous figure was stunned on the spot. Even the sses on her face failed to conceal her disbelief.


    The man drove Sylvia here himself and wanted to pick her up after the meeting? Was that not the driver¡¯s job?


    Her secretary went up to her and said in a small voice,¡° Ms. Springsteen, it''s almost time. Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Lily red at her. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to remind me.¡±


    The secretary kept her mouth shut immediately. With a grunt, Lily then elegantly walked into the building.


    The artpetition was in three days, and even if Sylvia could paint something in time, Lily strongly believed that she could not


    produce a satisfactory piece of work. She looked forward to seeing Sylvia embarrass herself with her poor painting. She would


    see if Sylvia could continue smiling then!


    The ck sports car dashed on the road for ten minutes before it stopped in front of a cafe.


    Indeed, he had a meeting with someone to talk about work-rted stuff, but it had originally been somewhere


    else. He was the one who changed the location to the nearby cafe at thest minute.


    He came out after parking the car.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Ding!


    His phone suddenly rang.


    He nced at the caller ID before answering it.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Cliff said, ¡°Sir, | just got news from Glenchester. Master Stockton is really marrying Shannon. Their wedding venue has been


    decorated for tomorrow.¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°How¡¯s Sherry doing?¡± ¡°Ms. Fowler is still being kept at the Stocktons !. | heard that she¡¯s behaving like


    usual as if the wedding doesn¡¯t affect her at all.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. Continue to keep an eye out.¡±


    ¡°Sir, should we help her?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do anything.¡± A quick pauseter, he added,¡± Unless she¡¯s in danger, don¡¯t do anything just


    yet.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s rtionship with John wasplicated, and it was not something an outsider like him could interfere with. Not even


    Sylvia could do anything.


    While Sylvia was preparing for the artpetition, it would be best to not let her know about this so that she could concentrate.


    A dayter, all kinds of guests thronged the entrance of Glenchester Grand Hotel early in the morning. Not only the locals, but


    even merchants and businessmen from other cities came all the way here to attend the wedding

 Chapter 1103

    Chapter 1103


    Chapter 1103 They were all there to attend the wedding of the richest man in Glenchester, John Stockton.


    The whole hotel was booked out for the event, and the hotel staff was prepared for this grand event.


    Once the guests arrived, they mingled in groups and started chatting while waiting for the bride and groom to arrive.


    Julie and Madam Stockton soon arrived at the hotel.


    As John¡¯s mother, even if Madam Stockton disagreed with the wedding, she had to attend it. Getting out of the car with Julie¡¯s


    help, she wore a dark green dress coupled with a fur shawl.


    Julie kindly reminded her, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Madam Stockton hummed a reply and said, ¡°Julie , you don¡¯t need to take care of me. Go on and serve the guests with


    Queenie.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mother. Call me if you need me.¡±


    Madam Stockton smiled at Julie''s kind gesture. ¡°Okay, | will.¡±


    She then turned to her daughter. ¡°Queenie , you''d better listen to Julieter. Don¡¯t cause any trouble, and keep


    your mouth shut about Shannon. Understand?¡±


    Queenie pouted but agreed nevertheless. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not an idiot.¡±


    Shannon would soon be her sister-inw, and if she continued to badmouth Shannon in front of the public, it would only


    embarrass herself and her family.


    Madam Stockton red at her. ¡°You''d better behave.¡±


    Julie then said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. | will keep an eye


    out.¡±


    Madam Stockton nodded with a smile.


    Julie and Queenie then went into the hotel.


    Another white MPV arrived and stopped in front of the entrance.


    Jannie and Matthew came out of the car.


    Jannie¡¯s dress was the same color as Madam Stockton¡¯s, and she also had a shawl over her shoulder. Matthew wore a


    handsome suit.


    Both of them were slightly surprised to find Madam Stockton outside. Matthew held Jannie¡¯s hand and walked over to Madam


    Stockton to greet her. He smiled and acknowledged her, ¡° Madam Stockton, you just arrived?¡±


    Madam Stockton responded with a frosty look. She


    nced at them and went inside without talking to them.


    Matthew''s smile froze.


    Jannie grunted. ¡°What¡¯s with that olddy? It was John who wants to marry Shannon! And she made it look like we forced her


    son to marry our daughter!¡±


    ¡°Stop it. Keep it down,¡± Matthew said, ¡°She has the right to act that way. After all, it¡¯s our honor that Shannon can even marry


    John.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because John loves Shannon! Even if that hag is unhappy with this wedding, she shouldn¡¯t use that attitude on us! If she


    treats us this poorly, how will she treat Shannon in the future?¡±


    Matthew sighed. ¡°Just stop. She might be John¡¯s mother, but John is the one in charge of the family. No matter how much she


    dislikes Shannon, Shannon is already John¡¯s wife¡ªit¡¯s a fact. | believe she will restrain herself in front of John, and she won''t do


    anything to Shannon.¡±


    Jannie sighed a breath of relief. ¡°I guess you''re right. When she¡¯s older, | guess Shannon will be the one in charge then.¡±


    Jannie¡¯s anger faded upon realizing that Shannon might be the one who would be in charge of the Stocktons in the future.


    She curled her arm around Matthew¡¯s and wore a proud look. ¡°I know Shannon is a capable girl. After all, she won


    John¡¯s heart and married him!¡±


    Sherry had dated John for a while back then, but they did not get married in the end. It was Shannon, her daughter, that was


    more capable than Sherry.


    Matthew smiled and echoed, ¡°Yeah, our baby girl sure is capable.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    While speaking about Sherry, Matthew finally remembered her existence. ¡°It has been more than a year, and we still haven¡¯t


    seen Sherry anywhere. What are the private investigators doing? Have they got any clue about her whereabouts?¡±


    Jannie wore a frosty look in response to the topic. ¡°No. Maybe she¡¯s in some other city doing god-knows-what.¡±


    Matthew might not like Sherry as well, but he was a proud man. If he found out about Sherry being kept at the Stocktons for


    more than a year as John¡¯s secret lover, he would never have agreed to let Shannon marry John.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1104

    Chapter 1104


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1104


    Chapter 1104 Meanwhile at the Stocktons¡¯ residence, the gate to Sherry''s front yard finally opened


    Today was John and Shannon''s wedding and also the daySherry would be free.


    She had woken up at six in the morning and had been waiting in front of the gate since then.


    She walked out of the front yard


    The moment she stepped outside, she felt a heavy burden lifted off her shoulders.


    Just when she was about to run and enjoy her regained freedom, a white sports car came over and came to a halt in front other.


    Sherry was forced to a stop


    The driver came out and opened the rear door to reveal a slender figure that emergedirom the car.


    The man was dressed in a white suit thatplemented his fairplexion


    His handsome face was on disy without his usual sses.


    They both exchanged stares.


    He smiled at her like a charming prince, stunning her for a few seconds.


    She had seen him in a white shirt before but a white suit was a first.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Was it his wedding attire? Her chest tightened a little.


    She clenched her fists and forced a smile at him.


    "Master Stockton, what are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be at your wedding?" John smiled.


    "I''m here to give you a ride." Sherry was taken aback.


    She maintained her smile and said, "You''re giving me a ride to go out?"


    John pointed inside the car without answeringher question.


    "Get in."


    However, Sherry refused to move.


    John narrowed his eyes.


    "You have two options now: go back inside, or get in the car."


    Sherry swapped her worried look witha ttering smile and got into the car right away.


    He then closed the door for her.


    Maybe because it was his wedding day, the car was decorated with roses.


    The whole interior of the car was filled with the fragrance of the flowers.


    It was certainly a pleasant scent that one would enjoy.


    Sherry sniffed around as John came in from the other side.


    He sat beside her and said to the driver, "Let''s go."


    The driver drove through the main avenue of the estate and reachedthe front gate.


    Automatically, the security guard opened the gate and let the car through.


    The car soon joined the traffic on the freeway.


    Sherry frowned


    The car showed no signs of stopping even afterit left the estate.


    She asked out of curiosity,¡± John, where are you taking me?"


    Was he not giving her a ride?


    John smiled


    ¡°Take a guess.¡± "Im not guessing, you jerk!" Sherry grabbed his cor and asked, "Where are you taking me?" "Why so serious?" John chuckled.


    He was not mad at all


    Instead, he held her hand and pried them off his cor.


    After tidying his cor and the white gloves he wore for the wedding, he said, "Today is my big day, and you''ve lived with me for morethan a year now.


    want you to attend the wedding.


    At least, stay for lunch."


    Sherry was shocked


    "You''re bringing me to your wedding?" He took his white gloves off, tossed them aside, and sat further awayfrom Sherry as though he resented her.

 Chapter 1105

    Chapter 1105


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1105


    wedding disgusted her enough, yet the jerk wanted her to attend it?


    Sherry bawled, "No! Stop the


    teeth and tuned away to the window.


    had to do was be patient.


    Things became quiet for a while.


    at the man.


    eyes watching her.


    lap.


    His lips remained curled into a grin.


    got.


    hidden emotions and dangerous self would erupt at any


    cared about when she could leave


    Glenchester Grand Hotel


    Only the valet was outside when they arrived.


    All the guests had gone inside.


    open the doors.


    John got out from the other side.


    car, a figure in white dress ran past her


    It was Shannon in her wedding dress.


    ran to John with the happiest


    here.¡±


    John pinched her chin and smiled.


    our wedding.


    | mustn''t let you wait.


    as soon as possible." Sherry was d that she had not had breakfast, or she would have thrown up.


    Shannon continued, "John, the guests are all here.


    Everything is ready.


    Let''s go in." John smiled.


    the bodyguard in the passenger seat, "Watch her.


    words diverted Shannon''s attention into the car.


    seconds


    Shannon froze.


    "Hello, my dear sister.


    Good morning," Sherry teased her.


    Shannon''s expression changed.


    She was baffled by Sherry''s appearanceThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    me here,¡± Sherry said with a smile.


    share?"


    Shannon''s gaze shifted


    don''t know what you are talking about."


    YT


    "Fine." Sherry did


    brother-inw, | will wait until the wedding is over.


    it did not conceal the frostiness behind his eyes


    one


    goin.¡±


    Shannon looked at his gentle smile and forgot about Sherry''s existence


    the two of them walked into the hotel side by side, Sherry got out of the car emotionlessly.

 Chapter 1106

    Chapter 1106


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1106


    Chapter 1106 The huge wedding venue could house more than " t1663219916005i="">a thousand guests.


    Sherry entered the venue under the bodyguard''s supervision


    rge group of guests, dressed morously, entered her sight.


    Most of them were influential businessmen in Glenchester, so Sherry barely recognized any of them.


    On the bright side, the people would not know about her or the secrets between her and John, so the chances of her embarrassing herseff in front of the publicdroppedThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    drastically.


    There was free-flow champagne and snacks all over the ce


    Sherry walked to aer and started her drinking spree.


    John and Shannon should have gone backstage to prepare for their grand entrance


    As the crowd quieted down and gathered around, the emcee and the staff prepared for thecouple''s march-in


    Sherry stood in the inconspicuouser and decided to stay invisible until the ceremony ended


    While she was munching on snacks, a familiar voice came from behind her.


    "Sherry, is that you?" Sherry froze for a moment before she turned around.


    The voice belonged to a young man in a gray jersey, which obviously did not fit the dress code of the ceremony.


    Despite already being in his thirties, his fit physique and tanned skin plus his dimples and warm smile made him looklike a senior


    in university.


    Sherry wore a smile


    "Mason, hi! It''s been a while." "It''s been a while indeed." Mason smiled.


    ''s been more than a year! Where have you been?" Sherry cautiously peeked at the bodyguard twometers away and said.


    you know.


    Going ces, visiting cities here and there." "How are you?" he asked.


    "I''m doing okay." It was then that several people walked past them and some of them nced at Mason.


    Sherry overheard one of them talking about Mason." Look, that''s Mason Brown, Mrs.


    Stockton''s ex-fiance."


    The gossipers then went off without pause.


    Sherry pursed her lips at Mason who merely smiled nonchntly as if he was not concerned aboutthe remarks.


    He said, "You know, | believe I''ve been living my best life in the past few years.


    | feel rxed." Sherry was surprised by his words.


    He stared at her.


    "| don''t need to be with someone | don''t like, and my parents are not forcing meanymore.


    | feel like | can go out with someone that | really like."


    Sherry blinked nervously.


    Just when she was arranging her words for a reply, a loud clunk sounded behind her.


    Sherry then realized she and Mason were standing beside a secret entrance.


    She turned around to see John walking in in his white suit.


    His hair wasbed backward which added ayer of frost to his cool looks.


    He emanated a strong aura that would make anyone distance themselves from him.


    When Sherry instinctively stepped back, Mason became aware of the situation and stepped forward to protect her.


    it was then that one of the staff came up to the side of the red carpetand said to John, "Sir, Mr.


    and Ms.


    Fowler are ready on the other side.


    Your position is by the red carpet, and all you have to do is wait for Mr.


    Fowler to escort Ms.


    Fowler to you." John pursed his lips for a fraction of a second before he recovered to his usual humble and kind self.


    "Okay."


    He did not look at Sherry or Mason.


    He simply walked past them and headed to the end of the red carpet.


    The emcee then started the ceremony by announcing the arrival of the groom

 Chapter 1107

    Chapter 1107


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1107


    Chapter 1107 Romantic music wafted through the air. Everyone stopped chatting and tumed their attention to Johnstanding in front of the red carpet.


    The door at the other end slowly opened, revealing Matthew and Shannon.


    Everyone saw the father and daughter clearly, including Sherry who was in the corner.


    Shannon smiled sweetly as she curled her hands around Matthew''s arms.


    Matthew walked her down the aisle with a heavy expression as if he was unwilling to give his daughter away.


    They walked over to John


    The emcee, who was also the marriage officiant, then said into the microphon


    Fowler, please hand the bride over to the groom.¡± Matthew''s eyes got teary at that juncture


    He patted Shannon''s head, whispered something in her ears, and made her tear up as well


    He then put her hands onto John¡¯s hands and said something to him as well


    Sherry was too far away to hear what Matthew said to John, but his teary eyes stated thathe was having a hard time giving his


    daughter''s hand away.


    He had probably told John to take good care of Shannon or something like that.


    John smiled


    He then held Shannon''s hand and walked forward to the stage, leaving Matthew wiping his tears alone.


    Sherry rolled her eyes at the man and then emotionlessly watched the couple walk up the stage.


    The spotlight shone on them.


    Sherry could hear the female guests voicing their admiration for John and the marrieddies expressing how awestruck they


    were about hisyouth and wealth.


    Many of them were jealous of Shannon for marrying the richest man in Glenchester, which would make her the richest woman in


    the city.


    The ceremony was like any other.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    After the marriage officiant guided them to read their vows, the crowd witnessed the exchange of the wedding rings and


    instructed thegroom to kiss the bride in the end.


    Thundering apuse broke out at the end of the simple ceremony.


    Sherry rubbed her eyes, which somehow felt tired, and turned around.


    Before she could walk out of the door, however, the bodyguard stopped her.


    "Ms, Fowler, the wedding isn''t over.


    You can''t leave." "Can''t you see that they''vee down from the stage?".


    Sherry said


    "The ceremony is over, but there''s still the banquet.


    Sherry clenched her fists.


    Right before she couldunch a punch in his face, Mason came over.


    "Sherry? Who is this guy? What is he talking about?"


    "Some goon," Sherry said angrily and then retumnedto the crowd.


    Mason frowned as he nced at the bodyguard before he followed Sherry into the throng ofpeople


    The banquet was held on the second floor.


    Each table wasbeled ordingly for families, rtives, and friends


    All the guests seated themselves ording to their rtionship with the bride and groom.


    When Sherry and Mason arrived at the banquet hall, two waiters came over to serve them.


    ¡°Excuse me, miss, which side are you from? The groom or the bride?"


    "Im just a friendof the Stocktons." The bodyguard , who had followed her up, then added,¡± She''s Sherry Fowler, the bride''s sister." Sherry red at the bodyguard who


    emotionlessly lowered his head.


    The other waiter asked, "What about you, sir?" Mason nced at Sherry.

 Chapter 1108

    Chapter 1108


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1108


    Chapter 1108 The waiters exchanged a quick nce, and one of them said to Sherry, "Ms. Fowler, this way,please.¡± Sherry followed the waiter inside.


    Just when Mason wanted to go in, the other waiter stopped him and pointed him in anotherdirection


    "Sir, your seat is this way.


    Please follow me."


    Mason frowned


    Sherry turned around with a smile.


    "Mason, you go ahead.


    Well talk after the banquet." She was aware of Mason''s feelings for her, but it was not the time totalk about that.


    She wanted to wait for this whole thing to end before telling him to move on instead of clinging onto her.


    All in all, she wanted to cut all ties with the Fowlers and the Stocktons.


    Mason''s eyes gleamed upon hearing her words.


    He nodded and hummed a reply.


    He then followed the other waiter to his seat.


    Sherry followed the waiter to the front seat, where the bride¡¯s family was seated.


    She saw Matthew and Janine happily sitting in the main seats of the table while the other rtives congrattedthem.


    The lively atmosphere fizzled out when Sherry appeared at the table.


    Everyone looked at her in shock and responded coldly to her arrival as if she should not be there.


    Matthew was just as shocked as the others.


    ¡°What are you doing here?" Sherry put on a fake smile.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "| was invited, of course." The waiter pulled out a chair for Sherry beside Janine.


    Sherry nced at the seat and decided to sit opposite Matthew and Janine instead.


    She would rather sit at the furthest end with two lesser-known rtives than sat beside Matthew andJanine.


    The already awkward situation was exacerbated, and both Matthew and Janine wore a frosty look.


    Matthew asked, "Where have you been in the past year?"


    Before Sherry could speak though, Janine intervened andsaid, "The rtives are at the table, and it''s Shannon''s wedding today.


    Let''s wait until the banquet is over." Matthew took a deep breath to suppress his anger.


    There were friends and families at the table, and knowing Sherry''s rebellious personality, if she enraged Matthewwith her words


    or actions, it would only embarrass them all.


    He red at Sherry.


    "Since you''re here, enjoy the banquet.


    When this is over, follow me home." Home? Sherry''s gaze shifted, but she did not speak a word.


    Matthew ignored her and continued chatting with the other rtives.


    Friends and families congratted him and Shannon for making the family proud.


    "| guess welll have to call Shannon Mrs.


    Stockton when we see her next time." Matthew shook hands humbly


    "You''re too kind


    Even if Shannon marries the king, she''s stil a junior in the family, so you guys can call her as you did before.¡±


    "She''s a junior alright, but we can''ttreat her as we do." "Yeah.


    John Stockton is the richest man in Glenchester, and she''s his wife.¡± "Shannon is really capable.


    really wonder how you two raised such a perfect daughter.


    if my daughter is half as capable as she is, | would be thankful.¡± Matthew nodded and waved humblyas his grin widened

 Chapter 1109

    Chapter 1109


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1109


    Chapter 1109 Janine wore a smile on her face. "All of you are too kind. We just taughther to be humble and grateful


    We didn''t really put her through anything special, or teach her how to find a magnificent man like John.


    It''s fate that brought them together." "That''s because Shannon is a charming girl.¡±


    Janine chuckled shyly.


    "Oh, you guys tter me.


    Come on, let''s eat.¡±


    Someone raised his ss.


    "Here''s a toast to celebrate Shannon finding a great man like John.¡±


    Matthew raised his ss andboomed , "Yeah, a toast!" Everyone at the table raised their sses into the air.


    Only Sherry continued to munch on her food and ignored the proposed toast.


    Everyone stared at her.


    Sherry sensed their gaze and responded with a smile,¡± You guys go ahead, don''t mind me."


    CongratteJohn and Shannon? She simply could not do it.


    She was not a saintess that could forgive the dirty couple.


    Everyone frowned at her reaction and then turned to Matthew and Janine for further instructions.


    Both of them wore a frosty look at Sherry''s reaction.


    Finally, it was Janine who recovered herposure and nudged her husband.


    Matthew then changed his expression and said, "Let''s just ignore her.


    Here, a toast to Shannon!" "Yeah!" Everyone ignored Sherry and drained their beverages to thest drop.


    Soon, one of the rtives, a middle-aged man, switched his attention to Sherry.


    "Sherry, | haven''t seen you for a while now.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    What have you been up to?" Sherry looked at the man who looked well-maintained for his age.


    His features resembled that of Janine''s.


    She barely remembered the man.


    She only remembered that Janine had a brother named Jake; this must be him.


    She looked at the man''s sharine smile and said, "Hi? | don''t remember having a young and handsome uncle.


    Have we met before?" Her question silenced the table again.


    Jake was stunned.


    He did not expect Sherry to not remember him, yet call him young and handsome.


    Was it a sarcastic remark, or was it to insinuate that they were not close?


    The others were caught by surpriseas well, and it fueled their resentment for Sherry.


    How could she not recognize her own uncle and even dare to voice it out in public? She should have known that it would


    embarrass himin front of everyone.


    Both Matthew and Janine responded grimly.


    Bam! Matthew mmed the table and shouted, "He is your Uncle Jake! How could you not recognizehim? Mind your words!"


    Sherry simply hummed a reply and smiled at Jake.


    "Uncle Jake, I''m sorry.


    I''ve only been in the family for a few years, and my mother only brought Shannon home, so | never got the chance to see youoften


    didn''t do it on purpose." Her words silenced the table once more.


    Everyone else turned to Janine


    Jake''s expression changed.


    He might resent her for being rude, but he managed to keep his cool


    ¡°It''s okay.


    Like you said, we don''t meet often, so it''s normal that you don''t recognize me."


    Janine grunted


    "Sherry, are you trying to cause a scene here? If you are not happy with me, we can talk about it at home after the banquet.


    Don''t embarrass me in front


    of everyone!¡±


    Sherry scoffed


    "| didn¡¯t mean to speak at all


    You guys made me." It was Jake who had spoken to her while she was eating, so it was not herfault

 Chapter 1110

    Chapter 1110


    Janine¡¯s expression froze.


    Even Jake, who spoke to Sherry first, was stunned. He asked, ¡°Sherry, are you unhappy with me or something?¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you before this, so why should | be unhappy with you?¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Jake was left speechless.


    Janine was trying her best to suppress her anger.


    The atmosphere became awkward for a while until Matthew intervened. ¡°It¡¯s enough. The girl came back when she was already


    a teen. She was spoilt in the countryside. Just ignore her and enjoy the banquet.¡±


    Janine rested her anger and said, ¡°Yeah, just ignore her. Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    She turned to Jake to say, ¡°Jake, don¡¯t mind her. Just enjoy the banquet.¡± The awkwardness faded as the others agreed with the


    suggestion. Jake grumbled, ¡°You guys shouldn¡¯t have brought her back. Now that Shannon is Mrs. Stockton, if others know that


    the little savage here is her sister, it will only embarrass the family more.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Jake¡¯s right.¡±


    Sherry clutched her cutlery tightly.


    Janine said, ¡°I know, | know. Father wants her back; and you know how his tempers are. We can¡¯t possibly argue with him.¡±


    Sherry looked at her and saw the brightest smile on her face. She had no idea that her own mother would be this gleeful to


    discredit her. She slightly raised her knife, but before she could pitch it out, Matthew intervened.


    ¡°Enough. No matter how rude she is, Sherry is our daughter. We''ll try our best to teach her the right way. Let¡¯s just leave her for


    now and enjoy the banquet.¡±


    As Sherry¡¯s bitter expression changed, she subtly lowered her hand holding the knife.


    Meanwhile , Janine sulked in silence. The others zipped their mouths since the man of the family had spoken. They continued to


    enjoy the banquet and simply ignored Sherry¡¯s existence.


    Just when Sherry thought she could make it through the banquet without any more hindrance, The bride and groom came by.


    John and Shannon had changed into simpler attire to walk around morefortably.


    John had changed into a ck suit with a red bowtie


    sitting snugly at his cor while Shannon had changed into a red dress.


    There were a few waiters behind them holding trays of champagne.


    Everyone at the table stood up, except Sherry. This time around, everyone ced their attention on the bride and groom instead


    of the ck sheep at the table.


    John and Shannon went over to Matthew and Janine who wore the brightest smiles on their faces.


    John grabbed a ss of champagne and said, ¡°Matthew, Janine, thank you for letting me have Shannon''s hand in marriage. A


    toast.¡±


    Shannon raised her ss together with her parents. Their sses clinked before they took a sip.


    ¡°John, I''ll leave Shannon in your care. Please take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°I''ll take care of her with everything I¡¯ve got. Don¡¯t worry,¡± John said.


    Janine said to Shannon, ¡°Shannon, you have to be a good wife to John and share the burden, do you understand?¡±

 Chapter 1111

    Chapter 1111


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1111


    Chapter 1111 Shannon smiled. "| know, Mom. Don''t worry.¡± The waiters refilled John and Shannon''s sses, The bride and the groom then turned to the table of


    rtives


    Everyone was standing except Sherry.


    She munched on a hunk of bread with her head lowered down


    For some reason, her hands were shaking terribly to the point that the bread almost fell out of herhand


    Maybe because the bread was too dry, she had a difficult time swallowing it


    While she was trying to swallow the bread, Matthew called to her coldly, "Sherry, John and your sister are here for atoast.¡± Sherry looked up and saw everyone


    else looking at her, including John and Shannon.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    John''s handsome features and slender figure stood out from the group.


    He wore a fake but polite smile and stared at her profoundly.


    Sherry had no idea what he was thinking Shannon frowned.


    Since everyone''s attention was on Sherry, no one noticed the brazen resentment she had for her sister.


    Sherry forced herself to swallow the bread and then said,"


    Sorry, | was carried away and didn''tnotice you two." Her words left everyone speechless.


    John walked over to her with his ss of champagne.


    Shannon was slightly surprised but managed to catch up to him.


    In this situation , Sherry was forced to stand up with her ss.


    ¡°My dear sister and brother-inw, | wish that you two will grow old together.


    A toast!" She raised her ss and finished the champagne in one gulp.


    The champagne was slightly spicy on the tongue, but it helped her swallow the bread and freedher throat.


    She put the ss down.


    "I''m done. You guys go ahead."


    John smiled


    "Great one, sis.¡±


    Sherry actually wanted to throw up


    Shannon and the others were stunned


    They did not expect John to call Shannon ¡®sis¡¯


    Both Matthew and Janine were slightly shocked


    Maybe because of the auspicious event, they forgot about the fact that Sherry had once dated John.


    Before they could recover theirposure, John turned to the others with a smile.


    "Everyone, cheers!"


    Shannon followed him and raised her ss.

 Chapter 1112

    Chapter 1112


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1112


    Chapter 1112 Cold water sshed onto her face and dripped from her chin. She shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath tocalm


    herself down.


    As she regained her breath and calmed her mind, she opened her eyes.


    She looked better than she had a few minutes before.


    In a haste, she grabbed the tissue paper from the side and started wiping the juice off her dress.


    After she finally cleaned herself, she went out and saw Matthew waiting for her outside.


    Sherry was surprised to find her father in the corridor.


    She asked, "Why are you here? Are you waiting for¡ª" p!


    Matthew struck her on the face before she could finish her sentence.


    The scorching sensation stung her face.


    Her mind went nk for a moment before she looked at her father in confusion.


    Matthew stared at her.


    "You ungrateful brat, your mother and | have already been putting up with your nonsense with your disrespect for us, and now


    you''re trying to y gameswith your sister and John? Are you trying to let people know about your past rtionship with him?


    Don''t be an embarrassment to me!".


    Sherry scoffed.


    "Mr. Matthew Fowler, what are you afraid of? | have been spoiled in the countryside since | was young and only joined thefamily


    in my teens.


    | didn''t spend enough time there because you two are afraid that people might gossip about me.


    Tell them that, or just tell them | am not your daughter! Disown me!" Matthew''s expression turned grim.


    He raised his hand but this time, Sherry took a step back and avoided it.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Matthew scolded her, "How dare you avoid me! Where have you been in the past year?!" Sherry continued to taunt, "Didn''t


    Shannon and your wifetell you anything?" "What do you mean? Have they known where you''ve been all along?" He looked


    surprised.


    "Of course. While John was choosing his wife at home that day, | was there and | met Shannonat his house." Sherry noticed the


    shock on her father''s face, so she continued, "What''s wrong? Didn''t they tell you?" Matthew looked around cautiously to make


    sure there was no one else in the corridor.


    "Why are you at the Stockton Residence?!" "Because | was there the whole year!" Tears trickled down Sherry''s cheeks as she


    maintained her forced smile.


    She never intended for him to find out about this, but why would he, her own father, treat her like an outsider?


    She had be John''s mistress fora year so that her family could live a good life, yet her parents treated her poorly, and her


    father just pped her without finding out the truth.


    Why? What did she do wrong? Was it because she was their daughter? Matthew widened his eyesin disbelief.


    "Why were you there for a whole year?" Sherry wiped the tears off her face.


    She forced a tight smile and said, "Because John kept me there."


    "Why? Why did hekeep you there?" Matthew demanded.


    "Do you remember what happened a year ago? When you and your wife knelt before me, asking me to helpyou? Don''t tell me you''ve


    forgotten all about it." Matthew''s rage dissipated, and he froze.


    Maybe because the revtion took him by surprise, he faltered backward.


    He managed to hold himself together after a while." You''re saying because you went to Johnto ask for help, and you made a deal with


    him? So, he..." "Why else do you think a rich man like him will invest in yourpany without any good reason?" Matthew frowned tightly.


    He murmured, "No, | remember that he told me that he is interested in our family business and its future development,so he invested in


    us..." He had once assumed that the investment only took ce because Sherry had begged John, but he did not expect her to be locked


    up for a year.


    That would mean that Sherry had been John''s mistress for a whole year!


    Why would he marryShannon now? His face swiftly turned pale as he connected the dots.


    He red at Sherry before he went back to the wedding venue.


    In her pathetic state, Sherry grinned softly.

 Chapter 1113

    Chapter 1113


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1113


    Chapter 1113 Matthew walked away. Sherry thought he would at least feel guilty or something, but it seemed like she overestimated him.


    She took a deep breath to regte her emotions.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    She turned around and wanted to go into the toilet to clean herself up again, but she founc Queenie standing at the door.


    Queenie looked like a princess in her yellow dress and with her blonde wavy hair.


    Sherry had no idea how long Queenie had been standing there


    Queenie was looking at her with aplicated look.


    Sherry paused for a moment and walked past her.


    She went into the toilet and started washing her face at the faucet.


    Queenie came in and awkwardly looked at her.


    "Hey... You won''t get the red p mark off with water.¡± Sherry ignored her and continued towash her face.


    Subtly, Queenie handed her the cushion foundation." This brand''s cushion foundation is good.


    You can use it to cover the mark." Sherry paused for a moment and epted thefoundation.


    "Thanks." She started to tap the foundation on her face with the little cushion.


    Queenie pouted.


    "You don''t need to thank me. | just don''t like seeing an ugly person. The p makes you hideous."


    Sherry scoffed


    "You''re cute when you don''t speak."


    Queenie''s expression changed


    ¡°Are you saying that I''m not cute when | talk?" Sherry covered the p mark with the foundation and putthe cushion back into the


    box.


    Then, she gave it back to Queenie and was about to leave.


    "Sherry, wait!¡± Queenie shouted


    Sherry turned around emotionlessly.


    "What?"


    Queenie awkwardly pouted


    The cruel words were stuck in her throat when she saw Sherry''s reddish eyes.


    She would have scolded Sherry if she had not overheard the conversation.


    "Your eyes are a little red," she stated.


    Sherry looked into the mirror.


    She then closed her eyes and rinsed them with water.


    Queenie asked in a small voice, "Aren''t you close with your family?"


    "Nope."


    "They treated you poorly, and you still helpedthem. Why?" Queenie was baffled


    "Maybe I''m that dumb," Sherry said


    Queenie furrowed her brows.


    "| know you''re a little dumb but you shouldn''t call yourself that.¡±


    Sherry washed her eyes and turned to her with a smile."Thank you.¡± Queenie¡¯s gaze softened


    "You''re wee. | still hate you though." "Whatever." Sherry then walked out of the toilet.


    There were two ways at the end of the quiet corridor: one that led outside, and hat returned to the banquet venue


    Sherry took the exit on the left without a second thought


    She then saw the bodyguard that John had arranged to watch over her in her way.


    The bodyguard stood in front of her and stopped her from leaving


    "Move."


    However, the bodyguard wasexpressionless


    "The banquet is still ongoing

 Chapter 1114

    Chapter 1114


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1114


    Chapter 1114 Sherry curled her fists and sat on the floor. She leaned on the icy cold wall and decided to wait for thebanquet to be over.


    She refused to return to the banquet hall.


    The bodyguard then left her alone and retreated two meters.


    At the same time, someone else was watching from behind the corner.


    The man with the slender figure stayed in the shadows as he leaned on the wall.


    He was still dressed in the ck suit with the red bowtie, but his face was emotionless.


    He had been standing there for a while, and even the back of his jacket startedto wrinkle.


    After Matthew returned to the banquet hall, he pulled Janine away from the table.


    "Come out. | have something to talk to you about," he said coldly.


    Janine''s expression changed.


    She followed him out of the hall through the other exit, a safe passage with no one around.


    "What''s wrong? Why did you pull me away?" Matthew red at her.


    "Sherry has actually been staying at the Stocktons'' ce for more than a year now, hasn''t she?"


    Janine''s face turned pale.


    "H-how did you know? Was it Sherry? That wretched girl!" "You knew and you didn''t tell me?!"


    ¡°| only found out about itwhen John and Shannon were engaged." "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME!" he shouted.


    His roar stunned her for a moment before she retorted," What could you possibly do about it even if you knew? Shannon has


    fallen for John,and John loves her.


    He came to us and agreed to marry Shannon, even if he has another woman at home.


    | know Shannon is important to him and is special to him."


    Enraged, Matthew pointed at her.


    "That woman isn''t just some whore outside. It''s our daughter! Shannon''s sister!"


    Janine scoffed.


    "You took her in as your daughter, not me.


    I''d rather not acknowledge her as my own blood." Matthew was infuriated by her remarks .


    He tapped his forehead and continued , "Do you know why she''s been kept there for more than a year?" "Howshould | know?


    Maybe she''s trying to seduce John and make him marry her instead." "She''s there because she helped us!" Matthew sighed.


    " Have you forgotten that we begged her to save us a year ago? She helped us ovee thefinancial crisis." Janine was


    stunned, but she quickly recovered herposure.


    ¡°Are you saying John kept her there because of the deal she made to save us?" "What else?"


    ¡°Hmph! Even if it''s true, sheasked for it.


    We knelt before her when we asked her to help, so what else does she want?" Janine continued to discredit her.


    "She''s still our daughter! If others find out that both our daughters are rted to the same man, one as his wife and one as his lover ,what


    will the public think of us?!" Matthew consciously lowered his voice to avoid being overheard.


    Janine''s gaze shifted.


    "Shannon has married John.


    As long as that ungrateful girl stays away from John and doesn''t talk nonsense, no one will know."


    Matthewfrowned in silence.


    Janine took his silence as a sign of eptance.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She sighed and said, "Shannon has really fallen for John.


    If John doesn''t have feelings for her, why would he marry her? Marriage is huge, especially for the richest man inthe city.


    He won''t simply marry anyone that he doesn''t like.


    Stop overthinking.


    As long as Shannon is able to live her best life, | don''t care about anything else.¡± It had been an hour since Sherry satby the wall in the


    corridor.


    The banquet finally finished and the guests started toe out.

 Chapter 1115

    Chapter 1115


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1115


    Chapter 1115 The bodyguard turned away as soon as the guests came out.


    Sherry''s eyes gleamed. She wantedto leave the hotel, but when she stood up, her legs went numb.


    Maybe because she had been sitting with her legs crossed for an hour and bolted upall of a sudden, she lost her bnce and fell.


    Fortunately, before she crashed to the ground, a strong tanned arm caught her.


    Sherry looked up and met a pair of bright eyes looking at her.


    ¡°Are you alright?" Mason asked.


    Sherry smiled.


    "Yeah. |''m fine. It''s just that my legs are a little numb." She retracted her hand after she regained her bnce.


    "I''ve been looking for you. | didn''t see you here just now. Why are you sitting down here?" Mason said.


    ¡°Nothing in particr. | just don''t want to go back inside." Mason remembered her poor rtionship with her family andpursed his


    lips.


    He switched the topic and said, "The wedding is over. Let''s go." Sherry went out of the hotel with Mason behind her.


    As the two of them stepped out of the entrance, she peered up into the bright sun and the blue sky.


    She took a deep breath to enjoy her regained freedom.


    Mason noticed the happiness on her face.


    "Sherry, are you freeter? Let''s go for a drive." "Of course." She could use this chance to make things clear.


    ¡°My car is over there. Come on." Sherry then followed him to the parking lot.


    All the guests had left the hotel and headed towards their respective rides.


    Ahush settled over the wedding hall.


    In his ck suit, the groom was standing beside the ceiling -to-floor window next to the door.


    He pocketed his hands as he watched the guests walk to the parking lot.


    He then spotted Sherry walking towards the parking lot with Mason, and a frosty look appearedon his face.


    Shannon had been standing beside him minutes ago, yet he did not even spare her a nce.


    She frowned and looked in the direction of his gaze to see Sherry and Mason among the guests.


    Her expression changed.


    She immediately curled her hands around John''s arms and asked softly, "John, what are you looking at?"


    Johnretracted his gaze.


    "Nothing." "Let''s go home. The wedding is over." "I still have to go back to the office to settle some leftover work. You go home with Mom


    and Julie." He listlessly retracted his arm from her hands.


    Shannon looked shocked.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    She wore a sulky expression and said, "John, are you really leaving me alone on our wedding day?"


    John''s expression subtly changed.


    He smiled and stroked her face.


    "Good girl, go home with Mom and Julie. I''lle home as soon as I''m done." "But today is our wedding day. Can''t you do that


    tomorrow?" Shannon protruded her lips and begged.


    "Shannon, | don''t like repeating myself. If you don''t listen to me, I''ll get mad." Despite his words, he continued to wear a smile onhis


    handsome face.


    However, Shannon felt scared all of a sudden.

 Chapter 1116

    Chapter 1116


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1116


    Chapter 1116 Sherry and Mason quickly walked over to where Mason''s car was parked. Coincidentally, just as Mason had just taken his


    car keys outand was about to unlock the car doors, Matthew and Janine walked over as well.


    Matthew and Janine were surprised when they spotted Sherry and Mason together.


    However, they very quickly hid their shocked expressions.


    Matthew smiled at Mason.


    "Mason, are you two heading out together?" Out of courtesy, Mason smiled in return and replied," Yes, UncleMatthew.


    We''re nning to go out for a walk." "Okay, but can you go inside the car and wait for a moment?We would like to speak with Sherry for a


    little while." Mason looked toward Sherry.


    There were no other emotions on her face besides indifference.


    Sensing Mason''s gaze, she said to him, "You can wait for me in the car." Mason replied, "Okay." Then, he got inside the car.


    Immediately, Matthew and Janine''s expressions toward Sherry turned cold, especially Janine.


    It was not only a feeling of coldness on her face but hatred as well.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Sherry noticed their expressions and her tone of voice subconsciously turned icy as well.


    "Just quickly say what you want to.¡± Matthew said unhappily, "We''re your parents. What kind of attitude is that?"


    Sherry sneered.


    "Why don''t you two look at your own attitudes towards me first?" Matthew''s expression stiffened.


    In acold voice, Janine scolded, "Sherry, don''t get arrogant just because we showed you some kindness.


    Do you think we even want to talk to you?" It seemed like she wanted to continue scolding Sherry,but she shut her mouth when


    Matthew pulled on her.


    When Matthew looked at Sherry again, his expression had improved.


    He said, "Okay. If | had known that you had gone to the Stockton family for over a year tohelp us, | wouldn''t have let you ask


    Master Stockton for help.


    Your mom and | owe you one for this.


    After today, don''t run around all over the ce anymore ande back home." Sherry puffed her chestout.


    She pressed her lips together and did not say a word.


    Suddenly, she did not know what she should say.


    Before she could make a decision, Janine said to Matthew in annoyance, "Why are you telling her these things? If it weren''t for


    uspicking her up from the countryside back then, she would probably still be a country bumpkin.


    No matter how much she helps us, we still don''t owe her anything!" After that, she said to Sherry, "We''re here to warn you. Your


    sister is Master Stockton''s wife now. | don¡¯t care what entanglements you and Master Stockton have had in the past. From today


    onward, you must stay away from Master Stockton, and you''re not allowed to approach him again. Do you understand?"


    Matthew pressed his lips together.


    He did not say anything Sherry felt as if she had been pped a few times across the face.


    It was ridiculous.


    She had even thought that Matthew had been sincere in wanting her to go home earlier and had almost agreed toit.


    She had not realized that the reason they hade to her was to warn her not to go near John anymore.


    They were afraid of her ruining Shannon''s life.


    Ha.


    Sherry could not help but sneer.


    Janine immediately red at her.


    "What are youughing at?" Sherry said, "I''mughing because you guys are overthinking things. It has always been John who kept


    pestering me. | never approached him." Janine''s face stiffened.


    Matthew''s expression darkened too.


    Sherry added, "Why don''t you guys warn John instead of me? | won''t be connected to himin any way as long as he stops bothering me."


    After speaking, she walked toward Mason''s car.


    She reached the car, opened the door, and entered it.


    She did not even bother to look back at Matthew and Janine.


    Matthew and Janine stood in the same spot, with unpleasant expressions on their faces.


    Not long after, the car Mason and Sherry were in drove away.


    Janine scolded coldly, "What a b*tch!" Matthew frowned.

 Chapter 1117

    Chapter 1117


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1117


    Chapter 1117 "Was | wrong in scolding her?" Janine pointed in the direction that the car Sherry was in had left. "She used to be Master


    Stockton''slover, and now she has hooked up with Mason.


    Look at her.


    Which part of her looks like a properdy?" "She was together with Master Stockton for the sake of our family,"Matthew sighed, "Besides,


    in order to allow for Shannon to marry John, we unterally ended Shannon''s engagement to Mason.


    | keep feeling guilty toward the Brown family.


    If Sherry can be with Mason, our rtionship with the Brown family can be maintained.


    We won''t have to worry about Sherry having anything with Master Stockton too." After hearing what he said, Janine''s expression eased.


    "You''re right.


    However, the Brown family doesn''t like that b*tch." "It''s fine as long as Mason likes her." "Hmph.


    That b*tch can''t do anything well, but her skills in seducing a man are pretty strong." "Well, after all, she is our biological daughter.¡¯


    would rather not havegiven birth to her.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    I''m so unlucky to have a daughter like that." si ?


    The green Jeep moved steadily along the road.


    Mason sat in the driver''s seat of the car.


    Sherry leaned against the window as she sat in the backseat.


    She had lowered the window and rested her elbow on the window sill.


    She supported her face on her palm and closed her eyes to enjoy the cool wind that was blowing outside.


    From time to time, Mason looked into the rearview mirror.


    Seeing Sherry''s messy wind-blown hair and her charming, palm-sized face, he could not help but smirk.


    Little did he know that a dark blue sports car had been following him the momenthis car had exited the hotel''s parking area.


    That car followed behind Mason''s car from a distance.


    In the car, the man was still wearing the ck suit.


    Perhaps it was because the cor was too tight.


    As the man turned the steering wheel with one hand, he stared intently at the Jeep in front while yanking the bow tie around his


    cor with theother hand.


    The cor was pulled open as well, revealing a patch of skin.


    About 20 minutester, the Jeep drove to the outside of a park.


    It was a high-ss recreational park.


    Aside from the beautiful scenery all around, there were also ces like cafes and teahouses where peoplecould chat and rest.


    The Jeep stopped at the entrance.


    "Sherry, we''re here." Mason turned around and spoke to Sherry with a smile on his face.


    After giving him a reply, she pushed the door open and got out of the car.


    She then walked alongside him.


    Mason seemed to be a regr of that ce.


    When they reached the entrance, the park''s door automatically opened after he casually took out a card.


    The scenery inside was different from the usual natural scenery.


    It had been intricately built, giving off a rxed,fortable feeling.


    Upon entering, Mason said to Sherry, "|e here often whenever | have something on my mind.


    Sherry, do you like quiet ces like this?" Sherry said, "| do quite like them."


    Although she had spent so much timein Lush Heaven for many years, who would not like a quiet and rxing ce like that? "I''m happy


    that you like it." Mason smiled.


    "Let me take you to the teahouse | usually frequent."


    "Okay."


    After walking through a crossroad, they arrivedat a teahouse that was situated on ake.


    It was different from usual teahouses.


    The teahouse had a modern design with a touch of personal style.


    The teahouse''s boss clearly recognized Mason.


    He weed them the moment he saw Mason enter.


    The boss was a plump middle-aged man with a very cheerful and contented smile.


    "Wee, Mr.

 Chapter 1118

    Chapter 1118


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1118


    Chapter 1118 Sherry was stunned. "Ahem." Mason cleared his throat. He said, "Boss, the table | usually take is empty now, right?" The


    owner snapped back to his senses.


    He quickly said," No.


    | reserved it for you this whole time." After speaking , he moved aside to make way for Sherry and Mason.


    Mason smiled and looked toward Sherry, "Sherry, let''s head over there."


    Sherry nodded and followed him inside.


    They sat at a ce near the windows.


    There were partitions at the front and back of that table which provided a lot of privacy.


    The aisle was on the right, while the vastke and other scenery could be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windowon the left.


    Sherry and Mason sat opposite each other.


    The owner brought the menu to them.


    "Mr.Brown, would you like the Sherry tea as usual?" He asked Mason with a smile.


    Agleam shed in Mason''s eyes.


    He looked toward Sherry.


    Sherry was stunned.


    Sherry tea? What was that? Why had she never heard of a tea named "Sherry" before?


    "I''ll get the Sherry tea as usual,¡± Masonsaid.


    He asked Sherry, "Sherry, what tea would you like?" Sherry took the menu.


    Ata nce, there weremon teas like Earl Grey and English Breakfast.


    There were also fruit teas like pear citrus tea.


    However, "Sherry Tea" was written in bold letters on thest row of the menu.


    Its price was also double the other teas above it.


    T "What kind of tea is Sherry tea?" Sherry asked.


    The owner looked toward Mason instinctively.


    Agleam shed across Mason''s eyes, but he pressed his lips together and did not say anything.


    The boss smiled and said, "The Sherry tea was specially developed by Mr.Brown for our store.


    Every step in preparing the tea has to be handled carefully.


    Aslight deviation from any step will affect the tea¡¯s texture.


    Therefore, the taste of the tea is very delicious.


    Many customers like it." So, Mason had developed this tea? And it was called " Sherry Tea"?


    Sherry would be a fool if she still didnot understand the situation.


    She bit her lip.


    "Please give me a serving of Sherry tea too." ¡°Alright,¡± the owner asked, "Do you guys need any snacks?"


    ¡°Just bring the usual for me." Masonlooked at Sherry.


    He asked with a smile, "What would you like, Sherry?" Sherry flipped through the menu.


    Her gaze brightened when she saw the whole page of tasty snacks.


    She said, "| want the cocktail ribs, chicken popcorn, spicy chicken wings, deep-fried shrimp, meatballs, and bacon wrapped


    asparagus..."


    She mentioned over ten dishes in one gowithin ten minutes, all of them containing meat.


    1


    Mason and the owner were dumbfounded.


    The boss looked toward Mason.


    Mason held back hisughter and said to him, "We''ll have everything she ordered." "Okay.


    l''ll prepare them right away." The owner took the menu away.


    The snacks must have been prepared beforehand.


    The waiters served the snacks shortly after that.


    Sherry immediately took a spicy chicken wing and started eating it.


    Mason gazed at her with a grin.


    "Sherry, did you not eat your fill for lunch?" Sherry''s eyes trembled.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She replied, "Mm. | lost my appetite when | saw those people, so | didn''t eat much." Masonughed.


    "Don''t say that. They''re your family, after all. | think Uncle Matthew and Aunt Janine do care about you."


    They cared about her?


    Sherryughed.


    "If you keep mentioning them, | won''t be able to eat these things too."


    Mason''s expression changed.


    He had not expected her to dislike Matthew and Janine that much.


    He immediately said, "Okay.


    HI stop talking about them." He asked, "What are your ns next? Are you going totravel overseas again?" "Mm.


    Most likely." Sherry had not decided where she wanted to go yet, but she definitely wanted to leave nchester City.


    Mason smirked.

 Chapter 1119

    Chapter 1119


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1119


    the owner served two cups of Sherry tea that


    The teacup was made out of a transparent ss.


    nce


    red nor was it a uniform shade of red.


    tea, but it could only be seen vaguely.


    The design of the tea was pretty special


    Sherry immediately took a sip


    Itwas cold, refreshing, and delicious.


    She could not describe the exact taste.


    the tea was just nice


    Itwas tasty indeed


    Sherry took a huge sip again


    After that, she continued eating her chicken wings:


    "k1663397729071 i="">


    ">faced the floor-to-ceiling windows beside Sherry and Mason, a man''s " k1663397734402i="">upright figure


    Nothing about it had changed in the slightest.


    from the hotel''s manager.


    "n1663397729072i="


    The telescope magnified the scenery far away.


    eating snacks as they sat by the window.


    ">the other person was smiling like a fool as he " 01663397734403i


    Huh


    love.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ">Shannon? At that moment, Sherry, who was happily eating, suddenly" di663397734403i="">felt that something


    and an unknown building that was as small as an ant and could barely be seen.


    like someone was staring at her? "What''s wrong, Sherry?" Mason asked her.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She must have sensed it wrongly.


    Mason kept staring at her.


    ">now." Sherry saw that she had almost finished all the " p1663397734404i="">food in front


    delicious.¡±


    Mason grinned


    this for me, but | want to leave alone.


    stiffened


    He said, "Don''t worry.


    | won''t be a burden.


    | just want to be with you.


    ">go to have fun too."


    "Its


    together.


    good partner for you


    Don''t think of me anymore.


    suitable for you." Mason lowered his head


    him" Mason was referring to was John


    "I''m not thinking of anyone


    "d1663397729077i=">


    John looked toward her.


    "Sherry, | really like you


    be rted to Shannon anymore from now on.


    There won''t be any obstacles in our path too


    sincerely.


    "so you should forget about it too.¡±


    "Sherry,


    "d1663397729078i=">


    because Shannon had set him up.


    that she had already forgotten many important details


    longer.

 Chapter 1120

    Chapter 1120


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup


    Chapter 1120 Mason immediately pressed his lips together and his


    expression darkened too.


    Sherry felt too awkward to continue eating.


    She stood up and said to Masonsincerely, "Mason, thank you for treating me to tea."


    Mason''s head was half-lowered and he did not say a word.


    "I''ll be taking my leave first.


    Goodbye." After speaking, Sherry left her seat.


    Mason suddenly stood up and smiled at her, albeit a little bitterly.


    ¡®Til see you off." Sherry replied with a smile, "There''s no need.


    HI take a


    taxi."


    Mason pursed his lips.


    "I''ll see you off until the outside of the park then."


    Sherry did not refuse his offer.


    "Okay." They walked out of the teahouse together toward the park entrance.


    In the hotel, John put down the telescope.


    He then stood up and walked outside.


    At the same time, he took his phone and made a call.


    The call was picked up very quickly.


    John asked, "Have you arranged the personnel as | instructed?"


    Aperson replied, "Master Stockton, all arrangements have been made ordingto your orders.


    Our people are outside the park no¡¯ ¡®They''ve gone outside.


    Follow them and report their movements to me at any time."


    "Got it, Master Stockton."


    Not long after, Sherry and Mason exited the park.


    They were just a few steps away from reaching the roadside.


    Sherry stopped and looked toward Mason.


    She smiled at him and said, "You don''t have to apany me from this point onwards."


    Mason''s steps halted.


    His lips curved into a smile.


    "Okay.


    Goodbye." "Bye." Sherry waved her hand at him and walked to the roadside.


    Coincidentally, an empty taxi passed by.


    Sherry gestured with her hand, and the taxi stopped before her.


    She got into the car.


    The taxi driver asked, "Youngdy, where would you like to go?¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Sherry thought about it and said, "Please takeme to the train station." She wanted to go to Westchester City first to visit Sylvia


    and have a look at Lush Heaven.


    After that, she would think carefully about where to go next.


    Westchester City was just beside nchester City.


    Taking the train would be the most convenient way.


    The taxi driver replied in the affirmative .


    After that, he drove toward the train station.


    In the rearview mirror, Mason''s tall figure continued to stand outside the park with his gazefocused in Sherry''s direction.


    Sherry nced at him and quickly withdrew her gaze.


    She lowered the window a little to let the wind blow inside.


    She leaned back against the backseat and closed her eyes.


    She thought of the unrestrained life she would have next.


    She would no longer be confined in that small courtyard forbor.


    She no longer had to eat in bread or canned vegetables every day too.


    The corners of her mouth could not help but curve upward.


    Creak!


    The car suddenly stopped.


    Sherry''s body lurched forward.


    Her head hit the seat in front of her.


    "Ow." She covered her head and sat back.


    Just when she wanted to ask the taxi driver about what had happened, she saw two cars in front facingthe taxi.


    It was not just the front.


    There were a few ck sedans on the taxi''s left, right, and behind as well.


    It seemed like a nned scheme.


    The taxi was blocked from all directions and was unable to move at all.


    The driver''s face paled out of fear.


    After a momentary daze, he took out his phone.


    It seemed like he was intending on calling the police.


    At that moment, a young man in a suit got out of the frontmost car.


    Sherry''s gaze changed.


    "Peter?" The driver turned his head and looked toward her." Youngdy, do you know them?"


    Sherry''s face turned pale too.


    She said to him, "They''re here for me.


    Don''t be afraid." The driver let out a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 1121

    Chapter 1121


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by EggsoupThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Chapter 1121 Sherry did not continue to sit. She pushed the door open and got out of the car.


    Peter walked up to her and smiled.


    He said politely, "Miss Fowler, Master Stockton is inviting you to go over." Sherry crossed her armsin front of her chest.


    She stared at him coldly.


    "Where''s he inviting me to?"


    "I''m not sure either.


    You''ll know once you get inside the car." "Why''s he looking for me?" Peter maintained his smile.


    "I''m not certain about that either." Sherry smirked before she raised her leg and kicked him.


    Peter had not expected her to hit him, so he was caught off guard and kicked aside.


    Sherry immediately ran away before his eyes.


    She passed through the middle of the two ck sedans and ran to the roadside.


    Peter gasped.


    He quickly shouted to the people he had brought with him.


    "Get out of the car and go after her now!" A team of bodyguards got out of the car and went after


    Sherry.


    By that time, Sherry had already run into a small decorative forest that was by the roadside.


    She hurried through the forest quickly in order to throw them off.


    She could not afford to be taken back.


    She did not want to meet John or have any more entanglements with him.


    She gradually picked up speed.


    The wind blew past her ears and swept her fringe off her forehead.


    At that moment, she could hear the sound of footsteps of the group of people who were getting closer to her.


    Sherry turned back to have a look.


    Agroup of bodyguards was approaching her.


    They would be able to catch up to her in seconds.


    When she turned her head back to face the front and was about to speed up, she ran into something.


    Her vision cked out for a moment, and she bounced backward.


    However, an arm circled her waist at that moment and caught her figure that was about to fall.


    A familiar scent wasted over from over the top of her head.


    Confused, Sherry raised her head and encountered a pair ofughing eyes with an evil gleam to them.


    The gold-rimmed sses did nothing to hide John''s


    delight.


    Sherry''s face paled.


    With one arm encircled around her waist, John caressed her face with the other.


    He said with a smile, "Why are you in a rush? I''m here.


    | won''t run away."


    Sherry was speechless.


    F*ck!


    ¡°Move your paws away!" She yelled at him.


    John chuckled.


    Then, he lifted her by the waist.


    Sherry found herself hanging over his shoulder.


    She struggled to get down, but John trapped her legs.


    She punched him.


    "Stupid John, let me down!"


    John ignored her.


    He ignored her resistance and walked forward.


    Soon, they got out of the forest and came to the roadside.


    Adark blue sports car was parked there.


    Sherry turned to take a look.


    Was John going to throw her into the car? 1 Could she take the opportunity to run away after he threw her in?


    However, just as thatidea formed in her mind, John halted his footsteps and looked toward Peter.


    Peter sensed John''s gaze.


    He immediately said to two bodyguards, "Take the thing out."


    Two bodyguards revealed the ropes that they held behind their backs.


    After that, they walked up to John.


    One of them tied Sherry''s hands together while the other secured Sherry''s legs.


    Sherry said, "...Stupid John, f*ck you mmh..." Before she could scold him any further, Peter sealed her mouthwith tape.


    Then, he smiled and said, "I''m sorry, Ms.


    Fowler." Sherry''s voice was muffled as she tried to shout," Mmmh! Bunch of stupid dogs!


    They''d better waitand see! Bang.


    Suddenly, she was thrown onto the passenger seat and the back of her head hit the car seat.


    Sherry turned her head to re at John as she felt the urge to beat him up to death.


    Her eyes were wide and round.


    Her eyeballs looked like they were going to pop out.


    John bent over and pinched her face whileughing.


    Then, he put on the seatbelt for her.


    The dark blue sports car sped along the road and drove toward the suburbs south of nchester Citv.

 Chapter 1122

    Chapter 1122


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1122


    Chapter 1122 The car finally stopped after almost an hour had passed.


    Surrounded by majestic natural scenery, a modern vi had been built in the middle of thindscape.


    Awide creek flowed in front of the vi and there was a hill behind it too.


    The surrounding environment had been manually cleared while preserving the natural scenery.


    It was very clean and tidy.


    There were not even bits of grass on the bluestone path.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    The car stopped in front of the vi.


    John got out of the car without waiting for the security guards who were guarding the vi to walk over.


    He walked around the car to Sherry''s side.


    He opened the door and pulled Sherry out.


    John lifted Sherry up in front of him, carrying her bridal - style.


    Her limbs were still tied up, and her mouth was sealed.


    The only thing she could do was re at him with her eyes.


    John smiled at her and quickened his footsteps, as he headed inside the vi.


    Soon, they walked through the courtyard and arrived at the bright, spacious living area.


    Thump.


    John threw Sherry onto the sofa.


    He bent over and moved closer to her the moment she sat up.


    "Mmmf!" She wanted him to release her ropes quickly! John caressed Sherry''s face and continuously pinched her face, probably


    because he found herangry face intriguing.


    He then touched the tape over her mouth.


    Tear!


    The tape was torn away in an instant.


    Sherry felt as if the fine hair on her face had been ripped off together.


    She frowned in pain.


    "Stupid John, release me now!"


    John raised her chin.


    He asked with a smile, "Release you and let you get back together with your first love?" Sherry''s expression changed.


    "Did you follow me?"


    John ignored her.


    He muttered to himself, "Sherry, | truly nned to let you go.


    Unfortunately, Mason''s appearance made me think of what you did to me in the past.


    I''m in a bad mood now." Sherry''s brows were knitted into a tight frown.


    ¡°How many years has it been? Why is a man like you so petty?"


    "Huh..." Johnpinched her chin tightly and the smile on his face suddenly turned cold.


    "Sherry, | broke all ties with the Stockton family for you back then.


    To give you a better life, | was forced to kneel in public.


    Never mind that you hated me for not being able to give you afortable life, but you also cheated on me with Mason! What do


    you take mefor? A fool?".


    His voice lowered as he spoke.


    The gleam in his eyes grew colder, and his eyes were slightly bloodshot.


    He was cold and intimidating.


    Sherry shuddered.


    Instinctively, she wanted to turn her head, but John grabbed her chin hard.


    She had no choice but to face him.


    John sneered.


    "Why? Don''t you dare to look me in the eye?"


    Sherry lowered her gaze.


    "| wronged you back then, but you''ve already be the wealthiest person in nchester City by now.


    You''ve also locked me up for over a year.


    For over a year, |bored while eating only bread and canned vegetables."


    "So you want me to erase everything once and for all?"


    Sherry looked toward him.


    "Can you?" Her eyes were red and watery.


    John was stunned.


    After a few seconds, he smirked and said, "No.


    Don''t even dream of it for the rest of your life."


    Sherry gritted her teeth.


    She said, "I just went to have a cup of tea with Mason today.


    | never thought of getting back together with him.


    | only drank tea with him to make things clear to him."


    John rubbed her face.


    He said with a smile, "Sherry, your lying skills have improved.


    You don''t even blush now." Sherry red at him.

 Chapter 1123

    Chapter 1123


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1123


    Chapter 1123 "When | left the Stockton family that year and lived outside in a rented house with you, you said you would be with me


    forever,for better or worse.


    You even swore to the heavens.


    Did you forget?".


    Sherry pressed her lips together.


    John smiled and said, "You should ask me to believe in your other words only after you fulfill yourpromise." Sherry''s chest felt stuffy, as if


    her breath was stuck inside.


    She was unable to let out that breath.


    After some time, she said, "You got married today.


    You already have a wife." "Mm.


    So?" Sherry looked toward him and met his eyes, which were filled with hostility.


    She said, "I can''t be with you.


    If | do, I''ll be a homewrecker!" "Oh.


    So?" John''s smile deepened.


    She felt a surge of anger go to her head.


    She could not hold it back anymore and shouted, "Release me! | don''t want to be your mistress!" John caressed herface while grinning.


    "With what you did to me back then, how is it fair if | don''t make you do what you refuse to do?".N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    After speaking, his handsome face suddenly moved closer to her eyes and his lips covered hers.


    Sherry recalled the memory of John kissing his bride, Shannon, on the stage in the hoteljust a few hours ago.


    She felt disgusted and immediately closed her mouth.


    Johnughed.


    Then, he forced her mouth open with his hand.


    "Mmmf..."


    Sherry''s lips were blocked by John.


    Only after a long while did he release her.


    Seeing that her face was flushed , he smiled and said, "No wonder men like having an affair.


    The taste of a mistress isn''t bad indeed." A wave of fury was stuck in her throat.


    Before it coulde out, tears sprang out of her eyes first.


    The man''s pleased expression momentarily became stunned.


    Sherry''s hands were still bound.


    She could not wipe her tears, so she simply let the tears flow all over her face.


    "Make it quick.


    Please kill me." She would rather be a dog than a homewrecker.


    She would rather die than be the mistress that came between him and Shannon.


    John was taken aback.


    He only snapped back to his senses after being in a daze for some time.


    He touched her face and said, "It''s not that | can''t let you go, as long as..." There were hints ofgentleness in his deep voice.


    Sherry did not catch it.


    She was simply tempted by the meaning of his words.


    She asked immediately, "If what? What other conditions do you have? Say it now!" The expression on her face showed her


    desperation.


    John''s gaze darkened.


    Then, he smirked.


    "I''ll let you go if you return the money you owe me."


    Sherry frowned.


    "When did | borrow your money?" John released her face and turned to sit on the sofa.


    Sherry sat up too.


    She saw him taking out a document from his shirt pocket.


    She immediately wiggled like a worm to his side and looked at the document.


    The document was spread open.


    It was the contract that Sherry had signed with John over a year ago when she went to begfor his help for the sake of the Fowler family


    and the Brown family.


    Back then, the Fowler and Brown families had only been in nchester City for a short time.


    They wanted a foothold in nchester City''s business world, so they had worked on a huge project.


    That project had sounded great but had needed arge investment in its early stages.


    The amount had beenrger than they had imagined.


    Although they had almost thrown in all their savings, it had still not been enough.


    At that time, the project had already started.


    The funds that had been invested could not be taken back.


    There had been no choice but to continue it.


    However, they ran out of money.


    They did not have many connections as they had only just recently arrived in nchester City too.


    They had thought of every way but still could not gather enough money.


    If they had not been able to get the money, not only would they go bankrupt, but they would also have to carry a huge debt.


    Therefore, they had thought of John, who had be the wealthiest man.


    Matthew and Janine, who had never cared about Sherry, had gone to look for her.

 Chapter 1124

    Chapter 1124


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1124


    Chapter 1124 Sherry still remembered the memory of the time when she had found John five years ago.


    It had been her first time meeting him after almost five years.


    She had met him in his office of over 1000 square feet.


    John wore a bespoke suit as he sat elegantly behind his office table.


    Sherry was led into the office by his secretary.


    She had barely taken a few steps before the secretary told her to stop.


    The secretary even gave her a kind reminder.


    "Ms. Fowler, Master Stockton doesn''t like people being too near him.


    Just stand here.


    It''s better not to go near him." After speaking, the secretary left.


    Sherry stood on the spot, flustered .


    She looked toward John with a timid gaze.


    Her distance from him was only about 15 feet, but it felt like there were mountains andseas between them.


    She stood while he sat.


    However, she felt like she was looking up at him.


    Her mind had gone nk at that time.


    She did not know what to say, and her hands and legs felt cold and stiff.


    It was John who had spoken first.


    The corners of his mouth lifted into a gentle smile, yet he was obviously more mature andposedpared to fiveyears


    earlier.


    He had be more difficult to read as well.


    It was as if his gold-rimmed sses had hidden his true self.


    John said, "It''s been a while." Sherry moved her mouth a few times before she replied stiffly, long time no see."


    After that, the atmosphere turned quiet.


    John maintained his smile.


    He asked, "Was there a reason that you''re looking for me?"


    His tone was polite and distant.


    He was now totally different from the sincere, passionate person she had been with in the rental house back then.


    At that time, Sherry had thought that it would be a hopeless cause for her to beg him tohelp the Fowler and the Brown families.


    However, she still bit the bullet and said, "I... | came to look for you because of something." "What is it?" John crossed his


    handsin front of his chest and leaned against the leather chair.


    He had azy posture while still carrying himself with a high and mighty air.


    Sherry continued to press forward.


    ¡°My dad came to nchester City and started a project. The project has good prospects. I... | just want to ask if you''d be


    interested in investing in it."


    "The joint project by the Fowler family and the Brown family?"Sherry''s expression changed.


    She met his smiling eyes that seemed to have seen through everything.


    She replied stiffly, "Mm." John continued smiling.


    "| already heard of that project. However, they seem to be in dire need of money now. The project will be terminated if they can''t


    gather enough money within a week. They''ll have to face a huge debt crisis too." Sherry replied, "...Yes.


    "So you''re here looking for me to investmoney in them?" John looked toward her with a sharp gaze.


    Sherry felt a lump in her throat.


    She knew that she did not have the right to look for him.


    After feeling a lump in her throat for some time, she said, "You''ll earn money if you invest in this project.


    If you''re not interested , then just forget it." After speaking, she turned and was about to leave.


    However, John suddenly said, "Sherry, this isn''t the right attitude to beg someone to do something."


    Sherry looked toward him right away.


    He was still sitting


    elegantly in his leather chair.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Although there was a smile on his face, the way he was looking at her made her feel like an ant on the ground.


    Sherry felt ufortable all over.


    However, she thought of Matthew and Janine , who had kneeled to her.


    At the end of the day, they were still her biological parents.


    That spurred her on to say, "| beg you. Could you please help them?" The look on John''s face showed that he was momentarily stunned.


    Next, he stood up from the chair.


    His slender figure walked toward her and he very quickly stood before her.


    John was taller than Sherry by a head''s length.


    When he was in front of her, he blocked all the light sources in front of her.

 Chapter 1125

    Chapter 1125


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1125


    Chapter 1125 The look in Sherry''s eyes grew timid. She instinctively wanted to step back, but John cupped her chin.


    His fingers were cool.


    Sherry froze, as if she had been electrocuted.


    John smiled and said, "| remember that Mason is the eldest son of the Brown family.¡±


    Recalling her break up with John back then, Sherry''s face paled.


    NEE


    He lowered his head and moved closer to her.


    "You cheated on me with him that year and turned me into theughing stock ofthe entire Westchester City. Do you think that | would be


    willing to help you with this?"


    "He... He''s Shannon''s fiance now. Besides, only the three of us know what happened between us back then. No one else knows."


    "Ha." John sneered.


    He exerted more force with his fingers that were cupping her chin.


    "Sherry, should | be grateful that the two of you didn''t expose that matter?"


    Sherry frowned in pain.


    She pushed his hand away and took two steps backward.


    She said hastily, "| didn''t mean that.


    | just want to tell you that you didn''t be theughing stock of Westchester City."


    John''s expression changed.


    Asmile very quickly appeared on his face.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Even so, why should | help you guys?" "Forget it if you''re not willing to help." Sherry did not want to talk to himanymore.


    She simply wanted to leave as soon as possible.


    When she reached the door, she heard John saying, "It''s not that | can''t help you."


    Sherry''ssteps halted.


    She turned back to look at him.


    John smiled and said, "But | have a condition." "What condition?"


    John smiled without saying a word.


    Sherry waited in his office for about ten minutes.


    His senior secretary brought a document in.


    The secretary''s expression was different from when he had led her into the office.


    The secretary eyed her with aplicated gaze once he entered.


    Sherry did not really care about it.


    All she wanted to know was what document it was that John wanted her to sign.


    After ncing through the document, John had the secretary pass it to her.


    Sherry saw one page full of text.


    All of the business terms were worded in a way that was pleasing to read, but only containedone meaning.


    He was willing to invest in the Fowler and Brown families'' project, but she had to be his lover and be obedient to him.


    She would not be allowed to disobey him.


    The agreement''s termination date would only be decided when he became bored with her.


    Sherry still remembered John''s gaze back then.


    He had looked at her as if she was a ything that he could toss asideat any time.


    His gaze was evil andzy.


    At that time, she had picked the document up, feeling a strong urge to throw it in his face.


    However, thinking of Matthew and Janine, she held herself back and put her signature down on the document.


    After that, John told the secretary to leave and pulled her into the room that he used to rest.


    Later, Sherry had been taken to the Stockton family''s house and locked inside those living quarters.


    Every day, she would dig up soil, pluck grass, or do embroidery.


    Her three meals had basically consisted of bread, canned vegetables, and oatmeal.


    She could only have good food when he asionally took her out to social engagements.


    The memory shback ended.


    Sherry saw her signature from the past on the document.


    She said coldly, "You said it yourself that you would let me go after you and Shannon get married.


    This agreement has already ended!" "When did | say that?" John smiled and asked, "Is there a


    document with my signature that says the agreement has ended?Or do you have a recording of me saying that?" Sherry gritted her teeth


    and red at him.


    John sneered.


    "Even if | said it before, | haven''t gotten bored of you yet."


    After speaking, he touched her face.


    Tm still very interested in you now.


    What should | do?" Sherry said, "...Move your filthy hands away!"


    John withdrew his hand and ced the document back into his shirt pocket.


    Then, he said to her, "Back then, | invested about a billion dors in the Fowler family and the Brownfamily''s project.

 Chapter 1126

    Chapter 1126


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1126


    Chapter 1126 A billion? Where was Sherry supposed to find that kind of money?


    She blinked before blurting out, "Sure, you investeda billion dors, but the project has been doing well for the past year.


    You must have made good money." John replied with a smile, "Yeah, a little. It''s only two hundred million. I¡¯m still eight hundred million


    away from gaining back the principal."


    Sherry pursed her lips.


    She did not have a hundred million, much less eight hundred million.


    The look on her face tempted him to pinch her cheeks once more.


    "Don''t you have anything to say?¡± Pressing her lips together, Sherry said, "The Fowlers and Browns owe you themoney. Demand it from


    them." He gave her cheeks a good squeeze.


    "That may be so, but you were the one who signed the contract."


    Sherry took a deep breath.


    | have been with you for more than a year.


    That should count as something." "Ha." He snickered while sizing her up in a devilish manner.


    "You give yourself too much credit, Sherry, but your looks are only above average in today''s market.


    Even at the highest market value, you''re worth about a million for a year plus.


    It''s not even a fraction of the eight hundred million." Sherry was speechless.


    Market? Market value? Bottling up her spite, Sherry shot him a dirty look.


    "| sewed for you every single day! That''s at least a few hundred pieces." John looked at her with a grin.


    "Oh, that''s right. | threw your embroideries away, right next to the trash can on the sidewalk. Even the strays passing by wouldn''t


    look at them." Sherry was furious!


    She could let the call girment slide but to insult the masterpieces that she had painstakingly stayed up all night doing was


    another thing.


    Fueled by anger like never before, Sherry clenched her hands that were still tied upas she gritted her teeth and red at him.


    John curled his lips and smiled at her in delight.


    "Ah!" With a shout, she thrust her head forward and rammed into him.


    Wham! The man''s straight silhouette tumbled backward and fell onto the sofa.


    Sherry quickly pounced on him and sat down with her butt on top of him.


    With her bound hands, she whacked his face.


    "John, you j*rk! I''m going to take you down with me!" Overtaken by a certain emotion, the man lifted his arm.


    His hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her off.


    I


    Thump.


    Sherry crashed onto him.


    John swiftly held her down against his chest with his free hand.


    Sherry was trapped within his arms.


    She lifted her head and stared daggers at him.


    He was coughing until his face was red, probably due to her headbutt.


    It did not take long before John recovered.


    Now that she was immobilized, John''s lips curled.


    "You have a hard head, Sherry."


    Sherry sneered.


    "It must be fun to use it as a ser ball." He caressed her hair.


    Although the color had drained from her face, Sherry hid it with a scoff.


    "Maybe. But you seem to have a solid head too. | wonder if it''s good for ser. How about | test that out for you?".


    John narrowed his eyes.


    "What are you trying to pull?" Curling her lips, Sherry abruptly lifted her chin and putall force into bashing his forehead.


    John was stunned into silence.


    He winced as he shifted his head to the side.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Wham!


    Sherry left a depression on the sofa.


    With a scoff, she instantly lifted her head again.

 Chapter 1127

    Chapter 1127


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1127


    Chapter 1127 Out of nowhere, a hand pressed onto the back of Sherry''s head. With her facepressed against the fabric of the sofa, Sherry


    could hardly move.


    She yelled at John, "D*mn it, John! Get your stinking hands off me!" John pulled back and got off the sofa.


    With one hand pressing against her head and another on her ass, John pinned Sherry down.


    Watching as her legs kicked up in the air from being held down, a feeling of helplessness shed in John''s deep eyes under his


    messyfringe.


    Had he pushed her too far? To think she had tried to use her head as a weapon...This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Sherry was still putting up a fight.


    "D*mn it, John! If you had the balls, you''d let me go. Let''s see who has the tougher head!" Smack.


    John pped her head.


    Sherry yelled,"... You can crush me, but you can¡¯t crush my spirit! Hit me again, and I''ll knock you out!"


    Smack.


    He whacked her again on the back of her head.


    Sherry, who was still being held down on the sofa by her head and bum, was speechless.


    Before she could find the words to st him, John remarked with a smile, "You''re free to go when you clear your debt of eight


    hundred million.


    Otherwise, don¡¯t even think about going anywhere else.¡± He then released her.


    Sherry rolled over, tumbling off the sofa to the ground.


    By the time she had sat up, all Sherry saw was John walking out of the living room.


    Sherry breathed out and brought her hands that were still tied up before her face to undo theknot with her teeth.


    Having seeded, she proceeded to untie the rope around her ankles.


    John was long gone so Sherry ran out of the living room, only to find eight bodyguards standing at the door.


    Since most of them were familiar faces, they had to be employees of the Stocktons.


    With Sherry fast approaching, these bodyguards immediately blocked off the door.


    Giving them an icy stare, Sherry made her way back to her room.


    The vi had a tinywn, bordered by a semi-transparent wall towering at least three meters in height.


    There were orrrapTC no trees by the wall to hold onto and climb.


    Athree-story vi stood tall behind thewn.


    The only window that could open was on the third floor in the back, but the altitudewas twenty meters from the ground up.


    Literally taking the plunge was death or paralysis waiting to happen.


    Sherry wandered around all the rooms in the house before returning to the living room, looking bummed out.


    Sitting her bottom on the floor, she grimaced and looked in the direction of the front door.


    Was she going to be locked up in here? Before, she had be John''s secret lover while he was still single and avable.


    Although she had had a problem with the restricted meals andck of freedom, Sherry had been fine with everything else.


    Nevertheless, he was now married to Shannon.


    Sherry wanted no part of bing the other woman that woulde between the couple.


    Never mind the public chastisement if word were to get out, Sherry felt sick to her stomach about it too.


    With that in mind, Sherry closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.


    She stayed in the seated position until sundown.


    Astrange maid entered the house, pushing a meal cart of food before her.


    Sherry got a good whiff of the food before the food even made it to her.


    Her belly rumbled like thunder.


    Gulping, Sherry turned her head away.


    The maid ced the dishes on the dining table before calling her over.


    "Ms. Fowler, dinner is ready. Please enjoy." Sherry remained still, shutting her eyes to the maid.


    The maid tried calling out to her again to no avail.


    In the end, the maid walked away.


    She came to the front door and told a bodyguard, "Dave, Ms. Fowler''s refusing the food." Dave was the head of the bodyguards,


    responsible for stopping


    Sherry from leaving and housekeeping.


    Dumbstruck by the update, Dave proceeded to give John a call.

 Chapter 1128

    Chapter 1128


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1128


    Chapter 1128 The most prosperous central business district of nchester.


    This was where Stockton Tower was located.


    Meanwhile, a meeting was going on ina spacious conference room.


    The man, who had just gotten hitched that afternoon, sat on the head of the table dressed in a suit.


    Sitting at the foot, a group of executives took turns to take the floor and report on the numbers.


    Beep.


    Suddenly, John''s phone on the table vibrated.


    The executives immediately closed their mouths and quietly stared at John.


    Having nced at the caller ID, John picked up the phone and smiled at them.


    "Excuse me. | need to take this call. Please give me a sec." The group smiled in return.


    John got up and exited the conference room.


    cing the phone against his ear, he asked, "What did she do again?"


    On the other line, the bodyguard was truthful with his reply.


    "Ms.Fowler''s refusing food.¡±


    John furrowed his brows.


    Refusing food? Instead of giving her bread and canned vegetables, John had instructed that a sumptuous meal be prepared for


    her.


    Yet, she was refusing to eat.


    Was she going on a hunger strike? With a smirk, he responded, "Give her something extra."


    Avi in the suburbs.


    Sherry continued to remain in her sitting position without casting a nce at the dining table.


    1 Time went by, and soon the footsteps of the maid drew close.


    The scent of alcohol wafted in the air before she could even turn her head to thesource of the sound.


    It was the aroma of fine wine.


    The wine bottle had clearly been cracked open! Unable to resist, Sherry looked over.


    The maid carried a tray holding a decanter filled with wine and a wine ss.


    Finally getting Sherry''s attention, the maid beamed as she said, "Come and enjoy the food, Ms.Fowler. You should eat it while it''s


    still warm." Sherry clenched her fists.


    She had a drinking problem.


    Nevertheless, thanks to John detaining her at the Stockton residence for more than a year,


    Sherry had pretty much kicked her addiction to alcohol


    Although Sherry was tempted to drinkthe wine, she was not bothered if she did not.


    Turning her head away, Sherry fixed her gaze somewhere else.


    The maid was dumbfounded.


    She had thought that Ms.Fowler would start eating if the wine was brought out.


    cing the wine on the table, the maid tried to get Sherry''s attention.


    Seeing that she could not get a reaction from Sherry, the maid walked away.


    Silence returned to the living room.


    It was unclear how much time had gone by, but drowsiness eventually swept over Sherry.


    She got up,y down on the sofa, and hugged a pillow to sleep.


    The quietness served as a luby, lulling her into a deep sleep.


    Eventually, a sudden flurry of footsteps from the front door broke the silence.


    The oing footsteps stopped in front of the girl.


    Sherry was lost in deep slumber.


    Then, she was picked up from the sofa.


    Sherry winced and opened her eyes to find herself being carried into a bedroom.


    Who else was lifting her if not for John? Sherry was kicking up a fuss to get down when he flung her to the bed.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    With his slender figure towering over her, John clutched onto her chin and stated with a smile, "Don''t even think about threatening me with


    ahunger strike.


    Dying of hunger won''t get you out of here." Giving him a bitter smile, Sherry redat him.


    "|''d rather starve to death than be your mistress!" Huh.


    Amused, John burst outughing.


    "You? Starve to death? When pigs fly." Sherry was silent.


    Her rage could be seen in her flushed face.

 Chapter 1129

    Chapter 1129


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1129


    Chapter 1129 John caressed her face. "Look. Your face is red from lying."


    Sherry retorted, "As if!"


    "No need to shoutout loud.


    It''s only the two of us here.¡± As he spoke, his eyes wandered to her cor.


    Sherry''s face changed as she tried to push him away.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "D* mn it, John! Get off me!¡± Curling his lips, John grabbed her by the cor and pulled off her blouse.


    Sherry put up a fight right away.


    Maintaining the curve of his lips, John neutralized her attacks with ease and pressed his lips against hers.


    The more she refused to be his mistress, the more he would make her his kept woman.


    Soon, the room was filled with Sherry''s muffled struggles.


    The more intimate the two of them became, a sharp gasp interrupted the intimacy.


    The man froze.


    Seizing her chance, Sherry pushed him away and kicked him off the bed.


    Next, she jumped out of the bed in a sh and bolted to the floor-to-ceiling window.


    After falling off the bed, John sat up with a cut on the edge of his lips.


    Seeing that she was opening the window, his pupils dted as he cried, "Stop, Sherry!"


    Withouthesitation, Sherry swung the window open and jumped off.


    It did not take long before a loud crash echoed from downstairs.


    John''s muscles stiffened involuntarily as the color drained from his face.


    The d*mn woman! Getting on his feet, he quickly tookrge strides to make his way downstairs.


    There was a ten-meter drop from the bedroom to the surface level.


    Sherryy on the ground, hugging her legs as she curled up into a ball.


    The pain forced the tears out of her.


    Ow! It hurt so bad! Picking up on themotion, the bodyguards had hurried over.


    Sherry gasped in pain and uttered in a trembling voice, "O -One of you... Please punch me and knock me out!" It was getting to


    be more than she could take.


    The ground was soft and muddy.


    It had not appeared to have a hard surface, so why did it hurt like hell?


    The bodyguards did notknow how to respond.


    Meanwhile, a silhouette emerged from behind the bodyguards and approached Sherry in no time.


    Sherry lost her cool.


    "Get away! Don''t touch me...Ow-"


    She was picked up while in mid-sentence.


    John carried her out while barking out an order at a bodyguard.


    "Get the car!" The bodyguard did as he was told.


    Overwhelmed by the excruciating ache, Sherry could not muster the strength to fight.


    She whined in agony as John lifted her into a car.


    The car drove to the nearest hospital.


    Sherry slumped against John, putting her weight on him.


    Although she did not want to make a sound, she was unable to control her twitching and the tears that flowed from her eyes.


    Jesus Christ.


    Had she known that it would hurt so much, she would not have jumped.


    Next to her, the man''s always amiable and smiling face was hidden behind a cloud of gloom under thedim light.


    The jerking against his chest and sporadic whimpers saw him clenching his fists.


    John remained as still as a statue.


    The car pulled up outside a hospital.


    Although the hospital might notpare to the ones in the city, the healthcare facilities were prettyprehensive.


    After the bodyguard parked the car, John carried Sherry out and marched into the hospital.


    Soon, Sherry was wheeled into the emergency room.


    She was only brought out following a thorough examination and bandaging.


    There was a brace along her spine and a splint over her leg.


    Likely due to the treatment, Sherry still felt the pain, albeit not in agony as she had been earlier.


    Sherryy stiffly in bed, unwilling to take a chance to move a finger.


    She stared at the ceiling with a nk face.


    John immediately came to her side when she was wheeled out.


    He checked on her from head to toe before turning his attention to the doctor.


    "How''s she doing?" The doctor was a young man who appeared to be acquainted with John.


    He replied with a smile, "Mr. Stockton, the patient will be okay.


    She threw her back and hurt her leg from the fall.


    There''s some fracture.

 Chapter 1130

    Chapter 1130


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1130


    Chapter 1130 The tension on John''s face eased in an instant.


    John''s lips curled as he saidwith a smile, "Thank you, doctor." The doctor waved his arm.


    "It''s part of my job as a doctor. It''s already an honor to be able to meet with you today, Mr. Stockton." It appeared that the doctor was a


    fanboy of John.


    Sherry made a face.


    The doctor then turned to Sherry.


    "Miss, you''re on bed rest. Try not to move around so much."


    "Got it. Thank you, doctor." After a pause, Sherry added." Ah.


    Just so you know.


    I''m John''s sister.


    Please call me Ms.Stockton." The doctor,"..." John,"..." Did she not know that the hospital required the registration ofpersonal information


    before treatment? Stillness filled the air momentarily.


    The doctor nced at John before responding to Sherry with a grin, "Sure, Ms.


    Stockton." Sherry did not stay for too long as she was soon wheeled out of the hospital.


    Their ride back had been swapped for an MPV.


    It was spacious enough to amodate Sherry together with the stretcher.


    Sitting by her bed, John''s gaze fixed upon her face without an expression on her face.


    Sherry stared at the roof of the car, pursing her lips and looking detached.


    The car remained quiet the whole way.


    When the car came to a stop, a bodyguard went over to open the door.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    John stood up and took a fleeting nce at Sherry.


    "Bring her to her room." He then got out.


    A few bodyguards immediately carried her out of the vehicle.


    It was a dark night, and the hums and chirps broke the silence.


    In no time, Sherry was wheeled into the bedroom.


    The bodyguards lifted her onto the bed before leaving the room.


    Silence befell the room, and all was still for a long time.


    It did not seem the man had any intention of entering the room.


    Letting down her guard, Sherry soon drifted off into dreand.


    An hourter, the door was pushed open, and a tall figure entered.


    He approached the bed and studied her face in the dark for a while before leaving.


    He went to the living room.


    The maid and bodyguards were on standby there.


    They turned their heads toward the looming presence in reverence.


    Running his eyes across the room, John asked, "Do you remember everything that | just said?" The leader of the bodyguardsimmediately


    replied, "Yes, we did. Don''t worry. We won''t let anything happen to Ms.Fowler or let her out of here unless instructed." "Okay. You''re


    dismissed." The group dispersed and returned to their posts.


    John strode outside.


    His usual MPV ride was parked outside.


    Getting into the car, he leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes.


    His face reflected exhaustion.


    The driver inquired in a low voice, "Mr.Stockton, should | take you home?" "To the airport." Dumbstruck, the driver had to ask, "The


    airport?At this hour?" Had he not just gotten married today? "I''m going away for a while for some out-of-town business.


    You can return home after sending me to the airport.


    If my mom or Julie asks, please convey the same message to them." The driver pressed his lips together.


    "What about your wife-" "Tell her the same thing." "Sure.Got it."


    The driver started the car.


    John rested his eyes for a moment before pulling out his phone and dialing a number.

 Chapter 1131

    Chapter 1131


    Chapter 1131 The call quickly connected, and John said, ¡°Peter, bring the documents regarding Coastrock City and wait for me


    at the airport.¡±


    On the phone, Peter froze for two seconds. ¡°Weren''t you nning to go to Coastrock City for the cooperation next month?¡±


    ¡°| changed my mind. I''ll go there now.¡±


    Peter did not dare to ask any more questions and quickly replied, ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll prepare it right away.¡±


    The next day.


    In Westchester City.


    The night waspletely dispersed by the newly risen sun, and the world brightened up.


    Sylvia opened her eyes before the rm went off.


    Today was the opening day of the artpetition, and the opening ceremony would be at 9 am sharp.


    It was now 6 am.


    Flint was still fast asleep in the crib.


    The man beside her woke up as soon as she sat up.


    She said to him, ¡°You can sleep a little longer. I''ll go wash up first.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    It was Monday, so it was still too early for him to go to work. There was no need for him to get up so early with her.


    After saying that, she got out of bed and went straight into the bathroom.


    Odell looked at her anxious figure and smiled.


    Then, he also got out of bed.


    It took about half an hour for Sylvia to freshen up and change her clothes before she was ready.


    When she was dressed and came out of the cloakroom , the man who should have been lying in bed was standing by the door in


    a suit and tie.


    He leaned back against the wall with one hand in his pants pocket. In his other hand, he held the still sleeping Flint. His posture


    waszy and elegant, and his handsome face carried a smile that was filled with unspeakable tenderness


    Sylvia could not help but walk up to him and ask with a smile, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you continue sleeping?¡±


    He responded, ¡°I slept early yesterday, so I¡¯m not tired


    now.¡±


    Her face heated up.


    Last night, to make sure she was energetic and refreshed for the opening ceremony of the art contest, she very sternly refused


    his invitation to make out and even kicked him. Thus, they went to bed early.


    She nced at him and said, ¡°Flint hasn¡¯t woken up yet. Let him sleep for a while longer.¡±


    The little guy obviously still did not want to wake up.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine. He can sleep again after breakfast.¡± After saying that, Odell smacked the baby¡¯s bottom.


    Flint was instantly startled awake and let out a cry.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    ¡°Breakfast should be almost ready. Let¡¯s go downstairs.¡± He touched her head and walked out of the room with Flint in his arms.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and followed them out.


    When she came to the living room, she saw Isabel and Liain sitting listlessly together. The two children were dressed neatly, but


    their faces looked like they had not woken up yet.


    However, they immediately roused their spirits when they saw Odell


    Sylvia¡¯s tips twitched


    He probably woke up these two too.


    At that moment, Aunt Tonya¡¯s voice called out from the other side of the kitchen. ¡°Syl, Odell, the food is ready. Sit down and eat.¡±


    The maid who followed her pushed out a small cart full of breakfast.


    Sylvia said to the children, ¡°Isabel and Liam,e and have breakfast. You can go back to sleep after eating.¡±


    It was a Monday, so they had to go to school. They would not be able to focus in ss if they did not rest well.


    The two little ones responded with bleary eyes.


    Sylvia pulled them to sit down.


    Christopher and Simon also most likely got up early. She received a message from them right as she finished breakfast.


    Simon asked if she had woken up yet. Christopher sent her the address where they were gathering

 Chapter 1132

    Chapter 1132


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1132


    Chapter 1132 Sylvia replied to their messages and kissed Isabel, Liam, and Flint on their little cheeks. "You guys go back and get some


    more sleep, then go to school,okay?" Isabel pouted.


    "We know."


    Liam also pursed his lips.


    "Go on, Mom."


    Sylvia smiled and looked at Flint.


    "Flint, remember to listen to Aunt Tonya at home today.


    Don''t disturb her when she''s resting, got it?" She did not know if Flint understood or not, but the baby babbled excitedly.


    Just then, the tall figure of a man walked in front of her.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Sylvia looked up and met his dark eyes.


    He pursed his lips and asked, "Is there anything you''d like to tell me as well?" Her lips twitched.


    He was a thirty-year-old man.


    What did he need her to tell him? However, seeing how he was well behaved recently,she thought about it and said, "Work hard


    at the office." Then, she picked up her bag.


    "It''s gettingte. Christopher and Simon are waiting for me, so | have to go now."


    She turned and headed out.


    However, a long arm suddenly wrapped around her waist.


    Sylvia was pulled back into Odell''s arms in an instant.


    Looking at his handsome face in front of her, her cheeks heated up, and she snapped at him, "What do you want?"


    He narrowed his eyes.


    "You forgot something?"


    "What?" Sylvia was confused.


    Odell raised his hand and pointed to his lips with a calm expression She was speechless.


    She red at him.


    ¡®Aunt Tonya and the children are watching! However, it was as if he did not understandher expression.


    He smiled faintly and said, "You can''t leave unless you kiss me." Sylvia¡¯s throat choked.


    Then, she stood on her toes and gave him a quick peck on the corner ofhis lips.


    Odell instantly let her go.


    She red at him while blushing and turned around to walk out, not bothering to look at Aunt Tonya and the children


    After she left, Odelllooked at the children.


    Isabel was covering her face and snickering, and Flint giggled over Liam''s shoulder.


    However, they instantly stopped when Odell nced over.


    Only Liam''s expression remained unchanged as he asked, "Dad, when are we leaving?" Odell looked at the time on his wristwatch.


    "Soon." The assembly point was near the venue of the opening ceremony.


    Christopher and Simon were already there when Sylvia arrived, and the rest of the Westchester Art Association seemed to be present


    aswell.


    Sylvia got out of the car and headed straight toward Christopher and Simon.


    Unexpectedly, she was surrounded by people.

 Chapter 1133

    Chapter 1133


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1133


    Chapter 1133 "Heh. The president is too biased. Is it because she''s pretty?"


    "Who knows? But it''s true that she usedto be quite amazing in the past.


    Maybe the president thinks that she can get back to her previous level." "Hah. Did you forget that ink painting she did before?" "Of course


    not. Even my three-year-old nephew can draw that ink painting of hers."


    Sylvia could not help but stop inher tracks.


    Her face turned a few shades colder as she looked toward the group of people talking about her.


    She was already in front of them, but they still had no intention of lowering their voices.


    They were clearly deliberately trying to mess with her mind.


    The group of people seemed to not have expected Sylvia to stop and look directly at them.


    They instantly pursed their lips, but their expressions were very cold.


    It seemed like they were telling her that they looked down on her even though she was invited by the president.


    Only one young man quickly showed a fake smile and said to her, "Ms.Ross, why are you looking at us like that?" Sylvia recognized him.


    He was Haytham Lunder, and should have been in the Westchester Art Association for two years.


    Some time ago, when she had not fully recovered her memory, Odell and her went to a barbeque restaurantto eat and ran into


    Lily and Simon.


    This man had been with Lily and screamed at the restaurant owner because there were no more tables for him.


    Sylvia said bluntly, "You guys are sh*t-talking me in front of my face. Why can''t | look at you?" The fake smile on Haytham''s face


    instantly froze.


    The others also looked embarrassed.


    However, one of them soon spoke up.


    "Ms.Ross, your previous ink painting was garbage. Why can''t we say a few things about it?¡± Sylvia''s lips curled down.


    "Were you simply saying a few things?" That person choked and fell speechless.


    Haytham put on his fake smile again.


    "Ms.Ross, we don''t mean any harm. We were just surprised that you came to participate, so we got a little carried away. An


    amazing person like you won''t hold it against us, right?"


    Before she could reply, another person in the group said, "Don''t tter her, Haytham.


    It''s been so long, but she hasn''t made a single decent painting.


    If she can make a painting that will blow our minds today, HI bow to her and call her Ma''am!"


    Sylvia couldnot help but look at him.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    The person who spoke was a young man who looked quite lively.


    She did not know him, so he must have joined the association not long ago.


    She asked, "What''s your name?" The man instantly retorted, "That''s none of your business. | don''t care to introduce myself to


    people like you who rely on connections to get to the top."


    Sylvia frowned.


    Christopher and Simon walked over together, probably because they heard themotion.


    They went up to Sylvia''s side.


    Christopher, who always had a smile on his face, said with a sullen face, "What''s withthemotion ? We''re all from the Art


    Association.


    If anyone isn''t happy with thepetition, then you cane to me straight." Many people shut their mouths sheepishly.


    Only the young man who snubbed Sylvia earlier turned red with anger.


    "President, you''re too biased. So what if she painted a few famous pieces before? With her current level, who knows if she painted those


    by herself? Aren''t you afraid that the Westchester Art Associationwill be theughingstock of the art associations of other cities if


    you''re so biased toward her?" Christopher''s expression darkened as he red at the man.


    "What nonsense are you saying? Don''t you know that nder is illegal?"


    The young man snortedcoldly.


    "Everyone already knows about that. I''m not ndering her."


    Christopher was furious.


    "Shut your mouth. If you continue to talk nonsense, then you can leave this ce instead."


    "Fine, i''ll leave! What''sthe big deal?" The young man was so angry that he turned and left.


    Haytham, who was standing beside him, was just about to call him back when he saw a luxury caring up from the driveway.


    His expression lit up.


    "Ms.Springsteen is here!"


    Then, he ran toward Lily''s car.


    The others also changed their expressions and ran after him.


    Before long, only Christopher, Simon and Sylvia were left in that area.

 Chapter 1134

    Chapter 1134


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1134


    Chapter 1134 Christopher nced toward Lily. His expression was stiff and unpleasant Simon also said furiously, "These people are really


    too snobbish."


    Even if Sylvia''s skills were not as goodas before, her previous painting still beat Lily''s paintings.


    To be more precise, Lily''s paintings may look good to ordinary people who did not know how to draw.


    However, anyone with knowledge in art would know that her paintings were average.


    She was not qualified to join the Art Association at all.


    The reason she was able to join the association was because she borrowed Master Springsteen''s name.


    Those people said that Sylvia relied on connections, but they ignored the fact that Lily also came in through the back doorand even


    ttered her like that.


    What was that if not hypocrisy? When Sylvia saw this, she said to them, "President, Simon, I''m fine.


    Don''t get mad." She remembered that many of the people in that group were the helpers that Madam Springsteen found to keep


    heraway from Odell when he was still engaged to Lily, shortly after her "ink painting" incident.


    They were probably all on good terms with Lily.


    Christopher and Simon looked at Sylvia.


    She smiled at them.


    It was impossible not to be angry, and it was impossible not to hold a grudge about thepast.


    However, it was still not time to get back at them yet.


    Christopher was relieved.


    "It''s good that you didn''t take their words to heart." Simon added, "Sylvia, I''ll always support you."


    Sylvia smiled.


    "Mm. Thank you." She would also perform well today and would not fail their trust.


    Before long, Lily walked over under their starry eyes.


    Her long hair was let down, and she wore a beautiful long red dress and a pair ofhigh heels.


    The makeup on her face was also very exquisite In short, every move and gesture shemade gave off an air of elegance.


    She walked straight to Sylvia and looked at her, then smiled at Christopher and Simon.


    "Good morning, President Dendro and Mr.Amos." Out of courtesy, Christopher and Simon returned her greeting Then, Lily


    looked at Sylvia.


    "Ms.Ross, it''s only been a few days since | saw you, but you seem to be in better spirits. I''m sure you''ll be able to paint


    something that will blow us away today." Sylvia replied indifferently, "Just wait and see, Ms.Springsteen." Lily snorted softly and


    was just about to walk past Sylvia.


    "| forgot to mention, but | remember everything now, Ms.Springsteen," Sylvia suddenly spoke up.


    Lily looked at her with indifference and confusion.


    "What did you remember¡¯ remember the fake engagement between you and Odell, and the things thatyour grandmother did to me to


    get me to stay away from him." She inadvertently looked toward Haytham as she said that.


    Haytham and the other people around him participated in the online violence against her after the "ink painting¡± incident.


    They met her in a restaurant and deliberately provoked her, forcing her to run away and be chased by the restaurant owner fordine and


    dash.


    Even though she was pregnant at that time, they showed no mercy to her, forcing her to run to the road.


    Then, she sat on the road and met Madam Springsteen , who came to threaten her about Odell.


    All that happened long ago, but they reyed clearly in her mind.


    She remembered the faces of those people clearly.


    Lily''s expression changed.


    Haytham and the others also instantly looked guilty.


    Christopher and Simon were stunned, and Simon asked," Sylvia, you mean that Madam Springsteen schemed against you before? Also,


    why are you looking at Haytham and the others?Were they a part of it as well?" Before Sylvia could say anything, Lily said coldly, "Sylvia,


    my engagement with Master Carter was indeed fake, but | haven''t heard a thing about my grandmother setting you up.


    She wouldn''t make a fuss over someone like you." Haytham echoed, "Ms.Ross, are you ndering Madam Springsteen and Ms.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

 Chapter 1135

    Chapter 1135


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1135


    Chapter 1135 "Yeah, we just said a few words about your ink painting back then. Are you saying that we can''t say anything about your


    painting even though it sucked?" 1111 The group of people quickly pointed their fingers at Sylvia''s painting again.


    Many other members of the association did not know about the incident.


    After hearing those words, they looked at Sylvia with disdain and contempt.


    1 This time, Lily made no secret of her dislike for Sylvia and also had a contemptuous expression.


    If it were before, Sylvia might have been at a loss for words and fled in disarray.


    However, not only did she stand straight now, but her words were also very clear and crisp.


    "| can tell whether you''re talking about my painting or me.


    | remember exactly what you all did to me." The group of people were stunned and subconsciously looked at Haytham.


    Haythain''s eyes shed, and he asked her, "Do you have evidence?" Hearing this, the others followed suit.


    "Yeah, do you have evidence to prove that we did something to you?"


    ¡°If you don''t, then don''t talk nonsense."


    The scene grew chaotic again.


    1 Seeing this, Christopher immediately shouted, "Shut up, all of you! | don''t know about the other incidents, butl still remember


    the words you all used to taunt her in various groups, forcing her to quit the industry. How dare you have the nerve to ask for


    evidence now?" "| remember too.


    | even saved all the screenshots.


    Do you want to see them?" Simon piped up as well.


    The group of people instantly froze and shut their mouths.


    groups, Torcmg ner io qun me mousiry.


    How dare you have the nerve to ask for evidence now?" "| remember too. | even saved all the screenshots. Do you want to see


    them?" Simon piped up as well.


    The group of people instantly froze and shut their mouths.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Sylvia sneered.


    The scene was quiet for a few minutes.


    Christopherposed himself and looked around, saying to everyone present, "The ceremony is about to start.


    Stop standing around here and talking about this.


    Go in and get ready." At his words, the people around knew that the show was over, so they all went toward the venue where the


    openingceremony was held.


    Only Haytham and a few others stayed with Lily.


    Lily looked at Sylvia with a cold and arrogant face." Sylvia, | have to say, you''ve grown more courageous after remarrying Master


    Carter.


    However, thepetition here isn''t about whose man is more powerful, but about one''s own abilities.


    | hope you won''t let us down today." 17 After saying that, she walked past Sylvia and headed inside.


    Haytham and the others followed her closely.


    "Ms.Springsteen, why did you still say that when she ndered you and Madam Springsteen?" "We don''t believe that she can


    draw anything good now anyway."


    "Yeah, we''re justwaiting to see her make a fool of herself. Let''s see if she can still keep the same confidence that she has now."


    "Hehe... Maybe she''ll cry and run to Master Carter and tell him to deal with us." "Ooh, I''m so scared!" "We have Ms.Springsteen.


    What are you scared of? Haha.


    "Although they walked away, the sound of theirughter did notde Christopher frowned with an expression of displeasure and


    helplessness.


    Simon could not stand it anymore.


    I''m going to shut them up!" Sylvia quickly pulled him back and smiled at him.


    "Let them talk. I''m fine."


    She was really fine.


    That was because the show had just begun.


    When Christopher saw that she looked fine, he said," That''s good.


    We should also go in and get ready.


    The contestants and the audience would being in soon." He also felt indignant for Sylvia, but Lilyand the Springsteen family were not


    people that the association could afford to offend.


    He only hoped that Sylvia could keep up the same standard of paintings she showed him earlier during the judge painting sessionter.


    Hopefully, nothing would go wrong.

 Chapter 1136

    Chapter 1136


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1136


    Chapter 1136 Sylvia and the others went backstage of the venue where the opening ceremony was held.


    There were several separate loungesbackstage.


    Haytham and several others followed Lily into one of them.


    Most of the others had their own tasks and went to the front stage to set up the venue, leaving a few people gathered inanother lounge


    which happened to be empty.


    Christopher needed to attend as the host, so only Sylvia and Simon went to the empty lounge.


    12 Simon was still a little angry, but at the same time, he was worried about Sylvia.


    "Sylvia, when you go on stageter, remember to keep a calm mind. They''re just a bunch of vile people who only care about climbing the


    socialdder. Don''t be affected by their words." Sylvia smiled back at him.


    "Don''t worry, | won''t be affected." She was no longer the same person she was when she first came back from Galston.


    She said, "You''re also a judge for thepetition and have to paint on stageteras well. Don''t let them influence you." "I won''t


    be affected by people like them. Don''t worry." Simon waspletely at ease after seeing that Sylvia still had the heart to advise


    him.


    After waiting for a while, someone came knocking on the door.


    The person who knocked was Haytham.


    He showed a fake smile and said sinisterly, "Mr.Amos and Ms.Sunflower, the participants and Master Springsteen, who was


    invited to watch thepetition, have all arrived, sodon''t just sit here. You especially, Ms.Sunflower. They''re all waiting to see


    your performance." Then, he turned and left.


    Simon was upset and immediately stood up.


    Sylvia quickly stood up and smiled at him.


    "I''m fine, Simon. Let''s go." Simon''s face softened when he saw her smile, and he replied, "All right." They walked out of the


    lounge togetherand followed a corridor to get to the stage in front.


    It was only when they reached the stage and looked at the packed audience seats did Sylvia realizethat Simon and her were the


    last to arrive.


    At that moment, the members of the Art Association who were involved in thepetition, the participants who were seated on


    thestage, and the people in the first row, Master Springsteen and the others, were all looking at her.


    Sylvia knew in an instant that Haytham had deliberately called themst.


    Furthermore, as soon as Simon and her appeared, the people who already disliked her began to talk.


    "She''s still putting up airs at a time like this. Does she think she''s the same Sunflower as before?" "Even if she was, she


    shouldn''t havee over ste. Master Springsteen and Mr.Carmine have been waiting for so long already. She thinks too


    highly of herself." Some people who did not even know Sylvia were also affected by those words andlooked at her with cold and


    unpleasant gazes.


    Sylvia stiffened for a moment.


    However,pared to the scenes where she was bullied online until she quit the industry and whenshe was forced to run away


    miserably to the street with herrge belly, those sneers seemed to amount to nothing at all.


    She pursed her lips and went to the front row of the stage, standing at the judges¡¯ panel with Simon, Lily, andtwo old painters


    with white hair.


    Christopher paired up with an old host for this event.


    | Seeing that everyone was present, Christopher immediately picked up the microphone and said, "The two that just arrivedare our two.


    remaining judges for thispetition.


    This gentleman is Mr.Amos." At the mention of Simon''s name, loud apuse instantly erupted from the audience.


    11 L Sitting in the first row, Master Springsteen and Mr.Carmine apuded with smiles on their faces.


    The student participants behind them also obviously worshiped Simon and pped incessantly.


    Some of them even screamed.


    The scene was very lively.


    Christopher had to tell them to settle down three times before they quieted down.


    Then, he began to introduce Sylvia.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    "Standing next to Mr.Amos is the main judge of thispetition.


    Her name is Sylvia Ross, also known internationally by her alias, Sunflower.

 Chapter 1137

    Chapter 1137


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1137


    Chapter 1137 Christopher spoke excitedly, but what answered him was very sparse apuse.


    Only Master Springsteen from the first row apuded politely.


    Mr.Carmine and the others simply looked on with cold expressions.


    The group of student participants sitting at the back not only did not apud and wee Sylvia, but they even started whispering


    amongthemselves,pletely disrespecting Sylvia and her reputation as Sunflower.


    In short, the scene was very cold.


    It was so cold that Christopher felt embarrassed.


    Lily, Haytham, and the others sneered.


    The group of student participants sitting at the back not only did not apud and wee Sylvia, but they even started whispering


    amongthemselves,pletely disrespecting Sylvia and her reputation as Sunflower.


    In short, the scene was very cold.


    It was so cold that Christopher felt embarrassed.


    Lily, Haytham, and the others sneered.


    Simon looked at Sylvia.


    Her expression was a little pale, and her hands hanging by her sides clenched into fists.


    It was impossible to say that she did not care.


    After all, it was true that she disappeared for a long time, and the ink painting" that spread in the art circle previously was indeed


    disastrous.


    However, she thought to herself, ¡®It''s fine.


    Just bear with it.1 She took a deep breath and was just about to calm down when a male student in the audience suddenly


    stoodup and pointed at Sylvia, asking, "President Dendro, | thought that Ms.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Sunflower withdrew from the industry a long time ago.


    I''ve also had the pleasure of seeing her ink painting¡¯ before.


    | don''t understand what qualifications she has to be our main judge!"


    The whole venue immediately went into an uproar, and many students echoed, "That''s right.


    What qualifications does she have to be the main judge?" Ill


    The scene was instantly chaotic as everyone crusaded against what qualifications Sylvia hadto be a judge.


    The people on the stage also looked on indifferently as if they were watching a show, especially Haytham and the others.


    Only Lily remained standing elegantly, keeping her posture and looking forward.


    However, the smile at the corner of her mouth could not help but widen.


    LR1 There was cold hostility attacking Sylvia from all directions.


    She did not expect this kind of scene at all, and her body stiffened up uncontrobly.


    Christopher obviously did not expect this to happen either, but he was quick to react.


    After organizing his words, he picked up the microphone and answered the student, "Of course, | have my own considerations


    when | asked her tobe the main judge.


    Everyone has their bad days sometimes.


    Her specialty isn''t ink paintings anyway.


    "Then, is she in a good state now?" the student asked.


    Christopher immediately replied, "Yes, | can guarantee that she''s in a good state now. There''ll be a live painting session for the judges


    later. If you don''t believe me, just wait and see." That student immediately pursed his lips and secretly looked at Haytham.


    Haytham shot him a look.


    Then, the student asked, "President Dendro, what if she doesn''t finish the paintingter?" Christopher smiled and said, "Then I''ll disqualify


    her as the main judge and choosea judge who you think has the best painting to act as the main judge." The student nced at Haytham


    again.


    Haytham looked ahead and did not meet his gaze.


    The student''s eyes flickered.


    "Fine, then we''ll wait and See." He sat back down.


    The other students who booed along with him also sat down obediently The scene was still a little cold.


    Many people were still watching Sylvia and looking at her reaction.


    Sylvia clenched her fists, her hands full of cold sweat.


    Before the student got up and questioned her, she did not care about what those people thought.


    However, she felt a little nervous now.


    She wanted to lower her head and avoid all of their gazes.


    However, just before she could make a move, a crisp and clear cry suddenly came from the entrance.

 Chapter 1138

    Chapter 1138


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1138


    Chapter 1138 Sylvia was stunned and suddenly looked up at the entrance of the auditorium.


    She saw a chubby figure dressed in orange running toward her.


    The little girl had her hair tied up in pigtails, and was dressed in a small orange hat and a matching orange dress.


    She dashed over like a running sun.


    It was none other than Isabel.


    Not long after she came in, three more figures appeared.


    It was Odell, who was in a suit and tie, Liam, who wore a small suit with an orange bowtie , and Flint, whoy in Odell''s arms.


    The baby saw Sylvia and instantly shouted," Mama!" The huge venue suddenly became silent as everyone on andoff the stage looked at


    them.


    LL


    Sylvia waspletely stunned.


    ¡®Aren''t they supposed to be at work and school? Why are they here?"


    Soon, Isabel ran to the bottom of the stage right belowSylvia She raised her clenched fists at Sylvia, shouting seriously, "Go,


    Mom!" Sylvia could not help but smile.


    All the tension and depression she felt a moment agopletely disappeared.


    "Yep!" she answered the little girl.


    Odell also brought Liam and Flint over.


    LLL 11 His tall and straight figure was much higher than the stage.


    He was basically eye-level with Sylvia.


    He did not say anything and simply looked at her with a gentle smile on his lips.


    Then, he raised his hand and patted Flint''s butt, and Flint shouted, "Go, Mama!"


    The baby''s soft and cute voice instantly made the whole venue even moresilent.


    Sylvia could not help butugh.


    "Okay, | know." "Mommy, we believe in you," Liam spoke up as well.


    His handsome little face was cool, but his eyes when he looked at her were filled with faith.


    Sylvia smiled at him.


    "Thank you." Then, Odell took them to the three empty seats on the first row to Master Springsteen''s right side.


    The seats in the audience were arranged in advance ording to the number of people.


    Odell most likely secretly booked the seats behind her back.


    1 Sylvia held back her smile and shot Odell a look.


    Then, she said to Christopher, who was still ina daze," President Dendro, it''s about time.


    Let''s start." She could not wait to make those people eat their words.


    Christopher immediately snapped back to his senses and picked up the microphone, saying, "Everyone has arrived.


    If any of you have any objections, let''s discuss them as the judges draw." Then, he clearedhis throat.


    "| hereby announce the opening ceremony of the Westchester Art Competition !"


    As soon as he spoke, grand musicfilled the venue.


    The audience who were stunned by Odell and the three children''s sudden arrival also snapped back to their reality and apuded with


    the music.


    However, there were also many people such as Mr.Carmine who disliked Sylvia ever since the ink painting incident.


    The first student who got up and questioned Sylvia''s qualifications as the main judge also maintained a cold expression as if he was


    waiting to see hermake a joke out of herself.


    Those people did not apud at all.


    On the stage, Christopher and Simon continued to smile.


    However, besides Sylvia and them, the others did not look very happy at all.


    For example, Lily had a cold expression the moment Odell appeared with the children.


    There was also Haytham, whose eyes shed with guilt and uneasiness.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    The people who participated in scheming against Sylvia before all felt guilty after seeing Odell.

 Chapter 1139

    Chapter 1139


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1139


    Chapter 1139 However, their expressions soon returned to normal. So what if Odell came? Later, the judges painting session wouldpare the individual abilities of


    eachjudge


    Although Sylvia''s present state was much better than when she painted the ink painting, there was noway she could beat the paintings of Simon, Lily, and the two other


    experienced artists! She would definitely beughed at and stripped of her position as the main judge in public! They wanted to see just how miserable she looked at that time.


    At that thought, Haytham and a few others looked at each other andughed secretly


    They walked off the stage and went to their seats.


    Sylvia, Simon, Lily, and the other judges sat down at the table at the side ofthe stage.


    Christopher and the other host talked about the specific process of thepetition , rified the rules, and then announced, "Once again, let''s invite our five judgesto the stagel


    Let''s invite them to paint for all of US on the spot and add some sensationalism to ourpetition!" Warm apuse rang out again after those words.


    The students in the audience called out the judges¡¯ names excitedly


    LI Some cheered for the two old artists, some who cheered for Simon, but cries for Lily''s name were the loudest.


    As for Syivia.


    Only Isabel and Flint, who were sitting in the front row, screamed for her at the top of their lungs.


    However, that was enough.


    Sylvia followed behind Simon and walked to the middle of the stage with the other judges.


    After casting a smile at the three little ones, she caught Odell¡¯s gaze.


    His thin lips were gently curled, and his eyes were deep and gentle.


    He did not say a single word, but Sylvia seemed to hear his warm voice saying, Tmalways here, don''t be nervous." She smiled at


    him.


    At that moment, the host asked them to choose their painting tools and seats.


    The positions specially prepared for the five judges were already set up.


    They were right in front of the stage, facing the seated audience.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    The camera on the stage was also ready and would broadcast the artists and their paintings on thebig screen behind the stage


    for everyone to see.


    Sylvia was behind Simon and was thest to select the painting tools.


    She took a set of watercolor and brushes and was just about to find a seat when she wasblocked by Lily, who had been the first


    one toe over and pick out the painting tools.


    She seemed to have done it on purpose .


    "Ms.


    Ross, are you going to paint your specialty?" Sylvia looked at the brush and ink in herhand.


    ¡°Aren''t you as well?" "Of course, | have to paint what I¡¯m good at on an asion like this.


    | don''t mean anything else.


    | just want you to take it easyter.


    If you draw a painting that disgraces your area of expertise again, you''ll never be able to make aeback."


    Sylvia''s lips pulled down.


    "You don''t have to worry about that.


    Just mind your own business." Lily sneered , walked past Sylvia, and sat directly in themiddle of the five seats


    Simon and the two other artists had already sat down.


    Simon sat on the leftmost seat on the stage, and the two older artists sat on the second seat from the right and left


    respectively.


    After taking a look, Sylvia took her painting tools and sat in the remaining seat without changing her expression


    It was just a seat


    It was not important.


    The important thing was to get the painting right.

 Chapter 1140

    Chapter 1140


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1140


    Chapter 1140 Christopher and the other host stood behind them. After seeing all of them take their seats, Christopher said,"The five judges may start when you''re ready.


    | look forward to the masterpieces you all paint that will satisfy everyone here!¡±


    As soon as he spoke, the whole room fell silent.


    Everyone stared at the judges on the stage.


    Most of them were looking at Lily, and some looked at the two old artists andSimon.


    Only Odell and the three little ones stared at Sylvia


    However, some people nced at her as well because they were waiting for her to make a fool of herself.


    At that moment, Sylvia had her head lowered and was mixing her paints seriously.


    She had thought about what to paint before she came here, but she suddenly thought of another more beautiful scene.


    An image of that scene appeared clearly in her mind.


    After mixing the paint, she picked up the brush and pressed it on the canvas.


    The canvas was the same size as the four other judges to restrict their painting time.


    The size was not toorge, and it was much smaller than the size she used for painting at home.


    However, it did not matter.


    It wasrge enough for her to present what she wanted to draw.


    After mixing the paint, she picked up the brush and pressed it on the canvas.


    The canvas was the same size as the four other judges to restrict their painting time.


    The size was not toorge, and it was much smaller than the size she used for painting at home.


    However, it did not matter.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    It wasrge enough for her to present what she wanted to draw.


    She rxed her breathing, and in no time, her vision narrowed down to the canvas in front of her.


    Her whole body focused solely on painting without a single distraction.


    Meanwhile, the camera moved behind them.


    IVVE It was unknown if it was a problem with the camera or if it was deliberate maniptionby the cameraman , but the camera


    focused on Lily''s easel.


    Her elegant posture of drawing with a brush and the strokes on the canvas was clearly projected ontothe big screen.


    The session had just started, so it was too early to see what she was tryingto draw.


    However, almost all the people off-stage were attracted by her noble temperament.


    Some even whispered, "As expected of Ms.


    Springsteen.


    Her temperament is perfect." Some young students also said, "Her posture with the brush is also excellent, and her brushstrokes


    are strong and filled with intent.


    | believe that she''ll make a good painting.¡± in "That''s for sure.


    She''s Master Springsteen''s granddaughter." II 11 After a long time passed, the camera finally shifted to the paintings of the two


    old artists, andthe group of people fell silent.


    However, not long after that the camera shifted to Lily again, and the group instantly got excited again.


    When they saw Lily''s stylish and bold movements, they all looked at her with starry eyes.


    "| wonder what Ms.


    Springsteen is going to draw." "Itll be a painting that will blow our minds.¡± "That''s right.


    Even if she paints a few random brushstrokes, it!l still be a hundred times better thanthat link painting¡¯ of a certain master.


    | can''t wait for the person who relied on connections to be the main judge to make a fool of herself.¡±


    "Hehe, | would''ve forgotten that that so-called masteris also on the stage if you hadn''t mentioned her.


    Look at her.


    She looks quite serious, but who knows what kind of garbage she''s painting?¡± Someone pointed at Sylvia


    The others echoed, "Who knows? In any case, there''s no way she¡¯s as good as Ms.


    Springsteen." Isabel, who was in the front row, heard all their words clearly and turned around to re at them with wide eyes.


    u The students who saw her fierce but cute appearance instantly felt self-conscious and turned away, not paying attention to her.


    Isabel snorted coldly and shouted at the security guards standing next to her, "I want to report them.


    They''re talking loudly and disturbing the judges from drawing!" Her voice drew the attention of not only the security guards but also of Christopher and some of theaudience


    sitting next to her.


    The group of people looked at her.

 Chapter 1141

    Chapter 1141


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1141


    Chapter 1141 The security guard nced at Christopher, who nodded at him. Then, the guard went up tothe students and said with a cold face, "Be quiet.


    if you talk again, then get out.¡± The students instantly looked sheepish


    One of them was indignant and muttered, "Her voice just now was louder than all of USbined.¡±


    The security guard pursed his lips.


    ||| Before he could say anything, Isabel piped up again


    "Mr


    Security Guard, he''s talking again


    Tell him to get out!" Although her voice was loud, it was crisp and clear like a bird


    Her chubby face and the way she said "Mr.


    Security Guard" was also adorable.


    The next second, the guard looked at the student who had just muttered about Isabel and said seriously, "Please leave.¡± The student went red with anger and said angrily, l just


    muttered under my breath


    Why don''t you tell that loud little fatty to get out instead? Is it because she''s Master Carter''s daughter that you don''t dare to take


    care of her?!


    Isabel''s facebulged as she stood up in her seat.


    How dare he call her a little fatty?! Just as she was about to yell back at him, Liam pulled her down andsaid softly, "Calm down.


    serious!


    lease leave." The student went red with anger and said angrily, "| just muttered under my breath.


    Why don''t you tell that loud little fatty to get out instead? Is it because she''s Master Carter''s daughter that you don''t dare to take


    care of her?!


    Isabel''s facebulged as she stood up in her seat.


    How dare he call her a little fatty?! Just as she was about to yell back at him, Liam pulled her down andsaid softly, "Calm down.


    You can deal with him after Mommy finishes painting.¡± Isabel instantly snapped back to her senses.


    ¡®Yeah, Mommy is still drawing.


    | can''t disturb her.'' She red fiercely at the student and sat back down obediently.


    At that moment, Odell looked at Christopher, who had walked over, and said in alow voice, "President Dendro, my daughter is


    just trying to maintain order.


    This student didn''t respect the asion and raised his voice.


    | don''t think it''s appropriate for him to remain here." Christopher, who was about to tell the student to stop talking, was


    speechless.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    He looked at Odell.


    Although Odell had a cute little toddler in his arms, his face was still cold, and the overpowering aura around him wasintimidating


    as usual.


    Christopher choked before saying, "Il understand.


    I''ll handle it." Then, he looked at the security guard signaling him to escort the student out.


    When the other students saw that happening, they all shut their mouths wisely.


    However, at the same time, their dissatisfaction and dislike toward Sylvia grew deeper in their hearts.


    The more they thought about it, the angrier they became.


    Then, they took out their phones and started toin in the group chat.


    " only heard that Sylvia relied on Master Carter to get to the top


    Unexpectedly, Casey only muttered a few words, but President Dendro had the security guard escort him out directly! That little fatty''s voice was clearly louder than all of ours


    combined, but the president didn''t dare to say anything about her.


    This is an abuse of authority.


    It''s too unfair!"


    "That''s right.


    Now, I''mpletely sure that Syivia is just a piece of trash that relied on a man to rise tothe top.


    |. guess the works she was famous for were also painted by people that Master Carter found for her!"


    "1


    II. Not long after, the group admin Haytham popped up and replied, "Just bear with it


    Master Carter is the most powerful man in Westchester City.


    Do you think you''ll be able to continue participating in thepetition if you offend him?" As soon as he saidthat, the people in the group instantly became furious.


    "How can garbage like that be one of the judges? Thispetition is unfair.


    We might as well notpete!" "Exactly.


    I''d like to see what she painted when the resultse out


    Fits crap, !''l| quit thepetition even if her husband and President Dendro protect her!" "Yeah, welll all withdraw from thepetition

 Chapter 1142

    Chapter 1142


    Chapter 1142 Backstage, Haytham, who was in charge of directing the camera positions, showed a satisfied smirk after seeing


    the students¡® statements about withdrawing from thepetition.


    Seeing that they were almost determined to withdraw, he replied, ¡°No, the president may just be afraid of Sylvia because of


    Master Carter. He already said that he''ll withdraw her as the main judge if she doesn''t draw well, so he can''t go back on his


    word. Don''t worry. As long as she doesn''t draw well, she won''t be able to remain a judge.¡±


    The students looked at his words and replied, ¡°What if the president doesn''t dare to withdraw her as the main judge because


    he¡¯s afraid of Master Carter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, are we supposed to put up with that too?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not. We need to have more courage to abandon thepetition.¡± ¡°That''s right. President Dendro already promised


    us. If he goes back on his word, we''ll abandon thepetition. Everyone else will do the same as well. He won''t be able to


    continue hosting the artpetition anymore.¡± ¡°Okay, then it''s settled. If she draws garbage but the president still wants to


    protect her, we''ll all withdraw from thepetition!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ok, deal!¡±


    Looking at how they were banding together against amon enemy, Haytham smirked and put away his phone.


    411L


    At that moment, a staff member in charge of the camera asked him, ¡°Mr. Lunder, the camera has been focused on Ms.


    Springsteen for most of the session. The audience


    probably wants to see the other paintings too. Should we move the camera?¡±


    Haytham¡®s eyes flickered. He put away the phone and revealed a serious look. ¡°Sure. Move it to Mr. Smith and Mr. Moore.


    They''re old and experienced artists, so we


    should give them more shots.


    The staff secretly pursed his lips and thought, ¡®If they''re old and experienced artists, why didn''t you give them more shots


    earlier?¡® However, he did not say anything and simply did as he was told.


    In front, on therge screen above the stage, the image soon panned to the two old artists and their paintings.


    They were bothndscape paintings and were already half ¡ªfinished. From a nce, they looked quite good.


    Many students calmed down and quietly admired and observed the paintings.


    In the front row, Master Springsteen¡®s tense expression also loosened. Mr. Carmine, who was sitting to his left, smiled and


    praised, ¡°As expected of experienced artists. Their paints are very good.¡± Master Springsteen smiled and pursed his lips.


    After a while, the camera moved to Simon¡®s painting.


    It was an oil painting of people. Although the painting was only partiallypleted, the characters in the picture were exquisite. It


    was clear that Simon was a superb artist.


    Master Springsteen smiled and praised in a low voice,¡± Not bad.¡±


    Mr. Carmine also nodded along. ¡°As expected of the great Mr. Amos. It''s a shame he¡¯s friends with a piece of trash.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Master Springsteen¡®s expression instantly turned cold as he cleared his throat.


    Mr. Carmine immediately came back to his senses, remembering that Odell was sitting to Master Springsteen''s right side. His


    gaze shrank and he quickly shut his mouth.


    The camera stayed a few minutes on Simon¡®s painting, swept past the two old artists, and then stopped behind Lily again.


    Almost an hour had passed since the painting session started, but not a single shot had been given to Sylvia so far.


    Master Springsteen¡®s expression changed, and he looked at Odell, who was sitting to his right.


    Odell had his head turned so his eyes fell clearly on the far right side of the stage where Sylvia was. He did not look at the big


    screen at all.


    The little toddler he was holding in his arms, as well as the two other children sitting beside him, all shared his gaze and looked


    at Sylvia.


    Among his three children, only Flint was still unfamiliar with the world. Isabel and Liam¡®s expressions were cold.


    Odell¡®s face seemed emotionless, but Master Springsteen was experienced and could guess that Odell was not in a good mood.


    However, Sylvia was still painting, so he could not make a fit about it.


    He pursed his lips and looked away.


    Lily was the first to finish painting.


    After signing her name on the corner of the canvas, she put down the brush and continued to maintain her elegant sitting


    posture.


    The camera presented her finished painting on the big screen.

 Chapter 1143

    Chapter 1143


    Chapter 1143 Almost all the students in the audience let out exmations and looked at Lily with adoring eyes.


    Lily saw their looks and continued to sit demurely, but the smile at the corner of her mouth subconsciously deepened.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    She was very satisfied with her painting. It was no exaggeration to say that it was the most satisfactory one she had painted in


    so many years.


    At that thought, she looked toward Master Springsteen.


    Master Springsteen caught her gaze and smiled at her.


    Lily¡®s eyes lit up. The corners of her mouth immediately curled up, and she looked even more confident.


    Then, she looked at the man sitting on Master Springsteen¡®s right.


    He was sitting upright with his little son in his arms, and his eyes were looking to the right of the stage. He was obviously looking


    at Sylvia . Even though Lily had been staring at him for a while, he did not have any intention of looking at her, let alone her work


    which was being disyed on the big screen.


    Her face instantly went cold, and she withdrew her gaze.


    At that moment, the two old artists and Simon also put down their brushes one after another.


    The camera panned toward their paintings.


    After seeing their paintings, the contestants let out exmations one after another.


    However, not long after, they tacitly looked at Sylvia, who was still painting


    Someone whispered, ¡°What is she painting ? Why isn''t she done yet?¡± ¡°Who knows? The other four judges have all put down


    their brushes. Why is she still painting?¡±


    ¡°Also, why wasn''t she given a single shot after so long? Could it be that her painting is so garbage that the person in charge of


    the shots is too embarrassed to reveal her painting?¡± ¡°I think that''s very likely.¡±


    There were also those who were simply curious. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just slower because her painting is moreplicated.¡±


    However, they were quickly snubbed by the others who wanted Sylvia to make a fool of herself. ¡°Heh... It''ll be good enough if


    she canplete a decent painting, but aplicated one? Doesplexity have anything to do


    with it?¡±


    ¡°That''s right. It''s been more than two hours, and the two old artists have already finished painting. She¡®s taking too much time.¡± ;


    LILL


    ¡°| think she¡¯s just stalling. She doesn''t want others to see how garbage her painting is.¡± ¡°Hahaha that''s possible!¡±


    At the side of the stage, hearing their chatter getting louder, Christopher immediately looked over.


    The people who were loudly jeering fell silent.


    At that moment, Mr. Carmine, who was on Master Springsteen¡¯s left, suddenly smiled at Christopher.¡± President Dendro, please


    go and have a look. I¡¯m too old and can''t sit for too long. The four other judges have already finished painting. Why hasn''t Ms.


    Sunflower finished yet? Did she encounter any difficulties? Or did she run out of paint?¡±


    As soon as he said that, several people echoed his sentiments and agreed, ¡°Yes, President Dendro, go and have a look.¡±


    Christopher''s expression shifted. ¡°Everyone, please settle down.¡±


    Then, he walked toward the stage.


    Everyone immediately looked at him as well as Sylvia, who was still painting.


    The two old artists on the stage, as well as Lily and Simon also looked over.


    The two artists were just a little tired and did not react too much.


    Simon looked at Sylvia , who was still scribbling on the canvas, and revealed a slightly concerned expression.


    Lily, on the other hand, had a curl on the corner of her lips, and a smile that could not be hidden in her eyes.

 Chapter 1144

    Chapter 1144


    Chapter 1144 Below the stage, Odell held Flint and fixed his eyes on Sylvia.


    Beside him, Isabel stared at Sylvia, who was still painting, with a straight face. She could not help but mutter worriedly, ¡°Is


    Mommy having some sort of difficulty ?¡± Liam looked at Sylvia and replied, ¡°No, | believe in her.¡±


    His childish voice was extraordinarily firm. Isabel''s eyes flickered, and she immediately changed her tone. ¡°I believe in Mommy


    too.


    The corners of Odell¡®s mouth curled up silently as he continued to look at Sylvia paint seriously.


    At that moment, Christopher walked up behind Sylvia.


    However, for some reason, he was stunned the moment he saw her painting.


    His whole person frozepletely as if he had gotten a huge shock.


    Seeing his reaction, the people who did not think highly of Sylvia and were waiting for her to make a joke of herselfughed one


    after another.


    If Christopher acted like that, how good could her painting be?


    Many of those who were worried that Sylvia would be able to draw well were relieved and sat up straight, waiting for the moment


    when she would make a fool of herself.


    Haytham, who had been backstage, came to the front stage after seeing Christopher and the audience¡®s reaction.


    Backstage, he could only see the images that the camera showed him, and since he had not given Sylvia any shots, he did not


    see her painting. He went straight to the audience and sat with some students, waiting for Sylvia to stop her brush and for her


    drawing to be projected on the big screen. He could not wait tough at her with the others.


    At that point, Sylvia was still immersed in her painting. She was in the important stage of adding the finishing touches and did not


    even notice everyone looking at her. She did not realize that Christopher was standing behind her either.


    Her paint ¡ªstained hand held the brush, still scribbling.


    After a few minutes, thest stroke waspleted, and she let out an exhale. Then, she signed the name Sunflower on the


    lower right corner of the canvas.


    Only after she did that did she look up and see everyone staring at her.


    She froze and looked back at Christopher. ¡°President


    Dendro?¡±


    ¡®When did he appear?¡¯


    Christopher was staring at her painting and seemed to be in a daze, not hearing her words.


    Sylvia called him again, ¡°President Dendro?¡±


    He continued to space out.


    She raised her voice. ¡°President?¡±


    Only then did Christopher snap back to her senses. He smiled at her and asked, ¡°Sylvia, are you finished painting?¡±


    She smiled back at him. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He took a deep breath, held back his excitement, and picked up the microphone, saying to everyone in the venue, ¡°All


    five of our judges have finished their paintings. Now, I''d like to ask our staff to disy their finished works on the big screen so


    that everyone can appreciate them one by one.¡±


    After saying that, he stepped back to the side.


    Sylvia stood up.


    Simon, Lily, and the two other artists also got up and retreated to the side of their respective paintings so that the camera could


    capture theplete picture.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    The camera went from left to right, starting with Simon''s


    painting, and was disyed on therge screen for three minutes.


    The audience and contestants under the stage looked over it carefully:


    Although they had all followed the footage several times, they still let out cheers when Lily¡®sndscape ink painting was


    broadcast. Some students even shouted,¡± Ms. Springsteen, you''re forever our goddess!¡± Lily maintained a demure smile, but her


    chin raised slightly.


    After several minutes, the camera panned to the old artists¡® paintings on her right. The students cheered twice and then stopped.


    It waspletely different from the enthusiasm they had for Lily.


    The artists pursed their lips and did not say anything.

 Chapter 1145

    Chapter 1145


    Chapter 1145 Three minutester, the camera moved again. In that instant, the whole room became quiet, and everyone stared


    at the big screen. Haytham and the others smirked.


    They had been waiting for this moment for hours.


    What kind of garbage would she present again?


    Just as they were grinning from ear to ear, the camera stopped.


    plete watercolor painting was erged on the big screen.


    The watercolor painting was bright and rich. As soon as the camera panned to it, it was as if a light was shining out of the


    canvas, making the entire venue light up.


    Then, the venue became silent.


    Everyone¡®s eyes were wide open.


    The smiles on Haytham and the others¡¯ faces also seemed to have frozen, leaving only wide-eyed silence.


    In the first row, Master Springsteen took one look and instantly stood up, forgetting to get his crutches. Mr. Carmine, who was


    sitting on his left, was also


    dumbfounded. His mind went nk, and he followed Master Springsteen and stood up in a panic.


    Then, the students in the rows of seats behind them, regardless of whether they were with Haytham, mored to not allow


    Sylvia to be the main judge, or previously looked on indifferently, all stood up.


    On the stage, Simon also revealed a stunning gaze when he saw the painting. The two veteran artists were also shocked, and


    Lily wentpletely pale. The bright watercolor painting was clearly captured by the high-definition lens.


    It was a painting of several figures.


    The background of the painting was blurred, but it could be seen that it was the auditorium venue at this moment.


    The point of view was facing the audience from the stage.


    The audience was filled with people, but all the faces were clearly blurred, so it was impossible to tell who was who. It was as if


    she just casually drew a few random strokes for them. However, the people could obviously feel the indifference and mockery on


    the audience''s faces in the painting In stark contrast were the four figures right below the stage, in front of the three empty seats


    in the first row. There was a chubby girl, a cool boy, and a tall man holding a small toddler.


    Their faces were not clear, and it was impossible to tell who was who.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    However, the chubby girl''s smile was yful and cute, the cool boy''s eyes were firm, the little baby giggled adorably, and the tall


    man looked gentle and doting.


    It was clearly her husband and her three children!


    It was also clearly the scene after Odell walked in with the children when everyone else was pointing at Sylvia, sneering at her,


    and belittling her for being a judge.


    She actually drew that scene out!


    Furthermore, not only did she draw it out, but the finished painting was... amazing.


    The painting was almost all bright colors like orange and red. The use of color was very bold, and the visual impact was powerful


    but not garish. It was not only eye-catching but also exuded a warm, hot, and powerful force.


    The source of that force was clearly the four main characters in the painting.


    As for the other indifferent supporting characters, they naturally also yed a role in setting up the scene, but that was all.


    In short, the technical mastery of this painting, the skills needed to achieve it, and the beauty of the finished product was simply


    top-notch!


    Even someonepletely inexperienced who did not know how to appreciate art would also be shocked.


    p p...


    Sudden apuse sounded, followed by the sound of Master Springsteen¡®s exmation, ¡°Great! As expected of Sunflower¡®s


    work!¡±


    He did not conceal his appreciation for this painting and looked at Sylvia with an expression of admiration.

 Chapter 1146

    Chapter 1146


    Chapter 1146 Sylvia smiled at him.


    Master Springsteen¡®s reaction also brought the other confused people back to their senses.


    Christopher and Simon apuded in unison. The two old artists also smiled and pped their hands.


    In the audience, a group of students participating in thepetition froze for a moment, then followed suit and pped.


    The apuse rang loudly and did not stop for a long time.


    Sylvia looked at the first-row seats in the middle.


    Isabel and Liam both stood up, and Odell¡¯s usually cold face was warm and smiling.


    Isabel stepped on the chair and held up her little fist, yelling, ¡°Mommy is the best! Mommy is my god!¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. She beamed at them and looked at Odell.


    His tall figure stood straight as he held Flint steadily in one hand. When he saw her look over, he immediately took one of Flint''s


    small hands and waved it toward her.


    At the same time, the corners of his thin lips rose slightly in a gentle and charming smile.


    Sylvia curled her lips up back at him.


    The continuous apuse finally stopped.


    Christopher could not hold back his joy and said with a smile, ¡°All five judges have finished their paintings, and you saw their


    paintings on the big screen one by one. Does anyone else have any objections?¡± He emphasized the word ¡®objection.


    At the same time, his eyes looked at Lily on the stage, Mr. Carmine, Haytham, and the group of students around him.


    Lily walked directly to Sylvia''s seat and looked at the painting on the easel as if she could not believe Sylvia could paint in public.


    Then, her expression turned even paler and uglier.


    Below the stage, Mr. Carmine¡®s expression was embarrassed. He took off his sses and wiped them with a microfiber cloth.


    Meanwhile , Haytham and the group of students around him, who had previously called Sylvia out for being unworthy of acting


    as a judge and had coaxed everyone to threaten Christopher by withdrawing from thepetition to remove Sylvia as the main


    judge, all lowered their heads sheepishly. They did not dare to look at the stage again, let alone say a single word. Besides them,


    the other people in the Art Association,


    who followed Haytham¡®s lead in mocking Sylvia, all lowered their heads and did not dare to look at her at all.


    Only those who never vilified Sylvia, such as Simon, Master Springsteen, the old members of the association, the two old artists


    who were also judges, and the other participants who did not attack Sylvia stared at her painting on the screen. Their eyes were


    wide, as if afraid that the camera would suddenly move away and they would not be able to see the painting anymore.


    The venue was quiet.


    No one said anything even after a long time.


    No one bothered to answer Christopher''s question about having any objections.


    Christopherughed. ¡°Since no one has any objections , the initial arrangement shall remain. These five will be the judges of this


    competition, and Sylvia is still the main judge.¡± After he spoke, another burst of apuse broke out.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    The first to p was Isabel , who apuded so fast as if she was not afraid of her chubby little hands hurting. Liam followed suit


    and pped. Then, Master Springsteen also apuded with a smile on his face. It was clear what he meant. He was very much


    in favor of letting Sylvia be the main judge.


    He was Lily¡®s grandfather, so if that was his decision, the others would naturally follow along and say that Sylvia deserved it. The


    crowd pped along with him. Finally, Mr. Carmine, Haytham, and the others also lowered their heads and pped.


    Only Lily continued to stare at Sylvia''s painting.


    It took a while before the apuse stopped. Then, one of the contestants in the audience asked,¡± President Dendro, can we go


    up on stage and admire the works of the five judges up close?¡±


    Almost all the contestants looked at Christopher expectantly as soon as he spoke.


    He was stunned for a moment and said, ¡°Of course. However, you have toe up in an orderly manner. Don''t rush up at once.¡±


    The contestant grinned. ¡°We understand. Don''t worry!¡±

 Chapter 1147

    Chapter 1147


    Chapter 1147 Christopher smiled and looked at Sylvia, Simon, Lily, and the two old artists. ¡°Judges, please return to the judges


    table for a while.¡±


    Sylvia smiled at him and then turned to look at Lily, who was still standing frozen in front of her painting.


    She politely called out, ¡°Ms. Springsteen, it''s time for us to return to the judges¡¯ table.¡±


    Lily instantly withdrew her eyes from the painting. Her expression was very unpleasant, cold, and dark.


    Sylvia clearly did not say anything much, but she seemed to have angered Lily greatly.


    Not only did Lily not maintain her usual elegance and politeness , but she also did not even nce at Sylvia as she turned


    around and quickly stormed off the stage, seemingly heading in the direction of the washroom.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and walked off the stage with Simon and the two other judges.


    The five seats at the judges¡¯ table were right next to the stage.


    However, Sylvia did not want to go there yet. She wanted to see Odell and her three little darlings.


    Unexpectedly, Simon and the two old artists stopped her.


    Simon excitedly tugged on her arm. ¡°Sylvia , you really surprised me!¡±


    The two other artists also smiled and praised her, ¡°I think this painting of yours is even better than the ones you were famous for


    before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, | feel like you''ve reached a whole new level.¡±


    Sylvia smiled at them. ¡°It''s probably because I''ve experienced a lot of things before and have umted an understanding of


    certain matters. That''s why | was able to finish it without any hups.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Haha, you shouldn''t be so modest.¡±


    ¡°Yes, | used to think that having you as the main judge was a bit much, but now | think that it was the right choice.¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly said, ¡°You''re giving me too much credit.¡±


    The two artists seemed to notice that she had something else to do and did not keep her any longer. They chuckled and went


    back to the judges¡¯ table with a smile.


    Simon also did not say anything else. He smiled at her and also sat down at the judges¡¯ table. Sylvia was about to go to Odell


    and the children, but when she turned around, she suddenly met a pair of deep, dark eyes.


    The man, who had been sitting in his seat, was now standing in front of her, studying her with a gentle smile on his lips.


    Snuggled in his arms, Flint reached out to her for a hug.


    Isabel and Liam also came over and stood beside him, raising their heads to look at her.


    Liam pursed his lips, but his eyes were bright as the stars.


    Isabel was like an avid little fan, clenching her fists and shouting with admiration, ¡°Mommy, you''re amazing!¡±


    Sylvia bent down with a smile and kissed both Isabel''s and Liam¡®s faces. Then, she asked, ¡°Why didn''t you two go to school?¡±


    Isabel giggled. ¡°We asked for a day off.¡±


    Sylvia guessed as much. She smiled and said, ¡°Isabel and Liam, thank you foring to support me.¡±


    Isabel and Liam curved their eyes in a grin.


    The little girl sweetly replied, ¡°You''re wee, Mommy.


    Liam also said, ¡°No need to thank us.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and looked at the man in front of her.


    ¡°Thank you, Odell,¡± she said.


    He curled his lips. ¡°You''re wee.¡± Flint babbled, ¡°Ba...¡±

 Chapter 1148

    Chapter 1148


    Chapter 1148 Whether it was because Sylvia did not kiss and hug Flint, but the baby appeared annoyed and puffed up his face.


    Sylviaughed and quickly carried him in her arms.


    The little guy immediately nuzzled his face into her neck and started to act petntly.


    Amused, Sylvia kissed him.


    At that moment, Master Springsteen suddenly walked over with his crutches. He smiled and looked at them.¡± Am | disturbing you


    guys?¡±


    Sylvia smiled back at him. ¡°No. Is there anything we can help you with?¡±


    ¡°| have a presumptuous request.¡±


    The big screen above the stage was still showing Sylvia¡®s painting


    On the stage, the crowd gathered in front of her work was also obviously thergest. The people in front of the other four judges¡®


    paintingsbined could not hold a candle to those in front of Sylvia''s painting.


    Master Springsteen looked at the painting on the big screen and asked Sylvia, ¡°Can you sell me this painting? You can name any


    price you want.¡±


    He had a feeling that this painting would be a famous masterpiece that celebrities and famous artists from all over the world


    would rush to collect in the future. There was a burning light in his old eyes.


    Sylvia did not expect him to buy the painting from her, so she was confused.


    However, before she could reply, a man¡®s low and maic voice rang out. ¡°Master Springsteen, you''re one


    step toote. I''ve already ced a reservation for this painting.¡±


    Odell smiled.


    Master Springsteen froze for a moment before smiling at him. ¡°Odell, you¡®re family, so you can just have Sylvia paint anything


    you want in the future. Can¡®t you let an old man like me have this one instead?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Master Springsteen , this painting of hers is of me and our three children, so I''m afraid | can''t give it to you. However, if she


    comes up with a new piece in the future, I''ll be the first to inform you.¡±


    Master Springsteen sighed helplessly. ¡°Very well.¡±


    Then, he looked at Sylvia with a smile. ¡°Sylvia, you must let me know if you have any new works in the future.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Thank you for your appreciation. | will.¡±


    The old man walked away with a chuckle.


    She looked at Odell and asked, ¡°Do you really want this painting?¡± ¡°Yes, | do.¡± He curled his lips and asked, ¡°How much are you


    selling it for?¡±


    She wrapped her arms around Flint, who was still acting cute, and gave Odell a look. ¡°I''ll just give it to you if you want it.¡±


    He was not an outsider, so how could she ask him for money?


    Odell brushed the tip of her nose. ¡°You worked hard for that piece, so | have to pay you for it.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him.


    He smiled. ¡°Is a hundred million enough?¡±


    She continued to look at him.


    He asked, ¡°Two hundred million?¡±


    She red at him.


    He lowered his head, his thin lips approaching her ear, and said seductively, ¡°Then, what if | give you my entire fortune?¡±


    The breath from his lips was so warm that Sylvia¡¯s ears instantly turned red. She pushed him away and muttered, ¡°Behave. The


    children are here.¡±


    Not only were the children there, but there were also


    many people around too.


    Odell looked at her bashful blushing face and curled his lips. ¡°Is that a yes?¡±

 Chapter 1149

    Chapter 1149


    ¡°What?¡±


    He pinched her face. ¡°I''ll give you my entire fortune, and you''ll give me this painting.¡±


    Sylvia rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Even without this painting, your entire fortune is mine anyway.¡±


    After all, they were husband and wife,


    Odellughed. ¡°Then, what should | use to buy this painting for you?¡±


    Seeing that he was still unwilling to drop the subject, Sylvia said, ¡°Yourself.¡±


    He was stunned for a moment, and then he grinned.¡± Sure.¡±


    Sylvia red at him while blushing and ced Flint into his arms. ¡°I have to go back to the judges¡¯ table to discuss the


    competition with them. You take the children and return to your seats. We can leave together when the opening ceremony is


    over.¡±


    After saying that, she rubbed Isabel and Liam''s little heads. ¡°We''ll go eat delicious food together when this is over. You two go sit


    with Daddy first and wait for me for a little while.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Isabel and Liam both answered obediently and followed Odell back to their seats.


    Sylvia also went to the judges¡¯ table.


    Lily had not returned yet, but Simon and the two old artists were already seated. The two empty seats remaining were the middle


    one with a card indicating it was for the main judge while the far right seat was for the other regr judge. Sylvia followed the


    instructions of the sign and sat in the middle seat between Simon and one of the old artists.


    Upon seeing her approach, Simon and the two artists both greeted her. There were still two programs left in the opening


    ceremony, and a long time had passed, so Christopher and the other host were urging the people to get off the stage.


    Most of the people who had gone up to see the judges¡® works had finished seeing all of them, but there were many still gathered


    in front of Sylvia''s painting, refusing


    to leave.


    Christopher had to nudge them many times before they were driven off.


    Then, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°Ahem... Everyone, please be seated. The ceremony isn¡¯t over yet. Now, I''d like to invite all


    the participants of thepetition to


    come up to the stage in an orderly manner to draw their respective number tes!¡±


    The judges¡¯ painting tools were all cleared, and the canvases were moved to the back of the stage. Then, the staff carried out


    boxes containing the number tes.


    After Christopher finished speaking, the contestants went up in a line to draw the number tes to be used during the


    competition.


    It took almost twenty minutes for the process to end. Christopher emphasized the key procedure of thepetition and then


    said, ¡°The opening ceremony hase to an end. Next, please wee all our contestants and our five judges toe on


    stage. Let''s have a group photo before the start of thepetition!¡±


    Thus, all the contestants went to the stage again and stood neatly in a row. When they finished lining up, Christopher and the


    other host looked at the judges¡® table. ¡°Please wee our five judges...¡±


    His eyes swept over Sylvia and Simon, then froze when he saw the empty seat on the far right side. He asked,¡± Where''s Ms.


    Springsteen?¡±


    Everyone¡®s eyes immediately went to the judges¡® table.


    At that moment , Sylvia , Simon, and the two old artists were sitting at the table, but Lily was obviously not there.


    Sylvia nced at the empty seat and then withdrew her gaze indifferently.


    One of the old artists answered, ¡°We haven''t seen Ms. Springsteen since we sat here after we finished painting. | don''t know


    where she went.¡±


    The venue went silent.


    Haytham and the others frowned without saying anything, and the students who had previously ttered Lily also pursed their


    lips.


    In the first row, Master Springsteen frowned.


    Christopher wrinkled his brows and said unhappily, ¡°Ms. Springsteen may have been held up by something. In that case, I''d like


    to invite the four judges toe up to the stage and take a photo with us.¡±


    Sylvia, Simon, and the two old artists stood up and walked to the stage. They stood right in the middle of the front row, faced the


    camera, and took a group photo with all the contestants.


    Then, Christopher smiled and announced that the opening ceremony was over. -

 Chapter 1150

    Chapter 1150


    Chapter 1150 Sylvia immediately walked off the stage and went directly to Odell and the three little ones.


    ¡°Let''s go.¡± She took Isabel and Liam¡¯s hands and looked at Odell with a smile.


    Odell picked Flint up and smiled back at her. ¡°Mm.¡±


    They then walked out of the venue.


    However, after taking a few steps, several contestants caught up with them and blocked Sylvia¡®s path. They were all students


    who had questioned Christopher about Sylvia''s qualification to be a judge.


    However, they obviously did not disy the same indignation they had back then. Their eyes flickered and their expressions


    were guilty and embarrassed.


    Sylvia looked at them suspiciously. ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    One of the students lowered his head and said, ¡°We''re sorry, Ms. Ross. We shouldn''t have doubted you just because of


    someone else''s words. We shouldn''t have called your painting garbage and threatened the president to remove your position as


    a judge.¡± Sylvia¡®s gaze softened. ¡°It''s fine. The ink painting | did before really did suck.¡±


    The students still looked guilty. She asked in confusion, ¡°Do you have something else to say?¡± The students turned to a tall and


    thin boy. Sylvia remembered him. He was the first student who had stood up and questioned Christopher as to why she could be


    a judge.


    She looked at him expectantly.


    The boy lowered his head. ¡°I''m sorry, Ms. Ross. I... We were actually instructed to do that.¡±


    Sylvia was startled.


    Beside her, Odell''s face instantly went cold.


    ¡°Who instructed you guys?¡± she asked them.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    At that moment, an anxious shout came from the side.¡± What are you all doing here? Can''t you see that Ms. Ross and Master


    Carter are leaving? Don''t block them and get out of the way!¡±


    It was Haytham. He red at the students as if he was really afraid that they were blocking Sylvia and Odell.


    The looks on the students¡¯ faces instantly changed. Some were flustered, some were scared, and some were angry.


    For example, the tall and thin boy who lowered his head to Sylvia directly looked up and red at Haytham before


    saying, ¡°Ms. Ross, it was Haytham who ordered us to do it. He kept telling us that you only got to the top with Master Carter''s


    connections, and he said that Master Carter was the one who got someone else to help you paint all the works that you were


    famous for!¡±


    Right after he spoke, several students around him raised their heads to look at Sylvia and echoed, ¡°That''s right. It was Haytham


    who told us to do that!¡±


    ¡°When you were painting, he even urged the group to threaten the president with abandoning thepetition to remove your


    position as a judge.¡±


    SL


    Sylvia frowned. Isabel and Liam turned and red at Haytham while Odell¡®s expression also turned grim.


    Haytham paled and took two steps back in panic. Then, he shouted at the students, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?


    When did I ever say that? Don''t be ridiculous and get lost already!¡±


    The students instantly became even more annoyed.


    One student took out his phone and opened the group chat, saying to Sylvia, ¡°Ms. Ross, this is the group chat. Look¡ª F*ck, he


    quit the group!¡± ¡°He quit the group, but the words he posted before haven''t been deleted. They''re still there!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they''re still there. Look, Ms. Ross. It was he who


    instructed us.¡± The students showed their phone screens to Sylvia.

 Chapter 1151

    Chapter 1151


    Chapter 1151 Haytham took two more steps to the side.


    Sylvia did not even need to look at their phones to know what happened.


    She red at Haytham. ¡°Haytham , you helped Madam Springsteen set me up before, and now this. What is wrong with you?


    Did | do something to you?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She had no contact or exchange with the man; there was not even a word that was spoken.


    Haytham got nervous and avoided Sylvia''s gaze. He looked around nervously and quickly fled.


    The students quickly gave chase.


    Isabel and Liam went after him as well. Together with the students, they surrounded Haytham.


    Haytham shouted at the students, ¡°Do you all want to continue thepetition? Stay out of my way!¡±


    The students stared at him without moving.


    Sylvia came over with her frosty gaze. ¡°It isn''t your call to remove them from thepetition. If you keep threatening them, I''ll tell


    the president that you instigated them to do this.¡±


    Haytham¡®s expression changed. He shouted, ¡°You have


    the nerve to do this because you''re Master Carter¡¯s wife. If you weren''t his wife, Ms. Springsteen would have been the


    competition judge, not you!¡± Sylvia frowned. Before he could continue, the students said, ¡°Mr. Lunder, we saw Ms. Ross painting


    live today. You are also a well known painter yourself. Don''t you think Ms. Springsteen¡®s painting is not as impressive as Ms.


    Ross¡®s?¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Mr. Lunder, don''t tell me you''re just another wannabe painter.¡±


    Haytham¡®s expression turned bitter. He got even more nervous when he saw Odell behind Sylvia and staring at him from a


    condescending position.


    Haytham unconsciously stepped back, but the students stopped him from leaving. ¡°Apologize to Ms. Ross immediately!¡± one of


    the students cried.


    Isabel put her hands on her hips and bawled, ¡°Say sorry to my Mommy, or you won''t be walking out of that door today!¡±


    Haytham gulped in fear. The littlemotion started to gather a crowd. Despite knowing some people in the crowd, none of


    them had the gall to help him.


    Lily was nowhere to be found as well.


    Apologize? He was Madam Springsteen¡®s nephew from a distant rtive. Why should he apologize to Sylvia?


    His gaze shifted and then started to cry at the crowd, asking for help. ¡°Help! They are ganging up on me! | didn''t do anything!


    They are trying to beat me up because | said Sylvia¡®s painting sucked...¡±


    Before he could finish, Odell''s towering figure walked past Sylvia and strode to the cowardly man. His towering figure and his


    grim look enhanced his dominating aura. It felt like he could crush a man with his aura alone.


    Haytham was silenced. He choked on his words and his face started to turn pale.


    Things started to quieten down. The students continued to surround him, and no one dared to even gasp loudly, let alone help


    him out of the sticky situation.


    Haytham continued to step back but was blocked by the students. His legs turned weak, and he fell to the ground. Madam


    Springsteen had once told him about Odell. Odell was in charge of the Carter Corporation which was worth a few Springsteen


    Corporations. Not only was the man capable and young, but he was also influential and powerful, someone even the


    Springsteens feared.


    Haytham immediately regretted his earlier words. He stuck his face on the ground and cried, ¡°I am sorry, Master Carter. |


    shouldn''t have used or ndered Sylvia. Please forgive me. Please!¡±

 Chapter 1152

    Chapter 1152


    Chapter 1152 Odell peered down at Haytham emotionlessly.


    ¡°So, did you instigate them?¡± he asked.


    Haytham instinctively tried to deny it, but when he met the man¡®s frosty gaze, he got nervous. He was at a loss for action and


    unconsciously said, ¡°Yes, yes, | did it. | didn''t know what | was doing. | just thought of ending Sylvia¡®s career...¡±


    Odell¡®s expression remained frosty. ¡°Did you also help Madam Springsteen set Sylvia up?¡± ¡°Yes. Madam Springsteen forced me


    to. | just did what she told me.¡±


    Odell¡®s furrowed brows added ayer of ferocity to his handsome face. ¡°What did she tell you to do?¡±


    Haytham quivered.


    Sylvia¡®s expression shifted. She said in a small voice,¡° Odell, that''s a long time ago. Just forget it.¡±


    Carter Corporation and Springsteen Corporation were partners, and they were in front of a crowd, so it was inappropriate to


    reveal the schemes that would affect the working rtionship between the twopanies in public.


    Odell continued to stare at Haytham. ¡°Speak!¡±


    Haytham nervously said, ¡°Yes, yes... When Sylvia did the live demo at Master Springsteen¡¯s event and you were still engaged to


    Ms. Springsteen, Madam Springsteen wanted to teach Sylvia a lesson so that she would stay away from you.


    ¡°Madam Springsteen came to us after the event and told us to spread the news of her shoddy painting, forcing her to leave the


    art scene. We learned that Sylvia was eating at a restaurant, so we went there, said something to her, and made her leave.


    That''s it! That''s all we did!¡±


    Haytham continued, ¡°Master Carter, | swear that''s all | did. Nothing else! It was all Madam Springsteen¡®s idea!¡±


    The spacious hall immediately went quiet as only Haytham¡®s anxious gasps were heard.


    Everyone else widened their eyes in disbelief , including Simon, Christopher , Master Springsteen , and Lily who had just arrived.


    Master Springsteen wore a grim expression while Lily¡¯s face turned pale.


    Haytham sat on the ground wretchedly, begging the man to spare him as he wept.


    However, Odell continued to stare at him coldly. ¡°You have two options: leave Westchester and nevere back, or stay here


    and live like a walking corpse.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Haytham¡®s expression changed. ¡®I''ll leave! I''ll leave Westchester immediately and never appear before you!¡±


    Odell then nced at the two students behind Haytham.


    The two students stepped aside and opened up a path for Haytham to leave.


    Haytham crawled and ran out of the building without pause. He disappeared from everyone''s sight after he went out the door.


    Odell returned to Sylvia and swapped his grim expression for a warm one.


    ¡°Let''s go have lunch.¡±


    He carried Flint from Sylvia single-handedly and held her hand.


    Sylvia regained herposure and pursed her lips.¡° Okay.¡±


    She then smiled at the students. ¡°You guys were just deceived, so | don''t me anyone of you. Just go back and prepare for the


    competition and leave all this behind. Okay?¡±


    The students originally thought Odell woulde after them after he dealt with Haytham, but after listening to Sylvia''s words,


    they realized that he did not even look at them. They sighed a breath of relief and smiled apologetically at Sylvia.


    Sylvia left with Odell, Isabel, and Liam.

 Chapter 1153

    Chapter 1153


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1153


    Chapter 1153 The family of five soon left the crowd''s sight.


    The crowd soon regained theirposure and dispersed while talking aboutwhat just happened


    "| didn''t know Haytham was such a dick." "Who would have thought? We assumed she wasjust Ms


    Springsteen''s simp.


    No one knew he would do something like this.¡± "Don''t you think Madam Springsteen is the bitch here? Syivia paintedpoorly due to her condition, and the woman used it to force


    her out of the art scene.


    She even wanted to destroy Sylvia after that.


    That''s really bitchy." "| bet she''s doing this for Lily.¡±


    "Don''t you know that the engagement was a fake? Lily and Master Carter never really gotengaged


    Lily said it herself that they pretended to be engaged for the sake of their project, so how would Madam Springsteen not know about it?"


    ¡°Then, why did she setSylvia up like that? Does she really think Lily and Master Carter would be together?" "| guess Lily likes Master Carter as well." The discussion slowly


    faded as the crowd scattered


    Simon and Christopher exchanged a quick gaze before they left with a heavy look on their faces.


    Lily clenched her fists and said to her grandfather," Grandfather, | don''t know what they are talking about.


    Grandmother wouldn''t do something like that." Master Springsteen red at her.


    "We are alone now.


    If you continue to spew lies out of that mouth of yours, | will not allow you to call me Grandfather again."


    Lily was shocked


    She pursed her lips and kept quiet.


    Master Springsteen flushed and almost got a heart attack because of what happened.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    He gripped his walking stick tightly and took multiple deep breaths to calm himself down.


    He pointed at Lily and said, "I''ve taught you since you were young, and | thought you became theperfectdy with manners.


    | really didn''t expect you to conspire to do something like this with your grandmother!" Lily''s fist remained clenched.


    She argued, "I don''t think we did anything wrong.


    Sylvia didn''t belong in the art association given her level of painting back then." "That''s herproblem! It is up to Christopher and


    the other members to decide if she''s fit to stay, not you! Everyone has to face ups and downs in their lives.


    Can you guarantee that you won''t fall to your lowest point in the


    future? No! How could you andyour grandmother set up a poordy who was pregnant and suffering from depression? Aren''t you


    two ashamed of yourselves?" Lily was shocked.


    "She had depression?" "What? You didn''t know?" Master Springsteen asked.


    Lily''s expression changed.


    ¡°How did you know she was suffering from depression back then? Did she tell you?" "She didn''t tellme anything.


    | saw it with my own eyes


    She was not painting in her best condition, and even if she was at her lowest, she could have painted something given herexperience and skills." A quick pauseter, Master


    Springsteen continued, "| had an old friend whose daughter is her therapist.


    Skr, | believe is her name


    She''s a great psychologist and my old friend spoke about her to me when we chatted


    Her daughter treated Sylvia before and confirmed that Sylvia was dealing with severe depression


    She hurt herseff a lot of times." Lily started to shake.


    "How could she have depression? | don''t know.


    Grandmother and | didn''t know she had depression


    |.." Master Springsteen noticed the genuine nervousness on her face, and it softened his frosty look


    His granddaughter was a proud person, but she was far from evil


    ¡°Let''s put that aside.

 Chapter 1154

    Chapter 1154


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1154


    Chapter 1154 Confused , Lily looked at her grandfather. "Grandfather, what''s wrong with me being thepetition judge?"


    Master Springsteen looked at her seriously.


    ¡°Your painting has improved a lot sincest time.¡± Lily''s eyes gleamed with delight, but before she could smile,her grandfather said, "But it''s not enough to make you a good


    judge yet.


    Others might not say anything about your painting, but as your grandfather, it is my duty to tell you the truth.¡±


    Lily''s expression froze


    She frowned and argued, "Are you saying that my painting is mediocre?" "That''s right.


    You might look good while you paint, but you are not there in terms of skills yet


    Youck the idealization and experience, so you need to practice more."


    Master Springsteen was reluctant to hither with the proverbial pail of cold water, but it was a fact.


    He pursed his lips and sighed.


    "Compared to Simon and the other two veterans, your painting is too far behind.¡±


    Lily clenched her fists and askedreluctantly, "What aboutpared to Sylvia''s?" Master Springsteen looked at her.


    ¡°Don''t you know your own level? Her painting is there.


    Need | borate more?" Lily pursed her lips tightly and her fists remained clenched.


    She refused to ept the fact that she was sub par.


    She was the eldest daughter of the Springsteens, a musical prodigy idolized by many.


    Why must she ept defeat from a woman with no background? "Lily, Sylvia is a really talented painter.


    Her attainments in art are not something easily achievable.


    Your background and musical talents are much better than hers, so there''s no wrong in epting your shorings.


    No one can be at the top in every field, even men.


    You and Odell are destined to be nothing more than business partners, so don''t go after Sylvia just because you losthim." Master


    Springsteen tapped on her shoulder.


    "There''s still time before thepetition.


    Go to Christopher and tell him that you are quitting as a judge.


    Let''s go home.¡± The elderly then walked outside with his walking stick after saying what heneeded to say.


    Lily was stunned on the spot.


    Her head was lowered and her fists remained clenched.


    Her body felt stiff, and she remained still for quite a while.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    1 LT 11 The ck MPV shuttled through the busymercial street.


    Isabel and Liam sat in the rear seat while ying with Flint; Odell and Sylvia were in frontof them.


    Sylvia knew Odell was not much of a talker, but the grim expression on his face told her something was wrong.


    She poked him, but his giant hand caught her wrist.


    He held her tightly, and his expression remained solemn.


    "What''s wrong?" Sylvia asked in a small voice.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said grufly


    Sylvia remembered what he said to Haytham.


    She continued, "lt happened a while ago.


    I''m fine now."


    He remained silent


    The car took a turn into the parking lot of a busy street filled with food stalls,


    Sylvia pursed her lips


    She nned to talk to him alone afer they got home.


    Odell got out of the car and carried Flint into his arms:


    Sylvia held Isabel and Liam at her side


    There were all kinds of food stalls, restaurants, and eateries on the street.


    Sylvia and Isabel went on a food-hunting spree.


    Liam followed them around and carried the food they bought.


    The little boy was almost crushed by the amount of food they bought before they decided to settle down in a hotpot restaurant.


    Odell seemed to have made a reservation, so the waiter politely guided them to the room on the second floor.


    The hotpot restaurant was known for its delicious soup and fresh ingredients.


    Other than Flint, who was too young to eat, and Odell, who was busy putting the ingredients into the pot, Sylvia and theothertwo kids had a marvelous feast

 Chapter 1155

    Chapter 1155


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1155


    Chapter 1155 After a satisfying meal, the family went home.


    The kids fell asleep on the way home. When they arrived home and got out ofthe car, Sylvia and Odell carried them back to their room


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were in the living room.


    Sylvia tugged on Odell¡¯s sleeve after putting the kids to bed and whispered, "Let''s go back to our room!"


    He hummed a reply before turing around and stridingaway without waiting for her.


    Sylvia furrowed her brows


    She carefully closed the door before she strode to her and Odell''s room.


    The door was left open, so she went in without knocking,


    "Why didn''t you tell me about what happened?¡± the man asked gruffly


    Startled, Sylvia looked at him with surprise


    His towering figure leaned beside the door and his stem expression shadowed his handsome features.


    He peered down at her, waiting for her answer.


    Sylvia looked into his eyes.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "It''s history.


    If | didn''t run into Haytham today, | wouldn''t even have remembered." "Why didn''t you tell me back then?¡±he asked.


    Sylvia frowned.


    "| had no idea that you faked your engagement with Lily back then, and after we got back together, | lostmy memories.


    | only remembered it recently."


    He pursed his lips


    Sylvia mustered her courage and stared into his eyes.


    Aslight staring contestter, he said, "Tell me everything that Madam Springsteen and Haytham did to you."


    ''s in the past now, so why don''t you justlet it go?" Sylvia felt it was unnecessary to bring it up after all this time.


    "| want to know," he said coldly.


    Sylvia pursed her lips


    He walked closer to her, lifted her chin, and said softly," Tell me.


    | promise | won''t get mad.


    | just want to know who bullied you," "Okay." As husband and wife, they should always understand what each other had done or


    hadbeen through.


    If someone framed him or set him up, she would want to know as well


    Sylvia tried her best to recall all the details and said, ¡° After that''painting'' was unveiled, Haytham and the others forced me to


    leave all the chat groups and the association together.


    "| also ran into them when | was having dinner.


    They sneered and mocked me, and filmed me while | was running away from them.


    The owner thought | was trying to dine and dash, so he chased after me for the money, so Haytham caught it on his phone and


    triedto make a big deal out of it.


    | paid the owner and ran.


    "When | got to the street, | was stopped by Madam Springsteen''s car.


    She came down and told me she was the mastermind behind it.


    She wanted to give me a lesson and ruin my reputation so that | can''t survive in the art scene.


    She even warned me if | get close to you or the Carter residence again, she''ll make sure Isuffer the consequences.¡± She looked at him after the revtion


    He studied her, and his expression looked grimmer than before


    She pouted and said, "Odell,e on.


    it''s history.


    don¡¯t care anymore." Odell hugged her into his arms and held her tight.


    No wonder she had avoided him back then whenever he tried to get her attention


    it was not just because he was engaged with Lily, but it was also because Madam Springsteen had warned her to keep her distance.


    The fact that she was pregnant back then and suffering from depression made him feel terrible


    His brows were tightly locked and his expression tured frostier than before.


    The Springsteens and his grandaunt, Ramona, had teamed up to trick him.


    They had lied to him that Flint was not his son and used that to make a scene.


    They had even set Syivia up behind her back, trying to keep her away from him


    They must have assumed that he would never care or was too foolish to care.

 Chapter 1156

    Chapter 1156


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1156


    Chapter 1156 Sylvia was suffocating from the hug. "Odell, I can''t breathe."


    The man''s grim expression softened and loosened his hug. Ittook him a while to hide his frosty look, and only then he released her.


    He stroked her face and said, Til go make a call


    Rest if you are tired.


    \| be back soon." Sylvia asked, "Why are you making a call at this hour? Who are you calling?" His face was emotionless.


    ¡°It''s a work-rted call.¡±


    Sylvia was worried


    "Odell, I''ve gotten over it already, so please don''t do this.


    Don''t start a war with the Springsteens, or whatever you''re going to do.¡±


    The Springsteen Corporationmight not be as big as Carter Corporation, but the family was still one of the biggest families in Westchester, and they were Carter Corporation''s


    business partner.


    Odell smiled


    "Don''t worry.


    | know how to differentiate private and work matters." "Great." Sylvia sighed a breath of relief.


    She went to the closet and changed into her pajamas.


    Odell took his phone outside.


    The moment he stepped outside, ayer of severity shadowed his handsome features.


    He called Clif


    The call got through in less than a second.


    "Sir, what is it?" "How''s the progress on the project with the Springsteen Corporation?" "It''s progressing smoothly.


    We have just reached the final phase of the project." "Put it on hold first.


    I''ll give you a notice on when we will resume." "Huh? Why, sir? We are moving towards the most important phase.


    If we pause or stop now, it will kill the project in the cradle, and we will suffer a huge financial loss."


    "Who will losemore? Us or the Springsteens?" "The Springsteens, of course.


    They have invested a huge amount of manpower and funds into this project.


    If this project dies, they will probably end up in a huge financial crisis."


    "How huge?"


    Cliffwas slightly stunned


    "Uh


    Given their recorded cash flow, if this project dies, and they don''t have the cash to continue operations, they won''t beable to


    invest in another project and their financial chain will be broken.


    The wholepany wille to a stop.


    All operations will cease, and they might even face bankruptcy." "What about our losses?"


    ¡°Arge sum of money.¡±


    "Then, putit on pause.


    ¡®tell you when | have the mood to continue." Cliff nodded.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Alright, sir


    ¡®ll make the necessary arrangements.¡± Odell hung up the phone and returned to the room.


    Cliff was still working in the office


    He stared at the ck screen of his phone and pursed his lips helplessly.


    His boss should know better than anyone how much this project cost and how much damage it would do to the Springsteens if it wasceased


    He wondered what the Springsteens could have done to invoke his boss''s wrath


    Back at the Springsteens'' residence, Master Springsteen scolded his wife as soon as he retumed home.


    He berated Madam Springsteen in front of the family and did not hold back with hisremarks.


    Madam Springsteen sulked in silence as she could not do anything,


    Lily was like a soulless puppet as she, too, was scolded


    After the tirade, she returned to her room, locked herself in, and even skipped lunch


    DI Both her mother and her grandmother knocked on the door, but she refused to answer.

 Chapter 1157

    Chapter 1157


    Chapter 1157 She sat in front of her piano by the window with furrowed brows. Her eyes stared out of the window nkly. Her


    grandfather had rightfully scolded her, and it made sense, but she refused to ept it. She refused to ept defeat from Sylvia,


    not in this terrible way. Ding.


    Her phone rang


    Her assistant from thepany called her. Annoyed, she answered the call and put the phone next to her ear. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Springsteen, something has happened to the project with Carter Corporation. They just informed us that they have some


    problem at their side and are taking back their workers. They said they wanted to pause the project.¡±


    Lily bolted up. ¡°Pause? What happened? Why are they taking back their workers?¡±


    While the Springsteen Corporation might have proposed and be the major stakeholder of the project, the core personnel


    and workers were mostly supplied by Carter Corporation. Carter Corporation was needed to solve many of the critical problems,


    and the project could not be paused even for a day as it entered the final phase.


    The assistant said, ¡°Ms. Springsteen, | asked Cliff about it, but he only revealed that there¡®s something important that is holding


    them back. He didn''t reveal any more. The workers that were summoned back don''t know what happened either.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Lily¡®s face turned pale. ¡°They were summoned back on short notice?¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam.¡± The assistant continued in a smaller voice, ¡°Ms. Springsteen, did we do something wrong, or did we make Master


    Carter mad?¡±


    Lily thought of what happened back at thepetition venue, especially about how Odell had questioned Haytham about what


    he did to Sylvia.


    She clenched her teeth tightly. ¡°Settle our men first and try to continue as much as possible. I''ll deal with Carter Corporation.¡±


    She hung up the phone and immediately gave Odell a call.


    However, all she got was a busy tone. Lily frowned. She went on her social media and searched for Odell¡®s contact. She typed a


    long message and texted him. Unfortunately, the system informed her that she was no longer on his friend list and that the


    message could only be sent with his consent.


    Lily''s expression froze.


    Odell had deleted her from his contact list. The anger and disbelief made her eyes teary. She smashed the phone on the floor


    and started crying on the bed.


    She was the eldest daughter of the Springsteens! She lived like a princess who was adored by many, and she had merely taught


    Sylvia a lesson, so why would he punish her in return?


    How could Odell not consider the profits and losses of bothpanies? Or had he never taken her seriously? She was the


    eldest daughter, the heir to the Springsteen Corporation, yet he did not care.


    Smashing her phone on the ground caught the attention of her mother and grandmother.


    Mrs. Springsteen and Madam Springsteen came to her door and knocked.


    ¡°Lily, what happened in there?¡± ¡°Are you crying? Open the door. Don''t scare us.¡±


    Lily clenched her teeth and wiped her tears away. ¡°I''m fine. Leave me alone.¡±


    Madam Springsteen said, ¡°Lily, she¡®s just someone who can paint better. Even if she''s Mrs. Carter, she will never be your equal


    or better. You are the eldest daughter of the family, our precious princess. Forget about what


    happened in the morning. It''s not worth your time.¡±


    Lily was annoyed by her grandmother. ¡°I know. Stop it. Leave me alone!¡±


    That woman was not just someone who could paint better. In fact, she might be the best painter in all of Westchester.


    Even though that woman came from a family that resented her, it should not have be the reason why others looked down


    on her. It was out of her control as she could not choose her family.


    Lily¡®s tears trickled down her face as the words of her assistant echoed in her mind, and she thought of how Odell had deleted


    her from the contact list.


    She wiped her tears, and together with her tears, her pride. She said in a small voice, ¡°I was wrong...¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1158

    Chapter 1158


    Chapter 1158 Both Madam Springsteen and Mrs. Springsteen stuck their ears to the door to listen to the noises inside.


    Their eyes widened in disbelief when they thought they heard Lily say sorry.


    Madam Springsteen got nervous. ¡°Lily, what are you talking about? Open the door now. Don''t scare me.¡±


    Given her understanding of Lily, the girl would never say something like this. Something must have happened.


    Just before Madam Springsteen left to find the spare key, the door opened. With teary eyes, Lily appeared behind the door.


    Both Madam Springsteen and Mrs. Springsteen looked at her in shock.


    Madam Springsteen said, ¡°Lily, don¡®t be sad. She¡¯s just better than you at painting. You don''t need to be mad about someone of


    her status.¡±


    ¡°She''s better than me at drawing, she''s better looking than me, and she¡¯s better than me at almost everything,¡± Lily said as she


    looked at her grandmother calmly.¡° Grandmother , you don''t need to cheer me up anymore. Please don''t look down on Sylvia


    either. Grandfather is right. Acknowledging my own shorings is not


    something that | should be ashamed of.¡±


    Madam Springsteen was stunned.


    Mrs. Springsteen smiled happily. ¡°Lily, I''m d that you finally understand. But don''t you deny your own talents as well. You are a


    beautiful girl, and you can y the piano well. You''re good at a lot of things as well. It''s just that...¡±


    Lily looked at her mother. ¡°What is it, Mom? Just tell


    me.


    Mrs. Springsteen sighed and held her hand. ¡°Lily, listen to me. Forget Odell Carter. Remove him from your life.¡± Lily smiled


    bitterly. ¡°Mm-¡ªhmm. I''ve thought it through. The feelings were one-sided from the start, and he agreed to work with us purely out


    of profit and only agreed to fake the engagement because of manners.¡± She lowered her head as she continued to choke on her


    feelings. ¡°Mom, I''ve made a huge mistake.¡±


    Mrs. Springsteen asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Madam Springsteen looked at her. ¡°Lily, don''t cry. Tell us what happened. I''ll do whatever | can to help.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Master Carter paused the project and took his men back. We have another projecting next month, so we can''t pause or


    stop the project at all. If we stop the project for more than three days, the Springsteen Corporation will


    face a huge financial crisis.¡±


    Mrs. Springsteen was shocked.


    ¡°What?!¡± Madam Springsteen cried. She bellowed, ¡°It must be that woman who instigated him to stop the project! I''ll go and


    reason with her!¡± Lily frowned, but before she could say a word, Mrs. Springsteen shouted, ¡°Stop it, Mom!¡± Madam Springsteen


    had never been yelled at by her daughter-inw before, hence the surprised expression. Mrs. Springsteen sighed. ¡°Have you


    forgotten what Dad said just now?¡±


    Madam Springsteen sulked and looked away.


    Mrs. Springsteen added, ¡°Mom, it''s been a while since you and Lily set Sylvia up, and if she really wanted to take revenge, she


    would have done it a long time ago.¡±


    Madam Springsteen¡®s expression changed , but she did not say a word. She continued to sulk in silence.


    Lily walked to her grandmother. ¡°Grandmother , Mom¡®s right. | was blinded by prejudice and | never saw Sylvia as a person


    before. She''s actually quite nice. If she wanted to take revenge on us through Odell, she would have done it a long time ago.¡±


    Madam Springsteen eased her sulking expression, but she remained silent. Mrs. Springsteen said, ¡°Lily, have you called Master


    Carter about this?¡±


    Lily said, ¡°He blocked my number.¡±


    Both Madam Springsteen and Mrs. Springsteen were rendered speechless.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1159

    Chapter 1159


    Chapter 1159 ¡°What should we do now?¡± A thought rushed into Madam Springsteen¡®s mind and made her say, ¡°Why don''t you go


    to your grandfather and ask him to contact Odell?¡±


    Lily pursed her lips. She debated the idea for a moment and said, ¡°Grandfather is not young anymore. He''s upset after learning


    what | have done today. I''ll go to Sylvia and apologize to her.¡±


    Madam Springsteen said, ¡°No! How could you lower yourself and apologize to that woman?¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± Mrs. Springsteen said, ¡°I


    came from a lesser family too. Are you going to be prejudiced against me as well?¡±


    Shocked , Madam Springsteen was rendered speechless .Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Enough, you two. Don''t worry. | know what | am doing.¡± Lily then went back into the room and locked it.


    Mrs. Springsteen red at her mother-inw, and the annoyance drove her to walk away.


    ¡°Alison, | didn¡®t mean...¡±


    Madam Springsteen was left alone without having the chance to exin herself. Grievance caused her to stomp her feet before


    she left in the other direction.


    Behind the shadowy corner stood Master Springsteen , who had overheard the conversation. His furrowed brows eased as he


    sighed.


    Sylvia received a call from Lily while she was watching thetest drama series with Isabel while munching on snacks in the kids


    room.


    The number shown on the screen was an unregistered number, but she answered it nevertheless. As soon as she put the phone


    near her ear, she heard Lily''s voice.


    ¡°Ms. Ross?¡±


    Surprised, she replied, ¡°Ms. Springsteen?¡±


    Isabel and Liam immediately looked at their mother.


    Even Flint, who was ying with his toy, crawled over to his siblings and then made his way to his mother.


    Lily said, ¡°Yeah, it''s me. Is this a good time?¡±


    Sylvia was shocked by her unusual tone. ¡°Are you really Lily Springsteen?¡¯


    Lily choked. ¡°It''s really me. | want to meet you in person. | wonder if you''ll be free in a day or two.¡±


    Sylvia found the request baffling. ¡°What is this about?¡±


    Lily frowned. ¡°Have you not heard?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Sylvia continued with a confused tone.


    Lily said, ¡°I want to apologize for what | have done to you in the past.¡± Sylvia was even more confused. She switched to a politer


    tone and added, ¡°It''s okay. It''s history. You can just apologize through the phone, so there¡¯s no need for a meeting.¡±


    The call went silent for a few seconds.


    Lily said, ¡°Sylvia, please give me a chance to apologize to you in person.¡±


    She sounded like she had been preparing for this, and judging from her tone, she was serious. It was just that it sounded a little


    awkward and clunky when she said it out loud.


    Sylvia remained baffled.


    Did the morning¡®s incident cause this drastic change in Lily?


    Sylvia pondered. ¡°Ms. Springsteen, is there anything else you want to tell me other than apologizing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s something else. Can we speak face to face?¡± Afraid that Sylvia would reject her, Lily immediately added,


    ¡°Tomorrow morning at the Old District. There¡®s a coffee shop near the Carters¡® residence. Can we meet there?¡±


    Sylvia looked at her kids who were also watching her. She softened her tone and said, ¡°Alright. Ten o¡®clock tomorrow morning. |


    have time.¡±


    Lily immediately said, ¡°Thank you. I''ll see you tomorrow morning.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1160

    Chapter 1160


    Chapter 1160 As soon Sylvia hung up the phone, Isabel asked,¡± Mommy, what did that baddy say to you?¡± Liam and Flint also


    looked at their mother in confusion.


    Sylvia patted their heads. ¡°She''s just trying to apologize in person.¡±


    Shock widened Isabel''s eyes.


    Liam was baffled as well. He asked, ¡°Why is she apologizing all of a sudden?¡±


    Sylvia pondered. ¡°Maybe her family scolded her?¡±


    There was a crowd when they had confronted Haytham earlier, and Master Springsteen might have witnessed it himself. Even if


    he was not present, the news would have reached his ears soon enough.


    Sylvia might have only seen the man a few times, but she could tell he was unlike Lily or Madam Springsteen. If he found out


    about what they had done to her, he would be unhappy.


    She wondered what Lily wanted to talk to her about other than apologizing


    Sylvia left the kids¡® room after putting them to sleep and


    returned to her room.


    Odell came back from the study and had washed up for bed. Hey on the bed in a dark green sleeping robe. He looked at her.


    ¡°Are the little rascals asleep?¡±


    Sylvia nodded and went straight to the shower.


    Before she could step inside, however, a pair of long arms hugged her from behind and stopped her.


    He lowered his head to her shoulder and tickled her ear with his warm breath. ¡°Hold up. Go inter.¡±


    Sylvia blushed and tapped his hand. ¡°Odell, let me go.¡±


    He refused and silenced her with a kiss.


    The kiss numbed her body and rendered her defenseless. She mustered her remaining strength and said, ¡°Odell, I''m really tired


    today.¡±


    He silenced her mouth and ravaged her with his lips. ¡°I know. You just have to lie down.¡±


    Speechless, Sylvia was not given the chance to speak and was lifted onto the bed.


    The passionate lovemakingsted until midnight.


    Drenched in sweat, Odell carried Sylvia into the shower and bathed together with her. He then carried her back to the bed.


    Sylvia tiredlyy beside him. When she was about to shut


    her eyes, the thought of tomorrow¡®s meeting gushed into her mind. She said, ¡°Odell, Lily just called me.¡±


    The man¡®s gaze turned frosty. ¡°What did she say to you?¡±


    Sylvia closed her eyes in exhaustion and said, ¡°She apologized and wanted to meet me in person. | am going to meet her


    tomorrow at the coffee shop near our house at 10 in the morning. But | think she wants to talk about other things as well.¡±


    ¡°What other things?¡±


    ¡°| don''t know. She didn''t mention it on the phone.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips with a grim look.


    In a short time, Sylvia leaned on his broad chest and fell asleep.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Eventually, he switched off themp and hugged her to sleep.


    The next morning, after breakfast, Sylvia carried Flint to the door and saw Isabel and Liam off to school.


    She returned to the living room and saw Odell drinking tea with a book in his hand casually. He did not seem to be going to


    work.


    ¡°Shouldn''t you be at work?¡±


    His eyes were glued to the book. ¡°There¡¯s nothing urgent


    in the morning. I''ll go in the afternoon.¡±

 Chapter 1161

    Chapter 1161


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1161


    Chapter 1161 "Okay." Without thinking much, Sylvia put Flint into his arms and said, "Take care of Flint for a while. The first round of


    competition is this afternoon, sol have to get ready." The judges'' duty was to rate the works of the participants, but as head judge, Sylvia


    had much more responsibilities than the others.


    Sylvia went upstairs and left the father and son alone.


    Odell pursed his lips at Sylvia''s back which disappeared beyond the stairs.


    He then grabbed Flint and stopped him from reaching his neck.


    Sylvia went up to her studio on the third floor.


    She went through thepetition agenda once more and tidied up the necessary documents.


    After she was done, she nced at her watch and noticed that there were twenty minutes left until ten o''clock.


    She performed onest check on everything and went downstairs.


    Odell was sitting on the couch in the living room.


    He had a book in one hand while his other held onto Flint''s bum to prevent him from fallingoff the couch.


    When Sylvia came down, he put the book away.


    Flint called her and extended his arms.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Mommy!" Sylvia was about to meet Lily, so she went to the door instead of going to Flint.


    Before she could tell Odell to take care of Flint while she was gone, he said, "Are you going to meet Lilynow?" Surprised , Sylvia


    nodded and said, "I''ll be back soon. You "I''ll drive you there." Odell carried Flint and got up from the couch.


    "It''s okay. | can go there myself. The cafe is just around the corner." He carried Flint over to her, and the young child


    automatically climbed into her embrace.


    Sylvia quickly caught the little guy, and Odell grabbed his car keys.


    She pursed her lips.


    There was nothing else she could do except follow him and bring Flint along.


    The ck MPV arrived at the cafe after a while.


    Sylvia put Flint in Odell''s care and got out of the car alone.


    The cafe was not too busy at this hour with only three tables of customers havinga leisurely drink.


    Sylvia saw Lily in the corner when she walked in.


    Lily wore a in dress and her hair was tied up.


    She wore simple makeup that contrasted her usual proud and delicate look.


    Lily stood up when she noticed Sylvia.


    She smiled, not exactly naturally, but humbly enough.


    Sylvia went over.


    "Ms.Ross, please have a seat," Lily said.


    Sylvia sat opposite her.


    "What coffee do you want?" Lily asked.


    "Anything that''s not too bitter is fine." "Great." Lily then told the waiter, "Two signatures, with extra sugar.


    And two bruschettas." The waiter nodded and went off with the order.


    Lily then revealed a meticulous-looking box from her side.


    She put the box in front of Sylvia and smiled.


    "Ms.Ross, | don''t know your taste, so | simply got a ne for you.


    Take it aspensation for what my grandmother and | have done to you in the past.


    | hope you like it." The logo on the box proved that it was one of the most expensive jewelry brands.


    Sylvia nced at the box.


    She pushed it back and smiled politely.


    "Thank you, but | can''t ept this. | have epted your apology, so just keep this.¡± Lily frowned at Sylvia''s rxed smile.


    "I''m sorry.


    My grandmother and | shouldn''t have hurt you.

 Chapter 1162

    Chapter 1162


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1162


    Chapter 1162 Sylvia was surprised. She expected an apology, not Lily confessing that she had looked down on her. It seemed like Lily


    had turned over a newleaf.


    Sylvia assured, "It''s okay."


    Lily smiled.


    She pushed the box to Sylvia once more and wore a sincere look.


    "Sylvia, | picked this for you. Please ept it. If you don''t, | won''t be able to forgive myself." Sylvia felt helpless.


    "It''s fine. It''s history, and you''ve apologized. | don¡¯t hate you anymore, so why are you doing this to yourself?¡±


    Lily lowered her head.


    "| heard ... from my grandfather that you suffered from severe depression back then." Sylvia pursed her lips.


    "I''m sorry, Sylvia," she said.


    She sounded much more natural and sincere than before.


    "It''s okay." Lily looked at her and saw a smile.


    In turn, she smiled back.


    trom my granoramer mat you surrereo rrom severe oepression oacK men.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    "I''m sorry, Sylvia," she said.


    She sounded much more natural and sincere than before.


    "It''s okay." Lily looked at her and saw a smile.


    In turn, she smiled back.


    A thought rushed into her mind and she lowered her head again.


    ¡°Actually, other than that, | worked with Thomas before this to separate you and Master Carter."


    Sylvia was slightly stunned before she said, "Yeah, | know." Lily lowered her head again.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    "| was prejudiced from the start. Sylvia, you can hate me, resent me, scold me, or whatever you like. | can take it. You don''t need


    to forgive me immediately either." Sylvia went silent.


    She could tell Lily was sincere with her apology, but the change of personality was a little too much.


    At the same time yesterday, Lily and the others had looked down on her at the opening ceremony for thepetition.


    Sylvia remembered that Lily had something else to tell her other than making an apology.


    "Lily, you said you have something else to tell me. What is it?"


    Lily took a deep breath.


    However, before she could speak, her gaze caught the towering figure standing outside the window.


    The handsome man was staring at them further away with the baby in his arms.


    Lily caught his gaze when she nced at him; his eyes were frosty and emotionless .


    Shocked, she immediately retracted her gaze.


    She said to Sylvia, "That''s it.


    Nothing else.


    | just want to apologize to you in person." "Really?" Sylvia found it difficult to believe.


    Lily pursed her lips.


    "Yeah. | want to meet you in person. That''s why | said | have something else to tell you." "Okay." Sylvia smiled.


    "If there''s nothing else, | have to go now to prepare for thepetition." Before she left, she looked at Lily onest time.


    "Oh, you should go home and get prepared as well." Lily smiled.


    "It''s okay.|''ve already resigned from being a judge. Mr.President has already approved it."


    Sylvia was stunned.


    Lily wore a rxed smile.


    "My grandfather told me to give up the position. He''s right. I''m not skilled enough in painting to be a judge." Sylvia pursed her lips.


    "Okay then. | have to go now.¡± She stood up and wanted to leave.


    "Sylvia," Lily called out to her.


    "What is it?" "Have you really forgiven me?" she asked nervously.


    Sylvia smiled.


    "Of course. Otherwise, | wouldn''t be here." She then left the coffee shop without pause.


    Lily looked at the box that Sylvia refused to take.


    Her face was thick with worry.


    Sylvia should have no idea about Odell stopping the project with Springsteen Corporation.

 Chapter 1163

    Chapter 1163


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by EggsoupOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter 1163 Sylvia strode out of the coffee shop and found Odell with Flint beside the car.


    Odell''s towering figure with the adorable Flint in his arms easily turned heads.


    Sylvia strode over to them.


    Flint gurgled as he snuggled into his mother''s arms.


    Odell stroked her head and subtly nced into the cafe." You were in there for a while. What did she say to you?"


    Sylvia frowned.


    "It was just ten minutes.


    It wasn''t that long." Odell curled his lips.


    "Then, what did she say to you?" Sylvia honestly said, "She apologized and wanted to give me a gift to make up for it,but | didn''t take it.


    "What else?" Sylvia pondered.


    "She looked sincere.


    | wonder what Master Springsteen said to her that changed her so drastically.


    She even admitted that she shouldn''t have looked down on me and confessed that she worked with Thomas before."


    Odell''s expression turned grim when heheard Thomas''s name.


    Amoment of silenceter, he asked, "What else?" "Nothing else.


    That''s it." Odell stared at her fair cheeks and softened his grim expression.


    "Okay, let''s go home." He opened the door for her.


    Sylvia got in with Flint as Odell slid into the driver''s seat.


    The car engine roared to life and drove off.


    They returned to the Carters¡¯ residence after a little more than five minutes.


    Odell watched the mother and son walk in before he pulled his phone out to call Cliff.


    The call got through.


    ¡°Continue the project with the Springsteens." Cliff answered, "Yes, sir. I''ll inform them right away." Lily remained seated in the


    cafe.


    Her brows were furrowed and her face was thick with grief.


    She felt better after asking for forgiveness, but as long as the project with Carter Corporation remained paused, the crisis


    thatwould befall the Springsteen Corporation would be unimaginably catastrophic.


    She got nervous.


    She started to grab her hair while her frustration built up.


    Just when she was about to call her grandfather to ask for help, her phone rang.


    It was her assistant.


    She answered the phone and said, "What is it?¡± The assistant''s delighted voice came through.


    "Ms.Springsteen, the project is back online! Carter Corporation has agreed to continue working with us." Lily''s eyes shimmered


    with hope.


    She bolted up and squealed, "Really?!" "Yeah! Cliff just called me and confirmed it.


    The workers came back, and the operations are back on track."


    Lily sighed a breath of relief.


    "Okay, | got it. I''lle back to the officeter." She stared at the screen of her phone for a few minutes after thecall just to confirm that


    she was not dreaming.


    It felt surreal to her.


    She curled her lips and wore a self mocking smile.


    The man''s love for Sylvia was immeasurable to the point that any woman would be jealous of her.


    Lily had looked down upon Sylvia from the start due to her prejudice and first impression, andit was what put herpany at risk.


    The thought rushed to her mind and ushered a self mocking chuckle.


    Sylvia remembered everything that happened , but she never once tried to take revenge on Lily orMadam Springsteen.


    Given how stern Odell''s methods were, had she wanted to take revenge or have the slightest feeling of grievance,the Springsteens would


    have been over before it even started.


    Compared to Sylvia''s forgiving personality, Lily felt ashamed for being narrow-minded and insulting her family''s name with her actions.


    That must be the reason why Odell loved Sylvia that much.

 Chapter 1164

    Chapter 1164


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup


    Chapter 1164 The artpetition was in full swing. As the head judge, Sylvia had to inspect and rate the contestants'' entries one by one,


    round byround.


    She also had to discuss with the other judges to get their agreement before giving the final rating.


    Many hardworking and talented contestants survived round after round of elimination.


    The elimination round also discarded many other mediocre entries.


    One month had gone by since the start of thepetition.


    Thepetition reached its final round.


    After Sylvia, Simon, and the others gave the final rating to the champion, the first and the second runner-ups, thepetition


    officiallyended.


    The champion and the second runner-up were two boys from the art academy while the firstrunner-up was just a middle schooler.


    Sylvia, Simon, and the other veteran artists presented the prize to all three winners.


    Christopher then took the stage to present an inspiring speech as a conclusion to the month-longpetition.


    Sylvia took a group photo with the staff and winners before she came down from the stage.


    Odell was in the audience seat.


    While she was walking toward him, a bunch of contestants who were eliminated in the earlier rounds surrounded her and


    passionately asked her for pictures.


    "Ms.Ross, may we have a picture?"


    "Yeah, Ms.Ross, | want a picture with you." The youthful contestants showed endless enthusiasm.


    Sylvia nced at Odell.


    He smiled and signaled her with a gentle gaze, telling her that she could take pictures with the enthusiastic contestants andthat


    he could wait.


    Sylvia took pictures with the contestants, who were mostly students, and it took her more than ten minutes to finish taking


    pictures with everyone.


    When the picture-taking session finally ended, she walked out of the crowd and saw the man elegantly waiting for her at hisseat.


    As she walked over to him, the man stood up and held her hand.


    He smiled charmingly and said, "Is ss over, Ms. Ross?"


    Sylvia rolled her eyes at him.


    "Yeah, ss is over. Let''s go home." They left via the main entrance while holding hands.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    The sun had set over the horizon and the moon was waking up to its duty.


    The chilly weather was unforgiving, but the starry sky added a hint of romance to the night.


    Sylvia felt relieved now that thepetition was over.


    She could take a few days off and spend time with the kids.


    They got into the car and went home.


    On the way back, Sylvia''s phone rang.


    She nced at the screen and saw a text from Sherry.


    "Sylvia , | saw you on stage! You looked great when you were giving out the prizes!" Attached was a picture of Sylvia on stage.


    Sherry must have seen the prize-giving ceremony live.


    Sylvia smiled.


    "How have you beentely?" She had gotten carried away by thepetition for the past month, and it had been two weekssince shest


    texted Sherry.


    It was surprising that Sherry had the time to watch the live stream, and judging from her text, she seemed tobe doing well.


    Sherry replied, "I''m doing great! | don''t need to worry about anything. | don''t need to do chores, and | can eat and drink whatever,


    whenever | want. I''m getting fat."


    Sylvia chuckled.


    Just when she was about to reply, Odell nced at her.


    "What''s so funny?"


    She smiled.


    "I''m texting Sherry."


    Odell''s gaze shifted.


    "How''s she been doingtely?"


    "She''s been great. She doesn''t need to do chores, can eat and drink whatever and whenever she wants. She''s gotten fat, she said."


    Odell pursed his lips.


    Sylvia continued texting Sherry for a while before she noticed Odell reacting strangely.


    He stared at her with a deep gaze.

 Chapter 1165

    Chapter 1165


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1165


    Chapter 1165 Sylvia asked, ¡°What''s wrong?" Odell''s expression remained heavy. Annoyed, she pouted and tapped his shoulder.¡°Come


    on, tell me what happened." "John got married." Sylvia''s eyes went wide with shock.


    "When? When did he get married?" "A month ago." "To Shannon?"


    "Yeah."


    The thought of her friend iming to be free from chores and getting thefreedom to eat and drink rushed into her mind.


    She asked, "What about Sherry? Has John released her?" "No." Sylvia frowned.


    "Where is she now?" Odell stroked her head and said softly, "John must be keeping her outsideof the Stocktons'' residence after the


    wedding, but he went on a business trip on the same day of his wedding and has note back since then." Sylvia sighed a breath of


    relief.


    If John was not around, he would not be able to go to Sherry, and she would stop bing his lover, at least for now.


    Sylvia knew what happened.


    Even if Sherry was forced to be John''s lover, she would never give up on her friend.


    The Sherry she knew was a tolerant person, but once anything crossed her moral line, she would challenge anddefy whatever


    opposed her beliefs even if it cost her her life.


    Being a lover to her ex while he was married to her sister was not something she could ept.


    Sylvia pondered.


    "Odell, do you know where she''s being held right now?" Things had gotten out of hand.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    She must think of a way to save her friend from this endless abyss.


    If John happened toe back, Sylvia was worried that Sherry might do something reckless.


    "It''s being looked into." John had many real estates in Glenchester, both openly and secretly.


    He was an influential person and the richest man in the city, hence it was not an easy task for outsiders todig into his private


    properties.


    Sylvia asked, "You knew they were getting married before the wedding, didn''t you?" Odell pursed his lips and nodded.


    "Why didn''t you tell me earlier?" Sylvia asked.


    He remained silent.


    Sylvia pouted and wanted to punch him for his silence, but a sudden thought rushed into her mind.


    Amonth ago was when the artpetition started.


    John''s wedding had happened around the same time, and Odell would have told her about it, giventhat it was a huge event.


    Maybe Odell decided not to tell her about the wedding because she was preparing for thepetition and needed to focus.


    IV Her hand froze in the air before she could punch his chest.


    She retracted her hand and red at him.


    "| want to be the first to know about what happened to Sherry next time." Odell smiled.


    "| promise." He grabbed her retracting hand and pulled her closer to him.


    Sylvia tried to break free, but he was stronger.


    He hugged her under his arm and said, "You''re not mad anymore?" His charming voice tickled her ears.


    Sylvia was flustered.


    She knew he had kept it a secret for her sake, and he actually did not doanything wrong.


    Despite thinking so, she said, "! just don''t want to stoop to your level."


    Odell chuckled and pinched her face.


    "Have | been too lenienttely? You are the one being unreasonable here, and you said youdon''t want to stoop to my level?" Sylvia held


    the urge tough and feigned a pouty expression.


    "Why? Are you mad?"


    Odell smiled.


    "| don''t have the nerve to be mad at you." Sylvia grinned.


    "That''s what | thought.¡¯ She leaned onto his chest and enjoyed his warmth.


    However, the thought of Sherry and John''s rtionship vexed her.

 Chapter 1166

    Chapter 1166


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1166


    Chapter 1166 One night before the opening ceremony, Sherry texted her to cheer her on.


    John and Shannon''s wedding must have just gotten married aroundthat time.


    One month has passed since then.


    Sylvia had texted Sherry a few times since then, yet Sherry had not once revealed that shewas still being imprisoned by John.


    Sylvia sighed.


    She texted Sherry and asked, "Where are you?" "I''m still in Glenchester," Sherry answered.


    "Glenchester? Where is John holding you?" The screen activity went silent after thatst text.


    Sherry did not text back regarding her location.


    Sylvia wanted to call her but her call was rejected.


    Sylvia was about to curse out loud when she received a text from Sherry.


    "Sylvia, please don''t be mad.


    It''s not that | don''t want to tell you, it''s just that | don''t even know where | amnow." Sylvia''s gaze shifted and she continued texting


    her.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Meanwhile, at the southern suburbs at Glenchester, Sherry was locked in the room with her phone.


    She was on the bed as she tapped on the screen.


    Ding.


    She received a text from Sylvia.


    ¡°Are there any noticeable buildings around you?" Sherry answered, "There are mountains, rivers, jungles, just not modern


    buildings.


    There''s no one else here either." She was in the middle of nowhere.


    "Can you send me your location through your phone?" Sherry''s eyes shimmered with hope.


    ¡®That''s right, | can send her my location!¡¯ She turned on the GPS function and the map showed that she was in the middle ofa


    field of green.


    She zoomed out and only after searching for a long time, she found out that she was in a remotesuburb in the southern part of


    the city.


    The nearest town to her location was 30 kilometers away.


    Sherry was rendered speechless.


    She screenshot the map and sent it to Sylvia.


    Sylvia was at a loss of words when she saw the screenshot.


    Awhileter, she texted back, "Don''t worry. Odell has sent his men to look for you. Call me if anything happens.¡± Sherry smiled.


    "Don''t worry. | know how to take care of myself." She put her phone away after sending thest text.


    Laying in bed, she started munching on the snacks that had been ced on the table infront of her.


    She stared at the ceiling with a smile on her face.


    With Odell''s resources, she believed he would be able to find her in less than a day.


    It has been a month since John hade by.


    He was probably busy with work or too busy spending time with Shannon to the point that he must have forgotten abouther.


    It did not look like he would being any time soon, so if Odell''s mencould find this ce, there would be a high chance that she could


    be rescued.


    Even though she had lived a carefree life for the past month, it was under the conditions thatshe had to sacrifice her freedom and be


    a mistress to a newly married man.


    If she could leave, she would definitely do so in a heartbeat.


    As for the eight billion she owed him, he could go look for someone else to get the money back.


    The thought of leaving cheered her up.


    She opened another bottle of wine, swirled it in her ss and happily sipped on it.


    After a few drinks, she was ovee by sleepiness so she leaned back and fell asleep.


    Her hand continued to hold onto the ss as her lips remained curved in a smile.


    Creak.


    The sudden sound of the door as it was opened broke the silence in the air.


    The sound of footsteps from a pair of leather shoes against the floor could be heard.


    In a short while, the footsteps soon stopped beside the bed.


    Snacks filled the little table on the bed and the box of trash was left beside it.


    Beneath the quilt, the sleeping woman slept on.

 Chapter 1167

    Chapter 1167


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1167


    Chapter 1167 Something must have made the woman happy, or she would not be smiling and drooling away in her sleep. The man


    staredat her for a while before he took his phone out and snapped pictures of her as she drooled in her sleep Snap! Sherry was awoken


    by the sharp sound.


    She opened her eyes and saw the man snapping pictures of her sleeping with a gentle smile on his face.


    "Good morning, sleepy head." Snap! He took another picture before he pocketed his phone.


    Sherry was rendered speechless.


    Her face paled as she stared at him.


    After a few seconds, she raised her hand and pped herself on the head.


    ¡®Why is this b*stard here? | must be having a nightmare!¡¯ After pping herself twice, she looked at him again.


    John''s tall figure was still beside her, looking at her from behind his golden -framed sses.


    He was puzzled as to why Sherry had pped her own head.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Sherry''s gaze cleared and she pped her own face again.


    She must have been drunk and started hallucinating.


    Just as she was giving herself a particr hard p, John caught hold of her wrist and stopped her.


    He thought that she had lost her mind.


    He bent over and moved closer to her face, stroking her head with his other hand.


    The familiar presence, the warmth from his palm, all of it felt real.


    Sherry''s response was to shoot him an icy look before pushing him away.


    The sudden push caught him offguard and sent him staggering backwards.


    Sherry covered herself with the sheets.


    "Stay away from me!" John went silent for a moment before his lips curled up into a smile.


    ¡°How''s your waist and hip?" Sherry pulled the quilt back up and wrapped herself in it." That''snone of your business." John said,


    "You''ve been freeloading for a month now.


    If this isn''t my business, whose business is it?" Sherry rolled her eyes.


    "Release me then.


    You wouldn''t need to feed this freeloader anymore." John chuckled.


    "If | release you, what about my eight billion?" "The Fowlers or the Browns, or both of them together."


    "Hmph." He wentcloser to the bed and bent over.


    Before Sherry could escape him, he caught her chin and said with a devilish grin, "| want to take the money from you."


    Sherryrolled her eyes again.


    "| don''t have any money with me, so just take my life if you want it."


    The moment her words subsided, she felt a tingling sensation around her neck.


    His fingers gently stroked her neck, teasing her.


    Sherry''s expression changed.


    She red at him and cried, "Don''t even think about it, unless I¡¯m dead and you like to f*ck a corpse!"


    Shewas prepared to jump again.


    Her hip and her legs had almost recovered and she had forgotten about the pain from jumping John scoffed.


    He moved his hand along her body and down to her hip.


    "It seems like you''ve recovered .


    Have you forgotten the pain?" Sherry red at him fiercely.


    "Take your dirty hands off me!" He retracted his hand and stepped back.


    While he pocketed his hands, he looked at her nonchntly.


    "It''s okay if you don''t want to be my lover."


    Surprised, Sherry''s expression changed once more." What''sthe catch? Let me be frank first: no killing, no illegal stuff and no sex." John


    grinned.


    "Given your intellect, | would have to be either stupid or an idiot to make you kill or do something illegal.


    Sherry was offended when hemented on her intellect.

 Chapter 1168

    Chapter 1168


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1168


    Chapter 1168 Sherry took a deep breath as her eyes stared at him suspiciously. "What do you want me to do?".


    He took a deep breath.


    Then, as though he could not think of anything better for her to do, he seemed to pluck a suggestion out of thin air.


    "Be my servant.


    Serve me tea and whatnot.


    Oh, and prepare my bath for me." "Do you have a death wish?"


    Aservant that served him teaand prepared his bath?! John narrowed his eyes with a wider grin.


    "Not enough? Then you can wash my feet as well." Sherry choked as her anger began to boil.


    Before she could vent it, he said, "Sherry, you have two options here: you can either put on an apron and be my servant, or take offyour


    clothes and be my lover." The smile on his face slowly faded as he spoke , leaving only a look of grim indifference on his face.


    Sherry shrank back in fear but she quickly recovered herposure.


    She forced a smile on her face and said, ¡° Master Stockton, would you like some tea, or a bath, or would you likeme to wash your feet?¡±


    John''s lips curled up sardonically.


    "There''s no rush to do that.


    You can rest for the night, and start serving me tomorrow when we go back to the Stockton Residence." Stockton Residence?


    Sherry''s eyes widened inshock.


    "NO! I don''t want to go back there! | want to stay here!"


    John kept his smile.


    "This ce is only reserved for my lover.


    If you want to stay here, you will have to be my lover, not my servant." As soon ashis words subsided, Sherry picked up a pillow


    and threw it at him.


    John stepped aside and dodged the pillow.


    ring at him with bloodshot eyes, Sherry loudly enunciated each and every word, "You bastard! Just you wait! | will be the


    best servantthat you could ever ask for!" John smiled.


    "| will be looking forward to it." He turned around and left.


    Sherry grabbed the other pillow with the intention of hurling it at his head but it exposed her secret phone.


    Nervously, she put the pillow back and acted like nothing happened.


    His disgusting request had rendered her speechless.


    Forcing her to be a servant at the Stockton Residence was the biggest insult.


    Not only did Madam Stockton never liked her, but there was also Shannon, his legal wife andthe sister that she had no blood


    rtion to.


    Both of them had always wanted to trample her into the ground.


    "That f*cking b*stard! F*ck!" Sherry was so upset that she did not sleep well that night.


    At dawn, she remembered that Sylvia had mentioned that Odell''s men were looking for her, soshe texted her right away.


    "Sylvia! That b*stard came backst night and made me his servant! | will have to serve him at Stockton Residence starting


    today!That b*stard really enjoys toying with me! Don''t worry, I''ll keep you posted!" It was five o''clock in the morning.


    Sylvia must still be sleeping as there was no immediate reply.


    The sun was rising from the horizon.


    In order to keep the phone a secret, Sherry had to turn it off and keep it in the pocket of her jacket.


    Awhileter, the maid came knocking and called her for breakfast.


    Her leg had yet to fully recover so she got out of bed and slowly limped outside.


    It took her ten minutes to walk the distance of ten seconds.


    Wearing white shirt and ck pants, John was sitting in the living room with a cup oftea.


    He looked at Sherry when she came down.


    His tea had gotten cold by the time Sherry finally made it down to the living room.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Sherry smiled and narrowed her eyes into slits.


    "Good morning, Master Stockton." The sudden fake smile left John speechless for a moment.


    His lips curved as he said, "Morning." Sherry maintained her bright but fake smile.


    "Would you like me to refill your tea?" John smiled.


    "No thanks.


    After we go back, the other maids will train you first before you are worthy to serve me."


    Sherry wasalready thinking about putting bitter medicine in his tea.

 Chapter 1169

    Chapter 1169


    Chapter 1169 Back at the Carter Residence, Sylvia was asleep when she was woken up by a phone ringtone. It wasing


    from Odell''s phone. Odell reached out to his phone and patted her head, signaling her to go back to sleep. He took his phone


    and went out to the balcony.


    Sylvia shut her eyes and went back to sleep, but she opened her eyes when Odell came back in after the call.


    He walked to her and looked at her, as if he wanted to tell her something. She asked, ¡°What happened? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°They found out where Sherry is.¡± Sylvia sat herself up. ¡°What about Sherry? Were they able to get her out?¡± ¡°They were one


    step toote. The house is already empty, leaving only a maid who had been assigned to look after her while she was there.¡± A


    short pauseter, he continued, ¡°John might have taken her away again.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She reached out to her phone to contact Sherry.


    It was then she saw Sherry¡®s message from two hours ago.


    Her expression shifted. She looked at Odell as the anger left her speechless. ¡°She was taken back to Stockton Residence again.


    John is forcing her to be his servant.¡±


    Odell, ¡°...¡±


    After two hours of traveling across the entire city, the car finally returned to Stockton Residence.


    It was the same gate, the same security guard, and the same scenery. Sherry was returning with a different identity, but the ce


    still annoyed her terribly. She was in the car with the bodyguards, while John was in the expensive car ahead of them.


    John''s car stopped in front of the gate.


    As soon as the gate opened up, the butler, Madam Stockton, Julie, and the new Mrs. Stockton, Shannon, came out and


    weed him back with the brightest smiles.


    Sherry could not hear what they were talking about since she was in the other car. She noticed the smiles on their faces, the


    brightest one belonging to Shannon. Shannon excitedly jumped into John¡¯s arms the moment she was close enough. Due to the


    brightness of the day, Sherry clearly noticed the looks of disgust on Madam Stockton and Julie¡®s faces as Shannon showed


    affection towards John. Probably due to embarrassment, John patted Shannon on the shoulder and subtly pushed her away.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Madam Stockton and Julie quickly recovered theirposure.


    Sherry pulled out a piece of cucumber that she had snuck from breakfast and enjoyed the show while munching on it. The


    bodyguards were rendered speechless by her action. The conversation between thedies and Johnsted for a while.


    John''s car was driven away by the chauffeur which made space for the car that Sherry was in to stop in front of the gate. Sherry


    continued to munch on her cucumber.


    ¡°Ms. Fowler, you may go out now,¡± the chauffeur said.


    ¡°| don''t think it''s appropriate for me to go out now,¡± she said.


    The chauffeur remained quiet. It was then that the door opened. Before she could react, John, Madam Stockton, Julie and


    Shannon looked at her.

 Chapter 1170

    Chapter 1170


    Chapter 1170 There was a wicked smile on John¡¯s face, while the otherdies were shocked by Sherry¡®s appearance. A look of


    shock and disbelief was all over their faces. Sherry was also startled and the piece of cucumber fell out of her hand. She quickly


    recovered herposure and put her hand up. ¡°Hi, we meet again.¡± Thedies stared at her coldly.


    Sherry said, ¡°I didn¡®t want toe back here. John was the one who made me do it.¡±


    Thedies looked at John. Madam Stockton frowned and asked unhappily, ¡°John, why did you bring her back?¡± Shannon was his


    legal wife, yet he had brought Sherry home. What would people say about him if this matter got out?


    Shannon immediately clung onto his arm and looked at him with teary eyes. ¡°John, why did you bring Sherry back? Was she by


    your side during the whole month that you were away on your business trip?¡±


    Both Madam Stockton and Julie¡®s expressions changed upon hearing what Shannon had said.


    Sherry was also shocked to learn that John has been away on a business trip for a month.


    She immediately said, ¡°No. No. I''ve been somewhere else in the past month, nothing happened between us. Don''t take this


    wrongly.¡±


    Shannon red at her. Madam Stockton looked at her coldly before she asked John, ¡°John, what is going on between you and


    her?¡±


    John grinned at Sherry. ¡°From today onwards, she''ll be a servant of the house.¡± Shannon¡®s expression changed.


    Both Madam Stockton and Julie were shocked as well.


    ? John then looked at the butler. ¡°Uncle Marlow, train her for two days, then you may start


    assigning tasks to her.¡± Marlow, the butler, nodded immediately. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± John left without giving any further exnation.


    Shannon red at Sherry onest time before she went chasing after John. Madam Stockton red coldly at Sherry before


    turning away to leave. However, Julie was not in a hurry to leave. She smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, | didn''t expect to see you


    again so soon. | thought we wouldn''t be seeing each other anymore.¡± Sherry smiled. ¡°That makes two of us.¡± Julie had made it


    sound as if Sherry wanted to be back.


    Julie¡®s expression froze. ¡°Oh, please don''t misunderstand this. | didn¡®t mean anything else. Ms. Fowler.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Sherry answered.


    Julie¡®s expression froze again. She then said to Marlow, ¡°Uncle Marlow, take Ms. Fowler inside. She might be a servant here but


    she¡¯s still Shannon¡®s sister so please treat her with courtesy.¡±


    ¡°| understand,¡± Marlow said with a smile, Julie nced at Sherry before she went back inside. Marlow then said to Sherry, ¡°Ms.


    Fowler, this way please.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Although Marlow kept a smile on his face as he spoke to Sherry, the respect he had shown when he spoke to Julie was absent,


    leaving only coldness in his tone of voice. Sherry was not bothered. After all, she had onlye here to be a servant. She got


    out of the car, but she could not walk fast. Even Madam Stockton walked faster than her.


    Marlow, who was almost in his sixties, paused after a few steps and turned around. Sherry said, ¡°I''m sorry. | fell down a while


    ago and my leg is still recovering.¡± Marlow did not make anyment. He quickly ordered a cart around. Sherry got into the cart


    with him and headed towards the north-west direction of the estate via a smaller path.

 Chapter 1171

    Chapter 1171


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1171


    Chapter 1171 Although Sherry had previously stayed here for more than a year, she had mostlybeen restricted to one section of the house


    only.


    She had rarely, if ever, been allowed to ess the other parts of the house.


    Therefore , she was not very familiar with the yard.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Shortly after, she found herself in arge courtyard, it was as if she had steppedinto an entirely new and foreign world.


    However, the architecture in this section was not as intricate as the area where she previously stayed in.


    Amodern and minimalist design was adopted in the yard.


    It resembled a fairly upper-ss hotel.


    There was a lobby and more rooms connected to the yard as well.


    She surveyed the area and asked, "Uncle Marlow, do all the staff members live here?" Marlow informed dutifully, "Yes, this is where all the


    housemaids andbodyguards spend the night." "Ah." Sherry nodded.


    Several rooms happened to be open and she nced inside them to get an idea of what they looked like.


    Some of them were single bedrooms while some were double bedrooms.


    Each room had a connected shower and a balcony as well.


    She remarked, "Not bad." Even though this area was not as refined or as exquisite as the area where John and the rest of his


    family resided, it was verypleasant and rivaled the experience offered in five-star hotels Darting a look at Sherry, Marlow


    informed, "Miss Sherry, here''s your room." He then turned and walked away in another direction.


    Sherry quickly followed him and soon found herself on the other side of the yard.


    The corridor leading to her room was wider than the ones connected to the other rooms shehad seen just now, even the doorway


    wasrger.


    Beep.


    Marlow used a card and tapped against the sensor to open the room.


    Sherry was immediately greeted by the sight of a clean and spacious room.


    It was truly enormous, farrger than all of the rooms she had seen just now! It was a private space reserved for her alone!


    Marlow stated solemnly, "Miss Sherry, you will be staying in this room from here on." "Alright, got it." Sherry was quite pleased


    with the space and could not wipe away the wide grin on her face.


    Marlow noticed the joy on her face and was rather surprised by it.


    He was a man known for being reserved and keeping his opinions to himself.


    However, he could not help but note how strange Miss Sherry was.


    She was the daughter of the Fowlers, a woman born into a noble background and who was nowreduced to working as a servant.


    Why was she so ecstatic about living in the servant quarters?


    Before he could further process these thoughts, Sherry asked him, ¡°Oh yeah, what isour food like?" Our? Food? Marlow seemed


    to stammer for a second before quickly returning to his former stoic self, "We usually eat in the cafeteria in the back.


    You will have to follow your allocated schedule and only go to eat if you are on break.


    Don''t take too long." "What kind of food is avable there?" Sherry''s eyes seemed to sparkle.


    It seemed like she had barely paid attention to what Marlow had just informed her.


    Marlow pursed his lips and said, "Vegetables, meat, seafood, the standard food in standard portions."


    "What about beer or wine?"


    Marlow¡¯s lips immediately jerkedto a side upon hearing this, he had to hold back the urge to roll his eyes at such a question asked in such


    an innocuous way.


    He informed solemnly, "Only the seniors are allowed ess to alcohol, you''re not allowed to drink at the moment."


    Sherry stayed silent.


    There was a hierarchy system imnted even for the servants in the house? "Later on, someone will meetyou to give you a brief


    regarding your responsibilities and other rules and regtions.


    | have to get back to work now, you can just take a look around your new roomon your own first." With that, he left.


    Sherry walked into the room.


    After briefly surveying the room, she threw herself on therge and cozy bed.


    Shortly after that, a middle-ageddy of a ratherrge build and a fierce, serious expression walked intothe room.


    She was wearing the same uniform as the other housemaids except that the color around herneckline was of a darker color.


    Sherry recalled seeing the personal attendants of Madam Stockton and Julie wearing a uniform with the same colored cor and wagered


    that this meant thatthisdy must be of the same rank as them.

 Chapter 1172

    Chapter 1172


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1172


    Chapter 1172 The entire time she had lived here previously, Sherry had never seen thisdy before.


    While Sherry was still sizing the intimidatingdy up, she approached the side of the bed and introduced herself formally, "Miss Sherry, my


    name is Emerence Foster.


    I''m the housekeeper of this block and in charge of helping Marlow to oversee all ofyou.


    You may address me as Aunt Emerence. That''s what everyone calls me."


    Sherry nodded, "I see. Is there anything else?¡± Emerence frowned deeply and the expression on her face immediately grew more stern.


    "Get off the bed right this moment and stand up! Nobody would ever remain seated when | speakto them, let alone lying down!" Sherry


    wanted to get up, but she felt as if a strange force was holding her to the bed.


    She said with a casual smile, "I''m sorry about that.


    | fell from a stairway some time ago, so my back and leg have not fully healed yet.


    The doctor has advised me toy down whenever | can." Emerence immediately red at her.


    Sherry merely chuckled, "Go on, I''m listening.¡° "Sherry, | don''t care that you are the daughter of the


    Fowlers and the sisterof the Master''s wife.


    You will have to obey my orders now that you are working as a housemaid! You better get up right this moment,or else!" Sherry


    cocked an eyebrow challengingly, "Or else what? Are you going to hit me?" Emerence grew red with anger, "You... Do you not


    want to work here?" Sherry''s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Not really. Could you fire me?"


    Emerence waspletely speechless.


    She was so infuriated that she could barely form a sentence.


    She red at Sherry harshly before turning to leave.


    Having dismissed the threat, Sherry smiled and closed her eyes to take a nap.


    LL If they wanted her to be a housemaid, so be it.


    However, she was not going to bend to their will and let them lord over her and make her ve away for them.


    If they had a problem with that, they could go ahead and fire her!


    Perhaps because the bed was toofortable bined with the fact that she had barely gotten any sleep the previous night,


    but she quickly fell into a deep sleep after that.


    Infuriated with Sherry, Emerence immediately went to Marlow toin about her.


    She told him about how Sherry had refused to get out of bed as well asthe fact that Sherry wanted to be fired.


    After her long rant, she adamantly insisted, "| can''t handle her, let''s fire her!" Marlow sighed exasperatedly, "It was the master whobrought


    her here, it''s not my decision to make." Emerence was taken aback by this, "I thought she came here voluntarily?" Marlow cautiously


    lowered his voice, "She''s the eldest daughter of the Fowlers.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Even though she does not get along with her family, do you think someone from her background would willingly reduce herselfto the


    status of a house servant? That she would want to bow and be at the service of others?" Emerence asked irritably, "Then what should we


    do? The master instructed me to oversee her progress but there''s no way | can do that when she refuses to even listen to me." Marlow


    shook his head helplessly , "Let her be and just leave her alone." "Then what will happen if she does not perform well and the master


    faults us for this?" "We''ll discuss it when the timees.


    For now, just leave her be." Marlow realized that he had to first figure out the precise nature of the rtionship between Sherry and John.


    In the middle of their conversation , someone dressed in tailored, fine silk clothing approached them.


    The other servants in the vicinity quickly drew back and bowed courteously, Marlow and Emerence quicklytook notice and put on a swift


    smile as well.


    Marlow greeted her with a smile , "Madam, what brings you here?" Shannon smiled pleasantly, "Uncle Marlow,|''m here to see my sister.


    Is she inside?".

 Chapter 1173

    Chapter 1173


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1173


    Chapter 1173 Emerence quickly volunteered, "Madam, let me lead you there."


    Shannon smiled pleasantly, "It''s alright, I''ll let you folks get back toyour work.


    Just tell me which room she''s in and i''ll look for her myself."


    Emerence exchanged a look withMarlow.


    Marlow informed promptly, "She''s in the sixth room of the south wing."


    Ssh! A bucket ofice-cold water suddenly sshed across her face.


    Sherry was rudely jolted awake from her sleep and her eyes immediately snapped open only to meet Shannon¡¯s darkscowl.


    She was soaked in cold water and her bed was ruined as well.


    She immediately jumped out of the bed and got onto her feet.


    She red murderously at Shannon, "Shannon Fowler, what is your problem?" Aiming a look full of mockeryand contempt at her,


    Shannon shouted, "Sherry Fowler, you wretched b*tch!" Sherry frowned Immediately after that, Shannon threw the empty bucket


    in Sherry''s direction.


    Sherry barely had any time to react, so the bucket crashed into her face before falling to the ground with a bang.


    Her face hurt, but this feeling of pain was nothingpared to the humiliation she had just suffered at the handsof Shannon.


    She stiffened with rage and her hands clenched into fists.


    Trying her best to contain the burning fury inside her, she said calmly, "I left on the day you got married to John.


    He was the one who had me kidnapped while | was on my way to the train station.


    He tossed me in a house and had me locked inside there for an entire month."


    This was news toShannon, "So you were with him that entire month?" "No, he tried to approach me that night but | insistently


    rejected all his advances.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    After that, he went on a business trip and only came backst night.


    | have not had any interaction whatsoever with him ever since."


    Shannon was slightly appeased whenshe realized that nothing had happened between the two of them.


    However, she continued to regard Sherry with coldness and disgust as she said, "Sherry, you¡¯re not very honest,


    are you? I''m sure you''re only sayingthat John tried making advances on you because you''re the one who tried to seduce him


    and failed." Sherry sneered, "Ask John if you don''t believe me." Shannon felt something caught in her throat when she heard this


    and a venomous look shed in her eyes.


    "Oh, by the way, it was him who forced me to work as a housemaid here." Sherry stood in frontof Shannon upon mentioning this.


    Shannon stood still and red at her coldly.


    Sherry continued , "Do you know why he''s keeping me around?" Shannon asked, "Why?"


    "More than a yearago, your parents got on their knees and begged me to ask John to help them through a financial crisis.


    | ended up helping them but you should know that that''s what led to me bing imprisoned in his house for more than a year.


    After that, he invested a billion dors of funds into the Fowlers group.


    However, till now there have been no signs of any returns from that hefty investment." "Why are you telling me all this? Just tell me why he


    broughtyou back here!" Shannon impatiently interrupted her.


    Perhaps she was not interested to hear about how her family had needed to be bailed out.


    It was either that or she did not want to hear about what John had done toSherry.


    "What''s the rush? You''ll get the full picture once | finish talking." Sherry took her time to continue on to the end of herstory, "You see, |


    signed this business agreement with him more than a year ago as well.


    What went down was that he imed that the billion dors he invested was a loan and that | had to pay him back in full.


    So far, the investment had only yielded two hundred million dors in profit and | still owe him the other eight hundred million.

 Chapter 1174

    Chapter 1174


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1174


    Chapter 1174 This struck a nerve in Shannon and she red at Sherry. Sherry smiled coyly, "Oh yeah, he gave me two choicesactually.


    | had to either be his lover or his housemaid." Shannon''s expression darkened.


    Sherry seemed to see some humor in this and said, "The truth is that you disgust me but | couldn''t go against my principles, so | ended up


    choosing thesecond option." "Sherry..." Shannon gnashed her teeth so hard that she would grind them into powder if she continued.


    Sherry continued chuckling, "Don''t look at me like that, you Fowlers are the reason that | ended up here in the first ce." Something


    seemed to shiftinside Shannon upon hearing this but she continued to regard Sherry with a look of contempt.


    Sherry was aware of this as well.


    She had never intended to gain Shannon''s sympathy by telling her that she had ended up in her current state due to her sacrificing herself


    for the Fowlers.


    She was not that naive.


    She went on, "Having said that, we all know how unpredictable your dear John is. Now that I''m stuck here, who knows if he''s


    going to barge in here one ofthese days and force himself on me? There''s no way | can fight him off so don''t me me if I


    somehow end up bing the mistress and somehow get in between the two of you." Shannon was enraged by this im, "I


    promise you that you''ll have a fate worse than death if you ever do something like that with him!" "Well, you should tell him that


    instead, not me. For me, | am repulsed by the sheer idea of him touching me at all." Sherryrolled her eyes to further prove her


    point.


    Shannon was speechless.


    Sherry continued , "Of course, there are options. If you could help me pay back the eight hundred million, John will let me go and


    you wouldn''t ever have to see me again. That means that you wouldn''t have to worry about me ever again either." Shannon


    snapped, "I don''t have that much money."


    ¡°Ask your parents for it.¡± Shannon was still rather hesitant.


    Sherry sneered, "Look, you guys are the ones who owe him the eight hundred million, which is essentially the same thingas


    owing me the money.


    If you can settle the debt, I''ll leave.


    If not, I''ll stay here, it''s that simple.


    To be honest with you, | have no problems staying here since there''s good amodation and food, | don''t mind being by


    myself either but as for you...you¡¯d better figure out how you can keep John faithful to you."


    Shannon gritted his teeth and red at Sherry contemptuously before walking away.


    "Wait a minute." Sherry called after her.


    Shannon red back at her and growled irritably, "What else?" Sherry smiled rather amiably, "There''s something | have to return


    to you.


    Wait just a moment." Shannon tried to conceal the curiosity that had been spurred inside her.


    Sherry quickly dashed into the bathroom and looked around for something she could use.


    She quickly spotted arge bucket filled with water.


    She picked up the bucket and walked out.


    Shannon was just heading to the room as well to see what Sherry was up to.


    Sherry snickered mischievously the moment she saw her approaching.


    Then, she sshed the entire contents of the bucket at Shannon.


    Ssh! Shannon was drenched from head to toe in water, and the expensive clothes she was wearing werepletely ruined.


    She closed her eyes and screamed, "Sherry¡ª!!" Bang! Before she could finish, Sherry threw the bucketover her head.


    She was greatly amused by this and burst out intoughter, "Hahahahah!!" Hrious!


    Shannon looked like she had juste out of aedy show with abucket over her head! While she was still doubled over withughter,


    the door was suddenly flung open.


    Sherry was startled by this and turned to see who it was.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Atall man dressed in a tailored suit walked in.

 Chapter 1175

    Chapter 1175


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1175


    Chapter 1175 Beneath the pair of gold-framed sses was a sharp pair of eyes ring at her. Sherry stuttered for a moment but quickly


    recollected herself.


    She eximed out loud, "Hahaha ... John,e and take a look at your wife, she looks so funny!"


    LT


    John was silent.


    Sherry smiled and turned to Shannon again.


    Shannon had removed the bucket off her head, revealing her sorry state underneath.


    Her wet hair clung to her scalp and her face had gone pale.


    She cast a sorrowful look at John with red puffy eyes.


    Her look would have invoked sympathy if not for her ruined makeup that made her look like a third-rate actor in the role of a ghost ina


    horror film.


    Sherry was still cackling away like a mad woman.


    Her stomach was beginning to hurt from all thatughing, so she did all she could tosuppress herughter.


    Shannon pitifully pleaded for help, "John..." John nced at her, then he looked at the puddle of water all over the floor and the bucket on


    the ground.


    He turned to Sherry.


    Sherry brushed the clumps of her wet hair away from her forehead and folded her arms acrossher chest before stating, "It was


    her who sshed water over my face first." "I didn''t!" Shannon defended herself, "John, she''s saying this to make me look bad.


    | was just paying her a visit when she began to provoke me for no reason.


    She was telling me something about you having an affair with her and that you only caredabout her.


    | admit | got upset but | only sprinkled her with a bit of water.


    She then overreacted and sshed an entire bucket full of water over me." Sherry was repulsed by the sight of this.


    L She could not be bothered to defend herself by exining her side of the things and told John,¡°Yes, she''s right, | was the one


    who provoked her first.


    | told her that you were cheating on her with me to sabotage your marriage.


    Then, | sshed water over her.


    Why don''t you kick me out of the house right here and now?" Shannon was speechless.


    John remained silent as well.


    The atmosphere suddenly grew awkward.


    Something gleamed in Shanon''s eyes but she still could not utter a single word.


    Huh.


    John suddenly smirked.


    He cast a look at Sherry before turning back to Shannon and said, "Shannon, why don''t you head back first?"


    LLLN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Shannon pouted, "Let''s goback together." "Just obey me," he lowered his voice and said in a gentle tone of voice.


    Sherry suddenly squealed.


    She could not stand the cheesy interaction and shuddered all over, flinging drops of water everywhere.


    Shannon cast a hateful look at her but with John here, she had to control herself.


    She smiled rather unconvincingly and said, "Look, Sister.


    | know John better than you.


    | understand that even though he has some history with you, he has moved on and since then, has decided to marry me instead.


    I''m sure he doesn''t have any more feelings for you so please don''t keep any more appropriate thoughts about him." Sherry smiled


    ostentatiously and said, "Alright, | understand, don''t worry about it." Shannon grimaced.


    1 Suddenly, John took his coat off and threw it over Shannon.


    He gently patted her on the shoulder and said tenderly, "Come on, you''ll catch a cold.


    I''lle back to see you after | talk to her."


    This seemed to convince Shannon atst.


    She smiled tenderly and nodded before turning to leave.


    Before stepping out, she turned back for onest look before turning the corner.


    The smile on Sherry''s face immediately vanished.


    She quickly turned around and limped into the bathroom on her calf which had not fully recovered yet.


    John stood motionlessly and looked at her without a word.


    LIH He waited until after Sherry had properly dried herself with a towel before finally breaking his silence.


    "Is there anything you want to say to me?".


    "Didn''t Shannon tell you everything already?" What else did she need to tell him? Besides, of all people, he should understand the state of


    things between thetwo of them currently.


    He would be a fool to believe what Shannon had just told him.


    LL John observed her silently and made a note of how unruly her behavior was.


    Asharp gleam shed in his eyes as he suddenly announced, "You''re a lowly servant in the house yet you dared to disrespect the


    madamof the house.

 Chapter 1176

    Chapter 1176


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1176


    Chapter 1176 This immediately provoked a strong reaction from Sherry. John grinned in satisfaction, clearly aware of what he had just


    done and took pride in it.


    If not for her still-recovering hip and calf, she would have eagerly filled another bucket full ofice-cold water and sshed it all over his


    smug face! "| won''t eat then.


    Who cares about eating the stinking food that you serve at your ce!" She yelled before leavingthe bathroom with a towel wrapped


    snugly around her.


    Noticing that he was not intending to leave, she cast a pointed re at him and said,"I''m going to bed, so get out of here already!" John


    remained standing in the same spot and slowly darted his eyes across the bed that was nowhere near dried up yet.


    He suddenly asked, "Who was it who arranged for you to sleep in this room?" "How would | know?" The scowl onher face was as


    unpleasant as her voice.


    There was a subtle change in his expression as he proceeded to inform her, "This room is only for house


    members of asenior position, you''re not qualified to use this room just yet." LI Sherry balled her hands into a fist.


    She waspletely consumed with rage and challenged John with a menacing scowl, "You bastard, are you trying to pick a fight here?"


    She could get over Shannon sshingwater over her face to wake her up.


    She could also get over John''s decision to punish her by not allowing her to eat for aday even though it had been Shannon''s


    fault to begin with.


    However, this was the limit for her! How dare he tell her that she did not deserve to sleep in thisroom? How dare he kick her


    out?! What sort of ridiculous logic was this! John frowned sharply but quickly regained hisposure.


    LE He shot a look at Sherry before promptly turning and walking away.


    Sherry thought that he was fleeing out of fear, only to immediately hear his voice again just a short distance outside the room,


    ¡°Marlow, pleasereassign her to another room that befits her position.


    There''s no need to give her any special treatment.


    Just treat her like any other ordinary housemaid and do whatever you will with her."


    Sherry immediately left the room.


    By the time she had walked into the courtyard, she was only able to catch a glimpse of his figure frombehind as he walked out of


    the block.


    An entirely nauseating sensation rushed up to her head and made her feel as if she was losing her breath.


    Completely unexpectedly, she felt a sharp sting rushing up to her nose and her eyes welled withtears.


    2 She held her breath and quickly wiped away her tears.


    That was when Marlow suddenly approached her, "Miss Sherry, the master ordered me to arrange a new room foryou to stay in,


    please" "| know.


    Let me get my things first, then I''lle with you."


    Before Marlow could respond, Sherry walked back to theroom.


    She quickly grabbed her clothes and phone before stepping out of the room.


    Marlow was waiting for her outside.


    Shortly after, she was taken to a shared room.


    It was significantly smaller than her previous room, and it seemed like a room for two people as well since shespotted two tiny


    beds in the room.


    There were no luxuries like a balcony or bathtub, but all the necessities were provided.


    The mattress was ratherfortable as well and it seemed like she would get to have the room all to herself, at leastfor now.


    After thoroughly drying her hair and changing out of her wet clothes, she threw herself on the bed and promptly fell asleep.


    She did not sleep very well.


    She could feel her body getting colder as she slept and her head felt as if a thousandstones had been packed inside it, making her feel


    very dizzy.


    She had no idea how long she slept and by the time she woke up, the sky had turned dark.


    It was Hailey who ended up waking her up.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Hey! Why are you still sleeping? It''s getting dark, wake up!" Hailey was the housemaid who had taken care of Sherry during the year that


    John had kepther locked up in the house.


    Sherry''s brain felt incredibly foggy and when she woke up she thought that she was still dreaming and muttered groggily, "Honey,why did |


    dream of you?¡± Hailey was speechless and rolled her eyes.


    That was when a gust of wind blew in through the cracks of the window which made Sherry shiver all over and - jolted herback to her


    senses.


    "I''m not dreaming?" She sat up with the thick quilt wrapped around her and looked confusedly at Hailey." Why areyou here?" Hailey


    answered awkwardly, "I live in the room across from you.

 Chapter 1177

    Chapter 1177


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1177


    Chapter 1177 Sherry grimaced. How could she have forgotten? She was here to be a servant now.


    She instinctively snuck a look at Hailey''s cor.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    UL 11 It was purple, a different color from the one Emerence wore.


    Sherry asked, "Hey Hailey, what rank are you?" Hailey cocked an eyebrow curiously and answered, "I''m a level two staff.¡±


    "Hey, that''s notso bad." Hailey snorted disinterestedly then fixed a long look on Sherry''s face, "Why is your face so red? Are you sick?"


    Sherry put a hand to her forehead.


    She was burning up.


    She must have caught a fever.


    "| guess | caught a cold.


    I''ll be fine after | get some rest." Sherry smiled and asked, "Hailey, do you have anything to eat?"


    Her stomach was growling andshe barely had any strength to lift a muscle.


    She had to find something to eat as soon as possible.


    Hailey frowned, "The only ce we can get food around here is at the cafeteria but we can only eat there atthe appointed time.


    You''re not allowed to bring food back into the rooms." A thought suddenly urred to her as she offered, "But | can help you get


    somemedicine from Emerence." Sherry sighed softly, "Okay, that''ll do." Hailey was very efficient and returned very shortly after


    with the medicine she mentioned.


    Sherry took two pills and drank them with two sses of hot water.


    They seemed to offer immediate relief, she could feel her head getting lighter, although there was still the issue with her growling


    stomach that she hadto address.


    Hailey had already gone to the cafeteria for dinner and she was about to go on duty very soon, so there was not a chance of her


    sneaking insome food for her.


    1


    Sherry sighed and bid farewell to Hailey.


    After that, she went to the cafeteria on her own.


    1 The cafeteria was located on the first floor and was quiterge.


    There were several people eating there when she arrived.


    She recognized two of them as security guards.


    Sherry was about to step into the cafeteria when Emerence appeared out of nowhere and cut her off.


    She had suddenly popped out from behind the entrance and spooked her.


    Sherry gently thumped her chest to calm herself down, then she shed a friendly smile and greeted her, "Hey Aunt


    Emerence,it''s a fine night, isn''t it?" Emerence sized her up and down with a stern expression before stating, "The master forbade


    you from eating for a day.


    Why don''t youe back here tomorrow morning?" Sherry hurriedly exined, "I wasn''t going to eat.


    | was just walking around." Emerence was not convinced , "You can''t loiter around here, so go back to your roomright now." TE


    Sherry grimaced and slowly moved away.


    Without any warning, she suddenly cried out in the direction of the two security guards she recognized," Hey, youtwo handsome


    guys over there, please bring me two chicken drumsticks when you leave!" 1 T The two security guards turned back in unison.


    They cast a brief, uninterested look at Sherry before turning their attention back to their meal, as if she waspletely invisibleto


    them.


    Emerence continued to stand in front of the door like a totem pole.


    She was not going to let Sherry in.


    Sherry drew a long sigh before limping back to her room.


    Her stomach was rumbling with hunger.


    She was still feeling feverish.


    She wrapped herself in a thick quilt and curled up into a ball.


    She cursed John with every curse word that she knew.


    At one point, she drifted off to sleep without realizing it.


    Meanwhile.


    On the other side of the house, in a yard surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers.


    LI Shannon had just finished a bowl of porridge which a housemaid attentively spoonfed to her.


    She slumped weakly into her bed again and cast a weak look at the man that was sitting nearher on the bed.


    LILU He had stayed with her for quite some time.


    He had been here since the moment the housemaid had gone to inform him of Shannon''s condition andhad not left since his arrival.

 Chapter 1178

    Chapter 1178


    Master Odell''s Secret Ex-wife by Eggsoup Chapter 1178


    Chapter 1178 After the housemaid left the room, Shannon turned to John, "I''m feeling much better now. Thank you fortaking the time to


    stay with me.


    Why don''t you get ready to settle in for the night? You have to work tomorrow, so we should get some early rest."


    She uttered the word''we'' with a hint of shyness.


    John smiled tenderly, treating her gently as always.


    He spoke softly, "You can go to sleep first.


    | need to go to the officeter to deal with some urgent matters that just came up." 1 Shannon''s face changed.


    However, before she could get a word out, John insisted," I''ll leave after you sleep." He put a hand out and gently touched her forehead.


    Shannon pursed his lips and nodded obediently, albeit with a touch of reluctance.


    She took his hand into hers and closed her eyes.


    John gazed at her silently, his eyes were two pools of still water without the slightest bit of ripple within them.


    After some time had passed, Shannon''s breathing took on a slow and steady rhythm.


    Only then did he carefully withdraw his hand and rose from the bed.


    Shortly after that, his dark and tall figure strode out of the room.


    Shannon immediately opened her eyes after he left.


    She quickly got out of bed and approached the window.


    She carefully pried a tiny gap in between the curtains and peeked outside.


    She quickly identified John.


    He was now wearing a suit jacket and was heading toward the entrance where he got into a shuttle car.


    After he entered, the shuttle car drove off.


    Based on the direction he was headed, Shannon could tell that he was leaving for his office.


    After the shuttle car had vanished out of sight, Shannon closed the curtains.


    Memories of her encounter with Sherry suddenly resurfaced in her mind and filled her with irritation,causing a stern frown to


    appear on her face.


    She could not have that wretched woman in this ce, she was a walking cmity.


    She would never have peace as long as that wretched woman was breathing in the samepound as her.


    She pondered for a moment before reaching for her phone and dialing Janine''s number whom she had saved as ¡®Mother¡¯.


    The shuttle car took ap around the area and ended up stopping at the block designated for the house servants andsecurity


    guards.


    John stepped out and walked inside without anyone stopping him.


    Shortly after that, he walked into Sherry''s room.


    The room was pitch ck.


    He flicked on the lights when he entered and was quickly greeted by the sight of Sherry curled up like a cocoon.


    The only part of her body that was visible was the top of her head poking out from under the thick quilt.


    He frowned and immediately approached her to tear the quilt away from her.


    Sherry was in a deep sleep and was unaware of him pulling the quilt away.


    Her cheeks were flushed red like a fresh tomato.


    She was frowning even in her sleep and seemed to be in great difort.


    John carefully pressed his hand against her forehead.


    She was burning up.


    He darted a nce at the bedside table.


    12 There was an empty ss along with a box of medicine for treating fever.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It looked like she had taken two capsules before she slept.


    He frowned sternly before turning back to her and carefully patted her cheeks.


    Sherry groggily rolled over, away from his hand and continued sleeping.


    John sighed and carefully cradled her in his arms.


    He grabbed the kettle and filled the empty ss with warm water.


    Then, he took a pill out of the box of medicine and stuck it in-between her lips.


    Immediately after that, he carefully brought the ss to her lips.


    She seemed to be extremely thirsty as she immediately began to drink without any attempts at resisting.


    In no time, she finished the entire ss of water.


    John was about to refill the ss for her when she suddenly bit down on the ss.


    She ground her teeth against the edge of the ss, producing a soft scratching noise.


    Like a starving animal desperate for food...


    The entire time, she remained sleeping soundly with her eyes still tightly closed.


    John smirked at the sight of this and gently removed the ss from her lips.


    1 Sherry continued to gnaw away at the air for several seconds before bing still again.

 Chapter 1179

    Chapter 1179


    Chapter 1179


    John gave Sherry yet another pill.


    Just like the previous pill, she swallowed this one without any resistance and proceeded to finish the entire ss of water before


    beginning to nibble at the edge of the ss again.


    It took some considerable effort for John to pull the ss away.


    There was nothing but a peaceful silence within the room.


    It was so silent that John could faintly hear Sherry¡¯s stomach as it growled and demanded for food.


    John frowned. 1


    After a while, he gently tucked her back into the bed. Then, he went to the entrance and looked for Marlow who was nearby and


    ready to provide assistance at any given notice, ¡°Go get some food.¡±


    Marlow nodded agreeably and quickly went away.


    Shortly after, he returned with a variety of food, even including some sweet cakes for dessert.


    John took the tray and thanked him, ¡°Thank you, go get some rest.¡±


    Marlow did not smile but answered in an amiable voice,*


    Alright, Master.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked away.


    John closed the door and went back to Sherry¡¯s bed.


    Some of the food had gone cold since they were leftovers from the cafeteria, but they were still fragrant and undoubtedly


    delicious.


    He picked up a piece of fried drumstick with a stic glove and brought it close to Sherry¡¯s nose.


    Sherry opened her mouth with her eyes still closed and greedily bit into the chicken like a hungry wolf.


    John chuckled upon witnessing this.


    That was when Sherry slowly opened her eyes. She seemed rather shocked when her eyes met John¡¯s upon waking up.


    ¡°Uh...¡± Why was this jerk here?


    John folded his arms across his chest and teased her with an amused smile, ¡°Sherry, you look like a dog!¡±.


    ¡°Screw you!¡¯ Sherry thought. She immediately sat up and snatched the drumstick away, before scowling. Then she asked


    indignantly, ¡°Why are you sneaking around here in the middle of the night? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sleeping?¡±


    ¡°| couldn¡¯t sleep and happened to swing by so | thought


    Alright, Master.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked away.


    John closed the door and went back to Sherry¡¯s bed.


    Some of the food had gone cold since they were leftovers from the cafeteria, but they were still fragrant and undoubtedly


    delicious.


    He picked up a piece of fried drumstick with a stic glove and brought it close to Sherry¡¯s nose.


    Sherry opened her mouth with her eyes still closed and greedily bit into the chicken like a hungry wolf.


    John chuckled upon witnessing this.


    That was when Sherry slowly opened her eyes. She seemed rather shocked when her eyes met John¡¯s upon waking up ¡°Uh...¡±


    Why was this jerk here?


    John folded his arms across his chest and teased her with an amused smile, ¡°Sherry, you look like a dog!¡±


    Screw you!¡¯ Sherry thought.


    She immediately sat up and snatched the drumstick away, before scowling. Then she asked indignantly, ¡°Why are you sneaking


    around here in the middle of the night? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sleeping?¡±


    ¡°| couldn¡¯t sleep and happened to swing by so | thought


    I''de visit you.¡± Sherry shifted her gaze but did not say anything.


    John looked at her and added, ¡°It¡¯s barely been a day since |st saw you, but | didn¡¯t expect you to have be like this.¡± 1


    He said this with a wicked smile that seemed to be mocking her.


    Sherry red at him, ¡°What''s wrong with the way | am now?¡¯ John picked up a mirror on the bedside table and turned it toward


    her.


    Sherry jumped at the sight of the banshee in the mirror before realizing that it was her reflection.


    Her hair had a greasy shine to it, perhaps due to a build up of sweat and oil. To make matters worse, her hair was matted and


    her bangs stood up like a patch of wild grass.


    Additionally, her cheekbones were sunken and pale due to not having eaten anything for the better half of the day.


    Her eyes were cloudy and puffy.


    She looked horrendous.


    Smack!This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    She threw the drumstick at John¡¯s face.


    John quickly blocked the flying projectile with the mirror.


    The drumstick bounced against the mirror and fell onto the bed.


    Sherry quickly grabbed it before it touched the bed so it would not get her bed dirty. Then she immediately turned to John and


    yelled at him, ¡°You''re saying that as if you¡¯re not the reason that I¡¯m in this state, you dog!¡±.


    John ced the mirror back on the bedside table and nced at the drumstick in her hand. He straightened himself and said


    with a coy smile, ¡°Go on and finish it before it gets cold.¡±


    Sherry felt her cheeks burning, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat this crap that you brought me!¡±


    John cocked an eyebrow, ¡°Go ahead and throw it away then.¡±


    Sherry was struck speechless.


    She felt the words caught in her throat, then she expressed haughtily, ¡°I¡¯m only eating it because | don¡¯t waste food. Be careful |


    don¡¯t bash your face in!¡± With that, she took anotherrge bite into the delicious and tender drumstick.


    John chuckled. Sherry shouted, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± She had barely finished chewing the chunk of drumstick so when


    she shouted, she ended up spewing out a piece of


    meat whichunched itself at John¡¯s face.


    The room was immediately seized with a deafening silence.

 Chapter 1180

    Chapter 1180


    Chapter 1180 After a few seconds, a loud burst ofughter ripped through the silence.


    Sherry was the one who was roaring withughter.


    John seemed to take a second to process what had just happened to him, before he winced ominously and stared at her.


    Sherry quickly restrained herughter and continued to nibble on the drumstick as if nothing had happened.


    One could tell by her expression that she was very amused by what had just happened.


    John took a clean white handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his face with it. Then, he simply tossed it into a trashcan next


    to the bed.


    He looked at Sherry who was still eating and pretending as if nothing had happened and smirked, ¡°Eat slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡±


    Sherry shed a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you''re more likely to choke to death before | do.¡±


    John did not respond to this and only continued to stare at her gloomily.


    Sherry gobbled up the drumstick very quickly until it was


    nothing but bones. Then she tossed it into the air. The bone glided in the air in a rainbow arc beforending straight into the trash


    can. She nced at the tray and noticed that there were more pieces of chicken and even a piece of cake. She gestured at the


    tray with her greasy hands and beckoned, ¡°Give me one more drumstick.¡±


    John sat motionlessly with a haughty air around him.


    Sherry jerked her lips and mimicked the way he smiled. Then, she slowly approached him and crossed her greasy hands in front


    of her chest the same way John was doing. She slowly drew closer to him as if she wanted to touch his clean, white clothes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me with your dirty hands. I''ll throw away all this food if you do.¡± As he said this, he reached for the tray.


    Sherry quickly yielded and drew her hands away.


    When she jerked her hands back, she identally lost her bnce, the cushiony texture of the mattress did not help her regain


    her bnce either and made her topple forward and crash right into John.


    Thump! She fell directly on top of John with her face pressed against his and their chests touching.


    John had not expected anything like this, so his entire


    weight was flung backward as he crashed onto the bed. He had one of his arms wrapped around her while the other hand did


    not have time to retract and hit the tray, sending the entire tray crashing and ttering to the floor.


    Bang!


    The tray crashed against the floor and sttered its contents everywhere instantly. Suddenly, aplete silence descended


    upon the room.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry¡¯s pupils dted when she looked at the man mere inches away from her and quickly hopped backward, bouncing away


    from the bed like a spring bouncing off a surface.


    Immediately after jumping out of the bed, she scrambled to the floor and tried to pick up bits of food off the floor.


    John was startled upon seeing this reaction.


    He sat up with a tight frown and mentioned, ¡°Don¡¯t pick those up.¡±


    Sherry ignored him. Instead of stopping, she began to pick up crumbs of cake and stuffed them into her mouth,pletely


    disregarding any standards of hygiene.


    John was wordless.


    He suddenly snapped in an icy voice with his face wrenched in anger, ¡°I told you to stop. Didn¡¯t you hear


    me??


    Sherry was startled by such a sudden outburst and fumbled a piece of drumstick that she had just picked up off the ground.


    She swallowed the crumbs of cake she had already stuffed into her mouth and red at him, ¡°What are you shouting at me for!¡±


    John sighed, a dark feeling of gloom still hanging over his face, ¡°Stop picking those things up. Just stop it right now.¡±


    Sherry refused to obey him. She was going to starve to death if she did not eat, the drumstick that she had just eaten had barely


    filled her stomach.


    She continued to pick crumbs up off the floor and even reached for a piece of rib a short distance away from her.


    Just when it seemed like she was about to bring the piece of rib into her mouth, arge hand came out of nowhere and grabbed


    her by the wrist.


    John flung the piece of rib away.


    She frowned and defiantly confronted his sharp, piercing gaze.


    She was taken aback by the ferocity in his eyes. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted off the ground.

 Chapter 1181

    Chapter 1181


    Chapter 1181


    Bang!


    Sherry was shoved onto the bed once more. John stared into her eyes coldly. ¡°Sherry, must you make me mad every single


    day?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Sherry was taken aback. It had been a long time since she saw him like this.


    Auick pauseter, she curled her lips. ¡°Yeah, | like to make you mad. | hate you. | hope you''ll die from this!¡±


    His gaze turned colder as he tightened his grip on her.


    Sherry almost lost her breath. She gasped and said in a small voice, ¡°As long as you are keeping me here, I''ll keep making you


    mad. I''ll keep making you crazy. Whenever | see you, I''ll do it. You can either stay away from me forever or kill me, or | can do


    this all day!¡±


    She got even more arrogant as she provoked him.


    John looked grim. ¡°Sherry, my patience for you is limited. Stop trying to challenge my bottom line.¡± ¡°I¡¯m challenging it! What are


    you going to do about it?!¡± Sherry raised a brow. ¡°Kill me if you can!¡±


    His expression turned frosty. ¡°Do you really think | won¡¯t kill you?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened. She immediately changed her tone and added, ¡°Well... Killing me will dirty your hands, so why not beat


    me up and throw me away?¡± The frostiness on his face disappeared and was reced by an insidious grin.


    A


    11.


    ¡°Hmph. | almost fell for it.¡± He pinched her chin. ¡°You want to leave? Pay me back and we''ll talk.¡±


    He got up from her after that. Sherry sat up. She watched him stomp over the food with his ck leather shoes. The beautiful


    cake, the pastries, the fried chicken, and the roasted ribs all got crushed.


    He turned to her. ¡°Sherry, this is my final warning. If you continue to make me mad on purpose, I''ll cut your limbs off.¡±


    Sherry shrunk in fear.


    John chuckled as he walked out of the room.


    The moment he disappeared from her sight, she cursed out loud, ¡°Fucking bastard, just you wait!¡±


    She would regain her freedom one day and take revenge on him for what he had done to her today.


    Sherry went into the shower to clean up after John left.


    When she came out fresh , she saw a maid cleaning the


    food on the ground and throwing them into the garbage as though it was to prevent her from eating the leftovers.


    Sherry was stunned.


    The maid smiled at her in silence. Then, she left after cleaning up.


    Sherry cursed the bastard John again before she went to bed.


    Just before she switched off themp, she caught a glimpse of the box of pills and the mug on the tea table. She clearly


    remembered that she had taken two earlier, yet there were four empty slows. While she frowned , her chest tightened. She


    shook her head and decided to discard the problem from her mind.


    She switched themp off and went to bed.


    No matter how he treated her, it could never change the fact that he had ravaged her, insulted her, and tortured her.


    Unless he released her, she would continue to call him a fucking bastard.


    In Shannon¡¯s room, she told Janine about John bringing Sherry back and the money she owed him. She asked, ¡°Mom, Sherry


    said unless she can return the money to John, he will never let her go. | don¡¯t know if


    LH


    she¡¯s telling the truth, but | don¡¯t have any other options left. | don¡¯t want her in our life. | don¡¯t want her as a servant here as well.


    Can you and Dad think of something to tell her?¡±

 Chapter 1182

    Chapter 1182


    Chapter 1182


    Janine¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed on the other end of the phone. Worry and anger were written all over her face.


    She was worried about Shannon, and at the same time, angry at Sherry, and frustrated about the eight hundred million that she


    owed.


    Some careful considerationter, she said, ¡°Shannon, don¡¯t worry. You keep an eye on that girl and don¡¯t let her near John. I''ll


    talk to your dad ande up with a solution. I''ll let you know once we have something.¡±


    ¡°Okay. | got it, Mom. Don¡¯t put yourself or Dad in a difficult situation because of me. |¡¯ll also think of a way.¡±


    IN?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°You just rx and be Mrs. Stockton. Listen to me, keep an eye on that girl, and don¡¯t overthink things. Your father and | will think


    of something.¡±


    Shannon obediently said, ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. It¡¯s okay, dear. Go to bed.¡±


    ¡°You too. Good night.¡±


    The call ended and Shannon sighed a breath of relief.


    As shey down on the bed, she started to ponder. She knew that her mother loved her and would do anything to help her. She


    was just wondering if her parents had


    earned eight hundred million in the past two years in Glenchester


    Janine went to Matthew after the call and told him everything


    Matthew''s expression turned bitter. ¡°John made Sherry his servant?! I''ll go speak to him!¡± He bolted up and wanted to stride


    outside , but his wife held him back.


    ¡°Calm down! You''ll definitely make him mad if you storm into his house like that. Are you trying to embarrass Shannon?¡±


    Matthew calmed down but he was full of resentment.¡± So, I¡¯m just supposed to sit back and watch him order Sherry around like a


    maid? She¡¯s a Fowler! If others find out about it, I¡¯ll be theughing stock of the town!¡±


    ¡°Only the Stocktons know about this, and | believe Madam Stockton has the same concern as you. If others find out that


    Shannon and her sister are at John¡¯s ce, one as his wife and the other as his servant, people will surely talk about it and


    criticize the Stocktons. I¡¯m sure Madam Stockton will do everything within her capabilities to stop this from going public.¡±


    Matthew''s bitter expression softened. He recalled the details and asked, ¡°What Shannon means is that if Sherry pays eight


    hundred million back to John, he will release her, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°| believe so. Do we even have that much money?¡± Janine asked.


    Matthew frowned. ¡°Our funds are still floating, and we haven''t even earned eight hundred million in the past two years here in


    Glenchester.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we sell the old house at Westchester? It¡¯s located in the prime area, and | believe it¡¯s worth a few hundred million.¡±


    Matthew red at her. ¡°Dad and Mom left it for us! It¡¯s not for sale!¡±


    Janine¡¯s brows remained furrowed. ¡°Dad and Mom are gone, so that house belongs to us now. We are doing this for Shannon.


    Why can¡¯t we sell it?¡± ¡°No!¡± Matthew raised his voice. ¡°Besides, John invested the money in us as partners. It¡¯s not on loan. He


    only got back around 200 million in the past year, but the project will only increase in value in time. He will eventually get his


    capital back and earn more than ever. If | were to give him eight hundred million now, | might as well give him the money for


    free.¡±


    He was not an idiot!


    ¡°What about Shannon? Are you going to watch that girl ruin her marriage with John?¡± Janine was infuriated. ¡°If this gets out, |


    can¡¯t even imagine how people will look at


    Us.¡±


    ¡°She hasn''t done anything!¡± Matthew got angry as well. He shouted, ¡°John has feelings for Sherry and even used this sum of


    money to keep her by his side. If you really give him eight hundred million, he will definitely think of another way to trap her! It


    won''t work!¡±


    Janine¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Impossible! He married Shannon! How can he have feelings for Sherry? It must be Sherry


    trying to seduce him, or she must have done something to make him mad!¡±


    ¡°Stop lying to yourself! If he has the tiniest amount of love for Shannon, he would not have gone on a month ¡ª long business trip


    on the day of the wedding! He even brought Sherry home when he came back! Making her a servant is just an excuse!¡± Matthew


    copsed on the chair, void of strength. He grasped his head and sunk into regret. ¡°If | knew this would happen, | wouldn¡¯t have


    let Shannon marry him. He married Shannon because of Sherry, not because he liked her or anything!¡±


    T

 Chapter 1183

    Chapter 1183


    Chapter 1183 Janine trembled as her face turned pale, but she regained herposure and bnce shortly after that. ¡°I don''t


    believe it. Even if he¡®s still thinking about that wretched girl, he must have some feelings for Shannon, or he wouldn''t have


    married her.¡±


    ¡°You keep telling yourself that.¡±


    Matthew got fed up with arguing, so he got up and left. Janine cried, ¡°Where are you going? What about Shannon? Are you


    going to sit back and do nothing while that horrible girl ruins Shannon and John¡®s marriage ?¡±


    Matthew left without providing an answer, leaving Janine stomping her feet furiously.


    Anight passed at the Stocktons¡¯ residence.


    Hailey woke Sherry up and went to the canteen for breakfast together.


    Emerence did not stop Sherry this time, but she brought over two stacks of files after Sherry filled her stomach.


    One of the two stacks contained all the rules and employee guidelines.


    The seemingly endless rules and condensed paragraphs


    gave Sherry a headache. She only curiously skimmed through the bold titles.


    She wondered which idiot came up with all these tedious and ridiculous rules for all the employees. It did not only contain what


    each and every family member of the Stocktons liked and disliked but every employee was also required to memorize everything


    without fail. On top of that, the employee guidelines clearly stated when and what they could eat or sleep. It even limited their


    time for releasing themselves in the toilet. Sherry tossed it aside after a few nces and went on to the second stack.


    This next stack was the work schedule tailored specifically to her.


    Starting from tomorrow, she could no longer stay in the dorm untilte in the day. She had to wake up early in the morning, clean


    up, have her breakfast and reach John¡¯s chambers by six o¡®clock to serve him.


    Her responsibility was to answer John¡®s every request.


    As for her working hours, if John was at home, the working hours would be from six in the morning until ten at night. If John went


    to work during the day, she could do whatever she wanted but was limited within John''s premises because she was required to


    be on standby and serve him when he came home at night around ten o¡®clock.


    Seven days a week, there would be no rest or holiday. The only benefits she got were meals and amodation. Sherry


    continued to flip through the files but did not see anything about pay. She went to Emerence to voice her question. ¡°Aunt


    Emerence, what about my pay?¡± Emerence wore confusion on her stern face. ¡°You were brought back by the master, so he is in


    charge of your pay. Didn''t he inform you about that?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°He is the one paying you. Uncle Marlow and | are not responsible for your pay. Please ask him yourself.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1184

    Chapter 1184


    Sherry nodded helplessly and returned to her room.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Shey in bed for the whole day.


    The next morning, Emerence knocked on her door at six in the morning sharp.


    ¡°Sherry! Wake up now! If you''rete , don¡¯t even think about eating breakfast! Did you hear me!? Get up now!¡± she shouted.


    Despite covering her ears, Sherry could still hear Emerence¡®s piercing shout.


    She muttered, ¡°Yeah, got it.¡±


    She got up and went to the bathroom to clean up.


    Half an hourter, Emerence¡®s shout and knocks came from the door again.


    Sherry opened the door and saw Emerence ring at her. ¡°Hurry up!¡±


    She then strode out of the dorm, and Sherry followed her away.


    There was a cart waiting for her outside the dorm.


    Sherry got in and the cart drove along the pathway to John¡®s ce which was next to the building where she


    was previously kept for more than a year.


    The gate was opened with a bodyguard next to it.


    Sherry got out and went inside.


    There was another maid , apparently to serve Shannon, and she wore a frosty look at Sherry upon her arrival.


    Sherry ignored the hostility and went straight into the living room.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± The maid stopped her.


    Sherry turned around. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The master and his wife are having breakfast. They don''t like to be disturbed. Don''t go in.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± Sherry walked to her and stood by her side.


    The maid was shocked by herpliance.


    Sherry found the maid¡®s reaction baffling. ¡°You told me not to go inside , didn¡¯t you? Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Uh... Nothing.¡± The maid averted her gaze.


    She thought that given Sherry and John¡®s messy rtionship , Sherry would be angry when she yelled at her, yet she received


    Sherry¡®spliance without a hint of anger.


    Sherry knew that the maid was trying to make things difficult for her, but she was not in the mood to cause a


    scene. Moreover, she did not want to see John and Shannon together either because it was an eyesore.


    She stood there for a while until the maid stepped forward. The maid then turned around after a quick pause and said, ¡°You stay


    here. I''ll go in and have a look.¡±


    Sherry hummed a reply obediently. The maid could not find fault in Sherry¡®s reaction, so she nced at her onest time before


    she went inside.


    However, the maid came out less than two minutester and reluctantly said, ¡°Sherry, the master is asking for you.¡±


    Annoyed, Sherry frowned. ¡°What for?¡±


    The maid did not expect Sherry to question John¡®s demand. She huffed in annoyance, ¡°To serve him, of course!¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you doing that already?¡± Sherry crossed her arms. ¡°I¡®m not going.¡± The maid was rendered speechless. She was baffled


    by Sherry¡®s refusal to serve John. She assumed that Sherry was having an affair with John and that she should want to have


    more intimate contact with him.


    The maid remained confused. ¡°The master wants you to go in, or you will be punished.¡± She then went back in.

 Chapter 1185

    Chapter 1185


    Chapter 1185


    Punishment?


    No meal for the day again?


    Sherry suddenly remembered she had not eaten breakfast.


    The hunger calmed her annoyance and steered her to go


    1. in.


    Inside the spacious and luxurious living room, both John and Shannon were done with breakfast and were sitting on the couch.


    John wasfortably sitting on the single couch with his usual golden-framed sses, his white shirt, and his long pants. His


    clean and handsome featuresplemented his elegant sitting posture , making him look like a prince.


    Shannon, in her slim¡ªfit dress, perched beside him.


    They turned to the entrance when Sherry came in.


    John remained nonchnt, but there was a hint of mischievous delight in his eyes when he saw Sherry reluctantly walk in in the


    maid uniform.


    Shannon smiled although her expression was void of true delight or happiness.


    ¡°Good morning, Sherry. Have you eaten?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°No | have not. Is there anything to eat here?¡±


    Shannon was silenced by the question. An unusual expression shed across her face, and she only recovered to her usual


    composure two secondster.¡± Unfortunately , we just finished breakfast , and the rest were taken away by the maids.¡±


    In short, there was nothing left for Sherry.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Sherry refused to ponder on Shannon¡®s words. She switched her attention to the snacks on the tea table.¡° Well, there are some


    snacks.¡±


    Shannon¡®s expression froze. ¡°Sherry, those are for John to go with his tea. Why don''t you go get something else?¡±


    ¡°Is there something else here? Where?¡±


    Shannon red at her, warning her to stop the insubordination.


    Sherry tightened her lips awkwardly. After all, it was Shannon who had asked if she had breakfast.


    John was not interested in their conversation. Heid backzily and only spoke when Shannon fell into an awkward silence,


    ¡°Sherry, pour me a cup of tea. If you amuse me, I''ll spare you a few pieces.¡±


    Sherry wore a professional smile immediately.¡± Alrighty!¡±


    She attentively went over, bent down, and refilled his cup with tea.


    ¡°That''s not how you refill tea!¡± warned the maid beside Shannon.


    Sherry looked at her, and so did John.


    The cold gaze scared the maid who stepped back and lowered her head.


    Shannon immediately scolded her, ¡°Celine, how dare you talk to my sister like that?¡± Celine was shaken. She nervously said,


    ¡°I''m sorry, Madam! | didn¡®t mean it. | just wanted to point out that she''s not pouring in the right position.¡± ¡°You are in no position to


    do that! Get out!¡±


    Celine immediately left the room.


    Shannon nced at John and noticed that he had recovered hisposure. She smiled and said, ¡°I''m sorry, John. | didn''t teach


    her well.¡± John smiled. ¡°It''s okay. Shes doing it to your sister, not me.¡±


    He then looked at Sherry. Shannon¡®s expression changed. She, too, looked at Sherry and said, ¡°I''m sorry, Sherry. Celine just


    graduated from home economics school. She''s still young, so don''t be mad at her.¡±


    Sherry was holding the teapot when she heard Shannon. She smiled. ¡°Come on, sis, do | look like someone that will get mad


    over that?¡±


    Shannon¡®s expression froze for a moment before she forced a smile. ¡°Of course, you''re not.¡±


    Sherry refilled the tea and put it in front of herself before she stood up.


    The air went still for a moment.


    Shannon was stunned while John narrowed his eyes. They were looking at the cup of tea that was in front of Sherry and further


    away from John. Did Sherry just hint at John to reach out to the cup of tea himself?


    In other words, she was emphasizing Sherry¡®s identity as a maid.


    Sherry sighed. ¡®Fine. It''s just tea anyway.¡® She bent over, took the cup of tea, and brought it to John.


    John reached out. Sherry passed the cup of tea to him but identally touched his finger in the process.


    Sherry frowned and immediately retracted her hand.


    Meanwhile, John took a sip of tea nonchntly. He smiled at Shannon. ¡°Shannon, Mother and Julie are attending an eventter.


    Why don''t you tag along and apany them?¡± Shannon''s eyes glimmered.


    Sending her to a social event with Madam Stockton and Julie was another way to promote her status as the new Mrs. Stockton,


    but the thought of Sherry staying back with him rushed to her mind and killed the glimmer in her eyes.


    I


    She said, ¡°John, are you staying home today? Why don''t | apany you instead? I''ll go next time.¡±


    ¡°I''m going to workter,¡± John replied with a smile. He added, ¡°The event is happening soon, so go to Mom''s ce and see what


    you can do to help.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll go there right away,¡± Shannon reluctantly said before she got up. She nced at Sherry before


    leaving

 Chapter 1186

    Chapter 1186


    the building


    Celine, the maid, followed her outside but stopped in front of the gate.


    Sherry and John were left behind in the spacious living room alone.


    John put the cup of tea on the table after a few sips and looked at her.


    Annoyed by his gaze, she snapped, ¡°What?¡± John pursed his lips. ¡°Did they not train you how to be a servant properly?¡± ¡°They


    did,¡± she said.


    In actuality , Emerence had gotten so mad that she left. The rule book and employee guidelines were so thick that Sherry got


    annoyed and threw them away. John frowned. ¡°And this is how you work?¡±


    He refused to believe her and found her work sloppy.


    Sherry crossed her arms. ¡°If you don''t like how | work, fire me then.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    If he was waiting for her to lower herself to serve him like a king, he was dreaming.


    John smiled. ¡°You want me to fire you? Keep on dreaming.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes flickered in surprise. ¡®Damn it. Did he read my mind?


    John looked at her. ¡°Pour me another cup of tea.¡±

 Chapter 1187

    Chapter 1187


    Chapter 1187 Sherry stood still.


    John smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have lunch?¡±


    Sherry sighed. She picked up the teapot and filled his cup with tea.


    When the cup was filled , John extended his hand to the air. ¡°Bring it to me.¡±


    Sherry wanted to ssh the tea onto his face, but for the sake of indulging in the delicious lunch at the employee canteen ,


    Sherry carefully passed him the cup full of tea.


    John finished it in a few gulps and continued reading the newspaper. Sherry furrowed her brows. He had said earlier that he was


    going to work, yet he was reading the newspaper after Shannon left.


    As the question continued to baffle her, John demanded,¡± Another cup.¡±


    Sherry sulked. He really treated her as a servant! Nevertheless, she sighed and poured him another cup of tea.


    Some time went by and John showed no intention of leaving, so Sherry asked, ¡°John, how much is my pay?¡±


    John looked at her. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    Sherry red at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pay me?¡±


    He curled his lips. ¡°Of course not. | might be a businessman, but | always treat my employees well.¡± Her eyes glimmered. ¡°Then,


    how much are you paying me?¡±


    John looked at her with an enchanting grin. ¡°The pay will be deducted from the eight hundred million you owe me.¡± Sherry¡¯s hope


    fizzled out, and she choked on her words.


    She recovered herposure after a while. Feigning a polite smile, she continued, ¡°I still need to know how much | am getting


    monthly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary.¡± John sipped on his cup of tea. ¡°Even if | pay you the highest among all the employees, you still


    won''t be able to pay me back even if you work here for your entire life.¡±


    A


    Sherry was silenced. ¡®What an evil tyrant!¡±


    She pursed her lips and looked outside the window.


    John nced at her and then continued reading his newspaper.


    The living room returned to silence.


    Awhileter, Sherry started to get curious about whether he would leave for work. She asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to


    work? Why are you still here?¡±


    John¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Do you want me to leave that much?¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    If he left, she could move around freely, so the answer was self-exnatory. After all, there was no way she enjoyed serving him


    tea.


    However, for some reason, he sounded scary, so Sherry immediately rearranged her words. ¡°I... It¡¯s just that | am getting tired


    from all the standing. If you leave, | can sit down.¡±


    John nced at her hip and legs that she had injured before. His frosty expression softened a little.


    ¡°Pour me another cup of tea.¡±


    Sherry pouted but reluctantly poured him another cup of tea.


    John finished the cup of tea in one gulp and then got up. He walked towards Sherry all of a sudden, scaring her to falter


    backward.


    She looked at him cautiously and said, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    John continued to approach her.


    Sherry was forced to the downward stairs in front of the entrance, and she had to move to the side to avoid falling down.


    John nced at her. He picked up his jacket from the rack by the door and walked out. Before he left, he said, ¡°. Don¡¯t think of


    leaving early before your schedule is up, or you won''t get anything to eat tomorrow.¡± Sherry pursed her lips.


    After he left, she went back to get the te of snacks and headed out to the yard to enjoy them. She refused to sit in the same


    space where he and Shannon sat.

 Chapter 1188

    Chapter 1188


    Chapter 1188 While she was enjoying her snack by the flowers, Shannon¡¯s maid, Celine, came by.


    She looked at Sherry coldly. ¡°Who allowed you to eat the master¡¯s leftovers? Don¡¯t you know we are not allowed to touch


    master¡¯s things?!¡± Sherry ignored her and continued munching on the snack. She pinched a soft pastry and wobbled it in front of


    her. ¡°Do you want one?¡±


    Celine¡¯s expression changed. ¡°I am not an imbecile who cannot follow rules like you!¡±


    Fine. More for her.


    Sherry continued to eat without even sparing an extra nce at Celine.


    Celine watched her put the soft pastry into her mouth one after another. She gulped but irritation colored her features. She


    grunted and grumbled , ¡°If Uncle Marlow and Aunt Emerence find out, you will be punished!¡±


    Sherry nced at her. ¡°Last piece.¡±


    ¡°No! | don¡¯t want it!¡± Celine turned her back on her.


    Sherry scoffed and tossed thest piece into her mouth. After filling her stomach, she got up for a stretch and


    said, ¡°John is not here. You don¡¯t need to keep an eye on me here. Go do your stuff.¡±


    Celine¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Who told you that | am watching


    you?¡±


    Sherry did not want to argue. She leaned back andy on the bed of flowers with her hands behind her head.


    Despite being annoyed by her attitude, Celine did not leave. She was worried that once she left, the woman would go into John¡¯s


    room or cause trouble. Besides, she had orders from Shannon to keep an eye on Sherry.


    Shannon came back in the afternoon with Julie. The two of them wore expensive and elegant dresses , evidentlying back


    from the social event.


    When they came through the front gate, Sherry was eating fruits in the little pavilion in the yard. She snuck in the fruits from the


    canteen during lunch.


    Both Shannon and Julie were stunned to see her eating.


    Sherry was surprised to see them too, but she continued eating the apple.


    Celine rushed to them and said, ¡°Madam, she has been eating since Master John left. She ate the snacks and dozed off in the


    yard without doing anything!¡±


    Shannon and Julie were stunned to learn that Sherry had


    done nothing but eat the whole day.


    Julie nced at Shannon and then said to Celine, ¡°Ms. Fowler is responsible for taking care of John, and she¡¯s Shannon¡¯s sister.


    I''m in no position toment.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Celine then looked at Shannon in anticipation , hoping that she would teach Sherry a lesson.


    Celine was actually furious. Not only did Sherry eat without any scruple, but she also did not do anything and pushed all the


    chores to her.


    Shannon went silent for a few seconds. ¡°Celine , Sherry might be a maid here, but she¡¯s my sister and John¡¯s personal maid.


    Why don¡¯t you try to be tolerant with her?¡±


    Celine was forced to stomach her grievance.


    Julie said, ¡°Shannon, | have to go now.¡±


    Shannon smiled and hummed a reply. Julie nced at Sherry before she left.


    Shannon¡¯s smile disappeared , and she red at Sherry coldly before she stomped into the house.

 Chapter 1189

    Chapter 1189


    Chapter 1189 Celine chased after Shannon. ¡°Madam, are you really just going to let her be?¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth! Don¡¯t you ever dare say something like that again!¡± Shannon shouted at her. Julie already made it clear that


    Sherry was John¡¯s personal maid and Shannon¡¯s sister by name.


    No matter how much Shannon resented Sherry or hoped for her death, even if John was okay with it,ying a finger on her sister


    would damage her reputation, and the public would condemn her for hurting a family member. Shocked, Celine immediately


    covered her mouth.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    The temperature started to plummet following the sun setting over the horizon.


    Sherry got up and went out for a walk.


    There was still some time until dinner, and she had no idea when John woulde back, so she wanted to get some fresh air.


    Celine was by the front gate when Sherry came over. She red at Sherry but was tantly ignored.


    Sherry went out of the gate and started wandering along


    the main pathway with her hands pocketed.


    ¡°Ms. Fowler.¡±


    A polite voice called her name from the back all of a sudden.


    Having changed into a simple dress and covered in a shawl, Julie looked charming and gentle, especially with her hair tied back.


    She seemed to be unusually friendly as well.


    Confused , Sherry cautiously asked, ¡°Is there anything | can help you with, Mrs. Stockton?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to address me like


    that. Just call me Julie.¡± Julie went up to her. ¡°You might be here with us as a servant, but | know how John feels about you, and |


    don¡¯t see you as a servant either.¡± She certainly knew how to captivate hearts using her sweet words.


    If Sherry was an innocent and inexperienced young girl, she would have believed Julie and be best friends with her.


    However, her instinct told her Julie was not a friend, but she had no idea why the woman would want to approach her.


    Sherry hid her thoughts with a smile. ¡°You are really nice. | wish that bastard John would be as kind as you.¡±


    Julie could still smile when she heard Sherry praising her, but when Sherry called John a bastard, her smile turned


    cold. Fortunately, she recovered to her usualposure swiftly. She smiled. ¡°Ms. Fowler, I¡¯m sure John only does this because


    he cares about you.¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°John is not only a married man, but his wife is also my sister, and | don¡¯t think it''s


    appropriate for you to tell me that he cares about me.¡±


    She could understand if Julie wanted to defend John, but the woman emphasized John¡¯s feelings for her. What was she trying to


    achieve? Getting Sherry and John back together? Sherry¡¯s gentle gaze shifted. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it in an odd way. | just don¡¯t want


    you to misunderstand him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry though. | know that bastard. | would never misunderstand his personality.¡±


    Julie¡¯s gentle expression froze, but not because of what Sherry said.


    Sherry sensed the awkwardness, so she turned around and looked in the direction of Julie¡¯s gaze.


    The man was watching them elegantly in the cart. He wore a gray checkered suit as he slouched on the cartzily. His lips


    seemingly curled into a smile, but there was no delight in his eyes behind those golden ¡ª framed sses.


    Sherry was caught by surprise. She quickly lifted her chin with her hands pocketed and looked at him arrogantly.


    John smiled. ¡°It seems like you had so much to eat in the day and intend to skip dinner.¡±

 Chapter 1190

    Chapter 1190


    Chapter 1190


    Sherry red at him.


    The bastard was threatening her with meals again.


    In the next second, the arrogance on Sherry¡¯s face was reced by a ttering smile. ¡°Master John, what are you talking about?


    | don¡¯t understand. | came out here to wee you because | assumed you would be back around this hour. | happened to run


    into Julie here, so we chatted.¡±


    She then turned to Julie. ¡°Am | right, Julie?¡±


    Julie''s gentle expression froze for a moment. She forced herself to maintain her gentle smile and said to John,* Ms. Fowler is


    right. She came out here to wee you home, and | bumped into her, so we chatted.¡±


    John curled his lips when he heard Sherry iming that she came out to wee him. There was delight in his gaze when he


    looked at Sherry. He instructed the driver, ¡° Drive.¡±


    The driver started the cart and drove closer to thedies.


    John nced at Sherry when the cart stopped beside them. ¡°Why are you standing there? Follow us.¡±


    He thenzily retracted his gaze from Sherry.


    Sherry sulked and followed the cart inside.


    Julie was left alone on the spot. When the cart and Sherry disappeared from her sight, she retracted her gaze and the


    gentleness on her face turned cold.


    Sherry followed John¡¯s cart to the front gate.


    It was then that Shannon came running out. She wore a sweet smile and jumped into John¡¯s arms as soon as his foot touched


    the ground.


    ¡°John, you''re back!¡± Her voice was as sweet as sugar.


    Sherry averted her gaze to the sky to avoid the eyesore.


    John tapped Shannon¡¯s shoulder and pushed her away. He smiled. ¡°Did you go to the event with Mom and Julie?¡±


    Shannon was slightly disappointed when he pushed her away, but his voice and gentle gaze reignited her ember of delight. She


    beamed at him and said, ¡°I did. We came back in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°How was it?¡±


    Shannon recalled the respect and jealousy she saw on the people¡¯s faces when they called her Mrs. Stockton. She widened her


    smile and said, ¡°It was great, but | wasn¡¯t that familiar with the people there, so Mom and Julie did all the talking.¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You just have to attend more events with them.¡±


    ¡°| got it, John.¡±


    Shannon wanted to curl her hands around John¡¯s arm, but the man strode inside.


    ¡°Let''s go have dinner.¡±


    Shannon immediately followed him inside.


    Sherry stayed back while looking up into the sky. She waited until their footsteps faded before she headed into the house.


    When she went into the living room and saw Shannon and John at the dining table, she stopped and looked away once more.


    That was, until Celine reluctantly informed her that John wanted her inside. ¡°Sherry, the master is asking for you.¡±


    Celine went in after delivering the message.


    Sherry took a deep breath before she set foot inside.


    John and Shannon sat elegantly opposite each other under the crystal chandelier. Celine was three meters away from them.


    Sherry pondered for a moment and decided to walk over to Celine.


    John and Shannon noticed her entry.


    Sherry ignored them and continued walking to Celine.


    ¡°Bring me a handkerchief,¡±John said all of a sudden. Sherry paused. She tightened her lips and reluctantly passed him a


    handkerchief.


    John used it to wipe Shannon¡¯s chin.


    Shannon was flustered when he touched her. Her face turned red.


    He smiled. ¡°You got soup on your chin, but you are still beautiful.¡± 1


    He then tossed the handkerchief on the table and nced at Sherry. ¡°Take it out to the trash.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

 Chapter 1191

    Chapter 1191


    Chapter 1191 Sherry pursed her lips tightly to hold back her urge to p John with the handkerchief. Instead, she took it, brought


    it out to the trash, and then returned to Celine¡¯s side.


    However, less than two minutester, John dropped a fork and looked expectantly at her. Sherry was looking elsewhere and


    pretended not to hear the fork falling


    He smirked. ¡°Bring me another fork.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes. She brought him another one from the kitchen, put it in front of him, and returned to Celine¡¯s side.


    A few minutester, he dropped his spoon. He looked at her expectantly again, and Sherry looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°Grab me a spoon.¡±


    Sherry inhaled deeply to calm her annoyance and brought him another spoon.


    Just when she thought nothing else would happen and she could finally get off work, he dropped something else. The living room


    fell into silence.


    Even Shannon stopped eating and looked at him with a


    complicated expression.


    John looked at Sherry with a mischievous grin.


    Sherry grunted. ¡°Are you doing this on purpose, you bastard?!¡±


    Celine widened her eyes in shock when she heard Sherry call John a bastard.


    The man, however, did not reveal any anger. His lips remained curled, even spreading wider. It felt like he enjoyed Sherry calling


    him a bastard. Shannon frowned . Anxiety and jealousy shed across her face.


    John then said, ¡°Don''t you want dinner?¡±


    ¡°If I''m not getting it, 1-¡±


    ¡°And breakfast?¡±


    Sherry was forced to swallow her words. She red at him fiercely and then went to the kitchen for a new spoon. She practically


    mmed it on the table in front of him.


    John picked up the spoon and scooped a piece of egg onto Shannon¡®s te.


    Shannon immediately concealed her emotions with a sweet smile. ¡°Thank you, John.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°You''re wee.¡± He then put the spoon down and continued eating with the fork. He did not order Sherry


    around after that, and things plunged into silence.


    Sherry could not stop drooling as she stared at the table of food.


    John was done eating after a while. He picked up a clean handkerchief and cleaned his mouth. Shannon finished eating as well.


    ¡°John, are you done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I''m going to the study to do something. You can rest.¡± He then got up and headed to the study room.


    Shannon furrowed her brows. She then turned to Sherry and saw her staring at the feast on the table, which the two of them had


    not finished.


    Sherry was thinking of sneaking some steak or whatever leftovers when she cleaned up the table with Celine. Just when the


    thought rushed to her head, the man¡®s heavy and charming voice said, ¡°Sherry,e with me.¡± John turned around before he


    went upstairs.

 Chapter 1192

    Chapter 1192


    Chapter 1192 Sherry furrowed her brows, ¡°I still have to clean up the table. I''ll go upter.¡±


    I


    John narrowed his eyes while Shannon was stunned.


    Celine was shocked that Sherry volunteered to clean the table.


    Sherry¡®s eyes glinted fiercely as she looked at the leftovers on the table.


    John knew exactly what she wanted. His gaze and tone turned cold and said, ¡°Come now, or you won''t get anything to eatter


    or tomorrow.¡±


    Sherry clenched her teeth tightly to resist the urge to scold him. She then said to Celine, ¡°Celine, I''ll clean the tableter. Just go


    rest.¡±


    Celine was stunned once again.


    Shannon was also confused.


    Sherry then walked to John and followed him to the study. She kept her distance from John as she reluctantly walked up the


    stairs.


    Shannon was left at the dining table as a frosty look overtook her features.


    Celine¡¯s eyes flickered and said immediately , ¡°Madam,


    I''ll go keep an eye on her!¡±


    ¡°That won''t be necessary. Tidy up. I''ll go myself,¡± Shannon said as she stood up.


    Celine thought of what Sherry had said earlier, so she suggested, ¡°Madam, Sherry said she wanted to clean the table, so why


    don''t | apany you and watch her together?¡±


    Shannon red at her. ¡°Stop the nonsense and throw all the leftovers into the trash. Clean the table immediately!¡±


    If she was correct, Sherry was really after the leftovers on the table. She would rather throw them out to the dogs than give them


    to Sherry.


    Celine pouted. ¡°Yes, madam.¡±


    The moment Sherry stepped into the study, John started ordering her around.


    ¡°Bring me the sixth book on the second row of the rack.¡±


    He sat down on the leather chair behind the desk


    elegantly and stared at her.


    Sherry inhaled deeply and brought the book to him. John started reading. His eyes eventually became glued to the lines and


    lines of words, and he no longer ordered her around.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Sherry stood there, waiting.


    Maybe because she had been standing for quite some time earlier, her legs and hip started to be sore, especially where


    she had gotten injured. The ache started to make her legs hurt quite badly.


    Sherry nced at him and noticed that he was concentrating on the book, so she slinked to the couch beside her and sat down.


    The soft leather couch felt great when she sat down, but it was then that the door opened. Shannon came in with a cup of tea.


    She was shocked when she saw Sherry on the couch.


    Sherry immediately closed her eyes and pretended to be dead. She just wanted to rest for a while instead of talking or arguing


    with her sister.


    Shannon red at her sister as she walked to John. ¡°I brought you tea. You''ve been busy for the whole day. Here, have some.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    He sipped on it and said, ¡°It''s good tea. | still have something to do. Why don''t you go to bed first?¡±


    Shannon said, ¡°I don¡®t have anything to do as well, so why don''t | keep youpany?¡±


    John maintained his gentle smile. ¡°You will only distract me. Go back to the room and rest.¡±

 Chapter 1193

    Chapter 1193


    Chapter 1193 Shannon¡®s gaze shifted. She looked at the kind and handsome man before her eyes, uncertain if he was being


    truthful or not.


    It sounded genuine , but with Sherry lying down on the couch, would she not distract the man?


    Just when she was thinking of some other way to stay with him, the man lost his patience. The smile on his face turned cold, and


    so did the eyes behind his golden framed sses.


    Startled , Shannon immediately said, ¡°I''ll go back to the room, John. Try not to work toote.¡±


    John merely smiled and hummed a reply.


    Shannon coldly sized Sherry up from top to bottom before she left.


    Nevertheless, Sherry shut her eyes and did not look at her sister. Her eyes remained shut even after Shannon left the room. She


    rxed her hands and propped her legs up on the couch to sleep in a morefortable way.


    Some timeter, she sensed something shadowing above her head. She opened her eyes and saw John standing in front of her,


    peering down.


    He curled his lips. ¡°Comfortable?¡±


    Sherry yawned but did not get up. ¡°It''s okay. | would like to get a pillow.¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°Get up.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I''m going out. Take these for me.¡± He tossed a briefcase full of documents onto Sherry¡¯s belly.


    She red at him. ¡°Where are you going? | thought you had things to do.¡±


    However, he ignored her and went to the door. ¡°If you want dinner, follow me.¡±


    Sherry was forced to get up with the briefcase and followed him out of the house.


    The MPV that he usually took to work was waiting for him in front of the yard. When they reached the gate, the driver and Peter


    came out to open the door for them.


    Peter was dressed in a formal suit which intrigued Sherry.


    This bastard is already the richest man in Glenchester, and he still goes out to meet clients in the middle of the night? Is he a


    workaholic?¡¯


    gued with exhaustion, Sherry yawned countless times along the journey.


    The car soon reached a grill that served roast meat, beer, and everything she loved! She had no idea why John


    would want to meet a client at this kind of ce but it did not matter.


    She strode inside with the briefcase before John even came out of the car.


    At the same time in the VIP room on the second floor, several men in suits sat around the table, looking as though their souls


    had left their bodies.


    ¡°Mr. rkson, | thought we were supposed to visit Master Stockton¡®s office tomorrow morning. Why did you call us out at this


    hour?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and at this kind of ce? Master Stockton is really a strange person.¡± :


    The man known as Mr. rkson waved his hands to calm the others down. ¡°As long as we can get the deal, even if he wants us


    to meet him by the roadside in the middle of the night, we will do it.¡± Knock knock The door opened.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Mr. rkson and his dispirited men immediately straightened their backs.


    Awaiter came in and smiled at them. ¡°Mr. rkson, Master Stockton has arrived.¡±


    Mr. rkson and the others bolted up, immediately devoid of exhaustion, and were reced by seemingly


    infinite energy.


    Sherry was brought to the meeting with the sole responsibility of carrying the briefcase.


    As soon as they entered the room, she and Peter sat on John¡¯s left and right sides respectively.


    She listened to Peter talk to the clients, and when she received the signal from John, she would take the documents out from the


    briefcase and pass them to Peter.


    Fortunately, it was a rather casual meeting with scattered conversations here and there. Therefore , Sherry seized the


    opportunity to indulge in all the meat she could.

 Chapter 1194

    Chapter 1194


    Chapter 1194 Before the meeting even finished, Sherry gobbled up more than half of the food on the table. Empty tes and


    beer cans were stacked in pirs in front of her.


    Mr. rkson and his men were distracted by her eating manners in the midst of discussing the details with Peter.


    Sherry was munching on amb chop when she sensed their gazes. A quick pauseter, she said, ¡°Go on, don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    Why would they look at her? She was just there to carry the briefcase, after all.


    The men then looked at John with Mr. rkson wearing an awkward smile. ¡°Master Stockton, we''ve been talking for a while now,


    and we haven''t learned who thisdy is.¡±


    John nced at Sherry. ¡°Just a maid here to carry my briefcase.¡±


    Mr. rkson was stunned. He thought that Sherry was either John''s secretary or wife, or even his secret lover. He never


    expected her to be just a maid, and one without any countenance or behavior of a maid.


    Mr. rkson put his questions aside. This meeting was to get John to agree to the deal, hence Sherry¡¯s identity did not matter.


    The meeting continued, and so Sherrymenced with her food. She finally stopped eating when her belly was bloated.


    It was not her fault for¨¦ating more than she could handle. The men were busy talking, and the food was going cold. She


    devoured everything so that the food would not go to waste.


    The meeting finally ended.


    Mr. rkson passed John two drafted agreements.


    John went through the details in the agreement and got a pen from Peter to inscribe his signature on it.


    Mr. rkson got a copy back. The signature on the document put a smile on his and his men¡®s faces.


    ¡°Master Stockton, | assure you that we will make this project the biggest one yet. You won''t be disappointed !¡± John curled his


    lips. ¡°I believe in you.¡± He then looked at Sherry. ¡°Done?¡±


    The others flickered their eyes awkwardly and wisely stopped talking


    Sherry was munching on some watermelon. She seemed to be in a good mood now that her belly was filled. ¡°I''m almost done.¡±


    John then got up. He passed the signed agreement to


    Peter.


    Peter then kept the documents in his personal briefcase.


    Mr. rkson and his men got up and smiled. ¡°Master Stockton, leaving already?¡± ¡°It''s gettingte. Go home and get some rest,¡±


    John said with a smile. He nced at Sherry before he left the room.


    Sherry grabbed the briefcase and followed him out, and Peter did the same.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Mr. rkson and the others stayed back and saw them off.


    Twenty minutester, the car arrived back at the Stocktons¡® residence but did not go inside. The car stopped in front of the main


    gate, and John showed no intention of going inside either. He looked at Sherry.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± she asked. She wondered why the car did not drive into thepound.


    John nced at the briefcase in her arms. ¡°Leave the bag. Go in.¡±


    Sherry¡®s gaze shifted. She unconsciously tightened her hug on the briefcase and said, ¡°Aren''t you going inside? Where are you


    going? It''ste already.¡± John wore a delightful smile on his handsome face. ¡°I


    need to go back to the office to deal with something. Why? You want toe along?¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes flickered. ¡°I''m tired, and it''s time for me to clock out. I''m not going.¡±


    She wanted to leave the car, but John suddenly held her wrist.


    Sherry tried to pull her hand away but failed. She red at him and asked, ¡°Why are you holding my hand? Let me go!¡±


    ¡°Leave the briefcase,¡± John said with curled lips.


    Sherry blinked awkwardly and said, ¡°There¡®s nothing in the briefcase, and | identally spilled beer on it just now. It''s dirty. I''ll


    throw it away for you.¡±

 Chapter 1195

    Chapter 1195


    Chapter 1195 John refused to release her hand. He smiled and said, ¡° I¡¯m fine with the stain.¡±


    Sherry pouted. She looked at the briefcase and wanted to open it, but before she could touch the zipper, it was snatched away.


    She red at him, and he did the same to her. ¡°You have until the count to three to get out, or you will being to the office


    with me.¡±


    Sherry sulked in grievance and immediately left the car. She mmed the door shut right after she got out.


    John grinned after she left. He opened his briefcase, and the smell of roasted meat filled the car.


    His briefcase was stuffed with all sorts of food, including steak wrapped in aluminum paper, fried chicken, and even three cans of


    beer.


    Stunned by the amount of food that she had stuffed into the briefcase , John went silent for a moment before he chuckled and


    put it aside.


    ¡°Let''s go.¡±


    The car drove off.


    Along the way, in the passenger seat, Peter subtly


    nced in the rearview mirror.


    As a matter of fact, as soon as John opened the briefcase and the smell filled the car, Peter already knew that Sherry must have


    snuck food into the car.


    John might have attended the meeting himself for the sake of closing the deal, but in fact, he had set the location in the


    restaurant because he wanted to bring Sherry out to eat.


    He did not actually have to attend to this particr deal himself since Peter had it all under control.


    Some hesitationter, Peter asked in a small voice,¡° Master Stockton, why didn¡¯t you let Ms. Fowler take the briefcase with her?¡±


    If the man could set the location of the meeting at a restaurant just because he wanted to bring her out to eat, he would not have


    cared if she snuck food into his briefcase.


    John¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Since when were you such a nosy person?¡±


    Peter immediately shut his mouth, and the car went quiet.


    John leaned back casually. He took his sses off and shut his eyes in exhaustion.


    The woman had eaten more than every man at the table and even snuck leftovers in the briefcase forter. She must be trying to


    gorge herself to death.


    Sherry got out of the car and strode towards the gate.


    However, before she went inside, she realized something and immediately hid in the bushes.


    After John¡¯s car left, she came out from the shadows and headed to the main street. She was outside thepound with no one


    else around her. She would be an idiot if she did not use this chance to escape.


    Unfortunately, the moment she set foot on the road, several bodyguards came out from nowhere and surrounded her.


    Sherry was forced to a stop. She wore an awkward smile and said, ¡°Hi, guys... Uh... I''m just having a little night exercise to help


    with my digestion.¡±


    The bodyguards looked at her emotionlessly.


    In response , Sherry pouted and reluctantly returned to the gate. The cart driver had gone off duty, and there was no way that he


    woulde all the way just to pick up a maid like her, so Sherry was forced to walk all the way inside.


    She reached a fork in the pathway. Further ahead would be where the Stocktons lived, and on the left were the quarters for the


    servants.


    Just when Sherry wanted to head left, Shannon¡®s voiceN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    came from the dark. ¡°Where did you and John go?¡±


    She emerged from behind a tree and red at Sherry coldly.


    Sherry raised a brow. ¡°Why don''t you take a guess?¡±


    Shannon¡®s expression turned grim. ¡°Sherry , you don''t want to do this.¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°Then, why don''t you go ask that bastard?¡±


    She continued to the left.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Shannon shouted.


    s, Sherry ignored her and continued to the staff quarters.

 Chapter 1196

    Chapter 1196


    Shannon went after her, stopped her, and nervously asked, ¡°Where did John bring you? What did you two do outside?¡±


    Sherry pouted. ¡°Shannon, why do you think | have to go out with him?¡±


    Shannon¡¯s gaze shifted. She widened her eyes and continued questioning, ¡°Where did you two go?¡±


    Sherry just wanted to sleep, so she simply said, ¡°We attended a meeting at a restaurant.¡±


    Shannon¡®s gaze turned cold. ¡°He brought you to a meeting?¡±


    Sherry failed to understand why she was so mad. ¡°Yeah. | was there just to hold his briefcase. What''s wrong with that?¡±


    Shannon continued to re at her. ¡°How did he introduce you to the others?¡±


    Sherry finally knew what Shannon was trying to do. Shannon must be afraid that she wrongfully unted the title of Mrs.


    Stockton.


    Sherry honestly said, ¡°He said that | was the maid.¡±


    Shannon¡®s frosty expression eased up a little, but her


    eyes remained widened. ¡°Sherry, you''d better not step out of line. Know your ce. If you dare to even think of John, Dad and


    Mom won''t forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Shannon, Shannon, do you really think I''m afraid of them?¡± Sherry scoffed.


    Shannon¡®s expression changed as she was rendered speechless.


    Sherry approached her and said, ¡°Shannon, | think you should keep an eye on your Johnny John instead of worrying about me


    getting close to him.¡±


    Asudden thought rushed into Sherry¡®s mind. She continued, ¡°Did you tell your Daddy and Mommy about the eight hundred


    million?¡±.


    Shannon¡®s eyes flickered. ¡°That''s your debt to John. They can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°They can''t do anything about it? Or do they not want to? Don''t they know | can leave John if they give him eight hundred


    million?¡± Sherry clicked her tongue. ¡°Shannon, my dear, it seems like you are not as important to them as you think.¡±


    ¡°At least, I''m more important than you to them!¡± Shannon bawled. ¡°Sherry, you are just a bitch from some vige. Don''t try to


    provoke me with your tricks. | want you away from John, or you will regret it!¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Abitch from some vige?


    There was nothing wrong withing from a rural background, and she had no right to call her a bitch.


    As Sherry red at her coldly, Shannon walked past her, seemingly going back to her ce.


    Sherry curled her lips into a grin. ¡°Shannon , shouldn¡®t you thank the bitch from some rural vige? If that woman hadn''t


    swapped me for you when we were born, you wouldn''t be scolding me today.¡±


    Shannon froze. She turned around and saw Sherry grinning at her. Fortunately, she was able to recover herposure and


    curled her lips into a smile. ¡°That woman that you are referring to is your mother. | have only one mother, and that''s Janine


    Williams. She told me many times that she only has one daughter¡ªand that''s me!¡± Sherry pursed her lips in annoyance.


    Shannon cackled withughter upon seeing Sherry¡®s silence before she turned and left.


    Vv


    The night was chilly with the breeze whipping her hair around. Sherry¡®s hands and legs somehow felt cold. She watched


    Shannon walk away from her sight with a self mocking grin. She could never beat Shannon when it came to their parents. If she


    could choose, she would rather be born in a vige as a normal person and have parents that loved her like


    their own, just like the girls that she used to y with back when she was young.


    She would not have to be tortured by her uncle when she cried for her parents, and she would not have to be jealous when that


    fake mother of hers loved others more than herself.


    Maybe she had done something wrong in her past life, so she was punished without parents in the present.


    She sighed and sniffed as she walked towards the staff quarters.


    After she left, a maid in uniform came out of the dark.


    The maid headed to Julie¡¯s ce after both Shannon and Sherry returned to their respective ces.


    Sherry took her time to return to the quarters.

 Chapter 1197

    Chapter 1197


    Chapter 1197 Sherry returned to her quarters, washed up, and went to bed.


    She instinctively reached out for her phone under her pillow. Her phone was usually turned off, so when she turned it off, she


    saw a text from Sylvia.


    The texts hade earlier in the day, asking her how she was doing in the Stocktons¡® residence. The text was brief but was not


    short of care and love from her friend.


    Sherry curled her lips as her friend''s caring text washed her grievance away.


    ¡°I''m great, Syl. | got a lot more freedompared to the past year. Though | still can''t go out of thepound, | can walk around


    wherever | want.¡±


    She assumed Sylvia was already asleep at this hour, so she put her phone away after hitting ¡°send*.


    To her surprise, her phone buzzed.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Sherry, did John do anything to you?¡± Sylvia replied almost immediately.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°No. He just likes to order me around.


    There¡®s no more ravaging me whatsoever. He ordered me to hold his briefcase for a meeting just now, and | got to eat a feast.¡±


    ¡°What about Shannon ? Is she giving you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. She might harass me, but the Stocktons know that | am her older sister, thus she has to y the role of a kind and


    understanding wife, so she can only do so much.¡±


    A few secondster, she received another text from Sylvia.


    ¡°Sherry, Odell arranged for his men to go undercover at the Stocktons. If you want to leave , just let me know. We will think of a


    way to get you out.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes glimmered, but it onlysted for a second. She had tried to escape earlier, but the bodyguards came out from


    nowhere and stopped her.


    Given Odell''s capability, it was not difficult for him to put his men in the Stocktons¡® residence, but getting her out would be a huge


    hurdle to ovee.


    If John found out about her escape attempt , aside from making him mad, it might also affect the rtionship between Odell and


    John''spanies.


    She did not want Sylvia to worry about her. Besides,


    someone else wanted her to be away from the Stocktons¡® residence more than she did.


    She just did not know when Shannon coulde up with a n to send her away.


    Back at the Carters¡¯ in Westchester, Sylvia was in the room with Odell. She was leaning against his broad chest in her pajamas.


    Ding!


    She got a text from Sherry.


    ¡°Okay. | still have something to do here. When | want out, I''ll let you know.¡±


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. ¡°Okay. It''s gettingte. Rest early.¡±


    ¡°Okie. Goodnight, baby <3¡±


    Sylvia put her phone away with a smile.


    The man, in the midst of reading his book, looked at her and saw the smile on her face. ¡°What did Sherry say? Does she want to


    leave the Stocktons?¡±


    ¡°She said she still has some things to settle there, and


    she''ll let us know if she wants out,¡± Sylvia said.


    Odell nodded. His gaze slightly shifted when he saw her put the phone away. He put his book on the table beside him and then


    hugged her in his arms.


    Sylvia was caught off guard by the hug. She blushed and said, ¡°Odell, it''ste. You have to work tomorrow.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°There¡®s nothing important to do tomorrow. | can wake upte.¡±


    ¡°I told Isabel and Liam I''ll send them to school ¡ª¡±


    Her lips were locked before she could finish.


    The three little rascals upied her during the day, and now they wanted to disturb his private time at night? Keep on dreaming,


    kids!

 Chapter 1198

    Chapter 1198


    Chapter 1198 After a dreamless night in the dorm, Sherry was woken by Emerence¡®s shouting again.


    She cleaned up quickly, grabbed two buns in the cafeteria, and went straight to John¡¯s ce.


    John did note back after he left for his officest night. Sherry only spotted Shannon with a grumpy expression and Celine


    who stood by her side cautiously when she came.


    She simply nced at them and went out of the house. With her hands pocketed, she wanted to have a stroll around the yard.


    While she was enjoying her stroll, she ran into Julie and Queenie in the garden. However, Sherry nced at them and continued


    forward.


    Queenie snapped, ¡°Sherry, can you see us?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°Yeah. What''s wrong?¡±


    Queenie was rendered speechless for a moment. She then said, ¡°Then, why didn''t you greet us?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. It seemed like the girl really


    enjoyed giving her a difficult time whenever they met.


    Before Sherry could argue, Julie stepped in with a smile.¡± Queenie, don''t be rude.¡±


    ¡°She''s a maid at our house now. She''s no one. Her family doesn''t even¡ª¡°A sudden thought rushed into Queenie¡®s mind before


    she could finish and silenced her.


    Julie immediately said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, Queenie is just a straightforward child. She doesn''t mean anything else.¡±


    Sherry grumbled, ¡°Yeah, | know. She just needs to control her mouth.¡±


    Julie did not expect Sherry to adhere to her words and mock Queenie using them.


    Angered, Queenie bawled, ¡°What did you say?! Who needs to control her mouth!?¡±


    Sherry¡®s hands remained pocketed. ¡°I don''t see anyone else here except for you.¡±


    ¡°YOU!¡± Queenie red at her.


    Julie smiled. ¡°That''s enough, Queenie. Ms. Fowler might be a servant at our house, but she¡¯s John¡¯s personal maid. The rules


    clearly state that only John can order her around, so we can''t request her to do anything.¡±


    She sounded patient and gentle.


    Queenie hummed a reply and calmed her feisty attitude, but she continued to stare at Sherry


    Sherry was not concerned, and she continued walking, assuming that there was nothing else from the two of them.


    ¡°Ms. Fowler.¡± Julie suddenly went up and stopped her. ¡°I heard you argued with Shannon. Is everything alright?¡±


    Sherry was taken aback. ¡°Since when did we argue?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Julie¡®s expression changed and said in a small voice,¡° Yesterday night, someone heard you arguing with Shannon at the fork.¡±


    Sherry narrowed her eyes at her although Julie maintained her gentle look with an extra sense of care and concern


    However, Sherry had no idea if that care and concern were authentic. She smiled and said, ¡°Yeah, we bickered.¡±


    Julie lowered her voice and said, ¡°I didn''t know your family background. Don''t worry, I''ve told them to keep it a secret. No one will


    find out¡±


    Sherry was truly surprised, and she could not help but nce at Queenie.


    Queenie knew about her background on the wedding day, yet judging from Julie''s tone, she seemed to have just found out about


    itst night. Had Queenie kept it a secret all along?


    Queenie sensed her gaze and red back ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Cause you''re cute.¡±


    Queenie''s eyes flickered and turned away awkwardly


    Sherry then said to Julie, ¡°You don''t need to worry, Julie. | can''t control people¡®s mouths. I''m fine with it.¡±

 Chapter 1199

    Chapter 1199


    Chapter 1199


    It was a fact that her own family disliked her.


    Julie tightened her lips. She curled her lips into a smile and said, ¡°If you''re not bothered by it, that''s great. But if you need any


    help, just tell me. John cares about you, which makes you my friend. If | can do anything to help, | will do anything within my


    capabilities.¡±


    Although Sherry did not know why Julie approached her with goodwill, she put on a polite expression and thanked her. ¡°Well,


    thank you in advance, Julie.¡±


    Julie said, ¡°Don¡®t mention it.¡±


    Sherry then walked off without pause.


    The Stocktons¡® residence was huge, bigger than Sherry could imagine. The gardens alone were a few times bigger than a


    common house outside.


    She took a long stroll around the garden before she came back.


    Because her stomach was growling in hunger, she wanted to search for something to eat, but she identally arrived at


    Queenie''s ce where she saw Queenie helping herself to a table of snacks and pastries.


    It was a feast for the girl, so assuming that the girl could not finish them, she went up and snatched a piece to put into her


    mouth.


    Queenie was stunned for quite a while before she realized that Sherry had just eaten one of her pastries. She red and


    grumbled, but Sherry ignored her and continued eating.


    Queenie was both speechless and breathless. After a while, she sat down sulking and red at Sherry.


    It was until Hailey pushed another cart of pastries over that Queenie bolted up and went over to the cart to protect it as though


    she was a mother lion protecting her cubs from hunters.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Sherry was surprised to see Hailey here. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Haily was simrly surprised. ¡°That should be my question to you. Shouldn''t you be at the master''s ce? What are you doing


    here? Don''t you know you are breaking the rules by running away from your workce during working hours?¡±


    Queenie was confused. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±


    Sherry swallowed her food and asked, ¡°You''re working here at Queenie''s ce?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Hailey said.


    The questioning went on for a few more minutes until Sherry connected all the dots.


    On the day of the wedding , after Sherry left, Emerence summoned Hailey back to rearrange her work schedule .


    However, she had been taking care of Sherry before that, and Sherry was some secret lover to the master of the house. With the


    new Mrs. Stockton moving in, the other maids found Hailey to be a disgrace , and some of them bullied her.


    It was Queenie who spotted her being bullied by the others, so after some rearrangements, she ended up working for Queenie.


    Sherry nced at Queenie in disbelief after hearing Hailey''s story. She could not believe that the arrogant Ms. Stockton would


    help someone in distress.


    Queenie sensed her gaze again. ¡°Why are you looking at me? | brought her in because | need more people here, not because of


    you.


    Sherry giggled. She picked an ice cream from the cart and ate it in front of Queenie.


    The rich chocte taste and the creamy vani were a perfectbination on the tongue


    Queenie grunted while Hailey pouted in silence.


    John usually left for work early in the moming and came homete at night. He would leave for work again after dinner.


    He only spent a handful of days at home, so other than being ordered around, Sherry lived a rather carefree life,


    Julie was polite to her whereas Shannon dared not do anything to her because of her reputation, and no one else dared to order


    her around, especially the other maids.


    Sherry slept when she was tired and freeloaded at Queenie''s ce when she was hungry.


    The carefree days went on for half a month.


    On this particr night, when John stayed out again, Sherry got off work and returned to the staff quarters where she ran into


    Emerence holding a meeting with the other maids.

 Chapter 1200

    Chapter 1200


    Chapter 1200 The maids stood in a single line with Emerence talking sternly in the front


    It seemed serious, so Sherry stayed outside and listened.


    Basically, the meeting was about the event that would be held the next day in the Stocktons¡® banquet hall.


    Madam Stockton was starting a charity organization, and many guests were invited to discuss their agenda. It was


    considered a social event for their guests to mingle.


    The maids in line were the ones responsible for working at the event tomorrow.


    Emerence went through the details with them again and again, emphasizing many things on the agenda, and even requested


    them to memorize all the guests¡¯ names. All the names she read out were strangers to Sherry except for one: Mason Brown.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    The meetingsted for half an hour.


    Before dispersing the maids, Emerence gave onest piece of reminder, ¡°Be prepared. Madam Stockton regards the event


    highly. No one is allowed to make any


    mistakes.¡±


    ¡°We understand, Aunt Emerence,¡± the maid answered en masse before they scattered to their quarters.


    Emerence turned around and saw Sherry by the door. Her already stern look got even colder. ¡°Sherry, why are you back at this


    hour?¡±


    ¡°John is noting back, so | figured I''d return.¡±


    Annoyed, Emerence snapped, ¡°How would you know Master John is noting back? Who told you that?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°Queenie called John, and he said he''s noting back tonight.¡±


    Silenced by Sherry¡®s exnation , Emerence red at her and walked away.


    Sherry pocketed her hands and walked into the quarters.


    Sherry woke up on time the next morning. She dressed up neatly and went to the canteen for breakfast. She then wandered to


    John''s ce.


    John did note homest night, so when she entered the living hall, she saw Shannon having breakfast alone.


    Shannon had a bitter expression on her face, seeming to be sulking because John had note home.


    It was natural for her to feel bitter because John had note home or stayed for the night for the past two weeks. She had to


    go to bed alone every night, and no married woman could be happy about that.


    Sherry was baffled how John was able to keep himself this busy, but it was none of her concern. She walked out and discarded


    the problem behind her head. Since John was not around, she nned to walk around to kill time.


    ¡°Sherry , stop! | have something to talk to you about!¡± Shannon suddenly called and stopped her.


    Sherry turned around. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Shannon looked at her coldly. ¡°There¡®s an event happening in the front courtyard. Many influential figures will being, and


    some of them might recognize you. If you don''t want people to know that you are serving as a maid here, you better stay here in


    the afternoon and not go out.¡±


    ¡°Oh. | got it.¡±


    Shannon continued eating her breakfast and Sherry left.


    Shortly after that, Shannon mmed the tes and cutleries on the floor.


    Startled, Celine immediately asked, ¡°Madam, what''s wrong?¡±


    Shannon clenched her fists tightly in silence.


    Celine nervously said, ¡°Madam, | believe Master John is too busy with his work. | heard he was barely around the house even


    before the wedding. I''m sure he¡¯s not staying outside on purpose.¡±


    Shannon¡®s expression remained frosty.


    It had almost been two months since the wedding. The first month he had gone out for a business trip, and the following month,


    he did not even spend a single night at home.

 Chapter 1201

    Chapter 1201


    Chapter 1201


    He was always either busy with work, or had to deal with something urgent, whatever that may be!


    Whenever he came back, he arranged his schedule so that he would return as soon as Sherry was finished with his shift! It could


    not be any more obvious that he was onlying home to see Sherry, the damned bitch!


    When Shannon thought of this, she rose to her feet and swept everything off the table, sending them crashing to the floor.


    Celine was aghast and quickly rushed forward, ¡°Miss, be careful! Don¡¯t hurt yourself¡ª


    Smack!


    Before she could finish cautioning Shannon, she received a blow across her face, apanied by a stern roar.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    Celine could not believe what happened. She put a hand to her cheeks and quickly walked away with tears in her eyes.


    Shannon continued causing havoc in the dining room


    before stomping away. She sped her hands with a sinister glow in her eyes. She had to do something to remove Sherry from


    the picture!


    Sherry went to see Queenie again.


    When she was taking a stroll outside, she just happened to see Hailey pushing a cart of delicious food over.


    The cart was filled to the brim with freshly made food prepared by the elite chefs. There was arge variety of food, ranging from


    piping hot meat that still gave off steam to delicious pastries and desserts.


    She could smell it from a mile away and immediately trailed after Hailey until they reached Queenie¡®s.


    Queenie was used to Sherry visiting her to steal some food by this point. The moment she noticed Sherry entering, she cast a


    distracted look at her before turning to the television and putting on a trending show. After Hailey finished setting up the food on


    the table, she sat with Sherry and ate with her while watching the show.


    Sherry fixed her eyes on the screen while eating. The show was a high school drama, and after only several seconds of viewing,


    she frowned in disdain and motioned.


    ¡°This is boring. Switch to something else.¡±


    Queenie protested, ¡°This is what | want to watch. You can leave if you don''t want to watch it.¡±


    Sherry grimaced and diverted her focus back to the roast duck in her hands.


    Queenie smirked in satisfaction upon observing how Sherry no longer insisted on changing the show and gave


    Soon, she noticed that Hailey was still standing and watching them eat. She gestured at the seat next to her that was vacant and


    invited Hailey to join them. ¡°Come on, sit down and watch the show with us.¡±


    Hailey seemed tempted but would not let it show. ¡°It''s alright, Miss, I''ll just stand here.¡±


    Queenie suddenly expressed grumpily, ¡°Oh,e on, just sit down when | tell you to!*Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Hailey understood that Queenie was only being kind to her and quickly exined, ¡°Miss, | just think that it''s rather inappropriate.


    You are the master of the family while | am only a lowly servant, so there are certain rules that we have to obey. | can''t just


    simply sit because | want to.¡±


    Queenie frowned and pointed at Sherry. ¡°She''s of a lower rank than you, but here she is, sitting and eating with me. If Emerence


    and the others have something to say, tell them to consult me directly!¡±


    Hailey hesitated, ¡°But...¡±


    Sherry darted a look at Hailey while nibbling on the roast duck. ¡°Come on and sit down before she kicks your butt.¡±


    Hailey fell silent.


    Queenie red at Sherry suddenly. ¡°Sherry, does it kill you to keep your mouth shut for once?!"


    Sherry turned her attention to the television and kept quiet.


    Queenie scoffed and red at Hailey again. ¡°Sit down before | fire you.¡±


    Hailey thanked her sincerely before finally taking a seat next to her.


    That was how they passed the morning.


    Around noon, Julies appointed maid entered the room.


    Hailey quickly perked up, filled with caution.


    The maid addressed Queenie respectfully, ¡°Miss, the madam and Miss Julie want me to inform you that the event is about to


    begin.¡±


    Queenie replied with minimal interest , ¡°Tell them I¡¯m not going. I''m watching a show here.¡±


    The maid was visibly troubled by this and cast a sour look at Sherry who was enjoying herself, filling her stomach with food as if


    she was the master of the house. Regretfully, she nodded before excusing herself.


    After that, Sherry turned to Queenie and asked suspiciously, ¡°Why aren''t you going?¡±


    She had always been fond of attending events with Julie, so why the sudden change of heart?

 Chapter 1202

    Chapter 1202


    Chapter 1202 ¡°I don''t want to go. These little events are entirely meaningless.¡± It was always one and the same thing. She had to


    entertain one guest after another and make boring small talk. If she identally blurted out the wrong thing, she would end up


    getting punished.


    Her mother was the worst offender of them all and always nagged at her whenever she went.


    Sherry cocked an eyebrow upon hearing this and stayed silent.


    ¡°Don''t you want to join in the fun? Why don''t you go instead?¡± Queenie suddenly suggested.


    Sherry answered, ¡°I''d rather eat and watch TV here. This is much more interesting.¡±


    Queenie seemed to ponder for a moment, then she scoffed and told Hailey to sit down again.


    The three of them continued watching the show while feasting


    Meanwhile, a fleet of expensive cars was arriving outside


    the Stocktons'' residence.


    Julie and Shannon were dressed to the nines and were busy greeting the arriving guests and making conversation. The butler of


    the house, Marlow, was with them the entire time.


    Julie was very good at entertaining the guests. Shannon stood next to her and chimed into the conversation from time to time.


    Both of them wore polite and weing smiles on their faces.


    Soon, the Browns arrived, and Mason could be seen stepping out of the car in a tailored suit.


    Something gleamed in Julie¡®s eyes as she turned to Shannon.


    Shannon seemed suddenly arrested by the sight of Mason. It was only when he began to approach them that she quickly


    recollected herself and lookedpletely normal.


    Before Julie could utter a word, she greeted Mason herself, ¡°Wee, Mason. It''s very good to see you.¡±


    Mason nced at her and returned a polite greeting,¡± Good afternoon.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Julie greeted him as well, ¡°Master Brown, please,e


    in.¡±


    Mason nodded and entered.


    When Shannon gazed at his back as he strode into the house, something suddenly shed in her eyes as if a bright idea


    urred to her.


    Julie observed Shannon¡¯s expression and asked with intrigue, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Shannon withdrew her gaze and stated, ¡°Oh, you know, | was just thinking about how | was supposed to be


    engaged to him. It does make me feel a little guilty seeing him all by himself now.¡±


    Julie smiled. ¡°I''m sure he''s holding up well enough on his own. He didn¡®t seem too dejected or anything like that when he saw


    you, so I''m sure he¡¯s already over it.¡±


    AT


    Would this suggest that Mason no longer held any feelings toward her?


    Shannon was slightly bothered by that thought but made sure to not let it show. ¡°Probably.¡±


    After a while, they all went to the banquet hall after all the guests had arrived. Madam Stockton showed up as well. Everything


    progressed smoothly ording to n.


    When it was time for everyone to freely mingle around, Shannon excused herself to a quiet corner since she was not actively


    engaged in conversation with anyone. She noticed Mason and carefully approached him, ¡°Mason, do you have a second? I''d like


    to speak to you.¡±


    Mason frowned and answered crossly, ¡°You''re Mrs. Stockton now. It''ll look bad if we were seen talking privately. If you have


    anything to say, you should just say it right here.¡±


    A morbid look surfaced in Shannon¡®s eyes upon detecting the apparent aversion Mason felt toward her.


    She brushed it aside and dered with a smile, ¡°It''s about my sister.¡±


    ¡°Sherry?¡± This seemed to capture his interest. He asked in an anxious voice, ¡°What happened to her? Is everything okay?¡±


    Shannon suddenly wrenched her face in displeasure. She took a deep breath and proposed again with a nonchnt smile, ¡°This


    isn''t a good ce to talk. Let''s go outside for a second.¡±


    Mason immediately set the wine ss down and walked out with her.

 Chapter 1203

    Chapter 1203


    Chapter 1203 Shannon scanned her surroundings for a moment before walking out.


    After the two went outside, Mason immediately enquired, ¡°What happened to Sherry?¡±


    Shannon revealed, ¡°She''s at John¡¯s ce right now.¡±


    Mason was taken aback by this. ¡°I thought she left. Why did shee back?¡±


    Shannon sighed and said, ¡°I''m not going to hide anything from you. She''s currently working as a servant for John because she


    owes him eight hundred million, so she has to ve away for him to pay off her debt.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on? How did shee to owe him eight hundred million dors?¡±


    ¡°It''s a long story, but don''t worry. I''ll tell you everything.¡±


    ¡°Out with it then!¡± Sherry was being forced to work as a ve for her ex-boyfriend and her sister''s husband, no less, so how was


    Mason not supposed to feel unnerved by the situation?


    Shannon began to ry everything from the beginning to the end of how Sherry came to owe John such a vast sum.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Mason was in disbelief upon hearing the story, ¡°So, you''re saying that our family is the reason she came to owe him eight


    hundred million?¡±


    ¡°Yes, after theplications with the project our families coborated on, my father ended up going to my sister, who, in turn,


    ended up going to John for help. John invested a billion dors into our family business but has only seen a return of two


    hundred million so far, so he decided that Sherry was going to be responsible for the remaining eight hundred million.¡±


    Mason frowned, ¡°That''s just an investment, isn''t it? It''s not the same thing as borrowing money. That''s outrageous!¡±


    ¡°Well, who are we to say what''s what in this situation? He probably still has feelings toward Sherry,¡± Shannon whispered, ¡°I don''t


    want to see my sister trapped with John anymore, but the current dilemma is that my parents don''t have the money to settle the


    debt.¡±


    Something shifted in Mason¡®s eyes before he immediately turned and walked away.


    Shannon called after him, ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I''m going to figure something out and get the money.¡±


    Something suddenly urred to Shannon. She quickly trotted to Mason and carefully whispered in his ears,¡± Look, don''t tell


    anyone about this. If anyone finds out that Sherry is reduced to working as a ve, people are going to start talking behind our


    backs and sabotage the reputation of not just my parents, but the Stocktons as


    well.¡±


    ¡°| know. Don''t worry, | won''t tell anyone.¡±


    Shannon¡®s stern expression rxed upon hearing this. She suddenly smiled gently and thanked Mason politely.¡± Thank you. I''ll


    come up with something to put the money together as well.¡±


    Mason did not respond and walked away.


    Shannon was bothered by his animosity and watched his departing figure silently. She scoffed and proceeded to head back into


    the banquet hall.


    As soon as she stepped inside, Julie stepped out from behind a corner.


    She looked at Mason trotting away, then at Shannon¡®s


    figure walking back into the banquet hall. A scheming smile appeared on her lips.


    Sherry stayed with Queenie until evening.


    She was going to stay with Queenie for dinner, but Emerence sent someone over to get her. She was informed that John had


    returned, so she had to head back as soon as possible.


    Sherry wrenched her face in annoyance and got up unwillingly.


    Queenie and Hailey remained seated and watched her.


    Queenie, who usually nagged incessantly at Sherry, seemed to have recognized Sherry¡®s disturbed mood. Contrary to her usual


    demeanor, she proceeded to advise her, ¡°Sherry, watch your tone when you speak to my brother. You know what he''s like. He


    doesn''t like it when you try to rebel against him. I''m sure he''ll let you go if you ask nicely.¡±


    If pleading nicely worked, Sherry would have done that ages ago. Still, she thanked Queenie politely. ¡°I got it, thanks.¡±


    With that, she went to John.


    He hade home and was seated on the couch like a prince, d in a tailored suit thatplimented his figure perfectly.


    Shannon was seated on the couch next to him. She wore a soft and effeminate look and seemed to be in conversation with him.


    Sherry did not want to disturb the two of them, so the moment she walked past the doorway, she stopped and turned around to


    avoid facing them.


    Moments after that, she heard the deep rumble of his voice beckoning her over, ¡°Sherry,e and pour some tea for me.¡±

 Chapter 1204

    Chapter 1204


    Sherry grimaced irritably before approaching John.


    John remained seated gracefully on his throne and looked at her like a monarch toying with its subjects.


    Shannon remained seated as well with an unchanging expression although the look in her eyes seemed to have dimmed a little.


    Sherry walked mechanically. She hardly spared so much as a nce at both of them the entire time. She approached the table


    with a pot of tea in her hand and poured its contents into a teacup, then she took the cup and handed it to John.


    He took the cup and seemed to intentionally brush his fingers against the back of Sherry¡®s hands.


    Sherry grimaced and shot a look at him, but he smirked coyly and proceeded to sip his tea candidly.


    She rolled her eyes and silently muttered curses at this detestable man!


    Meanwhile, Shannon, who was sitting right there the entire time, was watching their interaction and clenched


    her hands into fists.


    That was when John suddenly looked at her.


    Shannon quickly formed the same practiced smile that was full of warmth and tenderness.


    John asked her, ¡°Did you go to the event my mother held this afternoon?¡±


    Shannon answered, ¡°I did. | attended to the guests along with Julie. Everything proceeded very smoothly, and the guests were


    very delighted to be invited.¡±


    John nodded.


    That was when Celine entered with a cart filled with food.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry darted a look at her.


    Celine gave her a nce and signaled for her to help with setting the food on the table.


    Sherry was more than d to do so since this was a chance for her to get away from John.


    It was a very scrumptious dinner with a wide variety of food; there were seven dishes in total.


    Sherry gulped as she set the food on the table.


    Once everything was ready, John and Shannon approached the dining table and sat down.


    Sherry and Celine quickly moved to the side.


    The couple assumed their seats and began to eat with a degree of formality. They had a rather silent meal.


    After some time, Shannon broke the silence and asked, ¡± John, do you have any other ns for the night?¡±


    She looked at him eagerly as she said this.


    John shot her a look. ¡°There are some things | need to deal with. I''ll be leaving after this, so make sure you get some good rest.¡±


    The light in Shannon¡®s eyes flickered and dissipated, but all she could do was mumble a short ¡®okay¡¯.


    They finished their meal shortly after that.


    John gave Sherry a look as he put down the cutlery, then he rose and walked towards the study.


    He was signaling for Sherry to follow him.


    However, Sherry pretended to be oblivious to his signal.


    ¡°Sherry?¡± That was when John halted his steps and called


    her.


    4


    Left without a choice, she had to follow him to the study.


    Meanwhile, Shannon was left by herself at the dining table with a dark and sullen expression on her face.


    Upon entering the study, Sherry was instructed to bring John certain books. She did as she was told.


    Then, he wanted water.


    Sherry poured him a ss of water.


    Then, he wanted the windows closed and the curtains drawn, and Sherry did everything obediently.


    She continued to serve him by performing minor tasks consecutively.


    Meanwhile, he satnguidly in a chair with a book in one hand while observing her. He seemed to be thinking about what other


    menial tasks she could have him do.


    Sherry took a deep breath, ¡°Master Stockton , you seem like you have a lot of time on your hands, don''t you? Do you need me to


    give you a massage to wind down?¡±.


    John smirked coyly.


    Sherry tried to hide the hostile re in her eyes. All she needed was for him to agree to the massage, then she had an excuse to


    beat into his back with all her might and pulverize his spine!


    ¡°Don''t worry about that.¡± He smiled wickedly. ¡°But there is something else | need...¡± Sherry asked suspiciously, ¡°What do you


    need?¡±

 Chapter 1205

    Chapter1205


    Chapter 1205 John beckoned hier over. ¡°Come here, and I''ll tell you.¡±


    Sherry immediately recognized that he was up to no good. She remained rooted to the spot and said, ¡°I''m not interested anymor


    e. | don''t need to know.¡±


    John smiled, then he stood up and walked towards her.


    Sherry frowned. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    However, he did not answer. He only smiled profoundly as he continued drawing closer toward her. He was like an elusive prince


    seen in fairy tales. Nobody could tell what was on his mind, and the only impression he left behind was his dignified aura.


    Sherry waited for him to approach. She would not admit it but she was curious to see what he was up to.


    He approached her in no time and wrapped his arm around her waist.


    Completely defenseless, Sherry


    found herself taken into his arms in an instant. She immediately became upset and tried to shove him away.


    Nevertheless, John tightened his grip and kept her wrapped inside his arms as he drew his lips closer to her ear and whispered s


    eductively, ¡°Sherry, | need you.¡±


    Sherry felt her ears burning. In an instant, she felt a wave of fury rush to her head. Without realizing it, she swung her hands right


    into his face.


    Smack!


    John grabbed her hands just in time. He was already expecting her to respond by attacking him. He wore the same triumphant s


    mile on his face. Gradually, his smile transformed into one that was like


    an old fox¡®s, full of cunningness and


    danger. Sherry red at him. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Not only did John refuse to let go, but he also began to fix a burning, intent look on


    her reddened cheeks underneath his sses,Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Something burned inside his eyes. It was the color of deep red passion. Sherry immediately recognized that look. How could she


    not know?


    She promptly roared at him without warning, ¡°You bastard, go to your wife if that''s what you want! Stop touching me!¡± John frown


    ed. Again, he threw his arms around Sherry. He held her tightly from behind, his arms circling lier waist.


    T


    Sherry tried to wring herself free.


    John breathed into her ears and growled deeply, ¡°Stop moving. | won''t be able to resist if you keep moving.¡±


    Sherry froze and stopped moving.


    Silence descended upon them.


    She could feel the steam of his breath beating


    against her ears. She tensed up and no longer moved. After some time, his breathing seemed to rx atst.


    Sherry looked up at him and tried to persuade him to let go again as she met his eyes. He must have been staring at her the enti


    re time, but the


    sses did nothing to reduce the intensity of his gaze.


    Sherry froze. Her first instinct was to avoid his gaze. Then, she pleaded helplessly, ¡°Can you let me go already?¡±


    As soon as she said that, she felt his grip loosening. She wrung herself free and immediately stepped a few steps away from him


    John stood like a totem over her and cast a deep look at her. ¡°Sherry, won''t you let me touch you at all?¡±


    ILI


    There was a low rumble in his voice. His demeanor seemed to have transformed slightly, and his usual cockiness seemed to havi


    Sherry felt a heavy weight upon her chest. She did not even look at him as she answered, ¡°Not a chance.¡±


    He was already married to Shannon, and she was not interested in bing his mistress!


    John fixed an intent look at her before dering icily,¡± Okay, leave then.¡± Leave?


    Sherry¡®s expression brightened. She looked at him and asked to further confirm, ¡°So, | can call ita day?¡±


    Asinister smile appeared on John¡®s handsome face as he promptly stated, ¡°Go outside and stand by the door. You are not allowe


    Sherry red at him contemptuously , then she turned and left.


    Upon throwing the door to the study open, she saw Shannon standing by the door. Her eyes were pulsing with red while she look


    malice that it seemed like she would stab Sherry with a dagger right then and there.


    Sherry cast a disinterested look at her, then she continued advancing before stopping in the living room.

 Chapter 1206

    Chapter1206


    Chapter 1206


    The moment the clock struck ten, Sherry strutted off without a care in the world. She barely cared to turn back and look at John.


    As soon as she stepped out into the courtyard, John stepped into the living room as well.


    The lens of his sses concealed his look underneath. His face was basked underneath the moonlight, and there was not


    a trace of emotion on his expression.


    He continued heading into the courtyard.


    That was when he suddenly felt a pair of arms wrapping around him from behind.


    ¡°John, are you leaving already?¡± It was Shannon. She asked him in a warm voice as she pressed herself against his back.


    John frowned. He promptly removed her


    arms before he turned around to face her. He put a hand out and patted her head with a mechanical smile. ¡°Yeah, there¡®s someth


    ing urgent | need to deal with, so | probably won''t be back for a few days.¡±


    Shannon frowned. ¡°Are you going on a business trip


    again?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Shannon expressed sadly while her eyes slightly reddened. ¡°John, it''s been two months since we got married, and we have neve


    r slept together even once.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°It''s my fault for neglecting you. I''ve been busy.¡± John brushed her cheeks and apologized softly, ¡°When |e back, |


    will make it up to you.¡±


    Shannon¡®s eyes glowed up upon hearing this. She zipped her lips into a strained smile. ¡°Alright, I''ll wait for you toe back.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He smiled, then withdrew his hand and turned to walk outside.


    Shannon hurriedly followed after him. They


    walked out of the courtyard together, and she watched as he got into the car and drove off.


    Her expression immediately darkened after. Was that the real reason why he did not sleep with her all this time?


    She


    thought about the voice she heard inside the study just now and found herself balling her hands into fists without realizing it. She


    knew that as long as Sherry was around, John would never divert his attention away from her!


    The next morning, Sherry went to John''s courtyard the


    first thing after she had breakfast. Upon noticing that he was nowhere to be seen, she asked Celine if John had gone to work, bu


    t Celine ignored her. Shannon was sitting on the sofa with an audacious air around her. She could hardly bother to spare a look a


    t Sherry.


    Sherry turned around and looked for Queenie.


    It was only after Queenie


    called John that Sherry was finally informed that he had gone on a business trip and would not be back for a few days.


    Without a second thought, Sherry went to spend her days at Queenie''s.


    Apart from when she had to head back to the staff quarters to sleep at night, she spent every waking hour of the day eating, drin


    king, and ying at Queenie''s.


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was afternoon, and Sherry had just woken up on Queenie¡®sfy couch. She reckoned that


    she must have had too much to eat. She could still feel her stomach bulging as she woke up.


    She stretchedzily and headed outside, nning to go for a walk to aid her digestion.


    As soon as she walked out of Queenie¡¯s courtyard, she saw Shannon heading into the shuttle bus. She seemed


    rather anxious as if she was excitedly waiting to see someone.


    Sherry eyed her suspiciously.


    Shannon noticed Sherry staring at her as well. Something flickered in her eyes before she turned away immediately, so all that St


    Shortly after that, the shuttle bus revved its engine and drove off.


    That was when Queenie¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind. ¡°Sherry, what are you doing standing around here? The oranges in


    Sherry withdrew her gaze from Shannon and turned to Queenie. ¡°I''ming.¡±

 Chapter 1207

    Chapter1207


    Sherry figured that she had nothing important to do anyway and might as well head to the garden with them and snack on some


    oranges.


    Meanwhile, Shannon arrived at the entrance and promptly got into a car, then drove off.


    After about half an hour, she stopped outside a cafe in a remote part of town. She put on a hat and sunsses before stepping o


    ut of the car, then she trotted with a sense of urgency.


    The cafe was dimly lit.


    She scanned the cafe as she stepped inside and quickly noticed Mason who had been waiting for her.


    She hurried over to him and sat opposite him before removing her sunsses and greeting him with a friendly smile, ¡°Mason, ho


    w long have you been here? | didn''t keep you waiting for too long, did |?¡±


    ¡°| only just got here,¡± Mason answered candidly.


    Shannon eyed him eagerly and whispered carefully, ¡°Do you have the money?¡± Mason looked at her intently. ¡°I have it.¡±


    Shannon was floored.


    ¡°Eight hundred million! How did you get it all together?¡± she expressed incredulously.


    She knew that the Browns were more or less on the same level as


    her family, and it was unlikely that they would have this much money at their disposal. How did he get so much money in such a


    short time?


    ¡°Well.¡± Mason was not interested in beating around the bush and went straight to the point, ¡°Can you help me sneak into the hou


    se? I''ll hand over this eight hundred million to Sherry myself.¡±


    As Shannon¡®s eyes glimmered, she smiled at him. ¡°Sure, but you''ll need to give me some time toe up with a solution.¡±


    ¡°How long do you need?¡± He demanded.


    Shannon was a little bothered by how pushy Mason was being. She considered it for a moment before deciding,¡± Two days. Give


    me two days.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Okay, | have something to attend to, so I''ll be leaving first.¡± He prepared to get up as soon as he said this.


    Shannon immediately blurted out before he had time to go, ¡°Wait, can¡¯t you tell me where you got all this money from?¡±


    Mason replied, ¡°Don''t worry about it. It''s all from a


    legitimate source.¡±


    {¡®Was it your parents?¡±


    ¡°No. Don''t worry. | didn''t tell them about what happened to Sherry.¡±


    Shannon smiled and quickly rified, ¡°That''s not what


    | was trying to say. | was only curious how you managed to get so much money in such a short time all by yourself.¡±


    Mason¡®s expression suddenly sharpened. ¡°Like | said, you don''t have to


    worry about it.¡± Certainly, there was no way he could put together such a vast amount of money from his business alone. He had


    to pawn everything he could and pile it together with all his savings to put together the eight hundred million required.


    Shannon no longer pressed him for an answer and smiled sweetly and appreciatively. ¡°Thank you, Mason. Let me thank you on


    behalf of my sister as well.¡±


    1


    ¡°No need to thank me. This is what we owe her.¡±


    If Sherry had not asked John to bail them out, they would have gone bankrupt ages ago.


    Mason sighed weakly and walked out without another word.


    Shannon instantly wiped the smile off her face while she subconsciously clenched her hands tightly.


    Eight hundred million was not a dismissible amount of money. He must have taken out all his savings and then some.rs


    ¡®Sherry, oh Sherry, what have you done to deserve such a grand sacrifice on his part?!


    It did not matter. Now that the money was here, she could finally get rid of Sherry. Who cared about


    Mason anyway? After this, she would be the only woman in John¡¯s life. She could finally cement her


    position as Mrs. Stockton. Every single soul in nchester would have to treat her with the respect that came with the title, and tt


    1


    When she thought of this, she smirked cunningly.


    After Mason drove off, she got up from her seat and left as well.


    Little did she know, there was a woman in a hat seated in the section


    directly opposite where she and Mason sat. She had snuck into the cafe from the back the moment Sherry and Mason entered ar


    12


    When the suspicious woman heard Sherry talking to Janine on


    the phone, she promptly reached for a phone and sent a message to Julie who she had registered as¡® Second Madam¡® on her


    phone.


    The contents of the message were as follows: ¡°Madam, you were right all along.


    She came here to meet Mason. | have my eyes on them...¡±

 Chapter 1208

    Chapter1208


    Chapter 1208


    By the time they left the garden, it was already dusk.


    Sherry did not even bother to stop when she passed by the courtyard shared by John and Shannon. She barely even nced


    inside. Instead, she continued heading back to Queenie¡¯s courtyard.


    The ripe oranges they harvested were rich in vor. Queenie used them to make a variety of desserts such as orange cake, oran


    ge ice cream, orange juice, and so on.


    They had a barbecue before finishing the meal with the desserts they made. It was all unbelievably delicious.


    Sherry¡®s stomach was filled to the brim


    yet again. She was so full after her meal that she could not even lift a muscle. Shezed around on the couch with Queenie and


    watched the boring shows she always watched.


    Ding!


    Queenie''s phone suddenly rang.


    Queenie picked up the phone and nced at itzily, then she suddenly sprang up and eximed in shock, ¡°What? Why is my b


    rother calling me out of nowhere? What''s going on?¡±


    As puzzled as she was, she quickly put the phone to her


    ear.


    ¡°Brother, do you need something from me?¡± she asked without even sparing the time to greet him.


    Sherry shot a nce in Queenie¡¯''s direction, feeling intrigued. She did not know what John said to Queenie, but thetter wore an


    attentive look on her face and quickly answered, ¡°I''m


    doing fine. I''ve been doing well at home the past few days. It''s just that Sherry has been clinging to me the entire time and refuse


    s to leave. She''s like a bedbug. She eats and drinks everything | have and even hogs my television.¡±


    Sherry pouted and pretended to not hear herints.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    John said something through the phone again, to which Queenie replied, ¡°Hmph, she''s just a servant. As annoying as she is, she


    ¡®s not doing anything to make my life difficult.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes.


    Queenie noticed Sherry¡¯s gesture and immediately roared at her,pletely forgetting about


    John who was still on the phone in the spur of a


    moment, ¡°Sherry, what are you rolling your eyes for? If you do that again, | won''t let youe here ever again, so don''t test me!¡¯


    Sherry smiled and apologized half¡ªheartedly, ¡°I got it, | got it.¡±


    Queenie scoffed and turned her attention back to John on the phone. ¡°Brother, you heard that as well. She doesn''t even


    dare to oppose me these days.¡±


    Sherry was speechless, but she resisted the urge to roll her eyes again.


    Queenie hung up shortly after that. After hanging up the phone for a while, she muttered again, ¡®Strange, he never calls me, so w


    hy is he suddenly calling me to ask how I''ve been doing?¡±


    Sherry continued watching TV and ignored her.


    After half an hour, Queenie suddenly turned to Sherry.¡± Sherry, do you think he''s calling me to spy on you?¡±


    This provoked a reaction from Sherry who answered,¡± No, you''re overthinking.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did he call me?¡±


    ¡°To check up on you.¡±


    ¡°As if he has time to do something trivial like that.¡±


    Sherry pursed his lips and kept quiet.


    Queenie red at her suspiciously, then gave up on specting and turned her attention back to the television.


    Meanwhile, in another city thousands of miles away, in the presidential suite of a five¡ª


    star hotel, the dignified figure of a man was postured next to a floor-to-ceiling window, looking over the cityscape outside.


    He was seated on a couch with a small table next to it. There was a bottle of red wine along with wine sses on the table.


    He looked at the phone in his hand with its screen now. turned off and recalled thest conversation . He found himself smiling wi


    To think that Sherry had gotten so close with Queenie already... 1


    Shortly after that, he put down his phone, picked up the wine ss, and took a sip from it.


    Knock knock


    John called out, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Peter pushed open the door and entered with two boxes full of branded gifts.


    ¡°Sir, | have bought everything you requested the newly released limited edition items from


    each fashion line.¡± Peter set everything in front of John so he could study them.

 Chapter 1209

    Chapter 1209


    Chapter 1209 Most of them were pieces of jewelry that dazzled underneath the ceiling lights. John swiped a nce across them


    and noticed a bracelet with its diamonds carved into the shape of tiny wine sses. It was a unique and intricate design.


    Upon noticing John staring at the bracelet, Peter gestured at it and said, ¡°Sir, you have very good taste. This was just released


    very recently, and there are only ten such pieces in the world. It is the work of Susan Maroon, one of the best designers in the


    world, and it is also the most


    expensive item here.¡±


    A better way to put it would be that the price of everything else herebined was still nowhere close to the price of this


    particr diamond bracelet.


    John grinned. ¡°Pack this one separately from the others.¡±


    Peter hesitated and asked, ¡°Sir, why do you want them packed separately? | thought you were buying all of these for the


    madam?¡±


    John suddenly shot him a look. ¡°Peter, you seem to be asking a lot of questionstely. Don¡¯t you have any other work on your


    hands?¡±


    Peter stated for a second and hurriedly replied, ¡°Yes, sir,


    I''ll have it packed right away.¡±


    He rose and prepared to attend to the task instructed.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± John suddenly stopped him.


    Peter stopped and waited for his order.


    John took the box containing the diamond bracelet shaped like a wine ss. ¡°I''ll just keep it with me. You can take the rest


    away.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Peter quickly took the remaining jewelry and left the room with them.


    John smiled satisfactorily as he stared at his reflection in the diamond bracelet. That little alcoholic would be greatly pleased to


    receive such a gift. 1


    Ring!


    Suddenly, his phone rang.


    He nced at the disy which showed the caller ID, then he put the phone to his ear and answered the call,¡° Julie, what is it?¡±


    Julie spoke into the phone very cautiously, ¡°Brother, there¡¯s something but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s fine for me to tell you.¡±


    The look in John¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it.¡±


    Julie proceeded to reveal what she knew, ¡°This afternoon,


    a friend of mine identally bumped into Shannon and Mason in a cafe.¡±


    John was hardly bothered by the news. He was even grinning from ear to ear, clearly intrigued by this. ¡°What, is she sneaking off


    on a date with him?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    His eyes darkened. ¡°Then, why did they meet up?¡±


    Even on the other side of the phone, Julie could notice the slight dejection in his voice as he asked the question. She frowned


    and said, ¡°My friend says that she heard Shannon borrowing money from Mason.¡±


    ¡°Why is she borrowing money from Mason?¡± John asked curiously: ¡°I don¡¯t know, but she¡¯s not asking for chump change. It¡¯s


    eight hundred million, bro.¡±


    John squinted his eyes.


    Julie further supplied, ¡°My friend also overheard Sherry¡¯s name from their conversations. | can¡¯t tell if the money has anything to


    do with Sherry. Did something happen to the Fowlerstely? | was just worried that Shannon was reluctant about asking you for


    money and decided to borrow from someone else, so | figured | should inform you about something like this.¡±


    John fell deep into thought and asked, ¡°Are you sure they were talking about eight hundred million? And they


    spoke about Sherry as well?¡±


    in


    Julie stated, ¡°My friend was sure she heard something about eight hundred million and Sherry¡¯s name came up as well.¡±


    ¡°What else did your friend hear?¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems that Mason has got eight hundred million.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes gleamed with ice but he was smiling. ¡°I see, you don¡¯t need to worry about it. Just pretend you don¡¯t know anything.


    I''ll be back by tomorrow and I''ll handle it myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright, do you need me to prepare anything for your return tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    John hung up. He was glowering sinisterly, and not a trace of warmth could be seen on his face.


    He threw the phone aside and plucked the winess shaped diamond bracelet from the box and held it in the center of his palm,


    sping his fingers tightly around it.


    Crack!


    The bracelet snapped , and countless tiny beads of tiny diamond-carved wine sses ttered to the floor and scattered


    everywhere.

 Chapter 1210

    Chapter 1210


    Chapter 1210 A dayter, Sherry figured that John was noting back anytime soon, so she went to see Queenie first thing in


    the morning Theyzed around doing nothing until noon. Sherry had hogged Queenie¡¯s bright pink reclining chair all for herself.


    Just as she was about to take a nap though, Celine suddenly entered. She immediately turned to Sherry and informed her,


    ¡°Sherry, the madam wants to see you.¡±


    cD


    Sherry cocked an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What does she want from me?¡±


    ¡°She says that there¡¯s something important she needs to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Tell her I''m sleepy. I''ll see her after | wake up.¡± Sherry promptly closed her eyes after that.


    Celine immediately became furious.


    Shortly after that, Queenie and Hailey, who heard themotion, stepped out of the room to see what was going on.


    Celine knew that they were only going to take Sherry¡¯s side. Besides, she did not want to risk getting on Queenie¡¯s bad side. She


    took a deep breath and


    suppressed her anger, then she proceeded to whisper into Sherry¡¯s ears, ¡°Master Mason is here.¡±


    This captured Sherry¡¯s attention , and she snapped her eyes open. ¡°What is he doing here?¡±.


    ¡°You''ll know when you see him,¡± Celine suggested.


    This was enough to pull Sherry out of her sleep.


    The truth was she would rather not have to see Mason. She was not interested in having any form of contact with him. With that


    said, she figured the least she could do was to see him since he took the time toe here.


    She rose immediately.


    Queenie asked suspiciously, ¡°Who came? Where are youAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    going?¡±


    Sherry answered nonchntly, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know him even if | said his name. Anyway, I''ll be right back.¡±


    Queenie remarked disinterestedly, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask if you''lle back. Do whatever you like, hell, I''d even prefer it if you didn¡¯te


    back.¡±


    She said it like she was afraid of admitting that she wanted Sherry to return.


    Sherry ignored her and went with Celine.


    Meanwhile, Queenie grumbled and went back to her room.


    Shortly after that, Sherry and Celine arrived in a courtyard near the entrance of the residence.


    This section was primarily designated for receiving guests, so they rarely, if ever, came here.


    It was very quiet inside the courtyard, and there was not a single person.


    Sherry and Celine walked in.


    As soon as they passed through the yard and stepped into the living room, she saw Mason. He was wearing a hat as well as the


    same uniforms the security guards wore. It appeared that he had somehow snuck in.


    As soon as he saw Sherry, he rose from his seat.


    Shannon was in the living room as well. She rose along with Mason and gestured at Sherry, ¡°Sis, why don¡¯t you talk to Mason?


    lll head out for now.¡±


    With that, she walked outside without any furtherment.


    Mason immediately walked up to Sherry and looked at her intently. ¡°Sherry, are you all right? Has John done anything bad to you


    while you were here?¡±


    Shannon must have told him about her current situation.


    Sherry smiled and answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine. All my needs are well taken care of, and John isn¡¯t even home most of the time. Even if


    he happens to be around, he just has me


    fetch some random things and perform menial tasks for him. He¡¯s never hurt me in any way.¡± ¡°How about the others? Do they


    give you a hard time when John isn¡¯t around?¡± ¡ª ¡°No, they''re nice to me. No one tries to pick on me.¡± Mason was relieved to see


    that she seemed to be doing fine.


    Sherry began to question him, ¡°So, why did youe here? Was it Shannon who asked you toe?¡±


    He smiled and stated, ¡°I came on my own ord.¡± 1 Sherry frowned upon hearing this.

 Chapter 1211

    Chapter 1211


    Chapter 1211 Mason extracted an envelope from his pocket, ¡°Here are ten cheques, they total up to eight hundred million. Give it


    to John, it¡¯s your ticket out of this ce.¡±


    Sherry was visibly affected upon seeing this.


    To think that Shannon would go to Mason to ask for the money after failing to get it from Janine.


    She sure was resourceful!


    It seemed like Mason had foreseen Sherry refusing to take the money. He smiled softly and exined, ¡°Sherry, | know that the


    reason you ended up in this situation is because of our two families. If not for you trying to persuade John to pour money into our


    foundations , we would be history in nchester long ago. Look, we¡¯ve made a significant amount of returns over thest


    year and it is only right that we repay our debt to you.¡±


    Sherry grimaced and stayed silent.


    Mason made a good point, the Fowlers and the Browns did owe a debt to her. However, it also had to be stated that eight


    hundred million was not a trivial amount of money. Even if the debt had to be repaid, it should not onlye from Mason¡¯s


    pocket, the Fowlers should y a part in settling the debt as well.


    ¡°Sherry, if you don¡¯t take this money, I¡¯ll feel guilty for the rest of my life.¡± Mason sighed and expressed,¡° Besides, are you going


    to stay here and work for him for the rest of your life?¡±


    Of course Sherry did not want that.


    After a few seconds of silence, she decided, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll consider this a loan from you, I''ll pay it back in the future.¡± 2


    Mason expressed with a smile, ¡°Come on, there''s no need to be so formal with me.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry frowned, ¡°If you don¡¯t see it as a loan, then I¡¯m not going to take it.¡±


    Mason hurriedly agreed to her terms, ¡°Alright , alright, it¡¯s a loan. You can pay it back if you have the money and if you don''t, it''s


    alright.¡±


    Sherry was materialistic and was not one to turn down a freebie, but she still had standards of her own to uphold


    1. to.


    She intended to pay it back to Mason in time, otherwise, things would never get resolved properly between them.


    She took the envelope and thanked him with a smile , ¡°. Thank you, I¡¯ll take the money then.¡±


    Mason smiled back at her, ¡°You''re wee , when are


    you going to pay the money back to John?¡±


    ¡°As soon as hees back.¡±


    ¡°Okay, just let me know after it¡¯s settled , I''lle pick you up.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright, I''ll find some way out of there.¡±


    ¡°Look, | know that John is not known for being predictable , I¡¯m just worried he¡¯s not going to willingly let you go even after you


    settle the debt. It''ll be dangerous if you have to deal with him by yourself, let mee pick you up.¡± He smiled radiantly, ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry, | will take you to the airport first thing after | pick you up. You can go wherever you want after that, | won¡¯t stop


    you.¡±


    Sherry seemed rather moved by his offer and smiled at him sincerely, ¡°Okay, thanks again, Mason.¡±


    Mason looked at her with a gentle look in his eyes,¡± You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Creak.


    Suddenly, they heard the creak of the door slowly opening. ¡°p p...¡±


    It was soon followed by the sounds of hands pping.


    Sherry was startled by this and immediately turned to look.


    It was John. Tall and intimidating as ever, his threatening figure stepped past the doorway.


    He was pping while wearing a stoic smile. It was only the shape of a smile that formed on his lips, it never reached his eyes.


    He was regarding them with a dangerous look.


    Sherry felt herself turning pale, her body began to tremble against her will. Mason promptly stepped in front of her to protect her.


    He looked at John and asked with a deep frown, ¡°Master Stockton, what brings you here?¡±


    John ignored him and looked directly at Sherry with a smile, ¡°Sherry, you¡¯re more capable than | thought you were. To think that


    some fool would be reckless enough to pawn off all his assets and spend every cent they have on you.¡± Sherry took a deep


    breath.


    Before she could utter a word, John howled withughter and continued, ¡°Oh, | almost forgot, didn¡¯t you dump me for him back


    then? Then again, you also sacrificed yourself and willingly yed the part of being my lover so that you could bail him and your


    family out of that terrible financial crisis. It¡¯s only right that he should return the favor.¡±


    Mason¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°What did you say? She was your


    lover for a year?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we were together until the night before my wedding.¡± He smirked audaciously and asked in a provoking tone, ¡°What?


    Didn¡¯t she tell you about it?¡±


    Mason turned around and looked at Sherry with hatred in his eyes.

 Chapter 1212

    Chapter 1212


    Chapter 1212 Mason wore a look of pain and betrayal, his voice became hoarse as he expressed his sorrow, ¡°Sherry, didn¡¯t you


    tell me that you were traveling at the time?¡±


    Sherry could feel her body stiffening , she clenched her hands into fists.


    She took a deep breath to stifle her contempt for the man.


    She could not look at Mason and only red at John.


    John smiled cunningly, even now he was oozing charisma.


    Sherry rushed in front of John in an instant and grabbed him by his cor. She stood on her tiptoes so she could face and


    challenge him, ¡°John, you bastard! I''ll kill you if you keep running your mouth and talking about things like that!¡±


    John smirked, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, why don¡¯t you prove it to me?¡±


    Sherry raised a fist immediately.


    That was when Peter along with several bodyguards charged in from the other rooms connected to the living rooms.


    They were rushing into the living room from all angles.


    It was quite the scene that immediately alerted Shannon


    and Celine who had been keeping guard outside the courtyard the entire time.


    They rushed to the scene as well.


    Upon seeing John in the living room, Shannon¡¯s face turned horridly pale, ¡°Jo... John, why are you here?¡±


    John ignored her and continued fixing his attention on Sherry, ¡°So, are you still going to hit me?¡± Sherry¡¯s fist was stuck in midair.


    John smiled and said softly to her, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to start, then I''ll do the honors.¡±


    Sherry was thrown off guard by what was happening.


    The very next second, she felt a hand pressed against her waist, her entire body was flung sideways.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She shove him away immediately and howled, ¡°Let go of


    me!¡±


    John merely scoffed and increased his strength instead.


    Sherry was subdued without much effort, her hands were pressed behind her back and in his clutches.


    Meanwhile, Mason tried to rush to her rescue upon seeing what was happening but was quickly cut off by two bodyguards.


    Shannon tried to rush to them as well but was quickly dissuaded by the bodyguards too.


    Mason screamed urgently, ¡°John, let her go! She has the money to settle the debt she owes you, she¡¯s not your servant


    anymore! Let her go!¡±


    Shannon looked at John with her eyes glowing red,¡° John, she¡¯s my sister! People are going to get the wrong idea if you do this,


    please let her go, won¡¯t you?¡±


    John looked at Sherry whose face was flustered and burning red, he hardly spared a look at the others.


    Heughed smugly and used her, ¡°Sherry, how dare you sneak around and meet another man without my permission, what


    do you think | should do to you?¡±


    Sherry was furious, ¡°Bah! What | do doesn¡¯t concern you at all. It''s none of your business even if | went out and saw a hundred


    different men, now let me go you scum!¡±


    ¡°Oh, haven''t you forgotten? You are still my servant.¡±


    Sherry red at him, ¡°Let me go already!¡±


    John wrapped his arms around her and refused to let go. Instead, he only drew his handsome face closer to her and repeated, ¡°I


    won''t let go.¡±


    Sherry, ¡°...You-¡±


    He pressed his lips against hers.


    Sherry grimaced viciously and red at him after the kiss.


    John was amused, ¡°What, are you done already?¡±


    Sherry gritted his teeth and red at him.


    He suddenly turned away.


    Atst, he had turned his wretched face away from Sherry, even if just briefly.


    Sherry seized the opportunity and dered, ¡°It was you who said that you would let me go as soon as | repay the debt of eight


    hundred million to you. Here¡¯s the money, now fulfill your end of the promise and let me go!¡±


    PIT


    John nced at the envelope Sherry clenched onto tightly the entire time she was being tossed about, then he shot a look at


    Peter.


    Peter approached immediately and took the envelope out of Sherry¡¯s hand.


    He opened the envelope and revealed a stack of cheques inside it.


    He went through them one after another before turning to John, ¡°Master Stockton, these add up to eight hundred million.¡±


    John suddenly frowned with ice in his eyes.

 Chapter 1213

    Chapter 1213


    Chapter 1213 Peter remarked with stark astonishment, ¡°But they seem forged to me.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes widened.


    Mason and Shannon both suddenly grew restless as well. 1


    Before they could protest, John announced, ¡°Since they''re fake, throw them away then.¡± ¡°Very well.¡±


    Peter stuffed the stack of cheques back into the envelope and threw it at Mason¡¯¡®s feet.


    At the very same instant that the envelope hit the ground, Sherry headbutted John¡¯s chin in one ferocious swing


    Thump!


    John was unprepared and fell over backward.


    Sherry seized the opportunity to break free from him, then she turned and ran towards Mason.


    She had to get the envelope back!


    She had barely taken a step when a crew of bodyguards swarmed her.


    She tried to throw her weight against them but instead of


    managing to push through them by brute force, she merely bounced off of their bodies. In an instant, she was


    seized and arrested by them again.


    That was when John pulled her into his arms again.


    She turned to him and red at him, ¡°Let me go or I''ll kill you!¡±


    Her eyes were like that of a provoked beast, it seemed like her teeth would grow into fangs at any second. This coupled with the


    red mark left on the center of her forehead from her previous headbutt against John¡¯s chin made her look like a feral beast.


    She was fierce but nowhere near threatening.


    Johnughed at the sight of her.


    From his rumblingughter, one could tell that he nev¨¦r took her seriously.


    Overwhelmed with rage, Sherry aimed at his chin and put her all into another attempt at head¡ªbutting him.


    Everyone was silent.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    All around her was Peter, the bodyguards, and even Mason and Shannon who were made speechless by what they saw. A


    collective shock seized the air around them when they saw how bold Sherry was.


    Just as soon as Sherry swung her head at John, he suddenly ducked to the side.


    Her attempt fell short and hit nothing but the air.


    John wrapped his arms around her waist.


    Not only did Sherry fail to attack John, but she also ended up throwing herself into his arms.


    He rose and pulled her off the ground.


    In an instant, she found herself suspended mid-air and propped upon his shoulders.


    She suddenly felt dizzy, she must have overexerted herself.


    She furiously smacked his back with her tiny fists, ¡°I said let me go! I''ll kill you!¡±


    John looked straight ahead and ignored her nk threats. He strode off and carried her out of the living room in the blink of an


    eye. ¡°John, let her go! This is illegal and also an immortal act!¡± Mason yelled after John and tried to chase after him but was


    quickly cut off by the bodyguards. 1


    Shannon tried to catch up to John as well but was simrly stopped by two bodyguards standing nay the doorway.


    All she could do was to shout and plead from a distance,¡° John, let her go! She is my sister, | am your wife!¡± |


    Despite her cries, John and Sherry vanished shortly after stepping out into the courtyard.


    Shannon¡®s eyes were red with equal parts rage and helplessness.


    Shortly after that, Peter came up to her. He regarded Shannon with a troubled look before turning to Mason, ¡°Master Brown,


    please take the money back. You''re a smart man yourself, you should know that all this time, Master Stockton was only holding


    the eight hundred million against Sherry so he could keep her by his side. No matter how much money you brought today, he


    was not going to budge either way.¡± With that, Peter handed Mason the envelope he picked up off the ground.


    Mason frowned.


    Peter sighed and insistently tucked the envelope into his jacket pocket. With that, he turned back to Shannon again and excused


    himself politely, ¡°Ma¡®am, | have things to attend to and will be taking my leave for now.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1214

    Chapter 1214


    Chapter 1214 Peter immediately made for the courtyard. The bodyguards perched in front of Shannon and Mason swiftly


    followed after Peter and evacuated the living room. Shannon shuddered, then she took a deep breath and proceeded out into the


    courtyard as well, her face wrenched with nerves.


    Mason frowned and soon went outside as well. Before he could draw himself into the courtyard , two bodyguards came out of


    nowhere and cut off his oath.


    They pointed at the door behind him and said, ¡°Master Brown, please leave.¡±.


    Mason clenched his fists.


    John and Sherry¡®s figure was nowhere to be seen, they had long departed.


    He was consumed with darkness and depression , he feltpletely powerless in the face of John and knew that there was


    nothing he could do.


    He swallowed his contempt, then turned around and left, his head downcast and defeated. 1


    John carried Sherry to his courtyard and into the ce


    where he had previously kept her jailed for a year.


    Despite being vacant for two months, it still looked the same as before inside , even the weeds in the garden had been trimmed


    appropriately so it seemed as if this area waspletely unscathed by the passing of time.


    Sherry was seized with horror upon realizing where she was,


    This was the ce where she was once kept like a prisoner, there was nothing she could do to pass time save for embroidering


    here and she was subjected to eating the same tasteless food every day. Memories of the monotonous and dull life she led here


    came rushing back to her.


    She suddenly wrestled in his arms, ¡°You bastard! Put me down!¡±


    He clutched her legs in his arms so she could not move at all, then he strode into the room.


    Sherry¡®s hands had grown numb from constantly pounding against John, she was running out of strength by this point. Her eyes


    were burning red, she widened her jaw and tried to bite into his back.


    Bang!


    John kicked the door open.


    Sherry was startled.


    Her teeth only barely grazed his back, then she was hung into the room.


    Bang!


    She crashed against the bed.


    Fortunately, the mattress cushioned her fall. She rolled around on the bed and then regained her bnce on her feet.


    She was immediately confronted by John¡®s intense and demonic expression.


    She retreated away from him and red at him icily,¡± John, I''m just your servant, remember? I''m not your lover, you have a


    wife!¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He approached her and grabbed her jaw with his gigantic hands.


    He curled his lips into a devilish smile and said, ¡°You''re right.¡±


    Sherry turned away and tried to fling his hand away.


    He tightened his grip around her jaw.


    Sherry could not shake him off, she screamed at him at the top of her voice, ¡°Get your stinking hands off of me right now!


    Heh. He chuckled softly and lowered his head.


    His face was only inches away from hers.


    Sherry wanted to get away from him but there was nowhere for her to retreat to.


    His lips were so close to touching hers, she could feel his warm breath beating against her lips when he spoke,¡± Sherry, I''ve


    changed my mind. | no longer want you as my servant, | want you as my lover.¡±


    Sherry froze, she immediately protested, ¡°I don¡®t want¡ª*


    She was silenced by his lips pressing against hers. She vigorously shoved her arms against him.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1215

    Chapter 1215


    Chapter 1215 But it was no use. Immediately after that, she was pinned against the bed by his sheer weight, they sank into the


    mattress.


    No matter how hard she struggled , he refused to budge.


    Before long, her clothes were thrown all over the floor.


    After a long time had passed, the man finally stopped. She was just getting up when she was mightily forced into the bed again.


    She red at John, her eyes teeming red with tears, ¡°You bastard, I''ll never forgive you! Even if | die, | would never let you touch


    me again¡ª*


    John flung his bothersome sses out of the way and continued to suffocate her with his kiss.


    After yet another prolonged kiss, he smiled and dered, ¡°I''ll have my way with you no matter what.¡±


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the courtyard.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Shannon was standing by the entrance, she was very irritated.


    Two bodyguards stood in front of her and would not let


    her enter.


    She tried as best as she could to plead her case and convinced them to let her enter. Despite her best attempts, it did not seem


    like they were going to let her pass anytime soon.


    Left without a choice, she erupted, ¡°I am the wife of your master, | am the madam of the family! If you dare to oppose me, I''ll


    have both of you fired! Go ahead and try me!¡±


    The two bodyguards remained motionless , one of them answered her after a prolonged silence, ¡°I''m very sorry madam, we only


    follow the instructions of the Young Master. He said that no one is allowed to enter, we cannot let you in.¡±


    Shannon¡®s eyes grew red with resentment and jealousy.


    She cast another icy re at them again before she around and walked towards Madam Stockton¡®s room.


    As soon as she arrived at Madam Stockton¡®s, she was swiftly informed by one of the housemaids, ¡°I''m very sorry, but Madam


    Stockton is not feeling well and is resting at the moment. It will probably take some time before she wakes up.¡±


    Shannon frowned irritably.


    Of all times, why did she choose to fall sick at such a crucial moment?


    Shannon took a deep breath and answered politely to the servant, ¡°Please inform her that something major has happened that


    demands her immediate attention.¡±


    The housemaid replied dutifully, ¡°I will be sure to inform her after she wakes up.¡± Shannon¡®s expression dropped. She red at


    the housemaid onest time before leaving and heading to Julie¡®s.


    She did manage to see Julie at least. Julie seemed vexed when she heard Shannon recounting the tales of what happened,


    what with John carrying Sherry away and how Shannon was refused entry.


    ¡°Look, | fully understand how you feel, but you and Sherry are sisters so you of all people should know about the past between


    her and my brother. | think that my brother may still have lingering feelings for her.¡±


    Shannon¡®s expression turned to stone.


    Although she and Julie mostly kept to themselves and never interacted much, they are mostly cordial with one another. There


    had never been any unpleasant interaction between the two of them up till now.


    Julie¡¯s tone indicated that she was not interested in what was happening and was not going to help her.


    Shannon took a deep breath and tried her best to keep up a polite appearance, ¡°I understand what you''re saying, but I''m the wife


    of your brother and your sister-inw. What do you suppose | should do if something indecent happens between the two of


    them? What happens to me then? What if outsiders find out that John is out having an affair with my sister of all people despite


    being married to me, what would people say? Surely this is something that concerns you Stockton¡®s reputation as well?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, | will make sure word doesn''t get out.¡±


    Shannon was baffled by this, ¡°So you mean to say that you would allow something like this to happen?¡±


    I


    Julie sighed and said in an amiable voice, ¡°Look, | understand how you''re feeling, but you haven''t been . married long to my


    brother at all so you might not understand what his temper can be like sometimes. What you need to understand is that he¡¯s the


    one supporting our family, there¡®s nothing that | or even my mother can say to make him change his mind.¡±


    Shannon immediately recalled how she was turned away at Madam Stockton¡®s door, she felt her body palpitating with shock.


    Julie was perceptive and seemed to read Shannon¡®s expression, ¡°Did you go to my mother just now? You didn''t get to see him,


    did you?¡±


    Shannon chose silence.


    Julie advised her, ¡°Why don¡®t you head back to your room first? My brother may have acted rashly but I''m sure he wouldn''t do


    anything to Sherry.¡± Shannon clenched her fists. If what Julie said was true, then John would not have carried Sherry away with


    him in the first ce! He would not have taken her back to where he once kept her and would not have instructed his


    bodyguards to forbid anyone from entering!


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1216

    Chapter 1216


    Chapter 1216


    Several hourster.


    The sun was about to set. Deep red and amber gleams of sunlight slipped through the cracks in between the curtains and


    prated the room.


    The bedroom that had been quaking with movement finally came to a rest.


    The man got out of bed and picked his clothes off the floor, proceeding to put them on one after the other.


    Shortly after that, he was fully dressed and went to put his sses back on. He darted a nce at the bed.


    The bed was a mess by this point and underneath the nketsy Sherry who was curled up into a ball and had her back turned


    to face him.


    She did not move nor did she utter a word.


    He frowned and called her name, ¡°Sherry.¡± The silence rang in his ears, this was all the answer he got. ¡°Sherry.¡± He called her


    name again.


    Sherry continued ignoring him and faced away from him without moving like she was a piece of sculpture.


    John squinted and leaned over to her, he wanted to turn her around to make her face him.


    As soon as his hand grazed her skin, she swung around and threw herself on him.


    He was caught off guard by the sudden assault, he lost his bnce and fell onto the bed.


    This was immediately followed by a sharp pang of pain in the center of his arm. Like a rabid dog, Sherry had buried her fangs


    into his arm and was gnashing away at his flesh. John grimaced at this sight. Upon noticing that she had no intention of letting go


    any time soon, he was left with no choice but to forcefully shove her away from him.


    She conceded and unclenched her jaws.


    She stared at John, her eyes had be bloated and red,¡± Get out of here, or else I''ll eat you alive!¡±


    John was taken aback by this aggression, he suddenly stiffened and was at a loss.


    After a brief pause, he raised a hand and gently brushed her face, rubbing away the tears from the corner of her eyes with his


    fingertips. He said to her with a soft smile hanging on the corner of his lips, ¡°Sherry, don''t look at me like that. You''re looking at


    me like you''re the victim


    when you''re the one who did this to yourself.¡±


    He believed that deep down, Sherry understood the deep feelings he held for her.


    She must know the true reason why he decided to keep her held up in this ce, even if he had to make her his


    servant.


    If his goal was to humiliate her, there were countless other approaches he could have gone about to tear her apart.


    He had been very lenient with her as is.


    What did she ever do for him this entire time? She only ever thought about how she could get on his nerves and even resorted to


    scheming with Mason under his nose! Did she think that he had forgotten about how she and Mason had made a cuckold out of


    him!


    Sherry felt a lump in her throat. She gnashed her teeth and red at him.


    John smiled and offered, ¡°You don''t have to go back to the staff dormitory, just stay here.¡± 1


    With that, he let go of her and proceeded to head out of the room.


    Sherry felt a terrible swole around the center of her throat. There were so many things she wanted to say but she could not utter


    even a single word.


    The floodgates opened, tears poured relentlessly out of her eyes. She sat up and covered her face with her hands, she cried her


    eyes out.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She should never havee to nchester!


    She should not have given in to her sympathetic side back when Matthew and Janine came to her, she should never havee


    to John!


    She deserved all of this, she did it to herself! 1


    Odell quickly walked out of the courtyard. 1


    A gust of cool wind blew across his face, he felt the burning heat inside him cooling down atst. Suddenly, he felt the sharp


    sting of pain around his arm.


    He looked down at his arm to inspect the damage, he could see the blood soaking through his shirt and the imprint of Sherry¡®s


    teeth surfacing onto his shirt.

 Chapter 1217

    Chapter 1217


    Chapter 1217


    Heh.


    She must have put her strength into the bite.


    He merely shrugged off the pain, then he turned to the two bodyguards posted by the entrance and ordered them sternly, ¡°Keep


    an eye on her, don''t let her out.¡±


    The bodyguards answered dutifully, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± John slung his coat over his shoulder and walked to the adjacent courtyard.


    Celine was standing in the courtyard at the time and upon seeing John¡¯s return, she immediately sprang into the living room.


    When John entered the living room, he saw Shannon standing in front of the couch. It seemed like she had been crying for some


    time, she wore a hurt expression.


    ¡°John...¡± she called after him in a sorrowful voice.


    John smiled at him as gently as he always did.


    He walked to the couch next to her and sat down himself, then he turned to her, ¡°Don''t just stand there,e on and sit.¡±


    Shannon sat down as she was told and looked at him timidly, ¡°John, did you and my sister... did you two...¡±


    ¡°I''m the one who has done you wrong.¡± John smiled without emotion and said to her, ¡°We''re engaged but we haven''t obtained


    our marriage certificate yet, it''s not toote if you want to call it off and go back to your family. | canpensate you ordingly


    and give you a respectable sum of money that you should be able to live off for the rest of your life. If you leave now, | will


    transfer the money to your ount right away.¡± 1


    Shannon¡®s eyes widened, and tears soon flowed from her eyes.


    She bawled her eyes out, ¡°John, is that all you have for me? | married you because | loved you, don''t you have any feelings for


    me the entire time?¡± John took out a tissue and wiped the corners of her eyes with it. He spoke softly as he continued caring for


    her,¡° Shannon, we both know that you are no fool. I''m sure you know the true reason for me marrying you this entire time just like


    how | know your true motives behind marrying me.¡±


    Shannon¡®s eyes quivered, she was suddenly stunned and unable to move.


    She gazed at the handsome man in front of her, she silently observed his kind gestures in caring for her and wiping her tears.


    Contrary to the warmth of his gesture, she felt nothing but a terrible shiver run through her body, a degree of coldness she had


    never known.¡±


    w


    ¡°|... [don''t have any hidden agendas, | just wanted to marry you because | love you.¡± She vowed. John smiled, ¡°Shannon ,


    you''ve been married to Mason for five years before marrying me.¡±


    0


    Shannon felt exposed, ¡°We only got married out of our parent''s wishes, there was no love between us.¡±


    ¡°| know that, he never really loved you.¡± Shannon felt something caught in her throat.


    John looked at her with determination and continued, ¡° Your family immediately cut things off with the Browns the moment | went


    to your family, is that true?¡±


    ¡°|... [don''t know, it was all arranged by my parents.¡±


    ¡°Alright Shannon, there¡®s no need to exin any further.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John sat back and threw the tissue soaked with her tears on the ground.


    He leaned back on the sofa and folded his hands across his chest, his demeanor wasnguid and graceful.


    It was clear that he was different from the rest of them, he was a deity in a world full of mortals. Underneath his tender


    expression was a threatening aura. Shannon looked at him tenderly. ¡°If what you want is the title of Mrs. Stockton , you are


    free to stay with us as you have done all this time. The members of the family will treat you with the same amount of respect as


    before , however ... the tile of Mrs. Stockton is all you get.¡± 2


    She would be entitled to the usual glory, wealth, and fame she deserved as the rightful Mrs. Stockton, but that was the extent of


    her privileges.


    Shannon frowned, she felt her arms stiffening involuntarily.


    She knew what John was implying.


    The name and title were all she could have, but she would do well to stop having delusions about expecting more from John.


    She was not to interfere with his private affairs, his affairs with Sherry for instance. 1


    She clenched her fists tightly, she was upset and was at a crossroads.


    She did not want to lose to Sherry, but she would be a fool to walk away.


    Sure, she could have more money than she could ever dream of if she walked away, but staying here would help preserve the


    honorable title of Mrs. Stockton. She could have the respect and veneration of everyone in the city.


    Then it urred to her. So long as she was here, Sherry would forever be doomed to the fate of a lowly mistress, the subject of


    everyone''s ridicule and mockery, she could


    never hope to be anything more than that! 1


    Something shone in her eyes. She burst out in tears again and pleaded with John, ¡°I don''t want to leave you, could you please


    let me think about it?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1218

    Chapter 1218


    Chapter 1218 John shed a smile that hardly reached his eyes and stated, ¡°Sure.¡±


    With that, he rose and walked out.


    ¡°John, it''s alreadyte, where are you going?¡±


    Shannon did not receive an answer, thest thing she saw was John¡¯s distant figure departing.


    He barely spared a look at her, he hardly had any intention of ever stopping.


    Shannon froze.


    After John walked into the courtyard, she swept her arms across the table and sent everything ttering against the floor.


    She beheld the mess she made and cursed out loud,¡± Sherry, you bitch!¡± 1


    Celine was frightened by such a spectacle. She waited until it seemed like Shannon had calmed herself a little before carefully


    advising , ¡°Miss, the master must have been seduced by that witch already. You''re still young and so pretty, there''s no reason


    you should subject yourself to this fate. | think you should take his offer and leave, the money you get from the master should be


    enough tost you a lifetime offort.¡±


    Celine believed that this was the best thing Shannon could do for herself. As long as one had money, one had nothing to fear,


    there was no reason Shannon should be bound to a man who did not love her.


    Shannon immediately shot her a look.


    Celine assumed that Shannon was going to take her advice, that was until she felt a teacup smashing against her face.


    There was a loud crash, it was a very heavy teacup. 1


    ¡°Ah!¡± Celine gasped from the pain and immediately covered her face.


    Shannon red at her grimly, ¡°Celine, you''re saying that | should give up the title of Mrs. Stockton to that bitch Sherry?¡±


    Celine hurriedly exined herself amidst sobs, ¡°That''s not what | meant, | only said it out of concern for you.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Shannon red at her with contempt and said, ¡°The only thing | want is for her to lead a miserable life.¡±


    So long as she held the title of Mrs. Stockton, she would *** never let Sherry taste joy!


    She sighed and slumped back into the couch. The bitch had told her that she would leave as soon as she settled the debt of


    eight hundred million with John!


    If she knew it would turn out like this, she should never have gone to Mason, let alone let Mason in!


    She began to wonder, how did John know about her plots? She was convinced that she covered her tracks well and nobody


    knew about Mason slipping in.


    Besides, wasn''t he supposed to be on a business trip? Why did hee back out of nowhere, and at such an opportune


    moment to stumble into Sherry and Mason? How did she not know that he was returning home?


    The more she thought about it, the more the entire situation seemed off to her.


    Sherry was wretched, but she would not have resorted to such a roundabout n if all she wanted was to get with John.


    Therefore, it was safe to eliminate the possibility that Sherry nned all this.


    What was going on?


    It was already dark when Sherry cleaned herself and walked outside.


    Her legs were sore and weak, she took a deep breath and carried her tired feet, she wanted to head back to the staff dormitory.


    That was when the two bodyguards posted by the


    entrance stopped her from leaving. They wererge and muscr, these were trained personnel.


    She recognized them as the same pair of bodyguards who watched over her back when she was imprisoned here.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She red at them weakly and obediently turned back to her room without needing to be prompted.


    Was the bastard going to keep her locked up in this wretched ce again?


    She shuffled to the living room andy on top of the dining table with a deep frown across her brows.


    Shortly after that, her stomach began to growl with hunger, and that was when she heard movements outside the door.


    She turned to look.


    It was Queenie and Hailey. Queen was leading the way, she seemed visibly upset.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1219

    Chapter 1219


    Chapter 1219 If it wasn''t for Hailey who was trailing closely behind Queenie, Sherry would have presumed that she was here to


    give her a hard tinie.


    Upon entering, Queenie eyed her up and down with a judgmental look in her eyes.


    Sherry leaned back against the chair and greeted herzily, ¡°Hey.¡±


    Queenie shot her a look, ¡°Sherry, what''s your deal? Why did you meet up privately with Mason out of nowhere?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°It wasn''t me who arranged the meeting with him.¡±


    Queenie was doubtful, ¡°Then how do you exin my brother getting so angry? He... he''s going to keep you imprisoned here


    again.¡±


    ¡°He came to give me money.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Queenie proceeded to sit next to Sherry. ¡°Just tell me what exactly is going on.¡± |


    Hailey approached and set a tter of food on the table, it was a sizeable portion.


    Sherry was so hungry that she immediately grabbed a spoon and gobbled several spoonfuls before she finally


    turned her attention back to Queenie, ¡°There was some financial crisis with the Browns and the Fowlers more than a year ago,


    that was when | ended up approaching your brother for help and got him to invest about a billion into the family¡¯s projects.¡± ¡°I


    know about that, what happened after that?¡±


    ¡°His investment only saw a return of two hundred million over thest year, that was when he imed that | still owed him a debt


    of eight hundred million and that | had to ve away for him until | paid off the debt.¡±


    Queenie was confused by this, ¡°...It''s the Browns and the Fowlers who owe him the money. Besides, investing and taking a loan


    are quite different things.¡±


    She seemed rather at a loss of what to make of this.


    Sherry only groaned weakly in response to this, ¡°Well, your brother made his call and there¡®s not much | can do.¡±


    Queenie asked, ¡°So Mason came to see you today to give you the remaining eight hundred million?¡±


    Sherry muttered, ¡°Yeah.¡±.


    ¡°Then why is my brother so angry?¡±


    ¡°He''s a psycho.¡±


    Queenie red at her, ¡°Sherry, if you insult my brother in front of me again, I''m not going to bring you food anymore in the


    future.¡±


    Sherry swallowed another bite and stayed silent.


    That was when Hailey suddenly spoke up, ¡°Miss, it''s a pretty straightforward matter at the end of the day. The young master still


    has feelings for Sherry and is using the money as an excuse to trap her. He must have been enraged when he found that Master


    Brown wanted to take Sherry away from his clutches by clearing the debt for her.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sherry froze for a brief moment, then she regained herposure and continued eating. Queenie suddenly gasped, ¡°Oh, |


    hadn''t considered that possibility.¡±


    She turned to Sherry again, ¡°Sherry, what''s going on between you and my brother? Sure, you may have gone to him and asked


    for financial assistance to bail out the Browns and the Fowlers, but that''s not enough reason for him to keep you locked up inside


    our house and continue keeping you prisoner even after he got married! Besides, why would he marry your sister if he was so


    into you?¡± Sherry buried her head in the tter of food and continued gobbling away. Queenie knew there was something more


    than this, she raised her voice and interrogated Sherry, ¡°Did something happen between you and my brother in the past? Did you


    do anything to betray his trust back when the two of you were together?¡±


    Sherry ate with such ferocity. (1) Queenie was getting impatient, she immediately snatched the tter away from Sherry.


    She red at Sherry intently, ¡°Tell me, what did you do to my brother back then?¡±.


    Sherry avoided her gaze and answered meekly, ¡°That was so many years ago, I¡¯ve long forgotten what happened back then.¡±


    ¡°Don''t lie to me, who do you think | am? Hurry up and answer me or else you''ll never get to eat again!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sherry stuffed her hands in her pockets , it did not seem like she was nning to confess.


    She was fine with not eating.


    Queenie felt her voice tightening, ¡°Sherry, I''ll never talk to you again if you don¡¯t answer me!"


    Her face burned with anger, even her eyes were slowly glowing red.


    Sherry sighed helplessly, ¡°I ended up ditching him because | thought he was too poor for me and that he''ll never give me a good


    life.¡±


    Queenie was speechless upon hearing this.


    Her eyes widened like a pair of giant marbles, she was floored by this confession.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1220

    Chapter 1220


    Chapter 1220 She rose immediately and jabbed an usatory finger at Sherry, ¡°All those years ago, you were the reason my


    brother got kicked out of the family by my father. He gave up his rights as heir to the family assets and cut off all rtions with


    us, he suffered so much for your sake and youined that he was too poor for you? You... as if that wasn''t enough , you


    even went and dumped him!¡± Sherry pursed her lips and held on to her silence.


    The more Queenie thought about it, the more vexed she became, ¡°Sherry, | can''t believe | thought of you as a friend, | can''t


    believe you were such a heartless and materialistic person all this time!¡±


    She flung the tter of food she had snatched from Sherry moments ago to the ground, and immediately stomped out,


    completely furious.


    Hailey who came in with her cast a conflicted look at Sherry before running out after Queenie.


    The living room fell silent again.


    The tter was smashed into pieces when Queenie flung it against the floor, but Sherry could still use the spoon and fork to pick


    off whatever remnants of food scattered over the floor.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Despite that, she felt like she had lost her appetite and could hardly stomach another bite of food. She got up and went to lie


    down on the couch, she stared at the ceiling above, her head in a daze.


    Distant memories from another lifetime suddenly resurfaced from the depths of her mind.


    Her first meeting with John was when she caught Mason and Shannon in bed.


    The Browns and the Fowlers already had ns to join their families with an engagement then and had already nned to match


    Mason with Shannon. The hup in their ns came when they discovered that Shannon was not the rightful daughter of the


    Fowlers.


    The still ¡ª living elder of the family, Master Brown at the time insisted that Sherry got wed to Mason instead. Since Sherry and


    Mason were into each other as well, Matthew and Janine conceded to Master Brown¡®s wishes and agreed to the arrangement.


    Several yearster, Master Brown passed away. That was when Mason and Shannon got together.


    Mason said that he had drunk too much that night, Shannon was bawling her eyes out, devastated by the betrayal. That was


    when the two families collectively decided to arrange an engagement between Shannon and Mason instead without ever


    considering Sherry''s feelings.


    It ended sourly for all parties involved, Sherry ended up walking out on her family and essentially cut things off with them.


    That was when she ran into John in a nightclub.


    It was her roommates in college who dragged her to the nightclub with them. They happened to meet a group of other friends in


    the club and Sherry had a little too much to drink that night. They had dared her to head into a box and kiss any stranger of her


    choice.


    She was so young at the time and was fueled by both liquor courage and the recklessness of youth. She took the dare and


    walked straight into the VIP box where she seized the most handsome man she could find and kissed him.


    That man was none other than John Stockton.


    To this day, she could still remember the taste of his lips. She remembered the soft touch of his lips and the smell of alcohol, but


    it was not unpleasant and even invigorating . After the two shared a kiss, John blushed shyly.


    She bolted away after the kiss. Two dayster, John found


    her.


    She remembered that he came to her wearing a shining white shirt. His feature was like that of a roman sculpture and he stood


    tall as a tree, his figure was like that of a


    model''s. He was undoubtedly the most handsome man she had seen.


    They began dating shortly after that.


    That was, until she found out that he was the heir of the Stocktons, the Stocktons soon got to know of her as well.


    The Stocktons turned into a shadow of their former glory shortly after the passing of the elder Master Stockton. Knowing that


    Sherry was of amon background, they wanted her to break up with John.


    John tried to convince his family to acknowledge his rtionship with Sherry but it never worked, then he ended up cutting ties


    with his family.


    Sherry remember that night like it was yesterday. John showed up at her ce in nothing but amon white t shirt and


    trousers, not a single cent to his name. He embraced her tightly and told her, ¡°Sherry, | cut off ties with my family, we can be


    together without worrying about being judged now.¡±


    He held her tightly.


    She embraced him tightly as well.


    They lived a simple life together in a regr unit that they rented together.


    She went to school while working a part-time job on the side.

 Chapter 1221

    Chapter 1221


    Chapter 1221 He continued job-hunting while enduring the insults.


    The Stocktons notified everypany that was rted to his major in Glenchester not to hire him so that they could force him to


    go home.


    Even though he was the best in his work, nopany dared to defy the Stocktons, hence forcing him to resort tobor work.


    He tried being a driver and a delivery man and even picked up jobs that he never heard of before. He did all those just so he


    could save enough money for a house to marry her.


    Although he ran into manypetitors from his old days in the process and was even forced to kneel and bow in public, he


    would return home with her favorite cake and a smile on his face.


    The bittersweet memories finally came to an end when tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Choking on her emotions, Sherry found it difficult to breathe. She paused all thoughts, wiped her tears away, and gasped for air.


    She had done him wrong back then, so she epted his scoldings and beatings, but she could not ept that he


    continued to do this to her after marrying some other woman as his wife.


    Aftering out from the front yard, Queenie stormed off to her own ce, grumbling, ¡°I''m done! I''m so DONE! I''m not doing


    anything for that woman again! If | send her any more food or whatever, I''ll spell my name backward!¡±


    Hailey followed behind her, trying to calm her down.¡± Please take a breather. | don''t think Sherry is such a snob.¡±


    Queenie turned around to face her. ¡°Everything about her screams snob! Don''t try to defend her, or I''ll throw you out!¡±


    Hailey immediately sealed her lips.


    Queenie returned to her own house after a while.


    However, she turned around to Hailey before going in.¡° Why didn¡®t you say anything?¡±


    Hailey was rendered speechless. A few secondster, she said, ¡°Sherry might have a foul mouth, but she seems to be a tough


    woman. She must have gone through some tough days.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Queenie exhaled deeply. ¡°If she can endure hardship, she wouldn''t have left my brother for being poor back then.¡±


    Hailey patiently said, ¡°When Master John locked her up for a year plus, | was there to take care of her. She ate the inest food


    and sewed untilte at night almost every day. She even removed the weeds in the garden at times. That is not how a normal


    person should live, and if she could not endure it, she would have begged Master John to release her. But she didn¡¯t even once


    submit or beg him.¡±


    Queenie raised a brow, ¡°She never begged my brother? Not even once?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | tried talking some sense into her many times, but she refused to listen.¡±


    Hailey had no idea why Sherry would rather endure all the hardship than submit to John¡¯s request and even went as far as


    making him mad and arguing with him whenever she had the chance.


    Queenie pondered. ¡°Maybe because she doesn''t like my brother. She must be thinking of another man. That''s why she doesn''t


    submit to my brother.¡±


    ¡°Unlikely. I''ve been with her for so long and | never heard her talking about another man.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Then she must love the man so much that she¡®s afraid that my brother will punish her. That''s why she kept it in her


    heart.¡± A sudden thought rushed to her mind, and she continued, ¡°Oh, right, she cheated on my brother before! The man she


    loved must be the one she


    cheated on my brother with!¡±


    While Hailey did not agree, she did not want to argue either.


    Sherry was rarely sincere with her words. She might have imed that she left John because he was poor back then and


    cheated on him, but how much of it was true?

 Chapter 1222

    Chapter 1222


    Sherry slept on the couch the entire night.


    It was Queenie''s scream that jolted her up on the second morning


    The moment Sherry opened her eyes, she saw Queenie storming in with Hailey, seemingly ready for a fight.


    Sherry rubbed her eyes and sat up straight.


    Queenie stood in front of her with her eyes bulging. ¡°Tell me, who is the man you cheated on my brother with?¡±


    Sherry was left speechless. She thought the girl came asking for a fight. Sheid back down with her eyes closed. ¡°Someone


    you don''t know.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, and I''ll know.¡±


    ¡°Even if | tell you, you won''t know.¡±


    ¡°Sherry, stop beating around the bush! Tell me who he is!¡± She pulled Sherry up from the couch.


    Sherry was forced to sit straight. She asked, ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°| want to know who the man is. | want to know if he is more handsome or more capable than my brother.¡±


    Sherry shut her eyes and said, ¡°He¡¯s not as handsome or


    as capable as your brother.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you fall for him?¡±


    Ashort hesitationter, Sherry answered, ¡°Maybe I''m a bitch. That''s why.¡±


    ¡°Sherry! Can you speak properly?! Open your eyes!¡±


    Sherry opened her eyes and curled her lips. ¡°You really want to know who he is?¡±


    Queenie stared at her. ¡°Yes. Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Bring me to my quarters, and I''ll tell you.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why do you want to go back to your quarters?¡± Queenie asked.


    ¡°| don''t want to stay here. | want to go back.¡±


    Queenie frowned. ¡°No. John won''t let you out of this building. There¡®s someone watching you outside, so | can''t just bring you


    away.¡± ¡°Get me adder, and I''ll climb out.¡±


    Queenie was left speechless.


    Hailey was confused too. ¡°Sherry, this ce is a lot better than your quarters. Why do you want to go back?¡± ¡°This ce reeks of


    that bastard. | don¡¯t want to be here.¡±


    Queenie widened her eyes. ¡°Sherry, stop calling my brother a bastard, or I''ll p you!¡±


    Sherry chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright. But if you get me adder, and | can get back to the quarters, then I''ll tell you the guy¡¯s name.


    I''ll even give you his address.¡±


    Queenie''s eyes gleamed. ¡°For real?¡±


    Sherry maintained the same expression and continued,¡± For real. I''d be a bitch if | lied to you.¡±


    Queenie looked at Hailey who nodded.


    It was just adder for her to climb back to the quarters, and since the premise was crowded with bodyguards, there was no way


    she could escape, hence nothing would happen.


    Queenie agreed. ¡°Alright. It''s a deal. But now is not the time. It''s too obvious. I''lle to get you at night.¡± Sherry grinned. ¡°It''s a


    deal then.¡±


    Queenie grunted. She red at Sherry onest time before she went out.


    Hailey followed her out but came back with a cart after a


    few minutes. Several tes of gourmet dishes were ced on the cart, and every one of them looked delicious.


    Sherry¡®s eyes shimmered. She smiled at Hailey and said, ¡° Thank you, my dear.¡±


    ¡°Don''t thank me. Ms. Queenie asked me to bring them to you,¡± Hailey said as she pushed the cart to the dining table.


    It was then Queenie¡®s voice rang out from outside,¡° Hailey, what are you doing inside ? Stop talking to her, ande out right


    now!¡±


    ¡°I''ming!¡± Hailey answered immediately. She turned to Sherry and said, ¡°You help yourself. | have to go now.¡± She then


    strode out of the door.

 Chapter 1223

    Chapter 1223


    Chapter 1223 Sherry grinned as she got up from the couch and headed to the dining table. After setting up all the dishes on the


    table, she sat down and started eating happily.


    The reason why she wanted to return to her quarters was to reach her phone to contact Sylvia so that her friend could help her


    escape the Stocktons¡¯ residence.


    John was obviously keeping her in the house as his backup lover.


    She had tolerated it before the man got married, but now, she could not bear it for another day.


    Meanwhile, in Stockton Tower on the other end of the city, the handsome man had just woken up and was eating breakfast by


    the window.


    His phone was connected to a recorder hidden in his house and it was currently ying the conversation on speaker. The talking


    had stopped and was reced by the noise of chewing and gobbling.


    The man grinned as he picked up a piece of toast and took a bite of it.


    Sherry went back to sleep after breakfast and started munching on snacks as soon as she woke up.


    The day went by in the blink of an eye.


    After the sun set over the horizon, she got up and waited by the window.


    Awhileter, Queenie came by. The girl even cautiously looked around before she came in, making sure that she was not being


    followed by the bodyguards.


    She went over to Sherry and pointed at the wall further away. ¡°Thedder is there. Hailey is waiting for you outside. Go now. And


    stay low, don¡¯t attract any attention. I''ll stay here for a while and meet you back at your quarters.¡±


    Sherry grinned. ¡°Got it. Thank you.¡±


    Queenie red at her. ¡°Remember to tell me who the man is and give me the address.¡±


    She desperately wanted to find out who the man was.


    As she sat down on the couch, Sherry went out through the door.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The front gate was closed, and no one could see through it from the outside.


    Sherry tiptoed to the wall in the yard and whispered, Hailey.¡±


    Hailey immediately extended the telescopicdder from outside the wall.


    Sherry climbed up thedder and then pulled it back when she was on the other side.


    After that, Hailey took thedder from her and whispered, ¡°Go to the quarters quickly. Be careful not to get caught by the


    bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Thanks.¡±


    Sherry tiptoed along the shadows and made her way to the employee quarters . She took a shortcut , snuck past several people,


    and finally made it back to her quarters after ten minutes.


    She pulled the keycard out of her pocket and tapped it at the door. She did not even switch on the lights to stay inconspicuous.


    After she quietly closed the door, she made her way to her bed and started searching under her pillow.


    She usually hid her phone under the sheets right below her pillow. However, there was nothing under the pillow or the sheets


    even after a thorough search.


    Could it have fallen on the ground?


    She went to the switch by the bed to turn on the lights.


    The lights dispersed the darkness in the room, and before Sherry could bend over to look for her phone, she was


    shocked by the person standing in the corner.


    The man leaned against the wallzily with his hand pocketed while his other hand was holding the phone that Sherry was


    looking for. ¡ª


    He smirked and said while waving it in front of her, ¡° Looking for this?¡±

 Chapter 1224

    Chapter 1224


    Chapter 1224 As Sherry''s eyes widened in shock, she immediately threw herself at him.


    John raised his hands, keeping the phone out of her reach.


    Despite jumping, no matter how high she leaped, she could not reach it. She grabbed John''s cor and shouted, ¡°Give me back


    the phone!¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Get it if you really want it.¡±


    Sherry clenched her teeth. ¡°Don''t force me!¡±


    He grinned bewitchingly while keeping the phone high above her reach.


    Sherry took a deep breath and jumped onto John, clinging onto him like an octopus before she climbed up to reach for her


    phone. She made her way up to his shoulder first and then clung to his neck to achieve bnce. She reached upward for her


    phone, but before she could touch it, he put his hand down.


    Sherry missed grabbing the phone. She wanted to get off him, but John caught her by the waist.


    She red at her and shouted, ¡°Release me!¡±


    John curled his lips.


    Thwack!


    Something fell onto the floor.


    John actually released her phone and dropped it on the floor.


    Infuriated, Sherry shouted, ¡°I mean me, not my phone!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± He hummed and then released his hand holding her waist, but


    before she could even fall to the ground, he caught her with his other hand that was holding the phone.


    Sherry sulked. ¡°Get both your damn hands off me!¡±


    ¡°Okay, but in a minute.¡± John then carried her to the bed.


    Astonished , Sherry looked at him cautiously. ¡°What are you doing? Let me go!¡±


    The moment her words subsided, John let go of her, dropping her onto the bed with a thud. His towering figure then dwarfed


    over her and robbed all her chances of escaping. He pinched her chin and sealed her mouth with a kiss.


    No matter how hard she struggled or how hard she hit him, he overwhelmed her with the advantage of his physique.


    The bed started to shake and squeak violently, and itsted until midnight. The tiny room finally returned to peace and quiet after


    the vigorous sex.


    The man got out of bed and started dressing.


    Sherryy on the bed for a while before crawling out and running barefoot to her phone.


    The man narrowed his eyes and immediately extended his arms. His arm curled around her waist like a viper and pulled her into


    his embrace.


    Sherry struggled to break free from his restraint, but the slightest exertion of strength was more than enough to pin her down.


    He put his chin over her shoulder and smiled as he whispered into her ears, ¡°Have | not satisfied you enough?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sherry froze. She clenched her teeth in silence and stopped struggling.


    John put her back onto the bed and pulled the sheets over her. His warm hand stroked her face as the smile on his face


    widened. ¡°If you like the employee quarters that much, you can stay here.¡±


    Sherry immediately turned around and showed her back to him.


    Ignoring her, John smiled and continued putting on his clothes. After he was properly dressed , he walked to the door and picked


    up her phone from the ground before leaving with it.


    The room plunged into silence with his absence.


    Sherry heard the outside door closing and the key turning in the lock. She hugged herself tightly as tears trickled down her


    cheeks.


    Some timeter, knocks came from outside the door.


    Sherry did not move or respond to the knocks.


    ¡°Sherry, it''s me.¡± It was Queenie at the door.

 Chapter 1225

    Chapter 1225


    Chapter 1225 Sherry¡®s lips moved. ¡°What is it?¡±


    She sounded feeble and helpless.


    Queenie frowned upon hearing her meek voice. ¡°I didn''t tell my brother about youing to the quarters, | have no idea how he


    knew.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Okay.¡± Sherry did not suspect Queenie ratting her


    out.


    After all, Queenie only knew she wanted toe back to the quarters, but she did not know anything about her secret phone.


    John obviously knew she came back for her phone, or maybe he already knew about the phone a long time ago.


    If she was correct, he already knew about it before she even asked Queenie for help. The question would be how. Sherry was


    exhausted, mentally and physically. The exhaustion robbed her ability to think. She said to Queenie, ¡°I''m not suspecting you.


    Just go.¡±


    ¡°Sherry, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Queenie did not speak after that, and what followed was her hurried footsteps, striding away.


    She must have left, so Sherry shut her eyes to rest. A terrible thought suddenly rushed into her head. Her eyes popped open in


    fear. She forgot to take birth control pills! Neither did she take any yesterday!


    The next morning, Sherry sat up on the bed as soon as she heard noises from the door.


    The door opened as Emerence brought breakfast over with two bodyguards escorting her. She looked as stern as usual while


    she put the tray of breakfast on the tea table by the bed and nced at Sherry.


    Just when she was about to leave , Sherry voiced out, ¡°I want birth control pills.¡±


    Thinking that she heard it wrongly, Emerence turned around in disbelief. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Sherry repeated in her gruffly voice, ¡°Birth control pills. | want birth control pills.¡±


    Emerence¡®s expression changed. Even her gaze at Sherry lookedplex.


    ¡°| have to get permission first. Take your breakfast in the meantime.¡± Emerence then walked out of the room and locked the door


    on her way out.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry had a nce at the tray of breakfast that was considered luxurious. It looked and smelled good but


    failed to pique her appetite. She fell back onto the bed and nkly stared at the ceiling. An hourter, the door opened.


    Emerence returned with a box of ubeled birth control pills. ¡°Here are the pills.¡±


    She walked to the bedside and noticed that the breakfast was untouched. She frowned but did not say anything. After putting the


    pills down, she left. The door was shut and locked once more.


    Sherry got up, grabbed the box of pills, and put two into her mouth. It tasted different from the ones she had before. Maybe


    because it was from a different brand, it even tasted sweet somehow.


    She took the pills and then started to dig into her breakfast.


    Julie was standing outside the employee quarters, staring at the window in Sherry¡®s room.


    Emerence came out of the building and went up to her. After a respectful bow, she said, ¡°I''ve given the pills to her as ordered.¡±


    Julie smiled warmly. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Emerence.¡±


    Emerence immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s part of my job, but don¡¯t you need to report this to the master?¡±


    Ahint of envy shed in Julie''s eyes as she smiled. ¡°If John doesn''t want her to be pregnant, he would have given her the pills


    yesterday.¡±


    Emerence was more confused than before. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you just tell me to inform her that there are no pills avable? Why


    go the extra mile?¡±

 Chapter 1226

    Chapter 1226


    Chapter 1226 Julie sighed. ¡°With that feisty attitude of hers, she would have caused a scene in front of John if she didn''t get the


    pills.¡±


    The sudden epiphany rushed into Emerence¡¯s head. She added, ¡°Ms. Julie, you are really a meticulous person. It is the Stockton


    family¡¯s honor to have you in charge of the house.¡±


    Julie smiled. ¡°Aunt Emerence, please don¡¯t tter me. I''m just d that | can share the burden with Mother and John.¡±


    Emerence was moved by Julie¡®s caring and sentimental side. ¡°If only you were Master John''s wife, the Stocktons would have


    thrived in harmony and peace.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Julie¡®s gaze shifted. She wore a strict expression and said,


    ¡°Nonsense. John has a family now, and I''m his sister¡ªin ¡ªw.¡±


    Emerence immediately realized that she had used the wrong words at the wrong time. She immediately apologized, ¡°I''m sorry,


    Ms. Julie. | didn¡®t mean it. I''m just moved by your personality and capabilities. No one can better take charge of the house than


    you.¡±


    Julie¡¯s gaze softened, and so did her tone. ¡°Aunt Emerence, I''m telling you this because | treat you as one


    of my own. I''ll pretend that | didn''t hear anything today, so please refrain from saying something like that again in the future,


    especially not in front of anyone. Do you understand?¡±


    Emerence sighed a breath of relief. ¡°I understand, Ms. Julie! | promise | won''t say something like that again!¡±


    Julie smiled. ¡°You can go back to your work now. Keep an eye on Sherry. If she has any other requests, try to satisfy her.¡±


    She left after that.


    Seeing her off, Emerence grumbled in her heart, ¡®It has almost been six years now since the second master passed away. |


    remember they were newlyweds when that happened. Given his medical condition, | believe they hadn''t even made love yet,


    and she became widowed. She''s still so young. Is she going to be a widow for the rest of her life?


    ¡®Was it because she couldn''t bear letting go of the title? If she really wished to continue to be Mrs. Stockton , why didn¡®t she go


    after Master John?¡®


    Theplexity of the matter was not something a mere employee like her could figure out.


    Meanwhile, at Shannon¡®s ce, after knowing that John had spent the night with Sherry at the employee¡®s dorm,


    Shannon angrily smashed the vase on the floor. It had been two days since he left that afternoon, and he did note home for


    her once. Now that he came back, he went straight to Sherry, slept with her, and left without saying anything. The man had no


    space for her in his heart!


    The more Shannon thought about it, the more furious she got. She smashed a couple more things on the ground, and with it, her


    gentle and caring demeanor.


    What was left on her face was ferocity and resentment.¡± Bitch! That bitch!¡±


    Celine stood further away without making a noise. She waited until Shannon calmed down slightly before she said, ¡°Madam ,


    please calm down. You''re going to hurt yourself.¡±


    Shannon shouted at her, ¡°I''m not stupid! Get out of my face!¡±


    Celine immediately ran outside.


    Shannon took a deep breath before she copsed on the couch.


    In the past two days that she spent at home, not only Madam Stockton and Julie, but even the maids looked at her differently.


    Some of them even despised her for her fake personality. Her gentle and caring side was nothing but a front.


    If this continued , more and more people would believe that she was faking it all the time and disrespect would follow.


    She could not allow this to continue. She must think of a way to make Sherry disappear.


    Back at the Carters¡¯ residence in Westchester, Sylvia came out of Madam Carters room. Maybe because of Madam Carter''s age


    or maybe it was the trauma from the fall, she started to forget things starting about a week ago. She would even forget herself at


    times.


    It was just an hour ago when she tried to go out of the house herself, looking for her grandson. She was worried that the


    stepmother would bully her grandson, so she got anxious.


    Fortunately, the bodyguards were there to stop her.


    Sylvia and Aunt Tonya brought her back and exined the situation to her. They even video¡ªcalled Odell, who was working


    outside, just to calm her down.


    It took them quite the effort, but Madam Carter eventually regained her awareness.

 Chapter 1227

    Chapter 1227


    Chapter 1227 Sylvia¡®s worry lingered, so she stayed by Madam Carter''s bed and listened to the olddy reminisce about the


    past. Her memories about Odell¡®s childhood remained vivid as though it happened yesterday. She went on until she got tired and


    fell asleep.


    Sylvia finally got up and walked out of the room.


    It was then that the man entered the living room in his handsome suit.


    He looked rather nervous when he saw Sylviae out of Madam Carter''s room. He went up to her and asked,¡° How¡®s


    Grandmother?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°She¡®s fine. She¡®s asleep.¡±


    His nervous expression wasid to rest.


    Sylvia looked at him with crystal clear eyes.


    He soon noticed her unusual gaze. He patted her and asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Grandmother talked a lot about your childhood.¡± Odell squinted. ¡°What did she say?¡± Sylvia took a step forward, shortening the


    distance between her and Odell. She was a finger away from going into his embrace. She whispered, ¡°She said when you


    were five, you were on the bed and you¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish the sentence, he hugged her into his chest tightly.


    ¡°Grandmother said it, not me!¡± she anxiously exined.


    Odell lowered his head and moved his handsome face closer to her. His lips curled. ¡°What else did she say about


    me?¡±


    His whisper sounded dangerous.


    Sylvia¡®s gaze shrunk. ¡°T-that''s it. Nothing else!¡± ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really!¡±


    ¡°Didn''t you just say Grandmother talked a lot about my childhood?¡± He emphasized ¡®a lot¡¯.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered. ¡°You must have heard it wrongly. | didn''t say...¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªHey! What are you doing? Put me down!¡±


    Odell lifted her by the waist and went upstairs.


    Meanwhile, Aunt Tonya was taking care of Flint. She immediately got up and made way for the couple; Sebastian did the same.


    Embarrassed, Sylvia covered her blushing face.


    The man chuckled. He kicked the door to his room open and put Sylvia on the bed. His towering figure then copsed onto her.


    He pried her hands away from her face, revealing her blushing cheeks.


    Annoyed, Sylvia grumbled, ¡°Shouldn''t you go back to work?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯¡®s nothing urgent. I''ll go in the afternoon.¡± He kissed her lips. ¡°Tell me, what else did Grandmother say about me?¡±


    The kiss gave Sylvia goosebumps. She put her hands on his chest and softly scratched him. ¡°Don''t touch me. I''m warning you!¡±


    Odell grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head. He stared into her eyes deeply and said, ¡°Why don''t you warn me


    after I''m done with you?¡±


    Sylvia wanted to argue, but her lips were once again sealed by his forceful kiss.


    Passionate love¡ªmaking went on for hours in the room.


    When things finally settled , Sylvia was exhausted by all the vigorous movements. Shey feebly on the man¡®s broad chest.


    Odell stroked her head. ¡°Take a nap if you''re tired.¡±


    Sylvia wanted to close her eyes, but a sudden thought rushed into her mind. She turned and reached for her


    phone by the side. She quickly pulled up Sherry¡®s number from the contact list.

 Chapter 1228

    Chapter 1228


    Chapter 1228 Thest message was from two days ago, and it was she who had texted, asking Sherry how she was doing at the


    Stocktons.


    It had been more than two days , yet she had not heard from Sherry.


    It was not Sherry¡®s style to be quiet. Even if she was busy, she never missed a text and would not fail to text back for more than


    twelve hours.


    Sylvia frowned.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Odell asked.


    ¡°| think something''s happened to Sherry.¡± Sylvia tapped on Sherry¡®s number and called her.


    The monotone message sounded. ¡°The number you have dialed is not avable. Please try againter...¡±


    Sylvia looked at Odell. ¡°Did you receive any updates from your men at the Stocktons in the past two days?¡±


    ¡°No. I''ll go ask themter.¡±


    ¡°Ask them now. Hurry.¡± Sylvia nudged his chest.


    Odell tightened his lips. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Back at the Stocktons¡¯ residence in Glenchester , Sherry recovered after sleeping for a full day and having multiple meals. Her


    phone had been confiscated, and there was no TV in the room and no books to kill time, so all she could do was stare outside


    the window nkly.


    She stared out nkly until the sky turned dark, and a tall figure entered.


    The maids in the quarters immediately stepped aside upon seeing the man. They lowered their heads respectfully and kept


    quiet.


    As though the man sensed Sherry¡®s gaze, he looked up at the window and saw her through the ss.


    Sherry might have either been exhausted or simply not in the mood. She sat still like a rock and stared at him expressionlessly.


    John grinned. He stood there and stared at her without going inside.


    They locked eyes for more than ten seconds before Sherry drew the curtains close. She crawled onto the bed and copsed


    onto it. She was like a lifeless corpse lying down on the bed when John came in.


    After he took off his jacket, he went over and patted her face. ¡°Sherry.¡±


    Sherry remained silent. He tapped her face again. She was annoyed but did not say anything. She pulled the sheets away and


    spread eagled herself. ¡°If you want to fuck, just go on with it.¡±


    John was left speechless for a few seconds.


    With his lips pursed, he reached out to her dress and started unbuttoning it. His eyes were staring at her face.


    Sherry furrowed her brows but did not resist at all. She did not even move when she was stripped naked. It seemed like she had


    given up resisting. The man moved closer to her face and grinned. ¡°Do you really think | won''t touch you?¡±


    However, Sherry turned away and ignored him.


    John clutched her face, turned it back to face him, and ravaged her lips with a forceful kiss.


    The room returned to peace and silence at midnight.


    John got out of bed after he vented his lust for her and started to get dressed. Meanwhile, Sherry turned her back to him. Only


    the rustling of him putting on his shirt could be heard in the quiet room.


    After getting dressed, he turned around and saw only her back, which made his brows furrow. Nevertheless, he grabbed his


    jacket and walked out without pausing or saying anythingAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    18. 18.


    Bang.


    The door was mmed shut.


    Sherry went to the table beside the bed, opened the drawer, and took the birth control pills out. After swallowing two pills, she


    crawled back and shut her eyes.


    Maybe because her lifeless reaction ruined his mood, the man did note over for the next two days.


    She slept when she was tired, ate when she was hungry, and stared outside the window when she got bored.


    It had only been two days, and it was already driving her crazy. She was not being kept as a human being but as a pig ona


    farm!

 Chapter 1229

    Chapter 1229


    Chapter 1229 The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she got.


    Sherry bolted up and opened the window.


    As soon as the window opened, two bodyguards looked up at her. Her room was on the second floor and it was just a few


    meters off the ground, so they looked at her cautiously.


    Sherry red at the two of them for a while before returning inside.


    The breeze came through the opened window, caressing her face and calming the frustration in her head. She suddenly thought


    of Sylvia telling her about Odell having his men undercover in the Stocktons¡¯ residence.


    If she could just locate the men, would she be able to ask them to contact Sylvia and Odell toe to rescue her?


    The problem would be how to locate them.


    Sherry pondered for a while and suddenly thought of an idea. She walked to the closet by the door and picked up the pen that


    the previous maid in this room left behind.


    After meddling around for half an hour, she carried the white sheets to the window and hung them over the rail.


    One end of the sheets was bound to the rail while the other end fluttered in the wind.


    The two bodyguards below the window were rendered speechless by the sudden urrence. Soon enough, some other


    passersby saw the fluttering sheets by the window, and Emerence was notified. She stood under the window and shouted ,


    ¡°Sherry, pull the sheets back inside!¡± Sherry sat by the window like a rock and ignored thedy. ¡°Sherry, I''m warning you. You will


    only make Master John mad if you keep this up!¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry continued to ignore her. She did not care if that bastard was happy or not. In fact, she would be pleased if


    that bastard was mad at her.


    Emerence left in annoyance.


    More and more maids on duty gathered under the window.


    Sherry even spotted Celine among the maids and saw Queenie and Hailey passing by. The two of them looked at her with a


    complicated gaze.


    Sherry nced at the two of them before she continued scanning the others. She wondered if Odell¡®s men were among the


    gathered crowd.


    Meanwhile , at Stockton Tower, John had just finished a meeting with a partner. They shook hands before John saw him out.


    John then picked up his phone and saw the message from Marlow.


    ¡°Sir, something has happened with Ms. Fowler.¡±


    Apicture was attached to the message.


    The picture showed the employee quarters, and there was a white bed sheet hanging over Sherry¡®s window on the second floor


    with a few letters written starkly on it: ¡°help


    John was slightly surprised before he scoffed. ¡°Does she really think anyone in the Stocktons¡¯ will release her? Or...¡±


    As he narrowed his eyes, a random thought rushed into his mind. He quickly left the meeting room with his phone.


    It was windy.


    Sherry had been sitting by the window for an hour now, and her little scene had garnered quite the attention, but there was still


    no sighting of Odell''s men among the gathered crowd. She covered herself in the sheets and continued waiting.


    Suddenly, the discussion among the crowd went silent as if the world had died.


    Sherry popped her head over the window and saw the crowd opening up a path for a maning in from the gate; it was John.


    Immediately, her gaze turned cold.


    John walked closer to the window and looked up. He nced at the sheets with the giant ¡®help¡¯ written on them and then stared


    at Sherry.

 Chapter 1230

    Chapter 1230


    Chapter 1230 Sherry stared back at him coldly.


    John scoffed and looked away before he walked into the employee''s quarters, seemingly walking to her room.


    Sherry continued to sit with the sheets by the window.


    A few minutester, the door opened, and the man¡¯s tall figure came in.


    Nevertheless, Sherry remained seated.


    He walked to her and nced outside the window. The crowd below the window immediately dispersed.


    He grinned and stroked her head.


    ¡°Don''t touch me!¡± Sherry pped his hand away.


    John clutched her chin and smirked. ¡°What are you doing? Are you trying to get my attention?¡± She rolled her eyes at him.


    John tightened his clutch on her. ¡°Or do you truly believe that someone wille to save you?¡±


    Sherry tightened her lips and refused to answer.


    Narrowing his eyes, he bent over and moved his handsome face closer to her. ¡°If neither of those reasons is true, then what are


    you trying to achieve?¡±


    Sherry remained silent.


    ¡°Let me guess.¡± He stroked her face. ¡°Are you trying to get Odell¡®s men to notice you?¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes widened in shock. John smiled. ¡°Bingo.¡± Desperately, she bolted up and grabbed his cor. ¡°Where are they?


    What have you done to them?¡± His elegant and bewitching smile remained as he exined, ¡°Don''t worry. They are Odell''s men,


    so | won''t do anything to them. It''s just that | transferred them somewhere else.¡±


    Sherry choked on her sudden nervousness. ¡°When did you realize?¡±


    ¡°The moment they set foot in the residence.¡± He pinched her chin. ¡°I also heard what Mrs. Carter said to you when she gave you


    the phone in the car.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Hmph! Given that you can listen that well, it''s a shame you''re not a dog!¡±


    ¡°Sherry, it''s you who is being stupid.¡± John smiled. ¡°Do you really think I''m still that idiot that you can toy around with as you


    wish? If | weren''t vignt enough to notice all these, | wouldn''t be able to get to where | am today.¡±


    Sherry clenched her teeth tightly.


    ¡°Discard that sick thought of yours and stay here with me. Maybe when | feel like it, | won''t keep you here anymore.¡±


    She looked at him in defiance.


    His bewitching smile remained, but there was no warmth in his eyes behind the sses. There was only frostiness with a hint of


    insult as if he was looking at a clown being stupid. Sherry choked on her grievance. She cried, ¡°You want me to stay here


    obediently? Hmph! Better luck in your next life!¡±


    With a chuckle, he carried her up all of a sudden.


    Shery started to struggle. ¡°Let go of me, you fucking bastard!¡±


    John ruthlessly tossed her on the bed.


    The sheets were hung over the window, so only the mattress was left. He forcefully ripped the clothes off her body and


    overwhelmed her with sheer strength.


    Several hours of sexter, John got out of the room fully dressed, leaving Sherry alone on the bed.


    She did not move at all, and since the window was open, the chilly breeze blew the warmth off her body, giving her chills.

 Chapter 1231

    Chapter 1231


    Chapter 1231 Shey still and allowed the breeze to wrap her with chilliness. Her tears uncontrobly trickled down the edge of


    her eyes.


    The man obviously used her as a tool to vent his sexual desires.


    At Carter Residence, Westchester City, Odell grabbed his phone and went to the balcony after his wife practically shoved him out


    of bed.


    Sylvia followed him to the balcony with a worried heart.


    After the call, she asked, ¡°How¡¯s Sherry?¡±


    Odell furrowed his brows. ¡°My men were arranged to work in other ces. They are not in the Stocktons¡® residence, so they


    have no updates on her.¡± Sylvia¡®s eyes shrunk in shock. She asked, ¡°They were all transferred somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. John might have found out that they are my men.¡±


    The depressing news fueled Sylvia¡®s anxiety. ¡°He''s as cunning as a fox!¡±


    Odell walked to her and hugged her into his arms. He


    whispered, ¡°He used a few years to be the richest man in Glenchester, so he must have his ways. Don''t worry. I''ve already


    arranged for more men to infiltrate the ce. We''ll get an update soon.¡± Sylvia simply hummed a reply since there was nothing


    else she could do at the moment.


    Sherry returned to her passive days of eating and sleeping. Queenie and Hailey visited her two dayster, probably worried that


    she might be bored. They appeared outside the window and called out to her, ¡°Sherry, we brought you some books. Maybe they


    can help you kill some time.¡±


    The books were ced in a box and tied to a rope.


    Hailey held the box while Queenie swung the other end of the rope and tossed it up to the window.


    Sherry swiftly caught the rope and started to pull the box up. Inside the box was a novel about some school romance, and a few


    other smaller boxes of pastries.


    As her eyes gleamed gratefully, she said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Queenie grumbled, ¡°Hmph. It''s nothing. | just don''t want you to die of


    boredom.¡±


    Sherry curled her lips at her and started munching on the pastries.


    Eventually, Queenie¡®s sulk faded when she saw Sherry munching on the pastries she brought. She then subtly nudged Hailey,


    giving her the signal to speak.


    Hailey immediately said, ¡°Sherry, try to stay out of trouble and stop making Master John mad.¡±


    Sherry¡®s gaze went cold. She did not respond to Hailey¡®s suggestion. In response , Hailey sighed. ¡°Read a book. We''re leaving


    now. We''lle to visit tomorrow.¡±


    The two of them had onest nce at her before leaving the premises.


    As soon as they walked out of the employees¡® quarters, Shannon came out from behind the tree outside the gate. She looked


    toward Sherry¡®s window.


    Sherry looked miserable in her wretched state. Her hair was messy, her shirt was not properly worn, and she munched on the


    pastries like a hungry wolf.


    Her wretched state did not enlighten Shannon at all, Quite the opposite, Shannon''s gaze turned cold as she clenched her fists


    tightly. It had been half a month since John came back to her. Ever since John caught Sherry meeting Mason, he left that


    afternoon and never came back.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    There were a few times when she caught John''s presence


    at the employees ¡® quarters . All she could do was watch from afar, and she could not even bring herself to speak to him. The


    man would go to the employees¡® quarters every day, yet he refused to go back to his legitimate wife. The first thing he did every


    time he came here was go to Sherry¡®s room. He would leave after that, and he would not even visit Madam Stockton.


    On top of all that, the most important thing would be the possibility of Sherry getting pregnant after sleeping with John multiple


    times.


    ¡°Shannon? What are you doing here?¡±


    Suddenly, Julie¡®s voice came from the back. Shannon recovered herposure and turned around with a smile. ¡°I haven''t seen


    Sherry for a while, so | thought I''d visit.¡± Julie smiled. ¡°I have something to discuss with Aunt Emerence. Why don''t we go in


    together?¡±

 Chapter 1232

    Chapter 1232


    Chapter 1232 ¡°No, thanks. Sherry is reading, and | don''t want to disturb her,¡± Shannon declined.


    Julie looked towards Sherry¡®s window. The window was open, which allowed her to see Sherry reading a book. Her gaze slightly


    changed. She maintained the smile and said to Shannon, ¡°Alright. I''ll go by myself.¡±


    Shannon nodded and saw Julie walk inside.


    She took a deep breath and left the employee¡®s dorm.


    A few stepster, Julie turned around and saw Shannon disappearing from her sight. She grinned and thought,¡¯ Shannon , I''m


    looking forward to how you are going to make Sherry disappear from the Stocktons¡¯.*


    John came by around four o¡®clock in the evening that day.


    Sherry was soundly asleep and did not even notice the creaking door. She only opened her eyes when she felt the intense


    pressure on top of her, making it difficult to breathe. Before she could make a noise though, he sealed her mouth with a violent


    kiss and ravaged her body at will. Sherry furiously wed his back, leaving her frustration


    on his skin.


    As revenge , he left multiple love bites around her neck.


    After the intense love¡ªmaking session, he restrained her in his arms andy on her pillow. He showed no signs of leaving even


    after venting his sexual desire on her.


    His alcoholic stench assaulted her nose, and it reminded her that it was time for him to leave. ¡°You should leave.¡±


    He hugged her and regted his breathing. Sherry pushed him away and raised her voice at him,¡° You should LEAVE!¡±


    ¡°Don''t move,¡± he said gruffly and tightened his embrace around her.


    Sherry frowned.


    Before she could say another word, however, he continued, ¡°I''ll leave after | get a little rest.¡±


    He sounded exhausted and his tone felt like he was trying to calm her down.


    Finally , Sherry pursed her lips and obeyed his will. She fell asleep after a while though.


    The curtains blocked the brightening sky outside.


    Some timeter, the man opened his eyes in the dim room. He turned to see her sleeping by his side, and it softened his gaze.


    He stared at her affectionately for a


    while before he got up.


    He got dressed properly and had onest nce at her before he walked out.


    The room returned to silence again.


    Two hourster, knocks at the door notified the sleeping Sherry that it was time for breakfast.


    She rubbed her eyes as she sat herself up.


    The bodyguard opened the door.


    To her surprise, it was Shannon who brought her breakfast instead of Emerence.


    ¡°Thanks. I''ll just have a word with my sister,¡± Shannon said to the bodyguards with a smile.


    However, her smile faded immediately as soon as she came in and saw Sherry naked on the bed.


    Sherry yawned. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Shannon stared at the love bites around her neck and her eyes bulged because of her boiling anger. ¡°Sherry, you are really a


    slut.¡± Sherry looked down and touched her own neck. She grinned. ¡°Shannon, why call me a slut when it''s John who did this?¡±


    Shannon was silenced and choked on her words.


    ¡°Hmph. What a little bitch,¡± Sherry said.


    ¡°You...¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry leaned back andzily looked at her sister. ¡°Stop staring at me. | don''t want to see you now. Speak if you have anything in


    mind, or else get out of my face.¡±

 Chapter 1233

    Chapter 1233


    Chapter 1233 Shannon flushed in anger. She red at Sherry and then looked around the room.


    ¡°There¡¯s no surveince or recorder here. Just speak,¡± Sherry said.


    John might have been a bastard, but he came here only to have sex with her. He would not be that stupid to record it and have


    his reputation ruined.


    Sherry had checked the room multiple times but did not find anything With that assurance, Shannon lowered her guard. She


    tossed the breakfast on the table and said, ¡°Sherry, do you still want to leave the Stocktons¡¯ residence?¡±


    Sherry squinted. ¡°Do you have a way?¡± Shannon said, ¡°There will be a dinner here in three days. Guests wille, and most of


    the servants will be at the event hall working to serve the guests. You can use that opportunity to escape.¡± Sherry pondered


    about the suggestion . ¡°Shannon , I''m quite far away from the event hall, and there are bodyguards at the entrance and the gate,


    so how am | supposed to leave undetected?¡±


    Shannon frowned. ¡®I still haven''te up with a viable


    solution. If you really want to leave, that night will be your best opportunity.¡± Sherry pondered further. ¡°Are you really going to


    help me? Is this going to be another trap of yours?¡±


    Shannon was upset by her remark. ¡°I didn''t tell anyone about Masoning to meet you the other day. | don''t know who leaked


    the news.¡±


    ¡°Then, who do you think it is? The snitch, | mean.¡±


    ¡°| don''t know. Anyway, it wasn''t me.¡± Shannon wanted Sherry to disappear right away, thus there was no way that she would do


    something that would ruin her n.


    Sherry nodded. ¡°I guess so. You want me gone, so it''s impossible for you to be that stupid.¡±


    Shannon¡®s eyes flickered angrily, but she did not say anything. Sherry then added, ¡°I have an idea. If Emerence is working at the


    event hall that night, | might have a solution.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shannon asked. ¡°The dinner that night is an important one, so Emerence will lead all the servants there to help out.


    Tell me your idea.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°| can''t tell you just yet,¡± Sherry said with a grin, ¡°All you need to do is arrange for someone to meet me outside the quarters


    during dinner.¡±


    Shannon¡®s gaze shifted. ¡°Fine. I''ll do as you say. I''ll see you in three days.¡±


    When Sherry picked a bun up from the table and munched on it, Shannon red at her and then left.


    The uing dinner must be an important one because after Shannon left, Emerence did not deliver dinner from that night


    onwards.


    The one who reced Emerence was another girl of a simr height. She was pretty and rather quiet. She took Emerence¡¯s


    ce in delivering dinner and breakfast the next day.


    The girl left the breakfast on the table, but before she left, Sherry stopped her. ¡°Hey, what''s your name? Why are you delivering


    my meals? Where¡®s Aunt Emerence?¡±. The girl lowered her head and said in a small voice, ¡°I''m Tanya. Aunt Emerence is busy,


    so she arranged for me to take her ce.¡± ¡°What''s been keeping her upied?¡±


    ¡°She''s busy preparing for the uing dinner.¡± ¡°The dinner tomorrow night? What kind of guests areing?¡± As though she


    was afraid to reveal too much, Tanya immediately changed her tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I''m new


    here. I''m just tasked to deliver your meal.¡±


    ¡°Fing. You can leave now.¡±


    Tanya immediately left the room.


    Sherry¡®s narrowed eyes gleamed. As she perfected her escape n in her mind, John came in. 1


    The day was still bright, and he was already here, dressed in his white shirt and long pants with his jacket hanging over his arm.


    He hung the jacket over the rack as soon as he came in. Sherry red at him cautiously.

 Chapter 1234

    Chapter 1234


    Chapter 1234


    John turned around to her cold and sulky expression after he hung his jacket up.


    With a grin, he walked over to her. He caught a glimpse of the dinner by her bed, so he asked, ¡°Why haven''t you had your


    dinner?¡±


    Sherry ignored him.


    John sat on the edge of the bed. ¡°Lost your appetite?¡±


    ¡°You made me lose my appetite,¡± Sherry snapped.


    John smiled while he started to unbutton his shirt. ¡°It''s okay. You can eatter when you feel better.¡±


    4


    Her gaze shifted, and she immediately said, ¡°I suddenly feel hungry again!¡±


    John¡®s hands froze while he stared at her.


    Without skipping a beat, she got up to the side of the bed and started eating


    John sat beside her, watching her eat.


    Sherry ate particrly slow. She could sip a spoon of soup for more than ten seconds and chew on a piece of meat for longer


    than a minute. She was obviously stalling time.


    He allowed her to dy the inevitable nheless. He


    got up and sat on the chair by the window and simply picked up a book to read.


    The book was from Queenie, and it was a novel about school romance. Two turns of the pagester, he put the book back and


    propped his forehead on his fist with his eyeszily glued to her.


    Sherry continued to munch on her meat when she got annoyed by the stare. ¡°I think I''m going to take my time with my dinner. If


    you''re in a hurry, why don''t youe backter or tomorrow?¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. He understood if she wanted him to leave, but what was that abouting backter or tomorrow?


    What did she mean by that?


    Regardless, he had a feeling that her attitude was a lot better than it had been yesterday. Had she gotten used to the


    environment and started to ept him?


    He smiled. ¡°You take your time. | don''t have anything else to do tonight. | can wait.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes flickered, and she intentionally slowed down on her chewing. She usually finished dinner in under ten minutes, but


    she took a whole two hours this time.


    The sky turned dark and things got quiet.


    She put down the spoon and looked at the window.


    He was still there slouching on the couchzily with his arms crossed. Behind the golden-framed sses, his eyes were glued to


    her.


    There was not a hint of annoyance or impatience in his eyes; they even looked delighted.


    He asked when she looked at him, ¡°Are you done?¡± Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°N¡ªnot yet...¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Are you nning to eat the tes as well?¡± Sherry awkwardly tightened her lips. The man was several meters


    away, yet he was able to see the clean tes in front of her. She ignored him and went to the toilet instead.


    Ten minutester, John started to knock on the door. The lights cast his shadow on the door, allowing Sherry to see his contour


    from inside.


    ¡°Sherry, did you get stuck in the toilet?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry frowned. She did not want to have sex with him tonight because she nned to escape tomorrow. She had to finalize the


    details tonight, so it would be unwise to be distracted tonight. However, after some consideration, she sighed. ¡®Fine. We''ve


    fucked so many times already, so one more round won''t do any harm.¡¯


    She got up and opened the door.


    The man¡¯s tall figure and handsome face appeared before her eyes.


    She looked up at him.


    ¡°I''m tired. | want to sleep, so do whatever you want but be quick,¡± she blurted out her intention in a hurried tone.

 Chapter 1235

    Chapter 1235


    Chapter 1235 ¡°Are you really tired?¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes. ¡°If you don''t want to do it, just get out of my face.¡±


    He stood there and lifted her chin with his fingers. With curled lips, he said, ¡°Sherry, if you can take the initiative tonight, I''ll let


    you rest earlier.¡±


    Sherry wanted to roll her eyes again, but before she could, he continued, ¡°Or else, | won''t let you sleep tonight.¡±


    Sherry was silenced by the disgusting suggestion and red at him in return.


    He smiled bewitchingly. ¡°Your choice.¡±


    He released her chin after that.


    Sherry stomached her grief and decided to bite the bullet. She tiptoed and kissed him on the lips.


    The moment their lips locked, the man grabbed the back of her head and lifted her up. He carried her into the bathroom and


    pressed her against the cold hard wall, ravaging her lips violently. Sherry almost went out of breath, but the thought of escaping


    during dinner the next day gave her enough


    courage to bite the bullet. She clung to his neck.


    The sudden movement froze the man for a moment before he increased his strength.


    The night was quiet except for the passionate love making noises in the bathroom.


    After an hour of raging sexter, John carried Sherry out of the bathroom.


    Sherry¡®s eyes were shut as she seemed to be asleep. He put her on the bed and theny down beside her with his arm curled


    around her waist, and he hugged her into his arms.


    Sherry¡®s eyes remained shut. The room was quiet. He stared at the side profile of her face and smiled. ¡°Sherry, if you''re this


    obedient, | might consider letting you out.¡± Sherry¡®s eyes shifted under the eyelids, but she did not make a noise or open her


    eyes. He propped his forehead in his palm and stroked her face. ¡°Maybe when I''m happy, | might even give you a legitimate title,


    allowing you to move around freely,¡± he whispered.


    Sherry¡®s hands under the sheets clenched tightly but only for a second.


    When he was happy? When exactly would that be? In the foreseeable future? Or was it just a dream to trick her to stay?


    Did he just assume that she would want to upgrade her lover status to his wife or whatever? Even if he had no feelings for


    Shannon, they were stillwfully married. They even held their ceremony in public.


    If he had not married Shannon, maybe it was possible for her to return to his side. Now, it was off the table of negotiation.


    Sherry tightened her lips and swallowed her grievance.


    The room went quiet again.


    Sherry seemed to be sound asleep after not making noise for a while. John smiled and continued to whisper,* Sherry, why don''t


    you bear my child?¡±


    Sherry did not move or show any reaction on her face.


    He stroked her face. ¡°Be pregnant with my child and I''ll think about forgiving you.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes remained closed.


    The answer he got was the dead silence of the room.


    He stared at her for a while before he switched off themp and hugged her to sleep. Regardless of her feelings for him, as long


    as Sherry


    remained sane, she would know the right thing to do.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    If she continued to be obedient or even agree to bear his child, the man would probably divorce Shannon and marry her as his


    legitimate wife. He would then consider forgiving her for her betrayal back then.


    The room plunged into silence as John slowly fell asleep.


    Sherry opened her teary eyes. The dim light from the curtain seams shed its soft brilliance into her eyes, causing them to glisten


    coldly.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1236

    Chapter 1236


    Chapter 1236 The next morning, Sherry woke up to John¡®s absence.


    He left nothing behind, not even his warmth on the bed. It was as though he never camest night.


    Sherry got out of bed and opened the window. The morning sun warmed her body up as she stretched to get rid of the


    sleepiness.


    It was then that she caught a glimpse of a figure standing behind the tree outside the employees¡¯ quarters. She squinted to have


    a better look and saw Celine.


    Celine signaled her with an ¡®okay¡® sign before leaving.


    Sherry subtly pulled her gaze away and looked downstairs. The two bodyguards were still on duty.


    She then closed the window and returned to the room.


    It seemed like Shannon had arranged for Celine to support her in the escape nter. She just needed to wait until night fell.


    The day went by in a blink of an eye.


    After the sun set over the horizon, Sherry drew the curtains and sat on the bed.


    Awhileter, the door opened and Tanya came in with dinner and ced it on the table.


    ¡°Ms. Fowler.¡± She nodded and then walked to the door.


    Right when she turned around, Sherry bolted up and knocked her out from behind using a wooden stick. After the heavy thud,


    Tanya lost her bnce and fell unconscious.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry quickly grabbed her and put her on the bed. ¡°I''m sorry. If we meet again someday, I''ll be sure to make it up to you.¡±


    She swiftly undressed her and put on her maid uniform. She tied her hair simrly to Tanya¡®s and even mimicked her usual


    composure and demeanor.


    When she was ready, she lowered her head and headed to the door.


    The two bodyguards were still standing outside the door.


    Sherry strode out as fast as she could. She was already two steps ahead when the bodyguards turned to face her. They failed to


    see her face properly and only saw her cowardly figure shuffling out.


    One of the bodyguards called out to her, ¡°What took you so long today?¡± The door was open, so the other bodyguard had a peek


    inside.


    He saw a figure sleeping underneath the sheets, assuming that it was Sherry. His guard was lowered as he closed the door. He


    then said to his colleague, ¡°Maybe because Ms. Fowler is sleeping. You know, it''s tough getting her up to eat sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Sigh. | really don''t understand Ms. Fowler. She knows that Master John has feelings for her, but she just wants to go against his


    will. If she could only just tter him, she wouldn''t be locked up in this ce without ess to her phone.¡±


    ¡°Quit it. If it''s not for her, we wouldn''t have gotten this easy job either.¡±


    Their chatting soon faded from her ears as she walked out of the employees¡® quarters undetected. There were only twomps


    outside the quarters, which made it difficult for anyone to have a clear look at one''s


    face.


    She maintained her pace and walked past the two bodyguards at the gate.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1237

    Chapter 1237


    Chapter 1237 When she could finally feel the night breeze blowing on her face freely, she exhaled deeply and headed to the tree


    where Celine had been hiding earlier.


    She saw Celine waiting for her there.


    Celine was surprised to see her in the maid''s uniform. She whispered, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Sherry followed her to the dark and whispered back,¡° How is Shannon going to help me get out of this ce?¡±


    Celine snorted. ¡°Just follow me and you''ll know.¡±


    Everyone in the Stocktons¡¯ residence must be at the event hall because they did not bump into anyone along the way.


    After sneaking along the shortcut for ten minutes, Sherry followed Celine to a lively front yard. Music and chatter permeated the


    air. This must be where the event was held.


    Baffled, Sherry asked, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±


    Celine looked around cautiously and made sure there was no one around before she tiptoed towards the garden beside the front


    yard. She pointed to a bunch of gardenia trees. ¡°Hide there. I''lle for youter.¡±


    Sherry frowned . ¡°Tell me what Shannon is going to do


    first, or I''m not going ahead with this!¡±


    Celine red at her. With a hurried tone and a small voice, she said, ¡°Madam ns to wait until the event is over, and when the


    guests leave , you can use them as a cover to walk out. There¡®s no one at the main gate except for the bodyguards. If you leave


    now, you''ll definitely get caught.¡±


    Sherry finally understood the n. She quickly went behind the gardenia trees and hid quietly. Celine even grabbed some leaves


    and branches to cover Sherry¡®s head to avoid her being discovered.


    After Celine left, things got quiet. It soon got ufortable for Sherry to keep squatting, so she changed her posture and


    identally found out that the wall beside the trees had a seam as wide as a thumb. It must be part of the architectural design


    for venttion, but it also allowed someone from the outside to peek inside.


    Sherry went closer and peeked through the seam. Behind the seam was the event hall which was flooded with people. The lights


    were dazzling while the food looked delicious, and everything was nothing short of mor. Sherry peeked for a while until she


    spotted several familiar figures: Madam Stockton, Queenie, Julie, Shannon, and even John. The man had a ck tuxedo that


    complemented his tall


    physique. A kind smile hung over his face as he was surrounded by people trying to tter him.


    Madam Stockton, Julie, and Queenie were mingling with some other wealthydies. They seemed to be isting Shannon on


    purpose.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Shannon stood alone by the side, greeting the few who identally exchanged nces with her.


    Soon, Celine came into the hall and walked to Shannon¡¯s side to whisper something in her ears. She must be updating Shanon


    about the progress of the n.


    A


    Shannon grinned. She whispered back to Celine who then went out. Shannon walked over to Madam Stockton and Julie¡®s side


    with her ss of champagne.


    Other than Julie, both Madam Stockton and Queenie responded to her presence with a frosty expression.


    Sherry retracted her gaze. She had no interest in the little conflict between the women and only wanted to leave the ce.


    Bored, she sat against the wall.


    After a while, the noise of ss breaking came from inside.


    Sherry curiously peeked again and saw a boy standing in front of John, looking helpless.


    There was broken ss next to John¡®s feet, and his tuxedo seemed to be stained with juice.


    The boy''s father immediately ran over and pulled the boy behind him. He then nervously said to John, ¡°I''m so sorry, Master


    Stockton. My son didn''t do it on purpose! | know he''s rather naughty. I''ll lecture him right away! Please don''t get mad at him!¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1238

    Chapter 1238


    Chapter 1238 The man then looked at John nervously.


    The other guests also looked at John, anticipating his reaction to the boy ruining his tuxedo.


    John nced at the boy behind the man. The boy was around four years old, slightly chubby and fair. He had glistening eyes


    and looked absolutely adorable . He held the edge of his father''s pants tightly with his head slightly tilted as he cowardly peeked


    at John.


    John curled his lips. ¡°Is he your son?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the man immediately said. He pulled the boy from behind him and urged, ¡°Jack, apologize to Master Stockton right away!¡±


    John smiled. ¡°It''s okay. Why don''t you bring him away and check if he¡¯s hurt by the broken ss?¡±


    The man¡®s expression changed. He sighed a breath of relief and smiled. ¡°Alright, I''ll do just that! I''m so sorry that this happened!


    Please excuse us!¡±


    He then brought his son away.


    John stood still and watched the man carry the boy away. His gaze at the suddenly timid boy seemed rather soft and pampering.


    Shannon and Julie came over.


    Shannon asked softly, ¡°John, are you okay?¡± ¡°I''m fine.¡± He then looked at Julie. ¡°Do you know the father and son?¡±


    Julie said, ¡°They should be Dennis Cornwell from Cloud Nine Entertainment and his son.¡±


    Cloud Nine Entertainment was one of Stockton Corporation''s subsidiaries, a new entertainment-focusedpany that was just


    foundedst year by himself. It had been doing well since its establishment.


    John nodded. ¡°Go get a present and give it to his son when the party¡®s over.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Julie was surprised. She smiled. ¡°John, his son just bumped into you and almost hurt you with the broken ss. You''re going to


    give the boy a present instead of holding them responsible?¡± ¡°It''s nothing too serious. | just think the kid is adorable,¡± John


    answered with a warm smile.


    Julie¡®s gaze shifted. She subtly nced at Shannon and then replied, ¡°Alright. I''ll go prepare the present.¡±


    Julie left.


    Shannon noticed John was still looking in the direction where the boy was carried away. She smiled gently and said, ¡°John, you


    like kids? So do 14¡±


    All of a sudden, John walked away before she could even finish.


    Shannon was stunned. She clenched her fists in embarrassment.


    Sherry was peeking outside the wall, so she heard and saw everything that happened. Her brows furrowed as she turned away


    and continued waiting in silence.


    Shannon walked to the secluded corner after John left her. She pulled a brand new phone out of her purse and texted an


    unregistered number.


    ¡°How''s the preparation there?¡±


    She got an instant reply. ¡°Don''t worry. We are ready here. As soon as she walks out, we''ll make her disappear.¡±


    Shannon put her phone away and grinned wickedly.


    Julie came back after telling one of the servants to send the kid a present. She walked over with a smile and asked, ¡°Shannon,


    why are you standing here alone?¡±


    Shannon immediately recovered herposure and smiled. ¡°Oh, I''m just feeling a little ufortable , so I''m just taking my


    time.¡±


    ¡°How are you? Do you need me to call the family physician?¡± ¡°It''s okay. It''s just an old problem that has been troubling me. I''ll be


    fine after some rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I''ll go attend to the guests.¡±


    Julie smiled and walked away.


    Shannon¡®s expression turned frosty as soon as Julie left.


    ¡°That bitch is hiding something sinister behind that smile. When I''m done with Sherry, you''re next.¡¯


    It had been a while since Sherry started waiting. Her bottom felt cold, and she almost could not feel her legs.


    Celine suddenly came over. She cautiously looked around and then whispered , ¡°Hold on for a little longer. When the guests start


    leaving, I''ll give you a signal.¡±

 Chapter 1239

    Chapter 1239


    Chapter 1239


    Just when Sherry wanted to answer, Celine suddenly turned and hid behind the trees.


    Sherry immediately held her breath and peeked through the gaps in the bushes and trees.


    Two figures walked out of the event hall and were walking along the garden by the main path. John was in the lead while Julie


    was following him.


    Julie asked, ¡°John, are you going to see Ms. Fowler?¡±


    John nced at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Julie said in a small voice, ¡°Nothing really. | just saw that Shannon''s got a little condition tonight, so | was thinking if you could


    just check on her.¡±


    ¡°I''ve made it clear between me and her. If you sympathize with her, you can go check on her yourself.¡±


    It was Shannon¡®s choice to stay, and since she could not give up on the title of Mrs. Stockton, she would have to y the role


    properly and be resolute enough to take on the responsibility that came with it.


    ¡°Okay, | understand.¡± Julie stopped following him.


    John continued into the dark and soon disappeared from Julie¡®s sight. He seemed to be heading towards the


    employees¡¯ quarters.


    After Julie went back inside the event hall, Sherry bolted up.


    Celine anxiously called out to her, ¡°What are you doing?! Stay low!¡±


    Sherry said coldly, ¡°John is looking for me. If you are not bringing me away, he will find out soon.¡±


    Celine¡®s expression changed. She said, ¡°Just stay low! I''ll go ask the madam for further instructions.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As she ran back into the event hall, Sherry unwillingly squatted down and continued to stay low.


    A few minutester, Celine came running out. She tossed a set of clothes to Sherry and said, ¡°Get changed. We''re leaving now.¡±


    There was a trench coat and a pair of boots, plus a cap and a scarf.


    Sherry took off the maid''s uniform and put on the disguise. The huge trench coat covered even her ankles while the cap covered


    her forehead, and the scarf was wrapped around her mouth and neck.


    After she got dressed in the disguise, she came out from the bushes.


    Meanwhile, the man took the cart to the employees¡¯ quarters. He took a detour to the kitchen for some snacks


    and wine before heading up.


    He arrived in front of that particr room with the two bodyguards who opened the door for him.


    The room was lit, allowing him to see ¡®Sherry¡®under the sheets, plus the dinner that was left idle on the table.


    He furrowed his brows as he walked closer. He used the empty ss to tap on her head lightly through the sheets and called out


    to her, ¡°Sherry?¡±


    There was no response.


    He squinted. ¡°Sherry, | brought wine and some snacks. If you wake up now, you''ll get some, or I''ll throw them all out.¡±


    There was still no response from the person under the sheets.


    His gaze changed. He put the ss down and pulled the sheets away. The woman curled up under the sheets was thinly


    dressed, so the sudden tug startled her and finally woke her up from her unconsciousness . When she got a clear look at the


    man, she was terrified and anxiously looked around. John¡®s gaze went cold. ¡°Where''s Sherry?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1240

    Chapter 1240


    Chapter 1240 Tanya recovered herposure and got out of bed. She exined, ¡°Master John, | don¡¯t know where Ms. Fowler


    is. | delivered dinner, and she knocked me out and even stripped my uniform.¡±


    John red at her before he strode out.


    ¡°Lock down the ce. Seal the main gate and every other possible exit. No one leaves the premises.¡±


    The bodyguards immediately ran out upon receiving the order.


    John strode out of the building. His handsome face was clouded by ayer of darkness due to the dim environment. He was also


    enveloped in a terrifying aura.


    Sherry actually tried to escape?!


    She tried to escape while he was here?!


    At the same time, Sherry made her way to the main gate. She pocketed her hands and sauntered like a supermodel on a runway


    while under disguise.


    As Celine carefully followed her, she could not help but remind her that they were escaping, not going to a fashion show. ¡°Can


    youy low?¡±


    However, Sherry ignored her. Guests were heading towards the main gate as well. Julie was there sending the guests off with a


    smile.


    Celine immediately stopped and said, ¡°This is as far as | can send you. Ms. Julie is there sending the guests off. If she sees me,


    she will be suspicious , so you are on your own from here. The madam has prepared a car for you outside. Just turn right when


    you get out and you will see a ck car with a number te that starts with A. They will take you away.¡±


    Sherry nodded and continued strutting to the gate.


    The guests had just started leaving, so there were only a few groups at the gate, which allowed Julie to notice her.


    Nevertheless, Sherry ignored her and used two men as her cover while continuing forward.


    It was then that the rm went off.


    The guests were startled and turned around to the source.


    A bodyguard came running and shouted in a hurried tone, ¡°Shut the gate! NOW!¡±


    Sherry could not stay still anymore. She shoved the men away and ran towards the gate. The two men, including the running


    bodyguard, were shocked.


    The bodyguard pointed at Sherry and shouted, ¡°STOP HER!¡±


    Several bodyguards jumped out of the dark and chased after Sherry.


    Sherry ran out of the gate in the blink of an eye and headed to her right. She soon saw the car that Celine mentioned.


    The bodyguards were closing up on her. One of the bodyguards almost caught her, but she kicked the guy off before jumping


    into the car. The driver was obviously prepared and was much more responsive than she anticipated. Before she could sit up,


    the car zoomed off, leaving the bodyguards in pursuit behind.


    They soon joined the traffic on the road.


    However, the bodyguards were persistent as they chased her in multiple cars. Sherry looked through the rearview mirror. ¡°They


    are catching up with us! Hurry!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The driver scoffed and elerated.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Sherry felt like she was sitting in a ne instead of an escaping car. Startled, she nced at the driver.


    It was then that she noticed there was more than one


    man in the car.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1241

    Chapter 1241


    Chapter 1241 They wererge men all dressed in ck. Their faces could not be made out as they were wearing masks and


    caps.


    The car promptly drove out of the vi¡®s district.


    The other bodyguards were in close pursuit in their cars.


    After swerving past several streets and drifting through several junctions, the ck car finally managed to shake off its pursuers


    after a quick turn around a particr fork of the road near the foot of a cliff. After shaking them off, the driver of the car whistled


    candidly.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    The car continued charging down the road.


    Everyone in the car suddenly turned to look at Sherry in unison.


    Sherry grinned and thanked them. ¡°Thanks for bailing me out of there.¡±


    The two men seated with her in the backseat merely looked at her and did not utter a word.


    One of the men reached for something behind his back. It seemed like he wanted to hand something to Sherry.


    rt


    Suddenly, a loud fart broke the silence.


    Everyone in the car seemed taken aback by this.


    Even the driver who was driving turned back to look.


    Sherry clutched her hands over her stomach with an embarrassed look. ¡°I''m sorry, | was so nervous when we were trying to get


    away back there, | have this thing where my stomach gets upset whenever | get nervous. Do you mind stopping the car for a bit


    so | can take care of business? I''ll be right back.¡±


    Immediately after saying that, she farted several more times.


    The car came to a stop, and the driver pinched his nose and looked at the other men.


    The man in the passenger seat said, ¡°I just bought this car and have barely taken it for a spin yet. Go settle your business and


    come back quickly. We don''t have the patience to wait too long.¡±


    Sherry hurriedly said, ¡°Okay, okay, I''ll be back before you know it.¡±


    She quickly opened the door, got out of the car with a hand still pressed over her stomach, and stumbled toward the side of the


    road.


    Inside the car, the three men exchanged a conflicted look. After a momentary pause, the man in the passenger seat


    got out of the car and followed Sherry, making sure to keep a reasonable distance.


    An hourter, in the Stockton family''s residence.


    The bodyguards who tried to pursue Sherry returned to the vi, all of them with their heads bowed to the ground as they


    frightfully walked back to John. John was waiting at the entrance. He red at them with hostility. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    One of the bodyguards answered in a feeble voice,¡° Master Stockton, we had a hard time catching up but we eventually caught


    up after we made a turn around the cliff, but...¡±


    John''s eyes narrowed. ¡°But what? Say it!¡± The bodyguard stuttered , ¡°Something happened to her. We believe she was


    murdered.¡± John suddenly charged in front of the bodyguard and kicked him in the stomach.


    The gold-framed sses he wore barely managed to conceal the venom in his gloomy eyes. He bent down and grabbed the


    bodyguard by the cor and hissed menacingly. ¡°What are you saying?! She was murdered?


    Tell me exactly what happened! ".


    The bodyguard was frightened and turned to look at the


    other bodyguards as if asking for help.


    John turned his attention to them immediately.


    One of them who was seated furthest to the back approached John and presented to him a coat and a scarf. Both of the articles


    of clothing were stained with blood. The iron and rank smell of blood stung their noses.


    John''s face turned pale. ¡°What is this?¡±


    The bodyguard murmured, ¡°This is what she wore when west saw her.¡±


    John frowned. ¡°What is this nonsense ? She never wore anything like this!¡±


    That was when Julie suddenly appeared and informed meekly, ¡°Brother, | believe | saw her back then. This was the same coat


    that she was wearing and she covered her face with this scarf. That''s why | didn''t recognize her at the time.¡± 1


    John seemed to be reeling back from the shock of this revtion. 1


    Another bodyguard said, ¡°Master Stockton, there was no one in the car when we found it. The only thing we found was this coat


    and scarfying on the ground in the woods nearby. There was a lot of blood on the ground and we eventually spotted a cliffa


    short distance from the car that leads to a river. We believe something bad has happened to her.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1242

    Chapter 1242


    Chapter 1242 Thump!


    John kicked the bodyguard who spoke.


    He slid across the floor.


    The other bodyguards stepped back and were visibly frightened. Julie, Queenie, and Hailey were also afraid of approaching


    John after observing his wrath.


    Silence overtook the room.


    John wore an icy expression, nobody dared to speak.


    He red at the crew of bodyguards. ¡°Are you peopleplete imbeciles? Those people came to take her away. Why would


    they even try to hurt her to begin with?¡± Several bodyguards tried to reiterate what they had seen., ¡°Master Stockton, we''re not


    lying to you. We know what we saw.¡±


    ¡°The person who took Miss Sherry into the car was an excellent driver. We noticed that there was more than one person in the


    car and chased after them for a long time but they ended up getting away. We continued down the path until we made a turn


    around a bend and saw their car parked by the roadside. When we approached, we sawN?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    that there wasn''t a single person inside. The car had been abandoned and the only other clue we could find was a puddle of


    blood a short distance from the car.¡±


    Julie suddenly stated, ¡°Brother, they have been working for our family for many years. | don¡®t see why they would lie to you.¡±


    John frowned and stayed silent for a few seconds. Then hemanded, ¡°Call the police. Immediately get me the highest ranked


    police chief officer in nchester!¡±


    Marlow immediately stepped up to the task.¡° Understood , Young Master. I''ll put you in contact with him right away!¡±


    The atmosphere took on a swift transformation immediately after that.


    John stepped in front of the bodyguard with the coat and scarf and snatched the two articles of clothing away from his hands.


    Put under the light, the two pieces of clothing gleamed


    red.


    John frowned. ¡°Where did she get this?¡±


    She only had a handful of clothing in the staff dormitory. There was no way she could have possibly acquired these. Moreover, it


    was near impossible for her to have any form of contact with the outside world. There was no way she could have made such a


    swift escape without alerting


    anyone.


    Someone must have told her about the dinner party tonight. This person must have smuggled these clothes to her as well.


    This person must also be in cahoots with the drivers who came to pick her up.


    Julie informed, ¡°I have no idea. I''ve never spoken to Miss Sherry that much and I''ve never seen her at all ever since she moved


    into the staff''s dormitory.¡±


    John squinted and turned to look at Queenie.


    Queenie''s eyes were glowing red. She answered in an aggrieved voice upon meeting John¡¯s suspicious gaze, ¡°It wasn''t me who


    gave it to her! | didn''t even know she was going to run away. She never said a thing to me!¡±


    John looked around and roared, ¡°Where¡®s Shannon?¡±


    Julie answered promptly, ¡°I think she went back to her room as soon as the party was over.¡±


    John turned to several bodyguards who were in position and ordered them sternly, ¡°Keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn''t


    step out of her courtyard.¡±


    They immediately sprang to action.


    John clenched the coat and scarf tightly. After a short while, he turned to Marlow again. ¡°Have you contacted


    the officials?¡± Marlow informed dutifully, ¡°I''ve contacted Officer Emmanuel, he¡¯s the most reliable and most experienced chief


    officer in the nchester Police Department. He¡®s already heading toward the crime scene with his team.¡± John immediately


    trotted out with the coat and scarf in hand.


    Julie was alerted by this and quickly called out after him,¡± Brother, it''s dark outside. Please drive carefully.¡±


    John ignored her and walked straight out the door. ¡°Wait, I''ll go with you!¡± Queenie bolted after him and pleaded. John turned to


    her and shot her a vicious look. Queenie immediately halted upon sensing his overbearing hostility.


    It did not take long for John to get into the car and drive away.


    Queenie was anxiously stamping her feet, afraid of what was going to happen next.

 Chapter 1243

    Chapter 1243


    Julie advised Queenie, ¡°Queenie, it''s gettingte. You should head back and get some rest. | have a gut feeling that Sherry is


    going to be fine.¡±.


    ¡°What do you mean she''ll be fine?She¡®s missing!¡± Queenie was sad and furious. ¡°And what''s with her anyway? How could she


    not even bother to tell me that she was going to leave?!¡±


    Julie pursed her lips and only sighed. Hailey quickly stepped forward and held Queenie tofort her.


    Queenie continued cursing Sherry before reluctantly leaving with Hailey.


    Julie was the only one left standing.


    After making sure that there was no one around, she took a whiff of the lingering smell of blood in the air and smirked with


    satisfaction.


    She took out her phone and sent a message to an unknown number: ¡°Where are the hitmen Shannon hired?¡±


    She received a reply on her phone very shortly after she


    sent her previous message: ¡°We''ve been tailing them the entire time and caught all of them when they tried to escape from the


    woods. We''re in a vige near the foot of the mountain now.¡±


    Julie frowned upon seeing this and asked, ¡°Where''s. Sherry? Is she dead?¡±


    ¡°We heard her crying for help when she was getting tangled up with them inside the woods. She was nowhere to be seen when


    they emerged from the woods. We tried to go inside to look for her but couldn''t find her either. Judging by the trail of blood she


    left behind, we think she identally fell off the cliff and died.¡± 1


    Julie grinned upon knowing that Sherry was dead. She replied: ¡°Alright. The police will be there soon. Hand the hitmen you


    captured over to the police just as we nned.¡±


    The night was ck as ink.


    At the foot of a mountain in nchester.


    By the time John arrived, the roads leading to this part of the mountain region werepletely sealed off to the general public.


    Several police cars were seen parked nearby.


    John got out of the car and walked over with the previous coat and scarf in hand.


    A police officer who was not wearing his uniform stepped out of the car and approached John.


    ¡°Good to see you, Master Stockton. I''m Emmanuel , the chief officer put in charge of this case.¡± As he spoke, he noticed the


    bloody coat and scarf John carried with him and asked, ¡°What are those?¡±


    John frowned. ¡°These were Sherry¡®s.¡±


    He clutched them tightly in his hands as if they were prized jewels.


    It took some effort for Emmanuel to take these articles of evidence from John. He promptly informed him after that, ¡°Master


    Stockton, we caught the culprits. There happened to be several vigers passing by when they were attacking Miss Sherry and


    the vigers caught them, but they informed us that they didn''t see where Miss Sherry went. We''ve interrogated the culprits and


    they confessed to their crimes. They told us that Miss Sherry broke free at one point and rolled off the edge of the cliff. | already


    dispatched my men to search the bottom of the cliff and I''ll notify you immediately once | receive an update from them.¡±


    John frowned and fell into a stoic silence. After a while, he asked, ¡°Who are they working for?¡±


    ¡°| went through their phones and it seems like their employer is based in nchester judging by the phone number. We''re


    tracking the phone signal and should have a trail on this person any second now.¡±


    With that, Officer Emmanuel went back into his car.


    John simrly returned to his car as well.


    He sat in the driver''s seat and quietly gazed into the thick forest with a ponderous look in his eyes. He sat there the entire night.


    Eventually, the first ray of sunlight shone through the thicket of lush trees.


    Asports car was racing down a road.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Several police cars trailed closely after.


    Within half an hour, the sports car elerated past the entrance leading to Stockton family¡¯s residence and swerved into the


    courtyard.


    Marlow, Julie, Queenie, Madam Stockton, and the others were drawn by themotion and went outside.


    By the time they arrived at John and Shannon¡®s section of the residence, they saw Shannon bawling her eyes out with John


    standing in front of her. She had crumpled on


    the ground and was crying with sorrow. ¡°John, she''s my sister. Why would | ever hurt her? It wasn''t me, | never tried to help her


    escape! | promise you, | don''t know anything about this!¡±


    John looked down at her. There was not a trace of warmth on his handsome face nor in his eyes.


    ¡°She''s not your sister, and you never cared much for her.¡± He red at her and said icily, ¡°Either you show yourself out, or | get


    someone to throw you out. The choice is yours.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1244

    Chapter 1244


    Chapter 1244 As soon as John hadid out those options, Officer Emmanuel and several police officers entered.


    They regarded Shannon with a degree of hostility. The officer in front had a pair of handcuffs at the ready.


    It appeared that they had proof of the crimes she hadmitted.


    Shannon was paralyzed with fear.


    She immediately threw herself around John¡®s leg and shrieked, ¡°No... No, John, | don¡®t want to go, | don¡¯t want to leave you!¡±


    John frowned, his expression was filled with irritation. He was running out of patience.


    Nobody had ever seen him in such a state. Even Madam Stockton , Queenie , and Julie who had just entered were seized with


    fear upon noticing the terrifying expression John wielded.


    Shannon felt fear run through her veins like an electric shock. She let go of John and stumbled backward.


    John shot a look at Officer Emmanuel and the other policemen.


    Officer Emmanuel promptly ordered his officers,¡±


    Handcuff her.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The officers immediately stepped toward Shannon. They were going to arrest her. Shannon¡®s pupils expanded widely, she was


    beyond terrified.


    She had nned everything out so well!


    These hitmen must have been bluffing this entire time. So much for their untarnished reputation and perfect track history!


    How could they have been caught so quickly?


    How did the police find out it was her?


    This could not be! She was the most beloved daughter of the Fowler family. She was the wife of John Stockton. It was an


    injustice that she should be the one to go to prison! 2


    Her body moved on its own ord, and she made a run for it.


    Apart from John who was calmly seated on the couch, everyone in the room was taken by surprise.


    Immediately after that, two police officers rushed in front of the door and seized Shannon.


    The policeman with the handcuffs ran over and mped them over both of her wrists.


    Shannon struggled and cried desperately, ¡°I don''t want to go to jail, | never hired anyone to ill her! | want to go home, | want to


    see my parents!¡±


    Officer Emmanuel ignored her pleas. ¡°Take her away.¡±


    The police officers immediately escorted her out.


    She was promptly taken out of the house and put into the police car.


    When the door closed, silence reigned in the house again.


    Officer Emmanuel turned to John and stated his observations, ¡°Master Stockton, | doubt she pulled it off by herself. She must''ve


    had someone helping her.¡±


    John cast an icy look at Celine who was hiding in the corner, shuddering with fear.


    Following his line of sight, Officer Emmanuel and everyone else in the room turned to look at Celine.


    Celine felt a jolt of panic seize her. She immediately defended her case. ¡°Young Master, |... | did bring Sherry the clothes to help


    her escapest night, but | never knew that the madam hired hitmen to kill her. There was no way | could have known about that!


    If | had known, I''d never act as an aplice to Sherry¡®s murder even if the madam threatened my life!¡±


    She was not fond of Sherry, but she had never nned to kill her!


    She failed to elicit any form of sympathy in John. He turned to Officer Emmanuel. ¡°Officer Emmanuel, take her away for


    questioning as well.¡± Officer Emmanuel nodded and turned to Celine. ¡°Miss, please don''t resist ande with us. There''s


    nothing to worry about. We''ll not condemn you if you''re found innocent. You''ll be free to go once we have the full picture.¡±


    Celine answered nervously, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Soon, the fleet of police cars drove out of the area.


    The house fell into a deathly silence after that.


    John sat motionlessly on the couch.


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie were all standing nearby, none of them spoke.


    The surrounding bodyguards and servants hardly dared to breathe too loud in fear of upsetting John.


    After an indiscernible time passed, it was Madam Stockton who stepped forward and advised , ¡°John, you haven¡¯t slept all night,


    please get some rest.¡±


    Suddenly, an intent look returned to John¡¯s vacant eyes.


    He suddenly rose and walked out.


    Madam Stockton shouted after him, ¡°Shannon is already taken by the police. Where are you going?¡± ¡°I''m going to find her.¡±


    There was no word of Sherry yet! With that, he disappeared.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1245

    Chapter 1245


    Chapter 1245 It went without saying that Madam Stockton was aware of who John was referring to.


    She considered briefly and quickly informed Marlow," Get a few men and have them follow him!¡± Marlow hurriedly made the


    arrangements.


    Queenie suddenly suggested, ¡°Mom, | want to go see him too.¡±


    Madam Stockton red at her abruptly. ¡°Hold it right there!¡±


    Queenie expressed her sorrows, ¡°No! | refuse to believe that Sherry is dead. She was right here with me! I''ll just take a look at


    things and be right back.¡±


    ¡°It''s pretty much concluded that she had fallen off the cliff from the woods. With how high the cliff is and the river underneath it,


    there¡®s not a chance that she¡®d still be alive even if she had nine lives!¡±


    Queenie grimaced and cried, ¡°I still need to see it for myself!¡¯


    ¡°| forbid you to go!¡± Madam Stockton called to Julie immediately, ¡°Julie, | want you to keep an eye on her. Get several guards to


    watch over her as well!¡±


    Since she could not stop John from doing as he pleased, the least she could do was to keep Queenie safe!


    Although she was just as shocked and remorseful when she found out about Sherry¡®s demise, she deemed that it was only her


    cursed fate to have her sister murder her!


    The pair of siblings had brought shame and a terrible blemish onto the Stockton family!


    Julie nodded and promptly made the arrangements.


    Meanwhile, Madam Stockton dragged Queenie back into her room.


    After the manpower arrived , Queenie was locked in her room.


    She cried and thumped her fists against the door.


    Madam Stockton became annoyed eventually and left the room.


    Julie followed closely behind her. She could sense that her mother was in a horrid mood and so chose her words carefully.


    ¡°Mom, Queenie and Sherry grew closer ever since they started spending time together. You know how innocent Queenie can be


    sometimes. She thinks of Sherry as her good friend, and it''s only natural that she¡®d get upset knowing that something like this


    has happened to her friend. Just don''t get too angry with her, give her a few days to sort her head out.¡±


    ¡°This brat, she doesn''t understand what''s good for her.¡± Madam Stockton scoffed and moved on from the subject with a


    prolonged sigh. ¡°Forget about her. Just get someone to keep an eye on her and only let her out once she¡¯s more stable. Make


    sure the door is locked.¡±


    Julie answered dutifully, ¡°Okay Mom, | got it.¡±


    ¡°No need to keep following me, just take care of yourself. I''m going to get some much-needed rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Julie stopped following her. Madam Stockton rubbed her temples with her fingers and quickly walked away. Julie stood


    still and watched her. After ensuring that there was nobody left, she grinned.


    The smile she wore was different from the previous cordial smile she had. This was a smile filled with ill intentions, a celebratory


    smile.


    Sherry was dead, and Shannon was out of the picture.


    With that, she was the onlydy in the house left.


    She was the only woman left next to John.


    The sports car zoomed past the highway like a bolt of lightning. What was a thirty¡ªminute journey was shortened to less than ten


    minutes.


    It finally came to a stop at the sealed¡ªoff junction leading into the mountain region.


    John got out of the car and walked into the forest.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    The crime scene was also closed off to the public.


    Several police officers were busy searching the area with all sorts of specialized gear and gadgets at the moment. Their boots


    crunched against the fallen leaves on the ground and made all sorts of crisp snapping sounds.


    John felt as if his shoes were filled to the brim with lead. It took an enormous amount of strength just to lift his feet. He stepped


    through the ground filled with blood, wading through it with great effort as if he was sinking into quicksand.


    After a long time passed, he found himself at the edge of the cliff.


    The cliff was roughly seventy meters tall with a river at its bottom.


    He looked down.


    He saw several search and rescue boats patrolling the river.


    Suddenly, a cial gust of wind blew toward him as if it was trying to sweep him off his feet and send him plummeting down


    below.


    He shivered from the cold.


    Sherry had lost her coat and scarf. She must have been freezing cold after she fell into the riverst night.


    He suddenly felt all his strength drained out of his legs. He knelt on the ground and buried his face in his hands.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1246

    Chapter 1246


    Chapter 1246


    Westchester.


    Inside a particr private hospital in a very secluded area. The door to the operational ward was flung open, and a host of


    doctors and nurses marched into the room. Sylvia, who had been sitting next to the hospital bed and guarding Sherry,


    immediately rose from her seat to make way for the doctors.


    Sherry, who had been lying on the bed for a long time, weakly sat up and put her hand out for the doctors.


    The doctors swiftly and efficiently put on new bandages on her, injected her with a fresh dosage of medicine, and swapped her


    IV bag before leaving.


    The ward was quiet again.


    Sherry leaned back against the head of the bed and gasped for breath.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Every cell in her body was pulsing from the pain. Sylvia looked at her affectionately and asked in a low voice , ¡°Does it hurt? Do


    you want me to call the doctor again?¡±


    Sherry smiled weakly. ¡°It''s fine. I''m Sherry Fowler. Something minor like this is nothingpared to


    everything else | have been through.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled and yed along. ¡°Well, your wounds are very severe so this is only to be expected. You should get better in a


    day or two.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sherry grunted, then turned to Sherry with a smile. ¡°Sylvia, | owe you one. I''d have died out there if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡±


    Something sparked in Sylvia''s eyes. She did not answer.


    She was slightly upset with Sherry. If not for Odell¡®s timely arrangement and rescue, there was a chance that they would not be


    having this conversation at all by this point as Sherry would have been long gone. 2 It was especially infuriating considering


    Sherry had coborated with Shannon of all people instead of directly contacting her for help. ¡°Sylvia, why won''t you talk to me?¡±


    Sherry poked at Sylvia yfully.


    Sylvia shot her a look. ¡°If you had got in touch with me and asked me to break you out, all of this would never have happened.¡±


    Sherry made a look. ¡°I get it. If somethinges up in the future, you''ll be the first one | call. If | need anything at all, you''ll be my


    first option.¡±


    Sylvia decided to let the matter drop, especially when she considered the state Sherry was in.


    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Odell called me just now. He said that the police in nchester found out that it was Shannon


    behind all of this, so they went to the Stockton family earlier today and took her to the station.¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes gleamed icily upon hearing Shannon¡®s name. Shemended the police''s work, ¡°The nchester police are


    pretty good at their job.¡±


    She had expected the matter to be dragged out for some time, and she thought it woulde down to her having to directly


    use Shannon for the police to get started with the investigation at all.


    It was a surprise to find out that they had caught Shannon in just one night.


    It would appear that there was no longer any need for her to head back there.


    The tension in her eyes dissipated upon hearing this. For once, she was at ease.


    Sylvia looked at her and said softly, ¡°Get some sleep, you barely sleptst night.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sherry made sure to thank Sylvia. ¡°You


    should get some sleep too. You''ve been up all night watching over me.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    There was a reclining chair next to the bed. After making sure that Sherry had fallen asleep, Sylvia went to lie down and fell


    asleep shortly after.


    After only a short while after Sylvia slept, Sherry opened her eyes slowly.


    She peered at Sylvia who was sleeping a short distance from her, tears slowly pooled in her eyes, and she became very


    emotional.


    She thanked all her lucky stars that she had Sylvia.


    Last night, she tried to sneak off by telling them that she had to go number two. It did not take long before they were on her tail.


    At first, only one of them caught up to her. He chased her until the edge of the cliff where the two of them fought briefly.


    She was an amateur and waspletely outmatched by the trained hitman and she received several cuts on her arm.


    She did not want to be hacked to death and resorted to desperate measures so she threw herself off the cliff and hoped for the


    best


    Fortunately, shended on a thick branch only a several meters drop from the edge of the cliff.


    It was very dark at the time. They must have thought she had pummeled into the river and died.

 Chapter 1247

    Chapter 1247


    Chapter 1247 Shey on the branch for a while and figured she would try to get helpe daytime.


    To her surprise, after they had left, she heard yet another round of rustling footsteps. She heard someone approaching the edge


    of the cliff, quickly followed by someone shining a torchlight over the edge of the cliff, directly casting its blinding lights on her.


    She was blinded by the light.


    She thought they hade to finish her off. She was instantly seized by a wave of fear andpletely paralyzed. A voice told


    her to throw herself into the raging currents below.


    The men holding the torchlight suddenly cried out.


    ¡°Over here, Miss Sherry is over here!¡±


    ¡°Get a rope! We''ve got to help her!¡±


    Sherry looked up at them and asked, ¡°Who are you people?¡±


    They answered, ¡°We work for Master Carter.¡±


    Upon being rescued, Sherry understood that it was Odell who had dispatched them toe to her rescue.


    Odell and Sylvia ¡®caught wind about the Stockton family throwing a party and were going to use the chance to break Sherry out.


    However, they were one step toote where someone else got to her instead.


    Odell¡¯s men had only just arrived outside the house when they saw several men bursting through the main entrance with Sherry


    and hopping into a car. They gave Sherry a phone so she could speak to Odell and Sylvia herself. After being reassured that


    they were on her side and were there to help her, she finally allowed them to take her to Westchester without any further


    protests.


    Sherry noticed the same car that had broken her out of John¡¯s house parked by the roadside. There was nobody inside the car.


    She remembered one of those men saying something about it being a new car and expressing concern about her getting the car


    dirty. Why did they abandon the car?


    It no longer mattered. The only thing that mattered now was that Shannon was arrested and she was finally free from John and


    away from nchester . Everything was over.


    Her episode in nchester had finallye to an end. She no longer had anything to do with any of the Stockton family


    members. She held back tears, closed her eyes, and quickly sankUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    into sleep.


    Meanwhile, inside the forest in the mountains of nchester.


    The day passed in the blink of an eye. The sun was about to set when one of the officers suddenly cried out, ¡°Boss, we found


    something!"


    Officer Emmanuel approached immediately.


    The man perched on the edge of the cliff was drawn over by themotion as well..


    He had been squatting over the cliff for a long time and his legs had gone numb without him even realizing it. He felt stiff and a


    terrible ache pulsed in his calf when he tried to get up.


    While getting up, he happened to notice a thick branch protruding several meters out of the edge of the cliff. He seemed to catch


    a glimpse of what appeared to be a red hue staining the sides of the branch.


    He frowned, then he turned and went to Officer Emmanuel.


    Officer Emmanuel and several of his officers were squatting over a certain spot. It seemed they had found some clues. Officer


    Emmanuel suddenly ordered, ¡°Seal off this area as well.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Boss.¡±


    Officer Emmanuel rose.


    John approached him and asked, ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    Officer Emmanuel informed, ¡°There were some footprints. It was left behindst night and it seemed like these footprints were


    different from the ones left behind by the tree men we caughtst night.¡± John was alerted by this. ¡°You''re saying that there was


    someone else that came by herest night?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Officer Emmanuel considered for a moment before adding, ¡°We''ve been


    searching the river for the entire day. If we still can¡¯t find Miss Sherry¡®s body, I''d suspect that someone else had taken her away.¡±


    John stood stiffly and tried to process thesetest developments. He suddenly recalled the branch that he had just spotted off the


    edge of the cliff.


    Suddenly, a ray of hope returned to his dark and worrisome eyes, he quickly informed, ¡°I saw a thick tree branch with what


    appeared to be bloodstains on it.¡±


    Officer Emmanuel was intrigued by this. ¡°Where¡¯¡®s the branch?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1248

    Chapter 1248


    Sherry had a nightmare.


    She dreamed that she was being chased by someone. Then she fell off the cliff and dangled over a thick branch.


    Then, it was John who came to her rescue. Not Sylvia, not Odell.


    He was wearing all white and his gold-framed sses shone underneath the moonlight. He leaned over the edge of the cliff and


    smiled cunningly at her. ¡°Sherry, you''ve got two options. Either | pull you up and youe with me, or you can plunge to your


    death.¡±


    Underneath the thick shroud of darkness, his terrible glower seemed to shine like that of the devil¡¯s. His smile was crooked and


    sinister.


    She was filled with fear and hatred for the man. She had a feeling that he would torture her to death if she fell into his clutches


    again.


    She looked at the river underneath and threw herself off the branch.


    Atush of fear met her at the same ferocity as the raging currents underneath. Then, she shot up from her bed with a loud cry.


    Sylvia, who was sleeping on the reclining chair, was jolted


    awake by her cry. She looked at her with rm. ¡°Sherry, is everything okay?¡±


    Sherry looked at her with tears in her eyes. ¡°I dreamed of that b*stard John.¡±


    She was very emotional and there were beads of cold sweat trickling down her forehead. It was not hard to tell her that she had


    a nightmare.


    Sylvia sat next to her and embraced her. ¡°It''s okay, it''s just a nightmare. He doesn¡¯t know you''re alive, and even if he does, he


    won''t be able to find you.¡±


    Suddenly, the phone in Sylvia¡®s pocket rang.


    Sherry nced at the phone.


    Sylvia looked at the disy and mentioned , ¡°It''s from Odell.¡±


    She put the phone to her ear.


    She heard Odell''s low and earthy voice from the other end of the phone. ¡°John probably knows that Sherry is alive. He''sing


    to Westchester with his men right now.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°How did he find out so quickly?¡±


    ¡°The police must''ve found some vital clues in the forest. Make sure Sherry lies low in the hospital for now. John can¡¯t find her as


    long as she doesn''t leave the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay, | understand.¡±


    She hung up the call and turned to Sherry. Sherry asked with a tight grimace, ¡°Is he on the way here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah...¡± Sylvia ryed everything Odell had told her.


    Sherry clutched the quilt tightly in her hands. ¡°I see, I''m not going anywhere.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Alright, you can continue to recover from your injuries here without worry. The hospital staff will also keep you safe. If you need


    anything at all, Ben and Wanda are here to help you as well.¡±


    Sylvia could not stay here much longer.


    John must have suspected that she and Odell were involved in Sherry¡¯s rescue. If he wasing to Westchester, he would visit


    them right away and it would garner suspicion if she was not at home.


    She had to head home.


    Sherry nodded and let her go without protest.


    Sylvia rose and was about to head out when she noticed the tight frown zipped across Sherry¡®s brows. She still seemed


    shellshocked with fear.


    It was probably a mixture of the shock from her nightmarebined with the trauma from being hunted down in the forest.


    She could not feel at ease leaving Sherry alone. She took her phone and went to the window to make a call.


    Shortly after the call, she returned to the bed and stated with a bright smile, ¡°Sherry, someone wille to keep youpany


    real soon. Just call me if you need anything.¡±


    She prepared a new phone for Sherry andy it next to the pillow. Sherry seemed confused and asked with intrigue, ¡°Who''s


    coming here to keep mepany?¡± Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°You''ll know.¡± Sherry smiled weakly. ¡°Go on now, you need to go


    home.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sylvia left. The ward fell silent again.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1249

    Chapter 1249


    Chapter 1249 Sherry leaned against the headboard and yed some games on the phone to kill time.


    After roughly twenty minutes, she heard footsteps cking down the corridor.


    Shortly after that, Isabel appeared in a red sweater, lugging a suitcase behind her as she paddled into the room. She greeted


    Sherry with bright enthusiasm, ¡°Aunt Sherry, here | am!¡±


    Sherry was very surprised to see her.


    She never expected Sylvia to send her darling daughter to keep herpany.


    After Isabel entered, she threw open her suitcase and revealed its contents. There was not a single piece of clothing or any kind


    of travel essentials. Instead, it was filled to the brim with all sorts of snacks as well as a tablet which she nned to watch shows


    with.


    The mischievous girl took the tablet and grabbed another handful of snacks before plopping herself on the bed and crawling next


    to Sherry.


    Sherry was struck speechless.


    Isabel was not done yet.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She carried a small tray on the bed where sheid out the snacks, then she dragged a trash can next to the bed. After that was


    done, she turned on the tablet, turned on a popr drama, and turned to Sherry. ¡°Aunt Sherry, this show is pretty poprtely.


    Do you like it?*.


    Sherry was dumbfounded, ¡°Yeah, | like it.¡±


    Isabel asked like a generous host, ¡°Do you like these snacks? If you don''t like them, I''ll ask Uncle Ben to buy something else.¡±


    Sherry chuckled happily. ¡°It''s fine, I''m not a picky eater, | do like them.¡±


    Isabel smiled tenderly, her eyes curved like a pair of crescent moons. ¡°Then it''s time to binge this show!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    co


    The ward that was once quiet and stuffy was now filled with the sounds emitted from the tablet as well as the constant crunching


    noises made by Isabel eating snacks Sherry could feel her nerves slowly unwinding. She lifted her uninjured hand and opened a


    pack of snacks, then cast off all the worries in her mind, and turned her attention to the show.


    It was the weekend, Odell was at home all day.


    15372737


    Sylvia had juste back from the hospital. She walked into the living room and saw Odell sitting on the couch with Flint.


    Liam was seated on the other side of the couch with a book in hand.


    Upon her return, the pair of father and son turned to look at her.


    ¡°Mom...¡± Flint put his hands out and asked for a hug.


    Sylvia smiled and swiftly took Flint into her arms.


    Sebastian suddenly trotted into the living room with an urgent message for them. ¡°Master, Madam, it''s Master Stockton. He''s


    waiting outside and says that he''s here to pay you two a visit.¡±


    Sylvia made a look and remarked with a sneer, ¡°That was fast.¡±


    Odell got up and gently patted Sylvia on the head. Then he turned to Sebastian. ¡°Is he alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his driver is inside the car.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let him in.¡±


    Sebastian went to the entrance.


    Sylvia frowned, then she put Flint back into Odell¡®s arms.


    Odell looked at her. ¡°What''s your n?¡±


    ¡°Just look after Flint, I''ll deal with him.¡± Sylvia rolled up her sleeves as she spoke as if abatant preparing for battle. She wore


    a serious and determined look on her face that gave Flint a small fright. The boy then sought after his father forfort.


    Odell narrowed the look in his eyes and observed his wife with a proud and affectionate smile.


    Liam, who was on the couch the entire time, noticed as well. He set the book down and walked to Odell.


    Sylvia went outside and prepared to confront John.


    As soon as she stepped out of the living room, she saw a tall and slender figure headed toward her.


    John was wearing a gray coat with a pair of dark trousers. His signature gold¡ª-rimmed sses red underneath the light. He


    shed a coy and gentlemanly smile, the same smile that he always wore.


    Sylvia asked without friendliness, ¡°Master Stockton, what are you doing here instead of nchester where you belong?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1250

    Chapter 1250


    Chapter 1250 John maintained a pleasant smile. ¡°I came to pay you and Master Carter a visit. | figured I''ll pick up Sherry as well


    since I''m already here.¡±


    Sylvia frowned and expressed with a voice filled with confusion, ¡°Pick up Sherry? Haven''t you kept her locked up in your house


    this entire time?¡±


    John feigned surprise. ¡°She escapedst night, haven''t you heard?¡±


    Sylvia hissed sharply. ¡°You took away her phone. How am | supposed to know?!¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    John smiled. ¡°How could you know that | took away her phone if you haven''t met her at all?¡±


    Sylvia did a double take then exined, ¡°I talk to her now and then but recently it''s nothing but radio silence so | figured that it


    must be you who took her phone away. How is she supposed to escape on her own?!¡±


    ¡°That''s right, | took her phone away. Still, she managed to sneak away during a dinner party hosted at my house without me


    noticing until after the fact,¡± John stated with a skeptical look at Sherry.


    Sylvia promptly asked, ¡°Where did she run off to?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°That''s what | came to ask you and Master


    Carter.¡±


    Sylvia responded hostile, ¡°You''re using me and Odell of taking her away?¡±


    ¡°That''s not what | meant. See, she ran into some trouble while she was making her escape and the police found that she was


    taken away by another party. They went through some footage from the cameras installed by the roadside and found that she


    was abducted in a car which car te suggested that it was manufactured in Westchester.¡± Upon arriving at this mention, John


    peered intently at Sylvia. ¡°Which is why | came to ask you and Master Carter if you two happen to know anything about her


    whereabouts?¡±


    ¡°We don''t know!¡± Sylvia shouted irritably.


    John backed away, then asked coyly, ¡°I was only asking. Have | said something to make you upset, Mrs. Carter?¡±


    Sylvia felt a lump caught in her throat.


    She suddenly understood why Sherry never had anything good to say about John. He had woven intricate traps in every word he


    said. She regained herposure and confronted John.¡° Master Stockton, quit these games of yours. | don¡®t know where Sherry


    is. Also, we don''t wee you here. Please leave immediately!¡±


    John smiled snakily. ¡°Mrs. Carter, I''m beginning to feel


    like there''s a bit of a misunderstanding. Do you mind if | have a word with Master Carter?¡±


    Sylvia crossed her arms across her chest, ¡°He¡®s taking care of the kids and doesn''t have time for you.¡±


    ¡°Heh... Master Carter sure is a dutiful father.¡±


    Sylvia ignored this statement.


    John stole a peek into the living room behind Sylvia and asked, ¡°It''s been a long time since | saw him and the kids. How much


    have they grown up since |st saw them?¡±


    Sylvia continued to ignore him and looked somewhere else to avoid his gaze, clearly expressing her disdain for him.


    John did not seem offended by this gesture in the slightest . It seemed like he waspletely oblivious to these social cues and


    gestures. He pressed onward. ¡°Are Liam and Isabel in primary school by now? How about Flint? Is he a year old yet?¡± Sylvia did


    not expect such patience from the wealthiest man of nchester , for him to spend time in idle talks, discussing her children.


    She asked without a shred of friendliness, ¡°What are you asking all these pointless questions for?¡± John smiled. ¡°I¡®d like to go


    inside.¡±


    Sylvia did not utter a word.


    She grimaced before fixing a stoic expression on her face and responded crossly without any fear of offending her guest,


    ¡°Master Stockton, why don''t you head back to where you came from? If you don''t leave , I''ll have you kicked out of here!¡±


    Now that she had put it so bluntly, she doubted that John would have any patience left in him to stomach such ill treatment to a


    guest.


    As expected, his expression transformed instantaneously.


    His smile waspletely wiped off as he darted onest look at the living room. After that, he reluctantly took his leave.


    Sylvia heaved a sigh of relief.


    Suddenly, a cold gust of wind swept into the house. John suddenly began to stumble like he was intoxicated.


    Thump.


    It all happened in an instant. He tumbled forward and fell, then he stayed on the ground motionlessly like a nk.


    Sylvia was dumbfounded by this.


    Meanwhile, Odell, who had been staying silent all this time and observing from the living room, looked on quietly.


    Liam, who was next to him, did not speak either.


    Flint pointed and mumbled, ¡°Fall... Fallll...¡±


    Everyone else looked on quietly.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1251

    Chapter 1251


    Chapter 1251 Odell came out with Flint and Liam, and he saw Sylvia looking at him helplessly. He stroked her head and then


    said to Sebastian, ¡°Sebastian, go check on him.¡±


    Sebastian nodded and went over to John.


    A few momentster, Sebastian said, ¡°Master John doesn''t seem to be in good shape. He¡®s already unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Bring him inside. And call Dr. Lambert to check on him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Odell then held Sylvia¡®s hand and returned to the living room.


    John was brought inside and ced on the bed by the living room.


    Dr. Lambert arrived after a while and did a quick check on John. ¡°His body is weak, probably due tock of rest, and he has been


    skipping meals. He''ll get better. Just let him rest and give him something to eat.¡±


    Odell nodded and saw Dr. Lambert off.


    Sylvia frowned as she stared at the unconscious John with his pallor. ¡°Has he not been eating after what happened to Sherry?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Odell said. ¡°Then, what should we do? Are we going to let him stay?¡± Sylvia turned to her husband, seeking his


    opinion.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We can''t just throw him on the streets, can we?¡± Odell smiled and stroked her face. ¡°Let''s feed the kids first. Let him rest, and


    we''ll see what we can do after he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia and Odell went out and closed the door, leaving the room in total silence.


    The man lying on the bed feebly suddenly opened his eyes.


    Some timeter, the door opened. He immediately closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.


    The person came in quietly and swiftly arrived beside the bed.


    John slowed down his breathing, but he then felt the touch of a tiny hand, followed by the fresh scent of a baby.


    Odell and Sylvia''s baby must have climbed onto him.


    The body made its way onto John¡®s chest, sat on him, and extended both his legs, hitting his chin.


    ¡°Bro... Bro...¡± the baby murmured.


    Achild¡®s voice with an unusual sense of maturity instructed, ¡°Kick him.¡±


    Flint immediately kicked the chin rapidly upon receiving the order. The little guy was merciless and relentless with his kicks. The


    kicks even hit John¡¯s throat, causing him to cough and forcing him to open his eyes.


    He quickly grabbed Flint''s legs and stopped the boy from kicking further. Confused, he turned to Liam who was beside the bed.


    ¡°Liam? Where am |? Why are you here?¡±


    Liam widened his eyes at him. ¡°This is my house. You fainted. Daddy brought you in.¡±


    John curled his lips and said feebly, ¡°Thank your Daddy for me.¡±


    Liam furrowed his brows as he could not capture any unusual reaction on John¡®s face, hence the silent reply. Flint chirped, ¡°Bell¡ª


    come (Wee)¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1252

    Chapter 1252


    Chapter 1252 John stared at Flint''s chubby cheeks for a moment before he hugged the boy into his arms. He asked Liam,


    ¡°Where are your parents?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°They are eating outside , so they told me toe to check on you and ask if you want something to eat once you


    wake up.¡±. ¡°I''m so sorry to trouble you guys.¡± With a smile, John got out of bed and carried Flint out of the room.


    Liam suspiciously stared at him as he followed him outside.


    The three of them soon arrived in the living room.


    Both Odell and Sylvia were sitting by the dining table.


    ¡°Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, you can just send anyone to wake me up instead of troubling the two little adorable boys,¡± John said


    weakly as he carried Flint over to them.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°I''m afraid no one else has the guts to wake you up.¡±


    John''s expression froze for a moment, but he quickly concealed it with a chuckle. ¡°Master Carter, you''re too serious. | passed


    out, I¡¯m not dead. Anyone could have


    woken me up.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    He sat down with Flint in his arms.


    Sylvia¡®s brows remained furrowed. She told Aunt Tonya,¡± Aunt Tonya, it''s time for Flint to have his milk.¡±


    Aunt Tonya tacitly nodded and immediately took Flint from John.


    Sylvia then looked at Liam. ¡°Liam, go back to your room and do your homework.¡± Liam nodded and hummed a reply before


    heading up with Aunt Tonya. Only Odell, Sylvia, and John remained at the table.


    John looked around. ¡°I didn''t see Isabel anywhere. Where''s she?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered. Odell casually and confidently answered, ¡°She''s at one of our rtive''s houses.¡± ¡°Oh? Which rtive?¡±


    John asked with a smile. Sylvia''s expression turned cold. ¡°Master Stockton , are you trying to pry into our connections?¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, please. | heard yours and Master Carter¡®s mothers are no longer with us, and you don''t seem to


    maintain a good rtionship with your own family, so | was just curious where Isabel would be at this hour while neither of you is


    worried.¡±


    John''s intention was not to pry on Odell and Sylvia by saying out loud that they did not have any close rtives or that they could


    be so rxed about Isabel being out thiste. Instead, he actually suspected them.


    Sylvia¡®s expression changed. ¡°It''s none of your business where we send Isabel.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it has nothing to do with me. I''m just asking out of curiosity. Please don''t take it the wrong way, Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Sylvia ignored his answer.


    Odell then said, ¡°It seems like you know a great deal about my family, Master Stockton.¡± John picked up the fork to spear a piece


    of meat with a smile. ¡°I presume you know a lot about my family as well, am | right?¡±


    Odell tightened his lips. ¡°Ms. Fowler isn¡®t here.¡±


    John''s gaze shifted. He stared at the two of them coldly.¡° Where is she?¡±


    ¡°| can''t tell you that.¡±


    The living room suddenly went quiet.


    It took a while before John smiled at the couple. Compared to his previous pretentious smile , he looked more sincere and


    wholehearted this time.


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± he asked.


    Sylvia answered, ¡°We don''t know.¡±


    John then cast his anticipation at Odell.


    Odell nced at Sylvia and noticed her frosty re. He then said to John, ¡°Well, if you must know, she''s still alive.¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°That sounds great.¡±


    He dug into the food. He ate nonchntly and casually as if he was eating at his own house. As Sylvia watched him coldly.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1253

    Chapter 1253


    Chapter 1253 Odell leaned on the chair with his hands crossed and watched John eat casually.


    Some timeter, John finally put his cutlery down after he cleaned the te. He wiped his mouth elegantly with the serviette and


    smiled at the couple. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Master Carter and Mrs. Carter.¡±


    ¡°Then, can you please leave already?¡± Sylvia said.


    John smiled. ¡°I think my head is still spinning. | might have to bother you two for another night.¡± Sylvia sulked. She had never


    seen someone who could conceal his lies with such elegance and nonchnce even though others knew that he was lying. No


    wonder Sherry always called him a bastard.


    While she was thinking about another way to chase the man out of the house, Odell held her hand. He smiled at John and said,


    ¡°Since you are feeling unwell, please stay for another night. I''ll send someone to escort you back to Glenchester when you feel


    better tomorrow.¡±


    John maintained his elegant smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Odell then went upstairs with Sylvia whereas John went back to the guest room.


    In the stillness of the night, John was unable to sleep. With the windows open, he leaned back on the bed and stared outside.


    Awhileter, his phone rang.


    ¡°Any updates?¡± His assistant, Peter, answered meekly, ¡°Sir, we''ve utilized everything we could and we only found out the


    location of that car that transported Ms. Fowler away. But when we got to the car, it was already abandoned. The vehicle was a


    rental car from a second-hand dealer, and we are still identifying the person who rented the car.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Plus, when the car was returned to the dealer, it was cleaned thoroughly with alcohol. No blood or traces were left. Based on


    our spection, they must have sent Ms. Fowler to the hospital right after they arrived in Westchester . We checked the lists of


    deceased at every hospital in Westchester but did not spot Ms. Fowler''s name. She''s still alive.¡±


    John simply hummed a reply. He knew Sherry was alive, just like Odell said. If something terrible had happened to her, Sylvia


    would not have just asked him to leave with such subtle hostility.


    A few seconds of silenceter, he asked, ¡°Did you find out where Isabel is? Odell¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°No, sir. We haven''t got anything on that.¡±


    ¡°Keep searching. Call me if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The call ended. As he put the phone away, his eyes continued to stare outside the window.


    Meanwhile, Odell and Sylvia were in their room.


    Odell was showering in the bathroom, and Sylvia was on the line with Sherry on the bed. She told Sherry about John insisting on


    staying for the night by pretending to be sick.


    Sherry must be left speechless about the bastard''s shamelessness. It took her a while to say, ¡°Syl, just kick him out if he refuses


    to leave tomorrow! You don''t need to be courteous with him.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Okay. What about Isabel? Is she giving you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°No, no, my baby Isabel is the most adorable treasure in the world. She''s been stuck with me the whole time.¡±


    ¡°Good to know. It''s gettingte. You''d better get some rest. When John leaves tomorrow, I''ll go get you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The call then ended.


    Sylvia put the phone down and turned around to the


    towering figure at the bathroom door. The man had finished showering and was staring at her with a mischievous grin and deep


    gaze. Baffled by his reaction, she asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    He smiled softly. ¡°Because | want to.¡±


    Sylvia blushed. She closed her eyes and said, ¡°It''ste. Go to sleep.¡±


    Odell crawled into bed and hugged her from behind.


    Just when Sylvia thought he was going to sleep without asking anything else, his lips moved closer to her ears and whispered,


    ¡°You looked adorable when you were angry just now.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1254

    Chapter 1254


    Chapter 1254 Sylvia felt chills travel down her spine. She turned around to Odell. ¡°What did you say? | dare you to say it again.¡±


    Odell pinched her face and kissed her lips. He whispered,¡° You looked really cute when you tried to lecture John.¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless, but it put a smile on her face. She grunted and buried her face in his chest. ¡°What if he insists


    on staying here tomorrow?¡±


    Would they have to ask John to leave again?


    Odell hugged her waist. ¡°He will leave tomorrow.¡±


    Baffled, she asked, ¡°Why are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because Sherry isn''t here, and there''s no point of him being here.¡± ¡°I guess you''re right,¡± Sylvia said. She shut her eyes and


    continued , ¡°Let''s get some sleep. | want to visit Sherry tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You can''t go to Sherry tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Odell looked at her. ¡°If you go to visit Sherry at the hospital tomorrow, John¡®s men will locate her.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°Then, what about her?¡±


    ¡°Let''s just leave Isabel with her for a few days. In the meantime, I''ll remove John¡¯s men that he assigned to watch us, then you


    can go find her.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Back at the hospital, after Sherry hung up with Sylvia, she leaned back and stared into nothingness.


    Isabel was sound asleep beside her. Her chubby face looked extra endearing when she was asleep. Sherry could not sleep, so


    she mischievously pinched the girl''s cheek. Fortunately, the girl was fast asleep, so she could not even feel the pinch on her


    face.


    Sherry retracted her hand after a few pinches.


    Isabel was Sylvia and Odell''s precious daughter whom they sent to apany her. If she left a mark on the girl''s face, Odell


    would make sure that she stayed in the hospital for good. She smiled and picked up her phone to read some news. Flooding her


    mind with boring articles might just help her to get some sleep.


    The moment she tapped on the news app, the headline of the top article caught her eye.


    ¡°The wife of Glenchester''s richest man arrested for contracted murder.¡±


    She tapped on the article out of curiosity.


    The article had been released by a mediapany focusing on gossip and scandals. The content was brief, and two lines in the


    article caught Sherry¡¯s attention :¡± The wife of the richest man in Glenchester was arrested at home this morning. ording to


    reliable sources, she has been apprehended for contracted murder.¡±


    It caught the attention of theizens, and the post dominated the poprity ranking shortly after it was released. The post was


    also bombarded byments from all over the country, several of which stood out.


    ¡°| think this article is the real deal. | have a rtive who works in the Stocktons¡¯ residence, and | just called her. She confirmed


    that thedy was arrested.¡±


    The particrment started a chain reaction. Everyone spected about who Shannon tried to kill and why.


    However, the original poster did not respond to a singlement.


    Soon, Sherry scrolled down to anotherment with a picture attached.


    ¡°Someone took this picture in front of the police station. Those two in the picture are the parents of thedy who just got


    arrested. | wonder if it''s real.¡± Sherry squinted and tapped on the picture to erge it. The expanded picture filled her screen and


    revealed


    Matthew and Janine. It seemed like they were trying to get into the station but were stopped by the police officers.


    Next Chapter


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1255

    Chapter 1255


    Chapter 1255 Matthew looked furious while Janine¡®s eyes were red and swollen from all the crying. Her usual elegance and


    dignified posture of a richdy were nowhere to be seen; all anyone could see was a mother sobbing to see her daughter.


    Sherry unconsciously tightened her lips. She had disappeared for more than 24 hours, and no one knew if she was alive or


    dead, yet her parents only cared about Shannon who had been arrested for contracted murder and even caused a scene in front


    of the station.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry tapped the cross to close the picture. She then scrolled down for morements.


    ¡°Based on their outfits, they don''t seem like any John and Jane Doe. They must be the parents of the arrested


    lady.¡±


    ¡°| pity them as parents. | wonder why thedy would want to kill someone instead of enjoying her life as the wife of the richest


    man. Could it be rted to the husband himself?¡±


    The particrment attracted heat from otherizens, all wanting to defend John¡¯s reputation and status. Most of them


    were local Glenchesterians, and some of them even listed John¡®s contributions to the city.


    The original poster was forced to apologize for thement.


    In the end, someone came up with a conclusion. ¡°If it really is rted to the richest man in the city, he would have been caught


    as well. If the man uses his wealth and resources to keep things down, we wouldn''t be seeing this article either, so let''s just wait


    for the official statement from the police department.¡±


    Coincidentally, right after Sherry went through all thements, the Glenchester Police Department released an official


    statement regarding the arrest.


    The statement attracted a lot ofizens, including Sherry herself.


    The statement was long and detailed. It exined how they had received a call from the Stocktons¡¯ residence and investigated


    the case based on the clues given. It was just that morning when they determined that Shannon was the culprit and arrested her


    at home.


    However, the statement did not mention that Shannon¡®s target was Sherry.


    The mention of the Stocktons in the statement also sparked a heated discussion.


    ¡°Oh my goodness. Could the husband have turned his wife in himself?¡±


    The particrment swiftly gathered attention and


    simr opinions.


    ¡°So, who is thedy trying to kill? Could the man not have known and called the police?¡±


    More and morements flooded thement sections.


    It was then that the police department''s public rtions officer emerged and answered the people¡®s questions.¡± This involves the


    privacy of the family, so we cannot reveal it to the public.¡±


    Theizens swiftly understood what happened.


    ¡°So, it all started because of some family conflict?¡±


    ¡°| heard the couple only got married like two months ago, and now this has happened.¡±


    ¡°Thedy is really ruthless. What could have led her to hire a killer?¡±


    ¡°She could''ve enjoyed being the richest man¡®s wife, but she just had to get herself involved in murder. | guess that''s the end of


    her life.¡±


    Sherry emotionlessly went through all thements. Ding!


    She suddenly received an email on her phone.


    After getting the phone from Sylvia, she did not download any social media apps on the phone in order to


    prevent John from knowing that she was alive. She only logged in to her email so that her contacts could contact her just in an


    emergency. Who could have emailed her at this hour?


    She tapped on the email and saw the sender¡®s name highlighted in bold¡ªJohn Stockton.


    Her expression went cold.


    The mail contained the message he wanted to convey.


    ¡°Sherry, did you read the news? She¡®s been caught, and I''ve gotten the bestwyer to make sure she stays behind bars for the


    rest of her life. If youe back to me now, I''ll forgive you for what you did to me six years ago.¡±


    Sherry¡®s hands started to shake. So, the news she just read had been intentionally released under John¡¯s order?


    Shannon had iting, but it was John who had started this by marrying her. If he had not given her hope and made her Mrs.


    Stockton, Shannon would not havee up with the idea of killing Sherry.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1256

    Chapter 1256


    Chapter 1256 It was not an exaggeration to say that John was the one responsible for Shannon¡®s arrest.


    His email did not mention anything about him apologizing or lowering himself to meet her. The words screamed arrogance and


    egoism as he asked her to go back to him before he forgave her for what she had done.


    Aside from the fact that what Sherry had done to John six years ago was against her will, even if she did it voluntarily , she had


    been imprisoned at the Stocktons¡® residence for two years and tortured sexually. The torment she had received was more than


    enough to make up for what she had done to him.


    As Sherry¡®s chest started to tighten, tears uncontrobly rolled down her eyes, and she started to choke on her emotions.


    Just when she was about to break down in tears, a tiny pair of hands held her face.


    ¡°Aunt Sherry, why are you crying?¡± Isabel had somehow woken up without her realizing it and came up to her. The girl was


    looking at her crying face worriedly.


    Sherry immediately wiped her tears away. ¡°I-I''m fine. |


    just saw a touching video.¡±


    ¡°Adults like to lie,¡± Isabel said with pouty lips. ¡°It must be that man making you sad again, am | right?¡±


    Sherry forced a bitter smile on her face.


    Isabel gave her a piece of tissue and said, ¡°Crying is nothing shameful , so just cry if you want. Don''t keep it all inside you.


    Release it.¡±


    Sherry smiled weakly, and her tears poured out like a waterfall. She never thought that a six-year-old would offer herfort


    and make her cry like a baby.


    While drowning in her tears, she stammered , ¡°Can I-I hug you?¡±


    Isabel sighed. She crawled into Sherry¡®s arms and hugged her waist. In response, Sherry hugged the girl tightly and continued


    sobbing.


    The grievance from six years ago and the torment of two years overwhelmed her, causing her to cry her lungs out and fill the


    quiet ward with her sobbing.


    It took her some time to finally calm down.


    Isabel patted her back to offerfort. Her voice might have been meek as a child, but it screamed of maturity when she said,


    ¡°Only a bastard will make a woman cry. Forget him. You will meet someone better.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry smiled. After wiping her face dry, she carried the


    girl and kissed her chubby cheeks multiple times.


    Isabel sighed like an adult. ¡°Aunt Sherry, are you feeling better now?¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°I''m a lot better. Thank you, my baby Isabel.¡±


    Isabel pouted. ¡°Then, let''s get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sherry switched off themp by the table andy down with the girl.


    The girl crawled onto her chest and put a hand over her waist as though she was lubying a baby to sleep.


    Sherry smiled and closed her eyes. Venting her emotions exhausted her. After the girl fell asleep, Sherry swiftly followed her into


    dreand.


    The next morning, at the Carters, John got up after having some breakfast. He smiled at the couple and said, ¡° Thank you for


    your hospitality , Master and Mrs. Carter. I''ll be taking my leave.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°You''re wee, Master Stockton.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s expression remained cold as she red at him silently.


    John looked at Liam and Flint. ¡°Bye-bye, little men.¡±


    Liam wore a cool expression and replied, ¡°Take care, Uncle John.¡±


    Flint murmured, ¡°Care... care...¡±


    John smiled and walked out of the house as Odell and Sylvia saw him off at the door.


    After the car left their sight, Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. ¡°He won''t being again, will he?¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure about that.¡± Odell held her hand and returned inside. ¡°Before he finds Sherry, he mighte knocking again.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°He hurt Sherry and he still wants her back? What a shameless man.¡±


    Odell stared at her grumpy expression deeply and decided to remain silent.

 Chapter 1257

    Chapter 1257


    Chapter 1257 Sylvia added, ¡°If he¡¯s shameless enough toe again, I''ll get Ben or Jacob to throw him out!¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the MPV that had just merged into the traffic, John leaned back in the rear seat and went on every avable social


    media tform.


    The messages he texted herst night were all left unread, and those that got through did not get a reply. It seemed like she had


    no ess to social media.


    Then, he checked his email. There were a number of new emails, mostly from his subordinates at the office, and agreements


    from his partners and clients. There was no personal mail, let alone a reply from that woman.


    He wondered if she had ess to her email or even noticed the email he sent her.


    He started to worry about her condition. Had she gotten so weak that she could not even pick up her phone?


    The flurry of thoughts furrowed his brows. He took his sses off and rubbed his temples to ease the unnecessary thoughts.


    Awhileter, he called Peter.


    The call got through swiftly, and before he could say anything, Peter said, ¡°Sir, we are still working on Mr. Fowler''s location. |


    believe Master Carter has done something. His influence here in Westchester is strong, so it''s difficult for us to locate her.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    John said, ¡°Stop searching for her. Tell the men to keep watching the Carters, especially Sylvia''s whereabouts. If she goes out,


    follow her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    A few dayster at the Stockton Corporation headquarters in Glenchester, John had just finished a video conference.


    Peter knocked on his door and came in with a nervous look.


    John nced at him and asked, ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Sir, the men we assigned at the Carters¡® residence were detained,¡± Peter said in a small voice.


    John frowned. ¡°Odell Carter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Master Carter somehow found out about them and called the police, iming that they had been spying on their home


    and using them of trespassing. They were taken away by the police.¡±


    John chuckled.


    Peter anxiously continued, ¡°I''m sorry for being careless, Master Stockton. We should have seen thising.¡±


    ¡°It''s not your fault. Odell is also a person with ruthless methods. He must have anticipated our men around his house.¡±


    Peter sighed a breath of relief. He asked, ¡°Then, what should we do next?¡±


    John tightened his lips. ¡°Get our men out of the station.¡±


    Peter nced at John''s expression and wisely took his leave.


    The office returned to silence. The man behind the desk remained quiet for a while before he took his phone out. He texted


    Sherry through all the avable social media tforms, including her email.


    There was a private hospital with spectacr privacy in Westchester, and that was where Sherry was hiding.


    Sherry and Isabel were sitting on the couch, watching television while munching on the food Sylvia brought them.


    Suddenly , Sherry¡®s phone buzzed. She nced at it and saw John¡®s name and the email.


    ¡°Sherry, are you still alive? If you''re not dead, reply. If you don''t want to use words, you can just bark.¡± Sherry was rendered


    speechless.

 Chapter 1258

    Chapter 1258


    Chapter 1258


    Astrong sense of disgust rushed into her head.


    Before her escape, she would have scolded the bastard a hundred times over, but she had learned how to stomach her


    grievance. She knew he was trying to get her attention so that she would go back to him.


    She grunted and tossed her phone aside.


    Sylvia was ying with Flint beside Sherry when she noticed something out of the blue. ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just some spam mail,¡± Sherry said.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and kept quiet.


    The peaceful days went on for a few more days.


    Sherry was finally given permission to be discharged over the weekend.


    Sylvia wanted to bring her kids to the hospital to wee her friend home, but when she got out of the house, an expensive


    MPV with a Glenchester te number stopped in front of the gate.


    The driver came down and opened the door..


    John came down with a handful of presents. He smiled


    politely and humbly at Sylvia and her kids. ¡°Mrs. Carter, where are you going?¡±


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I came and left in a hurry the other day and disturbed you and Master Carter,


    so | brought presents to apologize for my unintentional interruption the other day. | also thought about visiting Madam Carter.¡±


    John seemingly wanted to enter the house with the presents.


    Sylvia cleared her throat and was thinking about asking Ben or Jacob to stop John from going inside. It was then that Flint


    extended his little arm at John while gurgling,¡± Uncle...¡±


    John put the presents down and carried Flint from Sylvia¡®s hands. Flint became the most adorable baby in his arms, which left


    his mother speechless.


    Liam stood there emotionlessly while his sister crossed her arms with a grumpy look. She sighed and said,¡± Stupid Flint doesn''t


    know how to read the situation.¡±


    John feigned ignorance at the mother and children¡¯s unweing gaze and yed with Flint for a little while. He then turned


    around to gesture to the driver who followed him inside. Immediately, the driver picked up the presents and followed him into the


    living room.


    Sylvia was left stunned at the gate. She swallowed her


    grief and reluctantly brought Liam and Isabel back into the house.


    When they entered the living room, John and Flint were already sitting on the couch next to Odell. The two men were chatting


    ¡°Master Carter, is Madam Carter around? | want to visit her as well.¡±


    Odell was a lot calmer than Sylvia. He sipped his tea and said, ¡°Grandmother is resting, so it''s not a good time to see her now.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°It''s totally fine. | have a lot of free time today. I''ll wait for her to get better before seeing her.


    Odell nced at him.


    John remained seated and continued to y with Flint. Meanwhile , Sylvia sulked silently as she went upstairs with Liam and


    Isabel.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    John did not once mention Sherry, yet he lingered until the weekend before he left.


    Once he departed, Sylvia brought the kids to the hospital to visit Sherry.


    Sherry¡®s arm had almost recovered.


    When Sylvia and the kids arrived at the ward, Sherry was ying a game on her phone, seemingly having fun.


    Sylvia had to call her to pull her out of the addiction.


    Sherry immediately put the phone down and hugged each of the kids. She then hugged Sylvia and said, ¡°Syl, | missed you.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°The discharge procedures are done. We can go now.¡±

 Chapter 1259

    Chapter 1259


    Chapter 1259


    ¡°Alright!¡± Sherry turned around and held Isabel''s hand.


    Sylvia carried Flint in one hand and held Liam¡®s hand with the other.


    After they got out of the elevator and were about to leave the hospital, Sherry stopped. She released Isabel¡¯s hand, covered her


    mouth in a hurry, and ran to the trash can to throw up.


    Sylvia immediately went up to her.


    Sherry continued throwing up for quite a while before she recovered.


    ¡°Sherry, are you okay? Did you eat something bad?¡±


    Sherry leaned against the wall feebly and said with furrowed brows, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. When you guys weren''t around, | ate the


    food from the hospital cafeteria. | didn¡®t order anything from outside.¡±


    Anurse who happened to pass by overheard the conversation and added, ¡°The food in our cafeteria is prepared under hygienic


    conditions with the strictest protocols, so it''s unlikely that you could have consumed something rancid from there. Could you


    have caught a cold?¡±


    Sherry shook her head. ¡°I don''t think so. | slept with the


    nket and never went out of the ward.¡±


    What could have happened? ¡°Aunt Sherry, are you pregnant?¡± Isabel asked all of a sudden.


    Sylvia and the nurse were surprised.


    Sherry widened her eyes in disbelief and denied her answer. ¡°Impossible.¡±


    She had taken birth control pills every time John had sex with her, so it was impossible for her to be pregnant.


    Sylvia wore a worried expression. She then put Flint in Liam¡®s care and said, ¡°Liam, Issy, take care of Flint and Aunt Sherry. I''ll


    go get a queue number. Be right back.¡±


    The two of them nodded obediently.


    Sylvia went back into the hospital to get a queue number for consultation , leaving Sherry together with the kids. Sherry puckered


    her lips and remained quiet.


    An hourter, the doctor from gynecology came back with the report.


    Appearing as pale as a sheet of paper, Sherry was seated on the chair with Sylvia and the kids beside her.


    The doctor said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, you are six weeks pregnant. You should rest more, eat less oily things, and don''t


    smoke or drink. Remember toe back for regr check


    ¡ªups.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sherry remained quiet throughout the consultation.


    Sylvia nodded and answered on her friend¡®s behalf,¡° Thank you, doctor.¡± She then brought Sherry out of the doctor''s room.


    Sherry sulked in silence with her head lowered as soon as she walked out of the room.


    Sylvia asked in a small voice, ¡°Sherry, the baby...¡±


    ¡°Syl, please give me some space.¡± ¡°Okay. Let''s go back first.¡±


    They left the hospital and took a half an hour''s ride to a house in the suburbs. Despite being in the suburbs, the environment was


    great because of the convenience of traffic and amodatingmercial streets.


    Sylvia had bought the house for Aunt Tonya when she decided to retire in the future, so it was under Aunt Tonya¡®s name. No


    matter how influential or resourceful John was, it was impossible for him to locate them here.


    The house was not very big, but it was well-equipped with daily necessities. It was more than enough for Sherry to live on her


    own.


    Sherry copsed on the couch as soon as she entered and did not speak a word.


    Sylvia told Aunt Tonya to bring the kids back first so that she could stay back to apany her friend. Isabel insisted on staying,


    so Aunt Tonya took the boys home.


    They stayed untilte at night.


    While Sylvia was still arranging her words to discuss the matter with Sherry, Isabel jumped onto the couch and sat down with her


    arms crossed. She said to Sherry, ¡°Aunt Sherry, you''re a beautiful woman, so your baby is going to be adorable.¡±


    Sherry, who has been brooding the entire day, finally looked up at the girl. Isabel stared at her with her big googly eyes and


    adorable lips. ¡°If you can''t afford to take care of the baby after you give birth, don''t worry. My mommy can take care of it.¡± Sylvia


    was rendered speechless by her daughter''s words.


    Sherry chuckled. She asked, ¡°What if the baby isn''t as beautiful as you?¡±

 Chapter 1260

    Chapter 1260


    Chapter 1260 ¡°No way!¡± Isabel said with a pouty expression. ¡°Mommy and you are beautiful. That''s why my brothers and | are all


    cuties.¡± Her chubby face had confidence smeared all over it.


    Sylvia could not help but chuckle at the girl''sment.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°You''re right, but your daddy is¡ª¡±


    Asudden thought rushed into her mind before she could finish the sentence, hence leaving it unfinished. In terms of looks, Odell


    was the perfect specimen , but John was also a handsome man.


    Sherry tightened her lips after a sigh. She smiled and said, ¡°Okay, I''ll listen to my little Issy and give birth to this little baby.¡±


    Isabel smiled delightfully, her eyes curving into crescents. ¡°Yay! I''m going to have another sibling!¡±


    The little girl''s delightful smile cheered Sherry up. She held the girl''s chubby cheeks and kissed her repeatedly.


    Sylvia smiled and also sighed a breath of relief. Abortion was harmful to a woman¡®s body, and Sherry was extremely weaktely


    due to all that had happened. Since the baby wasing in a few months, Sherry would have one of her own to be by her side


    to fight the loneliness.


    The mother and daughter apanied her for the night.


    The next day, Sherry felt better, physically and mentally.


    Sylvia left Ben and Aunt Wanda in the house to take care of Sherry while she returned home with Isabel.


    Peaceful days went by swiftly.


    John would visit once every weekend, but Sylvia and Odell were still cautious about him. Sherry, on the other hand, never


    walked out of the house.


    Three monthster, maybe John¡®s persistence had finally faded or maybe the multiple visits to the Carters¡¯ always ended up


    fruitless, so he suddenly stoppeding.


    Just when Sylvia thought things finally settled down, John came back two months after that.


    Fortunately, having a resourceful husband allowed her to catch wind of John¡®s arrival. She immediately brought the kids back


    from Sherry¡®s ce and weed him with the coldest expression.


    John came with his signature smile and a lot of presents for the kids and Madam Carter. He insisted on staying for the night


    again.


    After dinner, Sylvia told the kids to go upstairs. Flint could already walk, so with the help of his siblings, he made his way up the


    stairs. Sebastian and Aunt Tonya left


    the living room, leaving the couple and John alone.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    However, John had no intention of leaving. He nced at the dark sky outside the window and asked, ¡°Master and Mrs. Carter,


    it''s been six months. Can you tell me where Sherry is already?¡±


    Sylvia frowned. His frequent visits annoyed her, but her resentment for him had faded over time. She could tell that he really


    wanted Sherry back.


    However, Sherry had made it clear that she wanted to cut ties with the man, so she answered on behalf of her friend, ¡°We don''t


    know where she is.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Please , Mrs. Carter , you definitely know where she is. Is it because she doesn''t want to see me?¡±


    ¡°Why ask the obvious?¡± Sylvia retorted.


    ¡°| want to see her. Don''t worry. If she doesn''t want to follow me back, | won''t force her, or maybe | can just have a peek at her


    from afar.¡± John looked at the couple with the most sincere gaze.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and turned to Odell for help.


    John seemed sincere, but there was no guarantee that it was not an act.


    Odell held Sylvia¡®s hand under the table and said to John, ¡°Master Stockton, to be honest, Ms. Fowler already left Westchester


    two months ago. She asionally calls


    Sylvia but doesn''t reveal her whereabouts.¡±

 Chapter 1261

    Chapter 1261


    Chapter 1261


    Odell wore a calm expression on his handsome face. He looked at John brazenly without a hint of avoidance.


    Sylvia was slightly caught off guard. If she had not known better, she would have fallen for Odell¡¯s act.


    John¡¯s sincerity faded upon hearing his words but only for a moment. He wore his signature smile again and said, ¡°She does


    love traveling, but | believe Mrs. Carter is her best friend, and as far as | know, she will be back soon. If you have any news


    about her, please do let me know. Otherwise, it¡¯s starting to get annoying and awkward for me to keep bothering you two.¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Alright. If we have anything about her, we''ll let you know firsthand.¡±


    Sylvia feigned a smile. She was certain that John was lying when he said he just wanted to see Sherry from afar. What an actor!


    What needed to be said had been said. Therefore, John nodded and got up to the guest room before Sylvia and Odell returned


    to their room.


    After closing the bedroom door, Sylvia was thinking about whether to inform Sherry about John¡¯s visit, but a sudden thought


    stopped her from texting.


    town


    With John away for two months, Sherry¡¯s condition had gotten better than before. If she learned of John¡¯s arrival, it might make


    her worry again.


    Suddenly, a soft touchnded on her head, followed by the man¡¯s charming voice echoing in her ears. ¡°What are you thinking


    about?¡±


    Odell sat down beside her.


    Sylvia leaned on his chest. ¡°I was thinking whether | should tell Sherry about John¡¯s arrival.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm...¡± He stayed quiet for a while. ¡°What are your honest thoughts?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t want to tell her. I''m concerned that she might feel bad.¡±


    ¡°Then, don¡¯t tell her,¡± the man said in his gentle voice.


    She looked up at his gentle gaze and smiled. ¡°Odell, since when did you be so deferent?¡±


    Odell raised his brow and narrowed his eyes dangerously. He pinched her chin with one hand and said, ¡°What did you say? |


    didn¡¯t get it the first time. Tell me again.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Sylvia would have definitely backed away in the early days, but now, she was not afraid of him anymore. She raised a brow and


    her volume at him. ¡°I said, since when did you be so deferent?¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Very well. You¡¯ve grown.¡±


    Sylvia hummed confidently as a reply.


    In the next second, her lips were sealed. Before she could react, she was forced onto the bed with him on top of her.


    The quiet bedroom was then filled with endless rustling.


    When the bedroom finally quietened down, Sylvia was allowed to catch a breath. She said, ¡°Odell, the window is open. Go shut


    (


    Before she could finish the sentence, Odell got on top of her again. He ravaged her with his lips and whispered, Sylvia, you¡¯re


    gotten more audacioustely. Is it because | am too lenient with you?¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡±


    He chuckled and whispered into her ear, ¡°You''d better find a way to make it up to me, or don¡¯t think about walking tomorrow.¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless.


    The chilly night breeze entered through the window and carried the passionate heat out of the room.


    Meanwhile, in the guest room diagonally below the master bedroom, John was standing by the window with his eyes nkly


    glued to the night sky. The sudden noise above him put a smirk on his face. He closed the window and went back inside.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1262

    Chapter 1262


    Chapter 1262


    Three months went by in the blink of an eye.


    John would visit once every week. Sylvia was deeply annoyed at first, but as time went by, she was able topletely ignore the


    man.


    Flint was the only exception because he seemed to like the man. He would jump into John¡¯s arms whenever he came by.


    In fact, the little boy would scuttle out of the door when he heard John¡¯s car at the gate. The moment he saw John, he would


    gurgle, ¡°Uncle, Uncle...¡±


    John squatted down and carried the little guy into his arms so that Flint nuzzled against his cheek. John pinched the little guy¡¯s


    cheek with a smile as he walked inside.


    The driver followed him inside with a load of presents. He walked to Sylvia and smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, good afternoon.¡±


    Sylvia responded with a cold re and nothing else. She tapped Isabel and Liam¡¯s shoulders, signaling them to greet him


    instead.


    Liam said, ¡°Hello, Uncle John.¡±


    Isabel scoffed and reluctantly greeted him. ¡°Uncle John.¡±


    John patted their heads. ¡°Hello, little ones.¡± He then carried Flint into the living room. It was as though he returned to his own


    house.


    Sylvia went inside with her kids as well.


    Odell was drinking tea in the living room. John greeted him and then sat down on the couch next to him.


    Sylvia took the kids further away and yed with their remote¡ªcontrolled car.


    Flint turned around and noticed his mother and siblings having fun with the toy. He crawled out of John¡¯s arm and waddled over


    to the group.


    ¡°Mommy...¡± He asked to be coddled as soon as he reached his mother¡¯s side.


    Sylvia carried him into her arms with a smile. As she guided his hands around the remote control, they started a little race with


    Isabel and Liam.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The little guy had no idea how to y, simply pressing the buttons and making the car flip over in a few seconds, but it put a wide


    smile on his face. The boy giggled endlessly even when his own car flipped or his sibling¡¯s car turned over.


    In the second round, Flint knocked over his sister¡¯s car at the start of the race.


    ¡°Hehehe...¡±


    Isabel pouted and red at the little guy.


    In response, Flint widened his googly eyes and tried to look adorable and pitiful.


    Her grumpy expression faded instantly. ¡°Hmph! I''ll let you go this time. If you knock my car over again, I''ll knock yours over!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe...¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips and turned around to her brother. ¡± Liam, again! This round doesn¡¯t count!¡±


    However, Liam ignored her.


    The naughty Isabel quickly snatched the remote control from Liam¡¯s hand, causing the car to run out of the tracks.


    Isabel grinned mischievously with her eyes curved, and so did Flint. Liam pursed his lips helplessly.


    Sylvia could not help but smile at their adorable


    interaction.


    On the other side, Odell and John turned around when they heard the peals ofughter.


    Odell smiled at Sylvia and the kids.


    John stared at Flint who was a treasure to him. He also watched Liam and Isabel¡¯s adorable interaction, and his gaze softened.


    He looked rather jealous when he asked, ¡± Master Carter, | bet your daily life is always lively like this


    with the kids around.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1263

    Chapter 1263


    ¡°Life is simple and good with a good wife and kids. It''s simple and lively.¡± Odell raised his brows, expressing his satisfaction and


    gratitude for the life he currently had.


    John smiled. ¡°I envy you.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°Everyone has their own life, and maybe | am destined to be happy in this life with thepany of my family.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    Ding!


    The ringtone of a phone suddenly chimed, and the two of them turned to Sylvia together.


    After she pulled the phone out from her pocket and saw the caller ID, she unconsciously looked toward Odell and John. Odell¡¯s


    gaze shifted, while John caught the little interaction and narrowed his eyes.


    Sylvia answered the call while holding Flint with one hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Aunt Wanda?¡±


    Aunt Wanda said something on the phone that made her knit her brows together and a nervous expression settled on her face.


    However, Sylvia swiftly suppressed her nervousness


    when she sensed John¡¯s keen gaze. She feigned a calm tone and said, ¡°Go over with Ben first, and don¡¯t worry. I''m caught up


    with something now, but I''ll try to get over there as soon as possible.¡±


    The call ended.


    Sylvia did not look at Odell or John but continued to y with the kids as if nothing happened.


    ¡°Is there anything that requires your attention, Mrs. Carter?¡± John asked.


    Sylvia answered coldly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing important.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Who''s Aunt Wanda? I¡¯ve visited so many times, but | haven¡¯t even seen her once.¡± He looked at Odell, hoping for


    an answer.


    Odell remained calm as he sipped on his tea. He did not answer John¡¯s question.


    Annoyed, Sylvia argued, ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    John kept his smile. ¡°I¡¯m just curious, nothing else.¡±


    Sylvia red at him and decided to ignore him.


    John put the question aside and continued drinking tea with Odell. At the same time, the kids continued ying with their remote


    control cars.


    Sylvia was watching Flint y, but her brows remained tightly furrowed. She seemed to be bothered by the call


    she just received.


    When the sky finally turned dark, Flint exhausted all his energy and fell asleep.


    Sylvia put Flint in Liam¡¯s care and said to Isabel, ¡°Issy, Mommy is going to Aunt Wanda¡¯s ce. Do you want toe along?¡±


    Liam''s eyes flickered upon hearing his mother. He held his sleeping brother tightly.


    Isabel tacitly understood what her mother was trying to imply. She nodded and said, ¡°Yeah, I''lle along.¡± She put the remote


    control down and got up.


    Sylvia held her hand and walked to Odell. ¡°I got Aunt Wanda to buy me some paint for painting, but she couldn¡¯t handle it alone.


    I''ll go have a look. Don¡¯t wait for me and Isabel for dinner. We might bete.¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡°,


    Sylvia and Isabel headed out immediately and hastened their steps once outside the door.


    John watched them leave and asked, ¡°What kind of paint is Mrs. Carter buying that requires that many pairs of hands to carry?¡±


    Odell answered calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Stuff that she uses for painting, | guess.¡±


    John had another nce at Sylvia and Isabel leaving the


    house. He took his phone out and texted, ¡°Sylvia is out with the girl. Follow them and stay low.¡±


    ¡°Who are you texting, Master Stockton?¡±


    John¡¯s gaze shifted. He smiled at Odell and said, ¡°My assistant about some work stuff.¡±


    Odell nodded.


    Half a minuteter, Odell took his phone out and texted Sylvia, ¡°John might have sent someone to follow you, so be careful.¡±


    ¡°Who are you texting, Master Carter?¡±


    Odell looked at him and replied, ¡°My assistant about some work stuff.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1264

    Chapter 1264


    As John smiled, Odell calmly locked eyes with him. 1N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    The tense situation onlysted for a few seconds before they indulged in their own cups of tea.


    Sylvia got into the car and was on the way out of the Carters¡® residence.


    Aunt Wanda had informed her earlier that Sherry¡¯s water just broke, so they should already be at the hospital, ready to deliver.


    As the nervousness upied her thoughts, she missed the text from Odell.


    When the car drove past a set of traffic lights, and they were only ten minutes away from the hospital, Sylvia''s phone rang. It was


    Aunt Wanda.


    She answered the phone immediately. ¡°Aunt Wanda, how''re things?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Fowler is in the delivery room, and she¡¯s been wanting to see you. The doctors also urge her family to be here. Are you on


    your way?¡±


    Sylvia answered, ¡°I¡¯m almost at the hospital. Tell her to hold on, and I''ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I''ll convey the message.¡±


    Right when Sylvia hung up the phone, she suddenly saw the text from Odell. A quick nce at the contentter, her gaze shifted,


    and she nervously looked into the rearview mirror.


    She spotted a silver MPV and a couple of cars behind them, and they seemed to have followed them since they left the house.


    She clearly remembered that the MPV was John¡¯s car from earlier.


    Her gaze turned cold. ¡°Jacob, the silver MPV behind us is John¡¯s. Can you lose it?¡±


    Jacob nced into the mirror. ¡°I can, but | might have to take a detour.¡±


    A uick hesitationter, she said, ¡°Take it.¡±


    She could not afford to let John find out about Sherry¡¯s location, let alone the fact that she was carrying his baby.


    Jacob nodded and made a U-turn after the traffic light.


    The silver MPV did not expect Jacob to turn the car around. They tried to catch up with him, but when they finally got out of


    traffic, Jacob had already driven the car onto the otherne.


    Jacob drove fast and shook John¡¯s men off in just two turns.


    Ten minutester, the car finally arrived at the hospital,


    where Sherry was admitted.


    Sherry carried Isabel out of the car and went to the counter. Several minutester, they arrived at the delivery room with Aunt


    Wanda and Ben pacing anxiously at the entrance. 1


    They came up to her immediately, and Aunt Wanda said, ¡± Madam, you¡¯re finally here! Hurry up and go inside!¡±


    Sylvia nodded and brought Isabel into the delivery room.


    Sherry was on the delivery bed, panting in pain. The excruciating agony took over her mind, preventing her from thinking


    properly.


    The abdominal pain piled up over the minutes. She gasped in pain and tears started to trifle down her cheeks. How could it hurt


    so much?


    She shut her eyes and clenched her teeth as tight as possible.


    There were two delivery beds in the room, and on the other one was another mother waiting to deliver. Unlike her own lonely


    situation, the other woman had her husband and her own mother by her side.


    As the pain hit, the mother started to sob.


    Her husband consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After they give you the epidural, you will be fine. Just bite the bullet and we''ll go through


    this together. This is the first and thest. We don¡¯t need another baby, and I¡¯ll buy you


    whatever you want after this! Okay?!¡±


    The man sounded like he was trying to console a child.


    The older woman assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here with you too. I¡¯ve been through this once, and | know how it feels. I¡¯m not going


    anywhere!¡±

 Chapter 1265

    Chapter 1265


    Chapter 1265 The mother cried louder and harder, even begging to stop the delivery process. However, her husband and mother


    continued to soothe her with sweet and calming words.


    The man and the elderlydy wereforting another woman , yet Sherry felt like those words were for her. It soothed her


    anxiety and pain, but it did not stop her tears from pouring out.


    Matthew and Janine¡¯¡®s faces shed in her mind for some reason. She believed that her parents were more worried about


    Shannon being in prison than her giving birth. Even if they knew she was pregnant, they would only call her a shameless


    woman.


    The contractions continued to torment her.


    She took a deep breath and ced her hand on her belly. She could feel the babying out, but the contractions seemed to be


    a little more violent than what other pregnant women went through.


    Could the baby know the father was not around, hence it was throwing a tantrum during delivery?


    Tears continued to stream out of her eyes.


    Sherry started to run out of breath as the pain almost knocked her out cold.


    ¡°Sherry!¡± ¡°Aunt Sherry! Mommy and | are here!¡± When the familiar voices entered her ears, she opened her eyes and saw Sylvia


    and Isabel running towards her. Her eyes got even foggier with tears, and she started to cry a river. She pursed her lips and


    called her friend, ¡°Syl


    Sylvia went over to the bed and held her hand. ¡°Sherry, I''m sorry we''rete!¡±


    Sherry continued to cry. ¡°It hurts...¡± Sylvia wiped the neverending tears off her cheeks and consoled her, ¡°I know, | know it hurts.


    Just hang in there. You will feel better after they give you the painkillers.¡±


    Isabel watched with her big googly eyes by the bed. Her fists were tightly clenched as she tried to cheer Sherry up, ¡°Aunt Sherry,


    you''re the best! You can do it!¡±


    Sherry forced a bitter smile on her face. ¡°Alright, I''ll do my best.¡±


    The moment her words subsided, pain tormented her once more. She instinctively screamed for mercy.


    Sylvia continued to soothe her, while Isabel watched nervously by the side.


    The torment only ended when the doctor came in and gave Sherry some painkillers. She was moments away


    from the actual delivery.


    ¡°Aunt Sherry, remember! You are the best! Go get''em!¡± Isabel gave Sherry a big thumbs-up.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Don''t worry, we''ll wait for you here!¡±


    Sherry¡®s eyes teared up once more. She curled her lips and answered, ¡°See you in a bit.¡±


    At the Carters¡¯ residence, the phone suddenly rang.


    Ding!


    John quickly nced at Odell. ¡°Excuse me, Master Carter, | must take this.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Odell nodded. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    John then answered the phone.


    The driver that had been assigned to follow Sylvia said in a small voice, ¡°Sir, Mrs. Carter seems to have noticed us, and we lost


    them at the traffic light.¡±


    John looked at Odell. ¡°| see. Come back first.¡±


    The driver sighed a breath of relief as there was no obvious rage in John¡¯s tone. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    John put the phone down and smiled at Odell. ¡°Master Carter, your wife and kid aren''t going out for art materials, am | right?¡±


    Odell looked at him coldly. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°She went to see Sherry, didn''t she?¡± John frowned and wore a cold


    expression.


    ¡°| have no idea what you are talking about,¡± Odell answered.


    ¡°Master Carter, aside from our decent working rtionship, | have been visiting your house frequently the past nine months, and


    | think it''s safe to consider that we are friends.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and nodded.


    John wore a sincere smile. ¡°Have your wife and kid gone to see Sherry?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1266

    Chapter 1266


    Chapter 1266


    Odell lifted the cup and took a sip of tea without a word.


    John frowned intently and asked, ¡°Has something happened to Sherry?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Odell said without any change in his


    expression


    John''s eyes gleamed with iciness for a brief instant. He remarked with a soft chuckle, ¡°Master Carter, | believe there are many


    more opportunities for us to work together in the future. You, of all people, should know that since you are a sessful


    businessman just like me.¡±


    Odell remained silent.


    John adjusted his approach and stated, ¡°I''m not going to force you to tell me where Sherry is. All | want to know is how she''s


    doing currently, and if something bad has happened to her. Could you tell me that at least?¡±


    Odell peered into his eyes, ¡°She''s fine. Nothing''s going to happen to her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± John asked with a marked squint, ¡°Then, why did Mrs. Carter look so frantic when she rushed out back then?¡±


    ¡°This is all | can tell you.¡± Odell set down the cup of tea with the same disinterested look on his expression, ¡°I


    can''t tell you any more than that.¡±


    The only reason he even bothered to give John some glimpse of information was due to his recognition of John¡¯s persistent


    efforts over thest nine months.


    John thanked him with a smile, ¡°Alright, thanks for the information.¡±


    In the hospital, shortly past midnight, the rhythmic wail of a baby echoed across the delivery room. The door that had been shut


    for a long time opened atst.


    In the corridor, Sylvia handed Isabel, who had fallen asleep in her arms, over to the nurse before approaching the delivery room.


    Sherry and her newborn baby were being carefully carted out.


    Sylvia approached the bed and smiled at Sherry.


    Sherry returned a smile that was tired but filled with joy.¡° Come on, Sylvia. Take my daughter.¡±


    Sylvia quickly took the little girl in her arms.


    The babe was tiny, and her face was still wrinkled, typical of a newborn¡®s. Still, her skin was bright and rosy, and her features


    suggested that she would grow into a beauty just like her mother.


    After she took a good look at the baby, she smiled and


    turned to Sherry. ¡°She looks just like you, especially her eyebrows and nose.¡±


    Sherryughed. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and went into the ward alongside Sherry and her new baby. Sherry fell asleep shortly after that, and Sylvia ced


    her daughter by her side.


    Isabel was taken into the ward to join them shortly after that, and the nurse put her on the couch.


    Sylvia sat next to Isabel and reached for her phone.


    Odell had texted her half an hour ago.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Sylvia jovially sent a text to Odell: ¡°She just gave birth to a beautiful daughter, and both of them are doing well. She needs


    someone to stay by her side, so | won''t be going home with Isabel tonight.¡±


    Having given birth twice, she knew what childbirth was like. She understood that Sherry must be feeling especially frail currently


    and that she needed someone by her side.


    After she sent the text, Odell replied shortly after, ¡°Okay, do you need me to get you anything?¡±


    Sylvia answered, ¡°No need. They''ve prepared everything we need. Just go get some rest.¡± Odell replied, ¡°Got it.¡± She set her


    phone aside and promptly fell asleep on the


    reclining chair next to the bed.


    The next day, Sylvia was awakened by a deafening cry. She woke up to Sherry busy attending to her baby.


    Isabel had woken up at some point before her and was trying to help her aunt take care of the baby.


    Sylvia shot them a look. Why were they talking to the baby as if a newborn child could understand what they were saying?


    She stepped forward and gently took the baby into her arms. She informed Sherry, ¡°She''s hungry. She needs to be fed.¡±


    Sherry stammered, ¡°Uh... Okay.¡±


    She turned to Sylvia and Isabel and said apprehensively, ¡°. I''ll breastfeed her myself. Why don''t you two go and get breakfast?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1267

    Chapter 1267


    Chapter 1267 ¡°Sure.¡± Sylvia handed the baby to her with a smile, then she took Isabel with her and left.


    After they left, Sherry lifted her shirt and put the baby to her body. The baby stopped crying after that. Sherry beheld the baby''s


    pink and rosy cheeks and how satisfied she looked. Instantly, she smiled tenderly at the beautiful sight.


    Sylvia and Isabel stayed there until past noon. She was going to stay here for two more days, but Sherry insisted on her hiding


    again. She said that the obstetric nurses could take care of her well enough.


    With that, Sylvia left with Isabel, deciding that she woulde to visit Sherry again the next morning.


    After half an hour''s drive, the car swerved into a familiar district and parked in front of the house. Sylvia and Isabel stepped out of


    the car and walked into the house hand in hand.


    To her surprise, John was still there.


    The pair of father and son, Odell and Liam, were both reading in the living room. John was sitting on the other side of the living


    room with Flint in his arms, ying


    with the toddler. When Sylvia and Isabel walked in, he turned to them and greeted them with a smile. 1


    Sylvia immediately fixed an upset look on her face. Isabel also scoffed at the sight of the unwee guest.


    John smiled and asked casually, ¡°Mrs. Carter, what kind of paint were you shopping for that it took you an entire day to find?¡±


    Sylvia was caught off guard...


    John stole a look behind the pair and asked curiously,¡± Where''s the paint? Couldn''t you find it?¡± Sylvia shot him a look. ¡°Master


    Stockton, shouldn¡®t you be heading back?¡±.


    John nced at his watch. ¡°Well, | do suppose it is time to go back.¡± With that, he rose with Flint in his arms.


    Flint stretched his chubby arms in the direction of his mother.


    John handed Flint to her before bidding farewell to Sylvia and Odell. ¡°Master Carter, Mrs. Carter, | apologize for intruding for the


    past two days. I''ll be heading home now.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him. Odell turned to Sebastian to say, ¡°Sebastian , please see Master Stockton out for us.¡±


    With that, Sebastian nodded and walked John out.


    After making sure that John had left the property, Sylvia went to Odell with Flint in her arms. ¡°Why did he stick around till sote


    today? Was he waiting for me toe back before leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he must have known that you went to see Sherryst night.¡±


    ¡°But that''s no reason for him to wait for us to return before leaving.¡±


    ¡°You were in a hurry when you leftst night, so he was worried that meant something had happened to Sherry. After seeing the


    two of you return without any signs of nervousness or fidgeting, he figured that was a sign that everything was fine with Sherry


    and finally decided that he could leave in peace.¡±


    Sylvia seemed mildly surprised by this deduction and had nothing more to say after that.


    Isabel, who was listening to their conversation, remarked with an exasperated sigh, ¡°Adult rtionships are soplicated.¡±


    With that, she leaned against her brother''s shoulder, took out a tablet, and continued watehing her favorite drama.


    Meanwhile, in a silver car that was speeding down the highway, John was seated by himself in the backseat. He took his phone


    out and dialed a number.


    The call was quickly connected, and he promptly asked without any greeting, ¡°Is everything ready?¡°


    It was Peter''s voice that answered him, ¡°Just as you have instructed, | have men posted on the junction Mrs. Carter passed by


    last night. If she passes by the same section again, my men will follow her and see where she goes.¡±


    John reflected for a moment then said, ¡°Sherry must be somewhere in that area. Have you men scout the area, go to the hotels


    and residential areas, and see if there is any sign of her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, right away.¡±


    John then hung up. He looked at the view outside the window, a deep and introspective look surfaced behind the lens of his


    sses. It had been almost nine months.


    ¡®Sherry, where have you been hiding?*


    Had she never thought of him this entire time? Did she not miss him at all?


    Next Chapter


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1268

    Chapter 1268


    Chapter 1268 It was obvious that John had not given up on Sherry. From that day onward, Sylvia always made sure to instruct


    Jacob to take another route every time she went to Sherry. She took special care to avoid heading down the route where she


    saw John¡®s menst time.


    The days passed by without trouble.


    Eventually, Sherry was discharged from the hospital and went to a confinement center near the hospital.


    One particr morning, Sylvia took a car to the confinement center as usual. However, the traffic was significantly worse today


    since there was a newly opened shopping mall in the area. There were a lot of cars on the road and traffic was heavy.


    They were only two hundred meters away from the confinement center, and traffic was at a standstill.


    After waiting more than ten minutes without moving even an inch, she lost her patience and decided that it would be easier to get


    out of the car and walk to the confinement center. She stepped out of the car with a set of new clothes she had bought for


    Sherry¡®s baby in tow.


    Meanwhile, there were several men dressed casually and walking along the roadside. From time to time, they


    would nce at the heavily congested road.


    It was now nearing the tail end of the summer, and fall would be soon approaching. Despite that, the weather was still rather hot


    and dry. They began to sweat after only a short walk.


    One of them wiped away the sweat pooled on his forehead and remarked, ¡°We''ve been patrolling this area for more than twenty


    days by this point, and we''ve gone to every single hotel and residential area without finding any signs of Miss Sherry. Hell, we


    haven''t even seen anyone who remotely resembles her. This area must be a dead end.¡±


    ¡°It''s Master Stockton¡®s direct orders, so who are we to oppose him? Just do the job you''re paid to do.¡± ¡°But what if we never find


    her? Will Master Stockton me us for not doing our job well?¡±


    ¡°Let''s do our best... Huh? Isn¡®t that Mrs. Carter?¡±


    One of the men spotted a familiar figure from the corner of his eye and immediately brought everyone''s attention to a person on


    the sidewalk. Two of his partners quickly pulled him around a corner on the street where they could safely spy on the said person


    without drawing attention. After observing the figure for a while, a smile began to form on their faces.


    ¡°It is Mrs. Carter, | recognize her. Let''s follow her.¡±


    ¡°Be careful. Don''t let her see us.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    With that, they began their mission and tailed Sylvia until they reached the confinement center.


    Downtown nchester, in Stockton Tower, an important board of directors meeting was underway.


    Seated at the head of the conference table was John in a tailored suit. He sat in a princely manner and was toying around with a


    pen in one hand while listening to the reports ryed to him by the members of the senior management team.


    Suddenly , Peter stepped into the conference room and quickly approached him. He bent down and carefully whispered in his


    ear, ¡°Sir, there''s news from Westchester.


    ck!


    The pen John was toying with fell on the table. The directors who were in the middle of their presentation paused and looked at


    him.


    John straightened his expression and informed them with a swift smile, ¡°There¡®s something | need to deal with.


    The meeting is postponed, and we will pick up where we left off after |e back.¡± With that, he rose and left without any further


    discussion.


    Peter followed him closely and promptly informed him after they stepped out of the conference room, ¡°This morning, the men that


    | appointed to locate Mrs. Sherry at Westchester happened to spot Mrs. Carter walking down the city center. They figured that


    she must have decided to travel on foot to avoid having to sit through the hectic traffic. They carefully followed her until she


    entered a confinement center.¡±


    Aconfinement center?


    Something shed in John¡®s eyes, and he urged Peter to continue, ¡°And then?¡±


    Peter ryed ordingly, ¡°The confinement center has very strict security protocols, so our men could not get inside. They


    waited outside until past noon when they finally saw Mrs. Carter emerge. They said that she was carrying arge bag that


    seemed to contain clothes when she entered, but by the time she left the ce, her hands were empty. | think it is safe to deduct


    that she went in to pay someone a visit and to drop off some gifts.¡±


    She went to a confinement center to see someone?


    The only time someone would go to the confinement center to visit someone was if thetter was a mother who had just given


    birth.


    John thought about it intently. He remembered the scene roughly twenty days ago when Sylvia had received a call and suddenly


    left the house in a hurry, only to return the day after. A sharp look appeared in his eyes. He immediately beelined for the elevator


    while giving orders to Peter who was following him, ¡°Tell them to keep an eye on the confinement center. | will be right there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± A thought suddenly urred to Peter, and he cautiously informed John, ¡°But, sir, the meeting...¡± ¡°The meeting is


    canceled. We''ll decide when | get back.¡±

 Chapter 1269

    Chapter 1269


    Chapter 1269 ¡°Understood.¡±


    Several dayster, in the confinement center at Westchester, it was slightly past noon, the perfect time for a nap.


    Sherry had just fed Caprice and then taken a quick nap with her.


    For some reason, she suddenly woke with fright after a very brief nap, and she found herself drenched in sweat when she woke.


    She sat up and anxiously looked at her daughter, Caprice.


    The adorable girl was sleeping soundly, her eyes zipped into two lines, and she seemed perfectly at peace.


    Sherry breathed a sigh of relief and gently took Caprice into her arms.


    The postpartum nurse, who was tasked by Sylvia to look after Sherry, noticed this and quickly approached Sherry and asked in


    concern, ¡°Miss Sherry, is everything okay? Did you have a nightmare?¡±


    ¡°No, | don''t know what that was about either. Maybe | just had too much to eat today,¡± Sherry remarked with a smile and told the


    nurse, ¡°Why don''t you go get some


    rest as well? I''ll take care of Caprice myself.¡± ¡°Alright, just call me if you need anything at all.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The nurse went to the couch and quickly got some shuteye.


    The room was quiet.


    Sherry looked at her daughter who was still sleeping soundly in her arms and felt a great sense of relief andfort overtake


    her. Despite that, she felt her heartbeat thumping furiously against her chest. There was still a deep sense of uneasiness


    somewhere within her.


    After a while, she got out of bed with Caprice in her arms and approached the window. The windows ran from the floor to the


    ceiling and were sealed tightly. The ward was located on the sixth floor of the confinement center. It was in a very ideal location,


    facing the main street which offered a panoramic view over the city. The new shopping mall that opened very recently was in full


    view as well.


    The streets were crowded with people and there was a lot of traffic. Everything looked about the same as usual.


    She wagered that hormone instability was the cause behind this strange agitation boiling inside her. As she


    sighed, Caprice suddenly began rustling about in her arms.


    Meanwhile, inside a hotel that was directly across the road from the confinement center, there was a particr room on the


    eighth floor of the hotel that was aligned nearly perpendicr to the room in which sherry stayed.


    Atall man was perched next to the window with a telescope held tightly in his hands. The binocrs offered a clear view of


    Sherry despite the great distance separating the man and his subject. He was able to see Sherry standing in front of the window


    with the baby in her arms.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The binocrs shook in his trembling arms. After a while, a smile slowly formed on his lips.


    ¡°Sherry, you sure took a long time for me to find.¡±


    So, she had given birth to his daughter after hiding from him for so long


    Two dayster, on Saturday, judging by his usual pattern, John should arrive anytime now.


    Sylvia and Odell had been at home all day with the children until evening had rolled around, and yet there was no sign of their


    guest.


    Sylvia muttered, ¡°Is heing or not?¡±


    ¡°| think he hasn¡¯t given up on looking for Sherry,¡± Odell said.


    ¡°Then, why hasn¡®t hee here yet? Do you think he was held up by some important business on his side?¡±


    ¡°Could be.¡±


    Sylvia stated, ¡°I''ll go check up on Sherry then. She¡®s going to check out of the confinement center tomorrow, so | should keep her


    company.¡± She rose as she said that.


    IL


    Odell suddenly grabbed her arm and asked, ¡°Are youing back tonight?¡±

 Chapter 1270

    Chapter 1270


    Chapter 1270 ¡°Probably not. Look after the kids and make sure they sleep early. You should sleep early as well.¡±


    Odell pulled a face and stayed silent.


    Sylvia bent over and nted a kiss on his lips, then she asked, ¡°Did you hear me?¡±


    He smiled softly. ¡°I got it. Don''t worry.¡±


    She then exchanged a few words with the children before heading out.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    She had only just left the house when Odell turned to the children andmanded sternly, ¡°Go back to your room.


    Isabel pouted andined , ¡°It''s only eight o¡®clock!¡±


    It was nowhere near bedtime yet.


    Odell approached her and effortlessly picked her up in one hand, then he carried Flint, who was rolling around on the floor. At


    last, he turned to Liam and asked in an authoritative voice, ¡°Liam?¡± Liam closed the book he was reading. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, all three children were escorted into their room.


    After shutting the door, he instructed Aunt Tonya, ¡°Aunt Tonya, | have something | need to deal with, so I''ll leave the children to


    you.¡±


    Aunt Tonya smiled. ¡°Alright, got it. I''ll take good care of them.¡±


    Odell nodded, then he grabbed his coat and headed out.


    There was an important event going on at thepany tonight. He had originally informed his staff that he was not attending


    because he wanted to spend time with Sylvia and the children at home since it was the weekend. Now that Sylvia had left, he


    figured there was no point staying at home by himself, so he might as well go to the event and mingle around.


    The night was quiet.


    There was not much traffic on the way to the confinement center, and it only took less than half an hour for Sylvia to arrive. The


    car was parked right outside the entrance to the center. Just as she got out of the car and was about to head inside, her phone


    suddenly rang. Aunt Tonya¡®s anxious voice rang across the phone,¡± Sylvia, this is bad, Madam Carter is missing!¡±


    Ovee by shock, Sylvia quickly asked, ¡°When did she


    go missing?¡±


    Aunt Tonya answered frantically, ¡°I have no idea either. | think she went out by herself shortly after you and Odell left.¡±


    Sylvia frowned upon hearing this. ¡°Why did Odell leave?¡± ¡°He mentioned he had something to attend to and left. Sebastian is


    already looking for Madam Carter with some of the guards, but there¡®s no sign of her yet. Her legs are frail and her mind is not


    exactly well either. What if something bad happens to her?¡± Tonya grew more anxious with every word she spoke. ¡°Calm down,


    Aunt Tonya, I''ll be right back,¡± Sylvia said and got back into the car. The car immediately sped down the highway and went back


    to where it came from.


    Meanwhile, there was a shadow lurking a short distance from the confinement center.


    It was John who was pressed against the wall and sneakily spying on the car that was quickly elerating in the opposite


    direction.


    Next to him, Peter asked in a voice filled equally with concern and perplexion, ¡°Why did Mrs. Carter leave in such a hurry after


    only just arriving?¡± ¡°Maybe something came up at home.¡± John was just as puzzled by this strange behavior. He was just about


    to march up to her to confront her and make her bring him


    to see Sherry.


    Peter asked again, ¡°Sir, what should we do now?¡±


    John nced at the confinement center. At the entrance were two security guards with devices that would immediately alert the


    police at just one click of a button.


    Since it was nighttime, there must be more security guards inside , thus trying to force his way inside was a reckless and suicidal


    idea.


    After a long silence, he decided , ¡°Keep an eye out. We''ll decide our next move when the sunes up.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Meanwhile, in Sherry¡®s ward in the confinement center, she had just fed Caprice when the phone rang.

 Chapter 1271

    Chapter 1271


    Chapter 1271 Sherry carefully bnced Caprice in one arm and dug her phone out with her free hand.


    It was a message from Sylvia that read: ¡°Sherry, Grandma is missing and nobody knows where she is. | don''t think I''ll be able to


    pick you up tomorrow morning. Could you go back with Aunt Wanda and Ben? Call me if you have anything.¡±


    Sherry frowned upon reading this and sent a reply: ¡°Hey Syl, don''t worry about me. Grandma is more important. I''ll take care of


    myself.¡±


    There was no reply from Sylvia after that. She must be wholly upied with trying to find Madam Carter.


    Sherry set her phone aside with a worried look on her face.


    Madam Carter was in her twilight years and on top of her frail legs, she was also suffering from dementia. She prayed that


    nothing bad would befall upon the olddy.


    She sat on the bed and looked at the night sky outside . She could not fall asleep.


    Caprice would wake up every two or three hours and ask to be fed so Sherry barely got any rest all night. Soon, it was dawn.


    When the sun came up, she quickly called Sylvia.


    The call was connected after only several rings. Sherry asked urgently, ¡°Hey Syl, any updates?¡± Sylvia answered, ¡°We just found


    her.¡± There were a lot of background noises muddled with Sylvia¡®s noise. It would appear that she was somewhere outside.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sherry enquired further, ¡°Is she all right?¡±


    ¡°She''s fine. I''lle to find you after | send her back home. Don''t leave by yourself just yet, wait for me to get there.¡±


    Sherry breathed a sigh of relief and quickly reassured Sylvia. ¡°No, that''s alright. You barely got any sleepst night, so you


    should go home and have a good rest.¡± Sylvia ignored her advice and promptly hung up after that.


    Sherry smiled weakly and set her phone down.


    Today was the day she would finally leave the confinement center.


    It had been several days since shest took a shower or washed her hair, but she still had to perform onest postpartum


    checkup.


    After she had breakfast, she handed over Caprice to the care of Aunt Wanda. With that taken care of, she took a shower and


    followed the nurses to a ward where they performed a series of routine checkups on her.


    An hourter, at the entrance of the confinement center.


    Agroup of men in in clothes approached the entrance. The two security guards posted by the entrance noticed something


    suspicious and went to stop them, but they were swiftly pushed out of the way.


    T


    Upon sensing their aggression, the receptionist at the front desk asked in a voice colored with fear, ¡°Who are you guys? What


    are you doing?¡±


    LT


    She promptly put her hands over the emergency button that would issue a notice to the local police department. She was ready


    to call for help at any given moment. ¡°I wouldn''¡®t click that button if | were you unless you want this ce to get shut down.¡± Peter


    emerged from behind the group and addressed the receptionist sharply. The receptionist was visibly intimidated and stammered,


    ¡°We... There are certain protocols you have to follow, outsiders aren''t allowed without the explicit permission of the patients.¡±


    Peter remarked with a smile, ¡°Don''t worry, we''re just here to pick someone up. We don''t want to cause trouble.¡±


    With that, he ced a check on the counter.


    The receptionist waspletely baffled when she read


    the sheer sum of money written on the check. Still, she was very apprehensive of these unwee guests, fearing that they


    would cause trouble. ¡°Who are you guys here for?¡± Peter mentioned with a quick smile, ¡°Ady named Sherry Fowler and her


    baby.¡±


    The receptionist jumped and asked, ¡°Are you the father of Mrs. Sherry¡¯s baby?¡±


    ¡°Not me,¡± Peter said and backed away.


    Immediately after that, a tall figure with a stout presence approached from behind the group.


    The man was wearing a white shirt and slim-fitting trousers. The gold-framed sses were iconic and covered the dark gleam


    in his eyes. He announced his identity with a proud smirk, ¡°I''m the father of the child.¡±


    The receptionist had never seen such a handsome man in person. She immediately blushed. It was as if her agitation from her


    encounter with Peter and his men had turned to nothingness . She greeted John with a smile,¡± Good to see you, sir.¡±


    ¡°There¡®s been some problems between us and she went and delivered the baby here to avoid having to see me. I''m here to pick


    her up and apologize to her,¡± John exined with a quick smile, and then asked, ¡°Which room is she in?¡±


    The receptionist''s eyes had turned heart-shaped by this point. She answered in the most polite tone she could muster, ¡°She''s on


    the sixth floor, room 606.¡±

 Chapter 1272

    Chapter 1272


    Chapter 1272 ¡°Thank you.¡± John stepped toward the elevator after briskly thanking the receptionist.


    Peter and a crew of bodyguards immediately followed after him.


    The elevator door opened and John went inside. It took him to the sixth floor.


    Meanwhile , inside a medical ward located on the second floor of the building where Sherry was having her postpartum checkup.


    The doctors had just finished up and she was preparing to leave when a young nurse ran into the ward.


    She was here to gossip. ¡°I heard them mentioning that there was this man that looked like a supermodel who had juste


    here. He had a whole group of men with him and mentioned something abouting here to pick up his wife who had a bit of a


    fallout with him. He¡®s super handsome and charismatic. They said that he threw a ten million dor check on the receptionist''s


    table!


    ¡°Oh my god, you''re kidding!¡±


    Agroup of young nurses flocked together to gossip about the mysterious man.


    Even the medical staff and some of the other patients present in the ward joined in on the gossip.


    ¡°What does he look like? Like a celebrity on TV?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Isabelle at the front desk said that she had never seen such a handsome man in her entire life. He was wearing a white


    shirt and a pair of slim¡ªfit trousers. He also had a pair of striking gold-framed sses on. His skin is fair like an angel''s and his


    features look like something straight out of a painting. She said that he was nothing like anything she had ever seen before.¡±


    ¡°Wow, where is he? | want to see him!¡±


    ¡°| want to see him as well!¡±


    ¡°| think he went to the sixth floor. Let''s go to the lobby. He should be heading back down any moment now.¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure.¡±


    With that, they all rushed outside in a hurry. Sherry hid behind the door, visibly shaking and had turned pale. White shirt, ck


    trousers, and gold¡ªframed sses, and a mysterious man who had a group of followers tailing him everywhere he went.


    Who else could it be apart from John?!


    Ding: The elevator stopped on the sixth floor.


    The doors opened swiftly, and they were greeted by a bright corridor.


    The man leading the charge straightened his cor and took arge step forward as he was smiling.


    Room 606 was just down the corridor on the right side.


    He arrived at the entrance in just several strides and stopped in front of the door.


    Peter immediately stepped forward and knocked on the door several times.


    Shortly after, they heard footstepsing from inside.


    John could feel his hands trembling with excitement. He fixed his gaze intently on the door that was slowly being nudged open.


    Creak.


    The door was opened from the inside and the person that greeted them was a young man dressed casually.


    John squinted.


    ¡°Master Stockton?¡± Ben cried out, the surprise in his voice was impossible to miss. His immediate thought


    after that was to close the door and bar the unexpected visitors from entering. Peter lunged forward and threw the door open.


    Several bodyguards charged into the room and dissuaded any further resistance from Ben.


    Ben turned pale and retreated a step back.


    John smiled stoically and stepped into the room as if he owned the ce. The room was basked in sunlight. He swept a nce


    around the room and asked, ¡°Where¡®s Sherry?¡±


    Ben stared at him warily and remained silent.


    Right at that moment, the door to the bathroom opened, and out came Aunt Wanda with Caprice who had just changed into a


    fresh set of diapers. ¡°Ben, what''s the matter? Who is it¡ª?¡± She had barely finished her sentence when she noticed the


    unexpected group of men nking her on all sides. They cast a predatory look on the child in her arms. 1 Her eyes shed with


    alertness and she held onto Caprice tightly in response. John¡®s eyes gleamed as well. He could even feel his body stiffening


    involuntarily. He strutted toward Aunt Wanda at once.


    Aunt Wanda retreated warily.


    She only managed to retreat several steps backward when the bodyguards stepped forward and stopped her. There was


    nowhere to run.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Aunt Wanda held the child protectively and asked sharply, ¡°Who are you people? What do you want?¡±

 Chapter 1273

    Chapter 1273


    John approached Aunt Wanda and stopped right in front of her. He looked at the baby that was sleeping soundly in her arms,


    and a soft look surfaced in his eyes.


    He turned to Aunt Wanda and smiled politely. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re Wanda?¡±


    Aunt Wanda was startled by this. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°¡¯m John, the father of this child.¡±


    Aunt Wanda was bbergasted by this revtion.


    She turned to Ben as if to seek confirmation.


    Ben nodded at her from a distance as he could not get close to her.


    Aunt Wanda frowned. ¡°You... What are you doing here? This child belongs to Miss Sherry. She gave birth to her and you don¡¯t


    have any right to take her away.¡±


    John chuckled mockingly. ¡°As if she¡¯d ever exist if not for


    me.¡±


    Aunt Wanda grimaced and continued clutching onto the baby tightly.


    John motioned. ¡°Aunt Wanda, please hand her over.¡±


    Aunt Wanda refused to budge.


    Several bodyguards began to approach her.


    Aunt Wanda was shivering with fright by this point as she shouted and protested, ¡°This is Miss Sherry¡¯s child, don¡¯t even think


    about it!¡±


    John remarked with a calm smile, ¡°They won¡¯t be rough with her. Just hand me the baby peacefully and | promise you that


    nothing will happen to her.¡±


    Aunt Wanda eyed him suspiciously and adamantly held onto Caprice.


    John remarked in a slightly threatening voice, ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want them to wake her up either.¡±


    Aunt Wanda felt her voice caught in her throat.


    Even if she refused to hand her over, these men would take her away by force, one way or another.


    Caprice was a baby, frail and weak. If anything were to happen to her amid the struggle...


    With that in mind, she heaved a long sigh and reluctantly handed Caprice over.


    John carefully took the baby.


    He felt the tender, soft skin of his daughter. There was now a measured gentleness in his gesture as if he was handling a


    priceless jewel. It seemed to him that the slightest force would disrupt the baby from her sleep.


    Slowly and carefully, he took her in his arms and pressed her against his chest.


    He gazed at her chubby little face. He felt a warm and fuzzy feeling swelling inside him.


    This was his daughter, the daughter of John Stockton.


    He was a father.


    Her cheeks were rosy and fleshy, she was just as cute, if not more so than Odell¡¯s children.


    He smiled with pride, then turned to ask Aunt Wanda. ¡± Where''s Sherry right now?¡±


    Aunt Wanda¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    John turned to Ben again.


    Ben answered crossly, ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    John made a look and proceeded to sit on the edge of the bed with Caprice in his arms. He noticed a paper pasted on the wall


    with something written on it.


    The name of the mother and baby was written on the sign. The mother was Sherry Fowler and the baby was Caprice Fowler.


    A deep look appeared in his eyes, then he shot a look at Peter. ¡°Find her.¡±


    Peter nodded and marched outside immediately.


    He stumbled into a nurse as soon as he stepped out of the


    room.


    He quickly enquired, ¡°Hi, could | know where Sherry Fowler is? She¡¯s the mother residing inside this ward.¡®


    >>


    The nurse answered dutifully, ¡°Miss Sherry should be in the middle of her postpartum inspection, it¡¯s located on the second


    floor.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Peter turned to look at John.


    John was hunched over and looking at his daughter dotingly. He ordered them without averting his eyes from his daughter,


    ¡°Bring two men with you and find her.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Peter immediately summoned two bodyguards to go with him.


    The room immediately fell silent after that.


    The two remaining bodyguards were vigntly standing guard a short distance away from John.


    Ben and Aunt Wanda stood together awkwardly. She was warily staring at John. Meanwhile, Ben sneakily reached for his phone


    and sent a text message to someone.


    After about ten minutes, Peter returned.


    He went straight to John with a frown zipped across his brows. He informed him in a hushed voice, ¡°Sir, we checked all the


    rooms on the second floor but found no signs of Miss Sherry. The nurses mentioned that she was


    there minutes ago but suddenly disappeared. They don¡¯t know where she could''ve gone.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1274

    Chapter 1274


    John frowned upon hearing this and quicklymanded, ¡°Dispatch more men, seal every single exit in the building, and search


    every room until you find her.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    The woman must have gone into hiding after she found out that he was here.


    However, he had their daughter, and he knew that she would not abandon her daughter and run off on her own.


    Two hours passed.


    Peter and his men had searched through every nook and cranny of the confinement center. The only thing they had not done by


    this point was to dig through the very foundations of the building. Still, there were no signs of their target.


    Peter returned and carefully whispered in John¡¯s ears, Sir, we searched every corner of the ce but we couldn''t find Miss


    Sherry anywhere, also...¡±


    ((


    John coddled his daughter in his arms with a sh of ice inside his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Peter gulped and informed, ¡°We noticed that the emergency exit at the back of the confinement center was left


    open even though it should be closed most of the time. We suspect that Miss Sherry has escaped the


    building.¡±


    John frowned with a terrible look on his face.


    She ran?


    She ran away!


    What about her daughter?


    He shot up from his seat.


    The suddenness of his action must have awoken the sleeping baby. She was wide awake now but bawling at the top of her


    voice.


    A soft look immediately overtook John¡¯s eyes as he looked at Caprice affectionately.


    She was pouting and crying at the top of her voice.


    Aunt Wanda promptly stepped up and stated, ¡°She must be hungry, she needs milk.¡±


    John red at Peter impatiently and roared, ¡°Find her immediately!¡±


    ¡°Wahh!!!¡± Caprice cried even louder.


    John grimaced.


    Peter nodded wryly and slowly shuffled toward the door.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Peter turned back to look at John warily.


    John was very irritated by this point but found himself strangely soothed when he looked at Caprice.


    He took a deep breath and said, ¡°I''ll go down with you.¡± He proceeded to head toward the door with Caprice in his


    arms.


    Aunt Wanda and Ben quickly followed after him upon seeing this.


    The elevator took them to the ground floor.


    The group stepped out of the elevator and entered the lobby of the confinement center.


    Caprice was still bawling her eyes out because she was hungry and needed milk. She cried incessantly and it seemed she would


    never stop until her hunger was appeased.


    When John reached the entrance to the building, he silently gazed at Caprice¡¯s beet-red cheeks and frowned.


    Peter and several bodyguards stood quietly next to him.


    The staff members and the nurses could tell from one look that he was not in a good mood and knew better than to approach


    him.


    Aunt Wanda and Ben could not figure out what was on his mind either, and they looked at Caprice with stark


    concern.


    Caprice¡¯s heart-wrenching cries were the only voice echoing through the building.


    Meanwhile, behind a thick pir only roughly ten meters away from the entrance of the confinement center.


    Sherry was hiding behind the pir and cautiously peeking into the building.


    Caprice¡¯s cries reached her ears even from this distance. It stung her to hear her child crying like this. She felt as if her heart was


    stabbed by a knife!


    She clenched her hands tightly, tears flowed uncontrobly from her eyes.


    She was this close to charging into the building to rescue her darling daughter.


    The only thing that stopped her from doing so was the shbacks of the grueling year she spent locked up inside John¡¯s house


    and her time in the staff dormitory. These oppressive and haunting memories surfaced from the back of her mind out of


    nowhere.


    If shemitted to such a reckless move, not only would she fail to get Caprice back, but she would also be thrown back into


    that torturous chamber.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1275

    Chapter 1275


    She was not going back to that life where the only reason for her existence was to be a tool for John to vent his emotions!


    She no longer wanted to have anything to do with this man!


    She clenched her hands tightly and dug her nails into her flesh.


    After a while, she took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. She readied herself and made a run for it.


    She was still wearing the gown provided by the confinement center. The moment she bolted out from behind the pir, she heard


    someone crying out from inside the confinement center in a voice colored with shock, ¡°That looks like Miss Sherry!¡±


    Everyone turned to look.


    John immediately shoved Caprice who was still crying into the arms of Aunt Wanda. Then, he threw the ss door open and


    chased after Sherry.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    His figure zoomed in the direction Sherry ran toward like a sh of lightning.


    He was rapidly shortening the distance between the two of them.


    He was only several meters away from catching up to her. It seemed a matter of seconds before he would seize her by the cor


    but at that crucial moment, he heard a sharp honk ring from beside him.


    Acar suddenly swerved in out of nowhere and came in between himself and Sherry.


    He grimaced and had toe to a stop to avoid being run


    over.


    Only now did he realize that the chase had taken them to a busy intersection. The pedestrian light had turned red and countless


    cars were elerating across the intersection without the slightest intention of stopping for him.


    In a matter of seconds, Sherry had bolted to the opposite end of the intersection.


    He balled his fist and roared, evoking a primal rage from the depths of his existence. ¡°Sherry!¡±


    Sherry, who was on the opposite side of the intersection, froze as she looked back at him.


    John stood and stared at her, a raging current of cars separated the two of them like a raging river at high tide.


    Despite the distance between the two of them, she could recognize his appearance at just one nce. She also detected the


    burning rage seething within him.


    His demeanor was aplete departure from his usual calm and collected self.


    She felt her legs trembling underneath her when she saw him in this state.


    However, these emotions were quickly suppressed by a burst of anger. The thought of the injustice he had brought upon her


    immediately wiped away the veryst trace of fear inside her.


    She took a deep breath and straightened herself up. She turned around and continued walking down the road.


    ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t you want your daughter?¡± John¡¯s voice could be heard clearly despite the traffic.


    Sherry stopped, gnashed her teeth, and continued pressing forward.


    She heard his voice again. ¡°Sherry! If you stop right now, | promise you that I¡¯ll forgive the debt you owe me!¡±


    Sherry grimaced and continued her advance. She was not going to stop for him.


    In the blink of an eye, she vanished from John¡¯s sight.


    John frowned. As soon as he saw the long-awaited green light, he charged across the intersection.


    It was toote.


    By the time he reached the other side, there was no sign


    of Sherry anywhere. How was he supposed to know which path she had taken?


    He froze like a pir in the middle of the street, his eyes began to turn red underneath the gold¡ªframed spectacles.


    How could she walk away even after he promised to forget about everything that happened between them?


    How could she abandon her daughter? 2


    Was she... Was she so determined to get away from him? 1


    While John was at the confinement center, Sylvia and Odell were in a neighborhood near the academy.


    Somehow, Madam Carter had managed to stumble here after leaving the housest night. It was pure luck that a youngdy


    saw her and kept her safe.


    Since there was no way for thedy to get any useful information from Madam Carter concerning her rtives, she let the old


    lady sleep at her ce to keep her safe. After that, she made a police report.


    Sylvia and Odell only learned about Madam Carter¡¯s whereabouts after the police matched the profile description of the olddy


    and got in touch with them.


    The good Samaritan lived in a rather aged apartment, but her ce was rtively clean.


    Her name was Shermaine. She was in her early twenties.


    She had long weaving dark hair and fair skin to match. Even without makeup, her features were delicate and pleasant to look at.


    Another distinctive part of her was the way she smelled of paint. The moment she opened the door, Sylvia felt an odd sense of


    familiarity with the youngdy.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1276

    Chapter 1276


    Sylvia stepped in front of Odell and greeted the youngdy with a polite smile, ¡°Hi there, is your name Shermaine Cole by any


    chance?¡± 1


    Shermaine eyed the two visitors with a curious and intimidating look. She was a very reserved person and was not used to


    meeting strangers. The fact that Odell looked like a supermodel seen on television made her more flustered than usual. Her


    cheeks glowed red as she turned to Sylvia. ¡°Yeah, are you here for the olddy?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Yes, this is her grandson and I¡¯m her granddaughter¡ªinw.¡±


    ¡°She just woke up,e on in.¡±


    Shermaine opened the door and weed them inside.


    She led Sylvia and Odell into a cozy bedroom.


    The silver-haired olddy was sitting on the edge of the bed with a dazed look on her face.


    Sylvia was relieved to see her. She was just about to step forward when Madam Carter suddenly tugged at


    Shermaine and asked, ¡°Syl, what time is it? Is Odell


    coming back?¡±


    Sylvia froze.


    Odell was simrly taken aback by this.


    Shermaine hurriedly exined to her, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m not Sylvia. My name is Shermaine. Your family is here to pick you up.¡±


    She gestured at Sylvia and Odell as she said this.


    The olddy looked at the direction Shermaine pointed at.


    Sylvia greeted her with a warm smile and spoke to her tenderly, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s me, Sylvia. I¡¯m here to pick you up with Odell.¡±


    Madam Carter quickly smiled. ¡°Sylvia? Odell? What brought the two of you here?¡±


    She turned to Shermaine immediately after that with a perplexed look on her face and expressed, ¡°Huh? Why is there another


    Sylvia here? Why are there two of you?¡±


    Sylvia did not know what to say.


    She darted a look at Shermaine.


    Upon closer inspection, she realized that she and Shermaine shared simr features. 1


    However, it would not exactly be urate to say that they could pass as twins.


    Madam Carter must have only gotten this impression because she was old and her eyes were slowly failing her.


    Sylvia walked up to her with a smile and held a hand out.¡±


    Grandma, her name is Shermaine. She¡¯s the one who took you inst night. I¡¯m Sylvia.¡±


    The olddy seemed to finally understand and muttered, ¡±


    Oh".


    Sylvia added, ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s go home. Liam, Isabel, and Flint are all waiting for you.¡±


    Upon hearing the names of her three darling


    grandchildren, she lit up with a smile and promptly stood up. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go home. Home it is.¡±


    Sylvia held her hands and walked outside.


    As she approached Odell, she gave him a look to signal for him to help her resolve things here.


    Odell nodded with an understanding look.


    With that, Sylvia led Madam Carter out of the apartment.


    Odell went to the living room and turned to Shermaine. ¡± Miss Cole, I''d like to thank you for helping my grandmother.¡±


    He turned to look at Cliff who was with them.


    Cliff immediately extracted a check signed for twenty million dors and handed it to Shermaine.


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes widened into two giant balls as she was awestruck by this vast sum.


    Odell added, ¡°Miss Cole, this is a gesture of appreciation,


    please take it. Feel free to let me know if you need anything else.¡±


    Shermaine snapped back to her senses. Not only did she refuse to ept the check, she also stumbled several steps backward


    away from it as if it oozed lethal toxic fumes.


    She waved her hands from side to side and expressed, No, that¡¯s too much money, | can¡¯t possibly take it! | just happened to see


    the olddy on the way home after work and was worried about her so | took her home with me. It¡¯s no trouble at all for me so


    please, there¡¯s no need for this at all!¡±


    ¡°|


    Cliff was slightly startled by this. Who would turn down such a life-changing amount of money? He turned to look at Odell to


    seek advice on how to proceed.


    Odell was just as surprised.


    Not only did the young girl¡¯s appearance resemble Sylvia, but she even shared the same demeanor and personality as her.


    Still, she certainly deserved something in return for her kind gesture in helping Madam Carter in her time of need.

 Chapter 1277

    Chapter 1277


    Chapter 1277 After a brief silence, Odell asked, ¡°Is the money too little for you?¡± Shermaine hastily exined , ¡°No, I''ve never


    seen this much money in my entire life! It''s just that | simply don''t need the money.¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Cliff was still hovering the check over her eyes.


    Shermaine sighed and said, ¡°If you want to show appreciation, why don¡¯t you set me up with a job? I... I''m not satisfied with my


    current job, but | don''t have the connections to find a better job.¡±


    Cliff turned to Odell. ¡°Master Carter?¡±


    ¡°Make the proper arrangements,¡± Odell ordered and left without another word.


    Cliff smiled and turned to Shermaine. ¡°You''re an artist, aren''t you? The madam is part of the Westchester Art Academy and is a


    renowned painter. She has plenty of connections and I¡¯m sure she can find a suitable position for you.¡±


    Shermaine smiled. ¡°Drawing is just a passion for me. My profession is in administration . |...I''d like to find a new administrative


    position with growth potential. | want to


    stop working for a smallpany.¡±


    Cliff''s eyes glowed up. ¡°That will be easy.¡±


    He extracted a business card from his pocket as he said this and handed it to her, ¡°This is my business card. Why don''t you give


    me your phone number as well? I''ll check with the department at ourpany first thing tomorrow morning. I''m sure we''ll be


    able to arrange something suitable for someone of your skillset.¡±


    Shermaine took the business card and her eyes widened upon reading it. She expressed with awe, ¡°You''re the personal


    assistant of the CEO of Carter Corporation? That means that the gentleman earlier is...¡±


    Cliff smiled and remarked, ¡°He''s the man behind Carter Corporation.¡±


    Shermaine was floored by this revtion.


    Cliff briefly exchanged some information with her before bidding her farewell. After he left, Shermaine took the business card and


    walked to the balcony.


    She could see several expensive cars parked in the parking lot of her apartmentplex.


    Sylvia and Odell were apanying the previous olddy into one of the cars.


    Shermaine smiled as she looked at their tiny figures


    below. She rubbed his fingers over the word ¡°president¡±. printed on the business card and muttered to herself, ¡° Aunt Ruth, he¡¯s


    even more handsome than what you''ve described to me.¡± 4


    Ack car elerated down the highway. Sylvia was seated in the backseat with Madam Carter. After getting in the car, Madam


    Carter chatted about the children for a while and fell asleep shortly after that.


    Now that Madam Carter was safe and sound, Sylvia could finally heave a sigh of relief. She took her phone and sent a message


    to Sherry.


    That was when she saw several unread messages.


    They were all from Ben.


    ¡°Ma¡®am, Master Stockton barged into the confinement center and took away Miss Sherry¡®s daughter. ¡°It looks like Miss Sherry


    managed to slip away. They searched the entire confinement center and still couldn''t find her.


    ¡°We just saw Miss Sherry outside the building. Master Stockton went after her but he came back sometime after with a very dark


    look on his face. It looks like he couldn''t catch up to her. They took away her daughter after that and it seems like they''re headed


    toward you and Master


    Carter.¡±


    Thest unread message was sent only a few minutes ago.


    Sylvia called him immediately.


    The call was connected at the first ring. Sylvia bypassed any form of greetings and went straight to the point.¡± Ben, what''s the


    current situation? You said John took Caprice from the confinement center?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡®am. He also took Aunt Wanda with him. | believe he¡¯sing to see you now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, | got it.¡±


    Sylvia quickly hung up and dialed Sherry¡®s number next.


    The call would not connect. Her phone must have been switched off.


    Sylvia grimaced and sent her a text message instead.¡° Sherry, call me immediately after you see this message.¡±


    Sherry¡®s daughter was taken away and she was too powerless to do anything to rescue her daughter. She must be feeling


    horrible now. Sylvia took a deep breath and put her phone away.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1278

    Chapter 1278


    Chapter 1278 Just as Ben predicted, John hade for Sylvia and Odell.


    He was already parked outside their house and stepped out of his car with Caprice as soon as he saw Odell and Sylvia¡®s car


    arriving at the entrance. Sylvia asked Aunt Tonya and Sebastian to help Madam Carter into the house. Then she stepped toward


    John and confronted him.


    Caprice was sound asleep in his arms.


    Sylvia immediately demanded, ¡°Give me the baby.¡±


    John smiled and said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, don''t you think there¡®s something twisted about you demanding my child from me?¡±


    Sylvia looked at him icily. ¡°She¡®s Sherry¡®s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Sherry¡®s and mine.¡± John corrected her with a mocking smile.


    Sylvia frowned and resisted the urge to cast a re at him.


    An idea suddenly came to her. She decidedly informed John, ¡°I''m trying to get in touch with Sherry as well. I''ll tell her toe


    here once she responds to my messages. It''s hot out here, you shoulde inside with Caprice.¡±


    The house was her domain. Once John was there, he


    would be at her mercy. That way, she could strip Caprice


    away from his hands without any fear of resistance. After that, she would kick him out of the house and return Caprice to her


    mother.


    John smirked and saw through her ploys. ¡°No, | specifically took my daughter here to bid farewell to you


    two.¡±


    He turned to Odell. as he said this.


    Odell approached Sylvia and cast a nce at Caprice. He did not utter a word.


    Sylvia strained a smile and asked, ¡°Why are you leaving in such a hurry? Caprice is only a month old and has never left her


    mother''s side this entire time. You can''t take care of her by yourself. She needs her mother to care for her as well.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Carter, | understand your concerns. How about this? You can entrust Wanda to me. I''ve spoken to her on the way here and


    I''m more than willing to provide her the proper amodation and pay,¡± John stated with a smile, ¡°But she said that she¡®d only


    leave with your blessings.¡± Sylvia grimaced. Aunt Wanda stood a distance behind John with a conflicted expression.


    She was the one who had been taking care of Sherry


    during the entire course of her pregnancy.


    Sylvia understood how conflicted Aunt Wanda must be feeling. On one hand, it would be a great relief to have her care for


    Caprice. Besides, she did not doubt that John would treat Aunt Wanda fairly.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    On the other hand, she could not simply let John take away Caprice like this.


    She hesitated in giving a response.


    John pressed her. ¡°Mrs. Carter, would you let Wandae to nchester with me to take care of my daughter?¡±


    Sylvia red at him, then turned to Aunt Wanda. ¡°Aunt Wanda, please keep in touch with me while you''re in nchester.¡±


    Aunt Wanda understood what Sylvia was trying to tell her and immediately reassured her. ¡°I understand , ma¡®am. I''ll be sure to


    keep you updated on how Caprice is doing.¡±


    Having closed the deal, John concluded with a smile.¡° Thank you very much, Mrs. Carter.¡±


    With that, he turned around with Caprice in his arms.


    After only taking two steps, he suddenly came to a halt and remarked candidly, ¡°By the way, if you ever see Sherry, please tell


    her that I''ll give her another week to reconsider her position. If shees back to nchester and returns to my side, I''ll write


    off all the past debts she


    owed me. If she doesn''te back, she can say goodbye to her daughter.¡±


    There was a certain sharpness in his voice as he said this. After delivering these terms, he stepped into the car.


    Aunt Wanda bid a hurried farewell to Sylvia and Odell before entering the car.


    Shortly after that, the car swerved out of the house and was out of sight.


    Sylvia frowned and spoke in a dejected voice, ¡°How did he know that she was in the confinement center?¡± 1


    Odell took her hand andforted her, ¡°What''s done is done, let''s go inside first.¡±


    They''ve done their best to help Sherry. What happened next was entirely in the hands of Sherry and John.


    Sylvia frowned sadly and walked inside with Odell.


    Once inside, she took her phone and called Sherry.


    Her number was still inessible.


    Sylvia considered for a moment, then she sent a text message to Sherry detailing everything John had just told her.


    She would have to make a decision herself once she read the message.

 Chapter 1279

    Chapter 1279


    Several dayster.


    nchester, Stockton¡®s vi.


    After returning from Westchester, John had been cooped up at home with his daughter and never once left the house.


    The child alternated between eating and sleeping. Every few hours she would wake up and cry for milk, even if it was in the


    middle of the night.


    Even though he had employed Aunt Wanda, he took special care to hire additional certified matron nurses to take turns caring for


    Caprice. Most of the time, he would keep Caprice by his side so long as he was not busy.


    This afternoon, he had to deal with an important situation at work.


    He stayed inside the study for two hours.


    As soon as he emerged from the study, he was greeted by the sound of Caprice crying again. He knew that this meant she was


    hungry. He quickened his footsteps and arrived at the living room in no time. The baby was lying in a cot in the living room,


    surrounded by Madam Stockton , Aunt Wanda, Queenie,


    and Julie.


    Aunt Wanda held a bottle of milk to her lips. She only continued crying and refused to drink from the bottle.


    This only made Madam Stockton distressed and anxious as she asked in a worried voice, ¡°Little baby, aren''t you hungry? Why


    won''t you drink your milk? Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    John frowned and immediately walked toward the cot, and swiftly took her into his arms.


    Caprice stopped crying in an instant. She was still pouting with tears pooled in her eyes but she had stopped bawling.


    She only stared nkly at John.


    John smiled at her, then he took the bottle from Aunt Wanda¡®s hand and let Caprice drink from it.


    Caprice suckled on the bottle and drank away.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Madam Stockton heaved a sigh of relief and expressed, ¡°| thought something was wrong with her, turns out she was just missing


    you.¡±


    John smiled and looked down at his adorable daughter as he wore a look of uncharacteristic warmth.


    The situation had been dealt with.


    Madam Stockton approached John and looked at her


    granddaughter.


    Queenie approached as well and gazed at Caprice¡®s chubby cheeks. She could not resist the urge to gently poke at her cheeks.


    John cast her a hostile re.


    Madam Stockton seemed upset as well. ¡°Why are you poking her in the face?¡±


    Queenie was just as bothered by their reaction and expressed, ¡°I just wanted to touch her because she looked cute.¡±


    ¡°You didn''t have to poke her.¡±


    ¡°It was just a gentle poke.¡± Madam Stockton red at her again.


    Queenie wanted to say something but decided against it.


    Caprice waspletely oblivious to the conversation going on around her. It was important to note that her name had been


    changed from Caprice Fowler to Caprice Stockton.


    Her jet ck pupils spun around wildly as she looked at the adults. She was still stubbornly chewing on the bottle.


    Her adorable behavior melted the hearts of Madam Stockton and Queenie.


    Madam Stockton eximed joyously, ¡°Oh, | think the baby recognizes us now.¡±


    Queenie smiled just as tenderly and spoke to Caprice,¡± Hey little Caprice, I''m your aunt, that''s a-u¡ªn-t.¡±


    Madam Stockton gave her a sideways look. ¡°She¡®s just over a month old, it''s too early for her to speak yet.¡±


    Queenie made a look. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Aunt Wanda and the others were highly amused by this interaction and had a goodugh.


    John wore a smile on his face amid all of it as well.


    He thought that he would like Caprice¡¯s first word to be daddy.


    After a while, Caprice began to get tired and fell asleep.


    John continued to coddle her in his arms for a while longer before putting her into the cot.

 Chapter 1280

    Chapter 1280


    Chapter 1280


    Coincidentally, the phone in his pocket rang as soon as he put down Caprice.


    He pried the phone out of his pocket and a look of irritation immediately shed across his eyebrows as soon as he saw who


    was calling. He picked up and asked without any form of formal greeting, ¡°Is it not taken care of yet?¡±


    It was Peter calling. He answered anxiously and cautiously , ¡°Sir, I''m afraid you''ll have toe over in person to deal with the


    situation.¡±


    ¡°Alright, tell them to get everything ready. I''ll be there right away.¡± He hung up and turned to Caprice who was now soundly


    asleep. Madam Stockton read his mood and quickly put his concerns at ease. ¡°John, go ahead. We''ll take care of Caprice over


    here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Brother, | can help out too,¡± Queenie chimed in.


    John looked at them.


    Julie spoke up as well, ¡°There¡®s nothing to worry about. Even if we don¡®t have that much experience with childcare , there are so


    many of us here that you can be sure Caprice will never be left unattended. Besides, Aunt


    Wanda knows what to do.¡±


    John considered for a moment, then he turned to Aunt Wanda and informed her decisively, ¡°Wanda, please pack everything you


    need immediately. You''re going to the office with me and Caprice.¡±


    Aunt Wanda was taken aback by the suddenness of this decision. She quickly collected herself and answered," Alright, I''m on


    it.¡±


    John proceeded to carry Caprice into his arms.


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie were collectively baffled by this decision.


    Madam Stockton stammered, ¡°John, you... Are you taking Caprice to work with you?¡±


    ¡°Well, that way | can work without worrying about her since she''s by my side.¡±


    Madam Stockton tried to persuade him. ¡°But don''t you have to work? You''ll get distracted with her in the office with you.¡±


    John ignored her advice and headed outside with Caprice in his arms.


    Aunt Wanda had just finished packing everything inside a backpack. She hurriedly followed John outside.


    Madam Stockton followed them to the door and could only watch helplessly as John went inside the car and


    drove off.


    Queenie followed after her and muttered discreetly, ¡°I think Brother is being overprotective. There are so many of us here, how


    could something bad ever happen to Caprice?¡±


    ¡°It''s his only child. It''s normal for him to be overprotective.¡±


    Madam Stockton was simrly dumbstruck by John¡®s behavior. Though she had to admit she was not fond of the child''s mother,


    she was still enamored with the child at first sight. She wondered how spoiled the child would grow up to be if John would not let


    her leave his side even if he was working. ¡°Let''s go, forget about him.¡± Madam Stockton sighed and went inside the house.


    Queenie followed her.


    Julie was thest to follow. She stole onest nce at the car that was on the horizon. She clenched her fist, her eyes were


    filled with equal parts rage and jealousy.


    That wretched woman must have been born under a lucky star. Not only did she manage to escape with her life, but she even


    got to give birth to a daughter!


    It did not matter.


    So long as she never returned, Julie still had a im to being thedy of the household.


    Sooner orter, she would find a way to get John to divert his focus to her!


    Stockton Corporation Headquarters.


    By the time everything was settled , it was already past midnight.


    Aunt Wanda had fallen asleep on the sofa.


    Caprice was sleeping soundly as well.


    John gently brushed her cheeks. He gazed quietly at her face for a long time as if deep in thought, then he turned to look at the


    view of the city at nighttime. It had been four days.


    There was still no sign of her.


    Was she truly noting back to him?


    Did Sylvia not ry the message to her at all?


    Three dayster, Westchester.


    The weather was not ideal. It had been trickling non-stop from the morning until evening.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

 Chapter 1281

    Chapter 1281


    Sylvia stayed at home as she had done the past few days, apanying Madam Carter with Flint and listening to her reminisce


    about the old days.


    Odell also came back early and sat nearby with a book. No one knew if he was reading or eavesdropping on their chat.


    When the sky turned dark, Madam Carter said she was tired and went straight to sleep.


    Sylvia tucked the energetic Flint into her arms and pushed Madam Carter into her room. After putting the old woman to bed with


    the help of the maid, Sylvia came out.


    It was when she passed by the window that she saw John walking in through the gate. A bodyguard held an umbre beside


    him. John was dressed in casual clothes and held Caprice in his arms. He looked very different from his usual business ¡ª like


    attire of a white shirt and ck pants.


    At first nce, he looked like a gentle father.


    Sylvia was startled, then quickly stepped to the living room door. ¡°What are you doing here again?¡±


    As she spoke, her eyes also looked toward Caprice in


    John¡¯s arms. The little girl''s face was still pink and cute, and she stared at Sylvia with wide, defined eyes. With her blur


    expression and her good behavior, she was absolutely adorable.


    John walked in with Caprice in his arms and said with a smile, ¡°It''s been a week, and I''ve missed Master and Mrs. Carter, so I''ve


    brought my little Caprice Stockton here for a visit.¡±


    His Caprice Stockton? Sylvia¡®s lips twitched downward. Enduring her anger, she reached her hands toward him. ¡°I miss Caprice


    after not seeing her for a week too. Could you let me hold her, Master Stockton?¡±


    John smiled and handed Caprice to her.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Unexpectedly, the moment Sylvia''s hand touched Caprice, the baby¡¯s lips trembled, and she burst into tears with a loud wail.


    Sylvia quickly retracted her hand, and John took Caprice


    back.


    The little girl immediately stopped crying when she was in her father''s arms.


    John smiled at Sylvia. ¡°Sorry. My girl is shy with strangers.¡±


    Struck speechless, Sylvia red at him and went into the living room.


    Flint most likely heard Caprice¡®s cry. When Sylvia came in, he was trying hard to get down from Odell''s arms. However, he was


    no match for Odell who held his little foot in an iron grip, so he could only hang upside down on the sofa. He could not get down


    at all.


    When Sylvia came in, he opened his mouth and cried,¡± Mommy, help me...¡±


    Sylvia looked at him hanging upside down and instantly shot Odell a look.


    As Odell''s eyes flickered, he held Flint upright and let go of him.


    Flint immediately mbered down from the sofa and waddled over to John with his short legs. He raised his head to look at


    Caprice in John¡®s arms and called sweetly, ¡°Uncle John...¡±


    John''s lips curled down in disapproval when he saw how excitedly Flint was looking at Caprice, and he kicked Flint''s little butt


    with his foot.


    Immediately, Flint fell to the side andy sprawled on the ground.


    Sylvia was instantly enraged. However, before she could explode at him, Flint climbed up and eagerly ran over to John again,


    hugging thetter¡®s leg. ¡°Uncle John...¡±


    His voice sounded even sweeter than before.


    Sylvia was speechless.


    What a little kiss*ss!


    Odell also stood up and walked up to him in a few steps. His long arm reached out and picked Flint up.


    Flint whirled his head around to look at Caprice in John¡®s arms. His eyes were bright and round, filled with a fondness for


    Caprice. Then, he reached out his chubby hands.


    John''s expression changed, and he moved to the side with a big step.


    Flint grasped the empty air and looked at John pitifully.


    In the past, John would definitely have fallen for that expression. However, things were different this time. He smiled at Flint and


    said, ¡°Be a good boy, Flint. Caprice is still young. I''ll let you y with her when she''s bigger.¡±

 Chapter 1282

    Chapter 1282


    Chapter 1282


    Flint pouted.


    Odell took him back into his arms and looked at John indifferently. ¡°Flint isn¡®t that big either. They can y together even now.¡±


    John said with a smile, ¡°Flint can already walk, but my Caprice can''t even babble yet.¡±


    However, when he remembered his purpose ofing over today, he held Caprice and walked over to Odell. ¡°I''ll let Flint look at


    her, but | won''t let him touch her. My Caprice doesn''t like anyone else other than me touching her. Otherwise, she will cry.¡±


    Odell¡®s expression softened slightly as he hummed. With that, he held down both of Flint''s hands.


    The little boy could only stretch his neck to look at Caprice . He stared at her while giggling, and it was not long before saliva


    dribbled out from the corners of his mouth.


    John immediately held Caprice and went to the sofa to sit down.


    With pursed lips, Odell raised his hand to wipe Flint''s drool and sat down too. He held Flint with one arm and asked directly,


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    John said with a smile, ¡°It''s nothing important. | just wanted to bring Caprice over for a little stroll with you guys.¡± After listening to


    this, Odell looked at Sylvia. Sylvia was not stupid. She could vaguely guess the purpose of his visit. When he left a week ago, he


    had asked her to convey to Sherry that she should go to nchester within a week, or else, she would never see her daughter


    again in the future.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aweek had passed, but there was still no news from Sherry. He was probably still trying to find out some good news about her.


    Although threats left his lips, unexpectedly, his bodynguage seemed to convey honesty.


    Sylvia did not want to beat around the bush and said bluntly, ¡°I sent a message to Sherryst week after you left, but her phone


    was switched off. She hasn¡®t contacted me until now, so | don''t know where she is either.¡±


    She was speaking the truth. Recently, in addition to staying at home with Madam Carter, she had been trying to find Sherry.


    However, she had no idea where her friend was hiding. There was no news of her at all. John¡®s brows wrinkled . The smile that


    had been on his face just a moment agopletely darkened. The atmosphere in the living room also grew gloomy.


    Suddenly, Sylvia''s phone rang. The first thing she saw when she took it out was the caller ID: Sherry Fowler. She was startled


    and subconsciously looked at John. John noticed her gaze and instantly stared at her, ignoring Flint who had just crawled to his


    side.


    Sylvia brought the phone to her ear.


    Sherry¡®s voice came from the phone. ¡°Syl, I''m so sorry. | didn''t mean to disappear. I''m fine now, so don''t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°Where are you now?¡± Sylvia asked directly.


    Sherry lowered her voice, perhaps out of guilt. ¡°I left Westchester. I''m somewhere else now.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered, and she pressed the speaker option and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t catch that. Could you say that again?¡±


    Sherry repeated, ¡°I''m somewhere else now. Don¡¯t worry about me. I''m fine.¡±


    Her voice was amplified by the speaker, so everyone in the living room could hear her. John, who was holding his daughter ,


    frowned. His eyes were still fixed on Sylvia''s phone.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Did you see the message | sent you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | saw it four days ago, and then | left Westchester that night.¡± Sherry¡®s tone was calm and even contained hints of


    disappointment and frustration. ¡°Syl, thank you for taking care of me for so long. I''lle back to look for you when | be


    sessful in the future. | have something to do now, so | have to go now. Bye.¡± Whoosh!


    John stood up and rushed to Sylvia in an instant.


    Sylvia knew that he wanted to snatch the phone, so she rushed to ask Sherry, ¡°What about Caprice ? Aren''t youing back to


    see her?¡±


    Sherry was silent for a few seconds before replying, ¡°I can''t win against John now, so I''ll leave Caprice with him for now. Let''s


    talk about this next time when we have the chance.¡±


    Then, she hung up before Sylvia could say anything.


    The entire living room plunged into silence.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered. She looked at John and said in a low voice, ¡°You heard that, didn''t you? She¡®s not in Westchester now.",


    John pursed his lips coldly. His usually gentle and elegant face was terribly gloomy.


    No one knew if Caprice was scared by his expression or felt abandoned by her mother, but she suddenly burst


    into a piercing wail in John¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 1283

    Chapter 1283


    Chapter 1283 John¡®s soul seemed to have left his body. He did not react even when the little girl cried for a long time.


    Sylvia quickly walked over. ¡°John, is Caprice hungry? Check on her.¡±


    Only then did he gaze down at Caprice. His expression changed. In a short while , he smiled at Caprice. ¡°Don''t cry, sweetheart.


    Daddy is here.¡±


    Then, he took out a pacifier and a milk bottle from the bag he was carrying. The little girl stopped crying after sucking on the


    pacifier and cooed as she gurgled on the milk in his arms.


    Sylvia pursed her lips.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell dragged Flint back into his arms and silently straightened his lips into a thin line.


    Meanwhile , in Coastrock City, thousands of miles from Westchester, it was raining cats and dogs.


    The raindrops pelted the ground mercilessly.


    Sherry crouched by the roadside alone, her hands covering her face as she trembled all over.


    After a while, a passerby kindly patted her shoulder.¡±


    Miss, are you okay?¡±


    Sherry immediately sniffled and raised her face. Her red and swollen eyes looked at the passerby, and she gave him a crooked


    smile that looked even worse than if she was crying. She choked while saying, ¡°I''m fine. T-Thank you.¡±


    The passerby sighed. ¡°It''s raining heavily. You should find shelter from the rain and go home when it subsides. Don''t catch a


    cold.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah.¡±


    The passerby did not stay and walked away with his umbre.


    Sherry could not hold on and covered her face, crying again. She told herself not to cry anymore yesterday, but she just could


    not control her tears!


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and the more she tried to hold back her tears. However, her mind could not


    help but conjure up Caprice''¡®s little face.


    When thunder suddenly boomed in the sky, she finally broke down and sobbed loudly.


    It was only when the rain abated and her tears dried up that she stood up. Her legs had gone numb long ago, and her body was


    icy cold. She swayed unsteadily as she walked forward, but the light in her eyes was more determined than ever. She


    could not go on like this. She had to live well. No, she had to be even better, and then she would go back and take Caprice


    back!


    In the old Carters¡® residence, after Sylvia finished the call with Sherry, John fed Caprice and then carried her outside.


    Looking at the darkening sky, Sylvia frowned and said,¡± Master Stockton, it''s veryte now. Why don''t you go back tomorrow?¡±


    John looked at her with a smile. ¡°Thank you for the consideration, Mrs. Carter, but other than being afraid of strangers, Caprice


    also doesn''t like unfamiliar environments. She''ll keep fussing if she remains here, so it''s better if | bring her back.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and said nothing.


    Not long after that, John left in his car with Caprice.


    Sylvia sighed as she looked at his departing car. ¡°Since he cares about Sherry so much, why did he hurt her like that?


    Odell held her in his arms. ¡°Some people only learn to cherish something after they lose it.¡± Sylvia could not help but look at him


    and ask with a smile, ¡°Where did you learn that from?¡±


    Odell looked at her fair face and grinned. ¡°I realized it


    myself.¡± Sylvia''s eyes flickered , and she leaned against him and pursed her lips. She hoped that Sherry could take care of


    herself outside while John looked after Caprice. She also hoped that Odell and her could stay like this forever.

 Chapter 1284

    Chapter 1284


    Chapter 1284 Time flew, and two years passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was in the middle of autumn in Westchester. In the city center, thenes of cars drove unimpeded after the morning rush.


    An MPV stopped outside Carter Corporation.


    Jacob unbuckled his seatbelt in the passenger seat, but before he could open the door and go down, he heard the sound of the


    rear door being opened. Then, he saw that Flint''s chubby figure had already gotten out of the car and was running into the


    building with his short little legs. Jacob was instantly exasperated. That little young master was such a handful! He pushed open


    the car door to get out and chased after the boy. Meanwhile , with his superb skills of evasion , Flint had slipped past the security


    guards and scampered into the Carter Corporation lobby. Hisrge obsidian¡ªlike eyes flickered in their sockets as he continued


    to walk forward.


    At that moment, a receptionist at the front desk suddenly shouted, ¡°A child has sneaked in!¡±


    Shermaine , who was standing at the front desk as well, heard the shout and immediately looked at Flint. She was


    startled, but then she said with a smile, ¡°It''s Master Carter''s youngest son. I''ll go take a look.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    After saying that, she walked out from behind the front desk and trotted over.


    Flint was walking forward with his hands in his pockets when he was suddenly blocked by a figure. He raised his chubby face


    and looked at Shermaine with hisrge eyes.


    It was Shermaine''¡¯s first time seeing him up close. When she caught sight of his big and round eyes, she immediately showed a


    kind smile. ¡°Young Master, why are you here? Are you looking for your daddy?¡±


    Flint curled his lips up and replied sweetly, ¡°Yes, Miss. Is my daddy here?¡±


    ¡°He is, but he¡¯s in a meeting right now and may not be able to see you. Why don''t youe with me first? I''ll take you


    somewhere else to y and take you to your daddy when he''s done, okay?¡± she coaxed him patiently.


    Flint''s eyes flickered, and he replied crisply, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Shermaine held out her hand to him.


    However, Flint wrinkled his little brows. His hands were still in his pockets, and his mouth puckered seriously as he said, ¡°No,


    Mommy said that | can¡®t casually hold a girl''s hands.¡±


    Stunned for a moment, Shermaineughed. ¡°Okay, then just follow me.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    Flint trailed after her.


    Seeing that they were about to reach the VIP lounge, he pursed his lips and asked, ¡°Miss, | want to have ice cream. Is there any


    ice cream here?¡±


    ¡°There isn''t. Do you really want some ice cream?¡± Shermaine asked softly.


    Flint''s eyes were pitiful as he rubbed his tummy while saying, ¡°I''m fine, but my belly really wants some.¡±


    Shermaine could not help but chuckle. ¡°Then, you go inside and wait for me. I''ll go buy some ice cream for you now, okay?¡±


    Flint''s eyes instantly lit up, and he said happily, ¡°Okay! Thank you, Miss.¡±


    Then, he obediently went into the VIP lounge. When Shermaine saw him enter, she immediately walked out of the building.


    After five or six minutes, she brought back an ice cream cone from the dessert parlor next to the building and came back. She


    pushed open the door to the VIP lounge and walked in.


    However, the chubby little boy was nowhere to be seen in the room.


    She frowned and called out, ¡°Young Master?¡±


    What answered her was the silence of the VIP lounge. After walking around the room, she still could not find Flint''s little figure.

 Chapter 1285

    Chapter 1285


    Chapter 1285 Shermaine was anxious for a moment, then she immediately took out her phone and made a call.


    After the call was connected, she said hurriedly,¡± Assistant Bogard, the young master came to thepany earlier, but | told him


    to wait because Master Carter was in a meeting. | didn¡®t expect him to disappear while | went out to buy him some ice cream.¡±


    Cliff quickly said, ¡°Calm down and search around the entrance first. I''ll get some people and go find him.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll go to the entrance.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Shermaine threw the ice cream into the trash can and walked in the direction of the main entrance.


    Meanwhile, in a spacious conference room on the tenth floor of the building, a routine executive meeting was in session.


    At the head of the table was a man dressed in a ck suit, sitting elegantly in a leather chair. His face was indifferent without any


    emotion other than seriousness. The atmosphere in the meeting room was also very solemn.


    Anyone who spoke first subconsciously gauged his


    expression.


    At that moment, a department head who was nearing his fifties was reporting to the man for the current quarter. Odell spun his


    chair, propped his chin up on his hand, and gazed to the side where the report was being projected on arge screen. Although


    his posture waszy and casual, his face was still cold and solemn. His sharp and serious eyes made the people beneath him


    not dare to ck off at


    all.


    Then, a creak sounded as the conference room door was suddenly pushed open.


    The group of people immediately looked over.


    Asmall figure wearing a yellow T-shirt, denim pants, and a yellow hat poked his head in.


    Everyone froze.


    Where did this little kide from? Who brought him to thepany? Did they have a death wish?


    Just when they were shocked and worried for the person who brought the child here, the little one¡¯s bright eyes were suddenly


    directed at the man at the head of the table. His eyes curved, and he opened his mouth to yell sweetly, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Then, his chubby little figure ran toward the man.


    The man on the seat stretched out his hands and picked


    the boy up into his arms the moment the child ran over. The corners of the man¡¯s thin lips curled up, and the stern indifference in


    his face disappeared.


    The others were bbergasted.


    Odell held Flint with one hand and pinched his face with the other. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Flint''s eyes seemed pitiful. ¡°Because | miss you. You haven''t been home for several days.¡±


    Odell knitted his brows. He had been very busy these days, so he had indeed gone home less frequently. He asked in a low


    voice, ¡°Where are Mommy and your siblings? Did youe here alone?¡±


    ¡°Mommy is with Great-grandma , Liam is reading, and Isabel is ying games. None of them wanted to y with me, so | asked


    Uncle Jacob to bring me here to find you.¡± Flint pouted as he spoke, his little face looking pitiful.


    Odell stroked his head. ¡°Daddy still has work to do, so wait next to me for a while. I''ll take you home with me when I''m done.¡±


    He nced at the secretary by the side. Immediately, the secretary brought over a soft andfortable seat on which Odell


    ced Flint.


    The little one was very obedient. After sitting down, he crossed his little legs and held his chubby face with his


    two hands. His big eyes looked around quietly. His adorableness instantly stunned the group of people, especially some of the


    older ones who showed him a loving smile.


    Then, the man¡®s low voicemanded, ¡°Continue.¡±


    When the group of people saw his cold and serious look, they immediately snapped back to their senses and went back to


    business.

 Chapter 1286

    Chapter 1286


    Chapter 1286 Flint''s presence made the atmosphere much less stuffy than it had been before.


    The meeting went exceptionally smoothly.


    In just half an hour, the meeting was over. Odell adjourned the conference , took Flint into his arms, got up, and went out.


    Outside, Shermaine was talking to Cliff by the side.


    Upon seeing hime out with Flint in his arms, she immediately showed an apologetic look. ¡°Master Carter, I''m sorry. | didn''t


    keep an eye on the young master.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Odell replied and walked straight past her while carrying Flint.


    Shermaine frowned as she watched Odell walk away.


    At that moment, Cliff smiled at her and said, ¡°Didn''t | tell you? Master Carter won''t get angry. Go back to your station.¡±


    Shermaine snapped back to her senses and smiled. ¡°Yes, | didn''t expect Master Carter to be so indulgent with the young


    master.¡±


    She thought that he would be unhappy about the child interrupting his meeting.


    Cliffughed. ¡°Flint is his son. Even if he causes trouble, Master Carter won''t hold it against the boy. Don''t think too much about it


    and go back to work.¡±


    Shermaine pursed her lips. ¡°Okay.¡±


    While Cliff did not say anything else and walked in the direction Odell left, Shermaine took a breath and walked toward the


    elevator.


    Not long after, an MPV stopped outside the gate.


    Sylvia got down from the car and quickly walked inside. Jacob was right by the entrance of the building and hurriedly weed


    her when he saw her. Sylvia asked him, ¡°Where''s Flint? Is he inside?¡± Jacob replied, ¡°Assistant Bogard said that the young


    master broke into the conference room. Master Carter brought him back to the office.¡±


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good.¡± She had just left him unattended for a little while, but that little brat actually urged Jacob


    to bring him here. Fortunately, he did not get lost.


    Sylvia continued to walk inside.


    The security guard recognized her and let her in directly.


    However, when she passed by the front desk, the


    receptionist called out to her, ¡°Miss, who are you looking


    for?¡±


    Sylvia looked over and saw two young women wearing uniforms. One of the women looked familiar. Before she could recall who


    she was, the familiar¡ªlooking woman smiled at her and said, ¡°Oh, it''s you, Mrs. Carter. Are you here to see Master Carter?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sylvia noticed that the woman was polite and smiled at her. ¡°I seem to have seen you somewhere before. Have we met?¡±


    ¡°My name is Shermaine Cole. We met two years ago.¡± Shermaine smiled back at her.


    Sylvia instantly remembered her. It was the girl who had saved Madam Carter. Since Shermaine resembled Sylvia slightly,


    Madam Carter had even mistaken her for thetter at that time.


    Sylvia smiled at her and asked curiously, ¡°When did you start working here?¡± Shermaine replied, ¡°I joined two years ago.


    Assistant Bogard arranged for me to work here.¡± Sylvia nodded. Odell had most likely asked Cliff to arrange it in order to thank


    her for saving Madam Carter. However, would it not have been better to just give her a sum of money directly?N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Nevertheless, Sylvia did not think much about it. She remembered Flint and headed to the elevator after saying goodbye to


    Shermaine.


    Shermaine maintained a polite smile . Even after Sylvia went into the elevator, she still held a kind and approachable smile on


    her face.


    Her colleague beside her immediately asked, ¡°Shermaine, | didn¡®t know that you knew Mrs. Carter. Do you have any rtionship


    with Master Carter''s family?¡±


    Shermaine replied, ¡°We were acquainted in an ident two years ago. We''re just ordinary friends at most. There¡®s no other


    rtionship.¡±


    ¡°But Mrs. Carter and Master Carter are very courteous to you.¡±


    Shermaine smiled and said nothing.


    When the colleague saw that she refused to mention their past, she pouted and did not ask again.


    Meanwhile , the elevator Sylvia took soon arrived at the top floor. Coincidentally, just as the door opened, she saw the man


    holding Flint. The man in the suit stood tall and straight.

 Chapter 1287

    Chapter 1287


    Chapter 1287 Odell held Flint in one hand and a briefcase in the other. He had been very busy recently, and she only saw him


    once every four to five days.


    Thest time she saw him was four days ago. These days, Sylvia was also busy with work matters and apanying Madam


    Carter, so she did not have much contact with him.


    She grinned at him. ¡°Odell, did Flint cause you any trouble?¡±


    Odell curled his lips and was just about to say something when Flint piped up, ¡°Mommy, | was a good boy.¡±


    Then, he buried his face into the crook of his father¡¯s neck in guilt.


    Odell carried him into the elevator.


    Sylvia nced at the little guy and asked Odell, ¡°Where are you taking him?¡±


    Odell handed her the briefcase which she took.


    ¡°Nowhere. We''re going home,¡± he replied while pressing the button for the first floor with his free hand.


    The elevator descended.


    Sylvia asked curiously, ¡°Aren¡®t you busy?¡±


    ¡°Well, I''m almost done for today.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She did not ask any more questions or say anything else.


    Odell looked at her and saw that her gaze was fixed on Flint. His eyes subconsciously darkened. Then, he asked,¡± Why did you


    come here anyway?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I came to look for Flint.¡± He pursed his lips as the elevator soon reached the first floor.


    Odell carried Flint out while Sylvia followed him with his briefcase.


    When they passed by the front desk, Shermaine and the colleague beside her stood straight and looked at them with polite


    smiles.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Shermaine even said, ¡°Goodbye, Master Carter and Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Odell walked straight ahead as if he did not hear her although Sylvia returned her goodbye and followed her husband out.


    Before long, they were in the car.


    The MPV rolled on the road smoothly. Because he was most likely afraid of being taught a lesson by Sylvia, Flint refused to get


    down from Odell''s arms.


    Sylvia could not help but pat his little butt. She deliberately lowered her voice and called out to him,¡± Flint Carter,e here right


    now.


    Flint turned his head and looked at her carefully with hisrge eyes.


    Sylvia shot him a look. ¡°Who let you run around? Why didn''t you tell me when you came to look for Daddy?¡±


    Flint pouted. ¡°I just miss Daddy.¡±


    Hisrge eyes were watery.


    Sylvia choked up and did not know what to say to him.


    His wide eyes flickered, and he said, ¡°I won''t do it again, Mommy. I''ll definitely tell you next time.¡±


    The boy¡®s usual trick was to pretend to be obedient and cute, but Sylvia was helpless when it came to his wiles. She pursed her


    lips and said, ¡°Mommy will forgive you this time, but there won''t be a next time.¡±


    Flint immediately grinned. ¡°Mm¡ªhmm!¡±


    The little boy was certainly adorable.


    Sylvia reached out and pinched his cheek. He giggled, then crawled out of Odell¡¯s arms and into Sylvia''s embrace.


    Odell pursed his lips and watched them silently.


    Sylvia yed with the little one for a while, then thought


    of something and asked Odell, ¡°I saw Shermaine at the front desk earlier. Did you ask Cliff to arrange for her to work there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why did you give her a job at the front desk?¡±


    ¡°Cliff was the one who arranged everything. She wanted a job back then, and we needed someone at the front desk, so he


    asked her to fill in.¡± ¡°Oh.¡±

 Chapter 1288

    Chapter 1288


    Chapter 1288


    Sylvia stopped asking more questions.


    The car also became quiet. A good while passed, and there was only the sound of Flint fussing about.


    Odell watched her focus on teasing Flint, and his brows subconsciously knitted. His expression also turned cold. He simply


    pursed his lips and remained silent.


    Sylvia only noticed his expression when the car drove to the door of the house. She looked at his cold and sullen face and asked


    curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± After saying that, he pushed open the door, got out of the car, and walked forward without looking back.


    Sylvia was stunned.


    In her arms, Flint wrinkled his little brows and said, ¡°I think Daddy is angry.¡±


    She was not blind; she could see it too.


    However, neither Flint nor she provoked him on the way back. Why would he get angry?


    Sylvia got out of the car with Flint in her arms.


    Only Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were in the living room. Liam and Isabel were both in their room.


    Where could Odell have gone?


    Sylvia carried Flint to the second floor and put him outside the door of the children¡®s room. ¡°Flint, you go and y with your sister


    while Mommy goes to find Daddy.¡±


    Flint agreed obediently and pushed the door open to find his sister.


    Sylvia thought about the briefcase that Odell brought back and assumed that he still had some work to do, so she immediately


    went to the study.


    However, the study was empty. Where was he?


    She walked out again and went to their bedroom.


    As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw him leaning against the wall next to her. His arms were crossed, and his deep


    gaze looked at her. His eyes were clearly cold and filled with displeasure. He seemed to be waiting for her. Sylvia asked in


    confusion, ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± His voice was also cold. She could not help but walk up to him and ask, ¡°Did you


    encounter trouble at work?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    She was confused. ¡°Then, why do you look so upset?¡±


    He pursed his lips coldly and said nothing.


    Sylvia was a little annoyed. She patted him and said,¡± Odell, if you have something to say, just say it. Don''t be like this.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and looked at her for a while but still remained silent.


    Sylvia suddenly ran out of patience. ¡°Forget it then.¡±


    She was just about to turn around and walk out, but before she could take a step, a long arm reached over and wrapped around


    her waist.


    Sylvia was instantly pulled closer to him. Her face nearly collided with his chest. She frowned and looked up at him.


    He was staring at her with a cold gaze. ¡°Do you not want to talk to me that much?¡±


    She was dumbfounded. ¡°What do you mean | don''t want to talk to you?¡± He was clearly the one who refused to talk to her


    instead. Odell pinched her chin and looked at her coldly. ¡°How many days have we not seen each other?¡± ¡°About four or five


    days. Why?¡± ¡°Have you called me the past few days?¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I''ve sent you messages.¡±


    ¡°How many?¡±


    Sylvia thought about it. ¡°Two or three times.¡±


    He said coldly, ¡°Only two times, and both were just you replying to messages that | sent to you.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. Did that matter?¡±


    ¡°Do you not want to talk to me?¡± he asked again.


    Sylvia said, ¡°T-that''s not it. | didn''t call you or send you messages because | didn''t want to disturb your work.

 Chapter 1289

    Chapter 1289


    Chapter 1289 ¡°So, you don''t miss me at all, do you?¡±


    ¡°|.... How can you say that | don''t miss you?¡± They were already husband and wife. Were they supposed to stick to each other all


    day? Besides, he was the one who was always busy with work.


    Sylvia frowned as she looked at him, confused and speechless.


    Odell looked at her coldly. ¡°Today, Flint went all the way to the office to find me because he missed me. Why didn¡¯t youe to


    me even once?¡±


    She was dumbfounded.


    ¡°This afternoon , you only went to thepany to find Flint. On the way back, you only focused on ying with him and didn''t


    ask about me at all. Do you even care about me?¡±


    She either painted or spent time with Madam Carter and the children all day. He went out to work every day, but she never went


    to the office once to see him!


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He pinched her face again and said coldly, ¡°Sylvia, am | just a husband on


    paper to you?¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. Her eyes were wide open, and her


    expression was stunned.


    At the same time, an unnamed fire burned within her.


    She reacted quickly and said sullenly, ¡°Odell Carter, it''s enough if you''re too busy toe home these days, but now you''re


    ming it on me? Do you know how much Grandma and the three children needpany? Do you know how much | have to do


    at home alone?*.


    She had a job too, but she also had to take care of Grandma and the three children. It was bad enough that he was too busy to


    go home, but he even med her for not going to see him.


    Sylvia got angrier the more she thought about it and could not help but raise her voice. ¡°Do you think I''m a superhuman?¡±


    The man¡®s gloomy expression instantly changed, and his gaze flickered.


    Ashort whileter, he avoided her gaze and said, ¡°You could''ve at least taken the time to send me a text message or make a


    phone call.¡±


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Why didn''t you call or message me instead?


    ¡°| did message you.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s throat choked up.


    The air became silent as they stared at each other.


    After a long time, Sylviapromised and raised her hand to smack him. ¡°Let go.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going? Are you going to find those little limpets again?¡± His voice was displeased. Sylvia said angrily, ¡°I''m going


    to Grandma, okay?¡±


    He looked at her and said, ¡°Grandma has Aunt Tonya and Sebastian with her. You don''t need to be with her constantly.¡±


    Sylvia finally said, ¡°I want to go out for a walk alone.¡±


    As soon as she finished, he pinched her waist tightly and picked her up. She was pinned to the bed before she could react.


    He cupped her face and said coldly, ¡°You''re not going anywhere today other than staying by my side.¡±


    Then, he lowered his head and kissed her.


    Sylvia wanted to push him away but failed, and she could not speak even if she wanted to. She could only be forced to ept


    his domineering forcefulness.


    The movement in the room continued until it was dark.


    On the slightly messy bed, Sylvia was wrapped in his arms, unable to go anywhere. She felt the heat from his chest and turned


    around with a red face. ¡°I want to go to


    the toilet.¡±


    He pinched her face. ¡°Hold it in.¡±


    Sylvia stared at him.


    He curled his lips. ¡°It''s your punishment for not caring about me.¡±


    She red at him speechlessly.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Daddy and Mommy, it''s time for dinner.¡± Flint''s childish voice rang out.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered, and she was just about to get up. However, before she could move an inch, his arm pulled her back


    down.


    He wrapped his arm around her and said to Flint, ¡°Your mother and | are going to rest for a while. You go eat with your siblings


    first.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Flint answered and went away.


    Sylvia heard the sound of his little feet stomping on the floor happily as he left. She looked at Odell again. ¡°Flint is still small. He


    needs someone to watch him when he eats.


    He said, ¡°Liam and Isabel will watch him. Aunt Tonya and Sebastian will also take care of him. There¡®s no need for you to


    constantly look after him.¡±

 Chapter 1290

    Chapter 1290


    Chapter 1290 Sylvia choked up, and she could not help but punch him.


    Odell let out a low grunt, then hugged her tighter.


    Unfortunately , she could not push him away and could only press against his chest. The pile of displeasure in her heart


    gradually disappeared as she listened to his strong heartbeat.


    She raised her head to look at him.


    He had his eyes closed as if he was sleeping. His handsome face was very gentle , and his expression was much better than


    before when he had been angry at her.


    He was busy these days, but so was she.


    She was now giving sses to students at the Art Academy. Although there were not many sses each week, there were


    always misceneous tasks toplete. Furthermore, she was concerned about Grandma and the three children, so she would


    go home to spend time with them whenever she could.


    It may be true that she neglected him a little, but he was a man in his thirties. How could he bicker with her about something like


    this?


    Sylvia held back her anger and stopped thinking about it. She wrapped her arms around his strong waist, closed her


    eyes against his chest, and soon fell asleep. Unbeknownst to her, when her hand wrapped around his waist, the man¡®s eyes


    opened. He looked at her rosy face, and his deep eyes softened while the corners of his lips curled up.


    At least, she had some tact.


    Odell was still very busy. He was already gone when Sylvia woke up the next morning.


    Sylvia did not stay idle and apanied Madam Carter and the three children to breakfast. After seeing Liam and Isabel off to


    school, she gave Flint a few instructions before handing him over to Aunt Tonya and going to the Art Academy.


    Two busy days passed.


    That afternoon, at four o''clock, Sylvia came out of the academy after finishing her work.


    Thinking that she had not seen the man for two days and the fact that she had not taken the initiative to contact him, she took out


    her phone and called him.


    The line rang twice before connecting, and the man¡®s low and maic voice sounded. ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    His tone sounded pleasant as if he was quite happy.


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Not really. | just wanted to ask if


    you could spare some timeter. | want to have dinner with you.¡± He replied, ¡°Later is fine. You cane over.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Sylvia called Aunt Tonya and told thetter that she would not be back for dinner tonight, then she took a car to Carter


    Corporation. She did not go inside and simply sat in the car in the parking lot and waited for him.


    About ten minutester, his tall and straight figure emerged from the elevator. The driver opened the car door for him, and he sat


    beside Sylvia. He subconsciously held one of her hands and asked, ¡°What do you want to eatter?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I''ve booked a restaurant. Let''s go there straight.¡±


    His eyes flickered slightly. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Ten minutester, the car stopped outside a restaurant that served local specialties.


    Sylvia had reserved a table, so they sat down as soon as they entered. The food was also ordered beforehand, and it was all


    vors they loved.


    Soon after they sat down, the waiter served the dishes.


    Sylvia asked him as she ate, ¡°Are you free toe home tonight?¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Do you want me toe back?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face heated up. She avoided his eyes and replied,¡± | was just asking. If you''re busy, then forget it.¡±


    Heughed. ¡°I have a dinner party tonight, but I''ll try toe home early.¡± ¡°Oh.¡±

 Chapter 1291

    Chapter 1291


    Chapter 1291


    Dinner went on quietly for a while until the phone in his pocket rang and broke the silence.


    When he picked up the call, his expression and tone turned serious. ¡°What is it?¡±


    It was Cliff who had called. ¡°Sir, Secretary Ackerman can¡¯t make it tomorrow. His wife is seriously ill, and he has to be by her


    side.¡±


    ¡°Let him stay with his family.¡±


    ¡°But it might take him months to return based on his wife¡¯s condition, and there must be someone there to assist you.¡±


    ¡°Tell administration to find someone to take his ce.¡±


    Asecond of hesitationter, Cliff said, ¡°Sir, | have someone that | would like to rmend. | wonder if she will be suitable.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    )


    ¡°Shermaine Cole. She''s proactive, motivated, diligent and professional about her work. And | believe she has a good personality.


    She¡¯s been with us for two years now and has always been at the front desk, doing all kinds of chores without anyints.


    She never told anyone that she helped Madam Carter before and didn¡¯t use it to


    brag in front of her colleagues. She didn''t even ask for a reward for helping either, so | believe she is qualified to take Secretary


    Ackerman¡®s ce for a few months. What do you think?¡± 1All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°You decide,¡± Odell said after he sipped a spoon of soup.


    Since Cliff spoke highly of her, she must be a decent employee and would be suitable as long as she could do her work


    properly.


    Cliff nodded and said, ¡°Thank you, sir. I''ll go inform her right away.¡±


    Odell hung up the phone.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Is there anything urgent?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± She nodded and put a piece of rib on his te.


    Odell smiled and then started munching on the piece of


    rib.


    Back at Carter Tower, after the call with Odell, Cliff went downstairs to look for Shermaine. He beckoned Shermaine to the side


    and jokingly told her that she had been promoted to a secretary.


    Shermaine was surprised and delighted, but her concerns followed. ¡°I have no experience as a secretary, and as Master Carter''s


    secretary, | must be super capable right?


    Am | really suitable?¡±


    Cliff joked. ¡°Don''t worry, you are as super capable as you are, and | believe you will do a great job. Master Carter might seem


    like a cold person, but he never gives his employees a hard time. Just do what you are supposed to do, and you''ll be fine.¡±


    Shermaine sighed a breath of relief. ¡°Alright. Thank you, Assistant Bogard! | owe you!¡±


    Cliff smiled. ¡°No need for courtesy. You got the position because of the hard work you''ve shown, and your own capability.¡±


    Shermaine smiled. ¡°I still have to thank you for giving me the chance.¡±


    Her smile was bright, and for an instance, it reminded Cliff of Slyvia during her younger days.


    He was stunned by the dazzling smile for a moment, but he managed to regain hisposure. ¡°Stay back after work. I''ll guide


    you around and let you know what you have to do, and you''ll have to be ready by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°l understand.¡±


    Cliff nced at her onest time before he went back upstairs.


    Shermaine saw him off into the elevator before she retracted her gaze. She curled her lips into a grin. Unlike her usual bright and


    generous smile that could melt


    hearts, the grin on her face screamed of uncontroble delight and excitement.


    She pulled her phone out and texted someone named ¡® Aunt Ruth¡¯.


    ¡°Aunt Ruth, | just got promoted as Master Carter¡¯s secretary! I''ll be starting tomorrow!¡±


    She had been waiting for this opportunity for two years, and finally, she got the chance to get close to the man of her dreams.


    She got a reply shortly after.


    ¡°Congrattions. But don¡¯t rush things. Be patient. He is not just any man. If you want to get close to him and make him open up


    to you, it¡¯s going to take a while. Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day.¡±


    Ahint of impatience shed in her eyes, but she suppressed the emotions. ¡°I understand. He¡¯s fond of someone that resembles


    his wife, right? As long as | keep dressing up like her, he''ll definitely fall for me.¡± 1


    It was her youth that fueled her confidence in winning his heart.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1292

    Chapter 1292


    Chapter 1292 After dinner with Odell, Sylvia took a ride back home.


    Everyone at home had eaten.


    When she walked into the living room, Liam was reading a book to Flint while Isabel, Aunt Tonya, and Madam Carter were


    watching thetest drama series on television.


    Everything felt harmonious and peaceful.


    Her entrance caught everyone''s attention.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Flint abandoned his brother and wobbled his way to his mother.


    Sylvia smiled and carried the boy into her arms before she walked over to Madam Carter.


    Isabel tapped on the empty seat beside her and said, ¡° Mommy, have a seat. This new drama series is awesome! We are at the


    climax now!¡±


    Sylvia turned to the television,


    The male and female protagonists were having an argument in the rain, and it seemed to be a fierce debate because even


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya were deeply fascinated by the storyline.


    Sylvia smiled and chose to sit down beside Liam.


    The little guy had a white shirt coupled with denim overalls whichplimented his neatlybed hair. His clean and delicate


    face was glowing. Although youthful, he already had the features of a handsome man. He always had a cold expression on,


    simr to his father.


    Sylvia pinched his cheek.


    Liam widened his eyes at her. ¡°What is it, Mommy?¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Can''t | pinch you if there¡®s nothing going


    on?¡±


    Liam pouted, seemingly helpless. ¡°Fine.¡±


    It was then that Flint extended his arm forward and pinched his brother''s cheek too.


    Liam''s expression turned frosty.


    Flint''s hands trembled and quickly retracted his arm. He quickly crawled behind Sylvia¡®s back and then popped his head out with


    a silly chuckle.


    Liam red at him. ¡°Flint, are you asking for a beating?¡±


    Flint looked scared. He continued to hide behind his mother and argued, ¡°Brother, Mommy pinched you too.¡±


    Liam¡®s expression remained cold. ¡°You are not the same as Mommy.¡±


    Flint''s eyes flickered. ¡°Mommy and | are family. What''s the difference?¡±


    Liam pouted as he was rendered speechless.


    Sylvia could not help but giggle at their brotherly interaction.


    Flint might be a toddler but his mind was of an adult. He did not share Liam¡¯s frosty attitude or Isabel''s unruly behavior, but he


    was as smart as his siblings. Besides, he knew how to win people¡¯s hearts, which made him the prized boy of the house.


    ¡°Hehe...¡± Flint chuckled along with his mother.


    Sylvia slightly furrowed her brows at the toddler''s mischievous chuckle. She carried him back to the front.


    Flint was obviously scared of Liam, so he tried to climb back into his mother¡¯s embrace.


    Sylvia tapped his backside and said, ¡°Flint, Mommy and Brother are family, but | am older, and you are younger, so you must


    respect your brother, understand?¡±


    Flint pouted. ¡°Okay, Mommy.¡±


    She added, ¡°Now, turn around and apologize to your brother.¡±


    Flint turned around obediently and looked at Liam with his big innocent eyes.


    Liam crossed his arms coldly, waiting for the apology.


    Flint smiled. ¡°I am sorry, Brother. | won¡¯t pinch you


    anymore. Please don''t be mad at me.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam grunted and rolled his eyes at his brother, refusing to bring himself down to the same level as his mischievous brother. He


    picked up the book and


    continued reading.


    Flint sighed a breath of relief.


    Sylvia watched their little interaction and smiled. ¡°Flint, go read a book.¡±


    ¡°| don''t want to. Books are boring,¡± he said as he buried himself in his mother''s embrace.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1293

    Chapter 1293


    Sylvia did not know what to do with the little guy. Just when she was about to leave Flint to his little quirks, Liam with the book


    turned around and sized Flint up from top to bottom.


    Flint was being adorable when his brother stared at him. He quickly retracted his hands from his mother''s neck and sat


    obediently like a doll. ¡°Sit next to me,¡± Liam instructed.


    Flint used his most adorable gaze at Sylvia, asking for help.


    However, Sylvia averted his gaze and feigned ignorance. Flint then crawled out from Sylvia¡®s arms to Liam¡¯s side and sat upright


    like a little soldier. Liam stared at him coldly. ¡°Bring the book over.¡±


    Flint pouted. He reluctantly picked up the book and started reading it from the first page. Meanwhile , Liam finally retracted his


    cold gaze and continued reading his book.


    Sylvia, who watched the little scene from start to end, was left speechless. She was almost certain that Flint had pinched Liam¡®s


    cheek on purpose earlier. He must have lived under his brother¡®s oppression for too long to theAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    point that he seized the opportunity to execute his


    revenge.


    The thought put a smile on her face.


    She got up and headed upstairs to her studio to settle some of her own matters.


    After Sylvia went up to the second floor, Liam put down his book and turned his attention to Isabel, who was watching television


    with Aunt Tonya and Madam Carter.


    ¡°Isabel Carters, it¡¯s 8 o¡¯clock. Time to do your homework.¡±


    Isabel was sitting with her back shown to her brother. When she heard her brother calling her, she covered her ears and feigned


    ignorance.


    Liam continued with the same expression, ¡°The key to the game room is with me. If you don¡¯t finish your homework by 9 o¡¯clock


    later, you won''t get ess to the game room for the whole week.¡±


    He then continued reading his book.


    Isabel bolted up right away and stared at Liam with a grumpy expression. ¡°Stupid brother!¡±


    Liam ignored her, not even sparing a nce.


    Flint, on the other hand, hid his face behind the book and peeked at his sister sympathetically, seeming to feel bad for her.


    Isabel caught her little brother''s sneaky stare and decided to vent her emotions on him. ¡°What are you looking at, another stupid


    brother?!¡±


    Flint immediately concealed himself behind the book.


    Isabel grunted and stomped her way upstairs. Hearing the little bickering from the second floor, Sylvia held her urge tough and


    went up to the third floor.


    Odell came home at midnight.


    Sylvia had already cleaned up and was ready for bed. A few minutes after she closed her eyes, she felt a mountain crash onto


    her body, followed by a pungent alcoholic stench. She opened her eyes and saw a pair of lustful and hungry eyes staring at her.


    Startled, she rolled her eyes at him.


    As he ravaged her lips, the alcoholic breath invaded her mouth and even her nostrils. She pushed him away. ¡°Go get a bath...¡±


    Her mouth was sealed shut before she could finish the sentence.


    Both her hands were pinned above her head, leaving her defenseless . All she could do was swallow her grievance and call the


    man a monster inside her heart.


    The drunk sexsted untilter that night.


    When the room returned to silence, in a state of sleepiness and physical exhaustion , Sylvia punched the man¡®s chest before she


    went to sleep.


    The man grinned at her after getting his lust satisfied.


    The next day, he finally woke up after his phone rang for the third time.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1294

    Chapter 1294


    Sylvia only opened her eyes when Odell came out from the bathroom, clean and freshly dressed. He left the room before she


    could say goodbye.


    She picked up her phone and found out that it was already 10 o''clock in the morning. It was no wonder Odell left in such a hurry.


    She wondered when the busy days woulde to an end because it had been a while since they had woken up together.


    Recently, even seeing each other started to be a luxury that they could not afford.


    ¡®Sigh. | still have to go to the academyter...¡®


    Sylvia sighed and got out of bed.


    When Odell came down to the living room, only Aunt Tonya and Madam Carter were around to take care of Flint. Isabel and Liam


    had gone to school.


    Flint got up and ran over as soon as he saw his fathere down, so Odell carried him up for a while and then put him in Aunt


    Tonya¡¯s care.


    He then said to Madam Carter, ¡°Grandmother, | have to go to work now.¡±


    Madam Carter nodded. ¡°Be safe.¡±


    Aunt Tonya reminded him, ¡°Odell, you haven''t eaten your breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I''m runningte. I''ll simply grab something along the way.¡± Odell then strode out of the house like an arrow let loose.


    Watching his father''s car leave the house, in Aunt Tonya¡®s arms, Flint asked, ¡°Granny Tonya, is Daddy going out for a few days


    again?*.


    ¡°Yeah. Daddy is busy, but he''lle back when he¡¯s done with work,¡± Aunt Tonya answered.


    The little boy pouted. ¡°Daddy hasn''t yed with us for a long time.¡±


    Aunt Tonya was silenced by the boy''s littleint.


    ¡°Flint,e here. Great-granny will y with you. Come over here.¡± Madam Carter waved at the boy from her wheelchair.


    Flint came down from Aunt Tonya¡®s arms and went over to her.


    Despite sitting in Madam Carter''sp, Flint¡®s googly eyes were glued to the door. He really wanted his parents to stay home


    together for a little longer.


    The ck MPV shuttled across the busy traffic and finally arrived in front of Carter Tower.


    When Odell got down and strode into the building , the two receptionists bolted up and bowed at him. Even the other employees


    who passed by the lobby paused and greeted him.


    He nodded at everyone as he went into the elevator that sent him straight to the highest floor. As soon as he stepped out of the


    elevator, he strode towards his office.


    In front of the office door was the secretary''s desk where Shermaine had been waiting for him the whole morning. She bolted up


    and bowed respectfully with her hands in front of herp. ¡°Good morning, Master Carter.¡±


    Odell nodded but caught a glimpse of something that intrigued him.


    The youngdy wore a in white dress with her hair neatlybed and tucked behind both her ears,plementing her


    delicate face with fair skin. She only wore light makeup, but it suited her pronounced facial features. Not only did her overall


    impression stand out, but it also reminded him of his woman back home.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Stunned, he paused his steps for a second. ¡°Are you Shermaine?¡±


    Shermaine''¡®s eyes gleamed. She maintained her respectful smile and said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Odell then went into his office without saying anything else.


    She had been working at the front desk for two years, and he had never even spared her a nce. Now that she was his


    secretary, he stared at her for a full five seconds on her first day.


    Her eyes flickered in excitement.


    Awhileter, when the time was right, she left her station and brought a cup of tea into the office.


    The man¡¯s lonely figure sat on the leather chair behind the massive desk, working diligently in the huge and luxurious CEO''s


    office. Focused and determined, he flipped through the pile of documents.

 Chapter 1295

    Chapter 1295


    Chapter 1295 Shermaine quietly went in and put the cup of tea on his desk.


    Odell was captivated by the documents in his hands and did not even notice her.


    Therefore , she only stayed in the office for two seconds before wisely stepping out. Cliff had told her that the man hated being


    disturbed while working, and Aunt Ruth had also taught her to be patient in the art of seducing a man. 1


    She finally got promoted to his secretary, so now would be the best time to practice the virtue of patience.


    The thought put a grin on her face as she returned to her desk outside.


    Several dayster, which was a Friday, Sylvia finished ss at the academy shortly after noon and went home.


    It had been days since she saw Odell, so she pulled her phone out and wanted to text him. Coincidentally , she received his call.


    The man¡¯s charming voice sounded as soon as she put the phone by her ear. ¡°Sylvia, | have to go abroad to deal with an urgent


    matter. I¡¯m on the way to the airport now. | suppose | can only make it back after a week.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s bubble of excitement that arose from listening to his voice was instantly popped. ¡°Oh, okay. | understand.¡±


    He added in a small voice, ¡°Tell Grandma and the kids for me. I''ll leave them in your hands.¡± Sylvia smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about


    them. You be careful out there. Don¡¯t forget to get enough rest.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Yeah. | got it.¡± Just when Sylvia wanted to hang


    up, she heard a woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve contacted the representative at Hemingway. They will send someone to pick us up at


    the airport.¡±


    Odell hummed a reply before the call ended.


    Sylvia raised a brow.


    Odell usually only went on a business trip abroad with Cliff and Morris, his assistant and his secretary, so why would there be a


    woman''s voice?


    On top of that, her voice sounded familiar.


    Sylvia tried recalling where she heard the woman¡¯s voice before but could not think of it at the moment. She was ¡°probably his.


    employee and must be one of the rted


    personnel for this particr trip abroad.


    L


    The ck MPV soon drove into the drop-offne at


    Westchester International Airport.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Shermaine went straight to the counter for the tickets and the boarding procedures while Cliff carried his briefcase and followed


    Odell to the business lounge.


    After settling the boarding procedures, Shermaine rejoined the two at the lounge and waited for the boarding call together. As


    they boarded the ne and headed to the business ss, Odell sat down in the window seat. The seat beside him was left idle,


    and Shermaine¡¯s eyes gleamed for a moment. However, she recovered herposure and humbly took a step backward ,


    offering the seat to Cliff.


    She obediently sat down behind Odell and glued her eyes on the man¡¯s back.


    After the ne went up in the air, Shermaine took some snacks out and tapped on Cliff''s shoulder. She smiled and passed him


    the snacks she brought for the trip. ¡°Cliff, | prepared some snacks for us to kill time. | got you and Master Carter a box each.¡±


    Cliff looked at the delicate boxes of snacks and smiled.¡± Oh, thank you.¡± He took one for himself and passed the other one to


    Odell.


    Shermaine even heard Odell asking Cliff what the box was.


    ¡°It¡¯s some snacks that Shermaine prepared for us.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. Put it there.¡±


    Cliff helped him open the box and put it by his side.


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes never lest Odell.


    The box had all kinds of snacks, like nuts, dried berries, and even handmade candies.


    The sweet fragrance wasted out from the box as soon as the lid was removed, and it managed to attract Odell¡¯s attention.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1296

    Chapter 1296


    There were mostlymon snacks that were arranged neatly in a certain pattern. The handmade candies were intricately


    constructed as well.


    At home, his wife used to love making candy for the kids, but she got a lot busier after returning to the workforce. In addition to


    taking care of the three kids, she also had to look after Madam Carter, hence there was simply no time to make candy.


    It was the little things that could warm one¡¯s heart, especially how it was presented. He was not interested in snacks but would


    indulge in some whenever Sylvia put a box or a bowl by his side.


    His eyes flickered and he instinctively picked a piece of dried berry.


    Shermaine grinned widely when she saw Odell eat the snack she prepared.


    Two dayster, on a Sunday, Sylvia brought the kids out earlier in the morning and spent the whole day at a theme park. They


    only arrived home in the evening.


    Sylvia carried Flint in her arms and sat in the rear seat with Isabel and Liam on the way back. Soon after they


    boarded the car, Isabel fell asleep on Liam¡¯s shoulder, and Liam was slumped on his mother¡¯s shoulder.¡± Sylvia could only doze


    off for a few minutes since she was carrying Flint.


    The boy clung her arms around his mother¡¯s neck and stuck his cheek on her chest. His eyes were staring outside the window


    nkly, seemingly having a plethora of thoughts running through his mind. Sylvia stroked his face and asked softly, ¡°Flint, what


    are you thinking about?¡±


    Flint pouted and answered meekly, ¡°I miss Daddy.¡±


    Sylvia was surprised by the answer.


    It was then that Liam woke up and looked up at her, followed by Isabel.


    Isabel grumbled, ¡°Why are you missing that stupid Daddy? Come to me.¡±


    The little girl snatched Flint from her mother¡¯s arm and started ying with her little brother. The duo loved to y tickles as


    always, and the car was soon filled with Flint¡¯s chuckles. The siblings got so carried away that they did not notice Flint¡¯s leg was


    right in front of Liam¡¯s face.


    Liam pouted helplessly and clutched onto his brother¡¯s ankle to stop him from moving.


    Things got rather cheerful and lively in the car.


    Sylvia watched the kids y happily, but her chest tightened whenever she thought about Odell. It had been two days since


    Odell went on a business trip. Other than the text that she received that night when he arrived at Hemingway, she had never


    gotten a call from him. He must be ridiculously busy, and she started to wonder if he even ate or slept on time.


    Awhileter, the car stopped outside the Carters¡¯ residence.


    Isabel held Flint¡¯s hand and ran inside the house like horses released into the wild, calling Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya¡¯s


    names cheerfully.


    LL


    When Sylvia and Liam entered the living room, they saw Flint babbling adorably in Madam Carter¡¯sp while Isabel was boasting


    her new toy that she won from the theme park to Aunt Tonya.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya were both amused. Sylvia smiled and brought Liam over to them.


    After some chit-chat, dinner was served.


    The kids then went upstairs to their game room. The game room was spacious and built specifically for the three of them. Other


    than all kinds of toys, there were also new video games installed. Sylvia went to Madam Carter¡¯s room to check on her


    before she headed up to the game room to join the kids.


    Liam, Isabel, and Flint sat in a line. Liam was meddling with a remote control toy while Isabel was teaching Flint to y some


    other games.


    Next Chapter


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 1297

    Chapter 1297


    Chapter 1297 The three of them turned to Sylvia together when she came into the room.


    11


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Flint was the first to bolt up with his tiny legs and wobble over to her.


    Sylvia carried him and sat in between the other two.¡± Issy, Liam, hold on for a while. | want to call Daddy.¡±


    Isabel and Liam put down their toys obediently. Flint looked up at her with his chubby face and glued his eyes to the phone she


    held.


    It should already be after work hours in Hemingway, so Sylvia tried video-calling Odell.


    As the dial tone sounded from the phone, Sylvia and the kids widened their eyes at the screen. A whileter, just when the call


    was about to reach time off, the call got through.


    The man¡¯s handsome face appeared on the screen.


    Sylvia smiled, but before she could say a word, Flint blurted in delight, ¡°Daddy!¡± His sweet and adorable voice could easily melt


    hearts.


    Odell smiled at his wife and kids. ¡°Have you guys eaten?¡±


    Sylvia hummed a reply.


    Isabel then said, ¡°Stupid Daddy, we¡¯ve eaten. How about


    you?¡±


    Odell slightly pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten some.¡±


    It was at this moment, knocks came from the door, followed by a female¡¯s voice. ¡°Sir, the documents you requested are here,


    and so is the dinner you ordered. Will you have it now or on the way back?¡±


    1


    Odell frowned. With an irritated tone, he said, ¡°Go out first.¡±


    Sylvia did not see the woman who spoke, but she heard the woman going out and closing the door. She furrowed her brows in


    silence, expressing her annoyance.


    Isabel angrily said, ¡°Hmph! Stupid Daddy, you said you''ve eaten!¡±


    Odell regained his warm expression and said, ¡°I haven''t eaten dinner, but | had something to eat, so I¡¯m okay.¡± Isabel raised her


    brow. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. Really.¡±


    Isabel''s anger finally calmed down.


    Flint suddenly asked, ¡°What Daddy eat?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Odell was obviously surprised by the boy¡¯s question. He said, ¡°Daddy ate some bread.¡±


    ¡°Oh-oh-000...¡±


    Odell then looked at Sylvia. ¡°How''re things at home?¡±


    ¡°Everything is fine,¡± she said. ¡°We went to the theme park today. It was so fun!¡± Flint blurted once more.


    Odell smiled. He then looked at Liam, ¡°Liam, I¡¯ve been busytely, so help your mother out and take care of your sister and


    brother. Understand?¡±


    Liam remained cool. ¡°Understand.¡±


    Isabel immediately said, ¡°I am not a child anymore. | don¡¯t need Liam to take care of me.¡±


    Flint nodded in adherence. ¡°Uhm uhm ulim... me too.¡±


    Odell ignored them and threw his gaze at Sylvia again. ¡°I still have something to do. I''ll call you when | have time.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Okay. Take care.¡± She hung up the call immediately with the intention of not disturbing his work and


    dinner.


    However, on Odell¡¯s side, he was left hanging with the words ¡®I wille back soon¡¯ at the tip of his tongue. He frowned.


    ¡®Is she mad?¡±


    However, he had indeed been busytely and had neglected her and the children. He already had ns on how to make it up to


    them once he finished his work.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1298

    Chapter 1298


    Chapter 1298 A soft sighter, he got up, tidied his cor, and walked out.


    When he came out of the room, he saw Shermaine . She was waiting outside with the stack of documents, and when she saw


    him, she smiled. ¡°Sir, here are the documents you requested. The dinner we¡¯ve pre-ordered is ready downstairs. Are you having


    it here, or on the way back?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her smile rivaled that of a sunflower and even resembled Sylvia¡¯s.


    He unconsciously spared her an extra nce. ¡°I''ll have it on the way back.¡±


    He headed out after that.


    Shermaine swiftly followed him with the stack of documents, and her eyes glittered for a moment.


    A few days went by in the blink of an eye.


    It was a Friday, which should be the day of Odell¡¯s return. After the ss at the academy in the morning, Sylvia pulled out her


    phone but hesitated whether to call him or not.


    Thest time they talked was the video call with the kids, and there had been zeromunication between them since then.


    He was so busy back then that he almost missed dinner to answer her call, so he must still be extremely busy, or else he would


    not have gone missing without a call, or at least a text, for a few days.


    A quick thoughtter, she decided to go have a look at his office.


    Twenty minutes on the roadter, she arrived at Carter Tower. Sylvia got inside without any problem.


    There was only one receptionist at the front desk, and the girl recognized her. Sylvia asked with a smile, ¡°Is Odell back?¡±


    ¡°Master Carter came back around two hours ago,¡± the receptionist answered.


    ¡°Great.¡±


    She got into the elevator and pressed the button.


    Ding!


    ¡°The elevator door opened on the highest floor.


    Sylvia walked out and headed to Odell¡¯s office.


    As she approached the office, Shermaine , who had been working behind her desk for a while, looked up. Sylvia''s


    arrival surprised her. She got up immediately and shed a weing smile. ¡°Mrs. Carter, are you here for Master Carter?¡±


    Sylvia was also taken aback by Shermaine¡¯s presence.¡° Shermaine? What are you doing here?¡± She was just wondering why


    was there only one receptionist at the front desk today. With her smile intact, Shermaine replied, ¡°Secretary Ackerman is away


    for a while due to family affairs, so Assistant Bogard told me to fill in for him temporarily.¡± Sylvia raised a brow. ¡°So, you''re Odell¡¯s


    secretary now?¡± ¡°Yeah. | guess I¡¯m his temporary secretary,¡± she exined with a in smile.


    Sylvia recalled that when Odell was away for the business trip, she had heard a female voice at his end twice. Now, she finally


    put a face to the voice. Seeing the same hairstyle and simr makeup on Shermaine somehow disturbed her, but maybe


    because it had been a while since she saw ormunicated with Odell. Her gaze shifted, but she did not say anything. She


    continued forward to Odell¡¯s office. ¡°It was then that Shermaine called out to her, ¡°Madam,


    I''m afraid you can¡¯t go in right now.¡± Sylvia looked at her. ¡°Why not?¡±


    With a serious expression, Shermaine exined, ¡°Master


    EL


    Carter is having a business proposal meeting with the heads of the business development team, followed by a series of other


    things he has to work on. He might not have time for you.¡±


    The words fueled Sylvia''s annoyance. It was not the first time Odell was busy, but whenever she visited, Secretary Ackerman


    would always let her in and had never stopped her before. Maybe Shermaine was new and felt like she had to uphold the rules


    tightly.


    Sylvia sighed. ¡°I''ll just go have a peek at him. | won''t disturb him.¡±


    2


    Shermaine wore a troubled look but was able to keep her smile intact. ¡°But Master Carter and the heads are having an important


    meeting. You might interrupt the flow of the meeting if you go in now.¡±

 Chapter 1299

    Chapter 1299


    Chapter 1299 Sylvia¡®s patience wore thin. She wanted nothing but a peek, even if it was just through a wall or a door.


    Besides, whenever he had a meeting in the past, even if he was scolding a subordinate , she had walked in before and had


    never disturbed him once. She was not an idiot and knew he was busy. Why would she go in and disturb him on purpose?


    Sylvia ignored Shermaine and strode forward.


    ¡°Mrs. Carter, you really mustn''t go in!¡± Shermaine rushed forward and stood right in front of Sylvia.


    Sylvia frowned. She tried to maintain herst bit of civility and said, ¡°Move.¡±


    Shermaine was put in a difficult situation. ¡°You really mustn''t go in. Master Carter really does not like it when his meetings are


    interrupted.¡±


    Sylvia said coldly, ¡°I''ve been with him so many years. Do you think you understand him more than me?¡±


    ¡ª Shermaine was stunned.


    Sylvia refused to argue with the girl anymore. She walked around her and wanted to push on the door.


    Shermaine persistently stepped up again, but she got in


    the way when Sylvia tried to push the door open. As a consequence, Sylvia failed to react in time and identally shoved her


    against the door.


    Thud.


    Shermaine fell on the door and then crashed into the wall as the door opened.


    The men who were discussing work-rted matters on the couch further away turned around to the door when they heard the


    suddenmotion.


    SULLLLL


    The man¡®s dark and sharp brows furrowed. The others from the business development team were also startled and baffled


    because they were just at the most crucial part of the discussion. Sylvia saw the man¡¯s irritated and gloomy re. She paused


    on the spot and frowned too.


    Finally, Shermaine regained her bnce. She lowered her head and bowed nervously. ¡°I''m sorry, Master Carter. Mrs. Carter is


    here to see you, and | tried holding her backAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    LLLLLLLL


    Immediately, Sylvia''s gaze at the girl went cold. Odell pursed his lips. The irritation on his face faded as he said to Shermaine,


    ¡°Leave us.¡±


    Shermaine nodded and returned to her station.


    Odell then looked at Sylvia. He looked a lot better than a


    few seconds ago, but Sylvia could tell he was still annoyed by the interruption.


    For some reason, it irritated her further. She said, ¡°I¡¯m just here to see you, and she had to get in my way, so | identally


    pushed her against the door.


    ¡°Well, gentlemen, excuse me.¡± Sylvia then turned around and left.


    Before Odell could say anything, she disappeared from his sight. With a frown, he grabbed his phone and texted her, ¡°Wait for


    me downstairs. I''lle down when I''m done.¡±


    Then, he turned to his men and said, ¡°Proceed.¡±


    The meeting continued.


    Sylvia strode to the elevator , but Shermaine caught up with her.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Mrs. Carter. | didn''t mean what happened. Master Carter is really in a meeting as you could see.¡±


    Sylvia looked at her. The girl''s brows were furrowed, and the apologetic expression on her face seemed sincere, yet the more


    Sylvia looked at her, the more irritated she got.


    Carter Corporation had so many employees, yet Odell had to get her to rece Secretary Ackerman while he was away. Why


    the young girl from the front desk? Was it because she looked and dressed simr to her but was younger?


    The elevator soon arrived. Sylvia suppressed her irritation and walked into it.


    When the door closed, Shermaine¡®s apologetic face was reced by an evil grin. She did not even do anything, and things had


    started to tip in her favor. It made her delighted.


    Chapter 1300 Aftering out of the building, Sylvia got a ride home.


    On the way back, her phone suddenly rang. It was Odell. She hesitated for several seconds before picking it up.


    The man¡®s voice on the other end sounded a little heavy.¡± Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I''m on the way back. What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t you wait for me?¡± His gruff voice was a sign that he was unhappy.


    Sylvia was annoyed by his tone too. ¡°Why should | wait for you? You''re busy, aren¡®t you?¡±


    When Shermaine had knocked the door open, the man had obviously been unhappy, so why would she choose to be stupid


    enough to stay back?


    Hearing her tone, Odell assumed that she was mad because he did not talk to her earlier. He frowned and exined in a small


    voice, ¡°I was really busy. | didn''t mean to ignore you.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s brows eased, but the irritation in her chest remained.


    ¡°| said you were busy. | didn¡¯t say you ignored me.¡± Her tone remained unhappy.


    Odell stroked his forehead. ¡°I might not being home tonight. Don''t wait for me for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | got it.¡± Sylvia then hung up the phone. It was then she realized she had an unread text. She tapped on it and her brows


    furrowed. It exined why he had called her and asked her why she did not wait for him.


    She must have received the text when she walked out of the office, but Shermaine had held her up and made her forget to look


    at her phone.


    Since they already spoke on the phone, any further exnation became unnecessary, so she simply put her phone away.


    Back in the lobby of Carter Tower, Odell stared at the nk screen of his phone. He furrowed his brows and then pocketed his


    phone.


    He turned around to Shermaine and said, ¡°Are the documents ready?¡±


    Shermaine replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Call Cliff. We''re heading out.¡±


    ¡°Yes. sir. But, sir...¡± Shermaine paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Mrs. Carter seemed upset when she left. There¡¯s still


    half an hour before the next meeting. Do


    you want to call her to exin things?¡± 1


    He wanted to, but she refused to listen, so he nned to settle the matter after his work.


    ¡°No need. We''ll head to the venue directly.¡± He then walked towards the parking lot.


    Shermaine immediately followed him.


    Sylvia returned home during lunch and saw Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya feeding Flint.


    Flint obediently guzzled everything they fed him. He widened his smile when he saw his mother and said,¡° Mommy!¡± The


    adorable voice soothed the irritation in her chest. She went over with a sweet smile and carried the boy into her arms.


    ¡°Grandma, Aunt Tonya, you guys eat. I''ll take care of Flint.¡± She sat down and took over from the two elderlydies.


    Flint ate another spoon of rice and then said, ¡°Mommy, is Daddy home?¡±


    Sylvia looked slightly disheartened. ¡°Not yet. He¡¯s still busy, so maybe in a day or two.¡±


    Her words left the little boy disheartened as well. ¡°Oh...¡±


    Sylvia stroked his puffy cheek and said, ¡°I''ll bring you outter, and we can go pick up Liam and Issy. Then, we''ll go shopping.


    How about that?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1300

    Chapter 1300


    Chapter 1300 Aftering out of the building, Sylvia got a ride home.


    On the way back, her phone suddenly rang. It was Odell. She hesitated for several seconds before picking it up.


    The man¡®s voice on the other end sounded a little heavy.¡± Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I''m on the way back. What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t you wait for me?¡± His gruff voice was a sign that he was unhappy.


    Sylvia was annoyed by his tone too. ¡°Why should | wait for you? You''re busy, aren''t you?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    When Shermaine had knocked the door open, the man had obviously been unhappy, so why would she choose to be stupid


    enough to stay back?


    Hearing her tone, Odell assumed that she was mad because he did not talk to her earlier. He frowned and exined in a small


    voice, ¡°I was really busy. | didn''t mean to ignore you.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s brows eased, but the irritation in her chest remained.


    ¡°| said you were busy. | didn¡¯t say you ignored me.¡± Her tone remained unhappy.


    Odell stroked his forehead. ¡°I might not being home tonight. Don''t wait for me for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | got it.¡± Sylvia then hung up the phone. It was then she realized she had an unread text. She tapped on it and her brows


    furrowed. It exined why he had called her and asked her why she did not wait for him.


    She must have received the text when she walked out of the office, but Shermaine had held her up and made her forget to look


    at her phone.


    Since they already spoke on the phone, any further exnation became unnecessary, so she simply put her phone away.


    Back in the lobby of Carter Tower, Odell stared at the nk screen of his phone. He furrowed his brows and then pocketed his.


    phone.


    He turned around to Shermaine and said, ¡°Are the documents ready?¡±


    Shermaine replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Call Cliff. We''re heading out.¡±


    ¡°Yes. sir. But, sir...¡± Shermaine paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Mrs. Carter seemed upset when she left. There''s still


    half an hour before the next meeting. Do


    you want to call her to exin things?¡± 1


    He wanted to, but she refused to listen, so he nned to settle the matter after his work.


    ¡°No need. We''ll head to the venue directly.¡± He then walked towards the parking lot.


    Shermaine immediately followed him.


    Sylvia returned home during lunch and saw Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya feeding Flint.


    Flint obediently guzzled everything they fed him. He widened his smile when he saw his mother and said,¡° Mommy!¡± The


    adorable voice soothed the irritation in her chest. She went over with a sweet smile and carried the boy into her arms.


    ¡°Grandma, Aunt Tonya, you guys eat. I''ll take care of Flint.¡± She sat down and took over from the two elderlydies.


    Flint ate another spoon of rice and then said, ¡°Mommy, is Daddy home?¡±


    Sylvia looked slightly disheartened. ¡°Not yet. He¡¯s still busy, so maybe in a day or two.¡±


    Her words left the little boy disheartened as well. ¡°Oh...¡±


    Sylvia stroked his puffy cheek and said, ¡°I''ll bring you outter, and we can go pick up Liam and Issy. Then, we''ll go shopping.


    How about that?¡±

 Chapter 1301

    Chapter 1301


    The moment Flint heard they were going somewhere with food and where he could y, he threw his hands in the air and


    eximed, ¡°Okay!¡±


    4


    After lunch, Sylvia took a short nap with Flint before taking him to the small yground outside where they spent the noon.


    Around the time when Isabel and Liam would be finished with school for the day, she took Flint to get his siblings. After that, the


    family went to the food court nearby.


    Both Isabel and Flint were little gluttons.


    Although Liam was not exactly fond of snacks, he was not one to pass up the chance to give them a taste.


    They walked around eating until it was close to midnight before Sylvia finally brought them back home.


    The madam was already resting by now.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were chatting in the yard. They both looked rather tired and were forcing themselves to stay up to wait


    for Sylvia and the children.


    Sylvia told them to get some rest before taking the kids upstairs herself.


    Liam and Isabel were grown enough to brush their teeth and prepare for bed on their own.


    Sylvia only needed to help Flint settle in for the night.


    The boy was very cooperative and it did not take long before Sylvia emerged from the bathroom with him.


    ILVLAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    TL


    Isabel now had a room of her own while Flint shared a room with his brother Liam.


    After setting Flint on the bed, Sylvia gently patted Liam¡¯¡®s head again and kissed the children goodnight before she went to


    Isabel''s room. Seeing that she was already soundly asleep, she smiled and finally returned to the bedroom she shared with


    Odell. The bedroom was pitch¡ªck and quiet.


    After turning on the light, she still took special care to not make too much noise shuffling her feet around for fear of disturbing the


    household.


    LE


    She heaved a long sigh, worn out from the day, then she went to the bathroom. After she showered, she threw herself on the bed


    and shut her eyes as soon as she turned off the bedmp.


    After some time had passed. It was veryte into the night when the door to the bedroom slowly creaked open. A steady rhythm


    of footsteps creaked across the floor.


    She sighed, then she got out of bed and started preparing for the day.


    Sylvia spent both days of the weekend with three of her children as usual.


    On the next Monday, after Isabel and Liam went to school, Sylvia went to the art academy.


    After sitting through two sses, she was just about to leave when she suddenly received a call from Christopher.


    She was told that there would be aworking event for teachers at a hotel tonight and that many teachers and professors from


    prestigious colleges and universities in Westchester will be present as well. It was a wonderful chance for socializing and


    furthering connections. There would be just as many bachelors as there would be married folks.


    Sylvia expressed that she needed to go home to be with her children, but Christopher immediately started persuading her.


    He was very determined to change her mind. ¡°Sylvia, you''re the icon of our academy and most people are there to see you and


    get a chance to talk to you. If you don''t go, what will happen to the image of our academy?¡±


    Sylvia grimaced and asked reluctantly, ¡°If you put it that way, what time does it start?¡±


    It starts at half past six. Come over at six and we can go together,¡± Christopher added with a quick smile, ¡°Make sure you dress


    up.¡± Sylvia smiled politely. ¡°Got it.¡±

 Chapter 1302

    Chapter 1302


    Chapter 1302


    Sylvia went home and spent the better half of the afternoon with Flint.


    As evening approached and it was nearing the time for her to go to the party, she took her phone and sent a message to Odell,


    ¡°Are youing home tonight?¡±


    She figured that he was busy since there was no reply even after some time.


    She put down her phone and went to get changed.


    She chose a light purple dress that she deemed was perfect for the party because it was elegant while also not too shy.


    It was a beautiful off-shoulder dress that ran down to her ankles. Its design was simple and yet elegant.


    ILI


    After she put on a light coat of makeup, she grabbed a leather bag and went outside.


    She went to get her phone which she had set on the table just now.


    She figured that Odell should have replied to her message by now since it had been some time since she sent the message.


    She picked up her phone only to see that she had only


    received messages from Christopher and some other people. There was still no word from Odell.


    She frowned and texted him again, ¡°There¡®s an event going on tonight involving the college faculty members and | told them that


    I''ll be there. I''ll probably get home prettyte tonight.¡±


    With that, she threw the phone in her bag. Then she bid farewell to Madam Carter, Aunt Tonya, and Flint before getting into the


    car.


    Meanwhile, inside Carter Tower.


    On the top floor, inside the president''s office.


    There was the sound of running watering from within the washroom inside the office.


    There was Shermaine in a light purple dress she had just changed into. She stood attentively in front of Odell''s desk with her


    hands ced guardedly in front of her.


    From time to time, she would dart nces in the direction of the washroom.


    LLL LLLLLL


    Ding!


    Suddenly, a phone on the table rang.


    She stole a peek at the disy.


    It was a new message from a contact that was registered


    A sh of jealousy appeared in Shermaine¡¯s eyes upon reading the name of the sender. She quickly turned away after that and


    continued staring in the direction of the washroom.


    After a few minutes, the sound of running water stopped atst.


    Shermaine quicklyposed herself and tried to look as natural as possible as she stared straight in front of her.


    After a while, Odell stepped into his office.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    He was wearing a shirt without his coat, and several buttons on his shirt were left undone.


    He was still buttoning his shirt as he stepped into his office.


    When he saw Shermaine standing at his desk, he frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Shermaine blushed when she saw the tall and stout CEO appearing with a glimpse of his muscr chest exposed.


    She quickly bowed her head and informed, ¡°I''m here to bring you these reports . Assistant Bogard told me that ¡ª this was very


    urgent so he had me bring them to you.¡±


    Odell quickly buttoned up and remarked curtly, ¡°Put them on the table.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shermaine hurriedly set the sheet of documents


    on the desk.


    She started walking away but spun around when a thought suddenly urred to her. ¡°By the way, Master Carter, you got a


    message on your phone while you were inside the bathroom. | identally saw the name of the sender. | believe it''s your wife


    texting you.¡±


    It seemed as if the sheer mention of Sylvia made Odell soften a little as he nodded briskly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Shermaine did not overstay her wee and promptly exited the office.


    Odell picked up the phone.


    After reading the two messages Sylvia sent to her, he promptly typed a reply, ¡°There¡®s an event | need to attend tonight as well


    so I''m going to be homete too.¡±


    An idea suddenly came to him. He quickly followed up with another message, ¡°Have fun, make sure you don''t get too friendly


    with some of the male professors.¡±


    After sending the messages, he sat down on the chair and went through the documents Shermaine had just brought him.


    ¡ª About half an hourter.


    He took a look at the time and promptly set down the documents. He got up and went outside.


    Shermaine was assigned to the desk right outside Odell''s


    office. As soon as she noticed Odell stepping out, she stood up immediately and greeted him with a smile,¡± Master Carter, are


    you leaving already?¡±.


    ¡°Yeah, get Cliff for me,¡± he ordered as he walked toward the elevator.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Shermaine answered and quickly followed Odell while she dialed Cliffs number on her phone.


    Sylvia read Odell''s replies when she was halfway to the hotel.


    The pent-up frustration inside her immediately subsided when she read the messages. Still, she had to admit that she was irked


    that it took him so long to reply.

 Chapter 1303

    Chapter 1303


    Chapter 1303 She did not reply to Odell and threw the phone back into her bag


    Shortly after thaat, she arrived at the academy.


    Christopher and some of the other lecturers joining them were already waiting for her.


    After everyone exchanged short greetings, they carpooled to the Westchester Hotel where the event would take ce.


    The event was conducted inside the grand ballroom on the ground floor of the hotel.


    It was a gigantic ballroom.


    By the time Sylvia got there with Christopher, a lot of people had already arrived.


    The demographic of the attendees was rather diverse. There were as many young people as there were older members, and


    everyone was very polite. Christopher was rather well-known in the art and education circle in Westchester as well. As soon as


    he stepped into the ballroom, many people came up to him with a smile and greeted him, ¡°President Dendro, you brought Ms.


    Sunflower with you as well?¡±


    LE


    ¡°Wow! We''re all dying to meet her.¡±


    L


    LLLLLLLAll content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Everyone turned to Sylvia with an enthusiastic look shing in their eyes.


    Christopher smiled and turned to Sylvia.


    LLL


    Sylvia had assumed that Christopher was just exaggerating when he said that many people were eager to see her.


    She greeted them with a pleasant smile and introduced herself politely, ¡°Hello everyone, my name is Sylvia but most of you


    probably know me as Ms. Sunflower.¡±


    Everyone was very intrigued by her presence.


    VILL


    ¡°My God, Ms. Sunflower sure is young!¡±


    ¡°And so pretty.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°You guys are being too generous with your praises.¡±


    ¡°Haha! We''re teachers, we won''t praise you if we don''t mean it.¡±


    LLLL


    ¡°Ms. Sunflower, I''m very fond of the painting you submitted in the most recent gallery. I''m very interested in the arts and | was


    wondering if | can bother you with a few questions.¡±


    Sylvia answered courteously, ¡°Of course.¡±


    She walked and chatted with them.


    They had a lovely conversation over food and drinks.


    Meanwhile, a ck car had just arrived and parked at the entrance of the hotel.


    Cliff and Shermaine were the first ones out of the car. Cliff quickly went to open the door for Odell.


    Odell stepped out of the car.


    Cliff quickly stepped to his side to let Odell take the lead. Shermaine quickly followed behind them.


    Before they entered the hotel, several people came to the entrance to greet them.


    ¡°Master Carter, good evening, this way please.¡±


    ¡°Everyone''s already here, we''re all looking forward to seeing you.¡±


    4


    ¡ª Their reception was warm and cordial.


    LILIT


    Odell nodded and entered with them.


    After they passed through a corridor, they arrived at the ballroom, a very grand and respectable venue.


    As soon as they entered, arge group of people flocked toward them.


    Cliff was no stranger to this scene. He quickly stepped up and made sure that people did not get too close to Odell.


    Odell strode through the crowd,pletely unbothered by the mass attention. With every step he took, the sea of people parted


    to make way for him.


    His tall figure was especially eye-catching among the crowd.


    Following him from behind, Shermaine quietly gazed at his dashing figure, the man who was basked in fame and glory but


    seemingly unimpressed by the attention. She could feel her heartbeat elerating while her eyes were filled with respect and


    awe.


    Cliff suddenly turned back to look at her. ¡°Shermaine, what are you daydreaming about?¡±


    This quickly brought Shermaine back to her senses. ¡°I''m sorry, my mind was somewhere else. My bad.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright. Do you remember the people who came to greet us at the entrance?¡± Cliff asked.


    * Shermaine nodded. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Go find them and hand each of them a copy of the documents we prepared earlier.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I''m on it.¡± Shermaine straightened herself and


    made herself stop staring at Odell. She walked away with a briefcase in hand.

 Chapter 1304

    Chapter 1304


    chapter 1304 A never-ending stream of people came up to greet Odell. As soon as one group left, another woulde to take


    their ce.


    It took some time before Odell was finally done exchanging pleasantries with them and had time for himself.


    He sat down on a couch and picked up a ss of wine to cool himself down.


    After that, he took a phone out of his pocket.


    It had been over an hour since he sent thest two messages to Sylvia and there was still no response from her.


    He was not sure if she simply had not read them yet or if she did not want to reply to his messages.


    An irritated look shed across his face. He tapped rapidly against the disy andpiled yet another message, ¡°What are


    you doing?¡±


    Meanwhile, inside a separate ballroom on the other side of the hotel.


    Sylvia was surrounded by a flock of teachers, all of whom were eager to hear about her insights on her paintings. They were


    currently discussing several particr pieces


    of art.


    The atmosphere was lively and everyone was scrambling to express their thoughts and opinions on the pieces.


    Although Sylvia carried her bag next to her, she barely felt the vibration of the phone inside her bag. She could hardly hear the


    notification ringing at all.


    The atmosphere in the ballroom on Odell''s end was rather lively as well.


    After Shermaine had taken care of what Cliff had instructed her to do, she went to a quiet corner to stand by herself. Soon


    enough, she caught herself staring at the man sitting by himself on the couch again.


    He seemed to be waiting for something. With every few sips of wine, he would nce at his phone as if waiting for a message.


    Shortly after that, a few people came up to him to chat with him.


    Shermaine knew who they were. They were the big shots in the industry.


    They had an air of arrogance about them everywhere they went but the moment they presented themselves in front of Odell, it


    was as if they had shrunk to half their original size.


    Meanwhile, Odell sat proudly on the couch as he spoke to them. He wore the same indifferent expression he always had and


    looked handsome as ever. Shermaine found herself slowly falling for his dashing appearances. She was fangirling over Odell.


    She quicklyposed herself and adjusted herself back to reality.


    Even though she had the chance to interact with Odell with some increased frequency ever since she became his secretary, the


    man himself would only spare her several nces now and then. On the whole, his attitude toward her was still the same as


    before. She had hardly gotten to know him.


    She did not want to gaze at him from a distance. She wanted to find a way to get closer to him!


    Then, she suddenly noticed a pair of eyes fixed intently on her. She quickly turned around to steal a look.


    Standing by the corridor next to the entrance was a young, chubby-looking man staring at her.


    AL


    Upon exchanging eye contact with Shermaine, the young man immediately smiled warmly at her with a friendly look in his eyes.


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes glowed with disgust as she smiled almostzily at the young man.


    Then, she walked toward him.


    The young man¡®s eyes glowed up immediately.


    Meanwhile, Odell was still sitting on the same couch.


    The few men who hade to speak to him previously had already left. With that, Odell got to enjoy a few moments of rtive


    peace and quiet again.


    He picked up the phone on the table.


    Thetest messages shown on the disy were still the texts he had sent to Sylvia. There was still no word from


    her.


    He frowned deeply, slowly bing upset.


    What was she up to? How could she be so busy chatting with other people that she could not even spare a few seconds to look


    at her phone?


    Suddenly, Cliff approached him and informed, ¡°Sir, Shermaine gave them the documents we talked about and | just had a quick


    chat with them. It looks like they are all very eager to be a part of ourpany¡¯s new project.¡±


    Odell tried to suppress the frustrated tone in his voice. ¡°I see, go ahead and notify our relevant departments and tell them to start


    getting in touch with the new partners.¡±


    Cliff answered dutifully, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Just as he was about to walk away, a piercing scream tore through the ballroom. It came from the corridor outside. ¡°Ah... Help!¡± a


    woman shrieked.


    Cliff''s expression dropped. ¡°That sounds like Shermaine.¡± Odell frowned. ¡°Go take a look.¡°


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1305

    Chapter 1305


    Chapter 1305 Cliff quickly made his way to where the scream was heard. Many people were sprinting in the same direction as


    well.


    LILL


    Seeing that there was still no new notification on his phone, Odell grumpily stuffed the phone in his pocket and briskly walked


    toward themotion as well.


    The people crowded by the corridor wisely made way for him when they saw him approaching.


    When he strode into the corridor, he saw Cliff grabbing a plump young man whose skin was grimy and pale. Shermaine was


    hiding behind Cliff. Her hair was ruffled and she was on the verge of tears. She seemed traumatized by something that had


    happened.


    Upon seeing him, she cried out, ¡°Master Carter!¡± She quickly bolted to Odell and ducked behind him as if seeking cover from


    something threatening.


    FEE


    ILL


    Odell looked at Cliff and the man he had apprehended. He asked sharply, ¡°What''s going on?¡±


    Cliff informed, ¡°I saw him forcefully pulling Shermaine when | came out. It seems like he''s trying to do


    something vile to her.¡±


    The man who was now pinned to the ground cried out,¡±


    That''s not true! She was the one who flirted with me first and threw herself on top of me. | barely touched her at all when she


    began screaming about me being a creep when | haven''t done anything at all!¡±


    Shermaine used him, ¡°Don''t you dare twist the truth of what happened! Why would | flirt with you of all people? | have better


    taste than that!¡±


    The people gathered around seemed to agree with this sentiment and nodded their heads.


    ¡°She¡®s Master Carter''s secretary. She wouldn''t approach this man of all people.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Look at this guy. He doesn''t seem like anything particrly remarkable at all. He''s as dull as theye.¡±


    Odell stood tall over the used man, his expression carried no trace of emotions whatsoever.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Shermaine hid behind him and began to sob softly. She was sneakily observing what he would do.


    Cliff turned to Odell as well. ¡°Sir, what should | do with him?¡±


    Odell shot a look at the man. ¡°Call the police.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the other ballroom.


    Sylvia was in the middle of a conversation with several teachers when suddenly a member from the art academy frantically


    paced into the ballroom and cried out for Christopher, ¡°President, this is bad, it''s Mr. Charles!¡±


    Christopher immediately snapped to attention. ¡°What about him?¡®


    ¡°It''s easier if youe with me! He''s in the corridor right now!¡±


    Christopher immediately followed him out.


    Curious about what happened, Sylvia immediately followed Christopher and went to the corridor as well.


    Charles Present was one of her colleagues. He was a rather chubby young man but despite his appearance, he was very


    popr with the students because of his unique approach to teaching. He was just as highly regarded among the teachers and


    close with Sylvia as well.


    Upon hearing about themotion , she felt she had to go and see what happened to him.


    What she saw was beyond her wildest imagination. She was greeted by the sight of Charles pinned to the ground ¡ª like a


    disgraced criminal.


    Furthermore, the person pinning him to the ground was none other than Cliff!


    Sylvia¡®s eyes widened, and she eximed, ¡°Cliff?¡±


    Cliff turned to see who was calling his name. His eyes widened when he met Sylvia¡®s eyes. ¡°Mrs. Sylvia?¡±


    A wave of silence washed over the corridor.


    Sylvia, keenly aware of the drastic change in the atmosphere, nced down the other end of the corridor.


    She saw the familiar silhouette of her husband.


    He was standing roughly five meters away from her but she could feel the prating strength of his gaze on her even from this


    distance.


    She was taken aback by this and cried out, ¡°Odell?¡±


    Why was he here? Was he not supposed to be at an event?


    Before she could figure out what was going on, she recognized a tiny figure hiding behind him in a light purple dress.


    re


    The color of the dress was nearly identical to the one she was wearing. This person had the same hairstyle as her as well and


    was trembling behind Odell as if she was a maiden being protected by a fearless knight.


    Upon feeling Sylvia''s gaze on her, this person stuck her head out from behind Odell.


    She was visibly stunted when she saw Sylvia as she quickly ducked back behind Odell. Sylvia frowned, and a sharp look


    surfaced in her eyes.

 Chapter 1306

    Chapter 1306


    Chapter 1306 Upon seeing Sylvia, Charles, who was pinned to the ground by Cliff, gasped for air and cried for help, ¡°Sylvia, help


    me! I''m innocent. All | did was graze her skin when she was the one who forced herself on me. | didn''t do anything else to her!¡±


    He looked at Sylvia like she was his salvation.


    Sylvia sighed and approached them. She turned to Cliff and asked sharply, ¡°Alright, tell me, what the hell happened here?¡±


    She made sure to rify her rtionship with Charles as well. ¡°Cliff, he''s my colleague. Please let him go.¡±


    Cliff turned to look at Odell. Odell had an imperceptible look on his face as usual but it did not seem like he was opposed to Cliff


    letting the man go, and so he did. Charles immediately picked himself up from the ground and immediately began narrating a


    long-winded tale to Sylvia, ¡°I was just passing by this other ballroom on the way to the toilet when | saw thatdy over there. |


    thought she looked a lot like you and was very beautiful. | admit that | couldn''t resist the urge to steal a few more looks.


    Eventually, she noticed me and began approaching me. She began flirting with me, asking me what my name was, where |


    worked, and casual questions along those


    lines.


    ¡°So, | thought she was interested in me and naturally continued chatting with her. At one point, it looked like she had tripped


    somehow and was going to fall on top of me. As much as I''m interested in her, | know that it would be a bad look if | touched her


    too much so all | did was grab her arm to prevent her from falling. And that''s when she began screaming for help. She also


    ruffled her hair herself for some reason... But I... All | did was touch her arm, and that was just to save her from falling!¡±


    Charles was visibly agitated as he spoke with such rapidity and waspletely distraught that such an unbelievable


    misunderstanding would ever happen to him.


    Sylvia frowned.


    Odell, who was nearby, frowned as well. He had a dark look on his face. More than anything, he was bothered by how Charles


    had mentioned how he took an interest in Shermaine because he thought she resembled Sylvia.


    Everyone fell silent for several seconds. That was when Shermaine came out from behind Odell with a furious and aggrieved


    look on her face. She jabbed a finger in Charle¡¯s face and used him further, ¡°How dare you turn the story around on me? Yes,


    | did smile at you when | saw you looking at me but | was only being polite. | never meant to flirt. It was you who suddenly


    grabbed onto me when | passed by you on the way to the toilet, and you were forcing kisses on me! If | didn''t cry out for help,


    who knows what you''d have done to me!¡±


    She was filled with emotions and quickly burst into tears. The men surrounding her, all decked out in suits and shining leather


    shoes cast her sympathetic looks and took pity on her.


    Someone in the crowd spoke up, ¡°I''m on her side. | believe that if | were in her shoes, I''d never have tried to approach this man


    as well.¡±


    ¡°Me too. You can tell at first nce that he¡¯s a perverted teacher. Not only that, but he¡¯s also a master maniptor! Credit where


    it''s due, he¡®s a master at his craft!¡±


    Many people began to turn to Charles and judge him in usatory tones.


    Charles¡® eyes burned with anger. His usual jovial charms were nowhere to be seen as his face wrenched with anger and


    disappointment at this injustice he was facing. ¡°You people are ndering me! I''m not trying to manipte anyone here. Every


    word | said is the truth!¡±


    Everyone merelyughed at his feeble attempt to defend himself. It was clear that none of them believed him and thought of him


    as nothing more than a jester and a pervert.


    Charles could not stomach such utter humiliation. ¡°You...Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    You bunch of fools!¡± He turned to Shermaine and hissed sharply. ¡°And you, you''re a vicious and disgusting woman. You''re only


    getting away with it because of your appearance!¡± It seemed like he was going to charge at Shermaine.


    Sylvia quickly grabbed him.


    Christopher and several teachers nearby rushed toward him and grabbed him as well.


    Meanwhile , Shermaine ducked behind Odell again and shrieked , ¡°Master Carter, help me! Everything | said is true. | wouldn''t


    use him for no reason!¡± Odell frowned. He red sharply at Charles and more so at Sylvia who had her arms wrapped


    around Charles¡¯ arms.


    Sylvia was doing her best to calm Charles. ¡°Charles, calm down. We believe in you.¡±


    Charles seemed to feel vindicated upon hearing that Sylvia believed in his innocence.


    He looked at Sylvia with tears swelling in his eyes. ¡°You... Do you truly believe me?¡± Sylvia nodded and affirmed him. ¡°Yes.¡±


    The other teachers from the art academy echoed the same sentiment and supported him as well. ¡°As if we don''t know what kind


    of person you are? Of course, we


    won''t simply believe everything she says.¡±


    Christopher chimed in. ¡°Yes, so calm down, control


    yourself.¡±


    Charles wiped away his tears and seemed to have calmed down.


    Sylvia released him and turned to look at Odell.


    He was staring at her with a dark and solemn look in his eyes. It seemed like he was on Shermaine¡¯¡®s side.

 Chapter 1307

    Chapter 1307


    Chapter 1307 Shermaine was still hiding behind Odell.


    Sylvia heaved a long, tired sigh and addressed Odell,¡± Odell, Charles and | are colleagues. All of us have known him for a long


    time and know what kind of person he is. He¡®d never do something like that.¡±


    ¡°How long have you known each other?¡± he asked sharply.


    Sylvia answered sternly, ¡°More than two years.¡±


    ¡°I''ve known Shermaine for more than two years as well,¡± Odell answered.


    Sylvia felt something catch in her throat as the color was drained from her face.


    He... Was he so determined to defend Shermaine?


    She felt a surge of anger rush up to her head and spoke without further consideration, ¡°Don''t you believe me? Do you think I''m


    lying to you?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Everyone had be silent spectators by this point.


    Charles, Christopher, and the teachers present were silently gazing at Sylvia and Odell.


    Shermaine and the surrounding men did not dare to utter a word either. They felt as if they were at a court hearing.


    IL


    The silence was overbearing andsted for several seconds.


    Odell finally spoke, ¡°Cliff, contact the hotel manager and get them to review the surveince footage for us.¡±


    Cliff sprang to action.


    Sylvia seemed relieved by this wise decision. Still, she was deeply bothered by the sight of Shermaine using Odell as his


    protection.


    Charles, Christopher, and the others were all relieved.


    The surveince footage would be the fairest judge of them all. The liar would be exposed and brought to justice.


    EL1


    Astrange look appeared in Shermaine¡®s eyes but she did a good job at ying it naturally.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    The men in suits who were standing behind Odell seemed pleased with this solution as well. They were all looking forward to


    what the final verdict would be after the surveince footage was reviewed.


    ¡ª Nobody spoke.


    Sylvia red at Odell discontentedly.


    Odell returned the same look. He was just as bothered by how she was adamantly on Charles¡¯ side.


    After a while, Cliff arrived with the hotel manager.


    Sylvia turned to the hotel manager with an expectant look in her eyes.


    Everyone held their breaths.


    The manager slowly waddled to Odell and spoke in an embarrassed and apologetic tone, ¡°Master Carter, I''m very sorry about


    this. We just removed the surveince cameras from this corridor two days ago because it malfunctioned. The new cameras


    aren''t installed yet.¡±


    Sylvia frowned.


    Charles snapped. ¡°You dare to call yourself a five-star hotel? Why didn''t you fix the new surveince cameras immediately?!¡±


    All the manager could do was bow his head repeatedly and apologize profusely for the inconvenience caused. Hiding behind


    Odell, Shermaine was doing her best to not break out into a smug grin. She had noticed that the surveince cameras were


    missing from the very beginning. That was the reason she was so confident with her ploys in the first ce. She was no fool.


    She immediately seized the chance and stepped forward to confront Charles, ¡°What are you so upset about? Didn''t you molest


    me because you know there were no surveince cameras?¡±


    The men behind her caused an uproar. ¡°That''s right! Drop the act and confess already!¡±

 Chapter 1308

    Chapter 1308


    Charles was incredibly flustered as his cheeks were a burning shade of red. ¡°You people are ndering me! | never did


    anything!¡±


    ¡°Heh... You''re the one who wronged her in the first ce! You tried to take advantage of her because she¡¯s pretty. I''ve seen


    plenty of men like you.¡±


    Charles wanted to charge at them.


    Sylvia and Christopher quickly held him back.


    Sylvia spoke up and directly addressed Odell, ¡°Odell, | believe him. He¡®d never do something like that.¡±


    DI


    The people who were against Charles kept their mouths shut when they saw Sylvia speaking up for him again.


    Odell zipped his lips into a thin line with a serious expression.


    Shermaine suddenly said, ¡°Mrs. Carter, do you have some kind of bad impression of me? Do you think I''m someone who would


    use him without any grounds?¡±


    She seemed very vexed by the situation. Sylvia frowned deeply. She had not forgotten what Shermaine had done for Madam


    Carter but the fact that Shermaine was now standing next to Odell in a getup that


    was nearly identical to what she herself was wearing roused a strange, repulsive feeling inside her.


    While she was pondering over what to say, Cliff suddenly spoke up, ¡°Ma¡®am, | know Shermaine well enough. | don''t think she¡®dN?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    lie.


    Sylvia turned to Odell again.


    He spoke atst, ¡°I trust Shermaine too.¡±


    He spoke in a deep and unfaltering voice.


    Shermaine cast a wounded look at Sylvia as if to call for justice.


    Everyone was casting the same look at Sylvia. It was as if they were using her of standing up for her colleagues without


    considering the reality of the situation.


    Sylvia clenched her hand into a fist. Perhaps she had been falsely using Shermaine this entire time as well? She felt a


    suffocating feeling rising in her chest as she turned to Odell for his verdict. ¡°How do you n to handle this?¡±


    LIT


    Odell nced at the hotel manager. ¡°We''re taking this to the police. Let them deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The hotel manager took the hint and promptly asked, ¡°Master Carter, who are we bringing to the police?¡±


    It seemed like he was having a hard time deciding who


    was guilty here.


    Odell darted a look at Charles. ¡°Him.¡±


    The hotel manager left after that.


    Charles was infuriated by the decision and lost his mind as he yelled like a madman, ¡°Odell, | never did anything to her! What


    right do you have to point your finger at me? Just because she¡¯s your secretary? Are you on her side because there¡®s something


    more to your rtionship with her?¡±


    He continued advancing toward Odell. It took several men to hold him back this time.


    Adark gloom suddenly washed over Odell''s face.


    Sylvia was just as caught off guard by Charles¡® remarks.


    Everyone fell into an awkward silence.


    LLLLLL


    1


    Shermaine suddenly scuttled away from Odell to keep some distance from him. She dered coldly and affirmatively , ¡°I''m only


    Master Carter''s secretary. I''m doing nothing but honest work for him. He¡®s someone with a family. Hell, his wife is standing right


    next to you! You using me of something I''ve never done is one thing, but using Master Carter is an entirely separate and


    unforgivable matter!¡±


    T


    There was no longer any remnant of sanity in Charles¡¯ mind by this point. ¡°You look just like Sylvia except you''re younger than


    her. Who knows why Odell is


    keeping you around the office as his secretary? Judging by how cunning you are, | wouldn''t be surprised if you dug your ws


    into him already!¡± 2


    ¡°You... You have no idea what you''re talking about!¡± Shermaine cried out and charged at him. It looked like she was going to


    strike him.


    It was Cliff who rushed forward and stopped her.


    He dragged her aside and tried to calm her down. ¡°Don''t be rash. He''s all out of options and is trying to make up any excuse to


    distract us from what he¡¯s done. Don''t fall for it.¡±


    Charles eximed, ¡°I was wronged! | never did anything to her. I''d never do anything as disgusting as that!¡±


    Christopher patted him on the back. ¡°Charles, calm down.


    With that, he turned to Odell. ¡°Master Carter, Charles has been teaching at our academy for seven to eight years by this point


    and | know him very well. He has a good sense of humor and is very popr with all of the students and has never been in any


    scandals involving female students. Based on my years of professional teaching experience, | can assure you that he¡¯s not


    someone who would do anything vile as molesting a woman.¡± Odell seemed sullen by this point. He looked at Sylvia and did not


    utter a word.


    Someone in the crowd sneered and said with scorn in his voice, ¡°Heh... Impressions can be wrong. I''d suggest you stop


    defending him.¡± ¡°Besides, look at him. He¡¯s a grimy pervert no matter how you look at him.¡°

 Chapter 1309

    Chapter 1309


    Christopher tightened his brows into a frown. He seemed upset.


    Charles was furious. He eventually broke free from the other teachers holding him back and charged after the other group


    It was at this crucial moment when the hotel manager arrived with a crew of policemen.


    When they saw Charles, they immediately rushed forward and detained him.


    Another police officer asked the hotel manager, ¡°Is this the man you were talking about?¡±


    The hotel manager replied, ¡°Yes, it''s him.¡±


    The police immediately said, ¡°Take him away.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Sylvia cried out.


    The policemen were startled by her cry. Everyone turned to look at her.


    Sylvia walked up to Charles who was near Odell as well by this point.


    ¡°Odell, | can proim withplete certainty that


    Charles is innocent. If you''re going to use him for your secretary''s sake...¡± She took a long sigh and expressed sharply, ¡°Don¡®t


    come back to the house ever again.¡±


    As soon as she said this, the air was drawn out of the corridor.


    Everyone¡®s eyes widened. They were shocked and seemed like they were going to break out into hushed murmurs any second


    now.


    ¡°For your secretary''s sake?¡± Perhaps there truly was something going on between Master Carter and his secretary?


    Everyone fixed their eyes on Odell.


    He stood tall and mighty as ever. There was now a terrible gloom that terrified everyone around him.


    Shermaine stepped forward again and exined to Sylvia frantically, ¡°Mrs. Carter, nothing is going on between me and Master


    Carter. You have to believe me. I''m not trying to wrongfully use your colleague ... If you''re going to me it on Master Carter


    then... then I''ll just pretend as if nothing has ever happened and drop my charges. | won''t hold it over your colleague anymore.¡±


    4


    Sylvia red viciously at her. ¡°Shut up, you don''t have the right to interfere.¡±


    She was clearly talking to Odell. What right did she have to intervene? Was Shermaine trying to make a fool out of


    her now?


    Shermaine¡¯s expression dropped and she sullenly zipped her lips.


    Sylvia turned her attention back to Odell.


    Odell was staring back at her with a ruminative look in his eyes.


    Atst, he spoke, ¡°So you''re going to stand up for him no matter what?¡±


    Sylvia answered ¡°yes¡± with a defiant tone in her voice.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Odell remarked with a look as his tone was without any expression of emotion.


    With that, he turned to the police. ¡°This man was trying to sexually harass my employee . Please take him away immediately.¡±


    The policeman seemed rather at a loss. They eventually answered, ¡°Alright.¡± They followed it up with. ¡°Who''s the victim? Please


    come with us. We have some questions we''d like to ask to get further details.¡±


    Odell nced at Shermaine.


    Shermaine promptly followed the police. Within moments, Charles was taken away by the crew of policemen with Shermaine


    following them as well.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Cliff soon followed them as well. It seemed like he was concerned about Shermaine.


    An utter silence dominated the corridor.


    Nobody spoke.


    Sylvia stood like a statue. She was so stiff she could hardly move. Her eyes were fixed intently on Odell.


    The way he looked at her was cold as ever. One would think that the two wereplete strangers.


    It seemed like he was not going to yield to her at all for Shermaine¡®s sake.

 Chapter 1310

    Chapter 1310


    Chapter 1310 Immediately after that, Sylvia was filled with an urge to cry.


    She took a deep gulp to suppress the terrible, sour feeling and returned Odell with a hostile re. She turned away from him and


    started trotting in the direction where the police were escorting Charles.


    Suddenly, she felt someone grabbing her by her wrist.


    It was Odell who stopped her.


    He looked at her and asked sharply, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Just worry about your secretary. | don¡®t need you to take care of me!¡± With that, she briskly flung his hand away and continued


    chasing after Charles and the police.


    Odell frowned and gazed at her morosely without chasing after her.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He stood there for what seemed like an eternity. It was only after Christopher and the rest of the art academy members had left


    that he finally turned around and left as well.


    Several men trailed after him. One of them cautiously approached him. ¡°Master Carter, the event is still ongoing. Are you leaving


    already?¡±


    He growled. ¡°Scram.¡±


    They quickly took the hint and kept their distance.


    Sylvia and Christopher followed the police car to the police station.


    Both Charles and Shermaine were brought in by the police to provide their respective statements.


    Since Sylvia, Christopher, and Cliff who came along as well were all not witnesses to what happened, they were not allowed


    inside and had to wait outside.


    Cliff went up to Sylvia and said, ¡°Ma¡®am, judging by what | know of Shermaine, | doubt she¡®d lie.¡±


    Sylvia red at him without any friendliness. ¡°Get away from me.¡±


    As if she did not know Charles¡® character as well? Cliff grimaced and wisely took a step back. He exined hesitantly, ¡°Jacob,


    the previous secretary, had to step away from his position for several months because of some issues at home. | figured that


    Shermaine was very efficient andpetent so | had her substitute Jacob¡®s position until he came back. She treats her work


    very seriously and has never once overstepped her boundaries. Her interaction with Master Carter has been nothing but


    professional, it''s all work-rted.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s expression seemed to soften ever so slightly, but she continued to regard Cliff with hostility. ¡°Why are you telling me all


    this? I''m not interested in what goes on between your boss and his secretary.¡±


    Even if it was Cliff who promoted Shermaine, she still had to receive the green light from Odell.


    How would the reassignment ever fall through if Odell himself did not agree to the arrangement?


    1


    The scene of him adamantly defending Shermaine in the hotel just now was still ying in her mind.


    4


    She was not blind.


    He had been absent from home recently because he imed to be upied with work. Sylvia felt like a fool for worrying about


    him overworking himself at the office when this entire time, he had a young and beautiful girl next to his side at the office! He


    must have been overjoyed to spend his time at the office rather than at home!


    FILL


    She took a deep breath and turned away from Cliff. She tried to distract her mind from these thoughts.


    Realizing that she would not listen to his exnations, Cliff did not bother with further rifications.


    After a long wait, the police came out with Charles and Shermaine.


    de


    Shermaine''s eyes were puffed red. She seemed flustered by what had happened there.


    Charles¡® eyes were swollen red too but it did not seem like he was in that much of a better mood than Shermaine.


    Cliff stepped forward and asked, ¡°Officer, is he not going to be held ountable?¡±


    The police informed, ¡°There¡¯¡®s no significant evidence proving that he had done anything to Miss Cole. He insists that he¡¯s


    innocent and there¡®s nothing we can do to further prosecute him.¡±


    Charles scoffed and went to Sylvia and Christopher.


    Both Sylvia and Christopher were relieved to hear this.


    Shermaine went up to Cliff and smiled weakly as if to reassure him. ¡°It''s alright, Cliff. He just touched me a little and didn''t get too


    far. | can handle it.¡±


    Cliff frowned and stayed silent.


    Charles overheard it and immediately became upset. It looked like he was going to say something but Christopher noticed and


    stopped him from doing so.

 Chapter 1311

    Chapter 1311


    Chapter 1311 Shermaine looked at Sylvia again and said with a sincere expression, ¡°Mrs. Carter, Master Carter and | are


    innocent. We-*.


    ¡°Let''s go, Charles,¡± Sylvia said to Charles. She did not spare Shermaine a nce and simply turned to leave.


    Charles sneered at Shermaine. ¡°Sylvia is smart, so you can save your little tricks for the fools instead.¡±


    Christopher patted him. ¡°Alright, that''s enough.¡±


    The two men then followed Sylvia out.


    Shermaine frowned and immediately put on an aggrieved expression. ¡°Assistant Bogard, you know that there¡®s really nothing


    between Master Carter and me.¡±


    Cliffforted her, ¡°I know. Mrs. Carter is still angry at Master Carter and only ignored you because of him. Don''t take offense.¡±


    Shermaine pursed her lips. ¡°I hope | don¡®t end up affecting their rtionship, or the guilt will eat me alive.¡±


    Cliff smiled and raised his hand to pat her shoulder. ¡°The innocent have nothing to fear. Mrs. Carter isn''t an unreasonable


    person. Everything will be fine once Master Carter exins it to her. Let''s go.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As Shermaine walked away with him, a touch of smugness surfaced in her eyes.


    ET


    She originally wanted to y out the scene where the foolish Charles bullied her, and have Odell y the part of the hero saving


    the damsel in distress. Ruth said that many men liked to y the knight in shining armor. As long as she acted realistically , she


    might be able to jump into Odell''s arms and weep, making him pity her more. Unexpectedly, Sylvia turned up and even insisted


    on defending that fool and annoying Odell. However, what surprised Shermaine even more was that Odell stood up for her while


    disregarding Sylvia. Could this man also harbor some thoughts about her? Or was he already tired of Sylvia?


    Whatever it was, Shermaine was very pleased.


    Sylvia, Christopher, and Charles took a car back to the Art Academy.


    On the way back, Charles recounted to them how Shermaine set him up. After finishing, he fumed, ¡°Not all beautiful women are


    kind-hearted. She''s like a venomous snake, vicious and disgusting.¡±


    Christopher sighed. ¡°You said that there¡®s no enmity


    between you two, so why did she set you up like that?¡± Charles huffed, ¡°How would | know? What rotten luck. | wouldn''t have


    bothered with her if not for the fact that she looks simr to Sylvia.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. What''s passed has passed. Think of it as a lesson and don''t approach unfamiliar women again in the future.¡±


    ¡°Definitely.¡±


    The car quietened down.


    Seeing Sylvia looking out the car window with a cold expression without speaking, Charles and Christopher both nced at her.


    11


    Charles said in a small voice, ¡°Sylvia, | get impulsive when I''m angry, so | was talking out of my *ss when | said that Master


    Carter and that secretary were having an affair. Don''t let my words affect you.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°I''m fine.¡±


    At that point, the car stopped in the academy parking lot. Sylvia pushed open the car door and got out.


    Charles also got out and wanted to catch up to her to exin the situation to her, but Christopher pulled him back. ¡°Just go back


    and rest. I''ll talk to her.¡± Christopher then walked toward Sylvia.


    When he reached her, he said in a low voice, ¡°Sylvia, | know | have no right to say this, but you have to be on guard against


    other people. That secretary really looks simr to you, and her intentions are clearly not that straightforward . Many men can''t


    resist the temptation either, so it''s better if you are wary.¡± Sylvia¡®s brows wrinkled. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then I''ll leave now.¡± ¡°Bye.¡±

 Chapter 1312

    Chapter 1312


    Christopher walked straight toward the spot where he parked his car. Sylvia also walked toward the ce she parked. She


    frowned tightly, and her chest felt suffocated, making it hard to breathe.


    Even Christopher could see that there was something wrong with Shermaine , so it did not seem like she was overreacting.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Suddenly, a low and familiar voice rang out.


    Sylvia stopped and looked over.


    A ck MPV was parked just to her right. Odell¡®s straight figure was leaning against the car, and his dark gaze was fixed on her.


    His face looked gloomy and seemed to exude unhappiness.


    Sylvia¡®s expression turned cold. She turned her head and continued to walk forward.


    4


    ¡°| said, stop. Did you not hear me?¡± he called out to her again.


    Not only did Sylvia pretend not to hear him, but she even quickened her pace.


    Odell frowned and immediately stepped toward her, chasing after her.


    Not far ahead was the car Sylvia had taken when she came over in the morning. Before he could catch up to her, she opened


    the door and got in.


    Odell also reached out to pull the door open, but Sylvia immediately locked the doors. He nced at her, then went around the


    car, intending to get in through the other door.


    Sylvia then instructed the driver, Ben, ¡°Drive!¡±


    Ben looked conflicted. ¡°Ma¡®am, it''s Master Carter outside.


    She said coldly, ¡°I know. Drive now or I''ll fire you.¡±


    Ben was speechless. He had no choice but to start the car.


    Thus, Odell had just walked over to the door and the other side, but the car drove away before he could even raise his hand to


    pull the door handle.


    His expression darkened.


    Then, he quickly walked back and sat in his car. He said coldly, ¡°Drive. Follow that car in front.¡±


    The driver responded and started the car.


    The two cars drove in tandem on the road.


    Sylvia looked at the ck MPV following them closely in


    the rearview mirror, but her expression was cold as she remained silent. After a long time, the car drove into the old district. His


    car was still following hers.


    She looked away


    The moment the car stopped in front of the gate, she pushed open the door and got out of the car, then quickly walked into the


    gate. She grabbed the remote control from the bodyguard watching the gate and simply closed the gate.


    IDU


    Ben, who was still in the car, was speechless.


    Inside the ck MPV that hade to a stop, Odell was also at a loss for words.


    After a moment, he pursed his lips, pushed open the door, and got out of the car.


    Sylvia said to the bodyguard watching the gate, ¡°Don''t let him in. If hees in, I''ll leave. In the future, there will only be one of


    us in the house at any given time!¡±


    After saying that, she tossed the remote control aside and walked toward the house with her bag. She did not spare a nce at


    the man who had just gotten out of the car.


    Odell pursed his lips and walked to the front gate. The bodyguard who was watching the gate was confused and obviously did


    not understand what was going on.


    Odell looked at him. ¡°Open the door.¡±


    The bodyguard trembled and said, ¡°But the madam said you''re not allowed in.¡±


    Odell¡®s face turned cold. ¡°Do you want to lose your job?¡±


    The bodyguard murmured, ¡°Madam is the one paying our sry now. She also gave us a hefty bonusst month.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell was speechless. After choking for a moment, he said in a low voice, ¡°So, you think that | can¡®t order you guys anymore,


    huh?¡±


    The bodyguard cowered and whispered, ¡°Why don''t you call the madam and admit your mistake? i''ll open the gate for you right


    away as soon as she allows you toe in.¡±


    Odell thought, ¡®What mistake am | supposed to admit to? What did | do wrong?¡¯

 Chapter 1313

    Chapter 1313


    Chapter 1313 ¡®It was she who didn''t reply to my messages and blindly defended a colleague who was interested in her! | didn''t


    even get angry at her, but what about her? Not only is she showing me attitude, but she¡¯s also not letting mee home at all!


    Asurge of anger welled up.


    Odell gave the bodyguard a cold look, then walked around the outer wall of the mansion toward the back door.


    A few minutester, Ben and Odell¡®s driver both followed him to the back door.


    Odell looked at Ben and the driver. While the two pursed their lips and crouched down beside the wall, Odell backed up a few


    steps. Then, he sprinted forward, using their shoulders as a springboard , and climbed up the wall in one leap. A few moments


    later, hended firmly on the ground with both feet and walked toward the house with his long legs. At this time, Madam Carter


    had long since retired to bed, and the three little ones were in their respective rooms.


    Isabel was also deep asleep. Flint was also sleeping soundly by his brother''s side. Liam was reading, but he was always


    disciplined, so Sylvia did not have to say


    anything to nag him. After Sylvia entered, she passed by their rooms one by one to check up on them, then went straight back to


    her bedroom.


    There was still a fire burning in her chest. She dropped the clutch in her hand, subconsciously walked to the balcony, and looked


    toward the courtyard gate.


    The gate was still closed, and the bodyguard was still guarding the gate. The car she rode in and his car were both parked


    outside the gate. His car door was closed, so she could not see what was going on inside. She guessed that he was still inside


    the car.


    Sylvia only took a brief nce and went back to the bedroom. She removed the jewelry she was wearing and went into the


    bathroom.


    The warm water soon sluiced from her head and washed over her body. She raised her face and closed her eyes. She wanted to


    let the water wash over her brain to calm it down so that she would stop thinking about the scene at the hotel.


    However, just as she was about to empty her mind, there was a sudden creak. The bathroom door was pushed open.


    She immediately opened her eyes and saw the man who


    was walking in. His ck shirt and pants showed off his tall and straight figure, and his dark eyes looked over at her when he


    entered.


    LLL


    He stared straight at her without changing his expression.


    Sylvia¡®s face turned cold. ¡°Who let you in? Get out!¡±


    Nevertheless, he stood still.


    Sylvia red at him, took the bath towel on the nearby shelf and wrapped it around her body, then walked out barefooted.


    Odell narrowed his eyes.


    When she passed by him, he reached out his arm, instantly embracing her.


    She pushed him away.


    With just a little effort, Odell wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, not giving her the chance to break free.


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°Let go!¡±


    He looked down at her and asked in a low voice, ¡°Where are you going?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    She said coldly, ¡°I told you, if I''m in this house, you shall be nowhere here. If you''re in this house, I''ll be gone. It''s none of your


    business where | go!¡±.


    Odell frowned and said in a deep voice, ¡°I''m your man.


    Whose business is it if not mine?¡±


    Sylvia sneered. ¡°Heh. | would''ve forgotten | had a man if you didn''t mention it.¡±


    How many days had she spent alone at home with the children and Madam Carter?


    They finally managed to meet tonight, yet not only did he not side with her, but he had also been so strongly defensive of the little


    secretary behind him! Sylvia got angrier the more she thought about it and pushed him away hard. ¡°Let me go and hurry off to


    your little secretary instead!¡±


    Odell did not let her go. His voice also lowered. ¡°Our rtionship is that of a superior and his subordinate.¡±


    Sylvia sneered. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied instantly. She then said, ¡°I don''t like her. Are you going to fire her?¡±

 Chapter 1314

    Chapter 1314


    Chapter 1314 Odell frowned. ¡°She hasn''t made any mistakes at work, so | can''t fire her.¡±


    ¡°Then, find a reason to fire her.¡± ¡°She does her job well. | can''t find a reason for now.¡±


    4Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Sylvia said coldly, ¡°Admit it, you just don¡®t want to fire her!¡±


    Odell pursed his lips, frowning deeply. His gaze was gloomy. It seemed like he was forcing down his temper. The strength of his


    arms around her was also obviously not as tight as before. Sylvia¡®s heart instantly clenched. She pushed him away hard and


    strode out to the wardrobe while wrapped in a bath towel.


    She grabbed the towel in front of her body with one hand to prevent it from falling and pushed open the cab with the other


    hand to get her clothes, intending to leave after getting dressed. ¡°Where are you nning to go?¡± The man¡®s gloomy voice


    sounded from the door. Sylvia ignored him and continued to take the clothes from the wardrobe.


    LUI


    Odell''s eyes darkened. In the next second, he stepped behind her and picked her up by her waist.


    Sylvia immediately raised her voice. ¡°Odell Carter! Put me down!¡±


    However, he ignored her and carried her out of the checkroom with a fewrge strides. He carried her to the bedroom and then


    pinned her to the bed.


    Sylvia used her hands to push him away, but he pinned her hands above her head.


    ¡°Let me go¡ª mmph!¡±


    He lowered his head and blocked her mouth, not giving her a chance to speak again.


    Sylvia was so angry that her chest hurt, but she could not fight him off at all. Not only was this damned man strong, but he also


    knew all her weak spots.


    Before long, the quiet bedroom became full of movement.


    It took a long time for the calm to return.


    Afterward, with a red face, Sylvia turned her back to him.


    Odell embraced her from behind, but Sylvia pped his hand away. ¡°Don''t touch me!¡±


    He directly wrapped his arms around her, pinning her iling arms down as well. His chin rested against the


    back of her neck. He closed his eyes and spoke in a low, husky voice, ¡°Be good and don''t be angry. It''s been days since | gota


    good rest. Let me sleep for a while.¡± Sylvia''s face heated up. It had been days since he got a good rest, but he had been so


    energetic earlier.


    She felt his even but obviously tired breathing and pursed her lips, but in the end, she still could not get angry at him.


    Meanwhile, after returning to her ce, Shermaine took her phone and made a call.


    She told Ruth everything about her plot against Charles to make Odell save the damsel in distress, and how the situation ended


    with Odell and Sylvia quarreling on the spot.


    On the other end of the phone, a middle-aged woman dressed in simple but elegant clothes listened patiently.


    After a while, Shermaine said while blushing with a grin,¡± Aunt, do you think Master Carter is interested in me?¡±


    Ruth was silent for a moment. ¡°Listening to your description , it''s possible he¡¯s a little interested in you. Otherwise, he wouldn''t


    have been so disrespectful to Sylvia just to defend you. But...¡±


    Shermaine frowned. ¡°But what?¡±


    ¡°But it''s only because they already have conflicts that weren''t solved before. That''s why Odell didn''t show her any respect and


    vice versa when something like this happened tonight.¡±


    Shermaine¡®s expression instantly shed with displeasure. She did not agree with Ruth¡®s words, but she said, ¡°Maybe it was


    because | stopped her thest time she came to the office to find Master Carter. Master Carter wasn''t polite to her back then


    either. She must still hold a grudge against me.¡±


    ¡°That''s probably it.¡± Ruth smiled and said, ¡°Sher, you''re even better than | thought, but you''re still young. Remember, you have to


    be patient. You were lucky in this incident tonight. Youd have been ruined if there was a surveince camera in a corner that you


    missed.¡±


    Shermaine frowned in annoyance and said, ¡°I know, Aunt. | won''t act so impulsively in the future.¡±


    Fuluete ITv

 Chapter 1315

    Chapter 1315


    Shermaine looked at his still-cold face and quickly smiled. ¡°That''s great. I¡¯m relieved,¡± she smiled brightly and spoke in a gentle


    tone.


    She looked remarkably simr to Sylvia.


    Odell¡®s gaze was stunned for a moment, then he said, ¡°Go out and do your own thing. Don''t bother about anything else.¡±


    The words that soundedforting made Shermaine¡¯s heart rejoice, but she simply said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Then, she walked out.


    Odell immediately closed his eyes to rest.


    Shermaine had saved Madam Carter before and did not seem to have any other thoughts about him. Sylvia must be


    overthinking. He had always been strict with his subordinates , but he would not treat his staff who were serious about their work


    harshly.


    When Secretary Ackerman returned, he would ask the HR department to arrange a more suitable position for Shermaine.


    Two more busy days passed.


    That afternoon, at about two o¡¯clock, a luxury MPV from nchester stopped outside the building entrance.


    Ayoung man disembarked from the car.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The man wore a dark gray suit and a pair of gold-rimmed sses. His figure was straight and slender while his skin glowed


    under the sunlight. His features were handsome, and he exuded a noble yet modest aura around him.


    After getting out of the car, he did not rush in but instead reached out toward the rear seat.


    Then, he carried out a chubby two-year-old girl who was sleeping


    He moved gently, fearing that any sudden movement would wake her up.


    Then, he stepped into the building. When the woman working at the reception desk saw him, she immediately blushed in


    infatuation, but she maintained her politeness and asked, ¡°May | ask who you are looking for, sir?¡±


    John smiled and said, ¡°I''m looking for Master Carter.¡±


    LL


    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°I''m John Stockton from nchester. You can ask his secretary to pass on the message to


    him.¡±


    John Stockton? The staff was confused for a moment


    12


    beforeing back to her senses, and she immediately called the president''s secretary''s desk.


    Not long after that, she smiled and said to John, ¡°Master Stockton, Master Carter would like you to wait for a moment. His


    secretary wille down to pick you up immediately.¡±


    John smiled and nodded.


    Soon, the elevator door opened, and a young woman in professional attire walked toward him with quick steps.


    11


    John narrowed his eyes when he saw her pretty face. Shermaine quickly walked up to him and said with a smile, ¡°This way,


    Master Stockton.¡± John nced at her again. ¡°Sure.¡± He carried Caprice toward the elevator.


    Once inside , he looked at Shermaine again. His gaze was gentle and polite, but it was unspeakably sharp and oppressive. After


    a brief pause, Shermaine could not help but ask,¡± Master Stockton, why are you staring at me?¡± John nced at her nametag


    and asked, ¡°Are you and Mrs. Carter rted?¡±


    ILI


    Shermaine''s gaze shed as she smiled back at him. ¡°I''ve met Mrs. Carter a few times. She''s an exceptional and beautiful


    woman, but | have no rtionship with her.¡±


    John pursed his lips. His eyes fell on his daughter''s cute little face, and he did not look at Shermaine anymore.


    Shermaine frowned. ¡®Why is the richest man in nchester asking me this? Is it because Sylvia and | resemble each other?


    Soon, the elevator reached the top floor. John walked out with Caprice in his arms and went straight to Odell''s office door,


    pushing it open. Shermaine stood outside the door and did not follow him.


    Odell was handling business in the office. When he heard the sudden movement of the door, he knitted his brows and looked


    over with some displeasure. Upon seeing John, he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock?"

 Chapter 1316

    Chapter 1316


    hapter 1316 Shermaine looked at his still¡ªcold fa6ce and quickly smiled. ¡°That''s great. I¡¯m relieved,¡± she smiled brightly and


    spoke in a gentle tone.


    She looked remarkably simr to Sylvia.


    Odell¡®s gaze was stunned for a moment, then he said, ¡°Go out and do your own thing. Don''t bother about anything else.¡±


    The words that soundedforting made Shermaine¡¯s heart rejoice, but she simply said, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Then, she walked out.


    Odell immediately closed his eyes to rest.


    Shermaine had saved Madam Carter before and did not seem to have any other thoughts about him. Sylvia must be


    overthinking. He had always been strict with his subordinates , but he would not treat his staff who were serious about their work


    harshly.


    When Secretary Ackerman returned, he would ask the HR department to arrange a more suitable position for Shermaine.


    Two more busy days passed.


    That afternoon, at about two o''clock, a luxury MPV from nchester stopped outside the building entrance.


    Ayoung man disembarked from the car.


    The man wore a dark gray suit and a pair of gold-rimmed sses. His figure was straight and slender while his skin glowed


    under the sunlight. His features were handsome, and he exuded a noble yet modest aura around him.


    After getting out of the car, he did not rush in but instead reached out toward the rear seat.


    Then, he carried out a chubby two-year-old girl who was sleeping


    He moved gently, fearing that any sudden movement would wake her up.


    Then, he stepped into the building. When the woman working at the reception desk saw him, she immediately blushed in


    infatuation, but she maintained her politeness and asked, ¡°May | ask who you are looking for, sir?¡±


    John smiled and said, ¡°I''m looking for Master Carter.¡±


    (ULN?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°I''m John Stockton from nchester. You can ask his secretary to pass on the message to


    him.¡±


    John Stockton? The staff was confused for a moment


    12


    beforeing back to her senses, and she immediately called the president''s secretary''s desk.


    Not long after that, she smiled and said to John, ¡°Master Stockton, Master Carter would like you to wait for a moment. His


    secretary wille down to pick you up immediately.¡±


    John smiled and nodded.


    Soon, the elevator door opened, and a young woman in professional attire walked toward him with quick steps.


    11


    John narrowed his eyes when he saw her pretty face. Shermaine quickly walked up to him and said with a smile, ¡°This way,


    Master Stockton.¡± John nced at her again. ¡°Sure.¡± He carried Caprice toward the elevator.


    Once inside , he looked at Shermaine again. His gaze was gentle and polite, but it was unspeakably sharp and oppressive. After


    a brief pause, Shermaine could not help but ask,¡± Master Stockton, why are you staring at me?¡± John nced at her nametag


    and asked, ¡°Are you and Mrs. Carter rted?¡±


    ILI


    Shermaine''s gaze shed as she smiled back at him. ¡°I''ve met Mrs. Carter a few times. She''s an exceptional and beautiful


    woman, but | have no rtionship with her.¡±


    John pursed his lips. His eyes fell on his daughter''s cute little face, and he did not look at Shermaine anymore.


    Shermaine frowned. ¡®Why is the richest man in nchester asking me this? Is it because Sylvia and | resemble each other?


    Soon, the elevator reached the top floor. John walked out with Caprice in his arms and went straight to Odell''s office door,


    pushing it open. Shermaine stood outside the door and did not follow him.


    Odell was handling business in the office. When he heard the sudden movement of the door, he knitted his brows and looked


    over with some displeasure. Upon seeing John, he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock?"

 Chapter 1317

    Chapter 1317


    1317


    ¡°| didn''t want to wake my Caprice.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips, then put down the documents in his hand and looked at John. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. It''s just been a while since I''ve been here, so | came to say hi.¡± As he spoke, he hugged Caprice and sat down


    on the sofa.


    TE


    IT


    Odell frowned. ¡°I still have work to do. If you don''t need anything else, then leave.¡±


    Johnughed. ¡°You can work. I''ll leave after a while.¡±


    LE


    Odell nced at him and saw that he was staring at the child in his arms and could not help but ask, ¡°Do you take the child with


    you everywhere you go?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Caprice can''t leave my side, and | don¡¯t feelfortable leaving her at home alone.¡±


    Odell¡®s lips twitched downward, and he stopped paying attention to John. He looked down and continued to work


    Chapter 1317


    on his documents.


    The office was quiet for a while.


    Caprice woke up from her nap. Her thick and curvy eyshes fluttered, then she opened her eyes.


    ¡°Daddy...¡± she called out softly.


    John smiled and said softly, ¡°I''m here. Are you hungry?¡±


    Caprice pouted her little mouth. ¡°I wanna pee.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± John immediately looked at Odell. ¡°Master Carter, where''s your washroom?¡±


    Odell looked in one direction. Over there.¡±


    At that moment, Caprice turned her head and saw Odell, and greeted softly, ¡°Uncle Odell...¡±


    Odell returned a smile to her.


    John carried her to the washroom.


    Not long after that, the little girl walked out on her own after finishing her business. She did not walk fast and ambled slowly while


    looking around, her big round eyes wandering around the ce curiously.


    John followed behind her, his eyes fixed on her. There was a patient and doting smile on his face.


    Just then, there was a knock at the door.


    Caprice stopped in her tracks when she heard the sound and looked over curiously.


    Odell, who was dealing with his work, said, ¡°Come in.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    L


    The door was pushed open, and Shermaine walked in with tea. One cup was ced on Odell¡¯s desk, and the other cup was


    ced on the coffee table in front of the couch.


    ¡°Aunty...¡± Caprice suddenly ran over with her short legs.


    Shermaine was stunned.


    John frowned and immediately followed Caprice.


    Odell also raised his head and looked over.


    Caprice quickly ran up to Shermaine and tilted her head to look at thetter.


    Shermaine looked at the little girl''s innocent and cute appearance, and a smile decorated her mouth. Just as she was about to


    say something, she saw the light in the bottom of the girl''s eyes extinguish , and she muttered unhappily, ¡°Not Aunty.¡±


    Then, she turned her head and hugged John¡¯¡®s leg.


    John carried her into his arms and asked with a smile,¡± Do you miss Aunty?¡±


    Caprice said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Daddy will take you to herter.¡±


    Caprice¡®s tworge eyes instantly brightened. ¡°Okay.¡±


    To the side, Shermaine''s gaze flickered. She was not dumb. The ¡®aunty¡¯ that this rich man¡®s daughter was referring to was


    Sylvia.


    Atrace of displeasure shed through her heart, but she soon straightened her expression and said with a smile,¡± Master


    Stockton, does the youngdy need anything to eat and drink? I''ll go prepare it for her.¡±


    John nced at her. ¡°There¡®s no need. I''ll be bringing her out soon.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Shermaine turned around and went out.


    John turned to Odell again. ¡°Master Carter, since you''re busy, I''ll take Caprice to your house to visit Mrs. Carter first.¡±


    Odell looked at the documents in his hand and replied,¡± Sure, go ahead.¡±


    John carried Caprice and went out. When he passed by the secretary¡®s desk outside , he nced twice at Shermaine. again.

 Chapter 1318

    Chapter 1318


    Chapter 1318


    Soon, John returned to the car with Caprice in his arms.


    The driver, bodyguard, and Aunt Wanda were in the car. These were the people he brought with him when he went out almost


    anywhere for the past two years.


    After getting into the car, he said to the driver, ¡°Go to the Carters¡® residence.¡±


    Then, he said to Aunt Wanda, ¡°Take out some snacks for me.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Aunt Wanda immediately took out a box of small snacks from her bag. They were all Caprice¡®s favorites.


    John opened the box and handed it to her.


    Caprice sat in his arms, holding the box in her hands. Her stubby little hands picked up the crackers and put them in her mouth.


    The way she ate was a little slow, much like her usual actions.


    She would gnaw on a cracker that could easily be finished


    11


    in two or three bites for quite a while. She ate quietly the entire way.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped outside the old Carters residence.


    Caprice put down the snack box before John carried her in.


    When Sebastian saw them, he revealed a loving smile and trotted in to report their arrival.


    LLLL


    The moment John carried Caprice to the courtyard, Flint''s chubby figure came running out from inside.


    ¡°Hello, Uncle John.¡± He first opened his mouth to greet John, then hisrge eyes stared at Caprice.


    John smiled and hummed, pretending not to see the boy¡®s eyes on Caprice, and carried her straight inside.


    Flint followed like a little ankle¡ªbiter.


    Caprice quickly saw him and opened her mouth to call ¡ª him. ¡°Flint...¡±


    John frowned and finally ced her on the ground.


    Caprice immediately trotted toward Flint.


    Flint also ran toward her and hugged her as soon as he was in front of her. He also kissed her twice on her rosy cheeks.


    When Caprice burst out into giggles, John¡¯s expression darkened. The two little ones were immersed in the joy of meeting each


    other and did not even look at him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    4


    After kissing each other''s face to say hello, they walked over hand in hand.


    At this point, Sylvia also came out from inside.


    Seeing Caprice, she curled her lips and called out with a smile, ¡°Caprice!¡±


    ¡°Aunty!¡± Caprice immediately ran toward her.


    Sylvia quickly took the girl into her arms, looking her up and down while holding her.


    Caprice was a little bigger than when she saw her a month ago, but what was more obvious was that the girl had gained a little


    bit of weight. Her face and body were chubby, and she was now almost as heavy as Flint.


    Sylvia held back herughter and said, ¡°Our Caprice has grown up a little more and is even prettier now.¡±


    The girl had always been beautiful, but now that she had gained some weight, it was hard to hide her cuteness.


    Caprice smiled. ¡°Thank you, Aunty.¡±


    Her voice was also sweet and childish . Sylvia could not help but nuzzle her cheek.


    After cooing at her for a while, Sylvia carried her and walked inside. Flint followed her closely.


    John smiled and walked into the living room too.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya were both in the living room, sitting on the other side while watching TV.


    John greeted them and sat down on the couch. Sylvia sat on the couch diagonally across from him, holding Caprice in her arms.


    Flint was glued to her side.


    Caprice did not even bother to nce at John anymore.


    John did not take offense. The corners of his mouth curled in a smile when he saw how happy Caprice was in Sylvia''s arms.


    Soon, he picked up the tea that the maid poured, took a sip, and said, ¡°I just came over from Master Carter''s office.¡±

 Chapter 1319

    Chapter 1319


    Sylvia¡®s expression changed, and she looked at him. ¡°You went to look for him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but he seemed very busy, so | came here.¡±


    Sylvia said nothing.


    John continued, ¡°By the way, when did Master Carter change his secretary?¡±


    Sylvia frowned, and her expression also turned cold.¡± Some time ago.¡±


    John took in her expression. It seemed like she knew about the change of secretary. However, ording to her expression, she


    did not seem to like his new secretary very much.


    ¡°| think she looks a little simr to you. My Caprice almost mistook her for you at first nce.¡± After a pause, he asked, ¡°Are you


    two rted?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s replied in a cold voice, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then, who introduced her to Master Carter as a secretary? She looks quite young and doesn''t seem very qualified.¡±


    Sylvia looked at him in displeasure. ¡°If you''re interested in her, just ask Odell directly. Why are you asking me?¡±


    John smiled at her. ¡°You''ve misunderstood. I''m just curious. I''m not interested in her type.¡±


    While Sylvia gave him a cold look and ignored him, John simply drank his tea. A whileter, he looked at the clock, got up, and


    said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, let''s go home.¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°Kay.¡±


    Then, she climbed down from Sylvia¡®s arms and obediently walked over to him.


    John picked her up with one hand and said to Sylvia,¡± We''ll be leaving now, Mrs. Carter. See you next time.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Take care.¡±


    John then carried Caprice out.


    Flint immediately followed them to the gate.


    Sylvia also could not bear for Caprice to leave so quickly and followed them to the door.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    LI


    Flint said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, there''s a lot of fun stuff here. Come here often and I''ll y with you.¡±


    Caprice went, ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    Soon, John carried her to the car.


    Only then did Flint turn around and see Sylvia''s somewhat despondent look. It seemed she was thinking about something


    unhappy.


    ¡°Mommy, what''s wrong?¡± He walked up to Sylvia and hugged her leg, looking up warmly at her.


    Sylvia picked him up and smiled at him. ¡°I''m fine. I''m just a little reluctant to part with Caprice.¡±


    Flintforted her, ¡°It''s okay. Uncle Jack will definitely bring her over again soon.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Yeah, you''re right.¡±


    However, why did she still feel annoyed?


    Was it because John brought Shermaine up?


    Asilver MPV drove toward nchester.


    4


    L


    Inside the car, John sat in the back row with Caprice in his arms. Not long after getting into the car, the girl stared out of the


    window in a daze, not ying with her toys or eating.


    John gently touched her little face. ¡°What''s on your mind, Caprice?¡±


    Caprice said, ¡°Mommy.¡±


    John''s expression sank.


    Caprice seemed to perceive his emotions. She nuzzled him and called out in a spoiled tone, ¡°Daddy... Mommy...¡±


    She was only two years old and not very good at articting. However, John understood that she was asking where her mother


    was.


    LLLL


    John cradled her. After a long time, he said, ¡°Mommy went to a faraway ce, and Daddy can''t find her yet, but Daddy will find


    her one day. Just wait.¡±


    Caprice stopped nuzzling him, hummed obediently, then fell asleep in his arms.


    After a while, John wrapped an arm around her when he saw that she fell asleep, and took out his phone from her pocket with


    the other.

 Chapter 1320

    Chapter 1320


    For two years, that woman never posted anything on any of her social media ounts. John did not know if it was because she


    blocked him, or if she simply did not update her status.


    After thinking for a while, he typed out a message, ¡°Odell is having an affair. He¡®s cheating on Sylvia with his little secretary who


    looks like Sylvia.¡±


    Then, he copied it and sent it to all her social media ounts, including her email.


    Then, he put his phone back into his pocket, held Caprice, and closed his eyes.


    It was another night of sleeping alone.


    Late at night, after seeing the three little ones go to sleep, Sylvia returned to the bedroom. Her phone rang just as she was about


    to go to bed.


    She picked up the phone and saw a message from Sherry, ¡°Syl, what happened? Did that damned man have another affair?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s lips twitched downward. ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡±


    ¡°That sh*tty John sent me another email and said that Odell is having an affair with his secretary.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°He¡®s lying.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She guessed that he only sent that message to Sherry to trick her intoing back. What a jerk.


    Sherry, who was far away in Coastrock City, was relieved when she saw the message. However, she was still worried and asked,


    ¡°Is there a secretary who looks like you beside Odell?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Yeah, but we''re not that simr. She¡®s that girl who saved Grandma two years ago.¡±


    Sherry typed, ¡°How did she be Odell''s secretary ?¡±


    Sylvia told Sherry how Shermaine had been working at


    Carter Corporation¡®s front desk for two years before Cliff promoted her to be Odell''s secretary.


    Sherry said, ¡°I see. Is she honest in her work? Does she have any feelings for Odell?¡±


    Sylvia frowned. After hesitating for a while, she replied,¡± She works hard, so probably not.¡±


    Although she did not like Shermaine, there was no evidence to prove that thetter had any feelings for Odell. She could not say


    that there was something wrong with her just based on her intuition.


    Sylvia did not want to talk about this and asked, ¡°What about you? How have you been recently?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Every time Sylvia asked that question, Sherry replied the same way.


    Sylvia did not ask anything more and said, ¡°John brought Caprice over today. The girl gained some weight again. | took two


    pictures secretly. Take a look.¡±


    Then, she sent the two candid pictures to Sherry.


    lidUT TOZU


    It took a while before Sherry replied. ¡°She''s so pretty. She sure takes after me.¡±


    Sylvia could not help butugh. It was true that Caprice took after Sherry, but she resembled John even more.


    Sylvia said, ¡°She''s very clever. She speaks and does everything slowly. It''s really cute.¡±


    LU


    John obviously spoiled her. Sylvia originally thought that Caprice would be very arrogant, but she was unexpectedly the


    opposite.


    Sherry typed, ¡°Of course. She came out of my belly.¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah.¡±


    Sherry responded, ¡°Alright, I''ll leave it at that. | still have something to do. Go rest early!¡±


    Sylvia was just about to reply when she received another message. ¡°By the way, John wouldn''t send me such nonsense for no


    reason. You''d better pay attention to that secretary. | know Odell has a good rtionship with you, but it''s a bit gross that he¡¯s


    keeping someone who looks like you by his side. It''s best to let Odell get rid of her, so she doesn''t affect your lives.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered, and she replied, ¡°Yeah, | know.¡±


    After the chat, she ced the phone by the bed.


    The night outside the window was quiet, and the room was silent, but she did not feel sleepy at all.


    She wanted him to fire Shermaine , but he refused. She also did not know how capable Shermaine was either.


    She took a breath, lifted the quilt over her face, and stopped thinking about it.


    Another two days passed, but Odell had not returned.


    That night, not only was Flint moring for his father, but even Madam Carter also started to ask about him.

 Chapter 1321

    Chapter 1321


    Chapter 1321


    Madam Carter angrily blurted out, ¡°It¡¯s been days! When is Odelling back?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and tried to calm her down. ¡°Grandmother, he¡¯s probably busy. Why don¡¯t you get some rest first? I''ll call him


    later.¡±


    Madam Carter sighed. ¡°I¡¯m angry because he doesn¡¯t


    know the importance ofing back home to you and the kids.¡±


    Sylvia maintained her smile. ¡°I understand, but don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    After calming Madam Carter down, Sylvia wheeled her back into the room to rest.


    Isabel and Liam were obedient and smart enough to bring Flint upstairs before their mother even told them to.


    Sylvia called Odell, but the line rang continuously without any answer. Odell did not pick up her call at all.


    With a frown, she then said to Aunt Tonya, ¡°Aunt Tonya, I''m going out and mighte homete.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. I''ll take care of the kids.¡±


    Sylvia went to the kitchen to pack some food before going out.


    Half an hourter, Sylvia arrived at Carter Tower.


    Most of the employees had gone home at this hour, and only several offices remained lit.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sylvia looked up at the highest floor¡ªit was still lit. She entered with the container of food she brought for him.


    Meanwhile, Odell had just finished a transnational conference and was going through the meeting minutes from the client.


    Knock knock


    Knocks came from the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± he said.


    Shermaine entered. ¡°Sir, Elysian House just delivered the meal you ordered.¡±


    She came in holding an exquisite food container.


    However, Odell''s eyes were glued to hisputer.¡± Hmm. Put it down.¡±


    She put the container on the tea table. When she noticed he was still looking at hisputer, she said, ¡°Sir, you haven''t eaten


    anything since lunch. It''s gettingte. Why don''t you eat first and continueter?¡±


    Odell nced at her. ¡°I''ll eatter. You may leave now.¡±


    Shermaine pursed her lips and walked out.


    Odell continued reading the documents and used the next few seconds to finish all the necessary work. Finally, he went over to


    the tea table to pick up the food and started eating


    Shermaine turned around after she left the office and saw Odell eating. Her eyes sparkled and her lips unconsciously curled as


    she returned to her workstation. She then tied her hair into a bun, pulled several locks of hair from her bangs to let them drape


    around her face, and then went to get a thermal sk for some warm water.


    After that, she went into Odell¡¯s office again.


    When she walked into the office, the elevator from the lobby finally reached the highest floor.


    Shermaine smiled as the man slowly and elegantly ate his dinner. She went over to his side with a bright smile.


    ¡°Sir, have some water.¡±


    Odell was slightly thirsty, so he reached out for the thermal sk.


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes twinkled. When he wanted to reach out to the thermal sk, she quickly put it on the table. His hand knocked


    into the sk, and the water spilled all over his pants.

 Chapter 1322

    Chapter 1322


    Odell frowned.


    Horrified, Shermaine immediately apologized, ¡°I''m sorry, sir! | didn''t... I''m so sorry.¡± She bent over, intending to wipe his pants.


    Odell bolted up immediately, causing her to bump into his crotch. The office went quiet.


    ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    A cold voice broke the silent atmosphere in the office.


    Odell pushed Shermaine away and turned to the door.


    Shermaine staggered backward and then nervously looked at the door.


    Sylvia was at the door with the food container in her hand. Her hair was pulled back neatly, revealing her delicate and elegant


    facial features, but there was a brazen frostiness on her face.


    Her body froze. She hade to visit and bring him


    Odell frowned.


    Horrified, Shermaine immediately apologized, ¡°I''m sorry, sir! | didn''t... I''m so sorry.¡± She bent over, intending to wipe his pants.


    Odell bolted up immediately causing her to bump into his crotch. The office went quiet.


    ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Acold voice broke the silent atmosphere in the office.


    Odell pushed Shermaine away and turned to the door.


    Shermaine staggered backward and then nervously looked at the door.


    Sylvia was at the door with the food container in her hand. Her hair was pulled back neatly, revealing her delicate and elegant


    facial features, but there was a brazen frostiness on her face.


    Her body froze. She hade to visit and bring him dinner, but she found him alone with his secretary in the office.


    Odell noticed the frostiness, and his eyes narrowed. Just when he was about to speak, Shermaine beat him to it.


    ¡°Mrs. Carter! It¡¯s not what you think! | was handing Master Carter the water and identally spilled it on him. | tried to help wipe


    it, but Master Carter stood up, and | bumped into him. It¡¯s not what you think!¡± Her exnation was urate, which relieved the


    nervousness on Odell¡¯s face.


    He thought Sylvia would ept the exnation, but it


    only fueled her frostiness.


    Sylvia scoffed. ¡°You can¡¯t even hold a sk of water properly? You just have to spill it on him and coincidentally bump into him?¡±


    Shermaine wore innocence on her face. ¡°I... | really didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    Sylvia red at her. ¡°Do you think I''ll believe you?¡±


    As the secretary for a multinationalpany CEO, she could not even hold a thermal sk properly?


    No one would believe it, especially considering the fact that she ¡®coincidentally¡¯ bumped into him.


    Shermaine pursed her lips. She tried to exin the situation but failed to find the appropriate words. All she could do was stand


    there helplessly with an innocent expression.


    LUITIL


    The look on her face reminded Sylvia of Tara.


    Disgusted , Sylvia turned to Odell. ¡°She can''t even hold a sk properly and affected your work. | believe that is sufficient for you


    to fire her.¡±


    (ULL ULL,


    Shermaine''s expression shifted. She turned to Odell, her face thick with grief.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Odell frowned. He looked at Sylvia and said gruffly, ¡°She didn''t do it on purpose.¡±


    Sylvia widened her eyes in disbelief. Shermaine bumped into him, yet he tried to defend her?


    Was it because Shermaine was great as a secretary, or was it because he had spent too much time with her to the


    point that he had developed feelings for her?


    The coldness of anger spread across her body. Sylvia clenched her fists and asked, ¡°Odell, are you really going to do this?


    Odell answered, ¡°I''m speaking the truth. She didn¡¯t do it on purpose, whether it''s the sk or bumping into me.¡± He appeared


    stern, especially with his gruff voice. It seemed like he was impatient because of Sylvia''s distrust of him.


    Sylvia further widened her eyes. It had been three years since they lived a good life together, and he had never once talked to


    her like that.


    Now, everything changed because he wanted to defend his little secretary!


    Her body shook, and her expression turned icy cold. She gulped nervously and said, ¡°Odell, | saw everything. Do you think I''m


    blind?¡±


    Odell frowned.


    Shermaine immediately said, ¡°It''s my fault, Mrs. Carter.


    Please don¡¯t me Master Carter for it. It was | who identally spilled water on his pants. I''ll resign. immediately and leave as


    long as you don¡¯t me Master


    Carter for it.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Sylvia shouted. ¡°I¡¯vee across people like you before. If you really don¡¯t want me to misunderstand, you would


    have gotten the hell out!¡±


    Shermaine¡¯s expression shifted and her eyes turned watery. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. I''ll leave immediately .


    Please don¡¯t be mad.¡±


    Shermaine made the motion of wanting to leave the office.


    ¡°Stand right there!¡± the man shouted.


    Shermaine froze all of a sudden.


    Odell turned to Sylvia with furrowed brows. He was


    clearly holding back his frustration and anger. With a deep voice, he said, ¡°Sylvia, can you stop being


    unreasonable?¡±


    Unreasonable?


    Hvis summer. ¡±

 Chapter 1323

    Chapter 1323


    Odell pursed his lips in silence.


    Anger rushed into Sylvia¡®s mind and broke her rationality. She asked, ¡°Odell, did you just call me unreasonable because of her?¡±


    Odell''s lips remained pursed, but the veins started to pop on his forehead.


    Sylvia shouted, ¡°Say something! Have you fallen for her?!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± he shouted back. His powerful shout echoed throughout the entire office, as though a p of thunder sounded right in


    front of them.


    The whole office plunged into silence.


    Shermaine was stunned and terrified as it was her first time seeing Odell this furious.


    TU


    Sylvia¡®s face turned pale, but that was soon reced by boiling anger. Her eyes became watery, and she tossed the food


    container on the floor to express her vexation.


    She then spun around and left.


    The elevator had not moved since she came out, so she got in and went downstairs. Right after she came out of the elevator,


    she ran out of the building.


    Winter had arrived, and the weather was rather chilly.


    The moment she ran past the door, the chilly breeze assaulted her body.


    As the grief and depression that had piled up in her over the past few weeks burst and drowned her, her tears uncontrobly


    rolled down her cheeks. She sobbed and _ nervously wiped her tears away.


    She quickly got into the car and said to Ben, ¡°Go home.¡±


    Ben turned around when he noticed her sobbing tone, but


    Sylvia buried her face behind her hands. He did not say anything and quietly started the car to drive home.


    The lights in the office remained bright when one looked


    1. in.


    Odell stood on the spot like a statue.


    Shermaine carefully sized up his expression and said in a small voice, ¡°Sir, it was my fault. I''ll resign, and you won''t see me


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That won''t be necessary.¡±


    ¡°But¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Just get out,¡± he said.


    Shermaine pursed her lips and walked out in silence.


    Odell went over to the window and looked down.


    The red car that Sylvia usually traveled in drove away, seeming to be going in the direction of their home.


    He sighed and then copsed on his chair. His eyes closed in fatigue.


    It had been a long day, and he had been through enough trouble, yet the woman came to his office, caused a scene, refused to


    believe in him, and did not even care to understand his situation.


    The car soon arrived at the Carters¡® residence.


    Sylvia got out and strode inside.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were still up in the living room. Sylvia entered their sights when she came in.


    Aunt Tonya noticed the teary eyes at first nce. She bolted up and asked, ¡°Syl, what happened? What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I''m fine. You should go have some rest since it''s gettingte. Sebastian , too.¡± Sylvia then walked past them and headed


    upstairs.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian exchanged a quick look. Both of them revealed a concerned and worried nce at each other.


    Sylvia went back to her room, washed up, and went to bed.

 Chapter 1324

    Chapter 1324


    It was a quiet night, but Sylvia¡¯s mind uncontrobly reyed the scene she saw at Odell¡¯s office where Shermaine had leaned


    against his body.


    She did not want to dwell on the thought, but she could not help herself, even more so when he barely came home recently due


    to work, and it was his secretary that apanied him day and night.


    Ding!


    She suddenly received a text on her phone.


    She picked it up, anticipating it to be the man, but it was actually a text from the teachers¡® group from the academy. She had


    been home for more than an hour now, and the man did not even bother to text her.


    Did he not bother to even exin himself anymore?


    Her eyes became watery again, but she rubbed them dry before she tossed her phone to the side and buried herself under the


    sheets.


    At Carter Tower, the man had rested his eyes for quite some time after Sylvia left. After he got enough rest, he returned to his


    desk and continued his work.


    LILL


    Shermaine was outside the door, peeking into the office. A whileter, she came in with another ss of water.


    Odell nced at her. ¡°You can go home. | have no use for you at the moment.¡±


    Shermaine pursed her lips into a forced smile. ¡°Sir, | have nothing to do at home either, so why not let me stay here? | can help


    you if you need anything at all.¡±


    Odell''s eyes were glued to the document in his hand and did not reply. His frosty expression veiled his true emotions.


    Shermaine assumed that he heard her and tacitly approved of her staying. Her eyes gleamed as she returned to her own


    workstation.


    Then, she texted Ruth.


    ¡°Aunt Ruth, Sylvia came again tonight, but Master Carter told her off because of me!¡±


    The reply came instantly. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Hoho? What did you do? | want stories.¡±


    Shermaine exined how she purposely spilled the water on Odell and seized the chance to fall onto him all while being


    witnessed by Sylvia.


    LU


    She smiled and continued texting, ¡°I didn''t expect her toe in at such perfect timing and that Master Carter would scold her


    because of me. It seems like he¡¯s getting fed up of that woman.¡±


    Ruth replied, ¡°You''re right, but | think it''s better for you to be careful. Try not to use your little tricks anymore, and avoid having


    any body contact with him.¡±


    Shermaine frowned and disagreed with the suggestion.¡± Aunt Ruth, why not? | believe Master Carter has developed feelings for


    me. He even told me to go home and get some rest. You should know how cold he is to others, but he cares about me.¡±


    Ruth went silent for a while before replying, ¡°Sher, | just think he didn¡¯t see through your little trick of spilling water on him. That''s


    why he defended you. Besides, he¡¯s been busytely and must be overwhelmed with work.


    Not only did Sylvia not console him, but she even suspected him of having an affair with you, which fueled his annoyance.


    That¡¯s why he told her off.¡±


    Shermaine got annoyed by the distrust, and she grumbled, ¡°You''re in another country, and you didn¡¯t see it happening. What do


    you know?¡±


    Nevertheless, she texted back, ¡°Aunt Ruth, so do you. think Master Carter doesn¡¯t have feelings for me? If not, then why did he


    defend me? Sylvia wanted him to fire me on the spot though.¡±


    Ruth replied almost instantly, ¡°It¡¯s not that. You¡¯re young and beautiful, and you¡¯re his type. If he has no feelings for you, he


    wouldn''t have defended you in front of Sylvia.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Shermaine¡¯s cold expression turned warm after the text.


    Several secondster, she received another text from Ruth. ¡°I just want you to be more careful. Before Odellpletely falls for


    you, don''t try to approach him anymore. He''s a cautious man.¡±

 Chapter 1325

    Chapter 1325


    Shermaine scoffed. ¡°Hmph. You say it as though you know him really well. If you really know him that well, why would he have


    fired you from thepany back then, and why are you still staying abroad even now?¡±


    If she had not taken the initiative to approach him, Sylvia would not have bumped into them having intimate contact. It would not


    have aroused his urge to protect her and scold Sylvia either.


    Despite Ruth''s constant reminders, which started to get annoying, Shermaine obtained her funding and aid to escape poverty


    and acquire her current position. Therefore, she was in no position to talk back.


    With pursed lips, she replied, ¡°I understand, Aunt Ruth. I''ll be careful.¡±


    It was a sleepless night for Sylvia.


    When the sky started to turn bright, she got up. She washed up, changed into some fresh new clothes, and went to the kids¡®


    room.


    The three of them were still in dreand. They looked extra adorable when they were sleeping. She kissed each of them on the


    cheeks before she headed down to the


    living room.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were already up. The two of them looked at her when she came down.


    ¡°Syl, you look sick. Are you okay?¡± Aunt Tonya went up to her with furrowed brows. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±


    ¡°I''m fine. It¡¯s just a little argument with Odell.¡± Sylvia curled her lips nonchntly. ¡°Aunt Tonya, | have a lot of things to do at the


    academy, so I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    She had no ss today, but after an irritated sleepless night, she wanted to go out for some air. Before Aunt Tonya could


    dissuade her, she already left.


    It was chilly outside, and fallen leaves had scattered. across the porch. Sylvia felt refreshed.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She wandered along the road aimlessly for a while. Finally, she stopped by some random stall and got some breakfast before


    continuing her aimless walk.


    Ding!


    Her phone suddenly received two notifications.


    ¡®Is it Odell?¡¯


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. She pulled her phone out immediately, but the texts were from the teachers of the academy.


    She was disheartened. Just when she wanted to pocket her phone, she saw that Christopher had sent a message


    intended for the whole group.


    ¡°To the teachers who have registered for tomorrow''s sketching trip at Meadow Hills, please be prepared. We are leaving today


    after lunch.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered.


    About two weeks earlier, Christopher had assembled a group for a sketching trip at Meadow Hills and had invited her to join


    them, but unfortunately, she rejected him due to her kids and grandmother.


    Meadow Hills was located in the northern part of the city, where it was coldest, but it had the best scenery.


    A quick thoughtter, Sylvia texted Christopher. ¡°Mr. President, can | still join the sketching trip at Meadow Hills?¡±


    Rather than waiting for the man toe home, she might as well use the chance for a short getaway. If he had really fallen for


    Shermaine, there was nothing that she could do to change his mind anyway. If this condition continued, it might devour her


    sanity and drive her insane. It was a good idea for her to leave the house for while.


    Christopher replied, ¡°Yeah, of course. Do you want to join us? | have a teacher who stood me up due to personal reasons, so


    you can fill her spot.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Yeah, count me in. What do | need to prepare?¡±


    ¡°Bring some clothes and your personal stuff. We''ll be there for about two weeks.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡±


    Sylvia went to the local supermarket to buy some clothes and daily necessities. She then arrived at the academy around noon.

 Chapter 1326

    Chapter 1326


    The teachers who had signed up for the sketching trip arrived with their respective luggage. Sylvia joined the group and waited


    with them for Christopher and the bus to arrive.


    It was a quarter past noon, which was lunchtime for Liam and Isabel.


    She picked up her phone and called Liam. The call got through instantly.


    The little guy¡¯s youthful but mature voice asked, ¡°Yes, Mommy? What is it?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Liam, is Issy with you?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m here!¡± Isabel''s loud voice rang out through the phone.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Liam, Issy, Mommy has an urgent job from the academy, and | have to be away for two weeks.¡±


    Liam simply hummed a reply.


    Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I''m going somewhere far away but the scenery is gorgeous. I¡¯m going with the teachers from the academy, so don¡¯t worry about


    me.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia continued, ¡°You two must listen to Aunt Tonya while I¡¯m away. Remember to go to school on time and sleep early. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy! We will be good kids,¡± Isabel said.


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. ¡°When you guys go hometer, take care of Flint for me as well. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    The two little rascals were quick with their answers.


    It was then that the bus arrived.


    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°The bus is here. | have to go now. I''ll talk to you guys soon.¡±


    Isabel quickly said, ¡°Okay, Mommy, hurry up and get on the bus!¡±


    Liam added, ¡°Have fun, Mommy.¡±


    Their words warmed Sylvia¡¯s heart and put a smile on her face. ¡°Alright. See you guys soon.¡±


    Sylvia hung up the phone and boarded the bus with the other teachers.


    Christopher did a headcount to make sure everyone showed up before he told the driver to take off.


    In the meantime, Sylvia called Aunt Tonya to inform her about the sketching trip and told her not to worry.


    At Carter Tower, Odell had just finished another meeting.


    The end of this meeting marked the close to his recent busy days. The remaining details could be finalized within the week.


    He returned to his office and went through the


    documents Cliff sent him before he had a sip of water that Shermaine brought in.


    Maybe because he was at the end of this project, he felt a lot more rxed than before. He nced at his watch. It was 1 o¡¯clock


    in the afternoon. It had been more than ten hours since the woman left his officest night.


    She did not call or text him once in thest ten hours, thus she was probably still angry at him.


    His mind uncontrobly reyed the scene where she questioned him if he had fallen for Shermaine. He had gotten so busy


    lately and had ignored her for long enough, hence the unreasonable tantrumst night.


    He nned to exin things to her when he got home. He pursed his lips and got out of the office.


    Shermaine opened the door with a lunch box and saw him walking out. ¡°Sir, lunch is here. Where are you going?¡±


    y


    ¡°I''m going out.


    ¡°What about lunch?¡±


    ¡°Leave it.¡±


    His words subsided as he walked past her and headed into the elevator.


    Shermaine frowned, wondering if he was leaving to solve some urgent matter.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Half an hourter, the ck MPV arrived at home.


    Odell got out and went inside.


    Only Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were ying with Flint in the living room. There was no sign of Sylvia anywhere.

 Chapter 1327

    Chapter 1327


    Odell¡¯s expression shifted. He looked at Aunt Tonya and asked, ¡°Aunt Tonya, where¡¯s Sylvia?¡±


    Irritated, Aunt Tonya answered, ¡°She¡¯s not at home.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Go ask her yourself.¡± Aunt Tonya¡¯s tone remained annoyed and irritated.


    Odell looked at Sebastian. ¡°Uncle Sebastian?¡±


    Sebastian sighed. ¡°Madam went on a trip with the teachers from the academy.¡±


    ¡°What trip?¡±


    m not clear, but it seems like a sketching trip to somewhere far away. She¡¯s away for two weeks.¡±


    Two weeks?


    Odell frowned. ¡°When did she leave?¡±


    ¡°Earlier today. An hour ago, she called Tonya and was probably on her way to her destination already.¡±


    Odell picked up his phone and called Sylvia.


    ¡°The number you have dialed is currently busy...¡±


    It seemed like Sylvia¡¯s line was engaged.


    He then texted her on her social media. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    He tapped ¡®Send¡® but received a notification that the user had blocked him and that he could not send her messages.


    He felt disheartened. The woman had not only blocked his number but also cklisted his social media ount.


    His expression turned grim for a while before he looked at Aunt Tonya. ¡°Aunt Tonya, lend me your phone.¡±


    Aunt Tonya was surprised, but he walked closer and put his hand out.


    Aunt Tonya pursed her lips. She was upset that he made Sylvia mad again, but they were still a couple and she could not just let


    the argument continue without end, so she gave him her phone.


    Odell called Sylvia immediately.


    A few ringtonester, the woman¡¯s voice answered. She seemed to have just woken up from a nap as she said in a rough voice,


    ¡°Aunt Tonya? What''s wrong?¡±


    Odell¡¯s frosty gaze turned warm. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    The moment his words subsided, the call was hung up. His expression turned grim again.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian pursed their lips in silence.


    Only Flint stared at his father with his big googly eyes.


    ((


    Daddy, did you make Mommy mad again?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Odell looked askance at the boy.


    The boy¡¯s neck shrank in fear, and he buried himself in Aunt Tonya¡¯s embrace. He grumbled, ¡°Hmph! You''re barely at home, and


    you made Mommy mad. What a man.¡±


    Odell, Aunt Tonya, and Sebastian were silenced by the boy¡¯s surprising words.


    The room went quiet for a moment before Odell decided to leave.


    Flint popped his head out from Aunt Tonya¡¯s arms and watched his father stride out of the door. He pouted and continued his


    grumble, ¡°Hmph! Bad temper! No wonder Mommy doesn¡¯t want him!¡±


    Both Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were left dumbfounded.


    After hanging up, the bus reached the airport.


    Sylvia and the other teachers dragged their luggage to the counter for the boarding procedure. They then headed to the lounge


    to wait for their flight.


    She picked up her phone for a nce.


    The man had called her once using Aunt Tonya¡¯s phone, and there was nothing else after that. He was probably mad at her. She


    did not expect his huge temper that


    indicated that he had lost his patience for her.


    She pressed her lips together. Since they would be boarding soon, she decided to turn off the phone and put the annoyance


    behind her.


    It was then that she overheard the other teachers¡¯ chatter.


    ¡°Ms. Johnson, | thought you said Meadow Hills is too far for you to travel. Why did you join us at thest minute?¡±


    Ms. Johnson said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±


    ¡°Since there¡¯s some time left before we board, let¡¯s talk about it. Did something happen?¡±

 Chapter 1328

    Chapter 1328


    Ms. Johnson sighed and said helplessly, ¡°You know about my husband cheating on me two years ago, don¡¯t you? | forgave him


    back then because of the kids, and | thought he would be better. Now, he¡¯s cheated on me again, so | confronted him.


    ¡°He scolded me and shifted the me on me. I¡¯m so tired and exhausted, so | thought ofing out to take a fresh breath of


    air.


    The person Ms. Johnson was confiding in was Ms. Kang, and she got upset as well. ¡°What a prick! Men never change! He


    cheated, yet he thinks he did the right thing?¡±


    After venting her emotions, Ms. Kang continued, ¡°What are you going to do next? Get a divorce?¡±


    ¡°The kids are still young. He treats me poorly, but he¡¯s quite good to the kids. | don¡¯t know. My mind is in a mess now, and | need


    an escape. I''ll see what | can do after | get my head straight.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a n. Don¡¯t pressure yourself too much.¡±


    ¡°will.¡±


    Overhearing their conversation, a frown appeared on Sylvia¡¯s face.


    Odell had cheated on her during their first marriage, but due to theplexity of the matter and the number of


    misunderstandings, it was not something that could be solved in just a few words.


    Things had just gotten even moreplicated since then.


    ¡°Ms. Ross, | remember you didn¡¯t join us at first as well. What brings you here today?¡± Ms. Kang suddenly turned around to ask.


    Slightly stunned, Sylvia regained herposure and answered with a smile, ¡°I only have so many sses at the academy, and I


    have some free time at home, so | thought I''d take the chance to have a little getaway.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | see.¡± Ms. Kang nodded.


    Ms. Jackson revealed jealousy in her gaze. ¡°Ms. Ross, | am really jealous of you. Not only do you have a great husband, but you


    also don¡¯t even need to worry about home.¡±


    ¡°I''m jealous as well. The Carters¡® family business is huge, and they must have a lot of servants at home. Besides, your husband


    treats you well.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ross, you''re also a good woman.¡±


    ¡°You''re right.


    Sylvia got embarrassed halfway and said with a smile, It''s not the bed of roses that you think. We also have our own problems to


    take care of.¡±


    She did not mention that she only joined the trip because


    of Odell and Shermaine.


    However, she was unsure about Odell and Shermaine¡¯s rtionship, or more precisely, she refused to believe that Odell would


    cheat on her. Unfortunately, it was not a topic for casual conversation.


    Ms. Kang smiled. ¡°If you put it that way, my family has a lot of problems too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Everyone has their own problems at home,¡± Ms. Jackson added.


    Odell returned to the office.


    As soon as he entered the room, Cliff came in and noticed the grumpy expression on his boss¡¯s face. He said in a small voice,


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve found out where Madam has gone to.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°The Art Academy has organized a sketching trip to Meadow Hills. The organizer is President Dendro. There were only sixteen


    teachers who joined the trip, including her. The bus they boarded left around noon earlier, and they are probably boarding the


    ne by now.¡±


    Cliff carefully sized up his boss¡¯s expression.


    Odell propped his forehead on his hand with obvious


    irritation and annoyance on his face.


    Meadow Hills¡® cold weather and the quiet environment was a great location for live sketching, but it was a few thousand


    kilometers from Westchester. The trip would take two whole weeks, and she had just left her family like that.


    Cliff then added, ¡°Sir, | believe Madam has been having a tough timetely. Maybe going on a trip to Meadow Hills can relieve


    her emotions.¡±


    Odell¡¯s furrowed brows eased.


    Indeed, going on a trip to cool her head down might be a good idea.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    However, the thought of her blocking his number and his social media and refusing to give him the chance to exin bugged


    him.

 Chapter 1329

    Chapter 1329


    Chapter 1329


    ¡®Fine. I''ll look for her when she¡¯s calmed down.


    As he regained his coolposure, he got up and said, ¡± Inform the departments that we are bringing next week¡®s weekly


    meeting ahead, and it will be in an hour at the main meeting room. Tell them to be prepared.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Cliff nodded and went out. As soon as he stepped out of the office, he ran into Shermaine.


    Shermaine went up to Cliff and asked in a small voice,¡± Assistant Bogard, what''s wrong with Master Carter? | noticed the sour


    look on his face when he came up.¡±


    Cliff said, ¡°Something happened to his family.¡±


    ¡°His family? Is it because of Mrs. Carter?¡± Shermaine asked.


    Cliff was surprised by the insight. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Shermaine frowned and wore an apologetic look.¡± Yesterday night, | went in with a thermal sk and identally spilled water on


    him. | tried helping, but he suddenly stood up, and | identally fell onto him. Mrs. Carter came in and saw us...¡±


    Cliff furrowed his brows. ¡°How can you be this careless?¡±.


    JLAL


    Shermaine''s gaze shifted. She did not expect Cliff, someone who had been on her side, to berate her. She suppressed her grief


    and wore an innocent look. ¡°I didn''t do it on purpose. Master Carter didn¡¯t hold the sk properly and it slipped.¡±


    Cliff sighed. The anger on his face faded a little. ¡°What happened after that? Did Master Carter exin the situation to Mrs.


    Carter?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Carter was furious and didn''t give Master Carter the chance to exin. She even questioned him if he was having an affair


    with me. In irritation, Master Carter shouted at her and sent her away.¡±


    Cliff frowned again. ¡°He really shouted at her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | was there. | saw it with my own eyes.¡±


    Cliff sighed. ¡°No wonder Mrs. Carter is that angry.¡± It had been a few years since the two got back together, and Odell had never


    raised his voice at Sylvia. Now that he scolded her, she must think that Odell was protecting Shermaine, hence the short temper.


    They had gotten into an argument a while ago because of Shermaine and Charles.


    Shermaine carefully sized up the sullen look on Cliff''s face and asked, ¡°Assistant Bogard, did something happen to Mrs.


    Carter?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Carter left the house.¡±


    Shermaine was stunned.


    Cliff continued, ¡°Well, she didn''t exactly leave the house. She''ll be back, but it will take a while. Now that the boss is getting riled


    up about this, you''d better not mention his wife in front of him. Just stick to your job scope and don''t try anything funny.¡±


    Shermaine nodded repeatedly and answered, ¡°I understand. | won''t cross the line.¡±


    Cliff went off.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After he entered the elevator, Shermaine returned to her workstation and her lips uncontrobly curled into a grin. She had not


    even started anything, and the man had scolded his wife.


    How could the wife not know that arguing with the man would only irritate him at this sensitive time?


    If she was not smart enough, how did she be Mrs. Carter in the first ce?


    The ne finallynded when the sky turned dark.


    Sylvia put on a thick down jacket and followed Christopher and the teachers to the hotel.


    She sat by the window in the car. The window got misty


    due to the difference in temperature, so she wiped it and peeked outside.


    The sky was dark but not pitch¡ª-ck. Both sides of the road were covered in thickyers of snow, and it was soothing to the


    eye.


    Suddenly, the teacher next to her said, ¡°Ms. Ross, are you going to call your family to tell them that we''ve arrived?¡± Sylvia finally


    remembered she had turned off her phone for the entire journey.

 Chapter 1330

    Chapter 1330


    Chapter 1330


    Sylvia turned on her phone and realized that Isabel had created a chat group with herself, Liam, and Flint.


    Although Flint was still young and did not know how to use the chat function yet, he was probably dragged in by his sister to fill in


    the numbers.


    There were a ton of voice messages in the chat group. already.


    Liam asked, ¡°Mommy, have younded?¡±


    Isabel reported, ¡°Mommy, we went back to our room after dinner. We''re good kids.¡± Isabel then posted a picture of Flint eating


    dinner obediently.


    Awhileter, Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, did you and Daddy argue again? Flint said Daddy came home in the afternoon, and when


    he found out that you went on the trip, he got so angry.¡±


    Isabel then sent another voice message. ¡°Yeah, yeah. He''s so angry. He stared at me too!¡±


    The adorable voice was obviously Flint''s.


    Sylvia was amused by her kids. She replied with a voice message, ¡°Mommy justnded a while ago, and we''re.


    heading to the hotel.¡± She then took a picture of the night scenery and sent it to them. Isabel replied instantly with a voice


    message, ¡°Wow! It''s so beautifull¡±


    It was Flint''s voice.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Another message from the real Isabel came in after a few seconds. ¡°Mommy, the ce looks cold. You must wear more clothes


    and not catch a cold.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Alright. Yes, madam!¡±


    Liam asked, ¡°Mommy had you eaten dinner?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Not yet. We''re going to have dinner at the hotel soon, | guess.¡± Isabel chirped, ¡°Mommy, eat more!¡±


    It was Flint''s voice again.


    Sylvia¡®s grin widened. ¡°Yeah, | know. You guys had better go to bed soon. Don''t sleep sote, got it?¡± Flint replied using Isabel''s


    phone again, ¡°I got it!¡± Sylvia put her phone away with a lingering smile. The teacher beside her turned to her with a smile, ¡°Ms.


    Ross, are those your kids that you just chatted with?¡±


    Sylvia smiled whenever she thought of her three adorable kids. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°They sound so adorable. | bet they look cute in person.¡± Sylvia tapped on her gallery and showed the teacher the picture of her


    kids.


    The teacher was a fan of children. Her widened grin almost touched both sides of her ears when she saw the picture. She


    praised the kids and even was able to spot their respective characteristics.


    Sylvia chatted with the teacher along the way. When they arrived at the hotel, the teacher suddenly asked, ¡°Oh, right, what about


    Master Carter? Didn''t he call you?¡± Sylvia looked slightly disheartened. ¡°He''s been busytely.¡±


    ¡°| suppose so. He¡®s the head of such a bigpany. | bet he¡¯s busy all the time.¡±


    A few minutester, they got out of the car.


    LLLLLLLL


    The hotel was located at the foot of Meadow Hills. It was not exactly huge or grand but exquisite and delicate.


    Christopher led the group in front and helped all the teachers to proceed with their check-in procedures.


    Back at Carter Tower in Westchester, the weekly meeting between the executives had just ended.


    Odell returned to his office. He had finally finished all his work for the recent weeks, and when his mind finally calmed down, he


    thought of Sylvia who had gone on the trip without telling him.


    His brows furrowed. He looked at Cliff, who was checking the meeting minutes, and said, ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    Cliff was slightly surprised. ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°| want to make a call.¡±


    Cliff''s gaze shifted. He pulled his phone out, searched for Sylvia¡®s contact and gave it to his boss.


    Odell nced at him when he received the phone and then dialed the number.


    The dial tone rang.

 Chapter 1331

    Chapter 1331


    Chapter 1331 The call was hung up within seconds.


    A dark look wiped across Odell''s face. He clicked ¡°call¡± again and this time, it was an automated electronic voice that answered


    him, ¡°The number you called is unavable.¡±


    She must have blocked Cliff''s number as well.


    Was shepletely done with him?


    ck.


    He threw the phone on the table, picked up his jacket, and stepped out.


    Cliff grimaced feebly and retrieved his phone.


    Outside the door, Shermaine was at her station attending to her tasks. When she saw Odell marching out with a sullen look on


    his face, she hurriedly got up and asked with concern, ¡°Master Carter, the dinner you ordered is on the way. Where are you


    going?¡± Odell ignored her and went straight into the elevator. Shermaine frowned.


    After a while, Cliff emerged from the office. She quickly turned to Cliff and asked, ¡°Cliff, why did Master Carter leave so


    suddenly? Is he in a bad mood?¡±


    ¡°Family problems.¡± Cliff nced at the time and turned to her. ¡°I don''t think there¡®s much left to do for the day. Why don''t you go


    home?¡±


    With that, he walked toward the elevator.


    Shermaine hurriedly grabbed her bag and chased after him.


    After slipping into the elevator with him, she asked in a hushed voice as if afraid somebody would overhear them, ¡°Is it rted to


    Mrs. Carter again?¡±


    Cliff nodded and grunted, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Something glimmered in Shermaine¡¯s eyes as she tried to pry for more information . ¡°What is it about? | thought she went out of


    town? Did shee back already?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cliff did not suspect that Shermaine had any ulterior motives and figured she was only asking out of curiosity. ¡°I think it''s


    because Mrs. Carter blocked his number on all tforms. He tried to use my phone to call her just now but she didn''t pick up


    either and had my number blocked too.¡±


    Shermaine''s eyes widened as if she had been told a life altering tale. She expressed instinctively, ¡°How could she behave like


    this?¡±


    Cliff frowned and eyed her. Shermaine immediately realized that she had identally


    LED


    blurted out something profane. She quickly changed her tone and corrected herself. ¡°I mean, if she has his number blocked,


    what happens if she gets into some kind of ident out there and Master Carter has no way of ever finding out what happened


    to her?¡± Cliff considered this and stated, ¡°She went with her colleagues at the academy so | think she should be fine for the most


    part.¡± Shermaine pretended to be relieved upon hearing this.¡± Oh, that''s good to know.¡± Deep down, she mocked and ridiculed


    Sylvia.


    As if running from home was not bad enough, she even went and cut off contact with Master Carter. Why would she intentionally


    cut him out from her life?


    She reflected that she would never do something so immature.


    Still, she could use this situation to her advantage. Now that the woman was out of the picture, she had a chance to get closer to


    Master Carter without any intrusion. Perhaps something could happen between them while the missus was gone.


    Meanwhile, at a hotel located at the foot of the mountain.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    After Sylvia blocked Cliff''s number, she dropped the phone on the bed.


    She shared a room with another female teacher.


    Noticing that Sylvia did not answer the call, she became curious and asked, ¡°Miss Sylvia, why did you hang up the


    call?¡±


    Sylvia answered nkly as if stating a simple, indisputable fact, ¡°Just a telemarketer.¡±


    LLLL


    AL


    The teacher had nothing to add to this and merely acknowledged it with a soft nod. After that, she got up and said, ¡°Take your


    time, I''m going to take a quick shower.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The teacher went to the bathroom.


    Sylvia continued packing her luggage.


    Cliff would not call her for no reason. It must be Odell using his phone to call her. What happenedst night was still fresh in her


    mind as if it just happened moments ago. She could still hear Odell shouting at her, his cry echoed in the canals of her ears.


    She was in no mood to talk to him right now.


    Since he would be so defensive of his dear little secretary Shermaine, she saw no reason that she should be the one to make


    peace with him.


    She would rather not talk to him at all instead of wasting time bickering with him.

 Chapter 1332

    Chapter 1332


    Chapter 1332 Odell returned home shortly after leaving the office.


    By this hour, the madam and the children must have already had dinner.


    It was only Aunt Tonya and Sebastian chatting in the living room.


    Odell went upstairs.


    LL


    He could hear Flint and Isabel''s piercing shrieks andughtering from the game room.


    It did not seem like they were upset with their mother''s sudden absence.


    There could only be one reason that they would not be upset. Sylvia must have informed them about her departure.


    He shoved the door open.


    Inside the room, Isabel and Flint, whose faces were covered with tiny slips of paper, suddenly fell silent. The two kids looked up


    at their father silently.


    Liam, who was toying with a robot in his hand nearby, turned to him as well.


    Odell asked abruptly, ¡°Did Mommy call you kids?¡±


    They stared at him without answering, their eyes like shining jewels.


    It seemed like they were caught off guard by his question and could not form an answer for several seconds.


    It was Flint who turned the question around on him,¡± Daddy, did Mommy call you?*|


    Odell¡®s face darkened. He put his hand out and ordered,¡± Give me your phones.¡±


    Flint quietly removed the toy watch on his wrist and handed it to Odell obediently.


    Odell gave him a short, quiet look, then he turned to Liam and Isabel. ¡°Liam, Isabel, give me your phones.¡±


    Liam only remarked disinterestedly, ¡°My phone¡¯¡®s battery is dead.¡±


    Isabel said the same thing, ¡°Mine¡®s dead too.¡±


    Odell grimaced. His voice took on a sharper tone. ¡°If you two don''t give me your phones, don''t even think about stepping inside


    this room for ytime from here on.¡±


    Liam frowned. He lowered his head and turned his attention back to the toy robot! Such an idle threat was not going to work on


    him.


    Odell turned to Isabel.


    Isabel frowned, and she seemed very conflicted and reluctant.


    She hesitantly retrieved her phone from her pocket.


    Odell nearly snatched the phone away from her palms. He opened the messaging app and immediately found a chat group with


    four members. It was Sylvia and the three children.


    The admin of the group was none other than Isabel.


    Asharp scowl shed across his face. He palmed the phone in his hands and stormed outside.


    After he left, Isabel folded her arms around her chest and became very disgruntled.


    2


    uh


    She asked Liam, ¡°Liam, do you think he¡¯s going to use my phone to call Mommy?¡± Liam made a look and remarked, ¡°Seems like


    it.¡±


    Isabel was very upset. ¡°He suddenly realizes his mistake after Mommy leaves. It''s a little bit toote don''t you think?¡±


    Flint nodded. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    Meanwhile , Odell went to the patio and began to scroll


    through the conversation inside the group.


    He felt a sense of relief when he read Sylvia informing.


    them that she had safelynded.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    i]


    UL


    It took him some time to go through the entire chat history. After he was done, he went to the contacts and found Sylvia¡®s


    number.


    His finger hovered on top of the disy for a moment, then he decided against calling.


    She must still be very angry and would only hang up on him the moment she answered the call and heard his voice.


    It was better to not call her just yet.


    Two days passed.


    Meadow Hills.


    The sun had barely kissed the edge of the horizon but Sylvia and the other teachers were already awake. They took their


    drawing boards and went to the second floor of the hotel where there was a spacious hall. The hall was surrounded by floor¡ªto¡ª


    ceiling windows that offered a clear view outside.


    The entirendscape was captured from this fantastic vantage point. When the first rays of sunlight spilled across the nearby


    highway and the trees lined along it, they took it as their signal to pick up their pens and begin picturing this .


    wonderful scenery.


    After she was finished with her painting, Sylvia went back to her room to catch up on some rest.


    Around the afternoon, she went out and spent the day with her colleagues again. It was almost nine o¡®clock by the time she


    returned to the hotel.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1333

    Chapter 1333


    Upon returning to the room, Sylvia figured that the children were probably still awake. She sent pictures of the painting she drew


    today as well as some of the scenery she had taken on her phone to the group chat.


    Ding!


    Liam''s picture popped up on her phone¡¯s notification. She yed the audio message, ¡°Wow- It¡¯s so pretty ~*


    >>


    Judging by the soft, enthusiastic cry, it must be Flint on Liam¡¯s phone.


    It was quickly followed by Isabel''s curious voice, ¡°Mom, why is there so much snow everywhere?¡±


    Sylvia grinned and replied, ¡°It¡¯s winter here all year


    round so there¡¯s snow all the time. It hardly has time to melt before a new pile of snow falls on top.¡±


    Isabel gasped, ¡°Oh~¡±


    She suddenly asked, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you take pictures of


    yourself?¡±


    ¡°Mommy, | miss you.¡± It was Flint on Liam''s phone again.


    Sylvia smiled and answered, ¡°Mommy forgot to take pictures today. Why don¡¯t | take one for you kids right now?¡±


    Flint continued hogging Liam¡¯s phone. ¡°Okay!¡±


    Sylvia approached the window and took a selfie, making sure to frame the snow-covered terrain outside that was illuminated by


    the streetlights. She sent it to the group.


    Meanwhile, at Westchester which was thousands of miles


    away from where she was.


    At Carter¡¯s Residence.


    Isabel, Liam, and Flint were all huddled together in the


    yroom.


    Isabel was staring intently at her phone.


    Flint sat next to Liam and peeked intently at the phone in


    Liam¡¯s hand as well.


    The moment they received the picture and saw their


    mother¡¯s face appear on the phone¡¯s disy, the closed door was suddenly flung open.


    Atall and overpowering figure sucked the air out of the


    room.


    The three children immediately tensed up. Isabel and Liam quickly stuffed their phones into their pockets


    without skipping a beat.


    Odell stood at the doorway and swept an inquisitive look over the childcare¡¯s faces. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you guys back in


    your room yet?¡±


    Isabel spoke up, ¡°We''ll go right now.¡±


    Flint chanted, ¡°Room, room.


    i)


    Odell eyed them suspiciously. ¡°I''ll be in your rooms in


    ten minutes to check up on you. If | see you kids still


    awake, I''ll have this room locked up so none of you can


    evere in here again.¡±


    Isabel scowled, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Flint murmured something indiscernible.


    Liam remained silent.


    Odell turned and walked out.


    Liam stood up and carried Flint in his arms.


    Isabel did not continue to dawdle around either. She


    made sure her phone was with her and quickly went back to her room.


    After they returned to their respective rooms, they continued chatting with Sylvia on their phones.


    Meanwhile, Odell, who had just returned to the bedroom he once shared with Sylvia, picked up his phone that had been ring


    with messages all day.


    Sylvia waited for quite some time after sending the selfie before she finally saw replies inside the group. She wondered if it was


    an issue with the inte connection.


    Flint hogged Liam¡¯s phone for himself and was busy


    texting Sylvia, ¡°Mommy is so pretty, pretty Mommy.¡±


    Isabelined, ¡°Flint, could you stop talking like a


    little baby? Be a man.¡±


    Flint retorted, ¡°I¡¯m a baby! I''ll be a man when | grow up.¡±


    Isabel quipped, ¡°Yikes, I¡¯m going to throw up my dinner if you keep saying that.¡±


    Flint seemed to not understand that it was a joke. ¡°Sister,


    does your tummy hurt? I¡¯ll bring you medicine.¡±


    Isabel answered sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t you daree,


    you out if youe.¡±


    Flint whined, ¡°Yikes... Sister is angry at me...¡±


    Isabel, ¡°...Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ll


    Pil kick


    Sylvia chuckled at their interaction and replied, ¡°Alright


    kids, go to bed and catch some rest. Since it¡¯s the


    weekend tomorrow, Mommy will video call you guys


    around the evening, so we can talk all we want


    tomorrow.¡±


    Isabel, ¡°Okay, get some rest too, Mommy.¡±


    Flint, ¡°Okay okay, nighty nighty Mommy, I¡¯m going to


    bed with Liam.¡±


    Isabel, ¡°Shut up and sleep already! Liam, take his phone


    away.¡±


    Flint, ¡°Are you angry? | can sleep with you if you want, don¡¯t be sad.¡±


    Isabel, ¡°I¡¯m going to beat you up!¡±


    Liam, ¡°I got my phone back, goodnight everyone.¡± Sylvia could not stopughing.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1334

    Chapter 1334


    Several days passed.


    Over thest few days, Odell had beening home earlier than usual. Sometimes, he would be home before


    the sun even went down.


    Perhaps he did not have much to do at work.


    It was also partly because Aunt Tonya and Sebastian had their hands full taking care of the three kids. With Sylvia absent and


    Madam Carter in her usual sickly state, Isabel and Flint demanded more attention than usual which meant Odell had to head


    home earlier. Fortunately, Liam was disciplined and independent as usual.


    It was barely evening today and Odell¡¯s car was already parked in the driveway.


    He had only walked into the yard when he heard sharp shrieksing from inside the living room.


    It was Flint running around and screaming.


    Isabel was chasing after him and screaming for him to


    stop running.


    Behind them were Aunt Tonya and Sebastian, imploring


    them to stop running around.


    Odell quickly armed into the living room and was greeted


    by the sight of Flint running around with a tiny wooden


    bench held over his head. He was running aroundUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    frantically like a headless chicken.


    Isabel was chasing after him, and she was carrying two


    balls as she ran.


    Despite Aunt Tonya and Sebastian''s incessant pleas, the


    kids refused to listen and continued their chase.


    They knocked over many things all across the living


    room, including several tableware and sses. It looked


    like a hurricane had torn through the living room.


    Odell wrenched his face in fury and yelled, ¡°Stop right


    there!¡±


    His imposing roar seemed to be effective as a wave of


    silence swept over the living room in an instant.


    Isabel screeched to a stop.


    Flint noticed that his sister had stopped chasing him and stopped as well.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, their salvation was here.


    Odell red at Isabel and Flint and asked sharply, ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Flint pouted and put on his most innocent look. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Sister wants to hit me. | identally touched her bag, then she


    got angry and started chasing me.¡±


    The sweet, tender way in which he spoke would evoke sympathy in just about anyone.


    Isabel was furious upon hearing this. She raised the ball in her palms and took aim at Flint. ¡°You fatso Flint, are you sure it was


    an ident?¡±


    Flint acted squeamish and fended himself. ¡°I tried to stuff a toy inside your bag to make you happy.¡±


    Isabel shouted, ¡°A toy! Are you sure it was a toy?!¡±


    Flint continued to whimper squeamishly. His eyes were round and cartoonish. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fluffy and cute, it¡¯s a


    toy.¡±


    Isabel was speechless.


    She turned around and went to the trash can. She


    grimaced as she reached into the trash can and pulled something out of it. She quickly tossed it in Flint¡¯s direction, refusing to


    hold it for even more than a second.


    Flint dodged out of the way.


    The so-called toy fell in front of Odell.


    He grimaced, and a dark look shed across his eyes.


    It was not just a simple toy. It was a miniature toy mouse that seemed just like the real thing.


    Isabel was deeply terrified of mice. Sometimes she would even fling her phone across the room if the video she was watching


    happened to have a mouse show up.


    One could only imagine her fright the moment Flint shoved such a terrible, trauma¡ªevoking toy into her bag.


    The brat must have done it on purpose.


    To make matters worse, he was trying to y it off like it was unintentional and act like he was the victim.


    Odell took a deep breath and turned to one of the housemaids. ¡°Throw it out.¡±


    The housemaid quickly picked up the toy mouse and paddled out.


    Isabel seemed relieved to see the threat eliminated. Still, she was very upset at Flint.


    Flint must have realized that he was in big trouble now, so he quickly avoided his sister and father¡¯s gaze and yed it off as if


    nothing had happened.


    Odell looked at him and rebuked him sternly, ¡°No more games for you today. Go back to your room, you''re


    grounded.¡±


    Flint whined, ¡°But Daddy...¡±


    ¡®t


    Odell refused to hear excuses. ¡°Are you going to head up there yourself or do you want me to carry you?¡±


    Flint looked at Isabel.


    Isabel seemed to soften up for a brief instant, but she quickly turned away from Flint and refused to


    acknowledge him.


    ¡°I''ll go up by myself.¡± Flint whimpered, he kept his eyes on the ground and slowly walked up the stairs.


    His soft whimper evoked so much pity, the poor boy


    seemed devastated.


    Even though Aunt Tonya and Sebastian knew that Flint was merely exaggerating to gain their sympathy, they had to admit that it


    nearly worked. Their heart ached to


    see Flint in such a state.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1335

    Chapter 1335


    Chapter 1335


    Aunt Tonya came this close to going up to Flint but was held back by Sebastian.


    Isabel scoffed with disdain, ¡°Yeah, keep acting.


    She sighed softly and followed it up with, ¡°Forget it. I''ll forgive you since you''re my brother, I''ll let you off the hook this time.¡±


    Flint, who had reached the top of the stairway, suddenly turned around with a wide grin on his face. ¡°Thank you Sister, you''re the


    best~¡±


    It looked like he was going to run down the stairs to give Isabel a big hug.


    Odell stopped him with a dry cough.


    Flint immediately scratched the idea and stared at Odell with a nk look on his face.


    Odell furrowed his brows and looked as fierce as always. ¡°( Go back to your room right now.¡±


    selen


    Flintined sheepishly, ¡°But... Sister already forgave me.¡±


    Odell would not be easily persuaded. ¡°That has nothing to do with me, go to your room.¡±


    Flint made a big show of sighing exasperatedly before dragging his feet back to his room.


    Odell¡¯s tense expression suddenly softened significantly. He went up to Isabel and gently patted her head.


    ¡°Don''t be scared. It¡¯s just a toy mouse, it¡¯s not going to bite you.¡±


    Isabel suddenly cried out proudly, ¡°I¡¯m not scared! I¡¯m just mad that he¡¯d try to scare me like this.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Odell smiled faintly and did not expose the fact that she was only embarrassed to admit that she was scared. ¡°Where¡¯s


    your brother Liam?¡±


    Isabel answered, ¡°He¡¯s in his room ying on theputer.¡±


    Odell nodded and went upstairs to Liam¡¯s room.


    He shared his room with Flint.


    Odell gently pushed open the door and saw Flint¡¯s tiny little figure facing the wall. He looked like a little gremlin from this angle.


    He did not pay much attention to Flint and turned to Liam instead.


    The desktopputer was positioned next to the window. He was seated on the chair and his nimble fingers were typing away


    on the keyboard.


    The rhythmical ck of his fingers tapping against his keyboard was the only sound in the room.


    With every stroke, theputer obeyed hismands and conjured a new word on the screen.


    Odell slowly approached him and watched the screen.


    After a while, he asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Liam answered, ¡°Learning.¡±


    Odell seemed curious. ¡°What are you learning?¡±


    Liam answered curtly, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    Odell did not respond to this.


    Meanwhile, Flint began to make some strange noises.


    Odell nced at him.


    The boy immediately turned around and went back to face the wall with a strange look on his face.


    Odell turned and left the room.


    The moment he stepped outside, Flint turned around and scuttled to Liam¡¯s side. He stared at theputer screen with a


    transfixed look in his eyes and asked curiously, Brother, what are you doing? Howe | don¡¯t


    understand at all?¡±


    Liam said, ¡°You''ll understand when you grow up.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Flint mumbled, ¡°Is this a game?¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    1


    ¡°You wouldn''t understand.¡±


    ¡°How can | understand if you don¡¯t exin?¡±


    ¡°Go away.¡± There was a tint of annoyance in Liam¡¯s voice


    now.


    Flint frowned and sighed. ¡°Sister wants to punish me, Brother ignores me, Daddy also wants to punish me, and Mommy left


    because she¡¯s angry with Daddy. Oh, poor me.¡±


    Liam did not know what to say.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1336

    Chapter 1336


    After dinner, Odell spent some time with his


    grandmother before going upstairs to put the three


    mischievous children to bed.


    Around ten o''clock, he finally returned to his and Sylvia''s bedroom.


    He got home before the clock even struck six today and somehow the time passed by without him noticing. He felt like he had


    barely done anything at all.


    He opened the door and stepped into the damning silence of the room, shored in darkness.


    There were no sounds at all except for the faint whisper of the wind blowing in through the windows left open.


    He reached for the switch and turned on the light. The bedroom waspletely untouched since he had left for work earlier this


    morning.


    It was also ufortably cold.


    The bedroom seemed like a foreign space to him. It was nothing like when Sylvia was here with him.


    Back then, no matter what time he came home, he would step into a cozy room filled with warmth. He would take a deep breath


    and catch the scent of Sylvia inside the room.


    Now, it was nothing but an off-putting silence that weed him into the room.


    It was disrupting the senses.


    He went to the window and proceeded to close it shut.


    After that, he went to the bathroom where he took a shower. Soon enough, he found himself on the bed


    staring at the ceiling.


    By this hour, Sylvia was probably asleep at Meadow Hills.


    He shut his eyes.


    The past few nights, he had trouble falling asleep.


    Just when it seemed like he was about to fall asleep, he


    was rudely awakened when he turned to his side and tried


    to cuddle with someone that was no longer there, only to


    brush his arms against the empty bed.


    He felt a suffocating sadness swelling inside him.


    He sat up and reached for his phone.


    She had been away for almost a week. She was probably


    not that upset anymore by this point.


    He texted her a short message, ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    The


    blocked.


    message could not be sent as his number was still


    Asullen look appeared on his face. He searched for Sylvia¡¯s number in his contacts and clicked the dial button without a second


    thought.


    As usual, the call was unable to connect.


    Just as he had thought, he was still blocked.


    His face darkened, and he flung the phone aside and frowned. He was in a dark mood.


    Did she have to get so angry with him just because of something rather trivial that Shermaine had done


    completely by ident?


    Even after so many days had passed, did she not miss him


    at all? Did she not care about him at all?


    Meadow Hills.


    Sylvia and her colleagues were seated in a circle around a


    bonfire that they had set up behind the hotel.


    The bonfire was gigantic, the mes soared up into the


    sky.


    They ate barbecue and danced around the bonfire.


    Everyone was having a merry time.


    The fire shone its brilliant light over their faces, each of


    them grinning from ear to ear and radiating with joy. It


    was certainly a memory to be cherished.


    Immersed in the wonderful atmosphere, Sylvia found


    that she was unable to discard all her unpleasant


    memories to a side.


    They did not head back to the hotel until it was nearly


    midnight and they were exhausted from the evening''s activities.


    Sylvia waspletely worn out upon returning to her room. She threw off her coat and crashed onto the bed. It did not take long


    before she fell into a deep sleep.


    The curtains were not shut entirely and her bed was positioned next to the windows. The snow continued to fall outside while she


    was asleep.


    The faint glow of the moon poured into the room. Underneath the dim moonlight, one could see that Sylvia


    was smiling even in her sleep.


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Westchester, Carter Tower.


    The dim glow of the setting sun spilled into the office.


    Odell had just finished reviewing the final sheet of documents for the day, so he picked up his jacket and left


    his office.


    Shermaine, who was posted by the desk right outside his office, quickly rose from her seat and greeted Odell with a pleasant


    and warm smile.


    Odell continued heading toward the elevator without even batting an eye.


    She suddenly asked, ¡°Master Carter, are you leaving already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Odell answered and continued walking.


    She tried to find something to talk about. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a party tonight. Aren¡¯t you going to join? Most of


    the top branch will be there as well.¡±


    ¡°Cliff can go in my ce.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Shermaine looked at Odell strutting into the elevator


    without sparing a look at her. She frowned sadly at this


    sight.


    How many days had it been?


    Recently, Odell would leave the office as soon as he was finished with his work. He would head back home immediately without


    even entertaining the idea of going anywhere else at all.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 1337

    Chapter 1337


    Chapter 1337 Sylvia was already out of town. Why was he heading home so early?


    Was it because he had three children at home?


    Upon realizing this, a look of awe surfaced in Shermaine¡®s eyes. She was wholly captivated by this man.


    Not only was he handsome like a prince and more capable than most men, but he was also a man who was loyal and dedicated


    to his family.


    She wagered that even if Odell happened to have the slightest bit of interest in her, his inbred sense of loyalty to his family would


    compel him to suppress his desire.


    She decided that she could no longer follow Aunt Ruth¡®s advice. So long as she remained passive , there would be no


    developments at all between them even if she waited for another year or two.


    With this in mind, she racked her brain and tried toe up with something.


    Odell returned home.


    Liam and Isabel hade back from school as well.


    Flint was lying on the couch with Isabel. Both of them


    screwed their eyes onto their tablets. Isabel was watching her favorite show while Flint watched a cartoon.


    Madam Carter was nearby and chatting with Aunt Tonya.


    Liam was not in the living room. Chances were that he was in his room ying on theputer as usual.


    Odell sat at the dining table and sipped tea while watching the rest of the family members. From time to time, he would exchange


    some words with Madam Carter.


    They hung around in the living room until it was dinner time.


    After they had dinner, it was almost eight o''clock. Odell was about to tell them to head back to their rooms when Isabel''s phone


    began ringing.


    Odell could tell from the ringing that it was a video call.


    Everyone in the living room suddenly fell silent.


    Odell took a peek at Isabel.


    Flint and Liam who were already halfway up the stairs suddenly turned around and drew over to Isabel''s side.


    The three children suddenly turned to Odell with a cautious look in their eyes.


    Their demeanor suddenly turned vignt. It was as if they had some reason to be wary of Odell.


    Odell made a look and remained seated at the dining table


    about five meters away from them.


    Once Isabel was sure that Odell would not approach, she epted the video call.


    Her eyes along with Liam and Flint''s radiated with joy the moment the video call connected.


    Flint was the first to cry out enthusiastically, ¡°Mommy¡ª¡±


    Sylvia¡®s voice as she greeted them was like music to their ears, ¡°Hey!¡±


    It brought them an immediate sense of joy.


    It sure looked like she was having a good time over there without her husband and her children.


    Odell reflected as he clenched the cup tightly in his hands. A look of displeasure colored his eyes instantly. The children


    immediately started bickering away at the phone. Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, why do you look a little pale? Is it cold?¡±


    Sylvia answered , ¡°Mommy just came back from a walk. It''s very very cold outside but don''t worry, | made sure to wear more


    layers of clothing so the cold didn''t get to me.¡± Isabel was amused. ¡°Oh, oh~¡±


    Flint quickly asked, ¡°Mommy, where did you go today?¡± Sylvia said, ¡°Mommy went to two different ces today. |


    went to see the frozenke, then | went to a famous local street where | bought some interesting little toys for you kids.¡±


    As Sylvia said this, she reached for several toys outside of the frame and presented them in front of the camera.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Flint was overjoyed and certainly let it show. ¡°Wow, it''s so pretty! Flint loves it!¡±


    Isabel pinched his cheeks and expressed with mock disdain, ¡°Hey you fatso Flint, could you stop being so dramatic?¡±


    Flint pouted. ¡°But I''m telling the truth.¡±


    Isabel lifted her foot and yfully kicked him away.


    Flint dodged out of the way and burrowed himself into his brother''s arms for safety. .


    Liam put his arms around him.


    Sylvia spoke up to distract them, ¡°Liam, did anything happen to you and your sister at school over thest two days?¡±


    Liam answered stoically, ¡°Not much.¡±


    Isabel suddenly eximed, ¡°Mommy, Liam won first ce in the district-wide mathpetition again.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes glowed with pride. ¡°Wow! That''s my boy!¡±


    The man who was seated at the dining table and sipping


    tea suddenly darted a nce over.


    Liam turned toward the camera and then gazed at his mother on the disy quietly, his lips slowly curled into a soft, faint smile.


    Odell''s mood was gradually worsening.


    The brat won apetition and this was the first time he ever heard anything about it!


    Isabel barely even bothered to mention it to him! These ungrateful little brats!

 Chapter 1338

    Chapter 1338


    Chapter 1338 Odell took tworge gulps of tea and swallowed his bitterness along with the tea.


    Meanwhile , Madam Carter overheard Sylvia''s voice on the phone and joined in on the conversation. ¡°Sylvia, you won''t believe


    how well Liam is doing at school. Isabel has been telling me that he always gets first ce in every exam andpetition he


    participates in. There have been several other schools in the district trying to get Liam to transfer over to their school. He¡®s very


    popr.¡± Odell felt his hand stiffening around the cup yet again.


    What? Why was this the first time he had heard about any of this at all?


    Sylvia smiled and answered jubntly, ¡°Grandma, | got a call from Liam¡®s teacher two days ago as well. They''re telling me they


    want Liam to skip a grade.¡± Madam Carter remarked with a proud smile, ¡°That''s our boy Liam.¡±


    Sylvia echoed the same sentiment with a bright smile.¡° Certainly.¡±


    Flint chimed in, ¡°Hurray, that''s my brother!¡±


    They continued chatting for quite some time before they finally wrapped up the call.


    Madam Carter was getting tired and went back to her room.


    Isabel put away her phone. Then she took Flint and proceeded to head upstairs.


    Liam followed after them.


    Thump!


    Odell pped his cup against the surface of the table and called out after them, ¡°Stop.¡±


    The three children quickly halted and turned back to look at him.


    Flint, who was held in the arms of his sister, asked in a curious tone, ¡°Daddy, who are you talking to?¡± Odell fixed his eyes on


    Liam. ¡°Liam, you stay here. Both of you, go upstairs.¡±


    Flint answered, ¡°Okay, okay.¡±


    With that, he headed upstairs with Isabel.


    Liam turned to Odell and asked unflinchingly , ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    Odell asked sharply, ¡°Why didn''t you tell me about what you have been up to at school?¡±


    Liam responded with another question instead, ¡°A lot of things are going on at school at the moment. Which one are you


    referring to specifically?¡± A gloomy look appeared on Odell''s face. ¡°About your getting first ce in the mathpetition as well


    as the teachers wanting you to skip a grade.¡±


    ¡°Thepetition results were just announced today. The teachers already told me about letting me skip a grade a long time ago


    but | never saw you at home around that time because you were busy with work. How am | supposed to tell you if | never see


    you?¡± Liam answered without the slightest tinge of reservation.


    Odell felt his voice caught in his throat.


    After an ufortable pause, he cleared his throat and stated in a somber voice, ¡°I won''t be so upied with work from here


    on. One way or another, you can always give me a call and talk to me even if I''m busy with work. I''m your father, you can feel


    free to tell me about what''s going on with you, whatever it may be. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Alright, | got it.¡±


    ¡°Go back to your room.¡±


    Liam turned and went upstairs.


    Odell frowned and instructed Sebastian to bring him a ss of wine. He finally headed back to his bedroom after


    he finished the ss of wine.


    He was still greeted by the same unfamiliarity as soon as he stepped into the bedroom. As neat and tidy as it may be, there was


    a clearck of warmth inside.


    He took a shower and went to bed.


    The ss of wine did serve to rx him but it did not help him fall asleep.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    He reached for his phone and tried to call Sylvia again, but the call would not go through.


    He could not text her either.


    She was so happy during her video call with the children. Why had she not unblocked him yet?


    Did she not miss him at all? Was she going to keep ignoring him?


    Was she still upset with him because of what happened with Shermaine? ..


    Where was the mutual trust they spoke of back then?


    The more Odell ruminated on it, the more upset he found himself bing. He almost wanted to scramble out of bed right this


    moment and head to Meadow Hills so he could properly sort things out with her. He gave up on the idea as quickly as he had


    hatched it.


    She could have all the space she wanted for a few more


    days. When she eventually returned, he had all the time in the world to confront her and talk about how she had recklessly


    abandoned her children and husband.


    It always seemed to him like days passed by in the blink of an eye when Sylvia was around but now it was as if time had slowed


    down to a crawl. Every waking moment felt like years.


    Every day, he would head back home immediately after he was finished with work.


    He found that Madam Carter was rather self-reliant, Aunt Tonya offered her all thepany that she needed with the asional


    conversation. Otherwise, she spent her time resting since she was easily exhausted due to her old age.


    As for the brats, they did not require any special attention apart from time to time when he would urge them to go to bed early


    since they had school the next day.


    Therefore, he eventually found that he had plenty of time on his hands. There simply was not much that he had to worry about


    when it came to the children.

 Chapter 1339

    Chapter 1339


    Chapter 1339 The problem was that he could not find the concentration to do anything at all, nor did he have the capacity to


    socialize with his peers. He would head to Sylvia''s workshop on the third floor and stay there with no specific purpose in mind.


    Sometimes he would sit there for hours on end.


    The only thing that preserved his sanity was thinking about how he would confront Sylvia when she finally returned home from


    her spontaneous getaway.


    Atst, he had bided his time until the day when Sylvia was appointed to return. He hade up with dozens of approaches to


    confronting Sylvia by this point.


    It was only slightly past noon and he was already done with his work for the day and headed home.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were ying hide-and-seek with Flint.


    Madam Carter was enjoying herself watching them y.


    When Odell returned home, he saw all of them hanging around in the living room but there was no sight of Sylvia.


    They were all rather astonished to see him returning home so much earlier than usual.


    Flint stopped hiding and emerged from behind the couch.


    He ran toward Odell and threw himself at him while crying out, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Odell took Flint into his arms and went to the couch.


    Flint asked in a perplexed voice, ¡°Daddy, why did youe home so early today?¡±


    Odell answered nonchntly, ¡°There¡®s not much to do at work today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | see.¡±


    Aunt Tonya, Madam Carter, and Sebastian exchanged knowing looks behind Odell¡®s back. It took a lot of effort for them to


    suppress theirughter and hold their silence.


    They all knew that today was the day Sylvia was due to return.


    Nobody knew what specific time she would arrive at Westchester.


    For a while, nobody uttered a voice in the living room.


    Flint eventually got bored sitting on Odell''sp. He hopped down from the couch and went to Aunt Tonya and Sebastian to get


    them to continue ying with him.


    Odell sipped a cup of tea and absent¡ªmindedly flipped a book while listening to Flint''s joyful shrieks echoing across the living


    room.


    Several hourster, the sun began to set. It was beginning to turn dark outside.


    Odell peeked at his watch to see what time it was.


    It was nearly evening already, where in the world was she?


    That was when he heard a stampede of footsteps approaching the house.


    He rose from his seat immediately.


    It was just Isabel and Liam who had juste home from school.


    Isabel trotted ahead of Liam, her school bag bouncing up and down behind her as she sprang toward the door. Liam trailed


    calmly behind her with his hands tucked inside his pockets.


    The look in Odell¡¯s eyes darkened, and he went back to his seat.


    Flint was the only one who ran up to them to greet them.


    ¡°Hello, wee back!¡±


    Isabel yfully pinched Flint''s cheeks.


    Flint suddenly took off and ran toward Liam, throwing his arms around Liam.


    Liam patted his head and said softly, ¡°Go y over there.¡±


    Flint pouted and went to Isabel.


    Liam went upstairs without another word.


    As usual, Isabel reached for her tablet to continue watching her shows.


    Flinttched onto her like a parasite.


    Odell stole a look at them.


    They seemed oddly calm today. Did they not know that their mother was set toe home anytime today?


    Odell grimaced. He picked up the book and continued reading


    He waited and waited until the day had turned to night.


    The housemaids were already setting up their dinner on the dining table.


    Odell frowned and peeked in the direction of the entrance again.


    It was sote already, where in the world was she?All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Aunt Tonya voiced what was on Odell¡®s mind all this time as well, ¡°Why is Sylvia not home yet? Was the flight dyed?¡±


    Isabel was lying next to her as she said this. Isabel suddenly turned up and casually mentioned, ¡°Oh yeah, | forgot to tell you,


    Mommy isn¡®ting back.¡±


    ¡°Why isn¡®t sheing back?¡± Odell asked abruptly.


    He wore a terrible scowl.


    Isabel quickly averted her eyes from his sharp gaze. Even Flint instinctively shrank into a ball when he heard Odell¡¯s sudden


    questioning. Odell pressed the issue. ¡°Did your mother call you?¡±

 Chapter 1340

    Chapter 1340


    Chapter 1340 Isabel stated calmly and unceremoniously, ¡°Mommy called us when we were having lunch today. She mentioned


    that she made ast-minute decision to check out some other ces with her colleagues and that it will probably be another two


    weeks until shees back.¡±


    Two weeks?


    Odell scowled and seemed upset..


    The woman was having way too much fun out there to want toe home to her children!


    He immediately picked up the phone and dialed her number.


    His number was still blocked.


    He turned to Isabel. ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    Isabel hesitantly handed her phone over.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Odell took the phone and promptly called Sylvia.


    The call was answered after only two rings. He immediately heard the familiar voice of Sylviaing through the speakers. ¡°Hey


    Isabel, what''s up?¡± Odell growled, ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    Beep.


    The call was promptly hung up.


    Odell was at a loss for words.


    His face was horridly pale, countless veins bulged on his forehead.


    There was nothing but a damning silence in the living room.


    Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya did not dare to utter a word.


    Flint burrowed himself into Isabel''s arms.


    Isabel wrapped her arms around him and looked at Odell warily.


    ck!


    Odell threw the phone on the table and stomped out of the living room.


    Madam Carter immediately called out after him, ¡°Odell, it''s almost time for dinner. Where are you going?¡±


    Odell continued marching out without giving the slightest response.


    He was fuming Madam Carter grimaced weakly and sighed.


    Aunt Tonya expressed with a deep sigh, ¡°He must be enraged. He came home at noon and has been waiting all


    day for Sylvia toe back. Then she goes and hangs up on him the moment he manages to call her.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Madam Carter remarked with slight disdain, ¡°It''s his fault for always staying out tillte back then.¡±


    Inside the car on the way to the prairie.


    After hanging up the call, Sylvia stuffed the phone back in her bag Miss Johnson and Miss Forest who were with her turned


    toward her with a perplexed look.


    Miss Johnson asked curiously, ¡°Mrs. Sylvia, was that your daughter? Why did you hang up suddenly without saying anything to


    her?¡±


    Sylvia stated matter of factly, ¡°I think she just identally dialed my number without knowing it. She didn¡®t answer me when |


    spoke so | just hung up.¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± Miss Johnson left it at that.


    Miss Forest had nothing further to add. They went back to what they were previously talking about.


    They were discussing the wonderful scenery outside.


    ago


    Sylvia could not focus on a single word they said.


    METZ


    Just from the brief interaction they had, she could tell that Odell was enraged. She felt that if he had confronted her in person, he


    just might strangle her right away.


    Was it because she chose to not return home yet?


    Did he not prefer it this way? He could focus on his work if she was not pestering him all day and causing unnecessary drama.


    Was this not what he always wanted?


    Besides, he had his trustworthy and reliable secretary by his side to attend to all his needs.


    She simply could not understand why he was so angry with her.


    Once Odell stepped out of the house, he called Cliff right away.


    Then he got into his car and drove off.


    The car zoomed across the highway and arrived at the entrance of the Carter Tower in no more than twenty minutes.


    It was already past office hours, so there were only a handful of offices that were still upied, evident by the lights left on.


    There was not much traffic on the way here at this hour.


    Odell rolled down the windows. Then he took a cigarette and tucked it between his lips.


    Asurge of cold wind blew in through the window.


    The cigarette smoke was blown apart and scattered into a cloud.


    After some time had passed, his phone rang.

 Chapter 1341

    Chapter 1341


    Chapter 1341 It was Cliff.


    Odeil brought the phone to his ear.


    On the phone, Cliff said in a soft voice, ¡°Master Carter, | just contacted a teacher from the Art Academy who has just returned


    from Meadow Hills. He said that he went separate ways with Mrs. Carter and three female teachers in the hotel. He mentioned


    that they wanted to go to several other ces, such as the prairie, an ancient city, and another ce he forgot the name of. He''s


    not sure where they went today.¡±


    Three female teachers?


    Odell¡®s expression rxed slightly. ¡°Got it.¡± He hung up the phone, took another cigarette, and ced it between his lips.


    A few dayster, the temperature in Westchester took a sharp dive. It snowed overnight, so the outside was nketed in white in


    the morning.


    It happened to be the weekend. The little ones were probably attracted by the snowy scenery and got up earlier than usual.


    Isabel dragged Flint outside to step in the snow and throw snowballs. In a rare turn of events, Liam, who had never been a fan of


    this kind of game, also rolled a snowball.


    The atmosphere was very lively.


    Odell stood by the door, the ice and snow reflected in his eyes. He looked very cold and slightly lonely.


    Smack.


    Suddenly, a snowball smashed into his thigh.


    He looked over.


    Flint instantly hid behind Isabel and peeked out, saying weakly, ¡°I didn¡®t mean it, Daddy.¡±


    He meant to throw it at his sister, but it somehow ended up hitting his father.


    Odell ignored him. He seemed to be in a bad mood these days, so the children were more afraid of him than usual.


    He nced at them and said, ¡°Another ten minutes before you have toe inside.¡±


    Flint said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    Liam focused on building a little snowman without much emotion on his face.


    In the evening, Sylvia, who had disappeared for several days, made a video call to the three little ones. The children huddled


    together, happily chatting with her..


    Odell happened toe out of the study and saw Liam holding a phone when he reached the stairs. Isabel was huddled beside


    him, and Flint sat in his arms as they watched Sylvia on the phone screen.


    The distance between them was too great for Odell to see her face on the screen, but he could hear her talking to the children.


    Flint was asking, ¡°Mommy, where are you now? Why is the sky there so blue?¡±


    Sylvia grinned and replied, ¡°I¡¯m at a prairie now. Let me show you the scenery here.¡± With that, she panned the camera.


    ¡°Wow! It''s so pretty!¡± Flint shouted with wide eyes.


    Isabel also let out an exmation.


    Although Liam did not say anything, his eyes were also wide open.


    After chatting about the scenery of the prairie for a while, Sylvia asked them, ¡°Have you been good at home these days?¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Isabel said, ¡°We¡¯ve been good, Mommy.¡±


    Flint chimed in, ¡°Uh-huh, uh-huh.¡±


    Sylviaughed and asked Liam, ¡°What about you, Liam?¡±


    Liam pursed his lips. ¡°I''m good.¡±


    She asked, ¡°How¡®s Great-grandma?¡±


    Isabel replied, ¡°She''s fine. She¡®s the same as before, but she forgets things a lot of the time. She even mistook me for you this


    morning.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°You look a lot like me when | was little, so it''s understandable for her to mistake you for me.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, | think Great-grandma misses you,¡± Flint suddenly spoke up.


    The air instantly became silent.


    Liam and Isabel both pursed their little mouths.


    Sylvia was silent for a few seconds and asked them, ¡°Is Daddy still very busy? Does he still rarelye home?¡± Isabel and Flint


    shook their heads in unison.


    Liam said, ¡°No, he''s been very idletely andes home early every day. He¡®s also home on the weekends.¡± Isabel added,


    ¡°And he''s very bad¡ªtempered.¡±


    Flint echoed, ¡°Uh-huh, uh-huh. | think he¡¯s angry because you aren''t at home and ignoring him, Mommy.¡± Odell, who was


    listening to them, held his breath.

 Chapter 1342

    Chapter 1342


    Chapter 1342 Just when Odell thought Sylvia would say something to care about him, the air went silent.


    Several moments passed, but her voice was not heard from Liam¡®s phone.


    The three little ones stared at her.


    Although Odell could not see the screen, he saw the image on it moving, so the connection was definitely not stuck. He frowned


    tightly and coldly pursed his thin lips.


    Just then, Flint said pitifully to Sylvia , ¡°Mommy, | miss you. Can youe back soon? Daddy is really fierce. He keeps putting


    me in time-out.¡±


    Isabel nced at him. ¡°That''s because you''re always naughty.¡±


    Liam said, ¡°We''re fine at home, Mommy. You cane back after you''ve had fun.¡±


    Hearing this, Flint immediately changed his tune. ¡°Uh huh. Although | miss Mommy, | want Mommy to be happier.¡±


    Sylvia was instantly amused andughed aloud. ¡°I know. You guys have fun at home too.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    At the top of the stairs, the expression of the man who had been standing for a while darkened uncontrobly .


    ¡°That''s it? ¡®She only showed concern for the children. She didn¡®t say a word of concern for me. The children already said that |


    come back every day. They also told her that I''ve been in a bad mood because of her, but she didn¡®t say anything about that?*


    Asurge of anger rushed to his head.


    He went downstairs.


    The three little ones looked at him when they heard his footsteps. When they saw his expression, Flint instantly fell into Liam¡®s


    arms, and Liam ced the phone back into his pocket.


    Odell gave them a cold look and walked outside.


    Aunt Tonya was nearby. When she saw him walking out, she asked, ¡°Odell, it''s almost dark. Where are you going? Aren¡®t you


    going to have dinner at home?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he replied coldly. No one knew if it was intentional, but his voice was very loud.


    Aunt Tonya was so scared that she shut her mouth.


    When his figure walked out of the door, the three little ones came back to their senses and exhaled at the same time.


    Sylvia¡®s voice sounded from Liam¡®s phone. ¡°Liam, Isabel, what''s wrong? Did Daddy lose his temper with you?¡±


    Liam raised the phone again.


    Isabel replied, ¡°Mommy, | don''t know what''s wrong with Daddy. He suddenly came down from upstairs, but his expression was


    really bad. He even red at us.¡±


    Flint added, ¡°Uh-huh, but we clearly didn''t provoke him.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°Where is he now? Is he with you guys?¡±


    ¡®He probably heard us chatting and is angry with me. However, this is between the two of us. How could he re at the children?


    I need to have a word with him.¡®


    Isabel responded, ¡°He went out and drove away.¡±


    Flint added, ¡°Uh-huh. He also said he won''t be having dinner at home.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°He''s probably angry at me. Don''t mind him.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Flint said.


    The ck sports car sped down the road aimlessly.


    It was a weekend and it was snowing. Although the roads were cleared, there were not many vehicles on the road.


    After a long time, he stopped the car at the side of the road when his mood had calmed down slightly. He took a cigarette from


    the metal box and ced it between his lips.


    He lit it up and inhaled while using his phone to send a message to Shermaine. ¡°Do | have a dinner party tonight?¡±


    Shermaine replied instantly. ¡°Yes. A fewpany presidents we worked with previously sent you an invitation, but you turned it


    downst night.¡±


    Odell asked, ¡°What was the reason you gave for turning them down?¡±

 Chapter 1343

    Chapter 1343


    Chapter 1343 Shermaine replied, ¡°I said you agreed to someone else¡®s appointment and couldn''t make it.¡±


    Odell said, ¡°Inform them that I''m free now.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I''ll notify them now.¡±


    Odell put his phone away.


    After smoking two more cigarettes, Shermaine sent him a message. ¡°Master Carter, they''re all very happy and said they''ve


    booked the best room on the second floor of Elysian House. They¡®re heading there now.¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Got it.¡±


    He threw the cigarette butt out of the car, stepped on the gas pedal, and drove in the direction of Elysian House.


    At Shermaine¡¯s residence , after sending the message to Odell, Shermaine quickly picked out an outfit for herself and put on


    some makeup.


    She got ready as fast as she could and jogged outside.


    Elysian House was not far from her ce, so she got in the car and arrived at the restaurant in less than ten minutes.


    She walked to the door of the restaurant and waited quietly. Soon, she saw the otherpany presidents arrive. They knew who


    she was and greeted her very amicably.


    After waiting a while longer, she saw a limited edition ck sports car drive up. She had seen Odell drive this car several times.


    As soon as she saw the car, her lips immediately curled into a bright smile, and she jogged up to open the door for him.


    Odell looked at her in surprise. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Shermaine''s gaze flickered, but she quickly smiled back and said, ¡°I''m here to socialize together with you. | can hold my liquor,


    so | can help you drink.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°That''s not necessary.¡±


    After all, no one in Westchester dared to force him to drink.


    Shermaine looked at his expression and whispered,¡° Master Carter, aren''t all secretaries supposed to support their bosses when


    ites to social events?¡±


    ¡°Do as you please.¡± Odell was not in the mood to care about her. He was just finding something to do so he would not have to


    sulk at home. He walked straight inside.


    Shermaine''s eyes brightened. After fixing her hair again,


    she followed him inside.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The other bosses quickly greeted him. Odell exchanged a few words with them and entered the room.


    He sat in the innermost seat, and Shermaine sat beside him.


    After they took their seats, the others followed suit.


    It was simr to other drinking parties. The first thing they did was exchange greetings and propose a toast.


    The few bosses were all experienced in the ways of the business world, so the gathering progressed without a hitch.


    Every time they toasted Odell, they drank the entire ss to show their sincerity.


    Qdell also took a sip from his ss in response. He did not drink much each time, but they took turns to toast him. As the


    number of toasts increased, so did the amount he drank. At first, he did not feel anything, but his mind felt a little groggy toward


    the end.


    He put down his ss. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    The others immediately put down their sses.


    One of them saw his face and asked, ¡°Master Carter, do you want us to take you home?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Odell said and stood up. However, his head suddenly spun, perhaps because he stood up too quickly.


    His straight figure swayed.


    Shermaine quickly held his arm.


    The other bosses were experienced and knowledgeable , and most of them had something going on with their secretaries.


    Seeing how the young and beautiful Shermaine with extraordinary temperament gripped Odell, their eyes lit up, and they all


    revealed a look of realization.


    One of them smiled and said, ¡°Since you''re fine, we won''t bother you anymore, Master Carter.¡±

 Chapter 1344

    Chapter 1344


    Chapter 1344


    Odell¡¯s mind cleared up a bit once he stood firm. He drew his hand back and walked straight out.


    shermaine quickly followed him


    The other bosses looked at each other and walked out with smirks on their faces. After saying a few more goodbyes to Odell in the parking lot outside the


    restaurant, they went back to their cars and left.


    Odell also got into his car. The alcohol made his body feel a bit weak, so he left the car door open and let the cold wind blow in


    Then, he lowered the back of the seat, closed his eyes, andy down. His brain was intoxicated from the alcohol


    Not long after, just as he was about to fall asleep, a soft voice suddenly spoke. ¡°Master Carter, | bought you a cup of honey water. Drink it to sober up.¡±


    Odell opened his eyes.


    Asmall and fair palm-sized face immediately appeared in his blurred vision.


    ¡°Sylvia?¡± He frowned and grabbed her hand


    Shermaine''s eyes flickered


    Sylvia?


    A hint of depression shed in her heart, but that was soon washed away by the surprise and delight of him grabbing her wrist.


    She imitated Sylvia¡¯s usual smile and curled her lips toward him. ¡°I¡¯m


    Shermaine, Master Carter. I¡¯m not your wife.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze changed, and the hand that grabbed her wrist suddenly loosened. He raised his hand and pressed it to his


    forehead, saying in a hoarse voice, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes darkened


    Why did he let go?


    If she had known, she would not have corrected him.


    After regretting it for a while, she said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Drink some honey water to sober up. It¡¯s easy to get sick from the cold wind.¡±


    She handed the honey water to him again.


    Odell was silent and took the honey water. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    shermaine quickly said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. I¡¯m just doing my job.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He opened the lid of the cup. There was not only honey inside, but also lemon, making it taste sweet and sour.


    After taking two sips, his mind was much clearer than before. He looked at shermaine again and saw her face clearly.


    ¡°It''ste. You should go back first,¡± he said.


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes flickered, and she said, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do at home alone anyway.¡± Looking at his expression, she


    added, ¡° Master Carter, you drank a lot of wine today and shouldn''t drive. Why don¡¯t | take you home?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± His voice was low, cold, and emotionless.


    Shermaine pursed her lips. ¡°How are you supposed to go back then?¡±


    Odell closed his eyes again. His handsome face was shrouded by the night, appearing cold and dark.


    She hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Master Carter, did you drink so much tonight because of your wife?¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°Don''t bring her up.¡± His voice was extraordinarily cold


    shermaine quickly changed her tone. ¡°My apologies. | overspoke.¡±


    However, she could not help but secretly rejoice. His tone was very bad when he mentioned Syivia, so his rtionship with him now must be extremely strained.


    After thinking about it, Shermaine said, ¡°Master Carter, it''s cold outside. If you don''t want to go home now, why don''t | apany you to a warmer ce to sit for


    a while?¡±


    Odell frowned again, showing an annoyed look. ¡°No, you go back.¡± His low voice also conveyed impatience


    shermaine was a smart person and instantly realized that she had spoken too much


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s in a bad mood now and probably wants to be alone. He¡¯s most likely thinking about whether he can carry on with that stupid wife of his. I''d better not


    disturb him.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Master Carter. Take care of yourself when you go back.¡±


    With another nce at him, Shermaine turned and walked away.


    The car door remained open, and the many for a long time, letting the cold wind blow against him


    After along time, he opened his eyes, turned to get out of the car, and walked back into Elysian House withrge steps.

 Chapter 1345

    Chapter 1345


    Chapter 1345 When the lobby manager who was walking around the first floor saw Odelle back, he quickly greeted the


    latter obsequiously. ¡°Master Carter, did you leave something behind?¡±


    Odell looked at him. ¡°Let me use your phone.¡±


    After saying that, he stretched out his hand.


    The manager was dumbfounded , then silently took out his phone.


    Ding


    On a prairie in the north, Sylvia was sitting around watching the stars and chatting with her colleagues, Ms. Kang and Ms. O''Neil,


    when her phone suddenly rang. She took her phone out.


    It was from an unknown number from Westchester.


    Was it a call from someone in the Art Academy or Art Association?


    Sylvia brought the phone to her ear. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°It''s me.¡± The man¡®s low and cold voice rang out.


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered, and she was just about to hang up


    the phone. ¡°If you dare to hang up on me again, I''ll confiscate Liam and Isabel''s phone when | go back. Don''t think of contacting


    them if you won''t talk to me!¡±


    Her grip tightened, but she still hung up the phone nheless.


    Her brows wrinkled coldly, and her expression was sullen. Although she had left for so many days, not only did he not speak to


    her nicely and coax her to go back, but he actually threatened her instead.


    Those who did not know the truth might think that she was the one who had done something wrong to him.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, her phone rang again.


    It was also from an unknown number in Westchester, but it was different from the phone number earlier.


    Sylvia hesitated but brought the phone to her ear.


    The man¡¯¡®s terrible and low growl sounded. ¡°Did you hear what | said? Have you gotten so carried away from having fun that you


    don¡®t want your children anymore?¡±


    Her chest tightened, but still, she hung up the phone.


    However, a few secondster, her phone rang again. It was another unfamiliar number from Westchester that was different from


    the previous two.


    Sylvia frowned.


    At that moment, Ms. Kang leaned over from beside her.¡° Who is that, Ms. Ross? Why do they keep calling you?¡±


    Sylvia held back her anger. ¡°Some telemarketer.¡±


    Ms. Kangughed. ¡°What kind of telemarketer is that who keeps calling you?¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Ding!


    The phone rang again.


    Sylvia forcefully suppressed her anger. ¡°I''ll go take the call.¡±


    Ms. Kang quickly said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Sylvia got up and took a few steps to an empty spot, then answered the phone and directly shouted, ¡°Odell Carter, what the hell


    is wrong with you? Are you too bored at home alone?!¡±


    The phone was quiet for a second, and the man¡¯s low growl rang out. ¡°Yes!¡±


    Sylvia was speechless.


    Amomentter, he said, ¡°Why would | call you if | weren''t too bored?¡± His voice was a lot smoother than his roar earlier.


    Sylvia sneered. ¡°Carry on, then.¡±


    She was just about to hang up the phone. Odell said, ¡°If you dare to hang up, I''ll keep calling you tonight.¡±


    Sylvia yelled at him in anger. ¡°Odell!¡±


    He snorted. His mood was obviously much better than it had been before.


    Sylvia could not help butugh coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have your little secretary by your side to apany you? Why are you calling


    me instead?¡± His voice instantly turned cold. ¡°My rtionship with Shermaine is purely professional . There¡®s nothing else


    between us.¡±


    ¡°| don''t believe you.¡±


    Odell paused. ¡°Then, what do | have to do for you to believe me?¡± Sylvia said bluntly, ¡°Fire her.¡±

 Chapter 1346

    Chapter 1346


    Chapter 1346 There was a few seconds of silence on the phone. Then, Odell called out to her in a low voice. ¡°Sylvia.¡±


    His tone was full of helplessness as if she was being unreasonable again.


    Sylvia sneered. ¡°Don''t call me in that tone. Just say so if you don''t want to fire her.¡±


    ¡°She hasn''t made any mistakes at work.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°But | can transfer her back to the administration


    department.¡±


    It seemed like transferring Shermaine back to the administration department was the biggestpromise he would grant.


    Sylvia¡®s chest still felt stuffy.


    If the incident with Charles did not happen, if she did not see Shermaine bump into him, and if Shermaine did not look like her at


    all, she would not have made such a request to Odell no matter how pretty Shermaine was.


    However, he not only defended Shermaine time and time again, but he also called her unreasonable and yelled at her directly in


    front of that minx.


    Thinking of those scenes, Sylvia could not suppress her


    pain. She took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Odell, do you just not want her to leave your side?¡±


    There was a moment of silence on the phone.


    The man¡®s harsh breathing came, followed by his low voice. ¡°Sylvia, we agreed to trust each other. Have you forgotten?¡± Sylvia


    replied, ¡°I didn''t forget, but you repeatedly defended her regardless of my feelings. How do you think I''m supposed to trust you


    now?¡± ¡°When did | defend her?¡±


    Sylvia immediately said, ¡°She framed Charles, but you didn''t even listen to my exnation and insisted on sending him to the


    police station. She deliberately sshed water on you and then bumped into you. You yelled at me and called me unreasonable


    in her defense!¡± Odell paused. ¡°She didn''t frame Charles, and she didn''t intentionally ssh water on me.¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°Look. You''re still defending her now.¡± ¡°I''m not defending her. I''m telling you the truth!¡± ¡°That''s not the truth at all.


    You''ve been deceived by her... No, your heart is already biased toward her.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia Ross! Will you stop being unreasonable?!¡± he roared. 1


    Sylvia sneered. ¡°Look, you''re yelling at me again.¡±


    There was silence on the phone.


    For a while, Sylvia did not hear him speak.


    Did he hang up?


    She held the phone and looked at the screen.


    It showed that she was still connected. She brought the phone back to her ear. ¡°If you don''t need anything else, I''m hanging up. |


    still have stuff to do.¡±


    He asked coldly, ¡°What stuff?¡±


    ¡°None of your business.¡± Sylvia hung up the phone directly.


    ATThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After waiting for a few minutes and seeing that he had no intention of calling again, she put away her phone and sat back down


    next to Ms. Kang and Ms. Johnson.


    The atmosphere was cheerful, but Sylvia could not bring herself to feel happy at all.


    In a vacant lot right outside Elysian House in Westchester , Odell clutched a cell phone. His tall figure stood straight and


    unmoving for a long time.


    Not far away, the manager and several waiters from whom he borrowed phones stood together, shivering while they looked at


    him.


    After a while, seeing that he was still standing still, a


    waiter timidly spoke out. ¡°Master Carter, I-I still need to work. Are you done with the calls?¡±


    ¡®If you have, give me back my phone. You''re going to crush it in your grip.¡°


    Odell''s gaze swept toward him.


    The waiter instantly lowered his head in fear, but Odell handed the phone to him.


    The waiter took it and thanked him.


    Then, the manager said, ¡°Master Carter, if there''s nothing else, we''ll go in first.¡± Odell ignored him and walked toward the parking


    lot. The manager immediately breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. The several


    waiters also took a long breath and could not help but mutter as they watched Odell walk away.


    ¡°Did Master Carter call his wife? Why are they still arguing?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? From the sound of it, it seems his wife misunderstood that he''s having an affair with someone else.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t he? | feel like there¡®s something going on between him and that secretary who apanied him earlier.¡± ¡°Shh, stop talking.


    Be careful not to let him hear you.*

 Chapter 1347

    Chapter 1347


    Chapter 1347


    Fortunately, Odell did not hear their conversation. At that moment, his mind waspletely sober without a trace of intoxication.


    He got back in the car and drove.


    When the ck sports car disappeared from the road, Shermaine, who had been hiding in the shadows for a long time, came


    out. Looking at the direction in which his car left, she curled her mouth in a smile, her expression happy and smug.


    ¡®His stupid wife left home for so many days, but not only did he notpromise, he still believed in me unwaveringly. How would


    he be so adamant in defending me if he wasn¡¯t interested in me?¡¯


    The weekend passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was a new week.


    In the early morning, Odell opened his eyes and looked at the quietness of the room. His eyes were cold and lonely. He got up


    and washed up.


    After eating breakfast with Madam Carter and the children, he watched Isabel and Liam get in the car to go to school, hugged a


    jumping Flint, and then took his car


    to the office.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Thepany was still running in the same orderly manner as before. He went straight to the office, sat down at his desk, turned


    on theputer, and started working.


    Shermaine came in at some point and brought him the documents he needed to read that day as well as a cup of tea to soothe


    his fatigue. He only pulled himself out of his work and looked at her after she called him several times.


    She smiled and said to him, ¡°Master Carter, all the documents you want are here. You should also drink the tea while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    Her eyes, hairstyle, and the way she dressed somewhat resemble Sylvia¡¯s.


    At first nce, he seemed to see Sylvia instead. He could not help but nce at her a few more times.


    Then, he responded, ¡°Got it.¡±


    He flipped open the document and read it.


    Shermaine sensibly walked out.


    A few more days of such calm and peaceful times passed.


    However, not only did Odell¡¯s mood not be calm, he became more irritable instead.


    That afternoon, a project went wrong because of the negligence of two senior executives, and the anger in his


    body instantly exploded.


    He called them directly to his office. He never liked to reprimand people loudly, so he simply made them stand next to him. Then,


    he sat on a chair with his hands crossed and stared at them.


    He stared for an hour.


    The clothes of one of the senior executives were drenched


    in sweat.


    The other one shivered and could not help but say, ¡°We know we were wrong, Master Carter. We won''t dare to be negligent next


    time. Please punish or scold us if you want to, but can you not stare at us like that?¡± His voice sounded like it was begging.


    Odell narrowed his eyes.


    Knock, knock!


    Aknock on the door suddenly sounded.


    ¡°Come in,¡± he said.


    Shermaine pushed open the door and walked in, holding a cup of freshly brewed rose tea. She ced the tea on his table and


    said to him with a bright smile, ¡°Master Carter, have some tea to calm down.¡±


    Odell picked up the teacup and took a sip, then nced at the two executives. ¡°Get out.¡±


    The two quickly walked out and cast grateful looks at


    Have Yo


    Shermaine when they passed by her.


    The efficacy of the rose tea was quite good, and his anger abated somewhat after taking a few sips. He nced at Shermaine


    again. ¡°You get out too.¡±


    Shermaine smiled and answered, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Then, she went out.


    Odell opened the file in front of him and read it. Just as he was about to focus on his work, another knock sounded at the door.


    He frowned.


    Shermaine opened the door and said to him, ¡°Master Carter, Master Stockton is here.¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1348

    Chapter 1348


    John?


    Odell frowned and asked, ¡°Why is he here?¡±


    Shermaine replied, ¡°He said he came to talk to you about a project in nchester.¡±


    Odell closed the file and said to her, ¡°Tell him toe in, and go make another pot of tea.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    A few minutester, the door was pushed open, and a young man in a suit walked in holding a two-year-old toddler.


    The little girl was chubby and pink. As soon as she entered, she called out to him softly, ¡°Hello, Uncle!¡±


    Odell smiled at her. ¡°Hello.¡±


    John ced her on the ground.


    Caprice immediately walked toward him with her little legs. She was not trying to hug Odell¡¯s legs. She curiously walked behind


    him, made a big round, and then continued to explore the rest of the office.


    John¡¯s gaze followed her for a while. ¡°Caprice, tell Daddy


    if you want anything. Don¡¯t try to get it yourself, or you might hurt yourself.¡±


    The corners of Odell¡¯s mouth twitched. Before John said thest sentence, he thought that John was trying to teach Caprice not


    to take things that were not hers.


    Caprice gave an obedient hum and continued to stroll about.


    John sat down on the sofa.


    Odell looked at him. ¡°Which project do you want to talk to me about?¡± They had cooperated on several projects in nchester


    which were making good progress.


    John replied, ¡°Nothing specific. | just came to tell you that the projects are going well.¡±


    Odell gave him a cold look. This guy was obviously just here to loiter.


    Just then, there was another knock on the door.


    Odell said, ¡°Enter.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Shermaine walked in with tea. She first handed a cup to John and put another cup on Odell¡¯s table, then turned around and


    walked out.


    John picked up the cup of tea as if he was about to drink it, but his eyes lingered on Shermaine. He only withdrew his gaze when


    she walked out.


    Odell noticed John¡¯s gaze, and his eyes narrowed. He


    asked with interest, ¡°What? Are you interested in my secretary?¡±


    Johnughed. ¡°You''ve misunderstood. As I''ve said, I¡¯m not interested in her type.¡±


    ¡°Then, why are you staring at her?¡±


    ¡°| just thought she looks simr to your wife.¡±


    Odell asked in confusion, ¡°Why are you mulling over that?¡±


    ¡°I''m not mulling over it.¡± John looked at him and curled his lips. ¡°l was wondering if you kept her around as your secretary


    because she looks like your wife, or your type just so happens to be like her and your wife.¡±


    Odell frowned, and his expression sank. ¡°She¡¯s my secretary because my previous secretary had to go home. for personal


    affairs. | wasn¡¯t the one who brought her in either.¡±


    John leaned back on the sofazily and said with a smile, | know she was rmended by your assistant, but you had to nod


    your head and agree before she could be your secretary.¡±


    ((


    Odell looked at him coldly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m interested in her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what | meant. I¡¯m just voicing my spections as a bystander, and | shouldn''t be the only one to think so. When I


    came up, | met two of your


    employees who were probably executives of yourpany. They were talking about your rtionship with your secretary, and


    they alsomented that you would have continued to torture them if your secretary hadn¡¯t helped them out.¡±


    Finishing with a smile, he picked up the teacup and took a sip, thenplimented, ¡°This tea is brewed really well.¡±


    Odell gave him a cold look. ¡°Save the theatrics and just tell me straight. Do you think I¡¯m interested in her?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you see anything? Besides the gossip you heard when you came up, did you hear anything else?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t see or hear anything. | just sense it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because whether it¡¯s the way she looks or the way she dresses, it¡¯s very simr to Sylvia. | don¡¯t know if she was born like this


    or if she¡¯s deliberately imitating Sylvia.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not that kind of person.¡±


    Johnughed. ¡°Master Carter, | haven¡¯t said anything yet. Why are you in such a rush to defend her?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1349

    Chapter 1349


    Odell frowned.


    Defend her?


    ¡°I''m just stating the truth.¡±


    He was clearly speaking the truth from an objective perspective. How was that defending her? Sylvia had also said the same


    thing.


    Johnughed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you defended her like this in front of Sylvia as well?¡±


    Odell¡¯s frown deepened. After a short silence, he said, ¡± I¡¯m not defending her.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± John put down the teacup, turned his head to look for Caprice, and saw her in a corner. She was squatting on the floor,


    ying with a cute ornament in her hand.


    John got up, walked up to her, and picked her up.


    Caprice was still holding the small ornament. It was clearThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    that she liked it.


    He asked, ¡°Do you like this, Caprice?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    ¡°Then, you can take it.¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips and looked at him withrge eyes. ¡°That''s not very nice, Daddy.¡±


    Johnughed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Caprice said, ¡°We haven''t said thank you to Uncle Odell.¡±


    While John grinned, Odell¡¯s lips pulled down. Sure enough, they were father and daughter.


    John brought her to Odell and said to him with a smile, Master Carter, Caprice wants some local snacks. I''ll take her there first.¡±


    He walked away.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    John turned around.


    Odell stared at him with deep eyes and asked, ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m interested in Shermaine?¡±


    (c


    The smile faded from John¡¯s eyes, and his expression turned solemn. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and frowned tightly.


    John said nothing more and carried Caprice out.


    Therge office suddenly fell silent. The man sat behind his desk. His conflicted and dark expression did not loosen for a long


    time.


    Putting aside the two executives who talked about


    Shermaine and him, even a shrewd person like John thought that he was interested in her. In that case... Sylvia was not being


    unreasonable to him. He had been too busy some time ago and ignored her feelings.


    After a long silence, he picked up the phone and called Cliff.


    The call was connected quickly.


    He said, ¡°Inform the administrative department and ask them to choose someone to take Shermaine¡¯s ce


    immediately.¡±


    Cliff was stunned. ¡°Master Carter, did Shermaine do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Give her another position in the administration department.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± After hesitation, he asked, ¡°Sir, could you tell me the reason for recing her so that | can exin it to her?¡±


    Odell said without changing his expression, ¡°She¡¯s not suitable for the secretary position.¡±


    Cliff did not ask any more questions and simply said, ¡± Okay.¡±


    Odell hung up the phone. He appreciated people who worked hard and were capable. Furthermore, Shermaine had saved his


    grandmother, so he let her stay as his secretary. He was sure that he was not interested in her at


    all.


    T


    Although she somewhat resembled Sylvia, she was only somewhat simr in appearance. In essence, she was different from


    her.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1350

    Chapter 1350


    As usual, Odell finished his work and left the office in the evening.


    Shermaine tidied up and was ready to get off work too.


    Just then, Cliff called her. She answered the phone and asked with a smile, ¡°How may | help you, Assistant


    Bogard?¡±


    ¡°Are you freeter? Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡±


    Shermaine was not a fool. Cliff was very busy. He would not invite her for dinner for no reason. She asked, ¡°Is there something


    you have to say to me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let''s talk face to face.¡±


    Since Odell had left, there was no reason for Shermaine to stay, so she agreed.


    Ten minutester, Cliff and she arrived at a restaurant and sat face-to-face.


    Cliff looked at her with aplicated expression, hesitating to speak.


    Shermaine noticed his face and suddenly felt a little uneasy. Her eyes flickered as she smiled and said, ¡°If you have something


    to say, just say it.¡±


    Cliff took a deep breath. ¡°Go back to the administration department from tomorrow onward. I¡¯ve arranged a position for you. You


    can take up the post when you arrive tomorrow.¡±


    Shermaine¡¯s expression changed, and she immediately asked, ¡°Why do you want me to go back to the administration


    department? Did | do something wrong to make Master Carter unhappy?¡±


    Cliff was stunned. He obviously did not expect her


    outburst. However, he rationalized that it was because it was hard to ept a sudden transfer.


    ¡°No, you worked very hard and didn¡¯t make any mistakes.¡±


    Shermaine could not hold back her emotions and continued to ask with a cold face, ¡°Then, why do you want to transfer me


    somewhere else?¡±


    Cliff also frowned.


    For some reason, he felt that Shermaine¡¯s expression was a little strange. It was very different from her usual generous and


    gentle appearance.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°Master Carter''s orders. He thinks you''re not suitable for the post of secretary.¡±


    Shermaine frowned and asked incredulously, ¡°Did Master Carter really order it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. | couldn¡¯t have transferred you if he didn¡¯t order it.¡±


    Shermaine bowed her head and clenched her hands under the table. She thought of what Odell saidst Saturday night at


    Elysian House when he had borrowed those waiters¡¯ cell phones to call Sylvia.


    He mentioned that he would transfer her, but his tone sounded like he only proposed it as apromise for Sylvia toe back.


    However, Sylvia did not agree in the end. He had then called her unreasonable again and hung up the phone and left with a dark


    expression.


    He did not ask her to be transferred until today. Why did he suddenly want to transfer her?


    Shermaine choked on her breath and asked, ¡°Assistant Bogard, is Master Carter doing this because of Mrs. Carter?¡±


    Cliff replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He only told me that you''re not suitable for this position.¡±


    Sheughed coldly. ¡°It must be because of Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Cliff felt ufortable when he heard her tone. He said


    bluntly, ¡°Shermaine, | know you feel wronged, but since Mrs. Carter misunderstood you, it¡¯s natural for Master Carter to transfer


    you away for her sake. Moreover, your new position in the administration department is no worse than your current position.


    You''ll maintain your sry as well.¡±


    His tone was a little cold.


    Shermaine¡¯s expression changed. She suddenly realized that she had misspoken.


    She pursed her lips and softened her expression. ¡°You''re right. It slipped my mind because | got worked up. Master Carter and


    Mrs. Carter¡¯s rtionship is the most important. | can ept it even if | have to leave.¡±


    Cliff''s expression also eased when he saw her rx. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand.¡±


    Not long after the meal was finished, he took a phone call


    and left.


    The moment he went out, Shermaine¡¯s face turned cold. She frowned. Her expression was full of anger and resentment that


    could not be concealed.

 Chapter 1351

    Chapter 1351


    Chapter 1351 ¡®Master Carter transferred me somewhere else because of his stupid wife?! What does that woman know other


    than ckmailing him by leaving the house? And hepromised?!


    Shermaine was furious. Her anger was apparent through the bent fork in her hand.


    She believed the man waspromising for the sake of his kids, therefore she could no longer sit back and do nothing


    If the stupid woman threatened him using the kids again and forced him to fire her, she would not even be able to see him


    anymore!


    Meanwhile, at a medieval-themedmercial street back at Glenchester, John was shuttling through the crown with Caprice.


    Aunt Wanda and two other bodyguards were following them.


    The sky was dark, but Caprice still wanted to stroll around. Her big googly eyes moved rapidly and sized up everything in her


    surroundings with utmost interest.


    One of her hands clung to her father''s neck while she held the pink¡ªcolored bread in her other. She got the


    bread from the moment she arrived on the street and had been munching on it since. John held her single-handedly while


    carrying a bunch of pink and yellow toys in the other hand.


    Suddenly, Caprice pointed at a shop selling antique souvenirs. An exquisite music box with beautiful carvings caught her


    attention. ¡°Daddy, that...¡±


    John brought her into the shop. Caprice was captivated by the shiny gemstones and meticulous carvings on the music box. After


    confirming that she wanted the music box, John told the storekeeper to pack it. ¡°I want this music box.¡±


    The storekeeper packed it up immediately.


    John added the nicely packed box to the plethora of toys that he had been holding. He looked around the souvenir shop and


    then asked Caprice, ¡°Is there anything else that catches your eye?¡±


    Caprice stared at her father''s hand that was holding a bunch of other toys. She shook her head and said, ¡°I only like the box.¡±


    John smiled and carried her out of the shop.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Ashort strollter, they finally left themercial street. The driver also timely brought the car over.


    John put all the toys he bought in the trunk and then


    carried Caprice into the car. Aunt Wanda and the bodyguards entered together.


    The driver asked, ¡°Sir, where are we heading?¡±


    John looked at Caprice. ¡°Sweetie, where else do you want to go?¡±


    When Caprice stared outside the window, John looked in the direction of her gaze and saw a boy of simr age to her. The boy


    was in his father''s embrace and was chatting with his mother beside him.


    It was heart-warming just looking at the family of three.


    John''s gaze shifted. He turned Caprice¡®s face over and asked, ¡°Caprice , Daddy¡®s talking to you. Where else do you want to


    go?¡±


    Caprice shook her head while she continued nipping on the bread in her hand.


    John then said to the driver, ¡°Let''s go home.¡±


    The driver nodded and started the car.


    It was quiet along the way. Caprice nibbled on the bread like an ant. She had been out for the entire afternoon but was not tired


    at all. Something was clearly going on in her little mind as she stared forward nkly.


    John stared at her in silence for a while before he pulled his phone out.


    In the past two years, he texted Sherry every once in a while but had not gotten a single reply from her.


    He tapped on the camera and snapped a picture of her working slowly on the bread from the side.


    He set it as his wallpaper and then sent the picture to Sherry, including via all of her social media ounts.


    This would be the first time he was sending a picture of Caprice to her. Should she have a conscience, she would not stay silent


    this time.

 Chapter 1352

    Chapter 1352


    Chapter 1352 Meanwhile, far away in Coastrock City, Sherry was having a phone call with Sylvia. It was then that she received a


    notification from her mailbox.


    The notification made the expression on her face change. ¡°Syl, something came up. | have to go.¡± ¡°Alright. You get busy. I''ll go


    out for a walk,¡± Sylvia said.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Have fun.¡±


    The call ended.


    Sherry then clicked on the newly received mail and saw the picture John sent her.


    It was Caprice quietly nibbling on the pink¡ªcolored bread. The girl''s pinkish cheek took up half of the screen, and the close-up


    shot even showed off her long curly eyshes.


    Sherry gasped. She carefully stroked the cheek on the screen.


    The girl''s googly eyes stared nkly in front. She must be either carried away by the taste of the bread or the thoughts in her


    mind. She looked absolutely quiet and obedient.


    Sherry uncontrobly curled her lips and her expression softened.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She set the picture as her wallpaper . Then, she put her phone aside and took the documents out of her drawer. She flipped


    through the pages of the market research done on Glenchester with a serious look.


    She had to go back soon. If she continued to wander off to other cities, her daughter would grow up without her.


    The trip to the ins ended.


    Sylvia, Ms. Kang, and Ms. Johnson arrived at an old city.


    The old city was developed into a tourist spot with the retention of its traditional and medieval structural designs.


    Sylvia stayed in the hotel beside one of the famous tourist spots in the city.


    She shared a separate room with Ms. Kang and Ms. Johnson, so she was able to have the call with Sherry alone in the room.


    After the call with Sherry, she tapped on the chat group with her kids.


    Isabel sent her several recent pictures of themselves.


    Liam was as cool as ever. Flint¡¯s picture looked funny, maybe because the boy had annoyed his sister again, hence theical


    face. Still, the funny face did not


    conceal the adorableness of the boy. Isabel''s own selfie hadyers of filters on as she posed beautifully.


    Sylvia stared at the pictures for quite some time. She would be lying to herself if she imed she did not miss them at all.


    However, she still did not want to go back. The man was still protecting his secretary and going back would only result in endless


    arguments.


    Ding!


    It was then that she received a text from Sebastian''s number.


    ¡°| have transferred Shermaine somewhere else. She''s no longer my secretary starting tomorrow.¡± Judging from the tone, Odell


    must have texted her using Sebastian¡®s phone.


    Sylvia¡®s gaze shifted. Her fingers automatically hovered above the keyboard of her phone, but she hesitated.


    Eventually, she put the phone aside. A whileter, she received another text from Sebastian again.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was from Odell again.


    Sylvia refused to reply, but before she could put the phone down, she received a call.


    It was him.


    Sylvia pursed her lips and reluctantly answered the phone.


    The man¡®s charming voice echoed in her ears. ¡°Did you see my texts?¡±


    ¡°| saw them. So what?¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t you reply?¡± He sounded annoyed.


    ¡°| don¡¯t want to.¡±


    The conversation entered an awkward silence.


    A few secondster, he said, ¡°When are youing back?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes flickered. She thought he would at least raise his voice at her or me her for being irresponsible.

 Chapter 1353

    Chapter 1353


    Chapter 1353 He still sounded grumpy, but it was obvious that he wanted her to return. ¡°I don''t want to see Shermaine again.


    Fire her and I''lle back,¡± she said.


    ¡°I''ve transferred here somewhere else. You won''t see her again.¡±


    ¡°| don''t want you to transfer her. | want her out of Carter Corporation,¡± Sylvia said with clenched teeth. She added, ¡°I know she


    saved Grandmother before, and if you think you owe it to her, give her some money, or refer her to work somewhere else.¡±


    The call went silent all of a sudden.


    Thoughts were running through the man¡®s mind as he remained quiet for a while.


    Sylvia¡®s expression turned cold. ¡°Odell, if you have nothing else to say, that''s it.¡±


    He remained silent, so she hung up the phone.


    Back at the Carters¡¯ residence in Westchester, the man¡®s towering figure stood outside the front yard. He stared at the phone


    after the call ended, and his brows furrowed. Helplessness and annoyance were smeared all over his face.


    He had transferred Shermaine somewhere else within thepany, and it would be difficult for him to see her anymore.


    In his opinion, a capable and good employee was just as good as any other hardworking employee. Thepany¡¯s policy was


    to promote capable and hardworking employees, not firing them without a solid reason which had never happened before.


    More importantly, there was nothing between Shermaine and him, yet the woman on the other end of the phone refused to trust


    him.


    He stood outside with a sulky expression for a while.


    Sebastian walked up to him and asked in a small voice,¡± Sir, it''s gettingte. Why don''t you go rest?¡±


    The weather was unforgivingly cold, and Sebastian was freezing despite theyers of coats he had on.


    Odell was dressed thinly, and if he continued standing outside, he would catch a cold.


    Odell regained hisposure and returned the phone to Sebastian. He strode into the house with a grumpy look. He refused to


    care anymore. If the woman decided to abandon him and the children and wander somewhere else forever, she would not have


    toe back!


    After Odell returned to his room, he took off his jacket


    and angrily threw it on the floor. He washed up in the bathroom and went to bed alone.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The next morning, before the sky turned bright, the silence in the bedroom was broken by a loud sneeze.


    Achoo!


    The man was woken by his own sneeze. What followed was dizziness and exhaustion.


    He frowned as he got off the bed. He headed to the living room and got some medicine from the first aid kit. He took some


    medication with warm water, but the dizziness did not go away. Instead, he started to have a runny nose.


    He pulled a piece of tissue and wiped his nose.


    Sebastian and Aunt Tonya were up watching him.


    Aunt Tonya asked, ¡°Odell, did you catch a cold? Why don''t | call Dr. Lambert over?¡± ¡°It''s fine,¡± Odell answered with a heavy nasal


    voice before he headed upstairs. It was just a cold and he believed it was nothing serious.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian exchanged a quick look but remained silent.


    However, as soon as he set foot on the stairs, the dizziness assaulted his sight and the room started to spin. His strength was


    robbed and his muscles started to sore.


    He managed to return to the room, but the thought of cleaning up faded. The dizziness made him want to stay in bed.


    He copsed on the bed and rested until knocks came from the door.


    Aunt Tonya¡® called him from the door. ¡°Odell, time for breakfast.¡±


    Odell opened his eyes and answered gruffly, ¡°I''m not eating.¡±


    Aunt Tonya heard the heavy nasal voice and frowned.¡± Okay.¡±


    Odell woke up and grabbed his phone from the side to text Cliff. ¡°I''m noting in today. Call me if there is anything urgent.¡±


    Cliff texted back instantly, ¡°Noted.¡±

 Chapter 1354

    Chapter 1354


    Chapter 1354 The spacious bedroom returned to silence.


    Maybe because of the cold, he suddenly felt the chills. He wished his woman was by his side.


    In the past few years, whenever he fell sick, she would be by his side, and he would feel better by hugging her warm and soft


    body. Now all he got was the icy cold air and emptiness by his side.


    He sighed heavily and frowned.


    It was then knocks came from the door again.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    It was Flint.


    Odell turned around.


    The little guy opened the door and popped his head in to stare at his father with his googly eyes. ¡°Daddy, are you sick?¡±


    The man¡®s furrowed brows eased up. He answered, ¡°I''m fine. Go down and y.¡±


    He caught a heavy cold, and it would be terrible if he passed it to Flint.


    The little guy asked, ¡°Are you okay? Do you want medication?¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. Go y.¡±


    Flint nodded and hummed a reply before he left.


    Awhileter, Aunt Tonya came up with warm water and some herbal tea. She put the tray by the bed and said, ¡° Odell, | made


    some herbal tea for you. Drink it and you''ll feel better.¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Odell¡®s frosty expression warmed up a little. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Aunt Tonya then left.


    Odell got up and drained the herbal tea to thest drop. Despite the annoyance and irritation, there was no reason for him to


    treat his body poorly.


    He felt a lot better after the tea. Since he regained some strength, he washed up and nned to do some work in the study


    room.


    However, as soon as he sat down at the desk, his head started to spin again. He had not even turned on theputer, and the


    cold robbed him of his concentration.


    He pursed his lips and reluctantlyy down on the couch.


    The day went by in the blink of an eye.


    Odell slept until evening but still showed no signs of recovery.


    The door opened, and several sets of footsteps came in. Suddenly, Odell felt a tiny hand on his forehead and the warmth it


    carried. The hand lingered for a second before another hand touched his forehead.


    He frowned and opened his eyes.


    Flint, who was the third in line to put his hand on his father''s forehead, got startled and nervously pulled his hand back. He even


    hid behind his brother and sister.


    Odell looked at the three of them.


    Liam and Isabel guiltily pursed their lips as if they were caught red-handed. ¡°What are you three doing?¡± he asked. Isabel said,


    ¡°We''re here to see if you''ve gotten better.¡± His frosty expression softened. He helplessly said, ¡°I''m having a cold, not a fever.¡± All


    three of them came to touch his forehead.


    ¡°Daddy, are you better?¡± Flint asked.


    Odell said, ¡°Yeah. | feel better now.¡±


    ¡°But you don''t sound like it,¡± Flint continued with his question.


    Liam and Isabel looked at him. With the same expression, Odell said, ¡°I''ll feel better


    after some rest. You guys should go out.¡±


    The three of them remained still as a rock.


    Odell frowned and put on an even stricter expression.¡° Heard what | said?¡±


    Isabel pouted while Flint hummed a reply.


    The two of them followed Liam outside. Odell sighed. He got up and headed to the desk. He felt a lot better than he had in the


    afternoon, so it was time for him to settle some work.

 Chapter 1355

    Chapter 1355


    Chapter 1355


    The three of them left the study room and headed back to their game room.


    Flint sat down in front of Liam and grabbed his brother¡¯s phone to send a voice message to the chat group with their mother.


    ¡°Mommy, what are you doing?¡±


    Isabel sat down beside them and went on the chat group using her phone.


    In less than a minute, Sylvia¡¯s reply came in. ¡°Mommy is still outside with two other teachers.¡±


    Maybe because Flint¡¯s sulky tone caught her attention, she asked, ¡°What happened? Did Daddy scold you guys again?¡±


    Flint pouted. ¡°Daddy didn¡¯t scold us. He¡¯s sick.¡±


    Both Liam and Isabel stared at the screen silently.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Is he sick?¡±


    Flint piped up, ¡°Daddy caught a cold. It has been a whole day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, haha, a cold is nothing serious, but it might take a while to go away. Usually, it takes a week to fully recover. You guys don¡¯t


    have to worry about him,¡± Sylvia replied.


    Flint answered, ¡°Okay. He actually wants you toe


    back, but you sound like you don¡¯t want to forgive him yet and don¡¯t want toe back.¡±


    Sylvia assured them, ¡°You guys don¡¯t have to worry. | have to go now. I''ll send you guys a video in a day or two.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Flint then crawled into his brother¡¯s arms and grumbled, ¡°Brother, | miss Mommy. When is sheing back?¡±


    Both Isabel and Liam furrowed their brows, seeming to be in a sulky mood. However, they were older than their little brother and


    refused to be childish.


    ¡°Mommy wille back when she forgives Daddy,


    Liam said.


    Isabel sighed. ¡°Stupid Daddy, always making Mommy mad!¡±


    Still, he looked miserable with the ongoing cold, and it broke their hearts.


    A few rooms away, Odell was staring at the screen with a grim expression. He was looking at the texts that Sylvia sent to the


    chat group with the kids. She found out that he had a cold, but judging from the tone, she sounded happy.


    Haha?


    It was fine if she did not want to care about him, but ¡®haha


    ¡°9


    Odell¡¯s expression turned even surlier. He picked up his phone and called her, but the call was declined. He was still on her


    cklist.


    Disheartened, he got up and headed out. He strode to the living room in the blink of an eye.


    Aunt Tonya was chatting with Madam Carter in the living room. When they saw Odelle down with a grumpy look, they were


    both scared.


    Odell looked at Aunt Tonya. ¡°Aunt Tonya, lend me your phone.¡±


    Aunt Tonya hesitated for a moment before she reluctantly gave up her phone. She could not help but said, ¡°Odell, try to speak


    nicely to Syl. Don¡¯t always be like an angry bull.¡±


    Odell grabbed the phone and headed outside the living room.


    Both Aunt Tonya and Madam Carter sighed.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Outside the door, Odell called Sylvia using Aunt Tonya¡¯s phone.


    The dial tone rang.


    Odell was trying his best to suppress his rising anger, but the call did not get through in the end. Instead, it was declined.


    His expression turned frosty. He called again but was declined once more.


    Had she figured out that it was him and not Aunt Tonya?


    Ding!


    Atext came from Aunt Tonya¡¯s social media ount.


    Odell tapped on it and saw the text.


    ¡°Aunt Tonya, | can¡¯t talk right now. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Odell replied, ¡°Your man is dying from a cold. When are youing back?¡±


    Half a minuteter, the reply came in. ¡°Tell me when he¡¯s really dead.¡±


    Odell was silenced. He choked on his anger and wanted to smash the phone into pieces. He replied, ¡°Sylvia, you have one day


    toe back. If you don¡¯te back by tomorrow, you don¡¯t need toe back forever!¡±

 Chapter 1356

    Chapter 1356


    Chapter 1356


    Ding!All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I go wherever my legs take me, and | wille back whenever | feel like it. It won¡¯t work even if you give me


    another hundred days.¡±


    Odell choked on his reply. ¡°You¡¯re abandoning the kids?¡±


    ¡°Stop using the kids to threaten me. If you stop me froming back, I''ll tell Grandmother to throw you out of the house!¡±


    Probably because his anger had taken over his sanity, he chuckled coldly and tapped on the screen furiously.


    ¡°Sylvia, you¡¯ve gotten so audacious, haven''t you? Have | been too lenient with you in the past few years?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Odell, | think it was | who has been too lenient with you. Do you really think I¡¯m afraid of you?¡±


    Odell chuckled. ¡°Really? If you¡¯re not afraid of me,e back tomorrow! I''d like to find out how you are being lenient on me!¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to provoke me! I¡¯m not an idiot like you! | don¡¯t want to go back. | like seeing you mad!¡±


    Odell was silenced. His body was petrified for a few seconds before he continued tapping on the screen. ¡°


    Send me your address right now.¡±


    ¡°Don''t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dare to send me your address? Are you afraid that | mighte to you?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯m not afraid of you, you jerk!¡±


    Odell clenched his teeth and tapped on the recording button. He bellowed, ¡°Are youing back or not!?¡±


    The text failed to send. It seemed like Sylvia had blocked him, or rather, Aunt Tonya¡¯s number. His towering figure froze and his


    expression turned frighteningly pale.


    The woman blocked Aunt Tonya¡¯s number just because she refused to talk to him!


    Did she hate him that much?!


    Or had she forgotten that he was the husband and got carried away by the temptation of the outside world?


    Awhileter, he pulled his own phone from his pocket and called Cliff. The call got through in an instant. He shouted, ¡°Find her!¡±


    Cliff was shocked by the sudden shout. Stunned, he quickly recovered hisposure and asked in a small voice, ¡°Sir, find


    who?¡±


    Odell¡¯s sight suddenly turned blurry. Dizziness assaulted his ¡®mind again and fueled his anger. He pursed his lips and said coldly,


    ¡°Send some men to the airport and train


    terminals. If you see Sylvia, don¡¯t let her into the city!¡±


    Cliff said, ¡°Sir, did you have an argument with Mrs. Carter again?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap and do what | said!¡±


    Cliff dared not talk back to his boss. He nodded and said, Yes, sir.¡±


    He then red at Ben, who was on duty at the gate.


    Ben caught the ferocious re and nervously stood straight with his chest up.


    Odell shouted, ¡°Get over here!¡±


    Ben ran over and carefully asked, ¡°Sir, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Arrange some men to stay guard at the street entrance. Starting from tomorrow, if any one of you sees Sylvia, stop her and do


    not let here near the house!¡±


    Ben carefully stared at the raging monster and nodded. ¡° Yes, sir.¡± He then turned around to carry out the order.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Ben turned around once more and asked, ¡°Yes, sir? What is it?¡±


    Odell coldly said, ¡°Send some men to Isabel and Liam¡¯s school as well. Don¡¯t let her get near them!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Ben answered meekly.


    Odell grunted coldly before he returned to the house.


    Aunt Tonya and Madam Carter stared at him. They pursed their lips in silence when they heard Odell shouting outside the door.


    Odell put Aunt Tonya¡¯s phone on the tea table and then strode back to his room. His head was heavy, his feet were cold, and he


    had a runny nose. He already felt better after a whole day of rest, but the anger suddenly made his cold worse.

 Chapter 1357

    Chapter 1357


    At the same time in a hospital in a distant city, Sylvia was sitting on the bench with a saline infusion. The transparent tube with


    the needle was poked into the back of her hand.


    Her brows furrowed as she leaned back feebly.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Maybe because they failed to limatize to the local environment, Ms. Kang, Ms. Johnson, and herself caught a fever when


    they arrived yesterday. Other than the fever, there were symptoms of a cold as well.


    Her head was heavy while her body felt weak and everything felt terrible. She could not even speak properly with her coarse


    voice. She could not even think straight when she received a text from Flint.


    In order to not expose her condition to her kids, she texted back and told them she could not talk at the moment.


    To her surprise, after she put the phone down, she received a call from Aunt Tonya¡¯s number. She did not want Aunt Tonya to


    worry, so she texted back and informed the same.


    Then, she received a text in the rudest tone. ¡°Your man is dying. When are youing back?¡±


    She knew at first nce it was Odell. She was exhausted after arguing with him for so long, so in order to have peace of mind,


    she blocked Aunt Tonya¡¯s number to keep the man from annoying her.


    The man must be exploding with anger.


    However, he was at home with Aunt Tonya, Madam Carter, Sebastian, and the kids, so probably nothing would happen.


    The thought calmed her mind as she sighed and closed her eyes.


    Odell stayed home for two more days.


    It had been snowing in Westchester for the past two days, and simr to the snowy weather, his mind had been nk and dizzy


    for as long as he still caught a cold. He did not even have the mood to take his medication.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian took turns delivering the medicine to him, but he tossed them away.


    Even the three little rascals were stopped outside the door.


    It was Madam Carter who scolded some sense into him.


    Only then he took two pills to treat his condition. Unfortunately, his face was still pale and his mood remained sour, even more so


    when he asked Cliff and Ben


    about Sylvia, and both of them informed him that they did not see Sylvia at any terminals or stops.


    Evening, his mind had finally regained some rity after being dizzy for two days. He also regained a portion of his strength.


    He called Cliff and then Ben, but he got the same reply.


    ¡°Sir, we still don¡¯t have any news about the madam.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. He angrily kicked the little drawer by the desk to vent his expression. He then grabbed his coat


    and went downstairs. He borrowed Sebastian¡¯s phone to text Sylvia and tossed it back when he was done.


    He put on his coat, and his frosty expression was apparent as he strode outside. His towering figure soon disappeared in the


    chilly weather.


    Meanwhile, in a city far away, Sylvia went to the hospital alone. She was still having a fever, hence the multiple visits.


    Both Ms. Johnson and Ms. Kang wanted to apany her, but they were here for a vacation, so she did not want them to waste


    time at the hospital because of her.


    Her legs were weak. As soon as she sat down on the bed, she received a text on her phone.


    She pulled it out and saw Sebastian¡¯s text. ¡°Sylvia, you''ve really done it! Don¡¯t even bother toe back now. If you dare to


    come back, I''ll show you!¡±


    It was Odell texting her with Sebastian¡¯s phone.


    She could already picture the man¡¯s expression when she read the text. She sighed feebly and pocketed her phone after another


    nce. She could not do anything about the man¡¯s anger right now, and she nned to go back after she recovered.


    She believed he would not do anything to her even if she really went back.

 Chapter 1358

    Chapter 1358


    Chapter 1358


    In Westchester City, Odell headed to the office as soon as he left home.


    He strode into the lobby with a frosty look.


    The employees and the front desk noticed the look on his face and knew their boss was having a bad day again. No one dared


    to even make a noise around him.


    Odell strode into the elevator without looking at anyone, including Shermaine who was within the crown.


    Shermaine frowned in his direction. ¡®He did not even look at me? Why is he in such a foul mood? Is it because of that stupid


    woman again?¡¯


    Odell headed to his office and cleared all the work that has been stacked up for the past two days.


    During lunch, the new secretary knocked on the door and delivered the lunchbox for him.


    The secretary nervously asked, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s lunchtime.¡±


    Odell nced and hummed a reply.


    The secretary turned and wanted to leave.


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    The secretary immediately asked, ¡°Yes, sir? Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Inform both the director and assistant director of the business development division toe to meet me in an hour,¡± he said


    coldly and then started eating.


    The secretary nodded. ¡°Noted, sir.¡±


    Odell started eating, but when his mind went idle, he started to think about Sylvia who had left home for so long.


    Frowning, he frustratedly called Sebastian.


    Sebastian answered the phone right away. ¡°Sir, what is it?¡±


    Odell asked, ¡°Did Sylvia reply after | left?¡±


    Sebastian answered in a small voice, ¡°No sir. Not yet.¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim. He hung up the phone and suddenly lost his appetite. He grabbed the desk phone to call the


    secretary outside. ¡°Tell the director and assistant director toe here right now.¡±


    The secretary answered, ¡°I''ll inform them right away.¡±


    Awhileter, the director and the assistant director of the business development division arrived at his office. Both of them


    cautiously entered and approached the man¡¯s desk.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Odell stared at them expressionlessly. He then mmed a pile of documents in front of them, frightening the two of them.


    ¡°This is the proposal that you two came up with?¡± he asked.


    The two of them answered nervously, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re so sorry. We''ll amend it right away.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips coldly. ¡°Bring yourptops here and amend them here!¡±


    The two of them went pale. Making amendments in front of their boss would be like working in front of a guillotine!


    The assistant director said, ¡°S¡ªSir, you''re busy, and we don¡¯t want to disturb you with our work. We''ll go back and amend them,


    and then send them to you.¡±


    Odell red at him. ¡°What''s the matter? Afraid of me watching you two make amendments?¡±


    ¡°N-No, sir... | didn¡¯t mean it...¡±


    ¡°Then, get out and bring yourptops here!¡±


    The two of them scuttled like rats escaping a cat and then returned with theirptops. They sat down on the couch and started


    amending the proposal.


    Odell sat behind his desk with his arms crossed, watching them fiercely.


    The intense sessionsted until the afternoon.

 Chapter 1359

    Chapter 1359


    Chapter 1359 Only until the two directors perfected the proposal were they released from the torment of their boss.


    The spacious office returned to dead silence once more while the sun shone through the window warmly.


    His frustrated expression basked in the warm sunlight. He pulled his phone out and tried to call Sylvia, but he could not get


    through. He tried texting as well, but the message failed to send.


    Bam!


    He mmed the phone on the table and then called Cliff using the desk phone. ¡°Inform all the division directors to gather at the


    main meeting room in ten minutes! Tell them to prepare reports for this week¡®s progress. | want to know how things are


    progressing.¡±.


    Judging from the tone, Cliff could tell his boss was having a sour mood again and was trying to vent his emotions on the


    directors. He answered in a small voice, ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll inform them right away.¡± After the call, Cliff messaged all the division


    directors.


    One of the directors who was closer to Cliff privately messaged him. ¡°Assistant Bogard, this meeting is a little too rushed, isn''t it?


    | just ran into Director Nickman from


    the BD division and he was drenched! His shirt was soaked in his own sweat, and he was trying to clean up in the toilet. He told


    me Master Carter almost scared him to death. Is it because he¡¯s having a bad day and wants to vent it on us?¡±


    ¡°He''s just having a regr meeting. If you guys are doing your work properly, he won''t do anything to you,¡± Cliff answered.


    In other words, those who cked off would suffer the wrath of an angry Odell.


    The regr weekly meetingsted for almost three hours.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Odell berated almost half of the directors before ending the meeting. He sat in the main seat as he scanned over the other


    directors who were trembling.


    ¡°Dismissed.¡±


    The directors sighed a long breath as though they were released from torment.


    Odell strode back to his office. It was already 7 o''clock in the evening, and the sky was already dark.


    He put the documents down and picked up his coat.


    Then, the new secretary knocked on the door and asked, ¡± Sir, do you want to order dinner?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Odell went out with his coat hanging over his hand. He took the elevator straight to the basement parking lot.


    Most of the employees had gone home by this hour, so there was barely anyone in the parking lot. He went to his car and then


    spotted a figure standing next to it.


    Under the light, the young woman wore a in coat coupled with a pair of leather boots. Her hair was tied high up and her bangs


    framed the front of her forehead, revealing a clean and delicate face. She wore a faint smile on her face, appearing rather


    sweet.


    Odell was slightly surprised. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Shermaine switched her sweet expression to a worried one. ¡°Sir, | heard from Assistant Bogard that you fell sick in the past two


    days. Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°I''m feeling good,¡± he answered. Shermaine stood there and continued, ¡°I heard you scolded a lot of the directors at the


    meaning. Are you having a bad day?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling fine.¡±


    ¡°Is it because you argued with your wife again?¡±


    Odell frowned. His expression turned grim and said deeply, ¡°If theres nothing else, move aside.¡± He was not in the mood for idle


    chatter.


    Shermaine''s eyes flickered nervously, and she quickly


    stepped aside. Odell headed to the car and opened it. It was then that he felt a grip around his waist as a pair of hands hugged


    him from the back.


    It was Shermaine.


    He froze and then furrowed his brows harder.


    Shermaine said meekly, ¡°You don''t have to lie to me. | know you''re feeling down, and it must be terrible for you as ofte.¡±


    Odell¡®''s expression turned cold and grim.


    She added, ¡°I know you argued with your wife because you want to protect me. I''m sorry, it''s my fault. | should have asked for


    the transfer earlier, but | couldn''t help myself. | don¡®t want to leave you, and it hurts to see you this mad every day. | don¡¯t want


    you to be like this.¡°

 Chapter 1360

    Chapter 1360


    Chapter 1360 After her meek voice subsided, the man¡¯s cold voice erupted. ¡°Take your hands off me!¡±


    The coldest tone with the harshest words from his lips shocked Shermaine, but she tightened her hug. A perfect man like him


    must want to protect his family and be a responsible father, hence he asked her to take her hands off him.


    She added, ¡°Master Carter, | don''t want to ruin your family. | am not asking for a title. | just want to share your burden. Let me be


    by your side.¡±


    The parking lot fell into dead silence all of a sudden.


    Then, a powerful hand pulled both her hands off him and pushed her away.


    Shermaine was caught off guard by the sudden shove. She staggered a few steps backward before she lost her bnce and fell


    to the ground with a thud. The light shed its brilliance on her pale white face. She widened her eyes in disbelief.


    ¡°Master Carter...¡±


    Odell turned around with the coldest stare.


    Shermaine¡®s heart skipped a beat under his re. The words she prepared to say were all stuck in her throat.


    Odell red at her with the sharpest gaze. Several seconds of silenceter, he asked, ¡°So, you like me?¡±


    Shermaine did not expect the question from him given how grim his expression was.


    Her face regained the blush as she looked at him with her big eyes. She meekly said, ¡°No woman would dislike a perfect man


    like you. | know you''re married, but | can''t control myself. | don¡®t want to ruin your family. | just want to stay by your side and


    share your burden. Even if | don''t get a title for the rest of my life, I''m fine with it.¡±


    Her eyes teared up as her expression screamed of infatuation. She believed no man could resist her soft and understanding


    gaze, especially a man who was in an argument with his stupid wife.


    Amomentter, the grim expression on the man¡®s face reverted back to his usual cold look. Although expressionless, he looked


    much betterpared to when he pushed her away.


    Then, he said, ¡°Stay away from me, and don''t even let me see you again.¡±


    Shermaine''s heart sank and her face turned as pale as a sheet.


    Odell got into the car and quickly left the parking lot.


    Shermaine clenched her fists in disbelief and anger.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    He left just like that! Did he not have any feelings for her?


    No. It should not be. She had hugged him, and given his ruthless attitude, if he really disliked her, he would have fired her on the


    spot instead of telling her to stay away from him. This must be his first time getting into an affair with another woman, and it must


    be difficult for him to ept her in a hurry.


    The thought calmed her down. She regained herposure and got to her feet as she watched the MPV drive away from her


    sight in a grievance.


    In the end, the grudge on her face was reced by determined ambition. She liked him, and she swore she would make him feel


    the same!


    The ck MPV drove out of the parking lot and merged into the traffic on the road. The man sat alone in the rear seat, staring


    into the void nkly with a sulky face. The driver carefully steered the car so as not to disturb the man.


    In the passenger seat, Cliff nced into the rearview mirror to check on the man¡®s expression. Deep down, he was shaken. Even


    now, he could not believe what he had just seen back in the parking lot.


    He and the driver had been waiting for their boss in the car after the meeting ended.


    Shermaine had arrived two minutester than them. She did not notice Cliff in the car and was touching up her makeup using


    her little cosmetics purse.


    Just when Cliff wanted to roll the window down, he saw her working on her makeup and intentionally pulling her bangs forward.


    He felt something was off, so he stayed quiet and simply watched from inside the car.


    To his surprise, he witnessed something that shocked him.

 Chapter 1361

    Chapter 1361


    To think that she had been so bold to hug Odell and even propose to be his mistress!


    It was inconceivable, aplete departure from her usual


    self!


    He had been naive enough to see glimpses of Sylvia in her, and it turned out that they werepletely different people all along


    Cliff stole a peek at Odell through the rearview mirror and observed his stoic silence. He carefully broached the subject. ¡°Sir,


    should | inform the department to have her fired?¡±


    Odell made a look, a sharp gleam appeared in his eyes.¡± Just let her be for now.¡± Cliff could see from Odell''s eyes that he was


    not remotely interested in Shermaine¡®s advances, so he asked cautiously, ¡°Was it because she had once rescued Madam


    Carter?¡±


    ¡°Nobody would undergo such a drastic transformation in such a short time. It''s impossible.¡±


    Cliff was startled by this remark and asked to rify, ¡°Are you saying that this is her true self all along and she was only hiding


    it?¡±


    ¡°When you first knew her, didn¡®t you also think that her entire demeanor resembled Sylvia¡®s?¡±


    Cliff understood what Odell was implying and stated, ¡°So she had been ying a role all this time and was trying to imitate Mrs.


    Sylvia just to get your attention?¡±


    A profound look surfaced in Odell''s eyes as he continued, ¡°Apart from the day when she rescued my grandmother two years ago


    and the handful of meetings she had with Sylviately, she had next to no dealings with Sylvia at


    all.¡±


    Cliff was puzzled. ¡°How did she manage to figure out Sylvia''s behavior and fashion style?¡±


    Those were not something that could be studied from only a handful of brief interactions. Besides, from the very first time they


    saw Shermaine two years ago, they had the immediate impression that she resembled Sylvia.


    Underneath the moonlight , something seemed to glow inside Odell''s eyes. ¡°Either she''s schizophrenic, or someone is pulling


    the strings behind her.¡± Someone who knew Sylvia very well.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Cliff seemed rmed. ¡°If there¡®s truly someone working with her, could this mean that whoever it was was also responsible for


    Madam Carter getting lost two years ago?¡±


    Odell grimaced and stayed quiet. The troubled look on his face was more than enough to confirm that he had suspected the


    same thing as well. What Shermaine did just now was clearly a desperate proposition made by someone who was blinded by


    love. It was very unlikely that she had done that because she was mentally unstable or anything of that sort. Someone must


    have been giving her guidance this entire time and helped her navigate her way into Odell¡¯spany.


    After two years of effort, the sudden shock of being reassigned to another department must have been too much for her. Since


    she had the impression that Odell was into her, she must have made an impulsive decision back then that turned out to be an


    irreparable mistake.


    After a long silence, Cliff suddenly asked, ¡°Sir, do you want me to investigate further?¡±


    ¡°Just make sure you don''t draw any unwanted attention.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Shortly after that, the car came to a stop outside the house.


    Odell stepped out of the car and walked into the living room.


    The three little ones were eating with Madam Carter and


    Aunt Tonya.


    They turned to him in unison when he entered.


    Sebastian greeted him and asked, ¡°Would you like to join us for dinner as well?¡±.


    Odell nodded.


    Sebastian looked at the housemaid and gave a signal.


    The housemaid quickly brought a set of tableware for Odell.


    Odell went to his usual seat.


    Madam Carter, Aunt Tonya, and the children were seated across from him.


    After he sat down, he picked up the cutlery and asked candidly, ¡°Did mommy contact you kids today?¡±


    Liam, Isabel, and Flint were all rather surprised by this question.


    This was the first time he had so bluntly asked about their mother since she left.


    This entire time, he had only resorted to eavesdropping whenever they called their mother. He would sulk at the table with a grim


    look on his face but would rather die than directly ask about her. After a lingering silence, Isabel was the first to answer,¡± No,


    Mommy said she''s busy with something and will talk


    to uster tonight.¡± Flint contributed by bobbing his head up and down and murmuring, ¡°Yep, yep.¡±

 Chapter 1362

    Chapter 1362


    Chapter 1362 Odell only grunted and did not ask any more questions after that.


    The children looked at him suspiciously.


    As if they were trying to read his thoughts.


    Odell nced at them and waved them off. ¡°Eat.¡± They quickly bowed their heads down at their bowls.


    After dinner, they all went upstairs.


    Odell sat with Madam Carter for a while. When she eventually got tired and retired to her room, Odell turned to Sebastian.


    ¡°Sebastian, did Sylvia speak to you?¡±


    Sebastian observed that Odell seemed to be in a better moodpared to the same morning. He informed dutifully, ¡°The


    madam hasn''t replied yet, maybe she hasn''t read my message.¡±


    Odell nodded.


    It was extremely unlikely that she had not read the message yet, chances were that she was still upset and did not want to reply.


    He sighed and headed upstairs.


    When he passed by the children¡¯s room, he suddenly


    stopped.


    He could hear Flint talking from inside. ¡°Mommy, something weird must have happened to Daddy today, he¡¯s like a different


    person tonight. He¡®s not so grumpy anymore and he''s not so fierce with us anymore. He even asked us about you. | think he¡¯s


    not angry anymore.¡±


    Odell grimaced.


    At the same time, his phone vibrated. He took a look and saw a new message in the group chat.


    Flint must have sent the voice message to Sylvia using Liam¡¯s phone.


    Something shed in his eyes. He proceeded back to his bedroom after that.


    Inside the children¡¯s room.


    Flint sat in front of Liam as usual and hogged his phone for himself.


    Isabel sat next to them and was staring at their phone as well.


    They were all eagerly waiting for a reply.


    Shortly after Flint sent the voice message, Sylvia replied, ¡°Is he feeling better?¡±


    Flint answered promptly, ¡°He¡®s much better now.¡±


    He immediately followed it up with, ¡°Mommy, where did you go today? Was it fun?¡± Sylvia replied, ¡°Mommy went to several


    ces today, let me show you.¡±


    She sent several pictures of the scenery she saw today.


    It was very beautiful. Each picture could easily be used as wallpaper. Flint was delighted. ¡°Wow, it''s so beautifull!¡±


    Isabel looked at his amused expression with disdain and murmured, ¡°Stop fawning, stupid.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Flint turned to her and made a face with his tongue stuck out.


    Isabel was immediately provoked by this. ¡°What''s your problem, you fatso?¡±


    ¡°Brother, help!¡± Flint quickly burrowed himself into Liam¡®s arms.


    Liam ignored them. He took the phone and sent a voice message into the group chat, ¡°Mommy, why are you texting us? Can''t


    you talk where you''re at now?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Yeah, mommy¡¯s friends are chatting right now so | can''t send voice messages right now.¡±


    Liam, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The past few times they spoke , she had been using text


    messages instead of voice messages.


    Were things so hectic there that she could not send voice messages? Isabel suddenly asked, ¡°Mommy, is this yourst stop? Are


    youing back after this?¡±


    Liam fixed his eyes intently on the disy.


    Flint also screwed his eyes on the disy and waited eagerly for a reply. After a few seconds, Sylvia¡®s reply finally came, ¡°Yes, I''ll


    being home after this.¡±


    Flint was overjoyed to hear this. ¡°Yay!! | can finally see Mommy, I''ve been missing you day and night!¡± Isabel kicked him. ¡°Go


    away, you fatso!¡±


    She barely had a chance to speak to Sylvia because Flint had been hogging all the attention.


    She was also annoyed by how sappy Flint was being, going on about how he had been missing her day and night.


    Flint went to Liam for help again. He scrambled for the phone and sent another voice message to cry for help.¡° Mommy, | don''t


    know what got into Sister. She''s in a bad mood and is hitting me again, you have toe back


    quickly and save me!¡±


    Isabel was speechless.


    Words were not effective, she proceeded to kick Flint instead.


    Flint swiftly dodged out of the way, quite nimble for someone called a fatso.


    Enmeone cale des patients in

 Chapter 1363

    Chapter 1363


    Chapter 1363 Isabel missed and ended up straining her back.


    She groaned in pain.


    Flint grinned from ear to ear and continued to provoke her. ¡°Heheh, you missed, hehe...¡±


    Isabel''s face immediately flushed with red, and she shot up from the bed.


    Flint immediately took off and ran.


    ¡°You better stop right there you fatso!¡± Isabel ran after him.


    Flint flung open the door and ran out.


    This would mark the beginning of the grand battle between the two siblings.


    Liam was still on the phone. He had recorded the entire interaction between Isabel and Liam and sent it to Sylvia.


    Sylvia, who was miles away from her children in a remote town,ughed uncontrobly when she listened to the silly bickering


    between her children on the phone.


    After a while, she sent a reply to Liam, ¡°Thank you for sending this to me, Liam. This makes your mommy very happy.¡±


    ?>


    Meanwhile, inside arge bedroom.


    Odell leanedzily on the recliner and was killing time on his phone.


    Notifications constantly popped up on his screen. It was Sylvia and the children chatting inside the group chat.


    He shed a faint smile the moment he saw Sylvia asking about his health.


    Right now, he was silently listening in on Sylvia and


    Liam¡¯s conversation with a ruminative look on his face.


    Creak.


    He heard the door gently pushed open.


    He quickly put the phone away and turned to see who had entered.


    It was Flint.


    He was like a tiny bunny lurking around the house. The moment he entered the room, he darted his eyes across every corner


    and then quickly burrowed himself


    underneath the bed.


    Odell made a look.


    It was pitch ck under the bed. He could only barely make out the shape of Flint¡¯srge, bulging eyes with a tint of excitement


    underneath it.


    Soon, the door was flung open with a loud crash.


    Isabel ran inside. She seemed very upset.


    She surveyed the room for a second, then proceeded to ask her father amid hectic gasps for air, ¡°Daddy, have you seen Flint


    anywhere?¡±


    Odell nced under the bed. Flint looked at him with a pleading look in his eyes and was motioning Odell to not give away his


    position.


    Odell announced nkly, ¡°He¡®s under the bed.¡± Isabel immediately crawled under the bed.


    Flint quickly rolled out under the bed. He scowled at Odell then took off and ran again.


    This time, he only managed to take a few steps before he was caught by Isabel who was faster than him.


    Isabel lifted him in the air.


    She was celebrating like a hunter who had finally caught an exotic creature in her traps,


    She smiled menacingly and taunted Flint. ¡°Haha, Flint, you''re doomed!¡±


    Flint''s tone immediately switched drastically upon being caught. ¡°Sister, it was my fault, | won''t ever do it again.¡±


    Isabel scoffed at this apology. ¡°Even if you beg for mercy


    a hundred times, | still wouldn''t let you off the hook.¡±


    She walked out of the room with Flint.


    Carried in Isabel''s arms, Flint made eye contact with Odell. He seemed anguished and upset with Odell for betraying him. Odell


    barely reacted.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    1.1.


    He was in no mood to be concerned with their trivial games.


    He picked up the phone again and continued spying on the conversation between Sylvia and Liam.


    It was mostly Sylvia asking about what Liam had been up to recently. They talked about what he had been doing at school and


    how things were looking at home.


    Liam answered every question she asked.


    Most of the things he revealed werepletely new information to Odell as well.


    The brat.


    He reflected with a groan, then he swiped up and saw the array of pictures Sylvia had sent to them.


    He frowned instinctively when he saw the pictures. Why did she stop taking pictures of herself?


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1364

    Chapter 1364


    Meanwhile...


    At Shermaine¡¯s ce.


    Ruth suddenly called her. It had been a week since theyst spoke.


    Shermaine was feeling especially irritable today. She was convinced that Odell was interested in her and had not recovered from


    the unexpected rejection yet.


    She did not want to answer the call and proceeded to ignore it.


    Several secondster, her phone rang yet again.


    It was Ruth calling her again.


    Feeling highly annoyed at this point, she picked up the phone with a scowl.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sher, are you busy?¡± Ruth¡¯s tone was uncaring as usual. The false concern she added in her voice never managed to achieve


    the effect she hoped it would.


    Shermaine quickly sorted herself and answered, ¡°Hey Aunt Ruth, | was in the toilet just now and missed your call.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright.¡± Ruth forgave her and moved on. ¡°What have you been so busy with the past week that you


    couldn''t even give me a text?¡±


    Shermaine informed with a long sigh, ¡°I got reassigned to another department.¡±


    ¡°What? What did you do?¡±


    Shermaine quickly exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, it''s all that idiot Sylvia''s fault. She still refuses to go home so Odell decided to


    have me reassigned to appease her.¡±


    Ruth furrowed her eyebrows into a zipped line. There was now a certain animosity in her voice. ¡°So you haven''t seen him at all


    ever since you were reassigned?¡±


    Shermaine had always been intimidated by Ruth and upon sensing the iciness in her voice, she became terrified and quickly


    remarked, ¡°Yes, but | did get to see him tonight.¡±


    ¡°Where did you meet him?¡±


    ¡°| was afraid that he¡®d forgotten me so | went to the basement parking lot and waited for him. My n worked and | saw him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ruth was baffled and eximed angrily, ¡°Who told you to go to him yourself?¡±


    Shermaine exined meekly, ¡°We haven''t seen each other for so long, | was really worried that he¡®d eventually forget about me


    entirely so | had to see him.¡±


    Ruth swallowed her breath and asked pointedly, ¡°What


    did you say to him? You didn''t confess to him, did you?¡± Shermaine¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She quickly stated, ¡°No, | acted like | was surprised to see him there and exchanged somemon greetings with him.¡±


    Ruth breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What about him? Did he say anything to you?¡± ¡°He didn''t say much, he just kind of acknowledged


    me before getting into his car.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Ruth sounded relieved, she then continued, ¡°I know you''ve taken a liking to him, but | need to remind you that he''s no


    ordinary conquest. You have to follow the roadmap | have drawn out for you and eventually, he''ll fall for you without realizing it


    himself.¡±


    ¡°If you do something as rash as throwing yourself at him and making your feelings clear, the entire setting falls apart. If that ever


    happens, not only is he going to fire you from hispany, but he¡®s going topletely lose interest in you.¡±


    Shermaine frowned unnervingly when she recalled the scene of her hugging Odell only to get shoved away by him.


    After a prolonged silence without an answer, Ruth snapped grumpily. ¡°Hey, were you listening?¡± Shermaine snapped back to her


    senses and hurriedly


    answered, ¡°I heard you, I''ll make sure I''ll keep that in mind, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°You better not forget.¡±


    Ruth proceeded to hang up.


    Shermaine turned pale.


    Had everything fallen apart?


    No... If what Ruth said was true, Odell would have be so upset with her and had her fired by now. There was no chance of


    her surviving inside thepany.


    He must have had a thing for her as well, but the only thing holding him back was his loyalty. He had only shoved her away and


    said what he said to keep up


    appearances.


    Certainly, that must be it!


    Besides, his rtionship with that idiotic wife of his was rapidly deteriorating anyway. It was only a matter of time before he was


    done with her.


    With this in mind, Shermaine¡¯s resolution was strengthened.


    Meanwhile, inside a secluded manor in a foreignnd.


    There sat a middle-aged woman draped in a silky and expensive gown. She was leaning against a velvet couch


    with a ss of wine in her hand.


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1365

    Chapter 1365


    Chapter 1365 She stared at the red and glittering wine, its luster was captured in her eyes.


    It was eleven years ago when she met Shermaine. She was only twelve years old then.


    She had rescued Shermaine from poverty because of her extreme simrity with Sylvia. Her son was obsessed with Sylvia to an


    unhealthy degree and she wanted Shermaine to grow into a doppelganger of Sylvia to be the perfect recement for the


    lover her son never had.


    Only, her son wanted nobody other than Sylvia herself, he would rather go to prison than settle for Shermaine. There was also


    the fact that Shermaine had onlye to resemble Sylvia in appearance but did not manage to capture her essence in any other


    facets.


    In the end, she decided to let Shermaine go back to her home country and creep into Odell''s life.


    Even if she could not bring an end to the Carter empire, she would avenge her son by ruining Odell and Sylvia''s romance!


    Only...


    She frowned uneasily.


    She knew Shermaine like the back of her palm.


    During their conversation on the phone, she noticed that Shermaine sounded very agitated. There must be something more to it.


    Was she hiding something from her?


    The look in her eyes sharpened, and she downed the ss of wine in one go and smashed it back atop the table.


    She could not let the foolish girl foil her ns. She had to go back to Westchester herself to get a closer grasp on the situation.


    The next day.


    After breakfast, Odell was driven to thepany as usual.


    The car stopped at the entrance.


    As soon as he stepped out of the car, he saw Shermaine standing by the side of the road.


    It would appear that she was waiting for him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He only spared her a nce before he continued advancing toward the entrance.


    ¡°Master Carter,¡± Shermaine suddenly stepped forward and called after him.


    Odell turned to her. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    His tone and entire demeanor were standoff¡ªish.


    However, Shermaine noticed that he was no longer as upset as when he shoved her awayst night.


    She was relieved by this and proceeded to give a heartfelt apology. ¡°I want to apologize for my behaviorst night, | stepped out


    of line. I''m very sorry and | promise to never do anything like that ever again.¡±


    A profound look surfaced in Odell''s eyes. After an ufortable silence, he spoke, ¡°I''m d you realized your mistake.¡±


    With that, he walked away.


    Shermaine stood still like a totem. She quietly gazed at Odell marching into the building and heaved a sigh of relief, a soft smile


    slowly surfaced on her


    lips.


    Surely he must have a thing for her.


    Otherwise, he would not have forgiven her so quickly, especially considering it had been no more than a day since it happened.


    Odell arrived at his office in no time.


    Shortly after he sat down, Cliff entered the room. ¡°Sir, here¡®s the information | managed to dig out about


    Shermaine,¡± he said as he ced a stack of documents on the table.


    Odell quickly went over them.


    Cliff began to ry his findings. ¡°She¡®s not from Westchester, she¡¯s from a small town on the far border of Westchester. This


    town has seen some urban development in recent years but before this, it was argely rural area with a majority of its


    poption stuck in poverty.


    ¡°Her family was very poor growing up. From the information | managed to collect from her past neighbors, it appears that her


    situation suddenly improved roughly eleven years ago. It seems like someone suddenly began giving her family financial support


    and made sure Shermaine received a proper education.


    ¡°Before she graduated from university, she would travel abroad every summer break and only return days before the new


    semester began. It was during this duration when she began to shake off her rural air and transform into a city girl. | suspect that


    she must''ve gone to her benefactor during this period.


    ¡°After graduation, she stayed in Westchester. Her encounter with Madam Carter happened shortly after she began working.


    That''s when we brought her into Carter Corporation and everything progressed from that point on until the present day.¡±


    After going through the documents, Odell observed that her life¡¯s story seemed nothing out of the ordinary, the only question he


    raised was, ¡°So, who''s this mysterious benefactor?¡±


    Next Chapter

 Chapter 1366

    Chapter 1366


    Chapter 1366 Cliff answered swiftly, ¡°I haven''t managed to find anything about the benefactor yet. Even her neighbors and


    rtives don''t know about the identity of this person. Only Shermaine herself knows.¡± ; She was the only person who knew?


    That was certainly suspicious.


    It did not make sense that her family was left in the dark as to the identity of the benefactor considering they were the direct


    beneficiaries as well.


    Moreover, what reason would she have to keep her family out of the loop?


    It must have been done deliberately.


    Cliff asked, ¡°Sir, should we bring her here and ask her directly?¡±


    Odell shook his head. ¡°She¡®s very cautious , we can''t let her know about this ongoing investigation.¡±


    ¡°Alright, | understand.¡± Cliff suddenly asked, ¡°This is everything that | can find at the moment, do you have any other


    suggestions?*.


    ¡°Continue trying to find leads, we''re not in any rush.¡±


    They had no choice but to y the long game since


    whoever was backing her hid their tracks very well.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Cliff left the office. Odell propped one elbow against the table with his chin pressed against it. He picked up a pen with


    his free hand and drew a circle on a crucial point in the document. It was eleven years ago when this mysterious benefactor first


    appeared.


    Without this benefactor, she would never have had ess to higher education and everything that happened after that, what


    with her saving Madam Carter and entering Carter Corporation would never have been possible.


    The focal point was this mysterious benefactor. Could this mysterious individual be the one pulling the strings and guiding her


    every step of the way?


    Ding!


    Suddenly, his phone vibrated.


    It was a notification from the group chat with Sylvia and the children.


    It would appear that Aunt Tonya was added to the group as well.


    Flint sent a voice message to the group using Aunt Tonya¡®s phone, ¡°Mom, what are you doing? | miss you so much!¡±


    Shortly after the message was sent came Isabel¡¯s message, ¡°Flint, don¡¯t


    ¡°Flint, don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡±


    Flint replied, ¡°Sister, aren¡¯t you in ss now? Why are you on your phone?¡±


    Isabel answered, ¡°It¡¯s lunch break.¡±


    Flint: ¡°Ohh, where¡¯s Brother? Why isn¡¯t he saying anything?¡±


    Isabel: ¡°He¡¯s sleeping.¡±


    Flint: ¡°I miss Brother, can you take a picture of him sleeping?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Isabel: ¡°You sleep with him every night, haven¡¯t you seen enough of him?¡±


    Flint: ¡°I want to see him! Please take a picture.¡±


    Isabel: ¡°No.¡±


    Flint: ¡°You''re scared of getting in trouble with the teacher because you''re ying with your phone in school aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Isabel: ¡°I''m not scared.¡±


    Several secondster, she followed it up with another message, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not ying with my phone in ss! If you keep


    spouting nonsense again, I''ll kick your butt the moment | get back from school!¡±


    Flint taunted her. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so scared!¡±


    Heh. Odell chuckled after he finished listening to the chain of messages. He put the phone away after.


    That was when Sylvia suddenly sent a text message into the group chat, ¡°Isabel, put down your phone and pay attention in


    ss. Flint, please stop ying with Aunt Tonya¡®s phone. Get Uncle Sebastian to take you out for a walk if you''re bored but


    promise me to not wander away from him, understand?¡±


    Flint answered, ¡°Okay!¡±


    His voice was full of affection.


    Isabel suddenly replied, ¡°Just you wait, you fatso!¡±


    Flint cried for help, ¡°Mommy, Sister wants to bully me again.¡±


    Sylvia was struggling to hold back herughter. She forced herself to reply in a tone as stern as possible,¡° Isabel, if you keep


    ying with your phone in ss, I''ll confiscate your phone when | get back.¡±


    Isabel seemed to take the warning seriously, ¡°Okay, Mom. I''ll turn off my phone now.¡± Flint was very obedient as well. ¡°Okay


    Mommy, I''ll give the phone back to Aunt Tonya.¡±


    His voice was as adorable as ever.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Okay, be a good boy at home. Mommy should be back within the next two days.¡±


    Flint eximed happily, ¡°Okay! I''ll be a good boy and wait for Mommy toe back!¡±

 Chapter 1367

    Chapter 1367


    Chapter 1367 Sylviamended Flint, ¡°Good boy.¡±


    With that, the conversation hade to an end.


    Odell stared at the message Sylvia sent where she imed she would be back in two days. He found himself grinning without


    realizing it.


    Finally, she wasing back.


    He no longer had to sleep by himself.


    However, there was the Shermaine issue...


    i


    He considered for a moment and went to search for Sylvia''s profile in her friend list and wrote a brief message to her that read,


    ¡°Are you here? There''s


    something | want to talk to you about.¡±


    As soon as he had sent the message, an error appeared on the screen that said, ¡°Message unable to send. User only epts


    messages from added ounts.¡±


    It would appear that he was still on her cklist.


    He heaved a long, tired sigh.


    He certainly did not hold it against her. It was him that had made a mistake in miscing his trust in Shermaine. He had gone


    and ignored Sylvia''s feelings and even used her of being insensitive to Shermaine''¡®s perils.


    He vowed to hijnself that he would exin things clearly after Sylvia came back


    The next day passed in the blink of an eye.


    As soon as the sky had seen the first glimpse of dusk, Odell returned home,


    He marched straight into the living room. He chanced upon the scene of Madam Carter desperately tugging Aunt Tonya¡®s clothes


    and mumbling incoherently, ¡°Where¡®s Odell, where is he? Tell him toe back quickly, he shouldn''t stay outside by himself, it''s


    too dangerous out there!¡±


    Aunt Tonya was aware that this was Madam Carter''s dementia acting up again. She was just about to try to console her when


    she noticed Odell approaching. She quickly gestured at Odell and eximed, ¡°Look, Odell is back, look!¡±


    Madam Carter turned to Odell with a confused look in her eyes.


    Odell quickly walked up to her, ¡°Grandmother, here | am.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Madam Carter took his hand affectionately and seemed very anxious. ¡°Odell, | keep telling you to not wander off. Listen to me


    now, you have to stay close to me. Your


    Odell added, ¡°Sebastian, if my grandmother ever goes on a rant about my stepmother again, | want you to call me immediately.¡±


    Sebastian responded dutifully ¡°Understood.¡± Flint turned his plump cheeks to Odell and asked curiously, ¡°Daddy, do you have a


    stepmother?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The boy seemed very eager to know more, ¡°Was she a


    jerk?¡±


    Odell grunted. ¡°Hm.¡±


    Flint went up to Odell, wrapped his arms around his leg, and vowed, ¡°Daddy, when | grow up, I''ll protect you.¡±


    Odell fell silent.


    Liam and Isabel were speechless.


    Aunt Tonya and Sebastian were stunned by this as well. Many have heard of children vowing to protect their mothers, but this


    was the first they had ever heard of


    protecting a father.


    Did he think his father needed protection?


    ¡°Fatso Flint, Daddy doesn''t even need your protection.¡± Isabel cocked an eyebrow and scolded Flint, ¡°Besides, even if he


    needed protection, you wouldn''t be his first choice.¡±


    Flint sounded very concerned. ¡°What if Daddy¡¯s jerk stepmotheres back to hurt him?". Odell was rather dumbstruck by


    Flint''s sentiment. He carried Flint into his arms and said, ¡°Your father chased her out of the country already. She won''t being


    back to hurt me.¡±


    At the same time, he patted Isabel and Liam¡¯s heads with his free hand in turn and told them, ¡°Come on, let''s go eat.¡±

 Chapter 1368

    Chapter 1368


    Chapter


    1368 Even though it sounded a littleedicing from Flint, it was still rather magical to hear his son vowing to protect him.


    Odell stepped into their room in the middle of the night.


    He looked at the trio sleeping peacefully in bed. It was a loving picture.


    These three were very unique in their own way. They were very bright and rarely caused trouble for him.


    All the credit went to his wife. It was either her or his good fortune that he ended up having such wonderful children.


    He gently ruffled their heads to not wake them and went back to his bedroom.


    It was a tranquil night just like any other night.


    He did not feel sleepy at all. A montage of what happened recently constantly yed in his mind.


    It was what happened ever since Sylvia left.


    He was thinking about what he found about Shermaine.


    It was eleven years ago when her mysterious benefactor appeared.


    Eleven years...


    Suddenly, something sparked in his eyes, and he suddenly realized something.


    It was eleven years ago when Ruth¡®s n to usurp him along with the shareholder''s help


    failed. That was when he kicked her out.


    She eventually re-emerged after a long disappearance and signed a contract with him.


    The terms were that if she wanted to


    preserve what little shares she and Thomas had inside thepany, she was to get out of Westchester and never return regardl


    ess of circumstances.


    Failing to meet these terms would effectively terminate all of the shares she and Thomas owned inside the Carter Corporation.


    After signing the contract, she left Westchester and went abroad.


    She was the only one who would go to such lengths to devise such a devious and meticulous n. His eyes gleamed sharply a


    mid the darkness. He sat up and picked up his phone to call Cliff.


    The next day.


    Odell arrived at thepany at the break of dawn. Cliff arrived around the same time as well.


    ¡°Sir, these are the pictures our investigator sent to us from abroad.¡± Cliff handed Odell his phone.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Odell took the pictures and went through them. There were several pictures of a young girl on the disy. The collection of pictur


    es seemed to be taken at varying times.


    Odell went through them one by one.


    Cliff informed, ¡°These photos were taken over thest few summers. The investigator said that ever since roughly a decade ago,


    she began spending every summer vacation there.¡±


    Odell frowned, there was ice in his eyes.


    Who else could this be other than Shermaine?


    So, Shermaine was working for her.


    Cliff grew nervous when he observed Odell''s expression.¡± Sir, what''s next?¡±


    ¡°What has she been doing over theretely?¡±


    Cliff immediately caught on to who


    Odell was referring to. ¡°When the investigator spoke to me, he told me that she suddenly became sicktely and had to spend se¡¯


    Owar''s eyes rkened, ¡°s she had a history of regrly visiting medical centers.¡±


    this seems to be the first time something like this has happened,¡± Odeil narrowed the look in his eyes, ¡°Make sure you have some


    Shermaine got a call from Ruth when she was about to leave work


    After ensuring that there was nobody around her, she put the phone to her ear and asked with a practiced sinile,¡± Hey, is there an


    ¡°I''m about to leave.¡±


    ¡°Go to the airport and pick me up after you get of work. The ne has justnded, I¡®in in Westchester.

 Chapter 1369

    Chapter 1369


    Chapter 1369 Shermaine was dumbstruck by the unannounced visit.¡± Why are you here?¡±


    Ruth answered in an unserious voice, ¡°Because | missed you and figured I''de to see you.¡±


    Shermaine grimaced and needed several seconds to collect her thoughts. ¡°Wait for me at the airport, I''ming right away.¡±


    With that, she hung up.


    She was already done with her work for the day.


    She swiftly grabbed her purse and trotted out.


    Acolleague who was assigned near her desk swept a nce at her quickly departing figure and proceeded to pick up the phone


    to contact Cliff.


    Half an hourter, Westchester International Airport.


    Shermaine got out of the car and walked as fast as she could to one of the arrival gates.


    It did not take long before she identified a woman who stood out from the rest of the crowd. This was a middle aged woman in a


    hat and sunsses. Though inly dressed, she exuded a fine air of elegance.


    She waved and greeted her with a pleasant smile, ¡°Aunt: Ruth!¡±


    Ruth looked at her and responded with a quick smile. She dragged the luggage behind her as she gracefully advanced toward


    Shermaine.


    Shermaine stood still, making sure to maintain a warm and polite smile to wee her benefactor.


    Ruth was only several steps away from Shermaine when she suddenly screeched to a halt. The faint smile hanging on the


    corner of her lips quickly faded. Even with sunsses masking her eyes, Shermaine could notice her quickly stiffening


    expression.


    Shermaine asked in a worried tone, ¡°Aunt Ruth, is everything okay?¡±


    Ruth stood frozen.


    Shermaine was beginning to worry when she heard a familiar voice from behind her. ¡°Madam, it''s been a while.¡±


    Shermaine spun around and was shocked to see Cliff only a couple of meters away from her.


    Cliff was siniling slyly at Ruth.


    Behind him stood a row of five bodyguards, all wearing identical ck suits.


    There was a ck car seen parked in the distance.


    The doors and windows were closed tightly but Shermaine could sense a hostile presence barricaded inside.


    She turned pale. ¡°Assistant Cliff, you... Why are you here?


    Cliff looked at her with a smile. ¡°Miss Shermaine , thank you for leading her to us.¡±


    Shermaine trembled involuntarily. ¡°You... How did you know?¡±


    She rapidly turned to Ruth and exined frantically,¡± Aunt Ruth, I''ve never said a word about my connection with you the entire


    time | was with them. | have no idea how they found out!¡±


    Ruth took a deep breath and took off her sses.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The aged wrinkles around her eyes did not reduce the sharpness in her looks whatsoever. She calmly asked Cliff, ¡°Is Odell here


    too?¡±


    Cliff stated, ¡°Master Carter is in the car.¡±


    ILI


    Ruth scoffed. ¡°I sure am honored to have him pick me up in person.¡±


    Cliff smiled. ¡°Master Carter is here to pick you up to meet the second master with him.¡±


    Ruth¡®s expression immediately stiffened. She seemed to cringe inwardly at this revtion.


    12


    ¡°Master Carter has already informed the second master about your return. The second master has also expressed his desire to


    meet you.¡± After a pause, Cliff continued,¡± This is thest gesture of goodwill that Master Carter is willing to extend to you so that


    you could see your son for onest time before what happens next. It''s your choice whether you want to go or not.¡±


    Ruth scowled at Cliff before approaching him.


    As she passed by Shermaine, Shermaine was still agitatedly trying to exin herself, ¡°Aunt Ruth, | didn¡®t say a word. | don''t


    know why they''re here!¡±


    Ruth ruthlessly shoved her away and cast her an iron re. ¡°I''ve wasted my effort training an imbecile like


    you!¡±


    She walked away.


    Shortly after that, she stepped into another sedan parked behind the car coated in ck.


    Shermaine nearly tripped over when she was shoved away. She regained her bnce and looked on with a baffled look in her


    eyes.


    Cliff nced at her with stark indifference. ¡°Move to another city and find a job there. Effective from today, you''re no longer an


    employee of Carter Corporation.¡±


    courage from the depths other heart tone toward him


    Sheer sovealed anything to them!

 Chapter 1370

    Chapter 1370


    Chapter 1370 Cliff flung Shermaine¡®s hands away from him.


    He answered stoically, ¡°We didn¡®t suspect a thing until you began getting desperate and that provoked our suspicion.¡±


    Desperate?


    Shermaine pried further. ¡°Was it what | did to Master Carter in the basement parking that night that gave me away?¡±


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    Shermaine''s face turned ashen.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    So it was what happened that night that blew her cover.


    However, she could recall how Odell was only briefly upset with her and forgave her the very next day when she apologized to


    him!


    ¡°| don''t believe you, there must be more to it!¡± Shermaine squealed and shouted in Odell''s direction,¡± Master Carter, could you


    please answer me?¡±


    Cliff was deeply insulted by this gesture. He promptly stepped into the car and shut the door.


    He had already been gracious enough to answer her persistent questions. He did it out of recognition of the


    rapport he built with her over thest two years. How dare she overstep her boundaries and expect a direct answer from Odell


    himself?!


    LLLLL


    She was a lying, scheining spy sent by Ruth to infiltrate thepany and seduce Odell. This fact alone forfeited any remaining


    chance of her ever exchanging words with Odell.


    Cliff thought that he must have been blind and a fool to believe that Shermaine was as good-natured as Sylvia. He could not


    believe he was the one who vouched for her to serve as Odell''s secretary.


    He also suddenly realized that the scandal that happened with Charles from the academy must be part of her ploy as well.


    She was the one who drove Sylvia to leave the house and the reason for Odell¡¯s dark mood.


    The car began to pick up speed and drove away from the airport.


    Cliff reflected on everything that happened with a tight frown. After a while, he turned around to address the man in the back seat


    in a low and sullen voice. ¡°Sir, it was my fauit. | was a poor judge of her character and was partly responsible for what


    happened.¡±


    Odell met his eyes. ¡°I was deceived by her as well, it''s not. your fault.¡±


    Cliff kept his head down and seemed very remorseful.


    Although Odell had his moments when he was caught in a bad mood, he would not neglect the fact that Cliff had been loyally


    serving him for more than a decade. He recognized that Cliff was apetent individual and considered him as part of his inner


    circle.


    He would not hold it against him for this one oversiglit.


    ¡°Sylvia will be back in two days,¡± he announced suddenly.


    Cliffs eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Cliff heaved a sigh of relief.


    The car continued to speed along the highway. Shermaine was still distraught over the sudden development, she mumbled to


    herself incoherently, ¡°I don''t believe it... | don''t believe it. Master Carter cares for me, he wouldn''t suspect me for no reason ... It


    must be that old wench¡®s sudden arrival in Westchester that triggered his suspicion...¡±


    Both Odell¡®s car and the car escorting Ruth stopped outside the prison.


    Odell remained in his car.


    Cliff got out of the car and escorted Ruth into the prison


    along with several of his security detail. Ruth cast a nce at Odell''s car as she fidgeted nervously and walked inside the prison.


    She had not seen her son for several years.


    She wondered what poor, tortured state she would find him in...


    The door to the visitation room was flung open.


    A policeman took her inside.


    The room was sparsely decorated with lights so bright that it almost made her nauseous. There was only a table and two chairs


    inside.


    She saw Thomas seated on one of the chairs upon entering


    Though he was wearing a prison uniform, he lookedpletely different from what she had expected to see.


    The prison uniform was clean and neat, hisplexion seemed as fair as it had always been.

 Chapter 1371

    Chapter 1371


    Chapter 1371 Thomas''s face was still fair and handsome, and even the buzz cut could not hide his youth and elegance.


    When Ruth looked at him, he quirked his lips at her and said in a gentle voice, ¡°Mom, you''re here.¡±


    Ruth swiped a hand under her nose and looked at him with tears in her eyes. ¡°Thomas, how have you been doing here these


    past few years?¡±


    ¡°Let''s sit down and talk.¡± He gestured to her. It was very different from his cold and aloof behavior from the past. Now, whether it


    was his appearance or actions , he was very gentle and mild in temperament.


    Ruth sat across from him and stared at him intently.


    Thomas smiled faintly at her. ¡°I came here of my own vition.¡±


    Ruth was stunned.


    ¡°I''ve done many things to hurt them. Grandma became a vegetable, Sylvia suffered from depression, and there were many


    other bad things that I''ve done,¡± he said calmly. ¡°I wanted to atone for my sins, so | came here.¡±


    If he did not want to be imprisoned , he would have had hundreds of ways to escape a few years ago.


    Ruth gnashed her teeth in anger. ¡°Y¡ªYou ¡ª Is Sylvia even worth it? What''s so great about her?¡±


    ¡°She''s perfect.¡±


    Ruth was so angry that her chest felt suffocated. ¡°Eleven years ago, if you hadn''t been reluctant to join Carter Corporation to


    help me, | wouldn¡®t have lost to Odell, and we wouldn''t have been separated for so many years! At that time, Odell had no


    feelings for Sylvia. If we had seized Carter Corporation , Sylvia might have been your wife by now!¡±


    Thomas pursed his lips. ¡°Mom, Grandpa gave Carter Corporation to Odell.¡±


    ¡°You''re also a descendant of the Carter family. Why can''t you take over thepany?¡±


    He revealed an apologetic look. ¡°It''s my fault. | failed to meet your expectations of me.¡±


    The fire in Ruth''s head instantly fizzled out.


    Her son had never been close to anyone since he was a child, including her, his own mother. He had only said a few words to


    her since he was a child and had never spoken such heartfelt words before.


    Ruth wiped her tears and sighed. ¡°Thomas, | really want to take over Carter Corporation for you. You''re my only child. | only want


    the best for you!¡±


    ¡°| know you''re doing this for my own good, but | never wanted all that.¡±


    Ruth subconsciously asked, ¡°Then, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°| just want her to be happy.¡±


    Ruth choked up.


    Thomas''s brown eyes looked at her again, and he said in a light and calm voice, ¡°Now, | want you to be well, too.¡±


    Ruth was stunned.


    He smiled. ¡°Mom, I''ve already let go of all that, so you should too. | still have some assets abroad that | have entrusted to my


    lawyers abroad. They''ll contact you in a few days. That money is enough to clothe and feed you for the rest of your life.¡±


    Ruth¡®s eyes tinged red, and tears could not stop flowing out. ¡°Thomas, you...¡±


    ¡®He cares so much about me and even made arrangements for me in the future. Just what exactly made him change so much?


    ¡°Don''t worry about me, Mom. I''m doing well here. Everyone here respects me, and I''m behaving well, so I''ll get out in a few


    years. I''ll go abroad to find you then.¡±


    Since he spoke to this point, there was nothing else Ruth could say. She choked up and responded , ¡°Okay, okay.¡±


    ¡°| don''t want anything to happen to you again. After you leave Westchester, wait quietly for me abroad, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | will.¡±


    ¡°Don''t think about the past anymore either, alright?¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Okay. I''ll listen to you.¡±


    Thomas smiled.


    Ruth wiped her tears while smiling at him as well.


    Just then, an officer came up and politely reminded them, ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡±


    Thomas stood up and said to her before turning around,¡± Wait for me, Mom.¡±


    Ruth responded with a smile, ¡°Yes. I''ll always wait for you.¡±

 Chapter 1372

    Chapter 1372


    Chapter 1372 The sky darkened, and the cold night emerged.


    Ruth¡®s eyes were still red when she came out.


    Cliff and a few bodyguards sized her up suspiciously when they saw her.


    Her expression shifted, and she took sunsses from her bag and put them on.


    Cliff smiled and asked, ¡°What did Second Master Carter tell you, Madam?¡±


    Ruth ignored him, went straight past the ck MPV, and sat in the ordinary sedan behind. Then, she said to Jacob in the driver''s


    seat, ¡°Take me to the airport.¡±


    Jacob exchanged a look with Cliff outside the car.


    Cliff heard Ruth''s words and nodded to Jacob.


    The other two bodyguards who were responsible for keeping an eye on Ruth immediately got into the car, and the ordinary


    sedan drove off in the direction of the airport.


    Cliff returned to the car and looked at the man sitting alone in the back seat with a smile. ¡°She''s gone, sir.¡±


    Odell''s face was expressionless. ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°| wonder what Second Master Carter said to her. She seemed to be crying before she came out, but she didn''t say anything and


    went straight to the car to go to the airport. It''s as if she¡¯s determined to leave and nevere back.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Odell pursed his lips, his eyes dark.


    Officer Sach had sent him the recording of the conversation between Ruth and Thomas inside. She must have been moved to


    tears by Thomas.


    Odell never expected that just a few words from Thomas would be able to dispel the resentment that Ruth held for so many


    years.


    Furthermore, although Sylvia was rarely mentioned in his words, every sentence seemed to be for her. His obsession with Sylvia


    was truly deep. After a moment of silence , Odell said, ¡°Let''s go home.¡±


    Two days ago, Sylvia said that she would being back. He wondered if she had reached home.


    The driver immediately started the car.


    Cliff saw that Odell did not intend to say anything and quickly turned back to purse his lips.


    After almost half an hour, the ck MPV drove to the old Carter mansion.


    There was also a white MPV parked outside the gate, but it did not belong to the family. It seemed like a cab from outside.


    Was Sylvia home?


    Odell''s expression changed. Without waiting for Cliff to open the door for him, he opened it himself and walked down inrge


    strides. His tall figure swept into the living room in the blink of an eye like a gust of wind. However, he only saw Ramona


    speaking to Madam Carter. Sebastian and Aunt Tonya were beside them while Isabel, Liam, and Flint were ying by


    themselves on another side. Sylvia was nowhere to be found.


    Odell frowned.


    When Ramona saw him, her expression grew panicked, and she quickly stood up. ¡°O¡ªOdell, | came over because | missed my


    sister. I''ll leave after a while.¡± Madam Carter did not know about her previous attempts to set Odell and Lily up, so she


    immediately grabbed Ramona and said, ¡°What are you talking about? No one is kicking you out. Sit down.¡± She dragged


    Ramona back to her side.


    Odell nced at Ramona. The MPV outside should be hers.


    He walked over to the three little ones. The trio raised their faces to look at him.


    He asked, ¡°Did your mom contact you today?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°No.¡±


    Isabel shook her head.


    Flint''s eyes glimmered. ¡°Daddy, do you miss Mommy?¡± Odell ignored him and turned to go upstairs. Ramona left at some point.


    When he came back down to the living room, only Sebastian and Aunt Tonya remained.

 Chapter 1373

    Chapter 1373


    Chapter 1373 Madam Carter went back to her room to rest.


    The three little ones were ying games in their room.


    Odell asked Aunt Tonya, ¡°Aunt Tonya, did Sylvia contact you today?¡± Aunt Tonya replied, ¡°She called mest night, but she hasn''t


    contacted me today.¡±


    ¡°Did she say anything to youst night?¡±


    Aunt Tonya smiled. ¡°She said that she might be back today.¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes lit up. His mood, which had been dull for a while, suddenly cheered up.


    She had not contacted Aunt Tonya and the little ones until now. Was it because she was already on the ne already?


    He turned around and went back to the bedroom which was clean and tidy. A maid came in every day to clean it. He entered the


    checkroom and took out afortable pair of pajamas and slippers for her. She had been away for so many days and traveled


    the whole day today, so she must be exhausted upon returning.


    He prepared all the things that she would use so thatThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    when the time came, she could just wash up and sleep soundly in his arms. After setting up everything, he took out his pajamas


    and entered the bathroom.


    He took a thorough shower, blow-dried his hair, applied ayer of men¡®s skincare products, and stepped out of the shower,


    appearing clean and tidy. He satzily on the sofa, sipping wine, and reading a book while waiting for her to return.


    The room was silent.


    After an hour or so, the phone on the table suddenly vibrated.


    Odell picked up the phone and saw that it was a message from Sylvia and the children¡¯s chat group. He immediately tapped on


    the screen.


    Then, he saw a text message from Sylvia. ¡°Kids, something has happened on my end. | might only be back in a few days.¡±


    After reading it, Odell''s dark eyebrows furrowed. She had told Aunt Tonya that she would be back today. Why was sheing


    back a few dayster?


    Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, did something happen?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I''m fine, but my colleague had an ident, so | have to stay here with them.¡±


    Isabel said, ¡°Okay.¡± She could not hide the disappointment in her voice.


    Flint quickly took Liam¡®s phone and said, ¡°Mommy, take care. We''re waiting for you at home.¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°Okay. Be good and wait for me. | bought lots of gifts for you.¡± Then, she sent a smiling emoji.


    Flint instantly replied with a sweet hum.


    Watching their conversation , the man¡¯s handsome face grew cold uncontrobly.


    What kind of colleague wanted her to stay out for a few more days?


    Were there no doctors or nurses there?


    Their children and he were less important to her than her colleague!


    It had been so many days! She clearly said that she woulde back today. Just when was she going to return?


    Odell''s expression grew darker and darker. His anger rushed up to his head. Finally, he picked up his phone and called her.


    The phone immediately reyed a message. ¡°The number you have dialed cannot be reached.¡±


    Bam!


    He threw the phone back on the table in anger. This woman was going to be the death of him!


    He threw the book in his hand to the side.


    His expression was dark for a long time, then he picked up the phone and opened the group chat for Sylvia and the children . He


    held down the voice message icon and said, ¡°How many days is a few days? When exactly are youing back?!¡±


    The voice message was sent as soon as his finger was released.


    He stared closely at the screen.


    After a few seconds of silence, Isabel''s name popped up.¡± Is that Daddy? Why are you in our group? Why are you using Flint''s


    number?¡±


    Flint took Liam¡®s phone and said, ¡°Mommy, | didn¡¯t lend Daddy my phone!¡±

 Chapter 1374

    Chapter 1374


    Chapter 1374 In the children¡¯s room, Isabel was looking at Flint. Flint had an innocent face. ¡°I really didn''t lend it to Daddy.¡±


    He only had a child''s phone watch and had not even logged into his ount. How could he have lent it to his father?


    Liam, who was looking at his phone, suddenly said,¡± That''s not Flint''s ount. Dad added himself using a fake ount. His


    profile picture and username are the same as Flint''s.¡±


    Isabel was stunned.


    Flint also turned to look at him


    Liam looked at them and said, ¡°Dad disguised himself as Flint on purpose.¡±


    Isabel and Flint were both speechless.


    After a moment, as the group admin, Isabel asked, ¡° When did he join the group? Also, where did Flint''s number go? Why don''t I


    know what''s going on here?¡±


    ¡°It should be the night when the group was first created. Dad confiscated your phone once and used your phone to kick Flint out,


    then he added himself in.¡±


    Isabel said, ¡°Daddy is so cunning.¡±


    Flint said, ¡°The older, the wiser.¡±


    In Odell and Sylvia¡®s room, Odell sat in ce, eyes glued to the phone screen


    The little ones had already said a lot. Why was she not saying anything?


    After a long time, he pressed the record button again, intending to hurry her up.


    Ding!Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The phone vibrated.


    Sylvia sent a message , but it was not addressed to him. She said to Isabel, ¡°Isabel, kick him out.¡±


    Odell was speechless . He immediately pressed the voice button. ¡°Sylvia Ross, I''m your man! I''m your legal husband! If you¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, a message saying ¡°You have been removed from the group chat¡± popped up on his screen. His thin lips


    pursed, and his expression darkened grimly.


    Whoosh!


    He stood up and strode outside. He reached the door of the children¡¯s room and pressed the door handle. It did not budge. The


    door was locked.


    He frowned, and his voice was frighteningly cold. ¡°Open the door.¡±


    There was no response. The three little ones must be inside


    He said again, ¡°I''ll give you until the count of three. If vou don''t open the door, don''t even think of going back to your room from


    now on!¡±


    Isabel quickly responded , ¡°Daddy, even if you lock the room, Mommy will be back in a few days. We can stille in.¡±


    Flint echoed, ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    Their voices sounded very close. It was clear they were standing right behind the door. Odell pursed his lips coldly, turned


    around, and walked down the stairs.


    The three little ones hiding behind the door thought he had left and breathed a sigh of relief in unison. However, before they


    could walk back into the room, a rush of footsteps came outside the door.


    Isabel''s expression changed, and she quickly pressed her back against the door. Flint followed her example and braced himself


    against the door as well.


    Liam held the door handle.


    tter.


    It was the sound of the key going through the keyhole and turning


    Liam frowned.


    Isabel and Flint went pale.


    The door was instantly unlocked. Liam gripped the door handle as hard as he could. Isabel and Flint also pushed hard against


    the door.


    However, the next second, the door was pushed open.


    Their small figures were pushed behind the door as Odell walked in.


    There were no lights on in the room, and the light from the hallway cast a shadow of his tall figure into the room, looming over


    the little ones. Isabel hid behind Liam in fright.

 Chapter 1375

    Chapter 1375


    Chapter 1375 Flint was so scared that he hid behind Isabel.


    Liam pursed his lips. His expression looked calm as usual, but his wavering eyes betrayed his fear of Odell at that moment.


    Odell nced at him and looked behind him.


    Isabel was like an ostrich shrinking its neck. Her face was buried behind her brother''s back, not daring to look at him.


    Instead, Flint peeked out from behind her. When he saw Odell''s terrifying gaze, he was so scared that he immediately said,


    ¡°Isabel kicked you out, Daddy. It has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Isabel could not help but look back and re at him.


    Flint immediately shrunk back.


    Isabel weakly turned to Odell again. ¡°Daddy, i-it was Mommy who told me to kick you out of the group.¡±


    Odell¡®s sullen expression did not improve. He extended a hand toward her. ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    Odell frowned, and his expression grew even colder.


    Isabel was so afraid that she shrunk back, and she took out her phone from her pocket.


    Just then, a cell phone rang.


    It was the phone in Odell''s pocket. He fished out the phone, and the look in his eyes changed when he saw the caller ID. He


    immediately turned and walked out of the children¡®s room to answer the phone.


    Before he could speak, Sylvia''s cold voice rang out. ¡°Odell Carter, if you''re angry at me, then take it out on me. Don''t lose your


    temper with the children!¡±


    Odell was just about to speak when he noticed something wrong. He frowned and asked, ¡°What''s wrong with your voice?¡±


    It sounded a little hoarse.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I ate too much spicy food for dinnerst night.¡±


    Odell rxed, but the next second, his expression cooled down uncontrobly. ¡°You''re having the time of your life outside.¡± His


    voice was icy and gloomy.


    Sylviaughed. ¡°Yeah. I¡®d have even more fun if | had a secretary to wait on me personally.¡±


    Odell¡®s throat choked, then he said, ¡°I fired Shermaine.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The phone instantly went quiet.


    Sylvia did not speak.


    Odell asked, ¡°When exactly are youing back?¡±


    ¡°My colleague is ill. I''ll go back with her when she recovers in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Does a couple of days mean two days?¡±


    ¡°Not sure.¡±


    ¡°How many days exactly?¡± He frowned and spoke in an impatient tone.


    Sylvia snapped at him, ¡°I can''t control when she gets better. How would | know?¡±


    Odell choked and pursed his lips.


    She said, ¡°If you don''t need anything else, I''m hanging up now.¡±


    He pursed his lips coldly and did not speak. Sylvia hung up the phone.


    Odell also put the phone down. He jerked back upon sensing something.


    Isabel and Flint instantly hid behind the door.


    Liam also retreated to the side. Odell looked at them coldly, went back to the bedroom, and picked up his phone to call Cliff.


    The call was answered soon, and he said, ¡°I sent you pictures of some scenic spots. Find out where they''re from.¡±


    Cliff quickly replied, ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll get right on it.¡±


    In a remote town, Sylvia was at a hospital getting an IV drip.


    She was going to leave for home with Ms. Johnson and Ms. Kang that afternoon, but she suddenly got a fever again in the


    morning.


    This time was not as serious as the previous days, but it was still very ufortable. Thus, she had no choice but to cancel the


    trip and go to the hospital again.


    Ms. Johnson and Ms. Kang had stayed behind for several days because of her. She did not want to dy them any longer, so


    she told them to go back at noon.


    The call with Odell earlier used up a lot of her energy.


    Her throat was parched. She picked up the Thermos sk and took a sip of hot water, then leaned back and closed her eyes


    wearily.

 Chapter 1376

    Chapter 1376


    Chapter 1376 It was alreadyte at night when Sylvia left the hospital.


    Although the town was remote, there were many people on the streets of the famous tourist city. Her residence was also very


    close to the hospital. She arrived at the hotel after passing through two traffic lights.


    She unlocked the door of the room, downed the medicine prescribed by the doctor with hot water, wrapped herself in a quilt on


    the bed, and fell asleep.


    It was already the next morning when she opened her eyes again.


    Sylvia took her temperature. 38.9 degrees Celsius. It was one degree lower than yesterday, but she still had a fever, so she had


    to go to the hospital. After a simple meal, she went to the hospital alone again.


    There were many people in the outpatient department waiting for an IV drip, and Sylvia waited in line for a while. It was almost 3


    in the afternoon before she finished three drips. Although she had no appetite , her stomach growled at her.


    She was pale and walked along the side of the road, feeling lethargic. Then, she entered a restaurant serving light cuisine as she


    passed by.


    At the same time, a luxury car from the airport passed by this restaurant, went through two traffic lights, and stopped outside a


    hotel.


    The driver quickly got out of the car and opened the back seat door. ¡°We''ve arrived at the hotel, sir.¡±


    Odell nodded , got out of the car, and went straight into the hotel. His figure was tall and straight, and his handsome face and


    temperament made him stand out from the people around him.


    The lobby manager of the hotel immediately greeted him and asked, ¡°Would you like to check into the hotel, sir?¡±


    ¡°I''m looking for someone.¡± Odell went straight to the front desk.


    The manager quickly asked him, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Awoman called Sylvia Ross. She''s my wife.¡± While speaking , he took out his phone and opened the photo album. The first


    picture in the album was his marriage license with Sylvia.


    The manager looked at it and said to the receptionist,¡° Check to see if this person is here.¡±


    The receptionist was very quick and soon said to Odell, ¡°I found her. Ms. Ross is staying in Room 6116, but | saw her go out


    alone this morning. She doesn''t seem to have returned yet.¡±


    Odell¡®s eyes flickered. ¡°She went out alone this morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What about the two people traveling with her?¡±


    The staff said in confusion , ¡°| remember that Ms. Ross was alone when she checked in yesterday. There was no one around


    her.


    Odell¡®s face turned cold. ¡°She just checked in here yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The staff was aware that Odell''s expression was off and said in a small voice, ¡°Would you like to call Ms. Ross and ask


    her?¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Odell¡®s expression was icy. ¡°No need. I''ll wait for her here.¡±


    Yesterday, she told the children that her colleague was ill and that she could note back. Now, it seemed that her colleague


    was not with her at all. He wanted to see just what she was doing here which dyed her return home for so long!


    It was long after mealtime. When Sylvia arrived at the restaurant, the owner and the chef were both resting, hence only some


    leftovers remained.


    Sylvia went to a few other restaurants before eventually settling on a quick meal. She carried the takeout and walked back to the


    hotel.


    Her room was on the sixth floor. She held her key card and went directly into the elevator on the right.


    Soon, the elevator stopped. She got out and walked along a long corridor to her room. After a few steps, she saw a tall and


    familiar figure.


    The figure leaned against the wall ten meters away from her room.


    She did not get a good look at his face, but his body shape and the cold aura around him were way too simr to that of the man


    at home. What was he doing here?

 Chapter 1377

    Chapter 1377


    Chapter 1377


    Sylvia thought she was hallucinating and walked forward quickly.


    After approaching him, she saw him clearly and was stunned. ¡°Odell? What are you doing here?¡±


    Odell watched with a sullen face as she came up to him." Isn''t your colleague sick? Weren''t you supposed to apany her? What are you doing alone? Where


    are they¡ª¡®His cold voice suddenly froze when he walked up to her. He saw her weakplexion and stared at her intently. ¡°What happened


    to you? Why are you so pale?¡±


    Sylvia looked at him


    and said, ¡°Take a guess.¡± Her hoarse voice reached his ears clearly. Odell frowned. ¡°Are you sick? The one who was sick was you, not your colleague?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Since he found her here, she had nothing else to hide


    Odel''s straight figure suddenly froze. After a moment, he raised his hand and touched her cheek. His expression was still unpleasant, but his palm was warm, an


    d his movements were gentle.


    Sylvia''s nose suddenly stung, and her eyes grew red


    Odell''s gaze hardened , then he looked at what she was


    carrying in her hand: a box of simple fast food, and a stic bag from a hospital.


    His eyes soon swept to the back of her hand. His expression changed as he immediately lifted both of her hands.


    The blood vessels on the back of both her hands were blue and purple.


    There were obvious marks left by several needle punctures.


    Hisrge hand clenched around


    hers uncontrobly as a surge of gloom welled up. He looked at her and asked coldly, ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    Sylvia¡®s gaze wavered, and she replied, ¡°It''s just an ordinary fever.¡±


    Odell gave her a look, then took everything that she was carrying into his own hands. ¡°Open the door.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips and took out her key card to open the door.


    She did not turn on the


    heater in the room, but she had opened the window before she left, so there was a cold current when she entered.


    She was just about to curl up from the cold when he dragged her into his arms.


    Odell held her with one hand, ced the room card in the slot with the other hand, and turned on the heater.


    Sylvia¡®s gaze flickered as she looked at him.


    After all this, Odell looked down at her. He pinched her face when he saw her red eyes and asked, ¡°Tell me clearly about


    how you got sick during this period, and then I''ll deal with you.¡±


    Sylvia could not help but pout. ¡°Then, | won''t tell you.¡± ¡°Do you dare not to?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Try me.¡±


    He narrowed his eyes coldly. ¡°You''ve gotten bold after leaving my side for so long, haven''t you?¡± Sylvia was not upset and could not help but want to giggle


    Odell snorted, then took her face and kissed her.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Their lips molded together for a long time


    Maybe it was to vent his anger at her over the past few days or some other emotion, but he held


    the back of her head and hugged her waist, refusing to let her go for a long time. He only released her when she gave him a pinch.


    She looked at him and said grumpily, ¡°Odell Carter, I''m still sick. Aren¡¯t you worried that I''ll infect you?¡± Odell pinched her face. ¡°Hurry


    up and tell me about your illness, or I''ll continue to kiss you.¡±


    Sylvia held back her anger helplessly and asked, ¡°Have you eaten lunch?¡±


    ¡°Yes.


    ¡°Then, can | tell you while | eat?¡± She had not eaten yet and had no energy.

 Chapter 1378

    Chapter 1378


    Chapter 1378


    Odell looked at her humble meal and frowned. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She had to eat now because she was ill. If he ordered another takeaway, it would take half an hour to arrive. It was better to let her eat first


    He let her go and closed the open window.


    Then, he sat at the small table with her.


    Sylvia ate while telling him briefly about how she got sick right aftering here, and everything else that had happened


    Odell frowned after hearing this.


    Tracing back the timeline, she had already started to have a fever when he caught a cold before. He had even been angry


    with her for several days because she had not seemed concerned


    His gaze sank as he looked at her. ¡°Why didn''t you tell me?¡±


    Sylvia raised her brows. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to talk to you back then.¡±


    At that time, he was still biased toward Shermaine, so she did not want to talk to him at all. She also did not want


    the three little ones to worry about her, thus she did not say anything.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Odell held back his anger. ¡°I was wrong. | misjudged her character.¡±


    Sylvia could not help but freeze and look at him.


    He gazed at her gently and said, ¡°Ruth sent Shermaine to Westchester.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s eyes widened in shock. ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°John came to me before and specifically mentioned that Shermaine looked simr to you. He also said that others thought | trea


    ted her differently. To avoid suspicion, | transferred her back to the administration department,¡± he said calmly. ¡°Just a few days |


    ater, she appeared in the underground car park... and | found a clue.¡± Sylvia¡®s gaze flickered, and her eyes narrowed. ¡°You


    found a clue when she appeared in the underground car park?¡±


    Odell¡®''s expression did not change, but he avoided her gaze and looked out of the window. Then, he said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s face turned cold. ¡°Look at me, Odell.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips and looked at her while frowning.


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes and eyed him sharply. ¡°Did she do something to you in the underground car park?¡±


    He blinked. ¡°I''m a fully grown man. What can she do to me??


    She had been with him for many years and had seen all kinds of emotions from him. There was clearly something wrong with


    him!


    She said coldly, ¡°She threw herself at you, didn''t she?¡±


    Odell''s gaze flickered


    ¡°Say something!¡±


    Odell let out a quiet, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡®Smack.


    Sylvia was not in the mood to eat anymore and pped the fork on the table with one hand


    Odell saw her furious appearance and held back a smile." She just hugged me a little, and then I pushed her away.¡±


    She


    hugged hima little? Sylvia looked at him. ¡°Did you want her to hug you more?¡± ¡°With a wife like you, how would | dare?¡± Odell curled his lips and said, ¡°When | go


    Indeed, he had


    Sylvia''s expression shifted. She gave him a look and asked, ¡®What''s wrong with a wife like me?¡±


    ¡°Awife like you is the best.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. When did this damn man learn


    uaku?


    O}Jrexhed out and touched her face, holding her while ang, ¡°If you didn''t run away from home, blocked my furber, and told me when you got sick, you''d be even bc


    Sylvia red at him. ¡°You were the one who raised your votre at me because of Shermainel


    She was still a little cry wien she thought about those

 Chapter 1379

    Chapter 1379


    Odell curled his lips. ¡®I was wrong for raising my voice at you, but | didn''t do it for her. | never meant to defend her. At that time, she was no different in my eyes f


    rom the other employees who work hard.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. When she framed Charles, you stood by her persistently andpletely ignored my exnation. I''m your wife,


    but you didn''t stand by me at all in front of so many people!¡±


    Sylvia got angry at the thought of that scene. She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at him huffily. Her appearance was quite cute


    Odell looked at her and exined slowly, ¡°First of all, Shermaine and Charles are not rted. | couldn''t find any reason for


    Shermaine to frame Charles at that time. Besides, she was my secretary. Between Charles and her, of course, I''d favor her.


    ¡°Moreover, before the incident between Shermaine and


    Charles happened , | was waiting for you to reply to my message, but you never did. You also unconditionally helped the colleague who was interested in you


    I was also very angry at that time.¡±


    There were times when his anger got the better of him and he lost his rationality.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°You said Charles is interested in me? What nonsense are you talking about?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Odell raised his chin slightly. His tone was immediately more self-confident than before. ¡°He said it


    himself. He only went to talk to Shermaine because he saw that she looked like you.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°He did it because he saw that Shermaine looked pretty.¡±


    ¡°There were many beautiful women present. Why did he talk to Shermaine, the person who looked like you, instead of anyone el


    se?¡±


    Sylvia was a little annoyed. ¡°Stop speaking nonsense. We''re just normal colleagues.¡±


    Odell¡®s expression did not change. ¡°He''s interested in you.¡±


    Sylvia held back her anger. ¡°Stop being unreasonable .¡±


    He raised his brows. ¡°Say that again.¡±


    ¡°Stop being unreasonable !¡± She red at him and said angrily, ¡°I can say it a hundred more times. What are you going to


    do about it?¡±


    ¡°| can''t do anything about it.¡± He smiled seemingly helplessly. ¡°It''s because you''re my wife.¡±


    Sylvia choked up, and she could not help but look at him. ¡°Even if you have a point, the fact is that Shermaine


    framed Charles. | also saw her bump into you. She must have done it


    on purpose.¡± Odell pursed his lips. Looking back at it now, Charles had most likely been framed by Shermaine. That night


    when she bumped into him was not an ident either.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± His dark eyes looked at her. ¡°I was wrong.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s gaze flickered, and the depression piled up in her chest


    instantly disappeared. Her nose stung, and she said in a hoarse voice, ¡°It''s good that you know.¡±


    Then, she picked up her fork, intending to eat some more.


    However, her hand was clutched by hisrge one. He looked at her and said softly, ¡°The food is cold. | just ordered takeout. Eat it when it arrives soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sylvia obediently put down the fork.


    Odell smiled. Looking at her like this, he soon could not help but take her into his arms. He made her sit on hisp and wrapped his arms around her.


    They had not met for a long time. Even though Sylvia was angry at him, she still missed him. She half-


    heartedly punched him a few times and then leaned into his arms, feeling thefortable body heat from his body. Just like


    that, she seemed to feel slightly better. Then, the hotel staff brought up the takeout that Odell ordered


    Odell ced her on the bed, got up, and went to the door to bring it in


    The packaging of the meal was very delicate , and Sylvia immediately saw the hotel logo on the bag. This restaurant was not listed on


    the takeout menu. He must have contacted the restaurant directly to order the food.


    After opening the container , the aroma wafted into the surroundings. It was fragrant and nutritious.

 Chapter 1380

    Chapter 1380


    Chapter 1380


    Sylvia clearly had no appetite before, but she finished almost all the food at once.


    Itwas only when she was almost full that she thought of something. Her eyes looked at Odell with a smile. ¡°Odell, would you like to eat some more?¡±


    The man¡¯s dark and deep eyes stared at her. He looked at her appearance and smiled. ¡°Are you full?¡± Sylvia pursed her


    lips. ¡°Almost.¡± That meant she could still eat.


    Odell smiled and touched her head. ¡°I''m not hungry. You can have some more.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡®Well then


    Sylvia lowered her head and continued to eat.


    In addition to the food, there were also cut fresh fruits.


    After eating her fill, Sylvia sat next to him with the fruit. She ate two pieces herself and then pinched one for him to eat.


    Odell was very cooperative and ate it. He ate once with every two pieces that she ate. Just like that, the fruit box was cleaned ou


    t


    Sylvia was full and began to yawn. ¡°Sleepy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A little,¡± she replied, somewhat embarrassed.


    The weather outside was quite nice today, and this was a famous tourist city. He came all the way here to look for her, so she


    should take him out for a walk outside.


    ¡°Sleep if you''re tired.¡± Odell took off his coat. ¡°I''m also a little exhausted.¡±


    Sylvia¡®s expression lit up. ¡°Okay. I''ll take you out for a stroll after a nap.¡±


    Odell immediately pinched her face. ¡°Wait till you get well.¡±


    He came here to find her and take her back, not to tour around.


    After taking off their coats and shoes, theyy together in their innerwear.


    Sylvia closed her eyes and pressed her face against his chest as Odell hugged her.


    The atmosphere was quiet.


    After a while, just as he was about to fall asleep, his arms suddenly felt empty. He opened


    his eyes, and his arm subconsciously hugged Sylvia¡®s waist and pulled her back.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked her with a frown.


    ¡°I''m not going anywhere. | just suddenly remembered something.¡± Sylvia lifted her neck to look at him.


    Odell¡®''s expression softened. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Since Ruth sent Shermaine, was it part of their n when Grandma suddenly disappeared two years ago and was saved by Shermaine?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, part of it was their n.¡± Odell pressed her head back into his arms and said calmly, ¡°Grandma went out


    of the house alone that night two years ago, but she didn''t go far.


    Shermaine happened to arrive at the Old District and wanted to have a chance encounter with me, but she unexpectedly met Grandma first. She tricked Grandme


    ¡°No wonder.¡± Sylvia then asked, ¡°How did you find out about that? Did Shermaine tell you?¡±


    ¡°No, Ruth did.¡±


    ID


    ¡°Ruth?¡± Sylvia was stunned, then thought of something and said, ¡°By the way, you haven''t told me how you found out that Shermaine and Ruth were working


    together.¡± Odell rubbed her head with hisrge hand and told her how he asked Cliff to investigate Shermaine¡¯s past. Then, he found out


    that Shermaine had a mysterious sponsor behind her and deduced that that person was Ruth.


    Perhaps because his voice was too pleasant, Sylvia started to get sleepy. Her mind was also a bit blurry, but she


    continued to voice her doubts. ¡°Then, how did you get Ruth to tell you all this? Did you call her?¡±


    Odell said in a faint voice, ¡°She came to Westchester, probably to help Shermaine , but | caught her when she got off the ne.¡± ¡°And then what?¡±


    ¡°And then | sent her to prison to meet her son.¡± He held his breath after saying this. ¡°Then?¡± She sounded the same as before.

 Chapter 1381

    Chapter 1381


    He sighed and said, ¡°Then, she left Westchester and went back.¡±


    As soon as the words subsided, things went quiet.


    Odell looked down and saw her soundly sleeping with her beautiful eyes closed.


    She might still appear weak, but she was a lot better when he had seen her outside.


    His gaze turned warm as he stroked her cheek before his eyes slowly closed and his mind wandered off to dreand.


    When her eyes opened, it was already night and there was only a warmmp left on in the room.


    Odell had woken up before she knew it and was reading a book by her side.


    When he noticed her open eyes, he went up to ce his hand over her forehead and then took her temperature using the


    medical thermometer.


    38¡ã Celcius.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°The fever has gone down.¡±


    Odell frowned. ¡°38¡ã Celcius means you are still having a fever.¡± She was by no means recovered yet.


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s better than it was in the morning.¡±


    Odell¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°Hungry?¡±


    Sylvia nodded.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°| want grilled meat,¡± she said after a quick thought.


    Odell red at her. ¡°Something light.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Sylvia pondered. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go out and have a walk? The night view here is quite attractive, and there''s a lot of good stuff to


    eat.¡±


    ¡°It''s cold outside. We''ll go when you get better,¡± he said tly but indubitably. There was no way he would let her go out in such a


    condition.


    Sylviaid back down with a disappointed look. ¡°Then, get something that | can eat. I''ll just simply fill my stomach.¡±


    Odell nced at her. He then picked up his phone to check on the list of contacts for the well-known


    restaurants around the area that Cliff had prepared for him.


    It was then that Sylvia¡¯s phone buzzed.


    Sylvia grabbed her phone and saw the texts from the


    group chat. She got up and tapped on the received text.


    From Liam¡¯s number came a voice. ¡°Mommy, what are you doing? Flint misses you. | can¡¯t eat properly without you.¡±


    It was obviously Flint grumbling using Liam¡¯s phone judging from the voice.


    Sylvia choked. Just when she was about to reply to him, she saw another voice message from Isabel.


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t fall for that stupid Flint¡¯s trick. He¡¯s been ying outside the whole day and just got home!¡±


    Sylvia was rendered speechless.


    Flint said, ¡°Mommy, | just came home, but I¡¯ve been missing you on the way back.¡±


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°Mommy misses you guys too. Where did you guys go today?¡±


    Isabel replied, ¡°Mommy, we went out with Ben and Jacob today. Flint got surrounded by a bunch of girls the moment he entered


    the theme park, so Liam and | went off to y on our own.¡±


    Flint denied, ¡°No, Mommy! | wanted to follow Isabel, but she ran away too fast! She dragged Liam away and | can¡¯t catch up to


    them!¡±


    Flint voiced his grievance as his voice grew softer.


    Isabel interrupted, ¡°Mommy, he¡¯s lying! | dragged Liam


    and him together, but he slipped away and went back to the girls!¡±


    Flint yelled, ¡°No, Mommy! | didn¡¯t! They ran too fast, so | couldn''t keep up. That''s why we got separated.¡±


    The sister and brother''s bickering amused Sylvia.


    The two little rascals were great entertainment.


    Just when Isabel sounded like she was about to teach Flint a lesson, Sylvia interrupted and said, ¡°Okay, Mommy got it. Isabel


    and Liam didn¡¯t leave Flint behind, and Flint didn¡¯t slip away to find some girls on purpose, right?¡±

 Chapter 1382

    Chapter 1382


    Flint immediately answered in a clear voice, ¡°Correct!¡±


    Isabel huffed, ¡°Hmph! I''ll let you off this time, Flint, for Mommy¡¯s sake!¡±


    Flint cheered, ¡°Issy is the best¡±


    ¡°Cut out the nonsense!¡±


    Sylviaughed at their interaction.


    It was then that Liam¡¯s ount sent another voice message.


    Sylvia tapped on it and heard Liam¡¯s youthful but mature voice, ¡°Mommy, you sound different. What¡¯s wrong with your voice?¡±


    Isabel and Flint echoed his question as well.


    Isabel asked, ¡°Mommy, are you sick?¡±


    Flint interrogated, ¡°Mommy, are you feeling bad?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze shifted. She hesitated and then said, ¡± Mommy just woke up, that¡¯s why my voice sounds a little heavy. I¡¯ll sound


    better after | get some water.¡±


    Flint cooed, ¡°Owhhh.¡±


    Liam asked, ¡°Really?¡±


    Sylvia confirmed, ¡°Really.¡±


    Then, Isabel added, ¡°Oh yeah, stupid Daddy is gone, and he hasn¡¯t been back until now. We don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    Flint repeated, ¡°Yeah, we don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    Sylvia turned around.


    Odell had ordered food. Hey back on the bed and was looking at herzily.


    Sylvia pursed her lips. She ced her phone in front of his face and said, ¡°Odell, why don¡¯t you talk to them?¡±


    Odell pursed his lips.


    Sylvia tapped on the voice-recording button for a while but he did not make a squeak. He must still be mad about the kids


    forming a chat group without him and even kicking him out of the group once he invaded it.


    It was mostly Sylvia¡¯s fault, but she had done it because


    she had been mad at Odell as well.


    Sylvia tapped his hand. ¡°Odell, say something.¡±


    Odell raised a brow. ¡°Call me honey.¡±


    Sylvia nced at him. He nced back with pursed lips as though saying that if she did not call him honey, he would not say


    another word.


    Sylvia sighed. Since they were already husband and wife


    for a long time, there was nothing to be embarrassed about.


    ¡°Honey.¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°What? | can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    Sylvia widened her eyes and raised her voice, ¡°HONEY!¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Again.¡±


    Annoyed, Sylvia raised her leg at him and said, ¡°Odell, I''ll kick you off the bed!¡±


    Odell curled his lips. He then curled his arm around her slim waist. His lips approached her ear and said in a deep voice, ¡°I don¡¯t


    believe you. Why don¡¯t you try?¡±


    Sylvia felt chills down her spine. She started to pound him on the chest.


    Odell caught her arm and pulled her closer to his chest.


    While Sylvia¡¯s face was buried into his chest, his steamy breath scorched her neck and almost melted her.


    Odell narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Try it.¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Honey.¡±


    Odell grinned wider. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    He then grabbed her phone with his idle hand and tapped on the voice-recording button to send the kids a voice message.


    ¡°lm here.¡±


    The voice message silenced the entire chat group.


    It took the kids a while to reply.


    The first one to reply was Flint using Liam¡¯s phone. ¡± Daddy, are you with Mommy?¡±


    Odell looked at Sylvia in his arms and hummed a reply.


    Isabelined, ¡°Stupid Daddy, how could you go find Mommy on your own?!¡±


    Flint echoed, ¡°Yeah! How could you?!¡±


    Odell challenged them, ¡°Do you guys have anything to say about it?¡±


    The chat went silent again.


    Sylvia snatched her phone back.


    Suddenly, knocks came from the door. It must be the food delivery he ordered.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Odell freed her and got out of bed to get the door.

 Chapter 1383

    ?


    Sylvia said to the three kids, "Liam, Issy, Flint, Daddy and I are having dinner. You guys, be


    good boys and a good girl, and go to sleep early today. Mommy and Daddy will probablye home tomorrow."


    Flint agreed, "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm! Flint is a good boy!"


    Isabel answered, "Mommy, we got it. You have dinner with Daddy."


    "Alright."


    Sylvia put the phone away with a smile. Although having a fever, she felt more energized than before and strongly believed she could recover tomorrow so that she could go home with Odell.


    Meanwhile, at the Carters'' residence, Liam, Isabel, and Flint were still in the game room looking at their phones.


    While sitting in Liam''s embrace, Flint kept tapping on Odell and Sylvia''s chat.


    Momentster, he looked up at his brother and asked, "Brother, do Daddy and Mommy love each other again?"


    Liam pursed his lips and hummed a reply.


    Isabel curled her lips. "Of course, they are lovey-dovey again.


    Flint happily squealed. "Yay!"


    Liam slightly widened his lips into a soft smile.


    The thought of their parents making up and probablying home tomorrow delighted them.


    After a dreamless night, Sylvia woke up to the sun and started to n her way home.


    The moment she opened her eyes, Odell stuck the thermometer on her forehead.


    §£§Ö§Ö§â.


    Sylvia looked at the numbers. 37.5¡ã Celcius.


    It was slightly high but was no longer a big issue.


    Sylvia smiled at him and said, "Odell, I''m fine now. Let''s book the tickets home."


    He said, "We''ll go to the hospital again, and we''ll go back when you arepletely fine."


    Sylvia said, "It''s fine. The fever will go down soon. Let''s just go home."


    She missed the kids.


    Odell ignored her and got out of bed. "I''ve already ordered breakfast. After that, I''ll take you to the hospital."


    Sylvia stared at him.


    Odell narrowed his eyes. "What? Do you want me to carry you?"


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes and got out of bed, annoyed.


    After breakfast, the two of them walked to the hospital.


    There were still a lot of people in the waiting lobby, but maybe because Odell was with her, Sylvia somehow felt time passed easier today. It was not tormenting like the previous days.


    After the queue and the infusion, it was already afternoon when they walked out of the hospital.


    It was a sunny day.


    Holding hands, Sylvia looked around as they strolled down the street, trying to find a ce to bring him for lunch.


    It was then that an expensive MPV stopped in front of them.


    The driver asked Odell, "Are you Ms. Carter with thest four phone numbers 6677?¡±


    Odell nodded and then grabbed Sylvia into the car.


    Baffled, Sylvia asked, "Since when did you call for a ride?"


    "Two minutes ago."


    Sylvia added, "Where are you taking me?"All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    "Lunch."


    "Where?"


    "You''ll know when we reach there."


    Sylvia had no more questions. She assumed they were going somewhere with Michelin Stars and had a lighter menu.


    The car finally stopped after a few turns.


    It was indeed an expensive restaurant that served Italian food.


    Sylvia was rather surprised. She looked at him.


    He answered with a raised brow, "What''s wrong? Don''t like this?"

 Chapter 1384

    Chapter 1384


    She knew he asked that on purpose, but nevertheless, she answered excitedly, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Odell smiled and brought her inside.


    They entered the single VIP room that Odell booked, and the dishes were already pre-ordered before they arrived.


    Most of them were light dishes, but there were several heavy ones as well, which satisfied Sylvia''s taste buds.


    After feasting, Sylvia felt energized. She wanted to bring him around for a stroll, but he dragged her back to the hotel.


    The moment they entered the room, he used the thermometer to check her forehead again.


    37.1¡ã Celcius.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°Odell, let¡¯s get the tickets and go home!¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression remained grim. ¡°You''re practically still having a fever. We''ll talk when you fully recover.¡±


    Sylvia pouted.


    The two of them took a nap together until Sylvia¡¯s phone woke her up in the evening.


    It was a call from Isabel.


    Sylvia answered it away and heard Isabel''s adorable voice through the phone.


    ¡°Mommy, are you back with Daddy yet?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips. ¡°Isabel, something came up here. We haven''t started packing.¡±


    ¡°Is stupid Daddy bullying you again?¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not about him.¡±


    Isabel sighed. ¡°Hmph. Means you and Daddy are going on a dating trip.¡±


    Sylvia was left speechless.


    Flint¡¯s sigh could also be heard. ¡°Mommy has Daddy.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Mommy has forgotten that she has three babies waiting for her at home.¡±


    Sylvia was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Fine. You can go date Daddy whenever you want,¡± Isabel said and then hung up the phone.


    Sylvia helplessly looked at the ck screen of her phone.


    Already awake, Odell was looking at her from the side.


    ¡°Odell, give me the thermometer.¡± Her forehead felt chilly, so the fever must be gone. If her fever had finally recovered, she could


    go back to her kids.


    Odell sat with his hands crossed and did not even move a muscle.


    ¡°| just went online and saw there''re a lot of tourist spots here. I¡¯ve only seen them in books before. | haven¡¯t got the chance to


    see them with my own eyes,¡± he said.


    His lips curled and then added, ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring me around for a stroll tomorrow?¡±


    Sylvia did not know how to answer the man¡¯s sudden urge of going on a trip around town. Maybe it was because he heard what


    Isabel and Flint said on the phone.


    Amoment of silenceter, she said, ¡°I want to go home. You still have work to do. Let¡¯se again when we have time.¡±


    He said, ¡°I¡¯ve been quite freetely.¡±


    Annoyed, Sylvia said, ¡°Well | have something to do!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°| miss the kids. | want to go home.¡±


    ¡°Then, I''ll call Jacob to send them here.


    Sylvia choked. ¡°No. Liam and Isabel still have to go to school. Flint is too small to be traveling.¡±


    Odell remained calm. ¡°You either stay here with me for two more days, or | will bring them all over here. Your choice.¡±


    Sylvia frowned. ¡°I want to go home!¡±


    ¡°Alright. I''ll call Jacob to bring them here,¡± he said as he reached out for his phone.


    Sylvia immediately snatched his phone away. She looked at him and said, ¡°Odell, please be reasonable!¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He clutched her face and stared right into her eyes. He said in his deep voice, ¡°Sylvia, you have left me for 24 days, do you


    know that?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°We''ve met, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Just for a day.¡± Disheartened, he added, ¡°In the past 24 days, you and the three little rascals have been talking non-stop but not


    me.

 Chapter 1385

    Chapter 1385


    If he had not snuck into the chat group and had been watching her movements, they would have had zero contact in the past 24


    days.


    Sylvia averted his gaze. ¡°You are the one who scolded me until | had to leave.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°| know | was wrong,¡± he said with a softer tone. He then hugged her into his arms and whispered in her ears, ¡°But there was not


    one day that I did not miss you.


    He could not even sleep at night.


    Sylvia¡¯s gaze froze. All the annoyance and grief that had been piling up in her suddenly disappeared.


    Odell hugged her tightly. ¡°Spend two days with me, then we go home. Okay?¡±


    Sylvia shyly said, ¡°Okay, but...¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°l want to see if | have recovered from the fever.¡±


    If she still had a fever, she might not be able to go to many of the tourist spots.


    Odell smiled. ¡°It¡¯s gone. | checked when you were almost awake just now. 36.6¡ã Celcius. You''re all good now.¡±


    Sylvia hummed a reply. She suddenly felt something strange and looked at him.


    If he checked her temperature when she was still asleep, then he must have known that she had recovered when she had the


    phone call with Isabel. If she knew she had recovered then, she would certainly have told Isabel that she was going back.


    He had done it on purpose! He only revealed to her that she had recovered after she agreed to go back in two days. She red


    at him.


    Odell pursed his thin lips and looked at her with a soft gaze.


    Sylvia choked on her grievance.


    After all they had been through, they married each other twice and managed to make it this far into the marriage.


    She exhaled. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Odell curled his lips and kissed her on the lips.


    Back at the Old District in Westchester, the sky had just darkened, but the person who had been hiding behind the tree near the


    Carters¡¯ residence finally came out.


    She lowered her cap and headed towards the house. It has been two days since Odell went to the office, so he must be at


    home.


    She wanted to confront him again. She still refused to believe that he had no feelings for her. He must have rejected her because


    Ruth had sent her to spy on him, hence the cold shoulder.


    Just when she was about to reach the entrance, a buff man came up to her. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here? You''ve


    been hiding there for the entire afternoon.¡±


    Shocked, Shermaine looked up at him.


    ¡°Shermaine?¡± Jacob recognized her at first nce. His expression turned cold. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Shermaine ran without a second thought.


    Just when Jacob wanted to go after her, an expensive MPV stopped in front of him. He did not recognize the car, hence he had a


    cautious gaze.


    Soon, a young woman came out.


    Dressed in ck boots and a crimson red trench coat, woman came down from the car with wavy hair that wasplemented


    by big sses. Although it was a loose trench coat, it did not conceal her unusual aura and voluptuous figure.


    Jacob was stunned. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Jacob, it has only been two years and you can¡¯t recognize me anymore?¡± The woman removed the sses and smiled


    mischievously at him.


    Jacob¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ms. Fowler?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sherry shoved her bangs to the side and asked, ¡± Is Syl here?¡±


    Jacob immediately put on his most weing smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s really unfortunate. Madam is currently away on a vacation,


    and sir just went to see her yesterday. Both of them are not around.¡±


    Curious, Sherry asked, ¡°Why the sudden vacation?¡±


    She contacted Sylvia twice recently and did not hear anything about her friend talking about a vacation. Jacob awkwardly


    smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±

 Chapter 1386

    Chapter 1386


    Sherry leaned on the car and crossed her arms. ¡°Tell me, | have all the time in the world.¡±


    Jacob pursed his lips awkwardly.


    Had she not noticed he did not want to talk to her?


    A quick thoughtter, he said with a professional smile, Why don¡¯t you ask Madam herself for more details? I¡¯m just an observer,


    so my story might not be urate.¡±


    ¡°Those who observe see clearer. | want your side of the story,¡± Sherry said with a raised brow.


    Jacob was left speechless.


    He somehow felt Sherry was unlike the person she was two years ago. Her aura and presence had grown a lotThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    stronger.


    Some thoughtster, Jacob reluctantly said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, I¡¯m just a bodyguard. | shouldn¡¯t be talking about my boss here.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s lips remained curled, and her smile remained bright. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I''ll call Syl and ask her to fire you.¡±


    Jacob felt absolutely helpless. People just loved to threaten bodyguards like him by firing them, which was


    getting a little old in his opinion.


    Amoment of silenceter, he said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Since Odell had gone looking for Sylvia, they must have made up and cleared the misunderstanding.


    He then exined how Ruth arranged for Shermaine, who looked like Sylvia, toe to Westchester two years ago so that she


    could approach and intentionally save Madam Carter.


    He also mentioned that Shermaine was promoted to be Odell¡¯s secretary after two years and then got exposed as part of


    Ruth¡¯s n by Odell himself after a few


    days.


    Sherry¡¯s expressions switched multiple times in the


    process.


    After briefly learning what happened, she asked, ¡°Syl ran away because of Shermaine?¡±


    ¡°| suppose so,¡± Jacob said. He then exined, ¡°But there¡¯s nothing between Master Carter and Shermaine. He was busy a while


    back and almost neveres home. Madam doesn¡¯t like that very much, and Master Carter must have assumed that she


    doesn¡¯t understand him.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression softened.


    If there was something going on between Odell and Shermaine, she would not have noticed the inklings of a scheme when she


    confronted him in the parking lot.


    Odell went looking for Sylvia yesterday, so they were probably sleeping together already by now.


    Sherry then suddenly recalled seeing a woman in a cap running past her car. She asked, ¡°Was that Shermaine?¡±


    Jacob nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s her.¡±


    She looked in the direction that Shermaine ran off.


    The street was empty, the trees looked quiet, and there were no signs of souls anywhere. Shermaine must have left.


    She then asked Jacob, ¡°Are Madam Carter, Aunt Tonya, and the kids home?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They are all inside,¡± Jacob said.


    Sherry then took several beautiful boxes out of her car. These are the presents I¡¯ve prepared for them. | still have something to


    do, so I''ll leave them to you.¡±


    Jacob took the presents. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Another quick thoughtter, she added, ¡°Don¡¯t say it¡¯s from me. Just say it¡¯s from Syl¡¯s friend.


    Surprised, Jacob asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°No reason. Just do as | said.¡±


    Jacob then rted her reaction to John¡¯s incident, so he


    simplyplied.


    After that, Sherry got into the car and left.

 Chapter 1387

    Chapter 1387


    The car turned around and went back where it came from.


    Just when it was about to leave the street, Sherry spotted something outside the window.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    The driver pulled over immediately.


    Sherry got out and headed to a nearby tree.


    Shermaine noticed the car and the womaning out of it. She lowered her cap and wanted to leave.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze turned cold. She strode forward, went in front of Shermaine, and stopped her from leaving.


    Shermaine frowned. She said, ¡°Please move aside. You''re in my way.¡±


    Sherry got a good look at her face. ¡°Are you Shermaine?¡±


    Surprised, Shermaine carefully sized Sherry up and spotted multiple branded items on her, plus her bright and charming face.


    She staggered and asked cautiously, Who are you?¡±


    ((


    Sherry curled her lips. ¡°I am Sylvia''s friend, or you might know her as Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes flickered. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know you,


    and | don¡¯t know any Mrs. Carter.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be nervous. | am not a violent person, and | don¡¯t like beating someone else¡¯s mistress up. Anyway, you''re not even a


    mistress.¡±


    Shermaine¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Please mind your words.¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°If you want people to respect you, you need to respect yourself first, understand?¡±


    Shermaine choked on her words. Anger took over and she bellowed, ¡°Master Carter and | like each other!¡±


    Sherry was stunned. She was not surprised by the words but stunned by the blind confidence of the girl.


    Amomentter, Sherry chuckled and said, ¡°If Odell likes someone like you, then | bet he likes to eat shit.¡±


    Shermaine flushed, but she regained herposure and lifted her chin into a proud bearing. ¡°I am not like other women. Master


    Carter treats me differently. Don¡¯t even think about trying to get on my nerves with that poor choice of words.¡±


    ¡°I''m speaking the truth. I''ve seen a lot of women like you hundreds of years ago.¡± Sherry stepped forward and sized Shermaine


    up from top to bottom. ¡°Other than your little delicate face, nothing stands out, especially that brain of yours.¡±


    Shermaine choked, her face flushed.


    In addition to the impatience and annoyance of not


    seeing Odell for the past two days, anger drove her over the line. She yelled, ¡°Your friend is the one without a brain! She left the


    house just to make him mad?! Does she even think Master Carter will want her back based on that?!¡±


    Sherry narrowed her eyes. She suddenly felt an itch on her hands and had the urge to p someone. Her hands unconsciously


    curled.


    Shermaine took Sherry¡¯s silence as the first win of the battle. She scoffed and said, ¡°Master Carter is not just any man. He¡¯s the


    owner of Carter Corporation. If that idiot woman uses this kind of cheap trick to make him mad, he will only hate her more. Even


    if he doesn¡¯t leave her now, he will in the future!¡±


    ¡°So, you think you''re the big star here? The wisest person in the room?¡±


    ¡°Of course! | like Master Carter, | understand him! | am there for him when he¡¯s busy and | won''t cause a scene like that stupid


    woman!¡±


    Sherry chuckled.


    Shermaine¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°I''ve seen idiots, but | have never seen idiots being so confident.¡±


    Shermaine stared at her.


    Sherry looked back and continued, ¡°You said you know him. You understand how he is when he¡¯s busy and that he won¡¯t cause


    a scene. That¡¯s what every maid and servant in the Carters¡® residence as well as his secretary and assistant do; it¡¯s basic


    requirements. Some of the maids are even more beautiful than you are, so what gives you the idea that you are better than


    them?¡±


    Shermaine argued, ¡°I¡¯m not the same! I¡¯m not a maid. I¡¯m... I¡¯m...¡±


    She choked.


    Sherry grinned. ¡°What? A temporary secretary? Even the maids are paid higher than you!¡±

 Chapter 1388

    Chapter 1388


    The car turned around and went back where it came from.


    Just when it was about to leave the street, Sherry spotted something outside the window.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    The driver pulled over immediately.


    Sherry got out and headed to a nearby tree.


    Shermaine noticed the car and the womaning out of it. She lowered her cap and wanted to leave.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze turned cold. She strode forward, went in front of Shermaine, and stopped her from leaving.


    Shermaine frowned. She said, ¡°Please move aside. You''re in my way.¡±


    Sherry got a good look at her face. ¡°Are you Shermaine?¡±


    Surprised, Shermaine carefully sized Sherry up and spotted multiple branded items on her, plus her bright and charming face.


    She staggered and asked cautiously, Who are you?¡±


    ((


    Sherry curled her lips. ¡°I am Sylvia''s friend, or you might know her as Mrs. Carter.¡±


    Shermaine¡¯s eyes flickered. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know you,


    and | don¡¯t know any Mrs. Carter.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be nervous. | am not a violent person, and | don¡¯t like beating someone else¡¯s mistress up. Anyway, you''re not even a


    mistress.¡±


    Shermaine¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Please mind your words.¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°If you want people to respect you, you need to respect yourself first, understand?¡±


    Shermaine choked on her words. Anger took over and she bellowed, ¡°Master Carter and | like each other!¡±


    Sherry was stunned. She was not surprised by the words but stunned by the blind confidence of the girl.


    Amomentter, Sherry chuckled and said, ¡°If Odell likes someone like you, then | bet he likes to eat shit.¡±


    Shermaine flushed, but she regained herposure and lifted her chin into a proud bearing. ¡°I am not like other women. Master


    Carter treats me differently. Don¡¯t even think about trying to get on my nerves with that poor choice of words.¡±


    ¡°I''m speaking the truth. I''ve seen a lot of women like you hundreds of years ago.¡± Sherry stepped forward and sized Shermaine


    up from top to bottom. ¡°Other than your little delicate face, nothing stands out, especially that brain of yours.¡±


    Shermaine choked, her face flushed.


    In addition to the impatience and annoyance of not


    seeing Odell for the past two days, anger drove her over the line. She yelled, ¡°Your friend is the one without a brain! She left the


    house just to make him mad?! Does she even think Master Carter will want her back based on that?!¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sherry narrowed her eyes. She suddenly felt an itch on her hands and had the urge to p someone. Her hands unconsciously


    curled.


    Shermaine took Sherry¡¯s silence as the first win of the battle. She scoffed and said, ¡°Master Carter is not just any man. He¡¯s the


    owner of Carter Corporation. If that idiot woman uses this kind of cheap trick to make him mad, he will only hate her more. Even


    if he doesn¡¯t leave her now, he will in the future!¡±


    ¡°So, you think you''re the big star here? The wisest person in the room?¡±


    ¡°Of course! | like Master Carter, | understand him! | am there for him when he¡¯s busy and | won''t cause a scene like that stupid


    woman!¡±


    Sherry chuckled.


    Shermaine¡¯s expression changed. ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°I''ve seen idiots, but | have never seen idiots being so confident.¡±


    Shermaine stared at her.


    Sherry looked back and continued, ¡°You said you know him. You understand how he is when he¡¯s busy and that he won¡¯t cause


    a scene. That¡¯s what every maid and servant in the Carters¡® residence as well as his secretary and assistant do; it¡¯s basic


    requirements. Some of the maids are even more beautiful than you are, so what gives you the idea that you are better than


    them?¡±


    Shermaine argued, ¡°I¡¯m not the same! I¡¯m not a maid. I¡¯m... I¡¯m...¡±


    She choked.


    Sherry grinned. ¡°What? A temporary secretary? Even the maids are paid higher than you!¡±

 Chapter 1389

    Chapter 1389


    Judging from the logo, the caps must have cost a lot.


    Sylvia was certain that she had never bought the caps for them before.


    The two little rascals posed like rappers in front of the phone.


    ¡°Mommy, look at me! Am | cool?¡± Flint acted cool and tried to steal the spotlight from his sister, but she pushed him away


    mercilessly.


    Isabel picked up the phone and pointed it at Liam.


    Liam also wore the same cap, but it was hanging over his shoulder. His cool face warmed up when he saw his mother through


    the phone.


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Issy, Liam, where did you guys get the caps?¡±


    ¡°We got them from your friend!¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    It was then that Flint pushed himself back into the screen and sandwiched himself in between his brother and sister. His adorable


    lips protruded.


    Surprised, Sylvia asked, ¡°Mommy''s friend? Who was it?¡±


    It was then Odell moved closer to her and red at the little rascals.


    Sylvia did not notice his sharp gaze. She was curious about who had given the kids the caps. It was unusual for anyone to give


    them such expensive caps.


    Isabel said, ¡°Mommy, we got the caps from Uncle Jacob. He didn¡¯t tell us who the friend was. He just said they were a present


    for us. Your friend also gave Great- grandma and Grand -aunt presents too! They got pearl nes!¡±


    Even Madam Carter and Aunt Tonya got gifts?


    It was impossible for Jacob to not ask for a name and ept presents from a stranger. Therefore, the only exnation would be


    that the person had told Jacob not to reveal their name.


    Sylvia instantly thought of Sherry.


    Odell¡¯s gaze shifted multiple times before he returned to the side and continued reading his book.


    Sylvia chatted with the kids for a while before she ended the call and texted Sherry.


    ¡°Sherry, are you back?¡±


    The reply came back instantly.


    ¡°How did you know? Did Jacob tell you?¡±


    As expected.


    ¡°Jacob didn¡¯t say anything. | found out myself.¡±


    ¡°Babe, you¡¯re damn smart!¡±


    ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I''m on my way to Glenchester.¡±


    Sylvia was surprised.


    Glenchester?


    Sherry knew that John had been looking for her for the past two years. She would be walking right into the tiger¡¯s mouth if she


    went to Glenchester.


    A quick thoughtter, Sylvia asked, ¡°What are you going to do there? Are you going to see Caprice?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | want to see her, and | have something to do.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Some work-rted stuff. Don¡¯t worry. | won''t let that bastard find me. Nothing will happen.¡±


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. ¡°Okay. If you need anything, let me know.¡±


    ¡°You have fun.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 1390

    Chapter 1390


    Meanwhile, Sherry¡¯s car had just entered the busiest street of Glenchester.


    It was midnight, but the sleepless street remained lively and crowded.


    People in groups of three or five were strolling down the bar-filled street with neon lights shedding their lively brilliance on their


    tipsy faces. Instead of the howling of the chilly wind, music could be heard in the air.


    Awhileter, the car stopped in front of a nightclub, which looked grander and much quieter than other ces.


    The nightclub was one of the oldest clubs in Glenchester. Before John became the richest man in the city, the nightclub had


    always been the liveliest and the most popr gathering spot for the rich.


    Now, it had declined into an old ce withme music, existing to only fill the void.


    ¡°Ms. Fowler, we''re here,¡± the driver said.


    Sherry nodded and got out of the car.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The owner of the club saw her and came out to wee her with several of his employees.


    Sherry chatted with the owner before they went inside.


    On the first floor, there was a live band ying music with several tables of customers drinking and chatting together.


    The owner prepared a quiet table near the window for Sherry.


    Beside the table was the beautiful ceiling-to-floor ss. With the drizzle outside, the raindrops trickled down the ss quietly.


    The nightclub¡¯s business was in a deste state, but its unusual calmness and quietness were also charming.


    Sherry started the meeting with the owner as soon as they sat down. The owner did most of the talking while Sherry sipped wine


    from her ss.


    The wine was brewed by the owner himself and had an exquisite taste indeed.


    Just when she was feeling the heat from the wine, she identally nced outside the window and spotted a familiar figure


    coming out from an expensive MPV in the parking lot next door.


    The bodyguards around the man lined up like dominos outside the car with umbres.


    The man who came out from the car wore a tailored suit with a big trench coat hanging over his shoulder. Under the dim lighting,


    his golden-framed sses gleamed elegantly.


    Sherry went breathless for a moment.


    The man turned around and reached inside the car.


    Achild, wrapped tightly in expensive clothes, was carried out carefully. The man carried the child cautiously as if he was afraid


    that the child would be hurt.


    The bodyguards and the assistant beside him were cautious as well. The umbres were raised high in the sky firmly, blocking


    every drop of rain from the child.


    Sherry¡¯s ss returned to the table as her eyes were glued in that direction.


    The owner of the club noticed Sherry in a trance. He, too, looked in the direction of her gaze.


    The owner was shocked when he saw John. ¡°Isn''t that Master Stockton?¡±


    He then turned to Sherry with a bright smile. ¡°Ms. Fowler, do you know Master Stockton?¡±


    John had then carried Caprice into the club.


    Sherry retracted her gaze and picked up her ss once more. She smiled, ¡°Master Stockton is the richest man in Glenchester.


    Who wouldn''t know him?¡±


    The owner nodded. ¡°You''re right, you¡¯re right. Ever since. he became the richest man of the city, Glenchester¡¯s economy has


    skyrocketed.¡±


    There was a hint of disappointment in his words. The economy had improved, and people had made a lot of money, except for


    him.


    Sherry said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Cook, your wine is probably the best wine | have had in the past two years.¡¯


    Mr. Cook¡¯s face was instantly filled with anticipation. Really? Then, our deal...¡±


    m looking forward to working with you, Mr. Cook.¡± Sherry then drained the wine to thest drop and stood up with a


    professional smile. ¡°Someone wille over to discuss the details with you tomorrow around three. Thank you for the wine. I''ll


    be going now.¡±


    Mr. Cook¡¯s eyes gleamed. He bolted up and smiled. ¡± Alright! Thank you very much. We''ll wait for your contact tomorrow!¡±

 Chapter 1391

    Chapter 1391


    Mr. Sanders walked Sherry to the entrance.


    The parking lot of the nightclub was connected to the parking lot of the building next door.


    Upon entering her car, Sherry could not resist the temptation to steal a look at the club next door.


    It seemed rather tranquil outside the club. It was apparent from one nce that it was a very ssy and high-profile venue.


    John was probably here to socialize with his business partners.


    Sherry could feel her heart thumping rapidly when she recalled the sight of Caprice wrapped tightly inside John¡¯s arms.


    Two years.


    The child was now over two years old.


    Although Sylvia would send her pictures of Caprice from time to time, this was the first time she managed to get a closer look at


    her even if it was from a distance.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She wondered if Caprice was just as adorable as she looked in the pictures.


    ¡°Miss, would you like to go back to the hotel?¡± The driver prompted.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    She said as she promptly took out her phone and looked up information about the clubhouse online.


    Just as she expected, the clubhouse was indeed the most reputable high-end clubhouse one could find in


    nchester. It was the prime venue for entertainment for the richest ss in the city.


    John was probably here for a mixture of work and entertainment.


    After a short consideration, she grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around herself to cover up most of her face, then she got out of


    the car and walked into the clubhouse.


    The club was very exclusive and only epted members. into its premises.


    Sherry managed to apply for a premium membership. She then spent some time chatting with the receptionist to pry whatever


    information she could. She managed to find out the general area where John could be found.


    John should be inside one of the lounges on the third floor at this moment.


    She took the elevator to the third floor and as soon as she walked out of the elevator, she noticed two muscr bodyguards


    further down the corridor standing by the entrance to a certain lounge.


    They were John¡¯s bodyguards.


    She cautiously pulled the scarf up to her nose and shoved her hands in her pockets before walking down the corridor.


    She went to the room adjacent to John¡¯s and pushed the door open.


    It was a lounge as well.


    The waiter was dressed in a vintage fashion and immediately went up to greet Sherry upon her entry, Ma¡¯am, what would you


    like to drink?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°Anything to calm the nerves.¡±


    The waiter promptly supplied her with a pot of fragrant tea.


    After the tea was served, Sherry promptly instructed the waiter, ¡°Thank you, why don¡¯t you head outside? I''d like some time


    alone.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The waiter did not ask any further questions and proceeded to head outside, making sure to close the door on his way


    out.


    The lounge was immediately filled with an eerie silence.


    Sherry got up and walked to the window.


    There was a balcony connected to the lounge. Upon closer inspection, it would appear that the two lounges shared


    the same balcony. The only thing partitioning the balcony into two was a short fence installed in the middle.


    It was as if God was on her side.


    She took a deep breath and threw off her scarf and overcoat that only served to constrict her movements.


    Then, she pulled herself up the fence andnded on the other side.


    The moment she nted her feet firmly on the ground, she saw a tiny figure only a short distance from her.


    She froze.


    Her eyes were fixed intently on the girl.


    The girl was only a toddler, so short that she barely could reach Sherry¡¯s knees. It was no surprise that Sherry did not notice her


    at all before scaling the fence since the girl was barely half the height of the fence.


    The child would never expect someone to lunge through the fence and appear out of nowhere. She gazed at Sherry with her


    eyes widened and her cheeks puffed up like clouds.


    She held an ice cream in her hands that she was still not finished with and wore a confused look on her face.

 Chapter 1392

    Chapter 1392


    No words could describe how adorable she looked.


    Sherry could feel her heart beating so fast that it would shoot out of her chest.


    The sweet and innocent face, and her adorable gait, this had to be her daughter that she had been thinking of day and night!


    Sherry stared at her,pletely dazzled.


    Caprice stared back at her with a nk look on her face as if she was staring at an alien. Eventually, she began to babble, ¡°Are


    you a thief?¡±


    Sherry was struck speechless.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    She felt her voice caught in her throat for several seconds which felt like an eternity. After a while, she said with a quick smile,


    ¡°I''m not a thief, I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    Caprice muttered, ¡°But | don¡¯t know you.¡±


    Sherry found herself at a loss again. For a moment, she almost felt like crying.


    After a while, she scrunched her nose and asked with a smile, ¡°Is your name Caprice?¡±


    Caprice bobbed her head up and down. ¡°Yeap.¡±


    Sherry squatted close to her and stared into Caprice¡¯s pearl-like eyes. ¡°Is your father¡¯s name John?¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes seemed to glow up upon hearing the mention of her father, she nodded again.


    ¡°You have a grandmother and an aunt named Queenie, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°How do you know? Who are you?¡± Caprice looked at her curiously.


    Sherry smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m-¡±


    ¡°Caprice?¡± Suddenly, the deep voice of a man vibrated from inside the lounge.


    Sherry was taken with shock. She immediately darted toward and hid behind arge pot of nts ced at the corner of the


    balcony.


    It was rather dim out on the balcony and with therge pot keeping her out of view. She doubted that she would be spotted


    unless someone gave her position away.


    Caprice grew even more curious when she noticed how the stranger was behaving. She stared behind the pot, her eyes filled


    with intrigue.


    Meanwhile, the sound of approaching footsteps was getting louder.


    Sherry put a finger to her lips and signaled for Caprice to stay quiet


    She pleaded desperately with her eyes.


    Caprice stood still and looked at her with what was vivid confusion on her face.


    Sherry felt like her heart was about to lunge out of her chest.


    She hoped that the child would have inherited her gics and should be rather smart in situations such as_ these.


    As sweat trickled down her forehead, the approaching footstep suddenly came to a stop right at the threshold connecting the


    balcony to the interior of the lounge.


    The lights inside cast a tall and slender shadow of a figure over the balcony.


    Caprice suddenly turned around to look at her father, her back was now facing Sherry.


    Sherry drew a deep breath and became stiff.


    The man¡¯s voice echoed across the balcony. ¡°Caprice, what are you doing here? Why aren¡¯t you answering your father?¡±


    Sherry watched as John crouched down to meet Caprice at eye level.


    Since Caprice was facing Sherry with her back, all Sherry could only see was her silhouette from behind.


    She was filled with so much nerves and agitation that she was having trouble breathing at this point. That was when she heard


    the girl answer, ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you out here.¡±


    John smiled and gently brushed her cheeks. ¡°What are you doing here alone?¡±


    ¡°Eating ice cream,¡± Caprice said as she handed the half- eaten ice cream to John. ¡°Try it, Daddy, it¡¯s very delicious, I''ll let you


    have some.¡±


    Sherry could not hear John¡¯s reply to this gracious offer but she could make out from the shadows that John had leaned into


    Caprice and finished what remained of the ice cream in onerge gulp.


    She was suddenly consumed with a strange sensation. She looked on from the shadows with her brows knit together tightly.


    After that, John thanked Caprice, ¡°It¡¯s delicious, thank you, my dear.¡±


    Caprice smiled and answered endearingly, ¡°You''re wee, Daddy.¡±


    John smiled and informed, ¡°Daddy is done with work, shall we go home now?¡±


    Caprice answered agreeably, ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 1393

    Chapter 1393


    John carried her into his arms.


    Shortly after that, the duo disappeared from the balcony.


    Sherry felt herself deting as the tension had escaped. her body atst but what reced it was a hollow, empty feeling.


    She sat on the ground and reyed the interaction she had witnessed in her mind. She wore a tight grimace the entire time.


    The b*stard John was a wonderful father to Caprice.


    Such fatherly love was almost a foreign concept to Sherry considering her upbringing.


    Caprice seemed to trust him wholeheartedly. lit was a sharp contrast to how shepletely failed to recognize her mother.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Amid the darkness of the night, a silver car swerved out of the parking lot of the clubhouse and made its way toward John¡¯s hous


    e.


    The driver and a bodyguard were seated at the front of the


    car.


    John sat in the back with Caprice in his arms.


    Something seemed to be on the child¡¯s mind. Usually, she would be sound asleep by this hour but today she was


    staring out the window with a transfixed look in her eyes.


    John turned to her and asked softly, ¡°Caprice, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Caprice answered with a sparkle in her eyes, ¡°There was this strange person.¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The child was not great at keeping secrets. She


    immediately revealed what she had seen back there.


    ¡°She told me that she knew me, she even knows about Daddy, Grandma, Aunty, and everyone else but I¡¯ve never seen her befor


    e.


    John suddenly perked up with alert.


    What? Who was this person?


    He concealed the rm in his eyes and asked softly, Caprice, was it someone you saw today?¡±


    y


    He was by her side pretty much the entire night. Save for that brief duration when he let her y by herself on the balcony


    while he was inside. He doubted that she would have the chance to meet anyone outside of his


    supervision at all.


    Caprice seemed to have realized something and quickly covered her mouth with her palms.


    John squinted suspiciously and leaned in close to her to whisper into her ears, ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m your


    daddy. I¡¯d share everything with you, so you have to do the same for me, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Caprice seemed conflicted by this, she expressed worriedly, ¡°But she doesn¡¯t want you to find out.¡±


    John was immediately


    rmed by this. Someone who did not want to risk being discovered by him? What did this person want with Caprice?


    He gently brushed Caprice¡¯s cheeks and said patiently, Caprice, it might be


    a bad person if they don¡¯t want me to know about them. What if they hurt you?¡±


    Caprice frowned. ¡°She¡¯s not a bad person, she¡¯s very pretty! Her eyes were a little red but they were very bright, like shining star


    s.


    John scowled upon hearing this. Someone beautiful? Red eyes that seemed like stars?


    ¡°Also...¡± It seemed like Caprice was having a hard time trying to express what was on her mind.


    John probed patiently. ¡°What else? Do you think she¡¯s trustworthy?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm.¡± She nodded fervently upon hearing this notion.


    John grimaced, a sharp look shed across his eyes. He


    ((


    felt his emotions bing turbulent immediately.


    He subconsciously clenched his hand into a fist.


    He quickly reached for his phone in his pocket and opened a specific album that was password protected. Inside it was a picture ?


    He showed the photo to Caprice and asked, ¡°Caprice, is this the person you''re talking about?¡±


    Caprice took a look at the picture of Sherry.


    John pursed his lips and held his breath.


    There was nothing but a deathly silence inside the car. It was so quiet that they could hear the wind gushing in from outside.


    After several seconds, Caprice finally answered with a


    firm nod.


    She turned to look at John, her eyes mesmerizing as usual. ¡°Daddy, do you know her? Who is she?¡±


    John smiled faintly, there was now an inscrutable look welling inside his eyes. Nobody could tell what was on his mind.


    He told Caprice, ¡°It¡¯s a secret, | can¡¯t tell you just yet.


    Immediately after that, he turned to the driver and ordered urgently, ¡°Turn around! We''re going back to the clubhouse!¡±

 Chapter 1394

    Chapter 1394


    Chapter 1394


    The driver was spooked by John¡¯s sudden cry and immediately sprang to the task. ¡°Yes sir, right away.¡±


    Caprice shrank into her seat.


    She


    slowly scuttled over to John¡¯s side and wrapped her tiny arms around John¡¯s. ¡°Daddy, is she a bad person? Don¡¯t be angry, | pro


    mise to not talk to her again.¡±


    John suddenly jolted back to his senses and realized that


    he must have scared her with his sudden outburst.


    He pressed Caprice to his chest so she would not see the severe look on his face.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    After a moment, he took a deep breath and said softly, I¡¯m sorry Caprice. Did | scare you?¡±


    Caprice weakly shook her head and muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to make Daddy angry.¡±


    John was relieved to hear this. ¡°I¡¯m not angry with you Caprice. This person isn¡¯t a bad person, but she¡¯s not exactly a good pers


    on either. You''ll understand when


    you''re older. Daddy just happened to lose his cool, I¡¯m doing fine now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really, | wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    He said as he drew away from Caprice so he could take a look at her face.


    Caprice immediately looked up and stared straight into his eyes.


    John had rposed himself and seemed like his usual self. He smiled affectionately at Caprice.


    After noticing that her father had returned to his usual self, Caprice seemed very pleased as well.


    John smiled. ¡°Did | scare you?¡±


    Caprice muttered, ¡°Hmm.


    )


    John quickly apologized, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Caprice smiled and sunk into his arms.


    John wrapped his arms around her, a dark glow returned to his eyes as he realized that they were nearing the clubhouse again.


    Two years. You decided to return atst, Sherry Fowler.


    Soon, the car stopped outside the clubhouse.


    John put his arms around Caprice and instructed, ¡°Tell the staff that | lost something in there and have them seal off the entire bu


    ilding immediately.¡±


    The bodyguard nodded affirmatively and quickly got out of the car to make his way toward the clubhouse.


    The security measures were implemented swiftly afterward. It did not take long before a crew of


    bodyguards surged out of the building and cut off all the exit points.


    Caprice looked at John again.


    John¡¯s expression immediately grew mild when he felt: Caprice¡¯s


    eyes on her. He turned to her and spoke gently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Caprice. The woman you saw just


    now happened to have stolen something from Daddy some time ago so now we''re going to find her.¡±


    Caprice protested. ¡°But she said she wasn¡¯t a thief.¡±


    John said without a change in expression, ¡°She lied to you.¡±


    Caprice seemed upset by this. ¡°Is she a liar?¡±


    John exined patiently, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s very good at deceiving people, even Daddy fell for her tricks in the past. It¡¯s only natural that


    liar, she won''t get you again.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Caprice nodded firmly.


    John smiled warmly and carried her out of the car.


    The moment he stepped out of the car, a sharp and authoritative look gleamed across his eyes.


    At the same time as he was entering the clubhouse with


    Caprice in his arms, a white car revved its engines in an adjacent parking lot and promptly swerved into the main road.


    Inside the car, Sherry tried to calm her beating heart while urging the driver, ¡°Go faster.¡±


    ¡°You got it, miss.¡± The driver stomped the gas pedal.


    The car quickly vanished from the street and merged into another part of the district.


    They could no longer see the clubhouse through the rearview mirror.


    Sherry breathed a sigh of relief.


    The driver was quite familiar with Sherry and upon seeing her in this state, he casually enquired, ¡°Did you find your target atst?


    Sherry sighed sourly. ¡°I sure did.¡±

 Chapter 1395

    Chapter 1395


    Chapter 1395


    The driver joked. ¡°You''re usually the one on the chase, it¡¯s interesting to see the tables turned around for once.¡±


    Sherry expressed with a tired sigh, ¡°I can¡¯t confront this man just yet, all | can do is bide my time and hide for now.


    It was fortunate that she made it out shortly after John left with


    Caprice. If she had dallied around a moment longer, she would be caught by John.


    She wagered that Caprice could not keep her


    lips sealed and eventually confessed everything to John after getting into the car with him.


    There was no chance that she would hide a secret from John considering how close the two were.


    Just the sheer thought of the bond the two shared was searing to Sherry.


    If it was not for his underhanded move of breaking


    into the confinement center to take Caprice away from her two years ago, Caprice would undoubtedly choose her over him any d


    ay of the week!


    An hourter, inside the lobby on the first floor of the clubhouse.


    John was seated on the sofa with Caprice in his arms.


    The personnel in the clubhouse along with the team of security forces had rummaged through every corner of the entire clubhou


    se not just once but twice. They eventually came to John, fearful of his wrath.


    Caprice had fallen asleep by this point.


    John carefully bnced her in one hand while he flipped through the stack of


    documents with his other hand. It was apiled list of all the registered members at the clubhouse.


    When he arrived at thest page, he immediately spotted the name ¡®Sherry Fowler¡¯, it was thetest entry.


    It would appear that she had only registered this very night.


    He was puzzled by this. Hising here with Caprice was ast-minute decision, how did Sherrye to know of it?


    He fell into deep thought, then he picked up his phone and noted down the phone number Sherry registered with.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The manager observed what he was doing and informed cautiously, ¡°Master Stockton, we had no idea that Miss Sherry was invo


    Ived with you at all. If we knew, we''d have informed you the very moment she stepped through the entrance.¡±


    John returned the stack of documents to the manager


    after saving Sherry¡¯s contact. He smiled courteously and pardoned the manager. ¡®It¡¯s alright. If you see her again, please make s


    ure she doesn¡¯t sneak away.¡±


    The manager answered confidently, ¡°Yes, sir. If we ever see her again, | promise you that we won¡¯t let her get away.¡±


    John saw that there was no need to prolong their conversation so he carried Caprice and walked out.


    Nobody spoke the entire way home.


    By the time they arrived back at the house, it was already midnight.


    The rain outside had progressed from a gentle trickle to a downpour.


    John took Caprice and quickly trotted into the house.


    The lights inside the house were still on.


    As soon as he walked inside, Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Julie came out to greet him.


    Madam Stockton led the charge and asked John


    anxiously, ¡°John, why did youe home sote today? Is Caprice asleep already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John stepped up to her and carefully passed the sound asleep Caprice to her, then he promptly


    unbuttoned his jacket.


    Madam Stockton carefully took the girl, an affectionate


    look surfaced on her face when she observed how peacefully Caprice was sleeping.


    Julie approached John. ¡°Here, give me the coat.¡±


    John obliged and handed her the coat, then he took Caprice back into his arms.


    Madam Stockton seemed slightly perturbed by this andined a little, ¡°Come on, let me hug her just a little longer, won¡¯t you


    She gestured for John to hand Caprice to her.


    John refused to yield. ¡°It¡¯s veryte and she needs to rest. You can hug her all you want tomorrow.¡±


    With that, he took Caprice and went straight back to the


    bedroom.


    Madam Stockton grimaced, it was as if John did not trust her to not wake Caprice up!


    Everyone knew that the real reason was that he was very possessive of his precious daughter.


    As upset as Madam Stockton was, she could not fault him for it. She tried to follow John into the bedroom to get onest look at F


    Queenie and Julie both trailed after her.


    They watched silently as John took off the child¡¯s coat in one swift, practiced motion. After that, he tucked her into bed and made

 Chapter 1396

    Chapter 1396


    After he was done with his fatherly duties, he turned back to the onlookers and said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s already


    midnight, why don¡¯t you all go to bed if you don¡¯t have anything important to do here?¡±


    Madam Stockton stared longingly at Caprice.


    She had a hard time


    phrasing what was on her mind. ¡± John, you don¡¯t have to always bring Caprice along with you everywhere you go, especially co


    nsidering how busy you can get sometimes. She¡¯s almost two years old. We should send her to a kindergarten soon so she can


    have a chance to socialize and make some friends. You don¡¯t


    have to worry about her, you can entrust her to us and we promise to take good care of her for you.¡±


    John nced at Caprice.


    She had both her tiny hands balled into fists and pressed them against her cheeks as she slept peacefully.


    Noticing John¡¯s silence, Queenie


    urged as well. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not practical for you to bring her with you everywhere you go. Why don¡¯t you consider leaving her at


    home?¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    John did not utter a word.


    After a long, stagnant silence, Julie made a look and turned to Madam Stockton. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to bed.


    Let''s not disturb John, he¡¯s had a long day and needs some rest as well.¡±


    Madam Stockton sighed and turned away.


    Queenie followed her out of the room.


    Julie turned to John with a quick smile. ¡°Get some rest.¡±


    John answered politely, ¡°Yeah, you too.¡±


    Julie exited the room and closed the door shut.


    The room was quiet now.


    John bent over and slowly stroked his daughter¡¯s cheeks.


    He could still remember how tiny she was when he first brought her back. In the blink of an eye, she


    had turned two years old and grown into a healthy toddler.


    She was so tiny then and


    had grown so quickly, he did have to admit that it was getting impractical to drag her along with him everywhere he went. Still, as


    impractical as it was, it should not eliminate the option altogether.


    He would take her with him everywhere he went.


    Meanwhile, inside a hotel in Downton nchester.


    The rain pattered endlessly against the window pane.


    Sherry sat by the window with a ss of wine in hand, staring at the view outside.


    Her cheeks were flushed red from the wine and there was a tinge of drunkenness visible in her eyes.


    She could feel her head getting foggy and just as she was about to doze off to sleep, her phone suddenly rang.


    She quickly picked it up and took a look. It was an unknown number calling from nchester.


    She assumed that it must be work-rted, so she quickly shrugged her head and gently tapped her


    cheeks to sober up a little. After she felt a little more clear¡ª-headed, she put the phone to her ear. ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    ¡°Sherry, long time no see.¡± Answered the deep grumble of a man.


    Acold gust of wind seemed to gush in out of nowhere and seeped into her ears, instantly jolting her senses and helping sober he


    Tup.


    She felt a tremor in the center of her chest, then she


    smiled coyly. ¡°I was wondering who would call me at this hour, so it¡¯s the great Master Stockton himself. So, what do you want fro


    m me?¡±


    There was nothing but silence on the other end of the call.


    After several seconds, he chuckled. ¡°I haven''t seen you for two


    years and it seems like you grew pretty bold during your absence. | thought you wouldn''t pick up.¡±


    Sherry sneered and said sarcastically, ¡°You''re the great


    Master Stockton of nchester, | wouldn¡¯t dare ignore your call.¡±


    ¡°Looks like you grew quite the tongue too.¡±


    ¡°| did, thank you for thepliment.¡±


    John chuckled dryly.


    Sherry imitated his dry chuckle.


    John went straight to the point. ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I''m not home, do you need something from me?¡±


    ¡°Just so happens that | do.¡±


    ¡°What''s up?¡±


    ¡°We''ll talk in person,¡± he said nonchntly, ¡°Send me your address.¡±


    Sherry sounded just as disinterested as he did. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you want first? I¡¯m a little busy.¡±


    John smirked. ¡°Do you want to meet Caprice?¡±


    This got a reaction out of Sherry as she tightened her grip on the phone.


    John added, ¡°Send me the address if you want to see her.¡±


    Sherry took a breath and challenged him. ¡°I wouldn''t want to trouble you to make the trip out here to see me. Why don¡¯t you senc


    Chapter 1396


    There was a brief silence.


    John conceded. ¡°Alright, I''ll send you the


    address. I''ll be free at ten tomorrow morning,e to the appointed location tomorrow and I¡¯ll see you.¡± 1


    ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 1397

    Chapter 1397


    John swiftly hung up.


    Sherry immediately wiped the courteous smile off her face.


    What was with the sudden show of goodwill?


    Was he up to something?


    Ding!


    Her phone rang.


    It was a message from John, it contained an address.


    Sherry sent a short reply, ¡°Okay.¡±


    After that, she opened the maps application and looked up the address.


    Meanwhile, at John¡¯s house.


    John leaned against the wall on the balcony outside the bedroom and stared at Sherry¡¯s reply on the disy of his phone. His


    eyes slowly darkened and a grin met the corner of his cheeks.


    He called Peter.


    The call was answered swiftly. He instructed curtly,


    Let''s start making the preparations now. As soon as she shows up tomorrow, we¡¯re going to get her.¡±


    Peter replied, ¡°Alright, | got it.¡±


    With that, John put away his phone.


    The thought of finally being able to catch her tomorrow atst made him bubbly with joy. He could not deny the deep satisfaction


    it would give him.


    Two years.


    The wretched woman had disappeared for two whole years. She changed her phone number and did not see the thousands of


    messages he had sent to her old number over thest two years.


    He wondered how he should settle the score when he caught her tomorrow.


    Sherry made sure to set an rm before she slept.


    The next morning, she ended up waking up before the rm rang.


    She got up and quickly dressed. It did not take long before she walked out of the hotel.


    Acar was already waiting for her.


    She put on a hat and sunsses, then got into the car.


    She greeted Brandon the driver with a warm smile,


    ((


    Alright, let''s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, miss,¡± Brandon answered dutifully and started the engine.


    Sherry took a look at her phone to check the time.


    It was now nine in the morning. It was half an hour from the hotel to the location John had sent her.


    She answered some other messages on her phone before sending a message to John, ¡°Master Stockton, I¡¯m already on my way


    and will be there in about half an hour. Have you departed yet?¡±


    Within less than a minute, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m helping Caprice dress up. Be there soon.¡±


    A photo of Caprice was attached.


    The child had just woken up. Her bed hair was sprawled all over her head and there was still a deep drowsiness in her eyes.


    Sherry was enamored by the picture and could not stop staring at it.


    Half an hourter.


    Ata park located on the outskirts of nchester.


    Awhite car and a silver car swerved into opposite ends of the parking lot of the park at almost the same time.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Inside the silver car was John along with Caprice whom he held in one of his arms while he had a phone in his other hand.


    Caprice restedfortably in his arm and was nibbling some snacks. When the car stopped, she looked out the window, her


    large eyes painted with curiosity.


    Ding!


    John¡¯s phone rang.


    Caprice seemed intrigued by the ringing of the phone. She could not understand the contents of the message but shared her


    father¡¯s joy when she saw the wide smile on his face.


    She smiled and leaned into his arms contentedly.


    John had just received a message from Sherry that read, ¡± | just got here, are you here yet?¡±


    John patted the little girl¡¯s head with one hand while forming a reply on his phone with the other hand, ¡± Caprice and | will be


    there soon. What are you wearing?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°I¡¯m the one with curly hair, a red coat, and ck boots. I''ll be waiting for you at the entrance of the park.¡±

 Chapter 1398

    Chapter 1398


    Chapter 1398


    John¡¯s eyes immediately sharpened as he looked out the window toward the park¡¯s entrance.


    He immediately identified a young woman dressed in a red coat and ck leather boots. Her hair donned in a curly fashion, an


    exact fit of the description Sherry provided. She was walking toward the entrance of the park from the other side of the parking


    lot.


    From this angle, John could not make out her face due to the hair covering her side profile.


    However, he was sure that the figure resembled Sherry¡¯s.


    ¡°The big liar!¡± Caprice suddenly sprang out of her seat and gestured at thedy with her chubby fingers, identifying her as the


    liar.


    Prompted by this, John immediately sent a message to Peter, ¡°She¡¯s here, the one in the red coat.¡±


    As soon as the message was sent, dozens ofrge and fit bodyguards poured out of nowhere into the parking lot.


    In an instant, they had all rushed to Sherry¡¯s side and surrounded her, leaving no room for exit.


    Caprice seemedpletely taken unaware by this sudden. operation. Even her finger that was gesturing at the reddy had


    gone limp.


    John noticed this and hugged her while reassuring her. Caprice, don¡¯t worry. These are the good guys working for Daddy. They


    are going to help us catch the liar.¡±


    Caprice seemed consoled by this.


    Shortly after that, John¡¯s phone rang.


    It was Peter, who was with the crew of bodyguards as well.


    John answered the call and put the phone to his ear with a prideful smile, ¡°Tie her up and take her away.¡±


    ¡°Sir...¡± Peter hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is Miss Sherry.¡±


    The smile on John¡¯s mouth vanished immediately. ¡°What did you say? Come again?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t think... | don¡¯t think she¡¯s Miss Sherry.¡±


    John grimaced.


    He promptly hung up and put the phone away. He then got out of the car with Caprice.


    He marched toward the park entrance.


    When Peter and a group of bodyguards saw him approaching, they quickly got out of his way.


    The youngdy was being held down by two bodyguards and was protesting amid screams and shouts,pletely furious.


    ¡°Who are you people and what are you doing to me? You better let me go right now or else I''ll call the police!¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her screams were deafening.


    Amid her cries, she sensed John¡¯s approach and turned to look up at him.


    John was greeted by the sight of a woman who wore heavy makeup.


    His eyes gleamed with eyes.


    Caprice, who was in his arms murmured, ¡°She¡¯s not the liar.¡±


    The sharpness in John¡¯s eyes dissipated when he heard Caprice¡¯s warm and gentle voice.


    After a moment, he smiled at the woman they may have wrongfully captured and asked, ¡°Did Sherry send you here? Where is


    she now?¡±


    Thedy¡¯s eyes shed with rage as she said, ¡°What are you talking about? | don¡¯t know any Sherry.¡±


    ¡°Tell me where she is and I¡¯ll pay you ten thousand dors for the information. Otherwise-¡± His voice dragged off for a moment


    before he continued icily, ¡°I''ll have someone banish you from the city. You''ll never get toe back again.¡±


    This warning seemed to work as thedy immediately grew frantic.


    Surrounded by so many people, she was already


    frightened enough before John¡¯s arrival. Now that John had threatened her, she no longer dared to conjure lies and immediately


    owned up to everything. ¡°A youngdy named Fowler contacted me and told me she¡¯d pay me two thousand bucks if I''d walk


    through this park in this dress at an appointed time. She didn¡¯t tell me anything else, not even a word on why we were doing this.


    I have no idea where she is now!¡±


    John squinted with suspicion. ¡°You were hired by her?¡± Thedy hurriedly answered, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! | work at the club and this


    Miss Fowler suddenly came up to me at the end of my shift and briefed me on what | needed to do. She gave me two thousand


    dors on the spot and told me that if | followed through, she¡¯d give me another two thousand. Naturally, | did as | was told.¡±


    ¡°Did youe with her?¡±


    ¡°No, | took a taxi by myself. She told me to be here at nine -thirty,¡± she said as she reached for her phone and opened her chat


    logs with Sherry as evidence. ¡°Look, | was talking with her just now.¡±


    John looked at the phone.


    Their exchange had taken ce only several minutes ago. It was Sherry who texted her first, ¡°You can head over


    there now. Just walk into the park through the main entrance.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all | need to do? Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just find somece nice to sit and hang around. Make sure you puff up your hair to the sides so it¡¯s not easy to make out


    your side profile.¡±


    ¡°Miss Sherry, why are you asking me to do something so bizarre? Are you sure it¡¯s not going to be dangerous?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,


    you''ll be fine.¡±

 Chapter 1399

    Chapter 1399


    Chapter 1399


    That was the end of their conversation.


    Something ominous shone inside his eyes, and a menacing smile formed on his lips.


    The youngdy was frightened by his demeanor and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Sir, everything | told you is the truth. Could you


    please let me go?¡±


    John eyed the bodyguards pinning her down. ¡°Let her go.¡±


    The bodyguard did as they were told.


    The woman scuttled out of the scene.


    An oppressing silence took over.


    Peter and the crew of bodyguards stood silently, not one of them dared to utter a word.


    Caprice looked up at John and seemed like she could not make out what the situation was.


    John sighed and took his phone out of his pocket. He promptly dialed Sherry¡¯s number.


    Meanwhile, a white car parked no less than ten meters away from them in the parking lot.


    risp ring broke through the silence inside the car.


    Sherry hesitated briefly before holding the phone to her ear.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She looked out the window and eyed John¡¯s figure


    standing tall with Caprice in his arms. John asked in aid back manner, ¡°Sherry, where are you? Why can¡¯t | see you


    anywhere?¡±


    Heh, he sure could act.


    Sherry answered, ¡°I thought you saw me just now?¡±


    John scoffed. ¡°Heh... Don¡¯t you want to see your daughter anymore?¡±


    Sherry scoffed back at him. ¡°I''d see her if you would let me.¡±


    John invited her graciously. ¡°Come over here now and I''ll let you see her.¡±


    Sherry scowled. ¡°You have so many of your men surrounding you. What are the chances | get to walk away in one piece if |


    show up?¡±


    She had only finished her sentence when John suddenly swung around and faced her general direction.


    Sherry crouched down instantly.


    It was only after she instinctively ducked out of his vision that she remembered the windows of the car were tinted. There was


    not a chance someone outside could make out the person inside the car.


    She slowly rose and looked out the window again.


    John was still standing there with his posse crowded around him like a bunch ofp dogs.


    Caprice looked as wonderfully innocent as ever in his arms.


    Sherry stared at Caprice.


    John finally spoke again, he smiled hideously, ¡°Sherry, you sure did change in thesest two years.¡±


    Sherry chuckled sarcastically. ¡°I only have you to thank for my growth. Without your nurturing, | wouldn¡¯t be who | am


    today.¡±


    John scoffed dryly.


    Sherry sneered at him.


    John suddenly spoke, ¡°I''ll give you another ten seconds to reconsider. If you still don¡¯t decide to show up, don¡¯t ever consider


    showing your face around me again.¡±


    Immediately after that, hemenced the countdown.¡± Ten, nine, eight...¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    What, was she expected to step into the lion¡¯s den like a fool?


    John continued, ¡°Four, three!¡±


    He suddenly slowed down, his voice grew severe.


    Sherry pursed her lips tightly and remained silent.


    Atst, he had reached the end of the countdown. ¡°One!¡±


    Nothing but an eerie silence.


    The silence would havested till the end of eternity if not for John shattering it with a chilling threat. ¡°Good job, Sherry. You


    better not show your face around me ever again. I''ll chop your feet off if | ever see you lurking around!¡±

 Chapter 1400

    Chapter 1400


    With that, the call was rudely cut off.


    Sherry watched as John took Caprice with him and strode into the parking lot.


    The closer he got, the more visible his enraged expression became.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice, clutched in his arms, seemed to be able to sense his fuming emotions. She grabbed tightly onto his cor and gaped at


    him meekly.


    Soon, the figures of the father and daughter walked past Sherry¡¯s car and entered the silver car parked on the other end of the


    parking lot.


    Shortly after that, the car rewved its engines and drove away.


    Peter and the crew of bodyguards entered their respective vehicles as well and drove away.


    Sherry heaved a sigh of relief. She dropped her hand that was still clenching the phone up till this point.


    After a while, she turned to the driver. ¡°Let''s go back, Brandon.¡±


    Brandon nced at her through the rearview mirror and answered in a low voice, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Inside the silver car coursing down the highway.


    It was still and quiet.


    Both the driver and the bodyguard in the passenger seat felt like they were suffocating underneath this tense atmosphere. They


    had to temper the pace of their breathing for fear of upsetting John.


    The pressure only grew heavier as time went on to the point where they felt like they were being crushed.


    Just as they were about to break down from the sheer pressure, a honeyed voice suddenly chirped. ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Caprice had been wanting to ask this for a while and could not keep it inside her any longer. She turned to John nkly.


    John softened up immediately, the dull and gloomy air surrounding him seemed to scatter away.


    He made himself smile and assured Caprice. ¡°Daddy is fine.¡±


    Caprice stared at him as if scrutinizing him with her eyes. ¡°If Daddy isn¡¯t happy, Caprice won''t be happy either.¡±


    She pouted as she said this and looked upset.


    John smiled and brushed her cheeks. ¡°Daddy isn¡¯t upset because of you.¡±


    Caprice chirped. ¡°I know that, but | don¡¯t want Daddy to be upset at all.¡±


    As if by magic, John suddenly calmed downpletely.


    He inched his head toward Caprice. ¡°Daddy might feel better if Caprice would give me a kiss.¡±


    Smooch!


    Without any hesitation, Caprice pursed her lips and nted a kiss on John¡¯s cheek.


    John was very satisfied.


    Upon seeing John¡¯s earnest smile, Caprice grinned from


    ear to ear, revealing a row of milky white teeth.


    She was very sweet when she smiled, like a sun irradiating John¡¯s mood.


    The sinking feeling in his chest was instantly swept away. He gave Caprice a gentle kiss on the cheek as well.


    The girl giggled with joy and buried herself in her father¡¯s arm and snickered like a little gremlin.


    John was sopletely bedazzled by her adorable behavior and could not stopughing.


    The atmosphere inside the car became one filled with warmth and love.


    The driver and bodyguard up ahead both heaved a silent sigh of relief.


    Meanwhile, Sherry had just got back to the hotel when she received a message from Sylvia.


    Sylvia was checking up on her to see how she was getting along in nchester.


    Sherry replied, ¡°Hey Sylvia, everything is fine here in nchester. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Have you seen Caprice yet?¡±


    The mention of Caprice filled Sherry¡¯s eyes with tears. She replied, ¡°I saw her. | saw her twice, actually.¡±


    Sylvia was very concerned. ¡°Did John see you?¡±


    Sherry informed, ¡°He knows I¡¯m here but he hasn¡¯t seen me.¡±


    Sylvia did not have much to say after that. It seemed like she did not know how to respond either.

 Chapter 1401

    Chapter 1401


    Sherryughed and asked, ¡°Syl, have you and Master Cartere back from your vacation?¡±


    Sylvia replied, "We got homest night.¡±


    Sherry said, "Have you guys rified everything clearly this time?"


    "Yeah, he promised me that there won''t be a next time."


    Sherry was amused. "Okay."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia asked, "Sherry, he''s always keeping Caprice by his side. It''s not a long-term solution for you to keep finding the child behind his back. Do you want to try to talk to him?"


    Sherry thought of the scene she had just seen outside the park. If she had not used a body double and gone there herself, she would have been locked up by him again now.


    ¡®When she contacted himst night, she did not say anything harsh to him on the phone, and she supposed that her tone was quite amicable. However, that damned man still wanted to


    nab her.


    ¡®Was it even possible to talk to him?


    ¡®Sherry frowned and said, "| know, Syl. I''ll think about it again


    Sylvia replied, "Okay."


    Sherry put her phone away.


    On the other end of the phone, Sylvia, who was far away in the old Carters'' mansion in Westchester, was surrounded by Flint,


    Isabel, and Liam.


    Ever since she and Odell came backst night, the three little ones had be limpets.


    Flint always followed behind her. Isabel and Liam were not clingy, but she could see them around wherever she went. It was


    most likely because she had been away for too long this time.


    At this moment, right as she put down her phone after chatting with Sherry, Flint''s little head peeked out from her side, and his


    hand held up a piece of drawing paper. "Mommy, this is the drawing | just finished.¡±


    He looked at her with bright and shining eyes, his face looking like it was begging for praise.


    Sylvia smiled and took the drawing into her hand.


    There was no sense or skill in the drawing. It was all kinds of different colors and shapes gathered in one space, so she did not


    know what he was trying to draw. However, the colorfulness was full of childishness and was very cute.


    Sheughed and said, "You''re a great painter, Flint."


    "Really?" Flint added, ¡°But | don''t think the drawing is very good."


    Sylvia''s eyes lit up, and she asked with a smile, "Do you like drawing?"


    Flint quickly said, "Yeah, | like drawing!"


    Sylvia smiled and touched his little face. "It''s true that you don''t have many skills now, but


    Mommy can teach you.¡±


    Flint''s dim eyes lit up. ¡°Okay! Thank you, Mommy!"


    "Hmph."


    Suddenly, a displeased harrumph came from behind.


    Sylvia turned her head to look at Isabel.


    Before she could speak, Flint asked Isabel with a puzzled look on his face, "Why are you scoffing? Did | do something wrong?" "Stop pretending in front of me, you fatty, or I''ll whoop.


    your butt!" Isabel raised her little fist at him.


    Sylvia did not know if Flint was really scared or just deliberately pretending to be pitiful in front of her, but he burrowed into her arms, hugging her and screaming, "Mommy, save me.


    Isabel is going to beat me againt


    Isabel crossed her arms and looked at him. Fatso, you''ve been clinging to Mommy all night sincest night, and you''ve been clinging to her since morning until now. How much longer


    are you going to stick to her?"


    Flint¡¯srge eyes were watery. ¡°Isabel, | just wanted to show Mommy the picture I drew.¡±


    Isabel exposed him mercilessly. ¡°Don''t think | don''t know what you''re thinking. You just want to find an excuse for Mommy to keep youpany.¡±


    Flint''srge eyes looked around, then he said,


    "Do you want Mommy to keep youpany too? Then, you can show Mommy the picture you drew." Isabel instantly choked


    Then, she reached out and grabbed Flint!


    Flint instantly shed to Sylvia''s other side like a big nimble rabbit.


    Isabel missed her mark and went after him


    The siblings ran around Sylvia


    Sylvia''s lips twitched, and she said helplessly,


    "Okay, you''ll all go to the studio with me. I''m not going anywhere today. I''l teach you to draw at home."

 Chapter 1402

    Chapter 1402


    Flint stopped in his tracks and sweetly responded, "Okay..."


    Isabel also stopped, but her little eyebrows wrinkled. Her expression seemed a bit unhappy.


    Sylvia smiled and asked her, ¡°Isabel, do you not want to go to the studio with Mommy?¡± Isabel pursed her lips. "That''s not it."


    Sylvia smiled. "Then,e to the studio with me today."


    With that, she stood up.


    Then, she saw Liam standing by the door. The little guy''s straight figure was leaning against the door frame, one hand holding a


    book as he read.


    Sylvia smiled and asked him, "Liam, do you want to go to the studio with me?"


    Liam looked at her. "Okay."


    To prevent the two siblings from fighting again, Sylvia held Isabel in one hand and Flint in the other and took the three of them up


    to the studio on the third floor.


    Throughout the day, Flint was so happy that he drew several paintings.


    Isabel looked upset at her own unpleasant paintings, and her little face was smeared with color.


    Liam sat quietly on the side and drew a beautiful starry sky under Sylvia''s guidance.


    The trio''s drawing skills were clear to see.


    Liam had the most potential, Flint was quite interested, and Isabel... forget it. It was better not to speak about it.


    When it was getting dark, Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Okay, that''s all for today."


    Isabel immediately put down her brush and got up to run to her, but suddenly saw the figure by the door. Her eyes lit up, and she


    called out, "Daddy."


    Then, she ran over to him.


    Sylvia quickly turned around and saw that Odell hade in at some point. He wore a slim ck suit, and his tall and straight


    figure stood by the door.


    When Isabel ran to him, he took out his hand from his pocket and rubbed the paint off her face with a smile.


    Noticing Sylvia''s gaze, he quickly looked at her again and smiled in a gentle and seductive way.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Daddy..." Liam also saw him and immediately ran toward him fawningly.


    Isabel crossed her arms and stood in front of Odell, herrge eyes looking at him coldly.


    No one could tell if Flint was scared by Isabel or being coldly ignored by his father, but he pursed his lips and returned to Sylvia''s


    side. Sylvia smiled and held one of his hands.


    Liam also put down his brush and walked over. Sylvia stroked his head and looked at Odell. " When did youe back?¡±


    He said, "Ten minutes ago."


    She asked, "Why didn''t you say anything?"


    Odell smiled. "I didn''t want to disturb you."


    Sylvia smiled and looked at him, then said, " We''re done here. Let''s go down to eat."


    "Okay." He held Isabel''s hand.


    Sylvia held Flint and Liam and followed behind the father and daughter, and quickly went downstairs to the living room.


    Three dayster, in nchester, heavy snowfall turned nchester into a world of ice and snow.


    Sherry had been cooped up in the hotel for a few days.


    Watching the snow outside stop, she put on her coat and walked out, wanting to get some air.


    It was the time when day turned to night. The sky was full of clouds, and the orange sunset was reflected on the snowy surface.


    The scenery was beautiful.


    Coincidentally, Sherry had juste out of the elevator on the first floor when she saw a group of neatly dressed people pouring


    in through the door. They were all going in the same direction.


    There was probably some kind of event going on

 Chapter 1403

    Chapter 1403


    Sherry waited until most of the people came in before heading outside.


    At that moment, several people who wereing through the door were talking as they passed her.


    ¡®Sherry heard what they were saying.


    ¡°Is it true that Master Stockton wille tonight? | heard that he basically stopped attending evening events after he had his daughter."


    "| heard from Peter that he wille. Today is the eighth anniversary of ourpany in nchester. He''ll definitelye over."


    Sherry could not help but stop in her tracks. Were these all Stockton Tower employees?


    John wasing over, so he would bring Caprice over as well, right?


    ¡®Sherry immediately pulled her scarf up and followed them to a banquet hall


    There was a waiter at the entrance of the hall checking their invitations. She could not


    sneak in, so she returned to the entrance of the hotel and found a sofa to sit on.


    She was not far from the door and could see the peopleing through it at a nce. However, she was in a corner, so she


    would not be easily noticed by the peopleing in.


    When it was almost dark, a familiar silver MPV stopped outside the hotel entrance.


    Sherry secretly looked over.


    Peter and two bodyguards got out of the car. Then, John, who was wearing a luxury suit, got down. He did not rush in. After


    getting out of the car, he reached out into the car again.


    Soon, Caprice, who wore two pigtails and a red princess dress was taken into his arms. The little girl''s skin was as fair as snow,


    but her face was pink and dewy. Her eyes wererge and clear, and with her little red mouth, she looked simply lovely.


    When John carried her in, the father and daughter''s figures instantly attracted the attention of all the people around.


    Soon, many people recognized him as the richest man in nchester and hurriedly withdrew their gazes.


    The hotel manager also greeted him personally.


    John carried Caprice and walked straight to the banquet hall at the back while being apanied by the hotel manager.


    Sherry secretly stared at them. When their figures disappeared in the corridor, she withdrew her eyes and got up to walk toward


    the venue.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    The venue had two doors; one entrance and one exit, but both were guarded by a security guard and a waiter.


    Sherry stood in the dark and stared at them.


    After almost half an hour, they were still standing in their positions. None of them had left.


    She frowned and wondered if she should think of a way to lure them away.


    However, at that moment, a small red figure came out from the entrance.


    Itwas Caprice.


    Sherry''s eyes lit up, and she immediately wanted to walk over.


    However, in the next second, John''s slender figure also walked out from the entrance. He slowed down his steps and walked just half a meter away from Caprice, matching her siow


    pace.


    There was no hint of impatience. There was only a face full of doting


    Sherry stood unmoving


    ¡®When the father and daughter walked along the corridor to the back garden of the hotel, Sherry took a step and quietly followed them.


    In order to preserve the winter scene, the snow in the back garden was not cleared. The tree branches on thewn and the garden were full of snow.


    John wrapped his jacket around Caprice.


    The little girl was suddenly dressed in an oversized coat and looked like a little penguin, jumping up and down on the snow.


    Soon, there was a neat row of small footprints left on the t snow.


    Perhaps because she felt that stepping on the


    snow was fun, she started to giggle to herself even though no one was teasing her. Not far away, the man suddenly smiled and squatted on the ground, waving at her. "Come to Daddy,


    Caprice."

 Chapter 1404

    Chapter 1404


    Caprice stomped and ran toward him. Her little figure ran quite fast, and in the blink of an eye, she ran up to him and crashed into his arms.


    Then, she knocked him to the ground with a thump.


    John leaned back and fell into the snow.


    Caprice was confused for a moment before she grinned and started to giggle. She was clearly delighted.


    ¡®Sherry watched all of this. She could not help but let out a snicker.


    In the snow, the father and daughter who fell on the ground immediately turned their heads to look over.


    Sherry''s expression changed, and she quickly tumed her head and hid in a safe corridor.


    Outside, in the snow, John carried Caprice up.


    Caprice was still craning her next, looking in the direction where theughter came from. When she did not see anyone, she frowned and said, ¡°Daddy, | heard someoneughing."


    John held her with one hand, put his sses on with the other, and stood up with her in his arms. He said, ¡°Daddy heard it too."


    The little girl muttered in confusion, ¡°But | didn''t see anyone there."N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "She was afraid we''d find out and ran away."


    "Oh." The little girl''s curiosity was limited, so she did not ask anymore. She looked at him bashfully. "Daddy, did you get hurt? |


    didn''t mean to knock into you."


    John pinched her little face and smiled. ¡° Daddy is fine."


    The little girl looked slow and weak, but the impact when she collided with people was really not that insignificant.


    He wondered if it was because she had gotten fatter again.


    He looked in the direction where Sherry stood and said to Caprice, "Caprice, you promised Daddy that you''d only y for ten


    minutes. Time''s up now. Are you going to go back inside with Daddy now?"


    Caprice pursed her lips. "Okay."


    "Good girl." John hugged her tightly and walked into the hotel, heading in the direction of the banquet hall.


    His orderly footsteps passed outside the door of the safety exit where Sherry was hiding.


    Sherry immediately released the breath she was holding.


    After a while, when his footsteps werepletely gone, she pushed open the door in front of her and walked out.


    The corridor was quiet.


    The path went straight to John''s banquet.


    Sherry wanted to see Caprice, so she tugged the scarf up again and walked forward, pretending to be a passerby.


    The hotel was brightly lit and warm.


    Soon, she walked to the entrance of the hall.


    She stopped and turned her head to look inside. The hall was full of people who were chatting with sses of wine.


    Sherry searched for a long time but could not find John and Caprice. Did they go somewhere else to y?


    "Looking for us, Sherry?"


    In the silent air, a man¡¯s low and pleasant voice suddenly sounded


    Sherry froze and turned her head to see John, who was standing two meters to her left. He leaned against the wall while holding Caprice.


    His gold-rimmed sses contrasted against his fair skin as he curled his lips, and theers of his eyes held a smile that could not be hidden


    However, that smile only made Sherry''s body shiver.


    She paled and immediately tried to run


    However, before she could take a step, several bodyguards suddenly emerged from the side and surrounded her.


    Judging by the situation, she had no way to run. She simply pulled off her scarf and revealed her face to look at him


    John narrowed his eyes, but his lips were still curled into a smile


    Sherry also smiled at him. ¡°Good evening, Master Stockton."


    ¡°it''s the liar." Caprice, who was sitting in his arms, suddenly raised her hand and pointed at Sherry. Sherry''s heart clenched. She hurriedly looked at the child and said, ¡°Caprice, I''m not


    aliar

 Chapter 1405

    Chapter 1405


    John did not let Sherry finish and said to Caprice, "Yes, she''s that liar.¡±


    Caprice pouted her small lips and looked at Sherry, huffing in anger.


    Her expression seemed to say, ¡®Don''t even think of lying to me again, you liar!


    Sherry only felt like there was a thorn stuck in her throat. She clenched her hands, but not long after, she smiled at Caprice again. * Caprice, I''m really not a liar. I''m your¡ª"


    John interrupted her again, "She''s a liar, Caprice."


    Caprice immediately raised her small hands to cover her ears. After looking at Sherry again, she twisted her face and buried it into John''s neck as if saying that she would not be fooled


    again


    John revealed a satisfied smile and looked at Sherry.


    Sherry could not help but re at him then opened her mouth and shouted, "I''m your mother, Caprice!"


    Caprice, who was covering her ears, suddenly turned her face to look at Sherry.


    John frowned. He clearly did not expect Sherry to shout and quickly pressed Caprice''s head back with one hand. Then, he


    ordered the bodyguards next to him coldly, "Hold her down and gag her!"


    The bodyguards immediately stepped forward and pinned Sherry down.


    Sherry struggled and looked at Caprice. " Caprice, I''m really your Mom- mmph!"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As the bodyguards sealed her mouth with tape, and her hands were also tied behind her with a rope, Sherry could only look at


    Caprice with wide eyes.


    The girl seemed to want to look at her, but the back of her head was pressed by John''srge hand, so she could not turn at all.


    Sherry could only re at John in anger.


    John curled his lips and smiled as if he wasughing at how she had finally fallen into his hands again. His expression was filled


    with triumph.


    At that moment, a bodyguard pinning Sherry down asked, "Master Stockton, where do you want her?"


    Sherry instantly frowned and red at John again.


    John nced at her, and his smile turned slightly colder. "Lock her up in the car first. I''ll deal with her after the banquet."


    sean


    The two bodyguards pulled Sherry forward. Sherry held back her anger. At present, the only thing she could do was follow them.


    Several bodyguards soon escorted her out. When her figure was gone, John finally loosened the back of Caprice''s head.


    The little girl immediately turned her head and looked around. When she did not see Sherry, her expression appeared


    disappointed, and she looked at John.


    "Daddy, | heard what she said." Caprice''s eyes were watery with anticipation. "She said she''s my Mommy. Is that true?¡¯


    John frowned. He did not want to lie to her, but he did not want to let that cruel woman who left for two years get her way so easily.


    After a long silence, he smiled and said, Caprice, can Daddy not answer this question for now?"


    Caprice let out a hum and pressed her face back on his shoulder. Her watery eyes lit up. ''If she weren''t my Mommy, Daddy would''ve definitely said so. In other words, that liar is my


    Mommy.¡¯


    Sherry was shoved into an ordinary car. This car looked like the kind of vehicle that bodyguards usually drove.


    The bodyguards did not enter. After pushing her in, they closed the door and stood guard outside.


    The cold night and lights reflected the cool color of the snow.


    There was no heating in the car, so Sherry''s hands and feet soon started to freeze.


    The bodyguards outside were like statues, refusing to listen to her. Sherry knocked on the window for a while before her anger defiated


    She curled up into a ball with her neck shrunken, looking quietly at the entrance of the hotel

 Chapter 1406

    Chapter 1406


    About an hour passed before Sherry saw Johne out with Caprice in his arms.


    In the night, the little girl was wrapped in his jacket with her face tilted on his shoulder, sleeping soundly.


    John walked steadily and soon arrived at the parking lot.


    Peter and a bodyguard walked beside him.


    In a short while, he carried Caprice to his car.


    Peter opened the door for him.


    The corners of his lips curled up slightly as he looked into the car.


    In an instant, his expression turned cold, and he nced at the bodyguards standing beside him. "Where''s Sherry?"


    The bodyguards froze at the same time.


    One of them pointed to the ck car behind them. "Master Stockton, Ms. Fowler is in that car. Do you want her to be brought to


    your car?"


    John looked at the car.


    The bodyguard immediately opened the door on Sherry''s side.


    The light from the outside shone into the car, and Sherry''s drowsy appearance with her neck shrunken was immediately reflected


    in the man''s eyes.


    He narrowed his eyes. "Carry her over." "Yes, sir."


    The two bodyguards lifted Sherry out.


    She slept deeply. There were no signs of her waking up even after the back of her head knocked on the car seat when the


    bodyguards threw her into John''s car. John nced at her meaningfully and sat down on the seat next to her with Caprice in his


    arms.


    The bodyguard and Peter also got into the car.


    The engine soon started. Warm air also quickly filled the entire car.


    Caprice''s sleepy face grew rosy. John wrapped one arm around her and reached out toward Sherry with his other hand.


    Riiip.


    He tore off the tape on her mouth.


    At the same time, his fingers also unintentionally brushed her face which was cold and icy.


    He frowned and looked at her cheeks that had gone purple from the cold, and said, "Stop acting, Sherry."


    Sherry closed her eyes and did not respond .


    John chuckled and once again reached out toward her.


    Smack! Smack!


    He pped her face twice.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Sherry still did not react.


    John looked at her hands that were tied with rope. His gaze flickered, and he reached out to untie the rope on her hands.


    Then, he said, "You can open your eyes now."


    However, he was still answered by her motionless appearance. If he did not know her infuriating nature, he would have been


    fooled by her. The corner of his lips curled, and he brought his hand to her cold cheek again.


    Smack! Smack!


    He pped her continuously.


    Sherry, who was pretending to be asleep, thought, ''This piece of sh*t...¡¯


    Her face grew hot after a while, but he did not seem to stop anytime soon. Sherry could not hold back anymore and opened her


    eyes, stretching her hand out to p his face.


    Bam.


    Her hand was caught red-handed in mid-air.


    Sherry''s expression changed, and she immediately tried to draw her hand back.

 Chapter 1407

    Chapter 1407


    Chapter 1407


    John curled his lips into a wicked smile and did not release his grip.


    Sherry used all her strength but could not break free. Her throat choked for a moment before she smiled at him. ¡°Master


    Stockton, we''re alone here. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to cling to my hand like this.¡±


    John smirked and let her go.


    Sherry immediately withdrew her hand and sat up straight, then looked over at Caprice in his arms.


    John turned so that his back was facing her.


    In his other arm, Caprice was blocked by his figure, thus Sherry could not see the girl at all.


    She could only move sideways and only stop until she was almost pressing onto him. Then, she raised her chin and saw the


    girl¡¯s sleeping


    face through his neckline.


    Her eyshes were thick and curved, and the tip of her nose and lips were red and moist. She was absolutely adorable.


    Sherry loved her the more she looked at her. The corners of her mouth curled up uncontrobly, and she reached out from


    John¡¯s shoulder to poke at the girl¡¯s fleshy face.


    Smack!


    Just when her finger was just an inch away from Caprice¡¯s face, the back of her hand was pped hard.


    John, who hit her, turned his head and gave her a sidelong nce. ¡°Do you want to say goodbye to your hand?¡± How dare she


    poke his precious daughter?


    Sherry gritted her teeth and retracted her hand. However, she could not help but mutter, gave birth to her. She¡¯s my daughter


    too."


    ¡®T


    John looked tenderly at the sleeping Caprice with a gentle expression and said coldly, ¡°You gave birth to her, but then you


    immediately abandoned her two years ago. She''s mine alone.¡±


    Sherry gnashed her teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t abandon her. You stole her.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    John turned his head and narrowed his eyes, looking at her grimly. ¡°Which eye of yours saw me stealing her?¡±


    ¡°Both my eyes saw-¡± She choked up in the


    middle of her sentence.


    Two years ago, he had led people to break into the confinement center, and she had run away in fear of being locked up by him


    again.


    He had taken Caprice away after that. Indeed,


    he had not stolen her.


    John looked at her with a smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you finish your sentence?¡±


    Sherry frowned and said nothing.


    The atmosphere in the car was quiet for a moment.


    Then, John¡¯s gaze turned cold, and he said icily, ¡°Not only did | not steal the child from you, but | even gave you a chance to turn


    over a new leaf ande back to me. However, you refused and even ran away while abandoning


    Caprice.


    ¡°Now, you''re calling her your daughter? What have you done in the past two years?¡± His voice turned cold and dark at the end.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    In her current situation, she should not be shing with him head-on. However, the anger in her heart grew, and she simply


    could not hold back anymore.


    She red at him. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t brought your people into the confinement center two years ago, | wouldn¡¯t have run away.


    Although you


    didn¡¯t steal her explicitly, | wouldn''t have left her behind if you hadn¡¯t gone looking for me! | wouldn¡¯t have been separated from


    her for two years!¡±


    The spacious carriage suddenly became quiet.


    Sherry red at him with red eyes.


    John¡¯s gaze also turned chilly.


    After a long moment, he suddenly smiled and asked her, ¡°Sherry, have | been treating you too kindly?¡±


    How dare she say that he had separated the mother and daughter?!


    Back then, he had clearly chased her to the road and shouted for her toe back!


    Was she so stupid to have forgotten all of that?


    His smile was gloomy and frightening.


    Sherry instantly returned to her senses. She swallowed her anger and smiled at him. ¡°I was wrong back then. You''re the richest


    man


    in nchester. Surely, you¡¯re magnanimous and won¡¯t lower yourself to argue with someone like me, right?¡±


    She smiled tteringly.


    Johnughed. ¡°I¡¯m magnanimous, but I¡¯m only magnanimous to everyone except you.


    Sherry paused. ¡°Hahaha. What are you talking about? | don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What | mean is that it''s toote now. Even if you cry and kneel and beg me, | won''t give you another chance. Just give up.¡± The


    smile between his lips turned cold, and his voice was extraordinarily icy. ¡°You''ll never be acknowledged as Caprice¡¯s mother in


    your


    life.¡±

 Chapter 1408

    Chapter 1408


    Chapter 1408


    An invisible cold wind seemed to stab her heart.


    Sherry¡¯s chest felt suffocated.


    After a long time, her mood calmed down a bit. The corners of her lips tugged down as she asked, ¡°Then, why are you still going


    to such great lengths to catch me?¡±


    John¡¯s face went cold.


    Sherry smiled at him and looked at Caprice in his arms.


    If he did not catch her, how would she have the chance to look at her baby girl so closely?


    The atmosphere was quiet again for a while.


    The man¡¯s lips curled up in an evil and dangerous smirk. ¡°Stop the car.¡±


    The driver immediately pulled over.


    He looked at Sherry and said, ¡°Peter, get out and open the door on her side.¡±


    From the passenger seat, Peter immediately got out of the car and pulled open the door next to Sherry. The cold whistling wind


    instantly blew in.


    John hugged Caprice in his arms tightly and pressed closer to Sherry.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze flickered, and she asked with a smile, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    She subconsciously moved back as she spoke.


    When she was just about to reach the car door,


    John stopped.


    ¡°Get out,¡± he said to her with a smile.


    Sherry thought she heard wrong. ¡°What did you s¡ª¡±


    Bam!


    Before she could finish her sentence, he


    kicked her buttocks with one foot.


    Sherry¡¯s body lurched as he kicked her out. Then, she fell to the cold hard ground outside and rolled several times before she


    stopped.


    By the time she got up wretchedly, the silver MPV was already driving away.


    Her eyes were wide open and confused for a long time. She could not help but scream, You piece of sh*t! I¡¯m not done with


    you!¡±


    Inside the silver MPV, the man¡¯s eyes were


    focused on the rearview mirror. When he saw her angry look with her hands nted on her hips, a smile instantly curled on his


    lips.


    However, when the car turned a corner and she was no longer visible in the mirror, his face turned cold again.


    That infuriating woman thought he still thought of her and wanted to take her back?


    In her dreams!


    Sherry had no choice but to call a cab to go back to the hotel.


    Although she really wanted to beat up that damned man, it was good that he did not have the intention to take her away and lock


    her up.


    In the future, she did not have to hide from him anymore. She could walk around


    nchester freely.


    At that thought, her displeasure at being kicked out of the car by him disappeared.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    After taking a hot shower, she sat down at her desk to work on a few documents, then started to think about how to find Caprice


    again.


    Meanwhile, John returned to the Stocktons residence with Caprice in his arms.


    Madam Stockton and Julie came up to him.


    Madam Stockton looked at the sleeping Caprice and nagged, ¡°John, why did youe back sote tonight? Have you and


    Caprice had dinner?¡±


    John replied, ¡°There was some business to attend to outside. We already ate.¡±


    Seeing Caprice¡¯s red face, Madam Stockton said with some heartache, ¡°The temperature will drop again in a few days, and it


    seems there¡¯ll be several days of continuous snowfall. Children have poor immune


    systems. Why don¡¯t you keep Caprice at home for a few days and stop taking her outside for a while?¡±


    John stopped and looked at her.

 Chapter 1409

    Chapter 1409


    Madam Stockton was staring at Caprice.


    John said nothing and handed the girl to his mother.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s eyes lit up, and she


    immediately held Caprice like treasure. She stopped telling John to leave the girl at home again.


    After a while, they walked into John¡¯s yard together.


    The house was heated and warm.


    Julie subconsciously reached toward John to help him get his coat.


    John smiled faintly at her, turned, and handed her the coat. Julie then hung the coat on the hanger beside him.


    Madam Stockton held Caprice and sat down on the sofa, staring at the girl¡¯s cute and chubby face with joy.


    Seeing this, Julie whispered to John, ¡°John, it really will cool down in a few days. Mom likes Caprice a lot. Why don¡¯t you leave


    her home for a few days? Don¡¯t worry. We''ll take good care of her.¡±


    John looked at Caprice, who was being held by Madam Stockton. His eyes softened, and he said in a gentle and pleasant voice,


    ¡°| know you can take care of her, but she can¡¯t live without me for the time being.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°John, Caprice can¡¯t follow you for the rest of her life. You have many matters to attend to as well, so it¡¯s not good for her to


    follow you around all the time.¡± Julie¡¯s expression changed slightly, and her voice became cautious. ¡°I''ll say something you might


    not want to hear. A child not only needs thepany of their father but also of their mother.¡±


    John¡¯s expression instantly turned cold.


    Julie did not dare to look at him and quickly said, ¡°What | mean is, although her mother won¡¯te back, there¡¯s still Mom,


    Queenie, and me around. Mom likes her so much, and Queenie is a good aunt. Plus, | can¡¯t have a child of my own anymore...


    John¡¯s eyes flickered, and he frowned at her. ¡± Julie, you...¡±


    ¡°John.¡± Julie raised her head and looked at him with a gentle and sincere expression. ¡°I also really like Caprice. If you leave her


    at home, I''ll definitely treat her as my own daughter and do my best to take good care of her so that she not only has a father¡¯s


    love but a mother¡¯s love as well.¡±


    John pursed his lips and smiled at her. ¡±


    You''re still young. If you want, | can pick a good man in nchester for you.


    ¡°No.¡± Julie frowned, and her face turned serious for a moment. ¡°John, | want to stay by


    Mom''s side to help her and you take care of the family business.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± John did not say anything else in the face of her obstinance and was about to walk away.


    ¡°John,¡± Julie hurriedly called him.


    John looked at her.


    She smiled and asked, ¡°Can you leave Caprice at home for a few days?¡±


    ¡°| know you care about Caprice, but her mother is still in this world. You don¡¯t have to worry about Caprice that much.¡±


    Then, he walked toward Madam Stockton and Caprice.


    Julie¡¯s face stiffened, and the look in her eyes darkened uncontrobly. More than two years had passed, but he was still waiting


    for that woman to return!


    The next day, Sherry got up not long after dawn.


    She took a car to Stockton Tower in the city.


    The security of the building was very strict. She could not go inside since she was not an employee, so she could only hide


    behind the wall not far away from the door. She waited for almost two hours in the cold wind before she saw John¡¯s car.


    After the car stopped outside the entrance, the security guard quickly went forward to open the door.


    John carried Caprice and got out of the car.


    The little girl seemed to want to walk on her own, so he put her on the ground.


    She let out a small yawn into the cold air and then walked slowly toward the entrance of the building.


    She wore a small red coat that came down to her ankles. On her head was a red trapper hat, and on her feet were a pair of small


    red boots.


    Her fully red attire made her chubby cheeks look even fairer. She was incredibly cute.


    Sherry was mesmerized at a nce and stared at her daughter in fascination.


    Ashort whileter, when the little girl was about to walk to the steps of the entrance, herrge eyes suddenly turned and looked


    toward Sherry.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze flickered, and she quickly turned around.

 Chapter 1410

    Chapter 1410


    Chapter 1410


    Sherry was hiding in the corner with a pir


    standing in the way.


    However, for fear of being discovered, she took out her cell phone from her pocket and pretended to be a passerby making a


    call.


    On the other side, Caprice did not see her face and quickly withdrew her eyes. She turned her head to look at her father, who


    was following her and raised her two little arms toward him.


    John instantly bent down and picked her up.


    After sitting firmly in his arms, the little girl raised her hand to point at Sherry behind the pir. ¡°Daddy, someone¡¯s making a


    phone call there.¡±


    John also looked over.


    Sherry, who was pretending to be on the phone, was speechless.


    Did the girl notice her?


    Just as she was so nervous that her heart was about to pop out, she heard John¡¯s voice.¡± Daddy saw her too.¡±


    Then, she heard the sound of him walking up the steps.


    Soon, the sound of footsteps disappeared. They must have gone inside.


    Sherry cautiously looked back and did not see their figures. She sighed in relief.


    ¡°Are you a staff member of Stockton Tower? I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡±


    ¡°What are you sneaking around here for?¡±


    Suddenly, two security guards came up to her, holding electric batons in their hands. They looked fierce and severe.


    Sherry quickly smiled and exined, ¡°I¡¯m not an employee here.¡±


    The guard asked, ¡°Then, what are you doing here?¡±


    Sherry smiled apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m just a passerby.¡±


    ¡°A passerby? | think you''re up to no good!¡±


    The two guards raised their electric batons at her.


    Sherry did not dare to stand there anymore and turned to run.


    Unexpectedly, the two guards ran after her and shouted at her, ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    ¡°She''s definitely up to no good. Catch her!¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry shouted, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m a good person. | really am just a passerby!¡± 1


    She screamed while running faster, fleeing like her life depended on it.


    Meanwhile, in the office on the top floor, John stood in front of the window wall and admired


    her wretched figure running away while pleasantly sipping tea. 1


    Thump, thump, thump.


    Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps was heard.


    John looked over and saw Caprice, who walked in front of him and smiled at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Caprice? Are the toys not fun?¡±


    Caprice held a new toy in her hand. She raised her face and looked at him with watery eyes. Daddy, | wanna y with you.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Okay, give me a moment.¡±


    ¡°Kay,¡±


    John put down the teacup on the table.


    At the same time, the office door was pushed open, and Peter walked in with a stack of documents. ¡°Mr. Stockton, your approval


    is needed for all these documents.¡±


    ¡°Okay, leave them on the desk.¡± John went to Caprice and sat on the ground with her in his


    ((


    arms, ying with the small toys with her.


    Peter did not find the scene strange since he had seen it before, but he said, ¡°Sir, these documents are rather urgent. The


    Department of Commerce is waiting for your approval.¡±


    John frowned. ¡°I get it. I''ll sign themter.


    You can go out.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Peter did not say anything else and turned to go out.


    Just as he left, Caprice withdrew her small hand and stopped moving.


    John smiled and stroked her head, asking, Why don¡¯t you want to y anymore?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t want to y.¡± She stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. This was her usual method of acting spoiled. Although the


    girl¡¯s character was soft and clingy, she was also incredibly stubborn.

 Chapter 1411

    Chapter 1411


    Once she said she had enough fun, she would never pick up the toy again.


    John knew the little girl''s temper, and she said she had enough because she did not want to disturb him working


    He smiled and said, ¡°Caprice, ll y with you again when | finish work, okay?"


    Caprice¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Mm-hmm, mm¡ªhmmt


    John returned to his working desk.


    Caprice grabbed her little toy and went to the corner of the office, where she had her own personal y area. The space was filled with fluffy stuffed animals.


    ¡®Since she was bored, she brought all the stuffed animals out and categorized them ording to their looks.


    ¡®Some timeter, when John finally finished reading the documents, he went up to the girl and saw the neatly organized stuffed animals in groups of three around her.


    He smiled. He pointed at the pink little pig that was grouped with the yellow tiger and the red bunny, asking, ¡°Caprice, why did you put these three together?¡¯


    The little girl pointed at the pig and then the tiger. ¡°This is me, this is you.¡±


    John pointed at the bunny. ¡°Who is this then?¡±


    ¡®Mommy.


    John pursed his lips.


    Amoment of silenceter, he pointed at another group of stuffed animals. ¡°Then, who are they?¡±


    ¡°Me, Daddy, and Mommy.¡±


    Looking at the dozen groups of him, Caprice and Mommy, John was silenced.


    Awhileter, when the girl finished grouping all the stuffed animals, she looked at him and asked, ¡°Daddy, where is that liar? Will


    she ever appear again?¡±


    John narrowed his gaze. He smiled and said, ¡°I caught herst night, but she¡¯s too cunning and slippery. She escaped.¡±


    The girl pouted. ¡°Fine.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She was obviously disappointed.


    John stroked her face. ¡°Caprice, Daddy has finished working. Let¡¯s y.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes shone and answered happily, ¡°Yay!¡±


    John¡¯s gaze softened as he curled his lips.


    Sherry had no idea why bodyguards nowadays were more


    professional than ever. She had to run more than two street blocks to shake them off, and all the running exhausted her.


    It took her quite some time to recover her breath. When she did, she took a detour to sneak into Stockton Tower again.


    The day went by in the blink of an eye.


    In the evening, John carried the little girl out of the office. She was asleep on his shoulder after a whole day of ying.


    John steadily paced to his car, afraid that he would wake the little girl. He carefully put Caprice into the car before he looked behind him. He saw a few passersby, the building security


    guard, and no one else.


    Slightly disheartened, he went into the car.


    The silver MPV''s engine roared to life.


    Meanwhile, in the darkester of the parking lot, Sherry finally stood up after hiding for a while.


    She pursed her lips. All that was in her mind now was Caprice¡¯s adorable face while sleeping in the man¡¯s arms. It was pointless to continue hiding. Caprice barely knew her, so she had


    to think of a way to meet and talk to the girl


    Itwas then that a familiar figure came out from the building


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She quickly headed to the side of the road


    Peter was nning his schedule for tomorrow while


    heading out. His ride was already waiting for him by the road


    Right when he was about to get in, someone tapped his shoulder.


    Startled, he turned around immediately, and when he saw the person, he nervously staggered backward


    He wore a polite smile and asked, ¡°Ms. Flower, what brings you here?

 Chapter 1412

    Chapter 1412


    Sherry curled her lips into a polite and weing smile. ¡° I''m looking for you.


    Peter instantly got cautious and nervous. ¡°What is the matter?¡±


    With her smile widened, Sherry said, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I''m not asking you tomit a crime.


    Peter awkwardly chuckled. ¡°Then, what do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡®| want to know about Caprice.¡±


    ¡®Uh... Ms. Caprice is always with Master Stockton. Why don''t you just ask him yourself?¡±


    ¡®You know he and | are having a fallout right now. He might not even want to see me.


    Peter pursed his lips. ¡°I believe if you could just beg, or maybe meet him in the middle, he would want to see you.


    Beg? Meet him in the middle?


    She had never begged him, but she had been trying to meet him in the middle for days now.


    Sherry sighed. ¡°I tried that, but he kicked me out of the car.¡±


    Peter was left speechless. What she did was not try to meet John in the middle.


    While he was at a loss for words, Sherry¡¯s eyes got teary.


    Sherry took a deep breath and said in a sobbing tone, That bastard took my baby Caprice away before | could even spend a


    month with her, My precious baby was just as big as a ball back then. She couldn¡¯t even speak yet, and she was taken away


    from me!


    ¡°It has been two years since she left me. Every night is a sleepless night. The moment | close my eyes, | see him take my baby


    away from me, and how she cried her lungs out...


    ¡°Peter, you are a man. You have no idea how painful it is for a mother to lose her child. |...¡± Sherry choked on her words and


    tears, and could not finish her sentence.


    Peter was rendered speechless.


    After being quiet for a while, Peter helplessly said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, please calm down. I''ll tell you how Ms. Caprice has been doing


    lately.¡±


    Sherry continued to bury her face behind her hands, but her sobs grew softer.


    Peter said, ¡°Ms. Caprice is always with Master Stockton, even if he goes on a business trip. Please don¡¯t worry. Even though you


    have not been by her side for the past two years, Master Stockton has been taking good care of her...¡±


    While he was patiently telling her how Caprice has been


    doing, Sherry¡¯s sobs suddenly grew louder. Her face remained buried behind her hands as she said, ¡°My Caprice, my poor girl,


    my pitiful child...¡±


    Peter was confused. He had not once used the word ¡®poor¡¯ or ¡®pitiful¡¯ while talking about Caprice.


    He immediately exined, ¡°Ms. Fowler, please calm down. Please don¡¯t overthink it. Master Stockton really takes good care of


    Ms. Caprice. He loves her. He doesn¡¯t allow others to touch her. Not even Madam Stockton or Ms. Queenie can carry her without


    his permission.¡±


    Sherry continued, ¡°My poor baby... She¡¯s still so young and she has to travel up and down with her father to make a living...¡±


    Peter was once again left speechless.


    It was off-duty hours, and many of the employees were leaving the building. When they passed by the pavement, they all nced at Peter and Sherry by the side of the road.


    Many were curious about what happened, but most of them were just busybodies, looking for matters to poke their noses into.


    Peter helplessly sighed and said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, you''re not here to ask about Ms. Caprice, am | right? What do you want?¡±


    Sherry continued to sob but grew softer gradually.


    Peter said, ¡°Why don''t we talk in the car?


    Sherry instantly stopped sobbing although her face remained covered behind her hands.


    Peter opened the door for her, and she got into the car in a shN?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Peter sighed and got into the passenger seat.


    The car then drove off into traffic.


    Peter asked, ¡°Ms. Fowler, please be honest with the intention of your visit.¡±


    ¡®Assistant Johnson, Peter, my man! Since we''ve known each other for so many years, can you at least give me your contact number?¡±

 Chapter 1413

    Chapter 1413


    Peter turned around to a delightful woman with a bright smile, who looked nothing like someone who had cried her lungs out because of her daughter.


    Confused, he asked, ¡°Why do you want my contact number?"


    Nothing. I''ve just admired you for a long time now.


    Do you think I''ll believe that?"


    ¡®So, yes or no?¡± Sherry asked.


    ¡®Can | say no?" Peter asked meekly.


    Sherry switched her expression and covered her face with her hands again.


    Peter frowned. With a bitter look, he said, ¡°Fine, fine. I''ll give you my contact number.


    The silver MPV cruised along the road for a while now.


    The silence was broken by a sudden phone call


    The man nced at the sleeping little girl in his arms. He grabbed his phone using his idle hand and answered the call


    cautiously, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Peter said in a small voice, ¡°Sir, | ran into Ms. Fowler while | was going home.¡±


    John¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Sherry?¡±


    ¡®Yes, sir.


    ¡®What''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°She said she wanted to know how Ms. Caprice is doingtely. She cried and begged me to tell her more.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°She cried in front of you?¡±


    ¡°| believe it¡¯s an act, but her sobs grew louder and | didn¡¯t know how to stop her. | simply said you¡¯ve been taking good care of


    Ms. Caprice, but she didn¡¯t take my word for it. Her crying got even louder.¡±


    John scoffed. ¡°I think that''s not her real intention.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. She asked for my contact number.¡±


    John curled his lips. A hint of frostiness shed in his eyes as he said gruffly, ¡°Why did she ask for your contact number?¡±


    ...1 don¡¯t know.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Hmm? How did she ask for it?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know why she asked for it.¡±


    John chuckled. He switched to a softer tone and continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask why, | asked how.¡±


    Peter''s voice grew softer on the phone as he said, ¡°She said... she¡¯s admired me for a long time now...¡±


    ¡®Hmph.


    ¡°Sir, you know her. It must be some excuse she came up with just to get my number.¡±


    I know.


    ¡°But you sound so... cold, sir.¡±


    ¡°You must be hearing things.¡± A moment of silenceter, John continued with a smile, ¡°If I¡¯m correct, she probably wants to know


    my schedule through you so that she can follow me and Caprice. Keep an eye out for her. If she contacts you, inform me


    immediately. I''ll tell you how to reply.¡±


    Peter sighed a breath of relief at his boss¡¯s answer. ¡°Yes, sir. | understand.


    John curled his lips. ¡°Oh, and the project at New Life Square is starting tomorrow, am | right?¡±


    ¡®Yes, si.


    ¡®Tm slightly worried about the workers there, so | want you to take my ce and go inspect the site.¡±


    Peter was silenced.


    It''s only going to be a short trip, around a week or so.


    John then hung up the phone.


    Peter stared at his darkened screen helplessly and annoyedly.


    ¡®The project in New Life Square was a new initiative started by John himself. It was located in the suburbs of Glenchester, which was rather far from the city center. Aside from the


    inconvenience to reach all kinds of


    infrastructure and public transport, the environment there was rather poor.


    Even the lower-ranking employees refused to inspect the site due to its poor condition, let alone him.


    John must have sent him there to inspect the site because he was unhappy with Sherry asking for his contact number and iming that she had ¡®admired¡¯ him for a long time.


    Peter sighed heavily. He was just an employee of thepany sandwiched between the couple''s arguments. He wanted to be excused from any future arguments if possible.

 Chapter 1414

    Chapter 1414


    Later that night, Sherry copsed on her bed after cleaning up and texted Peter.


    ¡®Assistant Johnson, are you asleep?


    Peter texted her back after a moment. ¡°What''s the matter, Ms. Fowler?¡¯


    Sherry sent him a smiley face emoji. ¡°Nothing in particr. Do you have time tomorrow?¡±


    Peter texted back after a minute. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She avoided the question and replied with another question. ¡°Are you going out tomorrow? Or are you going back to the office?¡¯


    Aminuteter, Peter''s reply came. ¡°I am going out on a business trip tomorrow.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Where to?¡¯


    ¡®A site inspection on a project in the suburbs.


    As John¡¯s assistant, Peter usually stayed by John¡¯s, side. Therefore, if Peter were to go on a business trip, John would probably be with him.


    If John went, Caprice would be there too.


    Sherry asked, ¡°The suburbs are huge. Which area are you going to?¡±


    On the other hand, Peter sent a screenshot of every conversation he had with Sherry to John.


    At the Stocktons¡¯ residence, Caprice sat in her baby chair obediently and ate the food Aunt Wanda delivered to her mouth. Her


    crystal clear eyes were glued to her father.


    John was on his phone beside her. He was looking at the screenshots Peter sent him.


    ¡®Hmph. Look at the words she uses with Peter. | bet she¡¯s been fooling around with men in the past two years,¡¯ John thought.


    His lips curled subtly as he replied, ¡°Tell her the address.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Peter answered.


    A few secondster, Peter sent him another screenshot. The screenshot showed Sherry¡¯s reply after Peter texted her the


    address.


    ¡°Why is it so far away? | heard it''s going to snow tomorrow. Assistant Johnson, remember to bring extra clothes and keep


    yourself warm.¡±


    John¡¯s expression turned cold.


    Ding!


    Peter texted him, ¡°Sir, how should | reply?¡±


    John curled his lips into an ominous smile. ¡°Reply however you want.¡±


    A few seconds of silenceter, Peter reluctantly replied, Yes, sir.¡±


    Then, Peter sent him another screenshot that contained his reply to Sherry.


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Fowler. | have something else to do. If there¡¯s nothing urgent, please excuse me.¡±


    Sherry texted back, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go do your thing. Heart emoji.¡±


    She sent Peter a heart emoji?!


    John¡¯s gaze turned cold. Not even his golden-framed sses could conceal his grim gaze. The air at the dining table suddenly


    turned quiet.


    It was until Caprice¡¯s adorable voice sounded that the silence broke.


    ¡®Daddy.


    John recovered hisposure and put his grim expression away. He turned to her with a soft gaze.


    Caprice said, ¡°Daddy, I''m done.¡±


    John smiled and patted the girl''s head. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    She pouted. She put both her hands out, signaling him for a hug.


    John carried her into his arms.


    The girl then reached out to the spoon of soup and fed him. She said, ¡°Daddy, aaah... Caprice feeds you.


    John¡¯s eyes flickered before he opened his mouth in delight.


    The girl fed him a spoonful of soup.


    ¡®She wanted to feed him another spoon, but John held her hand. ¡°Thank you, Caprice. | can eat by myself.


    Caprice pouted. ¡°Daddy is not happy. You are not eating. The soup is cold


    John looked slightly surprised

 Chapter 1415

    Chapter 1415


    It seemed like the girl had captured his grim expression while instructing Peter how to reply to Sherry.


    He pinched the girl¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°Sorry. I''ll eat now.¡¯


    He scooped a spoonful of soup into his mouth.


    The little girl curled her lips into a sweet smile.


    John held Caprice with one hand while he ate using the other hand.


    Aunt Wanda and the other two servants cleverly stepped aside and sighed a breath of relief. They had seen John¡¯s terrifying


    expression as well.


    John usually looked like a humble gentleman who never showed his temper in public, but when he did, he would be scarier than


    a demon from hell.


    Fortunately, Caprice was around to hold him down, or else Aunt Wanda and the servants would be horrified.


    The weather forecast was surprisingly urate about the snow.


    The next morning, while Sherry was heading toward the suburbs, it started to snow. Thend was covered with ayer of white


    before she knew it.


    The driver did not drive her to the destination due to unforeseen circumstances. He said apologetically, Madam, the road ahead


    is narrow and steep, and it hasn¡¯t been repaired since ages ago. It¡¯s dangerous for me to go any further. It¡¯s only a kilometer


    away from your destination, so why don¡¯t you go there on foot?¡±


    Sherry did not force the driver to go on further. She got out and traveled on foot while wrapped inyers of winter clothes.


    It was snowing heavily. The unforgiving wind whistled and shook even the trees along the road. There was not a single soul in


    sight.


    Sherry shrank her neck into the jacket and moved on slowly.


    Awhileter, just before her nose froze and fell off her face, she spotted the construction site.


    Next to the site was a temporary shed built for the workers.


    Maybe because of the weather, the workers were not around. Only two security guards were there chatting with each other.


    Sherry knocked on the door and asked politely, ¡°Hello, is Master Stockton here?¡±


    The security guards were confused. ¡°Master Stockton?¡±


    ¡°John Stockton, the CEO of Stockton Corporation.¡±


    The two security guards cackled withughter. ¡°Madam, are you kidding us? Why would he be here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. This ce is remote and far away, and it¡¯s snowing today. Not even his employees woulde here, let alone himself.¡±


    Sherry furrowed her brows. ¡°What about Peter? Assistant Jackson. Is he here?¡±


    ¡°No. No one is here today. It¡¯s just us on duty.


    ¡°Madam, please leave. The snow is getting heavier. Leave while you can.¡±


    The two security guards urged her to return.


    Sherry was disheartened.


    Peter did note to the site today? But he said he woulde here to inspect the progress yesterday!


    Sherry pulled out her phone and called Peter


    immediately. Due to the poor signal, she had to wander around in the snow for better reception. When the call got through, she


    asked, ¡°Assistant Jackson, where are you?¡±


    Peter answered, ¡°Ms. Fowler, I¡¯m at the office. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Sherry inhaled deeply and bellowed out of annoyance, ¡°I


    thought you said you woulde to the suburbs for a site inspection? Why are you at the office?¡±


    Peter answered in a small voice, ¡°I nned to, but it¡¯s snowing today. The road gets slippery and uneven, so | didn¡¯t go to the


    site.¡±


    Sherry remained annoyed. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡±


    Peter said, ¡°Um... why would | tell you about my schedule?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry choked on Peter¡¯s answer.


    Amoment of hesitationter, he said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, it¡¯s snowing heavily. Please don¡¯t tell me you are at the site now.¡±


    Sherry hung up the phone immediately.

 Chapter 1416

    Chapter 1416


    After having been John¡¯s assistant for so many years,


    Peter was no idiot. He knew that Sherry wanted his.


    contact to approach Caprice and that she would follow him to the site.


    Why didn¡¯t he tell her about the schedule change?


    If he did, he might as well have told her that he informed John about her asking for his contact and then teamed up with John to


    trick her into going to the site on a snowy day. 1


    Sherry was furious and annoyed. She stomped on the spot for a while before striding to where she had gotten off earlier.


    Due to the heavy snow, everything before her was white, and her footsteps were swiftly buried under the snow. The whistling


    wind almost froze her to death, yet no vehicles appeared in her sight.


    She was forced to return to the shed by the construction site. The shed had a heater while the two security guards cked


    inside.


    When they saw Sherry at their door again, they stared at her in awe.


    Sherry pointed at the electric scooters by the shed and


    asked with an awkward smile, ¡°Hey, can | borrow one of your scooters?¡±


    Sherry had no idea how she made it through the snowy suburbs.


    Not only her body but even her mind was also numbed by the freezing cold.


    When she finally managed to ride back to a car-filled road, the scooter slipped.


    Bang!


    She fell on the ground wretchedly. She could not feel the pain due to the freezing cold. She simply copsed on the ground for a


    while until she regained part of her senses. Only then she tried to get back on her feet.


    It was then a familiar silver MPV stopped in front of her.


    Sherry widened her eyes.


    The door opened and a slender figure came out. Peter was also there holding a ck umbre over the man¡¯s head.


    The man slightly lowered his head and stared at her with an evil gaze from his golden-framed sses.


    Sherry stopped trying to get up. She sat on the ground while wrapped in her red jacket. Her body and her cap were covered in a


    layer of snow. Even her eyshes and nose were white.


    If she had not red at him, John would have assumed that he was looking at a frozen statue. He chuckled. ¡± Sherry, | thought


    you were capable when you left your child two years ago. What¡¯s happened to you now?¡± 1


    Sherry moved her lips and spoke gruffly, ¡°You prick! You bastard! You set me up!¡±


    As though he wanted to see how badly she got frozen, John slightly bent over and stared at her frozen cheeks. He smiled. ¡°I set


    you up?¡±


    Sherry red at him and then at Peter with the umbre.


    Peter immediately turned away.


    Sherry grunted. ¡°Peter, just you wait!¡±


    She was no match for John, but she could deal with the man¡¯s assistant!


    The moment her words subsided, her cheek was pinched. She gasped, not because of the pain, but because of the sudden heat


    on her face. John¡¯s hand was warm.


    John smiled. ¡°Sherry, why are you shouting at him?¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s because | dare not shout at you, so I¡¯m venting my anger at him.¡±


    John¡¯s smile widened. ¡°You''re quite smart.¡±


    ¡°| take that as apliment. Please let go of me,¡± she said.


    John narrowed his eyes and released her.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry sat on the ground with her neck shrank into her jacket, her hands tightly held together. She had a nce at the vehicle


    behind John.


    If John came all the way here, could it mean that Caprice was also inside the car?


    Before she could get a better look, the man blocked her sight with his slender legs.


    Sherry looked up at him.

 Chapter 1417

    Chapter 1417


    Chapter 1417


    John smiled. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°I''m looking at you,¡± Sherry said while staring at his face with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m looking at your handsome face and gentlemanly


    demeanor...¡¯


    ¡°Enough,¡± John said with a grin.


    Sherry forced a smile on her face and asked, ¡°Dear Master Stockton, can you be so kind as to invite me into your car so that |


    can warm myself up?¡±


    Sherry furrowed her brows and feigned a pitiful look, attempting to arouse John¡¯spassion.


    John smiled brightly. ¡°No.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression turned cold. Her expression changed faster than a speeding bullet.


    John chuckled. ¡°You want to get into my car? In your next life.¡±


    He wanted to turn around, but Sherry swiftly jumped forward and clung to one of his legs. 1


    John¡¯s leg was pinned to the ground by her weight. He looked down at her.


    She curled her lips. There was barely any sign of life on her pale and freezing face, but her smile was as bright as the sun.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t let me into your car, | won¡¯t let you in as well.¡±


    As John narrowed his eyes, Sherry raised a brow at him.


    They locked eyes for a while until John scoffed and said, Sherry, do you really think | still like you and won''t hurt you?¡±


    and


    Sherry mimicked his smile and said, ¡°No, no. | dared not even think about it. It¡¯s just that you are a kind man, you''ll definitely let


    me in to warm myself up.¡±


    John remained smiling. He lifted his other leg and aimed his clean leather shoes at her face. One slight move and he could


    literally step on her face.


    Sherry¡¯s expression shifted. She turned and stuck her face to the bottom of his shoe. She also tightened her grip on his other


    leg.


    John¡¯s expression froze.


    The woman had be utterly shameless!


    Or was it because she never had feelings for him, thus she never bothered about her face being stepped on?


    His gaze turned grim. With a curl of his lips, he kicked her.


    Thud!


    The kicknded on her back.


    Sherry gasped in pain but refused to let go. No matter how many times he kicked her, she has to see Caprice in the car behind


    him.


    Thud!N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    He kicked her once more.


    Sherry slid to the side, but she recovered quickly and went back to his side.


    John frowned. ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t embarrass yourself. You are still a woman. Can you have some integrity or dignity?¡± Maybe


    because her body was already frozen by the


    weather, her chest felt numb, and she could barely feel the pain. She looked up at him with teary eyes and forced a smile.


    ¡°Integrity is not as important as my life. If | don¡¯t get into the car, I''ll freeze to death.¡±


    John scoffed. ¡°You really think | don¡¯t know what you are trying to do here?¡±


    ¡°| just want to warm myself up in the car. What else can | do?¡±


    Her lips remained curled, her eyes remained teary, and her smile felt weaker than before. She was like a fragile flower dancing in


    the wind. Despite knowing that the


    wind would crush her, she continued to dance elegantly.


    John was rather surprised. An unusual feeling choked his chest.


    It was then that an adorable voice came from the car.¡± Daddy...¡±


    John¡¯s gaze shifted as he regained hisposure. He pulled his leg away.


    Sherry frowned and refused to let go.


    John grunted and kicked her once more, sending her flying backward.

 Chapter 1418

    Chapter 1418


    Sherry tumbled in the snow.


    When she finally stopped, she recovered as quickly as possible and looked toward the vehicle.


    The silver MPV started and drove off from her sight.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She choked on grief once more. She was in no condition to chase or back away at the moment. She got teary and after fighting


    the urge for a few moments, she cried uncontrobly.


    ¡°That bastard...¡± She clenched her teeth. She had stuck her face to his shoe and begged him, yet he showed her no mercy at


    all.


    Caprice was her own blood, yet he denied her from seeing the girl.


    She wiped her tears away as she sat up. She pulled her phone out and called the man.


    If he refused to let her see her daughter, she would continue to ruin his life.


    Beep...


    The dial tone sounded.


    Just when she thought the call would get through and she could scold the bastard with all the vicious words she had


    prepared in her mind, the call ended.


    He rejected the call.


    Sherry choked on her emotions. She paused for a few seconds before making another call.


    The beep sounded once before it was rejected again.


    Sherry grunted. She continued calling, but it never even got through this time. The man must have cklisted her.


    After sulking for a while, she went on her social media which she had not been on for a long time to message him. She searched


    for him in the friend list and texted him.


    ¡°You bastard! If you are capable of snatching my baby away, you can at least pick up the phone!¡± 1


    One text obviously was not enough for her to vent her anger. She texted him again.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t let me see her, | won''t let this end this easily! You tormented me, and now it¡¯s my turn to torment you!¡±


    John did not reply even after a while.


    Sherry searched for some vulgar stickers and spammed the man¡¯s chat.


    Soon, she received a notification informing her that she was blocked.


    She was left speechless.


    At the same time, in the steadily cruising car, the man¡¯s slender figure leanedzily in the rear seat. He held


    Caprice in one hand while scrolling his phone with the other.


    Going through Sherry¡¯s angry texts made his lips curl.


    Caprice had just woken up a while ago, and she noticed the smile on her father¡¯s face. She tried to have a peek at the screen.


    However, John stroked her forehead and turned her head away. He smiled and asked, ¡°Caprice, what are you doing?¡±


    Caprice smiled and answered, ¡°Daddy looks happy. | want to see too!¡±


    John smiled and replied in a small voice, ¡°I¡¯m looking at jokes which are too deep for you to understand.¡±


    ¡°Then, tell me!¡± Caprice widened her crystal-clear eyes at him, looking curious and adorable at the same time.


    John pinched her little nose. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Then, he said, ¡°Once upon a time, there was a family of three. The mother abandoned the husband and the daughter, and the


    husband tried to look for her. After a few years, the mother came back with regret. What do


    you think will happen next?¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes flickered in curiosity.


    ¡°The husband and the daughter didn¡¯t talk to her and left her to freeze in the snow. She got so angry and started cursing.¡±


    ¡°Hehe...¡± Caprice giggled when she heard about the woman getting angry.


    John smiled brightly as well.


    If he was correct, the woman must have realized he had blocked her, and she must be cursing out loud in the snow.

 Chapter 1419

    Chapter 1419


    She would then text him via social media and continue to


    curse him.


    Ding!


    Amessage had arrived.


    He smiled and stroked the girl¡¯s cheek while picking up his phone using his other hand. He received a text from a


    certain chat window.


    He tapped on it but noticed it was from Julie.


    Slightly disheartened, he opened the chat window.


    ¡°John, it¡¯s New Year¡¯s next month. Usually, the extended family will organize gatherings for us to attend, but Mother wants to


    organize one ourselves this year. She¡¯s nning to do it this weekend. She wants to invite those who are close to us and some


    of her old friends. She wants to know if you can spare some time to bring Caprice over as well.¡±


    He should be free this weekend.


    John replied, ¡°Sounds like a n. I''ll bring Caprice.¡±


    ¡°John, do you have any ideas on how you want the gathering to be?¡±


    ¡°I''ll leave it to you and Mother.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    John did not put his phone away after the chat with Julie. He was friends with Sherry on multiple social media tforms, and he


    had blocked her on only one of them. Given her feisty temper, she would never stop after being blocked and would continue to


    annoy him through other channels.


    Unless... She was frozen in the snow!


    His eyes narrowed. He immediately said to the driver, Turn around!¡±


    The driver nodded.


    Caprice was scared by his sudden reaction and was worried about his nervous expression. She looked worried when she asked,


    ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong? Did you lose something back there?¡±


    John frowned. He hugged her tightly in his arms and said, ¡°Yeah, Daddy lost something back there, but it¡¯s not important.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not important, why are you so nervous?¡± the girl asked in curiosity.


    John wanted to smile to show that he was not nervous, but for some reason, the muscles on his face were frozen and he could


    not even force a smile.


    It was still snowing outside.


    (


    Snow removers were at work. Both sides of the road were covered with thickyers of snow. It was below zero


    degrees Celsius outside, and that woman just rode an electric scooter from the suburbs.


    John could not help but picture her frostbitten face. He frowned.


    ¡°Drive faster!¡±


    The driver elerated even faster.


    Ten minutester, the car arrived where Sherry had fallen down with her scooter. However, only the scooter was in sight. She


    was nowhere to be found. The snow only recorded the tracks from the scooter and where she fell but did not show where she


    went.


    ¡°Caprice, wait for me in the car.¡±


    John strapped her in the baby seat and got out of the car.


    There were only a few souls on the road due to the snowyAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    weather.


    Where could the woman be?


    He looked around and noticed a little store near Sherry¡¯s crash site. The store was still doing business in the harsh


    weather.


    He strode over there immediately, and Peter followed him.


    The store owner was snacking while watching a show on the television when the handsomely dressed men appeared at his door.


    He was surprised by their visit.


    Peter asked, ¡°Did you see a woman with a scooter crash in front of your store earlier? Do you know where she went?¡±


    The owner regained hisposure and said, ¡°Oh! You guys are the ones who spoke to the woman earlier, right? | remember


    you with the umbre.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We spoke to her before. After we left, where did she go?¡± Peter asked.

 Chapter 1420

    Chapter 1420


    The owner answered, ¡°I saw her get into a cab with two other handsome men. It¡¯s been less than three minutes since they left.¡±


    Peter¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Two other handsome men? What did they look like?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The owner pondered and said, ¡°Tall, slender, rather young...


    i)


    Two young and handsome men?


    Peter cautiously looked at John.


    John curled his lips and asked the owner, ¡°Do you know which way they were headed?¡±


    The golden-framed sses concealed the grim behind his eyes. All the owner saw was his humble and polite exterior.


    The owner said, ¡°They should¡¯ve been going in the direction of the city.¡±


    John turned around and left.


    Peter thanked the owner and chased after his boss.


    ¡®It''s so warm... Am | dreaming?¡®


    As Sherry slowly regained consciousness, she opened her eyes to an unfamiliar environment.


    Then, she realized she was in a moving taxi. She clearly remembered switching social media tforms to curse John, but before


    she could hit send, her consciousness had faded and things had gone dark.


    Beside her was a young man who looked clean and handsome. His eyes gleamed when she woke up. ¡°Hey, Miss, you¡¯re awake!


    Are you alright? How are you feeling?¡±


    Sherry cautiously asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°My friend and | saw you were passed out on the road just now, so we picked you up and we¡¯re on the way to the hospital.¡±


    Sherry saw his friend in the passenger seat. Thetter was another young man of the same age, and they seemed to be


    university students.


    Her body remained cold despite being in such a warm environment. She curled up like a shrimp and smiled at them, expressing


    her gratitude in a gruff voice, ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡±


    The young man smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The hospital is just ahead. Do you need us to help you get inside?¡±


    Sherry immediately said, ¡°It''s okay. | can go by myself.¡±


    The taxi stopped in front of the hospital.


    Sherry then paid the driver and strode into the hospital.


    Her body was warmerpared to earlier, where she had practically frozen in the snow, but it was still stiff. It took her quite a


    while to reach the hospital.


    At the same time, a silver MPV drove past the hospital


    entrance.


    The man inside the car held Caprice in one hand while his eyes stared outside the window.


    Peter asked in a small voice, ¡°Sir, Ms. Fowler¡¯s car should have left the scene a while ago. Why don¡¯t we check the hospitals for


    her information?¡±


    John red at him. ¡°Who told you I¡¯m looking for her?¡±


    Peter pursed his lips. ¡°Sorry, sir.¡±


    The interior of the car went quiet as both the driver and Peter dared not make a noise.


    Caprice was sound asleep in John¡¯s arms while John¡¯s gaze was glued to the moving scenery outside the window.


    A taxi drove past them, but it was the only car John spotted, and he did not see Sherry¡¯s figure inside.


    The snow got heavier and their car was the only one left on the road. Behind his golden¡ª-framed sses was a


    grim gaze staring forward nkly.


    Two young men picked her up? Were they her acquaintances that she had contacted earlier? She must know a lot of men


    outside.


    It was warm inside the hospital.


    Sherry nned to sit for a while and regained her warmth before going out. However, maybe because the frostbite was rather


    severe, her head remained heavy even after resting for a while.

 Chapter 1421

    Chapter 1421


    After remaining in the hospital until past noon, she began to feel better and decided that it was time to leave.


    She got herself an e-hailing ride.


    The car was driving back to the hotel.


    Sherry took out her phone and took a look at the conversation with John.


    The prompt disyed on the screen indicated that the message she sent was not delivered sessfully as she was not in the


    recipient''s friend list.


    Surprisingly, she did not feel as upset as she thought she would be. Perhaps it was due to her passing out, coupled with the


    amount of rest she got in the hospital which allowed her time to cool down.


    She sighed and dismissed the idea of finding some other messaging tform to tell him off. She stuffed the phone back in her


    pocket and quietly gazed out the car window, taking in the ride.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped outside the hotel.


    She got out of the car and walked inside, covered in a thick jacket.


    She lived on the eighth floor and had to take the elevator


    1. up.


    The elevator entrance was located in the corridor


    connected to the right side of the lobby.


    After stepping through the entrance, she immediately turned to her right.


    Just as she was about to step into the corridor, she heard the grave, familiar voice of a man. ¡°Sherry, why did youe back so


    early? Where are those two handsome gentlemen of yours who were supposed to attend to you?¡±


    Sherry halted immediately.


    Just several meters to her right was themon area of the lobby where couches and tables were set for guests.


    The same man who had attacked her earlier today was sitting on the couch as if nothing had happened.


    He held a cup of tea in his hand and was peering at her through the gold¡ªframed sses.


    Sherry was startled by his appearance and asked with vivid surprise, ¡°You b*stard, why are you here?¡±


    John smiled coyly. ¡°What, am | interrupting your ns?¡±


    Sherry grimaced. ¡°What are you talking about? Quit being so weird!¡±


    What was he going on about? Handsome gentlemen


    attending to her? Interrupting her ns? This man was raving!


    She had just returned from the hospital, what ns was she supposed to have?


    John smiled menacingly, his entire demeanor became somber.


    any


    Sherry narrowed her eyes and barked at him without tone of affection. ¡°Could you say whatever it is you came here to say and


    scram?¡¯


    ¡°| heard that you were picked up by two gentlemen, weren''t you?¡± John set down his teacup and said as he leaned against the


    couchzily with the usual arrogant smile. ¡°Who are they to you?¡±


    Sherry thought for a moment and asked, ¡°By gentlemen, are you talking about the two guys who helped me into the taxi and took


    me to the hospital this morning?¡±


    Something shed in John¡¯s eyes as he interrogated Sherry, ¡°They took you to the hospital?¡±


    Sherry put his hands in her pockets and stated while grinning, ¡°Yes, they had a noble heart unlike a certain Master Stockton and


    couldn''t bear to see me freeze to


    death on the side of the road.¡±


    A frown immediately formed on John¡¯s face, and he red at her up and down.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    After a brief silence, he scoffed. ¡°With how thick-skinned


    you are, you can stay out there for a day or two without any worry of freezing to death.¡±


    Sherry grimaced rightly. ¡°What are you doing here anyway? Are you here just to tell me that I¡¯m thick- skinned?¡±


    John sneered at her. ¡°Who told you | was here for you?¡±


    ¡°God, do | look like an idiot to you?¡± Sherry mimicked John¡¯s condescending smile. ¡°Why else would you be here if it weren¡¯t for


    me?¡±


    John took a careful sip from the teacup.


    Sherry scoffed and approached John. ¡°How did you know those two men helped me? Did you go back there to look for me?


    You''ve been acting very strangely since the moment you got here. You''re not jealous of those two men now, are you?¡±


    John red at Sherry.


    She was only about a meter away from him.


    From this distance, he immediately noticed the purplish area around her cheeks, an evident mark left by frostbite.


    Her lips were without color and her entireplexion seemed sickly.


    ((


    He smiled in his usual charismatic and devilish way. Sherry, in thest two years that we haven''t met, you¡¯ve developed such a


    thick skin that it truly amazes me.¡±

 Chapter 1422

    Chapter 1422


    Chapter 1422


    Sherry felt a lump growing in her throat.


    She was in no mood to get into a screaming match with John. Still, she voiced her frustration with him. ¡°John, just say whatever


    is on your mind and stop being so weird about it.¡±


    John smiled coyly. ¡°I did go back there to find you, but that¡¯s mostly because you¡¯re the mother of my daughter. You can humiliate


    yourself all you want but it¡¯s when it starts affecting my daughter¡¯s reputation when it concerns me.¡±


    Sherry felt something tightening in her chest, suffocating her.


    Upon noticing her reaction, the smile John wore grew wider. ¡°You asked me why | was asking about the nature of your


    rtionship with those two men you speak of. Well, | was just wondering what the current state of your private life is like. If


    you''ve done something


    inappropriate with them, | believe you''d not be fit to be a mother and I''ll immediately have you kicked out of this city.¡±


    He made a point of emphasizing the sentence ¡®kicked out of this city¡¯.


    His tone was unfalteringly threatening.


    Sherry felt like John had plunged a dagger into her heart as he said this. She gestured helplessly with her arms and said, ¡°You


    don¡¯t have to worry about that, I¡¯m doing well enough on my own. Those two are the only good Samaritans who took the time to


    take me to the hospital. They left immediately after that.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± John set the cup down and rose.


    He was a head taller than her so the moment he rose to his feet, Sherry felt meek in his presence.


    She quickly drew to the side, away from him.


    John nced at her and stepped forward.


    After having taken two steps, he suddenly came to a stop as if a thought urred to him. He looked at her intently and said,


    ¡°Sherry, since you abandoned Caprice two years ago, I''ve lost all respect for you. If you''re still capable of feeling any shred of


    shame, Id like you to stop trying to fool yourself by telling yourself that | still care for you.¡±


    Sherry grimaced and took a deep breath. She smiled sarcastically and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Even if I¡¯m as


    thick¡ª-skinned as you said | am, | still have some self-respect. I¡¯d pick anymon man off the street before even considering


    the great Master


    Stockton.¡±


    Asharp look greeted John¡¯s eyes for a split second.


    He quickly wiped away the look and smirked. ¡°I hope


    you''re speaking from the heart.¡±


    As if fearful that Sherry was lying about her feelings, he made sure to add, ¡°The sheer sight of a woman like you disgusts me.¡±


    With that departing statement, he dragged his tall figure past Sherry and walked out of the hotel.


    Although the hotel lobby was warm and cozy, Sherry felt a cold gush of air rush past her and shivered all over.


    She could feel her entire body seizing up with a cold and turning stiff.


    After a while, a rush of warmth poured over her face.


    She snapped back to her senses and realized that the warmth she felt was her tears. She wiped away her tears and went toward


    the elevator.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Asilver car was parked on the roadside outside the hotel.


    As soon as Peter recognized the striking figure stepping out of the hotel, he quickly got out of the car and opened the door for


    him.


    As soon as the door was opened, a tiny figure d in a red dress pried her head out while crying out in a honeyed voice,


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    John beamed with affection. A heartwarming smile immediately formed on his lips.


    He quickened his pace toward the car.


    Caprice slid inside the car to make space for John.


    John dove into the car.


    As soon as he sat down, the child practically threw herself into his arms.


    John put his arms around her and asked her with a gentle smile, ¡°Caprice, when did you wake up?¡±


    Caprice was still clutching a pack of snacks that she had not finished. She rested her head against John¡¯s chest and dered


    proudly, ¡°I¡¯ve been awake for a long time!¡±


    John smiled and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Uncle Peter to call daddy?¡±


    Caprice chirped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to disturb Daddy when he¡¯s busy.¡±


    John was moved by how thoughtful Caprice was, especially considering she was only a toddler.


    John embraced her tightly. ¡°Caprice, next time you wake up and don¡¯t see daddy around you, you can look for daddy even if you


    know he¡¯s busy, you got it?¡±


    ¡°Okay, | got it!¡±


    John patted her head and stayed silent.


    The car started its engines.


    He turned in the direction of the hotel, a dark cloud cast


    over his eyes.


    Perhaps what he had said just now was too hurtful?


    However, the fact was that she had abandoned him as well as their daughter two years ago, and she did not have a spot of


    affection for him.


    Besides, he doubted that his words would have any effect on her whatsoever considering how thick-skinned she


    was.


    With this in mind, a sharp and uncaring look returned to his eyes.

 Chapter 1423

    Chapter 1423


    An ungrateful and despicable woman like her deserved to be told off right in her face.


    Sherry sunk into sleep and when she woke up, she felt the first wave of fever settling in.


    She felt like she was burning all over.


    She had to go to the hospital again.


    After she was prescribed medicine, she returned to the hotel.


    After three days of intensive rest, the fever finally subsided.


    She was feeling better physically and finally feeling clear- headed for once.


    She took a car to the Stockton Tower in the city center.


    She stayed in the area until nighttime.


    Around evening, the employees slowly flocked out of the entrance of the building and headed back to their


    respective homes.


    Sherry stared at the door.


    After most employees had left, she finally recognized a


    familiar figure.


    The man was wearing a slim suit with Caprice in his arms.


    as usual. He was heading toward the parking lot.


    Peter and a bodyguard were following him closely.


    Sherry stared at the girl in his arms.


    She could not get a good look from where she was but she could vaguely make out that Caprice was sleeping. Carried in the


    arms of her father, she seemed very much so at


    peace.


    The look in Sherry¡¯s eyes softened. The built-up


    frustration and exhaustion over the past few days were instantly washed away.


    Suddenly, the man came to a halt.


    Sherry quickly ducked into a dark corner where she would


    not be seen.


    After a while, she slowly pried her head around the


    corner. She saw that John had already gotten into the car along with Caprice and the car was slowly pulling out of the parking


    lot.


    She sighed and approached the side of the road. She nned to call a taxi to take her back to the hotel.


    Around the same time, several middle¡ªaged men emerged from the building as well. They were in the middle of a rather intense


    conversation, it seemed like


    they were high-ranking members of the organization.


    Sherry overheard their conversation while she was waiting for her taxi on the side of the road.


    ¡°Madam Stockton is going to be hosting a party at the nchester Hotel tomorrow night, are you going?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s Madam Stockton we''re talking about. | heard that all the friends and rtives of the Stocktons are invited as well.


    Since she was so kind to invite us, she must see us as part of her close circle as well. I¡¯d drop anything to attend the party.¡±


    ¡°Hehe... that¡¯s true.¡±


    Sherry was rmed by the conversation she had overheard.


    Tomorrow was Saturday, and Madam Stockton was going to host a party at nchester Hotel at night? She was inviting all the


    friends and rtives of the family?


    John must be present as well.


    Since he was going to be present, one would only assume


    that Caprice would be there with him as well.


    She wondered how she could sneak into the party.


    Midnight.


    The cold wind whistled over the city and beat against the windows panes.


    Caprice was afraid of thunder, darkness, and strong winds that screeched in her ears.


    John got Aunt Wanda to give Caprice a bath first, he took a quick shower himself as well.


    Shortly after he came out of the shower, Caprice, who was already dressed in pajamas and ready for bed, sprang toward him


    while crying out tenderly, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    John smiled and took her effortlessly into his arms and carried her to bed.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The girl pulled herself closer to him, smothered John with affection by burrowing her head into the crevice of his neck.


    John wrapped one arm around her.


    He turned off the lights once he realized she had fallen asleep.


    He had trouble falling asleep himself.


    Why was that woman not making any moves? Why was she not trying to find Caprice?

 Chapter 1424

    Chapter 1424


    Chapter 1424


    The next day, the sky was clear.


    By the time John woke up, his room was already basked in sunlight. It must be partially because it took him a while to fall asleep


    last night.


    Caprice even woke up before him.


    Although she was not rummaging around wildly, she did manage to wake John up with the movements she made, shuffling


    around on the bed.


    She was dressed in white like an angel and was busy ying nurse, giving her dolls injections one after another.


    John found himself surrounded by her stuffed dollsid out across the bed.


    Upon noticing John waking up, her eyes shone with brightness. She remarked in an adorably serious voice, ¡± Wait a moment,


    Daddy, it will be your turn soon.¡±


    With that, she took her toy syringe and jabbed it into one of the monkey dolls on the bed.


    John smiled and nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    He slowly sat up.


    He waited until Caprice studiously poked him with the


    toy syringe before finally getting out of bed.


    He reached for the phone on the nightstand.


    There were some unopened messages, mostly from Peter and some of his other employees. Their contents were work-rted


    as usual.


    He briefly went through them before selecting Sherry¡¯s contact.


    He had removed her from the cklistst night but thest exchange between them disyed on the phone was still from


    several days ago. It was when she voiced her grievances at him after he left her all alone on the roadside amid the freezing


    cold.


    He frowned.


    Perhaps what he had said to her had stung a little too much? Was this why she had stopped trying to see Caprice and would not


    text him again?


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    Evening.


    There was a sudden knock at the door. Before John could even respond, Caprice sprang toward the door and threw it open, her


    enthusiastic cry immediately followed after, Hello Aunt Julie.¡±


    Julie greeted her with a warm smile, then she turned to


    ((


    John. ¡°John, the party is about to start. Mom and Queenie are ready, would you like toe with us?¡±


    She said while slowly approaching John.


    d inside a silky long dress that dragged all the way to her ankles, she resembled a fairy. The skirt was iid with pieces of


    glittering diamonds that reflected the ceiling lights and dazzled with every step she took.


    Her hair was curled and draped over her shoulders, like a woman who had stepped out of a painting. She smiled politely as she


    headed toward the man sitting at his desk.


    John swiped a look at her. ¡°I still have to deal with


    something, you girls can go first. I''ll bring Caprice with meter.¡±


    Julie seemed slightly dejected by this but did not let it show. ¡°Alright.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She turned and prepared to leave.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± John called after her suddenly.


    Julie turned around expectantly, not concealing her eagerness with a smile. ¡°Is there something | can do for you?¡±


    John said with a faint smile, ¡°You look good.¡±


    He spoke with an unusual gentleness in his voice. His face seemed to radiate a warm glow as he said this, a soft crease formed


    along the edge of his eyes as he delivered


    the unexpectedpliment.


    Julie waspletely caught off guard, her cheeks immediately flushed red before she knew it. She bowed her head courteously


    and thanked John, ¡°Thank you for thepliment.¡±


    John observed how flustered she had be and


    remarked, ¡°Julie, you¡¯re still so young. You should take the time to dress up more in the future.*.


    Put in some effort in presenting herself better so that she may attract some potential suitors, that way she would not have to


    remain chained inside the house for the rest


    ¡®of her life.


    Julie kept her head bowed so John would not see the pink


    shade washed over her cheeks as well as the excitement in her eyes. ¡°I got it, thank you again for the


    compliment.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, go on, now.¡±


    Julie did not linger a moment longer in the room and quickly left.


    After she left, Caprice performed her duties as a little


    assistant and went to the door to close it.


    Then she went to John¡¯s side.


    John took her into his arms.


    He put her on hisp and directed his attention back to


    the documents on theputer.


    He only left for the party after he had sorted everything out.


    nchester Hotel.


    Thergest ballroom was located on the first floor. The venue was designed with transparent floor-to-ceiling windows on three


    sides, providing a wonderful night view of the city.

 Chapter 1425

    Chapter 1425


    The party had just started and most of the guests had arrived. They were mostly scattered across the ballroom in small groups


    and were mingling with wine in their hands.


    The chandeliers overhead cast a warm glow over the guests and served to color the venue with a certain elegance that was not


    overbearing.


    At this time, the silver car had just arrived outside the hotel.


    The valets at the hotel immediately stepped forward to get the door.


    Two figures emerged from the car, one of a tall man and the other of a tiny figure.


    The man was dressed in a dark gray handmade suit and had on a pair of gold¡ªframed sses.


    He was devilishly handsome. The light fixtures of the hotel beat down on him like a spotlight and highlighted his fine features. He


    wore a subtle smile on his lips.


    Upon closer inspection, one could identify the devilish charm lurking in the depths of his eyes. It was as alluring as it was


    dangerous. His eyes were a bottomless pit that


    would pull its prey closer and entangle them before they even knew it.


    Fortunately, the hotel staff who went up to greet him were aware of his identity. They only dared to cast a brief look into, his eyes


    before turning away sheepishly.


    The little girl he carried in his arms was just as eye- catching as he was.


    Dressed in arge fiery red coat and wearing a crimson red hat, her fairplexion stood out more than anything. Her puffy,


    chubby cheeks were especially visible along with a pair of jeweled eyes that seemed to take in all the light in the room.


    She resembled every bit of a princess who came out of a painting. She was adorable and charming, a little great beauty.


    Before they even stepped into the hotel, a group of people had already flocked out of the venue to greet them.


    ¡°Master Stockton, good evening.¡±


    ¡°This must be the little miss, she¡¯s so cute.¡±


    4


    11


    Everyone wore the same polite smile and was more than eager to greet the two of them.


    John kept a formal smile on the entire time and


    responded nicely to their warm wee.


    Caprice stared at them quietly, her eyes wide open the entire time.


    The father and daughter swiftly entered the venue.


    That was when Caprice suddenly spotted something amid the crowd as she expressed in a confused voice, ¡°Huh?¡±


    She cast an intent look in one particr direction.


    John immediately followed her line of sight and saw nothing but the same crowd of people.


    There was a clearing behind the crowd and nothing else beyond that.


    He adjusted Caprice¡¯s hat and asked, ¡°Caprice, did you see anything?¡±


    Caprice shook her head but kept her eyes fixed in the same direction.


    She must have seen something particrly interesting to


    her.


    John did not pay further attention to it.


    Several rtives had juste up to greet him so he turned his attention back to them.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the venue.


    Behind a wall that was out of Caprice¡¯s line of sight.


    Sherry squatted low, her back pressed against the wall. 1


    She never expected Caprice to be so sharp and


    immediately notice her the moment she stepped into the ballroom.


    It was fortunate that she hid quickly. She doubted that Caprice would have identified her in such a short time.


    She remained there for a short while.


    She heard the sound of the crowd slowly dispersing. The circus around John should have scattered away by now.


    She took a deep breath and prepared to get up.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    That was when a bright red shape came into her peripheral vision.


    She looked up and met a pair ofrge, shining eyes.


    She was so taken aback by this that she sat back down again.


    Caprice observed her quietly and said, ¡°You''re the liar.¡±


    Sherry was not expecting Caprice to remember her especially since it had been several days since theirst meeting.


    She smiled and said, ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m nota liar.¡±


    Caprice¡¯srge eyes quaked a little inside their sockets. ¡± Then who are you?¡±


    Sherry looked around, then cautiously whispered to her, This isn¡¯t a good ce to talk. Let¡¯s find a quiet ce for us to talk,


    okay?¡±


    Though she was hiding behind a pir that kept her out of view, Caprice was too conspicuous in her bright red get -up.

 Chapter 1426

    Chapter 1426


    Caprice grimaced, then she walked away.


    Sherry felt as if a weight was dropped on her heart.


    Why did Caprice not want to talk to her? Did she not believe her?


    While she was still puzzled over this, Caprice who was already several steps away from her turned around and looked at her


    bizarrely. ¡°Why aren¡¯t youing?¡±


    Sherry was relieved to hear this. She quickly rose on her feet and followed Caprice, hunched over so nobody would see them.


    They trailed along the wall and went to a remote corner behind the bar.


    While this was happening, Julie was somewhere nearby chatting with the attending guests.


    She spotted a bright glimpse of red from the corner of her eye and turned to get a better look.


    She noticed the tiny figure of Caprice as well as that of a suspicious woman who was hunched over and following her..


    The longer she looked at the woman, the more she felt a strange degree of familiarity.


    Shortly after that, Sherry found herself hiding behind a bar with Caprice.


    It was rather cramped and quite dark.


    She doubted that anyone woulde by this area.


    She had to suppress the urge to immediately wrap Caprice into her tight embrace. With her hands sped tightly, she squatted


    in front of Caprice and said with a smile. ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m not a liar.¡±


    Caprice stared at her, her eyes expanding into two giant circles. ¡°Then who are you? Why do you keep following me and


    Daddy?¡±


    ¡°| wasn¡¯t stalking your father, | just wanted to see you.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to see me?¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath and revealed the secret she kept inside all this time. ¡°Because I¡¯m your mother.¡±


    Caprice blinked sporadically and looked at Sherry without the slightest change of expression, as calm as always.


    Sherry was stunted by herck of reaction. ¡°It¡¯s true, I¡¯m not lying to you, I¡¯m your mother.¡±


    ¡°| know.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sherry was taken aback by this response. ¡°How did you know? Did your father tell you?¡±


    Caprice spoke softly, ¡°When you were caught by Daddy thest time, | heard you when you said you were my mother.¡±


    Sherry stiffened for a moment, then she came to and immediately pulled Caprice into her arms.


    She wrapped her arms tightly around Caprice¡¯s soft skin and eximed excitedly, ¡°That¡¯s my baby daughter, you¡¯re so smart!¡±


    It had been so long, but she still remembered! She was so proud of her daughter''s intellect!


    Caprice was squeezed tightly in Sherry¡¯s arm and frowned inexplicably.


    Do all mothers tend to hug their children like this?


    The first thing she noticed was that the fragrance on her mother¡¯s body was rather different from that of her grandmother''s and


    aunt''s.


    She stayed silent inside Sherry¡¯s embrace.


    After a while, Sherry managed to calm herself down at


    last. That was when she quickly noticed how quiet the girl had be.


    She quickly let go of Caprice and asked with concern, Caprice, are you alright? Did | hug you too hard back there?¡±


    Caprice shook her head.


    ((This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry waspletely enamored by how adorable


    Caprice looked when she shook her head with her cheeks puffed up. Without any warning, she smooched Caprice¡¯s cheeks.


    Caprice frowned deeply and did not know what to say.


    Nobody had ever kissed her, save for her father.


    She decided she would let this slide considering Sherry was her mother.


    Her brows slowly released their original tension.


    Sherry was not expecting Caprice¡¯sck of aversion. It seemed to her that Caprice had already epted and acknowledged


    their rtionship.


    She wrapped her arms around Caprice again and asked, ¡± Caprice, do you have anything you want to ask your mommy?¡±


    Caprice stared at her silently for several seconds, then she asked, ¡°What took you so long toe back?¡±


    Sherry expressed with a remorseful sigh, ¡°In thest two years since mommy left you, there was not a single day where | didn¡¯t


    miss you. The problem was that | had a lot of things | needed to deal with so | had no choice...¡±


    Next to the bar counter.


    Julie heard some murmuringing from behind the bar. A hostile look shone in her eyes as she tightened her


    grip around the ss of wine in her hand.


    Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure in her peripheral vision.


    She was taken with shock and hurriedly dove behind another section of the bar counter.


    Immediately after that, John stepped into the bar section.

 Chapter 1427

    Chapter 1427


    He had nted a tracking device on Caprice. An application on his phone was used to pinpoint the exact location of where she


    was.


    The application led him here.


    What was the little brat doing here in the first ce?


    He wondered as he sped up his pace, his concern for Caprice¡¯s safety was slowly mounting.


    Immediately after that, she heard a familiar voiceing from behind the bar counter. It sounded like the voice of a woman


    holding herself back from bursting into tears. ¡°... Caprice, mommy had no choice but to leave you, | promise you | didn¡¯t


    intentionally abandon you...¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    He immediately halted.


    What followed after that was Caprice¡¯s voice. ¡°Il understand.¡±


    Smooch!


    Sherry nted yet another kiss on Caprice¡¯s cheek. ¡°My darling, you''re so sweet.¡±


    John grimaced.


    That was when Caprice asked, ¡°Are you going to leave again?¡±


    John winced.


    Sherry answered, ¡°Mommy won''t leave you. Even if I¡¯m leaving, I''ll take you with me.¡±


    Caprice asked, ¡°What about Daddy?¡±


    Sherry reflected the same question. ¡°What about Daddy?¡±


    Caprice asked innocently, ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking Daddy with us?¡±


    John found himself holding his breath as he waited for the answer.


    Sherry seemed to have difficulty answering this. She coughed dryly before stating, ¡°Caprice, | know that he¡¯s your daddy but


    unfortunately | no longer have anything to do with him. I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t get him toe with us.¡±


    Behind the bar counter.


    Upon hearing this, Caprice frowned tightly and decided. ¡± Then you can go by yourself, | want to be with Daddy.¡±


    Sherry was struck speechless.


    ¡°Heh.¡± A chuckle came out of nowhere.


    Sherry turned pale and immediately turned toward the direction of the voice.


    Caprice turned around as well.


    In came the figure of a tall man dragging a long shadow behind him.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Caprice¡¯s eyes brightened as she pried herself out of Sherry¡¯s arms and ran toward John.


    John picked her up effortlessly and carried her into his arms, then he looked at Sherry.


    There was a heavy gloom swirling in his eyes.


    Sherry rose and took a step back.


    ¡°Heh...¡± She scoffed dryly. ¡°Master Stockton, what a coincidence.¡±


    John scowled. ¡°Sherry, | suppose | have been far too


    liberal with you. How dare you have the guts to show up here?¡±


    Sherry smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to see our darling daughter, of course.¡±


    Our?


    John seemed offended by this remark. ¡°Our? Who is this¡® our''?¡±


    ¡°You and me, of course. If it weren¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t have a daughter as adorable as Caprice, am | right?¡±


    John chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Sherry wore a feigned smile the entire time.


    ¡°But I¡¯m sure you heard Caprice just now, she says she doesn¡¯t want to go with you,¡± he said as he red sharply at Sherry.


    Sherry stiffened and darted a nce at Caprice.


    Caprice was looking back and forth between her and John, her eyes agape.


    It was easy to see that she felt more affection for John.


    Sherry took a deep breath and said, ¡°I heard her, and | respect her choice as well.¡±


    She could not just take her by force. She had not even considered that as a worthwhile option.


    Right now, she figured that the best course of action was to take time to build a closer bond with Caprice. Once she developed a


    certain degree of trust with her, she could take her away.


    John red at her, observing her strained and wholly unconvincing smile, then he asked, ¡°So what¡¯s next?¡±


    Sherry seemed to be at a loss. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    John¡¯s eyes gleamed with ice, then continued with a condescending smile. ¡°What''s your n? Are you going to squat here


    forever?¡±


    Apart of him thought that perhaps Sherry could take this chance to admit her faults and apologize to him. That just might soften


    him enough to want to allow her to see Caprice in the future.

 Chapter 1428

    Chapter 1428


    His smile seemed more menacing than usual underneath the shade of the light.


    Sherry sensed that she was no longer wee here and excused herself courteously. ¡°Excuse me, I''ll be leaving now.¡±


    With that, she walked away.


    As she passed by John, she could not resist the urge to cast onest look at Caprice.


    Caprice was staring at her too with tears pooling in her eyes, on the verge of trickling down her cheeks.


    Sherry felt a wrench in her heart and promised her. ¡± Caprice, mommy wille back for you again.¡±


    Caprice nodded at her.


    What followed afterward was a sinister gaze cast at Sherry.


    She turned to John and saw him staring at her, as hostile as ever.


    She decided she had nothing else to say and quickly slipped out before it was toote.


    John scowled.


    Very well then.


    She would not even exchange a single sentence with him.


    She expected to see Caprice again with such an attitude? In her dreams!


    The giant ballroom was brightly illuminated and filled with people mingling in every corner.


    Sherry stepped out from behind the bar counter and edged along the wall.


    The exit was just around the corner, no more than thirty meters away.


    She could not risk anyone noticing her strange behavior, so she took out her phone and pretended to be texting someone as she


    nonchntly walked by the crowd.


    Meanwhile, somewhere inside the crowd.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Madam Stockton was just chatting with a couple of old friends of hers. She was nning to show them her granddaughter


    Caprice when she realized that Caprice was nowhere to be seen at all.


    ¡°Mom, who are you looking for?¡± Suddenly, Julie popped out of nowhere to attend to her.


    Madam Stockton turned to her frantically. ¡°Julie, do you have any idea where Caprice went?¡±


    Julie pointed in a certain direction and informed, ¡°I think | saw John heading toward the exit with Caprice.¡±


    Madam Stockton immediately marched toward the exit.


    She walked very quickly.


    Just as she was about to reach the exit, she identally bumped into a person who was walking in the same direction as her.


    She stumbled and nearly fell.


    Fortunately, Julie stepped to the rescue and saved her from the fall.


    ¡°I''m sorry, are you okay?¡± Sherry apologized frantically.


    That was when they made eye contact.


    As soon as their eyes fell upon each other, it was as if the surrounding air had turned stagnant and stale.


    Sherry widened her eyes.


    Madam Stockton immediately erupted with Sherry? Why are you here?!¡±


    anger.


    Sherry hurriedly exined, ¡°Madam Stockton, | just happened to be here is all.¡±


    She immediately headed toward the exit after she said that, not intending to wait for a response at all.


    Madam Stockton was immediately rmed by this and shouted at the top of her voice, ¡°Look here, there¡¯s a thief, get her!¡±


    The two security guards posted at the exit instantly rushed forward and cut off Sherry¡¯s path of retreat.


    Many guests had heard Madam Stockton¡¯s cry and quickly gathered around to see what themotion was about.


    They all turned their attention to Sherry who seemed to be the person at the heart of themotion.


    ¡°Who is she? Does anyone know who she is?¡±


    ¡°| don''t think I''ve ever seen her.¡±


    ¡°| thought only friends and rtives of the Stocktons


    were invited, how did she get in here?¡±


    Sherry found herself surrounded.


    The color was drained from her face as she turned to Madam Stockton and did what she could to muster a polite smile. ¡°Madam


    Stockton, | was just passing by.¡±


    Madam Stockton red at her pointedly.


    What sort of excuse was that? Even an idiot could tell that she must havee here to snatch Caprice away!


    She could not let anyone find out that this was Caprice¡¯s biological mother.


    Faced with the circumstances, she quickly conjured a new n and scowled at Sherry. ¡°How did you sneak in here? Do | know


    you?¡±

 Chapter 1429

    Chapter 1429


    Sherry was utterly perplexed by this.


    Were her ears ying tricks on her? Was it not Madam Stockton who called her by name just now?


    Before she could utter a word, Julie stepped forward and said, ¡°Mom, she must''ve snuck in here somehow.¡±


    Madam Stockton shouted with an urgency in her voice at the security guards, ¡°Take her to the police station!


    Two security guards immediately approached Sherry.


    Sherry drew several steps back and looked at both Madam Stockton and Julie, her eyes colored with disbelief.


    Were they pretending to not know who she was because they were afraid of people discovering her identity as Caprice¡¯s


    mother?


    The look in her eyes shifted. She suddenly smiled and announced, ¡°Madam Stockton, | didn¡¯t sneak in. I¡¯m an honored guest


    invited here just like everybody else.¡±


    Madam Stockton seemed appalled by this and turned to Julie.


    Julie confronted Sherry with hostility. ¡°I don¡¯t know you, | never sent you an invitation.¡±


    The people surrounding them began to murmur. ¡°We''ve


    never seen her before, | don¡¯t think she¡¯s a rtive or


    friend of the Stocktons. There¡¯s no way she has an invitation card.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she must''ve snuck in here.¡±


    ¡°Show us your invitation card if you im to have it.¡±


    Julie identified the ring weakness of Sherry¡¯s excuse and pounced on the opening. ¡°Miss, if you im to have been invited,


    please do show us the invitation card.¡±


    This was what Sherry was waiting for.


    As soon as Julie finished speaking, Sherry opened her bag and revealed an invitation card inside a purple envelope.


    The sight of it made Julie and Madam Stockton grimace in unison.


    The onlookers were just as simrly stunned by the piece of evidence the unknown woman presented.


    John, who had just arrived at the scene with Caprice, was rmed by this as well.


    He stared at the invitation card Sherry revealed and frowned deeply.


    When Caprice saw Sherry, she gestured at her and cried out to John, ¡°Daddy, it''s Mo-¡±


    ¡°| know.¡± John quickly interrupted her.


    ¡°Brother, what are you looking at here?¡± Queenie ran toward the scene from the other side of the venue and stopped next to


    John. She had to stand on her tiptoes to get a closer look at the center of the crowd.


    The moment she recognized Sherry, her eyes widened, ¡± Sher-¡±


    Before she could get another word out, John shoved Caprice into her arms.


    She frantically held Caprice in her arms, afraid of dropping her, then she turned to John with a bewildered expression. ¡°Huh?¡±


    John said sternly, ¡°Take Caprice somewhere else, get away from here.¡±


    There was a separate room with plenty of delicious food inside.


    It was far away enough from Sherry so that Caprice would not see or hear whatever was going on.


    Queenie protested. ¡°I want to see what''s going to happen next.¡±


    Although she had always wanted to spend some private time with Caprice, she was more eager to stick around and see what


    was about to go down next.


    John red at her, the look in his eyes sharpened immediately.


    Queenie was quickly intimidated and took the hint. ¡± Alright, I¡¯m taking her away.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    With that, she hurriedly turned around and took Caprice to the private room.


    John frowned again, then he quickly regained his usual calmposure as he trotted toward the center of the crowd.


    While this was happening, Sherry was brandishing the invitation card in front of her like a shield proving her innocence. ¡°Madam


    Stockton, second madam, take a close look at this invitation card and tell me it¡¯s not forged.¡±


    The invitation cards issued by the Stockton were marked with a unique stamp to prove that they belonged to none other than the


    Stocktons. It was an iconic and intricate design that was impossible for any outsiders to simply forge.


    Madam Stockton frowned tightly and threw a look at Julie.


    Julie used Sherry, ¡°This invitation card doese from us, but we never sent it to you. Where in the world did you get this


    invitation from?¡±


    Someone in the crowd spoke up, ¡°Did she steal it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, you didn¡¯t send this invitation card to me, merely borrowed it from someone else.¡± Sherry confessed.


    Madam Stockton hissed sharply. ¡°Who did you take it from?¡±


    Sherry opened the invitation card.


    Madam Stockton and Julie stared at it curiously.


    Everyone else squinted their eyes to get a closer look as well.


    The name of the person invited was written in the center of the card.


    Madam Stockton and Julie¡¯s eyes widened with recognition the moment they scanned the words written on the card.


    Madam Stockton jabbed a finger at Sherry and cried out,


    So this was why Young Master Carl didn¡¯t show up. You stole his invitation card!¡±

 Chapter 1430

    Chapter 1430


    Chapter 1430


    ¡°Young Master Carl? Which Carl?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t think | know anyone who goes by that name in nchester.¡±


    Someone who would receive a direct invitation from the Stocktons and seemed to be so heavily favored by Madam Stockton


    herself must certainly be an important individual.


    This immediately spurred another wave of discussion.


    That was when John stepped through the crowd and dered his presence.


    Everyone immediately zipped their lips and refrained from further gossiping.


    Julie and Madam Stockton turned pale as if they had seen a ghost when they saw John appearing.


    Sherry followed their line of sight and quickly identified John as well. The moment she saw him, a strange smile took shape on


    her lips. She greeted him with an unnatural amount of warmth as if she had been expecting him for a while.


    Julie went up to John and exined, ¡°John, it looks like she took the invitation card we sent to Young Master Carl.¡±


    John eyed Sherry with ring indifference. ¡°Contact the police.¡±


    Julie lit up and seemed to agree with this solution.


    The ttering smile on Sherry¡¯s face was wiped immediately, what was the meaning of this?


    She immediately spoke up, ¡°Master Stockton, | merely borrowed this invitation card, | didn¡¯t steal it.¡°


    John red at her suspiciously. ¡°Who did you borrow it from?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°From Young Master Carl himself, of course.¡±


    ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    ¡°Well, we''re acquainted, more or less.¡±


    John looked at her with a face full of scorn and asked,


    What''s his full name?¡±


    He red at her sharply.


    Sherry frowned.


    Even if she did not know Car!¡¯s full name, it was written right there on the invitation card, did this man take her for aplete


    idiot?


    She said without the slightest change of expression, ¡°Carl Sager, the third richest man in the country, the young master of the


    Sager family in Coastroack City.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the people around her were taken with stark astonishment.


    The Sagers of Coastrock? They were one of the most powerful families in the country, the legacy of their family ran for more than


    two centuries.


    How was it that this seemingly unimportant woman was acquainted with Young Master Carl Sager of all people?


    John smiled. ¡°You''re a walking encyclopedia, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sherry shot up an eyebrow and taunted him, ¡°The point is that I¡¯m not lying, | borrowed the invitation card from him.¡±


    John crossed his arms at his chest and looked at Sherry condescendingly. ¡°And how did you manage to borrow it from him?¡±


    ¡°Lasked him for it.¡±


    Something shone inside John¡¯s eyes for a brief instant. ¡± You mean to say you asked him personally?¡±


    Now it was Sherry who seemed challenged. ¡°No, | have a friend who was close with him. He managed to get the invitation card


    for him.¡±


    ¡°What''s your friend¡¯s name? What''s he about?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn''t know him.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, am | supposed to just take your word for it?¡±


    ¡°Everything | told you is the truth,¡± Sherry continued, Besides, even though losing the invitation card wouldn''t be a big deal,


    Young Master Carl would definitely inform you himself if it was indeed stolen from him.¡±


    John seemed to consider this prospect.


    This seemed to enlighten the spectators as well. Sherry made a good point. If the invitation card was certainly stolen, surely


    Young Master Carl would have notified the Stocktons.


    Julie and Madam Stockton exchanged looks with each other.


    Did Sherry truly have friends who were acquainted with Carl Sager?


    An oppressing silence took over.


    Just when it seemed like everyone would buy Sherry¡¯s exnation, John spoke up in amanding voice, ¡°In that case, why


    don¡¯t you give him a call? If Carl himself says that he agreed to lend you the invitation card, then I''ll let you off the hook.¡±


    Sherry stiffened for a moment before asking for further rification, ¡°Call who? The friend | was talking about?¡±


    John grinned mischievously and announced, ¡°Carl.¡±


    Sherry grimaced.


    Everyone else seemed to agree. ¡°Yeah, if Young Master Carl himself says that he lent you the invitation card,


    then your innocence will be proven. If not, we have to believe that you stole it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry frowned.


    Julie and Madam Stockton snickered when they saw how Sherry had run out of excuses.


    She must have stolen it, there was no other way about it!


    Julie smiled and mocked her. ¡°Miss, if you im that this friend of yours helped you borrow it from Young Master Carl, then


    surely the friend must know how to get in touch with him. If you don¡¯t know how to contact Young Master Carl directly, why don¡¯t


    you ask your friend to deliver the message for you and have Young Master Carl exin everything to us?¡±


    The crowd urged Sherry on. ¡°That''s right, hurry up and call your friend!¡±

 Chapter 1431

    Chapter 1431


    Chapter 1431


    Sherry¡¯s hands hung by her side, unmoving. She kept silent while pursing her lips.


    Not long after, Julie smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it inconvenient to call your friend?¡±


    The crowd suddenly burst into ridicule. ¡°Heh... She must be full of nonsense. She doesn¡¯t even know any friends of Young


    Master Sager¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no need to ask. She must have stolen the invitation.¡±


    ¡°She even dared to steal the invitation that Madam Stockton gave to Young Master Sager. She has a lot of guts.¡±


    Sherry clenched her fists and looked toward John.


    They were almost two meters apart. John¡¯s posture waszy as he stood there, looking at her. The emotions in his eyes were


    deep. She could not understand them.


    Sherry pursed her lips and said to him seriously, ¡°I really borrowed this invitation. | didn¡¯t steal it.¡±


    John curled his lips, but his smile did not reach his eyes. Then, do as Julie said and prove that you borrowed the invitation.¡±


    (


    Sherry¡¯s throat choked. ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you!¡±


    John¡¯s eyes darkened as he repeated, ¡°Then, do as Julie said.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s chest felt suffocated. It was enough that Madam Stockton and Julie pretended not to know her, but he had clearly seen


    her earlier! He had even let her go.


    Why was he making things hard for her now? Did he really want to send her to the police station?


    ¡°You damned man!¡± She could not stand it anymore and shouted, ¡°Believe it or not, | borrowed this invitation !¡±


    John smiled and pursed his lips.


    Therge banquet hall was silent in an instant.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Julie and Madam Stockton were stunned.


    The surrounding people¡¯s eyes widened. Not only did she shout at him, but she also called him a damned man. She actually


    dared to scold him!


    The crowd looked cautiously at John again.


    He looked as elegant as usual with a faint smile at the corner of his lips. There was no hint of anger.


    Could it be that... they knew each other?


    Just as they began to ponder the rtionship between John and Sherry, John opened his mouth. ¡°There¡¯s no need to call the


    police.¡±


    Everyone''s eyes lit up.


    Julie and Madam Stockton frowned.


    Sherry looked at him happily.


    John nced at her and smiled. ¡°Tie her up and send her straight to the police station. Tell them that she not only stole the


    invitation but also insulted and ndered me.¡±


    The moment those words were spoken, Sherry¡¯s hands were pinned down by two security guards. She struggled with all her


    might but could not break free. She could only re at him coldly. ¡°You damned bastard! | really didn¡¯t steal the invitation. Tell


    them to let me go!¡±


    John smiled wickedly at her. ¡°I gave you a chance, but you didn¡¯t cherish it.¡±


    Sherry was speechless and furious. ¡°What do you mean | didn¡¯t cherish it? | told you that | borrowed the invitation. | didn¡¯t steal it!


    Why won''t you believe me?!¡±


    John took a step closer to her and pushed the frame of his sses up with one hand. His gaze turned colder. ¡°I also want to


    believe you, but not a word of truthes out of your mouth.¡±


    Sherry gnashed her teeth with anger. ¡°You should just say it straight if you¡¯re angry at me and want to give me a hard time.¡±


    John simply smiled.


    Besides Madam Stockton and Julie, everyone else was


    confused.


    Why did their conversation sound like they knew each other?


    However, the man¡¯s cold voice interrupted their thoughts. He looked at Sherry and instructed the guards, ¡°Take her to the police


    station.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Stockton.¡±


    The two guards dragged Sherry out.


    Sherry was no match for them as they lifted up her entire body. She could only re at John with eyes red with resentment.


    His slender figure elegantly stood in ce. His lenses covered the dark look in his eyes, but Sherry saw him curl the corners of


    his lips. His expression seemed quite pleasant.


    As she was being carried out, she heard a rtive of the Stockton family ask him, ¡°Do you know her, John?¡± He looked her


    straight in the eye and said, ¡°No, | don¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 1432

    Chapter 1432


    Chapter 1432


    Astrong sourness rushed into her eyes, and tears almost instantly flowed out.


    Seeing that she was about to be carried out of the banquet hall, Sherry opened her mouth. She wanted to scold him. She wanted


    to shout that she had given birth to Caprice. She wanted to let all the guests inside know that John, Madam Stockton, and Julie


    knew her.


    However, something seemed to be stuck in her throat, making her unable to say a word.


    Madam Stockton and Julie pretended not to know her because they disdained her and did not want other people to know that


    she was Caprice¡¯s mother.


    What about him? Did he also disdain her and not want others to know?


    In that case, he should have just let her go. Why did he ask her so much nonsense and even send her to the police station?


    Was it because he not only disdained her but hated her so much that he wanted her to go to jail?


    Sherry could not help but think of that time when she had fainted in the snow. When she returned to the hotel, he told her, ¡°I feel


    sick just looking at you.¡±


    She just did not want to be with him. She left for two years because she did not want to be under house arrest again. She only


    came back now to see her child! What did she do to make him so disgusted?!


    Tears instantly streamed down her face.


    Sherry quickly pursed her lips and held back a choked sob.


    However, she gave up and stopped struggling, ready to let the security guards drag her away when a familiar voice suddenly


    came from the side of the corridor.


    ¡°Sherry? What are you doing here?¡±


    Sherry lifted her face in shock to see Jake, Janine, and Matthew. They should be attending an event in another banquet hall and


    happened to pass by.


    Janine and Matthew were stunned to see her.


    At the exit of the banquet hall behind Sherry, Madam Stockton and Julie, as well as the friends and family of the Stockton family


    had not dispersed. They all looked over when they heard Jake¡¯s voice.


    The Stockton and Fowler families had been connected by marriage before, so many people knew who Jake and Matthew were.


    Someone immediately asked, ¡°President Williams, do you know this woman? Who is she?¡±


    Jake swept a cold and contemptuous gaze at Sherry, then


    looked at Janine and Matthew. Janine was looking elsewhere as if she did not know Sherry. Matthew looked at Sherry and the


    two security guards who were holding her. His expression was not pleasant either.


    Soon, Jake said to the person who spoke to him, ¡°Her? She¡¯s the daughter my sister brought back from the countryside. Her


    name is Sherry Fowler, but she never goes home. | haven''t seen her in years.¡±


    The crowd was quiet for a moment, and then a flurry of whispers sounded.


    ¡°So, she¡¯s from the Fowlers.¡±


    ¡°Tsk... How did the Fowlers educate their daughters? One of them is a murderer and went to jail while this one is a thief. They''re


    all rotten eggs.


    ))


    The voices of discussion and mockery increased.


    Janine and Matthew''s expressions turned red.


    Jake had long been displeased with Sherry, so when he heard that she was a thief, he immediately put on a shocked expression


    and asked, ¡°What did my niece do? Why is she being held by two security guards?¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    The person he asked was a rtive of the Stockton family and said, ¡°She stole Young Master Sager¡¯s invitation and snuck in.


    Not only did she not admit it but she even insulted Master Stockton.¡±


    ¡°What? How dare she steal an invitation?!¡± Janine


    shrieked in surprise. Then, she pointed at Sherry and scolded angrily, ¡°Sherry Fowler, it¡¯s bad enough that you don¡¯t respect your


    elders, but why can¡¯t you change the bad habits you brought from the countryside? You even stole something from the


    Stocktons? You might not feel shame, but your father and | do!¡±


    Janine and Matthew were both so angry that they looked away. It was as if they did not even want to acknowledge


    her.

 Chapter 1433

    Chapter 1433


    The two security guards held Sherry down by her shoulders. She arched her back miserably and looked at the ground.


    She did not even need to look up to guess what


    expressions Jake, Janine, Matthew, and the others were wearing at the moment.


    Her face was cold and pale, and her body trembled uncontrobly. She pursed her lips tightly and did not make a sound.


    The silencested for only a moment before Jake said to Madam Stockton and Julie, ¡°Madam Stockton and Ms. Weiss, my niece


    grew up in the countryside and wasn¡¯t educated well. She grew up before being taken back to the Fowler family. She¡¯s stubborn


    and disobedient, and she doesn¡¯t go home, so her parents simply can¡¯t control her. We didn¡¯t know that she would steal an


    invitation to sneak in here tonight. We''re really sorry about this.¡±


    His attitude was respectful, and his tone was ttering.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression also eased up a bit.


    Julie looked at her face and said, ¡°Mr. Williams, we gave Ms. Fowler a chance, but she refused to admit that she stole the


    invitation. She even raised her voice at John, so we have no choice but to send her to the police station.¡±


    The Fowler family was here, and they had once been connected to the Stockton family through marriage. Although there was no


    rtionship now, it was not good to send Sherry to the police station.


    Julie finished speaking and looked toward John.


    The man¡¯s tall figure stood on the other side of the crowd. He was looking at Sherry, who was being held down by the security


    guards. His gold¡ªrimmed sses covered the emotions under his eyes, so others could only see his cold and emotionless face.


    No one knew what he


    was thinking.


    Jake and the others followed Julie¡¯s gaze and looked at John. His expression was much more respectful.


    Then, he secretly nudged Janine. He already said what he could. Although Sherry was hateful, she was their daughter, so they


    had to plead for her case as her parents.


    Janine¡¯s expression was cold and disgusted.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Shannon had acted on impulse and was imprisoned


    because of Sherry, and now, Sherry had stolen an


    invitation from the Stocktons and was even caught red- handed. She should have just died!


    Janine got angrier the more she thought about it. She wanted to p Sherry to death. However, she could not lose her temper


    with other people around her.


    She secretly red at Sherry and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a


    thief as a daughter. As long as you can relieve your anger, you can deal with her however you want.¡±


    The crowd instantly went silent.


    Jake, Madam Stockton, and the other onlookers all froze.


    They obviously did not expect Janine not to plead for Sherry at all. However, when they thought about how Sherry was just a


    hateful wild girl from the countryside, they felt at ease and looked on condescendingly.


    Julie secretly curled her lips.


    Only the man with a straight figure to the side wrinkled his brows. The look under his eyes tightened. He was still staring at


    Sherry, looking at her quiet and wretched figure.


    At this moment, Sherry had her head down, parallel to the ground. Her two hands were bound, so she could not free them. She


    could only sneer while letting her tears drip to the ground.


    Fortunately, there was ayer of dark carpet on the ground that absorbed her tears right as they fell on it.


    Behind her, a few meters away, John frowned tightly, then lifted his long legs and took a step forward.


    ¡°John,¡± Julie suddenly called him.


    At once, everyone around looked over at him.

 Chapter 1434

    Chapter 1434


    Chapter 1434


    John looked at Julie.


    Julie smiled and said, ¡°John, | think that Ms. Fowler was just a little rude, but she doesn¡¯t seem to have any malice. Why don¡¯t we


    just let her apologize to you and let her go?¡±


    John¡¯s expression changed slightly as he hummed.


    At the same time, he retracted his footsteps. His tightly- knit brows rxed, and he looked at Sherry with a cold expression.


    Julie also looked at Sherry and said politely, ¡°Ms. Fowler, since you''re part of the Fowler family, we''ll drop this matter. Quickly


    admit your mistake to John and then leave this ce.¡±


    After saying that, she shot a look at the two guards who immediately let Sherry go.


    Sherry turned her head and raised her eyes to look at them.


    Her slightly blurred vision swept past Janine and


    Matthew''s cold and disgusted faces, past Jake, Madam Stockton, and the others¡® contemptuous and disdainful expression, past


    Julie¡¯s hypocritical smile, and soon saw John.


    He stood almost three meters away from her.


    Looking at his gentlemanly and elegant figure, Sherry puckered her lips and spat at his handsome face. ¡°Bah!¡±


    A mouthful of spit sprayed straight toward him.


    The next second, before anyone could react, she turned around and ran. She fled from the corridor in the blink of


    an eye.


    Everyone was speechless. They were all stunned.


    Then, they all trembled and looked at John.


    Matthew, Janine, and Jake especially looked very flustered.


    The man¡¯s refined and handsome face clouded visibly. After a few seconds of silence, he smiled eerily and said, ¡± Catch her.¡±


    The two bodyguards quickly responded and chased after Sherry.


    John took out a clean handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face. His sses were sttered with the spittle she had


    sprayed at him. He threw the handkerchief to the side, put his sses back on, and walked toward the door.


    Julie hurriedly followed him.


    Matthew, Janine, and Jake did not dare to remain stunned


    anymore. They had been alienated by the Stockton family ever since Shannon¡¯s incident. This time, if Sherry really offended


    John, it would be difficult for them to get a foothold in nchester in the future.


    They also hurried out, thinking that they had to drag Sherry back and make her apologize to John!


    Sherry ran out of the hotel gate in a single breath.


    However, she did not expect the ground outside the hotel to be covered with a thinyer of slippery ice.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as she ran out, she slipped and fell to the ground. Her body lurched forward for some distance. Her knee was in so


    much pain that she could not stand up.


    Just then, a flurry of footsteps came out from the hotel lobby.


    Sherry turned her head to see the two security guards who had held her down before running out from inside. They were


    obviously trying to catch her!


    Her eyes flickered, and she immediately braced herself on the ground to stand up. However, before she could take a step


    forward, a sharp pain ran up her knees. She instantly fell back to the ground.


    Her eyes watered in pain. The two guards had already run out of the hotel entrance and saw her.


    ¡°There she is! Get her!¡± The two men rushed toward her.


    Sherry held her breath.


    Was she really going to fall here tonight?


    Just as she was about to give up, an arm suddenly appeared from behind her, hooked around her waist, and picked her up from


    the ground.


    Sherry was stunned and quickly looked over.


    The night was silent, and the temperature was freezing cold.


    After John, Matthew, and the others walked out, the two security guards approached them from the roadside.

 Chapter 1435

    Chapter 1435


    They were empty-handed. It was clear they did not catch Sherry.


    John frowned.


    Matthew asked angrily, ¡°Where is she? Where did Sherry go?¡±


    The two guards bowed their heads toward John, and one of them replied in a low voice, ¡°We didn¡¯t manage to catch her. She got


    away.¡±


    Matthew''s eyes flickered as he looked carefully at John.


    Janine then said, ¡°Master Stockton, that wild girl is too cunning. Don¡¯t worry. As long as she dares to go home, we''ll send her to


    you immediately and make her


    apologize to you.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    John pursed his lips and looked at them with a smile. ¡°I''ll be grateful if you would do that, Mr. and Mrs. Fowler.¡±


    Seeing him smile and how his tone did not seem to be angry, Matthew and Janine were instantly relieved.


    Matthew quickly said, ¡°Yes, as long as she dares to go back, we''ll send her to you even if we have to tie her up.¡±


    John said nothing and turned back to the hotel.


    Julie, who followed him out, went in with him.


    Matthew and Janine¡¯s faces suddenly became angry again.


    Janine cursed in fury, ¡°That b*stard girl, why didn¡¯t she just die two years ago?¡±


    Matthew would have usually admonished her, but he was


    also full of annoyance at this moment. ¡°That wild thing didn¡¯t get any better after disappearing for two years. She even learned to


    steal!¡± 1


    Jake sighed. ¡°I told you. That wench grew up in the countryside. Her roots are rotten. There¡¯s no helping her at all. You shouldn¡¯t


    have picked her up back then.¡±


    In the night, a pastel pink car was speeding.


    In the car, a young man wearing a ck leather jacket and a pair of sunsses was firmly gripping the steering wheel with both


    hands.


    Sherry sat in the passenger seat lifelessly. She asked, Why are you here, Carl?¡±


    (


    Carl curled his lips. ¡°You dared to use my name. If | don¡¯te, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d have ruined my reputation.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes. ¡°You think too much.¡±


    Carl snorted. ¡°Do you think | don¡¯t know that you used my name to get Master Carrel to ask the Stockton family for an


    invitation?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t say you didn¡¯t know. | meant that your


    reputation is already rotten. You don¡¯t need me to ruin it


    for you.¡±


    Screech.


    The car suddenly stopped at the side of the road.


    Carl took off his sunsses and narrowed his beautiful almond eyes with displeasure. ¡°Sherry, | saved you out of the kindness of


    my heart, but what is that attitude? Would you believe me if | say I¡¯d drop you back immediately?¡±


    Sherry was in a bad mood and could not be bothered to bicker with him. She said bluntly, ¡°If you send me back, I''ll call your mom


    immediately.¡±


    Carl''s expression changed, and he suddenly smiled. ¡±


    Okay, let''s talk amicably. Don¡¯t bring my mom into this.¡±


    Sherry raised her brows. ¡°Just drive and take me to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Carl answered obediently, but his gaze was somewhat wicked as he nced at her.


    Then, he mmed on the gas pedal.


    Vroom.


    The car instantly shot forward. The back of Sherry¡¯s head hit the seat.


    Her face was annoyed. ¡°Carl Sager, do you want to die?¡± Carl threw a wink at her. ¡°Yeah. Why don¡¯t you beat me up?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°Just you wait.¡±


    Carlughed and sped up the car again.


    In a short while, the car stopped outside a hospital.


    Sherry pushed open the door and got out of the car.


    Carl suddenly arrived at her side and picked her up without a word.


    Sherry frowned at him. ¡°Put me down. | can walk by myself.¡±


    Carl sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t put on a brave front now. | won¡¯tugh at you.¡±


    Then, he took a big step inside.

 Chapter 1436

    Chapter 1436


    Chapter 1436


    Sherry pursed her lips and said nothing else.


    It was alreadyte at night when she finished getting bandaged. She sat in the car and leaned against the car seat wearily,


    wanting to close her eyes and sleep.


    However, even after a long time, the car did not start.


    She could not help but open her eyes, which locked into a pair of beautiful almond eyes.


    Carl was right in front of her, appraising her with a hand on his chin.


    Sherry frowned at him. ¡°Get away from me.¡±


    ¡°Tsk... Sherry, | just saved your life. Is that your attitude toward your savior?¡± Carl spoke and approached closer.


    Sherry curled her lips and raised her fist at the same time.


    Carl''s expression changed as he immediately sat back in the driver¡¯s seat.


    However, he still did not drive. He lowered his seat so he was almost lying down with his long legs casually resting on the


    steering wheel.


    With his head resting on his arm, he tilted his head and looked at Sherry. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here for business? Why did you use my


    identity to attend the Stocktons¡® party? You


    were even chased out by the security guards. Did you do something behind my back?¡±


    Sherry closed her eyes wearily and said, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°You used my identity.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°And you''re my future wife. If anything happens to you, I''ll be all alone in the


    future.¡±


    Sherry frowned in annoyance. ¡°I''ll call your mom if you say any more nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Geez, fine. Did you raise a man here behind my back?¡±


    Sherry opened her eyes and took her phone out of her bag.


    Carl immediately sat up. The seat beneath him bounced back. He quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, don¡¯t be mad. I''ll drive you back to


    the hotel now.¡±


    Then, he started the car.


    Sherry put the phone away as well. She nced at him again, then leaned back and closed her eyes.


    After a while, just as the car was about to drive to the hotel, she suddenly thought of something and said, ¡± Wait, don¡¯t go back to


    that hotel yet.¡±


    Carl slowed down. ¡°Why not?¡±


    Sherry asked him, ¡°Which hotel are you staying in now?¡±


    Carl''s eyes lit up. ¡°Why? Do you want to stay with me? I''ll


    tell you now, but there¡¯s only one bedroom in my suite. If you go there, you can only bunk with me.¡±


    Sherry was in no mood to bicker with him and simply said, ¡°Just go to your hotel first.¡±


    Carl''s lips curled up happily. ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    He picked up speed.


    After passing through several traffic lights, the car drove to a five-star hotel. Carl¡¯s room was in the top


    presidential suite.


    Sherry took out her ID card, got a room for herself, and went into the elevator with him.


    The space in the elevator was limited. Carl stoodzily opposite her, leaning against the wall. His eyes flickered from her injured


    knee to her face.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    He asked with a smile, ¡°Sherry, did youe with me here because you were afraid that someone would find you in the hotel


    you''re staying in?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips and ignored him.


    Carl looked at her obviously depressed face. His eyes flickered, and he said, ¡°Tell me who that person is and I''ll take care of him


    for you. I''ll make sure he stays away from you in the future.¡±


    Sherry looked up at him. ¡°John Stockton.¡± Carl paused. ¡°Who?¡±

 Chapter 1437

    Chapter 1437


    Sherry crossed her arms. ¡°The richest man in


    nchester, the master of the Stockton family. Go ahead,


    then.¡±


    Carl pursed his lips andughed dryly. ¡°Heh... I¡¯m not


    afraid of him, but we¡¯re in nchester now. This is his territory, after all. Give me some time. | have to make a long-term n.¡±


    Sherry ignored him. She knew Carl too well. Although he was like a dandy, he was not a fool. If it was someone he could bully,


    he would be sure to beat them to death, but


    when it came to John, he was just ying lip service. It was impossible to offend John easily.


    The elevator soon stopped at her floor.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She took a step and limped out.


    Carl followed her all the way to her room.


    Sherry turned back to him. ¡°Master Sager, do you need something else?¡±


    Carl leaned his back on the wall by her door and said with a smile, ¡°No, | just thought that the weather here is too


    cold and wanted to ask if you need someone to warm your bed at night.¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Carl turned around and went out.


    Sherry immediately locked the door behind her andy


    down on the bed.


    The room was quiet, and she was obviously very tired, but she could not sleep. As soon as she closed her eyes, the scenes of


    her being carried out by the security guards flooded her mind uncontrobly.


    The cold words of Jake and Janine, Madam Stockton and the others¡® cold and contemptuous eyes, and that man¡¯s


    hatred for her...


    The tip of her nose felt sour, and she pressed a pillow to


    her face in annoyance.


    Outside the door, in the corridor, Carl stood by the door


    aftering out.


    When he did not hear any sound after a while, he finally moved toward the elevator. At the same time, he took out his phone and


    sent a voice message. ¡°Send me Sherry Fowler¡¯s whereabouts these past few days, and check her rtionship with John


    Stockton, the master of the


    Stockton family.¡±


    Meanwhile, two streets away was the hotel where Sherry had been staying before.


    The lobby on the first floor was brightly lit. Not far from the entrance, arge and small figure was sitting on the


    sofa.


    The hotel manager personally came over with tea and snacks. ¡°Master Stockton, the weather is cold. Have some tea and


    something to eat.¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee.¡± The hotel manager put down the tea and food, then retreated to the side.


    John looked at Caprice. ¡°Are you tired, Caprice?¡±


    Caprice shook her head. Herrge eyes looked toward the entrance of the hotel, and her small mouth could not help but mutter,


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mommy back yet?¡±


    John¡¯s eyes darkened for a moment. It had been almost three hours since she ran away from nchester Hotel. It was almost


    midnight, so she should be back by now.


    T


    Did she not dare toe back because she guessed that he brought people here to stop her?


    He took out a box of children¡¯s snacks and handed it to


    Caprice. ¡°Just wait. She might have been dyed by something.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice took the snack and nibbled on it.


    John looked toward Peter and a few bodyguards standing not far away. ¡°You guys disperse first. Come out when shees


    back.¡±


    Peter understood what he meant and walked away somewhere else with the bodyguards.


    The surroundings were quiet. At this time, almost no one came in and out of the hotel anymore.


    John closed his eyes somewhat wearily.


    However, as soon as he closed his eyes, the image of her being held down wretchedly by two security guards and being scorned


    mercilessly by her parents came to his mind.

 Chapter 1438

    Chapter 1438


    Soon, he opened his eyes again.


    That woman was able to get her hands on the invitation for Young Master Sager, so she must have an ulterior


    motive.


    As long as she was willing to tell him carefully what she had done before and after getting the invitation, then


    obediently admit her mistake of leaving for two years, since she went to such great lengths to see Caprice, he could give her one


    last chance and let Caprice call her


    Mom.


    However, time passed little by little, and it was almost one in the morning. Caprice also fell asleep in his arms,


    but that woman still did note back.


    Did she not n oning back?


    His expression was broody, and he took out his phone to pull up her number.


    Just as his finger was about to touch the screen, he


    quickly withdrew his hand again. She was the one who made a mistake and refused to admit it.


    Why should he call her?Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    He immediately put the phone back, then picked Caprice up and walked out.


    Peter and several bodyguards immediately came over


    from the shadows.


    John looked at Peter. ¡°Leave two people here to keep an eye out and tie her up immediately when shees back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Peter quickly replied and turned his head to instruct the two bodyguards.


    John carried Caprice straight to the car.


    After more than half an hour, the car arrived at the Stockton family vi and stopped outside of the courtyard where he lived.


    John got out of the car with Caprice in his


    arms.


    Madam Stockton, Julie, and Queenie immediately went


    up to him.


    Madam Stockton looked at the sleeping Caprice and said with some displeasure, ¡°John, where did you bring Caprice? It¡¯s so


    late.¡±


    John ignored her and walked straight inside while carrying Caprice.


    The lights in the courtyard were on.


    Madam Stockton also saw his gloomy and unpleasant expression. Her eyes flickered, and she pursed her lips and said ina


    lighter voice, ¡°John, Sherry actually went and did something so bold as to steal an invitation. She must be wanting to pester you


    again because she can¡¯t survive alone outside. Don¡¯t fall for her tricks again.¡±


    John stopped as his gaze turned cold. ¡°I know. You can go


    back and rest now.¡±


    His voice was very grim.


    Madam Stockton quickly closed her mouth.


    John carried Caprice and continued to walk forward.


    Queenie, who followed Madam Stockton, saw that John was about to go in and quickly asked, ¡°John, do you know where Sherry


    went?¡±


    John stopped again and turned to look at her gloomily through his sses.


    Queenie paled in fright and shut her mouth at once.


    John nced at Julie standing by the side. ¡°Julie,e in for a moment.¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes lit up as she quickly followed him.


    Entering the house, John handed Caprice to Aunt Wanda and looked at Julie who just came in.


    Julie stopped two meters away from him and asked softly, ¡°Do you need me for something?¡±


    He asked, ¡°When did Young Master Sagere to nchester?¡±


    Julie replied, ¡°It should be a few days ago. | only found out through Master Carrel. He has a friendship with the Sager family from


    Westchester and said that Young Master Sager wanted to visit you, so | gave Master Carrel an invitation to pass to Young Master


    Sager.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that Master Carrel gave the invitation to Young Master Sager?¡±


    Julie thought about it and said, ¡°Master Carrel is very trustworthy. If he didn¡¯t deliver it, or if he lost the


    invitation, he would have told us.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes.


    In that case, the invitation must have been delivered to


    Young Master Sager.

 Chapter 1439

    Chapter 1439


    Sherry did know a lot of people in Westchester. Even Mrs. Carter was her good friend. However, Westchester and nchester


    were far apart, and Odell Carter had nothing to do with the Sager family.


    She should not have gone to Odell for help. In that case, which friend did she ask to ¡®borrow¡¯ the invitation from Young Master


    Sager?


    ¡°John, | don¡¯t think Ms. Fowler borrowed the invitation,¡± Julie looked at his face and said in a small voice.


    John looked at her.


    Julie thought of something and said, ¡°nchester will be holding the annual Business Association conference in a week. Master


    Carrel will be there, and he said that Young Master Sager will attend as well. You can just ask Young Master Sager face to face.¡±


    John¡¯s expression changed slightly as he hummed.


    Looking a little tired, he raised his hand and pressed it to his temple, then said to her, ¡°It¡¯ste. You can go back to


    rest now.¡±


    Julie smiled at him. ¡°Okay. You rest early too.


    John nodded toward her with a gentle expression.


    Julie walked out with a smile.


    Outside, the night was silent and cold.


    Julie had juste out when she ran into Madam Stockton and Queenie.


    ¡°Julie, what did John say to you?¡± Madam Stockton hurriedly asked her.


    Julie smiled and held Madam Stockton¡¯s arm, leading them outside while saying, ¡°He just wanted to know if the invitation was


    delivered to Young Master Sager.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why is he asking that? Does he still not believe that Sherry stole the invitation?¡± Madam Stockton grumbled


    unhappily.


    Julie said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. | think he¡¯s just asking about it normally. Since Young Master Sager dide to


    nchester, it¡¯s only natural for John to ask


    about it.¡±


    Madam Stockton snorted coldly. ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or


    not, he¡¯d better not have anything to do with Sherry


    again. Even if | die, | won''t let a woman who¡¯s also a thief like her be my daughter-inw!¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to want to be your daughter-inw


    either...¡± Queenie muttered in a low voice.


    Madam Stockton instantly red at her.


    Queenie pursed her lips.


    Julie took Madam Stockton¡¯s hand and said gently, ¡°What nonsense are you saying, Mom? Don''t think too much. and get some


    rest.¡±


    Madam Stockton still had a cold expression. She was upset at the thought of Sherrying back.


    She was in no mood to listen to Julie¡¯s advice now. She broke away from Julie¡¯s grip and was so angry that she stormed back to


    her own ce.


    ¡°Mom...¡± Julie revealed a helpless look and turned to Queenie. ¡°Queenie, why don¡¯t you talk to her?¡±


    ¡°If you couldn''t get through her, then neither can I,¡± Queenie said sullenly and also turned to walk away.


    Julie sighed.


    Only after they were all far away did she curl the corners of her mouth into a pleased smile.


    That woman disgraced herself in front of all the friends and rtives of the Stockton family tonight. Madam Stockton valued the


    family¡¯s reputation the most, and so did the elderly members of the Stocktons.


    Sherry had looked miserable when she was held down by the security guards and when she ran away. She was just


    like a street rat.


    If she had a shred of dignity left, she would note back to pester John anymore.


    Two dayster, it was almost New Year. nchester was also a famous tourist city, so the streets were reced


    with a lively and festive air.


    That evening, the silver MPV drove out from the underground parking lot of Stockton Tower as usual.


    Inside the car, John sat in the back seat with Caprice in his arms. His eyes looked at the street outside the car window through


    his sses.


    Not long after that, the car passed a hotel in the city.


    J


    The man said in a low voice, ¡°Stop the car.

 Chapter 1440

    Chapter 1440


    The driver quickly stopped the car.


    John carried Caprice out of the car and went straight into


    the hotel.


    The hotel manager saw himing and quickly


    weed him, saying carefully, ¡°Master Stockton, Ms. Fowler still hasn¡¯te back today.¡±


    John gave him a small smile. ¡°Please take me to her


    room.¡±


    The hotel manager instantly showed a troubled


    expression. ¡°That''s... Our hotel has a rule that no one is


    allowed to enter a guest''s room when the guest is not present.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes darkened. His face which still carried a modest smile was gloomy.


    The hotel manager¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly changed his tune, saying, ¡°Everyone except for you, Master Stockton.


    I''ll take you there immediately.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡±


    ¡°It''s no trouble at all.¡± The hotel manager raised his


    hand to wipe the cold sweat on his forehead and quickly led John inside.


    The elevator went up to the eighth floor.


    The hotel manager took the key card and opened the


    room door.


    It was a single room with arge bed. The room had been cleaned, so it was neat and tidy.


    After a general sweep, John walked in with Caprice in his


    arms.


    The closet beside the entrance still held her clothes and


    shoes. Most of the clothes were formal attire such as


    shirts and pants while the rest were warm clothes. Her luggage was also ced inside.


    Her things were obviously still there, but where was she?


    It had been three days. Why had she not returned?


    Did she still not dare toe back because she was afraid that he would trap her here? Or was it because she could


    not bear to show her face after how wretched she looked when she ran away that night?


    His eyes flickered, and he looked at the hotel manager with a smile. ¡°Can you give me a key card for this room?¡±


    The hotel manager froze.


    John continued to smile.


    The hotel manager immediately handed the key card in his hand to John.


    John said, ¡°I want to stay here for a while. You can go back to work. There¡¯s no need to follow me anymore.¡±


    The hotel manager answered and left.


    John held Caprice and walked around the room.


    ¡°Daddy, is this where Mommy lives?¡± Caprice suddenly


    asked.


    John said softly, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The little girl looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mommy? Why isn¡¯t she here?¡±


    John¡¯s eyes darkened, and he said, ¡°Maybe she went out because there was something urgent.¡±


    ¡°Will shee back?¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°Her stuff is all here. She''ll be


    back.¡±


    2


    Two blocks away from that hotel was a five-star hotel.


    The door and the windows were closed, and the warm air


    was quiet.


    There was only the sound of Sherry typing on the


    keyboard. She was sitting in front of her desk, working. She brought forward all the matters that she had to aplish in the


    next month.


    Only by busying herself would she stop thinking about Caprice and the cold and contemptuous faces of that man and those


    people.


    Knock knock.


    Aknock sounded abruptly at the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Sherry faced theputer screen and


    continued to work.


    A tall figure came behind her and cast a shadow over her.


    Sherry turned around to look.


    Wearing sunsses and a pink shirt, Carl bent over with his arms folded on the back of the chair behind her.

 Chapter 1441

    Chapter 1441


    A pair of charming eyes stared at her.


    He feigned an adorable voice and said, ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m bored. Will you go out with me?¡±


    Carl''s face was less than a finger away from her.


    Sherry covered his face single-handedly and pushed him back, forcing him to stand straight. She said, ¡°I¡¯m busy. Go y by


    yourself.¡±


    She turned away and continued typing on the keyboard.


    Carl sighed and pouted. ¡°Sherry, you''ve been in this room for three days now. Aren''t you bored at all?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Carl''s gaze shifted. He suddenly bent over and moved close to her ears. ¡°Are you afraid of running into someone on the streets?


    That¡¯s why you''ve been hiding here for so long.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s typing hands froze all of a sudden. She turned to the man and stared at him coldly. Her lips curled as she said, ¡°Young


    Master Sager, are you thinking of your mother again?¡±


    Carl pouted and straightened his body once more. A hint of annoyance shed on his face as he looked askance at her. ¡°Sherry,


    if you threaten me with my mother again, I''ll fire you.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry leaned in the chair and crossed her arms. She smiled. ¡°Believe me when | say | will strip you of your position and toss


    you back to Coastrock City!¡±


    Carl clenched his teeth tightly. ¡°Fine! Fine! Stay here forever!¡±


    He angrily turned around and headed to the door.


    A few stepster, he turned to Sherry again and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Oh, there''s something | forgot to tell you. The Glenchester


    Business Guild''s annual conference is going to be held this Friday. I¡¯ve already epted Old Man Carrel¡¯s invitation.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression shifted.


    Carl smiled. ¡°Are you going, my dear boss?¡±


    Two dayster, Glenchester weed a drizzle that added ayer of mist to the already chilly city.


    At night, in the room on the eighth floor of the hotel where Sherry used to stay, Caprice had just fallen asleep soundly on the bed.


    In his working suit, the man stood by the window and


    gazed at the drizzle outside. His sses reflected the


    chilly re of the night on the window.


    Awhileter, Peter¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡± Sir, are you asleep?¡±


    John sat on the couch. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door was unlocked, so Peter let himself in.


    He walked to John and nced at the man¡¯s expression first before he said softly, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve searched all the clubs and hotels in


    Glenchester in the past two days as you ordered, but we couldn¡¯t find Ms. Fowler anywhere.¡±


    As his words subsided, the man had ayer of gloom shrouded over his handsome face without surprise.


    Peter frowned. He wanted to speak but did not have the nerve to make his thought verbal. The thought remained unspoken.


    John took his sses off and closed his eyes. His fingers massaged the center of his brows. A whileter, he asked,


    ¡°Where do you think she could be?¡±


    ¡°| think Ms. Fowler could be hiding.¡±


    ¡°Why is she hiding then?¡±


    Peter noticed the exhaustion on the man¡¯s face and he did


    not look as angry as expected. ¡°I''ll be honest, but please don¡¯t get mad at me.


    John¡¯s eyes remained closed as he leaned on the couch. He answered gruffly, ¡°I won''t.¡±


    Peter inhaled deeply and said, ¡°I think Ms. Fowler was deeply hurt that night.¡±


    John frowned.


    Peter continued, ¡°She might be unconcerned about her pride, but that night, when the crowdbeled her a thief, and even her


    own biological parents resented her, you...


    The man urged him in his deep voice,¡± Go on.


    ¡°You insisted on sending her to the station. Even if her heart was made with stone, it¡¯d crack.¡± Peter sighed. ¡°I think she was just


    there to steal an invitation, not something valuable. She stole the invitation because she wanted to see Ms. Caprice. She¡¯s not


    some thief as the


    crowd imed.¡±

 Chapter 1442

    Chapter 1442


    Ayoung woman was berated and insulted by a group of people in public, including her own biological parents


    who called her a thief. Even the ones she used to love and the father of her daughter refused to spare a nce at her.


    No one would be able to tolerate such grief. She must be hiding somewhere to lick her own wounds.


    Peter cautiously looked at John after he voiced his opinion.


    The man opened his deep eyes with no focus on his pupils. He seemed to be in deep thought, but fortunately, he was not mad.


    Peter sighed a breath of relief. In the next second, the man¡¯s gruffly voice sounded, ¡°Do you think | treated her poorly?¡±


    Peter choked on the question.


    How should he answer the question?


    The man obviously resented Sherry for what she had done to him in the past.


    If Peter said the man treated Sherry poorly, the man would probably be angry; if he lied about it, it seemed wrong as well.


    John looked at Peter. ¡°Just speak your mind. | won¡¯t get mad at you.¡±


    Peter felt relieved. ¡°Sir, aside from the unhappy past, | believe you''ve treated Ms. Fowler a little too harshly recently. She¡¯s Ms.


    Caprice¡¯s biological mother after all, and haven''t you been looking for her all this time? Now that she hase back, | believe


    there¡¯s no reason for you to continue treating her poorly.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°How poorly did | treat her?¡±


    Peter said in a small voice, ¡°She passed out in the snow once because of you, and when she was apprehended by security that


    night, it was heartwrenching.¡±


    ¡°She brought it upon herself.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    As Peter said, aside from the sour past, John had given her a chance two years ago, but she had insisted on abandoning him


    and the child. He texted her often in the past two years, but she had not once replied to his texts.


    Grievance choked him. John¡¯s expression turned cold as he red at Peter.


    Peter instinctively took a step back. ¡°Sir, you said you wouldn¡¯t get mad...¡±


    John closed his eyes again to suppress his emotions.


    The room went quiet for a while.


    Peter noticed his boss had no intention to continue the conversation anymore. He then said in a small voice, ¡°Sir, if there¡¯s


    nothing else, I''ll be leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± John opened his eyes. A slightly gloomy expression lingered on his handsome face, but it was not a sign of him getting


    mad.


    Peter asked, ¡°Yes, sir?¡± John put on his sses and looked at him indifferently. ¡± How do you think | should treat her when | find


    herter?¡±


    Peter cautiously sized up the man¡¯s expression to make sure the man would not get mad. ¡°If you want her to be Ms. Caprice¡¯s


    mother, why not treat her better? Try to bring her back to your side.¡± John narrowed his eyes, his gaze turned sharp.


    Peter immediately said, ¡°Sir, it''s just an opinion.¡± ¡°What if she refuses toe back to me?¡±


    Peter was slightly stunned. ¡°I think Ms. Fowler is at her worst now. As long as you treat her better, she''ll probably have a change


    of heart.¡±


    ¡°If | treat her better, and she still refuses to change her mind?¡±


    Peter thought, ¡®Can you not think so negatively?!¡¯


    He dared not make his thoughts verbal. A whileter, he swapped his thoughts for something more appropriate. ¡± | think you


    shouldn''t lock her up anymore. | believe she insisted on leaving you two years ago because she was afraid of being locked up.


    John widened his eyes. ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    Peter took a few steps back and helplessly continued, You made me say it.¡± Annoyed, John rolled his eyes. ¡°Just leave.¡± Peter


    immediately strode out of the room.

 Chapter 1443

    Chapter 1443


    The door closed, hence returning the moderately spacious room to peace and quiet.


    The sky continued to drizzle outside the window.


    Caprice was sleeping soundly on the bed, her cheeks slightly blushing.


    John¡¯s anxiety and annoyance calmed down when he saw the adorable girl sleeping. His eyes were glued to the girl for a while


    before he sighed.


    It seemed like he was dedicated to treating her better when he found her.


    Should conscience remain in the woman''s mind and


    know what was best for her, he could marry her once more and make her Caprice¡¯s mother legitimately.


    With the thought in mind, the depression and annoyance that troubled him faded. He got up and wanted to have a bath before


    resting, but his phone rang. It was from Julie.


    Without wanting to startle Caprice, he put the phone beside his ear and whispered, ¡°Julie?¡±


    Julie asked, ¡°John, where have you been with Caprice in the past few days? Mother hasn¡¯t seen Caprice for a while and she¡¯s


    worried.¡±


    John answered tly, ¡°| have some matters to attend to. Caprice is with me on a business trip for a few days.¡±


    Out of concern, Julie asked, ¡°The business guild¡¯s conference is tomorrow night. I¡¯ve epted the invitation on your behalf


    because you said you were going. I''ve informed Master Carrel that you will be attending. Are youing home tomorrow?¡±


    John curled his lips and answered gently, ¡°Caprice and | wille back tomorrow afternoon. | don¡¯t n to bring Caprice to the


    event, so | have to ask you and Mother to take care of her for me.¡±


    ¡°I''m more than delighted to take care of Caprice. I''ll tell Mother right away. She''ll be happy about it,¡± Julie said delightedly.


    The next day, after a delicious meal at the restaurant with


    Caprice, John went home to the Stocktons¡¯ residence.


    Madam Stockton and Julie were waiting for them.


    Madam Stockon was over the moon when she saw themContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    back. She strode over and reached out to the little girl. Caprice,e and give me a hug!¡±


    Caprice obediently held Madam Stockton¡¯s hand.


    Madam Stockton picked her up into her arms and headed back into the house while calling her precious.


    Julie smiled as she walked John inside. ¡°How¡¯s work, John? Is everything with the business trip going okay?¡± John hummed a


    reply.


    ¡°Great. Everything is in order at home. Queenie has been obedient, and other than Mother missing Caprice, everything is fine,¡±


    Julie answered gently. John smiled. ¡°Thank you for taking care of the house while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°John,e on. We are family. It''s my duty to take care of things here on your behalf,¡± Julie immediately said.


    When they walked into the living room, they saw Caprice in Madam Stockton¡¯s arms while Queenie yed with her.


    John sat on the couch while Julie sat on the couch beside him.


    Julie said, ¡°John, do you want to get prepared? The conference is in a few hours. | heard from Master Carrel that Young Master


    Sager is attending too. He also mentioned that the person who helped the Sagers ovee theirpany¡¯s crisis two years


    ago ising along.¡± John was intrigued. ¡°He¡¯s attending?¡±


    ¡°Master Carrel said it himself, so it must be true.¡±


    Queenie, who was ying with Caprice, turned to them curiously. ¡°Brother, Julie, who''s that mysterious person? What did he do


    to help the Sagers?¡±


    Julie smiled. ¡°The Sagers have been trying to change their image for several years, but the oue was not ideal. They almost


    wasted all their savings before a mysterious person who appeared out of nowhere helped them. The person''s idea was to revive


    their nightclub business, which they never took seriously. It grew big and swiftly expanded into a chain of more than a dozen


    outlets in Coastrock and its neighboring cities in just six months.


    ¡°Not only did it help the Sagers ovee their bankruptcy crisis but it even helped them expand into other fields. He¡¯s the


    reason why the Sagers were able to return to their peak in just two years.¡±

 Chapter 1444

    Chapter 1444


    Chapter 1444


    Queenie¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°He¡¯s that awesome?!¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±Even Julie showed a hint of admiration on her face. ¡°Without this person, the Sagers would not have regained their


    former glory. Even Young Master Sager became his student. But the Sagers were afraid of their rivals scouting him, so his


    existence is kept a secret. Other than the Sagers themselves, almost no one has seen this person before.¡±


    Queenie asked out of curiosity, ¡°Then, why is heing to Glenchester with Young Master Sager?¡±


    ¡°Glenchester is famous for its tourism industry. Both the tourism and entertainment industries are considered the best in the


    country. | believe the Sagers want to expand their reach in the entertainment industry as well, so they sent him and Young


    Master Sager here to learn from us. But | have a hunch that they want to work with John even more.¡± Julie then looked at John.


    John curled his lips. ¡°You''ve analyzed it quite well.¡± Julie smiled at the praise she got from John.


    Queenieplimented, ¡°Julie, you¡¯re awesome! You handle everything at home perfectly and even know all of this?¡±


    Madam Stockton, who held Caprice in her arms, joined the conversation. ¡°Then, you should learn more from Julie.¡±


    Queenie pouted. ¡°It¡¯s not like it''s something | can pick up in an instant.¡± Julie smiled. ¡°Queenie, don¡¯t take it that way. | learned


    from John as well. If you spend a little more effort in learning, you''ll be able to do it as well.¡±


    ¡°Julie, the outlets Brother assigned you have been doing great in the past few years. It¡¯s not about learning, it¡¯s about talent. You


    don¡¯t need to console me. I¡¯m just not talented enough.¡±


    Julie smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m still learning as well.¡±


    Madam Stockton looked at Queenie. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Julie. You don¡¯t need to be humble with this girl here. You''re talented in


    running businesses, in fact, a lot better than Queenie is.¡±


    Julie awkwardly pursed her lips. ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t say that to Queenie.¡±


    She then looked at John. ¡°John?¡± John smiled. ¡°You ran the outlets | gave you nicely. | am nning to hand you a bigger outlet,


    and you can expand what you learned from there.¡±


    With John¡¯s praise, Julie¡¯s expression brightened. She smiled and said, ¡°I know, John. I''ll do my best.¡±


    Then, Madam Stockton said, ¡°John, why don¡¯t you bring Julie along to the business guild eventter? Give her the chance to


    meet more people in the industry.¡± Julie¡¯s eyes gleamed. John nodded. ¡°Sure. Why not?¡± Julie''s smile widened.


    Madam Stockton added, ¡°Queenie, you should go with


    Julie as well. If you have your eyes on some handsome young man, remember to tell Julie about it.¡±


    Queenie¡¯s expression changed. ¡°No. I¡¯m not going. | want to stay at home and y with Caprice.¡±


    Madam Stockton red at her. ¡°I¡¯m here to take care of Caprice. You should go with John and Julie!¡±


    ¡°No! | don¡¯t want to go!¡± Queenie insisted.


    Madam Stockton sighed.


    Julie tried to ease the little bickering between the mother and daughter.


    John then called Caprice to his side and brought her into the room.


    The weather was unforgivingly cold, and the eventter at night would be filled with people from different industries. He did not


    want to put Caprice under too much spotlight, so he had to leave her at home.


    He told Caprice to listen to Aunt Wanda and her grandmother and not to wander away alone.


    The girl nodded obediently.


    Half an hour before the event started, John finally put Caprice in Madam Stockton and Aunt Wanda¡¯s care.


    He grabbed his jacket and headed to the car outside the house.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    When the bodyguard opened the door for him, he got in. ¡°John.¡±


    Awoman¡¯s gentle voice came from the side.

 Chapter 1445

    Chapter 1445


    Chapter 1445


    John saw Julie beside him.


    She wore a slim violet dress coupled with a white linen shawl. Her wavy hair, whichplimented her delicate /makeup, was


    draped on her shoulders.


    The moment Johnnded his gaze on her, she was smiling gently at him.


    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat. 2


    It was his first time seeing her dressed up this beautifully. She was much more eye-catchingpared to her usual quiet


    demeanor, and she also had a stronger aurapared to what she wore during the previous event. She highly resembled a


    professionaldy who held high authority in apany.


    Amomentter, he smiled. ¡°You look great today.¡±


    Julie smiled and said mischievously, ¡°I¡¯m attending the event with you, after all. | can¡¯t just embarrass you in public.¡±


    John simply chuckled.


    Julie noticed his faint smile, and she, too, curled her lips. even wider.


    The car drove off.


    John¡¯s eyes were glued to the front with an expressionless face.


    Julie subtly sized him up.


    He wore a full ck suit to the event. Although it granted him an extrayer of frostiness, he looked as handsome as ever with


    his fair skin. In addition to his elegant posture, he looked like a prince from a fairytale, bearing a royal demeanor.


    The tie around his neck was violet, which was the same color as her dress.


    When they arrived at the event and got out of the car, they ought to turn heads and people would think they were a couple.


    Julie came from a prestigious background. Not only did


    Madam Carter and Queenie praise her business talents, but many others also shared the same recognition for her as well.


    They even said she would help John bring the


    Stockton Corporation to new heights in the future.


    That filthy woman was not even worthy to carry her heels.


    The man beside her must believe that she was a hundred


    times better than that filthy woman.


    Meanwhile, a crimson red sports car sprinted towards the event venue.


    Inside the car was Carl wearing a ck shirt with his medium-short hair tucked neatly behind his ears. The button around his


    chest was left undone, exposing his fair chest.


    He also had a red jacket to go with the ck shirt. There was even a freshly plucked rose pinned to his cor.


    His already charming facial features were set off by the fiery red and elegant ckbination. It was as though he was a living


    elf.


    Beside him was Sherry. Her ck hair was tied behind her ears, exposing her fair face. Her narrow brows, her charming eyes,


    her tall nose, and her luscious lips, allbined together to present an astonishing beautifuldy.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She wore a red bandeau dress with a trumpet train and a bunch of red petals covering her chest. At first nce, the dress looked


    overly vibrant, but itplemented her


    feminine charms and formed a perfect bnce for her image.


    She looked outside the window with an expressionless face.


    Carl nced at her and he asked annoyedly, ¡°Sherry, why are you looking outside? I¡¯m more handsome than the scenery.¡±


    Sherry simply hummed a reply.


    Carl choked on her reply. He chuckled and continued, (( Are you afraid?¡±


    Sherry looked at him. ¡°What am | afraid of?¡±


    Carl narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°You''re afraid that I''ll snatch all the spotlight from youter for being too handsome.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes at him.

 Chapter 1446

    Chapter 1446


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. With me around, no matter how powerful that John Stockton is, he won''t dare to take advantage of you in front of


    me,¡± Carl said as he steadily steered the car.


    They were all people with status, so it was unlikely for John to do something heinous to her in public.


    Sherry frowned. ¡°Who told you I¡¯m afraid of him?¡±


    ¡°Then, why the long face?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t have a long face!¡±


    Carl sighed. ¡°Fine. No long face. | was wrong.


    Sherry ignored the frivolous man.


    ¡®t


    Carl had another nce at her charming looks. ¡°Sherry, we are going to reach the venue after a couple more turns. If you want


    to go back now, | can still turn around.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression changed. She red at him and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back. Just drive and stop bbering, or I''ll call your


    mother right away!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. I''ll drive.¡±


    Sherry exhaled strongly and straightened her back.


    The annoyance on her charming face was reced by confidence, followed by a frosty aura that would keep people away.


    Carl had onest nce at her before he curled his lips into a grin.


    Glenchester¡¯s annual business guild conference was held in the guild president, Master Carrel¡¯s private vacation vi.


    The vi was located near the suburbs, surrounded by beautiful geographical wonders. All the famous tourist spots were within a


    hand''s reach. The vi was brightly lit and was surrounded by auspicious decorations.


    The event was held in the grand hall behind the vi.


    The hall itself was surrounded by massive ceiling¡ªto- floor windows, which showed off the liveliness inside the building.


    The sky was already dark and most of the guests had arrived. Everyone mingled with each other with a ss of wine in their


    hands.


    Only two of the most prominent guests had yet to arrive: John Stockton and Carl Sager.


    The guests were chatting and mingling, but they all spared a sliver of attention at the entrance. It was at that moment the silver


    MPV drove into the vi and stopped in front of the entrance.


    The guests immediately swarmed the entrance like a flock of birds.


    Someone said, ¡°I recognize the car. It¡¯s Master Stockton¡¯s ride. He¡¯s here!¡±


    The person''s words hastened the people¡¯s pace.


    After the car drove to a stop in front of the entrance, the chauffeur went up and opened the door.


    Agroup of well-dressed people gathered outside the car.


    Julie might be experienced in serving guests at home, this would be the first time that she was surrounded by that many


    businessmen and businesswomen. Her excitement and nervousness surged out of control fora moment there. She looked at


    John, seeking assistance. ¡°John, I...¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Just as John wanted to get out, he heard her. He turned around and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just stay beside me.¡±


    Julie replied with a gentle stare and smile. ¡°Alright.¡±


    John got out of the car, followed by Julie.


    Anumber of veteran businessmen had never seen Julie before, and her appearance shocked every one of them. All intrigued


    parties sized her up secretly.


    Julie could already sense the eyes on her. She elegantly walked to John¡¯s side and smiled at the guests.


    Someone from the crowd whispered, ¡°Who is that woman? I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡±


    Someone else replied, ¡°I¡¯ve seen her before. She¡¯s the wife to the second master of the Stocktons.¡±


    It was then that Master Carrel, the business guild president, cut through the crowd and went up to John. He greeted with a


    weing smile, ¡°Master Stockton, wee.¡±

 Chapter 1447

    Chapter 1447


    Chapter 1447


    John shook his hand with a smile.


    Master Carrel then turned to Julie and was surprised to see her. He smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you here, Second Mrs.


    Carter.¡±


    The crown finally knew who Julie was, but they started to size up John and Julie with aplex gaze.


    Ahandsome man with a strong presence coupled with a beautiful and elegantdy¡ªone a bachelor, one a widow.


    They somehow spent quite a lot of time together, and it was difficult for people to not view them as a couple.


    Julie smiled. ¡°Master Carrel, thank you for having me.


    You may just call me Julie.¡±


    ¡°Right, right.¡± Master Carrel then subtly moved his gaze back to John.


    It was the first time John was attending an event with a female partner, and this time, he came with his sister¡ªin-w.


    Master Carrel sized John up subtly, attempting to find out what he thought of Julie, but he noticed the man was looking into the


    crowd, seemingly trying to find someone.


    He asked, ¡°Master Stockton, looking for someone?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Master Carrel, | heard Young Master Sager ising too. Is he here?¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t-¡±


    Before Master Carrel could finish, a fiery red sports car sprinted in from the gate and drifted into the front entrance, screeching to


    a perfect stop.


    Master Carrel was stunned while John narrowed his eyes. Julie and the others looked at the driver seat¡¯s window.


    Then, the window wound down and revealed a youthful and charming face of a young man.


    ¡°Old Man Carrel, I¡¯m here!¡± Carl smiled at Master Carrel and even gave him a wink.


    Master Carrel was taken aback by the sudden wink. He then showed a delightful smile and said to John, ¡°Master Stockton, let


    me introduce you to Young Master Sager.¡±


    Then, he approached the car and opened the door for Carl himself.


    ¡°Thank you, Old Man Carrel.¡±


    Carl tapped the man¡¯s shoulder before he headed to the passenger¡¯s seat. He bent over after he opened the door and put his


    hand out for the person inside. ¡°My dear sister, please.¡±


    The crowd was silenced by his frivolous behavior, but at the same time curious about the person in the passenger seat.


    ¡°| heard that Master Sager has three sons but no daughter.¡±


    ¡°| also heard from Master Carrel that the mysterious person who helped the Sagers ising. Young Master Sager here is also


    the enigma¡¯s student, and if he called the person inside ¡®sister¡¯, could it be that mysterious person?¡±


    ¡°No way, that person is a woman?¡±


    The crowd was intrigued.


    While the crowd discussed the topic aggressively, Julie also locked her eyes on the passenger seat.


    The man beside her stood straight and firm. His eyes were also locked in the same direction, and his lips curled.


    The mysterious person was a woman? Interesting.


    The racket suddenly quieted down.


    Behind Carl was a bright streetmp, highlighting his crimson-red suit.


    Then, a fair hand emerged from the car and ced it on top of Carl''s palm.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    The crowd held their breaths. Those who were further behind even tiptoed to get a better look, afraid that they would miss out


    on the best details.


    Under everyone''s curious gaze, Carl straightened his body and took a step back with a smile.


    The crimson-red figure then emerged from the car with Carl¡¯s help.


    Her fair shoulders and tempting figure immediately entered everyone¡¯s sight.


    Everyone held their breaths.

 Chapter 1448

    Chapter 1448


    Chapter 1448


    Everyone glued their eyes on the woman¡¯s back, waiting for her to turn around for a better look.


    Everything went quiet for a few more seconds.


    The woman took two steps forward following Carl¡¯s movements and then turned around to the crowd. Her charming looks and


    delicate facial features immediately came under the spotlight.


    Suddenly, it got so quiet that one could even hear a needle dropping on the ground.


    Many were astonished by her breathtaking looks.


    There were also some who widened their eyes in shock, including Matthew, Janine, and Jake who intentionally avoided John


    from the moment he arrived.


    Julie was also stunned.


    The man beside her who stood firm suddenly petrified. His smile froze as if the freezing wind stopped his movements.


    Things went quieter than before.


    ¡°What''s with the silence?¡± Carl chuckled. He then looked at Sherry affectionately and tapped her head. ¡°Sister Sherry, | think they


    are stunned by your beauty.¡±


    Sherry looked askance at him.


    Carl gulped nervously. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s cold here. It¡¯s a lot colder than Coastrock.¡± He then took off his jacket and put it on Sherry¡¯s


    shoulders. It was still quiet.


    Other than those who did not know who Sherry was, those who knew her or had seen her before at the


    Stocktons¡® event, including Matthew, Janine, and Jake, were all stunned.


    What happened?


    Awhile ago, Sherry was used of stealing Carl''s invitation to get into the Stocktons¡¯ residence and was caught by security. She


    was pressed to the ground violently and was taken away in embarrassment. How did she end up as Carl¡¯s good sister?


    Judging from how attentive Carl was to her, the people who knew Sherry were more confused than ever.


    The whistling wind felt like the coldest hands, pping their faces silently.


    Could she be the mysterious person who helped the Sagers ovee their crisis?


    No matter who she was, it was obvious that she had a close rtionship with Carl, so there was no reason for her to steal his


    invitation that night.


    The crowd felt embarrassed.


    Matthew, Janine, and Jake remained petrified.


    What happened? As far as they knew, the woman before them was the girl from the rural vige, so how could she be the


    mysterious person behind the Sagers?


    The other person who shared the same disbelief was Julie. She frowned as her face turned pale.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    John¡¯s expression was hidden behind his sses as they reflected the lights. However, a person with a keen eye could tell that


    his fists were tightly clenched. 1


    Master Carrel sharply noticed the embarrassment in the unusually quiet crowd. He immediately went up to Carl and Sherry. He


    smiled and said, ¡°So, this must be the mysterious person. Ms. Fowler, | presume? | did not expect the person to be a young and


    beautiful woman.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°You''re too kind, Master Carrel.¡±


    She had told her men to approach Master Carrel using Carl¡¯s name for the invitation to the Stocktons¡® event, so she had never


    seen Master Carrel in person.


    Sherry took the initiative and put her hand out for a handshake.


    Master Carrel quickly shook her hand and then turned to John behind him. He smiled and said, ¡°Master Stockton, let me


    introduce Carl Sager from the Sagers.¡±


    John curled his lips at Carl. ¡°Young Master Sager, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    Carl put one of his hands over Sherry¡¯s shoulders while pocketing his idle hand. He smiled wickedly and said,


    You''re too kind, Master Stockton. | am the one who has


    heard tons about your achievements.¡±


    John pursed his lips. His eyes then shifted to Sherry.


    ((


    Sherry allowed Carl to hug her freely. Maybe she was mentally prepared for the meeting, so when she locked. eyes with John,


    not only did she stare straight into his eyes but she even lifted her chin proudly and curled her


    fiery lips into a professional smile.


    John¡¯s expression went cold. He, too, curled his lips into a smile, but it felt dangerous.

 Chapter 1449

    Chapter 1449


    ¡°Master Stockton, this is Ms. Fowler.¡±


    Assuming that they did not know each other, Master


    Carrel introduced the two of them. He turned to Sherry and said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, this is Master Stockton of Glenchester.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | know her. Sherry Fowler,¡± John said.


    Things went awkwardly quiet again.


    Master Carrel looked at him with surprise, together with the crowd and also Julie.


    Under people¡¯s curious and nervous gazes, John looked at Sherry and continued, ¡°We¡¯re old acquaintances.¡±


    Sherry was left speechless for a moment, but she maintained her professional smile. ¡°Master Stockton is right. We know each


    other, but we''re not that close.¡±


    ¡°Huh...¡± John scoffed.


    Sherry looked away and averted his gaze.


    Then, Carl¡¯s bewitching face entered her sight with a smile. ¡°Sister Sherry, | didn¡¯t know you and Master


    Stockton are acquaintances. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about it?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips.


    The frivolous guy must have already run multiple background checks regarding her and John. The reason he asked her in public


    was to help her divert attention.


    Sherry said, ¡°It was a long time ago. Master Stockton has always been the person at the top of the pyramid while | was a


    nobody. | had a few meetings with him, but that¡¯s all. Nothing is worth mentioning.¡±


    ¡°Oh... | see. But | suppose that is so. If Master Stockton had his eyes on you, you wouldn¡¯t havee to us anyway.¡±


    Carl then looked at John.¡°Thankfully, the Sagers are slightly luckier to have you, my dear sister.¡±


    John looked at Sherry. The smile on his face turned cold. ¡±


    | did not expect you to be this capable, Sherry.¡±


    Sherry feigned a professional smile. ¡°You¡¯re a busy man. It¡¯s normal for you to be blinded by your work.¡±


    John was silenced.


    Even the crowd noticed the conversation was taking a strange turn.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Carl chuckled.


    Ahem!


    Master Carrel stroked his beard and swiftly shifted the topic with a fake smile. ¡°It seems like everyone has a lot of things to talk


    about. It¡¯s freezing out here. Why don¡¯t we go in and continue?¡±


    He then led the group inside the hall.


    Carl and Sherry followed him inside, followed by the others. Only John remained standing on the spot. He was standing in the


    way of Sherry and Carl.


    Sherry pursed her lips and stared ahead of her coldly, pretending to not see him. As she swiftly approached him, he put his foot


    forward and tripped her.


    Sherry almost fell if not for Carl holding her back. She turned around and red at him out of grievance.


    John grinned ominously.


    Sherry ground her teeth. She furiously lifted her leg and stomped on his foot!


    Thud!


    John¡¯s expression froze and turned bitter.


    Sherry curled her lips and then curled her arms around Carl''s arm. ¡°It¡¯s freezing outside. Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Carl nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    They walked in side by side, followed by the other guests.


    Only John was left alone in the freezing entrance, together with Julie who was beside him.

 Chapter 1450

    Chapter 1450


    Julie tightened the shawl around her shoulder and cautiously looked at John.


    ¡°John, are you okay?¡±


    John stared at Sherry and Carl, who had disappeared into the hall, and curled his lips into a wry grin. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    The hall was a lot warmer.


    Sherry returned Carl his jacket and thanked him. ¡± Thanks.¡±


    Carl put his jacket back on and winked at her. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Sherry quickly grabbed a ss of wine and started sipping; Carl did the same.


    Soon, someone came to greet them.


    Carl was great at handling people. He used the least


    words to send them on their way because those who came to mingle were trying to win his favors.


    Sherry was an entirely different case. People came to greet her because they wanted to know her and even tried to ask her how


    she helped the Sagers ovee the crisis. Due to privacy concerns, she did not reveal much but did not turn them away directly


    either.


    She simply picked the trivial matters to emphasize and then shifted the topic. After exchanging name cards, the others walked


    away. She wore a polite smile throughout the process and tried to be as humble as possible.


    Carl was like her steward following her around with a smile. He even helped her with her wine ss when she was exchanging


    name cards.


    Meanwhile, in a secluded corner, the man¡¯s slender figure leaned on the wallzily with a ss of wine in his hand while he


    watched the woman¡¯s every move. His deep gaze was glued to her, and his lips would curl from time to time.


    The Sagers, Carl Sagers, and the mysterious person who helped the Sagers ovee thepany¡¯s crisis.


    The woman seemed to be full of surprises.


    Sherry just sent a group of people on their way, but another group came to greet her.


    After a few conversations and exchanging name cards,


    Sherry wanted to settle down in a quiet corner for some wine. To her surprise, after sending thest group of people away, a


    familiar person came to her.


    ¡°Ms. Fowler. | didn¡¯t know you were the mysterious person that helped the Sagers.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Julie came to her with a ss of wine and a polite and gentle smile. She made it feel like they knew each other for a long time.


    As soon as Julie¡¯s words subsided, Carl asked, ¡°Sis, do you know her?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°No.¡±


    Julie''s expression froze.


    Sherry continued to smile professionally and asked, ¡± Miss, you do look quite familiar. Have we met before?¡±


    Julie subtly clenched her teeth but tried her best to maintain her smile. ¡°I¡¯m Julie Weiss, John¡¯s sister¡ªin-w. | was the host at


    the Stocktons¡¯ event the other night. We met there. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    She seemed intentional in picking on Sherry¡¯s old wounds.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯sing back to me,¡± Sherry said. She then asked, ¡°You''re John¡¯s sister-inw? Why didn¡¯t you change yourst name


    to Stockton?¡±


    Julie looked disheartened.


    Carl could not help but chuckle.


    Julie¡¯s expression turned bitter for a few seconds before she forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s something to do with myte husband''s


    decision.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | see, sister-inw eh? Nice to meet you.¡± Sherry smiled professionally.


    Julie choked on her false courtesy, and even her expression froze. ¡°Ms. Fowler, Young Master Sager, please excuse me.¡±


    ¡°See you around,¡± Sherry said.


    Julie¡¯s gaze turned cold as she walked away.

 Chapter 1451

    Chapter 1451


    Chapter 1451


    Carl leaned closer toward Sherry and asked with a giant smile, ¡°Sherry, is there any kind of grudge between the two of you?¡±


    ¡°Not yet so far.¡±


    Carl looked at Julie angrily stomping away, then he asked in an inexplicable tone, ¡°Then why were you so harsh toward her? It


    looked like the veins on her face were going to pop.¡±


    Sherry took a sip of wine and stated boldly, ¡°I just gave her the taste of her own medicine. | wasn¡¯t expecting such a reaction


    from her either.¡±


    At least she was not as aggressive toward Julie as Madam


    Stockton was during thest house party. Still, it looked like this approach of pretending to not know Julie at all had a stronger


    effect than she initially expected.


    Carl merely smiled at her answer, then he suddenly caught something from the corner of his eyes. Again, he leaned into Sherry


    and asked, ¡°Sherry, there¡¯s been a few people who have been staring at you since you came in here. Do you know them by any


    chance?¡±


    Sherry asked curiously, ¡°Where?¡±


    Carl informed, ¡°At your three o''clock.¡±


    Sherry nced in that direction.


    Her eyes quickly met thebination of Janine,


    Matthew, and Jake sulking by the corner.


    They knew she saw them as well.


    A faint mark of disdain surfaced on Sherry¡¯s face. She quickly turned away and took another sip of wine while stating, ¡°I don¡¯t


    know them.¡±


    Carl seemed intrigued by this.


    That was when several people approached the duo.


    Sherry rose suddenly. ¡°Carl, deal with them for me, | need to make a run to the toilet.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    She recognized these men as the ones who used her of being a thief at the house partyst time. She was not in the mood


    nor did she have the patience to put on a polite appearance for their entertainment.


    ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Carl gently tapped her head as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t wander too far, and make sure you don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    Sherry gave him a look, then she headed toward another remote section of the venue.


    After she walked around the venue for a while, she finally found a quiet corner where there was food and more wine.


    There was practically a fountain of wine and the food seemed mouth-watering as well.


    She drank two sses of wine in one go, then she began picking up pieces of cake and stuffing them into her mouth.


    ¡°Heh.¡± She suddenly heard a chuckleing from somewhere behind her.


    This made her jump a little and spit out a piece of cake she had barely bitten into yet.


    She turned around.


    It was John, standing only several steps away from her. He held a wine ss in one hand and his other arms held across his


    chest.


    He was leaning against a wall, postured confidently as if he owned the ce.


    His eyes were marked with a mocking gleam underneath them.


    Sherry¡¯s demeanor immediately transformed as she shed a practiced smile in his direction. ¡°I thought it was some kind of


    pervert but it turns out it¡¯s just the great Master Stockton.¡±


    John smirked at this remark and proceeded to dart his eyes all over her body without any attempt at concealing it, from the tip of


    her hair to her heels.


    He smiled and said, ¡°Look at you. It¡¯s like you transformed into another person the moment you put on these clothes. You''ve got


    some tongue on you too.¡±


    ¡°Heh. You tter me.¡± Sherry scoffed sarcastically. ¡°Is there anything you want from me?¡±


    ¡°| was hungry so | came here to find something to eat.¡± He looked at Sherry like a hunter who had locked on to his prey as he


    approached her.


    Sherry frowned and took a step away from him.


    John continued pressing on and did not stop even after he was next to the table with trays of food set across it. It did not seem


    like that was ever his goal to begin with.


    Sherry knew that she would be pinned against the wall if she continued backing away. Then, a fierce look came upon her eyes


    as she suddenly marched toward her side. She wanted to get away from him while she still had the chance to.


    Just when it seemed like she would seed in her getaway, she felt something grabbing onto her waist.


    She was seized in an instant and pulled into John¡¯s arm. She was so close to him that she could feel his heart beating against


    his chest.


    She glowered and snapped at him. ¡°Let go of me, you b* stard!¡±


    John responded with a quiet smile and continued dragging her toward the corner where he swiftly spun her around and pinned


    her against the wall.

 Chapter 1452

    Chapter 1452


    It was very dark.


    John¡¯s gold-framed sses did not reflect any light


    underneath the shroud of darkness, but Sherry could see through them and meet his hostile and sharp gaze upon her.


    She could feel a huff of humid air beating on her face when he breathed.


    ¡°Miss Sherry, would you mind exining what the nature of your rtionship with Master Sager is?¡± he asked sharply while


    propping up Sherry¡¯s chin with a finger.


    Sherry pressed her arms against his chest and tried to push him away. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let go of me first?!¡±


    John smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about getting away from me if you don¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    Sherry scowled. ¡°There are so many people out there.


    What do you think would happen if | were to scream? Do you want to try me?¡±


    John smiled wickedly. ¡°Go on, I¡¯d like to see what happens.¡±


    Sherry red at him and immediately after that, she took in a deep breath and cried out, ¡°Help-¡±


    Her scream was immediately muffled by John drawing his lips toward hers and sealing her lips with a kiss.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened with fright.


    Did this man not hate her with a passion? Was he not the one who said that just her mere presence filled him with disgust?


    What was the meaning of this?


    After the astonishment passed over, she immediately reacted and tried to shove him away.


    The more she tried to push him away, the more relentless his kiss became.


    His hot and humid breath poured all over her cheeks.


    It seemed like he would not be satisfied until he hadpletely devoted her.


    She was even beginning to feel suffocated.


    She pummeled him with his fist and pped his back repeatedly.


    John suddenly bit her.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Sherry winced in pain.


    Atst, John let her go.


    Sherry immediately gasped for air. The first thing she did after that was to p him across his face.


    Not so fast!


    Before her palm could reach him, he immediately grabbed her by her wrist.


    He smiled devilishly and threatened her. ¡°What''s this, do you want me to kiss you again?¡±


    Sherry snarled. ¡°Screw you!¡±


    John stared at her silently.


    She had had enough of his games and snapped at him. Let go of me now, or else I''ll tell everyone what you truly are, a perverted


    and disgusting man! This is sexual assault!¡±


    John chuckled sardonically. ¡°Perverted? Sherry, you don¡¯t think that you think too highly of yourself?¡±


    Sherry red at him. ¡°Then how do you exin your


    stinking arms wrapped around me?¡±


    He cocked an eyebrow and proceeded to grope her by her waist.


    Thump!


    Sherry punched him square in his abdomen.


    John seemedpletely unfazed by this and did not even budge an inch. He continued pressing Sherry against the wall.


    Sherry was getting frustrated by this point. ¡°What do | need to do to get you to let go already?¡±


    John insisted. ¡°Tell me about your rtionship with Carl.


    Sherry asked with stark confusion in her voice, ¡°What about my rtionship with him? What does that have to do with you


    anyway?¡±


    John¡¯s eyes darkened, and his voice grew hostile. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t answer me. Don¡¯t even think about walking away then.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry suddenly chuckled. ¡°Oh, Master Stockton, did you suddenly gain a new kind of admiration for me now that my social


    status has improved? Do you have a thing for me now?¡±


    John chuckled dryly.


    The confident and adamant look on Sherry¡¯s face seemed humorous to him.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Sherry asked angrily.


    ¡°I''mughing at how thick-skinned you''ve be. It¡¯s almost like the thickness of your skin grows along with your so-called


    social status.¡±


    Sherry gnashed her teeth and parried this insult. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about thick¡ªskinned, I¡¯m nowhere near the great Master


    Stockton¡¯s level. You''re the one who was insulting me and talking about how much | repulsed you back then. Look who¡¯s the one


    forcing himself on me and refusing to let go? How pathetic.¡±


    John narrowed the look in his eyes.


    Sherry confronted his gaze. Somehow, her stout fashion only added to her alluring aura.


    In every sense of the word, she was a rose filled with thorns.

 Chapter 1453

    Chapter 1453


    John simply could not resist the urge to get closer to her. He drew in closer until his fair and handsome face was inches away


    from Sherry¡¯s.


    Sherry immediately backed away until the back of her head hit the wall. She warned him sternly. ¡°If you kiss me again, I¡¯m going


    to scream for help for real this time.¡±


    He licked his lips and seemed to consider the option.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Then, he gently stroked her cheeks with a finger and asked the same question again, ¡°Answer me, what¡¯s your rtionship with


    Carl?¡±


    The heat of his palm scalded her face.


    Sherry was keenly aware of the sudden change in his body temperature.


    Even his grip around her waist had be forced and filled with temper.


    She suddenly felt afraid as this man was going to do something reckless to her.


    She red at him angrily and answered atst, ¡°A


    common rtionship of a superior and a subordinate .¡±


    John leaned closer toward her, one slight movement and his lip would touch hers. ¡°Who''s the superior in this situation?¡±


    Sherry sighed. ¡°I¡¯m the superior.¡±


    John smiled, amused by this. ¡°You, a superior?¡±


    Sherry cocked an eyebrow and snorted.


    John seemed like he was still processing this information.


    ¡°Haha...¡± Heughed and finally let go of her.


    Sherry angrily shoved him away and began marching


    away, stamping her feet against the ground as hard as she could.


    John watched her silently with a deep and ruminative look turning in his eyes.


    After a while, he walked back toward the crowd as well.


    Meanwhile, underneath the shade of the shadows behind a certain wine cab was a figure hidden there during the entirety of


    John and Sherry¡¯s exchange.


    After ensuring that the two had left, Julie stepped out.


    Even in the darkness, her eyes glowed a menacing red.


    She clenched her fist so hard that it seemed like her nails would dig into her flesh.


    After a while, she rposed herself and returned to her usual gentle self.


    It was very lively inside the venue, with plenty of people formed together in circles and conversations to be had everywhere.


    Sherry quickly scanned the crowd to look for Carl, but unfortunately, the first person she spotted was Janine and Matthew.


    They quickly approached her.


    Sherry grimaced tightly and immediately began walking away.


    ¡°Sherry, stop right there!¡± Janine yelled after her.


    She only halted for a brief moment before continuing to escape.


    ¡°Sherry, can¡¯t you hear your mother telling you to stop?¡± Matthew immediately marched up to her and hissed at her sharply.


    Sherry seemed repulsed by the sheer sight of them. She crossed her arms over her chest defensively and said, ¡°My mother? If


    my memory serves me correctly, it was her who dered in public that she¡¯d never acknowledge that I¡¯m her daughter.¡±


    Janine¡¯s eyes shed with rage.


    Matthew seemed taken aback by this, he expressed with a tired sigh, ¡°We were the ones who misunderstood you thest time.


    We were led to believe that you had stolen the invitation card.¡±


    Did they expect forgiveness with such a half-hearted apology?


    Sherry sneered. ¡°Misunderstanding, you say? More like you guys didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me for the sake of your


    reputation, right?¡±


    Matthew immediately stiffened. He looked like a child who had his lies exposed.


    Janine voiced angrily, ¡°Sherry, your father and | have already apologized to you. What else do you want us to do? Do you want


    us to get on our knees and beg for forgiveness?¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°Oh, enough with the usual ¡®your father


    and I¡® rhetoric. First of all, I¡¯m not your daughter and


    second of all, your real beloved daughter is still in prison.¡±


    This sudden reminder drained all the color from Janine¡¯s face.


    Even Matthew seemed to jerk back at the mention of Shannon.


    Suddenly, they found themselves at a loss for further usations because they remembered it was Shannon who hired


    someone to take out Sherry. That was how she ended up thrown in prison in the first ce.


    Sherry walked away from them with a scowl on her face.


    After she passed through the crowd, she finally found Carl. He was in the middle of a conversation with Jake who kept a


    ttering smile across his face the entire time.


    Carl was leaningzily against the wall and listening to whatever Jake had to say with mock interest while sipping from his ss


    of wine.


    Sherry frowned at the sight of Jake.


    Both Carl and Jake quickly noticed her.


    Jake was the first one to greet her as he smiled at her with such sincerity that he looked like a saint. ¡°Sherry, where


    have you been? | was just looking for you and couldn¡¯t


    find you anywhere so | ended up chatting with Young Master Sager over here.¡°

 Chapter 1454

    Chapter 1454


    Carl turned to Sherry with a smile. ¡°President William


    here says that he¡¯s your uncle. Why didn¡¯t you tell me that your uncle would be here? I¡¯d have prepared something nice for him.¡±


    Matthew seemed very ttered by this and stated courteously, ¡°You''re too kind, Young Master Sager.¡±


    Sherry did not even spare Matthew a look as she turned to Carl. ¡°I¡¯m an orphan. | don¡¯t have parents nor do | have any uncles.¡±


    Matthew turned stoic.


    Carl shot a look at Matthew and seemed exasperated. ¡± Then who is this?¡±


    Sherry remarked contemptuously, ¡°I have no idea, he¡¯s probably making things up.¡±


    She grabbed a ss of wine and promptly walked away.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Carl quickly followed after her.


    There were a few men who joined in the circle midway through the conversation.


    When they saw how Carl and Sherry walked away without even bothering to excuse themselves, they turned to Matthew with a


    disgusted look on their faces, belittling him with their expressions.


    ¡°| can¡¯t believe it, we¡¯ve been duped.¡±


    ¡°Where does he find the audacity to tell Young Master


    Sager that he¡¯s President Sherry¡¯s uncle? If | were him, | wouldn¡¯t dare to stay here a moment longer.


    Matthew was speechless.


    With that, they shied away from Matthew as if he was a contaminated patient.


    Matthew reacted with equal parts disbelief and horror.


    Sherry and Carl went to a remote section.


    She began to empty the contents of her winess.


    Carl stood next to her, his shoulders against the wall, and stared at her with a mesmerizing shine in his eyes. (( Sherry, where


    did you go off to just now?¡±


    Sherry answered defectively, ¡°To the bathroom, why?¡±


    ¡°Why did it take you so long?¡± Carl seemed suspicious.


    Sherry was still very evasive with her answers. ¡°You


    know, stomach issues.¡±


    ¡°Then what happened to your lipstick?¡± he leaned in closer as he asked this until his face was inches away from hers.


    Sherry backed away immediately and seemed unnerved by this question. ¡°I went to eat something after that, | probably


    identally smeared my lipstick without noticing.¡±


    Carl smiled coyly. ¡°I see, it looks more like you made out with someone while you were in the toilet. Are you sure that¡¯s not what


    happened?¡±


    Something quivered in Sherry¡¯s eyes, she quickly turned away and pretended to grab something to eat to get away from this


    chain of questioning.


    Carl was relentless. ¡°Sherry, Young Master Sager didn¡¯t try to take advantage of my absence and get to you just now, did he?¡±


    Sherry was boiling over with irritation by this point and snapped. ¡°Carl, could you shut up for a second?¡±


    Carl cocked an eyebrow and gently danced the tips of his fingers around Sherry¡¯s bottom lips. ¡°It seems like my future wifey is


    being harassed by another man right in my presence, and you''re telling me I¡¯m not allowed to ask about what happened?¡±


    Asharp look surfaced in Sherry¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you want me to p you?¡±


    Carl hurriedly withdrew his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, | was just kidding around.¡±


    Sherry ignored him and continued sipping from her winess.


    Carl remained standing next to her, only without touching her now. From time to time, he would dart his eyes across the crowd of


    people.


    In the far back of the crowd.


    There stood a tall and slender man who was leaning against the wall. Underneath his lens was a piercing and ominous gaze


    which fixed itself intently on Sherry.


    He clenched his fingers tightly around the winess and seemed like he would break it with sheer force.


    ¡°John.¡± Suddenly, Julie¡¯s voice sounded from behind him.


    His expression softened slightly and his tight frown departed as well. Still, his eyes were fixed in the direction of Sherry and Carl.


    Julie walked up to him and followed his gaze to see Sherry and Carl at the opposite edge of the venue. She remarked after that,


    ¡°So the president of Sager Corporation they were talking about all this time was Sherry. That''s a surprise.¡±


    John took a sip of wine and did not utter a word.


    Julie added, ¡°The two of them seem very close, they¡¯re not together, are they?¡±


    John¡¯s eyes shed with ice as he turned to Julie sharply.


    Julie had never seen John confront her with such a sharp look. She turned pale immediately and enquired worriedly, ¡°John,


    what''s the matter? Was it something | said?¡±

 Chapter 1455

    Chapter 1455


    ¡°It''s nothing.¡± John wiped away the gloom in his eyes


    and instructed, ¡°You can head back by yourself after things wrap up here.¡±


    ¡°What about you, aren¡¯t you going home?¡±


    ¡°| have some other things to deal with, I¡¯ll be hometer.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    The event was concluded shortly after with no hups.


    After Mr. Carrel addressed the gathering and gave a brief summary, he formally announced the end of the event.


    Several people went up to him to bid farewell, and they also went up to John.


    Sherry and Carl were simrly treated with the same


    amount of respect as groups of people went up to them to say goodbye.


    After the round of pleasantries, groups of people flocked


    out of the venue one after another.


    Since the Sagers were on good terms with Mr. Carrel, Sherry and Carl made sure to go up to Mr. Carrel themselves to say


    goodbye before leaving.


    As it turned out, it was exceptionally ill timing since


    when they approached Mr. Carrel, they noticed John and Julie walking up to him as well.


    Sherry frowned and pretended to not notice them by quickly turning away.


    John stared at her unabashedly with a sharp squint in his eyes.


    Carl promptly stood in front of Sherry to cut off John¡¯s angle.


    John seemed to have taken offense to this.


    Carl smiled politely and addressed Mr. Carrel, ¡°Old man Carrel, I''ll be leaving with Miss Sherry. We''ll see you again in another


    day or two, alright?¡±


    Mr. Carrel chuckled pleasantly. ¡°Alright, be careful on the way back.¡±


    Carl nodded, then he turned to John and Julie. ¡°Master Stockton, we''ll be leaving first. I¡¯ll see you again when | get the chance


    to.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Alright, | look forward to seeing you and President Sherry.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I''ll see you.¡± Carl took Sherry¡¯s hand and turned to leave.


    John seemed bothered by this gesture.


    Mr. Carrel stepped forward and said, ¡°Master Stockton, I¡¯m afraid | won¡¯t be sending you off. Let''s meet again one of these


    days.¡±


    John blinked sporadically as if he had just snapped back to his senses. He was very polite and humble with Mr. Carrel. ¡°Alright,


    Mr. Wang, we''ll be taking our leave


    now.


    ¡°Alright, see you.¡±


    John gazed at Sherry and Carl departing, then he proceeded to head toward the exit as well.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Julie hurriedly paced after him.


    After the red sports car swerved off the manor¡¯s gates, it drove in the opposite direction of where it originally


    came from.


    It was only around nine p.m. which meant there was a considerable amount of traffic. By the time they reached the city district, it


    was still rather packed with cars.


    It took a while before they finally passed a traffic light.


    Sherry was taking in the view of the city when she suddenly noticed the hotel she had stayed in previously.


    Something suddenly came to her as she hurriedly


    beckoned, ¡°Carl, please stop the car at the hotel¡¯s entrance over there.¡±


    Carl seemed perplexed by this sudden decision. ¡°What are you up to?¡±


    Sherry told him, ¡°I need to go get my stuff from the hotel and check out from my room.¡±


    She never went back to the hotel after her encounter with John.


    Now the situation had changed, she doubted that John would continue pestering her.


    She remembered she still had several important documents inside her suitcase, she had to retrieve them now.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Carl was very cooperative and quickly drove to the hotel entrance.


    Sherry hurriedly opened the door and stepped out of the car. She noticed Carl unbuckling his seat belt and preparing to get out


    of the car with her and quickly stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s just some clothes and a suitcase, it won''t take long at all. Just wait for me in the


    car, you don¡¯t have toe up with me.¡±


    She would hate to be an inconvenience, especially considering this was something she could handle well enough on her own.


    Carl threw her a side-eye nce and joked, ¡°Better hurry up, this young lord doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting.


    Sherry rolled her eyes at him, then she trotted into the hotel.

 Chapter 1456

    Chapter 1456


    The elevator climbed upstairs and stopped on the eighth floor.


    Sherry had brought the hotel card with her. She walked down the corridor to the room where she once stayed in.


    She pressed the card against the sensor te mounted on the door.


    With a swift ¡°beep*, the door was opened.


    There was no light and the air inside was rather stuffy. Despite that, there was an eerie chill.


    Sherry entered and tried to put the card inside the slot on the wall to activate the lights.


    Out of nowhere, arge hand stretched out from the darkness and grabbed her wrist.


    Sherry jolted and instinctively screamed, ¡°Ah-¡±


    Immediately after that, she was pulled into someone¡¯s arms, a familiar smell rushed over her.


    Her eyes widened with shock.


    Before she could process what was happening, the pair of gold-rimmed sses were snatched away, then came a familiar face


    that seemed to glow even within the darkness.


    Her lips were sealed with a kiss.


    Ugh.


    She struggled desperately and tried to wring herself free.


    The man was caught off guard by her resistance and stumbled backward.


    Sherry immediately turned and prepared to bolt toward the elevator.


    The man smiled in a sinister way, something wicked shone in his eyes.


    He leaped forward and within an instant, he was already right behind Sherry.


    His long and slender arms quickly wrapped around her waist and lifted her into the air.


    Sherry pranced in the air and wriggled with her feet.


    She was howling with delirium at this point, ¡°B*stard John, let me go!¡±


    John turned into the room and marched several steps forward beforeunching her like a projectile.


    Bang!


    Sherry crashed onto the bed.


    She was scrambling on all fours, trying to get up.


    John smiled and bent over her.


    She was pinned down on the bed with the entirety of John¡¯s weight weighing upon her.


    He did not allow her a moment of respite as heN?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    immediately kissed her again.


    The only sound heard inside the dark and deste room was her muffled cries.


    After what seemed like an eternity had passed.


    Asudden whimper.


    John suddenly removed himself from her and touched his


    lip. She had bit into his lips.


    Sherry immediately rolled out from under him and kicked


    him.


    Thump!


    L


    She kicked him square in the waist.


    John was not expecting this and tumbled out of the bed.


    Sherry quickly tucked at the hem of her dress that had


    been pulled up to her waist and retreated further into the bed.


    She red at him with stark hostility.


    The man had already picked himself off the ground.


    After staggering on his feet for several seconds, hepletely recovered his usual confident posture and even smiled in a self¡ª


    satisfied way.


    Awicked, disgusting smile.


    Sherry red at him with her arms tightly grabbing the hem of her dress to protect herself. ¡°You b*stard, if youe closer, I''ll


    kick you to death, don¡¯t try me!¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± He chuckled.


    Then he immediately approached her.


    Sherry immediately jabbed her feet repeatedly in his direction.


    If John continued to draw closer, he would be hit by


    Sherry¡¯s barrage of kicks.


    John looked at her silently.


    He retreated atst. He stood at the edge of the bed with his arms across his chest.


    Along time passed in this unnerving silence between the two of them.


    After making sure that John was not going to keep approaching her, Sherry stopped kicking.


    She red at him menacingly. ¡°Why are you here? How did you get in?¡±


    John ignored her, took his sses out of his pocket, and put them back on the bridge of his nose.

 Chapter 1457

    Chapter 1457


    Just like that, John¡¯s usual gentlemanly charms returned to him.


    He looked at Sherry and smiled gently. ¡°Come over here, | promise that I''ll be nice.¡±


    Sherry frowned and remained in ce.


    She was very skeptical of his ims.


    John looked at her without a word, then he took two steps backward.


    Sherry eased a little atst, she prepared to get out of bed.


    John rested his hands by his side and eyed her pretty face and figure hungrily.


    This was not a good ce for them to talk, he thought, he should take her somewhere nicer.


    Ding!


    That was when the phone went off. It was tucked inside arge coat hung on a rack next to the bed.


    It was Sherry¡¯s coat.


    She quickly pried the coat away and grabbed the phone as she darted a cautious and guarded look at John in the middle of all


    this.


    It was Carl calling, sounding slightly upset on the phone. ¡°Hey, Sherry. Didn¡¯t you just head up there to get something? What''s


    taking so long?¡±


    Sherry quickly answered, ¡°Oh, my room is on the eighth floor, it''s room 8008. It¡¯s kind of far from the elevator, give me a second.


    I''m almost done and will be downstairs soon.¡±


    John seemed rmed by this.


    Sherry hung up after that and tucked the phone in her pocket, then she put the coat back on.


    She only stepped off the bed after ensuring she was well- covered and protected.


    John stood still.


    Sherry turned on the lights and ignored his presence entirely. She quickly grabbed her clothes and suitcases from the closet and


    prepared to leave.


    John immediatelytched on to her wrist the moment she passed in front of him.


    She tried to shrug his hand away to no avail, then she red pointedly at him. ¡°Get your stinking hands off me!¡±


    John looked at her with his face full of gloom. ¡°Was it Carl who called you just now?¡±


    Sherry made a look. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Have you been staying with him these past few days?¡±


    His voice was cross.


    Sherry could not understand what he was so upset about, nor could she fathom why he was so insistent on forcing his kisses on


    her tonight when he supposedly hated her with every atom of his being.


    She was in no mood to get into another annoying back and forth with him and told him what he wanted to know right away, ¡°I


    stayed in a hotel with him. He slept in the main bedroom while | slept in the other bedroom next to his.¡±


    John seemed relieved to hear this. He tried to pry further. ¡°Which hotel are you two staying at?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°Elysian Hotel.¡±


    Having obtained his answer, John seemed rather satisfied. He suddenly grimaced and threatened her. ¡°If you ever wish to see


    Caprice again, you¡¯d keep your distance from Carl. If you ever let me see you getting all affectionate with him, you can wave


    goodbye to your chances of seeing Caprice.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry gnashed her teeth and had to hold herself back from hurling curses at him. She swallowed her spite and said, ¡°Ok.¡±


    John let go of her wrist.


    Sherry immediately stomped out and trotted down the corridor toward the elevator.


    The elevator suddenly opened without her pressing the button.


    She was just about to step inside when she looked up and saw Carl.


    He was wearing a tight frown, an agitated look on his face.


    The moment he saw her, he seemed to rx a little.


    He quickly approached Sherry.


    4


    Sherry practically dove inside the elevator and tapped the button repeatedly.


    John had just warned her to not get close to Carl. He would probably lose his mind if he saw Carling up to get her.


    The elevator door shut promptly and took them downstairs.


    Sherry silently heaved a sigh of relief.


    Standing next to her, Carl silently scrutinized her appearance.


    He noted her messy hair and the wrinkles on her dress that were previously smooth and spotless when she was still in the car


    with him. Something shed in his eyes but he held his tongue.


    They prepared to leave the hotel after Sherry put her luggage into his car.


    Carl helped hold the door to the passenger seat for her like a gentleman, then he walked around the front of the car and stepped


    into the driver¡¯s seat. He palmed the steering wheel with both hands and stepped on the gas pedal.


    The red supercar revved its engines and shot out of the hotel into the traffic.


    Meanwhile, on the eighth floor of the hotel.


    A tall figure of a man stood by the window and gazed at the red dot slowly disappearing into the cityscape, a faint scowl forming


    on his lips.


    A fleck of skin was torn off his lower lip, blood trickled from it.


    The blood stained his lips red, a sharp contrast to his paleplexion.


    Dark and menacing, he looked every bit like a vampire.

 Chapter 1458

    Chapter 1458


    Chapter 1458


    Inside a car headed toward an affluent part of nchester.


    Janine and Matthew were seated together in the back row.


    Jake was in the passenger seat up front. He kept turning his head around and angrily voicing hisint about how Sherry


    barely acknowledged him in front of Carl.


    ¡°You wouldn''t believe how arrogant she was! How dare she think that she can humiliate us like that?!¡± The more Jake thought


    about it, the angrier he became as he roared. angrily. ¡°You two really shouldn''t have taken her back all those years ago, she¡¯s an


    ungrateful scum! She''ll never learn!¡±


    Matthew reacted dully, his eyes closed the entire time.


    Janine remarked with a scornful scoff, ¡°If | had known that she¡¯d be so ungrateful, I''d never have rescued her from the


    countryside!¡±


    As if her getting Shannon thrown into jail was not bad enough, she now dared to separate herself from them entirely!


    Janine was incensed!


    Jake roared. ¡°If it was me, I''d have pped her right


    across the face in front of everyone, show everyone exactly what she¡¯s made of!¡±


    Janine snorted. ¡°I''d stain my hands if | do something like that.¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Matthew, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up.


    Both Janine and Jake immediately zipped their lips though they both still had a lot to say.


    Jake asked, ¡°Do you think that we were in the wrong?¡±


    Matthew was just as enraged as them and wanted to p Sherry just as much.


    However, circumstances were different now as Sherry had changed as well.


    Did these two have any idea what the Sagers were made of?


    A historical royal family that had existed for more than two centuries. Despite their minor setbacks, they had been thriving in the


    past two years, regaining their prestige and more. Right now, the collective wealth of their family was ranked among the top three


    in the country.


    Not only did Sherry share a close rtionship with Young Master Sager himself, rumors even had it that she was the one who


    was responsible for the family¡¯s gloriouseback!


    The full extent of her capabilities was unimaginable.


    He never expected that his daughter who he had always hated with a passion would be blessed with such talents.


    When he recalled how he and Janine had treated her...


    Astout look came upon his face as he sighed. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to acknowledge us because we haven''t cared about her all


    these years.¡±


    Jake¡¯s eyes flickered, he struggled for words and stammered, ¡°Still, she¡¯s your daughter! Besides, if you two hadn¡¯t brought her


    into the city, away from the backward country life, would she be where she is today?¡±


    Janine seemed to agree with this rhetoric. ¡°That¡¯s right, if we hadn¡¯t brought her back from the countryside and cared for her,


    showed her the world, she¡¯d never have be President Sherry we know today!¡±


    Matthew raised a sharp point. ¡°All we did was care for her for a handful of years.¡±


    Janine retorted, ¡°It still counts for something! The best education money can get you, she¡¯d never have done it without us giving


    her a step up!¡±


    Jake echoed, ¡°Exactly! You were the ones who gave birth to her! It¡¯s one thing if she¡¯s not grateful for what you''ve done for her,


    but she doesn¡¯t even try to acknowledge your existence. She¡¯s a heartless wench!¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Matthew frowned and stayed silent.


    Jake said, ¡°Here¡¯s what | think, you two should go to her and tell her to pull some strings, help you two form a connection with


    the Sagers. I¡¯m sure she knows a lot of people. With her help, I¡¯m sure the status of your family will be greatly boosted and your


    wealth will grow exponentially before you know it.¡±


    Matthew seemed intrigued by the idea, but his confidence was deted when he recalled the way Sherry had received them


    today.


    Janine agreed. ¡°I''ll go to see her in a few days. If she still refuses to acknowledge me as her mother, she''ll get it from me!¡±


    Julie drove back to the house by herself.


    Her mind was filled with the events that transpired


    tonight. She went to Madam Stockton¡¯s yard.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie were digging up soil with Caprice in the yard.


    The child was not interested in remote racing cars and had a preference for the toy excavators instead.


    She was messing around with a model excavator, shoveling soil out of the ground in a very practiced fashion.


    Madam Stockton was showering her with praises.


    Queenie was apuding her endlessly as well.


    As Julie beheld the scene, a sh of disgust appeared in her eyes.

 Chapter 1459

    Chapter 1459


    She was vulgar and unfashionable, just like her mother.


    She took special care to not let her disgust show on her face and wore a gentle, polite smile.


    She greeted them in a friendly voice, ¡°Mom, Queenie, Little Caprice, I¡¯m home.¡±


    Caprice was too focused on her toy excavator and ignored her.


    Queenie greeted her rather dully, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re home.¡±


    Then she immediately turned her attention back to Caprice.


    Madam Stockton looked behind Julie and asked, ¡°It¡¯s just you, where¡¯s John?¡±


    Julie walked up to her and informed her, ¡°He said that he has some other things to deal with, he probably won¡¯t be home so


    soon.¡±


    Madam Stockton nodded and uttered a short ¡°oh*, then she had nothing further to add.


    She thought that it would be ideal that John took his


    time. That way, she would have more time to y with Caprice.


    She went back to ying with Caprice.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing.¡± Julie nced at Caprice and whispered, ¡°I saw Miss Fowler.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression changed, she frowned and asked crossly, ¡°Sherry?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Madam Stockton nced at Caprice who was having the time of her life, then she whispered cautiously, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the living


    room.¡±


    She turned to Queenie. ¡°Queenie, look after Caprice.¡±


    They went to the living room.


    Several minutester.


    In the living room, Madam Stockton widened her disbelief and eximed in utter shock, ¡°She¡¯s the president of Sager


    Corporation?!¡±


    eyes in


    Julie answered, ¡°Yes, | couldn¡¯t believe it at first, but it turns out that it really is her. It looks like Young Master Sager is on her side


    too.


    Madam Stockton frowned. ¡°So, she did manage to borrow the invitation card from Young Master Sager that time at the party.¡±


    Considering her status in the Sagers Corporation and her rtionship with Young Master Sager himself, there was no reason to


    expect that she could not get her hands on the invitation card.


    ¡°Yeah, we were wrong to suspect her.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s face was sullen, she stayed silent for a while.


    ¡°| didn¡¯t expect that after more than two years of radio silence, she¡¯d pop out of nowhere and emerge as the President Sherry


    that brought the Sagers Corporation back to the forefront of the business world,¡± Julie said while intently observing Madam


    Stockton¡¯s face for any signs of expression.


    Madam Stockton seemed very discontent with the news, but she gave credit where it was due. ¡°You have to give it to her, she¡¯s


    pretty good at that.¡±


    Julie suddenly added, ¡°I don¡¯t think her rtionship with Young Master Sager is a normal one. Young Master Sager talks to her a


    little too affectionately for a business


    partner. | see the two of them getting very touchy-feely as well.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Madam Stockton mocked. ¡°Seducing men is the one thing she¡¯s good at.¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes glowed at this notion, but she did not want to make it too obvious. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, maybe they are just good


    friends.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°| know exactly what she¡¯s like, there¡¯s no point in trying to justify her actions,¡± Madam Stockton spoke with disdain, ¡°There must


    be an ongoing affair between the two of them.¡±


    Julie zipped her lips and seemed like she was at a loss for what to say.


    Madam Stockton sneered. ¡°That¡¯s fine, now that she has Carl Sager, she probably won¡¯t keep bothering John.¡±


    ¡°But, about tonight...¡± She hesitated to continue.


    Madam Stockton looked at her with rm. ¡°What


    happened tonight? Did she try to dig her ws into John again?¡±


    With her chin lowered, Julie spoke in a troubled voice, Maybe | misread the situation, but | saw her going into a quiet corner with


    John. They stayed there for quite a while beforeing out again.¡±


    Madam Stockton seemed vexed by this. ¡°This woman will never change! How dare she try to string along two men at a time?!¡±


    Julie hurriedly said, ¡°No, perhaps it was all a misunderstanding on my part. After all, she¡¯s Caprice¡¯s mother, maybe they were


    just trying to find some quiet ce to talk about what¡¯s going on with Caprice. Besides, she¡¯s no longer what she was in the past.


    You could argue that she¡¯s a woman worthy of calling herself John¡¯s partner now.¡±


    Madam Stockton scoffed disdainfully. ¡°Even if that were the case, I¡¯d never let someone of her likes step through the door of my


    household!¡±


    It seemed like her dislike for Sherry had not changed at all.


    Julie silently smirked at this remark.

 Chapter 1460

    Chapter 1460


    Chapter 1460


    After returning to the Elysian Hotel with Carl, Sherry went back to her room.


    She made sure to lock the door behind her as she entered. After that, she unpacked the luggage she brought with her. She took


    a long-awaited shower before copsing onto the bed in a set of pajamas.


    She turned off the lights and the room immediately descended into darkness. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.


    Yet, she did not feel sleepy.


    Whenever she closed her eyes, the scene of John pressing her against the wall and forcing a kiss on her would rey in her


    mind as if it had only happened seconds ago.


    Her cheeks were burning with heat. She was incensed at the mere thought of it.


    Did that awful man suddenly take an interest in her again after seeing her recent aplishments?


    After tossing and turning in bed for a while without even a hint of sleep, she sat up irritably and reached for her phone.


    As soon as the disy lit up, she was greeted by Caprice¡¯s adorable appearance filling the frame of the disy.


    Just like that, her irritation was washed away. She grazed her fingers against the screen, a part of her expecting to feel the soft


    texture and warmth of her daughter¡¯s cheeks. She even kissed the screen several times.


    Her daughter was so unfathomably adorable!


    The more Sherry stared at her picture, the more charmed she became.


    Her irritation may have been washed away, but what took its ce was a bitter spite.


    If she continued remaining passive, that man would only take it as a sign that he could continue doing as he liked.


    Sherry told herself that she was no longer the same


    helpless and frail little girl that could be simply pushed around two years ago. She had to pull herself together and take Caprice


    back!


    The next morning.


    Inside Stockton Tower.


    John arrived at the office with Caprice in his arms as usual.


    As soon as they arrived, Caprice went straight for her usual y area.


    John sat in his office chair and got started with his tasks for the day.


    After a while, there was a soft knock on the door. Peter pushed the door open and stepped inside.


    He looked at him with a troubled expression and informed, ¡°Sir, Miss Sherry just... | mean, President Sherry¡¯s assistant just got


    in contact with me several minutes ago.¡±


    John turned to him. ¡°What did her assistant tell you?¡±


    Peter ryed the message, ¡°Her assistant said that President Sherry would like to discuss some terms of cooperation with us


    and would like to have a meeting for you. She asks when you will be able to make time for her.¡± John smirked.


    She came to him herself without him even having to lift a finger.


    After a momentary silence, he said, ¡°I¡¯m free after ten tonight. Tell her to wait for me at my residence.¡±


    Peter was speechless.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Aprivate meeting at his house in the middle of the night? Was this a usual arrangement for a business meeting?


    He knew better than to ask unnecessary questions. With a swift nod, he left and ryed the message to Sherry¡¯s assistant.


    A few minutester, he knocked on the door again and entered.


    John looked at him, expecting news.


    Peter grimaced. ¡°Sir, President Sherry¡¯s assistant informed me that President Sherry isn¡¯t avable at night, she¡¯s only free


    during the day.¡±


    John was confident that her true motive was to see Caprice. He scoffed and insisted. ¡°Tell her | can only make it at night.¡±


    If she would not agree, then she could say goodbye to her chances of meeting Caprice.


    <<


    Peter seemed troubled by this and answered hesitantly, Sir, President Sherry¡¯s assistant also mentioned that she¡¯d call off the


    meeting if it''s set at any time other than during the day. She says that she¡¯s very patient and would be willing to wait as long as


    needed for you to make time for her during the day.¡±


    John scowled.


    She was going to y it this way?


    He thought for a moment and decided. ¡°Then | guess she''ll have to wait.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Peter walked out.


    Inside a bar in nchester.


    Sherry had just wrapped up a meeting with the owner of the bar and was just walking out into the street.


    Her driver was already waiting for her.


    She hopped into the car.


    Her assistant Tristan followed her into the car and promptly informed her, ¡°Miss Sherry, Peter just called me and informed me


    that Master Stockton is only free at nighttely. He says that if you wish to meet him during the day, you¡¯re going to have to wait


    until his schedule is open.¡±


    Sherry clicked her tongue upon hearing this.


    The b*stard must have done this deliberately to get on her nerves.


    Tristan asked, ¡°Miss, what should we do? Do you want me to get in touch with them again?¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°No need for that right now.¡±

 Chapter 1461

    Chapter 1461


    At that moment, the car happened to pull into amercial street lined with clothing stores.


    Ashop retailing provocative women¡¯s clothing stood out.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Brandon, stop the car.¡±


    Brandon immediately pulled over.


    Sherry pushed open the door and got out.


    Tristan hurriedly followed her and asked curiously, ¡°Ms. Sherry, do you want to buy some clothes?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The morning passed by.


    At lunchtime, John put down his work, took Caprice out for a delicious children¡¯s meal, and returned to the office.


    The girl was sleepy after eating, so he carried her into the lounge inside and let her sleep on the bed.


    He came out after she fell asleep since he was not sleepy yet.


    Sitting on the couch, he drank the tea his secretary


    poured, picking up his phone with one hand and casually scrolling through it. He had a habit of checking his friends ¡®social


    media.


    He had not looked at his phone since the morning, so there were quite a few new posts.


    As he scrolled, he reached a familiar figure. The woman with wavy hair wore a seductive, tight ck dress under the smoky light


    while reclining on a sofa. The dress outlined her curvaceous figure. She rested one hand on her cheek with her eyes closed.


    Her posture was rxed, but everything about her screamed seduction and temptation. She was drop-dead


    gorgeous.


    She was none other than Sherry.


    Sherry was the one who had posted the selfie. In addition to the photo, she added a caption that said, ¡°No work today, so I''ma


    little bored.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes as his throat bobbed.


    Ashort whileter, his finger typed on thement bar, ¡°Are you that free?¡±


    Sherry replied in the next second, ¡°I¡¯m not as busy as you, Master Stockton.¡±


    John snorted augh, and his fingers typed on the keyboard again. ¡°I¡¯m a little free now. If you want to see me,e over in half


    an hour, or | won''t wait.¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    John smiled and tapped on the picture again.


    As though he was admiring a beautiful painting, he stared


    at it for a long time and did not close it.


    When a knock sounded outside the door, he finally put down his phone.


    Peter walked in and looked at him, saying, ¡°Master


    Stockton, Ms. Fowler is here. She said you asked her to


    come over. She''s downstairs now.¡±


    So soon?


    John curled his lips. ¡°Tell her toe up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Peter turned around and walked out.


    As John straightened his cor, he leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms in front of him, and looked at the closed door


    calmly.


    About two minutester, there was a knock at the door.


    The rat-a-tat was obviously different from how Peter usually knocked.


    He smiled. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door of the office was pushed open, and a slim and straight figure walked in.


    Behind the gold-rimmed sses, the man¡¯s eyes that initially held a wicked smile froze instantly, and his expression also fell.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Master Stockton. Have you eaten?¡± Sherry asked while stepping closer to him.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    She was wearing a shirt and a ck suit, appearing very different from the photo. Even her curled hair in the photo had be


    straight and was pulled into a ponytail


    behind her head.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Her entire physique exuded the capable and professional aura of a corporatedy.

 Chapter 1462

    Chapter 1462


    ¡°What are youughing at? Have you not eaten? Or are you still hungry?¡± Sherry revealed a cordial and


    concerned expression. ¡°Do you want me to treat you to another meal?¡±


    John was silent for a few moments before smiling. ¡°You posted that picture just for me to see, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Sherry froze for a moment and asked, ¡°Are you talking about the photo youmented on on my social media?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°You think too much. | took that photo a long time ago and happened to be a bit bored this morning, so | uploaded


    a selfie along with my post.¡±


    John pursed his lips and looked at her sharply.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze flickered, and she asked, ¡°Master Stockton,


    don¡¯t tell me you asked me toe over because you were attracted by that photo of mine.¡±


    She had a surprised expression. However, it would have


    been more natural if the corners of her mouth did not


    twitch while she held back a smile.


    John¡¯s throat constricted for a moment, then he curled his lips. ¡°What kind of partnership did you want to talk to me about?¡±


    Sherry immediately put the prepared letter of intent on the desk in front of him and said, ¡°We want to develop a casino in


    nchester and sincerely invite you to join and mentor us. The specific details of the project are inside, so please read it.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. This was the first time he had seen her look so serious in all the years he had known her. She


    looked quite capable.


    He lowered his head and flipped through the letter of


    intent, but he only skimmed through a few pages before tossing it to the side.


    Sherry frowned.


    He smiled and looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m not free now. When |


    am, I''ll definitely read it over carefully and get back to


    you.¡±


    Sherry forced a smile. ¡°Sure.¡±


    That damned man must be deliberately putting on airs.


    ¡°| still have work to do and can¡¯t entertain you, so you


    can leave now.¡± With that, he picked up his teacup and drank from it.


    Sherry looked around the office.


    There was a space filled with children¡¯s toys and plushies. It was clear at first nce that it was Caprice¡¯s area.


    However, Caprice was not around. She could understand if he did not bring Caprice tost night¡¯s Business


    Association conference because it had been crowded.


    However, he should have brought her over today.


    ¡°What are you still standing there for?¡± The man¡¯s somewhat irritated voice suddenly rang out.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze flickered, and she clutched her stomach while frowning at him. ¡°I suddenly have a stomachache.


    Do you have a washroom here, Master Stockton?¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°No.¡±


    Sherry frowned at him. ¡°Then, how do you usually go to


    the toilet?¡±


    He nced at her. ¡°If you want to go to the toilet, then go


    outside.¡±


    ¡°No, it hurts too much. | can¡¯t hold it in anymore!¡± She


    suddenly ran toward the lounge inside his office while holding her stomach.


    John was unable to react in time, and she managed to run past him. His expression darkened as he quickly chased


    after her.


    Sherry scampered into the lounge in a sh.


    Unsurprisingly, she saw Caprice¡¯s figure on the bed.


    The little girl¡¯s chubby body was lying under the small quilt. Her two small hands were clenched into tiny fists resting on top of the


    quilt, and her eyes and mouth were closed as she slept soundly.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes lit up, and she immediately wanted to go.


    over.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    However, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came


    from behind her.


    She did not want him to throw her out so quickly.


    Looking around, she saw the washroom and headed


    straight in that direction. Then, she closed the door after going inside.


    John happened to walk in at that moment. He looked at the still-sleeping Caprice, then at the washroom door


    that had just been closed, and held back his anger. He stopped and walked over to the bed.


    The atmosphere was quiet for a while.


    Sherry crouched right behind the washroom door.


    After not hearing any movement outside for a long time, she quietly pulled the door open a crack and moved to the doorway to


    look outside.


    The next thing she saw was a pair of long, straight legs right in front of her. She tilted her head and met a pair of eyes smiling


    sinisterly.


    John curled his lips at her. ¡°Done with your business ?¡± Sherry smiled. ¡°Not yet.¡±

 Chapter 1463

    Chapter 1463


    John¡¯s gaze was cold. ¡°Get out.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. She could not continue to squat there, so she tugged the door handle to stand up.


    However, as soon as she did, her abdomen suddenly experienced an ufortable sensation.


    Brrt!


    risp fart sound instantly rang out.


    John¡¯s fair face turned green for an instant.


    Sherryughed sheepishly. ¡°Sorry, | didn¡¯t mean to. Why don¡¯t you go out for a while? | want to let out a few more.¡±


    John curled his lips. ¡°Do you believe me if | tell you I''ll beat your *ss?¡±


    She was a little upset. ¡°It¡¯s not like | can control it. Don¡¯t you usually fart when you take a dump? Besides, it¡¯s not like you''ve


    never heard it before.¡±


    When she was with him in the past, she farted a lot when she could not hold it in, but she had never heard him fart before.


    John¡¯s eyes looked at her coldly. ¡°I''ll give you until the count of three to get out here.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine. You''re so petty.¡± Sherry held back the fart she wanted to let out, pushed open the door, and walked out. Her gaze


    fluttered over to Caprice on the bed.


    Bam.


    In the next second, her butt was kicked.


    Sherry stumbled forward two steps. She turned around and red at him angrily. ¡°What was that for?¡± All she did was farted!


    John looked at her. ¡°I can kick you whenever | want.¡±


    ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡± She rolled up her sleeves.


    He sneered. ¡°Yeah,e on and fight me.¡±


    His voice and gaze were contemptuous. It was as if he was saying she was just blowing hot air.


    Sherry was indeed just putting on bravado, but it would appear too cowardly if she suddenly admitted that she would not beat


    him up.


    Her eyes flickered as she looked behind him. The wall was behind him. She could m him into the wall hard and


    turn around to run away.


    With her mind made up, she snorted and said, ¡°Just you wait!¡±


    Then, she rammed into him with all her might.


    Just as she was about to hit him, his straight figure suddenly moved a step to the side.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened as she tried to stop, but she


    obviously could not brake in time.


    Bam!


    She collided with the wall and hissed in pain.


    ¡°Heh...¡± The man¡¯s mocking voice immediately sounded.


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened.


    ¡°Damn you!¡± she shouted in anger and turned around to


    charge at him again.


    John stood unmoving.


    Sherry mmed head-first into him and was stuck in his


    arms. His upright figure was like a statue, not moving at


    all.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She was confused and looked up at him.


    (


    He looked down at her and said with an evil expression, Ms. Fowler, did you say you wanted to go to the washroom because you


    wanted to throw yourself at me?¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes and was just about to push him


    away.


    However, his hand gripped her waist, and she could not push him away.


    Her expression changed, and she raised her fist to pound his chest, but he caught her wrists with his other hand. He lowered his


    head, and his handsome face suddenly approached her.


    The distance between their lips shortened.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    He tightened his arms around her waist and lowered his head again.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, what are you doing?¡± A childish voice suddenly chimed.

 Chapter 1464

    Chapter 1464


    Chapter 1464


    Just as John was about to kiss Sherry, he froze.


    Sherry pushed him away and turned her head to look over.


    At some point in time, Caprice had woken up. She sat with her little legs crossed, and her pigtails were mussed up. She held her


    chubby face as her eyes looked nkly at John and Sherry. She looked incredibly confused and cute.


    Almost instantly, Sherry rushed to her and wrapped the little girl in her arms. ¡°Caprice, what did you call me?¡±


    She looked at Caprice excitedly, but Caprice did not seem to understand why Sherry was so excited. While herrge eyes were


    slightly confused, she still replied, ¡°Mommy.¡±


    The tip of Sherry¡¯s nose stung as her eyes instantly reddened. Then, she picked up the little girl¡¯s chubby face and peppered


    kisses on her.


    Caprice was at a loss for words.


    Standing by the side, John was also speechless.


    It was a while before Sherry stopped kissing Caprice, but she still held her daughter¡¯s cute face and said excitedly, ¡± My baby


    Caprice is so good.¡±


    She thought she had to get Caprice to open up to her before the girl would be willing to call her Mommy.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes flickered in confusion. ¡°Why are your eyes red?¡±


    Sherry said with a smile, ¡°Because you called me


    Mommy. I¡¯m very happy.¡±


    Caprice asked, ¡°Does being called Mommy make you that happy?¡±


    After thinking about it, she raised her little face to look at John, and said, ¡°Mommy.¡±


    John was speechless.


    Sherry was also dumbfounded. She quickly turned the girl''s face toward her and corrected, ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m Mommy. Mommy is


    here. He¡¯s Daddy, not Mommy.¡±


    Caprice let out an ¡®oh¡¯.


    Smooch.


    Sherry kissed her daughter on the forehead again and then asked, ¡°Caprice, why don¡¯t | take you out to y?¡±


    Caprice shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sleepy. | don¡¯t want to


    y.¡±


    Her face also instantly looked drowsy.


    Sherry was a little disappointed, but she did not want to force the girl, so she immediately said, ¡°Okay, then you go back to


    sleep.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Capricey back down.


    Sherry looked at her intently and sat by the bed without moving.


    John walked over and looked at her coldly. ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    Sherry frowned. However, she had managed to see


    Caprice today and even heard her daughter call her¡± Mommy¡± twice. It was already beyond her expectations. She did not insist


    on staying and was just about to stand


    1. up.


    ¡°Stay, Mommy.¡± Caprice, who had justid down, suddenly tugged on Sherry¡¯s hand.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes lit up in joy. Then, she turned her head to look at John, who did not appear very happy. ¡°You go handle your work


    first. ¡¯ll stay with Caprice. Don¡¯t worry.


    I''ll leave as soon as she falls asleep.¡±


    John gave her a look. ¡°Caprice doesn¡¯t like noise, so keep


    your voice down and don''t fart at her.¡±


    Sherry red at him in embarrassment.


    John pursed his lips and went out.


    Soon, only Sherry and Caprice were left in the lounge.


    Sherry climbed into the bed and sat next to Caprice, holding her little hand and coaxing her to sleep. ¡°Go to sleep, Caprice.


    Mommy is right beside you. Mommy isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    Her voice was calm and soft like a gentle stream.


    Outside the door of the lounge, the man curled his lips before striding toward his desk.


    In the lounge, after Sherry said this, Caprice closed her eyes.


    The little girl fell asleep quickly. Sherry could not help but lie down beside her and look at her cute little face up close.

 Chapter 1465

    Chapter 1465


    Maybe the indoor temperature was toofortable, or the little girl¡¯s steady breathing had a hypnotic effect, but after staring at


    Caprice for a long time, Sherry suddenly felt sleepy as well.


    Sheid down next to the girl and closed her eyes for a little while.


    However, not long after that, she soon sumbed to


    slumber.


    When she opened her eyes again, Caprice was sitting beside her, looking at her with wide eyes. She was dressed


    neatly. Her pigtails were secured tidily, and she was eating a milk cracker in her hand.


    Sherry was stunned and turned her head to see the sky


    outside but saw John instead.


    He stood leaning by the wall not far away with his arms crossed in front of him, looking at her with a disgusted


    expression.


    Sherry shot up straight and took out her phone from her pocket to look at it.


    It was already 5 p.m.!


    Did she sleep here for almost four hours?


    ¡°Um... | didn¡¯t fall asleep on purpose.¡± She chuckled sheepishly at John.


    John curled his lips. ¡°If you¡¯re awake, then get the hell out of here.¡±


    Sherry looked at him and turned to say to Caprice,


    (


    Caprice, Mommy has to go now. I¡¯lle back to sleep with you another day, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the little girl answered softly.


    Sherry immediately picked the girl up and gave her a big kiss on her cheeks again before releasing her. Then, she got up and


    walked out.


    Passing by John¡¯s side, she smiled and said to him, ¡±


    Don''t forget to read the letter of intent, Master Stockton. I''lle back to visit you in a couple of days.¡±


    After that, she walked out without waiting for John to


    respond.


    Her figure disappeared quickly.


    John pursed his lips, walked to the bedside, and took


    Caprice into his arms. He raised his hand to touch her little head and said gently, ¡°Daddy is done with work now, Caprice. Let''s


    go home.¡±


    Caprice, however, was still staring in the direction Sherry had just left. Her mouth asked, ¡°Daddy, why did you tell Mommy to get


    the hell out?¡±


    John¡¯s eyes flickered. After a moment, he said, ¡°Daddy was just joking with her. She won¡¯t mind.¡±


    Caprice hummed.


    He carried her and walked outside. Thinking of


    something, he asked, ¡°Caprice, were you happy sleeping with Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    John curled his lips.


    Caprice added, ¡°I''d be happier if Mommy didn¡¯t snore.¡±


    John was speechless.


    That woman still snored in her sleep?


    Sherry walked out of Stockton Tower feeling refreshed. She had most likely fallen asleep with Caprice for so long


    because she did not sleep muchst night.


    Ten minutester, her car drove to Elysian Hotel where


    she lived.


    She got out of the car, put both hands in her pockets, and hummed a little tune as she returned to her room. She had just closed


    her door when her phone rang.


    It was a voice message from Carl. ¡°My dear Sherry, are you done with work? I''ll apany you for dinner, and then we can go


    shopping.¡±


    Sherry had gotten a call from him when she was on her


    way to find John in the afternoon. He had said that he


    wanted to eat and go shopping with her, but she had refused him because of work.


    This guy was probably too bored and wanted to find


    someone to apany him.


    Sherry replied, ¡°I¡¯m still busy. Find someone else


    instead.¡±


    Carl said, ¡°Can''t you work tomorrow instead?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°No.¡±


    Carl responded, ¡°Boring. I''ll look for entertainment by myself. You can coop yourself up in your room.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Sherry ignored him. She opened her social media and deleted the picture that she had uploaded in the morning and was only


    visible to John.


    Her purpose of going to see Caprice had already been achieved, so there was no need to keep that photo.

 Chapter 1466

    Chapter 1466


    Meanwhile, at a fine dining restaurant, Caprice sat on the child seat by the window, her small hand holding a spoon and slowly


    eating her meal.


    John sat beside her, having just finished eating, and put down his cutlery.


    The little girl had only eaten half of her meal. She would most likely take another half hour to finish.


    He leaned back in his chair and picked up his phone. His fingers subconsciously clicked on Sherry¡¯s social media, only to see


    that the post from this morning was gone.


    The screen was nk.


    Did she delete her photo?


    John¡¯s expression sank for a moment, then he smiled again. Her honey trap had seeded, so she stopped showing the picture


    to him.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    The next day, at 3 p.m., Sherry finished a meeting and her day''s work. She was mulling over the reason she could use to look for


    Caprice when she suddenly received a


    message from John.


    He sent a voice message. ¡°I¡¯ve read the letter of intent.


    Come see me now. | want to talk to you face to face.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression lit up, and she immediately replied, ¡±


    Okay, I''lle over now.¡±


    The hotel was not far from Stockton Tower.


    Ten minutester, she arrived.


    She walked straight into the lobby, passed by the reception desk, and said, ¡°Hello, my name is Sherry


    Fowler. I¡¯m here to see Master Stockton for a meeting. He


    told me toe over.¡±


    The staff smiled back at her. ¡°Hello, Ms. Fowler. | know you. Peter informed us that you''ll being over.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Then, I''ll go straight upstairs.¡±


    After saying that, she headed toward the elevator.


    The staff hurriedly called out to her, ¡°Ms. Fowler, Master Stockton wants you to wait for him in the conference


    room on the third floor. Pleasee this way with me.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°He wants me to go to the conference


    room?¡±


    The staff smiled and said, ¡°Yes.¡± He then walked out of


    his workstation and stood in front of her.


    Sherry held her breath and followed him to the


    conference room.


    After waiting for almost half an hour, footsteps came from outside the door.


    Peter pushed the door open, and John¡¯s slender and straight figure walked in with him.


    Sherry looked behind him.


    John sat down opposite her and asked with a smile, ¡® What are you looking at, Ms. Fowler?¡±


    (


    Sherry was somewhat upset and asked bluntly, ¡°Where¡¯s Caprice?¡±


    John maintained his smile. ¡°We''re going to be talking


    about business. It¡¯s not convenient for her to be here.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°You''re doing this on purpose.


    It was impossible that he did not know that she wanted to


    see Caprice.


    John raised his brows. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Then, he leanedzily on the chair and looked at her, asking, ¡°Does Sager Corporation not want to cooperate with me


    anymore?¡±


    Sherry held back her anger as she looked at him. ¡°What


    did you want to talk to me about, Master Stockton? Is


    there anything about the letter of intent that you''re not satisfied with?¡±


    He continued to leannguidly on the seat. ¡°I can see your sincerity, but there are indeed some changes that


    need to be made.¡±


    Sherry quickly asked, ¡°What changes?¡±


    John picked up a teacup and took a sip of tea, appearing incredibly leisurely and carefree.


    After putting down the teacup, he took the letter of intent and slowly flipped it over like he was admiring a piece of art.


    Sherry was speechless.


    Awave of irritation surged to the top of her head, and she growled, ¡°Can you hurry up?¡±


    John looked at her. ¡°Is that the attitude Sager


    Corporation should show when asking others for a partnership?¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes at him. ¡°If you really want to coborate with Sager Corporation, then please hurry up. If you don¡¯t want to


    coborate, return the letter of intent to me!¡±


    Sager Corporation and Stockton Tower¡¯s coboration was bound to be a strong alliance. It would be a win-win situation for both


    parties.

 Chapter 1467

    Chapter 1467


    Sherry would not bend over to please John.


    If he was in his right mind, he would not give up the partnership with Sager Corporation.


    John was stunned. This was the first time someone who wanted to coborate with him dared to give him attitude.


    After a moment, heughed. ¡°Sherry, do you think the cooperation with Sager Corporation is very important to me?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not that important, then give me back the letter of intent.¡± Sherry held out her hand as she spoke.


    John was speechless.


    After choking for a moment, he lifted the corners of his lips again. ¡°How do you n to exin it to Sager Corporation if you fail


    to cinch the partnership with me?¡±


    Although she was the president of Sager Corporation and was very influential, she was still working for the Sager family.


    Sherry met his evil and calcting gaze and smiled at him. ¡°I''ll tell them you rejected me because of a personal grudge against


    me.


    ¡°Heh...¡±


    She would me it on him? That was quite resourceful.


    He said, ¡°Then, what if | call Madam Sager directly and tell her it''s because you don¡¯t want to work with me no thanks to your


    arrogance?¡±


    Sherry imitated his sinister smile and replied, ¡°I''ll say that you deliberately set me up to frame me.¡±


    He lifted his lips. ¡°Are you so sure that Madam Sager will believe you?¡±


    ¡°Positive.¡± Sherry crossed her arms and also leaned back in the seat, raising her brows at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can


    contact her now.¡±


    John snorted. ¡°Heh. Do you believe me if | say I''ll never let you see Caprice again?¡±


    Sherry was speechless. Her throat choked up, and her face reddened in anger.


    John took another sip of tea. Seeing her remain silent, he asked with a smile, ¡°Are you in a rush to leave, Ms. Fowler? If you are,


    I''ll return the letter of intent to you now.¡±


    She gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush. I¡¯m in no hurry at all. You look over it slowly and talk to me in your own time. There¡¯s no


    problem even if it takes a year.¡±


    Johnughed. ¡°Good.¡±


    Then, he slowly flipped through the letter.


    Sherry swallowed down her anger.


    This damned man should just get struck dead by lightning!


    It was already dark when they came out of the conference room.


    If not for some urgent matter that he had to deal with personally, he would have dyed it until midnight.


    However, he really did put forward a few useful suggestions to Sherry. She recorded all those rmendations in her notebook.


    When he got up and went out, she stood up and followed him.


    Then, he suddenly stopped outside of the conference room.


    Sherry did not manage to stop in time, thus her forehead hit his back.


    He was obviously unprepared as well. His straight figure was thrown off bnce, and he stumbled two steps forward.


    He red back at her.


    Sherry¡¯s forehead throbbed from the impact. When she saw him, she immediately looked at him with displeasure. ¡°Why did you


    stop?¡±


    John looked at her coldly. ¡°You''re the one who bumped into me.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered, and she said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have bumped into you if you didn¡¯t suddenly stop or if you had told me that you


    were going to stop.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that | should apologize to you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Sherry smiled at him. ¡°Just let me see Caprice.¡±


    Johnughed. ¡°In your dreams.¡±


    Then, he turned and walked forward quickly. He was obviously in a rush to handle other matters.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Sherry gritted her teeth and continued to follow him.


    However, immediately, he suddenly turned around.


    Sherry almost bumped into him again and took two steps back.


    He looked at her with a smile. ¡°If you keep following me, I''ll tell the security guards to tie you up and throw you out.¡±


    Sherry red at him, then strode toward the gate.

 Chapter 1468

    Chapter 1468


    Chapter 1468


    Outside, it was dark and cold.


    Sherry really missed Caprice. She did not leave. Instead, she crouched in the dark, wrapped in a thick down jacket, hoping to


    see Caprice when she came out with John.


    However, even after a few hours and there were no people left on the road, she did not see John bring Caprice out.


    There were several times when she had spent the night at Sager Corporation when something urgent cropped up. Something


    mostly likely really did happen to that man, so he might not leave the office tonight.


    Sherry stopped squatting there. She touched her empty stomach and called a taxi back to the hotel.


    Two dayster, at around 4 p.m., she heard from him again.


    He said that he had read her revised letter of intent for partnership and wanted to go through the details.


    Sherry rushed to Stockton Tower but was escorted to the conference room again. It took another half an hour for John toe.


    Then, he wasted her time until the evening and did not allow her to go upstairs with him afterward.


    Sherry missed Caprice, but she endured it.


    Then, another day passed.


    She had just gotten back from a bistro when she received a message from him, saying that he wanted to talk to her further about


    coborating.


    Sherry did not even eat lunch and rushed straight over.


    However, she was taken to the conference room again, and it took another half an hour before John walked in with elegant


    steps.


    Sherry forced herself to curl her lips at him. Her smile was cold and fake, and slightly twisted.


    John was stunned but smiled at her, saying, ¡°Sorry for ...the wait, Ms. Fowler.¡±


    Sherry sneered in her heart. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Her smile was still very stiff and fake.


    John paused. ¡°You don¡¯t have to smile if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Sherry immediately put away her smile and looked at him coldly.


    He gave a low chuckle and sat down opposite her. Like the previous two times, he first drank two sips of tea, then unhurriedly


    flipped through the printed documents.


    Sherry sat without moving.


    Time slowly ticked by.


    Unsurprisingly, he had not gotten to the point even when evening came. He was still sipping on his tea slowly.


    Agrowl sounded.


    It was her stomach grumbling in hunger.


    John, who was drinking tea, looked dumbfounded.


    Standing by the side, Peter was also confused.


    They both looked toward Sherry.


    John put down his cup, looked at her with a smile, and asked in a puzzled tone, ¡°What was that sound? Did you hear that, Ms.


    Fowler?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry was speechless. Her anger rushed straight to her head.


    Bam!


    She pped the table and stood up. ¡°It was my goddamned stomach!¡± Her voice was even louder than the sound of her pping


    the table.


    Peter was stunned, and so was John.


    Sherry clenched her hands into fists and red at him coldly. ¡°You damned man, when exactly will you let me see Caprice?!¡±


    She thought that he had had enough after tricking her for two days, but she did not think he could still toy with her today.


    She had rushed over without even eating lunch, but instead, she had to appreciate him slowly drinking his tea and see him


    leisurely flipping through the documents.


    What was that supposed to mean?


    He treated her like a circus monkey!


    Therge conference room was quiet.


    Peter was so shocked that his eyes were wide. He obviously had never seen Sherry lose her temper like that.


    John pursed his lips in silence. Not long after that, he asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°I''m not hungry. | want to see Caprice!¡± Sherry red at him fiercely. It was as if she would kill him if he refused to let her see


    Caprice again.


    John was silent for a while longer, then smiled at her.¡± Caprice is sleeping. She can¡¯t see you right now.¡±


    Bam!

 Chapter 1469

    Chapter 1469


    Sherry kicked over the chair she had sat in all afternoon and walked out.


    John frowned. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    She ignored him, opened the door, and stormed off.


    John nced at Peter. ¡°Go have a look.¡±


    Peter quickly jogged out. After a while, he pushed the door and came back.


    John looked at him. ¡°Where did she go?¡± Did she rush into the elevator to find Caprice?


    Peter replied, ¡°She went straight to her car and left.¡±


    John¡¯s expression darkened.


    She left?


    Inside a car that was driving on the road, Sherry sat in the back seat with her hands in her pockets, ring coldly in front.


    She cursed John in her heart.


    When the car took her back to the hotel, her mood calmed down a little. She got out of the car and walked into the hotel with her


    hands in her pockets.


    She nned to order takeout and then think of how to meet Caprice.


    Unexpectedly, she saw Carl just as she walked into the hotel.


    Sitting on the sofa, he wore leather boots, a long ck leather coat, and sunsses on top of his head. His feet were kicked up


    on the coffee table in front of the sofa. His face seemed a little moody.


    However, he smiled the moment he saw Sherry.


    He jumped up and walked over to her, looking her up and down. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you all afternoon. Why are you only back


    now?¡±


    ¡°| got dyed.¡± Sherry asked him, ¡°Why were you waiting for me?¡±


    Carl smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. | notice that you¡¯re tired from work and want to take you out for some drinks to relieve your stress.¡±


    Sherry would have refused him at any other time, but she did feel like drinking a little to relieve her depressed mood for the past


    few days.


    In Stockton Tower, after Sherry left, John returned to his office.


    Caprice had woken up long ago and was ying a game with his secretary. When she saw himing, the little girl stood up


    and trotted toward him.


    John immediately bent down and picked her up.


    Then, he asked her, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    The little girl nodded. ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Let''s go eat then.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He picked up the girl¡¯s thick jacket and carried her out.


    When he walked out of the building, Caprice suddenly asked, ¡°Daddy, why isn¡¯t Mommying to see me?¡±


    She usually did everything slowly. Her little face had an innocent expression, and she generally did not show any other emotions.


    However, at this moment, herrge eyes were obviously downcast.


    John was silent for a moment and asked, ¡°Do you miss your Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, Daddy will contact herter and ask her toe to you.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Okay.¡±


    John smiled and stroked her little head.


    Since Caprice missed her, he would give her a chance to see Caprice tomorrow.


    Before long, Sherry arrived at a secluded and elegant restaurant in Carl''s sports car.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He most likely spent a lot of time strolling around nchester the past few days. This intimate restaurant was clearly a hidden


    gem. The dishes were extraordinarily refreshing and much more delicious than the signature dishes of other restaurants.


    The boss also brewed his own fruit wine. In fact, the peach blossom wine and mulberry wine were so superb that Sherry drank


    two bottles in one go.


    Carl curved his almond¡ªshaped eyes at her. ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t get drunk or I''ll have to carry you back. Don¡¯t me me if something


    identally happens between us.¡±


    Sherry imitated his smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t shut up, don¡¯t me me for identally bashing your head open.¡±

 Chapter 1470

    Chapter 1470


    Under the light, her cheeks were red from the alcohol. Her charming eyes reflected a shimmery light, and with her crafty


    appearance, she looked too beautiful to be true.


    Carl was stunned for a moment, then he blinked and said with a smile, ¡°I''ll shut up now. Go on, keep drinking.¡±


    Sherry tilted her head and drank another cup, then picked up a piece of meat and shoved it into her mouth. The light reflected on


    her scarlet face, bright and beautiful.


    Carl unknowingly went into a daze as he stared at her.


    Meanwhile, they were separated from the outside by a ss window.


    John carried Caprice out of the car and was about to enter when he saw this scene through the window. His footsteps froze, and


    his eyes narrowed behind his sses.


    When he saw her and Carl talking andughing, his face instantly went cold.


    ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s Mommy.¡± In his arms, Caprice suddenly pointed at Sherry behind the window.


    Johnposed his expression and hummed.


    In the next second, there was a knock on the window as Caprice¡¯s small hand smacked the ss.


    John froze.


    Inside the restaurant, Sherry was drinking when she suddenly heard the sound of tapping on the window. She was startled and


    turned over to look.


    Then, she suddenly saw a cute little face appear in front of her eyes.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    The little girl smiled and showed off her small teeth, calling sweetly, ¡°Mommy...¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Caprice?¡±


    Then, she immediately stood up and ran outside.


    Carl was still bewildered.


    Mommy?


    The chubby little girl that John was holding was her daughter?


    John and she had a daughter together? Why did the information he had people check on her not mention that fact?


    Sherry forgot to put on her jacket and ran straight out. The cold wind made her shiver, but it could not dampen her excitement at


    this moment. She ran all the way to Caprice and John.


    Just as she raised her hand, the little girl also reached out toward her.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes lit up as she took Caprice into her arms.


    ¡°My baby Caprice, | missed you so much.¡± Sherry was just about to kiss her little face.


    However, arge hand suddenly rested on Caprice¡¯s face, directly blocking Sherry¡¯s mouth. Sherry frowned and looked at him.


    John stared at her grimly. ¡°Don¡¯t touch Caprice with your stinky mouth.¡±


    Sherry was displeased. ¡°My mouth doesn¡¯t stink. Did you smell anything?¡± 1


    John looked at her scarlet face. ¡°You reek of alcohol. | smelled it when you ran over.¡±


    ¡°| was drinking mulled wine!¡±


    ¡°It''s still wine.¡±


    Sherry held back her anger.


    Forget it. She was content to be able to see and hold Caprice. She would not bicker with that man. She looked at Caprice and


    said with a smile, ¡°Caprice, did youe here for dinner too?¡±


    Caprice hummed.


    ¡°What do you like to eat? Mommy will eat with you today, okay?¡±


    Caprice answered softly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry immediately carried her inside without looking at John. It was as if she was afraid that the girl would be taken away by


    him if she was too slow.


    John watched her excitement as she held Caprice. The corners of his lips curled up, and he followed her in.


    Meanwhile, Sherry had just carried Caprice inside when they ran into Carl.

 Chapter 1471

    Chapter 1471


    He looked at Caprice and then asked Sherry with a smile, ¡± Sis, who''s this little angel?¡±


    Listening to the praise her daughter received, Sherry answered with a slight delight, ¡°She¡¯s my baby daughter.¡±


    Carl''s expression was slightly disheartened.


    John, who came into the room in a timely manner, noticed the slight change on Carl''s face, and his lips curled up.


    Carl immediately smiled and said, ¡°My, my, that exins why the angel looks so cute.¡±


    Sherry chuckled. Her daughter was probably the prettiest girl on Earth.


    She then said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, this is Uncle Sager. He¡¯s my friend.¡±


    Caprice widened her eyes nkly at Carl. ¡°Hi, Uncle Sager.¡±


    The girl¡¯s adorable voice struck Carl¡¯s heart like Cupid¡¯s arrow. He smiled brightly and said, ¡°Hello, Caprice.¡±


    It was then that the owner of the restaurant came over


    and saw them talking. The owner asked in surprised delight, ¡°Master Stockton, you know each other?¡±


    John hummed a reply.


    The owner added, ¡°Then, will you be sitting together or


    separately?¡±


    ((


    Before John could speak, Sherry immediately said, Together. Can you get us another table by the side?¡±


    Her table with Carl was already filled with alcoholic beverages and was no ce for a young girl to have a


    meal.


    Then, she carried the girl to the table of four.


    Carl looked at John and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind us, Master


    Stockton.¡±


    John smiled profoundly. ¡°Please make yourself at home, Young Master Sager.¡±


    Carl chuckled and then sat opposite Sherry.


    John had one quick nce at him before he sat down beside Sherry.


    The waiter served a set meal for Caprice and even brought


    a baby chair over.


    Sherry did not want to let go of Caprice though. She simply carried the girl in her arms and fed her.


    The girl took her time chewing. It took her four to five rounds of chewing to finish a single spoon of food as if she was a baby


    chick nibbling on grains. It was adorable.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry patiently fed her.


    The girl ate slowly but was not a picky eater. She ate whatever her mother fed her, hence it was less


    troublesome.


    John watched as Sherry fed the girl skillfully, and the girl seemed to be enjoying it, so he picked up his cutlery and started eating.


    Carl watched as Sherry fed and Caprice ate, he then had a nce at John.


    John noticed Carl''s nce when he took the first bite,


    he looked back at him. His clean and handsome face


    looked humble, but his eyes were sharp.


    So


    Carl''s eyes flickered nervously and then curled his lips


    into a smile. ¡°Master Stockton, I¡¯ve been in Glenchester for a few days now, and | still didn¡¯t get the chance to pay you a visit.


    Who knew we would run into each other here?


    | believe it¡¯s fate wanting us to meet.¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°You''re right, Young Master Sager.¡±


    ¡°Here, a toast to fate.¡± Carl raised his ss into the air.


    John did the same but raised his ss slightly higher. A clear clinkter, both of them simply took a sip.


    Carl put his ss down and continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t know my good sister here has a history with you and also a daughter. No wonder


    she insisted on starting a project here at Glenchester.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes flickered and looked at Sherry.


    Sherry was just beside them, and it was impossible for her to not hear their conversation. She red at Carl, signaling him to


    shut his mouth.


    Carl simply yed dumb and asked, ¡°Sis, what are you looking at me for? Did | say something wrong?¡±


    Sherry continued to re at him, but he averted her gaze by looking down and started eating.


    After dealing with Carl, Sherry continued feeding Caprice.


    John captured their little interaction with his sharp eyes, and his expression was slightly disheartened. He asked,


    {


    Young Master Sager, | didn¡¯t see you at the meetings in the past few days. You came to Glenchester for vacation?¡±


    Carl was slightly stunned. He feigned a smile and said, ¡± Yeah. Glenchester is well-known for its tourism, that¡¯s why I¡¯m


    attracted, but | actually came here because of my good sister.¡±

 Chapter 1472

    Chapter 1472


    ¡°Are you here to help her with work?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Carl narrowed his eyes in a curve. ¡°I¡¯m here to see her.¡±


    Sherry furrowed her brows.


    Before she could re at Carl, John asked, ¡°See her? Are you here to inspect her work then?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just here to keep an eye on her so that she won¡¯t go looking for men behind my back.¡±


    John pursed his lips.


    The atmosphere in the room somehow got awkward.


    Sherry red at Carl. ¡°Carl, you better shut-¡±


    ¡°Are you two having a rtionship? Why would she go looking for other men behind your back?¡± John asked, interrupting Sherry.


    Carl narrowed his eyes further and locked eyes with John. ¡°Master John, you have no idea. Sister Sherry here is actually my


    future wife.¡±


    The atmosphere plunged into dead silence.


    Only Caprice¡¯s munching could be heard.


    Carl ignored Sherry¡¯s furious re and continued locking eyes with John.


    John stared at him coldly. A momentter, he curled his lips. ¡°Future wife? Are you engaged?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Not yet. But soon.¡± Carl then winked at Sherry.¡± Am I right, Sister Sherry?¡±


    Sherry wanted to curse out loud, but Caprice was in her arms. She did not want to give the girl a bad influence. She stared at


    Carl and said, ¡°Carl, can you just shut up and eat? Stop talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I''m not talking nonsense. My mom sees you as her future daughter-inw, and she even said if you marry me, thepany will


    be ours in the future. Did you forget about that?¡± Carl said with a smile.


    Sherry choked on his words. She instantly felt a pair of ferocious and gloomy eyes looking at her from the side through the


    golden-framed sses.


    John curled his lips, but his smile was frostier than ice. ¡± Sherry, | didn¡¯t know you¡¯re Madam Sager¡¯s future


    daughter-inw and the heir to theirpany.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sister Sherry, did you really forget what my mom said?¡± Carl looked at her with narrowed eyes.


    Sherry pursed her lips.


    John¡¯s expression turned frostier. Not even the golden- framed sses could contain the gloominess in his eyes.


    The atmosphere plunged into the deepest icy abyss all of a sudden.


    It was then that Caprice looked up as though she noticed the tension in the air while eating, so she asked, ¡°Daddy, Mommy,


    what''s wrong?¡±


    Sherry smiled at her immediately. ¡°Nothing''s wrong.*


    John also wore a fake smile and said, ¡°Caprice,e here.¡± He reached out to the girl.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice pursed her lips. She looked at Sherry, seemingly hesitant about going to her father, but it onlysted for two seconds


    before she crawled over.


    John hugged her in his arms.


    The emptiness Sherry felt in her arms drained her heart as well.


    At the very next second, John bolted up with Caprice and said to Carl, ¡°Young Master Sager, | have something else


    to attend to. Please excuse me.¡±


    Carl smiled. ¡°Alright. Take care, Master Stockton.¡±


    John strode out of the room, leaving Sherry stunned.


    He left!?


    Sherry bolted up and went after him. ¡°Caprice hasn''t finished her meal!¡± In other words, she had not hugged her daughter


    enough.


    John ignored her and strode to the parking lot.


    The driver came out and opened the door for him.


    John put Caprice inside the car before he got in himself.


    Sherry saw Caprice looking at her, but before she could get a closer look at the girl¡¯s adorable face, the door was mmed shut.


    The car then drove out of her sight.

 Chapter 1473

    Chapter 1473


    Sherry frowned as she watched the car drive further away.


    It was only when an extra jacket was hung over her shoulder that she realized Carl hade chasing after her.


    It was her own jacket that she had left in the room.


    Sherry looked at him. ¡°Carl, what the hell was that?¡±


    She did promise Madam Sager to help Carl strengthen his position in thepany and that she would fake an engagement with


    him before he took over thepany. However, no one should know about their fake engagement.


    Carl looked rather agitated. A hint of loneliness shed in his eyes, but he quickly recovered to his usual frivolous expression. He


    smiled and said, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be mad. | just want to help you test the man.¡±


    Sherry was deeply annoyed. ¡°Why are you testing him?¡±


    ¡°You came all the way here to Glenchester for him, so at least | have to know what his feelings are for you, am | right?¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°I came here for Caprice, not him!¡±


    Carl raised a brow. ¡°Then, why are you so agitated?¡±


    Sherry choked on her motions. She said, ¡°He took Caprice away. How can | not be agitated?!¡±


    Carl stroked his nose awkwardly. ¡°Caprice is also your daughter. He just can¡¯t keep the girl¡¯s mother from seeing her.¡±


    ¡°Well, believe it. He can and he did!¡± Sherry vented angrily.


    In the past few days, she had been going to Stockton Tower with the thought of seeing Caprice, but John toyed with her every


    single day, leaving her annoyed and fed up.


    She finally could carry Caprice in her arms tonight, yet Carl had to ruin it for her. She was not just annoyed; she was angry.


    Carl stroked his nose again. ¡°Should | go after them for you?¡±


    Sherry angrily stepped on his food.


    Carl grabbed his foot in pain and jumped around, squealing painfully.


    Sherry red at him. ¡°Carl, if you mess with my private matters again, I''ll call your mother!¡±


    She then headed towards the road.


    John finally put his foot down after Sherry left his sight.


    He sighed as he leaned against the wallzily.


    After Sherry hailed a taxi and left, he went back to his sports car and followed her.


    It was alreadyte when they left, so Sherry assumed that John brought Caprice home.


    It was meaningless to chase after them now, so she


    simply returned to her hotel. She had a suite on the tenth


    floor where the elevator was heading.


    She strode to her room, opened the door with the


    keycard, and went inside.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    When she slid the card into the slot, a beep sounded and the entire room was lit up. It was at that moment a slender figure


    leaning on the wall entered her sight.


    He was just beside her, less than half a meter away.


    Startled, Sherry instinctively took a step back. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    John nced at the shut door and said, ¡°Why are you so nervous? Afraid that I¡¯m disturbing you?¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°I am not with Carl.¡±


    John pursed his lips. He had actually checked her room before she returned and only found daily necessities for one person. No


    items of a man or any traces of someone else were found in the room.


    However, when he thought of the words he heard from Carl, he felt something different.


    ¡°Then, when did you promise to get engaged with him? Since when were you two together?¡± he asked as he stared at her with


    his sharp eyes.


    Sherry pursed her lips in silence.


    The engagement would definitely happen, but she had promised Madam Sager to not tell anyone about it as it was fake. She


    could not even tell her most trusted friend or closest family.


    Looking at her grim gaze, the man¡¯s handsome face turned frosty.


    He grinned. ¡°Sherry, if you want to continue seeing


    Caprice, you better answer me now.¡±

 Chapter 1474

    Chapter 1474


    Sherry frowned. ¡°The engagement won''t happen for now.¡±


    For now?


    He squinted coldly. ¡°So, it¡¯s happening soon?¡±


    Sherry averted his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    John took a step closer to her. He stared into her eyes and asked, ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know?¡±


    Sherry averted his gaze once more. ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of time to figure it out. | don¡¯t know if I''ll remain single, or if I''ll marry


    someone in the future.¡±


    John curled his lips. It was not an ominous and frosty smile but a bright and relieved one.


    ¡°Come out,¡± he said.


    Sherry was stunned.


    Then, the chubby Caprice came out from the closet beside


    them.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Caprice!¡±


    Caprice ran to her as well. ¡°Mommy...¡±


    Sherry bent over immediately and hugged the girl tightly. She could not help kissing the girl¡¯s adorable cheeks.


    Caprice stared at her mother with her widened eyes.


    Sherry pinched her cheeks and said, ¡°Caprice, what are you doing here? Do you miss me?¡±


    Caprice looked at John. ¡°Daddy brought me-¡±


    ¡°Caprice said she missed you, so | brought her here,¡± the man said.


    Caprice pursed her lips. The little girl did miss her mother.


    Sherry kissed the girl one more time.


    John had a nce at his watch and then said, ¡°I still have something to do at the office. | have to go now. I''ll put Caprice in your


    care for now. Her milk powder and diapers are in that bag. Take good care of her.¡±


    Sherry failed to react in time and was stunned on the spot.


    What did he just say? Did he just leave Caprice with her?


    John did not see her reaction. He squinted and asked, ¡± What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you want to take care of Caprice?¡±


    ¡°YES! I''LL TAKE GOOD CARE OF HER!¡± Sherry was exalted. ¡°You go ahead! Caprice is in good hands!¡±


    John nced at her before he went out.


    The door closed, leaving Sherry with Caprice inside the


    room.


    Sherry carried the girl and looked at her adorable face. ¡° Caprice, what do you like to do for fun?¡±


    Caprice said, ¡°I like to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Sleep? That''s it? Is there anything else?¡± Sherry asked.


    Caprice simply hummed a reply.


    ¡°Do you like to y games?¡±


    Caprice shook her head. The girl seemed like a quiet person. She even walked and ate slower than other kids,


    so it was not surprising that she did not love games.


    Sherry stroked her cheeks. ¡°Are you sleepy now?¡±


    Caprice shook her head.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry nodded. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t | tell you a story?¡±


    As though it was her first time hearing the word ¡®story¡¯, Caprice¡¯s eyes widened in interest. She nodded and


    hummed a reply.


    Sherry took off her jacket and carried her daughter to bed.


    Shey on the bed with one arm around the girl. She then searched her phone for a children¡¯s story and then started reading it to


    the girl. She invested a lot of feelings in reading as it was also her first time.


    ¡°Once upon a time, there was a gray wolf in the forest...¡± The room was filled with her soft and gentle voice.


    Caprice leaned on her chest and stared at her with her crystal-clear eyes. She was captivated by the story.


    Meanwhile, in the room beside Sherry¡¯s suit, the man, who imed he had to leave for work, leaned on the couchzily as he


    listened to the voice next door.


    The wall of the hotel had excellent noise istion, but the tapping device he left in Caprice¡¯s bag clearly captured Sherry¡¯s voice


    and transmitted it to his phone.


    It was a simple story, but even he had not read the girl a story in the past two years.

 Chapter 1475

    Chapter 1475


    First of all, the girl loved to sleep, so no story was needed to luby her.


    Secondly, the man was always busy. Even though he had the girl by his side all the time, he rarely spent time ying with her.


    His gaze shifted as he continued listening.


    Some timeter, Sherry stopped reading the story.


    Caprice must be asleep.


    After some rustling, it went silent.


    The man put the phone aside and went to bed.


    Sherry did not expect this day would arrive so quickly. She had no idea what could have gotten into John that made him leave


    Caprice with her.


    The girl¡¯s adorable face was right in front of her eyes, and her soft petite body leaned on her chestzily.


    Sherry was infatuated with her daughter for a long time.


    After a while, her gaze shifted. She had the thought of stealing her away from the man, and she believed he would not notice.


    However, on second thought, she denied her own thought. The girl might call her Mommy, but they were not actually that close.


    Bringing her away from her father suddenly would definitely hurt her.


    She has to spend more time with Caprice and make the girl depend on her before she could steal her away from the man.


    As she made up her mind, Sherry kissed the girl¡¯s cheeks before she closed her eyes.


    It was harmonious and warm in the spacious suite.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    The next morning, when the sky turned bright, the door opened quietly as the man set foot into the room. He walked to the bed


    unhurriedly.


    The mother and daughter were sleeping soundly on the bed.


    John narrowed his eyes and softly tapped on Sherry¡¯s face. The reaction he got was silence. Sherry slept like the dead.


    He curled his lips. He carefully lifted her arm off Caprice and carried the little girl.


    Just as he wanted to leave with Caprice, he stopped after a few steps and turned around instinctively.


    Sherry¡¯s posture remained as she was when she held Caprice to sleep.


    Her hair was messily scattered on the bed, and her bare face looked tempting, especially with her fair skin and slightly parted


    lips.


    He pursed his lips as he gulped anxiously. He put Caprice on the couch and headed to the bed once more.


    Tap.


    He tapped on her face again, but she still did not respond. He chuckled and then started to stroke her face. His slender fingers


    moved from her forehead to her lips, her chin, and then her corbone.


    Ahint of infatuation shed in the eyes behind the golden -framed sses. He unconsciously lowered his head and moved his


    handsome face closer to her face, so his lips were several millimeters away from hers.


    It was at that moment Sherry released a stinky breath that assaulted his nose. His handsome brows furrowed and he


    immediately lifted his head.


    Judging from the heavy breath, she must have forgotten to brush her teethst night. The heavy breath killed every bit of his


    aroused desire.


    He tapped her face a few more times before he went back to Caprice on the couch.


    When he walked out of the room with Caprice, a familiar figure appeared before him.


    John stopped and grinned.


    Carl also stopped when he noticed John¡¯s presence. His expression shifted multiple times before he ultimately forced a smile on


    his face. ¡°Master Stockton, what are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 1476

    Chapter 1476


    John patted Caprice¡¯s head and answered


    expressionlessly, ¡°Caprice missed her mother, and she insisted oningst night. So, | stayed a night with her.¡±


    Carl''s smile froze. ¡°Sister Sherry snores when she sleeps. | wonder if she bothered you and Capricest night.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes but his smile remained. ¡°She slept wellst night. You don¡¯t need to worry about that, Young Master


    Sager.¡±


    Carl choked on the answer he got and pursed his lips helplessly.


    John smiled and continued, ¡°But she slept rathertest night, and she¡¯s still not awake. If you are not in a hurry, | would


    suggesting backter.¡±


    Carl awkwardly smiled. ¡°Great. | stay in this hotel as well, so | can see her every single day. | don¡¯t need to rush things.¡±


    ¡°| see... Well, | have something else to attend to. Please excuse me.¡® ¡°¡±


    ¡°Take care, Master Stockton.¡±


    John carried Caprice and walked forward. The moment he walked past Carl, his handsome face was shrouded in gloom, and the


    smile disappeared.


    Back in the quiet suite, Sherry finally opened her eyes an hourter.


    The first thing she did was look beside her, but there was no one there. She was the only one on the spacious bed; Caprice was


    nowhere to be found.


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened. ¡°Caprice?!¡±


    She got up and wanted to search for her daughter, but then her phone rang.


    She picked it up and saw a text from John. ¡°I brought Caprice away.¡±


    Together with the text was a picture of Caprice eating breakfast.


    Sherry choked on her nervousness. She replied, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you wereing?!¡±


    ¡°| did, but you slept like a pig.¡±


    Sherry was left speechless.


    ¡°Caprice even said goodbye to you when we left.¡±


    Sherry was deeply annoyed.


    Anyway, it was a relief knowing that Caprice was fine, but should there be a second time, she would definitely lock the door from


    the inside.


    Her expression shifted as she replied, ¡°Got it. Tell Caprice | said ¡®Good Morning¡¯.¡± A quick thoughtter, she sent him a cute and


    ttering sticker.


    John chuckled when he saw the sticker. He put his phone away and continued to have breakfast with Caprice.


    Caprice then looked at him. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m done.¡±


    John hummed a reply and wiped her mouth with a piece of tissue.


    When he carried her, the girl looked outside nkly with her lips pursed, seeming rather disappointed.


    John sharply noticed the girl¡¯s reaction. He stopped and asked, ¡°What''s wrong, Caprice?¡±


    Caprice said with protruded lips, ¡°I didn¡¯t say goodbye to Mommy.¡±


    John was slightly taken aback before he smiled at the girl. ¡°I said goodbye to her on your behalf earlier.¡±


    Her eyes lit up. ¡°Thank you, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    The father and daughter then went into the car.


    The girl sat in his embrace for a while and then asked, Daddy, can | go see Mommy againter tonight?¡± Her crystal-clear eyes


    were full of anticipation.


    John went silent for a while. He smiled and said,


    Mommy is quite busy. I''ll bring you to her when she¡¯s free, okay?¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice hummed a reply, obviously disappointed.


    John hugged her tighter in his arms. He looked down at his daughter deeply and asked, ¡°Caprice, do you like Mommy?¡±


    ¡°| like Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be with her every day?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± The girl nodded without the slightest hesitation.


    John smiled. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    The mother and daughter barely knew each other.


    ¡°Because | like Mommy.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Then, I''ll let you sleep with Mommy every night. How¡¯s that sound?¡±


    Caprice widened her eyes in excitement. ¡°Yeah!¡±


    John smiled with squinted eyes. Other than the kind smile, a strong scheme was brewing behind his golden- framed sses.

 Chapter 1477

    Chapter 1477


    Chapter 1477


    Sherry stayed at the hotel for the entire morning.


    After clearing some of her jobs, she started to miss her daughter. The warm feeling of holding her daughter to sleepst night left


    her longing for more, and she wished she could hug the little angel in her arms immediately.


    A quick thoughtter, she texted John.


    ¡°Master Stockton, are you freeter?¡±


    Two minutester, John replied, ¡°No.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°Can | see Caprice?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s too busy to see you. ¡°¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What is she doing? Why is she that busy?¡±


    John ignored her this time on purpose, leaving her frowning.


    Although she was still asleep when he took Caprice back, they seemed to be speaking on good termsst night.


    What caused the sudden change of heart?


    Was he a chameleon that changed his color based on his mood?


    Sherry was baffled but did not have time to ponder. She grabbed her purse and left the hotel. She went to the kid¡¯s section at the


    mall and bought some toys and a few storybooks for Caprice.


    She then took a ride to Stockton Tower with the presents.


    She hid in a corner outside the building and locked her eyes at the entrance.


    Later in the evening, she saw Johning out from the entrance in his trench coat with Peter and several bodyguards by his


    side.


    There was no sign of Caprice anywhere.


    Where could the little girl be?


    Sherry frowned.


    It was at that moment that John turned around. He was able to see her easily from his perspective.


    Sherry nervously hid behind the plushie she bought for Caprice.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± John scoffed.


    Confused, Peter asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, sir?¡±


    ¡°| saw a pig.¡±


    ¡°Apig?¡±


    Peter looked in the same direction and was left speechless. Despite hiding behind the plushie, it was not difficult to spot Sherry.


    Sherry put down the plushie after hiding like an ostrich for a while. Then, she spotted John¡¯s car sprinting on the road, seemingly


    heading back to the Stocktons''¡® residence.


    Was he done with work for the day?


    What about Caprice? Didn''t she follow him to the office today?


    Sherry could not help but be disappointed. She came out from hiding and took a ride back to the hotel with the presents.


    In the following two days, Sherry would text John every single day, asking if she could see Caprice.


    The man either imed that Caprice was busy, or simply ignored her.


    Sherry wanted to use the coboration with Stockton


    Corporation as an excuse to visit him at the office, but he said he was busy. With all options exhausted, she waited outside


    Stockton Tower again, hoping to see Caprice.


    However, only John was spotteding out of the building. Caprice was nowhere to be found.


    Two dayster, after Sherry¡¯s text got ignored again, she went to the office again. She hid in the corner outside the building and


    kept an eye out for the man and Caprice.


    In the evening, when the sky started to turn day, a familiar figure came out again.


    Simr to previous days, the man came out with Peter and his bodyguards only. Caprice was nowhere to be found.


    Sherry was once again disappointed.


    John looked in her direction again.


    When she noticed his presence, they already locked eyes.

 Chapter 1478

    Chapter 1478


    Chapter 1478


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    Maybe because her patience was worn out after days of fruitless waiting, she suddenly decided toe out from hiding. She


    crossed her arms and stared back at him arrogantly.


    John smiled and strode over to her.


    Sherry sat on the ground, leaned back on the wall, and refused to move.


    Soon, his slender and towering figure arrived before her eyes, shadowing the light from her sight.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Sherry?¡±


    His hands pocketed in his trench coat as he looked down at her condescendingly. ¡°No money to buy food, or are you trying to


    experience what a homeless person feels like?¡±


    Sherry red at him. ¡°Where¡¯s Caprice? | want to see her!¡±


    ¡°Caprice is too busy to see you.¡± John then turned around and headed to the parking lot.


    Sherry bolted up and chased after him. ¡°Where did you send her? Why is she so busy?¡±


    The girl did not need to go to school, so how could she be busy? It had been days since she saw her daughter.


    John ignored her and continued forward.


    Sherry followed him to the car. Confused, she continued asking, ¡°Master Stockton, what did | do to make you unhappy?¡±


    John continued to ignore her. Although he might be wearing a pair of golden-framed sses that symbolized politeness, he


    emanated a frosty and cold feeling.


    Sherry felt like she was looking at a stranger.


    They soon arrived at the car.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The bodyguard opened the door for him, and he slightly bent over to get in.


    Just before he could set foot inside, Sherry mustered her courage and held him back by pulling his arm.


    John froze. Even Peter and the bodyguards instinctively took a few steps back.


    John turned around. He stared at her hands on his arm and slowly moved closer to her face.


    Sherry furrowed her brows at him. ¡°Where did you send Caprice?!¡±


    He smiled. ¡°She¡¯s my daughter, | can send her wherever | want.¡±


    She argued, ¡°Well, she¡¯s my daughter too!¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°Only her father¡¯s name is written on the birth certificate.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened when she heard him. She unconsciously tightened her grip on his arm.


    He frowned. ¡°Take your hands off me.¡±


    She clenched her teeth. ¡°If you don¡¯t let me see her today, | won''t let go.¡±


    John grinned. ¡°Then, I''ll have to chop your hands off.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s pupils shrank in fear.


    It was time for the employees to get off work, so a crowd wasing out from the entrance and heading their way. It was no


    surprise that all of them noticed John and


    Sherry, and her hands on his arm.


    John frowned. ¡°Sherry, you''d better let go of your hands now.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted, and she unconsciously let go of his hand.


    However, in the next moment, she jumped onto him and hugged his waist tightly. She cried, ¡°Why?! Why are you doing this to


    me? You said you¡¯d love me forever! What changed after that night...¡±


    The passing employees were stunned by what they heard, and a crowd started to gather in front of them.


    John was disheartened.


    ¡°Sherry!¡± he bellowed.


    ¡°Why... sobs... why... How can you be so cold¡ª-hearted?


    What am | going to do by myself?¡±


    Cold-hearted? By herself?


    Driven by his embarrassment, he suddenly curled his lips and put his hand around her waist.


    Sherry stopped crying and looked at him in surprise.


    John smiled. ¡°Sherry, you asked for it.¡±


    He then grabbed her into the car.

 Chapter 1479

    Chapter 1479


    His towering figure entered the car and mmed the door


    shut.


    The driver was already on standby.


    John held Sherry down and said coldly, ¡°Drive.¡±


    The driver drove off immediately.


    John chuckled and tugged Sherry into his arms.


    Sherry tried to struggle as soon as she was pushed into the car, but when he tugged her into his arms, she was once again


    stunned.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Before she could react, the man took his sses off and revealed his handsome face in front of her. Her lips were instantly shut.


    Sherry was dumbfounded.


    Half a secondter, she started to struggle and tried to push him away.


    Athud was heard amidst her struggle. She was pressed against the seat as his lips ravaged her violently. Sherry started to


    suffocate. All she could do was pound his back


    anxiously.


    John ignored her pounds and continued to kiss her.


    After her lips were swollen and her lipstick was rubbed off, he let go of her.


    His figure remained above her as he stared into her eyes bewitchingly. ¡°Sherry, | have an event to attendter at eight o¡¯clock,


    and there¡¯s still two hours. If you are feeling lonely, | can bring you to a hotel.¡±


    Sherry could barely catch her breath after the violent kiss.¡± Her face was flushed. She shouted, ¡°Get off of me!¡±


    John smiled and said to the driver, ¡°Stop the car.¡±


    The driver stopped the car by the road.


    John got off Sherry, allowing her to sit up.


    She reached out to the handle to open the door, but before she could step out, she felt a kick on her bum. The kick pushed her


    outwards, causing her to lose her bnce and fall onto the pavement. She hit her elbow on the hard surface, and the pain made


    her gasp.


    She bolted up immediately with anger smeared all over her face.


    However, the car had already driven off.


    Sherry could not bear the grievance.


    The lousy man simply liked to kick her and even ravaged her lips in the car! Yet, after satisfying his own desire, he ditched her


    like garbage!


    Her hands were on her hips as she shouted at the car, ¡° You jerk! Prick! Go fuck yourself! Just you wait, you freaking bastard!¡±


    There were people walking by the side of the road, and


    her vulgarities caught their attention.


    ¡°What''s wrong with her? Got ditched?¡±


    ¡°| saw her falling out of an expensive car. Look at her face, her lipstick is smeared all over. | think she probably tried to seduce


    some rich guy and failed.¡±


    ¡°| see. No wonder she cursed out loud at the car.¡±


    Sherry gasped and red at them. ¡°I didn¡¯t try to seduce him! He dragged me into the car and then kicked me out!¡±


    Her shout scared off the busybodies, but none of them believed what she said.


    Sherry was going to explode! It was either him or her;


    there was no in-between! She walked to a junction, called for a ride, and told the driver to drive her to the Stocktons


    ¡°residence.


    However, the car could only drive her to the same street and she was forced to get out. Due to strict restrictions, no unfamiliar


    vehicles were permitted inside.


    Sherry took a deep breath and walked.


    While wrapped in thickyers of clothes, she found a decent spot to squat down while keeping her eyes peeled for the silver


    MPV.

 Chapter 1480

    Chapter 1480


    Chapter 1480


    An hour of squattingter, she spotted the silver MPVing out.


    Her gaze shifted. She bolted up and wanted to run over to the man, but due to an hour of squatting, her legs were numb. Her


    sudden rise caused her to lose her bnce, and when coupled with the numbed legs, she fell down.


    The silver MPV drove off like the wind in front of her eyes?


    Sherry was left speechless. She simplyy on the ground without the slightest intention to get up.


    Inside the silver MPV, the driver and Peter dared not even breathe loudly as things got tense.


    Caprice was in her father¡¯s arms while wearing a beautiful red dress. She curled her arms around her


    father¡¯s neck and looked out of the rear window.


    It was dark outside. She could barely spot a thing.


    She then looked at her father and said meekly, ¡°Daddy, | thought | saw someone fall down.¡±


    John smiled and answered softly, ¡°You must have seen it wrongly. There¡¯s no one there.¡±


    Caprice frowned. ¡°I did, | did.¡± She might not have gotten a clear look at that person, but she was certain it was indeed a living


    person.


    John¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a thief who has been squatting outside. The thief must have fallen down identally.¡±


    Caprice had limited curiosity for her age. Since her father imed it was just a thief falling down, she lost interest in the little


    incident.


    John smiled and patted her head. He also had a nce out of the rear window. He was able to spot a figure standing up with


    their hands around the waist.


    He chuckled.


    Sherry angrily put her hands on her waist after she finally got back on her feet.


    That bastard must have seen her!


    However, it was no use getting angry.


    She took a deep breath to regte her anger. She then grabbed the heat patches she prepared from her pocket,


    stuck them on her body, and then continued waiting.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Two more hours of squattingter, the silver MPV finally came back.


    This time, she got up slowly and before the car even got inside, she ran to the entrance and stopped it. She raised her arms and


    the car finally stopped.


    She took off her cap and scarf as she grinned at the car.


    Peter and the driver saw the bright and witty smile on her face and were rendered speechless.


    The driver carefully turned around and said, ¡°Sir, it''s Ms. Fowler. She¡¯s at the entrance.¡± He was forced to stop with her blocking


    the way.


    John was carrying the sleepy Caprice in his arms in the rear seat. He looked in front through his golden¡ªframed sses and


    spotted Sherry in front of the car.


    It was alreadyte, yet the woman was still at the entrance.


    He grinned. Just when he was thinking about how to deal with her, Caprice, who should be dozing off, suddenly opened her eyes


    and saw the person in front. She pointed forward and cried, ¡°Mommy! It¡¯s Mommy!¡±


    Her adorable voice screamed in surprise when she saw


    her mother.


    John¡¯s gaze shifted. He forcefully turned the girl¡¯s face to himself and said with a smile, ¡°Caprice, that¡¯s not


    Mommy.¡±


    Caprice was dumbfounded. Even Peter and the driver were speechless.


    ¡°Peter, deal with it,¡± he said.


    Peter got out, but before he went over, a sudden thought rushed into John¡¯s mind. He said, ¡°Wait...¡±


    Peter turned around.


    John grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to her. Go call security and tell them that a thief is trying to cause a scene.¡±

 Chapter 1481

    Chapter 1481


    Chapter 1481


    Peter muttered dully, ¡°...Alright.¡±


    He got out of the car.


    Caprice tried to turn around for a quick look, but John immediately palmed the back of her head and prevented her from doing


    so.


    Meanwhile, his eyes were intently fixed on whaty in front of the car.


    As soon as Peter got out of the car, Sherry stared pointedly in his direction.


    Peter smiled politely at her, then he walked past her, and went straight for the guard booth nearby.


    Sherry observed his actions with a puzzled look on her face.


    Shortly after, he showed up again, this time with two security guards marching alongside.


    The two security guards looked at her with stark hostility.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Oh no! Sherry thought.


    Before they could get their hands on her, she quickly shuffled to the side and charged directly at Peter and apprehended him,


    holding him by his wrist.


    As if ced under a spell, Peter found himself held in ce and unable to move.


    Both of the guards were dumbstruck by this sudden aggression.


    One of them threatened her, his voice a tremendous roar. ¡°Let go of Assistant Peter''s hand immediately, or else you''ll get it from


    us!¡±


    Not only did Sherry not heed their warning, but she even tightened her grip.


    Peter was afraid to move so much as a muscle.


    Inside the car, the man who saw the scene transpired


    before his very eyes were taken with shock, and a dark look surfaced on his face.


    How dare she wrap herself around Peter in such a manner?!


    Meanwhile, the two security guards took one step closer toward her.


    Sherry pulled Peter closer to her. There was a small


    distance between the two of them previously but now they were touching skin to skin.


    This was her way of saying that they should approach at their own risk, nobody knew what she would do next.


    Bang!


    John set Caprice aside and kicked the door open.


    ¡°Keep an eye on her, make sure she stays in the car,¡± hemanded sternly.


    The agitated driver answered, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    John did not waste a single moment longer and quickly stepped out of the car.


    As soon as he showed up, the two security guards who


    were preparing to approach Sherry quickly came to a stop.


    In the middle of all this was Peter who found himself in a


    hostage situation out of nowhere. He did not move at all and cast a helpless look at John and whimpered, ¡°Master


    Stockton...¡±


    John turned to Sherry.


    While still holding on tightly to Peter¡¯s arm, she raised


    her voice and stated her terms, ¡°I want to see Caprice. If you¡¯re not going to let me see her, don¡¯t even think about going in


    there!¡±


    Something darkened in John¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sherry, you¡¯d better let go of him right now.¡±


    Sherry refused. ¡°Only if you let me see Caprice.¡±


    John smirked. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you see her.¡±


    Sherry was baffled by how quickly he gave in, then she asked, ¡°Where is she? | want to see her right now.*


    ¡°Caprice is in the car right now.¡±


    She looked at the car behind John.


    It was pitch ck inside, there was no way she could make out if there was even anyone inside at all.


    She seemed tempted to head over right now. She gestured at the security guards and addressed John, ¡°Tell them to get out of


    my way.¡±


    John shot a look at them and ordered, ¡°Both of you, stand down.¡±


    The two of them exchanged a look, then they obeyed the orders given and quickly retreated from the scene.


    With that, the only ones left in the open field were Sherry, Peter, and John.


    Now that the direct threat was eliminated, Sherry promptly let go of Peter¡¯s hand and set him free.


    Despite that, she was wary of John going back on his word. She bolted toward him like a sh of lightning and seized him by his


    arm before he could even react.


    Peter sighed from a distance upon witnessing this.


    John looked calmly at Sherry¡¯s arms sped tightly around his, the dark and wrathful look on his face was suddenly wiped away.


    Still, there was an intent look in his eyes when he turned to meet Sherry¡¯s gaze. ¡°Sherry, you''re a stubborn one, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sherry had had enough of his taunts and said sharply, ¡± Enough, stop wasting my time! You promised to let me see Caprice, now


    open the door and let me see her!¡±

 Chapter 1482

    Chapter 1482


    Chapter 1482


    John sniggered at Sherry''s anticipation. ¡°I lied, she¡¯s not in the car.¡±


    Sherry was furious. ¡°You prick!¡±


    An idea suddenly came to her as she smirked confidently and said, ¡°You better take me to her right now, or else you''re going to


    be stuck with me here all night. Don¡¯t even think about going anywhere else!¡±


    She sped her arms tighter around John¡¯s after saying this.


    Her cheeks were rather pale due to the cold as she leaned in closer into John¡¯s arm.


    She wore a defiant and adamant look.


    John appeared to have given in slightly. He turned in the direction of the car and ordered, ¡°Open the rear window.¡±


    The driver obliged and immediately lowered the rear window.


    Sherry was confused by this, what was he nning?N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Suddenly, she heard a sweet and tender voice


    coming from within the car.


    Her eye¡¯s immediately grew wide, and she turned to the car expectantly.


    Just as she thought, it was Caprice! She stuck her head out of the window and revealed herself.


    She pried her hands out the window and was smiling radiantly at her mother.


    ¡°Caprice!¡± Sherry practically glowed up upon seeing her daughter. She immediately let go of John¡¯s arm and tried¡¯ to run toward


    the car.


    She had barely taken a step forward when she felt a long arm wrapped around her neck and pulling her back.


    She was pulled into John¡¯s arm and immediately subdued.


    She tried as hard as she could to pry herself free but her efforts were in vain.


    She red at him and howled, ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°| said you could see Caprice, but | don¡¯t remember agreeing to let you touch her,¡± he said with a cocky smile and then took


    caution to lower his voice, ¡°I''ll break your neck if you keep struggling.¡±


    Sherry heeded the warning and promptly stopped trying to break free.


    She stared at Caprice with a fervent look in her eyes.


    Caprice seemed very emotional as well. ¡°Mommy, why did it take you so long toe for me? Where have you been?¡±


    Sherry felt a lump grow in her throat. ¡°I tried to find you but-¡±


    She felt a strong force tug against her throat.


    She choked on her words and nearly passed out.


    She wanted to cuss out John right then and there but managed to hold back. She then changed her tone and tried to exin,


    ¡°Mom tried to find you, but a lot of things happened these past few days and I just couldn¡¯t make time.¡±


    Caprice was slightly saddened and made it show. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Meanwhile, John cast a look at Peter.


    Peter caught the look in his eyes and immediately understood what was needed of him. He quickly snuck his way toward the


    other side of the car.


    Sherry barely noticed Peter scurrying away as her attention was fixed solely on Caprice.


    She was dazzled by how adorable Caprice looked and


    asked, ¡°Caprice, do you miss mommy?¡±


    Caprice opened her mouth and seemed like she was going


    to answer ¡®Yes¡® when she suddenly disappeared,


    swallowed inside the darkness of the car.


    Her little hands were pulled inside the car as well.


    Immediately afterward, the windows were closed.


    Sherry cried out, ¡°Caprice!¡±


    She tried to run to rescue Caprice but forgot about the man who was holding her in ce, and she could not get away.


    She howled angrily, ¡°You b*stard! What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    John ignored her and turned to the driver. ¡°Take Caprice home.¡±


    The car began to elerate immediately after he gave the order.


    Sherry was bound inside John¡¯s arms and could only watch helplessly as the car drove away with her daughter inside.


    Heh. John chuckled smugly at her expense.


    Sherry stopped struggling and red at him icily.


    John wore a self-satisfied smirk. The gold¡ªrimmed sses he wore did very little in concealing the satisfaction in his eyes at


    what he had done.


    He was as wicked as theye.


    Sherry was exasperated by how cruel he was to her and voiced her grief, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    John feigned ignorance. ¡°Doing what?¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you let me see Caprice?¡± Sherry simply could not understand. ¡°When have | ever crossed you?¡±

 Chapter 1483

    Chapter 1483


    He had Caprice sleep over at her ce very recently. What had changed since?


    John smiled. ¡°No, you haven''t crossed me recently.¡±


    This only made Sherry more upset. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you let me see Caprice?¡±


    She suddenly felt a sharp tingle in her nose and an urge to cry seized her out of nowhere, and she wanted to


    attribute it to the freezing air.


    She red at John vehemently as if looks could kill.


    The look in John¡¯s eyes gradually softened, and he released Sherry.


    ¡°Sherry was not expecting this and nearly lost her bnce.


    After several drunken steps, she regained her footing.


    She stepped away from John and cast an apprehensive look at him.


    John tucked his hands in his coat pockets, stood tall and straight, not one to bow in front of anyone. He resembled an English


    gentleman in his getup.


    He regarded Sherry with a distant look. ¡°No specific reason, | just decided that | won¡¯t let you see her again.¡±


    Sherry protested. ¡°I¡¯m her mother, why can¡¯t | see her?!¡±


    ¡°Because you abandoned her after giving birth to her.¡± He looked at her apprehensively, his tone sharp like a dagger.


    Sherry exhaled exasperatedly. ¡°You know exactly why | had to leave her, stop screwing with me!¡±


    John sneered. ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for you to abandon your daughter for more than two years.¡±


    Sherry zipped her lips.


    She did feel like she was in the wrong here as she should not have made the rash decision to leave Caprice behind.


    Also, this was not the time to bring up long-past affairs that no longer made a difference as it would only serve to ¡®enrage the


    man further.


    Cold surges of wind blew from every direction.


    Sherry remained silent for a while before finally


    speaking, ¡°I was wrong, it was my fault. | promise you that I''ll never leave Caprice again from here on so... could you please find


    it in your heart to let me see her again?¡±


    She said this in a sincere voice and turned up to meet John¡¯s gaze.


    ie


    The beads of tears swelling in her eyes reflected the luster of the streemp above.


    It was heart-wrenching to see her in this state.


    After a brief silence, John asked, ¡°And how will | know that you''ll keep your word?¡±


    Sherry seized the chance. ¡°I''ll swear a vow with a letter so you have it in writing. I''ll fulfill my responsibility as a mother.¡±N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°A letter is just a piece of paper at the end of the day. What''s stopping you from getting up and vanishing one day? Am |


    supposed to summon you back with a measly piece of paper?¡±


    ¡°| won''t run off!¡±


    He scoffed. ¡°Sherry, am | supposed to just take your word for it?¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°Then how else do you expect me to


    prove my sincerity?¡±


    John grinned and fixed a hungry look at her. ¡°There¡¯s only one way | can be convinced of your dedication toward your parental


    responsibility.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Sherry asked agitatedly.


    John revealed what he had on his mind all along. ¡°A


    marriage certificate.¡±


    Sherry was struck speechless.


    A marriage certificate?!


    Cc


    Would that not mean that she would be bound to him for the rest of her life?


    She was bewildered and indignant about what that would imply.


    John¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°If you¡¯re not going tomit to that, then leave. Don¡¯t even think about seeing Caprice again.¡±


    With that, he turned around and walked away without any hesitation.


    Sherry was rmed by this. She quickly rushed in front of him and cut off his path.


    She pleaded with a hint of desperation in his voice, ¡°Come on, what¡¯s the rush? We have time to talk this through.¡±


    John nced at her indifferently. ¡°There¡¯s no talking this through. It¡¯s either the marriage certificate or it¡¯s


    nothing.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    John noted her reluctance and dered dispassionately, Don¡¯t look too much into it. | have zero interest in you whatsoever. |


    wouldn¡¯t marry a woman like you if it


    wasn¡¯t for Caprice.¡±


    Sherry felt insulted by this and said out of spite, ¡°You''re saying this as if | want to marry you.¡±


    John responded harshly, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Sherry quickly corrected herself. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, a woman like me isn¡¯t worthy of someone like you.¡±


    John squinted at her suspiciously and said, ¡°I was the one who raised Caprice. | kept her by my side and watched her grow up, |


    will not allow any harm to fall upon her. Even if you¡¯re her mother, you cannot fulfill your duties as a mother in the eyes of thew


    as you are now.¡±

 Chapter 1484

    Chapter 1484


    Chapter 1484


    Sherry frowned at this remark.


    Caprice was her treasure. There was not a day in these past two years where she had not thought about her. She would give


    away everything just to be with her daughter.


    How was it fair to question her dedication toward her daring daughter?


    She knew that he would never believe her so there was no point in voicing these thoughts.


    She swallowed her spite and asked in a serious voice, ¡°Is getting a marriage certificate the only way? Are there no other


    options?¡±


    John looked at her coldly and announced, ¡°No.¡±


    Sherry peered into his eyes. ¡°Marriage isn¡¯t a trivial matter. Don¡¯t you want to discuss it with your mother and other members of


    your family, and see if they have any thoughts on the matter?¡±


    He answered swiftly as if he had a reply ready all along, It¡¯s just a legal formality, we¡¯re doing this for Caprice. There will not be a


    wedding nor a need to ask for their blessing.


    Sherry felt a throb in her heart.


    His intention to get engaged secretly suggested that he did not want any outsiders to know about their


    arrangement. As far as the public was concerned, Master Stockton was still a bachelor.


    They only needed the marriage certificate, nothing more than a formality so Caprice would have a proper family.


    They would continue living as they always had and seek to coexist peacefully.


    That was fine with her, so long as he would not keep her imprisoned as he did in the past. Besides, this meant she, would have


    more opportunities to see Caprice and could bond with her.


    Once she had achieved a certain degree of trust with Caprice, she could take Caprice away when he least expected it.


    She was not nning to get married in the future anyway so the marriage certificate was just a useless scrap of paper as far as


    she was concermed.


    Countless thoughts seemed to sh past her eyes until eventually, she turned to him with a resolute look in her eyes. ¡°Alright, as


    you wish, a marriage certificate. When are we going to get this done?¡±


    John nudged his sses so Sherry would not notice the jubnt look in his eyes as he got what he wanted.


    When he was finished adjusting his sses, he returned


    to his usual standoffish self.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    He decided. ¡°I have time tomorrow morning. Wait for me at thepany at nine in the morning.¡±


    Sherry agreed. ¡°Alright.¡±


    With that, she shuffled to the side to make way for him.


    John swiped a nce at her, then he strode off, disappearing behind the gates of the vi.


    Meanwhile, Sherry went the other way and headed toward the main road.


    The next morning.


    At eight-thirty, Sherry had already arrived at the lobby of the Stockton Tower. She made sure to bring her


    documents with her.


    After about twenty minutes, John showed up in a silver


    car.


    She hurried toward his car.


    Instead of getting out of the car, he only lowered the window and regarded her guardedly. ¡°Have you brought all your


    documents?¡±


    She patted the bags and assured him. ¡°I have them right here.¡±


    That was when she heard an endearing voicee from


    inside the car. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    It was Caprice¡¯s voice.


    She craned her neck and tried to steal a look at Caprice.


    The car window was pulled up immediately so she could not even catch a glimpse of Caprice.


    Moments before the windows closed, she heard John¡¯s voice ordering her sternly, ¡°Go to the car back there.¡±


    Sherry frowned and looked behind the car.


    Parked behind it was another ck car. Its exterior was, glossy and freshly polished.


    Peter stood next to the car and smiled at her politely.


    She took a deep breath and went to Peter.


    They were on their way immediately after she got into the car. The silver car in front took the lead. After a short


    fifteen¡ªminute journey, they arrived at the city hall.


    John got out of the car by himself.


    Peter immediately grabbed a briefcase and got outside of the car to follow him.


    Sherry swiped a look at the silver car, then she followed them into the city hall.


    They entered via an alternate entrance, she wagered it was because John did not want anyone to know about their engagement.


    They were given special privileges and did not have to queue, and the documents were sorted out with absurd efficiency.


    John wore a stoic look on his face the whole time. He only smiled when the staff asked them to smile for a picture.


    Sherry simrly made herself smile at the camera.


    Shortly after that, both of them were given a red book.


    The picture they had taken together was printed on the, cover page of the book. Inside the picture, both of them were smiling


    warmly and seemingly sincerely.


    To the unsuspecting individual, they looked like a charming, lovely couple embarking on a married life together.

 Chapter 1485

    Chapter 1485


    Sherry did a double take.


    The staff congratted the newlyweds warmly, ¡°Master Stockton, Mrs. Stockton, | wish the both of you a happy marriage.¡±


    John answered politely, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Then he turned to Sherry. 1


    Sherry was still staring at the marriage certificate with a dumbfounded look in her eyes. He put his hand out and gently tapped


    her head.


    Sherry came back to her senses and turned to look at him.


    She met the sinister gaze in his eyes.


    Yet, he made sure to keep his usual charming smile. He looked like the happiest man on earth, nobody would ever know the


    sheer amount of hatred this man had


    harbored inside him.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry frowned and felt an inexplicable uneasiness welling up in her heart.


    John spoke to her, ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Are you not going to leave?¡±


    With that, he took his marriage certificate and walked out.


    His usual hostile demeanor had returned.


    Sherry heaved a sigh of relief and brushed off the heavy feeling in her chest. She must have been overthinking things.


    She tossed her marriage certificate in her bag and followed him out.


    The car was parked by the entrance of the city hall.


    After John emerged, he got into his car right away.


    Sherry looked at the ck car she was driven here in and¡¯ wavered as she cast a longing look at the car John had just entered.


    She fulfilled her end of the deal. There was no reason she should not be allowed to see Caprice.


    While she was still pondering whether she should


    approach John¡¯s car, the windows lowered and revealed John¡¯s unmistakably dashing profile, his eyes peering into her soul.


    His voice was rather impatient. ¡°What are you doing standing over there? Are you going to see Caprice or not?¡±


    Sherry glowed up at the invitation as she quickly got into the car from the other side.


    Caprice was tucked into a child seat next to John.


    As soon as she noticed Sherry entering, she extended her arms as far as she could toward Sherry and cried out in that sweet


    voice of hers, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sherry felt like she would melt right then and there.


    She pulled Caprice into her tight embrace and said


    passionately, ¡°Oh, Caprice my baby, mommy misses you so much.¡±


    Caprice was just as emotional as she was. ¡°Caprice misses Mommy too.¡±


    Smooch!


    Sherry could not withstand the urge to nt a big kiss on her cheeks.


    Caprice tightened her lips and seemed to take several seconds to register what had happened. Then, she pursed her lips and


    returned the favor.


    Sherry was on cloud nine.


    She hugged her again and showed her with all the affection she could muster and promised her. ¡°Caprice, mommy will never be


    separated from you again.¡±


    Caprice was delighted to hear this and bobbed her head up and down, nodding vigorously.


    Last night, her father had spoken to her about what will happen today. He told her that from now on, her mother would be with


    her every day and tell her bedtime stories


    every night.


    Sherry kissed Caprice again and again, her adorable puffy cheeks were irresistible.


    Caprice frowned slightly and asked in a puzzled voice, Mommy, why do you always kiss me?¡±


    It appeared that the child was not used to this manner of affection.


    Sherry held up her cheeks and answered with a bright smile, ¡°That''s because you''re so cute! Mommy can¡¯t resist kissing you


    every time she sees you.¡±


    This answer was very satisfactory to Caprice, she smiled radiantly.


    She revealed two rows of pearly teeth when she smiled.


    Sherry palmed her cheeks in hand. It took everything in her to hold herself back from kissing Caprice again. She eximed


    brightly, ¡°Oh, my Caprice is even more beautiful when she smiles!¡±


    Caprice was giggling, she loved beingplimented.


    Meanwhile, John sat quietly next to the duo fawning over


    each other.


    He observed the way the pair of mother and daughter smiled in a simr manner, the same crook on the corner of their lips.


    Their resemnce to each other startled him a little and brought a smile to his lips.


    Shortly after that, the car began to elerate.


    Sherry was so busy ying with Caprice that she hardly paid any attention to where they were going.


    It was only until the car stopped by the entrance of the Elysian Hotel that she finally snapped back to reality.


    She darted a suspicious look at the man next to her. What are we doing here?¡±


    ll


    John reached forward and took Caprice away from her arms, then he shot an icy look at her and said, ¡°You have ten minutes to


    pack up. Caprice and | will be waiting for you here.¡±


    Sherry was puzzled. ¡°Pack up?¡±

 Chapter 1486

    Chapter 1486


    John swiped a look at her. ¡°What, are you going to keep


    staying here forever?¡±


    Sherry was bewildered.


    What was the meaning of this?


    Was he suggesting that she pack up and move to his ce?


    However... Their marriage was only a formality done for Caprice¡¯s sake. Was there ever a need for them to live together?


    (Cc


    John noted her reluctance and stated dispassionately, Sherry, if you want to see Caprice every day from here on, ¡®you better


    pack up ande down here in ten minutes.¡±


    Sherry was still reeling back from the shock.


    Upon noticing how she was frozen stiff, Caprice, who was in the arms of John, suddenly urged her on, ¡°Mommy, go and pack up.


    We''ll wait for you here, then we can go home together.¡±


    Her cheeks were radiantly red, an expectant and excited look loomed in her eyes.


    How could Sherry ever refuse her? She got out of the car atst and walked into the hotel.


    After reaching her room in the hotel, she proceeded to stuff all her belongings into suitcases.


    It did not take long for her to finish packing up.


    She lugged the suitcase behind her and left the hotel.


    There was another car behind the silver car they arrived at the hotel in. A crew of bodyguards stepped out of the car and helped


    her with her suitcases.


    Sherry returned to the silver car.


    Caprice crawled out of John¡¯s arms and threw herself into Sherry¡¯s.


    Sherry wrapped her arms tightly around Caprice and cast a shifting nce at the man next to her.


    He wasid back against the seat and stared forward as if ¡°his attention was fixed on something in front. He wore an indifferent


    look. He would hardly bother to spare a nce in Sherry¡¯s direction if not for Caprice.


    Sherry asked, ¡°Where are we going next?¡±


    ¡°Home.¡±


    ¡°And which home is that supposed to be?¡±


    John ignored her as these questions were annoying him.


    Sherry shot a look at him, then turned to Caprice.


    The girl was yawning, she was probably getting sleepy.


    Even when she was sleepy, she still looked adorable as


    ever.


    Sherry gently brushed the top of her head and said softly, ¡°Caprice, go to sleep if you¡¯re sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice closed her eyes and fell asleep in no time.


    It was very quiet in the car.


    Sherry nced out the car window.


    She noticed that they were getting closer to the Stockton Vi. An ufortable look began to surface in her eyes,, and her


    brows tightened.


    This was the ce she wanted nothing more than to escape from three years back. Why was she back here?


    She felt a looming sense of doom.


    The only thing that calmed her was the sight of Caprice sleeping soundly in her arms, her rhythmic breathing against her chest


    as she slept.


    There was nothing to worry about, she told herself. They only got married for Caprice. Circumstances were


    different now and John no longer had any feelings for her. The past was the past and he would no longer hold it against her so


    he would not make her suffer again.


    All she needed to do now was to strengthen her bond with Caprice, then she could take Caprice away when the time was ripe.


    She was not going to be stuck here for the rest of her life.


    Once the car made a turn and entered the property, she could feel John¡¯s eyes beating on her.


    John observed the subtle change in Sherry¡¯s expression.


    There was first a sour look as if she would rebel against her fate, but what followed after was perfectpliance. It surprised him


    how quickly she gave in.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    He was expecting her to cuss up a storm.


    There were many separate houses on the property and he, owned plenty of property throughout the city as well. If Sherry did not


    want to live with him, he could consider her letting her stay somewhere else with Caprice.


    The car drove down the familiar main road and passed through the main gate.


    John withdrew his gaze from Sherry and looked forward.


    Sherry observed the driveway.


    The courtyard and garden looked just the same as they did two years ago, hardly anything changed at all.


    She took a deep breath and hugged Caprice tighter, her eyes fixed in front of her.


    Several minutester, the car stopped by the entrance to a courtyard.

 Chapter 1487

    Chapter 1487


    Sherry frowned instinctively.


    This was the same courtyardplex where she had to spend a year as a prisoner and hostage.


    Why were they stopping here?


    The bodyguard stepped out of the car and opened the door on John¡¯s side.


    John peered at Sherry before getting out of the car.


    Sherry was just about to get out of the car with Caprice still sleeping soundly in her arms when she heard approaching footsteps.


    From inside the car, she quickly identified Madam Stockton and Julie.


    Madam Stockton was wearing a cashmere shawl, dressed as extravagant as ever.


    Julie had changed a little from how Sherry remembered her. She wore a light pink long coat and rested her hair over her


    shoulders. On the whole, she seemed more fashionable and youngerpared to her previous style.


    Madam Stockton walked up to John and asked, ¡°John, where¡¯s Caprice?¡±


    John answered with a frown.


    Madam Stockton did not wait for an answer and leaned inside the car to find Caprice.


    She immediately met Sherry¡¯s gaze.


    For a moment, it was as if time had stopped.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s pupils immediately became dted, she howled, ¡°Sherry! Why are you here?¡±


    This caught Julie¡¯s attention. She spied a look inside as well.


    Sherry knew there was no way out of this so she decided, to step out of the car, Caprice still sleeping soundly in her arms.


    Madam Stockton red at her with stark hostility.


    Julie had gone pale at the sight of Sherry as she regarded Sherry warily as well.


    Sherry ignored them.


    Their marriage did not mean anything to them, she only moved here because of Caprice. She was not interested in interacting


    with Madam Stockton and Julie in any shape or form, so she would not try to appeal to them.


    It was this indifference and pompousness that struck a nerve in Madam Stockton.


    She first red at Sherry, then at John.


    Julie turned to John as well and asked in a cordial voice mixed with confusion, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is Miss Sherry here?¡±


    John turned to the bodyguards. ¡°Bring her luggage inside.¡±


    The bodyguard immediately stepped to the task. They took Sherry¡¯s suitcase out of the trunk and brought them into the


    courtyard.


    John turned to Sherry. ¡°Go inside.¡±


    Sherry was relieved to have been offered a path of escape.


    She hugged Caprice tightly and passed between John, Madam Stockton, and Julie. She followed the bodyguards into the


    courtyard.


    After she was out of sight, she could hear Madam


    Stockton¡¯s blood¡ªcurdling howl. ¡°What did you say?! A marriage certificate?!¡±


    Fortunately, Caprice was sleeping like a log and was not awakened by the sharp cry.


    Sherry took a deep breath, coddled¡¯ Caprice in her arms, and continued walking.


    She quickly noticed that something had changed.


    Theplex had been renovated entirely, except for the exterior walls that seemed the same as before. The interior of the


    courtyard had beenpletely transformed.


    The wall connected to the courtyardplex where John resided was torn down, thus connecting the twoplexes into a


    singr giant courtyard.


    The garden and therge tree she used for shade when she would work on her embroidery remained intact.


    Everything else apart from those had been transformed.


    The living areas were all built in the center of the space.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    For some reason, the courtyard along with the building she used to stay in had been razed to the ground and turned into arge


    garden.


    They had done a good job of transforming the ce, but she still could not figure out why John had decided to tear everything


    down.


    She could not stifle her curiosity and decided to ask the bodyguard, ¡°Hey, Jason, didn¡¯t there used to be two separate courtyards


    back then?¡±


    Jason answered, ¡°Ma¡¯am, it was Master Stockton who ordered the renovation.¡±


    Sherry asked again, ¡°Then do you know why he did it?¡±


    She doubted that it was because he wanted to transform the space into a garden.


    There were countless gardens in the vi as was, and the garden by the entrance was easily several foldsrger than the


    courtyardplex.


    Jason seemed troubled by Sherry¡¯s questions, he did not know how to answer these questions she had put to him.


    Sherry noticed his hesitation and told him, ¡°You can tell me, | promise | won¡¯t let anyone know.¡±


    Jason grimaced and spoke atst, ¡°I don¡¯t know if these are just rumors, but they say that Master Stockton decided to have it


    torn down because his ex-wife who he hated used to live here.¡±

 Chapter 1488

    Chapter 1488


    Chapter 1488


    By ex-wife, was he referring to Shannon?


    Sherry frowned.


    Jason continued, ¡°Madan, it all happened shortly after you escaped three years ago. Right after the previous wife was also


    taken away by the police, Master Stockton ordered to have the entire courtyard razed to the ground.¡±


    Sherry seemed intrigued by this.


    Shannon¡¯s vile actions must have left a deep impression on John. It made sense that he would want the ce torn down to


    purge the ce of its bad memories.


    Certainly, it had nothing to do with Sherry.


    She had nothing further to add and proceeded to bring Caprice into the house.


    Meanwhile, outside the courtyard was an agitated Madam Stockton who was nearly hyperventting. She was trying to steady


    her breathing with a palm against her chest while Julie tried to calm her down as well. The two of them were staring red-faced at


    John, waiting for an exnation.


    ¡°You... why did you get engaged with her without telling us? Don¡¯t you think these are things that you should inform your mother


    about?¡±


    Her skin was drained of any color, it seemed like she would faint at any given moment.


    John frowned and turned to Julie. ¡°Julie, please take my mother back to her room.¡±


    Julie hesitated briefly, then she nodded.


    However, Madam Stockton roared in protest the very next second, ¡°No! Don¡¯t you try to wave over this matter! | want you to take


    her back to the city hall and get a divorce, or else you''ll see!¡±


    John frowned, a sharp gleam shed in his eyes. ¡°Mom, if you continue causing a scene for no reason, I¡¯m going to get upset.¡±


    Madam Stockton seemed rmed by this.


    She realized she no longer had her son under her palms as she did in the past.


    She understood that the only reason she was widely respected by members of other branches of the family and the general


    public was due to the direct proximity of her rtionship with John. Not only was he the sessor to the Stockton Corporation,


    but he was also the wealthiest man in nchester who wielded great power and influence in his hands.


    She tried to plead her case. ¡°But John, this woman doesn¡¯t deserve you, can¡¯t you see that? How is she better than any other


    ladies you can find in nchester?


    Besides, you know about the scandalous nature of her rtionship with that Sager boy, why would you marry her?¡±


    The thought of her son the most important man in nchester reduced to marrying a vile woman like Sherry sickened Madam


    Stockton. She even began to shed tears when confronted with this reality.


    John grimaced.


    Any otherdy in nchester was better than Sherry?


    She snored like a pig in her sleep and was disgusting enough to fart right in front of him. She certainly wascking in decency


    and grace that was to be expected in ady.


    The counterpoint was she was as bright as she was beautiful. Thanks to her capable hands, the crumbling Sager empire was


    restored, not many women could im to have done something as impressive as that.


    However, these were not the reasons he married her.


    He married her for Caprice.


    All to ensure... that she would never leave him again!


    His eyes darkened. After a while, the gentleness and calmness in his voice were restored and he exined calmly, ¡°This is my


    choice. If you truly cannot stand the sight of her, | can have her relocated somewhere else with Caprice.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    With that, he turned around and walked into the courtyard.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s eyes widened, her legs gave out and she slumped over the floor..


    Julie kept her from falling. ¡°Mom, Mom, calm down.¡±


    Madam Stockton expressed indignantly, ¡°He... He¡¯d choose her over his mother, | cannot believe this!¡±


    She was furious!


    Julie seemed to sense something, she calmed Madam Stockton in a supportive voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he just made a rash decision


    in the heat of the moment. You''re his mother, why would he ever abandon you?¡±


    ¡°Arash decision in the heat of the moment? He was seduced by that fox again!¡±


    How many years had it been?! Ever since he met Sherry, the sly fox had dug her ws into him and refused to let go!


    Julie grimaced, a deep color of jealousy swelled in her eyes.


    Madam Stockton stared helplessly at the courtyard John had just stepped through. She took a deep breath and steadied herself


    as best as she could.

 Chapter 1489

    Chapter 1489


    ¡°No, | can¡¯t let this woman ruin his reputation. | have to figure something out,¡± Madam Stockton said defiantly and marched back


    to her room.


    Julie was left all by herself, cold and harsh wind beat against her.


    She clenched her teeth and looked venomously in the direction of the courtyard before walking away.


    Meanwhile, Sherry had just walked into the house and


    met Aunt Wanda.


    ¡°Miss Sherry?¡± Aunt Wanda eximed and did not hide her surprise at seeing her.


    Sherry was just as excited to see her, she smiled radiantly and greeted her.


    Sylvia informed her that John employed Aunt Wanda and brought her to nchester with him after he took Caprice.


    She must have contributed greatly to Caprice¡¯s current healthy state.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry greeted her kindly and followed her into Caprice¡¯s room.


    The child¡¯s room was painted bright pink, it looked like something out of a fairy tale.


    It was decorated with all varieties of adorable plush toys of all kinds of sizes.


    Her bed was pink-colored as well, positioned in the middle of the room. Tiny sparkling lights dangled over her bed like stars in


    the night sky.


    Sherry settled Caprice into her bed.


    Aunt Wanda helped her take off the child¡¯s coat, all done in one swift and practiced motion. Then, they covered her with arge


    nket.


    After they were done, Sherry expressed in a heartfelt voice, ¡°Aunt Wanda, thank you for helping me take care of Caprice these


    last two years.¡±


    Aunt Wanda smiled radiantly, beaming with pride. ¡°No need to be so formal with me. Besides, Master Stockton pays me a


    handsome wage, | don¡¯t think there¡¯s any other confinement nurse in the country making as much as | do. It¡¯s only right that |


    take care of Caprice as best as | can.¡±


    Unaware that Sherry had already caught up with recent developments, Aunt Wanda shed some light on the situation. ¡°Caprice is


    with Master Stockton pretty much all the time so he¡¯s the one caring for her the majority of the time. | only help out with Caprice


    when he¡¯s busy. He treats Caprice like a prized jewel and brings her with him everywhere he goes. He wouldn¡¯t trust anyone else


    with Caprice for an extended time, not even Madam Stockton!¡±


    Sherry smiled.


    John might be aplete scumbag with her, but nobody could use him of being a poor father.


    Aunt Wanda was a chatterbox. She had always been this way even back then when Sylvia had arranged for her to take care of


    Sherry who was still pregnant with Caprice. They would spend all their time gossiping about everything under the sun.


    After they were done talking about Caprice, Aunt Wanda moved on to another topic. ¡°Miss Sherry, where have you been for the


    past two years?¡±


    ¡°| went to Coastrock.¡±


    Aunt Wanda was surprised to hear this. ¡°Why did you go somewhere so far away?¡±


    Sherry answered matter-of-factly, ¡°I just felt like going there at the time.¡±


    At that time, all she wanted was to get away from John. Coastrock stood out as the best option since it was a very modern city


    and leagues away from nchester, so she went there.


    ¡°How was life in Coastrock?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s pretty fine.¡±


    ¡°Then what brought you back here?¡± Aunt Wanda expressed with a sigh, ¡°I thought you should know this. Ever since Caprice


    understood the concept of parents, she¡¯s been asking day and night about why she didn¡¯t have a mother. It pains my heart to see


    her innocence and | didn¡¯t know how to exin things to her.¡±


    Sherry frowned and said, ¡°Things didn¡¯t go very well when | first got to Coastrock, things only got better in the past six months.¡±


    Aunt Wanda asked concernedly, ¡°Was it some difficulties you ran into?¡±


    Outside the bedroom door, the man who was just about to step into the room quickly halted. He lurked in the shadow, beside the


    doorway where he was out in sight, and listened.


    Sherry said in a hushed voice, ¡°I did¡¯run into some


    problems, but it¡¯s all settled now. I¡¯m pretty much over it now.¡±


    It was apparent that she did not want to recount those tales.


    Aunt Wanda understood and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s all in the past now. I¡¯m just d you came back to us.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to leave againter on?¡±

 Chapter 1490

    Chapter 1490


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered and she said with determination, ¡± | came back for Caprice so I''ll go wherever she goes.¡±


    Aunt Wanda admired her love for her daughter, then she asked, ¡°You and Master Stockton...¡±


    ¡°We got engaged, we just got the marriage certificate today.¡±


    Aunt Wanda seemed thrilled by this.


    Sherry quickly added, ¡°We only got engaged for Caprice¡¯s sake. The marriage is nothing more than a formality and it would have


    never happened if not for Caprice. Please don¡¯t think that anything is going on between us.¡±


    Aunt Wanda seemed confused by this queer arrangement.


    Standing stealthily by the doorway, the man¡¯s expression darkened, and a crook smile formed on his lips.


    A formality? Nothing going on between the two of them?


    What nonsense!


    Sherry chatted with Aunt Wanda for quite a while.


    At one point, Caprice woke up. She slowly pried her sleepy eyes open and muttered sleepily, ¡°I want to poop.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let me take you to the toilet alright?¡± Aunt Wanda said and prepared to take Caprice.


    Sherry reached Caprice one step ahead of her and said, ¡± Aunt Wanda, let me handle this.¡±


    Aunt Wanda was surprised by this preposition and asked, ¡°Miss Sherry, are you sure you want to do this? | can handle this.¡±


    Sherry offered. ¡°You can teach me.¡®


    If she were to take Caprice and run away, she would have to do these things by herself so this was a good chance for her to


    learn.


    Aunt Wanda smiled kindly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    They went to the bathroom together.


    There was a children -size toilet specifically built for her.


    Following Aunt Wanda¡¯s meticulous instructions, Sherry let Caprice sit on the toilet.


    The child was very easy to take care of.


    The only thing she needed help with was in taking her pants off. After that, Sherry and Aunt Wanda turned away to give her some


    privacy and she was done in no time.


    They helped her wash her hands and tied her hair into two adorable buns before heading back into the room.


    She looked around the room, freshly energized after the rest she got.


    Sherry asked, ¡°Caprice, where do you want to go?¡±


    Caprice did not answer and walked out on her own.


    Aunt Wanda smiled and informed Sherry, ¡°I think she¡¯s looking for Master Stockton.¡±


    Sherry felt a spike of jealousy.


    She did not hold it against Caprice. After all, she had spent two years by her father¡¯s side.


    Sherry took a deep breath and followed her.


    Just as Aunt Wanda said, the girl walked down the corridor and quickly found her way toward the study.


    She pressed her entire weight against the door and flung it open.


    John was staring at his phone with a focused look.


    He must be working again.


    The moment he noticed Caprice entering, a gentle and doting smile took over his previously stern expression.


    The little girl walked up to him and crawled into his arms.


    John wrapped up his call without a second thought. Let¡¯s continue this discussion tomorrow.¡±


    With that, he hung up and set the phone aside.


    He wrapped one arm around Caprice and picked up a sheet of document with another hand.


    Attending to Caprice while working was apparently a part of his daily routine.


    Caprice did not utter a word, she rested quietly in John¡¯s arms.


    Sherry stood outside and observed their interaction through the crack of the door, a bitter sensation rose inside her.


    Caprice was so attached to John.


    She wondered when she would receive the same kind of attention from Caprice.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Sherry! It¡¯s really you!¡±


    Suddenly, a deafening cry sounded from behind her.


    Sherry nearly got a heart attack. She spun around and met Queenie¡¯s bewildered eyes, she seemed like she was about to burst


    into tears.


    Sherry was delighted to see her and greeted her with a smile, ¡°If it isn¡¯t you, | haven¡¯t seen you for a few years! What''s with that


    peacock voice of yours?¡±

 Chapter 1491

    Chapter 1491


    Chapter 1491


    Queenie immediately red at Sherry. However, she did not scold Sherry and rushed over to hug her instead.


    Fortunately, there was a wall behind Sherry. Otherwise, she would have been tackled to the ground.


    After hugging Sherry for a while, Queenie released her and looked at her, saying, ¡°Sherry Fowler, you''re the president of Sager


    Corporation. Why do you still run your mouth so annoyingly?¡±


    Sherry grinned at her. ¡°You''re already three years older. Why do you still dress so childishly?¡±


    Her curly blonde hair and her puffy skirt were quite beautiful, but it was a style that only younger girls would pull off.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Queenie¡¯s expression shifted. She nted her hands on her hips in anger. ¡°Will it kill you to stop snubbing me for one second?¡±


    ¡°Hehe...¡± Suddenly, a peal of childishughter sounded.


    Sherry quickly turned around.


    The man, who had been sitting inside, had arrived at some point. His slender figure stood by the door frame as he looked at


    them with a smile in his eyes.


    Meanwhile, Caprice was sitting in his arms, grinning happily. She was obviously amused by Sherry and


    Queenie¡¯s banter. Unexpectedly, the little girl liked to watch people bicker.


    Sherryughed.


    Queenie seemed to be angered by Caprice¡¯s mocking and raised her voice at the girl. ¡°Caprice Stockton, what are youughing


    at?¡±


    Caprice held up her hand and covered her mouth.


    However, her eyes were still curved. It was clear that she was still amused. Her little appearance was charming and adorable.


    Queenie snorted.


    Sherry also smiled and held out her hand to the girl.


    She was worried Caprice would not leave with her, so she said, ¡°Caprice, your daddy has to work. Why don¡¯t Aunt Queenie and |


    take you out to y for a while?¡±


    She stared at Caprice after she spoke and did not notice the smile blooming in the man¡¯s eyes.


    Was this woman being considerate of him?


    Upon hearing that, Caprice immediately extended her chubby hand to Sherry.


    Sherry instantly took her into her arms and turned to walk outside without sparing him a nce.


    The smile in John¡¯s eyes immediately turned cold. That woman only imed that he wanted to work because she was worried


    that Caprice would not go with her.


    Sherry learned from Queenie that Caprice liked to drive an excavator to shovel dirt.


    There was arge garden just behind.


    After Queenie spoke to the servants, Caprice¡¯s pink excavator was quickly brought over.


    The little girl wore a thick padded jacket as her two hands controlled the steering wheel. The excavator began to shovel the soil


    in the garden. Her cute little face looked very serious as if she was actually working on a job.


    Furthermore, she did not need any help at all.


    Sherry and Queenie sat to the side and watched her dig.


    Every time she dug up a handful of soil, Sherry praised her. ¡°Wow, my baby Caprice is so amazing.¡±


    Caprice smiled and dug harder.


    While Queenie sat next to her and watched her interact with Caprice, the corners of her mouth also pulled up in a smile.


    After all, Madam Stockton and her often let Caprice dig and y, and Madam Stockton always praised Caprice for


    being amazing. However, the girl never seemed to hear her and only focused on digging. She had never


    responded to thepliments before.


    Now, it was apparent that it was not that Caprice could not hear, but that she did not want to pay attention to her grandmother at


    all.


    Just like that, Caprice dug the soil for two hours.


    Severalrge craters were created in the garden, and the little girl only stopped when she was tired. Then, she reached out to


    Sherry. ¡°Mommy, hug.¡±


    Sherry quickly took the girl into her arms. ¡°Are you tired, Caprice? Do you want some water?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Queenie passed Caprice¡¯s water bottle over.


    The girl sucked on the straw and took several gulps.


    Sherry looked at her lovely appearance and could not help but smile. When Caprice finished drinking, she said, ¡°My Caprice is


    such a good girl.¡± Caprice grinned. ¡°Hehe...¡±

 Chapter 1492

    Chapter 1492


    Chapter 1492


    Queenie said there were other fun things to do at her ce.


    The little girl was also tired of ying with the excavator, so Sherry carried her and followed Queenie to her courtyard.


    There were indeed many ¡®fun¡¯ things here. There were all kinds of limited edition plush toys, dolls, beautiful action figures, and so


    on.


    Sherry just ced Caprice down, and the girl beelined toward the pile of toys. She lifted the hem of her shirt and reached out to


    the group of dolls. When she saw something she liked, she simply took it without saying a word and ced it on her shirt.


    Sherry was stunned.


    It was clear that Caprice¡¯s actions were well practiced.


    She looked at Queenie who had her arms crossed. Her expression was like a rich person dering, ¡°Take whatever you want.¡±


    After a while, Caprice only stopped moving when she could not fit any more toys on her shirt. She walked back to Sherry and


    looked at her with wide eyes.


    Sherry asked, ¡°Do you want Mommy to help you carry these back?¡±


    Caprice said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°I can help you, but these are from your aunt, so you have to say ¡®thank you¡¯ to her first, understand?¡±


    Achild might not know better, but an adult did. Although Queenie did not mind, Caprice must have basic manners.


    Caprice was confused. She obviously did not know that she had to thank people when she took stuff from them. After all, her


    father always let her take whatever she liked wherever she went with him.


    Just then, Queenie said, ¡°Caprice is my niece. You don¡¯t need to tell her to thank me.¡±


    Sherry ignored her and looked at Caprice seriously. ¡± Caprice, your aunt is your elder. She loves you and spoils you, so you have


    to be respectful to her. Understand?¡±


    Caprice blinked her wide eyes, obviously not knowing what it meant to be respectful.


    Sherry¡¯s lips twitched. Did that damned man spoil the little girl so much that he did not even teach hermon courtesy?


    Fortunately, Caprice was born soft and cute. Otherwise, she would have been spoiled rotten.


    Sherry crouched down in front of the girl so that they were eye-level, and said, ¡°Caprice, while other people give you things out


    of kindness, we can¡¯t just take them. It would be rude of us. Saying thank you is a polite response, understand?¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips and seemed toprehend it a little.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Aunt Queenie gave you so many pretty dolls, so you should say ¡®thank you¡¯ to her, right?¡±


    Caprice hummed.


    ¡°Go on, then. Say ¡®thank you*.*


    Caprice obediently looked at Queenie and said, ¡°Thank you, Aunty.¡± Her voice was sweet and childish.


    Queenie smiled back at her. ¡°You''re wee!¡±


    Caprice looked back at Sherry.


    Sherry praised with a smile, ¡°My baby Caprice is so obedient and polite.¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice curled her lips up and gave all the dolls on her shirt to Sherry.


    In turn, Sherry took a bag from Queenie and ced the dolls in it. Then, she looked up and saw Caprice go back to the pile of


    dolls, and then ce the pretty ones on her shirt again.


    When she came out, she said to Queenie, ¡°Thank you, Aunty.¡±


    Queenie smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    This time, the girl did not go back inside after giving the dolls to Sherry.


    Sherry helped her put all the dolls into the bag.


    Caprice reached out toward her.


    Sherry held the bag with one hand and carried Caprice with the other.


    ¡°Let''s go back, Mommy,¡± her little mouth muttered.


    Queenie was instantly upset. ¡°Caprice, how could you just leave after taking my stuff? You''re heartless.¡±


    Caprice said again, ¡°Thank you, Aunty.¡±


    Queenie¡¯s anger immediately fizzled out.


    The little girl was obviously a quick learner.


    Sherryughed and said to Queenie, ¡°Do you want toe over to our ce to y for a while?¡±

 Chapter 1493

    Chapter 1493


    Queenie¡¯s gaze lit up, and she said, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do at the moment. Since you want me to go so much, I''ll go with


    you guys.¡±


    It was very cold outside.


    Sherry hugged Caprice tightly after they walked out of Queenie¡¯s ce.


    Queenie followed them.


    When they reached a corner, they met Julie head-on.


    Julie smiled at Sherry, but the smile that hung on Sherry¡¯s lips instantly disappeared. She nced coldly at Julie then simply


    walked past her with Caprice in her arms, not paying attention to Julie.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The smile on Julie¡¯s face stiffened.


    Queenie sensed something was off and said with a smile, ¡± Julie, I¡¯m going to John¡¯s ce tonight, so | won''t be having dinner


    with you and Mom.¡±


    Julie smiled and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    However, after Queenie and Sherry went far away, her face instantly turned cold again.


    ¡®Sherry Fowler, what is it about you that makes John care so much about you? You''re from such a poor background. How dare


    someone like you dare to ignore me?!"


    Meanwhile, Queenie caught up to Sherry and asked in confusion, ¡°Why did you ignore Julie?¡± She remembered that although


    Sherry and Julie were not close before, they would at least greet each other when they met.


    Sherry replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to pay attention to her.¡±


    ¡°Why? Did she offend you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Queenie was stunned. ¡°When? How did she offend you?¡±


    At that moment, in Sherry¡¯s arms, Caprice was also looking at her. Her wide eyes were full of curiosity. She seemed to


    understand the conversation between Sherry and Queenie.


    Sherry did not want her to hear these bad things, so she said to Queenie, ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I''ll tell youter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    In a short while, Sherry and Queenie returned to John¡¯s ce with Caprice and the pile of beautiful dolls that Caprice had taken


    from Queenie.


    Caprice wanted to be ced down when they arrived at the warm house, so Sherry put her down.


    The little girl reached out again and asked for the bag of dolls Sherry was carrying.


    After Sherry passed the bag to her, the girl dragged the bag and went down the corridor in the direction of the bedroom.


    Sherry followed her in confusion.


    Just when she thought the little girl was going to drag all the dolls into her room, the girl walked straight through the door of


    Sherry¡¯s room instead. She went into the room which had just been tidied for Sherry today.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered as she hurriedly went after Caprice.


    When the girl entered the room, she took out the dolls from the bag, climbed up the bed using the small stool beside it, and


    ced the dolls in a conspicuous ce on the bed.


    Although it did not match the decor of the simple room, the contrast was quite cute.


    Sherry curled up the corners of her lips, and her eyes could not help but light up. She did not expect the little girl to take so many


    things from Queenie just to ce them in her room.


    The little girl walked back after setting up thest doll. Herrge eyes shone brightly as she looked at Sherry. She seemed to be


    waiting for praise.


    Sherry fished her into her arms and gave her a big kiss on the cheek, saying happily, ¡°I love it, Caprice. Thank you for giving all


    these to me!¡±


    Caprice smiled. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mommy.¡±

 Chapter 1494

    Chapter 1494


    Chapter 1494


    The little girl was just so cute!


    Sherry could not resist her and kissed her face twice again.


    Standing not far away, Queenie was dumbfounded. After all, Caprice did not like to be too close to people and rarely let people


    hold her, let alone kiss her.


    ¡®The girl will definitely be unhappy with how frantically Sherry is kissing her.¡¯


    However, just as she had that thought, Caprice pouted her lips and softly pressed a kiss to Sherry¡¯s cheek as well.


    Queenie was speechless.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Caprice said to Sherry.


    Sherry immediately picked her up. ¡°Mommy will get you something delicious to eat.¡±


    She walked over after saying that. When she passed Queenie and saw thetter''s shocked expression, she could not help but


    ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Caprice¡¯srge eyes also looked at her curiously.


    Queenie snapped back to her senses. ¡°N-nothing.¡±


    Sherry carried Caprice out.


    The snacks were all freshly made on the day itself. There were a few tes of delicious morsels on the table.


    Sherry ced her down, and she reached out for the snacks. She ate slowly like a chick pecking at grains.


    Sherry and Queenie sat to the side while chatting and eating with Caprice.


    In the study, the man, who had been working for a long time, came out. When he reached the corridor, he heard the sound of


    Sherry and Queenie chatting in the living room.


    Caprice sat between them, eating snacks.


    The warm living room was filled with their voices. It was very different from the usual coldness, and the atmosphere was warm.


    He leaned against the wall and watched them for a while. The corners of his lips also subconsciously curled up.


    When Caprice was tired from eating andy in Sherry¡¯s arms to nap, Queenie asked in a soft voice, ¡°Sherry, | heard you got a


    marriage certificate with my brother again. Is that true?¡±


    She looked at Sherry with a bright gaze. It seemed like she very much wanted Sherry and John to be together.


    Sherry did not want to lie to her, so she said, ¡°We did, but it was because of Caprice. "


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Queenie said excitedly, ¡°You won''t leave anymore, right?¡± She obviously did not listen to Sherry¡¯sst sentence.


    Sherry pursed her lips and repeated her answer to Aunt Wanda earlier. ¡°Yeah. I''ll go wherever Caprice goes.¡±


    Queenie smiled and asked, ¡°How did you be the president of Sager Corporation?¡± She looked curious, and there were a


    few hints of admiration for Sherry¡¯s status in her eyes.


    Sherryughed and said, ¡°| met Madam Sager not long after | went to Coastrock, then | joined Sager Corporation and became


    the president.¡±


    Queenie wrinkled her nose. ¡°You became the president right after she brought you into thepany?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sherry took a bite of Caprice¡¯s snack and said, ¡± Sager Corporation wasn¡¯t doing well back then. | helped them pick up a


    big order, and Madam Sager let me into the marketing department because she thought that | was somewhat capable. After that,


    | felt that Sager Corp could develop entertainment projects, so | helped them expand their clubhouses and opened several


    nightclubs and other entertainment establishments. The projects | handled went well, so | was promoted to be president.


    Queenie cupped her cheeks in her hands and said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to have a knack for business.¡±


    Sherry raised her brows. ¡°Well, | used to run a nightclub in Westchester.¡± Furthermore, she ran it very well. If she had note


    to nchester and was put under house arrest by John...


    Her eyes darkened. She did not want to think about those things, so she reached out and took Caprice¡¯s juice pack and drank it.


    It was sweet and sour, and very delicious.


    Queenie suddenly red at her. ¡°You''re going to finish all of Caprice¡¯s snacks if you keep eating.¡±


    ¡°lm her mom. | can eat them all if | want to.¡±


    Queenie snorted.


    Not far away, the slender figure of the man leaned against the wall while listening to their conversation. His eyes behind his


    sses flickered several times.


    She made it sound simple, but the Sager Corporation was a well-known family business. Its shareholders and top management


    were all members of the Sager family. She must have gone through many hardships to be the president of Sager


    Corporation.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1495

    Chapter 1495


    However, Sherry¡¯s talent for business should not be underestimated.


    would


    If he had not kept her at home for those two years, she have been able to make a name for herself a long time ago?


    Just as he was contemting, Sherry suddenly stood up with Caprice in her arms.


    His gaze changed as he pursed his lips, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face.


    Sherry was going to send Caprice back to her room to sleep. Unexpectedly, she saw him right as she turned around.


    He came out of the study at some point and had been eavesdropping for an unknown amount of time. His posture waszy as


    he smilednguidly.


    Sherry¡¯s brows wrinkled.


    What was that look supposed to mean?


    Queenie also saw him and asked with a smile, ¡°Are you done with work?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John pursed his lips and said to her, ¡°Stay for dinnerter.¡±


    Queenie¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Okay!¡±


    it was


    Although she did not intend to go back for dinner, different when her brother personally asked her to stay. After all, he had not


    spoken to her with such a smile for a long time.


    Since Sherry ran away three years ago, he only ate at


    home a handful of times. His attitude to them was cold and indifferent, and he always looked listless. It was only after he brought


    back Caprice from Westchester that he started to smile a little more.


    The dinner was sumptuous, and all the dishes were excellent.


    Sherry ate a lot and had a few sips of wine with Queenie.


    However, Queenie was not a good drinker and got inebriated after a few sses. After dinner, she clung to Sherry¡¯s arm and


    dered that she was not going back to her ce to sleep. She insisted on sleeping with Sherry.


    Sherry wanted to help the woman to her room and let her sleep, but the man¡¯s somewhat displeased voice rang out. ¡°You two,


    help her back to her ce,¡± he ordered two servants.


    Sherry said, ¡°She drank too much. Just let her sleep with me.¡±


    John said without changing his expression, ¡°She¡¯s a wild drunk. She''ll disturb Caprice.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips.


    Queenie was already almost asleep. How wild could she get? Furthermore, Caprice was a heavy sleeper. She would not wake


    up that easily.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    However, John¡¯s words were thew in this house, so the two servants helped Queenie up.


    Sherry did not say anything else and let go.


    After seeing the two servants help Queenie out, Sherry turned around and went directly into Caprice¡¯s room. She did not even


    look at him, let alone talk to him.


    John narrowed his eyes, his expression somewhat displeased.


    However, that displeasure was quickly covered by other emotions. She was his wife now. There was nowhere left for her to run.


    There was plenty of time for him to deal with her in the future.


    In Caprice¡¯s room, the little girl was still sleeping when Sherry came in.


    Sherry sat beside the girl and took out her phone. She had finished all her work in advance a few days ago, but there might be


    unexpected situations. She wanted to see if


    there were any urgent matters in the work group chat.


    As soon as she opened her phone, she saw a message that was sent from Carl an hour ago. ¡°Sherry, why didn¡¯t you answer me


    when | knocked on your door? Did you go out? Are you not back yet?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression flickered.


    ¡®Oh no, | forgot to tell him that | was moving out.¡¯


    While she was thinking about how to tell him about it, her phone screen suddenly flickered. It was an iing call from Carl.

 Chapter 1496

    Chapter 1496


    There was a balcony outside Caprice¡¯s room.


    Sherry quickly took her phone to the balcony and answered the call.


    Carl''s unhappy voice instantly rang out from the phone. Sherry, did you check out of the room? Where did you go?


    ¡°| didn¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯m still in nchester. | left in a hurry during the day and didn¡¯t have time to tell you.¡± Then, she asked


    him, ¡°What are you calling me for?¡±


    ¡°Can''t | call you when you run away without saying anything?¡±


    The corners of Sherry¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°If you have nothing to say, I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Carl quickly asked, ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I''m safe. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Carl was silent for two seconds and asked in a cold voice, ¡± Did you move in with Master Stockton?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s throat choked for a moment, but she said honestly, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m at the Stocktons¡® residence now.¡±


    ¡°Sherry Fowler, did you forget that we''re getting engaged?!¡± Carl raised his voice. It was several times louder than usual.


    Sherry was startled and pursed her lips, saying, Coastrock and nchester are thousands of miles apart. No one there will


    know. Besides, | moved in for Caprice¡¯s sake. | won''t shout about living with him.¡±


    Carl did not speak.


    Sherry knew his temper well. He was probably reining it in.


    She added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Carl. I¡¯ll do what | promised Madam Sager.¡± She would do her best to help him take over Sager


    Corporation.


    Carl lowered his voice and asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m angry because you won¡¯t help me?¡±


    Then, was he angry that she moved out of the hotel without telling him?


    Sherry said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to not tell you | was moving out. | just forgot.¡±


    Carl snorted and hung up the phone.


    Sherry did not get angry as she put the phone away and turned around. Then, she saw John leaningzily against the door to


    the balcony. His eyes stared at her gloomily from behind his sses.


    ¡°Was that Carl Sager?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡± she retorted.


    ¡°What did he say to you?¡±


    Sherry was a little displeased. ¡°What has that got to do with you?¡±


    John lifted his long legs and walked closer to her.


    Sherry quickly took a few steps back and was soon backed up against the railing.


    John walked up to her until he was just a few centimeters away from touching her.


    She was afraid that she would fall off the railing if she leaned back.


    He raised his hand and cupped her chin, then lowered his head toward her and smiled coldly. ¡°Sherry Fowler, you¡¯re Caprice¡¯s


    mother now as well as my legal wife. Do you think it has nothing to do with me if a man calls you in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t say anything to him. | forgot to tell him | was moving out today, so he called me because he couldn¡¯t find me.¡± After


    saying that, she could not help but add, ¡± Besides, we only got married because of Caprice.¡±


    Why was he trying to control her?


    John¡¯s gaze went cold, and his voice suddenly turned icy. Even if it''s just an agreement, you''re still my wife.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered as her jaw ached.


    He squeezed her chin tightly and said, ¡°No matter how many other men you have outside, you''d best forget about them all. If |


    find out that you dare to cuckold me again, I¡¯ll make you go back to wherever you came from, and you''ll never see Caprice again


    in your life.¡±


    He obviously still held a grudge against her for what happened nine years ago.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Sherry frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | lost interest in men a long time ago. | won''t let you be disgraced, Master Stockton.¡± Her


    voice was frank.


    John¡¯s gloomy face eased up a little. ¡°You''d better keep to your word.¡±


    ¡°| will.¡± Sherry saw his pleased expression and said, ¡°Can you let go now?¡±


    They were just a few centimeters apart from each other.

 Chapter 1497

    Chapter 1497


    John looked at her full red lips and pursed his own. His


    throat bobbed.


    Sherry sensed something wrong and frowned at him.


    He curled his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. | have no interest in you at all now.¡±


    After saying that, he let go of her chin and walked back into Caprice¡¯s room.


    Sherry stared at him and then walked in as well.


    John sat on the sofa, reading a book.


    Sherry said to him, ¡°Go back to your room and rest. I''ll stay with Caprice tonight.


    ¡°|


    He read the book and ignored her.


    Sherry held back her anger. It seemed he did not n on leaving.


    Her eyes flickered, and she walked out with quick steps.


    John lifted his eyes to look at her figure and was suspicious.


    Was she leaving?


    Sherry went to the bathroom as soon as she entered the bedroom.


    After quickly washing up, she put on her pajamas, blow- dried her hair, took her phone and a storybook, and went back to


    Caprice¡¯s bedroom.


    John had not left and was still sitting gracefully on the sofa, reading. He did not even look at her when she came in, possibly


    because he did not want to see her.


    Sherry also did not pay attention to him. She climbed onto Caprice¡¯s bed andy down next to her.


    John put down the book and looked at her.


    She leaned against the bed and tapped away on her phone with her hands. He did not know who she was chatting with, but


    there was a smile on her face. It was obvious she wanted to sleep here tonight and not leave.


    John nced at her and turned back to his book.


    Sherry was messaging Sylvia after a long time of not keeping in contact.


    The first thing she did was to take a picture of herself and Caprice sleeping in the same bed and sent it to Sylvia.


    Sylvia quickly replied to her. ¡°Sherry, have you


    reconnected with Caprice?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m staying with her now.¡±


    There was a pause before Sylvia replied, ¡°Are you living with John too?¡±


    Sherry could not hide the truth, so she said, ¡°We got a marriage certificate again, but we only agreed to get married because of


    Caprice. He hates me now, but he wants to give Caprice aplete family, so he got a certificate with me.¡±


    Meanwhile, far away in Westchester, Sylvia wrinkled her brow after reading the message.


    They got a marriage certificate? John still hated her?


    No, he was most likely putting on an act because he did not want her to let her guard down.


    Shortly before Sherry came back, he had taken Caprice to Westchester to look for Odell and ask about Sherry. How could he


    hate her right after she came back?


    However, Sylvia was not by Sherry¡¯s side and did not know what exactly happened to them in the past few days, so she could


    not say anything.


    After thinking about it, she asked, ¡°What about you?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°What about me?¡±


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Do you still have feelings for him now?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s expression changed, and she replied without thinking, ¡°Of course not. | only agreed to get married to him for Caprice¡¯s


    sake.¡±


    She also wanted to steal Caprice away.


    However, she could not say that to Sylvia.


    Odell and John had gotten very close over the past two.


    years. She was worried that Sylvia would identally tell Odell. If he told John about it, then her ns would be foiled.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1498

    Chapter 1498


    Chapter 1498


    After chatting with Sylvia a while more, Sherry put her phone down.


    John was still on the sofa reading.


    From Sherry¡¯s angle, she could only see the upper half of his face. His gold¡ªrimmed sses contrasted with his fair skin, and his


    eyes exuded an air of elegance and nobility. He was quite good-looking. Unfortunately, he was a bit annoying.


    Sherry stared at him secretly, then wrapped her arms. around Caprice and closed her eyes. The little girl¡¯s body was soft and


    smelled of milk.


    Sherry fell asleep in no time.


    Unbeknownst to her, after she fell asleep, the man on the sofa put down his book and stood up. His straight figure went around


    the end of the bed and walked to her side.


    When he saw her sleeping appearance, he curled his lips. up in a manner that was different from how he had faced her before.


    At that moment, there was a wicked and smug smile in his eyes.


    Ashort whileter, he took off his sses and bent down. His handsome face approached her eyes, and his lips kissed hers. He


    repeatedly kissed her several times before


    lifting his head.


    At that moment, he felt someone looking at him. His expression changed as he turned his head.


    Caprice was staring at him with her wide and clear eyes.


    He straightened his back at once and put his sses back


    1. on.


    Caprice¡¯srge eyes were still looking at him.


    He reached out and took her into his arms, asking with a smile, ¡°When did you wake up?¡±


    ¡°Just now.¡±


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    John carried her out.


    Just when he thought the girl would soon forget seeing him kiss Sherry, she asked, ¡°Daddy, do you like Mommy?


    John froze and asked, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Mommy likes to kiss me. She said she kisses me because she likes me.¡± Caprice looked at him. ¡°Since you kissed Mommy, you


    must like her, right?¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°Mm.¡±


    So many years had passed. Although he still remembered


    how she had betrayed him that year, he made her suffer lot during the past few years. She also gave birth to Caprice for him, so


    he would consider them even.


    Now, he just wanted to keep her around. It could be said


    that he liked her.


    Caprice smiled. ¡°I also like Mommy.¡±


    John smiled as well.


    At that moment, she tilted her head and asked him, ¡°But why did you kiss Mommy''s mouth?¡±


    John was speechless.


    After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Because the way | like your mommy is different from the way you like her.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± The girl¡¯s curiosity was sated, so she did not ask anything else.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    John breathed a sigh of relief.


    Seeing him bring Caprice out, Aunt Wanda quickly


    brought some milk powder over and handed Caprice the


    bottle.


    Caprice hugged the bottle with both hands but did not rush to drink. Instead, she opened her mouth and said sweetly, ¡°Thank


    you.¡±


    Aunt Wanda was shocked before smiling. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    John was also stunned, and then he curled his lips and looked at Caprice with a smile. This was the first time he heard her


    express her gratitude. He had never taught her to thank other people before


    Who did she lear it from?


    Did Sherry teach her?


    Caprice was energetic again after eating.


    Aunt Wanda yed with her for a while.


    As usual, John watched from the side, making sure the little girl remained in his line of sight.


    She got sleepy again at midnight, so Aunt Wanda washed her up and changed her clothes.


    John also finished showering and came out of the


    bathroom in his room wearing a pair of pajamas. He then went into Caprice¡¯s room.

 Chapter 1499

    Chapter 1499


    Chapter 1499


    Aunt Wanda handed John Caprice and left.


    There were only Caprice and John left in the room, along with Sherry who was snoring away. He narrowed his eyes and went to


    the bed while carrying Caprice.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw that her father was going to sleep with her, and she quickly climbed into the middle of the


    bed. She obviously wanted to sleep


    sandwiched in between her parents.


    John smiled and let hery on Sherry¡¯s other side as she wished, then turned off the lights.


    Caprice¡¯s chubby hands spread out at her sides, and she closed her eyes happily.


    When she fell asleep, arge hand picked her up. Then, she was moved half a meter across the bed before she was ced


    back down again.


    The man who originallyy there was now lying beside Sherry.


    His deep eyes that reflected the dim light of the night were sly and cunning. Along arm quickly looped around her waist and held


    her in his embrace.


    Early morning, Sherry opened her eyes as the rays of sunshine shone into the room.


    Then, she saw Caprice¡¯s cute and chubby face, as well as John¡¯s...


    Her eyes flickered, and she immediately sat up.


    Caprice was between them, but the man seemed to have been disturbed by her movements and opened his eyes.


    He frowned and looked at her crossly. ¡°Wake up if you want to, but what¡¯s with all themotion?¡±


    Sherry was dumbfounded.


    He slept in the same bed as her but was questioning her about her movements?


    Sherry red at him, but she was afraid of waking Caprice up and lowered her voice. ¡°Why are you sleeping here?¡±


    John did not answer her.


    Instead, he sat up and leaned against the headboard gracefully. He put on his sses from the nightstand and looked at her.


    ¡°Caprice is used to sleeping with me. She won''t be able to sleep if | don¡¯t apany her.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s lips pulled down coldly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Caprice fell asleep before it got darkst night!¡±


    At that time, only Queenie and she had apanied


    Caprice. He had still been in his study!


    John curled his lips. ¡°She was asleep then, but she woke up again.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°How could | not have known that she woke up?¡±


    ¡°Ask yourself that. Why do you sleep like a pig?¡±


    Sherry red at him in silence.


    ¡°Caprice will always wake up at night if she sleeps early.¡± John looked at herzily. ¡°You can ask Aunt Wanda if you don¡¯t believe


    me.


    Sherry pursed her lips, but her heart still felt that there was something wrong. After a while, she whispered, Then, couldn¡¯t you


    have gone back to your own room after Caprice fell asleep?¡±


    John sneered as if hearing a funny joke. ¡°Sherry Fowler, don¡¯t tell me you think | wanted to sleep in the same bed as you.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    Johnughed. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Caprice wanting you to stayst night, | would¡¯ve kicked you out long ago.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s throat choked, and she could not help but re


    at him.


    John simply smiled at her. His smile was evil and


    mocking. It was as if he was ridiculing her for ttering


    herself.


    Sherry could not stand him anymore and immediately got out of bed, storming off.


    She returned to her room, washed up, and changed.


    When she came back, Caprice had just woken up.


    John was dressing her.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The little girl¡¯s expression was still sleepy, making her look cute. Like an obedient puppet, she raised her small arms when John


    asked her to.


    Meanwhile, John dressed her with gentle and delicate. actions. He was very patient with her, which somewhat contrasted with


    how he was elegantly dressed in a suit and tie at the moment. No one would believe that the richest man in nchester was


    dressing his daughter himself if they did not see it with their own eyes.


    Sherry was stunned.


    The man who was dressing Caprice suddenly looked at her.


    Sherry immediately snapped to her senses and asked him, ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°Go get a pair of shoes for Caprice.¡±

 Chapter 1500

    Chapter 1500


    Chapter 1500


    Sherry immediately went to Caprice¡¯s shoe cab.


    The little girl was wearing a cream dress and a pair of white stockings today. Sherry picked out a pair of small yellow boots for


    her.


    Taking the shoes, she went to the bed and squatted down to help put on the shoes.


    John nced at her and carried Caprice to the bed.


    The little girl was very smart and raised her chubby feet to Sherry¡¯s eyes.


    Sherry unzipped the boots and put them on Caprice¡¯s feet.


    However, she did not know if it was because the boots were too thin, or if the way she was helping the girl wear them was wrong,


    but the little girl¡¯s chubby foot got stuck and could not slip into the boots.


    Sherry frowned. Just as she tried to shove the foot into the boot, her hand was smacked.


    Asmack rang out, and it was quite painful.


    Sherry immediately looked up.


    John was frowning at her. ¡°Are you trying to break Caprice¡¯s foot?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°These boots seem a little small.¡±


    John gave her a side nce. ¡°Move over.¡± He turned and crouched down as he spoke.


    Sherry got up and moved to the side.


    He crouched where she had just been, picked up the yellow boots, and held Caprice¡¯s foot with the other hand.


    Then, he adjusted the angle slightly and stuffed her chubby foot in.


    Soon, the two little boots were on Caprice¡¯s feet.


    Then, he looked at Sherry.


    Sherry pursed her lips as her eyes flickered. It was her first time. It was not like she did not want to help Caprice wear her boots


    on purpose.


    At that moment, Caprice climbed down from the bed. Herrge eyes looked at them, and she said, ¡°Time to brush my teeth.¡±


    Sherry wanted to pick her up, but John gave her a cold look. He carried the little girl in one hand and said to Sherry, ¡°Watch.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Then, he carried Caprice into the bathroom.


    Sherry followed closely and watched.


    He brushed the girl¡¯s teeth and braided her hair. All his


    movements were incredibly smooth.


    After all that, she said to him sweetly, ¡°Thank you, Daddy.


    John smiled back at her. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Caprice went out by herself on her short legs.


    John looked at Sherry who was still dazed by how he braided Caprice¡¯s hair.


    She remembered that when they still lived together in that rental house nine years ago, he had helped to tie her hair too. At that


    time, his movements were as gentle as how he tied Caprice¡¯s hair earlier.


    ¡°What are you spacing out for?¡± The man¡¯s deep and displeased voice suddenly rang out. His hand whacked her head at the


    same time.


    Sherry instantly snapped back to her senses. ¡°N¡ªnothing.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Without looking him in the eye, she turned and followed Caprice out.


    John narrowed his eyes. He whacked her quite hard just now, but she did not re at him at all.


    Did she feel ashamed of herself because she felt that she could not take care of Caprice as well as him?


    After breakfast, John picked Caprice up. It was clear he wanted to bring her to the office.


    Sherry quickly said, ¡°I have nothing to do today. Let me take Caprice out to y.¡±


    John looked at her, his eyes sharp.

 Chapter 1501

    Chapter 1501


    Sherry looked straight into his eyes. ¡°Caprice is already


    two years old. You can¡¯t just keep her with you all the


    time. You''re busy, and you won''t have the time to apany her.¡±


    John looked at Caprice. ¡°Caprice, do you want to go out with Mommy?¡±


    Sherry smiled at Caprice brightly and added, ¡°Caprice, I''ll bring you to the amusement parkter. There are fantasy rides, theme


    parks, handsome boys, and beautiful girls. It¡¯s going to be fun.¡±.


    Maybe because of Sherry¡¯s bright smile, or maybe


    because the mention of handsome boys and beautiful girls captivated her, Caprice¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest. She hummed


    an eager reply.


    Sherry immediately carried the girl from John¡¯s grip and even raised a brow to tease him.


    John smiled. He then looked at Aunt Wanda and said, Aunt Wanda, you should go with them. And bring Jason along.¡±


    (


    Aunt Wanda nodded with a smile. ¡°I''ll go inform Jason right away.¡±


    John then looked at Sherry. ¡°Don¡¯t go wandering around


    the wrong ces with her. Remember to send me a picture every hour and tell me where you are.¡±


    Sherry was exalted. She nodded happily and said, ¡± Gotcha.¡±


    He then took his jacket and headed out. Before he headed out of the door, Sherry said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, say goodbye to


    Daddy.¡±


    Caprice obediently said, ¡°Bye-bye, Daddy!¡±


    John paused and turned around to the mother and daughter smiling sweetly and brightly at him.


    The heartwarming smile stunned him for a moment before he smiled back. ¡°Bye.¡±


    Sherry was somehow stunned by the man¡¯s touching and enchanting smile.


    ¡°Caprice,¡± he added. It seemed like John would only


    smile this brightly at Caprice.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Sherry pursed her lips as the cruel reality pulled her back from her little trance.


    Right after John left, Sherry brought Caprice, Aunt Wanda, and Jason out.


    Coincidentally, they ran into Queenie at the door, and when she heard they were going to an amusement park, she insisted on


    following them.


    Since there was no harm in extrapany, Sherry allowed her to tag along. She had done some research on the amusement


    parkst night.


    Since Caprice was still young, there were only several


    rides that she could ride. Sherry brought her on every ride that was suitable for a child.


    To her surprise, she originally thought Caprice had no interest in the rides, but the girl had so much fun on every one of them.


    As they rode on the merry¡ªgo-round, the girl smiled brightly at a balloon that she got.


    The morning went by in the blink of an eye.


    Sherry and Queenie brought the girl to a nearby


    restaurant for lunch. They thought that Caprice would be tired after ying for a whole morning, but the girl¡¯s eyes were wider


    and more energetic than before as they were glued to the amusement park.


    After lunch, they returned to the amusement park for


    more fun.


    There was also a children¡¯s theater where mascots


    performed.


    A few showster, they continued to wander around the amusement park before the girl finally yawned out of tiredness.


    Sherryid the girl on her shoulder and headed towards the exit with Queenie and the others.


    Suddenly, Queenie turned to her with an eager gaze and said, ¡°Sherry, you¡¯ve been carrying her for the whole day already. Why


    don¡¯t | carry her for a while?¡±


    Sherry knew Queenie wanted to hold her niece for a long time now, so she put Caprice in her arms.


    As her hands went idle, Sherry¡¯s phone rang.


    It was John.


    She answered it. ¡°What is it?¡±


    The man frowned in annoyance and said in a deep voice, (( Sherry, it¡¯s been two hours since thest picture.


    Sherry thought it was something serious. ¡°Queenie and | brought Caprice to the children¡¯s theater to watch some shows. | didn¡¯t


    get the chance to take pictures.¡±


    ¡°Well, do you have the chance now? If you don¡¯t, | can tell Jason to bring Caprice back and you won''t get to take her out


    anymore.¡±

 Chapter 1502

    Chapter 1502


    Chapter 1502


    Although his voice contained obvious delight, he sounded warm. If she did not know any better, she would think


    that he was joking with her.


    Sherry pursed her lips and answered, ¡°Yes, yes, I''ll send you the pictures right now, sir.¡± She hung up the phone immediately.


    Then, she took a picture of Caprice sleeping in Queenie¡¯s arms and sent it to him.


    John replied almost instantly, ¡°Why is Caprice asleep?¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes. The man must be trying to pick a fight. How could a little girl not be tired after ying for the whole day?


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping because she¡¯s sleepy,¡± Sherry replied.


    ¡°Why is she sleepy?¡±


    ¡°She''s tired, so she¡¯s sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Why is she tired?¡±


    Sherry cursed out loud at her phone, ¡°Are you dumb?!¡±


    Startled, Queenie, Aunt Wanda, and Jason all looked at


    her.


    Sherry awkwardly smiled at them. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine.¡± She then replied, ¡°Caprice has been ying for the whole day. Of course,


    she¡¯s tired.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you let her take a rest?¡±


    Sherry sighed. ¡°Caprice was quite energetic for the whole day. She said she didn¡¯t want to rest, so we didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t want to rest and you didn¡¯t make her? Is that how you be a mother?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Vexed, Sherry angrily pressed the record button and said, ¡°You bastard, are you trying to start a fight here?¡±


    The voice message went out instantly.


    Before Sherry could calm down, John replied the same, Sherry, | think I¡¯ve been too lenient with you the past two days. You dare


    raise your voice at me?¡±


    He sounded grim. The man could easily tell Jason to take Caprice away; all it would take was just a message.


    Sherry stomached her grievance and feigned a smile as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. | got out of control and raised my voice at you.


    Please forgive me. You are a tolerant, kind, and generous man.¡±


    The others looked at her, speechless.


    On the other end of the phone was the man leaning on his chairzily after settling his work.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± He giggled. He put his delight away and said coldly, ¡°Then, write me a thousand-word review on your actions and send


    it to me by midnight.¡±


    Sherry was dumbfounded.


    Areview?


    She choked on her grievance, and it almost drove her to raise her voice at him again. Before she could tap on the record button,


    the man sent her another voice message.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to write it, you can¡¯t take Caprice out anymore.¡±


    UNREASONABLE!


    Sherry took several deep breaths to calm herself down and replied, ¡°Okay, okay. I''ll write it as soon as | get home.¡± She clenched


    her fists as she continued in a ttering tone, ¡°It¡¯s my honor to  of my actions for you, Master Stockton.¡±


    She tried to disgust the man with her tone.


    ¡°Hmm. If you like it so much, make it a two-thousand- word review.¡±


    Sherry was left speechless. She choked and flushed as if she was about to explode.


    Queenie immediately took a few steps to the side with Caprice to avoid the time bomb; Aunt Wanda and Jason did the same.


    ¡°Okay. Not a problem!¡± Sherry answered in the most flirtatious tone that gave the others goosebumps and quivers.


    It was disgusting.


    Sherry looked at their expressions and assumed John would feel the same, thus feeling better.


    Meanwhile, in the man¡¯s office at Stockton Tower, he continued to lean on his chairzily as he tapped on Sherry¡¯stest voice


    message.

 Chapter 1503

    Chapter 1503


    The voice message was brief but in a flirtatious tone.


    He repeated it again and again.


    His eyes and lips curved in delight as he enjoyed the pleasure her voice brought him.


    After leaving the amusement park, Sherry and Queenie brought Caprice home.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    The car drove in through the gates and went straight to the house that Sherry and John were living in.


    Caprice was still sound asleep with her face slightly pink.


    Sherry carried her out of the car and went inside with Queenie and Aunt Wanda.


    As soon as Sherry stepped into the living room, she saw Julie who sat elegantly on the couch in her aquamarine dress. Although


    she had a kind smile on her face, Sherry felt like she was looking at the female owner of the


    residence.


    Well, Julie had always been in charge of the Stocktons ¡® residence.


    ¡°Julie, what brings you here?¡± Queenie asked out of curiosity.


    Julie stood up with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m here for Ms. Fowler.¡± She then turned her attention to Sherry.


    Sherry looked straight into her eyes and said, ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    Julie said indifferently, ¡°Someone wants to see you in the front yard.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    The Stocktons usually received guests at the front yard, and knowing that she had no friends in Glenchester, who could have


    requested to meet her?


    She asked directly, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°You will know when you go to the front yard,¡± Julie said with a smile.


    Sherry narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They just want to see you. You can leave Caprice with me.¡±


    Julie went up to her and offered to take Caprice from Sherry¡¯s hands.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze turned cold. Instead of giving Caprice to Julie, she turned to the side and ced the girl in Queenie¡¯s arms.


    Queenie was slightly surprised as she nervously carried Caprice.


    Julie¡¯s smile froze.


    Sherry said to Queenie, ¡°Please take care of Caprice. I''ll be back soon.¡±


    Queenie answered, ¡°Okay. Just go ahead.¡±


    Sherry then went out.


    Julie¡¯s gaze turned cold. She recovered her smile and looked at Queenie, ¡°Queenie, I¡¯m going out too. Take care of Caprice.¡±


    Queenie was even more surprised.


    Sherry, the mother, had already told her to take care of Caprice, so why would Julie repeat the same thing to her again?


    Nevertheless, Julie always treated her well, so Queenie simply answered, ¡°Okay. | will.¡±


    There was a cart waiting outside the house.


    As soon as Sherry got onto it, Julie came and sat in the rear seat.


    The cart drove them to the front yard of the residence.


    Sherry got out and went forward. Julie watched her with an odd look before following her inside.


    After they entered, a silver MPV approached the front yard from the main avenue. The man unintentionally turned and saw the


    ladies walking in.


    His gaze turned cold. ¡°Stop the car.¡±


    After they went inside, Julie stopped and said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, go ahead. They are waiting for you.


    Sherry nced at her before going forward.


    Julie¡¯s gaze shifted as she went to the guest room on the left.


    Inside the room was Madam Stockton sitting on the


    couch. When she saw Julie walk in alone, she frowned and asked, ¡°Where''s Caprice? Didn¡¯t she pass Caprice to you?¡±


    Julie frowned. ¡°Mother, Ms. Fowler might not feel safe cing Caprice in our care. Aunt Wanda took her.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°I''ve not seen Caprice for two days now. Didn¡¯t you tell her that I, Caprice¡¯s


    grandmother, wants to see her dear


    granddaughter?¡±

 Chapter 1504

    Chapter 1504


    Chapter 1504


    ¡°| told her, but she refused,¡± Julie said with a sigh.


    ¡°Hmph! She just came back into the family, and she¡¯s already keeping my granddaughter from me. If she continues to stay under


    this roof, there won''t be any ce for me and you in the future,¡± Madam Stockton grumbled in anger and disgust.


    Julie immediately consoled her, ¡°Mother, you shouldn¡¯t say something like that. John will never do that.¡±


    Madam Stockton argued, ¡°His mind is full of that wretched woman! He has forgotten about his mother!¡±


    It was then that a noise came from the living room next door.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s gaze shifted, and she curled her lips.


    Julie pursed her lips and exchanged a quick nce with Madam Stockton.


    The twodies then went closer to the wall to eavesdrop.


    In the living room next door, Sherry saw two familiar faces as soon as she walked in: Matthew and Janine.


    After an initially nk expression, Sherry regained herposure and sat on the couch opposite the duo. She leaned back and


    crossed her arms before.she scoffed and


    asked, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, what brings you two here?¡±


    Matthew and Janine remained standing, and Sherry¡¯s attitude put a frosty look on their faces.


    Matthew said angrily, ¡°Sherry, we are your parents. What is with that attitude? Stand up and talk to us!¡±


    Sherry argued, ¡°I don¡¯t remember having a father and a mother.¡±


    ¡°YOU-!¡± Matthew choked on his own emotions.


    Janine said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you acknowledge us as your parents or not, but we are still rted by blood. If we didn¡¯t give


    birth to you, you wouldn''t be here today talking to us like this.¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°Should | thank you for giving birth to me? Should | thank you for swapping me for Shannon? Well, | guess |


    should thank you for hating me because | lived in some rural vige when | was with you. | should thank you for ignoring me all


    those years, and thank you for letting Shannon take advantage of me. Oh, | shouldn¡¯t forget about Shannon, your precious


    DAUGHTER, trying to kill me!¡±


    Sherry expressed her ¡®gratitude¡¯ relentlessly which made Janine¡¯s expression freeze.


    Both Matthew and Janine responded poorly but were silenced by Sherry¡¯s ims.


    After Madam Stockton overheard the conversation from


    next door, she frowned too. She might not have the best impression of Sherry, but after listening to the


    conversation, Sherry¡¯s parents were not saints themselves either.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Julie captured the olddy¡¯s expression. She sighed softly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Ms. Fowler had such a poor rtionship with


    her parents. That exins a lot about her unrestrained attitude.¡±


    In other words, she had no manners.


    Madam Stockton reacted with disgust on her face. ¡°She¡¯s just a woman with no manners.¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes gleamed but did not continue the topic.


    Besides Julie and Madam Stockton, there was another man at the door listening to the conversation inside.


    Sherry¡¯s sarcastic expression of gratitude put a smile on the man¡¯s face. The woman had always been good at arguing.


    Sherry¡¯s voice sounded from inside the room. ¡°To what do | owe this visit? Oh, wait... How did you two know that | am here?¡±


    Both Matthew and Janine were taken aback by her question.


    Sherry continued, ¡°Did Julie tell you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Matthew answered.


    ¡°Then, it must be Madam Stockton,¡± Sherry said.


    Madam Stockton grunted when she heard Sherry. ¡°She¡¯s as cunning as a fox!¡±


    Julie said in a small voice, ¡°Ms. Fowler is indeed smarter than we thought.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes and the expression on his face turned grim.


    Matthew then looked at Sherry and said, ¡°That''s not important. We are here to talk to you about something else.¡±


    }


    ¡°What is it? Do you want me to leave John? Leave the Stocktons'' residence?¡± Sherry knew what her parents wanted before they


    even spoke.


    A quick thoughtter, she added, ¡°What did she give you? Or did she threaten you with thepany? Or both?¡±

 Chapter 1505

    Chapter 1505


    Chapter 1505


    Mathew¡¯s eyes flickered nervously while Janine¡¯s face.


    turned pale. They did not expect such sharp insights from Sherry.


    Matthew sat down on the couch and said with furrowed brows, ¡°Sherry, | have to admit that we did you wrong before, but we


    Fowlers aren¡¯t on the same level as the Stocktons. You saw what happened to your sister. | don¡¯t want you to end up like her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my sister. She¡¯s a murderer who tried to kill me. She¡¯s in jail because of attempted murder. It¡¯s not because of the


    Stocktons,¡± Sherry reminded them sternly.


    Although Shannon was deeply carried away by the fame and reputation of being Mrs. Stockton, the direct reason that put her


    behind bars was her attempt on Sherry¡¯s life. Had she not tried to kill Sherry, she would not have ended up in jail.


    Julie and Madam Stockton grew serious when they heard Sherry.


    Julie said, ¡°Mother, | didn¡¯t expect Ms. Fowler to defend us.¡±


    Madam Stockton shared the same thought as well, but after listening to Julie¡¯s words, she put on a frosty expression and


    said, ¡°She¡¯s not defending us. She¡¯s just


    trying to argue with her father.¡±


    Julie pursed her lips.


    Outside the living room, the man leaned on the wall as he continued to eavesdrop.


    Then, Janine said to Matthew, ¡°Cut the nonsense. She''s just a heartless girl! She doesn¡¯t know what''s good for her!¡±


    Good for her?


    Sherry rolled her eyes at Janine.


    ¡°Why did you do that for?¡± Janine noticed her reaction.


    ¡°Nothing much. I¡¯m just disgusted,¡± Sherry said. She scoffed and then asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s disgusting?¡±


    Janine¡¯s face went pale.


    Matthew¡¯s expression shifted as well.


    ¡°Ha...¡± A chuckle sounded from outside the door.


    Sherry¡¯s expression changed as she turned to the entrance, and Matthew and Janine did the same.


    Aman with a slender figure then walked in. A long trench coat hung over his slender body, and a gray scarf wrapped around his


    neck warmly. He softly pushed his golden- framed sses up as he walked in.


    ¡°| hope | am not interrupting anything,¡± he said with a smile.


    Matthew and Janine bolted up and looked at John.


    Matthew stuttered, ¡°N¡ªno. Not at all. It¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t seen Sherry for a long time, so we thought we¡¯d visit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We are here just to visit,¡± Janine echoed.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    John then looked at Sherry. ¡°They are here to visit?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear everything from outside? Why ask the obvious?¡±


    Matthew and Janine¡¯s expressions went pale.


    Matthew nervously said, ¡°Master Stockton, it¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    John smiled and said, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, why don¡¯t you two go back first?¡±


    Matthew and Janine exchanged a quick nce nervously.


    John then walked to Sherry and said to them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can continue to develop in Glenchester. Nothing will change.¡±


    The meaning of his words was obvious¡ªhe would stop Madam Stockton from interfering.


    Matthew¡¯s eyes gleamed with delight. ¡°Thank you, Master Stockton.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. You should thank Sherry,¡± John looked at Sherry deeply. ¡°I agreed to invest in your


    company back then because of her, and | am letting this off the hook because of her as well.¡±

 Chapter 1506

    Chapter 1506


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted, but did not make a noise.


    Both Matthew and Janine reacted poorly and their guilt made them lower their heads together.


    ¡°Though | hope that the two of you won¡¯t appear before Sherry again. Or else I''ll be mad,¡± John said to them with frosty eyes.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    Something must have gotten wrong with the man for defending her in front of her parents.


    Matthew answered immediately, ¡°I understand. We won''t be disturbing Sherry anymore.¡±


    Janine remained awkward and quiet, and when Matthew was done talking, she followed him out of the room.


    The two of them soon disappeared beyond the gates.


    Sherry got up and nned to go back to Caprice.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°You guys shoulde out as well,¡± John said as he looked beyond Sherry.


    Sherry was slightly stunned. She followed his gaze and looked behind her.


    There was only one door dividing the living room and the


    room, and after John¡¯s words subsided, the door opened. Julie and Madam Stockton came out.


    Julie cautiously said, ¡°John, please don¡¯t get mad. It¡¯s not Mother¡¯s fault. | heard Mr. and Mrs. Fowler were looking for Ms.


    Fowler, so | took the liberty of bringing them here.¡±


    Madam Stockton immediately said, ¡°Julie, he heard everything outside. You don¡¯t need to put all the me on yourself.¡± She


    then looked at John, ¡°I brought them here so that they would persuade Sherry to leave you.¡±


    John frowned coldly. ¡°Mother, have you forgotten what I¡¯ve told you the other day?¡± The frostiness on his face was brazen. He


    was truly mad.


    Madam Stockton averted his gaze out of guilt, but soon the anger rushed to her mind. She red at Sherry and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like


    her. | can¡¯t even bear looking at her for another second. If you are not happy about it, just send me away!¡±


    John¡¯s gaze turned cold.


    Julie quickly intervened and said, ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t say that.¡±


    Sherry was beside them as they argued. She did not expect that the mother and son would bicker because of her. Besides, she


    had agreed to marry the man out of contract, so there was no reason for him to be so protective of her.


    ¡°Um, why don¡¯t you guys calm down and talk this out? I''ll excuse myself,¡± Sherry said and was about to escape


    the room.


    An arm grabbed her and pulled her into a strong embrace.


    By the time Sherry realized it, she was already in John¡¯s


    arms.


    John hugged her tightly. She could not break free using her strength alone, so all she could do was stand there stiffly.


    John stared at his mother with curved lips. He smiled warmly and said, ¡°Mother, | wouldn¡¯t dare send you away. Please don¡¯t be


    mad. I''ll tell the maids to pack right away so that Sherry and Caprice can live outside. You don¡¯t have to see them again.¡±


    As soon as his words subsided, he turned around and walked out with Sherry.


    Madam Stockton became anxious hearing his words. She went after her son and said, ¡°John, that¡¯s not what | mean. | want her


    to leave you, not for you to bring Caprice away.¡¯


    John paused his feet and answered coldly, ¡°Caprice and | will go wherever she is. If you want her to leave, Caprice and | will


    leave as well.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s face was thick with grief. ¡°That¡¯s not what | meant!¡±


    John ignored her and brought Sherry to his car.


    The silver MPV then drove off along the main avenue.


    Madam Stockton could not stand there and do nothing: She quickly got into the cart and told the driver to go after John.


    ¡°Drive! Follow them!¡±


    Julie quickly got into the cart as well. Her brows were tightly locked while her eyes were filled with annoyance and jealousy.


    It was quiet inside the car.


    After Sherry was dragged in, her eyes never left the man. His fair skin, handsome looks, and the golden -framed sses that set


    off his elegance... Everything was so characteristic of the man that always gave her a headache.


    Had she not listened to the words herself, she would never have expected John to argue with his mother because of her.

 Chapter 1507

    Chapter 1507


    Chapter 1507


    It was like nine years ago when he ditched his identity as the heir to the Stockton Corporation for her.


    Astrange emotion erupted in her heart.


    Sherry tried to pull her hand away from his grip, but it only got tighter. She looked at him and said in a small voice, ¡°John, she¡¯s


    your mother. You don¡¯t need to talk to her like that because of me.¡±


    He looked at her deeply. ¡°Then, what should | do? Listen to her and chase you out of the house?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what | mean. Just ignore her. We got married because of the contract anyway. | don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Contract? She did not mind? Did she mean she did not


    care about him as well?


    John curved his lips. ¡°Sherry, | am not as heartless as you think. Even though we got married because of the contract, you are


    still my wife. No one is allowed to mistreat you except me.¡±


    He tightened his grip on her hand.


    Sherry felt like her wrist was falling off. She pursed her


    lips but did not answer.


    The car soon stopped in front of the yard.


    Sherry was dragged out of the car.


    The moment he entered the house, he said to the maids,¡± Go pack our clothes and Caprice¡¯s things. We are moving, out


    tonight.¡±


    The maids were stunned for a moment before they quickly went upstairs to start packing


    It was then that Madam Stockton and Julie arrived at the door, and they overhead John telling the maids to pack.


    ¡°John, | really didn¡¯t mean it!¡± Madam Stockton was breathing heavily when she arrived at the door. She red at Sherry and


    then said, ¡°The only one that¡¯s moving is her, not you and Caprice!¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips.


    John¡¯s expression turned frosty. He turned to Jason and said, ¡°You go help too.¡±


    Jason immediately went inside.


    Madam Stockton was furious. She pointed at Sherry and bellowed, ¡°What did she say to you in the car? She must be ndering


    me behind my back again!¡±


    Sherry was dumbfounded.


    John¡¯s frosty expression turned grim. ¡°Mother, do you think they are packing a little too slowly?¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression changed, and she pursed


    her lips helplessly.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    At that point, Queenie came out with Caprice, who was still asleep.


    Queenie asked, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you guys moving out?¡±


    Before John or Sherry could say a word, Madam Stockton cried out in surprise, ¡°Queenie?! What are you doing here?¡±


    Queenie looked at her mother in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m here taking care of Caprice for Sherry and Brother. What''s wrong?¡±


    It was Madam Stockton¡¯s turn to be stunned. She pointed at Sherry and said, ¡°She let you take care of Caprice?¡±


    ¡°I''m Caprice¡¯s aunt, of course, | can take care of her,¡± Queenie said. She sounded bold and confident.


    Madam Stockton locked her brows tightly and then turned around to Julie.


    Julie immediately wore an innocent look on her face as though she, too, had no idea that Sherry had ced Caprice in


    Queenie¡¯s care.


    Madam Stockton then turned back to Sherry with aplex gaze.


    Sherry looked into thedy¡¯s eyes boldly. Although she failed to understand why thedy would size her up with


    such a gaze, she did not back down.


    Madam Stockton went silent.


    She thought, ¡°Is it because she ced Caprice in Queenie¡¯s care, that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t give Caprice to Julie, and Julie failed to


    bring her to me?¡±


    Queenie might have been close with Sherry, but she was one of the Stocktons and her own daughter. If Sherry could put Caprice


    with Queenie, it seemed like she was fine with them being together.


    Judging from Julie''s expression, it seemed like she did not know that Caprice was with Queenie.


    Had she misunderstood Sherry?

 Chapter 1508

    Chapter 1508


    Noticing the awkwardness in the air, Queenie asked, ¡± Mom, Brother, what''s wrong? Did you guys argue?¡±


    John reached out to her. ¡°I''ll carry Caprice.¡±


    His other hand continued to hold onto Sherry¡¯s hand.


    Queenie did not want to leave her adorable niece, but she let go anyway.


    John then nced at Aunt Wanda. ¡°Aunt Wanda, after they are done packing, send the luggage to my car.¡±


    Aunt Wanda nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    John turned around and left with Caprice and Sherry. Madam Stockton said heavily, ¡°It¡¯s my fault! Okay?!¡±


    John stopped.


    Madam Stockton noticed the pause and immediately rushed to the front to exin, ¡°Don¡¯t leave. Sherry doesn¡¯t need to leave


    anymore. | won¡¯t chase her away again. Is that okay?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    John¡¯s gaze softened. He looked at Sherry. ¡°Do you want to stay or leave?¡±


    Madam Stockton looked at Sherry as well.


    Sherry pursed her lips as she found herself at a crossroads.


    Of course, she wanted to leave the nonsense behind and live with Caprice in a quiet ce, but when she saw the anticipation in


    Madam Stockton¡¯s eyes and Queenie¡¯s eagerness, she knew that the two of them did not want John or Caprice to leave.


    Besides, she did not n on staying for long either, and if John had a fallout with his mother because of her, things would end


    badly.


    Sherry said, ¡°I''ll stay.¡±


    John¡¯s gaze shifted.


    Madam Stockton sighed a breath of relief. She looked at Sherry differently after the answer as if she was d that Sherry made


    the better choice.


    ¡°Yay!¡± Queenie squealed happily. Her sharp squeal woke Caprice.


    The girl opened her eyes with furrowed brows.


    John immediately nced at his sister.


    Queenie nervously covered her mouth with her hands.


    Madam Stockton went up to the girl and stared at her adorable face with utmost infatuation. She wanted to


    hold her granddaughter, but John denied her.


    ¡°Mother, you''re tired already. Why don¡¯t you go back and rest?¡± He sounded cold. He was obviously still holding a grudge against


    his mother for trying to chase Sherry out


    of the house.


    Madam Stockton knew his son¡¯s temper well enough. She nodded and said, ¡°I''ll go now. You and Caprice should rest early too.¡±


    John curved his lips. ¡°We know.¡±


    Madam Stockton gazed into Caprice¡¯s eyes deeply before she left.


    After Madam Stockton left, Julie came over. ¡°John, | didn¡¯t handle the matter well. | should have talked Mother out of it.¡±


    John answered coldly, ¡°Just go back.¡±


    Julie puckered her lips as she turned around with a sour look.


    He then headed into the house with Caprice and Sherry.


    Queenie wanted to follow them inside, but John stopped her as well.


    ¡°You. Go back.¡±


    Queenie pouted. She looked at Sherry pitifully.


    Sherry then said, ¡°It¡¯s dinner time soon. Queenie will be alone even if she goes back. Why don¡¯t we have her over for dinner?¡±


    John looked at her.


    Sherry smiled back.


    John curved his lips and said, ¡°Fine.¡±


    Queenie widened her lips into a grin. She said, ¡°Brother, can I y with Caprice for a little longer?¡±


    John then put Caprice in her arms, and she brought Caprice back to the room.


    Sherry still could not wrap her head around what just happened. She did not expect the man to be so easygoing this time. She


    thought he would deny Queenie¡¯s request.


    In addition to his leniency, he even defended her against Matthew and Janine and dealt with Madam Stockton once and for all.


    Everything the man did today was out of the blue.

 Chapter 1509

    Chapter 1509


    She thought he hated her.


    If so, why would he treat her like this?


    Was it because she became his wife?


    Then, she realized he was still holding her hand. She tugged it and said in a small voice, ¡°No one is here anymore. You can let


    go of my hand now.¡±


    John looked down at her hand. He loosened his grip but did not fully release her. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.


    The ticklish feeling caused Sherry to pull her hand back immediately.


    John curved his lips. ¡°Soft hands.¡±


    Sherry yfully red at him. ¡°Sure, my hands are softpared to yours.*


    The moment her words subsided, she felt a warm sensation across her face as he stroked her face.


    Sherry widened her eyes at him.


    The man curved his lips wider into an enchanting smile and said, ¡°Indeed, they¡¯re quite soft.¡±


    Sherry was left speechless. She choked on her


    embarrassment. Out of instinct, she raised her hand and


    moved towards his face.


    To her surprise, he did not move or dodge.


    Her hand touched his face, and it left her stunned.


    He did not dodge? He did not try to catch her hand?


    However, since she already had her hand on his face, it was even more embarrassing to just take it back. Her expression


    changed as she softly pinched the man¡¯s cheek.


    She quickly retracted her hand and said with a raised brow, ¡°Rough.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes dangerously.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°I''ll go have a look at Caprice.¡±


    With those words, she strode inside as if she was escaping


    a monster.


    John watched her as he softly touched his cheek, where she pinched him, and grinned.


    Madam Stockton continued to sulk in her room after she


    returned home.


    It was Julie who talked to her and persuaded her to have dinner.


    However, she only took a few spoons before losing her


    appetitepletely.


    Worried, Julie looked at her and said, ¡°Mother, you must at least fill your stomach. Why don¡¯t you eat a little more?¡±


    ¡°| lost my appetite. | don¡¯t want to eat.¡±


    Madam Stockton wiped her mouth with the towel. She looked rather tired under the lights, seemingly troubled by her own


    thoughts.


    Julie continued, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s over. John is not moving out, so why not just let it go?¡±


    Madam Stockton sighed. She looked at Julie and said, Julie, was | wrong? Calling her parents to persuade her to leave John...¡±


    Julie immediately said, ¡°Mother, you are doing this for John. We just did not expect John to treat Ms. Fowler this well.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! He must have fallen under her spell,¡± Madam Stockton grumbled.


    Julie sighed. ¡°Ms. Fowler is beautiful and is now the influential figure at the Sagers. She¡¯s capable, and it''s only natural that John


    would fall for her.¡±


    Madam Stockton scoffed. ¡°Capable? She¡¯s a vixen! God knows how she got her current position at the Sagers.¡±


    ¡°Mother, please don¡¯t say that. Maybe she¡¯s really


    (Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    capable.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s capable, why is she at our house? She¡¯s trying to get her ws into John!¡±


    Julie ran out of words to continue, so she pursed her lips silently.


    In the next moment, a clear voice came from outside the door.


    ¡°Mom, Sherry isn¡¯t who you think she is. She married Brother because of Caprice.¡±


    It was Queenie who had spoken.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression changed and she red at her daughter. ¡°How do you know she did it for Caprice? Did she tell


    you that?¡±


    ¡°| can tell even if she doesn¡¯t speak a word. If she wants to get close to Brother, she wouldn''t have tried to escape three years


    ago,¡± Queenie said as she protruded her lips.


    The incident from three years ago left Madam Stockton speechless.


    Julie then said to Queenie, ¡°Queenie, Mother is not in the mood right now. Don¡¯t talk to her about that.¡±


    ¡°Julie, | Know she¡¯s not in the mood, but it was her who started it first. She¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Madam Stockton red at the girl. ¡°You little rascal, what did you say?!¡±

 Chapter 1510

    Chapter 1510


    Julie¡¯s eyes gleamed but she said, ¡°Mother, please calm down. That¡¯s not what Queenie meant.¡±


    Madam Stockton was furious. ¡°If that¡¯s not what she


    means, then what does it mean? She¡¯s like her brother. They¡¯ve been enchanted by that woman!¡±


    Queenie furrowed her brows. She was not here to argue with her mother. She was here to try to exin the


    situation.


    Sherry came back after all these years, and her brother finally regained his smile, so she really hoped that nothing would happen


    to the family again.


    She took a deep breath and sat down beside her mother. She held her mother¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Mom, | know I¡¯m not smart, but


    Brother is a smart man. How could he be enchanted by Sherry that easily?¡±


    It was the first time Madam Stockton heard her daughterforting her. The surprise somehow calmed her down.


    Queenie noticed her mother calming down, so she continued, ¡°Mom, Brother and Sherry are already married, so just stop trying


    to break them up. Okay?¡±


    Madam Stockton frowned. Even though she disliked Sherry, John protected her well, and it rendered her


    helpless. She nced at Queenie and said, ¡°I know. | don¡¯t need a little rascal like you to remind me.¡±


    Queenie curved her lips into a bright smile.


    Madam Stockton finally smiled when she saw the girl trying to please her with all kinds of ttery.


    Julie captured their little interaction with her sharp gaze and it somehow turned cold.


    Fools!


    A bunch of fools!


    Back at Sherry and John¡¯s ce, Sherry and Caprice went to the room to y after dinner.


    Maybe because the girl had too much fun during the day, she rarely moved despite being awake.


    Sherry sat beside her and read her stories.


    Caprice was captivated by the stories and she even asked questions from time to time. Sherry answered every question


    wholeheartedly.


    The girl finally fell asleep around midnight and she leaned into her mother¡¯s arms.


    John had not yete over.


    Asudden thought rushed into her mind, driving her to carry Caprice into her room and locking it.


    The lights were switched off, and she quickly went to bed with the little girl. The baby scent on the girl easily put her to sleep after


    awhile.


    It was then that the man¡¯s slender figure came out from the study room.


    When he walked past Caprice¡¯s room, he noticed that there was no one inside. His gaze slightly shifted. He then headed to


    Sherry¡¯s room, but the door was closed.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He put his hand on the handle, but it was locked from the


    inside.


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    The woman must have locked herself inside to sleep with Caprice.


    Agrin appeared on the man¡¯s face as he turned around to the other room.


    When Sherry opened her eyes the next day, she saw the man on the bed, who was but one Caprice away from her. Her eyes


    widened immediately as she sat up.


    The man did not have his sses on, and his bewitching gaze locked onto her.


    ¡°Morning,¡± he said deeply.


    Sherry looked at him. ¡°How did you get in?¡±


    ¡°| walked in.¡±


    Sherry looked at the door. It was still locked, and the drawer that she had moved behind the door to prevent him froming in


    was still there.


    How did the mane in? Did he phase through the wall?


    Sherry frowned at him. ¡°Where did youe in from?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a guess?¡±

 Chapter 1511

    Chapter 1511


    Sherry rolled her eyes and immediately jabbed her legs in John¡¯s direction. ¡°Get off the bed!¡±


    John took the full brunt of the blow as he did not see iting.


    Despite that, he remained on the bed, barely budged from the blow.


    Sherry tried to kick him again.


    That was a mistake. As soon as she kicked her legs out, John grabbed her by the ankles.


    She red at him and screamed, ¡°Let go!¡±


    She suddenly realized that her extended leg was hovering over Caprice¡¯s body. It was a difficult position to be in because if she


    made any further sudden movements, she might identally hurt Caprice.


    John scoffed and suddenly drew his hands up her ankles and held her by her entire calf, his cold fingers grazed over the soles of


    her foot which made her shudder.


    Sherry shivered from the touch and tried to jerk her feet back without hurting Caprice in the process.


    She was not strong enough to overpower John.


    John seemed to be humored by the situation they found


    themselves in. ¡°Sherry, your foot is pretty soft.¡±


    Sherry blushed at this remark and red at him.


    Just when she thought he had finally had enough of teasing her, his fingertips suddenly navigated to the base of her feet again


    and began tickling her.


    Sherry nearly screamed!


    She could not stopughing from the itch and tried topose herself while pleading with him, ¡°Ah... haha... you b*stard! Ha...


    let me go! I''ll beat you up!¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± John chuckled at how flustered she had be. He seemed like he was having a lot of fun.


    Sherry was so flustered as she was furious, and kicked her other leg out at John.


    She identally grazed Caprice while doing so.


    The girl groaned in the middle of her sleep and began to ruffle about.


    John immediately stopped as if he had turned to stone.


    Sherry froze as well, then quickly took advantage of John¡¯spse of attention and drew her feet back.


    Silence enveloped the room.


    Caprice did not make any other sound other than a sleepy groan as she continued sleeping soundly.


    Sherry heaved a sigh of relief, then came a rush of anger


    that went up to the top of her head.


    She wore an ugly scowl and looked viciously at the man who wasying carefree as he could be on the other side of the bed.


    The culprit met her gaze and asked with a self-satisfied smirk, ¡°What''s wrong? Something wrong with your eye?¡±


    Sherry seemed like she was trying to bore holes into him with the sheer intensity of her gaze.


    She suddenly smiled upon hearing John¡¯s taunt and remarked with a hint of spite, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s strange, but every time | see you, |


    feel my eyes tingling!¡±


    As soon as she said that, she shot up from her side of the bed and flung herself as hard as she could directly on top of John.


    Asudden look of panic immediately engulfed John¡¯s eyes that was still marked with amusement only a second ago.


    Before he could react, Sherry smashed against his body with all her weight.


    ¡°Hngh!¡± He let out a muffled cry.


    Sherry looked at him and said sarcastically, ¡°Oh, sorry, | think | might have lost my bnce back there, it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±


    ¡°Heh...¡±


    John chuckled grimly.


    Sherry was preparing to pull herself out of bed.


    Not so fast! John took her by her waist and pulled her back on top of him.


    He smiled. ¡°Don''t worry about it, | won¡¯t get upset about you throwing yourself into my arms first thing in the morning.¡±


    Sherry chuckled dryly and tried to wring herself free.


    No matter how hard she struggled, she could not pull away from his stubborn arms.


    Hisrge arms chained her down like titanium shackles, and she was not leaving anytime soon.


    Sherry began to panic as she grabbed the edge of the bed and tried to fling herself off the bed, disregarding her safety.


    John was rmed by this but refused to let go. The momentum of the pull tore both of them off the bed and sent them spiraling


    onto the floor.


    Another loud crash followed after that.


    Sherry crashed to the ground, followed by John falling on top of her.


    She took the full brunt of the hit. It was a miracle that she did not pass out.


    It was all thanks to John cushioning the back of her headThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    with his hand moments before the impact, otherwise, she


    would have been knocked out cold when she hit the


    ground.


    When sheposed herself from the shock, she cried out, ¡°John, you b*stard, get off of me!¡±


    He only smiled mischievously and said, ¡°Look who¡¯s the one getting all nasty with me, aren¡¯t you the one who threw us off the


    bed?¡±

 Chapter 1512

    Chapter 1512


    Sherry screwed her brows together in frustration. ¡°You''re the one who got tangled up with me first! We wouldn''t fall if you didn¡¯t


    do that in the first ce!¡¯


    ¡°So you''re saying that you¡¯re the one who caused us to fall.¡±


    Sherry was in no mood for this childish bickering, especially when they were still lying on the cold hard ground. She asked


    snappily, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    John stated curtly, ¡°You have topensate for the emotional damage you''ve caused me.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes.


    She was the one who nearly had the wind knocked out of her, and yet this man was the one who was going to demand her to


    make things right with him for the


    emotional damage she caused?


    What choice did she have? This was his territory, so she could not have her way.


    There was no use trying to speak some sense into him.


    She had to make somepromises to get this over with for good. ¡°State a number, how much do you want from me?¡±


    John scoffed. ¡°Do you think | need money?¡±


    Sherry gnashed her teeth and asked, ¡°Then how do you expect me topensate you?¡±


    John smirked. ¡°Close your eyes.¡¯


    Sherry was puzzled by this. ¡°What do you mean close my eyes?¡±


    John said nkly, ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you''re staring at me.¡±


    Sherry felt like she was going to foam at her mouth any second now. She rolled her eyes and said with disdain, ¡°I won¡¯t stare at


    you, you happy now?¡±


    John only smiled and pinched her cheeks. ¡°No, you have to close your eyes right now, or else you''re stuck here forever with me.¡±


    He would not yield, and Sherry had no choice but to close her eyes.


    After not hearing another word from him, she asked


    impatiently, ¡°Alright, tell me what you want with me now


    Before she could utter another word, her lips were sealed with a kiss.


    Her lips were smothered entirely inside his.


    Sherry was bewildered.


    What was this man doing?


    What was this about? Why was he kissing her?


    She thought he hated her? There was not a hint of affection between them!


    Sherry snapped her eyes wide open only to see John with his eyes closed as he was wholly immersed in the kiss the two of


    them were sharing.


    For a moment, she could feel her strength slowly being sapped out of her.


    The rational part of her mind forced her to take action, so she shoved against him.


    The man withdrew from her, and she was free atst.


    He looked at her with a smug smile on his face. It seemed like he was very satisfied with thispensation he received.


    Sherry snapped at him. ¡°You b*stard, why did you kiss me?!¡±


    They only got married for Caprice¡¯s sake!


    Besides, he was the one who stated on countless asions that he no longer had any interest in her!


    John remarked smugly, ¡°You should be honored that I''d grace you with a kiss.¡±


    4


    Sherry was bbergasted by this.


    He doubled down. ¡°Consider the kiss a little present from me.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    How was she supposed to respond to this??


    Before she could say anything, John picked himself up from the ground.


    Just as he was about to rise from the ground, he turned stiff.


    Sherry froze like a piece of sculpture as well.


    Caprice had woken up at some point. She poked her head over the edge of the bed and was staring at the two of them, herrge


    eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    When she noticed them staring at her, she asked innocently, ¡°Mommy, Daddy, what are you two doing?¡±


    John made a look and turned to Sherry.


    Sherry returned the same urgent look at him. Her eyes said, say something!


    John rose and took Caprice into his arms. ¡°No, we weren''t doing anything specifically.¡±


    Caprice stared at him intently. ¡°But | saw you two kissing.¡±


    John was speechless.


    Sherry sat up from the ground, her cheeks burning red.


    She stole a nce at John.


    John took a deep breath and muttered, ¡°It was just a quick kiss, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Caprice continued to press them, ¡°Then why are you two kissing on the ground?¡±


    John jumped at the chance. ¡°It was Mommy who dragged me off the bed.¡±

 Chapter 1513

    Chapter 1513


    What? Sherry did a double-take and looked sharply at John.


    John made sure to avoid her gaze as he proceeded to take Caprice in his arms and walked out of the


    room.


    Sherry felt like she was going to hyperventte from the sheer rage she felt


    If Caprice was not here, she was going to send John to the gates of hell!


    After breakfast, John took Caprice to the office.


    Sherry had to work as well so they dropped her off at an office tower on the way to the Stockton Tower They rented a unit in the


    office tower to serve as a temporary office for Sherry.


    The main reason for her return to nchester was to reunite with Caprice, but aside from that, she was also entrusted with the


    task of overseeing the coboration between the Sager Corporation and Stockton Corporation.


    Even though John was endlessly a thorn in her side when it came to Caprice, he did not let it get in the way of their professional


    liaisons.


    When Sherry arrived at their office, one of her employees was already in the middle of a meeting with a senior executive of the


    Stockton Corporation.


    She went to her desk.


    First, she had a video conference with some members of the Stockton Corporation. After they wrapped up the video conference,


    she summoned the previous employee to her office where they conducted another brief meeting.


    The morning passed in the blink of an eye.


    She finally had time to herselfe lunchtime. She promptly sent a message to John. ¡°Have you and Caprice had lunch yet?¡±


    John replied, ¡°I¡¯m eating right now.¡±


    Sherry considered for a moment, then she went ahead and took a selfie of her eating and sent it to him, followed by another


    message, ¡°What are you guys eating? Show me.¡±


    Shortly after that, she received a picture of the meal John was eating with Caprice. Two trays of food wereid out against the


    table, one was an adult¡¯s portion while the other was a children¡¯s portion.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The only thing of note in the picture was the food. Caprice was nowhere to be seen.


    Sherry scowled at this but made no furtherment.


    Forget it, she could see Caprice after she finished up her work around the evening. She was not in any


    rush to see her.


    After she finished eating, she turned her attention back to theputer and delved into her endless


    tasks.


    Meanwhile, inside the Stockton Tower which was only further down the street from Sherry¡¯s office


    Inside John¡¯s office.


    He was having lunch with Caprice at his dining desk.


    The child was taking her time with her meal.


    John was taking his time as well but he would nce at his phone periodically.


    Why was the woman not replying to his message? Was she busy?


    ¡°Daddy, has Mommy eaten?¡± Caprice asked out of nowhere.


    John was in an irritated mood and said crossly, ¡°Eat.¡±


    From the picture she sent him, it seemed like she was only eating regr takeout. Still, it did seem like she enjoyed the food


    judging by her expression.


    After a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°Caprice, do you miss Mommy?¡±


    Caprice nodded.


    He said tenderly, ¡°Take a nap after you eat. Daddy will take you to see Mommy after you wake up. Sounds like a n?¡±


    Caprice smiled brightly. ¡°Okay!¡±


    Sherry¡¯s office.


    After she wrapped up all the important tasks at hand, it was already four p.m. in the afternoon.


    She packed up and slung her bag against her shoulder. She was going to go see Caprice.


    Unexpectedly, she met a familiar figure stepping in as soon as she headed for the door.


    It was Carl. He had a pair of sunsses on and sported a bright red shirt thatmanded attention. It was impossible to not


    notice him leaning against the doorway.


    Sherry was startled. ¡°Carl, what brought you here?¡±


    Carl took off his sunsses and said with a wink, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough fun here and I¡¯m going home. | figured I''de and say


    goodbye.¡±


    Only then did Sherry notice that he was carrying arge backpack with him.


    She smiled and bid him farewell. ¡°Goodbye, have a safe trip home.¡±


    It was a good thing that he was heading back home. Things were getting heated at Sager Corporation¡¯s headquarters without


    him around, so he could help ease some burden off Madam Sager with his return.


    Carl seemed wounded by this. ¡°Sherry, have you been waiting for me to leave this entire time?¡±


    Sherry responded swiftly, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Carl frowned upon hearing this. ¡°Geez, you''re so cruel.¡±


    Sherry ignored him and prepared to walk past him.


    Carl suddenly perked up and approached her. He put a hand out and said with a serious tone that was rather uncharacteristic for


    him, ¡°Come on, why don¡¯t you give me onest hug? Think of it as a way to send me off in peace.¡±

 Chapter 1514

    Chapter 1514


    Sherry was taken aback by this request.


    She walked up to Cart and pped her hands against his, producing a clear smack, then she said


    sincerely. ¡°Send me a message when you get home. | have other errands to get to, | won¡¯t be sending you


    off


    With that, she walked past him.


    Carl grimaced and sighed. ¡°What a heartless woman.¡±


    Sherry ignored him and continued pressing forward. She had only taken several steps when she noticed two figures approaching


    her.


    One was a tall man in a white shirt.


    In his arm was Caprice. She was scanning her surroundings with childlike curiosity and the moment she noticed Sherry


    approaching, she cried out at the top of her voice, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sherry lit up the moment she saw Caprice. She hurriedly walked up to them and promptly took Caprice from John¡¯s arm while


    asking, ¡°What brought you two here?¡±


    John smiled and mentioned, ¡°Caprice said she missed you, so | figured I¡¯d bring her over to see you.¡±


    Midway through his sentence, he darted a nce behind Sherry.


    Carl was approaching them with a smug smile on his face. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Master Stockton! Good evening.¡±


    John greeted him with a courteous smile, ¡°Master Carl, are you leaving already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Carl said as he threw a nce at Sherry, ¡°I have a flight to catch. I¡¯ll be seeing you two.¡±


    John stepped to the side to make way for Carl.


    Carl threw his backpack over his shoulder and strode outside.


    Sherry nced at Carl hastily exiting the scene like a criminal. She waited until he was out of earshot before turning back to


    John. ¡°When did you two get here?¡±


    John informed, ¡°A short while ago, we were just a littleter than Carl.¡±


    Could this mean that he overheard her conversation with Carl back there?


    Oh well, Sherry could not care less as she knew what things were like between Carl and herself.


    With that, she gestured. ¡°I finished up here as well, let¡¯s go.¡±


    John made a look and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    It was still rather early, and Caprice did not want to head home just yet.


    Sherry offered to take her to the yground to spend the evening.


    Before John could offer any opinion, the little girl cried out gleefully, ¡°Okay!¡±


    So, the two of thern took Caprice to a private yground and spent the evening there.


    It was already dark by the time they left the yground.


    Sherry carried Caprice in her arms and followed John to a private restaurant they frequented from time to


    time.


    Since John was a regr, the owner recognized him at first nce.


    As soon as Sherry entered with John, the owner greeted them warmly, ¡°Young Master Stockton, Madam Stockton! Please,e


    inside.¡±


    Madam Stockton?


    Sherry frowned and tried to correct him, but not before she suddenly remembered that they were indeed husband and wife and


    decided against doing so.


    Caprice was not a picky eater and ate whatever was put on her te.


    They finished their meal shortly after.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice immediately began to feel sleepy after eating as her exhaustion from ying had finally caught up to her. It did not take


    long before she fell asleep in Sherry¡¯s arms.


    Sherry was again enchanted by Caprice¡¯s adorable and peaceful look when she was sleeping and nted several kisses on her


    cheeks.


    She turned up and immediately met a sinister gaze boring down on her.


    John was staring at her intently.


    She asked grumpily, ¡°What?¡±


    He responded with a simr harshness, ¡°Did you even wipe your mouth after eating?¡±


    Was he upset because he thought she kissed Caprice with her lips still grimy from the food they ate?


    She answered crossly, ¡°I did, do | look like a child to you?¡±


    ¡°Then why are your lips still greasy?¡± He frowned and seemed repulsed.


    Sherry was taken aback by this. ¡°What? Howe | can¡¯t feel any greasiness?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something stuck to the corner of your lips.¡± John pointed out.


    Sherry wanted to get a mirror from her bag to take a better look, but her bag was next to John. It was hard for her to reach for the


    bag with Caprice in her arms.

 Chapter 1515

    Chapter 1515


    Sherry turned to John. ¡°Hey, hand me the mirror in my bag.¡±


    Instead of retrieving her bag for her, John extracted a neatly folded gray handkerchief from his pocket. ¡°Come closer,¡± he said.


    It looked like he wanted to wipe her mouth for her.


    Sherry hesitated but still ended up leaning toward him.


    Moments before the handkerchief grazed against her lips, John quickly withdrew it and brought his lips toward hers instead.


    Immediately after that, Sherry felt a warm sensation around her lips.


    He kissed her.


    Sherry was bewildered by this.


    John sat back and tucked the handkerchief back into his pocket, then he folded his arms across her chest, and leaned against


    the back of the seat. It looked like he was very satisfied with the maneuver he had just pulled.


    It took a long time for Sherry to rpose herself. She turned to John with her cheeks still flushing red.¡± You b*stard, | thought


    you were going to wipe my mouth for me, why did you kiss me?¡±


    John nced at her disinterestedly and quipped, ¡°The way you pointed your lips at me just now made it seem like you wanted


    me to kiss you, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    What was this man talking about?!


    She only stuck her lips out so he would wipe them for her!


    It was clear as day that the scumbag was only trying to take advantage of her! She was sure that there was not a single spot of


    grease on her lips to begin with. It was all a trick!


    She red at him angrily.


    She would have unleashed her wrath right here and now if not for Caprice sleeping soundly next to them! After that, the driver


    took them back to the house. The car stopped in front of the courtyard.


    Sherry got out of the car with Caprice in her arms. She trotted inside without sparing a nce at John.


    As soon as she stepped into the living room, she met Madam Stockton, Julie, and Queenie seated together on the couch and


    merrily chatting away about something.


    The moment Madam Stockton noticed Sherry returning with Caprice still in her arms, she got up and approached Sherry.


    Julie and Queenie followed after.


    Madam Stockton looked at the sleeping Caprice and asked with her voice filled with displeasure, ¡°What time is it? Why is she


    asleep already? Where did you take her to?¡±


    Sherry wanted to tell her off. She was Caprice¡¯s mother, so what was wrong with her taking Caprice outside to y?


    ¡°We took her to the yground then we went to get dinner. Do you have any problem with that?¡±


    Someone had spoken the exact things Sherry had in mind. It was John who uttered those words.


    Madam Stockton seemed intimidated by John, evident by how she quickly altered her tone. ¡°No, | don¡¯t have any problem with


    that. | was just wondering why Caprice fell asleep so much earlier than usual and got worried.¡±


    Julie chimed in. ¡°Yeah, we''re just worried about little Caprice, she¡¯s usually up and running around at this


    hour.¡±


    John walked up to Sherry and casually hooked his arm around Sherry¡¯s shoulder. He said with a sharp look in his eyes, ¡°We''re


    going to catch some rest. You girls should settle in for the night too if you don¡¯t have anything else to add.¡±


    Julie grimaced.


    Madam Stockton frowned and was visibly upset. She had not even had a chance to hug her precious granddaughter!


    Queenie spoke up, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s Saturday tomorrow, are you going to be at home or are you taking Caprice


    somewhere?¡±


    John answered, ¡°I''ll decide tomorrow.¡±


    Queenie nodded.


    Now, it was Julie who decided to call it for the day. ¡°Mom, Queenie, let¡¯s go. We shouldn¡¯t disturb John and Sherry, they need


    some rest.¡±


    ¡®Just who does Sherry think she is to act all high and mighty in my house?!¡¯ Madam Stockton wanted to scream right then and


    there, but it was only manifested in the form of an aggressive look at Sherry before she stomped off.


    Julie hurriedly followed her.


    Queenie took the time to excuse herself. ¡°Goodnight, Sherry.¡±


    Sherry smiled and said, ¡°I''ll let you know if we take Caprice out tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha,¡± Queenie said with a smile.


    After Queenie left, a dark look came upon Sherry.


    She knew that Madam Stockton was still not fond of her. As far as Madam Stockton was concerned,


    Sherry was an eyesore.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Still, it did not matter as she did not n to stick around for too much longer.


    She breathed a sigh of relief when she considered this, then she retreated to her room with Caprice.


    Suddenly, John called after her out of nowhere and said in a gentle,forting voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about


    what


    my mother tells you. If she picks on you when I¡¯m not around, don¡¯t just silently take it. Grab a phone and call me.¡±

 Chapter 1516

    Chapter 1516


    Sherry scrambled for a response. When she turned around, John was staring at her intently with a gentle glow in his eyes.


    She felt a well of uncertain emotions and ended up telling him, ¡°I know, | won''t just let myself get pushed around.¡±


    She did not need him to look out for her.


    John suddenly grew morose and said, ¡°Alright, good to know. Take Caprice back to your room. We''ll see if something good


    happens tomorrow.¡±


    Something good tomorrow?


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Sherry¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    John made a strange look.


    As if to say: Wouldn''t you like to know?


    Sherry made a look, then she swung around and went back to her room with Caprice.


    John chuckled to himself and went to his room as well.


    The first thing Sherry did was to help Caprice settle in for the night. With Aunt Wanda¡¯s help, they helped Caprice wash up and


    changed her into a set of clean pajamas.


    Then, she took Caprice to bed.


    Caprice fell asleep again the moment her headnded against the pillow. Meanwhile, Sherry went to the shower, it was her turn


    to clean herself up.


    After she came out of the shower, she changed into a set of pajamas and dried her hair before she returned to the bedroom.


    She stepped out of the shower to meet John lyingzily on her bed in a set of pajamas. Hey next to Caprice and held a book


    in hand.


    He looked very cozy lying on the bed and acted as if it was his bed.


    Sherry frowned disapprovingly and asked, ¡°Who said you coulde in here? Get out of bed and go back to your room. | want


    to sleep.¡±


    John merely peered at her. ¡°Sherry, this is my house. | can sleep wherever | want. If you¡¯re not happy with me being here, the


    door is right there.¡±


    Sherry nearly went nk with rage. She could not parry with a counter¡ªargument although this room was rightfully hers.


    ¡°Either | sleep with you and Caprice here, or else I''ll take Caprice back to my room while you stay here.¡± John smiled coyly. ¡°The


    choice is yours.¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath and walked to the other edge of the bed. She climbed in without a word and gentlyy down next to


    Caprice.


    The room was engulfed in silence.


    John directed his attention back to his book, hardly sparing a nce in Sherry¡¯s direction.


    This time, it was Sherry who was stealing nces at him.


    The past two nights, he would only join her in the bed after she had fallen asleep. Tonight, with him being here while she was still


    awake, she realized she had trouble falling asleep.


    She tossed and turned in bed until midnight.


    She suddenly broke the silence and said, ¡°Hey, Young Master Stockton, would you mind going back to your room first and only


    coming back here after | fall asleep?¡±


    John looked at her, and a hint of irritation shed past his eyes.


    Sherry suddenly grinned and said tteringly, ¡°The magnificent radiance emitted from your noble self is too blinding, | can¡¯t fall


    asleep like this ¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°Heh... Do you need my help in falling asleep?¡±


    What sort of help?


    Sherry asked suspiciously, ¡°How can you help me?¡±


    John set the book aside and gestured for her to approach. ¡°First, you need toe over here.¡±


    Sherry was immediately rmed by this approach. She immediately turned around to face the other side of the bed and wrapped


    the quilt tightly and protectively around her body.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He had already tricked her once back in the car, so it was not going to happen again! She was not to be taken advantage of!


    John smiled, took off his sses, and set them on the nightstand. Then, he flicked a switch to turn off the lights in the room.


    The room immediately descended into a thick sheet of darkness.


    Sherry could hear the soft ruffle of the bedsheets when Johny against the bed and after that, remote


    silence.


    Surely he would not try anything weird, right?


    If he was going to do something, he would have done it sometime during thest two nights when she was asleep.


    She told herself to stop worrying. Before long, she had drifted off to sleep.


    Unbeknownst to her, the manying on the other side of the bed was staring at the ceiling, his eyes wide open without the


    slightest hint of sleep within them. He seemed slightly flustered as if there was something deeply bothering him.


    At one point, Sherry woke up naturally, it was already daytime.


    She realized that she was the only one left in the room.

 Chapter 1517

    Chapter 1517


    Chapter 1517


    John and Caprice were nowhere to be seen. They must have left.


    She was just about to pluck herself out of bed when she heard a stampede of footsteps approaching. She heard a sweet familiar crying from outside her


    room. "Good morning, rise and shine, Aunt Sherryl¡± "Rise and shine, the sunlight is going to burn your butt if you don''t wake up!" Another voice chimed in. It was


    the voice of a child.


    Sherry was caught off guard


    Such familiar voices, could it be Isabel and Flint?


    Thump!


    She hopped out of bed and sprang out of the room without bothering to put her slippers on


    In the living room were John and Odell sitting at the tea table and having a conversation


    Liam was finicking some toys in the corner of the living room. At one point, Caprice joined him and stared at him in awe.


    After waking up Sherry, Isabel and Flint returned to Queenie¡¯s side and continued ying with her.


    Sylvia was the only one next to the door when Sherry flung it openOriginal content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The two immediately made eye contact.


    "Sylvia!" Sherry threw herself in Sylvia¡¯s arms the moment she saw her.


    So this was what John was talking about when he was being all mysteriousst night.


    It was certainly a wonderful surprise!


    It took a while before she was finally willing to let go of Sylvia as she eximed with joy, "Sylvia, | miss you so much!"


    Sylvia teased her. "President Sherry, if you miss me so much, why didn¡¯t youe to pay me a visit?"


    Sherry shrunk with guilt upon hearing this. "| wasn''t trying to avoid you. | just haven¡¯t had time to get to it yet, and there¡¯s so


    much going on."


    Sylvia gave her a suspicious look.


    "Sylvia, | was wrong. | promise to never hide anything from you again."


    She was going to pay her a visit at Westchester so they could talk face to face, but Sylvia and Odell just happened to be out of


    town at the time. After that, there was a string of events at Manchester and so she never managed to get around to it.


    Sylvia smiled and forgave her. "| get it. Come on, go wash up." "Alright, give me a second." Sherry pranced into the bathroom.


    Sylvia peeked into the room.


    Her room seemed more cozy and homelypared to her previous living situation when she was with John. There were even


    some adorable plushies at the head of the bed.


    It seemed like Sherry was doing much better these days.


    Sylvia wasforted to see this. She remained by the door and waited for Sherry.


    Meanwhile, things were only getting livelier in the living room.


    Isabel was cuddled up with Queenie as they watched a tv show together. Flint was not interested in the show so it did not take


    long before he decided to crawl toward Caprice and join in on the fun.


    Caprice was still intently staring at Liam ying with his toy, and she barely acknowledged Flint''s presence.


    Then, Flint went to Odell and John. He mumbled something incoherent, which earned him a warm smile from John who patted


    his head gently.


    Shortly after that, Odell sent Flint away to y with his siblings.


    Flint sighed and went away. This time, he waddled up to Syivia and wrapped himself around her thigh. The boy demanded attention from his mother.


    Sylvia smiled charmingly and asked him, "Flint, why aren''t you ying with your brothers and sisters?¡±


    Flint muttered, "I want Mommy."


    Sylvia knew exactly what was on her child''s mind. He must be bored out of his mind since his siblings did not want to y with him, which led him to her in the


    end


    She did not point this out


    Shortly after that, they heard brisk footsteps approaching.


    Sherry had freshened up and changed into a nice outfit.


    Flint immediatelyplimented her, "Wow, Aunt Sherry, pretty!¡±


    Sherry swiftly took Flint into her arms and smooched him on the cheeks.¡± Flint, you have a sweet tonguel You sure are learning fast!¡±


    Flint grinned. "Hehe"


    He was adorable.


    Sherry immediately nted a few more kisses on his cheeks, rewarding him for hispliments.

 Chapter 1518

    Chapter 1518


    With that, Sherry and Sylvia brought Flint to the living room,


    When Isabel and Queenie noticed them approaching, they set the tablet aside. Odell and John simrly set down their teacups and tured to the pair of mothers


    Liam was still busy fiddling with his toys intently, with Caprice still staring at him.


    John called out to Caprice to get her attention, "Caprice."


    Caprice seemed like she was finally pulled out of a trance. She turned to John with a dazed look in her eyes.


    John smiled at her. "Come to Daddy.¡±


    Caprice suddenly tuned away from him and went back to staring at Liam.


    John was speechless.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He rose from his seat and went to get Caprice.


    Odell, who was seated across from John, rose as well, and he went to Liam.


    "Come on, Liam, we''re going out. Take Caprice with you."


    He said in a solemn voice.


    Only then did Liam direct his attention away from his toys and met Caprice''s bright and reflective eyes.


    There was not even a ripple of emotion on his face as he quietly set down the toy and put a hand out toward Caprice.


    Caprice was overjoyed and immediately took Liam''s hands.


    Liam led her outside.


    Odell cracked a smile, then he turned to John. "Isabel and Liam help take care of Flint most of the time so you don''t have to


    worry. I''m sure he''ll take good care of Caprice."


    John smiled pleasantly. "I''ll leave it to Liam then."


    Odell said, "It''s his duty as the eldest."


    John chuckled.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?" Sylvia and Sherry approached.


    Odell smiled and mentioned, "We were talking about Liam and Caprice."


    Sylvia looked at Liam and Caprice.


    Liam was leading Caprice by the hand and walking outside.


    The girl seemed fascinated by everything around her and would cast the asional nce at Liam.


    Sylvia caught on to what the men were talking about and gasped. "Ohh."


    Sherry noticed as well


    Caprice was not the only one by Liam''s side. Flint was also tailing Liam on his other side.


    Queenie and Isabel followed them.


    In the midst of them all, Liam looked like the leader of the pack. The one thing that stood out was Caprice. She looked like she


    waspletely enchanted and did not know how to react to the situation.


    Sherry tried to call after her, "Caprice!"


    Liam stopped and so did Caprice, but her eyes were still fixed intently on Liam. It was questionable whether she had even heard


    her mother calling her name at all.


    Sherry smiled sheepishly.


    She did not me Caprice for beingpletely mesmerized by Liam. Even at his young age, it was clear that he had inherited


    his father''s charms, and he was sure to be a model when he grew up.


    Sherry let Caprice be and turned to John. "Where are we going to take the kids today?"


    John answered, "We''re going to the park south of the city.¡±


    With that, he held out a hand to her.


    He wanted her to take his hand


    Sherry made a look and ignored him, pretending to not notice. She shuffied to Sylvia instead and took her arm.


    John scowled and pulled his hand back.


    The park was farrger than they imagined


    There were all kinds of games set up for parents to y with their children to facilitate parental interaction with their children. Aside from that, there were cafes, teahouses, and


    even hostels.


    John was a VIP member here.


    As soon as they parked at the entrance, several staff members approached


    After getting out of the car, Isabel and Queenie took Flint and bolted inside.


    Liam walked inside calmly with Caprice next to her.


    Sherry wrapped herself tightly around Sylvia''s arm,


    John and Odell slowly trailed behind them


    It was looking like a mighty fine day.

 Chapter 1519

    Chapter 1519


    Chapter 1519


    By the time Sherry and Sylvia joined them, Isabel, Queenie, and Flint were already bunched together inside a go-kart and were racing on the driveway.


    Caprice seemed keenly interested in Liam as she followed Liam wherever he went. When he chose somewhere to sit and watch everyone y, Caprice proceeded to sit silently


    next to him.


    Sherry called after her a few times and she barely responded


    Sylvia smiled and assured Sherry. "Don''t worry, Liam can take care of her."


    Liam seemed very unapproachable and indifferent most of the time but deep down, he was very attentive and caring. He was always the responsible brother and took good


    care of his siblings at home.


    Caprice was very well-behaved and quiet, especially for her age. She was very easy to care for.


    Sherry was not against it as children should be allowed to y with their peers. Besides, they had a crew of bodyguards at earshot so there was nothing to worry about.


    She smiled and dragged Sylvia somewhere else to find something interesting to do. After loitering in the area for a while, they realized that there was nothing suitable for adults


    in the area. All the amenities were specifically designed to cater to children


    John and Odell followed them on the leisurely walk.


    Just as Sherry was pondering about where they should go, one of the men behind them suddenly suggested, "I think there''s a lounge somewhere around here where we can


    y some chess and cards. They serve wine and tea as well. Master Carter, what do you say we head over there?"


    Chess and card? Wine?


    Sherry and Sylvia stopped in unison.


    Odell nced at them and was very receptive to the idea. "Sure.¡±


    The two men head toward the lounge together.


    Sherry exchanged a look with Sylvia and asked, "Sylvia, shall we join them?" "Let¡¯s! It''s cold outside.¡¯


    They followed them.


    Shortly after, they arrived at the lounge which was right next to argeke.


    It was on the second floor and from this vantage point, they could see the children ying.


    For some reason, there were not many people inside the lounge even though it was cold outside.


    As soon as they came inside, several staff members came up to greet them. It seemed like they had been in position for a while.


    ¡°Master Stockton, Master Caster, what table games would you like to y?¡± one of them came up and asked with a weing


    smile.


    John turned to Sherry and Sylvia. ¡®What would you girls like to y?


    Sherry gestured. "No, we''re not ying, we just came here to take a look."


    She was eyeing the wine cab hungrily as she said this.


    Sylvia smiled, then turned to John and Odell. "You boys can y, we''ll just drink."


    John smiled. "Alright."


    Odell nced at Sylvia and sat down with John at the game table.


    Several staff members came up to attend to them.


    Meanwhile, Sherry took her time picking out a bottle of wine. She also ordered some snacks before finally retreating to a private


    table where she and Sylvia could have some private time.


    Sylvia passed on wine and chose to drink a cup of hot tea instead.


    After finishing her ss, Sherry suddenly suggested, "Sylvia, let''s y something too."


    Sylvia asked, "What are we ying?"


    Sherry went and grabbed a cup with several dice inside.


    She smiled brightly and stated the rules, "Here''s how it works. We''re going to guess the roll of the dice and see if it''s an odd


    number or an even number. One of us rolls and the other one guesses, simple, isn''t it?"


    She figured it was boring to just drink and needed something to spice things up.


    Sylvia smiled and agreed. "Okay." She came all the way here to nchester, there was no reason why she should not entertain her.


    Sherry shook the cup and mmed it against the table, then she turned to Syivia and challenged her. "Guess."


    Sylvia seemed very new to this. It took her several seconds of hesitation before she finally made her wager. "Odd."


    Sherry revealed the dice underneath the cup. One, three, four. Even


    Sylvia took the cup from Sherry, now it was her turn to roll


    Sherry was very confident. "Even."N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Sylvia lifted the cup. Five, six, five. Even.


    With that, they whiled away the time with the dice-guessing game


    Sherry was having the time of her life with the game, fueled with wine, her happiness was ever-growing as shended correct guesses one after another. Sylvia, on the other


    hand, had struck out with every single guess she made and was wearing a tight frown across her brows


    Suddenly, a figure approached behind her.


    Sherry had just tapped the cup against the table


    ¡°Even,¡± the man spoke up suddenly, his voice heavy with bass.


    Sylvia was caught off-guard by this and spun around.


    Odell was smiling confidently. "Trust me."

 Chapter 1520

    Chapter 1520


    Sylvia hadpletely lost confidence in herself by this point and decided to follow Odell''s advice, so she made her guess. "Even."


    Sherry lifted her cup. Four, two, six. Even.


    Sylvia immediately lit up with joy and turned to Odell


    Odell smiled warmly and ruffled Sylvia''s hair, then he proceeded to pull up a chair and sit next to her.


    After Sylvia threw the dice back into the cup, Odell took it from her and said, "Why don''t you take a break? I''ll win this one for you.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. "Alright."


    Sherry was slightly bothered by how lovey-dovey the two of them were getting and pouted involuntarily.


    Was that a taunt? She was not going to go down so easily.


    She cocked an eyebrow and epted the challenge. ¡®Come at mel You''re not going to beat mel


    Odell shook the cup in his hand several times, the dice ttered around chaotically inside the cup.


    Sherry pricked up her ears.


    Just when she felt ike she had a good hint on what the number was going to be, Odell suddenly sped up his pace.


    Before Sherry could react, he mmed the cup against the table confidently.


    Sylvia had just grabbed herself another cup of tea and sat down with Odell.


    She turned to Sherry and prompted. "Alright, Sherry. Time to guess."


    Sherry hesitated for a moment and blurted out, "Even."


    Sylvia lifted the cup. The numbers were Three, six, six.


    "Uh-uh, you''re wrong!" Sylvia dered with a wry smile.


    She was very smug about it as well. After her losing streak, the tables had finally turned.


    Sherry was rather upset by this.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, someone threw a chair next to her. Aman sat down audaciously and joined the table.


    He adjusted his sses and turned to Odell with a sharp smile. "Young Master Carter, that''s not very nice of you. You can''t pick


    on my Sherry like that when I¡¯m around."


    Sherry was stunned by this deration and was almost physically repulsed.


    My Sherry? What was this man going on about?


    Odell rose to the challenge. "What''s this? Are you going to substitute for her?¡¯ ¡®Well, you stood up for your wife, so it''s only


    natural | do the same so you two don¡¯t gang up on her," he rolled up his shirtsleeves and reached for the cup as he said this. He


    grabbed the dice and tossed them into the cup.


    Odell suddenly stopped him. "Wait a minute."


    John obliged. ¡®What is it?" "Since we''re ying now, why not spice things up with a bet?"


    John seemed intrigued by this suggestion. "What sort of bet?"


    Odell smiled coyly. "Same asst time.¡±


    Last time?


    Sherry and Sylvia picked through their memories.


    Thest time they yed this game was probably a few years ago.


    Was it at the resort?


    Sherry had a drastic reaction when she recalled what happened thest time. She immediately objected, "No way-" "Sure," John


    answered resolutely and drowned out Sherry''s objection.


    Sherry red at him


    John turned to her with a smile that did not inspire much confidence." Don''t worry, | won''t lose."


    Odell''s reaction was rather reserved, but there was an undeniable wipe of smile that shed across his lips. In a way, it also


    seemed like he was offended by the show of disrespect.


    Suddenly, he turned to Sylvia and winked at her while reassuring her. "Don''t worry.¡±


    Sylvia gave him a look but remained silent all the way.


    With that, John kicked off the round, After shaking the cup, he mmed the cup on the tabletop.


    Odell called it, "Even."


    John lifted the cup. Five, five, four.


    He smiled and remarked, "Amazing, as expected from Master Cater." "You went easy on me." Odell took the cup this time and threw three dice inside it, then he proceeded to


    shake it and pressed the cup against the table, the same routine as every time


    He looked at John. "Master Stockton, please.¡±


    John shed a confident smile, looking graceful as always. Everything was under his control


    Sherry stared at him expectantly.


    Sylvia and Odell were eagerly waiting for him to call it


    Atst, he callled it, "Odds."


    Odell lifted the cup. Two, two, two. Even,


    An oppressing silence lingered in the air for a while. Odell was suppressing the urge to crack a smile


    Sylvia grimaced


    Sherry turned to John with a look of betrayal.

 Chapter 1521

    Chapter 1521


    Chapter 1521


    John looked at her. His expression turned serious as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was a mistake.¡±


    Sherry had no idea if the man was faking it, but listening to his words made her feel awkward.


    Then, his handsome face moves closer to hers, causing her to instinctively lean back. The man pinched her chin and locked lips


    with her several times.


    Sherry was stunned. She might not be a narrow-minded person, but this public disy of affection was a first, especially in front


    of her friend, Sylvia.


    Her face uncontrobly turned red.


    When John finally released her, she red at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. I''ll win it back for you.¡± He sounded like he was really trying to console her, especially when he stroked her cheek


    gently while saying that.


    Sherry pursed her lips and swallowed her scolding for him.


    Soon, John put the three dice on the table again.


    Odell said, ¡°Small.¡±


    John lifted the dice cup.


    One, two, five. Small.


    It was Odell¡¯s turn.


    He smiled and said, ¡°Master Stockton, you''d better listen carefully this time.¡±


    John curled his lips casually. ¡°Bring it on, Master Carter.¡±


    Odell shook the cup with the dice several times before putting it on the table. His


    smile widened. ¡°Master Stockton.¡±


    John said, ¡°Small.¡±


    Odell lifted the cup.


    Three, six, six. Big.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Sherry was shocked. She red at John again.


    John sighed and pursed his lips. ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake again!¡± The guilt on


    his face looked genuine.


    Sherry frowned. She suspected that the man was faking it.


    John moved closer to her face again, so she quickly covered her mouth with her hand. He smiled. ¡°Come on, we have to ept


    the punishment since we lost.¡± As he spoke, he grabbed her wrist gently.


    Sherry rolled her eyes. She did not want to ept the punishment!


    John pried her hand away from her mouth with force, causing Sherry to instinctively. lean back once more. He narrowed his eyes


    as he moved his handsome face closer. He stuck his lips onto hers and kissed her.


    Sitting opposite them, Odell was expressionless.


    Sylvia felt a little embarrassed and covered her mouth with her hand.


    After Sherry freed herself from John, she noticed Sherry chuckling behind her hand


    Sherry blushed and red at John who smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | promise I''ll win the next game.¡±


    She was not worried! She was angry!


    Sherry widened her eyes at him.


    John then quickly turned away and grabbed the cup and the dice as if he did not notice the embarrassment and anger on her


    face.


    Sherry gulped.


    As expected, Odell guessed correctly again, and it was John¡¯s turn to guess the next


    round.


    Sherry widened her eyes nervously. She stared at the dice up in Odell¡¯s hand and carefully listened to the rattling inside.


    Pak!


    Odell mmed the dice on the table. He looked at John and said, ¡°Master Stockton.¡±


    Sherry cried, ¡°Big!¡±


    Odell looked at her, and then at John.


    John smiled at Sherry. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Sherry immediately said, ¡°I am certain! It¡¯s big!¡± She looked confident with her


    answer.


    John smiled and then looked at Odell. ¡°Well then... Small!¡±

 Chapter 1522

    Chapter 1522


    Chapter 1522


    Sherry was dumbfounded.


    She choked on her rising grief. Just when she was about to punch him, he grabbed her hand and spoke gently to her ears,


    ¡°Believe me. I''ll get it right this time.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s gaze flickered, and the grief and anger disappeared.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    How could he be so sure?


    Could she have gotten it wrong?


    Sherry remained skeptical. She lowered her voice and whispered, ¡°If you get it wrong this time, I¡¯ll bite you to death.¡±


    John tapped her hand to assure her.


    Sherry then looked at the dice cup.


    Odell lifted it.


    Four, five, and six. Big.


    Sherry clenched her fists and her eyes bulged in anger. She red at John as if she wanted to eat him alive.


    John sighed as he feigned ignorance at her reaction. He said to Odell, ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve no luck today.¡±


    Odell curved his lips. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Sylvia sipped on her tea quietly.


    John then looked at Sherry who grinned ominously and looked cautious. Her expression spelled a ferocious feline that would bite


    if the man kissed her once more.


    He then held her chin and moved his handsome face closer. He whispered, ¡°I promise this is thest time.¡±


    He sounded absolutely gentle.


    Sherry was stunned for a moment before she returned to her frosty look. ¡°If | believe you again, I¡¯m an id-¡±


    Before she could finish talking, her lips were sealed by a kiss.


    Sherry wanted to bite him, but he seized the moment and invaded her mouth. Her eyes widened in disbelief as his tongue


    entered her.


    John held the back of her head and almost hugged her into his arms.


    Sherry struggled but was unable to break free no matter how.


    The two of them were intimately kissing, and the public disy of affection made Sylvia blush. Before she could continue


    watching, a big hand covered her sight.


    Sylvia wanted to move Odell¡¯s hand away to continue watching the romantic scene


    but failed to.


    Little did the adults know, several youthful figures popped their heads into the room and saw the scene. They were on top of


    each other like Jenga blocks, watching the steamy scene with curious gazes.


    Queenie had never seen her brother kiss someone in public before, so the scene widened not only her eyes but her knowledge.


    Isabel, who was below Queenie, reacted with a grin. Her eyes gleamed as she said, ¡± Uncle John is French-kissing Aunt Sherry!


    It''s so exciting! It¡¯s even better than the


    ones on TV!¡±


    Flint¡¯s eyes also gleamed. ¡°Yeah. Exciting.¡±


    John finally released Sherry after he had enough.


    Sherry bolted up. She wanted to grab the dice cup and smash his head, but she spotted three grinning heads at the door. Her


    eyes widened in disbelief and her face blushed. ¡°Queenie, Issy, and Flint? What are you guys doing there?¡±


    Isabel and Flint immediately retracted their heads from the door.


    Queenie¡¯s eyes flickered before she disappeared too.


    The three of them disappeared like a bolt of lightning.


    Sherry clenched her fists and teeth tightly.


    It was then that Odell held Sylvia¡¯s hand and said to her, ¡°Sylvia, we should go check on the kids.¡±


    Sylvia sensed things were getting out of control in the room, so she said to Sherry,¡± Sherry, I''ll check on the kids. I¡¯ll be right


    back.¡±

 Chapter 1523

    Chapter 1523


    Sherry was furious beyond words.


    After Sylvia followed Odell out of the room, Sherry grabbed the dice cup and swung it


    at John.


    Thud!


    He caught her hand mid-air.


    John clutched her hand, got up, and approached her. His eyes narrowed as he said,¡± Sherry, are you trying to kill your own


    husband?¡±


    Sherry angrily said, ¡°Did you do it on purpose?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°What do you mean ¡®on purpose¡®?¡±


    ¡°Did you purposely miss all the guesses?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, | did,¡± he said with curled lips.


    Sherry choked on his answer. She closed her eyes to clear her mind of the cluttered thoughts, and when she opened her eyes,


    she asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®what do | mean¡°?¡± the man asked.


    Sherry went straight to the point and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be fed up with me? Then, what the hell was that for?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | was fed up with you a while ago, but now...¡±


    He dangerously approached her.


    Sherry instinctively retreated to the wall, but unfortunately, she had nowhere to


    escape.


    John stood right in front of her while holding one of her wrists. He lifted her chin with his other hand and said, ¡°Now, | somehow


    got interested in you again.¡±


    Sherry froze. Her heart pounded wildly as if it was stung by a thorn. She frowned at the man and said, ¡°We agreed that our


    marriage is only for Caprice¡¯s sake! Don¡¯t you


    cross the line!¡±


    Her eyes were slightly bloodshot, which was a sign of her anxiety. She seemed to be afraid of something.


    Could he have reminded her of the days when he had imprisoned her?


    The man¡¯s eyes flickered, recing his dangerous and enchanting smile with a warm and serious expression. ¡°If you perform


    well, | can look past what you did to me, and I won''t lock you up anymore.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered, but her expression swiftly turned cold. ¡°You have no right to lock me up in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm. | won''t do it again.¡±


    Sherry was stunned by his gentle reaction. The man surprisingly did not argue with her and even promised to not do it again


    instead.


    Before she could recover herposure, John released her chin. He grabbed the dice from her and put them back on the table.


    He then gently knocked her head and said, ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time to go see Caprice.¡±


    Sherry nkly hummed a reply and went out with him.


    There was an observatory further away from the game room where one could enjoy the view. The observatory had a sealed


    ss room where the guests could warm themselves up as a reprieve from the breeze.


    Odell and Sylvia were standing outside the ss room with Isabel and Flint in front of them. Both kids lowered their heads as if


    they were apologizing.


    Queenie watched helplessly from the side.


    When Sherry spotted them, she also spotted the other two figures inside the ss room¡ªCaprice and Liam.


    Given the distance, she was unable to have a clear look at what they were doing. She could only see them sitting together.


    Sherry strode over while John followed closely.


    There were several entrances to the observatory, and they did not take the entrance where Odell and Sylvia were. In fact, they


    went up from the other direction.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as they entered the warm ss room, they saw little chubby Caprice lying down on Liam¡¯sp. Liam concentrated on


    ying with his toy.


    The girl was obviously leaning on him on her own ord, and her eyes were looking upwards, either staring at the toy in the


    boy¡¯s hand or at the boy himself.


    Sherry pursed her lips. She was at a loss for action. She turned to John and saw him looking at her as well with a frosty


    expression.


    Neither of them expected such a scene.

 Chapter 1524

    Chapter 1524


    The couple walked towards Liam and Caprice.


    Liam saw them and greeted them indifferently, ¡°Uncle John, Aunt Sherry.¡±


    Both John and Sherry responded with a smile.


    John then said to Caprice, who was still lying down on Liam¡¯sp, ¡°Caprice,e here. We''ll take you out for some fun. You''re


    disturbing Liam.¡±


    The moment John¡¯s words subsided, Liam helped the girl up.


    Caprice was like a marshmallow as she went limp and leaned back on Liam. She pouted and said, ¡°Caprice doesn¡¯t want to go


    out. Caprice wants to y with Liam.¡±


    John choked upon hearing her words.


    Sherry then said, ¡°Caprice, Liam has his own things to do. He can¡¯t y with you all day.¡±


    Caprice leaned on Liam¡¯s shoulder and grumbled, ¡°Caprice is not ying. Caprice just wants to be with Liam.¡±


    Sherry did not know how to react or what to say.


    John frowned. He wanted to pull the girl away from the boy, but she swiftly clung


    onto the boy¡¯s arm, stunning the man.


    The atmosphere in the ss room became awkwardly quiet.


    The awkward silence was broken by the screech from the door when Odell and Sylvia came in.


    Odell said with a smile, ¡°If she likes to y with Liam, why not let him take her


    around?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Wouldn''t it trouble Liam?¡±


    Odell looked at his son and said, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Liam sighed subtly.


    The girl was his mother¡¯s best friend''s daughter, and she was cute. More importantly, she was much quieter than his sister and


    brother, and other than being overly clingy, there was nothing wrong with apanying her.


    Otherwise, he would have thrown Caprice back to her own parents,


    John awkwardly chuckled. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why not?¡±


    Odell curled his lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go for a walk?¡±


    After all, the garden had many other amusing attractions.


    Isabel and Flint, who had just been lectured by their father, continued ying around the garden with Queenie.


    Sylvia and Sherry found a cart-racing attraction that was suitable for adults as well.


    Odell and John were not interested in the attractions, so they sat down at a cafe and discussed business.


    The day went by in the blink of an eye.


    When the sky finally turned dark, Sylvia and Sherry brought the kids to the coffee shop to rendezvous with the men.


    Liam and Caprice were rxing on the couch at the cafe.


    Liam was reading a book while Caprice slept soundly leaning on his shoulder.


    John wanted to carry the girl away, but Flint ran over and reached them before he


    could.


    The boy cried at Caprice, ¡°Caprice, wakey, wakey!¡± He even shook the girl''s hand, trying to wake her up faster.


    Caprice opened her eyes almost immediately.


    John froze and stared at Flint coldly.


    Flint did not notice the expression on the man¡¯s face. He reached out to Caprice and wanted to hold her hand. ¡°Caprice, I''ll bring


    you to get some nice food.¡±


    Caprice responded by hugging Liam tighter, brazenly signaling to Flint that she did not want to go with him.


    Flint sighed and pouted. ¡°Sigh. My brother is boring. Why do you like to stick with him so much?¡±


    Liam, who was reading his book, looked at his brother expressionlessly.


    Afraid, Flint immediately fled and hid behind Sylvia.


    The scene amused both Sylvia and Sherry.


    Odell also curved his lips in delight.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Only John pursed his lips tightly when he saw Caprice hug Liam tightly.


    There was a lodging area located in the center of the garden, and they were all suites prepared specifically for families.


    After dinner, the two families arrived.

 Chapter 1525

    Chapter 1525


    Chapter 1525


    The rooms were already booked for the two families.


    Each family had their own suite.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, even when they were about to go back to their respective rooms, Caprice refused to be separated from


    Liam.


    Liam stared at her, but she remained clingy and she stared at her father with a pleading gaze.


    Sherry pursed her lips helplessly.


    Both Sylvia and Odell tried their best in holding back theirughter.


    Sylvia then said, ¡°Master Stockton, why don¡¯t Sherry and | stay with the kids for the night? You and Odell can take the other


    suite.¡±


    Each suite had multiple rooms, so it was more than enough.


    ¡°Great!¡± Sherry cried in delight.


    John nced at her.


    Odell also frowned. ¡°Sylvia, Isabel and Flint are naughty. You can¡¯t possibly take care


    of them together by yourselves.¡±


    Sherry intervened and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m with her!¡±


    Isabel then said, ¡°Chubby Flint is the naughty one, not me! Besides, it¡¯s been a while since | slept with Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Every time | sneak into your room, | see you hugging Mommy on the bed! It¡¯s our turn today!¡±


    Odell¡¯s expression turned grim as he stared at the boy.


    When Flint immediately hid behind Sylvia, Sherry and Queenie tried their best to hold theirughter back.


    Sylvia blushed. She awkwardly cleared her throat and looked at Odell, ¡°Sherry and | can look after them. You guys don¡¯t need to


    worry.¡± She sounded gentle but indubitable.


    Odell pursed his lips and decided to ept the suggestion.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    As she patted Caprice¡¯s head, Sherry then said, ¡°Alright, let''s go to our room!¡±


    The girl smiled at her mother but followed Liam instead.


    Sherry carried Flint and followed the little couple to the room.


    Queenie and Isabel walked side by side, with Sylvia behind them.


    The women and kids soon disappeared beyond the door, leaving the two men behind in the quiet corridor.


    John and Odell exchanged a quick look.


    John said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to listen to your wife this much, Master


    Carter.¡±


    Odell curved his lips. ¡°Happy wife, happy life. Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    John was slightly taken aback. He smiled and countered, ¡°Where did you hear that


    from?¡±


    ¡°If you are asking such a question, it means that you are not that happy now.¡±


    ¡°Haha...¡± John¡¯sughter sounded stiff.


    The suite that Sylvia and Sherry took had three separate bedrooms.


    The kids were already tired after ying outside for the whole day.


    Flint crashed on the couch and fell asleep soon after he came in. Isabel said she wanted to sleep with her mother but ultimately


    went into the room with Queenie.


    Caprice remained clingy to Liam, and no matter what Sherry said, the girl refused to


    leave him.


    Therefore, the little couple took one of the rooms for themselves.


    Sylvia then carried the sleeping Flint to Liam and Caprice¡¯s room to settle him down while she and Sherry took thest room for


    themselves. She wanted to chat with Sherry.


    Sherry knew what her friend wanted to talk about too, so she cleaned up and waited


    for her on the bed.


    Sylvia looked at her. ¡°Tell me how you ended up as the enigma behind the Sagers.¡±


    Sherry chuckled. ¡°It all started when Caprice was taken away from me. | left


    Glenchester and...¡±


    She spoke in detail and even shared about the difficulties she ran into in Coastrock


    City.


    Sylvia listened to Sherry¡¯s story carefully.


    Later that night, an untimelymotion outside the room caught Sherry¡¯s attention. Startled, she got out of bed and went to the


    door.

 Chapter 1526

    Chapter 1526


    Chapter 1526


    Queenie was in the living room in her pajamas and looking frustrated for having been woken up by a call.


    She put the phone by her ear and grumbled, ¡°Mom, why are you calling me at this hour?!¡±


    From the other side of the phone, Madam Stockton¡¯s voice clearly sounded annoyed when she heard her daughter¡¯s tone. ¡°It¡¯s


    late! What are you doing outside with your brother and Caprice?¡±


    Queenie was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t John tell you that we''re staying here for the night? We''lle back tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    Madam Stockton gulped nervously. ¡°You guys are staying there with the Carters?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | was already sleeping before you called me!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?!¡± Madam Stockton sounded angry.


    Annoyed, Queenie said, ¡°I thought Brother told you.¡±


    Madam Stockton choked on her emotions. ¡°Where¡¯s Caprice? Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She''s already asleep.¡±


    ¡°How was she? Did she hurt herself while ying?¡±


    Queenie said with a smile, ¡°No. She was a good girl. She¡¯s been with Liam the whole


    day.¡±


    ¡°Liam? The Carters¡¯ eldest son?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a child! How can you let Caprice be with him the whole day? Shouldn¡¯t Sherry be watching her?¡±


    ¡°Mom, Liam might also be a child, but he¡¯s good at taking care of others. Besides, Caprice only wants to be with Liam. She


    doesn¡¯t even care when Brother calls her. There are also bodyguards around, so Sherry doesn¡¯t really need to stay by her side


    the whole day.¡±


    ¡°She''s the girl¡¯s mother! She must be by Caprice¡¯s side!¡± Madam Stockton voiced her


    concern.


    Queenie knew her mother was prejudiced against Sherry, and it was difficult to


    persuade her in such a short time. Therefore, she pursed her lips and decided not to


    argue.


    Madam Stockton added, ¡°Fine. Go to sleep. If anything happens to Caprice, call me at once, got it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | got it,¡± Queenie answered.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The call ended.


    Queenie returned to the room that she shared with Isabel.


    Sherry, who had been eavesdropping at the door, returned to the bed after Queenie


    left.


    Sylvia noticed the look on her face and asked, ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing. Queenie had a call. Where were we just now?¡± she said with a smile.


    Sylvia said, ¡°You ran into Madam Sagers, helped her deal with some thug, and she brought you into thepany.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. After that, | became a normal salesperson at thepany and helped them secure a major deal after that...¡± Sherry


    continued her story. She told Sylvia what happened throughout the years while she was gone.


    At midnight, Sherry finally got tired. She yawned and said, ¡°Syl, let''s sleep. I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±


    The lights went off and the room turned quiet.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes, however, remained open. Queenie¡¯s call lingered in her mind. Although she did not hear what Madam Stockton


    said, she was certain that thedy must have been talking badly about her again.


    However, Madam Stockton¡¯sments about her were not what troubled her. She was concerned about the kisses John had


    given her back in the game room earlier.


    Had the man got out of his mind? Was it a sign that he no longer wanted the marriage to remain contractual?


    Back at the Stocktons¡¯ residence, Madam Stockton¡¯s house remained lit in the night. She had just finished the call in the living


    room and grunted coldly.

 Chapter 1527

    Chapter 1527


    Chapter 1527


    Julie was beside her when the call ended. She asked, ¡°Mother, what''s wrong? What did Queenie say? Are they staying outside?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They are already resting.¡±


    Julie carefully sized up Madam Stockton¡¯s expression. She furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t John say anything about


    it?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! John is bedazzled by that woman again. Of course, she¡¯s badmouthing me in front of my son!¡±


    ¡°I''m sure she won''t, Mother. Even if Sherry did say something, John is still your son, your own blood. He won¡¯t abandon you.¡±


    ¡°He won''t abandon me, alright, but look at how many days has it been? Ever since | brought Sherry¡¯s parents here, | didn¡¯t even


    get the chance to see Caprice, let alone hold her!¡±


    The more Madam Stockton thought about it, the angrier she was. ¡°It¡¯s the weekend! They are off work, and they could''ve stayed


    home with Caprice. | thought | could spend some time with my granddaughter, but they just had to go out and spend the night


    outside! UGH!¡± Madam Stockton exhaled strongly.


    Julie gently patted her back and calmed her down. ¡°Mother, please calm down. John went out because the Carters came over.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s furious expression eased when she heard Odell¡¯s name. Although she disliked Sherry and Sylvia, Odell was


    the CEO of Carter Corporation, and John should spend more time with him for potential business opportunities.


    Just when she calmed down for a bit, Julie said, ¡°Mother, you shouldn''t be angry at Ms. Fowler as well. She¡¯s Caprice¡¯s biological


    mother. Even if she can¡¯tmunicate with you well, she will take good care of Caprice.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°I know she''ll take good care of Caprice, but sooner orter, the girl won¡¯t even know


    that she has a grandmother!¡±


    ¡°lm sure that won''t happen. Caprice only has one grandmother, and that¡¯s you. How could she forget about you?¡±


    Madam Stockton retorted angrily, ¡°Enough, stop talking about her in front of me. The more | think of that woman, the angrier |


    am!¡±


    Julie pursed her lips helplessly.


    Madam Stockton waved at her and said, ¡°It¡¯ste. You should go rest.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mother. You should rest early as well.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm...¡±


    Julie had onest worried nce at Madam Stockton before she went out.


    As soon as she was out of the living room, the worried look was reced by an evil grin. The olddy was the only person who


    could make Sherry leave John for good! The more the olddy resented Sherry, the faster it would happen!


    The next day, when Sherry and Sylvia finally woke up, the kids in the other two rooms were already gone.


    Only John and Odell were waiting for them in the living room.


    Sherry asked, ¡°Did Queenie go out with the kids?¡±


    John looked askance at her as if she was asking the obvious.


    Sherry red back before she clung onto Sylvia¡¯s arm and went out. The men also got up and followed their wives out.


    The day flew by in a yful manner.


    In the evening, the two families finally left Harmony Garden.


    Both John and Odell¡¯s cars were already waiting at the gate. The bodyguards and drivers were on standby.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry hugged Sylvia tightly and said, ¡°Syl, I''ll go visit with Caprice when | have the time.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°Alright. I''ll be waiting.¡±


    John was beside Sherry when he spoke to Odell, ¡°Master Carter, it¡¯s great having you over this time.¡±


    Odell curved his lips. ¡°Thank you for having us.¡±


    John answered, ¡°It¡¯s our pleasure to have you with us here for the weekend. Sherry and | are happy to see you and your family.


    Please do visit us again in the future.¡±

 Chapter 1528

    Chapter 1528


    Isabel and Flint also went back to their parents whereas Queenie went over to Sherry.


    Only Caprice remained clinging to Liam¡¯s sleeve.


    The parents of both children looked at them. The girl was having a hard time leaving the boy.


    John furrowed his brows momentarily and then curved his lips into a smile. He said softly, ¡°Caprice, Liam has to go back to


    Westchester with his family. We should go home as well.¡±


    Caprice pouted. Her expression turned sour, and she hugged Liam tightly, burying her face into his chest.


    John was left speechless.


    Sherry lips twitched helplessly. She said, ¡°Caprice, Liam has to go back with his family. It¡¯s gettingte, so it¡¯s time to let him go.


    I''ll bring you to Westchester to visit him when we have the time, okay?¡±


    Caprice looked up at her mother, but her hands remained around Liam¡¯s waist.


    Sherry looked at her gently.


    Caprice pursed her lips for a while before her eyes turned wet.


    Sherry got nervous, and so was John. Even Sylvia, Odell, and the others looked slightly worried.


    With her teary eyes, the girl looked pitiful.


    Before anyone coulde up with a solution, Liam patted the girl¡¯s red beret and said, ¡°Caprice, we will see each other again,


    so don¡¯t worry. Go home with your father and mother.¡± He was a young boy yet his voice sounded like a mature adult¡¯s.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes flickered. She asked, ¡°Liam, will youe to see me again?¡±


    After a momentary silence, Liam answered, ¡°I will.¡± ¡ª


    Caprice finally released her hands.


    Liam patted her again. ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    She protruded her lips and said adorably, ¡°Bye-bye, Liam.¡±


    Liam then turned around without pause and went into the car.


    Sylvia said goodbye to Sherry and then went into the car with Odell and her other kids.


    As soon as Liam disappeared into the car, Caprice already wanted to chase after him. It was Sherry who grabbed her and lifted


    her up to the car window for her to see the boy inside.


    Liam was sitting by the window, and when he sensed Caprice¡¯s gaze, he turned to her.


    As the car started, he waved and smiled at Caprice before the car drove off. The smile on his handsome face made him look


    extremely charming.


    Even Sherry was bedazzled by the boy¡¯s charms, let alone her daughter who was already infatuated with him.


    As soon as the car disappeared beyond the junction, Caprice pouted and her eyes turned wet. She started to weep.


    Sherry was heart-stricken by the girl¡¯s tears. She hugged the girl andforted her, ¡± Baby, don¡¯t cry. Liam said he wille


    back, and he will.¡±


    Caprice continued to weep.


    Sherry continued, ¡°I''ll bring you to see Liam in Westchester when we have the time, okay?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Caprice buried her face into her mother¡¯s chest, sobbing. She was heartbroken for parting with Liam.


    Sherry looked at John helplessly.


    John sighed. He said gently, ¡°Daddy just got Liam¡¯s contact number from Uncle


    Odell. When they reach home, I''ll help you video¡ªcall Liam, okay?¡±


    Caprice¡¯s weeping paused. She looked up at her father with her teary eyes and said meekly, ¡°Okay...¡± She finally stopped crying


    after that.


    Sherry helplessly pursed her lips.

 Chapter 1529

    Chapter 1529


    John pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the tears and snot off the girl¡¯s face. Then, he stared at Sherry¡¯s chest.


    Sherry flushed. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    John wickedly grinned and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you want me to wipe it off for you?¡±


    Caprice¡¯s weeping had left tears and snot on Sherry¡¯s chest.


    Sherry red at him. ¡°No thanks!¡± She then carried Caprice into the car.


    John chuckled and followed them inside.


    Queenie captured the little interaction from the side and pursed her lips. She was thest one to get into the car.


    During the quiet journey back, Caprice fell asleep due to exhaustion from all the weeping. Her adorable face leaned onto


    Sherry¡¯s chest quietly as she was soundly


    asleep.


    Sherry smiled gently while she stared at the girl.


    John looked at her with a smile. His gaze switched from her to Caprice, and then from Caprice to her.


    The car finally arrived at the Stocktons¡® residence.


    Queenie was the first one to get out of the car when they reached, and she went straight back to her own house without pause.


    The car drove further into the residence and stopped in front of John and Sherry¡¯s house.


    John got out.


    When Sherry wanted to get out, he had already circled the car and stood by her side with his hands reached out. ¡°I''ll carry


    Caprice.¡±


    It was difficult for her to get down with Caprice in her arms, so she passed the girl to her father.


    John took a step back while he held Caprice.


    Sherry put her legs out of the car, but before they could touch the ground, the man¡¯s rich voice sounded, ¡°Be careful, there¡¯s ice


    on the ground.¡±


    Sherry hummed a reply and got out of the car.


    However, she lost her bnce when her feet could notnd properly on the ground. She started to wobble forward, but a strong


    hand held her by the wrist and helped her recover her bnce.


    Sherry fell into his arms and almost hit Caprice. Embarrassed, she quickly took a step backward and reinforced hernding on


    the ground.


    John nced at her and asked, ¡°Are you okay? Did you sprain your ankle?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    Nine years ago, when they were still madly in love, Sherry would always lose her bnce due to somerge movements. She


    would either fall or sprain her ankle. Every time she sprained her ankle, John would put ice on the swollen foot and jokingly call


    her a clumsy person, but he was always gentle with his hands.


    Sherry choked on the memories and was heart-stricken for a moment. She quickly pulled herself out of her thoughts and said,


    ¡°It''s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    John hummed a reply. Then, he kicked her.


    Sherry red at him. ¡°What was that for?!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°To make you remember.¡±


    The man then headed into the house with Caprice.


    Annoyed, Sherry went after him and wanted to take revenge on him, but when she walked into the courtyard, something at the


    side of her gaze caught her attention. She stopped and turned to the left side of the wall.


    Madam Stockton had been waiting there for a while now, just to have a nce at


    Caprice.


    Sherry¡¯s sudden attention shocked her, and she instinctively took a few steps back behind the wall. She came to see Caprice,


    but she did not want Sherry to find out, or else, the wicked woman would badmouth her in front of John again.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered in that particr direction.


    Jason, the bodyguard, asked, ¡°Madam, what''s the matter?¡±


    Sherry retracted her gaze and said, ¡°Nothing.¡±

 Chapter 1530

    Chapter 1530


    Sherry then went inside the house, and Jason followed.


    Madam Stockton noticed there was no one else in the front yard, so she came out and walked back to her own ce.


    A few stepster, she saw Julie waiting for her at the corner.


    Julie smiled and said, ¡°Mother, | heard John came back with Ms. Fowler and Caprice. Are you here to see them?¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression turned frosty and said with annoyance, ¡°Indeed, | saw


    them.¡±


    Julie went up to her and said out of concern, ¡°Then, why are you walking back?¡±


    Madam Stockton did not want to tell Julie that she was almost exposed for watching from afar, so she simply said, ¡°Caprice was


    sleeping, so | came back.¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°What about John? What did he and Ms. Fowler say to you?¡±


    Madam Stockton did not even meet him. If Sherry had not badmouthed her in front of John, the mother¡ªand-son rtionship


    would not be this tense, and she would not need to peek from afar just to have a nce at Caprice.


    The thought about Sherry made her mad. She grumbled, ¡°Nothing!¡±


    Julie pursed her lips. She apanied thedy for a short while and asked meekly,¡± Mother, did Ms. Fowler say anything to


    you?¡±


    ¡°Hmph! She wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Madam Stockton¡¯s expression turned frosty. ¡°But | bet she¡¯s bad¡ªmouthing me in front of John.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s with John almost every day, and since you are having difficultymunicating with her, I¡¯m sure she''ll say a thing or two.¡±


    Madam Stockton frowned and her expression turned grim.


    Julie watched as thedy''s expression shifted. She continued, ¡°But | believe John won''t simply believe her. He knows who you


    really are, and he cares about you.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s brows remained furrowed. Her expression screamed anxiety and frustration.


    If John really cared about her, he would have let her see Caprice already. He obviously cared about Sherry more.


    Sherry had just married into the family recently, and he was already starting to keep Caprice from her. In time, she might even


    lose her position in the house. The thought of it fueled her anxiety.


    ¡°Mother, you shouldn''t be thinking about that now,¡± Julie said.


    Madam Stockton red at her. ¡°Enough. Stop talking!¡±


    The anxiety was driving her mad.


    Julie zipped her mouth. She did not react sourly to Madam Stockton¡¯s temper but showed submission instead.


    Madam Stockton was instantly drowned by her guilt. She liked her second daughter- inw, but she felt sorry for her as well.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her second son passed away a few days after the wedding. Not only did Julie remain a widow until now, but she even helped the


    Stocktons take care of everything in the house. Sherry was not even half as good as her.


    Madam Stockton switched to a softer tone and said, ¡°Julie, I¡¯m not mad at you. I¡¯m


    mad at that woman.¡±


    ¡°| understand, Mother. | just hope that you can let it go. Being angry will only harm your health,¡± Julie said softly.


    ¡°Sigh. If only Sherry is half as good as you, | wouldn¡¯t be this angry.¡±


    ¡°Mother...¡±


    ¡°Stop persuading me. | want to be alone for a while.¡± Her mind was drowning in messy thoughts.


    Julie pursed her lips. ¡°Okay.¡± She stopped following Madam Stockton, and simply


    watched from the back.


    Madam Stockton continued walking home with her head down. Even without seeing her expression, her walking posture alone


    screamed anxiety and frustration.


    Julie grinned.


    Judging from the progress, Madam Stockton would soone up with a n to chase Sherry out of the house.


    Back inside Sherry and John¡¯s house, when Sherry entered the living room, John had already ced Caprice in her room.


    Sherry went to the room as well and took off her jacket and shoes. Shey down beside Caprice and said to John with a smile,


    ¡°I''ll take care of her. You can go do your own thing.¡±


    John curved his lips. ¡°Il have nothing to do now.¡±


    He then unbuttoned his jacket.

 Chapter 1531

    Chapter 1531


    Sherry furrowed her brows. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    John took off his jacket and shoes. He sat down on the other side of the bed and picked up a book to read.


    Sherry blushed. Her eyes flickered.


    John¡¯s silence clearly stated that she was overthinking.


    Awhileter, Sherry¡¯s eyes closed and she dozed off. When she woke up, the sky was still dark, but she was alone in the room.


    John and Caprice were gone.


    She got up and went outside.


    Then, she saw John and Caprice sitting on the couch in the living room. John was sipping on tea while Caprice¡¯s chubby body


    leaned on him.


    The girl was holding his phone while having a video call with Liam, who had just gotten home, with a wide grin.


    Caprice hummed a reply at the screen and then said, ¡°Liam, bye-bye.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips. ¡°Bye.¡±


    The video call ended.


    Caprice¡¯s smile remained widened as she returned the phone to John.


    While he pocketed his phone, Sherry came over and carried the little girl into her arms.


    ¡°Caprice, what did you talk to Liam about?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice smiled in silence, which intrigued Sherry. What did the little couple talk about that made the girl this happy?


    It was then that the man¡¯s rich voice spoke, ¡°They video-called for ten minutes, and they only talked about ten things.¡±


    Sherry was even more confused.


    Ten things?


    She looked at him. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    John curved his lips. ¡°I counted.¡±


    Sherry was speechless momentarily before she continued, ¡°Well, what are the ten things they talked about?¡±


    He said, ¡°It was Liam who asked her the questions about dinner, how she was doing, and so on. Then, the boy said he had to


    go, and the call ended.¡±


    Sherry was baffled.


    How could such mundane topicsst for ten minutes and make the girl this happy?


    Nevertheless, Caprice was not even three years old, and her vocabry was much less than the Carter kids. Her intention of the


    call was not to chat with Liam but just to see his handsome face.


    Sherry chuckled helplessly. Then, a sudden thought rushed into her mind, and it drove her to ask, ¡°Caprice, why don¡¯t | bring you


    out for a walk?¡±


    The lingering delight made her answer without a second thought. ¡°Yeah!¡±


    John nced at her. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Where are you bringing her?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°Your ce is huge. Can''t | take her out for a stroll?¡±


    ¡°Fine. Remember to bring your jacket,¡± John said with a bewitching grin.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze flickered. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡± She carried Caprice back to the room to grab the jacket.


    After putting on the red jacket on the girl, the mother and daughter went out for a stroll.


    They strolled along the main avenue and eventually reached Madam Stockton¡¯s front yard. The gate was open, but there was no


    one there.


    A quick thoughtter, Sherry asked Caprice, ¡°Caprice, do you know who lives here?¡±

 Chapter 1532

    Chapter 1532


    Caprice answered in her adorable voice, ¡°Grandma.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been days since youst see her. Do you miss her?¡±


    Caprice honestly shook her head.


    Sherry¡¯s lips twitched helplessly momentarily. ¡°But Grandma misses you. Why don¡¯t you go in and visit her?¡±


    Caprice hesitated for a moment before he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry put her down and added, ¡°Caprice, go have dinner with Grandma. When you''re done, Mommy wille to pick you up.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Caprice furrowed her brows. ¡°Mommy is not going in together with me?¡±


    ¡°| have something else to do, so | can¡¯t go in with you. Go on, Grandma is going to be really happy when she sees you,¡± Sherry


    said as she stroked the girl¡¯s head.


    Caprice pursed her lips. ¡°Mm¡ªhmm...¡± She moved her tiny legs and slowly waddled inside.


    Sherry hid behind the gate and watched the girl go in.


    A few stepster, one of the older servants who served Madam Stockton came running out. A closer lookter, the servant


    screamed excitedly into the house,¡± Madam, Ms. Caprice is here to see you!¡±


    As soon as the voice subsided, Madam Stockton came out from the living room. The moment she saw Caprice, her eyes


    gleamed. She discarded her elegance and ran towards the girl to hold her tightly.


    Madam Stockton then went inside with the servant while carrying Caprice.


    Sherry chuckled at the scene and then left.


    It was not that she wanted to win the olddy¡¯s favor, but when she came back in the afternoon, she spotted the olddy hiding


    behind the wall just to have a nce at Caprice. It was pitiful for an olddy to react this way.


    The olddy resented her but liked the little girl a lot.


    It was strange indeed.


    After going back into the house, Madam Stockton carried the girl to the couch. She ordered the servant, ¡°Go prepare Caprice¡¯s


    favorite food, and bring over the toys!¡±


    The servant went off obediently.


    Madam Stockton stared at Caprice¡¯s fair and chubby face. She smiled brightly and said, ¡°Caprice, why did youe here alone?


    Did you miss Grandma?¡±


    Caprice shook her head.


    Madam Stockton was stunned. Why did the girl shake her head?


    Caprice said, ¡°Mommy brought me here. She said Grandma misses me, so she wanted me to have dinner with you.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s smile froze and her expression shifted.


    The servant returned after sending the orders to the kitchen. She echoed meekly,¡± Ms. Fowler brought her here. | was behind the


    door just now, and | heard everything.¡±


    The servant had noticed Sherry before they even came into the front yard. Therefore, she decided to hide behind the door to see


    what she was up to. She did not expect that Sherry would send Caprice here just to visit Madam Stockton. Had she not seen it


    herself, she would never have believed it either.


    Madam Stockton obviously did not believe Sherry would bring Caprice here just to apany her. She asked the servant again,


    ¡°Did she really say that to Caprice?¡±


    The servant nodded. ¡°Yes, she did.¡±


    Madam Stockton furrowed her brows with aplicated look.


    Why would Sherry send Caprice over just to apany her? Could Sherry have noticed her peeking from behind the wall


    earlier?


    Other than that, Madam Stockton could not think of anything else. She believed Sherry did not do this to win her favor.


    Sherry had never tried to please her in the past, and now that she became an important figure at the Sagers, there were even


    fewer reasons for her to do so.


    She had even brought Sherry¡¯s parents here a while ago just so they could persuade her to leave John, and because of that,


    John refused to talk to her.


    Why would Sherry do this? Were there any other hidden agendas that she did not know of?


    Madam Stockton pondered deeply.


    However, even she herself relied on her son to be the reputable Madam Stockton that everyone knew. Since Sherry


    already married her son who was so protective of his wife, what else could that woman be aiming for?


    The servant noticed theplicated expression on Madam Stockton¡¯s face. She smiled and said, ¡°Madam, since Ms. Caprice is


    here, why don¡¯t you y with her? Leave the problems forter.¡±


    Before Sherry married John, although Madam Stockton could see Caprice all the time, it was rare for her to have dinner with the


    girl alone.


    John had Caprice by his side all the time, even when he was at work. It was almost impossible for her to have some private time


    with the adorable girl.


    Madam Stockton regained herposure and looked at the girl with crystal-clear eyes.

 Chapter 1533

    Chapter 1533


    Chapter 1533


    Her concerned expression was immediately reced by a delightful smile.


    She hugged Caprice and pointed at the table with toys and snacks. ¡°Caprice, which snack do you want? Or which toy do you


    want to y with?¡±


    Caprice shook her head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to y or eat?¡±


    Caprice nodded and hummed a reply.


    ¡°Then, tell me what you want. Even if you want the stars from the sky, I''ll get you one right away!¡±


    Caprice opened her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. | want to eat.¡±


    Madam Stockton choked for a moment before she burst out inughter. This would be the first in many days since she felt this


    happy.


    The servant also smiled when she saw Madam Stocktonugh. ¡°I''ll tell the kitchen to serve dinner right away.¡±


    ¡°Tell them to prepare Caprice¡¯s favorite.¡±


    ¡°l understand.¡±


    Sherry pocketed both her hands as she returned to her own ce.


    John was still on the couch when she came in, and when he noticed Caprice was not with her, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Caprice?¡±


    ¡°At your mother¡¯s.¡±


    John was slightly surprised. He asked with a smile, ¡°How did she end up at my mother¡¯s?¡±


    Sherry averted his gaze and exined, ¡°She said she missed her Grandma, so | sent her over.¡±


    The servant was serving dinner.


    Sherry sat down at the table and was ready to dig in.


    John got up and sat opposite her. He stared at her with his sharp gaze and asked, ¡®Is it true that she missed her Grandma?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Or else why would | send her there?¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡±


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    ¡°Sherry, do you really think that, as a father, | don¡¯t know my own daughter?¡± He curved his eyes and lips into a devilish gaze.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She did not say a word.


    John stared at her. ¡°Be honest. Why did you send her over?¡±


    Sherry was annoyed by his persistence, but since the man had already seen through her disguise, there was nothing else to hide


    anymore.


    ¡°I saw your mother hiding behind the wall when we came back.¡±


    John¡¯s expression shifted.


    She added, ¡°You went in with Caprice, so you didn¡¯t see her. | think she came to see Caprice.¡±


    The atmosphere fell into a momentary silence.


    John curled his lips into a smile. ¡°So, you sent Caprice to her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What else?¡± Sherry answered out of annoyance.


    John chuckled. ¡°Eat.¡±


    Sherry dug in.


    Then, a piece of fried rib, which was her favorite, was ced on her te. It was John who had done that.


    Sherry¡¯s heart raced, but she said, ¡°I have hands. | can eat on my own.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. I¡¯m just afraid that when you stand up to reach the ribs, you''ll get them on me.¡±


    Sherry choked in silence and red at him.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    The te of fried ribs was indeed further away, but even if she had to stand up to reach it, she would not spill the gravy or fling


    the meat onto him.

 Chapter 1534

    Chapter 1534


    Madam Stockton held Caprice in her arms by the table and fed the girl herself.


    The girl was not picky but was a slow eater. Though the slower she ate, the more time Madam Stockton could spend with her.


    Caprice¡¯s adorable look when she chewed melted the olddy¡¯s heart and made her grin widen.


    It was then that Julie came in. She wanted to have dinner with Madam Stockton and checked on her condition.


    Given her understanding of Madam Stockton, the olddy must be sulking and refusing to have dinner. Maybe with a little more


    push, she could urge the olddy to think of a way to chase Sherry out of the house tonight.


    She came in with a grin, but when she heard Madam Stockton speaking happily and gently, she was stunned.


    ¡°Good girl, Caprice. Here, have more.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Julie¡¯s expression froze when she saw Caprice in Madam Stockton¡¯s arms.


    ¡®Why is the girl here alone?! Why did John leave her here!?*


    Before she could connect her questions to answers, Madam Stockton noticed her. Madam Stockton waved and said, ¡°Julie,


    come. Come and have dinner with us.¡±


    Julie immediately swapped her shocked expression for a bright smile and went over. She asked, ¡°Mother, why is Caprice here?


    Did John bring her here?¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t John.¡±


    ¡°Then, who?¡±


    Madam Stockton knew it was Sherry, but she refused to ept the fact. ¡°Caprice missed me, so she came over by herself.¡±


    Caprice missed her? Though it sounded absurd, it was the only exnation if John had not sent her over.


    A quick thoughtter, Julie decided to y along.


    ¡°Mother, look, | was saying earlier that you were overthinking, and now Caprice came over to see you. But does John know she¡¯s


    here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | told the servant to inform him.¡±


    Madam Stockton simply came up with an excuse and continued to feed Caprice.


    Caprice opened her mouth, ate the food, chewed, and swallowed it.


    Madam Stockton was delighted.


    Julie noticed that Madam Stockton¡¯s te remained empty, so she said, ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you have dinner first? I''ll feed


    Caprice.¡±


    Madam Stockton immediately answered, ¡°No. You go ahead.¡± She had not had enough of holding Caprice.


    Julie pursed her lips.


    After dinner, Sherry had a nce at the time. She said to John, ¡°Caprice should have finished eating. Go bring her back.¡±


    John raised a brow. ¡°You are the one who sent her there. You go and pick her up.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°You haven''t seen her for the entire meal. Don¡¯t miss her?¡±


    When John stared at her sharply, her eyes flickered out of guilt. Indeed, she did not want to go to Madam Stockton¡¯s ce.


    If Madam Stockton refused to release Caprice back to her and insisted on taking her daughter away, a conflict would break out.


    Amomentary silenceter, John curled his lips. ¡°If you bed me, | might consider bringing Caprice back for you.¡±


    ¡°Master Stockton, that¡¯s your daughter!¡±


    John smiled. ¡°She¡¯s at my mother¡¯s ce, not some stranger¡¯s house.¡± He knew what she was thinking.


    Sherry red at him and went to the door. Before she headed out, she turned around and said, ¡°Master Stockton, don¡¯t say |


    didn¡¯t warn you. If your mother and | fight, do not intervene or take sides.¡±


    John¡¯s lips twitched helplessly.

 Chapter 1535

    Chapter 1535


    Chapter 1535


    Sherry rolled her sleeves up and went out of the house.


    Awhileter, she arrived at Madam Stockton¡¯s front yard. The gate remained open, but there was no one in sight, so she took


    the liberty to go up to the front door.


    She saw Madam Stockton happily feeding Caprice fruits. The girl basically ate everything her grandmother put in her mouth, and


    she looked adorable.


    Julie was also sitting opposite them.


    When the maid noticed Sherry¡¯s arrival, she told Madam Stockton, ¡°Madam, Ms. Fowler is here.¡±


    Both Madam Stockton and Julie turned to Sherry together.


    Caprice also saw her mother. Her eyes gleamed. She stopped eating and said, ¡± Mommy...¡± Her tiny chubby hands reached out


    to Sherry, seemingly asking for a hug. Madam Stockton¡¯s expression turned grim, and her brows furrowed.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Julie caught her change in expression and her eyes flickered. She then smiled at Sherry and said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, Caprice isn¡¯t


    done eating. Why don¡¯t you let her finish the fruits?¡±


    ¡°I''m done,¡± Caprice said without a second thought.


    Julie¡¯s smile froze.


    Sherry walked over to Caprice with a smile and disregarded Julie. She said to Madam Stockton, ¡°Madam Stockton, Caprice said


    she¡¯s done. I¡¯m here to bring her back.¡±


    Madam Stockton gave her the cold shoulder and silent treatment, but she released the girl from her arms.


    Sherry then took Caprice into her arms. The girl leaned on her mother¡¯s shoulder and curled her hands around the neck.


    Then, Julie said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, it¡¯s been days since Mother saw Caprice. Why don¡¯t you leave her here for a little longer, for John¡¯s


    sake? You can pick her upter.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    For John¡¯s sake? Why?


    Did it mean that if she insisted on taking Caprice away, it would be disrespectful to


    John and also Madam Stockton?


    Sherry looked at Julie and saw her polite and friendly smile. Her lips twitched helplessly. Just when she was arranging her words


    to retort, Madam Stockton said, ¡± Caprice already had dinner with me. It¡¯s gettingte. You should bring Caprice back to rest.¡±


    Despite her grumpy look, Madam Stockton¡¯s tone sounded rather gentle. Sherry was surprised by the olddy¡¯s words, and so


    was Julie.


    The atmosphere went silent momentarily before Sherry regained herposure. She said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, say goodbye to


    Grandma.¡±


    Caprice obediently said, ¡°Bye-bye, Grandma.¡±


    Madam Stockton smiled gently. ¡°See you, my precious baby.¡±


    After Sherry left with Caprice, the living room returned to awkward silence.


    Madam Stockton stared at Julie with a stern look. ¡°Julie, what was that?¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes flickered. She said, ¡°Mother, | was just trying to make her leave Caprice here for a little longer so that you can spend


    more time with her.¡±


    ¡°| really do want to spend more time with Caprice, but can¡¯t you see that Caprice already wants to leave? If | want Caprice to


    stay, | can tell her myself, and | won''t simply hand her back either.¡±


    Julie immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Remember not to say something like this again. It made me look like | was trying to threaten Sherry with my status and


    position.¡±


    Julie frowned. ¡°I understand. I''ll be mindful of my words.¡±


    ¡°I''m going to rest. You should go back as well.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Goodnight, Mother.¡± Julie got up and left the house.


    After she left, Madam Stockton asked the maid, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that there¡¯s


    something wrong with Julie today?¡±

 Chapter 1536

    Chapter 1536


    The old maid nodded. ¡°She does seem a little strange to me.¡±


    Madam Stockton enquired further, ¡°Can you tell me what you saw?¡±


    ¡°If | do, please don¡¯t get angry at me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about inconsequential things like that. Just get it over with,¡± Madam Stockton pressed her on.


    The old maid uttered discreetly, ¡°What Ms. Weiss said to Ms. Sherry just now sounded like a threat no matter how you put it. If


    Ms. Sherry doesn¡¯t do as Ms. Weiss says, would it be seen as a sign of disrespect? In the same vein, would it be seen as


    opposing your authority as well?¡±


    Madam Stockton seemed very intrigued by this. ¡°You make a good point. Julie said something very interesting back there, and it


    took me a moment to fully understand what she was trying to imply.¡±


    ¡°It was a good thing you stepped in back there. Judging by Mrs. Sherry¡¯s temper, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if she made the situation


    worse.¡±


    Madam Stockton almost seemed offended by this remark. ¡°I only did that so my granddaughter can get some rest. | wasn¡¯t trying


    to help her at all.¡±


    The old maid smiled and answered tteringly, ¡°I see, | see. | understand.¡±


    ¡°Forget the ttery. Tell me what else you have noticed.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± the maid continued, ¡°What really confuses me now is Ms. Weiss¡¯s behavior. She usually tries to y the good mediator


    between you and Ms. Sherry, but why was she directly inciting conflict back there? If | were her, | would have continued trying to


    get on Ms. Sherry¡¯s good side to get her to like me.¡±


    Madam Stockton frowned and remarked, ¡°Maybe she only said all those things


    because she was just trying to help me and get Caprice to stay behind.¡±


    The maid sighed. ¡°Let''s hope that¡¯s what her intention was.¡±


    Meanwhile, Julie had left Madam Stockton¡¯s residence. Her hands were balled into fists, and her expression was harsh and


    sinister.


    What went wrong?


    Why was the old woman suddenly defending Sherry? How did this happen?


    Was it merely because Caprice wanted to go with Sherry?


    Or did the olddy happen to be in a good mood back there because she had a chance to enjoy a meal with Caprice? Was that


    why she decided to go easy on Sherry this time around?


    Julie was perplexed by this and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She cursed out loud, ¡°Damned old hag!¡±


    At Sherry and John¡¯s, as soon as Sherry brought Caprice into the living room, the girl stretched her tiny arms as far as she could


    toward her father on the couch and cried


    out, ¡°Daddy...¡±


    Her voice was like an angel¡¯s.


    Sherry felt a sting of jealousy, but she knew it was not right to me Caprice for being attached to her father. She swallowed the


    bitter taste in her mouth.


    John smiled, he rose from his seat and approached Caprice, immediately taking her


    into his arms.


    Caprice burrowed her cheeks into his neck and wrapped herself around him tightly.


    Sherry grimaced.


    John noticed Sherry¡¯s reaction. Then, he turned to Caprice and asked tenderly,¡± What''s wrong? Did you miss your daddy?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss Daddy or Mommy more?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Caprice thought for a moment and chirped brightly, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    John smiled as Sherry looked at him with a sullen look.


    It looked like Caprice noticed she may have hurt her mother¡¯s feelings and quickly remedied it. ¡°I miss Mommy too!¡±


    Even though Sherry knew Caprice was only saying this to make her feel better, she did feel genuinelyforted. She smiled and


    shot John a look.


    John muttered dryly, ¡°Heh.¡±


    He took Caprice into the bedroom, and Sherry followed after them.


    It was a Monday the next day.


    Since Sherry did not have any urgent matters to attend to, she nned to take


    Caprice out for a quick shopping trip. She could buy something nice for her, and it was also a good chance for them to bond.


    John instructed her to keep him updated on what they were doing every hour. Apart from that, he did not issue any specific


    restrictions.


    With that, John went to work after breakfast while Sherry dressed up along with Caprice.

 Chapter 1537

    Chapter 1537


    They bumped into Queenie on the way out.


    Upon being told that they were going shopping, Queenie immediately volunteered to join them.


    Since it would be rude to not take her along, Sherry obliged.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    They arrived at a famous shopping district in nchester. Sherry brought her card with her and braced herself for a wild


    shopping spree with Caprice.


    They bought clothes, jewelry, and all sorts of toys that Caprice liked.


    Queenie was a shopaholic herself as well.


    They were not done with shopping even when it was past noon, but the car was already loaded to the brim with their hauls for


    the day.


    Finally, they decided they had enough and went home.


    On the way home, Caprice sat between Sherry and Queenie and was jovially fiddling with a new doll that Sherry had bought for


    her while munching on a pack of snacks. She seemed like the most satisfied out of the trio.


    Even when the car stopped at their residence, she was still nibbling on the same pack of snacks.


    The car was parked outside Sherry and John¡¯s courtyard.


    Sherry had just gotten out of the car with Caprice in her arms when she saw Madam Stockton walking towards her. She was


    staring at Caprice.


    Caprice was so focused on her snacks that she hardly noticed her grandmother approaching.


    Sherry prompted her, ¡°Caprice, your grandma is here to see you. Say ¡®hello, Grandma.¡¯


    Caprice turned to Madam Stockton and greeted her, ¡°Grandma!¡±


    Madam Stockton smiled warmly at her. ¡°Hey!¡± After that, she directed her attention toward Sherry.


    Sherry seemed to have caught sight of something. She quickly put Caprice down and gently nudged her forward. ¡°Caprice, go


    y with your new toys with your grandma and aunt. Mommy has some work to do and will join you once I¡¯m done, alright?¡±


    Caprice was very well-mannered and nodded.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s eyes lit up. Could this mean that she could spend time with Caprice? She quickly took Caprice into her arms.


    ¡°Little Caprice,e on, show Grandma your new toy!¡±


    Queenie got out of the car and joined them. She heard what Sherry told Caprice and smiled warmly at Sherry, then she took out


    the haul of new toys they bought for the little girl from the car and joined Madam Stockton with Caprice in the garden.


    Sherry watched the trio stroll into the garden. She watched her daughter joyfully unpacking her fresh collection of toys.


    After making sure that Caprice was well attended to by Madam Stockton and Queenie, she walked into the courtyard. She had


    some minor tasks to attend to.


    She went back to her room and turned on theputer.


    Caprice must have inherited a certain trait from one of her parents as she got bored with her toys very quickly.


    The race car was abandoned to the side after she yed with it for a while. She tried one toy after another, but each one of them


    was tossed aside in quick session.


    Queenie was at a loss by this point. She tried to salvage the situation by bringing Caprice¡¯s favorite excavator toy.


    The child immediately lit up. She drove the excavator around the well-maintainedwn and began to shovel up batches of dirt.


    At first, Queenie only watched Caprice y and let her do as she willed. However, when she noticed the excavator swerving in a


    certain direction, she immediately cried out, ¡°Caprice, that¡¯s my favorite hydrangea! Stop!¡±


    Just when it seemed like Caprice was going to stop, Madam Stockton told Queenie off, ¡°It¡¯s just some flowers. Shovel them back


    in and rent them. How hard can it be? Don¡¯t get mad at the child!¡±


    Queenie was perplexed and muttered, ¡°I wasn¡¯t mad at her...¡± All she did was warn Caprice!


    Madam Stockton red at her.


    Queenie immediately zipped her lips. They turned their attention back to Caprice just in time to see her driving the toy excavator


    into Madam Stockton¡¯s favorite roses and plowing them out of the ground, roots and all.


    Queenie immediately took a deep breath and nced at Madam Stockton.


    Madam Stockton was cheering Caprice on like the perfect cheerleader, ¡°Wow! There you go! Caprice!¡±


    Queenie was speechless.


    Meanwhile, Julie was standing on the patio a short distance behind them. She had been there for a while and was observing


    Caprice y with a disdainful scorn on her face.


    After observing them for a while, she took special care to fix a warm smile on her face before joining them in the garden.

 Chapter 1538

    Chapter 1538


    Chapter 1538


    She approached Queenie and Madam Stockton.


    Madam Stockton was focused solely on Caprice and did not acknowledge her. Julie turned to Queenie with a smile, ¡°Queenie,


    didn¡¯t you juste back from shopping with Sherry? Why is it just you and Caprice? Where is Sherry?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Queenie informed her, ¡°Sherry said she has some work to do.¡±


    Julie had a strange reaction andmented, ¡°What''s the matter with her? How could she just leave Caprice behind?¡±


    Queenie frowned. She felt that Julie was being unfair and immediately spoke up for Sherry, ¡°What do you mean by that? She


    entrusted Caprice to me and Mother, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    Madam Stockton seemed to have overheard what Julie said as well, which was evident by her darkening, expression.


    Julie hurriedly exined, ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying that you two cannot take good care of Caprice. | just can¡¯t help but notice the


    difference between Sherry and John. John always keeps Caprice by his side at all times while Sherry seems like she doesn¡¯t


    mind letting her be on her own.¡±


    Queenie countered, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. She knows that we miss Caprice as well, so she specifically made a point of letting us


    spend time with her.¡±


    Julie looked towards the garden. It seemed like Madam Stockton was not paying attention to what they were saying anymore


    and only had her eyes fixed on Caprice. Julie mumbled under her breath, ¡°Wouldn''t it be nice if that were the case?¡±


    ¡°You know, | was wondering if you have a problem with Sherry,¡± Queenie said out of nowhere.


    Julie seemed intimidated by this question.


    Madam Stockton looked like she was only paying attention to Caprice, but she was fully alert and listening in.


    After a brief pause, Julie asked, ¡°Queenie, why are you asking this out of the blue? Did Sherry say something about me?¡±


    Queenie was not one to run circles around a subject. She said whatever was on her mind, ¡°She never badmouthed you or


    anything like that. | only asked because what


    you just said about her being negligent about Caprice sounds like you have something against her.¡±


    Julie tried to salvage it, shing the same smile as always. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. You might have misunderstood. | just found it


    surprising that she would entrust Caprice to Mother because | thought there were some issues between them. Then, when you


    told me she specifically entrusted Caprice to you two | thought she was not being very attentive to Caprice. I¡¯m sorry, | must have


    misunderstood her.¡±


    She salvaged the situation very expertly.


    Queenie seemed convinced by this and remarked with a quick smile, ¡°Sister¡ªinw, Sherry is a good person. She has some


    problems here and there, but at the end of the day, she¡¯s more than fine.¡±


    Julie smiled, ¡°I feel the same way too, but | just thought it would be better if she would show more genuine respect for Mother.¡±


    Queenie shot her a look.


    The catalyst was Madam Stockton choosing to be standoffish with Sherry, which only generated the same sort of response from


    Sherry. If they wanted to fix things, it would require the same amount of effort from both sides, Madam Stockton had to adjust her


    attitude as well.


    She could not voice this opinion of hers because she was afraid that Madam Stockton would give her a stern scolding if she ever


    said it out loud.


    Upon noticing her apprehension of continuing the discussion, Julie smiled faintly and turned to Madam Stockton again.


    Madam Stockton was still looking at Caprice, but her mood seemed darker than before.


    Could she be upset because Sherry did not respect her?


    It was true that Madam Stockton was feeling rather upset at this moment, but it was not because of how she felt toward Sherry,


    but more so because of her reflection on what Julie had just said.


    Even Queenie immediately recognized what seemed like Julie¡¯s hostility toward Sherry.


    However, toward the end of the conversation, Julie had switched her tone and expressed how she wished Sherry would be more


    respectful toward Madam Stockton. Why was she constantly reiterating this point?


    Madam Stockton knew she had always advised Julie to keep her distance from


    Sherry, and it bothered her to hear what Julie had to say about the situation.


    It was then that a silver car rumbled down the main road and stopped in the courtyard.


    It was John¡¯s car.


    Even from inside the garden, Caprice could tell that her father hade home. She immediately put aside her toy and waddled


    to the entrance to greet her father.


    Madam Stockton was worried she would trip over herself and quickly got up to follow her.


    Julie was one step ahead of them and got to John¡¯s car before any of them did.


    Madam Stockton took notice of this but did not think much of it.


    Shortly after that, John opened the door and got out of the car.

 Chapter 1539

    Chapter 1539


    Julie greeted him warmly, ¡°Wee home, John.¡±


    John shed a quick smile at her, then he walked past her and marched straight for Caprice.


    ¡°Daddy...¡± Caprice chirped and put her arms out toward him.


    John obliged and took her into his arms. He looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your Mommy?¡±


    Julie informed, ¡°Sherry said she has work to do.¡±


    Madam Stockton nced at her.


    Queenie spoke up, ¡°Brother, we just got back from a shopping trip with Caprice. Sherry wanted to let Caprice spend more time


    with Mother, so she entrusted Caprice to us.¡±


    John turned to Madam Stockton.


    Madam Stockton did not know what to say. She was reluctant to show any form of goodwill toward Sherry, but she was.not going


    to refute what Queenie had said since it was the truth.


    John smiled and let it be, ¡°Caprice misses me, so I''ll be taking her for now.¡±


    With that, he walked away.


    Queenie followed him into the house.


    Madam Stockton remained nted in the same spot. She wore a lingering look in her eyes as she watched Caprice being


    carried off.


    Julie went up to her, sighed, and mumbled what sounded like aint, ¡°It¡¯s still early. Why can¡¯t he let Caprice stay with you


    for a while longer?¡±


    Madam Stockton felt the same way, but she was not going to hold it against her son and said, ¡°He hasn¡¯t seen Caprice for the


    entire day, it¡¯s only natural that he would miss Caprice.¡±


    Julie smiled, and casually pointed out with augh, trying to y it off as a joke, ¡°He barely has time to talk to his mother! He just


    takes Caprice and goes. He must be going to see Sherry.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression suddenly became grave when she heard this.


    Julie caught the look in her eyes and asked, ¡°Is there something wrong? Was it something | said?¡±


    Madam Stockton hesitated, then brushed it off. ¡°No, nothing.¡± With that, she walked


    back to her room.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Julie followed her.


    Madam Stockton turned around briskly and waved her off. ¡°Stop following me. do your own thing.¡± Her voice was harsh.


    1. e. just


    Julie frowned and answered politely, ¡°Alright, let me know if you need anything at all.¡±


    She then stopped following the woman. She watched Madam Stockton retreating to her room. After she was out of sight, her


    anxiety began to rise.


    Her previous remark should have incited Madam Stockton toin about how unfair Sherry was being, but it did not work.


    Also, what was with that re?


    What had gone wrong?


    It seemed like ever since Caprice visited Madam Stockton and had dinner with herst night, something changed.


    After Madam Stockton returned to her room, she called the old maid to her side. She told the maid about what Julie said back in


    the garden.


    After she finished rying her tale, she asked, ¡°Do you think she said all those things intentionally?¡±


    The maid considered it fora moment and shared her thoughts, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Ms. Weiss is a very smart person. She isn¡¯t one to just


    blurt things out without giving them proper consideration.¡±


    ¡°Then, why is she saying all these things? Is she intentionally trying to rile me up?¡± If not for Sherry wisely deciding to let Caprice


    spend more time with her over the past two days, Julie¡¯s words just might have had an effect on her. She might have been


    irritated enough to begin hatching ideas of booting Sherry out of the house.

 Chapter 1540

    Chapter 1540


    The old maid shifted with suspicion and asked in a low voice, ¡°Has she been whispering many things in your ears since you were


    upset two days ago?¡± Madam Stockton seemed to have made the connection and was stunned.


    The maid knew that Madam Stockton finally recognized what was happening atst. She sighed and expressed, ¡°Madam, if my


    suspicions are correct, she is trying to drive a wedge between you and Ms. Sherry. She wants you two to w at each other¡¯s


    throats.¡±


    Madam Stockton was puzzled by this. ¡°Why is she doing that? | already dislike Sherry enough as is. | don¡¯t need her help to


    dislike her more.¡±


    Although it was true that things were bing more amiable between her and Sherry over thest two days, she never said


    anything aboutpletely opening herself up to Sherry either.


    The old maid considered for a while then suggested, ¡°Could she be doing this so you would be angered enough to try to drive


    Ms. Sherry out of the house?¡±


    Madam Stockton was baffled by this suggestion.


    She remained stunned for a long time, then she finally spoke, ¡°That just might be it. Why else would she say all those things


    about Sherry otherwise?¡±


    The maid sighed. ¡°It seems like she¡¯s very good at keeping up appearances but must have it out for Ms. Sherry deep inside.¡±


    ¡°Sherry never did anything to get on her nerves, so why would she do this?¡± Madam Stockton was puzzled.


    The maid thought for a long time. Atst, she spoke, ¡°I think she¡¯s worried about Ms. Sherry growing on you given the time. She¡¯s


    the wife of the young master and that automatically ces her in a higher position. If you¡¯vee to acknowledge her ce in


    the family, that would easily make her the cadet of the family. If | had to guess, Ms. Weiss is worried about her position. It¡¯s a


    power struggle all the way through.¡±


    ¡°So, you''re saying that she¡¯s worried about Sherry taking her ce in our family?¡±


    ¡°| suppose so.¡±


    Madam Stockton sighed. She never thought Julie to be the scheming type.


    Even if Sherry were to be installed as thedy of the family, it did not in any way imply


    that Julie¡¯s position as the seconddy of the family would be threatened, and she would never be mistreated.


    Was she worried about what Sherry would do to her in the future?


    Inside Sherry¡¯s bedroom, she had just wrapped up a short meeting and was now working on other documents.


    She gazed intently at theputer screen, her fingers dancing over the keyboard rhythmically. She was deeply focused.


    It was after it had be dark outside that she finally finalized the said documents. She went through it again to check for


    mistakes and only sent it after she was satisfied with her work.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    She slumped over and breathed a sigh of relief. She nned to look for Caprice now.


    As soon as she swung around, she saw a familiar figure standing by the door.


    She was not sure how long he had been standing there. His tall figure was leaning gracefully against the door frame, his arms


    perched across his chest as usual. She noticed the way he gazed into her eyes.


    She was taken aback. ¡°When did you get home?¡±


    John answered, ¡°Half an hour ago.¡±


    Half an hour ago?


    She asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    John squinted. ¡°What, like you''d be able to set your work aside even if | told you?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    John shot a look at her.


    Sherry shuddered slightly. Then, she got up and approached John while asking, ¡°Did you see Caprice when you got home?¡±


    John suddenly stepped to his side and blocked off the doorway.


    He shot her a look and asked, ¡°You¡¯re asking me about Caprice? That¡¯s good. | was worried you forgot you have a daughter for a


    second there.¡±


    Sherry responded with a note of aggression, ¡°Stop being weird. Caprice is my daughter. I¡¯d forget about every person in my life


    before | forget about her.¡± Also, she did not leave Caprice behind. She had entrusted her to Madam Stockton to appease her.


    John asked, ¡°Does that include me?¡±


    Sherry paused for a moment, then replied confidently, ¡°Yes.¡±


    The smile hanging in the corner of John¡¯s eyes withered immediately. He withdrew away from the doorway.


    Sherry walked out the door.


    As soon as she crossed the threshold, John tripped her back foot.


    She staggered several steps forward and barely managed to regain her bnce.


    She immediately swung around and red murderously at John who was feigning innocence, albeit not very convincingly. She


    howled at him, ¡°You prick, what did you trip me for?¡±

 Chapter 1541

    Chapter 1541


    John stated bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood.¡±


    ¡°And what kind of reason is that for tripping me?¡±


    John smiled and exined as if it was the most natural thing in the world, ¡°Because you''re the reason for my bad mood.¡±


    Sherry was at a loss for words.


    She barely knew what to say as anger rushed to her head and remained there. After a while, she took a deep breath, then


    without any warning, charged straight at him.


    She was going to murder him!


    Just when it seemed like she would tackle him with all her weight, John suddenly dodged to the side and vanished behind the


    door.


    Sherry tackled nothing but the air, her body continued to swing forward due to the momentum. She was going to crash hard


    against the floor.


    Moments before she crashed against the floor, she felt someone pulling her back and saving her from a fall.


    She was yanked backward by this opposing force and swung into John¡¯s chest with a loud ¡®thump¡¯.


    Her head felt dizzy. She raised her head just in time to meet John¡¯s dazzling eyes, and his seductive smile.


    He was very smug. ¡°Calm down, just ask nicely if you want a hug from me next time. | do appreciate the passion though.¡±


    Sherry red at him. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± A hug from him was thest thing she wanted!


    John smiled. ¡°You''re too embarrassed to admit it, | get it.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes, then tried to push him off. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    John held onto her tightly and even made use of this rare intimate moment to feel up her waist.


    Sherry was immediately alerted by this. She pressed her arms against his waist to try to put some distance between them.


    John frowned.


    Sherry scowled grimly and warned him, ¡°Young Master Stockton, if you don¡¯t let go of me right now, you''re going to regret it.¡±


    John mocked her. ¡°What, with your measly strength?¡±


    ¡®Hmmph. How dare you take me for a joke?


    Sherry took it as a sign of challenge. She was going to put her all into her next attack.


    Before she could evenunch her attack, John lowered his head and nted a deep, sensual kiss on her lips, all within a


    second.


    Sherry was shocked by the boldness of his action, and she immediately began to fight him off.


    John held on to her waist tightly. He lifted Sherry like a weightless sack by wrapping one arm around her thigh and palming the


    small of her back with their other hand and carrying her to the bed while stifling her cries with his kiss.


    She was flung onto the bed with a loud ¡®thump¡¯.


    She was panicking and continued to struggle to no avail.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He was not going to let her off that easily. In the midst of the action, he pinned her arms behind her back and overwhelmed her


    with sheer power.


    After he had enough, he suddenly rose. A cunning look creased the corner of his voice and he said in a queer voice, ¡°So, do you


    want to try me again?¡±


    Sherry felt a chill surge through her.


    While she was being held down by him, traumatic memories from ages ago resurfaced from the depths of her mind. She


    remembered every harrowing moment she was put through several years ago when John kept her locked up in this same house.


    The powerlessness that washed over her just now was the same sensation that consumed her entirety back then.


    When she looked into the man¡¯s cruel eyes, she found herself weeping without realizing it.


    She gnashed her teeth and tried to suppress the feeling. She felt the taste of bile in the back of her throat.


    John noticed this and immediately softened the look in his eyes as he asked worriedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Sherry stared at him, her eyes puffing red. ¡°Are you going to force yourself on me again?¡±


    John frowned and immediately removed himself from Sherry.


    Sherry pulled herself off the bed without a word and quickly walked outside.


    ¡°Sherry,¡± he called after her suddenly.


    Sherry only paused briefly before continuing her advance.


    John took off his sses and ruffled his hair, feeling flustered.


    Just when Sherry was about to step past the door, he suddenly spoke up, ¡°I was just teasing you, | wasn¡¯t going to force myself


    on you or anything like that.¡±


    Sherry paused and cast a look back at John.


    He put his sses back on and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although I¡¯m beginning to have some feelings for you, | promise that | won''t


    do anything like that to you without your consent.¡±

 Chapter 1542

    Chapter 1542


    Sherry seemed mildly shocked to hear this. She answered nkly, ¡°You better.¡±


    John smirked. ¡°As long as you stop tempting me.¡±


    Sherry felt a lump in her throat. She cast onest re at him before stomping.out.


    Tempt him? She had better things to do than that.


    Inside the living room.


    Caprice was snacking with Queenie and Aunt Wanda.


    The moment Sherry showed up, Caprice brightened with joy and cried out, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sherry smiled and quickly went to take Caprice into her arms.


    John arrived in the living room as well.


    He had straightened up his clothes and restored his usual grace, his beastly appearance just now seemed like nothing but a


    mirage.


    Sherry quipped a look at him, then she took Caprice to the dining table.


    Queenie sat next to her.


    John took his seat directly opposite.


    After they had dinner, Queenie and Sherry yed with Caprice for a while longer before calling it for the night.


    As usual, Sherry helped Caprice get washed up before washing up herself. After a quick shower, she stepped back into the room


    and joined Caprice in bed.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Even when midnight rolled around, John was nowhere to be seen.


    Was he noting tonight?


    Sherry was relieved by this. She promptly turned off the light and cuddled Caprice, ready to settle into a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Just as she was about to doze off, she heard footsteps approaching.


    She pricked up her ears, fully alert by this point.


    The footsteps stopped at the other edge of the bed.


    What followed after was a round of faint rustling.


    It sounded like he had lied down on the other end of the bed.


    Sherry heaved a silent sigh of relief. It should be safe to fall asleep now.


    That was when she felt a hand grazing her cheeks.


    Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest, she winced at the touch.


    The few warm fingertips caressed back and forth against her cheeks.


    Sherry did not dare to move.


    Moments before she decided she had enough and was going tounch out of bed to give John a good scolding, he withdrew his


    hand.


    He sighed. The sound of his sigh echoed around the quiet room.


    It sounded like he was very troubled about something.


    Sherry was baffled by this. What was he sighing about anyway? Was the texture of her skin not smooth and delicate enough for


    his taste?


    The night passed without any dreams..


    The next morning, Sherry had to head back to the office. Caprice was going to stick with John today.


    John¡¯s driver dropped Sherry off at her building as usual. Before stepping out of the car, she kissed Caprice goodbye before


    reluctantly bidding farewell.


    The next few days would more or less follow the same pattern as her schedule was rather hectic.


    Until a certain morning. As usual, Sherry stepped out of the courtyard with John who had Caprice in her arms. They were going


    to their respective offices.


    As soon as they stepped out of the courtyard, they bumped into Madam Stockton.


    She looked at Caprice, then turned to John. ¡°John, are you taking Caprice to the office again today?¡±


    John grunted. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Madam Stockton tried her luck. ¡°Both of you are very busy with work. Why don¡¯t you leave Caprice at home so we can take care


    of her?¡±


    John hesitated for a moment and looked at Sherry. Sherry lowered her eyes and pretended to not notice.


    She would much rather not get involved in the affairs of the pair of mother and son.

 Chapter 1543

    Chapter 1543


    Sherry had a lot of work to get to today so there was no chance that she would be taking Caprice with her. John could do


    whatever he liked, take Caprice with him or leave her at home, it did not matter to her which option he chose.


    Madam Stockton noticed how she kept her distance from the discussion and quickly averted her gaze back to John.


    John cast Sherry a sideways look, then he turned to Caprice instead. ¡°Caprice, do you want to stay home with Grandma?¡±


    Caprice muttered softly, ¡°I want to be with Daddy.¡±


    Madam Stockton was immensely disappointed by this, but it was not surprising


    since Caprice had always preferred to be with her father.


    She took a breath and tried to make the best out of the situation. ¡°In that case, could you bring Caprice back earlier today?¡±


    John answered, ¡°I''ll try my best.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°It¡¯s cold out here, you should head inside quickly.¡±


    Madam Stockton took the hint. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head back right away.¡±


    At least John was showing some hint of concern for her well-being.


    She counted this as a win.


    ¡°Bye-bye, Grandma,¡± Caprice suddenly cried out.


    Madam Stockton waved goodbye to her dear granddaughter. ¡°Okay, goodbye!¡±


    John took Caprice into the car.


    Sherry burrowed into the car as well.


    The driver revved the engine, and the car drove out of the house.


    Madam Stockton walked back to her room after seeing them off.


    While on the way back, she bumped into Julie.


    Julie wore a very concerned look and asked, ¡°Mom, did John and Sherry take Caprice with them again?¡±


    Madam Stockton was slightly on guard when she heard this question, her jubnt mood quickly died away as she answered


    crossly, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Something shifted in Julie¡¯s eyes. She followed Madam Stockton, the two walked side by side. ¡°They''re not going to leave


    Caprice behind?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Geez, John sure is something. You haven¡¯t been with Caprice for several days.


    Would it kill him to just leave Caprice at home for a day?¡±


    Madam Stockton looked like she was going to say something but quickly held her tongue.


    Julie noted the faint reaction her words evoked and continued, ¡°I suspect he still thinks that you have something against Sherry,


    that must be why...¡±


    Madam Stockton suddenly shot a sharp look at her.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She quickly switched up her tone. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not saying that he has anything against you. I¡¯m just worried that Sherry might


    have whispered something in his ears to convince him to not leave Caprice at home, who knows?¡±


    Madam Stockton scowled.


    Julie was pleased with this reaction as she thought Madam Stockton must be furious with Sherry.


    Earlier this week, Madam Stockton was exceptionally cordial with Sherry, it must bergely attributed to her having spent some


    time with Caprice. However, her joy was very short-lived since she had not been able to spend time with Caprice the past few


    days. She must have had some resentment built up inside her.


    Now that Julie was fanning the mes, Madam Stockton¡¯s already present


    resentment against Sherry was growing. She must suspect that Sherry was behind


    all of this.


    Julie was sure that any moment now, Madam Stockton was going to begin voicing her displeasure with Sherry. Unfortunately for


    her, she was in for a surprise. Madam Stockton began. ¡°Julie, | do hate Sherry, but that doesn¡¯t mean | don¡¯t know what the


    bigger picture is.¡±


    Julie twitched at this remark.


    Madam Stockton regarded her with a harsh look. ¡°You''ve been whispering a lot of things in my ears to try to get me to turn


    against Sherry, haven''t you? Are you trying to use me to help you drive Sherry out of our house?¡±


    Julie turned pale in an instant, her eyes shifted with guilt. She tried to salvage the situation. ¡°No, you must have misunderstood,


    that was never my intention! | was only


    worried about you and wanted to help fix a situation where you get to spend more time with Caprice.¡±


    ¡°If you were going to help me, you could¡¯ve gone up to John and asked him nicely if he would let Caprice stay at home with me.


    Instead, you chose to drive a wedge between me and Sherry.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not-¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough excuses.¡± Madam Stockton seemed very irritated.


    Julie zipped her lips, she looked very wounded by these usations.


    When Madam Stockton saw her in this state, she suddenly felt like she must have been too harsh on her.


    She sighed and stated, ¡°Sherry is a very lowly and rude woman, but one thing | can say about her is that she bears no ill will. If


    she was going to manipte John against me, she¡¯d have done that by now.¡± As Madam Stockton said this, a wipe of doubt


    appeared in her eyes. It seemed like she was still struggling with her stance on this subject.


    Then, she continued earnestly, ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about what it would mean for you in the long term if she was fully epted


    into the family.¡±


    Julie seemed alerted by this, and her eyes gave her away.


    Madam Stockton took her hand and assured her, ¡°Julie, you''re like a daughter to me. Even if | were to ept Sherry, it¡¯s solely


    because | respect John¡¯s decision. |


    promise you that as long as | breathe, | will not let Sherry rece you.¡±

 Chapter 1544

    Chapter 1544


    Julie lowered her head.


    It seemed like everything Madam Stockton said had hit the mark. She seemed deeply ashamed of her actions.


    What Madam Stockton could not see was the evil scowl on Julie¡¯s lips. Despite how things had turned out, she was relieved.


    She turned to Madam Stockton and said, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright, you''re only trying to look out for yourself. You shouldn¡¯t have tried to use me. Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re on the same


    side. It upsets me to think that you''d try to weaponize me against Sherry.¡±


    Julie was still very remorseful. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry. Even though I¡¯m not a Stockton, | have lived with the family for long enough that I


    consider myself as part of the family. | see you as my mother and | see Queenie as my sister as well, which is why ever since


    Sherry arrived, I¡¯ve noticed that Queenie hasn''t been spending as much time with me. | got paranoid and became worried that


    you''d also...¡±


    She got choked up at this time and seemed on the verge of crying.


    It pained Madam Stockton to see her like this. She quicklyforted her, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Julie. | understand, | truly understand how


    you''re feeling. Queenie is a child and doesn¡¯t know better at times, but I¡¯m nothing like that. I¡¯m on your side.¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes were bulging with red as she sobbed and apologized, ¡°| made a mistake, please forgive me. | won''t ever do it again.¡¯


    ¡°I''m happy you apologized, | won''t hold it against you.¡± Although Madam Stockton was rather upset when she realized Julie¡¯s


    ploys, she decided it was not right to hold it against her. Julie had been widowed for so many years with the family and had


    disyed nothing but loyalty, so she deserved to be forgiven.


    She observed how Julie still seemed devastated and quickly told her, ¡°Go on, go back to your room and get some rest. Stop


    worrying about it, remember everything that I¡¯ve told you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I''m going,¡± Julie answered obediently, then she walked toward her room.


    As soon as she turned her back on Madam Stockton, she scowled viciously. All of that guilt and shame was nothing but a facade


    the entire time as she had taken off


    the mask and revealed the repulsion underneath.


    When did the damn old hag see through her lies?!


    Fortunately, her true goal was not discovered just yet. So long as she remained with the family, so long as the stupid old hag still


    trusted her, she still had a chance. She was going to boot that vile and despicable Sherry out of the house and away from John!


    She took a deep breath with these spiteful ideas in her mind and hurried back to her


    room.


    Downtown nchester.


    Sherry finished her work at roughly three p.m.


    She sent John a message to check if he was done with his work.


    There was no reply even after some time had passed.


    He was probably in a meeting or something along those lines.


    She decided to head to the Stockton Tower herself.


    The receptionist at the front desk recognized her as Sager Corporation¡¯s President Sherry and greeted her cordially, ¡°President


    Sherry, are you here to see Mr.


    Stockton?¡±


    Sherry nodded. ¡°Please tell him I¡¯m heading up to his office.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± The receptionist was about to pick up the phone when Peter


    happened to pass by.


    He seemed surprised by her appearance and greeted her, ¡°Mrs. Sherry, is that you?¡±


    Sherry turned to him and smiled. ¡°Assistant Peter, good afternoon.¡±


    Peter returned a polite smile, then he turned to the receptionist. ¡°Next time you see President Sherry, just let her head upstairs.


    You won''t have to notify Master


    Stockton.¡±


    Peter was John¡¯s assigned assistant, his authority was only lower than John¡¯s, and his order was thew.


    The receptionist hurriedly put down the phone and took note of this.


    Peter then said to Sherry, ¡°Mrs. Sherry, you can head up right away. Master Stockton


    is inside his office.¡±


    Sherry thanked him politely. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Peter was very efficient and reliable. The prick had chosen a good assistant.


    She went to the elevator which took her straight to John¡¯s office.


    When she flung the door open, she was greeted by an empty office.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    That was strange..


    Peter mentioned John was in the office. Where was he?


    What about Caprice?


    Were they napping in the break room?


    Sherry went to the break room. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Caprice sprawled across the center of the bed where


    the child was out cold.


    She also heard the sound of running water from the direction of the bathroom.


    Was the prick taking a shower?


    She curiously approached the bathroom.

 Chapter 1545

    Chapter 1545


    Chapter 1545


    She approached the door and poked her head out to steal a peek inside, and that was when the door suddenly slid open.


    She was immediately confronted by John¡¯s towering figure.


    Fresh out of the shower, he looked rejuvenated, the texture of his skin was lustrous. She could see his Adam¡¯s apple and cor


    bone underneath his unbuttoned cor, his chest was toned and shapely.


    She was taken by shock.


    The heat that poured out of the bathroom seemed to cloud her mind as she found herself staring enchanted at his chest.


    What a body...


    She gulped.


    John observed her reaction and remained silent.


    After a short silence, he smirked and proceeded to button the top of his shirt.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    With that, the show was over. The curtains that were the fabric of his clothes had concealed the skin underneath.


    Sherry snapped back to her senses. She turned to John and greeted him sheepishly,¡± Hi.¡±


    John squinted suspiciously and immediately went to tease her. ¡°Hey yourself. Did youe here to spy on me in the shower like


    a creep?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Sherry refuted the usation and exined, ¡°I heard some noises inside here so | came to investigate.¡±


    John chuckled, then he suddenly unbuttoned his clothes without warning.


    He pried his cors open again.


    She stared at it subconsciously.


    He noticed her staring and asked with a smile, ¡°How''s the view?¡±


    She froze, and then stammered, ¡°What are you talking about? | only looked because


    you suddenly unbuttoned your cor, it caught my attention.¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± John chuckled.


    She could feel her cheeks turning red, so she prepared to leave.


    He grabbed her by her ponytail.


    She turned around and scowled. ¡°Let go!¡±


    He smiled seductively. ¡°You know, this isn¡¯t the best ce to do this but if you want, you cane inside here and | can let you


    stare as much as you want.¡±


    Stare as much as she wanted?


    The bathroom was a very cramped space. If she were to enter with him, he was definitely going to lock the door. What if her lust


    got the better of her and she ended up seduced...?


    Sherry refused adamantly. ¡°No thank you! I¡¯ve seen your body enough times back then and I¡¯m sick of it!¡±


    John smirked. ¡°I¡¯m in much better shape nowpared to back then.¡±


    Better than several years ago?


    What sort of improvements had he made?


    Sherry¡¯s eyes glowed up, then she continued shaking her head vigorously.


    No, she only married him for Caprice. She was going to steal Caprice away eventually, so she could not let these idle thoughts


    distract her.


    She had enough time to recover herposure. She was not going to cave in.


    ¡°| don¡¯t care and I¡¯m not interested!¡± she cried out. Then when she noticed John still holding her by her ponytail, she warned him


    sternly, ¡°Let go of your filthy hands or else!¡±


    John looked at her bewitchingly. ¡°Sherry, are you absolutely sure you don¡¯t want to see?¡±


    Sherry shook her head and insisted. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡± He swiftly let go and re¡ªbuttoned the cor of his shirt.


    Sherry was surprised that she felt a vague sense of disappointment when she saw John buttoning his shirt. Then she promptly


    turned back to the room where Caprice was resting.


    Caprice was still sound asleep.


    Her adorable sleeping expression helped relieve the nerve and tension Sherry had been feeling.


    She heaved a sigh, then sat on the edge of the bed to bask in Caprice¡¯s peaceful presence.


    John joined her after drying his hair.


    He put his gold-rimmed sses back on and strapped a watch on his wrist. He looked every bit like a professional leader of a


    company.


    Nothing like the wolfish pervert when he emerged from the shower.

 Chapter 1546

    Chapter 1546


    The image of John fresh out of the shower surfaced in Sherry¡¯s mind again against her will. She felt her cheeks glowing hot and


    tried to turn away from John so he would not notice. She asked him a question to distract him, ¡°Do you have anything lined up


    later?¡±


    John answered, ¡°There¡¯s a meetingter. | also need to join this event that¡¯s taking ceter this evening.¡±


    Sherry was thrilled to hear this and quickly seized the chance. ¡°Then can | take Caprice home with me first?¡±


    John gave her a sideways look. ¡°We''ll wait until Caprice wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Sherry said.


    John walked out.


    Caprice happened to wake up just as soon as he left.


    She snapped her eyes open and cried out the moment she recognized who was next to her, ¡°Mommy!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Sherry took Caprice into his arms and repeatedly nted kisses on her chubby cheeks. She threw on a coat for Caprice and


    took her out of the room.


    John was sitting at his desk going through stacks of documents.


    When he heard them approaching, he darted his eyes for a quick look.


    Caprice was still slightly drowsy since she had just woken up and was slouched over Sherry¡¯s shoulder.


    Sherry smiled warmly at him. ¡°Take your time, I''ll take Caprice home first.¡±


    John let them go and merely mumbled, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry hurriedly shuffled out.


    As soon as she stepped out of the elevator with Caprice in her arms, all of the employees in the building fixed a surprised look in


    her direction.


    Sherry caught on to what was happening.


    She was so focused on trying to get Caprice out of there as soon as possible that she forgot the fact that everyone in the building


    recognized Caprice.


    Sure enough, all of the employees dropped their tasks and stared at her with equal shock and suspicion.


    They were curious how a mere visitor who came to see their president was allowed to simply waltz off with the president¡¯s dear


    daughter.


    Everyone knew that in the past two years, Caprice had never been cared for by anyone apart from President Stockton himself,


    so he simply would not allow it.


    Their perplexion concerning this strange urrence was slowly mounting. There must be something more to this!


    Sherry stiffened, then she made herself move and quickly marched out of the building.


    Just as she was about to reach the exit, she ran into Jason, one of John¡¯s security forces.


    It seemed like Jason had been waiting for her. When he noticed her approaching, he greeted her with a smile and informed her,


    ¡°Madam, Young Master Stockton has instructed me to wait for you here.¡±


    The employees were still staring at her, and they were bing very curious.


    Fortunately, they were far away enough to not hear Jason addressing Sherry as madam.


    Sherry thanked him, ¡°Alright, thanks.¡±


    She quickly shuffled out with Caprice.


    John followed after her.


    As soon as they vanished from the building, the employees grouped together and began specting.


    ¡°What''s going on? Why did Young Master Stockton let Sager Corporation¡¯s President Sherry take his daughter?¡±


    ¡°He even let his trusty bodyguard apany her.¡±


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t think something is going on between them?¡±


    That was when the receptionist from earlier supplied. ¡°When President Sherry got here earlier today, Assistant Peter specifically


    instructed me to give her direct ess to the president''s office. He said | didn¡¯t need to notify the president and that this was the


    standard procedure from here on.¡±


    As soon as she supplied this information, everyone began to catch onto something.


    ¡°You think there¡¯s really something between the two presidents-¡±


    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± They suddenly heard a familiar, authoritative voice from behind.


    They turned their heads in unison and recognized Peter. Every one of them stood upright and greeted him with a polite smile.


    Peter maye off as being rather by the book sometimes, but the truth was he was very popr among the employees


    because of how pleasant he was to talk to.


    One of the employees plucked up the courage to ask directly, ¡°Assistant Peter, we just saw Sager Corporation¡¯s Miss Sherry


    walk out of the building with Miss Caprice. We even saw Master Stockton¡¯s bodyguard escorting her, that¡¯s why we were


    curious.¡±


    Peter''s eyes shifted. ¡°What are you curious about?¡±

 Chapter 1547

    Chapter 1547


    ¡°We''ve never even seen you hugging Miss Caprice before. Why did Master Stockton let President Sherry, someone from a rival


    corporation, take Miss Caprice with her?¡± The man paused briefly before suggesting, ¡°Is it because they are together?¡±


    Everyone stared at Peter expectantly, waiting for an answer to confirm their suspicion.


    Peter smiled and brushed it off. ¡°This is the president¡¯s private affair, I¡¯m afraid | can¡¯t spare many details myself either. If you


    guys are so curious, why don¡¯t you ask the man himself?¡±


    This was more than enough to dissuade them from pressing the matter. In a roundabout way, it also confirmed their suspicion.


    President Stockton¡¯s personal affairs that Peter could not spare many details on? Now that was curious.


    There must be more to the rtionship between the two presidents.


    Sherry got into the car with Caprice, escorted by Jason.


    Before they drove out of the district, Caprice suddenly pleaded in a voice that was impossible to refuse, ¡°Mommy, | want to eat


    something nice.¡±


    She weaponized herrge, sparkly eyes against her mother. Sherry instantly melted, there was no way she could guard herself


    against this!


    She obliged immediately. ¡°Alright, Mommy will bring you somewhere we can get some good food.¡±


    She had the driver take them to a local district popr among foodies.


    She still remembered what Caprice¡¯s favorite food was from thest time they went shopping together.


    The first thing she bought for Caprice was a vani waffle. Then they went to look for more snacks.


    The child was almost three years old by now and was fine with eating the mostmon snacks. She only needed to take


    caution with certain spicier food.


    They walked around the district to hunt for food, the cart was full toward the end.


    They finally left around the evening when the sky was darkening.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The car swerved through the main gates of the house and followed along the main road until it stopped at the courtyard.


    Before Sherry got out of the car, she saw Madam Stockton and Queenie approaching.


    She hurried out of the car along with Caprice. Madam Stockton immediately walked up to them with a longing stare at Caprice.


    ¡°Caprice, give your grandma a hug!¡±


    Caprice remained in Sherry¡¯s arms and seemed hesitant.


    Madam Stockton was hurt by Caprice¡¯s refusal but she continued to look at Caprice lovingly as she wanted to hug her so


    desperately.


    Sherry promptly handed Caprice over to her.


    Madam Stockton was surprised by this gesture and quickly took Caprice into her


    arms.


    She promptly headed back to her living room with Caprice.


    Sherry immediately grimaced upon seeing this, the olddy was getting ahead of herself again...


    Queenie stepped forward, took Sherry¡¯s hand, and asked, ¡°Sherry, where¡¯s my brother? Why is it just you and Caprice?¡±


    Sherry stated, ¡°He said he has an event to attend.¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± The two of them followed after Madam Stockton.


    Sherry suddenly stopped and said, ¡°I¡¯m not joining you girls, go on without me. Keep an eye on Caprice for me.¡±


    Queenie tugged at her arms. ¡°Caprice is your daughter, not mine. Come on,e with me!¡±


    ¡°I''m not going, you can go.¡± She knew that things were still rather tense between herself and Madam Stockton, so it was best to


    keep their interaction to a minimum.


    Queenie still refused to let go as she insisted. ¡°Sherry, | don¡¯t think my mom hates you as much as she did back then. Why don¡¯t


    you just go over and have a quick casual chat with her? In time, she''ll get to know you better and change her opinion of you.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Your mom has been through more than you and |bined. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already decided on how she feels


    about me.¡±


    Queenie frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Your mother¡¯s impression of me isn¡¯t going to change with just some quick chat. Besides, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m thest person she


    wants to see now.¡±


    With that, she pulled her hand away and said, ¡°Go on, keep an eye on Caprice for me.¡±


    Queenie made a look and muttered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry returned to the courtyard by herself.


    Queenie went to Madam Stockton¡¯s section of the house.


    Madam Stockton had bought arger model excavator for Caprice. Queenie entered just in time to see her carrying Caprice into


    the driver''s seat of the excavator.

 Chapter 1548

    Chapter 1548


    The child seemed like a veteran at the wheel and steered it masterfully. She swiftly drove the excavator into Madam Stockton¡¯s


    garden.


    When Queenie appeared, Madam Stockton turned to her and noticed that she was alone. She asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Sherrying with


    you?¡±


    Queenie assumed Madam Stockton had wanted to see Sherry. She merely nodded and grunted, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    That was when Madam Stockton smiled from ear to ear, she seemed very pleased. She was d Sherry was not around.


    Caprice would bolt straight for Sherry if she was here while Madam Stockton herself would be nothing but a mere afterthought.


    Besides, the sight of Sherry evoked nothing but sore memories.


    Queenie frowned.


    Did her mother truly hate Sherry that much?


    After Sherry returned to her room, she turned on theputer and settled some minor tasks.


    She then took a shower before throwing herself on the couch in the living room. She reached for her phone and began texting


    Sylvia.


    She was going to use her leisure time while waiting for Caprice to chat with Sylvia for a while.


    ¡°Hey Syl, what are you up to?¡±


    After the message had been delivered, there was no reply even after some time had passed.


    Could she be busy?


    Ding!


    Suddenly, her phone rang. She was expecting a reply from Sylvia but it was a message from John instead.


    He asked, ¡°Did you bring Caprice home?¡±


    When she took Caprice shopping for food during the evening, she got a call from


    John as well. He asked if she and Caprice had reached home, and she had informed him of their sudden change of ns.


    Sherry replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    John, ¡°What is she doing now?¡±


    Sherry, ¡°She¡¯s with your mother.¡±


    Asudden pause, followed by another text, ¡°What about you, what are you doing?¡±


    Sherry repliedzily, ¡°Chatting with you, what else?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, the man chuckled at his screen. Then he rattled his fingers against the screen again. ¡°Well, who


    else are you chatting with apart from


    me?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°Just with you, I¡¯m not chatting with anyone else.¡±


    Sylvia was probably busy, there was no reply from her yet.


    John smirked and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you''ve been waiting for me to text you this entire time?¡±


    Sherry was made speechless by this bold im.


    Where did he get this impression from? Was it because she had been answering his texts rtively quickly?


    She replied, ¡°You¡¯re looking too much into it. | was waiting for Syl to text me and | happened to see your message, so | replied


    right away.¡±


    On the other end of the phone, John¡¯s coy smile ttened immediately.


    He was at the event he spoke of. He had retreated into a corner to have some time for himself.


    Several people noticed him and wanted to go up to him to greet him, but as they approached, they quickly noticed his grim


    expression illuminated by the phone¡¯s disy. Each one of them turned away as they knew better than to provoke John.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Ding! Sherry¡¯s phone rang again.


    It was from John, ¡°Why were you looking for Mrs. Carter?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°Because I¡¯m bored, | wanted to chat with her.¡±


    John¡¯splexion darkened significantly upon reading the text.


    If she was so bored, why must she look for Sylvia? Why not text him instead?


    He took a deep breath topose himself. Then he smirked as he texted a snarky reply, ¡°She¡¯s not replying, is she?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s probably busy with something.¡±


    John continued, ¡°What time is it? She¡¯s a painter and has all the time in the world to reply to a text, what could she be busy


    with?¡±


    Sherry was bothered by this and asked, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    John pointed out, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to talk to you, does she?¡±


    Sherry felt insulted, ¡°Look, you prick. Don¡¯t you dare badmouth my friend Syl!¡±


    John reiterated the same point, ¡°Then why is she ignoring you?¡±


    Sherry was getting flustered, ¡°I told you, she must be busy!¡±


    John replied, ¡°Heh... let me ask her for you.¡±


    Sherry was confused by this and immediately asked, ¡°What do you mean you''ll ask


    her for me?¡±


    John replied, ¡°I''ll call Mr. Carter. Just so happens | haven''t caught up with him for a


    while.*.


    Sherry hurriedly dissuaded the idea, ¡°No, | just call Syl myself.¡±


    There was no reply from John, so he must have called already.

 Chapter 1549

    Chapter 1549


    After John sent thest text to Sherry, he dug through his contact for Odell¡¯s number and called him.


    The phone rang twice and was promptly hung up on the third ring.


    John was caught off guard by this.


    He hung up?


    Odell may not be the most approachable person out there, but he would not just hang up.


    Was he in the middle of something too?


    Both of them were busy at such an unnatural hour...


    He thought for a moment, then he waited two minutes before calling Odell¡¯s number again.


    Ring ring...


    After several rings, the call was hung up again.


    John scowled.


    This time, he waited ten minutes before calling again.


    Unlike the first two times, when the call was connected at the second ring, he heard the ruffled and heavy voice of the man.


    ¡°What do you need?¡±


    He sounded grumpy.


    John smiled and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing important, | was just calling to help Sherry ask if your wife is busy.¡±


    Odell answered, ¡°She¡¯s by my side, what does Sherry want from her?¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing important, she was just bored and wanted to chat with Mrs. Carter, but since Mrs. Carter hasn¡¯t been texting back


    she got a little worried, so | figured I''d help her call and ask if something had happened.¡±


    Odell remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°...Got it.¡±


    He seemed like he was holding back something.


    Then he promptly hung up.


    John smiled and sent Sherry a text, ¡°Just contacted Mr. Carter, Mrs. Carter is with him and should be texting you back any time


    now.


    Meanwhile, at the Carter¡¯s Residence in Westchester.


    Inside Sylvia and Odell¡¯s bedroom.


    They were in the middle of something and ended up getting interrupted.


    Sylvia slouched over Odell¡¯s shoulders, her cheeks still glowing red from their activity. After he put away the phone, she asked,


    ¡°Who was that?¡±


    Odell took a breath and answered, ¡°John.¡±


    Sylvia nodded.


    John was perhaps the only one in the world who would dare to continue pestering Odell with calls even though he hung up not


    once but twice.


    Sylvia suddenly remembered Sherry was with John, so she asked again, ¡°Was he looking for you for something urgent?¡±


    Odell told her, ¡°Sherry sent you a message and when you didn¡¯t reply, she got worried that something might have happened to


    you. Long story short, John called me to see if everything was alright.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sylvia frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she just call me instead?¡±


    Odell agreed with this. He took his phone again and looked at the call logs.


    John had called him three times, with a two minute interval between the first and second time, then another ten minutes before


    he called the third time. It seemed like he had deliberately waited ten minutes before calling the third time.


    He was an adult, he should be able to figure out based on the circumstances what Odell and Sylvia were doing.


    Was he trying to spoil their night just because he could not win over Sherry?!


    nchester.


    Inside Sherry and John¡¯s courtyard.


    After receiving the update from John, Sherry frowned.


    Did it take him the better half of ten minutes for him just to finally get in touch with Odell? Sylvia was with Odell?


    Sherry looked at the night sky, she figured out the implications and suddenly glowered with embarrassment.


    Ding ding.


    Her phone rang again, this time it was Sylvia who finally texted her, ¡°Her Sherry. Sorry | was busy just now and wasn¡¯t looking at


    my phone. Do you need anything?¡±


    Sherry was d that Sylvia finally texted and hurriedly replied, ¡°It''s nothing important, | just wanted to chat with you.¡±


    Sylvia sent another message, ¡°Sorry, | need to take a quick shower. Talk to youter.¡±


    Sherry was very understanding, ¡°Alright, go ahead. I''ll see you in a bit.¡±


    She texted John again after that and asked, ¡°How many times did you call Odell just now?¡±


    John replied, ¡°Three times, why?¡±


    Sherry was bbergasted.


    Why would he knowingly interrupt them? What was wrong with this man?


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1550

    Chapter 1550


    Late into the night, Caprice got tired out from all that ying at Madam Stockton¡¯s and had fallen asleep. It was Queenie who


    took her back to Sherry¡¯s.


    Sherry promptly took the child into her arms.


    After seeing Queenie off, she carried Caprice back into the bedroom.


    With the help of Aunt Wanda, Caprice was cleaned up before Sherry put her into bed. She hugged Caprice tightly and


    surrounded her with her warmth.


    John stepped into the room around this point.


    Sherry was just about to fall asleep when she was awakened by John knocking on the door.


    She red at him grumpily. ¡°The door is unlocked, what are you knocking for?¡±


    John stood by the threshold of the door and looked at Sherry with a snarky smile.¡± What, did you leave the door unlocked just for


    me?¡±


    Sherry seemed repulsed by this suggestion and said, ¡°You think too highly of yourself, | just forgot to lock the door.¡±


    John grinned and shot a look at her before turning around.


    It seemed like he was heading back to his room.


    He was probably going to take a shower.


    Sherry ignored him, then she put her arms around Caprice and closed her eyes again.


    Except she was not tired anymore. John had interrupted her sleep and now she was wide awake again.


    When she heard the sound of faint footsteps approaching, she opened her eyes again and stole a nce.


    It was John. He was wearing a set of silver¡ªgray silk pajamas. She could not help but notice that he had left the buttons from his


    cor down to the middle of his chest unbuttoned. It seemed like it was intentional.


    The cors were pulled to the side, revealing the texture of his skin underneath.


    His eyes gleamed with charm, he was up to no good.


    He was the devil himself.


    Sherry could not resist staring and silently gulped.


    As soon as John entered, he peered into her eyes, his visionpletely unobstructed by the darkness. ¡°Sherry, why haven¡¯t you


    slept yet? Were you waiting for me?¡±


    He spoke in a low and mellow voice, a gentle tone.


    Just a small sentence managed to evoke such feelings of endearment.


    Sherry was slowly losing control of herself. She had to suppress her restlessness as she answered without directly looking at


    John, ¡°I fell asleep just now, but your footsteps woke me up again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, really!¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± John chuckled and got into bed.


    As usual, hey down on the other side of Caprice.


    The room was basked in darkness.


    Even afterying in the dark for a long time, Sherry still had a hard time falling asleep.


    All she could think about was John¡¯s chiseled and alluring figure.


    After a while, she opened her eyes.


    She carefully propped herself up from the bed so she could gain an angle over Caprice and gawk at John¡¯s figure.


    His tall build took up almost the entire length of the bed.


    He slept on his back. Even his sleeping posture seemed vignt.


    The buttons along the top of his pajamas were still left unbuttoned, Sherry immediately saw the outline of his chest.


    His build was extremely toned, with the perfect amount of sturdiness.


    Sherry wanted to touch.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    She stared for what seemed like forever, then she lightly coughed to see if it would wake the man.


    He stilly motionlessly, the pace of his breathingpletely uninterrupted.


    He usually fell asleep quite quickly, so she wagered that he must be in a deep sleep by this point.


    With this in mind, she sneakily stretched her hand out, passed it over the sleeping Caprice, and reached for John¡¯s chest.


    Wow, it felt wonderful to the touch.


    Based on what John usually wore, she would never expect him to have such a figure.


    She was cautious of waking him up and quickly retracted her hands after several seconds.


    Just when she was going to pull her hands away, arge arm suddenly seized her wrist without warning.


    She was startled by this, and her eyes grew wide.


    The man who was sleeping soundly only moments ago had sprung to movement, awakened from his slumber.


    He quickly sat up from the bed and looked at her with a wolfish gleam in his eyes, he was smiling.


    Sherry¡¯s heart began to race, she tried to forcefully yank her hands back.

 Chapter 1551

    Chapter 1551


    John curled his lips and tightened his grip.


    His hand mped onto Sherry¡¯s wrist like a handcuff, so there was no way she could break free.


    Sherry looked at him shyly, ¡°What are you doing? Let me go!¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Sherry, that¡¯s my question. What are you doing, touching my hand in the middle of the night?¡±


    Sherry blushed. She averted his gaze and grumbled, ¡°No one is touching your hand! It¡¯s cold and your cor is opened. I¡¯m just


    worried that you might get a cold, so | thought I¡¯d help you with it...¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°So, | should thank you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. Just take your hands off me.¡±


    John smiled. He tightened his grip once more, so she was pulled closer to him. Any closer and she would touch Caprice sleeping


    in the middle.


    She frowned and grumbled in a small voice, ¡°Stop it! You¡¯re gonna wake Caprice!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to wake her, thene to my side,¡± he said.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to wake her, let go of my hand!¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± He clung to her and tightened his grip again.


    Sherry red at her angrily, but he replied with a bewitching smile. She was afraid she might hit Caprice, so she grunted, got up,


    and crawled to his side quietly.


    Just when she wanted to squat down in front of him, he tightened his grip and pulled her closer.


    Thud!


    She fell onto his chest.


    The fragrance of his shampoo entered her nose.


    Her heart raced and she instinctively wanted to get up, but his hand held her down.


    She grumbled with gnashing teeth, ¡°You bastard, let me go!¡±


    John looked down at her. ¡°Sherry, | was almost asleep when you woke me up. Not only did you not apologize, but you¡¯re even


    scolding me? | can¡¯t just let you go like this. | would be embarrassed if | did.¡±


    Sherry held back her urge to start an argument and forced a smile on her face.¡± There¡¯s only three of us here, so you won''t be


    embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°I''m still at a loss.¡±


    She had touched his chest but that was all she did!


    Sherry helplessly asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    John moved his gaze down.


    She immediately covered her chest. ¡°I''ll rip your eyeballs out if you keep looking!¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°Why do you think you have the right to speak when you are the one who woke me and took advantage of me?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Fine. I''ll apologize.¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t ept it.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Compensate me?¡±


    Sherry hugged herself tightly and looked at him cautiously.


    John looked at her with curled lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not as dirty as you think. Look up.¡±


    Sherry reluctantly looked up and saw his handsome face moving closer.


    Before she knew it, she felt his lips on hers. The warmth on her lips startled her, and she instinctively wanted to move away, but


    his hand held the back of her head and stopped her.


    He kissed her even harder.


    Sherry¡¯s sanity told her to resist, but the kiss was soft and pleasurable.


    He was holding her head but she did not feel forced. She even started to enjoy it.

 Chapter 1552

    Chapter 1552


    The night was quiet.


    The man and womany together intimately in the dark room.


    Sherry suddenly stopped struggling and her body started to lose strength. She


    wanted to lie on top of him, but he suddenly let go of her.


    Her sanity immediately pulled her back from her pleasure, and she quickly moved away from him. Her face blushed as she


    red at him with teary eyes.


    However, in the man¡¯s eyes, she was like a beautiful flower covered in morning dew, looking charming and pitiful.


    He gulped nervously. He pursed his lips and stroked her face softly and said, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want


    me to kiss you again?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered nervously. She tapped his hand and crawled back to her spot, burying herself under the nket and


    turning her back on him.


    John smiled as hey back down.


    The room returned to silence, but the two of them could not fall asleep.


    Sherry frowned as her heart continued pounding.


    John curled his lips in delight as if he was a mastermind whose n had seeded.


    Sherry only fell asleep after midnight, and when she opened her eyes the next day, the sun was already hanging high in the sky.


    It was 10 o''clock already, but fortunately, she had no ns for the day.


    She rubbed her eyes before she had a nce around. She was alone in the room.


    Had John taken Caprice to his office again?


    She picked up her phone to call him, but then a tiny figure popped her head over the door and looked at her.


    The little girl cried, ¡°Daddy, Mommy''s awake!¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed. She got out of bed and strode to her daughter.


    John came in from behind Caprice. Unlike his usual formal wear, he had a gray casual sweater on, which maintained his usual


    elegance and politeness, but made


    him look kinder than usual even more so when he smiled at her.


    His smile reminded Sherry of the kissst night and she blushed. She asked, ¡°Why are you still here? Shouldn''t you be at work?¡±


    John said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing important at work that needs my attention today, so | n to bring Caprice out. Are youing?¡±


    Sherry averted his gaze and looked at Caprice.


    The girl looked at her with pouty lips and her expression spelled out her desire to go.


    Sherry said without a second thought, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Then, hurry up and clean up.¡± John even patted her head when he said that.


    Sherry red at him, but he smiled at her bewitchingly. Her eyes flickered before she strode into the bathroom to get prepared.


    After cleaning up, she changed into some warm clothes and carried Caprice out of the room.


    John was beside her when they headed out.


    Aunt Wanda and Jason were behind them, carrying the things that Caprice might need.


    Coincidentally, they ran into Madam Stockton and Queenie on the way out.


    Madam Stockton learned that John might not be going to the office today, so she came over to visit them. When they came out,


    Madam Stockton¡¯s gaze shifted and carefully sized them out.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Queenie was much bolder. She said, ¡°Bro, Sherry, are you guys bringing Caprice out?¡± John hummed a reply.

 Chapter 1553

    Chapter 1553


    Sherry asked, ¡°Do you want toe with us?¡±


    Queenie¡¯s eyes gleamed, but she shook her head. ¡°No thanks. | have something else to do today.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The car door opened and Sherry went in with Caprice; John followed. The silver MPV then drove off.


    Madam Stockton then asked, ¡°Queenie, what ns do you have for the day?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you follow them?¡± Madam Stocktonined. She wanted her daughter to keep an eye out for Caprice.


    Queenie said, ¡°They are going out as a family, so why do | have to follow them? | don¡¯t want to be the third wheel.¡±


    Madam Stockton got irritated. She red at Queenie and grumbled, ¡°If you don¡¯t have any ns, I''ll arrange a date for you with


    the guy Aunt Doreen introduced. He came to Glenchester yesterday. I¡¯ll contact them and you will meet him in the afternoon.¡±


    Queenie frowned. ¡°No. | don¡¯t want to get married!¡±


    Madam Stockton red at her angrily. ¡°You are not young anymore, and you are wasting your time at home doing nothing. What


    else do you want to do if you don¡¯t want to get married?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t care! | don¡¯t want to get married!¡±


    Afraid that her mother would scold her, Queenie immediately fled.


    Madam Stockton was infuriated. ¡°You little rascal!¡± She grunted and then headed back to her own ce.


    After a while, two figures came out from behind the wall.


    Julie looked in the direction that the silver MPV drove off. The jealousy in her eyes was brazen..


    Her trusted servant, Mia, was beside her, and she noticed the sour look. A quick thought rushed into her mind and she said in a


    small voice, ¡°Madam, | overheard from Tanya that Ms. Fowler has never had sex with Master Stockton ever since she moved in.¡±


    Julie¡¯s expression changed. She asked, ¡°How would Tanya know?¡±


    ¡°Tanya is in charge of cleaning the house. Although Master Stockton and Ms. Fowler bring Ms. Caprice into the room together at


    night, their room is clean every morning. Even the bed sheets are untouched.¡±


    The bed sheets were untouched?


    Nothing must have happened!


    Julie¡¯s eyes gleamed, but another thought rushed into her mind and made her tighten her brows.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Since the man had married Sherry and was interested in her, why had they not done the deed? If he was not interested in her,


    they would not have shared a room in the first ce.


    Julie pondered. She suddenly thought of Sherry trying to escape from John¡¯s grasp a few years ago.


    She also heard that John found Sherry in Westchester and wanted to bring her back,


    but she had rather abandon Caprice than return here.


    Could it be that Sherry did not let him touch her? But she was already his wife. It did not make sense. Maybe she agreed to


    marry John because of Caprice.


    Julie¡¯s eyes flickered. She asked Mia, ¡°How¡¯s the progress of the coboration between the Sagers and the Stocktons?


    Mia said, ¡°The contract signing is next.¡±


    Contract signing?


    Sherry was an important figure at the Sagers and possessed a certain level of authority. Once the contract was signed, would


    she have to go back to Coastrock?


    Would she take Caprice away then?


    Julie scoffed. ¡°Sherry, so that¡¯s what you are gunning for.¡±


    Given Sherry¡¯s personality, it was entirely possible for her to steal Caprice away.


    The silver MPV drove to an indoor theme park suitable for a toddler like Caprice. Characters from fairytales were brought to life


    in the theme park.


    Caprice happily looked around as soon as they arrived and John carried her out of the car.


    Sherry stared at the girl for a long time, but she was deeply captivated by the dreamy surroundings.

 Chapter 1554

    Chapter 1554


    Sherry called her, ¡°Caprice, Daddy is tired. Why don¡¯t | carry you instead?¡±


    Caprice finally looked at her and put her hands out.


    However, John said, ¡°Daddy is not tired.¡±.


    Caprice retracted her hands, and Sherry grumpily stared at him.


    As though he noticed her sour expression, John looked at her with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m taller than you. Caprice can see further if | carry


    her,¡± he exined why he did not let her carry Caprice.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    Caprice then grumbled, ¡°Daddy, up, up!¡±


    Up?N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Sherry was slightly confused by what that meant.


    John then carried Caprice higher and sat her down on his neck.


    Sherry finally realized what he meant by Caprice being able to see further. Although


    she knew he loved Caprice, she did not expect him to pamper her to this extent.


    Besides, Caprice seemed to get along better with John than herself.


    Sherry felt jealous and slightly annoyed.


    The coboration with the Stocktons was at its final phase, and when everything was settled, she would have to go back to


    Coastrock for work.


    However, Caprice seemed to like John more than her, and if this continued, would she be able to steal the little girl away?


    John obviously knew Caprice better.


    Be it the games he selected for her or her favorite thing to y, he was able to precisely select all of them for her.


    Sherry followed them and watched the father and daughter interact. Caprice never stopped smiling when she was beside John.


    Later in the afternoon, Caprice finally got tired, so John carried her in his arms. Sherry continued to follow them.


    John suddenly stopped walking and looked at her.


    ¡°What? Why are you looking at me?¡± Sherry was slightly taken aback.


    ¡°I''m a little tired. Can you hold Caprice for a while?¡± he said.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed. She immediately carried the sleepy little girl in her arms.


    Caprice leaned on her shoulder and fell asleep soundly. The fragrance of the girl calmed her mood and lifted her spirits up. Even


    her lips curled up.


    John saw her reaction and smiled as well.


    Awhileter, the family of three walked out of the main entrance.


    Achilly wind blew as soon as they walked out. Sherry instinctively hugged Caprice tighter and covered the girl¡¯s head with her


    hand..


    It was then that she felt a sudden pressure on her shoulder as the man hugged her from behind and held Caprice as well. His


    towering figure blocked his figure and warmed her up a lot.


    Sherry feltplicated, but she did not say anything or shake his arm off.


    They walked to the car and went in together.


    Sherry held Caprice in her arms along the way home.


    John was beside her, ncing at her from time to time. Sherry was smart enough to notice his gaze. She clearly felt that the man


    treated her differently from when she just returned to Glenchester.


    However, she chose to turn a blind eye and feigned ignorance. In the end, she even closed her eyes and tried to sleep like a little


    girl.


    The car finally reached the Stocktons¡¯ residence and drove straight back to their house.


    Sherry was good at pretending to sleep. She did not wake up as soon as the car stopped. Instead, she waited for John to wake


    her up.


    However, John got out of the car without even tapping on her shoulder.


    What happened? Did he not want to wake her up? Or had he found out that she was faking it?


    Sherry fell into a dilemma. She was thinking of a way to wake up in a more natural sense, but before she could reach a solution,


    the door by her side opened.


    The man¡¯s familiar scent came closer.

 Chapter 1555

    Chapter 1555


    He carefully and gently carried Caprice from Sherry¡¯s arms.


    Sherry was confused by his gentle movements. Was it to prevent waking her up?


    As the question lingered in her mind, his scent came closer again and his strong arms wrapped around her.


    Soon, Sherry was carried out of the car.


    The chilly wind was unforgiving outside the car, but the man¡¯s strong arms and


    broad shoulders shielded her from the cold.


    Her heart raced. She never thought the man would carry her out of the car. Given his temper and character, should he not wake


    her up inside the car?This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    What was with the kindness? The question caused her annoyance and anxiety.


    She hoped he did not hear her pounding heart.


    Awhileter, the surroundings got warmer. She was carried into the living room, and she even heard John speaking to Aunt


    Wanda.


    ¡°Aunt Wanda, please take Caprice back to her own room.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Aunt Wanda answered.


    Sherry was more baffled than before.


    What did he mean? Was he not putting her together with Caprice?


    Then, John opened the door with a low kick.


    Sherry heard the wind chimes that Caprice hung in her room. John had carried her into her own room. She wasid on the bed,


    and her eyes remained closed.


    Then, the man sat beside her and looked at her with a bewitching smile. He reached out to her face and stroked her cheek


    gently.


    Sherry was stunned.


    Why did he start touching her face? And why did his fingers move toward her lips?


    Then, he chuckled.


    What?!


    ¡°Sherry, are you going to wake up now? Or do you want me to give you a kiss?¡± he said.


    Sherry froze. She opened her eyes immediately and saw his deep and enchanting gaze staring through her soul. She bolted up


    and looked at him with a hint of guilt on her face. ¡°How did you know | was faking it?¡±


    ¡°It''s obvious.¡±


    ¡°Since when did you find out?¡±


    ¡°The moment you closed your eyes in the car.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes. ¡°Then, why did you carry me out of the car and even take me into my room?¡±


    John grinned. ¡°I believe you enjoyed being carried, and there was no resistance at all.¡±


    Sherry choked. The man was as sly as a fox!


    ¡°|... | was just faking it! | didn¡¯t want to let you know that | was pretending to sleep!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± He moved his handsome face closer to her.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered nervously.


    As though he was afraid that she might flee, he caught her by the back of her neck.


    Sherry was forced to lock eyes with him. She guiltily said, ¡°I was just trying to prank you. | don¡¯t want you to find out that | was


    pretending.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°I think you want me to carry you.¡±


    Sherry blushed. She grumbled out of annoyance, ¡°You bastard, since when were you a narcissist? What made you think like


    that?¡±


    ¡°Well, since when are you such a coward? What made you deny the fact that you want me to carry you?¡±


    ¡°I did not!¡±


    John chuckled. He stood up. He did not want to bicker with her, so he walked towards the door.


    Sherry frowned.


    Just before he walked out, he paused and turned around. ¡°I told the maids to set the grill up in the front yard. Go help if you want


    to eat.¡±

 Chapter 1556

    Chapter 1556


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    Barbecue! She loved having grilled meat outdoors!


    For some reason, she had a feeling that the man prepared the grill just for her.


    John raised a brow at Sherry¡¯s stillness. ¡°What''s wrong? Don¡¯t want to eat? Then, I''ll tell them to bring the things back inside.¡±


    ¡°No! Wait! Yes! I''ll go right now!¡±


    He had already prepared the grill, so why not just enjoy it rather than let the effort go to waste?


    Sherry got up from the bed and strode outside but was stopped at the door by the man. He put his hand behind her neck and


    tugged her closer into his arms.


    Sherry was forced to lean on his chest, and before she could react, he said in his deep voice, ¡°Put on a jacket before you go


    out.¡±


    He then released her.


    Sherry¡¯s heart raced and her chest heaved strongly. She hummed a reply as she went to get a jacket in the closet beforeing


    back out.


    As usual, John was sitting by the window in the living room.


    Outside the window was the front yard with the grill prepared for the barbecue. The grill and the ingredients were ready. All that


    was left was to grill them.


    Sherry strode outside to the grill and deftly put all the meat on it.


    She ate as she grilled, but there was too much food on the table for her to finish alone, so she called Aunt Wanda, Jason, and


    the other servants in the front yard to enjoy the meal together.


    She served the meat on the tes and said, ¡°You guys, dig in. Eat while it¡¯s hot!¡±


    Jason and the other servants were too shy to act right away.


    Aunt Wanda said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, Master Stockton is waiting inside. Why don¡¯t | bring some for him?¡±


    Sherry instinctively turned around to the window.


    John leaned back on the chair with his hands crossed and his eyes glued to her.


    Sherry nervously turned back around. She gave a te of freshly grilled steak to Aunt Wanda for her to bring to John.


    Aunt Wanda smiled and brought it in.


    When Sherry turned around again, she saw the man digging in, and there were two cans of beer in front of him. The man really


    knew how to enjoy himself.


    Sherry grilled some more meat before passing the position of grillmaster to Jason. She then grabbed two tes of steak inside


    and sat opposite John.


    She grabbed a can of beer from him, cracked it open, and started gulping it down.


    How refreshing!


    The sky suddenly started snowing. While the snow was not terribly heavy, the front yard was gradually covered by ayer of


    white.


    Aunt Wanda and the servants quickly moved the tes of grilled meat into the corridor while Jason and another maid continued


    grilling.


    The snow somehow made them happier. Everyone enjoyed having hot food in the cold weather.


    To Sherry, being able to enjoy grilled steak and a can of refreshing beer in the snowy scene felt great too.


    Maybe because the alcohol started to take over her, she raised her can of beer in front of John and said with a bright smile, ¡°Hey,


    jerk, let¡¯s have a toast!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    John smiled. He grabbed his can of beer and performed a toast with the tipsy woman. He only had a sip but Sherry gulped the


    beer like a draught monster.


    Outside the front yard stood Julie¡¯s trusted maid, Mia. She watched for a while


    before she left. She quickly headed to Julie¡¯s ce and informed Julie about what happened.


    Julie was having her afternoon tea.

 Chapter 1557

    Chapter 1557


    Julie sat elegantly on the couch, enjoying her fruit tea and pastries.


    When she heard Mia''s update, her expression turned frosty.


    John already went out with the mother and daughter for the whole day, yet he came back and prepared the grill for the woman?


    What did the uneducated woman from a rural vige do to deserve the man¡¯s care and love?


    Mia noticed her master¡¯s expression, and out of annoyance, she added, ¡°Madam, | even saw Jason and Aunt Wanda eating with


    them. Ms. Fowler has really ruined the rules around here. | don¡¯t know why Master Stockton likes her so much.¡±


    Julie grunted but quickly recovered herposure. She thought of the coboration between the Stocktons and the Sagers and


    the fact that John and Sherry did not have sex at night.


    She added, ¡°Did you find the seam on the wall leading to John¡¯s backyard?¡±


    Mia had gone there earlier looking for the entry point and found it. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just like you said. The seam is right behind the


    garden and was blocked by a tree. No one usually passes by there. When it¡¯s dark, I''ll go see if they are doing it.¡±


    Julie nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t go too early. Go after 10.¡± She did not want John to notice Mia¡¯s presence.


    Mia nodded and answered, ¡°Yes, Madam. | understand.¡±


    The sky was already dark when Sherry was satiated with food.


    Caprice woke up and got out of bed. She slowly walked out to the living room with her messy hair.


    When she came down, the smell of grilled meat woke her up, and her eyes widened at the meal in front of her parents.


    ¡°Caprice?¡± Sherry went over to the girl and picked her up.


    Caprice¡¯s googly eyes switched from the table full of food to her mother. She stared at her for a few seconds before chuckling


    happily.


    The girl¡¯s adorable gaze charmed Sherry, putting a smile on her face. She asked, ¡± Caprice, why are you so happy?¡±


    ¡°Mommy looks like a dirty cat.¡± She poked Sherry¡¯s face with her tiny fingers.


    Dirty cat?


    John then walked to her. He looked a lot more at easepared to the giggling girl, but he was also amused.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted. She put Caprice in John¡¯s care and went into the bathroom.


    The moment she saw herself in the mirror, she noticed that her face was smeared


    with sauce.


    No wonder the man had grinned at her when she ate. He already knew but did not tell her!


    It was then that the father and daughter¡¯s faces appeared in the mirror.


    John carried Caprice closer to her. The man smiled amusingly, but it only fueled Sherry¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare


    laugh!¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Caprice immediately covered her mouth with her hands and stared at Sherry in the mirror as if she was scared.


    ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m talking about Daddy, not you,¡± Sherry immediately said.


    Caprice¡¯s huge eyes flickered.


    Sherry smiled at her and the girl smiled back brightly. Even her eyes curved into two lines. The girl was amused by the ¡®dirty cat¡¯.


    Sherry allowed her baby daughter tough at her at will, but she red at John.


    John curved his lips and chuckled, feeling even more amused than before. Sherry just sighed as she turned around to the basin


    and washed her face.

 Chapter 1558

    Chapter 1558


    Chapter 1558


    Sherry came out from the bathroom with John and Caprice.


    The leftovers and the tes on the table were kept away, and so was the grill outside the corridor. All that was left in the front


    yard was ayer of snow.


    Caprice wanted to y, so Sherry held the girl¡¯s hand and had fun in the front yard for a while.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    After ying for a while, Sherry brought the girl inside, fed her dinner, and continued ying in her room.


    Later that night, Sherry read the girl a few more stories before putting her to bed.


    Sherry then washed up and changed into her pajamas before shey back down beside Caprice.


    As soon as she settled down, a towering figure came in from the door. The man wore blue satin pajamas but had intentionally left


    a few buttons open.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    John curved his lips at her. His handsome face looked extremely gentle yet bewitching with his smile.


    Sherry¡¯s heart raced. She quickly turned away and closed her eyes. The man was trying to seduce her with his looks. She must


    resist it! She could not fall for the


    temptation!


    John captured every movement on her body. He went to the bed andy down beside Caprice as always.


    The lights were switched off and the room returned to silence.


    He propped his head on one hand and stared at the woman''s back through the little girl in the center.


    The woman did not move a muscle. She only turned around when she truly fell asleep.


    John sighed and pursed his lips.


    The woman was obviously interested in his body, and given her personality, she would have jumped on him already after multiple


    seduction attempts. What made her hold her urge back?


    Did she not want to have a rtionship with him? Or at least his body?


    Aset of footsteps appeared in the snowy garden outside, leading all the way to the back.


    Mia had been in hiding for a while now, and her hands and legs were already


    freezing. She was finally able to leave the premises through the huge seam on the


    wall.


    She quickly made her way back to Julie¡¯s ce.


    The lights in the living room were still on, and Julie was waiting for Mia¡¯s return on


    the couch.


    ¡°Madam!¡± Mia said with a smile as soon as she walked in.


    Julie smiled at her and asked, ¡°Did they do it?¡±


    Mia said, ¡°I squatted outside the window for two hours but didn¡¯t hear anything. I¡¯m sure they are not having sex.¡±


    ¡°Did they talk then?¡±


    A quick thoughtter, Mia said, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. When | arrived, Sherry was telling Ms. Caprice a story. After Ms. Caprice fell


    asleep, Sherry went out and came back,


    then Master Stockton came in.


    ¡°The lights were switched off after that and they fell asleep. | came back after that and didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±


    Julie grinned. ¡°Thank you for your effort. But | might need you to go spy on them for a few more days.¡±


    Mia smiled back. ¡°It''s my duty, Madam. | am here to lessen your burden.¡±


    Julie said. ¡°You can go rest now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Madam. You should rest early too.¡± Mia bowed and left, leaving Julie


    alone in the spacious house.


    When the door closed, Julie got up and went back to her room. Her room was clean and minimalistic. There were only a few


    necessary pieces of furniture and no extra or morous decorations were in sight.


    She headed straight to the closet.


    The closet was just a small room of few square meters wide but behind the curtain was a door instead of a cupboard.


    She went into the hidden room and switched on the lights. The warm light shed its brightness over the tight space and revealed


    pictures pasted on the walls.

 Chapter 1559

    Chapter 1559


    Chapter 1559


    Although the pictures were in different sizes, they were all of a single man.


    The pictures captured the man in different events and ces, some in formal wear, and some in casual clothes. There was not a


    single picture that showed the man¡¯s face, but they all managed to capture his exquisite presence and elegance.


    The man in the pictures was John.


    Julie¡¯s expression softened when she entered the secret room. She walked to the center of the room where there was a wax


    statue of John at the exact same height.


    The handsome suit, the golden¡ªframed sses, and the hyper-realistic texture of John¡¯s handsome face really made her feel


    like John was indeed standing before her.


    The subtle smile on the statue¡¯s face set off his presence.


    Julie went up to the wax statue and looked at it with an infatuated gaze. Then, she undressed, tiptoed to hug the statue, and


    kissed it on the lips.


    A few days went by since then.


    On this particr day, Sherry was woken up by her own rm. She was afraid that the rm might wake Caprice, so she bolted


    up as soon as it rang to turn it off.


    Then, she noticed the empty spot next to Caprice.


    John had gone out.


    Sherry kissed the sleeping girl on the cheek and got out of bed. She wanted to go back to her own room to wash up.


    There was an important meetingter in the day that required her to check the documents at the studio before submitting them


    for the coboration between twopanies. The thought made her hasten her steps out of the room.


    When she got out of Caprice¡¯s room, she identally peeked inside John¡¯s room to which the door was left open.


    The man was changing his clothes. He only had his pants on but not his shirt, hence his naked torso was revealed.


    The sunlight shone through the window andnded on his broad shoulders and slim waist, highlighting the seductive curves of


    his muscles.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes were fixated on his body, and she could not control her lust.


    The man sharply sensed her gaze and quickly turned around, catching her red- handed. His eyes flickered. He then smiled and


    said, ¡°Sherry, do you want toe in and have a closer look?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry blushed and quickly ran away as if she was a thief who had been exposed.


    Sherry ran back to her room and dashed into the bathroom. She calmed herself down with a few sshes of cold water.


    A few deep breathster, she finally regained herposure. She started to clean up, changed, and then headed back to the


    living room.


    John wore a shirt coupled with a vest today, and he was eating beside Caprice. His elegant posture made him seem quite


    charming.


    Caprice was munching on her breakfast when she saw Sherry. ¡°Mommy.¡±


    Sherry smiled and hummed a reply. She sat opposite John and pretended like


    nothing happened.


    John smiled at her.


    Sherry lowered her head and ate silently.


    Even after a while, John¡¯s eyes were still glued to her, annoying her. She grumbled, ¡± Why are you looking at me?¡±


    John smiled bewitchingly. ¡°I just want to look at you.¡±


    Sherry wanted to call him a pervert, but before she could, John added, ¡°You did look at me just now as well.¡±


    Sherry choked on her breakfast and her words. Her face blushed and she argued, ¡°It was not on purpose!¡±


    Thud!


    Caprice¡¯s spoon fell on the table.


    Sherry looked at her immediately and saw the girl''s pitiful eyes staring at her.


    The girl seemed scared.


    Sherry asked, ¡°Caprice, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Caprice said, ¡°Mommy, you looked so fierce just now.

 Chapter 1560

    Chapter 1560


    Sherry lost the mood to argue with John. She quickly carried the girl into her arms and consoled her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Caprice. Mommy


    was loud, wasn¡¯t |? Did | scare you?¡±


    Caprice nodded pitifully.


    Sherry stroked her cheeks and said softly, ¡°Mommy was being loud at Daddy, not you. But | promise you | won¡¯t speak so loudly


    in front of you anymore.¡±


    Caprice pouted and nodded. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be loud to Daddy too.¡±


    Sherry had no resistance to the girl¡¯s adorable voice, especially when she was her precious daughter. She nodded and said,


    ¡°Alright. Mommy won''t be loud to Daddy anymore.¡±


    It was impossible for her not to be angry with John, but at least she had to keep her temper from Caprice.


    Caprice finally regained herposure after getting her mother¡¯s assurance.


    Sherry picked up the spoon and continued feeding her. She had a nce at John and saw the man smiling mischievously. It was


    as though he was challenging her to be loud at him in front of their daughter again.


    After breakfast, Sherry hitched a ride in John¡¯s car to go to the studio while he brought Caprice back to his office.


    The time for the contract signing was 2 o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Sherry had a conference call with the other executives from the Sagers before she handed her subordinates the contract for


    proofreading.


    The morning went by in the blink of an eye.


    Her subordinate ordered takeaway for her during lunch.


    While munching on her burrito wrap, she texted John, ¡°Master Stockton, the


    documents are ready.¡±


    John replied after a few minutes, ¡°Mm-hmm. Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°I''m eating now.¡±


    ¡°What are you eating?¡±


    Sherry frowned. Why would the man be interested in her lunch?


    ¡°Some takeaway fast food.¡±


    ¡°What takeaway fast food?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s lips twitched helplessly. She then took a picture of her half-eaten burrito wrap and sent it to him.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    John also replied with a picture from his side. He was having lunch with Caprice. On the table was a kid¡¯s meal and his own,


    which looked exquisite on its own.


    Sherry originally thought having a burrito wrap was sufficient for lunch, but when she had a look at John¡¯s lunch, her meal


    suddenly seemed tiny and pitiful.


    John asked, ¡°Do you always have this kind of food?¡±


    Sherry answered in annoyance, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not as rich as you, Master Stockton.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | see... But | am having lunch at the office canteen.¡±


    Since when did John¡¯s office canteen serve a feast for lunch?


    ¡°Our canteen chefs are renowned culinarians hired from different cities, and each of them is astounding on their own.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips and sent him a speechless emoji.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you consider joining mypany?¡±


    She was rather surprised.


    John added, ¡°I will provide you with the same position that you hold at the Sagers, and you will get twice as much as what you


    are getting right now.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s brows tightened. She replied, ¡°Master Stockton, please do not joke with me. It¡¯s not funny.¡±


    ¡°I''m not joking. You can think about it and give me your answer in a few days.¡±


    Sherry never nned to settle down in Glenchester, let alone work at John¡¯spany. She put her phone down without replying,


    but she lost her appetite to finish her burrito wrap as well.


    After lunch and a short break, Sherry and her subordinates brought the documents to John¡¯s office.


    The receptionist at the lobby recognized Sherry, so she greeted her with a


    weing smile. ¡°Ms. Flower, wee.¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°We are here for the contract signing.¡±


    ¡°Master Stockton has already informed me. This way, please.¡± The receptionist then brought them to the main meeting room.

 Chapter 1561

    Chapter 1561


    Tea was served in the meeting room.


    Sherry and her subordinates sat down on the other end of the table.


    The receptionist said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, please wait for a while.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡±


    There were over twenty minutes left until the meeting time.


    Arriving earlier showed the Sagers¡® sincerity in this coboration, so Sherry was more patient than usual.


    To her surprise, the door was opened before she could finish her tea. Peter was the one who opened the door, and then John


    came in.


    The man¡¯s slender figure and his expensive suit appeared before Sherry¡¯s eyes. The golden-framed sses set off his


    handsome features, and he looked even more charming when he smiled at Sherry.


    Sherry was stunned. She thought the meeting would start at 2 o''clock, so why did Johne over so early?This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    While Sherry¡¯s subordinates stood up immediately, she had to regain herposure first before getting to her feet.


    John walked to her and put a hand out for a handshake. ¡°Ms. Fowler, thank you for


    waiting.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s lips twitched helplessly. ¡°We just arrived as well.¡± She then politely shook his


    hand.


    He held her hand tightly and only let go when she red at him. John then sat down


    in the center seat.


    Other than Peter, there were two more executives who came in with John. They both shook Sherry¡¯s hand before sitting down


    opposite her.


    The contract-signing procedure was brief and simple.


    Sherry prepared two sets of contracts for the executives. They only passed the contracts to John after they had a look at them.


    John went through them carefully and then nodded. He then stamped the document using thepany stamp; Sherry did the


    same with the Sagers¡¯pany stamp.


    The deal was a go-ahead as bothpany representatives signed the contract.


    Sherry passed the documents to her subordinates. She then stood up and smiled at John while putting her hand out for a


    handshake. ¡°Master Stockton, | look forward to the start of our project.¡±


    John smiled and shook her hand. Two secondster, he said, ¡°I look forward to it


    too.¡±


    Sherry quickly retracted her hand ¡°Then, we will be leaving. Thank you for having us today.¡±


    John smiled and said, ¡°Caprice wants to see you.¡±


    Sherry froze, and so did her subordinates and the executives from John¡¯s side.


    Everyone turned their attention to Sherry en masse.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered awkwardly. She told her subordinates, ¡°I have something else to discuss with Master Stockton. You guys


    should go back first.¡±


    Her subordinates nodded and left as told.


    Peter and the executives were wise enough to leave together and left John alone with Sherry.


    John got up from his chair.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Caprice asleep?¡± Sherry asked.


    The girl should be having her nap at this hour.


    John walked to her and said, ¡°She heard you wereing, so she didn¡¯t want to


    sleep.¡±


    He got closer, so close that she could feel his breath in front of her face.


    Sherry instinctively took a step back.


    John nced at her before he walked past her to the door.


    She followed him out but kept a two¡ªmeter distance from him.


    Although she kept her distance from him, the employees of thepany stared at her with odd looks along the way. Many of the


    female employees showed jealousy in their gazes as well.


    It seemed like when Sherry carried Caprice out the other day, it gathered some unwanted attention, and rumors about her


    spread across thepany. Sherry pursed her lips and followed John to his office.

 Chapter 1562

    Chapter 1562


    Caprice was holding a toy plushie while dozing off on the couch. She tried her best to fight the sleepiness but was losing as time


    passed.


    ¡°Caprice...¡± Sherry called the girl as she strode over.


    Caprice was awoken by her voice and her eyes widened immediately. She answered with a sleepy voice, ¡°Mommy...¡±


    Sherry carried the girl into her arms and kissed her on her chubby cheeks. ¡°Caprice, Mommy missed you.¡±


    The little girl widened her grin when being showered with kisses.


    ¡°Do you miss Mommy?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Caprice¡¯s eyes felt extremely heavy after the brief excitement, and she looked like she would pass out any moment.


    She grumbled, ¡°But | want to sleep too.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Okay. Mommy will take you to bed.¡±


    She then carried the girl into the mini lounge. She helped the girl to remove her


    jacket and shoes before putting her on the bed.


    Caprice clung onto her clothes and said, ¡°Mommy sleep too.¡± The girl wanted her mother to sleep with her.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Okay, Mommy sleeps too.¡± Shey down beside the girl.


    Caprice closed her eyes peacefully and soon fell asleep.


    The contract with the Stocktons had been signed, but Sherry had many things to


    follow up


    with her subordinates. She had to fix the details for her men to initiate the project, and there was also a celebratory dinner at


    night.


    After Caprice fell asleep, Sherry kissed the girl on the cheeks and went out.


    John was having tea in his office. He looked rather annoyed when he saw Sherrye out this soon. ¡°You are leaving?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°I have to go back to have meetings with my subordinates.¡±


    John¡¯s annoyance eased. He curled his lips and said, ¡°Okay. Take care.¡±


    Sherry headed to the door, but before she walked out, she thought of the celebratory dinner with her subordinates tonight, so it


    was better to inform John beforehand.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m having a celebratory dinner with themter. You should just bring Caprice home after you finish work. I''ll go back on my


    own after dinner.¡±


    Her subordinates had worked tirelessly ever since they came to Glenchester to close the deal, and as their team leader, it was


    inappropriate for her to miss the dinner. She had to skip having dinner with Caprice tonight and even miss the story-telling


    session.


    Just when she thought the man would be annoyed once more, the man smiled. Not only was he not angry, but he also seemed


    supportive as well. ¡°Okay, have fun.¡±


    Although Sherry¡¯s heart raced, she walked out without saying anything.


    Awhileter, Sherry returned to the studio.


    Her subordinates were waiting for her to start the meeting. When they saw here back, they all looked at her with ridiculing


    gazes.


    ¡°Sherry, is there something going on between you and Master Stockton?¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Yeah. | noticed the man looked at you differently when he came into the meeting room earlier. Did he try to ask you out?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered nervously. ¡°I had to spend a little more time with him privately due to the deal, so we are friends. Stop


    talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. Why do | feel like it isn¡¯t just friendship between you two?¡±


    ¡°| have the same feeling.¡±


    Sherry put on her stoic face and said, ¡°Do you guys want to go home tonight or not?¡±


    Her subordinates immediately switched to their working mode and continued ving


    away.


    ¡°I''ll go get theptop and we can have the meeting now!¡±


    They all went to grab their things and gathered in the meeting room. Sherry sighed a breath of relief and headed to the meeting


    room.

 Chapter 1563

    Chapter 1563


    Chapter 1563


    There were still many follow-ups to do even after they closed the deal with the


    Stocktons.


    Besides Sherry and her assistant, Tristan, the other subordinates that followed her to Glenchester had to stay back in the city to


    continue the follow-ups.


    Sherry went through the details onest time before ending the meeting.


    The sun was setting over the horizon when the meeting finished. Everyone stretched after the long meeting. One of them asked


    Sherry, ¡°Sherry, can we go for dinner now?¡±


    Sherry got up and smiled at her subordinates. ¡°I¡¯ve booked a table, so let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Everyone got up and started packing.


    Tristan booked a table at a famous restaurant in Glenchester, The Heavens, and Sherry paid for the entire meal.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The restaurant was rated as the top three establishments in Glenchester, and there was not a single poor review on the travel


    website. All the food served could be considered a cuisine for the gods, hence the name The Heavens.


    Sherry got a room for her team. Her subordinates revered her during working hours, but they were able to get along with her just


    fine after work.


    After a rewarding meal, Sherry brought them to a karaoke club. The most famous karaoke club was already full at this hour, but


    fortunately, Sherry had booked it beforehand.


    However, as they arrived at the entrance, Sherry¡¯s phone rang. It was Carl, who had not contacted her for a while. He was


    probably calling because of the deal with the Stocktons.


    Sherry said to Tristan, ¡°I have to take this. You guys go in first.¡±


    Tristan and the others went in.


    Sherry answered the phone.


    Carl''s voice sounded a little gloomy on the phone. ¡°Sis, | heard the deal with the Stockton is on, is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°| called to congratte you, of course. You sealed a big deal for ourpany.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Tristan and the others are waiting for me. I''ll talk to youter.¡±


    ¡°Wait. There¡¯s something else.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Carl said with a chuckle, ¡°You went to Glenchester to seal the deal with the Stocktons and now that¡¯s done and dusted, when are


    you nning toe back?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s heart sank. She pursed her lips.


    Carl did not notice the untimely silence. He asked, ¡°Sis, do you want me to pick you up at Glenchester or Coastrock airport?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s silence continued.


    Ashort whileter, he said in a slightly heavier tone, ¡°Are you nning to stay in Glenchester and note back?¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°There¡¯s still something | need to settle here. I''lle back when it¡¯s done.¡±


    Carl chuckled. ¡°Okay. You''d better hurry up. You have no idea how annoying the old geezers are while you are away. All they do


    is pick on my ws.¡±


    Sherry grunted. ¡°That''s because you never contribute.¡±


    m always contributing, okay?! | worked every day when you were here, but when you''re gone, | lose motivation.¡±


    Sherry did not want to bicker with him. ¡°Carl Sager, your parents are leaving thepany in your hands, not mine. If you don¡¯t


    work hard, no one can help you.¡±


    She hung up the phone right away.


    On the other end of the phone, the young man slouched on the couch as his shirt slid down to his shoulder. The dim lighting


    highlighted his frivolous attitude but also his enchanting charms.


    He looked at the darkened screen on his phone and a hint of disappointment shed in his dreamy eyes.


    What a cold-hearted woman.


    How could she not know that he called her because he missed her?


    Could she not entertain him for a little longer?

 Chapter 1564

    Chapter 1564


    When Sherry entered the room, some of them were already singing and some were ying games. The table was filled with


    alcoholic beverages and snacks.


    Tristan smiled at her when she came in. ¡°Sherry, do you want to sing or y?¡±


    Sherry smiled awkwardly. ¡°I have something to do. You guys enjoy.¡±


    Tristan nodded and continued ying games while the others continued singing.


    Sherry grabbed a bottle of bear and sat in the corner. She simply did not have the mood to y.


    Carl''s request for her return flooded her mind. She originally nned to escape back to Coastrock with Caprice after the deal


    with the Stocktons was sealed, but now that she had gotten closer to Caprice, the man also treated her a lot better than before.


    There were times that it reminded her of nine years ago when they were still a loving couple.


    The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she got. She chugged down an entire bottle of beer.


    Soon, she finished two bottles alone.


    Her subordinates noticed something wrong with her, so they surrounded her with beers and said, ¡°Sherry,e on. It¡¯s boring to


    drink alone. Here, cheers!¡±


    Sherry smiled and clinked her bottle with them.


    Tristan said, ¡°Sherry, why don¡¯t you y with them? | keep losing, and I¡¯ve been drinking non-stop!¡±


    ¡°Come on, Tristan. Stop being a coward,¡± someone teased him.


    Tristan grunted. ¡°I¡¯m not a coward! | just want Sherry to avenge me!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure Sherry can beat us?¡± one of the guys said.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Tristan looked at Sherry who grinned. They had finally aroused her battle intention. She bolted up and said, ¡°Are you guys doing


    it one-on-one or all together?¡±


    The guys exchanged a quick look and said with a grin, ¡°Hey, you are looking down on us.¡±


    ¡°Stop the nonsense. All of you cane at me together!¡± Sherry then walked to the table filled with board games.


    Tristan and the others went over.


    The guys then started to lose, and as punishment, they had to drink.


    Sherry never intended to get them drunk. She nned to stop after winning a few rounds, but the guys insisted on ying and


    became even morepetitive than


    before.


    She grabbed Tristan over to her team and continued ying.


    For some reason, he was really bad at ying, and Sherry lost a few rounds after teaming up with the timid guy.


    The party continued untilte at night.


    Sherry had one too many beers, but Tristan was one drop away from passing out.


    While she could still talk, she said, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it for today. It¡¯ste. Let''s go home, guys.¡±


    The team had fun, and it was time to go home.


    Sherry and the team walked out of the karaoke club.


    After they exited the premises, Sherry left the barely conscious Tristan with a girl


    who had not drunk. She told them to be careful before sending them on their way


    home.


    When her subordinates all left, she pulled her phone to call a ride back to the


    Stocktons¡¯ residence.


    The moment she turned on her phone, the silver MPV stopped in front of her as if it appeared from thin air.


    Sherry thought she was hallucinating from drinking too much. She shut her eyes and pinched herself to see clearly.


    As the pain rushed to her mind, she opened her eyes and saw the man¡¯s slender figure leaning on the car. He wore a white


    turtleneck sweater with a khaki overcoat hanging on his shoulder. His signature golden¡ªframed sses were hanging over his


    nose.


    It was a freezing night, but Sherry felt warmth and gentleness from the man as if she had gone back in time to nine years ago.


    Sherry was stunned for quite a while.


    Since she did not react at all, John went up to her and patted her face. ¡°Sherry, are you drunk?¡±


    Sherry wanted to speak, but instead of words, a loud burp came out of her mouth.


    Her breath reeked of alcohol as well and it assaulted the man¡¯s nose.


    John frowned and looked disgusted.

 Chapter 1565

    Chapter 1565


    Sherry giggled at his unusual reaction. ¡°Hehe...¡±


    She looked silly as she giggled like she was a child.


    John sighed. He opened the door, held her hand, and shoved her into the car. He got in right after that and closed the door.


    The driver then drove off.


    John looked at Sherry.


    The woman was looking at him with her flushed face. The blush on her face made her look adorable and charming.


    He squinted. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°I''m seeing if you are the jerk | know, John Stockton,¡± she said.


    John was rendered speechless.


    Amomentary awkward silenceter, he curled his lips and asked, ¡°How many bottles have you had tonight?¡±


    Sherry started to count with her fingers, but they were not enough. She counted and counted but was unable to reach the final


    number.


    The temperature inside the car was warm and she felt hot, so she took off her jacket and tossed it aside.


    John looked at her fitting dress and beautiful silhouette. He pursed his lips and gulped nervously. ¡°Are you done counting?¡±


    Sherry tightened her brows out of frustration. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do you need my fingers to continue counting?¡± he asked.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Sure. Gimme your hand.¡±


    John sat closer to her and put his fingers out.


    Sherry counted with her own fingers and continued onto his, poking every finger on


    his hand. She giggled afterward.


    John held hisughter back and asked, ¡°Are you done counting?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How many bottles did you drink?¡± His gentle tone made her want to answer his question.


    Sherry was drunk but wanted to continue teasing him. She grinned mischievously and said, ¡°Guess.¡±


    John grinned and said, ¡°Twenty bottles?¡±


    Sherry shook her head.


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Twenty-one?¡±


    Sherry continued to shake her head.


    ¡°Is that too many or too few?¡± he asked patiently.


    ¡°Guess.¡± Sherry pursed her lips.


    John chuckled. ¡°You had sixteen bottles tonight, am | right?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Guess.¡±


    Sherry pouted and red at him.


    ¡°Fine.¡± She turned around.


    John smiled and held one of her hands. He rubbed the finger she used to poke him earlier and said, ¡°You poked me six times


    with this finger and stopped.¡±


    In addition to her own fingers, it was a total of sixteen.


    Sherry widened her eyes and was stunned.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    He smiled at her. His handsome face looked gentle and tempting. It really felt like nine years ago when they had loved each


    other to death.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes turned teary after a while.

 Chapter 1566

    Chapter 1566


    John seemed very concerned. ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    Sherry tightened her lips together but could not stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.


    John was stunned by this. He wondered if it was because of something he had


    done. ¡°What''s wrong, Sherry?¡± he asked again, staring at her worriedly.


    ¡°Sniff...¡± Sherry sobbed and tried her best to contain her emotions.


    John stiffened.


    Thest time he saw Sherry in such a state was ages ago. It was so long ago that he had forgotten how vulnerable she could be


    at times. It was heart-wrenching to see her like this, to imagine what she was going through.


    He wondered how to handle this. Then, he gently pulled her into his arms and patted her back gently. ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t cry.¡±


    Sherry suddenly felt an enormous amount of grief taking over her, and this made her bawl her eyes out. She suddenly cried out


    at the top of her voice, ¡°Why did you do it? Why did you keep me imprisoned in your house and make me work like a ve? You


    made me pull weeds and produce embroidery for you! You even married Shannon just to rub it in my face! Why would you...¡±


    John frowned. He thought that Sherry of all people should know why he had done what he did.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry¡¯s voice got caught in her throat, she stopped shouting, ¡°You''re a good-for- nothing prick. I¡¯ve never done anything wrong.


    I''m the victim in all of this. Do you have any idea that you put me through hell since our break up?¡±


    John seemed greatly affected by what she said. He pulled away from her and held her by the shoulders. From this angle, he


    could see straight into her reddened eyes. ¡± What are you talking about? What time were you referring to? When did you be


    the victim?¡±


    Sherry continued to sob. She waspletely hysterical and bawled as loudly as she could. John was silent.


    She was charged with emotions and constantly beat his chest with her tiny fists while crying. When she recalled everything that


    happened to her in the past, she cried even louder and continued to thump her fists on John.


    John scowled and tried tofort her, ¡°Sherry, calm down.¡±


    ¡°I''ll show you how to be calm, you jerk...¡± She continued sobbing while pummeling him.


    John stayed silent. He took off his sses and pulled her into his arms, then he pressed his lips against Sherry¡¯s.


    Her lips were smothered, and she could not make a sound. Her crying was muffled.


    As their lips were pressed together, she could feel John¡¯s steaming breath beating down on her cheeks. She ran out of breath


    very quickly and began to hit him again.


    John quickly eased himself to allow some space for her to catch her breath.


    The kiss they shared was now a gentle and soft one.


    It was so gentle that by the time they slowly pulled themselves apart from each other, Sherry was lying limply in John¡¯s arms.


    She had shifted her arms around his neck and hung her weight around him.


    John smiled gently and asked, ¡°Done crying already?¡±


    Sherry seemed embarrassed. She almost wanted to pull herself away from him immediately.


    However, John wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her even closer.


    The car had just swerved into the Stockton Vi garden and was driving down the main road leading to their courtyard.


    Sherry was not sober yet. She leaned against John and gazed out the window, her eyes still teeming with tears. ¡°Are we home


    yet?¡±


    ¡°Almost,¡± John replied softly.


    As soon as he said that, the car stopped outside their courtyard.


    Jason¡® appeared from inside the courtyard and went up to open the door for them.


    John gently pulled away and got out of the car first.


    Sherry suddenly felt an inextricable sense of loneliness when John moved away. She turned around and pushed the door of the


    other side, intending o get out. Her head was still very dizzy and she had trouble maintaining her bnce. It looked like she was


    going to stumble out of the car and fall.


    That was when a strong pair of arms reached out and grabbed her, so she was lifted off her feet effortlessly.


    John carried her in his arms and allowed her head to rest against his shoulder. His grip was firm and reassuring, and he began to


    step into the house.


    Shortly after that, they arrived in a warm and cozy room.

 Chapter 1567

    Chapter 1567


    Chapter 1567


    Sherry stared nkly at John.


    It was only after she was set on the bed that she realized that they had returned to John¡¯s bedroom instead of her bedroom.


    She tried to roll out of the bed in one erratic movement. She ended upnding in an awkward manner and plopped down to the


    floor on her buttocks.


    John lowered himself to look at her and smiled. ¡°Where are you going in such a hurry?¡±


    Sherry blushed and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to find Caprice.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s asleep. Wanda is keeping an eye on her,¡± He said.


    With that, he took off his coat and sweater. Underneath his sweater, he wore a light- colored shirt. It did not take much effort for


    Sherry to notice the outline of his toned body.


    Her eyes glowed.


    John noticed the expression in her eyes, so he grinned and proceeded to take off the shirt.


    Sherry pulled herself up.


    John walked up to her and cupped her reddened cheeks in his palms. He spoke in a deep growl, ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about Caprice


    tonight and spend the night together, alright?¡±


    His voice rumbled in Sherry¡¯s ears. Nothing was more enchanting than the way he gazed into her.


    The alcohol was still running in her system and clouded her mind, thus she answered without thinking, ¡°Alright.¡±


    John smiled, then he pressed himself on her and kissed her.


    Meanwhile, inside an adjacent courtyard, Mia hurried into the courtyard on tiptoe. She stepped into the living room, but Julie was


    nowhere to be seen. She hurried inside the house.


    Julie was not inside her bedroom either.


    She was growing agitated. She quickly stepped into the dressing room where there was a partitioned section separated by a


    curtain. She approached and called out,¡± Ma¡¯am?¡±Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The curtain was pulled aside and out came Julie.


    She noticed how jumpy Mia was and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Mia quickly informed, ¡°The young master and Ms. Sherry came home. | noticed him carrying Ms. Sherry back to their courtyard.


    It seems like Ms. Sherry is quite drunk. The two of them are acting more intimate than usual.¡±


    Julie was rmed by this.


    Sherry was drunk? Intimate?


    With John carrying her?


    What were they going to do?


    She quickly grabbed arge coat from her closet and threw it on while striding out. She needed to see what was going on!


    Mia hurried after her when she saw how urgent the situation had be.


    Before long, they had stepped out of their courtyard and were headed down the path leading to Sherry and John¡¯s courtyard.


    Madam Stockton happened to be out taking a walk with the old maid. They were walking along the path on the other side of the


    courtyard.


    ¡°Ma''am, do you think Julie will already be asleep at this hour?¡± the old maid asked.


    Madam Stockton dered, ¡°We''ll see. All | know is that | can¡¯t sleep easy if | don¡¯t at least try to see her tonight.¡±


    Ever since herst conversation with Julie whereby she found out that Julie was intentionally trying to use her against Sherry,


    their rtionship seemed to have taken a nosedive. She very seldom saw Julie after that, and they hardly dined together


    anymore.


    She had tried to reach out to Julie twice, but both times Julie had told her that she was still processing her thoughts and needed


    some space.


    Two days had passed since, and she had not even glimpsed Julie''s face even once.


    She felt like at the end of the day, what happened between them was not a grave issue. She was more worried about Julie¡¯s


    mental state than anything else.


    Shortly after, they stepped into Julie¡¯s section of the courtyard.


    The lights in the courtyard and the living room were burning bright, but there was not a soul to be seen. She stepped into the


    living room and called out Julie¡¯s name several times, but there was no response.


    She noticed the bedroom door was open, and light was spilling out from inside. She turned to the old maid and instructed, ¡°Wait


    for me here. I¡¯m going in to find her.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

 Chapter 1568

    Chapter 1568


    Madam Stockton stepped into Julie¡¯s bedroom but still could not see her anywhere.


    ¡°Julie?¡± she called out.


    There was no response.


    She noticed the lightsing from inside the dressing room and carefully made her approach.


    When she stepped inside, she saw that the curtain was pried open, but there was nobody behind it. Concealed behind the


    curtain was a closed door. She was rather puzzled by the sight of the door.


    ¡°Why is there a door here?¡± she muttered to herself. Then, she slowly approached the door and pressed her palms against its


    surface.


    The night was cold.


    Julie and Mia hurried to the edge of the courtyard.


    There was a gap along this section of the wall which was meant to be an intentional architectural instation. The gap was wide


    enough to allow a child or a skinny adult to fit through.


    Just as Julie was about to squeeze through the gap, she suddenly recalled that she might have forgotten to close the curtains in


    her dressing room in her hurry toe here.


    She quickly told Mia, ¡°I think | forgot to close the curtains in the dressing room.¡±


    ¡°I''ll head back and there and close it for you,¡± Mia volunteered and assured her,¡± Don¡¯t worry. Nobody is going to waltz into your


    room, especially not at this hour.¡±


    Julie eased a little. ¡°That''s true. Anyway, please head back there and close it for me.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Mia turned around and left.


    Julie looked around cautiously, then she began to creep into the gap.


    Meanwhile, inside arge bedroom on the northern edge of the courtyard, the doors and windows were shut tightly while the


    curtains were drawn shut as well,


    Despite that, one could see slivers of light that spilled from inside the room. Furthermore, the concrete and windows were not


    enough to muffle the voices that could be heard from inside.


    Julie heard those voices as she drew closer. She frowned, her face taut with resentment.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She could hear Sherry¡¯s whimper along with the gentle voice of the man who muttered sweet nothings in her ears. She clenched


    her hands into balls and was immediately filled with hate and jealousy.


    After a while, she turned around and exited the courtyard. She hurried down the same path she came from.


    The sweet, sultry voices she heard just now kept ringing in her ears. The sheer thought of what she overheard made her feel


    dizzy. She could not stomach it even a moment longer.


    When she returned to her courtyard, she saw that the door leading into the house was closed. Amidst her rage, she threw it open


    as hard as she could.


    The door opened with a mighty crash.


    She was immediately greeted by the sight of Emerence, a trusted maid who was always by Madam Stockton¡¯s side standing in


    the living room.


    She was appalled to see Emerence inside her living room of all ces.


    If Emerence was shocked by Julie¡¯s sudden return, she certainly did a good job of hiding her surprise. She barely budged from


    her spot and only greeted Julie with a faint smile.


    Julie smiled stiffly, then she walked up to her and asked, ¡°Aunt Emerence, why are you here?¡±


    Emerence answered, ¡°Madam Stockton is worried about you, so | came over with her.¡±


    Julie was startled by this revtion, ¡°She¡¯s here too?¡±


    Emerence informed, ¡°Yes, Madam Stockton is inside your room right now.¡±


    Inside her room?


    Julie was practically sprinting by this point.


    She cut through the living room, and when she reached her bedroom, she spotted Mia who wore an anxious look on her face.


    Mia turned to Julie, her face wrought with fright. She stammered as she spoke, ¡°M- ma¡¯am, when | came back, Madam Stockton


    was already here. | couldn¡¯t-¡±


    Julie turned pale and quickly stepped into her bedroom.

 Chapter 1569

    ?Chapter 1569


    Madam Stockton was seated on a chair inside the dressing room, and there was a grave look on her face.


    Julie felt tension the moment she saw her. She whispered, "Mom..."


    Madam Stockton red at her. "Don''t call me ''Mom''. You are no longer my daughter-in-w!"


    She had a secret room built into her dressing room which was an altar filled with pictures of John! There was even a sculpture sculpted in the likeness of John!


    Even an idiot could tell at one nce that Julie was obsessed with him.


    Madam Stockton felt insulted to think that she had once expressed her concern for Julie and that she felt she had been too hard on Julie thest time.


    This entire time, Julie was not merely trying to drive away Sherry to secure her position in the family. She was out for John! She wanted John for himself! She was going to im the brother of her deceased husband for herself!


    They had lived together for so many years, and it was only now that she found out this terrible dark secret that Julie had been hiding the entire time!


    She could not believe that this was the true nature of her daughter-inw of whom she had once been so proud. She was furious and exasperated! She felt like she was going to lose her mind!


    She was about to storm out of the room when she heard something drop on the floor. It sent tremors across the floor.


    Julie knelt in front of her.


    Madam Stockton was stunned by this disy, at a loss for what to say.


    Julie cried and spilled her heart out, "I''m so sorry. It''s just that I couldn''t resist. He''s the best man I have ever known and I could not repress my desire for him." She bawled her eyes out and was filled with remorse for what she had done.


    Madam Stockton did not know what to make of this. She red at Mia who was standing by the door, and shooed her away. "You, leave us."


    Mia quickly scuttled away.


    Madam Stockton turned her attention back to Julie. It made her ufortable to see Julie kneeling in front of her.


    She had a point. There was not a single man in the entirety of nchester who could match with the likes of John Stockton. Not only was he the richest man in nchester, but there was also no one more attractive than he was.


    Since the incident with Shannon, there had been countless people approaching her and proposing to have their daughters wed John.


    Julie''s husband passed shortly after she married into the family, and ever since then the only man she was in close contact with was John, she was one of the few faces she knew in nchester. Provided these circumstances, it was only natural that she would catch feelings.


    However, the thought of the creepy room full of pictures of John and the wax figure... It made her feel sick.


    After a long silence, she finally spoke, "Julie, since you''ve been with our family for so many years, I will forget about what I''ve seen inside this room today. However, you will have to get rid of all of it, and I mean all of it within two days. Destroy it all."


    Julie choked up. "I know, I understand."


    "Also, John is a married man. Get rid of whatever gross thoughts you have about him. I promise you that I will scour nchester for a man worthy to take your hand in marriage."


    She had considered finding a new partner for Julie for some time, but it was Julie who had objected to the idea. With things the way they were now, she decided that the matter was of the utmost urgency.


    Julie''s eyes were puffed up from all that crying. "Just promise me that you won''t kick me out of the house, will you? I will never harbor these ideas about John in the future. I swear I


    genuinely want to be by your side and be your support."


    Madam Stockton took a deep breath. "Julie, you''re still young and have a whole life ahead of you. There''s no need for you to feel obliged to stick by my side. Don''t worry, no matter who you choose to marryter on, you will always be an honorary Stockton and if you encounter any trouble, you know who to call."


    "But I don''t want to remarry. I want to be with the family!"


    Madam Stockton rose and looked at Julie with iron in her eyes. "I''ve already made up my mind. I''ll talk to your parents one of these days and we''ll find a suitable match for you."


    Julie was rmed by this. "You''re going to talk to my parents?"


    "Don''t worry. I won''t tell anyone what I saw tonight."


    "No, that''s not what I meant, I-"


    Before she could finish, Madam Stockton walked past her and walked out of her bedroom.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Julie went limppletely and slumped to the ground. Her expression turned rigid, and gone were the tears in her eyes. She let the spite inside her fester and soon, she was scowling insidiously and filled with hatred.


    She had been a widow at the Stockton household for almost a decade!


    She had been ying the long game of being a diligent daughter-inw for so many years,


    hoping to dig her ws into John one day.


    Madam Stockton was going to drive her out now? Don''t even think about it!

 Chapter 1570

    Chapter 1570


    The glow of the morning sun wiped away thest traces of the night.


    It was bright and warm outside.


    The doors and windows were still shut tightly, preventing the light from seeping into the room. It was quiet and peaceful.


    Sherry was sleeping soundly on the bed, and the bedsheets were ruffled.


    In the middle of her sleep, she felt something on top of her. It seemed to radiate heat, and the sensation pulled her out of her


    deep slumber.


    She drowsily put her hand out and tried to p it away but ended up smacking her palms on its surface which produced a bright


    smack. She had pped somebody¡¯s


    muscr chest.


    She finally woke up.


    John had already woken up and was lying on his side with his chin propped against his palm as he stared silently at Sherry¡¯s


    sleeping figure. He wore a very contented expression. It seemed like he was very pleased withst night''s experience.


    Sherry felt her cheeks reddening. She suddenly came to and yelled out loud, ¡°How did | end up here? You bastard, did you take


    advantage of me after | had too much to drinkst night?!¡±


    She wrapped herself snugly in the nket and seemed astounded to find herself


    here.


    John chuckled at her reaction. He could not tell if she was only saying this to save herself from the embarrassment of admitting


    to what she had donest night. ¡°I did everything that there is to do with you, but let me correct you-it was you who threw


    yourself on me. | tried to shove you away three times and you wouldn''t let up, so | had no choice but to satisfy you.¡±


    Sherry was speechless.


    Did this man truly believe that she would not remember?


    It was he who hadid a string of borate trapsst night to lead her here. Also, he never even attempted to push her off


    himself!


    As soon as she got dizzy and tried to lean against him to bnce herself, he pounced on her like a hungry wolf.


    Men were such bastards!


    Sherry cursed violently, but there was no chance of turning the situation around now that she admitted to having forgotten what


    happenedst night.


    Still, she retorted stubbornly, ¡°Who are you trying to fool? Even if | were drunk, | know that I¡¯d still be rational enough to not throw


    myself at you.¡±


    John only chuckled at this remark. ¡°Well, | suppose | can¡¯t help it if you won''t believe


    me.¡±


    Sherry shot a re at him.


    They exchanged a silent look with one another. He wore a cunning, satisfied smile on his lips.


    Sherry gave up and admitted defeat. She turned around so she would not have to face him, then she shouted, ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°Sherry, this is my room,¡± John informed.


    While Sherry was filled with embarrassment, she sheepishly tried to crawl out of bed.


    That was when she felt John¡¯s arm tugging her from behind, pulling her back into the bed with the nket wrapped around her


    and into his arms.


    Her first instinct was to fight him off. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, let me go!¡±


    John put his arms around her and whispered into her ears, ¡°Sherry, we had a great timest night. Don¡¯t you remember


    anything?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s ears grew red. She shivered all over and insisted, ¡°I don¡¯t remember a thing!¡±


    ¡°Heh... let me help you jog your memory.¡± He effortlessly swung Sherry around to


    face him.


    Before Sherry could realize what was happening, John had already nted a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. He was


    extraordinarily gentle.


    She wanted to shove him off, but it seemed like the effects of the alcohol fromst


    night had not dissipated entirely. She surrendered herself to her passion and kissed him, even wrapping her arms around his


    neck.


    She continued sinking deeper into this unnamable drunken stupor. She was going to pry the nkets off so they could get more


    intimate, and that was when John suddenly stopped.


    She was not expecting that, and her confusion was visible on her face.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    John smiled coyly.


    Sherry was immediately brought back to her senses. She tried to jump off the bed.


    s, it was toote as he immediately grabbed her.


    She turned to him, her face the shade of a ripe tomato by now. ¡°Let go!¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Sherry, when are you going to stop trying to deceive yourself?¡±


    Both of them knew that she wanted to continue their passionate moment. Sherry was very flustered by this point. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying


    to-¡±

 Chapter 1571

    Chapter 1571


    John kissed her again.


    Sherry ced her palms against his body defensively, but she did not attempt to push him away.


    It did not take long before she lost herself in the kiss they shared.


    Even after when he let her go, she was still holding on to John¡¯s wrist.


    He chuckled.


    Sherry was deeply embarrassed. She stammered shyly, ¡°I... | couldn¡¯t control myself, you¡¯re..¡±


    She drew the nkets over her face and wanted to burrow herself into a hole.


    John smiled and hugged her. ¡°Sherry, if you still need time to process your leftover trauma from what happened three years ago,


    I''d be more than willing to give you time. But one thing | won''t do is let you go. I¡¯ve had enough of this marriage of ours which is


    nothing more than a formal arrangement.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s breathing was bing erratic, but she did not utter a word.


    Astiff silence loomed over the two of them.


    John raised his palm and brushed Sherry¡¯s hair with it. ¡°Right, have you considered the offer | made you yesterday abouting


    to Stockton Corporation?¡±


    Sherry frowned faintly. ¡°No.¡±


    John asked, ¡°Apart from the prestigious position you hold and the handsome sry you''re paid, do you receive any other special


    treatment at Sager¡¯s?¡±


    What sort of question was this? What more special privileges would anyone need from a job apart from a handsome sry? She


    answered, ¡°Yeah, why do you ask?¡±


    John proposed, ¡°If youe to work with me, | will not only triple the sry Sager pays you, | will also let you own shares in the


    company.¡±


    Company shares? Sherry glowed at the prospect.


    ¡°So, what do you say?¡± There was a hint of seduction in his voice as he said this.


    Shares were indeed more tempting than just arge paycheck, but at the moment, she did not n to remain in nchester


    long-term. Besides, she also signed a contract with the Sagers and had a verbal agreement with Madam Sager that she


    would take over the reins of the corporation along with Carl.


    ¡°I''ll think about it.¡± It was a difficult choice to make. She could not make any promises yet.


    John smiled softly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    With one final pat on her head, he said, ¡°Enoughzing around, Caprice should be up any moment. We should go see her.¡±


    He let go of her.


    She poked her head out from underneath the nket and saw that he had already put on his clothes.


    He shed a quick smile at her, then he went into the bathroom.


    Sherry pried the nkets off her and reached for her clothes thrown on the edge of


    the bed.


    After getting dressed, she walked to the door barefoot and opened it.


    She was immediately greeted by Caprice.


    Her hair was braided neatly into a twin pigtail that poked out of the top of her head. She stood rather authoritatively, her tiny fists


    perched on both sides of her waist as she pouted quite angrily at her mother.


    Sherry was rmed by this. She quickly bent down so she could meet Caprice at eye level and asked, ¡°Caprice, what¡¯s the


    matter?¡±


    Caprice would not speak to her and grunted, ¡°Hmmph!¡±


    It seemed like she was going to blow fumes out of her nose like what one would see


    in a cartoon.


    Though she was mostly harmless, Sherry felt like she had to be careful in her


    approach.


    Aunt Wanda was standing in the corridor behind Caprice as Sherry darted a nce at her


    Aunt Wanda informed her, ¡°Mrs. Sherry, Caprice is upset because neither you nor Master Stockton spend the night with her.¡±


    Sherry frowned a little when she heard this.


    Aunt Wanda added, ¡°She woke up half an hour ago and was very upset when she saw that she was all alone in her room. This is


    the first ce she came after she woke up.¡±


    The child seemed very upset, it looked like the dam would give out any moment and tears woulde pouring like a biblical


    flood out of her eyes.


    Sherry pulled Caprice into her warm embrace. She apologized and tried tofort her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Caprice, it¡¯s all Mommy¡¯s fault.


    Mommy shouldn¡¯t have made you sleep alone.¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°And Daddy.¡±


    Mommy and daddy have both abandoned her! They did not sleep with her!


    Sherry agreed with everything Caprice said, ¡°Yes, Daddy is a big meanie, he was the one who brought Mommy back to his room,


    otherwise Mommy would¡¯ve slept with youst night.¡±


    That was when arge figure appeared from behind, casting a shadow over the two of them.


    ¡°Sherry, what are you talking about?¡± John grimaced, his tone was quite intimidating.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1572

    Chapter 1572


    Sherry was rmed by John¡¯s presence. She took Caprice in her arms and shuffled forward while murmuring, ¡°Nothing, | was


    just apologizing to Caprice. | wasn¡¯t saying anything else.¡±


    John grinned, then he looked at Caprice who was wrapped tightly in Sherry¡¯s arms, and spoke gently, ¡°Sorry, it was Daddy¡¯s


    fault, | brought Mommy back to my roomst night, that¡¯s why we didn¡¯t spend the night with you.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by his honesty.


    Aunt Wanda took her leave to give them some privacy.


    Caprice pouted grumpily, but she was no longer upset as she was though she was still feeling down.


    Sherry felt guilty when she saw Caprice in this state and promised her, ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m very sorry. I''ll never leave you alone again.¡±


    Caprice made a look and remained silent.


    This was the first time Sherry saw her daughter in such a depressed state so she


    was at a loss for what to do.


    John motioned. ¡°Give her to me.¡±


    Sherry had run out of ideas of how she couldfort Caprice, so she yielded Caprice to John without protest.


    John took Caprice in one arm and gently patted Sherry¡¯s head with the other. ¡°I''ll bring her to the living room, you can go wash


    up first.¡±


    Sherry was still wearing yesterday''s clothes, her hair was a tangled mess.


    She looked at Caprice who seemed to be feeling a little better in John¡¯s arms. This brought great relief to her. She nodded and


    left.


    She headed back into the room.


    Meanwhile, John took Caprice to the living room and sat on the couch.


    The child continued wearing the same pout and refused to speak. She crossed her


    arms over her chest and refused to be coaxed into speaking.


    John smiled and pinched her cheeks. ¡°Hello, Caprice?¡±


    Caprice snapped grumpily. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°| want to apologize, it was my fault,¡± he said.


    Caprice looked at him and decided that he was truly sincere. She thought about it and pardoned him graciously. ¡°Alright, | forgive


    you.¡±


    John smiled and continued, ¡°Caprice, you¡¯re almost three years old. Do you know that Uncle Carter¡¯s children stopped sharing a


    room with their parents after they turned three years old?¡±


    Caprice grunted and seemed to not understand what John was trying to imply.


    John frowned.


    He could not help butpare himself to Odell. He wondered why all three of Odell¡¯s children seemed so mature beyond their


    years while her three-year-old daughter still seemed to have some ways to go. She was not good atmunicating her


    thoughts and seemed to have some trouble catching on to what was being said at times.


    Oh well, this was his daughter.


    Besides, Sherry wanted to have a chance to bond with her, he figured it was better to continue the current arrangement for the


    time being.


    Sherry went back to her bedroom and took a quick shower.


    After changing into a set of clean clothes, she went to the living room.


    She saw Caprice coddled in John¡¯s arms, she was holding a piece of bread and nibbling it like a hamster.


    She seemed very quiet and very well-behaved as she always was. It looked like she


    was in a much better mood now.


    When Caprice noticed Sherry entering, she immediately called out after her in an affectionate voice, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sherry quickly went to her and lifted her into her arms without a word.


    ¡°How''s the bread?¡± she asked.


    Caprice nodded with approval.


    ¡°Can you give me a bite?¡± Sherry asked with a smile.


    Caprice generously stuffed the entire piece of bread into Sherry¡¯s mouth.


    Sherry was not expecting this.


    She let Caprice stuff the entire piece of bread into her mouth until her cheeks bulged like a hamster¡¯s cheeks would.


    Caprice was humored by this and giggled.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry smiled.


    John did not move from the couch as he silently watched the pair and smiled at the pleasant sight of them having a cute moment


    together.

 Chapter 1573

    Chapter 1573


    Sherry had nothing on her schedule today. She had already given herself and her employees several days off.


    As for John, he had some important work to attend to. He was going to go on a business trip and would not return for three days.


    Even before they finished their breakfast, Peter and his driver were already waiting for him outside the courtyard.


    Sherry took Caprice with her to see John off.


    When Caprice knew that she would not be seeing her father for the following three days, she became very sad again and bid


    farewell reluctantly. ¡°Goodbye, Daddy.¡±


    John pinched her cheeks, then he looked at Sherry with a gentle glow in his eyes.


    Sherry caught the look in his eyes and assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I''ll take good care of Caprice.¡±


    John smiled, then he patted her head. ¡°Take care of yourself too. If anything happens at all, just call me.¡±


    Sherry felt a fuzzy feeling in her chest as she answered, ¡°Alright. Go on, you need to


    be there on time.¡±


    John gave her onest look before burrowing into the car.


    The car immediately elerated and drove out of the main gate.


    Sherry brought Caprice back to the house.


    She already prepared plenty of nifty games for Caprice as she nned to stay at home for the next two days and spend every


    waking hour ying with her.


    Shortly after, Queenie showed up. She must have somehow caught wind that Sherry was going to be free for theing days.


    She appeared with countless adorable dolls as well as snacks she specifically prepared for the asion.


    Caprice was obsessed with the dolls she brought. She was trying her best to juggle her attention between the dolls and the array


    of snacks.


    Sherry and Queenie yed and snacked with her.


    They would y, then eat, then rinse, and repeat.


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    Soon, the sky darkened, it was evening.


    Sherry had just finished a doodle with Caprice when Queenie, who went away a while ago, joined them again.


    She looked at Sherry worriedly and seemed to have trouble expressing what was on her mind. ¡°Hey Sherry, | was thinking... if


    you could... um...¡±


    Sherry peered at her. ¡°Just say what¡¯s on your mind.¡±


    This sort of second-guessing was very uncharacteristic of Queenie.


    She sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with my momtely. She¡¯s in an especially bad mood today. Aunt Emerence told me


    that she hasn¡¯t been eating all day. She wouldn¡¯t even listen when | tried to get her to eat! | was wondering if you could borrow


    Caprice for a second, maybe she''ll feel better when she sees Caprice and have the appetite to eat something at least.¡±


    Sherry turned to Caprice right away. ¡°Caprice, Grandma is in a bad mood today. Would you like to keep herpany?¡±


    Caprice nodded.


    Sherry smiled and kissed her. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Caprice beamed with pride.


    Queenie immediately took Caprice into her arms.


    Sherry was slightly worried so she followed them until they reached Madam


    Stockton¡¯s section of the courtyard. After watching Queenie bring Caprice into the living room, she decided to head back.


    She had only taken a few steps when she bumped into Julie.


    She donned a fur coat with her long silky hair draped over her shoulders. She looked every bit like an exalteddy, a prideful


    socialite.


    She smiled pleasantly at Sherry.


    Sherry met her eyes, then she continued walking.


    ¡°Sherry, why aren¡¯t you going in with Queenie and Caprice?¡± Julie suddenly asked.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    This made her stop. She asked crossly, ¡°Why does it concern you whether | go in with them or not?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern me, | was just curious,¡± Julie remarked with the same nk smile.


    Sherry sneered. ¡°Julie, it''s just you and me here. You don¡¯t have to keep faking that smile, it¡¯s very uncanny and you know that.¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes immediately sharpened. This time, she smiled in a wry, mocking manner. ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying, | was very curious. Why


    would you walk Caprice here but not head inside with her? What, are you afraid that you''ll be kicked out of Madam Stockton¡¯s


    room?¡±


    Her disdain for Sherry when she spoke was impossible to ignore.


    She had a sense that Sherry was trying to get on Madam Stockton¡¯s good side by bringing Caprice to her. She felt like her


    position was being threatened again.

 Chapter 1574

    Chapter 1574


    Contrary to Julie¡¯s belief, Sherry was hardly interested in trying to suck up to Madam Stockton as she barely cared about what


    Madam Stockton thought of her at all.


    Sherry answered curtly with a condescending smile, ¡°Sorry for disappointing you, but | never nned to go inside in the first


    ce.¡±


    Julie was suspicious. ¡°Then why did you send Caprice to her?¡±


    Sherry chuckled. ¡°Heh... Julie, do you truly think that | sent Caprice to Madam Stockton just to please her?¡±


    Julie asked cautiously, ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°Noment.¡± Sherry smiled and walked on.


    A thought suddenly urred to her while she was walking away. She suddenly halted and approached Julie again, stopping only


    a step in front of her. ¡°Julie, there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about as well. Is pleasing Madam Stockton the only thing you care


    about?¡±


    Why else would her immediate assumption of seeing Caprice being sent to Madam Stockton be that Sherry was trying to get on


    the madam¡¯s good side?


    Julie looked ashamed to have been exposed so directly, she screwed her face in


    anger.


    Sherry noticed her scowl and it brought a smile to her face. She walked away without another word.


    ¡°Sherry, | just want you to know that | have no bad intentions toward you,¡± she proimed suddenly.


    To this, Sherry asked, ¡°Am | supposed to take this to mean that you only have good intentions?¡±


    Julie did not answer.


    She had gone pale suddenly. When she noticed Sherry preparing to march off again, she sneered and stated, ¡°I just wasn¡¯t


    expecting you toe back after you''ve been away for three years. Back then, it looked like the only thing you ever wanted was


    to get away from John.¡±


    Sherry stopped and turned back to look at Julie.


    Julie was smiling sarcastically.


    Sherry felt like there was more Julie had to say and tried to pry it out of her. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Julie smiled sardonically. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, it seems to me that you have some ulterior motive foring back.¡±


    Sherry considered this theory, then she replied curtly, ¡°Then you''re going to be


    disappointed again. There¡¯s no particr reason for mying back. | just felt like doing it.¡±


    Julie questioned her again, ¡°What you''re saying is that you came back here so you could spend the rest of your life with John?


    Are you not going to go back to Coastrock?¡±


    She stared into Sherry¡¯s eyes intently.


    Sherry frowned and stated, ¡°I don¡¯t think it''s any of your business whether | choose to spend the rest of my life with John or head


    back to Coastrock.¡±


    ¡°I''m just curious, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Next time, keep your curiosity to yourself,¡± Sherry said and prepared to walk away


    again.


    Julie provoked her again. ¡°Sherry, do you still remember what you did to John nine years ago?¡±


    Sherry stopped.


    Nine years ago? Why was this woman bringing up something from so long ago?


    Julie noticed Sherry¡¯s reaction and continued pressing. ¡°If | were you, I''d be too ashamed to show my face around here again.


    John might im that he doesn¡¯t hold it against you anymore, but I¡¯m sure he still thinks about it now and then.


    ¡°You''d better watch yourself and make sure you don¡¯t step out of line. If you do, I¡¯m sure you¡¯lll end up worse than three years


    ago.¡±


    Sherry, felt tightness seizing her around her chest, she darted a cross look at Julie. Julie, why are you telling me all this now?¡±


    ¡°While you weren''t around, things couldn''t be any more peaceful at home. All I¡¯m saying is that I¡¯d like to keep the peace in our


    household,¡± Julie continued with a scornful smile, ¡°Also, I''d like to give you a little advice. If you¡¯re going to spend the rest of your


    life with John, you¡¯d better watch yourself and make sure you don¡¯t do anything stupid again.¡±


    With that, she walked away before Sherry could even utter a word.


    Agust of cold and harsh wind blew down the pathway and beat against Sherry.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Nine years ago, she was the one who dumped John because she thought he could not provide the financial security she needed.


    When she evoked these memories, the trauma imposed by John three years ago came to rise to the surface as well.


    She was shivering all over.


    She tucked her hands in her pockets in a feeble attempt to get some warmth, then she shuffled back to her room.


    Meanwhile, Julie was hiding in a dark corner. She watched Sherry retreating miserably to her courtyard with great satisfaction.


    She grinned menacingly and mumbled to herself, ¡°Sherry, you¡¯d get out of here if you know what''s good for you.¡±


    She had always seen Sherry as nothing more than a crass, lowly woman who suckled up to the wealthy ss because she could


    not stand her own poverty. Judging by the history of her ditching John for superficial reasons, she must be a wretched woman.


    She hoped Sherry would be wise enough to take her advice back there. She should know that if she ever misstepped again,


    John would unravel the past and unleash his fury in full upon her.


    Meanwhile, at Madam Stockton¡¯s.


    She was resting in the living room, slumped on the couch like a lifeless sack. Her face was ashen and her limbs were without


    strength.


    That was until Queenie entered with Caprice.

 Chapter 1575

    Chapter 1575


    Chapter 1575


    Caprice immediately cried out, ¡°Grandma!¡±


    Her voice was like that of an angel''s. It had an instantaneous soothing effect that washed away the sorrowful mood of Madam


    Stockton.


    ¡°Caprice!¡± she rose and cried out in stark surprise.


    Queenie hurriedly handed Caprice to her.


    She joyfully took Caprice into her arms.


    She had been sitting around all without so much as a bite of food and was rather exhausted by now. She hardly had the strength


    to carry Caprice and was worried she would drop the child, so she took great care to quickly put Caprice on the couch.


    She asked inquisitively, ¡°Caprice, what brought you here?¡±


    Caprice remarked with her eyes shining bright, ¡°Mommy asked me toe.¡±


    Madam Stockton was suddenly struck speechless.


    She turned to Queenie.


    Queenie made a look and informed her, ¡°I told Sherry that you were in a bad mood, so she asked me to bring Caprice here.¡±


    Madam Stockton did not know what to make of this, evident by her troubled


    expression.


    She felt a soft palm pressing against her cheeks.


    She turned back to Caprice and met her charming adorable eyes.


    Caprice suddenly dered, ¡°Grandma, | want to eat something.¡±


    She was trying to get Madam Stockton to eat something.


    Madam Stockton smiled. ¡°Alright, what do you want to eat? Would you like to eat with Grandma?¡±


    Caprice nodded agreeably, she was a diligent child.


    Sherry went back to her courtyard.


    Dinner wasid out across the dining table.


    If it was three years ago, she would never even dare to hope to enjoy such delicacies.


    However, she had no appetite whatsoever at the moment.


    She only took several reluctant bites before she retreated to her room and nestled on the couch, ready to shut out the world.


    What Julie said to her continuously reyed in her mind.


    The only images running through her mind now were her harrowing experiences in the house, and the horrible abuses she was


    subjected to three years ago.


    She was terrified of having to go through all that again.


    She had no malicious intent when she dumped John all those years ago, but she could not deny that her actions must have left a


    significant imprint in his mind.


    She found sce in the fact that John was nothing like what he was three years ago. Even John himself said that everything had


    changed and that they could move on from the past and focus on building a future together.


    Surely, he would not abuse her as he did in the past, would he?


    The sheer idea made her feel sick. She frowned tightly, there was no outlet for these


    emotions.


    After sitting idly for a long time, an idea suddenly came to her. What if she reverted to her original n of stealing Caprice away?


    Ding!


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    She nced at the disy, it was a message from John.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He was checking in on her, ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    She was relieved to have someone check on her and replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    John sent another message, ¡°Are you with Caprice?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°Queenie took her, they''re visiting your mom.¡±


    John asked, ¡°What are you up to then?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything right now.¡±


    Ring!


    Her phone rang, it was John calling.

 Chapter 1576

    Chapter 1576


    Sherry was taken aback by this as she shifted the phone to her ears.


    John kicked off the conversation. ¡°So, you¡¯re not doing anything at all right now?¡±


    His voice was gentle and soothing.


    Sherry felt like a weight was lifted off her as her somber mood was at least slightly alleviated.


    She answered, ¡°I¡¯m just hanging out in the room.¡±


    ¡°How long has Caprice been with my mom?¡± he asked.


    She thought for a second and stated, ¡°About half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Did you eat dinner by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    There was a short silence on the other end of the phone, then he spoke again, ¡°Is there anything you want to ask me?¡±


    What should she ask?


    She thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Well, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°| just got back to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    ¡°| had dinner outside before the driver sent me back here.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡± The weather here is pretty nice, | can take


    you and Caprice here in the future when |


    have time.¡±


    Sherry smirked. ¡°Could it possibly be better than nchester over there?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not as remarkable as nchester, but it still has its unique vor which is nice. I¡¯d say it''s worth checking out at least.¡±


    That seemed like a good enough conversation point. They continued chatting about all kinds of casual matters from there on and


    an hour passed without notice.


    Sherry only realized that an hour had passed when Queenie returned with Caprice.


    She wrapped up the call with John. ¡°Caprice is back, goodbye for now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, get a good night¡¯s sleep with Caprice.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She hung up.


    Queenie came into the room with Caprice. The child was still very energetic and


    cried out the moment she entered, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    She put her arms out and demanded a hug.


    Sherry obliged and took her into her arms.


    Queenie thanked Sherry, ¡°Hey, thanks for tonight.¡±


    Sherry was perplexed by this. ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡±


    ¡°For letting me borrow Caprice. My mom was so happy when she saw Caprice and ate an entire day¡¯s portion of food in one


    sitting.¡±


    Sherry was relieved to hear this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, you should be thanking Caprice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, definitely!¡± Queenie agreed and quickly turned to Caprice, smiling brightly.¡± Caprice, thank you for spending time with your


    grandma and getting her to eat dinner.¡±


    Caprice smiled from ear to ear and was d to have contributed. ¡°You''re wee!¡±


    Queenie smiled and gently brushed Caprice¡¯s hair, then she had a quick chat with Sherry before leaving.


    Sherry took Caprice to the shower.


    After she got Caprice all cleaned up, she took her to the bed and helped her settle in for the night. She then picked up a book


    and began telling bedtime stories.


    The child was very easy to take care of. Shey still on the bed and listened to the bedtime story. Soon, she was asleep.


    Sherry kissed Caprice on the cheeks, then she pulled her into a warm embrace before closing her eyes.


    The night was tranquil, the room was the perfect temperature.


    Caprice¡¯s breathing had a soothing quality that helped Sherry calm down. Although her mind would still rey what Julie had told


    her now and then, it was ultimately Caprice¡¯s rhythmical breathing that acted as a luby and sent her into a deep sleep.


    The next morning.


    After breakfast, Sherry and Caprice walked out of the courtyard in a pair of matching


    outfits.


    She was going to take Caprice somewhere to y.


    When they passed by Queenie¡¯s room, she called out for Queenie. She emerged in no


    time.


    After that, the trio went to amunity yground where they spent the better half of the day ying and mingling with other


    children. After that, they went shopping untilte evening before finally returning home.


    The child was exhausted from the day¡¯s activities and fell asleep in the car on the way home.


    After the car stopped outside the courtyard, Sherry carried Caprice out of the car. As she headed back to their room, she noticed


    Madam Stockton waiting for her in the living room.

 Chapter 1577

    Chapter 1577


    Chapter 1577


    They were both surprised to see Madam Stockton here.


    Queenie was the first to voice her surprise. ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡±


    Madam Stockton nced at Caprice who seemed to be sound asleep in Sherry¡¯s arms, then she darted her attention to Sherry.


    ¡°It''s freezing out there, you shouldn''t let her spend so much time outside in this weather. It¡¯s not safe for a young child.¡±


    Though she was reprimanding Sherry, her tone was not as spiteful as the way she spoke to her in the past.


    Queenie turned to look at Sherry.


    Sherry seemed like she was going to say something, then she decided against it and answered, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Madam Stockton rose and excused herself. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, make sure you get enough rest.¡±


    With that, she left.


    Queenie followed after her.


    Sherry gazed at Madam Stockton¡¯s figure and felt a tinge of suspicion.


    It seemed to her that Madam Stockton was more cordial with her at leastpared to before, but there was something about her


    demeanor that struck her as rather strange. It seemed like there was something on the olddy¡¯s mind.


    Her thoughts went to what happenedst night. She had let Queenie take Caprice to Madam Stockton to keep herpany in


    hopes of cheering her up.


    Perhaps something bad happened again after Caprice¡¯s visit.


    She decided to not worry so much about it and went back to her room with Caprice.


    As soon as she had put Caprice into bed, John called.


    She asked Aunt Wanda to help her look after Caprice while she went outside to answer the call.


    John¡¯s deep, masculine voice rang through the other end of the phone. ¡°Are you home yet?¡±


    Sherry answered swiftly, ¡°Just got home, what''s up?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, | just missed you, that¡¯s why | called.¡±


    She instantly felt her cheeks burning and did not know how to respond to this.


    John seemed to have sensed her embarrassment. After a brief silence, he broached the topic with a satisfied smirk on his face.


    ¡°What did you girls get up to today?¡±


    Sherry gave a quick ount of what they did today.


    John listened patiently, then asked, ¡°I see, what are your ns for tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Probably going to take her out to y somewhere again.¡±


    John asked, ¡°Where to?¡±


    Sherry considered for a moment. ¡°Maybe to the park on the western edge of town. |


    heard a lot of parents take their children there, we could fly kites there.¡±


    They chatted for some time before finally saying goodbye.


    Sherry returned to the living room with a faint smile on her face.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Unbeknownst to her, there was a figure creeping in the shadow in the corner of the courtyard.


    As soon as she stepped into the living room, the shrouded figure slithered away through a gap in between the wall.


    Shortly after that, the shrouded figure slipped into Julie¡¯s courtyard.


    Julie waszing on the couch in her living room, nibbling on snacks while zoning out when the figure appeared in her room. She


    perked up and asked, ¡°Is Sherry back


    home already?¡±


    Mia informed dutifully, ¡°She¡¯s been home for a while, she just had a very long chat with Master Stockton on the phone.¡±


    Julie did not seem pleased to hear this. ¡°With John? How long have they been chatting on the phone?¡±


    ¡°At least twenty minutes.¡±


    Julie asked in a snappy voice, ¡°What did they talk about?¡±


    Mia jogged her mind and ryed what she heard, ¡°Sherry told him something about her ns to take Miss Caprice to the park to


    fly some kites tomorrow. Other than that, they were just rambling about unimportant stuff, but Sherry seemed very happy on the


    phone. | can¡¯t tell if it''s because Master Stockton said something romantic to


    her, but she was blushing.¡±


    She seemed happy? She was blushing?


    Julie frowned icily.


    From what she could remember, Sherry seemed distraught after thest conversation they had.


    Was she able to bounce back so quickly because of how kind John had been to hertely?


    After a sustained silence, she gestured for Mia to approach.


    Mia promptly walked up to her, lowered herself, and brought her ears close to Julie.


    Julie whispered, ¡°I heard the Browns are going to move back to Westchester. Here¡¯s what you''re going to do. Bring up Sherry


    taking Caprice to the park tomorrow in front of...¡±


    After a while, Mia rose and shed an evil smile. ¡°Got it, consider it done.¡±


    Julie smiled and dismissed her. ¡°Go.¡±

 Chapter 1578

    Chapter 1578


    Chapter 1578


    It was a night without dreams.


    Shortly before noon, Sherry had put Caprice into a lovely dress. Her hair was tied


    neatly into two braids, mimicking the look of the little red riding hood. After they were ready to head out, they walked out of the


    courtyard.


    Queenie did not join them today as she was going on a blind date arranged by Madam Stockton.


    Sherry took Caprice in her arms and stepped into the car. She went to the park with Aunt Wanda and Jason apanying her.


    This was thergest park in nchester, located in the middle of the jungle.


    There was not much exotic view to speak of in this season, but there were certainly plenty of parents who brought their children


    here to spend the day. A lot of people were flying kites on therge field.


    Caprice did not like rowdy activities so kite-flying seemed like an ideal sport for her.


    Sherry had her pick out arge kite that she liked from the store. After that, they stepped into the field.


    It was a sunny day and the wind was moderate.


    Sherryunched the kite into the sky first and made sure it glided at the appropriate height before handing it over to Caprice.


    Unlike the other children who were running wildly across the field, Caprice only sat down on the ground and watched with a


    dazed look in her eyes at the giant kite gliding in the air as if it had a will of its own.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She gestured at the kite while turning to her mother with a proud glow in her eyes. ¡± Mommy, look! It¡¯s flying!¡±


    Sherry squatted next to her and showered her with praises, ¡°Wow! Good job Caprice! Wonderful!¡±


    Caprice grinned with pride.


    She was adorable as always.


    Sherry suddenly had an idea. She took several steps backward.


    Using the other children running across the field as a backdrop, she used her phone to frame a picture with Caprice flying a kite


    at its center. It was a beautiful scene that


    deserved to be remembered.


    After she was satisfied with the angle of the shot, she clicked the shutter and took the picture.


    The result was just as beautiful as she imagined. She did a good job of capturing Caprice¡¯s reserved and adorable look.


    She took several additional pictures after that, then she picked the best one out of


    them and sent it to John.


    At one point, she noticed a familiar figure from the corner of her eye.


    She turned to the said figure with clear confusion in her eyes. ¡°Mason?¡±


    Ayoung man who looked dashing in a set of casual sportswear walked up to her.


    He greeted her with warmth, ¡°Hey Sherry, long time no see.¡±


    Sherry smiled and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Mason mentioned with a glow in her eyes, ¡°I live nearby. |e for a walk here from


    time to time.¡±


    He was not lying about living nearby, but he was not telling the whole truth either. He only came here because someone had


    informed him that Sherry was in the area.


    Sherry nodded.


    He suddenly asked, ¡°What about you, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°| brought Caprice here to fly some kites,¡± she gestured to Caprice as she said this.


    Caprice was still sitting calmly on the ground with her neck craned toward the sky, holding the kite string tightly in her hands.


    Mason seemed rather taken aback by the sight of Caprice and could not conceal the confusion in his voice, ¡°She... isn¡¯t she


    Master Stockton¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Have you met Caprice before?¡± Sherry was surprised that Mason recognized Caprice.


    Mason nodded. ¡°Back then | went to see Master Stockton to finalize a contract. When | went to his office, | saw her sitting on his


    lap munching on some snacks.¡±


    He suddenly turned to Sherry with a queer look in his eyes. ¡°Is she your daughter?¡±


    Sherry smiled faintly. ¡°Yeah, mine and John¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°| see,¡± Mason remarked with a knowing smile.


    Everyone worth his salt in nchester knew about John Stockton and his darling daughter who he brought with him everywhere


    he went. Yet, nobody knew who the mother was. It was especially confusing because John had only married one person in the


    past and that was Sharon who was now in prison.


    If Sharon was the mother of the child, she would probably not get thrown into prison to begin with. It was safe to assume that she


    was not the mother since word would have gotten out if she was.


    Therefore, the mother must be someone else.


    He did have his suspicions that it was Sherry at one point, but Sherry vanished shortly after, and nobody had heard anything


    about her since.

 Chapter 1579

    Chapter 1579


    The revtion that Sherry was the mother dide off as a shock.


    That exined why John was so fond of Caprice.


    He observed Caprice for a while longer and remarked, ¡°She does look like you.¡±


    Sherry grinned. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Mason grinned as well and turned back to her. ¡°So | guess the rumors that you were President Sherry at Sager Corporation are


    true?¡±


    Sherry did not attempt to hide it. ¡°Yes.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Mason was impressed. ¡°You''re more capable than | think you were.¡±


    Sherry returned thepliment. ¡°You''re not so bad either.¡±


    Mason¡¯s face suddenly darkened. ¡°Me? No, | don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°What''s wrong? Did you run into any problemstely?¡± Sherry was surprised to see the usually confident Mason suddenly


    bing so doubtful of his abilities.


    ¡°No, everything is fine. It¡¯s just-¡± He suddenly paused and seemed to have difficulty continuing. ¡°It¡¯s just, my family will be moving


    back to Westchester in a few days.¡±


    Sherry was shocked to hear this. ¡°Why are you guys moving back to Westchester ?¡±


    Mason grimaced and confessed the truth, ¡°Our projects in nchester these past two years aren¡¯t working out so well. In the


    end, we feel like Westchester is a better site for future developments so the final decision was to move our base of operations


    back to Westchester.¡±


    Sherry was perplexed by this. ¡°Weren''t things progressing pretty well back then? What happened thesest two years?¡±


    Mason hesitated for a moment and said atst, ¡°Well, unfortunate timing, | guess.¡±


    ¡°Is this about John?¡± Sherry suddenly brought up.


    Mason took a deep breath. ¡°Three years ago, Master Stockton withdrew his funds initially going toward two of our projects. |


    know he wasn''t intentionally sabotaging our operations, but-¡±


    ¡°But things still took a hit, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mason remarked with a strained smile, ¡°It¡¯s alright, he has helped us more


    times than | can count in the past. | don¡¯t want to have to rely on him for everything.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    Three years ago, that meant it coincided with when she left nchester. Did John withdraw his funds because he was upset


    because of her leaving?


    ¡°Hey, are you free at noon? We''re probably not going to meet again in the future so I''d like to treat you to a meal onest time,¡±


    Mason asked with an eager look in his eyes.


    Sherry thought about it for a moment and answered hesitantly, ¡°I don¡¯t think | can make it this afternoon. | promised Caprice that


    I''ll take her to eat something nice.¡±


    ¡°How about tonight?¡±


    ¡°Tonight should be fine.¡±


    Just a quick meal, that was all.


    She also hoped to find out more about the difficulties Mason was facing, perhaps she would be able to help out in some way.


    She was aware that John was not fond of Mason because of what happened nine years ago.


    Mason did not deserve to be treated this way. After all, it was she who enlisted his help back then.


    They exchanged some pleasantries after that before Mason took his leave.


    Sherry went back to Caprice and resumed ying with her.


    Unbeknownst to her, someone was creeping amid the bushes when she was


    chatting with Mason. This suspicious individual had taken many pictures of the two chatting.


    After Mason left, Mia switched off the camera.


    She sent all the photos she had taken to Julie, followed by a message. ¡°Ma¡¯am, they said they were going to meet for dinner


    tonight.¡±


    Julie¡¯s reply was almost instantaneous, ¡°Where are they eating?¡±


    Mia replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, he hasn¡¯t told her yet. Should | keep following her?¡±


    Julie called it off. ¡°No,e back right away. Make sure Sherry doesn¡¯t see you.¡± Mia replied, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Meanwhile, Julie was sittingfortably at home. She went through the pictures Mia had sent her and was very pleased with the


    splendid quality of the pictures.

 Chapter 1580

    Chapter 1580


    Chapter 1580


    Shortly after that, she picked out one of the pictures and sent it to John,


    apanied with a message. ¡°John, a friend of mine ran into Sherry when she was at the park and sent me this picture. |


    thought really hard about whether | should send this to you but | think it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±


    Meanwhile, in another city miles away from nchester.


    Asilver car was cruising down the highway.


    Ding!


    Aphone rang inside the car, indicating a message had been received.


    John was seated by himself in the back row. He reached for the phone in his pocket and read the message. In an instant, a


    gleam of ice shed past his eyes.


    Ding!


    The phone rang again, it was a follow-up message from Julie, ¡°My friend said that those two chatted for some time. It doesn¡¯t


    look like they''re up to anything in particr, maybe it¡¯s just a coincidental meeting at the park.¡±


    Amere coincidental meeting?


    nchester was arge city. What were the odds that they just happened to bump into each other at the park?This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    John clutched the phone tightly in his palms and seemed like he was going to crush it with sheer force. He silently looked at the


    picture of Sherry and Mason standing together, both with bright smiles on their faces. His mind immediately jogged back to the


    harrowing memories from nine years ago.


    He recalled how he had severed ties with his family because of Sherry. He went on a desperate job hunt to no avail and had to


    resort to renting a cheap apartment with Sherry, where the two had to live frugally. Soon, Sherry proposed to break up because


    she could not stand the condition they were living in.


    Even now, he could remember how dejected he felt then. He med himself for not being motivated enough and failing to


    provide a cozy life for Sherry. He was not willing to let go of the rtionship and was practically begging Sherry to give him two


    years. He would ve away, taking all sorts ofbor work to ensure a better life for the two of them.


    On a fateful rainy night mixed with a thundering storm, he managed to leave work


    early and head back to their cheap rental apartment. That was when he stumbled into the scene of Sherry sharing the bed with


    Mason...


    What he saw that night was scalded into his memory.


    After being caught cheating, Sherry did not express any signs of remorse. On the contrary, she took the chance to vent out all of


    the pent-out frustration inside her, ming him for subjecting her to such poor conditions of living and expressing that she had


    had enough. She insulted him and said that Mason was a much better man than he was and wanted to be with Mason.


    He gave in and let her walk away with Mason.


    She did not even bother to pack up her things. She put on her clothes and left with Mason without another word, leaving him all


    alone in that deste house on a stormy night...


    Was it a mere coincidence that the two happened to bump into each other while he


    was on a business trip?


    His eyes twitched uncontrobly. Even his veins were beginning to bulge when the implications came to him.


    He shut his eyes and tried to calm his nerves.


    After a while, he opened his eyes and announced solemnly, ¡°Peter, book me the earliest flight back home.¡±


    Peter was surprised by this sudden order. ¡°Sir, you mean right now?¡±


    ¡°Right now.¡±


    ¡°But you have an important meeting scheduledter.¡±


    ¡°| said, right now!¡± He roared without warning.


    Peter recoiled and quickly obliged. ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll book a flight right this moment.¡±


    The morning passed quickly.


    Just as she promised, Sherry took Caprice to the food district and treated her to her favorites.


    After they ate, they went shopping.


    Around evening, she brought Caprice back home.


    As soon as they got back, they ran into Queenie. She quickly took Caprice into her


    arms and greeted her warmly.


    Sherry recalled that Queenie went on a blind date arranged by Madam Stockton today and asked out of curiosity, ¡°How did the


    blind date go?¡±


    Queenie answered quite frankly, ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy, but he¡¯s not my type.¡±


    Sherry smiled and made no furtherment.


    Queenie took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Hey Sherry, can | take Caprice to my mom¡¯s again today? She¡¯s not in a very good mood


    today and | can¡¯t cheer her up after what | do. Really, | wonder what¡¯s been going on with hertely.¡±


    Sherry quickly noted, ¡°Sure, | happen to have something nned for tonight. Feel free to take Caprice.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks!¡± Queenie thanked her and brought Caprice to Madam Stockton¡¯s .


    Sherry trailed after them as usual and turned back at the entrance to Madam Stockton¡¯s courtyard after she made sure that the


    two had gone inside.


    She then sent Mason a message and asked where they were going to grab dinner.


    Mason replied with a location tag.


    Without wasting any time, she got into the car and went straight for the location Mason had sent her.

 Chapter 1581

    Chapter 1581


    Right after Sherry¡¯s car left the gates of Stockton Residence, another ck MPV emerged from the shadows.


    Inside the car was the man with the golden-framed sses, elegantly sitting in the


    rear seat.


    John had juste home a while ago. He said to his driver, ¡°Follow them. Don¡¯t let them notice you.¡±


    The driver nodded.


    Mason chose an expensive and grand restaurant that served some of Sherry¡¯s favorite dishes. The only downside was the


    distance from Stockton Residence.


    Sherry took a forty-minute ride to reach the restaurant.


    The sky had gotten dark when she arrived. When she got out of the car, she saw Mason sitting by the ceiling-to-wall window on


    the second floor.


    Mason saw her too. He waved at her with a smile and she returned the favor.


    The ck MPV stopped outside the restaurant. The man with the golden-framed sses wound down the window and stared at


    the second floor with a sharp gaze.


    Sherry went upstairs and sat down opposite Mason.


    Mason wore a formal suit today, which made him look more like a gentleman than his usual sporty look. He looked at Sherry and


    said with a smile, ¡°I''ve ordered some dishes. Have a look if you want to order anything else.¡±


    He then pushed the menu over to her.


    Sherry nced at it. She realized that all the dishes Mason ordered were her favorite. She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s more than enough.¡±


    ¡°Great. What do you want to drink? Red wine? Or fruit punch?¡± Mason asked.


    ¡°Lil just get a ss of fruit juice,¡± Sherry said. She just wanted to have dinner and ask about how Mason was doingtely, so


    there was no need for alcoholic drinks.


    Others who knew iess might have assumed they were dating.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Mason ordered her a ss of fruit juice.


    The dishes were served swiftly.


    Sherry had a few bites and jumped to the topic. ¡°What are you nning to do after going back to Westchester?¡±


    ¡°My family¡¯s business in Westchester has been going well in the past few years, so | n to take over the family''s business when


    | go back. After everything has settled down, I''ll find something else to do.¡±


    Sherry nodded. ¡°Is your family still running the construction material business?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Amomentary thoughtter, Sherry asked, ¡°So, you are not nning to continue the projects here in Glenchester?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We''ve passed the projects to other interested parties.¡± As though Mason read Sherry¡¯s mind, he smiled and continued,


    ¡°Sherry, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. | might not be as capable, but | won¡¯t allow myself to deal in a losing business.¡±


    Sherry sighed a breath of relief. ¡°That sounds great.¡±


    ¡°But | have a few questions for you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The Sagers faced a tremendous crisis before, and it¡¯s almost impossible for them to make aeback. How and what did you


    do to bring the Sagers back on track?¡± His eyes were gleaming with interest. He wanted to find out if she had used other


    methods other than the rumored ones.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Yeah. | did use a lot of unorthodox methods...¡±


    She revealed a lot of her methods and went into some details.


    Mason¡¯s expression went through a roller-coaster ride as he listened to her methods. He chuckled. ¡°Sherry, you are really good,


    better than | expected.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Given the circumstances back then, she had to push herself to go the extra mile, and with her coincidental talents in doing


    business, she was able to make a lot of things happen.

 Chapter 1582

    Chapter 1582


    Mason made a self-mocking scoff and left the topic aside.


    Sherry pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°Mason, if you run into any problems at Westchester, just contact me.¡±


    He looked at her friendly smile and pursed his lips. ¡°Yeah, | will.¡±


    She raised her ss. ¡°I''ll use this fruit juice to propose a toast. | wish you all the best when you return to Westchester. Cheers.¡±


    Mason picked up his ss, clinked it with hers, and then drained it to thest drop.


    Sherry chuckled at his reaction. Anyone who knew less might have thought Mason had just finished a ss of wine in a single


    gulp.


    Mason also curled his lips when he saw her smiling.


    Meanwhile, the man in the car outside the restaurant saw them smiling happily through the window. His brows furrowed and his


    expression turned grimly frosty. She had never smiled this bright when she was with him, yet she smiled like the sun when she


    had dinner with Mason. The interior of the car got cold and depressing, which pressured the driver and Peter. Neither of them


    dared to even make a noise.


    After the ss of fruit juice, Sherry said to Mason, ¡°I have to go back to Caprice now. | have to leave.¡±


    Mason smiled. ¡°Alright. See you.¡±


    ¡°See you.¡±


    Sherry then grabbed her jacket and headed to the stairs without saying anything else.


    Mason remained seated as he watched her leave his sight. His eyes showed a hint of loneliness. This might be thest meeting


    between them.


    Three years ago, he was still confident in being her match and even hoped that she could return to his side.


    Now, no matter how confident he was, he knew her capabilities and he could no longer be her perfect match.


    Sherry strode out of the restaurant, and when she looked in the direction of the parking lot, she saw a familiar figure.


    The man with the golden-framed sses stood tall in his handsome suit. His hands were pocketed and his back leaned against


    the car, looking casual with a hint ofN?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    laziness.


    John should be on a business trip instead of waiting for her at the restaurant. His lips


    curled.


    Maybe because of the chilly weather, she saw coldness on his face.


    Sherry was slightly stunned even though he was smiling at her.


    Her gaze shifted as she walked closer to him. She asked, ¡°Shouldn''t you be on a business trip? Why are you here?¡±


    John lifted his hand and stroked her face. ¡°Sherry, aren''t you happy to see me?¡± His voice sounded frosty.


    Sherry¡¯s gaze quivered. She furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°How did you know | was here? Did you follow me?¡±


    The man¡¯s sudden appearance with the frosty stare and the expression on his face screaming his suspicion of her cheating on


    him, there was no way she could be happy seeing him.


    John curled his lips wider and said indifferently, ¡°| was home when you went out just now. So, | followed you and saw where you


    were going.¡±


    Sherry looked at him suspiciously. She had a feeling that something was wrong with him.


    Before she could ask any more questions, he tugged her into his arms and hugged her. ¡°You were having dinner with Mason up


    there. | saw you guys smiling happily. What did you guys talk about?¡±


    He then looked up at the window on the second floor.


    Mason was still there in his seat, looking at them from a condescending point of view. He was surprised when he met John¡¯s


    gaze, but he quickly covered his


    emotions with a polite smile. His expression looked natural.


    -John narrowed his eyes.


    Sherry then said, ¡°He and his family are moving back to Westchester. We had a farewell dinner.¡±

 Chapter 1583

    Chapter 1583


    Chapter 1583


    He looked at her and saw her looking at him boldly as well.


    John curled his lips and then opened the car door. ¡°Alright. Get in. We are going home.¡± He sounded calm but for some reason, it


    aroused anxiety in Sherry¡¯s heart.


    She looked at him as she got into the car. John got in right after her. He sat beside her and held her hand.


    After a quiet journey home, the car drove them straight to their house.


    Sherry wanted to get out of the car, but he pulled her back. Although she tried to pull her hand away from him, he dragged her


    closer to himself. He then opened the door and carried her out.


    Sherry immediately said, ¡°Put me down! | can walk!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    John ignored her and carried her into the house.


    Caprice was at Madam Stockton¡¯s ce, so only Aunt Wanda was home.


    Aunt Wanda blushed when she saw Johne in with Sherry in his arms. She bolted up and left the living room in a hurry.


    Sherry blushed as well. She patted his chest and said, ¡°Put me down!¡±


    He curled his lips and continued upstairs.


    When they entered the bedroom, John put Sherry on the bed.


    Since the bedroom¡¯s lights were not switched on, the only source of illumination was the lights from the corridor.


    The dim environment veiled his expression from her. When he took his golden- framed sses off, his eyes reflected the chilly


    gleam from the only light source.


    Her gaze shifted. She wanted to get out of bed, but his strong arms reached out and pulled her back. He got on top of her.


    ¡°You bastard, what are you doing? Let me


    He did not only pin her arms down, but he even silenced her with his lips. Her only chance to speak was robbed of her when they


    locked lips.


    Rustling sounded ceaselessly in the room.


    Sherry was no match for him even if she mustered all her strength. She simply could


    7004


    not push him away.


    Then, he sat up while his hands were still clinging to her body. He pinched her chin and curved his lips into a cold smile. ¡°Sherry,


    were you going to fool around with him if | didn¡¯te home today?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted. His usation angered her. She cried, ¡°I just had dinner with Mason. You saw it too!¡±


    If she wanted to fool around with Mason, why would she have left after dinner?


    However, John¡¯s face remained gloomy even with her exnation. He continued to pinch her chin. ¡°Then, why did you go have


    dinner with him? Do you still like him? Seeing him again reignites the ashes in your heart, am | right?¡±


    As he spoke, his tone got colder.


    Sherry started to quiver. She angrily pushed him and cried, ¡°Are you out of your mind? There¡¯s nothing between us! What


    nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you have dinner with him? WHY?!¡± he suddenly raised his voice.


    Sherry was startled, and her face turned pale.


    She went silent for a while until he lowered his head and forced his dangerous gaze into her eyes. ¡°Why the silence?¡±


    ¡°Can you calm down?¡± she said meekly with a hint of pleading.


    John flickered his eyes. He stroked her face and asked, ¡°You went out for dinner with a man that you cheated on me with. How


    can | be calm?¡±


    Sherry choked on her emotions momentarily before she said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us anymore! | heard he¡¯s returning to


    Westchester, so that was a farewell


    dinner!¡±


    The man chuckled coldly. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing between you and him, why the farewell dinner?¡±

 Chapter 1584

    Chapter 1584


    Sherry choked on her words as if she had cotton stuffed in her throat. He never believed her, so no matter how much she


    exined, it was useless.


    The room went quiet for a while.


    ¡°Sherry, why are you not talking any more?¡± He stroked her face and continued coldly, ¡°Is it because you won''t even bother to


    exin yourself?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already exined myself. What else can | do if you don¡¯t believe it?¡±


    His eyes flickered for a moment. He chuckled and said, ¡°I went on a business trip for two days, and you had dinner with him


    behind my back. How can | trust you?¡±


    ¡°| didn¡¯t mean to keep it from you. | ran into him when | brought Caprice to the park this morning. We had a chat and he left.¡±


    ¡°Then, he invited you to dinner and you said yes?¡± John stared at her sharply.


    Sherry pursed her lips in silence.


    The atmosphere turned quiet once more.


    He pinched her cheeks and smiled. ¡°Come on, continue.¡±


    Sherry did not want to look at him or listen to his voice because he was being creepy. She asked, ¡°What can | do to make you


    trust me?¡±


    The man pursed his lips in silence. He looked at her delicate face, and it somehow reminded him of that rainy day from nine


    years ago when he had returned to his apartment.


    He wanted to trust her as well, but now that she met with Mason behind his back, even though it was just dinner and she imed


    she had no more feelings for the man, why would she have agreed to have dinner with Mason?


    Had she forgotten that she once cheated on him with Mason?


    His gaze turned grim and gloomy.


    Sherry met his gaze and she quivered. She tried pushing him away. Thud!


    However, he exerted his strength and pushed her back onto the bed.


    He was still on top of her. He curled his lips as he moved closer to her face. He was millimeters away from her lips as he said,


    ¡°Sherry, kiss me and | will believe you.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    Kiss him?


    All she wanted was to push him away. She was not in the mood to kiss him!


    He looked into her eyes and said coldly, ¡°If you don¡¯t kiss me, you are thinking about him.¡±


    Sherry was rendered speechless by his strange logic. She gulped nervously and said in a small voice, ¡°Can you get up? Let¡¯s


    talk about this.¡±


    ¡°Kiss me,¡± he said coldly.


    Irritated, Sherry continued, ¡°Can you be reasonable-¡±


    Before she could finish, he silenced her with his lips once more.


    He kissed her strongly as if he had run out of patience.


    Sherry was almost ingrained into the bed as he continued to push her back. She started to suffocate, but the man disregarded


    her struggling as he continued to press her back forcefully.


    The more Sherry struggled, the stronger he pressed down and held her. He even almost crushed her wrist with his strength. The


    pain drowned Sherry and almost knocked her out, she felt like she was being pushed to the verge of death.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was then that a sweet voice sounded. ¡°Daddy, Mommy, don¡¯t fight!¡±


    The uncontroble man froze and stopped ravaging the woman underneath him.


    Sherry gasped strongly to recover her breath. She held her tears back and looked to the side.


    Caprice hade in without their knowledge and was standing beside the bed, staring at them with her big googly eyes.

 Chapter 1585

    Chapter 1585


    The girl seemed startled by her father and mother¡¯s argument.


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened. Then, she felt the weight on her lift all of a sudden.


    John had gotten out of bed. He carried Caprice and strode out, leaving Sherry alone in the spacious, quiet room.


    Sherry¡¯s heart was pounding. She was nervous. It took her a while to sit up and leave the room with her shaky legs.


    The bright corridor revealed the red marks on her wrists, which she had gotten from struggling to break free from John.


    She had a nce at the living room.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    John had a bowl of mashed fruits in his hand and was feeding Caprice on the couch. The girl was munching quietly, and the fear


    on her face was long gone.


    Sherry sighed a breath of relief. She did not want to see the man, so she went back to her room, locked it, and headed to the


    bathroom.


    After washing up and changing into some thicker clothes, she sat down beside the bed.


    Being imprisoned for a year remained a nightmare that would haunt her from time to time. Had Caprice not shown up earlier, the


    man might have forced himself on her again.


    She curled up like a cooked shrimp and tapped on her phone to search for Sylvia¡¯s contact.


    However, her hands froze before she could make the call. It waste, and Sylvia and Odell might be resting. Besides, she had


    no idea how to tell her friend about what happened.


    Comining about John bullying her again? But they were married and they had had sex before, soining about


    something this trivial made her feel wrong.


    Sherry put her phone away and buried her face behind her hands. Her chest tightened.


    Before she headed out to meet Mason, she had actually thought of calling John after the meeting to inform him.


    She did not expect that the man would follow her to the restaurant, She did not know


    whether he followed her when she left the house or if he had someone watching her all the time. Catching her outside the


    restaurant made her feel like she was caught cheating.


    Regardless, the reason did not matter anymore. She just wanted to steal Caprice away and leave Glenchester.


    The man resented her for cheating on him and never trusted her. If something else triggered the man¡¯s dark side again in the


    future, he might imprison her once again.


    Meanwhile, outside the house, Mia finally stood up after hiding in the shadows for a


    while.


    She had a nce at Sherry through the window before she headed to the living room. She saw John feeding Caprice before she


    snuck out of the premises through the backyard and returned to Julie¡¯s ce.


    She reported to Julie about what happened tonight. From John carrying Sherry into the house to Caprice¡¯s appearance stopping


    the two of them from having sex,


    everything was reported in meticulous detail.


    Julie grinned.


    Mia noticed the delight on her face, She added, ¡°Ma¡¯am, our n is still ongoing. It hasn¡¯t been a sess yet, so why are you so


    happy?¡±


    Julie asked, ¡°Who said our n is still not yet a sess?¡±


    ¡°We spent that much effort to lure Master Stockton to catch Sherry and Mason meeting behind his back, but he only teased her


    on the bed and did not show any intentions of chasing her out of the house.


    Julie smiled. ¡°If he really dislikes Sherry, he wouldn¡¯t have married her again in the first ce.¡±


    Sherry had cheated on John with Mason nine years ago, yet the man never let her go. Now he only caught Sherry having dinner


    with Mason, so the best he could do was get mad at her, not chase her away.


    Mia was more confused than before. ¡°So, what is the purpose of us going through all that effort to set Sherry up with Mason?¡±


    Julie revealed a disdainful grin. ¡°I want to remind Sherry that John remembered what she did to him all those years ago.¡±


    Three years ago, when John had imprisoned her out of retaliation, it should have


    traumatized her, and when he almost forced himself on her, it should have reminded her to plot her escape as soon as possible if


    she did not want history to repeat itself.

 Chapter 1586

    Chapter 1586


    Chapter 1586


    Sherry sat beside the bed for a while. She wanted to see Caprice, but the girl was with the man.


    She had no idea if the man was still mad at her, and if she took the risk to go out, it might exacerbate things. Therefore, all she


    could do was hide in the room.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Back in the living room, Caprice had just finished a bag of snacks.


    John wiped her mouth and asked, ¡°Do you want more?¡±


    Caprice shook her head and then looked in the direction of the bedroom.


    John¡¯s gaze shifted. He asked, ¡°Caprice, what are you looking at?¡±


    She said with protruded lips, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mommying out?¡±


    He was silenced.


    Caprice was obviously upset by her mother¡¯s absence. ¡°Daddy, why did you bully Mommy?¡±


    He said with a smile, ¡°Daddy did not bully Mommy. I¡¯m just joking with her.¡±


    She furrowed her tiny brows. She pondered and said, ¡°Then, can you not joke with her again?¡±


    John''s eyes flickered. He then curled his lips and said, ¡°Alright, Daddy knows what to do.¡±


    Caprice immediately widened her lips into a smile.


    He hugged her with a smile. ¡°Are you sleepy now? Why don¡¯t we go to bed?¡±


    ¡°| want to listen to Mommy''s stories.¡±


    Amomentary silenceter, he said, ¡°Okay.¡± He carried the girl up and headed to Sherry¡¯s room. He knocked but there was no


    answer.


    The door was locked from the inside as well.


    Had he frightened her with his words and actions earlier? Why would she be so defensive all of a sudden?


    His brows furrowed as he carried Caprice out. He took a detour from outside the house and soon arrived at Sherry¡¯s balcony. He


    opened the connecting door and carried Caprice into the room.


    He saw Sherry sitting by the bed with her messy hair and thick clothes. She seemed to have fallen asleep.


    Caprice said, ¡°Daddy, Mommy is sleeping on the floor.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yeah.¡± He then approached Sherry and tapped on her head.


    Pak!


    Sherry woke up. When she saw the man before her, her pupils shrank and she instinctively moved backward.


    John was disheartened by her reaction. He then said, ¡°Caprice wants a story.¡±


    Then, Caprice reached out her little arms and said, ¡°Mommy, | want to listen to ¡®Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf¡¯!¡±


    Sherry felt relieved as she carried the girl in her arms, but she remained cautious against John.


    He tightened his lips. ¡°I have to go settle some work matters. I''ll be back in two days. Stay at home and take care of Caprice


    while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Got it.¡±


    The man then left from where he came in.


    Sherry went over as soon as he disappeared and locked the connecting door.


    To her surprise, the man had not gone very far and was standing right beside the door. She noticed him when she locked the


    door.


    His tall figure and kind looks looked rather intimidating under the moonlight.

 Chapter 1587

    Chapter 1587


    Chapter 1587


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    However, knowing that he would not be able toe in anymore to hurt her, she lifted her chin and red at him coldly before


    she went back inside.


    John was left speechless. His expression turned frosty as he chuckled. He then pulled his phone out to text her.


    ¡°I''ll spare you tonight for the sake of Caprice. If | find out that you are seeing Mason again, you will suffer the consequences.¡±


    Ding!


    Back in the bedroom, Sherry heard her phone buzz just when she ced Caprice on the bed. She nced at it and her


    expression changed. She inhaled deeply and replied, ¡°I know.¡±


    She would be stealing Caprice away tomorrow, so it was not just Mason but she would not even be seeing John anymore.


    After replying, she carried Caprice in her arms and started to read the girl a story about Red Riding Hood. The girl listened with


    all her heart until she fell asleep on her mother¡¯s chest.


    The baby smell from the girl warmed Sherry¡¯s heart, even more so when she saw her adorable face sleeping soundly. She


    stroked the girl¡¯s cheeks softly and kissed her.


    Sherry then put the girl on the bed and headed to the closet.


    She nned to take Caprice away in the morning, so in order to sneak away undetected, she could not bring too many things


    with her. She kept the necessary documents and some clothes in a single backpack.


    Then, she snuck into Caprice¡¯s room and kept the girl¡¯s usual necessities in another backpack.


    All that was left was to distract Aunt Wanda and Jason before she could leave Glenchester with Caprice once and for all. The


    thought made her heart race.


    She put the backpacks together before she returned to the bed and hugged the girl to sleep. The thought of escaping with


    Caprice left her sleepless for the entire night.


    Before daybreak, Sherry already opened her eyes.


    She texted her driver, Brandon. ¡°Brandon, are you here yet?¡±


    Brandon replied immediately, ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m on my way. ETA 20 minutes.¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath. She got up and went to the bathroom to wash her face.


    Maybe because Caprice sleptte yesterday, the girl was asleep despite Sherry changing her clothes.


    Fortunately, it would be easier for Sherry to bring Caprice away with her asleep.


    After settling her emotions, Sherry opened the door.


    Aunt Wanda came over and asked, ¡°Ms. Fowler, is Caprice awake?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still sleeping,¡± Sherry said. A quick thoughtter, she added, ¡°Aunt Wanda, why don¡¯t you take the day off? I¡¯m bringing


    Caprice outter and will only be back at night.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Aunt Wanda looked worried. ¡°Can you take care of Caprice alone?¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Of course, | can.¡± She knew Caprice¡¯s habits better than her own now, and since Caprice was an obedient girl,


    there was nothing to worry about.


    Aunt Wanda smiled. ¡°Very well. Emerence is having her day off as well, I''ll go shopping with her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Sure. Go ahead.¡±


    Aunt Wanda left with a smile.


    Sherry sighed a breath of relief. She headed to the front yard and saw Brandon¡¯s white MPV waiting for her.


    Brandon was her driver that she brought over from the Sagers, and he had visited a few times, so the security guards let him in


    without any obstacles.


    Jason was walking around the front yard, and when he saw Brandon driving the car over, he asked, ¡°Madam, are you going out


    today?¡±


    Sherry said with a smile. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going outter.¡±


    Jason¡¯ added, ¡°Are you bringing Ms. Caprice with you as well?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sherry bit the bullet and tried to remain as natural as possible. ¡°I¡¯m bringing her to Queenie¡¯s ceter.¡±

 Chapter 1588

    Chapter 1588


    Chapter 1588


    Sherry then said, ¡°It¡¯s cold, so I¡¯m not bringing Caprice out today. You should go getsome rest as well.¡±


    Jason was Caprice¡¯s personal bodyguard and would follow the girl wherever she went. Now that he learned Caprice was not


    going out, there was no reason for him to follow her. He smiled and nodded before he went away.


    Sherry nervously exhaled and then went back into the room. She grabbed the sleeping Caprice and the backpacks she prepared


    last night before striding back outside.


    Brandon got out of the car and helped her open the door.


    Sherry tossed the backpacks inside before she went in with the girl.


    ¡°The airport! Now!¡± she said.


    Brandon nodded and started the car.


    The car quickly drove towards the gate along the main avenue.


    Meanwhile, Mia came out from behind the wall after the car left. She quickly ran back to Julie¡¯s ce.


    Julie was sitting in the living room.


    Mia ran in and said nervously, ¡°Madam, | just saw Sherry distract Aunt Wanda and Jason, and take Ms. Caprice into a car. Her


    own driver was at the wheel. Is she kidnapping Ms. Caprice back to Coastrock City?¡±


    Julie bolted up and said with a grin. ¡°I¡¯m going to Mother¡¯s ce. Come with me.¡±


    Mia was shocked. ¡°Huh? Madam, why are you going to Madam Stockton¡¯s ce? Sherry is bringing Ms. Caprice away for good,


    so why not let them just leave?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Just follow me.¡±


    Julie was not in the mood for exining. She quickly marched out of the house with Mia following.


    Awhileter, the two of them arrived at Madam Stockton¡¯s ce.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Madam Stockton had just woken up a while ago and was having breakfast by the table. She was surprised by Julie¡¯s arrival. She


    asked coldly, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Julie frowned and wore a nervous look on her face. ¡°Mother, | am not here to disturb your breakfast. I''m here to tell you


    something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Julie hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Ms. Fowler... might be kidnapping Caprice back to Coastrock City.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    Julie continued indifferently, ¡°Mia passed by John¡¯s ce and happened to see Ms. Fowler carry Caprice into the car without


    Aunt Wanda and Jason. She only had two backpacks with her.¡±


    She then nced at Mia. Mia was aware of the signal, so she echoed, ¡°Yes, Madam. | saw everything. Before Ms. Fowler got


    into the car, she even sent Aunt Wanda and Jason away from the front yard.¡±


    Madam Stockton bolted up. She looked at her trusted maid, Emerance, and bellowed, ¡°Go find Jason and Wanda!¡±


    Emerence nodded and hurried out of the house.


    Julie¡¯s gaze shifted. She added, ¡°Mother, when Mia came to me, she already saw Ms. Fowler¡¯s car heading towards the gate.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Tell the driver to bring the car over! I¡¯m going after that woman!¡±


    Julie immediately said, ¡°Mother, are you going after Ms. Fowler yourself? It¡¯s inappropriate! Why not call John and get him to


    send his men?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip. When he finally sends his men here, that woman might have already kidnapped Caprice on a ne!¡±


    Madam Stockton quickly walked out of the house.


    Julie went after her and said, ¡°Mother, the car is usually parked at the gate, so it¡¯s inconvenient for them to pick you up from


    there. | took a cart here., Why don¡¯t we take the cart to the gate?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s residence was located at the deepest part of the estate, and the road was slightly narrower than the main


    avenue. The car would have a difficult time making a U-turn, so it would be faster to take the cart to the gate.


    Madam Stockton got into the cart without a second thought, and Julie sat beside her.

 Chapter 1589

    Chapter 1589


    Madam Stockton ordered the driver to drive as fast as he could.


    The cart sprinted all the way to the gate and stopped beside the parking lot.


    Madam Stockton got out swiftly, and so did Julie.


    Madam Stockton was aware of Julie following her, so she said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to follow me. Call John, tell him to call Sherry,


    and maybe he can change her mind.¡±


    Julie immediately answered, ¡°Alright. | will call John right away.¡± She pulled her phone out but did not dial John¡¯s number.


    Instead, she watched as Madam Stockton get into her car.


    The car engine roared to life and sprinted out of the gates.


    As the car elerated out of her sight, Julie¡¯s expression turned cold and her eyes showed a hint of viciousness. She muttered,


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t me me for this. You should me yourself for seeing things that you shouldn¡¯t and trying to chase me out of the


    family.¡±


    Meanwhile, the white MPV had driven away from the residential area of the Stocktons.


    Sherry was in the rear seat with Caprice. Her eyes were glued to the window.


    Suddenly, the girl in her arms moved. Sherry looked down and saw the girl''s crystal clear eyes looking at her.


    ¡°Good morning, my baby,¡± she said with a smile.


    Caprice was aware of her surroundings. She asked curiously, ¡°Mommy, are we going out to y?¡±


    Sherry hummed a reply.


    Caprice looked around and then continued, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Aunt Wanda and Uncle Jasone with us?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Mommy told them to take a day off today.¡±


    The girl¡¯s curiosity was limited, but she was interested in knowing where they were heading. As she slowly regained her rity,


    she asked, ¡°Mommy, where are we going?¡±


    Sherry inhaled deeply and said, ¡°We are going somece far.¡±


    The girl opened her mouth and asked innocently, ¡°How far?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. Just when she was about to tell the girl that they were going to Coastrock City, her phone rang. Startled,


    she nervously pulled her phone out.


    It was John.


    Why would the man call her at this hour?


    She had just brought Caprice away from the house and even sent Aunt Wanda and Jason away, hence the man should have no


    way of knowing that she had taken Caprice.


    Amomentary hesitanceter, she decided to answer the call.


    The man¡¯s deep voice echoed in her ears, ¡°Have you eaten breakfast?¡± He sounded gentle.


    Sherry sighed a breath of relief but her chest started to tighten again.


    ¡°I have,¡± she said.


    ¡°What are you doing now?¡± he asked.


    Sherry replied with a question, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be working?¡±


    ¡°I''m on my way to the work site. It¡¯s going to take a while,¡± the man said. He was


    calling her with the free time he had in between meetings.


    ¡°|... I''m ying with Caprice,¡± Sherry stuttered.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1590

    Chapter 1590


    The man on the other end of the call slightly furrowed his brows.


    Why did she stutter?


    Was she feeling sour because of what he had done to herst night?


    His expression changed as he softened his tone. ¡°I was impulsivest night. As long as you stay by my side, and stop seeing


    Mason, | promise | won''t do that to you again anymore.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s brows and chest tightened. She had taken Caprice away, yet the man was trying to apologize to her.


    ¡°Sherry, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± he asked.


    Sherry frowned. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to answer you.¡±


    The man went silent for a few seconds before he said in delight, ¡°This ce is famous for its wine. I¡¯ve bought you several


    bottles, and I think they will arrive at your doorstep by tonight.¡±


    Sherry was silenced but the man¡¯s sudden change of attitude and topic. Should he not be mad that she refused to talk to him?


    Why did the man apologize to her on the phone and even bought bottles of wine for her?


    ¡°Sherry?¡± the man called her once more.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here. | know,¡± she said as she pursed her lips.


    ¡°Mm-hmm. I¡¯m reaching soon. | have to go. Talk to youter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry hung up the phone and then saw Caprice looking at her with an innocent gaze.


    The girl asked, ¡°Mommy, why did you lie to Daddy?¡± She understood the brief conversation between Sherry and John.


    Sherry furrowed her brows for a while before she said, ¡°Caprice, Mommy is actually bringing you to the city where | used to live.


    Do you want toe with me?¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes gleamed. A thought rushed into her mind and she asked, ¡°Is Mommy bringing Daddy too?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°Mommy only wants to bring you, not Daddy,¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes showed brazen disappointment. ¡°If Daddy is not going, Caprice is not going.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened once more and it started to suffocate her. She sighed after a huge struggle with her thoughts. ¡°Fine...¡±


    She turned to Brandon. ¡°Brandon, can we turn back?¡±


    Brandon was confused. ¡°Sherry, aren¡¯t you going back to Coastrock?¡±


    ¡°Not now.¡±


    Her new n would be to discuss her return to Coastrock with John when he came back tomorrow. She also nned to ask the


    man if she could bring Caprice there for a few days. Since she had notpleted the tasks Madam Sagers had assigned her,


    she had to go back eventually.


    She also nned to tell John the truth about why she cheated on him with Mason nine years ago.


    From another perspective, if John cheated on her with some other women and still kept in contact with the mistress, even she


    would feel betrayed.


    He did not trust her because he saw her cheating on him with Mason with his own eyes. It was an obstacle in his heart that he


    could not get over. If she told him the truth and cleared the obstacle for him, he might be able to trust her in the future.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Back at Stockton Residence, Julie had been calling John since Madam Stockton left.


    However, maybe because John was busy, Julie was unable to get to him until now.


    The call finally got through swiftly and the man¡¯s rich voice sounded from the other end of the phone. ¡°Julie? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Julie feigned a nervous look and tone and said, ¡°John, Sherry is taking Caprice away. Mother has gone after them. | think you


    need to send your men after them.¡±


    The man¡¯s expression turned grave. ¡°Isn''t she ying with Caprice at home?¡±


    ¡°No. Mia saw her sending Aunt Wanda and Jason away in the morning and then she brought Caprice into the car with her own


    driver. She even had two backpacks with her.¡±


    The man¡¯s handsome face was shrouded with ayer of grim.


    No wonder Sherry stuttered in the call earlier. She was running away with Caprice!

 Chapter 1591

    Chapter 1591


    Chapter 1591


    She had been nning to take Caprice away while he was away from home!


    John hung up the phone and said to Peter, ¡°Peter, contact the two main airports in Glenchester and tell them my daughter has


    been kidnapped by a human trafficker. They are leaving on a ne, so tell them to seal all the exits and entrances. If they see


    Caprice or Sherry, save Caprice and apprehend Sherry!¡±


    He shouted thest sentence due to his anger.


    Peter nervously said, ¡°Yes, sir! I''ll contact them right away!¡±


    John propped his forehead on his hand.


    After Peter made the necessary calls, he said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve contacted the airports and sent them Ms. Fowler and Ms. Caprice¡¯s


    pictures. Once they go near the airports, they will be apprehended.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm...¡± John¡¯s grim expression looked slightly relieved. Then, he added, ¡°Clear the schedule for today. Book a ticket back


    to Glenchester right away.¡±


    Peter cautiously nced at his boss¡¯s terrible expression and said in a small voice,¡± Yes, sir.¡±


    Meanwhile, Madam Stockton¡¯s car had just left the residential area of the Stocktons. She had seen Sherry¡¯s car before, and in


    order to better locate the car, she sat in the passenger¡¯s seat and glued her eyes on the road.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Unfortunately, she did not spot a single car along the way.


    The residential area was secluded, and there were only so many cars that would appear on the road leading there. It had been a


    while since she left the house, and she still did not spot a single car.


    She got anxious as she was worried that she might lose Sherry¡¯s car.


    ¡°Drive faster!¡± she bellowed at the driver.


    Since there were no cars on the road, the driver sped up.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, Madam Stockton¡¯s phone rang.


    It was Emerance, her loyal maid.


    Madam Stockton answered the phone immediately.


    ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve found Wanda and Jason. They said Ms. Fowler told them to take a day off, but Wanda heard that Ms. Fowler was


    bringing Ms. Caprice out alone, and Jason said she was going out without Ms. Caprice. She even said she would take Ms.


    Caprice to Ms. Queenie¡¯s ce.¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°She''s trying to divert their attention! She doesn¡¯t want them following her!¡±


    Emerance sighed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so.¡±


    It was then that the driver cried out loud.


    Startled, Madam Stockton looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong!?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a car ahead of us, Madam!¡±


    Madam Stockton looked up and saw a truck heading towards them. Her expression turned grim as she shouted, ¡°Stop the car!¡±


    The driver¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°T¡ªthe brakes are not working!¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Madam Stockton nced at the driver''s foot.


    The driver pumped the brakes repeatedly, but the car continued sprinting without any signs of slowing down. They were a few


    seconds away from crashing into the truck.


    ¡°TURN! TURN AWAY!¡± Madam Stockton shouted.


    The driver immediately steered away.


    The truck driver on the other side was aware of the situation, and he nervously steered away too.


    Screech!


    Madam Stockton¡¯s car grazed the truck by a few millimeters.


    Just when Madam Stockton thought that they had escaped the imminent danger, she realized that they were heading towards a


    massive tree.


    ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± she screamed.


    The driver failed to react in time, and the car crashed into the tree.

 Chapter 1592

    Chapter 1592


    The tree leaves rustled as the car caught fire.


    It was then that another white MPV passed by from the other side.


    Caprice widened her eyes and pointed outside the window. ¡°Mommy, the car is on fire!¡±


    Sherry looked outside the window and spotted the burning car. The more she looked at it, the more familiar the car looked.


    ¡°Brandon! Stop the car! Stop the car!¡± she cried.


    Brandon stopped the car by the roadside.


    Sherry put Caprice aside and patted her head. ¡°Caprice, be a good girl and stay here.¡±


    Caprice nodded and hummed a reply.


    Sherry then looked at Brandon. ¡°Brandon, open the trunk, and call 911! Keep an eye out for Caprice as well!¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Brandon immediately suggested, ¡°Sherry, the car is already burning! Why don¡¯t you leave it to the authorities? It¡¯s not safe! What


    if the car explodes?!¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and open the trunk!¡±


    Sherry got out of the car immediately.


    Brandon opened the trunk for her, and she took the fire extinguisher out. She ran to the burning car without further dy.


    There was no other car on the road other than hers, and if she waited for the


    authorities, the burning car might either explode or the people inside might already be dead.


    She approached the car, turned on the fire extinguisher, and sprayed it forward.


    Fortunately, the fire was not that strong and was extinguished after a while.


    Then, Sherry spotted Madam Stockton and the driver inside the car. Both of them were unconscious with blood trickling from


    their foreheads.


    The door was badly damaged, and she could not open it with her bare hands. She started to pound on the handle with the fire


    extinguisher.


    Then, she bent over to release Madam Stockton¡¯s seatbelt and dragged thedy out.


    While she was dragging Madam Stockton out, thedy opened her eyes. ¡°Sherry? How? Why? Where¡¯s Caprice?¡±


    Sherry dragged Madam Stockton to a safe spot and said, ¡°Caprice is in the car. She¡¯s fine. Hold on, the ambnce will be here


    soon!¡±


    Either Madam Stockton was heavily injured or Sherry¡¯s words calmed her down, but her eyes closed as she passed out.


    Sherry dared not move her around anymore. She ran back to the car and dragged the heavily injured driver out as well.


    After rescuing the two of them, Sherry¡¯s strength was drained. She copsed on the ground beside the driver and Madam


    Stockton.


    Finally, the police arrived. They checked on Sherry and she told them what happened.


    The ambnce arrived shortly after that. The paramedics brought the stretcher over and carried both Madam Stockton and the


    driver into the ambnce.


    Sherry followed them into the ambnce in concern. Her brows were furrowed tightly as she found this all too coincidental and


    odd.


    Madam Stockton should be resting at home after breakfast. Why would she be out here and get into a car crash?


    Regardless, the reasons no longer mattered. What mattered the most was Madam Stockton¡¯s well-being.


    The ambnce arrived at the hospital shortly after.


    The doctor who attended to Madam Stockton and the driver looked nervous. He


    cried as soon as they were brought out of the ambnce, ¡°Bring them to the ER right away!¡±

 Chapter 1593

    Chapter 1593


    Chapter 1593


    The paramedics swiftly admitted Madam Stockton and the driver to the Emergency Department.


    Sherry was held off at the entrance. She stood by the wall and called John.


    For some reason, she could not reach him and it showed that he had turned off his phone. She tried calling him a few times but


    still could not reach him, so she decided to call Queenie instead.


    The call got through in a second. Queenie¡¯s clear voice sounded on the other end of the call, ¡°Sherry, why are you calling me this


    early? Are you going out again?¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath and said, ¡°Queenie, listen to me carefully. Your mother got into a car crash.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Queenie screamed.


    ¡°| saw a burning car by the roadside, and it was your mother¡¯s car.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡± Queenie asked in a trembling voice.


    ¡°She has just been admitted into the ER at Glenmarie Hospital.¡±


    ¡°I''m on my way!¡±


    The call ended.


    i


    Sherry tried calling John again but still could not get through.


    ¡®He might be busy working,¡¯ she thought.


    Sherry put the phone away and leaned back against the wall. She nned to call him again after a while.


    Back at Stockton Residence, Queenie ran to the gate after receiving the call from Sherry. Her car was parked in the garage.


    Before she could get into the car, however, Julie came in and stopped her.


    ¡°Queenie, what¡¯s the hurry?¡± she asked out of curiosity.


    Queenie¡¯s eyes got teary and she said, ¡°Julie, Mom''s been in a car crash!¡±


    Julie¡¯s eyes flickered. She then showed a horrified look and said, ¡°Mother went after Sherry earlier. How did she get into a car


    crash!?¡±


    Confused, Queenie asked, ¡°Why was she going after Sherry? It was Sherry who informed me that she got into a crash!¡±


    Julie¡¯s expression shifted once more. ¡°Sherry told you? How did she know Mother was in a car crash?¡±


    Queenie cried, ¡°She said she saw Mom¡¯s car burning by the roadside.¡±


    Julie¡¯s brows furrowed.


    Sherry should have been running away with Caprice. How did she spot Madam Stockton¡¯s burning car by the roadside?


    ¡°Julie, let¡¯s go to the hospital right now! She¡¯s at Glenmarie!¡± Queenie dragged Julie into the car right away.


    Julie nodded and followed to find out what happened.


    Their house was quite far away from Glenmarie Hospital. Along the way, Julie tried consoling Queenie by saying, ¡°Queenie, don¡¯t


    worry. Mother will be safe.¡±


    Queenie snorted. She did not want to think about the worst. Then, she thought of Julie¡¯s words from earlier. ¡°Julie, you said Mom


    was chasing after Sherry. What did you mean by that?¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Julie sighed. ¡°Actually, Mia passed by your brother''s ce this morning and saw Sherry sending Aunt Wanda and Jason away.


    Then, she got into the car with Caprice and two backpacks. | found it strange, so | told Mother about it. Mother believed Sherry


    was kidnapping Caprice to Coastrock, so she went after her.¡±


    Queenie frowned. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying Mom got into a car crash because she was chasing Sherry?¡±


    Julie said in a small voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but she went after Ms. Fowler. Maybe she got nervous and urged the driver to drive


    faster.¡±


    Queenie¡¯s brows remained furrowed. ¡°But if Sherry was taking Caprice away, how did she know Mom got into a car crash?¡±


    Julie said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. We''ll know when we see her in the hospital.¡±


    She might not know how Sherry found out that Madam Stockton got stuck in the burning car, but she was certain that Sherry was


    taking Caprice away to Coastrock, or else she did not need to distract and send Aunt Wanda and Jason away.

 Chapter 1594

    Chapter 1594


    The corridor outside the ER room was exceptionally quiet.


    Awhileter, Sherry decided to call John again, but she still could not reach him.


    Sherry pursed her lips. She called Brandon and said, ¡°Brandon, have you brought Caprice home?¡±


    Brandon said, ¡°We just arrived home. Aunt Wanda is taking care of her, and the bodyguard is here as well. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Aunt Wanda? Jason?


    Should Aunt Wanda not be out shopping with her friend?


    Should Jason not be resting?


    Could they have returned home?


    Sherry found it odd. She wanted to call Aunt Wanda to confirm it, but Queenie and Julie had arrived.


    Queenie¡¯s eyes were teary as she strode in, and there was also an obvious hint of anger.


    Sherry was baffled by her reaction.


    Queenie went up to her and stared at her. ¡°Sherry, why were you taking Caprice away?!¡±


    Sherry was baffled. How did Queenie know?


    Queenie got her answer based on Sherry¡¯s reaction. She was upset and angry at the same time, and the mix of emotions drove


    her to raise her hand.


    p!


    She pped Sherry.


    Sherry did not see the ping. The p sent her stumbling backward, and it left a burning sensation on her cheek.


    Queenie cried, ¡°It¡¯s because of you! If Mom didn¡¯t go after you and Caprice, she wouldn''t have gotten into a car crash!¡±


    Sherry widened her eyes. ¡°She went after me?¡±


    ¡°What else? Why are you doing this? Did John treat you poorly? Did | treat you


    poorly? Why did you take Caprice away?¡±


    Queenie¡¯s emotions went out of control. She angrily pushed Sherry backward and sent her falling to the cold, hard floor.


    Sherry had a bad fall, but for some reason, she did not feel any pain. Her mind was filled with Queenie¡¯s words about Madam


    Stockton going after her and getting into a car crash.


    Julie went up to hug Queenie. She said, ¡°Queenie, calm down. Let''s wait and see how Mother is doing.¡±


    Queenie snorted. Her eyes remained bloodshot and teary as she screamed, ¡°Sherry, if anything happens to Mom, | will make


    you pay for it! And | will never forgive you!¡±


    Sherry, in her wretched state, furrowed her brows tightly.


    Madam Stockton got into a car crash because of her?


    Because of her?!


    Anended steadily at Glenchester Airport.


    The broadcast reminded the passengers to leave nothing behind.


    In the business ss section, the man pulled his phone out from his pocket and turned the flight mode off.


    Peter was beside the man, and he made two calls right after he turned off the flight mode. A whileter, he said to John, ¡°Sir, the


    manager of both airports said they did not see Ms. Fowler or Ms. Caprice at all. They are not there.¡±


    Not at the airport?


    John pondered.


    As soon as his phone reconnected to the mobilework, he received a ton of


    missed calls and texts.


    Some were from Julie and Queenie, and some were from Sherry.


    Sherry had tried calling him multiple times.


    If Sherry was trying to kidnap Caprice, why would she be calling him so many times?


    Julie and Queenie also had tried to reach him.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ding.


    A call from Julie came in.


    He answered the phone and asked, ¡°Julie? What¡¯s wrong? | just got out of the ne.¡±

 Chapter 1595

    Chapter 1595


    Chapter 1595


    Julie choked on her words for a moment and said, ¡°John, it¡¯s Mother...¡±


    The man frowned. His tone sounded anxious when he said, ¡°Mother? What happened to her?¡±


    Julie cried and continued, ¡°Mother got into a car crash. She went after Sherry and somehow crashed into a tree. She¡¯s still inside


    the ER, and it has been two hours now.¡±


    John¡¯s handsome face turned cold and suspicious. He gulped and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Which hospital?¡±


    Back in the corridor outside the ER room, Julie stood at the corner further away while making the call.


    After that, she kept her phone and returned to the entrance of the ER where Queenie was sitting on the bench quietly.


    Julie sat down beside her and nced at Sherry who was sitting further away. She said to Queenie, ¡°Queenie, | just called


    John.¡±


    Queenie looked at her. Even Sherry, who had been squatting for a while, turned to her.


    Julie said, ¡°He just got out of the ne and he¡¯s on his way here.¡±


    Queenie nodded and hummed a reply in a sobbing tone.


    Sherry continued to squat numbly. The anxiety in her chest grew stronger. She felt helpless and terrible as if she was hung over


    some sharp icicles and had a fire burning beneath her feet. She covered her head and continued waiting.


    Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours.


    Some timeter, just when Sherry was about to lose consciousness, a set of familiar footsteps arrived. The footsteps made her


    heart pound.


    She looked up and saw the maning closer to her in his handsome ck suit.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    His handsome face was void of the usual kindness and gentleness. Only a grim frostiness could be seen on his expression.


    ¡°John!¡±


    Julie bolted up right away.


    Queenie also stood up with her bloodshot eyes. She said as she sobbed, ¡°Brother, Mom is still inside!¡±


    John frowned. He scanned over them with an emotionless gaze and thennded his gaze on Sherry.


    Sherry looked nervous and evasive. She wanted to stand, but squatting for such a long time robbed her ability to get on her feet,


    so she remained crouched. She looked at the man timidly and said in a small voice, ¡°John, |...¡±


    Screech!


    The ER doors finally opened.


    Queenie ran over immediately with Julie behind her. John also walked past Sherry


    and headed to the entrance.


    Sherry helped herself up by holding onto the wall.


    Then, the doctor said with a heavy tone, ¡°Master Stockton, Ms. Stockton, we''ve tried our best. Madam Stockton suffered a


    terrible concussion, and the odds of her waking up again are slim.¡±


    Sherry was shaken when she heard the doctor. She saw John¡¯s slender figure freeze and his expression turned horribly cold.


    The atmosphere froze for a few seconds.


    Queenie cried as she asked, ¡°Are you saying that my Mom won''t wake up again?¡±


    The doctor sighed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. We tried our best, so please be prepared for the worst.¡± He then left with the nurses.


    Awhileter, the unconscious Madam Stockton was wheeled out of the ER.


    Queenie broke down in tears by the bed while Julie tried to calm her down. John was petrified like a statue.

 Chapter 1596

    Chapter 1596


    Sherry felt as if her feet were made of lead. She wanted to approach to get a closer look, but her feet would not move. Even her


    voice had escaped her entirely. As much as she wanted to speak up, she had difficulty even forming a whisper.


    Soon, Madam Stockton was wheeled away.


    Queenie marched rapidly and nervously next to the crew of nurses. Julie trailed after closely as well. They passed by Sherry.


    Then, John suddenly walked up to her. There was a hint of redness and a piercing look in his eyes.


    Sherry suddenly felt suffocated. Her lips quivered, ¡°I... I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    John grimaced instinctively and spat, ¡°I must have been blind to fall for a woman like you time and time again.¡±


    Sherry felt a sour sting rising up to her nose, and she was overtaken by an urge to cry. She lowered her head to avoid looking at


    John and apologized in an aggrieved


    voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What is your apology good for at this point?¡± His towering figure domineered over her. He grabbed her by her chin and made


    her look into the sharp reflection in his eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t forgive you even if you died right here and now.¡±


    John¡¯s spiteful remark was like a punch to the gut, and Sherry felt as if her insides were torn apart. Before she could utter a


    single word, he let go of her.


    Then, he quickly marched away in the direction Madam Stockton was wheeled


    toward.


    Sherry could barely steady herself on her feet.


    That was when a nurse passed by. It was one of the paramedics who had been in the ambnce, and she recognized Sherry.


    When it looked like Sherry¡¯s legs were going to give out underneath her, the nurse hurriedly stepped forward and held her


    steady. She said in a concerned voice, ¡°Miss,


    your arm is burned. We need to have it treated.¡±


    Sherry nced at her left forearm.


    It was only now that she remembered that she had burned her arm when she had dragged Madam Stockton out of the burning


    car.


    Her clothes were burned right through, and blistering spots had formed on her arms.


    It was a gruesome sight. She doubted that she would even have noticed her injury if not for the nurse pointing it out to her.


    She answered in a detached voice, ¡°Thanks, I''ll deal with itter.¡±


    The nurse objected, ¡°No, we have to have it treated now, or else it will leave permanent scars.¡±


    Sherry only grunted and walked away.


    The nurse assumed that Sherry was going to head to the ward to have her wound. treated, so she decided to stop pestering her


    and went back to her duties.


    However, Sherry went in the other direction. Dressing her wound was thest night on her mind now. She had to wait for news of


    Madam Stockton.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was a rather small hospital, so she assumed this was far from the best hospital in nchester. Still, she recalled that Madam


    Stockton still exhibited a glimmer of consciousness when she was dragged out of the car, and she hoped the doctors. would be


    able to save her.


    She stepped out of the building into the open air outside.


    Agust of cold wind blew from the oing direction. She took a deep breath and stared absently in front of her.


    She wanted to wait for either John or Queenie toe out. She would suggest that they have Madam Stockton transferred to


    another hospital where they could provide better care for her with state-of-the-art facilities.


    Before she could even catch her breath from the traumatic turn of events, several familiar figures began approaching her.


    It was Peter leading the charge, followed by several bodyguards. They all looked at her with clear hostility.


    Peter did not beat around the bush. ¡°Sherry, Master Stockton doesn¡¯t want you lingering around here anymore, so pleasee


    with us.¡±


    Sherry was visibly upset by this and asked, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    She retreated a step backward.


    Peter looked at her rather indifferently. The bodyguards he brought with him promptly stepped forward and had Sherry


    surrounded.


    She frowned and tried to make a run for it.


    The bodyguards were quick to react and immediately cut off her path of retreat.


    ¡°Master Stockton is in a very bad mood right now. You¡¯d do well to not upset him any further, or else there will be consequences.


    | suggest you stop causing trouble and follow us right now.¡±


    As Sherry scowled, she stopped struggling and followed them without a whisper.

 Chapter 1597

    Chapter 1597


    Peter motioned for Sherry to step into the car.


    She obediently followed his directions without any qualms.


    Peter did not follow her into the car. Instead, several bodyguards entered the vehicle with her.


    With that, the car drove off and took her away from the hospital.


    Meanwhile, in a certain ward on the second floor of the hospital, Madam Stockton was lying on the hospital bed with a venttor


    and an IV bag rigged up to her.


    Queenie was seated next to her, her eyes were swelling with tears.


    The ward was as silent as a grave. It was so quiet that one could hear the regr drip of the IV bag.


    There was a tall man standing stoically in front of the window. He gazed outside at a particr car that was driving out of the


    hospitalpound. He continued staring at the said vehicle until it went out of sight.


    Shortly after that, Peter came in to join them in the ward. He quietly went up to John and informed in a soft voice, ¡°Master


    Stockton, we''ve done everything you''ve instructed us to do.¡±


    John shot a nce at Madam Stockton who was still lying on the bed, then asked, ¡± Have you contacted nchester Hospital


    yet?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°| did. They have dispatched an ambnce, and it should arrive any time now.¡± After a pause, Peter added, ¡°They''ve also made


    arrangements to have the best doctor in the hospital attend to Madam Stockton. The moment she is transported to the hospital,


    she will be ced in the doctor¡¯s capable hands.¡±


    nchester Hospital was the best hospital in the region. They had a whole host of the most reputable doctors across the


    country. The current hospital¡¯s facilities were nothingpared to nchester Hospital''s. They hoped that things would take a


    turn for the better once she was transported there.


    ¡°Alright,¡± John grunted, then he sat down on the sofa and closed his eyes, finally feeling the exhaustion atst.


    Peter retreated outside without making another sound.


    The ward descended into silence again.


    Julie stood by the window and quietly gazed at John for some time. She stole a look out of the window in the direction John was


    staring at just now.


    The car that transported Sherry out of the area had disappeared a long time ago. She wondered where John sent her off to. Did


    he send her home? Or perhaps he sent her somewhere else instead?


    Something flickered in her eyes as she turned her attention to Madam Stockton. The olddy seemed as pale as a sheet as she


    lay motionlessly on the bed. She was on herst legs. Chances were slim that she was going to wake up at all.


    It was highly doubtful that John would forgive Sherry even if he had felt genuine affection for her at one point. She had tried to


    take away his darling daughter, and in turn, was responsible for his mother being reduced to a vegetative state.


    Julie smirked without anyone noticing.


    Meanwhile, the car transporting Sherry drove down the highway at a constant speed.


    Sherry was seated in the back row with bodyguards nking her on both sides. She could not even fidget around in her seat.


    She darted her eyes across the window.


    After leaving the hospital, they rode down the highway without making any stops. It seemed like they were heading back to the


    house.


    Unexpectedly, the driver did not turn into the intersection leading back to the house, but instead skipped the junction and pressed


    forward. They were headed toward a rural section of the region.


    Sherry immediately took notice of this and quickly asked, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    The driver and the other members inside the car ignored her entirely. Nobody would entertain her question at all. She frowned


    and immediately reached for the phone in her pocket.


    As soon as she revealed her phone, the bodyguard snatched the phone right out of her palms faster than she could blink. She


    was bbergasted and tried to snatch her phone back.


    Sensing her sudden movement, the bodyguard sitting on her left grabbed her and forced her back into her seat. He held her


    arms with an iron grip and refused to let


    her go.


    Sherry roared viciously, ¡°Let go of me! Give me my phone!¡±


    Chapter 159/


    Seated in the passenger seat was the leader of the bodyguards. He turned around and addressed her for the very first time in


    their entire car ride, ¡°Ms. Sherry, we¡¯re only following Master Stockton¡¯s orders. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re smart enough to know that things


    will not end well for you if you continue to defy us.¡±

 Chapter 1598

    Chapter 1598


    Sherry felt a lump growing in her throat. She held her breath and sank back into her


    seat.


    Upon ensuring that she was going to stop resisting, the bodyguard on her left let go of her arm.


    Shortly after that, the car swerved into the woods.


    It was an entirely uninhabited area. What was strange was that someone seemed to have taken a special effort to develop the


    area. The asphalt road was well-paved with rows of tall and dense trees along both sides.


    After passing through the woods, the car stopped.


    Sherry saw a house. It was arge and well-designed vi, but it looked poorly maintained since it was filled with dried leaves


    coating its roof and courtyard. She had not even gotten out of the car, but already she could feel a terrible shiver run through her.


    Her escorts proceeded to step out of the car one after another.


    ¡°Miss, this way, please.¡± The leader beckoned her to follow.


    She took a deep breath and got out of the car as told, then she followed them inside.


    They stopped at the courtyard.


    This ce was a significant distance away from the city. It was in the middle of the forest and was rather cold.


    She was only wearing a sweater, thus she shivered from the cold and quickly retreated into the house in hopes of getting some


    warmth.


    The moment she pushed the door open, she was assaulted by a terrible smell.


    The floor and furniture inside were covered with a thickyer of dust, and the doors and windows were shut. Thest time the


    interior had seen any glimpse of flight must have been ages ago. Not a soul had ever lived in this ce.


    She quickly flung the windows open.


    After that, she grabbed a rug and used it to sweep the umted dust off the couch before settling down on the couch herself.


    Cold gusts of wind blew in through the window. She wrapped a nket around herself to get some warmth.


    Her frenzied heart began to calm down again. All around her was nothing but the ring of silence. After a while, she felt the


    searing pain in her arm. She winced from the pain, then she darted a nce to the side.


    She noticed a clock on the wall that was still functional and ticking along. It must have been the only animate object here until her


    presence invaded this sanctuary.


    It would be noon soon.


    She noticed the bodyguards eating lunch from takeaway containers. None of them bothered to hand her a box as if she was


    invisible to them. She had not eaten anything all day, and her stomach was growling and protesting.


    She went up to them and asked, ¡°Hey, do you have any for me?¡±


    They only swiped a disinterested look at her, then they turned their attention back to the food and continued wolfing it down.


    None for her.


    She nestled back on the couch.


    The clock hand continued to tick along.


    All she could do was endure the searing pain in her arm while zoning out.


    She thought about Caprice. She should be well taken care of by Aunt Wanda and Jason, but she wondered if Caprice had eaten


    yet.


    She wondered if Caprice would be upset since she was in the middle of nowhere while John was with Madam Stockton in the


    hospital. The child must be lonely without her parents around.


    Speaking of Madam Stockton... She wondered if John had her transferred to another hospital and if her condition was going to


    improve at all.


    At nchester Hospital, Madam Stockton was sent to the emergency room as soon as she was transported there.


    John stood watchfully outside the emergency room. Queenie and Julie were next to him, their eyes fixed on the door of the


    emergency room.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Time passed. Every second felt like an eternity.


    After what seemed like forever, the door was opened atst. The doctor in charge of the surgery stepped out. He took off his


    surgical mask and revealed a grave expression underneath.

 Chapter 1599

    Chapter 1599


    John¡¯s expression was terrible as he frowned.


    Queenie put a hand over her mouth and began to weep.


    Julie sank her head toward the ground and seemed just as depressed as the other two, except she was hiding a wretched smile.


    Meanwhile, in the forest, Sherry remained nested on the couch and stared outside all afternoon. At one point, she identally


    fell asleep.


    When she opened her eyes again, she was surrounded by darkness.


    The only sound there was to be heard were the faint rustling of wind against the leaves and the ticking of the clock.


    She shivered from the cold.


    After taking a moment, she gently stretched her legs and jumped off the couch. She was going to go to the courtyard to see if the


    bodyguards were still around since the presence of any other person would help her feel less lonely.


    She had only stepped off the couch when a dark shadow suddenly shed past her peripheral vision.


    It appeared behind the couch out of nowhere. In the pitch-ck darkness, its silhouette looked especially ominous.


    She shrieked the moment she noticed its presence. ¡°Ahh!¡± She was so frightened that her legs immediately gave out underneath


    her as she sank onto the floor with a loud thump.


    The mysterious figure began to approach her, and she could feel its footsteps vibrating across the floor.


    ¡°Ghost! Help! Help!¡± she cried out and tried to crawl outside in her haggard and frenzied state.


    Just as she was about to pick herself off the ground, she felt a hand seizing her by her neck. It was cold to the touch.


    That was when she heard the familiar and snappy voice of a man, ¡°What are you so scared of? Have you sinned far too much?¡±


    Her eyes grew wide open. ¡°John?¡±


    She turned around, but before she could do so, John tightened his grip around her neck and held her in ce. She could feel his


    chest pressing against her back but could not move otherwise.


    She wed at his arms and struggled to breathe. ¡°Let go!¡±


    She was going to be strangled.


    ¡°Heh.¡± John sneered and continued choking her.


    ¡°Hey...¡± She could hardly breathe or speak. The only thing she could do was w at his arms, the only thing driving her her will


    for survival.


    It felt like the man was here to kill her. He put his all into strangling her.


    Her mind was turning nk as air could not pass into her lungs.


    He... Was he going to strangle her in this remote ce?


    She began to cry without realizing it. Her strength was slowly sapping away from her body, and she was turning limp.


    At the veryst moment, she saw a vision. It was the familiar face of her daughter, Caprice. Her adorable Caprice as well as


    Sylvia¡¯s....


    Smack.


    Her arms drooped lifelessly and smacked against her hips.


    John suddenly realized she was losing consciousness and proceeded to release his grip.


    Sherry¡¯s body thumped to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut off.


    He was very alert and quickly grabbed her.


    ¡°Sherry!¡± he called her name.


    She sank into his arms and did not move.


    John frowned at this sight. He began to gently p her face while calling his name constantly, ¡°Sherry, stop ying. Get up!¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes were shut. There was no response from her.


    John immediately set her on the ground and pressed his palms against her chest to force air into her lungs. He repeated the


    motion several times.


    After a handful of attempts, Sherry gasped atst. Risen back to life, she wheezed for air and drew as much oxygen as she


    could into her lungs.


    John stopped his pumping. Something gleamed in his eyes underneath the lens of his sses, but it flickered out as quickly as it


    appeared.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He rose on his feet and stared at Sherry.


    Sherry came to and immediately retreated backward.


    Did she pass out just now? Was he trying to strangle her to death? This man was truly out to kill her!


    An intense fear seized her. She continued crawling backward until her back was pressed against the cold, hard surface of the


    wall. There was nowhere else for her to

 Chapter 1600

    Chapter 1600


    John stood unmoving.


    His whole figure was engulfed in the darkness of the night, save for the shining gleam of his gold-rimmed sses.


    He noted the frantic and terrified demeanor of Sherry but did not utter a word.


    Sherry was deeply terrified of the man. He was more menacing than the devil himself. She wrapped her arms around her neck


    protectively and whimpered, ¡°I didn¡¯t know your mother was tailing me. After you called me, | began to regret what | was doing


    and wanted to bring Caprice back... | never intended for anything to happen to your mother...¡±


    She was curled up into a ball and had never felt as terrible as she did at this moment.


    John watched her silently.


    After a long time, he approached her.


    Sherry shrunk away from him, but there was nowhere for her to go with the wall right behind her. She guarded her neck with her


    hands and stuck close to the wall, hoping she could somehow slip through it like a ghost.


    John suddenly stopped when he realized how terrified Sherry was.


    Sherry seemed slightly eased when she noticed him stopping, but the same cautious look lingered in her eyes.


    John frowned and asked, ¡°So, you''re saying that it¡¯s not your fault, is that it?¡±


    If she had not taken Caprice in the first ce, Madam Stockton would not have had to chase her down, and none of what


    happened after would have gone down at all. Sherry realized this as well and knew that she had exhausted all excuses.


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m not good enough for you? Am | supposed to hold my tongue and just learn to deal with it when | see you


    sneaking around with the man you used to cheat on me with?¡± He could not suppress his emotions and trotted up to Sherry. He


    bent over and grabbed her by her chin. ¡°You just decided to up and leave with our daughter just because | lost your temper at


    you once because of your actions?¡±


    There was a sharp and angered look in his eyes when he roared from the depths of his soul, ¡°Sherry, how could you be so


    heartless?! Did you have any idea how hard | tried to look for her in the years when you went missing? Do you know that |


    married you not only for Caprice but mainly because | wanted to marry you?


    ¡°| cared so much about you that | looked past what happened back then and help Mason, the man you dumped me for! | did it


    just because you asked me to!


    ¡°And what did you ever do for me? Nine years ago, | cut off all ties with my family to be with you, and where did that get me? You


    cheated on me and dumped me because | was too poor for you!


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m willing to move past all the hurt and betrayal and focus on building our future together, you were going to take


    Caprice away from me! And what about what happened to my mom?


    ¡°Is this how you treat me?!¡± He poured everything out in one go.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Sherry felt a tightness suffocating her chest as tears fell endlessly. She was choking back on her tears so badly that she could


    not even get a word out.


    John saw her tears and felt overtaken by remorse, but it onlysted an instant. He steeled himself and said, ¡°Look at you...


    What''s with that look on your face? Are you going to use your tears to soften me?¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry...¡± Sherry covered her face with shame. She did not want to use her tears against John. She did


    not want to deceive him any further, but the tears would not stop. It was as if a dam had broke.


    She continued to weep and repeated like a machine, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. | wasn¡¯t trying to endanger your mom. It was an ident. I¡¯m


    sorry, I¡¯m sorry | hurt you... You... Why don¡¯t you just strangle me to death...¡±


    She bawled her eyes out.


    John frowned. After a while, Sherry was still crying and it began to annoy him.¡¯ Enough!¡±


    Sherry covered her mouth. Her body was still twitching against her will. She could not make herself stop even if she wanted to.


    John red at her icily. ¡°Now that you understand what you''ve done, you''re going to stay here and repent. You''d better pray that


    my mother can wake up at one point. That¡¯s the only way I¡¯d ever let you out of here. If she doesn¡¯t wake up, you can rot here for


    all | care!¡±


    With that, he walked away without bothering to cast onest look at her.


    Sherry was left all by herself in the solitude of the house. Her whimpers and cries


    echoed in the empty house.


    She cried for what seemed like ages until her tears dried up and she exhausted


    herself mentally and physically. Atst, she managed to calm down, her sobs turning to weak whimpers.


    She bnced herself against the wall and stood up. She walked out of the living room, dragging her feet behind her. Then, she


    looked at the gate.


    She saw the same bodyguards that brought her to this ce earlier today and the car they came here in was parked outside, but


    John¡¯s car was nowhere to be seen. He must have left already.

 Chapter 1601

    Chapter 1601


    Sherry grimaced.


    Perhaps there was truly no salvaging their rtionship this time around.


    After half an hour on the highway, a silver car turned into a familiar intersection that led it back to the Stockton Vi.


    After a while, it stopped in front of the courtyard.


    John stepped out of the car and walked into the courtyard.


    Before he even managed to step into the living room, a tiny figure hopped like a rabbit toward him.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Caprice pounced into his arms.


    John reacted quickly and immediately carried her into his arms.


    Caprice was all over John in an instant as she touched his face and burrowed her face into his neck. She missed her father.


    John immediately felt a sense of relief, his gloomy mood was alleviated.


    Julie stepped out of the living room and joined them. She smiled kindly and greeted John warmly, ¡°Wee back. Caprice has


    been going on about how much she misses you


    all day. | can¡¯t even get her to sleep no matter how hard | try.¡±


    John smiled and thanked her, ¡°Thanks for taking care of Carrie while | was gone.¡±


    Julie was very courteous as usual. ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m more than happy to help you out, especially in times like this.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°It''s gettingte, you should go back and catch up on some rest.¡±


    ¡°It''s alright, I¡¯m not tired yet. I''ll go to the hospital to see Mom first. Maybe I''ll get Queenie toe back so she could get some


    rest as well.¡± With that, she walked out of the house before John could have anything to say.


    John eyed her briefly, then he carried Caprice back to the room.


    Caprice was lyingfortably in the safety of his embrace. She was finally getting sleepy but that did not stop her from


    wondering. ¡°Daddy, where¡¯s Mommy? Is


    Mommy not going toe home after the rescue?¡±


    Rescue?


    This stirred John¡¯s suspicion, he immediately asked, ¡°Rescue? Who did Mommy rescue?¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°| don¡¯t know. | remember seeing a car burning, then Mommy asked Uncle Brandon to stop the car and rushed out of the car with


    a can of water to put out the giant fire.¡± John pondered about this and asked again, ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    Caprice continued chirping, ¡°l saw Mommy drag two people out of the car. After that Uncle Brandon covered my eyes so |


    couldn¡¯t see what happened after that.¡±


    John grimaced.


    He recalled what Sherry had told him. She mentioned regretting what she had done after their phone call and how she was going


    to take Caprice home.


    Perhaps she stumbled into the scene of his mother¡¯s car on fire while she was on the way back and immediately sprung to the


    rescue.


    Still, it did not change the fact that all of this would never have happened if not for her running off, prompting Madam Stockton to


    chase after her!


    He took a deep breath and informed Caprice, ¡°Mommy has some urgent business to deal with, she won¡¯t be around for some


    time.¡±


    Caprice was slightly saddened to hear this and muttered weakly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    John smiled at her and consoled her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Caprice. I''ll tell your bedtime stories while Mommy isn¡¯t around.¡±


    Caprice nodded.


    After Julie left John¡¯s courtyard, she drove to nchester Hospital.


    Before turning the corner into Madam Stockton¡¯s ward, she took a deep breath


    before heading inside.


    Queenie was hunched over Madam Stockton¡¯s bed and was asleep.


    With them was the Madam¡¯s faithful maid Emerence. She was vigntly watching over them.


    Emerence turned to Julie and acknowledged her when she entered.


    Julie made sure to keep her voice down and greeted Emerence politely, ¡°Aunt


    Emerence, it¡¯s gettingte, you should get some rest with Queenie.¡±

 Chapter 1602

    Chapter 1602


    Something shifted in Emerence¡¯s expression briefly, she smiled and replied, ¡°Thanks for your concern, Madam, but I''ve already


    slept a bit just now. I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Julie approached the bed without another word.


    She did not bother the unconscious Madam Stockton and went to Queenie instead. She gently patted her on the shoulder.


    Queenie woke up easily and looked at her with a dazed expression. ¡°Julie? Why are you here?¡±


    Julie spoke softly, ¡°Hey, Queenie, why don¡¯t | watch over her tonight instead? You need to go home and get some proper rest.


    You cane back tomorrow.¡±


    Queenie rubbed her sleepy eyes. ¡°No need for that, I''ll just stay here and be with her. Thanks for the offer though, you can go


    back if you want to.¡±


    ¡°I''ll take care of her, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Queenie smiled. ¡°I know you''re trying to help, but | don¡¯t want to leave her right now, | just want to stay by her side. Besides, I''m


    sure there are many things you have to deal with at home. Why don¡¯t you go back?¡±


    Julie hesitated.


    Emerence suddenly chimed in. ¡°Second Madam, | think thedy is right. We need someone at home to keep an eye on things


    now that Madam Stockton isn¡¯t around at home. We''ll stay over here and keep watch.¡±


    Julie gave in. ¡°Alright.¡±


    She put down a tray of food she brought with her and offered it to them. ¡°Here you go, | brought some supper for you two. Make


    sure you don¡¯t starve at least.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you, Julie.¡± Queenie thanked her sincerely and added, ¡°You should go home, it¡¯ste.¡±


    Julie smiled nicely and reminded Queenie to take care of herself again before finally leaving.


    A bodyguard was posted by the entrance.


    Upon leaving, Julie turned to the bodyguard and thanked him, ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡±


    The bodyguard was ttered and replied, ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job, no need to thank me.¡±


    She smiled and added, ¡°Keep up the good work then. Make sure you keep a good eye on them. Queenie can be a little


    inattentive sometimes. If Madam Stockton exhibits any signs of movement, please contact me immediately.¡±


    The bodyguard found this to be a rather odd request. What sort of movement was a person in a vegetative state supposed to


    disy?


    He was wise enough to not express his thoughts and instead answered dutifully,¡± Understood, Second Madam.¡±


    With that, Julie went home.


    She had initially expected the old hag to die in the collision with the driver. She did not expect her to survive at all.


    The good thing was that she was now in a vegetative state and considered as good as dead. Still, it was better to be cautious


    and on the lookout for the slim chance that she may wake up.


    Inside the ward.


    After Julie left, Queenie no longer felt sleepy.


    She ate what she could of the food¡¯ given to her as eating felt like a task and she did so numbly. Every time she looked at her


    mother lying in a vegetative state in bed, tears would fall.


    Emerence tried to console her. ¡°Queenie, it will be alright.¡±


    Queenie choked up and whimpered. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Emerence remarked, ¡°Why would it be your fault? Surely you''re not responsible for the car ident?¡±


    Queenie held back tears and expressed, ¡°I never should¡¯ve befriended Sherry. When my brother took her back home, | should¡¯ve


    chased her out of the house like my mom wanted to back then.¡±


    If Sherry had never been a part of their family, Caprice would have never been taken away, then her mother would still be up and


    walking.


    Emerence sighed. After a long, harrowing silence, she stated, ¡°You could partially attribute what happened to Sherry, but the


    ident was a genuine ident that nobody could have foreseen. Think about this, if not for Sherry changing her mind at the


    veryst second and deciding toe back, she wouldn''t have spotted the


    burning car on the side of the road. Madam Stockton would¡¯ve burned to death in that car with nobody to save her.¡±


    Queenie was taken aback by this. ¡°What did you say? Sherry rescued my mom from a burning car?¡±


    Emerence verified the story. ¡°Yes, the driver Brandon told me that. | heard the full story from Brandon this afternoon while


    Madam Stockton was being rushed to the hospital. He says that Sherry had a change of heart and decided to bring Caprice back


    home, and that was when she chanced into the scene of Madam Stockton¡¯s car burning.¡±


    Queenie¡¯s thoughts went back to the phone call with Sherry.


    This certainly exined why Sherry somehow stumbled into the scene of her mother in the burning car although based on the


    timeline of the events, she should have been far away from home by then with Caprice. She must have decided to head back.

 Chapter 1603

    Chapter 1603


    Queenie frowned. She was not ready to forgive Sherry just yet. ¡°It¡¯s still on her. Even if she did reset her actions and decided to


    come back, none of this would¡¯ve happened if she didn¡¯t try to take Caprice away in the first ce.¡±


    Emerence considered this, then she stated, ¡°Based on that rhetoric, I¡¯d say that the Second Madam is to be med as well.¡±


    ¡°Julie? What makes you say so?¡±


    Emerence expressed with a stout expression, ¡°She was the one who first spotted Sherry taking Caprice away. If she hadn¡¯t been


    in such a rush in informing Madam Stockton of that, then the Madam wouldn''t have been as frantic as she had been in trying to


    rescue Caprice.¡±


    Queenie defended Julie. ¡°Julie was only trying to be helpful, she was worried about Caprice.¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Yes, | suppose you''re right.¡± Emerence did not try to correct Queenie, but she still held her suspicions.


    She believed there was more than met the eye.


    Queenie was too naive and trusted Julie too much. Nothing would convince her of Julie¡¯s involvement in all this.


    As expected, Queenie began to point out more evidence justifying her stance. Besides, it¡¯s been a day already and Sherry hasn''t


    even shown up to visit my mother. How could she be so cruel?¡±


    Emerence supplied a counterpoint. ¡°When | was rushing here this morning, | happened to see her stepping into a car, escorted


    by Master Stockton¡¯s bodyguards. I¡¯d wager that it''s Master Stockton having her sent away.¡±


    Queenie seemed upset by this and snapped. ¡°Stop trying to defend her! She¡¯s evil! She was the one who put my mother in this


    hospital bed!¡±


    Emerence saw no point in counting their discussion. ¡°Alright, I''ll just keep quiet then.¡±


    Sherry woke up feeling hungry.


    Her hunger was so severe that it felt like there was a cramp in her stomach, she was doubling over from the cramp.


    The sun had not yet risen, the sky outside was dark and depressing.


    She spotted the bodyguards outside having breakfast.


    They were eating buns and porridge, served with some milk on the side. The food wasid out across the table.


    They sat around the table and chatted while eating.


    She clutched at her stomach and snuck up to them like a thief.


    Staying as stealthy as she could, she slowly inched toward the table and extended her arms.


    She grabbed a piece of bun.


    That was when one of them spotted her. Everyone at the table soon noticed as well and turned their collective attention to her.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes shed with shock. She seized the bun faster than they could react.


    She was deathly afraid of them taking the bun away from her and immediately stuffed the entire thing into her mouth.


    They were struck speechless by this.


    She covered her mouth and chewed as hard, as quickly as she could. The bun vanished in an instant like magic.


    Atst, there was food in her stomach.


    She thanked them in a shaky voice, ¡°Thank you for the bun.¡±


    They exchanged looks with each other, then looked at Sherry again.


    Sherry noticed that they were not going to punish her and tried her luck. ¡°I¡¯m a little thirsty, could you give me some milk and


    porridge?¡±


    As soon as they said that, all of them seized the cups of milk and bowls of porridge from the table.


    In the blink of an eye, there was nothing left to drink, but they forgot the buns.


    Sherry scowled, but quickly took advantage of the buns they left behind. In one fell swoop, she had seized all the remaining buns


    on the table.


    She stuffed anotherrge piece of bun into her mouth.


    Again, they regarded her with baffled expressions.


    She sneered triumphantly, her cheeks bulged like a hamster¡¯s, then she scuttled


    back into the house with her hunger appeased at least.

 Chapter 1604

    Chapter 1604


    Although the interior of the house was coated in dust, having been inhabited for years, the furniture and electrical appliances


    were all in fine condition.


    She only realized that when she bumped into a light switch after John leftst night.


    After she finished her stolen buns, she went to the kitchen and found an electric kettle. She made sure to wash it several times


    before using it to boil some water to drink.


    After having eaten and drank, she felt much better. Her strength was restored atst. That was when she began to miss Caprice.


    It had been a full day since her absence. She wondered if her daughter was missing her.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    At John¡¯s.


    He opened his eyes before dawn even broke.


    He was going to head straight to the hospital.


    He took a quick shower and as soon as he stepped out of the shower, he saw Caprice sitting up in the center of the bed and


    staring at him with herrge and pearly eyes that she inherited from her mother.


    She seemed to be slightly perturbed as if there was something deeply bothering her.


    The moment she saw John, she glowed up and cried out in a sweet, angelic voice,¡± Daddy!¡±


    She stretched her arms out toward John and demanded a hug.


    The look in John¡¯s eyes immediately softened. He stepped toward the bed and took her into his arms.


    Caprice felt safe in his arms and burrowed herself into his neck as usual, it was her safe space.


    John asked softly, ¡°Caprice, why are you up so early?¡±


    ¡°| dreamt that Mommy and Daddy don¡¯t want me anymore.¡± It was only at this point that John noticed that there were tiny beads


    of tears hovering in her eyes.


    He felt terrible when he heard this and immediately reassured her. ¡°Caprice, you''ll forever be Daddy¡¯s sweetheart. There¡¯s no


    way that Daddy would ever abandon you.¡±


    Caprice made a look and asked, ¡°What about Mommy?¡±


    John suddenly did a double take, he said quite unconvincingly, ¡°Mommy won''t abandon you too.¡±


    Caprice grunted in agreement, she did seem quiteforted now.


    John ruffled her head and said softly, ¡°Your grandma is sick, so Daddy has to go to the hospital to see herter. Would you stay


    home with Aunt Julie today?¡±


    ¡°No, | want to be with Daddy, | don¡¯t want Aunt Julie.¡± She protested and wrapped her arms tightly around John¡¯s neck.


    John looked at her, slightly troubled. ¡°But Daddy has to go to the hospital today to see your grandma.¡±


    Caprice might be a child, but once she fixed her mind on something she would not give up easily. ¡°I want to go with you, | want to


    see Grandma.¡±


    John was moved by this and smiled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    After breakfast, they went out of the courtyard just in time to see Julie approaching.


    Julie was nning to keep Capricepany today, so she was quite surprised when she saw both Caprice and John stepping


    out of the courtyard. She promptly asked, ¡± Are you going to take Caprice with you?¡±


    John frowned faintly. ¡°Yes, Caprice wants to follow me. I''ll take her to the hospital to see Mom, | won''t have to trouble you to


    keep an eye on her today.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Julie thought for a while, then she added, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do today anyway, why don¡¯t | go to the hospital with


    you two?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    John had no opinion, he entered the car with Caprice after that.


    Julie followed into the backseat and sat next to John.


    She felt rather nervous when she realized she was so close to the man she had always admired. Her heart was thumping


    furiously against her chest and she could not stop stealing nces at him.


    John barely noticed.


    He was busy helping Caprice put on her shoes that had fallen off at one point.


    Julie took the opportunity to stare at him.


    In the middle of her trance, she happened to notice Caprice staring at her. She was leaning against John¡¯s shoulder and directly


    facing Julie, her eyes were like a pair of gemstones.


    Julie was caught off guard by this and quickly erased the mesmerized look on her face. She quickly shed a gentle, friendly


    smile at Caprice.


    Caprice had always been possessive by nature, perhaps because she was always coddled by her father growing up, in addition


    to being an only child. Instead of returning a smile at her aunt, she immediately wrapped her arms tightly around her father¡¯s


    neck.


    It was as if she was trying to send a message, ¡®Daddy is mine!¡±


    Julie was not expecting this, a frosty look appeared in her eyes. How dare a three-year-old rascal try to provoke her?

 Chapter 1605

    Chapter 1605


    Just wait, you brat.


    After she managed to sink her ws into John, she would show the brat who was boss.


    She held firmly to this future prospect and managed to maintain her cool that way.


    She wore the same benign smile.


    Caprice eyed her several more times after that, then she sank back into John¡¯s shoulder and caught some shuteye.


    The car was heading toward nchester Hospital.


    When they were about halfway there, a phone rang.


    John reached for the phone in his pocket.


    The moment he saw who the caller was, he tensed up. Slowly but calmly, he put the phone to his ear.


    While doing so, he made sure Caprice continuedying on his other shoulder so she would not overhear the conversation on the


    phone.


    It was one of the members of his trusted security team calling. An borate report was given to him, rying what happened


    earlier in the morning when Sherry had stolen two pieces of buns from them while they were not paying attention. He was


    informed that Sherry had boiled herself some hot water to drink and that she was now lying idly on the couch.


    John only grunted and made no furtherment.


    The bodyguard asked, ¡°Master Stockton, she hasn¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday. Should we order some food for her?¡±


    John asked in a sharp voice, ¡°She stole some buns and ate them already, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    The bodyguard caught on and replied, ¡°Understood, sir.¡±


    John hung up and went back to coddling Caprice.


    Julie had overheard faint glimpses of the conversation. She also observed how there was not a trace of affection in John¡¯s eyes


    when he was on the phone. It brought a smile to her face.


    The person who had stolen two pieces of buns must have been Sherry.


    She still had no clue where he had Sherry taken to, but judging by how she had to steal buns, she wagered that Sherry was ina


    miserable state.


    She wondered if John would be willing to cast her away for good this time.


    Meanwhile, inside the vi in the middle of the forest somewhere in the rural region of nchester.


    Sherry was bored out of her mind and decided to clean the house.


    After a whole morning of work, the kitchen and living room were finally in a presentable condition.


    She also tossed the bedding into a washing machine and had them dried using a dryer after.


    There was no longer a speck of dust in the house, the ce was clean and glittering.


    She turned on the heater and filled the living room with warmth. The ce suddenly felt homely and cozy.


    It would be perfect if she had something to fill her belly now.


    Her stomach was growling like a beast by the time she finished cleaning.


    That was when she saw a car arriving outside. It was someone bringing food to the bodyguards.


    They sat around a small table in the courtyard and ate.


    She spotted vegetables, meatballs, pork chops, and chicken drumsticks inside the


    containers of food.


    She was drooling at that point. The mere sight of food filled her with desire. Just like this morning, she tried to sneak to the table.


    This time, the crew of bodyguards was on guard. They noticed her as soon as she


    tried to reach for the food.


    They immediately snatched the containers away and eyed her with hostility.


    Sherry grimaced, she tried to fall back on her feminine charms. ¡°Would you guys mind giving me just a drumstick to eat?¡±


    They ignored her.


    ¡°Come on, just half a drumstick at least. Even two spoonfuls of rice would do.¡±


    They continued to ignore her.


    She was discouraged but not going to give up just yet. She decided that she was just going to sit there and stare at them while


    they ate.


    They exchanged ufortable looks at each other, then they all rose and walked outside the courtyard gate, making sure to


    lock the gate behind them.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Through the courtyard walls, Sherry could hear them whispering to each other,¡± Come on, finish the food.¡±


    They ate everything down to thest bite.


    Sherry gulped, then she went back to the kitchen and filled her belly with water.

 Chapter 1606

    Chapter 1606


    When John arrived at the hospital with Caprice, the nurses were just changing out Madam Stockton¡¯s saline IV drip.


    Queenie stood guard by the bed. There were dark and heavy circles under her eyes.


    Emerence was there as well.


    They rose to greet John and Caprice when they entered.


    John held Caprice tightly in his arms with Julie trailing behind them.


    He turned to Queenie. ¡°Thanks for the hard work, go home and get some rest.¡±


    Queenie did not protest this time. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Queenie, Aunt Emerence, | brought you two some breakfast, eat before you leave.¡± Julie set down a container filled with food on


    a table set on the other side of the room.


    Queenie nodded weakly and walked to the table with Emerence.


    Meanwhile, John took Carrie with her to the hospital bed to look at Madam Stockton. The old madam¡¯s eyes were closed and it


    seemed like she was sleeping peacefully.


    Caprice asked out of genuine curiosity, ¡°Dad, why is Grandma still sleeping? The sun is already up.¡±


    She was very innocent and did not realize the gravity of the situation.


    John frowned.


    On the other edge of the room, Queenie who was just about to take a bite suddenly stopped, her eyes watered.


    Emerence lost her appetite as well and put away the cutlery.


    Julie noticed how upset they had be. Before John coulde up with a proper response, Julie told the child, ¡°Caprice, your


    grandma is very sick and since she¡¯s older, she needs more time to rest before she gets better.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | see.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s curiosity was appeased, she did not pester them with more questions.


    Julie suddenly suggested, ¡°Caprice, do you want me to take you somewhere to y?¡±


    Caprice shook her head, then sank back against John¡¯s shoulder.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She was not going to go anywhere, she wanted to be with her father.


    Julie was slightly saddened by this.


    John turned to her and told her, ¡°Caprice will be sticking with me, don¡¯t worry about


    us.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Julie obliged and went to sit with Queenie.


    She noticed how depressed Queenie looked and did her best to console her and persuade her to eat something at least.


    For a moment, her voice was the only sound echoing in the ward.


    Soon, it was nighttime.


    nchester Hospital.


    John left around the afternoon to head back to his office. As soon as he finished


    work, he returned to the hospital with Caprice.


    Queenie was getting some shuteye.


    John gently woke her and told her to go home to rest.


    Queenie was adamant at first, but eventually gave in when she noticed the stern,manding look in John¡¯s eyes.


    Silence descended upon the ward again.


    Caprice had fallen asleep shortly after arriving. John let her sleep on the couch and covered her with a thick nket while he sat


    on a chair next to the hospital bed.


    He looked at his mother who was trapped in what was a perpetually eternal slumber. A dark gloom surfaced in his eyes. He


    realized had been frowning since he stepped


    into the ward.


    Then, he heard footsteps approaching.


    He turned around to inspect.


    It was Julie approaching him with a container filled with food.


    ¡°Hey John, | brought you and Caprice some food,¡± she spoke softly.


    John nodded and thanked her, ¡°Put it here for now. She¡¯ll eat when she wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Julie set the container on the table and sat on the couch herself as she discreetly watched John.


    Again, a long silence lingered over the room until the ringtone of a phone tore


    through the silence.


    John answered the call and put the phone to his ear.

 Chapter 1607

    Chapter 1607


    The head bodyguard was calling to report on what Sherry had been up to at the house all day. After he finished rying the


    report, he asked in a slightly concerned voice, ¡°Master Stockton, she seems to be starving. Would you like us to give her


    something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Hasn''t she been drinking water?¡±


    The bodyguard stated cautiously, ¡°Yes, but surely water isn¡¯t as filling as food.¡±


    John darted a nce at the slumbering Madam Stockton, a harsh re appeared in his eyes as he remarked, ¡°She¡¯s not going


    to starve to death just because she hasn''t eaten for a day.¡±


    The head bodyguard knew better than to debate the matter so he brought up another concern of his. ¡°One more thing, sir. She


    has a burn on her arm which | think is quite serious. Should we have someone dress her wound?¡±


    ¡°It''s alright, it¡¯s not going to kill her,¡± he said without a tint of affection.


    The head bodyguard had nothing to say to this.


    With that, John hung up.


    On the other side of the ward, Julie, who was seated on the couch the entire time, heard what John had said on the phone and


    was very pleased with what she heard, though she did not let it show.


    Something suddenly came to her. She rose and approached John and asked in an unassuming manner, ¡°I haven''t seen Sherry


    since she left the hospital yesterday. Did you have her locked up somewhere?¡±


    John scowled and answered crossly, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Julie kept her head down and remarked in a low voice so as to not upset him, ¡°John, can¡¯t even though Mom ended up in this


    state because of what Sherry has done, you deny that she¡¯s Caprice¡¯s mother at the end of the day. Caprice can¡¯t be without a


    mother, why don¡¯t you forgive her?¡±


    Forgive her?


    John was not receptive to this suggestion at all and dered sharply, ¡°She might have been Caprice¡¯s mother at one point, but


    after all that¡¯s happened, she no longer has the right to call herself Caprice¡¯s mother.¡±


    His patience was at its end. He no longer had any room for affection for Sherry in his


    heart.


    From now on, he held nothing but hatred for her. This was the end of their rtions as far as he was concerned!


    Unless her mother were to miraculously wake up at one point, otherwise, Sherry should not even hope to get out of the house!


    Julie observed how furious John had be at the sheer mention of Sherry¡¯s name. He was trembling with rage at this point.


    Likewise, she was trembling as well, but not for the same reason as John. She was trembling with joy and celebration.


    Could this be it? Was he going to drive Sherry to her death?


    What she said was aplete contrast to what she was feeling deep inside. ¡°John, | think I¡¯m to me for what happened to


    Mom as well. | shouldn¡¯t have gone to her in such a hurry and told her what | saw back then. If | hadn¡¯t told her, she wouldn¡¯t be


    so nervous and frantic in trying to rescue Caprice. | feel like I¡¯m just as responsible.¡±


    She choked on her tears as she expressed her remorse.


    John¡¯s expression softened, and he quickly assured her. ¡°I promise you that this has nothing to do with you. You don¡¯t have to


    me yourself.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m responsible! | should''ve chased after Sherry myself. | shouldn¡¯t have let Mom go!¡± Julie cried out, her emotions spilled


    over and she burst out crying.


    Tears fell endlessly.


    John frowned. He tried to hide the irritation in his voice. ¡°That''s enough, | don¡¯t me you nor have | ever med you. I¡¯m fully


    aware that you''re not the one who put my mother in this bed. If you keep ming yourself for this, I¡¯m going to get upset.¡±


    Julie hurriedly wiped away her tears and whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | didn¡¯t want to feel this way either, but every time | see her lying


    on this bed | just get consumed with guilt and...¡±


    John took a deep breath, a warm glow appeared in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,e on, you''ve been here all day, you should get some


    rest.¡±


    Julie did as she was told and quietly slipped away back to the couch.


    The ward fell silent again.


    John turned back to face Madam Stockton with a pensive look in his eyes.


    Julie stared at him silently.


    The reason she cried back there was that she wanted to gauge how he felt about her.


    He did seem to care about her, but the nature of his affection did not stem from love. It was merely out of obligation of his role as


    a family member.


    It seemed to her that if she was going to plot to bridge the distance between the two of them, she would have to bide her time


    until the old hag withered away.


    Besides, the issue with Sherry was already solved. At this point, she knew that John felt nothing but unfiltered contempt for the


    wretched woman. It was only a matter of time until she sank her ws into John.


    With this in mind, she was able to ease her trepidation. She smirked coyly as she


    stared at the man.


    They continued watching over Madam Stockton inplete silence, it was going to be a long night. At one point John¡¯s head


    slumped over and quickly raised again immediately after as he startled himself awake. After that, he propped his arm against his


    chin and got some shuteye.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    She noticed this and sprung to action. She grabbed a nket and approached John.


    She carefully covered him with the nket.


    She paid close attention to his eyes and upon ensuring that he was not awakened, she tried her luck and inched closer.


    The closer she got, the more distinctly she was able to smell John¡¯s scent. It was a unique, masculine scent.


    Suddenly, John¡¯s eyebrows moved ever so slightly.


    She quickly jumped away and stood up straight.

 Chapter 1608

    Chapter 1608


    Julie warily watched John from a safe distance. After a while, his eyes remained closed and it did not seem like he had woken


    up. She heaved a sigh of relief and retreated to the couch with a faint smile hung on her lips.


    She threw on a nket and nned to nap for a while. When shey down on the couch and kicked her legs out to the other


    edge of the couch, her feet brushed against something. It was Caprice.


    Caprice was sprawled out over the other edge of the couch, sleeping soundly andfortably.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Julie scowled at the mere sight of the child as she deliberately kicked her legs out again and jabbed at Caprice with the soles of


    her feet.


    She made sure to temper her strength at just the right amount so Caprice would not wake up.


    She was not going to hurt the child, she was merely doing it for her satisfaction.


    Caprice only groaned and mumbled in her sleep but did not wake up.


    Julie chuckled.


    ¡®You little brat, just wait! I''ll make your life miserable once you grow up!"


    With that, she shut her eyes and got some sleep.


    The night was tranquil and peaceful. After some time passed, a figure who had been spying on the room the entire time withdrew


    from the door and carefully shut the door close.


    It was Emerence. She had been standing outside for several hours, keeping an eye on what had been going on inside.


    After she shut the door, she let out a long and deep sigh and tapped against her chest to calm her restlessness.


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Sherry remained jailed inside the house in the middle of the forest.


    It was morning. She woke up on the couch just like she had done the past few days.


    The bodyguards had breakfast inside their cars before returning to their post.


    Sherry had not had even a bite of food. The only thing that passed her stomach was.


    water.


    After she drank more water, she went back to lie on the couch.


    The living room was clean and cozy, but no matter how much she tossed and turned around on the couch, she still felt terrible.


    She was hungry.


    Terribly hungry.


    She would eat anything, even if it was bread with mold on it!


    Her arms were beginning to irritate her as well.


    Scabs began to form on the burned region which made her feel unbearably itchy.


    Soon, noon rolled around.


    Acar drove into the yard outside, someone was delivering food to the bodyguards again. Sherry gathered what strength she had


    left and dragged her feet outside.


    She had to get her hands on some food!


    Her hands had only barely grazed the container when the bodyguards showed up behind her out of nowhere and seized her.


    She had no strength to fight them off and was thrown back into the house like a lifeless mannequin.


    Bang!


    The door was mmed shut.


    They proceeded to eat outside.


    She banged against the door and pleaded stubbornly, ¡°Hey, could you guys please give me some food? Just split one tray with


    me.


    She waspletely ignored.


    Her hunger was draining her willpower at this point, she whimpered and begged,¡± Please, just a bite, anything at all...¡±


    They still ignored her.


    She waspletely drained by this point and slumped with her back against the door while continuously chanting, ¡°Give me


    some food... some food... a bite... just a bite... food...¡±


    Her repeated chanting sounded like an ominous ult prayer, it was to a point


    where it was making the bodyguards ufortable. They soon lost their appetite to


    eat.


    They exchanged looks with each other.


    They were thinking the same thing: Should we spare her some food?


    One of them stated, ¡°Better not, Master Stockton had stated very clearly that we¡¯re not supposed to give her anything to eat at


    all, not even a bite.¡±


    They sighed weakly, there was not much they could do. They quickly finished their food.


    After they were finished, they put the stic containers aside and went to unlock the door.


    As soon as they had unlocked the door, it was flung open and a figure dashed out of it like a bolt of lightning.


    They were immediately alerted by this and went to grab her.


    Moments before their hands could seize Sherry, she threw herself brazenly on the ground.


    She crawled desperately to where they had discarded the food containers and pried them open to find if there were any crumbs


    of rice left for her to stave off her hunger.


    The bodyguards were speechless.


    They were stunned by what they were seeing and barely had the heart to pull the miserable girl away.

 Chapter 1609

    Chapter 1609


    It was only after she had wolfed down whatever leftover there was that one of the bodyguards approached her. ¡°Stop eating,


    please go back inside.¡±


    Sherry grabbed several more crumbs of rice before reluctantly shuffling back into the house.


    She licked every single crumb of rice off of her finger, making sure not even a single one of them went to waste. She chewed


    them thoroughly and savored their taste.


    At least she finally had something to fill her stomach with.


    She drank two more cups of hot, boiling water before she slumped on the couch again, this time with a book to read.


    She found the book in the study upstairs, this was her only way to pass time.


    Now that she had taken care of her hunger, there was still the wound on her arm to worry about. It was itching badly and


    distracting her, she eventually threw the book aside, feeling greatly irritated.


    She rolled around the couch, unable to find anything to alleviate her condition.


    Her physical difort was the least of her concern as she could not stop thinking about Caprice. Furthermore, her mind


    reyed montages of her pulling Madam Stockton out of the burning car as well as when John had tried to strangle her that


    night.


    She continued letting these thoughts hound her until at one point, she fell asleep. Around this point, one of the bodyguard¡¯s


    phones rang.


    It was John calling.


    The bodyguard promptly answered the call and greeted John cordially, ¡°Yes, Master Stockton.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was sharp and brutal. ¡°How is she now? Has she starved to death yet?¡±


    The bodyguard stammered, ¡°No- not yet.¡±


    John asked sharply, ¡°Is there something you¡¯re hiding from me?¡±


    The bodyguard was frightened by the tone of his voice and immediately confessed,¡± No- no sir. | was going to call you tonight to


    report something.¡±


    ¡°What''s going on?¡±


    The bodyguard did not try to conceal any details. ¡°Well, we were having lunch just now and right after we finished our meal, Mrs.


    Sherry suddenly rushed out of the gate when we were distracted. She wasn¡¯t trying to run away, she just went for our leftovers


    and ate what she could.¡±


    There was a deathly silence on the phone.


    After a while, John spoke, ¡°And you guys let her eat?¡±


    ¡°Sir, we didn¡¯t expect her to go for our leftovers, there wasn¡¯t even much food left. We were just stunned and didn¡¯t know how to


    react and by the time we came to, she had already had several bites.¡±


    ¡°And you call yourself a security force? If this happens again, all of you will be fired.¡±


    The bodyguard sounded like a reprimanded child. ¡°Yes sir. Understood.¡±


    John hung up.


    The bodyguard sighed and proceeded to ry what John had told him to his fellow bodyguards.


    Most of them expressed the same sentiment.


    ¡°Is Master Stockton seriously trying to starve Mrs. Sherry to death?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t think so, she¡¯s Miss Caprice¡¯s mother at the end of the day, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Well, regardless of what we think, we better keep a close eye on her from now on,


    don¡¯t let her steal our leftovers.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The rest of them were speechless.


    nchester Hospital.


    Aray of sunlight spilled through the window into the ward and beat against the face of Caprice who was sleeping on the couch.


    John stood next to the couch and watched her.


    He stared transfixed at her sleeping face, his mind was filled with deep thoughts. He was feeling rather troubled.


    Sherry was so desperate for food that she scrambled for leftovers.


    It had only been two days, was she that hungry already?


    While he was deep in thought, the nurses and a doctor entered the ward.


    They were only here to perform a routine check on Madam Stockton.


    After they were done, the doctor turned to him and shook his head, that was all John needed to know.


    Madam Stockton was not going to wake up anytime soon.


    The doctor approached John and informed, ¡°Master Stockton, I¡¯m very sorry to say this but we have truly tried our best. The


    good news is that Madam Stockton is in rtively stable condition, we could arrange for her discharge as soon as tomorrow. |


    rmend you bring her home where she would be morefortable. Perhaps a miracle could happen and she could wake up.


    at one point.¡±


    John only grunted and did not have much input.


    With that, the doctor excused himself.


    John leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes.


    At this moment, a terrible gloom washed over his face.


    Unbelievable, he thought. To think that moments before the doctor came into the ward, he was considering sending some food


    for Sherry to eat! To think that he had taken pity on her for having to scramble for leftovers!


    Screw her! She deserved everything that came to her!

 Chapter 1610

    Chapter 1610


    Chapter 1610


    Two more days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Inside the house nestled deep within the rural area.


    Sherry was so hungry that she felt like she was a walking skeleton by this point. She copsed onto the couch and could barely


    move her limbs.


    For two whole days, she had not ingested anything except for water.


    John must have ordered the bodyguards to starve her to death, she was sure of it. Ever since the incident two days ago, they


    had taken special attention to properly discarding all the leftovers after they ate so there was no chance she could steal anything


    to eat.


    Aglimpse of sunlight spilled into the living room from between the cracks of the curtain.


    Sherry opened her eyes, feeble and weak.


    Hungry.


    So hungry.


    At this rate, even if she did not starve to death, she was going to lose her sanity.


    No, she could not let herself waste away like this.


    She had to pull herself together, she had to find a way out of here!


    A determined glow shone in her eyes. She rose and walked out of the living room, into the courtyard.


    It looked like spring was approaching. Even though there was still a chill in the air, she spotted tiny sprouts of grass beginning to


    grow on thewn.


    She squatted on the grass and observed the tiny sprouts, then she touched them with her fingers.


    With an abrupt pluck, she unearthed them, roots and all, then she tossed them into her mouth without hesitation.


    It tasted bitter and slightly gross since it was mixed with the soil.


    It was most definitely not tasty, but she had to eat something to survive.


    She made herself swallow the substance that could barely pass as food, then she


    w


    plucked another sprout and ate it again.


    While she was trying to fight her way through this excruciating experience, she suddenly felt a movement in the air, someone


    was approaching. Arge shadow loomed over her without her noticing.


    She was seized with panic and quickly turned around.


    Aman stood over her, his figure was domineering. She could not make out this person''s face from this angle but she could


    recognize those gold¡ªframed sses.


    The man hung a morose smile on the corner of his lips, there was not a trace of warmth in his eyes despite the smile he hung on


    his lips.


    He was fair and handsome, but also exuded a threatening and repulsive aura.


    Sherry shivered all over and immediately jumped away from the man.


    ¡°Sherry, | have truly underestimated you.¡± John stepped forward and approached her.


    Her legs gave away and she fell and sat on the ground, nted in the soil. She continued nudging herself backward with her


    feet.


    There was no way she could get away in time.


    John pressed forward and seized her in no time. He held her by her chin.


    He made her look him square in the eye.


    He sniggered. ¡°A woman like you, | doubt you''d starve to death even if | tossed you on an uninhabited ind.¡±


    To think that she would resort to eating grass, her will for survival certainly deserved to be apuded.


    There were still pieces of grass on Sherry¡¯s lips when she muttered weakly, ¡°How ... how is Madam Stockton doing now?¡±


    The amused smile on John¡¯s lips disappeared in an instant upon hearing of his mother¡¯s name, and the cold and severe look


    returned.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry was intimidated, she wanted nothing more than to free herself from him.


    John immediately sensed her intention and gripped her chin tighter than before, he was not going to let her slip away, not now.


    ¡°She would be fine.¡± He added after a dramatic pause. ¡°If she could wake up.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    She did not know what to say in such a situation. She knew that anything she said


    would be met with aggression, even if she was genuinely trying to express concern for the olddy.


    She felt him gripping her chin as if he wanted to crush her like a melon, his voice was cross. ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face?


    You''re not disappointed to hear that my mother is still alive, are you?¡±


    Sherry cried weakly, ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°Then what''s with that look on your face?¡±


    What was this man expecting of her? She was confused and blurted out, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it. |... I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hmmph. The man scoffed and released her.


    She pulled herself to her feet and scrambled away until she reached a wall.


    She leaned her weight against the wall, she was exhausted. She looked at John with fear in her eyes.


    That was when one of the bodyguards showed up with a clean chair which he


    promptly set next to the garden.


    John nonchntly sat on the chair.

 Chapter 1611

    Chapter 1611


    He stared at Sherry and said to Peter, ¡°Hire some men to mow thewn. | don¡¯t want to see any grass or weeds in this house


    after an hour.¡±


    Peter slightly furrowed his brows. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    He acted quickly. In less than ten minutes, the workers were already mowing thewn.


    John leaned on the chair elegantly as he looked at Sherry with an evil grin.


    Sherry clenched her fists tightly, watching the workers mow every de of grass from thewn.


    In fact, not only the front yard but even the garden and every other corner of the house that had greenery on it had the nts


    removed.


    Only concrete and mud remained.


    The workers left after they finished mowing thewn.


    John remained seated in the house and his gaze was glued to Sherry.


    Sherry¡¯s fists remained clenched as she looked at him. Her voice was slightly trembling when she said, ¡°Are you nning to


    starve me to death?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    She was not given food, and now even thewn was mowed. What else could the man be nning if not starving her to death?


    John narrowed his eyes. He curled his lips and said, ¡°Then, do you think | should let you live a good life?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened. It felt like something was pounding on her heart.


    She suddenly gained a mysterious courage to look him in the eyes and was no longer afraid of him torturing her to death. Her


    eyes were bloodshot as she said, ¡°John, | know | indirectly caused Madam Stockton¡¯s ident, but | never once thought of


    hurting her. | never wanted this to happen. If you think I¡¯m the one who caused it, just go to the police and arrest me. You have


    no right to imprison me here and torture me!¡±


    She did indirectly cause Madam Stockton¡¯s car crash because she had taken Caprice out, but she did not wish for it to happen or


    directly caused it. She even tried her best to save Madam Stockton and prevented tragedy!


    Must she be starved to death just to make it up to Madam Stockton¡¯s tragedy?


    All she did was take Caprice out for a while! She did not even do anything!


    The more Sherry thought about it, the heavier her grief became. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but the man simply stared at her


    with a grim look.


    He watched as she leaned on the wall with her body curled. She had to rely on the wall to get to her feet, and her teary eyes


    made her look extremely pitiful.


    For some reason, his chest tightened, and it grew more suffocating as he watched. It felt like his chest would burst any moment.


    He was not enjoying it either. Maybe it was his anger that tortured him.


    He got up and walked to her.


    Sherry instinctively covered her neck with her hands.


    John grinned. ¡°Sherry, do you really think this is grief?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t,¡± she said, but her tears continued to trickle down her cheeks.


    John narrowed his eyes. He scoffed and said, ¡°Then, why are you telling me all this?¡±


    Sherry choked on her emotions and was silenced.


    John¡¯s gaze turned frosty, and so did his expression. ¡°Nothing left to say? Feeling guilty? Where''s your confidence now?¡±


    Sherry tightened her lips as she looked into his eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just end me?¡±


    What else could she say? She apologized countless times and did indeed feel guilty for indirectly putting Madam Stockton ina


    comatose state.


    What else could she do?


    Must she make it up to Madam Stockton with her life?


    Sherry then removed her hand from her neck. She looked up at him and exposed her neck to him.


    ¡°Just strangle me to death so that | can make it up to Madam Stockton.¡±


    She closed her eyes. However, maybe because of her fear of death, her eyelids trembled even when she closed her eyes.


    Her lips were tightened, and she looked like she had made up her mind to wee death.

 Chapter 1612

    Chapter 1612


    John frowned. His hands somehow froze for a moment, but he managed to lift them after a while.


    When his fingers touched her neck, she trembled terribly.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± he scoffed. He really thought she was not afraid of death. He simply put his fingers on her neck but did nothing else.


    Sherry¡¯s body stiffened from the moment he touched her, but nothing happened after that. She could not help but open her eyes.


    She saw his deep gaze staring at herself with a ridiculing grin.


    It somehow infuriated her. ¡°Are you going to do it or not?¡±


    Why did he stop all of a sudden?


    John pursed his lips and simply pinched the side of her neck.


    Sherry cried in pain.


    John chuckled. ¡°Strangling you will only dirty my hands. | am keeping you here so that | can torture you.¡±


    ¡°Then, I''ll ram myself into the wall,¡± Sherry said.


    He raised a brow. ¡°Fine. Do it. I''ll wait.¡±


    Sherry was once again silenced. The anger and embarrassment rushed up to her mind and made her flush.


    Frustrated, she ran towards him and rammed into his chest.


    Thud.


    He staggered backward a few steps before he regained his bnce.


    Sherry felt great, but it was not enough. She shouted, ¡°You bastard, I''ll ram you to death!¡± As though she transformed into a


    furious bull, she charged toward him madly.


    John was rendered speechless.


    Peter and the other bodyguards in the yard were stunned, but they dared not do anything other than keep their eyes on Sherry.


    Right when she was about to ram into John, and Peter and the other bodyguards


    strongly believed that her momentum would be enough to throw John off bnce, John suddenly took a step to the side.


    Sherry missed and her momentum drove her forward. She lost control of herself and ultimately rammed into a pir in the


    corridor.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Fortunately, she reacted quickly enough to put her hands in front of her face, or else she would have rammed her head into the


    pir.


    The room went quiet for a few moments beforeughter sounded.


    Sherry turned around and saw Peter and the bodyguards chuckling. Even John curled his lips at her. However, before she could


    have a clear look at the man¡¯s face, the man¡¯s expression turned frosty and he stared at Peter and the bodyguards.


    Peter and the bodyguards immediately stoppedughing and wore serious expressions.


    Then, he looked at Sherry.


    Sherry hugged the pir and looked at him cautiously.


    After locking eyes for a moment, he curled his lips. ¡°You want to go out?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    What did he mean by that? Was he nning to release her? Or did he want her to do something to earn her freedom?


    She answered immediately, ¡°Yes. Are you letting me go?¡±


    John said with a smile, ¡°No.¡± He then moved his long legs toward the entrance.


    Sherry choked on her embarrassment.


    The man left the building and entered the car.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She quickly ran to the door, but before she could reach the car, the bodyguards stopped her.

 Chapter 1613

    Chapter 1613


    Sherry tried to move past the bodyguards as she screamed, ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    The man paused before he got into the car. He looked at her.


    Sherry pursed her lips. She stared at the man with anticipation and asked, ¡°How¡¯s Caprice?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s good, but...¡±


    ¡°But what?¡±


    ¡°You are no longer worthy of being her mother, and you don¡¯t have the right to call her name anymore. From now on, please call


    her Ms. Stockton. If | hear you calling her name, you won¡¯t even get a drop of water.¡±


    His frosty voice subsided and he got into the car.


    The silver MPV then disappeared further away, leaving Sherry frozen on the spot. Even after the car disappeared from her sight,


    she remained standing.


    Ms. Stockton?


    The man wanted her to call her own daughter Ms. Stockton?


    The silver MPV cruised steadily ahead.


    The man was holding Caprice in his arms. He went to Sherry¡¯s ce while Caprice was asleep.


    It was not because he wanted to bring the girl to her mother, but because the girl was being clingy since the past few days and


    he simply could not leave her alone in the house, hence the decision of bringing her together.


    Caprice was still sound asleep. Her chubby face looked adorable. He wiped the glistening sweat off her forehead and continued


    holding her.


    Awhileter, Peter asked, ¡°Sir, are we going back to the office or going home?¡±


    ¡°Home.¡±


    Half an hourter, the car drove into Stockton Residence and soon stopped in front


    of his house.


    He carried Caprice out of the car.


    Julie came out and weed him with a smile. ¡°John, you''re back.¡±


    He hummed a reply.


    ¡°You''ve been busy for the whole afternoon. Why don¡¯t you go have a rest? I''ll take care of Caprice in the meantime.¡±


    Julie put her hands out and wanted to take Caprice from him.


    However, John pursed his lips. ¡°It''s okay. You¡¯ve been busy yourself. You should go rest too.¡± He then carried Caprice into the


    house alone.


    Peter went in with his briefcase and work documents as well.


    Julie''s expression shifted.


    The man should have juste home from the office, so why did he bring Peter and


    his work home?


    He usually finished work at the office before he would even considering home.


    Had he not been to the office in the afternoon?


    If he had not been to the office, he must have gone to Sherry¡¯s ce.


    However, he looked more or less the same when he left for work, and if he really went to Sherry¡¯s ce, Sherry would have


    infuriated him.


    She wondered where John kept Sherry.


    Some thoughtster, she said to Mia, ¡°Tomorrow, when John goes to work, follow him and find out where he is going. Be careful


    not to expose yourself.¡±


    Meanwhile, deep in the suburbs, where Sherry was kept, she remained petrified even after John left.


    It was the bodyguards who brought her back from her trance and urged her to go in.


    She returned to the room and crashed on the couch. Her mind started to stroll down memoryne and rey all the conflicts she


    had with John in the past ten years.


    Had they started on the wrong foot from the beginning?


    Otherwise, why would they have ended up like this?


    The thoughts pained her chest. She tried her best not to think about him, but she could not stop herself from missing Caprice.


    It was then that the bodyguard came in with a box of food.


    Sherry was stunned.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    The bodyguard put the body of food in front of her and said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, Master Stockton told us to bring you this.¡±


    John brought her food? Why?


    The man just mowed thewn in front of her, yet he told his men to deliver food to her?


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She brought the food closer to herself.


    The bodyguard added, ¡°Master Stockton told us to send you a meal once every two days. | think it¡¯s better for you to eat some


    and keep some for the next day so that you won''t starve.¡±

 Chapter 1614

    Chapter 1614


    Chapter 1614


    Once every two days?


    It was the worst form of torture!


    She would not starve to death because of the food, but she would never be full either. Disheartened, she curved her lips into a


    bitter smile and thanked the bodyguard.


    The bodyguard simply offered a piece of advice out of kindness. John would never order his bodyguard to tell her that the meal


    would only be delivered once every two days and that it would be wise for her to eat some and keep some for the next day to


    lessen the starvation.


    The bodyguard nodded and went out.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry opened the box. There was rice, some meat, and vegetables.


    Due to starvation, her appetite was no longer as big as it used to be. She simply had a few bites and no longer felt hungry.


    After she put the leftovers in the refrigerator, she returned to the couch.


    She felt a lot better now that she was not starving and the suddenfort led her to sleep.


    A few peaceful days went by, and John never showed up since then.


    Ever since the bodyguard started to deliver meals to her, Sherry strategically divided the portions to make sure she had


    something to eat every meal, thus solving her hunger problem.


    She stayed in the living room most of the time, and when she felt bored, she would try to talk to the bodyguards and befriend


    them. Unfortunately, the bodyguards never really talked to her.


    Sherry continued the same mundane life for a few more days, and despite her effort, she failed to lower the bodyguards¡¯


    attention.


    The walls around the house were taller than others, so climbing out was not an option; there were no trees around for her to


    climb as well. The only exit and entrance was the main gate.


    The sky was covered in dark clouds, and it started to drizzle.


    Sherry squatted by the door and watched the bodyguards under their umbres with a bored expression. If this continued, she


    would be imprisoned for the rest of her life.


    Meanwhile, back at John¡¯s own house, he was having an online meeting in the study.


    Screech.


    The door suddenly opened and caught his attention.


    Caprice, in her pajamas and messy hair, came in while rubbing her eyes.


    He narrowed his eyes. He said to the meeting attendees, ¡°Please excuse me for a while.¡±


    He got up and walked over to Caprice.


    Caprice pouted and looked at him with a grievance.


    John carried her into his arms and asked softly, ¡°Caprice, did you have a nightmare?¡±


    When Caprice shook her head, he was baffled by the girl¡¯s reaction.


    The girl said, ¡°Caprice is scared.¡±


    ¡°Daddy is here. What are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°When | woke up, | was alone.¡±


    The sky was dark and it was raining outside. She opened her eyes and saw no one in the room, thus she got scared. Tears


    rolled down her eyes.


    John hugged her tightly. ¡°Daddy¡¯s got a meeting. I¡¯m sorry | can¡¯t be with you. | won''t leave you alone again.¡±


    Caprice hummed a reply. She looked calmer than before now that she was in her father¡¯s embrace, but her hands clung to his


    shirt tightly, afraid that he would put her down.


    He smiled and carried her to the couch. He sat her down on hisp and tidied her hair.


    She looked at him with teary eyes. She grumbled, ¡°Daddy, | miss Mommy. When is sheing back?¡±


    John¡¯s hands froze and his expression went nk.


    A few secondster, he curled his lips and said with a smile, ¡°Mommy''s gone to a far, faraway ce. | don¡¯t know when she is


    coming back either.¡±


    Afar, faraway ce?


    Caprice furrowed her brows. ¡°Then, is she going toe back?¡±


    John went silent for a moment. ¡°Whether shees back or not, Daddy will always be with you.¡±

 Chapter 1615

    Chapter 1615


    Chapter 1615


    Caprice pouted. ¡°But | want Mommy toe back.¡±


    John pursed his lips.


    He looked at the girl¡¯s pouty lips and sulky expression. It took him a while to say, will call herter and ask her when she is


    coming back.¡±


    It was impossible for Sherry to return now. The woman tried to steal Caprice away and put his mother in aatose state. He


    would never let here back to be Caprice¡¯s mother.


    All he could do was cheer the girl up.


    The girl was still a toddler and had barely spent enough time with Sherry to remember her as her mother, so she would probably


    forget that Sherry was her mother as time went by.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice hummed a delightful reply when she heard her father.


    John smiled as he continued to tidy the girl¡¯s hair. Then, he carried her back to his desk.


    While holding Caprice in his arm, he wore a serious look and said to the attendees of the meeting, ¡°Go on.¡±


    The attendees immediately continued where they left off a while ago. John listened to his subordinates¡¯ reports while Caprice sat


    on hisp obediently.


    Although the girl had no idea what the adults were talking about, she was not bored. She simply stared at the screen and


    watched quietly.


    Maybe because the girl¡¯s presence lifted up the tension, the meeting went on smoothly. The meeting ended in less than an hour.


    John turned off theputer and lifted the girl up. ¡°Caprice, let''s go have a look at Grandma.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± The girl nodded and hummed obediently.


    Ever since Madam Stockton was discharged back home, he would bring Caprice to visit her every day. Even though it was


    raining and it seemed like it was getting heavier, he insisted on bringing the girl to her grandmother.


    Jason, the bodyguard, held the big umbre over the father and daughter¡¯s heads.


    John carefully held Caprice in his arms and protected her from the heavy rain.


    After a short walk, they arrived at Madam Stockton¡¯s ce. It was dark, but the house was brightly lit.


    Madam Stockton remained unconscious on her bed while Queenie and Emerence were beside her. Emerence stood up and


    weed them with a smile. Queenie showed a rather tired smile at them.


    John slightly narrowed his eyes. ¡°You go rest. Caprice and | will stay here to apany Mother.¡±


    The doctor said it would be best for the family members to keep talking to Madam Stockton so that it could stimte her brain


    and increase the chances of her waking up. Ever since she was discharged, Queenie had been staying by her side day and


    night.


    Queenie then said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if you can stay up all night, Caprice can''t. | don¡¯t have anything else to do as well.¡±


    John furrowed his brows and said in a slightly heavier tone, ¡°Go have a rest next door.¡± He sounded indubitable.


    Queeniepromised. She hummed a reply and went out of the room.


    John then looked at Emerence. ¡°Aunt Emerence, you should go take some rest as well.¡±


    Emerence nodded and went out.


    John put Caprice by the bed before he sat down on the chair.


    Caprice deftly crawled beside Madam Stockton and spoke softly, ¡°Grandma, Caprice and Daddy are here to see you.¡±


    s, Madam Stockton did not respond.


    Caprice pursed her lips and sighed softly. She held Madam Stockton¡¯s hand and started rubbing it. She learned it from Emerence


    a few days ago.


    Emerence told her that rubbing the hands might wake Madam Stockton up, so the girl believed it. After rubbing one hand,


    Caprice crawled to the other side and started rubbing the other. She looked serious when rubbing, and she rubbed as hard as


    she could.

 Chapter 1616

    Chapter 1616


    John watched as the little girl diligently massaged Madam Stockton¡¯s hands. His lips unconsciously curled into a smile.


    After a while, the girl started to sweat and breathe heavily. John said, ¡°Caprice, you can stop massaging now. Take a rest.¡±


    Caprice shook her head.


    John furrowed his brows. ¡°Come on, Caprice. Be a good girl.¡±


    Caprice pouted at him. ¡°I want Grandma to wake up.¡±


    The little girl wore persistence on her face, which baffled John. The girl and her grandmother were not exactly close because he


    always kept her by his side. Theoretically speaking, the girl should not have invested so much effort into waking her grandmother


    up.


    Therefore, he asked, ¡°Caprice, why do you want Grandma to wake up?¡±


    Caprice pouted and said meekly, ¡°Grandma is sick, so Daddy is not happy. Caprice wants Daddy to be happy.¡±


    Ever since the girl¡¯s grandmother was bedridden, her father rarely smiled. She wanted her grandmother to wake up because it


    would make her father happy.


    John was caught off guard by the answer. An indescribable feeling filled his chest.


    Awhileter, he smiled at the girl and said, ¡°Thank you, Caprice.¡±


    The girl reacted with a sweet smile. ¡°You are wee, Daddy.¡±


    John went silent.


    Before Sherry returned to Glenchester, Caprice would never say thank you to anyone, let alone show courtesy. His.


    overprotective love spoiled her, and the girl always got what she wanted, so she had gotten used to taking things without


    permission.


    Due to her father¡¯s influence, no one would dare to deny her or say anything to her. Therefore, she would never care about


    people¡¯s feelings.


    However, ever since Sherry returned, the girl''s life changed for the better. She seemed to be growing up into a decent human


    being. Other than being harsh and resented him, Sherry never really did anything wrong to Caprice.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    When Johnid his eyes on his unconscious mother, his brows tightened again and aplicated expression shrouded his face.


    His gloomy expression continued until a tiny and soft hand touched his face.


    Caprice crawled to him and held his face with both her hands. She must have learned it from someone because he had never


    taught her something like this. She said, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be sad. Caprice will wake Grandma up.¡±


    The indescribable feeling continued to rumble in John¡¯s chest. He patted the girl¡¯s head and said, ¡°Mm-hmm. | believe you.¡±


    Caprice sighed a breath of relief when she saw her father smile. She then crawled back to Madam Carter and continued to


    massage her hands diligently.


    However, her limited strength and stamina ran out soon and she fell asleep beside Madam Stockton.


    John smiled as he adjusted the girl¡¯s posture to let her sleep morefortably.


    The room returned to silence.


    John sat by the bed and watched them silently until Queenie came in.


    She rubbed her eyes as she said, ¡°Brother, you should bring Caprice back to her room. I''ll watch Mom... Huh? Look, Mom looks


    a lot better.¡± She walked closer to the bed and had a closer look at Madam Stockton.


    Upon hearing her words, John turned to Madam Stockton as well.


    Compared to the pale and lifeless look from before, Madam Stockton seemed a lot more alive as if she was just sleeping instead


    of being in aa.


    ¡°Brother, are you seeing this?¡± Queenie had to confirm again to make sure she was not hallucinating.


    John nodded. Caprice¡¯s massage probably worked, and it must have improved Madam Stockton¡¯s blood cirction, hence her


    livelier look.


    It was great news. He did not expect the girl to cause a miracle by just massaging the hands.


    Queenie excitedly called Emerence into the room. ¡°Aunt Emerence, look! Look at Mom. She seems a lot better!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Emerence came running in.


    It was then Julie passed by the room and heard the littlemotion. Her expression changed. She paused for a moment before


    she continued walking.


    Back in the room, Madam Stockton was still lying unconscious on the bed.

 Chapter 1617

    Chapter 1617


    Caprice was sleeping soundly beside Madam Stockton.


    The man sat straight on the chair next to the bed while Queenie and Emerence checked on Madam Stockton.


    Julie tried to have a look from the entrance, and when she saw Madam Stockton looking healthier, she frowned.


    It was at that moment that Emerence turned around.


    Julie¡¯s eyes flickered nervously and she quickly wore a happy look on her face.


    Emerence was slightly surprised, but she managed to keep her cool and said respectfully, ¡°Ms. Julie, you¡¯re here!¡±


    Queenie immediately turned around when she heard Emerence calling Julie. ¡°Julie, look! Mom is looking better already!¡±


    Julie smiled at her. ¡°I saw. This is great.¡±


    Night arrived as always, and along came the rain drizzling on the roof. The rain dripped off the beams and wet the front porch.


    Sherry had a few bites of leftover dinner fromst night before she sat on the couch nkly. Her mind was filled with thoughts of


    Caprice, and they somehow lubied her to sleep.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Just when she fell asleep, a figure came close to her. He came forth with rhythmic footsteps, leaving a trail of wet footprints


    behind. He approached the couch.


    There was only onemp switched on in the living room. Although dim, it was bright enough for him to see the woman¡¯s face and


    her body curled up on the couch. Her hair was slightly messy, her pale face looked slimmer than usual, and her cheeks had


    started to cave in.


    She was still wearing the same clothes from the day when she was locked in. Her scalded arm was exposed. The blisters had


    hardened into scabs and started to fall off, leaving a faint scar on her arm.


    He frowned. He instinctively leaned over and stroked her scars.


    Swoosh!


    As soon as he touched her, her hand retracted.


    He looked at her, but she was still soundly asleep. It must be the pain that caused her to retract her hand instinctively.


    He pursed his lips. He put his hand on her scrawny and pale face. He whispered, ¡° Sherry, you look terrible, but | won¡¯t go easy


    on you this time unless Mother wakes up. If you want to leave this ce, pray for Mother to wake up.¡±


    He released her face and left the room.


    Jason, the bodyguard, immediately opened the umbre and escorted him to the car. John got into the car and disappeared


    beyond the gates.


    The bodyguards closed the gates after he left. The house returned to silence. Only the drizzling rain could be heard.


    The wet footprints on the floor dried swiftly, and it looked like no one hade in


    before.


    Back at Stockton Residence, John brought Caprice back after dinner, leaving Queenie by her mother¡¯s side.


    Queenie was yawning terribly. Even Emerence had a tough time fighting the drowsiness.


    Julie came into the room. She smiled and said, ¡°Queenie, Aunt Emerence, why don¡¯t you guys go get some sleep? I''ll


    apany Mother tonight.¡±


    Emerence looked at her.


    Queenie opened her eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Julie. | can do it.¡±


    Julie walked closer to her. ¡°You can barely open your eyes. Just go get some sleep. I¡¯ve slept a lot during the day, so I¡¯m fully


    awake now. I''ll take good care of Mother.¡±


    The soft voice and gentle tone warmed Queenie¡¯s heart. She hummed a reply and said, ¡°Okay. I''ll go take a nap. I''lle back


    later.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Go, go get some sleep.¡±

 Chapter 1618

    Chapter 1618


    Queenie got up and left the room.


    Julie then said to Emerence, ¡°Aunt Emerence, | can take it from here. You should go get some rest too.¡±


    Emerence¡¯s eyes flickered. She said, ¡°Okay. I''ll take a nap outside. Call me if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Emerence finally went out.


    The room returned to peace and quiet, but Julie¡¯s expression turned cold and grim.


    She walked closer to Madam Stockton.


    Madam Stockton looked more or less the same as earlier, which was slightly


    healthier than before.


    Julie¡¯s eyes flickered nervously. She said, ¡°Mother?¡±


    The only reply she got was silence. Madam Stockton did not react to her call.


    Julie lowered herself and moved closer to Madam Stockton. Madam Stockton


    looked a lot better now. It was as though she was sleeping instead of being in a vegetative state.


    Julie frowned and stared at her coldly. ¡°Mother, are you really waking up?¡±


    Her hands lifted uncontrobly and slowly moved towards Madam Stockton¡¯s face. A hint of viciousness shed in her eyes and


    she tried to cover thedy¡¯s nose and mouth.


    Then, the noise of the door opening was heard.


    Startled, Julie immediately retracted her hands. She turned around and saw


    Emerenceing back in.


    Emerence brought in a tray of tea and biscuits but was not looking at Julie. She asked with a smile, ¡°Ms. Julie, | brought you


    some tea and biscuits.¡± She looked and sounded natural. It was as though she had not seen what Julie was trying to do to


    Madam Stockton.


    Julie secretly sighed a breath of relief and smiled at her. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Emerence. Just put it there. You really should get


    some rest.¡±


    Emerence put the tray of tea and biscuits on the tea table by the bed and said, ¡°I¡¯m


    old, so | don¡¯t need to sleep that much. | took a nap in the afternoon. Maybe that¡¯s why | can¡¯t sleep now. I''ll stay here and


    apany you.¡±


    Julie pursed her lips. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Emerence sat on the chair by the door.


    Julie had a few more nces at her to make sure she was not acting strangely.


    Awhileter, knocks came from the door. Julie turned around and saw Emerence opening the door.


    Mia came in and looked at Julie. ¡°Madam, | have something to tell you.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Julie¡¯s gaze shifted. She looked at Emerence with a smile and said, ¡°Aunt Emerence, please excuse me."


    Emerence said, ¡°Okay. I''ll be here. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Julie smiled and followed Mia outside.


    As soon as the door closed and Julie left, Emerence¡¯s expression turned cold and grim. She got up immediately to check on


    Madam Stockton. Fortunately, nothing had happened to Madam Stockton.


    She sighed a breath of relief, but theplicated expression lingered on her face.


    Aftering out from Madam Stockton¡¯s room, Mia whispered into Julie''s ears,¡± Madam, | followed Master Stockton around and


    finally located Sherry.¡±


    Julie asked, ¡°Where is she being kept?¡±


    ¡°In a forest in the suburbs. It¡¯s a twenty¡ªminute drive from here. | hate a nce at the house, and it¡¯s covered in moss. | think it¡¯s


    been unupied for a long time,¡± Mia added.


    ¡°How¡¯s Sherry doing?¡±


    ¡°There are three bodyguards watching her, so | couldn¡¯t get in. | didn¡¯t see her, but Master Stockton went in for ten minutes.


    When he came out, he looked grumpy and angry. Sherry must have pissed him off.¡±


    Julie curled her lips.

 Chapter 1619

    Chapter 1619


    Sherry was locked up in a secluded ce with no upants. With almost no public infrastructure around the area, she must


    have suffered a lot.


    Unfortunately, John only wanted to torture her. He had no intention of throwing her out or killing her.


    The thought of Madam Stockton¡¯s condition improving made Julie furrow her brows.


    Once Madam Stockton woke up, John would forgive Sherry again. Even if Madam Stockton remained unconscious for the rest of


    her life, as long as Sherry remained by his side, the man would eventually forgive her.


    Julie could not afford to let Madam Stockton wake up!


    She must think of a way to remove Sherry from John¡¯s lifepletely!


    The drizzle continued for days.


    Glenchester had been shrouded by dark clouds for days now, and there was no sign of the sky turning sunny.


    Sherry¡¯s mood was like the gloomy sky¡ªdisheartened and discouraging. It was as though her soul was sucked away from her


    body.


    Her scrawny body leaned against the door feebly.


    The bodyguards had just finished their meals and returned to their post.


    Sherry watched with a nk gaze. The dim environment made her look like a ghost.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    When the bodyguards saw her, they quivered and quickly turned away.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered at their reaction.


    Awhileter, she said to the bodyguards, ¡°Can | ask you guys for a favor?¡±


    The bodyguards turned a deaf ear. No one dared to look at or answer her.


    Sherry knew they heard her. She continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to live anymore. Can you please kill me?¡±


    The bodyguards frowned, but they did not look at her or move away from their posts.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Sherry cried. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to kill me, I''ll do it myself!¡± She stood up while holding onto the wall.


    The bodyguards looked at her with a hint of nervousness, but they did not believe she would kill herself.


    Sherry nced at them before she took a few steps back. She charged forward and rammed into the wall.


    The bodyguards were shocked and before they could react, a loud thud sounded. Sherry had rammed her head against the wall


    and copsed on the floor.


    When the bodyguards came to her, her face was already covered in blood. The crimson blood made her already pale face


    looked even more terrifying.


    John had just finished work and was on his way back to the house with Caprice.


    The car stopped in front of Madam Stockton¡¯s ce.


    John carried Caprice out of the car.


    As soon as he stepped into the front yard, he heard Queenie¡¯s cry.


    ¡°Why? How?! How did Mom¡¯s condition worsen? She looked so healthy two days ago! What happened?!¡±


    John¡¯s eyes narrowed. He strode into the house quickly.


    Queenie was crying in Emerence¡¯s arms in Madam Stockton¡¯s room. Emerence¡¯s eyes were teary as well.


    Julie was beside them with her tightened brows.


    The best neurologist in Glenchester was checking Madam Stockton¡¯s body with state -of-the¡ªart machines.


    After a quick check-up, the doctor turned to them with a heavy expression.


    Julie asked, ¡°Doctor, how''s my Mother doing?¡±


    The doctor said in a small voice, ¡°Madam Stockton¡¯s condition has worsened. You need to prepare for the worst.¡±


    Queenie burst out in tears as fear enveloped her. ¡°W-what do you mean?!¡±

 Chapter 1620

    Chapter 1620


    Chapter 1620


    The doctor looked at the nurse beside him and said, ¡°Give Madam Stockton the oxygen mask.¡±


    The nurse put the oxygen mask over Madam Stockton¡¯s face.


    The doctor then said to John and Queenie, ¡°Master Stockton, Ms. Stockton, I¡¯ve tried my best. Madam Stockton suffered quite


    the concussion from the crash and she won''t be able to make it without the oxygen mask from now on.¡±


    Queenie¡¯s horrified expression eased a little. She then asked, ¡°Doctor, are you saying that my Mom will live as long as she has


    the oxygen mask?¡±


    The doctor nodded. ¡°Yes. It must be on at all times, or else her life will be endangered. On a side note, the odds of Madam


    Stockton waking up is near zero, so please be prepared for the worst.¡±


    Queenie pursed her lips as tears filled her eyes.


    The doctor gave them a few more reminders before he left with the nurse.


    All that remained in the spacious room was Queenie¡¯s crying and endless pressure. Madam Stockton looked pale and weak. It


    was like she would stop breathing at any moment, and the only thing that was keeping her alive was the oxygen mask.


    John¡¯s phone rang all of a sudden.


    It was from the bodyguard that he had assigned to watch Sherry, and it was not time for the daily report yet. He narrowed his


    eyes and answered the phone.


    The bodyguard said nervously, ¡°Sir, Ms. Fowler just rammed into the wall to kill


    herself. She¡¯s unconscious now and is bleeding heavily. Do we need to send her to the hospital?¡±


    Sherry tried to kill herself?


    John¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Then, he had a nce at Madam Stockton on the bed, and his expression turned frosty.


    Why would that woman kill herself?


    He had kept her for more than a year three years ago, and she had never once tried to take her life.


    Now he simply starved her on an interval and she tried to kill herself? It must be her n to earn his sympathy.


    He said coldly, ¡°Leave her. I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    He then put the sleeping Caprice by Madam Stockton¡¯s bed.


    Julie asked, ¡°John, you''re going out?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Take care of Caprice,¡± he said coldly as he left the room.


    Julie nced at Mia who nodded tacitly and left with her phone, going after John.


    Queenie continued to sob in Emerence¡¯s arms, and Emerence tried her best to calm the girl down.


    Julie curled her lips when she saw Madam Stockton¡¯s life hanging on a thread. She was nning how to get rid of Madam


    Stockton permanentlyst night, and because she could note up with a solution, fate decided to side with her.


    She held herughter back and covered her delight with a heavy expression. She said to the crying Queenie, ¡°Queenie, the


    doctor said Mother is fine for now. | believe as long as she¡¯s still alive, she will wake up soon.¡±


    The warm and kind words warmed Queenie once more, and she finally stopped crying.


    She wiped her tears and said, ¡°Yeah, you''re right, Julie. As long as Mom is still alive, she will wake up.¡±


    Julie showed a gratifying smile. ¡°Queenie, go wash your face. I''ll stay here for a while.¡±


    ¡°No. | want to stay by Mom¡¯s side. | don¡¯t want to go anywhere,¡± Queenie said before she sat down on the chair.


    Julie sighed helplessly.


    Emerence said, ¡°Ms. Julie, don¡¯t you worry. I''ll take care of Ms. Queenie. It''ste now. Why don¡¯t you go have dinner first?¡±


    Julie smiled. ¡°You too. You and Queenie shouldn''t be missing meals.¡±


    Emerence smiled back. ¡°Thank you. We will.¡±


    Julie had another nce at Madam Stockton on the bed before she left.

 Chapter 1621

    Chapter 1621


    Mia was waiting for Julie outside the yard.


    Julie came over and asked softly, ¡°John is probably heading to Sherry¡¯s ce. Did you tell them?¡±


    Mia said, ¡°I¡¯ve told them Master Stockton is heading their way, and they will light the ce up as soon as he leaves.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Julie smiled. She had hired a bunch of professional hitmen for the job to ensure Sherry¡¯s doom.


    All that was left was for Queenie to leave Madam Stockton¡¯s room so that she could go in and remove the oxygen mask.


    With Madam Stockton gone, so were all her problems.


    Ssh!


    A bucket of cold water sshed on Sherry¡¯s face and woke her up.


    The pain in her head left her dizzy. Her sight was blurry due to the water, but she managed to see a slender figure in front of her.


    She looked up, blinked her eyes, and finally got a clear look at the man. The golden-framed sses set off the man¡¯s gentle and


    handsome features. He wore a disdainful grin on his face.


    He chuckled and said, ¡°So, you''re still alive. | thought you were dead.¡±


    Sherry managed to regain her consciousness after hearing the harsh words. She looked around and realized she was still in the


    same house.


    She was lying down in front of the porch. The bodyguards surrounded her and did not actually send her to the hospital.


    She rammed her head into the wall and knocked herself out, yet the bodyguards did not send her to the hospital.


    Was it because of the man¡¯s orders?


    Something stung her heart, and it worsened the pain in her head.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Her body shivered due to the cold and she looked at John with bloodshot eyes. She asked in a trembling voice, ¡°You hate me so


    much, so | figured I''d die to make it up to you.¡±


    She looked shockingly pale under the moonlight, and the blood on her face made her look like a ghost.


    John was slightly surprised but managed to recover hisposure and veil it with ayer of grim. He curled his lips. ¡°No.¡±


    Sherry was surprised by the answer.


    He bent over and forced his handsome face into her sight.


    She saw his moving lips as his deep voice spoke the coldest words.


    ¡°Even if you die now, | won''t forgive you. | won¡¯t let you die either, but you can rest assured you won''t live a good life.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened. She felt like several more buckets of cold water just sshed onto her again.


    John then straightened his body. He peered down at her and then said to the bodyguards, ¡°Cut the electricity. | don¡¯t want to see


    any lights or warmth in this house.¡±


    The bodyguards were terrified by his frosty expression. They quickly went over to the fuse box to cut the electricity. The entire


    house plunged into darkness in the blink of an eye.


    John curled his lips into an evil grin while he looked at Sherry.


    Sherry remained petrified on the ground as if a bloody ghost was frozen. She was aware of his gaze, and for some reason, she


    widened her lips into a grin.


    ¡°Haha...¡±

 Chapter 1622

    Chapter 1622


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    Sherry sat on the ground and stared at the sky nkly. She curled her lips and said, ¡°I¡¯mughing at myself.¡±


    John was slightly surprised. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I''mughing at myself for being an idiot. Hahaha.¡± As though her words tickled her funny bone, she could not stopughing.


    Even her shoulders started to shake.


    The more sheughed, the more she looked like a mad woman.


    The man froze for a moment. He stared at her coldly. ¡°Sherry, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha...¡± Sherry ignored him. She continued to stare at the sky and giggled. ¡°I used to think meeting you was the happiest


    thing that had ever happened to me. I¡¯m such an idiot.¡±


    Tears then rolled down the edge of her eyes.


    The man¡¯s body stiffened.


    Awhileter, his gaze shifted. He scoffed and said, ¡°Sherry, what are you nning now? Do you really think I''ll sympathize with


    you because of what you said?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha...¡± Her bloodshot eyes started to gleam. She looked at him and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°John, | would rather be a cat, or


    a dog, or even the grass by the roadside in my next life than meet you again.¡±


    Her life was nothing short of bitterness. Their lives had been entangled for many years and it had been tormenting for her. She


    would rather be an animal or a nt than meet him again.


    She used up all her strength in saying those words, so she copsed on the floor with her eyes closed, allowing the pain in her


    mind to rip her head apart and the chilly breeze to assault her body. She really wanted to just die on the spot.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    The man stared at her viciously.


    His brows furrowed while his lips pursed, and his expression looked disheartened. He had either reached his boiling point or was


    trying his best to hold back his emotions.


    She would rather be an animal or a n than meet him again?


    The man strongly believed those were just words to provoke him. She must have some other way to escape. She must be still


    thinking about him, hence her provocative words.


    ¡°Stop acting like a madwoman here. Go inside while it¡¯s still warm, or you''ll freeze to death here.¡±


    He swore to never go easy on her. However, the answer he got was the chilly breeze blowing into his face.


    Sherryy on the floor like a frozen dead body. Her eyes were closed and her limbs were not moving. She maintained her


    posture for quite a while and did not even flinch in the freezing weather.


    John was disheartened. He bellowed, ¡°Throw her into the house!¡±


    The bodyguards came over and brought Sherry into the living room.


    When the bodyguards brought her inside, he said to the rest of the bodyguards, ¡°Cut the water supply for the house off as well.¡±


    With that, she would have no ess to meals, water, light, electricity, and even warmth. The punishment was to let her realize


    her current situation and the fact that he would never care about her anymore.


    There was no need for tricks anymore.


    The bodyguards nodded and went to cut the water supply off.


    Sherry was tossed into the living room.


    John turned around and left the house with a frosty look.


    The gate was closed shortly after he left. The silver MPV started and soon drove away from the secluded area.


    When the car finally disappeared, several shadowy figures came out.


    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s Master Stockton¡¯s car He¡¯s gone. Should we act now?¡±


    The leading man revealed psychotic excitement. ¡°We shall act ording to n! Burn this ce to the ground.¡±


    The group of men then went into the forest and made their way toward the house.

 Chapter 1623

    Chapter 1623


    Knock, knock.


    Huh? What was that?


    Sherry forcefully opened her exhausted eyes and the first thing she saw was darkness.


    She was lying down on the living room floor, and the noise seemed to being from under the wall behind the living room.


    Had she not been lying down, she would not have heard the noise.


    The noise continued.


    She frowned. She mustered her strength and crawled over. It took her a while to get close enough to the source, but the noise


    stopped.


    While she tried to wrap her head around the situation, a beam of light shone through the window andnded on her face.


    Sherry instinctively covered her eyes with her hand.


    The beam of light shone for quite a while before a helpless sigh sounded.


    ¡°Sis, it has just been two months since we met. What got you into this state?¡± 3


    There were almost no cars on the road in the suburbs.


    The silver MPV cruised smoothly on the road and returned home shortly after.


    The car continued driving on the main avenue in the estate, and when it passed by Madam Stockton¡¯s unit, a figure dashed out


    and stopped the car.


    The driver hit the brakes immediately. When he had a clear look at the person in front of him, he cried, ¡± Ms. Queenie?!¡±


    John was also surprised by Queenie¡¯s sudden interception.


    After the car stopped, Queenie headed to the side and opened the door. Before she got into the car, she sneakily looked around


    to make sure no one was following.


    She said to John, ¡°Brother,e with me. We''ll go to Mom¡¯s ce through the backdoor.¡±


    Baffled, John asked, ¡°Why the backdoor?¡±


    Queenie¡¯s eyes flickered and wore unprecedented seriousness on her face. ¡°We set up a little show. You just need to follow me


    and watch.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John was more confused than ever. ¡°What show?¡±


    ¡°Just follow me because | can¡¯t be sure yet,¡± Queenie said softly and then pursed her lips.


    Albeit the confusion, John unfastened his seatbelt and followed his sister to the hidden path, where no one would pass at this


    hour.


    Along the small path, they reached the backdoor of Madam Stockton¡¯s house. The door was open, and the brother and sister


    went in.


    Meanwhile, Julie and Mia came in from the front door.


    There was no one in the front yard.


    Julie felt uncertain. She asked softly, ¡°Are you sure Queenie isn¡¯t around?¡±


    Mia said, ¡°I¡¯m sure. She got sick, so Aunt Emerence sent her back to her ce to rest.¡±


    ¡°Is Aunt Emerence asleep?¡±


    Mia said with a grin, ¡°l added something extra to her meal. | saw her dozing off when | came over. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s dead asleep.¡±


    The two of them then entered the living room. Emerence was sleeping on the couch and would snore from time to time. As Mia


    said, Emerence was dead asleep.


    Julie¡¯s eyes gleamed. She looked at Mia. ¡°You stay here and keep watch.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Madam. Just go,¡± Mia said before she hid behind the door.

 Chapter 1624

    Chapter 1624


    Chapter 1624


    Julie took a deep breath and strode into Madam Stockton¡¯s room.


    There was only onemp on in the room, and the windows were shut tight. No one outside could see what was happening


    inside.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice should have left with Queenie, so only Madam Stockton was alone in the room. She had the oxygen mask over her face


    and she looked paler, seemingly weaker than before.


    Julie went closer to her and looked at her.


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t me me. | am doing this for your own good.¡± She bent over and continued with a vicious. grin, ¡°Rather than


    hanging on a thread, why don¡¯t | send you to the afterlife? Am | right?¡±


    As soon as her words subsided, she put on a pair of rubber gloves and stripped the oxygen mask off Madam Stockton¡¯s face.


    Her hands were slightly shaking while she held the oxygen mask in the air. Her eyes stared at Madam Stockton.


    After a while, nothing changed. Madam Stockton looked as pale and weak as before, but there were no signs that she had


    passed.


    Some confusion and hesitationter, Julie lifted her hand to Madam Stockton¡¯s nose to check if she was still breathing.


    The moment her finger got close to the nose, Madam Stockton, who should be unconscious, opened her eyes and stared at her.


    Julie¡¯s hand shook, and her eyes widened.


    ¡°Argh!¡± she screamed. She nervously tossed the oxygen mask on the floor and staggered backward in fear. Her face turned pale


    as she stared at the awakening Madam Stockton in horror.


    What happened? Should Madam Stockton not be in aatose state? Why would she open her eyes?


    Just when Julie thought she was having an illusion, Madam Stockton said, ¡°What are you doing to me, Julie?¡± She sounded


    hoarse but frosty.


    Julie widened her eyes in shock. ¡°M-Mother? You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Madam Stockton simply stared at her in silence. The sharp gaze stated that she already knew what Julie was doing to her.


    Julie''s expression shifted multiple times. Her nervous gaze suddenly showed a hint of viciousness.


    She strode back to the bed and reached out to Madam Stockton¡¯s mouth and nose, attempting to suffocate her. She could not


    afford to let the olddy live. She must kill her!


    Just when her hands managed to cover Madam Stockton¡¯s nose and mouth, a loud thud sounded. The balcony door was kicked


    open. The ss on the door almost shattered due to the sudden force.


    Julie was shocked. She looked at the balcony door and saw a pair of terrifying and furious eyes.


    It was John.


    Julie froze. She screamed in disbelief, ¡°J-John?¡±


    John red at her coldly.


    Queenie was beside him and she, too, red at Julie coldly.


    At the same time, the main door opened and Emerence came in.


    Mia, who was hiding behind the entrance, was apprehended by the bodyguards, and her mouth was taped. All she could do was


    look at Julie in fear.


    Fear devoured Julie. Her body shook terribly.


    Queenie strode over to the bed and helped Madam Stockton up.

 Chapter 1625

    Chapter 1625


    Chapter 1625


    Emerence stood at the door to prevent Julie from escaping.


    John walked to the bed and stared at Julie with a grim gaze. ¡°Why?¡±


    Julie had never heard of or seen his terrifying side. Her body trembled violently as she cried out loudly, ¡°J- John, H didn¡¯t | didn¡¯t


    It''s not what it seems.


    Queenie helped her mother up and then shouted at Julie, ¡°We were already outside when you came into the room. We saw


    everything!¡±


    When Emerence told her that Julie tried to harm her mother, she refused to believe it. Even when her mother woke up and told


    her that Julie was a vicious woman, she still refused to believe it.


    Now that she saw it with her own eyes, she felt betrayed. Her eyes were bloodshot She shouted, ¡°Mom never treated you badly


    Why did you try to kill her?¡±


    Julie stuttered, ¡°I-I really didn¡¯t try to kill her | thought she wasn¡¯t going to wake up, and when she woke up, | thought | was


    hallucinating, so | was just trying to confirm if she was alive.¡±


    Queenie continued, ¡°We saw everything! Stop giving excuses!¡±


    They were not blind.


    Julie had tossed the oxygen mask on the floor and spoken vicious words to Madam Stockton.


    Both John and Queenie heard and saw her clearly.


    Julie¡¯s eyes flickered nervously. She looked at John.


    John was two meters away from her He looked as handsome as always, but the frosty aura that he emanated distanced himself


    from her, striking fear into her heart.


    Julie unconsciously took two steps back. Her eyes trembled when she said, ¡°John, I...¡± She could not even speak properly


    anymore.


    The man¡¯s frosty voice sounded. ¡°I''ll ask you one more time. Why?¡±


    ¡°IP¡± Julie had never expected this to happen. The terrifying man before her robbed her words from her


    mouth.


    John frowned. His handsome face was shrouded with vicious killing intent.


    Julie¡¯s legs turned weak. She copsed on the floor with a thud. Her eyes were filled with fear Her face looked pale and her lips


    trembled vigorously, causing her to lose her ability to speak properly


    The room went quiet for a few seconds.


    Madam Stockton then sighed. ¡°It¡¯s because | found out about her secret That¡¯s why she tried to kill me.¡±


    John looked at her


    Queenie asked, ¡°What secret?¡±


    Madam Stockton sighed. She looked at Emerence and said, ¡°You tell them. I¡¯m too tired of this.¡±


    Emerence nodded. She then said, ¡°Madam went to visit Ms. Julie one day and identally found the secret room behind her


    closet. The closet is filled with Master Stockton¡¯s pictures, and there¡¯s a lifesize


    wax statue inside as well.¡±


    John frowned.


    Queenie widened her eyes in shock.


    Julie¡¯s eyes widened as well ¡°How did you know? Mother said she¡¯d never tell anyone!¡±


    ¡°Madam didn¡¯t tell anyone, not even me


    Julie¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Then, how did you know?¡±


    ¡°| was in your room when Emerence came looking for me. She saw it as well,¡± Madam Stockton said coldlyThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Julie frowned Not only did Madam Stockton know about her secret, but so did Emerence! She suddenly. remembered when she


    had tried to suffocate Madam Stockton the other day, but Emerence¡¯s sudden entry foiled her n.


    Her eyes flickered multiple times before she looked at Emerence. ¡°Aunt Emerence, have you been suspecting me? You knew?¡±


    Emerence looked at her coldly and said, ¡°Indeed, | have. When Madam got into the crash, | was on the phone with her, and |


    heard her talking to the driver. The reason why the car crashed was that the brakes were tinkered with.¡±


    ¡°What? Mom¡¯s car has always been well-maintained. How could the brakes not work?¡± Queenie asked. John pursed his lips and


    stared at Julie coldly.

 Chapter 1626

    Chapter 1626


    Chapter 1626


    Agleam of horror shed past Julie¡¯s eyes


    Before she could say something to distract them, Emerence jabbed a finger at her and proimed,¡± Because she messed with


    the brakes!¡±


    Julie stammered as she spoke, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡¯ | didn¡¯t even know there was a problem with the brakes!¡±


    ¡°Hmph Emerence snorted with disdain. ¡°You went running to Madam as soon as you saw Ms. Sherry taking Ms Caprice with her


    If it weren¡¯t for you, Madam would not have been as agitated as she was and tried to chase after Ms. Fowler herself! It was you


    who orchestrated the entire thing. You tampered with the brake ahead of time!¡±


    4


    Julie protested. ¡°What do you mean | orchestrated the entire thing? How was | supposed to know that Sherry would take Caprice


    with her?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know why Ms. Fowler took Ms. Caprice away, but one thing | am sure of is that you were behind it in one way or another!


    If | had to guess, you already saw iting from a mile away. That''s why you told Mia to keep an eye on Sherry and wait until


    she made her move so she can go to Madam. You encouraged her to get into the car and chase after Ms. Fowler, the same car


    that you tampered with!¡±


    Julie''s eyes were filled with shock. She looked at Emerence and seemed utterly offended by these usations. ¡°Aunt Emerence,


    how are you so sure that | did it? Do you have any proof?¡±


    Emerence frowned.


    Julie smirked coyly


    That was when another voice suddenly interjected. It was the cold, bitter voice of John. ¡°Bring Mia in here. I¡¯m going to talk to


    her.


    They all turned toward the entrance.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Two of the bodyguards promptly brought Mia into the room as soon as the order was given.


    Julie shot a look at Mia.


    Mia was trembling all over Trickles of cold sweat streamed endlessly down her forehead, and she hardly dared to look anyone in


    the eye.


    Zip!


    One of the men tore the tape off her mouth and grabbed her by the chin, forcing her to face John.


    John bore his terrifying presence upon her ¡°What has she been telling you to do all this time?¡±


    Mia¡¯s voice was quivering. ¡°No... no, Ms. Julie has only ever entrusted basic housework to me. She¡¯s never asked me to do


    anything else.¡±


    Julie heaved a silent sigh of relief.


    However, it was too early for her to rx Immediately after that, John spoke again. He addressed Mia like she was an entirely


    inconsequential, insignificant being, ¡°You''re from nchester, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Mia could not tell where this was headed, so she murmured weakly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your parents and rtives live in nchester as well.¡±


    Mia was getting nervous now. ¡°Yes.¡±


    John smiled at this point. It was a cial, terrifying smile and he went on, ¡°I can make their lives hell on


    earth if | want to


    Mia caught on immediately and grew frantic. She pleaded desperately, ¡°Please don¡¯t do it! Young Master Stockton, | beg you,


    don¡¯t involve them in this! They are justmon folks!¡±


    John peered into her eyes and assured her, ¡°All | need is for you to be honest and tell me what dirty work Julie had you do for


    her, then I promise that | won''t touch your family and rtives Who knows? | might even spare you entirely if you behave ¡±


    This was a game changer for Mia, and she seemed to consider it.


    Julie suddenly cried out, ¡°Mia, I¡¯ve never asked you to do anything for me. Don¡¯t you dare lie-¡±


    ¡°Shut her up,¡± John cut off her sentence and ordered irritably.


    His bodyguards sprung to the task immediately. They held Julie down and pped duct tape over her mouth the same way they


    did to Mia when she entered.


    All that came out of Julie¡¯s mouth were desperate, muffled cries. There was a definitive look of horror in her eyes.

 Chapter 1627

    Chapter 1627


    Chapter 1627


    John turned to Mia. ¡°Tell me, what did she make you do?¡±


    Mia swiped a nce at Julie, then turned back to John with an unnerved look ¡°Master Stockton, would you promise to noty a


    finger on my family if | told you everything?¡±


    John agreed, ¡°I promise to not hurt your family.


    Mia took a deep breath and began her confession, ¡°Madam has made me do many things for her that | can¡¯t even keep count of


    Those pictures of you that you see in the secret room and those wax figures? | was the one who made them for her.¡±


    John frowned. ¡°What did she have you do for her recently?¡±


    Recently?


    Mia racked her mind and began spilling her secrets, ¡°After you took Ms. Fowler back home, she has been trying toe up with


    some ways to get Ms. Fowler to leave you for good At first, she went about it by trying to sow conflict between Ms. Fowler and


    Madam Stockton, hoping that Madam Stockton would get upset with her and try to boot her out of the house. At one point, Ms.


    Julie found out about it and gave her a stern lecture.¡±


    ¡°It was around that time when | began noticing that you two haven''t been sleeping together, and so | informed her about it. That


    was when she began to have me spy on you two now and then until this one time when Ms. Fowler got drunk and slept over at


    your room. When she found out about it, she got so frantic that she forgot to lock the secret room because she was in such a


    hurry, and that was how Madam Stockton found out about the existence of the room.¡±


    ¡°Madam Stockton wanted to find her a new husband so that she wouldn''t have to stay here all the time, but she didn¡¯t want to be


    away from you, so she began plotting...¡±


    John frowned menacingly. ¡°How did she do it?¡±


    Mia¡¯s voice was trembling. ¡°It was that time when you went on a business trip and were away for a few days. When she found


    out that Ms. Fowler was taking Miss Caprice to the park, she had me tip off Master Mason and arrange a coincidental meeting


    between the two. While they were are the park, | took pictures of them together | also heard about them making ns to go out


    for dinner. You know what happened after that...¡±


    The ceiling lights above cast a harsh, brilliant glow on the man¡¯s face. Despite that, it could not erase the heavy gloom on his


    face.


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Emerence were equally surprised by the confession.


    For a moment, nothing but silence lingered in the air around them.


    John¡¯s voice broke the hefty silence, ¡°Continue.¡±


    There was no going back at this point.


    Mia decided to spill everything she knew. She hoped that the man would not cause trouble for her family, and if possible, for her


    to receive forgiveness as well.


    ¡°It was the night when Ms. Fowler and Master Mason had dinner and you took Ms. Fowler back home. | was hiding in the


    courtyard the entire time spying on you two, then | went to tell Ms. Julie about your argument with Ms. Fowler. After she found


    out about what went down, she deduced that Ms. Fowler was going to take Miss Caprice away and sent me back to hiding in the


    courtyard before the break of dawn. Just as she suspected, | did see Ms. Fowler sneaking out with Miss Caprice away, and |


    immediately toldThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    her what I saw Shortly after that well, the car ident happened¡±


    John looked at her pointedly and asked sharply, ¡°Was it her who messed with the brakes?¡±


    Mia threw a fleeting nce at Julie who was pinned to the ground,pletely harmless in her current state since she was at


    John¡¯s mercy She gulped and confessed, ¡°She got a professional hitman to do the job.¡±


    A thick, looming silence consumed the room.


    John¡¯s murderous gaze cast itself over Julie.


    He was surprised by the amount of self restraint he disyed at this moment. In his mind, he had already. delivered a swift,


    furious kick to her head.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Julie could feel the sheer intensity of John¡¯s gaze. She recoiled and instantly burst into tears.


    Madam Stockton grimaced and sighed.


    Queenie wore a tight frown the entire time. She was filled with equal shock and disbelief! She waspletely oblivious to all the


    nasty things Julie had done to their family. Even Sherry¡¯s attempt of running away with Caprice was part of the wretched


    woman''s scheme!


    The air inside the room was nothing short of suffocating.


    John looked at Julie, then turned to Mia again. His voice was chilling. ¡°Is there anything else you want to tell me?¡±


    Mia suddenly recalled something and quickly informed, ¡°One more thing, the reason she came here just now was that she


    wanted to take Madam Stockton off life support to finish her off for good. She even hired several hitmen and told them to have


    Ms. Fowler assassinated!¡±


    John¡¯s pupils instantly widened upon hearing this., ¡°What did you say?! Who did you say she was going to assassinate?¡±


    Mia recoiled from the man¡¯s sudden outburst and whimpered in fright. ¡°She told them to burn... to burn. the house you had Ms.


    Fowler locked up in. She wants Ms. Fowler burned to death in the house...¡±

 Chapter 1628

    Chapter 1628


    Chapter 1628


    John sensed something disastrous had happened, so he quickly pulled the phone out of his pocket


    His phone just happened to ring as soon as he pulled it out. It was a call from his bodyguards entrusted to keep an eye on


    Sherry


    The tips of his finger trembled as he answered the call


    The bodyguard¡¯s voice sounded incredibly anxious, and John already knew what this was going to be about ¡°Master Stockton,


    this isn¡¯t good! There¡¯s a forest fire! It spread way too fast for us to react. The entire house is burning now!


    John asked frantically, ¡°Where is Sherry? Tell me where she is right now!¡±


    The bodyguard¡¯s voice was quivering, ¡°Ms. Fowler is inside the house, but the fire is too big The entire forest is burning by this


    point. We can¡¯t get in there to save her!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you can''t get inside?! Can¡¯t you run in through the garden?!¡±


    ¡°We tried to rescue her, but the water source is cut off and the area around the water tank is burning, so


    we can''t fix the water pipe connection. Without water, there¡¯s no way we can get inside! The living room is burning. We can¡¯t


    charge inside even if we wanted to!¡± The bodyguard cried out with desperation in his voice, ¡°Master Stockton, we tried everything


    we could. One of our men tried to go inside and ended up burning his arm. We would''ve all burned to death if we didn¡¯t manage


    to get into the car and drive out of


    the area in time.¡±


    John snapped.


    It was as if his soul had been pulled out of his body, and he stood still like a totem for a while.


    He quickly pulled himself out of this state and roared from the depths of his being. He was going to lose his mind. ¡°Call the police


    right now! Call the fire department! Get her out of there no matter what!¡±


    The bodyguard responded immediately, ¡°We already called the police, and the fire department should be here soon.¡±


    John hung up. He looked at Julie with murder in his eyes.


    Julie trembled all over and whimpered with fright. Her eyes were drenched in tears, she looked weak and


    vulnerable.


    No words could describe the demonic look on John¡¯s face.


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Emerence were huddled tightly together as well and did not dare utter a


    word. Mia did not budge from her spot the entire time.


    Thwap!


    John dashed up to Julie and delivered a powerful kick to the side of her face, sending her flying off to the


    sideUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She rolled several times on the ground before hitting the foot of the bed anding to a stop.


    She cried her eyes out from a mixture of the pain after having been kicked and from seeing the look filled with contempt on


    John¡¯s face.


    John roared, ¡°If anything happens to Sherry, I''ll kill you myself!¡±


    With that, he stormed out of the room.


    Agiant patch of forest was engulfed in mes like a bonfire Even the sky above was illuminated by its deep orange glow


    Some distance from the house, Carl had just dragged Sherry out of an underground hole, and they crept their way along the


    edges of the forest. He carried Sherry into the car and let her slump into the seat.


    Then, he quickly got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the engine.


    ¡°Damn, | got here just in time What''s with the sudden forest fire?¡± Carl muttered to himself while he stepped hard on the gas


    pedal.


    Sherry looked in the direction of the house. Her vision was blurry, but she could make out the giant mes.


    Terrible licks of mes hadpletely devoured the house.


    If Carl had arrived several minuteste, she would have been reduced to ashes.


    She suddenly recalled how John had the bodyguards cut off the water source from the house The irony of the situation stung like


    a needle, and she could not help but chuckle bitterly.


    Carl asked in a confused voice, ¡°Sherry, what are youughing about?¡±


    Sherry shook her head and brushed him off. ¡°Nothing.


    She had assumed that the man had only wanted to let her continuously suffer inside the house without end. Never in her wildest


    imagination would she have foreseen him wanting to have her burned to death.


    How very heartless.


    This opened her eyes for good. She told herself that she would never be foolish enough to think John still had a trace of affection


    for her.


    Carl nced at her face through the rearview mirror and took a deep, tired breath. The car picked up speed again.


    The two did not speak and let the silence hover in the car like a thick mist.

 Chapter 1629

    Chapter 1629


    Sherry stared at the passing scenery outside the window and broke the silence atst, ¡°Carl, | thought you went back to


    Coastrock. Why are you here and how did you know | was here?¡±


    Carl smacked his lips and answered, ¡°You just suddenly disappeared for so many days. Even your assistant could not get in


    touch with you. That made me curious and worried, so | decided to investigate what was going on. You might have mercilessly


    dumped me, but | will always remember what you''ve done for me, so | came back for you.¡±


    He continued to drive and suddenly mentioned, ¡°As for how | found you, well, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m smarter than | look.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Sherry chuckled.


    Carl rxed when he saw how he had made Sherryugh, then he said, ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t so hard actually. | heard about Madam


    Stockton getting into an ident and figured that you had to be involved somehow, so | went from there and figured out that


    John must have had you locked up again. | did some digging and got a list of all the properties he owned and went through them


    one by one until | found you atst.¡±


    After that, he began boring an underground tunnel to get her out of there.


    Things happened to work out for them since he managed to rescue her just as the forest fire started. Fortunately, he came just in


    time.


    Sherry¡¯s lips quivered. She muttered softly. ¡°Thank you, Carl.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal with me. Besides, you¡¯ve helped me out many times too.¡±


    Sherry tucked her lips and stayed silent.


    After a while, the car finally drove out of the forest. From the rearview mirror, Carl noticed that the mes. were no longer as


    bright as it was.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry suddenly asked, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°Where else? The hospital, of course.¡±


    Sherry looked terrible and in need of immediate medical assistance. Even the sheer sight of her filled Carl with sympathy.


    Sherry frowned and objected, ¡°No.¡±


    Carl pretended to not hear her objection and continued driving.


    Sherry insisted, ¡°I want to go back to Coastrock. Take me back to Coastrock first, then we can worry about going to a hospital.¡±


    Carl frowned. ¡°Are you sure you can hang on until we get to Coastroack?¡±


    Sherry grinned confidently. ¡°Of course, | can. Who do you think | am?¡±


    Carl knew that he had to take her to a hospital. Suddenly, another thought urred to her, ¡°What about Caprice? Are you just


    going to leave her behind?¡±


    As Sherry gnashed her teeth, the sheer remembrance of her daughter evoked a bitter taste in her mouth. She made her


    decision. ¡°No.¡±


    She was going topletely sever ties with John. He would take good care of Caprice for her. One thing. she knew for sure was


    that John would give their daughter a good life. She hoped that at her young age, Caprice woulde to forget about her


    eventually.


    She decided that she would just forget about ever having a daughter. Hopefully, Caprice would forget about her mother as well.


    With that, she shut her eyes and tuned off the world.


    Carl took a deep breath and continued driving steadily down the road.


    He passed a forked road, and immediately after he swerved into the left junction, another car came rolling in from the opposite


    direction on the right junction. The car was headed to where Carl came from, toward the dull spot of me shining through the


    thicket of trees that was slightly visible from a distance.


    Inside the car was a man seated by himself in the backseat. He peered through his gold-rimmed sses and observed the fire in


    the distance that was growingrger as they drew closer.


    Shortly after, they were stopped by a brigade of firefighters.


    The driver stopped the car.


    John pushed the door open and strode outside.


    There was a crew of firefighters in the middle of the road. They were stationed there to stop people from heading toward the


    center of the forest fire.


    One of them recognized John and informed him courteously when he approached, ¡°Master Stockton, there''s a forest fire on the


    other end there. We are keeping the situation under control. Still, it¡¯s very dangerous for you to be here, so please head back.¡±


    John barely heard him. He was staring at the giant spout of me devouring everything in its path.


    The house where Sherry was locked up waspletely engulfed in its brilliant radiance. He could hardly make out the shape of


    the house. The only thing that could be seen was a giant sprout of infernal, hungry


    ze.


    There was no saving the house. There was not a chance that a single being could evere out of the hellscape alive!


    His gold-rimmed sses reflected the glow of the fire. Tears slowly swelled in his eyes, he stood stiff as


    a totem.


    After what seemed like forever, a voice echoed in his ears again, but he could not make out the sentence. It was the firefighters


    urging him to leave.


    Without any warning, his legs gave out and he dropped to his knee as if he had been hit by a bullet. He crouched over with his


    hands pressing over his chest. There was a painful throb in his heart.

 Chapter 1630

    Chapter 1630


    The fire raged on for the entire day. If not for the miraculous rain, it might have consumed the entire forest. s, the rain put an


    end to it.


    What was once a beautiful disy of nature, an endless stretch of lush and thick nkets of greenery were now burned away,


    leaving behind onlyrge and gray husks of tree trunks and piles of ashes nketing the ground.


    It was still drizzling.


    The firefighters made onest final round of the area as unauthorized vehicles were still not granted entry into the sectioned ring.


    A tall figure of a man stood directly in front of the barrier, overlooking the burned remnants of the forest. In just one day, he


    looked like he had lost a considerable amount of weight. He seemed frail and defeated.


    A pair of empty eyes concealed behind the lens of his sses stared nkly at nothing in particr.


    After a lengthy investigation, several firefighters stepped out from amidst the smoldering forest and approached the barrier..


    One of the firefighters, who appeared to be the chief, turned to John and informed regretfully, ¡°Master Stockton, we found your


    house.¡±


    John turned to him, his eyes were bloodshot.


    The chief firefighter expressed with remorse, ¡°The house waspletely burned down. We were not able to salvage anything.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked, his voice raspy.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The chief firefighter hesitated to form a reply.


    John suddenly stepped up to him and seized him by his shoulders. He was rattled and itching for a resolution of any kind.


    ¡°Where is she? Did you find her?¡±


    The chief firefighter seemed puzzled by this question. ¡°Do you mean someone was residing in the house? When we went inside,


    we only saw piles of burned furniture. There were no signs of a burned corpse anywhere.¡±


    No bodies?


    She was gone the entire time? Did she manage to slip away?


    John¡¯s eyes glowed with a faint trace of hope. He pushed the chief firefighter away and quickly marched into the smoldering


    forest since he knew where the house was.


    Several bodyguards who managed to escape from the burning housest night joined him.


    It took a second for the chief firefighter to register what John was up to. He recovered from his shock. and hurriedly turned to his


    crew. ¡°Follow me. We''re going in back there for a second look!¡±


    Deep in the forest was the burned wreckage of what was once a vi.


    Despite the raging fire, the bare-bones structure of the vi managed to remain intact. At the very least, one could recognize a


    faint shadow of what was once a well-built vi situated here.


    Since the weeds were plucked out of the garden, there was not much damage caused by the fire because there was not much


    fuel for the fire to spread.


    John trampled through the garden and walked into what was once the living room.


    Sherry only ever spent time inside the living room. Judging by the poor state she was in, there was not a chance of her having


    gone upstairs since she was too weak to make the climb.


    John knelt on the ground and began shoveling with his hands, prying away scraps of burned wood and rubble.


    Every time he shoveled piles of rubble, he would be filled with nerves and tension, afraid to discover a burned body buried


    underneath. Fortunately, he did not chance upon such a horrifying sight.


    He went through every corner of the living room and dug out everything he could.


    The bodyguards that came with him helped him search as well. Despite their best efforts, they were not able to make any


    discoveries.


    After some time passed, several firefighters emerged from the other sections of the house.


    The chief firefighter reported, ¡°Master Stockton, we searched over this section of the house and can¡¯t find anything as well. Are


    you sure that there was someone inside this house when the fire broke out?¡±


    John grimaced, but there was now a spark in his eyes. He barely heard what the chief firefighter asked. him. The only part he


    heard was the mention of there being no bodies found.


    He had rummaged through the entire living room as well.


    Could it be that Sherry was still alive?


    The crew of firefighters observed the abashed look in his eyes, then they turned to the bodyguards and exchanged a confused


    look.


    The bodyguards however hung their heads low.


    The fire had spread so fastst night that they only barely managed to make their escape.


    Sherry did not have a car and was in such a poor state that they doubt she could even walk half a mile. Even if she managed to


    escape from the burning building, the odds that she could make it out of the forest were next to nil.


    She must have been toast.

 Chapter 1631

    Chapter 1631


    Chapter 1631


    None of them dared to voice what was on their mind for fear of offending John.


    After a while, the chief firefighter spoke up, ¡°Young Master Stockton, if there was someone residing inside the house when the


    fire broke out, then | suggest that we carefully search the surrounding area.¡±


    The glimmer of hope in John¡¯s eyes immediately faded away again when this suggestion was brought to him.


    The chief firefighter did not make any further suggestions, and he went off on the mission with his men. Meanwhile, John¡¯s crew


    of bodyguards stood next to him and observed him cautiously, waiting for his


    next move.


    John stood there for a long time, then he suddenly peered at them and ordered in a hoarse and weak voice, ¡°You guys go with


    them and search the area.¡±


    They did as they were told and went off.


    John was left by himself. The only thing heard in the forest was the pattering of rain.


    His legs were getting tired, so he decided to kneel on the ground, his feet stamping the piles of ashes.


    His usual grace, elegance, and dignity had long departed him. He was no longer his former self and had instead fallen into a


    metaphorical abyss. His clothes were covered in dirt and dust, and even his face was marked with dirty spots that he could not


    be bothered to clean off.


    He sagged his head weakly and sat motionlessly.


    He remained in that position for an eternity and only made a movement when the phone in his pocket rang.


    He took out his phone.


    The disy showed that it was Caprice calling. He had her number saved as Darling Caprice.


    He had bought a digital watch with mobile phone functionalities for Caprice some time ago, but this was the first time she had put


    it to use. It made sense considering he was always by her side so she had never had to use it.


    This was the very first time she called his number.


    His finger lingered over the disy, and he then answered the call atst.


    Caprice¡¯s sweet voice sounded like the tweeting of a bird. ¡°Daddy, where are you? Are youing home. yet?¡±


    Arung of voice that did not sound like himself crawled up his throat. ¡°Daddy is outside, | have some work. to do.¡±


    Caprice did not sound pleased, she expressed sadly, ¡°But | miss you.¡±


    John shut his eyes.


    Heposed his state of mind and said softly, ¡°Be a good girl honey, stay at home with your grandma and aunt, you can y


    with them. Daddy will be home after he¡¯s finished with work.¡±


    Caprice remained silent.


    Suddenly, Queenie¡¯s voice joined in. ¡°Brother, Caprice has been crying a lot because she misses you. She insists on wanting to


    see you. We couldn''t distract her no matter what we tried, | think you shoulde


    back at least for a while.¡±


    John frowned.


    Queenie added gingerly, ¡°One more thing. You asked me to contact Officer Emmanuel this afternoon so | called him over. We


    told him everything about what Julie did to Mom, including her hiring hitmen to take out Sherry. He told us that the nature of this


    case is veryplicated and it¡¯s better that he has a talk with you. He¡¯s still at our home now collecting statements from Mom. |


    think you shoulde back and talk to him.¡±


    John finally agreed. ¡°Alright, keep an eye on Caprice, I''ll be right back.¡±


    With that, he put away his mobile phone and pulled himself off the gourd.


    As he walked back to his car, he passed by one of his bodyguards and promptly gave an order, ¡°Give me a report every ten


    minutes.¡±


    With that, he headed back to his car.


    It was a twenty-minute¡¯s drive back home.


    Both Julie and Mia had been taken to the police station.


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, Caprice, and Emmanuel were the only ones at home.


    The car stopped right in front of Madam Stockton¡¯s courtyard.


    As soon as John stepped out of the car, he noticed a tiny figure dressed in white rushing out of the house.


    The girl suddenly stopped running and took a second look at the figure that had emerged from the car and suddenly seemed


    unsure of herself.


    She almost could not recognize John.


    After taking a second closer look, she bolted toward John again and threw herself in his arms and cried out, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Her soft and gentle voice was exactly what John needed on a cold, rainy night such as this one. It filled him with a sense of


    warmth.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    He smiled weakly and took the child into his arms.


    Caprice wrapped her arms around his neck, then she began running her tiny palms all over John like she was trying to make


    sure that her father was not an apparition. She brushed the dirt and dust on John¡¯s face and asked, ¡°Daddy, why are you so


    dirty?¡±

 Chapter 1632

    Chapter 1632


    Chapter 1632


    John came up with something on the spot. ¡°Daddy went for a site inspection, it was a very dusty ce. and it got all over Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Caprice bought the story without any suspicion. She pressed her cheeks against John¡¯s, ignoring the spots of dirt all over


    his face.


    Shortly after that, John walked into the living room with Caprice in his arms.


    Madam Stockton and Officer Emmanuel were sitting on the couch talking. Queenie sat silently next to them.


    When John showed up, they quickly rose and greeted him.


    Both Madam Stockton and Queenie were startled by the haggard state John was in.


    Officer Emmanuel was simrly taken aback to see him in such a poor state.


    This was nothing like the John they always knew. What happened to his usual suave and careful preservation of image?


    Officer Emmanuel knew better than to be disrespectful and greeted John as if nothing had happened, Young Master Stockton,


    good evening.¡±


    John nodded.


    Achair was brought to them.


    John sat on the chair with Caprice clinging to him.


    Officer Emmanuel went right to the heart of the topic. ¡°Young Master Stockton, Madam Stockton has told me about what Julie


    has done, and that¡¯s including her attempt on her life as well as Mrs. Sherry¡¯s. | heard she burned down one of your properties as


    well. We have arrested both Julie and her suspected aplice Mia. Is there any other information you can provide us?¡±


    John spoke while gently patting Caprice¡¯s head, his voice was filled with ice, ¡°Julie messed with the brakes and directly caused


    my mother¡¯s ident. Then she hired someone to set fire to my house to try to take out Sherry. Considering all these crimes


    she¡¯s guilty of, do you think the death sentence would be possible?¡±


    Officer Emmanuel was taken aback by this.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie were simrly shocked.


    They did not expect John to ask for the death sentence.


    Although they did not deny that Julie deserved a harsh punishment, they never wanted to see her executed.


    Despite their astonishment, they could tell by just one nce that John fully meant what he said. They did not try to object to his


    sentiment.


    They did not ask, but they assumed that Sherry must have passed.


    Office Emmanuel exined, ¡°She hasmitted a series of serious crimes and the situation isn¡¯t looking very optimistic for her.


    If you hire a goodwyer and prosecute her aggressively, | do think that the court might give her a death sentence.¡±


    John nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°One more thing.¡± Office Emmanuel wanted to continue, but then he looked hesitantly at Caprice. After making sure that Caprice


    had already dozed off on John¡¯s shoulder, he wagered that it was safe to continue. ¡°Is the fire put out yet?¡±


    John replied curtly, ¡°Yes.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And Mrs. Sherry... did you manage to find her?¡±


    There was a spark in John¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, she¡¯s not in the house.¡±


    ¡°Did you find her in the surrounding area?¡±


    John frowned, his voice deepened. ¡°We''re still searching.¡±


    Office Emmanuel understood quickly and supplied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send my men to help out with the search. as well.¡±


    John stayed silent.


    Office Emmanuel wrapped things up. ¡°Take care, I''ll let you know first thing if we have any discoveries.¡± John nodded.


    ¡°I''ll be heading back to the station to sort out the rest of the details, see you.¡± Office Emmanuel rose from


    his seat.


    John turned to Queenie, there was an unmistakable tint of exhaustion in his voice when he spoke,¡± Queenie, please see Office


    Emmanuel out of the house.¡±


    Queenie hurriedly rose and walked Office Emmanuel out.


    Alooming silence descended upon the living room again.


    John sat unmoving with his arms around Caprice with a thousand-yard stare in front of him.


    Madam Stockton looked at him worriedly. ¡°John, have you slept or eaten anything at all?¡±


    ¡°I''ll be fine.¡± John turned to her. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Madam Stockton assured him. ¡®I''ll be fine as well. The doctor told me that I¡¯ll be up and walking in no time after some physical


    therapy and rest.¡±


    John nodded.


    An ufortable silence hung over them again.


    Madam Stockton turned to Emerence and gave a signal.


    Emerence promptly stepped into the kitchen.


    She returned shortly after with a tray of food.


    Madam Stockton turned to John and implored. ¡°John, please eat something.¡±

 Chapter 1633

    Chapter 1633


    Chapter 1633


    John cast a nce at Caprice who was now sleeping soundly and stated firmly, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°You have to eat something even if you¡¯re not hungry. You¡¯re the only one Caprice has left, you can¡¯t be irresponsible and risk


    your health.¡±


    John objected with a frown. ¡°She still has her Mom.¡±


    As long as Sherry¡¯s body was not found, there was still a sliver of hope that she was still alive!


    There was plenty of evidence of her having an iron will for survival. She had survived Shannon¡¯s attempt on her life three years


    ago. Who was to say that she did not manage to slip away from the burning house. just in time?


    Madam Stockton felt a sharp sting in her nose and nearly teared up. She held herself back and tried to persuade John again. ¡°If


    she¡¯s still alive, then all the more reason for you to eat! You have to recover your strength to continue searching for her.¡±


    John yielded a little. ¡°Leave it there, I¡¯ll eat in a bit.¡±


    He had no appetite yet.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright, | understand.¡± Madam Stockton was d that at least John promised to eat, so she turned to Emerence.


    Emerence proceeded to put the food on the dining table and covered it.


    They sat silently in the living room.


    At one point, John¡¯s phone rang again.


    He quickly answered the call, ¡°What is it? Any update?¡±


    The head bodyguard informed, ¡°We searched the perimeter of the house and couldn¡¯t find any signs of Mrs. Sherry. We''ll expand


    the ring and continue looking.¡±


    John was relieved to hear this, even the tension on his brows eased a little. ¡°Alright, continue giving me an update every ten


    minutes.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With that, he put away his phone.


    He rose from the couch with Caprice and went to the dining table.


    He continued bncing Caprice with one arm while he picked up a spoon with his free hand and forced himself to eat


    something.


    Emerence stood watchfully nearby and shed a faint,forting smile toward Madam Stockton.


    Madam Stockton had happy tears in the corner of her eye and was smiling as well.


    There was a tiny chance that Sherry was alive, but they all hinged their hopes on that tiny chance.


    Madam Stockton med herself for all of this. If she had not objected to Sherry and John being together all those years ago,


    their rtionship would not have been as turbulent as it turned out to be. Perhaps things would have turned out much better.


    She should not have let herself be fooled by Julie for all these years. She had never even suspected of Julie being such a


    wretched and cunning person. She waspletely blindsided. She should have never slighted Sherry just because of the


    circumstances Sherry was born in.


    Coastrock.


    Spring had just rolled around, and there was aforting warmth in the air.


    Coastrock was not as much of a metropolis as nchester, but what itcked in modernity it more than made up for it in the


    department of vast nature and greenery.


    Carl and Sherrynded in Coastrock in the private jet. A doctor joined them on their flight and tended to Sherry¡¯s wound as best


    as he could. As soon as they stepped off the ne, she was rushed to the hospital at first notice and was cared for by a crew of


    doctors with the best medical facilities avable in the city.


    They conducted a full body check on her and were very thorough. All of her wounds were disinfected and bandaged properly.


    Due to the severity of her injuries and umted malnutrition, she was sent to the emergency room for treatment. After the


    procedures werepleted, she was sent to the best private ward avable.


    She was going to have to rest here for quite a while.


    At the moment, she was sitting next to the window.


    From the window, she had a wonderful view of the sea. The windows were open and she could feel the chilly sea breeze.


    She felt safe andfortable.


    Creak.


    The door leading into the ward was gently pushed open.


    Sherry turned to see who had entered.


    Carl walked into the room, suave as always. He was wearing a Persian blue shirt with a pair of sunsses propped over his


    head.


    He met Sherry¡¯s eyes and smiled warmly, even cocking his eyebrows yfully.


    ¡°Sherry, it¡¯s been a while, did you miss me?¡± He drew closer to Sherry and revealed a box of food that he bought for her.


    Sherry answered nkly, ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s only been an hour.¡±


    Carl clicked his tongue and jested. ¡°Oh,e on. Lighten up, will you?¡±


    He set the box of food on a side table and gestured. ¡°Eat while it¡¯s hot, | had to wait in line for half an hour to buy this for you.¡±

 Chapter 1634

    Chapter 1634


    Chapter 1634


    The contents of the lunch box produced an aromatic smell that managed to seep out of it while remaining closed.


    For some reason she could not quite put her finger on it, Sherry could not find the appetite to eat although she would have killed


    for even a bite of food several days ago.


    Upon noticing her reluctance, Carl assumed that she was too tired to even open the box. He diligently pried off the lid for her.


    It was a delicately packed lunch box with a wide assortment of dishes ranging from braised chicken feet, pork belly, chicken


    wings, and more delicacies.


    Marbles of fat glistened underneath the light, demanding to be eaten while it was still hot.


    Sherry nced at the food with a nk expression and hesitated to make a move.


    Carl frowned and tried to hide his discontent. ¡°What¡¯s with that look? | waited in line for half an hour to buy this for you. Won''t you


    have a bite?¡±


    Sherry nodded weakly and grunted.


    Carl remained silent.


    His expression darkened for a slight moment as he shifted his hand toward the box and looked like he was going to take it away.


    Sherry suddenly reached for the stic glove that came with the lunch box.


    Carl stuttered.


    He watched as Sherry picked up a piece of pork rib and took a bite out of it.


    His expression softened, and he slid a chair across Sherry and remarked with a smile, ¡°What, | thought you didn¡¯t want to eat?¡±


    Sherry answered curtly, ¡°I don¡¯t want the food to go to waste.¡±


    She of all people would know why one should not waste food.


    God knew how desperately she craved food when she was locked up in that house.


    Carl remarked sarcastically, ¡°Sherry, you sure are hard to take care of, you know that?¡±


    Sherry ignored his sarcastic remark.


    She was not in the mood to banter with the man as she was hardly in the mood to talk at all.


    Carl immediately sensed her darkening mood and let it slide. ¡°You know what, I''ll tolerate you just this one time.¡±


    nchester.


    Morning came, the rain stopped atst and the sun rose above the horizon.


    The forest fire had stopped, but the damage it caused waspletely irreparable.


    Even with the sunshine cast over thend, the burned forest looked as deste and depressing as ever. After searching all


    night, the bodyguards were exhausted. They copsed on the ground and fell asleep then and there.


    Deep inside the woods, a crew of firefighters and Officer Emmanuel¡¯s men were still keeping the search operation going.


    There was a silver car parked next to the road leading to the site.


    Inside the car, Caprice had just woken up. She crawled over John¡¯s shoulder and gazed out the window, her eyes opened wide


    like a pair of marbles.


    After observing the view for a while, she asked, ¡°Daddy, why are the trees so gray and bald?¡±


    John answered softly, ¡°There¡¯s been a big forest fire here, the trees are all burned down.¡±


    Caprice expressed her sympathy for the trees, ¡°Poor trees.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Caprice suddenly raised a pointed finger and gestured at two nearby firefighters who were searching a nearby area. ¡°Daddy,


    what are those two uncles looking for?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Something dimmed in John¡¯s eyes upon hearing this, he stated, ¡°They¡¯re looking for someone.¡±


    ¡°Who are they looking for?¡±


    ¡°A missing person.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Caprice had her curiosity sated for now.


    However, it did not take long before she became bored again.


    She tugged at John¡¯s clothes. ¡°Daddy, | want to see the burned trees.¡±


    John grunted and pushed the door open. He then stepped out of the car with Caprice in his arms.


    The ground was covered in charred leaves and branches, it was not safe for a child to walk around. He took Caprice to a path


    the firefighters cleared for them.


    The girl paddled along the path while staring at the burned remains of what was once a lush forest along both sides of the path.


    Before they knew it, they had walked a fair distance and approached the lifeless husk of a burned house.


    Caprice gasped like Christopher Columbus discovering the new world and eximed while pointing at the house, ¡°Daddy, look! A


    house!¡¯


    John grunted weakly.


    Caprice investigated and remarked with a frown, ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s burned down.¡±


    John stayed silent.


    Caprice led him toward the house.

 Chapter 1635

    Chapter 1635


    Only the supporting pirs of the structure remained standing. John was worried about Caprice wandering in there. What if one


    of these columns copsed just as the child was passing by?


    He suddenly came to a stop.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice was leading him by his hand and stopped as well. She turned back to her father with a confused expression.


    John spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s not safe, we can¡¯t get closer, let''s just stand here and watch from a distance.¡±


    Caprice was slightly disappointed to hear this, but she was a very well-mannered child and did as she was told.


    Still, her childlike curiosity had to be sated somehow. She did not want to stay here and watch.


    She had John take her for ap around the burned house where they could continue surveying the structure from different


    angles.


    She curiously observed the structure as they walked.


    John was very patient and followed her on the walk. He wondered what spurred the child¡¯s curiosity. The house was ratherrge,


    so it took them some time to wrap around the house.


    Eventually, they reached the back of the house.


    John had not investigated this area yet, so he cast a vignt look around him in hopes of finding some new clues.


    While he was looking elsewhere, Caprice suddenly sunk into the ground. Fortunately, she was still leading. John by his hand.


    She shrieked as she fell.


    John was jolted by this and quickly clenched tightly onto Caprice¡¯s hand and tugged as hard as he could, flinging the child back


    into his arms.


    rge pit where Caprice was standing was revealed.


    The pit was previously covered by stacks of burned leaves and branches.


    It was a somewhatrge pit.


    John¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Daddy, why is there a hole here?¡± Caprice gazed down at the pit and asked.


    An underground hole?


    John¡¯s eyes widened with shock. He quickly turned around and located where Jason was and called out urgently, ¡°Jason, tell


    those police officers to get over here right now!¡±


    Jason sprang to action immediately. He turned and ran deep into the woods where the officers werest sighted.


    Roughly ten minutester, the burned leaves and branches blockading the underground hole were dug out.


    It was soon revealed that the underground hole led toward the house.


    The policemen were astonished by this discovery.


    Judging by the massive grin on John¡¯s face, he was especially ecstatic about the discovery.


    Caprice pointed at the underground hole and asked, ¡°Daddy, why is there a hole in the ground?¡±


    John answered her question this time, ¡°Someone dug a tunnel leading to the house¡±


    ¡°Why dig a tunnel?¡±


    ¡°This someone was trying to escape from the house.¡±


    Caprice was speechless.


    Two police officers entered the hole.


    John stood by next to the entrance, holding Caprice in his arms so she would not wander off.


    The remaining officers waited patiently for their colleagues to provide an update.


    Shortly after, they heard the shouts of the two officers who entered the tunnel, their voicesing from the other side of the


    house.


    ¡°We reached the house! The tunnel leads to the back end of the garden!¡±


    The officers went toward the voice.


    John followed after with Caprice as well.


    Just as they thought, the tunnel led into the house. There was arge gaping hole behind the house, adjacent to a wall of the


    living room.


    They must have missed it previously because it was covered underneath arge pile of rubble.


    The officers were astonished by this discovery and turned to John.


    Caprice was still very curious about all that was going on as all these discoveries were making her head spin. ¡°Daddy? Why is


    there another hole here? Why are there so many holes around the house?¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°Because this person had to burrow inside this house and go through the tunnel to exit from the other side.¡±


    One of the officers who had just crawled out of the tunnel informed John with pride, ¡°Sir, when we went inside the tunnel, it was


    surprisingly clean. This must mean that this tunnel was very recently dug out. I''d say someone dug it just before the fire broke


    out.¡±


    Another officer spected. ¡°If | had to guess, she got out of the house using this tunnel before the fire broke out.¡±


    ¡°Definitely seems like it. | think she had someone else dig the hole from the other side to rescue her. She probably had someone


    escorting her when she made her escape.¡±


    With that, there was a collective sigh of relief from everyone involved in the operation as they had finally made some headway.


    This exined why they could not find a body anywhere in the forest even after three days and nights of unceasing search. It


    turned out that she had escaped unscathed!

 Chapter 1636

    Chapter 1636


    They all turned to John with congrattory smiles.


    John smiled faintly, then he carried off Caprice and walked away.


    His stride was confident and filled with purpose.


    Caprice gazed at her father, her eyes were filled with question marks.


    Either way, she was d to see her father beaming with joy, even though she could not fully understand. just what it was that


    made her father so happy. She was smiling from ear to ear, revealing a row of milky white teeth underneath.


    John noticed Caprice staring at him and asked, ¡°Caprice, why are you smiling so happily?¡±


    Caprice remarked warmly, ¡°I¡¯m smiling because Daddy is happy.¡±


    John was moved by this. He gently pinched Caprice¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Thank you, honey.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She deserved most of the credit. If it was not for her wanting to explore the house, they would not have stumbled into the


    underground tunnel. Chances were they would still be stuck and left to wander where Sherry had ended up.


    The innocent child was a gift from God.


    Caprice smiled with pride. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Daddy.¡±


    John chuckled, then he picked up his pace.


    He knew that the woman had hurt her head even before the fire broke out, she must be in poor physical condition.


    He had to find her quickly!


    Several dayster.


    At the Stockton vi.


    The weather in the past few days had been quite unpredictable. One moment, the sun was shining brightly above and the next,


    there would be a heavy downpour.


    It was an apt metaphor for the mental state of the people in the house. Their moods rocked back and forth between rtive calm


    and dreadful trepidation from one moment to the next.


    Peter had just parked his car outside the courtyard. He quickly got out and marched urgently into the courtyard.


    Two housemaids happened to be resting outside the house and having a casual chat. As soon as they notice Peter and the


    frantic expression on his face, they quickly ducked around the corner to get out of his way.


    Peter walked straight into the courtyard.


    The two housemaids murmured to each other, ¡°Assistant Peter looks very nervous, do you think it¡¯s something to do with Mrs.


    Sherry?¡±


    ¡°If | had to guess, it¡¯s because they still haven¡¯t managed to find her.¡±


    The other housemaid remained silent.


    Peter did not hear the two housemaid¡¯s senseless spection. After he marched into the courtyard, he took a deep breath and


    stepped into the living room.


    There was an eerie silence in the air.


    Aman dressed in amon shirt and trousers was sitting on the sofa.


    He had one of his armspped around Caprice who was sleeping soundly and was checking messages on his phone with his


    free hand.


    Upon hearing the sound of footsteps, he immediately turned around to find Peter stepping into the living room. He asked without


    skipping a beat, ¡°Have you found the surveince footage?¡±


    Peter answered in a hushed voice, ¡°No, we couldn''t find anything because the surveince cameras along that stretch of road


    were all damaged by the fire and there was no way to restore the footage. We still don¡¯t have any leads on who drove Mrs.


    Sherry out of that forest.¡±


    Aheavy gloom set upon John¡¯s face. ¡°What about the hospitals?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Peter informed dejectedly. ¡°Just as you have instructed, we went to all the hospitals in nchester and went through their


    records to see if Mrs. Sherry was admitted to their faculty around the time the fire broke out. We couldn''t find any clues


    whatsoever.


    ¡°My men went through the surveince camera footage of the hospitals as well. It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s sighted in any of these


    hospitals. | think there¡¯s a strong chance that she¡¯s no longer in nchester.¡±


    No longer in nchester?


    John frowned.


    His thoughts went to the mysterious tunnel.


    Who was this mysterious person? How did this person know about his secret hideout in the middle of a forest and managed to


    sneak Sherry out of there without anyone noticing?


    His thoughts went to Odell. Was this the work of Odell and Sylvia? 2


    Coastrock.

 Chapter 1637

    Chapter 1637


    Sherry was still inside the hospital, but her condition had improved significantly. She was doing much betterpared to when


    she had just been admitted to the hospital.


    Her headache was gone and her body hadrgely made her recovery. She could walk around without any


    assistance now.


    The burn on the right arm left behind arge and hideous scar, but she could simply cover it up with a long -sleeved shirt


    At the present, she had just finished handling some work for Sager Corporation.


    She shut off theptop and leaned against the recliner positioned next to the window. She took some time for herself and


    enjoyed the gentle sea breeze.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ding!


    Her phone rang suddenly.


    Her previous phone was confiscated by John and was never returned to her. This was a new phone she bought after arriving at


    Coastrock.


    She changed her number as well and registered a new profile on her social media.


    She had just wrapped her tasks at work, who could this be?


    She turned the phone over and saw a text from Carl.


    It was a voice message. ¡°Hey Sherry, there¡¯s something | need to tell you, it''s about Master Carter from Westchester.¡±


    Master Carter? Odell Carter?


    Sherry replied, ¡°What about Odell? Did something happen to him?¡±


    Carl replied, ¡°He¡¯s doing fine, the thing is he called me two days ago and asked me if | had seen you. | told him | didn¡¯t know


    anything and didn¡¯t tell you yet because | figured you weren¡¯t in a good state of mind back then. Anyway, he just called me again


    and asked the same thing. He said his wife is getting very agitated trying to track down where you are and to tell him if | knew


    about your whereabouts.¡±


    Sherry heaved a sigh of relief upon finding out nothing bad had happened to Odell, then she began to worry.


    She did consider contacting Sylvia when she got herself a new phone, but she had second thoughts when she considered how


    John and Odell were always in contact with each other. Right now, she would rather not have any form of connection tracing


    back to John. She could not risk having the man know that she had made it back to Coastrock. More than anything, she was


    worried he woulde to her to finish the job since she somehow managed to survive the fire.


    She had thought long and hard about it and decided that she would contact Sylvia only after the heat had died down and


    everyone in ncehster was convinced that she had died.


    She did not expect Sylvia to contact Carl not once, but twice.


    It would appear that Sylvia was extremely worried about her.


    She struggled with the idea for a while but atst, she sent a text to Sylvia that read, ¡°It¡¯s me, Syl. I¡¯m alive, don¡¯t worry about


    me.


    Westchester.


    Carter¡¯s household.


    Madam Carter¡¯s condition had been rapidly deteriorating these days. Furthermore, Flint always caused trouble at the


    kindergarten Isabel was not any better in that department either and frequently got into trouble at school. Although Odell and


    Liam would help Sylvia around the house now and then, Odell had his business to worry about and Liam could not risk


    distracting himself from his schoolwork. The end result was that Sylvia found her every waking hour upied by her children.


    A few days ago, when she happened upon the news of the forest fire in nchester, her thoughts immediately went to Sherry.


    She recalled that the Stockton Vi was also located deep within the forest of the region and immediately called Sherry to check


    if she was safe. Besides, she felt guilty because the two have not been in contact for some time.


    To her astonishment, the call would not connect.


    She tried again every few hours for the entire day and yet there was no reply.


    She began to grow anxious and asked Odell to contact John.


    For some reason, John was not picking up his phone either..


    With that, Sylvia asked Odell to send someone to investigate. Soon, they were caught up with the situation John had been


    frantically looking for Sherry for the past few days, and yet there was no new development made in his search.


    Sylvia¡¯s instincts told her that Sherry had to be involved with the forest fire somehow.


    She was deathly afraid that something terrible had happened to Sherry.


    She was so worried that she found herself losing the appetite to eat anything at all.


    On this day, she was holed up in the studio and anxiously staring at her phone, hoping for some news, any news at all.


    Soon, her phone rang.


    She frantically reached for her phone and read the message. It was a line of text from an unknown number that read, ¡°It¡¯s me,


    Syl. I¡¯m alive, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes sparked immediately, she replied, ¡°Sherry, is it really you?¡±


    The reply came immediately as well, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me. It¡¯s not really convenient for me to call you right now and | can¡¯t tell you


    where I¡¯m hiding either, but | just wanted you to know that I¡¯m fine and to not worry.¡±


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and replied, ¡°Alright, all | need to know is that you''re safe.¡±


    Despite that, she could not shake off her restlessness and proceeded to enquire, ¡°Did something happen between you and


    John? | haven¡¯t been able to contact you using your previous number and when | asked Odell to call John, he wouldn¡¯t answer.


    Odell told me that he found out that John has been searching for you for the past few days. There¡¯s also the news that came up


    about the giant forest fire at nchester. You''re not involved with that, are you?¡±

 Chapter 1638

    Chapter 1638


    On the other end of the phone, Sherry frowned uneasily as she read the text she had just received from Sylvia.


    John was looking for her?


    How did he find out that she survived the fire?


    The thought unsettled her. She condensed everything that happened to her in nchester in recent times, starting from the point


    where Madam Stockton got into a tragic car ident and was hospitalized for a long time. She told Sylvia everything that


    happened to her when she was imprisoned by John in his house buried and hidden deep within the forest that waster set on


    fire. Sheid out all her traumatic experiences of how she was starved in the house. She told everything she could.


    Ding!


    Sylvia sent a reply immediately after she read Sherry¡¯s long paragraph, ¡°So you''re saying that he was the one who burned the


    house down? | can¡¯t believe this, he tried to kill you!¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry was still unsure at this point and answered, ¡°I think it¡¯s him.¡±


    Why would a forest fire start out of nowhere otherwise? Someone must have done it and John was the first one on the list since


    no one hated her as much as he did.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°What a heartless, vicious man!¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath and replied, ¡°I was the one who broke his heart nine years ago, he had to go through a lot because of


    me. Even his mother is permanently bedridden because of me, it only makes sense that he¡¯d hate me and want to see me dead.¡±


    Sylvia protested. ¡°What happened to her mother was because of the car ident, what does it have anything to do with you?¡±


    She continued, ¡°And what¡¯s this about breaking his heart nine years ago? What happened back then?¡±


    Sherry was tired of exining and brushed it off. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now, | don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    Sylvia went back to her previous concerns. ¡°How are you doing now? How did you manage to escape? You''re not injured, are


    you?¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°A friend managed to break me out before the fire started, I¡¯m not hurt, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sylvia was relieved to hear this. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good to know.¡±


    Sherry considered for a moment and sent another text, ¡°Hey Syl, promise me you''ll keep the fact that I¡¯m still alive a secret.¡±


    She knew it was a matter of time before John approached Odell.


    Sylvia assured her. ¡°I understand, don¡¯t worry about a thing.¡±


    Sherry grimaced and put down the phone.


    Westchester, Carter¡¯s household.


    Inside Sylvia''s studio located on the third floor.


    She sat by the window and reread the string of exchanges she just had with Sherry and frowned


    unnervingly the entire time as she was feeling incredibly restless.


    John had Sherry locked in the house and went as far as to set fire to the house! How could this be? Did he hate Sherry that


    much?


    She was in disbelief.


    Suddenly, she heard footsteps marching up the stairs.


    She hurriedly put away her phone and turned to see who wasing up.


    In came Flint.


    He was dressed in a panda costume and tumbled through the door with his weight hanging on the door handle. He stared at


    Sylvia with his eyes round and wide.


    The child had been causing a lot of troubletely and received a fair amount of scolding from his mother.


    He was still very cautious about approaching Sylvia and did not dare to step further into the room. All he did was pout by the door


    and try to get Sylvia to lower her guard using his charms.


    Sylvia cocked an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What is it you need, Flint?¡±


    Flint carefully approached her and informed warily, ¡°Mommy, Uncle Stockton, and Sister Caprice are here. Daddy told me to call


    you downstairs.¡±


    John was here with Caprice?


    Something shed across her eyes, and she immediately glowered.


    Flint was frightened by her expression and quickly ran away.


    He was out of sight in no time.


    Sylvia grimaced tightly.


    She took a deep breath andposed herself before heading downstairs.


    Downstairs in the living room, John and Odell were seated on opposite ends of the tea table and were conversing about


    something.


    As soon as Flint bolted downstairs, he went to Isabel and hid behind her.

 Chapter 1639

    Chapter 1639


    Chapter 1639


    Upon realizing that Sylvia was not paying attention to him, Flint slid next to Isabel and yed video games with her.


    Liam sat nearby them and was immersed in a book.


    Caprice sat huddled next to him and propped her head next to his shoulder, her eyes were fixated on the book as well even


    though she did not understand its contents.


    The children seemed to be having a good, harmonious time.


    The messages Sherry had just sent Sylvia were still fresh in her mind. She took another deep breath topose herself again


    before she approached the tea table.


    Odell smiled warmly at her.


    Sylvia sat down next to the empty chair beside him and turned to John.


    John was staring right at her and smiled warmly as a way of greeting.


    Heplimented her, ¡°Mrs. Carter, we haven''t met in two months but it seems to me that you¡¯re younger than when |st saw


    you.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia was not in the mood for this pointless chatter and went straight to the point. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    John noticed her apprehension and immediately broached the subject. ¡°Sherry is missing. | was wondering if you¡¯ve been in


    contact with her recently?¡±


    Did hee here to pry information on Sherry?


    Did he suppose that they were the ones who broke Sherry out of the house and brought her to Westchester?


    Sylvia scoffed with hostility. ¡°I should be the one asking you where Sherry is. She was still fine when we left nchester two


    months ago. Now she¡¯s suddenly missing, what did you do to her?¡±


    Her tone grew more aggressive as she spoke, even her pitch rose and nearly turned into a shout.


    An oppressing silence fell upon the living room.


    Isabel and Flint tactfully turned off the game console and stayed silent.


    Sensing the tension in the air, Odell straightened up from his seat.


    John grimaced, his face darkened.


    However, it did not seem like he was upset. It looked more like he was filled with guilt and remorse.


    Sylvia was taken aback by his reaction.


    He was the one who put locked Sherry in that house and set it on fire, what right did he have to be acting guilty?


    Was he trying to mess with her?


    She considered for a moment and began to interrogate him. ¡°A few days ago, | had Odell contact you. Why didn¡¯t you answer it?


    Did you do something to Sherry?¡±


    John stayed silent for a while, then he turned in Liam''s direction and asked politely, ¡°Liam, would you mind helping Uncle John


    out and taking Caprice upstairs to y with you for a while?¡±


    There were things that he wanted to say that he could not risk Caprice overhearing, even if Caprice might be too young to


    understand what he was saying anyway.


    Liam swiped a look at him, then at his parents.


    Odell nodded affirmatively.


    Liam rose from the couch immediately.


    Caprice rose from the couch as well.


    Before Liam could even carry her, Caprice herself offered him her arms.


    Liam led her by her hand, then he turned to Isabel and Flint.


    Flint took the hint and got up.


    Isabel followed after.


    The children marched up the stairs.


    John turned back to Sylvia and began in a low voice. ¡°Around the time Master Carter called me, arge forest fire had just


    broken out near one of my residences and the situation was just put under control. | was frantic and was trying to look for Sherry,


    | had no time and was also in no mood to answer anybody¡¯s calls.¡±


    Sylvia watched his expression carefully.


    Was he not the one who set the house on fire? Why was he worried about Sherry?


    She reflected on this and asked in the same hostile and stern voice, ¡°How did the fire break out? | read in the news that the fire


    first started in the woods quite some distance away from the house. Why was she not evacuated out of the house while there


    was still time?¡±


    John frowned, he sensed that Sylvia was getting impatient and was very suspicious of him and confessed, ¡°To be honest, a lot of


    things have been going on in my householdtely.¡±


    Sylvia immediately honed in on this remark. ¡°What about your household?¡±


    John took a breath. ¡°My mother got into a car ident because Sherry tried to run away from nchester. She took Caprice


    with her as well. My mother tried to stop her and got into a serious


    ident while all of that was happening.¡±


    ¡°What happened after?¡± Sylvia prompted.


    John continued, ¡°I was furious. She wanted to take Caprice away and leave me, of course, I¡¯d be furious. | thought she was the


    one responsible for what happened to my mother, so | had her locked in that house located in the middle of nowhere to punish


    her.

 Chapter 1640

    Chapter 1640


    Chapter 1640


    John cast a wary nce at Sylvia upon saying this.


    Sylvia was seething with rage.


    John stuttered uncharacteristically for a moment, then continued, ¡°I told my men to bring food to her once every two days. That


    was, until the forest fire.


    ¡°One day, | just got home from work when | received a call and was told that my mother¡¯s condition had worsened and that she


    had to be put on a venttor Immediately after that call, my men called me as well and told me that Sherry tried to kill herself by


    mming her head against the wall. | knew that she was only doing that to lull me to her but despite that, | went away and had a


    very heated exchange with her before | left.


    ¡°After that, | went home again. That was when | was informed that my mother¡¯s condition had not worsened but had instead


    made a turn for the better. She was awake atst.¡±


    Sylvia was astounded to hear this.


    Odell asked, ¡°What was that about her condition worsening? Did someone give you the wrong information?¡±


    John stated, ¡°Someone fed me the wrong information.¡±


    Sylvia made a wild guess. ¡°Julie?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± John continued. ¡°That was the same night when | found out that she was the one who was behind everything that had


    been going on. She was the one who tampered with the brakes of the car and caused my mother¡¯s ident as she knew that


    Sherry would try to sneak out with Caprice. Then there was the forest fire...¡±


    ¡°Was she behind that too?¡± Sylvia asked urgently.


    John nodded and confirmed her suspicion. ¡°She had someone do her dirty work for her and set the forest * on fire. Right now,


    they are all arrested and awaiting sentence.¡±


    Sylvia was in utter disbelief.


    It was all Julie this entire time?


    That kind girl who seemed like a model housekeeper, the girl who was always gentle and friendly with everyone?


    ¡°Why is she doing this to Sherry? What could she possibly gain out of this?¡± Sylvia was rattled by this revtion.


    John frowned, a look of utter disgust surfaced on his face.


    He stated solemnly, ¡°She built a secret room in our house and had the walls filled with pictures of me. There was even a life-size


    replica of me made of wax. My mother was the one who stumbled into it and tried to wed her off so she would stop obsessing


    over me. That must be what drove her to desperation and so she began scheming.¡±


    -Sylvia waspletely speechless.


    Asecret room filled with John¡¯s photographs and even a wax figure of him...


    Had she beenpletely obsessed with John this entire time?


    In one fell swoop, she was able to remove both Madam Stockton and Sherry from the picture by setting up the former to get into


    an ident and letting thetter take the me for what happened.


    What a sinister and devious scheme!


    If Sherry had not been rescued in time, she might have been long dead by now!


    No... something was not right.


    Sylvia thought of something else and snapped at John again. ¡°Julie might have been despicable and evil, but none of this would


    have happened if you had not made things difficult for Sherry and left her with no choice but to run away with Caprice! If you


    didn¡¯t lock her up in that house, she wouldn''t have nearly been burned alive by Julie!¡±


    She grew more furious by the second and at one point snatched a cup with burning hot tea inside on the table.


    Just when it seemed like she was going to ssh the burning hot tea over John, someone grabbed her wrist.


    It was Odell. He gave her a stern look and implored her to not be rash.


    Sylvia red back at him and reluctantly put down the cup.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    An ufortable silence fell upon them.


    Suddenly, John spoke, ¡°You''re right, it was my fault, | was the one who did this to her.¡±


    What happened nine years ago was still deeply traumatizing for him. He knew he should have moved on from what happened in


    the past instead of letting it trouble him and make him suspicious of Mason when he showed up.


    If he had not acted rashly and terrified Sherry the night Mason showed up, she probably would not have overreacted and tried to


    run away with Caprice the very next day.


    He also considered that Sherry did end up changing her mind and turning back after she made out a short distance with Caprice.


    If she had not done that, there would not have been anyone to save Madam Stockton from the burning car by pulling her out of


    that wreckage.


    His trauma from nine years ago had distorted his sense of reason!


    Deep down, he must have known all along that Sherry never meant to hurt his mother, and she had done. her best to save his


    mother as well. For all that, he rewarded her by keeping her imprisoned in that house. and left her to starve with no one around


    her, to the point where she chose to bash her head against a wall to end her suffering...


    He had made a terrible, grave mistake. He had let her down.


    After a prolonged silence, he turned to Sylvia and asked sincerely, ¡°Mrs. Carter, could you please tell me where she is?¡±


    Sylvia hesitated.


    John sensed her great reluctance and promptly assured her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | just want to see her so | can clearly exin


    everything to her. | promise to not hurt her ever again. | won''t even force her toe back with me if she doesn¡¯t want to.¡±


    Sylvia sighed and told him the same thing, ¡°I just told you, | have no idea where she is.¡±

 Chapter 1641

    Chapter 1641


    Chapter 1641


    John stared at her sharply.


    The gaze irritated Sylvia. She furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Believe it or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± She red at John onest time


    before she went upstairs, leaving John alone with Odell.


    John then turned his attention to Odell.


    Odell had a sip of his tea. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. Why would | know anything about that?¡±


    Upstairs in the children¡¯s room, Isabel and Flint were ying happily.


    Despite being children as well, Liam and Caprice were much quieter as they sat opposite the noisy duo.


    The boy read a book quietly while the girl looked at him silently.


    Sylvia had a nce at them from the door before she went back to her room. She wanted to inform Sherry about what John said,


    but after she turned on her phone, she hesitated.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Some thoughtster, she went out of her room and headed to the stairs. She looked down at the man sipping on tea and said,


    ¡°Odell,e up. | have something to talk to you about.¡±


    Upon hearing her voice, Odell, who was by the tea table, looked up at her and then looked at John.¡± Master Stockton, my wife is


    calling me. Please excuse me.¡±


    John responded with a jealous smile. ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t make Mrs. Carter wait.¡±


    Odell chuckled. He put his cup of tea down and went over to the stairs.


    Sylvia went back to her room when she saw himing up.


    Amomentter, Odell¡¯s towering figure entered the room. He went up to her and asked in a small voice,¡± What''s the matter?¡±


    Sylvia said, ¡°Can you arrange for your men to verify John¡¯s ims? Send them to Glenchester again.¡±


    Odell smiled. ¡°I''ve already texted my men in Glenchester while you were talking to him. | believe we will get some updates soon.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes gleamed. She curled her lips in delight and said, ¡°Odell, since when did you be so smart?¡±


    Odell smiled and stroked her face. ¡°I learned from the best.¡±


    Sylvia stared into his eyes. ¡°What does that supposed to mean?¡±


    Odell would never say something this ttering without any reason. He chuckled and said, ¡°Have you gotten in contact with


    Sherry?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression shifted.


    Odell continued smiling. All he took was one nce and he could see through her thoughts.


    Sylvia had promised Sherry to keep the secret, so she reacted with an evasive gaze and said, ¡°I haven''t.¡±


    Odell pinched her cheek. ¡°You were a little rough on him just now. Try to pull it back a notch next time.¡±


    She just red at him.


    Odell patted her head. ¡°Okay. | have to go down now. He''ll suspect us if | stay here for too long.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Okay.¡±


    212


    The day went by in the blink of an eye.


    In the evening, Sylvia wheeled Madam Carter around the garden with Aunt Tonya. They only came back after the sun set over


    the horizon.


    However, John¡¯s car was still outside their house.


    Sylvia frowned as she wheeled Madam Carter into the house.

 Chapter 1642

    Chapter 1642


    Chapter 1642


    As expected, John was still in the living room.


    He was on his phone with someone. ¡°I am busy. | won¡¯t be going back soon. If there¡¯s nothing urgent, just go to Peter; only call


    me when it¡¯s absolutely necessary.¡±


    John hung up the phone and saw Sylvia wheeling Madam Carter into the house. His gaze shifted. He immediately wore a polite


    and humble smile on his handsome face.


    Madam Carter dozed off on the way back.


    John said to Sylvia, ¡°Mrs. Carter, Caprice really likes to be with Liam. No matter how | try to take her home, she doesn¡¯t want to


    go back. | might have to crash at your ce for a couple of days.¡±


    Caprice, who was also in the living room watching Liam y with his Rubik¡¯s cube, looked up at her father in confusion. She did


    not remember her father persuading her to leave. However, it was true that she did not want to leave, she wanted to stay with


    Liam.


    Therefore, she turned back to Liam and continued watching him y.


    Sylvia scoffed after hearing John¡¯s excuse. She said, ¡°Liam likes Caprice as well, and | am more than wee to have her, but


    our ce is too small to house someone as important as you, Master Stockton. Caprice can stay, but you should probably go.¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to interrupt either, but Caprice will break down in tears if | leave her for more than ten minutes. |


    don¡¯t have the heart to leave her alone.¡±


    ¡°Caprice and Liam were in the children¡¯s room for more than two hours, and | didn¡¯t see her crying,¡± Sylvia said.


    John¡¯s smile froze for a second before he regained hisposure. He continued, ¡°That¡¯s because | told her | am down here,


    waiting for her. She knew | was near.¡±


    Sylvia ran out of patience. She asked, ¡°You just don¡¯t want to go, do you?¡±


    John curled his lips. ¡°It''s Caprice who doesn¡¯t want to leave Liam. | can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    Sylvia released an exasperated sigh and was done arguing with the man. She wheeled Madam Carter


    back to her room.


    John sighed a breath of relief and sat down on the couch.


    Two dayster, which was a weekday, Sylvia sent Liam and Isabel to school in the morning before she came back and went out


    for a stroll in the park with Madam Carter and Flint.


    Later in the afternoon, she went to her studio to do some work.


    She worked in her studio until the evening when she heard her kidse through the front gate. She got


    up and went downstairs.


    John and Caprice came back around the same time as well. The father and daughter had gone out for the whole day, and they


    came back with a beautiful cap on the girl¡¯s head and several boxes of presents.


    The moment the girl got down from her father¡¯s arm, she ran to Liam.


    ¡°Liam!¡± She ran over to Liam and handed him a cool-looking keychain. She adorably said, ¡°Here, this is for you.¡±


    Liam was slightly surprised but epted the present anyway. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Caprice smiled brightly. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± She also gave Isabel and Flint each a keychain.


    Isabel happily stroked the girl¡¯s cheek. Flint hugged her and wanted to kiss her on the cheek, but John pulled the boy back.


    Caprice then went up to Sylvia.


    Sylvia bent over to the girl who gave her a delicate wooden music box. ¡°Aunt Sylvia, this is for you.¡± Sylvia took the music box


    and replied with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Caprice. | like it a lot.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s smile was as bright as the morning sun. ¡°You''re wee, Aunt Sylvia.¡±


    She then went back to Liam and held the boy¡¯s hand. The kids then went inside the house together.


    John went up to Sylvia and asked, ¡°Mrs. Carter, any news today?¡±


    Even after receiving a present from Caprice, Sylvia did not bother to be polite. She said coldly, ¡°No.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    272

 Chapter 1643

    Chapter 1643


    Chapter 1643


    John pursed his lips. ¡°I see.¡±


    He then walked past her and went inside the house, leaving Sylvia alone and speechless. The man seemed to have made


    himself at home.


    It was then that a ck MPV came in from the corner and stopped in front of the house.


    Sylvia turned around and saw Odelling out of the car.


    Odell went up to her and saw the wooden music box in her hands. ¡°What''s this?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and said, ¡°Caprice gave it to me.¡±


    ¡°She came back with John?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah. They just came back.¡±


    Odell nced into the house. He then grabbed Sylvia away from the house, seemingly trying to draw distance from John.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Got any updates from Glenchester?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | had five men investigate from different approaches, and they all confirmed that Madam Stockton is awake. She even


    attended a family gatheringst night. Many people saw her alive and healthy. Julie has been arrested, and her family, the


    Weisses, tried to plead on behalf of her in front of Madam Stockton, but Madam Stockton turned them down.¡±


    Sylvia sighed a breath of relief. ¡°It seems like John is telling the truth.¡±


    John was not responsible for the fire. It was all Julie¡¯s n.


    ¡°My sources confirmed his ims, so what are you going to do next? Tell Sherry about it?¡± Odell asked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll-¡±


    Sylvia instantly noticed the trap Odell set up for her. She even saw the mischievous grin on his face and his shimmering eyes.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered before she forcefully altered her words and said, ¡°Of course, I''ll tell her, but | have to figure out a way to


    reach her first.¡±


    Odell chuckled. ¡°Okay.¡± He chose not to expose her. He put his hand around her waist and walked her into the house.


    John was standing by the window inside the living room, and when he saw theming in together, he pursed his lips. He had a


    smile on his face, but it felt more like a jealous smile than a delightful one.


    Later that night, the kids went to sleep without causing too much trouble.


    John¡¯s room was quiet as well.


    Odell and Sylvia¡¯s room went dark as soon as it was time for bed.


    It was a quiet night, but it did notst long.


    Awhileter, when the man beside Sylvia was truly asleep, she opened her eyes and reached out for her phone under the pillow.


    2/2


    She crawled out of the bed and headed to the balcony where she squatted down and tapped on the chat window with Sherry.


    She texted Sherry about Madam Stockton¡¯s condition, Julie¡¯s arrest, and the men who had set the house aze because of


    Julie¡¯s order.


    After that, Sylvia added, ¡°Sherry, John is suspecting that | saved you, and he¡¯s here at my house with Caprice. Don¡¯t worry, |


    didn¡¯t tell him anything about you. Madam Stockton is doing well now. She even attended a, family gatheringst night.¡±


    Sherry must be asleep at this hour.


    After the text, Sylvia returned to the bedroom.


    The man was still asleep in bed.


    Sylvia snuck back into bed, but when she turned her back to him, the man¡¯s long arms reached out to her and curled around her


    waist.

 Chapter 1644

    Chapter 1644


    Chapter 1644


    The sudden hug surprised Sylvia and left her frozen.


    The man¡¯s warm breath caressed the back of her neck and his deep and rich voice entered her ears.¡¯ What were you doing


    outside just now?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes flickered nervously. She said, ¡°N-nothing. | can¡¯t sleep, so | went out to get some air.¡±


    ¡°Can''t sleep?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm...¡± Sylvia confidently hummed a reply.


    At the next moment, she was pulled into the man¡¯s arms. His staggering huge figure got on top of her and he lifted her chin softly.


    He pressed his lips against hers.


    Sylvia was silenced. She tried to push him away, but he deftly pulled her hands to the side and pinned her down.


    He kissed her for a while before he released her lips, but his body remained on top of her. His deep eyes were like a wolf


    searching for its prey in the dark. He grinned and said in his deep voice, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep either. Why don¡¯t we do a little exercise?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s face blushed. She knew exactly what ¡®exercise¡¯ meant.


    She sighed exasperatedly and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep just now, but I¡¯m starting to feel sleepy... Mmmhh!¡±


    He silenced her with a kiss before she could finish.


    Back at Coastrock City¡¯s seaside hospital, Sherry sat by the window with her phone, scrolling through social media with a nk


    state of mind. She had been sleeping since the day, so even though it was alreadyte at night, she was still wide awake.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, she received a text on her phone.


    It was from Sylvia.


    She tapped on it and saw an entire paragraph typed out by her friend, and when she went through it, her expression changed


    multiple times.


    Madam Stockton had woken up? She even yed along with Queenie to expose Julie?


    Julie was the mastermind behind everything, and she had done it because she was secretly in love with John.


    Every word in the text was a shocking revtion to her. She knew that Julie was not as kind and gentle as she appeared, but her


    being secretly in love with John was something out of her expectation.


    Julie even plotted the entire scheme to remove her from John¡¯s side.


    Sherry¡¯s chest heaved strongly. She was at a loss for words after learning the truth.


    Just a moment ago, her mind was still troubled by the fact that Madam Stockton was bedridden and the fire that almost took her


    life. Now, she learned that Madam Stockton had recovered and Julie was the


    one who had tried to kill her with the fire.


    She also learned that it was not a coincidence that she ran into Mason in the park the other day, and there was also the untimely


    manner of Johning back to catch them in the act. Julie was also


    responsible for inserting the idea of bringing Caprice away from Glenchester.


    Even if she was an idiot, she could tell what Julie was trying to achieve.


    Madam Stockton found out that Julie secretly loved John and wanted to change her mind, hence Julie plotted the entire scheme


    to not only remove Madam Stockton but also Sherry as well.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was a vicious but effective n.


    Sherry took a deep breath, but she was still trying to wrap her head around the situation. The revtion of the truth was too


    sudden, so sudden that it felt surreal.


    She pinched her waist and it felt painful. She was not dreaming.


    She continued reading and saw another text from Sylvia.


    Awhileter, she smiled and scoffed.


    It was great that Madam Stockton had recovered, but it was impossible for her to go back to John now.


    Even if it was all Julie¡¯s n, it did not deny John¡¯s distrust in her, and she could not forget the year-long imprisonment.


    If Carl did not save her in time, she might already be dead because of Julie¡¯s n and John¡¯s distrust.


    The things that he did to her nine years ago continued to traumatize her, and it had be an obstacle that she could not


    ovee.

 Chapter 1645

    Chapter 1645


    All she had for him was resentment. She never wanted to see him again, and she never wanted anything to do with him.


    The refreshing sea breeze blew towards her face.


    Sherry took a deep breath before she replied to Sylvia, ¡°I got it. Thanks, Syl.¡±


    Since Madam Stockton had woken up, she could simply release the guilt that had been tormenting her and live a peaceful life.


    Amonth passed by in the blink of an eye.


    It was a weekday in Westchester.


    After Sylvia sent her kids and Odell to school and to work respectively, she took Madam Carter out for a stroll in the park and


    then attended an art exhibition.


    She only came home when it was dark.


    As soon as she entered the living room, she saw Odell and John drinking tea by the tea table.


    Isabel and Flint were ying video games while Caprice was ying with a Rubik¡¯s cube beside Liam. Sylvia had already gotten


    used to the harmonious scene.


    In the past month, John would spend time with Caprice at their home other than bringing her out during the day.


    Sylvia walked in.


    Flint bolted up and ran to her as soon as he was aware of her entry. He waved the handheld video game console at her and


    said, ¡°Mommy, Uncle John bought us new video games!¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The handheld video game console looked modern and beautiful.


    Sylvia looked at John. ¡°You shouldn''t have, Master Stockton.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Mrs. Carter, you are too kind. I¡¯m their Uncle John. Of course, |¡¯ll spoil them with presents.¡±


    Sylvia was left speechless and her lips twitched a little.


    John sounded like he was talking to family, but Sylvia ignored him. She patted Flint¡¯s head before she headed to Madam Carter¡¯s


    room. She had been out for the whole day, so she wanted to check on Madam Carter first.


    ¡°Mrs. Carter, | wonder if you have any good news today.¡± John¡¯s voice suddenly entered her ears once more.


    Sylvia turned around to the man and said, ¡°No.¡±


    She had texted Sherry a few times in the past month, but even she did not know where Sherry was.


    While John pursed his lips, Sylvia went straight to Madam Carter¡¯s room.


    ILE


    As always, Sylvia watched the kids y in the children¡¯s room after dinner before she went back to her room.


    Odell was doing some work in the study.


    Sylvia went ahead to wash up before she sat on the bed to check on the messages she got from the art association group. The


    group was talking about the art exhibition.


    While she was going through the messages, hurried footsteps arrived at her door. She looked toward the door and saw Odell


    coming in with a smile and his phone in his hand.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes gleamed. She asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Any good news?¡±


    ¡°| do have some good news for you. It¡¯s about Sherry,¡± he said as he sat down beside her.


    Sylvia immediately asked, ¡°Sherry? How is she?¡±


    He leaned his handsome face closer to her and said, ¡°Kiss me and I''ll tell you.¡±


    Sylvia red at him but she still kissed him on the lips quickly.


    He widened his smile. ¡°I just got news saying that Sherry is in Coastrock City and that she attended a major event on behalf of


    the Sagers.¡±


    He then tapped on his phone and showed her the picture he received.


    The picture was a group photo with Sherry standing in the center. She wore a long-sleeved evening gown and was smiling


    elegantly at the camera.

 Chapter 1646

    Chapter 1646


    Sylvia had a few nces at the picture. She sighed and said, ¡°Sherry looks like she lost a lot of weight.¡± Fortunately, Sherry


    looked energetic aside from the loss of weight. She must be doing welltely.


    Odell saw the worry on her face. He hugged her into his arms and stroked her head in silence.


    Sylvia leaned on his chest. The thought of John staying in their house for more than a month now bothered her. She frowned and


    asked, ¡°Do we need to tell John about Sherry?¡±


    The man was nning to stay as long as it was required to get news about Sherry.


    Odell said, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. He should have gotten the news as well.¡±


    Meanwhile, downstairs in the guest room, John had just brought Caprice back from Liam¡¯s room.


    When he went over to Liam¡¯s room, the girl was already sleeping in Liam¡¯s arms. She did not take Liam as an outsider at all.


    John pinched the girl¡¯s cheek and removed her jacket and her socks before putting her on the bed. He theny down beside her.


    Just when he was about to switch off themp, his phone rang.


    Ding!


    It was Peter.


    He picked up his phone and went to the balcony.


    As soon as he put the phone near his ears, Peter¡¯s excited voice came through the phone, ¡°Sir, Ms. Fowler is in Coastrock!¡±


    John¡¯s deep gaze gleamed. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I''m dead certain! She attended a major event at Coastrock City today, and our men noticed her. They even got a picture of her.¡±


    Emotions were brewing behind his golden-framed sses. He said, ¡°Send me the picture.¡±


    Peter said, ¡°I have already sent the picture to you, and our men reported that Ms. Fowler attended the event on behalf of the


    Sagers. She should be going back there to work.¡±


    ¡°Good. Keep watching. Inform me at once if there¡¯s anything else.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The call ended.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Before John could return to the room, he already received the picture Peter send him.


    It was a group photo with Sherry standing in the center. The long-sleeved evening gown coupled with the ponytail made her look


    outstanding, especially with the smile that she shed to the camera. Her delicate facial features remained eye-catching.


    However, she did look thinner than before.


    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he was surprised nevertheless.


    She was not dead! She was alive and well, living in another city!


    He could not help but stroke the screen of his phone where her cheek was.


    272


    He leaned against the wall on the balcony, basking in the moonlight. His lips curled and his eyes behind the golden-framed


    sses somehow became teary.


    They were tears of joy.


    He stared at his phone for quite a while. It was the sudden breeze that brought him back from his trance.


    His fingers retracted, and it was then that he noticed the person beside Sherry, who he had blocked with his finger earlier. It was


    Carl.


    Carl smiled brightly at the camera too.


    John furrowed his brows and entered the room. He quickly dressed Caprice and carried her out.


    Only Sebastian and Aunt Tonya were awake at this hour, and they were chatting in the living room.


    Both of them were surprised when John strode out of his room with the sleeping Caprice, seemingly wanting to leave.

 Chapter 1647

    Chapter 1647


    Chapter 1647


    Immediately, Sebastian asked, ¡°Master Stockton, it¡¯ste. Where are you going with Ms. Caprice?¡±


    John smiled and said, ¡°Sebastian, | have to go back to attend to some urgent matters. When Master Carter and Mrs. Carter


    wake up tomorrow, please inform them about my leave. | will visit again with Caprice if | have time.¡±


    Before Sebastian could say anything, John left the house with Caprice.


    Sebastian turned to Aunt Tonya with his eyes flickering out of confusion. Aunt Tonya was as confused as he was.


    The man had been staying here for a month now, and he suddenly left in the middle of the night with his daughter?¡±


    The silver MPV sprinted along the freeway in the middle of the night.


    John sat in the rear seat with Caprice on hisp, holding her with one hand and making a call with the other.


    Peter said to him through the phone, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no more flight to Coastrock from Westchester tonight. The earliest flight will be


    at nine o¡¯clock tomorrow morning.¡±


    John looked nervous. ¡°What about the flights from Glenchester to Coastrock?


    Peter said in a small voice, ¡°No flights avable either. Thetest flight will be the same as Westchester to Coastrock at nine


    o¡¯clock tomorrow morning.¡±


    John tightened his brows. ¡°Then, book a flight from Glenchester to Coastrock tomorrow morning at nine. Caprice, Aunt Wanda,


    and Jason are going too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll make the bookings right away,¡± Peter said.


    The call ended.


    John looked at the driver. ¡°We¡¯re going back to Glenchester.¡±


    The driver nodded.


    John put his phone down and stared outside the window.


    The spacious freeway had fewer cars cruising on it at this hour, so it would take them less time to reach Glenchester than usual.


    His eyes flickered. He went on his phone again and tapped on the gallery.


    He zoomed in on the group photo with Sherry in the middle.


    The sky was still dark when they arrived home back at Glenchester.


    John carried Caprice back to her room andid her down on the bed so that she could continue sleeping. He then told Aunt


    Wanda and Jason to prepare to leave for Coastrock tomorrow morning at nine.


    Both Aunt Wanda and Jason were instantly energized when they heard that John was bringing them to Coastrock to look for


    Sherry.


    John sat down beside Caprice and watched the girl sleep. His mind started to n out the schedule for Coastrock once they


    landed.


    While he was deep in thought, Madam Stockton and Queenie¡¯s voices came from the door.


    Queenie tried to drag her mother away from the door and said, ¡°Mom, go sleep. Just leave John and Sherry alone.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Madam Stockton frowned. She removed her daughter¡¯s hand with a frown on her face and said, ¡°Off you go. Stop bugging me!¡±


    ¡°MOM!¡± Queenie was running out of patience. ¡°Please! | know Sherry came from a lesser background, and she cheated on John


    before, but she saved you from Julie, so just leave them alone. Let John settle this with her.¡±


    Queenie just found out that John had brought Caprice back from Westchester and they were preparing to go to Coastrock to look


    for Sherry. She wanted to ask her brother about how Sherry was doing, but she ran into her mother at John¡¯s door.


    Madam Stockton looked angry while standing outside the door, seemingly wanting to stop John from leaving for Coastrock.


    However, Queenie held her back and stopped her from going in.


    Madam Stockton somehow mustered enough strength to break free from her daughter and drag her back to the living room.


    ¡°Mom, please! | beg you!¡± Queenie pleaded.


    Madam Stockton red at her. ¡°Take your hands off me. | was going to talk to your brother about something important!¡±


    Queenie was caught off guard by her mother¡¯s answer. ¡°What? Is it about Sherry?¡±


    Madam Stockton furrowed her brows and wore aplicated look on her face. ¡°It¡¯s rted to her, but I¡¯m not trying to badmouth


    her.


    Queenie was stunned once again. ¡°Then, what are you going to say to John?¡±

 Chapter 1648

    Chapter 1648


    Chapter 1648


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression turned grim.


    Queenie stared at her mother. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you are going to say. | won''t allow you to stop John from going to look for


    Sherry!¡±


    As her voice subsided, John wasing out of the room. He looked at his mother with a rather frosty expression.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s expression shifted immediately and said, ¡°John, | have something to talk to you about. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not


    here to stop you. | just want to tell you something that happened a long time ago.¡±


    John looked rather dubious. ¡°Something that happened a long time ago?¡±


    Madam Stockton¡¯s eyes flickered. She somehow started to evade his gaze, but she mustered up enough courage to speak in a


    softer voice than usual, ¡°I''ve buried it in my heart for a long time, and it¡¯s time for me to tell you.¡±


    John¡¯s expression changed as well. He looked at Queenie and said, ¡°Leave us.¡±


    WwwThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Queenie released Madam Stockton¡¯s arm. She had onest worried nce at her mother before she reluctantly walked out.


    The living room returned to silence.


    John looked at Madam Stockton. ¡°What is this about?¡±


    Madam Stockton took a deep breath and said, ¡°The truth why you and Sherry broke up nine years ago.¡±


    Nine years ago?


    The truth why he broke up with Sherry?


    Nine years ago, Sherry wanted to break up with him because of his inferior wealth status, and when he caught her in the same


    bed as Mason, he had agreed to break up.


    He had experienced the breakup himself, so what other truth would there be?


    John¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Mother, are you trying to remind me of the things she did to me?¡±


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s not that. Don¡¯t misunderstand me. | didn¡¯t mean that,¡± Madam Stockton said.


    ¡°Then, why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?¡± John looked at her coldly.


    Madam Stockton sighed and said, ¡°Actually, Sherry didn¡¯t cheat on you back then. The whole fiasco about her wanting to break


    up with you because you were poor and then how she cheated on you with Mason... She did all that because | got to her and


    made her do it to leave you.¡±


    John¡¯s expression changed drastically. He thought he heard his mother wrongly. He stared at her and asked, ¡°What did you


    say?¡±


    Madam Stockton looked down, averting his gaze. ¡°Sherry wanted to break. up with you because | approached her and indirectly


    forced her to cheat on you.¡±


    The spacious living room plunged into dead silence.


    The man¡¯s slender figure froze. He looked at his own mother, who dared not look at him, and his gaze turned frosty. It took him a


    while to suppress the rising anger in his chest. He took a deep breath and continued, ¡°How...did you make her do it?¡±


    Madam Stockton continued looking down. She exined in a small voice, ¡°I...didn¡¯t really force her to do it. | simply told her


    about how we were doing back then.


    ¡°| told her that your brother is terminally ill and had a number of days to live. Your father was in a bad condition as well, and you


    are the only heir to the family business. | don¡¯t want your father¡¯s lifelong work ending up in someone else¡¯s hands; it must be


    family.


    ¡°You left the house because of her, and your father forced you intobor work. You were injured and | was worried, so | told her


    that if she doesn¡¯t want to push you over the ledge, she must break up with you...¡±


    Her voice stuttered as she reached the end of the exnation.


    She started to tremble, not just because of the dense atmosphere, but also because she could no longer control her son who


    she took pride in raising.


    John¡¯s face turned pale and his eyes were bloodshot as if he was bloodthirsty.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± he asked.


    Madam Stockton flickered her eyes and continued, ¡°She left crying and said she would have to think about it. | met her two days


    later, and she agreed. She even said she had broken up with you, but you didn¡¯t want to let her go.


    ¡°| told her that if she doesn¡¯t want your father to continue torturing you withbor, she has to break up with youpletely. Then,


    she emphasized how poor you were and tried to use all kinds of excuses to leave you, but you didn¡¯t let her go either. You had to


    work even harder and got insulted by those bastards...


    ¡°| was worried about you, so | went to her again, and she asked Mason for help...¡±

 Chapter 1649

    Chapter 1649


    Chapter 1649


    Madam Stockton did not finish the sentence.


    When she found out that Sherry had used Mason to break up with John, she was shocked too. Despite her admiration for Sherry


    for her ruthless methods, she was heavily prejudiced against her back then and her admiration was buried.


    The living room plunged into silence again.


    John¡¯s face turned pale, his eyes bloodshot.


    When Madam Stockton finally looked up at him and saw his terrifying gaze, she got frightened and staggered backward.


    She teared up, and with a regrettable tone, she said, ¡°John, it was my fault. | made you hate her and separated you two for so


    many years. | deeply regret it. If | knew what would turn out today, | would have persuaded your father to let you two be


    together.¡±


    As John was petrified on the spot, his fists were tightly clenched.


    He looked at his mother and saw the nervous and guilty look on her face. He said, ¡°I got it.


    Go out.¡±


    ¡°John, | really don¡¯t want to lie to you anymore. | don¡¯t want you to remember the bitter memories as well. That¡¯s why | decided to


    tell you. Just me me if you want. | just hope you can bring Sherry back-¡±


    ¡°I said, GET OUT!¡± he shouted.


    Frightened, Madam Stockton¡¯s face turned pale and she trembled.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    John looked at her with his reddened eyes. His fair and humble countenance was reced by a grim and vicious expression as if


    he was a living demon.


    Madam Stockton dared not stay for a second longer. She quickly staggered to the door and left the living room. As soon as she


    stepped out of the house, a loud bang sounded behind her, causing her to squeal in shock.


    John had kicked over the tea table out of anger.


    The loud bang startled Queenie and Aunt Wanda, who were eavesdropping outside the house. Neither of them dared to look


    inside the living room.


    The tea table toppled, shattering the cups and the teapot on the floor.


    The man stood in front of the broken shards and stared nkly at the floor with his bloodshot eyes.


    The living room returned to silence but his mind remained tumultuous. His mother¡¯s words echoed in his mind ceaselessly.


    The scenes from nine years ago, where Sherry wanted to break up with him, yed again and again in his head. She had


    wanted to break up with him. He had asked why, and she had simply said she was bored of him.


    Two dayster, she had asked for a breakup again. She had said she did not want to live in a cheap apartment with him and lead


    a life of poverty.


    To keep her by his side, he had gotten anotherborious assignment the next day so that they could move into a better


    apartment soon.


    Two more dayster, when he came back on a rainy day, he had seen her and Mason in the same bed.


    He had finally agreed to break up. He had left and stood in the rain for the whole night. The rain fueled his resentment for her


    and continued to torment him even up until this day.


    Now, he learned that all that had happened was fake!


    They were all fake!


    He frowned. More and more shbacks urred in his mind.


    The first time when she asked for a breakup, she had not even looked at him.


    The second time when she asked for a breakup, she said she did not want to lead a life of poverty, but her eyes had been teary.


    The third time was when he had caught her in bed with Mason. They were just sitting on the bed with the sheets over them.


    There had been no intimate body contact or signs of sexual intercourse. Her eyes had been teary as well.


    As a matter of fact, she had not been bored of him or ever disliked him for being poor and had never cheated on him. She had


    never wanted to break up with him either.


    She had only done it because his mother got to her and made her leave him so that his father would not torture him to death.


    They were all part of an intricate n to separate her from him!


    She did not even mind being hated for the rest of her life!

 Chapter 1650

    Chapter 1650


    Chapter 1650


    What about him?


    Not only did he hate her for years, but after bing the richest man in Glenchester, he had plotted to get the Fowlers and the


    Browns to develop their business here so that he could lure her out.


    He had imprisoned her for a year, made her eat nothing but leftovers for a year, made her sew for a year, made her mow the


    lawn, and forbade her from stepping out of the front yard.


    He enjoyed taking revenge on her that year, and until one month ago, his


    misunderstandings for her deepened.


    Once again, he imprisoned her, starved her, and let her bleed. He even left her to die in the fire!


    What would that make him?


    What had he done for her all these years?


    He felt helpless and weak all of a sudden. He straightened his back and sat on the floor.


    His mind thought about nothing except for her face. From nine years ago until now, when they had broken up, when he had


    imprisoned her, and when she had bled on the floor a while ago, all the scenes in his head suffocated him.


    While his head hurt and his chest tightened, he covered his head with both his hands.


    Tears rolled down under his golden-framed sses and wet the floor. His eyes were tightly closed and the living room went quiet


    for a while.


    The lights were bright, but he felt like he was dwelling in the shadows.


    Depression, pain, and guilt ate him up inside.


    Some timeter, maybe an hour or more, a series of light footsteps approached him.


    ¡°Daddy...¡± The sweet and adorable voice broke the depression in the room.


    The man looked up. Before he could have a clear look, the girl threw herself into his arms.


    ¡°Daddy, why are your eyes red?¡± Caprice said as she took his sses off and stroked his cheek.


    He choked on his emotions. He hugged the girl tightly into his arms.


    ¡°Caprice, Daddy is sad,¡± he said.


    Caprice leaned on his shoulder.


    Hearing his words, the girl¡¯s brows tightened. She tapped on his shoulder, offering him


    somefort.


    ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be sad. Caprice don¡¯t want you to be sad,¡± the girl said straightforwardly.


    John smiled bitterly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Despite the tightness in his chest, the girl¡¯s constion made him feel re-energized. He patted her head and asked, ¡°Caprice,


    why are you awake now?¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°I had a dream and | can¡¯t find you anywhere, so | woke up.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid, silly girl. I¡¯m always here with you. You will always find me,¡± heforted the girl.


    Caprice protruded her lips. ¡°Caprice will also be at Daddy¡¯s side forever. | won''t let you be sad.¡± She nuzzled against his cheek


    with her chubby face.


    John smiled. ¡°Thank you, Caprice.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee, Daddy.¡±


    The floor was chilly.


    John picked her up onto hisp. He stroked her chubby face and asked, ¡°Caprice, do you miss Mommy?¡±


    Caprice answered without a second thought, ¡°Yes!¡±


    John curled his lips. ¡°Daddy will bring you to go look for Mommy in the morning, okay?¡±


    Caprice smiled brightly when she saw the smile on her father¡¯s face. She said, ¡°Okay!¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    After that, John brought her back to the room and tucked her in.


    The sky was still dark, so the girl should be sleeping. Hey down beside her for a nap to re -energize himself for the trip to


    Coastrock.

 Chapter 1651

    Chapter 1651


    Madam Stockton and Queenie were outside the house.


    After Caprice cheered John up and the father and daughter went to bed, both of them sighed a breath of relief.


    Queenie eximed, ¡°Who would have thought Sherry never cheated on John?!¡±


    Madam Stockton frowned. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Queenie protruded her lips. ¡°| made some mistakes as well. When Sherry brought you to the hospital after the crash, | listened to


    Julie and thought it was her who caused the crash. | pped her...¡±


    She had been regretting her actions ever since she learned the truth.


    Madam Stockton said in a small voice, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. | shouldn¡¯t have stopped her from seeing your brother.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thankfully, Sherry is still alive,¡± Queenie said with a sigh. ¡°Mom, we shouldn¡¯t me ourselves now since it won''t do the


    situation any good. When John brings Sherry back, we will make it up to her.¡±


    Madam Stockton hummed a positive reply. ¡°That''s all we can do for now. Let¡¯s hope your brother can bring Sherry back.¡±


    A few hourster, the sun rose over the horizon and hung brightly in the sky.


    The silver MPV cruised out of the Stockton Residence and headed towards the airport.


    The driver and Jason were at the front, and Aunt Wanda was in the middle. John and Caprice were in the rear seat.


    The girl only realized they had left the Carters¡¯ when she woke up, and she had been wanting to see Liam ever since. She used


    her father¡¯s phone to video call Liam.


    However, rather than it just being a call, it was more like a live stream of the boy ying with a Rubik¡¯s cube quietly.


    Caprice was also ying with her own Rubik¡¯s cube. Her hands never stopped, but her eyes never moved from the screen


    either. She looked absolutely serious as she watched Liam y with the Rubik¡¯s cube.


    It was until a notification popped on the screen.


    It was from Peter.


    John said to her, ¡°Caprice, Uncle Peter is calling me.¡±


    Caprice then said to Liam, ¡°Liam, Uncle Peter is calling. | have to go now. I¡¯ll call youter.¡±


    Liam simply hummed a reply.


    John smiled. He took the phone and answered Peter''s call.


    Peter said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve just contacted Mr. Brown. He said that it was all an act. Nine years ago, he agreed to y along with Ms.


    Fowler''s n to break up with you. They were dressed back then, and he said that Ms. Fowler knew it was going to rain that day


    based on the weather forecast and that you would be home early. That was why they were there waiting for you toe in.


    And...¡±


    Last night, after Madam Stockton revealed the truth to him, John asked Peter to verify it


    with Mason.


    This call was an update on that matter. Although the result was expected, it still tightened


    his chest.


    Amoment of silenceter he asked, ¡°And what?¡±


    Peter continued in a small voice, ¡°And...when you stood in the rain for the entire night, Ms. Fowler was there too. Mr. Brown said


    that she tried getting her to go in, but she refused to. She even tossed the umbre away. She fell sick after that but disappeared


    when she recovered.¡±


    John¡¯s hand holding his phone, petrified. He choked on his emotions, and it silenced him for quite a while.


    It was Peter who asked to confirm his presence after the long silence. ¡°Sir, are you there? Is there anything else?¡±


    John moved his dry lips and said, ¡°That''s all.¡±


    The call ended.


    The car cruised steadily towards the airport.


    John turned away to the window after he hung up the phone. He did not want to reveal his emotions to his daughter.


    His mind, however, was reying what Peter said to him.


    She had stood in the rain for the whole night as well!


    Was she not a woman who would leave afterpleting her task?


    They had broken up, yet she had apanied him in the rain for the whole night.


    Why could she not act like the cold-blooded woman that she wanted to be?

 Chapter 1652

    Chapter 1652


    Chapter 1652


    His throat tightened.


    While he was holding back his emotions, a tiny and soft hand touched his face. His gaze shifted, and he immediately swapped


    his emotions away for a smile.


    However, before he could regain hisposure, the girl¡¯s adorable voice asked, ¡°Daddy, why is your hand tightened? Let go,


    don¡¯t squeeze the phone.¡±


    The girl even tried to pry his fingers away.


    John was left speechless.


    The girl was thinking about video-calling Liam.


    The pain in his chest dissipated. He put on a helpless smile and released the phone.


    Caprice hugged his phone into her arms and used her face to unlock it. She then video-


    called Liam.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The call got through in an instant.


    Liam''s adorable and handsome face appeared on the screen once more.


    Caprice called his name adorably, ¡°Liam...¡±


    Liam hummed a reply and said, ¡°Have you solved your Rubik¡¯s cube?¡± He asked about the


    Rubik''s cube in her hand.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. | don¡¯t know how to solve it.¡±


    ¡°Bring it closer. I''ll have a look at it.¡±


    Caprice obediently moved the Rubik¡¯s cube, which she had never even tried to solve,


    closer to the camera.


    Liam had a nce and said, ¡°Turn the top to the left, then right to the front...¡± He patiently exined it to her.


    Caprice obediently turned the Rubik¡¯s cube with his instruction and swiftly solved it. Her eyes gleamed. ¡°Thank you, Liam! You''re


    awesome!¡±


    Liam nodded. ¡°Mix it up. We''ll do it again.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice nodded and mixed up the Rubik¡¯s cube once more.


    John watched from the side. The happiness on the girl''s face lifted his heavy mood a little. He caressed the girl''s head and


    imagined it as Sherry.


    He was a bastard, and he admitted it, but no matter how Sherry felt about him now or even refused to see him, he had to get her


    back. 1


    After all, she had given birth to their child and could be his only woman in this life!


    The evening sun at Coastrock City slowly set over the horizon. The orange ze from the sun painted the clouds sky red and


    made the sea glimmer brightly.


    Awhite MPV cruised steadily by the seaside.


    Sherry was dozing off inside. The window was half wound down, and the sun shed its warm glory on her sleepy face.


    Then, a sudden breeze assaulted her face.


    She quivered and immediately opened her eyes. She looked around nervously but quickly sighed a breath of relief.


    ¡°Sis, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Carl was beside her. His face propped on his hand as he stared at Sherryzily.


    Sherry said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The breeze is a little strong.¡±


    Carl sighed and said in slight disappointment, ¡°I thought you were having a nightmare. | was going to give you a loving hug.¡±


    Sherry rolled her eyes at him.


    Carl giggled. He then said to Brandon, the driver, ¡°Brandon, wind up the window.¡±


    Brandon nodded and wound up all the windows.

 Chapter 1653

    Chapter 1653


    Chapter 1653


    Sherry leaned back on the seat and stared at the sea view outside the window.


    She just had a nightmare of John surrounding her in an alleyway with a bunch of thugs, and they tried to bring her back to


    Glenchester for imprisonment. It was short, but it haunted her for quite a while.


    Her brows unconsciously furrowed.


    ¡°Sis, what¡¯s with that look on your face?¡± Carl¡¯s voice entered her ears.


    Sherry turned around and saw his face.


    The man had unknowingly gotten closer to her, and his face was less than one millimeter away from hers. He extended his neck


    to approach her, startling her.


    Sherry sighed exasperatedly.


    Carl moved back but remained seated beside her. He stared at her for a while and asked


    with a smile, ¡°Are you afraid that my grandmother will give you a hard timeter?¡±


    Sherry was taken aback but did not answer his question. She had forgotten about Madam Sager¡¯s eightieth birthday dinner after


    waking up from the nightmare.


    Madam Sager was a difficult person to please, thus she would avoid the olddy whenever possible.


    Carl took her silence as a tacit agreement. He added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom and | will be there. She won''t do anything to you.¡±


    Sherry hummed a reply. She did not want to engage with the olddy but was not afraid to do so if forced. She might be Carl¡¯s


    fiance to the public, but it was just a fake arrangement


    so that he could take over thepany.


    Once Carl had full control of thepany, the engagement would be called off.


    She was not going to marry into the Sagers, hence she was not afraid of the olddy.


    As they conversed, the car turned off the freeway, made two turns, and arrived at the seaside mansion, designed to resemble a


    neo-ssical building.


    It was the Sager¡¯s old house, where Madam Sager and her grandchildren lived.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    A few decades ago, Carl¡¯s grandfather and his siblings lived here. When Carl¡¯s grandfather passed away, Carl''s father inherited


    the house and the whole extended family moved in.


    Mrs. Sager and her husband used to live here as well, but after her husband passed away, Mrs. Sager moved out. Carl was


    known to be a yboy, therefore he rarely came home. The only ones who continued to live in the mansion were Madam Sager


    and her daughter¡¯s family.


    The ce looked aged from the outside but was well-maintained. Time did not dampen its grandness at all.


    The car stopped outside the gate, and the guards came over for inspection.


    Carl popped his head out of the window and shouted at the guard, ¡°Hey, you! Can¡¯t you see that it¡¯s me? Open the gate! Now!¡±


    The guard nervously and respectfully said, ¡°Yes, sir. I''ll open the gates right away.¡±


    The gate opened and the car drove in.


    After cruising through a long garden, they reached a massive castle. A well-dressed butler and two male servants came over with


    the most polite smiles.


    Sherry and Carl got out of the car together.


    The butler said, ¡°Young master, wee back. Madam and the others are waiting for you inside.¡±


    Carl ignored him. He held Sherry¡¯s hand and headed into the building. He said to Sherry,¡± Sis, stay close to me. You can talk to


    anyone you like, or you can just keep quiet. Your choice.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°I got it.¡±


    After walking through a long corridor, the duo finally reached the grand and majestic living hall. Many of the guests had arrived


    and they were all mingling.


    Sherry spotted Lisa Sager, drinking alone at the corner, and Lisa spotted her too.


    Lisa put her ss down and headed over to Sherry. She held Sherry¡¯s hand and sized her up carefully. ¡°Sherry, why are you


    here? Feeling better already?¡±

 Chapter 1654

    Chapter 1654


    Chapter 1654


    Sherry smiled at her. ¡°I should really be here to attend Madam Sager¡¯s birthday. Don¡¯t worry, I''m fine now.¡±


    Lisa did not request her attendance, but she had received the invitation to the event from the Sagers¡¯ butler. Since she was an


    important employee of the Sagers¡¯pany and even headed a few of the departments, even if she was not Car!¡¯s fake fiance, it


    would be inappropriate for her to miss it.


    Lisa pursed her lips. She looked at Carl and grumbled, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop her? Don¡¯t you know that your grandmother and


    your aunts are vicious?¡±


    Carl awkwardly scratched his nose. ¡°I know, but I¡¯m here. They won''t do anything to Sis either.¡±


    Lisa red at him one more time. ¡°You go greet your aunts and grandmother. Sherry is staying here with me.¡±


    Carl was left speechless. ¡°Mom,e on. It¡¯s inappropriate.¡±


    Sherry wanted to echo, but Lisa held her hand tightly.


    Lisa stared at her son. ¡°It¡¯s appropriate if | say so. Go over there right now!¡±


    Carl helplessly pursed his lips. He pocketed his hands and went deeper into the living hall.


    Madam Sager and the others were looking at them.


    Fortunately, Sherry was further away from them, but despite the distance, she could


    already sense their arrogant and frosty gaze.


    However, when Carl went over, all their attention was shifted to him. Only a few of them continued to stare at Sherry and Lisa,


    and their hostile gazes were brazen.


    Lisa turned to Sherry. ¡°Child, | didn¡¯t want to bring you here because it¡¯s for your own good.¡± Sherry smiled. ¡°I know.¡±


    The Sagers tried to invite her to events multiple times, both secretly and openly, but she had rejected all the invitations.


    However, since Carl was taking over thepany, it would be inappropriate for her to continue rejecting the invitations.


    She was not afraid of Madam Sager, but she had scruples against the others in the Sagers, such as Madam Sager¡¯s daughter,


    Anne, and her husband, Ron.


    Anne was also a shareholder in thepany and Ron was an executive manager. They had two sons, both of whom were older


    than Carl. Their family was known for their ruthless ambitions.


    Carl had just lost his father, and his aunt had already tried to snatch thepany from him. She used many dirty tactics, and her


    family was the main cause of thepany¡¯s previous decline. If it were not for Lisa who tried everything to stop them, the


    company would have gone bankrupt.


    Even though Lisa had be the person in charge of thepany, they still had their eyes on thepany. More importantly,


    they were close to Madam Sager and the other extended families.


    Sherry was Carl''s fiance by name, and if she declined the invitation to Madam Sager¡¯s birthday dinner, it would only make


    Madam Sager and the other families mad. She had never worked with them before, and they would never give her a hard time,


    but they would divert their problems to Lisa.


    Understanding Lisa¡¯s concern, Sherry said, ¡°Aunt Lisa, don¡¯t worry. This is Madam Sager¡¯s birthday dinner. The most they can do


    is look down on me. Nothing bad will happen tonight.¡±


    Lisa nodded in agreement. ¡°I suppose so, but you¡¯d better stay by my side. Don¡¯t wander off alone.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Lisa smiled at her before they walked in together.


    The living hall had a grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling.


    Madam Sager was sitting in between her daughter and son-inw. Both Anne and Ron¡¯s sons, and their wives, were beside


    them. There were other extended families of the Sagers around them as well.


    Carl had greeted all of them and was sitting down on one of the couches. He crossed his legs and wore a frivolous look on his


    face.

 Chapter 1655

    Chapter 1655


    Judging from Carl''s frivolous look, he had probably cracked the whip in front of them.


    Sherry and Lisa went up to them.


    Other than Madam Sager¡¯s obvious frosty expression, the others weed them with a fake smile.


    Sherry responded with a professional smile and revealed the present she prepared for Madam Sager. ¡°Madam Sager, this is my


    present to you. Happy birthday and may you be healthy and happy.¡±


    Madam Sager kept her frosty look. She looked away instantly as if looking Sherry in the eye would contaminate her eyes. She


    did not respond or talk to Sherry, which made things. awkward.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Both Anne and Ron, plus others who looked down on Sherry, gloated at her.


    Sherry frowned. She was upset by the olddy''s reaction, but she could not afford to offend her. All she could do was endure the


    cold shoulder.


    ¡°Grandma, are you getting so old that you can¡¯t hear properly?¡± Carl said all of a sudden. He then retracted his leg from the table


    and stood up from the couch.


    However, he might or might not have been intentional when he kicked off one of the ornaments from the tea table. The ornament


    fell to the floor and the clunk echoed across the living hall.


    Sherry was startled, and so were Madam Sager, Anne, and the others.


    ¡°Oh my, how careless of me. Did | scare you guys?¡± Carl said as he walked to Sherry¡¯s side. He put his foot on the other tea


    table in front of Madam Sager.


    There were quite a number of expensive ornaments on the tea table, and he could ruin all


    of them with a simple kick.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Ron immediately responded with a fake smile. ¡°It''s nothing.¡±


    Anne then looked at Madam Sager. ¡°Mother, Carl¡¯s fiance has a present for you.¡±


    Madam Sager frowned. ¡°Just put it there.¡±


    The present was then moved to the rack behind the couch, where the other presents were kept.


    Carl retracted his foot and smiled at them. ¡°Grandma, Aunt Anne, you guys continue. It''s Sherry¡¯s first time here, so | want to give


    her a tour of the house.¡±


    Anne echoed, ¡°Sounds like a good idea, but dinner is starting soon. Don¡¯t wander off too far.¡±


    Carl then signaled his mother with a quick nce before he grabbed Sherry and left.


    When they finally got out of the living hall, it felt like Sherry had just escaped from suffocation hell. She pulled her hand away


    from Carl and said, ¡°Carl, it¡¯s really depressing in there.¡±


    Lisa came from a lesser background as well. Her family members were farmers in a rural vige.


    Sherry attended the birthday dinner as an outsider, yet she was already given the cold. shoulder. She had no idea how Lisa


    made it through all these years.


    Carl''s gaze shifted. He asked, ¡°Did they make you ufortable?¡±


    Sherry sighed. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but | believe your mother is having a hard time inside.¡±


    Carl walked in front of her and then leaned against the pir. He crossed his arms and smiled. ¡°After my old man died, my


    mother and | don¡¯t live here anymore. She doesn¡¯t evene back here, so you don¡¯t need to worry about her.¡±

 Chapter 1656

    Chapter 1656


    Chapter 1656


    Sherry nodded.


    ¡°Don''t worry. It doesn¡¯t matter whether | get married now orter on, but one thing | can say for sure is that I¡¯m not going to be


    coming back here,¡± Carl suddenly added.


    Sherry shot a look at him.


    Carl smiled charmingly at her and seemed to be waiting for her to say something.


    Sherry was made slightly ufortable by the way he was looking at her and quipped, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether you


    come back or not, so why are you telling me this anyway?¡±


    Besides, he was able to easily intimidate Madam Sager and the others with just a little bit of posturing, thus there was nothing


    she needed to worry about.


    Carl''s eyes darkened ever so slightly, but he quickly collected himself and smiled nonchntly again.


    ¡°| just wanted to tell you that, no reason.¡± As he said this, he gently grazed Sherry¡¯s cheeks with the tips of his finger.


    Sherry was upset by this. ¡°Carl, what¡¯s your problem?¡±


    Carl cocked an eyebrow and provoked her haughtily, ¡°What, are you going to beat me up?


    Sherry was speechless. All she did was roll her eyes in response.


    Then, she went towards the garden, and Carl immediately followed her.


    It was a veryrge garden. At one nce, one could immediately notice that it was very. well taken care of. There was a vast


    variety of flowers and trees, and the bushes were delicately trimmed.


    Sherry barely had time to delight in the tranquility of the garden before the butler showed up to inform them that the banquet had


    started and that they should head inside.


    With that, they went into the banquet hall.


    It was a ssic banquet.


    Sherry sat between Lisa and Carl, and seated at the same table with them were Madam Sager, Ron, and Anne.


    They were still rather malevolent toward Sherry but knew better than to directly express their attitude with Carl and Lisa at the


    table. Still, they would make subtle jabs at her from time to time and make remarks about how shecked womanly grace.


    Sherry barely paid attention to their remarks as she turned her mind to the food.


    At one point, she felt the urge to go to use the toilet.


    ¡°Aunt Lisa, I¡¯m going to the toilet,¡± she told Lisa.


    ¡°I''ll go with you,¡± Lisa said prepared to rise from her seat.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry hurriedly stopped her, ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. | can go by myself.¡±


    Lisa insisted on going with her.


    That was when Carl interjected. He rose from his seat and came behind Sherry. ¡°I was just about to go to the toilet too. I''ll go


    with her instead.¡±


    Lisa sat back down and issued amand, ¡°Alright, make sure you stay with her.¡±


    ¡°| got it.¡± Carl nodded and took Sherry¡¯s hand.


    Seeing as they were in front of a gathering of rtives and friends of the Sagers, Sherry knew better than to fling his hand away.


    She went with the flow and let herself be led away.


    They went toward the toilet.


    Carl did not enter the men¡¯s toilet but leaned against the wall next to the women¡¯s toilet instead and motioned like an usher. ¡°Go


    on, I''ll wait for you here.¡±


    Sherry asked suspiciously, ¡°I thought you wanted to go to the toilet.¡±


    ¡°| had a mild stomachache just now, but now I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Sherry shot a skeptical look at him, then she left it at that and went into the women¡¯s toilet.


    After she finished her business, she nudged the door open and went to the sink to wash her hands. That was when she


    stumbled into Ada who happened to be using the toilet as well.


    She was Ron¡¯s niece and would also frequently visit the Sagers. Madam Sager was rather fond of her.


    Sherry had heard some rumors from Lisa that Madam Sager intended to pair Ada with Carl. She recalled meeting Ada several


    times in the past though most of their encounters were at Car!¡¯s office.


    She could tell that Ada had a thing for Carl.


    As soon as they made eye contact, Ada scowled and red at Sherry,pletely unprovoked.


    Sherry ignored her entirely and only swept a passing nce at her before walking toward the sink.

 Chapter 1657

    Chapter 1657


    Ada approached the sink as well and asked snappily, ¡°Miss Sherry, | believe this isn¡¯t the first time we met. Have your parents


    never taught you that you should greet someone you know?¡±


    Sherry began to wash her hands while responding disinterestedly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like you greeted me either. Have your parents


    neglected to teach you that as well?¡±


    Ada stuttered and had no response to this. Her face grew red.


    Sherry was in no mood to continue squabbling with her. She had finished washing her hands and was wringing her hands to dry


    them. The sleeves on her left arm parted slightly and revealed arge scar left behind from the previous ident, which was


    imprinted on her arm.


    She immediately took notice of this and pulled back her sleeves as subtly as she could, then she turned and walked out of the


    bathroom. She marched out in a haste and did not notice the look in Ada¡¯s eyes.


    Carl was still waiting for her outside, and after she emerged, they went back into the banquet hall.


    Ada had just exited the toilet when she watched the two stepping into the banquet hall together. She scowled and was


    immediately filled with jealousy and scorn. ¡°How dare some vile, disgusting woman like you try to steal him from me?!¡±


    It was still very lively inside the banquet hall.


    Sherry and Carl returned to their seats.


    Anne was busy chatting with Madam Sager along with her daughter-inw.


    Madam Sager was smiling from ear to ear, but the moment she saw Sherry returning with Carl, she erased the smile from her


    face in an instant.


    Sherry made a face as well but was otherwise not bothered.


    Carl barely cast a nce in Madam Sager¡¯s direction and did not really care to.


    Lisa smiled warmly at the returning pair and said, ¡°Carl, Sherry, everyone has given a toast to Grandma already, so you two


    should as well.¡±


    She was subtly hinting that they could make up an excuse to leave after the toast.


    Carl took the hint and responded kindly, raising a ss.


    Sherry followed suit and grabbed a ss as well.


    Anne suddenly remarked, ¡°Carl, both of your brothers and sisters-inw went up to


    Grandma to toast to her just now, so you two should do that as well. She can¡¯t see you from a distance.¡±


    Carl reluctantly agreed and told Sherry, ¡°Grandma has poor eyesight. Let¡¯s go up to her.¡±


    He figured that it was not much hassle, especially considering they could leave after they were done with the toast.


    He nced at Sherry who nodded agreeably.


    With that, they approached Madam Sager together.


    Madam Sager wore a permanent scowl on her face and barely responded to them approaching.


    Carl did not think much of it and began to give a toast, ¡°Grandma, | wish you good health and prosperity.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Without that, he raised his ss.


    Sherry raised her ss as well and downed the contents of the ss in one swig.


    Ron suddenly chuckled out loud andmented, ¡°Hehe... this is some strong liquor that contains 53% alcohol. It¡¯s pretty


    impressive that you can finish it in one gulp, but that¡¯s expected of someone running a nightclub.¡±


    Upon hearing this, everyone at the table turned to gawk at Sherry.


    Anne chimed in, ¡°Miss Sherry looks like she¡¯s been doing this for a long time. How often do you drink?¡±


    Sherry grimaced and was slightly irritated by the unnecessaryments.


    After a stiff silence, she was prepared to retort but was quickly interrupted by Carl, ¡°Yeah, you all know how much | like drinking,


    and Sherry here is one of my frequent drinking partners.¡±


    Anne immediately did a double-take.


    Ron chuckled dryly.


    Carl turned to Ron and said with a smile, ¡°Uncle, yourment back there reminds me of something. If it wasn¡¯t thanks to


    Sherry helping Sager Corporation manage all those nightclubs, you¡¯d probably be homeless and begging for money on the


    streets instead of sitting here enjoying a toast with us.¡±


    Ron and Anne turned pale white immediately.


    ¡°Pfft...¡± Lisa could not stifle herugh anymore and nearly spat out the food in her mouth.


    Ron and Anne turned speechless. Their faces were as ck as ink.


    Sherry was highly amused by this interaction. It took everything in her to pucker her lips. tightly to not break out into a hearty


    laugh.

 Chapter 1658

    Chapter 1658


    Chapter 1658


    An awkward silence engulfed the table.


    Ron and Anne seemed to have be highly ufortable with what had been said, and the others did not seem much better


    either; take Madam Sager, for example.


    She frowned so hard that her wrinkles surfaced on her face like crumpled paper. She scoffed sharply, pushed the tableware


    aside, and dered rather stoutly, ¡°I¡¯m full.¡±


    Anne quickly went up to her. ¡°Come on, I''ll take you home.¡±


    That was when Ada suddenly approached with a ss of wine of her own.


    She raised the ss in Madam Sager¡¯s direction and eximed brightly with a delightful smile, ¡°Grandma, let me toast to you as


    well. | wish you great joy, and may all of your heart¡¯s desires be fulfilled. Live a long and healthy life!¡±


    She brushed past Sherry as she gave the toast, and the ss suddenly tipped over in her hands and spilled its entire contents


    on Sherry¡¯s left arm.


    The sleeves of Sherry¡¯s shirt were drenched in an instant. The fabric clung to her skin and jolted her with a cold spark.


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m


    sorry. It was an ident! Here, let me wipe it for you,¡± Ada said hastily.


    Sherry wanted to do it herself, but before she could react, Ada was already all over her and tugged the sleeves of her shirt


    upward.


    With a vigorous pull, her sleeves were yanked upward to reveal the hideous scar imprinted


    on her arm.


    Ada immediately shrieked.


    Anne cried out in shock as well, ¡°What the hell is that?!¡±


    Madam Sager seemed utterly disgusted by what she saw.


    Everyone around the table reacted with equal disgust. They were immediately repulsed by Sherry¡¯s presence.


    The collective shock sucked the air out of the room.


    Sherry immediately pulled her arm away from Ada.


    Ada paid no attention whatsoever to Sherry¡¯s repulsion and asked, ¡°Miss Sherry, what''s with that horrid scar on your arm?¡±


    Sherry turned pale in an instant. She knew that Ada had spilled the wine on her on purpose. She must have caught a glimpse of


    the scar on her arm back in the toilet and intentionally set her up to embarrass her in public.


    Although Sherry cared little what the Sagers thought of her, she could not deny that the scar was a vile mark of the trauma she


    had suffered and that it evoked sour memories.


    Everyone around her, even the people seated at adjacent tables were stealing looks at her, gawking at her scar, and murmuring


    among themselves. The unwanted attention made her feel extremely self-conscious.


    She steeled herself and answered sharply, ¡°It¡¯s from an ident.¡±


    Ada remarked with a hint of a smile, ¡°You must have been too careless. Now, you have a giant ugly scar on your arm that will


    follow you around for the rest of your life.¡±


    She suddenly turned to Carl and asked, ¡°Carl, don¡¯t you feel the same way?¡±


    Carl red at her, gone were his usual easy-going charms. He snapped sharply and without any sense of refrain, ¡°Why are you


    acting all friendly with me? Do | even know you?¡±


    Ada was horrified by this.


    Astiff silence overtook the table.


    Ron spoke up, ¡°Carl, she is my niece, Ada Wright. You¡¯ve met her before. Have you forgotten?¡±


    Carlughed and mocked her, ¡°Ah, so she¡¯s your niece. That exins why she¡¯s so ugly.¡±


    Ron was struck speechless.


    Ada¡¯s reaction was not any better either. All the color was drained from her face, and she looked like she was about to cry.


    Carl continued to mock her relentlessly, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you have the guts to mock Sherry of all people with a face like that.


    Where did you get the confidence from? From your uncle?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    This broke Ada, and she burst out crying and quickly ran out of the banquet hall with her hands covering her face from shame.


    By this point, there was not so much as a whisper in the banquet hall. Everyone was silent.


    Ron and Anne seemed distraught, and Madam Sager was seething with fury by this point.


    Anne suddenly snickered, her voice echoing through the hall.


    Lisa took control of the situation and turned to Carl. ¡°Carl, Sherry doesn¡¯t seem to be doing too well, why don¡¯t you take her and


    leave? You two are finished eating anyway.¡±


    Carl nodded and promptly took Sherry¡¯s hand. They were out of the banquet hall in no time.


    Anne suddenly piped up and turned to Lisa, ¡°Lisa, they haven¡¯t even finished toasting to Mom yet.¡±

 Chapter 1659

    Chapter 1659


    Lisa chuckled. ¡°You''d better check if mom is still in the mood for a toast.¡±


    Anne turned pale.


    ¡°Don''t you think it¡¯s very disrespectful of them to leave without even bidding farewell to Mom?¡± Ron remarked grumpily.


    Lisa answered with a feigned smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your darling niece if she spilled the wine on Sherry on purpose? Do you


    think we''d be in this situation if she hadn''t done that?¡±


    Ron stammered for a proper response, ¡°Ada... Ada didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    m sure she did it on purpose.¡± Lisa hissed sharply, ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot.¡±


    Ron gulped.


    Lisa was not interested in squabbling with them any longer. She shot up from her seat and turned to Madam Sager, ¡°Mom, I''ll be


    leaving. | have some business to deal with.¡±


    Madam Sager ignored her.


    Lisa had been used to her ambivalence and paid no mind to it. She turned and strutted off without hesitation.


    After leaving the banquet hall, Carl produced a handkerchief from his pocket and tried to help Sherry wipe off the wine stains


    from her arm.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry insisted on doing it herself. She hastily brushed it several times over her arm before handing the handkerchief back to


    Carl, not forgetting to thank him. ¡°Thank you for helping me back there.¡±


    It did feel good when she heard what Carl said to Ada back there.


    ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡± Carl frowned. ¡°I¡¯m the reason she tried to humiliate you in public.¡±


    ¡°I''m fine.¡±


    It was not a big deal. She could handle being mocked by a crowd.


    This humiliation was nothingpared to the harrowing suffering she had to endure under John. Some snarky words and cross


    looks could barely hold a candle to the endless torment she had to go through.


    She stuffed her hands in her pockets and continued walking.


    Carl followed her every step of the way. After a long silence, he spoke again, ¡°Sherry, | know a few very capable surgeons. Do


    you want me to bring you to them? I¡¯m sure they


    2


    can do something about that scar of yours.¡±


    ¡°No, | don¡¯t need it.¡±


    If she was going to have it treated, she would have done it a long time ago. Besides, the scar had fully developed into her skin by


    now, and there was no reversing it.


    More importantly, the very existence of the scar was a sore reminder of what the despicable man had done to her, and she would


    rather keep it.


    Carl sensed the resolute in her voice and decided to stop trying to convince her.


    They walked to the parking lot.


    Just as Sherry was about to get in the car, Lisa came running after them. She wanted to check on Sherry.


    Sherry smiled warmly and assured her, ¡°Aunt Lisa, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Lisa looked at her, her eyes filled with distress. ¡°Sherry, | remember you being fine before you went to nchester. What


    happened to you when you were there? You''ve got so much thinner, then there¡¯s this unexinable scar. What kind of ident


    were you talking about. back there?¡±


    Sherry became gloomy and tried to avoid the topic. ¡°You know, things happen. Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter now. It¡¯s all over.¡±


    Lisa wanted to probe further, but Carl cut her off. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going for a drink with Sherry. Why don''t you give it a rest for now?¡±


    he said as he gently tugged Lisa away from Sherry.


    Lisa shot a fierce look at him and sent them off reluctantly. ¡°Don¡¯t drink more than you. need to, and make sure you send her


    home before it''s toote.¡±


    ¡°Understood, don¡¯t worry.¡± With that, Carl took Sherry¡¯s hand.


    Sherry was quickly ushered into the car.


    With that, they took off and exited through the front gates of the Sagers¡¯ vi.


    It was already nighttime. Spots of streetlights nked both sides of the road illuminated the path before them.


    Sherry lowered the car window to feel the gentle sea breeze brushing against her skin.


    Just as she was about to close her eyes to get some rest, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure in her peripheral vision. She


    frowned reactively and turned around.


    All that could be seen was the spaciousne and several cars riding its winding paths.

 Chapter 1660

    Chapter 1660


    Carl noticed Sherry acting strangely and asked, ¡°Sherry, what are you looking at?¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath and brushed it off, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    She must have been mistaken.


    That man was miles away in nchester. There was no way he would show up here.


    Meanwhile, a car that wasing from the oppositene that had just whizzed past Car!¡¯s car, the windows were rolling up and


    swiftly shut with a steady thud.


    Aman sat in the back seat and stared at the rearview mirror. It was John.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Inside the mirror, he could spot Car!¡¯s car driving away. With every passing second, the car grew smaller until it turned into a blip


    in the mirror before vanishing.


    Nobody spoke inside the car.


    The driver and Jason sat in the front row.


    Caprice was sleeping on hisp.


    He continued staring intensely into the rearview mirror with an intense look, refusing to avert his gaze from it.


    At one point, Jason asked cautiously, ¡°Sir, should we chase after them?¡±


    ¡°No need. Take us back to the hotel.¡±


    Just now, he had caught a look of horror on Sherry¡¯s face. She must have been frightened by the prospect of meeting him here.


    He decided to wait several days before meeting her.


    He brought up another matter. ¡°Have you investigated what''s been going on recently with the Sager household?¡±


    Jason answered promptly, ¡°Our men are going through the findings now and will provide a report once they¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Alright, make sure to inform me at first notice.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Sherry passed on drinking with Carl and had him send her back home instead.


    She lived in an apartment a short distance away from the Sagers¡¯ vi.


    Upon returning to her apartment, she took a long shower to clear her mind. Then, she changed into her pajamas and threw


    herself on her bed.


    It was a tranquil night, and she could hear the stark silence ringing in her ears.


    She had trouble falling asleep. After tossing and turning in bed for a while, she reached for her phone and opened the photo


    gallery.


    It was full of pictures of Caprice.


    There were pictures of Caprice snoring like a piglet in her sleep, and there were shots of her smiling radiantly from when they


    went out ying. Most importantly, there were pictures taken of the two of them together, a pair of mother and daughter.


    Sherry looked at each picture and carefully took them in.


    Eventually, she fell asleep while scrolling.


    Inside a hotel directly opposite the apartment in which Sherry resided, inside a presidential suite on the top floor, the lights in the


    study were turned on.


    John was sitting at the desk, going through the report he had just received from his men.


    Everything there was to know about the Sagers wasid out in concise detail in the report. He had all the information concerning


    each member of the household as well as a brief of their rtionship with one another.


    After going through them, he went through the report on Sager Corporation.


    It was discovered that Lisa was the one doing the heavy lifting, Keeping the corporation above the water. And yet, she tended to


    be scorned by the family.


    Over thest two years, Sherry had contributed greatly to thepany¡¯s resurrection. There was an entire page dedicated to her


    countless contributions to the corporation. Everything she did make a huge difference and brought a huge positive impact on the


    corporation''s finances.


    John found himself grinning with pride as he read the statistics.


    She was brilliant, as expected of his wife.


    While he was engrossed in the report, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door was pushed open and Jason walked in.


    John turned to his visitor. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    Jason reported hesitantly, ¡°Sir, we just receive new information from one of our men. Word


    is that Mrs. Sherry and Master Sager are getting engaged next month.¡±

 Chapter 1661

    ?Chapter 1661


    An engagement next month?


    John was made restless by the news and frowned tightly.


    How dare she forget that they were husband and wife in the eyes of thew?! Their marriage certificate was still valid!


    How dare she submit herself to another man?!


    Did she truly hate him so much that she would fling herself into the arms of another man and get engaged before even getting a divorce from him?


    Jason was intimidated by John''s darkening demeanor and backed away cautiously. He asked warily, "Sir, what shall we do next?''


    John frowned. He considered for a moment and decided. "Have our men keep an eye on Carl. Tell them to find out the exact date of their engagement."


    "Understood," Jason replied, and hurried out.


    A depressing silence overtook the room.


    John frowned and looked at the picture of Sherry on the report. He found himself caressing the picture with his fingers as if hoping to feel her touch through the picture.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    How dare you get engaged to another man?


    Don''t you ever even think about it!


    It was a dreamless night.


    Sherry was woken up by the rm clock in the morning. After she packed up, she went to the Sager Tower.


    Most of the employees were acquainted with her by now.


    Upon her arrival, the employees greeted her politely.


    Sherry quickly noticed that many of them were darting fleeting nces at her left arm as well.


    She wagered that Ron must have spread rumors about the scars on her left arm that even the employees of thepany had caught wind of it already.


    He was doing this to make her feel alienated, to feel like a freak.


    Sherry frowned upon realizing this. She politely returned their greeting before heading to her office.


    She cast these thoughts off her mind and immediately turned her attention to her work as soon as she sat down. Suddenly, her phone rang.


    It was a voice message from Lisa, "Sherry, I have some bad news, that b*stard Ron had his assistant spread news about the scar on your left arm. But don''t worry about it, I''ll make sure he gets what he deserves as well. Soon, you''ll begin hearing about that one time he got caught cheating by Anne and was kicked out onto the streets butt naked."


    Sherry could barely stifle herugh upon hearing this.


    She was aware that Ron was a cheater and that even till now, he had a couple of mistresses out there. Still, this was the first time she heard about him being caught by Anne.


    Sherry assured Lisa. "Aunt Lisa, don''t worry about me, I don''t care about all that."


    Lisa was relieved. "That''s good to know."


    She sent another follow-up message, "One more thing, I got in touch with the best wedding dress designer in Coastrock, we''re going to tailor the perfect wedding dress for you. She freed up her schedule this afternoon. Come with me this afternoon so we can get your measurements, then she can get started on the design. It''s going to be wonderful."


    Sherry replied, "No need for that, Aunt Lisa. I can just buy one at the dress shop myself."


    She was going to get engaged to Carl at the start of the next month.


    It was nothing more than a formality to publicize their engagement, so she did not see the need to make a whole ordeal out of it and get a tailor-made dress for the asion.


    Lisa immediately objected. "That won''t do. You''re my daughter-inw, what would I ever do if people found out that I let my daughter-inw wear amon dress on the day of her engagement?"


    Sherry refuted weakly, ''Aunt Lisa, it''s not a big deal, it''s just a formality."


    Lisa was adamant. "Absolutely not. I''ll see youter at three, end of discussion."


    Sherry gave up on trying to persuade the headstrong Aunt Lisa.


    She was tough as nails once she made up her mind on something, so it was no use trying to object.


    Time flew by when one was busy working.


    Sherry had a meeting after lunch. After wrapping up the meeting and stepping out of the conference room, she met Lisa in her office.


    It seemed like Lisa had been waiting.


    As soon as they made eye contact, Lisa went up to Sherry and led her away without a word.


    They arrived at a luxurious private studio in no time.


    The owner of the studio was Susan May, a well-known designer. She had everything prepared for her honored clients today.


    As soon as Lisa entered, she introduced the two to each other, "Ms. Susan, this is my future daughter-inw, Sherry."


    Susan smiled graciously and greeted Sherry.


    Sherry was very polite and greeted the designer simrly.


    With that, thedies sat down and began their discussion concerning the design of the dress.


    While this was ongoing, an unseemly vehicle stopped opposite the studio.


    There was a man seated in the backseat. He looked out the tinted windows and spied into the studio.

 Chapter 1662

    Chapter 1662


    Chapter 1662


    Susan was focused on her objective and started right away. ¡°Miss Sherry, what kind of dress do you like?¡±


    Sherry had no opinions. ¡°Anything that suits me.¡±


    Susan smiled briskly before handing a booklet to Sherry. ¡°Here are some of my recent designs, take a look and see if there¡¯s


    anything that catches your eye.¡±


    Sherry took the booklet and began going through it.


    There were dresses of all sorts of colors, and all of them gave off a different impression


    but one thing they had inmon was that they were all gorgeous beyond belief.


    There was one problem, however...


    Sherry asked hesitantly, ¡°Susan, do you have anything that sports a long sleeve?¡±


    Susan did a double take.


    Lisa realized what Sherry meant and repeated the request, ¡°Yeah, Susan, do you have anything long-sleeved for her?¡±


    ¡°| do, but there¡¯s only one design. It¡¯s a rather new design, | only just made the dress yesterday,¡± Susan rose as she said this.


    Sherry and Lisa rose as well and followed her to another section of the studio that had atrge assortment of dresses hung


    everywhere.


    One of them was a long-sleeved dress.


    Peals were embroidered along its waistline, it was very elegant and fashionable.


    Most importantly, it sported a unique long-sleeve design that was perfect for covering up her scars.


    ¡°Miss Sherry, what do you think about this one?¡± Susan asked eagerly.


    Sherry smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯s wonderful.¡±


    Lisa was delighted to hear this and beckoned, ¡°Go on, try it!¡±


    Susan gave Sherry an inviting look.


    Sherry smiled and took the dress. ¡°Sure.¡±


    It took some time to put on the dress, but the good news was that it was a perfect fit.


    It was as if the dress was specifically made for her as if fate had ordained it.


    Sherry emerged from the dressing room.


    20


    Both Lisa and Susan were eagerly waiting to see the soon-to-be bride in her new dress. The moment Sherry emerged, they were


    both awed by what they were seeing.


    ¡°Sherry, you''re beautiful!¡± Lisa eximed warmly, she quickly walked up to Sherry to get a closer look whilementing, ¡°It¡¯s a


    shame you''re skinnier now, you''d have looked even better if you wore this back then.¡±


    Sherry grimaced instinctively upon hearing this.


    Susan salvaged the situation with a quick-witted remark. ¡°She looks wonderful in this dress. even with her current figure. | think


    this is the right dress for you, Miss Sherry.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Lisa turned to Sherry. ¡°Sherry, do you like this one? Or would you like to see if there are better options for


    you?¡±


    ¡°| like this one, let¡¯s settle with this.¡± She did not want to take more time than necessary.


    Lisa was overjoyed to hear this. ¡°Perfect! This one it is.¡±


    With that, she went to pay for the dress.


    Sherry remained in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Inside the mirror was a petitedy with fair skin, she looked like an angel.


    It was indeed a beautiful dress, perfect for a wedding. She loved the marble white fabric. and its cut was perfect for her.


    She looked like she was modeling for a wedding dress photoshoot.


    She almost could not recognize herself.


    Meanwhile, inside the car parked outside.


    A pair of eyes stared through the tinted sses, into the standing mirror inside the studio. The man inside the car took in the


    breathless sight of thedy in white.


    John was bedazzled by what he was seeing and for a moment, could not speak at all.


    After some time passed, Sherry went back into the fitting room to change out of the dress. This took him out of his trance.


    Sherry changed back into the clothes she came in and by the time she emerged from the fitting room, Lisa had already paid for


    the dress.


    Susan informed with a satisfied smile, ¡°Mrs. Lisa, I''ll take another look at the dress and have my assistant delivered to your


    residence by tonight.¡±


    Lisa smiled and thanked Susan.


    Susan then turned to Sherry and congratted her on the fine purchase, ¡°Excellent choice, Miss Sherry. Let me wish you and


    Master Carl a happy engagement in advance.¡±


    573


    Sherry thanked her kindly.


    With that, she left with Lisa.


    As soon as they stepped out of the studio, they bumped into Carl who had just arrived. He seemed like he came here in a hurry.


    When he saw Sherry and Lisa stepping out, he immediately asked, ¡°Mom, has Sherry finished picking out the dress already?¡±


    Lisa asked rather snappily, ¡°She¡¯s already picked out the dress. What took you so long to get here? What were you getting up


    to?¡±


    Carl immediately turned to Sherry. ¡°Hey, Sherry, which dress did you pick?¡±

 Chapter 1663

    Chapter 1663


    Chapter 1663


    Sherry told him, ¡°Just a simple white dress.¡±


    ¡°In what style?¡± Carl approached her and smiled in a way only someone in love could. ¡± Could you wear it again for me to see?¡±


    Any other time, Sherry would not entertain him at all and even ignore him, but since Lisal was right here with them, she could not


    brush him off condescendingly. She hesitated for a moment and told him, ¡°I have a meetingter. I¡¯m afraid | don¡¯t have time to


    put on the dress for you to see now, let¡¯s wait until next time.¡±


    Carl frowned and let his frustration show.


    Sherry did not think much of his response and headed toward the parking lot.


    She was not lying as she had a meeting with a client in half an hour.


    Carl hurriedly followed her.


    Lisa followed behind them and watched the pair walk together. She smirked and murmured to herself, ¡°What a little brat.¡±


    They got into the car together.


    Meanwhile, inside another car parked out of sight in the corner of the parking lot.


    The man in the backseat was paying close attention to the trio that had entered the parking lot and gone to their car.


    After Sherry got into the car, Carl invited himself into the car as well and sat right next to


    her.


    Lisa knew better than to crowd in the backseat with them and took the passenger seat


    instead.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Shortly after, the car swerved out of the parking lot.


    Nobody spoke inside John¡¯s car.


    Eventually, Jason informed in a low and careful voice, ¡°Master Stockton, they¡¯re leaving.¡±


    John ordered with a tight frown, ¡°Go back to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    He promptly started the engine.


    They drove a short distance and reached the hotel in no time.


    John stepped out of the car and entered through the main entrance. He took the elevator


    to the top floor where the presidential suite was located.


    He flung the door open and walked in, already ustomed to the ce. Immediately upon his entry, Caprice came running out


    of the bedroom.


    She looked like she had just woken up, judging by how she was not wearing socks.


    Aunt Wanda trailed behind her and called out after her, ¡°Caprice, you haven''t put on socks


    yet!¡±


    Caprice barely heard her at all. The only thing on her mind was her father.


    Her short and chubby feet carried her like a waddling duck toward John.


    John bent over and promptly took her into his arms.


    Caprice foundfort in her father¡¯s arms.


    John propped her up on his shoulders and met her at eye level.


    Caprice¡¯s voice was like that of an angel¡¯s, she immediately asked, ¡°Daddy, where¡¯s Mommy?¡±


    John told her that they were visiting the city to find her mother, but it had been several days since, and yet, there was no sign of


    her mother.


    John struggled to form a reply but knew he had toe up with something anyway.¡± Mommy has been very busy recently, so


    Daddy hasn''t managed to get in touch with her yet. Don¡¯t worry, we''ll see Mommy when she has time to meet us.¡±


    ¡°When will that be?¡± Caprice pouted. ¡°I miss Mommy.¡±


    It had been a while since the child hadst seen her mother.


    Liam, Isabel, and Flint got to see their mother every day. Why was it that she did not have the same luxury?


    John grimaced. ¡°Mommy will be free in two days, | promise you, you''ll see her soon enough, alright?¡±


    Caprice was rather doubtful of that but nodded anyway.


    She would be patient and wait for two more days to pass.


    She rested her head against John¡¯s and stopped pestering him with questions.


    John took a deep breath, then he carried her into the bedroom.


    Aunt Wanda handed him a pair of socks and shoes for Caprice, he patiently put them on for her.


    After that was done, he gently patted her head and asked, ¡°Caprice, do you want to go out and y?¡±


    Caprice shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to go out.¡±


    John was very patient. ¡°What do you want to do then?¡±


    Caprice knew what she wanted. ¡°I want Mommy.¡±


    John became silent.


    Caprice sighed faintly and said, ¡°I miss Liam too.¡±


    John did not know what to say.


    He reached for his phone.


    Caprice immediately took the phone. She tapped through the contacts like she had done it


    a thousand times and quickly found Liam¡¯s contact so she could video call him.

 Chapter 1664

    Chapter 1664


    Chapter 1664


    The next two days were rather hectic with work.


    Once again, it was Friday. It was thest week of the month.


    It was a tradition for Sherry to take the employees of her department out for dinner at the end of the month tomemorate their


    hard work throughout the month.


    This month was no exception either.


    She had reserved a ce for dinner in advance. Half an hour before the end of the working day, she instructed the employees of


    the three departments she oversaw to finish up their work and get ready to leave with her.


    The ce she had reserved for dinner was some distance from the Sager Tower, and it was a rather famous barbecue ce


    located by the seaside.


    She had reserved half of the second floor of the restaurant for the asion.


    In what seemed like a queer coincidence, she arrived at the restaurant to see a lot of familiar faces.


    Most of them were distant rtives of the Sagers, and some of them held positions in the corporation as well, albeit the lesser


    roles.


    Two middle-aged men stood out. They were Aiden and Caden, and both the children of Anne and Ron. They had taken the family


    name of their mother instead of their father and were therefore honorary Sagers, even outsiders tend to refer to them as the


    Sagers.


    This was the reason that despite being the only child of the family, Carl was not known as the sole Young Master Sager.


    Both Aiden and Caden held leadership positions in the corporation and were considered rather ambitious men, but the extent of


    their capabilities was nothingpared to Carl.


    Still, their insurance came in the form of having Ron and Anne look out for them.


    Furthermore, their standing was securergely thanks to their rtionship with the other members of the Sagers household as


    nobody in the corporation would ever question their authority.


    As soon as Sherry and her group bumped into them, someone behind her murmured, ¡°How could we bump into them here of all


    ces? Talk about bad luck.¡±


    Aiden and Caden immediately noticed Sherry.


    Something shed across their faces at once, they immediately smiled at Sherry.


    With that, their group began to approach Sherry.


    Aiden greeted her with a smile, ¡°President Sherry, what a coincidence, are you having dinner here today as well?¡±


    Sherry replied with a half-smile, ¡°Yes, are you two eating here as well?¡±


    Aiden remarked curtly, ¡°I was thinking that this restaurant isn¡¯t ssy enough, but since President Sherry has chosen to dine


    here as well, | suppose there¡¯s no reason for us to not dine here too! The more people the merrier, right?¡±


    Was this meant to be taken as a subtle jab at her choice of restaurant?Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sherry did not take to this kindly. ¡°I suppose this restaurant isn¡¯t worthy of you two proud Master Sagers. Why don¡¯t you two eat


    at the ce down the street instead? It¡¯s quieter and seems like a better fit for you two.¡±


    There was indeed another barbecue ce down the street but the only problem is that it was inferior in every way. It was ina


    less ideal location and its decoration was nowhere


    near as extravagant.


    It was sparsely decorated and even looked reminiscent of a ghost town since there were hardly any customers at the ce. One


    would even have the impression that the ce had closed down if not for the flimsy signboard outside.


    Sherry¡¯s sarcastic remark spurred someughter from her employees.


    Aiden and Caden were visibly upset by this, but they knew that there was nothing they could do to Sherry. As much as they


    hated to do so, they had to continue smiling and pretend as if they were not ruffled by Sherry¡¯s pointed remarks.


    That was when another shrill voice joined the conversation as someone emerged from behind Aiden and Caiden. ¡°Sherry, these


    are my two brothers. They are the first and second eldest sons of the Sager family. Who do you think you are to disrespect them


    like this?!¡±


    Ada came charging to the front and confronted Sherry with a vicious re.


    Sherry¡¯s employees quickly zipped their lips. Ada was Ron¡¯s niece and the cousin of the two Sagers. They knew better than to


    get on her bad side especially considering her


    reputation.


    None of them dared to speak up for Sherry so Aiden and Caden grew cocky again when they realized their savior was here.


    There was a lot of tension in the air.


    Just when they thought Sherry was going to back away from this confrontation, she suddenly broke outughing.


    Ada did not take to this well and roared. ¡°What are youughing about?!¡±


    Aiden and Caden were visibly confused by this as well.


    Everyone stared at Sherry and waited for a reply.


    Sherry caught her breath and said audaciously, ¡°It¡¯s funny that you think you two are superior to me when I¡¯m the head of the


    marketing department in the corporation. Also, I¡¯m Carl¡¯s fianc¨¦e and will be inheriting the corporation with him in the future. Let


    me ask you the same question, who do you think you are?¡±


    Ada¡¯s voice was caught in her throat. ¡°They... they are the elders of the family!¡±


    Sherry scoffed arrogantly. ¡°So what? What are they going to do to me?¡±


    Ada was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 1665

    Chapter 1665


    Chapter 1665


    Caden and Aiden were left entirely speechless.


    Their entire group was struck speechless.


    Sherry continued stirring drama. ¡°As for you, Ada, you¡¯re not an employee at Sager Corporation and you''re not a part of our


    family either. What are you supposed to be? Stop barking at me, would you?¡±


    Ada¡¯splexion went white. ¡°Sherry, you... you...¡±


    Sherry cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What? What about me?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Ada did not know what to say so she continued stammering for words like a fool.


    All she could do was re at Sherry and was entirely harmless otherwise.


    Sherry was done squabbling with them. She turned to Aiden and Caden, both of them did not seem to be in a much better mood


    either, and bid them farewell crossly. ¡°Alright, Master Sagers, we¡¯re getting hungry so we''ll be heading in.¡±


    With that, she gave her group a look and signaled for them to enter the restaurant with her.


    They marched into the restaurant with her, all of them wearing bright smiles.


    The interior of the restaurant was splendid. It was a very weing environment.


    The staff had been waiting for them and the manager came up to greet Sherry as soon as she entered, ¡°Miss Sherry from Sager


    Corporation, is that right?¡±


    Sherry nodded confidently. ¡°That''s right.¡±


    ¡°Pleasee with me, we have reserved seats for you on the second floor.¡± A crew of waiters parted like the Red Sea and


    invited the upstairs.


    Sherry headed for the stairway with her group.


    Just as she was about to cross the threshold up the stairs, she caught yet another familiar sight from the corner of her eye.


    She turned to the familiar figure, unsure if her eyes were tricking her.


    Seated by a seat next to the window was a tall man dressed in a crispy white shirt who wore a pair of gold-rimmed sses. He


    leaned against the table and was staring at her.


    His arms were folded across his chest, his entire demeanor was suave and confident. He smiled in his usual charming,


    perceptive way.


    He must have been sitting here the entire time and must have overheard her conversation with Ada and the others just now.


    Sherry turned pale white in an instant.


    She never expected to see this man in Coastrock!


    He was not alone. Seated with him was a rather plump child.


    The child sat next to her father and was not causing any trouble, herrge eyes were cast in Sherry¡¯s direction as well.


    Sherry nearly cried out her name when she recognized who it was.


    She immediately seized herself and suppressed the urge to do so. She clenched her fist to steel herposure, then she turned


    around and continued heading up the stairs


    It was as if she did not see them at all.


    Her group followed her up the stairs. Soon, they were all gathered on the second floor.


    They settled into their seats one after another.


    The glow in Caprice¡¯s shining eyes dimmed the moment she saw Sherry heading up the stairs. She looked like she was about to


    cry and asked in a sullen voice, ¡°Why did Mommy ignore me?¡±


    Tears began to swell in her eyes, a sour sting rose up her nose.


    John looked just as sullen as well.


    After a short silence, he took Caprice in his arms and did what he could to console her, Mommy must''ve been too busy to talk to


    us, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Caprice held back her tears but was still rather skeptical. ¡°Really?¡±


    It seemed to her like her mother did not want to speak to her at all.


    John smiled and reassured her. ¡°Yes, I''m sure she''lle down here and greet uster.¡±


    Surely, she did not acknowledge their presence here because her employees were around her. She wanted to see them


    privately.


    He was sure that Sherry had a soft spot for Caprice so she would not simply ignore Caprice.

 Chapter 1666

    Chapter 1666


    The second floor was very spacious and offered a good view of the coast.


    Everyone was already seated and preparing to order


    Sherry found a random seat for herself and tried to calm her restless beating heart.


    There was a great tension threatening to implode within her. Her mind was racing and recalled the image of John and Caprice


    looking at her downstairs. She noticed how genuinely excited Caprice was to finally see her.


    She must have hurt Caprice by choosing to ignore her, her heart was weighed with remorse.


    Her heart throbbed.


    Even her employees noticed something off with her and expressed concern. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, President Sherry? Is everything


    okay?¡±


    Sherry quicklyposed herself and made up an excuse. ¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling very recently, but it''s nothing to worry about.


    Go on, order something to eat, don¡¯t mind me.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    well


    ¡°Alright, we just wanted to make sure that you¡¯re okay. Are you still upset about what Miss Ada and the other two Sagers said


    about you back there?¡±


    ¡°Hehe... They are the ones who should be upset. Did you see the look on their faces back there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, ha!¡¯


    ¡°We''re lucky to have President Sherry on our side, they are measly antspared to her.¡±


    Everyone was gossiping merrily, it was shaping up to be a good dinner.


    Sherry smiled weakly, her mind was somewhere else.


    Shortly after, a crew of waiters arrived with countless tters filled with barbecue,


    seafood, drinks, and more.


    Although Sherry was their superior, she was very down-to-earth and therefore had earned the respect and trust of her


    employees. They were all very fond of her.


    The way that they all prioritized bringing food and drinks to Sherry¡¯s te before they began eating was a testament to her


    influence over them.


    Sherry only took a handful of bites before she lost her appetite.


    She suddenly got up and excused herself. ¡°| need to use the bathroom, my stomach hurts. Enjoy the food everyone, no need to


    wait for me.¡±


    With that, she hurried down the stairs.


    Coincidentally, the crew of Ada, Aiden, and Caden were justing up the stairs as well. Ada immediately scowled at the sight


    of Sherry.


    Although Aiden and Caden were still upset, they shed a practiced smile at her regardless.


    Aiden asked, ¡°President Sherry, where are you going? | was justing up to have a drink with you.¡±


    Entertaining them was thest thing on her mind, so she quipped rather crossly. ¡°I¡¯m going to the toilet, are you going to follow


    me?¡±


    Aiden was taken aback by this and answered dryly, ¡°No, that¡¯s alright, I''ll wait fore back.¡±


    He courteously stepped aside to make way for Sherry.


    Sherry darted past him and went down the stairs to the first floor.


    Aiden scoffed behind her back, then he continued up the stairs.


    Caden and the others followed him.


    It was only Ada left in the middle of the stairway, she eyed Sherry suspiciously.


    Why was she in such a rush to the toilet?


    you


    to


    Besides, there was a toilet on the second floor, why did she have to go to the one on the


    first floor?


    Sherry arrived on the first floor.


    She darted her eyes toward the table where shest saw John and Caprice.


    They were still sitting there.


    John was very vignt and noticed her as soon as she stepped out of the stairway.


    There was a brief look of shock in his eyes, then his lips curled, and smiled gently at her.


    Despite his soft temperament, Sherry felt nothing but terror.


    She eyed the man warily, then she looked at Caprice who was in his arms.


    The child was snacking on a piece of vani cake, taking tiny spoonfuls at a time. Judging


    by the look on her face, she did not seem to be in a good mood.


    John gently stroked her hair and whispered something in her ears.


    Immediately after that, Caprice turned toward Sherry, her eyes bulging with excitement. Sherry smiled stiffly.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes lit up, she looked like she was trying to suppress every cell in her body from


    calling out after her mother.


    Sherry quickly approached them.

 Chapter 1667

    Chapter 1667


    Sherry observed the sullen look on Caprice¡¯s face and greeted her rather rigidly. It had been a while since her sudden


    disappearance. ¡°Hey, Caprice. It¡¯s Mommy.¡±


    Caprice answered stiffly, ¡°I know.¡±


    Sherry exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about just now, it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes quivered. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She seemed appeased, even if just mildly.


    Sherry wanted to take Caprice into her arms but was very reluctant because John was holding her.


    It was ufortable enough for her just to be in John¡¯s presence. She could not stomach having to get another inch closer to


    the man.


    She frowned and looked at Caprice longingly.


    She tried to pluck whatever courage she had left in her to approach John to take Caprice when suddenly, John himself released


    Caprice.


    He ruffled the child''s head and urged her, ¡°Go on, go to Mommy.¡±


    He said this as he looked at Sherry. There was something different about him now.


    Sherry frowned and averted her gaze as she turned to Caprice.


    As soon as permission was given, Caprice took off on her short legs and ran toward Sherry.


    Sherry bent over and took Caprice into her arms and hugged her as tight as she could.


    She was immediately filled with an urge to cry when she felt the familiar warmth of Caprice against her body. The softness of her


    skin and the smell of hair brought back memories from another time.


    She walked out of the restaurant with Caprice.


    They walked down the beach, her attention was fixed on Caprice the entire time. ¡°Caprice, my baby, I¡¯m so sorry, Mommy


    shouldn¡¯t have ignored you just now.¡±


    Caprice was a sweetheart, she looked into Sherry¡¯s eyes and saw how sorry she was to have done that. She pardoned her


    graciously. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mommy.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    She gently brushed Sherry¡¯s eyes with her fingers and consoled her. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t cry.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not crying because I¡¯m sad, I¡¯m just so happy to finally see you.¡±


    Caprice smiled.


    She was just as cute as Sherry remembered her.


    Sherry nted countless kisses on her cheeks.


    Caprice returned the favor and kissed her mother¡¯s cheeks repeatedly as well.


    Sherry smiled from ear to ear, she was filled with joy.


    They had reached the beach by this point and sat down on the smooth surface of the sand.


    Caprice rested cozily in Sherry¡¯s arms and asked with a tinge of worry, ¡°Mommy, are you going to be busy again?¡±


    Sherry assured her. ¡°No, not right now.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe home with me and Daddy?¡±


    Sherry did not know how to react.


    Caprice nuzzled against her neck and said, ¡°I miss you so much.¡±


    Sherry felt a throb in her chest. ¡°And | miss you very much too, Caprice.¡±


    She could hardly fall asleep at night without Caprice, she looked at her pictures every night.


    Caprice tried to persuade her. ¡°Thene home with us, Mommy. We can be together every day.¡±


    Sherry winced at the suggestion, she fell silent.


    It was impossible for her to go back.


    She refused to have anything to do with John again for the rest of her life.


    However, there was a silver lining. Caprice was in Coastroack.


    An idea came to Sherry.


    After a while, she said, ¡°Caprice, Mommy has no choice but to stay here. I¡¯m probably never going to go back.¡±


    Caprice was saddened to hear this.


    Sherry quickly offered an alternative. ¡°But there¡¯s another solution for you to be together with Mommy forever.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes grew wide at the prospect and asked curiously, ¡°How?¡±


    Sherry announced gleefully, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go back, you can live here with me.¡±


    Caprice was caught off guard by this proposal.


    Suddenly, a chuckle broke out from behind them. Standing only two meters behind them was John.


    Sherry spun around the moment she heard his familiar voice.


    John asked with a wry smile, ¡°So, you want Caprice to stay in Coastrock with you?¡±

 Chapter 1668

    Chapter 1668


    Chapter 1668


    Sherry frowned and looked at him warily, her voice was brittle and icy. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Coastrock was essentially her territory. Since John had brought Caprice here and handed her over on a silver tter, she would


    be foolish to not seize the opportunity.


    John observed her intently.


    Sherry peered behind him to ensure that he had no bodyguards apanying him.


    Without warning, she lifted Caprice off her feet and prepared to run away.


    It was now or ever, she was taking Caprice.


    ¡°Sure,¡± John said suddenly.


    Sherry was caught off-guard by this. She did a double take and questioned her hearing for a second, "What did you say?"


    "| said okay, you can keep Caprice here." John confirmed that she had not misheard.


    Sherry was not expecting this so she looked at John skeptically.


    Why would he be so gracious?


    Even if Madam Stockton had woken up and revealed to him that everything that happened was perpetrated by Julie, this was an


    unreasonable maneuver. Even if he realized that he was the one in the wrong this entire time, would he truly be willing to give up


    on Caprice?


    John noticed the thoughts racing through her mind and said, ¡°If Caprice is staying here, then so am I. All three of us will relocate


    to Coastrock.¡±


    Sherry scowled at him.


    She objected adamantly. ¡°Go back to where you came from, | just want Caprice."


    John smirked. ¡°And what if | want to stay here?¡±


    "Then I''ll have someone chase you out of the city! ¡±


    John smirked and immediately grew bold and cocky. ¡°I''d like to see you try.¡¯


    Sherry sensed danger so she pulled Caprice closer toward her and prepared to take off.


    John barely moved in spot and did not seem worried about Sherry getting away from his clutches at all. He suddenly stoically


    warned her. "Just so you know, | have ten bodyguards hiding in cover around this area right now. The moment you try to run,


    they will get you and bring you back to me.¡±


    Sherry hesitated.


    She became furious and hissed sharply. ¡°You b*stard, what the hell do you want from me?¡±


    John¡¯s demeanor suddenly switched, he had grown stern and solemn. "! want you toe back to me."


    Night had fallen upon them, the sea breeze was getting stronger and tossed Sherry¡¯s hair over her shoulders. Caprice¡¯s tiny


    braid danced in the air like a string while strands of hair spilled across her forehead.


    The only source of light came from the streetlights adjacent to the beach. Tiny spots of light reflected in John¡¯s eyes, he stood


    unyielding and seemed genuine in his intention of wanting Sherry back to his side.


    Sherry was baffled by this disy and broke outughing.


    ¡°Hehe.¡± She collected herself and asked, "Young Master Stockton, you want me toe back to you? Do you think | have a


    death wish?¡±


    Go back with him?


    Just so she could be imprisoned like a ve and be subjected to endless torture!


    John frowned and expressed sullenly, "| misjudged the situation back then.¡±


    Sherry roared sharply. ¡°Stop telling me about the past!"


    John obliged. ¡°Alright, | won''t mention it."


    Sherry red at him sharply. ¡°And | don''t ever want to see you again!¡±


    This was not the first time she had said this. She had expressed the same sentiment back when she split her head and had


    blood gushing out like a faucet! Yet, this man had mocked her then and refused to take her to the hospital. She would rather die


    than go back with him!


    Meeting him was the worst thing to have ever happened to her in this lifetime!


    John grimaced sourly, his eyes still fixed on her.


    Sherry¡¯s irritation grew with every passing second, she wanted to cuss him out and tell him to move out of her way.


    Before she could hurl a string of obscenities at him, Caprice suddenly interjected for the very first time. "Mommy, stop being so


    mean to Daddy.¡±


    Sherry immediately stifled the boiling rage in her.


    Caprice turned to Sherry, her eyes watering. "Daddy misses you too, please don¡¯t chase him away.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not know what happened between her parents nor could she fullyprehend the exchange the two had, but one thing


    she knew was that her mother seemed terrifying just now when she was screaming at her father.


    Sherry took a deep breath and adjusted the pitch of her voice to a gentle whisper, "Caprice, I''m sorry, did Mommy scare you?"


    Caprice nodded.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional, Mommy promised to stop being mean to Daddy.¡± She assured Caprice.

 Chapter 1669

    Chapter 1669


    Chapter 1669


    Caprice pouted softly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She ignored John entirely and proceeded to sit on the sand again as if nothing


    had happened.


    Capricey quietly in her arms and looked at her with herrge, pearly eyes, then she cast a nce at John who was standing


    nearby.


    He was not up to anything at all. He only stood motionlessly and stared at Sherry¡¯s figure from behind.


    Caprice frowned.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not know what went wrong between her parents.


    She asked Sherry directly, ¡°Mommy, did you fight with Daddy?¡±


    Sherry seemed affected by this question and answered with a faint smile, ¡°No, we didn¡¯t fight.¡±


    This only filled Caprice with more questions. ¡°Then why were you so angry at Daddy?¡±


    Sherry wanted to tell her that things were moreplicated than a simple fight.


    He tried to kill her.


    She knew better than to blurt out something that would cause her to worry and said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand even if Mommy


    told you. One day you''ll get it when you¡¯re older.¡±


    There was not much else Caprice could say to refute this point, but she was still trying to remedy the situation. ¡°Could you please


    make up with Daddy and not be angry at him. anymore?¡±


    Her voice was angelic and soothing as always.


    Standing a short distance behind them, John¡¯s expression suddenly shifted.


    Sherry looked at Caprice, deep with emotions, and told her, ¡°Mommy promises to stop being mean to Daddy, but | can¡¯t promise


    that we''ll make up.¡±


    Caprice was upset by this. ¡°Why can¡¯t you make up?¡±


    ¡°It''s veryplicated, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if | told you.¡± Caprice¡¯s dejected reaction made Sherry feel guilty for being


    so blunt. She gently patted Caprice¡¯s head and tried to console her. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry at all, Mommy will always love


    you.


    This was not enough to console Caprice, she whimpered, ¡°But | want Mommy and Daddy to make up.¡±


    Sherry grimaced and did not answer.


    It was impossible for her and John to reconcile their differences. She chose to remain silent to not hurt Caprice¡¯s feelings.


    After failing to get a proper response from Sherry, Caprice sighed faintly.


    Adults were soplicated.


    She lowered her head to the ground and began drawing circles on the sand to distract herself, she looked entirely downcast.


    Meanwhile, John¡¯s figure was still towering over them.


    When he looked at Sherry¡¯s figure, the light in his eyes dimmed.


    They would never make up?


    She had gone and said it so bluntly to Caprice of all people. This was proof of how unsalvageable the situation was.


    It did make sense, however.


    The first time he wronged her was nine years ago. Then, three years ago he had her locked up in the house for more than a


    year. The straw that broke the camel''s back was the recent episode where his actions had almost led to her being burned alive.


    He thought that if he was in Sherry¡¯s shoes, he would feel the same hatred.


    It only made sense that she hated him with all her being.


    It was unreasonable to me her for not wanting to make up after all that had happened.


    Despite all that, he was not going to let her cut him out of her lifepletely.


    Don¡¯t even think about getting married to another man!


    Nobody said anything for a long time and at one point, he sat on the beach as well.


    Sherry joined Caprice and yed around in the sand.


    John smiled as he watched the pair of mother and daughter enjoying their little games.


    The entire time, Ada was hiding from a safe distance and witnessed the entire interaction between John and Sherry. She grew


    wide-eyed as she watched Sherry y with Caprice in her arms and John sitting behind them.


    She had never met John and Caprice, but when she followed Sherry after she went downstairs, she overheard Caprice calling


    Sherry her mother. She had heard the things Sherry said to the man.


    If her assumptions were correct, that child in Sherry¡¯s arms was her daughter and that unfathomably handsome man was his ex¡ª


    husband!


    This entire time, Sherry was married and had a daughter!


    The implications were clear, she could feel her heart beating faster, and she found herself


    grinning devilishly from ear to ear without realizing it.


    As it was, she was already testing Madam Sager¡¯s patience. If everyone in the family found out that she was married and had a


    daughter this entire time, she could say goodbye to her chances of ever being part of the Sagers!

 Chapter 1670

    Chapter 1670


    Ding!


    Sherry was building blocks of sand with Caprice when the phone in her pocket rang.


    It was one of her employees calling her, they were probably wondering where she had been this entire time.


    Caprice heard the phone ring as well and promptly stopped ying as she cast a


    ruminative look at her mother.


    She did not want them to part just yet.


    Sherry wanted to prolong their time together as much as she could as well. She picked up the call and promptly informed, ¡°Hey,


    something urgent came up so I¡¯m going to have to leave early, no need to wait for me.¡±


    Her employees were understandably disappointed to hear this and expressed, ¡°But President Sherry, we haven''t even got the


    chance to drink with you yet.¡±


    Sherry smiled faintly and said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not feeling well today. | don¡¯t think I''d be able to drink with you all even if | didn¡¯t have


    to leave early.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, be careful and make sure you get home early and get a good rest.¡±


    ¡°Sure, have fun and remember to send the bill to me.¡±


    n


    She hung up after that and gazed into Caprice¡¯s marbly eyes that were looking back into hers as if caught in a trance.


    She asked worriedly, ¡°Mommy, are you not feeling well?¡±


    Sherry eased her worries with a quick smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy is very healthy, | just had to make up an excuse so they


    understand why | can¡¯t go drinking with them.¡±


    Caprice was relieved to hear this.


    Sherry¡¯s heart melted when she noted how much affection Caprice had for her. She lifted Caprice in the air and nted a kiss on


    her cheeks. ¡°Come on, Caprice, let¡¯s build a sand castle.¡±


    Caprice gleefully obliged.


    They continued ying in the sand, ignoring John¡¯s presence the entire time although he was just a short distance behind them.


    John silently gazed at Sherry and observed her frail figure, his brows tightened.


    The two continued ying untilte into the night.


    Most of the tourists on the beach were gone by this point.


    Caprice was exhausted from ying and had fallen asleep in Sherry¡¯s arms.


    Sherry sat on the beach and quietly stared at the rolling tides. She wanted this moment tost forever.


    That was until John interrupted her moment by approaching her.


    She instinctively tightened her grip around Caprice and was immediately on guard as she eyed John cautiously.


    John did not seem offended by this and instead told her, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should take Caprice back and get some rest.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by this.


    John smirked tauntingly. ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to take her?¡±


    Sherry immediately rose and asked again just to be sure, ¡°You want me to take Caprice back home with me? Are you sure about


    that?¡±


    John smiled briskly and assured her. ¡°Yes, I¡¯lle pick her up when you go to work tomorrow.¡±


    Having received permission from John, there was no way Sherry was going to let go of Caprice now. She immediately walked off


    the beach.


    John trailed behind her, keeping a respectable distance.


    He walked Sherry until she reached her car and put Caprice in the passenger seat. After that, he returned to his car and the two


    vehicles headed back to Sherry¡¯s ce, with John acting as an escort.


    After their tail lights were no longer visible from the parking lot, several figures emerged from the shadows.


    Ada smiled cunningly and said with a tint of excitement in her voice, ¡°Aiden, Caden, did you two see what | see?¡±


    Aiden and Caden were hiding in the bushes with her as well. They gazed in the direction where the cars drove off and looked


    delightfully surprised by what they had witnessed as well.


    Aiden smiled and expressed, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, she was married and had a daughter this entire time!¡±


    Caden stuffed his phone back in his pocket, he had made sure to take several pictures as evidence. He suddenly raised a


    curious point. ¡°Why were they driving separately though?¡±


    Ada spected. ¡°If that man is her ex-husband, then | suppose he drove here himself to bring their daughter to meet her mother.


    They were probably trying to be careful because they didn¡¯t want to be seen together.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Caden seemed wholly convinced by this line of reasoning.


    Ada prompted. ¡°You two have to hurry up and tell everyone about this, especially Grandma and Uncle.¡±


    She wagered that by tomorrow, everyone in the Sager family would have caught up on this shocking discovery.

 Chapter 1671

    Chapter 1671


    When that happened, Sherry would no longer have the dignity to continue the engagement with Carl.


    Lisa would probably dislike her when she found out, and so would Carl.


    Caden said, ¡°Yeah. Aiden, let''s tell Dad, Mom, and Grandma!¡± He was eager to see Sherry embarrass herself in public.


    Aiden, however, went silent.


    Amomentter, he said, ¡°These pictures alone can¡¯t prove that the girl is her daughter, and it also can¡¯t prove that the man is her


    ex-husband.¡±


    Caden asked, ¡°Why not?¡±


    Ada looked at him as well.


    Aiden exined, ¡°Sherry has been keeping her distance from her ex-husband, and it¡¯s quite the distance | must say. Even


    though she held her daughter, we don¡¯t have a video of them talking. She could simply say the man was her friend or rtive,


    and that the girl is her niece or someone else.¡±


    Caden tightened his brows.


    Annoyed, Ada cursed, ¡°That bitch is really cunning.¡±


    Aiden, however, smiled. ¡°She¡¯s having the engagement with Carl in a week. | believe her ex- husband has his own agenda for


    appearing at this particr time with her daughter. Don¡¯t worry, we''ll follow them, and maybe we can get something spicy before


    the engagement.¡±


    Ada frowned. ¡°What if we can¡¯t get anything and they proceed with the engagement?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, Ada. There¡¯s a week left.¡± A sudden thought rushed into Aiden¡¯s mind and he added with a smile, ¡°Maybe we can


    have a private conversation with her ex-husband.¡±


    Ade¡¯s gaze shifted.


    Caden scoffed. ¡°Bro, are you nning to prepare something ¡®big¡¯ for them during the engagement party?¡±


    Aiden grinned. ¡°I am going to prepare something so ¡®big¡¯ that they won''t forget it for the rest of their lives.¡±


    Maybe after the engagement, Sherry might no longer be Carl''s fiance and would leave the Sagers altogether.


    Sherry took a ride back to her own ce; Caprice slept soundly in her arms.


    She put the girl on her bed, removed the girl''s jacket and shoes, and tucked the girl in before she headed to the bathroom to


    wash up.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    After cleaning up, she came out in her pajamas.


    Sheid down beside Caprice and sniffed the girl¡¯s sweet scent, which relieved her thoughts. She could not help but kiss the girl


    on the cheek before she hugged her to sleep.


    She fell asleep soon after hugging her daughter into her arms.


    At the same time below her apartment, the man¡¯s slender figure leaned against the car with his arms crossed. He looked up and


    stared at Sherry¡¯s window.


    The lights had gone off for a while now. She must be asleep with Caprice.


    Jason came over.


    John nced at him and asked, ¡°Are the men ready?¡±


    Jason answered, ¡°We have arranged men around Ms. Fowler¡¯s residence. Once she steps out of the house with Ms. Caprice,


    our men will follow her.¡±


    John nodded.


    Just before he went back into the car, Jason added, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    John turned around. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Jason looked around sneakily and said in a small voice, ¡°Our men also found out that someone is following you and Ms. Fowler.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°We''ll talk about that in the car.¡±


    He opened the door and got inside while Jason got into the passenger seat.


    The car then drove off to his hotel.


    Jason then turned to the rear seat and continued, ¡°An hour ago, just when you left the beach with Ms. Fowler and Ms. Caprice,


    our men noticed them.¡±

 Chapter 1672

    Chapter 1672


    Jason then pulled his phone out and tapped on the video he got from the bodyguard assigned to follow Sherry. He handed John


    the phone.


    John took it and watched with his brows furrowed.


    Jason added, ¡°When our men found them, one of them was taking videos of you and Ms. Fowler. They only stopped when you


    and Ms. Fowler separated.¡±


    The video clearly showed the group watching him and Sherry and one of them was clearly taking videos of him interacting with


    Sherry and Caprice.


    The video of the group was taken from a distance, hence their blurry faces, but it was enough for John to recognize them.


    The men were Aiden and Caden, the first and second sons of the Sagers. The woman in the morous dress might be the


    father¡¯s niece, Ada, who had been living with them and had a crush on Carl.


    They were having dinner at the restaurant when Sherry embarrassed them at the table. They must have found out when Sherry


    came down to see him and Caprice.


    His gaze shifted after the video ended, and it put a grin on his face.


    Jason was baffled by his expression. ¡°Sir, why are you smiling?¡±


    He was followed and taken video of, so how could he still smile?


    ¡°It''s nothing.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jason put away his curiosity and asked, ¡°They have hired more men to follow you and Ms. Fowler. | believe there¡¯s a car on our


    tail now. Do we need to act?¡±


    John gave the phone back and leaned backfortably. He said with a smile, ¡°No need to act now. Just pretend that they are


    not here.¡±


    Jason was more confused than before, but judging from the evil grin on his boss¡¯s face, there should be nothing to worry about.


    It was like the wolf finding out that it was followed by a bunch of rabbits. Not only did it not act immediately, but it also seemed to


    have a n to lure the rabbits to its den.


    Jason¡¯s eyes flickered and no longer asked any more questions.


    Sherry had a good night¡¯s sleep. She could have gone on if the rm did not wake her.


    It was a Saturday, which she usually spent at work, but with Caprice around, she just wanted to stay at home with her.


    The girl was still soundly asleep.


    Sherry kissed the girl on her plump cheek and continued lying down beside her, watching her sleep quietly.


    Then, her phone suddenly rang.


    It was Lisa.


    Afraid that the call would wake the girl, she got up and answered it outside the room.


    As soon as she answered the phone, Lisa said, ¡°Sherry, | have some friends who want to meet you. They are with me now. You


    should be free for the day, right? Come over right


    now.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Lisa, I¡¯m actually busy for the day,¡± Sherry said.


    ¡°| know. | know. You want to settle the proposal back at the office, but there¡¯s no rush. You can settle it on Monday. My friends


    have wanted to meet you for a long time now. Get ready ande over here. We are waiting for you.¡±


    Lisa hung up on her before she could say a word, leaving her speechless.


    She put her phone away and returned to the bedroom.


    Caprice had already woken up and she was sitting on the bed with a blurry look. Her googly eyes were sizing up the room.


    When the girl saw her mother, she squealed, ¡°Mommy...¡±


    Sherry went over to the girl who crawled into her arms and leaned on her chest.


    Sherry felt an immediate warmth in her heart. ¡°Caprice, don¡¯t be scared. This is Mommy''s ce.¡±


    The girl was obviously afraid of an unfamiliar environment. She nodded and hummed a reply. She then said, ¡°Mommy, | want to


    pee.¡±


    Sherry chuckled and brought the girl to the bathroom.


    She brought Caprice home in a rush, thus she did not have time to prepare the necessities for the girl. Sherry wiped the girl¡¯s


    face and hands,bed her hair, and put some fresh clothes on her before bringing her out.


    ¡°Mommy, where¡¯s Daddy?¡± the girl asked.


    Sherry patted the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Hold on.¡±


    While Caprice nodded adorably, Sherry headed to the door and opened it.

 Chapter 1673

    Chapter 1673


    ¡± Chapter 1673


    Outside the door was a young, buff man.


    Sherry already noticed him when she brought Caprice homest night. She knew the man was one of John¡¯sckeys.


    Sherry said, ¡°Call your boss toe over.¡±


    The bodyguard nodded and pulled out his phone.


    Sherry returned to the living room and hugged Caprice with a heavy heart.


    Awhileter, knocks came from the door. Sherry opened it and saw John in a casual white T-shirt and long pants, standing


    straight in front of her. His handsome face was coupled with his signature golden-framed sses. He was smiling like a


    gentleman when Sherry opened the door.


    Sherry instinctively reacted with a frosty look.


    John said, ¡°I¡¯m here for Caprice.¡±


    Sherry stepped aside without saying a word.


    When Caprice saw him, her eyes curved into two lines and she squealed happily, ¡°Daddy!¡± She ran to the door with her little


    short legs.


    John wanted to walk in but was greeted by Sherry¡¯s cold re. His expression shifted and it made him stop.


    Caprice ran over to him.


    John carried the girl into his arms and then looked at Sherry. ¡°Did Caprice sleep wellst night?¡±


    Sherry ignored him. She said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, Mommy is busyter. I''ll go find you when I¡¯m done, okay?¡±


    Lisa had texted her to urge her to be quick. She really had to leave for the meeting.


    Caprice was slightly disappointed when she heard her mother was leaving, but she nodded obediently and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry smiled at her. ¡°Good girl.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She switched to her frosty look and stared at John.


    John pursed his lips. ¡°You go ahead. I''ll take Caprice out for a walk. If you want to see Caprice after you''re done, just tell Nelson


    to contact me.¡±


    Nelson was the young bodyguard who had stood guard outside her door for the whole night.


    Sherry continued to ignore him. She looked at Caprice and said her goodbyes. ¡°Bye, Caprice.¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°Bye, Mommy.¡±


    John had onest nce at Sherry before he left with Caprice.


    Sherry watched Caprice leave her sight beyond the corner before she went back in.


    John brought Caprice to the elevator.


    Coincidentally, there were two men walking towards them, seeminglying out from the elevator. They had a quick but subtle


    nce at John and Caprice.


    John¡¯s gaze shifted. He replied with his frosty nce. The two men immediately averted their gazes when they met John¡¯s gaze.


    Caprice pouted and then grumbled, ¡°Daddy, why is Mommy not talking to you?¡±


    John pursed his lips in silence.


    The two men, who had not left the proximity, paused and listened to the girl carefully.


    Then, the elevator door opened. John nced at the two men before he brought Caprice into the elevator.

 Chapter 1674

    Chapter 1674


    Jason also got into the elevator, and the door shut after he went in.


    John said, ¡°It''s because Daddy did something that made Mommy mad.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°What did you do?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    John furrowed his brows and lowered his voice, ¡°A lot. | did a lot to hurt Mommy.¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°Why did you hurt Mommy?¡± Her tiny hands wrapped around his neck, and she leaned against his chest. She


    pouted and red at him angrily.


    John choked up for a moment. He regained his voice after a while and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, but | did hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Caprice pouted angrily and looked away.


    John was left speechless, and he pursed his lips helplessly. He then said to the girl, ¡± Caprice, | know what I did wrong, and I''ll


    try my best to get Mommy back. But-¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± The girl looked at him with a skeptical gaze.


    ¡°But | may need your help,¡± John said with a smile.


    If it was not for Caprice, he might not even see Sherry in person.


    Caprice widened her eyes as soon as she heard her father asking her for help. ¡°What can | do to help?¡±


    Looking at the girl¡¯s adorable and enthusiastic expression, John curled his lips. ¡°Caprice, you don¡¯t have to do anything now. You


    just need to tell Mommy you miss her when you see her and tell her you don¡¯t want to leave her.¡±


    As long as Sherry cared about Caprice, she would not be able to leave John.


    The two men stood outside the elevator. One of them was on watch while the other was making a call.


    ¡°Sir, we just saw the girling out from Ms. Fowler¡¯s room, and she was taken away by the man. We also heard the girl calling


    the man ¡®Daddy¡® and Ms. Fowler ¡®Mommy¡¯.


    Sherry changed into some fresh new clothes and went out. She nned to head to Lisa¡¯s ce by car, so she headed to the


    parking lot by the garden.


    However, when she took her car keys out, an adorable voice sounded behind her. ¡°Mommy


    Sherry turned around.


    Asilver MPV stopped by her side with Caprice and John inside.


    The rear window was wound down, and the girl popped half of her body out. Her hands were stretched out as she tried to hand


    Sherry a bag of steaming breakfast.


    She said, ¡°Mommy, Daddy bought breakfast for you. Eat it while it¡¯s hot, then you can go to work!¡±


    This was probably the most words she had ever spoken in a single sentence. The man was probably the one who taught her


    that.


    Sherry refused to have the breakfast bought by the man, but the girl¡¯s plump cheeks were too adorable to resist, and she


    sounded super cute too. She did not have the heart to reject the girl, so she epted the breakfast from her.


    ¡°Thank you, Caprice. I''ll go find you when I¡¯m done with work.¡±


    Caprice smiled brightly. ¡°Okay. Caprice will wait for you.¡±


    Sherry smiled at the girl. ¡°Okay, Mommy is off to work.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± The girl hummed adorably.


    With a bright smile hanging on her face, Sherry entered the car with the breakfast. The car engine roared to life. Within a few


    steers, she was out of the apartment parking lot.


    She was caught in terrible traffic while on the way to Lisa¡¯s ce. She then had a nce at the breakfast on the passenger seat.


    It was a tuna sandwich and a cup of hottte, which were her favorites.

 Chapter 1675

    Chapter 1675


    Both the tuna sandwich and hottte were her favorites.


    Sherry wanted to throw them away, but she instantly recalled the adorable Caprice handing her the breakfast.


    She had no idea how long the girl had waited for her in the car because she found the girl''s handprints on the sandwich.


    Sherry exasperatedly sighed and took the sandwich.


    When she was almost done with the sandwich, the traffic finally cleared up.


    Less than twenty minutester, she arrived at Lisa¡¯s mansion in the city center.


    The gate has a facial recognition system installed, so Sherry got out of the car and stood in front of the gate.


    A beepter, the gate opened for her.


    When she entered the living hall, she saw Lisa and several fashionable middle-ageddies chatting on the couch. They all


    looked at her when she walked through the door.


    Lisa waved at Sherry. ¡°Sherry, over here.¡±


    Sherry went over to thedies.


    Lisa got up and introduced Sherry to her friends. All thedies came from prominent backgrounds. They were all entrepreneurs


    or sessful businesswomen in Coastrock City.


    Sherry greeted them politely before she was escorted to the table for tea. They chatted until afternoon and only stopped when


    Carl came over.


    Carl came in a loud pink T-shirt. He went over to Sherry¡¯s side, put his hand on her shoulder, and smiled at his mother. ¡°Mom,


    are you done? | haven¡¯t seen Sherry for a few days now. | want to go out with her.¡±


    Lisa red at him. though there was a smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s just two days. Why are you getting so impatient?¡±


    Her friends echoed her sentiments.


    ¡°Yeah. We haven''t had enough fun with Sherry.¡±


    ¡°Let her stay a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Oh well. Sherry¡¯s been with us for the whole day now. It¡¯s time to let her go out on a date with Carl.¡±


    Upon hearing thedies, Carl immediately dragged Sherry away.


    Sherry already had the intention to leave, so she used Carl to escape thedies. She smiled


    and said goodbye to Lisa and her friends before leaving with Carl.


    Carl held her by the shoulders and walked out of the door, seemingly intimate.


    After they left, Lisa and her friends retracted their gazes.


    Her friends giggled and said, ¡°Lisa, | like your future daughter-inw. She¡¯s guileless and capable.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, she¡¯s even captured Carl''s heart. Look at the boy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. | heard Carl has been working a lot harder recently because of her.¡±


    Lisa smiled and replied, ¡°I like her too. She¡¯s a good girl.¡±


    Both Sherry¡¯s personality and capabilities won Lisa¡¯s heart. However, Sherry did not seem to have feelings for Carl and only


    agreed to fake the engagement because she wanted to help Carl win over thepany.


    Lisa hoped that her son would try a little bit harder to win Sherry¡¯s heart too.


    After leaving Lisa¡¯s house, Sherry shrugged Carl¡¯s hand off her shoulder. She said, ¡°I have something to do. You go ahead.¡±


    She then headed to her car, but Carl stopped her by standing in her way.


    Sherry almost bumped into him. She stared at him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Carl raised a brow with a rather sour look. ¡°Sis,e on. We haven¡¯t seen each other in days. Don¡¯t you have some questions


    for me?¡±


    Sherry furrowed her brows. ¡°What do you want me to ask?¡±


    ¡°Ask me what have | done, where I¡¯ve been, who | met...¡± He suddenly lowered his head and moved closer to Sherry. He


    switched his delightful voice to a charming one and continued, ¡°...which girl did | sleep with?¡±

 Chapter 1676

    Chapter 1676


    Sherry rolled her eyes at him. She walked around him and continued heading to her car.


    Right after she opened the car door, Carl¡¯s towering figure blocked her again.


    Bang.


    He shut the door with a bang and moved closer to her face.


    Sherry instinctively retreated, but Carl caught her by the wrist. She furrowed her brows.¡± Carl, what are you doing?¡±


    Carl curled his lips. His dreamy eyes shimmered enchantingly. ¡°I''m trying to tell you, but you won''t let me, so don¡¯t think of


    leaving me today.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Carl said, ¡°I went to three ces and did what you assigned to mest week. Other than that, I¡¯ve also closed two major deals


    for thepany.¡±


    Sherry was intrigued. ¡°Which two major deals?¡±


    ¡°Heiner Development in Suntory City¡¯s new district development and the restructuring of the old district.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°You really closed the deal?¡±


    Carl curled his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve brought the contract with me. What do you think?¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Well done.¡±


    Carl did well this time.


    There were multiplepanies bidding for the projects, and Sherry had been nning for a month now to win the tender. Due to


    the recent workload, she ran out of ideas and had been stuck in a bottleneck for a while now. She did not expect Carl to close


    the deal byAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    himself.


    It seemed like Carl was more capable than she thought. If only he could keep this up


    without her around...


    Then, Carl''s charming face moved closer to her. ¡°Sis, I¡¯ve got us two major deals, and that¡¯s all you got to say?¡±


    Sherry was speechless. A momentter, she said, ¡°Keep up the good work. If you can keep this up, you will be able to take over


    thepany soon.¡±


    The veteran shareholders of thepany disagreed with Carl taking over thepany. While Ada yed a crucial role in their


    decisions, they also disagreed because Carl had been a yboy before this, and none of them believed he had what it took to


    tuna


    company.


    Carl pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you want?¡±


    He smiled bewitchingly. ¡°I want you to kiss-¡±


    Sherry curled her fist in front of his face.


    Carl immediately changed his words. ¡°Fine, | want you to have dinner with me to celebrate my little achievement.¡± He then


    released her wrist and stood by her side like an obedient


    puppy.


    Sherry nced at her watch. It was 1 p.m., and she already had lunch with Lisa and her friends before Carl arrived. It was four to


    five hours too early for dinner, and she wanted to go back to Caprice at night.


    Some thoughtster, she said, ¡°Fine. Let''s go have lunch instead.¡±


    Carl was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just have lunch with my mom and her friends?¡±


    Sherry exined indifferently, ¡°I ate, but I¡¯m not full.¡±


    Carl was rendered speechless by her exnation. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go for lunch then.¡±


    Then, he patted Sherry¡¯s head by surprise and said, ¡°Hold on. I''ll go make the reservation.¡±


    Before Sherry could react, he stepped away and made a phone call. She could not hear him, but he came back after a while.


    He said with a smile, ¡°I got the reservation. Come on, I''ll drive you there.¡±


    Sherry gave him the car keys and got into the passenger seat instead.


    Carl got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. They then drove towards the suburbs.


    At the first traffic light, the car stopped before the red light.


    Carl voiced his dissatisfaction by saying, ¡°Sis, your car is tiny, and the seats aren¡¯tfortable. The specs are terrible.¡±


    Sherry simply disregarded him.


    Carl turned to her. ¡°I''ll buy you a new limited edition BUD sports car. It¡¯s pink, and there''re only ten in the whole wide world.¡±


    He even winked at her at the end.


    Sherry replied indifferently, ¡°Thanks, but no thanks.¡±

 Chapter 1677

    Chapter 1677


    Acar was simply a means of transportation for Sherry. Her car might not be big or luxurious, but it wasfortable to drive


    around.


    When the light turned green, Carl stepped on the elerator. With an enchanting smile lingering on his face, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve


    already booked it. It will reach Coastrock on our engagement day.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°I really don¡¯t want it. Give it to someone else.¡±


    After all, it was just a fake engagement. She was more than grateful for Lisa and thepany¡¯s kindness. The sports car must


    cost a fortune, and if she epted it from Carl, what must she do to return the favor?


    Carl said, ¡°I want to give it to you. Just take it as an engagement present.¡±


    Sylvia ignored him, but he smiled and continued driving.


    Awhileter, the car stopped in front of a restaurant adorned with ssic Mediterranean architecture.


    Sherry got out of the car together with Carl, and the waiters came out to wee them. One of the waiters smiled and said, ¡°Mr.


    Sager, Ms. Fowler, your room is ready.¡±


    Sherry and Carl were led to a VIP room on the second floor.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    When the waiter opened the door, the dim environment inside surprised Sherry. It was sunny and bright outside, but the curtains


    in the VIP room were closed. Only candles were used to light up the room.


    The row of candles was lined up neatly on the long table. There were fresh rose petals scattered across the floor and the table.


    Sherry was rendered speechless by the seemingly romantic scene.


    Meanwhile, in the presidential suite of the five-star hotel opposite Sherry¡¯s ce, Caprice. had just fallen asleep on the bed.


    John stood by the window, and his eyes were glued to the apartment opposite the hotel.


    It had been six hours since Sherry left this morning, and she had note back yet.


    Ding.


    His phone rang. It was Jason.


    He answered the call and put his phone beside his ear. ¡°Where is she?¡±


    Jason said in a small voice, ¡°Sir, the bodyguard assigned to follow Ms. Fowler said she just


    came out from Mrs. Sager¡¯s ce and went to a restaurant in the suburbs with Mr. Sager.¡±


    She went to a restaurant with Carl at this hour?


    John¡¯s gaze turned grim. ¡°Are they having lunch?¡±


    Jason¡¯s voice grew softer as he said, ¡°Yes. They are in a VIP room with the windows and curtains shut, seemingly having a


    candlelight lunch.¡±


    Windows and curtains shut? A candlelight lunch?


    John frowned. His expression was disheartened.


    Jason did not hear a reply from his boss, so he continued, ¡°Sir, do we need to send someone to intercept them?¡±


    ¡°No. Just watch her and don''t let her find out,¡± John said in a deep voice.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The call ended, and John put his phone away. His eyes were still glued to the apartment entrance opposite the hotel.


    It was quiet. He stood by the window for quite a while, but his hand clenched tighter by the second and almost crushed his


    phone.


    When she left in the morning, she said she woulde back for Caprice, but not only did she spend half a day at Lisa¡¯s ce,


    she even had a candlelight lunch with Carl.


    Was she really nning to marry Carl?

 Chapter 1678

    Chapter 1678


    Back in the restaurant, even if Sherry was an idiot, she could tell it was actually ¡®dinner¡¯ instead of lunch. She had no idea what


    had gotten into Carl¡¯s mind for arranging a


    candlelight lunch in the middle of the day.


    However, she agreed to have a meal with him, so she tended to keep the promise. She reluctantly walked in and sat down.


    Carl sat opposite her across the long table.


    The waiter served the food and left them alone, leaving only a violinist ying inside. The music was pleasant to the ears.


    Just when Sherry wanted to eat, Carl stopped her. He raised his ss of red wine and smiled bewitchingly with his charming


    eyes curved. ¡°Sis, a toast.¡±


    Sherry grabbed her ss and said, ¡°Carl, congrattions on closing two major deals. Cheers.¡± She then finished the ss of


    wine in a single gulp.


    Carl pursed his lips helplessly and took a small sip of wine.


    Sherry then moved her attention to the steak before her. She was toozy to cut it with a knife, so she forked the whole piece


    and started chewing it.


    Carl was stunned. He simply responded with a helpless and bitter smile.


    After a while, he narrowed his eyes and smiled bewitchingly. ¡°How¡¯s the food, Sis?¡±


    Sherry said without looking at him, ¡°It¡¯s quite okay.¡±


    ¡°Do you want one more?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said with a nod. It was delicious, but the portion was a little small for her appetite. She could easily devour another


    te.


    Carl pursed his lips and told the waiter to bring another serving of steak for her.


    After two tes of steaks and two sses of wine, Sherry finally filled that ck hole in her stomach. She put the fork and knife


    down and smiled at Carl. ¡°Thank you, Carl. I¡¯m done. | still have something to do, so | have to leave now.¡±


    Carl propped his cheek on his hand and looked at her. Watching her getting up in a hurry, he smiled. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sherry simply grabbed her purse and walked out without saying anything.


    While the candlelights in the room continued to glow romantically, the rose petals blessed the atmosphere with a faint fragrance,


    and the violinist pleasured the guests¡¯ ears with his passionate ying.


    Carl simply stared in the direction Sherry left. A whileter, he regained hisposure andUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    sighed helplessly.


    ¡°Fine. I''ll have all the time | need after the engagement.¡±


    Aftering out of the restaurant, Sherry drove back to her apartment.


    The car entered the parking lot and parked at her designated parking space. She got out of the car. As she walked to the


    elevator, an adorable voice rang out all of a sudden.


    ¡°Mommy...¡±


    Sherry turned around.


    +


    She saw the man carrying the girl, standing in the corridor of the entrance.


    It was Caprice and she looked like she had just woken up. The girl looked sleepy as she stared at her mother with her googly


    eyes.


    Sherry strode over to the girl, but before she could get close, she sensed a pair of eyes watching her. The gentle gaze somewhat


    felt enchanting, but Sherry did not want to approach the man.


    She frowned at him.


    John smiled. ¡°Caprice just woke up and wanted to see you, so | brought her here to wait for you.¡±

 Chapter 1679

    Chapter 1679


    The girl in the man¡¯s arms pouted as a hint of helplessness gleamed in her eyes. Her father had woken her up, and she was still


    sleepy.


    However, since they wereing for her mother, she simply let her father off the hook this time.


    Sherry ignored the man and looked at Caprice with a gentle gaze.


    John was aware of the gentle gaze, so he put Caprice down on her own.


    Caprice waddled her way to her mother. Sherry picked the girl up and carried her into her arms.


    ¡°Mommy, did you juste back?¡± the girl asked with pouty lips.


    Sherry answered softly, ¡°Mommy got held up by something.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm...¡± Caprice yawned and then leaned into Sherry¡¯s neck.


    Sherry carried the girl to the elevator. She walked past John¡¯s side without the slightest pause.


    For a moment there, John was silenced by her response. He cleared his throat subtly to signal the girl.


    Caprice, who was leaning against her mother¡¯s shoulder, looked up.


    Sherry was not aware of the man¡¯s grunts and the girl¡¯s change of expression. She pressed the elevator button with her idle


    hand.


    Before the elevator arrived, Caprice feigned grievance and started to sob, ¡°Daddy, Daddy, don¡¯t go...¡±


    Sherry was slightly surprised. She looked at the girl and saw her looking at her father with a pout. She frowned and looked at


    John.


    John curled his lips and said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, you miss Mommy, don¡¯t you? You can stay with Mommy for the night, and I


    pick you up in the morning.¡±


    Caprice pouted again. ¡°No, | miss Mommy and Daddy. | want Mommy and Daddy together with me.¡±


    John wore a troubled look. ¡°Caprice, be a good girl.¡±


    Caprice then closed her eyes and whimpered. Although no tears were rolling down her cheeks, her grieving voice tightened


    Sherry¡¯s chest.


    A quick thoughtter, Sherry consoled her, ¡°Caprice, Daddy is busy. He can¡¯t be with you.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s whimpers paused, and she took a peek at her father through her tiny hands.


    John¡¯s gaze shifted. He said, ¡°Mommy''s right. Daddy has to call Uncle Peter, and it will only disturb you and Mommy.¡±


    Sherry felt that it seemed odd, but before she could wrap her mind around the situation, Caprice pouted again. She cried, ¡°Daddy


    can make the call here. Caprice will be quiet, and Mommy will be quiet too.¡±


    John feigned another troubled look and looked at Sherry who frowned at him. She wanted the man to disappear from her sight


    and go as far away from her as possible.


    The girl then looked at her with a runny nose and teary eyes. ¡°Mommy, can you let Daddy be with us?¡±


    Just as Sherry¡¯s chest tightened again, the elevator arrived. Sherry bit the bullet and carried Caprice inside.


    Caprice widened her eyes in shock. She reached out to her father and cried, ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡±


    Sherry turned around when she entered the elevator. She red at John and said, ¡°Why are you still standing there?¡±


    John was delighted. He quickly strode inside the elevator.


    Sherry took a few steps back and kept a safe distance from him.


    John was slightly disheartened. He then said to Caprice, ¡°Daddy¡¯s here. Don¡¯t cry. Be a good girl.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice hummed a reply as she stopped her whimpers. She even subtly winked her teary eyes at John. He chuckled subtly.


    Sherry turned her back to John, and Caprice was leaning on her shoulder, therefore she was not aware of the father and


    daughter collusion.


    Soon, the elevator arrived.


    John walked out first and Sherry followed. She maintained her distance from the man as


    she walked back to her unit.

 Chapter 1680

    Chapter 1680


    Chapter 1680


    The door opened, and Sherry walked in with Caprice. John followed them in.


    Sherry turned around to re at him. He stopped and stood still in the living room like a monolith and kept his distance from the


    mother and daughter.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry¡¯s grim expression eased up when John decided to act tactfully. She then smiled at Caprice and asked, ¡°Caprice, are you


    sleepy? Do you want to continue sleeping?¡±


    Caprice sneaked a nce at John and then shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯m not sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to have anything to eat?¡±


    The girl shook her head.


    ¡°Do you want to y games?¡±


    The girl continued to shake her head.


    Sherry sighed helplessly. ¡°Then, what do you want to do?¡±


    Caprice leaned into her arms and said adorably, ¡°I don¡¯t want to do anything. | just want to be with Daddy and Mommy.¡± She


    stuck her cheek to Sherry¡¯s chest, looking adorable and obedient.


    Sherry patted the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She carried the girl to the couch and sat opposite John with her back turned. The girl could see John, but he would be away from


    her sight.


    However, the atmosphere got a little too quiet, and Sherry felt ufortable with the man staring at her from the back. A quick


    thoughtter, she said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, why don¡¯t | y some stories for you?¡±


    Caprice nodded and hummed a reply.


    Sherry pulled her phone out. She had downloaded a lot of e-books for children.


    When she first came back to Coastrock, she had a problem with insomnia, and it was the children¡¯s storybooks that lubied her


    to sleep most of the time. All the storybooks that she listened to were Caprice¡¯s favorites.


    The voice that read the storybook sounded gentle and expressive.


    Caprice fell asleep after listening to the stories for a while, and even Sherry started


    yawning. She got up with Caprice and headed to the room.


    John was standing by the wall, leaning against it. His hands crossed as he casually looked at her with a gentle gaze. It was as


    though they were intimate.


    Sherry coldly nced at him before she went into the room with Caprice. She locked the


    door from the inside before she carried Caprice to the bed.


    Her apartment was close to the beach. When she opened the window, a soothing sea breeze would bless the room with a


    refreshing scent.


    Sherry hugged Caprice and fell asleep as the girl¡¯s scent seemed tofort her thoughts.


    When Sherry opened her eyes, she found herself in a dark room. The sky was dark and the stars were shimmering.


    Sherry reached out to her side but there was no one there. She quickly switched on themp.


    She was the only one in the room. The door remained closed, but the lock seemed to have been tinkered with. She got up from


    the bed, strode to the door, and opened it.


    She looked outside into the living room and saw Caprice and John. Caprice was sitting on John¡¯sp in the well-lit living room.


    She was munching on a piece of cake while watching cartoons on John¡¯s phone.


    The entertaining content on the phone put an adorable smile on the girl¡¯s face.


    Sherry walked out of her room.


    When the father and daughter heard her footsteps, they turned to her.


    ¡°Mommy...¡± Caprice called out happily.


    Sherry smiled at her.


    Caprice got up from John¡¯sp and walked over to her mother.


    Sherry carried the girl into her arms and asked, ¡°Caprice, when did you wake up?¡±

 Chapter 1681

    Chapter 1681


    Caprice said, ¡°I woke up a while ago. | even had a video call with Liam!¡±


    The girl was like a blooming flower when she spoke of Liam. Sherry could not help but chuckle at her expression.


    She asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Why don¡¯t | bring you to a nice ce for dinner?¡±


    After all, it was almost dinner time.


    ¡°I''m not hungry,¡± she said as she took another bite from the cake in her hand.


    Sherry pursed her lips helplessly. She wanted to bring Caprice out immediately, but the man¡¯s deep voice said, ¡°I¡¯ve ordered


    dinner for us.¡±


    Sherry was surprised.


    John smiled at her. ¡°Have a seat. Dinner should be arriving soon.¡±


    Caprice echoed, ¡°Yeah! There is a lot of candy there, so Mommy can have some first!¡± The girl pointed at the other end of the


    table.


    Sherry then noticed there were a ton of candies and pastriesid out properly on the table. As a workaholic, her kitchen was


    nothing but a decoration. Her refrigerator did not even have ingredients for cooking, let alone snacks and pastries. John must


    have bought them.


    Sherry had a nce at them before replying, ¡°Thank you, Caprice. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°Okay...¡±


    John also pursed his lips in silence.


    Awhileter, knocks came from the door.


    Just as Sherry wanted to open the door with Caprice, John got up before her and strode to the door. He opened the door and


    saw Jason outside.


    ¡°Sir, dinner is served.¡±


    John nodded. ¡°Bring them in.¡±


    Jason brought two waiters into the house. The waiters were from a famous local restaurant, and they came in with a huge food


    container each.


    The food container carried freshly cooked dishes, and when the dishes were all served, they left with a polite bow. Jason left as


    well. The feast on the table was inviting, and its fragrance filled the quiet living room.


    Caprice sniffed. ¡°They smell so good!¡±


    The cake in her hand became a relic of the past. She stopped munching on it and glued her eyes to the table of dishes.


    Sherry smiled and carried the girl to the table. While holding the girl with one arm, Sherry picked up the fork and fed her.


    John was still standing by the door. He watched Sherry feed Caprice for a moment before his gaze shifted and he cleared his


    throat.


    Caprice, who was munching on the meat, finally remembered about her father. She turned around to him and said, ¡°Daddy, why


    are you standing there? Come and eat.¡±


    John did not answer in a hurry. Instead, he looked at Sherry for permission.


    Caprice¡¯s big googly eyes flickered. She turned to Sherry and said, ¡°Mommy, let Daddy have dinner. If he doesn¡¯t eat, he will be


    hungry.¡±


    Sherry frowned. She turned to John and said coldly, ¡°Why are you standing there?¡±


    John smirked. He strode back to the table and sat opposite the mother and daughter. Sherry ignored him and continued feeding


    Caprice.


    The girl could only eat so much given her size, and with the candies and cakes she ate before dinner, she was full after a few


    bites. She pouted and said to her mother, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m full. You eat.¡±


    Sherry wiped the girl¡¯s mouth and asked, ¡°Caprice, what do you want to do now?¡±


    ¡°| want to watch Le Tigre!¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Le Tigre?¡±


    ¡°It''s a cartoon,¡± John said. He pulled his phone out, tapped on the cartoon that the girl was watching earlier, and gave it to her.


    Caprice took the phone and crawled out of Sherry¡¯s arms.


    Sherry wanted to apany the girl, but the man said, ¡°Aren''t you eating?¡±

 Chapter 1682

    Chapter 1682


    Sherry¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    John was the one who bought dinner, so she did not want to have any of that.


    Sherry put the fork down and walked over to Caprice.


    The atmosphere turned awkward instantly.


    John frowned as he watched Sherry walk over. He, too, put down the fork and spoon.


    Caprice crawled up the couch with the phone. The girl was still young and watching the phone too closely would harm her eyes.


    Sherry sat beside her, carried her onto herp, and said, ¡°Caprice, I''ll watch it with you.¡±


    Caprice hummed a reply.


    Sherry held the phone so that the girl would lean on herfortably.


    Two hours passed. Caprice got sleepy and started to doze off in her mother¡¯s arms, so Sherry quickly brought the girl to the


    room. She then came back out and brought the pink box in.


    She had found the pink box when she woke up earlier. John must have sent it over while she was having a nap with Caprice.


    The pink box had all of Caprice¡¯s clothes and necessities.


    Sherry gave Caprice a bath, changed her into some cotton pajamas and tucked her into bed.


    The girl fell asleep as soon as shey on the bed.


    Sherry sighed delightfully.


    It was then that her stomach started growling in hunger. She was already starving when she bathed Caprice, and all she wanted


    to do now was to have something to eat.


    She wanted to order supper after chasing John out of the house.


    However, when she opened the door, she saw John leaning by the door frame. His deep and gentle gaze stared at her. ¡°Is


    Caprice asleep?¡±


    Sherry took a few steps away to draw distance from the man. She hummed coldly and then said, ¡°You can go back now.¡±


    He curled his lips. ¡°I ordered supper for you. It¡¯s still hot. Have some.¡±


    Sherry was slightly surprised. She noticed the table had been cleaned of dinner, and there was a bowl of hot soup and some


    snacks ready. Her stomach growled in, an untimely manner.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry gulped her embarrassment and said, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I¡¯m going to bed. Please leave.¡±


    John stood still and smiled at her. ¡°I''ll leave when you finish.¡±


    Sherry red at him. ¡°Master Stockton, this is my house. You are not wee here. Please leave.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Okay. I''ll leave when you finish.¡±


    ¡°I''m not having it!¡± Sherry cried. She believed the man knew why she refused to have any of the food he ordered. When she was


    imprisoned, she had gotten so hungry that she had stolen leftovers from the bodyguards and even tried to eat grass from the


    lawn.


    The man, however, told the bodyguards to not leave any food behind and mowed thewn clean.


    Now the man wanted her to have supper?


    Fuck him!


    The longer Sherry looked at him, the angrier she got. If it was not for Caprice, she would never have let the man step into her


    apartment.


    John frowned. ¡°Sherry-¡±


    ¡°DON¡¯T CALL MY NAME!¡± Sherry bellowed angrily, her eyes bloodshot. ¡°Get the hell out of my house!¡±


    John pursed his lips in silence. He turned around and walked out of the house. The door was shut, leaving the entire apartment


    in silence.


    Sherry leaned against the wall to rest her eyes for a moment. Then, she grabbed her phone and ordered takeaway.


    The fragrance from the soup and snacks tickled her senses.


    She gulped nervously and threw all the soup and snacks into the sink and the trash.


    The night was quiet.


    Outside Sherry¡¯s apartment was an MPV parked by the road. The man sat in the rear seat alone, his eyes glued to the entrance


    of the building.


    Awhileter, he saw a deliveryman in uniform carrying some takeaway bags into the building.


    His expression changed.

 Chapter 1683

    Chapter 1683


    Two minutester, John¡¯s phone rang.


    It was from Nelson, the bodyguard who stood guard outside Sherry¡¯s apartment.


    He put the phone near his ear.


    Nelson said, ¡°Sir, Ms. Fowler¡¯s supper has just arrived, and she should be eating by now.¡±


    As he hummed a reply, his tightened expression rxed.


    After a dreamless night, Sherry woke up and started to prepare for the day. Caprice had just woken up.


    The girl¡¯s response was slower in the morningpared to the rest of the day.


    Sherry helped her brush her teeth and put on new clothes.


    It was then the girl thought of her father.


    ¡°Mommy, where¡¯s Daddy?¡± she asked with pouty lips.


    ¡°Daddy will be here soon.¡±


    The girl nodded with a pursed mouth.


    Knocks came from the door.


    Sherry ordered breakfast half an hour ago. It must be the deliveryman at her doorstep. She put Caprice on the couch and went


    to get the door.


    The deliveryman left after handing her the breakfast.


    Sherry nned to tell Nelson to contact his boss, but before she could, she already saw the man standing by the door.


    The man wore his white cored T-shirt with casual long pants, setting off his slender figure. His signature golden¡ª-framed


    sses did not obscure the bright and somewhat enchanting gaze at her.


    Sherry¡¯s expression turned cold. She instinctively wanted to shut the door on him, but for Caprice¡¯s sake, she held her urge back.


    She red at him coldly before going back inside with breakfast.


    The door was left open, which was a sign for him to go in.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes shimmered when she saw her father. She jumped off the couch and ran to him.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    John carried the girl into his arms.


    Sherry put breakfast on the table. Breakfast was Coastrock City¡¯s local specialty. She was afraid that Caprice might not like it, so


    she ordered a variety of breakfast for the girl.


    There was no way the two of them could finish it, but she did not n to include John for breakfast.


    After she sat down, she waved at Caprice. She wanted to feed Caprice, but the girl grabbed a bun and started munching on it. In


    fact, the girl missed sitting on her father¡¯sp.


    Sherry put her hand down and ate breakfast on her own.


    John was looking at her with Caprice in his arms.


    Amomentter, he cleared his throat.


    Sherry heard him but decided to turn a deaf ear and a blind eye.


    Caprice heard it too. She looked up at her father with a curious gaze as if she was asking what she could do for him.


    John sneaked a nce at the breakfast on the table.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes flickered with realization. She grabbed a piece of sandwich and gave it to him.


    ¡°Daddy, you should eat too.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Thank you, Caprice.¡± He took the sandwich and looked at Sherry at the same time.


    Sherry was indeed looking at him.


    John tightened his lips awkwardly and then said, ¡°Caprice gave it to me.¡±


    In other words, he did not take it himself. He even feigned an innocent look on his face.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Caprice failed to understand the meaning of his words. Out of concern, she innocently asked, ¡°Daddy, why aren¡¯t you


    eating?¡±


    John nced at Sherry, and Caprice did the same.


    Sherry said with gritted teeth, ¡°If Caprice wants you to eat, you eat.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He smiled and put the sandwich into his mouth.

 Chapter 1684

    Chapter 1684


    Chapter 1684


    Coastrock City was famous for its many beaches.


    After breakfast, Sherry brought Caprice to a famous seaside theme park. There were many attractions for children to enjoy.


    Sherry bought a mermaid dress for the girl and went on rides with her. They went on every ride possible, and the girl enjoyed


    every single one of them. The smile on her face never faded since she entered the theme park.


    When she got on the merry-go-round with Sherry, she evenughed and giggled.


    John had been following the mother and daughter since the beginning, and he was in charge of carrying Caprice¡¯s water bottle


    and other necessities. He maintained his distance from the two of them and would stay outside whenever they got onto rides.


    Caprice finally became tired after a long day. She got thirsty and wanted a drink.


    John automatically went up with Caprice¡¯s water bottle and gave it to her. Caprice held her water bottle with her tiny hands and


    started drinking from the straw.


    When she finally quenched her thirst, she gave it back to John. ¡°Thank you, Daddy...¡±


    John took the water bottle and smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He then looked at Sherry.¡± Water?¡±


    Sherry ignored him and threw a cold gaze at him.


    John pursed his lips and took a few steps away from her.


    Sherry then looked at Caprice. ¡°Caprice, let''s go get a bottle of water.¡± She smiled brightly at the girl and spoke using the kindest


    tone. It was like she was a different person from when she was looking at John.


    John pursed his lips.


    Caprice nodded and hummed a reply.


    Sherry then held the girl¡¯s hand and went to get some water.


    There was a booth selling snacks and water around ten meters from them.


    John did not follow them. He stood there with the bag and watched them from afar. It was then that he spotted two sneaky


    figures following them.


    They were watching him while taking pictures of Sherry and Caprice. His gaze shifted and he turned to them.


    The two figures immediately hid behind a fake mountain when they met his gaze.


    John retracted his gaze.


    Then, his phone rang. He put his phone next to his ear.


    Jason said, ¡°Sir, the two suspicious people are following you and Ms. Fowler again. They were tailing you guys when you left Ms.


    Fowler¡¯s apartment this morning. | saw them taking pictures and videos of all three of you. Do we need to expose them?¡±


    John looked at Sherry and Caprice in front of the booth. He smiled and said, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°But they have been following you and Ms. Fowler for a while now. They must be up to something.¡±


    ¡°| know. Just leave them alone.¡±


    Jason pursed his lips. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The call ended. John pocketed his phone as a thought ran through his mind. It had been two days, and he believed Aiden was


    growing restless.


    Meanwhile, in a high-end club somewhere in Coastrock City, Aiden and Caden were inside a VIP room with two sexydies by


    their respective sides. They had just finished a game of poker and were having a drink.


    Ding.


    Aiden¡¯s phone rang.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He pushed the woman away and pulled his phone out.

 Chapter 1685

    Chapter 1685


    After a nce at the caller ID, Aiden¡¯s eyes flickered. He answered the phone.


    ¡°What did you get today?¡±


    The call ended briefly.


    He then went on his social media and tapped on the pictures and videos he received.


    Caden noticed the smile on his brother''s face. ¡°Bro, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Aiden was not in a hurry to answer. He said to thedies and guys, ¡°Caden and | have something to discuss. Give us the room.¡±


    The


    guys, who had been ying poker with the brothers earlier, and thedies left.


    Caden then moved close to his brother.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Aiden showed him the pictures and videos he received.


    The picture showed Sherry carrying a three-year-old girl in the theme park with a handsome man following them everywhere


    they went.


    The videos showed more or less the same thing, but there was an extra scene of the man handing the girl a water bottle.


    Although Sherry gave the man the cold shoulder, she looked at the girl with a kind and gentle look as if she was a mother looking


    at her daughter.


    In addition to the videos and pictures from two days ago, it was more than enough to prove that the girl was indeed Sherry¡¯s


    daughter. The man must be her ex-husband!


    Caden was over the moon when he saw the pictures and videos. ¡°Bro, with these, Sherry won''t be able to marry Carl anymore!¡±


    Aiden scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s still not enough. They will be engaged in five days. | want to prepare a big present for them on that day.¡±


    Caden narrowed his eyes. ¡°Bro, what do you have in mind?¡±


    Aiden grinned profoundly.


    Sherry and Caprice had a whole day of fun at the theme park and only left in the evening.


    The girl¡¯s enthusiasm remained high, and she looked energetic even after ying for a whole day.


    Sherry then brought her to a restaurant famous for its kids¡® meals to have dinner before


    going home. She originally wanted to go home in separate cars, but the girl asked for her father¡¯s presence, so she let the girl sit


    with her father in the rear seat while she drove.


    The sun finally set over the horizon.


    Sherry steered the car carefully. It was quiet on the way back.


    Just when Sherry wanted to stop the car in front of her apartment, the man¡¯s deep voice sounded, ¡°Nice driving.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s brows raised but she did not respond.


    ¡°Is this your own car?¡± he asked.


    No matter how she listened to it, the man was obviously trying to flirt with her, so she simply gave him the silent treatment.


    John saw the expression on her face through the rearview mirror. He chuckled and said, ¡± It¡¯s a nice car.¡±


    It was not a branded car, but it was clean andfortable. He was thinking of buying her a bigger car for her.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes were glued to the front. Her expression was frosty and her lips were sealed as she drove the car into the


    apartment¡¯s parking lot.


    John zipped his mouth.


    The car finally stopped.


    John got out of the car with Caprice in his arms, and Sherry got out as well.


    When she saw Caprice sleeping soundly in John¡¯s arms, she simply put her hands out to him. John curled his lips and put


    Caprice in her care.


    As soon as she got Caprice in her hands, she moved her feet towards the elevator without sparing an extra nce at the man.


    John was left standing on the spot.


    When the mother and daughter finally disappeared from his sight, he left. He was staying in the hotel opposite the street. He


    crossed the road and reached the hotel¡¯s lobby with ease.


    However, when he stepped into the lobby, he identally ran into Aiden and Caden, who were looking at him with evil grins.

 Chapter 1686

    Chapter 1686


    There was a subtle change in John¡¯s expression which signified his intrigue in seeing Aiden and Caden, but he continued


    pressing onward and did not pay much further attention to them.


    They quickly approached him and cut off his path.


    John looked annoyed.


    Aiden announced, ¡°We came to see you.¡±


    Caden probed, ¡°You know Sherry, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Although they both wore pleasant smiles and spoke to him politely, it was not difficult to detect the arrogance in their voice.


    As far as they were concerned, this handsome man that stood before them was a nobody. Anyone of any significant importance


    would not associate themselves with Sherry, especially considering that he was her ex-husband.


    John asked sharply, ¡°Who are you two?¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Aiden diffused the tension. ¡°We are Sherry¡¯s colleagues. Don¡¯t worry, we''re not here to hurt you or anything like that. In fact, |


    think we can help you.¡±


    John asked, ¡°And what exactly are you going to help me with?¡±


    ¡°We can help you salvage your marriage with her. You want to remarry her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Remarry?


    This caught John¡¯s attention. ¡°How are you going to achieve that?¡±


    This was a sign that he was interested, so Caden and Aiden exchanged a faint smile with each other. Their guts were right this


    entire time. This man was indeed Sherry¡¯s ex- husband! Furthermore, he seemed fully intent on winning Sherry back!


    Aiden announced, ¡°This is no ce for us to talk. Let''s take this somewhere else.¡±


    John agreed, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Shortly after that, they found themselves at a cafe next to the hotel and chose a secluded


    comer to continue their discussion.


    Aiden and Caden were seated shoulder¡ªto-shoulder across from John.


    They were gracious enough to order the best coffee the cafe had to offer, which coincidentally was the most expensive selection


    on the menu. With that, Aiden kicked things off. ¡°Sir, would you mind telling us your name and where you came from?¡±


    John picked up the coffee and took a sip. ¡°John Stockton. |e from Westchester.¡±


    Westchester?


    If their memory served them correctly, Sherry was from Westchester as well.


    They have never heard of there being any Stocktons in the city of any remarkable stature, so this man was amoner just like


    they had suspected.


    They exchanged a wry smile with each other once again before continuing, ¡°So, Mr. Stockton, would you mind telling us a little


    about your past with Sherry?¡±


    John eyed them with a suspicious re. ¡°First, tell me who you two are.¡± His voice was calm and held a steady pitch. There was


    something about the quality of his voice that was rather intimidating.


    To their surprise, Aiden and Caden felt slightly ufortable and unnerved. Nomoner had ever dared to speak to them so


    presumptuously.


    They swallowed their pride and set their sights on their goal.


    Aiden began, ¡°My name is Aiden Sager, and this is my younger brother Caden Sager. We are both Sherry¡¯s colleagues.¡±


    John eyed them suspiciously. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡±


    Caden asked, ¡°I¡¯m sure you know about Sherry¡¯s engagement with the young master of Sager Corporation?¡±


    John nodded.


    Caden announced with a tint of pride in his voice, ¡°You see, we are Carl Sager¡¯s brothers.¡±


    John seemed surprised by this revtion. ¡°I see, so you two are the two eldest sons of the family.¡±

 Chapter 1687

    Chapter 1687


    Chapter 1687


    Aiden and Caden smiled in unison.


    Aiden began spinning his tale. ¡°Mr. Stockton, since you''re not from Coastrock, you might not know about the true nature of Carl.


    He¡¯s a good-for¡ªnothing that has his eyes on the family fortune so that he can waste it all away. He¡¯s someone who would let


    our empire crumble without batting an eye. I¡¯m sure you understand why we can¡¯t have him inheriting the throne.


    ¡°And this is where your ex-wife Sherryes into the picture. We have to admit that she¡¯s very good at her job and is an


    efficient leader, which is why Carl needs her help if he is going to inherit the corporation. What we want is for you to remarry her


    and take her back with you. It¡¯s a win-win situation: you have your lover and we have our inheritance.¡±


    As if they had rehearsed the entire monologue ahead of time, Caden immediately added, ¡± Mr. Stockton, thest thing we want is


    to have Carl bring our family to ruin.¡±


    John took a breath and expressed, ¡°I admire your loyalty toward your family¡¯s business empire.¡±


    Aiden was ttered by this and said, ¡°You tter us. We are justmon family men. Nobody wants to see their family brought


    to ruin.¡±


    ¡°And how are you two going to help me?¡± John asked with an expectant smile.


    Caden shot a look at Aiden.


    Aiden announced on cue, ¡°Sherry and Carl¡¯s engagement ceremony is going to take ce this Saturday, and we want you to


    attend the ceremony along with your daughter.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°So, the n is to crash the engagement ceremony?¡± Aiden hurriedly exined, ¡°We''re not


    going to have you do anything rash to sabotage the ceremony. All you need to do is to attend the ceremony and people will find


    out that she was married and had a child this entire time. Surely that will have the wedding called off.¡±


    Caden supplied, ¡°Yes, as long as they don¡¯t get married, Carl won¡¯t be able to inherit the family fortune, then we can continue


    protecting the corporation like we have been doing this entire time.¡±


    John looked at them sharply. ¡°But if | get in the way of their engagement, that¡¯s only going to make her hate me more. What


    makes you think she will remarry me?¡±


    Aiden and Caden were struck speechless.


    John was several steps ahead of them and had thought everything through before they could.


    Aiden chuckled dryly and tried to y it down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Sherry only took an interest in Carl because of his wealth


    and status. Even if Carl doesn¡¯t inherit the


    corporation, we can still give her the exact thing we want since we can promote her to a higher position in the corporation. We


    can hire you and put you in a respectable position as well. That way, you two can be together at all times.¡±


    Caden chimed in, ¡°That''s right Excuse me for putting this too bluntly, but she divorced you because you were not wealthy enough


    for her standards, is that it?¡±


    John nodded gravely and remained silent.


    Aiden and Caden took this as an answer and went with it.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Caden remarked with a smile, ¡°I promise you that once we make you her equal, she will gain a newfound respect for you.¡±


    Aiden agreed, ¡°Yes! And besides, you¡¯re a very handsome man, so | wouldn''t be surprised if she falls for you all over again.¡±


    Be her equal? Handsome?


    If only it was so simple to win her over.


    Emotions boiled inside John, but he suppressed the conflict in his mind and turned to them with a smile. ¡°I appreciate your


    genuine offer and kindness, but you''ll have to give me some time to think about it.¡±


    Caden expressed impatiently, ¡°She¡¯s going to get engaged to Carl. What do you still need to think about?¡±


    Aiden gently tugged Caden back and said courteously, ¡°Mr. Stockton, there are only five days left before their engagement. We


    can give you time to think about it, but | must


    don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    remind you that you


    John nodded stoutly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Well, we''ll stop taking your time.¡±


    John smiled and thanked them. ¡°See you. Have a safe trip home.¡±


    Aiden and Caden departed quickly.


    After leaving the cafe, Caden immediately voiced his grievances, ¡°What the hell was that? We wasted so much time exining


    everything and giving him clear solutions and he says he wants to think about it? What a nutcase!¡±


    Aiden was just as irritated. He could not believe they had spent so much time trying to sucker up to a meremoner. Still, he


    realized that as long as they could get John to


    to attend the engagement ceremony with their daughter, there was a surefire chance that it was going to ruin the ceremony


    entirely.


    agree


    Aiden took a deep breath and said, ¡°Let''s be patient. We can get rid of him after everything is done.¡±


    ¡°Heh, good point.¡±


    After the dust had settled, they coulde up with some way to boot Sherry out of Sager Corporation.


    Meanwhile, if the stinking and cockymoner who dared to act all high and mighty around them knew what was good for him,


    he would get out of Coastrock by himself, or


    else!

 Chapter 1688

    Chapter 1688


    Chapter 1688


    The night passed without incident.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sherry was woken up in the morning by Caprice. The child had gone to bed too earlyst night and ended up waking up earlier


    than usual.


    Lying in bed with nothing to entertain her, she decided to y with her mother¡¯s hair to amuse herself.


    When Sherry woke up to Caprice fiddling with her hair, she was not upset in the slightest. It was a dream to wake up to see her


    daughter''s adorable face.


    She smiled and kissed her, then they crawled out of bed together. She helped Caprice wash up before stepping into the shower


    herself.


    By the time they were done, the breakfast delivery had just arrived.


    Sherry went to get the door and was surprised to see John instead of the employee from the deliverypany. He leaned


    against the door frame nonchntly and acted as if he had every right to be there.


    He smiled politely. ¡°Good morning.¡±


    Sherry shot him an unimpressed look, then she snatched the food from his hands before trotting back into the house.


    The door was left open, so John walked inside.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Caprice jumped at him immediately.


    John took her into his arms and sat down at the table.


    Sherry barely acknowledged him as she unpackaged the food and began eating.


    Caprice went to get her portion as well and did not forget about John being there. ¡°Daddy, eat some as well.¡±


    John looked at Sherry as if seeking permission.


    Sherry did not even look at him. She was going to continue ignoring him.


    John picked up the cutlery and began eating.


    After breakfast, Sherry put on her jacket and got her handbag. She then turned to address Caprice who was in John¡¯s arms,


    ¡°Caprice, Mommy needs to go to work, I''ll see you this evening after | finish work, alright?¡±


    Caprice chirped cheerfully, ¡°Okay, have fun with work, Mommy! | will wait for you here with Daddy.¡±


    Sherry smiled and gently patted Caprice¡¯s head before heading off to work.


    It was Monday, which was usually the busiest day of the week.


    Sherry usually had lunch at her table, not allowing herself any break time. She had several meetings throughout the afternoon


    and finally wrapped up her tasks for the day when evening rolled around.


    She immediately went back to her ce.


    She had just parked her car and stepped outside when she heard Caprice¡¯s sweet voiceing from a car parked adjacent to


    hers.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Caprice was leaning out the window and calling out for Sherry.


    Sherry immediately went over and took her into her arms through the car window. She began marching back into the house.


    That was when Caprice stopped her and cried out urgently, ¡°Wait for Daddy! He¡¯s still inside the car!¡±


    Sherry frowned and reluctantly slowed down.


    When she noticed John¡¯s slender figure appearing from the corner of her eyes, she immediately quickened her pace again.


    They entered the house together.


    Immediately after that, Caprice¡¯s tummy began growling with hunger.


    Sherry looked at her with a grin.


    Caprice clutched her stomach with a tint of embarrassment. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m a little hungry.¡±


    Sherry was very attentive and immediately produced some snacks for her.


    It was John who bought the snacks.


    Caprice immediately began munching away happily.


    Meanwhile, Sherry took her phone and began browsing the food delivery selection. She was trying to decide what they were


    going to have for dinner. However, most of the options provided were fast food and were not suitable for a child like Caprice.


    They had been eating plenty of takeout over the past few days. It was a rather unhealthy diet and she would rather opt for


    something healthier. It was a tough decision to make.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± John asked in a gentle tone, ¡°Can''t figure out what to eat?¡±


    Sherry shot him a daggered stare.


    John smiled softly and asked, ¡°Do you need me to order something for you?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Sherry dered crossly, then she selected the supermarket section and began browning.


    John nced at her suspiciously. He watched her silently as her fingers tapped repeatedly against the screen.


    After a while, she stopped tapping atst.

 Chapter 1689

    Chapter 1689


    Sherry turned to Caprice and announced, ¡°Caprice, hang in there just a little longer, alright? Once the ingredients get here,


    Mommy will make something nice for you to eat.¡±


    Caprice nodded while munching her snacks.¡±


    John raised an eyebrow and asked tauntingly, ¡°Can you cook?¡±


    Back then when they were living in the rented ce nearly a decade ago, Sherry had only tried to cook once and nearly burned


    down the kitchen in the process of doing so, which exined why that was her only episode in the kitchen. Ever since then, John


    was put in charge of cooking whenever he had time.


    Sherry red at him sharply. ¡°Keep your mouth shut, will you?¡±


    If this man was not going to keep his mouth shut, she would kick him out!


    John noticed the sharp re in her eyes and zipped his lips. He decided to not get on her


    nerves anymore.


    The doorbell rang in no time, and the ingredients Sherry ordered from the supermarket had arrived. She shot a look at John.


    John took the hint and went to get the door. Shortly after that, he returned with a stic bag filled with cooking ingredients.


    Sherry ordered authoritatively, ¡°Put it in the kitchen.¡±


    John did as he was told. Afterpleting the task, he tried to offer his help, ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    Sherry hissed, ¡°No need.¡±


    She rose and went into the kitchen.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    John took Caprice who was still busily munching away and stood outside the kitchen to


    observe Sherry at work.


    Sherry tied an apron around her waist and rolled up the sleeves of her shirt.


    She searched for some cooking guides online. All she needed to do was follow the simple


    instructions.


    She washed the vegetables, poured a measured amount of oil into the pan, and cranked up the heat. After that, she cracked an


    egg into the pan.


    Hiss!


    The egg sizzled in the pan.


    Sherry stared at the solution in the pan as if transfixed by it. She stared at it for what


    seemed like forever, until at one point the egg began to burn and a charred smell filled the


    air.


    It was only at that point that she realize that something had gone wrong. She hurriedly grabbed a spat and tried to pry the egg


    out of the pan the way one would shovel mounds of dirt from the ground and ended up flinging the egg into the distance.


    St!


    Itnded at her feet.


    She nearly shrieked.


    Another situation that required her immediate attention hade up. Smoke was rising from the pan. She frantically filled a bowl


    with water and sshed it into the pan.


    Ssh!


    That only made things worse as a spout of me shot out of the pan.


    She backed away in fright.


    Fortunately, the fire immediately sizzled out like a magic trick. She breathed a sigh of relief, then nced in the direction of the


    kitchen entrance.


    John stood calmly with Caprice in her arms.


    Caprice was still biting on a couple of pieces of snack. She stared at the brilliant spectacle inside the kitchen with her eyes wide


    open and her jaw dropped. She seemed baffled by what she was seeing.


    Meanwhile, John seemedpletely expressionless as he witnessed the disaster in the kitchen. If one looked closer, one could


    see that the corner of his eyes was creased with


    laughter.


    He was doing his best to stifle hisughter.


    Sherry red at him.


    John noticed her desperation and said, ¡°Take Caprice. I''ll handle it.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    John added, ¡°If we wait for you to finish cooking, Caprice is probably going to fall asleep.¡±


    There was no guarantee of the quality of the food she made either.


    Sherry reluctantly put away the spat and took off the apron before walking out, her head hung low in defeat.


    John handed Caprice over and stepped into the kitchen.


    He put on the apron and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, imitating what Sherry had just done. He picked up the egg from the


    floor, evidence of Sherry¡¯s ineptitude in the kitchen, and threw it into the trashcan. Then, he cleaned the pan before thoroughly


    cleaning the


    ingredients again.


    He filled two pots of water and set them to boil while he prepared the meat.


    After all the ingredients were ready, he turned on the stove. There were manyplicated steps involved, but his approach was


    very methodical and he was in control the entire time. The sweet fragrance of food filled the air in no time.


    ¡°Wow... Daddy is so cool!¡± Caprice remarked, her eyes filled with amusement.


    John nced at her with a soft smile, then cast a look at Sherry.


    Sherry turned away immediately and refuse to look at him.


    John smiled and did not think much of it. He diverted his attention back to the kitchen.


    L

 Chapter 1690

    Chapter 1690


    Within an hour, John had prepared two vegetable dishes and two meat dishes with an additional topping of soup to boot. Dinner


    was served.


    As if that was not enough, he even went out of his way to make some noodles for Caprice.


    Every dish was mouth-watering.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry gulped as she sat Caprice at the table. She wanted to feed Caprice but the child


    was a step ahead of her and was already hungrily devouring the bowl of noodles as soon


    as she sat at the table.


    Sherry was astounded.


    John took off his apron and joined them at the table, sitting across the pair. He smiled at the sight of Caprice enjoying the food,


    then he looked at Sherry.


    Just like previously, Sherry turned cold and avoided his gaze.


    He merely smiled and announced, ¡°Come on, dig in.¡±


    Sherry did not budge.


    John asked coyly, ¡°You''re the one who bought these ingredients. Are you not going to eat?¡±


    This drew a response out of Sherry.


    He had a point. Even though he was the one who did the cooking, she was the one who paid for these ingredients, so there was


    no reason she should not eat!


    She shot him a grumpy look, then picked up a spoon and began eating.


    Every single dish was just as tasty, if not tastier than the takeout she usually ate, with the added benefit of having less artificial


    seasoning mixed in, thus making it healthier.


    Caprice had already finished her bowl of noodles. Bits of eggs were sttered around the corners of her lips, and she was


    eyeing the other dish on the table like a wolf.


    Sherry was enamored by how adorable the child look and proceeded to prepare a te of food for her.


    That was when an arm reached over out of nowhere and handed Caprice a te filled with food.


    Then came another bow! of soup that came with an endearing note of caution, ¡°Caprice, eat slowly. No need to rush.¡±


    ¡°Hm, hm!¡± Caprice nodded, then she drank the soup and began devouring the rest of the food.


    John looked at Sherry who frowned in response. He nced at the te set in front of her


    and suddenly grinned.


    The look in Sherry¡¯s eyes sharpened.


    The te set in front of her was filled with bones. She had picked off every scrap of meat she could off them. The rice in the bowl


    was almost finished as well. She did manage to eat a sizable portion, but what was that look supposed to mean?


    Sherry yelled without warning, ¡°What are you looking at? | was the one who bought these ingredients.¡±


    She could eat as much as she wanted!


    John chuckled. ¡°You''re right.¡±


    Sherry red at him and continued her meal.


    By the time they finished dinner, there was not a scrap of food remaining.


    Caprice was so full that her stomach became bloated.


    Sherry picked up Caprice and cast a look at John, then at the rest of the dishes on the table. The message was clear: he was in


    charge of doing the dishes.


    John smiled. ¡°Sure, take Caprice to rest. I¡¯ll clean up here and go back to the hotel.¡± Sherry held back a smile.


    At least, the man was clever enough.


    4


    She took Caprice to the bedroom. The child had stuffed herself to the brim with food.


    Sherry did not,want Caprice to sleep right away with a bloated stomach, so she took her time reading some of her favorite short


    stories to allow time for digestion. After that, she brought Caprice to the bathroom for a quick shower.


    By the time they stepped out of the shower and Caprice had changed into a set of


    pajamas, she had already dozed off on Sherry¡¯s shoulders.


    Sherry kissed her chubby cheeks and put her on the bed.


    Then, she left the bedroom.


    There was only a lightbulb left on in the living room, so she could spot the speckless


    dining table upon approaching. She peeked into the kitchen and saw that it was cleaned entirely as well.


    There was no sign of John.


    She took in the eerily silent living room, then turned and went back to the bedroom.

 Chapter 1691

    Chapter 1691


    Chapter 1691


    Sherry took a quick shower before snuggling in bed with Caprice.


    Over the next few days, Sherry followed the same schedule. She would hand over Caprice to John in the morning before


    heading to work.


    After she returned home from work around the evening, she would take Caprice back with


    her.


    John would join them and be in charge of making dinner for them.


    After the meal, Sherry would help Caprice settle in for the night while John would clean up and leave without being prompted to.


    This went on until Friday.


    In the morning, Sherry handed Caprice to John after breakfast as usual before leaving for


    work.


    Work was not as hectic today, at leastpared to the past few days.


    She was done with her work around four and had nothing left to do for the day.


    She grabbed her bag and prepared to call it a day.


    Just as she was walking out of her office, she chanced into a group of her employees who were chattering about something and


    shooting sly nces in her direction.


    The moment they saw Sherry stepping out of her office, they smiled teasingly at her.


    Sherry immediately realized what had grabbed their attention. There was a tall figure standing at the other end of the office.


    The young man had put on a royal blue suit adorned with a diamond enamel pin. His hair had been carefullybed and he


    wore a dashing smile, resembling a prince seen in fairy tales.


    He held a bouquet of bright red roses in hand and looked at Sherry with an expectant smile.


    Sherry was taken aback by this sight and quickly approached him, keeping her voice down to a whisper. ¡°Carl, what are you


    doing here?¡±


    Although everyone in the Sagers was informed about their engagement tomorrow, the two of them knew that it was nothing but a


    formal arrangement. Besides, what was the point of putting on such a disy in the office of all ces? Did he realize how much


    gossip this would generate?


    ¡°| haven''t seen you for several days so | figured I''d pay you a visit,¡± he said as he handed the bouquet to Sherry.


    Sherry did not want to stay here even a second longer, especially with there being a crowd gawking at them. She took the


    bouquet and quickly marched off.


    Carl followed her closely and asked, ¡°Sherry, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Im going home.¡±


    ¡°It''s so early, what are you going to do at home?¡±


    Before Sherry could form a reply, he squinted his brows in suspicion and said with a


    wicked smile, ¡°I see, you¡¯re going home to prepare for our engagement ceremony tomorrow aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sherry grimaced and ignored him.


    Carl smiled and continued, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about anything. Everything has been sorted out to perfection. All you need


    to do is show up tomorrow.¡±


    He propped an arm over Sherry¡¯s shoulder as he said this.


    Sherry snapped. ¡°Get your hands off me.¡±


    Carl winced upon hearing this and remarked in an unkind voice, ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m about to be your fianc¨¦. Would it kill you to be nicer


    to me?¡±


    Sherry ignored him.


    He of all people should know that their engagement was a farce. It was just an act they put on for the members of the Sagers.


    After Carl took over the reins of the corporation, they would then announce that the engagement had been called off.


    Carl looked at her wrathful expression, the excitement and jubnt mood in his eyes immediately deted. He scowled and


    asked, ¡°Are you going home already?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They had arrived at the underground parking lot.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Upon noticing that Carl was still following her, Sherry turned to him and said rather crossly, ¡°Go find something else to do, stop


    following me.¡±


    She opened the door and got into the car.


    Within seconds, she had sped out of the parking lot.


    Carl seemed bothered by such treatment. He got into his car and decided to tail Sherry.


    Sherry¡¯s house was only a short distance from the Sager Tower.


    After passing several junctions, she was home:


    Just like the past few days, she swerved into the lobby to her designated parking lot.


    To her surprise, someone else had parked in her spot. It was a car with a giant heavy-duty car cloth draped over it.


    Fortunately, there was an empty spot next to it which she proceeded to use.


    By this hour, John was probably waiting for her at home alongside Caprice. She got out of the car and prepared to head upstairs,


    but was interrupted by two men that showed up out of nowhere and approached the covered car next to hers. Their movements


    were swift and coordinated.


    They gripped the heavy-duty car cloth in unison and flipped it over to reveal the car underneath.


    It was an expensive customized sports car, studded with bright pink gemstones that reflected brilliant rays of sunlight that could


    easily blind an unsuspecting individual.

 Chapter 1692

    Chapter 1692


    Chapter 1692


    Before Sherry could process what was going on, she heard the sharp screech of a brake from behind her.


    She turned around and saw Carl stepping out of his sports car.


    He leaned against his car with a look of pride and looked at Sherry with a charming smile, expecting her to fawn over the car.


    ¡°Sherry, do you like it?¡±


    Sherry was speechless.


    Was this sports car stuffed with gemstones supposed to be a gift for her?


    Upon noticing her astonishment, Carl walked up to her and gently brushed his fingers against her cheeks. ¡°You like it, don¡¯t you?


    You look like you can¡¯t even find the words to describe it.¡±


    Sherry took a breath and expressed what she truly thought, ¡°Carl, didn¡¯t | tell you that | don¡¯t want this?¡±


    He had mentioned giving her a sports car on one asion and she could recall her refusing the gesture.


    Carl smiled and dered, ¡°It¡¯s my code to not mistreat my woman so whether you want it or not, it¡¯s yours now.¡±


    Sherry hissed angrily. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®your woman¡¯?¡±


    Carl cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re going to get engaged to me tomorrow. Doesn''t that make you my woman?¡±


    Sherry took another deep breath to prevent herself from flying off with rage. ¡°Carl, I¡¯m sure you know the terms of our


    engagement.¡±


    Carl continued grinning nonchntly with an air of arrogance. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s a secret, isn¡¯t it? The point is to let people know


    that you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, the only one | care for.¡±


    Sherry said dryly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to put on this sort of public disy. Nobody is going to think anything of it even if you


    didn¡¯t make some sort of public statement of affection.¡±


    Carl barely cared what she had to say. He put his arms around her shoulders and led her to the sports car.


    He said invitingly, ¡°Go on, see if there¡¯s anything that you''d like to change about it. I''ll have my men bring it to the workshop.¡±


    Sherry was no fool. With just one nce she could tell that the sports car cost a fortune and it was utterly wless.


    She nced at the sports car, then at the car which she drove here in. When put inparison, she suddenly felt like her car


    was a useless hunk of steel.


    She said without hesitation, ¡°No need, the car is perfect as it is.¡±


    ¡°So you like it?¡± Carl asked gleefully.


    Sherry quipped. ¡°Are you going to take it away if | said | didn¡¯t like it?¡±


    Carlughed. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    He was not going to reim what was meant as a gift.


    Sherry remained silent.


    Carl asked for her opinion again, ¡°So do you like it?¡±


    Sherry answered briskly, ¡°I do.¡±


    Who would not love such a beautiful and luxurious car?


    Carl grinned, fully satisfied with the answer.


    ¡°Alright, get home and make sure you rest well, I''ll see you tomorrow.¡± He still needed to head to the venue for a final inspection


    to ensure everything was in order.


    Sherry merely grunted.


    Carl left with a smile on his face.


    The two men who worked for Carl prepared to leave as well.


    Sherry quickly stopped them. ¡°Wait a minute, you two.¡±


    They turned around.


    Sherry smiled and asked politely, ¡°Please help me put the cover back on, | won''t be using it for the moment.¡±


    It attracted far more attention than necessary, especially when she was only going to use it to get to work. With how shy it


    seemed, it was better to keep it covered lest it attracted unwanted trouble, what with the glittering gemstones and all.


    She was going to safeguard it until after their engagement was called off, then she would return it to its owner.


    The two men did as they were told and covered the car appropriately.


    After the job was done, they left.


    Sherry went back to her unit.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, at the stairway outside her unit.


    There stood a man leaning over the barrier. His gaze was sharp and ruminative underneath the lens of his sses. He observed


    the car parked in Sherry¡¯s parking spot with an air of


    stoicism.


    He narrowed his eyes and seemed to be pondering something.


    ¡°Daddy, what are you looking at?¡± Caprice stood next to him with a curious expression. She was not tall enough to see


    She wanted to see it too, but he ignored her no matter what she called him just now.


    The window sill was twice as high as her, and she could not even jump up, so she could only raise her face and ask him.


    At this time, there was movement from the elevator entrance.


    John collected his emotions and turned his head.

 Chapter 1693

    Chapter 1693


    Sherry stepped out of the elevator.


    When Caprice spotted her, her eyes immediately glowed up and she cried out at the top of her voice, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    She hopped toward her mother like a rabbit.


    Sherry smiled brightly and greeted Caprice warmly, taking her into her sweet embrace.


    Then she took the keys out of her pocket and went to unlock the front door, promptly stepping inside after unlocking the door.


    She did not spare even a nce in John¡¯s direction the entire time.


    John frowned faintly before following her into the house.


    Just like the past few days, Sherry bought plenty of ingredients using a food delivery service. Then she went to the living room to


    watch cartoons with Caprice while they waited for the delivery.


    After the ingredients were delivered, John went to collect the delivery and took the stic filled with ingredients into the kitchen.


    Since it was rather early for dinner, he only briefly prepared some of the ingredients and had notmenced cooking yet.


    Caprice and Sherry werezing around on the couch.


    Capriceid against Sherry¡¯s arms and used it like a pillow, her eyes transfixed on the television screen, utterly mesmerized by


    the cartoon show.


    Sherry watched silently with her.


    John suddenly approached and remarked casually, ¡°That car is pretty cool, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Sherry was visibly jolted when she heard this. She looked at John as if she had been shot.


    John smirked and asked, ¡°Why did he give you the car?¡±


    It appeared that he had seen everything.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes shed with guilt, then she suddenly realized that there was no reason for her to be feeling this way since she had


    no obligation to feel bound to John. Upon realizing this, her demeanor became cold and brittle again and she rebuked sharply,


    ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡±


    If it was not for Caprice, she would not even entertain the idea of letting him into the house!


    John smiled faintly and said calmly, ¡°I was just curious.¡±


    Sherry ignored him and diverted her attention back to the television.


    ¡°You haven''t answered me, why is he giving you a car?¡± he suddenly asked again.


    Sherry frowned and shot a look at him. ¡°Can¡¯t you shut up? Get out of here and stop bothering me!¡±


    Her tone was cruel and vicious.


    John grimaced.


    Caprice suddenly turned to them and interjected. She tugged at Sherry¡¯s clothes and pleaded softly. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be mean to


    Daddy.¡±


    Sherry immediatelyposed herself and apologized, ¡°Sorry, let¡¯s just continue watching your show.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Caprice turned back to the television.


    Sherry red at John.


    With a look that clearly said: Stop bothering me and get out of here!


    John grimaced tightly and sat down on an adjacent couch.


    Soon, the sky outside had darkened.


    John set down the book he had been reading, got up from his seat, and asked Caprice, Caprice, what do you want to eat


    tonight?¡±


    Caprice announced brightly, ¡°I want to eat meat!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± John smiled, then he turned to Sherry. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    Sherry was not as receptive. ¡°Anything works.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With that, he turned and went into the kitchen.


    He put on the apron and began cooking.


    Based on his appearance and his entire demeanor, one would never have the impression that this man was the kind to spend


    time in the kitchen.


    He seemed entirely downcast and somber as he operated in the kitchen.


    Sherry felt a slight tightness in her chest when he observed John¡¯s somber attitude. However, this pity onlysted a brief instant.


    She soon turned away from him and left him to his own devices.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After some time passed, John presented them with a vast array of dishes as usual.


    Caprice hopped off the couch and let the wonderful aroma of the food to guide her to the dining table. Sherry rose and followed


    her.


    Two vegetable dishes, two meat dishes, coupled with a soup.


    The rice was still oozing hot steam.


    He ted food for Sherry and Caprice first.

 Chapter 1694

    Chapter 1694


    After a hot and steaming te of rice was served in front of Caprice by her father, she thanked her father lovingly, ¡°Thank you,


    Daddy.¡±


    John smiled gently. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Caprice.¡±


    He picked up another te and prepared to scoop Sylvia''s portion into it.


    Sherry snatched the te from him with an unruly frown and did it herself instead.


    Then she sat down and ate without a word.


    John fell silent for a moment, then he got himself a te and joined them at the dining table.


    Apart from the tter of utensils, there was not so much as a whisper heard at the table.


    After her portion, Caprice announced, ¡°I want to drink some soup!¡±


    John took a bowl and filled it to the brim for her.


    Caprice smiled. ¡°Thank you, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Caprice drank the soup and savored every drop.


    John turned to Sherry and suggested, ¡°It¡¯s Saturday tomorrow and Caprice said she wants to go to the beach. Let''s take her to


    the beach together.¡±


    Sherry held the spoon stiffly in her hand and turned down his invitation. ¡°I have something very important to do tomorrow, you


    can go with Caprice.¡±


    He squinted suspiciously. ¡°What''s so important tomorrow?¡±


    She scowled and looked at him pointedly. ¡°Why do you have so many questions today?¡±


    He smirked in his usual candid way. ¡°Just making small talk, why are you so grumpy today? | noticed that you¡¯re grumpier than


    usual today.¡±


    This strung Sherry¡¯s nerves.


    Her temper was ring up. She felt like she was going to lose control and pummel John like a rag doll.


    She had to control herself because Caprice was here with them.


    She took a deep breath and exerted a great deal of effort to control the pitch of her voice.¡± John, are you trying to test my


    patience? Do you want me to kick you out?¡±


    As soon as she said this, Caprice spoke up and defended John, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t kick Daddy out please.¡±


    She lifted her head from the bowl of soup and pleaded.


    Sherry took a breath and forced herself to smile, albeit unconvincingly. ¡°Mommy is just kidding.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    Caprice breathed a sigh of relief, then she turned her attention back to the most important matter at hand, the bowl of soup.


    Sherry red at John again.


    John grinned, fully aware that this was only going to provoke her further. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t go out with Caprice tomorrow?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s voice came out like a beastly growl. ¡°Like | said, | have something very important to do tomorrow, you can go with


    Caprice.¡±


    John lowered his eyes and stopped pestering her.


    Sherry suddenly grew nervous.


    What was with this reaction?


    Did he find out that she was going to get engaged to Carl tomorrow?


    No,


    he would not be so quiet if he knew.


    Besides, so what if he knew?


    Even if her engagement with Carl was just for show, it did not change the fact that she was


    not going to repair her rtionship with John no matter what!


    When she affirmed herself of this, the restlessness in her heart died away.


    After Caprice finished her meal, she took Caprice into the bedroom.


    As usual, she read some short stories for her. Then, she helped Caprice shower and settled her into the bed.


    The child fell asleep soundly within seconds.


    It was Sherry¡¯s turn to shower.


    After her shower, she went to the living room for a peek. The lights were shut off, the dining table and the kitchen were


    thoroughly cleaned, and the man was nowhere to be


    seen.


    She went back to the bedroom and fell asleep with Caprice in her arms.


    Meanwhile, John had reached the parking lot and was gazing at the building Sherry resided


    ¡®b


    He looked at the bedroom windows.


    He left after seeing that the lights in the bedroom were shut off.

 Chapter 1695

    Chapter 1695


    Chapter 1695


    The moon cast its luminous glow on John¡¯s face.


    His aura took on a different form as usual. It was dark and gloomy, further entuated by the cold gusts of wind that blew by,


    sending a cold shiver through his spine. The man. stood by himself, castaway, and left to fend for himself in the lonely night.


    He silently crossed the road and entered the hotel lobby.


    As soon as he entered the lobby, two people approached him.


    It was Aiden and Caden. They had been waiting here for a while.


    They were both smiling.


    Aiden asked, ¡°Mr. Stockton, did youe back from visiting your ex-wife?¡±


    John asked in a dark tone, ¡°Did youe here just to ask me this?¡±


    Aiden went straight to the point. ¡°She¡¯s going to be engaged to Carl. Has she mentioned this to you?¡±


    John answered, his voice gloomy, ¡°No.¡±


    Aiden and Cadenughed at his expense.


    ¡°Mr. Stockton, have you made up your mind yet?¡± Aiden asked with a taunting smile, ¡°Are you going to let her marry another man


    and say goodbye to her forever, or are you going to put an end to this farce with our help?¡±


    John stayed silent for a while, then he looked at them with a destitute look. ¡°Are you two sure you can help me?¡±


    Caden immediately dered, ¡°Of course, with the resources at our disposal, getting her back to your side is the easiest thing you


    could ask us for!¡±


    Aiden agreed with a charming smile. ¡°We''re men of our word. As long as you can drive a wedge in their engagement and prevent


    Sager Corporation from falling into Carl''s hands, | assure you that we''ll help you remarry Sherry no matter what.¡±


    John contemted for several seconds, then he asked, ¡°How do you n to achieve that?¡±


    Aiden and Caden exchanged a smile with one another, then Aiden said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to the cafe over there and we''ll give you


    the details.¡±


    At six in the morning, Sherry was woken up by the rm clock she set.


    She could not sleep in today even if she wanted to as she had an engagement ceremony


    to attend.


    Caprice was still sound asleep.


    Sherry did not want to interrupt her sleep, so she silently tiptoed out of the bedroom and went to the living room. She was going


    to head outside and ask the bodyguard John had installed here to deliver a message to John and have him pick up Caprice.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as she opened the door, John was already standing outside.


    He was dressed in his usual getup, a white shirt paired with ck trousers.


    He stood tall and mighty as usual, a tint of warmth glowed inside his eyes when he met Sherry¡¯s gaze.


    Sherry was startled by his sudden appearance and blurted out, ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    It was only six o¡¯clock in the morning.


    John smiled. ¡°I just got here.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    This came off as a shock to Sherry. She recalled how she would see him standing outside every morning when she opened the


    door to collect the breakfast delivered to her ce.


    Was it his usual routine toe here before the sun had even risen across the horizon?


    She frowned at the thought.


    Then again, she never asked for him toe so early. She wagered that he only did so because he was bored out of his mind at


    the hotel and had nothing better to do.


    Sherry brushed the thought aside and announced, ¡°I¡¯m leaving soon so I¡¯m not going to have time to eat breakfast with Caprice


    today so make sure she eats something when she wakes up.¡±


    John answered dutifully, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry went back into the bedroom and brought Caprice who was still sleeping like a log to


    John.


    John took Caprice into his arms and said with a smile, ¡°Good luck with work today, I¡¯ll be waiting for you with Caprice.¡±


    Sherry did not form a reply.


    John left with Caprice.


    Sherry closed the door after that.


    She heaved a long sigh, then she went to take a thorough shower.


    After that, she changed into a set of casual clothes and headed downstairs where she got into her car.


    She drove to Lisa¡¯s house.


    The dress was ready for her to put on, and a makeup artist was waiting there as well.


    Carl was also going to Lisa¡¯s house.


    After everything was ready, the two would set off together to the venue of the engagement


    ceremony.


    Coincidentally, shortly after Sherry drove out of the apartmentplex, she chanced into John walking along the side of the road


    with Caprice who was already awake.


    She was enjoying a piece of waffle while being carried in John¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 1696

    Chapter 1696


    Sherry wanted to stop the car and greet them, but she remembered that Lisa and Carl were already waiting for her. Besides, now


    that Caprice was awake, it would be hard to have to exin to her directly why she could not spend the day with her today.


    As much as it hurt her to do so, she simply pretended to not notice them and stomped the gas pedal, elerating past them.


    Caprice took notice of the car and seemed intrigued. She pointed a greasy finger at the back of Sherry¡¯s car that was driving off


    into the distance and expressed, ¡°Daddy, that car looks like Mommy¡¯s.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The car was out of sight in no time.


    Caprice continued to nibble on the piece of waffle and the car had be nothing more than a passing thought. ¡°Daddy, this


    waffle is so tasty, you should eat some too.¡±


    She said as she brought the half-eaten waffle to John¡¯s lips.


    John took a tiny bite and smiled delightfully. ¡°Thank you, Caprice.¡±


    Caprice smiled brightly. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Daddy.¡±


    She tucked the leftover waffle into a paper bag that came with it and muttered to herself, ¡°I''ll save this for Mommy when she


    comes back.¡±


    John grimaced upon hearing this. His eyes were still fixed in the direction where she drove off into.


    ¡®Sherry, are you so sure about getting engaged with Carl?¡¯ 1


    When Sherry arrived at Lisa¡¯s house, Carl and Lisa were already eagerly waiting for her.


    As soon as she stepped into the house, Lisa came to greet her and informed her that breakfast was prepared for her. She was


    asked to set something to fill her stomach before they began dressing her up.


    Sherry obliged and enjoyed a quick breakfast with Carl. With that, it was time to


    commence the preparations.


    The makeup artist they hired was very skillful.


    Most days, Sherry only put on simple makeup when she went to work, so it was a nice change to have a proper, professional


    makeup artist do it for her for once. The finished product transformed herpletely. She was astounded by the result.


    Lisa showered her withpliments the entire time.


    Carl was already dressed. He wore a fitting suit, his hair was parted into two sides. Sherry had to admit that the man looked very


    dashing and exuded a fine gentlemanly charm.


    He leaned against the wall the entire time and gazed at Sherry with an enamored look in


    his eyes.


    As if on cue, he immediately chimed in after Lisa finishedplimenting her, ¡°You look beautiful, Sherry.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry smiled awkwardly.


    He added, ¡°We''re a match made in heaven.¡±


    The corner of Sherry¡¯s lips jerked suddenly.


    If not for Lisa being here, she would have told Carl off.


    Lisa chuckled upon hearing this and suddenly announced, ¡°Alright, she needs to change into her dress, let''s go.¡±


    With that, she dragged Carl out of the room.


    With the help of an assistant, Sherry was fitted into the white dress with long sleeves, the one she had picked out the other day.


    With that, she was ready for the engagement ceremony. She walked out of the dressing


    room.


    Carl and Lisa were waiting for her with eager anticipation.


    Carl was excitedly peeking around the corner, waiting to see Sherry.


    They made eye contact the moment she stepped out.


    He was immediately transfixed by her beauty. Even his pupils seemed to expand like an excited cat, immediately followed by a


    smile.


    Sherry ignored his reaction and turned to Lisa. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready, let¡¯s head to the venue.¡±


    They still had a lot of time to spare, but they had to get a move on earlier since the venue was located in a vi at the borders of


    the city region.


    It was rather far, roughly a two hours drive.


    Lisa smiled delightfully. ¡°Sure!¡±


    With that, she led Sherry out of the house.


    Carl followed them, his smile did not fade the entire time.


    After nearly two hours, they arrived at the vacation vi owned solely by the Sagers atst.


    The vi was located in a mountainous region. The conditions of the environment were


    well preserved


    It was surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful fauna of all sorts of colors. Sherry and Carl were going to get engaged in this


    real-life garden of Eden.

 Chapter 1697

    Chapter 1697


    Chapter 1697


    The venue was all set up for the engagement ceremony, and most of the family members and guests had arrived.


    As soon as Sherry and Carl stepped out of the car with Lisa, they were greeted by Ron and his two sons, Aiden and Caden. The


    trio walked up to them with identical smiles hanging on their faces. They jolted slightly when they saw how beautiful Sherry


    looked and could not keep their


    her


    Lisa screwed her face in distaste and coughed dryly.


    Carl held Sherry closer to her and bore a sharp look at the approaching trio.


    eyes


    off


    Sherry was the least bothered of them all. She was well aware of the nasty things that the trio got. up to and more or less


    expected this sort of perverted behavior, so she did seem repulsed by their presence


    Ron, Aiden, and Caden quickly snapped back to their senses and stopped staring at her


    Ron congratted her with a feigned smile, ¡°Congrattions, cousin, you''re a lucky man! You''ve chosen a beautiful woman for


    yourself. Not only is President Sherry beautiful, but she¡¯s also a strong and independent woman.¡±


    Lisa smiled and remarked, ¡°Of course, my son is a lucky man indeed.¡±


    Ron chuckled.


    Caden observed the snarky tone in Lisa¡¯s voice and how she seemed annoyed to have to deal with Ron, then he suddenly


    stated, ¡°Let''s hope his good luck streak continues, careful you don¡¯t end up a cuckold.¡±


    Lisa immediately red at him, she looked like she was going to p him across his face.


    Sherry was just as irritated and did not hold back at all. ¡°Caden, did somebody take a crap in your breakfast today?¡±


    Lisa followed suit. ¡°Definitely. How else could you exin the foul stenching out of his mouth?¡±


    Caden seemed deeply offended by this. He did not dare to speak up against Lisa and so chose to direct his anger at Sherry


    instead. ¡°Sherry, where¡¯s your decency?¡±


    Sherryughed and barely took him seriously. ¡°| have more where that came from, I¡¯m just not sure if you can handle it.¡±


    Caden stammered.


    Sherry lunged forward suddenly. Before Caden could react to what was happening, he was struck in the face by a clenched fist.


    Thump!Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Itnded square on his face.


    He staggered backward and nearly lost his bnce.


    He was furious. ¡°B*tch, how dare you punch me?! I''ll kill you!¡±


    The moment he regained his bnce, he began charging at Sherry


    Carl immediately stepped in front of Sherry and delivered a swift kick at the aggressor.


    Thump!


    His kick mmed against Carl''s face again, this time sessfully sending him pummeling toward the ground in an embarrassing


    disy.


    Caden cussed, ¡°F*ck!¡±


    He was furious and spat out countless obscenities.


    Carl smirked audaciously, ¡°Caden, if | were you, I¡¯d be careful about putting hands on Sherry, you don¡¯t want to test my


    patience.¡±


    Caden was intimidated by the sharp warning and immediately zipped his lips.


    Everyone in Coastrock knew about Car''s circle of influence. There were rumors that he had numerous contacts with the big


    shots in the underground organizations.


    It was not a good idea to challenge his patience.


    Ron and Aiden rushed to Caden.


    He was helped up to his feet.


    As irritated as Ron was, all he could do was smile like apdog.


    They could not risk offending Carl or Lisa, they were the ones at the helm of the Sager Corporation.


    He smiled sheepishly and made a cheap excuse. ¡°Sorry about that, Caden just had a bad sense of humor and likes running his


    mouth. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure he gets a stern scolding, everybody rx¡±


    Lisa had stepped forward in the middle of themotion to guard Sherry as well. Upon hearing this, she sneered


    condescendingly and said, ¡°You''d better, or else the brat is going to get more than a punch and a kick to the face next time.¡±


    After a dramatic pause, she added, ¡°If you get on our bad side, you''re going to end up homeless and begging on the streets.¡±


    Ron turned pale and stayed silent.


    Lisa sneered, then she led Sherry into the venue.


    Carl followed after


    After they left, Aiden and Caden exchanged a look.


    Their eyes glowed with a venomous re as they cast a hostile stare at Sherry¡¯s departing figure.

 Chapter 1698

    Chapter 1698


    ¡°B*stards! All three of them, b*stards! Just you wait!¡± Caden shouted,pletely furious.


    Aiden tried to calm him. ¡°That''s enough, don¡¯t let them hear you.¡±


    Ron¡¯s face darkened significantly He suddenly asked in a hushed voice, ¡°Have you guys made the arrangements?¡±


    Aiden smiled wretchedly. ¡°Yeah, everything is ready, we¡¯re going to humiliate them in front of everyer


    Ron was d to hear this as he smiled and assured his sons, ¡°Aiden, Caden, we just need to make sure everything goes as


    nned today. I''ll take care of the rest and make sure they get booted out of the corporation Then we can take over and you two


    can take charge of the corporation from there on.¡±


    Aiden and Caden chuckled viinously.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Meanwhile, the trio of Sherry, Lisa, and Carl went into the woods next to the vi. Carl suddenly patted Sherry¡¯s head and


    remarked, ¡°Sherry, you looked adorable just now when you punched that


    rascal.¡±


    Adorable?


    Sherry shot a look at him.


    Was that supposed to be an insult? Did he want to get punched as well?


    Carl winked coyly


    Lisa walked along the other side of Sherry and did not notice Carl shooting looks at Sherry She had something to say about what


    happened as well. ¡°That punch you threw back there was so satisfying. I''ve been wanting to see those damn brats getting a


    damn thrashing for ages now.


    Carl remarked, ¡°Mom, you should''ve said it sooner, I¡¯d have been more than d to do the dirty work for you.


    Lisa shot him a sideways look. ¡°You little brat, do you think giving them a childish beating is enough to kick them out of the


    corporation?¡±


    ¡°One beating might not be enough.¡± Carl smiled. ¡°But I¡¯m sure a couple more beatings could help


    with that.¡±


    Lisa quipped, ¡°I''ll give you a couple beating, see if that helps.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m your son, remember?¡±


    ¡°Of course | remember, I''d have dragged your butt across the floor if it wasn¡¯t for that.¡±


    Carl was speechless.


    Sherry smiled as she listened to the pair of mother and son bickering back and forth. Soon, they found themselves in an opening


    in the middle of the woods.


    It was arge open space surrounded by lush greenery


    This was where the engagement ceremony was to be held.


    There was a tform built at the opposite end, and tables and chairs were alreadyid out for the guests and rtives attending


    the ceremony.


    Most of the guests had not gone to their assigned seats yet, they were walking around the venue and busy mingling with one


    another


    Upon noticing Sherry and Carl, the main characters of the day, the crew of guests greeted them warmly and showered them with


    words of congrattions.


    Lisa thanked every one of them. After a while, she noticed that the scheduled time had crept up to them and summoned one of


    the staff members in charge of conducting the ceremony to ask, Have all the guests arrived?¡±


    The staff informed her, ¡°Everyone is here.¡±


    Lisa smiled. ¡°Perfect, let¡¯s begin, then.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± The staff member quickly went to get the event host for the night.


    Suddenly, a sharp shrill of a voice that sent a shiver down their spines emitted from the crowd. ¡°I haven¡¯t even sat down yet,


    what''s the hurry? Some host you are, not prioritizing thefort of your honored guests!¡±


    This attracted Lisa¡¯s attention so she turned around to see who this was.


    Sherry turned around as well and was confronted by the sight of Madam Sager.


    Anne and Ada were next to her, helping her keep her bnce as she slowly limped toward her seat. Following closely behind


    them were Ron, Aiden, and Caden.


    Sherry frowned.


    Why was the old hag here?


    Lisa and Carl seemed concerned as well.


    Lisa remembered inviting Madam Sager to the ceremony but what she got was a swift and adamant refusal. In the words of


    Madam Sager, she was not going to let Sherry into the family so long as she was breathing on this earth.


    Why was she attending?


    Although Lisa was puzzled by her sudden appearance and could not deny her aversion toward the vulgar olddy, she knew


    better than to let it show in a public space. One way or another, she had to give Madam Sager the respect she was due


    She smiled gracefully ¡°That¡¯s a surprise, didn¡¯t you tell me that you were noting? My bad, | assumed you wouldn¡¯te so |


    thought we could kick things off already.¡±

 Chapter 1699

    Chapter 1699


    Madam Sager scoffed upon hearing this and no longer made an issue of it. She had Anne walk her to her seat, walking past Lisa


    in the process. Ada followed closely after her and when she passed by Sherry, she made a point of shooting a hostile re at


    her


    Sherry scowled but did not otherwise respond to the gesture.


    Soon, Madam Sager was seated directly in front and center of the stage.


    Anne and Ada took their seats by her side.


    Ron went up to Lisa and said while swiping a dismissive nce at Sherry and Carl, ¡°I ended up convincing Mom toe along


    with Anne. After all, today is a big day for Carl and it would be wrong to miss the perfect asion. She¡¯s here to give her


    blessings.¡±


    Lisa held back an ugly scowl.


    She doubted Ron would ever have such kind intentions. If anything, he would be the first one wishing for their downfall especially


    considering what it would signify for him. Still, she was not too concerned because she doubted there was much he could do to


    derail the engagement. ceremony at this point. She thanked him perfunctorily. ¡°Thank you, you''re very thoughtful.¡±


    With that, Ron went to his seat, apanied by Aiden and Caden.


    Now that all the guests were installed in their seats, Lisa turned to Carl and Sherry ¡°Carl, Sherry, get ready to go on stage, I¡¯m


    going back to my seat as well.¡±


    Carl smiled and nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sherry smiled politely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing. Aunt Lisa.¡±


    Lisa smiled kindly, then she went to her seat which was right next to Anne¡¯s


    With everyone seated, the host marched onto the stage with an air of cheeriness andmenced the engagement ceremony by


    giving a short and sweet introduction speech.


    After the speech, he raised the pitch of his voice and set the stage for the main event of the day.¡± And now, let us wee the


    stars of the show, Mr. Carl and Mrs. Sherry!¡±


    This was apanied by thunderous apuse.


    Carl beamed with joy as he held out a hand toward Sherry and requested graciously. ¡°Shall we?¡± Sherry smiled and gave her his


    hand.


    Hand in hand, the pair stepped onto the red carpet and walked toward the stage, showered by rose petals that danced in the air


    and thunderous apuse.


    After they stepped onto the stage, the crowd cheered.


    The host further roused the crowd to a fever pitch, the emotions of the night had reached their peak.


    He held up another microphone to Carl and presented him with a question. ¡°Enlighten us, dear Master Sager, what made you fall


    for Mrs. Sherry?¡±


    Carl turned to Sherry with a seduced look in his shining eyes.


    He announced proudly. ¡°To tell the truth, it was love at first sight.¡±


    Deep down, Sherry was getting ufortable from the way he stared at her


    His proud deration attracted countless oohs and ahhs from the crowd.


    The only ones who were not cheering were the family of Ron and Sager, which all wore disinterested looks on their faces. Worst


    of all was Ada who was tantly scowling at the sight of the soon-to-be-engaged couple.


    Meanwhile, inside the vi next to the venue.


    Someone was lurking by the window on the top floor


    The man was holding Caprice in one arm and a pair of binocrs in the other.


    His eyes peered through the lens of the binocrs and spied on the rowdy venue down below.


    Aphone was positioned next to him which transmitted a live audio broadcast from the venue.


    He heard the host¡¯s ecstatic voicee through the speakers. ¡°Well then, Mrs. Sherry, would your tell us when you fell in love


    with Mr. Carl?¡±


    John frowned upon hearing this, he zoomed in on Sherry.


    Sherry looked at the host and put on her most genuine smile. ¡®I fell in love with him at first sight as well.¡±


    The host eximed, ¡°Wow! You two are truly a match made in heaven!¡±


    Everyoneughed cheerily and apuded.


    John scoffed upon hearing this.


    Caprice watched her father with a look of intrigue and observed the pair of binocrs in his hand with stark curiosity.


    She did not understand what was so funny about what the host had said and why her father seemed so amused. However, she


    had a sense that she heard her mother¡¯s voice on the speaker. She made a weak little pout and asked, ¡°Daddy, was that


    Mommy''s voice on the phone?¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1700

    Chapter 1700


    John averted his eyes from the binocrs for the first time and turned to Caprice with a warm and gentle smile. ¡°You''re right, that


    was Mommy''s voice.¡±


    Caprice perked up upon hearing this and asked naively, ¡°What does love at first sight mean?¡±


    John fell silent for a while and considered his response. He answered, ¡°It can mean a lot of things. and it depends on the context,


    who the person saying it is.¡±


    This further stirred Caprice¡¯s curiosity. ¡°What does it mean when Mommy says it?¡±


    ¡°Awhite lie.¡±


    Caprice raised another question. ¡°What does white lie mean?¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    John smiled and answered, ¡°It means not telling the truth to not hurt someone¡¯s feelings.¡±


    He might have bought it if she had said that her feelings for Carl developed over time, but to say that it was love at first sight?


    Not a chance.


    ¡°Ohh.¡± Caprice feigned understanding despite still failing to see the connection and expressed, It¡¯s soplicated.¡±


    John smiled and suddenly asked, ¡°Caprice, shall we go see Mommy?¡±


    It was about time for them to head over.


    Caprice beamed with joy and nodded excitedly. ¡°Okay!¡±


    At the venue.


    The guest was highly entertained by the host¡¯s questions and cheered brazenly With that, the host carried them to the next


    sequence ¡°Now, let¡¯s move on to what we''ve all been waiting for, the exchange of engagement rings!¡±


    Acrew of staff showed up on cue and delivered a pair of matching diamond rings on stage.


    The speakers began to y a soothing and romantic tune.


    The giant screen erected behind the stage began cycling through pictures Sherry and Carl had taken together.


    When everybody¡¯s collected attention was focused on Sherry and Carl who were about to exchange engagement rings, Aiden


    and Caden¡¯s attention was directed to the screen instead.


    Caden began counting down. ¡°Three, two, one.¡±


    The music had reached its emotional peak, Sherry held out her hand for Carl to put the ring on her


    Suddenly, a dreadful silence fell upon the venue.


    Apart from Ada, Ron, Anne, and the rest of their families who were grinning ecstatically, everyone else at the venue was


    horrified, with Lisa being the most visibly affected of them all.


    Sherry frowned and directed her attention toward the screen behind her


    Carl and the host were simrly puzzled by the mysterious silence and turned in unison to the screen behind them as well.


    The screen was disying a different set of pictures.


    It was not the pictures Sherry and Carl had taken together. They were reced by a different set of casts, which included Sherry,


    Caprice, and John,


    There were pictures of Sherry walking Caprice to the beach, and pictures of them building sand castles with John watching over


    them from an intimate distance.


    There were pictures of John outside Sherry¡¯s house, handing Caprice over to her


    There were also various pictures of her holding Caprice at the park with John standing close to her


    While none of the pictures showed the two of them having any sort of romantic interaction, it was


    till hard to ignore what these pictures hinted at


    Not only did the child¡¯s appearance closely resemble that of Sherry¡¯s, but there was also an unmistakable mark of resemnce


    with the appearance of the mysterious man in the picture.


    They looked like a family of three.


    Sherry wore a consternated frown.


    Carl furrowed her brows tightly.


    Astiff silence overtook the venue. The host that had been masterfully stirring the atmosphere all night was baffled by this disy


    and stammered amateurishly. ¡°What. What''s going on?¡±


    Carl turned and red at Ron, Aiden, and Caden.


    Ron feigned shock and cried out loud so everyone could hear him, ¡°My god! Who is that man and that girl? Are they rted to


    Sherry? Is it just me or does that brat in her arm look just like Sherry?¡±


    Since there was not so much as a whisper below the stage, his booming voice traveled across the venue effortlessly.


    After he expressed his scandalous spections, Caden burst outughing and asked sharply.¡± Sherry, that¡¯s not your daughter,


    or is it now?¡±

 Chapter 1701

    Chapter 1701


    As soon as the words subsided, consecutive gasps could be heard across the hall.


    ¡°No way. Ms. Fowler has a child?¡±


    ¡°Was she married?¡±


    ¡°Who knows. Why would Young Master Carl marry her? Has she been lying to him?¡±


    All the guests looked at Sherry disdainfully.


    Sherry¡¯s face turned pale. She did not expect someone to follow her and take pictures of her together with John and Caprice in


    the past few days


    No wonder Ron was happy seeing them getting engaged, and no wonder they even invited Madam Sager to the engagement


    party.


    It was all because they had nned this from the start.


    It was then Carl stood before her. He looked at Ron, Aiden, and Caden and said, ¡°Did you guys release the pictures?¡±


    Ron scoffed. ¡°What? You have no proof of that, Carl. Don¡¯t use us.¡±


    Carl scoffed. ¡°Admit it if you are a man. You all have no balls. What, did you lose your balls at the clubs that you fucked around in


    so much?¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ron''s face turned grim, and even Aiden¡¯s expression froze


    Caden bolted up and shouted back, ¡°Yeah, we did it. What can you do about it?¡±


    Carl narrowed his eyes coldly.


    Aiden pulled Caden back and then said to Carl, ¡°Carl, we aren''t targeting you. We just want to tell you that this woman beside


    you isn¡¯t as good as you think. Not only was she married to another man, but she even has a three-year-old daughter She¡¯s from


    a lesser background, and a woman like her is not worthy of being part of our family


    Carl frowned, wearing a bitter look on his face.


    Ada got up immediately and echoed, ¡°Carl, she was married and has a child. Don¡¯t be fooled by her looks.¡±


    As soon as she finished, Madam Sager coldly grunted. She added angrily, ¡°The Sagers won''t allow a woman who was married


    or has a child to be a part of us. Unless I¡¯m dead, you shall never marry her!¡±


    Carl clenched his fists tightly. His expression shifted multiple times before he put on a nefarious grin and said, ¡°Then, why don¡¯t


    you-


    Before he could finish, Sherry pulled him back.


    Lisa bolted up immediately. ¡°Carl, stop it!¡±


    Carl pursed his lips, sulking.


    The others scoffed at her.


    Ada then asked Sherry, ¡°Sherry, who are the man and the child in the pictures? Who are they to you?¡±


    She then switched her attention to Lisa. ¡°Lisa, do you know about this?¡±


    Lisa¡¯s expression turned bitter She sneaked a nce at Sherry and asked, ¡°Sherry, who are they? Are they your rtives?¡±


    Sherry frowned. She was left with no options except for exaggerating the lie. She could not ruin Lisa and Carl''s n to take over


    thepany, and she simply could not let Ron and the others seed


    She said, ¡°The man is my brother, and the girl is my niece.¡±


    John and Caprice had just entered the woods when he heard that over his phone. As he froze for a moment, his expression


    turned grim before he scoffed coldly.


    Brother? Niece?


    He understood if Sherry called him her brother butbeling Caprice her niece?


    Was she really that eager to get engaged to Carl?


    Back in the hall, as soon as Sherry¡¯s words subsided, Aiden scoffed. ¡°Sherry, | don¡¯t remember you having a brother or a niece.¡±

 Chapter 1702

    Chapter 1702


    Sherry stared at Aiden coldly. ¡°Aiden, there are a lot of things that you don¡¯t know about me. Do | need to tell you everything


    about my life in detail?¡±


    Aiden remained smiling wickedly. ¡°If that man is your brother and he¡¯s here in Coastrock with niece, why didn¡¯t you invite him to


    your engagement party with Carl?¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    Discussion could be heard from the crowd once more.


    ¡°Yeah. If her brother is in Coastrock, why didn¡¯t she invite him to the engagement party?¡±


    ¡°Something smells fishy.¡±


    Ada then said, ¡°What''s wrong, Sherry? No more excuses?¡±


    your


    Sherry bit the bullet and decided to exaggerate the lie even more. ¡°They are in Coastrock because


    | did invite them to the engagement party, but unfortunately, my brother got into a crashst night. and is in the hospital right now


    Her words silenced the crowd immediately. Even Lisa was stunned.


    Meanwhile, the man in the woods outside the hall pursed his lips tightly.


    Caprice noticed the change of expression on his face. She asked, ¡°Daddy, what''s wrong with you?¡±


    John responded with an awkward smile.


    Caprice then asked, ¡°Mommy said someone got into a car crash. Who is that?¡±


    John could no longer maintain the smile on his face.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    After an awkward silence, Aiden scoffed again. ¡°Hmph. Sherry, you are really full of tricks. You really went the extra mile just to


    marry Carl and be a part of the Sagers.¡±


    Sherry stared at him coldly


    Carl scoffed. ¡°Aiden, believe me when | say | can make you crawl out of this ce.¡±


    Caden then stepped up to support his brother by saying, ¡°Carl, don¡¯t fall for that woman''s trick That man is not her brother He¡¯s


    her ex-husband. The girl is not her niece but her own daughter! The daughter she had with her ex-husband!¡±


    Carl red at him. ¡°What proof do you have that they are Sherry¡¯s ex-husband and daughter?¡±


    Caden then grinned profoundly, as if he has been waiting for Carl to ask this exact question. He continued, ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve


    invited them here. They are just outside the hall.¡±


    Carl''s eyes widened in shock as he turned to Sherry.


    Sherry was petrified. She suddenly recalled John¡¯s odd behavior of asking her to go out with Caprice today, but the man had


    seemed fine this morning.


    No, it must be a cover! As the richest man in Glenchester, he had a widework to gather


    information. Her engagement with Carl was not a secret among the Sagers, and if John did some research, he would have


    known about it too.


    Was he really outside the hall with Caprice?


    The hall went silent.


    Everyone looked at Sherry, but Carl stepped in front of her and protected her.


    Lisa rushed over and bellowed at Caden, ¡°Caden, stop this nonsense at once!¡±


    She then turned to the security guards and said, ¡°Security, check every guest for their invitations No one is allowed inside here


    without an invitation.¡±


    Before her words even subsided, Ron scoffed. ¡°Lisa, what are you doing? Are you afraid that Sherry¡¯s ex-husband and her


    daughter wille in here and expose her? We are doing this for Carl¡¯s sake!¡±


    Lisa red at him. ¡°You, shut your¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth at once!¡±


    Before Lisa could finish, Madam Sager bellowed angrily, stopping her instead.


    Aggrieved, Lisa pursed her lips.


    Madam Sager then looked at Caden. ¡°Caden, bring them in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandmother¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± Caden said, lifting the phone to his ear through which he had been making a call.

 Chapter 1703

    Chapter 1703


    Aiden then turned to the entrance, which led the others in the same direction as well.


    However, the breeze from the woods brought no one to the entrance except for silence and refreshment.


    Ron and Caden looked at Aiden.


    Aiden frowned. He spoke into the phone, which was still connected, ¡°Where are you? Why aren¡¯t youing out?¡±


    Then, a series of footsteps approached.


    Aiden looked at the entrance. The one who came in was the person in charge of the engagement ceremony that doubled as


    Lisa¡¯s assistant.


    The assistant ran to Lisa, panting, and said, ¡°Lisa, M-Master Stockton is here. He said he¡¯s here to congratte Young Master


    Carl and Ms. Fowler


    Lisa was shocked. ¡°Master Stockton? Which Master Stockton?¡±


    Ron and the others looked at the assistant curiously


    Sherry was the only one frowning. Her fists were tightly clenched as sheid them idly by her sides.


    Carl frowned. He wanted to stop his mother but before he could, the assistant said, ¡°Master Stockton, the richest man in


    Glenchester!¡±


    Lisa was deeply shaken. ¡°That Master Stockton? Why is he here?¡±


    Ron and the others were simrly shocked.


    The richest man in Glenchester, the master of the Stocktons, was a well-known figure in the business world.


    Both Aiden and Caden were stunned as they realized the simrities.


    John? John Stockton? Could it be....


    Before they could wrap their heads around the situation, Lisa said to her assistant in a hurry,¡± Invite him in right away!¡±


    The assistant nodded and ran out immediately.


    ¡°Mom...¡± Carl called her in a small voice.


    Lisa could not hear him. The nervousness rushed to her head and she muttered, ¡°Wait, | should go wee him myself!¡± She


    then strode towards the entrance.


    Ron¡¯s expression changed before he followed Lisa to the entrance.


    Aiden and Caden, and the rest of the guests also swarmed over to the entrance.


    Master Stockton single-handedly pushed Glenchester¡¯s economy to a new height within two short


    years and became the richest man in the city because of it.


    Everyone wanted to meet and get to know him.


    Soon, arge group of people gathered at the entrance.


    Only Sherry and Carl were left on the stage.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Carl looked at Sherry, ¡°Sis, don¡¯t be afraid Coastrock is my turf. If he dares toy a finger on you, I''ll throw him out of the city


    immediately.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s brows furrowed, and her expression turned grim. Before she could answer, a noise came from the entrance.


    Sherry was on top of the stage, granting her the height advantage to see further. She saw the maning from the woods.


    The white shirt and the ck vest, and his slender figure spelled gentleman. His golden-framed sses shone under the sun,


    complementing his fair skin and handsome face. He even had a smile on his face.


    He was looking at Lisa and the others while holding Caprice in his hand.


    Lisa had a bright smile on her face before she met the man, and when she got a clearer look at his face, her smile froze.


    Ron, Aiden, and Caden were stunned as well. All the other guests were also astounded.


    The man before their eyes was the man in the picture with Sherry, shown on the big screen earlier. The adorable and chubby girl


    in his hand was the girl that Sherry carried in the picture.

 Chapter 1704

    Chapter 1704


    Chapter 1704


    Lisa was stunned and was left speechless for a while.


    Ron, Aiden and Caden were shocked too. They knew the man before them as Sherry¡¯s ex-husband, but they did not expect him


    to be such a high-profile person!


    John Stockton, the richest man in Glenchester!


    Sherry¡¯s ex-husband was the richest man in Glenchester?!


    The three of them did not know what to feel. Should they be happy because they had exposed. Sherry and her ex-husband, or


    should they be worried because they had exposed Sherry¡¯s ex- husband as the richest man in Glenchester?


    After all, be it his background, his looks, or his capabilities, John was a lot better than Carl.


    Ron, Aiden, and Caden could not believe their eyes. The disbelief put aplicated reaction on their faces, soplicated that


    they looked nothing like their calm selves.


    The other guests felt more or less the same way when they recognized John and Caprice as the man and girl on the big screen


    earlier.


    John simply smiled at them.


    Caprice was in her father¡¯s arms when she sized up the group of adults who looked at her and her father strangely She


    whispered into her father¡¯s ear, ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong with them?¡±


    John pursed his lips. He looked beyond the group andnded his attention on stage.


    Sherry was also looking at him from the stage. When their eyes locked, her gaze turned cold.


    John smiled. He stroked the girl in his arms and pointed forward. ¡°Caprice, Mommy is up there.¡±


    Caprice looked in the direction that his hand was pointing. The girl¡¯s eyes widened in excitement when she saw her mother. She


    shouted, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted. Her lips pursed.


    Caprice came down from her father¡¯s embrace and ran towards her mother on stage.


    Lisa, Ron, and the others moved aside withplicated looks on their faces, paving the way for the girl.


    The girl ran forward like a duck waddling. She reached the stage, but the stage was too high for her to climb up. She didn¡¯t see


    the stairs on the sides, so she simply called her mother with her hands waving in a flurry.


    ¡°Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!¡±


    Sherry could no longer remain still. She jumped off the stage and carried the girl into her arms.


    John¡¯s expression softened when he saw Sherry carry the girl into her arms. He then smiled at Lisa and said, ¡°Mrs. Sager, it¡¯s an


    honor to meet you. I¡¯ve heard so much about you.


    Lisa quickly recovered herposure and forced a stiff smile on her face. ¡°The honor is mine. I''ve


    heard a lot about you too. Master Stockton, you¡¯re a lot younger than | expected, and you are a good-looking man.¡±


    ¡°You are too kind, Mrs. Sager | came here to congratte Young Master Carl,¡± John said with a smile. He then looked at Ron,


    Aiden, and Caden.


    Aiden and Caden averted their gazes out of guilt.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    John then said, ¡°I have to thank Young Master Aiden and Young Master Caden for informing me that Young Master Carl is getting


    engaged to my ex-wife, or else | wouldn¡¯t even have known about this.¡±


    Lisa was left speechless, her lips twitching helplessly. She turned and red at the two brothers


    Aiden said, ¡°Master Stockton, it''s nothing. We really didn¡¯t expect you to be Sherry¡¯s ex-husband.¡±


    John maintained his smile. ¡°You knew who | am. You just didn¡¯t know my real identity


    Both the brothers were silenced. They no longer dared to look John in the eye, especially after they imed that they would help


    him get into the Sagers¡¯pany and win Sherry¡¯s heart back.


    Ron was aware of the situation getting out of hand. He forced a smile on his face and said, ¡± Master Stockton, I¡¯m their father,


    Ron Wright, the Deputy CEO of thepany. My sons are a little straightforward. If they¡¯ve said anything that has offended you,


    | apologize on their behalf.¡±


    ¡°No, no, Mr Wright. Your sons didn¡¯t offend me at all¡± John then turned to Lisa. ¡°Mrs. Sagers, the ceremony is still ongoing right?¡±


    Lisa¡¯s expression froze. ¡°It is..¡±


    John continued, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a present for Young Master Carl and my ex-wife. | want to give it to them myself. Is that okay?¡±


    Lisa was left speechless. There was no way she would deny his request since he took the initiative to do so. She gulped and


    said, ¡°S-sure¡±

 Chapter 1705

    Chapter 1705


    John took a small box out of his pocket and strode to the stage


    Lisa, Ron, and the others followed behind him


    Sherry was next to the stage with Caprice in her armi


    Carl came down from the stage and stood by her side


    When John came closer Carl instinctively stood in front of Sherry, protecting her from the man.


    ?John narrowed his eyes


    Being cautious, Carl said in a rather deep voice, ¡°Master Stockton, Sherry is my fiance now. Please respect her


    John said with a smile Rx Young Master Carl I¡¯m just giving her a present to congratte her. ¡°He then lifted his hand holding


    the little box


    Carl frowned ¡°What is inside¡±


    Tm sorry it¡¯s for her, so | can¡¯t tell you what''s inside,¡± John said


    Carl stared at him brazenly


    John¡¯s gaze turned cold as well


    Lisa, Ron, and the others pursed their lips helplessly at the scene. They dared not make a noise and did not know what to say.


    The atmosphere grew awkward by the second.


    It was until an adorable voice spoke that the awkwardness ended


    ¡°Uncle Carl, you are blocking my Daddy Caprice furrowed her brows as she stared at the back of Carl¡¯s head


    Carl frowned


    Sherry then decided to step in


    ¡°Carl step aside.¡±


    No matter what he did now, he could not change the fact that John was Sherry¡¯s ex-husband.


    Carl turned around to her. ¡°Sis.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry smiled at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won''t do anything to me.¡± As the richest man in Glenchester. even if he wanted to punish


    her, he would not do it in front of a crowd.


    Carl hesitated for a while before he reluctantly stepped to the side.


    John went up to her His deep gaze stared into her eyes through his golden-framed sses. As


    his lips curled, he said, ¡°Sherry, congrattions on the engagement.¡±


    He wore the most elegant smile on his face, but it somehow gave Sherry the chills.


    Sherry pursed her lips in silence.


    John gave her the box. This is my present to you.¡±


    She looked at it cautiously. ¡°What is inside?¡± As far as she knew, it might be a bomb.


    John added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not a bomb, and it¡¯s not something dangerous.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Then, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Open it and find out.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me what is inside, | won''t take it.¡±


    Lisa, Ron, and the others were rendered speechless. They were stunned by Sherry¡¯s attitude towards John. The man was the


    richest man in Glenchester and one of the most handsome men alive.


    Sherry might be capable, but she was just an executive working for the Sagers. What fueled her attitude towards the man?


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, John was not mad at all.

 Chapter 1706

    Chapter 1706


    Not only was he not mad, but he even pushed the box closer to Sherry with the most elegant smile. He then opened the box.


    Almost instinctively, Sherry took a step backward with Caprice. Then, she saw a piece of paper in the box.


    It was folded multiple times and stuffed into the ring slot.


    Sherry spotted the words on the edge: marriage certificate. Her expression changed, and she immediately snatched the box


    away.


    John said, ¡°That¡¯s a copy.¡±


    In other words, he had withheld the original copy and could give her as many copies as she could snatch or throw away


    Sherry stared at him.


    John smiled. ¡°The ceremony is still going on, right? Are you going toplete it with Young Master Carl?¡±


    Sherry choked on her emotions. Disgust rushed into her mind while her eyes were bloodshot.


    The man was being a jerk!


    How could he threaten her with a copy of the marriage certificate?


    Carl asked, ¡°Sis, what did he give you?¡±


    Sherry red at John and said with gritted teeth. ¡°A piece of useless paper.


    John simply smiled.


    Awhileter, the awkwardness was shattered by Caprice¡¯s adorable voice again. ¡°Daddy, what is an engagement?¡±


    She had heard her father say it multiple times to her mother since they came in, and she could not understand what it meant.


    Sherry choked on her words.


    John¡¯s expression changed and said to the girl with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t know either Why don¡¯t you ask Mommy?¡±


    Sherry almost cursed him out loud. She was aware of the girl looking at her with the most curious gaze. She gulped and said


    with a stiff smile, ¡°I''ll exin it to you when we get back.¡±


    The girl simply hummed a reply.


    Before Sherry could catch a breath, John asked, ¡°So, are you going toplete the engagement. ceremony with Young Master


    Carl?¡±


    Sherry frowned hard.


    Before she coulde up with a solution, Madam Sager got up and bellowed, ¡°No! This cannot continue! Even if | die, | won''t let


    a married woman who has a child step through my door!¡±


    The crowd turned to her immediately, including John and Sherry


    Ada was beside her, helping her stand up. Her wrinkled face looked even more ferocious with her boiling anger It was as though


    she was going to have a heart attack.


    Anne came over, looking worried. ¡°Mother, calm down. Don¡¯t be agitated. It¡¯s bad for your health.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Madam Sager wore a stern look and red at Sherry. ¡°Stop trying to talk me out of it. If you people don¡¯t stop this ceremony at


    once, | will die on the spot!¡±


    Anne responded with a helpless look.


    Ron sighed. He turned to Sherry and said, ¡°Sherry, why didn¡¯t you tell us that you used to be married before?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips in silence. She had no words in her mind. She only agreed to be engaged to Carl because she wanted to


    help him take over thepany. The engagement party was just show to the family.


    She never thought of telling them that she used to be married to John.


    Now that her secret was exposed, the engagement ceremony could no longer continue, and there was nothing else for her to


    say.


    The atmosphere grew awkward once more.


    Just when everyone switched their attention to Sherry, Carl said, ¡°I know about this.¡±


    His words captivated everyone''s attention.


    He stood beside Sherry and looked at Ron and Anne. With a firm tone, he said, ¡°I know she used to be married before, but |


    don¡¯t care!¡±


    Both Ron and Anne were shocked.

 Chapter 1707

    Chapter 1707


    Ada could no longer stay quiet. She said, ¡°Carl, even if her ex-husband is Master Stockton, she used to be married! She¡¯s out of


    your league!¡±


    Carl''s gaze turned cold.


    John turned to Ada with a vicious grin. ¡°Who might this be?¡±


    Maybe Carl''s frosty gaze scared her, or maybe because she was afraid of John¡¯s vicious smile, Ada immediately averted their


    gazes.


    Anne threw a warning re at her before she said to John, ¡°Master Stockon, she¡¯s my brother¡¯s daughter. My brother and his


    wife rarely have the time to educate her. Please forgive her impoliteness.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Mr. Wright, your niece really needs someone to teach her where her ce is. Please educate her properly.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Any one of the Sagers could call out Sherry¡¯s past marriage, but not Ada.


    Why would an outsider have the right to lecture Sherry?


    Ron responded nervously, ¡°Yes, | will. Thank you for the advice. | will educate her about manners properly when we get home.¡±


    Ada reacted in grievance, but John¡¯s aura was too strong, so strong that even Ron dared not talk back to him, hence her sulking.


    Lisa¡¯splicated reaction shifted multiple times, and so did Carl¡¯s.


    The other guests dared not say a word as well.


    Sherry remained still and silent with Caprice in her arms.


    It was then that Madam Sager said, ¡°Judging from your tone, Master Stockton, you seem to have lingering feelings for your ex-


    wife.¡±


    Compared to when she red at Sherry, Madam Sager looked warm and kind when she spoke to John.


    John smiled and said, ¡°You are right, Madam Sager. | do still have feelings for her.¡±


    His words left everyone speechless, even Madam Sager. She did not expect John to admit his feelings brazenly and without


    embarrassment.


    Sherry exasperatedly sighed and red at the back of his head.


    Madam Sager scoffed. ¡°If you still care about her, why don¡¯t you take her away? The Sagers have no ce for such a woman.¡±


    John continued srniling. ¡°You are right. With Sherry¡¯s capabilities, the Sagers do not deserve her at


    all.¡±


    His words once again rendered everyone speechless and stunned Sherry.


    What did he just say?


    However, the man managed to get the situation under control.


    Madam Sager might not be happy with him, but she dared not vent her anger brazenly either. She smiled and said, ¡°Then,


    please take her away.¡±


    ¡°| really want to, but | wonder if Mrs. Sager and Young Master Carl agree.¡± He then looked at Lisa and Carl.


    Lisa reacted with aplicated look. She did not answer. Instead, she looked at Carl.


    Carl red at John coldly. ¡°I dis-¡±


    ¡°I''ll leave with you,¡± Sherry said to John before Carl could finish his sentence.


    John had threatened her with the marriage certificate whereas Madam Sager had threatened her with her life, which left her no


    options.


    Lisa and Carl were helpless against the situation either. No matter how much Carl disagreed, he could not change the situation.


    Sherry did not want to put him in a difficult ce, so she took the initiative to put an end to this farce.


    Then, she went over to John with Caprice in her arms.


    The entire hall was quiet as Madam Sager sighed a breath of relief.


    Ron and Anne were secretly delighted.


    The guests watched quietly, and so did Lisa.


    Carl clenched his fists. He wanted to pull Sherry over, but before he could even touch her, she was pulled into John¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 1708

    Chapter 1708


    Carl red at John. ¡°Let her go!¡±


    John curled his lips. ¡°Young Master Carl, if you have the capabilities to shut your family up, it


    wouldn''t have ended like this.¡±


    Carl flushed with gritted teeth.


    The others were silenced as well.


    Only Ron and Anne showed a hint of mockery and disdain in their expressions.


    John was practically calling Carl useless for not being capable enough to convince Madam Sager


    and the others.


    Lisa sighed.


    The entire hall plunged into silence. No one dared to speak another word.


    John then looked at Lisa. ¡°Mrs. Sager, please excuse Sherry and I.¡±


    Lisa looked at Sherry.


    Sherry then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lisa. Let''s talkter.¡±


    Lisa nodded and said in a rather hoarse voice, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Without further ado, Sherry carried Caprice and left the hall with John following behind her. They swiftly disappeared beyond the


    crowd''s sight.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Carl was left petrified and aggrieved on the spot, watching as John took Sherry away from him.


    Right when the two of them almost disappeared from his sight, John wanted to chase after. Sherry, but Lisa held him back before


    he could take a step forward. She held his arm tightly, but unlike her previous strict tone, she said to him in a gentle and soft


    manner, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Carl.¡±


    Carl''s eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Mom...¡± He did not want to lose Sherry just like that.


    Lisa sighed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do even if you chase after her. Just listen to me.¡±


    Carl closed his eyes and stopped moving.


    The hall returned to silence as the guests wisely kept their mouths shut.


    Ron and Anne and their sons grinned as they gloated over Carl and Lisa.


    Anne wore a scornful grin and said, ¡°Who would have thought Sherry¡¯s ex-husband would be Master Stockton of Glenchester?¡±


    Ron held his urge tough back and feigned a sigh. ¡°Carl, you are youngpared to Master Stockton. Why don¡¯t you forget


    about Sherry?¡±


    Anyone with a sane mind could tell that they were mocking Carl, calling him inferior to John.


    Carl red at them coldly. His charming eyes were bloodshot.


    Anne, Ron, and their sons instinctively flickered their eyes when they saw the expression on Carl. However, as soon as the


    thought of Carl being a useless yboy rushed into their minds, they wore scornful looks on their faces.


    Aiden said, ¡°Carl, why are you looking at us like that? | admit that we revealed those pictures, but we are doing this for your own


    good. We want you to see who Sherry really is.¡±


    Carl did not answer. He simply stared at their faces ferociously. A whileter, he curled his lips. and grinned. ¡°Just you wait.¡±


    He shook his mother¡¯s hand off and strode out of the hall.


    Lisa narrowed her eyes. She also red at Ron and his family before she went after Carl.


    Sherry and John had left the woods, escaping from the crowd.


    Sherry red at him. ¡°Take your dirty hands off me!¡±


    John pursed his lips and retracted his hands from her back.


    Caprice was in Sherry¡¯s arms, and she saw her mother yell at her father. Startled, her petite body


    shook.


    Sherry then realized a pair of teary eyes was looking at her. She was then aware of the girl¡¯s gaze and quickly calmed herself


    down.


    The girl pouted after her mother calmed down and said, ¡°Mommy, you look so fierce.¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°It was Daddy who made me mad. | didn¡¯t yell on purpose.¡±

 Chapter 1709

    Chapter 1709


    She could not hold her anger back anymore.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Did Daddy bully you again?¡±


    Sherry did not want her rtionship with John affecting the girl, so she said, ¡°No. | just don¡¯t like. him.¡±


    Caprice was baffled


    John, who was listening by the side, simply curled his lips. His car was just a little further away from the woods.


    When they finally came out from the woods, Jason came down from the car and opened the door. for them.


    Sherry carried Caprice into the car and simply sat down at the side without moving in further, looking arrogant.


    John smiled. He went to the other side of the car and got in


    Soon, the car drove out of the estate and headed to the city center it was quiet inside the car


    Sherry was still disgusted by the man¡¯s presence She either looked outside the window or looked at Caprice in her arms. She did


    not even spare a nce at the man, let alone talk to him.


    John simply leaned backzily and stared at her with a bewitching gaze.


    Apart from him, even Caprice, who was on herp, stared at her with widened eyes She looked at Sherry¡¯s hair and then at her


    makeup before she lowered her gaze to the dress.


    The girl then curled her lips as she stared at the sequin dress. She said in her adorable voice, Mommy, you look so beautiful


    today.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s frustration faded a little when she met the girl¡¯s innocent eyes. She stroked the girl¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°Thank you,


    Caprice.¡±


    Caprice smiled. ¡°You are wee, Mommy.¡±


    Sherry hugged the girl tightly.


    The man beside her continued to stare at her, showing no intention of moving his gaze away.


    Caprice¡¯s words slightly disheartened him. He then sized Sherry up from top to bottom. His lips curled and said, ¡°You are really


    gorgeous.¡±


    Instantly, the faded frustration returned.


    She red at him, but he looked at her with a gentle and bewitching smile.


    Sherry wanted to strangle him alive, but she did not want to scare the girl on herp. She tried her best in adjusting her emotions


    and mouthed with her lips, ¡°Just you wait!¡±


    John smiled. ¡°I have always been waiting for you.¡±


    Sherry choked and almost suffocated at his answer.


    Right before she lost her breath, the girl¡¯s soft hands touched her face. ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be mad at Daddy.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    What else could Sherry do?


    Nothing. She simply swallowed and stomached her grievance and frustration. She simply turned away from John.


    Soon, the car reached Sherry¡¯s apartment and entered the designated parking lot.


    The sports car that Carl gave her was still parked there with the cover on.


    Sherry frowned. She looked away and headed to the elevator with Caprice.


    John followed them.


    When the elevator door opened, Sherry strode out of the elevator with Caprice, leaving John slightly surprised.


    Sherry strode back to her apartment as though she was a fleeing thief. In the blink of an eye, she reached her door, opened it,


    and went in with Caprice.


    Before John could even get close, the door was mmed shut, obviously denying his entry.

 Chapter 1710

    Chapter 1710


    Chapter 1710


    She was probably mad at him for ruining her engagement with Carl.


    John¡¯s eyes looked disheartened but only for a moment. He curled his lips, and even his golden- framed sses could not hide


    the delight in his eyes.


    Sherry might be mad at him, but she could no longer be with Carl.


    He headed to the door, leaned against the wall, and waited silently.


    Inside the house, after Sherry shut the door, Caprice pouted. ¡°Mommy, Daddy hasn¡¯te in.¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want toe in.¡±


    Caprice was small, but she was not an idiot. She protruded her lips and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t let him in.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips, trying toe up with an excuse to fool the little girl.


    The girl hugged her mother¡¯s neck and buried her face in it, nuzzling as she said, ¡°Mommy, Daddy isn¡¯t doing this on purpose.


    Please let him in, please.¡±


    The girl¡¯s soft cheeks tickled Sherry¡¯s neck. Her adorable voice softened her heart and eased her anger.


    She sighed helplessly and said, ¡°Fine. I''ll open the door.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Caprice immediately kissed her on the cheek.


    Sherry smiled. She opened the door, and the man walked in straightaway.


    Sherry took a few steps back and red at him coldly before she headed to the couch with Caprice.


    Caprice winked at her father, and he smiled at her.


    John then walked to the couch and sat at the furthest spot from Sherry.


    Since the girl loved to watch cartoons, Sherry pulled her phone out and wanted to search for a suitable cartoon for the girl to


    watch.


    However, as soon as she turned on her phone, she saw a dozen missed calls and texts. Her phone had buzzed multiple times


    on the way back, probably because of the engagement party.


    A few moments of silenceter, she red at John who looked baffled.


    Sherry nced at the tablet by his side, signaling him to bring it over.


    John smiled. He picked up the tablet and gave it to her. She grabbed it, and he returned to his


    seat.


    Sherry yed a cartoon for Caprice to entertain her.


    Before Sherry passed the girl the entire tablet, the girl had already leaned back against her, and her eyes were fixated on the


    screen.


    Sherry went on her phone.


    There were several missed calls from Carl and Lisa, plus her assistant. She checked all the texts she received.


    Carl had texted her a few times, basically trying to find out where she went or what John had done


    to her.


    Sherry replied, ¡°Carl, | just got home. Don¡¯t worry. He just wanted to ruin our engagement. He didn¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    Carl replied almost instantly, ¡°I''ll go find you now!¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. Stay with Lisa. I¡¯ve already had lunch. I''ll go find you guys when Caprice is asleep.¡±


    ¡°Are you really safe now? Did he do anything to you?¡±


    Sherry suddenly thought of when Carl had saved her from the burning house.

 Chapter 1711

    Chapter 1711


    Sherry forgot to tell Carl that Julie had used John to imprison her. He must still remember it and believed that John would


    actually harm her.


    A quick thoughtter, she replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He won''t do anything to me now. I''ll exin it to you and Lisa when |e over


    later.¡±


    ¡°Take a video of yourself. | want to see how you are doing¡±


    It seemed like Carl would not relent if she did not take a video of herself


    Sherry lifted her phone and tapped on the record button, recording her and Caprice together. Then, she pointed the camera at


    John, who was sitting further away


    John was looking at her when she pointed the camera at him. He smiled elegantly like a gentleman for the camera.


    Sherry pursed her lips. She released the record button and sent the clip to Carl


    Carl replied almost instantly, ¡°Great I¡¯m at my mother¡¯s ce ''ll be waiting for you.


    Sherry replied to him with an ¡®okay¡± before she went on to check other unread texts. Most of the texts were from her department.


    ¡°OMG! Sherry used to be married, and her ex-husband is John Stockton of Glenchester?!¡±


    ¡°| heard they have a three-year-old daughter as well. So cute!¡±


    ¡°Of course, the girl is cute. Look at Sherry!¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°| heard Master Stockton is young, handsome, and reliable. He¡¯s as good, or even better than, Carl Sager.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, Master Stockton is indeed better than Young Master Carl.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why did Sherry divorce him in the first ce?¡±


    As the discussion went on, the group started to be curious about her past rtionship with John. They all forgot that she was


    supposed to be engaged to Carl today and even ignored the fact that John had just ruined the ceremony.


    Sherry pursed her lips. She did not know whether she should be happy because they were not talking about Carl, or be


    depressed because they were talking about her and John¡¯s rtionship.


    She did not reply at all. She simply went through the chat before returning to her phone¡¯s homepage to order takeaway. She was.


    not in the mood to buy ingredients for the stupid man to cook.


    She selected a restaurant with good reviews and ordered some food for her and Caprice.


    Then, she apanied Caprice to watch cartoons.


    On the other end of the couch, the man was on his phone. He was checking his work-rted messages from Peter and some


    other messages from other parties. He went through the messages one by one, and during the interval, he would sneak a nce


    at Sherry.


    Ding.


    His phone buzzed.


    Sherry was watching a cartoon with Caprice, so he pulled his attraction away from her and concentrated on the newly received


    message.


    It was from Aiden. He had actually received a call from Aiden on the way back but declined the


    call.


    It was an apology from Aiden.


    ¡°Master Stockton, Caden and | are morons for not being able to recognize you. If we offended your by any means, please forgive


    our ignorance. If it¡¯s possible, we would like to meet you again and apologize to you in person. Do you have the time to meet?¡±


    It was just a nce before he swiped the chat window away and returned to the homepage.


    His handsome face was expressionless. He then leaned back and stared at Sherry. His lips curled into a delightful smile.


    The living room was quiet except for the cartoon¡¯s sound.


    Some timeter, knocks came from the door.


    Sherry threw John a nce, and he tacitly understood her. He got up and answered the door.


    It was the delivery guy with the takeaway Sherry ordered.


    He took the food, ced them on the table, and said to the mother and daughter, ¡°It¡¯s time for lunch.¡±

 Chapter 1712

    Chapter 1712


    Chapter 1712


    Caprice lifted her plump face and hummed a reply.


    Maybe because the girl was hungry, she did not even need Sherry to carry her to the table. She crawled out of the couch,


    waddled her way to John, and reached out to him with her arms open, asking him to carry her up.


    John carried her up and ced her on the baby chair.


    Sherry sat down at the table. Simr to Caprice, she picked up the cutlery and started eating.


    After a silent meal, Caprice continued watching cartoons before she yawned.


    Sherry carried the girl into the room.


    ¡°Caprice, take a nap if you are sleepy.¡±


    Caprice refused to let go of her mother despite the fact that she could barely keep her eyes open. She grumbled, ¡°Caprice wants


    to sleep with Mommy.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She got onto the bed with the girl and hummed her a luby.


    Awhileter, Caprice fell asleep soundly.


    Sherryid down for a little longer before she tucked the girl in and got off the bed. She changed out of her dress from the


    engagement ceremony to something more casual. She put on a pair of socks and sneakers and tied her hair before she grabbed


    her purse and went out of the room.


    John was in the living room. He furrowed her brows when Sherry came out with her purse.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Sherry ignored him. Instead, she said, ¡°Caprice is asleep. Stay here and watch her.¡±


    He went over to the door and leaned against it with a grin on his face. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Sherry red at him coldly. ¡°I can go wherever | want. Get out of my way.¡±


    John remained still. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, | won¡¯t move.¡±


    The irritation and frustration rushed into her mind instantly. Her expression turned frosty. ¡°This is my house.¡±


    She granted him entry because of Caprice, yet the man had the nerve to threaten her and stop her from going out.


    ¡°| know. Tell me where you are going, and | will move,¡± he said with a soft smile.


    Sherry clenched her fists tightly. Carl and Lisa were waiting for her. She did not want to waste time with the man. She sighed


    heavily and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to meet Carl and Lisa.¡±


    ¡°Why are you meeting them? Are you still trying to get engaged to Carl?¡± the man asked with narrowed eyes.


    Sherry was running low on patience. She bellowed, ¡°It¡¯s none of your fucking business!¡±


    Disheartened, John stayed quiet for a while before he said, ¡°Sherry, have you forgotten my present from earlier?¡±


    Sherry choked on his answer and red at him.


    John curled his lips. ¡°We are still legally husband and wife, yet you are trying to get engaged to another man. Even if | allow it,


    thew won''t.¡±


    Thew?


    How dare he talk about thew in front of her?Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°Thew didn¡¯t give you the right to imprison me after | saved your mother. You have no fucking right.¡±


    As soon as her words subsided, the apartment became quiet.


    The man frowned and pursed his lips.


    Sherry inhaled deeply and said, ¡°Move.¡±

 Chapter 1713

    Chapter 1713


    Chapter 1713


    His thin lips moved and said, ¡°I was wrong. It was my fault for ming you.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s rage was ignited by his words. She lost control of her emotions and shouted, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any of this! Get the


    hell out of my face!¡±


    Even after she shouted at him, John showed no intention of moving.


    Sherry pushed him. She wanted to shove him to the side, but he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into his arms. He curled


    his arms around her and hugged her tightly.


    Sherry struggled as hard as she could while she felt like she was being pierced by a thousand. needles. She hated being so


    intimate with him.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± she shouted.


    He hugged her as tight as he could and said in a small voice in her ear, ¡°Sherry, I¡¯ve learned the truth about what happened nine


    years ago. I¡¯m sorry. | was wrong. | mistreated you for all these years.¡±


    His expression grew bitter as he apologized.


    Sherry froze before she uncontrobly scoffed. She had forgotten about nine years ago if he did not bring it up.


    In order to make him return to his family and stop him from suffering with her, she had gone through a lot just to break up with


    him. In the end, not only was she terribly hurt, but he had even resented her for so many years.


    The reason why Julie¡¯s scheme was able to seed was because of John¡¯s resentment of her. It was because of the trauma


    from nine years ago that he no longer trusted her.


    He learned the truth in an untimely manner. Now that she had decided to cut all ties with him, he came haunting her.


    How ironic.


    Sherry smiled helplessly. ¡°That¡¯s ages ago. I¡¯ve forgotten about it.¡±


    She continued shoving him. She wanted him to disappear from her face and never appear before her again.


    However, the stronger she struggled and pushed, the tighter he hugged her.


    Sherry mustered all her strength but failed to even make him budge. She lost her strength after struggling for a while and she


    could no longer shout. She scoffed and said softly, ¡°John Stockton, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t want you to go find Carl,¡± he said.


    She could not see his face, but she heard his trembling voice clearly in her ears.


    ¡°| won''t allow you to find him either,¡± he added.


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened. She wished she had the strength to beat the man to death, but she


    sounded helpless when she pleaded to be freed. ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°I''ll let you go if you don¡¯t go to him.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°John Stockton, do you know how disgusting you are right now?¡±


    John frowned.


    ¡°| feel disgusted when you touch me,¡± she said coldly.


    He used to imprison her, hated her, and forced her to eat grass on thewn. Now, he hugged her tightly and refused to let her go.


    He has no right to do this to her!


    The apartment plunged into silence.


    Asecond after her words subsided, he released her. He looked at her with bloodshot eyes that were hiding behind his golden-


    framed sses.


    Sherry had fair skin. Her frosty look made her look like snow in the winter, and it set off her bloodshot eyes filled with hatred.


    The man was petrified. He gulped and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Do you really have to go find him?¡± ¡°Yes. Please stay out of my


    way,¡± she said coldly.


    He pursed his lips. ¡°Sherry, we haven''t legally divorced. Even if you are engaged with him, you can¡¯t marry him.¡±


    Sherry looked into his eyes and said calmly, ¡°In order to marry him, | must first divorce you.¡±


    John was disheartened. He asked, ¡°You are nning to be engaged to him, then divorce me before you marry him?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said.

 Chapter 1714

    Chapter 1714


    Chapter 1714


    Things went silent for a moment.


    John looked at her with teary eyes. He forced his lips to curl and then asked, ¡°What about Caprice? Are you going to abandon


    her?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes teared up. She averted his questioning gaze immediately and inhaled deeply to regte her emotions. ¡°I''ll just


    pretend | never gave birth to her ¡±


    With her capabilities, she could never get Caprice¡¯s custody from John.


    Besides, Caprice had been living with John since her birth, and she relied on him a lot more


    Sherry had to cut ties with her previous marriage once and for all because it was her only option.


    ¡°Hmph...¡± John scoffed helplessly as he choked on his emotions. He never thought she would reject him so resolutely. He was at


    a loss for words.


    Sherry frowned heavily. She endured the stinging pain in her chest and said, ¡°Move¡±


    ¡°Fine...¡±


    John finally moved from the door.


    Right when she was about to turn the handle, she heard whimpers from behind her Sherry¡¯s heart clenched as she turned


    around.


    The door to the room was opened into a seam and Caprice¡¯s petite body was standing there with pouty lips and teary eyes.


    After the initial whimpers, she burst into tears. She cried louder and louder.


    Sherry¡¯s heart clenched tightly as if it was stung.


    ¡°Caprice...¡± she muttered.


    Even the man beside her furrowed his brows.


    Before the man and woman could react, Caprice opened the door and waddled over to them.


    She cried as she waddled forth. She hugged Sherry¡¯s leg as hard as she could and grumbled,¡± Mommy, don¡¯t leave Caprice!


    Mommy, don¡¯t go! | don¡¯t want you to go... Sobs... Sobs...¡±


    Every word she said in her sobbing tone was a knife to Sherry¡¯s heart.


    Sherry could not bear to leave the girl. As she choked on her emotions, she squatted down and carried the girl into her arms.


    Caprice hugged her tightly and continued to whimper, ¡°Mommy, please don¡¯t go. | will stop Daddy from bullying you. | will be a


    good girl. Please don¡¯t leave me... Sobs...¡±


    Sherry¡¯s heart clenched tightly. She patted the girl¡¯s back to calm her down. A few momentster, she sighed and said, ¡°Okay,


    okay. Mommy won''t leave Caprice.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Caprice¡¯s crying softened inmediately, but her eyes and nose remained red. She cried so hard


    that she started to run out of breath. ¡°Mommy... Sniff... You won¡¯t leave Caprice?¡±


    The girl looked adorable and pitiful.


    Sherry immediately said, ¡°Yes, my baby. I¡¯m just venting my anger at Daddy. Mommy won''t leave you.¡±


    ¡°Sniff... What about Daddy? Are you still going to get a divorce from Daddy?¡± Caprice stared at her with big teary eyes.


    Sherry was silenced once more.


    The man stared at her deeply.


    Awhileter, Sherry then said, ¡°Caprice, Mommy and Daddy can¡¯t stay together anymore...¡±


    Before she could finish, the girl burst out into tears once more.


    ¡°Mommy is a liar! Mommy is going to divorce Daddy and leave Caprice! Mommy is leaving Caprice ... Sobs...¡±


    Sherry was silenced again. She red at John, signaling him to calm the girl down. However, the man simply stared at her


    nkly as if his soul had left his body.

 Chapter 1715

    Chapter 1715


    Sherry called him, ¡°Exin it to Caprice now!¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Not only did John lose focus, but he even turned a deaf ear to her. He simply stood there, petrified.


    Bastard!


    Caprice cried even louder.


    Sherry had never seen the girl cry this fiercely. She was afraid that the crying would affect the girl¡¯s health. She carried the girl to


    the couch and patted her back, trying to console her.


    ¡°Caprice, | want you to listen to me carefully. Even if Mommy and Daddy are separated, | will still go see you whenever | can. |


    guarantee you that | won''t leave you.¡±


    ¡°Sniff...¡± The girl paused her crying and stared at her mother with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Will youe to see me everyday?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips in silence.


    After the divorce, she would probably stay in Coastrock and continue her career. The best she could do was fly over to


    Glenchester once a week to visit the girl. It was unrealistic and impossible to see the girl everyday.


    Caprice took her silence as a denial and started crying again. She cried her lungs out until even her voice turned hoarse. If she


    continued, she would probably damage her vocal cords.


    Sherry¡¯s heart clenched tightly. Then, she bit the bullet and said, ¡°Okay, okay! Mommy is not going to divorce Daddy! No


    divorce!¡±


    Caprice stopped crying immediately ¡°Really?¡±


    The man¡¯s nk eyes suddenly shimmered in hope.


    Sherry nodded. ¡°Yes. No divorce.¡±


    Caprice pouted and finally stopped crying, but she was still sniffling.


    Sherry continued patting the girl¡¯s back.


    The girl sat on herp and leaned onto her arms. ¡°Mommy, Caprice will be a good girl.¡±


    Sherry finally smiled. ¡°I know.¡±


    After Caprice stopped sniffling, Sherry sighed a breath of relief


    The girl was probably awoken by the argument, and once she finally calmed down, she started to feel sleepy again.


    Sherry wanted to carry the girl into the room, but as soon as she got up from the couch, the girl clung to her neck tightly.


    The girl said, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t go.¡±


    Sherry consoled her, ¡°Mommy is not going anywhere. | just have to go out to do something, and ll


    be back before you know it.¡±


    The girl clung to her mother when she learned that her mother insisted on going out. She said in a hurry, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t go.


    Caprice doesn¡¯t want you to go.¡±


    Just when Sherry wanted to exin further, the man finally recovered hisposure.


    He came over with a smile on his face and said, ¡°Sherry, you just promised Caprice that you are not getting a divorce with me.


    Why do you still want to go out?¡±


    Sherry was frustrated once again. She had never seen such a shameless man!


    Caprice cried a river, and he decided to y dumb, hence forcing her to agree to not get a


    divorce. Now that the dust had settled, he came over to take advantage of her again.


    Sherry lost her patience. She shouted, ¡°I''ll go out whenever | want to go out!¡±


    Her shout startled the girl once again.


    Before the girl broke out in tears again, Sherry consoled her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Caprice. I¡¯m shouting because he made me mad.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes remained teary, and her lips pouted. ¡°But Mommy is going.¡±


    ¡°I''m just going out to have a talk with Uncle Carl and his mother.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Carl likes Mommy and the engagement today is him being together with Mommy forever.¡±


    John slyly seized the moment and exined the word ¡®engagement¡¯ to Caprice.


    ¡°Sobs... Mommy is still going to leave Caprice and divorce Daddy...¡±


    Sherry was rendered speechless.

 Chapter 1716

    Chapter 1716


    Chapter 1716


    Sherry red at John.


    If her eyes could firesers, John would have been punctured with numerous holes by now.


    She swallowed the rage in her breath and went back to coaxing Caprice, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what this is, Mommy only wants to go to


    them to talk about something.¡±


    ¡°What do you guys want to talk about?¡± John asked sharply.


    Caprice was still sobbing.


    Sherry was running out of options She took a deep breath and confessed, ¡°I was never with Carl. Our


    engagement was a ruse this entire time.¡±


    John seemed intrigued by this.


    Caprice suddenly stopped sobbing. She caught her breath and asked in a tone ofplete naivety, ¡°What''s a ruse?¡±


    Sherry heaved a sigh of relief and answered, ¡°It means that you¡¯re putting on an act for others. We want people to think that I¡¯m


    with Uncle Carl when in reality, nothing is happening between us at all.¡±


    Caprice only heard the part where they were not together and immediately lit up. ¡°Why are you two acting?¡±


    Sherry answered softly, ¡°It¡¯s all veryplicated. You wouldn¡¯t understand at your age.¡±


    ¡°Exin it anyway. | can understand,¡± John said with a brilliant glow shining in his eyes.


    Sherry shot him an icy look before continuing, ¡°Right now, Lisa is the one who holds the rights to Sager Corporation. Even


    though Carl is recognized as the heir, he¡¯s not very popr amongst the inner circle, especially since Ron and the others want


    the corporation for themselves. They''re in cahoots with the shareholder to bar Carl from taking over.


    ¡°The catch is that | have an esteemed position in the corporation and some of the shareholders are on my side. If | marry Carl, it


    can strengthen his case for taking over.¡±


    She confessed to everything in one breath, knowing that John was going to leverage Caprice against her and refuse to let her go


    if she did not reveal the full circumstances.


    Upon hearing this, John smiled satisfactorily and asked, ¡°Whose idea is this?¡±


    Sherry answered, ¡°Aunt Lisa¡¯s. Carl and | agreed to the n.¡±


    John nodded.


    Caprice sighed, ¡°Adults are soplicated.¡± She barely understood what was happening.


    Sherry patted her head and then turned to John. ¡°Thanks to you ruining the engagement today, this n that we came up with is


    not going to work anymore. I''ll have to meet with them again to discuss what we are going to have to do after this to salvage the


    situation.¡±


    With that, she asked crossly, ¡°So, will you move?¡±


    John held his ground.


    Sherry red at him. ¡°What else do you want?¡±


    John smirked. A gentle glow appeared in his eyes as he proposed, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Sherry was baffled. ¡°I don¡¯t need you toe with me. Just look after Caprice.¡±


    Before John could even voice his objections, Caprice spoke up, ¡°We¡¯re going with you, Mommy.¡± She was still worried about


    Sherry abandoning them.


    John reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | won¡¯t get in your way. We''re just going to follow you there, then we''ll wait for you outside


    while you take care of business.¡±


    Caprice gave her word as well. ¡°Yeap.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry grimaced. She gave in and carried Caprice, then she went outside.


    John followed. He was standing closely behind her when they stepped out of the elevator.


    Sherry snarled grumpily, ¡°Get away from me.¡±


    Everything she had done, she had done for Caprice. Her daughter was the sole reason she had not divorced John and even


    went as far as to confess the truth of her engagement with Carl.


    Even though she was not divorced from John yet, they were only husband and wife in name


    John frowned and kept his distance. He made sure to keep a wider gap between them.


    The traffic was rtively mild at this hour of the day.


    Shortly after that, Sherry arrived outside Lisa¡¯s vi with John and Caprice in her car Sherry turned to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, stay in


    the car with your father. I''ll be back in a minute.¡±

 Chapter 1717

    Chapter 1717


    Caprice was feeling much better by now except her eyes were still swollen from crying just now. She spoke out, ¡°Mommy, | want


    to go with you.¡±


    It was impossible to refuse her when she pleaded so sincerely.


    Sherry smiled and gave in. ¡°Okay.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Besides, Lisa and Carl were not dangerous.


    With that, she got out of the car and went to the other side to get Caprice, taking her into her arms.


    Caprice made sure to turn to her father who was waiting inside the car, ¡°Bye-bye, Daddy.¡±


    John leanedzily against the seat of the car and smiled. ¡°See you.¡±


    Then, he cast a gentle gaze toward Sherry. ¡°Go on, I''ll wait for you here.¡±


    Sherry merely shot a look at him, then he ignored him. She promptly took Caprice into Lisa¡¯s house with her


    As soon as they stepped past the entrance, Carl came rushing out toward them from the living. room. He went toward Sherry


    and looked at her from head to toe to ensure she was fine. Only then did he manage to calm himself. Then, he turned to Caprice


    and greeted her warmly, ¡°Caprice, do you remember me?¡±


    Caprice bobbed her head up and down and greeted him cheerfully, ¡°You''re Uncle Carl.¡±


    Carl smiled and turned to Sherry. ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t just stand here. Come on, let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    Sherry entered the living room with Caprice.


    Lisa rose from the couch. She seemed startled to see Caprice here as well.


    Caprice stared intently at Lisa.


    Sherry turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, this is Aunt Lisa. Say hello to her.¡±


    Caprice did as she was told. ¡°Hello, Aunt Lisa,¡± she greeted Lisa in an endearing and polite voice.


    Lisa smiled lovingly. ¡°Oh, hello there, what is your name?¡±


    Caprice answered, ¡°My name is Caprice.¡±


    ¡°How do you spell that, darling?¡±


    Caprice tilted her head to her side and seemed visibly confused.


    Sherry answered for her, ¡°C-a-p-r-i-c-e.¡±


    Lisa considered for a moment before asking, ¡°Who named her?¡±


    Sherry answered proudly, ¡°I did.¡±


    She came up with the name as soon as she realized she was pregnant as she thought it was a wonderful name for a cheerful


    and sweet child.


    Lisa remarked kindly, ¡°I see, it¡¯s a wonderful name for her.¡±


    Sherry smiled. She began apologizing for the disastrous engagement ceremony, ¡°Aunt Lisa, | am very sorry for what happened


    today.¡±


    ¡°It''s not your fault. Why are you apologizing?¡± Lisa forgave her immediately. ¡°Oh, your daughter is such a cutie. Mayl hug her?¡±


    Sherry turned to Caprice, but Caprice had already stretched her arms out without needing to be told to do so.


    Lisa was enamored by her cheerful and adorable attitude and immediately took Caprice into her arms and went to the couch.


    Sherry sat next to them while Carl sat on another chair nearby.


    Lisa was quickly obsessed with Caprice, especially when she observed how Caprice settled onto herp without a single note of


    comint. She took her time getting to know her before turning to Sherry ¡°Sherry, even if your engagement with Carl doesn¡¯t


    work out, I¡¯m still not going to let Ron take Sager Corporation away. Worst-case scenario, Carl will have to wait several years


    longer before he takes over, so don¡¯t me yourself for what happened.¡±


    Sherry grimaced. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The reason everything turned out so disastrously was that Aiden and Caden managed to get in touch with John to devise their


    underhanded scheme. However, Sherry felt like she was to be med as well, but there was no usementing about it anymore.


    Right now, they should focus on what was toe next.

 Chapter 1718

    Chapter 1718


    Lisa nced at Carl who had been staring at Sherry silently the entire time. After a momentary silence, she asked Sherry,


    ¡°What''s the situation between you and Master Stockton right now? Since you''re divorced, why did hee all the way here to


    Coastrock to meet you?¡±


    Sherry turned to Caprice.


    The child was getting sleepy by now and was beginning to doze off in Lisa¡¯s arms. She would be drifting off to sleep soon.


    Sherry whispered, ¡°I haven''t divorced him yet.¡±


    Lisa was shocked by this.


    Carl was just as taken aback, and he was visibly disturbed by this.


    Astagnant silence fell upon them, until Lisa expressed somberly, ¡°So, that¡¯s why...¡±


    That exined John¡¯s antics during the engagement ceremony and why he had taken advantage of Aiden to further his agenda.


    The two were not divorced yet.


    Lisa recalled the pictures of Sherry and John that Aiden had cast on the screen during the engagement ceremony and asked


    suspiciously, ¡°If you two are not divorced, why does it look like you two don¡¯t get along in those pictures back there?¡±


    Caprice was already soundly asleep by this point.


    Sherry swiped a cautious look at Caprice before confessing. ¡°The situation between us is very tense. | don¡¯t n to be with him


    much longer.¡±


    Lisa recalled how Sherry had turned into a different person ever since her trip to nchester, and this new revtion


    immediately shed new light on the full picture. A thoughtful look appeared in her eyes as she nodded with great understanding,


    ¡°Alright, no matter what you decide, just know I¡¯m on your side.¡±


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Aunt Lisa, don¡¯t worry about a thing. | wille up with something to help Carl take over Sager Corporation as


    soon as possible.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Lisa smiled and said, ¡°Okay, | believe you.


    Sherry rose, ¡°Caprice is getting tired. I''ll take her back home for now. Just call me if anything.es up, alright?¡±


    Lisa handed Caprice back to Sherry reluctantly ¡°Alright, just take Caprice home, and don¡¯t stress yourself over what happened.


    Also, you can bring her around here to visit me if you have time in the future.¡±


    She was always busy overseeing things at thepany, so this was the first time in years that she had a chance to spend time


    with a child. The fact that Caprice was adorable and endearing certainly contributed to her immediate obsession with the child.


    Sherry smiled and gave her word before leaving with Caprice in her arms.


    Carl had not said a word the entire time. When he saw Sherry preparing to leave, he rose and looked at her with a gloomy


    expression.


    When Sherry turned to him, he immediately formed a smile, assuming his usual nonchnce and grace.


    Sherry informed him, ¡°I''ll be leaving with Caprice for now. Take care of your mother.¡±


    Carl grimaced.


    Before he could speak, Lisa spoke up, ¡°I don¡¯t need the brat to keep mepany.¡±


    With that, she turned to him. ¡°Carl, send Sherry off for me.¡±


    Carl merely grunted.


    Sherry happened to have something to say to Carl, so she let him walk her out of the house.


    Once they were past the gate, she stopped and turned to him. Her voice was rather grave as she spoke to him, ¡°Carl, there is


    something | want to tell you.¡±


    Carl met her eyes with a casual smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°It''s about the fire back in nchester. It wasn¡¯t John. He never intended to harm me this entire time...¡±


    After that, Sherry gave a summary of the situation, going over how Julie attempted to use Madam Stockton against her to drive a


    wedge between her and John.


    Carl frowned after hearing the full story. ¡°She was the perpetrator this entire time? Why did she do it?¡±


    ¡°She had a thing for John.¡±


    Carl nodded, then he suddenly asked with a knowing smile, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that he came here to look for you and exin


    things to you so that you will take him back?¡±


    Sherry scowled the moment she heard this and dered adamantly, ¡°I¡¯m never going to take him back.¡±


    Carl seemed pleased to hear this though he made sure to hide it. He followed up with another question, ¡°Are you going to


    divorce him?¡±


    ¡°| want to,¡± Sherry said as she looked at Caprice who was sleeping soundly in her arms, and told Carl truthfully. ¡°But Caprice


    won¡¯t let me. | don¡¯t want to hurt her feelings.¡±


    Carl''s eyes darkened. He chuckled softly before presenting another question, ¡°Are you going to sacrifice your happiness for the


    rest of your life for Caprice?¡±

 Chapter 1719

    Chapter 1719


    Sherry only needed to gaze at Caprice¡¯s peacefully asleep expression to reaffirm her decision, ¡°As long as Caprice is happy, I¡¯m


    happy.¡±


    Something darkened in Carl¡¯s eyes, and he found his fists clenching subconsciously. ¡°But even if you divorced John, you could


    still be Caprice¡¯s mother, nothing is stopping you from visiting her-¡± Bang!


    Suddenly, they heard the loud thud of a car door being mmed shut.


    Carl was jolted by this and began tensing up.


    Sherry turned around warily, only to meet the man who had originally promised to sit still in the car and wait for her and Caprice.


    The man was now walking over with a faint smile hanging on his lips.


    He approached Sherry and shot a look at Carl. ¡°Young Master Sager, you''re trying to persuade a mother to get divorced from her


    husband right in the presence of their daughter. That doesn¡¯t seem very appropriate to me.¡±


    Carl had an adverse reaction to this and stated crossly, ¡°Sherry is a close friend of mine. Of course, | would suggest whatever is


    best for her.¡±


    John wore the same stoic smile. ¡°No need to worry about her. I¡¯ll take care of her well enough from here on.¡±


    Carl remained silent.


    Sherry was stunned in silence for a moment as well. She made a look and turned to Carl. ¡°Carl, I''ll be leaving with Caprice for


    now. Don¡¯t worry about me. Make sure you get some rest.¡±


    She was not interested in the men¡¯s bickering and made the wise choice of marching toward the car with Caprice still sleeping


    soundly in her arms.


    John smiled at Carl and followed her.


    As Sherry was settling Caprice into the car, she heard Carl''s voice from a distance behind her.¡± Sherry, Coastrock is my territory.


    If anyone gives you a hard time again, remember that you can. call me, and | promise you that I''ll take care of him. I''ll make him


    regret evering to Coastrock!¡±


    Sherry shuddered upon hearing this.


    Before she could answer, John retorted, ¡°She has me by her side now. Nobody is going to give her a hard time. Thanks for the


    concern, Young Master Sager.¡±


    Sherry remained silent while Carl only chuckled dryly.


    An awkward silence fell over them, then Sherry turned to meet Carl''s eye and acknowledged him,¡± | understand, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    With that, she burrowed into the car with Caprice and shot a look at John. ¡°You, drive.¡±


    John merely smiled and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, he got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the engine.


    Shortly after that, they arrived at Sherry¡¯s apartment. Sherry hurried into the house, Caprice still sleeping soundly in her arms.


    John followed behind them.


    While Sherry settled Caprice on the bed, John just stood by the doorway and observed her quietly.


    As usual, Sherry took off Caprice¡¯s shoes and jacket in a practiced fashion. After ensuring that. Caprice wasfy in bed, she


    threw a nket over the child and left the room.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    John stood by the door like a fixed statue.


    Sherry walked straight out of the room and walked past the man without even sparing a second to look at him. She found her


    laptop and proceeded to prop herself by a window in the living room, making herselffy on the floor.


    She wanted to have a look to what extent the news of the disastrous engagement ceremony had spread.


    She dug through several major media outlets in Coastrock, and to her surprise, it seemed like nearly none of the media outlets


    had picked up on the news. It seemed like it mostly stayed within. Sager Corporation.


    It struck her as very odd. Would it not make sense for Ron and his family to spread the news far and wide to sabotage Lisa and


    Carl''s reputation?


    She grew suspicious.


    It was around this point that she realized that her phone had been ringing.


    She pulled it out of her pocket and found that while she was focused on digging up news online, she had been bombarded by


    texts. Most of the texts were from the shareholders at Sager Corporation. Even Ron had sent her a text.

 Chapter 1720

    Chapter 1720


    Although it may seem like the shareholders were concerned about her, it was clear as day that they were probing for information


    about John.


    Ron was the most suspicious of them all, evident by his message that read, ¡°President Sherry, Aiden and Caden have done


    something terrible today. If they hade to me and told me about their n, | would have shut it down immediately. | would like


    to apologize for what happened.


    ¡°Also, forgive my mom for being so stubborn in her traditional ideals. She¡¯s our elder after all. What¡¯s wrong with being married


    before? As long as you have something to offer to the table, | won¡¯t mind you wedding into the family even if you have been


    divorced thrice in the past.


    ¡°It''s truly a shame that things were ruined by Aiden and Cade. | have already lectured them just now. When youe in to work


    on Monday, | will have them apologize to you.


    ¡°By the way, say hello to Master Stockton for me, if you would.¡±


    Sherry chuckled.


    The final sentence was the one that spelled his intention; the rest were nothing but filler.


    Upon reading the message, she understood the reason Ron and his family were afraid of stirring up drama and spreading the


    news. They were afraid of her using John against them.


    She took a deep breath and looked across the living room.


    John was seated on the couch on the other edge of the room facing her with a book in hand.


    The book was part of a collection of business materials that Lisa had given to her as a gift after she arrived in Coastrock. Lisa


    had given them to her to help her build her knowledge and expertise in the industry.


    It did not take long at all for John to get halfway through the book. It was not surprising since he was made for business since the


    day he was born. The contents of the book must bepletely. amateurish to his genius mind.


    Sherry found herself overwhelmed with a sudden rush of irritability.


    That was when John suddenly raised his eyes and looked at her.


    Sherry caught his gaze. She suddenly grew defensive and asked snappily, ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡±


    John remained silent. He formed a coy smile and said, ¡°No reason. | just felt like looking at you.¡± Sherry shot him a look, then


    she turned her attention back to herptop to avoid looking at John altogether.


    John suddenly asked her, ¡°Have you finished this book?¡±


    Sherry answered snappily, ¡°I finished it a long time ago.¡±


    John remarked casually, ¡°Well, the contents are okay, it¡¯s just a bit dated.¡±


    Sherry was visibly annoyed by this. She continued to stare at her the disy and said without


    bothering to turn to John, ¡°I know, | finished the book two years ago.¡±


    John made a look and did his best to suppress a smile as he said, ¡°I would say this book was only relevant around three years


    ago.¡±


    Sherry stayed silent. Her cheeks grew red as she red at John viciously.


    John smiled condescendingly and brushed her off, ¡°Still, you could learn a lot from this, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Sherry took a breath and ignored him. She may not be as experienced as John, but she did manage to extract a lot of helpful


    information from the book. She was aware that books did not offer as much as real-world practical experiences, but they still


    helped her considerably.


    That was why she had read the books, to prepare herself for when she stepped into the business field. She knew that she had


    relied on nothing but her abilities and determination to ascend the ranks inside Sager Corporation.


    John suddenly remarked, ¡°You do have a talent for business. | know a couple of books that can be very helpful. Do you want me


    to source them for you?¡±


    She refused without even considering it, ¡°No thanks.¡±


    He paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Well, at least let me tell you the names of these books.¡±


    She grimaced and ignored him entirely.


    He smiled and took out his phone.


    Shortly after that, Sherry¡¯s phone began chiming.


    John had sent the titles of the books he mentioned to her.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She merely nced at the phone before putting it away.


    She spied John from the corner of her eye and noticed he had picked up the book and resumed reading. She sneakily reached


    for her phone again and went through the list of books John had sent her, then she went to an online bookstore and ordered


    each one of them.


    Unbeknownst to her, John was hardly paying attention to the book at all and was spying on her the entire time. He observed how


    she seemed to scurry about and was very amused. A subtle smile formed on his lips.


    The day passed quickly.


    Sherry remained by the window all day while John sat on the couch.

 Chapter 1721

    Chapter 1721


    Chapter 1721


    When night rolled around, they heard soundsing from the bedroom.


    Sherry hurriedly put aside theptop and went to the bedroom.


    As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw Caprice sitting on the floor next to the bed, her hair looked like a freshly made


    bird nest.


    She must have lost her footing when she tried to crawl out of bed and ended up tumbling onto the floor.


    She was not crying. If anything, she looked like she had barelye to her senses after having just woken up.


    The moment she saw Sherry entering the room, a light entered her eyes atst. She instantly sprang to life and stretched her


    hands outward as she cried, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Sherry quickly went to her and took her into his arms.


    Caprice gleefully wrapped her arms around Sherry and pressed her cheeks against Sherry¡¯s, showering her with affection.


    Sherry smiled and asked, ¡°Caprice, are you hungry?¡±


    Caprice muttered, ¡°A little bit.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    ¡°Anything tasty!¡±


    Sherry smiled upon hearing this.


    Fortunately, the child was never a picky eater. She would eat anything as long as it tasted good, so it made it easy to feed her.


    She walked out of the room with Caprice resting on her shoulder.


    The first thing she did was hand Caprice some snacks to stay off hunger for now. After that, she got her phone and ordered


    some fresh groceries.


    Just like she did the past few days.


    After the ingredients arrived, John went to the kitchen to cook for them.


    Sherry watched cartoons with Caprice while waiting for John to prepare dinner for them.


    Before long, the fragrant smell of food seeped out of the kitchen.


    Sherry gulped.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice had lost interest in the cartoon at this point. She climbed off the couch and hopped her way to the kitchen like a frog.


    Sherry followed behind her.


    Caprice propped herself on her tiptoes and looked at the tasty dishes set on the kitchen ind.


    She sneakily stuck a hand out and nabbed a tiny piece of shrimp from one of the tes, then she tossed it into her mouth.


    Even when she was being a sneaky little thief, she was adorable.


    When she noticed John ncing at her, she immediately tucked her hands behind her and yed


    it off.


    John seemed to not notice that she had stolen a bite, he asked her with a gentle smile, ¡°Caprice, what are you doing here in the


    kitchen?¡±


    Caprice wiped the grease from her mouth and said with an unchanging expression, ¡°I came to see Daddy.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°I see, it¡¯s very oily in the kitchen. Why don¡¯t you wait out there? Daddy will be done in


    a minute.¡±


    Caprice nodded dly and went outside when she was told that food will be ready momentarily. As soon as she turned toward


    the dining table, she saw Sherry standing in front of her.


    Something sparked in her eyes.


    Sherry squinted suspiciously at her.


    Caprice immediately realized that her mother saw her stealing food. She threw herself at Sherry and began leveraging her


    charms again. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    She was perfectly aware that she had been caught.


    Sherry gently patted her head. ¡°Mommy will pretend that she didn¡¯t see anything, but don¡¯t ever do that again, understand?¡±


    Caprice smiled. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Sherry picked her up with a warm smile and took her to the washroom.


    She helped Caprice wash the grease off her fingers from when she stole the piece of shrimp.


    Inside the kitchen, John quietly gazed at the figures of the pair of mother and daughter. He chuckled to himself before ting the


    final dish.


    By the time Sherry and Caprice stepped out of the washroom, dinner was already set on the dining table.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes beamed with joy.


    Sherry put Caprice into the chair, then she went into the kitchen and helped scoop out bowls of soup, one serving for everyone.


    John was taken aback by this and stared at her as if starstruck


    It was rather surprising to him that Sherry would voluntarily step into the kitchen to help him.

 Chapter 1722

    Chapter 1722


    Sherry shot a sideway nce at him. ¡°What are you looking at? I¡¯m just doing this because Caprice is hungry.¡±


    She said as she brought bowls of soup to the dining table.


    John chuckled heartily.


    Meanwhile, Caprice had already begun eating without them. She held a pair of spoon and fork like trusty weapons and her


    mouth was bulging with food.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry made a look as she sat next to Caprice. She put a bowl of noodles in front of her and reminded her. ¡°Caprice, eat slowly.


    Here, have some noodles.¡±


    Caprice did as she was told. She made sure to chew her food thoroughly before she moved on to the bowl of noodles


    After ensuring that Caprice had slowed down her pace, Sherry began eating as well.


    The food was delicious. John could easily be a professional chef.


    It was no surprise that Caprice snuck a piece of shrimp just now as she simply could not wait.


    Even Sherry ate more than she would otherwise usually eat.


    ¡°How¡¯s the food?¡± John suddenly asked.


    Sherry looked up and met a pair of gentle eyes staring back at her.


    She suddenly felt a bulge of irritation inside her.


    Before she could answer, Caprice cried out, ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    John was still staring at Sherry. He was determined to get feedback out of her.


    Sherry hesitated for a moment, then grumbled, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    John smiled.


    After dinner, Sherry took Caprice into the bedroom and helped her shower before putting her to


    bed.


    They yed some games and she read some bedtime stories to Caprice until the child fell asleep.


    Sherry pecked a gentle kiss on Caprice¡¯s forehead before preparing to leave.


    She wanted to check if John had left. She was going to take a shower and prepare for bed.


    She approached the door.


    Just as she was about to grab the door handle, she suddenly heard a muffled ringtone from the other end of the door.


    She withdrew her hand.


    On the other side of the door.


    John was leaning against the door the entire time. The second his phone rang, he promptly answered it and put the phone to his


    ear, answering in a hushed and sharp voice, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    It was Jason on the phone. ¡°Young Master Stockton, it¡¯s Aiden and Caden. They¡¯re here again and they''re at the lobby of the


    hotel waiting for you.¡±


    John hissed. ¡°Tell the hotel staff to kick them out.¡±


    Jason answered dutifully, ¡°Alright, sir.¡±


    John hung up.


    He nced at the door and observed the lights spilling out from the gap, then he left.


    The bodyguard who had just finished cleaning the kitchen followed after him when he noticed John leaving.


    Inside the bedroom, Sherry remained standing by the door. She only plucked the courage to open the door after she heard the


    men leave.


    Sure enough, John was gone.


    She closed the door again, then she went to the bathroom for a quick shower.


    After that, she crawled back to bed and cuddled with Caprice, preparing to settle in for the night. However, something was


    troubling her and she could not fall asleep.


    She had put her ears close to the door during the phone call and heard what Jason had told John on the phone.


    She wagered that Aiden and Caden were the ones to approach John back then. They must have mistakenly assumed that he


    was her ex-husband, which led to the ploy they formted after that.


    She was aware that John had intentionally sabotaged the engagement ceremony, but he had not done it to help Aiden and


    Caden. If that was what he had intended, he would not have unted his identity as the great Master Stockton hailing from


    nchester.


    In one prudent move, he sessfully got in the way of her engagement with Carl while also ensuring that Ron, Aiden, and


    Caden could not get what they wanted. If anything, it further cemented her position in Sager Corporation.


    It would seem like Carl¡¯s position was not threatened significantly as well.


    She took a deep breath.


    As much as she hated to admit it, John was extremely prudent and yed the chess match better than any of them!

 Chapter 1723

    Chapter 1723


    Chapter 1723


    It was a dreamless night.


    Sherry opened the door and the first thing she saw to start the morning was John.


    She was already dressed up with Caprice. The child wanted to go to the same ce where she had a waffle with John thest


    morning.


    As soon as Sherry mentioned it to John, he remembered the ce and proceeded to take them. there.


    The waiter had only just served the waffle on the table when Caprice immediately began tearing. at it excitedly. She held up a


    piece in front of Sherry and urged her to eat. ¡°Mommy, this pancake. tastes delicious!¡±


    Sherry opened her mouth and took a bite.


    It was certainly very tasty. After she swallowed the piece of waffle, she turned to Caprice with at radiant smile. ¡°It¡¯s delicious,


    thank you Caprice.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee, Mommy.¡± Caprice chirped joyfully, then she began prattling, ¡°Yesterday | left a piece for Mommy to eat too, but


    when | was on the way to see you with Daddy | think | dropped it somewhere.¡±


    She was going to bring these tasty waffles to Sherry yesterday afternoon along with her father.


    Sherry was shocked to hear this.


    Yesterday?


    She recalled seeing Caprice and John while she was driving to Lisa¡¯s ce yesterday. She remembered seeing Caprice in


    John¡¯s arms, cheerfully going on about something while eating. something.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It would appear that she was eating the same waffle that they were eating now.


    She frowned and immediately regretted not stopping to at least say hello to them.


    She quickly collected herself and thanked Caprice again with a warm andforting smile, ¡°It¡¯s alright, now I¡¯ve eaten it.


    Everything is fine.¡±


    With that, she took anotherrge bite.


    Caprice was pleased to see how much her mother was enjoying the waffle.


    Sherry was relieved to see Caprice happy, so she ate as much of the waffle as she could stomach.


    Time always seemed to pass faster whenever she was with Caprice.


    Soon, it was the next day.


    After having breakfast, Sherry entrusted Caprice to John and went to the office by herself as usual.


    As soon as she stepped into the office tower, she spotted several shareholders and some department leaders mingling with each


    other.


    Among them were several shareholders who she knew were very close with Ron. They were all rtives of the Sagers and


    tended to be very pompous whenever they saw Sherry.


    Today was the sole exception. The moment they saw Sherry, they went up to greet her with bright. and weing smiles on their


    faces.


    ¡°President Sherry, what a coincidence! | wasn¡¯t expecting you to be here at this hour!¡±


    ¡°Sure is.¡±


    Sherry smiled and added, ¡°Unfortunately, | need to get to work.¡±


    This was certainly not the first time they bumped into each other, but it was certainly the first time they took the initiative to greet


    her. They had some nerve to act all friendly with her now of all times.


    They suddenly stiffened upon hearing Sherry¡¯s disinterested tone, but they made sure to keep up the same enthusiastic smile.


    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s very unfortunate.¡±


    One of the department leaders who was rather detached from these sorts of office drama and politics suddenly spoke up, ¡°I


    suppose so, but we do have to get back to work now. There¡¯s going to be an important meetingter, we better get right to it.¡±


    With that, he excused himself.


    Sherry followed after.


    The shareholders held their tongues.


    There was to be an important monthly meeting where the leaders of each department had to provide an borate report of the


    uing projects and establish propermunications.


    The marketing department managed by Sherry was one of the most important divisions inside Sager Corporation.


    Her assigned seat was right next to Lisa¡¯s.


    On Lisa¡¯s left was Ron, followed by Aiden and other department leaders.


    As usual, Sherry was the first to present. She gave an overview of the new projectsing in, which included two major projects


    that Carl managed to finalize with their partnersst week.


    As she went on about the two major projects, nearly everyone present at the meeting seemed very impressed about the terms


    agreed upon and the scope of the project as a whole. The only ones who seemed rather detached and disinterested were Ron


    and Aiden.


    Someone suddenly asked, ¡°President Sherry, were you the one who ended up striking up these deals again?¡±


    Sherry looked around the table and announced with a smile, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been very busy with other matters over thest week.


    It was Carl who negotiated these terms by himself.¡±

 Chapter 1724

    Chapter 1724


    As if afraid that they would not believe her, Sherry added, ¡°His name was also signed on the contract. I¡¯ve already taken it to the


    government office for further view.¡±


    Everyone was in utter disbelief, Ron and Caden were especially bbergasted.


    After a while, someone chuckled heartily and remarked, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that Young Master Sager would be the one to pull it off,


    truly amazing! Two projects in one go!¡±


    Sherry nced at Ron and Aiden while acknowledging Car''s efforts. ¡°Truly amazing, | agree.¡±


    She looked around and wondered where Carl was. She hade into today¡¯s meeting fully intending to let Carl take the


    spotlight and show what he was capable of. However, he was nowhere to be seen and would not even answer her calls.


    The meeting resumed when someone at the table mentioned, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s focus on these two major projects going forward.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, this is a big deal. We''re going to have to schedule more meetingster on and work out the finer details.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    After most of them had presented their monthly reports, Lisa interjected, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wrap this up as quick as we can so the lot


    of you can get back to work.¡±


    ¡°Alright, President Lisa.¡±


    Within an hour, everything was concluded.


    Lisa dismissed the meeting.


    Sherry stood up and exchanged eye contact with Lisa, a faint smile hanging on her lips. With that, they stepped out of the


    conference room together with the other members involved in the meeting.


    As soon as they walked outside, they crossed paths with Aiden.


    Aiden lowered his voice and asked, ¡°President Sherry, was it truly Carl who handled the negotiations for these projects by


    himself?¡±


    He made sure that he still spoke just loud enough so that people nearby could hear. As expected, many of them deliberately


    stopped and began listening in on their conversation.


    Sherry smiled and assured him calmly, ¡°His name is on the contract along with the date of signing. You''ll find that during the date


    of signing, most of us were busy with other tasks, myself included. If you still don¡¯t believe me, just read the contract yourself.¡±


    Aiden was baffled.


    The ones who still had lingering doubts were utterly convinced by this point and quickly marched


    away.


    Sherry was going to head back to her office, but Aiden came up to her again and stopped her with a pandering smile. ¡°President


    Sherry, | must apologize for what happened back there.


    ¡°Even though | ruined your engagement with Carl, | must say that it could be a blessing in disguise in hindsight. You see, a


    wonderful woman of your stature should aim for someone better than the likes of Carl. Your ex-husband was the perfect fit for


    you.¡±


    When he brought up Sherry¡¯s ex-husband, a viperous look gleamed in his eyes.


    Sherry smiled courteously. ¡°Aiden, before John showed up, you saidpletely different things about our engagement.¡±


    Aiden stiffened.


    Sherry confronted him. ¡°I remember you saying that a woman of my background who was once married and had children did not


    deserve Carl and that there was no justification that | should be allowed to wed into the Sagers. As a matter of fact, it was only


    two days ago, do you happen to have amnesia?¡±


    Aiden turned pale. ¡°Sherry, you...¡±


    Sherry cocked an eyebrow. ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°You better watch your tone or else you''ll regret it.¡± Aiden hissed, his face turning ck as he did his best to conceal the


    venomous spite in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before my family takes over Sager Corporation. Just because Carl lucked


    out on those two major deals, that doesn¡¯t give him the right to take charge around here.


    ¡°Lisa was an old widow and an outsider to boot. Most of the shareholders have been waiting to get rid of her. If you know what¡¯s


    good for you, you''d switch to our side before it¡¯s toote. If you humor me enough, | just might consider letting you keep your


    position after | take over as the president of the corporation. Consider it my token of respect toward your husband.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He made these ims as if he had already won and as if he had already taken over the corporation in his mind.


    Sherry smiled sarcastically. ¡°Aiden, where did you get all this confidence from? You, the next president of Sager Corporation?¡±


    Aiden red at her venomously and warned her gravely. ¡°Sherry, you better show some respect.¡±


    Sherry only scoffed as she drew a step closer to him. She bore a sharp look into his eyes and mocked him, ¡°Forget about you,


    not even your father has what it takes to man a corporation asrge as Sager Corporation.¡±

 Chapter 1725

    Chapter 1725


    Sherry paused for a moment before ring up again. ¡°You, your brother, and your father arepletely useless. The only thing


    you guys are good at is suckering up to those shareholders.¡±


    Aiden roared. ¡°Sherry, you b*tch!¡±


    He raised his hand and it looked like he was going to strike Sherry.


    Sherry did not cower in fear. Instead, she raised her voice. ¡°Aiden, if you even ce a finger on me, | can assure you that I''ll


    have you kicked out of the corporation by the end of the day.¡±


    The shareholders may be very prideful and think too highly of themselves to acknowledge Sherry, but one way or another,


    business was a very practical matter. At the end of the day, Sherry was the one who brought in the profit. They would have to


    bow to her whether they like it or not.


    It went without saying that she had the full backing of Lisa, so she never had to worry about that.


    Furthermore, she tended to mingle around the corporation instead of keeping to herself. She regrly invited the department


    leaders to go drinking with her, therefore most of the higher-ups in the corporation were good friends with her.


    The employees were very loyal to her as well. She was very well respected across the board.


    Although in terms of status, she did not have as much credibility as Ron and his children, but she


    corporation.


    commanded far more respect as an individual inside the


    If Aiden dared to attack her, Lisa would not stand for it. Apart from Lisa, everyone inside the corporation who already harbored


    resentment toward Ron and his despicable children would have something to say as well. The entire thing would spiral out of


    control very quickly if she involved the police, and Aiden did not stand a chance.


    Just as she thought, the moment she produced the threat, Aiden dropped his raised hand.


    He shot a contemptuous look at Sherry and resorted to a mere verbal threat. ¡°Just you wait.¡± With that, he stomped off angrily.


    Sherry merelyughed and walked back to her office.


    Inside the conference room, Lisa and Ron remained in their seats the entire time.


    ¡°| must say, I¡¯m very surprised about Carl managing to secure these two major projects,¡± Ron remarked with a smile on his face.


    Lisa smiled and replied, ¡°There are many other things that will surprise you in time. Just make sure you''re mentally prepared for


    what''s about toe, or else you might have a heart attack.¡±


    Ron merely grumbled and said, ¡°Well, | can¡¯t wait. Still, | must say that | hope he''ll get his act together and be the mature


    and reliable man we need him to be. If not, | doubt the shareholders would feel good about handing over the reins of the


    corporation to him.¡±


    Lisa assured him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Also, even if Carl gets passed over, you''re not going to be the next one in


    line.¡±,


    Kon grumbled again.


    The day tended to pass faster when it was busy.


    Sherry spent nearly every waking second working and finally wrapped up her tasks for the day when the sky was beginning to


    darken outside.


    When she thought of Caprice waiting for her at home, she hurried to the parking lot and drove back as quickly as she could.


    After passing through several junctions, she swerved into the parking lot of her apartment.


    After she parked the car, she grabbed her purse and immediately stepped out of the car, and headed to the elevator lobby.


    The elevator was on the right side of the corridor connected to the lobby.


    She approached the familiar corridor.


    While she was waiting for the elevator, several nasty-looking men appeared from the corner and began approaching her.


    They were dressed likemon street thugs.


    Sherry frowned upon noticing them and tried to keep her distance.


    Still, they continued to approach her.


    She quickly realized that they wereing for her, so she turned and prepared to run.


    It was toote. One of the men swung a bat against her feet, producing a loud crack that reverberated across the corridor.


    She shrieked in pain and crumbled to the ground.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1726

    Chapter 1726


    When she rolled over, the thugs already had her surrounded. They wore menacing looks as they bore down at her.


    Her ankles were searing with pain and her body was drenched in sweat in an instant.


    She looked at them with fear in her eyes and asked, ¡°Did Aiden send you here?¡±


    The leader of the pack stared at her and dered, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who sent us here. We came here today to teach you a


    lesson so that you learn to watch your mouth in the future.¡±


    He turned to his men and roared, ¡°Hold her down and give her a good p! Each one of you, give her ten good ps and only


    stop after she learns to keep her mouth shut!¡±


    He took a step back and let the men go to work.


    Two of them came forward to hold Sherry down. Sherry saw an opening and jabbed the tip of her heels at one of them, then she


    tried to crawl away on her wounded leg while crying out for help at the top of her voice, ¡°Help! Help!¡±


    There was no chance she could outrun them, especially not on a wounded leg. It did not take long before they grabbed her again


    and had her pinned to the ground.


    She continued to shout desperately, ¡°Help! Help!¡±


    ¡°TIL kill you if you don¡¯t stop shouting!¡± One of the thugs cussed out loud and threatened her. Smack!


    She felt a terrible blow across her face.


    The brutal p made her cheeks go numb in an instant.


    She nearly lost consciousness but continued shouting like clockwork, ¡°Help-¡±


    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m going to kill you now!¡± The thug pped her again.


    Sherry¡¯s hands and feet were boundpletely, she could not get away.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    When she saw the hand about to strike her again, she closed her eyes and prepared for the blow.


    However, the p never connected, and the terrible blow she was fearfully anticipating never arrived.


    She opened her eyes slowly.


    The thug who had pped her was now being pinned to the ground with a foot on his back. It was Nelson, the bodyguard.


    The other two thugs were cautiously backing away, no longer as intimidating as they once were.


    They were intimidated by the sight of Nelson and further discouraged by how their leader who they always held respect for was


    now pinned to the ground by Jason.


    Sherry shuddered.


    Out of nowhere, a figure came thundering in and delivered a swift kick to one of the two thugs, sending the thug flying away.


    After that, the man quickly approached Sherry and pulled her into his


    arms.


    Sherry was still shuddering, her head was spinning.


    She was not expecting him to show up.


    John wagered that she was traumatized by what happened. He frowned, and gently caressed the swollen side of her cheeks


    with his fingertips. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Sherry immediately became irritated by the tone of his voice and shoved him away. ¡°Out of my way.¡±


    John grimaced and let her go.


    She limped toward the thug who pped her, then she turned to the bodyguard Nelson who was still stepping on him. ¡°Nelson,


    get him on his feet.¡±


    Nelson turned to John for permission. After John gave him a nod, he pulled the thug to his feet.


    The thug waspletely terrified and stammered as he spoke, ¡°Madam, | was wrong, please have some mercy on me.¡±


    Smack!


    Sherry pped him as hard as she could on the face and spat, ¡°Who are you calling madam?! Some disgusting and old hooligan


    like you has no right to call me that!¡±


    Instead of getting upset, the thug began to apologize profusely. It would seem like he was used to getting hit throughout his life.


    ¡°It was all my fault, I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me, boss.¡±


    Sherry scoffed, then she approached the leader of the thugs.


    She turned to Jason who was also pinning the thug to the ground with his foot. ¡°Get him on his feet.¡±


    Jason did as he was told.


    Although the leader seemed to have some strong words for Sherry, he realized that he was outmatched, especially when he saw


    how strong and imposing both Jason and Nelson were. He put on his best ttering smile and told Sherry, ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry for


    causing you so much trouble. See, | never knew that you had all these men working for you. If | knew, | wouldn¡¯t have taken the


    job even if | was paid double.¡±


    Smack!

 Chapter 1727

    Chapter 1727


    Sherry delivered a swift blow across his face.


    The thunderous p echoed across the corridor and could still be heard after seconds had passed.


    The group of thugs was all equally dumbfounded. They were not expecting Sherry to p the leader as well.


    Both Jason and Nelson remained silent.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    John was the only one smiling satisfactorily. It was only when he observed the way Sherry continued to limp that a scowl formed


    on his face again.


    The leader of the thugs who had just been pped by Sherry was ring at her viciously.


    Sherry did not back down as she cocked an eyebrow and confronted the thug head-on. There was a rabid glow in her eyes that


    showed that she was not afraid of him. ¡°What are you looking at? Don¡¯t test me or I''ll tear your eyebrows out of your socket!¡±


    This seemed to intimidate the leader atst as he impishly averted his gaze from Sherry.


    Sherry interrogated him, ¡°Who sent you here? Was it Aiden? That b*stard!¡±


    The leader kept his lips sealed and refused to answer.


    Jason roared suddenly. ¡°Talk!¡±


    The leader was jolted by Jason¡¯s sudden outburst but continued to hold his tongue.


    Sherry scoffed with disdain, then she proceeded to raise her palms in the air.


    Smack!


    She pped him across the face again, even harder than thest time.


    The leader nearly fainted.


    His group of posse was terrified by the brazen woman.


    Jason and Nelson were appalled by this as well.


    John, who was quietly spectating this entire time, disyed a look of shock, quickly followed by a proud smile.


    Sherry¡¯s hands were trembling by this point.


    She put in all the strength she could muster in that p back there. She could feel her hands growing numb after that p.


    She knew that she could not disy any sign of weakness, not here or now.


    She took a deep breath, then she bore a piercing look into the eye of the leader and hissed sharply. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer me right


    now, I''ll make sure you don¡¯t live to see tomorrow!¡±


    Thump!


    As soon as she said that, Jason kicked the thug¡¯s knees which made him crumble to the ground and kneel at Sherry¡¯s mercy.


    Sherry felt her heart skip a beat when she witnessed the sight.


    Thebination of Sherry¡¯s imposing attitude and John standing right behind her made the leader give in atst. He broke down


    and threw his head in his arms while shuddering the entire time. Soon, he confessed, ¡°It was Aiden, he ordered the hit. He paid


    us a lot of money and wanted us to teach you a lesson. We''re just doing our jobs, please forgive us, boss.¡±


    Sherry got the confession she wanted atst. She looked at Jason.


    Jason met her gaze and the look in his eyes seemed to imply that he was waiting for further instructions. His look seemed to be


    asking the question: How should we take care of them?


    Sherry suddenly found herself at a loss. She had only wanted to know if it was Aiden who ordered the hit. She had not


    considered what to do after she got the answer she wanted.


    She shot a confused look at John.


    John approached immediately and took her by the hand, then he turned to Jason and Nelson. ¡°Let them go.¡±


    Sherry stiffened.


    Before she could protest, Jason and Nelson had let the thugs go.


    The leader got to his feet in an instant and ran off faster than they could blink.


    The entire pack scurried after him in no time, they ran past the hotel lobby and disappeared into


    the streets.


    An immediate silence fell upon the corridor.


    ¡°Why are your hands shaking?¡± John asked while squeezing Sherry¡¯s hand.


    Sherry realized that she had been holding her breath this entire time. She sighed and blurted out, It¡¯s tingling from when |


    pped that thug back there, | pped him as hard as | could.¡±

 Chapter 1728

    Chapter 1728


    John frowned. He helped Sherry wipe off a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead and tried tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared,


    they¡¯re gone now and they''re never going toe back.¡±


    Sherry was about to nod reactively but quickly caught herself. She frowned and turned to John with an air of indignation. ¡°When


    did | say | was scared? | just said that my hands are numb after pping him.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Yeah, | know.¡±


    He gently caressed her still-swollen face. ¡°Come on, let''s head up there first.¡±


    Sherry took several steps before a sudden thought came to her. She suddenly cried out exasperatedly, ¡°Why did we even let


    them go? | should¡¯ve called the police!¡±


    They had revealed that it was Aiden who employed them. If she had the police arrest them, they would have concrete evidence


    and could press charges against Aiden!


    If she had done so, she would have been able to exact her revenge on Aiden and also chase him out of Sager Corporation for


    Lina and Carl.


    The more she thought about it, the more she regretted not having done so. Soon, she directed her anger toward John.


    He was the one who ordered Jason and Nelson to let them go!


    John merely chuckled as if it did not concern him.


    He smiled bewitchingly and was as pompous as usual.


    He suddenly stated, ¡°I already told Jason to call the police, they should arrive soon.¡±


    Sherry was puzzled by this. ¡°What''s the use of calling the police now that those thugs are already gone?¡±


    ¡°They have eyes on the street. Those thugs can only hide for a day at most before they get caught,¡± John informed calmly, ¡°If


    things go well, I¡¯d wager the police will have them all arrested by tomorrow morning. After they give their confession, the police


    will have a cause to arrest Aiden immediately after that.¡±


    Upon bringing this up, he revealed a cunning smile and asked, ¡°Tell me, would you rather the police arrest Aiden at his house


    tonight, or would you prefer that they storm Sager Corporation tomorrow morning and have him arrested in front of everyone?¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by this idea.


    ¡°Besides, you''ve given those two thugs quite a heavy p. If the police were to arrest them tonight, the police might think that it¡¯s


    amon fight and drop it at that. It will be better to wait till tomorrow morning after the swelling has gone down.¡±


    With that, he suddenly took Sherry¡¯s hand again and asked with a warm tint of concern in his voice, ¡°Why are your hands


    shaking again? Are you feeling cold?¡±


    Sherry answered reluctantly, ¡°Well...it¡¯s a little cold | guess.¡±


    It was not only her hands that were shaking, but her entire body was also shivering and even her hair was standing on its end.


    John seemed concerned and carefully pulled her into his arms.


    Sherry was staring at the space in front of her and seemedpletely out of it. She barely noticed that John was holding her.


    Her mind was reying what John had told her.


    In such a period, he managed to devise such a well-thought-out and brutally effective n to the most minute detail.


    It was no surprise that this was the man who ascended the ranks rapidly and became the richest man in nchester in just a


    matter of years.


    She felt a strange sense of sympathy for whoever crossed paths with him in the past.


    Ding!


    The elevator had arrived.


    Sherry was immediately pulled out of her state of trance as she quickly noticed that John¡¯s arms were wrapped around her


    tightly.


    Her immediate reaction was to shoot a murderous re at him the way she always did. Before she could bring herself to do so,


    she considered how he hade to her rescue and the n he had formted to help her. With that, the hostility in her eyes


    subsided.


    She snarled dryly. ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    John looked at her tenderly and told her, ¡°Your leg is hurt.¡±


    ¡°| can walk well enough, | don¡¯t need your help.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John continued holding on to her and tried to negotiate with her. ¡°I''ll let go after you get home.¡±


    Sherry grimaced and held her silence.


    John smiled subtly, proud of his victory.


    Inside the house, Aunt Wanda was looking after Caprice.


    After Sherry was ushered into the house by John. Caprice crawled out of Aunt Wanda¡¯s arms and ran toward her mother on her


    short and stubby legs.


    ¡°Daddy! Mommy!¡±


    Sherry tapped John urgently on the shoulders.


    John took the hint and let her go.

 Chapter 1729

    Chapter 1729


    Chapter 1729


    Sherry bent over to carry Caprice into her arms.


    Caprice was more perceptive than she would appear and immediately noticed Sherry¡¯s swollen cheeks as soon as she bent


    over. She raised an eyebrow and promptly pointed it out. ¡°Mommy, why is your face swollen?¡±


    Sherry quickly came up with a story. ¡°Mommy identally tripped while rushing back home.¡±


    Caprice seemed worried. ¡°Did it hurt?¡±


    Sherry felt a warm fuzzy feeling rising in her chest and assured Caprice with a genuine smile. ¡°It only hurt a little when | fell, but it


    doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±


    Caprice gently grazed it with her fingers.


    Sherry caressed Caprice as well and carried her into her arms.


    Aunt Wanda had already prepared dinner for them.


    John was the one who bought the grocery today though it was Aunt Wanda who cooked them. She seemed to worry that Sherry


    would not eat the food knowing that it was John who bought them and made a point of informing Sherry, ¡°Miss Sherry, Caprice


    and | picked out these vegetables at the supermarket this afternoon, these are very fresh.¡±


    Sherry smiled and thanked her, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Wanda.¡±


    Aunt Wanda smiled and was very courteous. ¡°No need, it¡¯s my pleasure.¡±


    Sherry asked her to sit down and eat with them.


    Halfway through the meal, there was a knock on the door.


    Aunt Wanda went to get the door for them.


    Sherry turned to the entrance and was greeted by the sight of several policemen.


    She was taken aback by this and turned to look at Caprice.


    Caprice was very curious about the men in police uniforms and seemed like she had many questions to ask.


    That was when John suddenly turned to Aunt Wanda. ¡°Wanda, why don¡¯t you and Jason take Caprice and y with her for a


    bit?¡±


    Aunt Wanda immediately understood what this meant. She promptly carried away Caprice who barely had her fill yet.


    Before Caprice could even utter a word of protest, she was carried outside by Aunt Wanda.


    The policemen walked into the apartment.


    They sat with Sherry in the living room where she ryed the events of the evening to them. She told them how she was


    suddenly assaulted by a group of thugs while she was waiting for an elevator downstairs.


    John sat next to her the entire time.


    After the police officers recorded her statement, they asked her, ¡°Were there any injuries?¡±


    ¡°They swung a bat at my leg and pped me.¡± After a brief pause, she continued, ¡°Thankfully, my... my husband arrived in time


    and chased them off.¡±


    One of the police officers who was a female officer observed the wounds on Sherry¡¯s leg and her swollen cheeks. She suddenly


    asked, ¡°Do you know these men? Can you think of any reason why they would hurt you?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know them. Most of the people | know are from mypany. | remember them telling me to learn to keep my mouth shut


    as they pped me. If | had to guess, they were employed by someone who wanted to send me a message.¡±


    The officers were intrigued by this and proceeded to further verify Sherry¡¯s identity.


    Sherry showed them her identity card and told them about her role at Sager Corporation.


    The officers exchanged looks with each other. This new piece of information seemed to spill some light on the case.


    The policewoman turned to Sherry. ¡°Mrs. Sherry, we''ll conduct our investigation right away. We''ll catch these thugs as soon as


    we can. Also, we rmend you lodge an injury report.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The officers left shortly after that.


    John handed Sherry a ss of warm water and spoke to her softly, ¡°Have some water. I''ll take you to the station to lodge an


    injury report.¡±


    Sherry was certainly feeling thirsty after all that talk.


    She took a gentle sip from the ss before she rose to her feet and limped toward the door.


    John frowned upon seeing this. He promptly approached her and wrapped an arm around her waist to support her.


    Sherry shot him a look. ¡°Let go of me, | don¡¯t need your help.¡±


    ¡°I''ll do that as soon as we get into the car.¡± He refused to yield and proceeded toward the elevator.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry heaved a long sigh.


    She decided to let it slide and ept his help, especially since it hurt to walk.

 Chapter 1730

    Chapter 1730


    Nelson trailed closely after them.


    After they got out of the elevator, they headed straight for the car.


    Nelson got in the driver¡¯s seat and drove them to a nearby police station.


    John helped Sherry out of the car and walked her into the station.


    After lodging the injury report, Sherry was taken to the hospital.


    The side of her face that she took the p from was still slightly red and swollen.


    One of her thighs was swollen as well, but the bones were not broken.


    The doctor gave her some pain-relieving drugs and something to help reduce the swelling. In time, the swelling on her face went


    away, and the swelling in her legs was mostly reduced as well. Although it still hurt a little to walk, she no longer needed John to


    support her anymore.


    She managed to walk out of the hospital by herself, then Nelson drove them back to her ce.


    Aunt Wanda had already got home with Caprice and was waiting for them at the door.


    Upon seeing their return, Caprice trotted to them excitedly.


    ¡°Daddy! Mommy!¡±


    Sherry took her into her arms, one step before John.


    Capriceid against her shoulders and asked out of curiosity, ¡°Mommy, where did you and Daddy go? Did the policemen take


    you? Are you in trouble?¡±


    ¡°No, Mommy only went to the hospital to see a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Did the doctor take a look at your cheeks?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    With that, Sherry took Caprice into the house.


    John followed them into the house.


    Later into the night, Carrie had fallen asleep and was tucked into bed. Even at that hour, John was still in the living room and


    showed no intention of leaving.


    Seeing as he saved her and had given her diligent advice regarding how to prosecute Aiden, Sherry went to the living room and


    spoke to him more politely than usual, ¡°Caprice is asleep, you can go back now.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He rose and approached her. He took a close look at her face which was no longer swollen but still glowed with a bright


    red tint. Then, he took a look at her injured thigh before advising,¡± You should get some rest as well, make sure you take the


    medicine the doctors prescribed you.¡±


    Sherry avoided his gaze and answered dismissively, ¡°I know, you can leave now.¡±


    John smiled faintly. ¡°Good night.¡±


    With that, he turned and walked out.


    Sherry swiftly headed back to the bedroom. She took the anti-inmmatory drugs prescribed by the doctor, then fell asleep with


    Caprice in her arms.


    It was midnight by this point.


    The man walked out of the apartment and walked to the opposite hotel with Jason.


    He asked sharply, ¡°Where are those thugs?¡±


    Jason reported, ¡°After they ran off, | had two of our men tail them just as you have instructed. They¡¯re terrified and are hiding ina


    shady old district on the outskirts of the city, trying toy low until the entire thing blows over.¡±


    John had everything nned out. ¡°Keep an eye on them. Get a few more men together and have them spy on Ron, Aiden, and


    Caden as well.¡±


    Jason answered swiftly, ¡°Alright, I''ll have it arranged right away.¡±


    John made a look and walked across the road.


    The moon cast its brilliant glow on his face, something unusually vicious and sinister was hidden underneath his otherwise fair


    and reserved expression.


    He was going to make sure they got what they deserved for hurting Sherry.


    The next day.


    Sherry¡¯s thigh had recovered considerably throughout the night, there was only some light swelling and lingering soreness.


    Branches of capiry vessels were slightly visible under the surface of her cheeks. After she took a shower, she walked out of


    the bedroom and opened the front door.

 Chapter 1731

    Chapter 1731


    John stood outside the door, looking at her side profile, and asked softly, ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sherry replied and limped inside.


    ¡°You''re hurt. I''ll wash Caprice up instead.¡±


    The man then strode into her room before her and picked Caprice, who had woken up, off the bed to go to the bathroom.


    Sherry pursed her lips in silence.


    Awhileter, Caprice came out in fresh new clothes.


    John was behind the girl and was looking at the woman with a soft gaze. ¡°Let''s go have breakfast. Caprice wants to go to her


    favorite sandwich joint.¡±


    Sherry simply hummed a reply.


    They arrived at the sandwich joint and had a simple breakfast.


    After breakfast, Sherry kissed Caprice on the cheek and said softly, ¡°Caprice, Mommy is going to work. Be a good girl and stay


    with Daddy. I¡¯lle back when I¡¯m done, okay?¡±


    Caprice protruded her lips and kissed her on the cheek as well. She answered meekly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry smiled and passed the girl to John.


    John held Caprice in his arms and looked at Sherry ¡°Go, I''ll wait for your good news at home with Caprice.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± She got into the car


    A few traffic lights and turnster, she arrived at the Sager¡¯spany. Since her leg was hurt, she had to limp her way inside the


    lobby.


    As soon as she stepped into the lobby, she ran into Aiden.


    In his expensive suit, he looked like a rich man¡¯s dog who exuded arrogance. He widened his eyes when he saw Sherry.


    Shocked, he asked, ¡°Ms. Fowler, what happened to you? Why are you limping?¡±


    If he did not have the gloating smile on his face, he might have sounded more sincere.


    Sherry red at him and continued limping forward.


    Aiden trailed her like the dog that he was. He saw the light bruise on her face and added, ¡°What happened to your face? Did


    someone hit you?¡±


    He raised his voice as he went on as though he was afraid that others could not hear him. His voice unsurprisingly attracted


    passers-by¡¯s attention, and they turned their heads to Sherry.


    Sherry furrowed her brows coldly and red at Aiden.


    Aiden feigned a ¡®caring¡± look and continued, ¡°Ms. Fowler, what happened to you? It has just been a


    day since | saw you, and you are crippled and you have a bruise on your face. Did you get beaten up?¡±


    As soon as his words subsided, more passers-by paused and looked at Sherry curiously.


    Forced to stop, Sherry looked at the annoying man and said coldly, ¡°Yeah. | was beaten up.¡±


    Aiden looked shocked. He did not expect Sherry to remain calm and acknowledge it brazenly. He added, ¡°Who did it? And why?¡±


    Sherry looked into his eyes and said, ¡°Some thugs. | don¡¯t know why they beat me up, but I¡¯ve lodged a police report.¡±


    Aiden¡¯s eyes flickered.


    The thugs that he hired informed himst night that they had pped her on the face and wanted to do more but were forced to


    leave when her men brought backup. He assumed Sherry knew it was him and wanted to scare him off by saying that she had


    lodged a police report


    Aiden regained his gloating smile and asked, ¡°Did the police catch them?¡±


    Sherry said, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Aiden sighed. ¡°Why did some thugs beat you without a reason? You''ve devoted your time to helping thepany, and | have


    never seen you offending anyone.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry remained quiet and watched the man¡¯s performance.


    Soon, he switched the topic and added, ¡°Ms. Fowler, is it because you always frequent nightclubs and get into trouble there?¡±


    He was obviously trying to paint her private life as messy and filthy


    As soon as his words subsided, the passers-by looked at Sherry with mixed feelings. Those who were with Aiden even wore


    scornful grins on their faces.

 Chapter 1732

    Chapter 1732


    Sherry clenched her teeth


    Just when she wanted to argue, hurried footsteps came from the crowd.


    In the blink of an eye, Carl¡¯s towering figure appeared before her


    ¡°Sis, what happened to your face? And your leg?¡± Carl looked at her worriedly.


    Sherry looked slightly relieved. She said, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Aiden immediately said, ¡°Carl, thank God you are here. | was asking Ms. Fowler about her condition, and she said there were


    some thugs who beat her up. | was wondering why would someone beat her up without a reason. | think it¡¯s because she


    messed with the wrong person at the nightclubs that she always goes to.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Carl''s expression shifted. His charming eyes were overflowing with viciousness when he red at Aiden. ¡°What did you say?


    Say that in my face again.


    Sherry knew Carl''s temper well. If Aiden repeated what he said in front of Carl, Carl would definitely beat him up.


    She pulled Carl to the side and then said to Aiden, ¡°Aiden, | think the answer might disappoint you As you said, | devote my time


    to thepany. Other than visiting the nightclubs for business purposes, | never set foot in any of them during my private time.¡±


    Aiden raised his brow. ¡°Then, why did the thugs beat you up instead of everyone else? Or is it because you have a beatable¡¯


    face?¡±


    Sherry clenched her teeth and held Carl back from punching the man.


    Amomentter, she curled her lips and said, ¡°Aiden, you look like a pervert, yet no one has ever hit you in the face. Why would


    someone beat me up instead?¡±


    Aiden was slightly stunned but regained hisposure swiftly He stared at her lightly bruised face and scoffed, ¡°Then, why


    would the thugs beat you up without any reason?¡±


    ¡°They were instructed to.¡±


    Aiden¡¯s eyes flickered. He yed along with her words and said, ¡°Who would do such a thing?¡±


    Sherry looked straight into his eyes. ¡°You.¡±


    Aiden¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Ms. Fowler, mind your words. You and | might have conflicts from time to time, but we both work


    for thepany. Why would | instruct some thugs to beat you up?¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°Why so serious? I¡¯m just joking. The bastard who instructed the thugs to beat me up is definitely a piece of shit


    who doesn¡¯t have the balls to stand up to his act. You look like a bastard, but | believe it isn¡¯t you.¡±


    Aiden¡¯s lips twitched helplessly. He chuckled awkwardly and said, ¡°Of course. How could it be me?¡±


    Sherry scoffed. ¡°Then, please step aside. | have to go to work.¡±


    Carl stood by Sherry¡¯s side and red at Aiden viciously.


    Aiden was obviously disheartened and defeated, but he could not do anything else. He stepped aside and allowed Sherry to


    pass.


    Sherry dragged Carl along and entered the elevator


    Aiden¡¯s expression turned cold. He switched his attention to the people around him and bellowed, ¡°Why are you people standing


    here? Go back to work or I''ll fire all of you!¡±


    The crowd scattered like startled birds, returning the lobby to its peaceful and quiet state.


    Aiden had an ugly expression on his face as he viciously looked at the closed elevator door. ¡°That bitch! I''ll make her suffer once


    | get thepany!¡±


    Carl followed Sherry to her office


    After closing the door, he sat on Sherry¡¯s desk and stared at her face. ¡°What happened to your face and leg? Was it Aiden?¡±


    Sherry had an important meetingter and had to prepare the necessary documents. She switched on herputer as she


    answered, ¡°It''s probably him.¡±


    Carl''s expression turned cold. He bolted up and headed to the door


    ¡°Carl! What are you doing?¡± Sherry called him.


    Carl tugged his cor ¡°Tl beat that bastard up!¡±

 Chapter 1733

    Chapter 1733


    Carl wanted to punch Aiden¡¯s face and break his legs. He strode towards the door.


    Sherry bolted up and called to him, ¡°Stop!¡±


    He continued striding forward.


    She limped forward to chase after him


    Carl noticed her limping figure from his side. He stopped, furrowed his brows, and said, ¡°Stop moving around. I''ll be back after |


    beat his ass up!¡±


    Sherry limped forward and held him back. ¡°I am already thinking of a way to deal with him. Do not mess with him now.¡±


    ¡°What idea do you have?¡± Carl looked at her suspiciously.


    Sherry grinned. ¡°You will know after today.¡±


    Judging from her sly and cunning grin, Carl felt relieved His charming eyes curled up and said, Okay. If you say so.¡±


    He flipped her nose yfully


    Sherry red at him before she went back to her desk


    After she sat down, she said to him, ¡°I''ll be having a meeting regarding the two projects you securedst week. Since you are the


    one who closed the deal, you are responsible for leading the meeting. Be prepared. You have less than two hours.¡±


    Carl instantly felt reluctant ¡°Sis, | don¡¯t like meetings. | closed the deal, but the credit belongs to our entire department and you.


    Why don¡¯t you lead the meeting? I¡¯ll just be a participant.¡±


    ¡°No. Go get prepared, or | will call your mother right away.¡± Sherry said as she red at him. Carl pursed his lips. ¡°Fine.¡±


    He was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, he asked her, ¡°Sis, how''re your face and your leg now?¡± Sherry said, ¡°My face is okay


    now, but my leg still hurts a little. It¡¯s going to be fine.¡±


    Carl watched as she tapped her keyboard diligently He added, ¡°Did John know you were beaten. up?


    Sherry¡¯s dancing fingers on the keyboard froze for a moment. She said, ¡°He¡¯s the one who saved me, or else | would''ve been


    talking to you from a hospital bed.¡±


    Carl''s eyes flickered. ¡°I see.¡±


    He wished he was the one to save her, but at least she was away from harm. Otherwise, he dared not even imagine what would


    have happened to her.


    He went silent for a moment before he wore a bright smile. ¡°T''ll go get prepared. See you in the meeting roomter.¡±


    Sherry nodded. ¡°See you.¡±


    Two hourster, Sherry arrived at the main meeting room with her assistant


    Carl was already there and was slouching in the main seat


    Sherry sat in the first seat to his right.


    Then, the department leaders and their subordinates who were involved in the two projects arrived one after another Aiden and


    Caden attended as well. They were not required to actively participate in the two projects, but they were involved in a minor part


    of it, so it was normal to see them there.


    Only Ron had nothing to do with the two projects and came uninvited. Sherry assumed he simply came to observe Carl''s


    capabilities His presence surprised a lot of the participants, but no one said anything.


    He was Anne¡¯s husband after all, the biggest shareholder of thepany, and also an executive, so it was usible for him to


    participate in the meeting.


    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1734

    Chapter 1734


    Besides, Carl did not say anything either, so no one else had any objections.


    Ron smiled at Carl and sat opposite Carl; Aiden and Caden sat on Car''s left.


    The meeting room was filled with people once it was time.


    Carl scanned over everyone and said with a smile, ¡°Okay. Now that everyone is here, let¡¯s start¡±


    He then turned his spinning chair a little to grab the remote and turned on the disy screen. behind him. The screen disyed


    the Powerpoint slides that he had prepared for the two projects.


    He somehow managed to get himself some cool and eye-catching temtes for the slides, which differed from what the others


    usually used. The words were bold and eye-catching, yet stylish enough to not look like a disaster. It looked casual, but at the


    same time, brief and precise. Minimalistic and understandable!


    Sherry was captivated after a few nces; the others were simrly surprised and astonished. Caden reacted scornfully, but


    Aiden and Ron had heavy looks on their faces.


    Carl''s presentation was precise and brief, and he finished presenting the first project sinctly He had a nce at Sherry and


    won an approving smile from her. She did not speak but her eyes. were filled with praise


    Carl winked at her and then looked at the others. ¡°Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Sir, | have a question,¡± asked one of the department managers who was responsible for the project follow-up.


    Carl looked at him. ¡°What is it?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°| would like to know when we are initiating the project.¡±


    ¡°Within a month.¡±


    Carl answered a battery of questions hurled at him deftly and confidently. He cleared everyone¡¯s doubts in less than ten minutes.


    Since no one else had any questions, he continued, ¡°If there¡¯s no more problem, we can dismiss and you guys can start


    preparing We will have another meeting for the other projectter in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Aiden suddenly said.


    Carl looked at him coldly. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Aiden Sager?¡±


    Aiden wore a smile on his face and said, ¡°Carl, I¡¯m your brother Shouldn¡¯t you be more respectful to me?¡±


    The unexpected exchange silenced the meeting room. Other than Sherry, everyone else frowned. Ron and Caden grinned


    wickedly while the others stayed quiet.


    Carl scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m calling your full name because | ¡®respect¡¯ you. Take it or leave it¡±


    Aiden chuckled. ¡°Carl, are you using that tone with the clients? I¡¯m starting to suspect that you coerced the clients into agreeing


    to our terms.¡±


    As soon as his words subsided, doubts and suspicions were aroused.


    Carl was known for his yboy image, and it was highly possible for him to resolve matters using tougher methods.


    Carl''s expression turned grave He red at Aiden and bellowed, ¡°Aiden Sager, say it one more time and I''ll wreck you!¡±


    Aiden continued, ¡°Carl, I¡¯m just voicing my suspicions. Why so agitated? Or am | right?¡±


    Caden echoed, ¡°Yeah. Is Aiden right about you coercing the clients?¡±


    Sherry knew the situation was going south. She tapped on Car!¡¯s leg under the table, signaling him to calm down, and then said


    to Aiden, ¡°Aiden, these two projects are major projects If Carl can secure the deal by coercing them, does it mean thepany


    can get whatever projects we want?¡±


    Aiden choked on the question for a moment. He said, ¡°Ms. Fowler, you''re right. | just have my suspicions. That''s it.¡±

 Chapter 1735

    Chapter 1735


    Chapter 1735


    Sherry ignored him.


    Aiden was obviously unhappy but managed to stomach his anger.


    Ron then stepped in with a scoff and said, ¡°Sherry, you are not entirely correct. Ourpany has a good reputation, and our


    clients and partners in these two projects are simrly well-known although they are not exactly powerful If Carl wanted to coerce


    them into working with us, it¡¯d actually be possible¡±


    Sherry frowned.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Carl curled his lips. He wanted to stand up and throw his chair over to Ron, but Sherry stopped him before his thoughts became


    action.


    She held him back and then said to Ron, ¡°Mr Wright, Carl secured the two projects himself. If you don¡¯t believe him, you can


    contact the clients and ask for more details.¡±


    Ron said scornfully. They have already signed a contract. There¡¯s no point in asking anymore Sherry gulped exasperatedly while


    continuing to hold Carl back.


    Ron scanned over their expressions. He scoffed and sighed. ¡°Whatever. If you say so, so be it. Let¡¯s just hope no problems will


    follow after this.¡±


    Sherry choked on the question. Even she had the urge of punching the jerk in the face, let alone Carl. However, sanity and


    rationality took over. She pursed her lips tightly and stopped Carl from acting rashly.


    Ron had a nce at Sherry before he looked at Carl, who wanted to punch his face. He scoffed Aiden and Caden scoffed too.


    Then, Aiden sighed and said helplessly, ¡°Carl, | don¡¯t care what you did to secure the deals. As long as you guarantee that no


    problems will arise, I''ll support you.¡±


    Carl''s expression turned grave. His eyes were bloodshot. He had gotten used to being called at yboy who lived avish life,


    but he really spent a lot of effort in securing the two projects He lost sleep for several days and went to multiple meetings with


    the clients to make the project happen.


    However, the three jerks simply made it look like he got the deal through coercion!


    He really wanted to beat up the father and sons trio!


    However, Sherry was holding him back. He knew she was holding him back for his own good, and he did not want to defy her


    either, so he bit the bullet and swallowed the insults.


    The spacious meeting room went silent for a while.


    Ron, Aiden, and Caden looked at Carl as if they had won the battle with despicable means.


    Carl was on the edge of losing his temper.


    Sherry was losing her mind over the frustration as well, but she had to keep calm and keep Carl


    from hitting them. She inhaled deeply and said, ¡°The meeting is over. Dismiss-¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Aiden stopped her all of a sudden. He smiled at Sherry and asked, ¡°Ms. Fowler, the bruise on your face still


    looks obvious. The thugs must have beaten you up pretty badlyst. night. | have some balm that you can apply. Do you need


    some?¡±


    Sherry cursed deeply in her heart.


    Swoosh!


    Carl broke free from Sherry¡¯s grasp and bolted up.


    Aiden feigned a terrified look. ¡°Carl, what are you doing?¡±


    Ron added, ¡°Carl, your brother is just concerned about Sherry. Are you going to beat him up because of that?¡±


    Caden pulled his phone out, seemingly prepared to film Carl.


    They were not afraid of Carl attacking them. In fact, they looked forward to it because it would give them a legitimate reason to


    counterattack.


    Carl felt a fit of unprecedented anger burning in his chest. He grabbed the chair behind him.


    Sherry narrowed her eyes and bolted up.


    Bang!


    It was at that moment, the meeting room door was opened.


    Surprised, Carl put the chair down and looked towards the entrance


    Sherry looked towards the entrance as well and saw several men in suits and officers in uniforms barging in.

 Chapter 1736

    Chapter 1736


    The spacious meeting room went quiet.


    ¡°Who is Aiden Sager?¡± the leading officer asked.


    Other than Sherry, everyone else in the meeting room was shocked.


    Aiden was still caught in his excitement from agitating Carl and had not recovered from it, hence he was stunned when the


    officers came in.


    Ron was the first to react to the situation. He asked, ¡°Officer, why are you looking for Aiden. Sager?¡±


    The officer ignored him. He demanded once more, ¡°Who is Aiden Sager?¡±


    ¡°It''s him! That''s Aiden Sager!¡± Sherry pointed at Aiden who was sitting beside Ron.


    The officers turned in that direction and spotted him right away.


    The leading officer nodded at Sherry before he headed over to Aiden¡¯s spot. One of the officers dragged Aiden up from the seat


    and the other one handcuffed him on the spot.


    The spacious meeting room remained silent, but everyone¡¯s eyes widened out of shock.


    What was happening?


    Why would police officers barge into the meeting room to arrest Aiden?


    Only Carl sneaked a nce at Sherry.


    Ron and Caden bolted up.


    Ron asked, ¡°Officers, why are you arresting him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Why are you arresting me? What did | do?¡± Aiden shouted unwillingly.


    The leading officer nced at Sherry before he said to all the participants in the meeting room, Mr. Aiden Sager is suspected of


    attempted hired murder. We already have key evidence to prove his crime, so we are bringing him in.¡°


    Aiden was stunned, and so were Ron and Caden.


    The father and sons trio then tacitly looked at Sherry.


    Sherry curled her lips at Aiden, who still could not believe he was being arrested. She said, ¡°Aiden,


    | didn¡¯t expect you to be the one who hired those thugs to beat me up.¡±


    Aiden¡¯s expression turned grim. He wanted to shout at Sherry, but he was being held by several officers from the back. With


    gritted teeth, he red at Sherry unwillingly.


    Sherry got up from her seat. ¡°Thank you, officers.¡±


    ¡°It''s our duty. We will update you about the progress,¡± the leading officer said politely


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The officers then brought Aiden out of the meeting room.


    Caden, who was Aiden¡¯s best follower cum brother, followed him out nervously.


    The meeting room once again plunged into silence and fear. Everyone else was still recovering from what just happened.


    Only Ron stared at Sherry grimly, wishing that he could dismember Sherry into a million pieces.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, why are you looking at me like that? | didn¡¯t instigate your son to hire men and beat me up.¡± Sherry said with a smile.


    Both Aiden and Ron had iting.


    Ron scoffed. ¡°Sherry, you are the one behind this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Aiden had used simr methods in the past to deal with people who offended him, but the police never gave him trouble. Now,


    not only did the police officers arrest him, but they did so in front of all the department managers and executives of thepany!


    The coincidence was uncanny!


    Sherry smiled. ¡°Mr. Wright, you think too highly of me. I¡¯m not that capable.¡±


    She sighed and mimicked Aiden¡¯s tone when he insulted Carl, saying helplessly. ¡°But if you insist that it was me, then so be it.¡±


    ¡°You little bitch!¡±


    Ron¡¯s expression turned grave. He grabbed his cup, seemingly trying to hurl it into Sherry¡¯s face Bang!


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1737

    Chapter 1737


    Chapter 1737


    Carl bolted up and mmed the chair that he did not throw earlier on the table.


    The loud thud shocked Ron, causing him to clench his cup tightly. He red at Carl. ¡°Carl, what is the meaning of this? I¡¯m your


    uncle, I¡¯m your senior! What is this disrespect?¡±


    Carl narrowed his charming eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not what you said when you ndered me and before the police came in. Uncle.


    Senior


    Ron choked on the reply. ¡°You. You


    ¡°Stop you-ing me. If | were you, I¡¯d rather think of a way to save your precious son than argue with us here.¡±


    Ron¡¯s expression changed.


    Carl grinned. ¡°Oh, right, Uncle. Your son justmitted a crime!¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Even though Sherry was not severely injured, Aiden would have to stay at the station for some time. Committing a crime was not


    a small matter, even more so when the target of the crime was Sherry, someone who worked for thepany.


    The shareholders would not be able to help him anymore or allow him to return to thepany Ron¡¯s expression turned grim.


    He red at Sherry and Carl before he strode out of the meeting room


    Once again, the meeting room returned to silence.


    Carl pulled the chair down from the table and said to the rest of the participants, ¡°That¡¯s all for this meeting. You guys can go


    back to work.¡±


    Everyone else left as fast as they could.


    Carl then looked at Sherry with curved eyes. His handsome face showed nothing but praise at Sherry for setting this up. He was


    deeply impressed.


    ¡°Sis, how did you do it?¡± he asked.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. | simply lodged a police report.¡±


    Carl sat on the meeting table in front of her and bent over to her His charming face approached her swiftly as he whispered.


    ¡°Then, why did the police arrest Aiden in such a timely manner?¡±


    Sherry averted his gaze ¡°I don¡¯t know Maybe because the police got evidence of him being the mastermind before the meeting.¡±


    Carl pursed his lips. He sighed helplessly and said, ¡°Sis, there¡¯s no one here. There¡¯s no recording or cameras. Why don¡¯t you be


    honest with me?¡±


    He would never tell another soul.


    Sherry furrowed her brows. ¡°It was John¡¯s idea.¡±


    Carl was shocked. ¡°What did he tell you?¡±


    ¡°Last night, when he saved me, his men apprehended those thugs...¡±


    Sherry then told Carl about how the thugs were released and how John had lodged a report for her. He also predicted that the


    police would arrest Aiden at thepany during the meeting


    Carl went silent for a few seconds. He then chuckled and said, ¡°How could he be so sure that the police will arrest the thugs and


    then Aiden during the meeting?¡±


    Sherry had no idea how John did it, but the police did arrest Aiden in front of everyone, and John¡¯s prediction came true.


    A quick thoughtter, she said, ¡°Maybe because of his experience in dealing with matters like this.¡±


    Carl nkly curled his lips. ¡°Maybe¡±


    It was not experience John¡¯s men had probably tailed the thugs after they were released, hence the police were able to arrest


    the thugs, and then the mastermind, Aiden.


    Even Carl has to admit that John was a man of execution.


    Hurried footsteps came from the door


    Carl and Sherry looked in that direction and saw Lisa striding in with an excited look

 Chapter 1738

    Chapter 1738


    ¡°| heard Aiden was taken away by the police. Is it true?¡± Lisa asked excitedly.


    Sherry and Carl nodded tacitly.


    ¡°What was his reaction when he¡¯s taken away? Is that bastard Ron here as well? What was the look on his face?¡±


    ¡°They all looked like they ate shit,¡± Sherry said.


    ¡°Yeah. Disgusting,¡± Carl echoed.


    Lisa was over the moon, but when she learned that Aiden was arrested because he hired thugs to beat Sherry up, her mood


    plunged.


    She only felt relief after making sure Sherry was fine and only suffered some minor injuries.


    She grunted angrily and bellowed, ¡°I''ll call a shareholder meeting right away to kick Aiden out of thepany!¡±


    The news of Aiden being arrested during a meeting because he hired thugs to beat Sherry up spread like wildfire within the


    company.


    Later in the afternoon, while Sherry and Carl were busy with the next meeting for the second project, Lisa called an emergency


    shareholder meeting to deal with the aftermath of the rest.


    In conclusion, when Sherry returned from her meeting, she learned that Aiden had been fired


    Her subordinates in her department were more excited than she was.


    ¡°| have hated that man for a long time now! He sexually harassed me, but | didn¡¯t dare to voice it out.¡±


    ¡°Once, | ran into him at the toilet and forgot to greet him, and he kicked me.¡±


    ¡°Now that he¡¯s gone, we don¡¯t have to suffer anymore!¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°But his dad and his brother are still in thepany. We still have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We have to avoid his brother at all costs and try not to offend his father.¡±


    at


    The office door was open, so Sherry heard their gossip clear and loud.


    They were right. Caden was dumber than Aiden, so he would not be a threat. Ron, however, remained strong and powerful.


    Even Lisa could not do anything to him.


    Now that Aiden was arrested, Ron would probably take action.


    What would he do to take revenge for his son?


    Later that night.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    There was a sudden flick to Sherry¡¯s forehead. She looked up and saw the man¡¯s warm gaze.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she answered instinctively.


    Then, she realized the man had just flicked her forehead. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    John pursed his lips and wore an innocent look. ¡°I didn¡¯t even use any strength¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered ¡°But you still flicked my forehead


    He curled his lips and beat over to her, moving his handsome face closer to her eyes.


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you flick me back?


    Sherry gulped. She turned away and grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not like you.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°You''ve been acting strange since you came back. What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°It''s none of your business.¡±


    Sherry did not want to discuss the matter with him. It might give him the wrong signal and make him assume that they were close


    John went quiet for a moment before he said, ¡°Are you thinking about Ron and the others?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s gaze shifted ¡°Will you shut up?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Less than a secondter, he added, ¡°If you need my help, just say it.¡±


    Sherry red at him.


    He pursed his lips and sat on the other side, reading his book.


    The room went quiet except for the sound of cartoons from Caprice¡¯s tablet A whileter, the girl rubbed her eyes tiredly and


    leaned into Sherry¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 1739

    Chapter 1739


    Sherry knew the girl was tired. She turned the tablet off and carried the girl onto herp. She cleared her throat, signaling to the


    man further away


    It was a sign for him to leave.


    ¡°Good night Sleep early,¡± he said before he walked out of the door


    When the door closed, the living room once again plunged into silence.


    Sherry pursed her lips and carried Caprice into the room.


    After a dreamless night, Sherry woke up with Caprice and helped the girl clean up. They walked out of the room and saw John


    outside.


    ¡°Daddy. The girl extended her arms at her father


    John carried the girl and said to Sherry, ¡°I''ve found a Glenchester restaurant here, and they serve breakfast. Wanna go try


    Sherry frowned She wanted to keep her distance from the man and reject his offer, but before she could, the girl agreed.


    With her adorable voice, the girl said, ¡°Yay! Mommy go! Caprice go!¡±


    John looked at Caprice


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°If Caprice wants to go, let''s go.¡±


    It was not her own will.


    John smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry had no idea where the restaurant was, so John drove and she sat in the rear seat with Caprice. They arrived at the


    restaurant after a while.


    It was quite crowded, but Jason was already there saving their seats.


    Sherry and John sat down.


    The restaurant served Glenchester-themed breakfast and it tasted delicious.


    Sherry ate a lot, and even the girl¡¯s stomach was bloated


    After breakfast, Sherry wanted to leave for work.


    However before she could say goodbye to the girl, John said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any urgent matters for today Why don¡¯t Caprice and |


    drive you to work?¡±


    ¡°Caprice do you want to send Mommy to work


    Before Sherry could finish John interrupted her by asking Caprice for her opinion.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Caprice was still chewing when the question was asked She nodded strongly and agreed to the suggestion.


    John smiled at Sherry who red at him.


    Then, the girl leaned forward to her


    Sherry quickly picked her up.


    ¡°Mommy, Caprice wants to send you to work. Let me, let me!¡± The girl started to act like a spoiled child in her arms, afraid that


    she would deny the request.


    Caprice was her Achilles¡¯ heel. She said, ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s go send Mommy to work.¡±


    Caprice happily curled her tiny arms around her mother¡¯s neck.


    After drivering out from the restaurant, Sherry sat in the rear seat with Caprice while John was the


    A few traffic lights and turnster, they arrived at the Sagers¡¯ building.


    Sherry kissed Caprice on the cheek. ¡°Caprice, Mommy is going to work. I''ll see you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm! Bye-bye, Mommy!¡± The girl kissed her back on the cheek.


    Sherry put Caprice into the baby seat and then nced at the man in the driver¡¯s seat. She pursed her lips before she got out of


    the car


    Her leg was better already but she still had to limp.


    While she was making her way into the lobby, someone rushed towards her from the stone path outside thepany.


    Shocked, Sherry stopped limping.


    Anne strode forward with her hand raised, seemingly trying to p Sherry.


    Sherry instinctively took a step backward.


    ¡°Sherry, you bitch!¡± Anne scolded her loudly and chased after her

 Chapter 1740

    Chapter 1740


    Sherry was forced to a swift retreat as Anne was pressing forward She identally tripped on her injured leg and lost her


    bnce, causing her to fall backward.


    Just when she thought she would hit the ground, a pair of strong arms held her from the back.


    The ferocious-looking Anne was stunned as well.


    ¡°Master Stockton...¡±


    Sherry turned around and saw John.


    He frowned as he looked at her ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Sherry sighed a breath of relief. ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡±


    She regained her bnce and got on her feet.


    John let go of her and switched his attention to Anne.


    Anne¡¯s eyes flickered nervously, but she regained herposure and pointed at Sherry ¡°Master Stockton, Sherry is not only


    tempting you, but she¡¯s also seeing Carl! She¡¯s a money-faced bitch! Don¡¯t get fooled by her looks!¡±


    It was the morning rush hour Many of the employees were arriving for work, and themotion Anna caused attracted their


    attention. A group of people stopped walking and turned their attention to John and Sherry.


    At the same time, an expensive MPV stopped by the road. Carl and Lisa came down from the car and saw Anne scolding Sherry


    in front of John.


    Carl''s expression turned cold. He wanted to intervene, but Lisa pulled him back.


    Confused, Carl looked at his mother Lisa signaled him with a gaze, telling him to stay calm.


    John red at Anne with the coldest gaze.


    ¡°Mrs. Wright, I¡¯ve known Sherry for ten years. Do you think you know her better than me?¡± The man¡¯s calm voice shocked the


    bystanders, including Anne.


    Ten years? They had known each other for ten years?


    Even Lisa and Carl were a little surprised.


    Anne¡¯s expression shifted multiple times. ¡°T-then. Maybe you are wrong about her! Don¡¯t you know about her and Carl?¡±


    John curled his lips. ¡°I know. But you got one thing wrong. She¡¯s not tempting me It¡¯s me who is clinging onto her.¡± His words


    silenced the crowd.


    Sherry¡¯s lips twitched helplessly, but what the man said was the truth.


    Anne choked in silence. Her expression turned paleExclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    A few seconds of awkward silenceter, John stared at Anne and reminded her ¡°Mrs. Wright,


    Sherry still has to go to work. Please apologize to her immediately.¡±


    Anne reacted as though she had heard a joke. She scoffed scornfully and said, ¡°Apologize? What? To this bitch?¡±


    John pursed his lips and chuckled. ¡°Then, please do not regret your decision.¡±


    Anne¡¯s pupils shrank nervously It fueled her agitation and she raised her voice, ¡°John Stockton, this is Coastrock City, not


    Glenchester! I''m not afraid of you! And, | am a Sager, not Mrs. Wright! I¡¯m the eldest daughter of the Sagers!¡±


    She strode out of the crowd after screaming in John¡¯s face. She entered a car and left the scene. in a hurry


    The crowd remained stunned.


    John looked at them. His calm gaze somehow struck fear in them.


    The crowd swiftly dispersed and went into the building


    Lisa then came over from the side. She went up to Sherry. She smiled at John and then asked Sherry, ¡°Sherry, did she hit you?¡±

 Chapter 1741

    Chapter 1741


    Chapter 1741


    Sherry said, ¡°Thank you, Lisa. I¡¯m fine. She didn¡¯t touch me.¡±


    Lisa sighed a breath of relief. She added, ¡°I''ll definitely make this right for you.¡±


    She was furious. Aiden had hired thugs to harm Sherry and got arrested for his crime, yet Anne was trying to give Sherry a tough


    time?


    Lisa was not a weak and helpless woman!


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lisa. I¡¯m okay.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Anne stopped Sherry in front of the office just to give her a hard time. Had John not arrived in time, Sherry would have been


    pped and insulted in front of the public. It would definitely have caused a series of unhappy events.


    Anne was a major shareholder in thepany, but she was not working there. She had Madam Sager and some other old folks


    support, so Lisa could not do anything to her either.


    If Lisa was correct, Anne probably came here because Ron instigated her to. Since she had no way


    to deal with Ron at the moment, giving Anne a hard time would be meaningless.


    Lisa sighed out of guilt. She looked at John and said, ¡°Master Stockton, thank you.¡±


    John smiled at her. ¡°Mrs. Sager, you are being too kind. Sherry is my wife. Of course, I¡¯d save her.¡±


    Lisa¡¯s smile froze for a moment. ¡°I... You''re right.¡±


    Sherry intervened in a timely manner and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay now. Go back to the car and take care of Caprice.¡±


    John smiled at her. ¡°Okay. Caprice and | wille to pick you up at night.¡±


    Sherry wanted to reject him, but he already left before she could say so, thus she was forced to swallow her words.


    Before John got into the car, he had a nce at Carl who was standing further away.


    Sherry could hear Caprice¡¯s voice calling John when he got in. She wondered if the girl saw her and Anne earlier. Fortunately,


    even if the girl saw it, John could probably exin the situation in an understandable manner.


    The car left.


    Sherry pulled her attention back and said to Lisa, ¡°Let''s go in.¡±


    Lisa had been paying attention to Sherry¡¯s expression. She simply hummed a reply and subtly sighed before going into the office


    with Sherry.


    The space outside the building soon returned to normal, leaving Carl alone petrified by the road. He watched as Sherry and Lisa


    went inside. His brows furrowed and his hands clenched.


    John had saved her again.


    The car cruised smoothly on the freeway.


    Caprice was strapped in the baby seat when she asked, ¡°Daddy, why did the bad woman want to hit Mommy?¡±


    Her brows furrowed. Her usual adorable look was reced by an angry expression as if she was


    an angry puppy.


    John said, ¡°Because that woman has some opinion about your Mommy.¡±


    Caprice grunted as she crossed her arms. She grumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡± If she was not strapped to the baby seat, she would


    have run down and hit the woman.


    John chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Caprice. Daddy will teach her a lesson.¡±


    He ought to make Anne realize the consequences of giving a hard time to Sherry in public and refusing to apologize for her


    actions.


    Caprice nodded in agreement. She grumbled, ¡°Daddy, teach her a lesson! Don¡¯t let her bully Mommy again.¡±


    John nodded. ¡°Alright. Daddy promises you.¡±


    The girl¡¯s expression then returned to normal.

 Chapter 1742

    Chapter 1742


    The day passed while Sherry buried herself in work.


    At dusk, Sherry walked out of the office and saw her white car parked beside the road.


    The window was wound down and Caprice popped her head out, calling her adorably, ¡°Mommy...¡±


    The sweet expression felt warmer than the breeze.


    Sherry hastened her steps to the car. She got in, hugged the girl in her arms, and kissed her on the


    cheek.


    Caprice giggled as she kissed her mother back. They yed around for a while before Sherry released the girl. She then


    switched her attention to the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Why aren''t you driving?¡±


    John smiled and looked at her through the rear mirror. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your order.¡±


    Sherry gulped. ¡°Drive.¡±


    John started the car and drove, but not in the direction of her apartment.


    Sherry asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    He said, ¡°Caprice wants to have something good to eat. | booked a restaurant. We''ll be there in twenty minutes.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    ¡°I''ve only booked a table. | didn¡¯t pay for it yet,¡± he added.


    Sherry¡¯s brows eased. ¡°If Caprice wants to eat nice food, let¡¯s


    go.¡±


    Even though their rtionship was not as tense as before, it did not mean that she had forgiven him or epted him. She would


    never eat the food that he bought.


    Sherry then looked outside the window with Caprice.


    John nced at her through the rear window. His lips pursed in silence.


    Less than twenty minutester, they arrived at the restaurant that was famous for seafood.


    John had booked the best room on the second floor.


    Sherry carried Caprice and followed John and the waiter to the room. She was stunned when she saw the ce.


    There were only three of them dining in, and there were multiple empty seats on the first floor that could fit a family of four. The


    man just had to choose the best room with the most space. The minimum spend to dine in the room was ten thousand.


    Although Sherry was no longer living under the poverty line, she was still a working adult. Her purse was already bleeding before


    she even sat down. Her chest tightened as she red at him.


    John looked confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Something wrong with your eyes?¡±


    Two waiters came by with concerned looks.


    Sherry bit the bullet and said, ¡°Caprice is hungry. Let''s just eat.¡±


    The waiters folded the round table smaller to fit the family of three.


    Sherry ced Caprice in the baby chair and sat down beside her; John sat opposite her.


    The waiter gave them a menu each. Sherry and Caprice went through the menu together.


    When she saw the price listed on the menu, she gasped. The cheapest dish on the menu cost two thousand.


    Caprice had no concept of money. She pointed at the pictures that captured her attention and said, ¡°I want this, this, this, and


    this!¡±


    The waiter wrote down the order one by one.


    Sherry felt like her soul had left her body. She pursed her lip and stayed quiet.


    Caprice flipped to thest page and pointed at a beautiful-looking dessert. ¡°This!¡±


    The waiter smiled brightly. ¡°Alright. Is there anything else?¡±


    Caprice said, ¡°Nothing else for me.¡±


    The waiter looked at Sherry.


    Sherry forced a stiff smile on her face. ¡°Me too.¡±


    Caprice had ordered half of the menu, so there was no reason for her to order any more.


    The waiter then turned to John.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    John nced at Sherry as the closed the menu in his hands. ¡°Three sses of fruit juice please.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Please wait while the kitchen prepares your order.¡±


    The waiter kept the menus and left.


    John looked at Sherry.

 Chapter 1743

    Chapter 1743


    Sherry was probably counting how much she had to spend for the meal. She noticed the man¡¯s gaze and it irritated her. ¡°What


    are you looking at?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Nothing. | just want to look at you.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry choked. She wanted to argue, but Caprice reached out to her face with her tiny hands.


    The girl held her cor and said, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t be angry at Daddy.¡±


    Sherry was forced to swallow her grievance. She said, ¡°Mommy isn¡¯t angry at Daddy. I¡¯m just teasing him.¡±


    John was left speechless, and so was Caprice.


    Caprice added, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t tease Daddy. Daddy is scared.¡±


    Sherry said with a smile, ¡°He¡¯s thick-faced. He won''t be scared so easily.¡±


    Caprice pouted in confusion. Being thick-faced and cowardly had nothing in rtion. Before she could figure out the question,


    the waiter returned with the dishes.


    The dishes served were mostly vegetarian, but they were decorated meticulously. Caprice¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment.


    Sherry put some broli on the girl¡¯s te.


    The girl ate happily, and Sherry started eating as well.


    The dishes tasted excellent. More dishes were served as they ate, and soon the table was filled. Each and every dish looked


    captivating and delicious.


    Caprice could not stop munching. Her stomach started to bloat, yet she still wanted to eat.


    Sherry had to stop the girl from eating herself to death. She ate quite a lot as well, but there were still a lot of leftovers on the


    table. She did not want to waste them, and since she was paying, she continued eating.


    Until her stomach was on the verge of exploding, she put down her fork and spoon and burped satisfyingly.


    The man chuckled.


    Sherry red at him.


    The man pursed his lips innocently and turned a deaf ear at her.


    Sherry looked at Caprice. The girl was already dozing off.


    Knowing that she had to carry the girl and pay at the same time, she looked at John, signaling him to help. ¡°Why are you still


    sitting there?¡±


    John smiled. He got up and carried Caprice into his arms.


    Sherry grabbed her purse and led the father and daughter downstairs. She walked to the counter


    and gave the cashier her credit card. The cashier swiped her card and returned it to her.


    Then, she received a notification on her phone, telling her that she had just used nearly sixty thousand on her card.


    Sherry gasped in shock.


    It was then a tall shadow approached her.


    The man¡¯s soft andforting voice echoed in her ears, ¡°Fifty-something? It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Okay? Fifty thousand plus for dinner was okay?


    She could eat herself to death with just one to two hundred!


    Sherry wanted to re at him, but she spotted the girl dozing off on his shoulder. Once again, she swallowed her grievance.


    Since her daughter loved it, she was willing to spend it. Thankfully, she could make more money. She side¡ª-eyed him and headed


    outside.


    John and Caprice followed her out.


    As soon as they stepped out of the restaurant, the waiters and cashier started to talk behind their backs.


    ¡°The man is so handsome, but he¡¯s using that woman¡¯s money.¡±


    Sherry and John were outside the restaurant. It was quiet outside, and they overheard it before the door closed.


    She immediately looked at John. Her eyes were like the milky way, dazzling and shimmering.


    John was silenced for a while. He held his smiling urge back and feigned an innocent look.


    Sherry giggled happily and pocketed her hands as she strutted forward. It was as though she was the richest woman in


    Coastrock.


    John held hisughter back and followed her to the car.

 Chapter 1744

    Chapter 1744


    When they arrived at Sherry¡¯s apartment, Caprice was already dead asleep.


    After Sherry got out of the car, she carried Caprice into her arms and threw a gaze at John.


    ¡°You can go now.¡±


    John stood by the car and leaned against itzily. The moonlight¡¯s reflection shone from his sses as he smiled bewitchingly.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry ignored him. She carried Caprice into the apartment without looking back.


    The night was quiet.


    After Sherry entered her apartment and turned on the living room lights, the man¡¯s slender figure remained by the car with no


    intention of leaving.


    However, he pulled his attention away from the window and looked to his left. There was a garden on the left of the apartment,


    and there was a fake mountain decoration by the side.


    In the shadow cast by the fake mountain was a slender figure.


    Carl was aware that John noticed him, so he came out from the shadows.


    ¡°Young Master Carl, what are you doing here?¡± John asked with a smile.


    Carl''s eyes flickered. He said, ¡°I live around here. I¡¯m on a stroll after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | see. So, you have a habit of strolling after dinner.¡±


    The garden was not a park where everyone could have a stroll. It was just a small garden for flowers, and no trespassing was


    allowed.


    Carl pursed his lips. He smiled and said, ¡°Master Stockton. | heard Sherry telling you to go back. Why are you still here?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°You''re still here. How could |, her husband, leave?¡±


    Carl''s lips twitched helplessly. ¡°You imprisoned her, tortured her, and she almost died in the fire because of you. If | were you, |


    wouldn''t have the guts or the face to im that I¡¯m her husband.¡± John looked disheartened.


    Carl scoffed. ¡°You can go back now. From today onwards, | will protect Sherry from danger, and that includes you.¡±


    He had already hired bodyguards and stationed them around Sherry¡¯s apartment, so he nned to stay guard for a while starting


    today. He did not want Ron and his goons to harm Sherry anymore. John went silent for a moment. He then asked, ¡°Did you


    save her from the fire?¡±


    Carl did not expect the question. Surprised, he asked, ¡°That''s right. | dug a hole and brought Sherry out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± John said.


    Carl was stunned.


    John looked extremely sincere. ¡°Thank you for saving her.¡±


    Carl flickered his eyes nervously and gulped. ¡°Don¡¯t need to thank me. | saved her because | want to save her from you.¡±


    John did not reply.


    Carl raised a brow. He added, ¡°Go back. I''ll protect Sherry from now on. Stop disturbing her anymore.¡±


    John curled his lips. ¡°She''s still legally my wife.¡±


    Carl''s expression changed. ¡°So what?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°She will never divorce me, and you cannot be with her.¡±


    Carl looked disheartened. ¡°Master Stockton, | wouldn¡¯t be so sure if | were you.¡±


    John simplyughed it off. He did not reply to Carl¡¯s words. Instead, he switched topics and said, ¡± There¡¯s only one way to stop


    Ron Wright from hurting her again.¡±


    Carl was surprised. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Defeat him, and throw him out of thepany and the Sagers.¡±


    Carl frowned. He also knew it was the best way, but he and his mother had been trying for years with little results.

 Chapter 1745

    Chapter 1745


    Chapter 1745


    Ron was a sly man, and Anne had the support of Madam Sager and the other old folks at home.


    Lisa had done a lot to reach her current position while bringing Carl up. It had not been her. It was not easy to kick Ron out of the


    company.


    easy for


    Carl went silent for a moment and said, ¡°I know, but he¡¯s cunning and we don¡¯t have anything on


    him.¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°Then, let him give you something to hold against him.¡±


    Carl narrowed his eyes.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    John leaned against the car with his arms crossed. He continued, ¡°Ron Wright has a property in the suburbs, where there are a


    woman and a pair of twins. The woman was his secretary from five


    years ago.¡±


    Carl was shocked. It took him several seconds to recover and say, ¡°How do you know about this?¡±


    John curled his lips. ¡°I have my ways.¡±


    Carl remained shocked. He knew Ron was a yboy as well. Anne had caught him a few times fooling around, and he had been


    obedient ever since. He never showed any ws in the open as


    well.


    Who would have thought that Ron would have a pair of twins with his ex-secretary?


    It was much bigger than simply having an affair outside.


    Carl took a while to calm down. He looked at John and asked, ¡°Why are you investigating him? And why are you telling me this?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s trying to target Sherry, and because Sherry wants to help you to take over thepany. Other than getting a


    divorce, | will help her to achieve anything,¡± John said.


    Carl pursed his lips with aplicated look.


    John smiled. ¡°It''s gettingte. Why don¡¯t you go back and rest, Young Master Carl? I¡¯ve arranged for bodyguards to look after


    her. Ron Wright and his men won''te near her.¡±


    He then walked away from the apartment, leaving Carl petrified by the road.


    Carl''s mind was reying the words he heard from John. His brows furrowed. He believed his love for Sheri aled that of John¡¯s


    feelings for her, but he felt challenged.


    John had onlye to Coastrock for a few days, and he already found out that Ron had a secret mistress and a pair of twins.


    Meanwhile, Carl had been living in Coastrock all his life and always had close contact with Ron, yet he did not notice any clues.


    Was John too capable or was Carl just an amateur?


    The weather was unpredictable.


    Coastrock was blessed with sunny days two days ago, but it started to turn cloudy today.


    After a whole day of dark and gloomy weather, it finally rained at night. The rainsted until the next day, and the sky was still full


    of dark clouds. The odds of it raining again were high.


    As usual, Sherry prepared to go home after work, but she ran into Lisa outside her office.


    Lisa held her back. She looked around before she whispered to Sherry, ¡°Sherry, don¡¯t go first. | have something to show you.¡±


    She looked excited.


    Sherry got curious. She asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Just follow me. You''ll know soon.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°To the suburbs.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Sherry instantly felt reluctant since Caprice was waiting for her at home.


    Lisa immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s about Ron.¡±


    Ron? Ron Wright?


    Sherry¡¯s eyes shimmered. ¡°Alright. Let''s go.¡±

 Chapter 1746

    Chapter 1746


    Chapter 1746


    Lisa dragged Sherry into a rather inconspicuous sedan instead of the usual luxurious car she liked to be driven around in.


    They were quite some distance from the suburbs.


    Sherry reached for her phone and dialed Caprice¡¯s number. She had given Caprice a smartwatch suitable for children several


    days ago so that she could directly contact Caprice, effectively bypassing John as the middleman.


    It only rang twice before Caprice picked up. She answered the phone cheerfully, ¡°Hello¡±.


    Sherry lit up the moment she heard Caprice¡¯s voice. ¡°Caprice, it¡¯s Mommy.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s voice raised several pitches the moment she recognized her mother¡¯s voice. ¡°Mommy! Are youing back already?¡±


    ¡°Mommy has something to do. I¡¯m going out with Grandma Lisa and probably will be hometer than usual. Make sure you eat


    dinner with Daddy, alright?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Although Caprice was slightly saddened to hear this, she did not make a fuss about it.


    Sherry smooched into the phone receiver.


    As Caprice mimicked her and smooched, the pair of mother and daughter shared an intimate moment over the phone.


    After exchanging some small talk, Sherry hung up. She turned around to see Lisa smiling at her tenderly.


    ¡°Caprice is adorable.¡± She expressed with a sigh, ¡°I wonder if | will ever have a cute granddaughter like her in the future.¡±


    Sherry smiled and assured her, ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡±


    Lisa observed her for a moment, then she took a deep breath. ¡°I sure hope so.¡±


    Inside the hotel opposite the apartment building where Sherry lived, in a penthouse suite, the man was sitting on a couch


    positioned adjacent to the bed with a newspaper in his hand. He was browsing through the finance section.


    Caprice w huddled next to him, having just wrapped up her call with her mother.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy says she will be hometer than usual tonight,¡± she announced as she turned to John.


    John smiled, ¡°Alright, Daddy heard you two on the phone.¡±


    Caprice leaned against him and muttered, ¡°I wonder what Mommy is doing with Grandma Lisa.¡±


    She reached for a bowl of snacks and began munching.


    John smiled silently.


    They were going to see some action. What else?


    On the outskirts of Coastrock was a cluster of vis. These were not the most premium residence


    avable in the city region; it was merely an above-average selection.


    The surroundings were posh enough but nothing to write home about either. It was most certainly not the first choice for the


    wealthiest members of the city.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Lisa somehow got her hands on an ess card and managed to drive through the main entrance of the district along with


    Sherry. After making a couple of turns, they found themselves at a


    lakeside vi.


    They parked underneath the shade of trees.


    There was a row of cars parked in front of their car. Each of these cars was worth well in the range of one to two million. They


    wagered the cars belonged to the owner of the vi as well as some of the staff operating inside.


    Sherry wanted to step out of the car but Lisa quickly stopped her.


    Lisa informed her patiently, ¡°Just stay in the car. We don¡¯t have to go out.¡±


    Sherry gestured ¡®okay¡¯, then she inched next to the window and stared outside.


    Boom!


    Aloud and piercing thunder boomed across the sky. What followed afterward was an immediate downpour, and thendscape


    was transformed in an instant.


    Despite the heavy rain, they still had a good view of what was going on outside. Soon, Sherry spotted see a familiar car driving


    toward them.


    If her memory served her correctly, it was Ron¡¯s car.

 Chapter 1747

    Chapter 1747


    Shortly after, the car came to a stop a short distance from them.


    Ron stepped out of the car; he was by himself. He held an umbre in hand and walked toward the


    vi.


    Upon reaching the front door, he looked around suspiciously before pushing the door open.


    Someone had been waiting inside for him the entire time. The moment he pushed the door open, a woman was revealed. She


    excitedly threw herself into Ron¡¯s arms as soon as the door was opened.


    The two behaved like a pair of a couple that had been reunited after an indeterminable length of separation. It was as if they


    were mimicking the scenesmonly seen in romantic movies. It would have made for a wonderful scene if not for Ron¡¯s


    bulging belly and unsightly appearance.


    Stalking from a short distance, Sherry and Lisa watched as Ron kissed the young woman in his arms, then went into the house


    with his arms wrapped around her.


    Sherry felt a wave of chill and goosebumps crawling on her skin. She turned to Lisa and asked, ¡± Aunt Lisa, is this the mistress


    he¡¯s been hiding?¡±


    Lisa chuckled humorously, ¡°You could say that. This mistress of his used to be his secretary. Keep your eyes peeled. This is only


    the beginning.¡±


    As soon as she said this, another car swerved into thepound.


    The car screeched to a stop directly in front of the front door of the vi. The door was swiftly thrown open and out came three


    stocky andrge bodyguards, followed by what seemed like a middle-aged woman.


    The middle-aged woman was none other than Anne Sager, the one who had threatened Sherry only two days ago outside the


    Sager Tower!


    Sherry drew her eyes wide open inplete disbelief. She pressed her face against the window.


    Lisa smiled and dered, ¡°The show has begun.¡±


    The men who came with Anne bashed through the door effortlessly. With that, Anne stormed into the house, a menacing air


    around her.


    The rain was getting lighter by this point.


    Shortly after.at, Sherry heard some criesing from inside.


    It was Ron¡¯s frantic shout, followed by a woman¡¯s shriek. What came after nat was a child¡¯s cry.


    Sherry frowned and asked, ¡°Why is there a kid inside?¡±


    Lisa grimaced, ¡°I think it¡¯s the kid he had with his secretary.¡±


    Sherry was startled by this.


    Soon, two bodyguards stepped out of the house, each of them carrying a child who looked about four


    years old. The children were a pair of a boy and a girl. Both of them were frightened and wereProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    crying for their mother.


    The youngdy, who they previously saw being affectionate with Ron at the front door, staggered out of the house. One of the


    bodyguards immediately seized her, and before she could fullyprehend what was happening, Anne pped her across the


    face and hissed, ¡°Whore!¡±


    Thedy tumbled to the ground, then she got up again and screamed frantically, ¡°My children! Give my children back to me!¡±


    Anne wanted to p her again, but before she could do so, a shirtless Ron emerged out of the


    house.


    ¡°You crazy woman, what are you doing?!¡± He shoved Anne away.


    If not for the surrounding bodyguards holding Anne steady, she would have fallen to the ground.


    The ex-secretary threw herself at Ron and cried out desperately, ¡°Ron, you have to save our kids!¡±


    Ron put his arms around her protectively and stared Anne down. ¡°Tell them to let go of Timothy


    and Diana!¡±


    Timothy and Diana were the pair of twins he had with his secretary.


    Anne¡¯s fury was biblical. It seemed like spouts of me were going to burst out of her eyes at any given moment. Sherry could


    feel her rage even from inside the car.


    Anne trembled with rage as she jabbed her finger at Ron and unleashed everything she wanted to say, ¡°Ron, you ungrateful


    swine! I¡¯ve been married to you for so many years. | let you into the Sager Corporation so you could have all the fame and


    wealth you ever wanted. | even took care of your family! As if cheating on me wasn¡¯t enough, you went and fathered a pair of


    twins with this wretched woman and think | wouldn''t find out! You¡¯ve been hiding them here all these years! How dare you call


    yourself a man?!¡±


    After her frenzied outburst, she threw herself on Ron and his mistress. She waspletely hysterical and was wing, pping,


    and hitting them as hard as she could.


    Meanwhile, the mistress was crying.


    Ron¡¯s face was covered with scratches in an instate, blood seeping out of his fresh wounds. In a fit of rage, he kicked Anne as


    hard as he could.


    Thump!


    Anne Sager was sent flying away.


    Sherry grima upon seeing this and tried to get out of the car to rush to her defense.


    However, Lisa immediately stopped her from doing so.


    Although Lisa had her problems with Anne, she was just as enraged by Ron¡¯s inexcusable behavior. Despite that, she reassured


    Sherry, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she will be fine.¡±

 Chapter 1748

    Chapter 1748


    Chapter 1748


    One of Anne¡¯s bodyguards came charging in and promptly helped Anne up from the ground.


    Ron was going to continue charging Anne but wisely took a step back when he saw the bodyguard stepping up to defend her.


    Anne pressed a hand over her stomach and groaned in pain. Her voice was a hoarse rattle as she said, ¡°Ron...you kicked me...


    you dare kick me for a woman like her...¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Ron spoke with utter detest, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare insult her! She¡¯s nothing like a foul woman like you! | would have dumped you a


    million years ago if not for your wealth and status!¡±


    Such a hateful deration came as a shock to Anne.


    Ron would have given anything to punch her right in the face, but the rational part of his mind prevented him from acting on


    impulse. After all, she was the esteemed madam of the Sagers and held a majority of the shares of the corporation.


    He swallowed his rage and put on a benevolent act to save face. ¡°Here¡¯s what | propose: | will be willing to forgive you if you let


    go of Timothy and Diana, then take your men and scram! I¡¯ll pretend none of this ever happened. If not, I¡¯ll teach you to not mess


    with me!¡±


    Sherry was baffled. She had seen countless shameless men in her time but never had she seen such arrogance and


    shamelessness..


    Even though Anne was getting on in her years, she had taken care of her health and appearance over the years, unlike Ron who


    looked several decades older than her. No matter how you put it, Anne was far moremendable in every way possible. It was


    embarrassing that Ron would ever


    think he was better than her.


    She thought that Anne would not stomach this and would rush up to p Ron again, but instead,


    Anne fell silent.


    Lisa sighed.


    Sherry asked nervously ¡°Aunt Lisa, Anne isn¡¯t going to let him off, is she?¡±


    ¡°Based on her track record, she just might.¡±


    Sherry frowned. She had heard stories of Anne¡¯s past. In her younger days, she was an angelic beauty and a famous socialite


    who came from a significant background. One day, she fell madly in love with Ron, who in his youth, was a handsome man as


    well and was well respected among his peers. In tim, Anne had begged her mother for permission to marry Ron.


    Anne¡¯s conservative nature inbination with her fervent love for Ron led her to make many questionable decisions over the


    years. Despite catching Ron cheating on her a handful of times, she chose to forgive him every time.


    After all these years, the situation escted beyond mere cheating. Ron was sheltering another woman who had given birth to a


    pair of twins for him. To make matters worse, he was despicable enough to hit her to defend his mistress, so why would Anne


    ever forgive him?


    The rain had stopped by this point, but the sky was still a depressing gray.


    Sherry was growing anxious by the minute.


    Meanwhile, right outside the vi, Anne was helped up by her bodyguards, tears streaming


    endlessly down her face. Her eye sockets had be two empty shells, and she waspletely out of herself.


    Ron was growing impatient by this point and began shouting, ¡°Anne, I¡¯m telling you to let my children go. Are you deaf? Let them


    go right now, or else!¡±


    ¡°Heh...¡± Anneughed hysterically. She suddenly snapped, turned to her bodyguards, and ordered sharply, ¡°Take them away!¡±


    The bodyguards immediately took the children to the car.


    ¡°No! My children!¡± The mistress wrung herself free from Ron and tried to run to her children. She ended up tripping over her feet


    and stumbled to the ground, then began bawling her eyes out. She stretched her arms out toward the car and pleaded


    desperately.


    Her children were crying as well. It was a tragic scene to behold, a mother being separated from


    her children.


    Ron was heartbroken to see his mistress in such a broken state. As he looked at his children whose voices had grown parched


    from crying and shouting, he felt nothing but pure hatred.


    ¡°Anne, you bitch!¡± He roared and charged toward Anne. He looked vicious and blinded by rag as though he was going to murder


    Anne with his own hands.


    Anne¡¯s eyes widened with fear.


    The bodyguards reacted in an instant and stepped in front of her to defend her.


    Ron was no match for them at all and was flung out of the way effortlessly. He staggered back several steps before regaining his


    footing.


    The mistress who was on all fours on the ground cried out in a distressed voice, ¡°Ron!¡±

 Chapter 1749

    Chapter 1749


    She picked herself off the ground and crawled over to Anne where she began to beg, ¡°Mrs. Sager, it¡¯s all my fault. me it all on


    me. | never should have fallen in love with Ron. | never should have been together with him in the first ce. If you¡¯re going to


    punish someone, let it be me, but please, please have mercy on my children and Ron!¡±


    Inside the car, Lisa scoffed with stark disdain, ¡°She¡¯s fallen in love with Ron? As if anybody would believe that.¡±


    Sherry held her tongue.


    This ex-secretary of Ron was truly something.


    Her tearful outburst incited Ron further, so his hatred for Anne had grown to an unprecedented degree. If he could, he would


    have killed Anne with his bare hands right then and there.


    ¡°Willow, get up!¡± He shouted as he approached the mistress hastily.


    The mistress was drenched in tears by this point. She copsed weakly in his arms and whimpered, ¡°Ron, | don¡¯t want to lose


    my children. | don¡¯t want anything to happen to you...¡±


    Ron embraced her tightly tofort her.


    Bearing witness to this scandalous scene, Anne erupted with fury.


    ¡°You bastard! Both of you are disgusting!¡± she shrieked and charged past the bodyguard shielding her. She swung her fist in


    complete abandon.


    Smack!


    Ron parried all of her blows beforending a vicious p right across Anne¡¯s face.


    Anne howled in pain and copsed to the ground.


    The bodyguards ran up to her quickly.


    Ron was one step ahead of the bodyguards and dug his fingers tightly into Anne¡¯s neck. He red at the bodyguard murderously


    and threatened them, his voice a sharp sting, ¡°I''ll strangle her to death if youe closer!¡±


    Blood rushed up to Anne¡¯s face, and she could barely utter a sound.


    The bodyguards dared not approach.


    Ron turned to Anne and demanded ferociously, ¡°Let go of my children, or else I''ll kill you right now!¡±


    Anne was crying again, and her eyes had be bloodshot.


    She looked at the man standing in front of her and could not believe that this was the man she had once fallen in love with when


    she was young. She was heartbroken at the thought that he had been cheating on her for so many years and had been hiding a


    woman who had given birth to a pair of twins for him.


    She lost the will to live.


    Ron let her breathe so she could speak.


    She dered bitterly, ¡°I won''t let them free even if you kill me.¡±


    Ron roared, ¡°Now you''ve done it. You''re going to die!¡±


    With that, he tightened his grip around her neck.


    Inside the car, Sherry was aghast. She was going to fling the door open and run outside, but Lisa grabbed her.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry looked at her inplete astonishment. It was then that she spotted some movement from another car parked in the


    parking lot since the very beginning. Several figures bolted got out of the car and rushed to the scene.


    All of them save for thest person who got out of the car and was taking his time walking to the front of the vi. It was none


    other than Carl, dressed in a charming pink suit.


    Sherry was appalled to see him here.


    Lisa smiled and assured Sherry again, ¡°Just stay here and enjoy the show.¡±


    Sherry stammered, ¡°Okay.¡±


    This exined Lisa¡¯s calm demeanor. It turned out she knew that Carl had been lying in ambush the entire time. Besides, it


    would not have been appropriate for her to intervene as an outsider.

 Chapter 1750

    Chapter 1750


    Outside the vi, Ron was just about to choke the life out of Anne when a crew ofrge bodyguards surrounded him. He was


    visibly jolted,


    Before he could react to the situation, he heard someone speak in a low,manding voice,¡± Take the girl.¡±


    The person speaking was referring to Willow, Ron¡¯s ex-secretary mistress.


    The bodyguards sprang to the task immediately and apprehended her.


    Willow cried out, her voice filled with panic, ¡°Ron, help!¡±


    Carlmanded sharply, ¡°Strangle her.¡±


    The bodyguardplied.


    Blood rushed to Willow''s face as the bodyguard wrapped his arms around her neck. She began to whimper helplessly as she


    stared at Ron with her eyes widened.


    Carl stepped forward, stopping between Willow and Ron. He nced at Anne who was near passing out by this point. Then, he


    smiled tauntingly and asked, ¡°Ron, why don¡¯t we find out who can finish the job faster?¡±


    Ron was horrified and furious. He roared, ¡°Carl! Let Willow go!¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Carl tucked his hands in his pockets,pletely unfazed. ¡°You''re going to have to let my aunt go first.¡±


    Ron shot him a daggered look, then he promptly took his hands off Anne¡¯s neck and shoved her away.


    Anne staggered forward and nearly fell.


    Thankfully, the bodyguards managed to hold her steady just in time. After making sure she was unhurt, they led her to Carl.


    Carl raised an eyebrow and ordered, ¡°Let the girl go.¡±


    Willow was released. She immediately ran to Ron.


    Ron had Willow hide behind him as he assumed a defensive position. He shot a vicious re at Carl. ¡°Carl, this is none of your


    business. Take your men and get out of here!¡±


    Carl smirked. ¡°Ron, you''ve been hiding a mistress and children behind my aunt''s back, and you even hit my aunt! Now, you''re


    the one telling me it''s none of my business? Do you take my family for a joke?¡±


    Ron recoiled, and both he and Willow took a step back. He looked at Carl warily. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Carl smiled. ¡°If you don¡¯t want anything to happen to your beloved mistress, you''d tell her to leave now.¡±


    Immediately after that, he turned to the crew of bodyguards around him and gave the fatal order,¡±


    Beat him up. Just make sure you don¡¯t kill him.¡±


    They charged Ron before he could even blink.


    He turned around and tried to run but only managed a couple of steps before he was thrown to the ground,nding hard on his


    buttocks.


    What followed after that was a vicious beating.


    The bodyguards were well-trained and took special care to not hit any vital parts.


    Ron groaned in pain.


    Willow was frightened and could only back away while continuing to cry hysterically,


    Carl looked on with amusement for a while before he turned to Anne.


    Her men were surrounding her, keeping her safe. All the color had drained out of her face, and it seemed like her soul had left


    her body entirely. She stared nkly at Ron the entire time.


    ¡°Aunt Anne,¡± Carl called her name.


    This pulled her out of her daze, and she turned to him and looked at him weakly. She did not know what to say. Her lips quivered


    several times but ultimately failed to produce any words.


    Carl motioned at Ron. ¡°Do you want to take him?¡±


    Anne nodded weakly. ¡°Um...okay. Take him and the kids for DNA identification.¡±


    She already knew she was going to divorce him regardless of whether those kids were his or not.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Anne was helped into the car shortly after.


    After Ron was beaten half to death, Carl called for a stop and had his men throw him into the car.


    Willow cried harrowingly and got on her knees in front of Carl. ¡°Please, please let Ron go! Leave my children out of this. They


    are innocent.¡±


    Carl smiled sarcastically, ¡°Shouldn''t you be celebrating? You''ve achieved your goal!¡±


    Willow flinched as she wiped tears away from her eyes. She asked in a puzzled tone, ¡°Young Master Sager, | don¡¯t get what you


    mean by that.¡±

 Chapter 1751

    Chapter 1751


    ¡°Ron is the only one who would believe that you love him.¡± Carl took a step back. He wore an amused look on his face the entire


    time but it was clear that there was nothing but stark disdain in his eyes as he looked at the mistress. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.


    I''ve seen countless types of women and you''re the type that | hate the most.¡±


    Willow froze and did not know how to respond.


    Carl ignored her, then he turned around and went toward the parking lot.


    Anne had brought the two children to her car.


    Ron, on the other hand, was carried into Carl¡¯s car.


    Two of his bodyguards carried him and shoved him into the backseat.


    Carl was not in any particr hurry to leave. As he slowly approached his car, he shot a casual nce at a stationary vehicle


    parked nearby.


    He made eye contact with Sherry through the car windows.


    He winked at her.


    Sherry jerked backward.


    With that, Carl got into his car.


    Soon, both his car and Anne¡¯s drove out of thepound.


    After their cars were gone, Willow got up atst.


    Sherry and Lisa were just about to leave when they noticed Willow from the corner of their eye.


    They noticed that her demeanor was a drastic transformation from her sorrowful disy only minutes ago. She rose with a


    celebratory smirk on her face and a vicious look in her eyes.


    Sherry already had a hint that this was the mistress¡¯ true nature, but it was still astonishing to witness it in person.


    Lisa noticed the same thing and remarked sarcastically, ¡°Ron sure is a lucky man.¡±


    After his divorce from Anne, his beloved mistress would surely bring him nothing butfort.


    Things were going to be rather chaotic in the Sager household for a while after such a massive scandal.


    Lisa had a lot of work on her te.


    Sherry parted ways with Lisa after they returned to Sager Tower. She drove back to her ce by herself.


    The wound in her calf wasrgely recovered by now. She had no trouble walking and only had to avoid strenuous exercises.


    After she parked her car, she went to the elevator and chose the floor.


    She stepped out of the elevator after the doors opened.


    Although it seemed as if nothing had changed in her life, she was feeling rather somber and depressed.


    That was, until she heard Caprice¡¯s bright voice. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    She looked in front.


    On the other end of the corridor was a slender figure of a man facing her with a child in his arms.


    Caprice hopped down and began prancing toward her mother.


    She was not a very fast runner but she was running as fast as she could, carrying all that body mass with her.


    In an instant, Sherry felt much better.


    As Caprice got closer, she bent over and prepared to take Caprice into her arms.


    Thump!


    Caprice threw her full weight into her.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry was nearly knocked over by the tremendous impact.


    She sniffed the familiar, distinct smell on Caprice and embraced her tightly as if her life depended on it. She gave Caprice a big


    smooch on the cheeks.


    Caprice grinned from ear to ear and pecked her mother on the cheek.


    Sherry got up and began approaching her front door. She cast a nce at John who was waiting outside, then she asked


    Caprice, ¡°Caprice, have you had anything to eat with Daddy?¡±


    Caprice chirped. ¡°We ate! We brought some delicious takeaway for you!¡±


    As she said this, John held up a delicately packed container filled with food and showed it to her.


    Sherry made a look.


    She stopped in front of John.


    John smiled and spoke in a warm,forting tone, ¡°Caprice ordered this for you.¡± Caprice nodded proudly.

 Chapter 1752

    Chapter 1752


    Sherry wore a quiet frown. She briskly opened the door and stepped inside the house with Caprice in her arms.


    John followed her into the house with the food in hand.


    He ced the container on the table and opened it, releasing the aroma of the food into the house.


    He turned to Sherry and repeated the same thing. ¡°Caprice ordered these for you,e on and eat.¡±


    Caprice urged her to eat as well. ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s very tasty,e on and eat it!¡±


    Sherry hesitated briefly, then she approached with Caprice still in her arms.


    John noticed her apprehension and immediately stepped away from the dining table and retreated to the couch in the living


    room.


    Sherry sat down at the dining table with Caprice on herp.


    It was a gourmet meal with a vast variety of seafood, chicken, and pork ribs. Aside from that,


    Caprice even ordered drinks and dessert that she knew her mother would like.


    The food was mouth-watering.


    Even though Caprice already ate, she still gulped when she looked at the food.


    Sherry smiled when she noticed the hungry glow in Caprice¡¯s eyes and gave her a piece of pork rib.


    Caprice immediately began gnawing at it.


    Sherry grabbed the utensils and dug in as well.


    Her mind was still reying what she saw just now at Ron¡¯s vi. Her appetite was ruined the moment she thought of the


    exchange she witnessed.


    Caprice was still nibbling the pork rib when she noticed that her mother stopped eating. She seemed concerned and asked with


    a puzzled look, ¡°Mommy, why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    This caught the attention of John who was sitting on the couch as well.


    Sherry smiled softly and remarked, ¡°Mommy is kind of full.¡±


    Caprice did not have much to say as her attention was upied by the piece of pork rib in her hand.


    Sherry silently looked at Caprice sitting on herp, nibbling away at the pork rib like a hamster, and smiled. She always felt better


    whenever she was with Caprice.


    Soon, Caprice finished eating.


    Her hands and lips were stained with grease.


    Sherry took her to the bathroom to help her clean up and ended up having Caprice take a shower.


    After that, she tucked her into a set of pink pajamas.


    She put Caprice to bed and read some short stories for her until the child fell asleep.


    After that, she stepped out of the bedroom.


    John was standing right outside.


    Sherry stumbled into him the moment she opened the door.


    Her expression was much more reserved and amiablepared to when she saw John when she stepped out of the elevator


    just now. She informed him mechanically, ¡°Caprice is asleep, you should head back.¡±


    John looked at her with a gentle and longing look in his eyes. He did not utter a word but Sherry could tell he was hesitant to


    leave.


    She frowned.


    Just as she was about to shoo him out of the house, he spoke, ¡°I just want you to know that I¡¯m nothing like Ron.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by this. She looked at him, feeling slightly offended. ¡°You had someone spy on me?¡±


    How else would he know about what happened this afternoon?


    John stared into her eyes and spoke sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m not spying on you. My men are keeping an eye on you to keep you safe.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry felt her voice caught in her throat. It took her some effort to spit out the words. ¡°Get out, ! want to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said with a tired smile and bade farewell in a gentle voice, ¡°Good night.¡±


    With that, he turned and left.


    He gently, carefully shut the front door after he left.


    Sherry frowned sullenly.


    She went to take a long shower. She sshed water over her face several times to try to rinse out the sinking, suffocating feeling


    to no avail.


    She ended up heading back to bed and snuggled with Caprice.


    It was veryfortable snuggling in bed with Caprice.


    Just like that, Sherry¡¯s irritable mood was soothed.


    She thought about what John told her, that he was nothing like Ron.


    It was true. Ron was an egoistic, arrogant scumbag who took pride in his cheating. John did not have such ws. However, he


    did his fair share of horrible things to her in the past.


    She remembered what happened when Shannon conspired against her several years back. It ended with her being locked in the


    house by John like a caged animal for many torturous months. There was another simr episode only several months back with


    Julie, that ended with her nearly getting burned alive in the middle of nowhere.


    Although it was not his intention to harm her, he wasrgely responsible for everything that happened! He was responsible for


    her trauma!


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, she clenched her teeth unknowingly.


    The only way she managed to calm herself was by looking at her calm sleeping expression of Caprice. She kissed Caprice


    several times to settle her restlessness.

 Chapter 1753

    Chapter 1753


    Sherry woke up at the crack of dawn before the rm went off.


    She woke up with an irritable feeling in her chest. The umted emotions from yesterday had carried over.


    She got out of bed, showered, and dressed as usual.


    When Caprice woke up, she helped Caprice shower and helped her dress as well.


    With that, she led Caprice outside.


    John was already waiting for them by the entrance as usual. When he noticed the pair stepping out of the house, he greeted


    them with a warm and charming smile, ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡®Morning my *ss!¡¯


    Sherry shot an unnecessarily rude re at him, then she continued trotting away without acknowledging him.


    John grimaced and followed.


    They went to Caprice¡¯s favorite breakfast ce.


    Sherry sat down and put Caprice on herp.


    John went to order food for them before joining them at the table.


    ¡°You look like you''re in a bad mood. Did you not sleep wellst night?¡± he asked innocently.


    Caprice made a look at him, sensing that he had provoked her mother.


    Sherry red at him icily. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk.¡±


    She was indeed in a bad mood.


    John zipped his lips.


    Soon, the waiter brought over the food John had ordered.


    He ordered Caprice¡¯s favorite waffles along with some other breakfast selections.


    Sherry let Caprice help herself to the waffles and began eating herself as well.


    By the time she had her fill, Caprice was only a couple of nibbles into her waffle. John had only taken a couple of bites as well


    and barely drank his coffee.


    Sherry got up and went to pay for the meal.


    She had to wait for a while before the pair finished with their breakfast.


    Sherry picked up Caprice and spoke to her softly, ¡°Caprice, Mommy has to go to work now.¡±


    Caprice bid farewell to her reluctantly, ¡°Goodbye Mommy.¡±


    Sherry handed her to John, then she went to her car and left without sparing so much as a nce in his direction.


    John stood outside the restaurant with Caprice in his arms. They watched quietly as Sherry¡¯s carAll content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    drove off into the distance.


    Caprice suddenly asked in a sulky tone, ¡°Daddy, did you make Mommy angry again?¡±


    John made a look and did not answer.


    He was sure he had not done anything to make her angry. On the contrary, he had been doing everything he could to appease


    her.


    ¡°Mommy left without kissing me.¡± Caprice was very vocal when she was upset, she turned to John with a sulky look. ¡°It¡¯s all your


    fault!¡±


    There was not much that John could say.


    Somehow, tales of Ron¡¯s scandal made their rounds in Sager Corporation.


    As soon as Sherry got out of the car and stepped into the tower, she overheard two of the receptionists gossiping with each


    other. ¡°Have you heard? They''re saying that Madam Sager is about to give President Ron the boot.¡±


    ¡°What''s it about this time? Did he get caught cheating again?¡±


    ¡°| heard that he¡¯s got a mistress out there that he¡¯s had two children with.¡±


    ¡°My God! Illegitimate children? How disgraceful!¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it! I¡¯d kick him out too if | was Anne. Actually, I''d have done it decades ago.¡±


    ¡°Is Anne going to divorce him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, definitely. | have this uncle who is close friends with Aiden so he has some insider information. Apparently, Madam Sager


    was so furious when she heard about President Ron fathering illegitimate children that she passed out. She¡¯s still in the hospital


    now. President Ron isn¡¯t even allowed to go home now.¡±


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re getting divorced for sure. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he gets fired as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. At this point, he and his sons shouldn¡¯t even dream about wrestling the corporation away from Young Master


    Sager.¡±


    Sherry was shocked to hear this.


    If she had to guess, Madam Sager was probably upset because Ron had hit her beloved daughter.


    It was certainly true that Ron would get kicked out of Sager Corporation if the divorce were to go through.


    Lisa and Carl had delivered a fatal blow to Ron, so she did not see any scenario where Ron coulde back from this.


    She wondered how they found out about his mistress and the two children. She was impressed. She was still processing the


    dramatic events that had happenedtely.

 Chapter 1754

    Chapter 1754


    Without Ron, Aiden, and Caden around, there was a marked improvement in terms of work


    efficiency throughout thepany. This improvement was not only seen in Sherry¡¯s department but in other departments as well.


    Lisa and Carl rarely showed up over the next few days as they were busy dealing with the aftermath of the scandal.


    Sherry only saw Lisa once over the next two days and never saw Carl at all.


    Fortunately, the details of the two projects he signed on had been worked out. The departments were coordinating as they


    should and things were progressing smoothly.


    Sherry returned to her usual routine. She would go to work every day and return home on time where she would spend time with


    Caprice before they went to bed. She hardly paid any attention to John.


    This evening, Sherry left the office as usual after she finished up her work for the day.


    She drove past several junctions and swerved into the apartmentpound where she lived. After she got out of the car, she


    prepared to head into the lobby when she heard Caprice¡¯s voice crying out after her. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    She turned around instinctively and noticed two figures underneath a streetlight nearby.


    She spotted John first. He was wearing a white shirt paired with ck trousers, and he looked dashing as usual.


    He held Caprice¡¯s hand.


    The child had a red bow tied on the top of her head and was wearing a bright red skirt paired with pretty red leather shoes.


    She slung a tiny pouch over her shoulder.


    She was adorable when she was dressed up. It seemed like she was going somewhere with John. Sherry approached them with


    an affectionate smile and held her hand out toward Caprice. Caprice took her hand and threw herself into her arms. She looked


    up and asked eagerly,¡± Mommy, there¡¯s a festival tonight, do you want to go together?¡±


    A festival?


    Sherry suddenly recalled that Coastrock held a special festival annually. Every year during the festival, there would be countless


    sightseeing opportunities and the streets would be lively.


    Seeing that Caprice was already all dressed up and ready to go, Sherry knew she could not refuse. She smiled warmly and


    epted the invitation. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    With that, they went into the car.


    John followed. He watched as Sherry climbed into the backseat with Caprice, then he went to the driver''s seat.


    He started the car, put his hands on the steering wheel, and they were on their way in no time.


    Capricey cozily in Sherry¡¯s arms and stared at the view outside quietly.


    Sherry was looking at the child instead of the view outside.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    It was very quiet in the car.


    Soon, they arrived at a famous local street near the coastline.


    The street was bustling with activity already. People got to enjoy the ambiance of the street life while also enjoying the wonderful


    and natural view of the sea.


    Lanterns of various colors were hung wherever they went


    Variousbinations of colored bulbs were used to beautify the streetscape and added an artistic touch to the ambiance.


    Apart from stores that sold all kinds of goods, there were also street vendors selling all sorts of street food.


    Sherry led Caprice down the street and gaped at the vendors.


    John followed them silently.


    Caprice was a big fan of all sorts of trinkets, so she was immediately mesmerized by a particr toy and gestured at it. ¡°I want


    this!¡±


    Sherry took out her wallet and paid for it, then she nced at John.


    John stepped forward and helped them take their first purchase of the night, and they continued walking down the street.


    They went from one end of the street to the other in no time.


    Toward the end, John¡¯s hands were fully upied with countless shopping bags.


    Caprice was clutching several strange trinkets herself as well.


    Sherry assumed that Caprice had had enough shopping by this point and prepared to get something for them to eat.


    Just as she was about to take Caprice to the other street where they could find food, something caught Caprice¡¯s attention. She


    gestured at a store with countless bracelets on disy and shouted, ¡°I want those!¡±


    Sherry turned toward where Caprice was pointing at.


    The stall had countless bracelets on disy out in front. At first nce, it seemed like the bracelets came in pairs and were


    meant for adults judging by their size.


    Sherry was about to tell Caprice that the bracelets were too big for her tiny wrists when the stall owner exined to her, ¡°Little


    girl, these are a couple¡¯s bracelets that my wife made. These would be good for your parents but I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re not for you.¡±


    The stall owner was a kind elderly man with a healthy waft of white hair. The way he smiled made him seem very approachable.


    Caprice was fascinated and told the old man, ¡°Il want them!¡±


    The old man smiled and asked, ¡°You can¡¯t wear them, honey. Why would you want them?¡± Caprice smiled and announced


    proudly, ¡°I want to give them to Mommy and Daddy!¡±

 Chapter 1755

    Chapter 1755


    Sherry flinched.


    John smirked.


    The old manmended Caprice with a pleasant smile, ¡°What a thoughtful girl. Go ahead and choose a pair you like.¡±


    Caprice climbed off Sherry¡¯s arms.


    The counter was just a little too tall for her.


    She could barely look at the designs but clutched at them nheless, and she ended up taking nearly two dozen bracelets.


    She seemed very satisfied with her choice and announced, ¡°I''ll be taking this!¡±


    Sherry remained silent the entire while.


    The old stall owner was enchanted by the child¡¯s adorable and innocent demeanor.


    John stepped forward and thanked the old man with a smile, ¡°We''ll have it in a bag, thank you.¡±


    The old man obliged. ¡°Alright.¡±


    He took out a bag and tossed the brackets Caprice picked out into the bag.


    John¡¯s hands were full at this point so Sherry ended up having to take the bag for him. She made sure to pay for it as well.


    After that, she took Caprice into her arms again. The child was beaming with pride.


    The stall owner was grinning from ear to ear as he waved goodbye to her. ¡°Goodbye, little girl. May you and your parents be


    happy together forever!¡±


    Caprice was overjoyed to hear this and thanked him warmly, ¡°Thank you, uncle! Bye-bye!¡±


    Sherry wore a soft frown, she took Caprice and led her toward the adjacent street where food was sold.


    There was a subtle and strange look in John¡¯s eyes as he followed after the pair.


    After they finished touring the adjacent street, Sherry was getting tired.


    They bought some snacks and took Caprice to a well-decorated restaurant in the area.


    Sherry¡¯s arms were getting tired from carrying Caprice around all night. After the waiter gave them the menu, she let John take


    Caprice while she picked up the menu to order for them.


    She flipped through the pages and chose carefully.


    She did not notice Caprice reaching for the bag next to her that contained the couple¡¯s bracelets she had bought.


    After a while, she suddenly felt something strapping against her wrist.


    She was caught off guard by the sensation and turned to inspect.


    That was when she saw Caprice strapping a bracelet on her wrist.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After she strapped the first one, she strapped on another one.


    Then came yet another until finally, there were ten bracelets strapped on her wrist.


    She smiled at Sherry and seemed very impressed with her handiwork.


    Sherry smiled and wanted tomend Caprice for her effort when John¡¯s wrist entered her line of sight as he ced his arm


    across the table.


    She immediately noticed the bracelets strapped on his arm.


    John also had as many as ten bracelets put on his arm. They were packed densely together like. an armguard.


    John remarked kindly, ¡°Those bracelets look good on you.¡±


    Sherry gave him a hostile re as if to tell him to keep his mouth shut.


    She wanted to take off the bracelets.


    Caprice noticed and immediately stopped her. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re not allowed to take them off, and Daddy can¡¯t take them off


    either! None of you are allowed to take them off!¡±


    Sherry had no choice but to give up on the idea.


    John turned to her and smiled coyly, then he gave his word to Caprice. ¡°Okay, Daddy promised to keep them on.¡±


    Sherry red at him.


    After watching a fireworks show at the beach, Sherry took Caprice and John to the car and drove back to her ce.


    Caprice fell asleep on the way.


    The rest of the drive was spent in silence.


    Soon, Sherry parked the car.


    After she got out of the car, she shot a look at John that seemed to indicate that he should go on back to the hotel without


    following them. With that, she took Caprice and prepared to head back


    home.


    There was a row of trash cans against the wall of the parking lot.


    The bundle of bracelets that had been dangling on her wrists for a while now was beginning to


    bother her. They were an eyesore.


    When she passed the trash can, she stopped and hesitated.

 Chapter 1756

    Chapter 1756


    Caprice was sleeping soundly in her arms.


    She slung Caprice over her shoulders, leaving both of her hands free.


    She turned toward the trash cans and fumbled around in the dark.


    After a while, she was done. She stepped away and walked toward the lobby, making sure that Caprice was asleep the entire


    time.


    She stepped into the lobby that was illuminated with ceiling lights.


    John, who had been standing by his car the entire time, noticed that when Sherry approached the trash cans, her wrist was still


    filled with bracelets. However, her wrist was empty now.


    He took a deep breath and furrowed his brows.


    After Sherry had gone out of sight, he approached the trash cans.


    He opened them and inspected what was inside.


    There was scarcely any light, so he could see nothing but stinky piles of domestic waste.


    He furrowed his brows and stretched his hand out. With an exasperated sigh, he dug his hands into the garbage and began


    shoveling around.


    Soon, he tossed the contents of the trash can onto the floor.


    He got on his knees and began rummaging around.


    Soon, two of his bodyguards who had been patrolling the area approached him.


    They were shocked and puzzled by the sight of John rummaging through the trash.


    One of them asked cautiously, ¡°Master Stockton, what are you looking for? Can we help?¡±


    John immediately showed them his left wrist that was covered with bracelets. ¡°Help me look for bracelets that look like this.


    There are ten of them, don¡¯t miss a single one!¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    They quickly squatted next to him and rummaged through the trash with him.


    They rummaged through the pile of garbage as much as three times to no avail. They could not even find a single bracelet.


    One of them was about to throw up from the smell of garbage. He probed cautiously. ¡°Master Stockton, are you sure those


    bracelets are here?¡±


    His colleague immediately added, ¡°We''ve searched so many times already, we would have found at least one by now if they


    were here.¡±


    Chances were high that the bracelets were never here to begin with.


    John grimaced.


    Did Sherry not throw them?


    He recalled seeing her standing by the trash can for some time and when she left, he saw how the bracelets had disappeared


    from her wrist.


    After a while, he ordered, ¡°Keep searching.¡±


    Neither of the two bodyguards dared to oppose. They took a deep breath and began yet another effortless search.


    They searched as carefully as they could and were so focused that they barely noticed that people were passing by. The sight of


    three men rummaging through a pile of trash in the middle of the night was certainly something to behold.


    Most of the passers¡ªby were young people living in the apartmentplex. Many of the youngdies expressed the same


    sentiment when they noticed John among the group of dumpster divers.


    ¡°That man is so handsome, why is he digging through the trash?¡±


    ¡°They''ve been doing it for so long, how can they withstand the stink?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, he¡¯s so good-looking too.¡±


    Some of them went as far as to film the three men from around the corner.


    Meanwhile, inside Sherry¡¯s ce.


    Caprice was already fast asleep on the bed, tucked in a fresh set of pajamas.


    Sherry had juste out of the shower.


    She approached the bed and gently kissed Caprice¡¯s chubby cheeks. Then, she picked up her phone and began scrolling social


    media as usual to see if there was any interesting news she missed out on. She was nning to retire to bed soon.


    That was when she saw nearly a hundred notifications popping up from the group of the apartmentplex she resided in.


    This was a very rare asion. She assumed that an important announcement had been made. She promptly clicked inside.


    Several messages caught her eye immediately.


    ¡°This is hrious, do handsome people tend to be so entric? | can¡¯t believe he¡¯s goingProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    dumpster diving in the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s even making the security guards join him! Look at those two, they¡¯re doing everything they can to not throw up on the


    spot.¡±


    ¡°My god, it¡¯s been an hour, how are they still doing this?¡±

 Chapter 1757

    Chapter 1757


    Chapter 1757


    Sherry was confused by these discussions. She scrolled up several pages before she saw the video atst.


    She tapped into the video to y it. The first person she recognized immediately was John. He was squatting in front of a pile of


    garbage and rummaging through it.


    She felt her fingers stiffening as she could not fathom what she was seeing.


    He was with two of his bodyguards, all three of them were digging through the garbage as if searching for treasure. She watched


    completely aghast as the trio turned over piles of rotten garbage with their naked hands without gloves.


    Despite it all, John still looked refined and handsome. His shirt waspletely unstained the entire time. Still, Sherry could only


    wonder how much he must have stunk.


    She had only stood by the trash can for a while but she could still smell the nasty stench after she headed upstairs with Caprice.


    To think that John had been rummaging through the trash for an hour...


    What was he up to?


    Did he do it because he noticed her standing with Caprice by the trash can?


    Sherry lowered her head in thought. She looked at her wrist and thought about the bundle of bracelets she had tossed inside the


    cab.


    She took off the bracelets when she was standing by the trash can.


    She had wanted to throw them away, but was reluctant to do so because Caprice was the one who picked them out for her. In


    the end, she decided to keep them and stuffed them into her pocket, then she ced them in the cab once she got home.


    Could it be that John thought she had thrown them away and was rummaging through the trash with his bodyguards because he


    wanted to recover them?


    That was simply outrageous!


    Sherry scowled, her mood was ck.


    After a while, she rolled out of bed and prepared to get her coat so she could head outside. That was when someone sent an


    update to the group chat. ¡°They¡¯re gone, | don¡¯t think they live in ourplex.¡±


    It was apanied with a short video.


    All of the garbage had been cleaned up and returned to the trash can where it belonged. The trash can was neatly pushed


    against the wall in its original position as well.


    Someone said, ¡°Well, at least they¡¯re civilized, I''ll give them that. Still, it''s strange to dig through the trash can in the first ce.¡±


    Sherry looked at the pictures of the trash that had been cleaned up and felt a sinking feeling in her chest.


    After a while, she put away her phone. She turned off the lights, wrapped her arms around Caprice, and made herself close her


    eyes.


    However, she could not fall asleep.


    Everything that had happened between them over thest decade shed past her mind.


    What left the deepest impression were the times where he had hurt her, mentally scarred her, and even nearly had her killed.


    This was how the scumbag had treated her. No amount of vain affection was going to salvage their rtionship!


    She cursed John again and again, and it made her feel better that way.


    Despite that, she had trouble falling asleep.


    The next morning.


    The sun had barely risen across the horizon when the man opened his eyes and got out of bed


    After a quick shower, he changed into a set of casual clothing and stepped out of the hotel. He walked across the road, familiar


    with the route by this point and entered the apartment building.


    He went to Sherry¡¯s floor. The bodyguards posted here to keep an eye on Sherry greeted him and retreated to a quiet corner to


    give him some privacy.


    Like every morning, he stood by the front door and waited. While waiting, he scrolled on his phone absentmindedly.


    After a while, he heard footsteps inside the house.


    He tucked the phone back in his pocket.


    Creak.


    The door was slowly pried open.


    He greeted Sherry warmly, ¡°Morning.¡±


    His voice dropped when he noticed how terrible Sherry looked. She had deep dark circles underneath her eyes. He asked ina


    concerned tone, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you not sleep wellst night?¡±


    Sherry shot a look at him, then she turned around, and walked into the house without a word.


    John entered the house.


    Caprice immediately bolted toward him.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    John smiled at her and took her into his arms.


    He slowly approached Sherry with Caprice in his arms. He wanted to ask why she had trouble


    sleepingst night.


    That was when he noticed a bundle of bracelets stacked on the living room table.


    He was surprised to see them, and a smile quickly formed on his lips.

 Chapter 1758

    Chapter 1758


    ¡°You have really heavy bags under your eyes. Did you not sleep wellst night?¡± John repeated the question.


    Caprice grew wide-eyed and stared at her mother upon hearing the question.


    Sherry avoided John¡¯s gaze and answered curtly, ¡°| had some urgent work to deal withst night so | ended up sleepingte.¡±


    ¡°What kind of urgent work?¡± he asked.


    This got him a sharp look from Sherry. ¡°Why are you so talkative today?¡±


    John pursed his lips and changed the topic. ¡°What do you want for breakfast?¡±


    Sherry pretended she did not hear him and ignored him.


    Caprice answered for her, ¡°I want pancakes!¡±


    John looked at Sherry to see if she had other opinions. She did not provide any feedback at all.


    The next few days were rtively uneventful.


    One afternoon, Sherry finally saw Carl. This was her first time meeting him since theirst encounter at Ron¡¯s.


    He was wearing a ck suit and his hair was neatlybed.


    Although he still had a little air of yfulness about him, his entire demeanor was far more seriouspared to the way he was


    in the past.


    Sherry met him during ast-minute meeting arranged by Lisa.


    Lisa was seated at the head of the table, with Sherry and Carl on both sides.


    The ones seated in Sherry¡¯s row were the department leaders in Sager Corporation.


    On the other edge of the table was Carl and a row of major shareholders of the corporation.


    Neither Ron, Aiden, nor Caden was anywhere to be seen.


    Chances were they were not evering to sit at this table ever again.


    Lisa kicked off the meeting. ¡°First of all, | want to start with an important announcement. | and the major shareholders of the


    corporation hade to a unanimous decision that Ron will no longer act as the president of the Sager Corporation. Car! will


    take over the position effective immediately.¡±


    After the announcement, she turned to Carl with a congrattory smile. ¡°Carl, why don¡¯t you give us a speech?¡±


    Carl rose and gave a perfectly standard speech. His message was clear and concise, without any unnecessary fluff.


    It was as if he had matured by years in the short period since hisst meeting with Sherry.


    Admittedly, the shareholders had only agreed to let Carl take over following the scandal between Anne and Ron since they had


    no other options. However, Carl¡¯smanding tone had left a strong impression on them. They were impressed by how ready


    he was to step up to the task.


    After he finished his speech, everyone apuded him.


    Carl suddenly turned to Sherry and smiled sincerely.


    There were no yful undertones in his smile, only genuine appreciation.


    Sherry returned his smile and mouthed a silent congrattion.


    The meeting went on for quite some time after that.


    Now that Carl was appointed as the new president, he had plenty of work to do.


    Although the divorce between Anne and Ron was set in stone, the aftermath was rather chaotic and so there were plenty of


    loose ends for them to tie up. Lisa barely had time to chat with Sherry after the meeting before she excused herself.


    News of Carl taking over as the new president of the corporation quickly spread around.


    As soon as Sherry returned to her department, she saw the members of her department discussing the news with fervent


    excitement.


    She did not spoil their moment and let them celebrate as they wished. She returned to her office with a bright smile and picked


    up where she left off.


    She worked non-stop and finally had time for herselfe evening when she managed to wrap up her tasks for the day.


    It was only then that she noticed Carl who came to her office at some point.


    He was wearing the same ck suit.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    He had unbuttoned his coat.


    He was leaning against the doorframe with his hands across his chest. He smiled yfully as he greeted her, ¡°Sherry, how is it


    that you''re busier than the newly appointed president?¡±


    He had been here for quite a while and Sherry had only just noticed his presence.

 Chapter 1759

    ?Chapter 1759


    Sherry congratted Carl with a smile. "Congrattions."


    He made a show of stretching his back, then he walked up to her and sat on her desk.


    Sherry adjusted herself on the chair and tried to nudge herself a little farther from the table.


    He immediately grabbed the handle of her chair and leaned closer toward her.


    He smiled charmingly with an alluring glow in his eyes. "Sherry, even though I''m the president now, you''re still a close friend of mine. I''m going to be sad if you start keeping your distance from me.*


    Sherry rolled her eyes.


    When had she ever tried to wall him off anyway? She was only trying to keep some respectable distance between the two of them since this was a workce!


    She was a fool to think that Carl had matured. Deep down, he was still a yful child.


    She responded dismissively, "Alright, I got it."


    Carl let go of her chair and sat up straight.


    Sherry shot a look at him and asked, "Did youe here just to tell me this?"


    "Of course not."


    "What were you going to tell me?"


    "There''s nothing I wanted to tell you. I was just starting to miss you since it''s been a while since Ist saw you," Carl answered with a gentle glow in his eyes.


    Sherry dismissed him without hesitation. "I need to finish up here, you should leave if you don''t have anything important to say."


    Carl snickered. "You''re so cruel."


    He swiftly hopped off the desk and mentioned, "There''s a dinnerter. My mom invited all the department leaders to join us, are youing?"


    "I''m not going." She was not an outsider, there was no need for her to join the dinner to prove her standing in the corporation to others.


    Carl was visibly dejected to hear this, he muttered weakly, "Okay."


    He prepared to leave.


    Sherry turned to theputer disy and dropped the conversation entirely.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Just when she thought that Carl was going to leave, he suddenly stopped by the door.


    He turned around swiftly and propped an arm against the door frame. Something gleamed in his eyes. "One more thing."


    Sherry turned to him. "What is it?"


    "When you go back and see Master Stockton, please thank him for me."


    Sherry was puzzled by this. ''Thank him for what?"


    Carl unveiled the truth to her. "He was the one who told me about Ron''s mistress and the illegitimate children he was hiding."


    Sherry was baffled upon hearing this.


    Carl noticed her reaction and grinned. "Hasn''t he told you about it?"


    Sherry stammered stiffly, "N-no."


    "Oh, I thought he''d take credit for everything that''s been going on."


    Sherry frowned. "How did he find out about Ron''s secrets?"


    "He didn''t tell me." After a pause, Carl suddenly mentioned, "You could just ask him yourself when you get home."


    Sherry was silent for a while, then she asked again, "Why did he give you the information?"


    Carl smiled suggestively. It seemed like he was going to tell Sherry, but then he changed his mind. "You should just ask him directly instead of asking me. All I can say is that he and I are rivals in a way. He wouldn''t have done it solely for my sake."


    With that, he walked out of Sherry''s office.


    Sherry frowned sourly. Everything Carl had told her was reying in her mind.


    This entire time, it was John who found out about Ron''s dirty secret and slipped the information to Carl! After he told Carl, Carl managed to leverage the piece of valuable information and use it against Ron so Anne would divorce him. In one swift move, Ron was kicked out of the corporation and Carl got to take over.


    Sherry did not need to ask John to know what his motivation behind helping Carl was. He must have done it for her.


    He knew how much she wanted to help Carl take over the corporation. It was to a point where she even agreed to a false engagement to strengthen his im.

 Chapter 1760

    Chapter 1760


    Chapter 1760


    Sherry sat motionlessly in her office for some time.


    It was only when one of her staff knocked on her door to inform her that it was going to rain outside and wondered why she was


    not leaving yet that she was finally pulled out of her trance.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She looked outside. It was dark. On any other day, it would still be rtively bright outside at this hour.


    She tried to shrug off her thoughts and got up.


    It began raining very soon after. It was nowhere near a downpour but it was enough to affect the traffic condition.


    Although her ce was only several junctions away, she was held up in traffic for almost an hour before finally reaching home.


    She swerved into her parking space in the parking lot.


    She did not have an umbre in her car. She braced herself for a sprint into the building.


    Moments before she threw the door open, she spotted two familiar figures approaching her car. One was a tall figure and the


    other was a child.


    It was John and Caprice. John held Caprice in one arm and an umbre in the other.


    Caprice pointed at Sherry and cried out loudly, ¡°Mommy!¡±


    John smiled at her.


    Sherry was d to see Caprice.


    Shortly after, they approached her car and offered to walk her into the apartment.


    John hovered the umbre over Sherry.


    Sherry avoided his gaze the entire time. The first thing she did after she got out of the car was to snatch Caprice away from him.


    Then, the trio walked into the apartment building, safe from the pouring rain.


    Before long, they entered the house.


    Sherry reached for her phone and prepared to buy some groceries. That was when she noticed that the kitchen counter already


    had bags of groceries set on top.


    She was taken aback by this.


    John noticed her reaction and informed her candidly, ¡°It¡¯s raining outside, | saw the news broadcast talking about the terrible


    traffic today so | decided to get the groceries ahead of time just in case.¡±


    Sherry merely grumbled dismissively and asked, ¡°How much did it cost?¡±


    ¡°Not much.¡±


    Sherry shot a look at him. ¡°How much?¡±


    John hesitated briefly before he reluctantly handed over the receipt.


    Sherry took the receipt and her eyes almost instantaneously grew wide when she read the number.


    A thousand dors!


    The groceries cost a thousand dors in total!


    She went through the list of items with a skeptical frown.


    Every item purchased was of the best quality possible, most of them sourced overseas. The supermarket John bought from was


    a well-known premium chain in Coastrock known for the ludicrous price tags of its selection. In return, the quality was the best


    that could be found in the city.


    Sherry shot a look at John when she finished reading the receipt that totaled a thousand dors.


    John smiled softly and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay, | got it.¡±


    Sherry would not have it. ¡°Money isn¡¯t a problem.¡±


    With that, she took out her phone and transferred a thousand and a hundred dors to him.


    John received the transfer notification on his phone and promptly informed her, ¡°You sent me an extra hundred.¡±


    ¡°Consider it a tip.¡±


    There was not much John could say to protest.


    Sherry went to the couch with Caprice. She picked up the tablet and put on some cartoons for Caprice to watch.


    John chuckled, unpacked the groceries, and started cooking.


    The rain outside became heavier over time. He operated efficiently inside the kitchen as always.


    In time, the fragrance of food wafted out of the kitchen.


    Caprice quickly became distracted by the sweet scent of food. She ditched the cartoon as her attention drifted toward the


    kitchen.


    Sherry¡¯s stomach began to grumble too.


    Fortunately, Caprice did not hear it.


    She rubbed her belly, feeling slightly embarrassed.


    Caprice hopped off the sofa and went into the kitchen.


    Sherry trailed behind her.


    Caprice kept stealing looks at John and the couple of dishes that he had alreadypleted. Eventually, she could not wait


    anymore and asked, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m hungry. Can I eat some first?¡±


    John smiled and grabbed two pieces of torti for Caprice. He stuffed them with minced meat and vegetables before handing


    one to Caprice.


    Caprice took it gleefully and immediately bit into it.

 Chapter 1761

    Chapter 1761


    Sherry hid outside the door, gulping as she watched the girl munching on her food.


    It was then she sensed a gaze on her.


    She looked up and met John¡¯s gaze. The man was looking at her with a smile.


    Embarrassed, Sherry quickly turned away and sat back on the couch. She picked up the tablet and yed a cartoon on it,


    pretending that she was watching.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    It was raining like cats and dogs outside, which formed a contrast to the quiet environment indoors.


    The smell of food from the tablet stimted her saliva. She had lost count of how many times she gulped because of the


    temptation.


    Then, Caprice¡¯s chubby figure waddled towards her from the kitchen. She was holding two pieces of meatloaf in each hand, one


    bitten into and one still fresh.


    She handed the fresh one to Sherry. ¡°Mommy, Daddy made this for you. It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    Sherry was surprised.


    Caprice pushed the meatloaf closer to tempt her.


    Since the girl had taken the effort to deliver it, she might as well ept it. Sherry took a bite. The juiciness and tenderness of the


    meat pleasured her taste buds.


    It took her two bites and a few munches to devour it whole.


    Caprice, who had been munching on hers since a while ago, was stunned by how fast her mother gobbled down the meatloaf.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She patted the girl¡¯s head and said, ¡°Thank you. It tastes really good.¡±


    Caprice curled her lips. ¡°Daddy made it.¡±


    Sherry cleared her throat awkwardly and stayed quiet.


    The girl then waddled back to the kitchen and said to her father, ¡°Daddy, Mommy says your meatloaf is delicious. Give her one


    more.¡±


    Sherry was rendered speechless. She did not know whether to feel happy because the girl was caring or speechless because of


    the awkwardness. She was at a loss for action.


    Awhileter, the girl came back with two more pieces of meatloaf. She gave Sherry two of them.¡± Mommy, here.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. Since it was Caprice who delivered them, she epted them.


    The storm raged outdoors, but the environment indoors wasfortable and warm.


    Maybe due to his talent, John was an amazing cook. Caprice never stopped eating, and neither


    did Sherry. The dishes served on the table were all devoured.


    The girl¡¯s stomach bloated after the meal.


    Sherry was full as well but she would never let the man know. She carried Caprice to the window and stood there for a while.


    The rain sshed on the window, adding ayer of blurriness to the wavering bushes and trees outside. The rumbling thunder in


    the sky created a gloomy mood.


    Sherry thought the girl would be afraid of thunder, but the girl widened her eyes curiously and sized up the gloomy sky. She even


    pointed at the waving tree and grumbled, ¡°Mommy, the wind is so strong. The tree is about to fall down.¡±


    Sherry hummed a reply. It was indeed strong.


    Ap of thunder sounded, startling the girl.


    As the girl immediately hugged her mother, Sherry covered the girl¡¯s ears.


    The thunder sounded like it was going to crack the earth in half.


    Sherry then carried the girl into the room to bathe her and put her to bed.


    John then came out from the kitchen and said softly, ¡°You guys rest early. I''m going back.¡±


    As soon as his words subsided, another p of thunder sounded.


    Caprice immediately covered her ears.


    Sherry reluctantly said, ¡°It¡¯s raining cats and dogs outside. You can stay here until the rain stops.¡±

 Chapter 1762

    Chapter 1762


    John¡¯s eyes brightened with joy. He said, ¡°It seems like the storm is not stopping anytime soon.¡±


    Sherry furrowed her brows.


    It was raining cats and dogs outside, and she had no idea where John lived, so it would be dangerous for him to go back now.


    Irritated, she said, ¡°Then, you can stay here for the night.¡±


    John curled his lips. Even Caprice giggled out of delight.


    Sherry added, ¡°The couch is yours.¡±


    She only had one room in her apartment, and there was no way she would let the man sleep on the same bed.


    John smiled and said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    Caprice squealed happily, ¡°Yay! Caprice can finally sleep with Daddy!¡± It had been a while since the girl slept with her father.


    Sherry was instantly rendered speechless.


    John said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys take the bed and | can sleep on the floor?¡±


    Sherry red at him. ¡°No way!¡±


    Right after Sherry bathed Caprice, the girl ran out to John.


    Sherry came out with a nket. She said to Caprice, who was dozing off in John¡¯s arms, ¡°You guys can take the bed. I''ll take the


    couch.¡±


    She would never let her precious baby girl sleep on the couch. She sat down on the couch, but John pursed his lips.


    Caprice grumbled, ¡°Why is Mommy sleeping on the couch?¡±


    The bed in the room was big enough to sleep three.


    Sherry simply came up with an excuse and said, ¡°Your Daddy snores. | can¡¯t sleep with him.¡±


    Caprice could barely keep her eyes open, but sheined almost instinctively, ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t snore. Mommy snores.¡±


    Sherry was speechless.


    John curled his lips. He said, ¡°Caprice, Mommy doesn¡¯t want to disturb us with her snoring.¡±


    Caprice simply hummed a reply and closed her eyes.


    Sherry red at John.


    John smiled at her. ¡°I''ll bring Caprice in.¡±


    Sherryy down on the couch without answering.


    The living room soon returned to silence except for the howling wind, the thrumming rain, and rumbling thunder outside. It was


    dark. Sherry somehow felt afraid of being alone in the living room. The lights were left on, and she hid under the nket on the


    couch.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    She only started to doze off when the thunder stopped.


    At the same time, the bedroom door opened and the man came out. He walked to the couch, squatted down, and looked at her


    quiet face. He whispered, ¡°Sherry, Caprice is asleep. You can go in now.¡±


    The only answer he got was the rain and wind outside. She was fast asleep.


    He smiled. He stroked her cheek and called her name, ¡°Sherry?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s quiet face looked much more adorable than her usual cold look.


    He gulped nervously. He lowered himself further and locked lips with her.


    Her lips were soft and felt good. It was so enchanting that he wanted the kiss tost forever, but his sanity pulled him back. If the


    kiss woke her up, he would not just get two punches in his face, but she might even throw him out of the house.


    He had gone through a lot to finally stay in the house for the night. He could not let his efforts go to vain.


    He got up after a few light kisses. Then, he carried her up from the couch and got into the bedroom.


    Caprice was sleeping on the bed with her limbs spread eagle.


    He put Sherry by Caprice¡¯s side, tucked them in, and went out. He switched off the lights and slept on the couch that Sherry slept


    on earlier.


    The next day, the ringing rm woke Sherry up.

 Chapter 1763

    Chapter 1763


    Chapter 1763


    When she got up, she looked around and was slightly confused.


    While she was trying to wrap her head around the situation, Caprice¡¯s adorable voice came from outside, so Sherry got out of


    bed.


    The girl was already dressed and had juste back with John. The table was filled with a luxurious breakfast spread, and the


    girl was eating a bun in John¡¯s arms.


    When the father and daughter heard the door opening, they turned to her.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes gleamed. She called out adorably, ¡°Mommy, you are awake!¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Morning.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°How did | end up in the bedroom?¡± She clearly remembered sleeping on the couchst night.


    John said with a smile, ¡°I carried you in.¡±


    Sherry frowned.


    John added, ¡°I slept on the couchst night.¡± What he wanted to say was that he did not sleep


    with her on the same bed.


    Sherry was not particrly angry, but she hummed reluctantly as a reply. She walked over to the table and asked, ¡°How much


    are all these?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a receipt there.¡±


    Sherry picked it up and gasped in shock.


    Three thousand! Three thousand just for breakfast!


    She red at him.


    John smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to give it back.¡±


    ¡°|... have money,¡± she argued. She instantly regretted it as her words subsided.


    She could afford an expensive meal once in a while but every day?


    It would cause her heart and her purse to bleed.


    She wanted to save money to buy Caprice a big house in the future. The Sagers paid her well, but she was just a worker with a


    higher position.


    However, she swore to never eat the food that the man bought. She had to show some dignity in front of money and food.


    Sherry red at him before she transferred him the money for the meal: 3,100 in total.


    John asked with a curious smile, ¡°Is that a tip?¡±


    Sherry lifted her chin. ¡°Consider it the delivery fee.¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Fowler.¡±


    Sherry grunted. She sat down and had the breakfast that she just ¡®bought¡¯.


    The weather had been terrible recently. Storms happened more frequently than usual.


    On the second night, Sherry toughened up and sent John on the road.


    However, the ceaseless rain outside the window made her feel bad for the entire night.


    The next day, she woke up before the rm. She went to the door to check if John had arrived.


    As soon as she opened the door, John entered her sight. He wore an extra vest outside his shirt, and his hair and shoulder were


    slightly wet, seemingly because of the rain. He looked paler than yesterday.


    Sherry was shocked.


    John smiled at her and greeted her gently as usual, ¡°Morning.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry furrowed her brows. Judging from his voice, he must have caught a cold. Was it because of the rainst night?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± John asked when he noticed Sherry staring at him.


    Sherry put her emotions away and replied coldly, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    She went inside the house; John followed.


    Sherry went to the bathroom to wash herself up. When she came out of the bathroom, Caprice woke up. She helped the girl to


    wash up before bringing her outside.


    John was having a ss of warm water when they came out.


    Caprice wanted to run to John, but he said, ¡°Caprice, don¡¯te near me. I¡¯ve got a cold.¡±

 Chapter 1764

    Chapter 1764


    Caprice stopped running immediately. She looked up at her father and asked in a worried tone,¡± Daddy, how did you catch a


    cold?¡±


    Sherry looked away and turned a deaf ear.


    John nced at her and then said to Caprice, ¡°Maybe because | got wet in the rainst night.¡± He added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Caprice.


    I''ve taken medicine. I''ll be healthy in no time.¡±


    Caprice hummed a reply. She waddled forth to her father, crawled up to his arms, and touched his forehead with her warm little


    hands. ¡°Caprice gives you warmth.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Thank you, Caprice.¡±


    ¡°You are wee, Daddy.¡±


    Irritated, Sherry pursed her lips. She pulled her phone out and located the breakfast shop that John had ordered from yesterday.


    She ordered extra soup after getting the mains, and since she did not want him to think that she got the soup just for him, she


    got three bowls of the same soup.


    The day went by in the blink of an eye.


    Sherry got caught up in work and came back an hourter than usual.


    John and Caprice were already waiting for her with a table of freshly bought ingredients.


    Sherry looked at the receipt.


    7,000.


    She thought the man would spend 10,000 on ingredients again, but the lesser amount calmed her down. She transferred him


    7,100 in total.


    After dinner, Sherry yed with Caprice for a while while John read a book by their side.


    When Caprice started to doze off, John got up and said to Sherry, ¡°You guys should go rest now. I''ll go back now.¡±


    Sherry had a nce outside the window. It was gloomy, but it was not raining.


    Right before she could say a word, Caprice, who should be dozing off, widened her eyes and grumbled, ¡°Daddy caught a cold.


    Don''t go. It¡¯s windy outside.¡±


    Sherry had no idea how Caprice knew that when one had a cold, one should stay out of cold weather. She said to the girl,


    ¡°Daddy is a big man now. A little wind is fine-¡±


    ¡°A-choo!¡± John sneezed before Sherry could finish, leaving her speechless. He pursed his lips, looking innocent.


    Caprice hugged Sherry¡¯s neck and said, ¡°Daddy is sick. Don¡¯t let him go back, Mommy.¡±


    The girl did not only plead on behalf of her father, but her eyes were even tearing up. If John stepped out of the door, the girl


    would probably burst into tears.


    Sherry did not want Caprice to cry. Since it was cold outside, it would be terrible if John¡¯s condition worsened.


    ¡°Okay. Okay. Mommy won''t make him go,¡± Sherry said reluctantly.


    Caprice happily nuzzled against her cheek.


    Sherry stroked the girl¡¯s head and said to John, ¡°You can stay tonight.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry carried Caprice into the room before she brought dry pillows and nkets out to the couch.


    John said, ¡°Thank you.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    She ignored him and went into the room.


    To Sherry¡¯s surprise, John¡¯s cold worsened instead of getting better, so she had to let him stay for a couple of days.


    When his condition got better, Caprice could no longer bear being separated from her father. As soon as he said he wanted to


    leave, the girl¡¯s eyes would tear up and it would break Sherry¡¯s heart.


    Sherry could not help but let John stay. She even set up a folding bed for John in the living room.


    Sherry and Caprice slept in the bedroom while John took the living room.


    The next day, Sherry woke up half an hour earlier than usual.

 Chapter 1765

    Chapter 1765


    Sherry went to the bathroom to wash up before she went out.


    When she opened the door, she saw the man dressing up in front of her. He had his pants on and was putting on his shirt.


    The first light shone through the window and highlighted his slender and fit physique.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened.


    John turned around at the same time.


    Flustered, her eyes flickered. She bellowed, ¡°Why are you dressing up now?!¡±


    John replied with a smile, ¡°I usually wake up around this hour to get dressed.¡± He buttoned his shirt as he spoke, covering his


    beautiful body underneath the shirt.


    Sherry regained her calm and said, ¡°Do not put on your shirt here.¡±


    He asked, ¡°Then, where should | wear my shirt?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sherry had no answer to his question. Her apartment was by no means huge. There was only a living room, a kitchen, and her


    own room.


    Telling John to get dressed in the kitchen would not seem to work either.


    Amoment of silenceter, she unreasonably said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. | don¡¯t want to see you getting dressed.¡± She then went back into


    her room.


    John smiled at the shut door.


    She was obviously flustered and enjoyed looking at his body. It was just that she did not want to admit it just yet.


    Sherry went to the bathroom to wash her face once more.


    Awhileter, Caprice woke up. Sherry cleaned the girl up before bringing her out.


    John was outside the door, well dressed. He had his golden-framed sses on, adding ayer of gentleness to his enchanting


    eyes.


    ¡°Morning,¡± he said.


    Blushed, she said, ¡°Caprice and | are done. You can go in now.¡±


    She only had one bathroom in her apartment, and it was inside her room.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said.


    Sherry carried Caprice to the couch.


    Simr to a few days before, after John cleaned up himself, the three of them went out for breakfast.


    After breakfast, Caprice was put in John¡¯s care while Sherry drove her car to the office. As soon as she parked her car, she ran


    into a situation.


    Besides her, even the other employees who had just arrived at the ce were also captivated and were watching from the


    corners.


    In front of thepany building was Ada crying a river as she went chasing after Carl. She tried to hold his hand but was


    mercilessly shoved away.


    Carl looked disgusted. ¡°I never liked you before, and it won''t change now or in the future. If you have some dignity left, get the


    hell out of my face.¡±


    Carl was a yboy, but he had always been a gentleman towards women. If he could say such harsh words to Ada in public, it


    must mean that she had been troubling him for a while.


    Maybe because Carl was being too hard or because Ada was simply too weak, she fell on the ground after the push. Aggrieved,


    she cried, ¡°Carl, you know my feelings! | really like you!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Ada Wright, we''ve barely even spoken and you im that you like me? What do you see in me? My looks or my


    identity?¡± Carl was both amused and annoyed by her at the same time.


    Looks?


    Sherry reacted strangely when she heard Carl.


    Ada looked at him sincerely and said, ¡°I like you as a person!¡±


    ¡°If | were poor and ugly, would you still like me?¡± Carl asked.


    Ada was stunned for a moment. She then nodded and said, ¡°Yes! | like you no matter what you are or who you be!¡±


    Carl rolled his eyes. He scoffed, ¡°Your lies might only work on ghosts.¡±


    He wanted to leave, but Ade stopped him once more.


    Carl predicted her movement. He said to the security guard at the side, ¡°If she still follows me, throw her out on the road.¡±

 Chapter 1766

    Chapter 1766


    Chapter 1766


    The security guards wanted to stop Ada from following Carl.


    However, Ada skillfully shook them off with a couple of fake moves. They went for her from the right, but she slipped past them


    from the left and went after Carl.


    ¡°Carl, I''d rather die if | can¡¯t be with you!¡±


    Carl frowned. His expression spelled frustration.


    Ada was startled by his reaction. She staggered but remained determined.


    Sherry and the other employees were stunned by themotion.


    The other employees got closer to have a better look.


    Sherry was watching and hiding behind two employees, and when they moved, she was exposed.


    Ada was right in front of the entrance, and she spotted Sherry when she went after Carl. Her bloodshot eyes widened in shock. It


    was as though she ran into her arch-nemesis.


    ¡°Sherry Fowler!¡±


    Carl stopped and turned around to Sherry.


    Sherry pursed her lips. She immediately followed the other employees to the entrance.


    ¡°I still have to go to work. You guys go on. Calm down a little please,¡± she said as she strode into the building with the other


    employees.


    Before she could leave the scene, she heard Ada screaming, ¡°Carl, did you see that? Sherry doesn¡¯t even love you! She has no


    feelings for you! But | do!¡±


    Her voice instantly attracted attention to Sherry.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherry was instantly stunned and left speechless. She obviously had no feelings for Carl, let alone love the man. However, it was


    wiser to flee the scene than exin herself.


    The wholepany already suspected that she and Carl were together, and if she indirectly ruined Carl and Ada¡¯s rtionship


    or whatever it was, the suspicion would only get stronger.


    She strode into the elevator, leaving the nosy employees and Ada speechless.


    Carl''s lips twitched helplessly before they turned into a cold expression. He scanned over the other nosy employees.


    The employees sensed his angry gaze and immediately fled the scene.


    Carl switched his attention back to Ada, who was looking at him intensely. He asked, ¡°Ada, you said you like me, but what have


    you done for me?¡±


    Ada was caught off guard by the question. It took her a while to say, ¡°....1 spoke to Grandmother to treat you better.¡±


    Carl scoffed. ¡°Do you think | need her to treat me better?¡±


    Ada pursed her lips.


    Carl walked closer to her and peered down at her condescendingly. ¡°Do you know what | want? | want to take back my rights to


    own thepany. | want to kick those people who try to take my rights away from me, namely your uncle, Ron Wright!¡±


    Ada¡¯s eyes widened as she staggered backward in disbelief.


    Carl continued, ¡°Sherry might not have feelings for me, but she¡¯s been helping me to regain my right and helped thepany


    ovee many obstacles. What have you done for me?¡±


    Ada stammered, ¡°I...1...


    Carl scoffed. ¡°You are not even worthy to be herpetition.¡±


    His mockery and insult felt as cold as ice.


    Ada¡¯s legs turned weak and fell to the ground once more.


    Carl wanted to walk past her.

 Chapter 1767

    Chapter 1767


    Chapter 1767


    Ada burst into tears again. ¡°Carl, | really like you.¡±


    ¡°| have a ton of women who like me. Do | need to marry every single one of them?¡± Carl bellowed.


    Ada continued, ¡°But Sherry doesn¡¯t even like you and she¡¯s been tempting you. She¡¯s still seeing her ex-husband! She¡¯s a bitch


    who has her feet in two boats!¡±


    Carl''s gaze turned frosty as he red at her. ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡±


    Ada had never seen such anger from Carl. Startled, she immediately pursed her lips in silence.


    Carl red at her ¡°I don¡¯t care if she likes me or not. If | hear one more word from you that bad- mouths her, I''ll throw you to the


    sharks!¡±


    Ada quivered out of fear. She dared not even argue or move anymore.


    Carl ignored her and headed inside.


    Awhileter, the security guards came over and threw her out on the street.


    Many of the employees saw Ada tumble a few times wretchedly before she got up on her feet Carl had already left. She was


    surrounded by a group of people who looked at her scornfully.


    Those people never dared to look her in the eye in the past, but now they treated her like some joke


    Ada¡¯s body stiffened as anger rushed to her head. She screamed, ¡°What are you people looking. at? Get the hell out of my face!


    lll fire all of you!¡±


    The group stopped gloating at her but someone argued, ¡°Ms. Wright, your uncle has been kicked out of the board, and both


    Aiden and Caden are noting back. You are nothing without the Sagers, so what gives you the right to fire us?¡±


    Someone else echoed, ¡°Yeah. If | were you, | would get the hell out. How dare youe here and give Master Carl trouble?¡±


    ¡°Who gave you the nerves?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha...¡±


    Peopleughed at her.


    Ada was infuriated. Her eyes almost popped out of her sockets due to rage. ¡°Y-you bunch of idiots! Bitch!*


    Her argument fueled the crowd¡¯s anger, but someone else managed to maintain calm and pulled the group away.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Come on, guys. Let her be. She¡¯s at her lowest already. Not even Ms. Fowler wants to talk to her, so we shouldn''t lower


    ourselves to her level either.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Let''s go. We are going to bete.¡±


    The group dispersed, leaving Ada on the ground in a wretched state.


    Ada clenched her fists tightly. She was Ron¡¯s niece, the cousin of Aiden and Caden, and the


    princess who had been living in the Sagers for years! She had never experienced such an insult before, let alone being mocked


    by people who she deemed lower than her.


    Madam Sager had once promised to matchmake her with Carl, and she even got her uncle¡¯s permission.


    Now, not only was she chased out of the Sagers, but she was also forbidden to be with Carl.


    Her uncle¡¯s new wife forbade her to stay in their new house. Her uncle no longer cared about her, Aiden and Caden stopped


    talking to her, and some of her childhood friends even stopped contacting her


    She used to be the respectable and lovable girl of Coastrock City a while ago!


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She clenched her fists tightly as she red at the door ¡°Sherry Fowler, this is


    all because of you. It¡¯s all because of you, bitch!¡±


    Sherry got into her office. As soon as she sat down, she sneezed She was not overly bothered and started herputer to work.

 Chapter 1768

    Chapter 1768


    Chapter 1768


    Work got extra busy with an urgent case and some meetings.


    Sherry worked tirelessly for hours before settling them. She ran to the toilet to release herself after holding it in for hours. She


    sighed a breath of relief as soon as she sat down on the toilet.


    When she was done and wanted to head out, she heard some women talking outside.


    ¡°Did you hear about this morning?¡±


    ¡°Ada and Carl?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Of course. We were there.¡±


    ¡°I''m talking about Ms. Fowler.¡±


    ¡°What''s with Ms. Fowler? | don¡¯t remember seeing her there.¡±


    ¡°She was. She was there with us for a while. She only left when she got made. Ada even shouted at her, but she ignored her.¡±


    ¡°Ada was throwing a tantrum, but Ms. Fowler didn¡¯t even say a word? Does it mean she has no feelings for Young Master Carl?¡±


    ¡°If she has no feelings for Young Master Carl, why would she have agreed to the engagement?¡±


    ¡°That didn¡¯t happen, did it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because her ex-husband brought her daughter to crash the ceremony. | really believe she has feelings for Young Master


    Carl.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s true, then why didn¡¯t she say anything when Ada was causing that fiasco earlier?¡±


    The women were baffled as they continued the gossip.


    Then, one of them said, ¡°I think she¡¯s trying to get both of them, Young Master Carl and her ex-


    husband.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m impressed if it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°The richest man in Glenchester and the future owner of the Sagers. Ms. Fowler is indeed impressive to have both men under


    her charms.¡±


    Bang!


    Sherry opened the door all of a sudden.


    The gossiping women were immediately silenced and startled. They quickly fled the toilet in


    embarrassment


    Sherry frowned She washed her hands and returned to her office. She knew the women simply wanted to gossip, but it was


    irritating nheless,


    The engagement with Carl might have been ruined, but she kept her distance from Carl at work


    Even when Carl flirted with her, she simply ignored him.


    Why would the others think that she wanted both Carl and John?


    The answerless question fueled her irritation and depression.


    Fortunately, her busy work schedule demanded her attention and she simply let the matter slip.


    Meanwhile back at Sherry¡¯s ce. Caprice got new toys from Aunt Wanda and was ying with them happily.


    John was at the dining table with hisptop. He used the ce as his desk and was holding a remote meeting.


    The meeting ended swiftly. He closed hisptop and called Peter back at Glenchester.


    After assigning Peter some tasks, he hung up. He was done with work for the day.


    He looked at his watch. It was four o¡¯clock in the evening, two more hours before Sherry came. back. He looked outside the


    window. It was a sunny day and it probably would not rain any more. He wondered if she coulde home on time tonight.


    Ding.

 Chapter 1769

    Chapter 1769


    Suddenly, his phone rang.


    It was Jason.


    John answered it and put it next to his ear. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Jason said, ¡°Sir, Ada Wright and Carl Sager got into a big argument in front of the Sagers¡¯ office this morning. She¡¯s trying to be


    with Carl but got rejected in front of a crowd. Madam was there when that happened, but she watched from a corner. Ada spotted


    her and shouted at her, but she ignored her and left.¡±


    John went silent for a moment. ¡°Ada Wright? Ron Wright''s niece?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You ordered us to keep an eye out for Ron Wright''s movements, and we spotted Ada being thrown out of the mansion by


    Ron¡¯s new wife. Ron did not even try to hold her back. She stayed in a five-star hotel for a night and went straight to Carl this


    morning.


    Ada was Ron¡¯s niece. Now that Ron was evicted from the Sagers, Ada would follow as well.


    Ron¡¯s new wife, Willow, had evicted her from their new mansion, and she stayed in a five-star hotel for a night. It seemed like


    she could not leave her luxurious andvish life behind, thus she hassled Carl in the morning.


    Now that Carl rejected her, would she simply step away from all this?


    Nevertheless, she was just a spoiled girl under Ron¡¯s care before. No matter how aggrieved she was, she could not possibly do


    anything.


    ¡°Mm-hmm. Keep watching them,¡± John said.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    After the call, John turned to Caprice.


    Caprice was already dozing off after ying with her new toys; Aunt Wanda was watching her from the side.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    John smiled as he walked over.


    ¡°Daddy...¡± Caprice could barely keep her eyes open yet she reached out to him with her tiny hands.


    John carried the girl into his arms andforted her, ¡°Daddy''s here. Sleep if you are tired.¡±


    Caprice leaned on his shoulder and fell asleep soon enough.


    The apartment returned to peace and quiet.


    John paced around the house with the sleeping Caprice for a while. After a while, he put her into the room and tucked her in.


    He then said to Aunt Wanda, ¡°I¡¯m going out. If Caprice wakes up and I¡¯m not back, tell her I''ll be back with her Mommy.¡±


    Aunt Wanda said with a smile, ¡°I understand.¡±


    John went out.


    The weather was great for a stroll by the beach. He walked past a florist and bought a fresh bouquet of roses before he took a


    ride to the Sagers¡¯ office.


    The sky was already dark when Sherry finished work. She stayed back for an extra half an hour just to tidy up everything.


    Thinking about Caprice back at home, she walked out of the office and headed to the elevator. When she arrived on the first


    floor, the door opened and Sherry walked out.


    Coincidentally, she ran into Carl, who was walking towards her from the other side in a handsome suit. He had buttoned his


    cor properly and shoved the usual rose from the chest away, making him look more professional than a yboy.


    He smiled at Sherry. ¡°Sis, are you going home?¡±


    Sherry hummed a reply.


    Carl walked up to her. ¡°I¡¯m done as well. I''ll drive you home.¡±


    Sherry immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. My car is just outside.¡±


    Gossip in the office said that she tried to tempt him, so there was no way she would let him drive her back, even if she did not


    drive.


    Disheartened, Carl¡¯s eyes flickered. He forced a smile on his face and said, ¡°Okay¡±


    Sherry walked past him and headed to the door.


    Carl followed her from a distance, but he only followed her to the entrance Standing in front of the ss door, he looked towards


    the parking lot and scoffed scornfully.

 Chapter 1770

    Chapter 1770


    Sherry¡¯s car was parked in the open parking lot outside the building.


    When she arrived at the parking lot but before she could reach her car, she heard several women squealing excitedly.


    ¡°My gosh! He¡¯s so handsome! He looks much better in person!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so charming. No wonder he¡¯s the richest man in Glenchester¡±


    ¡°I''m so jealous of Ms. Fowler.¡±


    Sherry was speechless when she heard the gossip.


    The women were employees of thepany. They were fangirling over a man with a bouquet of roses by Sherry¡¯s car-John.


    The white shirt and slim-fit pants set off his slender physique. His golden-framed sses hung over his tall nose,plementing


    his charming and enchanting eyes. He must have stood there for some time now.


    When Sherry spotted him, he spotted her too, and he smiled at her..


    The evening breeze fluttered his front hair, further revealing his handsome face. The smile on his face could steal hearts from


    any woman.


    The infatuated women squealed even louder.


    Sherry¡¯s heart raced for some reason but only for a second. She frowned at him.


    Should he not be at home with Caprice? Why was he waiting for her by her car with a bouquet of roses?


    Sherry could not even avoid him because he was by her car, and the other female employees saw her as well.


    She exasperatedly sighed as she walked over to him.


    When John smiled enchantingly at her, the female employees looked at her with utmost jealousy and envy.


    Sherry casually walked over to John.


    However, right before she could reach him, the seemingly peaceful and sweet scene took a


    drastic turn. The female employees were instantly horrified, and the man who was smiling at her dashed towards her all of a


    sudden.


    Even Carl ran out of the building and shouted at her, ¡°SHERRY! MOVE!¡±


    Startled, Sherry instinctively turned around.


    Ada came out from nowhere and charged toward her with a knife.


    ¡°Sherry, you bitch! I''ll kill you!¡± she shouted as she thrust the knife at Sherry.


    Horrified, Sherry¡¯s eyes widened as she tried to step back, but it was toote. Ada was inches away from her, and the knife was


    aimed at her chest.


    Sherry¡¯s body suddenly turned weak. Just when she thought she would be stabbed, a strong arm curled around her waist and


    pulled her away.


    Thud!


    She fell onto a strong and broad chest, feeling warm. Before she could even react, she heard the knife entering his body.


    ¡°Aaaah!¡± The female employees screamed.


    The man¡¯s body froze.


    Shocked, Sherry instinctively looked up at him.


    The man¡¯s face rapidly turned pale and his forehead glistened with sweat. However, his eyes remained gentle and loving even


    through the golden-framed sses He pursed his lips tightly. and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡±


    He hugged her strongly, so strongly that she could not break free.


    Until Ada was kicked to the ground with a painful scream, the man suddenly lost all his strength His grip over her waist loosened


    rapidly as he fell to the side like a falling timber


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 1771

    Chapter 1771


    Sherry tried to help him up, but he lost all his strength to the stab. His weight and physique overpowered her, dragging her down


    to the ground despite mustering all her strength to hold him up.


    The stench of blood entered her nose. She tapped on his shoulder to nudge him, but as soon as she lifted her hand, her palm


    was blood-stained. His back was drenched in his own blood.


    Her hand shook.


    Sherry looked at John. His face was bleached white and his half-closed eyes were glued to her


    Sherry¡¯s lips trembled out of fear ¡°John? John? JOHN!? Hang in there!¡±


    She pulled her phone out to call the ambnce.


    Ada, who was kicked to the ground by Carl, was apprehended by the security guards.


    Carl swiftly made a call and ran over to Sherry. He looked at Sherry and her blood-stained hand. ¡°Sis, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve called an


    ambnce. Help is arriving.¡±


    Sherry then looked at John. ¡°Did you hear that? Help ising! Hold on! Hang in there!¡±


    John¡¯s lips moved, seemingly spelling the word ¡®alright¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. Her tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrobly. She resented the man. She resented him for


    imprisoning her, bullying her, starving her, and almost killing her!


    However, when she saw him being stabbed because of her and dying in his own puddle of blood, her heart tightened


    uncontrobly. The heart-wrenching scene was too much for her to handle. Her lips. pursed, her teeth gritted and she held his


    hand tightly until the ambnce¡¯s siren entered her ears.


    The paramedics came down swiftly to attend to John¡¯s injuries.


    Sherry regained herposure and stepped aside.


    One of the paramedics said, ¡°There¡¯s a stab to the chest, possibly harming the heart. We need to bring him to the hospital


    immediately.¡±


    The paramedics then carried John into the ambnce.


    Sherry followed the paramedics to the ambnce, and Carl followed her.


    One of the security guards thought Carl was leaving, so he immediately asked, ¡°Sir, what should we do about Ms. Wright?¡±


    Disgusted, Carl bellowed, ¡°Turn her into the police immediately.¡±


    Ada¡¯s face turned pale. Her body was shaking because she did not expect to stab John.


    Carl''s words pulled her back from her shock. She shouted at Carl, ¡°Carl, | did this for you! Sherry is a shameless bitch! She¡¯s


    trying to deceive you and her ex-husband! She¡¯s a cheap-¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    p!


    Before she could finish, she was pped in the face


    It was Sherry who hade back from the ambnce


    Ada was stunned by the p it took her a few seconds to recover and it dawned on her that Sherry had pped her


    Things went silent Not only the bystanders and the other employees were stunned, even Carl and the paramedics were


    speechless


    Sherry kicked Ada in the belly and shouted, ¡°Ada Wright, if anything happens to John, I''ll make sure you suffer for it!¡±


    If it was not for the ambnce leaving, Sherry would have beaten Ada to death Sherry then went back to the ambnce.


    ¡°Who are you to the patient?¡± the paramedic asked


    Sherry said, ¡°I''m his wife ¡±


    The paramedic allowed her to follow them. The door closed and the ambnce sprinted off to the hospital he parking lot was left


    with a puddle of blood and a bunch of petrified bystanders.


    Cart watched as the ambnce left his sight. His brows furrowed in silence for a while

 Chapter 1772

    Chapter 1772


    Chapter 1772


    the corridor outside the emergency room, Sherry squatted down with her blood-stained hands over her fad


    It had been two hours, yet the door remained closed and the sign remained lit


    Sherry saw several medical staff running in and out of the emergency room, but there were no signs of e surgery being over She


    had been squatting down for so long that she could not feel her legs anymore.. fer body felt cold and stiff


    For some reason, her mind kept reying some old memories while she waited for the surgery to be over


    When they were together ten years ago, he had been the Stocktons eldest son, a handsome young man with a bright future. He


    was the ideal husband of many socialites and youngdies in Glenchester, but he had fallen for her out of all the other women


    At the start of their rtionship, her then fiance, Mason, was taken away by Shannon. hence she cut all ties with her family, the


    Fowlers She relied on her own hands to make a living


    He knew she was a woman with dignity so he never explicitly gave her money but helped her find part- time jobs that paid well.


    He would also give her gifts that looked normal but were actually expensive, and he would pick her up from school when she


    finished working.


    Later, his family found out about his rtionship


    Just when she thought their rtionship would end there and then, he chose her instead of his family, giving up his position as


    the heir to thepany


    When they moved into a cheap apartment, even when the two of them could not get any good jobs due to his father¡¯s influence,


    he had never given her a hard time He cooked for her when he came back from work, gave her all his money when he got paid,


    and told her to buy dresses and makeup to look beautiful


    Behind his love and care for her, he tightened his belt and ate the least amount of food just to stay alive


    Even when she wanted to break up with him because she could not bear seeing him suffer, he used to think it was he who had


    failed her and did not provide her with a good life.


    All the memories flooded her mind, tightening her chest.


    Her grievance tortured her for as long as it did.


    As a matter of fact, had she not asked for Mason¡¯s help to fake cheating on him, he would not have hated her as much


    He really thought she had betrayed him, hence the resentment and grudge it was also the main reason for what happened over


    the years. He actually never wanted to hurt her.


    Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrobly.


    Sherry buried her face behind her hands.


    If he could make it out of the emergency room, she would forgive him for whatever he did.


    She choked on her emotions for a little longer before she gradually recovered She lifted her head up to look at the emergency


    room but saw Lisa and Carl in front of her She was unaware of their arrival and they were looking at her, worried.


    Sherry was caught off guard.


    Lisa went over and squatted down. She looked at her gently and said, ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m sure the doctor will save him. He¡¯ll make it.¡±


    Sherry snorted and hummed a reply.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Lisa held her hand and hugged her ¡°Come on, don¡¯t sit on the floor it¡¯s cold. Let¡¯s go sit on the bench.


    Sherry could not say a word due to her overflowing emotions She simply followed Lisa to the bench by the side


    Carl remained petrified on the spot. Jason was also there, standing in silence.


    Another hourter, the door finally opened.


    Sherry bolted up.


    The doctor came over and said, ¡°The patient has made it through the critical state, but he is still unconscious. We''ll have to


    observe for another day.¡±


    Sherry finally sighed a breath of relief. ¡°Thank you, Doctor¡±


    ¡°You''re wee. You can settle the hospitalization procedurester,¡± the doctor said before he left.


    Lisa held Sherry close and said to Carl, ¡°Carl, go settle the procedures. I''ll stay here with Sherry¡±


    Carl nodded. He nced at Sherry before he left for the reception.


    John was then transferred to the ICU.

 Chapter 1773

    Chapter 1773


    John ned to stay for another day for observation purposes. If he could make it through, he could be discharged


    Sherry stayed by his side for the entire night.


    Lisa and Carl stayed back to apany Sherry, but she told them to go back to take a rest. They refused though


    It was until Lisa received a call about an urgent matter back at the Sagers house, only then she left while Carl stayed back.


    It was a quiet night in the corridor outside the ICU


    Sarl stood beside Sherry and looked at her silently.


    Awhile after Lisa left, Sherry looked at him. She said in a disheartened voice, T¡¯m fine. You should go back and take a rest


    Carl''s eyes flickered Tm responsible for what happened to Master Stockton as well. | failed to contain Ada, that was how she was


    able to hurt him. | should be the one who stays.¡±


    His words made sense, which silenced Sherry


    Carl continued, ¡°Sis, why don¡¯t you go back and take a rest?¡±


    ¡°lm not tired¡±


    Caprice was already sleeping and was safe under Aunt Wanda¡¯s care. There were bodyguards at home as well, so nothing


    would happen to the girl. She wanted to stay by John¡¯s side until he woke up.


    Carl pursed his lips silently as he stared at her worried face.


    The silencested through the night.


    The next morning, while Carl was away buying breakfast, a doctor and a nurse entered the ICU to check on John


    Sherry remained outside.


    Awhileter, the door opened and the doctor came out with a heavy expression.


    Sherry immediately asked, ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡±


    The doctor said heavily, ¡°He should be waking up by now, but there are no signs of it.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    The doctor looked at her ¡°Are you the patient¡¯s wife?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | am.¡±


    ¡°You can go in to apany him. He''ll need all the encouragement he can get. Maybe a miracle will happen.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Doctor.¡±


    The doctor then left with the nurse.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Sherry changed into a visiting gown and went in.


    The ICU was quiet, and only the whirring of machines could be heard The man on the bed looked pale


    and weak Hise es remained closed despite her entry to the room


    Sherry sat down beside him and called his name ¡°John.¡±


    Silence was the answer she got. He could not listen to a word she said as if he was dead


    Sherry¡¯s heart sank further She choked on her emotions for a bit before she said, ¡°Caprice is waiting for us at home. Wake up.


    Open your eyes if you want to see her again.¡±


    John remained unconscious, and his face remained pale.


    Sherry snorted. ¡°You jerk! | won''t feel guilty because you took the stab for me. You almost got me killed a few times in the past!¡±


    John remained still.


    Sherry pursed her lips. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She reached out and held his hand tightly. She whimpered as she said, ¡°I''ll


    forgive you! If you wake up, I''ll forgive you! I''ll forget what you did to me in the past¡¯ I''ll stay with you and Caprice and we can live


    together as a family. Please?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±

 Chapter 1774

    Chapter 1774


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Sherry thought she heard John replying She wanted to pull her hands back to wipe her tears but one of her hands was caught.


    She wiped her tears with one hand swiftly and then saw John looking at her gently.


    He looked weak and pale, but he was awake!


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed as she was surprised.


    As though he was afraid that she would not keep the promise, he held her hand tightly. He smiled and said, ¡°I heard what you


    said just now. | know you will keep your promise, am | right?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered several times.


    Seeing his eyes open and him talking to her made Sherry no longer feel less pain.


    ¡°| said it because | wanted you to wake up,¡± she said.


    John¡¯s expression changed. His brows furrowed and he looked like he was in pain. He lost his grip over her hand.


    Surprised, Sherry immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is your chest hurting?¡±


    ¡°My heart. It hurts...¡± he said feebly before his eyes closed once more.


    Sherry got anxious.


    Was it because of what she said?


    She held his hand tightly and said nervously, ¡°I was just joking! I''ll Keep my promise! If you treat me well, I''ll treat you well!¡±


    John¡¯s eyes remained closed.


    Sherry got even more anxious. She was afraid that he would never wake up again. She wanted to call the doctor but before she


    could, she felt the grip on her hand again.


    She turned around and saw him smiling like a cunning fox.


    ¡°Okay I''ll treat you well,¡± he said softly.


    Sherry suddenly had the urge to punch him. She red at him. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    He pursed his lips and feigned an innocent look. ¡°You said you want to be with me.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m going to inform the doctor to check on you.¡±


    Since he had already woken up, the doctor should check on him again


    John said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay They checked on me already Before you came in.¡±


    Cherry nodded but it dawned on her that something was wrong. She looked at him and asked. ¡°How did you know the doctor


    checked on you before | came in?¡±


    John pursed his lips


    Sherry frowned You already woke up before | came in


    Sherry was agitated and baffled at the same time. If you are already awake, why did the doctor tell me toe in and


    apany you?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°| told the doctor to let youe in,¡± he said with a smile.


    Sherry was speechless. She wanted to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip. She mustered all her strength but failed


    nheless.


    The little pull moved him closer to the edge of the bed. He frowned as if something hit him, but he remained smiling at her


    Sherry exasperatedly sighed and sat back down.


    John smiled at her


    ¡°Just you wait,¡± she red at him. Once discharged, she ought to teach him a lesson!


    Okay, I¡¯m waiting,¡± John said with a smile.


    Meanwhile, outside the ICU....

 Chapter 1775

    Chapter 1775


    Carl came back with breakfast and was standing outside the ss window. He looked disheartened when he saw the scene


    inside the ICU.


    He put the breakfast on the bench that Sherry sat on earlier and left quietly.


    Sherry stayed by John¡¯s side for a while before her stomach started to growl.


    John released her hand and told her to get something to eat.


    Sherry walked out of the ICU.


    The corridor was quiet.


    Sherry took off her visiting gown when she came out. She went on her phone to order some food, but then she noticed the


    breakfast on the bench.


    Surprised, she looked at Jason who was on guard further away. ¡°Jason, who bought this?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Carl.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He left.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry was silent for a moment. She then asked, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°| have, Madam.¡±


    The nurse in charge of checking up on John just wanted to ask her colleague to bring her breakfast and Sherry was aware of it.


    She gave the nurse the extra breakfast meal and took the other one herself.


    The ICU forbade any visiting other than medical staff. The reason why Sherry was able to go in earlier was that John had


    requested her presence from the doctor.


    Sherry stayed outside the ICU for the rest of the day.


    Lisa visited once in the afternoon. Learning that John had woken up, she apanied Sherry to lunch


    before leaving again.


    Awhileter, Aunt Wanda called her.


    Caprice had been missing her parents for a whole day and wanted to see them.


    Sherry talked to Caprice through the phone and lubied her to sleep before hanging up. She stayed at the hospital until sunset.


    The doctor went into the ICU and gave John another check-up. John was then transferred to a normal ward, and Sherry followed


    him there.


    John was transferred to the most expensive ward in the hospital, and it was Sherry who paid for it herself. The room felt


    comfortable, but the closed window looked a little stuffy.


    After John settled down, Sherry went to open the window and allowed thefortable breeze to enter.


    John leaned against the bed and watched her move around the room.


    Sherry felt ufortable being watched. After she opened the window, she turned to him and said, ¡°Can you stop staring at


    me?¡±


    John smiled. ¡°You have dark circles. Didn''t sleepst night?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered nervously. ¡°I did, but the bed is notfortable. | didn¡¯t get a good sleep.¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°Then, you should get some rest.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay. Aunt Wanda is bringing Caprice over. I¡¯ll rest when | put her to sleep.¡±


    The girl called her again after she woke up from her nap. She asked why they had note homest night and sounded


    worried.


    Now that John had been transferred to a normal ward, Aunt Wanda could bring the girl over to visit.


    John said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry sat on the couch and picked up a book to read. She was never a reader. The reason why she picked the book up was to


    hide her face behind it and stop him from staring at her.


    He might not be embarrassed, but she was.


    John smiled when he saw her bury her face behind a book. He picked up his phone and checked on the messages that he left


    out for the past two days.


    Things quieted down in the room until the door was opened and Caprice waddled her way in.


    Sherry put the book down.


    Caprice waddled to the bed and looked at John with teary eyes.


    Sherry told Caprice about John¡¯s condition, but she did not tell the girl that he had been stabbed. She simply said John fell down


    and hurt himself.


    When the girl saw her father in the patient¡¯s gown and his pale look, she looked worried and sad.

 Chapter 1776

    Chapter 1776


    ¡°Daddy, what happened to you?¡± Caprice asked frightfully while slowly tearing up.


    It hurt Sherry to see her like this.


    John raised his hand and gently stroked Caprice¡¯s head, ¡°Daddy will be fine.¡±


    Caprice whimpered, ¡°Daddy, your voice is hoarse.¡±


    ¡°It''s what happens when you get sick, Daddy will be fine after a few days of rest.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips and tried to crawl onto the bed. She had trouble climbing up due to her height. All she could manage was


    to awkwardly prop one of her feet onto the bed, but she did not have the strength to pull her weight onto the bed.


    She groaned and tried to muster her strength to fling herself onto the bed.


    Sherry chuckled and stepped forward to help her onto the bed.


    After Caprice managed to get onto the bed, she crawled over to John and hugged him tightly. She began to blowrge puffs of


    air on his face. She must have learned this from one of those cartoons she liked to watch.


    ¡°If | keep doing this, you will feel better.¡±


    She continued the bizarre technique for a while until her lips were beginning to be parched.


    John chuckled and patted her head gently, ¡°Thank you, Caprice. Daddy is feeling much better.¡±


    Caprice was very pleased to hear this, ¡°You¡¯re wee, Daddy.¡±


    She seemed very proud of her effort.


    The injury John had sustained was centered in the area near his heart. With Caprice lying directly on top of his chest, Sherry was


    worried that it was going to aggravate his condition. With that in mind, she carried Caprice off the bed.


    She grew curious and asked, ¡°Caprice, Mommy and Daddy haven''t been at home these two days. Have you been a good girl at


    home?¡±


    Caprice rested quietly in her arms without protest. She smiled brightly and expressed proudly, ¡°I''ve been a good girl!¡± She


    missed her parents very much, but she was very strong and did not cry once.


    Sherry kissed Caprice on the cheeks.


    Caprice snickered happily and gave Sherry a big smooch on the cheeks as well.


    Sherry carried her over to the couch.


    It was nearing dinner time.


    Soon, Jason showed up with food.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Since John could not get out of bed yet, Sherry helped bring the food to him and set it on a table next to the bed. Then, she went


    back to eat with Caprice at a table nearby.


    After the meal, Caprice hopped out of the chair and went to be with her father.


    Sherry found herself blurting out, ¡°Caprice, Daddy is still injured. Make sure you don¡¯t lie on top of him.¡±


    Caprice nodded.


    Resting on the hospital bed, John cast a look in Sherry¡¯s direction, something gleamed in his eyes.


    Sherry recognized the look in his eyes and asked suspiciously, ¡°What''s with that look? Was it something | said?¡±


    John smiled gently, ¡°No, nothing.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°I¡¯m just feeling happy.¡±


    ¡°What are you so happy about?¡±


    ¡°That you care about me.¡±


    Sherry seemed at a loss of what to say and blurted out, ¡°I just don¡¯t want Caprice to lose her father at such a young age.¡±


    As she was saying this, Caprice was desperately trying to pull her weight onto the bed. The moment she heard what her mother


    said, she froze and immediately lost her bnce, then tumbled to the floor with a loud thump.


    She turned up to look at Sherry, her eyes filled with tears.


    Sherry was startled by this. When she met Caprice¡¯s eyes, she was stricken with guilt.


    He hurried to Caprice and helped her up from the ground.


    Caprice grumbled.


    Sherry became very worried and asked, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I''m okay.¡± She seemed like she was upset about something else.


    Sherry realized that it must have been the passing remark she made about John just now. She quickly tried to remedy the


    situation, ¡°Caprice, Mommy was just joking around with Daddy.¡±


    Caprice shot a look at her and said crossly, ¡°It¡¯s not funny. Don¡¯t do that again Mommy.¡±


    She did not ever want to lose her father or her mother. She wanted both Mommy and Daddy to be around forever!


    Sherry was slightly caught off guard by the hard tone of her voice. Caprice was always soft-spoken and easygoing, so this was


    the first she had ever seen Caprice speak in a sharp, cutting tone.


    The entire time, Caprice was staring at her intently with herrge, marbly eyes.

 Chapter 1777

    Chapter 1777


    Sherry gave her word. ¡°Alright, Mommy promises to never say something like that ever again.¡±


    Caprice smiled and seemed content atst.


    Sherry kissed her on the cheek.


    Caprice returned the same favor, and they made up.


    Sherry smiled and carried her onto the bed.


    John was looking at Sherry with a smile forming in the corner of his eyes. He seemed to find the situation. of a mother getting


    lectured by her daughter very humorous.


    Sherry shot a look at him.


    He traced a smile and told her tenderly, ¡°I''ll Keep Capricepany for a bit. Why don¡¯t you get some rest?¡±


    There was arge recliner next to the couch with nkets and pillowsid on top of it. It was ideal for her to catch up on some


    rest.


    Sherry was certainly getting tired. She doubted she needed to worry about Caprice since she was with her father.


    She nodded and went to the reclining chair without protest. She swiftly took off her coat and shoes, then she reclined into the


    chair and threw the nket on top of her. After she was in afortable position, she closed her eyes.


    It was very quiet in the room.


    Just as she was about to fall asleep, she faintly heard John¡¯s voice. He was speaking to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, Mommy stayed up all


    nightst night to watch over Daddy, so she¡¯s very tired. She was only joking when she said that just now. Please don¡¯t be angry.


    Caprice was seated cross-legged next to him and was toying with a plushie. She seemed surprised to hear this and said ina


    reflective tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t know, | wasn¡¯t trying to be mean to Mommy.¡±


    John gently pinched her chubby cheeks and spoke gently, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not angry at you. | just wanted you to know that deep


    down, Mommy cares about me,¡±


    Caprice was suddenly filled with guilt, ¡°But | got angry at Mommy just now.¡±


    ¡°Mommy won''t hold it against you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    That was the end of their conversation.


    Sherry remainedying on the recliner the entire time. It may look like she was sleeping calmly, but there was a wave of restless


    turmoil inside her.


    In the end, her umted exhaustion took over. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep.


    It was the next morning by the time she opened her eyes again. The curtains were slightly parted, allowing a trace of sunlight to


    spill into the room.


    John sat up against the headboard of the bed and was reading a book.


    Caprice was snuggled next to Sherry and sleeping soundly. She must have climbed into the recliner at some point in the night.


    Sherry gave her a big smooch on the lips. She waspletely irresistible cause of how cute she looked in her sleep.


    ¡°Morning.¡± John noticed that she woke up and greeted her with a warm smile.


    Sherry made a look and returned the greeting, ¡°Morning.¡±


    Then, she got up and went to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, then she stepped back into the ward.


    The doctor happened toe by for a routine inspection.


    After attending to John and leaving some brief instructions, the doctor left with the nurses.


    Caprice woke up around this point. Her first instinct upon waking up was to look for her mother, she muttered drowsily,


    ¡°Mommy?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I''m right here.¡± Sherry hurried to her side.


    Caprice crawled into her arms and burrowed her face into the crook of her neck.


    Sherry smiled and carried her to the bathroom.


    After helping her wash up, they went back into the ward. Sherry turned to John and mocked a cough before asking, ¡°Do you


    want to go to the bathroom?¡±


    John looked at her and answered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sherry set Caprice on the couch, then she went to the bed to help John out of bed.


    The moment her hands briefly made contact with his, he held on to her wrist as if his life depended on it. Sherry was caught off


    guard by this and lost her bnce, she copsed into the bed. Her lips briefly brushed against John¡¯s as shended against his


    chest.


    She frantically tried to pull herself out of bed. That was when she felt a palm pressing against the back of her head, preventing


    her from rising.


    There was only a ruler¡¯s length separating the two of them as they made eye contact.

 Chapter 1778

    Chapter 1778


    John smirked and teased her, ¡°Clumsy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sherry did not utter a word.


    Scumbag!


    ¡°Get your hands off me!¡± she snapped suddenly.


    John continued pressing the back of her head,pletely unfazed by her outburst. ¡°Were you hurt?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s felt her cheeks growing red hot. ¡°No!¡±


    John smiled, ¡°Alright then, good.¡±


    Sherry clenched her jaw and repeated sharply, ¡°Let go!¡±


    Or else, she was going to beat him up!


    ¡°Okay,¡± John said as he pressed her toward him.


    Sherry felt her weight shifting forward, and in an instant, it seemed like she was zooming in on John¡¯s eyes. She felt the softness


    of his lips pressing against hers. The warmth and tender texture of his lips sent a wave of electric shock through her.


    It took her a moment before she fully registered what was happening. Just as she was about to begin swinging her fists at John,


    he let go of her so that she could pull herself away.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She immediately snapped backward like a spring. Her heart was pounding incessantly, and her cheeks were flushed red. She


    had to take a moment to catch her breath before she hissed, ¡°Go to the bathroom yourself!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± John spoke calmly, ¡°Actually, | went before you woke up.¡±


    Sherry was bbergasted.


    Then, why did he ask for her help back there?


    Was it intentional just so he could mess with her?


    John looked at her with a wide grin on his face, the smug type that implied he was fully aware of what he was doing.


    Sherry was furious and shouted, ¡°You scumbag! Do you want me to break your legs?!¡±


    John answered briskly, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Sherry was speechless.


    Meanwhile, Caprice who was sitting on the couch the entire time looked on with amusement. Her head


    was tilted to the side as she beheld their interaction with much confusion.


    They were kissing only moments ago, so why were they fighting now?


    Adults were so strange.


    Sherry was fuming. She took Caprice and stormed out. She wanted to go out for a walk and get some breakfast on the way.


    They strolled around the area before they found a nice breakfast ce. They ate there and stayed for a


    while before they ordered a portion to go, then they began heading back to the hospital.


    John¡¯s ward was on the eighth floor.


    Sherry took Caprice in her arms and stepped into the elevator. Soon, the elevator took them to the eighth.


    floor.


    As they stepped into the corridor, they noticed Jason, Nelson, and several bodyguards crowded by the ward entrance.


    There was another familiar figure among them. It was Peter. He approached Sherry when he noticed her.


    He smiled warmly at her, ¡°Good morning, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Sherry smiled at him and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going in?¡±


    He must have rushed here when he found out about what happened to John.


    Peter was about to say something when the door leading into the ward was flung open.


    A figure dressed in bright yellow bolted through the door.


    Sherry barely had time to identify who this person was when she felt a pair of arms thrown around her. If not for the wall behind


    her nketing the impact, she would have been thrown to the floor.


    ¡°Oof...¡± She heard someone grunt.


    It was neither her nor the person hugging her who made the sound. Instead, it was Caprice who was squeezed in between the


    two of them. She was about to turn into a pancake.


    Queenie immediately let go of Sherry, her voice ring with concern as she cried out, ¡°Caprice, did | hurt you? I¡¯m so sorry!¡± 2


    Caprice caught her breath and assured her, ¡°I''m okay.¡±


    She only nearly had the air squeezed out of her.

 Chapter 1779

    Chapter 1779


    Queenie smiled warmly, then she turned to Sherry.


    Sherry recognized Queenie atst and was astounded. ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    Queenie beamed with joy. ¡°Just this morning. | came here with my mother and Peter.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Is Madam Stockton here too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my mom is inside.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Madam Stockton stepped out of the room and revealed herself.


    She was dressed rather inly, her hair tied back in amon ponytail. She looked thinner and frailer than when Sherryst


    saw her.


    Her lips quivered. It looked like she wanted to say something to Sherry but did not know how to start or where to start.


    Sherry seemed visibly affected to see Madam Stockton here.


    When John was still in the intensive care unit, Peter had trouble reaching him at all, so he ended up contacting Jason. It was


    Sherry who then took the phone and told him about John taking a knife for her to protect her.


    Madam Stockton must have found out about everything that happened from Peter. Sherry was worried that Madam Stockton still


    harbored resentment towards her. Even if she knew that what happened in the past was all an evil ploy of Julie¡¯s, she already


    had a poor impression of Sherry due to past events.


    With this in mind, Sherry put Caprice down and handed the takeout container to her before urging her to go in, ¡°Caprice, why


    don¡¯t you go inside with Aunt Queenie and give the food to Daddy?¡±


    Caprice nodded obediently.


    Sherry darted a nce at Queenie who nodded and took the hint. She took Caprice by her hand and lead


    her into the ward.


    Sherry looked at Madam Stockton and gestured politely. ¡°Madam Stockton, let¡¯s have a chat over here.¡±


    Madam Stockton remained silent the entire time.


    AS Sherry stepped to the corner, Madam Stockton followed after her.


    Sherry approached some chairs and gestured. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡±


    Madam Stockton tucked her lips and told her with a tint of reservation in her voice, ¡°Alright, sit with me, please.¡± With that, she


    sat down. She was a bundle of nerves.


    Sherry was slightly startled by the quiver in her voice, but she proceeded to sit.


    Madam Stockton made to speak. There was a nk look on her face, and she still had trouble forming her thoughts.


    Sherry considered for a moment and asked stiffly, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    ¡°Much better.¡± Madam Stockton smiled politely. Atst, she began to speak, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you saving me from the burning car.


    If not for you, | wouldn¡¯t even be alive and talking to you this moment.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes became filled with emotions. She said with a faint smile, ¡°No need, anyone would have saved you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that. | was very nasty toward you back then and was constantly trying to tear John away from you.¡±


    Madam Stockton expressed with a tired sigh, ¡°But you looked past all that and chose to save me.¡±


    Sherry smiled and spoke sincerely, ¡°You are John¡¯s mother. | would do everything | can to save you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. | just thought... What | did in the past was wrong. If it wasn¡¯t for me, things would have gone much better between


    you and John, and all those terrible things would not have happened.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°It was right for John to take


    that knife for you, especially considering how terribly he treated you back then. You could even say he deserved it. Julie... that


    wretched woman almost killed you. I¡¯m just d that you managed to make up with John after everything that happened.¡±


    She grew emotional as she spoke and quickly reached for a handkerchief to wipe her tears.


    Sherry was starkly surprised. She was not expecting such a heartfelt confession.


    Before the start of their conversation, she assumed that Madam Stockton would tell her off again and warn her to keep her


    distance from John.


    It seemed like after Julie¡¯s true nature was exposed, Madam Stockton came to realize how unjust she had been all these years.


    Sherry pursed her lips and tried to say something, but found herself at a loss for what to say.


    It was around this point when Madam Stockton suddenly took out an intricate little red box from her purse. She opened the box.


    It contained an exquisite emerald bracelet with excellent craftsmanship. It looked like it had been well preserved for many


    decades.


    ¡°Sherry, | want you to take this,¡± she said as she handed the bracelet over.


    Sherry was very appreciative but kindly refused, ¡°Madam Stockton, | know that you mean well but | simply can¡¯t take it. It¡¯s too


    expensive.¡±


    Madam Stockton exined with a smile, ¡°This is a family heirloom passed down through generations. John¡¯s grandmother gave


    it to me a long time ago, and | think it¡¯s time for me to pass it on to you.¡±


    It was an heirloom passed down to the daughter-inw.


    Sherry was appalled by this. Still, she stood her ground. ¡°I think you should keep it for now.¡±


    It was all too sudden.


    Madam Stockton seemed crushed to hear this. ¡°You... you still can¡¯t forgive John, can you? Is it impossible for you to make up


    with him?¡±

 Chapter 1780

    Chapter 1780


    Sherry quickly cleared things up. ¡°No, | promised to forgive him and to make up with him in time.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you should take this.¡± Madam Stockton tried to shove the box into her hands.


    Sherry insisted on not taking it. ¡°It¡¯s just too sudden. We can talk about thister.¡±


    Madam Stockton frowned sourly. She expressed with a sigh, ¡°I understand that he hurt you gravely. | should not have forced you


    two to break up a decade ago. It must have left a bad taste in your mouth. If | were you, | would have a hard time forgiving him


    as well.¡±


    Her voice became choked up as she spoke.


    Sherry was silent. She winced. This was a tough situation for her.


    Although some emotions were welling inside her that she still could not look past, she was aware that she had promised John to


    repair their rtionship. She could not go back on her word.


    She knew that it would not please Madam Stockton if she continued to refuse the family heirloom.


    ¡°It was all my fault. I''ve made things difficult for you two during all those years and put you through so much...¡± Madam Stockton


    went on and on.


    Sherry made up her mind. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I''ll take it.


    Madam Stockton¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.


    Sherry took the box and promptly tucked it into her purse.


    Madam Stockton wore a celebratory smile. She turned to Sherry and thanked her sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Sherry.¡± She was


    thanking her for being willing to make up with John.


    These days, Madam Stockton had been nothing but miserable. She would spend every waking hour of the day praying that the


    pair would reconcile their differences. Otherwise, she would have to live with the guilt of tearing them apart for the rest of her life.


    Sherry frowned.


    She could see that the madam had learned her lesson and wasmitted to being a better person. Despite that, it was difficult


    for her to forget the horrible pains the madam had once inflicted upon her.


    She understood that there was no point in holding the past against her, especially considering how she had never done that in


    the past as well.


    ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡± she asked.


    Madam Stockton smiled briskly. ¡°I have. After | got off the ne with Queenie, we ate in the car while we were on the way here.¡±


    Then, she asked Sherry the same question, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°Caprice and | ate just now.¡± With that, she got up. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go in.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Madam Stockton had some difficulty getting up. It seemed like the ident had impacted her physical health.


    As Sherry kindly helped her up, Madam Stockton smiled sincerely at her.


    Sherry returned the same smile.


    With that, they entered the ward.


    Queenie stood near the entrance and traced a smile when she saw the pair enter.


    John was seated on the hospital bed and eating the breakfast Sherry bought for him.


    Caprice was next to him, she was ying with a plushie.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    When John noticed Sherry and Madam Stockton entering, he looked up and smiled warmly at Sherry.


    Sherry returned a faint smile and turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, Grandma is here. Why don¡¯t youe and y with Grandma for


    a while?¡±


    Caprice nodded obediently and promptly hopped out of bed. She quickly approached Sherry and Madam Stockton.


    Sherry shot her a look.


    Caprice immediately took the hint, she walked up to Madam Stockton and greeted her in a sing-song voice, ¡°Hello, Grandma...¡±


    Madam Stockton quickly bent over and took Caprice into her arms. ¡°Caprice, oh my baby, Grandma misses you so much.¡±


    Caprice was used to having Sherry shower her with affection in the same manner. Once she settled into Madam Stockton¡¯s


    arms, she nted a big smooch on the madam¡¯s cheeks out of habit.


    Madam Stockton shrieked with joy. She would have spun around in circles with Caprice in her arms if not for her poor and aging


    knees.


    Sherry smiled and lead the two of them to a nearby couch so they could have a seat.


    Madam Stockton held on to Caprice the entire time as if she was afraid that Caprice would vaporize into dust if she was not


    careful.


    John took his time with his breakfast.


    It was a rather heartwarming scene.

 Chapter 1781

    Chapter 1781


    Sherry felt a surge of joy gurgling within her, and she smiled.


    ¡°Sherry.¡± She heard Queenie¡¯s voice calling out her name from behind.


    She was slightly startled and quickly turned around. ¡°What is it?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Queenie seemed to be second-guessing herself. ¡°Um... | wanted to talk to you for a second.¡±


    She looked like a child who had done something wrong and was afraid of being told off.


    This caught Sherry¡¯s attention. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Can we step outside real quick?¡± Queenie tugged at Sherry¡¯s sleeve.


    Sherry made a look, then she nced at John.


    John smiled and spoke softly, ¡°Go ahead, please ask Peter toe inside for me.¡±


    Sherry and Queenie stepped out into the corridor.


    After ensuring that there was no one in earshot, Sherry gave the go-ahead. ¡°Go on, tell me what''s on your mind.¡±


    Queenie hung her head low. ¡°I wanted to apologize.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback. ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡±


    ¡°For pping you back there, | was very nasty toward you.¡± Her voice trailed off into a mumble.


    Only then did Sherry understand what she was referring to.


    It happened when Madam Stockton was rushed to the hospital after the ident. Back then, Queenie was incited by something


    Julie told her and misdirected her anger at Sherry. She had pped Sherry right across the face the moment she got to the


    hospital.


    Queenie hung her head lower and seemed like she wanted to bury herself into a hole.


    She felt incredibly remorseful.


    Sherry did not realize that Queenie had been troubled over this for so long.


    She forgave her with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, | almost forgot about it until you mentioned it.¡±


    Queenie¡¯s p was nothingpared to the viinous hatred Julie bore toward her. It was nothingpared to what John had


    done to her after having been misled by Julie. As far as Sherry was concerned, the p was nothing but a passing thought of no


    importance.


    ¡°It''s alright, | remember hitting you this one time as well,¡± she remarked.


    Queenie suddenly looked up with a puzzled look on her face. ¡°When did you ever hit me?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips in thought. ¡°I think it was a few years ago.¡±


    Queenie grinned and announced, ¡°In that case, we''re even. You''re not going to hold it against me in the future, are you?¡±


    Sherry assured her. ¡°Of course, not.¡±


    She had never borne any resentment toward Queenie.


    Queenieughed cheerfully and hugged Sherry tightly. ¡°Sherry, you have no idea how much this has been


    weighing on metely. When | thought that you were burned alive in that house, | couldn¡¯t even eat anything for several days


    after that!¡±


    When she spoke, her voice quivered with joy and tion.


    Sherry smiled and gently patted Queenie on the back. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Have you been thinking of me at alltely?¡± Queenie let go of her and presented the question out of nowhere.


    Sherry tried to sound as convincing as possible. ¡°Yes of course | have...¡±


    After the traumatic episode with John, the only thing on her mind was to cut off contact with him entirely and leave behind


    everything and every person she knew back in nchester. She barely contacted or even thought of Sylvia at all, much less


    Queenie.


    Queenie embraced her tightly. ¡°I knew you''d think of me.¡±


    Sherry smiled stiffly..


    Now that there were more people gathered, the atmosphere inside the ward had be rather lively.


    Madam Stockton was all over Caprice.


    Queenie bombarded Sherry with questions. She was curious to know about what had been happening to hertely and wanted


    to know the full story behind why someone would try to hurt her.


    Sherry briefly provided an overview of the politics inside Sager Corporation and brushed the matter aside.


    She had been at the hospital over thest two days and barely had time to attend to her work.


    Now that John¡¯s condition was stable and Caprice had someone to look after her, there was less for her to worry about. She took


    herptop to a quiet corner next to the window and buried her head into her work.


    She worked until evening and at one point, Lisa showed up.


    She did not expect to see so many people gathered in the ward and was visibly surprised when she stepped into the ward with


    her assistant. They brought baskets of fruits with them.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie were also surprised to see Lisa.


    Caprice was the only one who was unfazed by the situation. She cried out the moment she recognized Lisa. ¡°Aunt Lisa!¡±

 Chapter 1782

    Chapter 1782


    Lisa traced a motherly smile on her lips and greeted Caprice lovingly, ¡°Hey!¡±


    She made to approach Caprice after greeting her but quickly halted when she noticed Madam Stockton sitting next to Caprice.


    Sherry aptly rose from her seat and approached them.


    She went up to Lisa and made the introductions. ¡°Aunt Lisa, this is John¡¯s mother, and that¡¯s John¡¯s sister, Queenie.¡±


    Then, she turned to Madam Stockton and Queenie. ¡°Madam Stockton, Queenie, Aunt Lisa is the chairman of Sager Corporation


    and also Carl''s mother.¡±


    Both Madam Stockton and Queenie rose and greeted her politely.


    ¡°So, you are the infamous Madam Sager, it¡¯s good to see you.¡± Madam Stockton held her manners about her.


    Lisa responded kindly, ¡°Good to see you as well, Madam Stockton.¡±


    Queenie greeted her politely as well, ¡°Hello, Madam Sager.¡±


    Lisa was very courteous. ¡°Hello there, Queenie.¡±


    ¡°Please, sit down.¡± Madam Stockton motioned.


    Lisa nodded and approached Caprice.


    As soon as she drew near to Caprice, she wrapped her arms tightly around the child and began smothering her with kisses.


    ¡°Caprice, Grandma misses you so much!¡±


    Caprice giggled and nted a big kiss on Lisa¡¯s cheeks as well as she was overjoyed to see Lisa. Madam Stockton grimaced


    faintly, a bitter look of jealousy rose beneath the surface.


    Caprice had never kissed her like this.


    Queenie was just as startled by the sight of Caprice acting so friendly with Madam Sager. She did not expect the infamous


    Madam Sager to turn out to be such a kindly olddy.


    Lisa must have sensed the faint turbulence in the air as well. After teasing Caprice a little while longer, she promptly put the child


    down. Then, she turned to Madam Stockton and Queenie. ¡°Please, sit, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Madam Stockton was very civil. ¡°Come sit with us.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, | still have some business to deal with. | just happened to be in the area so | figured I¡¯d swing by for a quick visit. |


    have to leave soon,¡± Lisa remarked as she approached Sherry.


    She passed a bag to Sherry. ¡°Sherry, | went shopping with some friendsst night and bought you some outfits that | think you¡¯d


    like. | also put some vitamin supplements inside the bag. You''re going to need them since you haven''t had much resttely, you


    look pale.¡±


    Sherry smiled and thanked her kindly, ¡°I got it, Aunt Lisa. Go on, you have work to do.¡±


    ¡°What''s the rush? I¡¯m not done here yet.¡± Lisa signaled a look at her assistant.


    The assistant took the hint and promptly ced arge fruit basket on the table next to John¡¯s bed. Then, she reached into the


    basket and produced arge stic bag from inside.


    Lisa announced proudly, ¡°I had a friend who runs a toy factory to pick out some toys for me. If Caprice likes these toys, you know


    who to call. I''ll get more for her.¡±


    Sherry smiled and thanked her, ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±


    Lisa gently patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Make sure you take care of yourself, call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°OK.¡±


    With that, Lisa turned and prepared to leave.


    Before she was out the door, she turned to Madam Stockton and Queenie and acknowledged them with a smile. Then she


    turned to John who wasying on the bed. ¡°Master Stockton, I¡¯ll be leaving for now, see you.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    John smiled graciously. ¡°I''ll see you, Madam Sager.¡±


    Lisa walked out.


    Her assistant promptly followed her.


    Sherry was already used to Madam Sager¡¯s entricity and did not think much of it. John had grown ustomed to the madam


    over thest two days as well.


    It was Madam Stockton and Queenie who seemed caught in a daze, still reeling back from the bizarre character they had


    witnessed.


    After a while, Queenie approached Sherry and asked, ¡°Sherry, has Madam Sager always been so friendly with you?¡±


    Sherry was unpacking the bag of toys for Caprice and briefly nodded in response, it did not seem peculiar to her at all.


    Queenie smiled and remarked, ¡°She''s very kind.¡±


    Sherry smiled and made noments.


    Lisa had always been very genuine and had a personality that lit up the room.


    Ever since they became acquainted, Lisa had always doted on her. They grew even closer after Sherry had proved her worth


    and managed to help Sager Corporation out of countless crises, further cementing their rtionship.


    What Sherry took away from her rtionship with Lisa was a level of appreciation for mutual trust with an elder.


    However, not everyone had such a favorable impression of Lisa.

 Chapter 1783

    Chapter 1783


    This was because Madam Sager was known for being ruthless and imposing. It was not just Carl who was always the subject of


    her temper, even the shareholders in the corporation found themselves on the wrong end of her outburst from time to time. They


    had been tolerating her for a while now.


    Throughout the entire corporation, Sherry was probably the only one who was treated kindly by Madam Sager. The others barely


    knew what her smile looked like.


    It went without saying that most of the senior members of the corporation revered and feared the madam.


    She was very vicious and even cruel at times but managed her image of a ¡®wonderful leader¡¯.


    Sherry pried open the stic bag containing toys.


    The first thing she saw was a mini car modeled to resemble a pig, coated in bright pink paint.


    It was adorable and exotic.


    The moment Caprice saw it, she immediately lost interest in the plushie she had in her hand and tossed it aside. She bolted


    toward the car.


    Sherry clicked a switch and turned it on.


    Caprice burrowed herself into it and began driving.


    It was designed to drive at a conservative speed so there was no worry of Caprice bumping into things. and hurting herself.


    She seemed to be enjoying it very much, she drove it straight to John¡¯s hospital bed.


    The rear wheel of the car jammed against the foot of the bed and got stuck.


    She tried to steer left and right but could not wring herself free. She cried for help, ¡°Daddy, the car is stuck.¡±


    John expressed helplessly, ¡°Sorry, | can¡¯t help you, you''ll have to ask Mommy for help.¡±


    Caprice turned to Sherry and whimpered sheepishly, ¡°Mommy...¡±


    Sherry was upied as well. ¡°Mommy is busy now, ask Grandma to help you.¡±


    Caprice turned to Madam Stockton and pleaded, ¡°Grandma...¡±


    Madam Stockton was ecstatic to help. She hurriedly sprang toward Caprice and helped her pull the car away from the bed. After


    that, she took a stroll next to the car and went outside with Caprice.


    Sherry smiled and turned her attention back to what she was doing. She asked Queenie to sit with her and opened the bag Lisa


    gave to her.


    It contained several boxes, all of which had the logo of a branded boutique printed on top.


    She did not have to open them to figure out the contents of the boxes.


    It must have been a variety of jewelry and dresses.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    She opened some of the boxes of jewelry and saw shining, sparkling pieces of ruby and emeralds inside. They were polished to


    the extreme, each of them worth a fortune.


    Apart from the branded apparel, there was also a box with bottles of vitamin supplements inside.


    She looked at the jewelry and motioned to Queenie. ¡°Do you want any of these?¡±


    Queenie swayed her head from side to side. ¡°No, they''re too shy for me.¡±


    Sherry nced at a hairpin strapped with a bell tied around Queenie¡¯s hair and smiled furtively.


    The ward was very packed, it was not meant for arge party.


    Sherry¡¯s one-bedroom apartment was not a suitable ce to house Queenie and Madam Stockton either.


    She ended up reserving a room at a nearby five-star hotel for them.


    Since it was gettingte, she asked them to take Caprice to the hotel to catch up on some rest.


    Both Madam Stockton and Queenie were more than eager to take Caprice with them. They went to the hotel apanied by


    Aunt Wanda and Jason.


    Alooming silence fell over the ward again after they all left. It was only Sherry and John left.


    ¡°I''m thirsty,¡± John announced suddenly.


    Sherry asked grumpily, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that when the nurse came by?¡±


    Madam Stockton, Queenie, and Aunt Wanda had only left five minutes ago. The nurse came by for al routine inspection and had


    only just left as well. She suspected that John was doing this intentionally to get on her nerves.


    ¡°| just happened to feel thirsty now,¡± John exined with an air of innocence about him.


    Reluctant as she was, she ended up pouring him a ss of warm water. She took the ss and


    approached the bed where she carefully set it down on the bedside table.


    She turned around and prepared to head back to her seat.


    That was when she felt his arm gripping tightly onto her wrist. Before she could react, she was pulled into the bed.

 Chapter 1784

    Chapter 1784


    She was thrown into John¡¯s arms with her body pressed up close against his.


    Her face turned beet red immediately. She quickly pushed herself off the bed.


    Before she was aware of what was happening, she felt a palm pressing down on the back of her head.


    She only managed to push herself off John for a second, barely enough to gasp for air, before she was pressed toward him


    again. Their lips pressed closely against each other¡¯s and sealed together in a fervent


    kiss.


    He kissed her for several seconds before letting go of her head.


    Just when thought she could wring herself free atst, she noticed that John had held her hands tightly behind her back.


    She flopped helplessly on top of him. In an instant, something vicious red in her eyes as she shouted, ¡± You b*stard, get your


    stinky hands off me!¡±


    ¡°This bed is big enough for both of us, you can sleep with me tonight,¡± John said devilishly.


    Sherry rolled her eyes and shot down his advances without a second thought. ¡°You¡¯d wish.¡±


    She promised to forgive him, but she never said a word about getting intimate with him again!


    John squinted, his expression began to darken. ¡°I only asked you to sleep here because I¡¯m worried that you¡¯d be ufortable


    sleeping on the recliner. Don¡¯t worry, | can¡¯t do anything to you in my current state anyway.


    He yfully tapped Sherry on the forehead and teased her. ¡°What, did you have something special in mind?¡±


    Sherry was speechless.


    Her cheeks were flushed red.


    In a fit of embarrassment, she angrily thumped John on his shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t sleep with you, let go!¡± Amid her outburst, she


    noticed that John winced for a split second. It looked like he was holding his back. She immediately came to her senses, and her


    demeanor shifted instantly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did | hurt you?¡± John made a look and assured her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it didn¡¯t hurt much.¡±


    Had she identally irritated his wounds? She grew anxious. ¡°Let me go so | can call the doctor to take a look at you.¡±


    ¡°It''s okay, you don¡¯t need to get the doctor,¡± John said rather stoutly, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no point calling the doctor, it¡¯s not like they


    can make the pain stop. I''ll get better in a few more days, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Sherry was shocked to hear this. ¡°Does your wound hurt all the time?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, but now that you¡¯re by my side, | feel a lot better,¡± he said coyly.


    She shot a look at him.


    Without his sses, the crook of his eyes seemed more pronounced than usual.


    He seemed to carry himself with an air of solemnity. It was different from his usual snarky attitude that always seemed like he


    was up to no good.


    Sherry stared at him for a while but could not detect any trace of any other emotion in his eyes.


    It did not seem like he was lying.


    ¡°I''ll sit with you for a while and rest after you fall asleep,¡± she suddenly announced.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep with me?¡± he looked at her tenderly and spoke softly, ¡°I don¡¯t feel as much pain. when you¡¯re with me.


    Sherry suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. It felt as if his words carried an effect like witchcraft, she found herself blurting out


    without realizing it, ¡°Sure.¡±


    John grinned widely and asked, ¡°Do you want to sleep on the outside or inside?¡±


    Sherry gave him a short look. ¡°Outside.¡±


    With that, John released her atst. He sat up and nudged himself into the inner edge of the bed to make room, making sure to


    give her plenty of space.


    ¡°Come.¡± He motioned.


    Sherry made a look. ¡°Let me get a nket.¡±


    There was only a single nket on the bed that John was already using.


    sleeping on the past two days. She went to the other side of the room and grabbed a nket and a pillow from the recliner she


    had been


    She ced the pillow on the head of the bed, then shey down on the bed.


    modest distance from John. She snuggled on the outer edge of the bed and covered herself with the nket, making sure to


    keepa


    deskmp on John¡¯s side. Suddenly, the lights in the room were switched off. The only source of light remaining came from the


    She turned around and snuck a look at John.


    documents, it won''t take long.¡± John noticed her gaze immediately and told her, ¡°Get some sleep, | just need to go through some

 Chapter 1785

    Chapter 1785


    John propped up theptop on hisp and put on his sses. He fixed a sharp, focused look onto the


    screen.


    Sherry finally allowed herself to lower her guard.


    It did seem like all he wanted was just her presence on the bed with him, he was not up to anything perverted.


    It waste into the night by this point.


    The rhythmical rattle of his fingers tapping against the keyboard had a certain hypnotizing tone to it. Soon, Sherry closed her


    eyes and drifted into sleep.


    Amid her sleep, she rolled over on her back so she was no longer facing away from John. Soon, she rolled over again andy


    facing him.


    The deskmp provided a soft and indirect glow to her face.


    John tilted to his side and quietly gazed at her sleeping face. He smiled.


    He picked up his pace of work to wrap things up as soon as possible.


    Before long, he shut theptop with a quiet thud and put it aside. Then, he turned off themp and slid into bed.


    He slowly edged to Sherry¡¯s side and gently wrapped his arms around her, finally closing his eyes.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Madam Stockton and Queenie have brought Caprice to the hotel.


    It was a reputable five-star hotel located along the coast.


    They were given the best room avable.


    The room offered a stupendous view and was furnished with the finest furniture, its entire presentation. seemed like something


    out of a magazine. It was the most premium hotel experience money could buy.


    Although they have had their fair share of stays in luxury hotels, this was the first time they stayed in a hotel located by the sea.


    They were aware that Sherry had reserved the room for them before they even arrived at Coastrock.


    Although Sherry held a high position in Sager Corporation, her worth was nowhere close to John¡¯s.


    They were initially going to reserve a hotel on their own, but Sherry went above and beyond and got one. of the best hotels


    avable in the city for them, even making a point of giving them a deluxe room.


    They were appalled by her generosity.


    Queenie turned to Jason who escorted them to the hotel. ¡°Jason, are you sure this is the room Sherry got for us?¡±


    Jason assured her. ¡°Yes, this is the arrangement Mrs. Sherry made. | didn¡¯t know that she had reserved this ce either. | don¡¯t


    think even Master Stockton knows about this.¡±


    Queenie was intrigued by this. She turned to Madam Stockton and gave her a look.


    Madam Stockton smiled at her.


    There were three rooms in the suite.


    Madam Stockton turned to Jason who was just about to leave and proposed, ¡°Jason, why don¡¯t you stay here too? I''ll share a


    room with Queenie and Caprice, you and Wanda can use the other two rooms.¡±


    Jason stuttered for a moment, ¡°Ma¡¯am, | don¡¯t think-Mrs. Sherry has already reserved a room for me.¡±


    ¡°Cancel the reservation.¡± Madam Stockton would not have it. ¡°It''s decided.¡±


    After that, she took Queenie to the master bedroom with her.


    Caprice had dozed off on the way here and was now sleeping soundly in Queenie¡¯s arms.


    Madam Stockton wanted to take her, but her arms had grown stiff from carrying her earlier.


    After Queenie put Caprice on the bed, Madam Stockton carefully sat on the bed next to Caprice and hugged her adoringly.


    Queenie also sat on the bed and watched them.


    She observed her mother¡¯s soft and content expression, then she asked with a faint smile, ¡°Mom, you must feel relieved now.¡±


    Madam Stockton smiled faintly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m d you could make up with your brother.¡±


    She was also d that Sherry did not hold grudges against her.


    She understood that Sherry still felt rather awkward with her, but the gesture of providing such fine amodation for them was


    a sign of her goodwill.


    She reflected that she was too close¡ªminded and outright terrible in the past.


    Queenie remarked, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting her to have such a good rtionship with Madam Sager. If | was an outsider, I''d have


    thought that they were mother and daughter.¡±


    Madam Stockton agreed with a faint nod. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Compared to Sherry¡¯s biological parents, Lisa seemed more like her family.

 Chapter 1786

    Chapter 1786


    In the past, she used to think that Sherry was the problem and the reason why her parents refused to be associated with her.


    After all that happened, she realized that Sherry did not have it easy growing up.


    She was prejudiced against from the moment she was born. She was supposed to be the crowned jewel of the family but ended


    up being discarded far away to a remote vige. It was only after she grew up that her parents reluctantly took her in again, but


    not without lingering resentment that was wholly unjustified. They treated their adopted daughter far better than they did their


    biological daughter.


    After Sherry severed ties with them, they were the ones who ended up crawling back for help after facing financial difficulties.


    The worst of it was that when their adopted daughter almost got Sherry killed, they never stopped to reconsider their actions and


    wonder if they were in the wrong. Instead, they dedicated all their efforts to saving their adopted daughter instead of trying to talk


    to Sherry and right their wrongs.


    Growing up, she never received even a trace of affection from her parents. Her terrible luck did not stop in her adulthood


    because she ended up stuck with John.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Madam Stockton could not fathom how Sherry endured everything by herself.


    She sighed and gently caressed Caprice¡¯s cheeks and muttered to herself in a low voice, ¡°She¡¯s a fine girl, she deserves to be


    treated better.¡±


    Queenie was taken aback.


    She knew that her mother was regretful of how she had treated Sherry all these years, but this was the first time she heard such


    kind words about Sherry uttered from her mother¡¯s lips.


    She smiled and encouraged her mother. ¡°Mom, we can be kinder to her from now on.¡±


    Madam Stockton smiled. ¡°Yes.¡±


    She vowed that she would, but she doubted that Sherry cared for her affection by this point.


    Inside the hospital.


    Sherry was awakened by faint murmuring.


    When she pried her eyes open, she saw a doctor attending to John.


    Two nurses were assisting the doctor.


    They were all crowded by John¡¯s side of the bed.


    It was a rather cramped space, barely enough for the three to move around.


    They usually operated from her side of the bed, which was currently unavable since she was upying the space.


    She felt her cheeks growing hot with embarrassment as she awkwardly rose from the bed.


    Upon noticing that she was awake, John smiled at her.


    The doctor and the two nurses greeted her with polite smiles as well.


    The doctor informed John, ¡°You¡¯ve made good recovery progress. For the time being, I''d still advise that you focus on resting


    and avoid performing strenuous exercises.¡±


    As he said this, he darted a knowing nce at Sherry and tried to hint at something.


    The two nurses were doing their best to stifle theirughter.


    Sherry felt her cheeks glowing beet red. She wished she had never woken up in the first ce.


    The doctor¡¯s yful insinuations seemed to have gone over John¡¯s head. He nodded curtly and thanked the doctor, ¡°Alright,


    thank you, doctor.¡±


    With that, the doctor left with the nurses.


    Johny back on the bed and turned to face Sherry. He smiled affectionately with a warm glow in his eyes and asked, ¡°Why is


    your face so red?¡±


    He gently caressed Sherry¡¯s cheeks with the tips of his fingers.


    Sherry was incredibly vexed by this point and pped his hands out of the way, and she quickly rolled out. of bed.


    Before she managed to make her escape, she felt his arm tugging on her wrist.


    She was pulled into his arm with nearly her entire weight resting on top of him.


    ¡°Get your stinky hands off me.¡± She groaned.


    John grinned, there was a certain alluring vor to the way he smiled.


    ¡°Stay with me a little longer,¡± he said.


    Sherry shot a look at him. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, it¡¯s time for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Give me a kiss.¡±


    She red at him sharply. ¡°Do you want me to kick your butt?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes for me to get a kiss, | say go for it,¡± he said in a cocky manner.


    Sherry felt something swelling up inside her.


    This scumbag and his ridiculous games...


    Her cheeks were reddened like ripe tomatoes. She cried out, ¡°Stop it and let go of me!¡±


    ¡®I''ll let go if you kiss me,¡± he said calmly.


    Sherry grimaced. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience, I''ll break your arm!¡±


    He waspletely unfazed still. ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t forget to kiss me after.¡±


    She waspletely speechless.


    As she red at him, he looked back at her tenderly.


    They shared a moment staring into each other¡¯s eyes. Suddenly he pressed down on the back of her head.


    She felt her head driven forward, her lips nted against his.


    He kissed her with more passion than thest time.


    They stayed in that position for a while until he released his lips atst.

 Chapter 1787

    Chapter 1787


    Sherry red at him, a stark redness filled her cheeks. ¡°Move your hand.¡±


    John smiled and shifted his palm away from her.


    Sherry was granted freedom atst. She turned around and prepared to get out of bed.


    The moment she turned around, she was greeted by the sight of several figures standing by the entrance.


    It was Madam Stockton and Queenie, standing stiffly side by side.


    When they saw Sherry turning around, they smiled at her awkwardly.


    Queenie stated awkwardly, ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Madam Stockton remarked dryly as well, ¡°...yeah, | didn¡¯t see anything either.¡±


    Caprice was held tightly in Queenie¡¯s arms. She cast a look as sharp as the point of an arrow at Sherry and John, her eyes wide


    with astonishment.


    When she met Sherry¡¯s eyes, she asked without any hint of reservation, ¡°Mommy, what were you doing lying on top of Daddy


    just now?¡±


    Sherry did not know how to answer.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie coughed dryly and avoided looking at Sherry.


    Sherry red at John.


    Hey candidly on the bed, seeminglypletely unbothered by the strange circumstance they found themselves in. He acted


    as if he was not the one who started it.


    He smiled at Sherry, then turned to Caprice. ¡°Mommy and | were just talking, we weren''t doing anything else.¡±


    Caprice murmured something indistinct, then she asked, ¡°What were you two talking about? | want to know!¡±


    ¡°It''s a secret, | can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Caprice became grumpy. ¡°Okay then.¡±


    Sherry heaved a sigh of relief.


    With Madam Stockton and Queenie keeping an eye on Caprice, Sherry could focus on her work without worry.


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    As evening rolled around, Caprice began to get sleepy. She crawled into bed with John and fell asleep.


    Sherry did not ask Madam Stockton and Queenie to take her back to the hotel this time.


    After Madam Stockton and Queenie left, Sherry washed up and joined John in bed.


    John was still wide awake as he was attending to some urgent matters on hisptop.


    Sherry took Caprice from hisp and tucked her in the center of the bed. Then, she put her arms around Caprice and closed her


    eyes.


    Aweek passed, and most of the days were rather uneventful.


    John had made good recovery progress and was finally allowed to check out of the hospital.


    This morning, Sherry took John back to her ce along with Madam Stockton and Queenie.


    The doctor instructed John to prioritize rest in theing days.


    After returning home, he was installed in the bedroom and assumed the same routine as during his stay in the hospital.


    Soon, Caprice became sleepy. She crawled into bed with John and dozed off.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie entered the bedroom.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Queenie asked in a hushed voice, ¡°Sherry, is this your ce?¡±


    Sherry nodded.


    Queenie seemed puzzled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get a bigger ce?¡±


    Sherry answered nonchntly, ¡°I live by myself, just a small and cozy space will do.¡±


    ¡°But you''re going to be living with my brother and Caprice in the future, this house isn¡¯t big enough for the three of you.¡±


    Sherry was about to say something when Madam Stockton interjected. She assured Queenie withplete certainty. ¡°They''re


    going back to nchester eventually. This is only a temporary situation for them.¡±


    ¡°Ohh.¡± Queenie did not doubt her at all. ¡°I see.¡±


    Sherry grimaced.


    ¡°We''re not going back for now,¡± John announced out of nowhere.


    Sherry was intrigued to hear this.


    Both Madam Stockton and Queenie shot a queer look at John.


    Queenie asked curiously, ¡°Haven''t you two made up already? Why aren¡¯t you going back?¡±


    John first peered at Sherry before answering resolutely, ¡°Sherry still has a lot of responsibilities here, | don¡¯t expect her to


    abandon her duties and leave. We''ll stay here for a while until the time is right for her.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    Queenie seemed like she was going to protest, but Madam Stockton promptly stepped in.


    She was uncharacteristically sympathetic. ¡°Alright, I''m sure you two have everything under control.¡±

 Chapter 1788

    Chapter 1788


    John said soberly, ¡°Yeah¡±


    With that, Madam Stockton took Queenie and made her leave the room. Queenie was still trying


    desperately to get a word in.


    Sherry was blindsided by what happened.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    She did not expect John to be so supportive, nor did she expect Madam Stockton to be so understanding.


    After Madam Stockton and Queenie left, she turned to John and asked curtly, ¡°You''ve been here long enough Haven''t you begun


    missing home?¡±


    nchester was his base of operation, and most of his assets were in there as well.


    He had spent a considerable amount of time in Coastrock, so it was not reasonable to expect him to spend much longer here.


    ¡°Peter and the others are keeping things in order for me. Besides, | can manage well enough remotely¡± He assured Sherry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    She stated with a troubled expression, ¡°My work is in Coastrock, I¡¯m not leaving anytime soon.¡±


    He smiled, his voice still gentle and reassuring. ¡°I know, just focus on your work and don¡¯t worry about the rest.¡±


    Sherry tried to put things as bluntly as she could. ¡°I¡¯m saying that you''re free to head back if you have things you need to take


    care of. You don¡¯t need to feel pressured to stay by my side.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Alright, but | don¡¯t have anything urgent to attend to.¡±


    Peter was more than capable of holding down the fort.


    He wanted to be wherever Sherry was. After finally winning her trust again, he was not going to allow himself to be separated


    from her again. He would not allow anyone to swoop in on her in his absence.


    Sherry observed him. He spoke with lucidity and confidence, he had everything under control.


    She gave in. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the living room.


    After Madam Stockton took Queenie out of the bedroom, Queenie immediately protested. ¡°Mom, why wouldn¡¯t you let John take


    Sherry back to nchester?¡±


    They belonged in nchester.


    Madam Stockton said in a hushed, urgent voice, ¡°Can''t you see that she doesn¡¯t want to go back?¡±


    Queenie was perplexed by this. ¡°She¡¯s made up with John, hasn¡¯t she? Why wouldn¡¯t she want to go back?¡±


    ¡°Sager Corporation is based in Coastrock and she¡¯s a senior executive, why would she want to leave? She has a lot of


    commitment and responsibilities here. What do you think will happen to her work if she goes


    back to nceshter?¡±


    Queenie finally understood, but she continued to grumble. ¡°But our family business is based in nchester. Is John supposed to


    live here with Sherry and Caprice for the rest of his life?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, your brother will figure things out.¡±


    Queenie frowned and still seemed skeptical. ¡°Mom, | don¡¯t want to be so far away from John, Sherry, and


    Caprice all the time¡±


    Madam Stockton teased her ¡°How old are you? You¡¯re still acting like a child if you feel lonely, go find yourself a partner¡±


    Queenie pouted ¡°I don¡¯t want to, | don¡¯t n on finding one anytime soon


    Madam Stockton peered at her and expressed somberly, ¡°Queenie, you''re twenty seven


    Queenie was getting rather annoyed, so she turned around and went to sit next to a window


    Madam Stockton sighed weakly


    She had said everything that needed to be said In the past, she would have continued to impose her will on Queenie However,


    everything that happenedtely had softened her, so she decided it was better to not interfere with her children¡¯s affairs


    There was an important meeting that required Sherry to attend in person


    The meetingsted until nearly noon.


    After the meeting. Sherry thought of Madam Stockton and Queenie who were still at her ce She hurried home so she could


    take them somewhere nice for lunch. She stepped into the house and mmediately noticed an assortment of steaming hot dishes


    laid out on the dining table


    John was resting on the couch reading a book. He was dressed casually.


    Queenie was watching cartoons with Caprice.


    Madam Stockton emerged from the kitchen in an apron. She was bncing a bowl of soup in hand


    Sherry was shocked by the disy.


    Upon noticing her, Madam Stockton smiled and motioned to the dining table. ¡°Sherry, you came back just in time! | just finished


    making soup. Come on, have a seat and eat with us.¡±


    ¡°...Okay.¡± Sherry was amused by the full courseid out on the dining table.


    Madam Stockton must have seen the entranced look in her eyes. She exined with a shade of embarrassment, ¡°John ordered


    these from a restaurant. The soup is the only thing | made myself.¡±

 Chapter 1789

    Chapter 1789


    Sherry nced at John.


    John nudged his chin at the dining table. ¡°I put the receipt over there.¡±


    Sherry returned a look at him before approaching the dining table and helping Madam Stockton with the bowl of soup.


    John rose as well and approached the dining table.


    Madam Stockton turned to Queenie and Caprice ¡°Queenie, Caprice, it¡¯s time for lunch.¡±


    Caprice cried out ¡°Okay!¡± brightly and led Queenie over to the dining table


    They had a wonderful lunch.


    After the meal


    Madam Stockton put down her utensils, then she turned to Sherry and John to announce, ¡°John, Sherry. I''ll be leaving with


    Queenieter.¡±


    Sherry was caught off guard by this.


    Why the rush? Then again, John¡¯s condition was rtively stable now, so there was no longer an urgent need for them to be


    here.


    John nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have Jason send you two off.¡±


    Madam Stockton nodded briefly.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Sherry volunteered. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything nned, why don¡¯t | take you two to the airport with Caprice?¡±


    John made a look.


    Madam Stockton was rather taken aback. She was very delighted to ept the offer. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After the meal, they took a short rest before departing. Sherry took the sleeping Caprice in her arms and went to the car with


    Madam Stockton and Queenie. Jason drove them to the airport.


    Shortly after they left, a red sports car screeched to a stop outside the apartmentplex.


    Carl got out of the car with arge bouquet of lilies in hand that he bought on the way here from a florist.


    He went to Sherry¡¯s unit and promptly knocked on the door.


    The door was opened in no time.


    He was greeted by a man dressed in casual attire, the sort you would only wear at home. The man was tall and of a fair


    complexion, but he still seemed slightly sickly.


    The moment John recognized Carl, he greeted him with a faint smile, ¡°Master Sager, what brought you here?¡±


    Carl stole a peek behind John into the house. Then, he traced the shape of a formal smile on his lips. ¡°I heard that you were


    discharged from the hospital, so | figured I''ll pay you a visit.¡±


    As he said this, he thrust the bouquet of lilies forward.


    ¡°Very kind of you, Master Sager. This is perfect because we were going to swap out the flowers in the living room with fresh


    ones. Would you mind doing it for me? I¡¯m still not feeling very well.¡±


    John swiftly turned and headed into the house after uttering his request.


    Carl cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Sure.¡±


    He trailed after John.


    John sat down on the couch.


    Carl looked around the house while he reced the flowers in the vase and asked casually, ¡°Is Sherry not


    home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John picked up the teapot and poured two cups of tea. He took a gentle sip from one of them and continued, ¡°She¡¯s


    driving my mother and my sister to the airport. Caprice went as well.¡±


    Carl was intrigued by this.


    Sherry was driving John¡¯s mother and sister to the airport?


    It was his impression that Sherry and Madam Stockton had never been on good terms.


    If she willingly volunteered to send Madam Stockton to the airport, the dynamic of their rtionship must have taken a turn for


    the better in recent days.


    Following that line of logic, he supposed that Sherry had made up with John as well.


    After he was done with the flowers, he leaned against the dining table and broached the matter. ¡°There¡¯s another reason | came


    to visit you.¡±


    This stirred John¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Is there something you wanted to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Ada was arrested. Ron¡¯s hands are tied because his new wife keeps him on a tight leash. It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s going to


    bother with what happens to Ada from here on. | hired the bestwyer in Coastrock. We''ll make Ada pay for her actions.¡±


    John smiled and thanked him, ¡°I appreciate it, Master Sager.¡±

 Chapter 1790

    Chapter 1790


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m the reason things turned out this way.¡± Carl took a breath before adding, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not doing this for you.¡±


    Something stirred in John¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then | shall thank you in ce of Sherry.¡±


    Carl bit down on his lip.


    After a somber silence, he looked at John again. The previous nonchnt look in his eyes had grown standoffish and guarded.


    He dered without warning, ¡°Master Stockton, even though Sherry chose to be with you, | still consider her as close as family.


    You''d better not mistreat her in the future or else | won¡¯t go easy on you. Mark my words!¡±


    John zipped his lips into a thin smile and assured him. ¡°That won''t happen.¡±


    ¡°| sure hope it won''t.¡± Carl straightened himself. ¡°Also, thanks for the tipoff about Ron.¡±


    With that, he stepped out of the apartment, shutting the door behind him.


    John smiled and took a sip of his tea.


    Meanwhile, Jason had safely transported Sherry, Madam Stockton, and Queenie to the airport.


    Madam Stockton was very reluctant to part with Caprice. She held tightly onto Caprice¡¯s hand for a long time and refused to let


    go.


    Sherry and Queenie chatted for a while.


    They waited until thest minute before boarding to step through the gate.


    Sherry went home with Caprice.


    Jason was driving while Sherry sat in the back with Caprice in her arms.


    She had rolled the windows down so she could feel the gentle breezeing from the direction of the sea.


    Capriceyfortably against her chest. She suddenly told Sherry, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m a little sad.¡±


    Sherry was startled.


    Caprice looked perfectly happy when they were with Madam Stockton and Queenie back at the airport. She snuggled to both


    Madam Stockton and Queenie the entire time and had yful exchanges with them.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Why the sudden shift?


    She considered for a moment and asked Caprice softly, ¡°Do you miss Grandma and Aunt Queenie?¡±


    Caprice whimpered weakly. ¡°Hm.¡±


    Sherry fell silent for a moment.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie had been with them for a little over a week and spent nearly the entirety of their stay with Caprice.


    She must have bonded with them over this period. It was understandable that she would feel sad about them leaving.


    She gently patted her head and tried tofort her. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, we''ll see them more often in the future.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice sounded convinced. She suddenly asked, ¡°Mommy, when are we going home? | want to visit brother Liam in


    Westchester. | miss him.¡±


    Sherry was put in a tough spot, she answered hesitantly, ¡°Mommy can¡¯t be sure yet. Could you give mommy some time to think


    about it?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice was very agreeable.


    Sherry hugged Caprice tightly,pletely enchanted by her adorable appearance, the way her lips formed a shape when she


    pouted.


    She knew that Caprice was missing home Furthermore, John¡¯s business was based in nchester It was selfish for her to make


    them stay in Coastrock for her sake.


    The problem was that with Carl taking over Sager Corporation, he needed capable help by his side at all times She had far too


    many responsibilities here, so her presence was crucial and she simply could not afford to leave abruptly.


    Most importantly, she did not want to lose her job. Although John would give her all the money she needed, she did not want to


    be reduced to a mere housewife. She wanted to provide for herself.


    Perhaps after John was fully recovered, she could ask him to take Caprice back to nchester Whenever she had time, she


    would head back to nchester to join the family. She could travel back and forth between two cities.


    It seemed like a good idea to her, at least it managed to calm her restless heart for now.


    She wrapped her arms tightly around Caprice. Soon, the car stopped outside the apartment.


    She got out of the car and carried Caprice snugly in her arms. They were back home in no time.


    Caprice sprang out of Sherry¡¯s arms and bolted toward John who was sitting on the couch while crying out, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    John hugged her and turned to Sherry. ¡°Are my mom and Queenie flying back already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The bouquet of fresh lilies in the vase on the table immediately caught her attention. She became curious and asked, ¡°Did you


    buy these flowers?¡±

 Chapter 1791

    Chapter 1791


    She clearly remembered the flower was different when she sent Queenie and Madam Stockton out.


    John went silent for a moment. ¡°Someone came to visit and brought flowers.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Someone you don¡¯t know,¡± he said inly.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    It was probably his contact in Coastrock that she did not know of.


    Sherry was not overly bothered. She walked to Caprice¡¯s side and sat down.


    Caprice suddenly said, ¡°Daddy, | want to video-call Liam.¡±


    Sherry was slightly surprised.


    John took his phone out. He checked the time to make sure Liam was free before he pulled up Liam¡¯s contact number. He then


    passed his phone to Caprice, ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Caprice took his phone and sat down on the couch. She shuffled her way to the side and video-called Liam.


    The girl was just a few meters away. Sherry could see the girls wide grin and cheeks puffed when she called Liam¡¯s name on the


    screen, ¡°Liam!¡± She was over the moon.


    Sherry could not help but giggle at her adorable daughter. It was then she sensed a gaze on her. She turned around and saw


    John¡¯s warm gaze on her. She furrowed her brows. ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°At your beauty,¡± John said with a smile.


    Sherry wanted to punch him but then he said, ¡°Do you have anything to tell me?¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°Mm-hmm...¡±


    She nced at Caprice happily video-calling Liam before she said, ¡°When you get better, bring Caprice back to Glenchester.¡±


    The man¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I''ll stay. | still have to finish what | started here. When I¡¯m done, I''ll go look for you guys.¡±


    ¡°Will you being back then?¡± He looked at her with the warmest gaze, but Sherry somehow felt guilty.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°So, are you nning to live in two cities while staying with Caprice and me forever?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it won''t be forever,¡± she answered instinctively.


    ¡°Then, how long will it be?¡± he asked as he fixated his gaze on her.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She stammered, ¡°I... | don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Then, are you nning to work for the Sagers forever?¡± he asked.


    The question silenced Sherry.


    Work for the Sagers forever?


    She had a long road ahead of her and she believed she would not stay with the Sagers forever. Just as she was arranging her


    words to form a satisfying answer, his deep and pleasant voice echoed in her ears, ¡°Sherry,e back to mypany.¡±


    Sherry was surprised by the offer.


    John had sat down beside her without her knowledge. He stroked her head and said, ¡°If youe back, | can give you my entire


    company.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry was stunned. Her eyes went nk.


    He looked at her gently. His gaze felt magical as if it could suck the soul out of her.

 Chapter 1792

    Chapter 1792


    Chapter 1792


    Her heart raced out of control. It took her a while to recover and avert her gaze. She said, ¡°Stop trying to trick me.¡±


    The Stockton Corporation was a lot younger than the Sagers Corporation since John only started building it in Glenchester a few


    years ago.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    However, under his leadership, thepany grew rapidly and exceeded the Sagers in terms of expansion and overall strength.


    Thepany¡¯s potential for future growth was immeasurable.


    Besides, John invested a lot of effort in thepany. Would he really be willing to give her the entirepany?


    ¡°| will give it to you if you want it,¡± he said.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°I¡¯m doing good here.¡±


    As soon as her words subsided, his slender fingers lifted her chin. He delicately turned her face to him. He wore a bewitching


    smile on his face and his eyes looked gentle. ¡°Sherry, I¡¯m being serious here.¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes gleamed again. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were lying.¡±


    ¡°Then, are you willing to say yes?¡± He looked into her eyes.


    Who in the world would reject such an offer?


    However, Sherry had her own concerns.


    ¡°That¡¯s yourpany that you built from the bottom, not mine.¡±


    ¡°What''s mine is yours,¡± he whispered.


    The whisper tickled her ears, sending goosebumps all over her body. She tried to move away, but he caught her.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡± he whispered with his eyes narrowed.


    ¡°N-no. | just want to sit over there,¡± Sherry stammered,


    He curled his lips. ¡°You still haven''t replied me.¡±


    The strong and warm hand remained clutching her chin.


    Sherry pursed her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want yourpany.¡±


    ¡°Then, what do you want? To work for the Sagers for the rest of your life?¡±


    Sherry looked at him.


    He just stared back at her, looking gentle yet also imposing in an unspoken way. Unless she could satisfy him with his answer,


    he would not let her go.


    Sherry¡¯s temper was nowhere to be found at this moment. She sighed softly and then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but | don¡¯t think | will


    work there for life.¡±


    ¡°Then, follow me back. No matter what you want to do, whether it¡¯s taking over mypany or going to work somewhere else in


    the same city, or even doing your own thing, I''ll support you unconditionally,¡± he said firmly.


    Doing her own thing?


    Sherry¡¯s eyes sparkled. She had thoughts of starting her own business, but they remained thoughts for now.


    Amomentary silenceter, she said, ¡°Carl just took over thepany. | still have some unfinished projects to follow up on. | can¡¯t


    leave yet.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°Then, we''ll wait for Carl to strengthen his position and for you to finish your projects. We can go back to


    Glenchester after that.¡±


    Sherry heaved heavily. ¡°But it may take me a long time to finish them.¡±


    At least two to three months, or even a year or more.


    He stroked her face and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s okay. | can wait.¡±


    If he said he could wait, then Sherry had nothing else to say. She flicked his hand off and red at him.¡± Take your stinking hand


    off me.¡±


    He kept stroking her throughout the entire conversation.


    John just smiled.


    Sherry turned away and looked at Caprice.


    The girl was curled up into a ball with the phone in front of her. Her eyes curved joyfully as she watched the screen.


    Awhileter, she said, ¡°Liam, | didn¡¯t catch that.¡±

 Chapter 1793

    Chapter 1793


    Liam''s cool voice came from the phone. ¡°I''ll show you again.¡±


    Caprice nodded happily.


    The two of them only spoke twice in the past five minutes. The topic was a mystery.


    However, Caprice¡¯s lips were curled all the way, and she was really enjoying herself.


    Noticing something out of the blue, Sherry looked at John. ¡°Has Caprice been calling Liam often?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sherry narrowed her eyes.


    Liam was a cool boy. He never really got close to people other than his family, yet he had the patience to deal with Caprice¡¯s


    affection.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Caprice was a strange girl as well. In terms of appearance, Liam was indeed handsome, but his younger brother, Flint, was just


    as good-looking and had a brighter personality.


    Flint was also around the same age as Caprice, yet the girl did not even bat an eyelid at him. She just loved to be around Liam


    or stare at him through the screen.


    Sherry found it baffling.


    ¡°Odell called me a while ago,¡± John said all of a sudden.


    Sherry asked, ¡°What was it about?¡±


    She had contacted Sylvia a while ago as well and informed her of the situation here in Coastrock, thus Sylvia should not be


    worried about her anymore.


    John pursed his lips. ¡°He wants to arrange for a marriage between Liam and Caprice.¡±


    Arranged marriage? At this age?!


    Sherry was shocked. ¡°My Caprice is only three years old!¡±


    Liam was only ten years old, yet Odell was already proposing an arranged marriage.


    Why the rush?


    John raised a brow. ¡°I think Liam¡¯s parents know how bad his temper is, and other than Caprice, no girl. would ever want to


    marry him. Besides, our Caprice is adorable, obedient, and beautiful. They may be afraid that some other guys will snatch her


    heart in the future.¡±


    Sherry was rendered speechless. Her daughter was adorable and obedient, and Liam was not that bad either.


    ¡°What did you tell him?¡±


    ¡°Have a guess.


    Sherry looked at him.


    He curled his lips ¡°I said Caprice is still young. We''ll discuss it when she grows older.¡±


    He did not know how Liam would turn out in the future. The reason why he allowed Caprice to contact Liam so often was that he


    was worried that the girl would miss her mother too much, so he let the girl call Liam to distract her for a while.


    He nned to implement some rules on her video calls once they head back to Glenchester. He could not allow her daughter to


    concentrate solely on Liam, and he wanted to prevent her from being hurt by the boy in the future.


    Sherry nodded.


    Children knew nothing about love. Caprice liked being with Liam maybe because she enjoyed ying with him.


    As for the arranged marriage, it would be a topic for another time.


    There were several expensive mansions located further away from Sherry¡¯s apartment.


    One of the mansions was extra quiet, and only the whirring of winds could be heard at the window. The living room had a dim


    lamp on.


    In his tititing pink shirt, Carl leaned on the couch as he crossed his legs on the table.


    There were several uncorked wines on the table with some empty sses by the side.


    He was drinking from a bottle. The red liquor flowed down his throat, and only a small portion of trickled out of the corner of his


    mouth over his firm jaw to the knot of his rolling throat and settled in his cor.


    While his eyes narrowed as he drank, scenes with Sherry shed in his mind.


    The first time he saw Sherry was at the office. His mother had dragged him to the office and arranged a meeting with her, telling


    him to learn how to manage apany from her.


    Sherry had helped the Sagersplete several big projects that were deemed impossible toplete.


    Carl originally thought a woman with such methods and ideas must be old, but she turned out to be a young and beautifuldy.


    Her loveliness was different from what he anticipated.

 Chapter 1794

    Chapter 1794


    Chapter 1794


    Her charming eyes looked pure, unlike the women he saw in nightclubs.


    She would never oversell her looks and treated people with sincerity. She had strong perseverance and a heart of gold, which


    yed a key role in winning the clients¡¯ hearts to secure the projects.


    She was good at drinking as well. She once had a drinkingpetition with a client in an after-work meeting, and the client was


    knocked out cold.


    She was unlike other women that he met.


    After she came into his life, he stopped going to nightclubs and severed all ties with the women that he slept with.


    It had been a few years since they first met. Even though there were still people who called him a yboy, he had never touched


    a woman since the first day of knowing her.


    It was not because he did not want to have women in hispany, but other than Sherry, no other females were able to match


    his standards anymore.


    He really liked her.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    In contrast, Sherry¡¯s image of him never changed since day one. He remained the yboy that she assumed he was and kept


    toying with him.


    He pursed his lips and continued gulping down the bottle of wine.


    As the wine entered his throat, he heard footsteps approaching. He opened his blurry eyes and looked out of the living room.


    A figure came into his sight.


    He could not see properly due to the wine that he had been drinking. He instinctively called out, ¡°Sherry, is that you?¡±


    Thud!


    A pillow flew into his face.


    m your mother!¡± Lisa screamed at him.


    The pillow strike woke him up and cleared his vision.


    Disappointed, he pursed his lips and put the bottle down. He sat straight up and removed his legs from


    the table.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°If |weren¡¯t here, you might already be dead from all this drinking.¡± Lisa looked at him in disappointment.¡± You stupid boy, | told


    you to chase after Sherry, but you didn¡¯t want to listen to me. Now that you¡¯ve lost her, you are here poisoning yourself with all


    this wine. Feeling shitty?¡±


    Irritated, Carl lowered his head and hugged himself.


    Lisa cighed. ¡°I know you are feeling terrible, but you can¡¯t force someone to love you. You should get a hold of yourself and


    concentrate on work. | believe Sherry will follow Master Stockton back to Glenchester soon. Thepany is in your hands now.¡±


    Carl opened his eyes but remained silent.


    Lisa went over to him and patted his head. ¡°Carl, you are still young. As long as you run thepany well,


    you don¡¯t have to worry about not having someone as good as Sherry in the future.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one Sherry Fowler in this world.¡±


    He truly only had room for her in his heart.


    Lisa sighed a second time. ¡°Carl, you are not just my son; you are the heir to thepany. Sherry went through a lot to help us


    reach where we are today. | don¡¯t think you want to let her efforts go in vain after all this.¡±


    Carl removed his hand from his head. He looked at his mother and said, ¡°Mom, | don¡¯t want Sherry to leave.¡±


    Even if he could not be with her, he did not want her to leave Coastrock.


    Lisa tightened her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want her to leave as well, but we can¡¯t change anything.¡±


    John rooted hispany in Glenchester, and Sherry was a capable woman. John would want Sherry to work in hispany, for


    both private and professional reasons.


    Even if Sherry refused to join John¡¯spany, with her capabilities and John¡¯s help, she would be able to achieve a lot more if


    she left the Sagers.


    While Sherry decided to stay in the Sagers because of her debt of gratitude, Lisa could not be so selfish as to request her to stay


    permanently.


    Carl pursed his lips in silence. His vision started to turn blurry again.


    Lisa tapped on his shoulder. ¡°Carl, you must take over thepany, not for me but for your father. If Sherry and Master Stockton


    get another divorce in the future, only then you have the confidence and capabilities to make her yours.¡±


    Carl''s eyes shimmered all of a sudden.


    Lisa cleared her throat and added, ¡°But if she leads a happy life, you must let her go.¡±


    Carl smiled. ¡°Il understand.¡±


    Lisa sighed a breath of relief when she saw the hope in his eyes. ¡°I have to go now. You should take some rest, and stop


    drinking.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lisa then left the house.


    Carl got up for a bath and washed his face.

 Chapter 1795

    Chapter 1795


    When Carl finally cleared his mind, he went into the study, which he seldom entered. He turned on theputer and started to


    go through the stack of documents by the side.


    If he could improve himself, maybe Sherry might look at him differently in the future and fall for him.


    Besides, with past experience, Sherry might not stay married to John forever. They might really get another divorce someday.


    As long as he improved himself and gained the capabilities to rival John, he might stand a chance to win


    her back.


    Later that night in Sherry¡¯s apartment, Sherry yed around with Caprice after dinner. She then bathed the girl and put her into


    bed.


    After Caprice was finally asleep, she went out to the living room and saw John reading on the couch.


    ¡°Stop reading. Go take a bath.¡±


    He was still recovering, so sufficient rest was important. She did not want him to be thest to shower.


    John smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± He went into the bathroom.


    Sherry sat by the bed and watched Caprice sleep while texting Sylvia.


    The shower in the bathroom stopped after a while.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Sherry looked at the bathroom door and saw the maning out with a towel wrapped around his waist. His upper body was


    naked. There was only a thin towel covering his manhood. The dim lighting highlighted his slender physique, presenting him as


    an alluring incubus that could devour Sherry alive.


    She blushed and gulped nervously, but then she feigned annoyance and red at him. ¡°Why are you


    naked?¡±


    John looked at her innocently. ¡°I don¡¯t have any clothes here.¡±


    He had worn a patient''s gown in the hospital, and when he moved into her apartment for a short period of time, it was Jason who


    brought him his clothes from the hotel. He really did not have any clothes in her


    ce.


    Sherry pursed her lips and got up. ¡°Where¡¯s your ce? I''ll go get your clothes for you.¡±


    ¡°It''s quite far away.¡±


    ¡°How far?¡±


    ¡°A two-hour round trip.¡±


    Sherry frowned. ¡°So, you are going to sleep naked tonight?¡±


    After all, they were nning to sleep with Caprice on the same bed.


    John pondered. ¡°There¡¯s a folding bed outside. Why don¡¯t we let Caprice sleep outside tonight?¡±


    Sherry red at him. ¡°Stop fooling around!¡±


    He must havee out naked on purpose


    John pursed his lips. ¡°So, I''ll sleep outside tonight?¡±


    Sherry exasperatedly sighed. She did want him to sleep outside, but the folding bed was not exactlyfortable. Besides, John


    just got discharged and was recovering, thus he should be having quality sleep.


    She looked at him. ¡°I''ll buy you some clothes online right now.¡±


    The instant delivery that emercepanies offered now could deliver some clothes in a stipted time.


    ¡°New clothes aren''t exactly clean. They must be washed first before they can be worn.¡±

 Chapter 1796

    Chapter 1796


    Chapter 1796


    Sherry had forgotten that the man had OCD.


    Ten years ago, when she lived with him in a cheap apartment, the man bought three pairs of socks for ten dors and washed


    them before he wore them.


    Annoyed, Sherry asked, ¡°Then, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know. What do you suggest?¡±


    Sherry bolted up to him, red at him, and said, ¡°If you don¡¯te up with a way, you are sleeping outside tonight!¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°Fine with me.¡± He then walked past her and headed to the door.


    As he moved past her, Sherry saw the scar on his back. He had recovered from the stab, but it left a scar on his body.


    Her heart clenched all of a sudden. ¡°Hold on!¡±


    He stopped and turned around to her.


    ¡°Come over here.¡±


    He returned.


    Sherry then opened the closet where she kept her pajamas. Other than sleeping dresses, she had some oversized pajamas as


    well. Even though they might not be suitable, he should be able to fit in them. Sherry pointed at her pajamas. ¡°See if you can fit


    in any of them.¡±


    He went up to her back. Just when she thought he wanted to pick pajamas for himself, his arms curled around her waist and


    hugged her from the back. His broad chest made contact with her back.


    His chin was propped on her shoulder as he whispered into her ear, ¡°I can¡¯t wear any of those.¡±


    His deep and charming voice sent chills down her spine. Sherry¡¯s heart raced. Her body started to feel hot.


    When she recovered a momentter, she said, ¡°C-can you talk properly? Why must you stick your body to my back?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Why is your voice trembling?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I''m not!¡± She wanted to push him away, but he caught her hands and pulled her into his embrace. Sherry¡¯s handsnded on his


    strong and broad chest.


    Thud!


    Sherry felt like her mental defense had crumbled. She did not push him away this time. Instead, she even caressed his chest


    with her fingertips. He had been bedridden for days, yet his muscles remained taut.


    ¡°Sherry, why don¡¯t you choose one for me?¡± he asked.


    Sherry was rendered speechless.


    The man must be asking for a beating.


    As the sudden urge rushed into her head, she turned around and kissed his lips with one hand around his neck.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    The man froze for a moment before he lifted her up against the closet.


    It started to rain in the middle of the night.


    When the rain stopped after midnight, the room quieted down.


    Sherryy on the bed, exhausted as if her strength were sucked away after all the intense sex.


    The man¡¯s broad chest was by her side. He had one arm around her shoulder as he whispered into her ear, ¡°Do you want me to


    massage your hands and legs?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sherry sounded hoarse from all the moaning.


    John stroked her head. He smiled and said, ¡°Your voice sounds rough. You must be tired. Let me give you a massage.¡±


    Annoyed, Sherry cried, ¡°I¡¯m not tired!¡±


    If he had not been recovering from the stab wound and needed her to do all the moving, she would not have been this tired!


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then, should we go again?¡±


    Sherry instinctively threw a kick at him.

 Chapter 1797

    Chapter 1797


    Before her kick couldnd, he caught her leg with hisrge hand. The warmth from the tip of his fingers burned her ankle as he


    caressed her.


    Sherry blushed. ¡°Get your hand off my leg!¡±


    John released her ankle as told, but then he grabbed her calf next. His naughty fingers started to dance on her sensitive calf


    softly. The touching slowly turned into rubbing and with the right amount of strength, it feltfortable.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered.


    John looked at her and noticed her lifted mood. ¡°How does it feel?¡±


    Sherry turned away shyly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    He smiled and continued to massage her calf.


    Seconds turned into minutes as the massage went on. Sherry originally wanted to tell him to stop if he was tired, but his


    massage was too good to stop.


    After a while, she fell asleep without knowing it.


    John then stopped. Looking at her blushing face, the man smiled. Heid her body straight so that she could sleep more


    comfortably.


    He then got out of bed, picked up some loose pajamas, and went out of the room.


    Caprice was sleeping soundly on the folding bed outside the room. John carried the girl into the room and put her beside Sherry.


    With themp switched off, heid down beside Sherry and closed his eyes.


    After a dreamless night, Sherry opened her eyes the next morning and saw John next to her, looking at her.


    He smiled enchantingly. ¡°Morning.¡±


    Sherry was awe-struck.


    He was wearing ady¡¯s pajamas that did not fit his physique, but it did not affect his handsome looks and elegance. She quickly


    regained herposure and consciousness and realized that she had fallen asleepst night while he was massaging her.


    Realizing that she did not carry Caprice inst night, she bolted up nervously.


    Then, she saw Caprice still sleeping soundly next to her. She sighed a breath of relief and stroked her head.


    It was then that the doorbell rang.


    Sherry wanted to go answer the door, but John beat her to it.


    ¡°It must be Jason,¡± he said.


    He headed out to the door.


    She got out of bed and followed him out.


    When she walked out of her room, John had already opened the door. It was Jason with a big suitcase. Sir, the things you


    requested are here.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Did you bring the document | left on the couch?¡± John asked after a quick nce at his luggage.


    Jason¡¯s eyes widened out of shock. ¡°Sorry, sir! | forgot about it! I''ll bring it here right away!¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Go.¡± He sounded calm without any hint of anger or upset.


    Jason nced at the female pajamas that he wore before he left with a sigh of relief.


    John then brought his luggage in. He looked at Sherry in the room and smiled. ¡°I''ve ordered breakfast. It should be here in ten


    minutes.¡±


    Amomentary pauseter, he added, ¡°Aunt Wanda will be here to take care of Capriceter. You don¡¯t need to worry. Go wash


    your face and prepare for breakfast.¡±


    Judging from his tone, he seemed to be moving in for good. With him and Aunt Wanda around, she did not have to worry about


    Caprice at all.


    She hummed a reply and went to the bathroom.


    After she brushed her teeth and washed her face, she came out and saw him sitting on the couch in her


    pajamas.


    ¡°I''m done. You can go now.¡±


    He hummed and nodded.


    As he got up and headed to the bathroom, the doorbell rang again. Sherry was close to the door, so she answered it and saw


    Jason.


    Jason was holding a set of documents. He smiled at her and said, ¡°Madam, I¡¯m here to deliver the documents to Master


    Stockton.¡±


    Sherry was slightly surprised.


    The man who had just entered the room was aware of Jason¡¯s arrival as well. His eyes flickered nervously before he turned


    around, but it was toote.

 Chapter 1798

    Chapter 1798


    Before John coulde out of the room, Sherry asked Jason, ¡°Didn''t you just drop his luggage?¡±


    Jason answered, ¡°Yeah, but | forgot to bring the document that he asked for, so | went back for it.¡±


    ¡°But how did youe back so fast?¡± Sherry thought John lived two hours away.


    Jason smiled, ¡°Master Stockton¡¯s hotel is two minutes away. It¡¯s directly opposite this building. | don¡¯t even need to drive.¡±


    Sherry was left speechless.


    Opposite the building? Two-minute walking distance?


    Sherry squinted.


    Why did John im that a trip back to his ce would take two hoursst night?


    The scenes of him catching a cold a while ago shed in her mind. Had the man been faking it to win her


    compassion?


    Sherry¡¯s gaze turned cold. She turned around and wanted to confront the man.


    Then, she saw him standing in front of the room, smiling at her with curved eyes. His gentle smile somehow calmed her anger


    but she was still annoyed,


    She red at him. ¡°You said you are staying two hours away from my ce.¡±


    John squinted at Jason who immediately realized he had revealed unnecessary details. He put the document down and fled. The


    door was closed, leaving the couple in a quiet room.


    Sherry red at John.


    He pursed his lips as he walked over to her and held one of her hands. She wanted to pull her hand away, but he put her hand


    on his abs.


    ¡°| shouldn¡¯t have lied to you. You can punch me if it makes you feel better.¡±


    Sherry was left speechless.


    Despite having ayer of pajamas in between, she could feel the warmth on his body and his solid abs.


    It felt... great!


    Her annoyance was demolished by the rock solid abs!


    She blushed. She looked at him and cried, ¡°Stop trying to seduce me!¡±


    John curled his lips. He whispered, ¡°Then, punch me.¡±


    ¡°Hmph! You really think | won¡¯t punch you?¡±


    His smile remained bewitching. ¡°I think you will. Come on.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Jerk! He wanted her to punch him!


    She curled her fist and threw a punch at his chest. However, before her fist could touch him, his other hand caught it in mid-air


    and pulled it closer to him.


    Thud!


    Sherrynded on his broad chest again. Her chin was lifted up to his handsome face, and his lips pressed


    against hers.


    Sherry widened her eyes.


    As though he was afraid she would flee, he held the back of her head and hugged her tightly. He kissed her deeply.


    Sherry was enchanted by his charms. She wanted to resist at first but started to soften and then enjoyed it after a few seconds.


    Some timeter, when things started to get awkward, he released her.


    Sherry gasped for air immediately.


    John stroked her cheek and asked, ¡°Still want to punch me?¡±


    Sherry gulped nervously and looked at him shyly.

 Chapter 1799

    Chapter 1799


    John simply smiled.


    Sherry pushed him away.


    It was then that a tiny figure entered her sight from the room. Caprice had woken up without her knowledge.


    The girl was in her pajamas. Her hair was messy, and she was looking at them with her big googly eyes.


    ¡°Daddy, Mommy, are you two kissing?¡± she asked innocently and curiously.


    Sherry blushed. She choked upon hearing the question and then looked at John.


    John smiled in reply. He went to Caprice and carried the girl into his arms. ¡°Daddy and Mommy are saying good morning to each


    other,¡± he said.


    ¡°Saying good morning means kissing?¡± the girl asked.


    Sherry smirked. She was anticipating John¡¯s made-up excuse.


    John smiled and then said, ¡°You can choose to kiss or not when you say good morning. You can only kiss people that you like


    and cannot do it to people you are not close with. Got it?¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes shimmered with interest. ¡°Oooo.¡±


    John then looked at Sherry.


    She sighed a breath of relief and muttered in her heart, ¡®What a cunning man!¡¯


    With Aunt Wanda taking care of Caprice, Sherry could spare some worry. She no longer had to wake up early in the morning to


    prepare herself and then help Caprice with the same. She just had to have breakfast with Caprice and John before she went to


    work.


    At the end of the day, she woulde home and have dinner with the two of them again.


    She sometimes brought work home to do after dinner, but most of the time was spent ying with Caprice, or together with


    John.


    The simple and fulfilling life went by swiftly.


    Half a year passed since then.


    Carl had sessfullyunched multiple projects since he took over. The division managers and employees had gotten used to


    his work style as well. In conclusion, other than the unexpected idents from time to time, everything progressed smoothly.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Carl improved a lot and carried out his responsibilities with flying colors.


    After Sherry settled all the lingering projects, she handed in her resignation letter. She spent a few nights thinking about how to


    write the letter and even got John to help. In the end, the letter was a few hundred words long.


    However, even after she emailed Lisa the resignation letter, her heart remained restless.


    The next day, she arrived at her office, but her mind was somewhere else. She stared in the air nkly for the whole morning,


    and it was her subordinate who brought her back from her trance by calling her name


    a few times.


    Her nervousness and restlessness continued untilter in the afternoon.


    Knocks came from her door.


    She thought it was her subordinate looking for her. ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door opened and Carl, in his handsome and professional suit, entered.


    It had been half a year since he took over thepany. Maybe because of the pressure that he has been feeling, he looked and


    behaved a lot more maturely than before. Often, she felt like she did not know the


    man.


    Seeing him in her office, Sherry bolted up and smiled professionally. ¡°Mr. Sager, what is it?¡±


    Carl''s eyes flickered. ¡°My mom saw your resignation letter. She asked me to invite you to lunchter.¡±


    Sherry was slightly baffled. ¡°She could have just called me. Why send you here?¡±


    Carl looked at her. ¡°I want toe here.


    ¡°It''s been a week since |st saw you, so | thought I¡¯de here myself,¡± he added.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She averted his gaze and said, ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s go, don¡¯t keep Lisa waiting.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Carl remained silent.


    Just when Sherry wanted to head to the door, Carl stepped in front and blocked her way.


    Sherry took a step back and looked at him with furrowed brows.


    He smiled at her with his charming eyes. His usual flirtatious gaze was somehow filled with sorrow and mockery.


    ¡°Sis, it''s only been a week since west saw each other and you are already calling me Mr. Sager?¡±

 Chapter 1800

    Chapter 1800


    Sherry said, ¡°You are now the CEO of thepany, and we are working. If not Mr. Sager, what should | call you?¡±


    Carl curved his eyes. ¡°When | wasn¡¯t the CEO, you never called me Young Master Carl either.¡±


    Sherry gulped. ¡°In the workce, there¡¯s only the superior and the employee, no Young Master Carl or whatever.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Fine.¡± He chuckled and stepped aside.


    Sherry continued forward, but when she walked past him, he held her wrist. She was caught off guard.


    He looked at her with his beautiful eyes and said softly, ¡°Sis, if you really want to go, can you stop calling me Mr. Sager?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Carl smiled and released her wrist.


    She then strode outside.


    He looked slightly disheartened. He only went to chase after her after she left the office.


    Lisa¡¯s car was waiting downstairs.


    As soon as Sherry walked out of the lobby, Lisa¡¯s driver opened the door for her.


    Sherry went over.


    Lisa was waiting for her with a smile. She waved at Sherry and said, ¡°Come on in. Let¡¯s go have something good.¡±


    Seeing that Lisa reacted just fine to her resignation, Sherry¡¯s lifted heart finally felt relieved. She entered the car and sat beside


    her.


    The driver closed the door and then returned to the driver''s seat.


    Sherry was slightly surprised. She looked outside the window and then Lisa timely said, ¡°Carl has something else to do. We will


    be having lunch on our own.¡±


    Sherry hummed a reply. Deep down, she sighed a breath of relief because Carl was noting. She had no idea how to face


    him now that she had tendered her resignation.


    The car drove for half an hour to reach a local seafood restaurant. Despite its seclusive location, the restaurant actually had a


    line in front.


    Fortunately, Lisa booked a table, and it seemed like she knew the owner. As soon as they got down from the car, the owner


    came over to wee them personally.


    They were brought to a quiet room on the second floor.


    ¡°Lisa, the usual?¡± the owner asked.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Lisa nodded and then said, ¡°And two more bottles of that fruit wine that you brewed yourself.¡±


    The owner nodded and left the room to prepare.


    Lisa pursed her lips and then said, ¡°Sherry, this restaurant is one of the best in Coastrock. I''ve always


    wanted to bring you here, but work caught up. Who would have thought this would be a farewell lunch for you?¡±


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°Lisa, I...¡±


    ¡°You can be yourself in front of me. | know you are going to leave sooner orter, but | didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d stay for so long.


    Sherry, you don¡¯t need to feel guilty about it. You¡¯ve done a lot for me, Carl, and thepany,¡± Lisa consoled her.


    She then opened her purse and revealed a package wrapped in a paper bag. ¡°Here¡¯s a little present that | have for you. Take it.¡±


    She put the package in front of Sherry.


    Curious, Sherry opened it.


    When she saw the contents, her eyes widened in shock. She covered it and pushed it back to Lisa. ¡°Lisa, | can¡¯t take this. It¡¯s too


    much.¡±


    Inside the paper bag was a housing agreement. Lisa had bought a seaside mansion and several other shops in the golden area


    under Sherry¡¯s name. They were worth a fortune.


    ¡°Sherry, | have always treated you as my own daughter.¡±


    Lisa pushed the paper bag back and held Sherry¡¯s hand. She put on a serious look and said, ¡°The properties | bought are all in


    Coastrock. The reason | gave them to you is that | want you to know this ce is your home as well.


    ¡°If things don¡¯t go well in Glenchester, you cane back whenever you want. My door is always open for you. Understand?¡±


    Sherry was deeply moved. She somehow started to tear up. ¡°Lisa, | promise I''ll visit often even if | go


    back.¡±


    Even without the properties, she never nned to cut ties with her.

 Chapter 1801

    Chapter 1801


    Lisa¡¯s eyes teared up. ¡°Good, good. As long as you know your way home.¡±


    She urged Sherry to take the property deeds. ¡°Keep these.¡±


    Sherry epted her goodwill. ¡°Thank you, Lisa.¡±


    The lunch went on for hours. Lisa chatted with her about many things.


    They only went back to the office in the evening.


    There were still resignation procedures that Sherry needed to be a part of, especially since she was a department manager.


    There was some time left before clocking out, so she went back to her department and held a small meeting with her


    subordinates to tell them that she was leaving. Her subordinates were all smart people, and they already expected her to leave


    for Glenchester sooner orter.


    It was the time spent together that made it difficult to see her leave.


    Sherry chatted with them for a long time.


    It was until the sky turned dark when Sherry realized it was way past time to leave office. She told her subordinates to go home


    without holding them back any further. She then grabbed her purse and left the building as well.


    It was already seven o¡¯clock. She wondered if Caprice was waiting for her at home.


    She strode to the parking lot. When she approached her car, she heard an adorable voice calling her,¡± Mommy...¡±


    Sherry looked ahead and saw John and Caprice by her car.


    The man leaned on the car, looking slightlyzy.


    Caprice crawled out of John¡¯s arms and waddled her way to Sherry.


    Sherry bent over to carry the girl into her arms then gave the girl a big kiss on the cheek.


    Caprice also kissed her back.


    Sherry carried the girl over to John.


    ¡°Why are you here with Caprice?¡± she asked.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    John curled his lips. ¡°Caprice missed you, so | brought her here.¡±


    Sherry looked at Caprice. The girl snuck a nce at John before she nodded and hummed a reply.


    Sherry could not help but kiss her cheek again, and Caprice giggled happily.


    Then, a big hand patted Sherry¡¯s head. She turned to John.


    John looked at her with a gentle gaze and asked, ¡°Did Mrs. Sager give you an answer?¡±


    He was referring to the resignation letter she sent to Lisast night.


    Sherry nodded. ¡°Lisa approved it.¡±


    John noticed her lifted mood. It seemed like the resignation did not affect her and Lisa seemed to


    approve of it rather quickly. He eximed, ¡°Then, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry carried Caprice into the rear seat while John got into the driver¡¯s seat.


    The car drove out of the parking lot and joined the traffic on the road.


    Higher up in the CEO¡¯s office, a towering figure stood before the ceiling-to-floor window as he gazed down at Sherry¡¯s car that


    left the building.

 Chapter 1802

    Chapter 1802


    Even until the car disappeared into the traffic, the man did not show any intentions of turning away. His charming eyes teared up


    under the starry night.


    Some timeter, an exasperated sigh could be heard.


    Lisa had been standing behind him for a while. She tapped on his shoulder and said, ¡°Sherry said she wille to visit us often.


    Stop standing here. Go home and take a rest.¡±


    Everything that needed to be said had been said, thus Lisa then left the office.


    Carl remained standing before the window with pursed lips. After his mother left the office and shut the door, his body leaned


    forward against the window. He held up his hand against the window and propped his forehead against the back of his hand.


    Tears fell from his tightly shut eyes.


    It took Sherry a full month to do aplete handover. Herst day was on a Friday.


    Sherry booked a table at a restaurant to treat her subordinates to a feast.


    Her subordinates were reluctant to see her go, but they were quite happy when they learned that she was paying. After work,


    they took a ride to the restaurant ahead of her.


    Other than her direct subordinates, Sherry also invited other department managers who were rather close to her. She texted


    them personally and told them to wait for her in the lobby so that they could go together.


    After sending out the invitations, Sherry spotted Carl¡¯s contact at the bottom of the list. His disy picture had changed from a


    sexy selfie of himself to thepany¡¯s logo in stark ck and white.


    Thest time they chatted was half a month ago, and it had been about work


    Her fingers froze for a moment, but she ultimately decided not to invite him. She believed he was busy with work.


    She put her phone away and went downstairs to the lobby.


    Her subordinates made a move first to the restaurant while the other department managers waited for her in the lobby.


    The elevator door opened, and she saw the others waiting for her. She strode out of the elevator, but before she could reach


    them, a tall figure in a handsome suit came towards her from the other direction.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Sherry wanted to turn a blind eye, but Carl hastened his steps and stood in front of her.


    ¡°Sis, where are you off to in such a hurry?¡± he asked with a smile.


    Sherry choked on her words.


    Before Sherry could squeeze her words out of her throat, Carl noticed the other department managers waiting for her. He smiled


    at her and then said, ¡°Are you going to have a farewell dinner with them?¡±


    Sherry nodded.


    ¡°Where to?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A restaurant in the Southern beach.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that ce? It¡¯s good, but it''s hard to get a seat. | know the owner. Do you want me to help get a table for you guys?¡± Carl


    offered


    Sherry rejected politely. ¡°It''s okay. | already booked a table a week ago.¡±


    Carl pursed his lips awkwardly. He reacted like a child whose best friend was leaving him for someone


    else


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened as the guilt devoured her. She tried to stay away from him so that he could concentrate on running the


    company. She did not want to inject useless hope into his mind anymore


    However, after knowing each other for years, she truly viewed him as a good friend or even a good little brother, and she did not


    want to hurt him.


    A few seconds of silenceter, she smiled and asked, ¡°Are you free now?¡±


    Carl smiled. ¡°I¡¯m actually attending a function. | can¡¯t join you guys.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips awkwardly. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Have fun.¡± He patted her head and then walked away, disappearing from her sight in the blink of an eye. Sherry sighed. She


    then went over to the department managers.

 Chapter 1803

    Chapter 1803


    Chapter 1803


    After dinner, Sherry and the group arrived at a club near the office


    The club was the first to operate under the Sagers after she joined thepany, and it continued to be the most popr one in


    the city


    The group had fun until midnight. Many of them got drunk.


    Sherry waited by the roadside and saw them off before she headed to the parking lot. There were still many cars in the parking


    lot at this hour, but her car stood out from the rest because there was a tall and elegant figure next to it.


    The handsome man wore a white shirt, had a pair of golden framed sses and looked extra clean-cut with thebination. He


    held a big bouquet of roses in his hands.


    When Sherry spotted him, she met his bewitching smile. Her heart raced. She smiled and went over to


    him.


    ¡°Sherry, Happy Resignation,¡± he said and gave her the roses.


    Sherry took it and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee.¡± He curled his lips and softly pinched her cheek.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She red at him.


    John stepped closer to her eyes, lowered his head, and brought the tip of his nose close to hers, sniffing


    Sherry blushed. She unconsciously wanted to push him away, but he circled her waist before she could.


    He lowered himself further and pressed his lips against hers. His kiss felt firm but soft, so soft that Sherry lost the intention to


    push him away.


    The kisssted for a while.


    Sherry had to push the man away to stop the kissing streak.


    John released her and pinched her face once more. ¡°Did you have a dozen bottles of wine tonight?¡±


    She reeked of alcohol, and it was not only her breath.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°No, it was my subordinates. | just had a few sses.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes. ¡°Your blood is flowing with alcohol. Do you really think I¡¯m an idiot?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Sherry gulped nervously because she knew it was a lie as well. She replied with a re. ¡°This is myst day at the Sagers. Can¡¯t


    | have a little extra fun? What? Did my alcoholic breath get in your way?¡±


    How dare he question her and nag her?


    John was slightly stunned. He held hisughter back and said, ¡°Drinking too much will harm your body. | just want you to stay


    healthy.¡±


    Sherry raised a brow. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± She knew her alcohol tolerance level. She


    loved to drink, but she was not an alcoholic.


    John caressed her face which was stained with a blush. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Sherry nodded. She took a step back and John opened the door for her. She shot him a praising gaze for his manners. She then


    entered the car with the bouquet of roses.


    Chispte


    17


    John smiled and got into the driver''s seat


    Before he started the car, he had a look into the rearview mirror


    Behind the car was an expensive but inconspicuous MPV


    Carl was in the MPV He was still wearing the same suit from earlier, and he was looking at Sherry¡¯s car from the window

 Chapter 1804

    Chapter 1804


    Chapter 1804


    The flight back to Glenchester was on the next morning.


    After breakfast, Sherry and John brought Caprice, Jason, and Aunt Wanda to the airport. When they finished checking in, Sherry


    carried Caprice and was walking through security with John.


    Suddenly, a ground staff came to her with a smile. ¡°Hi, are you Ms. Sherry Fowler?¡±


    Sherry was slightly surprised. ¡°Yes, | am.¡±


    The staff then handed her a small bouquet of flowers and a delicate-looking box. ¡°Someone wanted me to hand you this. He


    wanted me to tell you to be happy.¡±


    Looking at the flowers and the box, Sherry was slightly stunned.


    Noticing her mother¡¯s nk state, Caprice took the little box.


    The staff then left.


    Sherry looked at the flowers in her hands. It was a bunch of pink roses with a beautiful daisy in the middle. It was lovely.


    Caprice then opened the box out of curiosity. Her eyes blinked in awe, and her jaw dropped when she saw what was inside.


    Sherry looked into the box.


    There was a diamond ne inside. The pink diamond was carved into the shape of a beautiful rose.


    ¡°What is this?¡± The girl pulled out the little card hidden under the ne.


    Sherry wanted to take the card, but a big hand snatched it away first.


    It was John who stood beside her. He had a nce at the handwritten words on the card. As his eyes narrowed and looked


    slightly gloomy, he pinched the card tightly and pursed his lips in silence.


    Sherry saw the handwritten words on it as well.


    ¡°Sis, safe journey.¡±


    It could only be from Carl.


    How did he know when she would be leaving Coastrock City?


    Sherry looked around. All she saw was bustling people and airport security, but Carl was nowhere in sight.


    Sherry pursed her lips with mixed feelings.


    ¡°Mommy, who gave you this?¡± Caprice asked curiously with her big eyes staring at her.


    John was looking at her as well. His lips slightly curved, seemingly smirking.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes flickered. She answered, ¡°It¡¯s a good friend of Mommy''s. He wishes us a safe journey back to Glenchester.¡±


    ¡°Oooh...¡±


    Sherry could not free her hands from the flowers and the box while holding Caprice. She gave them to John and said, ¡°Help with


    this.¡±


    John took the box and the flowers.


    Sherry then carried Caprice through the checkpoint.


    John nced at the flowers and box in silence, lips pursed. He then went after Sherry and Caprice.


    There was still time before boarding, so they went to the lounge to rx and kill time.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Sherry carried Caprice to the couch.


    The girl seemed interested in the flowers. She crawled out of Sherry¡¯s arms and went over to John¡¯s to sniff the beautiful flowers


    with her tiny nose.


    John carried her petite body and looked at her y with the flowers.


    While the father and daughter were ying with the flowers, Sherry snuck her phone out and pulled up


    Carl''s contact.


    Amoment of considerationter, she texted Carl.


    ¡°Thank you for the present.¡±


    Maybe Carl did not have his phone with him, thus Sherry did not receive a reply.


    She pursed her lips and texted him again.


    ¡°Carl, | hope you will find your happiness too. All the best to you and thepany.¡±


    Ding!


    Just when she was about to keep her phone away, it chimed.

 Chapter 1805

    Chapter 1805


    Carl replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember that!¡±


    Sherry smiled. She put her phone away.


    Last time, she might have nagged him a little more, but he was no longer the yboy.


    Carl would only be more and more mature and reliable, and Sherry believed thepany would excel under his


    leadership.


    ¡°You look happy. Who are you chatting with?¡± The man¡¯s rich voice suddenly sounded.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Sherry regained herposure. Just when she was about to say it was Carl, she was surprised by what surrounded John. His


    feet and legs were covered in rose petals.


    Caprice was sitting on hisp, plucking the petals from the roses that Carl had given Sherry and throwing them around.


    Sherry furrowed her brows at John.


    John helplessly smiled. ¡°Caprice did it.¡± In other words, he did not help her or instigate her to pluck the petals.


    Sherry sighed exasperatedly.


    Caprice was her baby, after all, so there was no way she could be mad at her.


    Besides, the fresh roses would wither in a day or two, and she would have to throw them away as well. She might as well let the


    girl have some fun. Sherry was not overly bothered.


    It was then that Caprice raised her little hands and tossed the petals into the air. The dancing petalsnded on her, John, and


    even Sherry.


    The girl was unaware of her mother looking at her. She widened her grin and said to her father, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ve plucked all the


    petals!¡±


    John was rendered speechless.


    Sherry frowned and red at him.


    It got awkward momentarily.


    John then patted Caprice¡¯s head and said, ¡°Good girl. Let Mommy see what you did.¡±


    Caprice turned around to her mother and showed off her masterpiece. ¡°Mommy, look at me! I¡¯ve plucked all the petals!¡±


    All that was left in the bouquet of roses were thorny stems. Not even the daisy made it out alive.


    The girl was ruthless with the plucking. In fact, she did not even feel guilty about destroying the flowers. She looked pleased as if


    she was waiting for her mother to praise her actions.


    However, it really seemed like John did not instruct her to destroy the flowers.


    Sherry took a few petals from the girl¡¯s head and chuckled. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Caprice widened her smile, showing off her tiny teeth.


    John pursed his lips. A hint of delight shed behind his sses as if his scheme had seeded.


    They could not bring the flowers back now. As for the ne, it was quite expensive to throw away, so it was kept


    Two hourster, the nended at Glenchester Airport.


    Looking at the familiar surroundings, Sherry¡¯s chest tightened. The mixed feelings in her left her speechless Thest time she


    left, she had sworn to nevere back; a yearter, she was back with John and Caprice.


    Then, a strong and warm hand held her hand.


    Sherry turned around.


    John smiled warmly at her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The hatch was opened, and people started to leave the aircraft.


    Sherry adjusted her emotions and nodded. She got up and wanted to carry Caprice in her arms.


    However, John beat her to it. He carried the girl with one hand while holding Sherry¡¯s hand with the other.

 Chapter 1806

    Chapter 1806


    Chapter 1806


    To Sherry¡¯s surprise, Queenie and Madam Stockton came to the airport to pick them up.


    After leaving the airport, the group of Sherry, John, and Caprice headed back to the Stockton vi.


    The surroundings of the vi were the same as they had remembered it. However, they noticed that there were new flowers in


    the garden and some new decorative details on the exterior.


    Some of the flowers were in full bloom while others were still mere seedlings. As a result, it added a different ssh of youthful


    vor to the ancient vi that seemed to be a relic of a long gone past.


    Upon stepping through the courtyard, Caprice leaped out of Madam Stockton¡¯s arms and strolled into the garden. She jabbed at


    a colorful bell hanging on one of the branches.


    Queenie approached her. ¡°Caprice, | made these myself and hung them around the garden. Aren¡¯t they beautiful?¡±


    Caprice nodded, mesmerized by the trinket. She quickly asked, ¡°Aunty, can | take it and y with it?¡± ¡°Sure-¡± She had barely


    finished her sentence when Caprice plucked the bell off.


    She did not forget her manners. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Queenie.¡±


    Queenie chuckled softly. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Sherry jerked her lips to one side and began scanning the house.


    Queenie mentioned that she was the one who decorated the garden. Sherry noticed that the walls were painted with bright


    murals, then she saw strips of tiny bulbs lining the corridor. Was Queenie behind all of this?


    It was then that Madam Stockton asked her, ¡°Sherry, what do you think of the new look?¡±


    Sherry answered quite frankly, ¡°I think it''s quite interesting.¡±


    Madam Stockton smiled and stated, ¡°It was Queenie who touched up the ce. | don¡¯t know where she learned all this, but she


    insisted that this was how it should be done. If you don¡¯t like how it looks, | will send an interior designer over tomorrow and you


    can tell them what changes you''d like to make.¡±


    Sherry refused kindly, ¡°I think it looks nice as it is. There¡¯s no need to make changes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It took me a lot of time and effort!¡± Queenie heard Madam Stockton. She quickly marched up to Sherry and shot a


    yful, cross look at her mother, then she turned to Sherry. ¡°But if any of these is not up to your taste, | wouldn¡¯t mind if you get


    someone to make changes.¡±


    Queenie decided to revamp the look of the entire house to remove all traces of Julie ever being here. Everything that had once


    been used, or even just touched by Julie, had been thrown out and swapped with new ones.


    Sherry understood that she was now one of the Stocktons and that this was their way of repairing past mistakes. She smiled and


    said sincerely, ¡°I think it''s wonderful. There¡¯s no need to change anything.¡±


    Queenie was delighted to hear this and smiled with pride.


    Madam Stockton was pleased as well, ¡°Alright.¡±


    After sending them back home, Madam Stockton and Queenie excused themselves and left.


    This was where Sherry lived with John and Caprice nearly a year ago.


    Queenie had given the garden and the exterior walls a new look. The interior was more or less the same.


    but the furniture had been reced with new ones.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Special attention was taken to cleaning every nook and cranny of the house. The moment she stepped inside, the warm smell of


    home came up to greet her.


    She looked around and let out a sigh of relief. She felt a hand ced on the top of her head, ruffling her hair


    John spoke in a voice that sounded heavy with bass, ¡°Sit down and get some rest.¡±


    Sherry was feeling rather tired from the long trip here. She turned and nced in the direction of the garden.


    Caprice was ying in the garden, inspecting the murals on the wall while Aunt Wanda was keeping an eye on her.


    Sherry smiled softly and went to lie down on a nearby couch. She reached for her phone to send a text to Sylvia. She had been


    very busy with everything going on and had not managed to find time to contact Sylvia.


    She figured she should tell Sylvia that she was back in nchester.


    John sat down next to her and was on his phone as well.

 Chapter 1807

    Chapter 1807


    Chapter 1807


    After sending several work-rted texts, he turned to Sherry.


    She was grinning as she stared at her phone disy.


    Based on her giddy expression, John wagered that she was texting Sylvia. He smiled faintly. After observing her for a while, he


    reached for a tter of fruit set on the table and took a slice of pineapple. He brought it toward her lips.


    Engrossed in conversation with Sylvia, Sherry instinctively opened her mouth when she sensed something approaching. She


    only realized she had been given something to eat when the taste of pineapple swarmed her taste buds.


    It was as sweet as it was sour and was very delicious.


    After she finished with the first slice, another slice seemed to materialize out of thin air in front of her.


    Again, she devoured the slice that was magically brought to her lips, her attention still transfixed on her phone''s disy the


    entire time.


    The same sequence was repeated several times. Every time she finished a slice, she would open her mouth again with full


    confidence that another slice of pineapple would be presented to her.


    The queer interactionsted as long as her conversation with Sylvia on the phone.


    Soon, Sylvia told Sherry that she had to leave to attend a parent-teacher meeting, so Sherry said goodbye and wrapped up the


    conversation. She had just swallowed yet another piece of pineapple and habitually. opened her mouth, expecting another piece.


    Amoment passed, then another. There was no pineapple this time.


    She found it rather odd and finally looked away from her phone for the first time. She met John¡¯s sneering eyes staring at her.


    He held a tter of fruit in his hand, and there were many slices of pineapples on the tray. Each slice looked so fresh that it


    seemed like it had only been harvested only moments ago.


    ¡°Enjoying yourself?¡± he asked with a smile.


    Sherry put down the phone and put her hand out ¡°Gimme.¡±


    It was delicious, and she simply could not get enough of it.


    John took a slice of pineapple from the tray.


    Sherry opened her mouth again, expecting him to deliver it into her mouth. Instead of giving it to her, he threw the slice into his


    mouth, savoring its taste himself.


    ¡°It is pretty delicious,¡± he remarked with a smile.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    She shot a look at him. ¡°I want a slice.¡±


    He did not oblige. Again, he took another slice for himself.


    Sherry was growing restless by this point and flung herself at him.


    John swiftly ducked backward from her frenzied charge and had the mind to slide the tter of fruit onto the table in the middle


    of his maneuver


    Sherry could not stop her forward momentum and plunged into him. She felt an arm wrapped around her waist like a belt.


    Before she could react, she felt a palm pressing on the back of her head, then her lips were nked with the soft texture of


    John¡¯s lips.


    He only gave her a light kiss before letting her free.


    She hissed in an unfriendly voice, ¡°You bastard, what¡¯s your problem?¡±


    John smiled charmingly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get married.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by the suddenness of this. ¡°Aren¡¯t we already married?¡±


    ¡°We only got a marriage certificate. He gently brushed her cheeks and spoke with rity in his voice, ¡°I want a proper wedding. |


    want to let the world know that we are husband and wife.¡±


    His voice was gentle, and there was a fixed, tender glow in his. eyes


    Sherry felt her nerves creeping up on her. Her mind acted against her and forcefully evoked the memories of John¡¯s past


    wedding with Shannon.


    She knew that John had only done so to spite her at the time. However, the consequences were significant since most of the


    rtives and friends of the Stocktons and Fowlers attended the wedding Everyone had been present to witness the union of


    John and Shannon.


    Even if she would not acknowledge Shannon, they were still sisters as far as the outside world was concerned. She wondered


    what terrible things were said about her behind closed doors.


    Her expression darkened as she said defiantly, ¡°No need, the only thing that matters is that our rtives. and close friends know


    that we are a married couple. Nobody else needs to know.¡±

 Chapter 1808

    Chapter 1808


    John must have sensed what was on her mind. He fell silent for a moment before stating, ¡°We can choose to invite only our


    close friends and rtives.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Only the ones closest to them in their personal lives needed to witness thememoration of their rtionship.


    He brushed her cheek again and asked softly, ¡°Is that alright?¡±


    Sherry wavered for a moment, then she nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    John smiled softly, the same gentle glow appearing in his charming eyes.


    She was going to get up and leave, but there was an enchanting, maizing power in his eyes that made her draw closer to


    him. She had barely inched her head toward him when he palmed the back of her head and drew her into him.


    Their lips locked.


    The date of the wedding was set for the next week.


    The time, venue, and every other logistic detail had been sorted out. Ten sets of wedding dresses had been tailored for Sherry.


    All she needed to do was to choose her favorite one among them.


    Needless to say, John had begun making the preparations for the wedding before they even returned from Coastrock


    Sherry was slightly overwhelmed but managed to keep it together.


    Madam Stockton had already finalized the list of guests to be invited on the Stocktons side.


    It was time to finalize Sherry¡¯s guest list.


    The first person she called was Sylvia. When Sylvia heard about the wedding, she promised to attend right away and mentioned


    that she would bring Odell and the children.


    After that, Sherry called Lisa who was in Coastrock. Lisa was shocked but readily agreed.


    Madam Stockton and Queenie were the ones in charge of nning the wedding.


    After receiving confirmation that Sylvia, Odell, and Lisa would attend, Sherry forwarded the information to Queenie and Mama


    Stockton.


    Queenie immediately began designing the invitation cards for Sherry¡¯s guests.


    Weighing her words carefully, Madam Stockton proposed to Sherry, ¡°Sherry, your parents are in nchester. Do you want to


    invite them?¡±


    Sherry made a look and decided, ¡°No need.¡±


    In the past, she still held out hopes that they could one day repair their broken rtionship. Now, she had Caprice and a life of


    her own. What Matthew and Janine have done to her was utterly unforgivable and answered any remaining doubts she had


    about whether they cared about her at all. As far as they were concerned, she was less than a stranger.


    Madam Stockton noticed the firm look on Sherry¡¯s face. She said with an understanding smile, ¡°Alright.¡±


    The week flew by.


    Odell, Sylvia, and their children arrived at nceshter the night before the wedding.


    One of the highlights of a wedding procession was when the groom went to see the bride.


    The soon-to-be-wed couple had not slept in the same house since three days ago. Sherry and Caprice were temporarily installed


    in one of the houses John owned in the city. On the day of the wedding, he would show up to im her.


    Sylvia brought Liam to see Sherry on the night before the wedding.


    Odell, Isabel, and Flint must have gone to visit John.


    As soon as the doorbell rang, Aunt Wanda opened the door. The moment she recognized Sylvia and Liam, she rushed into the


    house and announced cheerfully, ¡°Mrs. Sherry, Mrs. Sylvia and Liam are here!¡±


    Sherry and Caprice happened to be napping. The moment Caprice heard Aunt Wanda¡¯s voice, she pounced out of bed and was


    out of the room before Sherry had time to grab her.


    By the time Sherry waltzed into the living room, Caprice was already all over Liam.


    Liam had grown significantly taller since theyst met. He stood nearly as tall as Sylvia¡¯s shoulders. He was tall and lean while


    hisplexion was fair and defined. The shadow of his father could be seen in his features.


    Even Sherry was immediately taken by how handsome he looked. It made sense that Caprice was obsessed with him. She clung


    to Liam the entire time and refused to let go.


    Sherry tried to distract Caprice several times to no avail. At one point, Caprice even got annoyed and buried herself into the


    burrow of Liam''s neck to muffle out her mother¡¯s voice.


    Sherry chuckled.


    Sylvia motioned to her. ¡°Let the kids y for a while.¡±


    Liam turned to Sherry and assured her as he wrapped his arms snugly around Caprice, ¡°Aunt Sherry, I''ll take care of Caprice.¡±

 Chapter 1809

    Chapter 1809


    Liam was stronger than he looked, and he could lift Caprice rather effortlessly.


    Sherry thanked him with a smile and noted, ¡°There¡¯s a dollhouse down the corridor. You can bring Caprice there with you.¡±


    Liam went to the dollhouse, carrying Caprice in his arms.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Sherry turned around and took Sylvia¡¯s hand. ¡°Syl, let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sylvia followed her to another room.


    The two sat on the edge of the bed and chatted.


    Despite telling herself that it was just a simple wedding and that it was nothing to make a fuss over, Sherry found herself wrung


    with anticipation and unable to fall asleep. She stayed up all night.


    She and Sylvia talked about all sorts of things. They talked about the past and caught up on recent events in each other¡¯s lives


    until it was nearly four in the morning.


    They only slept for a few hours before they were woken up by Aunt Wanda.


    Dawn had broken, and the makeup artist had arrived to help Sherry get ready for her big day. She woke up and jumped into the


    shower.


    After the shower, they remembered Caprice and Liam who they sent off to the dollhousest night. They went to Caprice¡¯s room


    and gently nudged the door open.


    They were both caught in disbelief.


    Liam looked like he had just woken up. He was dressed in pajamas, and sleep still lingered on his face as he held back a yawn.


    Caprice was awake as well. She spoke in that signature darling voice of hers, ¡°Good morning, Liam.¡±


    Liam smiled faintly. ¡°Morning.¡±


    Immediately after that, Caprice turned toward him and gently pecked him on the corner of his lips.


    Liam did not speak, but his eyes were drawn wide open.


    Standing by the door, both Sherry and Sylvia were just as much astounded.


    Astrange silence hung in the air for several seconds.


    Sylvia shot a look at Sherry.


    Sherry made an awkward expression, signifying that she waspletely clueless as to what to say either


    Meanwhile, Liam was still transfixed in shock. He stared at Caprice, a light shone in his eyes.


    Caprice smiled a crescent smile and looked back at him shyly


    Sherry had to do something She immediately approached them and promptly took Caprice into her arms.


    Suddenly stripped away from Liam, Caprice rebelled immediately She cried out insistently. ¡°No, | want to be with Liam!¡±


    Sherry frowned and cast a stern, questioning look at her ¡°Caprice, why did you kiss Liam just now?¡±


    Caprice made a look and answered confidently, ¡°Because | like Liam.¡±


    What?


    What did children know about things like that?


    ¡°Mommy knows that you like Liam, but why did you have to kiss him?¡±


    She even kissed him on the lips of all ces!


    ¡°Because Daddy always kisses you when he says good morning to you. He told me that people kiss when


    they like each other.¡± She presented her logic very matter-of-factly.


    Sherry fell silent. She did not know what to say, and her cheeks suddenly grew red hot.


    The child had learned it from John.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia was looking at her with a teasing sort of smile.


    Sherry shot her an embarrassed look. ¡°I''ll take Caprice.¡±


    ¡°Go.¡± Sylvia motioned.


    Sherry immediately carried Caprice and took her to the adjacent room.

 Chapter 1810

    Chapter 1810


    Chapter 1810


    Sylvia did not join them.


    Caprice craned her head to the side and kept stealing nces at the door. She wanted to go back to Liam.


    Sherry pinched her chubby cheeks and lectured her, ¡°Caprice, the kind of rtionship Mommy and Daddy has is different from


    the one between you and Liam.¡±


    Caprice frowned and protested, ¡°What''s the difference? If | like Liam, then it¡¯s the same.¡±


    ¡°You and Liam are both children. The way you like each other is different from the way adults like each other.¡± Sherry lowered the


    pitch of her voice and exined patiently. ¡°You will understand when you grow


    Thest part was the only part that got through to Caprice. She shaped a short ¡°ohh¡¯ with her mouth.


    Sherry smiled and told her nicely, ¡°You can kiss Liam if you want, but only on his forehead or cheek, maybe even his nose.


    Anywhere but the lips, got it?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t | kiss his lips?¡±


    ¡°Because children shouldn¡¯t kiss on the lips. That¡¯s for adults.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Oh well, she figured. As long as she got to kiss Liam. All she wanted was to be close to him.


    Sherry smiled and heaved a sigh of relief, d to finally have gotten through to Caprice. She sat her on the ground and gently


    brushed the top of her head. ¡°Go on, go to him.¡±


    ¡°Okay...¡± Caprice ran out happily.


    After a while, Sylvia walked in.


    The makeup artist had arrived a short while ago and entered the room as well.


    Sherry went to the dressing table. She chatted with Sylvia while the makeup artist worked her magic.


    Time passed quickly.


    The sun had risen above the horizon and Sherry¡¯s makeup waspleted. She put on her wedding gown with its wonderful,


    silky fabric trailing across the floor behind her.


    There was a knock on the door.


    Sylvia asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It''s me and Liam.¡± They heard Caprice¡¯s voice.


    Sylvia went to open the door for them and greeted them with a gentle smile.


    Caprice and Liam walked in holding hands. They were dressed for the wedding as well. Liam looked dashing in the ck suit he


    wore while Caprice wore a white frilly dress, looking like a princess who had stepped out of a fairy tale.


    When they saw Sherry in her wedding dress, they were both in awe and did not conceal the surprise and delight on their faces.


    Caprice was enchanted and cried out, ¡°Mommy, you are so beautiful!¡±


    Sherry smiled and stroked her hair.


    Liam informed, ¡°Aunt Sherry, | noticed Uncle John¡¯s car parked outside just now.¡±


    Caprice chimed in with an enthusiastic nod, ¡°Yeah, we saw him!¡±


    Sylvia stirred. She quickly approached the door to shut it. Before she managed to close the door, two tiny figures bolted through


    the slit just in time.


    It was Isabel and Flint. Isabel wore a dress identical to Caprice¡¯s while Flint was dressed in a handsome


    suit.


    As soon as they entered, Isabel mped the door shut by throwing her weight against it. She immediately cried out excitedly.


    ¡°Mommy, Uncle John ising. Hold the door!¡±


    Flint added, ¡°Yeah, | saw Uncle John. We can¡¯t let him in just yet!¡±


    Isabel echoed, ¡°That''s right!¡±


    The two had run into the room as fast as they could and were still gasping for breath.


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°Alright!¡±


    She produced a handkerchief to wipe the sweat on their foreheads, then she instructed them, ¡®I''ll leave you in charge of holding


    the door, okay?¡±


    Both Flint and Isabel chirped brightly. ¡°Okay!¡±


    Sylvia returned to Sherry with a smile and gently took her hand.


    Sherry smiled at her.


    Soon, they heard a rush of footsteps approaching.


    Thump, thump, thump...


    It was immediately followed by a knock on the door.


    Isabel and Flint turned to each other with a fever in their eyes. Isabel crossed her arms and shouted, Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Uncle John. We came here together, remember?¡± They heard John¡¯s deep voice permeate through the door.


    Something gleamed in Isabel¡¯s eyes. She cried out again, ¡°All | remember ising here with fatty Flinty. Who is Uncle John?¡±


    Swish...

 Chapter 1811

    Chapter 1811


    Chapter 1811


    The response came in the form of dor bills swishing in through the gap underneath the door.


    Isabel''s eyes glowed like someone had switched a light on, and she turned to Flint.


    Flint immediately got on his knees and began collecting every bill he could get his hands on, swiftly tucking them into his pouch


    all the while.


    Sherry watched them with great amusement.


    Sylvia spectated with intrigue as well.


    An endless torrent of dor bills came sliding in underneath the door.


    Flint had his hands full in no time.


    Isabel crossed her arms and stood her ground.


    Soon, they heard John¡¯s voice again. ¡°Do you know who | am now?¡±


    Flint answered while scrambling on the floor, ¡°I do now, | do now.¡±


    ¡°Will you open the door for me now?¡± John asked.


    Isabel stood her ground. ¡°Uncle John, I¡¯m nothing like Flint, you won¡¯t win me over with just money.¡±


    Flint suddenly dered boldly while still picking up one dor bill after another, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡±


    Johnughed heartily. ¡°How can | get you to open the door?¡±


    ¡°Hmm... I''ll have to think about it.¡± Isabel thought long and hard.


    Sylvia gave her a look, hinting that it was about time to stop toying with John and let him into the room.


    It had been a long time since Sherryst met Isabel and Flint. She knew that these two children were very tenacious and not to


    be messed with. She wagered that they were going to have their fill of fun with John before they let him in.


    Sherry smiled faintly and approached Caprice.


    She was the one most dear to John, so it was time for her to say something.


    She looked around and finally spotted Caprice seated on the couch with Liam.


    Liam was spinning a six-by-six Rubik¡¯s cube. It looked like he was performing for her.


    Caprice leaned against his shoulder, the image of Liam was reflected in her pupils.


    She barely even noticed what was happening with her father.


    Sherry made a look.


    She was just about to tell her to save her father from his predicament when Isabel suddenly had a bright idea. She spoke out


    loud so John could hear from the other side, ¡°Uncle John, I''ll let you in if you answer just one question.¡±


    John smirked. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Isabel cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Who is prettier? My mommy or Aunt Sherry?¡±


    Figures of question marke popped up on top of both Sherry¡¯s and Sylvia¡¯s heads.


    There was a stiff silence on the other end of the door.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Isabel smirked. She knew she had put John in a tough spot. ¡°Uncle John, why are you so quiet?¡±


    Sylvia pursed her lips.


    Naturally, the answer was going to be Sherry for John. However, he should know that the answer Isabel must be expecting was


    her mother, Sylvia.


    There was no winning for John in this situation!


    Despite the unfair circumstances, Sherry was curious about what his answer would be.


    She pricked up her ears and waited for an answer.


    She was aware that Isabel hadid a trap for John. Still, if he dared to even insinuate that it was Sylvia who was prettier, she was


    going to let him have it!


    The silence lingered for a while until at one point, a man¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Your mother is prettier.¡±


    This voice... Odell?


    Asecondter, another voice spoke, ¡°My wife is prettier.¡±


    Thetter voice was John¡¯s.


    Isabel was bbergasted.


    Sylviaughed.


    Sherry could not help but grin at John¡¯s mischievous disy of wit.


    Flint was still busy snatching dor bills from the floor. He murmured, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°You big dummy!¡± Isabel shot a look at Flint, then she yelled at Odell who was helping John, ¡°Dad, | was asking Uncle John, not


    you!¡±


    John bantered with her. ¡°You never specified that | was the only one who could answer.¡±


    Isabel puffed up her cheeks in rage. ¡°You guys are cheating, this answer doesn¡¯t count!¡±


    John suddenly called out, ¡°Caprice.¡±


    Caprice suddenly turned away from Liam and stared at the door.

 Chapter 1812

    Chapter 1812


    Caprice looked at the door that was tightly shut and muttered, ¡°Daddy?¡±


    John answered, ¡°It¡¯s me, I¡¯m outside. Would you open the door for Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice promptly hopped off the couch and waddled to the door.


    Isabel and Flint stepped in front of her, cutting off her path.


    Isabel gently brushed the top of Caprice¡¯s head and tried to recruit her into their game. ¡°Caprice, we''re ying a game with


    Uncle John, you can¡¯t open the door yet.¡±


    Flint nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Caprice tilted her head to the side in confusion.


    She did not understand why they were trying to y games with her father.


    That was when she heard John¡¯s muffled voice behind the door again. ¡°Caprice, Daddy wants to go inside to see Mommy,


    please open the door for me.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Caprice answered swiftly. She turned to Isabel and Flint. ¡°Sister Isabel, Brother Flint, could you let me open the door for


    my Daddy?¡±


    When she raised the question, they could not help but notice the earnest look in her bright, sparkly eyes. The way her adorable


    chubby cheeks puffed up made it nearly impossible to refuse her request.


    Flint pursed his lips and looked at Isabel.


    Isabel seemed very conflicted.


    However, before she could decide what to do, Liam approached.


    He stood behind Caprice and looked at Isabel with a calm and authoritative look in his eyes. ¡°Let Caprice open the door.¡±


    Isabel became slightly upset.


    She could understand her father helping Uncle John, but why was her brother opposing her as well?


    All she wanted to do was to test Uncle John¡¯s resolve.


    She felt someone tugging her.


    It was Flint who was tugging at her. He gave her a pleading look, asking her to allow Caprice to open the door. He was afraid of


    upsetting Liam because he knew both of them were no match for their elder brother.


    Isabel took a deep breath, then she stepped aside atst.


    ¡°Thank you, Brother Liam, thank you, Sister Isabel and Brother Flint ¡°Caprice thanked them all politely then she approached the


    door. She had to prop herself up on her tiptoes to reach the door handle and tug


    at it with all her weight


    Meanwhile, Sylvia, who had witnessed the entire interaction, cast a furtive smile in Sherry¡¯s direction.


    Sherry saw everything that happened too


    These children were all a bunch of darlings it was apparent now that Liam was the one in control


    He had a remarkablymanding aura for someone his age


    Atst, John was given entry.


    The door was finally unlocked and drawn open.


    The tall figure of a man was immediately revealed behind the door.


    He was wearing a tailored suit of the finest quality that entuated his figure and his height.


    The white shirt he wore underneath the suitplemented his fairplexion perfectly. He smiled gently.


    He held a bouquet in his hand. The moment the door opened, he looked past Caprice, Liam, and the other children and


    immediately located Sherry with pinpoint uracy.


    He shed a charming smile in her direction.


    Sherry greeted him with a shy smile.


    With that, he walked up to her and presented her with the bouquet.


    Sherry took the wonderful bouquet and admired its beauty. Before she could rise, she felt a pair ofrge, strong arms wrapped


    around her waist and lifted her off the ground.


    John moved with purpose. He immediately marched toward the door as if afraid someone would bar the door again.


    Sylvia was aghast.


    The children were just as shocked.


    Ignored by her father, Caprice pouted andined, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Daddy wait for me?¡±


    Liamforted her. ¡°Uncle John is in a rush to marry your mommy, he didn¡¯t mean to ignore you.¡±


    Caprice felt slightly better, though the disappointment still showed on her face.


    Liam consoled her. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go with them.¡±


    With that, he took her hand.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice smiled happily. ¡°Okay!¡± The pair walked out together.

 Chapter 1813

    Chapter 1813


    After they went outside, Isabel and Flint exchanged a curious look.


    ¡°Why does Liam care so much about fatty Caprice?¡± Isabel was perplexed.


    Flint stroked his chin, deep in thought. He spected. ¡°Maybe because Caprice looks cuter than us.¡±


    Isabel pouted.


    In school, she was the one who bossed all of her ssmates. Every single one would address her respectfully as ¡®big sister. With


    this image in mind, she told herself that she could not possibly be bothered by the fact that Caprice was cuter than her.


    However, Caprice was not only cute, but she was also known to be well-behaved.


    Meanwhile, Isabel and Flint always got into trouble. She suspected this was why Liam cared about Caprice. It was because she


    was more pleasant to be around.


    Isabel grumbled and decided that she could not care less. She tucked her hands in her pockets and walked outside.


    Flint followed behind her like a shadow.


    Sylvia was thest to step outside. After making sure that all the children had gone outside, she smiled and threw a nce at


    Odell who had been standing outside waiting for her.


    Odell smiled, then he took her hands and led her downstairs.


    The wedding was held at one of Stockton¡¯s properties.


    They had invited most of their closest rtives and friends. The ceremony itself was meant to be a low- profile event. Despite


    that, great attention was paid to sprucing up the vi for the asion.


    The decoration in the vi was the least of it.


    On the way to the vi, Sherry noticed countless white ribbons and decorations tied to the streetlights along the road; it looked


    like they were going to venture into a dreand. As they drew closer to the vi, she saw red carpets paved along the road. It


    was a very ceremonious and grand disy.


    Judging by the gaudy ir, she figured that it was Queenie who had architectured it. She must have put a


    lot of heart into it.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Sherry smiled ear to ear, she was touched by the gesture.


    John sat next to her and held her hand tightly. His eyes were fixed on her the entire time.


    He smiled when he observed how happy Sherry looked.


    After a while, the car drove through the main gate.


    The gate was wide open.


    The road leading into the vi was paved with red carpets as well.


    The servants and bodyguards working in the vi stood on both sides of the road. They had been waiting


    for a while


    As soon as Sherry stepped out of the car with John, everybody scattered baskets full of rose petals into the air and let them


    flutter about.


    The shower of rose petals did not stop until Sherry and John walked into the garden where the wedding. ceremony would be


    held.


    The guests had already arrived and were all gathered in the garden waiting for the soon-to-be-wed couple.


    The moment they noticed Sherry and John, they all rose and turned to admire the beautiful, dreamy couple.


    There were no more than fifty guestsbined.


    Alot of them were rtives and friends of the Stocktons, and Sherry recognized most of them.


    Lisa showed up as well. She was standing next to Madam Stockton and smiled warmly at Sherry.


    Sherry smiled back at her. She continued walking down the aisle with John, toward the stage that had


    been set up.


    The host was already waiting for them on stage.


    The wedding ceremonymenced after the main characters had arrived.


    The ceremony progressed smoothly.


    They said their vows to each other, then exchanged wedding rings.


    Queenie and Isabel stirred the crowd into a cheery and rowdy mood. They made everyone chant for the couple to kiss on stage.


    Sherry and John obliged. They kissed until Sherry lightly pinched John¡¯s waist to signal him to stop.


    Queenie and Isabelughed heartily, they were having the time of their lives.


    Caprice grinned and giggled.


    Sherry gave John a shy look.


    Unexpectedly, he suddenly grabbed her waist again and pulled her closer to him. Their second kisssted longer than the first


    and with more passion.


    ¡°Oooh!¡±


    There were a lot of oohs and ahhs amid the crowd.


    Sherry was not expecting this, and her cheeks flushed red.


    John reluctantly let go after he had enough.


    Before Sherry could get a word in, he propped his chin on her shoulder and whispered in her ears, ¡°Sherry,


    now that everyone knows that you''re my wife, please don¡¯t ever leave me again.¡±

 Chapter 1814

    Chapter 1814


    Sherry felt a restlessness rising in her chest. Without realizing it, her lips curled into a smile.


    She said stoutly, ¡°l may be married to you, but it doesn¡¯t mean | have to tolerate your nonsense forever. If you ever dare to-¡±


    ¡°| wouldn¡¯t dare. Before she could finish, John hugged her tightly and assured her. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ever dare, my dear wife,¡±


    Sherry smiled coyly. ¡°That¡¯s a smart man.¡±


    John chuckled heartily before letting her go.


    Below the stage, everyone beheld the loving couple with lovestruck eyes.


    Madam Stockton, Lisa, and the others formed shy smiles.


    Sylviaughed along with Odell, the two held each other tenderly.


    Meanwhile, Isabel and Queenie were doubled over withughter.


    Liam had covered Caprice¡¯s eyes, but the girl was still grinning from ear to ear.


    When Sherry remembered that there were so many people staring at her, she wanted to burrow herself into a hole. She wanted


    to jump off the stage and flee the scene.


    She blushed and turned to John.


    John smiled and gently patted her head, then he looked at the host and gave a signal.


    The host immediately stepped forward and distracted the crowd. His booming voice was very effective at drawing the attention of


    the rowdy crowd.


    He announced dly, ¡°And this wraps up the wedding ceremony! | wish the bride and groom a happy life. forever and ever!¡±


    Astanding ovation followed.


    The host invited everyone present to join the newlywed couple on stage for a group picture, then he excused himself from the


    stageBelonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    The first ones up on the stage were Madam Stockton, Queenie, as well as Caprice. They took a wonderful family picture


    together.


    After that, all of the rtives and friends present were invited on stage for a group picture.


    Sherry excitedly invited Lisa on stage.


    Lisa had a ne to catch. After taking the picture, she congratted Sherry before taking her leave.


    Meanwhile, Madam Stockton led all the friends and rtives of the family to the banquet hall for a feast


    Sherry suddenly turned to Sylvia and Odell, she eximed brightly, ¡°Syl, Odell,e on and bring your kids up here so we can


    all take a picture!¡±


    Sylvia smiled and obliged She stepped onto the stage with Odell


    Isabel, Flint, and Liarn joined them as well


    Queenie, who was in the middle of escorting the guests to the banquet hall with Madam Stockton, caught what was happening


    on stage from her peripheral vision. She immediately bound toward the stage as if


    her life depended on it.


    Sherry pulled Sylvia closer to her.


    Odell stood with John, the two men looked dashing together.


    Liam stood on the other side of Odell


    Caprice Flint, Isabel, and Queenie crouched in front.


    The photographer framed the picture carefully. Before taking the shot, he noticed the boy standing next to Odell and gestured at


    the boy. ¡°Young man, smile for the camera!¡±


    Everyone turned to look at Liam.


    Liam hardly wore any expression on his face as his default expression had always been very stoic.


    Sylvia asked him to smile.


    Sherry knew this was merely Liam being himself and wanted to ask the photographer to let the boy be.


    Before she could inform the photographer, Caprice suddenly spoke up, ¡°Brother Liam, smile for the camera!¡±


    She looked up at Liam with an eager glow in her eyes.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Liam said softly and traced a smile.


    His smile was subtle and very reserved, but it was a very fitting look for him. A warm glow appeared in his eyes and he looked


    more handsome than usual.


    Sherry and Sylvia exchanged a smile with each other.


    The photographer drew their attention. ¡°Alright everyone, look at the camera please.¡±


    Sherry and Sylvia smiled and faced the camera.


    Both John and Odell smiled at the camera as well.


    Asoft smile hung on Liam¡¯s lips as he readied himself for the shot.

 Chapter 1815

    Chapter 1815


    Positioned in front were Caprice, Isabel, Flint, and Queenie. The four of them had no trouble smiling at all as they shed their


    rows of white teeth with pride.


    Click!


    The photographer captured the beautiful scene, a memory to be cherished forever.


    Time flew.


    Sixteen yearster.


    Westchester.


    At a nightclub in a college town.


    Caprice held a bottle of beer and took asional sips from it. She wore a neat red dress that


    entuated her waistline, her natural locks of curly hair were very eye-catching.


    Even though she was seated in a remote corner, it did not dissuade flocks of men froming up to her to strike up a


    conversation.


    She did not entertain any of them.


    Some of the men had a foul temper but knew better than to voice their frustrations since Caprice was with her friends. They


    retreated, hanging their heads low in defeat.


    Three of Caprice¡¯s housemates came drinking with her.


    They were the ones who did her makeup for her.


    Today was her birthday, so they decided toe here for a celebration.


    Celebrating her birthday was the primary objective. The secondary objective was to find a man for her.


    ¡°Caprice, what''s the matter with you? Some of them were pretty handsome, why wouldn¡¯t you at least try to talk to them?¡± the


    short-haired Lana asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.


    ¡°Yeah, if | didn¡¯t have a boyfriend already, I''d have chosen one of them easily. Aren¡¯t you interested at all?¡± Freya was the one


    with an hourss figure. She was baffled by Caprice¡¯sck of interest.


    Freya suddenly eximed dramatically, ¡°Caprice, you''re not into girls, are you?¡±


    Immediately after raising the question, both she and Lana shrunk away from Caprice.


    As if they were afraid that Caprice would confess her affection for them.


    Caprice took another sip of beer and looked sullen. It did not seem like she was in the mood for banter.


    Freya and Lana were very puzzled. They darted looks at Piper who was sitting on the other side of Caprice.


    Piper and Caprice had known each other for more than a decade. They both hailed from nchester and came to Westchester


    University to study together. They pretty much grew up together.


    Piper sighed and assured them. ¡°She¡¯s straight, you two are safe.¡±


    ¡°Then why isn¡¯t she looking for a boyfriend?¡± Lana asked in a puzzled tone.


    Piper nced at Caprice and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to, she must''ve someone on her mind already.¡±


    However, it seemed to her that this certain someone did not reciprocate her feelings.


    Freya and Lana exchanged a look, then they asked Piper, ¡°Who''s this mysterious man?¡±


    Caprice returned from her state of trance and frowned irritably.


    Piper immediately deflected. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, | was just guessing.¡±


    She had promised Caprice not to spill her secret.


    Although Freya and Lana were good friends, they were not to be trusted with keeping secrets. If they knew that Caprice had


    been secretly in love with the eldest son of her parent''s friends, it mightplicate situations going forward.


    Freya and Lana bought Piper¡¯s lie, and they turned their attention back to Caprice.


    Freya probed, ¡°Caprice, who is it? Just between me and you, | know a lot of people in Westchester. Just say the name of this


    mysterious man and | promise you I¡¯ll do everything in my power to set you two up together!¡±


    Lana chimed in. ¡°That''s right, it doesn¡¯t even matter if he has a girlfriend, we can fix that for you!¡±


    Caprice made a look, then she craned the bottle of beer at a vertical degree and finished the whole thing. in one smooth motion.


    Freya and Lana were speechless.


    Piper was just as baffled.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Caprice was usually well-behaved and reserved. This was the first time they had ever seen her downing beers like this.


    Freya was immediately rmed and hurriedly stopped Caprice. ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m so sorry if we said something that upset you. Look,


    if you¡¯re sad you can tell us! Don¡¯t drink yourself to death.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Caprice, stop drinking please ¡°Lana tried to help as well.


    It seemed like Caprice had filtered out their voicespletely. As soon as she finished the first bottle, she reached for another


    one.

 Chapter 1816

    Chapter 1816


    Chapter 1816


    Lana and Freya were entirely at a loss for what to do.


    They turned to Piper for help, hoping that she would say something to Caprice.


    This was the first time Piper had ever seen Caprice in such a state as well. As much as she was overwhelmed by the situation,


    she tried to say something to Caprice nheless, ¡°Caprice, go easy. you''re going to get sick from drinking so much.¡±


    Glug


    Caprice took one morerge swing before stopping.


    Piper, Lana, and Freya heaved a sigh of relief.


    Caprice suddenly burped, and her eyes slowly began to turn red.


    Piper, Lana, and Freya were stunned.


    Though Caprice had always been very reserved and diligent, they did not take her for the type to bear her feelings outwardly and


    cry in the presence of others.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    One time, she fell from her bicycle and tore off kes of skin from her knee. She winced and barely dared to look in the direction


    of the wound and yet, she did not shed a tear the entire time.


    All three of her friends looked at her,pletely dumbfounded.


    When Caprice sensed that tears were on the verge of falling, she quickly opened another bottle of beer and cocked her head


    backward, letting the liquid pour into her mouth like an open faucet.


    Her friends were not the only ones taken aback by this disy. Even the boys who were on their way to


    flirt with her had to do a double take.


    On the stage, a group of scantily dresseddies was still dancing.


    The crowd was very rowdy, everyone was dancing along to the music.


    Lurking in a remote corner, Piper, Lana, and Freya threw awkward nces at each other.


    They were thinking about how they couldfort Caprice.


    While they were still racking their minds looking for a solution, they heard a pleasant-sounding voicee from behind them.


    ¡°Caprice?¡±


    They all turned and their eyes immediately grew wide when they saw the owner of the voice.


    Caprice who was in the middle of her drink stopped as well.


    She wondered if she was hallucinating. After she put down the bottle of beer, she sat up straight and pricked her ear to listen.


    Tap!


    She felt a finger flick against her forehead.


    As soon as she turned around, a very familiar figure came into her blurred vision.


    The young man was wearing a loose-fitting white shirt and a pair of leather pants. Despite theck of any essories or ir, he


    was still easily one of the most good-looking men in the nightclub.


    Piper, Lana, and Freya were not the only ones captivated by the man¡¯s beauty. Countless beautifuldies


    all around caught themselves staring at him.


    He stood tall like a tower. There was a certain grace to every movement he made.


    However, there was a certain overbearing quality to his presence. His aura seemed to be on an entirely different levelpared


    to his peers and was rather difficult to approach.


    Thedies only dared to gawk at him from a distance as none of them dared to approach him.


    It was no different from Piper, Lana, and Freya. They only dared to watch him from a safe distance.


    After the initial wave of shock passed over, Caprice stood up and threw herself into his arms.


    ¡°Brother Liam.¡± She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest. She hugged him tightly and


    feverishly as if she was afraid that he was just a mirage and would vanish into thin


    air.


    She barely had time to feel Liam''s warmth emanate out of his body when she heard the angelic voice of another girl. ¡°Caprice,


    what time is it? Why are you here? Shouldn''t you be in the school dormitory?¡±


    It was as if she was forcefully snapped back to reality.


    She immediately let go of Liam and took two steps back.


    Even under the strobing lights, she noticed how Liam had turned stiff for a brief instant. Immediately after that, his usual grace


    returned to him.


    It was Heather Manson. She approached Liam.


    She was the same age as Liam and was one of the top students at Westchester University. Though she could notpare to


    Liam, she was still one of the most exemry students and was very well-known across the university.


    After graduating from university, she joined the technology district founded by Liam and was now Liam¡¯s right-hand man.

 Chapter 1817

    Chapter 1817


    Chapter 1817


    Heather and Liam were a package by this point as they were always seen together.


    Although Liam had never said anything about her being his girlfriend, the consensus was that they were dating


    Caprice was convinced it was true as well. The reason she felt this way was because the boy she had loved since she was a


    child never reciprocated her feelings. He only treated her like his dear sister.


    Even if she had thrown herself at him unabashedly, it would only end with him gently shoving her away.


    Without context, Caprice felt like she was the mistress in this situation. She hung her head low, feeling rather ashamed.


    She had to admit she was not fond of Heather, the one who stole Liam away from her. She tried to ignore her entirely, pretending


    as if she did not even exist.


    Heather stood next to Liam and seemed to be sizing up Caprice. An imperceptible look of jealousy shed across her eyes.


    After a while, she smiled and addressed Caprice, ¡°Little Caprice, why are you ignoring me?¡±


    Caprice thought to herself, ¡®Because | don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡¯


    She could not put on such a pompous attitude with Liam around. She swallowed her pride and answered, ¡°Sorry, | didn¡¯t catch


    what you just said.¡±


    She looked up to face Heather. Her cheeks were flushed red from the alcohol in her system, there was a wall of mist in her eyes.


    Despite that, she looked rather juvenile and innocent.


    Heather was offended, but wore a practiced smile nheless. ¡°I was saying that it¡¯s gettingte, you''re a student and should be


    in the dormitory at this hour. Why are you here?¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips.


    What a disgusting woman. Did she say this on purpose because Liam was here? Was her goal to give Liam the impression that


    she was an irresponsible student?


    Something quivered in her eyes, she gestured at Piper and said, ¡°Today is my friend¡¯s birthday, we came here to celebrate her


    birthday.¡±


    Piper responded with a strange look but she quickly yed along, ¡°Yeah, it''s my birthday.¡±


    Both Lana and Freya nodded along, they looked like bobbleheads.


    Heather sneered. ¡°I see.¡±


    Caprice could not be bothered whether she believed it or not as she stole a nce at Liam.


    The spotlight directly beat down on Liam¡¯s figure from behind. Caprice could not make out the expression


    on his face.


    He was cloaked in shadow, and she could only faintly make out the outlines of his face.


    Regardless, she could feel his indifference.


    He must have forgotten that today was her birthday.


    Just when she thought she had a grip on the situation, a turbulent wave of emotions washed across her


    again.


    She took a breath and forced herself to smile at Liam. She asked quite innocently, ¡°Brother Liam, why are you here?¡±


    Before Liam could answer, Heather spoke up in his ce, ¡°President Carter is here today to meet two of our clients from


    abroad.¡±


    Caprice muttered a light ¡®oh¡¯.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Heather switched her tone. She cast a judgmental look at Caprice¡¯s face again and asked, ¡°Sister Caprice, why is your face so


    red? | just saw you downing bottles, did you drink too much today? Or is this just another routine weekend for you?¡±


    Caprice clenched her fists.


    What a terribly annoying woman!


    Freya stepped forward and put her arms around Caprice. She turned to Heather and tried to exin. ¡± Caprice doesn¡¯t usually


    drink like this. We were just ying a drinking game and she lost, so we made her drink more than she usually does.¡±


    Piper echoed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Lana supported them. ¡°Yeah, she lost to me.¡±


    The three of them stepped up to help Caprice, and all of them looked at Heather without much friendliness.


    Heather was taken aback. She chuckled dryly and said, ¡°Drinking game or not, you shouldn''t drink so


    much.¡±


    Caprice tugged at Piper¡¯s shirt.


    Piper took the hint. Her voice grew sharper suddenly as she confronted Heather head-on. ¡°Sorry, who are you supposed to be?


    Even her dear brother Liam isn¡¯t saying anything. What makes you think you have the right to make so manyments?¡±

 Chapter 1818

    Chapter 1818


    Lana and Freya exchanged a look, then Freya crossed her arms across her chest and said with a scoff, Yeah, besides, we


    mentioned that Caprice was ying drinking games with us today to celebrate Piper¡¯s birthday. What¡¯s your deal? Why do you


    keep trying to make it sound like Caprice is an alcoholic? Are you trying to make her look bad in front of Liam?¡±


    Alook of panic shed across Heather¡¯s face. She searched for something to say but nothing came out


    Caprice saw the look on Heather¡¯s face, and she turned to her friends and defused the situation. ¡°| might not know her very well,


    but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s one of Brother Liam¡¯s most capable subordinates for a reason. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s giving me advice for my good,


    let''s stop trying to argue.¡±


    Piper made a look.


    Freya and Lana nearly flipped out as well.


    They tried to steer the situation back in their favor.


    ¡°Caprice, it still seems to me like she¡¯s got something against you,¡± Lana mentioned.


    Heather''s face turned ghost-white and murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t...¡±


    Caprice turned to Lana. ¡°I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t. We don¡¯t even know each other that well, why would she have something against


    me?¡±


    Both Piper and Freya muttered, ¡°Well, hopefully...¡±


    Having suddenly lost their grip on the situation, they stood around stiffly with their arms across their chest.


    Caprice turned to Heather, innocent as always. ¡°Heather, my friends were just trying to protect me, they didn¡¯t mean any harm. |


    know you''re a very kind person, | hope you won''t get offended.¡±


    Heather tucked her lips inward.


    It seemed like she was trying to hold back a smile, but she ended up letting a crack of a smile slip through


    anyway.


    She answered with a half-smile, ¡°You''re President Carter''s dear sister, so that makes you my sister as well. Since they are your


    close friends, | promise to not hold it against them at all.¡±


    Caprice forced herself to smile, her smile was very robotic and unnatural.


    Heather was directly insinuating that she was Liam¡¯s girlfriend and that Liam merely considered Caprice as his sister based on


    their family¡¯s close rtionship.


    Heather immediately noticed the wounded expression on Caprice¡¯s face. Something sharp shone in her eyes as she brought up


    rather candidly. ¡°Sister Caprice, I¡¯m going to go shopping with President Carterter since we''re going on a business trip in a few


    days. Would you like toe with us?¡±


    Caprice felt a tightness in her chest. ¡°I have to go back to the dormitoryter, so | can¡¯t-¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you head outside first?¡± Liam who had been silent the entire time suddenly interjected.


    He said it to Heather.


    Heather was caught off guard by this. ¡°Liam?¡±


    Liam gave her a look.


    Heather smiled and obliged. ¡°Okay, then I''ll wait for you outside.¡±


    She made sure to smile suggestively in Caprice¡¯s direction before she turned and strolled outside.


    Liam nced at Piper, Lana, and Freya.


    They immediately caught the hint and said to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, we''ll wait for you over there.¡±


    With that, they excused themselves as well.


    Caprice and Liam were the only ones left in the secluded corner.


    Caprice pursed his lips and looked at him, her eyes slowly watered. ¡°Brother Liam...¡±


    Liam took a step forward and drew closer to her. She felt his hands grabbing her chin, craning her neck upward to face him.


    She opened her eyes wide and felt the warmth surging from his fingertips. Her breathing quickened without her realizing it.


    ¡°How much did you drink?¡± he frowned and asked sharply.


    This was the only thing Caprice feared in the entire world when Liam spoke to her in a fiery tone.


    She nced at the table and muttered guiltily, ¡°Two bottles.¡±


    ¡°How many bottles?¡±


    She pouted and confessed the truth. ¡°Three.¡±


    ¡°This is thest time. Don¡¯t drink so much again in the future.¡±


    Caprice stopped for a moment before pushing the words out of her. ¡°You''re not my


    dad.


    He was not her boyfriend either. What gave him the right to boss her around?


    She was not upset at him, but something about the way Heather behaved so coquettishly around him riled up something inside


    her!


    Liam made a look, something intent glowed inside his eyes. ¡°Caprice, do you want to repeat that?¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips and fell silent.


    Liam gave her a knowing nce, then he firmly squeezed her chin again before pulling his hands back.

 Chapter 1819

    Chapter 1819


    ¡°What time does your dorm close?¡± Liam asked.


    Caprice answered frankly, ¡°Ten-thirty.¡±


    Liam angled his wrist to look at the time, then he suddenly announced, ¡°I''ll send you back to the dorm.¡±


    ¡°|...that¡¯s okay.¡±


    Liam turned to her. ¡°Why not?¡±


    Caprice lowered her head, afraid of meeting his sharp gaze head-on. ¡°It¡¯s Piper¡¯s birthday today, we agreed to only go home


    after twelve.¡±


    Liam peered at her, it seemed like he was barely listening at all.


    He seemedpletely indifferent about Piper¡¯s birthday. There was also a certain intensity inside his


    eyes.


    Caprice suddenly felt naked and vulnerable as if she was a test subject with a telescopic lens held up against her.


    ¡°Okay, I...I''ll ask them if they will go back to the dorm with me.¡±


    Liam seemed d to hear this. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Caprice approached her friends. When she told them about Liam¡¯s intention to send them back to the dormitory, they all agreed


    unanimously. ¡°Alright!¡±


    They even seemed excited.


    Caprice led them back to Liam.


    Liam was leaning against the railing. When he noticed Caprice returning with her friends, he straightened up and walked outside.


    Caprice followed him outside like a puppy.


    Shortly after, Caprice and her friends emerged from the nightclub.


    The nightclub exit led to the parking lot.


    Liam''s car was parked in a very prominent reserved spot.


    When Heather noticed Liam, she got out of the car and waved to him. The driver promptly stepped out of the car as well to open


    the door for Liam.


    Liam gestured at Caprice. ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    Caprice nced at Heather, feeling rather hesitant.


    Her friends did not share the same hesitation for they burrowed into the car immediately.


    Caprice was speechless.


    Oh well, she thought. Liam was just going to take her and her friends back home. They were not going to get up to any other


    shenanigans so there was no need to be apprehensive about it.


    She burrowed into the car as well.


    The car was a seven-seater.


    Her friends shared the passenger seat and the two seats in the middle section, therefore Caprice had to head to the seats in the


    back row.


    As soon as she sat down, Liam came into the car as well and sat next to her in the back row.


    The door was swiftly closed.


    Liam ordered the driver, ¡°Take us to Sparkrow University Dormitory.¡±


    The driver answered dutifully, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The car jerked to motion.


    Lana, Freya, and Piper werepletely silent, it was as if they had turned into stone sculptures.


    The entire ride was eerily silent.


    It was so quiet that Caprice could hear her restless heart beating.


    She wanted to sit closer to Liam, to be closer to him. However, the rational part of her mind knew better and made her sit in


    ce like her friends.


    She hoped the drive wouldst longer. It would be great if they never arrived at all.


    Unfortunately, the university was just a short drive away. In less than ten minutes, the car stopped outside the entrance of the


    girls¡¯ dormitory.


    Piper, Freya, and Lana quickly hopped out of the car.


    Caprice wedged herself out of the back row and turned to Liam. ¡°Brother Liam, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    He did not answer.


    She prepared to leave.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± He stopped her suddenly.


    Caprice sat back at once. She did not realize that while trying to wedge herself out of the car, she was


    now angled toward Liam so when she sat down, she ended up nting herself on hisp.

 Chapter 1820

    Chapter 1820


    Chapter 1820


    Caprice¡¯s heartbeat spiked in an instant, her cheeks became flushed with red.


    ¡°|... It wasn¡¯t on purpose,¡± she exined frantically while removing herself from Liam¡¯sp and throwing herself on the seat,


    sitting only roughly ten centimeters away from him.


    Liam nced at her.


    Caprice was afraid that he would be upset and lowered her head in shame.


    Astiff and unnatural silence loomed over the air around them.


    While Caprice was still reeling back from the awkwardness of the situation, a gray package hovered in


    front of her eyes.


    It was Liam who held it in front of her.


    Caprice asked curiously, ¡°What is this?¡±


    Liam said nonchntly, ¡°It¡¯s for you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± Caprice was confused.


    ¡°You''ll know why when you get home and open it,¡± Liam spoke in an unsentimental voice, it sounded like he was slightly upset.


    Caprice promptly took the package.


    It was heavier than it looked, and she wondered if it contained an iron box inside.


    She wondered why Liam would give her something out of nowhere. Still, she had to admit she was d to have received


    something from him at all.


    She curled her lips into a smile and thanked him sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Brother Liam.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± He leaned back against the seat of the car and shot a look at her as if something dark lurked underneath his eyes. ¡°Go


    on.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Caprice muttered and quickly got out of the car.


    After she stepped out of the car, the driver closed the door for her.


    The windows were tinted so she could not see Liam who was inside the car.


    The luxury car coated in jet-ck paint began to pick up speed and disappeared into the flow of traffic in


    no time.


    It was headed toward the direction of the nightclub they had just left. She figured that they were going to


    pick up Heather.


    Like a roller coaster, her emotions immediately pummeled down to the very bottom after having reached their peak.


    She hung her head low, then she turned and walked toward the dormitory entrance.


    Piper, Lana, and Freya emerged from behind the shade of trees to greet her.


    Lana could not hold back her excitement, she asked in an ecstatic voice, ¡°Caprice, who was that man?Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    He¡¯s so handsome, | cannot believe it!¡±


    ¡°| swear I¡¯ve never seen such a good-looking man in my life! Not only is he good-looking, but he¡¯s also so


    cool! He reminds me of a celebrity!¡± Freya immediately went into fangirl mode and asked, ¡°Caprice, who the hell is he?¡±


    Caprice hung her head low the entire time and said without much affection, ¡°He¡¯s the son of my parent''s friends.¡±


    Freya was shocked by this revtion. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make you two childhood sweethearts?¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips and held back the urge to cry.


    She walked weakly into the dormitory, her limbs did what they could to drag her weight across the corridor. A heavy cloud hung


    around her the entire time.


    Freya was dumbfounded.


    Lana looked like she was going to say something, but Piper stopped her.


    They suddenly remembered Heather who showed up with Liam, and how Caprice stopped them from arguing with Heather.


    Then, they recalled how Caprice was binge drinking before Liam showed up.


    It was not difficult to connect the dots. They now had a vague impression of Caprice¡¯s feelings for Liam.


    She must be feeling depressed because Heather showed up with Liam, the implications of their rtionship were clear as day.


    To add insult to injury, Heather kept addressing Caprice as Sister Caprice. It looked like she was trying to rub in the fact that she


    was Liam¡¯s girlfriend.


    Lana and Piper held their silence.


    Freya felt differently about the situation, she strutted up to Caprice and asked bluntly, ¡°Caprice, what¡¯s on your mind? It seems to


    me like this Liam of yours isn¡¯t so passionately in love with this Heather girl anyway. How about this? I''ll teach you some tricks


    and you can win Liam over from her!¡±


    Caprice barely entertained the idea, she shook her head dismissively. ¡°No need.¡±


    Since she was a child, she had always heard talks from Aunt Sylvia and her mother about how they nned to wed her to Liam.


    Aunt Sylvia was not the only one who felt this way. Even Uncle Odell supported the engagement.


    If she wanted to win Liam over, all she needed to do was to ask Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Odell for help.


    Brother Liam may not listen to Uncle Odell, but Aunt Sylvia was the person he respected the most. Caprice had no doubt in her


    mind that Liam would do as his mother tells him and marry her.

 Chapter 1821

    Chapter 1821


    Chapter 1821


    However, Caprice was aware that strong-arming Liam into a marriage was no way of winning his affection.


    When she was a child, she heard her mother tell her stories about how Uncle Odell was once forced to marry Aunt Sylvia. It was


    the reason they got off to a poor start. It was onlyter on when they realized that their mutual animosity was all a great


    misunderstanding that they managed to reconcile their differences and stayed together as long as they did


    If she had forced Liam into the same situation his parents once found themselves in, she was sure that their marriage would be a


    rey of what happened to his parents in the past.


    This was why she decided against forcing him into a marriage.


    Meanwhile, Liam¡¯s car made a U-turn at an intersection and went in the opposite direction where they were originally headed.


    Not only was the car getting farther from the dormitory, but it was also driving away from the direction of that nightclub


    Inside the car, Liam sat alone in the back seat. He leaned gracefully against the leather seat while something seemed to be on


    his mind.


    As he lowered his head in thought, his slender fingers that were built for ying piano gently caressed and brushed his knee


    The same knee where the silly girl identally nted herself on


    ¡°Mr. Liam, are we not going to pick up Miss Heather?¡± the driver asked cautiously Liam scowled ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But she doesn¡¯t have a ride home¡±


    ¡°She''ll figure it out.¡±


    The driver stayed silent


    On top of the young master¡¯s sharp demeanor, he had always had a strange personality. The only ones who could truly tell what


    was on his mind were probably his parents.


    He was in an amiable mood during the evening, so Heather must have done something during the night to get on his nerves,


    enough to make him ditch her in the nightclub


    Heather was his girlfriend! If he would treat his girlfriend like this, one could only imagine what he would do to a stranger


    In the dormitory, as soon as Caprice returned to her room, she threw herself onto the bed and opened the package Liam gave


    her


    It did contain a metal box inside, just as she thought. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie


    She flipped it around a few times to look for any sort of mechanism that would open the box, but it was a fruitless effort


    Her patience was nearing its end


    She had rummaged with it for half an hour and still could not find any mechanism to ess the contents of the box. She grew


    increasingly annoyed and was filled with the urge tounch the box against the floor to force it open.


    Thankfully, her reason was still intact.


    It was a gift from Liam, and it would be terrible if she damaged the contents inside it.


    She took a deep breath and reached for her phone. She wanted to text him to ask if the box could be opened at all.


    She suddenly recalled that Liam must be with Heather. A wave of suffocating anger rose to her chest She tossed the phone


    aside and copsed into the bed with the box in hand.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, she heard the notification ring tone from her phone. She had received a text message.


    She picked up the phone and saw that it was Liam who had sent her a text. It read, ¡°The box can be opened¡±


    She was taken by surprise, and even her fingers trembled.


    Was he a irvoyant?


    She looked around the dormitory, suddenly fearful of his enigmatic presence


    ¡°Caprice, why are you being so weird?¡± Freya asked grumpily. She was on the other side of the bed and was in the middle of


    changing her clothes.


    Caprice smiled at her and yed it down. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned her attention back to her phone and sent Liam a message, Liam, how do | open the box?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°You can use the digital interface to enter a password. That¡¯s how you open it


    She frowned dejectedly.


    She and Liam must hail frompletely differents. She could not see any interface whatsoever on any surface of the


    cube! How was she even supposed to enter a password?

 Chapter 1822

    Chapter 1822


    Ding!


    Another message followed. ¡°Remember how | used to teach you how to solve a Rubik¡¯s Cube?¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes glowed.


    Could it be


    She held each side of the box in her palms and twisted it around until eventually, she heard a mechanical beepContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    An interface appeared on one side of the cube. It was a three-by-three grid numbered from one to nine. This was all she could


    see There were no hints as to what the password may be or any other visual cues.


    How was she supposed to quess the password?


    She racked her brain for a while but in the end, still resorted to texting Liam for help ¡°Liam, what¡¯s the password?¡±


    Liam replied swiftly. ¡°You know¡±


    Something that she knew?


    Could it be his birthday?


    When she entered Liam¡¯s birthday, the box glowed red.


    Caprice subsequently entered the birthdays of Liam¡¯s parents as well as his siblings. She even tried to enter her parents¡¯


    birthdays, all to no avail.


    What could the password be?


    She thought she must have reached another dead-end and needed to ask for more clues from Liam, and that¡¯s when her phone


    rang again.


    It was her mother who texted her ¡°Darling Caprice, something came up today, so | couldn''t find time to text you until now. How


    was school? Is everything okay?¡±


    Caprice smiled faintly and replied, ¡°Hey, Mom, I¡¯m doing fine. School went well.¡±


    Ding!


    She received another notification from her banking application.


    She swiped to her bank ount and saw that she had received a transaction of neen million into her


    bank ount


    Last year, it was eighteen million. That number had grown to neen million this year. She did not even have to verify with her


    mother to figure out that this was her birthday present.


    Immediately after checking her bank ount, her mother texted her again. ¡°Caprice, have you checked. your bank ount yet?¡±


    Caprice replied, ¡°I did. Thanks, Mom.¡±


    Sherry replied, ¡°You¡¯re wee, honey Pamper yourself with something you like and make sure you go all out Don¡¯t worry about


    spending too much, understand?¡±


    Caprice smiled. ¡°Got it.¡±


    With that, Sherry excused herself | need to get back to it now. Talk to youter.¡±


    It was swiftly followed by another text ¡°Also, happy birthday, baby. Remember that Mommy loves you forever..¡±


    Caprice smiled, a warm fuzzy feeling swirling in her chest.


    Then, she tapped on her conversation with Liam. She gazed nkly at the mysterious metal box, wondering what it could


    possibly contain


    Suddenly, an idea shed across her mind.


    Could the password be...


    She carefully probed the interface with her fingers and entered her birthdate into the device.


    Once she had finished inputting the password, the top of the box slid open on its own.


    What was concealed inside was revealed atst. She saw a shiny hairpin inside. It was iid with diamonds of various sizes,


    and they shimmered underneath the lights, a gleam of white and pink


    it was delicate and entirely captivating


    Caprice grew wide-eyed immediately. She carefully extracted the hairpin from the box, as if afraid that the slightest movement


    would cause it fo turn to dust


    She had always been fond of jewelry ever since she was a child. Even her aunt did not have tastes as refined as hers. The


    hairpin inside the box was the exact sort of design she liked!


    She had neverid eyes on such an exquisite hairpin!


    She held the hairpin carefully in her palms.


    Upon closer examination, she noticed a tiny string of letters etched on the inside of the hairpin. It read S-U -S-A-N


    Could this be the signature of the world-renowned jewelry designer, Susan Boche?


    Did Liam specifically ce an order with Susan Boche?


    Her heart was racing uncontrobly


    Ding!


    Suddenly, her phone rang again.

 Chapter 1823

    Chapter 1823


    Caprice quickly picked up her phone.


    It was Liam. ¡°Have you opened it?¡±


    Caprice smiled with pride and replied, ¡°I did.¡±


    Liam replied, ¡°Not bad, so that head of yours isn¡¯t just for decoration


    Caprice was struck speechless. She brushed it aside, then she grinned from ear to ear and sent another


    text ¡°Liam, thank you for the gift!¡±


    Liam asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Caprice was ecstatic ¡°Of course, | do, | love it!¡±


    Liam sent replied cooly as usual, ¡°Good¡±


    It was immediately followed by another message. ¡°From now on, you are forbidden from going to nightclubs for birthday


    celebrations¡±


    Caprice suddenly sat up as something just dawned upon her. He knew that today was her birthday all along. That was why he


    had prepared a birthday present for her!


    She thought about all the tales she tried to spin up tonight to exin to Heather why she was at the nightclub. To make it seem


    like she was a model student, she told her that she was only at the nightclub to celebrate Piper¡¯s birthday Could this mean that


    Liam knew she was lying the entire time?


    She thought about the stunt she pulled and how she had subtly steered her friends against Heather. What would Liam think of


    her now?


    She covered her face in horror and identally yelped out loud, ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Caprice, what''s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    Piper, Freya, and Lana all turned to her,pletely perplexed by her strange behavior.


    ¡°No. Im fine.¡± With that. Caprice pulled the nket over her head and hid from the world, leaving only the top of her head bulging


    out from the nket.


    After a while, when she managed to calm down, she sent a text to Liam. ¡°I understand. You¡¯re going on a business trip, aren¡¯t


    you? Please be careful¡±


    There was no reply from Liam


    He must be busy-with Heather.


    There was also a chance that he no longer wanted to talk to her, seeing as she and her friends had ganged up against Heather,


    the girl he fancied.


    Caprice rolled around in bed, feeling overwhelmed. She was in no mood for a shower and was barely in the mood to change her


    clothes,


    Shey on the bed like a corpse and eventually dozed off into a dizzy slumber


    The next morning, she was woken up by the rm clock. When she took a look at her phone, she noticed that a reply came from


    Liam at four o¡¯clock in the morning that read ¡°Alright!


    Although it was only a short, stoic reply, she was relieved nheless.


    He had replied! This must mean that he was not upset at her about what happened with her friends and Heatherst night.


    She smiled softly.


    She could deal with Liam not having feelings for her, but she would fall apart if she knew he felt even the slightest tinge of hatred


    against her.


    Caprice was a sophomore at Sparkrow University which was ranked among the top three universities in Westchester. Despite


    that, it was an entire tier below Aleph University.


    Caprice barely managed to make the cut for Sparkrow University during her entrance examination. This meant that the course


    she was assigned to at the university was one of the easiest and least prestigious


    ones


    In other words, her coursework and curriculum were quite easy and manageable.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    With the summer approaching, she was about to graduate soon,


    There was going to be a job fair going on today Recruiters from all sorts ofpanies were going to show up to screen the


    students to look for suitable candidates. They wanted to look for potential hires to induct into theirpanies to help them


    kickstart their professional careers.


    Since Caprice had no sses scheduled today, her friends made her go with them.


    Frankly, they were not interested in this job fair. They were only here to gawk at the handsome seniors if there were any


    However, they were no good targets to speak of at the job fair. They did chance on Heather who was immediately surrounded on


    all sides. She wore a high ponytail and was dressed in a business suit, exuding a mix of professionalism and good taste.


    She had always been beautiful, and the fact that she was a top student at Aleph University further boosted her reputation Now


    that she was one of the leading figures in the infamous Carter Tech City, her reputation continued to skyrocket to unprecedented


    levels


    Nearly all of the attendees of the job fair went up to her to greet her.


    Even though she was surrounded by a sea of people, she somehow managed to spot Caprice the moment she showed up with


    Lana and her friends. She cried out immediately. ¡°Caprice!¡±


    Caprice felt a shiver run across her body


    Lana, Freya, and Piper were also taken aback by her greeting.


    As soon as Heather¡¯s voice dropped, everyone surrounding her turned to look at Caprice.

 Chapter 1824

    Chapter 1824


    Heather stepped through the crowd and began to approach Caprice. She asked while wearing a bright smile on her face,


    ¡°Caprice, why are you here? Are you graduating this year?¡±


    Before Caprice could form a reply, people began to whisper among themselves, ¡°Caprice? Isn¡¯t she the girl from the 21st intake


    in the faculty of business?¡±


    ¡°It is her. She¡¯s only a sophomore this year. What is she doing here anyway?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t think this job fair is open to students from her faculty¡±


    ¡°Definitely not, nor will it ever be. Everyone knows that her faculty is the worst in our university.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not here to job hunt, | can tell you that much.¡±


    ¡°But it looks like she knows Miss Manson. That¡¯s pretty impressive.¡±


    Based on her looks alone, Caprice attracted a lot of albeit unwanted attention from her peers from the very first day she entered


    Sparkrow University as a freshman. Being the quiet and reserved person she had always been, she preferred keeping her social


    circle restricted to her roommates only and barely acknowledged the boys who tried to flirt with her


    As time went on, many of them began to get bitter about their rejection and started to defame her. They said that Caprice was


    very arrogant and pretentious. Some even imed that she was very dull and had no personality to speak of


    All this was to say that although peoplergely left her alone, she was quite popr


    The people who began to murmur amongst the crowd were the same ones who badmouthed her and mocked her for having a


    dull personality.


    Caprice ignored them and turned her attention to Heather


    As Heather heard the chatter, the smile on her face seemed to grow ever wider.


    Caprice was feeling rather upset but did not let it show. I¡¯m not here to job hunt. | just noticed a lot of people gathered here, so |


    wondered if there was anything interesting going on.¡±


    Heather found an opening. She pointed out bluntly. ¡°There¡¯s a huge sign outside that says that it''s a job fair. Did you happen to


    not notice it by any chance?¡±


    Someone in the crowd cried out sharply, ¡°Yeah, the signboard is right there. Anyone who can read can tell that this is a job fair,


    Seriously, how can anyone be dense enough to not realize that?¡±


    Ashrillughter emerged from the crowd.


    If | had to guess, she¡¯s here to look for attention from the boys. What an attention-seeker.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s always acting so arrogant and acts as if everyone around her is invisible, so it was an act all along¡±


    ¡°Haha... she sure likes the attention, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    Caprice was struck speechless. Normally, she would not bother entertaining such trivial conversations However, it was hard to


    maintain her usual aloofness when all of them were insulting her right in her face!


    What got on her nerves most was seeing Heather¡¯s unruly smile.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    She was seething with rage at this point.


    Although it was only a short, stoic reply, she was relieved nheless.


    He had replied This must mean that he was not upset at her about what happened with her friends and


    Heatherst night.


    She smiled softly.


    She could deal with Liam not having feelings for her, but she would fall apart if she knew he felt even the slightest tinge of hatred


    against her.


    Caprice was a sophomore at Sparkrow University which was ranked among the top three universities in Westchester Despite


    that, it was an entire tier below Aleph University


    Caprice barely managed to make the cut for Sparkrow University during her entrance examination. This meant that the course


    she was assigned to at the university was one of the easiest and least prestigious


    ones


    In other words, her coursework and curriculum were quite easy and manageable.


    With the summer approaching, she was about to graduate soon.


    There was going to be a job fair going on today. Recruiters from all sorts ofpanies were going to show up to screen the


    students to look for suitable candidates. They wanted to look for potential hires to induct into theirpanies to help them


    kickstart their professional careers.


    Since Caprice had no sses scheduled today, her friends made her go with them.


    Frankly, they were not interested in this job fair. They were only here to gawk at the handsome seniors if there were any


    However, they were no good targets to speak of at the job fair. They did chance on Heather who was immediately surrounded on


    all sides. She wore a high ponytail and was dressed in a business suit, exuding a mix of professionalism and good taste.


    She had always been beautiful, and the fact that she was a top student at Aleph University further boosted her reputation. Now


    that she was one of the leading figures in the infamous Carter Tech City, her reputation continued to skyrocket to unprecedented


    levels.


    Nearly all of the attendees of the job fair went up to her to greet her..


    Even though she was surrounded by a sea of people, she somehow managed to spot Caprice the moment she showed up with


    Lana and her friends. She cried out immediately, ¡°Caprice!¡±


    Caprice felt a shiver run across her body,


    Lana, Freya, and Piper were also taken aback by her greeting.


    As soon as Heather¡¯s voice dropped, everyone surrounding her turned to look at Caprice.


    Heather stepped through the crowd and began to approach Caprice. She asked while wearing a bright. smile on her face,


    ¡°Caprice, why are you here? Are you graduating this year?¡±


    Before Caprice could form a reply, people began to whisper among themselves, ¡°Caprice? Isn¡¯t she the girl from the 21st intake


    in the faculty of business?¡±


    ¡°It is her. She¡¯s only a sophomore this year. What is she doing here anyway?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t think this job fair is open to students from her faculty.¡±


    ¡°Definitely not, nor will it ever be. Everyone knows that her faculty is the worst in our university.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not here to job hunt, | can tell you that much.¡±


    ¡°But it looks like she knows Miss Manson. That¡¯s pretty impressive.¡±


    Based on her looks alone, Caprice attracted a lot of albeit unwanted attention from her peers from the very first day she entered


    Sparkrow University as a freshman. Being the quiet and reserved person she had always been, she preferred keeping her social


    circle restricted to her roommates only and barely acknowledged the boys who tried to flirt with her.


    As time went on, many of them began to get bitter about their rejection and started to defame her. They said that Caprice was


    very arrogant and pretentious. Some even imed that she was very dull and had no personality to speak of


    All this was to say that although peoplergely left her alone, she was quite popr.


    The people who began to murmur amongst the crowd were the same ones who badmouthed her and mocked her for having a


    dull personality.


    Caprice ignored them and turned her attention to Heather.


    As Heather heard the chatter, the smile on her face seemed to grow ever wider.


    Caprice was feeling rather upset but did not let it show. ¡°I¡¯m not here to job hunt. | just noticed a lot of people gathered here, so |


    wondered if there was anything interesting going on.¡±


    Heather found an opening. She pointed out bluntly. ¡°There¡¯s a huge sign outside that says that it''s a job fair. Did you happen to


    not notice it by any chance?¡±


    Someone in the crowd cried out sharply, ¡°Yeah, the signboard is right there. Anyone who can read can tell that this is a job fair.


    Seriously, how can anyone be dense enough to not realize that?¡±


    Ashrillughter emerged from the crowd.


    ¡°If | had to guess, she¡¯s here to look for attention from the boys. What an attention-seeker.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s always acting so arrogant and acts as if everyone around her is invisible, so it was an act all along.¡±


    ¡°Haha she sure likes the attention, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    Caprice was struck speechless. Normally, she would not bother entertaining such trivial conversations However, it was hard to


    maintain her usual aloofness when all of them were insulting her right in her face!


    What got on her nerves most was seeing Heather¡¯s unruly smile.


    She was seething with rage at this point.


    ¡°We brought Caprice here. Stop spouting all that crap!¡± Piper was furious. She turned to the bickering crowd and snapped.


    Lana and Freya were just as vexed.


    ¡°Heh... as if we would believe that.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a whole flock of them now! All of them are here looking for attention.¡±


    ¡°Look at that one, the one next to Caprice with the good figure. | think her name is Freya. She was talking to one of my


    roommates some time ago and ended up swindling him. She made sure to take all of his money before dumping him.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk... They¡¯re not trying to look for their next target here because they ran out of spending money, are they?¡±


    The things they said got increasingly rude.


    Freya was fuming. She jabbed a finger at the man who used her of such scandalous acts and roared,¡± | did not spend a


    single cent of his! | used my own money the entire time!¡±


    The man sneered and said condescendingly, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re wearing. They¡¯re all designer goods! If you didn¡¯t spend other


    people¡¯s money to buy them, how could you possibly afford all that? Do you expect us to believe you?¡±


    Freya stood her ground. ¡°I bought them with the money | made from my part-time job!¡±


    The same man scoffed and asked, ¡°What kind of part-time job pays that much?¡±

 Chapter 1825

    Chapter 1825


    Somebody in the crowd cried out, ¡°She must have found herself some gross old man to leech off!¡±


    Freya quaked with anger. ¡°I did not!¡±


    ¡°Haha...¡±


    ¡°As if we''d believe that...¡±


    Freya grew red with rage and was on the verge of crying as she was practically dry-heaving.


    Suddenly, someone gestured at Caprice and turned the spotlight back to her. ¡°Look, Caprice wears a lot of designer brands all


    the time too, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°| noticed that some time ago. Also, | saw her being dropped off at the school gate in a Mercedes S-ss at the beginning of this


    semester, and she tried to be sneaky about it.¡±


    ¡°No wonder she¡¯s not interested in the boys in our university. She¡¯s had a sugar daddy out there all this time!¡±


    Caprice stayed silent.


    Concerned about drawing unwanted attention, she always refused to have her parents pick her up from university during the


    semester breaks, However, her parents were worried about her and would assign their drivers and bodyguards to pick her up


    regardless. The S-ss was the cheapest car they had in the garage.


    She was so baffled to the point where her astonishmentpletely masked her rage.


    ¡°Enough with your stupid rumors! Freya never tried to swingle any man, and Caprice doesn¡¯t have a sugar daddy!¡± Piper¡¯s


    patience had long run out by this point.


    Lana backed her up. ¡°You people are just jealous because they live better lives than you!¡±


    None of them seem convinced. The girls¡¯ words had lost all credibility.


    Someone retorted, ¡°What is there to be jealous about? Neither would | be able to afford girls like you, nor do | want to.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. | have better things to do with my money.¡±


    Piper and Lana had lost the capacity to argue with these people by this point.


    Freya was crying.


    Once again, Caprice noticed the condescending wipe of a smile on Heather¡¯s lips.


    She knew that this was exactly what Heather had in mind when she drew the crowd¡¯s attention to her. Heather intentionally


    poked fun at her and insulted her intelligence. This was all a calcted move to rally the crowd against her and her friends.


    She wagered that Heather must have looked up her information and found out that she was studying at Sparkrow University.


    The reason the vile woman hade to the job fair today at all must be to humiliate her.


    The students gathered around were still murmuring amongst themselves. When they noticed how the girls had lost the will to


    defend themselves at all, they grew bolder, and the things they said grew increasingly vicious They began to ask scandalous


    questions such as how much money their sugar daddies gave them each month:


    Heather seemed like she was relishing in how well her n worked out.


    Caprice gnashed her teeth.


    It was at this moment that a brilliant idea came to her.


    She turned to Heather with an exaggerated expression of sorrow in her eyes. ¡°Heather, you know I¡¯m nothing like what they''re


    making me out to be, you''re the only one who can clear my name.¡±


    Everyone turned their collective attention to Heather


    As far as they were concerned, Heather was a goddess who hade down to earth. She was beautiful and respectable in her


    field of work, and every word that came out of her lips was considered the gospel.


    Heather was taken by surprise


    Since the very beginning, she knew about Caprice¡¯s rtionship with Liam, and that their families were very closeContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Liam''s father was the president of Carter Corporation and his mother was a world-renowned painter. Anyone who could be close


    friends with individuals of such caliber must be considerably wealthy and powerful as well.


    Since Caprice was so infatuated with Liam, the chances that she would have a sugar daddy somewhere out there were next to


    nil.


    Despite that, she wanted to see Caprice humiliated in public.


    Never in her wildest dreams did she expect Caprice to throw the ball back to her side of the court.

 Chapter 1826

    Chapter 1826


    Caprice stared at Heather with gaping eyes. She made herself look as vulnerable as possible to a point where it seemed like she


    was going to break out into tears at any second.


    It was a look that garnered sympathy, and it seemed to hold up a mirror against the ones who made fun. of her and made them


    question themselves.


    The ones in the crowd who were mocking her only a second ago had be silent. They looked at her and were at a loss for


    what to do.


    The rest of them stared at Heather expectantly.


    There was a subtle shift in her expression as she said, ¡°Caprice, we might not know each other very well, but | know you''re


    nothing like what they¡¯re making you out to be.¡±


    This was a deflective answer to cover her hind. She was trying to suggest to the crowd that she did not know enough about


    Caprice to make any furtherments.


    In her mind, Caprice scoffed at the subversive reply, Before anyone else could get a word out, she remarked, ¡°I know, but even if


    we''re not very close with each other, you are very close to Liam. I¡¯ve known him since we were children. You must have heard


    him speak about me and should have a general idea of the kind of person | am.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Heather answered stiffly while doing her best to keep up her unconvincing smile, her confidence wavering.


    People began to wonder, ¡°Who is this Liam person she keeps talking about?¡±


    Caprice darted a knowing nce at Heather.


    Heather was on alert. She was worried people would find out that the person Caprice had been referring to this entire time was


    none other than Liam Carter, the man behind the Carter Tech District. She exined it as vaguely as she could, ¡°He¡¯s someone |


    know.¡±


    As aside note, she added, ¡°I heard about Caprice a few years ago. Shees from a good, wealthy family, and | doubt she


    would be involved with anything like a sugar daddy.¡±


    As soon as she made her im, a stiff silence fell over the crowd. They knew that they had lost their leverage against Caprice.


    Since it was Heather herself who pointed out that Caprice came from a wealthy family, it was nothing out of the ordinary for her


    to own an arsenal of designer apparel.


    Something stirred in Caprice¡¯s eyes as she smiled appreciatively and thanked Heather. ¡°Thanks for clearing up my name,


    Heather.¡±


    Heather answered stiffly, ¡°No need to thank me. Liam has always treated you like his sister, so it''s only right that | help you.¡±


    Caprice felt a tightness gripping at her chest, and she grimaced.


    Heather was pleased to see her deted expression Immediately afterward, she addressed the gathered crowd, ¡°Alright,


    everyone, that¡¯s enough. Stop wasting time Hurry up and line up. My assistants will interview all of you in turn¡±


    As if nothing had happened at all, they immediately formed into a line. They were queuing up for the booth for the Carter Tech


    District


    Several of Heather''s assistants got to work as well.


    It was only Heather who did not join in. She quickly approached Caprice and spoke in an oddly friendly voice, ¡°Caprice, the


    summer vacation ising soon. Do you have any ns? Are you interested in an internship at my ce?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Intern work for Heather? That was the same thing as putting her head into a lion¡¯s mouth.


    Caprice was not an idiot. She refused curtly, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. | already have some other ns.¡±


    ¡°Well, | have a lot of interviews to conduct, so I''ll be seeing you.¡± After a pause, Heather added, ¡°I will be here all day today. If


    you have anything you need, or if your friends need work, you know who to talk to. You are Liam¡¯s sister, so that makes you my


    sister as well. I''ve got your back.¡±


    Caprice had to stop herself from rolling her eyes back into her skull.


    Heather had been doing nothing but hammering the same statement about Liam treating her like a sister over and over again


    Was this the best she coulde up with?


    Something foul rose up Caprice¡¯s chest. ¡°No, | don¡¯t think I''ll need your help. As for my friends, | can help them myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± Heather said with a marked indifference and walked away.


    Caprice and her friends no longer saw a point in sticking around. They promptly turned around and walked out


    Apart from some lingering emotions, Caprice felt like she hadrgely gotten over the episode.


    The same could not be said about Freya. Upon leaving the job fair, she began to cry.


    She came from a decent family, but that did not mean she had everything handed to her on a silver tter. While her family paid


    for her tuition fees, they operated under a patriarchal structure. They would spoil her brothers while only giving their daughter a


    measly five hundred dors a month for living expenses.

 Chapter 1827

    Chapter 1827


    Chapter 1827


    She was the one who bought all the designer apparel worth well into the thousands using her hard-earned moneyContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice was the one who sourced her part-time jobs for her. In fact, she always made sure to secure high- paying part-time


    positions for her.


    Even Lana, who did not have many financial concerns, eventually took up the part-time positions Caprice rmended as well.


    Except for Piper, both Lana and Freya did not know that she was the business owner the entire time and that she was the one


    who had been offering her friends part-time positions.


    Freya was bawling her eyes out.


    Lana and Piper tried to console her, but they could not get through to her.


    What eventually got her to calm down was when Caprice told her about another lucrative part-time vacancy. Lana teased Freya


    bymenting how her eyes lit up at the prospect of making money.


    The two exchanged banter, and Freya was back to her usual self.


    After seeing that everyone was in a better mood, Caprice smiled faintly and walked away.


    Piper had always been very perceptive and noticed something off about Caprice. She walked up to her and assured her, ¡°Hey,


    don¡¯t worry about what Heather said about you. You¡¯re so smart and beautiful. I¡¯m sure you will be able to find a man even better


    than Liam in the future.¡±


    Back there, Heather was constantlyying her im to Liam and was hardly subtle about it.


    Piper did not wish to see her friend Caprice getting hung up about another man.


    Caprice was the only daughter of the richest family in nchester while her mother was a sessful businessman and a


    generous phnthropist to boot. All this was to say, wouldn¡¯t want to be with a girl like Caprice? Liam may be excellent in his own


    right, but he already had a girlfriend, so it was better to forget


    about him.


    Caprice understood Piper¡¯s well intentions. She assured her with a smile, ¡°I know. I¡¯m already over it.¡±


    She was referring to what Heather said. As for Liam, she doubted she could get over him.


    At night, on the outskirts of Westchester was a city that span several thousands of acres. It was the Carter Tech City.


    Thendscape was filled with futuristic skyscrapers, the tips of their spires threatening to pierce into the


    heavens


    As the name suggested, the world-famous city prided itself on its vanous implementations of state-of-the- art technology The


    brain of the operation was none other than Liam Carter


    The singr purpose was to form a collective for the brightest minds in the world to pioneer generation technology


    At the top floor of one of the tallest towers, inside Liam¡¯s office, after wrapping up his tasks, Liam sid his chair next to the window


    and supped a cup of coffee while staring at the view outside


    her gently knocked on the door and entered


    As usual, she gave Liam a routine report. After that was done, she brought up quite candidly. ¡°By the way. there was a job fair at


    Sparkrow University today. | swung by and bumped into Caprice. She was at the job fair as well.¡±


    Aglimmer of interest shone in Liam''s eyes as he turned to Heather. ¡°She attended the job fair?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but | think she was just wandering around the area with her friends Heather suddenly said solemnly. ¡°Since it¡¯s going to


    be the summer break soon, | invited her to intern at our ce to get some practical experience in a working environment. Well,


    the problem is she refused.¡±


    Liam took a sip of his coffee and did not respond.


    Heather quietly observed him, eager to note the slightest change of expression.


    Caprice was a good-for-nothing who had no drive whatsoever, so why did Liam not seem bothered to hear about this?


    After a brief silence, she went on, ¡°She does seem quite famous in the university. | heard some rumors concerning one of her


    roommates with whom she is very close. They say she¡¯s very problematic. She¡¯s always jumping from one boyfriend to another,


    leeching off their money before moving on to the next one.¡±


    She expressed sourly, ¡°Caprice is still so young. | sure hope she doesn¡¯t get influenced by her roommate.¡±


    Liam pped the cup against the table and said crossly, ¡°You can go now.¡±


    His voice was severe.


    Alook of panic shed past Heather¡¯s eyes and she stammered, ¡°S-sorry, was it something | said?¡±


    Liam spoke gravely, ¡°This is thest time you''ll talk about Caprice in front of me. One more time, and I''ll invite you to pack your


    bags and leave.¡±

 Chapter 1828

    Chapter 1828


    Chapter 1828


    Heather grew wide-eyed and speechless.


    Caprice was the one he should be mad at! She was mingling with a bad lot and never had any serious goals, so what was there


    to like about her?


    Shouldn''t Liam be upset about Caprice? Why was she the one who had to be on the receiving end of his fury?


    Perhaps he did not like hearing her badmouth Caprice?


    Either way, she had too much to lose. She could not lose her position in Carter Tech City.


    There was a long line of people who would kill to be in her position. She was a prolific member of the Carter Tech City and was


    Liam''s right-hand man. No matter what, she could not let Liam slip away from her clutches. She was not leaving!


    She blinked rapidly and contained her shock. She hung her head low, swallowed her pride, and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | didn¡¯t


    mean what | said, | won¡¯t say anything like that again from now on.¡±


    Underneath the harsh glow of the ceiling light, a terrific re highlighted Liam¡¯s expression which made him look more vicious


    than usual He held an iron stare


    He barely acknowledged Heather after that. He proceeded to pick up the cup of coffee and took another sip from it.


    Heather had worked with him for a few years and knew what his temper was like. It was not wise to overstay her wee. She


    promptly excused herself from the office.


    After the door closed with a thud, an overbearing silence loomed over the office.


    After a while, Liam set down the cup again and gazed at the cityscape with a heavy gloom in his eyes.


    He had grown up with Caprice, and no one other than her parents understood her better than he did.


    He knew about Caprice¡¯s roommates at Sparkrow University. During her freshman year, he had private investigators look into the


    background of every single one of them.


    He even knew about how Caprice had been helping her two roommates by sourcing part-time gigs for them over thest two


    years.


    As for Heather, the only reason he kept her around was that she was an effective worker.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, his phone rang.


    He picked up his phone and saw messages from Sylvia.


    ¡°Liam, | haven¡¯t seen you for almost a month. Do you have time during the next few days? Why don¡¯t youe home and visit


    us?¡±


    Atrace of warmth appeared on his stoic expression shaped like a stone sculpture. He replied, ¡°I''lle


    tomorrow at noon.¡±


    Another thought urred to him, and he followed up with another text. ¡°It''s going to be the summer break soon. Is Flint going


    home as well?¡±


    Flint was now studying for his doctorate at Aleph University He only had one more year to go until his graduation.


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Doctorate students don¡¯t have semester breaks during the summer. He did visit usst weekend though.¡±


    Liam stared at his screen nkly, his fingers hovering over the disy. It seemed like he had something he wanted to say but did


    not know how to broach the subject.


    That was, until Sylvia sent another message, ¡°By the way, Caprice¡¯s summer break ising up as well. Since it¡¯s Saturday


    tomorrow, let''s invite her over.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and replied, ¡°Alright, | have some work to do. Why don¡¯t you tell her for me?¡±


    Sylvia replied after a while, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Liam was relieved and put away his phone.


    Meanwhile, at the Carters, Sylvia was well into her middle age by this point, but she took great care of her appearance and


    barely looked a day past thirty years old. Shey on the couch and sighed outwardly when she read Liam¡¯s text. ¡°This boy...¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Odell who was seated next to her turned to her and asked in a concerned voice, ¡°What''s wrong? Is Liam


    noting home to see us?¡±


    Sylvia showed him their conversation on the phone and remarked, ¡°Look at our son. | can¡¯t even tell what he¡¯s thinking! He wants


    me to text Caprice for him instead of doing it himself!¡±


    Odell nced at the conversation. ¡°There¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t know that his brother doesn¡¯t have a semester break during the


    summer.¡±


    Sylvia became curious. ¡°Then, why did he ask me about that?¡±


    Odell chuckled. ¡°The brat asked on purpose. He was hoping that you would propose to invite Caprice


    over.¡±


    This only confused Sylvia further. ¡°Why won''t he invite her himself? Why bother hinting it to me?¡± Odell put his arms around her


    and remarked casually, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let him have it his way.¡±

 Chapter 1829

    Chapter 1829


    Chapter 1829


    Their son was an adult now and had a mind of his own. As parents, they should not impose their will on their children.


    Sylvia did not want to stress herself over the matter as well, but she was having a hard time understanding what was on Liam''s


    mind.


    He seemed like he had an interest in Caprice for a while, but for some reason, he had been keeping his distance from her over


    thest few years.


    When he was a child, he had no problem being physically close to Caprice. They used to hold hands and even hug at times.


    Fast forward to the present, he kept his distance away from her as if she had leprosy and he was afraid to catch it.


    Whenever Sylvia saw how depressed it made Caprice when Liam kept his distance from her, she wanted to smack some sense


    into him.


    What was on his mind?


    Despite how upset she had be, she still took the initiative to text Caprice.


    At Sparkrow University, Caprice, Piper, Freya, and Lane had just returned to the girls¡¯ dorm.


    Freya was in a jovial and celebratory mood because Caprice had set her up for a very high-paying part- time position. She


    insisted on taking everybody out for a meal, and they had only just returned from the said meal.


    As soon as they returned to the dorm, Caprice received a text from Sylvia.


    ¡°Caprice, do you have any ns tomorrow?¡±


    Caprice promptly replied, ¡°Hey, Aunt Sylvia, it''s the weekend and | don¡¯t have any ns. Do you need anything from me?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a while. Why don¡¯t youe over and visit us tomorrow? We can eat lunch together. I''ll


    have one of our drivers pick you up.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Caprice was more than delighted. ¡°Sure!¡±


    Sylvia was just as pleased to hear that. ¡°Then, I''ll see you tomorrow.¡±


    Caprice replied, ¡°See you!¡±


    Lana got curious when she saw Caprice texting with a wide grin on her face. She asked, ¡°Caprice, who are you talking to?¡±


    Caprice tucked the phone away and told her, ¡°It¡¯s my aunt. She told me to pay her a visit tomorrow.¡±


    Lana asked, ¡°Is it the one in Westchester? The one who used to always invite you over?¡±


    Caprice nodded.


    Aunt Sylvia and her mother were the best of friends. All her life, Aunt Sylvia had always treated her as if she was one of her


    daughters. They had been in close contact ever since she came to Westchester to further her study two years ago.


    Lana was not afraid to pry for more information. ¡°She¡¯s insanely rich, isn¡¯t she? She always sends her driver to pick you up in


    expensive cars¡±


    Before Caprice could answer, Freya swiped a cross look at Lana and grumbled, ¡°Lana, stop being a busybody¡±


    Lana pouted. ¡°I was just curious!¡±


    Caprice answered, ¡°She''s a very famous painter.¡±


    Lana was in awe. ¡°Wow... a painter, that¡¯s impressive!¡±


    The revtion was not a big surprise to Freya. She could already tell Caprice came from a well-off family based solely on her


    wardrobe.


    Caprice never showed off her wealth in front of her friends, and she never mentioned anything about her family Despite that,


    Freya could tell that she was born into wealth. Going by that assumption, her aunt must be very wealthy as well. In fact, anyone


    rted to Caprice¡¯s family had to be wealthy.


    The next day, at ten in the morning, Caprice walked out of the dormitory.


    Every time she visited Aunt Sylvia, a driver woulde at the same appointed time to pick her up.


    After leaving the building, she looked down the street lined with trees.


    Soon, a familiar ck car emerged and zoomed into view. It was familiar because she saw the same car only very recently.


    There was no mistaking it-it was Liam¡¯s car.


    While Caprice was still second-guessing herself, the car screeched to a stop in front of her. The driver stepped out of the car and


    greeted her with a polite smile, then he opened the door for her.

 Chapter 1830

    Chapter 1830


    The driver made a gesture, inviting Caprice into the car.


    She hesitated briefly before approaching.


    As soon as she got nearer to the car, she noticed a man sitting inside. The man looked dashing and elegant in a fitted ck suit.


    He stared ahead with the usual indifferent expression on his face as if there was nothing in the world that could break him out of


    his stoic silence.


    Caprice was shocked.


    Was he here to pick her up?Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She burrowed into the car and made sure to keep a respectful distance from him.


    She asked carefully, ¡°Liam, why are you here?¡±


    Liam nced at her. ¡°My mom asked me to pick you up.¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°Oh.¡±


    So, it was Aunt Sylvia who had instructed him to pick her up.


    She felt a tightness gripping her, then she said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to trouble yourself if you have work to do.


    If you want, I can take a cab there myself.¡±


    She did not want to inconvenience him in any way.


    Liam answered curtly, ¡°I have time.¡±


    Caprice shot a stealthy nce at him. When she noticed that there was not a trace of irritation on his face, she felt relieved. If he


    was not busy, then so be it.


    They spent the journey in silence.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped at the house atst.


    Caprice followed Liam out of the car and walked through the gate with him.


    Upon hearing footsteps marching toward the house, Sylvia quickly came outside to greet them. She barely acknowledged Liam


    and went straight to Caprice instead. ¡°Caprice! How was school? How have you beentely?¡±


    Caprice smiled brightly. She was just as happy to see Sylvia. ¡°Hey, Aunt Sylvia, I¡¯m doing fine in school.¡±


    They chatted while they walked into the living room.


    Liam sat without having to be invited to. He chose a single-seater and picked up a scientific journal to


    read.


    Sylvia led Caprice to another couch to sit with her. The couch was positioned right next to the one Liam


    sat in.


    ¡°Caprice, tell me everything! What interesting stories do you have from your life in university?¡± Sylvia asked eagerly.


    Caprice nced at Liam who was reading quietly and did not seem interested in engaging in their conversation. She asked


    chyly, ¡°Aunt Sylvia, let¡¯s talk somewhere else¡±


    She did not want to disturb Liam¡¯s reading session.


    Sylvia seemed to not get the hint. She took Caprice¡¯s hands and assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. We can talk all we want!


    He''ll go somewhere else if our chatter is bothering him.¡±


    Caprice jerked her lips into a frown and looked at Liam. He happened to be flipping to another page, and the same impassive


    look remained on his face.


    Alright then.


    Caprice told Sylvia about the interesting people and things she saw at school. They chatted quite enthusiastically and seemed to


    have forgotten about Liam''s presence entirely.


    Soon, Sebastian the butler appeared to inform them, ¡°Madam, Young Master, Miss Caprice, lunch is ready


    Sylvia acknowledged and thanked Sebastian, then she turned to Liam. ¡°Liam, tell your father toe down and join us for


    lunch.¡±


    Sebastian was getting old, so she did not want to trouble the loyal butler with climbing up the stairs. ¡°Okay.¡± Liam set the book


    aside, then he got up and walked towards the stairs.

 Chapter 1831

    Chapter 1831


    Sylvia led Caprice by the hand. ¡°Caprice, let¡¯s go. The boys willeter.¡±


    Caprice followed her to the dining table and asked out of curiosity, ¡°Aunt Sylvia, aren''t Flint and Isabeling home today?¡±


    Sylvia replied, ¡°Isabel has a shoot today and Flint is very busy, so they¡¯re noting back.¡±


    This meant that it was only going to be the two of them along with Odell and Liam.


    Did Liam know about this?Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Did his girlfriend Heather know?


    ¡°Caprice, what''s wrong? Why the sad face? Did something bad happen?¡± Sylvia noticed her sullen expression almost


    immediately.


    Caprice quickly snapped back to her senses and yed it down. ¡°No, nothing.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? You looked like there was something on your mind back there.¡± Sylvia took her hand and suddenly shifted to a


    serious tone, ¡°Your mother isn¡¯t around, so I¡¯m your family now. Come on and tell me. What happened?¡±


    For a brief second, Caprice almost decided to tell Sylvia to stop trying to set her up with Liam. Liam already had a girlfriend, and


    she did not want to ruin their rtionship. Then, she immediately realized that going by Uncle Odell¡¯s way of doing things, he


    would tell Liam to break up with Heather if he found out about their rtionship.


    It seemed like Liam hadn¡¯t told them about Heather. This must be part of the reason he was having reservations about telling


    them. She should not meddle with his private affairs.


    She assured Sylvia, ¡°Aunt Sylvia, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just something that happened to one of my roommates recently. | think | might


    have to go back to see her for a bit after lunch.¡±


    Sylvia was relieved to hear this, then she asked out of concern, ¡°What happened to your roommate? Do you need me to help?¡±


    ¡°No, it''ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but if you face any problems at all, you have to tell me, understand?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | understand.¡±


    After a while, Liam and Odell came down to join them.


    The father and son were about the same height, and both of them stood a head taller than most people. The difference was that


    while Odell held himself with a reflective air, wise with age, Liam had a certain daring that only the young could afford.


    Caprice greeted Odell with a warm smile, ¡°Hi Uncle Odell¡±


    Odell smiled at her ¡°Hey, let¡¯s eat¡±


    With that, he approached Sylvia and sat on one end of the table


    The table was rectangr, and since the couple was seated on one side, that meant Caprice and Liam had to sit across them.


    Caprice grew nervous when she realized she had to sit next to Liam but quicklyposed


    herself. There was nothing to be nervous about. He already had a girlfriend and only thought of her as his sister.


    They ate in silence.


    ¡°Caprice, it¡¯s going to be the summer break soon. Do you have any ns for the summer?¡± Odell suddenly broke the silence.


    Caprice answered, ¡°I have no ns for now, but | might go home and stay there for the summer.¡±


    Both her grandma and father had been hinting at her to go home, and she figured there was no reason she should not do so.


    Odell swiped a look at Liam before turning back to Caprice. ¡°You''re almost 20. Have your parents thought about letting you intern


    at their ce?¡±


    John and Sherry only had one daughter and had a habit of pampering and sheltering her. Still, it was only a matter of time before


    she had to take on the mantle of the family business.


    Caprice pulled a face and said in a low voice, ¡°They did mention that, but | don¡¯t want to intern yet.¡±


    She interned during thest summer break and it did not go well at all. She barely understood anything, and all the materials she


    was given to read seemed like they were written in anothernguage. She nned to try again after her graduation. Maybe she


    would be more ready by then.


    Liam must have thought poorly of her when he found out how dense she was.


    All three of Liam, Isabel, and Flint were prodigies and crushed it academically. She wondered why she had so much trouble with


    school when her parents were known for being very intelligent as well.


    Before allowing time for Caprice to further second-guess herself, Odell encouraged her with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re still young. You don¡¯t


    have to go if you feel like you have more to learn.¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°I heard Liam needs an assistant. You could consider working with him this summer. It¡¯s a chance to


    gain some experience without having to stress about working with your parents.¡±


    Caprice grew stiff as she nced at Liam. She wondered what his reaction would be.

 Chapter 1832

    Chapter 1832


    Chapter 1832


    To her disappointment, there was scarcely any visible reaction on his face.


    Sylvia seemed a fan of the idea. ¡°That¡¯s right, Liam has another assistant who is very experienced. I¡¯m sure you can learn a lot


    from both her and Liam as well.¡±


    Sylvia turned to Liam. ¡°Liam, what do you think?¡±


    Liam muttered, ¡°It works.¡±


    Caprice was shocked. He agreed almost without any hesitation!


    ¡°Caprice, do you want to?¡± Sylvia asked again.


    As Liam turned to her as well this time, a pair of un-emotive dark eyes stared at her silently.


    Caprice felt dizzy. Of course, she would love to! She could spend time with Liam.


    However, Heather would not feel the same.


    ¡°Caprice? What¡¯s wrong? Is there anything you''re concerned about?¡± Upon sensing her hesitation, Sylvia grew worried.


    ¡°Caprice, just tell us what''s on your mind. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Odell spoke up.


    Liam stared at her the entire time. There was look of confusion in his eyes that slipped past Caprice.


    Caprice hesitated for several additional seconds, then she turned to Sylvia and Odell. ¡°Aunt Sylvia, Uncle Odell, | don¡¯t know


    how to get anything done. Liam needs a very capable assistant by his side. All I¡¯m going to do is create more work for him since


    he''ll have to clean up my mess.¡±


    ¡°Oh, | thought it was something serious.¡± Sylvia chuckled and said, ¡°Caprice, didn¡¯t | mention that Liam has another senior


    assistant with him? You''ll be fine, all you need to do is just show up and learn. You won''t be a hindrance.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°No more buts. Do you want to go or not?¡± Sylvia demanded an answer.


    Caprice nced at Liam.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam was also looking at her, the indifferent look in his eyes as apparent as day. There was no telling what was on his mind at all,


    whether he preferred Caprice to work for him or not.


    Caprice pursed her lips.


    Forget it, he already had a girlfriend. Even though she had feelings for Liam, she had to be respectful.


    She turned to Sylvia and Odell and steeled herself. ¡°Aunt Sylvia, Uncle Odell, thank you for the offer, but | don¡¯t think I¡¯ll do it. My


    parents and grandma have been wanting me to go home to visit them, and my father spoke about having me over at his


    workce to pick up some experience. He will be upset if | suddenly intern somewhere else.¡±


    It may not be the true reason for her refusal, but these were true facts. Her father did want her to take over the family business at


    one point.


    Sylvia and Odell nced at each other, and they decided to stop pushing Caprice simply because there were no grounds for


    them to convince her otherwise. Caprice was John¡¯s only child and his most precious daughter, and he had always been very


    protective of her. In truth, Odell had proposed for Liam to wed Caprice several times, but John refused every time.


    John could not ept the idea of Caprice leaving him to be with Liam.


    ¡°Okay, but make sure you find time to visit us during the summer break, alright?¡± Sylvia dropped the matter.


    Caprice smiled and nodded, always the good niece.


    They continued eating.


    Meanwhile, Liam wore a deep furrow on his face, and a gloomy look appeared in his eyes.


    After the meal, Caprice said goodbye to Odell and Sylvia, then she left the house.


    Liam had already excused himself midway through the meal. He must have something urgent


    come up.


    After walking out of the house, Caprice was about to head toward the car the driver usually drove to pick her up, and that was


    when she noticed Liam¡¯s car.


    It was parked right in front of the gate.


    Caprice was surprised.


    Wasn''t he gone?


    That was when the driver stepped out of the car and opened the door for her, gesturing her to


    enter.


    Caprice obediently got into the car.

 Chapter 1833

    Chapter 1833


    Chapter 1833


    Liam sat like a statue in the backseat there was a sharp re in his eyes that made it seem like he was in a bad mood.


    Caprice was cautious of sitting too close to him.


    At some point during the ride, when she noticed that Liam¡¯s expression was still as gloomy as when she entered, she muttered


    weakly, ¡°Liam, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Liam looked at her with a puzzled expression. ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡±


    She answered frightfully, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were waiting for me. | thought you already left for work. | should have left with


    you, so you wouldn¡¯t have to spend time waiting for me.¡±


    She figured that the reason he was upset was that he had been stewing in the car, waiting for her.


    Liam grimaced, and several deep creases formed on his forehead. He entered into a somber silence.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice took this silence to mean that her concerns were true. She had made Liam upset because she had been dilly-dallying.


    She sat stiffly and spent the remainder of the ride in silence.


    Soon, the car stopped in front of Sparkrow University dormitory.


    ¡°See you, Liam,¡± she blurted out before scuttling out of the car like a thief.


    Liam silently watched her as she retreated into the safety of her dorm, and he frowned.


    What happened to the Caprice in the past? She used to be so excited to see him and affectionate with him! Why would she


    refuse the offer to intern for him? Why was she so eager to get away from him?


    Caprice went around the corner, up the stairway, and vanished out of sight.


    Liam vented his frustration at the driver. ¡°Drive!¡±


    The driver stomped on the gas pedal, afraid of his wrath.


    The finals wereing up.


    The summer break wouldmence shortly after the finals.


    Lana¡¯s family was based in Westchester, Freya¡¯s hailed from a remote town a long way away. while both Caprice and Piper


    came both from nchester.


    Since the group of friends was going to be separated for two months, they decided to spend the day at a nearby za after the


    last paper. They were going to find something nice to eat before shopping together.


    After a terrific feast at a famous restaurant, they strolled on the streets, ready tomence their shopping spree.


    As soon as they passed around a bend, they heard a voice calling out from behind.


    ¡°Caprice?¡±


    Caprice jumped and turned around.


    It was a tall and lean boy who greeted her, and his skin was fair as snow. He looked a couple of years older than her.


    He smiled warmly.


    Caprice was about to ask who this strange person was when Freya immediately cried out in a shrill voice, ¡°Moses!¡±


    Moses!


    Where had she heard the name before?


    Piper eximed, ¡°Moses? Moses Stewart? The one who¡¯s been voted as the most attractive man on campus for four years in a


    row?¡±


    Freya contained the excitement in her shrill voice as best as she could. ¡°It''s him! But he just graduated this year, so we¡¯re going


    to have to see who his recement will be going forward.¡± In the middle of their exchange, Moses walked out of a shop lot and


    approached Caprice.


    ¡°Hey, Caprice, I¡¯m Moses Stewart, nice to meet you.¡± He smiled and held out his hand to Caprice. He carried himself with such


    formality that it looked like he was trying to make his best impression as a businessman. It was sort of humorous.


    Caprice suppressed a smile and gently shook his hands while asking politely, ¡°Hi there, senior. Do you need something from


    me?¡±


    He smiled and remarked, ¡°I was going to look for you a few days ago, but | know you were busy with the finals, so | figured |


    shouldn¡¯t bother you. What a nice coincidence meeting you here! It must be fate.¡±


    He paused dramatically to swipe careful nces at Freya, Piper, and Lana before turning back to Caprice. ¡°My friend owns that


    dessert cafe over there. I''ll treat you girls to something nice while we chat.¡±

 Chapter 1834

    Chapter 1834


    Chapter 1834


    It was a very famous dessert cafe, and many people had been posting about it onlely.


    Caprice and her friends were shocked to hear that Moses¡¯ friend was the owner of the ce. Before Caprice could even have


    time to consider, her friends epted the invitation for her. With that, they head toward the dessert cafe with Moses taking the


    lead.


    Caprice had no choice but to tag along.


    There was a nice seat upstairs next to a window.


    As if by intention, Caprice¡¯s friends made sure to let Caprice and Moses sit at a separate table. Caprice did not mind since it


    looked like Moses had something he wanted to tell her.


    After ordering a cup of tea, they turned their attention to each other. While sipping her cup of fruity tea, she asked casually,


    ¡°What is it that you wanted to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the situation: a few friends and | recently set up a smallpany. We develop technological gadgets, and we recently


    have a newlyunched product.


    As he provided the preliminary information, he reached for his phone and showed it to Caprice. It was a slide with brief details of


    the innovational gadget he was referring to.


    Although Caprice was not a technology savant by any means, she had picked up some business sense from her parents


    growing up. She had the bare-bones instincts to help her gauge the potential of a product.


    Her gut was telling her that there was a lot of potential here. A marketing push was all it needed. After she read the slide, she


    asked, ¡°Why are you showing me this though? | don¡¯t think what I¡¯m majoring in right now has anything to do with this.¡±


    Besides, she was still a student and had no practical experience to speak of.


    Moses narrowed his eyes and smiled. His was a sincere smile that inspired trust, and it did help that he was very handsome. ¡°I


    want you to be our brand ambassador.¡±


    Caprice grew wide-eyed. ¡°Your ambassador?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I''m just a student, not some kind of celebrity.¡±


    Moses scratched the back of his head and suddenly seemed uncharacteristically shy ¡°I think you look just as good as any


    celebrity on TV.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not famous.¡±


    Moses took a deep breath and braced himself for a confession, ¡°Well, the thing is, we can¡¯t possibly afford an actual celebrity.¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips.


    Moses looked at her and spoke with sincerity, ¡°Caprice, ourpany may have umted


    some funds, but it¡¯s not even enough to sign an influencer, much less a celebrity


    Caprice grew puzzled and asked, ¡°You have a good product here Why not find someone to invest in it?¡±


    Once they had a sizeable investment, the marketing should no longer be an issue


    Moses shook his head gravely ¡°We do have potential investors, but most of them are looking to assimte us into theirpany.


    You see, we want to be our own bosses.¡±


    It did make sense, Caprice supposed.


    The world of business had always been a dog-eat-dog world, and nobody would invest in something if they did not benefit


    directly from it. On Caprice¡¯s father¡¯s journey to cementing himself as the richest and most powerful man in nchester, he had


    to resort to some ruthless business tactics as well


    Moses, on the other hand, looked like he was starting from the ground up. Without any financial backing, it was likely he was


    going to get swallowed by the venture capitalists before he could. even take off


    ¡°Could you send me a copy of your product details?¡± Caprice asked.


    Moses¡¯ eyes glowed with hope ¡°Does that mean you want to be our ambassador?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Caprice was confident enough in her looks, but she was not sure she had the bravado to be a brand ambassador She


    smiled and exined, ¡°Maybe | can help you find a suitable investor.¡± Moses hesitated. He was not expecting such a reply


    It would be ideal if Caprice could somehow find a respectable connection for him, but she was just a sophomore in university.


    Besides, she was enrolled in arguably the least prestigious course avable, so what sort of connection could she possibly


    have?


    Caprice smiled faintly


    It seemed like she did not realize that her smile had power over people. Abination of her dreamy looks of warm smile easily


    mesmerized people.


    Moses suddenly felt his ears growing red hot.


    They decided to exchange contact information for now.

 Chapter 1835

    Chapter 1835


    Chapter 1835


    It was almost ten by the time they left the dessert cafe.


    There was only half an hour before the dorm gates would close. Caprice was going to take a taxi back, but Moses suddenly ran


    out of the cafe and stopped her.


    He offered kindly, ¡°I have a car. Let me send you home.¡±


    Caprice was going to refuse out of politeness, but Freya made the call before she could. ¡°Alright, thanks for the help!¡±


    Moses smiled warmly. ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    Caprice pursed her lips.


    Moses¡¯ car was parked nearby. He drove a Maserati worth nearly five million, and it was a very impressive car to own especially


    at his age. Furthermore, he was the owner of apany.


    Lana and Freya both seemed starstruck.


    The two of them made sure they got into the car first. They took the back row without any qualms and made Piper squeeze in the


    back row with them. They left the passenger seat for Caprice.


    Moses drove carefully and sent them back to the dorm in no time.


    After Caprice got out of the car, she waved goodbye to Moses before walking back to the dorm with her friends.


    ¡°Caprice, you chatted with Moses for so long. What did you two talk about?¡± Freya wasted no time prying for information.


    Lana and Piper listened in as well, eager for gossip.


    Caprice knew what they were thinking, so she quickly rified, ¡°We were just talking about hispany. He has this line of


    producting out and it¡¯s...¡±


    She briefly talked about the product.


    The three of them seemed utterly baffled by what they were hearing.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Freya suddenly interrupted her and asked brazenly, ¡°He came to give you a sales pitch?¡±


    ¡°He couldn''t afford to sign on any celebrities as his brand ambassador, so he was hoping | would take the offer.¡±


    Her friends werepletely speechless.


    Caprice rified, ¡°I declined.¡±


    That was enough to shut therm


    up


    for now.


    The next morning, Caprice slept until she woke up naturally.


    Both Freya and Piper had already gone home while Lana was in the middle of packing her luggage.


    Caprice nned to take a thorough shower, then she would ask her parents if they were going to pick her up. Her ns were


    foiled when she picked up the phone only to see the message her mother had sent her an hour ago.


    ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m so sorry but something urgent came up today, so we don¡¯t have time to pick you up. The good news is that Liam


    happens to being to nchester for a business trip, so we troubled him to pick you up since both of you will being from


    Westchester.¡±


    They asked Liam to give her a ride?


    Was he here already?


    She quickly texted Liam. ¡°Liam, are you here already?¡±


    Liam replied shortly after, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He was here already?


    Why didn¡¯t he call her?!Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    She scrambled out of bed and took the fastest shower she had taken in her life. Then, she threw on a dress and pped on


    some simple makeup before dragging her suitcase out of the dorm.


    Liam''s car was parked outside under the shade of a tree. It was rather out of the way, so nobody would notice it without paying


    careful attention.


    The driver got out of the car and helped Caprice put the suitcase into the trunk.


    Caprice got into the car.


    Liam was wearing a ck suit as always. There was hardly any perceptible emotion on his face. Neither did he seem to have


    grown impatient from the wait, nor did he look enthusiastic to see Caprice.


    Perhaps he had just arrived as well?


    Caprice heaved a sigh of relief. She smiled and thanked him politely, ¡°Liam, thanks for taking the time to pick me up.¡±


    Liam said rather formally, ¡°No trouble at all. It''s along the way anyway.¡±

 Chapter 1836

    Chapter 1836


    Caprice felt sulky and frowned.


    The car jerked to motion and drove out of the university as they headed toward nchester.


    The drive would take at least three hours.


    At first, Caprice was quite energetic after getting a full night¡¯s rest. However, it was so quiet in the car that sleepiness eventually


    set in.


    Her head drooped as if her neck could no longer support the weight of her head. Soon, her body tilted to the side until it hit a


    cushion. It was the perfect amount of softness that she quickly drifted to sleep after that.


    When she woke up again, she realized that she had been leaning against Liam¡¯s shoulders the entire time. It seemed like at


    some point during her sleep, she had inched toward him and was almost sitting next to him.


    Meanwhile, he sat upright and stoically, maintaining his usual coolness as he stared in front of him, All Caprice could see was his


    handsome side profile and his chiseled jawline. As usual, there was not a mark of emotion on his inexpressive face.


    She was startled to find herself in this position and slowly dragged herself back to her side of theBelonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    car.


    ¡°| identally fell asleep,¡± she exined vainly so he would know that she did not lean against him on purpose.


    Liam grumbled, ¡°Alright.¡±


    His voice was cold and ineffectual. He did not seem bothered at all. In fact, it looked like it hardly registered as a worthwhile


    event.


    That was right. He had always regarded her as his younger sister, so he would not feel flustered just because she leaned against


    him while sleeping.


    Caprice looked out the window and let her mind wander.


    They had already arrived at nchester. She saw beautiful trees and flowers lining both sides of


    the road. It turned into a scenic drive.


    She had not been home for a full semester, and it just urred to her that she had been missing home this entire time.


    She rested her chin on both hands and stared at the beautiful scenery outside.


    She was not aware that the entire time, the man on the other side of the car had turned to stare at her. He bore his depthless


    eyes into the back of Caprice¡¯s head.


    After another half an hour, the car stopped outside the gate of thepound.


    Caprice was very grateful for Liam giving her a ride. ¡°Liam, thank you for taking me home.¡±


    Liam nced at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    ¡°Good luck with your work. You don¡¯t need to walk me inside.¡± She threw the door open and got out promptly.


    Liam jerked his lips to the side.


    Caprice got out of the car and trotted past the gate.


    Liam frowned and instructed the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The driver drove out of the area, then asked cautiously, ¡°President Carter, are you going back to Westchester?¡±


    All he knew was that Liam had ordered to send Caprice to nchester. He was not aware if he had any ns in the city.


    Liam seemed annoyed and grumbled, ¡°We''re going home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Immediately as soon as she stepped through the gate, Caprice saw Madam Stocktoning toward her.


    Madam Stockton must have heard word that Caprice wasing home. She had the staff take her to the main entrance in a


    shuttle car and arrived just in time to see Caprice walking toward the house. She frantically asked the driver to hit the brakes and


    stepped out of the car while waving excitedly the entire time.


    ¡°Caprice, let me take a good look at you, darling!¡±


    Caprice rushed up to Madam Stockton and offered her hand. The old madam looked at her up and down, inspecting every part


    of her. After getting a good look, she asked with a sharp frown,¡± Did you lose weight? Did you get bullied at school?¡±


    Caprice had to suppress herughter. ¡°No, Grandma, | haven¡¯t been bullied, and | haven''t lost that much weight!¡±


    This was how she always looked!


    Even if she had lost weight, it was only expected since she left for Westchester during winter.


    Madam Stockton gave her nose a firm, yful squeeze. ¡°So, you have lost weight! Alright, I¡¯m going to keep a close eye on you


    during every meal.¡±

 Chapter 1837

    Chapter 1837


    Caprice grinned. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Madam Stockton was pleased with her response. She motioned and said, ¡°Come on, your parents


    are home as well, they¡¯re waiting for you.¡±


    Caprice got into the shuttle car with her.


    Several minutester, they stopped at John and Sherry¡¯s courtyard.


    She got out of the car with Madam Stockton.


    ¡°Darling...¡±


    She had barely stepped into the when a figure came flying towards her. She felt a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her and


    kisses were nted on her cheeks.


    She groaned yfully, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m neen years old.¡±


    The beautifuldy who seemed unfathomably young despite her age and was showering her with passionate affection was none


    other than Sherry.


    Upon noticing Caprice¡¯s reaction, she pinched her chubby cheeks and stated, ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m your mother. | don¡¯t care if you¡¯re in


    your sixties. You''re still going to be my darling daughter, and I¡¯m still going to kiss you, got it?¡±


    Caprice chuckled. ¡°Got it.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Sherry let go of her and ruffled her hair. Then, she looked around before asking, ¡°Why are you alone? Where''s Liam?¡±


    Madam Stockton asked in a puzzled voice, ¡°Liam? Do you mean Young Master Carter?¡±


    Sherry gave her a nod and turned to Caprice, hoping for an answer.


    John had shown up as well. He stood next to Sherry and looked tenderly at their daughter.


    Caprice answered frankly, ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Why did he leave?¡± Sherry was puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you invite him toe in?¡±


    Caprice exined, ¡°He said he wasing here on a business trip, so he could give me a ride. | didn¡¯t want to take his time.¡±


    Sherry pinched her cheeks again. ¡°You silly girl, so what if he¡¯s on a business trip? You should at least invite him to join us


    instead of letting him walk away!¡±


    She was aware that her daughter had feelings for Liam. Since he had been so nice to send her home, she should at least invite


    him into the house as a token of appreciation, and it was also a chance for them to spend time together.


    Caprice lowered her head to the ground, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do that next time.¡±


    She wagered that Liam would refuse anyway. He had formal business to attend to as well as a girlfriend.


    Sherry looked like she had something more to say about the matter but was interrupted by John.


    John pulled Sherry to his side and spoke to her in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s no big deal. We''ve known him since he was a


    child. He won''t feel slighted just because of something minor like this.¡±


    Then, he turned to Caprice again, ¡°Caprice, you''ve been in the car for several hours. Why don¡¯t you go back to your room and


    get some rest?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Caprice said dryly before turning into the familiar courtyard and heading back to her room.


    Madam Stockton and the housemaids who used to take care of her when she was a child followed after her.


    After watching them leave, Sherry turned to John and asked cautiously, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with her?¡±


    She was usually very attentive and friendly, and it was quite uncharacteristic of her to not invite Liam into the house.


    John made a look and remarked, ¡°She¡¯s not a child anymore. She knows what she¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she had a falling out with Liam?¡± Sherry spected.


    Johnughed and brushed it off. ¡°What kind of falling out? It¡¯s not like they¡¯re in a rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Even if they¡¯re not in a rtionship, they''re still good friends. It¡¯s not unheard of for friends to get into arguments.¡±


    John did his best to convince her, ¡°No, Liam wouldn¡¯t argue with Caprice. | don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever expressive enough to get into an


    argument anyway.¡±


    ¡°Let me ask Caprice.¡±


    ¡°Don''t. Let her rest for a while.¡±


    Sherry suddenly grew annoyed and asked crossly, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see Caprice and Liam together in the future?¡±


    Why was he being so obtuse?

 Chapter 1838

    Chapter 1838


    John raised his palm and rest it on top of Sherry¡¯s head. He said in aforting voice, ¡°It¡¯s not that | don¡¯t want them to be


    together. What | want is for Caprice to be in a rtionship with a man that she likes, and for that man to be someone who would


    reciprocate her feelings and is capable of caring for her.¡±


    Sherry pointed out, ¡°That''s Liam, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    John shook his head, his expression skeptical. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing it.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a little emotionally distant. Sylvia talked to me about it as well. She¡¯s sure Liam has feelings for Caprice.¡±


    John scoffed, ¡°Caprice is a sensible and empathetic girl. Of course, the Carters will want her as their daughter-inw. As for


    Liam, that boy is like a block of ice. I''ve never seen any disy of emotions from him at all. Even if we are to allow the two to


    date, it has to wait until Caprice graduates, and until he learns to clearly express his feelings for her.¡±


    Sherry pursed her lips.


    John made some reasonable points.


    Liam was too stoic for his own good at times. His entire life, he had never opened himself up to anyone except Caprice and his


    family members. This temperament was only further reinforced as he grew into adulthood. However, nobody could deny that his


    was a brilliant mind destined for sess, and the development of the world-renowned Carter Tech City was a testament to his


    abilities.


    In truth, even his parents had trouble figuring out what exactly was on his mind.


    Caprice was still rtively young, and they were not in a rush to marry her off.


    In Caprice¡¯s room, Madam Stockton sat next to her.


    Caprice was munching on some snacks Madam Stockton brought for her while the madam was jovially chatting with Emerence.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice was left to entertain herself on the phone. She was looking at the group chat with her roommates. Everyone had


    returned to their hometowns safely.


    Piper was the first to get home.


    Lana was thest to depart and had just arrived as well.


    Freya was still on the bullet train on the way to her hometown. She was going to stay in her hometown for a week before heading


    back to Westchester since she had a part-time job lined up. She would work until the next semester began.


    Caprice also sent a message, informing everyone she had got home as well.


    Then, she decided to text Liam. She wanted to ask if his business trip was progressing smoothly.


    She suddenly recalled that he had a girlfriend now. he presumed that Heather would being along with him for the business


    trip.


    When they were on their way to nchester, it had only been her and Liam in the car. She figured that Heather must havee


    separately and that she would meet up with Liam soon.


    With that in mind, she decided against texting Liam.


    She set down her phone and nned to take a short nap.


    That was when her phone suddenly rang. It was a text from somebody.


    She picked up her phone and saw a message from Moses. ¡°Hey, Caprice, have you arrived in your hometown yet?¡±


    Caprice replied swiftly, ¡°Hey, Moses. Yeah, | just got home.¡±


    Moses replied, ¡°Alright, have a fun summer break.¡±


    Caprice sent a smiling emoji.


    That was the end of their conversation.


    She suddenly rose from the bed.


    When Madam Stockton noticed that she was headed somewhere, she asked out of curiosity,¡± Where are you going?¡±


    Caprice told her, ¡°There¡¯s something | want to discuss with Mom and Dad.¡±


    Madam Stockton spoke tenderly, ¡°Alright, make sure youe back after your talk. | told our kitchen staff to make something


    delicious for you.¡±


    Caprice smiled and nodded before heading out. She wanted to talk to her parents about finding potential investors for Moses¡¯


    company.


    Shortly after, she stepped into the adjacent courtyard and waltzed into the living room.


    When she approached the threshold leading into the living room, she chanced upon the sight of her mother straddling herself


    around John. The two were sharing an intimate moment, exchanging kisses.


    It seemed like the ravages of time had done nothing to them. They looked just as young and vibrant as they did in the past. It


    was a loving sight to behold.


    Caprice felt like she was intruding on something she was not supposed to see. She hurriedly covered her face in embarrassment


    and tried to flee the scene.

 Chapter 1839

    Chapter 1839


    John and Sherry noticed her just in time, so they quickly removed themselves from each other and sat upright on the couch. The


    dreamy scene Caprice witnessed only a moment ago seemed like. nothing more than a mirage.


    ¡°Caprice, is there something you need?¡± John asked, shing a fatherly smile.


    Sherry seemed very eager to hear what was on Caprice¡¯s mind as well.


    With that, Caprice joined them in the living room and briefly told them about her meeting with Moses. She presented the product


    information that Moses had sent to her.


    Her parents read through it attentively.


    Sherry remarked, ¡°It looks like it¡¯s in its infancy stages, but | do see a lot of potential here. It¡¯s very innovative.¡±


    John seemed to agree. ¡°Forward this to me and give me Moses¡¯ information. I''ll have Peter make the necessary arrangements.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave this to me instead?¡± Sherry proposed, ¡°Even if you ask Peter to oversee this deal, | think it¡¯s only a matter


    of time before Moses finds out about Caprice¡¯s connection to you.


    Caprice had always kept her family background a secret since she was a child. Piper, her childhood friend who she had known


    for more than a decade, was the only one who knew about her family.


    It was in everyone''s best interest that nobody found out about Caprice¡¯s family. They did not want to risk drawing unwanted


    attention, especially since she was in Westchester, miles away from her parents who could protect her.


    John agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sherry turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, you can tell Moses that someone will get in touch with himter on.¡±


    Caprice was very grateful. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Mom.¡±


    John coughed.


    Caprice quickly turned to him. ¡°And thank you too, Dad.¡±


    John smiled, feeling satisfied.


    Sherry gave him a sideways look, then she went outside to make a phone call.


    Caprice sent Moses a text as well, informing him that an investor would get in touch with him


    soon.


    After sending the text, she looked up to see both her parents staring at her, the two of them looked like they had discovered a


    particrly enticing secret.


    John probed casually, ¡°Caprice, how long have you known this Moses boy?¡±


    Caprice answered, ¡°Only a day.¡±


    ¡°You''re willing to help him when you''ve only known him for a day?¡± Sherry seemed surprised.


    It seemed perfectly logical to Caprice, so she remarked, ¡°He¡¯s a very popr guy in our university and is one of the top students.


    All| can say is that he¡¯s a pretty decent character and that | can vouch for him. It will be a safe investment, | promise.¡±


    Sherry suddenly grew skeptical. ¡°But you¡¯ve only known him for a day. How can you be sure that he¡¯s as trustworthy and reliable


    as you say?¡±


    ¡°| talked to him. I¡¯ve also heard some of the things people say about him. He seems like a stand- out guy overall.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned he¡¯s very popr. | assume he¡¯s very handsome?¡± Sherry asked a rather left-field question.


    Caprice remarked candidly, ¡°He¡¯s okay.¡±


    Sherry asked, ¡°Compared to Liam?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Caprice stirred briefly, then she said, ¡°Liam wins in that department.¡±


    Sherry eased her concerns. It seemed like all Caprice wanted was to help him out.


    She had always been very kind-hearted since she was a child. Although she had only known Moses for a day, it does seem like


    the boy was rather trustworthy. Since he was the one who went to Caprice for help, it was the right thing to give him a boost.


    Besides, it did seem like a good investment from a solely business perspective.


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Caprice had been spending most of her time at home. Madam Stockton and her parents stayed at home for the past two days as


    well.


    This morning, her parents left for work atst.


    Madam Stockton went out with some friends as well.


    This tended to be routine during every semester break whenever Caprice came home. During the first few days, her family would


    stay at home since it had been a long time since theyst saw her. After the initial days, they would revert to their usual day-to-


    day routine.


    Caprice stayed at home by herself, lying on the couch with nothing to do.


    She did not have many hobbies to speak of. All she could do was either scroll through social


    media, pick up a book to read, or find something to snack on.


    Another option was to stalk Liam¡¯s profile to see what he was up to.

 Chapter 1840

    Chapter 1840


    It seemed like a good idea. She navigated to Liam''s profile.


    He put up a new post only two minutes ago.


    It was captioned ¡°Working¡± and was coupled with a picture of Carter Tech City.


    He must have taken the picture from inside his office. Severalrge pots of nts were framed in the picture as well, and what


    immediately caught her eye was the beautiful and clean floor-to- ceiling windows that offered a fantastic view of the cityscape.


    The city bustled with life; it was the technological center of the region.


    With its countless skyscrapers showcasing precise geometric lines in its architecture, it looked like a scene out of a sci-fi movie.


    Caprice tossed and turned on the couch for a while.


    After roughly ten minutes had passed, she liked the post andmented, ¡°Liam, the city looks wonderful.¡±


    She took care to wait ten minutes before engaging with the post so that Liam wouldn''t think that she was stalking hi,.


    She was about to put the phone away when she received a reply to herment. ¡°You cane over to check the ce out


    when you have time.¡±


    Her eyes glowed like a miniature sun. She would love to visit, but she was concerned about how his girlfriend would feel about it,


    and she did not want to cause trouble.


    No, she was not going to visit.


    Still, she replied, ¡°Sure!¡±


    That was the end of their interaction.


    Caprice went back to scrolling her feed. She refreshed the feed and saw several new posts made in thest ten minutes.


    What caught her eye was a post by Heather. It was captioned: ¡°Sneaking in a picture during working hours. The Carter Tech City


    is just as beautiful during the day as during the night! If anyone of you feels like visiting, please do! You''ll love it here.¡±


    She attached a picture of a view of the city along with the post.


    The picture she posted was very simr to the one posted by Liam, only from a slightly different angle.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Caprice could immediately tell that the picture was taken in Liam¡¯s office. She suddenly felt a sting of bitterness and felt like


    throwing her phone away.


    That was when Moses sent her a message.


    He gave Caprice thetest update. ¡°Caprice, thanks for securing investors for us! They promised a hefty investment and only


    demanded a rtively small portion ofpany shares in exchange.


    We have just closed the deal and the first round of marketing push will begin very soon.


    Caprice was pleased to hear this and replied, ¡°You''re wee.¡±


    If everything went well and his new product was well-received in the market, the investors her mother contacted would profit as


    well. It was a win-win situation.


    Moses suddenly asked, ¡°Hey, do you mind if | ask you where your hometown is?¡±


    Caprice grew slightly suspicious. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±


    Moses replied, ¡°I was thinking I''d treat you to a meal in person as a token of appreciation.¡±


    Caprice appreciated the gesture. Her fingers rattled against the keyboard. ¡°I appreciate it, Moses, but | live very far away from


    Westchester. I¡¯m sure you have a lot of things on your te right now. The meal can wait until after |e back for the next


    semester.¡±


    Moses did not give her any pressure either. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Just as she thought this was the end of their conversation, he sent her another text. ¡°By the way, what are you doing during this


    summer break?¡±


    Caprice replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns at the moment.¡±


    Even without hearing the tone of Moses¡¯ voice, she could tell that he was startled based on his reply. ¡°I would assume you would


    have a lot of things lined up during this summer break. It didn¡¯t take you long to help me find an investor at all!¡±


    He seemed to be under the impression that Caprice was a very business-minded and motivated person.


    The truth was that she had no concrete long-term ns to speak of. At most, she would dabble in some minor investments


    sometimes.


    Caprice replied, ¡°It just so happened that my mother is friends with several investors, so | forwarded your information to my mom


    and asked her to set something up. The investors decided to put their trust in you because your proposal seems very promising.¡¯


    Moses replied, ¡°I see. In that case, please thank your mother for me. | really appreciate the help.


    Caprice answered politely, ¡°Sure, I''ll do that.¡±


    There was no further response from Moses after that.


    Moments before she put away her phone and prepared to look for something else to entertain. herself with, her phone rang


    again. It was a follow-up text from Moses. ¡°Are you going to stay in your hometown for the whole summer break?¡±


    It seemed like he sent this text after a great deal of consideration.


    Was he trying to insinuate that Caprice should not be spending her summer breakzing around at home?

 Chapter 1841

    Chapter 1841


    Caprice felt a wave of crisis wash through her.


    Compared to Moses, she had no ambition to speak of.


    She would not even dare topare herself to Liam and Heather.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    They were all top graduates of Aleph University. Liam was practically a mythical figure, being the student who had achieved the


    highest grade ever in the history of the university.


    His project, the Carter Tech City was once seen as an impossibility, but he realized his vision and brought it to reality.


    Although Heather was nowhere near his level, she could do more than pull her weight. She was very efficient at work. It was no


    surprise that Liam would take a liking to her.


    Ding!


    It was Moses again. ¡°Caprice, is everything okay? Was it something | said?¡±


    Caprice replied reluctantly, ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Moses advised her, ¡°Caprice, even though you''re still in your sophomore year and have two years to go until graduation, |


    suggest that you begin making ns for the future and think about what you want to do. The job market is verypetitive now,


    so it¡¯s better to be prepared.¡±


    What he said made a lot of sense. Only Caprice did not know what the proper response to this unwarranted advice was.


    Moses suddenly asked again, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything in mind? Something that you want to do in the future?¡±


    Caprice answered curtly, ¡°No.¡±


    Moses did not reply after that.


    Perhaps he was so baffled by Caprice¡¯sck of ambition that he barely knew what to say to her


    anymore.


    Caprice put down her phone and took a stroll outside.


    The scorching sun hung in the sky above. It was very hot outside.


    She returned to her room after a brief walk.


    Upon picking up her phone, she saw two more messages from Moses.


    ¡°Caprice, why don¡¯t you try working at my ce? There happens to be a vacancy for an


    administrative assistant.


    ¡°| can offer you double the pay of what¡¯s offered in the market.¡±


    Caprice was taken aback by the offer. She told him, ¡°Moses, I¡¯m not familiar with administrative


    duties. Besides, | still have to go back to university after the summer break.¡±


    Moses was very understanding. ¡°I understand, but there¡¯s nothing to worry about. | already have an administrative manager, so


    she''ll take care of you and guide you. You can work here until the next semester starts, then you can go back to university.¡±


    Caprice knew that Moses was simply looking out for her, but she was not very eager to work at


    the moment.


    Upon noticing her hesitation, Moses texted her again, ¡°Is there anything you''re concerned about? Were you hoping for better


    pay?¡±


    Caprice quickly exined, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±


    She did not want to seem ungrateful. After tossing and turning for a while, she replied, ¡°Could you give me some time to think


    about it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but you only have two months of summer break. Could you give me an answer by tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was nighttime.


    Both John and Sherry went to attend a business event and were not going to be home untilter that night.


    Caprice had dinner with Madam Stockton and entertained her for a while before heading back to


    her room.


    She scrolled through her phone and noticed a lot of activity going on in the group chat with her


    roommates. She clicked inside.


    Freya was venting about her family who demanded the money she made from her part-time jobs. It seemed like she had a brief


    argument with her family and was still feeling upset about it.


    Piper and Lana gave her the space to vent.


    Caprice tried to offer some advice as well. She told Freya to stop stewing over it and to head back to Westchester for her part-


    time job.


    Freya took their advice and was feeling better in no time.


    She nned to take the bullet train back to Westchester that same night, then she would begin the part-time job until the end of


    the summer break.


    Everyone told her to be careful and to report to the group once she reached Westchester.


    Since the situation with her family was growing increasingly tense, it was better to leave as soon as possible.


    After wrapping up the conversation, Caprice went to check out Liam¡¯s profile. It was second nature to stalk him by this point.

 Chapter 1842

    Chapter 1842


    Chapter 1842


    Liam uploaded a new post ten minutes ago.


    It was captioned: ¡°Overtime.¡±


    Just like the post he made the same afternoon, he attached a picture of the view outside his office, the signature floor-to-ceiling


    windows were easy to recognize.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Carter Tech City was a poster metropolis at night. Every corner of the city was basked in dazzling lights, and it was a symbol of


    prosperity.


    Caprice saved the picture to her phone and liked the post, making sure to leave ament as well. ¡°Liam, | know you¡¯re busy


    but please make sure you get some rest.¡±


    She attached a cute sticker of a smiling cat.


    After two minutes, she received a reply from Liam that read, ¡°Got it.¡±


    She smiled.


    Shortly after that, she received a notification on her phone.


    It was a message from Heather. ¡°Caprice, Carter Tech City is now open to the public, would you like to visit?¡±


    Caprice scowled instinctively.


    Liam had already invited her to visit. Even if the city was closed to the public, she would never have any problem passing


    through its borders!


    Caprice felt insulted but still made herself reply politely, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I''m at my hometown right now.¡±


    Heather was persistent. ¡°Our Tech City is only open to the public during the weekends, but since you''re Liam¡¯s sister, you can


    visit at any time. | promise that I''ll show you around the city.¡±


    The way she put it made it sound as if she was the one who founded the Carter Tech City along with Liam.


    The pompous attitude that colored every word she used made Caprice feel like punching a wall. She grimaced and decided to


    stop replying.


    There was no escape. Shortly after that, another message came from Heather. ¡°Caprice, you don¡¯t have much to do at home


    anyway. Since you''re so bored, might as well visit us!¡±


    What was the meaning of this? Why would Heather assume that she had nothing to do at home? Was this meant as an insult?


    Even though Caprice was usually an easy-going person, she was boiling over with rage now.


    An idea suddenly urred to her. She proceeded to reply, ¡°I took up a job so I¡¯m going to be quite busy for a while, | don¡¯t think |


    can find time to visit.¡±


    Heather seemed very intrigued by this new development in Caprice¡¯s life. ¡°What kind of job?¡±


    Caprice replied as vaguely as she could, ¡°Just something to pick up some practical experience. Heather spoke with the same


    veiled condescension as usual, ¡°In that case, good luck with work! You can ask me for help if you stumble into anything you don¡¯t


    understand.¡±


    Caprice replied cordially, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Heather sent a smiling face emoji along with another message. ¡°You''re wee.


    Now that they had wrapped up their conversation atst, Caprice closed the chat immediately.


    Filled with rage, she made a rash decision. She texted Moses. ¡°Hey Moses, | made up my mind, I¡¯m going to work with you. |


    promise to give it my all.¡±


    She was going to prove her worth!


    Even if it would not change Liam¡¯s opinion of her, she was going to do it to rub it in Heather¡¯s face. She refused to be looked


    down upon!


    Moses answered swiftly, ¡°Great, when are youing back to Westchester?¡±


    Caprice replied, ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, see you then.¡±


    Meanwhile, Westchester.


    Inside an office near the pinnacle of a building in Carter Tech City.


    Heather reread her conversation with Caprice and scoffed out loud.


    As far as she was concerned, Caprice was aplete dimwit. The only thing she had going for her was her looks.


    What sort of job could she have possiblynded?


    Chances were it was just an inconsequential job her family made her take up.


    How could an imbecile like her dare to approach Liam of all people?


    She was only lucky that she had known Liam since she was a child. That was the only reason Liam treated her differently!


    Heather was confident that she was infinitely better than Caprice in all aspects. She could pull her weight at work and her father


    was also one of the wealthiest billionaires in Westchester. Even though Liam¡¯s status still trumped hers by a wide margin, she


    was convinced that she was a perfect match for Liam!


    nchester, Stockton Vi.


    Caprice was feeling sleepy but made herself stay awake until her parents returned home.

 Chapter 1843

    Chapter 1843


    Chapter 1843


    She waited in their courtyard.


    When John and Sherry got home, they stepped into the courtyard and immediately noticed Caprice lurking in the corner of the


    garden.


    They hurriedly approached her.


    ¡°Caprice, what are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be sleeping?¡± Sherry asked while pulling Caprice up, her legs had


    grown stiff from crouching for so long.


    Caprice broached the subject immediately. ¡°Mom, Dad, | have something | need to tell you.¡±


    Sherry was taken aback by this. What could be so urgent that it could not wait until the next morning?


    John gently patted Caprice¡¯s head. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk inside.¡±


    Caprice followed them into the living room.


    After Caprice sat down, she took a sip from a cup of tea the housemaids brought to them. Then, she plucked up the courage and


    announced, ¡°I¡¯m nning to go back to Westchester tomorrow.¡±


    Both John and Sherry were caught off guard by this as it was so sudden.


    Sherry asked, ¡°You''ve only been here a few days, why the hurry?¡±


    John asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice, ¡°Does this have anything to do with Liam?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Caprice shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going back to see my roommate and friend Freya. She got into some trouble with her family and


    now she¡¯s all alone in Westchester. | want to keep herpany.¡±


    She could not let them know about her real purpose for going back. If they found out that she had. taken a meager administrative


    position in Moses¡¯pany, they would object to the idea right away.


    Sherry and John exchanged a look.


    John said, ¡°We can bring her here. She can spend the summer at our ce, it won¡¯t be any trouble.¡±


    Caprice had every counter-argument ready. ¡°No, she has a part-time job in Westchester because she needs to support herself.


    Besides, she¡¯s much too prideful to ept our sympathy.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes in suspicion.


    Sherry seemed to think there was more to this as well.


    Caprice put on her best smile and reassured them. ¡°Mom, Dad, don¡¯t worry. | know how to take care of myself.¡±


    Sherry took a deep breath.


    John asked, ¡°What time will you be leaving tomorrow?¡±


    Caprice answered, ¡°In the morning.¡±


    John said with a warm smile, ¡°Alright, we''ll take you to Westchester. It¡¯s a good chance for us to meet your friend as well. | feel


    better if we get to send you off ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Caprice smiled amiably. She had to admit that she was impressed by her father¡¯s sharp


    instincts.


    Fortunately, she was not lying when she told them about Freya. Otherwise, her lies would be exposed on the spot.


    Now that everything was settled, she took her leave.


    John and Sherry remained seated in the living room and watched as she left.


    After she was out of the courtyard, Sherry turned to John. ¡°Do you think her roommate is the only reason she¡¯s heading back to


    Westchester so suddenly?¡±


    John remarked, ¡°No way.¡±


    They, of all people, should know what their daughter was like. They could tell that she was up to something.


    Sherry spected. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s going to see Liam?¡±


    John said pensively, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    There was nothing wrong with her seeing Liam and she knew it as well. Even in the past, she would go on and on about wanting


    to see Liam. There was no reason that she would try to be stealthy about it if that was the case.


    Sherry grew slightly worried. ¡°Then what do you think she¡¯s up to?¡±


    John rubbed his temple. ¡°Let¡¯s just take her to Westchester tomorrow, then we''ll see what happens. We can always have


    someone keep an eye on her if we need to.¡±


    Sherry nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    This was the best course of action for now.


    The next morning.


    The entire family had breakfast in Madam Stockton¡¯s courtyard.


    The old madam was visibly displeased to find out that Caprice was leaving on such short notice.


    She was appeased when Caprice hugged her as tightly as she could and gave her a proper exnation.


    After breakfast, she got into a car with John and Sherry, and they departed for Westchester.


    They drove to the entrance of the Sparkrow University Dormitory.


    She had texted Freya ahead of time.


    As soon as the car stopped at the entrance, she saw Freya waiting for her right at the gate.

 Chapter 1844

    Chapter 1844


    She threw the door open and hopped out of the car.


    Freya ran over to her and greeted her excitedly, ¡°Caprice!¡±


    She was going to hug Caprice when she noticed John and Sherry getting out of the car.


    She suddenly stiffened and looked at the two approaching adults apprehensively.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    John and Sherry smiled warmly at her.


    Caprice was not sure why Freya had grown so nervous out of nowhere. She introduced her parents to her, ¡°Freya, these are my


    parents.¡±


    Then, she turned to John and Sherry. ¡°Mom, Dad, this is my roommate Freya.¡±


    Cool as always, John gave her a subtle nod.


    Sherry smiled brightly and greeted Freya, ¡°Hello.


    ¡°Hi there, Uncle and Auntie.¡± Freya returned a nervous greeting.


    ¡°So it¡¯s going to be the two of you spending the summer break together, make sure you two look


    out for each other, alright? If you run into any problems, don¡¯t hesitate to contact me for help.¡± Sherry produced a card from her


    purse and handed it to Freya. The intricately designed card contained her contact information.


    Freya took the card and handled it with care. ¡°Alright, | understand.¡±


    Sherry smiled before turning to Caprice again. ¡°Caprice, we''ll be leaving you now.¡±


    Caprice walked up to Sherry to give her a big hug. ¡°Goodbye, Mom.¡±


    She made sure to not neglect her father and hugged him as well. ¡°Bye, Dad.¡±


    John ruffled her hair, then he entered the car with Sherry.


    The car reversed out of thepound and swerved into the main road, disappearing out of sight in no time.


    Atst, Freya let out an exhausted sigh.


    Caprice shot a queer look at her.


    Freya took her arm and expressed in awe, ¡°Caprice, your parents have such a powerful aura.¡±


    This was the first time in her life that she had seen someone whose mere presence seemed to equip a physical quality to it.


    Caprice blurted out, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°They look so young! Both of them looked like they could be supermodels. Now | know why you''re so good-looking, you have


    superior genes.¡± Freya reflected.


    Caprice smiled.


    That was something she could agree with.


    They tidied up the dormitory together after that.


    Since Freya was going to start her part-time job tomorrow, she had time to kill for now. After they cleaned up, they went to


    Moses¡¯pany together.


    Thepany headquarters was just a humble little studio.


    There were roughly a dozen employees. The ce was located at a za near the university.


    They had rented a unit to use as an office.


    As Caprice was the one who put them in touch with an investor, Moses¡¯ friends who jointly formed thepany with him were


    very enthusiastic to see her.


    Her tasks as an administrative assistant were rtively simple. All she needed to do was attend to customers and help out the


    other office administrators with misceneous tasks.


    Since thepany was still in its infancy stages, there was no hierarchical structure in ce. This also meant that everyone¡¯s


    job scope was not constrained to their job title. It was not umon for the administrative and technical team to help brainstorm


    ideas for their marketing campaign.


    Caprice would also help out with the promotional materials on top of her usual duties.


    Moses did not put much pressure on her, knowing that she had done her best was good enough. With that said, he did promise


    her a sizablemission if she managed to boost the sales number.


    The afternoon passed in the blink of an eye.


    Later that evening, Moses treated her and Freya to a meal before sending them back to the dorm.


    After parking the car by the entrance, he turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, tomorrow will be your first day officially on duty. Make sure


    you get plenty of rest tonight, don¡¯t stay up.¡±


    Caprice assured him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    With that, she unfastened the seatbelt.


    ¡°I''ll see you tomorrow morning at eight o¡¯clock. I''ll pick you up at this exact spot. I¡¯ll call you if you don¡¯t see me so don¡¯t worry


    about it.¡± Moses supplied suddenly.


    Caprice looked at him with a bewildered look.

 Chapter 1845

    Chapter 1845


    Moses smiled at her.


    Caprice said shyly, ¡°Moses, you don¡¯t have to pick me up, | can go to the office myself.¡±


    ¡°It''s the summer break, you won¡¯t have much luck finding a cab around here. Let me give you a ride.¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of public bicycles, | can just cycle there.¡± The office was only a short distance from the dorm.


    Moses fell into a pensive silence then he insisted again. ¡°I live in the men¡¯s dorm right over there, | figured | might as well pick


    you up since it¡¯s just along the same route.¡±


    ¡°| see, alright then.¡±


    Since they were taking the same route, it did make sense for him to pick her up.


    Caprice said goodbye to him and got out of the car.


    After making sure the girls had returned to the dorm safely, Moses drove back home.


    Caprice never had a habit of staying upte.


    After she took a shower, she chatted with Freya. The two of them caught up with Piper and Lana on the phone. To cap off the


    night, she went to check out Liam¡¯s profile and liked histest posts. before settling in for the night.


    It was a dreamless night.


    The rm clock rang at half past seven, she got up at the first ring.


    Freya¡¯s shift did not start until the afternoon, so she was still sleeping in.


    Caprice took a shower before heading outside.


    It was not eight o¡¯clock yet, but she could already spot Moses¡¯ car parked outside the gate.


    He was wearing a clean white shirt paired with work cks. He stood outside the car, basking in the warm glow of the morning


    sun. The moment he saw Caprice approaching, he greeted her with a charming smile.


    The sunlight spilling from above gave his smile aforting effect.


    ¡°Good morning, Caprice,¡± he said.


    Caprice returned a smile. ¡°Good morning, Moses.¡±


    They stopped by a breakfast shop cafe on the way to the office and got something to eat so they would not start the day on an


    empty stomach. After that, they continued on their way to the office.


    Most of the employees had arrived.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as they stepped into the office, Keh Brown, the vice president of thepany


    approached with a stack of documents in hand.


    Caprice went to her desk to give Moses some privacy.


    As soon as she was out of earshot, Keh began to tease Moses. ¡°What¡¯s this, Moses? Why did youe here with a junior


    at university?¡±


    Moses took the documents and began leafing through them while murmuring, ¡°I just picked her up along the way.¡±


    Keh pointed out. ¡°Really? Sparkrow University is on the east side of the city while your apartment is on the west. Exin to


    me how that is supposed to be ¡®along the way¡¯ as you described it?¡±


    Moses shot a look at him. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have work to do?¡±


    ¡°| consider you one of my closest friends. It¡¯s not weird for me to care about your romantic life, is it?¡± Keh threw his arms


    around Moses¡¯ shoulders while spying on Caprice from the corner of his eye. ¡°Be honest, buddy. Do you have a thing for her?¡±


    Arather juvenile blush formed across Moses¡¯ face, he suddenly seemed like a teenager again. He smiled shyly and murmured,


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Keh clicked his tongue andughed. ¡°Well well well, even Mr. Popr over here isn¡¯t immune to a woman''s charms.¡±


    ¡°Caprice isn¡¯t like any other woman.¡±


    ¡°She might be more beautiful than the other pretty girls we¡¯ve seen, but what else is different about her?¡± Keh poked fun at


    Moses. ¡°How are her grades? Do you see some kind of potential in her?¡±


    Moses stammered for a reply.


    Keh patted him on the shoulder, then he lowered his voice so nobody could hear them. ¡°Who am | to stop you from having


    some fun with her? Still, | have to remind you to not get distracted. Our business is the top priority.¡±


    The two of them had started together from scratch and been through a lot together to get to their present point. Even if Moses


    were to find a partner, he should prioritize finding a capable woman who could share his burdens in building a business empire


    rather than a girl who was simply good in the eyes.


    Moses frowned.


    Before he could borate further, Keh walked away.


    He stole a nce in Caprice¡¯s direction.


    She had already turned on theputer and was going through some emails. Her eyes were screwed to the disy and


    appeared very serious.


    Moses smiled weakly, then he headed back to his office.

 Chapter 1846

    Chapter 1846


    ¡°Are you Caprice?¡±


    Caprice heard a voice from behind her.


    She spun around and saw a man who looked somewhere in his thirties.


    The man wore a navy blue suit. He was rather tall and there seemed to be a scent of alcohol that never left his body.


    She answered politely, ¡± That''s me, and you are?¡±


    ¡°I''m Jonathan, your superior from now on.¡± He observed Caprice¡¯s beautiful features before introducing himself with a coy smile.


    Caprice smiled and greeted him formally, ¡°Hi there, Mr. Jonathan.¡±


    He was one of Moses¡¯ business partners. He was his senior in university and was several years older than the rest of them. He


    was the only member in the administrative department and also helped oversee the sales. This was the first time Caprice met


    him since he was not around the office yesterday.


    Jonathan smiled. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Most interns tend to be rather slow, which was understandable since it was their first time in a professional environment. It was a


    good sign that Caprice immediately knew to address him in a formal, professional tone.


    Or so he thought. The truth was that Caprice was only doing it because she thought it was the polite thing to do.


    Jonathan''s seat was right next to Caprice. He only sat for a brief moment so he could ry some information to Caprice. After


    that, he was gone again in no time to meet clients and promote sales.


    The tasks he entrusted to Caprice were not difficult, but quite tedious.


    Caprice stayed busy until the day had turned dark.


    It was already nearing closing hours, but everyone in the office was still working hard. The lights in Moses¡¯ office had been


    switched on.


    Caprice was starving and wanted to go home.


    Since she was only a part-time worker, there should be nothing wrong with her clocking out after closing hours, especially since


    she finished her allocated tasks.


    With this in mind, she rose timidly from her seat.


    She got up just in time to see Jonathaning back to the office.


    The moment he made eye contact with Caprice, he went up to her. ¡°Caprice, pack up your things


    ande with me.¡±


    Caprice asked out of curiosity, ¡°Mr. Jonathan, where are we going?¡±


    ¡°We''re going to get something to eat.¡±


    Something to eat?


    It was perfect since she happened to be hungry, but why was he taking her out for dinner?


    Upon sensing her hesitation, Jonathan grew slightly impatient. ¡°What are you doing standing around there?¡±


    ¡°Could you give me a moment? | need to go to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    Caprice trotted to the bathroom.


    Jonathan had a loud and easily identifiable voice. Everyone in the office heard him when he spoke to Caprice.


    One of the employees teased him. ¡°Mr. Jonathan, it¡¯s only Caprice¡¯s first day in our office and she¡¯s only a part-time worker,


    you''re taking her out for dinner already?¡±


    ¡°She''s just a student!¡±


    ¡°What''s so weird about that? Besides, we don''t like passive employees.¡± After a pause, he remarked with a wry smile, ¡°She¡¯s


    going to be bored out of her mind if she has to stay in the office all the time, she¡¯s too pretty for that.¡±


    That was when Moses came out of his office.


    He looked at Jonathan and said disagreeably, ¡°You can¡¯t take her out.¡±


    Jonathan could immediately tell that Moses was interested in Caprice. He cocked an eyebrow provokingly and assured him.


    ¡°Don''t worry, we''re just going to grab a quick dinner. Nothing¡¯s going


    to happen.¡±


    Moses did not yield. ¡°That won''t work either.¡±


    Jonathan took a deep breath. ¡°Mr. Moses, I¡¯m going to meet President Michael from SwiftTech Corporation today. If we cannd


    a good deal, we won¡¯t have to worry about our finances for the next two years. Besides, do you have any idea how hard it was


    for me to get him to agree to


    dinner?¡±


    Upon presenting his reasoning, everyone in the office stared at the two of them, curiously wondering how it would y out.


    Moses frowned.


    Some moments passed before he spoke atst, his voice dark and stern, ¡°Keep an eye on her,


    make sure nothing happens to her.¡±


    Jonathan said with a confident smile, ¡°I got it, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    Caprice was in the bathroom the entire time and did not hear a single peep about what was said


    After washing her hands, she returned to the office.


    Jonathan was waiting for her with a somewhat impatient expression.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.

 Chapter 1847

    Chapter 1847


    Caprice hurriedly grabbed her purse and went up to Jonathan ¡°Sorry for keeping you waiting Mr Jonathan, I¡¯m ready to leave


    now


    Jonathan nced at her purse, then he turned and walked outside.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice followed behind him


    Is your bag a counterfeit?¡± he asked candidly as they got into the elevator.


    Caprice nodded hesitantly.


    He asked more questions, ¡°Where did you buy it? It looks just like the real thing.¡±


    Caprice made up a lie. ¡°I don¡¯t know, it was a gift from my friend.¡±


    Jonathan nodded and left it at that.


    Then they got into his car.


    They drove toward the city center.


    Caprice watched the illusory streetlights and wondered where they were going.


    Where was he going to take her for dinner?


    Before she could ask Jonathan where they were going, the car turned at a junction and stopped outside the gates of Elysian


    House.


    Elysian House was a very famous and high-end restaurant.


    She had been here several times with Sylvia in the past.


    Why was Jonathan bringing her somewhere so fancy for dinner?


    Jonathan suddenly turned to her and cautioned her. ¡°After we go inside, | want you to keep quiet. Don¡¯t say anything unless | tell


    you to, do you understand?¡±


    Caprice frowned.


    What did he mean by that?


    Before she could figure out what was happening, they were already walking into the restaurant. John¡¯s lips curled into a


    practiced businessman-like smile. It was apparent that he had done this a thousand times.


    Caprice quietly followed him.


    After they went up the stairs, they found themselves in a private box on the second floor.


    When they entered, they saw several middle-aged businessmen seated at a round table. That was when Caprice caught a hint


    of why she was brought here.


    Each one of them looked as wealthy as they wererge and plump.


    The moment Jonathan entered with Caprice, she could feel every pair of eyes in the room falling


    upon her. It was as if they had brushed past Jonathan¡¯s existence entirely.


    She frowned.


    She recalled stories her mother told her from when she was still a young girl trying to make it in the world of business. Back then,


    she had to attend many business dinners and whatnot to keep up good rtions with potential clients.


    It was an enjoyable asion most of the time as she would just need to drink a couple of bottles of beer and entertain her


    clients. However, there were certain notable episodes with pushy clients who tried to get toofortable with her.


    Whenever she had to deal with such clients, she would put on an innocent act to brush aside their advances. Sometimes, she


    would have to resort to the hard way to teach them not to mess with her.


    Caprice did not expect to stumble into such a situation on her very first day of work.


    ¡°What are you doing standing there? Hurry up and greet them.¡± Jonathan lowered his voice and hissed sharply in her ears.


    Caprice made a strained expression.


    Fine, she would just have to deal with it.


    She mimicked Jonathan and greeted each of them one after the other.


    They seemed to be in a jovial mood and invited the pair to sit with them.


    Jonathan was a remarkable conversationalist as he entertained and drank with them.


    Caprice ate silently.


    Until at one point, one of the men who appeared to be President Michael whom Jonathan referred to that evening turned to


    Caprice. He suddenly suggested. ¡°Mr. Jonathan, it¡¯s been fun but why don¡¯t you get some rest? I''d like to get to know Miss


    Caprice over here.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Jonathan was very courteous. He turned to Caprice. ¡°Come on, give President Michael a toast.¡±


    Caprice refused. ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡±


    She had only just turned eighteenst year. Before that, her parents never allowed her even a sip of alcohol.


    She had never been fond of drinking.


    The moment she said this, the atmosphere around the room changed abruptly.


    Jonathan was the first to notice the abrupt change of mood, he immediately resorted to threatening Caprice. ¡°It¡¯s just a toast, it¡¯s


    not going to hurt you. Do you want to keep your job or


    not?¡±


    Caprice did not relent. ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±


    Even if she were to drink, she would not drink with the perverted man who had been casting gross looks at her since the moment


    she stepped into the box.

 Chapter 1848

    Chapter 1848


    Chapter 1848


    Jonathan was not expecting such a fearless reaction from Caprice and was visibly taken aback.


    After he reeled back from the shock and was still considering his response, President Michael remarked with a smile, ¡°She''s


    feisty, | like that.¡±


    He grabbed a ss of beer and rose from his seat. Then, hepped around the table to Caprice¡¯s side so he could sit next to


    her.


    He shot a cross look at Jonathan. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to drink, let her be! Why are you forcing her to drink?¡±


    Jonathan apologized.


    With that, President Michael leaned in closer to Caprice. ¡°Miss Caprice, you don¡¯t have to drink if you don¡¯t like to drink. Have a


    toast with me, you can drink whatever you want.¡±


    He raised his ss while coyly putting another arm around Caprice¡¯s waist.


    Caprice recoiled.


    She immediately shot up from her seat and snatched a ss of orange juice from the table. She smashed it toward the pervert''s


    head without any hesitation.


    Crash!


    President Michael staggered backward.


    Jonathan and everyone else at the table shot up from their seats,pletely aghast.


    They stared at Caprice with bewilderment.


    President Michael regained his footing. His once yful smile turned into a murderous glower as he growled, ¡°How dare you hit


    me?1¡±


    Caprice was just as furious.


    ¡°You deserve it, you disgusting pervert!¡± She grabbed everything on the table that could be used as a projectile and began


    throwing them one after another at the perverted old man.


    Jonathan and all of the others were too stunned to react.


    President Michael was bbergasted as well.


    They had never seen such a disy in their entire lives, especiallying from a girl like Caprice.


    Everyone was at a loss for what to do.


    President Michael reeled back from his shock in time. He smashed the ss in his hand against. the floor and jabbed a finger at


    Caprice. ¡°You little b*tch, now you''ve done it!¡±


    He roared as he threw himself at Caprice. He was going to hurt her.


    Caprice hurriedly threw a chair toward him to buy some time while she headed toward the exit


    It was only then that the others had the mind to stop her.


    It was toote as Caprice had already run outside.


    She could hear President Michael¡¯s booming voice from behind. ¡°Catch her! Don¡¯t let her get away!¡±


    Immediately after she ran out of the box, President Michael¡¯s group ran after her.


    She ran as fast as her legs could manage.


    The group of old and fat businessmen was more athletic than they seemed.


    They were closing in on her rapidly.


    Caprice continued running, her heart was about to lunge out of her chest.


    Just when President Michael''s hand was about to graze the back of her shirt, she crashed at full speed into another person.


    It was a man who just happened to be heading up the stairs.


    She could not tell who the person was, but her momentum waspletely cut off in an instant.


    Her heart dropped, and panic seized her.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was all over. They were going to get her. What was going to happen to her?


    ¡°Help-¡± She tried to cry for help but she barely managed a yelp when the stranger put an arm protectively around her shoulders.


    She jumped.


    She could hear President Michael¡¯s breathy growl from behind her. ¡°Young man, this little b*tch over here just hit me so I¡¯m going


    to teach her a lesson. | advise you to mind your own business and walk away.¡±


    The young man asked with equal aggression, ¡°What did you call her?¡±


    It was then when Caprice recognized the man. She cried out sharply, ¡°Liam!¡±


    She had miraculously stumbled into the one person who could save her, and an eager look of relief shone in her eyes.


    Liam peered at her, then he gently nudged her to his side, wrapping his arms protectively around her the entire time. He red


    viciously at President Michael whose hair was drenched in all sorts of liquid and grease after Caprice¡¯s ruthless assault on him.

 Chapter 1849

    Chapter 1849


    Caprice had known Liam her entire life but this was the first time she had ever seen such a vicious glower on his face. She


    shrunk into the corner and stayed silent.


    President Michael red at the two of them like a feral animal. ¡°You two know each other? Hmph, then | suppose I''ll have to deal


    with both of you!¡±


    As he said this, he turned to his subordinates who were gathered behind him andmanded, ¡± Get them! I¡¯m going to make


    sure they know not to mess with me, especially this little b*tch over here! I¡¯m going to teach her a lesson!¡±


    Caprice clung on desperately to Liam.


    This was the first time she had to deal with such a dangerous individual.


    Liam held on to her tightly. He stood tall and bold,pletely unfazed by the screaming man.


    Asharp gleam of ice appeared in his eyes.


    The aura he radiated had such a chilling effect that the men felt a shiver run through them.


    Before they could charge him, Liam¡¯s bodyguards along with the security forces at Elysian House showed up at the scene.


    They were allrger and more muscr than President Michael and his subordinates.


    President Michael and his subordinates hesitated when they noticed the odds stacked against them and promptly screeched to a


    stop.


    ¡°You...don¡¯t you get in my way! I¡¯m a VIP here!¡± He jabbed a finger at the security guards and wailed like a child.


    The security guards looked at him,pletely unintimidated. They did not fear him or his measly authority.


    It was immediately apparent that they were on Liam¡¯s side. They could hardly be bothered about an inconsequential VIP like


    President Michael.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Alook of panic shed past his eyes as he took a cowardly step back.


    He took a second look at Liam and suddenly felt an inexplicable wave of fear and nausea overtake


    him.


    What was the deal with this young man?


    He took a deep breath topose himself, then he red at Caprice who was hiding beside Liam. ¡°Little b*tch, this is your lucky


    day. You better watch out, if | ever see you again, | won''t let you off the hook!¡±


    With that, he retreated to his private box.


    His subordinates scrambled back to join him.


    Caprice heaved a sigh of relief.


    Meanwhile, the manager of Elysian House showed up.


    He addressed Liam respectfully and regretfully, ¡°Mr. Carter, we''re very sorry this happened and for scaring the missus.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡± Liam asked pointedly.


    The manager informed dutifully, ¡°He¡¯s President Michael from Swift Tech Corporation, the others are his employees.¡±


    Liam grimaced, then he walked out with his arms stillpped around Caprice.


    There was a severe aura about him.


    Caprice followed him and was too afraid to make a sound the entire time.


    They left the Elysian House and entered his car.


    His driver and his bodyguards did not follow him. It was only the two of them inside the car.


    Caprice sat a short distance away from him and hung her head low like an arrested criminal.


    ¡°Well? I''m waiting.¡± It was clear that he was demanding an exnation.


    His voice was authoritative and impossible to disobey.


    Caprice muttered in a low voice, ¡°I... My superior was the one who brought me here. He said he was going to take me out to


    dinner. | didn¡¯t expect it to turn out to be something like this.¡±


    ¡°Superior?¡± Liam looked at her harshly. ¡°What do you mean by that? What kind of superior?¡±


    There was no other way around this other than to confess. Caprice steeled herself and admitted, ¡± | found a part-time job as an


    administrative assistant in a certainpany.¡±


    Even with the scarce lighting, she could tell Liam¡¯s face had darkened by yet another shade.


    He asked sharply, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be spending your summer break at home? When did you find a job ande back to


    Westchester?¡±


    Caprice shrunk into a ball. ¡°I... didn¡¯t want toze around at home.¡±


    If that was the case, why did she turn down the offer to intern for him back then?


    Liam took a deep breath. ¡°Does Uncle John and Auntie Sherry know about this?¡±


    Caprice answered hesitantly, ¡°They don¡¯t.¡±


    She could feel the air grow physically thicker when she said this.

 Chapter 1850

    Chapter 1850


    Caprice felt like she was suffocating underneath the intense pressure.


    She scrunched up her neck like a bird.


    Liam''s voice tore through the silence. ¡°Caprice, you sure are something.¡±


    She murmured, ¡°I just wanted to prove myself.¡±


    Liam pinched her cheeks.


    She flinched and tried to back away, but he pinched her cheeks tightly so she could not move away.


    She remained still like a totem, her eyes began to water.


    He rebuked her sharply, ¡°You¡¯re working for some garbagepany that would send a new staff to handle business negotiation.


    What are you trying to prove? Are you using your head at all?¡±


    She was the only daughter of the richest man in nchester. In the future, not only would she inherit her father¡¯s business


    empire, but she would also inherit her mother¡¯s many assets as well.


    Remaining idle at home would be a far better option than working in a morally questionablepany!


    Caprice had never seen Liam being so cross with her.


    She shivered with fear.


    When she recalled the reason she came back to Westchester to take up the job, she suddenly felt like crying. Simultaneously, a


    burst of anger rose up her chest.


    She eximed out of nowhere, astonishing herself with her sudden burst of courage, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid! | just wasn¡¯t expecting him


    to bring me to some sort of ce like this!¡±


    Liam frowned. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that | was wrong?¡±


    His voice dropped by several pitches.


    Caprice pursed her lips and chose silence.


    Partly because she did not know what to say, and partly because she did not want to vent her


    frustration at him.


    He shot her a severe look. ¡°What''s the name of thepany you work for?¡±


    She pursed her lips and was hesitant to answer.


    He cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Caprice, I¡¯m asking you a question.¡±


    ¡°Am | obliged to answer just because you asked?¡± Caprice protested weakly.


    They were not lovers, nor was he his actual brother.


    Liam fell speechless.


    After several seconds of ufortable silence, he let go of her atst. Then, he took out a phone from his pocket.


    Caprice grew nervous. ¡°Who are you calling?¡±


    ¡°Your parents. | need to let them know what you''ve been up to.¡± He began scrolling through his


    contacts.


    Caprice grew frantic, she jumped on top of him and managed to snatch the phone away from him.


    Liam seized her arms firmly without so much as a tinge of panic. He tried to pry the phone out of her fingers.


    She resisted mightily.


    She hunched over to keep the phone as close to her body as possible. No matter what, she could not let Liam contact her


    parents.


    Liam did not so much as grunt the entire time.


    He looked down at Caprice.


    Caprice was practically crouched over on top of hisp by this point.


    Caprice seemed to not realize the position she was in. When she noticed that Liam had stopped trying to fight her for the phone,


    she turned to him and stated her terms as if she was the victor of a battle, ¡°If you promise to not call my parents, I''ll give the


    phone back to you.¡±


    Liam frowned. ¡°Caprice, you have three seconds to get up.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice refused to yield. ¡°Only if you promise not to call my parents.¡±


    Liam closed his eyes, it seemed like he was struggling with something.


    Caprice noticed his pained expression but still refused to let up until she got what she wanted.


    She held onto the phone tightly and refused to let go.


    That was when her wrist brushed against something.


    She was confused by the unexpected sensation. ¡°Liam, what¡¯s this hard thing you have here-¡±


    ¡°Alright, | won''t call them.¡± Liam cut her sentence short.


    She seemed perplexed by his strange behavior. ¡°Liam, what''s with your voice? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°You better get up before | kick you out of the car!¡± He roared suddenly.


    Caprice was spooked by this and immediately shot up and away like a loosened spring.


    She carefully handed the phone to Liam, cupping it in both hands as if it was a priceless treasure.


    Liam took the phone and shoved it back into his pocket.


    He barely looked at Caprice after that. He lowered the window and shouted at his driver and bodyguards standing outside,


    ¡°Come on, we''re leaving.¡±

 Chapter 1851

    Chapter 1851


    The driver and the bodyguard promptly entered the car.


    The car jerked into motion.


    Liam furrowed his brows into a tight frown, appearing highly irritable.


    Caprice was afraid to make a sound, so she made herself as small as possible like a child in


    trouble.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Soon, the car stopped at the lobby of a penthouse apartment. The driver and the bodyguard stepped out of the car and quickly


    opened the door for the passengers.


    Caprice silently stepped out of the car while observing the unfamiliar surroundings with a certain vignce. She carefully


    approached Liam and asked softly, ¡°Liam, do you live here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t it a little inappropriate for you to bring me to your ce?¡± she remarked cautiously, afraid of offending him. He had a


    girlfriend. If Heather found out about this, she would be very upset.


    Liam answered snappily, ¡°Nowhere near as inappropriate as a university student like you sitting in a business meeting with a


    bunch of perverted men.¡±


    Caprice zipped her lips into a thin line.


    The elevator took them to the sixteenth floor. There was only a single unit on each floor of the penthouse apartment, each floor


    measured several hundred square meters.


    After Caprice entered the house, she immediately directed her attention to the shoe rack and the clothes hanger by the entrance.


    She only saw men¡¯s shoes and clothes.


    Wasn''t he living with Heather?


    Tap!


    She suddenly felt a finger tap against her forehead. She wrinkled her nose with mild annoyance and asked perplexedly, ¡°Why did


    you hit me?¡±


    Liam peered into her eyes and asked crossly, ¡°Why are you looking around like that?¡±


    She felt like a thief caught red-handed. ¡°No reason, | was just curious what your house looks like.¡±


    Liam dropped his guard after that. He grabbed a pair of slippers from the shoe cab and handed them to her. ¡°Wear my shoes


    for now.¡±


    She remarked, ¡°Those are too big, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    He quipped, ¡°You''re just going to have to deal with it. Do you want me to call your parents to pick you up and send you home?¡±


    She sighed helplessly and epted the oversized slippers without another word of protest. She tucked her feet into his slippers


    which were way toorge for her. It was like a child wearing an adult¡¯s slippers.


    The idea of wearing Liam¡¯s shoes made her smile.


    Liam had already walked into the living room by now. When he noticed her still standing by the door, he called out after her,


    ¡°What are you doing standing around over there?¡±


    She quickly marched into the living room.


    The ce was huge. The living room alone was more than a hundred square metersrge. It was minimally decorated which


    gave the ce a quaint and soothing ambiance.


    ¡°Liam, do you live here all the time?¡± She let her eyes wander around the room and observed every nook and cranny.


    Liam picked up a jug of water and answered her while pouring sses of water, ¡°I live in Tech City most of the time and only


    come by here sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Caprice sat across from him after that.


    He poured two cups of warm water.


    She was quite thirsty by now and quickly finished her ss of water.


    ¡°How many days have you been working there?¡± he asked very suddenly.


    She answered hesitantly, ¡°One day.¡±


    Liam frowned. ¡°Today is your first day?¡±


    She nodded weakly.


    Liam picked up the ss and took a measured sip from it, swallowing a bile of rage that rose up


    his throat at the same time.


    How dare they put her in a situation like that on her very first day?!


    If he did not happen to be at Elysian House the same night, what would those thugs have done to


    her?


    ¡°Quit,¡± hemanded icily.


    Caprice pulled a face and nodded with a soft grunt.


    She had offended one of their biggest clients and had probably caused the deal to fall apartpletely. Even if she did not


    resign, Moses was going to fire her anyway.

 Chapter 1852

    Chapter 1852


    Grr...


    After quenching her thirst, her stomach began growling.


    Areddish shade immediately showed up on her face, she looked at Liam awkwardly.


    Liam stole a look at her and asked, ¡°Hungry?¡±


    She nodded. She barely had a couple of bites before President Michael started harassing her, hence she hardly had anything to


    eat at all.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    He picked up his phone and made a call.


    She overheard him giving orders on the phone, ¡°Bring two sets over.¡±


    After that, he put away his phone.


    Astiff silence fell upon them.


    Liam was never a talkative person, to begin with. He wore a morose look on his face and stared at Caprice with stark


    indifference looming in his eyes. He still seemed to be in a poor mood.


    Caprice turned away to avoid his sharp gaze.


    He began making some small talk, which was wholly uncharacteristic of him. ¡°How did you manage tond this job?¡±


    Caprice answered honestly, ¡°After the finals, | happened to meet one of my seniors at university. He approached me because he


    wanted me to be hispany¡¯s ambassador but | declined, then | managed to find investors for him to help him out. It was after


    that that he invited me to join hispany to gain some practical work experience.¡±


    The moment she finished rying her story, she felt a wave of coldness seize her again.


    Liam spoke in a grave voice, ¡°You went just because he asked you to?¡±


    She lowered her head guiltily and whimpered, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Liam was silent. He took a deep breath.


    ¡°What''s his name? How long have you known him?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°Moses Stewart. | only met him for the first time after the finals.¡± She did not alter any


    details.


    Liam found himself tightening his grip on the ss subconsciously.


    If it was a cheap stic cup, it would have been deformed and crushed. They only first met after the finals, which meant it had


    only been less than a week!


    She would rather take an unimpressive internship for someone she barely knew than work for him!


    Caprice carefully stole a look at him. When she noticed that he was on the verge of exploding with anger, she apologized


    frightfully, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liam. | won¡¯t make such a reckless decision again, | promise.¡±


    He tipped the ss over his lips and let its contents pour into his mouth, finishing the entire ss in one gulp.


    Like an attentive waiter, she promptly reached for the jug of water to refill his ss for him.


    He shot her a sideways nce.


    She immediately cowered back into her seat. Her lips were puckered into a tiny shape, and it was a rather adorable sight.


    The atmosphere grew tense and sullen. Not only was she afraid to even look in his direction, but she also seemed afraid to even


    move a muscle.


    While she was considering excusing herself to the bathroom as her way out of the tense situation, the doorbell rang.


    It was probably the food Liam ordered just now.


    ¡°I''ll get it!¡± She shot up from her seat and rushed to the door like a bolt of lightning.


    Just as she thought, it was the food delivery. They were packaged in tworge containers and were surprisingly heavy.


    She had to carry the bag with both hands. It took some effort for her to carry them the long distance to the dining table.


    ¡°Liam, time to eat,¡± she beckoned in a ttering tone, hoping to appease Liam this way.


    Liam rose and walked to the dining table.


    The moment she opened the lid of the containers, a wave of wonderful fragrance consumed the room in an instant. She swiftly


    set the table.


    Liam nced at her and sat across from her. She quickly sat down as well and handed the cutlery to him. They began eating


    after that.


    It was delicious. The grilled prawn was especially vorful. Her only qualm was that there were only five pieces of grilled prawns.


    She was the type to eat her favorites first instead of leaving them forst. The first thing she did was gobble all five pieces of


    prawn before moving on to the other dishes. The other dishes were remarkably tasty, but they paled inparison to the grilled


    prawns.


    She ate the vegetables, then she drank the soup.

 Chapter 1853

    Chapter 1853


    While setting down the bowl of soup, she stared at the te of grilled prawns on the opposite end of the table.


    Five lucent pieces of grilled prawn, their charred skin appearing immeasurably crisp. She longed to bite into them.


    She stared drunkenly at Liam.


    When she turned to the table again, the te of grilled prawns moved from its original spot and was now ced at her end of the


    table.


    She looked surprised. ¡°Liam, why are you giving them to me?¡±


    Liam remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t like oily food.¡±


    She refuted, ¡°But they''re not oily.¡±


    ¡°Just throw them away if you''re not eating them,¡± he said disinterestedly.


    Caprice hurriedly snatched the te while smiling greedily. ¡°I''ll eat them, I''ll eat them.¡±


    Liam took one look at her, then he continued eating.


    Caprice gobbled up all five pieces of grilled prawn in no time. Then, she moved on to finishing the remaining vegetable and soup,


    feelingpletely bloated by the end. She set aside the utensils. It was only then that she noticed Liam had finished eating long


    ago and was seated upright, staring


    at her.


    She volunteered, ¡°Liam, why don¡¯t you get some rest? I''ll clean


    up.¡±


    ¡°No, someone else will clean this up,¡± he said as he rose from his seat. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Caprice got up and obediently followed him into the living room.


    They crossed an opening in between the ss panel adjacent to the living room and entered a hallway. Soon, they stepped into


    arge bedroom.


    There was a dedicated dressing room and bathroom connected to the bedroom.


    rge bed dominated the center of the bedroom, the minimalistic gray-colored beddingplimenting the ambiance of the


    room.


    Was this Liam¡¯s bedroom?


    Caprice¡¯s eyes gleamed when the thought came to her.


    ¡°You will sleep here tonight,¡± Liam announced.


    ¡°How about you?¡± she asked hastily.


    ¡°I''m sleeping in the next room.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    He cast a fleeting nce at her.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Caprice quickly brushed away the look of disappointment in her eyes and asked gingerly, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°There are clean pajamas in the closet and a fresh set of toiletries in the bathroom.¡± He was a very


    attentive host.


    She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Don''t stay up. Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    With that, he left and shut the door with a gentle thud.


    She stretchedzily.


    After that, she went into the bathroom.


    There was only a single set of toiletries. It seemed like Heather had never lived here.


    Still, it did not change the fact that she was Liam¡¯s girlfriend.


    She let out an exhausted sigh before turning on the shower head and jumping into the shower.


    After the shower, she went to the dresser and found the fresh set of pajamas Liam mentioned.


    The pajama pants were toorge for her. They would slide down her waist the moment she put


    them on.


    ¡®Oh, well,¡¯ she figured. She was only going to sleep here for a night, so she could do without the pants. With that in mind, she


    crawled into bed wearing the top and her underwear.


    There was a faint scent on the quilt that reminded her of Liam. She sniffed at it, then shut her eyes, feeling at ease.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    She quickly sat up.


    It was Freya calling. She hurriedly answered the call.


    Freya¡¯s anxious voice immediately red through the speakers, ¡°Caprice, where have you been? Why aren¡¯t you home yet?¡±


    Caprice apologized frantically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Frey, | forgot to text you. Something happened, so | won''t being home tonight.¡±


    ¡°What happened? Are you okay?¡±


    Since they were close friends, Caprice saw no need to keep secrets from her. She ryed the events of the night to her, starting


    from her arrival at Elysian House with Jonathan, then to the harassment by President Michael. Then, she spoke about how they


    chased her down before Liam showed up and saved her.

 Chapter 1854

    Chapter 1854


    Freya listened to the story in stark disbelief and shock.


    ¡°Caprice, did that old fart do anything else to you?¡± she asked worriedly.


    Caprice scowled, still feeling grossed out by what happened. ¡°He felt up my waist, that''s all.¡±


    ¡°What a disgusting pervert!¡± Freya cussed out loud and reverted to her soothing voice, ¡°Is everything okay now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Caprice smiled and told her, ¡°I¡¯m at Liam¡¯s ce now. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Liam? That guy we saw at the nightclub on your birthday?¡± Freya had a strong impression of Liam.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s him.¡±


    Still holding the phone, Freya jerked her lips into a foxy smile. She knew that Caprice had feelings for Liam. If Liam did not have


    a girlfriend, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to spend time together.


    There was not much that could be done about it. With that, she told Caprice, ¡°Well, make sure you get a good rest.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    After hanging up, Caprice threw the phone aside and flicked off the lights. She slumped into the bed and closed her eyes.


    There was something about having the presence of Liam in the same house as her that filled her with an indescribable sense of


    comfort and security. The terror of being chased down by President Michael and the other scary men was slowly nullified.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Shortly after that, she fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, outside, Liam stood quietly by the door. He waited for some time until he was sure that Caprice had fallen asleep


    before he strode back to his bedroom.


    There was a gloomy, even vicious look underneath his eyes.


    He picked up his phone and called his assistant.


    When Caprice opened her eyes the next morning, sunlight filled the room.


    She sat up and her mind immediately evoked the memories of the events of thest night. She yawned and stretchedzily


    before she crawled out of the bed.


    Her throat was parched.


    There was no drinking water avable in the room. She shifted toward the door and opened it. She passed through the hallway


    and went into the living room.


    During the daytime, the curtains were opened to allow natural light to engulf the room. She noticed the silhouette of Liam with his


    back facing her. He was wearing a dark purple shirt and a


    pair of ck trousers. Just like when they were children, he was reading a book with a cup of tea.


    When he heard footsteps shuffling toward him, he turned around and looked at her.


    Caprice greeted her, ¡°Liam, good morning.¡±


    Liam suddenly coughed. He seemed to have suddenly choked on the tea he was drinking.


    Why was he acting so strange out of nowhere? It looked as if he was embarrassed just by facing Caprice at all.


    Caprice was confused by his behavior because it was a departure from his usual coolness. Then, she suddenly realized


    something and looked down at her feet.


    She was wearing the pajama top given to her that only barely covered her thighs. Although she was wearing underwear, her legs


    werepletely exposed!


    She suddenly felt a bout of dizziness. Her cheeks blossomed into a deep red shade, and she instantly spun around and bolted


    into the bedroom.


    Her heart was beating violently.


    She quickly changed into the clothes she wore yesterday before going to the bathroom to wash her face.


    She sshed cold water on her face countless times, then stood in silence staring at her reflection before she finally stepped


    outside.


    Inside the living room, Liam was sitting in the same spot. He was reading the same book with a quiet and calm expression on his


    face.


    Caprice felt less nervous, she went up to him and stammered jerkily, ¡°Liam, |...1 didn¡¯t mean to... you know.¡±


    He had a girlfriend.


    As if staying the night at his ce was not enough, she had gone and exposed herself brazenly in front of him! Anyone who was


    not in the know would assume that she was trying to seduce him.


    She was deeply ashamed of herself.


    ¡°I''m shortsighted so | couldn¡¯t see clearly,¡± he stated in an unnaturally formal tone.


    His voice rang with a still calmness as usual. His eyes remained fixed on the book the entire time as if he was too afraid to look


    directly at Caprice.


    It seemed to Caprice that he was telling the truth.

 Chapter 1855

    Chapter 1855


    Upon knowing that, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    She took a step forward and said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to disturb you, so I''ll be leaving now.¡±


    Liam darted a nce at her. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I''m making a quick trip to the office first, then I''ll head back to the dorm.¡± She had to exin. everything that happened to


    Moses, at the very least.


    Liam nced at the time on his watch before suggesting, ¡°It¡¯s going to be lunchtime soon. You


    can leave after we eat.¡±


    It turned out that he had already ordered their food, therefore she could not refuse the offer. She nodded briskly and put her


    purse down before sitting on the couch next to Liarn.


    Apart from Liam¡¯s tea, there were several tes of snacks and drinks set on the table, all of which were Caprice¡¯s favorites. She


    grabbed a ss of freshly squeezed fruit juice and took a couple of sips before moving on to the snacks.


    Liam sat stoically nearby. He had been holding the book on the same page for a while now.


    The book was merely a facade. The entire time, he was regarding Caprice from the corner of his eyes. He observed the pair of


    jeans she wore that outlined the shape of her legs and the way she satfortably on the couch like it was her home.


    Lunch was delivered shortly after.


    After the meal, Caprice thanked Liam and left the penthouse.


    After half an hour, a cab dropped her off at Moses¡¯ office.


    She wagered that Jonathan had already told him about the dramatic events involving President Michaelst night. It was already


    halfway through the workday by now, yet she had not received so much as a message from either Jonathan or Moses. She


    assumed that they had already fired


    her.


    The only reason she bothered to go to the office at all was so that she could narrate her version of the events to Moses before


    leaving.


    She took a deep breath and walked into the building.


    Soon, she arrived at the office unit. She pushed the door and stepped in boldly.


    It was one in the afternoon, and everyone was hard at work.


    Jonathan was seated in his office and was browsing something on his phone.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Caprice continued stepping inside.


    ¡°Caprice?¡± Someone noticed her and called out after her. This immediately drew the collective


    attention of everyone present at the office, including Jonathan.


    Contrary to her expectation, they all looked at her without the least bit of hostility. It did not seem like they harbored any sort of


    grudge toward her for chasing away their client.


    Not even Jonathan.


    His hands suddenly jerked when he noticed Caprice, which almost made him drop his phone. It was such aedic scene that


    she cracked a smile when she saw it.


    She felt weirded out by the situation.


    That was when Moses came out of his office.


    When he saw her, something glinted in his eyes. He hurriedly walked up to her and asked in a sympathetic voice, ¡°Caprice, are


    you okay?¡±


    ¡°I''m fine. Aboutst night...¡±


    He cut her off immediately, ¡°Both myself and Jonathan were equally to me for the situation. We shouldn''t have made you


    attend such an inappropriate dinner. I¡¯m sorry for the traumatic experience.¡±


    Caprice was baffled.


    It was evident from the look in her eyes.


    ¡°| thought you wouldn¡¯te to the office today. It¡¯s a surprise you showed up at all,¡± Moses remarked with a friendly smile


    before continuing, ¡°I promise that we will never put you in a situation like that again going forward. | want you to feel safe working


    here.¡±


    Caprice was still at a loss for words.


    Why hadn''t they fired her?


    Moses seemed like he had more to say, but his phone suddenly rang.


    It was an important call from a notable client. He quickly excused himself. ¡°I''ll talk to youter. Why don¡¯t you finish up with your


    tasks for now?¡±


    With that, he answered the call and walked away.


    The office was quiet again.


    Caprice felt awkward standing idly and quickly scuttled to her seat.


    Immediately after she sat down, Jonathan apologized to her,pletely uninitiated, ¡°Aboutst night...it was my fault. | shouldn''t


    have brought you there. Again, let me apologize.¡±


    He was not even facing her when he said this but it was clear that those words were meant for


    her.


    It was hardly a sincere apology. It seemed more like he was forced to apologize and was too afraid to disobey.

 Chapter 1856

    Chapter 1856


    Caprice was weirded out but paid no mind to it.


    Shortly after that, Moses showed up again.


    ¡°Caprice, can we talk in my office?¡± He gestured in the direction of his office.


    Caprice nodded and followed him into the office.


    As soon as the office door was shut, Keh and several other snoopers mbered outside the office.


    Inside the office, Moses sat Caprice down and poured a ss of water for her.


    Caprice stated solemnly, ¡°Moses, please just tell me what''s on your mind. You don¡¯t have to be worried about hurting my


    feelings.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing. | just feel guilty because | let you down.¡± Moses took a deep breath, and a troubled look surfaced on


    his face. ¡°Caprice, | heard from Jonathan that a man took you awayst night. Could you tell me about your rtionship with that


    man?¡±


    He was talking about Liam.


    Caprice replied, ¡°He¡¯s something like a brother to me.¡±


    Moses fixed a look on her. ¡°He¡¯s not your real brother?¡±


    Caprice shook her head. ¡°No, he is the son of my mother¡¯s best sister.¡±


    ¡°He...¡± Moses stammered as he spoke, ¡°Is he a particrly influential man in Westchester?¡±


    Caprice eyed him suspiciously. ¡°Moses, why are you asking me this?¡±


    Moses exhaled tiredly before continuing, ¡°President Michael, the one who was harassing youst night has been fired after a


    joint decision by the board members at Swift Tech Corporation. | don¡¯t know the details, but it seems like all of the employees


    who were at Elysian House with himst night wereid off as well and even fled the city.¡±


    The news came as a shock to Caprice.


    Could it be a coincidence? After what they had done to herst night, all of them were suddenly fired and even fled the city


    overnight!


    Could Liam be the one behind this? He must have punished them for what they did to her!


    Something gleamed in her eyes.


    ¡°Caprice, were they... Was the Liam you mentioned the one behind this?¡± Moses asked curiously.


    Swift Tech Corporation was one of the most reputablepanies in Westchester, and President Michael held a significant


    position inside thepany that put him among the top three in terms of authority. For someone of his stature to be fired


    overnight, someone very powerful must have been at work to orchestrate these events.


    Caprice was afraid of drawing unwanted attention and answered hazily, ¡°I know that Liam runs a


    business, but he¡¯s always very busy. | don¡¯t think he has time for something like this.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    It sounded very convincing the way she put it.


    Moses looked at her again.


    When he thought about it, Caprice probably would not have worked for him if she knew someone so powerful and influential in


    the city.


    With this in mind, he breathed a sigh of relief before continuing, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough questions from me. Are there any


    questions you have for me? | promise to do my best to answer whatever questions you may have for me.¡±


    Caprice hade in here expecting to be fired, but now that events had developed into what they were, it could hardly be said


    that she caused any trouble at all for thepany. She looked intently at Moses. ¡°Moses, I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to offer me


    any kind ofpensation for what happened.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything | can do for you?¡± he asked sincerely.


    Caprice was very blunt about her intentions. ¡°Moses, thank you for being so kind to me, but | don¡¯t think | should continue


    working here.¡±


    She should have never been here in the first ce.


    It was a start-uppany, and all of its employees worked very hard and put everything they had on the line. What they needed


    was a driven and qualified member, not someone who was still in university with no experience to speak of.


    Besides, she wanted to find a job that she was interested in and could offer her a chance to develop herself.


    The administrative assistant position Moses assigned to her was a rather simple, even monotonous job, and she had hoped for


    something more.


    She rose from her seat.


    Moses rose as well and approached her as he looked into her eyes. ¡°Is this because of what happenedst night?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Caprice smiled apologetically. ¡°Moses, you of all people should know that I¡¯m not someone that yourpany needs or is


    looking for. I¡¯m just wasting your resources.¡±


    Moses grimaced as he felt his voice lodged inside his throat.


    Caprice had nothing to add after this. Shepped around Moses and stepped outside.


    As soon as she opened the door, she saw Keh and several other employees crowded nearby. They smiled politely at her.


    Caprice returned a polite smile, then she returned to her seat and began packing up


    her


    belongings.

 Chapter 1857

    Chapter 1857


    Keh and the others were still stealing subtle nces at her.


    ¡°Keh, are you sure it wasn¡¯t that mysterious guy who got President Michael fired?¡± one of


    them voiced his suspicion.


    Keh answered ruminatively, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. She wouldn¡¯t be working here for us in the first ce if she knew somebody


    capable of pulling that off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. | wonder what happened at Swift Tech Corporation.¡±


    ¡°| have to give it to her. She¡¯s smarter than | thought. At least, she knows to resign without having to be asked to.¡±


    Keh remarked dryly, ¡°What do you know? She does have some brains in her after all.¡±


    Caprice quickly packed her belongings.


    All of her belongings fit snugly in her backpack.


    After she was done, she swiped a nce at Jonathan.


    He looked like he was barely paying attention to Caprice as his eyes were transfixed on theputer disy. His whole


    demeanor was very stuck-up as if he considered himself too good to acknowledge her at all.


    Caprice was going to say goodbye to him but decided against it when she noticed this. She picked up her backpack and


    prepared to walk out.


    ¡°Caprice.¡± Moses suddenly stopped her.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    She turned back to face him.


    He walked up to her and offered kindly, ¡°Let me see you off.¡±


    Caprice smiled politely. ¡°Okay.¡±


    They left the office and stepped into the elevator.


    Moses addressed her formally, ¡°Caprice, even though you are no longer working for me, we can still keep in touch going forward.


    If you need help with your studies or anything else, you know who to call.¡±


    ¡°| will. Thank you, Moses.¡±


    Moses smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Ding!


    The elevator stopped on the first floor, and they stepped out


    Just as they were about to walk out of the building, the phone in Moses¡¯ pocket suddenly rang. He pulled the phone out of his


    pocket and immediately frowned when he read the caller ID. He looked


    troubled and hesitant to answer the call.


    His reaction did not escape Caprice. She promptly turned to him and excused herself, ¡°Moses, thanks for sending me off. The


    school is just nearby, so | can cycle there myself. I¡¯m sure you have more work to do.¡±


    There was a spark in Moses¡¯ eyes. He smiled and said to her, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get dinner tonight. I''ll treat you to something nice.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice epted the invitation without a second thought.


    Moses strode back into the building and answered the call.


    Caprice walked along the side of the road, clinging the backpack tightly to her body. It was only a short walk to the bicycle stop.


    She was just about to cross the road to get to the bicycle stop at the opposite end of the road when she noticed a familiar car


    parked beside the road.


    She read the license te, and sure enough, it was Liam¡¯s car. She cautiously approached the car and tried to spy inside to see


    if there was anybody inside.


    No luck. The windows were tinted and she could barely get a glimpse of its interior.


    Just as she was about to gently tap against the window, it suddenly lowered by itself.


    Liam''s stout appearance was immediately revealed. His depthless dark eyes reflected the brightness of the sun. He spoke


    calmly, ¡°Get in from the other side.¡±


    Caprice was delighted to see him. She walked around to the other side of the car and promptly got in.

 Chapter 1858

    Chapter 1858


    Chapter 1858


    ¡°Liam, what brings you here?¡± she asked with an endearing smile.


    Liam leanedfortably against the backseat with his arms crossed in front of him, his voice cool as usual. ¡°Checking up on you


    for your parents.¡±


    Caprice made a face.


    Liam nced at the bag she had slung over her shoulders. ¡°What''s your n?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know.¡± She had only just quit her job and hadn¡¯t figured out her next move.


    He asked, ¡°Are you still looking for a job?¡±


    She admitted quite frankly, ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    Liam dropped the matter and turned to the driver. ¡°Drive.¡±


    The driver promptly stepped on the gas pedal. They arrived at Sparkrow University girls¡¯ dormitory shortly after that.


    Caprice was going to leave when Liam suddenly remarked, ¡°Come to me if you''re looking for a job.¡±


    ¡°Alright, | got it,¡± she responded politely.


    Then, she got out of the car and marched into the dorm.


    Liam watched her from inside the car. The only thing on his mind was the imagery of the man walking Caprice out of the building


    just now. That man was probably the senior that Caprice talked about, the one who had invited her to work for him.


    Caprice went back to her room and threw herself on the bed.


    Shey in bed until evening.


    She received a message from Moses. He regretfully informed her that he had something urgente up and had no choice but


    to postpone their dinner for the next time.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice was very understanding, and she replied curtly, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Moses apologized again before heading back to work.


    Then, her parents called. They were checking up on her and asked about how her first two days


    back in Westchester went.


    Caprice did not tell them anything about what happened in Elysian House. She swerved the topic to some other inconsequential


    subject. She talked to them for a while before hanging up.


    Shortly after that, Freya returned. She made sure to buy takeout for Caprice.


    They put on variety shows to watch while eating. After the meal, she whiled away her time on the phone before falling asleep


    around midnight.


    She spent the next few dayszing around in the dorm.


    One day, she slept until noon before waking up naturally.


    The first thing she did was to reach for her phone. She scrolled through her feed and immediately saw a new post by Heather.


    It was captioned: ¡°Carter Tech City is open to the public from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. today. If anyone of you would like to tour


    the city, make sure you bring a reservation slip.¡±


    As usual, a picture of the city was attached to the post.


    Caprice briefly nced through the post before scrolling past it.


    She found herself stalking Liam¡¯s profile again.


    Over thest few days, every post he made was very brief and contained only one sentence at most. He was either working or


    working overtime.


    Each post was made along with pictures of the view from inside his office, as usual.


    He would post during the day, with sunlight flooding the room, offering the room a warm and energetic ambiance. Otherwise, he


    would post at nighttime and show the city basked in glittering spotlights.


    His office looked very nice, even homely. During his leisure time, he would watch movies or read a book while enjoying a snack.


    Ding!


    She received a text from Heather.


    ¡°Caprice, how are things at work? Are you adapting well enough?¡±


    She frowned when she read the text.


    Quite frankly, she nearly forgot that the reason she came back to Westchester at all was that she had picked up a job. Ajob that


    lasted all of one day.


    She took a deep breath and replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. My manager and colleagues are very nice to me.¡±


    Heather replied, ¡°That¡¯s good to know. By the way, do you have time today? Carter Tech City today is open to the public today,


    and Isabel Ross, the famous celebrity is going to be visiting as well. Our reservation is filled, but | can let you in as a special


    guest.¡±


    Caprice groaned.

 Chapter 1859

    Chapter 1859


    Chapter 1859


    Why did she need Heather to enter the city? She could simply go directly to Liam!


    Heather was doing the same old thing of boasting about her status in Carter Tech City and rubbing her rtionship with Liam in


    her face.


    Then again, it had been a while since shest saw Isabel.


    She considered for a moment before deciding, ¡°Thanks for your offer. It is my off day today, but I¡¯m not in the city right now. |


    don¡¯t think | can make it there in time.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame. Isabel is going to be one of our ambassadors, and I''d love to introduce you to her if you came.¡±


    Caprice frowned.


    Why did she need Heather''s help to see Isabel?


    Furthermore, it sounded like Heather did not know about Isabel being Liam¡¯s sister. It would make sense if the general public did


    not know, but she, of all people, should know.


    Did Liam never mention that to her?


    Freya emerged from the bathroom.


    Caprice was surprised to see her still sticking around the house since she should be at work by this hour, ¡°Freya, aren¡¯t you


    supposed to be working today?¡±


    ¡°Today is Saturday, so it¡¯s my off day.¡± Freya flung the water off of her hands while approaching Caprice. She smiled cheerfully


    and nudged Caprice. ¡°Caprice, get up and get ready. Let¡¯s spend the day at Tech City.¡±


    Caprice was taken aback by the sudden invitation. ¡°You mean Carter Tech City?¡±


    ¡°Are there any other tech cities in Westchester?¡± Freya nudged her again. ¡°Come on, get up! | got us on the guest list. Do you


    know that you need a special permit to visit?¡±


    Caprice grimaced. She supposed she had no choice but to go at this point.


    Around three in the afternoon, they arrived at the infamous Carter Tech City thaty on the outer edges of Westchester. It was


    located in the middle of a mountainous range with natural rivers flowing through the heart of the city.


    The sky was a shade of pastel blue, and the air was refreshing to breathe.


    Countless towers made of steel and concrete punctured holes into the clouds and seemed to pierce into the heavens.


    The futuristic Carter Tech City was a strange contrast to its lush and natural surroundings. It was a strange blend that gave it an


    otherworldly presence.


    Caprice had seen many pictures, but witnessing its grandeur in person was apletely different experience.


    There was roughly another hour to go before the city would open its gates to the public, but there was already an enormous


    crowd gathered outside.


    There were some amongst the crowd who, just like Caprice and Freya, managed to get themselves on the guest list. Many failed


    to reserve a spot but made the journey nheless, even if it was just to gawk at the marvelous city from the outside.


    ¡°My god, it''s so majestic! | wonder who the owner of this ce is.¡± People were amused and chattered amongst themselves.


    Freya loved listening in on the gossip and quickly inched closer, tugging Caprice along with her.


    Someone else remarked, ¡°Well, judging by the name Carter Tech City, | think it¡¯s natural to assume that it has something to do


    with Carter Corporation.¡±


    ¡°Carter Corporation focuses on the industrial sector, don¡¯t they? | don¡¯t think they have ever dabbled in the science and


    technology sector.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. | have a friend who works at Carter Corporation. He told me that since the beginning stages of the construction of


    the Tech City, the headquarters have never provided any form of funding.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that Carter Tech City was built by someone else who happened to go by the name Carter as well?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Either way, I¡¯m sure this person is very resourceful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly. It has to be someone unimaginably resourceful and brilliant to be able to bring the vision of a city like this


    to fruition.¡±


    ¡°It''s probably someone pretty old. It must have taken a very long time to n everything.¡±


    ¡°If | had to guess, it¡¯s probably a middle-aged man, the stereotypical fat and balding businessman.¡±


    ¡°| would expect it to be an old man.¡±


    Their wild spections were way off and frankly quite ridiculous.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice could not bear to stomach their nonsense anymore and eximed, ¡°No, he¡¯s a very handsome young man!¡±


    This drew their attention instantly.


    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s a handsome young man? Have you ever seen him?¡± someone asked.


    Caprice realized she made a mistake, and she stammered, ¡°I... It was just a wild guess.¡±


    ¡°The little girl probably watches too many TV shows and confused reality with fiction.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha...... ¡ã


    Everyoneughed at her expense.

 Chapter 1860

    Chapter 1860


    Chapter 1860


    Caprice quickly became flustered.


    Awave of embarrassment washed over Freya as well. She took Caprice¡¯s hand and quickly scuttled away from the crowd that


    was viciously scrutinizing them. They fled the scene hastily.


    Caprice nearly tripped over while wading through the crowd.


    At one point, she identally bumped into someone.


    The man she bumped into groaned loudly and quickly grew upset. ¡°What''s wrong with you? Are you blind or something?¡±


    Caprice turned to the man, ready to apologize. That was when she realized that it was Moses, Keh, Jonathan, and another


    employee at thepany. They looked just as surprised to see her.


    The person she bumped into was Keh. He quickly withdrew the angry intonation in his voice. and greeted her with a


    delightful smile, ¡°What a coincidence to see you here of all ces! It must be fate.¡±


    Moses shot a look at him, then he stepped forward and asked Caprice in a caring voice, ¡°Were you hurt?¡±


    ¡°Moses, aren¡¯t you going to check up on me as well? She bumped into me!¡± Keh groaned.


    Moses ignored him, focusing only on Caprice.


    Caprice smiled and assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Moses nodded before turning to Freya. ¡°There¡¯s still an hour to go before the city opens. Where are you two going in such a


    hurry? Did something happen?¡±


    Caprice scowled instinctively when she recalled the unruly crowd back there and their ridiculous, baseless spections.


    Freya made something up on the spot. ¡°It¡¯s too crowded over there, so we decided to wait somewhere else.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s a quiet corner over there. Let¡¯s go for a walk there,¡± Moses gestured in a certain direction and suggested kindly.


    Caprice nced at Keh and Jonathan.


    Keh wore a yful smile on his face. There was always a little spirit of a troublemaker within him, so it was impossible to


    make out what was on his mind.


    Jonathan was very aloof and was turned in another direction. It did not seem like he was very fond of them.


    Caprice wanted to turn down the offer. Before she could get a word out though, Freya epted the offer for her. She yanked at


    Caprice¡¯s hand and went to join Moses and his group


    Caprice grimaced and followed the group reluctantly. Soon, they found themselves at the edge of


    the woods where there were fewer people crowded around.


    Moses and his group must have been waiting at this spot previously. When Caprice and Freya got there, they noticed a bunch of


    bags strewn over the field of grass.


    Keh rummaged in his bag and found his camera. He then threw its straps around his neck.


    He looked at the entrance of Carter Tech City with excitement beaming in his eyes.


    Jonathan had a selfie stick ready as well.


    Moses turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, are you on the guest list?¡±


    The moment he raised the question, Keh and Jonathan turned to him with a sudden jerk.


    Keh stated crossly, ¡°Moses, we only have four spots, and there are four of us already. Even if you want to bring Caprice into


    the city, we don¡¯t have any extra spots for her.¡±


    Jonathan shot a look at Caprice and echoed the same sentiment, ¡°That''s right. We''re full.¡±


    The other person who was with them stayed silent the entire time.


    Moses frowned.


    Before he could respond, Caprice rified, ¡°We''re on the guest list as well. Freya managed to snag


    a spot from a reseller.¡±

 Chapter 1861

    Chapter 1861


    Freya could sense Keh¡¯s disdain toward Caprice. Always the loyal friend, she backed Caprice up, ¡°That¡¯s right. | managed to


    get two spots for me and Caprice two days ago. We don¡¯t need your help to get inside.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Keh and Jonathan turned white, they felt called out.


    Moses expressed regretfully, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, | didn¡¯t mean it like that. | was just asking out of curiosity. | happen to know someone


    who works inside, so | figured | could help you girls out if you haven¡¯t secured a spot yet.¡±


    ¡°| know you didn¡¯t mean it like that, but | think some of you here don¡¯t feel the same way,¡± Freya hinted not-so-subtly.


    Caprice gently nudged her to signal her to stop being so confrontative with Jonathan and Keh.


    It was toote. Keh immediately scoffed upon hearing her remark. ¡°It must have been pretty expensive. | believe the scalper


    price goes for around five thousand. You sure are splurging for the asion.¡±


    Freya refused to back down. ¡°So what if it¡¯s five thousand? I''d be willing to buy it even if it costs fifty thousand!¡±


    Keh mused sarcastically, ¡°You sure are pretty rich for a university student. | wonder where you get your money from.¡±


    Caprice frowned and tried again to pull Freya away.


    It seemed like Keh had sessfully provoked her.


    The situation quickly devolved out of control as Freya roared at Keh, ¡°I bought it with the money | earned myself!¡±


    Keh was visibly jolted by her sudden aggression. A wipe of a condescending smile appeared on his face again. ¡°What kind


    of job possibly pays that much? Would you tell me about your job?¡±


    Freya took the bait again. ¡°You- What makes you think that I''d tell you?!¡±


    Keh could no longer stand for being disrespected by someone he considered to be a snot- nosed brat. He immediately shot


    up like an arrow.


    Caprice was rmed by this and quickly stepped in front of Freya.


    Moses stepped between Keh and Freya to mediate the situation. ¡°Keh, Freya, I¡¯m going to need you two to calm down!¡±


    ¡°Moses, we''ll be going for now. It doesn¡¯t seem like Keh is very fond of us,¡± Caprice remarked sharply, then she led Freya by


    the hand and walked away.


    They were gone in an instant. Moses barely had time to stop them. He frowned, then he turned sharply to Keh. ¡°Keh,


    they are just university students. Why are you being so mean to them?¡±


    A sh of unruly anger appeared in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s that Freya brat who started it.¡±


    the woods where there were fewer people crowded around.


    Moses and his group must have been waiting at this spot previously. When Caprice and Freya got there, they noticed a bunch of


    bags strewn over the field of grass.


    Keh rummaged in his bag and found his camera. He then threw its straps around his neck.


    He looked at the entrance of Carter Tech City with excitement beaming in his. eyes.


    Jonathan had a selfie stick ready as well.


    Moses turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, are you on the guest list?¡±


    The moment he raised the question, Keh and Jonathan turned to him with a sudden jerk.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keh stated crossly, ¡°Moses, we only have four spots, and there are four of us already. Even if you want to bring Caprice into


    the city, we don¡¯t have any extra spots for her.¡±


    Jonathan shot a look at Caprice and echoed the same sentiment, ¡°That¡¯s right. We''re full.¡±


    The other person who was with them stayed silent the entire time.


    Moses frowned.


    Before he could respond, Caprice rified, ¡°We¡¯re on the guest list as well. Freya managed to snag a spot from a reseller.¡±


    Moses exined, ¡°That''s because you assumed right off the bat that they were trying to take your spots. It¡¯s not surprising that


    they would get defensive when they sensed your hostility.¡±


    Keh scowled.


    Jonathan spoke up, ¡°Moses, we wouldn''t pick on those kids for no reason. Why don¡¯t you look around you? Do you see anyone


    like those two around here? Look at the way they¡¯re dressed, it looks like they were looking for attention and trying to seduce


    some rich guy.¡±


    Moses stated in a grave voice, ¡°Caprice is not the kind of person you think she is.¡±


    Jonathan sneered, ¡°Heh... She¡¯s covered from head to toe in counterfeit name brands. She looks


    just like that sort of person if you ask me.¡±


    Moses frowned.


    Counterfeit name brands? Those were counterfeits?


    ¡°Maybe she doesn¡¯t know they are counterfeits.¡±


    Jonathan sneered, ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    He continued to fiddle with his selfie stick.


    Keh went up to Moses and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Moses, you¡¯d better stop wasting time on her. There¡¯s nothing


    special about her.¡±


    On''t f


    ¡°Stop that!¡± Moses had to restrain himself. that she¡¯s the one who managed to find


    us an investor.¡±


    rea that


    Keh did not sound convinced. ¡°That says more about our product than about her abilities. All she did was just forward our


    details to a couple of investors. It was the investors who made the call at the end of the day. Besides, you''ve already returned


    the favor by giving her a job, but she ended up squandering it anyway.¡±


    The other colleague who came with them chimed in, ¡°Mr. Keh makes a good point. You offered her a good sry for a pretty


    easy position, and she onlysted one day. You can¡¯t say that we were the ones at fault.¡±

 Chapter 1862

    Chapter 1862


    Jonathan stated quite bluntly, ¡°Mr. Moses, she¡¯s not a good fit for you or ourpany. All she¡¯s good for is being the ything of


    her patrons. You¡¯d better forget about her.¡±


    Keh felt the same way. ¡°He¡¯s right, you know.¡±


    Moses frowned sullenly. He was sure that Caprice was nothing like they were making her out to be. Why were they so


    vehemently against her?


    Was he wrong about Caprice?


    Only several meters behind the thicket of trees was a small pathway hidden from view.


    The path was parallel to the main road leading into Carter Tech City. It led up to a separate gate that provided entry into the city.


    Only the employees at Carter Tech City were aware of the existence of the pathway.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Heather hid behind the thick bushes and quietly stalked Moses, Keh, and Jonathan. She listened in on their conversation.


    She had been lurking here ever since Caprice joined their group.


    It came as a surprise for her to see Caprice here at all. It turned out that she had been in Westchester all this time. It was


    especially interesting to find out that she had onlysted for a day at her new job.


    As if that was not bad enough, a group ofmon businessmen was ridiculing her and insinuating that she was a gold digger.


    What a worthless girl.


    Heather scoffed before turning down the other end of the path to go outside.


    ¡°Miss Heather, where are you going? There¡¯s a big crowd gathered outside already,¡± her assistant hurriedly followed her and


    asked her in a concerned voice.


    She red at her assistant with unwarranted contempt. ¡°Who are you to decide where | can or cannot go?¡±


    IE


    The assistant exined sheepishly, ¡°That¡¯s not what | meant. | was just worried about something happening to you.¡±


    Heather ignored her exnation and hissed sharply, ¡°Stop following me.¡±


    Left without a choice, her assistant let her be.


    She waded through the woods and joined the crowd outside, appearing to be on the lookout for something.


    There was roughly half an hour to go before the gates of Carter Tech City would open.


    Caprice and Freya went to another section of the edge of the woods. They managed to find a remote section where they could


    sit without being bothered.


    Freya was still fuming with rage.


    Caprice mimicked what her father would usually do to coax her mother when she was upset. She gently patted Freya¡¯s head.


    ¡°Frey, it''s not worth getting upset because of someone like Keh.¡±


    Freya grimaced, a pool of tears quickly welling up in her eyes. ¡°Caprice, | just don¡¯t understand. I''ve earned my money with my


    blood, sweat, and tears. Why would they keep mocking me like that? They make it sound as if the money | made is dirty.¡±


    ¡°It''s just a terrible misunderstanding.¡± Caprice could sense that those men never took them seriously the entire time.


    Freya stated sharply, ¡°You only quit the job because of what happened at Elysian House! It looked like they conveniently forgot


    that you were the one who helped them find an investor. They have no reason to disrespect you like that!¡±


    Caprice muttered weakly, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because | don¡¯t have much to offer skill-wise.¡±


    Freya frowned. ¡°Caprice, you might not be very experienced now, but don¡¯t forget that you have your parents¡¯ support. You still


    have a bright future ahead of you, so don¡¯t listen to those arrogant men.¡±


    Although Caprice never spoke about her family, Freya had a vague hint that she came from a well- off family based on her brief


    meeting with her parents thest time.


    ¡°I''m fine.¡± Caprice was not bothered by what Keh and Jonathan said about her as she took pride in being herself. She smiled


    and quipped, ¡°You should take the advice you give me and stop listening to what they¡¯re saying about you.¡±


    Freya lowered her head to the ground. ¡°What they''re saying about me is the same thing as what the people at the university are


    saying about me. | just don¡¯t understand why it seems like the whole world is against me.¡±


    Caprice searched for the right thing to say, ¡°My mother told me that when she was young, she had to work in a nightclub. She


    had a lot of enemies who were jealous of her sess and started rumors about how she was using her beauty to seduce


    customers. Her best friend was the only one who was on her side.


    4


    ¡°She kept her head down and focused on her job. Later on, she managed to help a certain corporation facing bankruptcy turn the


    situation around and was quickly promoted to an executive position. Ever since then, nobody could ever use her of being just


    a pretty little thing to look at. Even if they didn¡¯t want to, they had to admit that she was far more capable than any of them.¡±


    Ss


    Freya was amused by the story, and there was a sparkle in her eyes, ¡°Caprice, your mother sounds Tike an amazing woman.¡±


    Caprice beamed with pride. ¡°Frey, what I¡¯m trying to say is that if you can¡¯t ignore their ignorantments, you have to continue


    to improve yourself until you reach a level far above theirs. By that point, you wouldn¡¯t ever have to deal with people like them


    anymore.¡±


    LL ot

 Chapter 1863

    Chapter 1863


    Freya¡¯s eyes widened. It seemed like she just had an epiphany.


    After a while, a sh of determination shone in her eyes. She smiled widely and nodded


    approvingly.


    Caprice smiled as well when she noticed the effect the words she said had on Freya.


    The two friends continued chatting for a while until they saw the crowd begin inching toward the


    entrance.


    In ten minutes, the gates of Carter Tech City would open.


    Everyone rushed to the gate and formed a line, eager to enter the city.


    Freya quickly pulled Caprice up to her feet and joined the crowd.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    There were more than a dozen ticketing booths by the gate, therefore the people formed as many


    lines as there were booths.


    By mere coincidence, Caprice and Freya found themselves queuing in the line right next to the one Moses and his group queued


    in.


    Moses immediately noticed the girls and greeted them.


    Caprice acknowledged him with a faint smile before turning away.


    Keh and Jonathan hardly bothered to greet them at all. They were very arrogant and did not think it was worth their time to


    acknowledge the girls.


    Keh was particrly blunt about it, and he scoffed audibly.


    Freya scoffed as well and turned away, refusing to look in his direction.


    bs


    The gates were open, the crowd began to flock inside.


    Caprice and Freya advanced through the line. Before long, they had arrived at the booth.


    Freya was the one who bought the tickets. She opened the QR code the scalpers sent her and hovered her phone over the


    scanner.


    Beep!


    The machine shed with


    an ominous red.


    She


    mposed herself and tried again. The second try yielded the


    Freya was rmed by this?


    same result as the first.


    She


    She began to grow anxious.¡±


    Caprice took her phone and


    What''s going on?¡±


    ried again. No dice.


    The people behind them were growing impatient, and one of them could not bear to wait any longer. ¡°Why don¡¯t you scoot over


    to the side if your ticket doesn¡¯t work? We''re trying to get in!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯ve been waiting all afternoon. Stop wasting our time, girlie!¡±


    212


    Someone else added, ¡°She¡¯s probably hoping to slip inside with a fake ticket.¡±


    ¡°Definitely. That''s the only exnation.¡±


    Meanwhile, Moses and his group managed to pass through the booth sessfully and made their way into the city. They turned


    back and nced at Caprice and Freya.


    Moses wore a troubled look in his eyes.


    Keh and Jonathan were smiling gleefully.


    Panic was slowly setting in for Freya. ¡°No way. | got them for five thousand dors from a scalper. Tell me this is not happening!¡±


    ¡°Look at that... They got scammed.¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve had a closer look at them, they¡¯re pretty. Shame that they''re so naive though.¡± ¡°Hehe... | knew it. They were trying


    to slip inside with fake tickets!¡±

 Chapter 1864

    Chapter 1864


    Freya swung around and began to get into a screaming match with them. ¡°No! The tickets | bought are genuine. There must be


    something wrong with the scanner!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out. Why don¡¯t you let the people in line try it with their tickets?¡± Despite having passed through the


    gate, Keh stood on the other side and inserted himself into the argument.


    Freya shot a re at him. ¡°Alright, I''ll show you!¡±


    With that, she pulled Caprice to the side and let the next person in line step up to the booth.


    The stranger took his phone with the QR code shown on its disy and hovered it over the


    scanner.


    Beep! Green light.


    The gate opened swiftly.


    The stranger cheerfully strode through the gate.


    Astiff silence fell upon them. Caprice and Freya could feel the scrutinizing gazes of everyone around them cast on them. They


    had turned intoughingstocks.


    Freya was bbergasted.


    Caprice was just as much taken with disbelief.


    How could this be?


    201


    Freya would never try to use fake tickets, was she scammed by the scalpers?


    ¡°Move!¡± A grumpy man stepped forward and nudged Freya out of the way so she would not keep holding up the line.


    Fortunately, Caprice was very alert and held Freya steady so she would not fall.


    After that, the line moved forward without any further dy.


    D


    From time to time, the people in line would shoot cross looks at the girls and heckle them, ¡°What are you two standing around


    here for? Scram!¡±


    It slowly escted to insults thrown at them, ¡°Oh, bother. Stop ying the victim! Don¡¯t you two have any shame? Get out of


    here.¡±


    Caprice frowned.


    Freya rubbed her eyes and sounded like she was choking back on tears. ¡°Come on, Caprice, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Caprice was just as infuriated.


    There were no alternatives, they had to leave.


    She took Freya¡¯s hands and tried to lead her away from the crowd. That was when she


    The strange whose foot she stepped on must have grown impatient from the wait andshed out at Caprice, ¡°Scram!¡±


    He rudely shoved Caprice out of the way.


    Thump!


    Caprice was not expecting this at all and staggered forward. She bumped into the ticketing booth before losing her bnce and


    falling to the ground. Shended hard on her knees and winced from the pain.


    Moses and his group were on the other side of the gate and saw everything that went down.


    Moses frowned disapprovingly when he saw this and wanted to go over to help her, but the crowd still pouring through the gate


    hindered him from going over to Caprice.


    Keh chuckled, seeming highly amused.


    Jonathan seemed to be enjoying this as well.


    Caprice tried to pull herself onto her feet, but she was slumped over the ticketing booth and the people entering the city no


    longer had the patience for her. They stepped over her like she was a bothersome obstacle, and none of them bothered to help


    her up.


    Several times when Caprice looked like she was going to rise on her feet, someone would kick her and send her tumbling to the


    pavement again.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, inside the security room nearby, Heather stood right next to the window that offered her a good view of the mass of


    ticketing booths. She stared with amusement at Caprice who was doubled over the ground and smiled devilishly.


    At the ticketing booth, Caprice was caught in a difficult situation.


    Countless pairs of legs stepped past her,pletely indifferent to her predicament.


    She could faintly hear Freya¡¯s frantic voice ringing in the background. She was trying to get the people to stop for Caprice, but


    nobody paid any attention to her or the girl hunched over on the ground.


    Caprice had no choice but to tough through it, holding her hands over her head.


    After what seemed like forever, the people suddenly stopped, and she no longer heard Freya¡¯s voice. She opened her eyes and


    noticed a jet-ck car parked a short distance away from her.


    The car model, the license te... it was him!


    All of the ticketing booths opened their gates automatically.


    Several security guards hurried out of the security room and instructed the crowd to make way.


    Before long, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, leaving Caprice lying in the center, looking more conspicuous than ever.


    Surprisingly, not a single person paid attention to her as they all turned


    toward the car with its tinted mirrors.


    People grew curious over time. ¡°Who is this? What¡¯s with the royal escort?¡±

 Chapter 1865

    Chapter 1865


    Chapter 1865


    Someone else suggested, ¡°It has to be the owner of Carter Tech City. Who else would warrant such a grand disy?¡±


    Apin-drop silence loomed over the scene as everyone stared at the car expectantly. Even the people who had already passed


    through the gates into the city leaned over the barrier and waited to see what would happen next.


    The car slowly elerated forward and seemed like it was going to run over Caprice.


    ¡°Caprice, get up!¡± Moses¡¯ frantic shout shattered the silence.


    It was only then that people noticed Caprice still doubled over on the ground, and they began to point at her andugh.


    She tried to use a fake ticket to enter the city, then she obstructed the city owner''s entry into the city. They expected the security


    to haul her out of here like the pest she was.


    As they thought about her misery, the security forces began approaching her when they noticed that she was in the way.


    Just when it looked like the security forces were going to haul away like a piece of log, the car suddenly screeched to a stop. It


    stopped only inches away from her.


    ¡°Stop!¡± A sonorous voice emerged from inside the car.


    Therge and intimidating men of the security forces immediately heeded the order and stood


    still


    Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn of events.


    Soon, the driver got out of the car and hastily opened the rear door.


    Immediately afterward, a tall and dashing figure stepped out of the car. The dark tailored suit he wore was a symbol of his wealth


    and status. His skin exuded a fine radiance that made the sun seem pale inparison. He was unbelievably handsome. All


    men were not made equal, and it was evident at first nce that he was God''s favorite child.


    Contrary to his fine and dignified appearance, he was wearing a deep scowl. There was a terrifying gloom on his face that struck


    fear in people¡¯s hearts.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    The moment he appeared, his mere presence sucked the air out of the space around him. Everyone subconsciously held their


    breaths.


    He strode forward and stepped past the security guards to approach the girl who was keeled over on the ground. He bent over


    and extended his toned hands like a Messiah. He took the girl¡¯s shoulders and helped her to her feet.


    Everyone was bbergasted.


    Nobody could have seen thising, and the collective shock waspletely indescribable.


    Freya, Moses, and even the ones who were hoping to see Caprice punished such as Keh and Jonathan were stunned by


    what they were seeing.


    Freya¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. She remembered this man! His name was Liam! He was the man who had shown up at the


    nightclub on Caprice¡¯s birthday!


    Moses looked at Liam who held Caprice tenderly, feeling a mixture of shock and confusion.


    Keh¡¯splexion turned a ghastly white, and he waspletely floored.


    As for Jonathan, the moment he got a closer look at Liam, his eyes grew wider than humanly possible as all the color was


    drained out of his face.


    Before everyone could recover from their stupor, Caprice threw herself into the arms of what seemed to be the owner of Carter


    Tech City and bawled her eyes out.


    ¡°Liam...¡±


    Instead of shoving her away, the magnanimous man carried her in his arms like a groom holding a bride. This effortless motion


    was followed by a swooping gaze that washed over the entire crowd


    in an instant.


    Moses held his breath.


    Keh and Jonathan stepped backward defensively.


    Most of the people who were making fun of Caprice only moments ago staggered backward as


    well.


    Liam turned to the assistant who followed him closely the entire while and ordered sternly, ¡°Check the surveince footage and


    identify the person who shoved her to the ground as well as every single person who stepped over her without bothering to help


    her.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The assistant asked cautiously. ¡°Sir, what should we do with them?¡±


    Liam spoke with ice in his voice, ¡°Call the police.¡±


    Was he trying to get them arrested? His assistant was caught off guard by this but knew better than to object. ¡°Yes, sir, consider


    it done.¡±


    Liam went into the car, carrying Caprice the entire while. The door closed with a steady thud.


    Everyone had not recovered from their shock yet.


    Nobody spoke.


    Meanwhile, the ones who knew that they had stepped over Caprice just now quickly grew nervous.


    Moses stared transfixed at the luxury car with its tinted mirrors.


    Keh, Jonathan, and everyone else who had been making fun of Caprice had all of their cockiness evaporated in an instant.


    The owner of Carter Tech City was someone who knew Caprice, and he had carried her into the car like a princess. This was


    more than enough proof that Caprice never needed a ticket to enter the city in the first ce...


    Inside the security room, Heather witnessed everything, especially the part where Liam carried Caprice in his arms. She turned


    pale with a bitter sting of jealousy and rage boiling inside her.


    She hurriedly turned around and walked out through the back door of the security room.

 Chapter 1866

    Chapter 1866


    Chapter 1866


    Inside the car.


    Even after entering the car, Caprice refused to let go of Liam. She felt awful.


    She and Freya never tried to use fake tickets hoping to slip into Carter Tech City. They did not deserve such terrible treatment


    from everyone!


    How could they do something so terrible to her? Why did nobody help her at all?Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not think she was going to cry, but the moment she found herself in the presence of Liam, the floodgates opened. She


    pursed her lips tightly and whimpered soundlessly.


    Liam frowned when he looked at her haggard state. Her hair was tousled, and there were footprint marks all over her. He held


    her close to him and let her have her moment.


    After she managed topose herself, he turned to the driver and ordered, ¡°Drive.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Caprice turned to Liam, her eyes puffy and red from crying. ¡°Liam, my friend is still


    outside.¡±


    Liam nced outside.


    The crowd had long dispersed by this point and were shuffling into the city. Freya was the only one who stood still like a totem


    and was carefully observing the car.


    He turned to his assistant in the passenger seat. ¡°Bring her into the car.¡±


    ¡°Alright, sir.¡± His assistant promptly got out of the car.


    Caprice looked outside to check up on Freya. It was then that she noticed Isabel sitting in the middle row. She must have been


    here since the very beginning. She suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her and quickly removed herself from


    Liam.


    Isabel was staring at her.


    When she noticed Caprice¡¯s reaction, she smiled and asked tenderly, ¡°Caprice, are you hurt?¡±


    Caprice stammered, ¡°Hey, Isabel, I- I¡¯m fine. | just tripped.¡±


    Isabel breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That''s good. I¡¯m d you''re not hurt.¡±


    Meanwhile, Freya entered from the other side of the car. Her first instinct was to look for Caprice, but when she noticed Isabel,


    her eyes immediately grew wide open as she eximed, ¡°Isabel! You''re the famous movie star!¡±


    Isabel smiled and greeted her, ¡°Hello.¡±


    Freya was floored.


    Caprice coughed dryly.


    Freya suddenly remembered Caprice. When she noticed Liam sitting next to her, she made a face and cowered into her seat.


    The car elerated forward.


    Isabel turned to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, what happened back there? Did somebody push you?¡±


    Caprice made an exasperated sound and exined, ¡°It looks like Frey got ripped off by scalpers and was given counterfeit


    tickets. We got held up at the ticket booth, and the people in line eventually got angry with us. They began picking on us and


    started getting physical with us.¡±


    Isabel frowned. ¡°You could have just contacted Liam or me if you wanted to visit. Why bother buying tickets? From a scalper, no


    less!¡±


    Liam looked sharply at Caprice.


    Caprice wanted to say that she never nned to visit, but a voice inside her told her that Liam would be upset if she said


    something like that. After all, he had invited her to visit several times.


    Fortunately, Freya spoke up, so she did not have to make up a lie, ¡°I wanted to surprise her, so | bought tickets from a reseller |


    found online. | told her that we wereing here after | got the tickets.¡±


    She bought tickets from a scalper online?


    Carter Tech City may have offered very limited slots for visiting the city, but the tickets were given away for free on their website!


    Perhaps the girls were as foolish as the crowd made them out to be.


    Isabel sighed and turned to Freya. ¡°Could you show me your tickets?¡±


    If Caprice was truly tricked by the scalpers, she was going to make sure the scalpers faced harsh punishments for ripping her off!


    Freya hastily handed her phone to Isabel.


    Isabel looked at the reservation ticket with its QR code along with a unique reference number. She remarked skeptically,


    ¡°Doesn''t seem like a counterfeit to me.¡±


    Freya was shocked to hear this.


    Caprice was just as startled and hastily exined, ¡°But we tried several times at the ticket booth and they wouldn''t work. |


    thought there was something wrong with the machine, but it worked just fine for the others in the line.¡±


    ¡°Bro, take a look at this.¡± Isabel handed Freya¡¯s phone to Liam.


    Liam only needed a brief look at it. ¡°They aren¡¯t counterfeits.¡±


    Caprice was confused. ¡°Then, why wouldn¡¯t the tickets work when we used them?¡±


    Freya asked in a puzzled tone, ¡°Could it be a machine malfunction?¡±

 Chapter 1867

    Chapter 1867


    ¡°It malfunctions when you two were using it but not when the others used it?¡± Isabel squinted suspiciously and turned to Liam.


    ¡°Hey, does the security room have control over the ticketing machines?¡±


    Liam scowled. ¡°Mitch, look into it.¡±


    Mitch was his assistant who was currently seated in the passenger seat, He responded dutifully,¡± Yes, sir, I¡¯ll head to the security


    room right now.¡±


    The car stopped.


    Mitch wasted no time in getting out of the car. He quickly went to the security room right next to the entrance of the city.


    Meanwhile, Isabel smiled pleasantly at Caprice and informed her, ¡°Caprice, | have several scenes | need to shoot with my team


    today. I''ll see you after | wrap things up.¡±


    Caprice smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isabel turned to Freya and smiled politely before leaving.


    Freya spoke up nervously, ¡®I... | think I¡¯ll take a walk in the city as well. Is that okay?¡±


    She felt very ufortable inside the car.


    Caprice sent her off. ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you.¡±


    With that, she escaped from the car.


    Astiff silence consumed the car.


    Caprice turned to Liam and thanked him sincerely, ¡°Liam, thanks for helping me back there.¡±


    If he had not shown up, who knows what would have happened to her? They would have trampled her t.


    Liam had gone above and beyond and told his team to identify the person who shoved her to bring him to the authorities. From


    this gesture, she could tell how much he cared for her


    Liam seemed slightly upset. ¡°All of this would not have happened if you had simply told me that you were nning to visit.¡±


    There was a sharpness in his voice as he conducted himself with great restrain.


    Caprice shrunk into herself and whimpered weakly, ¡°I... | didn¡¯t want to bother you because | know you''re a busy man. | was just


    going to take a walk in the city with Frey.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    She wanted to see him, but he already had a girlfriend and she was reluctant to intrude.


    Liam took a deep breath and nced at her dirt-stained face. ¡°I''ll take you somece you can clean yourself up. You can tour


    the city after that.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Caprice obliged.


    Soon, they stopped outside a building.


    Caprice followed Liam everywhere he went. They entered through the lobby and stepped into the elevator. Shortly after that, they


    arrived at his office.


    The pictures did not do it any justice. It wasrger than she thought and very beautiful. There was a dedicated section for work


    and a separate section for leisure. She felt a sense of familiarity with the ce because she had seen so many pictures of it.


    There was a suite adjacent to the office section. Inside it was a living room, bathroom, and bedroom. This must be where he


    caught up on rest when he needed it.


    Caprice did not enter the bedroom and went straight to the bathroom.


    Surprisingly, there was only one set of toiletries inside the bathroom. The slippers and bathrobes belonged to him. There was no


    evidence that Heather had ever been here at all.


    Despite that, she was still convinced of the fact that they were dating.


    She let out a deep sigh, feeling exhausted from the day''s events. Then, she washed her face andbed her hair before


    stepping out of the bathroom, feeling rejuvenated atst.


    Liam was seated behind his desk with a stack of documents in hand.


    Caprice spoke softly and briefly to avoid distracting him, ¡°Liam, I''ll be leaving for now. Thanks for lending me your bathroom.¡±


    Liam whipped a look at her. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Caprice left.


    After she stepped outside, Mitch stepped into Liam¡¯s office. He wore a troubled look on his face.


    ¡°Sir,¡± he addressed Liam solemnly.


    Liam looked at him, ¡°Any news?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Who messed with the machine?¡±


    ¡°About that... It was Mrs. Manson.¡±

 Chapter 1868

    Chapter 1868


    Chapter 1868


    The tower where Liam operated was in a separate district that was closed off to visitors.


    Currently, only a handful of streets in the city was open to the public.


    After Caprice stepped out of the lobby, she had to walk some distance before finally essing the streets open to the public.


    Shortly after that, she managed to find Freya.


    Freya was sitting by herself on a bench. Her eyes glittered the moment she saw Caprice, then a conflicted look overshadowed


    them.


    ¡°Caprice, is the Liam you''ve been talking about the owner of the city?¡± she asked in a hushed voice, afraid of people overhearing


    them.


    Caprice sat next to her and nodded. She rified urgently, ¡°Frey, | didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you.¡±


    Freya shaped her lips into a thin line. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Caprice was not the kind to show off her connections. Another thing she was reluctant to tell Freya was that Liam already had a


    girlfriend.


    Freya held Caprice¡¯s hands and continued asking, ¡°Caprice, howe you know Isabel Ross? And


    why does she address Liam as her brother?¡±


    As if Caprice being acquainted with the very owner of Carter Tech City was not shocking enough, the famous movie star Isabel


    knew her by name as well!


    Caprice exined, ¡°Isabel and Liam are twins. I''ve known them ever since | was a baby.¡±


    Freya was astounded by the startling discovery. ¡°They¡¯re twins? Why do they have different surnames?¡±


    Caprice exined, ¡°Liam took their father¡¯s surname while Isabel took their mother¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°That exins it.¡± Freya sighed reflectively, then she shot a yful look at Caprice. ¡°I was just thinking that Liam looked so


    handsome when he carried you into the car.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice¡¯s cheeks grew red. ¡°He¡¯s always been handsome.¡±


    ¡°You know... | kind of feels like he¡¯s into you,¡± Freya said cautiously.


    Liam had gotten out of the car and carried Caprice into the car himself, then he made a point of instructing his assistant to find


    the person who was responsible for shoving Caprice and to contact the authorities. Anyone could tell that he cared for Caprice


    and was very protective of her.


    Caprice stirred with emotions and promptly rified, ¡°My mother and his mother are very good friends. We¡¯ve known each other


    since we were kids, and as far as | remember, he¡¯s always been protective of me.¡±


    He would have done the same for Isabel; she did not doubt that. If he was truly interested in her, he would not be dating Heather.


    Freya noticed how Caprice was avoidant of the subject and quickly dropped the matter. ¡°Anyway, enough about that. The city is


    beautiful. Let¡¯s go shopping!¡±


    With that, the two began their tour of the city.


    It was only after they walked away that several figures emerged from the hedge of bushes behind the bench they were just


    sitting on.


    Keh expressed in disbelief, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. She¡¯s known the owner of Carter Tech City and the famous Isabel Ross ever


    since she was a baby!¡±


    Moses stood next to him and stared at Caprice¡¯s figure from behind. A troubled look appeared on


    his face.


    They heard everything Caprice told Freya back there.


    Caprice¡¯s mother was close friends with the mother of the owner of Carter Tech City. Anyone with the vaguestmon sense


    could tell that this meant that Caprice came from a significant family


    as well.


    To think that all this time, he thought she was just an ordinary girl.


    Keh suddenly grew paranoid. ¡°You guys don¡¯t think that she¡¯s going to hold any kind of grudge against me because of what |


    said about her back there, do you?¡±


    Moses stated, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. She¡¯s not that kind of


    person.¡±


    Keh shot a look at him. ¡°How do you know that? You''ve only known her for a few days.¡±


    Moses looked back at him with a marked frown. ¡°She promised to help me when I''ve only known


    her for two hours, and she pulled through just as she said she would. Do you think someone like her is going to hold a grudge


    just because of some senseless bickering?¡±


    Keh¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°That''s not necessarily...¡±

 Chapter 1869

    ?Chapter 1869


    Moses further supplied, "If she truly held a grudge against you, you wouldn''t standing here talking to me right now."


    With that, he pped Keh''s palm off his shoulder. He advanced in the direction Caprice and Freya went toward.


    Keh was bothered by Moses'' contemptuous tone toward him. He turned to Jonathan who seemed to be in a state of trance and asked irritably, "Jonathan, what''s wrong with you? Why didn''t you back me up?"


    Jonathan looked pale and sick. He murmured weakly, "I''ve seen that man before."


    "Which man?"


    *The owner of Carter Tech City."


    Keh was intrigued by this. "When and where did you meet him?"


    Jonathan ryed his story, "Do you remember the night I took Caprice to Elysian House party? After she attacked President Michael, we chased her down until she ran into that man at the end of the corridor. He was the one who saved her."


    Keh asked frightfully, "President Michael... Was this man the one who got him fired?"


    Jonathan nodded gravely.


    Before this, he had denied the usibility of that being the case because Caprice could not possibly be connected to someone with such influence. Things had changed now, and he was convinced that the owner of Carter Tech City was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Keh turned pale.


    If someone as powerful as President Michael could be ruined beyond repair overnight, how hard could it be for this man to destroy their measly littlepany? It would be as easy as squashing an ant!


    *Are you sure Caprice won''t try to get revenge against us?" Keh asked fearfully.


    Jonathan sounded very unsure of himself. "Maybe Moses has a point. If Caprice was going to do anything to us, she would have done it by now."


    All she needed to do was to talk to the owner of Carter Tech City. They would have been booted out of the city faster than they could blink if she had done so. The very fact that they were still standing here meant that Caprice had never taken their jests seriously this entire time.


    All sorts of futuristic implementations could be seen all over Carter Tech City.


    Robots were marching amongst the crowd as if it was the most mundane thing in the world, and as if the robots were in charge of keeping order.


    It was as if they had stepped into a futuristic dimension. Caprice was busy taking pictures the entire time. "Caprice, take a look at that! All of these buildings have unique names!" Freya eximed as if she had discovered a new. She gestured wildly at the buildings surrounding them.


    Every building in Carter Tech City was a form of creative expression. They came in arge range of heights and designs, and the shortest building was only a single story tall. There was a garden of sunflowers on its rooftop, and it was fittingly named Sunflower House.


    The tallest building of them all shot into the clouds above, blending in with the stars above. As if to signify its ce in the world beyond, it was named Cap of the Gxy.


    The other iconic towers nearby were Odell Tower, ck Flint Tower, and Isa Tower.


    Freya read out their names and remarked curiously, "How do theye up with these names? Who are these people?"


    Caprice smirked. They were named after Liam''s family members.


    Why was the most iconic tower of them all named Cap of the Gxy? Why not name it directly after himself, hence the Liam Tower?


    She was particrly intrigued by the use of the word ''Cap''.


    Was it supposed to be a reference to her name?


    It was a particrly curious observation. She could not imagine why he had chosen this name of all things. Perhaps he chose it simply because it sounded fitting. After all, the tower had reached the clouds above and the term ''cap'' was an apt metaphor for having reached the ceiling of the.


    It was around this point when they heard a round ofmation nearby.


    Someone shouted, "I heard Isabel Ross is nearby! I saw someone post online that she is going to shoot a scene right outside Isa Tower. Let''s head over there right now!"

 Chapter 1870

    ?Chapter 1870


    Arge group began swarming toward Isa Tower.


    Freya tugged at Caprice''s hands. "Come on. Let''s check things out over there too!"


    Caprice had no objections to the sudden detour. She knew that Freya was a big fan of a certain TV show that Isabel starred in.


    Many people flocked in the same direction. It seemed like it was public knowledge that the famous Isabel Ross was shooting a scene outside Isa Tower.


    Arge crowd formed out of nowhere on the street that was empty only moments ago.


    After arriving at Isa Tower, Caprice identally tripped over a stranger''s feet and lost her bnce.


    Just as she was about to tumble to the ground, she felt a hand seize her arm and save her from falling. Caprice thought it was Freya who saved her from the fall, but she looked up to meet Moses instead. He looked into her eyes. "Are you okay?"


    Caprice stood upright and thanked him, "I''m fine. Thanks for helping me, Moses.*


    He smiled warmly. "You''re wee. d I helped."


    Freya hurried to Caprice and was relieved to see that Carrie was unharmed. She then turned her attention to Moses. "Moses, why isn''t Keh with you?"


    "He went somewhere else with Jonathan," Moses informed before suddenly apologizing solemnly, "I''m sorry about what happened back there."


    Freya would not have it. "Moses, you''ve done nothing wrong. Don''t apologize! If you want to make things up for us, I just need you to tell Keh that the ticket we used was perfectly legitimate. The owner of Carter Tech City said so himself. We were not trying to use counterfeits. We would not do something disgraceful like that!*


    Because of Freya''s mboyant look and voluptuous figures, people always assumed the worst of her. The truth was that she abided by a strict set of morals and ethics, and she would never do something as foul as using counterfeit tickets.


    Moses turned to Caprice as if to seek verification.


    Caprice backed Freya up. "Frey is telling the truth. Our tickets were legitimate."


    Moses gave his word. "Okay, I''ll talk to Keh."


    Freya was relieved to hear this.


    Moses continued to regard Caprice with a troubled look on his face.


    Caprice noticed something was off. She initiated, "Moses, do you have anything on your mind?"


    Moses nodded gravely. "Could we talk for a moment?"


    Caprice turned to Freya. "Frey, could you give me a minute? I''ll be right back."Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Freya nced at Moses and told her warily, "Okay, be careful."


    Moses quickly assured her, ''Don''t worry, I''ll keep her safe. You can trust me."


    Freya was only mildly assured but kept her opinions to herself.


    Caprice and Moses stepped away from the crowd and stepped under the shade of some trees by the roadside. Moses spoke in a heavy voice. It looked like he had been rehearsing this dialogue in his mind. "Caprice, it was my fault, I should have stopped Keh back there. I should have gone up to you to help you."


    Caprice was delighted to hear that it was not some terrible news. "Don''t worry about it. Keh is just all bark and no bite anyway. Besides, you couldn''te to me anyway. There was nothing you could have done to help."


    "But I... I shouldn''t have stood there helplessly and let them treat you like that."


    "I don''t me you. You already passed through the gate. You couldn''t havee back outside to help me."


    Moses grimaced tightly.


    Caprice remarked briskly, "Frey is waiting for me over there. I think I''ll join her if you don''t have anything else to tell me."


    "I..." Moses had to strain the words out of his lips. "Can we... Are we still friends going forward?"


    Caprice smiled and answered brightly, "Of course!"


    Under the hazy streetlights, her radiant smile seemed to illuminate the space around them. Moses was smitten by her beauty. He found himself smiling like a fool without being able to exin why.


    Caprice walked into the crowd to look for Freya.


    Moses remained rooted in the same spot and watched her.

 Chapter 1871

    ?


    Meanwhile, behind another hedge of bushes.


    Isabel had been hiding here for a while. She was wrapped tightly in bundles of fabric with a mask and a cap covering her face so she would not be recognized by the public. She stared intently at Moses and Caprice.


    Her assistant was hiding with her. She was puzzled by Isabel''s sneaky and suspicious behavior. "Miss, what are you looking for?"


    Isabel narrowed the look in her eyes pensively. Then she turned around and went toward Liam''s office tower.


    Inside Liam''s office.


    This part of the city was closed off to the general public, away from the noise of the gathered tourists.


    His tall and upright figure stood next to the French windows with binocrs in his hand. He was spying on the gathered tourists in the streets.


    Everyone was gathered at Isa Tower. From this distance, all he could see was the top of their heads. There was no way to pinpoint where the silly girl was.


    After a while, he set aside the binocrs and slumped back on the leather chair behind the desk.


    He could hear muffled cries outside his office.


    He heard Mitch speaking in a severe voice, "Miss Manson, you have been fired. Mr. Carter doesn''t want to see you, please leave immediately!"


    Heather cried out, "I need to hear it from him! I''m not leaving!"


    Mitch was having trouble diffusing the situation. "Miss Manson, please don''t make things difficult-


    She shoved Mitch out of the way before he could finish his sentence.


    Immediately afterward, the office door was flung open, and in came Heather, her eyes puffy and red.


    She stomped toward Liam''s clesk, her eyes were filled with anguish.


    Mitch marched into the room as well and cast a frantic look at Liam.


    Liam calmly waved him away.


    Mitch promptly stepped out of the room.


    Liam leanedfortably against the leather chair. He picked up a cup of tea on the table and took a casual sip from it.


    The leather chair creaked as he swayed back and forth nonchntly. The entire time, he was staring at the view outside the window instead of acknowledging Heather.


    Heather did not take her eyes off him the entire time. "President Carter, why? Has my work been unsatisfactorytely?"


    "You know why."


    Something gleamed in her eyes, and she whimpered. "I don''t! I havepleted every task you assigned to me. I don''t know what exactly I''ve done wrong.*


    Liam scowled, and a hint of anger surfaced underneath the shadow of his eyes. "If you don''t know, then leave." He was not in the mood of entertaining her nonsense.


    Panic seized her eyes as tears began to fall. "President Carter, I have been nothing but loyal to you. I take my work very seriously and have never made any mistakes since I began working here. Are you going to fire me just because I teased Caprice a little?"


    Liam stated curtly, "You''ll have plenty of job offers on the job market. I''ll put in a good word for you as well. Consider this a token of appreciation for your contribution to thepany."Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    His eyes never left the windows the entire time as he spoke without emotion.


    Heather walked around his desk and went up to him.


    *President Carter, I made a mistake. Would you please give me another chance? I just wanted to tease Caprice a little. I didn''t expect her to get shoved to the ground."


    Liam turned to her, his eyes dark with disdain.


    Heather immediately zipped her lips. Her eyes were filled with pain and remorse, it was a look that would inspire pity in anyone with a shred of emotion.


    "Get out," Liam spat out the words.


    He spoke without any warmth.


    Heather was visibly affected by the tone of his voice. She asked bitterly, "I''ve stuck by your side for so many years. Do I mean nothing to you whenpared to Caprice?"


    Liam sipped from his cup of tea again to distract himself from his seething anger. "Don''t test my patience."


    Heather felt a sharp throb in her heart. Liam''s indifference was too much for her. She lost control of herself and cried out, "Caprice is a worthless piece of garbage! She doesn''t deserve you!"

 Chapter 1872

    ?Chapter 1872


    Liam''s expression tightened with rage. "Scram!"


    His deep and bellowing roar shook the office.


    Heather shivered with fear.


    She always saw Liam as a rather un-emotive person. This was the first time she had ever seen him angry.


    It was terrifying!


    She was finally wary of overstaying her wee. She stumbled a few steps backward before breaking out into a full trot out of the office.


    She threw the door open and quickly paced outside.


    The second she stepped out of the office, she saw a young and beautifuldy standing by the door, leaning against the wall.


    She wore her hair in a curly style. Her taste in fashion was exquisite, sporting a crop top with a shawl thrown over her shoulders, finishing off the look with a pair of tailored jeans.


    She was the pinnacle of feminine beauty.


    The light pinkish makeup coating her cheeks added to her charms.


    She looked like she had just stepped off the runway.


    Heather was startled to see her here. "Isabel? Why are you here?"


    Isabel leaned against the wall and regarded her icily.


    She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at Heather strikingly. "Did you tamper with the ticketing machine just now when Caprice was in line?"Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Heather felt a wave of chill run through her.


    She was in a foul mood after getting kicked out of Liam''s office.


    She immediately cocked her chin audacious upward and looked at Isabel scornfully. "That''s between me and President Carter, what does that have to do with you?"


    Isabel cocked an eyebrow and spoke with equal aggression, "You messed with Caprice so it has everything to do with me."


    Her gaze was sharp like a dagger, her aura was no weaker than Heather''s.


    Heather was seething at this point.


    Liam was the master of Carter Tech City, the young master of the prestigious Carters of Westchester. He had every right to fire her and even impose his will on her, but how dare amon movie star like Isabel to have the guts to speak to her in such a tone?


    She shot a hateful re at Isabel. "Caprice is a worthless piece of garbage. I can do whatever I want to her. Who are you to tell me what I can or cannot do? What gives you the right?!"


    Isabel scowled. She marched forward until she was right in front of Heather, then she raised her right palm. Smack!


    She struck a vicious blow across Heather''s cheeks.


    Heather was too stunned to react. It took her several seconds to process what had just happened. She held the side of her face and cried out, "You hit me!"


    Isabel smiled provokingly. "Watch me do it again."


    As soon as she said that, she delivered on her promise and pped the other side of Heather''s cheeks with equal strength.


    Heather was speechless.


    Her cheeks turned beet red from abination of having been pped and from her armageddon anger.


    "You b*tch! I''ll kill you!" She shrieked and threw herself at Isabel.


    Before her fingers could even graze Isabel, Mitch and the security guards rushed to the scene.


    Mitch stood in front of Isabel to guard her.


    Two security guards pinned Heather to the wall.


    Heather tried desperately to break free to no avail. All she could do was cast vehement threats at Isabel. "Just you wait! I''ll show you who''s boss!"


    Isabel calmly crossed her arms across her chest and smiled sarcastically. "Sure, I can''t wait."


    With that, she turned to the two security guards. "Get her out of here."


    They carried her like a sandbag.


    Heather was humiliated. She struggled ineffectively. "Isabel, you''re just a cheap third-rate actor! How dare you do this to me?! I''ll never forgive you!"


    The security guards carried her into the elevator and eventually, her cries faded out.


    Mitch turned to Isabel and checked on her. "Miss, are you alright?"


    Mitch was a close confidante of Liam. He was one of the very few people who knew that Isabel was his sister. Isabel put his worries at ease. "It''s okay, she didn''t even touch me."

 Chapter 1873

    Chapter 1873


    Only then did Mitch leave.


    Isabel strode into Liam¡¯s office.


    The moment she stepped inside, she saw Liam¡¯s intimidating figure perched on the leather chair behind the desk.


    He held a cup of tea in his hand as he stared at the view outside.


    There was a deep frown on his eyebrows. She wondered what was on his mind.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She went up to him and proceeded to sit right on top of his desk without any fear. With her arms across her chest, she asked


    unabashedly, ¡°Do you think Heather has a thing for you?¡±


    Liam spoke dismissively, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    Isabel jerked her lips to the side.


    That was a very characteristic reply of his.


    For his entire life, he only cared about the people closest to him. As far as he was concerned, anybody else outside of this circle


    waspletely invisible.


    Since Heather was out of the picture now, Isabel hoped she would not show up again to cause


    trouble in the future.


    She suddenly remembered her reason foring here. ¡°I saw Caprice just now. There was this guy who spoke to her for a while


    under a tree.¡±


    This caught Liam¡¯s attention atst. ¡°What did they talk about?¡±


    ¡°This guy was there during the entire fiasco with the ticketing machine. He apologized to her for not being able to help her, then


    he asked her if they could continue to be friends in the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, | can tell he has feelings for Caprice.¡±


    Liam frowned disapprovingly.


    Isabel noticed his reaction and asked pointedly, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind anyways? Why haven''t you done anything about Caprice?¡±


    Liam fell into a pensive silence. He set the teacup on the table and reached for a stack of documents. ¡°I have work to deal with,


    could you give me some space?¡±


    He was trying to avoid the topic, and it was not subtle at all.


    Isabel took a deep breath and removed herself from the surface of his desk. She made sure to reiterate her point. ¡°You better


    make your move soon, or else she¡¯s going to get snatched up by another guy. Don¡¯t say | never warned you.¡±


    With that, she walked out.


    Liam immediately threw the stack of documents back on the table.


    He frowned sharply as a wave of emotions gnawed at him.


    Meanwhile, Caprice and Freya finally managed to squeeze their way out of the crowd gathered at Isa Tower.


    The film crew members had just shown up and announced to the crowd¡¯s disappointment that Isabel had already left. The crowd


    dispersed shortly after that.


    Caprice and Freya walked around the city.


    The sky above was ck as ink, sprinkled with countless stars like glitter powder. Soon, the dazzling spotlights of the futuristic


    city were turned on and illuminated the sky above.


    On top of the spectacr sights andndmarks, many exhibitions in Carter Tech City offered visitors a chance to tinker with all


    sorts of next-generation technology. This included virtual reality, remote-controlled robots, augmented reality, and more.


    Due to the sheer volume of people pouring into these exhibitions, each person was only given five minutes to try out thesetest


    inventions.


    Caprice and Freya gave everything a go before going to a robot-operated restaurant for dinner.


    With that, the touring hours were nearing its end.


    The restaurants and exhibitions were closing.


    Tourists gradually made their way toward the exit, concluding their unforgettable visit to Carter Tech City.


    Caprice wanted to say goodbye to Isabel and Liam. She took Freya with her and headed to Liam¡¯s office tower.


    They bumped into Isabel at a nearby intersection.


    She seemed to be on the lookout for something or someone. She was wearing the same cap and mask seen previously.


    Despite her disguise, Caprice instantly recognized her. ¡°Isabel!¡±


    Isabel took off her cap and mask and greeted her warmly, ¡°Caprice, just in time, | was looking for you.¡±


    Caprice and Freya went up to her.


    ¡°Why? Did you need anything from me?¡±

 Chapter 1874

    Chapter 1874


    Isabel fixed a look at Caprice and Freya before stating solemnly, ¡°The tickets you bought are legitimate, there was nothing wrong


    with the machine as well.¡±


    Freya was puzzled by this. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing wrong with the tickets and the machine, why couldn¡¯t we enter?¡±


    Caprice frowned sharply. ¡°Are you suggesting that someone was intentionally targeting us?¡±


    Isabel nodded gravely.


    Caprice did not need any further hints to gauge who this person was. ¡°Was it Heather?¡±


    Isabel was surprised. ¡°How did you figure that out?¡±


    ¡°| just had a feeling.¡±


    Heather was the only person who considered Caprice an enemy. Furthermore, there were only a handful of people who could


    tamper with the ticket machine.


    Isabel rubbed her temples.


    She was going to warn Caprice to be careful of Heather, but it turned out that her warning was not necessary. Caprice was


    already fully aware of Heather''s hostility against her.


    She announced excitedly, ¡°I have good news, my brother just fired her. | even gave her two good ps on the face for you!¡±


    Caprice was shocked to hear this. ¡°Liam fired her?¡±


    Freya was caught off-guard by this as well.


    Isabel wondered why the news came off as such a shocker to Caprice. ¡°Yeah, why?¡±


    Caprice muttered, ¡°I thought they were...¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡± Isabel asked.


    Caprice figured that since even Sylvia did not know that Heather and Liam were dating, there was no chance that Liam would


    have told Isabel.


    She was careful to not expose Liam¡¯s secret and quickly made something else up on the spot. ¡°I thought she was Liam¡¯s capable


    assistant?¡±


    ¡°Ahh...¡± Isabel mused. ¡°She¡¯s a good assistant, I''ll give that to her. Still, it was only by sheer luck that she managed to secure her


    position in Carter Tech City. Don¡¯t worry about it, there¡¯s plenty of very capable candidates willing to fill in for her spot.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Caprice nodded absentmindedly.


    Isabel gently caressed her hair. ¡°Hey, | have to start preparing for a scene | need to shoot tomorrow. Talk to you next time!¡±


    ¡°Okay. Goodbye, Isabel.¡±


    ¡°See you.¡±


    Isabel walked away.


    Freya expressed disdainfully, ¡°Heather and her dirty tricks! | can¡¯t stand her.¡±


    If Liam had not shown up in time, Caprice would have been trampled t.


    Caprice smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s alright, at least nothing terrible happened to me.¡±


    Freya took a deep breath and suddenly remarked, ¡°I have to say, | wasn¡¯t expecting Liam to fire


    her.¡±


    Neither did Caprice.


    Heather was his girlfriend, how did he find the heart to fire his girlfriend?


    ¡°Caprice, do you think Liam has just been keeping her around for his amusement this entire time?¡±


    ¡°No, | don¡¯t think so. He¡¯s not that kind of person.¡± Caprice was convinced that Liam would not toy with other people¡¯s feelings.


    Freya could not make sense of it. ¡°What''s his thought process? Is it simply because Heather crossed a line in abusing her


    power?¡±


    Caprice considered for a moment.


    That just might be it.


    Liam had started Carter Tech City from the ground up. Surely he would not stand for Heather abusing her power and tampering


    with the ticket machine. Maybe it was an issue of professional


    integrity.


    While she was still musing about this, a robot marched up to them and spoke in a mechanical voice, ¡°Dear visitors, Carter Tech


    City will be closing in ten minutes. Please head to the exit, thank you.¡±


    Freya tugged at Caprice. ¡°The gate is closing. Come on, let''s get out of here.¡±


    Caprice let Freya lead the way.


    She reached for a phone while heading toward the exit and sent a text to Liam. ¡°Hey Liam, I''ll be leaving with Frey, see you.¡±


    It was a shame she could not say goodbye in person. She supposed a text would suffice.


    She tucked the phone back in her pocket after that and did not take a second look at it. She and Freya were among thest


    group of people to leave Carter Tech City.


    As soon as they stepped past the gates, they saw Moses waving at them.


    ¡°Hey girls, I¡¯ll send you two home.¡± He walked up to them and offered kindly.


    Caprice asked out of curiosity, ¡°Where are Keh and Jonathan? Weren''t you supposed to go with them?¡±

 Chapter 1875

    Chapter 1875


    Chapter 1875


    ¡°They drove here themselves, they left already.¡±


    Caprice darted a nce at Freya. Since it did not seem like Freya opposed hitching a ride, she turned to Moses. ¡°In that case,


    sorry to have to trouble you again.¡±


    There was no essible public transport in the vicinity. Many of the visitors were crowded around the entrance and were either


    waiting for their taxis or heading toward their cars.


    Since Moses was going in the direction of the dormitory as well, it made sense to hitch a ride from


    him.


    ¡°No trouble at all.¡± He smiled warmly and led them to the parking lot.


    He got into the driver''s seat.


    Caprice and Freya sat in the back.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The car picked up speed and swerved out of the parking lot.


    Meanwhile, inside a car in the corner of the parking lot that had been parked there for a while.


    Liam was seated by himself in the back.


    He looked at the car that had just swerved out of the parking lot, then hemanded the driver, Go. Tail that car over there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The driver immediately began the pursuit.


    Moses chatted with the girls while driving.


    Midway through their conversation, Caprice suddenly remembered to check if Liam had replied to her message when she told


    him she was leaving Carter Tech City.


    She reached for her phone.


    It was only then that she realized that Liam had texted her roughly five minutes ago. The text read, ¡°I¡¯m in the parking lot next to


    the exit. Look for my car, you know which one it is. I¡¯ll send you home.¡±


    Caprice was horrified.


    He was in the parking lot just now!


    She quickly texted him, ¡°I''m sorry, | just noticed your message. I¡¯m already on my way home with Frey. Don¡¯t have to wait up for


    me, make sure you get some rest.¡±


    Liam replied swiftly, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find a taxi in the area, how are you two going home?¡± Caprice was very honest as she


    replied, ¡°We hitched a ride with one of our seniors in university. He happened to be visiting the city today as well and is sending


    us home since he¡¯s going back to the


    same area as us.¡±


    Liam asked, ¡°He¡¯s your friend at university?¡±


    Caprice replied, ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s a fresh graduate.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Caprice suddenly thought about him firing Heather.


    She wondered if he had something to say about that. Perhaps he posted something in his feed?


    She immediately tapped into his social profile.


    The most recent post was the one he posted yesterday, the one she had already liked and


    commented on.


    He had not made a single post today.


    Unless he made a private post only visible to a specific group of people.


    She felt a bout of frustration.


    She considered for a moment before deciding to text him, ¡°Isabel told me that you just fired


    Heather, is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why did you fire her?¡±


    She stared at the phone and waited nervously for an answer.


    Liam replied, ¡°Did Isabel tell you about what Heather did?¡±


    She did a double-take before replying, ¡°Yeah, she did.¡±


    There was no response from Liam after that.


    Caprice waited for a long time, it looked like Liam had dropped the conversation entirely.


    What could this mean?


    He might be a man of few words, but it was not like him to just leave a conversation unfinished


    Furthermore, the way he asked if she knew about what Heather did made an impression on her. What if... What if he fired


    Heather for her?!

 Chapter 1876

    Chapter 1876


    Her heart elerated uncontrobly.


    Ding!


    She received an unexpected text from Heather.


    ¡°Hey Caprice, | just wanted to apologize for what happened with the ticket machine this afternoon. | thought it was only going to


    be a harmless prank, | didn¡¯t expect all that to happen.¡±


    Caprice was taken aback by her message.


    What was this about?


    What would prompt Heather to apologize to her?


    Another text followed after that. ¡°I feel terrible about what happened so | resigned.¡±


    Caprice was very confused at this point.


    Stoked by curiosity, she asked Heather, ¡°I heard about you getting fired by Liam. Is this why you mentioned that you felt terrible?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Heather''s stiff fingers hovered over her phone. The color drained from her cheeks.


    She was only texting Caprice to gauge if she had found out about her getting fired. She did not expect Caprice to be so caught


    up on thetest events.


    Was it Liam or Isabel who told her?


    She scowled sharply and began rattling against her keyboard furiously, hoping to salvage her image. ¡°Yeah, | was just trying to


    mess around with you but what | did was a vition ofpany policy so Liam had to do what he had to do. To be honest, even


    if he didn¡¯t let me go, I was going to resign anyway. My parents have been telling me to take up the family business. Besides.


    Liam also mentioned that | have been getting overworkedtely and wanted me to take a break.¡±


    After Caprice finished reading the long paragraph, her restless mood settled like a pool of still


    water.


    Liam had only let her go because ofpany policy.


    Furthermore, he only let Heather go because he was worried about her getting overworked.


    Did this mean they were still tougher?


    She sighed, disappointed by the turn of events. She did not feel like responding after that.


    Meanwhile, Heather smiled coyly upon noticing Caprice¡¯s reluctance in responding to her


    message.


    At least it looked like Liam had not confessed his feelings for Caprice.


    He must think of Caprice as nothing more than his sister. The reason she got fired by Liam must have nothing to do with Caprice.


    The only reason Heather texted Caprice at all was to figure out if Caprice still thought that she was dating Liam.


    Caprice would not choose to end the conversation out of nowhere if she was not under the assumption that Heather and Liam


    were still dating.


    After a while, she texted Caprice again. ¡°By the way, Caprice, there¡¯s this clubhouse in Westchester called Emerald V, it¡¯s run by


    my family. It looks like I¡¯m going to be taking over the clubhouse from here on so | won''t have time to hang out with you going


    forward. The good news is you can take your friends to the clubhouse! Just tell the staff my name and they will let in.¡±


    you


    Caprice was not expecting yet another message from Heather.


    It was tantly clear that she was only trying to boast about her taking over her family business.


    Caprice had heard about Emerald V. It was among the top three entertainment venues in Westchester. All of its members were


    prominent members of the business world, all boasting worth well into the hundred million.


    Emerald V itself was one of the many subsidiaries of a certainpany that led the entertainment sector in Westchester.


    Caprice had trouble recalling the name of thepany but she spected that Heather must be the daughter of the owner of


    saidpany.


    She was not in the mood of entertaining Heather¡¯s self-indulgent stories.


    Heather smiled coyly, realizing that she had sessfully riled up Caprice.


    Emerald V was very famous among the socialite ss in Westchester. She was certain that Caprice must have heard of it and


    would have figured out that she was the future sessor of VV Entertainment, her family¡¯s corporation.


    It was about time Caprice realized that she could not possibly hope topare herself with her! She was superior in every


    aspect!


    She was convinced that Caprice did not respond because she was jealous and chose to ignore her out of spite.


    Shortly after Caprice put away her phone, the car stopped outside the dormitory.


    ¡°Thank


    you,


    Moses.¡± Caprice thanked him sincerely, then she got out of the car.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Freya stepped out of the car as well.


    Moses suddenly got out of the car as well. He went toward Caprice and asked hastily, ¡°Caprice, | still owe you a meal, don¡¯t |?


    Do you have time tomorrow night?¡±


    Caprice was still in a sour mood from her conversation with Heather. She ended upshing out unfairly at Moses. ¡°No. I¡¯m busy.¡±


    Moses seemed caught off guard by the sharpness of her tone and murmured, ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, Caprice went up the stairs.

 Chapter 1877

    Chapter 1877


    Freya waved goodbye to Moses before following Caprice up the stairs.


    Moses waited until they were out of sight before returning to his car and driving away.


    Meanwhile, Liam¡¯s car was camped underneath the shade of some trees. He was stalking them from the dark.


    He peered intently through the window in the direction of Caprice¡¯s dormitory.


    After ensuring that Caprice had returned home safely. He turned to his driver, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Caprice, what''s wrong?¡±


    Always attentive, Freya noticed that Caprice was in a sullen mood and checked up on her. Caprice made a look, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a


    little tired.¡±


    ¡°Why did you reject Moses¡¯ invitation just now?¡± Freya smiled yfully, ¡°You know, | think he¡¯s interested in you, don¡¯t you feel


    like going out with him?¡±


    Moses was interested in her? It was the first Caprice had ever heard of anything like that. She shook her head.


    All of her friends should know by now that she had feelings for Liam.


    She never paid much attention to any other men.


    Freya expressed with a sigh, ¡°Right.¡±


    Moses was Mr. Popr in university and it looked like he was going to carry over his sess into his adulthood. He had found


    hispany and was slowly expanding his business, there were not many guys out there that couldpare to Moses. Then


    again, there were outliers like Liam who was on apletely different level that made Moses seem wholly unimpressive in


    contrast.


    Freya figured that if she was Caprice, she would have eyes for nobody but Liam as well.


    Something else suddenly came to her. She asked cautiously, ¡°By the way, Liam fired Heather, didn¡¯t he? Does that mean they


    broke up?¡±


    This struck a nerve in Caprice. She answered grumpily, ¡°No, they¡¯re still together.¡±


    Freya held her tongue.


    The weekend passed quickly.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Freya had resumed her shift at her job. Meanwhile, Caprice had beenzing around at the dormitory, scrolling on her phone or


    sleeping until the weekend passed her by.


    Upon seeing how she was wasting away, Freya dragged her out of the housee Monday.


    She made Caprice follow her to the dessert cafe where she was working part-time. Then, she


    made her change into a cute costume and had her pose by the shopfront window.


    Caprice was going to let her mind wander and let time pass her by. Shortly after she sat down, many passers-by began to flock


    outside the shop. They took pictures of her while musing, ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s Lady Leisha!¡±


    ¡°So pretty!¡±


    The dessert cafe was a very famous spot amongst the young people in Westchester. Lady Leisha was a fictional character that


    served as an icon for the cafe on social media.


    Freya had dressed Caprice as Lady Leisha.


    Before long, the once¡ªquiet cafe was filled with people.


    Many people wanted to take pictures with Caprice, ¡°Hi, do you mind if | took a picture with you?¡±


    Caprice was too polite to refuse, ¡°Sure.¡±


    After getting a picture with her, they would head to the


    Business was booming.


    y would head


    to and buy


    something to eat.


    Even Freya, the deputy store manager had to head to the kitchen to help out due to the intense demand.


    It was only until the evening when Caprice changed out of the costume that people stopped pouring in.


    Freya was exhausted. The moment they got back to the dormitory, she threw herself on the bed.


    Caprice was nowhere near as tired since all she had to do all day was just pose for pictures.


    As usual, shey in bed and scrolled Liam¡¯s profile on her phone to see if he made any new posts today. It was then that she


    noticed a transaction from Freya.


    She received a deposit of two hundred dors from Freya.

 Chapter 1878

    Chapter 1878


    Chapter 1878


    Caprice shot a curious nce at Freya. ¡°Frey, what¡¯s with the two hundred dors?¡±


    Freya informed her, ¡°The store manager told me to give it to you as a thank-you for drawing so many customers to the cafe


    today.¡±


    Caprice smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She took the money withoutint.


    Two hundred may not be a life-changing amount but she was still proud of making money for herself.


    What she did not disclose to Freya was that she was one of the shareholders of the cafe.


    Over the next few days, Caprice went to the dessert cafe with Freya every day.


    The store manager decided to hire her to dress up as Lady Leisha every day to help attract customers. All she had to do was


    wear the outfit for three hours a day and she would be paid two hundred dors for her time.


    Since Caprice had nothing else to do with her time, she readily agreed.


    Aweek passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was Friday night.


    After leaving the dessert cafe, Caprice treated Freya to a feast with the money she made during the week.


    After their meal, they cycled back to the dormitory together.


    When they arrived at the gate, they saw Moses.


    He was wearing a white shirt paired with leather pants and was leaning against a tree. He looked dashing as usual with the


    evening glow outlining the silhouette of his body.


    Caprice asked suspiciously, ¡°Moses, why are you here?¡±


    Moses turned to her with a spark in his eyes. ¡°Where were you? You came hometer than | expected.¡±


    ¡°We just finished our shift at our part-time job and went to get dinner.¡±


    Moses observed the heavy makeup on her face and asked curiously, ¡°What kind of part-time job have you taken up?¡±


    Caprice answered, ¡°I dressed up as Lady Leisha, she¡¯s sort of a mascot at the dessert cafe Frey works at.¡±


    Dessert cafe? Lady Leisha?


    Moses was very confused. Just as he was about to say something, they heard a terrific rumble somewhere close by.


    It was the bellowing roar of a blue sportscar. It screeched to a stop in front of them.


    After the sportscar stopped, it was Piper who emerged from the passenger seat. Another figure stepped out of the driver seat. It


    was a young man wearing a pair of sunsses, strapped in a dungaree and a pair of shiny leather boots.


    The immediate impression he gave off was one of a hooligan.


    Caprice almost recoiled from disgust.


    Freya was so horrified by the sight of the man that she could not find her voice.


    Moses frowned disapprovingly.


    Piper greeted them enthusiastically, ¡°Caprice, Frey, it¡¯s me!¡±


    Caprice and Freya snapped back to their senses.


    Freya ran to Piper and threw her arm¡¯s tightly around her.


    The young man approached Caprice, his voice was obnoxious. ¡°Caprice, long time no see, do you miss me?¡±


    Caprice scowled. ¡°Trey, what''s with the getup?¡±


    Thest time she saw him, he was already dressed like a cowboy, but his demeanor then was nowhere near as obnoxious as he


    was now.


    Trey took off his sses and asked in a distraught voice, ¡°What? Don¡¯t | look cool?¡±


    Caprice frowned and preferred to not respond, but her face said it all.


    Trey ruffled his hair dejectedly. ¡°Fine, fine. | won¡¯t wear this next time.¡±


    ¡°Here, | bought a gift for you.¡± He produced a small, intricate box from his pocket.


    Caprice did not want it, but she knew that he would whine incessantly if she refused it. With that in mind, she took it and thanked


    him stiffly, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Try to be more enthusiastic next time.¡± He quipped before turning to Moses. ¡°Who''s this?¡±


    Caprice introduced Moses. ¡°His name is Moses Stewart, he¡¯s our senior.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She turned to Moses. ¡°Moses, this is Trey. He¡¯s Piper¡¯s brother and a friend of mine.¡±

 Chapter 1879

    Chapter 1879


    Chapter 1879


    Moses smiled politely. He stepped forward and extended his hand toward Trey. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    Trey squinted suspiciously.


    After a moment, Caprice went up to him and pped him on the back. It was only then that he shook hands with Moses while


    greeting him perfunctorily, ¡°Hello.¡±


    Moses was slightly bothered by hisplete indifference. He turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, | have something to do, I''ll be leaving


    first.¡±


    Caprice sent him off with a pleasant smile. ¡°Alright, see you.¡±


    With that, he left.


    Trey immediately asked Caprice, ¡°Caprice, what¡¯s your deal with this Moses guy?¡±


    Caprice answered, ¡°We''re just friends, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Freya and Piper joined the conversation. Freya remarked, ¡°Moses has a thing for Caprice, but he hasn''t confessed to Caprice


    yet.¡±


    Trey expressed sternly, ¡°He looks too ambitious for his own good. You better keep your distance from him. Don¡¯t be fooled by his


    handsome looks, or else you''ll regret it.¡±.


    Caprice grimaced.


    She was not even close with Moses in the first ce. Besides, even if they were close friends, she would never pursue any kind


    of romantic rtionship with him.


    Then again, Moses had been texting her nearly every day asking if she had time to get dinner with him. Unfortunately, he got


    rejected every time since she was spending time with Freya.


    Was he truly interested in her?


    ¡°Do you understand?¡± Trey asked solemnly.


    Caprice appeased him. ¡°I understand, | understand.¡±


    He continued spewing some nonsensical rtionship advice after that. Once he was done, they all went to a nearby shopping


    mall to get dinner.


    It turned out that he hade to Westchester with Piper on a certain mission.


    He had to negotiate a deal concerning an uing project with VV Entertainment on behalf of their family¡¯spany.


    It was going to be arge-scale project so he was going to be in Westchester for a while. Since Piper had nothing to do at home,


    she decided toe back to Westchester to spend time with Caprice and Freya.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    After the meal, Trey brandished a VIP membership card in front of their faces. The words¡® Emerald V¡® was embellished on top of


    it.


    Caprice was taken by surprise. Was this the clubhouse Heather talked about?


    Trey offered generously. ¡°There¡¯s always some interesting event going on at Emerald V every weekend. I¡¯m going to meet my


    friends tomorrow so why don¡¯t you girls spend the weekend at Emerald V in my ce?¡±


    Freya was amazed. ¡°The famous Emerald V? Wow, you have a VIP membership card to the clubhouse!¡±


    Trey beamed with pride. ¡°It¡¯s one of the establishments of thepany I¡¯m going to be working with. They gifted this to me.¡±


    Freya continued to stroke his ego. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s impressive.¡±


    Trey was enjoying every moment of this. ¡°Ha! You tter me!¡±


    Piper took the card.


    Caprice frowned.


    Trey mentioned that he was going to be working with VV Entertainment and that Emerald V was an establishment directly under


    VV Entertainment. Going by this rhetoric, would this imply that Heather was the sessor of VV Entertainment?


    ¡°Caprice, what are you thinking about?¡± Piper noticed Caprice zoning out.


    Caprice snapped back to her senses and blurted out, ¡°Oh, nothing.¡±


    Trey was looking forward to working with VV Entertainment, so she decided to not kill the mood by bringing up Heather.


    After dinner, Trey sent them back to the dormitory before going on his way.


    Caprice, Piper, and Freya dashed up the stairs.


    It had been half a month since theyst met. They chattered about everything they could.


    Freya told Piper about everything that had been going ontely. She brought up their visit to Carter Tech City and emphasized


    the part about what Heather did to them.


    Piper was furious. She hurled a bunch of insults at Heather to soothe her rage.


    After that, they talked about their visit to Emerald V tomorrow.


    They asked for Caprice¡¯s opinion, ¡°Caprice, should we go first thing in the morning or wait until the evening?¡±


    Caprice remarked briskly, ¡°You girls have fun, I¡¯m not going.¡±


    She did not want to meet Heather.

 Chapter 1880

    Chapter 1880


    Piper and Freya looked at her suspiciously.


    Piper was the first to raise the question. ¡°Caprice, why don¡¯t you want to go?¡±


    Freya chimed in. ¡°Yeah, you have nothing else to do anyway,e with us!¡±


    Caprice considered for a moment before stating, ¡°I have some other ns tomorrow, | can¡¯t join you two.¡±


    Freya continued to probe. ¡°What ns do you have?¡±


    Caprice dered boldly, ¡°I¡¯m going to Liam¡¯s ce tomorrow.¡±


    Freya and Piper were aware that Liam¡¯s parents regrly asked her to visit them.


    They no longer protested. ¡°Okay then, | guess only the two of us are going then.¡±


    Caprice secretly heaved a sigh of relief.


    Unexpectedly, while Piper and Freya were preparing to leave the next morning, Trey showed up.


    He heard from Piper and Freya that Caprice was going to Liam''s house and kindly offered to give her a ride. ¡°Hey Caprice, |


    have some time to kill, why don¡¯t | drive you there?¡±


    Caprice turned down the offer. ¡°It¡¯s alright, just take Frey and Piper to Emerald V.¡±


    Trey remarked, ¡°Piper has a car, she doesn¡¯t need me to drive her.¡±


    Piper stated gleefully, ¡°Yeah, my dad bought me a new car! | can drive myself.¡±


    Trey shook the car keys in his hand and winked at Caprice. ¡°So, what''s it going to be?¡±


    Caprice frowned. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She took her purse and got into Trey¡¯s car.


    Liam''s house was located on the outskirts of the city. It was a gigantic vi, almost a mansion situated in the middle of the


    woods, aplete departure from the hectic cityscape.


    It was well guarded.


    As soon as they reached one of the ess points, they were stopped at the security checkpoint.


    Caprice popped her head out of the car and greeted the guard warmly, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me.¡±


    The security guard recognized her by sight. He greeted her politely and let them in without any further questions.


    There was still some distance to cover.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Trey pivoted the steering wheel while observing the surroundings.


    He clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk. As expected of the richest family in Westchester.¡±


    He said this in a strange tone, and Caprice chose to ignore him.


    After a few he suddenly brought up. ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to buy myself and as big as


    this one and build a giant manor.¡±


    Caprice murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sure you can do it.¡±


    Shortly after she spoke, they stopped at the main gate of the Carter Vi.


    Trey turned to her, smiling brightly, ¡°I will. If you haven''t got married by then, I''ll marry you.¡±


    Caprice said goodbye briskly and proceeded to get out of the car.


    Trey grinned. He waited until Caprice stepped past the gate before making a u-turn and leaving.


    All of the security guards knew Caprice.


    None of them stopped her from entering. After passing through the gate, she stopped and looked back at Trey¡¯s car.


    After his car had gone out of sight, she stepped back out of the gate again.


    Sylvia was currently overseas. She left three days ago to attend a certain art exhibition.


    Odell went with her.


    They were not at home, so Caprice had no reason to be here in the first ce.


    Before her feet managed to cross the gate, she heard a familiar voiceing from behind her. ¡° Where are you going?¡±


    Caprice was startled and quickly spun around.


    She was confronted by Liam¡¯s imposing figure only several meters away from her.


    He was dressed in a casual white shirt coupled with a pair of jeans. His hair was brushed to the side and gently rested above his


    eyebrows.


    It was a stark contrast from his usual outfit at work, with the suit and all. He was dressed very casually today but still managed to


    preserve the princely air he always had around him.


    He was undeniably handsome and charming.


    Caprice felt her cheeks reddening, she stammered as she spoke. ¡°Why¡ªWhy are you here?¡±


    Liam stated curtly, ¡°This is my house.¡±


    Caprice cringed at her ridiculous question. ¡°I-Don¡¯t you usually live in Carter Tech City?¡±

 Chapter 1881

    Chapter 1881


    Liam stated coolly, ¡°It''s Saturday. | don¡¯t have to work.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Caprice mouthed.


    He shot a look at her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± *


    Caprice avoided his gaze, ¡°I was going to visit your mom, but it turns out she¡¯s not around. | was just about to leave.¡±


    He nced at the driveway, and something flickered inside his eyes. ¡°Who drove you here just now?¡±


    She confessed, ¡°Piper¡¯s brother. He¡¯s a good friend of mine back in nchester.¡±


    ¡°How long have you known him?¡±


    ¡°Around ten years.¡±


    ¡°Why is he in Westchester?¡±


    ¡°He came here for work.¡±


    Liam made a face and suddenly remarked, ¡°It¡¯s hot out here. Come into the house.¡±


    With that, he turned around and walked into the house, fully expecting Caprice to follow him.


    It seemed like hepletely forgot about her mentioning that she was leaving.


    Caprice hesitated.


    After walking a short distance, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at her. ¡°What are you doing standing there?¡±


    Caprice was very fond of Liam, but there were times when she revered him as well. She was not the only one who felt this way.


    Even Isabel and Flint, who were usually fearless, were intimidated by their brother as well.


    Caprice jolted back to her senses and quickly paced toward him. The two of them entered the house together.


    This part of Westchester was significantly cooler than the main city, but the sun was scorching at this time of the day.


    The moment they entered the house, they felt a gust of cool breeze rushing at them, offering a wee relief from the heat


    outside.


    Liam went toward a chair by the window and sat down.


    There was a small table in front of him with a bottle of red wine and two wine sses.


    After he sat down, he filled one of the sses with wine and proceeded to take a measured sip from it


    Caprice did not know what to do with herself, so she stiffly sat across Liam.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She thought to pour herself a ss of wine as well. When she tried to reach for the bottle, she identally brushed against


    Liam¡¯s wrist. He was reaching for the bottle at the same time as her.


    She immediately jerked her hand back as if she had been shocked by an electric current. Her heart skipped a beat when she


    grazed against his wrist.


    Liam nced at her without the most remote change of expression. Then, he turned to the housemaids nearby and ordered,


    ¡°Bring her some juice and snacks.¡±


    The housemaid quickly went to the kitchen.


    Caprice spoke up, ¡°Liam, I¡¯m neen.¡±


    Liam looked up from his ss of wine. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°| can drink now.¡± Caprice started gingerly. She may not be a fan of alcohol, but she did enjoy the asional ss or two now


    and then.


    He did not speak but let go of the bottle of wine instead.


    She grinned, then she took the bottle and poured some wine into the empty winess.


    The winess was immediately colored a dark, velvety red. Contrary to its sweet and alluring color, the taste was a sharp and


    bitter sting.


    She frowned the moment she took a sip.


    Coincidentally, the housemaid brought a ss of juice and some snacks to the table.


    She immediately set the winess aside and opted for the juice instead.


    Liam noticed her queer behavior and grinned. He did not make anyment. Then, he picked up a book and began reading.


    Caprice quickly finished the ss of juice. She had nothing to do and merely stared at Liam while letting her thoughts wander.


    Then, she noticed a piano nearby and asked, ¡°Liam, would you mind if | yed the piano?¡±


    There was nothing else for her to do, and she did not want to make Liam ufortable by staring at him all day. She decided to


    y the piano to kill time.


    Liam looked up from his book. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Caprice got up and went to the piano.


    She would not call herself a talented musician, but she had a significant amount of practice on the instrument growing up, partly


    due to the insistence of her grandmother. As a result, she had a good grasp of the fundamentals.


    There happened to be a collection of sheet music resting on the desk of the piano. She flipped to one of the pages and began


    ying a piece.

 Chapter 1882

    Chapter 1882


    Chapter 1882


    Her fair fingers soon danced across the ck and white keys on the piano.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    First, she fiddled around with the tune and rhythm. Like an obedient device, the piano produced gentle noise the way she


    intended it to. Soon, she entered a state of trance, letting the music flow through her without any thought.


    Dum, dum, dum...


    The chords reverberated across the room.


    Sitting next to the window, Liam held the book in hand with an intent look in his eyes.


    He looked at Caprice and observed the way she lost herself in the music, her eyes half-closed. She seemed intoxicated by the


    music she was ying and was beaming like a satisfied kitten.


    He smiled at the sight of her.


    Meanwhile, at the top of the spiral stairs connected to the living room, two figures were lurking upstairs and looking down at


    Caprice.


    ¡°The only thing saving my ears from permanent damage is the quality of sound from the piano,¡± Flintmented while leaning


    against the railing. He frowned while observing how Caprice waspletely immersed in her music ying.


    Isabel was already covering her ears with her palms with a deep scowl on her face. ¡°Hurry up and text Liam and ask him to stop


    Caprice. It¡¯s either that or I¡¯ll send you down there to ruin this nice little moment they¡¯re sharing.¡±


    ¡°Why are you sending me to do your dirty work for you? Do it yourself!¡±


    Isabel red at him. ¡°Do you want me to push you down the stairs right now?¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Geez ¡±


    Without their parents around, there was no longer anyone to lord over them.


    Flint reached for his phone and ryed Isabel¡¯s message word for word to Liam.


    Downstairs, Caprice was halfway through the piece.


    The pace and difficulty of the piece shot up considerably toward the second half of the piece. stared intently at the music sheet


    and had to slow down her tempo to process the piece.


    Despite her best attempts, the music she yed had broken into sporadic, uneven chunks.


    She


    She frowned but continued pressing on, trying to match every key on the music sheet as closely as possible. She could not


    embarrass herself in front of Liam!


    No matter what, she had to y till the end!


    Dum... dum dum...


    It only grew worse as time went on, to the point whereby she herself could not stomach the sounds she was making on the piano


    anymore.


    Ugh.


    She panted and had to withdraw the urge to give up right then and there, to turn away from the piano.


    That was when a figure suddenly appeared from behind and sat next to her.


    The first thing she noticed was his unique smell.


    Immediately after that, she noticed anotherrge pair of hands resting on the piano. The long and slender fingers began to fly in


    a coordinated fashion along the keys like a butterfly dancing above. a hedge of roses.


    A beautiful, melodious song followed.


    Caprice grew wide-eyed as her heart began to beat faster. She stared at Liam¡¯s beautiful hands as the beautiful piece of music


    carried her away.


    ¡°Come on, y,¡± Liam spoke suddenly


    She came back to her senses and stammered as she spoke, ¡°I... | don¡¯t know how to y this piece


    ¡°Just follow my lead,¡± he said.


    Follow his lead?


    She was hesitant. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    She was only going to mess it up and kill his rhythm.


    ¡°It''s fine.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Liam spoke reassuringly. He spoke with warmth the first time, then followed up with a firm, encouraging voice.


    ¡°Here goes nothing. Caprice thought.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me if | ruin it.¡± She whimpered.


    With that, she pressed her fingers against the keys,


    Dumm!


    Just as she thought, she barely managed the first sequence before ying the wrong key. She flinched and withdrew her hand


    from the piano. immediately after that, an arm wrapped around her back and held her right wrist firmly.


    Like a puppeteer, Liam ced her palms back on the piano. He held his palm over hers, aligning each one of their fingers


    together. With that, he coordinated their joint movements with his left hand and began ying the piece.


    The music came out perfectly


    Caprice¡¯s face had turned beet red by this point. Her heart was beating like a motor on overdrive, and her body was unnaturally


    stiff.


    The reason for her agitation was that she could feel her back directly pressed against Liam''s chest. Not only could she feel the


    temperature coursing through his palms into hers, but she could also feel his breath beating on her neck.


    It was to a point where he was almost resting his chin directly over her head!

 Chapter 1883

    Chapter 1883


    Chapter 1883


    He...he... How could he perform such intimate actions with her?


    Did he see this as nothing more than a sibling interaction? How about his girlfriend?


    Her heart was going to lurch out of her throat. The sound of the piano was reced by an incessant ring in her ears. She felt like


    she was going to pass out any second.


    Dum.


    Thest note concluded the music.


    The living room descended into silence again, and Liam removed his hand from hers.


    ¡°Do you know how to y the piece now?¡± he asked.


    Caprice stuttered, ¡°No um, no.¡±


    ¡°Let''s do it again.¡±


    ¡°No...no need.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± He lowered his head and cast a suspicious look at her.


    She rose immediately and drew back several steps away from him, covering her face the entire time.


    Liam frowned. ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    She stammered as she spoke, ¡°Liam, you...you¡¯re getting a little too close to me. | don¡¯t... | don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate.¡±


    She had feelings for Liam, but she was a woman with honor! She would not allow herself to be the third party in Liam¡¯s


    rtionship with Heather!


    Astiff silence fell over them.


    After not receiving a response from Liam, she slowly pried her fingers away from her eyes and looked at him cautiously.


    He had risen from the piano bench at one point and was now standing behind the piano. He cast a quiet look at her. There was


    the usual indifferent expression on his face.


    It was as if the person who held Caprice¡¯s hands and helped her y the piano piece was an entirely different person.


    What if... what if she looked too much into it?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Liam, I... | didn¡¯t mean anything by that,¡± she exined vainly.


    Liam suddenly became very morose. ¡°| have some work | need to take care ofter. Are you going


    to be sticking around or are you going home?¡±


    Caprice was afraid of overstaying her wee. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I''ll send you home,¡± he said as he walked outside


    Caprice followed him without a word.


    Upstairs, at thending. Isabel and Flint were dumbfounded by what they witnessed.


    ¡°Does he have any work to take care ofter?¡± Flint raised his suspicions.


    Isabel remarked, ¡°If he did, he wouldn¡¯t be at home today at all.¡±


    This only confused Flint further. ¡°Then, why did he say that? Did something happen between those two?¡¯


    Isabel shook her head and expressed, ¡°You could say that there¡¯s something up with Caprice too. She seems like she¡¯s afraid of


    getting too close to Liam at all.¡±


    ¡°Why? | remember this one time around two years ago when she tried to snuggle in bed with Liam while she was visiting us


    during a vacation. Going by this rhetoric, Caprice should be jumping at every chance she could get to get closer to Liam,


    Isabel remarked, ¡°She was just a kid back then, and she¡¯s grown since then.¡±


    Flint was not convinced. ¡°It¡¯s only been two years. Did she lose feelings for Liam?¡±


    Isabel was running out of clues. ¡°I have no idea.¡±


    Liam¡¯s car drove out of the Carters¡¯ vi.


    Caprice was seated in the middle row instead of the back. Her heart was still beating restlessly.


    She ced her hands on top of her thighs and sat like a totem. It was how a well-behaved child would sit


    They spent the journey inplete silence.


    Eventually, the car stopped outside the gate of the dormitory.


    ¡°See you, Liam,¡± Caprice said curtly before stepping out of the car. She clung her purse close to her body before quickly trotting


    up the stairs.


    Inside the car, Liam sat all by himself in the back row.


    He leaned against the back of his seat and watched Caprice¡¯s figure disappear up the stairway. He wore a sullen frown on his


    face full of gloom.


    Ding!


    He received a text.


    He reached for his phone and saw that it was a text from Flint. ¡°Liam, why did you send Caprice away? Did you two get into a


    fight?¡±


    Liam heaved a long and exhausted sigh. They did not fight, but he sure did want to confront her head-on. He had no idea what


    was going on with her. In the past, she would cling to him like a bedbug.


    It was such a sharp contrast to the present whereby doing something as casual as ying piano together would cause her to


    recoil away from him. Also, what was it supposed to mean when she remarked that it was inappropriate?


    This was not the only episode in recent memory. This strange behavior had been going on for some time, and she had been


    growing distant.


    Could she have possibly fallen for another man?

 Chapter 1884

    Chapter 1884


    Chapter 1884


    At the Emerald V clubhouse, Freya and Piper entered with the VIP card and met Moses shortly after they went inside.


    He was dressed in a suit and held a ss of wine in hand. He seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with several men of


    high stature.


    Freya wanted to go up to greet him, but Piper stopped her from doing so.


    They only approached Moses after he was done exchanging a toast with the men..


    The girls were d to at least meet someone they knew here.


    The ce was known for providing excellent service, and they had a wonderful time.


    Soon, it was evening.


    After the event came to a close, Freya and Piper were each given a gift from the venue. After that, they said their goodbyes to


    Moses before preparing to leave Emerald V.


    As they were walking out of the hall, they saw Heathering in the opposite direction. She was wearing an expensive-looking


    dress. Every other essory she wore, from her ne to her bracelet and her purse looked like they cost a fortune.


    One of the managers of Emerald V was following her everywhere she went.


    Freya and Piper recognized her immediately. They exchanged a look before promptly taking another route to the exit so they


    would not have to engage with Heather.


    It was not so much that they were afraid of Heather. They just were not in the mood to deal with her, especially considering that


    this was her turf which gave her an advantage over them.


    Soon, they were out of the hall. The two exhaled at the same time.


    ¡°Why is she here?¡± Freya asked in a puzzled voice.


    Piper spected, ¡°She¡¯s probably here to join Emerald V¡¯s event as well.


    They head towards the exit of Emerald V while talking.


    Meanwhile, Heather stood in front of a set of French windows which offered her a clear view of the figures of Freya and Piper


    leaving Emerald V.


    She noticed them the very moment she arrived.


    The reason she noticed them at all was that they stood out jarringly among the crowd. They were dressed without any


    resemnce of taste, like cheapmoners. The worst offender of the two was that girl who went to Carter Tech City with


    Capricest time. She was dressed like a bug.


    Why were they here?


    When she noticed them heading out, she turned to the manager of Emerald V and asked, ¡°Do you know who those two are?¡±


    There was a short list of mernbers in Emerald V, thus the manager should be familiar with most of them


    The manager followed her line of sight and identified Piper and Freya. He informed curtly. ¡°Thedy on the left is Piper Rockon,


    and her father is the chairman of Rockon Technology. The girl with her is her roommate.¡±


    Rockon Technology?


    The samepany that had been negotiating a deal with her family¡¯s business recently?


    It came as a surprise to her that the imbecile Caprice had a roommate of such good stature.


    Heather processed the information in silence, then an idea suddenly came to her. She reached for her phone and made a call.


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s me. | remember you mentioning that you¡¯re going to meet the representative of Rockon Technology the day after


    tomorrow...


    Caprice stayed inside the dormitory.


    Around evening, after the sky had turned dark, Freya and Piper returned to the dormitory.


    It was evident that they had a good time today. Upon their return to the dormitory. Freya harped on and on about meeting Moses


    at Emerald V among many other interesting things they saw there.


    ¡°| have never seen something so grand in my entire life. It was so ssy, and | felt so nervous being there at all. Good thing


    Piper and Moses were with me the entire time. Speaking of which, Moses doesn¡¯t have things easy over there. He¡¯s always been


    a high-achiever, but when he¡¯s over there, he has to y second fiddle to the other bosses there and entertain them.¡±


    Freya cast a suggestive look at Caprice. ¡°You won''t be able to imagine what the ce was like. It¡¯s crazy! There were even a few


    handsome guys who came up to flirt with us.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice smiled and teased her, ¡°How handsome could they be anyway?¡±


    Freya blushed and said, ¡°The ssy and gentlemanly type. In terms of looks, they''reparable to Moses.¡±


    Piper chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright. That guy back there looked like a walking red g. Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, | know, | know.¡±


    They continued chatting for a while about what they saw at Emerald V until at one point, Freya suddenly remembered


    something. She turned to Caprice sharply. ¡°Oh yeah, do you know who we saw when we were leaving the ce?¡±


    Caprice asked curiously. ¡°Who did you see?¡±


    Freya and Piper exchanged a look before revealing the name at the same time, ¡°Heather!¡±


    Caprice stirred and asked, ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    Freya told her, ¡°She was dressed like royalty, and even the manager of Emerald V followed her everywhere to attend to her. We


    avoided herpletely and came home.¡±

 Chapter 1885

    Chapter 1885


    Piper mused, ¡®I suppose shees from a powerful family in Westchester as well.¡±


    Freya nodded


    Caprice pursed her lips and stayed silent.


    After a while. Trey called and talked about bringing them out to get something nice to eat.


    Both Freya and Piper were eager to go, and since Caprice had not had dinner yet, she went with them They left the dormitory


    and hopped into Trey¡¯s car


    Trey took them to a famous spot forte-night bites where there was a staggering amount of options.


    They ate until midnight, then Trey sent them home


    Freya drank a lot. The moment she stepped out of the car, she yanked Piper with her and returned to their dormitory


    Caprice was thest to leave She turned to Trey and smiled appreciatively ¡°See you, Trey Make sure you catch up on some rest


    at the hotel


    Trey was dressed in a sporty, casual outfit today It was undeniable that he was handsome, albeit still rather juvenile, even bratty


    at times


    ¡°Got it, you too.¡± Trey responded with a quick smile and ruffled Caprice¡¯s hair. He seemed like was intentionally messing up her


    hair


    She red disapprovingly at him


    Trey grinned mischievously and pulled his hand away


    As Caprice turned and went into the dormitory, Trey promptly returned to his car and drove out of the area


    Caprice suddenly caught sight of something from the corner of her eye, so she turned around in the direction where Trey had


    driven off intoContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    His car was already out of sight. There was nothing notable in the area, not a single person in sight as well


    Maybe her mind was ying tricks with her


    She turned around and continued into the dormitory


    Meanwhile, behind arge tree on the edge of the open space outside the dormitory, two men could be seen crouching in the


    darkness


    One was keeping a watchful eye on something while the other was sending a text on his phone


    Inside Liam¡¯s office in Carter Tech City


    Dingl


    His phone rang suddenly.


    He set aside his papers and picked up his phone.


    It was a text from his secretary, Mitch. ¡°Sir, we received an update from the two men we assigned to tail Caprice She went out


    with her roommates for supper with another man tonight. After supper, he sent them back to the dormitory before leaving.


    ¡°While the man was saying goodbye to Caprice, he ruffled her hair. It looked like the two were very close with each other.¡±


    Liam frowned.


    He ruffled her hair?


    The two seemed close?


    Did she fall in love with another man while leaving him in the dark?


    A dark look came upon his face while he texted Mitch. ¡°Did they catch a look at his face?¡±


    Mitch replied, ¡°They snapped a picture. I''ll send it over right now.¡±


    Apicture was sent shortly after.


    It was a man and a woman standing outside the car.


    The girl had her back turned to the camera while the boy was standing at an angle that faced the camera. He wore an


    affectionate smile while he looked at her.


    Although the girl¡¯s appearance could not be made out from this angle, it was evident that it was Caprice. Who else could have


    such an adorable posture even when idle?


    His expression turned cold.


    He pursed his lips tightly and after a suffocating silence, he took a breath and texted Mitch, Investigate further.¡±

 Chapter 1886

    Chapter 1886


    Over the next few evenings, Trey would regrly hang out with the girls. They would either find something to eat or entertain


    themselves with some shopping.


    Even on the night when he had to meet the representatives of VV Entertainment to negotiate their business deal, he still met the


    girls afterward.


    Trey may look aloof at times, but he was surprisingly reliable. He always took the group of Caprice, Freya, and Piper to fun


    ces that he knew they would enjoy.


    Since this was a group of people that Caprice was very familiar with, she had a great time every night.


    Aweekter, one night, Caprice, Freya, and Piper were dressed fashionably as always and were waiting for Trey to take them


    out.


    Caprice made sure she had her debit card with her. Trey had been footing the bill for a week, so she figured it was time she


    treated him to something for once.


    After an hour passed and the sky had turned pitch-ck, Trey was still nowhere to be seen.


    Piper called him.


    Caprice and Freya sat nearby and waited.


    Soon, it became evident that Trey had told Piper some devastating news on the phone. Piper¡¯s face was screwed in fear and


    panic.


    She asked anxiously. ¡°Where are you right now? Look, don¡¯t do anything stupid, you have to tell Mom and Dad. They''ll figure out


    something for you. Hey, say something!¡±


    She removed the phone from her ears and looked at the disy. Her phone¡¯s lock screen wallpaper was shown on the disy.


    Trey had hung up on her.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She tried to call again, but it seemed like his phone was turned off. Her eyes grew red as she slumped into her seat like her soul


    had been sucked out of her.


    ¡°Piper, what happened to Trey?¡± Caprice asked with worry in her voice.


    Freya regarded Piper with concern as well.


    Piper turned to Caprice, looking like she was going to burst into tears any second. ¡°Caprice, something bad has happened.


    Trey...¡±


    Caprice grew anxious as well, and she zipped her brows into a frown. ¡°What happened to him? Tell me!¡±


    Piper tried her best to put together a coherent sentence. ¡°He got set up by VV Entertainment They snuck some nasty use in


    the contract, and my brother did not notice them when he signed it. He only noticed it just now.¡±


    Caprice asked, ¡°What kind of use did VV Entertainment put in?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know the details, but the gist of it is that there¡¯s this deadline we¡¯re supposed to meet. The deadline is practically


    impossible for us to fulfill.¡±


    Caprice had a vague idea of such terms and asked for more details, ¡°What¡¯s the penalty if you can¡¯t meet the deadline?¡±


    Piper¡¯s voice came out as a strange sort of rattle. It¡¯s ten times the initial investment, whiches down to about ten billion.¡±


    Caprice grew wide-eyed.


    Freya nearly lost her bnce on the stool. ¡°Oh my God


    Piper covered her face with her palms and began sobbing. ¡°Why? My brother has been nothing but professional and sincere with


    them Their representatives even went to nchester to talk to my father Everything progressed smoothly. What''s with this


    sudden betrayal?¡±


    Caprice suddenly turned pale as a thought urred to her.


    Could it be Heather?


    No... Freya and Piper had avoided her when they went to Emerald V. so she could not have seen them


    The deal between VV Entertainment and Rockon Technology should be a mutually beneficial contract. Furthermore, there was


    no bad blood between the two corporations to speak of, so why this sudden turn of events?


    Caprice could not make sense of it.


    Piper began to cry.


    Freya did not know how tofort her. All she could do was hold her while casting a frantic look at Caprice.

 Chapter 1887

    Chapter 1887


    ¡°Let me call Trey for a second,¡± Caprice blurted out as she reached for her phone and called Trey.


    Just as expected, his phone was turned off.


    She texted Trey. ¡°Trey, don¡¯t do anything stupid. I''ll think of something. You''ll get through this.¡±


    Piper suddenly grabbed Caprice¡¯s wrist and pleaded, her voice filled with pain, ¡°Caprice... My brother told me to not ask you for


    help, but you¡¯re the only one that can bail him out now.¡±


    Caprice gripped her hands firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I''ll think of something.¡±


    Ten billion was a hefty sum that would most certainly cripple Piper¡¯s family. As it was, the best solution was to negotiate with VV


    Entertainment to get them to nullify the contract.


    Caprice¡¯s first thought went to her parents, but she considered that their businesses werergely based in nchester. Although


    they had some ongoing projects in Westchester, they never had anything to do with VV Entertainment.


    The only one that could be of any service in this situation was her uncle, Odell. She was certain that the situation could be taken


    care of easily if she could get him to help. The only hup was. that since he was currently overseas with Aunt Sylvia and might


    be unavable.


    Caprice looked for Sylvia¡¯s number in her contacts.


    After a short hesitation, she sent Sylvia a text. ¡°Aunt Sylvia, are you busy right now?¡±


    Shortly after she sent the message, she received a call.


    It was Moses.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She was not expecting the sudden call and answered it apprehensively, ¡°Hey, Moses, what is it?¡±


    Moses¡¯ voice sounded grave on the phone. ¡°Caprice, there''s something | need to talk to you about. I¡¯m outside your dormitory


    right now. Would you minding down?¡±


    Caprice was very jumpy because of the whole ordeal with Trey, hence she said snappily, ¡°If you have anything to tell me, just do


    it on the phone. I¡¯m kind of busy right now.¡±


    He hesitated for a few seconds before asking, ¡°Did something happen to Piper¡¯s family?¡±


    Caprice was taken aback. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Could youe down so we can talk in person? It¡¯s easier to exin that way.¡±


    Caprice readily agreed this time, ¡°Okay, I''ll be right there.¡±


    She put down her phone and turned to Piper who was casting hopeful nces at her. ¡°Piper, need to go out for a second. Just


    wait for me here with Freya. I''ll be right back¡±


    She hastily left the dormitory.


    Moses was waiting for her in the garden next to the dormitory gate.


    Caprice marched up to him and immediately initiated the topic without even greeting him. ¡°How did you know about what


    happened with Piper¡¯s family?¡±


    Moses said with a dark frown, ¡°You probably heard about me meeting Piper and Freya at Emerald st Saturday. When they


    were leaving that evening, Heather saw them.¡±


    He suddenly brought up. ¡°Do you know who Heather is?¡±


    Caprice said with a sullen expression, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Moses took a deep breath and continued, ¡°She seems to have a grudge against Piper. After Piper and Freya left, | overheard her


    on the phone talking with her father. She said something about Piper being nasty to her, and she wanted her father to take


    revenge.


    ¡°| briefly heard her mention an ongoing business deal between Rockon Technology and VV Entertainment. At the time, | didn¡¯t


    think too much about it. | assumed she wanted her father to call off the deal. It was only today when | chatted with one of my


    friends that | heard about what happened. Instead of dissolving the deal, they went and tampered with the contract to sabotage


    Rockon Technology.¡±


    As he said this, he cast a look at Caprice.


    Caprice had grown pale by this point. She clenched her fists tightly, holding her arms close to her body


    Heather!


    It was Heather this entire time! She and her tricks!


    When had there ever been any kind of bad blood between her and Piper? It was obvious that she was Heather¡¯s real target!


    ¡°Caprice, what''s wrong? Why did you turn so pale?¡± Moses asked worriedly when he sensed something change in Caprice.


    She clenched her teeth and strode past him, going toward the gate.


    Moses quickly caught up to her, feeling worried about her further aggravating the situation by confronting Heather. ¡°Caprice,


    Heather is the future sessor of VV Entertainment. She also used to be the assistant to the owner of Carter Tech City What I¡¯m


    saying is that she has a lot of influence in Westchester, so it''s not going to end well if you try to confront her head-on. Don¡¯t be


    rash!¡±

 Chapter 1888

    Chapter 1888


    Caprice ground to a stop.


    Besides, Heather was still Liam¡¯s girlfriend. She could not directly confront her.


    The top priority at the moment was to help the Rockons out of their looming crisis.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Moses took this to imply that Caprice had taken his advice, and he remarked, ¡°This is not something that can be easily solved. |


    think the best solution is to have Piper¡¯s parentse forward and have a proper conversation with Heather¡¯s father.¡±


    Caprice frowned sharply.


    If Heather had manipted her father to sabotage the Rockons, that meant she had never cared much for Piper¡¯s parents, to


    begin with.


    Besides, this was shaping up to be the investment of a lifetime for the Mansons. Who would pass up the opportunity to make ten


    billion by just investing a billion?


    Caprice reached for her phone.


    Ten minutes passed, but there was still no word from Sylvia. Considering the time difference, she was probably still sleeping.


    ¡°Caprice, there¡¯s another solution,¡± Moses suddenly proposed.


    Caprice was eager to listen. ¡°What solution?¡±


    He looked at her sharply and said, ¡°The owner of Carter Technology City-he should be able to persuade the Mansons to call off


    the deal and show some mercy to the Rockons.¡±


    Her eyes sparked with hope for a brief instant before the light faded out again.


    Upon seeing her troubled expression, Moses asked, ¡°You''re very close to him. Why wouldn¡¯t he help you?¡±


    Caprice muttered, ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Heather was Liam''s girlfriend, thus she was not sure if Liam would take her side instead of Heather''s.


    It did seem like he was the only one she could turn to, given the way things were.


    She wrestled with her thoughts for a while before turning to Moses. ¡°Moses, | want to thank you foring to me about this. |


    have some things | need to deal with now. See you.¡±


    ¡°You''re wee. If you need help, you know you can alwayse to me.¡±


    *Alright.¡±


    Caprice left it at that, then she turned around and went back to the dormitory.


    Heather was very resourceful and came from a significant background. Even if Caprice knew the owner of Carter Tech City, she


    had to consider the fact that he had once been Heather¡¯s employer.


    It was unreasonable to expect the Mansons to give up on such a wonderful investment opportunity. Chances were that the


    Rockons were not going to get the Mansons to nullify the deal, and they would have to submit to their wretched fate.


    Inside the dormitory, Piper stared ahead of her, looking at nothing in particr, her eyes brimming with red.


    Freya sat next to her and kept herpany


    As soon as Caprice came in, Piper turned to her expectantly.


    Caprice gently patted her head and spoke in a soft voice, ¡°Piper, just focus on trying to get in touch with your brother. Leave the


    rest to me.¡±


    She was the one who had kicked off the entire thing, so she had to resolve it one way or another..


    Piper¡¯s eyes glittered. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Caprice went to the balcony and called Liam.


    The ringtone rang several seconds before the call was connected. She spoke nervously, ¡°Liam, are you busy?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he spoke curtly.


    Caprice took a deep breath and braced herself. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°|... Something happened to this friend of mine. He was going to work on a project with VV Entertainment but things turned sour.


    VV Entertainment tried to set them up.¡± She told Liam about how VV Entertainmentid a trap of a penalty of ten billion dors in


    the contract. She also left out the part whereby Heather had orchestrated the entire thing.


    After hearing the story, Liam suggested, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you want me to talk to VV Entertainment and get them to nullify the


    contract, is that it?¡±


    He spoke in a calm, stoic voice.


    Without the slightest tic of emotion.


    Caprice murmured, ¡°Yes, can you help me?¡±

 Chapter 1889

    Chapter 1889


    There was a brief, damning silence on the other end of the phone. Then, Liam¡¯s calm voice rang out, ¡°I need to know about this


    friend of yours.¡±


    Caprice told him everything, ¡°His name is Trey Rockon. He¡¯s the guy who drove me to your housest time His father is the


    chairman of Rockon Technology, and his sister Piper is also a close. friend of mine.¡±


    After she finished speaking, Liam did not respond. Her uneasiness increased the longer the silence lingered.


    What if he did not want to help her because Heather was the sessor of VV Entertainment?


    Her voice wavered ¡°Liam, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    If Liam was not going to help her, she would have to contact her parents and ask them to contact Uncle Odell for her. One way or


    another, she was not going to fold to Heather.


    Just as she was about to be agitated, Liam¡¯s voice broke through the silence. ¡°I just texted my assistant and told him to


    investigate further. Are you free tomorrow?¡±


    Caprice was relieved and quickly told him, ¡°Yeah, | have time tomorrow.¡±


    He announced stoutly. ¡°Meet me tomorrow, and we''ll talk about this in detail.¡±


    Caprice was slightly skeptical.


    What other details did he need? Hadn¡¯t she told him everything already?


    Then again, she had no qualms with meeting him especially since he was willing to help. With this in mind, she gave her word,


    ¡°Okay, I''ll see you tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright, get some rest.¡±


    ¡°You too. Goodnight.¡±


    Caprice hung up with a faint smile hanging on her lips, then she went back to the dormitory.


    Piper told her the moment she saw her, ¡°Caprice, | managed to get in touch with my brother through a friend of his. Apparently,


    he got drunk and is crashing at his friend¡¯s ce.¡±


    Caprice breathed a sigh of relief, then she told her about her meeting with Liam tomorrow.


    The mention of the good news significantly queiled Piper¡¯s restlessness.


    Caprice ordered some takeout for everyone and chatted with them for a while before everyone went to bed and settled in for the


    night.


    In Liam¡¯s office in Carter Tech City, he was sitting at his desk with a stack of documents in his hand.


    This was the information given to him by Mitch. It concerned the man who had been seen touching Caprice¡¯s head a few days


    ago.


    The man¡¯s name was written in bold print on the first line of the document: Trey Rockon.


    Age: 25 years old.


    Background Information: Young Master of nchester Rockon Technology.


    Ding!Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    His phone rang.


    He put the phone to his ear and immediately asked, ¡°Any news?¡±


    Mitch began rying his findings on the phone. ¡°Yes, sir. VV Entertainment signed a contract with Rockon Technology three days


    ago. Some insiders in the industry verified that it was VV Entertainment who set Rockon Technology up by adding ast-minute


    use in the contract. It states that if Rockon Technology cannotplete the project within three months, they will have to be


    penalized a sum of ten billion dors.¡±


    Liam flipped through Trey¡¯s profile: ¡°Has there been any history ofpetition between VV Entertainment and Rockon


    Technology?¡±


    ¡°None based on my findings. One of them is based primarily in Westchester and the other in nchester. There have never


    been any past business dealings between the two parties.¡±


    ¡°Do they have any reason to have any personal grievances against each other?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it. The chairman of VV Entertainment only has one daughter, and that is Heather Manson. As for the


    chairman of Rockon Technology, he has two children who spent their childhood in nchester, but ¡°Mitch hesitated.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    Mitch spoke gingerly. These two children are Piper Rockon and Trey Rockon, and both of them. are friends of Miss Caprice Piper


    is currently Miss Caprice¡¯s ssmate and roommate. Do you think Heather targeted the Rockons because of her grudge against


    Miss Caprice?¡±


    Liam''s eyes darkened. After a moment, he spoke sternly, ¡°Contact the Mansons and tell them to void the contract with Rockon


    Technology within two days. If they don¡¯tply, they will have to bear the consequences.¡±


    Mitch answered dutifully. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m on it.¡±


    Liam hung up and set the phone on the table. As he looked at the documents detailing Trey¡¯s profile, hisplexion darkened by


    several shades.


    Caprice was so desperate to help this man that she woulde to him for help. Had she truly fallen in love with him?

 Chapter 1890

    Chapter 1890


    Chapter 1890


    It was Freya¡¯s off day


    Since Piper had a car, she drove Caprice and Freya to Carter Tech City first thing in the morning


    After what happened thest time, the security guards had a deep impression of Caprice. Caprice barely had to mention her


    name before they opened the gates for her without a word.


    The car drove unimpeded to the building where Liam worked


    Piper and Freya were astounded by the magnificent design of the building. They continued to gawk at it and muse for a moment


    before following Caprice in


    Caprice went to the reception and politely informed the receptionist, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here to see Mr. Liam. | believe | told him that | will be


    meeting him today.¡±


    The receptionist asked her with a professional smile, ¡°Miss Caprice, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Caprice¡±


    ¡°Mr. Carter has instructed me to bring you to his office once you¡¯ve arrived, the receptionist said while approaching Caprice, then


    she turned to Piper and Freya who stood behind Caprice. ¡°Will the twodies mind waiting over there for a moment?¡±


    Caprice turned to Piper and Freya ¡°Piper, Frey, could you two wait for me?¡±


    The two did not object. They were escorted by another receptionist to the VIP lobby.


    Caprice followed the receptionist into the elevator and was taken to the top floor. door that, the receptionist left her alone. She


    went to Liam¡¯s office door and gently knocked on the


    ¡°Come in,¡± came the deep, powerful voice of Liam.


    She nudged the door open.


    She was greeted by a spacious and well-lit office, and she immediately spotted Liam leaning elegantly on the leather chair.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a projection screen in front of him with many figures sttered across boxes of even frames. It seemed like he was in


    the middle of a video conference.


    Caprice was taken aback by the sight, and her first instinct was to excuse herself.


    Liam turned to her and gestured in the direction of the couch. ¡°Wait for me over there.¡±


    She nodded obediently and sat down on the couch.


    They were speaking in a foreignnguage, one that she barely knew a vowel of. It sounded like an aliennguage to her ears.


    She was a little nervous at first but soon began to doze off as the cryptguage droned on and on in her ears. Her head


    slowly slumped toward her shoulders.


    Suddenly, she was jolted awake by a burst ofughter.


    She looked up, brightly alert. Everyone on the projection screen seemed to be casting looks in her direction


    She nearly jumped and straightened herself immediately.


    Liam nced at her, then he said something to the people on the conference call in the same aliennguage before signing off


    from the call.


    The office suddenly grew quiet.


    Caprice was no longer feeling groggy. She asked Liam apologetically, ¡°Liam, am | interrupting something?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Liam rose from his seat and approached her. He went to the couch adjacent to hers and sat down


    Then, he picked up the tea set on the table with his toned and slender hands. He poured two cups of tea and handed one to her.


    She smiled appreciatively. Thank you, Liam.¡±


    Liam looked at her. ¡°Did you not sleep wellst night?¡±


    She remarked, ¡°I slept well, but Piper was in a bad mood, so | had to stay up and look after her with Freya, and we ended up


    sleeping quitete.¡±


    Something stirred in Liam¡¯s eyes.


    Could this imply that he was in a good mood?


    He picked up the teacup and took a gentle sip before beginning. Tve looked into the current affair between VV Entertainment


    and Rockon Technology. It¡¯s just as you described.¡±


    Caprice grunted and nodded gravely, then she looked cautiously at Liam. ¡°Could you help me?¡±


    Liam narrowed the look in his eyes briefly. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s the Rockons that are in trouble, not you. What do you mean by ¡°help¡±


    you?¡±


    Caprice was caught by surprise.


    She could not let it slip that she was the reason the Rockons found themselves in this situation and that Heather was targeting


    her.

 Chapter 1891

    Chapter 1891


    Heather was his girlfriend, what if he would not believe her story and chose to take Heather¡¯s side.


    instead?


    Caprice stated, ¡°I¡¯ve known Piper and Trey for a decade. Anything that has to do with them. directly concerns me as well.¡±


    ¡°Just friends? That''s all?¡± Liam asked rather grimly.


    She spotted a strange look at him, not understanding the reasoning behind his question. She answered sincerely, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m very


    close friends with them.¡±


    ¡°Is that all there is to it?¡± he asked again in an interrogative tone, a sharp look gleaming in his eyes.


    She was thrown off by the question. ¡°What else could there be?¡±


    She was close friends with them. What more was she supposed to say about it? Her eyes grew


    round and wide, filled with her usual naivety and innocence.


    Liam scowled. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Well...can you help us?¡± She looked at him expectantly.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He informed her, ¡°I already asked someone to talk to VV Entertainment. There should be news. soon enough.¡±


    ¡°You already sent someone to talk to them?¡± She was surprised to hear this.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, why did you ask me toe here?¡± She was very puzzled.


    He shot a look at her. ¡°Why? Is this too much trouble for you?¡±


    Caprice smirked and waved her hands from side to side while smiling yfully. ¡°No, no.¡±


    Liam leaned back on the couch and cast a look at her. He suddenly asked, ¡°What have you been up totely?¡±


    She suddenly felt a pang of guilt. She felt like a student whose teacher was checking if she had done her homework.


    ¡°|...P''ve just been hanging out at the dormitory. | usually read during the day and then hang out with Frey and Piper at night. I¡¯ve


    been keeping a healthy sleep scheduletely.¡±


    Liam asked seemingly out of curiosity, ¡°What kind of books do you read?¡±


    She avoided his gaze. ¡°A lot of different books. | don¡¯t remember their titles.¡±


    ¡°What kind of books? What are they about?¡±


    She felt a lump grow in her throat. In fact, she hardly read at all and could not make something up even if she tried


    ¡°4. Wow, I¡¯m getting a little tired¡± She made a show of yawning like a cat.


    Liam observed her silently.


    ¡°Take a nap over there.¡± He motioned.


    She frantically refused, ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. Frey and Piper are still waiting for me downstairs. I''ll go back to the dormitory with them


    and take a nap.¡±


    He continued to stare at her. ¡°My parents areing back today. They should be home very soon Isabel and Flint are going to


    be at home as well, so | figured | might as well join everyone. Do you want toe with me?¡±


    Caprice was startled by the sudden invitation, and she stammered, ¡°I...| haven¡¯t prepared a gift. yet. How about next time?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring a gift thest time you came anyway.¡±


    Caprice cringed at her terrible excuse and muttered, ¡°Okay then, I''ll tell Piper and Frey about it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±


    Caprice reached for her phone, then she stepped aside to call Piper.


    As soon as the call went through, she heard Piper shrieking with joy, ¡°Caprice, my brother just called me and told me that VV


    Entertainment contacted him and proposed to void the contract!¡± Caprice was delighted. ¡°That''s great!¡±


    ¡°He mentioned that someone has been putting pressure on VV Entertainment to terminate the deal. The chairman of VV


    Entertainment even made a show of apologizing to my brother face-to- face and offered to continue working with my brother. My


    brother ended up turning down the offer though, but the chairman didn¡¯t seem too bothered about it. They canceled the original


    deal and left things at that.¡±


    After she finished her story, she asked curiously, ¡°Caprice, was Liam the mysterious party who put pressure on VV


    Entertainment?¡±


    Caprice stole a nce at the man who was casually sipping tea on the couch and said with a smile, ¡°Very likely. It turns out that


    he already sent someone to talk to VV Entertainment before | even came here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I¡¯m the reason this happened in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What makes you say that?¡± Piper was confounded by this.


    ¡°Liam¡¯s parents areing back, so I¡¯m going be visiting themter with him. Why don¡¯t you go. home with Frey for now? I''ll tell


    you the full story when | get back.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. We''ll be leaving.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

 Chapter 1892

    Chapter 1892


    After she hung up, she went to join Liam on the couch again.


    Liam turned to her. ¡°Have you told them?¡±


    ¡°Yeap.¡±


    Liam rose from the couch. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He promptly headed outside.


    Caprice obediently followed behind him.


    They went into the elevator which took them to the lobby. Then, they walked out of the building.


    His car was already parked by the entrance, and his driver was waiting for him.


    They entered the car.


    The car immediately jerked to motion.


    Meanwhile, there was a Mercedes-Benz parked on the other side of the road.


    Piper and Freya had just entered the car.


    Trey was driving.


    All three of them saw Capriceing out of the building with Liam. Then they all watched as the car the duo entered drive off


    into the distance.


    Trey looked haggard and had dark circles under his eyes. He asked in a conflicted tone, ¡°Is that the Liam Caprice keeps talking


    about?¡±


    Piper smacked her lips and answered, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Even from this distance, she could feel the imposing aura emanating from the man as he walked. She had never felt anything of


    that like from anybody else.


    Who else could it be other than Liam?


    Trey pursed his lips and made no furtherments, then he drove away.


    Meanwhile, as soon as the car left Carter Tech City, Caprice received a text from Sylvia. ¡°Hey, Caprice, our ne justnded in


    Westchester. My phone was turned off when you texted mest night, so | didn¡¯t notice your message. Was there something


    urgent you needed from me?¡±


    Caprice darted a sneaky nce at the man in the seat next to her, his air dignified and enchanting. She replied, ¡°Hey, Aunt


    Sylvia, | was going to ask you to help me with somethingst night, but everything is fine now. Liam helped me take care of it.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia answered, ¡°That''s good to know.¡±


    After several seconds, she followed up with another text. ¡°By the way, Caprice, | heard you came


    back to Westchester earlier than originally nned. | brought some gifts for you and my kids. Why don¡¯t youe over for a visit


    today?¡±


    Caprice smiled and announced the good news to Sylvia, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m already on my way to your ce with Liam right now.¡±


    Sylvia was overjoyed. ¡°Haha! That¡¯s perfect! We''re about to disembark from the ne. Talk to youter.¡±


    Caprice replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She put away the phone and subtly stole a look to her side. She was going to steal a look at Liam but ended up meeting the


    sharp gaze in his depthless eyes.


    He must have started staring at her at one point.


    She jumped and asked nervously, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Who were you talking to?¡± Liam asked.


    She smiled and told him, ¡°I was texting your mother just now. They justnded in Westchester, and she mentioned she bought us


    gifts.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    They spent the rest of the drive in silence.


    They ended up arriving only several minutes after Sylvia and Odell.


    When the car stopped, Caprice noticed their driver¡¯s car parked outside the entrance. A crew of bodyguards and the driver were


    unloading the luggage from the trunk.


    Sylvia and Odell were inside the courtyard and talking to Flint and Isabel.


    Isabel stood next to Odell and was in the middle of opening a box.


    Flint was massaging Sylvia¡¯s shoulders while going on about something. It seemed like he must have told a joke because Sylvia


    wasughing heartily.


    They were interrupted when Caprice showed up with Liam.

 Chapter 1893

    Chapter 1893


    Chapter 1893


    They turned to Caprice and Liam in unison.


    The duo went up to them. Caprice smiled brightly and greeted Odell and Sylvia first in a cheery. voice, ¡°Good afternoon, Uncle


    Odell and Aunt Sylvia.¡±


    Then, she turned to Isabel and Flint. ¡°Hey Isabel, hey Flint.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Sylvia greeted her with the same warmth before taking a box out of the bag Odell was carrying. ¡°Caprice, this is a special


    gift from your aunt. Open it! | hope you like it.¡±


    Caprice took the box and opened it and found a handmade figurine inside. It was a figurine of her favorite anime character. She


    wanted to buy it in the past, but it was a limited edition that was only sold in Fostend.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Her eyes lit up. She thanked Sylvia with a sharp thrill in her voice, ¡°I love it! Thank you, Aunt Sylvia.¡±


    Sylvia gently patted her head. ¡°You''re wee. Come in!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia and Odell lead the way.


    Flint went up to Caprice and observed the box in her hand, then he reached over and wanted to touch it.


    Before Caprice could react, another hand came out of nowhere and pped Flint¡¯s hand away.


    Liam shot Flint a sideways nce. ¡°Shoo.¡±


    Flint groaned, ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to take it. | just wanted to take a look.¡±


    Liam ignored him and peered at Caprice before continuing to walk onward. The look he gave seemed to tell her to follow him.


    Caprice was always an easygoing person. She shoved the box into Flint¡¯s hands. ¡°Take a look all you want, Flint. Just remember


    to give it back to me.¡±


    With that, she marched forward to follow Liam.


    Flint fiddled with the figurine, then he looked at Caprice and Liam walking side to side and grinned. He walked up to Isabel and


    propped his arms over her shoulders while murmuring, ¡°Hey, sis, do you think they made up?¡±


    Isabel looked at Caprice and Liam pensively and remarked, ¡°It does seem like it, but | don¡¯t think they¡¯vepletely smoothened


    things out yet.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think they are acting slightly different from in the past?¡±


    Caprice had always clung onto Liam like a parasite back then.


    Even though she was now following Liam around, why did it seem like she was making a point of keeping a careful distance from


    him?


    Flint rubbed his chin and contemted, ¡°I wonder what happened between them.¡±


    Shortly after Liam entered the house, he went into the study with his father.


    Caprice sat with Sylvia, Flint, and Isabel and chatted away merrily.


    At one point in the conversation, they steered the topic to Caprice.


    Isabel was the one to initiate it. ¡°Caprice, didn¡¯t you go back to nchester for the summer vacation? Why are you back so


    soon?¡±


    Caprice thought out her answer. ¡°A good friend of mine had to leave her hometown earlier than expected. | was worried about


    her, so | decided toe back earlier as well to keep herpany.¡±


    She could not risk mentioning her working for Moses because Sylvia would let slip the information to her mother.


    Liam may be aware of it as well, but she trusted him to not spill her secret. It was not like him.


    Isabel and Flint exchanged a look before asking her, ¡°Which friend? What does she do?¡±


    She told them, ¡°It¡¯s my roommate Freya.¡±


    ¡°Oh...¡± Isabel eximed.


    Caprice felt a hint of suspicion. Why did Isabel react that way? It seemed like there was a sense of relief in her tone.


    ¡°Caprice, have you been hanging around in your uni dorm these past few days?¡± Flint asked nonchntly while slumped over


    the couch.


    His eyes resembled Liam''s. Their pupils were ck holes that consumed all light. However, there was a different gleam in his


    eyes unlike his brother¡¯s. He seemed very perceptive as if he could see through people with his fox-like stare.


    Caprice figured that she did not have much to hide apart from her taking up a job at Moses¡¯. She answered frankly, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve


    mostly been around the dormitory.¡±


    ¡°Have you been with that roommate of yours this entire time?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±

 Chapter 1894

    Chapter 1894


    Chapter 1894


    She spoke with a certain bluntness. Her eyes were opened wide and her expression was darling.


    Flint remarked with a squint, ¡°It must be pretty boring.¡±


    Caprice refuted his point, ¡°No, | hang out regrly with Frey. Piper and her brother came back a little while ago, so we hang out


    together every night.¡±


    Flint stirred. He nced at Isabel before asking, ¡°Who is Piper? Who is her brother?¡±


    ¡°Piper is also my roommate. I¡¯ve known her and her brother for a decade by this point. All of us are very close friends.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Are they from nchester too?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Flint continued to ask tidbits about Piper and Trey while Caprice answered everything with stark honesty.


    Until Sylvia interrupted Flint at one point, ¡°Okay, enough talk about that. Why don¡¯t you head up and see what your brother and


    father are talking about?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mom.¡± Flint did as he was told. He rose and went upstairs.


    Sylvia turned to Isabel, ¡°Isabel, let me talk to Caprice alone. Why don¡¯t you go upstairs and join them as well?¡±


    Isabel smiled knowingly, she had a sense of what her mother was up to. With that, she went upstairs.


    Immediately after she left, Sylvia turned to Caprice, ¡°Caprice, you¡¯ve been in Westchester for so many days already. Haven''t you


    hung out with Liam?¡±


    Caprice would love to, but Liam had a girlfriend. She knew she could not let it slip about his having a girlfriend, so she tried to


    brush the subject off. ¡°He¡¯s always so busy. | didn¡¯t want to bother him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not that busy these days,¡± Sylvia said with a look at Caprice. ¡°Besides, | remember you always went to see him a few years


    back, and that was during the peak of his busy schedule since he had just founded Carter Tech City then.¡±


    ¡°That''s different.¡±


    ¡°What''s different about it?¡±


    Caprice lowered her head. ¡°I... | was a child at the time. | wasn¡¯t being considerate.¡±


    Sylvia gently caressed her hair. ¡°Caprice, tell your aunt the truth. Do you have a crush on some boy?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No,¡± Caprice answered hastily, then she quipped a look at Sylvia. ¡°Aunt Sylvia, what made you ask me this?¡±


    Sylvia peered into her clear and sincere eyes. She smiled and answered, ¡°I was just asking because it seemed like you had


    something on your mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Caprice smiled warmly at her. ¡°I ran into a little bit of a situation yesterday. Everything is okay. now since Liam stepped in


    and helped me. Everything is okay now.¡±


    Sylvia smiled faintly. ¡°Good.¡±


    After a while, Isabel came down again and invited Caprice to the gaming room with her.


    They used to y video games together all the time. Although Caprice was never too fond of video games, she had sweet


    memories of watching Liam and Isabel y.


    They hung out in the gaming room for some time.


    At one point, the door was pushed open, and in came Liam¡¯s tall figure.


    Isabel and Flint immediately put down the game controllers and dropped their yful banter.


    Liam nced at them, then his eyesnded on Caprice. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice got up and walked out.


    Isabel and Flint exchanged nces, then they went downstairs as well.


    The housemaids were setting the dining table.


    When Odell and Sylvia noticed the kids, they rose from the couch and joined them at the dining table.


    Everyone sat down.


    Flint settled next to Odell, and Isabel sat next to Sylvia. The two remaining spots were reserved for Caprice and Liam.


    Liam pulled out a chair and sat.


    Caprice hesitated briefly before pulling the chair next to his and taking her seat.


    Suddenly, she felt four pairs of eyes on her. All four of Sylvia, Odell, Isabel, and Flint were looking at her. There was what


    seemed like apprehension in their eyes.


    She was puzzled by this and asked in a low voice, ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    Sylvia hesitated to speak.


    Isabel pursed her lips and seemed like she was stifling the urge to say something.

 Chapter 1895

    Chapter 1895


    Flint coughed dryly.


    Before anyone else could say anything, Liam spoke in his usual deep voice, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Sylvia gathered herself.


    Isabel and Flint distractedly picked up the cutlery.


    Odell nced at Liam and said, ¡°Let''s eat.¡±


    Caprice was puzzled by the sudden stiffness, and she snuck a nce at Liam who was beside her. There was not a single trace


    of emotion on his face, so she figured that it was probably all in her head.


    She began eating.


    Isabel had some work to doter that evening, thus she left after eating.


    Flint had to return to theboratory as well and excused himself shortly after.


    Sylvia and Odell were still feeling jetgged from the overnight flight, and they needed some rest.


    After a short chat with Caprice, Sylvia turned to Liam. ¡°Liam, take Caprice home.¡±


    Liam grunted, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Sylvia added, ¡°Make sure youe back after that. | have something to tell you.¡±


    Liam turned quiet for a moment before saying, ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, Sylvia and Odell went upstairs.


    Caprice followed Liam out of the house.


    The weather was very fine today. As soon as they stepped outside they felt a gentle breeze beating against their bodies. It was


    the perfect weather for a nap.


    Shortly after Caprice got into the car, she fell asleep with her head tilted to the side.


    When she woke up, the car was parked at the entrance of Sparkrow University Girls Dormitory She found herself slumped


    against Liam''s shoulder.


    Her eyes flickered with shock. She quickly straightened herself and apologized to Liam, ¡°Sorry, Liam, | fell asleep. | didn¡¯t mean


    to do that.¡±


    Liam expressed with a frown, ¡°I wasn¡¯t using you of doing it intentionally.¡±


    So what if she had done it intentionally?


    Why was she frantically apologizing for something so mundane?


    He looked at her sharply.


    Caprice had already unbuckled her seat belt and was halfway out the door.


    Before Liam could get a word out, she smiled and turned to him. ¡°Liam, I¡¯m going. See


    you.¡±


    With that, she stepped outside and shut the door with a thud before passing through the dormitory gate.


    Liam growled irritably, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    The driver swung the car around.


    After roughly half an hour, he was home.


    Sylvia had already woken up from her nap. She was sipping tea in the living room with a shawl thrown around her shoulder.


    Liam went to sit down on the armchair next to her.


    Sylvia smacked her lips and began, ¡°Liam, | was talking with Caprice and your siblings earlier this afternoon. We confirmed with


    her that she doesn¡¯t have any interest in any other man at the moment, and we¡¯re pretty sure she still has feelings for you. Can


    you tell me what you feel about


    her now?¡±


    Liam''s eyes shifted.


    Why was she alienating him if she did not have any other romance going on?


    Upon sensing his hesitation, Sylvia frowned faintly. There was no way to tell what the boy was thinking since he never let his


    emotions slip through. She changed her approach. ¡°Do you still want to be with her? Do you want to marry


    her?¡±


    Liam answered firmly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s creased frown eased a little upon receiving this answer. She assured him, ¡°Alright, I''ll talk to Aunt Sherry about it, and


    we''ll arrange the engagement.¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Caprice...she¡¯s still young.¡±


    ¡°She might be young, but she¡¯s an adult. An engagement is fine.¡±


    Liam said pensively, ¡°Okay.¡±


    They could at least get engaged first.


    Forget about what was on her mind for now. She belonged to him and him only, they were going to get engaged at one point or


    another anyway.

 Chapter 1896

    Chapter 1896


    Piper was on the phone when Caprice entered the room.


    It sounded like she was on the phone with her parents.


    Freya was not around; she must have gone to work.


    Caprice climbed into her bed.


    Piper wrapped up the call shortly after and proceeded to snuggle into Caprice¡¯s bed as well.


    She cast a sincere look at Caprice. ¡°Caprice, my Dad asked me to thank you for him. Thanks for helping us out of that terrible


    affair back there.¡±


    Caprice made a look and said gravely, ¡°Piper, I¡¯m the reason why VV Entertainment plotted against Trey.¡±


    Piper asked inexplicably, ¡°Why would it be because of you?¡±


    ¡°Heather''s father is the chairman of VV Entertainment.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Piper was taken aback by the news. Then, she considered for a moment, ¡°Even if VV Entertainment belongs to her


    family, what does any of this have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Remember when you went to Emerald V with Frey?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡±


    ¡°Heather saw you two that day. After you left, she went and called her dad and asked her dad to tamper with the deal with your


    family¡¯s business.¡°


    Piper was transfixed with shock. ¡°Caprice, how do you know about all this?¡±


    Caprice told her everything. ¡°Moses came to mest night and told me that he saw and heard. Heather calling her father.¡±


    ¡°That bitch!¡± Piper cursed viciously, ¡°She is the worst! There is no reason that our mutual resentment should not stay between


    me and her only. Why does she have to bring my family into this? My brother was sincere in his effort of trying to work with her


    family!¡±


    Caprice tried to quell her rage by gently ruffling her hair. ¡°Piper, I¡¯m also to me for this. If it wasn¡¯t for me, the deal would have


    worked out just fine.¡±


    ¡°Why should | me you? You''re not the one who told her to do this!¡± Piper reflected with an exasperated sigh, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We''ve


    all seen the true colors of VV Entertainment now. We will never even consider working with them again in the future.¡±


    Caprice smiled, d to see that Piper was over it. ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Piper returned a smile before mentioning, ¡°Hey, does Liam know that Heather was behind this?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know,¡± Caprice said pensively. ¡°I don¡¯t think he knows.


    She doubt Heather would tell him about it either since she would not want him to know.


    All he knew was that VV Entertainment had tried to set up Rockon Technology. It was unlikely that he would ce any suspicions


    on Heather.


    Piper stirred when she heard this. She suggested cautiously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell him about this? Maybe he will dump her once


    he sees the kind of wretched person she is.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Caprice did not want to resort to such tricks to break them up. ¡°He''ll hold it against me if they end up breaking up that


    way.¡±


    If Liam had feelings for her, he would have chosen her long ago instead of ending up with Heather.


    Piper heaved a deep sigh. ¡°Okay. Anyway, | won¡¯t forget what Heather did to me. She¡¯s in for it if | ever see her again!¡±


    Meanwhile, in the study of the Carter household, Sylvia stood next to the window and watched as Liam¡¯s car drove out of the


    house. Then, she reached for her phone and made a call to Sherry who


    was in nchester.


    After several rings, the call was connected.


    She heard a pleasant, warm voice with a hint of ageing from the other end of the phone. Hey, Syl! Did you need


    something?¡±


    Sylvia darted a nce at Odell who was sitting on a chair nearby and began her proposal, ¡°Sherry, there¡¯s something very


    important | want to discuss with you. Are you avable to talk right now?¡±


    ¡°| have time. Go on.¡±


    ¡°Liam and Caprice are adults now. What do you think about them getting engaged?¡±


    Sherry was surprised by the sudden proposal. ¡°What, right now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Liam is almost twenty-seven, and Caprice is neen. They''ve known each other since they were children and have


    always been close to each other even till now. | think it''s a good time for them to get engaged.¡±


    was it Liam¡¯s?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and told her, ¡°I consulted Liam about this beforeing to you.¡±

 Chapter 1897

    Chapter 1897


    It was evident that this was not only her and Odell¡¯s idea but Liam¡¯s as well.


    Sherry was d to hear this. ¡°Okay, I''ll discuss it with John and Capriceter and get back to you.¡±


    ¡°Gotcha.¡±


    After hanging up the call, Sylvia turned to Odell with a smile. ¡°Sherry says she will talk to John and Caprice about it before


    getting back to us with an answer.¡±


    Odell pursed his lips. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Sylvia raised her concern, ¡°I think she wants to see Liam and Caprice together as well. The only problem is whether John feels


    the same.¡±


    John treasured his daughter more than anything in the world since she was his only child after all.


    Odell approached Sylvia and wrapped his arms around her shoulders before pulling her into his arms, ¡°They will say yes as long


    as it¡¯s what Caprice wants.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°That''s true.¡±


    Trey had gone home to nchester.


    Piper was bored of hanging around the dormitory all day, so she found herself a part-time job as well. She tried to get Caprice to


    join her as well, but Caprice expressed very little interest in working as an online streamer advertising products.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Whenever Piper and Freya went to work, Caprice was left all by her lonesome self at the dormitory.


    She spent her time either stalking Liam orzing in bed. When she was truly bored out of her mind, she would take a look at the


    projects she invested in.


    The same evening, while Caprice was lying on her bed browsing Liam¡¯s profile, she suddenly received a call from Sherry. She


    was not expecting the call. She answered it and greeted her affectionately, ¡°Hey, Mom.¡±


    Sherry was just as d to hear her voice. ¡°Hey, Caprice, how have you been doing in Westchester these past few days?¡±


    ¡°I''m fine. I¡¯ve mostly been with Piper and Frey.¡±


    ¡°| see.¡± Sherry seemed to hesitate briefly before asking, ¡°Have you seen Liam?¡±


    ¡°Yes, | went to his ce for dinner with him and his parents yesterday.¡±


    Sherry threw a nce at John who was listening in on the call next to her. She had put the call on the speakers so he could


    listen as well.


    John frowned but did not make a sound. He gave Sherry a look, hinting at her to continue the


    dialogue.


    Sherry began in a formal tone, ¡°Caprice, here¡¯s the thing. | would to ask your opinion about something.¡±


    Caprice asked curiously, ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Sylvia thinks that it¡¯s a good time for you and Liam to get engaged since you two are grownups now. What do you think?¡±


    ck!


    Caprice¡¯s phone dropped to the floor.


    ¡°Caprice?¡± Sherry called out when she did not hear an answer.


    Caprice took the phone and pressed it back to her ear before she spoke in a low voice, ¡°Mom, has Aunt Sylvia asked Liam for his


    permission?¡±


    ¡°She did. She only came to me about this after receiving Liam''s word.¡±


    Liam had given his word?


    He had a girlfriend. How could he be open to an engagement?


    There was nobody he respected more than his mother. Chances were that he had only agreed to


    it because he was worried about upsetting his mother. Otherwise, he would not have kept his rtionship with Heather a secret


    this entire time.


    ¡°Caprice, what¡¯s wrong? Is there something on your mind?¡± Sherry asked worriedly.


    Caprice bit her lip. ¡°Mom, | don¡¯t want to get engaged to Liam.¡±

 Chapter 1898

    Chapter 1898


    On the other end of the phone, Sherry turned stiff.


    John was just as startled by Caprice¡¯s response.


    He snatched Sherry¡¯s phone without warning and asked, ¡°Caprice, be honest with your father. Did Liam do anything to you?¡±


    He knew that his dear daughter had been fond of Liam since she was a child. There were several years in a row when her


    birthday wish had been to be with Liam forever.


    Now that the Carters proposed an engagement for the pair, she turned it down of her own volition. The only logical exnation


    for this decision was that Liam had done something to her. John could not see any other exnations.


    Caprice was taken aback to hear his voice. She was not expecting her father to be listening in. She hurriedly exined, ¡°Dad, it''s


    not like that. Liam hasn''t done anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you want to be engaged to him?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason. | just- | just didn¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have feelings for him anymore?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice felt her voice catch in her throat. She could not bear to lie about her feelings regarding Liam.


    However, she knew her father would not give it a rest until he heard a valid exnation. If not, he would suspect that Liam had


    been nasty to her.


    She struggled for an eternity before straining her voice. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    John fell silent for a while, then he spoke softly and reassuringly, ¡°Caprice, we miss you very much. Since Piper is already back


    in Westchester, that means Freya has someone to keep herpany. Why don¡¯t | pick you up tomorrow and take you home?


    What do you think?¡±


    Caprice smacked her lips. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She had to admit that she was getting bored out of her mind since Freya and Piper had to go to work every morning. She might


    as well go home.


    At Stockton House in nchester, after hanging up, John reached for his phone and contacted his driver.


    He instructed his driver to pick him up before the dawn had even cracked tomorrow. He was going to Westchester to pick his


    daughter up first thing in the morning.


    Sherry observed him and waited for him to finish the call. After that, she asked, ¡°What''s with the rush?¡±


    He was acting as if Caprice had suffered some sort of major injustice in Westchester.


    John said sullenly, ¡°That brat must have hurt her feelings. | know it.¡±


    Sherry expressed with a frown, ¡°She told us herself that Liam hasn¡¯t done anything to her.¡±


    John asked sharply, ¡°Do you believe her when she said she doesn¡¯t have feelings for him anymore?¡±


    This silenced Sherry.


    Both of them knew their daughter like the back of her palm, and they knew that she was lying.


    She still had feelings for Liam, so why wouldn''t she agree to an engagement?


    What if it was true? Maybe Liam had hurt her somehow?


    The next day, Caprice slept until she woke up naturally as usual.


    It was only after she woke up that she noticed the message her father sent her nearly an hour ago that read, ¡°Caprice, we¡¯re


    waiting for you outside your dorm now.¡±


    Caprice nearly jumped out of bed. She was slightly upset and replied, ¡°Dad, | just noticed your message. Why didn¡¯t you call


    me?¡±


    They had been waiting for an hour. Why didn¡¯t they call her?


    John replied, ¡°We''re not in a hurry. Are you awake now?¡±


    Caprice replied hastily, ¡°Yeah, yeah. I''ll be there in a minute.¡±


    She sprinted into the bathroom and washed as quickly as she could, then she threw herself into a clean set of clothes. Lastly,


    she went to Caprice and Freya to bid them a hasty farewell before jogging out of the dormitory.


    She spotted her father¡¯s car parked right by the gate.


    As soon as she emerged from the dormitory, John and Sherry stepped out of the car. They must have spotted her the moment


    she came out.


    They haven''t met each other for many days, and Caprice was starting to miss them too. She felt a sting rise up her nose. She


    broke into a trot and flung herself into their arms.


    ¡°Mom, Dad...¡±


    Sherry patted her gently on the back.


    John caressed her and brushed her hair. ¡°Come on. Let''s go home together.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡±

 Chapter 1899

    Chapter 1899


    Chapter 1899


    Caprice got into the car first.


    Then came John and Sherry. They entered the car from each side of the car so that they could have Caprice seated at the


    center, squished between her parents.


    She felt like had been transported to ages ago when she was just a child. She cast a strange look at them.


    John curled his lips into a gentle, doting smile.


    Sherry smiled tenderly and took her hand.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice was confused.


    Had she truly been away for so long? Were they beginning to miss her this much already?


    The ride back home took several hours.


    Caprice tended to get sleepy on lengthy car rides. She spent half of the ride sleeping against her father¡¯s shoulder and the other


    half burrowing herself into her mother¡¯s arms, drowned in sleep.


    It was a wonderful journey.


    Upon her return home, Madam Stockton stuffed her full of her favorite food. Aunt Queenie


    showed up as well with her three-year-old son. Her son was adorable. He was a little devil who ran amok.


    Caprice spent the better half of the day with the boytched to her every waking second. It was only after the boy had grown


    tired from ying that she finally had time to herself.


    She fled back to her room and copsed on the bed, ready to sleep.


    Ding!


    Her phone rang suddenly.


    She reached for her phone. Her sleepy eyes immediately pried themselves wide open.


    It was Liam texting her. The message read, ¡°Are you free tomorrow?¡±


    Why was he asking her this?


    She replied, ¡°Hey, Liam, | just got back to nchester. Did you need something from me


    tomorrow?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Liam regarded the message with a morose frown.


    He had been very upied with work these days and finally managed to free up his schedule tomorrow. He was nning to take


    Caprice shopping and spend the day with her only to receive the unexpected news that she had returned to nchester.


    Why did she not tell him that she was going home?


    His eyes darkened. He replied curtly, ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s nothing important.¡±


    Upon seeing this, Caprice texted him, ¡°Okay then. It¡¯s gettingte, you should get some rest. Good night...¡±


    ck!


    Liam was halfway throughposing a paragraph of text when he deleted the entire thing and tossed the phone onto the table.


    He had barely finished his piece and Caprice had already brushed him off!


    Was she so opposed to a brief chat with him?


    Besides, it was only nine o¡¯clock!


    He shut his eyes and rubbed his fingers against his temple to cool his restless mood.


    After a while, he managed to soothe himself. He reached for his phone again and called Sylvia this


    time.


    The phone was connected within the first few rings.


    ¡°Hey, Liam, what is it?¡± Sylvia¡¯s gentle voice rang through the phone.


    Liam asked curtly, ¡°Hey, Mom, what did Aunt Sherry tell you?¡±


    He was referring to the supposed engagement Sylvia mentioned that she would discuss with Sherry two days ago.


    He wondered if his mother knew what he was referring to. There was a thick silence festering on the phone when he presented


    the question.


    His eyes darkened. ¡°Did they say no?¡±


    Sylvia hurriedly exined, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that they refused. It¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°It was Caprice who refused,¡± she finished the sentence.


    ¡°yeah.¡±


    He shut his eyes.


    In that darkness, he heard his mother¡¯s voice ringing in his ears, ¡°Liam, Caprice must have some things on her mind as well.


    She¡¯s still very young and probably thinks it¡¯s too early for her to get engaged. Look, don¡¯t overthink it. | can tell that she still has


    feelings for you.¡±


    ¡°| understand. Have a good night.¡±


    Liam hung up promptly. Then, he went to Caprice¡¯s social profile.


    There was only one new post from her today. It was a picture of her and her three-year-old nephew. The nephew in the picture


    was posing with a cool sticker of a cartoon character on his face while Caprice¡¯s face had countless random stickers sttered


    all over.


    It looked like the nephew had a lot of fun with her.


    Liam found himself grinning as he looked at the picture. He proceeded to save the picture to his phone before a grim frown came


    to him.

 Chapter 1900

    Chapter 1900


    Several dayster, in nchester, Caprice waszing around on a swing in her courtyard when she suddenly received a call


    from her mother.


    Her dear mother told her on the phone, ¡°Caprice, there¡¯s going to be a party for a brandunch tonight. The thing is | don¡¯t have


    time to go. Could you go in my ce?¡±


    Caprice agreed.


    ¡°Thank you, darling. Just buy whatever catches your eye when you get there tonight with the card | just gave you. Splurge all you


    want. Don¡¯t go easy on me.¡± Sherry hung up after the final statement.


    Soon, Caprice dozed off.


    Around evening, she made herself presentable for the night, then she took the invitation letter for the brandunch party and


    head out.


    The event was held at thergest, most reputable hotel in nchester, the Elysian Hotel.


    It was only after she arrived at the venue and noticed the brand logos hung everywhere that she realized that it was theunch of


    a new line of products for a very famous luxury brand.


    There were many sessful entrepreneurs such as her mother invited. There were also many celebrity ambassadors of the


    brand. Since there were many celebrities, that also meant many of their fans came to see them and take pictures of them.


    Needless to say, it was packed.


    Caprice happened to be walking behind a very famous celebrity.


    rge group of fans swarmed the celebrity, and she ended up getting shoved to the back of the crowd. When she was nearing


    the rear of the crowd, someone bumped into her and she lost her bnce.


    Moments before disaster, she felt someone grabbing her from behind.


    She turned back and saw Trey.


    He was wearing a dazzling purple suit, and his hair was slicked back behind his ears. He was decked in all sorts of essories


    such as earrings and a ne. It was a very fashionable look, albeit slightly juvenile.


    He could easily be mistaken as a celebrity.


    Trey withdrew his hand from Caprice after he made sure she was okay. He asked with a candid smile, ¡°Caprice, why are you


    here?¡±


    The Caprice he knew was a homebody and would rarely if ever show up to such events.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Caprice exined, ¡°My mom asked me toe in her ce.¡±


    Trey ruffled her hair yfully. ¡°I see. Hey, if you see something you like in there, just let me know and I''ll buy it for you.¡±


    Caprice smiled appreciatively, ¡°Thanks Trey, but my mom gave me her card, so you don¡¯t have to


    pay for me.¡±


    ¡°That won''t do. There¡¯s a marked difference between your mother buying it for you and me buying it for you. Look, | said I''ll buy


    something for you and I¡¯m going to do it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Caprice only agreed because she did not want to go back and forth with him over this.


    The crowd seemed to have calmed down a little. She tapped Trey¡¯s wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Since they were not celebrities, they did not have to cross the red carpet. They could simply pass through the main entrance and


    head into the venue.


    Meanwhile, there was a figure standing next to a French window in a remote corner of the venue.


    It was Heather. She was wearing a boutique dress that was part of the brand¡¯s most prestigious product line. Her outfit was


    complimented with a set of luxury jewelry of the same brand. She was the embodiment of luxury and fashion.


    She held a goblet in hand as she cast a venomous look at Caprice and Trey who had just walked into the venue.


    Her assistant attended the event with her this evening.


    When her assistant observed her ring at the two figures, she asked out of curiosity, ¡°Miss, do you know them?¡±


    Heather said severely, ¡°That man over there is the young master of Rockon Technology.¡±


    ¡°So it is.¡± The assistant observed her dark expression face before motioning at Caprice. ¡°How about the girl next to him? She


    looks pretty young.¡±


    Heather scoffed, ¡°She¡¯s useless. A waste of space.


    She wagered that she only managed to squirm her way in here because Trey was with her.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>


    im

 Chapter 1901

    Chapter 1901


    Heather got to Liam and used him to threaten her father to cancel the contract with Rockon Technology but she got scolded by


    her father because of it.


    Until now, her father had not forgiven her.


    Now that the idiot appeared right in front of her crosshair, it would be a great opportunity for her to vent her grievance.


    With that in mind, Heather narrowed her eyes, and smiled elegantly before she headed into the hall.


    The hall was filled with guests.


    Brand ambassadors were promoting jewelries that they endorsed.


    Caprice did not want to be drowned by the crowd, so she and Trey grabbed their sses and headed over to the disy cases


    to view the jewelries.


    Each jewelry was designed uniquely and was nothing short of extravagant.


    However, they did not win Caprice¡¯s heart because she had seen better designs back home.


    ¡°Caprice, long time no see.¡±


    Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind.


    Caprice turned around and saw Heather smiling at her.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She could not return the fake smile with one of her own, so she simply wore a cold expression on


    her face.


    Trey stood in front of Caprice and sized up Heather. ¡°Piss off, or don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡± Trey told Caprice how VV


    Entertainment set him up two days ago and he learned that Heather was also hostile against Caprice, hence his resentment for


    the woman.


    Heather¡¯s expression froze. She looked at the man with a strange expression. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I''m your father!¡±


    Coincidentally, there was a group of elegantly-dressed women passing by and they heard Trey¡¯s rude words.


    They paused and looked at him with contempt.


    ¡°Who''s this person? Where are his manners?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Does he know what kind of ce this is?¡±


    Heather lifted her chin and grinned scornfully.


    Trey¡¯s expression turned bitter.


    Caprice immediately held him back and said, ¡°Trey, don¡¯t fall for it. She¡¯s cunning.¡±


    Heather asked who he was on purpose to make him mad.


    The ce was crowded with people of status. Other than celebrities, there were influential figures.


    If Trey fell for her provocation andshed out at her, he would be viewed as a joke and thrown out of the hall.


    Then, not only Rockon Entertainment¡¯s reputation would be affected, but he and his family would also be the target of criticism.


    Caprice dragged Trey behind her and then wore a smile at Heather.


    ¡°Heather, you should know better than anyone who he is.¡±


    Heather looked confused. ¡°Caprice, why do you say so?¡±


    She had not met Trey officially before this. Even if Caprice suspected Heather was the one behind. the contract between VV


    Entertainment and Rockon Technology, she had no evidence.


    Caprice maintained a smile on her face and asked, ¡°You don¡¯t know about the contract between VV Entertainment and Rockon


    Technology?¡±


    Heather¡¯s eyes flickered. The baffled look on her face remained. ¡°What contract?¡±


    ¡°Heather, are you growing old? You''ve forgotten about it already?¡±


    Heather reacted bitterly.


    Before she could say a word, Caprice walked up to her and said, ¡°Have you forgotten? Two weeks ago, you bumped into two of


    my friends at Emerald V. After they left, you knew from the manager that one of the girls is rted to Rockon Technology. You


    called your father and asked him to deal with Rockon Technology.¡±


    Heather¡¯s expression turned grim. She instinctively took a few steps back and maintained the awkward smile on her face.


    ¡°Caprice, what are you talking about? | haven¡¯t even heard of this Rockon Technology. Why would | ask my father to deal with


    them?¡±

 Chapter 1902

    Chapter 1902


    Caprice clicked her tongue. She turned around to Trey and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Trey.¡±


    Trey had a nce at Heather¡¯s bitter look and smirked. He chuckled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Caprice and Trey left, not sparing another nce at Heather.


    Even though neither Caprice nor Trey mocked her verbally, Heather almostshed out at the two of them when she heard


    Caprice¡¯s click of the tongue.


    How bold of the idiot to click her tongue at her?


    How would the idiot know about her calling her father at Emerald V that day?


    Who told her?


    Heather''s eyes flickered, and her expression remained grim and bitter for quite a while.


    As she was trying to adjust her emotions, amotion happened at the entrance of the hall.


    The youngsses and wealthydies, who were infatuated with the popr male celebrities, were


    outside. instantly captured by themotion outside and started to make their way


    Someone asked, ¡°Who''s that guy? I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡±


    The staff answered, ¡°He¡¯s not a celebrity. He¡¯s the owner of Carter Tech District.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The answer silenced the crowd instantly.


    Then, all the guests, including the youngsses, the influential figures and even the popr celebrities made their way to the


    entrance of the hall.


    Carter Tech District was well-known across the globe but the owner of the ce had been a mysterious figure. No one knew who


    he or she was, and if the guests could catch a glimpse of the owner, it would be worthwhile.


    Heather heard the discussion as well. Her expression changed multiple times as she tried to calm herself down and made her


    way to the entrance.


    rge group of people gathered at the entrance, causing a rather sizablemotion.


    Both Caprice and Trey noticed it as well.


    Trey asked one of the staff, ¡°What''s going on there?¡±


    The staff answered, ¡°I heard the owner of Carter Tech District is here.¡±


    Caprice widened her eyes.


    Liam then asked her, ¡°Do you want to go have a look?¡±


    Caprice looked at the entrance.


    All she could see were people pushing each other around. She even spotted Heather among the crowd.


    She was moving along with the flow to get to him, the owner of Carter Tech District.


    Disheartened, Caprice said, ¡°Nope.¡±


    His girlfriend went over, so why would she go see him after teasing his girlfriend in person moments ago?


    ¡°Fine,¡± Trey said with pursed lips. He apanied her into the hall.


    The huge hall had many extravagant items on disy. Caprice got lost after a few rounds in the ce.


    After a while, when the crowd at the entrance had scattered and entered the hall, she and Trey


    reached the inner part of the hall.


    They heard some youngsses talking beside them.


    ¡°Who would have thought the owner of Carter Tech District is so young and handsome? He''s like Prince Charming!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why is he here? Is he invited?¡±


    ¡°The organizers invited a lot of people, but how many truly powerful figures attended?¡±


    ¡°Then what is he doing here?¡±


    Caprice scoffed. She muttered softly. ¡°He¡¯s probably here for Heather.¡±


    She did not want to listen to their conversation, so she went ahead with Trey.


    Then, a shining reflection caught her eyes.


    She stopped and looked at the disy case next to her.


    Inside the disy case was a pair of diamond ear studs.


    The diamonds were polished meticulously.


    N

 Chapter 1903

    Chapter 1903


    The diamond ear studs were designed to resemble a sunflower.


    Each petal was delicately crafted.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly.


    ¡°Caprice, you like this?¡± Trey asked. He was beside her the whole time and it caught his attention when Caprice stopped to look


    at the ear studs.


    The staff beside the disy case smiled and exined to Caprice, ¡°Madam, this pair of ear studs are designed by our chief


    designer, Master Sese, and there¡¯s only one pair in the whole world. It¡¯s also one of our main highlights for the night.¡±


    Caprice nced at the price tag under the ear studs.


    One hundred eighty million, as expected of the highlight of the night.


    Caprice then looked at Trey.


    The man was smiling at her and the expression on his face spelled generosity as if he would buy it for her if she would just ask.


    The simple man must have not seen the price tag on the ear studs.


    Trey came from a decent background but was not filthy rich to the point that he could simply spend a hundred million without


    restraints. If his parents knew he spent a hundred million on someone, they would beat him to death.


    Caprice pressed her lips into a slightly awkward smile. ¡°Let¡¯s have a look at others-¡±


    Before Caprice could finish, Heather stepped in.


    She was apanied by a few other simrly dressed women, seemingly new ¡®friends¡¯ that she made atContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    the event.


    The women overheard Caprice and scoffed at her en masse.


    One of the women said, ¡°This pair of ear studs are the highlight of the event, it¡¯s over a hundred million. | bet she can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    Caprice frowned.


    Trey was startled when he heard about the price but his anger suppressed his surprise. He argued coldly.¡± It¡¯s just a hundred


    million.¡±


    One of the women said, ¡°If it¡¯s just a hundred million, buy it, don¡¯t just say it.¡±


    Trey felt challenged. He wanted to pull his card out of his wallet, but Caprice stopped him.


    ¡°Calm down. Don¡¯t fall for it. They are doing this on purpose. I¡¯m not particrly fond of this pair of ear studs as well.¡±


    Another woman scoffed and said, ¡°Hmph. If you can¡¯t afford it, just say it. Skip the nonsense.¡±


    Trey¡¯s expression turned grim.


    Caprice tried to tug his arm as hard as she could to stop him from being reckless.


    Before she could say something, Heather said, ¡°Stop it, you guys. Young Master Rockon here is the heir to Rockon Technology.


    Of course he can afford a pair of ear studs.¡±


    The other women toned down a little when they heard Heather.


    Heather then looked at Caprice. ¡°Caprice, are you two just friends?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡± Caprice asked cautiously.


    Heather said, ¡°If | see something | like that¡¯s expensive, | won''t let my friend buy it for me. Why don¡¯t you buy it yourself, so that


    Young Master Rockon here won''t have to embarrass himself?¡±


    Caprice was surprised by Heather¡¯s words.


    Why would Heather want her to buy the ear studs herself?


    Was it to mock her for being poor, or was it something else?


    Trey did not understand it either.


    Looking at Caprice and Trey¡¯s baffled expressions, Heather scoffed.


    She assumed Caprice was at a loss of action, hence the nk and baffled expression; the others shared the simr assumption.


    They were all wealthy women who had been to many social events and they had seen many women pretending to be rich but


    were not. They all showed the same expression as Caprice when they were asked to buy something expensive.


    One of the women got carried away and asked with a teasing smirk, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little girl? Don¡¯t have the money?¡±


    Caprice and Trey were both left speechless.


    It was Caprice¡¯s first time where someone asked her if she could afford something.


    Trey did not expect that the only daughter of the richest man of Glenchester would be assumed poor.


    Limited free bonus >>


    im

 Chapter 1904

    Chapter 1904


    While Caprice was surrounded by Heather and her friends who were trying to embarrass her, a cold and deep voice sounded


    behind them.


    ¡°Pack it.¡±


    Caprice looked beyond Heather, and Heather and her friends turned around.


    Liam, in his handsome suit, stood before them with the spotlight highlighting his figure. His deep gaze looked captivating.


    Caprice was surprised.


    Heather''s eyes flickered as she immediately stepped aside. Her friends followed her to the side as well.


    They wanted to look at Liam but were not bold enough to look him in the eye.


    The staff beside the disy case came up to Liam and asked, ¡°Master Carter, are you referring to the sunflower ear studs?¡±


    Liam looked at Caprice and hummed a reply. He then pulled a ck card out of his pocket and gave it to the staff.


    Confused, Caprice furrowed her brows.


    Why would Liam buy the sunflower ear studs? A present for Heather?


    Caprice looked at Heather.


    Heather looked at Liam with eyes full of anticipation. However, for some reason, she did not approach Liam and instead stood


    quite far away from him.


    L


    There was a hint of reverence on her face as well.


    Was Liam mad at her for what she said earlier?


    What a strange couple!


    Caprice failed to understand Liam¡¯s thoughts, so she simply kept an eye out for the two of them.


    Soon, the staff packed the pair of sunflower ear studs and gave it to Liam.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam held the ear studs in his hand. His deep eyes ignored Heather and disregarded Trey as they were fixated on Caprice.


    Caprice blinked innocently.


    Why was he looking at her? Could it be that he bought the ear studs for her?


    Liam captured every expression on her face. His brows furrowed slightly and said, ¡°Come here.¡±


    Confused, Caprice pointed at herself. ¡°Me?¡±


    Liam looked at her. ¡°Who else do you think I¡¯m talking to?¡±


    Caprice instinctively had a nce at Heather.


    Heather and her friends stood on the side, looking awkward. She was clearly unhappy and displeased but dared not disy it.


    She even had a hint of jealousy on her face like her friends.


    Caprice could not understand the situation.


    The other women toned down a little when they heard Heather.


    Heather then looked at Caprice. ¡°Caprice, are you two just friends?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡± Caprice asked cautiously.


    Heather said, ¡°If | see something | like that¡¯s expensive, | won¡¯t let my friend buy it for me. Why don¡¯t you buy it yourself, so that


    Young Master Rockon here won''t have to embarrass himself?¡±


    Caprice was surprised by Heather¡¯s words.


    Why would Heather want her to buy the ear studs herself?


    Was it to mock her for being poor, or was it something else?


    Trey did not understand it either.


    Looking at Caprice and Trey¡¯s baffled expressions, Heather scoffed.


    She assumed Caprice was at a loss of action, hence the nk and baffled expression; the others shared the simr assumption.


    They were all wealthy women who had been to many social events and they had seen many women pretending to be rich but


    were not. They all showed the same expression as Caprice when they were asked to buy something expensive.


    One of the women got carried away and asked with a teasing smirk, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, little girl? Don¡¯t have the money?¡±


    Caprice and Trey were both left speechless.


    It was Caprice¡¯s first time where someone asked her if she could afford something.


    Trey did not expect that the only daughter of the richest man of Glenchester would be assumed poor.


    While Caprice was surrounded by Heather and her friends who were trying to embarrass her, a cold and deep voice sounded


    behind them.


    ¡°Pack it.¡±


    Caprice looked beyond Heather, and Heather and her friends turned around.


    Liam, in his handsome suit, stood before them with the spotlight highlighting his figure. His deep gaze looked captivating.


    Caprice was surprised.


    Heather''s eyes flickered as she immediately stepped aside. Her friends followed her to the side as well.


    They wanted to look at Liam but were not bold enough to look him in the eye.


    The staff beside the disy case came up to Liam and asked, ¡°Master Carter, are you referring to the sunflower ear studs?¡±


    Liam looked at Caprice and hummed a reply. He then pulled a ck card out of his pocket and gave it to


    the staff.


    Confused, Caprice furrowed her brows.


    Why would Liam buy the sunflower ear studs? A present for Heather?


    Caprice looked at Heather.


    Heather looked at Liam with eyes full of anticipation. However, for some reason, she did not approach Liam and instead stood


    quite far away from him.


    There was a hint of reverence on her face as well.


    Was Liam mad at her for what she said earlier?


    What a strange couple!


    Caprice failed to understand Liam¡¯s thoughts, so she simply kept an eye out for the two of them.


    Soon, the staff packed the pair of sunflower ear studs and gave it to Liam.


    Liam held the ear studs in his hand. His deep eyes ignored Heather and disregarded Trey as they were fixated on Caprice.


    Caprice blinked innocently.


    Why was he looking at her? Could it be that he bought the ear studs for her?


    Liam captured every expression on her face. His brows furrowed slightly and said, ¡°Come here.¡±


    Confused, Caprice pointed at herself. ¡°Me?¡±


    Liam looked at her. ¡°Who else do you think I¡¯m talking to?¡±


    Caprice instinctively had a nce at Heather.


    Heather and her friends stood on the side, looking awkward. She was clearly unhappy and displeased but dared not disy it.


    She even had a hint of jealousy on her face like her friends.


    Caprice could not understand the situation.


    Was Heather not Liam¡¯s girlfriend? Heather always exerted her dominance in front of Caprice, yet when Liam was present, she


    dared not even make a noise.


    ¡°Caprice?¡± the man called her with his deep voice.


    Caprice regained herposure and swiftly walked to Liam.


    Liam held her hand and hung the bag of ear studs on her wrist.


    The atmosphere plunged into an awkward silence.


    Caprice was dumbfounded.


    Heather and her friends were drowned in jealousy.


    Trey was stunned.


    The staff and some passersby were also shocked by the scene.


    Aman hanging a bag of expensive earrings on a woman''s wrist was nothing special unless the man was the owner of Carter


    Tech District and the woman was someone they did not know.


    However, all the guests who attended the event were decently wealthy.


    The woman must have had a strong background as well, and she looked pretty. She looked small in front of the man¡¯s powerful


    aura but they would make a good-looking couple.


    Did the man attend the event for the woman?


    Caprice regained herposure. She neglected the curious gazes on her and curled her lips into a sweet smile at Liam. She


    said politely, ¡°Thank you, Liam.¡±


    Liam did not reply. He had one more nce at Trey behind her and then left without saying anything.


    Caprice was once again stunned.


    Why did he leave without saying a word?


    Limited free bonus >>


    im

 Chapter 1905

    Chapter 1905


    Caprice then looked at Heather, Heather at Caprice.


    When the two of them locked eyes, Heather reacted like she saw her arch nemesis.


    She red at Caprice fiercely before walking away with her friends, seemingly going after Liam.


    Caprice frowned. She had no idea what happened.


    Had Liam gotten into an argument with Heather?Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    If so, how was she involved? Why did Liam buy her the ear studs?


    Caprice looked at the bag hanging on her wrist.


    The jewelry box inside the bag had a pair of sunflower ear studs.


    Her eyes flickered in confusion before she shrugged nonchntly.


    Argument or not, she was the bigger winner.


    Then, Trey walked up to her and asked, ¡°Caprice, are they really dating?¡±


    Caprice pondered for a moment before a thought shed in her mind.


    Were Liam and Heather never together? 1


    If they were not dating, then why would Heather always give her trouble and exert dominance?


    Two years ago, Liam was still okay with Caprice being clingy but when she grew up into an adult, Liam would push her away


    whenever she wanted a hug.


    It was obvious that he wanted to stay away from her because he already had a girlfriend.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she said.


    Trey frowned. ¡°Why do | feel... Whatever. It¡¯s none of my business.¡±


    He gave up too as he too could not figure out the answer.


    The event hall had two floors.


    The main lobby was for the disy and stage and the second floor was a parlor for guests to rest and have something to eat. It


    also provided a bird¡¯s eye view over the floor.


    After Liam separated from Caprice, he went up to the second floor and sat down on a couch by the railing.


    As soon as he sat down, Heather arrived next to him.


    Nervous, she exined, ¡°Liam, | was just joking with Caprice just now. Please don¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    She was already fired because she pranked Caprice using the ticket machine at Carter Tech District a while back, and she did


    not want to leave any more bad impression on him. She was also afraid that he would punish her.


    Liam grabbed his ss of wine and had a sip. He turned a deaf ear at the woman¡¯s words, or rather a blind eye at the woman¡¯s


    existence.


    His expression was as cold as ice and the deep gaze in his eyes showed no emotions.


    He ignored herpletely.


    Heather waited for a reply but did not get one. Her face turned pale and fear started to eat her up inside. She stammered, ¡°Liam,


    Thao¡±


    Liam then said, ¡°No more next time. Don¡¯t let me see you again.¡±


    Heather was shocked by the answer but she could not do anything. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I understand.¡±


    She reluctantly turned away and left.


    Liam looked through the ss and peered down at the floor of the main lobby.


    The ce was crowded with people and extravagant jewelry.


    He scanned the ce for a while and finally located Caprice in a corner.


    There was only a small couch, a tea table, and some decorations in that corner. There was no one else in


    herpany.


    Liam was slightly surprised because Trey was not by her side.


    Why was Caprice hiding in the corner?


    He squinted to look better and he saw Caprice take the pair of ear studs out from the jewelry box.


    She took her own studs off and reced them with the sunflower ear studs.

 Chapter 1906

    Chapter 1906


    Liam''s hand froze in the air with the ss of wine.


    Amomentary silenceter, he grinned gently and pleasantly.


    The girl liked the present he gave her, so it must mean she liked him.


    So why did she reject the engagement?


    The thought disheartened him once more.


    After Caprice put on the sunflower ear studs, she took the pocket mirror out from her purse for a look.


    It was beautiful.


    She looked into the mirror, smirking smugly before she cautiously looked around.


    No one paid attention to her, so Heather would not know that she secretly swapped her own studs for the sunflower ear studs


    that Liam bought her.


    Even though she did not want to admit it openly, she really liked the sunflower design. Even more so when Liam bought it for her.


    Caprice continued to smirk as she covered her ears with her hair before she put her own studs into the bag and went back to the


    hall.


    For some reason, after the little encounter with Liam, Trey lost his mood and wanted to leave. Caprice did not hold him back.


    It started to get boring alone, so she wanted to go home.


    Unbeknownst to her, Heather was standing stiff as a monolith on the stairs opposite where she had sat earlier.


    She saw Caprice swap her own studs with the sunflower ear studs that Liam bought for her.


    The grievance in her grew stronger and her eyes narrowed fiercely.


    Seeing Caprice hopping out of the event hall happily, Heather could not help but clenched her fists tightly.


    She lost to Caprice, an idiot good-for-nothing girl!


    She won Caprice in every aspect except for her looks but the man had his eyes on that idiot!


    The jealousy snowballed and almost burst out of her chest.


    ¡°B*tch!¡± Heather muttered grudgingly and strode down the stairs.


    Half of the event hall was in the open air.


    Although summer was unforgivingly hot, the night at Westchester was breezy.


    Caprice hastened her steps when she exited the hall.


    Outside the event hall had two beautiful fountains with one bridge in between, linking the entrance to the exit.


    She strode up to the bridge but then she heard a series of hurried footsteps behind her, chasing after her.


    It sounded strange.


    She stopped and turned around but then she saw a pair of hands pushing her over.


    Caprice widened her eyes in shock and it was at that moment, she caught a glimpse of ferocity and jealousy on Heather¡¯s face.


    Right before she fell off the bridge, Caprice reached out to grab Heather¡¯s hand and dragged her into the water as well.


    Ssh!Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Ssh!


    Two loud sshes were heard and it slightly silenced the event hall.


    Amomentter, someone screamed, ¡°Someone fell into the water!¡±


    The curious crowd immediately gathered at the entrance.


    Aswift figure shuttled across the crowd like the gale and tried to make his way to the fountains.


    The cold water swiftly drenched Caprice wet and the fountain was at least two meters deep.


    Fortunately, Caprice knew how to swim. She sttered around for a few seconds before she popped her head out of the water.


    At the same time, she also saw Heather popping her head out of the water further away.


    The two of them locked eyes once more. Heather red at Caprice coldly and said grudgingly, ¡°Caprice Stockton!¡±


    Caprice ignored her.

 Chapter 1907

    Chapter 1907


    It was Heather who pushed her. Although she disliked trouble or causing a scene, she could not just step away when someone


    tried to hurt her.


    Acrowd gathered outside the fountains, trying to have a look at what happened.


    Caprice turned away and wanted to get out to a less crowded ce, but she spotted Liam there.


    He stood in front of the crowd, gazing at her.


    The spotlight blinded her. She could only recognize him but was unable to see the expression on his face. She also did not know


    if he was looking at her or Heather.


    She was wretched. She would rather not be seen by him.


    She put her hands down and stopped trying to swim out of the fountain. She wanted to sink into the water to avoid


    embarrassment while trying to sneak away in another direction.


    However, before her head could sink below the water, she heard Liam bellowing at her, "Caprice, swim up now!¡±


    "Mhmhh?"


    Was he calling her name?


    Caprice pouted and filled her mouth with air to remain floating.


    Heather, on the other hand, had swam to the side.


    Her hair and clothes were stuck on her skin as she looked at Liam with an innocent look from the water.


    "It''s not me. It''s Caprice who dragged me down the water. | don''t know why she did that..."


    "Oh my gosh. What¡¯s wrong with her? Such poor manners."


    "| believe she¡¯s jealous of Ms. Manson. How stupid of her to do it in public."


    "Ms. Manson looked terrible. Master Carter, pull her up."


    The crowd started to take her side after Heather''s exnation.


    Caprice was slightly stunned before she looked at the man.


    His tall figure squatted, seemingly trying to pull Heather out of the water.


    Her chest tightened. Maybe because of the water''s temperature, Caprice felt cold.


    Disheartened, she released the air in her mouth and started to sink again.


    Just when she wanted to swim away, she felt a strong arm holding her by the waist, preventing her from swimming away and


    wanting to pull her up.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Swoosh.


    She popped her head out of the water again for a breath of air and opened her eyes.


    She saw a handsome face before her, wet, but that did not stop him from looking at her lovingly.


    Caprice widened her eyes. "Liam? Why did youe down for me?"


    She thought he was going to pull Heather up.


    Water trickled from his pronounced jawline. He frowned and looked at her coldly. "If | don''te down, how long do you n to


    stay in the water?"


    Caprice did not want to stay in the water, she just wanted to swim to the other, but Liam''s gaze was fierce and it robbed the


    words out of her mind.


    Liam then dragged her to the side.


    The crowd watched as Liam brought Caprice out of the water. None of them dared to say a word.


    Liam carried Caprice by the waist and butt. It made her blush when they got out of the water.


    Liam noticed the blush-stained face. His eyes narrowed and asked, "Are you feeling okay?"


    Caprice shook her head, shaking water droplets at his face.


    Liam was rendered speechless.


    "I''m sorry, I..." Caprice nervously tried to wipe the water off his face.


    After she wiped the water off his face and wanted to take her hand back, he held her by the wrist.

 Chapter 1908

    Chapter 1908


    Chapter 1908


    Caprice was slightly stunned.


    Liam got up and dragged her up in the process.


    He then carried Caprice across the bridge and exited the event hall; they walked past Heather who had just gotten out of the


    water.


    Heather was drenched, sitting on the ground in a wretched state.


    Caprice could see her ferocious gaze but the man ignored her existencepletely.


    He did not even spare a nce at her and did not even pause when he walked past her.


    Caprice was dumbfounded.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Heather was his girlfriend. However, not only did he not save Heather from the water, but he carried Caprice away in front of her


    and did not even spare a nce at her as if she was some stranger.


    Dong!


    Something hit Caprice¡¯s head and brought her back to her senses.


    As she regained her senses, she realized Liam had brought her into his car.


    He was beside her, looking at her with his deep and abyssal gaze.


    Caprice was slightly surprised. She instinctively wanted to move away but his hand wrapped around her waist before she could.


    His brows furrowed. "Where are you going?"


    "N-Nowhere.¡±


    "Sit tight."


    "Mhmm..."


    Liam released her waist after she settled down. He grabbed his dry jacket and put it over her shoulder.


    He looked rather angry, so she did as she was told and did not cause a scene.


    After putting the jacket over her, he pulled his hands back.


    It became quiet inside the car.


    Awhileter, Caprice looked at him.


    He leaned against the seat and stared ahead with a nk gaze as the car sprinted along the freeway.


    It seemed like he was driving to his ce in the city center.


    Caprice turned to the back.


    There were other cars on the road and they were going in the opposite direction of Elysian Hotel.


    The man was not nervous at all.


    Was he going to simply drive away without even talking to Heather?


    Caprice looked at him once more.


    He was still leaning against the seat and his eyes were still on the road.


    His hair and shirt were wet and it made him look even more charming.


    He probably sensed her gaze on him, so he turned to her and looked her in the eye.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.


    Caprice bit her lips awkwardly. A few seconds of hesitationter, she asked, "Liam, Heather fell into the water as well."


    "| know,¡± he answered with his usual frosty tone.


    He made it sound like Heather was a stranger.


    Caprice could not help but ask, "Shouldn''t you check on her?"


    She wondered why he would carry her away in front of Heather.


    Liam frowned and his expression turned grim. "You want me to check on her?"


    Caprice shook her head instinctively, but then she realized Heather was still his girlfriend, so she quickly exined, "No, it''s not


    what | mean. | just don''t understand why you saved me and not her."


    Liam''s brows furrowed tightly. He asked in his deep voice, "Why should | save her?"

 Chapter 1909

    Chapter 1909


    Liam was obviously annoyed and displeased.


    Caprice pouted. She decided to be frank and asked, "Isn''t she your girlfriend?"


    Liam''s expression shifted. His furrowed brows ease but his expression looked slightly grimmer.


    Startled, Caprice awkwardly wiggled closer to the door.


    At the next moment, his big hand held her tiny wrist.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice was pulled back, closer to him than just now. Her body almost pressed against his.


    She then heard his deep voice saying, "Who told you she''s my girlfriend?¡±


    Caprice looked surprised. She looked up at him and asked, "She isn''t your girlfriend?"


    He looked into her eyes and said with gritted teeth, "Of course, she''s not.¡±


    Caprice widened her eyes. "But... But they say she''s your girlfriend."


    ¡®Who are ''they''?¡±


    Caprice blinked.


    She realized even though quite a number of people told her that Heather was his most trusted assistant and the most capable,


    no one had ever told her that Heather was his girlfriend.


    However, whenever Heather was present, Liam would keep his distance from her and whenever she went looking for Liam,


    Heather would be there.


    Why?


    Heather kept exerting her dominance over Liam by calling him in an intimate tone.


    If she was not his girlfriend, what was she to him?


    "Caprice, answer my question,¡± Liam said in a deeper voice.


    Caprice looked at his gloomy expression. She reluctantly asked, "She''s really not your girlfriend?"


    "No."


    ¡®Then who is she to you?¡±


    ¡°Subordinate. I''m her superior."


    "If it''s superior and subordinate, then why the intimacy? Why is she with you everytime | see you?"


    Liam went silent, not because of guilt but because of shock.


    He did not expect her to ask him such a question.


    He answered, "Everytime you see me, I''m working. Heather is responsible for liaising with clients. Of course, she has to be with


    me.


    In other words, Heather was merely a liaison that worked for him.


    Caprice was surprised by the answer. She asked, "If there''s nothing between you two, then why did she call you so intimately in


    front of me?¡±


    Liam''s expression remained grim. "How did she call me in front of you?"


    "She called you Liam like she''s calling her boyfriend.¡±


    As though she was afraid that Liam did not believe her, she pulled her phone out and showed him the chat history with Heather.


    Heather''s tone really sounded like she was referring to Liam as her boyfriend, and she kept exerting her dominance over Liam,


    making Caprice feel like she was some mistress trying to ruin a couple¡¯s rtionship.


    Liam took her phone over to have a look.


    He scrolled through the chat window and went down to thest text she received.


    Thetest text was about Heather being fired because she set Caprice up at the entrance of the Carter Tech District.


    She first texted Caprice an apology and something like this, "Yeah. My prank at the security room made Liam mad but even if he


    doesn''t let me go, it''s time for me to leave. My parents want me back to take over the family business and Liam feels that I''m


    working too much, so it''s a good opportunity for me to take a break."


    Since when did he think Heather was working too much? When did he tell her to take a break?


    Even if he could not understand how women talk, he could tell that Heather was eager to shape herself as someone important to


    him.


    She wanted Caprice to believe that she was close, or even intimate, with Liam to the point that they were dating.


    His brows furrowed and asked, "Is this how she talks to you behind my back?" "Yeah." Caprice nodded.

 Chapter 1910

    Chapter 1910


    Liam curled his lips with a hint of frostiness shing in his eyes.


    Awhileter, he looked Caprice in the eye. Her fair and wet face made her look like a damsel in distress.


    "So you think Heather and | are dating?"Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice hummed a reply.


    "Is that why you reject our engagement?" he asked.


    "Mhmm..." Caprice pondered but shook her head. "Not exactly.¡±


    "What''s the other reason?"


    "It''s because you...you don''t..." Caprice lowered her blush-stained face.


    She was too embarrassed to utter those words in person.


    Liam narrowed his eyes. His usual calm look was reced by restlessness and anxiety at the moment.


    "| don''t what?"


    Screech!


    It was then the car stopped.


    Liam looked at the driver grudgingly.


    The driver said in a small voice, "Sir, we''re here.¡±


    Liam pursed his lips. Before the bodyguard in the passenger seat opened the door for him, he got out of the car himself.


    Caprice also nervously opened the door, but before her feet could touch the ground, Liam hade to her side.


    He bent over, reached out to her waist with both arms, and carried her down the car before heading toward the elevator.


    Caprice was like a startled kitten in his arms. Her eyes were fixated on his face and she dared not move a muscle.


    The elevator soon reached his floor.


    The door opened and he strode out.


    His unit was diagonally across the elevator.


    After he opened the door, he carried her to the bathroom in his room and finally put her down.


    ¡®Take a shower. I''ll wait for you outside.¡±


    Caprice hummed a reply.


    He walked out of the bathroom and also closed the door on his way out.


    Caprice was finally left alone but her heart pounded wildly.


    She could not refrain from thinking that Liam and Heather were not dating.


    The shower was turned on and the temperature in the bathroom swiftly rose.


    Caprice took a shower and recalled her conversation with Liam along the way, plus how she met Heather and the things that


    happened in the past two years.


    Liam was busy with work in the past two years, so busy that Caprice had not seen him more than ten times.


    Every time she met him, he was working outside the office. Even when she ran into him at the club on her 19th birthday, he was


    there because he had to meet a client.


    He only kept Heather by his side because of work, and they never had any intimate contact either.


    Even though Heather made it sound like they were close, she always behaved like a responsible subordinate when she was in


    his presence.


    If Heather was truly his girlfriend, he would not simply fire her and would not buy the sunflower ear studs for Caprice in front of


    her.


    Neither would he ignore her when she fell into the water with Caprice and neglect her existencepletely.


    Caprice sighed a breath of relief after learning the truth.


    Now that she had soothed her mood, her body felt hot because of the shower.


    She turned off the shower and wiped herself clean.


    Just when she wanted to go out, she realized she did not have any clothes on.


    She wrapped herself with a towel and opened the door into a creak.


    Just when she wanted to ask if he had any clean clothes that she could wear, she saw a chair in front of the door with a set of


    clean pajamas for men.


    Her eyes blinked before she reached out to take them in.


    After she put on the pajamas, she walked out of the bathroom.

 Chapter 1911

    Chapter 1911


    Inside the spacious and well-lit living room was Liam. He was dressed in a matching set of gray pajamas like the one Caprice


    was wearing and was resting on the couch.


    There were books and a tea set on the table, but he was neither reading nor drinking tea. He sat quietly with his arms folded in


    front of him.


    He must be waiting for Caprice.


    Soon, Caprice showed up. He turned to her and motioned her over. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Caprice approached him. She was aiming for the couch adjacent to his.


    ¡°Sit with me.¡± Liam noticed and beckoned. His voice was calm, but there was an undertone of authority that was not to be


    disobeyed.


    Caprice silently nodded and sat next to him with her cheeks flushed red.


    He turned to her. ¡°How are you feeling? Do you still feel sick?¡±


    She shook her head and murmured, ¡°No.¡±


    Liam seemed relieved to hear this. Then, he gently grabbed her by her chin and turned her to face him.


    He peered into her eyes and asked, ¡°Before you left the car, you mentioned there was another reason you did not want to get


    engaged to me. What was it?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice picked at her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s...it''s nothing.¡±


    ¡°You said it was something about me. What was it?¡± He stared at her intently. He was not going to give up until he go this


    answer.


    Caprice felt her cheeks burning. ¡°Liam, I¡¯m getting a little tired. Can | go to bed first?¡±


    She was too embarrassed to say it.


    ¡°You can sleep after you tell me.¡± After a pause, he narrowed his eyes again and added, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, then don¡¯t even


    think about going to bed.¡±


    Fine Caprice said with a grumpy pout, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like me, so | didn¡¯t want to force you into an arranged marriage just


    because your mother said so.¡±


    Something stirred in his eyes, and he seemed visibly affected to hear this.


    After a while, he made a face and began stroking her chin with his fingertips. He dered, ¡°Nobody can force me to do anything |


    wouldn''t want to do, and that includes my family.¡±


    Then again, he knew that his family never forced him into doing anything.


    He lowered his head and leaned closer toward Caprice, his voice soft yet firm. ¡°My mother only went to talk to your mother about


    the engagement after receiving my permission.¡±


    Caprice felt something stir inside her. Her eyes brightened. She blushed and asked shyly, ¡°Does that mean that you like me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, why else would | want to be engaged to you?¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°But what?¡±


    She spoke bluntly, ¡°You¡¯ve been keeping your distance from me thest two years. It¡¯s like you refuse to be intimate with me.


    Liam was silent. He seemed too stunned to elicit a word at all. It seemed like what Caprice said had caught him off guard.


    Caprice stole a look at him. ¡°Why are you not saying anything?¡±


    Was it because she was right?


    Before Liam could answer, she pressed the matter. ¡°If you said you liked me, then why wouldn¡¯t you let me hug you or even get


    close to you at all?¡±


    Liam pursed his lips and expressed weakly, ¡°Caprice, do you remember what happened two years ago? It was before | started to


    keep my distance from you.¡±


    It had been so long. How was she supposed to remember?


    All she could remember was that there was a certain turning point when Liam suddenly refused to be intimate with her anymore.


    ¡°| don¡¯t remember,¡± she spoke frankly.


    He looked at her and said softly, ¡°There was this one morning when you suddenly showed up at my house. | was still in bed at


    the time. | remember you immediately snuggled in bed with me.¡±


    She was starting to recall this scene he spoke of. ¡°What about it?¡±


    It was a regr urrence back in the day. She would snuggle in bed with him and even have him hug her like a pillow.


    ¡°Caprice, | was twenty-four at the time, so | was an adult. As for you, you were seventeen and no longer a child.¡±

 Chapter 1912

    Chapter 1912


    Chapter 1912


    If only she knew how much he had to restrain himself at the time!


    He had known ever since he was a child that he would marry Caprice one day, but he could not allow himself to cross the


    boundary with her while she was still underaged.


    He peered at her intently.


    Caprice seemed befuddled. ¡°What about it?¡±


    Of course, she knew he was an adult. All she wanted to do was to snuggle with him and get closer to him.


    Liam was silent. He noted the naive look on her face and made an expression.


    This was the first time he had to exin the dynamics of what happened back then. Suddenly, he realized he could not find the


    right words to exin it.


    Caprice stared at him with a beaming look in her eyes.


    All she could think about now was that he and Heather were not dating and that he had feelings for her this entire time. She was


    grinning from ear to ear and could not stifle the urge to sit closer to him.


    ¡°Liam, can | sit closer to you now?¡± she asked softly and warily.


    It had been a long time since she got to hug him.


    Something gleamed in Liam¡¯s eyes. He moved his left arm and rested it on the couch behind Caprice.


    Caprice was seated on his left and when she saw this, thus she took it as permission to nudge herself toward him, feeling the


    heat of his thigh against hers. Then, she wrapped her arms around his body and pressed her face toward his chest.


    Thump, thump.


    She could hear his heartbeat pounding.


    His heart was beating restlessly. This was the sensation that he had long craved. Caprice let her fingers dance on his chest.


    She was oblivious to the way that Liam was looking down at her. There was a scarlet glow in his eyes. filled with hunger like a


    predator eyeing its prey.


    ¡°Have you had enough yet?¡± he asked suddenly after some time passed. His voice was hoarse.


    Caprice looked up and asked perplexedly, ¡°Liam, why is your voice so raspy? Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What''s with your voice?¡±


    Liam made a face. He ignored her and asked again, ¡°Are you done hugging yet?¡±


    Caprice certainly had not had enough, but since Liam had to ask her twice, could this mean that he had enough already?


    Perhaps he needed something to drink because his throat was feeling parched.


    Upon realizing this, she removed herself from him. ¡°Yeap.¡±


    She tried to rise from the couch.


    Before she could fully pull herself away from him, she felt his hand grabbing her. She gave him a flustered


    look.


    In an instant, his face came within inches of hers. His voice turned into a primal deep growl, ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    With that, his lips pressed against hers.


    Bang!


    It was as if something detonated inside her head.


    She suddenly felt dizzy. This was all too sudden, and she felt disorientated.


    She had never felt such a soft sensation on her lips She could feel his breath beating on her cheeks. Her eyes were wide open


    with shock and she stood transfixed by what happened.


    When Liam finally let go of her, he noticed her flushed expression and gently stroked her forehead to summon her back to reality.


    ¡°Caprice?¡±


    Phew.


    Caprice came back to her senses. She reacted by drawing a breath.


    Liam watched her silently.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    After managing topose herself atst, she buried her face in his chest again.


    He...he... how could he suddenly kiss her without warning?


    She had only wanted to hug him and get closer to him. Her heart was pumping away like the pistons of an engine, and her face


    burned.


    She grabbed onto Liam¡¯s clothes tightly and stayed in that position for what seemed like forever.


    Liam smiled with satisfaction. He put an arm around her and said in a low, doting voice, ¡°Caprice, how long are you going to hide


    from me?¡±


    ¡°|... wasn¡¯t hiding!¡± She yelped while still pressed against his chest.

 Chapter 1913

    Chapter 1913


    He gently caressed her hair. ¡°Look at me.¡±


    She took a deep breath and looked up.


    Her blushed cheeks, which were the shade of ripe tomatoes, immediately came into Liam¡¯s view.


    He was briefly startled by the sight, then he began snickering.


    Caprice felt embarrassed and groaned, ¡°What are youughing at?!¡±


    She looked up, just like he told her to!


    Liam grinned. ¡°I''ll tell you if you lift your head taller.¡±


    There seemed to be some sort of magical effect to his words. Caprice craned her neck upward to face him just as she was told.


    Her face was fully in view now.


    It was then that Caprice realized that she had fallen into a trap.


    s, it was toote. Liam had lowered his head and locked his lips onto hers. He made sure to sp the back of her head with


    his hand so she would not have the space to break free.


    His domineering breath poured into her.


    She could not breathe, she began to struggle fruitlessly and whimper for air.


    Only then did Liam reluctantly let go of her, and there was a shine in his eyes like a predator''s lurking in the dark.


    Caprice recoiled at the sight, and her first instinct was to look for an escape. It was toote. She only managed to remove herself


    from hisp when she lost her bnce and tumbled into the couch.


    Liam pressed his weight on top of her.


    He would not give her the chance to slip away. He pin her to the couch and cupped her face in his palms and stifled her breath


    with his kiss.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Caprice whimpered.


    Liam immediately released her, then he moved on to kissing her neck.


    Caprice grew wide-eyed.


    As if an electric shock passed through her, she suddenly stiffened.


    It was a territory of sensation that had never been trespassed before. She shrank, into herself and pleaded for mercy, ¡°Liam,


    don''t...¡±


    ¡®Stop kissing me!


    ¡®Let me go!¡¯


    She was too embarrassed about this!


    Liam looked up and stopped kissing her.


    When he saw how flustered she had be, he took a deep breath and suppressed all the excitement inside him.


    He gently stroked her cheek with his fingers. After he managed to calm himself, he said, ¡°Now, do you understand why I¡¯ve been


    keeping my distance from you?¡±


    Caprice pouted. ¡°Yeah.¡±.


    She remembered watching romance drama with Freya and the others in the dormitory. Whenever scenes of the protagonists


    kissing came up on the screen, the girls would begin to shriek in excitement while also feeling waves of embarrassment wash


    through them. Freya would alwaysment about how the directors should have shown the full scene on the screen.


    She was now ying out the couch scenes with Liam. He must have wanted to do more than kissing with


    her.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Two years ago, she was still underaged when she snuggled in bed with him. He was already an adult then and must have had


    the mind to restrain himself, which led to him keeping his distance from her eventually as a solution.


    He suddenly ruffled her hair before stepping away from the couch.


    She felt his weight lifted from her body.


    She sat up and watched as he waltzed into the bathroom.


    How could he just up and leave?


    She asked suspiciously, ¡°Liam, are you going to bed?¡±


    ¡°I''m going to take a shower,¡± he replied. His voice was raspy with a hint of lingering excitement.


    As Caprice licked her lips and could still taste Liam on her lips, she blushed again. She got up and went back to the bathroom


    where she had just showered.


    She went to the mirror to inspect her reflection and was greeted by the sight of a girl with her cheeks flushed red like ripe


    tomatoes.


    Immediately startled, she quickly sshed cold water on her face.


    She stayed in there for a while and did not leave until she finally managed to cool down.


    Liam had stepped out of the shower by the time she returned to the room. He changed into a set of pajamas and was sitting on


    the couch, sipping tea.


    They made eye contact as soon as she entered.


    There was still a shadow of a bewitching smile hanging on the corner of his lips.


    She felt like she was going to blush again. ¡°Liam, I... I''m sleepy. I¡¯m going to sleep first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He said softly, ¡°The bedroom is


    the first room on the right-hand side of the corridor.¡±

 Chapter 1914

    Chapter 1914


    Chapter 1914


    Caprice entered the bedroom he spoke of.


    It was furnished roughly the same as his ce in Westchester. It was very clean and tidy, and the room was conservatively


    furnished with just the essentials and nothing more.


    After shutting the door, she climbed into bed and threw a nket over herself.


    Her heart was still beating rapidly.


    She tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.


    After some time had passed when she had finally managed to soothe her restless heart, her phone rang


    It was her father calling.


    Hup!


    She sat up abruptly.


    Oh no, she forgot to go home!


    She held the phone to her ear.


    Before she coulde up with a proper exnation, her father¡¯s voice rang through the speakers. There was a distinct note of


    suppressed anger in his voice, ¡°Caprice, are you with that Carter boy right now?¡±


    Caprice was startled. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    John took a breath topose himself. ¡°He just called your mother and told her that something happened to you at the party


    tonight. He mentioned he took you back to his ce.¡±


    Liam called her mother?


    She ryed the events of the night to her father, hoping to appease him. ¡°I identally fell into the pool at the party, and it was


    Liam who pulled me out of the pool. | waspletely drenched, and he was worried that | would get sick, so he brought me here


    back to his ce.¡±


    John asked sharply, ¡°How did you fall into the pool?¡±


    ¡°| identally fell inside. | wasn¡¯t paying attention,¡± she exined meekly.


    She could not tell him that it was Heather who pushed her because it would drive him crazy.


    Besides, she had pulled Heather into the pool with her as well. However, she was the only one Liam bothered to save.


    Heather must be furious.


    ¡°How are you feeling right now? Did you catch a cold?¡± John asked with concern in his voice.


    Caprice assured him, ¡°No, | took a hot shower when | got to Liam¡¯s ce, and I¡¯m feeling fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to pick you up right now.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I-


    Before she could finish the sentence, John hung up on her.


    She crawled out of bed and crept out of the bedroom.


    Liam was not in the living room.


    She approached the study and found him inside.


    He was dressed in the same set of pajamas and was sitting on a chair with a book in hand. There was a piercing gleam in his


    eyes, a glow sharper than the tablemp. He read with a serious expression, his lips tucked, and he looked very charming even


    when reading.


    She hesitated for a moment before calling his name, ¡°Liam.¡±


    Liam turned to her. ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    She decided to be blunt with him. ¡°My dad just called me. He said he¡¯sing to pick me up and that he will arrive in a moment.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± He promptly set his book aside, then he rose and approached her.


    He gently tousled her hair before heading into the living room. He made a pot of tea and sat down on the couch, setting the


    freshly brewed pot of tea on the table.


    Caprice sat down on the armchair adjacent to him.


    Although she was still feeling slightly flustered, she was in a much calmer moodpared to when he had kissed her just now.


    She thought about the events of the night and asked him, ¡°Liam, why were you at the party? Were you invited by the organizers


    as well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The organizers had invited him, but Caprice was the real reason he bothered to show up at all.


    ¡°Are you going back to Westchester tomorrow?¡±


    Liam cast a look at her.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    The girl looked more petite than usual because she was sitting on arge armchair. She propped her chin on her arms and


    seemed to struggle to keep her eyes open at all. She must be tired.


    ¡°Hm,¡± he answered softly.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Caprice yawned and closed her eyes briefly.

 Chapter 1915

    Chapter 1915


    Chapter 1915


    She was only nning to get some shut-eye while waiting for her father. It did not take long before she dozed off and fell asleep.


    She barely noticed that Liam had carried her in his arms back into the bedroom and settled her into bed. He made sure to tuck


    her in properly and covered her with a thick nket.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Even in her sleep, she grinned from ear to ear. She must be in a very good mood.


    Without realizing it, Liam found himself caressing her cheeks.


    After feeling the soft texture of her skin briefly, he withdrew his hand and walked out of the bedroom.


    Then, he heard a knock on the door.


    He went to the door and opened it.


    Outside the door was a tall and elegantly dressed middle-aged man. He wore his pair of iconic gold- rimmed sses, a piercing


    look shooting through the lens.


    Liam greeted the man politely, ¡°Hey Uncle Stockton. Please,e in.¡±


    John regarded him without much affection. ¡°Where is Caprice? I''ll take her home.¡±


    ¡°She fell asleep.¡±


    John frowned disapprovingly. ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    ¡°She''s in the bedroom.¡±


    He strode inside right away.


    Liam led him to the bedroom where Caprice was sleeping.


    The only light source in the room was amp in the corner painting the room with an ambiance of warm orange. Sleeping in the


    center of the bed was Caprice dressed in men¡¯s pajamas. She was sleeping like a log with a rosy blush on her cheeks.


    John surveyed the room when he entered.


    He noted the tidy bedsheets. The room as a whole was very clean and presentable. He wagered that Liam had not done


    anything to her.


    His tense expression eased as he threw a nce at Liam. Then, he walked out to the living room and took a seat by the tea


    table.


    Liam sat across from him and poured him a cup of tea.


    John took a sip from the cup before interrogating him, ¡°Why did you go to that party tonight?¡±


    Liam answered sincerely, ¡°I went because | found out about Caprice going.¡±


    John remarked darkly, ¡°You sure care a lot about her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be my future wife, so it¡¯s only natural that | care about her,¡± Liam replied without the subtlest change of


    expression.


    John seemed to struggle with his words for a moment. He cast a look at Liam and said crossly, ¡°Liam, Caprice hasn¡¯t agreed to


    the engagement.¡±


    ¡°She did not agree because there was a sort of misunderstanding back then.¡±


    ¡°What kind of misunderstanding?¡± John asked sharply, his eyes casting daggers.


    Liam met his gaze head-on. ¡°She thought | was dating somebody else already and was not interested in her.¡±


    Bang!


    John set the teacup back on the table with a degree of force His re was hostile. ¡°Liam, have you been involved with another


    woman?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Liam answered stoutly before continuing. ¡°It was an employee and acquaintance of mine She spun a lot of stories behind


    my back and led Caprice to think that we were dating Her lies seemed especially credible because | have been carefully keeping


    my distance from Caprice over thest two years, which led to her thinking that | no longer had feelings for her.¡±


    John seemed to calm down a little upon hearing this exnation.


    It was a wise choice for him to keep a mindful distance from Caprice. He was an adult while Caprice was still a teenager, and


    who knew what he could have done to her when Caprice kept flinging herself at him?


    There was another factor John was concerned about. ¡°Is this person still working with you right now?¡±


    Liam informed, ¡°I fired her a month ago.¡±


    John peered into Liam¡¯s eyes and detected not a hint of deceit. It was only then that he dropped his suspicions


    He said with a note of finality, ¡°Caprice will sleep at your ce tonight. | will pick her up tomorrow morning.¡±


    Liam poured him another cup of tea before informing him, ¡°I''ll send her back home first thing tomorrow morning. Don¡¯t trouble


    yourself.¡±


    John nced at him while taking a sip from his teacup. He grunted and stated, ¡°Take her home by eight tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Liam nodded firmly.


    With that, John put down his teacup, then he got up and went for the exit.


    Liam watched him enter the elevator before closing the door. After that, he went to Caprice¡¯s bedroom


    He took another look at her with a gentle smirk on his lips. He closed the door gently with a thud before heading back to the


    adjacent bedroom.

 Chapter 1916

    Chapter 1916


    Meanwhile, Heather had just returned to her home in Westchester.


    The hour waste.


    She had arge coat thrown over her shoulders. The moment she got out of the car, she sneezed loudly.


    The housemaid who came up to greet her quickly asked in a concerned voice, ¡°Miss, are you okay? Did you catch a cold?¡±


    Her mind instantly jogged to how Caprice had grabbed onto her so that the two of them would tumble into the pool together. The


    memory prickled her. She would not forget the sheer spite she felt when she scrambled out of the pool only to see that Liam had


    carried Caprice away.


    She roared at the housemaid, ¡°Scram!¡±


    The housemaid recoiled in fright.


    Heather strode into the house, stepping into the living room.


    Inside the living room were her parents Roman and Sophia. They were still awake and drinking tea while chatting about ongoing


    affairs inside thepany.


    When they saw Heather enter wrapped in a coat and her hair still wet, they cast surprised looks at her.


    ¡°Heath, what happened to you?¡± Sophia quickly asked.


    Roman chimed in, ¡°How did you end up in this state? | thought you attended an event in nchester.¡±


    Heather felt a bitter sting of resentment, feeling like she had been wronged. She sat between her parents and said darkly,


    ¡°Someone pushed me into the pool.¡±


    Roman¡¯s face became contorted in anger.


    Sophia was just as upset. She put her arms around Heather and asked, ¡°Who was it who pushed you?¡±


    This person must have a death wish pushing her beloved daughter into the pool!


    Heather¡¯s eyes gleamed with ice. She said with a snap in her voice, ¡°Some idiot named Caprice. She¡¯s known Liam since she


    was a kid and has a crush on him. She¡¯s jealous about how close | was with Liam and kept trying to insult me every chance she


    got with snarky remarks.¡±


    ¡°| thought | was going to teach her a lesson tonight and throw her into the pool, but the stupid wench ended up dragging me into


    the pool with her! What''s even worse is that Liam ended up carrying her out of the pool and taking her away!¡±


    Sophia scoffed and expressed sharply, ¡°What a disgusting brat! Completely shameless!¡±


    Roman considered for a moment before asking, ¡°You mentioned that this Caprice girl has known the young Carter master since


    she was a child. What''s the deal with her family?¡±


    ¡°| don¡¯t know about her family background, but if | had to guess, she should be nothing more than a cheapmoner.¡± As she


    said this, she turned to her father with a pleading look. ¡°Dad, please have your men do some investigation into her family. | won''t


    let her get away with humiliating me!¡±


    She would not stand for being humiliated by such an imbecile! How dare Caprice think herself superior to her?!


    Once she managed to get more information on her family background, she would make sure to make her life a living hell!


    Then, Liam would know just the sort of woman he deserved to have in his life!


    Roman recalled how the same Young Master Carter had threatened him thest time when he had tried to sabotage Rockon


    Technology because his daughter had asked him to


    He asked cautiously, ¡°Heath, is this Caprice the same one who went to the Young Master Carterst time to ask for help after


    what we did to Rockon Technology?¡±


    Heather frowned. ¡°I think so.¡±


    Roman scowled disapprovingly. ¡°If she could enlist Young Master Carter¡¯s help, then | assume the two of them are very close to


    each other¡± He said with a look, ¡°Heath, why don¡¯t you let this slide?¡±


    Heather frowned and became very upset.


    Sophia immediately cried out, ¡°What do you mean let it slide?! The brat threw our daughter into the pool! If it wasn¡¯t for her nasty


    ploys, Heath would have ended up with Liam Carter a long time ago!¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Heather gnashed her teeth and hissed. ¡°She''s also the one who got me fired by Liam!¡±


    When Sophia heard this, she mmed her fist into the table. ¡°So, it was her! What a sly fox¡±


    Liam Carter was a legendary figure, one that the world had never seen before Even if you dismissed his impressive


    aplishment of building the Carter Tech City from the ground up, his family was still the wealthiest monarch in Westchester


    by a mile. The umted wealth of the Carters put them among the ranks of the wealthiest groups in the entire world.


    The man was shrouded in mystery and rarely revealed himself in public. Countless youngdies in Westchester wanted to win


    his favor, but it was her daughter Heather who managed to rise above thepetition. Immediately after graduating from


    university, she became the most capable assistant of the man himself!


    It was a golden opportunity, and to think that it was squandered by the disgusting wench!


    The more Sophia thought about it, the angrier she became. She turned to Roman and said vehemently. Put your men on the


    task. | want to find out just what this Caprice brat is made of!¡±


    Roman still had some reservations. He was just as upset that his daughter was fired by Liam. However, he did not want to risk


    incurring Liam¡¯s wrath by proxy.


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 Chapter 1917

    Chapter 1917


    Heather sensed her father¡¯s reluctance. She took a deep breath and assured him, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. | won''t do anything rash. |


    just want to find out what kind of connections Caprice has, then | can figure out how to deal with her. I''ll make sure Liam doesn¡¯t


    find out about it.¡±


    Roman stirred. ¡°Heath, | still think it¡¯s best that we move on from this. Nothing is going toe out of you taking revenge against


    her.


    He was a man of business and recognized that the risk far outweighed the potential rewards. This was a wholly unnecessary


    venture.


    Heather fixed a look of determination in her eyes. ¡°Dad, | want to be with Liam. Caprice has nothing going for her except for her


    looks, and | know that | am better than her in every way possible. | cannot stand to see her steal Liam away from me.¡±


    Roman was caught by surprise, and something gleamed in his eyes.


    If his daughter could tie the knot with Liam, their family prosperity would be set for life.


    Heather was relentless. ¡°Dad, | have to find out more about her. That way, | cane up with a n to wrench her away from


    Liam.¡±


    Atst, Roman gave in. ¡°Alright, I''ll put some investigators on her tail.¡±


    In nchester, it was day by the time Caprice opened her eyes.


    She sprang up from the bed.


    The phone was next to her pillow. She tapped the screen to look at the time, and it was seven in the


    morning.


    She hurriedly crawled out of bed and walked out of the bedroom. She could smell breakfast.


    When she stepped into the living room, she saw Liam sitting by the dining table with a newspaper in hand.


    He was dressed in his usual business attire: a ck buttoned shirt paired with khakis. She noticed strands of hair draped over


    his forehead as he assumed a rxed pose on the chair, appearing unbelievably and effortlessly handsome.


    The scenes ofst night were still ying in her mind.


    She felt herself steaming with embarrassment. Then, she greeted him with a smile, ¡°Hey, Liam, good morning.¡±


    Liam turned to her with a warm glow in his eyes. ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°| identally fell asleepst night. Did my dad show up?¡± she asked nervously.


    ¡°He did, then he left.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± She asked warily, ¡°Did he say anything?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Stockton asked me to send you home before eight in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± That sounded exactly like what her father would say.


    Liam motioned. ¡°Take a shower before you have breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Caprice only brushed her teeth and gave her face a quick rinse before joining Liam at the dining table.


    She sat across from him. The breakfast was still steaming with heat, and they were all her favorites.


    After she had her fill, she set the utensils aside and turned to Liam. ¡°Liam, I¡¯m full.¡±


    Liam put the newspaper down. ¡°Alright.¡±


    He rose and motioned to her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She obediently followed behind him.


    She stared at his back and broad shoulders and suddenly felt an itch. She wanted to hug him, but what if he kissed her again?


    While she was still struggling with her urge to hug him, he suddenly stopped.


    Thump!


    She mmed her head into his back.

 Chapter 1918

    Chapter 1918


    ¡°Ow!¡± Caprice yelped.


    Liam turned around and rubbed the tip of her forehead with his finger on the spot where she crashed into


    him.


    She murmured, ¡°Why did you stop suddenly?¡±


    ¡°We''ve reached the elevator,¡± he said while gesturing at the elevator. Then, he pressed the button to summon the elevator to


    their floor.


    Caprice cringed at her silly question. ¡°Oh.¡±


    The elevator was on the way to their current floor.


    While Liam stood over her and observed her rosy cheeks, a spark appeared in his eyes as he asked, ¡°What were you thinking


    about?¡±


    ¡°| wasn¡¯t thinking about anything,¡± she stammered as she spoke.


    ¡°How did you bump into me then?¡± He persisted.


    Caprice avoided his gaze. ¡°I... It was just an ident. | wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    She did not realize that her cheeks had blossomed into a dark red shade by this point.


    Liam smirked.


    The elevator happened to arrive right at that moment, and the doors opened to wee them inside.


    Caprice kept her head focused on the ground and walked inside.


    The elevator doors closed swiftly. They were the only two upants inside. Liam stood in the center of the space.


    Capricepped around behind him and stared at his back, feeling the same urge creeping up to her again.


    Although the shirt he wore cloaked the silhouette of his body, she could glimpse the shape of a muscr back from his broad


    shoulders. She wondered how good it must feel to hug him.


    ¡°You can hug me if you want.¡± Suddenly, his voice echoed in the elevator.


    Caprice made a face.


    Since the man himself had given her permission, she was not going to hold back any longer!


    ¡°Okay.¡± She spread her arms wide and hugged him from behind.


    Wow... What a sensation!


    She rubbed her face all over her back like a kitten rubbing itself against its favorite person.


    Liam''s expression suddenly tightened as though he was holding back.


    Ding.


    The elevator doors opened, and they arrived on the first floor.


    Upon hearing the chime of the elevator, Caprice prepared to utch herself from Liam. Just as she was about to do that, she


    watched as Liam hold his arms out and press the button to the twenty-eighth floor of the building, the highest floor.


    His ce was not on the twenty-eighth floor.


    She asked in a puzzled voice, ¡°Liam, why are we going to the twenty-eighth floor? | thought we were going back to-¡±


    He suddenly swung around to face her, and there was a primal glow in his eyes like a predator that had finally cornered its prey


    after starving for days.


    He cupped one of hisrge palms around her waist and grabbed her chin with the other hand, turning her to face him with brute


    force.


    His lips locked themselves on hers, leaving not a single crevice for air to escape.


    Having gained experience from the previous night, he would mindfully open up a crack from time to time to allow her to breathe.


    In this manner, Caprice learned to synchronize her breathing with him.


    But after a while, he turned up the intensity again.


    He kissed like a savage as if he was going to devour her whole.


    Caprice felt her strength sap out of her, her legs turning soft and limp. All she could do was emit tender moans in between


    breaths.


    The elevator reached the twenty-eighth floor. The door opened and closed again shortly after.


    Caprice was pushed into the corner of the elevator, kissing Liam on her tiptoes.


    Then, the elevator began to move without them pressing any buttons. It slowed down when it reached the ninth floor and the


    door opened following a swift chime.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Only then did Liam let go of her. He put his arms around her and pressed her head close to his chest. Caprice was still drunk


    with passion when she noticed another person stepping into the elevator.


    It was probably another resident who lived on this floor.


    She felt her cheeks growing red hot. She burrowed herself closer into his chest and stayed still like a nk.


    The stranger seemed to have noticed something and retreated into the corner of the elevator to give them space.


    Once the elevator reached the first floor and the door opened, the stranger shuffled out quickly.


    Caprice was deeply embarrassed. She looked up at Liam with her cheeks flushed with red.


    The stranger must have sensed something!


    Liam looked at her delicate expression. He smirked and teased her, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Haven¡¯t you had


    enough yet?¡±


    She never expected such flirtatious words toe out of the stoic and by-the-book Liam!


    Feeling equally appalled and excited, she briskly shoved him away and shuffled out of the elevator.

 Chapter 1919

    Chapter 1919


    She had only managed two steps into the corridor when a hand seized her by her wrist.


    With a tremendous pull, Liam dragged her back to his side.


    Caprice gave him a brief, shy look. Her cheeks glowed with a shade of pink.


    Liam grinned smugly and led her outside with him.


    His car was parked in the open space right outside the building.


    As soon as they appeared, the driver got out of the car and opened the door for them.


    Liam let go of Caprice so that she could enter the car.


    She burrowed into the car, and he followed her into the car after.


    ¡°Take us to the Stocktons,¡± he instructed the driver.


    The driver obliged and began driving.


    Asilence descended upon them after that.


    After a while, after Caprice had managed to calm her beating heart, she felt like her cheeks had be swollen. She took out a


    piece of small mirror from her bag to inspect her face further.


    Just as she thought, it was puffed up and glowing red!


    She suddenly blushed again for the umpteenth time and stole nces in Liam¡¯s direction.


    He was seated in an elegant posture, his tall and straight back pressed against the leather seat. His eyes were pointed forward


    with a usual coolness gleaming underneath his gaze. He looked like apletely different person from the one smothering her


    with kisses in the elevator.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Caprice grunted grumpily.


    Liam immediately heard her grunting and turned to her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She had never been good at hiding it when she was in a bad mood. She asked snappily, ¡°How are you so calm?¡±


    Liam cocked an eyebrow with a puzzled look on his face. ¡°Why am | so calm?¡±


    ¡°You were... you were doing that to me in the elevator just now.¡±


    Liam observed her flushed cheeks and smiled yfully. ¡°Are you still thinking about what happened in the elevator?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Caprice cried out, then she exined, ¡°It¡¯s just- | haven¡¯t calmed down yet. How is it that you¡¯ve calmed down so quickly?¡±


    Liam brushed her cheek with the tips of his finger and remarked foxily, ¡°I would have taken you back to my bedroom if | didn¡¯t


    force myself to calm down.¡±


    Take her back to the bedroom?


    Caprice became flustered. A giant ssh of red formed on her cheeks again.


    He wanted to do it with her!


    She thumped his chest with her fist. ¡°Stop it!¡±


    She shuffled to the other side of the car and covered her burning cheeks with her palms.


    Liam grinned and let her be. He told himself that he could not rush it because she was not ready yet.


    He had to give her some more time.


    After a roughly twenty-minute drive, they reached Caprice¡¯s house.


    It was a little over ten minutes past the appointed hour of eight in the morning, but it was no big deal.


    John, Sherry, and Madam Stockton were waiting for them in the main courtyard.


    After stepping out of the car with Liam, Caprice greeted them with a bright smile, ¡°Grandma, Mom, Dad, I¡¯m home.¡±


    She smiled brightly with a ruddy glow on her cheeks, appearing to be in a good mood.


    Madam Stockton and Sherry shed warm smiles and cast a yful, knowing look at Liam.


    Meanwhile, John was regarding Liam with a sharp expression.


    Liam walked with Caprice and greeted them politely, ¡°Good morning, Grandma Stockton, Uncle Stockton, Aunt Sherry.¡±


    Thedies returned his greeting with warm smiles.


    John shot a brief look at him before asking. ¡°Are you going back to Westchester after this?¡±


    This caught the attention of Caprice who had just gone up to her mother and grandmother, and she turned around and looked at


    them.


    Liam answered, ¡°There''s nothing that urgently needs my attention today, so I¡¯m not in a rush.¡±


    Sherry offered kindly, ¡°Stay here for lunch before you go back!¡± She darted a look at John, dissuading him from protesting.


    John zipped his lips.


    Liam epted the offer. ¡°Sure.¡±


    He turned to look at Caprice to find her grinning from ear to ear.


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 Chapter 1920

    Chapter 1920


    Chapter 1920


    There were still several hours to go until lunchtime.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Madam Stockton and Sherry exchanged a look. Following that, Sherry turned to John and suggested, ¡± John, wasn¡¯t there a new


    gadget you''ve been talking abouttely? Since Liam is here, why don¡¯t you show it to him and see if he can tell you more about


    it?¡±


    John seemed intrigued by the idea. He turned to Liam, ¡°Would you mind?¡±


    Liam answered dly, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    John seemed pleased to hear this. He turned around and motioned for Liam to follow.


    Liam gave Caprice a look before following John.


    Caprice wanted to follow the men, but before she could even take a step, Sherry and Madam Stockton made her stay with them.


    Sherry did her best to suppress a smile upon sensing her daughter¡¯s anxious expression and told her, Caprice, there¡¯s


    something we want to talk to you about.¡±


    Caprice shot an unnerved, suspicious look at them.


    Madam Stockton stepped forward and ruffled her hair. She spoke with a note of concern in her voice, How did you fall into the


    poolst night?¡±


    She had been to plenty of hotels and had seen how their pools were designed. Careful attention was paid to the architecture to


    prevent hotel guests from identally falling in. Besides, there were countless ponds around the house, and Caprice never once


    had an idental tumble into the pond growing up.


    There must be more to it.


    Caprice wanted to tell them that it was an ident, but then she noticed the skeptical looks they were shooting at her. Her voice


    was caught in her throat, and she knew she could not get away with lying.


    Sherry held her tenderly and spoke softly, ¡°Caprice, you can tell us the truth. Did somebody push you into the pool?¡±


    Caprice grunted, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Madam Stockton immediately red up with rage. ¡°Who was it? Tell me right now!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s someone who has a crush on Liam. Last night, Liam bought me the most expensive set of earrings at the event with


    everyone present as witnesses. She must have been bothered by that gesture and decided to shove me into the pool to senda


    message. Too bad for her though because | ended up pulling her into the pool with me.¡± As she said this, a proud smirk formed


    on her lips. ¡°After that, Liam jumped into the pool and saved me.¡±


    Something shed across Sherry¡¯s eyes.


    Madam Stockton was confused by the tone of Caprice¡¯s voice. Why did it sound like she was d that she was shoved into the


    poolst night?


    ¡°Is this person you''re talking about a past employee of Liam¡¯s?¡± Sherry asked while doing her best to contain her grin.


    This caught Madam Stockton¡¯s interest.


    Caprice was taken aback by her mother¡¯s spection. ¡°Mom, how did you know?¡±


    Sherry smiled and told her, ¡°When your father went to get youst night, Liam told him the full story.¡±


    Caprice felt like she was going to blush again. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°What''s the full story? Somebody clue me in!¡± Madam Stockton felt like they were speaking in anguage she did not


    understand.


    Sherry obliged. ¡°The person who shoved Caprice into the pool was one of Liam''s ex-assistants. Since she worked with Liam


    back then, she got to spend a lot of time with him. She had a crush on him and made it seem like she had a very close


    rtionship with Liam to give Caprice the impression that they were dating. This was the reason Caprice refused the


    engagement two days ago.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what it is.¡± Madam Stockton scowled disapprovingly as she turned to Caprice. ¡°Caprice, why don¡¯t you tell me who this


    terrible person is? It¡¯s one thing for her to try to sabotage your rtionship with Liam, but it¡¯s another matter entirely to try to hurt


    you and shove you into the pool. This is uneptable! | will have to talk some sense into the youngdy.¡±


    ¡°Grandma, there¡¯s no need for that,¡± Caprice tried to coax her feverish rage. ¡°Besides, | pulled her into the pool with me too. Also,


    think about it this way: if she hadn¡¯t done that, then Liam wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to save me and rify the


    misunderstanding between us.¡±


    Madam Stockton did not seem convinced.


    ¡°Caprice is not a child anymore. Let¡¯s do as she says.¡± Sherry took Caprice¡¯s side.


    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry. | won''t let myself get tricked by her again.¡± She only fell for her schemes because she had been under


    the impression that Liam was dating her. Now that she knew the truth, she would not allow herself to be fooled again.


    Madam Stockton seemed assured upon hearing this.


    Sherry reminded Caprice, ¡°Caprice, we will excuse what happened this time, but if something like this happens again, you have


    to tell us. Do you understand?¡±


    She knew that Caprice could be too easy-going for her own good at times. She was not the type to bear resentment and tend to


    let offense slide past her, and this opened her up as an easy target at times.


    Next time, even if Caprice decided to let it slide, her mother and grandmother would not stand for it.


    Madam Stockton became very emotive when she heard Sherry and chimed in, ¡°That''s right. You have to let us know if something


    like this happens next time.¡±


    Caprice bobbed her head up and down. ¡°I got it, | got it.¡±


    Caprice chatted with her mother and grandmother for a while before excusing herself.

 Chapter 1921

    Chapter 1921


    Chapter 1921


    John¡¯s study was inside another courtyard.


    Caprice walked to the adjacent courtyard.


    Upon her arrival, she noticed that the windows of the study were open. Her eyes shone. She quickly tiptoed to the window,


    careful to not make any noise.


    She heard voicesing from inside the study.


    ¡°It''s a very new project. If you¡¯re nning to expand its scope, why don¡¯t we work on it together? | just happen to be nning to


    expand into the nchester market.¡±


    It was Liam''s voice. There was a gravitas in his voice that one usually would not expecting from a person in his mid-


    twenties.


    She could not resist the urge to poke her head through the window and steal a peek inside.


    Liam and her father were seated on separate armchairs.


    Her father was in the middle of taking a sip from a teacup. He started shifting some documents around on the table, and that was


    when he suddenly directed a piercing gaze in Caprice¡¯s direction.


    She recoiled from shock and quickly ducked away from his sight.


    In the middle of her sudden jerk of movement, she identally bumped into the wall.


    Caught off-guard by the pain, she groaned out loud.


    Inside the study, Liam stirred with alert, then he quickly rose and walked out of the study.


    Caprice was squatting on the ground, massaging a spot on her head with her fingers. The pain started to fade away as she


    applied pressure to the spot.


    She stopped massaging it and prepared to get up, and that was when she noticed someone offering a hand to her from the


    corner of her eyes.


    She looked up with a nk and confused expression.


    Liam wad doubled over her. He started to massage the slightly swollen part of her head while casting a displeased look into her


    eyes.


    She whimpered, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to intrude.¡±


    He continued massaging her forehead before asking. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore,¡± Caprice answered with a childlike grin.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He pretended to scowl at her and proceeded to pinch her fleshy cheeks.


    She followed suit and brushed her fingers over his face which was cool withposure, appearing handsome like a prince.


    This was something she had always wanted to do, and now she finally had a chance to.


    Liam was briefly startled.


    Caprice started to pinch his cheeks.


    He suppressed a smile and began to pinch her cheeks harder as well while uttering a threat, ¡°Let go.¡±


    She reacted by putting her other hand out and cing her fingers on his other cheek. She was not going


    to let up. ¡°You let go first.¡±


    He gave him a look.


    She cocked her chin upward to show that she was not going to back down.


    This was her turf. She was not afraid of him!


    After a prolonged standoff, Liam suddenly smirked, and an idea came to him. Without warning, he began to draw close toward


    Caprice.


    She felt her cheeks beginning to heat up. She leaned away while asking nervously. ¡°This is my house, you... What are you


    doing?¡±


    Liam began to chuckle, seeming like he had some dark intentions.


    Caprice continued to back away to the point where she nearly lost her bnce. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, a voice


    suddenly interjected, ¡°Ahem!¡±

 Chapter 1922

    Chapter 1922


    Liam stopped.


    Caprice jerked away and fell over,nding on the ground with a soft thud.


    She saw her father standing in front of the window.


    Her cheeks were burning. She covered her face with her hands and did not even bother to pick herself off the ground.


    For the first time, she could spot a hint of nerves in Liam¡¯s usually cool andposed expression.


    It went away as quickly as it came. After he rposed himself, he went to Caprice and carried her in


    his arms.


    He turned to John and spoke solemnly, ¡°Uncle Stockton, Caprice hit her head. I''ll carry her back to her


    room.¡±


    John cast a sharp look at him with a grunt, ¡°Hm.¡±


    With that, Liam carried Caprice in his arms and started to walk away.


    Once they were out of the courtyard, she removed her hands from her face. She instantly met Liam¡¯s eyes.


    He was looking down at her. He must have seen how rattled she had be, but he wore a faint smile. It looked like he was


    holding backughter.


    Caprice shot a look at him, then she burrowed her face in his chest so he would not keep staring at her


    Her courtyard was directly diagonal across the courtyard of her parents.


    After a while, Liam brought her into her room.


    Her small courtyard was slightly smaller but very neat, and her room was well-decorated and homely.


    Upon stepping inside, Liam settled her on the couch.


    She tried to pull herself up, then she felt a palm gripping her chin.


    He hunched over and brought his face within inches of hers.


    Before she could react, he had nted his soft and luscious lips onto hers. Her eyes flew wide open with shock.


    Liam quenched his thirst on her taste and spoke in between kisses, ¡°Close your eyes.¡±


    His voice was alluring and seductive.


    Caprice closed her eyes submissively


    They continued to kiss for a while, filling each other with passion while maneuvering their heads and lips delicately around each


    other.


    She could feel his caress which was so gentle and yet so forceful at the same time. Then, she began to feel up his body the


    same way. She even grabbed the cor of his neck.


    He suddenly held his breath.


    Immediately after that, he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her from the couch as if she did not weigh anything at all.


    He took her into his arms.


    Their breathing had be erratic at this point as he smothered her in endless kisses.


    She was losing her mind and moaned softly.


    Her stifled voice seemed to have snapped Liam back to his senses. He suddenly let go of her. He pulled away from her and


    stared at her reddened cheeks, her quaint expression, and her sparkling eyes that were filled with hunger.


    The excitement in his chest came surging back up again like a torrent. He pursed his lips tightly and promptly went outside.


    Caprice, still drunk in passion, was confused by his sudden departure.


    Why did he suddenly get up and leave?


    She patted her restless chest to calm her beating heart. With a long sigh, she got up and went outside.


    As soon as she crossed into the living room, she noticed his tall figure standing over the sink on the side of the courtyard. He


    was sshing cold water on his face.


    After a while, he stopped his busy movements and leaned with one hand against the wall. He hung his head low and panted as if


    he was struggling for breath.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He had unbuttoned the cor of his shirt at one point. Loose strands of hair were clumped together after contact with water and


    draped over his forehead. Loose droplets of water slid down the contours of his cheeks and traced down to his chin, then his


    neck, passing through his prominent Adam¡¯s apple.


    Caprice asked with stark confusion, ¡°Liam, are you okay?¡±


    Liam turned to her.


    After sshing his face with cold water, all the color drained out of hisplexion. Underneath his bold brows, his eyes


    contained a prating gaze, red with red like a rabid animal.


    Caprice retorted backward the moment she met his gaze and shrunk into herself.


    Liam frowned, then he began sshing water over his face again. Cold water clung to every pore of his skin, dissipating the


    burning heat inside his body.


    He sighed deeply and opened his eyes. Then, he turned around and was prepared to exin what had happened to Caprice.


    The moment he turned around, he met Caprice standing only inches away from him.


    She looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes and handed him a set of clean towels. ¡°Here you go.¡±

 Chapter 1923

    Chapter 1923


    Liam cast a nk look at her before taking the towel and drying his face with it.


    Then, he gently ruffled her hair. ¡°Did | scare you back there?¡±


    Caprice shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    She was slightly startled, but not to the point of being scared.


    Liam smiled faintly. ¡°Sit down. Let me see your head.¡±


    Caprice did as she was told and sat down on a nearby chair.


    He delicately parted her hair with his slender fingers and studiously inspected the spot where she had just bumped her head


    when she was lurking outside the study.


    Caprice pursed her lips into a thin smile and told him, ¡°Liam, I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t even hurt anymore.¡±


    He seemed relieved. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    There was some slight redness, but there was no wound.


    After watching him return to his usual demeanor, she asked, ¡°What happened to you back there?¡±


    It looked like he wanted to devour her whole.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°It¡¯s just... amon reaction from a man.¡±


    mon reaction from a man? What was that supposed to mean?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She was left more confused.


    Liam was already walking away and seemed to be headed somewhere else.


    Caprice decided to stop probing him for answers. She got up and followed him.


    Casually taking his hand into hers, she smiled and gestured. ¡°Here, let me show you the garden in the back. It looks very pretty


    now because all the flowers are in bloom.¡±


    Liam smiled and squeezed her hand gently. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Time passed quickly.


    Caprice felt like they had only been walking around the garden for a while when one of the housemaids had shown up and told


    them that her father was summoning them for lunch.


    They had no choice but to join them at the dining table right away.


    It was a fine lunch.


    After the meal, Liam bid farewell to John, Sherry, and Madam Stockton. With that, he took his leave.


    While he was spending time in the garden with Caprice, he had to answer two urgent calls. Something had probablye up in


    Westchester that needed his attention.


    Although Caprice was reluctant to let him go, she knew better than to get in the way of his work. She walked him to the gate.


    His car was parked in its original spot.


    He walked over to his car and turned around to look at her.


    Since there was nobody around, she plunged into his arms.


    Liam ruffled her hair. ¡°I''ll be going now.¡±


    Caprice hugged him longingly, then she raised herself on her tiptoes and pecked the corner of his lips. She said affectionally,


    ¡°See you, Liam.¡±


    Liam returned a radiant smile. ¡°Take care at home.¡±


    ¡°Yeap.¡±


    He gently brushed her cheeks, then he got into the car.


    Caprice watched the car pull out of the driveway before heading back into the house.


    There was a hop to her step; perhaps the fine weather attributed to her good mood.


    Two dayster, at night, after dinner, Capricey on the couch and scrolled mindlessly on her phone.


    Midway through a brief chat with her friends, she went to check out Liam¡¯s profile again.


    There were no new posts from him today-he must be quite busy.


    She turned over on the couch and continued chatting with her friends. Freya and Piper were busy, and Lana was the only one


    keeping herpany.


    After some mindless chatter, Lana suddenly told her, ¡°Hey, Caprice, | need to clear an in-game mission. Talk to youter.¡±


    With that, she was gone.


    Caprice sighed and tapped on Liam¡¯s profile again and went to the message section.


    It had only been two days since they were separated, but it felt like two years had passed. She missed him like the desert


    missed the rain, but she did not want to distract him from his work.


    She turned the idea in her head for a while before texting him, ¡°Hey, Liam, are you finished with work yet?¡±

 Chapter 1924

    Chapter 1924


    After a while, she received a response from Liam.


    Instead of sending her a text, he gave her a video call.


    Her eyes shone with joy as she promptly epted the video call.


    His charming and handsome face, which she had been missing for so long, showed up on the disy.


    She greeted him with a brilliant smile, ¡°Hey, Liam, finished with work already?¡±


    ¡°Almost.¡± Liam leaned against his chair and asked with a sparkle in his eyes, ¡°What have you been up to today?¡±


    ¡°Same old, same old,¡± she remarked, then added shyly, ¡°And I¡¯ve been thinking about you.¡±


    It was true-she had been thinking about him.


    Something stirred in Liam¡¯s eyes, and a shadow of a smile surfaced on his lips. ¡°I''ll visit you in a few days¡±


    Caprice was d to hear this. ¡°Sure!¡±


    She could fairly hear the voice of his assistant in the background. It sounded like the assistant was rying a report.


    She said mindfully, ¡°I''ll let you get back to work.¡±


    ¡°Alright, make sure you don¡¯t stay upte.¡± He hung up after that.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice put away her phone and hopped off the couch.


    She tucked her hands in her pockets and walked around outside without any purpose. Her parents went to attend a certain event


    and were not home yet. Only Madam Stockton was at home.


    She found herself wandering over to Madam Stockton¡¯s.


    Madam Stockton was ecstatic to see her, especially at such ate hour. She waved her over. ¡°Caprice.e over here and chat


    with your grandma.¡±


    Caprice obliged and went to her. Madam Stockton began to ramble about all sorts of things. She talked about her recent


    interests, mixed with some candid gossip as well as recollections from the past.


    Caprice had heard some of these stories several times.


    The stories pretty much went in from one ear and out the other, and she would nod and grunt from time to time to pretend she


    was listening.


    Madam Stockton soon noticed that her mind was elsewhere. She pinched her cheeks and asked, ¡°You''re bored at home, aren''t


    you?¡±


    Caprice was honest and nodded.


    Madam Stockton pinched her cheeks again. ¡°If you¡¯re so bored, go to your parents and ask them to find something for you to do.


    You''re not a child anymore. It¡¯s time for you to learn something practical.¡±


    She was the only daughter of John and Sherry, which made her the only sessor in line to their business empire.


    She scowled almost instinctively. She would much ratherze around at home rather than work at her parents¡¯ ce.


    Regardless, she made a show of taking her grandmother¡¯s advice lest she got subjected to more nagging. ¡°I got it, Grandma. I''ll


    talk to them when I have the time.¡±


    Madam Stockton smiled dly and moved on to another subject.


    Meanwhile, at Carter Tech City, after Mitch finished rying his report, he took the documents that Liam had signed and excused


    himself from the office.


    Liam turned off hisputer and prepared to wrap up his work for the day. He looked at the time, it was already ten.


    Judging by Caprice¡¯s usual schedule, she was probably asleep by this hour.


    He pondered for a moment before reaching for his phone and calling John.


    After a few rings, the call was connected.


    Liam asked politely, ¡°Uncle Stockton, do you have time to talk?¡±


    John grunted and spoke without any inflection in his voice, ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the project you talked about?¡±


    Two days ago, after he had sent Caprice home, John spoke to him about a certain project concerning a new gadget that he had


    taken an interest in: Seeing that it was still in its infancy, Liam had made a passing remark to John that he could coborate with


    him and work on it together.


    John remarked briskly, ¡°I do, but I¡¯ve been busytely, so I¡¯ll talk to you about it next time.¡±


    Liam made sure to get his word in. ¡°My opinion is that we should begin developing it sooner rather thanter. It¡¯s already being


    used in Westchester, and if we don¡¯t make the first move in nchester, someone else might swoop in and make a move. I¡¯ve


    already received several pending offers for coboration recently in nchester.¡±

 Chapter 1925

    Chapter 1925


    Chapter 1925


    John suddenly fell into a pensive silence, then he said curtly, ¡°I''ll have one of my staff talk to you about it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± After a momentary pause, Liam remarked, ¡°Uncle Stockton, | have a certain candidate in mind that could handle the


    project for you.¡±


    John asked suspiciously, ¡°Who would that be?¡±


    Liam proposed, ¡°Caprice.¡±


    John fell silent.


    Meanwhile, Sherry who was seated in the car with him on their way back home noticed the queer expression on his face. She


    turned to him and asked perplexedly, ¡°What happened?¡±


    John grinned, seemingly amused by the suggestion. He gave Sherry a look to say that he would tell her about it after the call,


    then he answered Liam, ¡°Sure.¡±


    It was about time his daughter started getting involved with the family business.


    He knew that Liam had certain ulterior purposes behind this suggestion, but it was a good chance for Caprice to pick up some


    experience nheless.


    With that, he hung up.


    Sherry cast a strange look at him. ¡°What did Liam tell you?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    John told her about the project Liam mentioned and about the boy¡¯s suggestion of putting Caprice on the project


    Sherry chuckled heartily upon hearing this. ¡°He must have figured that it¡¯s a good chance for him to meet Caprice often.¡±


    John snorted, ¡°Sneaky brat.¡±


    He had long wanted Caprice to get involved with the family business, but the girl was too yful and had zero interest in such


    affairs. He did not have the heart to force her, but now that it was Liam asking, he


    doubted that she would refuse.


    The next day, Caprice slept until she woke up naturally.


    As usual, she took her sweet time crawling out of bed.


    After getting dressed, she casually strolled to Madam Stockton¡¯s courtyard to have breakfast with her


    Unexpectedly, she met her parents there.


    She yelped, ¡°Mom, Dad, aren¡¯t you two going to work today?¡±


    They were usually not at home at this hour.


    John and Sherry greeted her with a smile.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing important going on today,¡± Sherry remarked.


    John waved Caprice over. ¡°Caprice, sit with me. | have something important to tell you.¡±


    Something important?


    Caprice sat down skeptically.


    Not only were her parents smiling suspiciously at her, but even her grandmother also wore the same knowing look on her face,


    her eyes tender with affection.


    This aroused her curiosity, and she began to probe nervously, ¡°What''s going on? Tell me already!¡±


    John handed her a croissant before telling her, ¡°There''s this gadget | want to introduce into the nchester market with Liam,


    but my hands are full these days. | was wondering if you would help me take over this project instead.¡±


    Caprice immediately asked, ¡°A coboration with Liam?¡±


    It seemed like that was the only part she paid attention to.


    There was a twitch in John¡¯s voice as he replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sherry added, ¡°Liam will be involved with the process as well, which means you will be liaising with him if you handle the


    project.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes beamed with light and she agreed without any hesitation, ¡°Okay, I''ll do it!¡±


    She had been brooding over not getting to see Liam.


    Asudden stiffness formed on Sherry¡¯s smile.


    John¡¯s face darkened by several degrees as well.


    They had tried countless approaches to get their daughter to at least take a remote interest in the family business, but she would


    not budge no matter what they tried. Now that Liam was getting involved, she agreed without so much as a single consideration!


    How were they, as her parents, not supposed to be bothered by this?


    Madam Stockton was celebrating jubntly, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. Our Caprice is finally helping out with the business!¡±


    Caprice sniggered proudly, ¡°Hehe.¡±


    John and Sherry were utterly speechless. They grimaced.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day>>


    m

 Chapter 1926

    Chapter 1926


    Chapter 1926


    After breakfast, Caprice and John arrived at the Stockton Corporation headquarters.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    John personally walked her into the department in charge of the project. He made sure to leave behind a message with the


    supervisor before leaving.


    Soon, a personal desk was assigned to Caprice.


    Seated to her left and right were two senior members of the team, and they were going to be her assistants going forward.


    They were both in their thirties, one was a man named Logan, and the other ady named Brianne. They seemed very friendly. It


    was only right that they would be very cordial with her. They were dealing with the future sessor of the corporation after all.


    Most of the preliminary details of the joint project with Carter Tech City had been worked out.


    Brianne handed Caprice a stack of documents with the relevant information. Then, she went through everything along with


    Logan and made sure to highlight certain key phrases as well as some industry lingo that Caprice may be unfamiliar with.


    After hearing their detailed presentation, Caprice briefly read through the documents again and caught up


    on the current status in no time.


    Logan and Brianne stared at her expectantly.


    When they failed to enact a response from Caprice, Brianne asked cautiously, ¡°Miss Stockton, is there anything you''d like us to


    rify?¡±


    ¡°No need, | understand everything,¡± Caprice assured them before adding, ¡°No need to be so formal with me. Just address me by


    my name.¡±


    Brianne seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding reluctantly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Caprice could sense her apprehension immediately. She exined, ¡°All of my friends call me Caprice, so you should call me


    Caprice from now on!¡±


    She turned to Logan. ¡°You too, Logan.¡±


    Although her father reigned over the corporation, she was essentially a novice. Both Brianne and Logan were very much her


    seniors, and it was only right that she gave them the respect they deserved.


    Brianne and Logan seemed taken aback.


    They must not have been expecting Caprice to turn out to be so down-to-earth. There was not a hint of pompousness they


    expected from a pampered daughter of the CEO.


    Caprice fiddled with the documents for a moment before asking, ¡°Brianne, Logan, is this the contact information of the person in


    charge in Carter Tech City?¡±


    The two nodded in unison.


    Caprice took a deep breath to brace herself, then she picked up the phone on the table. She dialed the number and heard the


    mechanical ring.


    Beep.


    The call was connected very shortly after. It was an unfamiliar voice. ¡°President Carter¡¯s office, may | know who | am speaking


    to?¡±


    It was Liam¡¯s secretary..


    Caprice spoke formally, ¡°This is Caprice from Stockton Corporation. I¡¯d like to discuss the uing coboration project with Li-


    with President Carter. Is he avable at the moment?¡±


    Mitch promptly informed, ¡°Please wait a moment. | will transfer the call for


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    She heard two beeps before the call was connected to Liam¡¯s office.


    A familiar, raspy voice came through, ¡°Caprice?¡±


    you.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Liam- | mean, President Carter, it''s me. I¡¯m here to talk to you about the joint project.¡±


    Liam spoke somewhat stiffly, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m aware of it.¡±


    She coughed to clear her throat before continuing in a formal tone, ¡°I¡¯ve gone through the brief of the product and the project


    looks very promising. | think we can start working out the particrs now.¡±


    Liam stayed silent for a few more seconds before responding, ¡°I¡¯m going to nchester tomorrow morning. We can talk about


    this in person.¡±


    Caprice said politely, ¡°Alright then, | won¡¯t be taking up your time anymore.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± he said suddenly.


    She asked in a tone of confusion, ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡±


    Liam drew a breath. ¡°Next time, just call me on my phone instead of my office number. Also, don¡¯t call me President Carter.¡±


    Caprice made a look and asked perplexedly, ¡°Aren¡¯t business partners supposed to address each other formally?¡±


    Liam quipped, ¡°Only if they are strangers to each other.¡±


    Her eyes sparkled. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I''ll be there at about ten tomorrow morning.¡±

 Chapter 1927

    Chapter 1927


    ¡°Alright, see you!¡±


    Caprice smiled briskly before hanging up.


    She then turned to Brianne. ¡°Hey, Brianne, could you give me a rundown of the general procedures of a joint project?¡±


    Although the joint project with Carter Tech City was in ways nothing more than a formality, she still wanted to make sure she took


    it seriously.


    It turned out that things were more tedious than she expected, and many kinks needed to be worked out


    Even before she got involved, the team had already gotten started on the preliminary stages in preparation for adopting Carter


    Tech City¡¯s new gadget into the market. When Liam arrived tomorrow, she would have to meet him with Brianne and Logan and


    have him sign the letter of intent, then they had to perform a site survey.


    Allin all, the preliminary process of the project would take at least a month.


    The day passed in the blink of an eye.


    By the time she finished sorting out the work for the day, it was already dark outside. The office was eerily silent at this hour of


    the day.


    The employees seated across from her did not make a sound the entire time because they were hard at work.


    Sitting adjacent to her, Logan and Brianne turned around and looked behind them at the same time, suddenly growing solemn.


    Caprice turned around and noticed that her father had shown up. He must have gotten here at some point


    John had just wrapped up his tasks as well and came to visit her. He expected to see herzing around but was pleasantly


    surprised to see that she was hard at work. He had been standing here for a while before she even noticed him at all.


    He greeted her with a smile, ¡°Finished with work yet?¡±


    Caprice smiled. ¡°Yeap.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let''s go home together.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±


    She grabbed her bag and made sure to say goodbye to Brianne and Logan before following her father out of the office.


    They went to the parking lot. When she got into the car, she was greeted by her mother who was waiting inside the car.


    She was surprised to see her here. ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡±


    Sherry said with a tender smile, ¡°I had nothing to do and figured I¡¯de to see you.¡±


    Soon, the car jerked to motion.


    Sherry asked inquiringly, ¡°How was your first day at work?¡±


    John sat on the other side of Caprice and regarded her with an eager expression.


    Caprice smiled faintly and said, ¡°It went pretty well.¡±


    ¡°Did you run into any problems?¡± Sherry asked in a voice fretted with concern.


    Caprice shook her head. ¡°No, at least, not yet.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sherry smiled dly.


    John seemed relieved to hear this as well.


    Caprice made a face and expressed, ¡°Mom, Dad, I¡¯m not a kid anymore. Even if | run into any issues, | can deal with them


    myself. | don¡¯t need to be coddled all the time.¡±


    Sherry and John exchanged a look.


    Then, Sherry gently brushed Caprice¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Alright, we understand.¡±


    Caprice turned to John. ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t have to visit me at the office. If you want to talk to me you can just call me.¡±


    Caprice understood that he was doing it because he was worried about her, but he drew too much attention with his presence


    because of his authority in the office. She did not want toe off as being ostentatious.


    John smiled faintly and gave his word. ¡°Alright.¡±


    So long as she was willing tomit herself to thepany, he would do as she wished.


    Caprice smiled jubntly when she noted how agreeable her father was. She held took both her parent¡¯s hands and began to


    doze off in no time.


    The car coasted down the highway, and it was a smooth ride all the way.


    The rest of the journey was spent in tranquil silence as she slept leaning against her father¡¯s shoulder. John and Sherry looked at


    each other and smiled.

 Chapter 1928

    Chapter 1928


    Chapter 1928


    It was a dreamless night.


    Knowing that Liam would being, she woke up the next day before dawn even broke.


    After she washed, she stayed inside the dressing area for a while and debated on what to wear. She ended up opting for a


    formal shirt paired with a fitted skirt with a coat thrown on top. Shebed her hair neatly behind her ears.


    With that, she walked out of the dressing area, ready for the day.


    Brianne and Logan had already supplied the required documents to her. All she needed to do was to hand them over to Liam


    and brief him about the details.


    At around ten, the receptionist informed her that Liam had arrived.


    She rose immediately and went to the VIP room with Logan and Brianne.


    The VIP room was on the second floor. They took the elevator, and it took five minutes for them to get


    there.


    Upon opening the door, the bright, brilliant ceiling lights shed in their face. They saw a man in a leather jacket seated on the


    couch.


    Her eyes shone. Her first instinct was to call him by his name, but with Brianne, Logan, and Liam¡¯s crew in the room with them,


    she decided against it. She put on a serious expression and greeted him with a professional, polite smile, ¡°Good afternoon,


    President Carter.¡±


    Liam had just taken a sip of water. Upon noticing Caprice dressed in her business attire coupled with the formal way in which she


    carried herself, he nearly spat out his drink.


    He coughed dryly and tried to suppress augh, then he spoke, ¡°Good to see you, Miss Stockton.¡±


    Caprice frowned.


    Miss Stockton?


    What an awkward way of addressing her, she thought.


    She swiped a look at him before taking her seat on the couch next to him. She began, ¡°Let¡¯s get started, President Carter.¡±


    Liam threw a look at her. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Caprice gave Brianne a signal.


    Brianne promptly handed the documents to her. Caprice took the docket and handed a copy to Liam. President Carter, here is


    our initial proposal.¡±


    Liam took the documents from her, and in the middle of doing so, scraped the tips of his fingers against the flesh of her hand.


    There was no telling if it was intentional.


    Caprice suddenly felt herself heating up and had to still her breathing. She stole a look at him.


    He was already reading the documents as if what happened had barely registered in his mind.


    Was it merely idental?


    She quickly brushed it off and collected her thoughts.


    Liam went through the documents rather quickly and was finished in no time. After that, he set the


    documents on the desk and turned to Caprice.


    She smiled. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    She hade up with them herself and formted them with the help of Brianne and Logan.


    She looked at Liam expectantly.


    Liam stayed silent for a while before remarking, ¡°It¡¯s fine, but there¡¯s one thing that needs to be changed.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Caprice asked with a tint of worry in her voice.


    Liam nced at Brianne and Logan who were standing next to Caprice, then he remarked, ¡°This joint project is different from the


    previous projects, so reusing the past methodology won''t be suitable.¡±


    Both Brianne and Logan grimaced faintly.


    Caprice seemed appalled. ¡°How did you know...¡±


    She had taken most of her ideas from the previous joint projects.


    Liam made a look and informed, ¡°My suggestion is to scrap this and rewrite the entire thing.¡±


    Caprice was speechless.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Could this even be a suggestion?


    It was more like aplete rejection of the original proposal!


    She was feeling slightly upset and let it show.


    Brianne and Logan quickly noticed that things were not turning out as well as they hoped. They exchanged a look, then Brianne


    stepped in, ¡°President Carter, do you have any ideas?¡±


    Liam peered at Caprice, then at her assistants. ¡°We wille up with the general scheme. You can assist Miss Stockton and


    work out the specifics after we finish the site visitter this noon. No need for


    anythingplicated. Just cover the basics and flesh things out.¡±


    Brianne nodded. ¡°Alright, understood.¡±

 Chapter 1929

    Chapter 1929


    Chapter 1929


    Liam turned to Caprice with a faint smile. "Miss Stockton, do you have anything you''d like to add?"


    "No, that''s all for now.¡±


    The proposal had been essentially rejected, and he had alreadyid out what to do next, thus there was nothing left for her to


    add.


    She sighed and got up, ready to leave.


    "One second.¡± Liam stopped her.


    She turned to him. "Is there anything else you need, President Carter?"


    "There is something else | need to speak to you about in private," he remarked.


    Caprice did not think much of it and promptly turned to Brianne and Logan. "I''ll talk to you twoter."


    With a firm nod, the two went outside.


    Liam gave Mitch a look as well.


    Mitch escorted the other two assistants out and excused themselves.


    Now that they were all gone, Caprice turned to face Liam again. She wondered what it was that he needed to tell her.


    He was already standing by the time she turned to face him. He posed himself right in front of her, so he only needed to take a


    half step before he would press himself to her body.


    The sudden shrinking of the distance between them caught her off guard. She felt she was still slightly upset about what


    happened back there and snapped grumpily, "President Carter, why are you getting so close to me?¡± Liam gently cupped one


    side of her face and said softly, "You look very nice today."


    Caprice felt her cheeks growing hot, and her dark mood was thrown out the window in an instant. She smiled dly and asked


    as if hoping that he would repeat hispliment, "Really?"


    Liam returned a gentle smile and said, "Yes."


    He was very handsome whenever he put on that rare charming smile on his.


    Caprice had not seen him for several days and had to stifle the urge to throw herself at him the moment she entered the room


    and met him. She could no longer hold herself back, so she plunged into his chest.


    She pressed her face close to her chest and muttered affectionally, "| missed you so much, Liam."


    Liam ruffled the back of her head. "Why did you call me President Carter back there? It doesn¡¯t feel like you miss me when you


    don''t even say my name.¡±


    Caprice made a start, then she turned up to look at him. "You were also calling me Miss Stockton."


    Liam expressed, "Why wouldn''t | address you as Miss Stockton when you started with addressing me as President Carter?"


    Caprice stuttered. She shamelessly buried her face in his chest again and yelped, "I don''t care. It''s your fault!"


    He had rejected her initial proposal. She was aware that it was partially attributed to herck of experience, but it still did not sit


    well with her.


    Liam gently caressed her and smoothed her hair. "Sorry, it''s my fault."


    Just like that, she felt much better. She turned up to face him, smiling so brightly that her eyes had turned crescent-shaped.


    Her expression was adorable enough to melt Liam''s heart.


    Something shed in his eyes. He moved his hands and caressed the side of her cheeks, then he began tickling her lips with the


    tips of his fingers.


    "Close your eyes," he said suddenly.


    Caprice was still internally celebrating about getting him to admit that he was the one at fault. She barely noticed what he was


    doing and blurted out, "Close my eyes? Why?"


    His voice had a magical effect. "You will know after you close your eyes."


    She did as she was told.


    Immediately after that, she felt the steamy sensation of his lips against hers.


    She opened her eyes in shock.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Liam pressed his palm against the back of her head to make sure that there was no escape for her. His domineering breath


    poured into her.


    Caprice whimpered. Then, his closed eyes suddenly parted open, revealing an ominously dark glow beneath them like the eyes


    of an underground deity that had risen ande to the world of the living.


    She felt a jolt of terror and quickly shut her eyes.

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    Chapter 1930


    Fortunately, his movements were very gentle.


    Caprice quickly moved past the shock.


    She hugged him tightly and craned her head up. She responded to his passionate kisses with her own inexperienced kisses.


    At one point, he suddenly removed his lips from hers and pressed her head into his chest.


    Caprice clung to him like she was going to melt into him. She could not pry herself free and asked softly, "What''s wrong?"


    Why did he suddenly stop kissing her?


    She was just getting in the mood.


    Liam took a few deep breaths. He took his time getting the tempo of his breathing back to normal before he answered, "Nothing,


    I''m fine."


    After a pause, he suddenly proposed, "Caprice, let''s get engaged.¡±


    Caprice made a start, then she turned up to look at him.


    He had removed his palm from the back of her head at one point. The moment she looked up, she stared into the glow in his


    eyes.


    On the outside, he may look cool and imposing, but what was on the inside was aplete contrast-there was softness and


    tenderness.


    That was enough to melt Caprice. She had feelings for him ever since she was a child.


    He felt the same for her as well.


    Since their feelings were mutual, there was no reason for them to not be together.


    She smiled tenderly and answered, "Of course."


    Liam stayed silent for a moment as if he had to process the information. Then, he passionately took her into his arms and kissed


    her.


    It took more than half an hour before Caprice came out of the VIP room.


    Her hair cascaded messily over her shoulders. She made a beeline for the washroom with her face covered in red. She sshed


    cold water on her face several times until she felt her inner temperature go down.


    The restless feeling had not dissipated yet.


    She stood up straight and observed her swollen lips in the mirror. Her mind immediately reyed the scenes in the VIP room just


    now.


    It was just a brief kiss at first, then she ended up shoving Liam into the couch before falling onto him!


    At one point, he almost took off her shirt...


    How embarrassing!


    She covered her face.


    She stayed in the washroom for a long time before finally emerging. She had to start preparing for the site visit with Liamter


    this afternoon.


    Fortunately, she managed to regain her usual self after she got back to the office because there was a lot of work waiting to be


    done.


    She worked until noon.


    She took Brianne and Logan to a well-known restaurant in nchester.


    They only waited for a while before Liam showed up, followed by his assistant Mitch and two other members of his team.


    When Caprice saw him, their interaction in the VIP room earlier today immediately began to y in her mind, and she could feel


    her cheeks reddening gradually.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Liam wore apletely calm expression. It was as if he was apletely different person from the one smothering


    her with passionate kisses on the couch just now.


    Hisposure slightly bothered Caprice.


    He did not seem to notice the look on her face. He smiled faintly and made a point of greeting her with an exaggerated formality,


    "Sorry for the long wait, Miss Stockton."


    She responded perfunctorily, "We didn''t have to wait long. Please, sit, President Carter."


    He sat on the chair next to her.


    Brianne, Logan, as well as hispanions, chose their seats. With that, everyone was gathered.


    Something stirred in Caprice''s eyes when she looked at Liam seated next to her. She suddenly thought of certain scenes she


    saw in romance dramas. She lifted one of her feet and gently, sneakily rubbed it against his thigh.


    Liam suddenly took a deep breath. He turnedpletely stiff.


    He turned to her briefly.


    Caprice already regarded him with a smile. She carried herself like the benevolent host, ever so ready to please her guests.


    "President Carter, | have already ordered all the signature dishes. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to eat?"


    She spoke with her feet still ceaselessly rubbing against his thigh.


    Liam strained a smile. "No need, you''ve ordered everything that | like.¡±


    Caprice snorted to herself.


    That''s a smart man.


    With that, she removed her feet from his thighs.

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    Chapter 1931


    Chapter 1931


    Lunch went by peacefully.


    Caprice then headed to the construction site, where the location was set by her father.


    Caprice was not too familiar with the coboration with Carter Tech District and the procedures, so she followed Liam throughout


    the entire visit and listened to his exnation.


    Brianne and Logan were responsible for taking notes.


    Several hours went by in the blink of an eye.


    After Liam''s subordinates had exined everything and brought them to visit every part of the site, Caprice and Liam left.


    Liam suddenly stopped and said to Mitch and the two of them, "You guys head back to the hotel first."


    His assistant and subordinates nodded and left.


    Brianne and Logan exchanged a quick gaze and then said to Caprice," Caprice, we should go back to the office topile


    everything as well. See you soon."


    Caprice nodded. "Okay. See you."


    The two of them left as well.


    Caprice then looked at Liam. "Liam, are you going back to Westchester today?"


    Liam nced at her. "Let''s talk in the car."


    He then strode toward the parking lot.


    Caprice followed him to the car but he was already inside when she arrived.


    She opened the door and just when she wanted to get inside, a strong hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside.


    Caprice fell into his arms.


    Then, his arm wrapped around her waist and his other hand held the back of her head.


    What happened next was his lips pressed onto hers.


    It was strong and demanding.


    Caprice did not even have the strength to resist.


    He only released her lips after some time.


    Inside the dim interior, he looked into her eyes with burning lust.


    Caprice pursed her lips, her face stained with blush. She looked at him timidly and asked, "Liam, what was that?


    "Why the sudden kiss?¡±


    Liam lifted her chin and stared into her timid and obedient eyes. He scoffed and said, "| remember you were quite good when


    you teased me under the table during lunch with your leg."


    Caprice¡¯s eyes widened.


    It had been a whole afternoon and he still remembered it!


    Caprice got nervous and guilty. She was just trying to prank him and nothing else, but the man seemed to have understood it


    wrongly.


    She pondered before she exined, "My leg was itchy, so | was trying to ease it by rubbing against yours. It''s nothing.¡±


    Liam pinched her cheek. "Is that so?"Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    "It is!" Caprice said strongly.


    "Is your leg still itchy now?" he asked.


    Caprice shook her head repeatedly. "No. No."


    As soon as her words subsided, her right heel was removed and tossed to the side.


    Before she could react, his strong hand lifted her right foot and tickled her.


    ¡°Ahaaaah! Hahaha, STOP! Stop it! Liam! Stop! Hahaha..."


    She struggled and wriggled around whileughing uncontrobly.


    Liam constricted her waist while holding her foot. He was strong and there was no way she could break free.


    Caprice teared up. She started to plead. "Liam, please! Let me go! | can''t..."


    Liam squinted. "Are you going to tease me again?"


    ¡°No! No! | won''t do it again!"


    Liam then released her foot.


    Caprice sighed a breath of relief and red at him with protruded lips.


    Liam saw her aggrieved look and pinched her cheek. He jokingly warned her. "If there''s a next time, | won''t let you go this easily.¡±


    The girl somehow learned how to seduce him.


    If his rationality snapped, he would have ravaged her in the car.


    Caprice pouted. "Got it."

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    Chapter 1932


    Liam had other matters to attend to at night, so after fooling around with Caprice for a while, he saw her off.


    Later that day, Caprice returned to thepany and met up with Brianne and Logan to redo the proposal.


    Caprice was not apetitive or proud person in life, but when her proposal, which she did with all her heart, was rejected, she


    still felt defeated.


    Therefore, she was determined toe up with a better proposal.


    Even if it could not win praises, she did not want it to be as bad as the first one.


    She dedicated herself to the process. From the nning to the details, she was involved in every part of the proposal.


    The busy days went by in the blink of an eye. A week had passed since then.


    With Brianne and Logan''s help, Caprice managed toe up with aplete proposal without any temte.


    After double-checking it, she emailed the softcopy to Liam at Westchester.


    Then, she added a little text of her own beneath the attachment.


    ¡°Liam, I''ve finished the proposal. Have a look."


    Ding!


    Liam replied in less than a minute, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then, another text came in. "Are you still in the office?"


    Caprice then realized it was already 9 o''clock at night and it was a Friday. She was alone in the office. All the other employees


    had left.


    However, Caprice was not in a hurry to go home. She answered, "Liam, have a look at my proposal first."


    She was eager to know how she performed this time.


    "lm looking at it. You go home first. I''ll give you a reply when you get home."


    Caprice curled her lips. "Okay. I''ll go home first. Take your time."


    Caprice shut down theputer and grabbed her bag before heading out of the office.


    Since she started working, her father had arranged a chauffeur for her.


    She originally nned to take public transport to work but her parents and her grandmother disagreed, so she had to


    compromise.


    The chauffeur and the car were waiting for her at the parking lot.


    Caprice got in and reached home after twenty minutes.


    John and Sherry were having a meeting outside and had not yet returned home.


    Madam Stockton was waiting for Caprice in the living room.


    When Caprice came home, the servants brought her favorite dishes.


    She ate while Madam Stockton nagged her.


    After dinner, she said to her grandmother, "Grandma, I''m going back. You should rest soon. Good night."


    Madam Stockton patted her head. "Alright. Good night."


    Caprice returned to her own unit and went upstairs to her room.


    Shey down on the bed with her phone.


    It had been an hour since she sent Liam the proposal and he should have finished reading it.


    Caprice texted him, "Liam. I''m home and | just had dinner."


    Aminuteter, Liam sent her a video-call request.


    Caprice quickly answered it.


    Liam''s handsome face appeared on her phone.


    Caprice smiled and said, "Liam, have you seen my proposal?"


    Liam tightened his lips and pondered for a moment before saying, "| saw it. It''s good."


    Caprice did not notice anything wrong with his expression. She was happy when she received his approval. She asked, "Is there


    anything | need to change?"Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "It''s veryplete. There''s nothing else to change," he said.


    Caprice smiled happily.


    She was carried away by his praise and his handsome look, so she did not notice that her cor was loosening.


    On the other end of the video call, her breast was disyed on the screen and the man saw everything clearly, including her


    adorable bra and soft breast.


    Liam video-called her because he wanted to see her reaction after he praised her. He was not expecting a surprise at all.


    He swallowed nervously and took a sip from his cup of water.

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    Chapter 1933


    Caprice saw him sipping on his cup of water and nothing else.


    Now that her proposal had been epted, they could proceed with signing the contract.


    Since Liam was too busy to go to nchester, Caprice said, "Liam, are you free next Monday? I''ll go meet you and we can


    proceed with the contract signing."


    Liam put his cup of water down and said, "Sure."


    "Okay! I''ll be going offline now. You better rest earlier."


    Liam loosened his cor and said, "Okay."


    Just when Caprice wanted to end the call, she identally tapped on the little window that showed her side of the call.


    When the little window erged, she saw her loosened cor and her chest showing.


    Her eyes widened in shock.


    She bolted up immediately. She covered her cor with one hand and held the phone with the other. She looked at Liam on the


    screen with a blush- stained face. "Liam, did you...see it?"


    Liam awkwardly cleared his throat. "See what?"


    Caprice red at him. He must have seen her chest!


    She remembered seeing him drinking water and loosening his cor earlier, and this must be it!


    She awkwardly cleared her throat and decided to be frank with him. She asked, "Did you see my chest?"


    Liam went silent for a moment before he hummed a reply.


    Then he exined, "It''s not on purpose."Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice was deeply embarrassed.


    She was the one who got careless with her cor. It was not like he asked her to show him her chest, but it was still


    embarrassing.


    She hung up the call with a blush-stained face. Then, she ran to the bathroom to clean herself up from her filthy thoughts.


    On the other hand, Liam was in Carter Tech District he called Caprice. He curled his lips into a smirk and loosened a few buttons


    on his shirt to ease his raging lust.


    After a cold bath, Caprice felt refreshed and alive.


    She returned to her room and picked up her phone to check the message in her dorm chat group.


    Lana, Freya, and Piper were chatting inside the group.


    Caprice had been away for a while since she got busy with worktely, and her friends had been missing her.


    Lana tagged her and asked, "Caprice, what have you been up to? Why aren''t you replying?"


    Freya added, "Are you busy dating Liam?"


    Piper echoed, "I bet she is."


    Caprice smiled sweetly at her friend''s reply.


    Ever since Heather pushed her into the fountain and Liam saved her, she found out that Liam was not dating Heather and she


    told her besties.


    They all knew Heather was making things up.


    Caprice replied, "My parents got me a part-time jobtely and I''ve been working on an important proposal.¡±


    Freya asked, "What kind of part-time job needs to write a proposal?"


    Lana sent a curious emoji.


    Piper typed. "There are a lot of part-time jobs that require proposal-writing, okay? Don''t be such a noob."


    She then asked Caprice, "Caprice, how are things going with Liam?"


    Caprice knew Piper was trying to divert the topic and keep Lana and Freya from digging into her background.


    Piper did a great job of distracting the other two.


    ¡°Had you two held hands? Did you kiss?" "Did he climb on top of you? Did you guys have sex?!"

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    Chapter 1934


    Caprice was embarrassed when she saw Freya''s question.


    She sent a sticker of punching someone in the face and then replied, "We kissed, but that''s it."


    Lana typed. "Thank goodness! Our Caprice is finally advancing into adulthood!"


    Freya typed. "Kiss? That''s it? Is Liam''s down there even working?"


    Caprice was rendered speechless. She furiously typed on her phone and texted, "It''s working! But we don¡¯t see each other often


    and he respects me."


    Liam was a gentleman and not someone who would think using their lower body.


    Lana typed. "Hahaha! Caprice got nervous! Stop teasing her, Freya.¡±


    "I''m just saying," Freya replied.


    Caprice simply sent a bored emoji as a reply.


    Piper then asked, "Caprice, school is starting in two weeks. When are youing back?"


    Freya echoed, "Yeah. Lana is back already. When are youing back?"


    Caprice knew her roommates missed her.


    She chuckled and replied, "I think a few more days, but I''ll be going to Westchester next Monday and we can meet!"


    ¡°Alright. We''re waiting.¡±


    Caprice chatted with her friends for another ten minutes before she went to bed.


    Meanwhile, Lana, Freya, and Piper were having supper at a bar outside Sparkrow University''s campus.


    Freya eximed, "I''m really jealous of Caprice for having such a handsome and capable boyfriend."


    Lana propped her chin on both her hands and said, "I''m jealous too."


    Caprice''s boyfriend was the owner of Carter Tech District.


    Aside from the man''s capabilities, he looked extremely handsome as well.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Piper chuckled. "Caprice is also capable herself. They are a perfect match in myopinion."


    Freya and Lana both looked at her.


    Caprice? Capable? A perfect match?


    They were jealous but they were also confused. They were not looking down at Caprice but were truly curious why Piper would


    call her capable.


    Lana asked, "Piper, you said Caprice is capable, but she''s always scored terribly in tests and exams."


    Piper immediately realized she revealed a little too much.


    She was not referring to Caprice''s academic results but her background which matched Liam''s.


    However, Caprice told her to keep a secret, so she could not reveal it in front of her friends.


    She chuckled awkwardly and said, "I''m referring to Caprice''s looks! There''s space for her to improve her academic results too.


    She¡¯s bad now but it doesn''t mean she can''t achieve something big in the future."


    Freya nodded in agreement. "You''re right."


    Lana nodded as well. "I believe she doesn¡¯t have to work if she marries Liam."


    Piper simply smiled and said nothing.


    The girls were carried away by the foot and chats, and no one was aware of a person hiding in the shadow, eavesdropping on


    them.


    Heather pressed her cap lower as she eavesdropped on them.


    She had been following them before they arrived at the bar.


    Since the incident at nchester, she asked her father to investigate Caprice''s background but other than identifying Caprice as


    a student of Sparkrow University, there was nothing on her.


    She had to switch her attention to Caprice¡¯s roommate to acquire more useful information.


    She had been standing in the shadows for an hour and all the girls talked about was Caprice and Liam.


    They spoke nothing about Caprice¡¯s background.

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    Chapter 1935


    However, if Caprice came from a wealthy background, her friends would at least speak about it.


    Now, all Heather heard was her friends talking about how beautiful she was and nothing else. It seemed like Caprice was not


    someone with a background.


    Heather stayed a little longer and still did not get anything useful. She red at the girls contemptuously before she left.


    On Monday morning, Caprice went to the office to meet with Brianne and Logan.


    After they prepared the contract and necessary documents, they took a ride to Carter Tech District.


    Westchester was blessed with amazing weather. The sun pierced the clouds and shed its glory across the city.


    Both Brianne and Logan were already amazed by Carter Tech District before they entered.


    They sized up the entrance in awe.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Logan eximed, "I''ve only seen pictures of this ce. The real thing is much more astonishing.¡±


    Brianne even took pictures with her phone.


    Caprice brought the two of them inside.


    The security guard of Carter Tech District knew her. Not only did he grant them ess, but he also prepared a cart for them and


    sent them directly to Liam''s office.


    Coincidentally, when the three of them got out of the cart, they ran into Moses and Keh at the entrance.


    The two of them were in formal suits, and they were surprised to see Caprice.


    Moses smiled and went up to her. "Caprice, long time no see. What are you doing here?¡±


    "lm here on official business," Caprice answered. She politely added," What are you two doing here?"


    Keh said, "Carter Tech District is interested in one of our research projects and they wanted to fund our research to develop


    it. We''re here to meet the person in charge and discuss the details.¡±


    Caprice¡¯s eyes shone. "That''s great news! Congrattions."


    If Carter Tech District was interested in a project, the project must be promising.


    Moses and Keh''s startup would surely take a big leap into the future.


    Moses said with a smile, "We have to thank you for setting us up with the investor. Without the funding, we won''t be able to


    reach this step."


    Caprice said, "That''s because you two are amazing.¡±


    Brianne then walked up to Caprice and whispered, "Caprice, we should go in now."


    Caprice nodded and then said to Moses, "We have to go now. See you guys around.¡±


    Moses smiled at her. "Okay, see you around."


    He stepped aside and made way for Caprice.


    The receptionist also knew Caprice. She got up as soon as they entered and brought them to a spacious and tidy meeting room.


    One of the receptionists brought them some tea and fruits and said, "Ms. Stockton, Mr. Carter will be here in ten minutes, please


    wait for a while.¡±


    Caprice nodded. "Okay. Thank you."


    The receptionist asked, "Is there anything that | can do for you?"


    She was polite. She was afraid that she had failed to meet all of Caprice''s needs.


    Caprice smiled at her. "It''s okay. Thank you."


    She was here to sign a contract but not as a VIP.


    The receptionist sighed a breath of relief at Caprice''s friendly attitude.


    The tea and fruits were ced on the tea table, while Caprice, Logan, and Brianne sat around it.


    Brianne and Logan were slightly nervous. They only had some tea and did not touch the fruits. Caprice ate a few pieces of


    oranges.


    Ding!


    Caprice¡¯s phone buzzed all of a sudden.


    She received a text from Moses.


    "Caprice, are you freeter in the afternoon? | still owe you lunch, why don''t we have lunchter?"

 Chapter 1936

    Chapter 1936


    Right before Caprice could reply, the meeting room''s door opened.


    Brianne and Logan bolted up instantly.


    Caprice put her phone away and looked at the entrance.


    The man came in with his handsome suit. His deep eyes looked calm and emotionless but emanated a strong aura.


    Caprice unconsciously sat up straight and smiled at him. "Good morning, Mr. Carter."


    Liam''s cool eyes showed a hint of warmth at her. He smiled back and sat opposite her.


    Both sides exchanged contracts and began signing.


    At the same time in the open parking lot outside, Moses just got into his car.


    He leaned back and stared at the building.


    Keh hugged the contract that they signed with Carter Tech District and said, "| bet she''s here to see Mr. Carter. | don''t think


    she has the time to have lunch with us. Why don''t we do a rain check?"


    He was eager to share the news with Jonathan and the others back home.


    Moses'' eyes continued to stare at the entrance of the building. "She doesn''t seem like she''s here to y. | think she''lle out


    soon."


    He ran into Caprice touring around Carter Tech District once and learned that she grew up together with the owner of the ce.


    However, Caprice did not look like she was here for touring again. She looked like she was here to talk business.


    Keh pursed his lips. "Fine."Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Caprice might not be extremely capable but she was quite the looker. She and the owner of Carter Tech District were childhood


    friends, so she must have a background.


    If Moses could ask her out on a date and eventually make her his girlfriend, that would also be a desirable oue.


    Back at the meeting room, after reading through the contents, Liam signed his name on the contract.


    One of the copies was given to Caprice.


    Caprice took it with both hands and put it into her briefcase respectfully.


    Liam gave his copy of the contract to Mitch and then said, "You guys can leave us."


    Mitch nodded and left with the other employees.


    Liam then stared at Caprice.


    He did not say a word or do anything but Caprice¡¯s heart started to race.


    It had been a week since they both saw each other.


    Her eyes flickered nervously before she said, "Brianne, Logan, why don¡¯t you guys go back to nchester first?"


    Brianne and Logan smiled and nodded before they left together.


    The moment the door closed, Caprice got up and went over to Liam.


    He was still sitting on his chair, staring at her with an enchanting smile.


    Caprice sat on hisp and curled her arms around his neck.


    Liam curled his lips and put his hand around her waist; his other hand lifted her chin and then kissed her.


    The lips locked for quite some time since they were alone.


    Liam only released her lips when she started to lose her breath.


    Caprice gasped for air as soon as their lips separated. She shyly buried her face into his neck.


    Liam smiled and patted the back of her head.


    Awhileter, he asked, "Any ns for the day?"


    Caprice said, "Nope, but I''m going to meet Lana, Freya, and Piperter at night."


    "Why don¡¯t we go out for a walk?"


    Caprice''s eyes shone.


    Adate?


    She nodded and hummed a reply.


    She got up and wanted to leave with Liam.


    Ding.


    Her phone buzzed again.


    She tapped on the notification and saw a text from Moses.


    "Caprice, | saw the two people who followed you earliere out. When are youing out?"

 Chapter 1937

    Chapter 1937


    Caprice was caught off guard by the text.


    She did not expect Moses to be waiting for her outside.


    She replied, "Moses, sorry | didn''t reply earlier. | have something else to doter, | can''t have lunch with you."


    Moses replied almost instantly, "Alright. Are you free tonight?"


    ¡°Nope. Let''s talk when the semester starts."


    ¡°Alright. See you."


    When Caprice put away her phone, she noticed Liam had been watching her from the side.


    He managed to catch a glimpse of the conversation. "Who is he?"


    Caprice innocently assumed he was just asking out of curiosity. She said, " He¡¯s a senior of mine at university. He also hired me


    for my first summer job."


    Amomentary silenceter, Liam asked, "Why is he waiting for you outside?"


    No one should be able to enter Carter Tech District at this hour.


    Feeling strange, Caprice asked, "He came earlier. You didn''t know?"


    "What''s his name?"


    ¡°Moses Stewart. He said Carter Tech District is interested in one of his projects, so he came to discuss the details with you."


    YON?


    Liam knew nothing about the man.


    Small investment projects usually never needed to go through him, so it might be the marketing manager who was in charge of


    liaising with this man.


    The thought was ced aside as he held Caprice''s hand and walked out.


    However, when he passed by the window that had an overview of the parking lot, he had a nce at the cars down there.


    It was still working hours, so many people were moving around the building.


    Caprice did not want to be the center of attention and did not want to put Liam in an embarrassing position, so she pulled her


    hand away from his and stayed behind him.


    Liam stopped and turned around to her, confused.


    Caprice said, "If people see us holding hands, you''ll be the topic of the day or even the week."


    Liam pursed his lips and continued forward.


    Caprice kept a two meters distance from him as she followed him out.


    As they walked out of the building, even when Caprice was intentionally drawing distance from Liam, the employees could not


    help but stare at them.


    Caprice followed Liam to the parking lot.


    The parking lot had no people and it was quiet.


    Liam strode forward to his car without stopping.


    Caprice had to run to catch up to him, but she identally bumped into his sturdy back when he stopped all of a sudden.


    "Ouch!"


    Liam turned around. He held her waist with one hand and stroked her forehead with the other.


    Caprice frowned at him. "Why did you stop?"


    Liam looked at her tly. "I''m waiting for you."


    Caprice was silenced.


    If he wanted to wait for her, why did he stride so fast in the first ce?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Fortunately, his stroke was relieving andforting, to the point that Caprice could feel goosebumps on her skin.


    She grunted and decided to spare him this time.


    Liam pursed his lips and then said, "Still hurts?"


    Intentionally or not, he sounded extremely alluring when he spoke.


    He even lowered his head closer to her.


    Caprice could see his handsome and wless face up close. His deep eyes and those thick browsnded a critical hit on her


    heart.

 Chapter 1938

    Chapter 1938


    "I''m okay,¡± Caprice said instinctively. Then, a thought rushed into her mind and she said, "But I''m not happy. You have to make it


    up to me."


    Liam narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?1''


    He continued to speak in his alluring voice.


    Caprice pursed her lips and then said, "Come closer."


    Liam moved closer to her face. His handsome face was less than an inch away from hers.


    Caprice then kissed him on the cheek before she turned and ran toward the car.


    Liam grinned. He unintentionally nced at the car beside him before he went after Caprice.


    The driver and the bodyguards were waiting for them in the car.


    The bodyguards entered the car after them and the driver drove them out of the parking lot.


    Moses, on the other hand, was stunned in his car.


    He stared at the MPV as it left his sight and even with it gone, he could not recover hisposure.


    The scene of Liam rubbing Caprice''s forehead and Caprice kissing Liam on the cheek reyed in his head over and over again.


    The owner of Carter Tech District stroked her forehead intimately and she kissed him on the cheek with that sweet smile.


    Were they dating?


    After a long silence, Keh sighed and said, "Moses, | told you we shouldn¡¯t wait. Let¡¯s go."


    No wonder Caprice rejected his lunch invitation and turned down his offer.


    She was already dating the owner of Carter Tech District.


    Moses was still silent after a while.


    Keh then added, "She''s dating the owner of Carter Tech District.


    There''s no way she''s into you now. Just forget about her, man.¡±


    Moses stood out among his friends, but he paled inparison to the owner of Carter Tech District.


    They were heaven and earth apart!


    Moses recollected his thoughts and said in disappointment, "Let''s go."


    Caprice visited Carter Tech District with Freya once at night and they toured the ce as visitors.


    Now that she had the chance to further explore the ce, she did not expect Carter Tech District to be this fun!


    The ce she stood before was the epitome ofbination of technology and nature.


    As soon as she stepped into the building, she started to float as if there was no gravity. She could jump several meters high and


    more than a dozen meters forward.


    Intrigued, she started to jump around the ce like a happy puppy.


    She fooled around for quite a while before she noticed Liam watching her from the pir.


    He leaned against it with his arms crossed, looking casual and rxed.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice adjusted her posture andunched herself toward him. She even shouted, "Liam, here |e!"


    Just when she was about to catch him, he floated to the side, causing her to crash on the grassfield.


    There was no gravity in the area, so the fall did not hurt her physically, but she was annoyed!


    She turned around and red at him.


    Liam leaned against the pir again and smiled at her. He wasughing at her clumsiness.


    Caprice bolted up. She went closer to him before sheunched herself at him once more.


    This time, the ambush seeded and Liam was knocked down to the grassfield.


    Caprice fell on top of him.


    "Hehe."


    Her eyes curved beautifully as she chuckled.


    Liam curled his lips into a bewitching smile.


    Caprice had no idea what the smile meant and before she could understand what happened, his strong hand grabbed the back


    of her head and pressed her downward.


    Their lips locked once more.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes widened, but the man closed his eyes.


    He even skillfully pried open her teeth and unleashed his breath into her mouth.


    Caprice''s body went numb and she closed her eyes to enjoy the kiss.


    Before she knew it, she swapped ces with him.

 Chapter 1939

    Chapter 1939


    Before Caprice could react, he pulled his hands back and released her.


    He flipped to the side and sat down on the grassfield.


    Caprice followed and sat herself up.


    Just when she wanted to ask what happened, she realized her cor had opened up after all the action.


    Her face blushed and immediately covered her cor.


    Liam frowned. He looked at her with a hint of lust in his eyes and said, " Caprice, |..."


    He did it on purpose, but when he saw her innocent and adorable face, he suddenly lost his words.


    Caprice widened her eyes. It was her first time seeing him speechless.


    She pursed her lips and sat closer to him. She said, "It''s okay.¡±


    They were a couple, so kissing and fooling around were normal things to do.


    Freya told her a lot about what couples should do while they were dating, so she knew how to react.


    It was just a cor. Even if he wanted to strip her clean, it was fine.


    With this thought in mind, Caprice lowered her hands and said to him," We''re going to be husband and wife anyway."


    The wind blew all of a sudden and widened her cor.


    Liam was treated with a beautiful view.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He gulped nervously before he hugged her and kissed her again.


    Carter Tech District had many interesting ces.


    After leaving the low-gravity yground, they headed to the next attraction.


    Time flew when they had fun.


    It was already the evening before they knew it and it was time for Caprice to meet her roommates.


    Lana, Freya, and Piper tagged her in the chat group, asking her when she would arrive.


    Caprice was forced to part ways with her loved one.


    ¡°Liam, | have to go meet Piper and the girls."


    She looked at him with her crystal clear eyes and blush-stained face. Her face had been pinkish since she came out from the


    low-gravity grassfield with him.


    Liam stroked her cheek and said in his signature deep voice, "Go."


    Caprice got into the car.


    As soon as she got into the car, she said to the driver, "Uncle Henry, can you turn down the air-con?¡±


    For some reason, she had been feeling hot the entire afternoon, especially after she came out from the low-gravity grassfield


    with Liam.


    Could it be...? No! No!


    They kissed and hugged and she got to touch his abs.


    It was firm and it felt good...


    As the thought popped into her mind, she shivered in embarrassment. She shook her head to discard the thought away.


    An hourter, the car arrived at Sparkrow University''s campus.


    It was dark and the streetmps were on.


    As soon as Caprice got out of the car, she saw her friends waiting for her standing in a line.


    Caprice waved at them.


    Her friends ran over to her.


    Lana asked, "Caprice, what took you so long?"


    Freya echoed. "Where were you the whole day? Did you go on a date with Liam?¡±


    Piper was looking at her as well.


    Caprice smiled shyly and hummed an affirmative reply.

 Chapter 1940

    Chapter 1940


    The three girls ridiculed and teased her.


    Freya then asked, "Are you going to see Liamter tonight?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I''m going back to the dorm with you guys. | have to go home tomorrow," Caprice said.


    Freya was surprised. "You came all the way to Westchester but you''re not spending the night with Liam?¡±


    She even teased Caprice with some lewd gestures.


    Caprice was more embarrassed than before. "We''re not that far yet."


    Freya clicked her tongue. "| see Liam is a good boy huh."


    Lana nodded in agreement.


    Piper then asked, "What base are you guys on now? Other than kissing and holding hands, what else did you two do?"


    Caprice immediately thought of the steamy scene back at the low-gravity grassfield.


    Her face blushed. She stammered out of embarrassment, "N-Nothing else.¡±


    "Caprice, you''re stammering.¡±


    "Why is your face red?¡±


    "You''re lying.¡±


    The three of them pressured her to reveal the truth.


    Caprice immediately fled the scene.


    Her friends chased her and continued to tease her along the way.


    The group of friends soon arrived at a nearby mall, which was crowded at this hour.


    They then entered a highly-reviewed restaurant.


    The second floor was fully booked but there were a few more tables left on the first floor.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Caprice and friends sat down at a table near the entrance before they ordered and chatted.


    Halfway through dinner, another group of people came down from the second floor.


    Caprice''s table was facing the stairs, so she was able to spot them at first nce.


    She was surprised by who she saw.


    Her friends spotted her unusual reaction, so they too turned to the stairs.


    Freya asked, "Caprice, what''s wrong? You know them?¡±


    Caprice nodded. "They are the employees at Moses¡¯ startup."


    As soon as her voice subsided, the group of people came close enough to spot her and they were also surprised.


    Caprice worked at the startup for a day before and although she was not close with them at all, she smiled at them politely.


    A few of them smiled back before they left the restaurant.


    After the group left, Moses and Keh came.


    Moses seemed to have drunk a lot. His face was red and he had one arm over Keh¡¯s shoulder.


    However, when he spotted Caprice, his eyes widened and somehow managed to regain some of his rationality.


    He pulled his arm off Keh''s shoulder and then smiled at Caprice. "Hey Caprice, what a coincidence."


    Caprice smiled at him. "Hi Moses, you guys having a gathering here?¡±


    Moses nodded.


    ¡°We just signed a huge contract with Carter Tech District, so we''re celebrating here,¡± Keh added.


    Caprice smiled. "Oh, to celebrate? | see. Congrattions."


    Moses nced over at Lana, Freya, and Piper. "You guys are here for dinner as well?"


    Caprice said, "Yeah."


    Jonathan then said, "Moses, they are still eating. Let''s give them some space."


    Keh''s gaze shifted. He echoed. "Yeah. You''re drunk as well. Let''s go."


    Moses went silent momentarily before he looked at Caprice and said, "You guys have fun. See ya." ''See you around," Caprice


    said.

 Chapter 1941

    Chapter 1941


    Chapter 1941


    Moses turned around and followed Keh and the others out.


    They stopped by the cashier before leaving to pay the bill, then they walked outside.


    Caprice withdrew her gaze from them and noticed her friends staring at her intently. She asked suspiciously, "What are you girls


    looking at?"


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    The three of them shook their heads in unison.


    Freya suddenly expressed poignantly, "Moses is a good man. What a shame.¡±


    Lana nodded in agreement.


    Caprice thought nothing of it. She knew that Moses was interested in her, but she already belonged to someone else.


    Moses was a good man, and she was sure there he would manage to find the perfect partner for him in the future. There was no


    need to feel sorry for him.


    After the meal, Caprice and her friends went to the cashier to settle the bill.


    Just as Caprice reached for her phone and prepared to pay the bill, the cashier suddenly asked, "You girls are seated at table six


    near the entrance, correct?"


    Freya nodded, "Yeah, why do you ask?"


    The cashier remarked with a bright smile, "A man who went by the name of Moses already settled the bill for you."


    Since the bill was already settled, there was no need for the girls to pay anymore.


    Caprice put her phone away. Freya, Piper, and Lana exchanged confused looks, then they looked at Caprice before putting their


    phones away too.


    With that, they walked out of the restaurant together.


    On the way back to the dormitory, Caprice sent a text to Moses while her friends were busy chattering away. "Hey, Moses, thank


    you for paying for our table."


    Moses replied almost instantaneously, "You''re wee."


    Meanwhile, outside the restaurant where they had just finished eating, a private investigator with arge cap thrown over her


    head was hiding beneath the shadows and sending a text to Heather.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Heather had hired her and tasked her to spy on Caprice. She had been posted in the vicinity of Sparkrow University since this


    morning and waited until the evening when Caprice showed up atst to meet her friends.


    She followed them to the restaurant as well. Although she failed to eavesdrop on their conversation when they talked about


    Caprice''s family, she still managed to extract some valuable information.


    She told Heather about Moses paying for Caprice and her friend¡¯s bill and began specting, "Miss Manson, | believe that man


    is into Caprice."


    At the Manson¡¯, the moment Heather saw thetest update, she replied, " Did you manage to sneak in some pictures?"


    The investigator promptly sent her a batch of pictures. She managed to take clear pictures of Moses as well as of Caprice and


    her friends eating at the restaurant.


    There was a noticeable distance between Caprice and Moses. One of them was in a seated position while the other was


    standing. They looked like nothing more than mere acquaintances, and nobody would suspect there being any further rtions


    between the two.


    However, Moses looked at her in an especially affectionate way.


    The sharp-eyed Heather immediately noticed this. She ordered the investigator, "Find out more about this man."


    After retiring to the dormitory, Caprice threw herself onto the bed after she showered.


    As usual, she reached for her phone and the first thing she did was stalk Liam¡¯s profile.


    He had posted a picture taken from the usual angle from inside his office facing the windows, showcasing the view outside. It


    was captioned: "A quiet night."


    When had it ever been noisy anyway? There was not a single marked residential area within a ten-mile radius of Carter Tech


    City. Unless there was an ongoing storm, it was tranquil most of the time.


    Caprice did not think too much of it. She liked the post and went to text Liam, "Hey, Liam, did you get enough rest?"

 Chapter 1942

    Chapter 1942


    Liam must be busy. Some time passed before he replied, "Yeah. Have you gotten back to the dorm with your friends?"


    Caprice replied, "We just got back from the restaurant a while ago. I''m already resting in bed."


    To prove that she was telling the truth, she took a ttering picture of herself and sent it to Liam.


    Liam replied, "Good, make sure you get enough rest.¡±


    Caprice knew that he had never been a talkative man and was not keen on keeping the conversation going, but it was barely ten


    o''clock, and it was far too early to sleep.


    With this in mind, she texted him, "Liam, send me your picture too."


    She still did not have a picture of him on her phone.


    However, after the text was sent, there was no response.


    Even after some time had passed, it was still radio silence on the other end. She frowned and was just about to fall into a sullen


    state when a picture popped up on the screen.


    It was Liam. He had taken a picture of his reflection in the mirror. His appearance could not be made out clearly, but his tall and


    striking figure was immediately recognizable. Underneath the dim lights, he looked especially dashing.


    Caprice immediately saved the picture to her phone.


    She replied with a cute sticker of a cartoonish figure asking for a kiss.


    Ding!


    Liam replied, "You''ll get a kiss next time we meet."


    She was not expecting him to interpret the sticker with its literal meaning though she had to admit that she was not opposed to


    him kissing her at all.


    Her eyes shed, and a burst of courage came to her out of nowhere as she promptly replied, "Can | touch your abs again the


    next time we meet?¡±


    Liam replied, ¡®We''ll see when we meet again."


    She grinned when she read the reply. "Okay."


    "Get some rest."Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    "Okay..."


    She fell asleep with her arms wrapped around her phone, Liam''s picture on its disy.


    Meanwhile, Liam was still at his office desk at Carter Tech City. He held his phone closely in hand and stared at Caprice¡¯s selfie


    that she sent him. Her adorable expression nearly took up the whole screen.


    He gently brushed the tips of his fingers against her face on the screen, then he proceeded to set the picture as the wallpaper.


    The next day, Caprice ate breakfast with Piper, Freya, and Lana. After breakfast, she stepped into the car with her friends


    sending her off.


    There was still a lot of work waiting to be done on the joint project with Carter Tech City. She had no time to waste.


    While her car was coasting down the highway toward nchester, Heather''s car had just stopped outside the building where


    Moses¡¯pany was operating from. She went through the reception and gave the receptionist her information. Then, she was


    brought to Moses'' office.


    Moses greeted her politely, "Miss Manson, can | help you with anything?"


    Heather sat on the couch, posturing herself elegantly as always with her slender legs dangling off the couch. She regarded


    Moses with her chin cocked slightly upward.


    She began, ¡®There''s a certain subject | wanted to talk to you about."


    "What is it?¡±


    "Caprice," she said as she removed her sunsses, revealing her sharp gaze underneath.


    Moses immediately seemed affected. "What about her?"


    "You have a thing for her, don''t you?" Heather said with a smile. "Maybe | can help you with that.¡±


    Moses fell silent for a moment. After a pause, he spoke with a faint smile hanging on his lips, "| do like her, but she''s already with


    someone that she likes. If | may be so direct, Miss Manson, are you trying to tear them apart so that | can swoop in and im her


    for myself? Are you going to use me to tear them apart?"

 Chapter 1943

    Chapter 1943


    He was very aware of Heather''s hostility toward Caprice. He had a feeling that Heather only came to him with this proposal


    because she wanted Liam for herself.


    The only thing he was unsure of was how she came to know about his feelings for Caprice.


    Heather frowned sharply. She did not expect Moses to figure out her true intentions right away. Furthermore, it looked like he


    knew about Caprice and Liam.


    Her eyes flickered with shock a few times. Immediately after that, she fixed a smug smile on her lips again and announced,


    ¡®You''re only partially right. | wasn¡¯t only trying to match you with Caprice. I¡¯m also trying to get her to leave that man who is such


    a horrible match for her."


    Moses did not appreciate the contempt Heather had for Caprice in her tone, but he had to admit she made a good point.


    Apart from her good looks, Caprice was not particrly remarkable as far as her capabilities went. Besides, her family


    background did not appear to be anything out of the ordinary either. If she came from a reputable family, she would not have


    worked for his measly littlepany in the first ce back then.


    The daughter of a rich family would not even have his startuppany on her radar at all.


    Forget about Liam, her status was barelyparable to that of Heather''s. The only reason she somehow ended up with


    someone of a disproportionate status like Liam was that they happened to be childhood friends.


    Upon noticing his hesitation in refuting her point, Heather smiled. She sank her ws in. "Mr. Stewart, you should consider


    joining forces with me. Not only will you get to im Caprice for yourself, but | can also provide a substantial boost to your


    company''s profile.¡±


    She had done some research on Moses; this man was undoubtedly gifted and motivated as well.


    His only shoring was hisck of connections due to his otherwisemon status. If he wanted to propel his career forward


    and grow hispany, he would need better connections.


    It made sense that Moses would at least consider her proposal.


    Sure enough, he seemed intrigued.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    After a long, ruminative silence, he spoke atst, "Miss Manson, | must admit that it''s a very good deal, but I''m afraid | will have


    to refuse your kind offer. | have my principles.¡±


    Heather immediately stiffened.


    She scoffed to herself and nearly broke into insults. After letting a wave of irritation pass through her, she spoke as calmly as


    possible, "You don''t have to give me an answer right away. Think about it for a few days before getting back to me. You have all


    the time in the world.¡±


    With that, she rose from the couch and put one of her business cards on top of the desk.


    Before Moses could say anything, she was already on her way out.


    He picked up the business card and inspected it. It was very well made. Its texture and weight alone differentiated it from any


    othermon business cards he had seen. It looked very expensive.


    Heather¡¯s name and contact information was written on top of it. Furthermore, her position was etched in bold print: W


    Entertainment CEO.


    W Entertainment was a legacy corporation in the entertainment industry. Apart from the entertainment industry, they also dabble


    in some other sectors.


    He was not very informed on how high VV Entertainment ranked amongst all the titan corporations in Westchester, but one thing


    he knew for sure was that hispany was a feeble ant inparison.


    He slumped back into his chair and closed his eyes, feeling a hint of restlessness.


    Caprice went straight to thepany upon her return to nchester.


    Brianne and Logan hadid out the workflow going forward.


    Several other departments in thepany were going to be involved in the joint corporation. Caprice summoned the heads of


    the respective departments to the conference room for a meeting. They went over the itinerary and began distributing the


    workload amongst the members.


    They spent the next ten days hard at work. It was only around then that everything began to fall into shape.


    Going forward, Brianne and Logan could take over and supervise the remaining procedures.


    There were still a lot of details and tasks that were not to be glossed over, but they were no longer Caprice''s concerns since the


    new semester was about to begin. She would go back to being a university student again.


    One evening, after wrapping up the final task on her to-do list, she bade farewell to Brianne and Logan, then she grabbed her


    bag and left the office.


    When she got to the parking lot and entered the car, her parents were already waiting for her inside.


    John and Sherry greeted her with warm smiles.


    "All done?¡± Sherry asked.


    Caprice nodded. "Yeap!¡±


    John gently ruffled her hair and praised her, "Good work.¡±


    Caprice beamed with pride and asked yfully, "So... is there going to be any kind of reward for me?"


    John smiled and suggested, "Does inheriting the entire corporation sound good to you?"

 Chapter 1944

    Chapter 1944


    Caprice made a show of copsing into Sherry''s arm and pretending to fall asleep.


    John and Sherry exchanged a weak smile.


    After driving for another half an hour, they arrived at a restaurant. It was one of Caprice''s favorite restaurants.


    They entered a box and had a wonderful dinner, stuffing their stomachs with delicious food.


    After the meal, they all went home together.


    On the way home, Caprice fell asleep halfway through the drive. Abination of her rxed mood after finally being finished


    with work and her exhaustion made her sleep like a log. She was squeezed between Sherry and John and slumped against


    John''s shoulder, using him as a pillow.


    Sherry gently brushed the side of her daughter''s cheeks with her fingers. After making sure that she had indeed fallen asleep,


    she smiled and turned to John, speaking in a low voice, "How was her performance at work?"


    "She did a great job." John looked dotingly at her daughter''s sleeping expression and borated, "She''s very serious about her


    work and is a very organized worker. She knows how to deal with people, which makes up for herck of experience. It''s all


    about being adaptable and knowing how tomunicate with others. So long as she¡¯s willing to put in work, I''m sure she will


    fare well going forward."


    Sherry had to admit she was a little surprised by John''s favorable feedback.


    Growing up, Caprice had always been a soft-spoken girl and tended to be a little on the slower end at times. Sherry did not


    expect such tall praises, especiallying from John of all people.


    Perhaps Caprice had only been toozy to put her brains to work this entire time. When she was willing to put in the effort, she


    was rather formidable.


    She looked at Caprice''s sleeping face and chuckled to herself.


    Something urred to her as she turned to John again. "By the way, Syl just called me this afternoon. She heard about Caprice


    making up with


    Liam and was calling to ask if we should let them get engaged to them this year."


    As John frowned, he promptly leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. He looked like he was going to fall asleep.


    Sherry did not speak. She just sighed deeply.


    If it wasn''t for fear of identally waking up the exhausted Caprice, she would have smacked John right on the head.


    The next morning, after having breakfast, Caprice said goodbye to her parents and Madam Stockton. Then, she put her luggage


    into the car and began her journey back to Westchester.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    There was another week until the official start of the next semester, but she was already itching to go back because she had not


    seen Liam for almost two weeks.


    During these two weeks, she dedicated the entirety of her attention to work. Since Liam was just as, if not busier than her, they


    barely had time to talk. She missed him dearly.


    The car merged into the highway linking the two cities.


    Three hourster, the car was parked outside the gate of the Sparkrow University dormitory. She hopped out of the car and


    carried her luggage into the dormitory.


    Both Freya and Piper were working while Lana waszing around the dormitory ying games.


    After dropping off her luggage, Caprice briefly unpacked everything before leaving again. She nned to go to Carter Tech City


    to visit Liam.


    As soon as she walked past the gate, she saw Heather who was draped in branded goods and had a cool pair of sunsses on.


    Her entire demeanor screamed dignity and made her seem difficult to approach.


    Although there was another week until the start of the semester, many students had returned to the campus. Many passersby


    could not help stealing nces at Heather.


    Heather seemed to be enjoying the attention as well, and there was a shadow of a grin hanging by her lips.


    Caprice immediately grew suspicious.


    Why was Heather here? Was Heather here to see her?

 Chapter 1945

    Chapter 1945


    She was not in the mood to entertain Heather and briskly walked past her.


    "Hey, Caprice," Heather called after her in a mocking friendly voice.


    The people gawking at Heather immediately directed their attention to Caprice.


    Caprice could no longer ignore her presence. She turned to greet her, imitating her cheap smile the entire while. "Hey, Heather,


    what brings you here?"Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Heather''s mouth suddenly stiffened. She briskly approached Caprice and greeted her with an unnatural warmth, "I just figured I''d


    come to see you since | haven''t seen you in a while. | was beginning to miss you!¡±


    Caprice was struck speechless.


    How did she manage to say things like this without throwing up?


    Did she have amnesia? Did she already forget about what happened thest time they met when she shoved her into the pool?


    She answered crossly, without the least bit of friendliness, "That''s too bad.


    | was just on my way to see Liam. | don''t have time to catch up with you.¡±


    She mentioned Liam with a smug smile, and even the tone of her voice was piqued slightly when she spoke his name. She was


    aware of the effect this had on Heather.


    Heather''splexion darkened just as she expected.


    Even with the sunsses covering her eyes, Caprice could sense the way her gaze hardened.


    Caprice had brought up Liam intentionally to rattle her. She deserved this; there was no reason for her to be here in the first


    ce!


    Heather swallowed a mouthful of rage and put on her pictorial smile again.


    ¡°Are you dating Liam now? Congrattions!"


    Caprice answered with a sarcastic smile, "It''s all thanks to you. If you hadn''t shoved me into the pool at the partyst time, |


    wouldn''t have known that he¡¯s been single this entire time."


    She had zero intention of holding back her punches since Heather brought this upon herself.


    Heather pursed her lips tightly as if she had identally swallowed something unbearably sour. It looked like she could not strain


    any words out of her even if she had tried.


    Caprice was done wasting time with her and decided to drop the conversation right there. "Heather, I''ll be leaving for now if you


    don''t have anything else to tell me."


    She turned around without waiting for a response.


    "There''s going to be a dinner party that¡¯s held annually in Westchester thising weekend. Did you hear about it?" Heather


    suddenly grabbed her attention. She spoke with an air of condescension and haughtiness this time.


    Caprice had to do a double-take. "What dinner party?"


    Heather suddenly began chuckling mockingly. She made it seem like Caprice was a country bumpkin that had never heard of


    anything in the city.


    "Hasn''t Liam told you about it?¡± she asked with a wry smile.


    Caprice was confused now, "Why would he tell me about it?¡±


    "All the people attending the dinner party are the industry leaders of all the different sectors in Westchester, their family members


    will be invited as well." Heather allowed herself a dramatic pause before resuming, "I


    thought you''ve known Liam your entire life? Hasn¡¯t he told you about it?"


    Caprice grimaced.


    It was clear as day that Heather was insulting her.


    Despite that, she hardly felt anything.


    Now that Heather mentioned it, she began to have a vague impression of this annual dinner party. The tradition started a little


    over a decade ago, and her parents would attend religiously every year. She never wanted to attend because she was not


    interested in such business-oriented events.


    Heather took Caprice''s silence to mean that she had been stumped by her ignorance. She was very pleased with how she


    managed to turn the situation around.


    Shemented, "Well, since you''re dating Liam now, I''m sure he will bring you along."


    Sensing that she was trying to skirt around the topic as she always did, Caprice confronted her snappily, "What are you trying to


    say?"


    Heather smiled. "It''s nothing, | just want to ask if you will go to this dinner party. After all, the people who can go to this event are


    all big names in the industry. If you can go with Liam, a lot of people will begin to know about you as well. That is, if Liam


    remembers to bring you with him, but I''m sure he will, considering how much he cares about you."


    Caprice knew what Heather was hinting at now. She was indirectly suggesting that Liam would have brought her to the dinner


    party if he cared about her.


    Several dark creases appeared on her forehead.


    Did this wretched womane all the way here just to tell her something as ridiculous as this?


    ¡°Anyway, | hope I''ll see you this weekend!" Heather said with a wry smile before excusing herself.

 Chapter 1946

    Chapter 1946


    Caprice did not linger. She walked out the gate and called a cab to take her to Carter Tech City. Shepletely discarded what


    Heather told her to the back of her mind.


    She could hardly be bothered; all she cared about was seeing Liam as soon as possible.


    Meanwhile, Heather sat inside her car and spied on the taxi Caprice just hailed. She never nned to make the trip herself to


    confront Caprice. This was all Moses'' fault. The buffoon of a man who did not know what was good for him and refused to


    cooperate with her.


    Fortunately, it seemed like she sessfully riled Caprice up. She seemed to be in a rush to get to Carter Tech City.


    Was she going to Liam to beg him to take her with him to this weekend''s party?


    Heather snorted scornfully.


    If Liam refused, they would probably get into a fight.


    On the other hand, if he did bring her along, it would certainly spice things up-


    She chuckled to herself, impressed by her deviousness. She was already in cahoots with many of the attendees who were her


    friends, and she was going to make sure that the moment Caprice got to the party, she would be ostracized and realize that she


    did not belong there. She was a measlymoner who did not deserve to stand by Liam''s side!


    The taxi stopped at the entrance of Carter Tech City.


    Caprice hopped out and walked in.


    As usual, the security guard posted at the entrance immediately opened the gate for her the moment he saw her approaching.


    As soon as Caprice stepped past, she noticed two familiar figuresing her way.


    It was Moses and Keh. They were both dressed in suits with stacks of documents in their hands, and they seemed to be


    discussing something serious.


    When they noticed Caprice, they were jolted.


    Moses turned to Keh. "Could you wait for me in the car? I''ll catch up with you in a second."


    "Okay." Keh stole a nce at Caprice before heading to the car.


    Moses approached Caprice.


    "Caprice, are you here to see President Carter?" he asked with a pleasant smile.


    "Yeah, | guess you''re here for business?" Caprice asked in a friendly voice.


    "Yeah," Moses said with a nod. "I''m off now. See you."


    ¡°Alright, see you."


    They went their separate ways.


    Caprice stepped into the city.


    "One more thing," Moses suddenly called after her again.


    She turned back to him. "What''s up?"


    Moses seemed to juggle the words in his mind for a while before starting, ¡± Do you remember Heather Manson from W


    Entertainment?"


    "Yeah, what about her?"


    "| have a feeling she has a thing for President Carter. Watch out for her."


    Caprice smiled and said courteously, "| see. Thanks for telling me about this.¡±


    "You''re wee." With nothing else to add, Moses turned and left.


    Caprice had long known about Heather''s hostility towards her, thus she was always on guard whenever she saw Heather. She


    discarded the thought and embarked on the shuttle. She was transported to Liam''s office tower in just a few minutes.


    She went to the elevator like she owned the building, and not a single person stopped her.


    When she got to the office, the door was closed.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She gently knocked on the door.


    No one answered.


    Was he not around?


    She gently twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open. That was when she noticed Liam''s figure leaning on the recliner in


    front of the French window.


    The office waspletely silent while he was resting.


    Her eyes stirred. Then, she slowly tiptoed to Liam¡¯s side. He was still sleeping, his eyes shut the entire time. His thick eyshes


    cast faint shadows over his eyelids, highlighting how handsome he was.


    He wore a loose ck shirt with several buttons lined along the top left undone and the cor parted to the sides. Underneath


    the fabric were a fine Adam''s apple and defined corbones.


    It was an indescribably alluring sight.


    Caprice gulped. She slowly stroked his corbone with the tips of her fingers.


    Liam''s eyes were still closed with a peaceful expression on his face. He was in a deep sleep and hardly sensed her touch.

 Chapter 1947

    Chapter 1947


    Caprice gulped, then she shifted her hands to Liam''s shirt and slowly parted them.


    Parting the fabric like a curtain, his chiseled chest and abs came into view, all eight blocks of firm muscles above the belt line.


    Caprice felt her cheeks glowing with heat, and even her eyes began to shine. She excitedly ced her hand on his stomach.


    Before she had time to savor the wonderful texture of his toned muscles, she felt her wrist seized by a hand. She nearly jumped.


    Immediately after that, Liam''s hand tugged hard at her.


    Thump!


    Shended directly on top of him. She looked up and met his dark, prating gaze.


    He looked at her with remarkable calmness. The deep, ominous pool of ckness in his eyes made Caprice shiver. It was


    terrifying to look into those eyes.


    ¡°When did you wake up?¡±


    ¡°What were you going to do to me if | didn¡¯t wake up in time?" he asked with a grin.


    She blushed and avoided his gaze. She stammered as she spoke, "I... wasn''t going to do anything to you. | just saw that your


    clothes were creased, so | figured I''d tidy them for you."


    Liam suppressed a smile and grabbed her chin. "Really?¡±


    "Yes!" Caprice almost shrieked.


    "It¡¯s still creased. Why don¡¯t you take care of it for me?"


    Caprice was taken aback by this offer. "Can...can |?¡±


    Liam let go of her arms.


    She stood up.


    He rose from the recliner as well and stood in front of her like a mannequin. His figure that obstructed the light pouring in from


    outside cast arge shadow on Caprice''s tiny figure.


    She looked up at him.


    His shirt was barely hanging onto his body by this point. How was she supposed to fix it?


    Just as she was considering if she should help him button up the shirt, he suddenly moved. His slender fingers progressed


    through the buttons from the top to bottom, unbuttoning them one after the other.


    Caprice felt her breath stifled, and her cheeks grew red.


    Liam looked at her and said in a sensual voice, "You can start now."


    Start what?


    Touching him?


    Since he had unbuttoned his shirt, this was probably what he meant.


    She looked at him with an uncertain look in her eyes.


    He met her gaze head-on with the usual cool look on his face, but she could not make out what he was thinking.


    Was he intentionally doing this because his afternoon sleep was interrupted and decided that this was the way to punish her?


    She suppressed her nerves as best as she could.


    She made her hands move and began to help him button his shirt again, starting from the neckline. She muttered a wry


    exnation, didn''t mean to wake you up..."


    Liam was silent.


    His brows furrowed.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    He took a deep breath. Without warning, he threw his arms around her waist and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head


    and nted a passionate kiss on her lips.


    Caprice waspletely taken by shock.


    Why did he suddenly kiss her?


    His movements were brash and tempestuous.


    She did not have time to collect herself and lost herself in the passion.


    After a prolonged kiss, Liam released her from the kiss atst. He wrapped her in his arms and muttered in a low voice,


    "Dummy."


    Caprice was still busy catching her breath, but the moment she heard Liam making fun of her, he turned up and asked snappily,


    "Who are you calling a dummy?"


    She hated having her intellect insulted!


    Liam looked at her puffed-up, angry expression and said with his lips quipped to the side, "I was talking about myself."


    Caprice grinned. She pressed herself close to his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around him before asking, ¡®When did you


    wake up?" "| wasn¡¯t sleeping,¡± he confessed.

 Chapter 1948

    Chapter 1948


    What???


    Had he been awake since the moment she came into the office?


    He was awake when she was feeling up his corbone and his abs all along?


    bbergasted, her cheeks reddened in a mix of embarrassment and humiliation. She frowned disapprovingly and shrieked his


    full name, "Liam Carter!!"


    Liam squinted yfully. "Hm?¡±


    Caprice made a show of grunting and pouting, expressing her disapproval. She was still slightly irked.


    Liam ruffled her hair and asked with a faint smile, "Do you still want to touch me?"


    His shirt was still open, his body in full view.


    Caprice''s eyes zed at the prospect, and her anger dissipated instantly.


    "Can |?" she asked uncertainly.


    Liam broke into a chuckle. "Sure."


    She obliged and began to feel his toned muscles.


    After the two messed around for a while longer, Caprice¡¯s stomach began growling. She cringed and immediately put a hand to


    her stomach to silence the hunger.


    Liam grinned. ¡°Hungry?¡±


    She muttered shyly, "Yeah."


    She had not had a single bite of food since leaving nchester, and it was already afternoon.


    "Take a seat on the couch over there.¡± Liam gestured. Then, he went to the desk and picked up thendline phone on the table


    to make a call.


    Caprice could hear him speaking to someone on the phone. "Get us lunch.¡¯


    After that, he opened his desk drawer and extracted a pack of bread from it. He would usually snack on some bread while he


    was busy with work just to fill his stomach. He was not sure if Caprice would be a fan of the bread since it was not as vorful as


    her usual choice of food.


    He handed the bread to her and poured her a ss of water on the side. " Eat this to fill your stomach for now. Lunch will be here


    for a second."


    Caprice smiled. "Okay, thank you."


    She tore the wrapper open and started eating.


    It was not very tasteful, but at least it was fresh and its texture was springy when she bit into it, so she enjoyed the bread.


    Liam observed her with a faint smile.


    Just as he said, the secretary knocked on the door shortly after that and brought lunch into the room.


    Liam gently caressed her head. "| have a meeting. I''ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go ahead."


    He got up and left.


    Caprice opened the lunch box and enjoyed her wonderful lunch.


    After she was full, she stretchedzily on the couch. Liam was not back yet, and she was all alone in the quiet office.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She got sleepy after a while and plopped herself on the couch. She closed her eyes to catch up on some rest. A wave of


    drowsiness hit her in no time, and she drifted off to sleep shortly after.


    It was evening by the time she woke up.


    The afterglow of the setting sun refracted through the French windows and engulfed the bedroom, furnishing the office with a


    gentle ambiance.


    She touched the soft mattress underneath her and surveyed her unfamiliar surroundings. Before she could figure out where she


    was, she heard a voiceing from outside the bedroom.


    ¡°Are you not going to the dinner party this weekend?" It was Isabel''s voice.


    "No," Liam said firmly.


    "If you''re not going, then I¡¯m not going too,¡± Isabel stated.


    Liam remarked indifferently, "Do what you want. Good luck persuading Dad though."


    Isabel expressed irritably, "Stupid Flinty is not going, you''re not going, so why should | go by myself?"


    Liam said, "Mom and Dad will be there.¡±


    Isabel groaned, "I don''t get along with them. You know that.

 Chapter 1949

    Chapter 1949


    Chapter 1949


    Liam ignored her.


    This made her more irritable. "It''s all you guys¡¯ fault! If one of you or Flinty would take up the family business, Dad wouldn''t have


    thrown it on myp!"


    Liam expressed without interest, "It''s not like you have anything going on anyway."


    He said it without any inflection in his voice.


    Isabel exploded, "What do you mean | have nothing going on?! Do you have any idea how busy | am?! | have a lot of films to


    shoot!"


    She raised her voice by several pitches, and it sounded like she was going to throw herself on Liam.


    Caprice was rmed and immediately threw the door open. She noticed Isabel who seemed like she was about to pounce on


    Liam''s desk and cried out, Isabel, don''t be angry! Uncle Carter probably let you take over because he trusts that you can handle


    it.¡±


    Isabel flipped a look at her. The infuriated expression on her face immediately vanished it. What took its ce was a gentle and


    doting smile.


    "Caprice?" she said with a spring in her voice before darting a look at Liam. "How long have you been hiding Caprice in your


    office?"


    Caprice winced. "I... | identally fell asleep after lunch."


    Liam must have carried her into the bedroom.


    Isabel chuckled. "No need to exin. | understand."


    Caprice sighed weakly.


    Something suddenly urred to Isabel, and a sh crossed her eyes. "Caprice, have you started your new semester yet?" she


    asked suddenly.


    Liam seemed rmed by this as well, so he asked warily, "Isabel, what are you up to?¡±


    "Caprice is basically my sister. What did you think | was going to do to her?" Isabel snapped back grumpily, then she turned back


    to Caprice with an affectionate smile.


    Caprice answered her question, ''The semester starts next week."


    "Does that mean you''re free this weekend?"


    Caprice considered briefly, "I think so."


    "Perfect! I''ll take you somewhere fun this Sunday evening."


    ¡°Where are were going?" Caprice asked suspiciously.


    Isabel went up to her and threw her arms around her shoulders. "You''ll see."


    Caprice looked at Liam.


    There was not a trace of emotion on his face, but he must be aware of what sort of ce Isabel nned to take her to. Surely,


    he would object if it was some questionable ce. Since he was not objecting, it should be fine.


    Isabel turned to Liam again and assured her, "Don''t worry. I''ll take good care of Caprice for you."


    Liam ignored her and turned to Caprice. ''There''s something | need to deal with that night, so | can''t spend time with you. If you


    don''t have anything to do, feel free to join Isabel."


    Caprice nodded affirmatively.


    She figured that it should be fine to hang out with Isabel. After all, they had not spent time together for a while.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Isabel hung around for a little longer before leaving.


    Caprice stuck around. She was sprawled out on the couch with a book that she was hardly reading; it was only a facade so that


    she could stare at Liam without him noticing.


    After he was finished with work, the two went out for dinner. They loitered around a scenic area for a while until it was midnight.


    Then, they took Liam¡¯s car back to Sparkrow University.


    The car stopped outside the gate of the dormitory.


    Caprice pecked a gentle kiss on Liam''s face. "Bye-bye."


    With that, she opened the door and hopped out.


    Liam smiled faintly and stared at her departing figure. After ensuring that she was inside the dormitory, he turned to the driver.


    "Let''s go."


    Three dayster, on Sunday, Caprice got a call from Isabel around noon.


    Isabel told her that she was already waiting outside, so Caprice walked out of the dormitory immediately.


    The moment Isabel noticed her, she lowered the car window and waved excitedly. "Over here, Caprice!"


    Since he was a famous actress, several passersby heard her cry and immediately turned to gawk at her.


    Meanwhile, Caprice quickly sprinted toward the car.

 Chapter 1950

    Chapter 1950


    The interior of the car was rather spacious.


    Isabel''s driver was driving, and her assistant was in the car as well.


    Caprice squeezed into the rear and sat next to Isabel.


    Isabel did not have her hair tied up and draped it elegantly over her back instead. She wore a ssy ck high-waisted dress


    and adorned herself with two pieces of minimal but luxurious ne that must have cost a fortune.


    Caprice recalled how she always saw Isabel dressed casually. It was very rare for her to be dressed so formally. She asked in an


    intrigued voice, "Are you going to attend some kind of formal event?"


    ¡°Not just me. We are going to attend a special event tonight," Isabel said curtly while eyeing Caprice up and down. Then, she


    turned to the driver." Let''s make a quick stop at my ce."


    "Alright," the driver said and stepped on the gas pedal.


    "Isabel, why are we going to your ce?" Caprice asked in a puzzled voice.


    Isabel gently pinched her cheeks. "We''re going to get you dressed up."


    Considering the venue tonight, she could not let Caprice show up in such casual attire.


    Caprice joined the dots immediately and nodded briskly. "Alright."


    Isabel''s apartment was in the middle of the city. It was a roughly twenty- minute drive before they got there.


    It was an enormous apartment, farrger than Liam''s. You could hardly spot the other end of the ce from the entrance.


    Despite the countless decorative pieces and furniture all over the ce, the ce managed to preserve a homely ambiance


    without seeming like a hoarder''s lot.


    The girls went into the dressing area.


    Isabel put on makeup for Caprice, then she opened the wardrobe and revealed a row of evening dresses in all sorts of designs


    and colors. She attentively went through them to find the best dress for Caprice.


    Caprice figured she was only tagging along for the night and expressed mildly, "Isabel, you can just pick a random dress for me.


    No need to trouble yourself."


    "That won''t do. This is my first time dressing you up, so | have to make sure | pick the perfect dress."


    Having inherited the best features of her mother and father, Caprice was blessed with unparalleled good looks. She was sweet


    as a flower but still maintained to carry a hint of coolness underneath without seeming haughty on the outside. Since she was


    only neen, she still had notpletely grown out of her adolescent looks.


    Isabel told herself she had to choose wisely. She scrutinized every dress in her collection.


    As she was nearing the tail end of her collection, a particrcy floral dress caught her attention. The upper half of the skirt was


    fitted to the body, but the cut was loose and rxed from the waist down, spreading out like a flower. It was an elegant piece.


    The skirt was pleated and etched with patterns of beautiful roses. The floral patterns were colored in a striking white that added


    to its refined and elegant look. It looked like something out of a fairytale, appearing tasteful and youthful.


    "Caprice, try this one." Isabel immediately handed the dress to Caprice.


    Caprice hesitated briefly. "Don¡¯t you think this dress is a little too shy?¡±


    She only nned to tag along for the night and was wary of stealing the spotlight.


    Isabel gently tapped her forehead to silence her hesitation, then she ordered her in a firm voice, "Go get changed right now."


    Caprice made a face.


    "Alright then."


    She took the dress and went into the room to get changed.


    Isabel sighed faintly.


    Caprice was already neen-years-old but still dressed like a child. She was too reserved.


    It was not surprising that her brother was hesitant to make a move on Caprice since she was still like a child in a lot of ways.


    The dress was easier to put on than Caprice expected. Furthermore, it was just the right size for her.


    She got changed quickly and stepped back out to show her new look to Isabel.


    "Isabel, I''m done," she announced.


    Isabel was slumped over the couch, scrolling mindlessly on her phone when she heard Caprice. She looked over absent-


    mindedly and was immediately taken aback.


    It took a while for her to recover from her shock. She gawked at Caprice for a while and expressed in an astonished voice, "Wow,


    you have a way better figure than | thought!"


    Despite her tender young age, she had the ideal hourss figure. Coupled with her looks, it was hardly fair.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    She would squash all thepetition if she stepped into the entertainment industry looking like that.

 Chapter 1951

    Chapter 1951


    Chapter 1951


    Isabel simply could not take her eyes off Caprice.


    It came to a point where Caprice was beginning to feel embarrassed having been stared at for so long. Her face glowed red as


    she dodged away from Isabel''s pointed stare. "Don''t look at me like that."


    ¡°Haha! Alright." Isabel chuckled and stifled the urge to keep staring. She suddenly gestured at the window. ¡°Caprice, stand over


    there by the window. Let me take a picture of you.¡¯


    "Why do you want to take my picture?"


    ¡°| don¡¯t have any pictures of you on my phone, so let me have a nice picture of you at least," Isabel said without giving away her


    true intentions.


    Caprice did not look too much into it. She obliged and stood next to the window as she was told, posing as Isabel instructed.


    After a while, when Isabel was finally satisfied with the pictures, so she turned to Caprice again. "Why don''t you take a short


    break? | need to use the bathroom, and we will leave in about an hour."


    "Alright."


    Isabel went to the bathroom.


    Caprice stepped out of the dressing area and went to the living room.


    After a while, Isabel¡¯s assistant approached her with some snacks and fresh fruit. Caprice thanked her with a smile and began


    snacking.


    Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Isabel was texting Liam on her phone.


    She sent two pictures of Caprice to Liam, followed by a text. ¡®What do you think? Does she look good dressed like this?"


    The pictures could easily be used as magazine covers without needing any sort of editing.


    There was a reason Isabel sent these pictures to Liam. She was going to make him regret not tagging long tonight. He missed


    out on the chance of getting to see Caprice dressed up in a stunning dress, looking her best.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    In Carter Tech City, Liam was in the middle of a serious meeting.


    The others were talking while he was seated at the head of the table with a stoic look on his face, attentively listening to the


    other''s input.


    His phone was muted. The disy lit up briefly when he received a text from Isabel.


    Upon noticing that it was only Isabel texting him, he paid no mind to it and directed his attention back to the meeting.


    An hour passed in the blink of an eye.


    The sun was about to set when Caprice and Isabel left the apartment.


    The assistant did not go with them. The girls went to the location where the dinner party was held. It was a luxurious manor vi


    located in the suburbs.


    The party took ce outdoors on a well-maintainedwn illuminated with light instation. The decoration was nothing short of


    stately, and every decoration piece was expensive and exquisite. It was the definition of luxury, a yground for the rich.


    When Caprice got out of the car with Isabel, the dazzling lights almost blinded her.


    She squinted as she followed Isabel onto the red carpet leading to the entrance of the venue.


    Immediately after they stepped on the red carpet, she heard people eximing, "Look, that¡¯s Isabel Ross!"


    Severaldies gestured at Isabel andmented, "Isn''t she just an actress? Why is she here?"


    ¡°Who knows? Maybe she managed tond a rich patron who decided to bring her here to show her around."


    ¡°How is that possible? Do you see anyone like that apanying her?"


    "No, but there is that girl over there. She¡¯s very beautiful."


    "| don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her before. It doesn''t look like she''s from the entertainment industry. Do you know her?"


    ¡®| don''t. She''s probably one of Isabel''s close friends."


    "What did she bring her here for?¡¯


    ¡°Heh, | think | might know why. Considering everyone attending this party tonight is the richest men from different sectors of the


    city, they''re probably here for a market survey. If | had to guess, these girls are hoping to find such rich men to sink their ws in


    and get married to."


    "Hahaha..."

 Chapter 1952

    Chapter 1952


    They roared withughter.


    It did not seem like they knew that Isabel was the only daughter of the Carters, much less Caprice''s identity.


    There was nothing but slight for Isabel in their voice, and that hostility spread toward Caprice who happened to be her partner.


    Caprice frowned.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Upon hearing their unruly waves ofughter, Isabel halted and red sharply at them. Even with the blinding lights shooting in


    every direction, there was a piercing shine in her eyes that was unflinching and hostile.


    It seemed like she was threatening to pounce on them if any one of them dared to even chuckle at all.


    The gossiping women were instantly silenced, not expecting such retaliation from Isabel.


    It was only after Isabel led Caprice into the venue that they came back to their senses. They got so infuriated that they began


    insulting Isabel again, aware that she could not hear them now.


    Meanwhile, Caprice and Isabel had stepped into the venue with their invitation cards.


    Isabel was a popr actress and immediately drew a lot of attention. Caprice, who was dressed like a princess, received a fair


    share of reception as well.


    Neither was Isabel fazed by the attention nor was Caprice even though she was not a fan of such events and being under the


    spotlight. She made sure to stick close to Isabel''s side.


    Isabel got herself a ss of wine while Caprice opted for fruit juice and some pastry. They sat together and ate. From time to


    time, they would have to brush off the advances of men who came up to Isabel to flirt with her.


    At one point, a fine-looking young man who seemed well-behaved approached Caprice.


    He looked straight into her eyes and asked, "Hello, beautiful. Would you like to chat for a moment?"


    Before Caprice could refuse, Isabel chased the man away, "No. She''s my sister-inw.¡±


    The man was bbergasted and left with his head downcast in defeat.


    Caprice smirked and took a sip of the juice. She liked it when Isabel addressed her as her sister-inw.


    After that, the man stopped flocking toward them. The constant rejection of every man who approached them so far must have


    sent an effective message that the two girls were not interested.


    Isabel continued enjoying her wine.


    At one point, it suddenly urred to Caprice that something strange was going on. She had a feeling that Isabel hated being


    here at all, so why was she here?


    She asked bluntly, "Isabel, why did youe to this party tonight at all?¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s my dad who made me attend,¡± she confessed.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    She recalled her argument with Liam in the office that she overheard.


    Since Odell wanted her to take over the family business, he must have wanted her to attend the dinner party that was akin to an


    annual tradition. It was a chance for the industry leaders to mingle and for people to see Isabel.


    ¡°Anyway, how are things with you and my brother progressing?" Isabel changed the topic suddenly. Her eyes were glowing with


    red, burning with curiosity.


    Caprice nearly stuttered. She said with her face turning into the shade of ripe tomatoes, "We''re just... doing the usual things a


    normal couple do."


    ¡°Have you kissed yet?¡± Isabel asked without shame.


    Caprice lowered her head shyly. "Yeah."


    When Isabel noticed Caprice''s shy reaction, she asked while stifling a smile, "Slept together yet?"


    Caprice picked at her fingers. ¡® Not yet.¡±


    Isabel shed a look of disbelief.


    Caprice hurriedly added, "But | touched his abs a few times."


    ¡®Touch his what now?" What sort of queer interaction was that supposed to be?


    Isabel did not attempt to conceal her shock at all. She was utterly speechless.


    This only furthered Caprice''s shame. She grunted and wanted to bury herself in a hole.


    Was close bodily contact not intimate enough?


    Isabel expressed with a sigh, "Well, | have to say, you¡¯re a good match for my brother."


    One was old-fashioned while the other was a silly girl.

 Chapter 1953

    Chapter 1953


    Isabel was relentless and continued pressing for more details. "You haven''t done anything with my brother other than kissing and


    this ab-touching?"


    Caprice suddenly recalled the previous date she went on with Liam in Carter Tech City.


    He had pried the cor of her shirt open, and the two of them had kissed for what seemed like forever, and at one point he... he...


    Her face turned red against her will.


    Isabel seemed to sense something, and her eyes glimmered with excitement. "Come on, Caprice, you can tell me."


    It was not so much that Caprice was unwilling to share the details with her; it was just too hard for her to talk bout it!


    She just happened to feel the urge to use the washroom. She quickly shot up and announced, ¡®I need to use the washroom."


    Isabel made a face and rose with her. ¡®TH go with you."


    "It''s alright, | can go by myself," Caprice said as she walked towards the washroom.


    Isabel followed closely behind her. "That wont do. | promised my brother that | was going to keep you safe."


    Although most of the attendees of the night were public figures, that did not mean they were all trustworthy gentlemen. Besides,


    with how morously Caprice was dressed, she could fall prey to any of these men any minute.


    Caprice did not protest as she quickly paddled into the women''s toilet, clenching her dress tightly.


    By pure coincidence, she met Heather as soon as she entered.


    Heather was wearing an elegant long dress and wasing from the opposite direction with several of her friends. They were all


    young socialites dressed as fashionably as her. All of them were very beautiful.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Upon noticing Caprice, Heather who was walking at the front of the group suddenly ground to a stop. She was just nning to


    scope the venue to see if Caprice had shown up. It was certainly a surprise to see her target reveal herself.


    Her expression changed vividly. She smiled at Caprice. "Caprice! What a coincidence! | wasn''t expecting Liam to bring you


    here.¡±


    Caprice suddenly recalled the dialogue they hadst time. Heather was prattling on and on about some sort of dinner party. It


    was only then that she joined the dots and realized that this was the party Heather was referring to.


    She was not in the mood to engage with her since she just wanted to use the washroom. She pressed forward and tried top


    around Heather.


    Unexpectedly, the girls from Heather''s group formed a line and cut off her path.


    Caprice scowled. "Get out of the way, please.¡±


    Theyughed condescendingly at her and regarded her with scorn.


    "So, this is the little girlfriend of President Carter that we¡¯ve heard so much about."


    "She looks foxy alright. If | was a man, I''d want my fill of fun with her as well.¡±


    ¡°Hey now, it¡¯s not easy for her to scramble her way to some event like this. Let''s go easy on her."


    One of them even put a hand forward and seemed like she was going to yfully squeeze Caprice on the cheeks.


    Caprice''s eyes gleamed icily as she hurriedly retreated a step back.


    Theyughed unabashedly at her reaction, taking it to mean that she was scared of them. They began inching closer toward her.


    Caprice was very upset.


    Before she could utter a word, Isabel rushed toward her. She stepped in front of Caprice and red at the row of girls sharply.


    "Scram, or else you''re going to get it!"


    They were horrified by the sudden intrusion.


    ¡®Isabel Ross?¡±


    "Why is she here?"


    Heather stepped forward. She looked at Isabel with a sharp scowl. "Isabel, why are you here?"


    Isabel regarded her viciously. "Why can''t | be here if even someone like you is here?"


    Heather gnashed her teeth. She had never felt so insulted and she made it show. She still remembered the p Isabelnded on


    her cheeks thest time in Carter Tech City!


    She swallowed the bile of rage and spoke with iron in her voice, "Isabel, I¡¯m talking to Caprice, so please step aside."


    "Ha!" Isabelughed mockingly.


    She did not consider herself to be the pretentious type, but she simply could not stand Heather''s bratty attitude any longer. She


    snapped, "Who do you think you are, Heather Manson? Stop acting so friendly with Caprice!"

 Chapter 1954

    Chapter 1954


    Even if Caprice was not the only daughter of the richest man in nchester, Heather had no right to treat Caprice this way.


    Besides, she had tried to humiliate Caprice time and time again. How could she be so shameless to pretend she was her friend?


    Isabel looked at her with a vacant, depreciating look.


    Heather did not take kindly to this. She broke out into insults immediately," Isabel, you''re just a third-rate actor who climbs in bed


    with rich men to climb up the socialdder! How dare you insult me?!"


    Despite being shielded by Isabel, Caprice had had enough of this. She did not mind Heather hurling insults at her, but she would


    not stand it if Isabel was the victim, especially when she was spouting such insulting nonsense!


    Her patience was at its limit!


    ¡°Heather, you''re a prick!" she cussed out loud and wanted to step in front of Isabel.


    Isabel pulled her back defensively.


    Not only was Isabel not ruffled in the slightest, but she even began to coax Caprice, smiling the entire time, "Rx, Caprice. I''m


    going to handle this.


    Just watch."


    With that, she walked up to Heather.


    Heather red at the approaching Isabel viciously. "Isabel, if you dare to raise a finger against me, I''ll make sure you don''t get to


    walk out of this ce in one piece."


    Her friends stepped forward as well to intimidate Isabel.


    Caprice was getting concerned and wanted to step up to support Isabel. Before she even managed a step, she heard a sharp


    smack that reverberated against the walls.


    Isabel had drawn up as much momentum as she could and delivered a powerful p at Heather''s face.


    Heather was nearly thrown off bnce.


    Caprice had never witnessed anything like this. Her eyes grew wide.


    Heather''s friends were utterly floored. A stiff, oppressing silence reigned over them for a moment.


    After the moment passed, Heather pulled herself straight and held a hand over the side of her face that Isabel had struck. She


    red murderously at her. "You''re dead!"


    She threw herself at Isabel.


    Isabel swiftly dodged backward while stepping on the hem of Heather''s dress, all in one swift motion.


    Thump!


    Heather tumbled forward and crashed to the floor.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    "Pfft..." Caprice could not stifle herugh when she saw theedic disy.


    Heather''s friends were shocked by what happened. They quickly rushed up to Heather to help her.


    Meanwhile, Isabel had returned to Caprice¡¯s side. She led her away from the scene. "Come on, let''s use another washroom."


    "Alright."


    If they stuck around, Heather was going to have her friends rush at them. They would be outmatched in that scenario. Even if


    they managed to put up a good fight, they would not end up any better than the rest of them.


    As soon as they scuttled away, Heather''s friends pulled her to her feet.


    Heather staggered to her feet, her eyes ringed with anger.


    ¡°Where is Isabel?! Where is she going?!¡¯ she shrieked.


    Her friends told her fearfully, ¡®They''re gone."


    ¡®That b*tch! I''m going to kill them!" she screamed and prepared to storm outside.


    Her friends tugged at her and stopped her.


    ¡°Heather, you have to calm down. There are a lot of people out there. You''ll getughed at if you go out in this state."


    ¡®That''s right. Besides, those two b*stards are not going to leave any time soon, so we can deal with them in time."


    Heather stifled her rage. She gnashed her teeth and hurled countless obscenities while sweating. "I will give them a fate worse


    than death!"


    She stayed inside the washroom for a while to fix her makeup.


    As soon as she emerged from the washroom, she bumped into her mother, Sophia.

 Chapter 1955

    Chapter 1955


    ¡°Heather, where have you been? I''ve been looking for you all night," Sophia said the moment she met her daughter. She then


    noticed the redness on one side of her face which was also swollen and quickly grew rmed. " What happened to your face?¡±


    Heather could barely express herself as she was fuming with rage.


    Being pped by a third-rate actor like Isabel was the worst humiliation she had ever gone through in her life!


    Upon noticing her silence, Sophia turned to Heather''s friends, who were crowded behind her, and asked anxiously, ¡®What


    happened to her?"


    They informed her, "Aunt Sophia, it was Isabel who hit her."


    Caprice and Isabel took a detour to another washroom.


    By the time they returned to the venue, it was just as rowdy as before, but there were noticeably more people now.


    The dinner ceremony had not officially kicked off yet since all of the guests were yet to arrive.


    Isabel led Caprice by her arm and stepped into the venue.


    Caprice nced around the venue aimlessly, only to immediately meet Heather¡¯s gaze that was filled with poison. She was


    standing with another olderdy who was casting the same hostile look at her.


    She frowned and gently nudged Isabel. "Isabel, Heather is over there ring at us."


    Isabel turned to look in the direction Caprice gestured at and immediately met Heather''s gaze. She audaciously cocked an


    eyebrow in her direction.


    This gesture was not going to hurt Heather in any way, but it sure did rub in the message.


    Even from this distance, Caprice could make out the explosive rage boiling underneath Heather''s eyes. She looked like she was


    going to charge over like a raging bull any second.


    She did a fine jobposing herself, knowing that they were in public and she could not risk such a move.


    Caprice was enjoying this. She turned to Isabel. "Isabel, you''re so cool."


    Heather and her sisters would have had their way with her if not for Isabel insisting on walking her to the washroom.


    ¡°Of course." Isabel smiled and gently pinched her face.


    Meanwhile, Heather stood with Sophia, the pair of mother and daughter casting vehement looks in Caprice and Isabel¡¯s


    direction.


    Sophia wanted nothing more than to punch Isabel''s face, but she knew that this was not the right time for it.


    She turned to Heather. "Heath, | already spoke to your father and told him to put Isabel in her ce. Don¡¯t forget that our family


    has a lot of connections in the entertainment circle. Since she has the guts to attack you, I¡¯m going to end her career. You''ll see


    tomorrow.¡±


    Heather was relieved to hear this.


    Sophia continued spying on Caprice who was following Isabel everywhere like apdog. She turned to Heather and asked, "Why


    did shee with Isabel? Where is President Carter?"


    Heather scoffed contemptuously, "He''s probably upied with something more important. Isabel is one of the ambassadors of


    Carter Tech City and is close friends with him and Caprice. If | had to guess, she''s here to rope in some rich men to leech off


    their wealth."


    "As for Caprice, she''s probably upset because of what | said to herst time. That¡¯s why she came here with Isabel to prove a


    point to me."


    Sophia sneered upon hearing this. She suddenly turned to Heather. "I have an idea. | need you to pry Isabel away for just a


    moment. I''ll take care of Caprice."


    Heather asked excitedly, "What''s your n?"


    Sophia smiled, a mysterious smirk hanging on her lips. "Make sure you do it right. I''ll make sure Caprice gets humiliated to the


    point where she doesn''t dare to show her face around here again. Even President Carter will want to dump her after this!"


    This further piqued Heather''s curiosity, and her voice turned shrill. "Come on, tell me! What''s the n?"


    Sophia inched closer to her and whispered into her ears.


    "| heard that the owners of this manor, Mr. and Mrs. Duwait, are putting a curated collection of paintings they have collected over


    many years on exhibition. They are even exhibiting the pink diamond they bought in an auction for eight hundred million in Estur


    last year! It''s over there. Let''s check it out.¡±


    ¡¯Really? Let''s go!"


    Caprice and Isabel were drinking juice when they overheard the conversation. They soon noticed severaldies heading in a


    certain direction.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Isabel turned to Caprice, "Let''s go check it out too."


    Caprice followed without a word.


    They had nothing to do here anyway, so they might as well entertain themselves with something.

 Chapter 1956

    Chapter 1956


    Chapter 1956


    The exhibition was at the rear of the venue.


    Most people must have checked it out already since by the time Caprice and Isabel showed up, there was only the same group


    of girls they met just now. They were gathered around the diamond.


    Caprice and Isabel took a look at the art pieces.


    While turning a corner, Isabel identally bumped into a staff holding a ss of wine. Its contents spilled onto her wrist.


    The staff apologized frantically, "I''m very sorry, miss. Let me take you to the washroom."


    Isabel was not bothered. Besides, the washroom was only a short walk away. She turned to Caprice. "Caprice, just hang around


    over here and check out the collection. I''ll be right back."


    Caprice obliged and nodded.


    Isabel waved the staff off and went to the washroom by herself.


    Meanwhile, the group ofdies who were checking out the pink diamond had left as well. This section was suddenly basked in


    silence.


    Caprice continued to browse the collection before heading over to the pink diamond that was protected by reinforced ss.


    The pink diamond was strapped onto a ne. It was illuminated with a warm glow that further entuated its brilliance.


    After inspecting it briefly, Caprice went on to check out the other art pieces.


    However, as soon as she approached the other art pieces, she suddenly heard the rms ring off.


    She was jolted by the sudden rm.


    Then, she watched as a young staff member paced anxiously toward the spot where the pink diamond was exhibited and


    suddenly cried out, "Mrs. Duwait¡¯s pink diamond is gone!¡±


    Caprice was appalled. She had been staring at it mere seconds ago. How could it have suddenly vanished into thin air?


    She began heading over there to figure out what had happened.


    That was when the staff cast a vignt look at her, her eyes filled with suspicion.


    Caprice frowned.


    It would seem like the staff suspected her of stealing the renowned pink diamond.


    Meanwhile, more staff members and guests flocked over to the scene, drawn by themotion. They all heard the staff when


    she cried out that the pink diamond was lost. Soon, they all cast a suspicious look at Caprice.


    Caprice said rather bluntly, "It was still inside there just now. | saw it. Are you sure it''s gone?"


    The staff eyed her sharply. "When | heard the rm go off and rushed over, you were the only one here."


    "She was the only person here when the rm sounded. Who else but she could have stolen it?"


    "There''s a sensor underneath the ss cover. The moment the pink diamond is removed from its original spot, the rm will be


    triggered. She has to be the one who stole it since she''s the only one here."


    People jumped to conclusions.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Caprice cried out vehemently, "! didn''t steal it!"


    ¡®Who else could it be? You''re the only one here!" a man used her.


    Caprice waspletely confused. She was still looking at the pink diamond only moments ago, so how did it suddenly


    disappear? She denied the usation, "I don''t know. | didn''t steal it."


    Everyone was casting doubtful looks at her.


    Someone suddenly raised a question, "Who is she anyway? What family is she from? How have | never seen here before in


    Westchester?"


    ¡¯| don''t know her either, but | saw her showing up with Isabel Ross." The person who said this was the same man who had tried


    to talk to Caprice just now but was chased off by Isabel. He grinned icily and added, "I was wondering why she was so


    standoffish, so she was a thief this entire time."


    "Hehe..." People began to snigger.


    Several men in the crowd who looked otherwise gentlemanly had revealed their true selves. They cast devious and even


    perverted looks at her.

 Chapter 1957

    Chapter 1957


    One of the men confronted Caprice. "Girlie, hurry up and hand over the pink diamond. Just so you know, I''m good friends with


    the Duwaits. | can tell them to go easy on you if you hand it over right now."


    Caprice repeated again and again, "I didn''t steal it! It was not me!"


    "Who else could it be other than you?"


    "Shame, the pretty little thing turned out to be amon thief."


    "That''s right. Hurry up and hand it over. Norman over here has even offered to defend you. You''d hand it over if you know what¡¯s


    good for you."


    How did she find herself in this situation? She had never been used as a thief in her entire life!


    She was furious and was at a loss for what to do.


    What should she do? What was there to do?


    She had to look for Isabel! She was the only one who could save her in this situation.


    She turned toward the washroom.


    "She''s trying to run! Stop her!" someone cried out.


    The staff rushed forward and had Caprice nked from all sides in no time.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Everyone pressed forward and surrounded her as well.


    Caprice resorted to reaching for the phone in her bag, intending to call Isabel.


    It was at that crucial moment when she suddenly heard a familiar voice calling after her. It was a sharp and shrill voice. ¡®What¡¯s


    going on, Caprice?


    Why do they have you surrounded?"


    It was Heather. She showed up with an olderdy and shed a look of stark curiosity at Caprice.


    Caprice frowned as her guts told her that something foul was about to happen.


    Someone in the crowd turned to address Heather, "Miss Manson, do you know this girl? Who is she? Why haven''t we met her


    before?"


    "She''s not from Westchester, but I¡¯m sure you all know her boyfriend." Heather looked at Caprice and announced with a smile,


    ¡°Her boyfriend is President Carter of Carter Tech City."


    The moment she said this, a wave of silence overtook the crowd.


    Everyone waspletely baffled.


    "Oh, my God! Why would President Carter choose someone like her?¡±


    "If | had to guess, it¡¯s because she¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡®What a disgrace. She''s soiling President Carter''s name. If | were him, | would be disgusted."


    The consensus was one of shock and amusement.


    Caprice felt the color slowly draining out of her face.


    Heather feigned ignorance and asked wryly, ¡®Why are you saying this? What did she do?"


    "She stole Mrs. Duwait''s pink diamond."


    "She refuses to admit it as well. How shameful."


    Heather turned to Caprice and began speaking to her in a mild, concerned voice, "Caprice, you''re President Carter''s friend, and


    that makes you a person of status as well. Come on, hand over the pink diamond before Mrs. Duwait contacts the police. It


    wouldn''t be a good look if you were arrested."


    Caprice was boiling over with anger. A part of her wanted to say, "Go ahead, call the police for all | care¡±, but Isabel began


    storming in from the back of the crowd before she could have her piece.


    Isabel rushed to her side and asked frantically, "What''s going on over here?¡±


    After finally seeing someone who was on her side, Caprice was so moved that she nearly broke out in tears. She suppressed


    herself and said, "Isabel, they''re using me of stealing Mrs. Duwait''s pink diamond."


    Isabel guarded Caprice with her arms and cast a vicious look at Heather. She surveyed the crowd and asked out loud, "Does


    anyone have any proof that she stole it?


    The staff who was the first one at the scene spoke up, "She was the only one here when the rms went off."


    Isabel scoffed, "How does that prove anything? How does her being present when the rms went off imply that she was the


    thief? Would a thief be idiotic enough to stick around after stealing something so expensive?"

 Chapter 1958

    Chapter 1958


    Chapter 1958


    Awave of silence washed through the crowd.


    Even the staff who initially used Caprice was speechless.


    "Isabel, | know you''re trying to protect Caprice, but this is not the right time or ce," Heather remarked with a faint smile,


    ¡°Everyone here is a public figure whomands a great deal of respect. There won''t be anymon thieves among us."


    Someone in the crowd chimed in, "That¡¯s right. We are people of stature. No matter how much we admire the pink diamond, we


    would never stoop down to something as low as stealing. She was the only one at the scene, so she must have stolen it.¡±


    "You''re just amon actor. Why don''t you mind your own business? If you want to help her, then tell her to hand over the pink


    diamond peacefully.¡±


    Isabel ignored all of them and turned to the staff. "There should be surveince cameras. Pull out the footage.¡±


    This immediately silenced the crowd, and they began ncing at the staff.


    Caprice''s eyes shone.


    That''s right! How could she forget about the surveince cameras?


    dy, who seemed to be the leader of the venue team, spoke up,¡± Unfortunately, the surveince cameras in this area


    happened to malfunction today."


    "Strange coincidence, isn''t it? Someone must have tampered with them." Upon hearing the passing remark from someone in the


    crowd, everyone began casting their suspicions at Caprice again.


    Isabel stepped in front of Caprice protectively. "She couldn''t possibly have known that the surveince cameras are down. |


    brought her here on short notice."


    Heather expressed tiredly, "Isabel, stop trying to defend her already. Hurry up and hand over the pink diamond before Mrs.


    Duwait finds out about this."


    ¡°Heather, I''ll p your head off if you don''t shut up!" Isabel threatened her.


    Heather scowled as a burst of anger swelled up inside her. Suddenly, an idea came to her, and she asked in a nonchnt voice,


    "Isabel, you''re not in cahoots with her, are you?¡±


    "She sure is yapping a lot foramon actor. They definitely nned this together and are scrambling for a way out now that


    they''ve been caught."


    People threw snide remarks at them.


    Isabel closed her eyes to suppress her anger.


    Caprice had never felt so wronged in her entire life. She was fuming!


    Just as she was about to erupt, someone suddenly gestured at her purse. ¡¯ Look at her. She''s been holding onto that purse the


    entire time. The pink diamond must be inside!"


    Everyone directed their attention to Caprice¡¯s purse.


    She was caught by surprise.


    Whenever she was feeling upset, her default reaction was to clench her fists tightly. Since her purse was the only thing she had


    in hand, it was only natural that she would clench it tightly.


    Heather made a proposition. "Caprice, if you are truly innocent, why don''t you let them search your purse?"


    The people agreed, "Yes, let them check your purse.¡±


    Isabel frowned disapprovingly. "You don''t have the right to do that."


    Caprice tugged at her to stop her. "It''s fine. Let them do it."


    If she did not prove her innocence, they were going to keep humiliating her!


    Upon noting her determined expression, Caprice pursed her lips and stopped protesting. She presented the purse for everyone


    to see. She was going to open it and pour out its contents.


    "Wait a minute, you can¡¯t do it yourself.¡± Sophia, who had silently stood by Heather the entire time, suddenly interjected. She


    suggested, "Let the staff do it.¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯Yeah, let the staff search your purse! She''s going to find some way to hide it if we let her do it!" People heckled her.


    The first female staff who used Caprice stepped forward and held her hand out, demanding the purse.


    Caprice fearlessly handed the purse to her.


    The staff began to rummage through the purse and extracted everything inside it.


    There was nothing out of the ordinary: a phone, a small mirror, lipstick, and several cards.

 Chapter 1959

    Chapter 1959


    Chapter 1959


    Everyone held their breaths and watched intently.


    Caprice looked on,pletely unfazed.


    When the staff produced the final item inside the purse, a regr credit card, everyone shared a look of disappointment. It was in


    that decisive moment when she reached for another concealed pocket in the purse that Caprice never used to stash anything.


    Her expression changed the moment her fingers were tucked into the pocket. She removed something from within and put her


    hands high in the air.


    The surface of the pink diamond gleamed underneath the ceiling lights, reflecting its brilliant glow in every direction. It was the


    ne along with the treasured gem.


    Everyone grew wide-eyed, Caprice most of all. She stammered, "No way... How could it be inside my purse?!¡±


    "Caprice..." Isabel turned to her.


    Caprice spoke with a tinge of panic in her voice, "Isabel, it wasn''t me! | did not steal it!"


    Isabel assured her, "I know, | believe you."


    It was just a pink diamond, Caprice had never been fond of gemstones ever since she was a child. Even if she happened to like


    it, she would not have stolen it.


    Everyone nearby heard their exchange and snickered at their expense.


    "The pink diamond is found inside your purse, and you still insist that you did not steal it. Do you expect us to believe you?"


    "That''s right. We''ve caught the thief red-handed. Let''s have Mrs. Duwait call the police."


    Heather stepped forward. She spoke to Caprice in a disappointed tone, " So, this is the kind of person you have been this entire


    time. How would President Carter feel? He cares so much about you. Did you ever consider his feelings when you crept your


    fingers toward the pink diamond?"


    Caprice''s eyes started to turn red as she shouted at the top of her voice, insisting adamantly, "I did not steal it!¡¯


    Heather dragged a long sigh.


    Caprice almost wanted to hit her right then and there.


    Fortunately, Isabel was a step ahead of her. She rushed towards Heather. ¡¯ Heather, you set Caprice up!¡±Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Heather backed away from her and muttered all the while, "Isabel, we caught her with the pink diamond in her purse. There¡¯s no


    way you can refute that. You can¡¯t me it on me."


    "I''m going to p your head off even if it wasn¡¯t you!" Isabel roared, her fists raised.


    Sophia cried out sharply, "Security! Call security! They''re resorting to violence now that they''ve been caught!"


    The security team and Heather''s friends rushed forward.


    Even the people who had been spectating the entire time hurried forward. They had had enough of Isabel and Caprice.


    Everyone was on Heather''s side.


    Before Isabel could even graze her fingers against Heather, she was overpowered by thebined strength of everyone else.


    She tumbled to the floor.


    Caprice could not stand by idly, so she quickly went to help Isabel.


    Right then, a leg was raised. The sharp point of a high heel looked like a dagger.


    Caprice barely had time to react as she shielded Isabel with her body. The point of the high heel jabbed viciously at Caprice¡¯s


    back.


    She felt a sharp stab of pain and grimaced.


    Just when she thought Heather had had enough, the vicious woman stomped on her back several more times.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    Several other people jabbed violent kicks at her body as well.


    She could not resist the pain anymore and cried out.


    Shielded by Caprice''s body, Isabel was unhurt, but she was horrified by what was happening. Shepletely lost it and


    screamed, "If any of you pricks continue kicking her, I''ll banish you and your entire family from Westchester!"


    There was something about the way she had said it, especially the pitch of her voice, that made everyone stop.


    They all fell silent, even withdrawing their feet from Caprice.


    Isabel helped Caprice to her feet. She looked up and saw Heather, her friends, and everyone else surrounding them smiling


    mockingly at them.

 Chapter 1960

    Chapter 1960


    Aman remarked condescendingly, "Banish us out of Westchester? You sure know how to run your mouth."


    ¡°What a joke! How dare amon actress like you make threats like this?"


    ¡°Ha! That''s the funniest thing I''ve heard all year!"


    Everyoneughed and mocked them, especially Heather. She was not even hiding it anymore as sheughed heartily and


    savored every moment.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel tried to charge at her again.


    Caprice hurriedly stopped her and held her back. "Stop it. Don''t be impulsive."


    Isabel drew a deep breath. "I''ll call my Dad right now."


    She had enough!


    Caprice nodded. They would have to let Uncle Carter settle this for them.


    Upon hearing their exchange, the crowd began hurling snide remarks at them again.


    "Call whoever you want, call God himself. He won''t save you. You stole


    Mrs. Duwait''s pink diamond!"


    Sophia smiled devilishly. "Hurry up and notify Mrs. Duwait, then the police. We''re done wasting time with her. | don''t want to hear


    her miserable excuses anymore."


    As soon as she said this, one of the ushers posted at the entrance of the venue ran to the scene. He was very nervous and


    turned to all of his colleagues who were present at the scene. "Somebody, send a message to Mr. and Mrs. Duwait! Mr. and Mrs.


    Carter from Carter Corporation are here.


    They came with Mr. and Mrs. Stockton from nchester!"


    As soon as he made the announcement, the other staff members sprang to the task. "Okay, got it!"


    With that, they ran to their respective posts.


    The gathered crowd seemed to have had their fill of fun as well, so they began to disperse and returned to the venue.


    The Carters were a prestigious family. Mr. Carter was one of the oligarchs in Westchester while his wife, Mrs. Carter, was a


    world-famous painter.


    As for the Stocktons, Mr. Stockton was an oligarch who reigned over nchester while Mrs. Stockton was a famous investor


    and phnthropist.


    These were no ordinary people!


    Even getting the chance to exchange amon greeting with them as mere passing strangers was something worth bragging


    about!


    The crowd dispersed very quickly.


    Heather''s friends went off with their respective families as well.


    Even Heather''s father, Roman, paced over anxiously. He called after his daughter and wife, "What are you two standing over


    there for? Come with me!"


    They hurried over.


    Caprice and Isabel were left standing there in a daze.


    ¡®Isabel, are they talking about our parents? Are they here?¡± Caprice could not believe her ears.


    Isabel''s eyes radiated with light. "I think so."


    She immediately took Caprice''s arms and wanted to check out themotion, but they were immediately cut off by the staff who


    formed a line.


    They were sentenced by sharp looks from the staff. The frontmost staff, who found the pink diamond in Caprice''s purse, said with


    scorn in her voice, "You''re not going anywhere until Mrs. Duwait and the police show up."


    Isabel said sharply, "You guys had better get out of my way right now."


    Caprice could feel the anger physically seething from her body. She would not be surprised if they came to blows.


    She tried to get Isabel to calm down and stepped in. "We''re not going anywhere. Our family is here, so we want to see them."


    "Your family?" the female staff expressed with stark surprise before sneering, "It''s only the Stocktons and the Carters who


    showed up, nobody else. You''re not going to tell me that they are your family, are you?"


    As soon as she finished speaking, two security guards stepped forward, each brandishing a stun baton. They cast menacing


    looks at Isabel." Enough of your games. Don''t be surprised when we don''t go easy on you!"


    Caprice and Isabel fell silent.


    Just when it seemed like they were going to retaliate against the security guards, they heard a round of footsteps approaching. It


    was followed by a familiar voice.


    "Caprice? Isabel? It really is you two! What happened to you two? How did you end up in this state?"

 Chapter 1961

    Chapter 1961


    Caprice and Isabel turned around at the same time.


    At the next second, Caprice broke down in tears and grievance drowned her. She cried and ran to her mother. "Mommy..."


    Sherry¡¯s chest tightened when she saw her precious daughter crying. She too strode toward her daughter.


    Caprice threw herself into her arms.


    Sherry hugged the girl and asked, "What¡¯s wrong, Caprice? Tell Mommy what''s wrong."


    "Sobs..." Caprice was suffocated by her tears and grievance, preventing her from speaking properly.


    Ata closer look, John realized Sherry was hugging Caprice. He disregarded his image and strode over with furrowed brows. He


    asked, "What happened to Caprice?"


    "Daddy..." Caprice then hugged the man as tears continued to roll down her cheeks.


    John hugged her as he scanned around with a frosty gaze.


    The security guards and staff who stopped Caprice before were stunned and dumbfounded.


    The people who went outside to greet Sherry and John and then followed them inside were also stunned.


    What happened?


    The thief called the richest man in nchester Daddy?


    John Stockton was her father?!


    Even Sophia and Heather were shocked.


    Seeing Caprice crying in her father¡¯s arms, and the richest man in nchester and his wife looking angry and worried, Heather''s


    face turned pale and she nearly lost her bnce.


    Caprice was the only daughter of John Stockton, the richest man in nchester!


    It was then Odell and Sylvia came over.


    Sylvia saw Isabel''s messy hair and dirt-stained face. She strode over to her daughter and asked anxiously, "Isabel, what


    happened?"


    Odell frowned and asked, "Did someone hit you?"


    Isabel pursed her lips and said, "Dad, Mom, I''m fine. It''s Caprice. She was kicked and beaten because she protected me."


    Her words silenced the entire crowd.


    Heather''s body started to shake uncontrobly.


    Sophia fell onto her husband''s shoulder, looking horrified.


    Isabel was the daughter of Odell and Sylvia?


    Isabel and Caprice were not just some celebrities or influencers. One was the daughter of the Carters, the wealthiest family in


    Westchester, and the other was the only daughter of the richest man in nchester.


    Everyone was silenced, including the staff and the security guards.


    Only Caprice''s sobbing could be heard.


    John and Sherry patiently calmed her down.


    "Caprice, it''s okay. Daddy and Mommy are here.¡±


    ¡®Tell us what happened and we''ll take over from here."


    Caprice had never been mistreated so badly before. Her parents¡¯ words only made her cry louder.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Uncle John, Aunt Sherry, it''s my fault. | failed to protect Caprice,¡± Isabel went over to them and exined.


    Caprice snorted and said in her sobbing tone, "It''s not your fault, Isabel.¡±


    Isabel tried her best to help.


    John patted the girl¡¯s head and said, "Alright, Daddy knows what¡¯s going on. Don¡¯t cry."


    Sherry then looked at Isabel and saw the girl''s wretched state. She asked in a serious tone, "Isabel, what happened to you and


    Caprice?"

 Chapter 1962

    Chapter 1962


    Isabel scanned the crowd with a frosty gaze before she told Sherry about the stolen pink diamond.


    Caprice was suspected to have stolen the pink diamond because they found the diamond in her purse.


    Sherry frowned.


    Caprice had almost a hundred of those diamonds in her closet, why would she steal someone else''s?


    Something was not right.


    "Daddy, Mommy, | didn''t steal it. | don¡¯t know how the diamond ended up in my purse," Caprice snorted and exined.


    John and Caprice looked at her gently.


    Sherry said, "Caprice, we believe you."


    John hugged the girl tight and then looked at the crowd coldly.


    Those who called Caprice a thief immediately averted their eyes from John and looked down in guilt.


    Sherry scoffed coldly. "You people were loud when you called my daughter a thief. What''s with the silence now?"


    Then, hurried footsteps came.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Stockton, Mr. and Mrs. Carter, we''re sorry that you have to wait so long."


    The owner of the estate, Mr. and Mrs. Duwait, came over with ttering smiles.


    When they had a clear look at the situation, their smiles froze. "W-What''s going on here?"


    Sherry exined coldly, "Your staff used my daughter of stealing the pink diamond and they found it inside her purse."


    Mr. and Mrs. Duwait were both stunned. They first had a nce at Caprice crying in John''s arms before they switched their


    attention to the staff.


    Mrs. Duwait bellowed, "Why would Ms. Stockton steal? What''s going on here?"


    The leading female staff exined in a trembling voice, "I-I¡¯m not sure either. | heard the rm and the next thing | know, the pink


    diamond was gone. Only Ms. Stockton was here and | found it inside her purse.¡±


    If she was alone here and the pink diamond was inside her purse, would it not make her a thief?


    Mr. and Mrs. Duwait exchanged a quick look and then said to Sherry, "Mrs. Stockton, if Ms. Stockton likes the pink diamond, |


    can give it to her."


    Both Sherry and John were offended.


    Odell, Sylvia, and Isabel also reacted with frosty expressions.


    Before anyone could say a word, Caprice cried, "I didn¡¯t steal your diamond! | didn''t even touch it!"


    "Mrs. Duwait, it''s just a piece of diamond. Do you think my daughter would want it?¡± Sherry asked with a scoff.


    Mrs. Duwait''s expression froze. She turned to her husband for help.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Mr. Duwait exined, "Mr. and Mrs. Stockton, please calm down. I''m sure there''s a misunderstanding here."


    His eyes flickered as an idea rushed into his mind. He told the staff, "Bring me the surveince footage."


    The staff wore a troubled look and did not move at all.


    Mr. Duwait bellowed, "Why are all of you standing there?"


    ¡°Beverly said the surveince cameras in the area are all down," said one of the staff.


    Mr. Duwait immediately looked at the leading staff. She was the one who arrived at the scene after the rm went off and was


    the one who found the diamond in Caprice''s purse.


    Mrs. Duwait and the other guests switched their attention to Beverly.


    Beverly lowered her head in guilt. Her body was shaking terribly.


    "Mr. Duwait, how timely it is for your surveince cameras to be faulty," John said with a scoff.


    Mr. Duwait lost his usual elegance. He disregarded Beverly and shouted at the other staff, "Go bring me the surveince footage


    from security!"


    The staff nodded and ran toward the security room.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Cast it on the big screen when you get it," Mrs. Duwait added.

 Chapter 1963

    Chapter 1963


    Mrs. Duwait already knew what happened without looking at the surveince footage. The reason she told the staff to cast it on


    the big screen was because she wanted to show everyone the truth and clear Caprice''s name in front of John and Sherry.


    The staff nodded and went off.


    "Mrs. Duwait, | have a suggestion," Isabel stepped up and said.


    Mrs. Duwait looked at her standing in between Odell and Sylvia. She hesitated for a moment before she said, "What is it, Ms.


    Carter?"


    "You can call me Ms. Ross.¡± Isabel corrected her.


    Mrs. Duwait looked at Odell and Sylvia in confusion.


    Odell exined without changing his expression, "She used her mother''s family name."


    Mrs. Duwait chuckled. "| see."


    She then looked at Isabel and asked, "What are you proposing, Ms. Ross?"


    Isabel said with a smile, "I''d like to ask your security guards to block every exit of the estate."


    Mrs. Duwait knew what Isabel was trying to do.


    She sneaked a furious nce at Beverly trembling at the side before she said to the security guards, "Bring all your men here.


    Before we get to the bottom of this, no one is allowed to leave."


    "Yes, Madam." The security guards nodded and went off.


    Isabel smiled. She intentionally sneaked a gaze at Heather standing among the crowd.


    Heather''s eyes flickered. She nervously held her mother''s hand, seekingfort.


    Her mother, Sophia, was not in a good shape either. Her hands were cold and her face looked pale.


    The atmosphere was suffocatingly quiet.


    Suddenly, the big screen further away lit up, attracting everyone''s attention.


    Caprice also looked at the big screen.


    The scene was showing her walking around the collection disy.


    Awhileter, she arrived at the pink diamond disy but she walked away after a few nces.


    While she was looking at a painting, the staff named Beverly snuck into the frame.


    She stared at Caprice as she opened the ss case to take the pink diamond out.


    Then, the rm sounded.


    She pretended that she had just arrived and screamed at the empty disy case.


    After she attracted a crowd, she used Caprice of stealing the diamond because she was the only one there.


    The crowd then started to criticize Caprice without bothering to find out the truth. Some of them were extremely harsh with their


    words.


    No matter how Caprice exined, no one listened to her.


    When the screen revealed the truth, the people who criticized Caprice earlier immediately looked down in guilt.


    John and Sherry were furious. They stood by Caprice''s side and supported her.


    Heather then appeared on the screen. She asked Caprice what happened but someone else asked her who Caprice was.


    She then told everyone that Caprice was Liam''s girlfriend and it attracted more criticism.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    They questioned Liam¡¯s taste in women and they showed no respect for Caprice as a person.


    John grunted coldly. Sherry was infuriated.


    Odell and Sylvia were both displeased as well.


    Caprice was surprisingly calm. Now that the truth had been revealed, she was rather curious about how the diamond ended up


    in her bag.


    She had her bag with her all the time and no one touched it before.

 Chapter 1964

    Chapter 1964


    The footage continued to y on the screen.


    Awhileter, Sophia and Heather started to incite a search on Caprice''s purse.


    Caprice gave her purse to Beverly.


    Beverly searched her purse in front of the crowd and found the diamond ne in the deepestpartment of the purse.


    Caprice finally knew what happened.


    Beverly intentionally reached deeper into the purse at the very end to sneak the pink diamond inside and take it out in front of the


    crowd, so that it would look like Caprice had it in her purse all along.


    Even an idiot knew what happened after seeing the footage.


    The footage ended after that.


    The crowd was once again silenced and only the screen''s noise could be heard.


    Those who criticized Caprice were all silenced, nervous and anxious.


    Both Mr. and Mrs. Duwait were in an awkward position as well.


    Caprice was mistreated at their estate and they were unaware of it until now. They did not know how to face John and Sherry


    without guilt eating them up.


    "That¡¯s enough!" Mrs. Duwait said to stop the yback. She began to think of an apology to Caprice.


    It was then Sherry said, "No. Don''t let it stop.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Both Isabel and Caprice were still fine in the footage. Their hair was not messed up and their faces were clean.


    Sherry wanted to know what happened after that.


    ¡°Of course. Keep it ying!" Mr. Duwait responded.


    The big screen continued to y the surveince footage.


    Anumber of people started to back away in silence, including Sophia and Heather.


    Back on the screen, after the diamond was found in Caprice''s purse, she exined she had no idea how it ended up inside her


    purse.


    No one believed her except for Isabel. Many of them criticized her for her actions and even those who did not say a word wore


    contempt on their faces as if they were looking at a piece of trash.


    Heather then stepped up and looked at Caprice in disappointment. " Caprice, you''ve disappointed Liam. Why did you steal it?


    Why didn''t you think of him when you did it?"


    Caprice¡¯s eyes got teary. She yelled, "I didn¡¯t steal it!"


    Heather sighed. The crowd did not hold back with their criticism at all.


    Isabel had it with the bullying, so she shouted at Heather and questioned her if she was trying to frame Caprice.


    Heather imed that Caprice was caught red-handed, so there was no use trying to shift the me onto her.


    Isabel was infuriated. She wanted to p Heather but then a middle-aged woman came and called security.


    "Security! She''s trying to hit someone!"


    The security guards and a number of staff stood at Heather''s side quickly surrounded Isabel.


    Not only did they block Isabel, but they also pushed her to the ground.


    It was then Heather lifted her foot and wanted to stomp on Isabel''s face with her heel.


    Caprice responded quickly and covered Isabel.


    The stompnded on Caprice and it was just the start of a series of brutal beatings.

 Chapter 1965

    Chapter 1965


    Chapter 1965


    Heather seized the chance tond a few more kicks on Caprice.


    The women around her joined her and stomped Caprice''s back mercilessly.


    Isabel was under Caprice¡¯s protection. She shouted, "One more kick and I''ll make sure all of your families are thrown out of


    Westchester!"


    Only then the women stopped kicking but their contemptuous gazes remained.


    It was until the staff at the entrance weed Odell, Sylvia, John, and Sherry, the crowd finally dispersed.


    The footage showed a silent crowd with Caprice and Isabel on the ground, looking miserable.


    The silence was like the quiet before the storm, so suffocating that people could not breathe.


    Other than those who were not present, those who were at the scene of bullying Isabel and Caprice were all drowned in guilt.


    It was John who broke the silence by saying, "Mr. and Mrs. Duwait, if you have any displeasure against me, pleasee at me.


    You shouldn''t have gone after my daughter while I''m away."


    "It''s a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding, Mr. Stockton!" Mr. Duwait immediately exined nervously.


    Mrs. Duwait echoed. "Mr. Stockton, it was our fault for letting this happen. We weren''t at the scene when it happened. If we were,


    it wouldn¡¯t have happened."


    ¡®That''s right!" Mr. Duwait added.


    Sherry then looked at the crowd. ¡®The one who called Caprice a disgrace to Liam and kicked her just now, are you still here?"


    ¡°Aunt Sherry, she¡¯s Heather Mason, the daughter of W Entertainment''s chairman Roman Mason. Since Mrs. Duwait sealed all


    the exits, | believe she¡¯s still here," Isabel said with a smirk.


    Roman, who was among the crowd, shuddered in fear.


    He looked around but realized his wife and daughter were no longer with him.


    He searched for them and found them standing at the end of the crowd, looking horrified.


    There was no way they could escape now.


    Roman bit the bullet and shouted at them, "What are you two doing back there? Apologize to Ms. Stockton and Mr. and Mrs.


    Stockton right now!"


    His words diverted the crowd¡¯s attention to the mother and daughter.


    Sophia''s eyes flickered helplessly; Heather looked horrified.


    They were like two thieves exposed under the spotlight with nowhere to run.


    They reluctantly walked forward to John and Sherry.


    John''s powerful aura pressured them, silencing Heather entirely.


    Sophia mustered up enough courage and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Stockton, Ms. Stockton, it¡¯s our fault for not teaching Heather right.


    But | believe she doesn''t mean it. She doesn''t want to kick Ms. Stockton."


    Sherry scoffed. "She kicked my daughter five times, each kick stronger than the previous. Do you think I''m blind? | saw that face


    on her when she attacked my daughter."


    Sophia was silenced.


    Sherry was upset by the excuse. She asked Caprice, "Caprice | remember someone pushed you into the fountain when you


    were in nchester. Is she the one as well?"


    Caprice''s back still hurts. She hummed a reply and nodded. "It''s her."


    Sherry patted the girl''s head. She then looked at Heather and said, "Caprice didn¡¯t hold you responsible back then because she


    doesn''t want to make things worse for you. Heather Mason, you''ve bullied my daughter enough."


    Heather was frightened to her core. Her eyes flickered helplessly and said," |-| didn¡¯t mean it. | really thought she stole the


    diamond, that¡¯s why | said what | said. | hit her because she and Isabel hit me in the toilet."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

 Chapter 1966

    Chapter 1966


    "Don''t you know why I hit you in the toilet?" Isabel argued. "You and your friends surrounded her and tried to bully her. If | wasn¡¯t


    there, you people would''ve bullied her."


    Caprice wore a frosty expression and echoed. "Yeah. | ran into them when | was in the toilet. | don''t want to argue with them, so |


    tried to avoid them. But they stopped me and even pinched my face."N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    She clearly remembered what happened earlier.


    Sherry and John reacted coldly to their daughter''s exnation.


    Heather immediately argued, "No! | was just trying to say hi! | didn¡¯t bully her!"


    ¡°Let''s put this aside first," Sherry said. She then looked at Mrs. Duwait and asked, "Mrs. Duwait, can | inspect your worker?"


    She looked at Beverly and continued, "| want to know why someone is targeting my daughter."


    Upon hearing her words, both Sophia and Heather shuddered again.


    Mrs. Duwait nodded firmly. "Not a problem."


    Aworker brought over some chairs for John and Caprice to sit down.


    Odell, Sylvia, and Isabel also sat down beside them.


    Mr. and Mrs. Duwait sat in front of them.


    In front of all of them was Beverly with her head down.


    Sherry asked, "I believe you don''t know my daughter, and she has done nothing to you before. Tell me why you use her of


    stealing.¡±


    "|...L." Beverly stammered and could not form aplete sentence.


    Mrs. Duwait intervened and said, "Beverly, if you don''t exin yourself, I''ll have to hand you over to the police. This piece of


    diamond is worth eight hundred million and you''ll have to spend the rest of your life behind bars."


    Beverly was already nervous when she was exposed and when she heard she might have to go to jail, she copsed on the


    ground with a thud.


    "|-It''s Mrs. Mason. She asked for my help and she promised to bring me into the entertainment industry. She also promised to


    make me the biggest star."


    The crowd gasped in awe.


    Even Caprice was shocked.


    Mrs. Mason? Heather''s mother, Sophia?


    It was still Heather after all.


    Caprice red at Heather and Sophia; Sherry and John did the same.


    Horrified, Sophia screamed, "Nonsense! | don¡¯t even know you!"


    Heather hid behind her mother but she called out to Beverly as well, "My mother doesn''t know you or Caprice. You''re trying to


    nder us!"


    Beverly did not expect them to cut ties with her. A momentary shockter, she exined, "I have the transfer record! Mrs. Mason


    promised me fifty thousand if | agreed to help her."


    She pulled her phone out and showed Mrs. Duwait the transfer record from Sophia.


    Mrs. Duwait had a nce before she gave it to Sherry.


    An hour ago, Sophia transferred fifty thousand to Beverly''s bank ount.


    Not only that, she even added Beverly and texted her, "Beverly, | assure you you''ll be the biggest star after this."


    Sherry scoffed and looked at Sophia.


    Sophia''s face was as pale as paper. "It''s not me! She''s using me!"


    It was then Roman stepped out from the crowd and pped Sophia on the face.


    Sophia was sent to the ground with blood trickling from the edge of her lips.


    She looked at Roman in shock.


    Furious, Roman red at her. "You fool! Not only did you spend my moneyvishly, but you even disgrace me at Mr. and Mrs.


    Duwait''s estate! You embarrass me!" 2


    He also shouted, "Get up and apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Stockton!"


    Sophia was stunned for a moment before she realized what happened.

 Chapter 1967

    Chapter 1967


    Her husband was trying to get her out of the sticky situation and also give a satisfying exnation to John and Sherry, so that the


    two of them would forgive them.


    Sophia bent over and knelt before John and Sherry. She cried and said, "Mr. and Mrs. Stockton, it¡¯s my fault. | shouldn''t have


    bribed her, | shouldn''t have hurt your daughter. | was wrong."


    John continued to pat Caprice''s head without saying a word.


    Sherry scoffed.


    She knew the Masons were putting up a show to ask for forgiveness.


    She asked, "Why did you bribe Beverly to hurt Caprice?"


    Sophie''s eyes flickered nervously. "I-l saw Ms. Stockton and Ms. Ross hit Heather, so | was thinking of taking revenge. That''s


    why | bribed Beverly."


    "I''m the one who hit Heather, Caprice didn''t even touch her," Isabel bellowed, "Mrs. Mason, if you want to take revenge, you


    should''ve gone after me but you went after Caprice instead. Why?"


    ¡®Yeah! Why did she go after Ms. Stockton?" someone in the crowd asked.


    Sophia was silenced by the words stuck in her throat.


    Heather realized the situation was going out of control, so she immediately said, "You hit me because of Caprice, that''s why my


    mom went after her."


    Isabel scoffed and said, "Heather, you remind me. You tried to hurt Caprice back at Carter Tech District. You trapped her at the


    entrance and let her be insulted. She almost got trampled. | still haven''t pped you forthat."


    Heather''s face turned pale.


    Sherry bolted up and asked, "What did you say? She hurt Caprice at Carter Tech District as well?"


    Isabel said, ''Yeah, Aunt Sherry. Liam and | were just in time or else she''d be hurt. Liam found out the truth and fired Heather."


    "Oh my goodness! Heather was fired? She imed she resigned from Carter Tech District," someone else in the crowd said.


    Heather''s expression turned pale. "No! No! | didn''t get fired! | resigned voluntarily!"


    p!


    As soon as her voice subsided, Roman pped her in the face.


    The p was so strong that it sent her to the ground.


    Her cheek was instantly swollen.


    Roman was infuriated. He pointed at his daughter and shouted, "How dare you lie to me? | used to be so proud of you but you


    turn out to be a vicious girl! | must teach you a lesson today!"


    He lifted his foot for a kick.


    Heather broke down in tears.


    Sophia could not bear seeing her daughter get beaten by her own father, so she intervened to protect her.


    Roman''s kicknded on Sophia instead.


    The crowd was silenced by the instant violence.


    Caprice might not like Heather, but she could not stand to see the father hit the daughter. She turned and buried her face in


    Sherry''s shoulder.


    Sherry then said, "Enough."


    Mrs. Duwait signaled her workers to stop Roman.


    The two workers went up to Roman and held him back.


    Sophia took several painful hits and copsed on the ground.


    Heather continued to sob in silence.


    The crowd just looked on.


    Awhileter, John said, "Mrs. Duwait, losing a diamond isn''t a prank. | believe you should call the police.¡±


    His tone sounded t and he looked extra calm.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    He had no intentions of letting this go or settling it privately.


    Even after Heather and Sophia were beaten and scolded by Roman, John was not pleased.

 Chapter 1968

    Chapter 1968


    Both Heather and Sophia looked up in fear. Even Roman was taken aback by the suggestion.


    John then helped Caprice up and brought her out.


    Sherry walked with them. She was worried about Caprice''s back after the incident. "Caprice, how¡¯s your back?¡±


    Caprice felt better now that she cleared her name. "I feel better now."


    Odell exchanged an eye with Sylvia before they brought Isabel away.


    Mr. and Mrs. Duwait went after them.


    There was no way the event could continue anymore after that happened but they had to somehow apologize or at least make


    amends.


    Mr. Duwait went to John and said, "Mr. Stockton, don''t worry about it. I''ll call the police right away. I''ll give you and Ms. Stockton


    a satisfying exnation.¡±


    Mrs. Duwait went over to Sylvia and Odell. "Mr. and Mrs. Carter, Ms. Ross, it''s our fault that you have to go through something


    like that at our estate. Please forgive our mistake."


    They left the estate swiftly.


    The other guests no longer linger and started to leave.


    "Tsk. She should find out who they are first before she kicks her."


    ¡°How would you know who they are? You can''t judge a book by its cover, so it¡¯s better to be polite. She''s beautiful but it doesn¡¯t


    mean she¡¯s yful.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡®Yeah. Thankfully | didn''t join that dumb woman in bullying Ms. Stockton."


    "Who would''ve thought she''s John Stockton''s daughter? | heard she¡¯s the only daughter in the family. | understand why they are


    so mad."


    "| know right? Caprice is also Liam''s girlfriend, the owner of Carter Tech District. Liam Carter is also the son of Odell Carter. | bet


    they have been engaged since they were young."


    ¡°| remember Mr. Carter and Mr. Stockton used to attend events like this together with their wives. | bet their children are also


    engaged.¡±


    "Why did Heather go after Caprice after all?"


    "| think she likes Liam and wants to ruin Caprice''s rtionship with him."


    ¡°Hmph. What a dumb woman. She should look into the mirror first. Ms. Stockton is still young but she¡¯s a lot more beautiful.


    Besides, Ms. Stockton is the only daughter of the richest man in Manchester. Who is Heather Mason?" 1


    "That''s not the point. The point is Heather tried to hurt


    Caprice twice and Caprice didn''t hold her responsible or take revenge. She did it again and got exposed this time. If | were


    Caprice, | wouldn''t forgive her.¡± i


    "The Masons are finished."


    The guests left the estate.


    Other than the windy breeze, only Roman, Sophia, and Heather were left behind.


    All three of them looked defeated, devastated, and horrified.


    Roman recovered hisposure after a while. He pointed at Sophia and Heather angrily and bellowed, "You two have done it


    this time! Our family is ruined!"


    He went up to them and hit them.


    The ck MPV cruised smoothly in the night.


    Liam was holding his phone while looking at his watch in the rear seat.


    The event should be still going on. He could still make it.


    Minutes before he arrived at the estate, his furrowed brows rxed.


    As he tapped on his phone, Caprice in a beautiful dress appeared. It was his lock screen.


    Caprice sent him the picture this afternoon but he only saw it half an hour after the meeting ended.


    If she wore the dress to the event, she would be the center of attention.


    He decided to attend the event to exert his dominance and dere that she was her woman.

 Chapter 1969

    Chapter 1969


    The car soon arrived at the entrance of the estate.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The bodyguard in the passenger seat got out and opened the door for Liam.


    When Liam stepped out of the car, he saw a group of people exiting the estate.


    Mr. Duwait was in front of John and Sherry. He said with a ttering smile on his face, "Mr. Stockton, I''m really sorry about what


    happened today. | hope you''ll give me the chance to apologize to you, Mrs. Stockton, and Ms.


    Stockton personally another day."


    John was still angry about what happened. He did not answer the man.


    Sherry said, "It¡¯s not your fault, Mr. Duwait. As long as you can handle the situation properly, we won''t hold you responsible."


    Mr. Duwait nodded repeatedly and gratefully. "Not a problem! Thank you very much! | have already contacted the police and I''ll


    update you about the follow-ups. Please don''t worry.¡±


    Mrs. Duwait was also apologizing to Odell and Sylvia. "Mr. and Mrs. Carter, I''m really sorry for what happened tonight. I''m sorry


    that Ms. Ross had to go through that horrible experience at our ce."


    Odell also ignored thedy.


    Sylvia cleared her throat and said, "You just need to give Mr. and Mrs. Stockton a satisfying exnation. As for the rest, you don''t


    have to worry."


    Mrs. Duwait¡¯s eyes shone brightly. "Yes, yes! We will. Thank you very much."


    Caprice was in between John and Sherry. Her father held her shoulder and her mother held her hand tightly.


    Isabel was also walking in between Odell and Sylvia. Sylvia was holding her hand and the girl looked unusually obedient.


    Mr. and Mrs. Duwait walked them out. Even when they were almost at their car, Mr. and Mrs. Duwait insisted on seeing them


    away.


    Sylvia and Sherry exchanged a quick look.


    Sylvia then said, "Mr. and Mrs. Duwait, it''s alright now."


    Mr. and Mrs. Duwait immediately stopped.


    "Take care, Mr. and Mrs. Stockton, and Ms. Stockton."


    "Take care, Mr. and Mrs. Carter, and Ms. Ross."


    All four of the parents were not in a good mood. They headed to the car but then a familiar figure emerged.


    Everyone but Caprice stopped when they saw the person.


    Caprice''s eyes shone and ran over to the man. "Liam!"


    John frowned. Even Sherry felt displeasure when her daughter left her for Liam.


    On the other hand, Odell and Sylvia looked more rxed when they saw Liam. Isabel crossed her hands and smirked.


    Caprice threw herself into Liam''s arms.


    When Liam hugged her, he noticed her messy hair and the leaves on her straps.


    What happened?


    The event should be going on now, so why did his family and Caprice''s familye out?


    Behind them were the guests of the evening and they were leaving.


    Liam narrowed his eyes and asked, "Caprice, what happened?"


    Caprice had already calmed down after her parents came to her rescue but when Liam asked, grievance gushed into her head


    again.


    She snorted and said timidly, "It''s okay. Daddy and Mommy helped me with it already.¡±


    She sounded like she had just cried, which alerted Liam.


    It was then John and Sherry came over with Odell, Sylvia, and Isabel.


    Liam patted Caprice¡¯s head and said, "It¡¯s okay now. Let¡¯s go home."

 Chapter 1970

    Chapter 1970


    Liam released Caprice and then looked at John and Sherry." Uncle John, Aunt Sherry, sorry I¡¯mte."


    He should have been there with Caprice.


    John wore a stoic look and ignored Liam. He said to Caprice, "Caprice,e here."


    Caprice hummed reluctantly. She remained in Liam''s arms and refused to return to her father.


    John''s expression turned grim.


    Sherry sighed and said, "Caprice, Uncle Odell and Aunt Sylvia are still here. Isabel is watching as well. Come back here."


    Caprice then realized she was being watched.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    She took a step back and saw Odell smiling at her gently while both Sylvia and Isabel smirked.


    Embarrassed, Caprice immediately returned to her father and mother.


    John''s grim expression finally rxed a bit.


    Sherry then looked at Liam. "Liam, it''s not your fault. You don¡¯t have to me yourself.¡±


    Isabel then stepped up and said, "It¡¯s my fault, Aunt Sherry. | asked Caprice to apany me to the event."


    Sherry smiled and said, "It''s not your fault either, my dear. It''s the girl named Heather trying to give Caprice a hard time. Even if


    Caprice didn''t follow you here tonight, Heather would find a way to hurt her too. I¡¯m d that she''s with you tonight."


    Isabel nodded but she still felt guilty.


    Caprice then said, "Isabel, it''s not your fault. Heather told me about this event at school. | thought she was just trying to make fun


    of me, but now it seems like she tricked me here so that I''d fall into her trap."


    Isabel frowned. "That good-for-nothing girl must be taught a lesson."


    Both Sherry and John looked grim.


    Liam pursed his lips as well.


    Caprice sensed the heaviness in the air. She put on a smile and said, "I¡¯m fine now. | believe Heather won¡¯te after me


    anymore. Come on, you guys. Don''t put on a long face."


    Isabel pinched her cheek. "You''re overly optimistic."


    Caprice chuckled. She then curled her arms in both her father''s and mother''s arm respectively. "Daddy, Mommy, I''m hungry."


    Sylvia and Odell exchanged a quick look. Odell then said, " Then let''s go. Uncle Odell will bring you to get something to eat."


    Caprice hummed happily.


    John and Sherry sighed. There was no reason forthem to be grumpy anymore, so they brought Caprice to the car.


    They got into the car and the driver and bodyguard prepared to start the car. It was then the door opened again.


    It was Liam and he wanted toe in.


    Both John and Sherry were speechless.


    Caprice''s eyes shone brightly. "Liam?"


    She wanted to sit beside Liam but John held her back.


    She pouted at her father.


    John then looked at Liam. "Where''s your car?¡±


    ¡°My car doesn¡¯t have enough seats," he said.


    John was silenced.


    Odell and Sylvia came in their own car, so Liam must havee in his own car as well, yet he imed that his father¡¯s car had


    no seat for him.


    "Come in then," Sherry said with a smile.


    She then red at John, signaling him to stop making a scene.


    John pursed his lips and looked away.


    The car started.


    Liam pulled his phone out.


    A few tapster, the navigation on the car was changed to the destination he set on his phone.


    The voice indication said, "Navigation starts. 32 kilometers to the destination. Please drive carefully at night."

 Chapter 1971

    Chapter 1971


    Chapter 1971


    The driver was taken aback.


    Liam instructed in a timely manner, "Uncle Ben, just follow the navigation system."


    Uncle Ben was the driver that had worked for the Stocktons for several decades. Upon hearing Liam, he did not enact a


    response. Instead, he nced at John through the rearview mirror.


    John seemed rather upset. Where are you taking us?"


    Liam answered firmly, "To my ce."


    ¡®What are we doing at your ce?"


    ¡°We''re going to get something to eat, then settle in for the night," Liam said without changing his expression.


    John frowned disagreeably, ¡¯No-"


    "Ahem." Sherry stepped in.


    Caprice jabbed at her father with her fingers as well and made a face at him. The message was clear: stop making things difficult


    for Liam, or else she was going to get angry!


    John took a deep breath and kept hisints to himself.


    Liam turned to John and Sherry. "Uncle John, Aunt Sherry, just take a quick nap if you need to. It¡¯s a smooth drive to my ce


    from here, and it''ll take roughly twenty minutes at most."This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Sherry answered with a bright smile, "Alright, sorry to trouble you.¡±


    Liam was very polite. "It''s not a problem at all. It¡¯s the least | could do." John grunted. At least, he was courteous.


    Caprice winked subtly at Liam who smiled faintly and turned away.


    Meanwhile, inside another car directly behind them, Isabel did not sit with Sylvia and Odell. Instead, she sat in the middle row by


    herself.


    She looked at the car in front of them and remarked casually, "I¡¯m sure Liam knows how to handle Uncle John."


    Sylvia chuckled when she heard this. She expressed emotively, "I have to say, it was a pretty eventful night for John and Sherry.


    They must have been furious."


    And justifiably so. Even she was furious when she saw Isabel being pushed to the floor on therge screen.


    Caprice did not have it any better. She got kicked around and used of being amon thief, and that was on top of being


    mercilessly insulted. She was only neen years old, nothing more than an ordinary university student that had yet to see the


    world.


    How could they be so cruel to someone who was essentially still a child?


    It was a good thing her parents were John and Sherry. If her parents were onlymon folks, there was no way she could have


    shaken off those unjust usations.


    What a terrifying thought.


    Odell gently caressed Sylvia and coaxed her in a tender voice, "Don''t stress over it. Something like this is never going to happen


    again.¡±


    Based on his knowledge of Liam, he was going to make sure that the fouldy named Heather was never going to show up


    around Caprice ever again.


    Sylvia nodded and grunted.


    Isabel turned around and assured them, "Mom, Dad, don''t worry. | will pay closer attention to Caprice in the future as well. I''m


    never going to let anything like this happen when I¡¯m around"


    Sylvia smiled and reminded her darling daughter, "Make sure you take care of yourself too.¡¯


    Isabel grinned warmly. "I know."


    Odell remarked, "| have spoken to our HR department. You have two more days to get ready. You will officially report to the office


    on Wednesday."


    His original n was to publicly announce Isabel as the sessor to Carter Corporation during the party. However, his n was


    partially botched due to the unfortunate events that transpired, but he could still let the rest of the arrangements proceed as


    originally nned.


    Upon hearing him, Isabel immediately turned around as if she did not catch a sentence of what he said.


    Nheless, Odell did not seem bothered.


    Regardless of whether she heard him or not, he was going to make sure that Isabel showed up at the office first thing


    Wednesday morning. Even if she refused to, he was going to make here by force if necessary.


    ¡®This hasn''t been an easy night for Isabel. Why don¡¯t you give her a break?" Sylvia stepped in. She did not have the heart to see


    Odell impose his will on their daughter.


    Odell said in a deadpanned voice, "She can handle it." Besides, she had not been the primary target tonight.

 Chapter 1972

    Chapter 1972


    After exactly twenty minutes, the car swerved into the Carters¡¯ Manor and stopped at one of the buildings.


    Caprice followed John and Sherry out of the car.


    After getting out of the car, she trotted over to Liam''s side.


    Liam gave her a look.


    Soon, the trio of Sylvia, Odell, and Isabel showed up as well. They promptly stepped out of the car. Odell and Sylvia approached


    John and Sherry.


    ¡¯Dinner should be almost ready, so let''s head in," Odell informed John.


    John nodded with a grunt.


    Sylvia took Sherry1 s hand and led them inside.


    Isabel crossed her arms across her chest and followed them into the house.


    Caprice took Liam''s hand which was like a bear''s pawpared to hers. Liam held her hand which was tiny in contrast and


    walked into the house.


    After entering the living room, he let go of Caprice the moment he noticed John turning over to look at them.


    John darted a nce at them and held his silence.


    Meanwhile, the housemaids were setting the meal on the table.


    Sylvia smiled and invited them graciously, "John, Sherry, take a seat please."


    She turned to the younger ones-Caprice, Isabel, and Liam as well. "Come on, take a seat at the table."


    Isabel obliged.


    Caprice smiled briefly and led Liam to the table with her.


    They were all seated at the table in no time, and every seat at the round table was filled.


    Caprice observed the fruit juice and dishes set out in front of her. They were all her favorite dishes, specifically catered to her


    taste. There were some of her parents¡¯ favorite dishes as well.


    "Come on and eat. It¡¯s gettingte, and we need to rest after the meal,¡± Sylvia remarked.


    Everyone picked up their utensils and began eating.


    Caprice was starving. She devoured several pieces of meat and downed several sses of fruit juice in minutes, filling up her


    stomach nicely.


    It was only after she picked at every single dish positioned closest to her that she began to move her sights to the dishes set


    farther away. A te of grilled ribs caught her eye. She wanted to eat it.


    Although she was very close with the Carters, she thought it was impolite to reach across the table to grab the ribs.


    Oh well, she would just eat something else.


    She pursed her lips and went for a te of fish.


    As she was about to begin eating the slice of fish she got for herself, she caught a figure rising to stand from the corner of her


    eye.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Liam had risen from his seat to reach across the table to get a rib that Caprice was eyeing.


    Soon, he slid a rib onto Caprice¡¯s te. It was thergest piece of the ribs.


    She turned to Liam and smiled warmly, thanking him sincerely, "Thank you, Liam."


    Liam spoke softly, "Go on, eat."


    Caprice happily stuffed herself with the rib.


    The entire time, she was not aware that everybody else at the table had been paying attention to her interaction with Liam. They


    may not be staring at them directly, but they were taking note of what was happening between the two.


    Sylvia smiled and met Odell''s eyes.


    Both John and Sherry smiled dly, and John seemed less upset than he was before.


    They had known Liam ever since he was a child and was familiar with his character. Ever since he was a boy, he had always


    been unaffectionate and distant, sometimes even resembling a robot instead of an organic person. The only time he ever


    disyed shes of emotion was when he was with the people he was closest to.


    It was obvious that he cared a lot about Caprice.


    "| want a piece of grilled rib too." Suddenly, Isabel who was sitting next to Caprice spoke up.


    Liam barely turned to acknowledge her, "Get it yourself."


    Isabel remarked yfully, ¡®That''s not fair!"


    Sylvia chuckled.


    This made Caprice self-conscious. She quickly reached for the te of ribs and put a piece on Isabel''s te. "Here you go,


    Isabel."


    Isabel smiled in approval. That''s my Caprice."


    Caprice smiled.


    Sylvia and Sherry shared a chuckle as well.


    It was a cheerful dinner.


    After dinner, Sylvia wanted to bring John and Sherry to the guest bedroom.

 Chapter 1973

    Chapter 1973


    John said with a nce at Caprice, "We''re not in a hurry. Why don¡¯t you send Caprice to the bedroom first?"


    Sylvia smiled and obliged, "Sure."


    She could tell that John''s true concern was that Liam would steal away Caprice when they were out of sight.


    Sherry smiled weakly, then she waved over at Caprice who was standing next to Liam. "Caprice,e with us."


    Caprice cast a reluctant look at Liam before dragging her feet over to Sherry.


    Liam noticed where she was headed and followed after her.


    John cast a morose look at him. "Why are you following her?¡±


    *I''m walking her back to her room," Liam said without the most remote change of his expression.


    John took a breath and let it slide.


    As Caprice smiled and drew closer to Liam, Sylvia and Sherry shared a hearty chuckle at their interaction.


    Caprice was going to stay over in the guest room on the second floor.


    The room wasrge, clean, and cozy, and it was adjacent to Liam''s bedroom.


    "Caprice, would you mind using this room tonight?" Sylvia asked her.


    Caprice replied appreciatively, "Sure, Aunt Sylvia, thank you very much.¡±


    Sylvia smiled, then she turned to John and Sherry. TH take you two to your room."N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Sherry smiled. "Alright."


    As for John, he cast an unfriendly look at Liam who was standing by the door. "What are you still standing around there for?"


    Liam nced at Caprice, then he turned around and walked out.


    Caprice puffed up her cheeks and looked at John grumpily. That was all it took for John to shift his demeanor, and he suddenly


    became gentle and doting.


    He gently ruffled Caprice''s hair and said, "Be a good girl and make sure you get enough sleep. We''re going to bed as well."


    Caprice grumbled.


    With that, her parents walked out of the bedroom, making sure to close the door behind them.


    Caprice pressed her ears against the door and listened for their footsteps. After their footsteps had faded away, she threw the


    door open. She knew where Liam''s room was, and she was going to find him.


    To her surprise, she met Liam as soon as she stepped into the corridor.


    His towering figure was leaning against the wall. He cast a profound look at her with a deep, dark gleam underneath his eyes.


    Caprice''s eyes shone, and she threw herself into his arms immediately.


    "Liam!" she called his name affectionately.


    Liam gently ruffled her hair and asked, "What happened at the dinner party tonight?"


    She scowled. "It''s all in the past now. All that matters is I¡¯m fine now."


    She did not want to dawdle over such depressing affairs.


    Liam mindfully dropped the subject. "Alright, make sure you get enough sleep."


    Caprice tightened herself around him and tried to say something to get him to stay. "My...my back still hurts."


    Liam briefly inspected her back. He could not see anything of note since she was still wearing her dress.


    "What happened to your back?"


    ¡®They stepped on me several times," she said in an aggrieved voice.


    Liam frowned. "I''ll call the doctor right now."


    She hurriedly stopped him. "It just aches a little. There''s no need for a doctor."


    Liam was silent for a moment, then he led her into her room and drew closer to the bed.


    Caprice looked at him with a puzzled expression.


    He ordered, "Lay on the bed."


    She quickly got the message. Liam wanted to inspect her back for any signs of injury. She obedientlyy face down on the bed.


    She stared at the snow-white quilt and listened to Liam''s ruffling movements as he lowered himself onto the bed.


    Soon, she could hear the streak of the zipper on her back being pulled open.


    She felt an unexpected chill the moment he pulled her zipper open, and it suddenly urred to her that she was tense. It was as


    if she was nervously anticipating something.

 Chapter 1974

    Chapter 1974


    She tucked her lips inward and suppressed the restless feeling boiling inside her. When she stared in front of her, she saw the


    shadow of Liam cast onto the quilt. After noticing that he was not moving at all, she asked nervously, "Liam, is everything okay?"


    Liam wore a tight grimace.


    While he was unzipping the dress for Caprice just now, he had to admit that he was feeling slightly bashful, but right now, the


    only emotion he felt was pure, unfiltered rage.


    There were several bruises and red, swollen spots scattered along Caprice¡¯s smooth, delicate back. They were marks left behind


    by high heels, amongst many other things.


    What exactly happened to her at the dinner party?!


    "Liam?" Upon failing to draw a response from Liam, Caprice turned over to look at him. As soon as she turned around, the loose


    front of her dress slipped off her body.


    Liam grew wide-eyed with shock.


    Caprice noticed his expression and immediately looked down at her chest. She blushed instantly and pulled her dress up to


    cover her body.


    She cried out sharply, ¡®What are you looking at?!¡±


    Liam was suddenly at a loss for what to say.


    For a moment, he did not know if he shouldugh or continue to stew in his previous anger.


    One thing he could be sure about was that his fiery emotions had cooled down considerably when he observed Caprice''s


    embarrassed childlike demeanor.


    He bent over the bed to get closer to Caprice. Then, he gently pinched her cheeks while smiling mischievously. "Why are you


    being so shy? It¡¯s not like


    | haven''t seen it before."


    Caprice suddenly recalled their previous date at Carter Tech City.


    Somehow, her already red cheeks managed to darken by another shade." I''m not shy!¡±


    "Then, why are your cheeks so red?" Liam could never get enough of teasing her. He gently brushed the tips of his fingers


    against her cheeks again. "Wow, you''re burning up!"


    m not! Something is wrong with your eyes!"


    To prove that she was truly not embarrassed, she suddenly pulled the front of her dress down to reveal herself.


    She cocked her chin upward and looked at Liam boldly as if to hammer home the point that she was not shy.


    Liam was speechless.


    Acrack of a smile formed on his lips.


    After several seconds of stunned silence, he smiled faintly before hooking his arm around her neck and nting a deep kiss on


    her lips.


    Hm?


    Caprice was dumbfounded.


    She was still angry at him. Why the sudden kiss?!


    She instinctively shoved him.


    He refused to let up and continued to suffocate her with a deep, passionate kiss. Despite how mightily Caprice shoved him, she


    could not wring herself free. If anything, it only made him kiss her with more force.


    Something strange suddenly consumed her. Within moments, she felt her fingers creeping toward Liam''s shirt, she was


    mimicking his movements and feeling him all over.


    An indeterminable amount of time passed.


    Suddenly, Liam''s figure copsed over her.


    She sunk into the bed with a loud thump.


    She yelped.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    That was when Liam suddenly froze. He quickly removed himself from Caprice.


    Her face was flushed with red by this point. She held her tiny hands in front of her as she looked at him with watery eyes.


    She was irresistible.


    Liam pursed his lips tightly, then he suddenly escaped from the bed and retreated to the bathroom.


    Caprice was still lying on the bed, unable to grasp what had just happened.


    Soon, she heard the sound of running watering from the bathroom. She came back to her senses, and the strange heat


    inside her slowly dissipated. She gathered herself, pulled her dress snugly around her, then sat up.


    Liam emerged from the bathroom.


    The cor of his shirt was unbuttoned. He had sshed water all over his face and his bangs were soaked wet. Beads of water


    continued to trickle down his jaw, toward his chin. There was a deep, quaint look inside his eyes as usual.


    ¡°Liam, what''s wrong? Why did you suddenly go away to wash your face?" Caprice asked perplexedly.


    She...she had not had enough of him yet.

 Chapter 1975

    Chapter 1975


    Chapter 1975


    Liam coughed dryly. "Nothing.


    He approached the bed and gently ruffled her hair. "Sleep.¡±


    Upon realizing that he was about to leave, Caprice grabbed his wrist. She looked at him and pleaded softly, ¡®Liam, | want to sleep


    with you tonight."


    Liam stuttered for a moment as he looked into her eyes.


    It was a sincere request. All Caprice wanted to do was to spend the night in his arms.


    ¡°No,¡± he refused firmly.


    Caprice wrinkled her nose, feeling wounded.


    Liam took a breath and spoke in a soft, patient voice, "Caprice, we cant sleep together just yet.¡¯


    "Then, when can we sleep together?" Caprice asked in a confused voice.


    They were already dating, so what was wrong with that?


    Liam pursed his lips. "Just wait until we get engaged.¡±


    Since Caprice''s father had not agreed to their getting engaged, that meant he had not approved of their rtionship yet. With


    that knowledge, he could not allow himself toy a finger on Caprice.


    "Okay," Caprice muttered weakly without concealing the disappointment in her voice, then she let go of his wrist.


    ¡¯Go to bed. I''ll see you tomorrow." He ruffled her hair again.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Caprice looked at him sadly. "Goodnight, Liam."


    He responded with a soft smile before heading out, carefully closing the door behind him as he left.


    Caprice sighed softly.


    Wait till they get engaged.


    After Liam came out of Caprice''s bedroom, he walked toward the end of the corridor until he reached Isabel''s room.


    He knocked on the door twice. There was no response.


    He knocked again.


    Soon, he heard Isabel cry out in an annoyed voice, "Who is it?"


    He said solemnly, "It¡¯s me."


    After a while, Isabel opened the door, wrapped in a coat.


    She was very cross since she had just managed to fall asleep. "I just fell asleep! What do you need from me? Aren''t you


    supposed to be with Caprice right now anyway?"


    "What happened to you and Caprice at the dinner party tonight?¡¯ Liam asked without skipping a beat.


    Isabel seemed surprised. "Hasn''t Caprice told you?"


    "She didn''t want to talk about it, so | didn¡¯t press her."


    ¡°Hm. | think the entire thing traumatized her a little," she reflected with a sigh. After that, she ryed the events of the night to


    Liam. She talked


    about how Heather and her mother plotted against Caprice and framed her for stealing Mrs. Duwait¡¯s pink diamonds.


    Liam''s expression darkened immediately upon hearing the full story. His murderous scowl scared even Isabel. She recoiled away


    from him when she sensed his dark aura.


    Liam remain silent for a few seconds, then he asked suddenly, "Who stepped on her back?"


    Isabel answered truthfully, ¡®Weather has been provoking us all night. At one point, | couldn¡¯t stand her arrogance anymore and


    wanted to beat her up myself, but her friends backed her up and shoved me to the floor. After that, Caprice threw herself over me


    to protect me, and that¡¯s when Heather and her friends began stepping on her with the tips of their high heels."


    ¡°Who are these friends of hers? Do you know them?¡±


    "No, | don''t."


    "Do you remember what they looked like?"


    ¡¯| don''t remember clearly, but | think you can get the surveince footage from Mrs. Duwait." After Isabel brought this up, she


    asked in a puzzled voice, "Why are you asking me all this?¡±


    "Don''t worry about it. Go to bed." Liam turned and left without providing an apt exnation.


    Isabel could sense that he was up to something. She told Liam, "Hey, Dad and Uncle John are going to make sure the Mansons


    get what they deserve anyway, so you don''t have to worry about it. Just make sure Caprice is okay. Don¡¯t worry about the rest.¡±


    Liam ignored her and continued marching toward his bedroom.


    After closing the door, he reached for his phone and called his assistant, Mitch.


    The call was connected promptly, and he ordered without bothering to greet Mitch, "Contact Mr. and Mrs. Duwait. Tell them we


    need the surveince footage from tonight''s dinner party.¡±


    Mitch answered dutifully, "Yes, sir. | will contact them right away.¡±


    Liam hung up without another word.


    The lights in his bedroom were not turned on yet. The darkness in the room paled inparison to the sullen darkness on his


    face. He was beyond furious. He wanted to see what exactly happened tonight and what these people had done to Caprice!


    He swore to himself that he was not going to let any one of them get away with what they had done!

 Chapter 1976

    Chapter 1976


    Chapter 1976


    Caprice slept soundly that night.


    Meanwhile, there was a terrific storm brewing in Westchester''s business circle.


    Out of nowhere, countless scandals revolving around W Entertainment''s Manson family emerged from the dark. Their illegal


    dealings and bribery were suddenly exposed to the public, and even the celebrities under theirbel were not safe from the


    disaster as nasty details about their private lives were leaked to various media sources.


    Overnight, their stock prices fell off a cliff.


    Roman, Sophia, and Heather fled the city overnight. By the time the police caught on to what was happening, the family had


    already boarded a ne from a neighboring city and were headed abroad.


    Just like that, a titan in the entertainment industry copsed overnight.


    The coteral damage was wholly unprecedented. Severalpanies that had been involved with VV Entertainment in their


    illegal dealings were affected as well and were plunged into irremediable crises.


    Naturally, the CEOs of thesepanies wasted no time in ming the Mansons for everything that had happened and quickly


    filedwsuits against the family that was now notoriously infamous in the city.


    Meanwhile, the daughters of saidpanies and families were harshly punished by their parents as well. They were all


    Heather''s friends who had joined her in kicking Caprice during the dinner party.


    After they had been punished appropriately, their parents immediately scrambled for every connection they could to get in touch


    with the Carters and the Stocktons so that they could apologize for what happened.


    In short, it was a disastrous, sleepless night for many people in the city.


    The next day, Caprice woke up naturally after a night of restful sleep.


    She saw that it was almost ten in the morning. She hurriedly sprang out of bed to brush her teeth and wash her face. After that,


    she changed into a set of clean clothes and walked out.


    When she got to the living room, she saw Odell and John sharing a pot of tea at the tea table, talking about something.


    Sherry and Sylvia were huddled together in another corner of the living room as well and were happily chattering away.


    Liam sat alone by the window. The sunlight beat against his silhouette, casting a long shadow over the floor. He looked dashing


    as always.


    Isabel was nowhere to be seen; perhaps she was still sleeping.


    Caprice was relieved that at least there was another personzier than she was. She walked down the stairs with a warm smile.


    "Good morning, Mom, Dad, Uncle Odell, Aunt Sylvia."


    Odell and Sylvia smiled and nodded at her.


    Sherry smiled and greeted her, "It¡¯s almost noon!"


    Before Caprice could defend her sleeping schedule, John spoke up, "Leave her alone. She had a long nightst night, and she


    must have had a hard time falling asleep."


    He made sure to point to the scapegoat. "Besides, isn''t Isabel still sleeping?"


    He doted on his daughter more than anything else.


    Sherry pouted. She was just making a casual remark. Why did he have to nder Isabel of all people?


    Odell took a sip of tea, refusing to get involved.


    Sylvia smiled weakly, then she turned to Caprice. "Caprice darling, are you feeling better now?"


    ¡°Much better," Caprice answered brightly.


    "Sit down and eat something." Sylvia motioned.


    "Okay."


    There was a lot of food set on the dining table.


    She got herself two tes and filled them with various pastries and biscuits. Then, she brought the tes to Liam and sat across


    from him.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Hey, Liam, good morning.¡± She reserved the brightest smile of that morning for Liam.


    Liam looked at her charming smile which was like a flower in full bloom. He grinned and said, "Morning."


    Caprice began eating her breakfast.


    Liam unscrewed the cap of a bottle of fruit juice for her. ¡®Take it easy."


    "Gotcha."


    Sherry and Sylvia observed the duo for a while before looking away and exchanging a smile with each other.


    John held the teacup stiffly in his hand, and his expression darkened slightly without him realizing it.


    Odell grabbed the teapot and refilled his cup. Then, he asked candidly, "I heard Liam and Caprice worked on a joint project a


    little while ago. How did that project turn out?"


    This managed to recapture John''s attention. He replied indifferently, "It was alright." "Alright as in everything went well?"

 Chapter 1977

    ?


    Sherry gave her word. "Alright, Mommy promises to never say something like that ever again."


    Caprice smiled and seemed content atst.


    Sherry kissed her on the cheek.


    Caprice returned the same favor, and they made up.


    Sherry smiled and carried her onto the bed.


    John was looking at Sherry with a smile forming in the corner of his eyes. He seemed to find the situation of a mother getting lectured by her daughter very humorous.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Sherry shot a look at him.


    He traced a smile and told her tenderly, "I''ll keep Capricepany for a bit. Why don''t you get some rest?"


    There was arge recliner next to the couch with nkets and pillowsid on top of it. It was ideal for her to catch up on some rest.


    Sherry was certainly getting tired. She doubted she needed to worry about Caprice since she was with her father.


    She nodded and went to the reclining chair without protest. She swiftly took off her coat and shoes, then she reclined into the chair and threw the nket on top of her. After she was in afortable position, she closed her eyes.


    It was very quiet in the room.


    Just as she was about to fall asleep, she faintly heard John''s voice. He was speaking to Caprice, "Caprice, Mommy stayed up all nightst night to watch over Daddy, so she''s very tired. She was only joking when she said that just now. Please don''t be angry."


    Caprice was seated cross-legged next to him and was toying with a plushie. She seemed surprised to hear this and said in a reflective tone, "I didn''t know, I wasn''t trying to be mean to Mommy,"


    John gently pinched her chubby cheeks and spoke gently, "It''s alright. I''m not angry at you. I just wanted you to know that deep down, Mommy cares about me."


    Caprice was suddenly filled with guilt, "But I got angry at Mommy just now."


    "Mommy won''t hold it against you."


    "Okay."


    That was the end of their conversation.


    Sherry remainedying on the recliner the entire time. It may look like she was sleeping calmly, but there was a wave of restless turmoil inside her.


    In the end, her umted exhaustion took over. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep.


    It was the next morning by the time she opened her eyes again. The curtains were slightly parted, allowing a trace of sunlight to spill into the room.


    John sat up against the headboard of the bed and was reading a book.


    Caprice was snuggled next to Sherry and sleeping soundly. She must have climbed into the recliner at some point in the night.


    Sherry gave her a big smooch on the lips. She waspletely irresistible cause of how cute she looked in her sleep.


    "Morning," John noticed that she woke up and greeted her with a warm smile.


    Sherry made a look and returned the greeting, "Morning."


    Then, she got up and went to the bathroom. She brushed her teeth and washed her face, then she stepped back into the ward.


    The doctor happened toe by for a routine inspection.


    After attending to John and leaving some brief instructions, the doctor left with the nurses.


    Caprice woke up around this point. Her first instinct upon waking up was to look for her mother, she muttered drowsily, "Mommy?"


    "I''m right here." Sherry hurried to her side.


    Caprice crawled into her arms and burrowed her face into the crook of her neck.


    Sherry smiled and carried her to the bathroom.


    After helping her wash up, they went back into the ward. Sherry turned to John and mocked a cough before asking, "Do you want to go to the bathroom?"


    John looked at her and answered, "Yes."


    Sherry set Caprice on the couch, then she went to the bed to help John out of bed.


    The moment her hands briefly made contact with his, he held on to her wrist as if his life depended on it. Sherry was caught off guard by this and lost her bnce, she copsed into the bed. Her lips briefly brushed against John''s as shended against his chest.


    She frantically tried to pull herself out of bed. That was when she felt a palm pressing against the back of her head, preventing her from rising.


    There was only a ruler''s length separating the two of them as they made eye contact.

 Chapter 1978

    Chapter 1978


    After everyone bade farewell to each other, Caprice entered the car with her parents and drove out of the manor.


    Once the car had gone out of sight, Liam and his parents stepped back into the house.


    Liam asked right away, "Mom, Dad, what were you two going to talk to me about?¡±


    Sylvia cast a questioning look at Odell. "Was he talking to you about the conditions for Caprice and Liam¡¯s engagement?"


    Odell nodded grimly.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia asked nervously, "What did he say?¡±


    Liam was looking at him expectantly as well.


    Odell hesitated for a moment, and it seemed like he was holding back the urge to criticize John. He announced solemnly, ''He


    said Caprice was his and Sherry''s only child and that they did not have the heart to see their daughter leave them. He wanted


    Liam to marry into their house instead."


    Sylvia was baffled.


    Liam pursed his lips and did not let his reaction show.


    Suddenly, the trio descended into a stiff silence.


    Sylvia and Odell looked at Liam as if waiting for a response. They wanted to know what was on his mind.


    Liam said, ''That works for me."


    Odell frowned disapprovingly.


    Sylvia seemed very reluctant as well. "Liam, even though you''re not our only child, that doesn¡¯t mean you''re any less important


    to US."


    Although Sylvia was very fond of Caprice and would not consider herself to be an upholder of patriarch values, it would still


    bother her to see her son married off to another family.


    If John was concerned about Liam threatening the position of Stockton Corporation in the future, they could draw up some


    contract now to prevent such a scenario.


    Besides, Liam was verypetent and would never think about taking Stockton Corporation for himself. He had built Carter


    Tech City himself, the city that was considered one of the wonders of the world.


    In terms of global wealth rankings, Odell was several ces ahead of John. Although Odell''s assets would have to be divided


    evenly between his three heirs, Liam''s sharebined with the assets he umted himself wasparable to John''s entire


    fortune.


    This was to say that pairing Caprice and Liam was a very lucrative decision.


    Why could they not simply agree on a simple engagement? Why would John insist on Liam marrying into their family?


    Sylvia asked bluntly, "Is John intentionally making things difficult for US? He doesn¡¯t want Caprice to get engaged with Liam,


    does he?"


    Odell stated, "He''s known Liam since he was a boy. | don''t think he would oppose their being together. If | had to guess, it¡¯s


    probably because he doesn¡¯t want Caprice to get engaged at such a young age."


    Since he had a daughter, he felt like he could rte to John.


    Sylvia sighed weakly. *What should we do then? Wait a few more years before talking about the engagement?¡±


    Odell did not offer any opinion. Instead, he looked at Liam.


    Liam was silent for a while, then he said adamantly, "| want to get engaged now."


    At the end of the day, having him marry into Caprice''s family was nothing more than a formality.


    The only thing that mattered to him was that he got to marry Caprice, even if it meant their children had to take up the Stocktons''


    family name.


    He was not concerned about that; he only wanted to be with Caprice.


    Meanwhile, inside the car on the way to Caprice''s dormitory, Caprice sat quietly between John and Sherry.


    Sherry held her hand and asked John, "Were you talking to Odell about Caprice''s engagement with Liam?"


    Upon hearing this. Caprice pricked up her ears.


    John stated, ¡®Yeah, he told me to list my terms.¡±


    Sherry asked curiously, "What did you tell him?"


    John nced at Caprice who was looking at him expectantly, then he announced with what seemed like a tint of pride for having


    negotiated such terms, | said Liam had to marry into our family instead of the other way round.¡±


    Sherry and Caprice entered a stiff silence.


    Sherry gave a disapproving look. "Are you making things difficult for them on purpose?"


    Caprice puffed up her cheeks. "Dad, why do you want Liam to marry into our family? Is this your way of saying that | should have


    been a son instead?"


    As soon as Caprice raised this point, Sherry shot John a look that implied that he was going to have to deal with the


    consequences himself.


    John was aware that this was not the message he was trying to send. He quickly exined, "Caprice, that''s not what I was trying


    to hint at.¡± "Then, what is it?¡± Caprice scowled sharply.


    This was the only exnation: he wished he had a son instead of a daughter!


    John was not expecting such a strong reaction from Caprice. He did not consider that this was the impression she would get


    from his decision.

 Chapter 1979

    Chapter 1979


    John grew slightly frantic. He gently brushed Caprice''s hair and scrambled for an exnation. "Caprice, it''s not so much that |


    want Liam to marry into our house. His parents are not going to let him do that anyway. All | wanted to do was to throw in a little


    wrench so they wouldn''t be in such a rush to get you two engaged."


    Caprice questioned his rhetoric, "Really?¡¯


    John smiled, "Of course! You''re my darling daughter. Why would | ever be upset that you weren''t born a boy?"


    Caprice made a face and groaned, "Alright, but | want to get engaged to Liam, so you''d better rify things with them before


    they get the wrong idea.¡±


    John suddenly fell silent. He felt a stuffy feeling in his chest.


    After a prolonged silence, he said with a deep inflection in his voice," Caprice, the reason | wanted to do this is that | didn''t want


    you two to get engaged and married so early. You''re still so young."


    He spoke from the depths of his emotions.


    Caprice could not understand where he wasing from. She met his gaze and asked, "What difference does it make if I''m


    married? I¡¯m still going to be your daughter, aren''t I?"


    John was struck speechless.


    "Pfft!" Sherry failed to stifle herughter.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Ding!


    Aphone suddenly rang, interrupting their conversation.


    John reached for the phone in his pocket. Upon reading the name of the caller, he seemed to hesitate for a moment.


    Sherry asked curiously, "Who''s that?"


    John told her, "Odell." "Why is he suddenly calling you? Did we forget something?" Sherry murmured in confusion.


    John answered the call.


    Suddenly, a silence washed over the car as Caprice and Sherry waited eagerly to see what Odell had to say.


    John put the phone to his ear and asked, "What is it?"


    Odell spoke in a calm voice on the phone, ¡®We talked about it. Liam agreed to marry into your family.¡±


    John was silent. His expression suddenly turned stiff, and his voice caught in his throat.


    Even on the phone, Odell had a vague impression of the stunned expression on John''s face the moment he received this


    information. There was a hint of a chuckle in his voice as he continued, "John, you guys haven''t gone too far yet, have you? Why


    don''t youe back now so that we can continue our discussion and decide on a date fortheir engagement?"


    John took a deep breath and asked solemnly, "Are you sure Liam agreed to it?"


    He knew that Odell and Sylvia had three children and that all of them were very precious to their parents. If he was in Odell¡¯s


    shoes, he would never agree to such an arrangement to have his son wedded out of the family.


    Odell was not pulling his leg, was he?


    Odell answered resolutely, "We are sure about this, and Liam agreed as well."


    John frowned and instinctively darted a nce at Caprice who was staring at him expectantly, then at Sherry who was curious


    about what Odell had to say.


    "Stay with US for one more night. We will have more than enough time to work out the details of their engagement." Odell


    pressed the matter.


    TILJ''ll think about it," John stuttered uncharacteristically before hanging up.


    Upon noticing his strange demeanor, Sherry asked nervously, "What is it? Did something happen?"


    John told her, "They told me that Liam himself agreed to marry into our house."


    Sherry was stunned.


    Caprice''s eyes grew wide with shock as well. She had to admit that the idea that Liam agreed to such conditions brought a smile


    to her face. He must have only agreed because he wanted desperately to marry her.


    John informed them, "He asked US to go back to their ce so that we can discuss further details."


    Sherry turned to Caprice, "Caprice, do you want to get engaged to Liam?"


    Caprice replied without skipping a beat, "Yes."


    Sherry smiled faintly.


    Since Caprice had made the call, they had no reason to dy the engagement any further.


    Besides, it was just as Caprice said. Her getting married to Liam did not change the fact that she was always going to be their


    daughter.

 Chapter 1980

    Right after Sherry told the driver to take them back to the Carters, her phone started ringing. She looked at the disy and turned to John with a wide smile. "It¡¯s Syl calling."


    She answered the call.


    Just as expected, Sylvia was calling to ask Sherry and John to take Caprice back to their ce to stay for another night. They were going to discuss Liam''s engagement with Caprice.


    Sherry agreed dly, "We''ll be right there.¡± The driver had just finished making a U-turn. They were on their way back to the Carters.


    Sandwiched between John and Sherry, Caprice tried to distract herself by looking at the passing scenery outside, but she simply could not wait.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Within ten minutes, the car swerved through the gates of Carter Manor and stopped in front of the house. Odell, Sylvia, and Liam were already standing in front of the building waiting forthem. As soon as Caprice got out of the car, she went straight to Liam.


    "Liam..."


    Liam took her in his arms.


    John made a show of coughing loudly.


    Caprice let go of Liam immediately but remained standing next to him.


    ¡°Let Caprice and Liam hang out for a while. We can talk inside," Sylvia said with a smile. Sherry nced at Caprice. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Then, she tugged at John who did not protest. It seemed like he had given in atst. With that, the pair of parents went into the living room.


    Caprice plunged into Liam''s arms again. She wrapped her arms tightly around his strong, firm waist and looked up at him with googly eyes. "Liam, | heard from my father that you agreed to marry into our family, is that true?"


    He pinched her cheeks. "Yeah.¡± "That means you''re going to take on the Stockton name and our child will also be a Stockton," she said while looking intently into his eyes.


    Liam said without the slightest change of expression, "| know. What are you trying to say?" His prating gaze did not avert from her eyes the entire time.


    She stared back into his eyes. "What if | can''t provide for you in the future?


    Will you regret ever marrying me?¡±


    Liam suppressed a smile and asked in a teasing voice, "Are you saying that you have what it takes to provide for me now? Is that it?¡±


    Caprice suddenly stammered, and her cheeks became flushed with embarrassment. She set herself up!


    She quickly exined, "That''s not what | mean. What | was trying to ask is that will you feel like I¡¯m not good enough for you in the future and regret ever marrying me?"


    Liam fell silent. He looked into herrge, pearly eyes. After a while, he cupped her chin firmly in his hands and said in a low, resolute voice,


    "Caprice, as far as I''m concerned, it doesn''t matter whether you marry into my family or me into yours. It doesn''t matter what happens in the future as well. All | care about is that it''s you I''m marrying.¡±


    His firm voice sounded like music in Caprice''s ears. It was the sweetest thing she had heard in her entire life. She felt like she was on cloud nine.


    She grinned from ear to ear. Then, upon realizing how drunkenly she was smiling, she buried her face in his chest in a fit of embarrassment. She whimpered in a sheepish voice, "Liam, are you confessing to me?"


    Liam smiled. "If you''d like to think of it that way, then yes."


    She smiled faintly, then turned up to look him squarely in his eyes. She proceeded to make an earnest vow, "Liam, don''t worry, no matter what happens to you in the future, | will not abandon you regardless of the circumstances. | promise | will study hard, so | have what it takes to take over my parents¡¯ business. That way, | can call myself someone worthy of being your partner! | will not be a burden for you but someone who you can proudly rely on!"


    Liam looked at her in a ruminative silence.


    So, she was going to bear the responsibility for their marriage?


    He studied her serious and determined expression and could not help but crack into a soft chuckle. ¡°Alright, I''ll remember that."


    Agentle breeze blew by that made his hair flutter.

 Chapter 1981

    Chapter 1981


    Chapter 1981


    He looked like the most precious thing in the world whenever he smiled.


    Caprice could not help herself any longer. She propped herself on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck to give him


    a passionate kiss.


    Liam was taken aback, but he soon responded by tightly embracing her.


    Meanwhile, the doors and windows of the living room were left open, inviting the gentle breeze outside to blow into its interior. It


    was peculiarly quiet inside.


    Sylvia, Odell, Sherry, and John had not spoken a word since they sat down. Ten minutes had passed since.


    Sylvia was the first to break the silence as she coughed dryly.


    "Ahem." Sherry could not hold it in any longer anymore and mimicked her cough.


    Odell and John looked at them.


    Both of them wore queer expressions and broke their silence at the same time, How long are you going to keep quiet?"


    Wasn''t the n to discuss the exact date for Caprice and Liam''s engagement?


    "State your proposal already!"


    Odell raised the teacup and took a sip of tea, then he turned to John and Sherry. "You two are Caprice''s parents, so why don''t


    you two decide?"


    John mimicked his gesture and supplied, "Since Liam is going to marry into our family, tradition says that your family is the one


    who should be choosing a date. Make sure to let us know if you have any additional terms as well


    Odell jerked his lips to the side.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Sherry pinched John tightly on his arm and hissed sharply into his ears, "Why does it matter so much to you that Liam marries


    into our family?"


    He was acting as if his very well-being depended on it!


    What nonsense!


    John coughed dryly and insisted gravely, ¡®Those are the terms that they agreed to."


    He would lose face if he suddenly withdrew his initial offer!


    Sherry had a different way of looking at it. "Just because they agreed doesn''t mean we should impose ourselves on them!¡±


    Caprice''s family was a mighty fine one to marry into, but the same could be said about Liam. If one had to go into the specifics of


    what the two had to offer by way of status, Liam easily trumped Caprice. Marrying him was akin to marrying the son of an


    emperor in feudal times!


    Odell and Sylvia had only agreed to such bizarre arrangements out of politeness, but that did not mean John should insist on


    doing it this way!


    If not for the decades of friendship between them, Odell and Sylvia would have very well called the entire thing off and chased


    them out.


    John pursed his lips and avoided Odell and Sylvia''s gazes. He muttered in a low voice, "You tell them."


    He was not going to embarrass himself by going back on his word.


    Sherry drew a deep breath. "Okay, HI do it.¡±


    "Sherry, what are you two mumbling about?" Sylvia spoke up atst.


    Sherry smiled at her. "Look, Syl, here''s the situation. When we talked about wanting Liam to marry into our family, it was only our


    way of testing his resolution. We didn¡¯t mean it when we said we wanted him to be a Stockton.¡±


    Sylvia entered a brief, stunned silence, then she exchanged a brief smile with Odell.


    Odell turned to John. "Is that so?"


    John met his gaze head-on and answered firmly, "Of course.¡¯


    Odell smiled, then he picked up the teapot and refilled John''s cup for him.


    Sylvia noted their interaction and turned to address Sherry,"


    Sherry, | take this to mean that you two didn''t intend for Liam to marry into our family, did you?"


    ¡°Of course not. That would be entirely unnecessary and old- fashioned.¡± She added, "All we want is for Caprice and Liam to be


    happy together.¡±


    Sylvia smiled affirmatively. "Do you have anything else to add?"


    "No, there''s nothing-"


    "One more thing,¡± John interrupted her.


    Sherry eyed him suspiciously.


    Sylvia and Odell turned to him as well.


    Odell asked, "What is it?"

 Chapter 1982

    Chapter 1982


    John said while staring intently into Odell''s eyes, "No matter how many children Caprice and Liam bear in the future, at least one


    of them has to take up the Stockton name."


    Sherry did not seem like she had anything to say about that.


    She was not concerned about how many children Caprice would bear with Liam or what surname their children would take up.


    Regardless, this was not an outrageous conditioning from John.


    Perhaps this was one of those things men could rte to better since after a brief silence, thus it was Odell who agreed,


    "Alright."


    Sylvia smiled and announced dly, "What about next Saturday? It will be a fine day for Caprice and Liam to officially get


    engaged.¡±


    Sherry nodded her approval. "Sure."


    John offered, "We will host the engagement ceremony at my ce."


    Odell had no qualms about that. "Sure."


    Sylvia asked, "Does that mean that you two will be handling the entire procession?"


    Sherry spoke, "Yes, I''ll discuss it with Caprice''s grandmother once we get back to nchester."


    Sylvia offered kindly, "Alright, let me know if you need anything from us at all."


    Sherry smiled. "Sure."


    Caprice was not expecting them to work out the date so quickly. She had just pulled away from Liam after the two exchanged a


    kiss when their parents emerged from the living room.


    She was so jolted that she quickly shoved Liam away from her and straightened herself awkwardly.


    Liam gathered himself as well and looked at them as if nothing had happened at all.


    "Caprice, let''s go. We''re taking you back to your dorm," Sherry called after Caprice.


    Caprice frowned suspiciously and was just about to say something when Liam spoke up before she could, "Aunt Sherry, Uncle


    John, why don''t you two stay here for another night?"


    Sherry exined, "There''s something we need to deal with. We have to get back to the city tonight.¡±


    "Alright." Liam did not attempt to persuade them any further. He gently brushed Caprice''s hair and told her, ¡®Take care at


    university.¡±


    "| got it." Caprice smiled before approaching her parents.


    After bidding farewell to Odell and Sylvia, she got into the car with John and Sherry.


    As the car drove out of the manor, she asked them, "Mom, Dad, what did they tell you?"


    John merely grunted.


    Sherry told her, "The engagement ceremony will be held at our house next Saturday."N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Caprice''s eyes glittered.


    Next Saturday! That meant there were only twelve days to go!


    "Your father here named another condition for the engagement," Sherry remarked.


    ¡°What? Haven''t you proposed that Liam had to marry into our family for the engagement to proceed? How are you still giving


    more conditions?" Caprice asked.


    Sherry said with a smile, "Hasn''t your father exined it to you? He only said that in hopes of dying the inevitable


    engagement between you two. He was not expecting the Carters to agree so readily. We never intended for Liam to be a


    Stockton, so we''ve already rified the situation with them."


    "Ohh." Caprice expressed in stark surprise, then she asked again, "You mean Liam isn¡¯t going to marry into our family?"


    "Yeah, what''s the matter?" Sherry seemed puzzled by her reaction.


    Why did it seem to her that Caprice was slightly upset by this?


    Caprice scowled. "But | already promised Liam that | was going to do my best to take care of him! | was going to be his


    reliable support and care for his every need!"


    She had just made a vow, so why did they suddenly call off the previous arrangement?

 Chapter 1983

    Chapter 1983


    Chapter 1983


    Sherry and John were speechless. They did not know what to say upon noting Caprice¡¯s serious demeanor.


    It would appear that they did not expect that their neen- year-old daughter had such a tenacious side to her.


    ¡°Well... If that''s what it is, | suppose he''s the one who should be working hard for me then." Caprice suddenly relented, realizing


    that it was a great responsibility lifted from her. She expressed with an emotive sigh and moved on quickly from it.


    John and Sherry looked on silently.


    Now, this was the daughter they had known all their lives.


    Half an hourter, the car drove into Sparkrow University and arrived at the gate of the female dormitory.


    The bodyguard got out of the car and opened the door for Caprice.


    Because Caprice sat between Sherry and John, she only managed to step out of the car after they made way for her.


    After she got out of the car, she barely managed to exchange a word with her parents when several figures sprinted out of the


    corner.


    The bodyguard promptly stepped in front of the Stocktons to shield them.


    The strangers who emerged from the dark immediately stopped at a safe distance and began bowing their heads at them. They


    started begging and pleading for mercy from John, Sherry, and Caprice.


    The suddenmotion drew the attention of many people who happened to be passing by.


    John stood protectively in front of Caprice and Sherry as he looked at the strangers icily. "Who are you? What do you want?"


    A middle-aged man with gray hair emerged from the group and began a lengthy monologue, "Master Stockton, we metst night


    at the Duwaits'' dinner party. My brat of a daughter was incredibly arrogant and joined in with that despicable Heather Manson in


    bullying your daughter. | checked the surveince footage and saw everything that went down. | already gave her severe


    punishment, and we''re going to teach her a lesson again once | get back hometer with my wife. Please, forgive us. We have


    wronged you. Please have mercy on us!¡±


    As soon he finished delivering his message, several men rushed forward. "Master Stockton, my sister was deceived by Heather


    who made up all those lies about Miss Caprice. My sister was misled into thinking that Miss Caprice was a horrible person and


    ended up taking Heather¡¯s side, but | have already made sure to punish my sister for her mistakes. Please forgive our family.¡±


    "It¡¯s the same for my niece. It was all Heather¡¯s lies and nasty tricks!"


    Over time, it was apparent that the one thing all these strange folks had inmon was that their daughters, nieces, sisters, and


    whatnot were friends of Heather. They were the ones who had joined the bullying of Capricest night.


    John said sharply, "I only told the Duwaits to contact the police and arrest the ones directly involved with the scheme. These girls


    you people mentioned have nothing to do with it, so nothing is going to happen to them."


    Sophia, Heather, and the girl named Beverly were the only ones involved in the plot of stealing the pink diamond and framing


    Caprice. They were the only ones John targeted, and he left the others out of it.


    They were floored upon hearing this.


    Master Stockton, does this mean you haven''t heard about what happened to the Mansons overnight?¡± the same man who spoke


    first asked cautiously.


    John seemed appalled by this. "What about them?"


    The man ryed everything he knew. "A lot of scandals and illegal dealings revolving around W Entertainment came out of the


    dark overnight. Roman Manson has already fled the country with his wife and daughter. As we speak, the W Entertainment


    offices have been swarmed by the officials and closed off to the public."


    John nced at Sherry.


    Sherry shook her head, implying that this was the first she had heard of such developments as well.


    Their methods had always been straightforward. All that mattered to them was that Sophia, Heather, and Beverly got what they


    deserved. Besides, Roman had publicly reprimanded and even punished Sophia and Heather for what they had done, thus there


    was no reason for them to continue prosecuting their family after the message was sent across.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Sherry considered this new piece of information for a moment before specting, ¡°Do you think Odell and Syl are behind this?"


    John shook his head. "No, Isabel did not have it anywhere near as bad as Caprice did. Even if they were trying to im justice


    for Caprice, they wouldn¡¯t resort to such harsh measures."


    "Who could it be?"


    After a few seconds, both of them suddenly turned to look at Caprice.


    Caprice shrugged.


    Could it be Liam?

 Chapter 1984

    Chapter 1984


    The middle-aged man and the others who crowded around the trio fell silent. It seemed like they had formed the connection and


    understood who was behind all that had gone down. They began pleading even more fervently this time, "Please, Master


    Stockton, Mrs. Stockton, Miss Stockton, you must do something for us! Words can''t express how apologetic we are!¡±


    "Please have mercy on us, we weren''t even there when everything happened! We have already severely punished our children


    for their nasty behavior!"


    "Please give us at least another chance. I''ve worked my entire life to build everything | have today. You can''t ruin me just


    because of something | wasn''t a part of! Please!" The man who said this dropped to his knees.


    Having never seen such a disy before, Caprice faltered backward.


    More students were crowded around now, drawn by themotion. At one point, Caprice heard Lana''s voice.


    "Huh? Isn''t that Caprice? What happened over here?¡±


    Caprice frowned as she addressed the man on his knees," Get up. Come on, get up!"


    The man knelt with his hands covering his face soaked in tears. "I... don¡¯t think have the strength to keep going! You have to


    forgive me, please!¡±


    Another man followed suit and got on his knees as well.


    Upon noticing this, the others gradually got on to their knees one after the other, all of them begging and crying in fits of


    desperation.


    Caprice did not have the great to endure their sorrow anymore. She turned to her parents for help. "Mom, Dad, tell them to get


    up.¡±


    After running through the gauntlet during his years in the world of business, John was no stranger to such disys. Despite that,


    he could not bear to see Caprice in this state.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Of course, the same went for Sherry.


    They exchanged a look before asking Caprice, "Caprice, do you think you can forgive what their daughters, sisters, and nieces


    did to youst night?¡±


    Caprice expressed in a heartfelt voice, ¡®Even if | can''t forgive them, their parents had nothing to do with their actions. They don''t


    deserve this.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the parents and rtives in question looked up at the girl who looked like she was going to be their savior.


    John ruffled her hair. "Alright, why don''t you call Liam then?"


    Since Liam had done it for her sake, it was only right that she was the one to speak to him.


    "Okay." Caprice nodded before turning to the people who were kneeling in front of her as if performing a religious practice. "Why


    don''t you guys go home for now? | need to make a call, but things should be fine for your families after this."


    "Thank you, Miss Stockton!"


    "Bless your kind heart!"


    Caprice retreated from them and quickly burrowed into the car. Then, she reached for her phone and called Liam.


    The call was picked up at the first ring. Liam''s low voice heavy with bass resounded across the phone, "Did you need


    something?"


    ¡°Liam, thank you for iming justice for me," Caprice said sincerely.


    Liam asked after a brief silence, "Did they go to the university to see you?"


    Caprice grunted before imploring sincerely, "They all got on their knees and cried and begged for mercy. Can you forgive them


    this time?"


    Liam relented, "Alright, I''ll make the necessary arrangements.¡±


    "Okay."


    Liam hung up after that. He was probably on his way to reverse the damage.


    Caprice put away her phone and looked out the window.


    They were no longer on their knees and had risen to their feet instead. Each one of them cast expectant looks in the direction of


    the car, probably waiting to hear what Caprice had to say.


    Additionally, there were a lot of people crowded around the scene. Caprice immediately spotted Lana, Freya, and Piper in the


    crowd.


    They were standing with a group of students.


    She clutched her phone tightly and pondered if she should get get out of the car to announce the good news that she had


    worked things out with Liam. Maybe this would get them to go home in peace.


    Just as she was about to step out of the car, she noticed that the group of parents and rtives of Heather¡¯s friends were on


    their phones.


    They burst into smiles in no time. They must have received some long-awaited good news on the phone.


    After that, they thanked John and Sherry politely before excusing themselves.

 Chapter 1985

    Chapter 1985


    John and Sherry returned to the car.


    Caprice heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Caprice, it looks like you''re going to have to stick with us for a bit longer," Sherry said while softly brushing Caprice¡¯s hair.


    Caprice understood the implications as well.


    Surrounded by a boisterous crowd, some of the students even had their phones out to take pictures and videos of what went


    down.


    John was the wealthiest man in nchester and was also a public figure, so it was not hard forthem to figure out his identity.


    Many of them must have known who he was already, so news of this was going to spread like wildfire on the campus.


    Besides, with all these people by the entrance, there was no way she could enter without being pestered. It was a wise choice to


    stick with her parents for now.


    Ding!N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Suddenly, Sherry''s phone rang.


    Caprice and John darted a curious nce in her direction.


    Sherry was taken aback. "Syl? Why is she calling me at this time?"


    She promptly answered the call.


    They could not tell what Sylvia had told her on the phone. After a brief conversation with Sylvia, Sherry hung up and turned to


    John. "Syl says she found out about what happened over here and has already contacted the people in charge at the university


    to keep things under cover. She''s also asking if Caprice would like to head over to their ce to stay over for one more night."


    John turned to Caprice.


    Caprice grinned and remarked yfully, "Whatever you guys say. I¡¯m a good daughter."


    John pinched the tip of her nose and chuckled softly.


    It went without saying that they did not feel at ease leaving Caprice by herself at the dormitory, especially considering how the


    people were able to find out about their whereabouts so easily. John decided that they would only feel safe letting Caprice return


    to the dormitory after the entire thing had blown over and the university officials had sorted things out for them.


    It would appear that going back to the Carters was the best course of action for now.


    With that, the driver turned the car around and drove out of the area, away from the crowd.


    Caprice nced out of the window and suddenly spotted someone that caught her eye, so she made a sound.


    ¡°What''s wrong?"


    John and Sherry turned to her in unison.


    She brushed it off. "Nothing, | just recognized a senior of mine."


    She seemed to have spotted Moses, Keh, and Jonathan, but perhaps she had simply been mistaken.


    The car drove out of the university gate and was out of sight of the onlookers in no time.


    Meanwhile, the gathered students who came to gawk at the scene did not seem to show any signs of wanting to disperse just


    yet.


    Someone eximed, "Oh, my God! That guy back there who had all those people kneeling in front of him is John Stockton! He''s


    the richest man in nchester!"


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    "Of course | am! | looked him up online.¡±


    "The woman next to him just now must be his wife Sherry Stockton. She''s an extremely famous investor and phnthropist in


    nchester."


    ¡°How about that girl? Who is she supposed to be?"


    Someone murmured, "I think | know that girl. Her name is Caprice. She''s one of the students at our university."


    "Caprice? That girl taking that mediocre major? She''s nothing special at all, isn''t she?"


    Everyone fell silent.


    Before this, everyone who knew Caprice would certainly describe her as being wholly unimpressive, but after what they had


    witnessed, even an inept fool could figure out her rtions to the wealthiest couple in nchester.


    There was no other reason for such a high-profile couple to escort anymon girl to the university in person. Besides, they


    shared the same surname.


    Chances were extremely likely that she was their daughter.


    Standing at the back of the crowd, Moses, Keh, and Jonathan exchanged conflicted looks.

 Chapter 1986

    Chapter 1986


    "Caprice has been the daughter of the richest family in nchester this entire time?!" Keh expressed in disbelief.


    Jonathanmented uncertainly, "It does seem that way, doesn''t it?"


    Moses pursed his lips and stayed silent.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    With the dramatic copse of VV Entertainment and everything that transpired overnight, they heard some rumors going around.


    Word was that Heather Manson had spelled her family''s demise by pissing off the Stocktons when she picked on their daughter.


    Some of Heather''s friends were involved as well, and their families ended up no better for it.


    One of the people who begged for Caprice''s forgiveness just now was someone Moses and Keh had worked with briefly.


    Based on what they knew, this person managed to find out that Caprice was enrolled in Sparkrow University and had made the


    trip here to beg for forgiveness in person.


    This was the reason they were here at all. They wanted to see for themselves just who the supposed daughter of the richest


    family in nchester was.


    Never in their wildest imagination would they have thought that the mysterious figure had been Caprice all along!


    This exined why she managed to find investors for theirpany back then.


    Moses hung his head low as he turned and walked towards the parking lot.


    Keh and Jonathan exchanged a look then silently trailed after him.


    Keh reflected soberly, "| was wondering how she managed to end up with the owner of Carter Tech City. It turns out she was


    someone of such formidable background this entire time. | can''t believe | thought she was nothing more than amoner. | must


    have been blind to not see it.¡±


    Everyone knew that the Stocktons only had one child and that this child was to be the sessor of the family''s fortune.


    Caprice was the prodigious child.


    Even if she never amounted to anything at all, she would still legally inherit a mass of fortune easily worth billions. This was not


    the kind of wealth just anybody could stumble into.


    Jonathan stayed silent the entire while. He thought about what he had done to Caprice during the start of the summer break


    when she had just started working at theirpany. He had taken her to that sort of venue for dinner. He suddenly broke out ina


    cold sweat upon recalling that faint memory.


    If Caprice had held a grudge against him for that, what would have happened to him and Moses? What would have happened to


    theirpany?


    "Sigh..." Keh sighed weakly behind Moses.


    He always had the impression that Moses was just like anymon man who was drawn like a moth to a me to anymon


    beautiful woman. It turned out now that he could not be any more mistaken. Moses had an extremely refined taste and was able


    to spot royalty out of a heap ofmoners.


    It was a shame that it was doomed to be an unrequited love.


    Now that he thought about it, Caprice had an extremely mild temper for someone who came from such an influential family and


    was born with a golden spoon. It did not seem like she held any sort of grudges at all.


    Because if she did, Moses and hispany would have been brought to ruin a long, long time ago.


    It was a smooth drive back to the Carters¡¯.


    Caprice sat between her parents and was grinning throughout the entire drive. She originally nned to visit Liam again


    tomorrow, but as luck would have it, she got to see him right away.


    Ding!


    Her phone rang.


    She reached for her phone. Piper had sent her several texts.


    "Caprice, you''re famous on the campus forum. Everybody knows about your father now."


    "Freya and Lana found out about it as well, so it''s pretty much public knowledge at this point."


    ¡®They asked me if | was in on the secret this entire time, and | didn¡¯t know how to exin it to them. Why don¡¯t you tell them


    instead?"


    Caprice replied with a frown, "Alright, I''ll talk to them.¡±


    "Caprice, what''s wrong?" Sherry asked.


    John shot a concerned look at her as well.

 Chapter 1987

    Chapter 1987


    Caprice told her parents everything, "Mom, Dad, my friends told me that everyone at university is talking about me right now. It


    looks like they know that you two are my parents now."


    Sherry smiled. "It''s okay, your Aunt Sylvia has already contacted the university. They are going to deal with it.


    These posts are going to be taken down in no time.¡±


    John chimed in, "You don''t have to feel ashamed of being our daughter. It doesn''t matter that they know now."This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Caprice pouted. "Okay."


    It was true that it was no big deal at the end of the day. Still, she had to exin things to Lana and Freya.


    She turned on her phone again and swiped to their group chat. She sent an emoji to test the waters.


    Lana was the first to reply. She had always been quick to anger and had reacted by sending a sticker of an angry stickman.


    Caprice replied with an emoji awkward smile.


    Then, it was Freya who joined in the conversation. "Caprice, don''t you have anything to tell us?"


    Caprice replied, "I can''t hop on a video call right now, so I''ll exin it by text. Everything that I''m about to tell you is the truth."


    Freya replied, "Alright, shoot."


    Lana said the same, "Sure, go ahead."


    As for Piper, she sent a funny sticker of a penguin grabbing a pack of popcorn.


    Caprice took a deep breath and began typing out a lengthy paragraph. "Freya, Lana, | didn''t mean to hide the truth from you two


    this entire time. I''ve always treated you two as my close friends. The only reason | kept everything a secret is that | only wanted


    to live a normal life as a regr university student, whereby | can make friends without worrying about what they think of me.


    Also, | was nning to tell you two at some point."


    Back when she was in elementary school, she had always been swarmed by all her ssmates who were aware of her family


    background. The friendship she made struck her as being superficial, and she ended up transferring to another school because


    of it. Ever since then, she made a point to keep her parents¡¯ identities a secret. Her parents respected her wishes as well and


    specifically instructed the school to not expose her identity.


    This was how she managed to lead a rtively low-profile life.


    She did not keep it a secret from Freya and Lana intentionally.


    In fact, while she was on the way back to the dormitory just now, an idea hatched into her mind. She thought about inviting her


    friends to join her engagement ceremony with


    Liam next Saturday, where she would reveal her true identity to them as well.


    After Caprice finished her monologue, Piper supplied," Freya, Lana, to be honest with you two, if it wasn¡¯t because | went to her


    ce a decade ago, | probably still wouldn''t have known that she came from the richest family in nchester."


    After that, nobody sent a message for several seconds.


    That was until Lana¡¯s message popped up on the screen.¡± Honestly, I¡¯m not even angry. I¡¯m just amused more than anything


    else. | can''t believe that my roommate is the daughter of the richest man in nchester! Am | dreaming?"


    She asked suddenly, "Caprice, you''re not upset about me always farting next to you, are you?"


    Capriceughed. "Of course not. I''ve had my fair share of farts too."


    Piper joked, "Good point, | can smell it across the screen."


    Freya chimed in, "I, for one, am upset about you two farting.¡±


    Lana: "You got a problem? Do you want me to fart in your face right now?"


    Freya: "Don''t make me kick you out of the group."


    Lana: "Ohh, save me Caprice and Piper!"


    Piper: "Good luck with that. | can''t help you."


    Caprice: "I can''t help you right now either. Good luck."


    Freya: "Oh, right. Everyone on campus is talking about you right now. There¡¯s a bunch of them lurking outside our dorm.


    | wouldn''te back for a while if | were you."


    Lana: ''That¡¯s right."


    Caprice: "Yeap, I''m already on my way to Liam¡¯s with my parents. I''ll be back tomorrow.¡±


    As soon as she notified them of her current ns, Lana asked, "Wait, you''re going to Liam''s?"


    Just by reading the text, Caprice had a vague impression of the mischievous look on Lana''s face as she sent the text.


    Then, it was Freya who asked, "Hey, Caprice, how are things progressing between you and Liam?"


    Caprice beamed with joy and told them about her uing engagement to Liam next Saturday, and promptly invited them to the


    engagement ceremony.

 Chapter 1988

    Chapter 1988


    Chapter 1988


    Freya, Lana, and Piper dly epted her invitation.


    After they wrapped up their conversation, Caprice logged on to the campus forum. She wanted to see how the situation was


    developing.


    To her surprise, she was unable to ess the forum. A message popped up that said the system was currently undergoing


    maintenance.


    Meanwhile, she received a text Piper forwarded to her.


    Since she was one of themittees of one of the social clubs at the university, she had received a notice the university officials


    issued to all themittee members.


    The forwarded message read: "What happened this afternoon outside the dormitory this afternoon is a matter of privacy. | hope


    the students will respect the privacy of the involved student and not spread the information online. Please do your part in passing


    this message on to your friends.¡±


    Caprice heaved a sigh of relief.


    There was no chance they could hope to stop the rumors from circting on the campus, but knowing that it was not on the


    inte was enough constion. As long as the outside world did not know that the daughter of the Stocktons of nchester


    was enrolled in Sparkrow University, that was good enough for her.


    By the time they reached Liam''s ce, the sun was just setting.


    The evening sun cast a beautiful glow over thendscape, and the sky was a pastel gradient of amber and orange. Its elusive


    glow beat against the face of the man, who was standing outside the house, waiting for Caprice.


    As soon as Caprice got out of the car, she bolted toward him immediately. She cried out brightly, "Liam!"


    Liam returned a smile and held his arms wide open.


    Caprice threw herself into his embrace.


    He held onto her firmly like a treasured jewel. He asked in a soft, concerned voice, "Are you okay? What happened at the dorm


    just now?"


    Caprice snuggled into his embrace and said softly, "I''m fine, but everyone on campus saw me and found out about my real


    identity.¡±


    "| see.¡± Liam yed with her hair before pulling away.


    Caprice grimaced unhappily.


    Before she could utter aint, Liam looked behind her and greeted her parents solemnly, "Uncle John, Aunt Sherry, this is


    on me. | should have been more careful."


    He should have considered that the families of Heather''s friends would go to Caprice to ask for help.


    Caprice''s eyes were suddenly tinged with shock, and she quickly turned around.


    John and Sherry were practically next to them.


    John frowned sullenly.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Sherry smiled courteously. "It''s fine. You were looking out for Caprice.¡±


    Sylvia and Odell showed up as well.


    ¡°Alright, enough about all that. Come, let me take you to my studio." Sylvia motioned at Sherry and took her hand.


    Odell gestured at John. "Two bottles of wine | ordered just arrived. Care to try ¡¯em?"


    John asked with suppressed interest, "What kind of wine?"


    "You''ll know it when you see them," Odell said mysteriously.


    John darted a look at Caprice and Liam, then he followed Odell to the wine cer.


    Only Caprice and Liam were left.


    She swiftly spun around and hugged Liam. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with joy, "Liam, do you know what''s next


    Saturday?"


    He squinted and answered matter-of-factly, "It''s the weekend."


    Caprice frowned to express her disapproval.


    Liam pinched the tip of her little nose. "What? It''s the weekend, isn''t it?"


    Caprice had a feeling he was teasing her on purpose. She made a face and said sharply, "Say it before | get angry at you!"


    "Say what?" he asked in a puzzled manner.


    ¡°What''s next Saturday? You know it!" She was yelling at this point.


    Liam said coolly, "It''s the weekend."

 Chapter 1989

    Chapter 1989


    Chapter 1989


    Caprice eyed him darkly without a word. She pressed both her palms against Liam and shoved him away with all her strength.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Then, she began stomping away with her cheeks puffed up. She had barely taken a step when she felt arge hand seizing her


    from behind.


    Within a second, she was pulled back into Liam¡¯s arms.


    His long, slender arms bound themselves around her body like a chain, so there was no way she could wring herself free.


    With that, he lowered himself and nted a kiss on her lips.


    Caprice opened her eyes after the kiss, there was a restlessness rising inside her. Just like that, her grumpiness had left her


    completely,


    It took a while before Liam willingly let go of her, but his face, handsome as always, was still mere inches from hers. He locked


    his dark eyes on her, eyes as sharp as that of a hawk''s.


    He said firmly, "Next Saturday is the day you will finally be my fiancee."


    Caprice felt her face slowly grow hot. She buried her face to hide her embarrassment and let out a shy chuckle.


    Liam hugged her as tightly as he could, and a soft smile began forming on his lips.


    Now that her true identity was exposed, Caprice had turned into a micro-celebrity at Sparkrow University.


    Despite the university official''s best attempts at covering everything up and limiting the discussion, the news eventually made it


    out of the campus.


    When Caprice returned to university for the start of the new semester, the paparazzi were on her tail.


    By that point, John and Sherry had already returned to nchester. The paparazzi posted their fresh haul of the day -a batch of


    pictures of Caprice Stockton on an entertainment site based in Westchester-which immediately garnered a lot of attention. The


    post was taken down in no time, andter that evening after Caprice''s ss ended, Liam picked her up and took her to Isabel¡¯s


    ce.


    The ce was staffed with a professional security force. Isabel would be living with her and keeping herpany. It was a safe


    ce for her to be, and her parents did not have to worry about her either.


    She took Liam¡¯s advice. She would go to university during the day and retreat to the apartment after ss.


    The week flew by.


    On Friday, Caprice requested a day off her sses so she could go home to nchester. The crew of Freya, Lana, and Piper


    went with her as well.


    The engagement ceremony was going to be held at her house tomorrow. This meant that her friends were going to sleep over at


    her ce as well and spend time in the city for the weekend.


    After a three hours drive, the car stopped at the gate of her house.


    ¡°Freya, Piper, we''re here,¡± Caprice called them.


    Piper perked up, then she woke Freya and Lana up.


    The two were still in a daze after the long drive. They hobbled out of the car with Caprice and Piper.


    The bodyguards opened the gates for them. The housekeeper had heard about Caprice''s return and was already waiting by the


    entrance for her. Upon noticing her and her friends, she smiled brightly and greeted them," Good afternoon, miss."


    "Uncle Marlow!" Caprice called out after the housekeeper before introducing her friends to him, "These are all my close friends.


    This is Piper. You already know her. These two are Freya and Lana."


    The housekeeper smiled warmly and greeted them, "Good to see you all, Miss Piper, Miss Freya, and Miss Lana."


    Piper smiled politely.


    Lana and Freya returned a polite greeting as well.


    Marlow turned to address Caprice, "Miss, Madam Stockton has been going on about you for a long time. She¡¯s already


    waiting for you in your courtyard, so why don''t you go inside with your friends right away?¡±


    "Okay."


    Caprice grunted before stepping into the shuttle car with her friends.


    There were no doors on both sides of the shuttle car, only an erected barrier to prevent passengers from falling off. This meant


    they got to enjoy the view on the way to the house.


    "Caprice, this is where you live?" Lana was mesmerized.


    Freyamented, "I feel like I''ve entered the garden of Eden."


    It was an unbelievably vast piece ofnd, the prime of luxury.


    Caprice said with a smile, ¡®This is home as | know it. If you girls want to, we cane out for a stroll after we meet my grandma."


    She had always been proud of her beautiful home as well.


    Freya was very understanding. "No, you need to get engaged tomorrow! You need to prepare for the big day."


    Caprice insisted, "Don''t worry, my grandma and mother have everything sorted out already. All | need to do is to be present


    tomorrow."

 Chapter 1990

    Chapter 1990


    Freya seemed like she was going to object when Piper stepped in. "Freya, let Caprice show us around if she wants. This ce is


    huge, and there have to be a lot of interesting spots that only she knows about. It¡¯s been a long time since


    |st came here, and | want to check the ce out."


    Freya smiled and obliged, "Okay."


    Lana cautiously took out her phone and asked, "Can | take pictures?"


    Caprice smiled. "If you''d like."


    After a short drive, they arrived at the house atst.


    Caprice led them into her courtyard.


    Madam Stockton must have heard them arriving as she had one of the housemaids walk her outside to greet them.


    "Caprice!" the olddy cried out shrilly.


    "Grandma!" Caprice chirped after her, then she ran up to her to give her a big hug.


    Piper, Freya, and Lana approached and greeted Madam Stockton politely.


    Madam Stockton was a wonderful host, and she quickly invited them inside.


    With that, everyone stepped into the living room.


    Madam Stockton excuse herself after a brief chat with them.


    Then, Caprice showed them around the ce. They checked out several scenic spots, took some pictures, and whiled away the


    day merrily with plenty of conversations. Evening fell upon them eventually.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Madam Stockton''s housemaids showed up to tell them that dinner was ready, and to head over to Madam Stockton¡¯s to eat


    dinner with her.


    Both John and Sherry were not home yet because they were upied with work.


    After a brief dinner, Caprice took her friends back to her courtyard.


    Her section of the house was very spacious as well. Apart from her personal bedroom, there was another guest room with two


    large double beds.


    She was going to install her friends in the guest room. After she took a shower in her room, she went to join them in the guest


    room and ended up deciding to spend the night there as well.


    Her friends were in a good mood and barely felt a hint of tiredness as they chatted away merrily.


    Caprice joined in on the fun.


    Time always seemed to pass faster whenever she was with her friends. She ended up sleeping farter than usual but managed


    to get enough rest.


    The girls woke up the next morning.


    After they had breakfast, they began to get ready for the day. Her friends helped her with her makeup and helped her get


    changed into a bright red dress. It perfectlyplimented her fair skin without taking away from her youthful, vibrant charm.


    They had just finished putting her in the dress when Sherry knocked on the door.


    She greeted them before turning to address Caprice," Caprice, are you ready? Liam and his family are here.¡±


    "Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡± Caprice stepped out of the dresser.


    Her friends followed closely behind her, and all of them wore bright smiles.


    They walked out of the courtyard and entered the shuttle car together. They were driven to an open field where the engagement


    ceremony was going to be held.


    The decorations were dreamy and stupendously beautiful.


    Almost all of their rtives showed up.


    Madam Stockton was busy chatting with everyone while Caprice¡¯s parents were keeping Liam''s parents entertained.


    Caprice immediately spotted Liam standing between Isabel and Flint. He wore a well-tailored fine ck suit that entuated his


    figure and height. As usual, he looked effortlessly charming and exuded a fine air of elegance.


    Caprice¡¯s eyes lit up as she quickly trotted toward her soon- to-be fiance.


    Liam spotted her too and walked toward her as well.


    The two joined together.


    If they were not in public, she would have thrown herself into his arms and run her hands all over his muscr frame. Words


    could not describe how handsome he looked today; she waspletely mesmerized.


    She could not resist the urge to at least intertwine her hands with his.


    Liam responded by firmly taking her hand as well. With his free hand, he gently tipped her chin upward with his fingers to face


    him. This way, he got to take a close look at her beautifully made-up face.


    ¡°How do | look today?" Caprice asked eagerly with a wide grin on her face.


    Liam said without skipping a beat, "Not bad.¡±


    Upon saying this, he gulped. His Adam''s apple bobbed up and down following the movement of his saliva.


    Caprice did not seem to notice anything off about him. She made a face. "Not bad? Is that all?¡±


    Her friends had showered her endlessly withpliments about how beautiful she looked since this morning.


    Liam seemed to consider it for a moment before adding, "A little more than not bad."


    Caprice''s eyes glimmered suggestively as she pressed him for morepliments, "Anything else for me?"


    Liam pursed his lips into a faint smile. "Very pretty."


    Was that all?


    She scoffed.


    She jabbed at him yfully with a fist and whispered sharply, "Just you wait.¡±


    After the engagement ceremony was over and the guests had left, she was going to punish him severely.


    "Hm." Liam chuckled lowly. He was more than willing to wait.


    Caprice shot a re at him.


    ¡®Liam, you two are getting engaged today. It''s not a good idea to tease our Caprice here, is it?" Flint approached them, dressed


    in a ssy tuxedo.


    He casually put an arm on Caprice''s shoulder in a friendly manner and spoke to her in a candid voice, "Caprice, do you want me


    to give my brother a firm talking to for you?"


    Before Caprice could utter a word, Liam said sharply, "You have three seconds to take your stinky hands off her."

 Chapter 1991

    Chapter 1991


    Chapter 1991


    He had barely finished his sentence when Flint swiftly drew away his hands from Caprice''s shoulder.


    He held his hands inches away from his face to admire them while expressing sourly, "What do you mean stinky hands? These


    hands are beautiful.¡±


    Liam ignored him.


    Flint held his hands in front of Caprice. ''Take a look, Caprice. Do these hands look beautiful to you or what?¡±


    Smack!


    Liam smacked his hand away without mercy.


    Flint groaned from the pain.


    Caprice broke out into a chuckle, amused by the shrill cry of Flint.


    Isabel showed up as well and joked. "Flint, you better watch out. Caprice is going to be our sister-inw soon enough. If you step


    on her toes, | don''t think | can save you from Liam breaking your legs."


    Flint scoffed. "| have long legs, he won''t get me."


    Upon saying that, he yfully grabbed Liam''s shoulder before scuttling away toward Sylvia and Odell to seek their protection.


    Liam looked on silently.


    He wore a look of disdain as if the mere idea of continuing this interaction offended him.


    Flint had always liked to get on Liam''s nerves ever since he was a child, even if he knew he was never going toe on top.


    Caprice was long used to this queer interaction between the siblings but still was amused nheless.


    Isabel grinned, then she walked away.


    The engagement ceremony was more boratepared to an actual wedding.


    After the friends and rtives had all shown up, the engagement ceremony officiallymenced.


    Caprice and Liam walked to the middle of the field with their parents on both sides. They exchanged engagement rings and


    proceeded to say their vows of engagement.


    After that, the Carters presented their dowry gifts with all of their friends and rtives present as witnesses.


    Caprice was surprised to see that Odell and Sylvia had prepared tworge boxes filled with treasured jewelry for her.


    There were several boxes that followed after, and all of them were filled with luxury apparel.


    Finally, there was an envelope filled with money.


    They did not specify the amount, but it was not hard to imagine that it must have been a shocking amount of cash.


    John seemed pleased with this presentation as a rare smile broke out on his face.


    They went through the rest of the procedures without any hups, and the engagement ceremony wrapped up smoothly.


    The bridal presents were taken to Caprice''s courtyard.


    Then, Caprice and Liam went to the ballroom with everyone following them.


    They operated ording to tradition where the elders, rtives, and friends were seated first. After that, the newly pronounced


    fiance and fiancee raised their sses and toasted their guests.


    Shortly after the toasting session, Liam seemed to have grown tired. He tilted his head down with his palms ced against his


    forehead as if suppressing a headache. He had drunk roughly the same amount as Caprice, which was not a lot to speak of.


    Caprice asked him worriedly, "Liam, are you drunk?"


    Liam said in a low voice, "I''m fine, | just need to rest for a while."


    "Alright,e on, let''s get some rest."


    It just so happened that Madam Stockton, John, Sherry, Odell, and Sylvia were approaching them.


    They eyed Liam suspiciously.


    Caprice hurriedly exined, "Liam is drunk."


    John, Sherry, Odell, and Sylvia seemed amused.


    They looked like they could not believe what they were seeing.


    Madam Stockton was the only one who responded appropriately, "Caprice, take him back to your room so he can lie down."


    "Got it."


    She helped Liam to his feet.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    It did seem like he was drunk. As soon as he got on his feet, he leaned his full weight against Caprice. It was by sheer luck that


    he did not tumble forward andnd on his face.


    She did what she could to help him walk to her courtyard.


    They entered her bedroom where she helped him into the bed.


    ¡°Liam, lie down for a while. HI get you some tea in a moment." She moved away and headed outside.


    Just as she was about to reach the door, she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.


    In an instant, his enormous figure had towered over her, his arms wrapped tightly around her.


    "Liam?" She was caught by surprise.


    She had barely managed to catch a glimpse of Liam¡¯s face when he pressed himself toward her like a bolt of lightning.


    One of his hands was firmly clenched around her waist, with the other palming her face domineeringly. He pressed her against


    the door panel and started to kiss her with a desperate hunger.


    They had kissed more times than she could count by this point, but this was the first time she felt such fervent passion.


    He kissed as if his life depended on it.


    There was not a trace of his usual calmness.


    She felt as if all her strength had been sapped out of her. Within seconds, she copsed into him, pushing every part of her body


    closer to his.


    They kissed for what seemed like forever and by the time she came to her senses, she noticed that her dress had been thrown


    on the floor.


    "Liam, I¡ª"


    She barely had time to speak when Liam silenced her with another kiss. Then, he picked her up effortlessly and strut toward the


    only bed in the room.


    The bed was adorned with pink bedsheets with adorable patterns. Additionally, there were all sorts of odd and adorable dolls


    lined along the headboard.


    Within moments, the quilt had been crumpled into a mess.


    The neatly arranged dolls on the headboard slowly tumbled off the floor, one after the other.


    Agentle ray of sunlight quietly slipped through the gap between the curtains and into the room.


    Liam held Caprice¡¯s cheeks that were red with excitement and passion. He looked into her watery eyes and said in a soft groan,


    "Caprice, you''re so beautiful today.¡±


    He could not hold back any longer. It was impossible.

 Chapter 1992

    Chapter 1992


    Chapter 1991


    He had barely finished his sentence when Flint swiftly drew away his hands from Caprice''s shoulder.


    He held his hands inches away from his face to admire them while expressing sourly, "What do you mean stinky hands? These


    hands are beautiful.¡±


    Liam ignored him.


    Flint held his hands in front of Caprice. ''Take a look, Caprice. Do these hands look beautiful to you or what?¡±


    Smack!


    Liam smacked his hand away without mercy.


    Flint groaned from the pain.


    Caprice broke out into a chuckle, amused by the shrill cry of Flint.


    Isabel showed up as well and joked. "Flint, you better watch out. Caprice is going to be our sister-inw soon enough. If you step


    on her toes, | don''t think | can save you from Liam breaking your legs."


    Flint scoffed. "| have long legs, he won''t get me."


    Upon saying that, he yfully grabbed Liam''s shoulder before scuttling away toward Sylvia and Odell to seek their protection.


    Liam looked on silently.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    He wore a look of disdain as if the mere idea of continuing this interaction offended him.


    Flint had always liked to get on Liam''s nerves ever since he was a child, even if he knew he was never going toe on top.


    Caprice was long used to this queer interaction between the siblings but still was amused nheless.


    Isabel grinned, then she walked away.


    The engagement ceremony was more boratepared to an actual wedding.


    After the friends and rtives had all shown up, the engagement ceremony officiallymenced.


    Caprice and Liam walked to the middle of the field with their parents on both sides. They exchanged engagement rings and


    proceeded to say their vows of engagement.


    After that, the Carters presented their dowry gifts with all of their friends and rtives present as witnesses.


    Caprice was surprised to see that Odell and Sylvia had prepared tworge boxes filled with treasured jewelry for her.


    There were several boxes that followed after, and all of them were filled with luxury apparel.


    Finally, there was an envelope filled with money.


    They did not specify the amount, but it was not hard to imagine that it must have been a shocking amount of cash.


    John seemed pleased with this presentation as a rare smile broke out on his face.


    They went through the rest of the procedures without any hups, and the engagement ceremony wrapped up smoothly.


    The bridal presents were taken to Caprice''s courtyard.


    Then, Caprice and Liam went to the ballroom with everyone following them.


    They operated ording to tradition where the elders, rtives, and friends were seated first. After that, the newly pronounced


    fiance and fiancee raised their sses and toasted their guests.


    Shortly after the toasting session, Liam seemed to have grown tired. He tilted his head down with his palms ced against his


    forehead as if suppressing a headache. He had drunk roughly the same amount as Caprice, which was not a lot to speak of.


    Caprice asked him worriedly, "Liam, are you drunk?"


    Liam said in a low voice, "I''m fine, | just need to rest for a while."


    "Alright,e on, let''s get some rest."


    It just so happened that Madam Stockton, John, Sherry, Odell, and Sylvia were approaching them.


    They eyed Liam suspiciously.


    Caprice hurriedly exined, "Liam is drunk."


    John, Sherry, Odell, and Sylvia seemed amused.


    They looked like they could not believe what they were seeing.


    Madam Stockton was the only one who responded appropriately, "Caprice, take him back to your room so he can lie down."


    "Got it."


    She helped Liam to his feet.


    It did seem like he was drunk. As soon as he got on his feet, he leaned his full weight against Caprice. It was by sheer luck that


    he did not tumble forward andnd on his face.


    She did what she could to help him walk to her courtyard.


    They entered her bedroom where she helped him into the bed.


    ¡°Liam, lie down for a while. HI get you some tea in a moment." She moved away and headed outside.


    Just as she was about to reach the door, she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.


    In an instant, his enormous figure had towered over her, his arms wrapped tightly around her.


    "Liam?" She was caught by surprise.


    She had barely managed to catch a glimpse of Liam¡¯s face when he pressed himself toward her like a bolt of lightning.


    One of his hands was firmly clenched around her waist, with the other palming her face domineeringly. He pressed her against


    the door panel and started to kiss her with a desperate hunger.


    They had kissed more times than she could count by this point, but this was the first time she felt such fervent passion.


    He kissed as if his life depended on it.


    There was not a trace of his usual calmness.


    She felt as if all her strength had been sapped out of her. Within seconds, she copsed into him, pushing every part of her body


    closer to his.


    They kissed for what seemed like forever and by the time she came to her senses, she noticed that her dress had been thrown


    on the floor.


    "Liam, I¡ª"


    She barely had time to speak when Liam silenced her with another kiss. Then, he picked her up effortlessly and strut toward the


    only bed in the room.


    The bed was adorned with pink bedsheets with adorable patterns. Additionally, there were all sorts of odd and adorable dolls


    lined along the headboard.


    Within moments, the quilt had been crumpled into a mess.


    The neatly arranged dolls on the headboard slowly tumbled off the floor, one after the other.


    Agentle ray of sunlight quietly slipped through the gap between the curtains and into the room.


    Liam held Caprice¡¯s cheeks that were red with excitement and passion. He looked into her watery eyes and said in a soft groan,


    "Caprice, you''re so beautiful today.¡±


    He could not hold back any longer. It was impossible.

 Chapter 1993

    Chapter 1993


    Smack!


    Without warning, he delivered a p across Isabel''s face.


    If not for his other hand holding her chin firmly, she would have easily been swung off bnce.


    Her head which was already fuzzy to begin with had grown dizzier. She looked at Decker with stark surprise and met his


    ominously ck eyes. 1


    There was not a trace of warmth underneath them. They looked like mere organs with a purpose.


    He said sharply, "Have | been toox with you?¡±


    He continued, ''TH forgive you this time but if you ever do this again, I''ll chase you back where you came from!"


    He rudely flung her away before marching back to his car.


    The engines roared as he drove off.


    Leaving behind Isabel and the biting cold, cruel gusts of wind beat against her soaked body. The only part of her body that


    produced any heat was her pulsing cheeks.


    The sharp pain made her tremble all over. Her chest tightened, and she wrapped her arms protectively around herself.


    At the same time, a ball of me began to grow inside her. It seemed to epass all of her existence as its brilliant radiance


    swarmed her vision, flooding the raining world in an ephemeral light.


    Soon, she found herself transported away from outside Decker''s apartment. She recognized her new surroundings, it was her


    apartment.


    She noticed a handsome, silent man staring at her and was briefly jolted." Rnd? Why are you here?¡±


    Rnd looked at her, and a bright gleam appeared in his eyes. "You were the one who asked me to take you back here.¡±


    Isabel blinked.


    She remembered now.


    Caprice and Liam''s wedding was today. They had a child even before the wedding. The original n was to wait until Caprice


    graduated and took over her family business, but things took an unexpected turn when she got pregnant with Liam''s child shortly


    after their engagement ceremony. They waited until she had given birth and had recovered from the pregnancy to host the


    wedding.


    There was a terrific party at the house and Isabel went all out, drinking more than she usually did. It was only after she got drunk


    that she remembered she had a shoot the next day. She ended up calling Rnd and asked him to drive her back to her ce in


    the city center since it was inconvenient for her to spend the night at her parent''s ce.


    After she remembered everything, she groaned sleepily and thanked Rnd with a smile, "Sorry for the trouble." "No trouble at


    all." He smiled warmly and asked, "Could you let me go now?"


    It was only then that she realized that she was holding onto his arm.


    To be urate, she was gripping his arm tightly.


    It was probably because of the nightmare she had.


    She quickly let go of his arm and said apologetically, "Sorry." "No big deal." "Did | hurt you?" she asked worriedly.


    He answered with fixedposure, "Not at all.¡±


    She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good to know. Anyway, it''s gettingte, so you should go back and rest." "Okay." He rose and shot


    her a look.


    He looked like he had something to say but did not know where to begin.


    Isabel looked at him nkly. She was going to ask him if he had something to tell her before he spun around and walked away.


    Thud.


    He gently closed the door behind him.


    Isabel made a look, then she got up to take a shower.


    She realized her arms were slightly sore, perhaps due to how hard she had been flexing them during her nightmare. Even after


    shrugging them a few times, she could still feel it tingling.


    Shey on the couch again, figuring that she should let her arms rest a little longer.


    Ding!


    Her phone rang.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    It was a text from Flint asking if she had got home safely yet.

 Chapter 1994

    Chapter 1994


    Isabel wrote a reply with the hand that was not aching, "Yeah, I¡¯m home."


    Flint asked, "| saw Rnd helping you into the car, was he the one who sent you home?"


    Isabel replied, "Yeah, | asked him to drive me home."


    Flint lectured her. "Sis, | know that you''re the one who hired him. But don''t forget that he''s still the vice president of Carter


    Corporation at the end of the day. He''s already busy enough with work, now you''re troubling him with having to send you home."


    Isabel grimaced. "It''s along the way anyway.¡±


    It was true, Rnd lived in the high-end residential area next to hers.


    They first met on a fateful night a year ago. That night, she had just finished shooting a scene and was about to head home for a


    good night''s rest when she nearly ran over Rnd in the middle of the road.


    It was in a remote part of the town that rarely saw any traffic. He had been waiting for his rental car for ages to no avail and


    ended up resorting to stopping the first carthat he could see.


    At the time, his mother was slumped over the side of the road in critical condition.


    Isabel and her assistant immediately helped his mother into the car and sent them to the hospital.


    Fortunately, they arrived just in time to bring her mother back to life.


    Then, came the time to pay the medical bills.


    Rnd was very well-dressed and handsome to boot, therefore it was rather surprising that he did not have the money to foot


    the medical bill.


    He stared at the bill with distraught eyes, then turned to look at Isabel.


    Isabel made a look.


    She decided that since she had already helped this stranger, she was going to help him to the very end. With that, she paid the


    medical bill.


    Rnd seemed ashamed to have troubled a stranger. He immediately promised her, "I''ll pay you back in full. Thank you for your


    kindness."


    Isabel smiled and did not think much of it.


    She considered that this man was far too handsome to not consider a career in entertainment. His charming looks could easily


    put any other male celebrity to shame.


    Both he and his mother did not seem like they were living in poverty.


    However, judging by the fact that he could not afford the medical bill, she wagered that his family must have fallen on hard times.


    With that in mind, she asked if he would like to try joining the entertainment industry.


    He refused straight away. "No."


    He said it so bluntly that Isabel would have stopped talking to him entirely if not for her civilized temper.


    "Suit yourself, then.¡± She told him before instructing her assistant to take care of his mother''s subsequent hospital expenses


    before leaving.


    To her surprise, that would not be theirst meeting. Shortly after that, he showed up at her office to interview for the position of


    vice president at Carter Corporation.


    That was the period when her father had practically forced her to take over Carter Corporation. Her acting career along with her


    work at Carter Corporation turned out to be too much for her to juggle, she barely had time to breathe. That was when a brilliant


    idea came to her. She would hire apetent person to take over her duties for her.


    Rnd was just as astounded to see her. He did not expect thedy he met to be the sessor of Carter Corporation on top of


    being a famous actress.


    He did not conceal his shock when they met at the office.


    Despite his initial surprise, he steeled himself expertly and answered the interviewer''s questions withposure.


    He even managed to answer the difficult questions that Odell himself devised.


    That day, Isabel was just there to scope out the interviewees. Upon noticing Rnd''s performance, she asked him, "Why


    couldn''t you afford your mother''s medical bills? You don''t seem like someone who would have financial problems considering


    howpetent you are."


    Rnd fell silent.


    The interviewers and Odell stared at him.


    After a prolonged silence, he stated solemnly, "Miss Isabel, it''s a private matter, | have the right to choose to not answer."


    Isabel felt insulted and wanted to boot him out right then and there.


    Fortunately, it was Odell who wisely stepped in and addressed Rnd,¡± You''re hired, but before that, | need to talk with you."


    "Alright."


    With that, Odell took him to the office.


    They had a brief conversation thatsted roughly twenty minutes.


    Immediately afterward, Odell announced that Rnd was officially installed as the new vice president of Carter Corporation, and


    Isabel would be his direct superior.


    Over the past year, it was evident that Isabel''s title as the president was merely for show since she hardly showed up at the


    office at all. Meanwhile, Rnd had proved himself to be more thanpetent and quicklymanded the respect of everyone


    in the corporation. From there on, it was generally epted that he was the de-facto president despite holding the title of vice


    president.


    That being said, he still made a point to send routine reports to Isabel once a week, even if Isabel rarely if ever opened them at


    all.


    Ding!


    Flint sent her another text. "By the way, Dad has been asking me about your dating life."


    Isabel frowned. "Why is he asking?"


    Flint spected. "With Liam getting married and you not dating anyone for all these years, he''s probably starting to get worried


    about you. He asked me to check in for him."


    Isabel replied curtly, "I''m busy with my career, | don''t have time for dating."


    After a two-minute silence, Flint texted her again. "Sis, are you going to tell me what happened during the six months you


    disappeared five years ago? I''ll keep it a secret between us two."


    Isabel''s eyes darkened. She replied, ¡®That was a weird time in my life, | lost my memory and just wandered around for half a


    year."N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Flint stopped pressing her. "Alright, enough talk, make sure you get some rest."

 Chapter 1995

    Chapter 1995


    Isabel put away her phone and went into the bathroom. She cupped a handful of cold water and sshed it on her face.


    Five years, it had been five whole years.


    It was better to forget about the past.


    It was already midnight by the time she finished washing up and was ready to settle in for the night.


    She fell asleep swiftly and was woken up by the rm clock.


    She had always taken her work very seriously.


    She did not need her assistant to wake her or help her prepare for the day.


    She was out of the door in no time.


    Her assistant and driver showed up to pick her up.


    After getting in the car, she was driven to their filming location for the day.


    Ding!


    Her phone suddenly rang. It was a text from Rnd. "Miss Carter, | emailedst week''s report to you."


    Isabel frowned when she read the message.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    At this hour?


    Considering how he got home sotest night, he could not have stayed up all night working, or could he?


    She replied perfunctorily as always, "Got it.¡±


    She proceeded to stuff the phone into her purse.


    That was when Rnd followed up with another text. ¡®There are some important notes in the report that you should take a look


    at."


    Isabel replied, "Okay."


    Rnd reminded her, "Let me know after you went through them."


    Isabel was baffled.


    She asked snappily, "Am | the boss or are you the boss?"


    How dare he have the audacity to order her around!


    Rnd answered stiffly, "You are."


    Isabel closed her eyes to shut off the burning rage.


    Her assistant Ca noticed her expression and asked, "Is everything okay?


    Did someone get on your nerves?"


    Isabel said stoutly, "No. I''m fine."


    She would not get ruffled so easily!


    She picked up her phone again and quickly sent a reply, "I¡¯m not reading it, what are you going to do about it?¡±


    With that, she stuffed her phone into her purse.


    Meanwhile, inside Rnd¡¯s office at Carter Corporation.


    He was seated at his desk and had just read the reply from Isabel. An unusual smirk formed on his usual stoic expression.


    Heh.


    He was humored by the reply.


    With that, he forwarded the mentioned report to Odell instead.


    Ring!


    His phone rang.


    It was his mother calling.


    He answered the call promptly, "Hey Mom, what''s going on?" "Rnd, how¡¯s your arm? Is it healing well enough?" his mother


    asked frightfully.


    Isabel had left behind a swollen mark on his arm. When he got homest night and rolled up his sleeves, his mother noticed it


    immediately. He merely told her that he had identally bumped into something.


    He stifled her concerns. "It''s much better, don¡¯t worry about it." "That''s good, make sure you apply the ointment | gave you or


    else it''s going to leave a scar behind." "Alright, | understand."


    After hanging up, he rolled up his sleeves.


    Two distinct and deep bruises were imprinted on his fair white skin.


    He wondered what sort of nightmare Isabel must have been having to clench his hands so tightly.

 Chapter 1996

    Chapter 1996


    Chapter 1996


    Isabel''s itinerary for the day was filled out.


    After shooting a scene before noon, she rushed to the studio for an appearance on a variety show. It was midnight by the time


    she got home.


    Her stomach was growling.


    Just as the car was about to pull into her apartmentplex, she called after the driver, "Stop."


    The driver stopped the car.


    Ca stifled a yawn and asked, "Isabel, what''s wrong?" "I¡¯m going to get something to eat, do you want anything?" Isabel asked.


    Ca suddenly appeared conflicted for a moment, she stammered after a brief silence, "Okay, I''ll go with you."


    Ca had been working for Isabel for several years now. Isabel was very perceptive of even her mildest gestures.


    Sensing that Ca was exhausted, she dismissed her for the day. "You know what, you better get some rest, I''ll go myself."


    Ca grew concerned. "I should go with you, it''s sote already." "There are police patrols in the area, I''ll be fine. Don''t worry."


    With that, she got out of the car before Ca could change her mind.


    She threw on a hat and walked down the street to a barbecue ce that was still rather lively even at this hour.


    The weather tonight was cool and rxing, therefore everyone chose to sit outside to enjoy the night breeze. The inside of the


    shop was vacant.


    Isabel walked inside and headed over to the counter.


    "Hey," she called after the owner of the ce in a low voice.


    The owner immediately recognized her and lit up with a smile. He spoke in the tone one would use to address an old friend,


    ¡°Hey, the usual?" "Yes, with two beers." Isabel smiled at him.


    ¡°Alright, take a seat over there. Nobody is going to sit inside tonight so you won''t get bothered. I''ll bring the food to youter."


    ¡°Perfect.¡±


    Isabel went to the section the owner assigned her to and chose a seat next to the window.


    There were windows on all sides of the restaurant. She chose to sit next to the window facing the alley that nobody passed by. It


    was very quiet and calming outside.


    After a brief wait, the owner brought her a giant tter filled with barbecued dishes.


    It came with a wide variety of grilled vegetables, seafood, and greasy meat that she loved. Two cans of cold beer were on the


    side too.


    She took off the mask and dug in merrily.


    She gobbled the food like a hungry wolf and when the spiciness finally got to her, she cracked open the first can of beer and


    swallowed arge gulp.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The cold beer provided a refreshing relief to her burning throat.


    "Phew!" She then picked up the skewers and continued her sumptuous feast.


    While she was enjoying her meal, she suddenly spotted a figure from the corner of her eye.


    The figure stood right outside the window and faced her. They were separated by a mere panel of ss.


    Isabel almost jumped out of her seat and nearly had a heart attack. She turned around and recognized Rnd standing outside,


    dressed in a formal suit, staring straight at her.


    Judging by the briefcase in his hand, he must have just finished work.


    Isabel heaved a sigh of relief, then cast another look at him again.


    What was his problem? She thought she saw a ghost.


    Rnd did not seem to sense her irritation as he stared at her vacantly.


    Isabel flicked a brow.


    Was he in the mood for a barbecue as well?


    That would make sense. Since he was working till such ate hour, he must not have had dinner yet.


    Seeing as he had shouldered so much work for her, the noble Isabel decided to extend her grace to him. She tapped on the


    window and asked," Are you hungry?¡±


    It looked like he could not hear her as he continued looking at her silently.


    Isabel put her face close to the ss and exaggeratedly mouthed the words, "Come. Inside. Eat."


    She made an inviting gesture.


    Rnd caught her meaning this time. He pursed his lips and walked down the alley. Soon, Isabel saw him stepping through the


    entrance and entering the restaurant.


    He walked upto her.


    "Sit." Isabel offered with a smile.


    He remained standing.


    Instead of sitting down, he asked, "Haven''t you had dinner tonight?


    "| did, but now I¡¯m hungry again," Isabel said and motioned him to sit. "You must be starving, sit down and eat with me." "I¡¯m not


    hungry," he said.


    Isabel grew stiff.

 Chapter 1997

    Chapter 1997


    Chapter 1997


    Why was he staring at her from outside if he was not hungry?


    Before she could tell Rnd off, he spoke, "You shouldn''t eat barbecue at such an hour. It''s not good for your digestion. You


    better stop eating."


    Huh?


    Why was he telling her what she could or could not eat? How dare he try to control her!


    However, there was something about themanding tone of his voice, coupled with the serious look on his face that made her


    briefly consider taking his advice.


    To her surprise, she was not angry at him. Still, she brushed him off dismissively. "I don''t need you to worry about me. You can


    go home if you''re not going to eat.¡±


    After that, she took a bite at another tender slice of grilled meat before reaching for the can of beer.


    When she brought it to her lips, she felt a force tugging in the opposite direction.


    She looked over to see Rnd''s hands firmly gripping the can, stopping her from taking it.


    She frowned. "Let go."


    He held it firmly and insisted. "Don''t drink."


    She looked at him,pletely baffled. "Rnd, have | been too lenient with you?¡±


    This man was trying to manage her life!


    He said sharply, "If it bothers you, feel free to fire me.¡±


    Isabel was speechless.


    Was this a threat?!


    She felt a bulb grow in her throat. She shot a vicious re at him. "Don''t try me, I''m really going to fire you!" "I believe you," he


    said before promptly snatching the entire can away from her. "But before you fire me, I''m going to make sure you don''t drink


    another sip of beer."


    Isabel gnashed her teeth. "Do you think I''m just making idle threats right now?!"


    Rnd said calmly, "No. | said | believed you."


    Isabel was stunned.


    She felt a swell of anger that had nowhere to escape to.


    She took a deep breath and gave inst. "| won''t drink. Can | eat at least?"


    There was no way she could fire him.


    Where else was she supposed to find such an efficient worker that was also an eye candy to boot? Really, he was entirely


    wless!


    Rndpromised. "Alright, but you can¡¯t eat these."


    He said as he pointed at several dishes that were high in cholesterol.


    Isabel made a face. "Okay."


    She quickly pounced on the rest of her food, fearing that he would suddenly change his mind.


    Rnd sat across from her and stared at her.


    She finished the other dishes that he had permitted her to eat.


    ¡°Alright, let''s go," he said while pping away her hand that was sneakily reaching for the can of beer.


    Isabel contained her frustration. She rose from her seat.


    "Your mask," he said suddenly.


    Isabel jolted.


    She was a popr actress. With all these people around, it was wise to keep a low profile and make sure she did not get


    recognized.


    She put on her mask and hat, then she went outside.


    Rnd followed behind her.


    Grr...


    As soon as she walked out of the restaurant, her stomach growled.


    She stopped and looked at Rnd grumpily.


    Rnd looked at her as well.


    There was a hint of surprise underneath the cold sheet of ice in his eyes.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    It seemed like he was surprised that the petite girl was still hungry after eating so much.


    "Why are you looking at me like that?" Isabel red at him. "I''d have been full if not for a certain someone telling me what not to


    eat."


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Come to my house."


    Isabel asked suspiciously, "Why are you asking me toe to your ce at this hour?"


    He said frankly, "My mother made supper."


    He said it with utmost sincerity. It was as if he was entirely unaware of the implications when a man invited another woman to his


    ce at night.


    Isabel made a look. "Ah."

 Chapter 1998

    Chapter 1998


    Chapter 1998


    Isabel had eaten Rnd''s mother''s cooking several times.


    The first time was after Rnd was officially hired as the vice president of Carter Corporation. He mentioned that this was his


    mother''s way of thanking Isabel for helping her back then.


    Isabel never thought much of what she did for his mother since it did not take much effort on her part. However, Rnd sounded


    very sincere when he invited her. Another factor was his irresistibly handsome face which made it near impossible for her to say


    no.


    She thought it was going to be a regr meal and wanted to get it over with quickly. To her surprise, his mother had made a


    sumptuous feast fit for a king where the table was stacked full of different dishes and all of them tasted of gourmet quality. She


    even thought she was dining at a five- star restaurant at one point.


    Furthermore, it was cuisine from Southboro that she had not tasted for a long time.


    Although Southboro was a ce associated with painful memories, the quality of the food there was the one thing redeemable


    from her stay there.


    Ever since getting her first taste of Rnd''s mother¡¯s cooking, she would make up an excuse to go to their ce once every


    month or so, just to get another taste of the wonderful cooking.


    Since it was Rnd himself who offered an invitation this time, she would be a fool not to take it.


    They walked down the street and arrived at this apartmentplex shortly after.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    It was one of the more premium residences in the area, it was well- maintained and had respectable security facilities.


    They had to go through several checkpoints that required ess cards before reaching the lobby.


    They took the elevator which was directly connected to his ce.


    Isabel stepped out of the elevator with him.


    He took out the key and opened the door.


    As soon as the door was open, they heard a brisk round of footsteps.


    Rnd''s mother, Martha, came to greet them.


    ¡°Wee home, Rnd-" Martha nearly jumped when she saw Isabel next to Rnd. Her eyes sparkled with joy as she


    greeted her enthusiastically," Isabel, you¡¯re here too? Come in,e in!" "Aunt Martha, sorry for troubling you at this hour,"


    Isabel said politely before following Rnd into the house.


    Martha was a very kind and well-natureddy. Perhaps due to the terrible sickness she had endured, there was always a certain


    unceable sadness about her.


    Isabel was fond of her and made a point of being polite to her.


    Martha smiled warmly. "No trouble, I''m d to see you here at all! Come, it''s a good thing | made some food tonight, you must


    be starving. Come on and eat with Rnd."


    Isabel could smell the wonderful fragrance as soon as the door opened just now. She could not be any more enthused to hear


    this. "Yes, please."


    She was more than d to make herself at home.


    Martha took them to the dining table before excusing herself back to the room to rest.


    There were three separate dishes as well as a bowl of soup, with an extra serving of hand-made cookies on the side.


    Rnd had barely sat down when Isabel began devouring the food on the table.


    Rnd sat across from her and calmly picked up his spoon.


    They ate quietly.


    The only sound that could be heard was the rattle of the spoon and fork.


    Atst, after all the food was finished and Isabel had her fill, she set down the utensils and exhaled with great satisfaction.


    Rnd stared at the empty tes on the table and was stunned for speech.


    Isabel happened to notice the look in his eyes.


    It was only then that she thought to ask, "Hey, have you had enough to eat?"


    Rnd set aside his spoon and replied, "I''m full, how about you?¡±


    Tm full too... hie-"


    Ahup slipped out of her.


    Rnd fell silent.


    She smiled at him, feeling a little embarrassed. "Well, | guess I''ll be going home now. Goodnight."


    He regarded her faintly, "Yeah."


    Seeing no reason to stick around, Isabel got up and left the ce.


    That was when Martha came out of her bedroom.

 Chapter 1999

    Chapter 1999


    Chapter 1999


    She looked at the table and the empty tesid on it, then she remarked," Isabel sure eats a lot.¡±


    She turned to Rnd. "Rnd, are you full?¡± "I''m full." After a moment of silence, he asked, "Mom, did you make any more


    cookies?"


    Martha made a face and said, "Hold on, I''ll make something for you."


    With that, she went into the kitchen.


    After a while, she emerged with a bowl of noodles.


    Rnd took his time with the noodles.


    His mother sat across from him and looked at him tenderly. "Rnd, why did she leave in such a hurry?" "She''s only here for


    supper.¡±


    Martha regarded him silently.


    She gave him a sideways nce and seemed slightly upset. She questioned him, ¡®Why didn''t you ask her to stay for the night?"


    "There''s no need for that. She lives nearby."


    Martha sighed. "Rnd, don''t you get what I¡¯m trying to say here?" "| do." Rnd continued after a brief silence, "I don''t think I¡¯m


    worthy enough to be her partner right now."


    Martha frowned. "How so? We may have fallen on some hard times, but you''re essentially the president of Carter Corporation


    now, which makes you a perfect match for Isabel who is a celebrity."


    Not to discredit Isabel, but she thought with Rnd¡¯s current status, he could easily date any celebrity he wished.


    Rnd entered a pensive silence for a moment before telling her, "It''s gettingte, you should get some sleep.


    Martha sighed and said earnestly, "Rnd, Isabel is a good girl. | don¡¯t want you to miss out on her."


    Rnd looked at her, his eyes poised with calmness. "Don''t worry, that¡¯s not going to happen."


    After the fulfilling meal, Isabel returned to her ce. She took a hot bath before settling in for the night.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    She was recently signed on to a certain episodic drama.


    The scenes were shot in Westchester.


    After breakfast the next morning, she arrived at the set, punctual as always.


    She had already memorized all of her lines and studied the script. After a quick brief with her fellow actors, they began shooting


    the scene for the day.


    Apart from several minor hups from some of the other actors when they got their lines wrong, the shooting progressed rather


    smoothly.


    Thanks to the efficiency of everyone involved in the set, they managed to finish up their scenes for the day shortly after noon.


    The crew called it a day earlier than usual.


    Isabel nned to go home after that. However, the director approached her.


    The director was an older man who was very well-known in the industry.


    This was the third time Isabel worked with him. She considered him a close acquaintance.


    "Isabel, you did a great job today,¡± he praised Isabel kindly.


    She sensed something was off and asked bluntly, "Director Max, do you have something you want to tell me?¡±


    Her performance on set had always been consistently wless.


    They had known each other for several years. It was only during the first few times they worked together on set that he would


    shower her withpliments. Ever since then, her excellent performance was pretty much considered routine, and hardly


    anything worthmenting about. Therefore, Isabel figured that there was something he wanted to say.


    Just as she thought, Director Max rubbed his nose guiltily like a child being called out. "Heh... Well, here¡¯s the deal...¡± "Go on."


    "It''s about the show. An investor got in touch with us recently and he¡¯s very interested in you. Since he was investing a hefty


    sum, he was wondering if he could have a quick meal with you."


    He made sure to supply further information. "Don''t worry, | already asked around and made sure that all he wants is a simple


    meal, nothing more than that. | wager that he¡¯s a big fan of yours."


    Everyone in the entertainment circle knew about Isabel¡¯s fiery temper.


    Although nobody was familiar with her exact background, they knew that she had always been adamantly against getting


    involved with shady practices in the industry. On more than one asion, she had publicly snapped back against famous men in


    the industry with perverted intentions and even gave them a good beating.


    famous people in the industry hated her with a passion. However, all the dirty tricks they pulled in the dark to sabotage her


    career turned out to have the reverse effect of helping skyrocket her fame.

 Chapter 2000

    Chapter 2000


    Chapter 2000


    It was only after Max began working closely with Isabel that he got a firm grasp on her temper.


    She was easy to get along with. She was also a terrific actor and very intelligent.


    She treated people the same way they treated her. If you were on good terms with her, she would treat you kindly as well. If you


    stayed out of her way, she would keep out of your way as well. However, if you dared to get on her bad side, she would make


    sure you got what you deserved.


    There had been several stars who tried to usurp her ce, but it did not work out well for any of them.


    Max admired and respected her very much, he was also wary of offending her.


    He smiled sheepishly at Isabel after.


    Isabel fell into a pensive silence, then she probed. "How much is he investing?"


    Max shaped the figure with his fingers.


    Isabel''s eyes glowed up.


    One hundred million!


    Certainly a hefty investment.


    "Okay, I''ll go." She readily agreed.


    Given such a sizable investment, they no longer had to worry about the funds and this would also mean a subsequent quality


    improvement in the set.


    She would just go out for a meal with the investor, nothing more.


    They dined at Elysian House.


    After leaving the set, Max drove her to the restaurant.


    One of the assistant directors had shown up ahead of them and was already waiting for them at the entrance.


    Upon noticing their arrival, he hurriedly approached them and said anxiously, "Director Max, Isabel,e in quickly. He''s already


    here, he¡¯s waiting inside the private box upstairs."


    Max obliged. "Okay, let''s head up there right now.¡±


    Isabel followed them inside.


    Before long, they had marched up the stairs and were approaching the said private box.


    The assistant director stepped forward and opened the door for them.


    Isabel walked inside after Max.


    Set inside the private box was a round table with a chandelier above it.


    Inside the room was a young man seated at the table, directly facing the door.


    They met eyes the moment they entered the box.


    He wore an expertly-tailored dark suit and sat like an elegant prince, holding a ss of wine that he gently twirled around in his


    palms.


    The moment he saw Isabel, he smiled wickedly at her and greeted her like one would an old friend, "Good evening, Miss Isabel.¡±


    Isabel halted. She could feel her body tightening.


    Decker Rockwell!


    He was the mysterious investor!


    "Isabel, this is Mr. Decker," upon noticing Isabel''s silence, the assistant director whispered in Isabel''s ears to hint at her to break


    the ice.


    Isabel clenched her jaw. She abruptly ripped off her mask and confronted Decker with a vicious smile. "Decker, you sure have


    some guts dragging your sorry *ss to Westchester, don¡¯t you?"N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The smile was wiped off of Decker''s eyes for a brief instant.


    Meanwhile, Max and the assistant director seemedpletely bbergasted.


    "Isabel, you-you can¡¯t speak to Mr. Decker like that." The assistant director urged cautiously.


    Max asked in a low voice, ¡®Isabel, are you acquainted with Mr. Decker already?" "| do." Isabel looked at Decker sharply. "He¡¯s my


    nemesis.


    Max and the assistant director were floored by this turn of events.


    Decker chuckled softly.


    He put down the winess. Then, he rose ceremoniously and began approaching Isabel.


    He said as he approached, "Isabel, it''s been five years, do you still hate me?


    He spoke in a gentle, soothing tone.

 Chapter 2001

    Chapter 2001


    Chapter 2001


    Both Max and the assistant director heard the strangely flirtatious tone in Decker''s voice and turned to look at Isabel.


    Isabel scoffed, "It''s hard to forget you. You hit my face so bad that it swelled up like a tumor was growing on my face."


    In all her life, her parents had never raised their hand against her even once, then there was this man who had practically


    abused her!


    Decker frowned and expressed wryly, "Isabel, you were the one who was too impulsive at the time. You almost ruined my


    carefully devised n. | didn''t have time to exin to you, so that''s the only thing | could have done. | only wanted you to calm


    down."


    Isabel nearly rolled her eyes back into their sockets.


    She might have lost her memory then, but she was no idiot! How dare he try to manipte her again!


    She said snappily, "I''m not in the mood to listen to your pathetic exnation. Why don''t you let me just p you in the face and


    then scram?¡±


    Decker stiffened briefly.


    Max, the assistant director, and the two assistants that came with Decker were entirely dumbfounded by this interaction they


    were witnessing.


    They did not know what to do with themselves. Should they


    stay? Should they leave? Should they say something?


    Decker cast a quick look at them and shed a perfunctory smile. He addressed them atst, "Guys, I''d like to speak to Isabel in


    private for a moment. Would you two mind stepping out for a moment?"


    "Oh. Sure, sure." Max and the assistant director were more than willing to oblige and went out of the box immediately.


    Both of Decker''s assistants proceeded to head outside as well.


    The door was closed with a gentle thud, leaving only Isabel and Decker inside.


    Decker walked upto Isabel.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    He observed Isabel''s expression, then he pursed his lips. There was what seemed to be a tender glow in his eyes as he lowered


    his voice to a tired whisper, "Isabel, in these five years that I''ve been separated from you, I''ve been thinking about you every


    day."


    Isabel frowned and felt physically repulsed. She asked," Decker, you were engaged five years ago. Shouldn''t you be married by


    now?"


    He said curtly, "I''m not married.¡±


    "Okay, then you still have a fiancee." She crossed her hands in front of her body and asked usingly, "Does your dear fiancee


    know that you came all the way to Westchester to see another woman?"


    He said casually, "My private affairs are none of her concern."


    Isabel scoffed lightly, "You sure have some guts."


    "| have the keys to the Rockwell business empire. If youe back to my side, | can give you everything you''ll ever want," he


    said with an earnest tone in his voice.


    If not for the blow across her face five years ago that opened her eyes to the truth, Isabel might have let herself be fooled by


    those puppy eyes of his.


    "Oh yeah?" she asked just to amuse him.


    Decker smirked. "Of course."


    She chuckled. "I want you to break off your engagement with your fiancee and then announce to the world that I''m your


    girlfriend. How about that?"


    His expression sunk immediately. He exined unconvincingly, "Isabel, | can''t break off the engagement with her just yet, but |


    can assure you that as long as you are with me, | will treat you better than her. If we have children in the future-"


    Smack!


    It was one thing for him to treat her like amon mistress, but how dare he even insinuate that they would have children?


    Disgusting!


    She could not listen to another word of this and swiftly delivered a powerful blow across his face.


    She put so much strength into it that her palms went numb immediately. The p felt exhrating, and she could feel her nerves


    tingling with joy!


    As Decker stood frozen, a cold and sharp gleam surfaced in his eyes as he hissed, "You hit me?"


    With that, his hands rushed forward like a viper, aiming at Isabel''s neck.


    Isabel quickly drew a step back. "I''m going to do far more than that!"


    With that, she grabbed the first opened bottle of wine she could see on the table and sshed its contents at him. Its bright red


    contents guzzled out and sshed on the man''s face.


    He closed his eyes.


    "Isabell" Then, he opened his eyes again, there was now a vicious re in his eyes.


    Isabel had already thrown aside the bottle and was retreating outside.


    She turned back to him and said with a vicious grin, ¡®That''s revenge for the grudge I''ve been holding for thest five years. See


    you never."

 Chapter 2002

    Chapter 2002


    Chapter 2002


    With that, Isabel prepared to open the door and leave.


    "I''ll pull back the investment. Don''t try me!" Decker said in a guttural growl.


    She turned back to him, noticing the vicious look in his eyes. It looked like he was going to strangle her to death right then and


    there. She said dismissively, "We have more than enough funds, so we don¡¯t need your money. Do whatever you want. | don¡¯t


    care."


    Decker took a deep breath and threatened her again with whatever he coulde up with, "I will ruin your reputation and


    sabotage your career. Do you think | won''t do that to you?"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Isabel broke out in amusedughter. "I don''t believe you."


    He was certainly not the first one to try; many had tried and failed in the past.


    Decker stiffened. He was abashed by Isabel''s wildughter and how confident she seemed, even when her career was being


    threatened.


    This was not the same person he knew-the gentle, doting, and kind girl who was attached to him like a parasite. The one who


    provided unconditional care for him and was nothing but gentle to him...who could have known she had this side to her?!


    Had her sess over the past few years got to her head and inted her ego? Was this the result of her amassed fame and


    influence?


    Upon noting his silence, Isabel opened the door.


    That was when he growled again, "Isabel, aren''t you afraid of me at all?¡±


    Although she was a famous and sessful celebrity, any of her contemporaries would have bent over backward to get on his


    good side because he was at the helm of the Rockwell family, hailing from Southboro. He was a sessor to a kingdom!


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    Afraid of him?


    If it was five years ago when she have yet to recover her memory, she might have been intimidated, but now, she would be far


    more afraid of a rabid dog than this pathetic man.


    She suppressed a sneer and said harshly, "Decker, just to remind you, Westchester is my territory. You''d better go back to your


    southern city.¡±


    With that, she strode right out.


    Max, the assistant director, and two of Decker''s assistants were waiting in the corridor.


    When Max and the assistant director saw Isabel emerging, they quickly went up to her and asked worriedly.


    "Isabel, are you okay?"


    "Are you leaving already? Are you not going to eat with President Rockwell?"


    Isabel waved her palms which were still tingling and pressed onward while answering Max, "The deal is called off. He''s going to


    pull back the funds."


    Max was dumbfounded.


    The assistant director eximed wildly, "What? How did the deal fall apart?¡±


    Max pat him on the shoulder, hinting to him to drop the matter. He sighed and turned to Isabel, "Forget about it. These things


    happen."


    It was rather clear to him that Decker was her ex-boyfriend, and that they had broken up on bad terms. The sole reason Decker


    proposed the investment at all was to have an excuse to see Isabel again.


    His calling off the deal also meant that the two were unable to make up.


    It was unreasonable to expect him to proceed with the hefty investment.


    Isabel breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Max. "Max, we can continue running everything to your usual standards. If you need


    any funds, just say the word and I''ll foot the bill.


    Max smiled. "Don''t worry about that. We have more than enough funds to manage. You don''t need to pay out of your


    pocket."


    "Good to know."


    They had walked out of Elysian House.


    Isabel looked at the time and offered, "Max, Director Marcus, why don''t | treat you two to dinner? | know a ce, and the food is


    just as good as what they have here."


    Max epted kindly. "Sure, let''s grab a quick meal and then head home to get some rest."


    "Perfect."


    Isabel got into the car with them.


    The car quickly swerved out of the parking lot.

 Chapter 2003

    Chapter 2003


    Inside the private box overlooking the parking lot, Decker had just wiped his face clean of the wine Isabel had sshed on him.


    He stood by the window and watched silently as Isabel''s car pulled out of the lot.


    His eyes were dark and ponderous. He suddenly grinned and said to himself, "Isabel, you are full of surprises."


    He had been missing her day and night for thest five years.


    The girl had cast a spell on him. In the past five years, he had got involved with countless beautiful women, all of them no less


    beautiful than Isabel. And yet, none of them managed to seize his heart the way she did.


    Sometimes at night, when he was by himself at night, he would miss her to the point of losing his mind.


    Then, he found out that she was active in Westchester. He made time out of his busy schedule and came here to see her.


    The way he pictured it in his mind, he expected her shocked reaction upon seeing him to be a mixture of anger and sadness.


    He thought that all he needed to do was to whisper some sweet-nothings and briefly cajole her, and that was all it was going to


    take for her to be his again.


    It was a shock to see that she wore nothing but a scowl


    along with the faintest trace of a smile. Her surprise upon seeing him barelysted an instant.


    Not only that, but her smile was vicious, haughty, and cold. It was nothing like the affectionate way she used to look at him.


    Such attitude waspletely unprecedented, but to make matters worse, she had pped him and sshed wine on him!


    She even threatened him, dering that Westchester was her territory!


    It was as infuriating as it was amusing.


    He was interested to see what amon actress who survived on her looks could possibly do to continue to secure her position


    in Westchester!


    Isabel took Max and Marcus to a private restaurant she frequented often.


    Her mother had been dining at this ce ever since she was a child. It was a ce with a long-running history of more than two.


    decades by this point. Although it was a small and humble establishment, its decoration wasparable to Elysian House''s.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The owner of the ce recognized Isabel at sight. As soon as she entered, the owner greeted her politely and asked, ¡± Miss


    Isabel, the usual?"


    "Yes, bring two bottles of your best beer for my two good friends."


    "Alright."


    Isabel entered a private room with Max and Marcus.


    The two of them looked around as soon as they entered.


    Marcus, the assistant director had grown up in Westchester. After surveying his surroundings, he asked Isabel tentatively,


    "Isabel, is this the private restaurant run by the sessor of the legendary chef from way back then?"


    "| think so." Isabel recalled some of her conversations with the owner. She remembered him talking about his family hailing from


    a line of legendary chefs.


    Marcus continued, "I heard they only serve their regrs. They also say that the owner only serves people he approves of; no


    amount of money can buy you entry."


    Max shed a surprised look, then he turned to Isabel with a queer look as if to seek rification.


    Isabel nodded candidly. "I¡¯m a regr here."


    The assistant director looked at her and probed carefully, "| also heard that all of the clients here are some of the richest folks in


    the city."


    Isabel immediately sensed the implication in his voice.


    Due to the rapid growth of her careerbined with her reputation of rejecting advances from people in the circle, rumors had


    been going around that she had a wealthy benefactor backing her.


    Marcus wanted to probe to see if the rumors were true because he suspected something along the same lines as well.


    Isabel steered the conversation yfully. "Director Marcus, do you think I''m not rich enough for this ce?"


    Marcus chuckled dryly and said, "Of course not. You''re the hottest star right now. How could you not be loaded?"


    The owner showed up with beer along with some other dishes.


    Isabel poured them the beer herself, and then swiftly changed the subject.


    This was the best beer the two directors had ever had in their life, and they drank one ss after another. The food was just as


    noteworthy.


    Isabel ordered two more bottles of beer as well as some additional food, and they dined until midnight.


    The beer went down smoothly without any drag, thus they ended the nightfortably sober.


    After paying the bill, Isabel said goodbye to them and went home on her own. She got into her car and drove back to her ce.

 Chapter 2004

    Chapter 2004


    Chapter 2004


    There was hardly any traffic at this hour.


    Before long, they were nearing Isabel''s residence.


    She sat by the window and looked outside, her mind wandering. At one point, she spotted a handsome and familiar figure


    walking down the street, illuminated by the faint glow of the streetlights.


    "Slow down, Ben," she said to the driver.


    The driver slowed down as he was told.


    Isabel lowered the window to get a better look.


    The young man was trotting down the street by himself, donned in a fitted suit. He stood tall and handsome, his stride steady.


    On a night such as this, his mncholic figure looked like a prince that had been banished from his homnd and was.


    wandering, looking for a ce to belong. He exuded a fine charm around him that was entirely captivating and unique.


    Isabel wondered if she had drunk a little more than she thought. She continued to lean out the window the longer she stared at


    the man until nearly her entire head was hanging out.


    The car drew closer to the person.


    Isabel recognized him.


    "Rnd?" she called out his name.


    Hearing his name, the man turned around and looked at her.


    When their eyes met, Isabel cried out in shock, "It is you! Why are you here?"


    Rnd remarked, "I just got off the bus.¡±


    Isabel leaned out the window with a puzzled expression." You don''t drive?"


    He was paid a more than respectable sry for his position and had a private driver assigned to him. Even if he did not want to


    buy a car, he could simply use thepany car.


    He exined briskly, "It''s more convenient to take the bus."


    Their ce was just a short distance from the main office. Commuting by bus, one only needed to pass through a handful of


    stops.


    However, waiting for the bus took time, and there was still a roughly five hundred meters walk to get to his ce after being


    dropped off at the bus stop.


    How could it not be more convenient to drive?


    Isabel could not figure out the logic behind this choice, but since it was his choice to make, she figured to leave him be.


    The car stopped beside Rnd.


    Isabel was still leaning outside the car window. She asked out of curiosity, "Working tillte today, aren''t you? Are things that


    busy at the office?"


    Rnd answered with a nk expression, "This is pretty much my regr hours except during the weekends."


    Isabel suddenly felt a jab of guilt, as if she had been inadvertently called out.


    Was he indirectly casting me on her for neglecting his duties and leaving him to take care of everything?


    She pinched her nose andughed dryly, "Well, I''m actually quite busy as well. Otherwise, I''d offer to help out a little."


    ¡°Busy drinking?" Rnd asked suddenly.


    Isabel''s eyes shed with guilt, and she blurted out, "How could you say that? When have | been drinking?¡±


    Rnd was standing on a sidewalk that was slightly elevated than the concrete road. The streetmp cast its light directly across


    Isabel''s pinkish face.


    He observed her briefly and said, "| can see it on your face. You''ve been drinking.¡±


    Isabel instinctively touched her cheeks which were cool to the touch.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She took out a small mirror from her bag to inspect her reflection, and that was when she noticed her ruddy cheeks glowing a


    shade of red.


    She pursed her lips and quickly tucked away the mirror before stating defensively, "It''s for work. | just had a little to drink."


    Rnd ignored her, he turned around and continued walking.


    Isabel called out after him, slightly upset, "Rnd, where are you doing? Don''t you believe me?"


    He continued pressing onward at a leisurely pace as if he did not hear a word of what she had to say.


    Isabel hurriedly turned to Ben, "Drive. Catch upto him.¡±


    Ben elerated.


    Soon, they caught up to Rnd.


    Isabel stuck out her head again and called after him,¡± Rnd, I¡¯m talking to you. Can''t you hear me?"


    Rnd stared straight ahead. He waspletely ignoring her, refusing to acknowledge her existence at all.


    Isabel took a deep breath and turned to Ben again. "Stop."


    The car stopped.


    She opened the door and got out of the car, then ran up to Rnd in a few strides.


    "Rnd!" she called out again.


    He continued to ignore her.


    She had no choice but to step in front of him to cut off his path.

 Chapter 2005

    Chapter 2005


    Rnd stopped and turned to Isabel with a glitter of light in his eyes.


    Isabel crossed her hands across her chest and asked haughtily, "Do you have anything against me?"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    "No," he muttered.


    "Then, why have you been ignoring me?"


    He did not answer.


    Isabel wanted to get angry at him but could not make herself hurl more insults at him when she saw how handsome he looked.


    She took a breath and said, "It''s not like | want you to stay thiste at the office every day. You can assign some of the work to


    the people under you."


    Why was he trying to handle everything by himself?


    There were a lot ofpetent employees at Carter Corporation.


    Rnd cocked an eyebrow at her. "Do you think I''m anything like you?"


    Isabel''s eyes shed, and she seemed ecstatic to finally have something to call him out on. "See! | knew you have something


    against me!"


    Why else would he say something like that if he felt otherwise?


    He must have been used because she had left him to take care of everything.


    Rnd pursed his lips and made it as if he wanted to exin but was questioning if it was even worth the effort at all.


    After a few seconds, he confessed, "Yes, | do have a problem with you."


    Isabel sighed. "It''s not that | want you to do everything for me. | just can''t find time for the moment,¡± she expressed remorsefully.


    He let her vent, then he asked, "Do you have time right now?"


    ¡°Now? What are you thinking?" she asked curiously.


    Rnd had a firm expression as he said, "Several important things have been going ontely, and | wanted to brief you about


    them."


    Isabel immediately regretted asking at all. She should have minded her own business! Her whole demeanor suddenly changed,


    and her shoulders drooped. "It''s gettingte now. Why don¡¯t you go home and get some rest first?¡±


    "I¡¯m not tired yet."


    She parried, "But | am."


    "In that case, let''s just get it over with quickly.¡±


    She wanted to flee while she could, but Rnd''s firm voice stopped her. "You don''t have to say anything. Just listen.¡±


    That was all she needed to do?


    That seemed enough to convince her. She breathed a sigh of relief and gestured. "Alright then, go on."


    They continued walking as they talked.


    Rnd began, "Two days ago, weunched a new project in Dursnd. We need to send some technicians...¡±


    His voice sounded like a luby in Isabel''s ears.


    They were barely near her ce yet, but she was already getting tired. She had yawned more than a handful of times during


    their walk. Atst, they finally reached her apartment.


    It took all her effort to keep her eyes open as she turned to him. "This is me. Let''s talk about the rest next time. Make sure you


    get home and get some sleep."


    Rnd pursed his lips.


    Isabel walked toward her apartment nonchntly.


    Suddenly, she saw a hand stretched in front of her.


    Before she could react, she had smacked her forehead directly into it.


    She was startled by the impact. It was only then that she realized she would have walked into a wall if not for Rnd guarding


    her with his palm.


    The sensation of her forehead pressed against the warmth of his palm felt strangely nice.


    Silence.


    After a while, she heard Rnd¡¯s concerned voice from behind. "Are you... are you alright?¡±


    She stumbled a step backward.


    Rnd promptly drew away his hand that was cushioning Isabel''s forehead from the concrete wall.


    Isabel darted a nce at him, he looked as calm as usual. Looking at him, she felt her restlessness dissipating as well.


    She chuckled. "I''m fine. | just almost fell asleep."


    Rnd muttered, "Okay."


    ¡°Well, I''m going in."


    "Sure."


    "Bye-bye."


    She trotted into the apartment.


    Rnd looked at her figure sheepishly retreating into the apartment and smiled to himself.

 Chapter 2006

    Chapter 2006


    Chapter 2006


    It was a dreamless night.


    The next morning, before Isabel¡¯s rm had even gone off, she received a call from her manager Amanda who was supposed to


    still be recovering from her illness. Her shrill voice sted through the speakers, "Isabel, what trouble did you get into this time?"


    Isabel rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked in a dazed state, ¡± What happened?"


    Amanda said without the least attempt of concealing her anger, "It¡¯s Isabe. She managed to snatch the female lead role in the


    show ¡®Legend of the Goddess¡¯! She also managed to steal the special guest spot on the variety show | was just talking about


    with you the other day!"


    Isabe was another celebrity who hadunched into stardom several years earlier than Isabel. However, ever Isabel¡¯s first big


    hit, she had always been more popr than Isabe was.


    Both of them were household names in mainstream media. Due to the extreme simrity of their names, people had always


    referred to them as the Isabel sisters.


    The people in the circle who were in the know were all aware that the two were anything but sisters; they were rivals.


    Isabe¡¯s poprity was trending upward for a while before


    Isabel suddenly broke into the scene. Not only did Isabel overtake Isabe out of nowhere, but the unfortunate likeness of their


    names meant that most people searching for Isabe online ended up getting redirected to Isabel who was more popr


    instead.


    Since they were around the same age and starred in the same genres of movies, a narrative eventually formed around them.


    People would alwayspare them to each other which led to a lot ofpetition.


    The entertainment industry waspetitive enough as is, so it was not surprising that these circumstances led to them


    essentially turning into enemies.


    In the past few years, Isabe¡¯s team had tried every trick in the book to sabotage Isabel¡¯s career, all to no avail. How was it that


    they suddenly managed to snatch a female lead role and another guest spot right from under her nose?


    "Isabel, are you there? What kind of trouble did you get into?" Amanda asked anxiously when she failed to receive a response


    from Isabel.


    Isabel''s eyes darkened, and her mind immediately went to what Decker said to herst night.


    Both she and Amanda were aware of Isabe having a certain benefactor who put in a lot of effort in boosting her career. Still,


    Amandamanded a lot of respect and influence in the industry, hence there was no chance that Isabe and the person


    backing her could manage to pull this feat off.


    That was unless there was another more resourceful person involved that was for some reason plotting against her.


    By process of elimination, the only person who could fit these criteria was Decker.


    "Yeah, you could say that. There''s this person | ppedst night," Isabel said without any attempt at deflection to ease


    Amanda¡¯s nervous state.


    Amanda gasped audibly before asking, "Who did you p?" "Decker."


    "Who is Decker? Why does this name sound so familiar?"


    "The Rockwells from Southboro," Isabel clued her in.


    Amanda gasped again. "Isabel, are you insane?! Why would you p him? Even | wouldn''t dare to upset someone of his level.


    What in the world happened?"


    Isabel said calmly, "He was my ex-boyfriend and wanted to take advantage of me, so | pped him."


    Amanda was startled by the candid revtion. "He''s your exboyfriend?"


    "It was many years ago." Isabel was not in the mood to go into details. She assured Amanda, "Don¡¯t worry. I''ll find a way to deal


    with this situation."


    Amanda asked curiously, "Are you going to see him?"


    "No."


    "Then, how are you going to deal with it?" Amanda sighed." Forget it. I''ll figure something out."


    "No, you''re still recovering, aren¡¯t you? Stay at home. | can take care of this." Isabel hung up promptly.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    She got out of bed to wash up, then she quickly got dressed before heading out.


    As usual, she got into her car and went to the filming set. First things first.


    Ca was seated next to her. She was scrolling on her phone and grumbled, "She has the nerve to post about how she


    managed to steal your role. How low!"


    Isabel nced at Ca''s phone.


    It was Isabe''s profile. She was quoting an official post from the creators of the show "Legend of the Goddess" and announcing


    that she was cast as the female lead. She followed it up with another post along the same lines, confirming that she was going to


    join a certain variety show as a guest star.

 Chapter 2007

    Chapter 2007


    Chapter 2007


    Isabel pouted. "Stop reading that."


    Ca was still very upset. "But you''re the one who fought for the female lead in Legend of the Goddess and the guest star spot


    on The Wonders. There is no reason that she should swipe them away! So many times in the past, you could have stolen her


    role but you never did it even once out ofmon decency. How could she do this?"


    Isabel gently patted her head to console her, "Everything is fine. Don''t worry about it.¡¯


    She was not going to let anyone take away what was hers.


    Upon sensing her unusual calmness, ra asked curiously, "Do you already have a n?" "Not yet. I''m thinking about it.¡±


    Ca scowled. "Then, how are you so calm?"


    Isabel smiled and made no furtherment.


    The moment Isabel arrived at the set, Max and Marcus turned to her with what seemed like a look of sympathy. They must have


    found out about thetest news as well.


    After filming a scene, Max said as if tofort her, "It''s fine, Isabel. After |e up with the script for my next project, you''ll be


    my go-to."


    Isabel smiled appreciatively. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Marcus also approached them and expressed with a sigh, "Isabel, | think you should take care to not get on the nerves of the


    wrong person in the future."Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    This stung a nerve in Isabel, evident by her scowl. It was not so much that she wanted to provoke people, but she could not help


    it if some of them had iting from a mile away.


    The day passed quickly.


    After she finished work and was about to head home, she checked her phone and saw messages from the director of "Legend of


    the Goddess" as well as the show directors of "The Wonder".


    Both of them had said something along the same lines, expressing how they were looking forward to working with her but that


    the unfortunate recement of her role was out of their control. They were both apologetic about what happened and tried to


    remedy things by giving a transparent exnation.


    Isabel thanked both of them courteously.


    Meanwhile, Ca went up to her. "Isabel, it¡¯s not looking good. The fans found out about Isabe taking your roles, and the two


    fandoms are at each other''s throats.¡±


    Isabel frowned and promptly grabbed her phone to swipe to her social feed.


    It was an all-out war. Both her name and Isabe''s were on the top of the trending page.


    Isabe''s fans insisted that Isabe was given the roles purely based on merit, based on her superior acting ability.


    Isabel''s fans were adamant that Isabe had stolen Isabel¡¯s much- deserved roles.


    Team Isabe demanded evidence, and Team Isabel delivered immediately. They showed pictures taken by the paparazzi of


    Isabel eating at a restaurant with the directors of "Legend of the Goddess", engaged in conversation about the show. They also


    had screenshots of Isabel''s friendly interactions with the show directors of the variety show, "The Wonder".


    Team Isabe refuted all of these by iming that mere gossip could not serve as evidence. They proceeded to nder Isabel


    and imed that her acting skills were nothingpared to Isabe''s.


    Team Isabel refused to relent and immediately came up with aprehensive list of all the films the two stars starred in in recent


    years, thenpared their performance to prove a point.


    Team Isabe refused to have it. They began to quote scandalous news revolving around Isabel, all of them stemming from


    questionable, fake sources.


    Despite that, the scandalous nature of these news drew the attention of many people who were not in the know. Isabel''s fans got


    very upset and began resorting to insults.


    Things immediately took a vicious downswing, and they were now all hurling insults at each other.


    Isabel frowned.


    Ca, on the other hand, seemed excited. "A lot of people are taking your side now, even the ones who are just tuning in to the


    latest drama.¡±


    That wasforting enough to hear, but Isabel did not want things to spiral out of control.


    She was also not fond of the idea of her fans being ridiculed just because they supported her.

 Chapter 2008

    Chapter 2008


    With this in mind, Isabel instructed Ca mindfully, "Ca, go to my fan forum and tell my fans to cool it a little."


    Ca was about to say something when Isabel''s cell phone rang suddenly.


    It was Amanda, her manager.


    Isabel answered promptly, "Hey, Amanda, what''s the matter?"


    Amanda said in a voice seething with fury, "Did you see Isabe''stest post?"


    Isabel held her breath. "What did she say?" ''Take a look for yourself." "Okay."


    Isabel promptly hung up before swiping to her feed again.


    The two fandoms were still going at it.


    There was now a new topic on the trending page that read: Isabe got the role based on merit.


    Isabel tapped on it and immediately saw a new post made by Isabe only several minutes ago. It was an officially worded post


    that read: "Formal announcement: The female lead in ''Legend of the Goddess¡¯ and the guest star spot in ¡®The Wonder¡¯ were


    given out purely on terms of merit. Please calm down, everyone. Don¡¯t get manipted by the false narrative."


    By merit? False narrative?


    No matter how you look at it, it seemed like Isabe was taking a jab at Isabel while also implying that she was mobilizing her


    fans on social media.


    Isabel was not the only one who felt this way. Her fans felt the same.


    Instead of putting out the mes, the post only fanned the mes.


    Isabe''s fans were out in full force now, mocking Isabel''s fans for not having any sense of ssiness. They said they were a


    mirror of Isabel,shing out when they themselves were unworthy.


    It was hard for Isabel not to be upset by everything she was seeing. Naturally, her fans refused to lie down and take it, so they


    continued to argue.


    She began to wonder if Decker had bought the allegiance of some people in the industry because soon enough, several verified


    ounts of high- profile people in the industry got involved. They spoke up for Isabe and uttered negative sentiments against


    Isabel. Some of the things they said were as follows: "This has been going on long enough. Isabe herself has rified things,


    so why hasn''t Isabel said anything? Is her n to let her fans bully Isabe''s fans while she hides in the corner?" "Isabel''s agent


    is one of the titans in the industry. | don''t think Isabe can steal the role away just because she wants to. She got them because


    she was the better choice, in and simple." "Isabel is probably upset because she lost the female lead and guest star spot. If


    you look at her past performances in different variety shows, you can see that she''s a pretty shallow person. | think it''s a good


    enough exemplification of her true personality." "Even though Isabe stars in the same type of film as Isabel, she¡¯s been doing


    this longer. You can''t deny that she holds seniority over Isabel. The least Isabel could do is to show some respect to her senior."


    These were allments made by the famous talking heads in the entertainment circle, which drew even more attention to the


    scandal.


    The narrative swung the other way very quickly. Soon enough, the consensus was that Isabel was a narrow-minded and hateful


    person.


    More and more people were piling onto the drama to see how things would be resolved. Many said that Isabel had let her game


    get to her head.


    Isabel read some of the things people said about her, frowning all the while.


    Ca eximed furiously, "What kind of garbage nonsense are these people spouting? You''ve been filming all day today. How


    are you supposed to find time to tell your fans to kick up the storm for you?"


    Meanwhile, Amanda sent another text to Isabel: "Isabel, don''t say anything yet. | suspect that Isabe paid some of these talking


    heads under the table to nder you publicly and sway public opinion. Just don''t pay attention to what people are saying online.


    I''ll have the admins take care of it.¡±


    Isabel pursed her lips and replied, "Leave it to me."


    Amanda replied instantly, "What are you up to? Don''t make things any worse than it already is."N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Isabel did not reply. She went to her page and posted, "Calm down, my loves. Go get some dinner, go get some rest. I''ll take


    care of this myself. Be good now."


    This was directed to her fans.


    After making the post, she took Ca with her back to the car and was driven back to her ce.


    Hertest post was already trending by then.


    Her fans flooded thement section.


    "Isabel, we will do as you say, but we can''t bear to see them dragging your name through the mud after stealing what is rightfully


    yours!"


    "We can''t stomach this. It''s outrageous!"

 Chapter 2009

    Chapter 2009


    Chapter 2009


    As time went on, more people were drawn in by the sensational drama.


    "What''s going on here? Isabel says she''s going to handle herself. Does this mean that it''s true that Isabe stole her roles?"


    "Wow, don¡¯t mess with her! Isn¡¯t she worried about theizens riling against her?" "Look at her performance in the past few


    years since her grand debut.


    Every show she starred is in at the top of the year-end list, and the variety shows she guest stars in always see record numbers.


    She''s the type who speaks her mind without fear. Do you remember that old director who was ousted as a sexual predator


    harassing female students? Isabel was the one who called him out publicly when she went on that variety show. Do you think


    someone as tenacious as she is is going to be afraid of some measly online gossip?" "Who is the one telling the truth? Isabel or


    Isabe?" "I don''t know. | guess we will know in time."


    Fans of Isabe''s stormed Isabel''s page after that but were eventually chased away by Isabel''s loyal defenders.


    Isabel swiped through thements, then she went to the forum dedicated to her by her fans again.


    She posted a message: "Everyone, take it easy, alright? Just wait for my good news."


    She very rarely showed up on the forum. Now that she had spoken, everyone went rabid.


    In a matter of seconds, she was bombarded with notifications.


    All of her fans promised to do as she told them.


    Soon enough, the online storm had more or less died down. Isabel and Isabe''s names were slowly sliding off the trending


    page.


    Isabel heaved a sigh of relief.


    Ca asked curiously, "Isabel, how are you going to deal with this?¡±


    The car had just stopped at Isabel''s ce.


    Isabel smiled and assured her with a pat on the head, "You should get some rest too. Just wait for good news."


    With that, she opened the door and got out of the car.


    Meanwhile, inside the presidential suite of a five-star hotel, Isabe was wearing acy dress that hung loosely on her body, on


    the verge of sliding off. She sat sideways on the couch in a position that entuated the curves of her figure.


    She looked coquettish at the handsome man sitting next to her. She wanted to get closer to him but was slightly apprehensive.


    She got as close as what was deemed a safe distance and spoke softly,* Mr. Rockwell, Isabel just made a new post and


    managed to convince people that | was the one who stole the roles from her. What should | do now?"


    Decker was scrolling on his phone, and he read thetest post from Isabel.


    By iming that she would handle things herself, the implication was clear.


    She was hinting that Isabe had stolen her roles and that she would reim what was rightfully hers!


    What had given her the confidence for such a bold deration?N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Did she truly think that she was popr to a point where producers and directors would bend over backward to appease her and


    concede the roles back to her?


    Or perhaps she thought that he would have mercy on her atst?


    Perhaps...


    Decker angled his wrist to read the watch.


    It was nearing evening. If Isabel was going toe to him to beg for mercy, she should be looking for some ways to contact him


    by now.


    "Mr. Rockwell!" Isabe cried out his name dearly when she failed to draw a response from Decker.


    Decker came back to his senses. He smiled and held her by her chin. "Don''t worry, I''m not going to give the female lead and the


    guest star spot back to her unless shees begging. So long as that doesn¡¯t happen, nobody is going to believe that you stole


    these roles from her."


    Isabe seemed convinced. "You''re right.¡±


    Isabel had been foolish enough to make a bold deration online. If she failed to pull through on her promise, it would be a bad


    look for her fans, and nobody would believe her.

 Chapter 2010

    Chapter 2010


    Chapter 2010


    Isabel got out of the car and walked back into her apartment.


    On her way back, Amanda had called her twice followed by several additional messages. She frantically asked what Isabel was


    going to do and if she had lost her mind.


    Several of her friends in the circle had been texting her as well to offer advice and support.


    It would seem like there were only two options at this point. She had to either concede to Decker or find someone more


    resourceful than Decker to outwrestle them.


    Isabel was fully aware of this.


    Shey on the couch with a tight frown zipped across her face. She stared at her phone and considered whether she should


    contact Liam or her father for help.


    She knew that all she needed to do was to ask and they would help her get the roles back for her.


    The only problem was that she had vowed that she wanted to make a career for herself in the entertainment industry. She did


    not want to rely on her family connections. It would be very hypocritical of her to approach her family for help now.


    However, even someone as influential in the industry as Amanda was afraid of offending Decker Rockwell. Since Isabel had


    completely ruled out the option of begging for forgiveness from Decker, her family was herst and only resort.


    After wrestling with the idea for a while, she reluctantly went through her contacts.


    Ding!


    That was when she received a text from Rnd. "Are you okay?¡±


    She did a double-take before replying, "I''m fine. Why are you asking me this?¡±


    Rnd replied, "| saw the news online."


    Wasn''t he supposed to be working? Why was he scrolling through social media?


    She chuckled humorously before assuring him, "It''s no big deal. Don''t worry about it."


    Rnd offered, "Do you need help?"


    Isabel was going to refuse his offer when an idea suddenly urred to her.


    With a sparkle in his eyes, she replied, "Yes."


    How could she forget about Rnd?


    He was now the de-facto president of Carter Corporation, so she could get him to leverage the influence of Carter Corporation to


    take back her leading role in "Legend of the Goddess" as well as her guest star spot on " The Wonder"!


    With this in mind, she exined, "Rnd, what they say about Isabe stealing the roles away from me is true. | need your help.


    You can seize the roles back for me using the name of Carter Corporation. If you pull it off, | promise I''ll give you a giant bonus


    this year!"


    Rnd did not respond after that.


    Even after a long and grueling ten minutes had passed, he still had not replied.


    Isabel frowned. Where did he go? Why was he not replying?


    Just as she was considering calling him, he replied atst, "Done."


    Isabel was confused. "What do you mean ''done''?" "| just contacted the producers of ''Legend of the Goddess¡¯ and the chief


    director of ¡®The Wonder¡¯. They have given their word that they will give the role in their respective shows back to you. They


    should be contacting you shortly.¡±


    Isabel was taken aback with shock.


    What shocking efficiency!


    Sure enough, Amanda texted her shortly afterward: "Isabel, you''re amazing! How long have you known the president of Carter


    Corporation? You should have said something to me sooner. | was nearly worried to death back there!"N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Isabel smiled and replied, "I''ve been more or less acquainted with him for a while. We don''t see each other often, but this time |


    knew | had no choice but to enlist his help.¡±


    It was the truth. She very rarely had time to talk to Rnd at all due to both of their hectic schedules.


    Amanda was very relieved by the sudden development. "Wonderful!


    Anyway, enough talk about that. The team of ''Legend of the Goddess¡¯ and '' The Wonder¡¯ will be announcing this on their socials


    later, so make sure you check their pages."


    They were going to make another public announcement?


    Isabel asked suspiciously, "Amanda, were you the one who asked them to make a public announcement?"

 Chapter 2011

    Chapter 2011


    Amanda could not make sense of the strange question. "What? Weren''t you the one who told the Carter Corporation president to


    instruct them to make another official announcement?¡±


    Isabel chuckled, amused by the intriguing thought.


    Rnd sure was very thoughtful for someone who always looked so disengaged with things around him.


    Once the team of the "Legend of the Goddess" and "The Wonder" posted the official announcement, there was no need for her


    to say anything at all to defend her name. Just like that, the whole inte would know that she had taken back the roles that


    were rightfully hers.


    She promptly texted Rnd again.


    She sent him a smiling emoji and thanked him sincerely. ¡®Thanks for pulling through. | promise you | will personally give you a big


    bonus at the end of the year."


    Rnd replied curtly, "You''re wee, but no need for the bonus.¡±


    Isabel asked brazenly, "Huh? Why?"


    Who in their right mind would refuse a big bonus?


    Rnd exined tactfully, "You¡¯re my boss. I¡¯m just doing my job."


    Isabel broke out into a wide grin.


    When did this guy learn to talk like this?


    "If this is what you want, then fine. Just don''t turn around andin about your year-end bonus!"


    That being said, she still nned to give him arger bonus than she originally nned to.


    Even without factoring in this event, he had certainly proven his worth with the quality of his work and attitude.


    Roughly half an hourter, the official pages of "Legend of the Goddess" and "The Wonder" made a series of official


    announcements for all to see.


    ¡°Legend of the Goddess" wrote: "We are sorry to have held off the official announcement of our lead actress for so long. We


    have been releasing a series of teasers for a while to keep you all guessing, and we are sure you have an idea of who the great


    Goddess will be by this point! The goddess of grace and beauty is @lsabel!" ¡®The Wonder" wrote: "We have kept you all waiting


    long enough. The new member joining The Wonder family for its new season is none other than Isabel! Wee, (?lsabel. We


    can''t wait to see you!"N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Agiant storm of debate broke out nearly instantly as soon s the announcements were made.


    The people who had been following the drama had a lot to say.


    ¡°My God, what a shocking twist!" "| was not expecting Isabel toe out on top in the end! Is it true what they say about Isabe


    trying to steal the roles away from her originally?" "Huh? Howe all those journalists who were using Isabel of


    weaponizing her fans against Isabe are so quiet now? Weren''t they going on something about Isabel not having respect for


    them?" "I heard that Isabel''s manager has a lot of connections. Do you think there''s a chance that these two roles were always


    Isabe''s, to begin with, but it was Isabel¡¯s team who had pulled strings behind the scenes to snatch the roles away?" "Come on,


    if Isabel¡¯s team had this option all along, why would they have relied on the fans to fight for Isabel? They could have done this


    from the very beginning!" ¡®That''s right. Isabe imed that she was given the roles solely based on merit, but if it was true, why


    did the official pages not announce her right away? Even after she revealed that she was going to be the lead actress of Legend


    of the Goddess¡¯ and that she was joining ¡®The Wonder¡¯, none of the official pages bothered to confirm the news." "Some of us


    are not that dumb. We''ve seen thising from the very beginning. The clues were there all along. We knew that Isabel was


    going to star in ¡®Legend of the Goddess¡¯. Besides, everyone knows that she talks to the show directors of ¡®The Wonder¡¯. They''ve


    even been seen dining together in public!" "Huh, | really thought Isabel was the one trying to drum up this drama to get at


    Isabe. | was wrong about her this entire tim


    Isabel, but she is nowhere near Isabel''s level in terms of charisma and acting skills. Some of the best shows Isabe had been a


    ¡°''To be honest, Isabe may have debuted and risen to stardom earlier than


    part of are nowhere near as popr as Isabel''s as well, and she has alwayse across as very stiff on variety shows. It


    doesn¡¯t matter if it''s a TV show or variety show. | will pick Isabel ten out often times if | was a director."


    Isabel''s fans swarmed her page to congratte her.


    Meanwhile, Isabe''s fans were left to silently stew in rage.


    Isabel replied to the official posts made by "Legend of the Goddess" and " The Wonder". After that, she happily put away her


    phone.

 Chapter 2012

    Chapter 2012


    Unbeknownst to Isabel, the online debate revolving around her and Isabe continued in full swing after she tucked away her


    phone.


    Most of the people paying attention to the ongoing development were reasonable folks, but they could not help but start


    ndering Isabe." Look at Isabe. She was being all high and mighty showing off about how she managed to be cast in


    ¡®Legend of the Goddess¡¯ and ¡®The Wonder¡¯. Just like that, the official pages came in and rained on her parade by announcing


    that Isabel was their choice the entire time. | wonder how she feels right now." "Heh. If you ask me, I''d say it''s pretty


    embarrassing.


    Not content with merely gossiping among themselves about what was happening, some folks decided to fan the mes. They


    quickly swarmed Isabe''s page, specifically picking her post from the day when she announced her being cast in the two


    shows. They bombarded her withments, asking her how it felt to be disgraced.


    Inside a hotel, Isabe looked at the barrage ofmentsing in and angrily tossed her phone on the bed. She stormed out


    of the bedroom and went to Decker.


    Decker was standing by the window and reading the post made by the official announcements of "Legend of the Goddess" and


    "The Wonder". His face was sullen.


    Isabe wrapped herself around one of his arms and whimpered dearly," Mr. Rockwell, they''re making fun of me right now. What


    happened? Wasn''t it you who told me that Isabel couldn''t possibly pull this off?"


    Decker''s eyes gleamed with ice. He gently caressed Isabe and firmly told her, "I''ve asked my assistant to investigate the


    matter. Just go back to your room and get some rest. | will have my people take down thesements for you."


    There was a soft,forting glow in his eyes that made Isabe swoon, and yet, there was a sharp andmanding authority


    to his voice, she knew she had to obey.


    "Alright." She let go of him reluctantly before heading back to the bedroom.


    Immediately after that, Decker got a call from his assistant.


    The tender, coaxing expression on his face was wiped off instantly and reced with a glower. "What¡¯s going on?"


    His assistant informed cautiously, "Sir, | just contacted the producers of ¡¯ Legend of the Goddess¡¯ and ''The Wonder¡¯. They told


    me that it was Carter Corporation that told them to relinquish the roles back to Isabe or else they will have to face dire


    consequences.¡± "Carter Corporation?¡± Decker was astonished. "The Carters of Westchester?


    ¡°Yes." His assistant verified, "Carter Corporation is a very powerful corporation, and the Carters themselves are influential


    oligarchs that have been running things for more than a century by now. The show directors could not risk offending them, so


    they did as they were told, giving the roles back to Isabel."


    Decker frowned, a dark glow cast on his face.


    No wonder Isabel refused to return to him and even dared to p him in the face and pour wine on him. She had Carter


    Corporation behind her the entire time!


    He wondered in what way was she connected to Carter Corporation.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    His assistant added cautiously, "Sir, the directors said they will give the funds you''ve invested in them back to us and that they


    wanted to apologize for how things turned out. What do you think?"


    Decker took a breath.


    Carters were not only powerful in Westchester, but their circle of influence also went beyond the region.


    Forget about the showrunners of "Legend of the Goddess" and ¡®The Wonder". Even he, the head of the Rockwells could not risk


    getting on the Carters¡¯ bad side.


    After a moment of silence, he said, "Forget about it. Still, tell them that in doing this, they have directly affected Isabe''s


    reputation in the public sphere. | expect them to find some way to mitigate the damage they have caused and rified things with


    theizens, or else they will have dire consequences as well."


    His assistant answered dutifully, "Alright, consider it done."


    Decker hung up.


    It was already dark outside by this hour. The hotel was located in one of the central districts of Westchester, and from his


    vantage point, he could see the city now adorned with bright lights everywhere.


    Regardless, the view could not quell the seething anger inside him.


    He clenched his hands tightly. The only thing running through his mind was this unforeseen discovery of Isabel being connected


    to Carter Corporation.

 Chapter 2013

    Chapter 2013


    Rumor had it that the Carters were a very close-knit family and that their children were all sessful and kept a low profile.


    There had never been any shape or form of scandal revolving around the family, whether internally or externally. With this


    information, Decker ruled out the possibility that Isabel was backed by a direct family member. Instead, it must either be a


    shareholder or a high-ranking member of Carter Corporation.


    The identity of this person was currently unknown.


    One way or another, this person was just someone working at Carter Corporation. A mere employee at Carter Corporation could


    not possibly be a match for him, Decker Rockwell!


    Meanwhile, Isabel was busy chatting with several of her friends in the entertainment industry.


    In addition to congratting her on reiming the roles that were rightfully hers, they were curious about how she managed to


    pull it off.


    Isabel was careful to not let outsiders find out about her connection to Carter Corporation. With that in mind, she stole a page


    from Isabe and told them, "| got them back purely based on merit.¡±


    It was a clear enough hint that she did not want to borate, so they leave her be.


    Ding!


    She received several voice messages from Ca.


    She proceeded to listen to them one after the other.


    "Isabel, have you seen thetest news? The showrunners of ¡®Legend of the Goddess¡¯ and ''The Wonder just posted another


    statement on their page exining that the entire ordeal between you and Isabe was all a misunderstanding. ''Legend of the


    Goddess'' says that a new employee at their office made the mistake of confusing you with Isabe, which is why they


    identally issued the role that was supposed to be yours to Isabe instead. They are publicly apologizing to Isabe for the


    unfortunate mixup.


    ¡°As for ¡®The Wonder¡¯, their exnation is that they were originally going to introduce two guest stars for the new season, which


    are you and Isabe. They issued invitations to both of you but due to someplications that came upter, it turned out they


    could only bring one new guest star to the new season, which ended up being you. They haven''t had time to rify the situation


    with Isabe before everything went down.


    ¡°Anyway, the point is that they are taking the me for what happened. Theizens have stopped poking fun at Isabe and


    are directing their anger at the showrunners instead."


    Ca hissed sharply, "What are they trying to do? It¡¯s obvious that Isabe was the one trying to steal the roles. Why are they


    trying to defend her?"


    Isabel smiled and replied, "Someone from higher-up must have applied pressure on them.¡±


    Decker must have found out that she was backed by Carter Corporation and was careful to not punch above his weight ss.


    While he could not steer this situation back in his favor, it was still in his power to cleanse Isabe''s name and perform some


    damage control.


    The showrunners of "Legend of the Goddess" and "The Wonder" must be wary of his influence, which led to theming up


    with these two statements. Their aim was to take responsibility for everything that happened so they could reverse the damage


    inflicted on Isabe''s reputation.


    "Isabe made a new post just now. She said something about having learned a lesson from this and that she will be careful to


    not make rash announcements before signing official contracts. She''s ying this like she was the victim, and now her fans are


    out in full force ming the showrunners of ''Legend of the Goddess¡¯ and ''The Wonder¡¯. How low can she be?!"


    Ca was furious, and her voice raised to a sharp pitch.


    Isabel did not seem as bothered. "This was their choice. Let them be. Don''t worry about it."


    The showrunners of "Legend of the Goddess" and "The Wonder" must have thoroughly considered the consequences before


    making those announcements. They knew Isabe would pounce on the chance to clear her name.


    Either way, none of this had anything to do with Isabel.


    Ca must have caught on as well, so she threw in a few moreints about Isabe before dropping the subject.


    Isabel hung up after that and started thinking about what to have for dinner.


    Ring!


    The doorbell rang.


    She was not expecting any visitors. She went to the door and asked, "Who is that?¡± "It''s me." A familiar, masculine voice came


    through.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She was startled.


    Rnd?

 Chapter 2014

    Chapter 2014


    Chapter 2014


    Isabel promptly opened the door.


    Rnd was dressed in a suit, standing tall and straight as an arrow.


    Isabel asked suspiciously, "Why are you here?¡± "My mother saw the news about you and got worried. She said she¡¯s worried


    about you not having the appetite to eat, so she made me bring some homemade food for you.¡± He held up a bag filled with food


    in his hand.


    Isabel''s eyes sparked at the mention of food. She remarked, "Why didn''t you just call me and ask me toe over? You didn''t


    have to trouble yourself with delivering it yourself.¡±


    Rnd eyed her. "Do you want it or not?¡± "Of course, | do. Your mother made it for me, and you took the trouble of delivering it to


    me, so of course, I''ll eat it."


    With a smile, she stepped aside to let him into the house.


    Rnd carried the bag to the dining table and set it on top. Then, he carefully opened it andid out the dishes one after another.


    Isabel was going to tell him that she could do it himself, but he had alreadyid out all its contents along with two sets of cutlery.


    Then, he pulled a chairout for himself.


    She asked curiously, "You haven''t eaten as well?" "No." "Oh."


    She did not think much of it. With that, she sat across from him and started eating.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The food was still steaming hot and utterly delicious.


    She gobbled everything she could like a hungry wolf and did not lift her head off the te until she had eaten her fill.


    Rnd was finished slightly earlier than her and had set aside his utensils.


    Upon noticing that she had finished her portion, he asked, "Are you full?"


    Tm full.¡± Isabel smiled gleefully.


    She had eaten far more than usual because of how delicious the food was.


    Rnd made no furtherment, then he proceeded to pack all the Tupperware into its original bag.


    Isabel hurriedly stopped him. "Why don''t you take them back home after | wash them for you?"


    His mother had kindly cooked for her and had Rnd deliver it, so it was the least she could do for them as a thank-you for the


    kind gesture.


    Rnd peered at her. "Do you know how to wash them?"


    Isabel made a face.


    She... she had never washed dishes herself before.


    Still, she insisted, "Well, we can¡¯t have your mother washing them, can we?"


    That was outrageous!


    "My mom wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± Rnd rified.


    Isabel insisted, "I do."


    Rnd stayed silent.


    Isabel considered for a moment before asking reluctantly, "Do you know how to wash them?¡±


    Rnd eyed her, "What''s on your mind?"


    Isabel smirked mischievously. "Well, | have everything we need to wash them in my kitchen, so how about you teach me?¡±


    Rnd agreed, "Okay.¡±


    He tucked all the dirty containers into the bag and waltzed into Isabel''s kitchen.


    She followed after him.


    He tossed everything into the sink before putting on a pair of gloves. Then, he squeezed dishwashing liquid into a sponge and


    expertly cleaned everything thoroughly.


    His movements were adept and swift.


    Soon, everything was doused in bubbles from the dishwashing liquid. Then, he gave them a thorough rinse and wiped them


    clean before putting everything back into the bag. The job was done.


    Or so it seemed. Isabel felt something was missing.


    That was when Rnd turned to her and asked, "So, have you learned how to wash yet?¡±


    Isabel nodded affirmatively. "Yeah."


    Except she had wanted to learn by washing the dishes herself instead of watching him do it for her.


    "Um...why don¡¯t you let me try washing them again myself this time?¡± she asked hesitantly.


    Rnd was already taking off his gloves, and he said nonchntly, "I''ve already washed them, so there¡¯s no point doing it


    again.¡±

 Chapter 2015

    Chapter 2015


    Isabel seemed embarrassed for having troubled him. "Alright, thanks for the help "


    He remarked casually, "No big deal. See you."


    There was no reason to keep him around, especially at such ate hour.


    With that, she bade him farewell, "See you."


    She walked him to the door and only closed the door after making sure he had entered the elevator. She stretchedzily like a


    cat before heading into her room.


    She was going to take a shower, then settle in for the night.


    Meanwhile, Rnd returned to his ce shortly after.


    As soon as he stepped into the house, his mother, Martha, came over and asked him worriedly, "Rnd, how is Isabel doing? Is


    she doing fine?"


    She saw the online debacle of everything that had gone down with Isabel during the day. Although it seemed like things had died


    down, she was still concerned about Isabel''s mental state.


    Rnd recalled how Isabel looked with her cheeks stuffed with food and remarked, "She''s in a good mood." "Really?"


    Rnd showed Martha the bag.


    It was filled with now-empty Tupperware and cleaned utensils.


    He stated, "She licked everything clean."


    Martha was relieved. "Heh... she seems to be in a good mood."


    The weekdays were filled with work and passed quickly.


    The weekend rolled around in the blink of an eye.


    Acertain well-known entertainment group was holding a g in Westchester where all of the popr actors and celebrities


    would show up. Naturally, Isabel was also invited. She was obliged to attend since it was an entertainment group that she


    regrly worked with.


    Acertain high-end luxury boutique that she modeled for had sent her a wonderful tailored dress they hadunched for the


    current fashion season. Though minimal in design, it exuded a fine air of elegance without appearing pompous.


    Isabel also had a makeup artist in her crew.


    The experienced makeup artist fashioned her with a look that wouldplement the design of the dress. With everything ready,


    she headed toward the g with her assistant, Ca.


    Her fans had already found out about her attending the g and waited outside with signboards.


    As soon as she got out of the car, she could hear the joyous shriek of her fans.


    "Isabel, we love you!!"This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    There was a giant swarm of them, and the security guards made sure they stayed behind the barrier, away from the red carpet.


    Isabel made sure to go up to them and greet them.


    "Can we please take a picture with you?" one of the die-hard fans leading the charge asked nervously.


    Isabel looked around her.


    There wererge swarms of fans of other celebrities in the vicinity as well, but it did not seem like they would get in their way by


    taking a picture here.


    She obliged, "Sure, all of you stay right here. | will have Ca take pictures for us. She will send the pictures to you allter.¡±


    "Yay! Thank you so much, Isab ¡®You''re wee." She said graciously, "But after taking the picture, | don¡¯t want you all


    hanging around here anymore. Go home and get back to the things that you need to do, understand?"


    There was a hardness to her voice when she said this.


    Her fans were mostly teenage girls, and they knew that she was only saying this for their own good and mindfully gave their


    word.


    Isabel posed in front of them and took several group pictures with them.


    Then, she turned to Ca. ''Take care of them."


    Ca was ustomed to the procedure by now. "Don¡¯t worry, | will make sure they are sent home safely.¡±


    Isabel nodded and said goodbye to her fans before walking down the red carpet to head into the venue where the g was to be


    held.


    Many of her contemporaries had arrived already.


    Unfortunately, she bumped into Isabe the moment she entered.


    She was surrounded by several rising stars who have recently emerged into the scene. They swarmed her withpliments.


    "Isabe, your ne is gorgeous! Isn¡¯t this a limited edition recentlyunched by that luxury brand?" "Oh my! | heard that they


    only released ten pieces of this specific ne.


    It''s not something you can buy with money alone." "Isabe, it¡¯s amazing that you can get your hands on such a renowned


    piece."

 Chapter 2016

    Chapter 2016


    Isabe let them go on for a while before revealing, "| wasn''t the one who bought it. A friend of mine gifted it to me." "How very


    generous! Who is this friend?" "That''s more than generous. That''s a whole statement by itself!¡± "Isabe, are you sure this friend


    of yours is just a friend?¡±


    They all cast yful looks at her while specting about the identity of this friend.


    Isabe smiled, satisfied with the attention she was drawing from them. She said nonchntly, "We''re just regr friends right


    now. It''s not what you girls are thinking.¡±


    Her friends exchanged looks with one another, concealing a deep glow of envy and faint hatred underneath their eyes.


    What kind ofmon friend would gift such an expensive gift?


    They were sure that Isabe had managed tond a wealthy benefactor, and it did seem like she was very fond of this secret


    benefactor of hers.


    "Isabe, I''m so jealous." "Me too, | hope | can find someone as benevolent as this friend of yours one day." "Oh, don¡¯t say that.


    I''m sure you''ll find someone for you one day,¡± she said with a self-indulgent air.


    In this circle, there was nothing more satisfying than knowing that you had things better than others and that you were the


    subject of their envy.


    That was when she spotted Isabel from the corner of her eye.


    The first thing she spotted was Isabel''s curly hair that fluttered like wings with every step she took. She wore a bright red dress


    that strapped itself nicely around her figure. Its design was immacte and perfectlyplimented her build while highlighting


    her fair and beautiful skin. Coupled with her blessed features, she looked like a princess who had stepped out of a fairy tale, thus


    it was impossible to not notice someone radiating such a fine aura around her.


    She immediately drew the attention of countless photographers from countless media outlets, and lights shed all around her


    as pictures were taken left and right.


    Isabe''s eyes darkened instantly. Even the jewel on the ne she wore around her neck seemed to dim for an instant.


    When Isabel passed her, she still made a point of greeting her with a polite, friendly smile. She acted as if they were close


    friends.


    This was not surprising considering how she had always made a point of being friendly with Isabel in public. It was to a point


    where some media outlets spected that the two were close friends behind the cameras and shing lights.


    Now that they had media attention on them, Isabe made sure to keep up the charade.


    In the past, Isabel may have yed along, but circumstances had changed now since Isabe breached the unspoken contract


    of neutrality with her actions. Thest thing she wanted was to keep up appearances with Isabe.


    She walked right past Isabe without acknowledging her at all.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    The atmosphere suddenly grew awkward.


    The media reporters and photographers were just as bbergasted by what they were seeing.


    The few emerging actors who were with Isabe were floored by this as well.


    Everyone was aware of what happened between Isabel and Isabe a few days ago and that things might be tense between


    them. Still, it was jawdropping to see that Isabel would not even bother to greet Isabe for the cameras.


    How very bold!


    The smile on Isabe¡¯s face was wiped away instantly, transforming into an ugly scowl.


    The photographers were experts and immediately snapped a picture of her reaction. They were ecstatic to have captured her


    reaction which would surely garner plenty of traffic to their sites.


    This was all the fuel theizens needed to kick off yet another storm of debate. The reporters were alreadyposing their


    next viral headlines.


    The g was primarily an award show dedicated to some of the most sessful TV shows and actors of the recent period.


    Although the awards themselves were not prestigious in terms of overall career development, it was still going to provide a


    respectable boost to the reputation of whoever took home the awards.


    The venue was filled with allocated seats with the names of the celebrities and actors written on them.


    When Isabel entered, the ushers escorted her to her seat in the front row.


    The center section of the front row was reserved for some of the most prestigious and senior members of the entertainment


    industry. Isabel was assigned to a seat slightly left of the center.

 Chapter 2017

    Chapter 2017


    Chapter 2017


    "Hey, Isabel!"


    She had only just sat down when she heard someone calling her name.


    She turned around and saw her friends in the entertainment circle, Triss and Ramona, seated behind her. They were fellow


    actors, and she had known them since the very first film she was part of four years ago.


    They were adapting a certain web novel that was hardly known to the public at all to the big screen. Due to theck of funding,


    the crew almost had to call off the project halfway through the filming when Isabel secretly had someone else fund the film to not


    expose herself. The project ended up being a sess after that.


    It was a drama with a cast of female leads, which turned out to be her, Triss, and Ramona ying the protagonists. The


    reception of the film turned out to be great, partly attributed to the remarkable plot, and it took off in the mainstream in no time.


    It simultaneously helped her, Triss, and Ramona propel their careers.


    Triss and Ramona had started their acting careers earlier than her. Triss was the one who got started earliest, but due to her


    rejecting the advances of a certain investor, her career never managed to take off. She owed her current fame to the film they


    shot together back then.


    As for Ramona, she was the daughter of a famous director. Her favorable background aside, she was a very gifted actor and had


    always been favorably rated by moviegoers and casual fans.


    Isabel got along very well with them. They helped each other out a few times in the past and had built a good rapport, so their


    friendship continued even till this stage of their career.


    Triss wore her head in a low ponytail and wore a dress that made her look cool and mysterious. As for Ramona, she opted for a


    bright pink skirt and went for the adorable lolita look instead.


    Isabel smiled brightly when she saw them. "When did you two get here?¡¯


    Ramona told her, "We got here roughly ten minutes before you. We saw you taking pictures with your fans back there."


    Triss added, "We didn¡¯t want to disturb you, so we came in first."


    Isabel smiled and did not seem like she had much to say.


    Triss was very prideful and held herself to a high standard. Chances were that the reason she chose to not approach Isabel on


    the red carpet was that she did not want people to use her of suckering up to Isabel who was one of the most popr


    actresses of the day.


    ¡°By the way, Isabel, we ran into Isabe just now when we got here. Did you see her?" Ramona asked cautiously.


    Triss did not make any further remarks, but there was a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.


    Isabel said bluntly, "Yeah, | did." "And then? Did you say anything to her?" Ramona was curious about how their interaction had


    gone down, especially considering what she knew of Isabel''s temper.


    Isabel told them, ¡¯I didn¡¯t say anything to her and just ignored her. | came in right after that.¡±


    Ramona and Triss were stunned in silence for a moment.


    Triss blurted out, "You ignored her with the reporters watching?" ¡¯Yeah." "Did she talk to you?¡± Ramona asked.


    Isabel thought about it. "I think she said something to me."


    The two were too stunned to know what to say. Then, they promptly reached for the phones to check their feed.


    It did not take long before they looked up at Isabel.


    Triss told her, ¡®Isabel, you two are trending again."


    Ramona added, "Right on the top of the trending charts, everyone is talking about how you ignored Isabe.¡±


    Triss continued to scroll through her phone for a moment before stating, "It looks like it''s only Isabe''s fans who are upset about


    that." "Really? Let me see." Ramona looked at her phone.


    It seemed like they had sessfully piqued Isabel''s interest as well.


    Nobody else was trying to pile in on her? Now that was a surprise.


    She reached for her phone and took a look for herself.


    Sure enough, the only ones upset at her were Isabe''s fans.


    The neutrals mostlymented on how cool she was and expressed how they admired her bold and unyielding attitude.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    As for her fans, they were out in full force posting the group pictures she had taken with them just now and remarking how nice


    she was to everyone, how kind and caring she was. They must have been worried about the blowback from her ignoring


    Isabe.


    Most of the neutrals were rtively rational and interpreted this as Isabel not wanting to engage in Isabe, that it did not mean


    anything beyond that. However, there were still some who tried to stir up some drama, but they were quickly heckled off before


    they could cause any damage.

 Chapter 2018

    Chapter 2018


    Isabel was quite pleased with this. Not only did she not have to face ridicule, but people were evenrgelyplimentary of her.


    She briefly went through thements before swiping off to her messaging app to text Ca.


    She asked, "How much did you spend on buying food for those girls just now?"


    Ca sent her a receipt. She had bought plenty of food and coffee for the fans just now which totaled up to a humble sum of


    several thousand dors.


    Isabel promptly transferred over ten thousand dors to Ca''s ount.


    Ca told her, "Isabel, that''s too much."


    Isabel was very gracious. "Keep the rest for yourself. You''ve earned it."


    Ca replied joyously, ¡®Thank you so much!"


    Isabel smiled and put away her phone.


    Ca had been with her since she started her acting career, and she was a very attentive and loyal assistant. In addition to


    helping her with her day-to- day affairs, she would also help liaise with her fans. She more than deserved the bonus.


    "Isabel, you have to teach me your secret. Why isn''t anyone trying to nder you?" Ramona said with a tint of envy.


    Triss remarked with a smile, That''s the best oue possible."


    Isabelmented, "Netizens these days are very reasonable."


    Ramona expressed with a sigh, "They may be reasonable, but you haven''t seen how quickly the situation can spiral out of


    control if several bad seeds stir up the pot. This one time, | forgot to give a certain shareholder a toast during a party, and the


    very same night, people kicked up a hate campaign that made all the other neutralizens buy into it and band up against me. |


    was lucky that my dad dealt with the situation for me.¡±


    She suddenly realized that Triss was with them and quickly dropped the subject. "Never mind. No use wallowing about the past."


    Isabel was also aware that Triss had a particrly awful experience in the past when people ndered her online which left a


    permanent mark on her reputation for quite a while. She merely grunted and dropped the subject as well.


    Meanwhile, Isabe had also sat down on the other edge of the front row with several people separating her and Isabel. Even


    from a distance, she was casting a vicious re at Isabel, her eyes filled with spite.


    There was only a handful of people badmouthing Isabel online, but there was a whole flock of themughing at Isabe''s


    expense!


    She was used of being fake and of being an ass-kisser!


    These ridiculousments stewed in Isabe''s mind. She was furious and wanted nothing more than to march up to Isabel and


    p her in the face!


    She was Isabel''s senior, and Isabel only managed to upstage her by luck. How dare she refuse to acknowledge her in public?


    What gave her that right, what gave her the arrogance?


    Isabel needed to be taught a lesson in humility! She refused to stomach this any longer. She would not have it!


    Shortly after that, most of the guests arrived and the event officiallymenced.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    After the host made an opening speech, they went right to the award ceremony.


    Several categories of awards were handed out and soon, they had arrived at the final and most anticipated category of the night.


    The title of the category was the Poprity Award. In other words, the heralded award went to the most popr male and female


    actor of the year.


    The male actors nominated for the award included a certain actor that Isabel had worked with in a very famous and sessful


    TV show. There were two other nominees who both had swarms of die-hard fans rooting for them.


    Isabel was nominated for the female category of the award along with two other older actresses and Isabe.


    The results were announced by the award presenters without any dy. The winner of the male category was the same actor


    who had worked with in the past while the winner of the female category was none other than Isabel Ross.


    Isabel stepped onto the stage with the winning male actor, and they epted the award together to the thunderous apuse of


    the g. They each delivered a short and sweet eptance speech before walking off the stage with their trophy.


    When she walked past Isabe, she was met with a venomous re in Isabe¡¯s eyes. It looked like she was going to spit


    poison out of her tongue at any second.


    She merely cocked an eyebrow in response before heading back to her seat.


    The awards ceremony hade to a close, and the live broadcast ended as well.


    For the next sequence of the night, the media were not invited and were kindly asked to leave. Meanwhile, the rest of the


    attendees of the g prepared for the banquet of the night.


    The banquet was held in an adjacent section.


    Isabel, Triss, and Ramona followed everyone else to the adjacent hall.


    Shortly after entering, Isabel spotted Decker.


    He was wearing a handsome suit and held a ss of wine in hand. He was surrounded by several important-looking men who


    seemed to hold high positions.

 Chapter 2019

    Chapter 2019


    The high-level executives were not the only ones there. Several recognizable figures in the entertainment circle were eagerly


    waiting to talk to Rnd as well.


    Showered with lights from every direction, he carried himself with fine dignity like royalty. His young and handsome looks


    attracted the attention of countless passersby, especially the young and beautiful actresses.


    Isabe was one of these young actresses drawn by Decker''s looks. She affectionately took his arms into hers and greeted him


    with a smile.


    Decker cast a quick smile at her before continuing his conversation with the others.


    Everyone was shocked.


    Isabel could hear someone in earshot eximing, "Oh my God, when did Isabe start seeing President Rockwell?"


    ¡°Are you talking about that handsome man Isabe is with? President Rockwell? That name sounds vaguely familiar."


    "The Rockwells from Southboro."


    "My God, so it is him! He¡¯s so young and handsome. How did Isabe pull this off?"


    "Heh, this exins how she managed to take the female lead and guest star spots from Isabel back then. Decker was her


    connection the entire time.¡±


    "In that case, how did Isabel manage to get them back? Does she have someone even more powerful backing her?"


    "Who knows?"


    Isabel turned around to look at the group gossiping about these affairs.


    They seemed to have noticed her staring and quickly scuttled away.


    She could not be bothered. She took Triss and Ramona with her and chose a seat slightly farther away from Decker.


    "Isabel, Decker looks very influential. Do you think Isabe will use his help to make things difficult for you?" Ramona lowered


    her to a whisper and asked worriedly.


    Triss seemed concemed as well.


    Isabel remarked with a brisk smile, "She already did thatst week."


    Ramona and Triss stiffened for a moment before catching on to her meaning.


    Isabel was confirming their suspicions that Isabe had taken advantage of her connection with Decker to seize the female lead


    and guest star role from her. But so what? It still ended with Isabel reiming what was rightfully hers.


    This showed that even someone like Decker could noty his hands on just about anything he wanted.


    Triss and Ramona wondered if it was Amanda, Isabel¡¯s famous manager who helped her take back the roles. It was


    either that, or there was someone more powerful helping her behind the scenes.


    Isabel assumed she had managed to avoid having to confront Decker, but she bumped into him again as soon as she walked out


    of the washroom.


    He seemed to be waiting for her. He was the only one in the empty corridor, and he leaned gracefully against the wall with a


    cocky grin.


    Isabel saw him the moment she stepped out of the washroom. Her expression stiffened immediately, and she proceeded to walk


    past him.


    ¡°Isabel,¡± Decker called after her softly.


    For a brief instant, Isabel felt like she was transported to that period more than five years ago now when they were still head over


    heels in love.


    It was only a passing instant, and she was quickly snapped back to the present.


    She ignored him and continued walking.


    "Isabel, how did you get connected to Carter Corporation?" he asked with a sharp connotation in his voice.


    Isabel stopped as this grabbed her attention.


    Carter Corporation?


    She spected that Decker must have contacted the showrunners of "Legend of the Goddess" and "The Wonder" after


    everything that had gone down to find out more details. They must have told him about being contacted by Carter Corporation,


    initiated by Rnd, and how they were told to concede the roles back to her.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    This must be how Decker figured out that she had connections to Carter Corporation.


    She sneered, "Decker, do you think | need anybody''s help just to deal with you?"


    Decker grinned like a fox. He pressed two steps closer toward Isabel, "How did you pull it off then? What, all by yourself?"


    It was not hard to see the mockery in his smile.

 Chapter 2020

    Chapter 2020


    Chapter 2020


    "Yes. | have what it takes to get the Carter Corporation on my side," Isabel dered with steel in her voice.


    "Heh." Decker chuckled dismissively before interrogating her, "What exactly is it that you have that Carter Corporation would be


    willing to help you?"


    He sized her up a few times upon raising this question.


    Isabel squinted. "Keep staring at me like that and I''ll poke your eyes out. Want to try me?"


    Her voice was ferocious.


    Deckers seemed to be taken aback by her vicious demeanor. He collected himself and formed that same smile again. "Would


    you mind telling me who your inside connection in Carter Corporation is?"


    "No." Isabel shot him down, "But what | can tell you is that the nature of my rtionship with Carter Corporation is perfectly


    legitimate. We are equals unlike what''s going on between you and Isabe."


    Amere actor would prop herself on equal footing with Carter Corporation, one of the most prestigious corporations in


    Westchester? Who would believe that?


    Decker scoffed and changed his approach this time. "Sure, so who is your boyfriend in Carter Corporation?"


    Isabel made a face before expressing disappointedly,"


    Decker, how old are you? Is this the only thing you have on your mind. Is that the only kind of rtionship you can ever


    comprehend?"


    Decker smiled slyly. "So, you''re saying that this person in Carter Corporation helping you is just a friend?"


    "Yes, we are just friends. in and simple,¡± Isabel said bluntly.


    "| see. How did you be in and simple friends with this person?" Decker asked while inching closer toward her.


    Isabel cocked an eyebrow. "I''m not telling you."


    Decker peered at her quietly.


    Isabel was done fussing about this with her, and she turned to leave.


    "So, you don''t have a boyfriend right now?" Decker asked stoutly.


    She ignored him and continued pressing forward. Her strides were quick and steady, and she held herself with a prideful attitude,


    unafraid of the man behind her.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Decker broke into a jog so that he could cut off her path. He stared defiantly into her eyes and asked, "Isabel, have you not dated


    anybody else since you left me five years ago?"


    ¡°What business of yours is it whether | have a boyfriend or not?" she asked irritably.


    Decker disyed a satisfied grin and expressed, "You still can''t forget about me, can you?"


    Isabel was silent.


    On that night five years ago when Decker had pped her mercilessly across her face, she had feltpletely crushed. There


    must have been something about the overwhelmed state of mind at the time that somehow awoken all of her slumbering


    memories. It was shortly after that when she packed up everything and left Southboro to return to Westchester.


    Her heart continued to ache for a while after that, but more than anything else she was consumed with the desire to storm back


    to Southboro and give Decker a beating for what he had done to her.


    Still, she acknowledged that their rtionship was over. She sorted out her thoughts and decided to find something to do for


    herself to keep herself upied.


    That was when she decided to enter the entertainment industry and plunged herself into a hectic but also fulfilling lifestyle to the


    point where she could not find time for dating, much less seeing other people.


    After a prolonged silence, she asked, "Decker, have you used the washroom yet?"


    Decker was caught off guard by this. "No, what''s the matter?"


    "Why don''t you use the washroom now?" Isabel said while rolling her eyes, "Good time to look at yourself in the mirror as well.¡±


    Decker regarded her silently.


    Upon noticing his reluctance to respond, Isabelpped around him and continued walking back into the venue.


    She only managed a few steps when his voice came from behind again, "Isabel, if youe back to me, | promise that | can


    give you everything you''ll ever need. | just cannot give you a publicbel as my girlfriend just yet. However, | swear that our


    children will be the first sessor in line to the Rockwell assets."


    Isabel stopped.


    What the man said was utterly ridiculous, and she could notugh even if she tried.


    She looked back at him. "Decker, are you hoping that our hypothetical kid turns out like you in the future?"

 Chapter 2021

    Chapter 2021


    Although Decker''s father had always cared a great deal for him, it did not change the fact that he was a b*stard child whose


    mother was a mistress. He was grown up despised by people around him and even now, he was devising a scheme to steal


    away the assets that were to be rightfully inherited by the true son of his father. 1


    Isabel''s stomach grew sick at the thought of having a child with this despicable man. It filled her with disgust and disdain.


    Decker frowned and said, "He won''t end up like me, I''ll make sure to make the necessary arrangements so that our child will


    inherit all of my wealth.¡±


    Isabel was at a loss for words. She had never seen someone as shameless as he was.


    She said without pulling back any punches, "Decker, you better give up, it¡¯s never going to happen. I''m never going to be with


    you, let alone have a child with you."


    Upon noticing that she was preparing to leave again, Decker paced upto her again and asked stubbornly, "Have | not given you


    enough? What else do you want from me?¡±


    Isabel snapped. "| want you to leave me alone!"


    Decker frowned, his face darkened instantly.


    "Isabel, there¡¯s a limit to my patience," he said darkly.


    It seemed like Isabel had incited his wrath with her indifference.


    ¡°What? Are you going to p me again?" Isabel was not afraid to provoke him at all, she said while turning the side of her face


    toward him.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Decker gnashed his teeth. "Isabel..."


    "Mr. Rockwell, here you are." Suddenly, Isabe''s voice came from the end of the corridor.


    She quickly approached when she saw Isabel and Decker standing together.


    Decker''s expression morphed instantly as he transformed into a kind and doting man in the blink of an eye.


    Isabel could not stand the sight of him ying at his usual tricks. She shot him a sideways look and walked away.


    This time, Decker did not pursue after her.


    As for Isabe, she shot Isabel a re while approaching Decker.


    Isabel hardly acknowledged her at all. She did not even return a look.


    Soon, she returned to the banquet hall.


    Meanwhile, Isabe went upto Decker.


    She took Decker''s arm affectionately and asked, "Mr. Rockwell, why were you with Isabel? Do you two know each other?"


    Decker smiled faintly and spoke, "We do."


    Isabe seemed affected by this. Still, she made sure to not overreact and only enquire half-heartedly, "How long have you


    known each other?"


    "| came to Westchester because of her," Decker said while peering into her eyes.


    Isabe stiffened. She could not even muster a fake smile.


    Decker smiled, and gently brushed the side of her cheeks. " Before | met you, | invited her to dinner with me and she sshed a


    face full of wine on me."


    Isabe was taken aback by this and expressed angrily," How could she do that to you? How disrespectful!"


    "Yeah. You''re so much better than her."


    Isabe seemed pleased to hear this, evident by the corner of her lips immediately turning up into a wide smile. She leaned into


    him and said, "You tter me too much, Mr.


    Rockwell. I''m so lucky to have gained your admiration at all."


    Decker smiled and gently pinched her cheeks before leading her back toward the banquet hall.


    As soon as he walked into the banquet hall, he subconsciously darted a nce at a rtively remote corner of the banquet hall.


    Isabel was seated at a round table with two fellow actresses who were her close friends.


    He spied on them for several seconds before retracting his gaze and promptly wiping away the gloom in his eyes.


    He had been as patiently as humanly possible with her and offered her the best conditions one could hope for.


    It was her fault for not knowing what was good for her. From here on, she had no right to me him for resorting to harsher


    measures.

 Chapter 2022

    Chapter 2022


    It was a very brief banquet that concluded in no time.


    Isabel bid farewell to Ramona and Triss before having her driver take her back to her ce.


    Coincidentally, she chanced into Rnd again when she was about to reach her ce.


    He carried a briefcase in hand and wore a ck suit as usual. Due to his tall and striking figure, it was very easy to spot him


    walking down the street. His mncholic figure adorned underneath the streetlights made for a very appealing sight.


    Isabel asked her driver to slow down. Then she leaned out the window to gawk at him for a while.


    When they were within earshot, she called out, "Rnd!"


    Rnd turned around.


    There was hardly a hint of fright in his eyes, he was cool andposed as usual.


    Isabel asked, "It¡¯s the weekend today, why are you still at work?"


    He stated, "There''s still a lot of work that needs to be taken care of."


    Isabel made a look, alright then.


    She asked the driver to stop, then she scanned the area to make sure no paparazzi were lurking around. Then, she opened the


    door and got out of the car.


    Due to the long hem of the dress she wore, she had to fold it into her hands and carry it around as she walked toward Rnd.


    When she looked up at him again, she noticed that he was eyeing her up and down.


    He must be admiring her outfit, perhaps her figure as well.


    Isabel did not feel ufortable despite him tantly eyeing her up and down since there was not a hint of pervert about him.


    She even felt safe enough to let the hem fall and pose for him, twisting her waist left and right.


    ¡°How''s the outfit, how do | look?" she asked cheerfully.


    Rnd pursed his lips and looked away awkwardly.


    Hemented briefly, "It¡¯s alright."


    Isabel smiled, and lifted the hem of the dress again before starting walking with him.


    ¡°Rnd, are you going to take a break from work tomorrow?" she asked candidly.


    It was Sunday tomorrow.


    Rnd peered at her. "Why are you asking me this?"


    "No reason, | was just wondering if you¡¯re going to take some time to rest tomorrow."


    Rnd said solemnly, "There are two international meetings tomorrow as well as several documents that need my signature for


    approval."


    "Okay." Isabel sighed and gently patted his shoulder." Thanks for your hard work."


    She was mimicking what she thought was the idea of an attentive superior encouraging her subordinate.


    Rnd did not react.


    Soon, they arrived at the gate to Isabel¡¯s apartment.


    Isabel stopped and said with a brisk smile, "Here''s me, bye."


    Rnd grunted and told her goodbye.


    With that, Isabel walked inside.


    She walked down the path until she was nearing the corner, then a thought suddenly urred to her to turn around to have a


    look. She immediately noticed a figure standing by the gate facing her.


    The figure was d in the shadows. Due to the distance between them, she could only make out its silhouette while the face was


    a blur.


    Still, it was not hard to tell that it was Rnd.


    Why was he still here?


    Was he worried about her walking alone at night?


    There was nothing to worry about. She was already inside thepound of the apartment and the ce had security guards.


    She waved at him, then she reached for her phone to text him. "This ce has security patrols, don''t worry about me. Go home


    and get some rest."Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd replied, "Okay."

 Chapter 2023

    Chapter 2023


    When Isabel looked up again, Rnd''s figure had disappeared from the looming shadows by the entrance.


    She suddenly felt strangely lonely.


    With a long sigh, she turned around the corner and retreated into her apartment.


    A monthter.


    The serialized drama that Isabel was filming had finallye to a close, and the scenes for the grand finale were wrapped up.


    Over the course of the month, she had been with the crew nearly every waking hour to ensure the consistent quality of the final


    few episodes. She hardly went back to her ce to sleep at night.


    Now that the show was a wrap, she felt like she had regained her freedom atst.


    After having a grand feast with the crew, she left the film set.


    Amanda had recovered from her illness and came to pick her up in person.


    On the way back home, Isabel sat with Amanda in the rear. Amanda began going through the uing itinerary.


    First of all, she was going to start joining the variety show The Wonder as the guest star. The Legend of the Goddess would also


    begin filming next week, then there were a few misceneous gigs and whatnot tossed in. All in all, her schedule was packed


    throughout the rest of the year.


    Although she was passionate about her job, she had to admit that it could be rather exhausting at times.


    She sighed weakly and asked, "Amanda, do you think there''s a chance | could get a month off?"


    Amanda rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically, "How does a year off sound?"


    She immediately followed up with a long sermon. "Do you know how hard Isabe had been going at ittely? Not only has she


    epted two guest star roles in two popr variety shows, but she also recently took on a handful of high-quality scripts as well.


    | didn¡¯t even get a chance to go through those scripts before her team snatched them up. If you don''t step up, she''s going to


    surpass you and leave you in the dust before you know it."


    Isabel seemed unfazed. "We''ll see if she has what it takes to surpass me, I''d like to see her try."


    There was no use in hoping and praying that Isabe did not catch up to her.


    Besides, what else was she supposed to do? Her schedule was already filled to the brim as was.


    Amanda shot her a sideways look before relenting. "Alright, I''ll give you a day off. Get some rest tomorrow and recharge. I''ll pick


    you up in the morning the day after tomorrow. We''re going to the set at The Wonder." "Alright, you got it."


    That was when Ca, who was in the passenger seat the entire time, suddenly turned to Isabel. "Sister, this looks bad,


    something happened to Triss."


    Isabel sat up straight immediately. "What happened to her?" "Check your feed, | don''t know what''s going on but it seems like


    there''s a new scandal revolving around her."N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Isabel urgently reached for her phone.


    The first keyword on the trending list caught her eye immediately: Triss Ravine - Casting Couch Regr.


    She clicked inside and was bombarded with countless sphemous articles about her that said everything that could be said.


    For instance, "Triss has been sleeping around since the start of her career, she''s notorious for sinking her ws into every


    sessful man she can find. A few years back, she identally got on the bad side of a certain investor and that''s when her


    career went downhill since her usual fling decided to ditch her. If it wasn¡¯t forthat film she shot with Isabel back then, we would''ve


    completely forgotten about her already.¡± "| heard what truly kicked off her career over thesest few years isn¡¯t because of that


    web novel-adapted film, but it''s because she managed to get acquainted with a few big names in the business. | know some


    insiders and they all tell me that Triss has a bit of a reputation."


    Someone else leaked a photo of Triss sitting on another man''sp. The man¡¯s face was blurred out but Triss'' waspletely


    unaltered.


    Things continued to ramp up from there as people began to call for boycotts and to banish her from the scene.


    Isabel was furious.


    She recognized that picture and the circumstances that led to that picture being taken. It was taken three years ago when they


    were celebrating the sess of a film they shot together. The man in the picture was a certain senior executive of an


    entertainmentpany. He was invited to the celebration dinner since he was one of the major investors.


    At that time, he had too much to drink and began trying to get with Isabel, but was brutally shot down. Chances were he


    identified another target in


    Triss who seemed to be an easier target, so he immediately took her into his arms without her consent. Triss was afraid of


    upsetting him and tried to gently persuade him to let go of her, which only excited him further. That was when he began to ramp


    up his antics and started fondling her.


    Naturally, Isabel could not stand for it. She immediately pulled Triss off of the man and harshly reprimanded the unruly man so he


    would not direct his anger at Triss but at her instead. "Hey old fart, this is a formal celebration dinner, mind keeping it in your


    pants? If you want that kind of fun, go somewhere else instead of exposing your filth here.¡±


    Amanda was already her manager back then and due to her significant status in the entertainment industry, the man was afraid


    to retaliate. He sucked it up and scuttled away.


    It was then that Triss and Isabel began to develop a close friendship.


    This picture had been around for a long time. Why did it suddenly surface online now of all times?


    Trissrgely kept to herself. She never tried to fight for roles with anybody and it was unlikely that she would have stepped on


    anybody''s toes at all.

 Chapter 2024

    Chapter 2024


    Chapter 2024


    Amanda briefly looked at her feed before asking, "Has Triss made some enemiestely?"


    Isabel answered, "I don''t think so."


    Ever since that one time several years ago when her career was derailed because she refused the advance of a certain


    businessman, she had been very cautious. Now that her career was finally looking up again, she would not act rashly.


    Amanda spected. "Then this means that somebody is running a smear campaign on her."


    Isabel frowned.


    The entertainment industry may seem morous on the outside, but anyone in the know would tell you that it was very


    treacherous and one had to watch their back at all times. Even though Triss was never one to stir conflict, someone must be


    envious of her sess and wanted to ruin her.


    ¡°Let her management team deal with it, don''t worry about it." Amanda advised kindly.


    Isabel did not respond. She went to the chat group between her, Triss, and Ramona.


    The group was usually very quiet, so there was not much activity going on most of the time.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Isabel sent a message to the group, "What''s with the news I¡¯ve been seeing online? Triss, have you got into trouble with anyone


    lately?¡±


    As soon as she sent the message, Ramona showed up as well. "I just saw the trending page as well. Triss, do you know if


    there''s someone who might be targeting you for some reason?"


    Two minutester, Triss replied, "| don''t know what''s going on either. I''ve just been doing the same thing I¡¯ve always been doing.


    Most of the time, I''m either filming or I''m resting at home. | haven''t even been joining any variety showstely or seeing anyone


    at all.¡±


    Ramona was furious. "Who in the hell is this? Why would they do this to you? | can''t believe it!"


    Isabel asked, "Triss, do you or your management team have any solutions?"


    This was not the time to be upset, they had to get down and dirty to remedy the ongoing situation.


    Triss told them, "My agent helped me contact a PR team and we¡¯ve contacted awyer to issue warnings. The problem is that


    the picture of me sitting on that man¡¯sp is everywhere on the Inte. | don¡¯t think awyer''s letter is going to stop people from


    spreading the picture."


    Ramona was at a loss. "What should we do??"


    Triss did not respond.


    Based on Isabel¡¯s impression of Triss, she was probably going through a depressive fit right now.


    She considered for a moment before asking, "Triss, let me help you rify the story behind the picture online. Would you mind if |


    do that?"


    Triss replied in a matter of seconds, "| don¡¯t mind, but are you sure this won''t affect your reputation?"


    Most people would understandably prefer to avoid getting tangled inplicated scandals such as this, especially considering


    how negative the public opinion of her was currently. If Isabel spoke up for her, there was a chance that she would face the


    scrutiny of the public as well.


    Isabel assured her. "It won¡¯t. Don''t worry about it."


    Besides, she had been through the gauntlet several times, so she was practically immune to criticism by this point. All she cared


    about was that she could sleep with a clear conscience.


    With that, she went to her page.


    While she was still figuring out how she should structure the story, she suddenly received a text from an unknown number.


    The contents of the message were short and borate. "Isabel, | heard you''re a close friend of Triss, aren''t you? It looks like she


    needs some help now. | would help you if you ask nicely."


    She frowned.


    No matter how she looked at it, the entire text reeked of Decker.


    It also seemed highly probable that he was the one trying to defile Triss'' name.


    Asurge of anger rose to her chest, and she replied with a simple and borate text that read, "Scram."


    After that, she swiped back to her page and began topose a long- winded paragraph exining everything. ¡®There''s nothing


    to see here. | remember that picture, it was taken roughly three to four years ago. We were celebrating the favorable of the web-


    novel adapted film ¡®Furious Women¡¯. Apart from the crew and the director, we also invited one of our investors which is the man


    you see in this picture. He used his position as a major investor and made Triss sit on hisp even though it was clear that she


    didn''t want to. Then he refused to let go no matter what Triss told him. | remember being disgusted with his behavior and telling


    him off right then and there. He stormed off like a spoiled brat after that."


    Right after she made the post, she heard Amanda grumbling at her. ¡°Isabel, didn''t | tell you to not get involved? You''re only


    asking for trouble by voicing out at this time!¡±


    Isabel said snarkily, "| get into enough trouble on my own anyway, this won¡¯t make a difference."

 Chapter 2025

    Chapter 2025


    Amanda was exasperated, she took a deep breath.


    Isabel patted her on the back to ease her stress, then she continued scrolling through her phone.


    Her fans and Triss'' fans were all sharing hertest statement.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Within minutes, the post had gained a tremendous amount of traction and had overtaken the previous "Triss Ravine - Casting


    Couch Regr" trending keyword.


    There were manyments fromizens, some of thements that received the most attention included: "Even Isabel is


    voicing out about this scumbag, | believe her." "Triss is friends with Isabel, isn''t she? What if Isabel is just helping her?" "Isn''t it


    natural for friends to help each other? Since she''s speaking up for Triss at a time like this, this shows that she''s a loyal and


    empathetic friend. If you ask me, this is further proof that Triss was framed." "If you take a closer look at that picture, Triss looks


    like she doesn¡¯t want to be there at all. She''s even trying to shove the man away." "It does seem like Triss was innocent all


    along.¡±


    The public reception turned out better than Isabel imagined. Although there was still a minority that expressed doubts, the


    majority believed her.


    Ramona must have seen the shifting sentiment online, and that was when


    Ramona had always maintained a clean reputation. She was never a part of any scandals ever since her debut. This meant that


    her words carried a certain weight and sessfully swayed the doubters as they seemed convinced atst.


    In just half an hour, Triss¡¯ innocence was proven, and her name was exonerated.


    She tagged Isabel and Ramona in their group chat and thanked them fervently, "Isabel, Ramona, thank you so much!"


    Ramona was d to have helped. "You''re wee, you should thank


    Isabel. She was the one who spoke up first."


    Isabel thought about the message she got from Decker and grew sullen.


    She replied, "Don''t need to thank me, | was just telling the truth."


    She knew that she was the reason Triss was targeted at all as Decker was the one behind all this.


    Still, Triss was very thankful for their help and expressed her gratitude repeatedly before finally giving it a rest.


    Amanda heaved a sigh of relief. "You got lucky this time, you have to be more careful in the future and stay away from trouble."


    Isabel promised half-heartedly. "Okay, got it!"


    Ding!


    Decker texted her again, "Isabel, | just dug up some interesting news again. It turns out Ramona¡¯s father had been regrly


    seeing two mistresses for some time. He even has a b*stard child with one of them. What do you think people''s reaction is going


    to be when they find out about this?"


    Isabel stared at her phone wordlessly.


    She had enough of this. With a deep, tired sigh, she sent a strongly worded message. "Decker, if you keep messing with my


    friends, don''t get surprised when | return the favor and expose all your dirty secrets online! Which one do you think people are


    going to be more interested in-Ramona''s family affairs or the private scandal of the Rockwells of Southboro?"


    This seemed to do the trick, evident by Decker¡¯s immediate silence afterward.


    She scoffed coldly and put away her phone.


    That was when she noticed Amanda and Ca staring at her.


    Her expression softened as she asked, "What''s wrong?¡± "Did something happen?" Amanda asked.


    Ca added, "You looked so scary just now, it looked like you were going to kill someone."

 Chapter 2026

    Chapter 2026


    Isabel yed it off with a chuckle. "Don''t worry about it, | just saw someone writing a hatefulment."


    Amanda and Ca did not press her for more details after that.


    It was only then that Isabel realized that the car had stopped outside her apartment already.


    After saying goodbye to Amanda and Ca, she got out of the car.


    As usual, she went to the lobby and took the elevator to her floor.


    It was already dark outside, the corridor was dimly lit by overhead ceiling lights.


    She strode toward her unit and stopped outside the entrance.


    Just as she was about to unlock the door, an ominous figure burst out of the shadows and nked her from behind.


    She was caught off guard and quickly swung around but it was toote.


    Ahandtched itself firmly around her throat.


    Decker pinned her against the door, one hand around her throat.


    The usual tender glow in his eyes was reced by a menacing re.


    Isabel gasped for air. She wed desperately at Decker''s hand to free herself.


    He was so much stronger than her and barely budged at all no matter how hard she pummeled at his hand.


    She red at him viciously and cried out, "Decker, let go!"N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Decker lowered his head closer toward hers.


    She instantly felt a wave of repulsion and turned her head to the side, refusing to face him at all.


    Decker chuckled at her futile resistance and growled in her ears, "Isabel, if you dare to bring up even a word about my private


    life, I''ll make sure to end your friend''s career. I''ll never forgive you.¡±


    Isabel did not respond.


    He suddenly tightened his grip. ¡®Did you hear me?"


    Isabel had the breath choked out of her, she whimpered weakly, "Yeah, | heard you."


    Decker let go of her neck atst but immediately seized her by her chin to make her face him.


    She was forced to look at him. "| heard you already, what else do you want?


    He smiled and asked wretchedly, "Aren''t you wondering how | got here?"


    She gulped.


    She was nowhere near physically strong as him so this was not the time to taunt him.


    She asked just like he hoped she would, "How did you get here?" "It took me a while to find out where you lived. | already bought


    the unit next to yours. We''re going to be neighbors from now on."


    She blurted out without thinking about it, "Haven''t you got with Isabe?


    What''s your problem?"


    Why was he trying to intrude on her life?


    "| didn''t sleep with her," he stated suddenly.


    She was caught off-guard by this and stammered, "! don''t care what happens between you and her, the point is that you and |


    are over." "It was you who left without even bothering to say goodbye five years ago, | never agreed to break up with you.¡±


    Decker gripped her chin tightly. "As far as I''m concerned, things were never over between us as you call it."


    Isabel was speechless.


    She felt a gross feeling turning over in her stomach.


    She gulped. "Decker, would you at least let me go first? We can talk like rational people afterward."


    Decker still had a hint of a gentleman inside him. He obliged and promptly released her, then he took a step back to give her


    some space.


    Isabel spoke frankly and sincerely, "| know you still have feelings for me, but | have my principles. | can never ept being


    somebody''s mistress."


    She kept her hands behind her as she spoke, sneakily fiddling with the door.


    Decker looked earnestly into her eyes. "Isabel, I''m not asking you to be my mistress. As far as I¡¯m concerned, you''ll always be


    my top priority, | care about you-"


    Beep!


    He paused midway through his sentence with a frown across his face."


    What''s that sound?"


    Isabel threw her weight against the door and retreated into her house, then she mmed the door close faster than one could


    blink.


    Mere instants before the door shut, she audibly spat at him and hissed," That''s the sound of me telling you to piss off, you


    scumbag!"

 Chapter 2027

    Chapter 2027


    Chapter 2027


    Isabel promptly locked the door after that.


    Shut outside, Decker was too stunned for words.


    It took him several seconds to register what had happened. Then, he chuckled lowly and said out loud, "Isabel, you¡¯re wee


    toe back to me at anytime, | live right next door. I''ll wait until you figure things out."


    She ignored him entirely.


    She still had not gotten over the shock of suddenly having Decker confront her and choke the breath out of her. It was an


    invasion of her safety.


    This man was far more dangerous than she had imagined.


    Although she would not say that she was afraid of him, she still recognized that she was threatened by a man as bold as he was.


    She sat huddled on the sofa with her phone in her hand. She swiped through her list of contacts, going through each of her


    family members.


    After giving it some thought, she gave up on the idea of going to them for help.


    If she had told them about Decker pestering her, it also meant that they would find out about what she was up to during her brief


    disappearance five years ago.


    It was a time of her life that she regarded with shame and remorse. She would rather her family not find out about it.


    Perhaps she could employ two bodyguards.


    However, with Decker living directly next door, it seemed to her that bodyguards alone would not suffice.


    While she was still troubled over how she should approach this delicate problem, she came across Rnd''s name in her


    contacts.


    Something gleamed in her eyes. She promptly texted him, "Rnd, are you finished with work yet?"


    Rnd replied within seconds, "I just stepped off the subway, do you need anything?"


    She asked bluntly, "| was thinking if | could sleep over at your ce for one night?"


    The thought of there being only a concrete wall separating herself from the treacherous Decker made her frantic.


    Rnd''s apartment was far more secure and had a dedicated security force installed in every block. To enter his apartment


    complex, one needed security clearance unless they were apanied by a resident.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Rnd replied quickly, "Sure, I''ll be downstairs soon.¡±


    Isabel felt a sense of relief immediately. She told him, "I''ll be there in a second."


    She quickly packed her belongings and threw a set of clean clothes inside her bag. Then, she put on a hat and a mask and


    quietly approached the door where she opened a tiny gap to spy outside.


    The corridor was entirely vacant and the door of the adjacent unit was closed. Decker was probably not going to show up fora


    while.


    She gently shut the door behind her as she left, then she trotted hastily to the elevator, careful to not produce any sound.


    Even after the elevator had taken her to the ground floor, her heart was still beating rapidly.


    As soon as the elevator door opened, she saw Rnd standing outside. He wore a fashionable ck suit as always, lugging the


    same briefcase with him. He stood tall like a totem.


    Although his expression was otherwise cold with indifference, she felt a guzzling sense of relief at the sight of him!


    As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she gave him a big hug.


    ¡°Rnd, you''re the best!"


    Rnd stiffened for a moment, his hands which he kept on the side of his body briefly inched toward Isabel''s body, then he


    hesitated and pulled them back.


    ¡°What happened?" he asked stoutly.


    ¡°Nothing. Come on, let''s go." Isabel let go of him, then she took one of his hands and led him to the gate.


    They had to get out of there before Decker saw them.


    Rnd silently followed after her. He stoically observed her paleplexion and agitated demeanor.


    It was clear as day that she was running away from somebody.


    His apartmentplex was just a short distance away.


    After he tapped the ess card against the sensor te, they entered the gatedmunity. It was only then that Isabel slowed


    down her pace and heaved a sigh of relief.


    Rnd asked with a frown, "Is everything alright?"


    After finally releasing the tension from her body, she told him, "I¡¯m being followed by somebody." "Who? Is it a fan? A stalker?¡±


    Isabel was surprised that his mind had gone there at all, she remarked briskly, "Neither. Anyways, you wouldn''t know this


    person."


    Rnd stated curtly, "Of course | wouldn''t know if you don''t tell me." He said with a tint of displeasure in his voice.

 Chapter 2028

    Chapter 2028


    Isabel shot a look at him. "What''s with that attitude? You don''t want me to sleep over at your ce, do you?"


    Rnd muttered stiffly, "...No."


    Isabel eyed him severely.


    His face was spelled with the same stoical calm, it did not seem like he did not want to help her.


    Her expression softened, and she confessed, "It''s my ex-boyfriend."


    Rnd''s expression shifted for once. "Your ex-boyfriend came to pester you?"


    Isabel hugged her bag tightly while she walked on, she answered hesitantly, "Something like that." "Do you need help chasing


    him away?" he asked concerningly.


    "No, I''ll take care of it myself, just focus on your work, don¡¯t worry about me."


    He had to help her handle affairs at Carter Corporation till dusk every day. She could not possibly trouble him any further.


    Besides, it was better that she handle her personal affairs on her own.


    Besides, Decker was no ordinary threat. She doubted even Rnd could help.


    Rnd peered at her and stopped trying to probe her for more information.


    Soon, they stepped into Rnd¡¯s ce.


    Martha was still awake and when she came out of her bedroom to see Isabel next to Rnd, her eyes sparked with joy. "Isabel?


    Why are you here at this hour? Have you had dinner yet?"


    Isabel hesitated fora moment before making up an excuse at the spur of the moment. "Hey Aunt Martha. There was a fire at my


    ce so | had toe over here to spend the night."


    She did not want to worry Martha by telling her about her current situation with Decker.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    However, her strange excuse about there being a fire at her ce was enough to send Martha into a flight of worry. She hurried


    over to Isabel and patted her up and down. "How did a fire break out? Are you okay?" "I¡¯m fine. It started in my neighbor''s ce


    and spread over to my unit. The firefighters have put out the fire already but a lot of my things got burned down. It''s going to take


    a few days for them to repair the damage before | can go back."


    Martha heaved a sigh of relief. "Alright."


    Then she asked, "So, have you had dinner yet?"


    Isabel answered truthfully, "I haven''t had dinner yet, do you have anything to eat?" "Yes, of course! | just made something for


    Rnd, it''s in the kitchen. Both of you, sit down at the dining table, I''ll bring the food over to you."


    Before Isabel could offer to help, Martha strode into the kitchen.


    She could not possibly trouble Martha with having to serve her when she was showing up unannounced to stay the night!


    She hurriedly tossed her bag onto the sofa and went into the kitchen to help Martha with the preparation.


    After the food was set on the table, Martha said with a bright smile, "Go on, eat with Rnd. I¡¯ve already eaten so I¡¯m going to


    head back to my room to rest."


    Isabel smiled appreciatively. "Okay, good night, Aunt Martha."


    Martha smiled suggestively at Rnd before heading back to her bedroom.


    Isabel immediately plopped down at the dining table and started eating without waiting for Rnd.


    Rnd sat across from her. He watched her eat for a while before picking up the spoon himself.


    They ate in silence until Isabel had had her fill.


    "lm full." She set aside her spoon and fork and sighed with satisfaction.


    Then, she turned to Rnd and asked, "Which room can | sleep in?"


    Rnd was wiping his mouth with a napkin, he had just finished eating as well.


    After he wiped his mouth, he rose and motioned. "Come with me."


    His house was huge, so there was no shortage of empty rooms.


    Isabel followed him down a hallway to the innermost bedroom.


    The bedroom was of a generous size, it was well-furnished and had a clean bed. It also had a connected bathroom.


    Isabel looked at her lodgings and seemed very pleased. Rnd asked, Does this work for you?" "Of course," she said with a


    smile before turning to him. "Alright, get some rest."


    Rnd nced at her, then he turned and walked out.


    He gently shut the door.


    Isabel stretched, then she went into the bathroom.


    The bathroom was veryrge as well, it was equipped with a clean set of toiletries that had never been used before.

 Chapter 2029

    Chapter 2029


    It seemed like the room was a guest room. Everything was made ready for the eventual guest. It would appear that she was the


    first person to ever use this room at all.


    She went to the bathroom and took a hot shower. She recalled back to the first time she met Rnd.


    Both he and his mother hailed from Westboro and had been in Westchester for a year by now. With the respectable position he


    held in Carter Corporation and his impressive sry, why did they not have any friends or familying to visit them?


    Perhaps they did not have any such rtions?


    Rnd may seem emotionally distant, but he was not someone who was pompous or the type to hold himself above others.


    Martha was as friendly as theye. Furthermore, she had a refined air about her, one would imagine that she came from an


    educated and cultured background.


    It was unlikely that these two did not have friends or rtives.


    The more she thought about it, the more curious she became. Still, she acknowledged that this was their private affair and it was


    rude of her to intrude as aplete outsider.


    The shower cleared her mind. She stopped thinking about these things that should not concern her.


    It was only then that she remembered that the change of clothes she brought with her was inside her bag and that she had


    tossed her bag on the couch in the living room!


    She only had a small towel that barely covered her chest and her behind.


    She took a deep breath to brace herself. With the towel flimsily wrapped around her, she stepped out of the bathroom and went


    to open the closet.


    The closet was empty with not a single piece of clothing inside.


    Left without a choice, she sneakily approached the bedroom door and carefully cracked open a tiny cap to spy into the hallway.


    It was quiet outside. Only a dim night light was left on. There seemed to be no movements whatsoever inside the living room.


    Martha had already gone back to her room to settle in for the night. Rnd must have gone back to his room as well.


    With this in mind, she gently stepped forward and snuck out of the room without making a noise. She briskly tip-toed to the living


    room.


    The lights in the living room had been switched off, and the faint glow of the hallway light spilled into the living room.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She immediately spotted her bag on the couch.


    She hurried over and snatched the bag.


    Just as she was about to turn and retreat to her room, she spotted the shape of a figure amid the dark shadows.


    She froze and blinked sporadically, doubting her vision. That was when she finally recognized that it was indeed a person.


    The man was seated on a chair by the window with a ss of water in hand. Who else could this be other than Rnd?


    Awave of silence fell over them.


    Isabel red at him and stammered, "Why-why are you here?¡±


    Rnd said matter-of-factly, "I''ve been here the entire time.¡±


    He was here before she was here.


    Isabel was flustered. "I... Why didn''t you say anything when you saw me approaching?"


    Rnd suddenly did not know how topose an appropriate answer. He hesitated for a few seconds before stating, "It wasn¡¯t


    intentional."


    Which part was he referring to? That he did not warn her or that he did not mean to look at her?


    Isabel felt flustered but knew she had no reason to be scolding him. Still, she cried out, "Close your damn eyes already!"


    Rnd seemed to process what she said for a moment before shutting his eyes.


    Isabel grew red all over as she hugged her bag and ran back to the bedroom.


    She closed the door and covered her face in shame.


    Oh my god, so embarrassing!


    Fortunately, she had the protection of the towel. If she was not covered, she would not know what to do with herself at all.


    After she took another shower and changed into a set of clean pajamas, her restless mood settled down atst.


    Shey on the bed and tossed and turned around. After some hesitation, she still texted Rnd, "Did you see anything back


    there?"


    Rnd replied, "No, | didn¡¯t see anything.¡± 1


    Isabel grinned satisfactorily and set aside her phone.


    Smart man.

 Chapter 2030

    Chapter 2030


    Isabel turned off the rm clock on her phone since she had the day off tomorrow and slept until nearly eleven the next morning


    before she woke up atst.


    Remembering that she was at Rnd¡¯s house, she hurriedly got up out of bed and walked out of the bedroom, just in time to


    bump into Martha who seemed to have just returned home.


    She was carryingrge bags from her shopping trip.


    She greeted Isabel with a warm smile, ¡°Isabel, you woke up! Did you sleep wellst night?¡±


    Isabel helped her carry the bags into the house and said with an equally bright smile, 1 slept great, Aunt Martha." "That¡¯s good


    to hear," Martha continued, "I think it''s going to take at least half a month before they get things back in order at your ce that


    just got burned down. | bought a bunch of living essentials for you. You can stay with us for now."


    As she said this, she extracted a pair of pink slippers from her bag meant for Isabel to use.


    In addition to the slippers, she also bought extra sets of pajamas,mon clothes, napkins, towels, and more.


    Isabel was touched by the gesture and expressed her gratitude, "That''s very kind of you, Aunt Martha."


    Martha was very gracious. "Isabel, you were the one who saved my life. This is the least | can do for you. If you need anything


    else at all, just say the word."


    Isabel was very candid with Martha. "Alright, don''t regret it when | keep bothering you!" "Hehe, | do hope you bother me more


    often.¡±


    Martha led a simple life. Apart from her day-to-day housework, she mostly spent her time watching television or reading books.


    She was a very quiet person.


    Isabel briefly chatted with her after lunch, and she then went back to her bedroom.


    Shey on the bed and caught up on the TV shows and variety shows she had been following. Just like that, the day had passed


    without her knowing.


    Knock.


    Martha knocked on the door. "Isabel, are you there?¡±


    Isabel went to open the door and asked, "Hey Martha, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Martha looked dapper in a ck dress. She threw a small coat over the ck dress and had light makeup applied.


    She announced cheerfully, ¡°I asked a friend of mine who attends this yoga ss with me to watch a movie. | made some dinner


    for you and Rnd, it¡¯s on the stove in the kitchen. Feel free to eat if you''re hungry."


    Isabel thanked her, "Alright, have a good time.¡±


    Martha carried her purse with her and left.


    Isabel was indeed slightly hungry by now, but Martha had made dinner for her and Rnd. She should at least wait for Rnd to


    come home first.


    She sent a text to Rnd, "Rnd, your mother prepared dinner for us, what time are youing back?"


    Rnd replied, "About ten minutes to go."


    That soon? Did he not usually work tillte?


    It was followed by another text, "You can eat first if you''re hungry."N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    She may be hungry, but she could handle a ten minute wait.


    She replied, "I''m not very hungry, we can eat together when youe back."


    Just as he said, he stepped into the house within ten minutes.


    He wore the usual ck suit, his figure tall and lean.


    The moment he came into the house, Isabel went into the kitchen and went to pour the soup out of the pot.


    The pot was a lot hotter than she expected. She identally grazed her hand against its surface and immediately scalded


    herself.


    "Ow!" She flinched and drew away her hand while gasping in pain.


    "Did you burn yourself?"


    She heard Rnd''s voice from behind.


    She blew on her burned finger and brushed it off. "It''s okay, it''ll heal by itself."


    Unexpectedly, Rnd seized her hand.


    His sudden touch nearly made her jump.


    He carefully inspected her scalded finger with a solemn expression. He was doing it out of nothing but pure concern for her.


    For some reason, seeing his beautiful face up close made Isabel''s heart start beating faster. His features were fair and delicate,


    yet did notck a strong hint of masculinity.


    He suddenly turned to look into her eyes. "It¡¯s a little swollen, cool it down with cold water.¡±


    Isabel looked away shyly and muttered, "Okay."


    Her fingers seemed to have a will of their own and curled themselves in the palm of his hand before drawing away.

 Chapter 2031

    Chapter 2031


    Chapter 2031


    There was a still look in Rnd''s eyes as he looked at Isabel.


    Isabel withdrew her hand and approached the sink. She turned on the faucet and doused her hand in cold water with her back


    facing Rnd.


    There was a mirror in front of the sink, so she caught a brief hint of Rnd¡¯s reflection in it.


    While washing her hands, she subtly inspected his reflection in the mirror. She saw Rnd staring at her from behind for several


    seconds before he went to pour the contents of the pot into a bowl. His movements were practiced and graceful.


    Isabel snuck another look at his face.


    He seemed very focused on his task and did not seem to be thinking about anything else. He probably did not think much of it


    when she grazed her fingers against his palms.


    With that, she heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she wiped her hands and walked out of the kitchen.


    Rnd had already set the food on the table and had sat down. When he noticed Isabel stepping out of the kitchen, he asked in


    concern, "Is your hand okay?"


    ¡°Much better." Isabel waved her hands in front of him to show him. The smooth, pink tips of her fingers seem to glisten


    underneath the ceiling lights.


    When Rnd pursed his lips and gulped, the bulb in his throat moved up and down.


    Isabel seemed to not have noticed anything as she sat down and started to eat.


    Upon seeing this, Rnd began to dig in as well.


    After finishing the food, Isabel contentedly set aside her spoon and fork before turning to him "Rnd, | might have to stay with


    you for a few more days."


    Rnd looked at her.


    She rified, "It''s not that | want to overstay my wee, but your mom went out of her way and bought me a ton of daily


    necessities. I''d feel bad if | didn''t respond kindly to her gestures.


    Besides, it would be a shame to say no to a chance to eat such delicacies every day. Furthermore, she was reluctant to move


    back to her ce so long as Decker lived next door.


    She looked at Rnd with a sincere look in her eyes.


    Rnd looked at her calmly and merely grunted, "Hm."


    Then, he continued eating. It seemed like he was hardly bothered by Isabel staying over for several days longer.


    Isabel felt relieved and told him, "I won''t just be a freeloader. Feel free to tell me if you need help with anything.¡±


    "There are a few things | could use your help with."


    "What''s up?"


    "It''s work-rted.¡±


    ¡°Ow, my stomach is hurting a little. Just finish the food without me. | need to use the toilet real quick."


    She quickly retreated with her hands ced over her stomach.


    Rnd looked at her silently.


    A faint smirk formed on the corner of his lips after a moment.


    Isabel never stepped out of her room again after her retreat.


    She took afortable hot shower, then sheyfortably on the bed and scrolled mindlessly on her phone.


    Something about staying at Rnd''s ce filled her with a sense of contentment and safety. After scrolling for a while, she soon


    grew sleepy and managed to sink into slumber within seconds of closing her eyes.


    She slept until the middle of the night when her throat got so parched that she woke up coughing.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She felt unbelievably thirsty the moment she woke up. It was probably caused by the saltiness of the food she ate and the fact


    that she hardly drank any water at all.


    She rolled over and got out of bed, intending to go to the living room to get herself a ss of water.


    In her blur state after having just woken up, she ended up going into the adjacent room instead of walking down the hallway into


    the living room.


    She pushed open the door and walked in with a swagger like she owned the ce.


    It was only when she spotted an unfamiliarrge bed and the cabs in the room that she realized something was wrong.


    Where was this?


    Creak.


    She heard the sound of a door being pushed open.


    She turned around and was greeted by the sight of a man stepping out of the shower.

 Chapter 2032

    Chapter 2032


    Chapter 2032


    Rnd had a white towel wrapped around his firm waist, covering the entire lower half of his body.


    With the light shining on his body from above, the striking outlines of his muscles were visible.


    He usually looked quite lean with clothes on, so it was a surprise to Isabel to see that his figure was easilyparable to the


    male models she usually saw.


    She gulped subconsciously and forced herself to shift her gaze to his face instead of gawking at his body. "I, urn, would you


    believe me if | told you | identally went into the wrong room?"


    Rnd stopped in front of the bathroom door and looked at her with a pair of quiet eyes. "| believe you."


    Isabel was frankly a little taken aback by his naivety.


    How could he be so easily convinced?


    She stared at him awkwardly before asking, "Why are you taking a shower at this hour?¡±


    Rnd replied, "| was upied with a lot of work today.¡±


    "Oh." Isabel looked at his defined muscles before asking nonchntly, "Are you thirsty? Do you want a ss of water?"


    ¡°lm not thirsty."


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    "Do you have any other questions?" he asked her suddenly.


    Isabel withdrew her gaze guiltily from his body and said with an awkward smile, "That¡¯s all.¡±


    Rnd pursed his lips and nced in the direction of the door. He did not express it directly, but it was clear that he was asking


    for Isabel to leave.


    Isabel was about to leave anyway but suddenly got a little irritated by him chasing her out. Instead of heading out, she went


    straight to him and stopped directly in front of him.


    Rnd frowned, not budging from his spot at all.


    There was nowhere for him to retreat to anyway except for the door behind him.


    Isabel grinned mischievously and remarked with a bright sparkle in her eyes, "Rnd, | didn''t realize that you were so fit.¡±


    Rnd said candidly, "There¡¯s a gym in our office tower. | work out regrly."


    He spoke without being flustered, and there was nothing but a still look of calmness on his handsome face.


    However, the sight of his reddened ears did not escape Isabel.


    He was shy! He had to be!


    Her eyes glittered, and with a smile, she raised her hand and casually patted him on the shoulder, "Oh, don''t be shy. You saw me


    last night, so now we''re even."


    Rnd raised an eyebrow and ignored her.


    Isabel chuckled with amusement, then she yfully patted his muscr chest again. "I¡¯m not going to bother you anymore.


    Goodnight."


    With that, she withdrew her hand and walked out of his bedroom, feeling satisfied with how she handled the situation.


    The bedroom descended into silence after she left.


    Rnd stood unmoving in his original spot and looked in the direction of the door where Isabel had just walked out.


    After a long silence, he sniggered to himself. A drop of water trickled off the tip of his hair and flowed down the defined shape of


    his jaw to his chin.


    Underneath his mask of calmness, he was trying his best to suppress the wildness inside of him.


    Isabel went to the living room and drank two sses of water in one go, then she went back to her bedroom.


    Sheyfortably on the bed and stared at her hands. She fiddled with them as she thought about how it felt when she ced


    them against Rnd''s body just now.


    The ridges of his body were unforgettable.


    She wondered what it was about him. She regrly looked at male models and whatnot, but this was the first time she found


    herself blushing at the thought of his body. Her face was burning, and she wanted to ssh some cold water on it.


    "Phew."


    She kicked off the quilt and made herself calm down.


    Another day passed in the blink of an eye.


    As soon as dawn broke, Isabel was awakened by Ca calling her. She had forgotten to set an rm.


    "Isabel, are you up? We''re almost at your ce."N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Isabel snapped herself wide awake and cried out frantically, "No, don''t go to my ce!"

 Chapter 2033

    Chapter 2033


    Chapter 2033


    "Huh? Why?"


    Isabel sat up from the bed. "I''m not at my ce right now. I''m in a neighboring apartment. Just wait for me at the entrance. I''ll get


    ready and meet you there.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    "Okay, got it."


    After hanging up, she shot out of bed and quickly washed up. Then, she changed into a set ofclean clothes before prancing out


    of the bedroom.


    Rnd was in the living room. He wore a buttoned shirt paired with leather pants and was seated on the couch watching the


    morning financial news.


    Martha was making breakfast. When she saw Isabel, she greeted her with a warm smile, "Good morning, Isabel, I''m just making


    breakfast. Sit down and eat with us."


    Isabel said kindly, "Thanks, Aunt Martha, but I''m in a rush. My driver and assistant are already waiting for me outside."


    She had breakfast with Martha yesterday, but she could not just sit here and take her time eating breakfast while Ca and her


    driver were waiting for her downstairs.


    "It¡¯s alright. Why don¡¯t you at least take some with you? They¡¯re your favorite. | made them for you," Martha said as she


    presented some containers to Isabel.


    Isabel looked at the sumptuous breakfast set on the table, and she dly packed two Tupperware filled with food.


    After she finished packing her food, she turned to Martha and thanked her, "This will be enough for me. Thank you, Aunt


    Martha."


    Martha smiled. "Go on, see you."


    "Goodbye, Aunt Martha."


    Isabel walked out with the Tupperware in a bag.


    As soon as she stepped outside, Martha nced at Rnd. " Rnd, why didn¡¯t you say goodbye to Isabel just now?"


    Rnd looked at the door that Isabel had just closed with a steady thud. He pursed his lips and did not answer.


    He was going to say something to her, but she was in such a rush that she barely even spared a nce in his direction.


    The car was parked right next to the entrance gate.


    Isabel spotted the car the moment she stepped outside.


    When she got into the car, she handed one of the packed containers to Ca. "Eat it while it¡¯s hot. It''s very delicious."


    She opened hers as she said this, releasing the sweet fragrance of steamed buns from inside, and began eating.


    Ca ate her portion as well when she smelled the wonderful fragrance. After she had her first bite, she expressed her wonder,


    "It''s so good! Where did you buy this? I''ve never eaten something like this before."


    Isabel told her, "I didn¡¯t buy it. Thisdy made it for me. It''s a Southboro specialty."


    "Who is that?" Ca asked curiously, "Also, when did you move here? Are you not using your previous ce anymore?¡±


    "Something happened back there." Isabel took anotherrge bite of the steamed bun before asking, "What about the bodyguards


    | asked you to hire for me?"


    "| found two suitable candidates. Why don''t you take a look?" Ca produced her phone and showed the profiles of the two


    bodyguards she found.


    Isabel took a nce at their information.


    They were both from a certain professional bodyguard agency. Both men looked strong and intimidating, and they were


    experienced as well.


    ¡®They will do."


    ¡°Alright, I''ll inform them and have theme to the setter.


    They were going to film the premiere of the third season of" The Wonder" today.


    Fortunately, the recording studio was just in Westchester.


    Isabel came to the set on time. First, she greeted the other guest stars, then they started filming the episode.


    It was a quirky variety show with all sorts of games that tested the participants¡¯ intelligence and physical fitness, and the games


    were split into multiple sessions.


    Isabel had been following the show for a while and was familiar with the process. Although this was the first run, it went very


    smoothly.


    It was dark outside by the time they finished.


    Since there was going to be another round of shooting tomorrow, Isabel was going to be staying with the other guest stars for the


    night.


    It was only after she and the other guest stars had arrived at their temporary homestay that she threw herself on the sofa. Just


    then, she received a text from Rnd.


    He asked, "My mother asked if you areing back for dinner tonight."


    Isabel replied promptly, "| have to continue my shoot tomorrow, so | won¡¯t be going back tonight. Please pass on the message to


    your mother for me."


    "Okay."


    With a quick smile, she put away her phone.


    That was when Liz, another guest star on the show, rolled over to her side and teased her, hoping to clue in on some gossip,


    "Why are you smiling so happily? Were you texting your boyfriend?¡±

 Chapter 2034

    Chapter 2034


    Chapter 2034


    Isabel grimaced instinctively.


    It was just a quick, simple exchange with Rnd. When had she been smiling?


    Liz was a fellow guest star in "The Wonder" who had been around since the beginning of the show. She was a naturaledian


    and was known for her gags and vibrant personality on the show. She may not be as mboyant off- camera, but she was still


    very friendly and humorous.


    She was Isabel''s partner during most of the day''s segments.


    Isabel told her quite frankly, ¡°No, it¡¯s just a friend.¡±


    Liz squinted suspiciously. "Really?"


    "Really."


    "Do you have a boyfriend?¡±


    "No."


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    "lm too busy. | don''t have time to see people."


    "Good point."


    Time passed faster than she expected when she had a chatterbox like Liz helping her kill time with casual talk.


    Fast forward to the afternoon of the following day. After they wrapped up the filming for the premiere of the show, everyone went


    their separate ways. Most of them went to film for whatever projects they had lined up next. They bade farewell to each other


    hurriedly and were gone.


    Isabel and Liz were the only ones not in any particr rush. They walked out of the set together.


    Coincidentally, as soon as they arrived at the parking lot, they stumbled upon Isabe who had just gotten out of her car.


    There was a light trickle of rain outside. She was escorted out of the car by a tall, young, and handsome man who held an


    umbre for her, sheltering her from the rain.


    That man was Decker.


    Isabe threw herself into his arms and hugged him for a while before letting go of him, then she walked in Isabel''s direction.


    This was the only path leading to the parking lot, thus Isabel could not hide from Isabe even if she wanted to. With that, the


    two enemies crossed paths.


    There was a clear look of surprise that washed over Isabe''s beautifully made-up face. She turned to Liz who was next to Isabel


    and greeted her with a very polite smile," Hey there, Liz! Are you here for a shoot today?¡±


    Liz nced at Isabel and remarked, "Yeah, we just finished recording the season premiere of the third season of ''The Wonder¡¯."


    It looked like she wanted to get the conversation over with." I''m sure you''re in a rush, go on."


    "Yeah, I''ll be going first. Let''s chat again next time we meet."


    "Okay."


    Isabe ignored Isabel entirely, then shepped around Liz and was gone in no time.


    Isabel was not concerned at all and walked forward.


    Liz walked carefully beside her. She noticed how Isabel seemedpletely unfazed by Isabe ignoring her and was rather


    baffled.


    Then again, Isabel had always had a reputation in the entertainment circle for beingpletely fearless. It made sense that she


    would not be intimidated by Isabe although the two had a less-than-harmonious history with each other.


    Any other person would have crumbled under the pressure of not just having a target on one''s back, but also the collective


    scrutiny of theizens. Isabel seemed like an exception to this case since she seemedpletely untouchable by her rivals


    and theizens were very fond of her.


    Liz found herself slightly jealous, but more than anything else, she was filled with admiration.


    She suddenly decided to invite Isabel to dinner. "Isabel, do you have any ns tonight? Let me treat you to dinner."


    Isabel answered kindly, ¡®Tm free tonight, but let me treat you to dinner instead."


    Liz was older than Isabel and had debuted many years before her, so she had a respectable reputation as well. She was very


    much Isabel''s senior.


    Liz insisted, "No, let me treat you to dinner."


    "You can pay next time." After a pause, Isabel suggested with a smile, "There¡¯s this private restaurant that makes excellent food.


    The owner of the ce descends from a line of legendary chefs. Care to try it?"


    Liz seemed intrigued by this and gave in atst, "Sure."


    "In that case,e with me. I''m a regr there, so we can enter without needing to make a reservation."


    Liz obliged but made sure to add, "Alright. But just so we''re clear, I¡¯m paying for us the next time.¡±


    "Deal."


    Now that the matter was settled, the two walked to Isabel¡¯s car.


    That was when Decker suddenly approached them.


    He held the umbre and looked at Isabel tenderly like one would a lover. "Isabel, where have you been these past two days?"


    Isabel frowned.


    Owned by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2035

    Chapter 2035


    Liz was just as perturbed by the sudden appearance of the man. She recalled the same man being affectionate with Isabe only


    moments ago. This man seemed like the one she thought to be Isabe''s benefactor and was rumored to be the future


    sessor of the Rockwells in Southboro.


    Why was he approaching Isabel? In such an affectionate manner, no less!


    Liz looked at Isabel.


    Isabel snapped at him crossly, "None of your business!"


    Liz was stupefied.


    Decker''s handsome expression darkened immediately.


    Isabel was not afraid of him at all. She turned to the two bodyguards following behind her who were only employed this morning.


    They dutifully stepped forward and came in between Decker and Isabel.


    Isabel warned him icily, "Decker, if you try to harass me again, | will have them beat the life out of you."


    With that, she tugged at Liz''s hand and took her to the car.


    The two bodyguards red at Decker menacingly and approached the car as well.


    Decker stood motionlessly, hisplexion as ck as his mood. He clenched his jaw and muttered to himself, "Isabel, you just


    had to choose to do this the hard way, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Isabel''s car quickly drove out of the parking lot.


    Liz sat next to Isabel. She was still recovering from the shock of witnessing the interaction Isabel just had with Decker, especially


    the way she had snapped at him with such vehemence.


    She turned to Isabel and could not stop herself from asking, "Isabel, isn''t he Decker Rockwell, the one from Southboro?"


    ¡®That''s him," Isabel said calmly.


    Liz shuffled in her seat ufortably before remarking, "He looked quite angry just now."


    Was Isabel not afraid of upsetting the wrong person? This was her career at stake!


    Decker was an elite of the elites. Even most of the bosses she knew personally would have to bow over ny degrees in front


    of someone like him.


    "| know." Isabel smiled candidly. "Don''t worry. He can''t do anything to me."


    Liz managed to calm down as well when she saw how confidently Isabel smiled.


    Isabel was not a fool. She must have a card up her sleeve if she had the guts to tell Decker off so boldly.


    She wondered just what gave Isabel the audacity to do


    something like that. Perhaps she had someone more powerful backing her.


    She decided to not probe for more information since this was a private matter. Still, she had to address her curiosity somehow.


    "Do you know him?¡±


    Isabel''s eyes darkened briefly, and she gave a short and blunt answer, "He wanted to sleep with me, and | said no."


    "Oh, | see."


    Isabel took Liz to the same restaurant where she had taken Director Max and Director Marcus.


    During Liz''s spare time, she would frequent the famous restaurants in town and post about them on her blog. It was more or less.


    her passion project.


    Isabel ordered all of the specialty dishes and some fruit wine.


    Liz had nothing but praise once she had a taste of the food. It was only after she finished the food that she realized that she had


    completely forgotten to film at all because of how delicious the food was.


    No loss to her though since she had a heavenly meal.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Isabel had a little bit of wine to drink and was in a jovial mood as well.


    After she paid the bill, they parted ways. Isabel went back to her car and had the driver send her home.


    The driver asked, "Miss, are you going back to your ce or to the apartment where we picked you up today?"


    Isabel nced at the two bodyguards in the car with her. With them patrolling the area, Decker would not dare mess with her.


    Still, the sheer thought of being in the general vicinity of Decker repulsed her.


    With this in mind, she ordered, ¡®Take me back to the ce where you picked me up this morning.¡±


    "Alright."


    The car picked up speed.


    Isabel sat by the window and stared at the view outside.


    Just as they were about to arrive at Rnd''s ce, she noticed him walking alone down the sidewalk.

 Chapter 2036

    Chapter 2036


    Her eyes sparkled, and she told the driver to stop immediately.


    Ben the driver promptly stopped the car. The two bodyguards hastily got out of the car as well to follow Isabel.


    Upon getting out of the car, Isabel tiptoed like a thief and wanted to sneak up on Rnd.


    She was going to spook him. When she was within arms reach, she drew her hand forward and wanted to tap him on the


    shoulder.


    She barely managed to graze the fabric of his shirt when he turned around in one swift motion and seized her wrist. In one


    practiced gesture, he somehow managed to grab her other wrist and lock her hands behind her back, effortlessly subduing her.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Not only did she fail to spook him, but she got caught like a thief as well.


    She groaned in pain and yelped, "Rnd, it''s me."


    Rnd''s murderous gaze instantly softened, and he quickly let go of her.


    His expression was suddenly wrought with guilt and concern. He inspected her wrist and asked, "Are you okay?¡±


    Isabel red at him. "What do you think?"


    He was so violent that he could have broken her wrist!


    Rnd hesitated for a moment, then he took her wrist into his hands and massaged it softly.


    He said worriedly, "I don¡¯t think | would have sprained your wrist. | didn''t apply too much force back there.¡±


    In truth, it was just a mild ache for Isabel at best.


    However, she decided against stopping him since it felt nice with him massaging her wrist.


    Upon noticing her rxed expression, Rnd stopped worrying as well. It was then that he noticed the two muscr men


    following her and asked with a sharp frown,¡± Who are they?"


    Isabel said, ''They¡¯re my bodyguards."


    Rnd''s expression darkened slightly, and he did not ask more questions. He continued massaging her wrist nheless.


    Isabel looked at the gate of Rnd¡¯s apartmentplex, which was only a mere walking distance now, then she turned to the


    bodyguards. "You two can head back now. Get some rest.¡±


    The two bodyguards left immediately.


    Rnd asked, "Are you being harassed again?"


    "No, they were just hired as a safety measure ¡±


    Rnd pursed his lips and continued massaging her wrists.


    His movements and touch were light and gentle, a sharp contrast to the otherwise distant and indifferent expression he wore on


    his face.


    Isabel still did not bother to stop him since it wasfortable.


    Soon, Rnd asked atst, "Does it still hurt?"


    Isabel came back to her senses. "No, much better."


    Much better?


    Rnd eyed her. "Would you like me to continue?"


    ¡°Um, no need, maybe next time."


    Besides, they had been standing by the sidewalk for a while now. It was about time to head home and rest.


    Rnd slowly let go of her wrist.


    Isabel pursed her lips, then she walked into the apartment with him.


    It was a quiet and cool night, and a gentle breeze caressed their skin.


    The light from the streetmp cast from above drew the shapes of their shadow on the pavement, two figures walking side by


    side.


    For some inexplicable reason, she felt more at ease with Rnd than with her two bodyguards.


    Two dayster, the shooting for "Legend of the Goddess"menced.


    Isabel joined the crew first thing in the morning and began their first briefing for what was going to be a grand project.


    Later that evening, they went to a five-star hotel to celebrate the officialmencement of the shoot.


    Every member of the crew showed up, including the show producer.

 Chapter 2037

    Chapter 2037


    Isabel arrived with several actors and the director. Just as she was about to greet the producers, she noticed Decker standing


    with them. He was wearing an expensive suit and smiled handsomely at everyone.


    All of the female staff of the hotel and the film crew could not take their eyes off of him. Even some of the actresses were


    immediately obsessed with him as well.


    Isabel frowned.


    What was this scum of a man doing here?


    Meanwhile, the director and the actor who yed the male lead went to greet the producer.


    The producer promptly gestured at Decker who was standing with him and introduced him to everyone, "This here is Mr. Decker.


    He is the biggest investor of the show."


    The director and the male lead instinctively darted a nce at Isabel before wiping away the look and greeting Decker politely.


    It was public knowledge that Isabe had, at one point, tried to steal the female lead role of the "Legend of the Goddess" from


    Isabel. Additionally, rumors of Isabe being connected to Decker were slowly spreading online as well. It was not hard for one to


    connect the dots and figure out that Decker was the one who was backing Isabe with his influence.


    This left them to wonder why would Decker bother to continue investing in the show now that his ns had been foiled and


    Isabel had taken back the female lead.


    As curious as they were, they knew better than to ask unnecessary questions. After greeting Decker, they went to the producer


    again and darted a tactful nce at Isabel.


    They were eager to see how Isabel would greet the rumored benefactor of Isabe who had tried to steal the female lead role


    from her.


    Considering Decker''s significant status, they assumed that even someone of Isabel¡¯s temperament would greet him perfunctorily,


    at least just for appearances.


    As for Decker, he had his sights locked on Isabel since the moment she stepped into the venue. He smiled provocatively at her


    the entire while.


    Isabel threw him a sideways nce. When she noticed the director and the male lead actor approaching the producer, she


    quickened her pace and went up to the producer to greet him, "Good evening, Malone.¡±


    Malone was the name of the producer who was quite famous in the industry.


    "Good evening.¡± Malone returned a quick greeting while gesturing at Decker, "This is-"


    Before he could finish his sentence, Isabel had walked past him and gone elsewhere.


    Malone was speechless.


    The rest of them who were curious to see how Isabel would interact with Decker were equally baffled.


    The atmosphere suddenly thickened.


    Malone quickly gathered himself and hurriedly apologized to Decker, "Mr. Decker, Isabel probably has something important to


    attend to and didn''t notice you. | apologize to you on her behalf."


    Decker smiled faintly. "It''s okay.¡±


    Malone was startled by his benevolence and heaved a sigh of relief. He was not expecting such a reaction from Decker.


    Isabel was acquainted with many other actors in the show.


    After her brief exchange with Malone, she started mingling with the other actors.


    Shortly after, the director approached her to tell her, ¡®Isabel, dinner is about to start. Come and sit with me."


    Since she yed the female lead, it was only natural that she would sit with the director and the producer of the show.


    Isabel was aware of this as well, so she obliged and went to their table.


    On the way there, the director cautioned her in a hushed whisper, "Isabel, | know you don¡¯t get along very well with Mr. Decker,


    but he is the biggest investor in the show.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Malone told me to inform you to at least keep up appearancester and make sure you don''t embarrass Mr.


    Decker."


    Isabel frowned. She was not afraid to offend Decker, but she had to consider the director''s and the producer''s positions. The


    director was telling her this because they were afraid of upsetting Decker unintentionally.


    With this in mind, she assured him, ¡°I understand. I''ll keep that in mind.¡±


    The director smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Decker was already seated when Isabel and the director arrived. He was seated on the right edge of the table, directly across


    from Malone.


    The other actors and crew members had taken their seats as well.


    There were two empty seats next to Decker, and those were the only empty seats left.


    Isabel was annoyed by the mere sight of Decker and unsurprisingly opted to not sit next to him. She was one step ahead of the


    director and chose the empty seat that was not directly next to Decker''s, leaving a gap between her and Decker.


    The director did not seem too bothered by this. After all, it was nothing out of the ordinary for the director to sit with a major


    investor of the show.

 Chapter 2038

    Chapter 2038


    Chapter 2038


    Malone gave a brief speech tomence the dinner party.


    Everyone present at therge venue held a ss of wine in their hand and gave a toast to celebrate the asion.


    Things were very rowdy at Isabel''s table. First, the director and Malone the producer toasted Decker one after the other. Then, it


    was the actor''s turn to start toasting him.


    Decker, the director, and the producer were the central focus of the table.


    Members from other tables started to crowd toward their table and give them a toast as well.


    Isabel herself had several crew members and fellow actorse upto her as well.


    Everyone exchanged toasts for a while.


    After that, they began eating. In the middle of her meal, Isabel felt the director brush her arm under the table. She looked at the


    director with a puzzled expression.


    The director coughed to signal something, and even Malone who was seated across from Isabel winked at her. They were


    hinting for her to give Decker a toast.


    Isabel promptly turned her attention back to her food and continued eating, pretending to not understand their tant hints.


    Sitting at the same table as Decker was already pushing her limit. Now they even wanted her to give him a toast? Never ina


    billion years.


    Malone and the director grimaced upon seeing her reaction.


    Meanwhile, Decker was justing off some small talk with several actors who came to greet him. He noticed the director and


    producer shooting looks at Isabel from the corner of his eye and promptly turned around to steal a look at Isabel as well.


    Isabel had her head buried in the te, appearing like she was enjoying the food.


    He smiled and hatched an idea. He raised his ss to her." Miss Isabel, may | propose a toast?"


    Isabel almost spat out the food when she heard his voice.


    This caught the attention of everyone at the table as well.


    None of them expected Decker to be the one to propose a toast. It was usually the other way around. This waspletely


    unheard of!


    Isabel did not share their surprise. Instead, she felt nothing but irritation, and she even despised his audacity.


    He was doing it on purpose!


    She felt a swell of anger rising up her chest. Her first instinct was to tell him to scram, but she noticed the director and producer''s


    pleading expressions from the corner of her eye. After all, she had promised them she would not embarrass Decker in front of


    everyone.


    She swallowed her irritation and strained her voice to say," Sure.¡±


    She raised her ss.


    Awaiter suddenly came up and poured more wine into her ss.


    She did not think much of it. Her ss was nearly finished anyway, and the waiter was merely being attentive and filled up her


    ss for her.


    After her ss was filled with wine, the waiter stepped away.


    She raised the ss towards Decker and took a standard sip.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Decker smiled and drank from his ss as well, fixing his eyes intently on her the entire time.


    After getting the bothersome task out of the way, Isabel went back to her food.


    The others at the table went on with their drinking as well. The mood quickly returned to its previous lively state.


    For some reason, Isabel started to feel her body pulsing with heat. She felt very jittery and out of it.


    Did she drink too much?


    She would consider herself a good drinker. Besides, she did not have too much to drink yet. She was beginning to space out,


    and her body was burning up. It was so hot that she wanted to take off her clothes.


    She rose from her seat without a second thought and made a beeline to the washroom immediately to ssh cold water on her


    face.


    The cold water did nothing to reduce the heat inside her. It only made things worse, and she was burning on the inside. She


    looked up and noticed herpletely reddened cheeks in the mirror.


    What was going on?


    She tugged at her cor and considered sshing water around her neck, hoping that it would help.


    It was then that she noticed the reflection of a tall figure suddenly showing up behind her.

 Chapter 2039

    Chapter 2039


    Her expression tightened abruptly. "Decker?1


    She turned around and red at him. "This is the women''s washroom. What are you doing here?"


    Decker stood near the foot of the door with a wicked smile." | came to find you."


    As Isabel frowned, her gut feeling was telling her something was wrong. She asked icily, "Did you spike my wine?"


    "As expected of my favorite Isabel, you¡¯re as smart as | thought." With that, he took a step towards her.


    Isabel immediately cried out, "Stop! Don¡¯t you daree here!"


    Decker smiled wickedly and continued pressing on toward her. He was tall and imposing.


    Isabel had witnessed firsthand how strong he was that other night outside her house when he had pinned her to the wall. There


    was no way she could fight him off.


    Her two bodyguards were outside the hotel, and they were not going to be there to help her any time soon.


    The effect of whatever Decker spiked her drink with was making her lose control of her body and her senses.


    She clenched her hands tightly, then she cried out for help," Help! Someone help me!"


    Not only was Deckerpletely unfazed, but he even began tough heartily. "Isabel, you can cry all you want but nobody will


    hear you. I¡¯m in control here."


    As soon as he said that, he lunged at her.


    Isabel clenched her jaw and shoved him away with all her strength. She wanted to create an opening to run away.


    s, it did not work. He seized her hand the moment she tried to shove him. With one swift jerk, he pulled her into his arms.


    Her entire body tensed up as she red at him with reddened eyes. "Decker, I¡¯d advise you to let go of me right now, or else


    things will end very badly for you!"


    Decker continued to hold onto her tightly, and his voice was as soft as a feather. "Isabel, | know you hate me for getting engaged


    to another woman, but | had no other choice. | know you don¡¯t think of anyone but me. You only left because you couldn¡¯t bear


    being a mistress. Don''t worry, | never med you and | will make things right tonight. After tonight, you don¡¯t have to keep


    ming yourself for what happened. Just be with me and don¡¯t worry about a thing.¡±


    He hugged her tightly around the waist.


    Isabel wanted to wring herself free but her body would not obey. She did not know what he spiked her drink with, but it was


    making her lose control of her senses. She was afraid that her body would throw itself brazenly at him if she tried to move a


    muscle.


    She clenched her hands with every muscle in her body tense and hissed at him through her gritted teeth, "Decker, | have already


    decided that things were over between us since the day you got engaged five years ago. It¡¯s been five years and | have


    completely forgotten about you since. There is no way | would ever have any feelings for you again!"


    Decker suddenly stiffened while he stared at her.


    Isabel grimaced and regarded him with hostility.


    Even in her current vulnerable state, with her cheeks flushed with red and in a daze, there was still a clear sh of contempt


    inside her eyes when she looked at him. There was not a trace of affection within them.


    Decker frowned, and his demeanor stiffened. "It seems that | have neglected you for five years, but | will be sure to pamper you


    tonight."


    He carried Isabel in his arms and walked out.


    Isabel cried anxiously, "Decker, put me down right now! | promise you | will make you regret this!¡±


    He was hardly listening. Soon, they came to an elevator. It looked like he wanted to take her to a hotel room upstairs.


    Isabel bit her lower lip tightly.


    The pain was the only thing that could keep her lucid. She could not let him force her into a room with him! Absolutely not!


    "Decker, my dad is Car-¡±


    Ding!


    Before she could her sentence, the elevator door already opened.


    There were several upants inside, and they were all men in suits.


    The man standing in front, who was indescribably handsome with that unmistakable indifferent expression, was Rnd!


    Isabel''s eyes zed as if she had seen the Messiah himself. She immediately cried out without a thought, "Rnd, save me!"


    She stretched her arms out and begged for help.


    Rnd, who was just about to step out of the elevator and intruded upon this expected scene, immediately scowled. His already


    icy expression sharpened into something more menacing.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    He walked out.


    Isabel tried to reach for him, but Decker immediately backed away from Rnd.


    She heard Decker''s startled voice crying out, "Rnd?¡±

 Chapter 2040

    Chapter 2040


    Chapter 2040


    "What are you doing here?¡± Decker asked with his face wrought in apprehension.


    Rnd stepped out of the elevator and ignored his question. He looked at Isabel who was in his arms and said in a deliberate,


    harsh voice, "Put her down."


    Decker narrowed his eyes. "She''s my woman. What goes on between us has nothing to do with you. | advise you to mind your


    own business and get out of here."


    He hugged Isabel tightly like she was a prized treasure.


    Isabel continued to stretch her hands out desperately at Rnd. She could feel every cell in her body burning, but the only


    thought that upied her mind was to cry out for Rnd''s help. She asserted firmly, "Rnd, nothing is going on between me


    and him! He''s my ex-boyfriend. | broke up with him a long time ago!"


    Rnd''s expression tightened as he looked at Decker coldly and repeated, "Put her down!"


    Decker lowered his voice to a dangerous growl, "Rnd, you have no right to order me around. Get out of the way."


    Rnd was done trying to negotiate. He started stepping toward Decker with Isabel in his arms.


    Decker was startled by this, so he hurriedly backed away.


    Rnd had alreadye in front of Isabel.


    Isabel immediately grabbed his shoulders. In one swift motion, Rnd took her around her waist and tried to jerk her away from


    Decker.


    Decker was relentless. He held onto Isabel tightly and refused to let go.


    Isabel was caught between the two men tugging at her from different directions. She twisted her body and kicked one of her legs


    at Decker''s stomach.


    Decker was caught entirely off guard, so he winced from the pain and let go atst.


    Isabel clung to Rnd like an octopus.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Rnd held onto her protectively and took several steps back, away from Decker.


    The two young men who came out of the elevator with him immediately stepped forward to dissuade Decker from charging him.


    Decker red at him viciously. "Rnd, she¡¯s mine!"


    Rnd shot him a disinterested nce, then he walked out of the hotel with Isabel in his arms.


    Rnd stood tall like a statue, his grip firm and strong. On top of it all, he was blessed with indescribably good looks.


    After finally wringing herself free from Decker, Isabel let her guard down entirely, and with it, her sense of reason as well. She


    twisted around in his arms and pressed herself to his


    body.


    "Rnd..." she called his name tenderly.


    Rnd, who was urgently pacing outside, suddenly stiffened awkwardly.


    Isabel hugged his neck tightly and nted a kiss on his lips.


    Rnd froze. He was stiff with shock. He immediately pried Isabel away from him and pressed her head into his chest.


    Isabel seemed like she wanted to pull her head up but could not manage with his hand pressing her snugly into his chest,


    burying her into his warmth.


    He was so strong that he managed to effortlessly support her entire weight while keeping her face buried into his chest so she


    could not wring herself free at the same time.


    The only thing she could do was whimper, "Rnd, | feel awful! At least, let me kiss you..."


    The only form of response she got was Rnd quickening his footsteps.


    Shortly after that, he threw her into the backseat of a car. It was a spacious backseat, but it was quite hotpared to the chilly


    night outside.


    Isabel was already feeling hot as it was. The moment she entered the car, she pulled off her coat and threw herself on Rnd''s


    body. She hooked her arms around his neck and kissed him again.


    Rnd grimaced faintly underneath the faint lights.


    He promptly pried her away and held her steady in the backseat with his hand on her waist so that she would stop trying to crawl


    on top of him.


    Soon, the previous two men approached the car. They were probably his assistants.


    "Sir, should we send you two home?" one of them eyed Isabel and asked suggestively.


    Rnd did not seem impressed and practically roared, ¡®To the hospital!"


    Isabel, who was still wriggling, around murmured, "Don''t... don''t go to the hospital. | can''t go..."

 Chapter 2041

    Chapter 2041


    She would inevitably be recognized at the hospital. If that happened, news of her drink being spiked and her having to go to the


    hospital would spread online like wildfire by the next morning.


    Rnd pinned her down so she would stop wriggling around, then he turned to his assistant and ordered urgently, "Go to my


    house, now!"


    The assistant promptly got into the driver''s seat and took off. They were not far from his ce, so it only took a ten- minute drive


    before they arrived.


    But to Isabel, it felt like ten years of torment.


    Rnd kept her pinned down to the backseat, so all she could do was sit idly like a puppet. She could not even inch closer


    toward him.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Fortunately, her hands were not bound.


    And move them she did. She kept fondling Rnd and felt around his waist constantly.


    Rnd continued holding her down. He frowned tightly and seemed to have trouble containing himself.


    He was stoic and quiet. Isabel could not make out his expression inside the dark backseat, but she could see the fiery glow in


    the man''s eyes.


    Ten minutester, his assistant pulled into his apartmentplex and stopped right in front of the entrance.


    Then, the assistant promptly stepped out of the car and opened the door for him.


    Rnd stepped outside before reaching for Isabel so he could safely carry her out.


    As soon as he reached forward, Isabel surrendered herself into his arms and even took the chance to kiss him again, only to get


    her head shoved to the side again.


    "You two can head back now." He dismissed his assistants before carrying Isabel into the elevator.


    Isabel kept resisting and trying to push his hands away.


    "Don''t move," he said sharply, his voice a raspy growl.


    Isabel bit her lip seductively and began to plead with him," Rnd, just let me kiss you. One quick kiss, please?"


    Rnd ignored her.


    The elevator stopped. They had reached his floor atst.


    He stepped out of the elevator and opened the door while bncing Isabel in his arms. Atst, they stepped into his house.


    Still carrying her in his arms, he went straight to the bedroom where Isabel had been staying in.


    As soon as he walked into the hallway, he heard the creak of a door. It was his mothering out of her bedroom.


    Isabel was still trying to pry his hands away from her when she heard him cry out urgently, "Don''te out!"


    Thump. Martha abruptly closed the door.


    Shortly after, Rnd finally managed to bring Isabel back into her bedroom.


    The first thing he did was close the door and turn the lights on. Then, he put Isabel down atst and tried to get her to settle into


    the bed.


    Isabel was barely in control of her senses at this point. All she wanted was to get him into bed with her.


    She nudged at him with her long and slender legs and spoke in an unusually flirty tone, "Rnd, don''t be scared. | just want a


    quick little kiss. I''m not going to do anything to you... but anyway, even if | identally did something to you, I''ll take


    responsibility!"


    There was a seductive glow in her eyes, andher cheeks were flushed with red while she smiled coquettishly at Rnd.


    Rnd gulped. "Sit down first."


    "| won''t unless you let me go."


    "If you keep resisting, I''m going to have to tie you up."


    The moment he said this, he started to exert more force in pinning Isabel down on the bed. He was so strong that Isabel could


    barely resist.


    As desperate as she was, she managed to take hold of her senses even if just briefly. She nodded like a child and quietly sat on


    the bed.


    Rnd slowly pulled his hands away to test her reaction.


    Isabel bit her lip and continued staring at him flirtatiously but remained seated obediently.


    Rnd took a few steps back, and when he noted that she was still sitting motionlessly on the bed, he took this to mean that she


    had settled down atst. He turned around and reached for the curtains to swiftly pull them shut.


    It was then that Isabel caught him unaware. She suddenly threw her arms around him from behind and hugged him tightly like a


    ko bear.


    She pressed her body tightly against his back.


    She teased him in an irresistibly seductive voice, "Rnd, are you scared of someone seeing us? Is that why you closed the


    curtains?¡±

 Chapter 2042

    Chapter 2042


    Isabel told herself that she was going to do it with Rnd tonight regardless of whether he was reluctant out of principle or out of


    sheer unwillingness.


    To her surprise, before she could apply the seduction techniques she had learned online to practice, the man vigorously turned


    around and faced her.


    She barely had a glimpse of the look in his eyes before he palmed her face in his hands and drew in abruptly.


    His face instantly erged in her lens just before their lips locked tightly.


    He did not seem to be a very adept kisser. He moved around back and forth a few times around her lips before he managed to


    slip through her teeth and enter her tongue.


    She felt his palm seething with heat pressing against the small of her back, and with a quick toss, her feet were thrown into the


    air.


    He hugged her and kissed her hungrily, then he flung her onto the bed.


    At some point amidst their passion, Isabel seemed to hear him growl, "Isabel, you were the one who started this.¡±


    Then, she was entirely consumed by the fiery passion. There was not a chance that she could have remembered what he said to


    her at all.


    Meanwhile, Decker drove back to Isabel''s ce after Rnd snatched Isabel away from him.


    There was a lot of traffic on the way back, so he only managed to tail Rnd''s car for a while before losing sight of him. Still, he


    could tell that they were heading back to Isabel''s ce, which was why he immediately came home to intercept them.


    However, it was no use. The door was shut, and the lights inside were not switched on. Isabel''s unit was as quiet as it had been


    over the past few days.


    Rnd did not take her home!


    If so, where could he have taken her?


    After repeatedly mming the doorbell and failing to draw a response from inside the unit, he angrily thumped his fist against the


    door.


    Then, he reached for his phone and dialed Isabel¡¯s phone number. He heard it ring through its entirety without anyone picking


    up.


    If she was awake, she would have hung up on him or blocked his number. She would not have let it ring to the end!


    What if she was sleeping with Rnd?


    His face darkened at the very thought. He reached for his phone and called his most trusted subordinate.


    The moment the call was connected, he ordered sharply," Rnd is in Westchester. Find out his address and his current


    upation immediately!"


    The Rnd he saw tonight was hardly reminiscent of the same Rnd he saw roughly a year ago, the one who had to leave


    Southboro with his mother in a state of disgrace. It looked like he had shaken off the humiliation and carried himself with a


    distinct haughtiness.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    He must have managed to elevate his position here in Westchester.


    After hanging up, Decker put down his phone and walked into the elevator.


    There was no chance he could find Isabel tonight. It was useless to continue worrying about it, thus he would rather take a break


    ande up with other solutions.


    He got out of the elevator, exited the building, and got into his car. It did not take long before he drove to a nearby five- star hotel,


    the first hotel he stayed in when he first arrived in Westchester. He had a room in the presidential suite on the top floor.


    As soon as he opened the door, a woman dressed in sexy lingerie threw herself into his arms.


    He grimaced.


    Isabe pressed herself into him and looked at him with puppy eyes. "Where have you been? What took you so long toe


    back?"


    Decker pursed his lips and promptly wiped away the coldness in his eyes, recing it with an affectionate look. He gently patted


    her head. "| went out to see some friends.¡±


    ¡°Really? Howe | heard about you attending the opening banquet of ''Legend of the Goddess''?"


    Isabe pouted and looked wounded.


    Decker was not in the mood to coax her and make her feel good about herself. He stated curtly, ''Yeah, | invested in the show


    and had to show up as a formality."


    With that, he moved her to the side and sat on the couch.


    Isabe followed him and sat next to him on the couch, wrapping herself around his arm while muttering in an aggrieved voice,


    "Decker, Isabel managed to steal the female lead of ''Legend of the Goddess¡¯ away from me and even made people rally against


    me online. She even refused to acknowledge me at least just for the media to see, so why are you still investing in that show?¡¯


    Decker frowned and was quickly growing impatient.


    Having mingled in the entertainment industry for some time, Isabe quickly sensed his subtle changes of emotion and shifting


    gestures. She quickly averted her tone and rified, "| don¡¯t mean to me you. | just have a feeling you care a lot about Isabel.


    | get jealous when | think about it because | like you and you alone."


    This seemed to please Decker. He turned to Isabe, this time with a genuine smile. "| don''t care about any other


    women. It was nothing but a simple investment because | saw potential in that show."

 Chapter 2043

    Chapter 2043


    Rnd gently brushed his fingers against Isabe''s face and spoke in a low, gentle voice, "Isabe, I''m a businessman. That''s


    what it is at the end of the day."


    "| understand. | am the one who was too paranoid," Isabe said as she pressed closer into him, her voice quickly growing sultry.


    ¡°Let me keep youpany tonight.¡±


    She drew her lips toward his neck while skillfully unbuttoning his cor with her hands.


    Decker''s mind continued reying the scene of Rnd snatching Isabel away from him.


    At the time, Isabel looked irresistible. He could remember how rosy her cheeks were, like the bright red shade of a ripe rose


    waiting to be plucked.


    Only for Rnd to swoop in and steal her away!


    His face darkened as he suddenly shoved Isabe, who was just about to climb on top of him, away.


    Thump.


    Isabe fell over on the couch and nearlynded on the floor.


    She sat up feeling abashed, then she turned to Decker who had risen for the couch. She asked in apletely perplexed voice,


    unaware of what she had done wrong," What¡¯s wrong? Was it something | said?"


    As upset as he was, Isabe was still his woman at least for now. With that in mind, he made up an excuse, "I can''t do this right


    now. | have a lot of work | need to do. Make sure you get some rest."


    With that, he entered the study.


    The moment he shut the door, Isabe scowled, and her expression darkened significantly. She frowned and thumped at the


    couch with her fists several times to vent.


    They had been together for a while, so why did he refuse to touch her?


    Was she not pretty enough for him?


    Had he taken a liking to Isabel and wanted to sleep with her instead?!


    She was filled with jealousy and spite at the thought.


    "Isabel, who do you think you are?!"Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She was the one who entered the scene first. What had Isabel done to deserve such poprity? What was it about her that


    made someone like Decker prefer her?


    Achoo!


    Isabel sneezed loudly before snapping her eyes open.


    The first thing she saw was the ceiling. Her head was muddled and she stared at it for a while before the memories of thest


    night jogged back into her mind. The first thing she remembered was the passionate, exciting scenes.


    Her heart sank, and she quickly sat up and looked to her side.


    The bed sheets were ruffled, but she was the only person in the room.


    Where was Rnd?


    Had he never been here the entire time? Were the scenes running through her mind nothing but a dream?


    She moved her hands and her legs to get a grasp on reality. She was convinced that it was not a dream.


    No. It had to be real.


    She had done it with Rndst night.


    Where was he?


    What if he fled out of shame?


    Knock knock.


    Suddenly, she heard a gentle knock on the door.


    She hurriedly pulled the quilt up to cover herself.


    She heard Martha''s gentle voiceing through the door," Isabel, are you awake? | made some soup for you. Drink it while it''s


    hot. It''s good for you."


    Isabel was about to heave a sigh of relief when she sensed something off.


    Why was Martha suddenly making soup for her? What did she mean when she said it was good for her?


    Did she know about what she did with Rndst night?


    She was suddenly filled with shame, and she coughed softly before answering, "Hey, Aunt Martha, I¡¯m awake. I''ll be there in a


    minute.¡±


    Martha said with a cheerful pitch in her voice, "Okay, don''t worry. Take your time getting ready."

 Chapter 2044

    Chapter 2044


    Chapter 2044


    Isabel certainly took her time.


    It was not so much that she wanted to keep Martha waiting, but there were countless marks on her neck left behind from the


    activityst night. She scrambled for a way to cover them, but all the clothes she had were no good for the task, so she ended up


    wrapping a scarf around her neck.


    Upon seeing Isabele out of the room atst, Martha quickly brought her a bowl of soup as well as a healthy portion of food.


    She motioned with a smile. "Isabel, you must be starving. Have a seat and dig in.¡±


    Isabel smiled awkwardly. "Aunt Martha, where''s Rnd?"


    It did not seem like he was inside the house at all Had he stormed off because he was upset with her?


    ¡°Rnd went to work." Martha nced at the silk scarf tied around her neck and remarked, "He didn''t mean to leave you behind.


    He''s been waiting for you to wake up since this morning. Then, he received several phone calls from work and had no choice but


    to leave to attend to something important."


    Isabel wanted to find a hole in the ground to bury herself in. She was not ming Rnd for leaving her; she was only curious


    about where he went to.


    That aside, what was more important was that Martha seemed to know what the two of them had got up tost night.


    She had slept with him at his ce. How embarrassing!


    Her mood shifted dramatically several times before she finally managed topose herself and act as naturally as possible. She


    muttered a vague ¡®okay¡¯ before sitting down at the dining table and eating.


    Martha sat next to her, watching her eat with a kind and affectionate smile. She observed as Isabel wolfed down two bowls of


    rice and three bowls of soup.


    She could not help it as she was starving.


    When she stepped out of the room, she was practically moving her limbs through sheer force of will.


    Besides, the food that Martha made was heavenly.


    After she had her fill atst, she set the bowls aside and thanked Martha, "I''m full. Thank you for the meal. I''ll be leaving for now.


    | need to get to work."


    With that, she grabbed the bag that she had packed when she came out of the room.


    Martha seemed alerted by this. She followed her to the door and asked warily, "Isabel, why are you bringing such arge bag?


    Aren''t you just going to work? Are you not nning to stay with us anymore?"


    Isabel quickly exined, "It''s not like that, Aunt Martha.


    We''re shooting a new series right now, and the location for the shoot is pretty far away. To make the scheduling easier, | have to


    stay at a hotel near the ce with the rest of the crew for a while.¡±


    Martha nodded with understanding before asking hesitantly, "So, that means you''re leaving us already?"


    Isabel assured her, "I''m not leaving. I''ll be back after the shoot."


    She was not the type to forget about others¡¯ kindness so easily. Besides, Rnd was the acting president at Carter Corporation,


    and she was the one who hired him, so there was no way she could brush him off anytime soon.


    Although she had to admit that a part of her was trying to use work as an excuse to slip away, she knew she woulde back.


    She did not know when, but it would probably be after theyplete the shoot.


    Martha noted the earnest look in her eyes and seemed convinced. "Alright, take care when you''re working out there. By the way,


    | made some snacks for you as well. Take them with you and snack on them when you''re hungry."


    She ran into the kitchen and appeared again with a container packed with snacks.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Isabel took the container with gratitude before stuffing it into her bag.


    After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Martha, she walked out of the house atst.


    Her two bodyguards, Ben the driver, and her assistant Ca were already waiting for her inside the car parked by the entrance


    gate.


    She quickly trotted to the door and opened the door herself without needing Ca to open it for her.


    After settling into the car, she motioned to Ben. "Let''s go."


    Ben stepped on the gas pedal, and the car smoothly pulled into traffic.


    Isabel looked at Rnd''s apartment through the rearview mirror and watched it slowly shrink in size as they drew farther away.


    She let out a faint, tired sigh.


    "Isabel, it''s so hot today. Why are you wearing a scarf?" Ca asked while observing her neck.


    Isabel suddenly tightened her scarf. "Oh, don''t worry about it. My neck feels a little chilly."


    Ca squinted suspiciously before asking candidly, "By the way, where did you go after the partyst night? | couldn''t get in


    touch with you at all."


    Isabel suddenly felt her cheeks burning. She reached over and pinned Ca back into the car seat and practically threatened


    her, "Keep talking and I''ll throw you out of the car!"


    Ca snickered and zipped her lips.


    Ben and the two bodyguards were quiet as usual.


    Nobody talked after Isabel silenced Ca.

 Chapter 2045

    Chapter 2045


    Isabel heaved a sigh of relief. Through sheer will, she made herself forget about the passionate scenes fromst night reying


    in her mind endlessly.


    She was truly unlucky to have met someone as scummy as Decker.


    As if his cheating on her five years ago and pping her was not enough, he tried to do something so vile to herst night!


    Although his ns were foiled, she was still upset that it happened at all.


    More importantly, she did not know how she was ever going to face Rnd again!


    Ahh, how embarrassing!


    Ding!


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    She reached for her phone and immediately recognized the name on the disy: Rnd. The name immediately spurred


    memories fromst night, of scenes of him kissing her hungrily.


    Even now, she could recall the heat of his sweat trickling onto her cheeks.


    Her hands trembled, and the phone slipped out of her hand andnded on her thigh.


    "Isabel, are you okay?" Ca asked worriedly.


    The two bodyguards turned around to look as well.


    Isabel murmured, "I''m fine."


    She picked up the phone and promptly silenced it. She chose to pretend to have missed the phone call.


    After a while, the ringtone ended atst.


    Rnd followed up with a text, "My mother told me you went off to work."


    Upon not receiving a reply from Isabel after several minutes passed, he followed up with yet another text, "Where are you


    working? Where''s the location of the shoot?¡±


    Isabel continued to ignore his messages. She wanted to y it down as if she did not have her phone with her at all.


    Rnd stopped texting her after that.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    After her restless beating heart finally calmed down, she tucked the phone into her pocket.


    Inside the president''s office at Carter Tower, Rnd stood by the window and stared at the phone in his hand.


    Twenty minutes had passed, and yet there was no word from Isabel.


    Did she forget her phone? Did she not want to talk to him?


    Knock.


    There was a knock on the door.


    Rnd put his phone away. "Come in."


    He sat down on the chair.


    His assistant stepped in and handed him a stack of documents that he requested, along with some other work- rted reports.


    Rnd nodded solemnly after his assistant finished rying the report, "I see, thank you. You can get back to it now."


    The assistant hesitated for a moment before informing him," Sir, | received some information. Someone has been investigating


    you."


    Rnd was startled for a moment before asking suspiciously, "It''s Decker, isn¡¯t it?"


    The assistant seemed taken aback by his spection." That¡¯s him. How did you know?"


    Rnd lowered his head and started to go through the sheet of documents. He remarked distractedly, "Don''t worry about him."


    His assistant had been working with him for more than a year and was aware of his personality now. Although he was curious as


    to why Decker would investigate him and the rtionship between the two men, he stifled his curiosity and left the office.


    For the first round of filming of "Legend of the Goddess", the crew gathered in a newly built district on the edges of Westchester.


    The architectural style of this area was modeled after an older period.


    Isabel''s first scene was scheduled for the evening, so she arrived rtively early.


    The director and most of the other actors had arrived as well, and the crew members were setting up the set.


    Upon noticing her, the director seemed concerned and quickly approached her. He spoke to her in a hushed voice," Isabel, why


    did you and Decker suddenly disappearst night during the dinner party? Did something happen to you?

 Chapter 2046

    Chapter 2046


    The director''s primary concern was not so much that Isabel could have had some indecent affair with Decker. He was more


    concerned about Isabel having chased Decker off by hitting him or worse.


    Isabel immediately put her acting skills to practice. She shed a look of confusion. "What? Decker leftst night?"


    The director seemed startled by this as well. "Do you know where he went off to?"


    Isabel replied calmly, "| wouldn''t know.¡±


    It was the truth. She had no idea where Decker went off to after Rnd took her away.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll call back and check up on him. I''ll let you go prepare for your scene.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    She went to her hotel room. It was a decent and remarkablyrge room.


    After briefly unpacking her luggage, she walked out of her room and went to the designated area where the actors would get


    their makeup done.


    Unfortunately for her, her costumes for the scenes today were all shirts without cors, which meant there was no way she could


    hide her hickeys.


    The good news was that she was friends with the makeup artist. The makeup artist did not cause a scene save for a few giggles,


    and her hickeys were promptly camouged using ayer of foundation.


    After her makeup waspleted, she made sure to stuff a generous tip to the makeup artist.


    The first few scenes were a little iffy since she needed time to find her rhythm.


    Fortunately, she had thoroughly gone through the script in advance and was at least familiar with what was needed for her role.


    After shooting a few more scenes, she got into the rhythm atst. The next two days of the shoot went rtively well.


    On a certain evening, the weather was less than cooperative. It was trickling rain all day.


    Additionally, there were some issues with the equipment. Isabel and the other actors had to wait for a long time for the


    equipment to be repaired, and by the time they finished shooting the allocated scenes for the day, it was already dark.


    The director decided to wrap up the day and told everyone to head back to the hotel for dinner and rest.


    By the time the crew utched Isabel from the rig suspending her in the air, most of the actors were gone.


    Only Ca and her bodyguards were still waiting for her.


    Ca hurriedly handed her a towel to dry off with, then asked her worriedly, "Are you cold? Do you want some hot water and


    something to eat?"


    "I''m fine. Let''s get back to the hotel first.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Apanied by Ca and her bodyguards, she walked out of the set and back to the hotel they were staying at.


    It was not arge hotel, and the ce was mostly reserved for film crews. This was one such asion when the entire ce


    was upied by a film crew.


    The only people in the hotel were either the hotel staff or members of the crew.


    After roughly five minutes, Isabel arrived at the hotel with Ca and her bodyguards.


    Just as she was about to enter, she noticed a tall figure standing in the rain with an umbre from the corner of her eye.


    He was standing in the open space by the entrance of the hotel. He carried a stic bag in his free hand and wore a stark ck


    fitted suit. The man looked like a prince from a foreignnd. His entire demeanor was graceful and entirely captivating.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel''s eyes grew wide open.


    Why does he look so much like Rnd?


    ¡°Wow, who is that man? He''s so handsome,¡± Ca whispered into her ear.


    Several actresses drew up closer toward the mirror to steal looks at the handsome stranger outside as well.


    Only the two bodyguards following Isabel regarded Rnd with poised expressions while the other turned around to look at


    Isabel.


    At the same time, Rnd directed his attention toward Isabel as well.


    Isabel could immediately feel the sharpness of his gaze like aser on her. She shivered for some reason, and her cheeks began


    to redden.


    She wanted to escape, but where could she run to? Besides, he was already here, and it would not be wise to run away.


    She ducked from his gaze and turned to Ca and the bodyguards. "Go inside. I''ll catch upter.¡± They obliged and went into the


    hotel.

 Chapter 2047

    Chapter 2047


    Ca eyed Isabel suspiciously. "Is that handsome man over there here to see you?"


    Isabel waved her off. ''Yeah, just go in first. Also, help me get those girls crowded by the window out of here as well.¡±


    ¡°Understood, I''ll head in right now."


    Ca went into the hotel and said something to the host of actresses gathered by the window and got them to follow her to give


    Isabel some privacy.


    Meanwhile, Rnd walked up to Isabel with the umbre in hand. He stepped close enough so the umbre covered both of


    them.


    The two stood very close together under the limited space the umbre offered.


    Isabel could see his face up close. She felt hot all over. With a soft cough, she asked, "Why are you here?¡±


    Rnd looked at her with an unchanging expression. "| came to see you."


    He lifted the bag in his other hand. "My mother told me to bring some snacks for you to eat."


    Isabel''s eyes glittered, and she hurriedly took the bag with the snacks and said gratefully, "Thank her for me, please."


    Martha was nothing short of a master chef. Not only was the food she made delicious, but even themon snacks she made


    were several tiers above the other snacks she usually ate. They were Southboro-style snacks.


    She had shared the snacks Martha gave her several days ago with her fellow actors on the set, and they had nothing but praises


    and gobbled everything before she could have her fill herself.


    Rnd noticed the sh of joy on her face, and his expression seemed to soften briefly as he nodded and grunted.


    Then, the atmosphere suddenly grew awkward.


    The only sound they heard was the light patter of the rain against the umbre.


    Isabel started to feel a little awkward with him staring at her. She turned to the side to avoid facing him. She stared at the rain


    and said dismissively, "Is there anything else you need? If not, you can go home now.¡±


    While her tone sounded rather distant, the chilly weather entuated the coldness in her voice.


    Rnd frowned and asked, "Did | hurt you that night?"


    Isabel suddenly turned to him when she heard this, and her face wrenched in embarrassment. "What are you talking about?!"


    She was not made of ss although she had to admit he had been rather rough with her that night.


    "Then, why have you been ignoring me these past two days?


    ¡¯ Rnd asked in a puzzled voice.


    Isabel immediately avoided his gaze. "I... I''ve been too busy these two days, and | didn''t have my phone with me. | didn''t reply to


    your messages because | didn''t even see them.¡±


    Rnd took half a step towards her, bing even closer to her now than before.


    He looked into her flickering eyes and asked usingly, "If you didn''t have your phone with you, how did you manage to post


    videos of you on the set with the other actors?"


    Isabel could feel her heart drop.


    To avoid having to reply to his text, she had been careful to not post anything on her personal page, but she forgot about her


    official page!


    He must have seen the posts on her official page!


    Her mind raced frantically for an excuse and she stammered, "Ca took the video for me, and she posted them on my official


    page."


    Rnd stayed silent.


    Even though he did not speak, Isabel could feel her heartbeat pulsing rapidly in her ears. It must be her guilt eating away at her.


    Upon sensing his prolonged silence, she darted a nce at him.


    She immediately met the clear and earnest look in his eyes.


    He stared intently at her, and when he made eye contact with her, he smiled coyly and stated, "You mentioned that you would


    take responsibility after what happened that night."Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel felt her voice caught in her throat, at a loss for what to say.


    Rnd pressed her, "Aren''t you going to take responsibility now?"


    His voice was sharp.


    A gust of chilly wind blew past them that made Isabel shrink from the cold as she exined wryly, '' No, that''s not what | meant."


    "Then, what did you mean?"


    ¡°Rnd, |... | wasn''t myself that night. I... I''m sorry, | didn''t mean to force you to... with me...


    His eyes gleamed with cold as he interrupted her, "So, you¡¯re saying that we should pretend that night did not happen at all?¡¯


    Isabel could not find the words to exin what was going through her mind, but one thing she knew for certain was that she did


    not want Rnd to be upset with her. She did not want him to think that she was that kind of woman, so she exined frantically,


    No, no. | just didn¡¯t know how to face you again after what we did.¡±

 Chapter 2048

    Chapter 2048


    Chapter 2048


    A sh of light darted across his dark eyes.


    After a moment, he restored his usual calm demeanor." Well, here | am right in front of you now. Will you tell me how you n to


    im responsibility for that night?"


    Isabel bit her lip. She had been thinking about this endlessly over the past two days.


    Before he showed up, she even considered buying his silence with a huge cheque and tell him to forget about it, but now that


    she was facing him and looking at his handsome face, she realized she could not bear to hurt him and could not get the words


    out.


    Doing that was almost certain to wound his pride and feelings.


    She opted for a direct approach instead. "How do you expect me to take responsibility?¡±


    She wore a stout, serious expression that held a strange contrast with her doll-like appearance.


    Rnd looked at her silently for a moment, then suddenly lowered his head close toward her.


    At the same time, he cupped her chin with his palms.


    Isabel could feel the warm touch of his fingers pressing against her lips. She was so close to him that her eyes widened


    immediately.


    Her usual instinct in situations like this was to give the man a brutal p, but now, she had grown stiff and could not move at all.


    Then, Rnd suddenly released her and pulled away. He looked at her solemnly and stated bluntly, "1 want to be your


    boyfriend."


    Huh?


    Boyfriend?


    He was trying to date her?


    Isabel was too stunned to know how to respond to such a proposition.


    After failing to receive an answer from her after a long silence, Rnd frowned faintly. He asked in a slightly dejected voice, "Is


    that a no?"


    "No.Jt¡¯s not..." Isabel thought for a moment before stating, ¡¯ Rnd, I¡¯m an actress."


    "| know."


    "| can''t get into a rtionship."


    He refuted her point, "I don''t think there are anyw or ethical reasons stopping an actor from entering a rtionship.¡±


    Isabel stammered as she spoke, "I...I¡¯m too busy. | don¡¯t have time for a rtionship."


    Rnd stated, "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m very busy too. | won''t get in the way of your job."


    Isabel no longer knew what to say to this.


    Rnd looked at her intently. His eyes had a blinding glow underneath them that made him resemble a ferocious beast ready to


    pounce from the fog of the rain. There was a certain all-consuming wildness inside them, and yet there was also a trace of


    endearment.


    Isabel could not make herself refuse him even if she wanted to.


    It was as if refusing him would suddenly make her a terrible woman that had taken advantage of him.


    She took a deep breath and decided atst, "Okay, if you don¡¯t mind being neglected sometimes because I¡¯m too busy with work,


    then we can start dating."


    They were just entering a rtionship, not a marriage, thus they could break up any time they wanted to.


    He smiled.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Before she knew it, he drew in closer toward her and kissed her on the lips.


    She was caught off guard by this gesture.


    He could at least give her a hint before kissing her!


    His lips were so soft. There was afortable warmth that poured into her through his breath.


    She returned the favor and kissed him as well.


    After a while, Rnd let go of her. His icy expression softened uncharacteristically with a faint smile, which made him look more


    handsome than he already was.


    Isabel nearlyunched herself into his arms, but the rationale part of her knew better. She coughed and pushed away these


    thoughts, then told him, "It¡¯s gettingte. You should go home and rest."


    Rnd nodded.


    He stuffed the umbre into her hand.


    The rain was getting heavier.


    Isabel tried to stop him. "The hotel is right there. It''ll take me only a few seconds to run in. You should take the umbre." He


    refused, "It''s fine. My car is right there."

 Chapter 2049

    Chapter 2049


    Then, Rnd gently brushed his fingers against Isabel''s cheeks, and the pitch of his voice dropped slightly. "I''m going now. I''ll


    come to visit you another day."


    With that, he stepped out from the shade of the umbre.


    Isabel held back a smile and stared at his quickly departing figure as he trotted toward the car parked by the side of the road.


    It was only after she watched him open the door and get inside, then drive away that she finally stepped back into the hotel.


    She had only just stepped inside and barely had time to put away the umbre when Ca rushed to her.


    She looked at Isabel with a wicked smile on her face. "Who is that man? You were just with him for a while, and your face is


    already so red. What''s with that?" she asked as she helped Isabel put the umbre away.


    Isabel looked around and noticed the group of actresses who were gathered by the window just now and gawking at the


    handsome Rnd. It looked like they were out of earshot, so she deemed it safe to tell Ca.


    She smiled slyly. ¡®That''s my boyfriend."


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ca was taken aback by the answer and asked, "When did you start dating? Howe | didn''t know about it?"


    Isabel admitted, "Just now.¡±


    Ca stifled augh. She followed Isabel into the hotel lobby and began prying for more details, "What''s his name? What does


    he do? Where is he from?¡±


    "You''ve met him."


    "| have? When?" Ca asked in a queer voice.


    "It was more than a year ago. We helped him at the side of the road when his mother was suffering from some medical


    condition."


    Ca suddenly remembered the scene and let out an astonished yelp, "So, that''s him! | was wondering why he looked so


    familiar."


    Somehow, one of the actresses heard them and spread the news of Isabel being in a rtionship.


    The next day, several media-affiliated ounts caught wind of the rumor that Isabel was dating someone. Although none of them


    knew about the lucky man¡¯s identity, the key phrase "Isabel Ross is in a rtionship" was trending by the next morning.


    Isabel had just finished shooting a scene when she saw the news.


    Amanda called her and asked without beating around the bush, ¡®Isabel, are you seeing someone?"


    Isabel broke out in an astonished voice, ¡¯ How did you know?"


    ¡®The news is spreading online. Everyone is saying that you''re in a rtionship.¡±


    Isabel processed the information for a while before asking, "Are there any pictures or videos?"


    ¡°Nothing, | already put our PR team on it."


    ¡°Good.¡±


    If there were no sightings of her with Rnd, it meant that the rumors would only continue to remain rumors no matter how


    quickly word spread around. All she needed to do was not acknowledge the rumors and things would die down soon enough.


    Amanda sounded concerned. "When did it start? Howe | don¡¯t know about it?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel answered with perfect honesty, "We just started datingst night. | haven''t had time to tell you yet."


    "You''re too careless!"


    They only started datingst night, and rumors were already circting. What else could that be if not carelessness?


    Isabel was not bothered.


    Just as Rnd said, there was nothing wrong with her being in a rtionship. It was not illegal nor hical for a celebrity to


    date.


    She didn''t respond to theizens because she did not want her private affairs to be scrutinized by the public. Even if someone


    were to photograph her and Rnd together, she would remainrgely unbothered.


    Amanda sighed. Based on what she knew about Isabel, she knew it was not going to fare well if they suggested they break up.


    She still asked out of curiosity, "Who is he? Someone in the entertainment industry?"


    Isabel told her, "He¡¯s not in the industry. He¡¯s around the same age as me and is very handsome.¡±


    When she mentioned that her boyfriend was very handsome, the pitch in her voice rose slightly, enameled with what sounded


    like pride.


    Amanda snickered and advised her, "Alright, just be careful when you see him going forward. Be careful of paparazzi taking


    pictures."


    "| understand, don''t worry."


    With that, Amanda hung up.


    Isabel swiped to her feed to take a quick look.


    People were still discussing rumors of her having a boyfriend, but attention revolving around the subject was starting to wane.


    Most people simply wanted to know who the mysterious boyfriend was. Nobody had any ill intentions.


    The rest of them were focused on criticizing the media outlets for breaking the news without any pictures or videos serving as


    evidence, using them of falsifying news for clicks.


    Her fans were busy shooting down the false rumors. They imed she was too busy with her career to date at all.


    She estimated that within a few hours, people woulde to forget about it. She put away her phone and prepared for her next


    scene.

 Chapter 2050

    Chapter 2050


    Meanwhile, in the hotel Decker was staying at, he was swiping on his phone and reading the discussions about Isabel''s rumored


    rtionship. A gloomy look showed on his face.


    Then, his assistant called him.


    He promptly answered and put the phone to his ear, "What is it?"


    The assistant told him cordially, "Sir, we found Mr. Rockwell.¡±


    His expression immediately shifted. ¡®Where is he now?"


    The assistant informed him cautiously, "He¡¯s working at Carter Corporation as the president."


    Decker scowled.


    The President of Carter Corporation.


    His face darkened gravely when he recalled the way Isabel had thrown herself at Rnd when she was drugged the other night.


    This exined how Isabel managed to take back the female lead that he initially seized from her and gave to Isabe.


    So, this was the sort of man she had backing her.


    They have been together since a while ago!


    This introduced some more questions. "Why did the Carters install an outsider as the president?" he asked inextricably.


    The assistant remarked, "| heard that Odell Carter initially handed the reins to his daughter, but his daughter was not interested


    in handling the operation, so she ended up hiring Mr. Rockwell to do it for her. Over the past year, Mr. Rockwell has been


    performing very well and increased the revenue by a wide margin. They say everyone in the corporation is pleased with his


    performance."


    The look in Decker''s eyes sharpened upon receiving this information. He stewed in silence for a while before answering,


    "Alright."


    He briskly hung up. Then, he stood next to the window and looked at the bustling street outside. His expression was dark and


    somber, his eyes sharp and hostile.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    He was not expecting the same Rnd Rockwell, who he spent so much effort on banishing out of Southboro, to have managed


    such a tremendouseback in Westchester. He was actually the president of Carter Corporation!


    To make matters worse, he was involved with Isabel!


    He could not afford to bex any longer.


    He had to get rid of Rnd somehow and take Isabel back!


    Two more days passed in a blink of an eye.


    Around evening when it was getting dark outside, Isabel and the crew wrapped up their shooting for the day and returned to the


    hotel. Isabel was apanied by Ca and the two bodyguards.


    When she got to the hotel, she saw several actresses who had gotten back to the hotel earlier than her. They were all lurking


    behind the entrance and spying on someone outside.


    Unsurprisingly, the person they were gawking at was none other than Rnd.


    He wore a handsomely fitted suit, tailored with the finest fabric. He stood near the open field by the entrance and had a container


    in hand while his expression was stoic and cool as usual.


    That was until he noticed Isabel.


    Then, his eyes transformed with a tender glow.


    Isabel was not expecting him to show up after a mere two days. She was not upset. On the contrary, she was d to see him.


    "Ca, why don''t you-"


    "| understand."


    Before she could finish her sentence, Ca led the two bodyguards into the hotel. She also chased away the other actresses


    who were peeping at Rnd from inside the hotel.


    Rnd approached Isabel.


    Isabel went to him as well, and they closed the gap between them in no time.


    Isabel broke the ice. "Aren''t you supposed to be busy? Why are you here again?"


    "| have some time today." Rnd handed her the container. "My mother made some food for you.¡±


    Isabel took it dly, and as usual, told him, "Thank her for me, please.¡±


    Rnd nodded, then he looked at her dotingly.


    Isabel felt rather shy with him staring at her like that, so she asked sheepishly, "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Because | like to," he said bluntly.


    Isabel was speechless. Her cheeks ballooned with redness.


    After a stiff silence, she muttered, "Thanks for the food. You can go home now."


    Rnd fell silent.


    She asked warily, "What''s the matter? Do you need something else?"


    "| want to spend a little more time with you," he said sincerely with a genuine look in his eyes.


    It sounded very innocent when it came out of his lips.


    Isabel considered for a moment before suggesting, "All of the crew is inside the hotel. Let''s just sit in your car for a bit."


    "Sure."


    His car was parked nearby. They approached his car, and Rnd opened the door for her.


    She burrowed herself inside.

 Chapter 2051

    Chapter 2051


    Rnd entered the car after her.


    The five-seater car was made by an international manufacturer and looked brand-new.


    This did not seem like the same car he drove here two days ago.


    Isabel asked curiously, "Is this a new car?"


    "Yeah.¡±


    "Why aren''t you using thepany''s car?"


    "| didn''t want to drive thepany car to see you."


    Isabel seemed startled by the response.


    Rnd peered into her eyes without a word.


    There was not a hint of indecent ideas in the clear sparkle of his eyes and yet, Isabel was too shy to stare into them for too long.


    She distracted herself by opening the food container and began munching at its contents.


    The snacks Martha made for her this time were different from the ones she usually made, but they were just as delicious.


    She could not stop eating once she started.


    Rnd watched her silently.


    The sound of her teeth cking against the food was the only noise inside the car.


    Isabel could not bear the silence anymore, so she broke the silence with a question. "Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    Rnd pursed his lips. ¡®What do you want me to say?¡±


    This startled Isabel and she shot him a discontent look before going back to the snacks.


    It did not take long before she finished half of the container''s contents.


    "Hie." She identally burped.


    She promptly covered the container with its lid.


    "I''m full," she announced.


    Rnd handed her a handkerchief like a dutiful waiter.


    It seemed like he had it at the ready the entire time. It was a very clean and neat handkerchief.


    She was just nning to slip out of the car and go back into the hotel when he patted the corners of her lips with the


    handkerchief, wiping the crumbs of food from her lips.


    Then, he leaned in close toward her.


    She could see his mesmerizing eyes inches from hers. Her eyes darted to the bulb of his throat, she stared at it with a transfixed


    look.


    She gulped.


    After he finished wiping her lips and seemed like he was going to draw away, she could not resist the urge anymore. She leaned


    forward and nted a kiss on his lips.


    The moment they kiss, she could feel his body stiffening.


    It was just a simple kiss, but he seemedpletely astonished.


    It was surprisingly cute to see him behaving like this.


    On a whim, she pried open his lips with her tongue.


    She was just about to open her eyes to see his reaction when she suddenly felt his palm ced against the back of her head.


    With that, he copsed over her.


    In an instant, the prey had be the predator.


    He pinned her on the car seat and kissed her passionately.


    It was only when she thumped against his body with her hands that he let go atst.


    He supported his weight on top of her and looked at her hungrily. They were rabid, reddened eyes of a predator.


    Isabel wanted to shoot a re at him originally but flinched when she noticed the look in his eyes.


    She blinked shyly and gently nudged his body again. "What are you thinking?"


    Her voice came out like a tiny squeal.


    It even caught her by surprise as she did not know she was capable of producing a sultry voice such as this.


    Rnd was just as surprised. He suddenly smiled bewitchingly with a suggestive look in his eyes.


    She shot a look at him. "Don''tugh!"Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    He wiped away the smile, but there was still a distinct hint of a smile on the corner of his lips.


    Isabel grabbed his cor brashly. "Don''tugh! Don''t try me, I''ll do you right here!"


    Rnd was startled by the firmness in her voice.


    In the very next second, his lips curled up into a naughty smile.


    He said in a seductive voice, a charming glow in his eyes, ¡¯I believe you."


    Go ahead and try.


    He did not say it, but Isabel could sense this was what he was trying to say.


    Her cheeks became flushed with red, she was too stunned for words.


    Complete silence.


    She could not bear the intense tension between them anymore. With a sudden jerk, she yanked at his cor to pull him toward


    her.


    Rnd pressed his entire weight on top of her. The two got tangled in a passionate kiss.

 Chapter 2052

    Chapter 2052


    Their lips were glued to each other''s as they went at it for a while.


    The temperature inside the car was rising rapidly, it was quickly getting hot and steamy inside.


    That was when Rnd let go.


    With her cheekspletely covered in red, she asked brazenly, "What are you doing?"


    "This isn''t a good ce," he said in a raspy, suppressed voice.


    He thought this ce was too small and cramped for it?


    Fair enough, she was not sure about doing it here either.


    She only kissed him because she did not want to lose face as she wanted to be in control.


    She knew better than to say it, so she squinted yfully and teased him," What, you don¡¯t want to continue?"


    Rnd admitted quite frankly, "Yeah."


    She scoffed and gently nudged him away before sitting up. She dered proudly, "Just remember that you''re the one who said


    no so I''ll let you off the hook this time. Next time, | won''t be so merciful no matter the location!"


    She put on a haughty disy like she was the one in control.


    Rnd pursed his lips to try to suppress a smile as he replied, " Understood."


    "I''m going back into the hotel for now, why don''t you go home too?"


    "Sure."


    Isabel smoothed out her clothes and opened the door. She walked outside with her head held high as if nothing had happened at


    all.


    Rnd could not help butugh and chuckle at the sight.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    After ensuring she had walked into the hotel, he smoothed out his clothes as well and drove off.


    Isabel had scenes to shoot nearly every day.


    When things progressed well, she could wrap up as early as the evening.


    Sometimes when there were some hups, she would have to stay on set untilte at night.


    There were also some scenes scheduled at night, which meant she would have to get up in the middle of the night for them.


    This meant her working and resting hours were very sporadic.


    Despite that, she would see Rnd waiting for her in front of the hotel every two days.


    He would always bring her something every time he came to visit. Sometimes, it was food that Martha made for her while other


    times he would buy something from downtown for her to eat.


    They would spend time in the car.


    He seldom spoke at all. He would just spend the duration watching her eat, then he would wipe her mouth with a clean


    handkerchief.


    After Isabel had her fill, she would pull him into her and kiss him, sometimes teasing him a little.


    He would always scantly react to her teasing, but his reddened ears gave him away everytime.


    Isabel loved to see his reaction.


    Then, on one certain night two days away from hisst routine visit.


    Isabel had texted him earlier during the day to inform him that she had a scene scheduled at night and that he did not have to


    make the trip tonight since she was busy.


    To her surprise, after they wrapped up the shoot past midnight at around three, she saw him standing outside the hotel entrance.


    He carried a tray of food and perched next to his car waiting for her.


    She was surprised to see him showing up at all.


    Due to how regrly he showed up, most of the crew members were aware of his existence as well.


    When the other actors who got back to the hotel noticed him, they tacitly quickened their pace to walk into the hotel, giving Isabel


    some privacy.


    Ca and the bodyguard entered the hotel as well.


    Leaving nobody but the couple outside.


    Isabel did not hold back this time. She pranced toward him and threw herself into his arms.


    She wrapped her arms firmly around his waist, then she turned up to look at him. "Didn''t | tell you that you didn¡¯t have toe?"


    Rnd spoke softly, "I''ve just finished my work too."


    She frowned upon hearing this. "That busy?"


    "Something urgent came up with our current project that | had to deal with.¡±


    The moment she heard about work, her head began to ache. She nodded disinterestedly and dropped the subject, then she


    reached for the tray of food that he bought for her.


    Rnd promptly opened the door for her.


    Isabel got inside, then Rnd entered as well, the couple huddled together in the backseat.


    The food in the tray was still hot, and Rnd bought her her favorite.


    There were two forks inside. She handed one to Rnd and took one for herself, then she set the tray on herp and offered


    graciously, ¡®Let''s eat together."


    He must not have eaten anything at all.


    Rnd smiled and obliged. "Okay."


    They ate in silence and finished everything very quickly.


    Just like their past few meetings, Rnd grabbed a handkerchief and wiped her lips clean.

 Chapter 2053

    Chapter 2053


    Isabel held his hand tenderly and yed with the heart of his palm.


    Rnd was calm at first, but after a while, his ears began to turn red.


    Isabel snickered at the sight.


    He looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What are youughing at?"


    She motioned him over. "Come closer and I''ll tell you."


    Rnd hesitated briefly before bowing his head closer.


    Isabel drew herself closer toward him as well, their cheeks brushed against each other. Then, she gently nibbled his ear with her


    teeth.


    Rnd seemed to gasp at the touch of her teeth.


    He stiffened up.


    Even his breathing began to turn erratic.


    Isabel was so absorbed in teasing him that she did not sense the looming danger.


    After nibbling his ears a few more times, she whispered breathily into his ear, "I¡¯mughing because your ears are turning red."


    Rnd was silent.


    Was he upset?


    She turned to him to get a closer look at his face, and that was when he suddenly grabbed her by her waist.


    Her lips were instantly sealed by his lips, engulfed in a lustful kiss.


    He pulled her tightly into his body and kissed her with everything he had.


    She was not expecting this at all, her eyes widened in shock.


    He was so strong that she could not hope to push him away.


    It did not take long before she got riled up as well. She started to kiss him with equal force and passion.


    She was not going to let him outdo her as she yielded to nobody!


    She would assert her dominance by taking control!


    Unfortunately, she would be outmatched this time. She had exerted every breath in her body and yet she could not overpower


    him. He soon pinned her down and pressed his entire weight over her, dominating her.


    The only sound heard in the car was their lustful breathing and sighing.


    Just when it looked like they were about to reach the climax, Rnd suddenly stopped.


    Isabel was caught off-guard by the sudden pause, she looked at him with a watery look in her eyes.


    He caressed her rosy cheek. ¡®This isn¡¯t a good ce."


    The sudden pause allowed time for Isabel to regain her reason, and she almost wanted to tell him off right then and there!


    How could he back out at the veryst second when they were about to do it?


    Before she could express her frustration, Rnd helped her sit up.


    He smoothed out her clothes for her. "Don¡¯t you have another shoot lined up tomorrow morning?" "Yeah, why?" she spoke in a


    grumpy voice.


    "Get some rest.¡±


    She was speechless.


    A swell of anger rose in her chest, but she knew better than to impose herself on him if he did not want to.


    Since he was reluctant, there was no reason she should force him to.


    With that in mind, she threw herself on his shoulder and bit him hard on the shoulder.


    He gasped from the pain that seemed to provide her at least a shred of satisfaction.


    She snorted at him, then she threw the door open and quickly retreated into the hotel.


    Rnd smiled tiredly and watched as she paced into the hotel. After she was out of sight, he let out a sigh.


    He let the cool breeze outside into the car and took some time to cool off.


    After that, he reluctantly started the engine and drove home.


    Meanwhile, Isabel had stepped into the elevator as well.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Unbeknownst to the both of them, someone had been filming them from a dark corner near the hotel entrance since the moment


    Isabel threw herself into Rnd''s arms.


    ¡°Hehe, finally some useful footage."


    Isabel slept through the night.


    Ca knocked several times before she woke up.


    She yawnedzily before crawling out of bed to get ready for the day.


    Shortly after they arrived on the set, they began shooting the scene for the day.


    They shot several scenes in a row before taking a break.


    With Ca by her side, she retreated to a quiet corner of the set and began eating her lunch.


    "Isabel, do you mind if | eat with you?" A fellow actress from the crew approached her with a tray of food in hand.

 Chapter 2054

    Chapter 2054


    Chapter 2054


    Isabel recognized her. She was Teresa, one of the actresses who yed one of the good guys on Legend of the Goddess.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She only had a handful of scenes on the show and they rarely had any scenes together, the point being that she was not very


    close with Teresa.


    Still, they were all part of the film crew and since Teresa took the initiative to approach her, there was no reason she should


    refuse, especially since no rules were saying that she owned this corner over here.


    Naturally, she gestured Teresa over. "Sure."


    Teresa sat down next to her.


    "Isabel, why do you eat the same boxed lunch as the film crew?" Teresa stared perplexedly at the tray of food Isabel was eating


    out of.


    Isabel responded with another question, "What else am | supposed to eat if not this?"


    They were far away from the city and they had many more scenes to shoot, getting to eat anything at all was a blessing enough.


    Teresa remarked, "You''re a big shot, | thought you wouldn''t eat something asmon as this like the rest of us. You''re more


    grounded than | thought."


    Grounded?


    Isabel cast a look at her.


    Having been in the entertainment industry for several years, she had developed a skill for reading people overtime.


    She could not shake off the feeling that Teresa was trying to sucker up to her.


    What exnation was there for her doing this? Apart from the show, they did not have anything to do with each other.


    Isabel considered her response briefly before stating, "You seem pretty humble as well."


    Teresaughed it off. "| wouldn''t know, I''m just an ordinary person.¡±


    Then, she managed to branch off into some other topics.


    They were mostly trivial talk, nothing that went beyond the realm ofmon small talk.


    Until at one point, she began talking about her personal life. That was when she started to put on a smile full of intention and


    asked quite coyly, "Isabel, I¡¯ve been seeing a very handsome guy waiting for you every few nights whenever wee back from


    the set. Is that your boyfriend?"


    Something gleamed in Isabel''s eyes, she nodded with a brief grunt.


    Teresa probed for more details. "He''s so handsome, is he a celebrity as well?¡¯ "No.¡± "Is he very rich or famous?" ¡¯No.¡±


    Teresa was taken aback by this. Nevertheless, she continued to ask with a casual smile, "What does he do?¡±


    Isabel cocked an eyebrow at her and eyed her sharply. ¡°Teresa, you seem to be very interested in my boyfriend."


    Teresa stammered for a second and quickly rified, "Please don¡¯t get the wrong idea, | was just curious what kind of man you


    considered worthy enough for you to date."


    Isabel answered candidly, ¡°Anyone that | like is someone | can consider worthy of being in a rtionship with."


    Teresa chuckled dryly. ¡¯ You''re so special."


    Isabel took a bottle of water from Ca and drank, she did not bother to respond.


    Teresa must have sensed that Isabel was losing interest in their conversation. With that, she excused herself. "I''m full, | guess I''ll


    see you, | have another scene to shootter.¡±


    She got up and left.


    Ca leaned over and asked, "Is it me or is Teresa a little weird?" "What¡¯s weird about her?" "You hardly know her. Why is she


    suddenly approaching you to talk about your boyfriend?¡¯


    It looked like Ca sniffed out Teresa''s intention as well.


    Isabel could immediately tell that Teresa wanted her to reveal Rnd¡¯s identity.


    What benefit could she probably gain from finding out about Rnd''s identity?


    No matter who Rnd was, she did not see how it could be relevant for Teresa.


    After Teresa finished her chat with Isabel, she walked to the car parked outside the film set.


    She jammed the boxed lunch that she had only taken a few bites out of into the trash can and ordered her assistant, "Go get me


    something that qualifies as food."

 Chapter 2055

    Chapter 2055


    Chapter 2055


    Teresa''s assistant asked cautiously, "What would you like to eat?"


    This instantly prompted a wrathful scowl from Teresa. She asked snappily, ¡¯ Don¡¯t you know my appetite by now?" "Okay, 111 buy


    something right now but it might take some time because | need to drive to the city¡± "If you don''te back with my food within


    half an hour, you don''t have to bothering back."


    The assistant grimaced but knew better than to protest. She held her tongue, then frantically ran to get food.


    Teresa sat down and reached for her phone. Then, she sent a text to Isabe, "Hey Isabe. | talked to Isabel and she¡¯s got her


    guard up the entire time. | only chatted with her for a while and only managed to find out that her boyfriend wasn''t part of the


    entertainment industry, | still don¡¯t know who he is. She did mention that her boyfriend didn''te from a rich family, maybe he¡¯s


    just amoner."


    Isabe replied almost instantly, ¡®There''s no way he''s any ordinary person.¡±


    Teresa asked, "How can you be so sure?"


    Isabe replied, "Let me worry about that, just continue trying to probe for more details from her. Anyway, | got some scripts sent


    to me recently and | went through them. Some of those roles are a good fit for you. If you can get more information for me, |


    promise that I''ll pass one of these scripts to you."


    Teresa''s eyes shone, she frantically thanked Isabe, Thank you so much, | promise I''ll get something useful for you!¡±


    Another two days passed.


    Isabel had been wholly upied with filming and even when she had the time to text, she would neglect to talk to Rnd.


    Rnd sent her several texts at first but upon failing to get a response from her, he stopped sending her texts after that.


    Just when Isabel thought that Rnd would not show up to see her again, she returned to the hotel after her scenes on the


    second night only to see the man waiting outside for her.


    The weather was rather chilly tonight.


    He wore a ck suit with a long overcoat draped over him.


    He looked like a male model waiting for a photoshoot. Even when he wore something as simple, he managed to make the outfit


    look like something curated by a high-fashion designer.


    Isabel was feeling slightly upset originally but when she saw how princely he looked, the stuffy feeling inside her was instantly


    washed away.


    She walked up to him and took his hand right in front of some of the other actresses who were sneaking looks at them.


    Rnd seemed delighted by her gesture. He dly took her hands into his and led her into his car.


    The inside of the car smelled fresh and vibrant, there was not a trace of abnormal smell.


    Isabel took the container filled with snacks and ate contentedly.


    Rnd watched her eat silently.


    Neither of them spoke. The only sound inside the car was of Isabel chewing on crumbs of snacks.


    After she had finished, he wiped her mouth with a handkerchief as always.


    None of them uttered a word still.


    Then, Rnd himself broke the silence, "Isabel, | didn''t mean to chase you away that night.¡± ¡¯l understand, you didn''t want to


    continue inside the car because it''s inappropriate, | get it," she said coldly.


    She was not upset because they did not get to do it as she was not that much of a pervert anyway.


    What she was upset about was that he just had to chase her out of his car just because he managed to stifle his lust at the very


    last second!


    Was it because he had something against her?


    If he truly liked her, he would not hit the brakes at the veryst second and go as far as to chase her out!


    Rnd frowned and grimaced silently.


    Upon noting his silence, Isabel felt another swell of anger ballooning inside her.


    She stuffed the container into his hands and prepared to leave. "I''m full, I''m leaving.¡±


    She proceeded to open the door.


    That was when he suddenly seized her hand to stop her.


    She heard his voicee out in a faint, depressed whisper, "My father died in a car ident.¡±


    She suddenly turned to him with an astonished look in her eyes.


    His eyes were empty and sad as he continued, "I was right there with him when it happened.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel felt a lump grow in her throat and pulled herself back into the car.


    They sat together in silence for a while before Isabel asked, "Back then, you didn''t want to drive to work. You also didn''t want to


    go all the way with me inside the car. Does both of these have something to do with your father?"

 Chapter 2056

    Chapter 2056


    "Yeah." he said stiffly.


    It was just a short answer, but Isabel felt like it punched into her chest like a hammer.


    She took his hand tofort him. "Sorry, | shouldn''t be upset at you."


    Rnd smiled affectionately. "It''s not your fault, | should''ve said something earlier.¡±


    Isabel did not even know that his father passed away, in a car ident no less.


    This exined why he only lived with his mother.


    Come to think of it, she knew nothing of his family. She asked him, "Can you tell me about your family?¡±


    Since they were dating, she should try to get to know him better.


    His eyes immediately darkened although there was a tint of a smile inside them only seconds ago.


    Isabel noticed she had misspoken and quickly retracted the question. "It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to talk about it."


    Rnd fell silent for a while before starting, "| was born in Southboro. My grandfather was decently wealthy and my parents have


    always had a very good rtionship."


    It sounded like a happy childhood from the way he put it. Even after his father passed away, it was unlikely that he would end up


    living on the streets with his mother when they first metst year, especially considering howpetent he was and the wealth


    he must have inherited. Isabel was just wondering about this when Rnd addressed her concerns. "The problem is my


    grandfather and grandmother don¡¯t get along. My grandfather had a mistress who gave him a son. After my grandmother passed


    away, he announced that he would let the illegitimate son he had with his mistress inherit all of his assets.


    "Just as you would expect, my father spoke up. In essence, my grandmother was the one who built up the family wealth because


    her family was the one who supported my grandfather''s business initially. Most of the assets my grandfather nned to pass on


    to his illegitimate child were registered under my grandmother''s name as well, which caused a lot of conflicts."


    This was a standard temte of the story of a man who leeched off of a woman all his life, only to turn around and betray her for


    the mistress! Isabel was furious when she heard of this, she asked agitatedly, ¡®What happened next?"


    Rnd closed his eyes to concentrate, and his voice suddenly became brittle. "After that, my father passed away in a car


    ident. My grandfather''s illegitimate son ended up getting engaged to a girl from a very significant family. With thebined


    effort of his father, who is my grandfather and his future father-inw, he managed toy im to everything that was supposed


    to be mine and chased me and my mother out of Southboro."Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel felt a chill rise up her spine.


    His father passing away from a car ident seemed a little too convenient. Was it truly an ident?


    She wagered that someone as kind and soft-spoken as Martha must have been sheltered growing up and did not know the first


    thing about these vicious tactics used in the business world. She must not have any resources to take back what was rightfully


    Rnd''s, especially since her husband as well as Rnd''s grandmother was no longer around to help them. She had nothing for


    her to fight against the grandfather and his illegitimate son.


    Even though Rnd had always been verypetent, he had no leverage to speak of, especially since he had nobody on his


    side and was severely outmatched against so many enemies. Enemies who were supposed to be his family.


    Isabel''s mood was grave.


    She moved toward him and hugged him tightly tofort him. "Rnd, it¡¯s all in the past now. | know how capable you are, I''m


    sure things will only get better for you and your mother from here on."


    Rnd looked at her profoundly and muttered uncertainly, "Yeah." "Alright, let''s not stew on these terrible things that happened


    in the past. The crew is going to Manchester to film next week so we''re given two days off this weekend. | have an event | need


    to attend this Friday night but after that, my schedule is cleared up for the weekend so we can spend time together."


    Rnd smiled atst. "Sure."


    Friday rolled around in the blink of an eye.


    Isabel was ecstatic at the thought of getting to spend time with Rnd over the weekend, she gave her all on set that day.


    All of her scenes progressed smoothly.


    Around evening, the director dismissed her. "Alright Isabel, go home and rest up for the weekend. We''ll be leaving for


    Manchester next Monday." "Sure!"


    She went to get her makeup removed with Ca following her.


    While she was removing her makeup, Teresa showed up.


    She had already changed out of her costume on set and had her makeup removed already. It seemed like she was finished for


    the day as well.

 Chapter 2057

    Chapter 2057


    ¡°Hey Isabel, are you done for the day already?" Teresa asked with a quick smile.


    Isabel nodded with a grunt.


    Teresa asked nonchntly, "There¡¯s this fashion show going on tonight, are you going to be there?¡±


    Isabel made a look. "Yeah."


    Teresa announced gleefully, "What a coincidence, I''m going too! Why don¡¯t we go together then?"


    Isabel was not against it. "Sure."


    She did not mind going with Teresa.


    Teresa was ecstatic. She took a seat nearby to wait for Isabel.


    After only a brief silence, she started to ask questions again, "Isabel, since we get the weekend off before we go to nchester,


    what are your ns? Are you going to see your boyfriend?"


    Isabel ignored her.


    Ca could not stand the endless pestering anymore and said grumpily," Teresa, why do you keep asking about her personal


    life?¡±


    Teresa froze with shock and exined vainly, "Sorry Isabel, don¡¯t get the wrong idea, | was just trying to find something to talk


    about."


    Ca was relentless. "Then you should find someone else to talk to, Isabel doesn''t like small talk."


    Isabel tried to suppress a smile.


    If not for the make-up artist attending to her to help her remove her makeup, she would have burst outughing.


    Looks could be deceiving. Ca had quite a sharp tongue for someone who looked so sweet and innocent.


    Teresa stiffened with shock again. She confronted Ca with an unmistakable animosity in her eyes and began lecturing her,


    ¡°How could you call yourself Isabel''s assistant with a temper like that? Even Isabel isn¡¯t saying anything yet. What gave you the


    right to presume what she thinks?"


    It was not difficult to tell that she looked down on Ca who was only a meager assistant. The tone of her voice immediately


    spelled trouble.


    Isabel''s patience was at its limits as well.


    Before Ca could snap back at Teresa, Isabel spoke up for her," Everything she says has my stamp of approval as well. Do you


    have any particr thoughts about that?¡±


    Teresa was not expecting even Isabel to step up to defend Ca, with such aggression no less.


    This seemed to silence her atst as she was too tongue-tied to enact a response.


    Isabel was done with the friendly act. She spoke without any sense of reserve, "I don¡¯t know why you''re so curious about what


    goes on between me and my boyfriend, but all | know is I''m done dealing with you and | don''t want to go to the fashion show with


    you. If you at least have a shred of shame, you''d get out of my sight right now."


    Teresa turned pale immediately, ashamed at being reproached so harshly.


    Her lips quivered and it looked like she wanted to say something, but no words came out. She scoffed and walked away atst.


    Ca scoffed at the sight of her scuttling away, then she approached


    Isabel and thanked her sincerely, "You look so cool just now when you stood up for me!"Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel said suavely with a flick of an eyebrow, "Of course."


    She was confident in her charms and grace.


    After the make-up artist was finished with her, she changed back into her clothes and left the set. With Ca and her two


    bodyguards by her side, she got into the car and was driven to the fashion show Teresa mentioned just now.


    Meanwhile, Teresa was also on the way to the show. She got into her car and stared spitefully at Isabel''s car.


    "Isabel, you think you''re a big shot now just because you¡¯re famous, don''t you? Just you wait, you''re not going to stay on top


    forever, I''ll get back at you eventually!"


    She snarled at Isabel before taking out her anger on her assistant for a while. After she finished venting, she texted Isabe,


    "Isabel is far more calcting than | thought. | was only asking her if she was going to spend time with her boyfriend this


    weekend and just like that, she managed to figure out | was trying to pry for details about her boyfriend. She had me kicked out


    of the costume room right in front of everyone, | can''t stand how full of herself she is!"


    She finished her message with a sticker of a frowning cartoon figure.

 Chapter 2058

    Chapter 2058


    Isabe replied within seconds, "I know, she''s the most cunning and arrogant person | know, I''m surprised it took so long for you


    to get stung by her."


    It seemed like she was no stranger to Isabel''s aggression.


    Teresa heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing that Isabe was not going to tell her off for herck of progress. She followed up with


    another text," Sorry Isabe, she saw through me, | don''t think it''s very likely | can get more information from her from now on. |


    did some research on the car her boyfriend drove here every time he came to visit her. The model barely costs a million dors


    so I''d wager he¡¯s respectably rich, but not to the point of being absurdly rich."


    Isabe replied after several minutes, "Alright, | see."


    Teresa tried her luck, "By the way, you mentioned you got some script for me recently. How are things progressing?"


    Even though she failed to uncover the identity of Isabel¡¯s boyfriend, she still managed to take some pictures and videos of the


    two together, so they must at least be of some use to Isabe.


    She figured that she at least deserved something nice in return, perhaps a chance to star in a female lead role.


    Isabe replied after a while, "I¡¯m busy getting my make-up done for tonight''s fashion show right now. Don''t worry, | always


    remember the promises | make. I''ll get back to you about the scripts in two days when | have time."


    Teresa replied courteously, "Alright, thank you again, Isabe. I''ll let you get back to it.¡±


    She smiled jovially and put away her phone after that.


    Meanwhile, Isabe, who was already on her way to the fashion show, tossed her phone aside and snarled violently, "Useless


    idiot."


    She had been spying on Isabel for so long and not only did she fail to extract any valuable information, but she even got herself


    caught in the process.


    How else could she describe this other thanplete idiocy?


    Still, she had to admit that Isabel was truly something. What a cunning fox!


    While she was thinking about this, the car stopped in the parking lot of the venue where the fashion show tonight would take


    ce.


    She got out of the car with her assistant escorting her. Shortly after that, they spotted two remarkably handsome young men


    lugging a giant case with them.


    There was a logo on the face of the casing. It was easily recognizable since it was the logo of a very reputable fashion brand.


    Chances were that it contained a custom-made high-fashion dress.


    An artisan work of such stature was only ever worn by elite-tier celebrities.


    Isabe turned to her assistant. "Go and ask them who the dress inside is for."


    The assistant quickly caught up to the two young men carrying the case and had a brief dialogue with them. After that, she


    thanked them with a polite smile before trotting back to Isabe with her findings. "They told me that the dress is for Isabel


    Ross."


    Isabel?!Her again!


    Isabe was furious. Isabel had emerged into the scene several yearster than her. Howe she was the one chosen by the


    fashion house to represent them instead?!


    She gnashed her teeth, bitter with resentment. As she continued to stare at the two young men delivering the dress to Isabel, her


    eyes glowered with hatred.


    Isabel had a rtively peaceful drive here but was surprised to see so many of her fans waiting for her when she arrived.


    She mingled with them for a while before making her way to the dressing room located backstage of the venue.


    Her dress, shoes, and essories were all ready for her.


    It took some time for the make-up artist to finish her makeup. By the time she got dressed, a crew member showed up to tell her


    that it was time for her to go on stage.


    It was a celebrity fashion show.


    The catwalk was a permanent fixture in such events.


    Isabel was among the first few to go on stage.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Several models who were her seniors went on stage first so it was going to be her turn soon.


    She checked her outfit, everything was in order. She went to the appointed spot connected to the stage and waited for her cue.


    During the brief wait, she suddenly sensed something strange. She turned around and looked behind, only to immediately spot


    Isabe standing behind a group of people.


    She was facing Isabel with a wide smirk on her face.


    The second she met Isabel''s eyes, she averted her gaze to the side and pretended as if she did not see Isabel at all.


    Isabel made a look.


    She could not quite put her finger on it but she had a noxious feeling.


    Before she could give it any further thought, she heard the host giving the cue for her to step on stage. "Next up. Isabel Ross,


    also known as the queen of ratings!"


    Ca kindly reminded her, "It¡¯s your turn, be careful you don''t trip over the hem of the dress."

 Chapter 2059

    Chapter 2059


    Isabel gave Ca a reassuring look before stepping onto the stage, cking her high heels against the tform.


    Bright lights beat on her from every direction.


    There were many attendees to the show and a lot of them were very fond of her as they cheered and cried out her name.


    "Isabel, | love you-"


    "Isabel, you¡¯re awesome!"


    "Isabel, you¡¯re so beautifull¡±


    The cheers reached one crescendo after another, there was no limit to their excitement.


    Almost everyone in the venue was chanting her name.


    Even Isabel was shocked by the reception. She smiled and waved at her rabid supporters.


    Just as she made it halfway down the runway, the lower half of her dress suddenly fell off.


    The frantic cries transformed into horrified gasps, sucking the air out of the venue.


    Even the host on stage was dumbfounded by what he was seeing. Ca, who was waiting for Isabel backstage, was no


    exception and nearly shrieked. Everyone present at the fashion show, from the audience to the models to the crew was


    astounded. All, except for Isabe.


    Suddenly, a stiff silence took over.


    Isabel looked down to see that a cut had been made directly across the dress at waist height. It was slipping off at the seams.


    She was lucky she managed to grab the falling dress just in time to prevent the clothing from dropping to the floor and expose


    her bare buttocks for the world to see. She was wearing red panties!


    She frowned tightly.


    The wires in her brain were suddenly crossed in all directions, she did not know what to do.


    It was at that critical moment when she heard one of her fans in the crowd cheering her on, "Isabel! You''re the best!"


    Her eyes gleamed.


    That was right. She was Isabel Ross. She was an actress and model widely known inside and outside the entertainment circle.


    She was blessed with unparalleled beauty and had the perfect figure to match it.


    Whatever happened to the dress, it would not take away her inherent beauty!


    So what if the dress was torn? It did not matter.


    She fixed a calm look on her face and pulled the fallen dress upward around her waist and continued striding down the catwalk


    confidently.


    With the dress pulled up, her slender calves were exposed for all to see. The shining high heels adorned with diamonds only


    further magnified the beauty of her legs.


    Her stride was precise and elegant. Every pair of eyes and camera lens fixed themselves on her.


    The most eye-catching of them all was not her figure nor her stride, it was the ever-so-unwavering smile she wore. It was radiant


    and unabashed, it was confident andpletely enchanting.


    It was as if an angel had somehow strayed into the world of mortals as her body seemed to exude a fine light.


    The crowd gasped in silence for several seconds, then another thunderous roar broke out.


    The host was yet again baffled by this disy.


    Ca, who looked on at the scene with her nerves wrought into a bundle heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she beamed with pride


    and joy.


    The other models who were about to step on stage could not believe what they were seeing as well. Some of them disyed


    mild looks of jealousy while others could not help but admire Isabel¡¯s grace.


    Isabe clenched her fist tightly, she growled with resentment. "How does she manage to y it off? How can she be so lucky?!"


    Isabel confidently finished herp on the catwalk before returning backstage.


    Ca hurried to her.


    Ramona and Triss ran past the other models who were next up on stage to approach Isabel as well.


    Ca cried out with astonishment, "Isabel, you were so cool back there!"


    Triss had nothing but admiration for her. "| can¡¯t believe you managed to pull that one off, incredible."


    Ramona smiled at her and told her, "Go on and change out of this dress."Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel remarked candidly with a handsome smile. "No need to rush."


    Then, she turned to look at Isabe who was hiding behind the other models.

 Chapter 2060

    Chapter 2060


    Isabe was ring at her viciously.


    It was quite clear that she could not fathom nor ept how Isabel managed to y it off with such confidence and coolness.


    Upon noticing Isabel''s gaze on her, she immediately turned away from her sight.


    Isabel jerked her lips into a sharp grimace.


    "Isabel, Amanda is calling, do you want to answer the call right now?¡± Ca asked while handing a phone to her.


    Isabel continued staring at Isabe who was filing toward the stage and told Ca, "Not yet."


    Ca carefully put away the phone while staring perplexedly at Isabel. Triss and Ramona were casting the same strange looks at


    her as well.


    Some of the other models who were waiting for their turn to go onstage as well as the ones who have alreadye off the stage


    were visibly confused to see Isabel still there as well. They were wondering why she was not changing out of her torn dress yet.


    Isabel continued holding the hem of her dress in hand and stared intently at Isabe who was about to step on stage soon.


    Isabe was staring straight ahead and pretended to not notice Isabel even though she was practically standing right in front of


    Isabel.


    Soon, the model in front of her stepped on stage.


    After a brief moment when the model was halfway through the runway, they heard the host giving the cue. "And next up, we have


    our beautiful Isabe Brunson!"


    Isabe put on her best smile and promptly stepped onto the stage.


    She was wearing a strapless tuxedo dress tugged snugly around her chest that tastefully revealed her cleavage. The hem of the


    dress was fairly long and dragged across the floor.


    Just as she was about to step onto the stage, Isabel took arge stride forward.


    The very moment the spotlights were cast on Isabe, Isabel nted her feet directly on top of the train of the dress.


    The audience, the host, and all the models waiting for their turn to step on stage, even theizens watching from home were


    equally horrified by what they were seeing.


    Isabe waspletely oblivious to what was happening and continued marching forward.


    After another step, she heard a sharp tear.


    The front of her dress was forcefully jerked downward.


    The fabric slid off to reveal the full shape of her chest, albeit with pads to cover them appropriately. This did not change the fact


    that her naked torso was fully exposed for the world to see.


    "Ah!" she cried out in terror.


    Everyone at the scene as well as theizens who were watching from home were bbergasted.


    No words could describe their shock.


    Immediately following the scream, Isabe spun around hastily.


    Only to see Isabel who was just hastily withdrawing her foot from the train of her dress.


    She was frantically pulling the dress up to cover herself when she froze solid. Herplexion immediately darkened by several


    shades as she screeched, "Isabel!"


    Isabel winked at her before walking back backstage.


    Isabe hadpletely lost her mind by this stage. The fashion show was thest thing she cared about. Upon pulling up her


    dress, she stomped toward Isabel.


    "Isabel, I''ll kill you!" she screeched like a banshee, ignoring everyone around her.


    Isabel ignored her and continued pacing away calmly, all while still holding the hem of her skirt.


    Ca, Triss, and Ramona sensed that the situation was escting rapidly. They hurriedly followed after Isabe to try to get hold


    of her before she could attack Isabel.


    Isabe was hardly herself at that point. They barely managed to talk some sense into her before she brazenly shoved Ca out


    of the way and made to w at the back of Isabel''s hair.


    Isabel immediately turned around when she heard Ca''s yelp when she was shoved away.


    Only moments before Isabe would grab her, she kicked her legs out like a seasoned fighter and sent Isabe flying several


    meters away.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    It was so quiet backstage that one could hear a pin drop.


    Ca, Triss, and Ramona were utterly speechless.

 Chapter 2061

    Chapter 2061


    Not a single person uttered a sound, save for Isabe who was groaning and gasping from the pain with her hands clutching her


    stomach region.


    Then, she gritted her teeth through the pain to look up at Isabel. She had nothing but hate in her eyes, and it was evident that


    she was going to tear Isabel apart.


    She shouted in a shrill voice, "Isabel, just wait! | will not let you get away with this. | will ruin your career and get you kicked out of


    the entertainment industry!"


    Isabel smiled sarcastically. "And how do you n to get me kicked out of the entertainment industry? Using your cheap and dirty


    tricks?"


    Isabe flinched upon hearing this. Hate gleamed in her eyes again as she hissed through clenched teeth, "I have pictures and


    videos of you with your boyfriend!"


    Isabel was briefly taken aback but kept her wits about her." And how is releasing footage of my love life supposed to ruin my


    reputation?"


    Isabe frowned, her gaze turning sinister. "What do you think will happen if | leak these videos to the media outlets?¡±


    There was a chance that she couldpose a distorted narrative after spreading those pictures and videos across the inte.


    It may or may not cause some controversy.


    One way or another, it was sure to affect her rtionship with Rnd.


    Isabel''s eyes sharpened, and she responded with a simr threat, "Isabe, if you dare to release that footage, | will tell


    everyone about you and Decker!"


    Isabeughed, "Ha! You don¡¯t have any proof of us being together. Who is going to believe you even if you do tell?"


    Isabel took an aggressive step toward her and looked down at her condescendingly. "What? Hasn''t Decker told you about his


    fiancee? His fiancee is the daughter of the Houstons in Southboro, but you wouldn''t know that, would you?"


    The smile on Isabe''s face disappeared instantly.


    Isabel continued with a mocking scoff, "What do you think is going to happen once his fiancee finds out about you getting


    involved with him? Do you think she wille for you? Do you think she will dump him right away?¡±


    If the Houstons exercised their influence, they were sure to end Isabe''s career with no chance of her evering back.


    Furthermore, if the Houstons called off the engagement, Decker would lose significant backing, and his standing in Southboro


    would bepletely crippled. At that point, he would scarcely have the mood to keep Isabe around anymore, and he would


    dump her in a heartbeat to try to win back the Houstons.


    Either way, it was not going to end well for Isabe.


    For all her ws, Isabe was a smart person, so she should be aware of the implications as well. Her immediate expression


    upon hearing this was proof enough that she understood.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She stood up still clutching her stomach, still maintaining the re at Isabel even though the sharpness in her eyes was dull and


    blunted now. She threatened unconvincingly, " I¡¯m still not going to let you get away with this!"


    She ran off after that.


    Isabel cocked an eyebrow and turned back to Ca. "Are you okay?"


    Ca smiled reassuringly. "I''m fine."


    Isabel smiled at Triss and Ramona and waved them on. "Get ready to get on the runway. I''ll go get changed."


    Triss and Ramona had yet to recover from the shock of witnessing the melodramatic events back there. They were suddenly


    snapped back to reality and murmured at the same time, "Okay."


    Isabel took Ca to the dressing area.


    Meanwhile, Triss and Ramona proceeded toward the line toward the stage.


    One thing that was clear was that everyone''s mind was no longer on the fashion show. From the ones who were about to step on


    the runway to the ones who had already finished their walk on the runway, they were all thinking about the same thing.


    They continued staring in the direction where Isabe and Isabel went off in and slowly reeled themselves back to reality.


    Someone whispered, "What happened? Why did they start fighting?"


    Someone remarked, "Isabe must have done something to Isabel''s dress, which led to Isabel getting revenge by stepping on


    her dress. Isabe probably couldn''t bear the humiliation and decided to resort to violence only to end up getting kicked hard. Oh


    my, Isabel is just so cool, it''s unbelievable. | think I''m in love.¡±


    She refused to take disrespect from anyone and had zero hesitation in exacting revenge right away. She never cared what


    people thought of her.


    Some people were skeptical. "How are you so sure that it was Isabe who tampered with the dress?"


    ¡®The dress she''s wearing is made by arguably the best fashion house in town. How could it possibly have been torn before she


    stepped on stage? Someone must have tampered with it. Besides, you can tell based on Isabe''s reaction when her dress was


    stepped on. It looked like even she knew she had iting. Instead of being surprised, she went straight to charging at Isabel.


    She has to be guilty to have done that."


    "Good point."

 Chapter 2062

    Chapter 2062


    By the time Isabel returned to the changing room, both Amanda and the spokesperson for the fashion house of the dress she


    wore had texted her.


    Amanda bombarded her with several voice messages. Most of them were of her screaming Isabel¡¯s ears off. Isabel could feel


    her seething fury even across the screen.


    Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the fashion house was frantically exining that the issue was the dress could not have


    possibly stemmed from them and that they would conduct a thorough investigation to find out what went wrong.


    Naturally, Isabel did not need their exnation to realize that they were not the ones responsible for what happened. It was the


    handiwork of Isabe.


    However, she would need proof that Isabe was the one who had done it. She decided to entrust the matter to them.


    She sent a reassuring reply, "| believe you guys."


    Then, she went to social media to see what the people thought about what happened.


    Ca noticed and gently advised, "Isabel, why don''t you stay off the inte for now?"


    This only made Isabel more curious. She wondered what people were saying about her, so she went to her feed


    without any hesitation.


    Just as she thought, her name was first, second, and third on the trending chart.


    The first one on the list was captioned: "Isabel steps on Isabe''s dress and exposes her."


    Followed by: "Rumor is that Isabel and Isabe fought backstage."


    The third one wrote: "Isabel nearly exposes herself on stage due to an ident with her dress."


    There were a lot more trending keywords that more or less had something to do with her, and most of them were negative


    comments about her.


    Except for the third one on the chart that praised herposure during the incident, the rest of them harshly criticized her.


    One of them went, "How could Isabel do something so horrible and step on Isabe''s dress? Even if the two had history, she


    should not have stooped so low."


    "| know she''s always liked to brand herself as this very suave person, but she''s taken it too far this time."


    "| have to say, I''m so disappointed in her."


    Most of the neutrals did not approve of her actions; they thought she was uncivilized and disrespectful.


    Isabe''s fans, on the other hand, were far more aggressive and were out in full force.


    ¡°How low! | hope she gets punished by karma!"


    "Despicable! | hope she gets run over by a truck!"


    "Isabel is just a horrible person through and through. She''d bettere out and apologize to Isabe. Otherwise, she should get


    kicked out of the entertainment industry!


    Everyone, share this message on every post you see!"


    Isabel''s fans were mobilized as well. They tried to defend her stance, but with the optics of the situation, most of the neutrals


    were more tempted to take Isabe''s side. With Isabe''s fans being so vocal, many neutrals found themselves swayed toward


    Isabe''s side and agreed that Isabel had gone too far this time. The wave of public sentiment quickly drowned out what Isabel''s


    supporters had to say.


    Isabel did manage to find a handful of sensiblements that offered a nuanced view of the incident. One of them went like this,


    "Something seems off to me. Think about this -it was Isabel''s dress that ripped on stage first, and her stepping on Isabe''s


    dress happened after that. As bold as Isabel is, | don''t think she is the type of person to act rashly without considering the


    consequences. I''m sure she found out that it was Isabe who did something to her dress, so she was only retaliating.¡±


    "That''s right. Isabel has been a star for so many years. She knows what she''s doing. | think it was an act of revenge."This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    It did not take long for someone to refute these points, "Do you have evidence to prove that Isabe was responsible for what


    happened to her dress? If you don''t, then stop making up these conspiracy theories. We saw Isabel stepping on Isabe''s dress


    on camera. That right there is proof! Proof that Isabel is a cunning, evil person!"


    "That''s right. Besides, Isabel did not have it as bad as Isabe. At least, she managed to cover herself just in time and even


    finished the walk."


    ¡°Maybe she orchestrated this entire thing herself to seek attention because she knew it would drive clicks. What happened with


    her stepping on Isabe''s dress was nothing but a disgusting act!"


    The thread ofments went on and on, with people piling on the originalmenter. It got bad enough that at one point, the


    originalmenter decided to delete thement and step away from the discussion.


    Meanwhile, Isabe made a new post. It was a picture of her with tears in her eyes. She did not add any caption to the picture,


    but one could see the anguish in her eyes.


    It also seemed highly likely that Isabe had bought an army of bot ounts to further stir the mes, so Isabel was now public


    enemy number one.


    All kinds of nasty things were said about her.

 Chapter 2063

    Chapter 2063


    Chapter 2063


    Isabel frowned.


    Since Ca was right next to her, she immediately noticed Isabel''s deted mood. She tried to say something to ease Isabel''s


    mood, "Isabel, they don''t know the truth. They''re just parroting what everyone is saying. Don''t let this affect you."


    "Yeah," Isabel muttered weakly and put her phone away. She rose and walked out.


    Ca followed closely beside her.


    Just as they were about to walk to the parking lot, they bumped into Isabe who was approaching from the opposite direction.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She had changed into a new set of clothes as well. This time, she walked with her chin raised and with an unusual air of


    arrogance and self-satisfaction. "Isabel, let me rify that | didn''t post those pictures of you and your boyfriend."


    Isabel swiped a nce at her but could not be bothered to engage with her.


    Isabe chased after her and continued to antagonize her," Isabel, you''d better give me a sincere apology, or else I''m going to


    end your career!¡±


    Isabel suddenly stopped and turned back to confront her," Do you want me to kick you again?"


    Isabe''s expression suddenly cowered in fear as she hurriedly retreated away from Isabel.


    Isabel said with a tight grimace, "Isabe, stop trying to kid yourself. Both you and | know that even if you somehow manage to


    kick me out of the entertainment industry, | can bring you down with me as well. I''ll make sure to take away everything you have.¡±


    There was not a tint of friendliness in her voice. Her tone was vicious and heavy.


    Isabe was too stunned for words, and she stared at her in silence for a while.


    Then, Isabel turned around and led Ca away with her.


    Isabe came back to her senses and said to herself with a mocking sneer, "Your cheap intimidation won''t work. People are


    already calling for your head online! If you''re as capable as you think you are, why don''t you clear your name?"


    She was more upset that she could note up with this response until now, so she cussed out loud, "B*tch!"


    Meanwhile, after Isabel entered the parking lot, Ca quickly walked up to her side and put on aforting smile, "You looked


    so cool back there when you confronted Isabe. You looked like some sort of business empire overlord!


    Even | was intimidated by you."


    Isabel smiled and pinched her chin teasingly. "Have you fallen in love with me?"


    Ca blushed a little and hurriedly nudged her hands away."


    How do you still have the heart to joke around when things are looking like this?"


    Truly, with the way things were right now, there was nothing worthughing about.


    Isabel took a breath. She continue approaching her car and promptly got in once she reached it.


    As soon as she got in, she saw Rnd sitting in the backseat waiting for her. He wore a suit and a matching pair of leather


    shoes. He sat upright and carried himself with grace as usual.


    However, his brows were furrowed, and he fixed an intent look on Isabel. He must have seen thetest drama online and came


    to be with her.


    "Rnd..." Isabel felt like the gloomy clouds in her mind were instantly swooped away by a gust of wind. She felt afortable


    warmth taking over and threw herself at Rnd.


    Rnd extended his arms wide open and took her in his arms. He consoled her, "It''s okay. | have my people dealing with the


    situation."


    "Hm." Isabel nodded. She looked up at him again with a sudden thought that came to her, "But | did step on Isabe''s skirt."


    "| saw it too." He made a look before assuring her, "But | trust you. | know you wouldn''t have done that for no reason."


    Isabel''s eyes lit up.


    It was rare for Rnd to be so direct with his gestures of affection. However, Isabel was still ina dejected state. "But everyone


    online is angry at me. They''re trying to kick me out of the entertainment industry."


    Rnd grimaced tighter and pulled her in closer. His voice grew gentle and reassuring as he said, "Don''t listen to what the


    people are saying. | will help you take care of this entire thing. Trust me."

 Chapter 2064

    Chapter 2064


    Isabel was not sure how someone who was not even a part of the industry was supposed to help her, but she felt reassured


    nheless.


    Something stirred inside her, and just like that, her restless mood was gone.


    However, she still wanted Rnd to pamper and console her more. She put on her best tearful expression and whimpered sadly,


    "But | still feel terrible."


    Rnd gently rubbed the back of her head and suggested, " Let me take you home. We can eat something nice.¡±


    It was like he was coaxing a child.


    Isabel had to suppress augh, and she dly epted the offer. Shey in the sweet warmth of his embrace throughout the


    entire drive.


    Soon, the car was nearing his apartmentplex. She suddenly had a bright idea and closed her eyes.


    Rnd looked down at her and noticed that she had fallen asleep.


    Ca, who was seated in the passenger seat, turned around and noticed the asleep Isabel as well. She called out softly,¡±


    Isabel?"


    ¡°Don''t wake her," Rnd whispered.


    Ca quickly zipped her lips, then she got out of the car and helped Rnd open the door.


    Isabel felt her weight shifting.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd gently pried her out of his arms and let her rest on the backseat. Then, he carefully shuffled out of the car before


    reaching back inside and taking her in his arms again.


    His arms may have looked slender, but they were stronger than they seemed.


    Isabel pressed her face against his chest, and she could feel his beating heart. It beat with a strong and steady rhythm.


    She heard the mechanical sound of the elevator bringing them upstairs, and she could tell once they had stepped into his ce.


    There was a ringing silence in her ears. Even after Rnd had settled her into the couch, she still did not hear Martha''s voice.


    Where was Martha?


    She rolled around on the couch briefly and pretended to have just woken up. She slowly pried her eyes open and noticed Rnd


    carrying food from the kitchen to the dining table in the living room.


    He must have sensed her gaze. He turned to her with a gentle smile. "Are you awake?"


    "Hmm." Isabel sat up groggily and looked around. "Where''s your mother? Isn''t she home?"


    "She went on a trip with her friends."


    Isabel looked at the food still steaming with heat on the table. "Who made these then?"


    "She made them before leaving."


    Isabel was touched by the gesture. Martha must have prepared food for them before going on her trip.


    "Is there any more in the kitchen? Let me help you," Isabel said as she pulled herself off the couch, only to be stopped by


    Rnd.


    "No, just sit down on the couch and rest." He motioned as if uttering amand.


    Though his tone was gentle, Isabel could not refuse.


    Isabel reminded herself that she could not be too eager to run around the house just yet since she was still ina " depressed"


    state.


    "Okay." She returned to the table.


    Rnd made two more trips to the kitchen before everything was properly ted on the living room table.


    Isabel took in the wonderful smell of freshly made food.


    Rnd set down thest dish and finally gave the cue, "Let''s eat."


    He sat down as well.


    Isabel suddenly spoke, "I want to sit with you."


    Rnd paused midway through sitting down, then hepped around the table and sat on the chair next to her.


    She had to stifle a smile, then she picked up the spoon and dug in.


    Rnd was not in any particr rush to quell his hunger. He attentively filled a bowl with soup for Isabel. He also made sure to


    get some of the other dishes that were set farther away from her and put them on her te.


    Isabel noted his attentiveness.


    Shortly after that, she picked up the bowl filled with soup.


    After only taking a sip, she frowned. "It''s so hot."


    Rnd hurriedly took the bowl out of her hand and set it on the table. "Drink itter."


    She pursed her lips sullenly and insisted, "But | want to drink it now. Cool it down for me."


    Rnd seemed briefly taken back by her sudden attitude. He took a spoon and scooped some soup into it, then he started


    blowing at it to cool it off.


    Isabel spoke up again, "I want you to feed me."


    He raised the spoon and carefully delivered its contents into her mouth.


    She slowly sipped from the spoon.


    The two repeated this action again and again.


    Isabel was like a child who demanded extra attention after having been wronged. She drank gleefully without making any fuss.

 Chapter 2065

    Chapter 2065


    Just as Rnd was about to feed her another spoonful of soup, she suddenly pursed her lips and refused to open them again.


    He asked perplexedly, "What''s wrong?¡±


    "| want you to feed me," she said quite frankly with a vulnerable look in her eyes.


    Rnd frowned, feeling rather confused.


    Although he did not vocalize it, his thought was clearly written on his face: "Am | not feeding you already?"


    Isabel made a face. "| want you to feed me directly using your mouth."


    He suddenly grew silent. Although he did not speak, his reddening ears gave him away.


    Isabel continued to nudge him on, "If you don''t want to, then forget about it.¡±


    She hung her head low.


    Rnd pursed his lips as well. He promptly moved the bowl of soup in front of him and took a sip, then he cupped Isabel''s face


    in his hands.


    Her eyes glittered as he nted his lips onto hers.


    She parted a small crack in her lips and felt the warm soup slowly guzzling into her mouth.


    As if that was not enough, she made sure to peck his lips again with a gentle kiss, as if she was trying to clean up everyst drop


    of soup from his lips.


    Rnd stiffened.


    He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Isabel with a new sharpness within them.


    Isabel seemed to perk up. She quickly closed her eyes to conceal the smile behind them.


    Rnd looked at her queerly.


    After a while, he let go of her atst. He stared intently at her and observed how vulnerable she looked, as well as at her full and


    bright red lips. He suddenly asked, "Do you want more?"


    She answered meekly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    He picked up the soup and drank arge mouthful this time, then he lowered himself toward her again.


    She did not move. She fully submitted to him and watched as he inched his lips closer toward hers.


    Just when it seem like he was going to kiss her, he suddenly stopped. His mesmerizing eyes were only inches away from hers.


    His lips hovered over hers while he stopped approaching.


    Isabel frowned.


    "Why did you stop?" she whimpered in a sad voice, fully aware of the effect this would have on Rnd.


    He did not budge and continued staring at her without a word. Since he had his mouth full of soup, he could not speak even if he


    wanted to anyway.


    So be it. If he was not going to do it, she would do it herself.


    She inched forward and kissed him.


    He still kept his lips tightly locked together. It did not seem like he was going to open them for her.


    Isabel was puzzled by this and slowly grew upset. She used her teeth to forcefully pry his lips apart. After some effort at that, she


    was bbergasted.


    Why was there no soup at all?


    She was thrown off by this and pulled away to look at him.


    Rnd was looking expectantly back at her, staring square into her confounded eyes. His lips slowly formed into a smirk. "How''s


    the soup?"


    Isabel felt her cheeks growing hot.


    He was messing with her. He only pretended to drink the soup so that she would kiss him!


    She made a show of being angry at him and cried out, "Fine, I''ll drink it myself!¡±


    She snatched the soup away from him and proceeded to drink arge mouthful.


    Before she could sessfully swallow the soup, Rnd suddenly grabbed her and pulled her in toward him.


    Once again, his eyes magnified in front of Isabel''s. They were so close that she could feel his breath on her cheeks.


    His lips smushed hers. Her lips were parted open, and Rnd effortlessly siphoned all of the soup inside her mouth into his.


    Her eyes grew wide open in shock.


    He... he could have said something before he...


    Rnd promptly drew away again after that. He looked at Isabel with his eyes glowing with satisfaction. He licked his lips and


    commented, "Tastes pretty good."


    Isabel was speechless for a moment. Her heart was beating wildly, and she could feel the temperature of her blood rising.


    He got her good!


    No, she could not let herself get enchanted by him so easily. She had to take back control!


    She sprang forward and threw her arms around his neck.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2066

    Chapter 2066


    Chapter 2066


    Several hourster, the action in the bedroom settled down atst.


    Isabely exhaustedly under Rnd''s naked shoulders and turned on her phone which she had ignored for quite some time


    now.


    She saw more than 99 notifications pop up immediately. There were countless unread messages and more missed calls.


    There were calls from Amanda, Ca, Triss, Ramona, and even from her family members.


    She frowned and quickly tapped on her messages. Sure enough, everyone had bombarded her with texts.


    Amanda had sent countless texts, but what caught her eye was thest one that read, "Isabel, where are you? You''re scaring


    me. Don''t do anything stupid! Worstes to worst, we can just issue an official apology and things will die down after that. Just


    don¡¯t do anything rash. I''ll have to contact the police if you don''t get back to me an hour from now!¡±


    Isabel hurriedly replied, "Hey, Amanda, I¡¯m fine, | just fell asleep identally, and my phone died while | was in Slumbend, so |


    couldn''t hear your calls."


    She sent a text to Ca as well to assure her that everything was fine.


    Triss and Ramona had spammed their group chat with messages as well. In the beginning, they were trying to offer words of


    encouragement and told her to not take theizens¡¯ criticism to heart. It was only after they noticed that Isabel was not replying


    that their tone began to grow frantic.


    Isabel finally replied and told them something along the same lines as what she told Amanda.


    Then, it was time to look at the messages that her mother, Flint, and Caprice had sent to her in turn.


    Sylvia asked, "Isabel, where are you right now? Hurry up and pick up my call!"


    Flint asked, "


    is, where have you been? Why aren''t you answering our calls?"


    Caprice asked, "Hey, sis, | already asked Liam to take care of thements online. Where are you? We''re all worried about


    you. You can find some friends to drink your worries away if you want. Just don¡¯t do anything rash and hurt yourself."


    Isabel suddenly felt a sense of relief wash over her-her family cared a great deal about her. She tapped on the family group chat.


    Everyone in the family was in the group, even including Caprice and Liam''s newborn child.


    She sent a short text to the group, "I''m fine.¡±


    Flint replied almost instantly, "Why did you turn off your


    phone?"


    She replied with the same cover story, "It died while | was sleeping.¡±


    "Oh?" Flint sounded suspicious.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Isabel replied with a funny sticker of a stickman being punched into the air.


    Immediately after that, a voice message from Sylvia popped up on the disy. She asked urgently, "Isabel, where are you?"


    Isabel was afraid of causing her mother any further worry. She stole a nce at Rnd first and noticed that he was focused on


    the book he was reading. Then, she directed her attention back to the phone and replied with a curt voice message, "Mom, I¡¯m at


    a friend''s ce right now."


    Upon hearing the mention of the word ¡®friend¡¯, Rnd stiffened.


    Isabel seemed to not notice this change in his behavior while she was going through the messages on her phone.


    Almost as soon as she sent the messages, Flint began interrogating her, "What kind of friend? Is it a guy or a girl? Come on, give


    us some details.¡±


    She ignored him.


    It was not so much that she was reluctant to tell them about her boyfriend, but she figured that now was not the right time for it,


    especially considering ongoing circumstances. There were a lot of affairs that needed taking care of. She


    would tell them about Rnd after the dust had settled.


    Sylvia sensed the nonchnt and breezy voice in Isabel''s voice and wasforted. She made sure to assure Isabel, ¡® Make


    sure you get some rest. Your dad and | will help you take care of everything going on online."


    Isabel considered for a moment before replying "No, | don¡¯t want any of you to get involved."


    When she began her career as an actress, she vowed that she was not going to rely on the influence of her family.


    If this incident ended up being what cost her entire career, then so be it; perhaps it was her fate.


    Caprice replied, "Sis, we are your family, and so is Liam. It''s only right that we help you. Why would you refuse our help?¡±


    Isabel smiled at the kind sentiment but insisted nheless, "Caprice, | know you''re only looking out for me, but | need you to


    trust me on this one. I''ll handle it myself."

 Chapter 2067

    Chapter 2067


    Flint spoke up again, "That''s right. Besides, if things don¡¯t work out you can start focusing on minding the family business.¡±


    Caprice was humored by this and supplied a smiley face.


    Isabel chuckled to herself and replied, "Just you wait, fatty Flint. I''ll make sure you get punished the next time we meet."


    Flint was a good sport as usual. "Oooh, scary, I''m out of here."


    Isabel made sure to send the asional text to Amanda, Ca, Triss, and Ramona during her conversation with her family.


    Amanda was relieved after seeing her reply, and she told Isabel, "Make sure you stay home and rest up over these next two


    days. Don¡¯t go anywhere. I''ll talk to Isabe''s manager."


    She made it sound like they were going to negotiate, but it was quite clear that she was going to ask for mercy, which was


    something that Isabel would never do. She immediately objected, "Amanda, don''t ask for anything from them."


    Amanda was conflicted. "But if | don¡¯t talk to them, they''re going to burn you to the ground."


    Isabel was surprisingly nonchnt about this. "It''s fine.


    That¡¯s not going to be the end of the world or anything.¡±


    Amanda had to do a double-take before replying, "Isabel, it might not be a big deal to you, but it is for me. | still have my


    reputation to consider! | know you''re very fearless, but you have to consider my position as well!"


    Isabel assured her, "Don''t worry. Even if | step away from the entertainment industry, you have my personal guarantee that your


    reputation as a gold-star celebrity agent will bepletely unscathed. Maybe you''d end up even more famous."


    This got her a sticker of a cartoon figure rolling its eyes back, followed by a message poking fun at her, "Isabel, you''re not just a


    daredevil. You''re pretty good at talking out of your butt as well."


    Isabel rolled her eyes. She might not be the type to brag about her wealth, but she still came from an affluent family nheless.


    Did she not least give the impression of someone with an affluent status?


    Triss and Ramona sent asional messages to the as well. They imed that they were going to seek justice for Isabel and


    post their version of the events online.


    Isabel hastily stopped them. "No, it''s alright. Don''t get involved, please.¡±


    They had no evidence that Isabe had done something to her dress beforehand, and there was nothing they could say that


    could possibly help her case. Even worse, they might get caught in the crossfire.


    However, it was toote as Triss immediately replied, "!


    already posted it."


    Isabel furrowed her brows upon seeing this and asked, "Are people taking it well? Are they turning on you now?"


    Triss returned to her after a while. "Yeah."


    Isabel sighed. ''This is how we will do it for now. Both of you just sit this one out."


    The scale of the ongoing events had reached a point where they could not possibly help her even if they wanted to.


    Both of them were dejected by this, and they did not know what to say anymore after that.


    After that, Isabel went online by herself.


    The top three topics on the trending chart were about other trending news now. Most of the negative feedback about her had


    been suppressed. She figured that this was the work of her father and siblings.


    However, the truth was that scandals like these ones could not simply be squashed out by force. Even if it was no longer a


    trending subject, the public sentiment was stillrgely against her. It was only at the lower end of the trending chart now.


    She also noticed the post that Triss put up in hopes of clearing her name. She had written, "Isabel is one of the kindest people |


    know. She wouldn''t step on Isabe''s dress for no reason.¡±


    Thement section was swarmed by Isabe''s fans and some of theizens who had been swayed to side with


    Isabe as well.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    The aggression of thesements varied. Some of them were rather tame and only used Triss of having only said this


    because she was Isabel''s friend and that she was only doing this because Isabel helped her out in the past.


    Some of the more unruly members directly insulted her without any reserve.


    Triss refused to give in. Not only did she refuse to delete the post, but she even pinned it on the top of the page.


    Isabel did not know whether she shouldmend Triss for her loyalty to a friend or to be concerned if she had truly lost her mind


    and gone off the deep end.


    She sighed tiredly and tossed the phone aside, then she leaned back into Rnd''s arms.

 Chapter 2068

    Chapter 2068


    ¡°Rnd, | feel terrible." She suddenly felt vulnerable when she burrowed herself into his solid chest.


    Rnd set aside the book and turned to cast a look at her.


    There was not a trace of emotion in her eyes, but one could tell from herck of expression that she was tired of it all.


    Rnd pulled her in closer. "Sleep. You''ll feel better after you get some rest."


    Isabel nodded without a word.


    Sheltered in his warmth, it did not take long at all for her to fall asleep. She must have been more tired than she thought, which


    was not surprising considering how long she had tussled with Rnd in bed just now.


    The night was silent.


    There was only a dim bedsidemp left on in the bedroom. Rnd sat silently against the head of the bed. He only managed to


    ease up a little after ensuring that Isabel had fallen asleep.


    However, his brows shaped into a frown again shortly after. He was thinking about how Isabel told her family that she was at a


    friend''s ce.


    Was she reluctant to tell her family about their rtionship?


    At Isabe''s ce, aftering home from the fashion show, she had been glued to her phone the entire time, unable to take


    her eyes off the stream of discussion online.


    She was dressed in a luxurious nightdress andyfortably on a recliner positioned in front of a magnificent French window.


    She held a ss of red wine in one hand and her phone in the other as more news came streaming in on her phone.


    She could see Isabel''s team working overtime trying to put out the mes. She had to give credit where it was due because their


    efforts were paying off even if just slightly.


    However, things had got to a stage where no amount of damage control could fix Isabel''s reputation.


    The incident of Isabel stepping on Isabe''s dress was a trending subject everywhere, and a lot ofizens felt very strongly


    about what was happening. The public outcry was very fervent and they said things like "Isabel does not deserve her poprity!¡±


    or ¡°cancel Isabel right now!¡±.


    Even users of other social media tforms were chiming in on the drama. Isabe made sure to pay some media outlets to


    further incite public sentiment against Isabel and call for her to issue a formal apology, or risk having her career ruined.


    Isabel must be running around in circles trying to find some way out of this.


    The thought gave Isabe nothing but delight as she took another sip of her red wine.


    Ring!


    Suddenly, her phone rang.


    It was her agent calling.


    She promptly answered, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    Her manager spoke in a jubnt voice, "Hey, Isabe.


    Isabel''s manager, Amanda, just approached me. She wants us to let Isabel off the hook and says that we can state whatever


    conditions we want. What do you think?"


    Isabe grinned smugly. "Wonderful."


    Her agent asked promptly, "What conditions do you think you want to offer?¡±


    4 want Isabel to formally apologize to me online, and | want her to step away from acting for two years."


    She wanted Isabel to apologize, and by doing so, admit that she had stepped on her skirt intentionally out of spite. By getting


    Isabel to step away from acting for two years, she would ensure that Isabel no longer had any screen time despite being in the


    prime of her career. The entertainment industry was a verypetitive and fast-paced environment. Nobody could preserve their


    reputation if they went on a hiatus for two years, and everybody would have forgotten about her by the time she returned.


    This meant that Isabe could take advantage of these two years of absence to take every major role that had been given to


    Isabel, and she would essentially have free rein overall.


    Her manager answered dly, "Okay, I''ll tell Amanda."


    ¡°Good.¡±


    She hung up.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    After drinking another sip of wine, her manager called again. She immediately asked excitedly, "Did Amanda agree?¡±

 Chapter 2069

    Chapter 2069


    Isabe''s manager informed her readily, "She¡¯s too smart for that. She agreed to post an apology on Isabel''s official page, but


    taking a two-year-long hiatus is a no-go. The most they can do is six months."


    Isabe scoffed, "Keep on dreaming."


    Her manager suggested, "What do you think about meeting them halfway and settling on one year? | do think that two years is a


    tall ask."


    "No, it''s either two years or nothing,¡± Isabe insisted. "If she doesn''t want to, then so be it. Good luck with the public bacsh."


    Her manager asked cautiously, "Isabe, are you sure about this?¡±


    m very sure." She was not going to let Isabel off so easily!


    "Okay, I''ll get back to her now."Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Amanda was nervously waiting for Isabe''s manager to get back to her. Upon receiving word back, she became so furious that


    she mmed her phone against the couch." Despicable! How dare they!"


    She paced around the living room anxiously.


    From a pragmatic standpoint, Isabel was a one-in-a-million talent. It was nigh impossible to find someone with such a


    combination of good looks, figure, acting skills, charisma, and versatility. Any other manager could only dream ofnding such a


    talent.


    From a personal standpoint, she had to admit that Isabel could be too straightforward at times, which tended to get her in trouble


    more often than not. Despite that, she had taken quite a liking to this personality of hers, and it would be a shame for Isabel''s


    career to meet such an early end.


    What could she possibly do to salvage the situation!?


    Was there no other choice than to agree to Isabe''s terms and go on a two-year hiatus?


    While she was pondering fruitlessly over what their next step would be, her phone suddenly rang.


    It was from one of her employees.


    She answered the phone and spoke rather snappily since she was still in a bad mood, "What do you want at this hour?"


    Her employee did not seem to mind her tone and expressed joyfully, "Amanda, | have good news!¡±


    Amanda immediately grew anxious. "What good news?


    Have you found something to clear Isabel¡¯s name?"


    "Not yet, but we just received a video that is very likely to help her prove her innocence!"


    Amanda could not be any more grateful to hear this. "Send it to me right now!"


    It was midnight.


    Just when thoseizens who had been ndering Isabel all day were preparing to call it a night, a new video popped up.


    It was captioned: "Isabel did not step on Isabe''s skirt intentionally".


    People clicked on the video in a heartbeat.


    The video was aption of several surveince footages from different sources. There was an indicator on the top left of the


    frame that showed the time and date when the footage was taken.


    It opened inside a parking lot. The opening footage showed Isabe stepping out of her car with an assistant, and she then


    noticed two men carrying arge case from a distance. Upon recognizing the famous brand logo printed on the case, she


    whispered something to her assistant who then proceeded to approach the two men. The assistant spoke to them briefly before


    returning to Isabe.


    The quality of the footage was quite spectacr. One could easily spot how Isabe''s expression darkened ominously after her


    assistant whispered something in her ears.


    Then, the footage jumped to the next scene, which was surveince footage taken from a corridor with closed doors on both


    sides of the wall. The two men seen previously with therge case showed up and entered one of the rooms, then they re-


    emerged again within a minute. After that, they shut the door and left.


    Shortly after that, Isabe and her assistant showed up on the frame. Isabe stole nces at the room where the two men had


    just stepped out of, then she promptly entered the opposite room.


    Her assistant did not follow her into the room. She remained in the corridor and seemed to be checking for surveince cameras


    but somehow missed the camera on the ceiling. Shortly after that, she knocked on the door, and out came Isabe, who


    immediately went into the room the two men had previously entered.


    The assistant stood guard by the door while Isabe entered the room carrying a pair of small scissors with her.


    It was another roughly five minutes before Isabe came out of the room atst. They then scuttled back into the opposite room.


    The video jumped to the next part which was roughly ten minutes after the previous segment.


    As Isabel and her assistant stepped into the corridor, both of them were merrily talking andughing about something. They


    entered the room where the two men had previously dropped off therge case in, which was the same room Isabe was seen


    sneaking into with a pair of scissors.


    When she came out of the room, she was wearing the same dress thatter on had a giant tear when she was walking the


    runway.

 Chapter 2070

    Chapter 2070


    The video had a very clear resolution, and there appeared to be no signs of having been edited.


    Unsurprisingly, it had quite an effect on all of theizens regardless of which side they were on amidst all of this.


    Everyone was stunned and silenced by the truth of the events.


    Albeit a very brief silence, the video spread very quickly across all tforms, and it had millions of views in no time.


    The people who had been ndering Isabel this entire time were humiliated. Some of them stewed in silence while others were


    quick to apologize to Isabel for ever doubting her.


    The people who had been neutral this entire time and were merely amusing themselves with thetest online drama were


    ecstatic about the unexpected plot twist.


    The tides turned in an instant, and everyone began turning on Isabe, even the ones who originally insulted Isabel.


    Isabel''s fans were the first ones to take action. They swarmed the post that Isabe put up earlier during the day of her crying


    and bombarded her withments, vehemently shaming her for her actions.


    Some people were furious that they had been yed like a fiddle by Isabe, and they demanded an apology.


    "No wonder Isabel stepped on Isabe''s skirt. She knew that she did something to her dress!"


    ¡°How low! How could she do this to Isabel in the first ce?¡±


    "It''s a good thing this video was leaked. Otherwise, none of them would have been any the wiser."


    "Hey, it''s only right that shees out and apologizes as well, isn''t it? Otherwise, we''re going to have to cancel her!"


    Isabe''s fans were floored.


    Save for a few diehard fans who were still adamantly in denial, the rest of them kept their mouths shut.


    Meanwhile, Isabe, who was just having a celebratory ss of wine at her ce, spiraled into a fit of panic upon seeing the


    new development. The ss of wine slipped out of her fingers and smashed into pieces against the floor.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she cried out," Impossible! How could there be a surveince camera?


    There were no surveince cameras back in the corridor!"


    Ring!


    Her phone rang.


    It was her manager calling.


    Her fingers trembled as she answered the call, "Hey."


    Her manager¡¯s voice was wrought with panic. "Isabe, what


    is wrong with you?! Didn''t you check for surveince cameras before you went inside to tamper with her dress?"


    Isabe was equally exasperated. "! did. We didn¡¯t see any surveince cameras. There was nothing on the wall or ceiling!"


    "If there were no surveince cameras, would you mind exining where that footage came from? Who was it who took that


    video?" Her manager had enough of these


    pointless arguments and said dejectedly, "No use talking about this now. One way or another, just know that this video is enough


    to seal your fate."


    The color drained out of Isabe¡¯s face, and she lowered her voice and adjusted her tone. "Please help me. | didn¡¯t know there


    were surveince cameras. Maybe Isabel faked this video?"


    "| don''t care how resourceful she is. There''s no way to fake a video like that. You''re right there inside the video!" The manager


    expressed angrily, "The best course of action now is to apologize to everyone online. | will talk to Amanda and ask her to say


    something to Isabel, maybe get her to post something on her page stating that it was an inside joke between you two this entire


    time. If things work out, I''ll start getting some more bot ounts to work people a little, and hopefully this entire thing tides over


    some timeter."


    "Okay, I''ll write up a draft of my formal apology."


    "Don''t send it just yet. Wait until | have an agreement with Amanda."


    "Okay."C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    At Amanda''s ce, no words could express her relief when she saw thetest development of the drama.

 Chapter 2071

    Chapter 2071


    Chapter 2071


    Just as she was about to put away her phone, she got a call from Isabe''s manager.


    She was surprised to see her calling so soon, then she promptly answered the call.


    Isabe''s manager sounded jumpy on the phone. "Hey, Amanda, you and | go way back, don''t we? Do you think you can get


    whoever it is to pull the video from the inte and have Isabel post a statement or something of that sort, rifying that this


    entire thing has been nothing more than an inside joke between the two of them? If you''re willing to help us make things right for


    Isabe, we promise to give you anything you want."


    Amanda scoffed condescendingly.


    What stood out to her most was the way Isabe''s manager''s tone switched so drastically now that the surveince footage had


    surfaced.


    She only gave it a brief moment''s thought before stating, "| can¡¯t make the call myself. You and | know what Isabel¡¯s temper is


    like. She didn¡¯t even know about me calling you to ask for your help just now. She''d be furious if she found out that it happened


    at all.¡±


    ¡°Amanda, | admit that we were in the wrong back then. | already gave Isabe a stern talking-to just now and got her to promise


    that she will make sure to stop causing trouble in the future. She won''t bother Isabel anymore from here on. Could you be so


    gracious and forgive us this one time? Help us out, please?"


    For what it was worth, Amanda could sense her sincerity along with desperation. She sighed tiredly and stated frankly, ''l get that


    you''re very desperate now, but it''s not my call to make. I''ll have to ask what Isabel thinks about this.¡±


    "Okay, could you get in touch with her as soon as possible? Tell her that as long as she is willing to forgive Isabe and help her


    out, we will give her anything she wants.¡±


    "Sure, but she¡¯s still sleeping, so I''ll have to wait until tomorrow morning.¡±


    "She¡¯s sleeping?" Isabe''s manager chuckled dryly with disbelief. "Are you kidding me? How can she even manage to fall


    asleep with everything that''s been going on today?¡±


    "| can''t help it if you don''t believe me.¡±


    Amanda''s patience was already at its end, and she promptly hung up after thatst statement.


    She knew that she and Isabel had never done anything wrong from the very beginning, yet she threw away her dignity and put


    her reputation on the line to plead for their mercy just now. And what good did that do? Not only did Isabe want Isabel to


    formally apologize, but she even demanded that Isabel go on a two-year-long hiatus. What was Amanda supposed to make of


    that except for a tant attempt to sabotage Isabel''s career?


    Since the beginning, she already had a sense that Isabel would not have stepped on Isabe¡¯s dress without a reason. Now that


    the truth was unraveled, she figured Isabe deserved everything she hading her way!


    At Isabe''s ce, her manager barely had time to call her before she noticed a new post from the fashion house that Isabel


    modeled for during the fashion show. They had put up an official statement that read, "We are very meticulous with our process


    and have taken steps to ensure that the dress delivered to Miss Isabel Ross was in perfect condition and ready for the runway.


    We do not im responsibility for the dress tearing apart on stage. This scandalous act, which wasmitted by whoever was


    responsible, undermined our reputation in the industry, and we take this matter very seriously. We shall be taking legal actions


    going forward."


    Their intention behind this statement could not be any more direct. If Isabe was truly the one behind the incident, they would


    be taking harsh legal measures against her for damaging their property as well as their reputation.


    Isabe''s fingers trembled, and the phone nearly slipped out of her hand.


    Right then, her manager called.


    She quickly answered the phone and asked frantically, "What did Amanda say? Did she say yes?¡±


    Her manager answered in a very grumpy tone because she must still be stewing in anger after getting hung up on by Amanda


    just now, "She says she needs to talk to Isabel about it first, but Isabel is sleeping right nowm so we will have to wait until the


    next morning."


    Isabe scowled. ¡®That b*tch is toying with us!¡±


    Her manager sighed. "We can''t count on them to help us now, that''s for sure. | just remembered something. You have


    connections with Mr.


    Rockwell, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure he can help you. Do you want to try talking to him?¡¯


    After considering for a moment, Isabe replied, "Well, I''ll find him right now."


    Although it was true that Decker was the only one capable of helping her now, she was not certain of her rtionship with him.


    They never had any physical contact that went beyond intimate cuddling, and they barely even kissed at all. She never could


    figure out if it was because Decker was not interested in her, or not interested in women altogether.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    It seemed he had some feelings for Isabel as well.


    Then again, he should at least feel obliged to help since he was Isabe''s benefactor.


    Isabe looked at the time. It was well into midnight at that point, and she wondered if Decker was going to be asleep at this


    hour.


    She tested with a short message. "Mr. Rockwell, are you sleeping?"


    There was no response from Decker.


    She knew she could not afford to wait. The views on that video were slowly increasing with every second that passed, and it was


    more time for the fashion house to conduct a thorough investigation as well. If she got sued, both she and herpany would go


    under!


    She immediately put on the best makeup she had ever done in her entire life and threw on the sexiest lingerie dress in her


    arsenal, then she rushed towards the hotel where Decker stayed at.

 Chapter 2072

    Chapter 2072


    Chapter 2072


    She had an ess card to Decker''s suite in the hotel.


    Upon arriving at the hotel, she went straight to Decker''s suite using a secret tunnel reserved only for VIPs.


    She made sure to take the time to take off her coat and fix the cor around her dress before getting the ess card out and


    swiping it against the sensor panel.


    Beep!


    With a mechanical ring, the door opened.


    She took a deep breath and stepped inside.


    She was just about to make for the master bedroom when she spotted a tall and dazzling figure a short distance from the


    entrance. The man himself was standing in front of arge French window and beholding the view of the city.


    He was dressed in a silver-colored sleeping robe that gave him a dignified appearance underneath the dim lights.


    Adelighted smile surfaced on Isabe''s face. She quickly went up to him and hugged him tightly from behind.


    "Mr. Rockwell..." she called out his name in the sultriest voice she could manage. Even she was surprised by how seductive her


    voice could be at times.


    Decker turned around swiftly. He hooked one of his arms around her waist with one hand and lifted her chin to face him with the


    other hand.


    She met the gentle and charming gaze in his eyes.


    His eyes hovered on her face briefly before slowly nudging down to stare at her exposed cleavage.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabe''s felt her cheeks reddening slightly. She pressed her body closer against him and made a show of craning her back to


    better disy her figure.


    "I''ve been missing you so much,¡¯ she whispered softly.


    Decker smirked. Whether by intention or not, his arm briefly brushed against Isabe''s chest. "Are you here just because you


    missed me?"


    Isabe''s expression shifted. She put on a darling and vulnerable look. "| do miss you, but | really need your help as well."


    She threw herself into him and steered Decker''s hand directly on top of her chest.


    She said while tweaking her waist side to side, "All | did was mess up Isabel¡¯s dress a little by ident, and now they''re all


    saying mean things about me. Even the fashion house is threatening to sue me, so if you don''t help me. I''m going to be chased


    out of the entertainment circle."


    ¡°Are you sure it was just an ident?" As Decker said this, his hand slithered up her body and stopped on her neck while he


    traced the outlines of her corbone with his fingers.


    Isabe continued to glue her body to him, dancing like a serpent around him as she spoke sheepishly, "She humiliated me a


    few times before this, so | only wanted to teach her a lesson. It''s not like | was trying to hurt her.


    Please, Mr. Rockwell, you have to help me. Please..."


    She was growing bolder now and stood on her tiptoes to draw her lips closer toward the bulb of the Adam''s apple on Decker''s


    neck.


    Before she could manage to nt a kiss on his neck, she felt his hand tighten around her neck.


    Decker grabbed her firmly by the neck and pushed her away. His eyes, which were once gentle and charming, were now filled


    with a vengeful, ominous re.


    Isabe widened her eyes in fright as she asked fretfully, "Was it something | said that upset you?"


    Decker narrowed his eyes filled with contempt.


    "Who told you to tamper with her dress? You''re trying to sabotage her career, weren''t you? Where did you even get the courage


    from?"


    His voice was a thunderous roar.


    Isabe was baffled. She had never seen Decker so angry with her before!


    Decker had helped her so many times in the past. There were a handful of times when they were together that he directly stated


    that he liked her more than Isabel!


    All she did was cut up Isabel''s dress so that she would embarrass herself on stage!


    Wasn''t this what Decker wanted too?


    She was puzzled by his reaction. She held his hands that were still firmly wrapped around her neck, her voice quivering as she


    whimpered, "I''m sorry, | didn''t do it on purpose... It was a mistake. I''ll never do it again..."


    Decker''s hate-filled eyes were utterly terrifying, and it seemed like he was going to strangle her to death right then and there. All


    her rms went off, and she quickly begged for mercy.


    Decker did not seem like he had any intention of letting her go any time soon. His grip around her neck only grew stronger to a


    point where it seemed like he only had to exert a slight bit more strength to break her neck in half.


    Just when Isabe thought that she was going to meet her death here, he freed her atst.


    Thump!


    She mmed against the floor with all her weight.


    She gasped for air and was too afraid to move. She sat on the ground and cowered into a ball, all while guarding her neck. She


    turned around and looked at Decker''s intimidating figure with fear in her eyes.

 Chapter 2073

    Chapter 2073


    Decker briefly shook his hands that were ced around Isabe''s neck only moments ago, and a stoic coolness returned to his


    eyes.


    It was as if everything that happened just now had been nothing but a hallucination.


    Still, Isabe was terrified. She crawled backward on all fours.


    Decker stood stoically and looked at her with a stiff smile hanging by the corner of his eyes. "I''m not going to help you on this


    one. Deal with it yourself."


    Isabe stammered, "Oh... okay.¡±


    Decker calmly arranged the cor of his robe. ¡¯Also, if it''s anyone that can plot against Isabel, it''s me. If | catch you trying to do


    something to her again, | promise you that I''ll end your acting career before you can even blink your eyes."


    Isabe felt a chill run through her body, and she answered in a shaky voice, "1 understand. It will never happen again."


    "Get out."


    Isabe hurriedly pulled herself up from the ground and ran outside.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The door closed with a steady thud.


    Alooming silence fell over the suite.


    Decker reached for his phone and watched the same video that he had watched countless times already, the video that


    ultimately proved Isabel''s innocence. A heavy frown gradually formed on his brows.


    "Isabel, was it Rnd who helped you?¡¯


    Rnd''s bed was veryfortable. Isabel slept until ten the next morning before she woke up atst.


    The room was very quiet and peaceful, and a tiny trace of sunlight slipped in through the cracks between the curtains.


    Where did Rnd go? Had he gone to work?


    Isabel sat up and stretchedzily, then she reached for her phone.


    She had turned off her phone before going to bed because she did not want to be disturbed by the endless buzzing.


    She turned on her phone and was greeted by 99 notifications shown on the disy.


    Was everyone still angry at her?


    How bad could it be? It was already as bad as it could get yesterday.


    This certainly piqued her curiosity. Instead of checking her messages, she went to her social feed instead.


    She was floored by what she saw.


    Why were they turning on Isabe now?


    Perhaps she confused the names in her groggy state after having just woken up.


    She scrolled down and soon stumbled onto the surveince footage that decisively put an end to the entire debacle.


    After watching the full video and going through thements, she was beginning to understand what the situation had turned


    into.


    It would appear that the video had shed new light on the matter. Everyone now knew that it was Isabe who tampered with the


    dress first, which was what prompted Isabel to step on Isabe''s dresster.


    Isabel was innocent the entire time!


    Thump!


    Isabel jumped out of bed excitedly and ran out of the room barefoot.


    She immediately saw Rnd. He was wearing a gray apron and was in the middle of carrying out a tray of food from the kitchen.


    She cried out ecstatically, "Rnd!"


    She sprang directly at him without the slightest intention of slowing down.


    Rnd spread his arms wide open.


    Isabel jumped on top of him and wrapped his arms around his neck, she cried out excitedly, "Rnd, I¡¯m innocent! They''re not


    angry at me anymore!¡±


    Rnd smiled faintly. "Yeah."


    He slowly waded to the dining table with Isabel still clung onto him tightly like a ko bear hugging a tree. He gently set the tray


    of food on the dining table.


    Isabel barely noticed what he was doing. Instead, she noted his calm reaction and asked, "Did you know about this?¡±


    Rnd smiled. ''Yeah."


    Isabel grinned as well. "| see." "| wonder who leaked this footage," she mumbled to herself, then she reached for her phone and


    finally remembered to go through the messages.

 Chapter 2074

    Chapter 2074


    She wanted to know who managed to put together the surveince footage. Perhaps this was the work of Amanda. Perhaps it


    was her parents and siblings who pulled through for her.


    Her mind was so focused on this that she forgot that she was still clinging to Rnd.


    Rnd was holding her hip with one hand to keep her from falling. He stood motionlessly like a sturdy mountain the entire time.


    Isabel went through her messages.


    Everyone was texting her. Amanda, Ca, Triss, and Ramona were congratting her on finally having her name cleared of any


    further suspicions. They were all equally curious about the source of this miraculous footage.


    This ruled out the possibility that it was the work of any of them.


    Flint texted her as well. "| saw the video. Awesome work. No wonder you didn''t want us to help you. You had it all under control


    this entire time."


    Isabel frowned suspiciously.


    By saying this, was he implying that none of her family members had anything to do with the video?


    She replied with brutal honesty, "I didn''t know about the existence of that video either. Are you sure it wasn''t Dad or Liam?"


    Flint replied shortly after, "No, Dad was just about to pull out all the stops and directly confront Isabe. Liam was going to


    pressure the media to stop spreading any negative news about you as well. Both of them barely had time to do that when that


    video suddenly surfaced and changed everything. Huh, | thought you were the one who found someone to pull out the


    surveince footage for you."


    Isabel frowned.


    It was neither Amanda, her friends nor any of her family members either, who could it have been?


    Suddenly, another possibility urred to her.


    Her mind reyed the scene after she left the fashion showst night and saw Rnd in the carst night. He had taken her into


    his arms andforted her in a reassuring voice, "Don''t listen to what the people are saying. | will help you take care of this


    entire thing. Trust me."


    What if...


    Her expression changed. She set aside her phone and turned her attention to Rnd who was holding her in his arms.


    She looked at his handsome face and gazed into his eyes which were filled with rity. She stared intently into them and asked,


    ¡°Was it you who leaked the video?"


    Rnd smiled faintly. "Yes."


    From the very beginning, he believed that Isabel would not step on Isabe''s skirt without a proper reason. He even managed to


    figure out that Isabe had to be involved with it somehow. Otherwise, he would not have gunned for the surveince footage


    and managed to put together such a perfectption of the events to prove her innocence.


    He was not merely saying empty words tofort herst night. He meant everyst word of it when he said he would take care


    of things for her.


    She felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest. Something consumed her.


    She threw the phone onto the couch and immediately nted a passionate kiss on his lips.


    Rnd was taken aback for a brief moment. He took back control immediately after that.


    By the time they broke away from the lust-filled kiss, they were already on the couch. As he pinned Isabel to the couch, her eyes


    were vulnerable and her cheeks flushed.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd looked at her with hungry eyes, like a beast ready to devour its prey. He teased her in a raspy voice, ¡®The food is ready.


    Don¡¯t you want to eat?"


    "No." Isabel grabbed his cor and pulled him in closer as she said in a seductive voice, ¡®There¡¯s something else | want to eat


    right now."


    As soon as she finished her sentence, she was muffled by his kiss, swiftly followed by the whole weight of his body pressing


    against her body.


    Several hourster, the couple came out of the bedroom atst. Rnd carried Isabel in his arms. He had to carry her because


    she barely had the strength to walk at this point.


    They reached the dining table.


    He set her down on the chair and poured her a cup of hot water for her and gestured. "Drink some water first. I''ll heat up the


    food. It''ll be done in a minute."


    Isabel smiled. "Sure."


    He went into the kitchen.


    From where she sat, she had a good view of the man working inside the kitchen.


    After taking several gulps of refreshing hot water, she nced in the direction of the kitchen.


    He wore a in white T-shirt and a pair of shorts. She watched enamored at his tall and striking figure. He always had that calm,


    handsome look on his face that gave the impression of a young man who was unsullied by the evils of the world.


    He was skilfully operating inside the kitchen, adeptly carrying different utensils around, flicking this stove and that on. He must


    have got all his practice in the kitchen after his father''s passing.


    She stared at him while slumped over at the dining table.


    She suddenly found herself fantasizing about what it would be like to spend the rest of her life with Rnd, and it sounded like a


    good life. Immediately after that, she shook herself awake to her senses.

 Chapter 2075

    Chapter 2075


    Chapter 2075


    No, she had to get these whimsical thoughts out of her mind.


    This was the same thing as what happened with Decker five years ago. She had imagined herself spending the rest of her life


    until she got stabbed in the back. Decker had gone and got engaged to another woman just so that he could elevate his social


    status. He had even struck her across the face when she confronted him about it.


    However, Rnd was nothing like Decker. Not only was he a verypetent man, but he was also very considerate and took


    excellent care of her. Then again, he knew her true identity...


    She knew that Rnd was not Decker, but her previous trauma was too great to ignore.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    She decided to stop worrying about the future and focus on the present. She put her mind off these troublesome thoughts for the


    moment.


    Rnd emerged from the kitchen. He neatly set their meal on the dining table and promptly sat down with her. He attentively


    passed her a te filled with food and another bowl of soup before picking up the utensils himself.


    Isabel stared at the soup oozing hot steam atop it and muttered, "It''s hot.¡±


    Rnd nced at her, then he picked up the bowl and blew at it to cool it down.


    Isabel was very direct this time. "| want you to feed me."


    Rnd asked cautiously, "With my mouth?"


    His ears turned red.


    Isabel stifled a smile and said, "Yes."


    Rnd coughed shyly. "We just... I¡¯m not sure you can handle another round.¡±


    Isabel''s face grew red-hot as well. She swatted at him and cried out shyly, "What are you thinking about? | just wanted to drink


    soup, that''s all!¡±


    And what was that about how she could not handle anymore?


    She was not as fragile as he made her out to be!


    Before she could further protest, Rnd drank a spoonful of soup and inched toward her, then he nted his lips onto hers.


    Just like that, she was instantly appeased.


    After dinner, Isabel wanted to wash the dishes, but Rnd promptly swatted her hand away.


    He took the dishes into the kitchen, and she followed him.


    He put everything neatly into the dishwasher, but there were some pots that were better suited to be washed by hand instead of


    with the dishwasher. He tossed them into the sink and bent over the sink, beginning to wash them scrupulously.


    She observed his firm, shapely waist, and suddenly felt an itch climbing along her hands. She could not resist the urge anymore,


    so she sumbed to her desire and hugged him from behind.


    He stiffened.


    She rested against his back. She found something to say so that Rnd would not think that she was hatching perverted ideas


    again. "You must be very tired."


    He continued to wash the dishes while nonchntly remarking, "Don''t worry, I''m fine."


    She smiled faintly. She could be gullible at times.


    She continued hugging him from behind, her hands fondling his muscr chest and stomach through the fabric of the shirt the


    entire time.


    Soon, Rnd had finished washing everything and arranged them neatly to dry. He stood up straight.


    Isabel was pulled out of her trance and released her grip around him.


    Unexpectedly, he seized her hands before she could pull away. Then, he turned around.


    Isabel looked at him suspiciously and noted a strange glow in his scarlet eyes as he smiled in a way that suggested he was upto


    something.


    She squinted. "What¡¯s on your mind?"


    She instinctively backed away.


    However, it was toote, he lunged at her and immediately grabbed her by her waist to pull her closer to him.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" he growled.


    "Il- Oh, | was just feeling sleepy. | thought it was about time to get some rest."


    Rnd shed his iconic handsome smile. "I''m sleepy too. Let''s go together.¡±


    "No need-"


    She could barely finish her sentence before she was lifted off her feet.


    Just like that, he carried her into the bedroom.

 Chapter 2076

    Chapter 2076


    Ding!


    Around evening, while Isabel was still snuggling peacefully in Rnd''s arms, she was rudely awakened by her phone ringing.


    She opened her eyes.


    The phone was on Rnd''s side, so he swiftly passed it to her.


    It was Amanda calling.


    She promptly answered the call, "Hey, Amanda, what''s the matter?"


    Amanda said solemnly, ¡°Isabel, there¡¯s something | need to tell you."


    "Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°After that surveince footage surfaced online yesterday, Isabe''s manager approached me, and she has been pretty much


    pestering me the entire day today as well. She asked if you will post a statement on your page to help Isabe. Essentially, she


    wants you to im that everything that happened between you two was an inside joke and to ask everyone to stop harassing


    Isabe over it. She says that if you do this for Isabe, they will give us anything you want."


    Isabel yawnedzily and slowly sat up. She leaned against Rnd''s shoulder and said disinterestedly, "No."


    She would never do anything that went against her moral code.


    Besides, before Rnd managed to help her prove her innocence using that video, Isabe had gone at her relentlessly.


    Besides, she was the one who started this entire thing, to begin with. If she had not gone and tampered with the dress, none of


    this would have happened at all.


    To simply forgive Isabe for everything that had happened was an insult to herself. This was the code of ethics her father had


    lectured her on as a child.


    Amanda hesitated briefly before stating, "Isabel, | think helping her out this one time will be a good boost to your public image.


    Besides, Isabe''s team has a lot of good resources that we can use as leverage."


    Isabel scowled. "What would people think if | suddenly spoke up for her now? Will they think that I''m so benevolent and gracious,


    or will they think that I''m being fake?"


    Everyone knew what sort of person Isabel Ross was like. She was known for being very blunt, and some would also say that she


    was the type to hold a grudge.


    Why would someone like her ever speak up for Isabe, especially after considering what happened?


    Amanda processed this silently for several seconds before muttering, "True, but Isabe does have a lot of resources that we


    can use."


    Isabel was set on her decision. "| don''t care."


    There were plenty of remarkable acting roles going around, and it was impossible for Isabe to hog all of them anyway.


    Besides, she had enough high-value roles as it was already, and it was important to learn to be content with what she had.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Amanda chuckled. "Fair enough. We won''t help them then. They had iting anyway."


    Isabel smiled and agreed, "Yeah."


    After hanging up, she tossed the phone aside and looked at Rnd, immediately meeting his clear and beautiful eyes. He had


    been looking at her the entire time during her conversation with Amanda, so he must have caught the gist of what they were


    talking about.


    Shey on his chest and had the urge to tell him everything." Amanda said Isabe wants me to help her out and say something


    to salvage her reputation. They said that they would give me anything | wanted. Anyway, | said no."


    She looked at Rnd with a fixed stare.


    Rnd listened to her without any trace of expression on his face. He hardly even blinked. He merely grunted a short¡¯ hmm¡¯ in


    response, and that was it.


    Isabel suddenly asked, "Rnd, do you think I''m being too harsh?"


    He told her, "No, you''ve done well.¡±


    Isabel was taken aback by this.


    Everyone was turning on Isabe, but she was not going to help her. What would Rnd think of this?


    Rnd seemed to notice her troubled thoughts written on her face and remarked, "You''re not actively sabotaging her. You''re just


    minding your own business from this point on."


    The entertainment industry was verypetitive. One could only imagine that it was very tempting to take advantage of


    someone when they were at their lowest. It was very noble to not stoop to such low tactics.


    It was especially the case in this context, where Isabel had not instigated anything the entire time. It was Isabe who tried to


    ruin her but had her ns backfire on her.


    Isabel was not actively plotting against Isabe even when things turned out this way, thus it was considered very noble as far as


    things went.

 Chapter 2077

    Chapter 2077


    Isabel''s eyes shimmered with joy as she felt understood.¡¯ Rnd, you''re pretty wise, aren''t you?"


    Rnd chuckled dryly. "I¡¯m not an idiot."


    "lm not saying you''re an idiot. I¡¯mplimenting you."


    At Isabe''s ce, Isabe was resting on a recliner while her assistant was focused on massaging her shoulders.


    Even though her assistant''s technique wasparable to that of a professional masseuse, her body was still filled with tension.


    Everyone on the inte was hurling all sorts of obscenities at her, and they were dragging her name through the mud.


    Since Decker refused to help, Isabel was her only lifeline. She was holding out for good newsing from Isabel''s end.


    After all, she had publicly apologized to Isabel online.


    She needed Isabel to respond to her apology and forgive her, then throw in a few good words for her. Hopefully, that would be


    enough for the public toe to forgive her or at least quell their anger.


    Ring!


    Her phone rang.


    It was her agent calling. She snatched the phone and picked it up before the second ring. "What did Isabel say? Is she going to


    help me?"


    Her agent spoke somberly, "No, she refused. They said that they wouldn¡¯t agree no matter what we offered them."


    Isabe''s expression changed sharply, and she cussed out loud, ¡®That b*tch, those twoplete pricks! They''re trying to ruin


    me!"


    Her agent held her tongue and let her vent for several seconds before stating dryly, "You were the one who started it. Anyway,


    the heat is slowly dying down, at least,pared to when the surveince footage first came upst night. This means Isabe


    and her team are not trying to stir the mes and make things worse than it already is, so consider this a sign of goodwill.¡±


    ¡®They''re indirectly trying to ruin me by refusing to help me!¡¯


    ¡®Alright, that''s enough, Isabe. As long as they''re willing to let us off the hook, there''s no need to fixate on this


    anymore. There''s still a chance for us to turn this around."


    Isabe nearly sprang out of her seat when she heard there was a possibility to turn things around. "What do you have in mind?¡±


    "I''ve spoken to the fashion house, the one who made the dress that you cut up. We agreed on paying them ten million dors to


    reimburse them for the damage done. As for public opinion, we will just have to wait it out. Since Isabel is not trying to stir the


    mes, I''d wager people will move on from it after a few more days. After that, we''ll have to splurge a little on public rtions to


    reverse the damage done. What | need from you is toy low and let the entire thing pass."


    Isabe was upset at being reprimanded like an unruly child but held her tongue. "Okay."


    She added anxiously, "Are you sure Isabel is not going to try to get revenge and do something? She''s very cunning, | know it."


    Her agent assured her, "As long as you don''t keep poking the bear, nothing is going to happen, understand?"


    When it came down to it, Isabel¡¯s temper was very easy to navigate around. As long as you didn''t provoke her, she would not see


    any reason to cause you trouble either. She was known for being very easy to work with. In all frankness, Isabe''s agent would


    have loved to work with Isabel if she was not already stuck with Isabe.


    Good times never seemed tost as long.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Soon, it was Monday again.


    Isabel had to head down to Manchester to join the crew to continue filming for "Legend of the Goddess".


    She woke up at the crack of dawn and looked at the man who was also just waking up. She nudged herself closer to him and


    burrowed her face into the crevice between his neck and his shoulder as she spoke to him softly, "Rnd,


    I''ll be going to nchester today."


    "Sure."


    ¡°Will you miss me?"


    ¡°Of course." He turned to her and pressed the tip of his nose against hers as their eyes met.


    She blinked.


    Rnd stared at her for a while before pressing in toward her. He nted his lips onto hers.


    Isabel finally picked up after Ca called her what must have been ten times.


    She was still buried under the quilt with Rnd who was hungrily kissing her like he was trying to suck her life essence out of


    her. She told Ca frantically, "I¡¯m runningte today. Could you tell the director to leave without me? I''ll get to nchester by


    myselfter this afternoon.¡±

 Chapter 2078

    Chapter 2078


    Isabel was not sure whether to sum it down to the passion of first love or if Rnd was truly that obsessed with her. Whichever it


    is, they continued at it until it was nearly noon before she was finally on her way out.


    Before leaving, he pinned her against the door again and showered her with endless kisses.


    She had put on a hat and a mask so that she would not be recognized. Then, she walked out of Rnd''s apartmentplex


    and stepped into the car already parked outside waiting for her.


    Inside the car was Ben the driver, her two bodyguards, as well as Ca.


    After she got into the car, she motioned, "Let''s go to nchester."


    Ben revved the engines.


    Isabel took off her hat and mask, then she noticed Ca casting strange looks at her. She threw a nce at her. "Why are you


    looking at me like that?"


    "Isabel, your face and your lips are so red. Have you been using your boyfriend''s skincare products?"


    Isabel felt herself steaming red immediately, and she yfully pinched Ca''s cheeks and cried out, "Looking for trouble, aren''t


    you?"


    Caughed it off and cried for mercy, "No, no, it was my mistake!"


    Isabel made sure to pinch her cheeks one more time before releasing her.


    Ca steered the conversation back to serious topics." Anyway, the crew has already left for nchester. Either way, the filming


    is not going to begin until tomorrow morning, so we just need to get there by tonight and everything can still proceed on


    schedule.¡±


    "Sure."


    nchester was a neighboring region of Westchester.


    The drive to nchester was rtively smooth. Isabel even got to take a brief nap before arriving at the hotel the film crew had


    reserved.


    While Ca was helping her take their luggage into the hotel, something else was happening back in Westchester. A luxurious


    car d in gold was just swerving out of the Westchester airport.


    The car went straight to the entertainmentpany where Isabe was signed to.


    Awealthy-looking youngdy stepped out of the car apanied by a host of bodyguards. After revealing her identity to the


    reception, they were allowed ess to the office of the director of thepany without any hassle.


    An hourter, Isabe dragged her tired body into the lobby. She was there because herpany suddenly summoned


    her to the head office on short notice. She had been viciously crucified on the inte since she woke up that morning and was


    too tired to protest anymore.


    After stepping into the office, she put on her usual charms." Boss, is there something urgent that you needed me for?"


    Her boss, Jerome, rose and said curtly, "Miss Houston wants to see you."


    "Which Miss Houston?" she asked suspiciously.


    Jerome nced in the direction of the adjacent cubicle, and then informed her cautiously, "You''ll know her when you see her.


    She¡¯s someone with status, so you''d better be careful of your tone when you talk to her."


    Could it be some richdy who wanted her to star in a movie?


    Whatever the reason this person wanted to meet her for, she knew she had to make a good impression, especially considering


    how Jerome introduced this person.


    She gave him her word. ¡°Alright, | understand."


    Jerome stepped out of the office, and the office suddenly grew quiet.


    Isabe stood motionlessly and stared at the adjacent cubicle.


    It was oppressively quiet, and the ufortable silencested for a long time. The silence made her feel unbearably nervous.


    Just when she was debating if she should call out for this mysterious Miss Houston, she heard the door open with a creak.


    Ayoungdy wearing a tailored dress with a cashmere shawl thrown over it stepped out of the adjacent cubicle.


    Despite having minimal makeup on, she looked very dignified. As soon as she appeared, she cast a sharp, dagger -like stare at


    Isabe.


    Isabe greeted her nervously, "Good afternoon, Miss Houston."


    She sized her up, swooping her eyes all over Isabe. "So, you are Isabe?"


    There was a contemptuous tone in her voice, and the tone of her voice suggested that she held herself far above Isabe.


    Isabe answered politely, "Yes, did you need something from me?"


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2079

    Chapter 2079


    "Heh." rice scoffed, "| expected Decker to have better taste than this."


    Decker?


    Decker?!


    Could this mean that this Miss Houston was...


    Isabe suddenly recalled Isabel''s mention of there being a certain fiancee of Decker''s. So, this was the Miss Houston that


    hailed from Southboro?


    Isabe looked at rice evasively and exined vainly," Miss Houston, you must have been mistaken. Nothing has ever


    happened between me and Mr. Rockwell. A lot of people im that he has something going on with me, but that¡¯s not the case at


    all."


    "Oh? How so? Why would you say that''s not the case?¡±


    "It may seem like that on the surface, but he never had the slightest bit of interest in me all along. | swear to you that nothing has


    happened between me and him since we''ve known each other!" she said with an earnest look in her eyes.


    She was telling the truth. Decker had barely touched her despite her best attempts of getting into bed with him.


    The look in rice''s eyes sharpened. "If he doesn''t care for you, why has he been financing you?"


    ¡°He''s had his eyes on Isabel Ross since the very beginning. She''s the reason he even bothered toe to Westchester. The


    problem is Isabel did not reciprocate his feelings and turned him down.


    ¡°After that, he approached me and helped me take away Isabel''s resources, but | wasn¡¯t expecting Isabel to have someone even


    more powerful backing her. It did not take long before she reimed everything | managed to take from her.


    "Speaking of which, | think Mr. Rockwell invested in that show Isabel is filming right now. | am sure he has feelings for Isabel


    because he just showed me a lot of attitude after he found out about what | did to Isabel.¡±


    Till now, Isabe could not figure out why Rnd even approached her if he had his eyes on Isabel since the beginning. One


    way or another, she was sure that he had been gunning for Isabel the entire time.


    rice asked with a frown, "Isabel Ross?"


    Isabe rified, "She''s a very popr actress."


    rice ordered, "Show me her picture."


    Isabe hurriedly reached for her phone and searched for Isabel''s picture online. Upon entering Isabel''s name in the query, her


    picture was the first to pop up on the disy. She handed the phone to rice.


    The moment rice recognized Isabel''s face, her heart dropped.


    So, it was her!


    It was the same woman who had barged into her engagement ceremony with Decker five years ago andter got thrown out of


    the venue!


    She remembered how she saw the same woman showing up online after that, and that was how she found out that this woman


    had be a celebrity.


    She did not think much of it at the time because she assumed that Decker had cut off all ties with this woman.


    Who would have thought that after five years, Decker would make the lengthy trip to Westchester to find her again?


    It had been five years! She knew that Decker had been seeing countless other women in this span, but why was it this particr


    woman that he remained obsessed with?


    Her eyes glowed with spite as she turned to Isabe. "Are you sure this is the woman that Decker is into?"


    Isabe swore adamantly, "Absolutely certain. May God strike me down if | lie to you."


    rice scoffed, then she walked past Isabe and was gone in the blink of an eye.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabe heaved a long, exhausted sigh when rice was out of sight. After she regained herposure, she had a wide smirk


    on her face because she was celebrating


    Isabel''s eventual demise.


    ¡®Isabel, oh Isabel, it doesn''t matter how well-connected you are, there isn''t a chance you''d be a match for the Houstons.¡¯


    She was feeling very irritable when she first came in here, but now she felt nothing but relief. She had a sense that Isabel''s lucky


    streak wasing to an end.


    In the Manchester hotel where the crew for "Legend of the Goddess" was staying the night, after Isabel greeted the director and


    her fellow actors, she went up to her room and began revising the script.


    She made sure to memorize all the script for her scenes tomorrow, and after she was done, she checked the time on her phone.


    It was only slightly past evening, and she wondered if Rnd was still busy at work.


    She texted him a short message, "Are you still working?"


    Rnd replied shortly after, "| have a meetinging up. I''ll call you after I''m done."


    Isabel smiled and replied, "Sure."

 Chapter 2080

    Chapter 2080


    Isabel continued reading her script.


    About forty minutester, Rnd gave her a video call.


    She was all out sprawled on the bed when she answered.


    His handsome, dashing expression was the first thing that popped up on the screen.


    She immediately noticed the background and saw that he was still at the office. She asked promptly, ¡°Are you still


    working?"


    "Yeah, | need to meet a business partnerter.¡±


    ¡°What kind of business partner?¡±


    "He''s from Liberty. We just finalized our letter of intent for coborationst month.¡±


    Isabel nodded, feigning understanding, and remarked casually, ¡°In that case, | won¡¯t take your time. Get back to it.¡±


    Rnd frowned. ¡°Okay, make sure you get some rest.¡±


    "Yeap."


    Isabel gave him onest lingering look before hanging up.


    Her schedule over the following days was very tightly packed with countless shootings.


    She worked non-stop from the minute shooting began the following day. She would work from dawn till dusk, and every minute of


    her free time was spent reading and revising the script.


    It was also important for actors such as her to take care of their appearance, primarily their skin and the conditioning of their


    figure.


    Even with her hectic schedule, she would still think about Rnd in the dead of the night.


    However, he was just as, if not more busy than her. They would only have brief exchanges over the days, nothing more than


    quick good morning or goodnight texts. Forget about video calls, they hardly had time to talk.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The week passed in the blink of an eye.


    Soon, it was the weekend.


    After filming the day scenes, the director announced that the crew was allowed time off to recharge themselves since it was the


    weekend.


    Isabel figured that Rnd should be taking the day off work as well. She nned to call him first thing after she got back to the


    hotel.


    However, just as she was about to leave the set, an assistant director went up to her and said with a brief smile, "Isabel,


    someone is looking for you outside.¡±


    Someone was looking for her?


    Could it be Rnd?


    She quickly walked out of the set.


    It was still bright inside by the time they finished shooting. The moment she stepped outside, she saw a bright white sports


    carthatmanded attention.


    When she showed up, the windows by the driver''s seat were promptly lowered to reveal Decker inside. He was smiling at her


    quite suggestively.


    Isabel''s expression immediately zipped tensely, and she turned around and prepared to walk back inside.


    "Isabell" Decker called out to her.


    She continued to press forward without the slightest intention of stopping.


    "Do you want to know about Rnd¡¯s backstory?" He tried to grab her attention.


    Isabel stopped abruptly and looked back at him. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Decker smirked. "Get in the car. I''ll tell you about it.¡±


    She refused, ¡®You get out of the car and we''ll talk out here.¡±


    She still remembered how this vile man had drugged her thest time when they met. There was not a chance she was


    getting into his car.


    Decker smiled wryly. ¡°Don''t worry, | won''t do anything to you. | just want to talk in the car so that no one will see us and


    start gossiping about us.¡±


    Isabel scowled and dered boldly, "I¡¯m not afraid of having people gossip about me. | haven''t done anything that |


    should feel guilty about.¡±


    Decker froze.


    She gave him onest ultimatum. "You can either step out of the car and talk to me or scram.¡±


    "Heh." Decker chuckled. ¡°Isabel, you''re nothing like you were five years ago."


    Five years ago, when she was by his side, she had always been so delicate and gentle. The only rare asions when


    she would disy her temper was when she was in a bad mood, but even in such instances, she was nowhere near as


    bold as she was now.


    Isabel was not interested in exining herself to him. She''s always had this temper growing up. The only reason she


    behaved that way back then was because she had a case of amnesia and was a stranger in a foreignnd. These


    factorsbined made her very reserved and cautious then.

 Chapter 2081

    Chapter 2081


    She red at him. "Cut the crap. Are youing down or not? I''m leaving if you don''t want toe down."


    She wanted to walk away but Decker immediately came down from the car.


    He walked up to her and asked, "Where are we going?¡±


    Isabel said, "There''s a coffee shop in the hotel¡¯s lobby. Let''s go there."


    Decker curled his lips. "Alright."


    Isabel was wearing the costume from the set and was walking toward the hotel. Decker followed her with a smile on his face.


    Many other crew members spotted her and Decker and they all looked at them curiously.


    Some who were closer to Isabel went up to her and asked," Isabel, why are you with Mr. Rockwell?"


    Isabel answered honestly, "He''s here to talk to me about something."


    "I see..."


    The person went off after getting a satisfying answer.


    After others saw Isabel¡¯s cold reaction to Decker''s eagerness, their curiosity faded.


    Only Ang continued following them in secret.


    Then, a ck BMW with Westchester City''s number te came in from the corner and stopped in the parking lot of the hotel.


    The man in the driver seat unfastened his seat belt but before he came out from the car, he saw Isabel and Decker entering the


    hotel together.


    His clear eyes narrowed and looked disheartened.


    The coffee shop was located beside the hotel lobby and there was arge area of ceiling-to-floor windows at the venue.


    Everyone who walked past the lobby or hotel could see the interior of the coffee shop.


    Isabel and Decker sat down at the table that had natural lighting from outside the window.


    After they sat down, Isabel asked, "How did you know Rnd?"


    If Decker spoke of Rnd upon seeing her and even asked her if she was curious about Rnd''s background, he must know


    Rnd well.


    Decker curled his lips. "What? You didn¡¯t hear from Rnd about our rtionship?"


    During the opening dinner for Legend of Goddess, it was Rnd who snatched her away from him and Rnd


    obviously saw him.


    Isabel scanned him emotionlessly. "Maybe he thinks it''s nothing important, that¡¯s why he didn''t tell me."


    "Hmmmm..." He did not believe her.


    Annoyed, Isabel frowned. She grabbed her ss of water and asked, "Why are you humming?"


    Decker believed if he continued stalling or talking nonsense, Isabel would ssh the ss of water in his face.


    His eyes flickered and put on a serious look.


    He then said, "Rnd is my nephew, we¡¯re connected by blood."


    Nephew?


    Isabel was surprised. She remembered Rnd telling her about his family background.


    His grandfather relied on his grandmother to be rich but he got a mistress and had a b¡¯stard child. After his grandmother


    passed away, his grandfather nned to leave all the assets and money to the b*stard child he had.


    Then, his father died in a car crash and things shifted in his family. He and his family left Southboro and ended up in


    Westchester.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Could Decker be the b*stard child of his grandfather?


    Five years ago, Decker spent a lot of effort and investment just to marry rice and now it seemed like he did it because he


    wanted to seize the Rockwell''s family assets.


    Isabel remembered how she encouraged Decker when they were together and it instantly disgusted her.


    "Isabel, what''s with that face? Do you know something?" Decker asked curiously when he spotted her reaction.


    Isabel looked at him coldly. "No. | just thought dating you is the most disgusting thing I''ve ever done in my life."


    Decker was speechless. Multiple expressions shed on his handsome face.


    Amomentter, he regained his elegantposure and said with a smile, "Rnd lost to me. He''s no longer the young master


    of the Rockwells. Even if he''s the CEO of Carter Corporation, he¡¯s just working for thepany. Be it his assets or influence,


    he''s nothingpared to me.


    ¡°He could use the Carters¡¯ influence to boost your fame but he can''t do it forever. So, Isabel,e back to me."

 Chapter 2082

    Chapter 2082


    Chapter 2082


    Isabel frowned.


    She knew what the man wanted to say. Decker was not only trying to ruin Rnd''s reputation, but he even believed she rose to


    fame because of Rnd''s resources.


    She had seen shameless people before but none were as shameless as Decker.


    Isabel asked, "Decker, you''re a b*stard but you snatched the family assets of the true heir. How could you have the face and


    audacity to show off in front of me?"


    He probably thought snatching people''s things was a proud achievement.


    Decker was probably offended by the word ''b¡¯stard'', his gaze turned cold. "I''m the same as Rnd''s father, we''re both our


    father''s children. My father loved me more because I''m more capable, that''s why he left the assets for me.


    He added, "Isabel, | got the Rockwells fair and square."


    "If ¡¯m correct, most of the Rockwells'' businesses are under Rnd''s grandmother''s name." A quick pauseter, Isabel looked at


    him and smiled. "Decker, you know better than anyone if you got the Rockwells fair and square."


    Decker¡¯s expression turned grim. "Even if they are still under his grandmother''s name, they belonged to the Rockwells.


    Isabel, did Rnd tell you anything?"


    "No," Isabel added, "He''s not like you who likes to badmouth people."


    Decker¡¯s expression looked disheartened.


    The elegance on his face faded as he red at Isabel coldly. "Isabel, I''m being tolerant with you because | like you. You better


    not challenge my patience."


    "No one wants your patience," Isabel said with a scoff," Decker, you''re just the head of the Rockwells. Even if you are the king of


    the world, | don''t care."


    She sounded cold and stern.


    Decker frowned. He looked at her in disbelief. "Isabel, have you fallen for Rnd?"


    Isabel looked into his intimidating eyes. "Yes. | like Rnd, |, Isabel Ross, like Rnd Rockwell!"


    Decker clenched his fist and his lips curled into a frosty smile.


    "Then don''t me me for being ruthless."


    Ruthless? Was it to Rnd or them both?


    Regardless, Isabel realized the man was sick.


    She had broken up with him a long time ago and Rnd had left Southboro to cut ties with the Rockwells.


    No one stepped on his tail, yet the man insisted on targeting the two of them.


    Why? Was it because she fell in love with Rnd?


    Before Isabel could voice her thoughts, a cold and deep voice sounded, saying, "How exactly are you going to be ruthless?"


    Shocked, Isabel looked up.


    Decker was surprised as well. He turned to the source of the voice immediately.


    They were sitting near an entrance and Rnd wasing in from there.


    The ck formal suit set off his slender and towering figure. His gaze was as cold as ice, clear but also cold.


    He walked to Isabel and red at Decker.


    It was just a moment but Isabel spotted a hint of panic in Decker''s eyes.


    It was like someone who seized a higher position illicitly and suddenly ran into a powerful person who could destroy him.


    At the next moment, Decker curled his lips and returned to his usual elegance.


    He asked with a smile, "Rnd, are you here for Isabel?"


    He made it sound like he and Isabel were close, which sickened Isabel.


    Before Isabel could re at him, Rnd said, "Isabel is my girlfriend now, of course, I¡¯m here for her."


    Decker chuckled. "| know you two are dating but please don¡¯t take this wrongly. She and | are just chatting casually here, not


    talking about anything specific or what happened five years ago."


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2083

    Chapter 2083


    Isabel was rendered speechless.


    She closed her eyes and clenched her fists.


    She wanted to punch Decker in the face but before she could, Rnd held her hand.


    She could feel his warmth on her through his touch.


    At the same time, he replied coldly to Decker, "I¡¯m already here when you guys sat down. | didn''t misunderstand anything.¡±


    In other words, he heard everything, including the disgraceful words Decker spoke of him.


    Decker''s expression froze.


    Isabel could not hold back her chuckle.


    Decker''s expression turned bitter. "Then | guess | won''t be the third wheel here."


    He got up and wanted to leave.


    "Hold on," Rnd called him.


    Decker paused and turned around to him.


    Rnd looked at him calmly and said, "| know you''re Isabel''s ex-boyfriend but this isn''t the reason for you to disturb her. If you


    continue to disturb her, | will-"


    "What will you do?" As if he heard a ludicrous joke, Decker cackled. "What will you do to me?"


    Rnd looked at him. "I''ll factory reset you."


    Decker''s contemptuousugh froze.


    Isabel covered her mouth and chuckled.


    Even though Rnd was trying to threaten Decker, using the term ¡®factory reset¡¯ sounded extremely strange.


    Why would one feel threatened by such a strange term?


    ¡°Hmph. You?"


    Decker then left the coffee shop.


    Isabelughed after Decker left.


    Rnd looked at her. His frosty gaze warmed up, but he was confused." Why are youughing?¡±


    Isabel reached out to him and curled her hands around his neck. She looked at his handsome face and said, "Rnd, you''re


    really cute."


    Rnd flickered his eyes shyly.


    Then, he said, "When | was at the entrance, | heard him talking about me and him. | wanted to know how he sowed discord


    between us, so | stayed outside and listened.¡±


    "It''s okay. | understand.¡±


    If Isabel was in his position and heard other women talking bad about her, she would stay and listen to the whole thing as well.


    Rnd pursed his lips and held her waist to hug her closer.


    Isabel was still in her costume, which was filthy. She tapped his back and said, "Rnd, I''ll go change and we can continue this


    little session."


    Rnd held her tight, showing no intention of letting her go.


    When Isabel realized something was not right and wanted to ask him what was going on, he whispered, "Isabel, | only like you.¡±


    Isabel''s heart raced and her lips curled into an alluring smile.


    He heard what Decker said to her earlier.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    At the same time outside the coffee shop, Ang was recording with her phone next to the window.


    She only put her phone away and left when Rnd and Isabel came out from the coffee shop.


    She went to a secluded ce and sent the video to Isabe.


    Then, she added some text to the video.


    "Isabe, I''ve just seen Mr. Rockwell with Isabel. | don''t know what he said to Isabel but they chatted for quite a while until


    Isabel''s boyfriend came over.


    ¡°Her boyfriend was listening to their conversation outside before he went in. | don''t know what his boyfriend said to Mr. Rockwell


    either but Mr. Rockwell left with a bitter look. Isabel then hugged her boyfriend.¡±

 Chapter 2084

    Chapter 2084


    Chapter 2084


    Meanwhile, at Isabe''s ce, after she received the video and text from Ang, she went through it frame by frame.


    Ang took the video from a low angle outside the coffee shop, hence it did not record the conversation.


    She went through the attached text and pondered. Then, she edited Rnd out of the video, leaving only the scene with Isabel


    and Decker.


    Next, she sent the video to rice and added the text, "Ms. Houston, my friend took this video at nchester. Mr. Rockwell went


    there to see Isabel again.¡±


    Since her previous meeting with rice, she took her number just in case, and she was afraid that rice would not believe her


    having nothing to do with Decker. She also promised once she got anything on Decker and Isabel, she would text rice


    immediately.


    With the video sent, it would be able to prove that Decker liked Isabel.


    Awhileter, rice replied, "Where are they in nchester?"


    Isabe answered, "Near the set of Legend of the Goddess. | heard it''s a studio near the suburbs of the city."


    rice then did not reply to her text but had seen her answer.


    Someone as rich as rice was bound to have a temper, so it was normal for her to be cold. Isabe did not mind.


    Knowing that rice would give Isabel trouble for seeing Decker, Isabe felt extremely happy.


    Back at nchester, after Isabel came out from the coffee shop, she returned to the set to get changed before she brought


    Rnd to her hotel room.


    She was staying alone and ra woulde over for a sleepover now and then.


    When she saw Rnd, ra wisely stepped out of the room.


    The room was brightly lit and the window was opened to let the breeze in.


    Isabel noticed Rnd was holding a food container. She said with a smile," Wait for me. I''ll go take a shower. It''s going to be


    quick."


    She had been shooting for the whole day and she reeked from all the sweating.


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Okay."


    Isabel grabbed her red sleeping dress and went into the bathroom.


    After a quick shower, she put on the red sleeping dress and came out.


    Rnd was sitting at the table. When he saw hering out of the bathroom, he was stunned.


    Isabel spotted his red ears and blushed-stained face.


    She purposely picked this sexy red dress to seduce him but he already blushed before she began.


    She chuckled inwardly and decided to feign ignorance. She walked to him with a straight face.


    She then looked at his chair, feigned surprise, and said, "Oh my, | only have one chair in my room. What am | going to do?"


    Rnd looked at the couch. "You take it, I''ll go sit over there."


    "Then how are you going to eat with me?¡± Isabel said.


    Rnd said, "I''ve eaten."


    Isabel squinted. "It takes you three hours to reach here. You just had lunch, didn''t you?"


    "Yeah. Why don''t | call reception and ask for another chair?"


    "Forget it. It''s troublesome. I''ll sit on yourp."


    Then, Isabel sat on hisp before he could react.


    Rnd was speechless.


    He sat up straight and his ears and face turned red.


    Isabel ignored him. She sat in his embrace and opened the container.


    The food was still warm and the vorful smell filled the air when she opened the lid.


    Isabel lost the intention of tempting him as she got captivated by the food. She grabbed a piece of shrimp and tossed it into her


    mouth while she took the other containers out.


    Rnd was staring at her from behind. He looked at the side of her face and swallowed nervously.


    Isabel had a few bites before she thought of Rnd. "Rnd, have some."


    She pinched a shrimp and put it in front of his mouth.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd''s lips were tightly sealed.

 Chapter 2085

    Chapter 2085


    Confused, Isabel looked at him. "Why aren''t you eating?¡±


    Rnd looked at her and said in a hoarse voice, "! don''t want to eat this."


    "Then what do you want to eat?" she asked.


    Rnd pursed his lips. "You."


    Isabel''s eyes widened. Before she could react, his handsome face moved closer to her face and kissed her on the lips.


    The kiss was so strong that it felt like he was chewing on her lips.


    He lifted her and carried her to the bed.


    Even though he was walking into the room, his eyes never left her.


    Isabel, on the other hand, had not eaten enough.


    Knock, knock.


    Knocks came from the door but Isabel was sleeping in Rnd''s arms, drenched in sweat.


    The knocks woke her up and it irritated her. She bellowed, "Who is it?!"


    ra said in a small voice, "Isabel, it''s me. The director told me to inform you that someone from Westchester is here to see


    you."


    Isabel pursed her lips and regted her temper. "Who is it?"


    "| don''t know, but the director looked serious when he told me. Maybe it''s someone important," ra said.


    Someone important?


    Aveteran actor or a sponsor of the industry?


    "Got it. I''ll be right there. Give me a few minutes."


    "Okay."


    Isabel sat herself up.


    Rnd was half naked, leaning on the bed and looking at her.


    His eyes were clear and beautiful, making him look extremely handsome.


    Isabel pinched his face and said affectionately, "Someone is looking for me. | have to go out for a while. You stay here and wait


    for me toe back."


    Rnd pursed his lips and hummed a reply.


    Isabel got out of bed, got dressed, and went out of the room.


    ra was waiting for her outside.


    When Isabel came out, ra looked at her neck. She grinned mischievously and then said, "Isabel, the person the director


    mentioned is waiting for you at the coffee shop downstairs."


    Isabel was curious about who it was, so she did not spot ra''s mischievous and ridiculing gaze.


    She buttoned her cor, tied her hair up, and headed down to the coffee shop.


    Other than the waiter behind the bar counter, there was only a young woman covered in branded items waiting at one of the


    tables.


    She turned her back to the entrance.


    When Isabel walked up to her, the woman turned around.


    Her beautiful face had a faint smile on her.


    She might look polite but her expression spelled superiority.


    Isabel had a clear look on her face and was shocked. "rice Houston?¡±


    She was Decker''s fiancee, the young mistress of the wealthy family of Southboro, the Houstons.


    Five years ago, when Isabel had amnesia, she barged into Decker and rice¡¯s engagement party and saw her.


    rice frowned and a hint of displeasure shed in her eyes.


    Other than her family, no one else called her full name before in her face.


    Isabel was just a famous movie star but it did not mean she could cross the line and be rude.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    The rude Isabel sat down opposite her before she could say a word and asked, "Why are you here?¡±


    rice''s expression turned cold. "Isabel Ross, is that how you greet and treat people usually?"

 Chapter 2086

    Chapter 2086


    Rude?


    Isabel''s expression turned bitter. "rice, if you''re here to cause a scene, then please excuse me."


    Isabel wanted to leave, but rice stopped her by bellowing, "Just you wait!"


    Isabel froze and looked at her as if she was looking at an idiot. She then continued to walk toward the door.


    "Isabel Ross, I''m talking to you! Are you deaf?!"


    Isabel was irritated. She turned around to rice and asked, "rice Houston, you''ve got a problem! Not me!¡±


    rice''s gaze shifted and instantly looked disheartened.


    She had never met someone as rude and disrespectful as Isabel in her life.


    She stared at Isabel coldly and said, "Isabel, with one word, | can make you disappear from the entertainment industry.¡±


    Isabel said, "I don''t believe you. Say one word."


    rice was rendered speechless. Even her elegant facial features could not hit the ugly expression on her face.


    She told herself that she could not lower herself to reason with a cheap woman like Isabel, hence calming herself down.


    She said coldly, "Isabel Ross, you better show some respect to me."


    "rice Houston, YOU better show some respect to me.¡±


    rice¡¯s expression turned grim. She bellowed, "Not even the director dares to speak to me like this!"


    "SoT


    rice wanted to grab the cup of coffee.


    Fortunately, Isabel was faster and she grabbed another cup of coffee. She smiled and provoked rice. "Ms. Houston, why don''t


    we see who is faster?"


    rice clenched her teeth as her expression turned grimmer.


    Thunk!


    The cup of coffee was ced on the table.


    Isabel smiled and put her cup down as well.


    "I''m busy, | don''t have time for this nonsense."Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel wanted to leave.


    rice suppressed her anger and said, "| have something important to tell you and you better listen to me before you leave."


    Something important?


    Isabel hesitated and ultimately decided to sit back down. "What?"


    rice lifted her chin and said arrogantly, "You should know about me and Decker."


    "Yeah. | know."


    The coffee shop was warm and it was getting stuffy, so Isabel unbuttoned her cor and revealed the kiss marks on her neck.


    When rice saw the kiss marks, her eyes narrowed coldly.


    "Isabel Ross, how can you be so cheap!?"


    Isabel was dumbfounded.


    Confused, she red at rice and said, "What''s wrong with you? Are you having a split personality disorder?"


    rice sounded fine a moment ago but she suddenly called Isabel cheap.


    She stared at Isabel''s neck and if she could, she would snap Isabel''s neck with her own hands.


    Isabel instinctively touched her neck and realized something.


    She used her phone as a mirror and spotted the kiss marks on her neck.


    rice grunted in disdain.


    Just when she thought Isabel would feel embarrassed or humiliated, Isabel smiled nonchntly and said, "My boyfriend did this.


    What''s wrong? You and Decker were engaged for so many years but he never did this to you before?"

 Chapter 2087

    Chapter 2087


    Chapter 2087


    rice frowned.


    Isabel showed a surprised look and said, "So, you''re still a virgin after being with Decker for so many years?"


    "Isabel, you..." rice gritted her teeth and bellowed, "Stop trying to provoke me. Decker and | have been dating for a long time


    and your little tricks won''t affect our rtionship.¡±


    Isabel found her reaction strange. "I''m just asking. What''s with the reaction?"Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    "You show your neck to me and it is an act of provocation!" rice looked at her in disdain. "You''re a mistress, a cheap woman


    who''s trying to ruin our rtionship. You might have won now but Decker will never leave me for you!¡±


    Isabel was more confused than ever. She asked, "rice, what nonsense are you talking about? Who are you calling a mistress,


    a cheap woman? You think I''m together with that b*stard Decker?"


    rice''s expression shifted. "What do you mean? You''re not with Decker?"


    Isabel shuddered the moment she thought of Decker. She said honestly, "| broke up with him when you were engaged with him.


    Period. I''d never be with him anymore."


    rice was skeptical. She looked at Isabel¡¯s neck and asked, ¡®Then what''s with your neck?"


    "| said, it''s my boyfriend. He did this."


    "Who''s your boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Anyone but Decker."


    rice looked at Isabel, unsure if she was telling the truth.


    Then, she pulled her phone out and yed the video in front of Isabel.


    Isabel saw herself and Decker at the coffee shop earlier in the afternoon.


    The video was not that long and it only showed her and Decker. Rnd was not included.


    Isabel then looked at rice. "Who sent it to you?"


    rice red at her fiercely. "You don¡¯t need to know who sent it to me. You just need to exin to me what this is. If you


    already have a boyfriend, why did Decker meet up with you?"


    She soundedmanding and was trying to express her superiority through her intimidating presence.


    Isabel disliked her attitude, but the woman obviously mistook her for having an affair with Decker.


    She hated whenever anyone rted her to Decker, so she said, "This video is edited. Decker came to see me but we only


    chatted for a while. What you see in the video is how long we were talking. My boyfriend then came and | left with him. The video


    doesn¡¯t show."


    She looked into rice¡¯s eyes when she exined.


    rice frowned. "Edited? What proof do you have?"


    "If you don¡¯t believe me, call Decker and ask him where he is."


    rice hesitated, but she video-called Decker nevertheless.


    She switched to the front camera to only show herself.


    Awhileter, Isabel heard Decker''s voice from the phone and it sounded disgusting.


    "rice, what is it? Miss me already?"


    It sounded disgusting with the pretentious tone, but rice seemed to like it.


    The frostiness on her look was instantly reced by gentleness. "Decker, are you still in Westchester?"


    ¡®Yeah. | still haven''t finished my work. | think I''ll be staying here for a while."


    rice remained suspicious. She asked, "What¡¯s that beside you?"


    Decker then switched the camera angle and said, "Our photo together. | thought | showed you a few days ago when we video-


    called. It¡¯s on my desk in the hotel and I¡¯ve never moved it.¡±


    rice finally smiled. "Okay. You should rest early. I¡¯m sorry to disturb you."


    Decker answered in his deep voice, "I''m happy that you called me, so please don''t say you''re disturbing me."


    rice smiled. "I got it."


    They said goodbye and the video call ended.

 Chapter 2088

    Chapter 2088


    Chapter 2088


    rice returned to her arrogant look and looked at Isabel.


    Isabel crossed her arms, looking at her calmly.


    "Isabel, if you have a boyfriend already, stay with your boyfriend and stop eyeing over my man," rice said as she stood up,


    "Or else, I''ll make you suffer."


    She then grabbed her expensive purse and wanted to leave.


    Isabel chuckled. "Decker is a piece of sh*t to me, feel free if you like to eat sh*t."


    rice stopped, turned around, and red at her.


    If her gaze could kill, she would have killed Isabel multiple times already.


    Isabel met her gaze nonchntly.


    rice grunted and left in a hurry.


    After that, Isabel got up from her seat, yawned, and left the coffee shop.


    When she walked out of the coffee shop, she spotted Anging to her from the other direction.


    Ang''s eyes flickered when she met Isabel''s gaze. She smiled and said,¡± Isabel, good evening. Having a coffee?"


    Isabel narrowed her eyes and had a nce over Angel''s phone. "Hmmm. Someone came all the way from Westchester just to


    see me.¡±


    "Who is it? Your boyfriend?"


    Isabel said nonchntly, "You¡¯ve seen him already when he came looking for me in the afternoon."


    Ang''s expression shifted. "Oh really? Then who was it just now?"


    "rice Houston," Isabel said.


    Ang asked, "Who''s rice Houston?"


    ¡®The young mistress of the Houstons in Southboro, Decker Rockwell¡¯s fiancee."


    Angel''s eyes widened. She was shocked by rice''s true identity and she could no longer keep up the act.


    Isabel''s lips curled as she walked away.


    When she walked past Ang, she whispered, "You should''ve be a paparazzi. What a wasted talent."


    Ang froze.


    Isabel left, leaving Ang petrified on the spot, unsure how to react.


    She thought she was acting naturally so how did Isabel find out she was taking the video of her and Decker earlier in the day?


    In addition, when rice came to confront Isabel, Ang was also taking a video of them. Although she was confused when


    rice showed Isabel her phone, judging from their conversation, Ang was certain that they were not exactly having a friendly


    chat and she heard Isabel calling rice''s full name.


    She did not know irce was Decker''s fiancee and the young mistress of the Houstons of Southboro.


    Isabel knew, yet she showed no respect for the woman. How arrogant!Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Ang gripped her phone tightly and swiftly returned to her room. She sent the newly recorded video of rice confronting


    Isabel to Isabe.


    She added some text, "Isabe, | ran into Isabel when | took the video.


    Isabel knew | was taking her video, and do you know that the person she confronted is rice Houston, the fiancee of Mr.


    Rockwell and the young mistress of the Houstons of Southboro? Isabel showed no respect for her and she''s such a fool."


    Meanwhile, at Isabe''s ce back in Westchester, she frowned when she received the text.


    Ang had no idea Decker liked Isabel and did not know rice was there to warn Isabel to stay away.


    The reason why Isabel was so arrogant was because she was not involved with Decker and she had her own boyfriend.


    She was not having an affair with rice''s fiance, plus her already proud attitude, she would never take rice seriously.


    Isabe raised the volume and watched the video again.


    She heard Isabel telling rice that the video was edited.


    Ang did not capture rice''s screen when she showed Isabel the phone but if Isabe was correct, rice must have shown


    Isabel the video that she edited earlier, which only showed Isabel and Decker talking to each other.


    Coupled with the content of their brief conversation, rice must be suspecting Isabe who edited the video and she might be


    coming for her.

 Chapter 2089

    Chapter 2089


    Ding!


    Isabe''s phone rang. It was from her boss.


    She answered the phone and asked, "Boss, what is it?"


    "Ms. Houston wants to see you. Go wait for her at the floral garden on the first floor of the Westchester Grand Hotel."


    Isabe''s expression changed. "Y-Yes, boss. I''m on my way."


    Back at nchester, the hotel where the crew of the Legend of the Goddess checked in, Isabel returned to her room.


    She saw Rnd dressed in a man''s pajamas, typing on hisptop on the table next to the bed.


    The warmmp on the table, his straightened posture, and his handsome but serious look - every aspect of him was charming.


    Isabel snuck up to him but he turned around just in time, looking at her with his clear and calm eyes.


    "You''re back," he said.


    Isabel hummed. She walked to his side and looked at his screen.


    There were a ton of words and graphs, probably something rted to his work.


    Isabel''s vision started to get blurry after looking at it and she quickly pulled her attention away.


    ¡°Are you busy with work?¡± she asked.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    "It''s okay. I''m just doing some tasks and I''m done.¡±


    Rnd then shut hisptop.


    Isabel hummed again and then stared at hisp.


    Rnd pursed his lips. He turned the chair around to face her.


    Isabel sat down on hisp and curled her arms around his neck, smiling at him. "Guess who | saw just now."


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Who is it?"


    If she put it that way, it had to be someone Rnd knew as well. The only person he could think of, besides her parents and his


    mother, was Decker.


    If it was her parents or his mother, she would not act this way.


    Decker had left earlier in the afternoon and should not be here, so who would it be?


    He was curious.


    Isabel looked at his curious look and decided to tease him. "Make me happy and I''ll tell you.¡±


    Rnd flickered his eyes. He had no idea how to make her happy now.


    Isabel raised a brow at him.


    Amomentary silenceter, he kissed her on the cheek.


    It was light and soft.


    Then, he released her lips and smiled. "Feeling happier now?"


    Isabel held her delight back. "No."


    She had never seen anyone try to make her happy with a kiss, albeit it worked perfectly.


    Rnd hesitated momentarily and then kissed her again.


    This time, he kissed her deep and hard.


    Isabel had a hard time catching her breath.


    He then released her and looked at her blush-stained face. He asked with his deep voice, "Happy now?"


    Isabel held herughter back. "No."


    Rnd looked at her tightly pursed lips. His gaze shifted and then decided to kiss her yet again.

 Chapter 2090

    Chapter 2090


    Isabel started to lose her breath as the kiss went on.


    She grunted in a muffled voice and pushed him away.


    Rnd held back the kiss but his lips were still touching hers. "Tell me."


    If she continued to toy with him, he would kiss her again and again.


    Isabel was annoyed. "Rnd, are you threatening-Mhmm!"


    He kissed her again, stronger than before.


    Isabel felt like her lips were swollen from all the kisses.


    In addition, his hand was pinching her waist.


    It felt electrifying and it made her body numb.


    She pushed him away and stammered, "O-Okay! I''ll say!"


    Rnd released her.


    He stared at her like a predator looking at its prey.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel suddenly wanted to move away from hisp, but if she did, it would make her look like a coward.


    She fluttered her eyes and decided to lean backward to draw some distance from his face.


    She then said, "It''s rice Houston, Decker''s fiancee. You should know her."


    Rnd asked, "Why is she here for you?"


    "Someone took a video of me and Decker in the coffee shop earlier and sent it to her. She thought | was having an affair with


    Decker, so she came to confront me."


    Rnd''s expression turned grim. "Someone is targeting you?"


    "Maybe, but don''t worry. | know who did it."


    She knew why Ang took the video and it seemed like Ang did not know who rice Houston was.


    If Ang did not know rice, why would she send the video to her?


    More importantly, Isabel almost never crosses paths with Ang, let alone having anypetition for resources or recognition.


    Even when Ang was trying to find out about Rnd, Isabel did not answer but it was not that serious to make Ang target


    her.


    Something was not right.


    Ang would not have asked about Rnd''s identity without a reason.


    Was there someone behind her?


    Isabel pulled out her phone and texted Amanda, "Amanda, do you know Ang White?"


    Amanda''s phone was beside her. She texted back almost immediately," The fourth-position actress in Legend of the Goddess? |


    heard of her, she''s quite the sneaky one."


    Isabel asked, "Does she have any support behind her?"


    "She doesn''t have any support but she''s quite close with Isabe, and she got some support from her," Amanda answered.


    Isabe Brunson.


    Isabel narrowed her eyes.


    It was her.


    Amada asked, ¡®What did she do to you?"


    ¡°Nothing. I''ll exin when | see you."


    Isabel put her phone away.


    Rnd looked at her. "Found out who it is?¡±


    Isabel answered, "Isabe Brunson. | believe she''s the one who instigated Ang to take the video."


    ¡°Her again?" Rnd''s expression turned grim.


    Isabel smiled. "Don''t worry. She can''t do anything to me. | think rice got to her and she must''ve said I''m seeing Decker, that¡¯s


    why rice is on to me. But now that I¡¯ve exined it to rice, she knows I¡¯m not rted, so | should be free now."


    Rnd''s expression looked more rxed. "Mhmmm."


    Isabel was tired. She no longer wanted to think about all that nonsense.


    She leaned on his shoulder and grumbled, "I''m tired. Let¡¯s sleep."

 Chapter 2091

    Chapter 2091


    Rnd smiled warmly. "Sure."Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    He carried her and strode toward their bed.


    In Westchester, after the call with Jerome, Isabe went to the lobby on the first floor of Westchester Hotel.


    She went to the lounge area of the lobby.


    There were not many people in the lounge at this hour.


    She had arrived at the hotel at roughly ten that night, and it was already one in the morning by this point. She had been waiting


    for rice for three whole hours, yet there was no sign of her at all.


    Her butt was already sore from sitting and waiting for so long. She began to feel like rice was intentionally keeping her


    waiting, but she knew better than to text rice to ask for her whereabouts. Her only choice was to wait with constant agitation.


    Finally, when it was around half past one, rice stepped through the entrance of the hotel atst.


    Isabe hurriedly approached her while putting on her best smile. She greeted rice in a friendly voice as if she was not


    bothered by the extended wait.


    ¡°Hey, Miss Houston."


    rice barely looked in her direction before she nted herself on the nearest chair.


    Isabe was too nervous to sit with rice, so she stood stiffly like an attendant and asked courteously, "Do you want something


    to drink?"


    There was a drink station at the edge of the lounge.


    ricepletely ignored her. After sitting down, she neatly tucked at the cor of her shirt before asking quite sharply,


    "Isabe, are you trying to mess with me right now?"


    Isabe was thrown off by this, "Has there been some kind of misunderstanding? When have | ever messed with you?"


    rice red at her viciously. "The video you sent me was edited."


    "Miss Houston, | admit | did cut out some parts, but that was because those were the irrelevant parts of Isabel talking to other


    people. | only included the important parts of her being in the same frame with Mr. Rockwell."


    She was reciting the responses she had thought out ahead of time after receiving the tip from Jerome.


    This was what gave her the courage to confront rice''s sharp stare into her eyes, all while wearing an honest, sincere


    expression on her face.


    rice narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Did you cut those parts out intentionally?"


    "Of course not."


    "What did the parts you left out contain?"


    "It was her with another man. | heard from a friend of mine who works on the ''Legend of Goddess'' film crew that that man is


    Isabel''s boyfriend.¡¯


    rice''s expression sharpened again. "You knew that Isabel has a boyfriend?"


    "Yes."


    "Then, why didn''t you tell me right away?" If she had known about this, she would not have been humiliated by that vulgar


    woman, Isabel!


    Isabe exined frantically, "Miss Houston, please don''t get the wrong idea. It''smon for some of us actors to keep our


    dating life private so that it won''t affect our rtionship with our external benefactors."


    rice seemed to process this information for a moment before interrogating her with further questions, "So, you''re saying that


    Decker has been Isabel''s benefactor this entire time?"


    Considering how Isabel had properly rified the situation with rice, Isabe knew better than to nder Isabel unnecessarily.


    She opted for an objective approach. "! don¡¯t know the nature of their rtionship. All | know is that Mr. Rockwell seems to have


    taken a liking to Isabel. He''s one of the investors of Legend of the Goddess¡¯."


    rice remarked crossly, "Are you telling me that Decker has been pursuing Isabel but his feelings are not reciprocated by her?"


    Isabe hurriedly rified, "No, no, | never said that. | honestly don¡¯t know a thing about the specific nature of their rtionship."


    rice grunted.


    Another thought came to her, and she asked, "Do you still have the part of the video that you left out?"


    She wanted to see for herself what this boyfriend of Isabel''s looked like. What kind of person was her boyfriend to lend her the


    confidence to outright dere that Decker was garbage as far as she was concerned?


    "Ido."


    She reached for her phone as she said this and promptly showed rice the referred footage of Isabel with Rnd.


    rice only had to take one nce at the footage before gasping in stark surprise. "Rnd!"


    Isabe was just as startled by her immediate recognition of the man in the frame. She asked curiously, "Do you know her


    boyfriend?"

 Chapter 2092

    Chapter 2092


    rice jittered between several expressions before finally settling back into a haughty scowl. She grunted stiffly.


    Isabe asked, "Who is her boyfriend?"


    This earned her a re from rice. "Who are you to ask me questions?¡±


    Isabe stammered, "Sorry, | was just curious who her boyfriend could be."


    rice groaned and asked, "How long has Isabel been with him?"


    "| think it''s only been a month or two. My friend told me that she started seeing both of them together when they started filming


    ¡®Legend of the Goddess¡¯, and he would visit her quite regrly."


    Amonth or two?


    rice continued looking at the video Isabe showed her.


    Rnd had barged into the scene when Decker and Isabel were talking. Since Decker was facing away from the camera, there


    was no way to get a good look at his expression, but the video did offer a good view of Isabel''s expression when she noticed


    Rnd. She did not seem guilty at all when she saw him, but on the contrary, she looked quite delighted.


    If she had been up to something with Decker, it would be reasonable to assume that she would at least behave somewhat shifty


    upon noticing Rnd.


    After that, Rnd and Decker seemed to exchange several brief sentences. Judging by Decker''s expression when he turned


    away, it must not have been a pleasant conversation.


    The main question was how did Isabele to date Rnd?


    Rnd had left Southboro more than a year ago, so how did he manage to end up with Isabel Ross, an actress?


    Despite the circumstances, he was still once the heralded young master of the Brights. How humiliating to have fallen off so low


    to date some lowly woman like Isabel!


    rice snorted with disdain, then she threw the phone on the table before getting up.


    Isabe backed away from her.


    rice shot her a look. "If you see Decker going to see Isabel again, don''t edit the footage and just send the full thing to me. If |


    catch you trying to deceive me again, it''ll be the end of you."


    Isabe gave her word. "It will not happen again.¡±


    With that, rice walked out of the lounge.


    Isabe heaved a sigh of relief. She grabbed her phone resting on the table and walked out of the lounge.


    On her way out, she rewatched the video of Rnd and Isabel. She recalled rice''s reaction and the name she called out just


    now. She murmured the name to herself, Rnd?"


    So, his name was Rnd?


    If even someone as wealthy and influential as rice knew him by name, didn''t it suggest that this Rnd was someone of


    significant background as well?


    She frowned ufortably at the prospect.


    This exined why Isabel dared to dismiss big shots like Decker and rice. Her boyfriend was someone from a significant


    background all this time.


    After rice left the lounge, a crew of hotel staff escorted her to a private section of the hotel where she took an elevator directly


    to the presidential suite on the top floor.


    She dismissed the hotel staff before ringing the doorbell.


    Shortly after that, the door opened. It was Decker''s assistant who opened the door.


    Upon recognizing the woman at the door, his assistant greeted her in surprise, "Miss Houston, why are you here?"


    rice smiled politely. ¡¯I''m here for Decker. Is he here?"


    "Mr. Rockwell is in the study. Let me walk you in."


    "No, you can get back to work. I''ll go to him myself," rice said curtly and invited herself in.


    The assistant let her be.


    Soon, rice was outside the study. She gently knocked on the surface of the door.


    "Come in." She heard Decker''s voice from inside.


    She swiftly pushed the door open.


    Decker was seated at a desk and was visibly startled when he recognized his visitor. He quickly masked his reaction with a


    pleasant smile.


    "rice?" He rose and went up to rice, his eyes filled with tenderness and affection. "Why are you here?"Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    rice smiled sweetly and did not take her eyes off him the entire time." I''ve been missing you so | thought I''de and see


    you."


    Decker took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. "Why didn''t you tell me?


    | could havee to pick you up."


    rice pressed her face against his chest and said softly, ¡®I didn''t tell you because | wanted to surprise you."


    "Oh." Decker smiled faintly. "Well, | am surprised."


    rice looked up and chirped like a bird. ¡¯Really?"


    Decker met her gaze. "Of course, it¡¯s true."


    There was nothing but deep affection inside his eyes.


    With that, he cupped rice''s face in his palms and kissed her.


    rice was first taken with shock, then she wrapped her arms around his back and hugged him tightly.


    There were not many men as spectacr as Decker Rockwell, someone who was blessed with looks and status all while also


    being the most gentle person in the world that she knew. He might see other women at times, but she was willing to let it slide as


    long as she knew that she was the only woman who had his heart.

 Chapter 2093

    Chapter 2093


    To have a ce in Rnd''s heart was all rice ever wanted.


    The next morning, in nchester, Isabel woke up from the sweltering heat.


    When she opened her eyes, she found herself in Rnd''s arms.


    He woke up around the same time as her and looked at her sleepily. There was a slight red shade underneath his eyes.


    Isabel squinted and nudged him away without warning.


    He kept a firm grip around her waist, so she could not break free from him despite having shoved him.


    Not only did she fail to push him away, but she also ended up provoking a negative reaction out of Rnd, evidenced by the


    immediate frown that formed on his face, coupled with a hurt look.


    ¡°Are you trying to push me away?" He asked.


    She blinked in confusion and rified, "| just wanted a little bit of space because it''s really hot."


    The heat was not the only reason. It was partly because she immediately recognized the look of desire in his eyes which could


    not be any more obvious.


    They had just woken up, and she was not ready for that yet.


    Swoop!


    Rnd threw the covers off in one sudden gesture.


    Isabel felt a chilly breeze wash through her body. She was speechless.


    Rnd grinned smugly and asked, "Do you still feel hot?¡¯


    "No... no." She slid her body to the side to try to draw some separation from him. She barely managed to move away when


    Rnd pulled her back to him again.


    He asked interrogatively, "Why do you keep moving?"


    She exined unconvincingly, "It¡¯s my waist. I''m feeling a little sore, so | need to switch up my posture a little."


    Upon hearing this, Rnd released her immediately.


    Not a secondter, he climbed on top of her.


    He smiled devilishly and asked flirtatiously, "How does this posture work for you?"


    Isabel was at a loss for words.


    So be it.


    She spread her arms out and surrendered herself atst. "Come."


    Aglimmer of joy shone past Rnd''s eyes as he smiled gleefully. With that, he pressed his weight over Isabel and nted a kiss


    on her lips.


    Two hourster, dawn had broken, and a sliver of sunlight spilled in through the cracks of the curtain.


    The activity inside the bedroom settled down atst.


    Isabel was too tired to move at all, and her head was still spinning. She let Rnd hug her as tightly as he wanted and toss her


    around to his heart''s desire.


    In her state of daze, she seemed to hear him mutter something along the lines of, "I''ll visit again next week."


    She felt incredibly groggy and fell asleep again.


    When she woke up again, she was the only one in the bedroom. Rnd seemed to have left.


    There was a container filled with food on the table with a note written on top of it. The handwriting was delicate but had a firm,


    stout stroke that resembled the temperament of the man who wrote it. It read, "Remember to eat.¡±


    Isabel smiled when she read it.


    She flipped the lid open and saw her favorite breakfast inside. It was still steaming with heat.


    He might have a slightly high libido, but he was a good man on all counts.


    In Westchester, inside the hotel room where Decker resided in.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    rice opened her eyes and found herself on arge bed. Aman sat next to her and was staring at her.


    She smiled gently, then she sat up and leaned into his embrace.


    Decker wrapped his arms around her and spoke softly, "Woke up already?"

 Chapter 2094

    Chapter 2094


    "Yeah." rice thought about how much they had been going at it thest two days. With her face pressed close against his


    chest, she spoke in a contented and soft voice, "When did you wake up?"


    Decker answered softly, "I just woke up a while ago."


    rice looked up at him.


    His eyes were gentle and filled with love.


    After they stared at each other for several seconds, he lowered himself and nted a slow kiss on her lips. Her lips curled up in


    asmile.


    With his lips still pressed close to hers, he spoke, "There''re a lot of nice ces to see in Westchester. Let me take you


    sightseeing and shopping today."


    He was the same Decker she had known for thest five years, the same gentle and caring man who seemed to have endless


    patience for her.


    She was in love.


    Suddenly, a scattered thought intruded on her. The fact that he had been in Westchester for so long and that he hade here


    to endorse Isabe...


    Her eyes darkened for a slight instant, she asked worriedly, "Are you sure it''s not going to get in the way of your work?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. There''s nothing particrly important going on these days, so it won''t be any inconvenience at all."


    This prompted her to ask the question she had been wanting to ask for a while, "Decker, you¡¯ve been here for two months. May |


    know what exactly you''re doing here?"


    Decker fell into a brief, pensive silence before answering, "You wouldn''t get it even if | told you."


    "Tell me, | will understand."


    Decker smiled obligingly. ¡¯Okay."


    He began to exin, ¡®There are a few developing sectors in Westchester that show a lot of potential. | have taken an interest in a


    few of these sectors, so I''ve been in talks with severalpanies to develop some new projects. The long-term n is to grow


    these projects to Southboro eventually."


    "What sectors?"


    "Film, entertainment, then there are also some niche sectors here and there."


    rice nodded with understanding before mentioning, "By the way, | think | saw Rnd when | first arrived here two days ago."


    Decker seemed alerted by this. ¡®Where did you see him?"


    She answered frankly, "When | was on the way here, | noticed a very familiar figure walking along the side of the road. | was


    inside my car, so | couldn''t get a good look, but that man looked very much like him."


    Decker frowned and stayed silent for a while before stating, "It might be him."


    rice looked at him brazenly. "Have you seen him around the city?"


    "| have,pletely by ident." Although he was not truly in love with rice, he could not deny that she was his fiancee and


    was also the key to helping him secure his position at the helm of the Rockwells. It was more than likely that they would spend


    the rest of their lives together, so he decided against hiding such crucial information from her.


    ¡°Where did you meet him?"


    ¡°At a dinner party.¡± He recalled the scene of Rnd snatching Isabel from his arms and scowled unconsciously.


    Upon noticing his expression, rice asked, "Did he do something to you during the dinner?"


    "Him?" He scoffed mockingly, "All he did was take something from me."


    "What did he take from you?"


    Decker avoided her gaze. "It''s nothing important."


    rice''s eyes darkened. She decided to stop probing Decker concerning this matter and asked, "Do you know what he''s doing


    in Westchester right now?"Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Decker¡¯s expression turned grim again, and he noted with clear contempt,¡± He''s the interim president at Carter Corporation."


    ¡®The president of Carter Corporation?" rice could not conceal the surprise in her voice. She sat up and asked for rity, ¡®The


    same Carter as the wealthiest family in Westchester?"


    Yes, but he''s just the de-facto president hired to sit in and manage their operations for them."


    It did not make it any less shocking to rice. "I can''t believe he managed to be the president of Carter Corporation."


    Rnd must be a very capable man to be hired even if he was just a stand- in president of a corporation as powerful as Carter


    Corporation.


    The only thing he did not have going for him was his luck. Decker was far luckier to have his father favor him over Rnd and to


    have married rice.


    Decker''s expression was heavy with emotion.


    Rnd''s father had passed away, and his mother did not have any notable background to speak of. He always had to fight the


    uphill battle all by himself but still manage to cement himself as one of Decker''s formidable nemeses.

 Chapter 2095

    Chapter 2095


    As for Decker, he attained everything he had today by getting engaged to rice to get the support of the Houstons. With that,


    he went on to resort to countless schemes to take everything Rnd had to his name.


    rice must have sensed Decker''s agitation andforted him tenderly," Don''t worry, Decker, you have me and my father. It


    doesn¡¯t matter how resourceful Rnd is. There''s not a chance he can return to Southboro and reim Rockwell Corporation for


    himself.¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Decker smiled fairly and cupped her cheeks as he spoke affectionately,¡± rice, thank you for sticking by my side after all these


    years. | feel safer with you."


    rice waspletely enchanted. "I¡¯m so lucky to be with you."


    As Decker inched in closer and kissed her, the image of Isabel surfaced in his mind against his will.


    The longer they kissed, the more their desire was aroused.


    Soon, the two lost themselves in passion. Decker traced his hand along rice''s body and identally muttered out loud,


    "Isabel."


    rice stiffened and pushed him away abruptly.


    "What did you just call me?¡¯ She stared at him with a wounded look in her tearful eyes.


    It took Decker a split second to realize his mistake. He immediately pulled her back into his arms with a soft, endearing look in


    his eyes. He assured her calmly, "I was calling your name, rice."


    He spoke with an intimate breath, a voice that could melt anyone¡¯s heart.


    rice was still frowning skeptically, and it looked like she was about to cry, "Really? Howe | heard you calling me Isa-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, he kissed her lips and muffled her words as he pinned his weight on her body.


    She wanted to resist initially but soon gave away to his assertive, dominating presence. She felt her senses leaving her and


    being reced with a primal desire.


    After a kiss that seemed tost forever, Decker growled in her ear, "Don¡¯t push me away. | can''t resist you."


    rice was not putting up resistance anymore. She waspletely seduced and moaned weakly.


    Several hourster, rice opened her eyes again. She was lying on the same bed.


    The curtains were drawn shut, and the room was dimly lit.


    She sat up and looked around. Decker was nowhere to be seen.


    She picked up her phone and saw a message from Decker that was sent roughly half an hour ago. "I¡¯m heading out for a while to


    meet a business partner. Get some rest. I''lle to pick you up this evening and take you somewhere nice.¡±


    rice smiled and replied, "I''ll wait for you."


    Her expression turned solemn after that. Her mood was cker than the dark room. Now that she was fully rested, her mind was


    filled with rity.


    Decker had called her ¡¯Isabel" when he was drunk with passion.


    Isabel. There was no mistaking it.


    How could he be thinking about Isabel of all people when they were making love?


    It had been more than five years since he broke up with Isabel, so why was he still thinking about that wretched woman?


    She balled her hands into fists.


    She could ept Decker having casual flings with other women to fill his time, but she would not ept herself not being the


    only woman in his heart!


    A few dayster, in nchester, as usual, Isabel spent the day on the set of "Legend of the Goddess".


    After a hectic day of work, she finally returned to the hotelter that night. She waspletely worn out and was about to jump


    in the shower when she received a call from Amanda.


    Amanda did not even bother to greet her and went right to questioning her, "Isabel, have you gotten on anybody''s nervestely?¡±


    Isabel was caught off guard by the suddenness of it all. "No, what happened?"


    She waspletely upied on the set of "Legend of the Goddess" recently, and the only ones she ever met were the crew


    members. She had been nothing but cordial with everyone, thus there was not a chance she could have stepped on anyone''s


    toes.

 Chapter 2096

    Chapter 2096


    Chapter 2096


    "What''s going on then?" Amanda could not make sense of it.


    Isabel asked warily, "Something wrong?"


    "Several contracts got called off out of nowhere. Even the brand endorsements I''ve managed tond for you got pulledst


    minute. Some of the roles on other shows | manage tond for you got recast as well.¡±


    Isabel frowned. ¡¯Did they give you an exnation?"


    ¡®They only told me they found a better fit for the role." Amanda asked again, "Are you sure you haven''t upset anyely?¡±


    "No.-


    Decker was the only one who came to mind, but she doubted he had enough degree of influence in the entertainment industry to


    terminate all of her ongoing contracts.


    Amanda stated briskly, "Never mind, focus on the shooting. I''ll dig up more information."


    "Sure."


    Isabel hung up but was still feeling restless.


    Who was targeting her this time?


    She racked her brains and thought long and hard but could not figure it out.


    Just as she was considering enlisting someone to help her investigate, she heard a knock on the door, swiftly followed by Ca''s


    voice, "Isabel, someone is asking to see you. He says he''s the assistant of a certain Miss Houston from Southboro and is here to


    pass on a message to you."


    rice Houston?


    Isabel''s expression tightened. "Be right there."


    Soon, she arrived at the cafe located on the first floor of the hotel and saw a young man dressed in a suit.


    The young man smiled when he saw Isabel but remained seated on the chair. He had the same high and mighty attitude that


    reminded Isabel of rice.


    She went up to him, then she pulled out a chair and sat without needing to be invited to. She asked rather snappily, "What


    message does rice want you to pass on to me?"


    The young man seemed rather taken aback by the arrogant demeanor of thisdy who not only disy the barest hint of respect


    for him but also disrespected his boss by calling her by her first name. It looked like she cared little for the status of Miss


    Houston.


    His expression was icy and even confrontational. He started, Miss Ross, I''m sure you''ve spoken to your manager."


    Isabel''s eyes gleamed with ice. "Was it rice targeting me?"


    The assistant chuckled. "Miss Houston did not mean to ruin you, at least, not yet. She was only trying to send a message, the


    message being that she can destroy your career with the snap of her fingers."


    Isabel scoffed dismissively and said crossly, "| already exined everything clearly to herst time. | have nothing to do with her


    fiance, so why is she still doing this?"


    The Houstons might not be as wealthy as the Rockwells, but they were more synonymous with the name of the city and were


    more influential overall. It was certainly usible that rice could ruin Isabel''s career with the help of her parents if she called


    for it.


    The problem was that she had alreadyid out everything clearly to rice.


    Even if rice was upset by the truth, was there a point in doing all this just to send a message?


    rice''s assistant stared Isabel down haughtily. ¡¯| don¡¯t know the details, but | know that Miss Houston has had enough of


    seeing someone like you going around as a public figure. She wants you to disappear from the mainstream public for good.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    What? rice wanted her to stop being a public figure and pull away from the mainstream media?


    What was this if not a tant attempt to get rid of her?


    Isabel scoffed, "She probably doesn''t know that the one thing | hate the most is to be threatened. She wants me to disappear?


    Tell her | said no.¡±


    The assistant seemed astounded by Isabel''s boldness. He then continued," This is not a threat. It''s only a simple note that I¡¯m


    passing on. Also, she¡¯s made an offer."


    An offer?


    Isabel crossed her arms and waited for him to finish.


    The assistant seemed slightly irked by how Isabel had not disyed the slightest hint of agitation despite the circumstances. He


    brushed it aside and stated the offer, "Miss Houston says that if you would relocate overseas, she will send you a healthy sum of


    money, enough for you to retire into a life offort and luxury.¡±


    Isabel scowled. "How much are we talking about? More than what | make now?"


    The assistant nearly choked.


    Isabel sneered mockingly, "Look at you pinching pennies. How dare you threaten me with that sort of attitude?"


    The assistant''splexion turned pale.


    Isabel had had enough of this conversation. She shot up from the chair and walked away.


    The assistant shouted after her in onest attempt to reim his position, ¡± Isabel, if you don''t agree to these terms, not only will


    your career be destroyed, but you won''t even get a single penny!"


    Isabel walked out of the cafe without bothering to respond to him.


    Ca was waiting for her outside. When she saw Isabel, she hurried forward and asked nervously, "What was it about? What


    kind of message did Miss Houston ask her assistant to pass on to you?"


    Isabel hissed, "Complete nonsense."

 Chapter 2097

    Chapter 2097


    Chapter 2097


    Ca did not know how to respond.


    After a brief hesitation, she asked cautiously, "You look like you''re in a bad mood. Did he say something that upset you?¡±


    Isabel''s expression softened a little, and she assured ra, "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going to get some rest, and you should catch up on


    some rest too.¡±


    Ca knew her better than to probe Isabel and promptly let her be.


    Isabel returned to her room after that. Her phone rang the moment she stepped into the room.


    It was Rnd calling her.


    She eagerly answered the phone, "Hey, why the sudden call? Did anything happen?"


    "| sent you several texts just now, but you haven''t replied." After a pause, he asked, "Where did you go just now?"


    Isabel told him with a sigh, ''l had to see someone.¡±


    "The person who has been targeting you for some reason?¡±


    ¡°How did you know about that?" she asked in a startled voice. "It was rice''s assistant. She sent him here to deliver a


    message."


    Rnd did not sound surprised. "So, it''s her.¡±


    Isabel asked curiously, "Didn''t you know?"


    "No, | only know that someone has been trying to ruin you, but | didn''t know who.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?"


    "| have some connections in the entertainment circle, and they were the ones who told me."


    "Oh."


    After a brief silence, Rnd spoke up, "Leave this to me. I''ll take care of it."


    Isabel hesitated for a moment before raising her concerns, "rice is probably doing this with her parents¡¯ help. Do you think


    you can handle it?"


    "Yes." His voice filled Isabel with a sense of safety and was very reassuring.


    She smiled and felt at ease. "Okay.¡±


    She was still hesitant about asking her father or brother for help. Since Rnd was going to offer to help, that meant she did not


    have to resort to calling her family.


    However, there was still a certain issue, so she made sure to add quite bluntly, ¡®Rnd, it¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t handle it. It¡¯s fine."


    Rnd did not respond to this and casually brushed it off. "It¡¯s gettingte. Go take a shower and sleep."


    They had barely exchanged a handful of sentences, and he was hanging up already.


    Isabel grimaced faintly, then she went into the bathroom.


    In the president''s office in Carter Tower, Westchester, a man dressed in a handsome suit paired with polished leather shoes was


    seated at arge office desk. He sat up straight with his back against the chair and was staring at his phone. The wallpaper was


    a picture of Isabel.


    He stared at the screen pensively for a while before heading to his contacts, then he made a call to someone in Southboro.


    After a few rings, the call was connected.


    The person on the other end of the phone spoke in a very polite and formal voice, "Sir, did you need something?"


    "Contact Sr Entertainment for me and tell them that | can help them with their current financial situation."


    "Sr Entertainment is one of the entertainment firms in the city with a lot of history. They1 re facing all sorts of internal and


    external problems right now. I''m sure you are more than capable of helping them, but is there any need for that? | doubt they can


    repay you even if you help them."


    "| don¡¯t want or need money from them. | just need a favor from them."


    "What do you need from them?¡±


    Tell them that Isabel Ross is off limits."


    Even with the heaps of problems Sr Entertainment was currently dealing with, their influence in the industry was still very


    notable. No matter the circumstances, they were still one of the big shots in the industry. If they put the word out that Isabel was


    untouchable, anyone in their right mind would heed their call and leave her alone as well.


    There was a chance that it was the Houstons who approached them in the first ce and told them to lock Isabel out. Helping


    Sr Entertainment out of its crisis was beyond the Houstons'' ability. The most they could do was provide some financial


    support to smooth out some minor issues.Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sr Entertainment should be wise enough to identify which was the best stance to take. They could either settle with the


    minuscule help the Houstons could offer them or take the wiser choice that could lift them out of their crisis.

 Chapter 2098

    Chapter 2098


    In nchester, Isabel had juste out of the shower and thrown herself on the bed. She thought about calling Amanda to tell


    her to not worry, but Amanda was the one who called her instead.


    Before Isabel could get a word out, Amanda announced the good news in a jubnt voice, "Isabel, everything is fine now! The


    companies got back to me and says that they intend to proceed with our initial deal. The directors who told me that they wanted


    to recast you changed their minds and got back to me as well. Also, guess what? The famous director, Manson


    Heathrow, says he ns to cast you in a major role in his uing film!"


    Isabel was delighted to hear this. "Already?"


    Amanda was confused by this reaction of hers. "What do you mean ¡®already


    Isabel was still reeling in shock. "Oh, nothing. Good to know that everything has been taken care of."


    ¡°Alright, enough talk for now. I''ll talk to Director Manson for you and get back to you once | have more information from him."


    "Sure."


    With that, Amanda hung up.


    Isabel stared at her phone inplete disbelief. It had only been half an hour. How did Rnd manage to resolve everything so


    quickly?


    How did he pull it off?


    Carter Corporation was not involved with the entertainment industry, so she doubted he could wield so much influence even with


    the Carter


    Corporation name.


    She looked at the time. It was almost eleven.


    She texted Rnd, "Rnd, are you resting right now?"


    After a while, her phone vibrated, Rnd texted her back, "Not yet."


    That was her cue to immediately give him a video call.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He epted the video call within seconds.


    His familiar, handsome face immediately popped up on the screen. His broad shoulders and defined corbones immediately


    caught Isabel¡¯s attention and made her drool.


    She felt herself growing aroused, and even her eyes began to sparkle. She tried to conceal the excitement in her voice, "Why


    aren''t you wearing a shirt?¡±


    Rnd''s ears grew red as he spoke nonchntly, "| was just about to take a shower."


    ¡®Alright then¡¯, Isabel thought.


    It was a particrly grueling experience for her since she could only stare at him in all his glory but could not touch him.


    She directed her attention back to his face and said with a bright smile," Amanda just called me and told me that we got all the


    contracts back.¡±


    Rnd smiled faintly. "Yeah."


    It was quite apparent that he already knew about this.


    Isabel smiled tenderly and thanked him. "Thank you, Rnd.¡±


    "You''re wee." He smiled as well.


    Isabel had to ask if at least just to quell her curiosity, "How did you pull it off?¡±


    "| asked an acquaintance to help me," he said, sparing the details.


    He made it sound very simple, but Isabel suspected a lot more went on behind the scenes.


    It was no surprise to her that her father had chosen Rnd as the acting president of Carter Corporation a year ago. His


    astonishing efficiency was a testament to his abilities.


    She rested her chin on top of her hands and praised him effusively, "You''re amazing."


    Rnd smiled radiantly. He stared at Isabel''s face with a transfixed look in his eyes. The bulb on his throat rolled up and down


    as he gulped. It took him a while before he mentioned, "It''s Friday tomorrow."


    He could visit her again after he wrapped up his work.


    Isabel only needed to look at his reddened ears to tell what he had in mind.


    Her cheeks became flushed with red as well, and she said quite coquettishly, "HI wait for you."


    "Sure."


    In the presidential suite on the top floor of Westchester Hotel, Decker had not returned from his supposed business meeting.


    Still dressed in a dressing gown, rice crawled out of bed. She approached the window with her phone and made a call.


    She had received a call from her family only moments ago, and they had told her that they could not do anything against Isabel


    now.


    Everything was proceeding as nned just now, so what was with the sudden development?


    She needed more details than that!


    The moment the call was connected, she asked her assistant snappily," What did Sr Entertainment tell you? Why aren''t they


    locking Isabel out?¡±

 Chapter 2099

    Chapter 2099


    rice''s assistant informed her fearfully, "Miss, | had to call them several times just now until they finally picked up. They


    mentioned that Isabel is one of the most famous actresses currently and is not involved in any controversial scandals. All this


    added to the fact that she is currently working with them makes it hard for them to do anything to her. She''s untouchable."


    "Don''t they have enough actors signed to them? What''s the difference onemon actress going to make?!"


    "That¡¯s what | was told. | don''t know any more specific details beyond this."


    ¡°idiot!¡± rice cursed mightily and hung up.


    There must be more to this!


    Her family was royalty in Southboro, and even Sr Entertainment had given their word initially. Some other party must have


    interjected to result in this sudden turn of events.


    Who could this outside party be?


    She thought with her brows furrowed.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    After a while, her eyes zed as she had a suspect in her mind.


    Rnd!


    He was Isabel''s boyfriend and the president of Carter Corporation.


    He must have leveraged Carter Corporation¡¯s significant status to strike a deal with Sr Entertainment to help Isabel!


    With this in mind, she nned to contact her assistant again. She wanted her assistant to continue to liaise with Sr


    Entertainment.


    While she was turning around to look for her phone, she noticed Decker standing by the door. He wore a grave expression on his


    face, and a deep frown was written across his brows.


    rice looked at him nkly. "Decker?"


    Decker¡¯s demeanor was grim while he approached her ominously. "rice, why have you been targeting Isabel?¡±


    Although rice shuddered briefly, she held her ground and told him, "No reason. | just don¡¯t like her. That''s all."


    Decker went up to her and gently caressed her cheeks as he spoke softly and tenderly, "You''re the daughter of the Houstons.


    You are a royal while she¡¯s just amon actress, so what is it about her that bothers you so much?"


    rice avoided his gaze. "Just like you said, she¡¯s just amon actress, so what if something happens to her?"


    Decker continued to regard her with cautious affection. "It because of me?"


    rice frowned and was hesitant to reply.


    Decker looked deeply into her eyes. "1 admit that | had a short fling with her before | met you. | came to Westchester because |


    invested in a TV show that she starred in, and | met her twice since, but everything that happened between her and me is history.


    She has a boyfriend now and | have you. There is absolutely nothing that can happen between me and her."


    rice was startled by his honesty, and she turned to look at him. She sensed the sincerity in his voice but had to ask again,


    "Decker, do you truly no longer have feelings for her?"


    "You silly girl." Decker said dotingly, "| haven''t seen her for more than five years. How could | possibly still care for her?"


    rice breathed a sigh of relief.


    That was true. If he still pined for her, he would have approached her a long time ago.


    rice threw herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist. She whimpered apologetically, "Decker, | was wrong


    about you.¡±


    Decker gently patted her head. "It¡¯s my fault. You only did this because you don''t feel assured about my affection for you."


    As he said this, he was looking out at the window, and there was a vacuum of darkness within his eyes. He did not expect


    rice to find out about his affection for Isabel.


    rice had exercised her family''s influence to ruin Isabel, but her efforts were still in vain. This meant that Rnd must have


    stepped in. After all, he had the advantage of having a position in Carter Corporation now.


    As long as Rnd was with Carter Corporation, he would not be able to sink his ws into Isabel.


    Furthermore, there was always the possibility that Rnd would exercise his power one of these days to take back what was his


    in Southboro.


    The mere thought of it filled Decker with worry, and his expression grew morose.


    The next day, in nchester, around evening, the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse, and rain began pouring.


    Isabel finished her scenes for the day earlier than usual and returned to the hotel.


    Since Rnd wasing over today, she promptly hopped into a shower the moment she returned to the hotel. Then, she put


    on a nice red dress that entuated her perfect waistline. She perched by the window and stared expectantly at the junction


    outside the hotel.


    The clock ticked slowly.


    It was getting darker outside, and the rain was getting heavier.


    She sat until her buttocks were sore from sitting, yet there was still no sign of Rnd.


    Was he held up by something at work?


    Just as she was considering sending him a text to ask if he wasing, she recognized his car pulling up at the junction.


    Her eyes lit up as she got to her feet and sprang out of the room.

 Chapter 2100

    Chapter 2100


    Isabel ran out of the hotel just as Rnd parked in front of the entrance.


    Drops of rain pattered endlessly against the ground.


    Isabel shielded the top of her head with her palms and jogged toward Rnd''s car.


    The door was promptly flung open, and out came the tall, striking figure of the man she had been waiting for. He emerged with


    an umbre in hand. He was just about to open it when Isabel sprang in front of him.


    He habitually put his arms around her.


    Isabel looked up at him. ''What took you so long?¡¯


    Her face was washed with rain. She could barely keep her eyes open. Although there was a stern, questioning tone in her voice,


    there was also a clear tint of joy underneath.


    Rnd grimaced faintly. He opened the umbre and held it over Isabel to shield her from the rain, then he told her, "Something


    came up and took up my time.¡±


    Something came up?


    ¡°What happened?" she asked hastily while looking at him worriedly.


    "It¡¯s fine, it''s just-" He seemed hesitant to tell her as if he was too shy to say it.


    "What''s the matter?" Isabel was growing agitated.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd took a breath, then he took her hand and walked her to the back of the car. He opened the trunk.


    As soon as the trunk was lifted, the sweet fragrance of flowers poured into Isabel''s nose. She was greeted by the sight of the


    trunk almost packed to the brim with bright red roses.


    The roses were neatly arranged together, and they looked especially beautiful with the streetlights illuminating them from above,


    enhancing the bright red luster of the petals.


    There was a heart-shaped box ced in the middle of the bed of roses, and written on the face of the box was a line of text in


    bold print: For Isabel.


    Isabel smiled instinctively the moment she saw the surprise.


    Rnd was looking at her expectantly to note her reaction. Upon seeing her smile, he seemed relieved and asked, "Do you like


    them?¡¯


    "| love them." Although it was a little cheesy, she still appreciated the romantic gesture. She pointed to the box and asked,


    "What''s inside there?"


    Rnd bent over and took the box in hand before handing it over to her." It''s a gift for you.¡±


    He even got her a gift?


    She was admittedly surprised by the gesture. He would usually bring her food made by her mother, but this was the first time he


    brought her a gift.


    She opened the box excitedly and revealed its contents. Inside the box were all sorts of nes, bracelets, and earrings, all of


    them made by a premium jewelry brand.


    There was yet another small box right in the middle.


    "What''s inside this box then?" she asked again.


    Rnd''s ears grew red, and he gestured. "You''ll know when you open it."


    Isabel opened the box and saw a toy sculpture of two figures locked in an embrace. Upon closer inspection, the figure seemed to


    be modeled after her and Rnd.


    She grinned and had to stifle the urge tough. ¡®Is this us?"


    Rnd nodded. "Yeah."


    He looked at her face and asked uncertainly, "Do you like it?"


    "| like it!" Isabel asked him teasingly, "What made you decide on getting this?"


    Rnd hesitated briefly before answering, "The storekeeper told me that girls love gifts like these."


    Isabel almost broke outughing. Girls may like it, but she was well past the age of wanting gifts like these!


    This man had next to zero experience in preparing gifts for a girl! It must have taken a lot of effort for him toe up with the


    idea of surprising her with a trunk full of roses along with these gifts.


    Isabel smiled brightly. She stood on her tiptoes and hooked her arms around his neck to get a closer look at him. "I love it. Thank


    you for the surprise."


    Rnd was d to hear this, and he beamed with joy. "I''m d you like it."


    He was very handsome when he beamed with that genuine smile of his.


    Isabel could not resist the urge to kiss him right there in public.


    He seemed shocked by this, then he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and pulled her in closer.

 Chapter 2101

    Chapter 2101


    Chapter 2101


    They went at it until it was nearing midnight.


    Rnd must have been missing her greatly after having not seen her for several days as he was all over her.


    It was only after Isabel remarked that she had more scenes to shoot tomorrow morning and pleaded for him to show mercy on


    her that he finally released her.


    The moment he released her, she felt herself deting like a balloon and promptly fell asleep.


    The bedroom was dimly lit.


    Rnd hugged her tenderly and looked at her rosy cheeks, still red from their activity. It did not seem like he was going to sleep


    anytime soon.


    Dawn came.


    Isabel was awakened by Ca knocking on the door.


    She woke up and saw Rnd lying on his side next to her with one of his arms propping himself up sideways. He was staring at


    her.


    She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "| have to go to work. Get yourself some breakfast."


    Rnd sat on the bed and watched her without a word.


    Isabel was not in the habit of showing upte on set. Although she knew that the film crew would be very understanding even if


    she were to bete, she did not want to cause unnecessary trouble.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    She swiftly threw on a shirt before heading into the bathroom to wash up, and she was on her way out in no time.


    Rnd rolled out of bed after she left.


    He took his time showing and dressing. After he made himself ready for the day, he walked out of the hotel room and went to a


    breakfast joint nearby for his first meal of the day.


    Isabel tried to rush to the set as fast as she could but still ended up several minuteste. The director and the rest of the crew


    were waiting for her.


    She apologized profusely, "Director, I¡¯m sorry for beingte.¡±


    The director did not sound bothered at all. "It''s just a few minutes. It''s fine."


    "We understand. Besides, you''re already surprisingly early considering that your boyfriend came to visitst night," the assistant


    director teased her.


    Everyone burst outughing upon hearing this.


    Isabel felt her cheeks growing red hot.


    All of the crew members stayed in the same hotel, hence there was no chance that they would not know that Rnd came over


    to visit and even stayed the night.


    Still, she was not too concerned about that. She then turned to Ca. "Can you get me some snacks and drinks from the car?"


    Ca nodded and promptly went to get the things she mentioned.


    Meanwhile, Isabel prepared herself mentally for the shoot. It was about time they got started.


    The scenes today went rtively smoothly, and they only needed to do two retakes.


    The problem was that Ca was still nowhere to be seen. Isabel had not had a bite of food since she woke up and was starving


    by this point. She was just considering asking the others if they had any food for her to eat when she spotted a very familiar


    silhouette from the corner of her eye.


    The man was dressed very casually today. Instead of his usual suit and pleated pants, he was wearing an ordinary shirt with a


    pair of cks thrown on. Despite that, he still appeared handsome like a model.


    He was easily more gorgeous than any of the other male actors on the set.


    Unsurprisingly, Isabel caught several girls on the set stealing the asional nce at the handsome stranger.


    She quickly walked up to him and asked suspiciously, Why are you here?"


    "There''s nothing to do at the hotel,¡± he said as he produced a takeout packaging from behind him. "I figured I''de to see you


    and bring you something to eat."


    The logo of the cafe outside the hotel was printed on the packaging.


    Isabel was delighted to see this. She dly took it and led him to themon area.


    Perfect timing since she was just starving!


    She opened the container and was greeted by the steaming hot food inside. There were steamed buns, baked beans, and fresh


    milk.


    She took the bun and took a big bite. It was only after she had eaten several mouthfuls that she remembered to ask Rnd,


    ¡°Have you eaten?"


    Rnd smiled. "| have."


    "Well, eat some more,¡¯ she said as she tore off a piece and delivered it into his mouth.


    Rnd opened his mouth and dly ate it.


    Isabel smiled gleefully, then she darted a nce in the other direction.


    The few actresses who had been checking out Rnd had already left.

 Chapter 2102

    Chapter 2102


    Isabel still had a couple of scenes to shoot today.


    After finally filling her stomach, she went over the script a few more times before heading back to the set.


    Time flew by.


    It waste afternoon in the blink of an eye, and they were already shooting the final scene for the day.


    During the break, she went to join Rnd in the same spot and informed him, ¡®There''s only onest scene left. We can go back


    to the hotel after that."Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She already told him he could head back after they had their breakfast, but he refused and stuck around until now.


    Rnd smiled faintly. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Isabel grabbed some water to drink, then she touched up her makeup before getting ready for the scene.


    "Action!" the director called out. Isabel and another male actor who was also part of the scene geared themselves up for their


    monologue.


    They were shooting a scene of the final breakup between the characters. The heroine yed by Isabel wanted to leave, but the


    male protagonist would not let her.


    The two tussled around for a while until the male lead pulled her into his arms.


    Isabel''s character resisted at first, but she was ultimately hesitant and threw herself into his arms.


    Isabel waspletely immersed in her acting and barely noticed Rnd standing at the corner of the set and looking at her with


    the darkest expression he had ever worn.


    Then, the male lead kissed her on the forehead. It was swiftly followed by the director calling out, "Cut!"


    Isabel took a step back and exhaled.


    The male lead was still standing motionlessly as if he had lost himself in the script. He was looking at Isabel tenderly. He seemed


    to have forgotten that they were just actors ying a role.


    Isabel was about to approach him to say something to him to pull him out of his trance when she felt a sharp presence behind


    her. She turned around and saw Rnd standing a few meters behind her with a disapproving frown.


    She only needed one look at his face to tell that he was upset.


    She immediately gave up on the thought of speaking to the male lead. She walked up to Rnd and remarked with a brisk smile,


    "Hey, it''s all just acting at the end of the day."


    It was the way the script was written, and it was their job to y it out to its full effect.


    Rnd did not speak. He put his hand out and touched her face, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes.


    Isabel made a face. "A little bit of crying is needed to achieve a dramatic effect."


    Rnd did not respond. Instead, he asked, "Are you guys done already?"


    She assured him, "That''s all the scenes for today. We can go now."


    He promptly took her hand and walked her out.


    She briskly said goodbye to the director and several actors before walking out with him.


    She was still wearing her set costume, so she quickly went to the dresser to get changed into her regr clothes, then they went


    back to the hotel after that.


    Upon entering the hotel room, she nned to take a shower and remove her makeup when Rnd pinned her against the door


    with a mighty shove, producing a loud bang. He pressed his lips into hers, not allowing her room to breathe.


    After a while, Isabel felt herself slowly suffocating. She had to pat him on the back several times before he understood the signal


    and released her lips.


    He was still pressed against her, their foreheads touching. Hisrge, beaming eyes stared into Isabel.


    "| don''t like him kissing you,¡± he said in a raspy voice.


    Isabel expressed with difficulty, "Rnd, it had to happen for the plot. Besides, it was just a peck on the forehead, nothing more


    than that."


    "Kissing your forehead is the same as kissing you."


    She grew silent.


    She did not know what to say, and after she thought for a while, she remarked, "I''ll wash my forehead. Does that work?"


    He grew silent for a few seconds before releasing his grip around her waist.


    She walked towards the bathroom.


    After walking a few steps, she noticed Rnd following her. She turned around, ¡¯Don¡¯t follow me. I''ll join you again after I''m


    done."


    He proposed, "Let me do it for you."


    Isabel took a deep sigh and gave in. ¡®Okay."


    If she refused to let him wash her forehead, he was probably going to stew in anger for the rest of the day.


    They entered the bathroom together.


    She took off her coat and pulled her hair back before remarking, "I have to remove my makeup first.¡±


    "Sure."

 Chapter 2103

    Chapter 2103


    Isabel pped some makeup remover on her face.


    Then, she gently massaged the makeup remover over her face before rinsing it off. With that, she was her usual self again.


    Now that that was done, she craned her face up toward Rnd and said with her eyes closed, "Go on."


    She wanted to see how he would go about cleaning this supposed stain on her forehead.


    Soon, she could hear the sound of water flowing.


    After a while, she felt a warm and wet towel ced against her forehead.


    Rnd began rubbing her forehead, specifically the very spot where he saw the male lead previously kissing her. He rubbed at


    that spot repeatedly.


    After rubbing it a dozen times, Isabel could not take it anymore. She opened her eyes and shot him a look. ¡®Are you trying to dent


    my forehead?"


    Rnd seemed surprised by this. ¡®Does it hurt?"


    While it was not to the point of hurting, it was certainly a little excessive.


    She told him, ¡®It doesn''t hurt, but | think it''s clean enough already, | don¡¯t think you need to keep wiping.¡±


    Rnd frowned and did not have much to say about that though it was quite telling by the look on his face he wanted to continue


    wiping her forehead.


    Isabel took a deep sigh, then an idea suddenly came to her. She suggested, "How about you kiss my forehead instead? You can


    mark it with your kiss."


    Rnd seemed to perk up at the idea. "Sure."


    He finally was convinced to put away the towel. Then, he cupped Isabel''s face in his hands and pressed his lips to her forehead.


    Isabel felt the wetness of his lips.


    He kissed her for what seemed like forever. Why was he not letting go?


    She eyed him and noticed him still kissing her forehead, so she asked cautiously, "Rnd, are you done yet?"


    Rnd lowered himself to look at her. His lips brushed against her brows, and his eyes soon dropped toward hers.


    Isabel noticed the lust in his eyes at once, a primal desire like that of a beast,pletely unabashed and bold.


    "| want to kiss you more,* he said hungrily.


    Isabel scowled.


    Was that all he wanted?


    She did not vocalize that thought. Instead, she surrendered herself. "Go on."


    She craned her chin up.


    Rnd kissed her on both cheeks.


    Soon, his lips were inching against hers. He locked eyes with her and said with desire in his voice, "I want to kiss you."


    Isabel smiled wryly.


    In an instant, his lips were ced on hers.


    Suddenly, the bathroom felt more cramped and hot than it was.


    Soon, she felt herself lifted off her feet and nted next to the sink.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She nced to her side and noticed the shape of their shadows, the two locked together in an intimate embrace.


    In Westchester, upon noticing that it was getting dark outside, Decker, who had been preparing to leave for a while, got up to his


    feet.


    rice went to him and helped him put on his tie.


    ¡°Are you sure you don''t need me to go with you tonight?"


    He was going to meet Odell Carter, the master of Carter Corporation, at the dinner tonight.


    The Carters were the most wealthy family in Westchester, thus surely Odell was not any ordinary person.


    Although the Rockwells were also a significant family in Southboro, they were still rather inferior whenpared to the likes of


    the old-money Carters that had been reigning for centuries. rice figured that things would probably progress smoother if she


    showed up as well, considering she was the daughter of the Houstons.


    Decker smiled and caressed her cheeks. "Don''t worry, I''m just going to get acquainted myself with the Carters. | don''t want to


    trouble you with having to go with me. Just wait for me like a good girl at home, okay?"


    "No, it''s no trouble at all-"


    Decker put a finger against her lips to silence her. He smiled charmingly and said tenderly, "Be good, alright?¡±


    rice''s gaze softened, and she nodded obediently.


    Decker kissed her again, then he turned and walked out. The moment he walked out the door, a sharp gleam of ice surfaced in


    his eyes.


    Getting acquainted with the Carters was only a small part of what he was after. He had a more important task tonight.

 Chapter 2104

    Chapter 2104


    Chapter 2104


    At Astral Restaurant, a five-star restaurant built on the top of a mountain in Westchester.


    During the day, the restaurant would be clouded in a thickyer of mist. At night, the patrons had a clear view of the city basked


    in a cluster of lights.


    This was a premium ce for dining, reserved only for the wealthy.


    Decker was driven to the foot of the mountain. After he stepped out of the car, he was escorted by one of the staff to a special


    passage that soon brought him to an elevator that went up to the restaurant.


    Carter Corporation was hosting a dinner tonight for its business partners.


    Decker arrived with a friend he recently made in Westchester. Being the heir of the Rockwells in Southboro, he was someone of


    significant status, so it was no surprise that the invitation was extended to him once his friend found out about his background.


    A beautiful tform, which surface was crystallized marble, was erected over the top of the mountain. Luminous lights were lined


    up on the edges that offered the ce an ethereal glow. It was as if the guests had been transported to another dimension.


    Decker first went up to the friend mentioned previously. He grabbed himself a ss of wine and followed said friend around


    where he was introduced to the others. They shared drinks and small talk.


    Some of the senior members of Carter Corporation were present as well. With his friend introducing them, he got acquainted


    with most of them.


    Soon, there was amotion nearing the elevator where guests arrived in.


    Decker heard some of the members of Carter Corporation whisper among them, "It must be President Carter."


    All of the senior executives floated over to the elevator.


    Decker''s friend nudged him. ''Mr. Rockwell, let''s go over there and have a look too."


    Decker seemed to scowl ever so faintly, but his lips traced the shape of a smile and he agreed, "Let''s."


    They went to the entrance.


    Soon, a tall and handsome middle-aged man stepped out of the tunnel. He was immediately swarmed by the senior executives


    of Carter Corporation.


    He wore a rather simple ck suit, yet there was a magnificent aura around him that made the rest of them tremble in his mere


    presence.


    This was a man of great stature and reputation, who had cemented his ce in the business world over the years. There was an


    unmistakable air of nobility about him that added to his mystique.


    Even Decker was astounded.


    So, this was the legendary master of the Carters. Even at his age, he looked handsome as ever, but with an added worldliness


    that only came with age and experience. He still effortlessly captured the heart of the youngdies.


    When Odell walked past Decker, he cast a nce in Decker''s direction.


    The moment Decker met his gaze, his first instinct was to shrink away to avoid looking at the revered man.


    He immediately recalled his purpose foring here today and made himself fix an iron stare at Odell. He smiled politely. "Good


    to see you, Mr.


    Carter. | am Decker Rockwell.¡±


    Odell paused.


    One of the executives trailing behind Odell introduced Decker formally," President Carter, Decker Rockwell is currently


    overseeing Rockwell Corporation in Southboro."


    Odell nced at Decker. "Good to see you."


    He pressed onward after that.


    Decker''s eyes darkened.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    It seemed like Odell Carter was not interested in getting to know him at all.


    His friend seemed to have sensed his disappointment and tried to console him, ''That¡¯s how President Carter is. It¡¯s kind enough


    of him to just acknowledge you at all. Don''t overthink it."


    Decker smiled briefly. "Alright, sure."


    That was a good point. Southboro was, after all, a tier below Westchester. Furthermore, the Carters were the reigning monarch


    in Westchester for more than a century, and their name was pretty much symbolic of the city itself. Meanwhile, the Rockwells


    were a poster child for what one would describe as new money. They only struck gold several decades ago and were nowhere


    close to the Carters in terms of wealth and status.


    Odell Carter taking the time to speak to him at all could be considered a sign of respect in itself.


    Three round tables that were designed with high-culture artisan taste were ced in the center of the venue.


    Odell and his entourage of senior executives sat at the center table.

 Chapter 2105

    Chapter 2105


    The friend Decker came here with had regr business dealings with Carter Corporation and was considered one of their more


    respected business partners. It was out of consideration for his status that he and Decker were seated in an esteemed seat at


    the table right next to Odell''s.


    One of the senior executives was put in charge of hosting everyone and promptly addressed everyone with a brief speech.


    After everyone was invited to sit, the dinnermenced.


    Decker picked up the cutlery gracefully, minding his manners all the while. He waited until all of the noteworthy men had given


    toast to Odell before raising the ss himself and motioning politely in Odell''s direction." President Carter, it is a great honor to


    have met you here. Let me give you a toast."


    Odell looked at him rather cordially. "You are very kind, President Rockwell."


    Decker downed the ss of wine.


    Odell raised his ss and took a humble sip from it.


    Decker sat back in his chair after that.


    While dinner was ongoing, several executives of Carter Corporation exchanged casual small talk with their business partners.


    After eating several bites of food, just enough to fill his stomach, Decker looked at the people around him. Upon noting that they


    were wrapping up their conversation, he asked quite nonchntly with a friendly smile," Speaking of which, why isn''t the current


    president of Carter Corporation, Mr. Rnd here?"


    This seemed to have caught Odell''s intrigue, but his reaction was quite subtle.


    Upon hearing this, two senior executives eyed Decker suspiciously.


    One of them asked, "President Rockwell, it sounds like you''re quite familiar with Mr. Rnd. Are you acquainted with him by any


    chance?"


    Everyone else at the table turned to look at Decker to see what he had to say.


    Decker remarked with a candid smile, "You see, he is my nephew."


    The two senior executives were visibly caught off guard by this and darted curious nces at Odell.


    Everyone else at the table was equally shocked.


    Odell, on the other hand, was quite in control of himself. He barely reacted at all to this sudden revtion.


    The two executives redirected their attention back to Decker.


    One of them remarked, "That''s a surprise. We didn''t know that Mr. Rnd came from Southboro and is a Rockwell as well."


    Decker noted, "Yep. Something happened in our family around a year ago which led to him leaving Southboro. It was only very


    recently that when | received word that he had found his way to Westchester and was now the acting president at Carter


    Corporation. It was such a shock to me andpletely refreshed my opinion of him."


    Everyone fell silent for several seconds to process this information.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Although Westchester and Southboro were some distance apart, news tended to travel faster than one would expect, especially


    in exclusive circles among the high society. This was especially the case with scandals such as what went down with the


    Southboro¡¯s Rockwells.


    It was said that the patriarch of the Rockwells favored his illegitimate son over his grandson who was said to be quite a


    promising young man. Not only did the patriarch choose to let his illegitimate son inherit Rockwell Corporation, but he even


    nned to leave behind all of his assets to the illegitimate son as well. Of all these assets, more than half of them belonged to


    his wife who had expressed firm intention of letting their grandson inherit them.


    If Rnd was truly Decker''s nephew, that must make Rnd the rumored true heir of the Rockwells. He was the one who was


    said to be a very promising youngd but ended up getting betrayed by his grandfather who chose the illegitimate son over him,


    the one who ended up getting banished from the city.


    Everyone knew better than to tantly point this out, but they all shared a secretive chuckle amongst themselves since they


    knew the full story.


    One of the executives quickly pulled himself out of his state of shock. He swiped a nce at Odell''s expression before turning to


    address Decker," You must not be very familiar with your nephew. He may be young, but he is certainly a high achiever and has


    proven himself to be more than capable in everything we entrusted him with. We have nothing but admiration for him. Even


    President Carter is impressed by him.¡±


    Another executive echoed the same sentiment, "That''s right."


    They were not-so-subtly rallying for Rnd.


    Decker stiffened briefly, then he yed it off with a quick smile. "I''ve always thought he was verypetent as well, but he


    refused to stay in Southboro and there was nothing | could do about it.¡±


    After a pause, he asked casually, "Why isn''t he here today? | thought I would see him here."


    One of the executives remarked, "It¡¯s Saturday. He usually spends his weekend in private."

 Chapter 2106

    Chapter 2106


    ¡°Of course, we wouldn''t know about Mr. Rnd''s private affairs."


    "Who is this celebrity Mr. Rnd has been dating?¡±


    They were quite curious about who the revered Rnd''s girlfriend could be.


    Decker was more than happy to quell their curiosity, "She''s one of the most famous actresses right now, and I¡¯m sure you all


    have heard of her."


    "Who is it?"


    "President Rockwell, quit teasing us. Out with it already!"


    They urged him on.


    Decker announced her name atst, "Isabel Ross."


    "Oh... Isabel!"


    "She''s certainly very famous. | wasn''t expecting someone like Mr. Rnd to end up with a celebrity though. | assumed he would


    have a different taste."


    "Well, men love beautiful women, don''t they? Isabel Ross sure is a knockout. | would date her too if given the chance, but then


    again | have a wife now, so she''s off-limits to me."


    Everyone continued to joke and gossip about the tantalizing subject.


    None of them noticed Odell whose expression had turned ominously dark, as well as the two senior executives who were


    fidgeting in their seats and casting looks at Odell.


    The two senior executives were the only ones who were aware that the famous Isabel Ross was Odell''s daughter, and more


    importantly, the future sessor of Carter Corporation.


    They knew that the reason Rnd was standing in as president in the first ce was that Isabel was hesitant to take up the


    mantle just yet and decided to get someone to take over for her.


    Odell''s mood only seemed to grow darker as time went on. One of the executives wisely interrupted the merry conversation


    going on at the table to swerve them to another topic, "Anyway, we shouldn''t be talking about Mr. Rnd''s private life especially


    when he''s not around. Let''s talk about something else."


    The part he wisely omitted was that they should stop gossiping about Isabel who was Odell''s daughter. Things would not end


    well for any of them should they upset Odell.


    Everyone at the table was quick-witted enough to sense that they should steer away from this subject. They exchanged several


    quick banter after that and moved on to another subject.


    Decker sensed the tension in the air and hurriedly remarked, "Please don''t get the wrong idea. | didn''t mean to gossip about Mr.


    Rnd''s personal affairs. | was just making some small talk."


    "Oh, no worries. We understand, we understand."


    With that, everyone moved on from this.


    At one point, during a brief gap in the middle of their conversation, someone raised an unexpected question, ¡®How did you find


    out about Rnd and Isabel?"


    It was none other than Odell who spoke.


    Everyone suddenly fell silent.


    Decker was just as taken aback by this. His surprise was followed by delight. He was more than d to respond, "| also came to


    find out about it by sheer coincidence. | came to Westchester initially to invest in several TV shows and happened to stumble into


    Mr. Rnd on one of his dates with Isabel. Speaking of which, | heard some rumors as well.¡±


    "What kind of rumors?"


    ¡°Rumors concerning Isabel. | heard she ran into some trouble with one of her rivals in the entertainment circle. There¡¯s been


    some trending controversy online as a result of that. They say it was Rnd who stepped in and helped her resolve things.


    There was also another time when Isabel''s major contracts were suddenly terminated without warning, that was until Rnd


    made some calls for her and took care of things for her."


    Decker was just stressing over how he could bring up these rumors in a natural conversation when Odell himself miraculously


    broached the subject for him.


    Upon hearing his answer, Odell''s expression along with those of his apanying executives darkened significantly.


    Decker could not make sense of why this would prompt such drastic reactions from the executives, but he was primarily focused


    on Odell''s reaction. He could tell that Odell was less than pleased to hear about this.


    Surely, he must be furious that Rnd had been taking advantage of his position at Carter Corporation to seduce a celebrity.


    Furthermore, Carter Corporation was a rather traditional organization that cared a great deal about its reputation. It would be


    rather scandalous if people found out about their current president dating a celebrity.


    The mood suddenly became heavy and oppressive.


    Upon noticing Odell¡¯s ominous expression, everyone at the table held their tongues because they knew that they had to tread


    lightly from this point on.


    Decker had grown apprehensive as well, but he was secretly celebrating. The more he riled up Odell, the more likely that he


    would decide to give Rnd the boot.


    That way, the path would be open again for him to swoop in and take Isabel back since he would not have to worry about Rnd


    standing in his way. The only reason he was a formidable opponent was due to his leveraging the influence of his position in


    Carter Corporation.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Just as the mood around the table dropped to the lowest point of the night, Odell rose suddenly.


    ¡°Enjoy your dinner, everyone. | have something to attend to."


    With that, he walked towards the elevator.


    One of the executives hurried after him.


    The other executive took up the task of smoothing things out. He implored everyone to go on with the dinner, "Don''t worry about


    it. President Carter just has something urgent he needs to attend to. Go on, enjoy the food."

 Chapter 2107

    Chapter 2107


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief after Odell left, save for Decker who put on an innocent look and pretended to be surprised.


    ¡°Was it something | said?"


    The remaining executive assured him, "Don''t worry about it. President Carter has something important he needs to attend to


    urgently."


    Deep down, he was muttering curses at Decker. ''Keep your mouth shut, you fool!"


    Decker snuck another nce at the elevator where Odell had vanished and grinned smugly.


    At Isabel''s hotel in nchester, things calmed down in the bedroom atst.


    Isabely like a nk on the bed and was too tired to move.


    Rnd pulled her into his arms and let her rest against his shoulder.


    Upon noting the content expression on the man''s face, Isabel shot him a yful re.


    Rnd grinned before reachingpping his arms around her neck and gently massaging her neck. He applied just the right


    amount of pressure, so it did not hurt. It was even quitefortable.


    Isabely silently and peacefully in his arms, then she began to feel a wave of drowsiness set in.


    That was when her phone began ring and interrupted her sleep.


    She reached for the phone tucked under the pillow and saw the name pop up on the disy that read ''Dad¡¯.


    Why was he calling at this hour?


    She coughed to clear her throat, then promptly answered the call, "Hey, Dad, did you need something?"


    Odell''s voice was sharp. "Where are you now?"


    Isabel could immediately sense the displeasure in his voice, so she answered with hidden suspicion, "rm filming in nchester.


    What''s wrong? n


    "Where is the film set?¡±


    "It¡¯s at the city center, the main base of our filmpany." She asked out of curiosity, "What¡¯s wrong? Why are you asking me


    this?"


    Why did he sound so upset?


    ¡°Nothing.¡± With that, he promptly hung up.


    Isabel frowned and stared at the phone.


    Rnd turned to her. ¡¯ What''s wrong?"


    ¡°My dad is being weird.¡±


    ¡°What happened to President Carter?"


    "He called to ask me where | was. | can tell by his tone that he¡¯s upset about something."


    She wondered what she had done to upset her father. She had not been home in a while, so it could not possibly be something


    she had said or done.


    Old people could be weird at times.


    ¡°Never mind, forget about him." She discarded the thought to the corner of her mind. She closed her eyes andy in Rnd¡¯s


    arms again. She was


    very tired and fell asleep in no time.


    Rnd examined her, and the look in his eyes turned grave.


    Ding!


    This time, it was his phone that rang.


    He reached for the phone and read a text sent to him by one of his colleagues, "Mr. Rnd, President Carter found out about


    you and Miss Carter."


    Rnd replied, "Got it."


    He thought about it for a moment before sending another text, "How did he find out?"C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The colleague replied shortly after, "A certain Decker Rockwell from Southboro joined us at thepany dinner. He mentioned


    that you were his nephew and asked why you did not attend the dinner. When we mentioned that you usually spend your


    weekends in private, he went on to ask if you went to see your celebrity girlfriend. That''s when everyone got curious and began


    asking for more information. He told everyone that you were dating Isabel Ross. President Carter was right there, so he heard


    everything.¡±


    Rnd grimaced.


    It was promptly followed by another message, "Isabel is President Carter''s only precious daughter, and he seemed quite upset


    when he found out about it. You should brace yourself for whatever happens next."


    Rnd replied, "Understood. Thanks for the heads-up."

 Chapter 2108

    Chapter 2108


    It was a weekday the following day, which meant Rnd had to head back to Westchester.


    After waking up in the morning, the two went at it in bed until it was nearing noon before they finally emerged from the bedroom.


    Knowing that it would be another week before they could meet again, Isabel was quite reluctant to part with him.


    They arrived at the hotel entrance.


    Rnd let go of her hand and gently stroked her hair. "I''m going off now.¡¯


    Isabel only grunted in response.


    Rnd looked at her with a thoughtful expression. It looked like he wanted to say something to her but ultimately decided


    against it.


    With that, he turned around and walked toward the parking lot. He stepped into the sunlight, the trace of light outlined his striking


    figure. And yet, there was a certain gloominess about him.


    Isabel suddenly felt a stuffy feeling in her chest. She cried out, ¡®Rnd!¡¯


    Rnd stopped immediately and looked back at her.


    She ran over to him and threw himself into his arms. She hugged him tightly and said tenderly, "Remember toe to see me


    again this weekend.¡±


    Rnd smiled warmly. "Of course."


    With that, Isabel let go of him with a reluctant but affectionate smile.


    Rnd gently patted her head before heading to the parking lot.


    After seeing him off, Isabel turned and went back to the hotel. She had a scene to shoot at noonter, so she had to start getting


    ready now.


    While she was strolling back to the hotel, Rnd arrived at the parking lot. He immediately noticed a certain expensive ck car


    with its engine still running.


    It was parked right next to his car.


    Anyone who worked at Carter Corporation could recognize this car by sight. It was Odell Carter''s car.


    Something shifted in his eyes, and he promptly stepped forward and approached the car. The driver and the bodyguard stepped


    out of the car.


    "Sir, President Carter wants to speak to you," the bodyguard informed him.


    Rnd opened the door and burrowed inside.


    Odell sat by himself in the backseat. He wore a deep frown and his expression overall was dark. From this angle, he had a clear


    view of the hotel entrance and must have witnessed Rnd¡¯s interaction with Isabel just now.


    Rnd made sure to keep a respectable distance between himself and Odell. He greeted him briefly, "President Carter."


    Odell regarded him icily. "Well? Are you going to start or do you want me to invite you to start?¡±


    Rnd confessed calmly, "I''m dating Isabel."


    Odell observed how Rnd was so blunt and fearless about it, and this immediately set off a fire within him. "Who gave you


    permission to date her?"


    He looked past Rnd''s patchy history with the Rockwells because he knew that Rnd was a very efficient worker. It was out


    of acknowledgment of his abilities that he installed Rnd as a stand-in president. How dare he take advantage of his kindness


    and get together with his daughter behind his back?!


    What was worse was that he was unaware of this until now! He was Isabel''s father!


    Rnd seemed avoidant and lowered his head, but his voice was firm. "I care for her.¡¯


    Odell hissed, "Do you care for her, or do you care for her status because she''s my daughter?"


    He was aware of Rnd''s grandfather and his uncle Decker''s history of taking advantage of unsuspecting women to elevate


    their social positions. Going by that rhetoric, it was easy to understand why he would suspect Rnd''s intentions behind dating


    Isabel.


    Rnd met his scrutinizing gaze head-on and insisted again, "I truly care for her."


    The two men exchanged an intense stare-down for a moment.


    After a while, Odell said with a vicious sneer, "Rnd, Isabel is my only daughter. | don¡¯t care if you truly care for her or if you


    have other intentions. The bottom line is that if you wish to continue working in Carter Corporation, you¡¯d do well to break up with


    her.


    Rnd was a disgraced man who was banished by his family, a weak man who could not even contend with a b*stard child. A


    man of his sort who had no right to be with his daughter! i


    If it was one thing nchester was known for, it was its rainy weather.


    The sunny weather barelysted two days when the rain began pouring again.


    Over the week, Isabel had to shoot several scenes while bracing the rain.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.

 Chapter 2109

    Chapter 2109


    The film crew took advantage of the rain to finish up most of the rainy scenes.


    It was a rather busy week, and Friday came before Isabel knew it.


    On Friday, the crew managed to wrap up everything around three in the afternoon, and Isabel returned to the hotel after that.


    The first thing she did was take a hot bath. Then, she made sure to apply lotion and doused herself in her favorite perfume. She


    picked out a dress that hugged her slender waist and entuated her figure before sitting by the window to wait for Rnd to


    visit.


    The thought of the though slightly juvenile, yet sweet and innocent surprise that Rnd prepared for herst week made her


    smile. She wondered if he would prepare something simr for her again this week.


    Time slowly trickled past while she waited.


    It was already getting dark outside, and even the rain was gradually stopping.


    She watched as some of the film crew went out together to hang out for the weekend, then she watched as they returned to the


    hotel. She waited endlessly, but there was no sight of Rnd''s car pulling up at the junction.


    What was with dy? Where was he?


    She reached out her phone and tapped on her messages with Rnd.


    Thest time they had spoken was two days ago. Since both of them were always busy with work during the weekdays, they


    very rarely talked to each other.


    She sent him a message, "Are you on the way?"


    One minute, two minutes... Ten minutes passed, yet there was no response from him.


    Perhaps he was driving.


    She started to get concerned, and that was when Flint''s name popped up on the disy. He had sent her a short text, "Hey, sis, |


    heard Rnd is the son of the Rockwells in Southboro this entire time. Did you know about this?"


    Isabel frowned.


    She figured that the only ones in Westchester who knew about Rnd''s true identity were her, Decker, and rice. How did Flint


    know about this?


    She asked him directly, "How did you find out?"


    Flint replied, "| was just leaving theb today when a friend of mine who worked in Dad''s office told me. Everyone in Carter


    Corporation has found out about it."


    The entire Carter Corporation knew?


    Then, Flint sent her another text, "By the way, they say it was


    Rnd''s uncle who broke the news to everyone when he was invited to apany dinner our corporation hosted."


    Isabel''s eyes gleamed with ice, and she asked frantically, " Was Decker intentionally badmouthing Rnd during the dinner?"


    Flint replied, "Well, | wouldn''t call it badmouthing, but..."


    Isabel was very anxious by this point. "But what? Out with it already.¡±


    Flint sent her a long paragraph after that. "Decker said something about Rnd dating a celebrity, which he revealed was you. |


    don¡¯t think Decker knows that you''re a Carter. He only talked about how much Rnd had been helping you and hinted that he


    has been using Carter Corporation''s influence to pull it off. If | had to guess, he''s trying to drive a wedge between Rnd and


    Carter Corporation. He¡¯s trying to force Dad''s hand to give Rnd the boot."


    Isabel scowled.


    Flint asked for confirmation, "Are you dating Rnd?"


    Isabel saw no point in hiding it any longer. "Yes."


    They had been dating for a while.


    Flint asked hesitantly, "Then... do you know that Rnd has quit Carter Corporation?"


    Isabel was stunned to hear this. She immediately gave Flint a call since it was easier tomunicate that way.


    The moment the call was connected, she heard Flint asking cautiously, "Sis, you haven¡¯t heard about it, have you?"


    Isabel asked urgently, "When did Rnd quit? Why did he quit?"


    When they were chatting two days ago, he mentioned something about needing to deal with overtime work.


    Why did he quit out of nowhere?


    Besides, even if the general public did not know that she was a Carter, the higher-ups at the corporation were aware of it. There


    was nothing wrong with Rnd exercising Carter Corporation''s influence to help her since her father would have done the same


    anyway!


    There was no way that Decker¡¯s n to stir controversy by pointing out that Rnd had been dating her would work to this


    effect.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Flint tried to calm her down. "Look, chill out. | just left theb when | found out about everything. That''s why | sent you a text to


    ask about it. | might be missing some key details. Could you try talking to Rnd?"


    ¡°Enough, stop beating around the bush and tell me everything!¡¯


    Flint was her brother, and she knew exactly what he was like. He must be intentionally leaving out some crucial details for fear of


    upsetting her. He had to be hiding something!

 Chapter 2110

    Chapter 2110


    Flint said reluctantly, ¡®TH tell you, but don''t get angry at me.


    Isabel snapped at him, "Out with it!"


    Flint sighed. "I think Dad does not approve of the two of you being together, so he made him quit."


    Isabel was bbergasted.


    Her father did not approve of them being together?


    Rnd quit because of this?


    Her mind went nk as she had trouble processing this. ¡± Where is he now?"


    Flint muttered, "I heard he left Westchester after the ongoing projects at work yesterday."


    It was his turn to ask Isabel, "You''re his girlfriend. Hasn''t he said anything to you?"


    Isabel stammered.


    Flint realized that he had misspoken and quickly tried to rectify his mistake. "Sorry, sis, you know that''s not what | meant. Just


    calm down and don''t be mad at me. | don''t think Rnd would break up with you without at least talking to you about it. There


    must be some reason he hasn''t spoken to you yet."


    Isabel ignored him and promptly hung up on him.


    Then, she called Rnd.


    At the Carters¡¯ vi in Westchester, after Flint put away his phone, he turned to cast a look at his mother Sylvia.


    Sylvia asked worriedly, "What did Isabel say? How is she feeling?"


    Flint took a deep sigh. "Not very good | think."


    ¡°Let me try calling her." Sylvia was very worried and promptly reached for her phone.


    Flint wisely stopped her. "Not yet. She''s probably trying to contact Rnd to see what he has to say."


    Sylvia nodded. "That''s true. Knowing her, she¡¯s definitely trying to get to the bottom of it.¡±


    She put down her phone and expressed her displeasure, "It¡¯s all your father''s fault. Why did he have to escte things right off


    the bat and tell Rnd to break up with your sister? Is it so hard to talk over these things rationally?"


    She had only just found out that Rnd and Isabel were dating, then it was swiftly followed by the news that Rnd had quit


    Carter Corporation.


    Rumors were that he had left Westchester too.


    Since he did not even bother to tell Isabel he was leaving, what else could this be interpreted as other than him calling their


    rtionship off?


    The more Sylvia thought about it, the more upset she became. "Let''s wait for your father toe back. I''ll give him a stern


    talking to, that man!"


    Flint smiled weakly. "Mom, you can''t put all the me on Dad for this. If Rnd wanted to be with Sis, he wouldn''t have just up


    and left just because Dad told him to. At the end of the day, he was the one who made that choice."


    Sylvia made a face upon hearing this, and she seemed bothered.


    Flint made a good point. If Rnd wanted to be with Isabel, there was no chance Odell could get him to leave her even if he


    tried.


    As things stood...


    Sylvia frowned and expressed her concern, "Flint, won''t Isabel be heartbroken?"


    Flint took a deep breath. "Breakups are more or less a part of a rtionship, aren''t they? I''m sure she feels sad, but | don''t think


    she would do something as rash as hurting herself."


    Inside Isabel''s hotel room in nchester, she stood next to the window, gripping her phone tightly in her palms.


    She had already called Rnd three times, and all three times, it rang till the end but nobody picked up.


    Was he busy?This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Or was he intentionally not answering her calls?


    She called him again, but nobody picked up.


    She was not an unruly person. If it was truly Rnd''s wish to break up with her, she would willingly ept his decision as well,


    but she could not ept him ending things on such ambiguous terms!


    Even if it was her father who wanted them to break up, Rnd could have told her that, at the very least!


    She stopped spamming him with calls, but she clicked on her messages and selected Rnd''s contact, then she pressed the


    voice recording button.


    Her eyes were red with red by this point as she said in a slightly quivering voice filled with emotions, "You have ten minutes. If


    you still refuse to reply, then it''spletely over between us."


    After sending the voice messages, she set her phone aside and slumped onto the floor.


    As soon as she sat down, her phone rang.

 Chapter 2111

    Chapter 2111


    It was Rnd.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Surprised, Isabel answered the phone immediately and asked, "Where are you?"


    "I''m in Southboro," Rnd answered with a hoarse voice, seemingly hesitating with the answer.


    Isabel''s chest tightened. "When did you go back?"


    "| reached Southboro yesterday morning."


    "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    He did not say a word.


    Isabel ran out of patience. She asked, "Why did you go back to Southboro?"


    The man still did not answer.


    Isabel nced at the screen of her phone. The call was still connected, Rnd did not hang up on her.


    She snorted. "Is it because of my dad?¡±


    "It''s not about Mr. Carter, it''s my own decision," he said.


    His own decision?


    How could he say something like this to her in such a calm manner?


    Her eyes teared up. She raised her hand to rub her eyes and then asked, "So, are you breaking up with me?"


    "Isabel, | think we have to be separated for a while.¡±


    "Separated for a while? What does that mean?"


    "| can¡¯t tell you yet."


    ¡°Rnd, if you don''t tell me, you''re breaking up with me."


    "Isabel, no. I¡¯m not..."


    "No? Let me ask you. How long is ''a while¡¯? A week? Two weeks? A month? Two months? Or half a year?¡±


    Rnd answered after a momentary silence, "| don''t know, but I''ll try my best toe back to you."


    Isabel''s brows furrowed. "You don''t know? So does it mean | have to wait for you if you leave for one year, two years, or even


    five to ten years?¡±


    "Isabel, it won''t take that long."


    "What if it''s that long?"


    Rnd went silent once more. "If it really takes me that long and | still haven¡¯te back to you, then...forget about me."


    Isabel''s chest tightened again like a giant hand clenched onto her heart.


    Her tears burst out of her eyes. She raised her voice and scolded, "Rnd, you jerk! I''ll forget about you now!"


    She hung up right after she yelled on the phone.


    Then, she cklisted his number and blocked all his texts.


    After cklisting Rndpletely, her phone screen was covered with her tears.


    She cried behind her hands for a while before she went to wash her face. She called Ca and went to a nearby barbeque


    restaurant.


    She ordered what she liked, got two sses of beer, and ate herself away.


    Ca sighed as she watched her friend chew down the food and chug down the bear with teary eyes.


    Ang, who was hiding in the corner, recorded it on her phone.


    Back in Westchester, Isabe had just ended a business event and returned to her car.


    Her phone buzzed as soon as she got inside. She picked it up and saw a video from Ang.


    In the video was Isabel, who she had not seen for a while.


    She went through the video.


    Isabel ate barbeque and drank beer with her assistant but only she was eating and she drank more than she ate.


    The video was taken from a distance. Isabe did not see Isabel''s expression but judging by how fast Isabel drank, she looked


    depressed.


    Ang then sent her another text, "Isabe, | saw Isabel''s eyes and she looked like she''s been crying. Two weeks ago, she was


    with her boyfriend at this hour, but her boyfriend is nowhere to be seen now. | think she just broke up with her boyfriend."


    Isabe''s eyes glinted. "I got it. Continue to observe. Inform me right away if there''s anything."

 Chapter 2112

    Chapter 2112


    Ca secretly gave Amanda a call. Therefore, when Isabel almost threw up from all the drinking, Amanda appeared behind her.


    She snatched the bottle of beer and tossed it away.


    Before Isabel could react, she grabbed her arm and bellowed, "Isabel, you''reing with me."


    Isabel had lost consciousness. She only remembered Rnd ditched her.


    He left Westchester without saying anything. Everyone knew except her.


    Yet the jerk tried to fool her by saying they should be separated for a while and woulde back to her soon.


    He had either taken Isabel as a fool or believed she could not handle the shock of breaking up, hence telling her he wanted to be


    separated for a while to let her take it in easily.


    Isabel knew the importance of letting go and she would not care if he broke up with her.


    There were many other men in this world and there must be someone better than him.


    However, she could not stop her heart from hurting.


    Isabel tried to reach for the bottle of beer but missed it.


    She then realized she was being dragged away from the restaurant by Amanda and Ca.


    The windy breeze blew toward her face. She shivered.


    She recalled the joy of waiting for Rnd earlier but what she got in return was him leaving Westchester and breaking up with


    her.


    Her tears burst and she broke down crying.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Both Amanda and Ca were speechless.


    They looked around before they hastened their steps and carried Isabel toward the hotel.


    Fortunately, Isabel was not that heavy and they were able to bring her back to the hotel room without any problem.


    Amanda told Ca to get a ss of warm water while she sat down on the couch with Isabel. She consoled her." Isabel, it''s


    okay. It¡¯s going to be okay."


    Isabel copsed on the couch like a lifeless doll.


    She cried along the way and the windy breeze cleared up her mind a bit.


    Even though her heart still hurt, she regained control over her emotions.


    She wiped her tears and sipped the warm water Ca brought her.


    She then said to them, "Ca, Amanda, you guys should get some rest. Thank you."


    Amanda and Ca did not say anything but they were worried about her.


    Isabel pursed her lips. "I want to be alone."


    Amanda sighed. "Fine. I''m just next door. Call me if you need anything.¡±


    Ca echoed. "Yeah. You can call me too."


    They then left the room, leaving Isabel alone on the couch.


    The moment the door closed, Isabel buried her face behind her hands and broke down in tears once more.


    Isabel had no idea when she fell asleep. When she opened her eyes, it was already morning.


    Her eyes were bloodshot and swollen from all the crying and her throat hurt. Her head even fell heavy as if her soul left her body.


    After she came out from the toilet and wanted to go to bed, Amanda and Ca came over.


    Amanda brought a bag and Ca had two pieces of luggage with her.


    Isabel did not notice their luggage. She closed her eyes and said, "I don''t want to go on set today. Amanda, can you tell the


    director I''m not feeling well? | want the day off."


    She had to be in tip-top condition for the shoot, so she was in no shape to be in front of the camera.


    Amanda pursed her lips. Tve asked for two days off for you."

 Chapter 2113

    Chapter 2113


    Ca added, "Isabel, there are a lot of fun ces in nchester. Amanda is bringing us on a tour around the city."


    Isabel''s eyes remained closed. "I don''t want to go. You guys go have fun.¡±


    She was not in the mood for a vacation, she just wanted to lie down and do nothing.


    "Isabel, even if you stay here all day, Rnd isn¡¯ting back," Amanda said.


    Isabel opened her eyes and sat up straight. With displeasure, she said, "I''m not hoping for him toe back!"


    She just wanted to lie down!


    Amanda crossed her arms and raised a brow. "If that''s what you''re thinking, then you should get up and follow us now."


    Isabel frowned. "Provocation?"


    Amanda chuckled. "Indeed. If you don''te with us, you¡¯re hoping for him toe back to you."


    Annoyed, Isabel mustered her strength and jumped to her feet. She bellowed, "Alright! You ask for it! Let''s go!"


    She washed her face, changed into some new clothes, and followed Amanda and Ca out of the hotel.


    Isabel had visited most of the fun ces in nchester but she never got tired of them.


    Besides, nchester had a magnificent view.


    In addition to Amanda and Ca''spany, taking care of her patiently, it would be difficult for Isabel to not feel rxed.


    She was surprised to see such a caring and patient side of Amanda, who was a well-known manager for celebrities.


    Amanda must be afraid that Isabel would feel terrible after the break-up.


    They went boating at ake, hiking, gliding, and even visited a spring.


    Other than sleeping, the three of them spent the entire day visiting attraction after attraction.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Although tired, it managed to distract Isabel from thinking about why Rnd left her. She did not have the time to feel sad either.


    Two days went by in the blink of an eye.


    On the third morning, Amanda left Isabel a few encouraging words before she left nchester.


    Isabel readjusted her mood and returned to the hotel with Ca.


    When she walked past the parking lot, she thought of the scenes where Rnd came to see her, but she was able to prevent


    herself from delving deeper.


    Amanda and Ca spent two days with her. Even if she disregarded her own emotions, she could not let the two of them down.


    She had to regroup and concentrate on the shoot.


    "Isabel, you have a scene to shoot in the afternoon. Do you want another half-day off? | can tell the director," Ca asked.


    Isabel inhaled deeply and said, "It''s okay. I''m fine now."


    Ca smiled brightly since Isabel was emotionally better now. "Alright."


    Isabel and Ca went into the hotel to prepare for the shootter in the afternoon.


    Then, Ang came out from the corner.


    She watched as Isabel headed to the elevator and she immediately texted Isabe.


    "Isabe, Isabel''s boyfriend ditched her."


    Isabe replied, "How can you be so sure?¡±


    "Isabel was drunk two days ago and her manager and assistant brought her back to the hotel. She asked for two days off after


    that and only came back now. She¡¯s always serious about acting, so if there''s nothing serious, she wouldn''t ask for days off. |


    heard from someone that the director mentioned something about her breaking up with her boyfriend."


    Back at Westchester, after Isabe received the text from Ang, her lips curled.


    She was amused and delighted when she pictured the scene where Isabel cried and drank because she broke up with her


    boyfriend.


    On second thought, Isabe texted rice, "Ms. Houston, | have news regarding Isabel, | wonder if you''re interested to find out."


    A few minutester, rice answered, "What?"


    Isabe tapped on her phone and texted, "| heard from my friend that Isabel broke up with his boyfriend."

 Chapter 2114

    Chapter 2114


    rice bolted up when she heard the news.


    Decker was at his desk further away from her. He was shocked by her sudden reaction and he asked, "rice, what happened?"


    rice''s eyes fluttered and smiled, "I-It''s nothing."N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Decker had a hint of doubt but he did not linger on the topic. He quickly returned to his work.


    rice breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed Decker was not overly bothered.


    She sat back down and replied to Isabe, "Are you sure about this?¡±


    "| heard from my friend that Isabel got drunk alonest Friday night and her manager and assistant came to pick her up. She


    cried on the way back and took two days off from work. She only came back to the shoot today. | heard from a crew member that


    Isabel took days off because she broke up with her boyfriend."


    Isabe then sent rice two video clips.


    One was Isabel drinking at the restaurant and the other was Isabel being dragged away by Amanda and Ca.


    Rnd ditched her?


    However, Rnd used his influence at thepany just to help her a while back and the two of them looked stable together.


    Why the sudden break-up?


    Had Rnd gotten tired of her?


    Thinking about how Isabel treated her with disrespect a while back and the break-up, rice grinned scornfully. She put her


    phone down.


    Rnd and Isabel''s break up did not affect her as long as it had no impact on her and Decker¡¯s rtionship.


    However, if Rnd broke up with Isabel, it would mean he would not help her again.


    Knowing that, rice''s eyes narrowed and glinted viciously.


    No one in the world could disrespect her. She had to teach Isabel a lesson just so she could vent her grievance because Rnd


    helped Isabel just to put her in a difficult situation.


    While she was caught up with the news, she did not notice Decker was looking at her.


    Later that night, rice was fast asleep beside Decker on the bed.


    Decker pulled her hand away from his waist and sneakily grabbed her phone from her side of the bed.


    He skillfully unlocked it and went on her WhatsApp. He spotted the chat with Isabe.


    His eyes narrowed. He tapped into the chat window and went through the history.


    Then, he tapped on the video and saw Isabel crying. His heart clenched.


    Awhileter, his lips curled wickedly.


    Did she break up with Rnd? Why?


    Decker pondered.


    He heard from a friend that Rnd left Carter Corporation and it was most probably because of what he said at the dinner. In


    addition, he had been painting Rnd a dirty image in front of the executives of thepany, hence Rnd was thrown out of


    thepany.


    Was it the reason why he broke up with Isabel?


    Decker did not get an answer to his question. He believed Isabel was not a snobby person and if she broke up with Rnd


    because of him leaving thepany, she would not have cried so terribly.


    It seemed like Rnd ditched her, but why?


    Regardless, it was not the point he should be focusing on. The important thing would be now that Rnd was thrown out of the


    company, there would be no more obstacles or threats for him.


    He could also try to get Isabel back to his side.


    As though a soulless and emotionless machine, Isabel concentrated on her work. She did nothing but shooting recently.


    She shot in the morning, afternoon, and even at night. She did notin about the exhaustion at all.


    The director told her to rest but she refused.


    A hectic week went by.


    Legend of the Goddess was at the end of its shooting schedule and there were only a few more scenes left to shoot.


    Isabel even celebrated several of her co-starspleting their scenes.


    They even had dinner at night.

 Chapter 2115

    Chapter 2115


    Chapter 2115


    After dinner, some of them returned to the hotel, and some of them took a ride home.


    Isabel, the director, and some of the crew members returned to the hotel.


    The director asked, "It''s the weekend. Do you guys want to shoot over the weekend, or take two days off, and we can continue


    on Monday?"


    The remaining actors looked at each other.


    The male lead said, "I''m okay with anything. It¡¯s your call, director."


    The others echoed in agreement.


    The director then looked at Isabel. "Isabel, what about you?"


    Isabel said without a second thought, "I don¡¯t want to take days off either."


    Only when working, she would not think of Rnd, therefore she could not stop.


    The director smiled. "Alright. We''ll continue shooting then."


    Isabel said good night to her co-stars and the director before she returned to her room.


    She spent the entire day shooting, and it was tiring. She just wanted to have a bath and rest.


    It was then she received a call from Amanda.


    Amanda sounded worried on the phone. "Isabel, did you see thements online?"


    Isabel asked curiously, "Whatments? Anything to do with me?"


    Amanda hummed a reply and then said, "Listen to me, don''t go online for the next two days. I''ll deal with it."


    Isabel assumed it was not something serious, so she was not overly bothered. "Alright. Thank you, Amanda.¡±


    "Your well-being is my biggest assurance. Alright, | have to go now."


    Amanda hung up the phone.


    Isabel put the phone away.


    Even though she was curious about what was happening online, she was not in the mood to find out. She went to take a bath.


    When she came out, she saw several texts from her mother, Flint, and even Liam, plus a missed call from her father.


    They were all worried about her.


    "Isabel, where are you? Why didn''t you pick up my call?¡± Sylvia texted her.


    "Sis, are you alright?" From Flint.


    "Call me when you see this." From Liam.


    "Issy, reply to my message." From Odell.


    Isabel was confused.


    Her family sounded like something terrible happened to her.


    She tapped on the family WhatsApp group and sent a voice message, "| was taking a bath and | saw your texts. What is it?¡±


    Less than a minuteter, Flint replied, "Dad, Mom, look! | know Issy is going to be fine! | knew it!"


    Isabel was more confused than before.


    She suddenly thought of Amanda''s call and asked, "Did you guys see any news about me online?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Flint answered, "Yeah, we saw you being dragged away from the restaurant and cried like a crazy woman."


    Isabel was speechless. She gulped and felt annoyed, but not exactly angry. The annoyance soon disappeared.


    Sylvia texted her, "Issy, are you still shooting at nchester?"


    Isabel answered, ¡®Yeah. I''m still here."


    Caprice, who was also in the group, texted, "Isabel, Liam and | are going to nchester tomorrow. We''ll bring the baby over to


    visit you.¡±


    Isabel knew her family was worried about her, so she said with a smile, "It''s okay, Caprice. | have to work over the weekend. The


    shoot will wrap in a few days, so I''lle find


    you when I''m done."

 Chapter 2116

    Chapter 2116


    Isabel''s light tone was proof that she was not affected by thements online.


    Caprice felt relieved. She no longer insisted on visiting anymore and simply said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sylvia told her to rest properly other than working hard.


    After the brief family chat, Isabel put her phone down and went to sleep.


    The night was quiet. When she closed her eyes, her head uncontrobly thought of Rnd.


    It annoyed her. She tossed and turned on the bed and still could not fall asleep.


    She got up, switched on themp next to her bed, and went on her phone to check thements online.


    Someone took a video of her that night when she broke up with Rnd. She went drinking at the restaurant, got drunk, and was


    dragged away by Amanda and Ca.


    As soon as she tapped on the video, she could already hear herself crying.


    Even through the screen, she felt embarrassed.


    Theizens gloated at her.


    "Did the girl break up with her boyfriend? It''s so funny how she cries.¡±


    "I''m sorry. | can''t help butugh."


    "She looks like a husky when she cries."


    Other than her fans consoling her, the others wereughing and gloating at her.


    There were a number of haters and fans of other celebrities who mocked her, calling her a disturbance to society for crying that


    loud at night.


    Anyone with a sane mind could tell that they were trying to mock her, and no one replied to theirments either.


    Isabel was not bothered at all.


    Triss and Ramona were worried that Isabel might be affected by thements, so they went on the chat group and texted her


    telling her to not take thosements seriously.


    Isabel answered them, "I¡¯m fine."


    Triss did not say anything else.


    Ramona curiously asked, "Isabel, did you really just break up with him?"


    Isabel answered, "Yeah."


    Ramona consoled her briefly but did not ask about the details.


    She went through her social media and talked to her friends for a while. She finally got tired.


    She put her phone down, switched off themp, and went to sleep.


    Meanwhile at Westchester Grand Hotel, rice was sitting by the bed as she checked on thements online about Isabel.


    There was an obvious displeasure on her face.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She called her secretary and asked, "What¡¯s going on? Why is everyone saying that she''s funny? | thought people were


    supposed to sneer at her and scold her."


    Her secretary answered, "Ms. Houston, I''ve just gotten an update from the marketing department and they said the video doesn''t


    show Isabel doing anything bad. Isabel is always a candy in the eye of the audience, so theizens simply thought she was


    being herself because they were able to see a different side of her. Not only was it funny, but it also felt authentic and there was


    nothing they could attack her with.¡±


    rice grunted.


    In short, posting the video online indirectly helped Isabel garner attention.


    The secretary added, "Ms. Houston, even though the inte isn''t scolding her, they think she¡¯s being funny.


    Isabel just broke up and thosements will surely make her sadder."


    rice scolded, "Are you dumb? Isabel isn''t an idiot like you. Why would she be sad if the video won her more attention?"


    The secretary apologized, "I''m sorry, Ms. Houston. I¡¯m not being considerate enough."


    rice sighed and said coldly, "Contact Isabel and the sponsors who worked with her closely."


    Isabe thought that the video of Isabel crying was not enough for theizens to scold her, and the other video had no meaning


    either.


    Therefore, rice decided to strike from another perspective.


    The secretary answered, "Right away, Ms. Houston."


    The call ended.


    rice looked outside the window coldly.


    She swore to teach the rude Isabel a lesson.


    Then, Decker''s towering came and stood outside the door.

 Chapter 2117

    Chapter 2117


    Decker''s deep eyes contained different feelings.


    He stood outside the door for a while before he returned to the study room. His assistant followed him to the study room as well.


    Decker sat down on the chair and went online to see the video of Isabel crying.


    When he broke up with her a few years back, she did not even cry this terribly.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He frowned. His gaze turned frosty.


    His assistant noticed the change in his expression and asked, "Mr. Rockwell, should | stop Ms. Houston?"


    Decker returned to his usual elegance and said, "Just let her be."


    Now that Isabel had broken up with Rnd and entered a slump in her career, she must be feeling terrible.


    If Decker could appear by her side in a timely manner, she might return to his side once more.


    A busy weekendter, Isabel finished shooting all her scenes.


    After thest dinner with the crew and director, she returned to Westchester with Ca.


    It waste at night. The car was driving on an empty freeway.


    The car stopped in front of the gates of Karat One, the estate with therge mansion.


    Before Isabel could react, Ca bellowed at the driver, Johnny, "Why did you drive us here? Turn around!"


    Johnny realized he had driven to the wrong ce. He quickly turned the car around and drove back to the apartment where


    Isabel stayed before moving to Karat One.


    Isabel closed her eyes and did not say anything.


    It was not Johnny''s fault. She was the one who instructed him to drive to Karat One earlier, and it was out of instinct.


    The car soon arrived at her apartment.


    Isabel and Ca got out of the car and two bodyguards escorted them into the elevator.


    The elevator opened up on the floor where she lived.


    Beside the elevator was the unit that Decker bought.


    Isabel did not even look in that direction and headed back to her own ce with Ca and the bodyguards.


    She had note back for a long time but the house was surprisingly clean.


    Isabel looked at Ca. "Did you call a cleaner to clean the ce up?"


    Ca fluttered her eyes. "No, it¡¯s not me."


    Someone must have cleaned the ce before she came back. Who was it?


    As Isabel pondered, a familiar voice came from one of the rooms. "Issy, are you back?"


    Isabel''s expression changed.


    Her beloved mother, Sylvia, and two aunties who helped raise her came out.


    Sylvia strode to her daughter and sized the girl up from top to bottom.


    Isabel was surprised. "Mom, why didn''t you tell me you¡¯reing?"


    Sylvia held her hand and said softly, "| missed you, so | came."


    Isabel''s eyes teared up. She puckered her lips and then said, "You can just call me and ask me to go home."


    It was Sylvia who cleaned the ce with the help of the aunties.


    ¡°How did you know | wasing back today?"


    Sylvia pinched the girl''s nose. "Your manager told me."


    Isabel chuckled.


    Ca and the bodyguards left the mother and daughter alone.


    Isabel hugged her mother tightly. "Mom, | missed you." Sylvia patted the girl''s head and said, "I know. | know. Mom misses you


    too.¡¯

 Chapter 2118

    Chapter 2118


    Chapter 2118


    With Sylvia''spany, Isabel had a good night''s sleep.


    Since Isabel had amercial shootter in the day, she only had breakfast with her mother before she parted ways with her


    and left with Ca and the bodyguards to the next destination.


    As soon as the car hit the road, Ca moved closer to


    Isabel with a mischievous grin. "Isabel, your mother looks so young and so beautiful! | bet you got your looks from her."


    Isabel smiled.


    If her mother was not beautiful enough, she would not be that beautiful either.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ca continued, "But | somehow find your mother familiar, it''s like I''ve seen her before."


    Isabel''s eyes fluttered.


    Other than being Isabel''s assistant, Ca had many hobbies, and enjoying paintings was one of them. She had seen many


    famous painters and read many art magazines.


    Since Sylvia was a famous painter, she was a regr in art magazines, so Ca must have seen her on the cover or whatnot.


    A quick thoughtter, Isabel said, "Maybe | look like my mother and you''ve seen me a lot, that¡¯s why you find her familiar.¡±


    "Really? | feel like I''ve seen her somewhere."


    "It must be. Let''s put that aside first. Ask Amanda if the client is ready. We''re reaching soon."


    "Oh. Okay."


    Ca was sessfully distracted. She reached for her phone and called Amanda.


    Isabel breathed a sigh of relief.


    However, before she could rx, she heard Ca¡¯s squeal.


    She turned to her and saw Ca''s depressing look.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Isabel asked.


    Ca said timidly, "Amanda said we don''t need to go to themercial shoot anymore. We''re not taking the client''s


    advertisement.¡±


    "Not shooting anymore?"


    Isabel remembered Amanda went through a lot to get this client to agree. Three days ago, Amanda even called her to be


    prepared, so what caused the sudden change?


    "Did Amanda say anything else?"


    ¡°Amanda said all your schedule is pushed back a week and told you to have a good rest."


    There was no way Amanda would push her schedule back for a week. Something must have happened.


    Isabel pulled her phone out and called Amanda herself.


    The call got through after a few seconds.


    Amanda did not say anything as if she was hesitating whether to tell Isabel or not.


    Isabel asked, "Amanda, what happened?"


    Amanda stammered, "Isabel, it''s actually...


    Isabel switched to a more rxed tone and said, "I¡¯m fine. Just tell me what happened.¡±


    Amanda sighed. "All themercials and shoots that | got for you are all canceled. I''m negotiating with the clients but they say


    they received orders from the higher-ups to cancel the shoot, so there''s nothing left for this week. Maybe you should take a good


    rest."


    "Someone is trying to snatch mymercials?"


    "Yeah. | believe so. It should be the same person from another time."


    rice Houston!


    Isabel suddenly thought of the video of her crying that got leaked on the inte.


    If she was correct, Ang must have taken the video, sent it to Isabe, and eventually ended up at rice''s side.


    rice must have realized leaking the video did not affect her at all, hence the more direct approach.


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    rice must have thought that now that Rnd had left Isabel, he would not help his ex-girlfriend anymore, so she used this


    chance to take revenge on Isabel.

 Chapter 2119

    Chapter 2119


    Noticing Isabel''s silence, Amanda asked, "Isabel, are you okay?"


    Isabel exhaled and said, "Amanda, I''m fine. You don''t need to worry about me."


    She was not a weak and fragile girl anymore.


    "I''m d you''re holding up," Amanda said with relief. She added, "Isabel, the brands and clients that we worked with before are


    still with us, and the movies and dramas that we''ve gotten are still progressing as nned. That person just messed up our


    recent ns, so why don''t you take some time off? I''ll think of a way."


    Isabel pondered and said, "Alright. Amanda, take it easy. If we lose the recent ones, just let it be."


    She suddenly wanted to have a good rest.


    She wanted to go back home, eat the food that Aunt Tonya cooked, watch her mother paint, and y with Liam and Caprice¡¯s


    baby.


    Amanda noticed Isabel''s sudden tonal shift. She sighed and said, "Alright. I''ll do whatever | can. You take care.¡±


    "Alright."


    The call ended.


    Isabel leaned back and said to Johnny, "Turn around at the next junction."


    Worried, Ca looked at her and asked, "Isabel..."


    Isabel smiled at her. "I''m fine. You and Johnny should go back after you¡¯ve dropped me off.¡±


    Other than the variety show recording on the weekend, she would have to wait until the end of next month to have a shoot.


    Isabel then said to them, "You guys can do whatever you want after the weekend''s recording."


    Ca noticed that other than the slight depression from ending the rtionship with Rnd, there was nothing wrong with her.


    She breathed a sigh of relief and said," Okay."


    Back at Amanda''s office, she breathed a long sigh of relief after the call with Isabel.


    Isabel had just broken up with Rnd, and she thought the girl would be devastated after knowing the news. She did not expect


    Isabel to take it calmly and did not care about themercial shoots they lost.


    The girl seemed to be tougher than she thought.


    She did not have to be overly worried about Isabel.


    Then, she looked at the other phone on her desk.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    The screen was showing the contact list and the first one on the list was Rnd.


    Isabel was criticized when she identally stepped on Isabe''s dress during a fashion event. After that incident calmed down,


    Rnd got to her and asked for her contact number.


    He told her not to let Isabel know and wanted her to call him if Isabel ran into troubles that she could not ovee.


    Isabel was almost banned by the mainstream media the other time and Amanda got nervous. She got to Rnd and told him


    someone was messing with Isabel, and to her surprise, the matter was resolved before she knew it.


    When she talked to Isabel on the phone earlier, she was hesitating whether to ask Rnd for help. After the call, her hesitation


    was cleared and she turned off the contact list on her phone.


    The man had broken up with Isabel. Even if he was willing to help, Isabel''s temper would forbid him to intervene.


    Amanda decided not to contact Rnd but she had toe up with a way to deal with the situation.


    Isabel returned to her apartment.


    She told Ca and Johnny to go home and even gave the bodyguards a day off.


    She walked into the building and the elevator arrived as soon as she pressed the button.


    She wanted to grab some stuff from her apartment before she headed home to her family.


    When she stepped out of the elevator, she spotted Decker at the unit beside hers.


    He wore a gray shirt and long pants and was leaning against the wall that was connecting both units.


    He smiled softly at her when the elevator door opened." Isabel, it¡¯s been a while."


    Isabel nced at him. She wanted to go back inside the elevator but the door closed.


    Before she could escape, Decker went upto her.

 Chapter 2120

    Chapter 2120


    Chapter 2120


    Decker stared at her. "Isabel, I''m just here to see you, nothing else."


    Isabel was not in the mood to talk to him, so she ignored him.


    Decker noticed the frosty reaction. He sighed and said, "| know you just broke up with Rnd and seem to have lost all your


    commercial work."


    With both love life and career in a slump, she should be devastated.


    Just when she thought Isabel would look devastated or break down in tears, Isabel stared at the elevator door coldly and did not


    respond to his words.


    She did not look sad or devastated at all, which surprised Decker.


    He refused to believe Isabel did not feel anything.


    With Rnd gone and hermercials lost, no one was there for her. The confidence of a woman with no background would


    surely be dented no matter how strong she was.


    How could she feel nothing?


    His eyes fluttered. He sighed and added, "Isabel, | know you''re feeling terrible. There are the two of us here. | won''tugh at you


    and you don¡¯t need to hide your emotions."


    Isabel was confused.


    Did the man lose his mind?


    She did not want to talk to him, not hiding her emotions.


    Then, the elevator arrived and the door opened. Isabel walked in without saying a word.


    Decker went inside with her.


    "Isabel, where are you going?" He looked at her gently but worried.


    Annoyed, Isabel looked at him and said, "Can you shut up?"


    "I''m worried about you." Decker stood in front of her.


    Isabel frowned. She was rmed by the sudden intimacy. " Decker, what are you trying to do?"


    Worried?


    She had always been like that.


    Decker kept a twenty centimeters distance from her, seemingly a gentlemanly move.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°lm not trying to do anything. I''m just worried about you,¡± he said with a frown and sincere gaze.


    Isabel was not in the mood to expose his lies. She said coldly, "I''m fine. | don''t need you to worry about me."


    Decker said in a small voice, "| won''t take advantage of you, but it hurts me to see you like this. | know you still hate me, but |


    can help you get back themercials if you just ask."


    He looked gentle and caring. If Isabel was a mindless and innocent girl, she would have fallen for him.


    Now, she found his appeal amusing.


    ¡°Decker, if you don''t want to see me like this, you''d have gotten themercials back before youe to me."


    She looked at his changing expression and added, "If I''m correct, you should already know that the one who snatched all my


    commercials away is your fiancee, rice Houston."


    The gentleness in Decker''s eyes disappeared.


    He realized Isabel was no longer the simple and helpless girl he picked up on the road five years ago.


    She was confident in her beauty and she had gotten smarter.


    He could no longer lie to or bluff her.


    Embarrassing displeasure shed from his eyes before he curled his lips. He grinned at Isabel wickedly and said," Isabel, it''s not


    good for a woman to be too smart.¡±


    Isabel scoffed. "It¡¯s you who are being stupid."


    He must have either taken her as the girl who lost her memories from five years ago or simply assumed she would fall for his


    trick again.


    Decker''s gaze turned grim. He moved closer and started to threaten her. "Isabel, know your ce."


    Then, the elevator stopped on the first floor.


    Isabel wanted to circle him but he grabbed her hand.


    She red at him and bellowed, "Let go!"

 Chapter 2121

    Chapter 2121


    Chapter 2121


    Decker pulled Isabel closer to him with a grim, scheming smile.


    "Isabel, Rnd has gone and dumped you. He¡¯s not going to help you anymore. Besides, even if he wants to help you, there¡¯s


    nothing he can do for you. I''m the only one who can help you now. If you want to save your acting career, you should be wise


    enough to know to not get only my nerves," he said with gnashing teeth.


    His gaze was dark and ominous.


    If Isabel did not give in to him, he was going to do everything in his power to ruin her without repair.


    Isabel grimaced tightly and promptly proceeded to spit right in his face." Ptoo!"


    Her spit sttered directly on his face.


    Decker winced instinctively when he felt the projectile p across his face, and his expression darkened like never before.


    Before he could open his eyes again, Isabel kicked against his knee with the shin of her knees.


    Argh!


    Decker yelped in pain and let go of her.


    Isabel took the opportunity to shove him away from her, then she immediately ran out of the elevator.


    She made sure to get onest piece out before she disappeared from Decker''s sight. "You want me to stop getting on your


    nerves? | have some advice for you: don''t ever show up in front of me ever again. That''ll give both of us some peace of mind!"


    With that, she fled from the building without looking back even once.


    Decker remained inside the elevator. He was doubled over in pain with a horrible scowl across his face. His eyes were dark with


    contempt and some time passed before he hissed, "Just you wait, Isabel!"


    He was going to do everything in his power to ruin herpletely. He was going to thoroughly tear down her career so that she


    would have no choice but to submit to him!


    After a while, he stomped out of the elevator.


    He stepped out of the apartment building just in time to see Isabel who had just gotten into a car by the side of the road. He


    immediately grew rmed and hurried to his car.


    There was still some lingering pain throbbing in his lower abdomen.


    He winced in pain and roared at his driver, ¡®Tail that car in front!¡¯


    He wanted to see where Isabel was nning to flee to since he was going to take her by force if he had to!


    Just as the driver stomped on the gas pedal and they were quickly approaching the car in front, his phone suddenly rang.


    He grumpily pulled the phone out of his pocket. The moment he noticed the name shown on the disy, his furious mood was


    immediately suppressed by half.


    It was a call from a certain executive in Rockwell Corporation whom his father had assigned to train him for many years.


    He answered the phone and asked rather formally, "Uncle Tom, what''s the matter?¡±


    The answering voice was that of a middle-aged man, whose voice was quivering with anxiety, "Decker, stop wasting time in


    Westchester and get back to Southboro right now!"


    Decker''s eyes shed in alert. "Did something happen?"


    ¡°Rnd has juste back to Southboro. He came with the cavalry this time, and it looks like he¡¯s gunning for Rockwell


    Corporation. You need toe back right now!"


    "lm heading back right now!"


    This immediately took his mind off of whatever he was originally going for. He turned to the driver and ordered with an


    aggressive snap, "Airport, now!"


    Meanwhile, Isabel returned to her ce somewhere in the suburbs after roughly half an hour''s drive.


    "Miss, wee back." The bodyguard posted by the door greeted her with a smile and opened the door for her.


    Isabel smiled at him cordially before walking inside.


    She was greeted by a gentle breeze that blew against her, and her nostrils were filled with the familiar scent and presence of


    home.


    This was a wee relief to her mood. She sighed tiredly before heading into the house.


    Aunt Tonya was chatting with two older housemaids in the living room when she noticed Isabel stepping in through the front door.


    She instantly perked up and announced her return to everyone in the house, her voice echoing through the halls.


    In no time, everyone showed up in the living room to see her.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2122

    Chapter 2122


    Sylvia led Odell by his hand as she happily strolled into the living room.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Caprice followed them closely.


    Liam was there as well, holding a child no more than four months old. It was his and Caprice''s son.


    Flint followed behind him with a feeding bottle in hand.


    Isabel was not expecting everyone to be at home. She found herself ovee with a warm and wholesome feeling and smiled


    brightly at the sight of them.


    Sylvia went up to her and gently took her hand into hers. "Don''t you have work today? Why did you suddenlye home without


    notice?"


    Isabel followed them to the couch in the living room. She told them, "I pushed back my schedule for a few days. | decided | need


    some rest."


    Sylvia remarked with a supportive smile, "I see, it''s a wonderful coincidence that your brother and Caprice are going to stay at


    home for the next few days as well. Flinty has several days off too. It''s a good chance for all of you to spend some time together.


    Isabel smiled and seemed enthused about this arrangement.


    Caprice took her child in her arms and drew closer to Isabel. "Sis, he wants to y with you."


    The child kept waving his chubby arms in Isabel''s direction as if he knew by instinct that this was his aunt. He was smiling from


    ear to ear the entire time and making tiny squeals. Words could not describe how adorable he looked.


    It brought a smile to Isabel¡¯s face as she gently took her nephew in her arms.


    "Sis, take this," Flint said as he handed her a toy.


    Isabel dangled the toy in front of the boy.


    The little fellow giggled and squealed when he saw the toy. He was indescribably adorable.


    Isabel grinned, and she had never felt happier.


    Caprice was just as d to see Isabel smiling so happily. Liam and Flint both heaved a sigh of relief at the sight as well.


    Sylvia and Odell exchanged a look, their worries washed away.


    Isabelzed around at home.


    She spent her time cycling between a handful of activities such as watching TV shows, snacking, ying with Caprice and


    Liam''s child, or ying video games with Flint.


    This rxed lifestyle was far preferable to her hectic work schedule.


    It was only during the weekend when Amanda gave her a call and asked about her whereabouts and reminded her about her


    uing shoot with " The Wonder¡± that she remembered that she had responsibilities to attend to.


    When she answered the call, she was slumped over a giant cushy bed with a movie cast on the projector screen against the


    wall. There was also a giant bowl of snacks positioned in front of her. She asked Amanda in a sluggish and unconcerned voice,


    "Do you think you could postpone the shoot for me, please?¡±


    She only wanted to wind down at home.


    Amanda asked sternly, "Isabel, what is this? Are you nning to hang it up already?"


    Isabel answered quite bluntly, "Yeah, | just want to rx at home.¡±


    Amanda asked in a troubled tone ¡¯If you''re nning to rx at home, then what happens to me? What am | supposed to do for


    ie?"


    Isabel knew more so than anyone how devoted to her Amanda was. To be precise, Amanda had poured all of her energy and


    resources into her and her alone. If she decided to up and quit out of nowhere, it would be devastating for Amanda.


    She took a sip of her fruit juice and told her, ¡¯I will support you financially."


    Amanda was too stunned for words. She sighed weakly before expressing,¡± Have you lost your passion for life afterzing


    around at home these past few days? Listen, | have been through a lot of things in my day as well, except I''ve had it far rougher


    than you because | don''t have anything to fall back on, not a dor to my name. | was weighed down by a giant amount of debt


    and barely had money to afford food."


    "In the grand scheme of things, this setback is nothing at all. So what if we don''t have any endorsements right now? You still


    have ¡®Legend of the Goddess¡¯ as well as ¡®The Wonder¡¯. As long as you remain relevant, it''s only a matter of time before someone


    approaches us and..."


    She said everything in one breath.


    If it was any other time, Isabel would merely brush this off as typical nagging and cut her off. This time, however, she let Amanda


    finish while sheyfortably in bed while munching on her snacks.


    "Isabel, don''t forget you''re one of the most famous celebrities right now. Are you going to give up at the peak of your career? No


    matter how rich your parents are, they can¡¯t take care of you forever. They might be hoping that you''d be the one to step up and


    take care of them in the future."


    Amanda was highly doubtful that Isabel was only doing this because she wanted a break. She knew that Isabel was trying to run


    away from everything because she could not handle the crushing defeat.


    Isabel took a deep breath. She could sense that Amanda was genuinely trying to encourage her.


    She did not want to let Amanda down either. To be honest, she was not going to quit just yet; it was just a period ofziness on


    her part.


    She said in a determined voice, "| understand, Amanda. I¡¯m going to go get ready now and be on the set on time."


    Amanda perked up when she heard this. "Perfect, | have some time today, so I''ll join you on the set as well.¡±

 Chapter 2123

    Chapter 2123


    Chapter 2123


    "Sure."


    After Isabel hung up, she threw the nket off her and promptly went to take a quick shower. She walked out of her room after


    she got changed into a clean set of clothes.


    In the living room, Caprice was taking piano lessons from Liam. Melodic sounds of the piano reverberated across the house.


    Sylvia and Aunt Tonya were chatting over a pot of tea.


    Flint was entertaining himself with the baby in the cradle.


    When Isabel emerged, everyone turned to look at her.


    Sylvia was the first to ask, ¡®Isabel, why are you dressed up? Are you going somewhere?¡±


    This was the first time in days that they had seen Isabel even bothering to get dressed up.


    Isabel told her, ''| have to go to the set at ¡®The Wonder¡¯.¡±


    Sylvia nodded with understanding, then she asked, "Do you have to leave right now?¡±


    "Yeah, we start shooting in an hour, so | have to head over there right now," she exined as she prepared to head outside.


    Sylvia signaled at Flint.


    Flint took the hint and promptly rose to offer, "Sis, I''ll take you there."


    "It''s fine, just stay home with everyone."


    After all, Caprice¡¯s son was very fond of Flint.


    Sylvia offered kindly, "It''s fine, I''ll look after the baby."


    Aunt Tonya chimed in, "All of us are here, so it''ll be fine. Let Flint drive you there. He doesn''t have anything to do at home


    anyway."


    ¡°Alright, then."


    Isabel understood that her family was still very worried about her, so she gave in to their wishes.


    After saying goodbye to Caprice and Liam, she walked out of the house with Flint.


    They approached Flint''s car. It was a sports car that he had bought very recently.


    Isabel burrowed into the passenger seat and promptly texted Ca that she was on the way and to wait for her at the set.


    "Sis, did something happen at work?" Flint asked unprompted.


    Isabel made a look before remarking nonchntly, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    "Really?" He nced at her suspiciously.


    She shot a sideway nce at him.


    Flint made a look and decided to stop probing, then he started the engine and began to drive.


    The set for The Wonder" was in a recently-built district located on the outskirts of Westchester which was not very far from the


    Carters¡¯ house.


    Flint pulled into the parking lot of the location within half an hour''s drive. His limited-edition supercar was rather eye-catching and


    sessfully captured the attention of many passers-by, most of who were crew members of the show.


    Isabel was not bothered about being stared at, and she told Flint to drop her off at the entrance.


    Meanwhile, another car pulled up right behind them.


    It was Isabe. She took off her sunsses to take a closer look at the bright red sports car parked in front.


    Her assistant whispered to her, "Isn''t this the brand-new limited-edition sports car released by BJD for the season? Whose car is


    this?¡±


    BJD was a luxury sports car manufacturer.


    The prestige of BJDbined with the limited nature of this particr model meant that it was a highly sought-after collectible.


    Even the wealthiest folks had trouble cing an order.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabe was curious about who the owner of this car could possibly be.


    After her assistant opened the door for her, she promptly stepped out.


    Coincidentally, Isabel had just stepped out of Flint''s car as well.


    The moment she turned around, she noticed Isabe strutting toward her.

 Chapter 2124

    Chapter 2124


    "Isabel? It''s you?" Isabe cried out in shock.


    Isabel was just as taken aback.


    This is the set for ¡®The Wonder", so why was Isabe, of all people, here?


    The only logical exnation was that she had been invited by the show producers.


    Before everything that went down, the producers would know better than to invite Isabe out of respect for Isabel.


    Circumstances had changed now since most of the industry insiders now knew about rice''s involvement. There was a chance


    that the producers intentionally invited Isabe to spice things up since they knew it would draw in more viewers.


    Isabel''s expression darkened. She was in no mood to fuss with Isabe and promptly went into the building.


    Isabe was bbergasted to see her nemesis stepping out of the limited edition car. When she saw how Isabel immediately


    walked away, she scoffed. She knew that Isabel was trying to avoid her, which was no surprise considering she recently got


    dumped, then there was the entire debacle with rice Houston.


    "Isabel, what''s the rush?"


    She quickly jogged right in front of Isabel to cut off her path.


    Isabel red at her sharply. "I''m not in the mood to squabble with you. Get out of the way."


    Isabe sniggered provokingly, "Not in the mood? Are you sure you''re not just afraid of me?"


    Huh?


    Afraid of her?


    The look in Isabel''s eyes changed as she regarded Isabe like one would a total buffoon.


    Before she could give Isabe a piece of her mind, Flint, who was just about to leave, suddenly got out of the car. He went up to


    his sister and put an arm around her shoulder protectively, then he looked at Isabe with a casual demeanor but with an


    unmistakable threatening air lurking underneath. He spoke briskly, "Do you need something?"


    Isabe, who was just about to further taunt Isabel, held back. She subconsciously withdrew two steps back, and her eyes


    widened slightly.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    The young man was not only extremely handsome, but he also had a unique aura she had never experienced before. There was


    a certain queer nature about him, but the confidence in which he carried himself gave off the impression that he was someone of


    a dignified background.


    Besides, he was the one who was driving the limited edition BJD sports car!


    Isabe''s eyes gleamed and she smiled stiffly. "Nothing. | just wanted to talk to her."


    Flint said icily, "Can¡¯t you tell that she doesn''t want to talk to you?"


    Isabe was intimidated by Flint''s imposing attitude. As upset as she was, she tried to steer the situation. "My bad, | couldn¡¯t tell.¡±


    She was afraid of offending this young man who seemed to be of status. Then, she turned to Isabel. "Isabel, | just wanted to


    catch up with you for a bit. | didn''t mean anything else. Anyway, the shoot is about to start soon, so I''ll be heading inside."


    With that, she tugged her assistant and hurried past Isabel into the set.


    Flint withdrew his arm back from Isabel''s shoulder and nced in the direction Isabe scuttled off into. He asked warily, "Sis,


    isn''t she that Isabe who keeps picking fights with you?"


    He was more or less caught up on thetest scandals on the inte. He only held his tongue this entire time because she knew


    that Isabel had always insisted on keeping a distance between her professional career and her family.


    Upon hearing his tone, Isabel immediately sensed his intention in wanting to do something about Isabe for her. She quickly


    assured Flint, ¡®That''s her, but you don¡¯t have to worry about her. She can''t do anything to me.¡±


    She only ignored her just now because she was simply not in the mood for it.


    Flint sighed. "Alright."


    He asked again out of concern, "How long is the shoot?¡±


    ¡°Probably until tomorrow afternoon." She reassured him, "Amanda and Ca should be here soon. Don¡¯t worry about me. Just


    go on home.¡±


    As soon as she said that, she noticed Amanda and Ca approaching from the direction of the parking lot.


    Amanda and Ca were both transfixed by the bright red BUD limited edition sports car parked at the entrance, then they noticed


    Isabel and Flint standing next to her.


    Amanda simply could not take her eyes off Flint. It was as if her mind had wandered off somewhere.


    Ca blushed the moment she met Flint''s eyes and quickly looked away shyly.


    Amanda gathered herself again and asked Isabel with a smile, "Isabel, who is this?"


    Isabel told her quite frankly, ¡®This is my brother."


    Both Amanda and Ca were surprised to hear this.


    "Your brother, you said?" Amanda asked in disbelief.

 Chapter 2125

    Chapter 2125


    "Yep, born from the same womb." Isabel proceeded to introduce Flint to Ca and Amanda, "This is my agent, Amanda, and this


    is my assistant, Ca."


    Flint greeted them amicably, "Nice to meet you, Amanda and Ca."


    "Nice... nice to meet you." Ca was immediately starstruck.


    Amanda greeted Flint with a polite smile, "Nice to meet you."


    She could not help herself from gawking at him.


    Seeing that it was about time tomence their shoot for the day, Isabel promptly turned to Flint. "Why don''t you go home first?"


    ¡°Alright, I''ll pick you up tomorrow at noon."


    "Sure."


    Flint made sure to bid farewell to Amanda and Ca before heading into his ostentatious car.


    Vroom!


    The engine roared and the sports car spun around the corner, vanishing out of sight in no time.


    Amanda and Ca were still standing motionlessly and staring in the direction Flint drove off in.


    Isabel had to reel them back to the present. "Amanda? Ca?¡±


    The two were quickly brought back to their senses.


    Ca sheepishly approached Isabel with her cheeks still covered in red. Amanda drew to her as well and asked with an easy


    smile, "Isabel, what does your brother do?"


    Isabel answered casually while walking into the building, "He works on research projects in aboratory."


    To be precise, he was a phenomenal scientist.


    She only omitted that part because Flint looked too young to befit the title of a scientist. Furthermore, the title "scientist" drew


    more attention than she would have liked.


    Amanda was surprised by this. "He¡¯s doing scientific research at such a young age? Amazing!"


    Ca covered her reddened cheeks. "He''s so handsome too. I¡¯ve never seen someone so handsome in my life!"


    Isabel made a face.


    Amanda joked, "Isabel, was it you who gifted him that sports car?"


    "No, it wasn¡¯t me."C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Even if she could afford that sports car with the money she made from acting, she would not have been able to buy it anyway. It


    was an exclusive model that even the most prolific rich had trouble securing for themselves, and the chances that she could buy


    it were next to nil.


    Amanda seemed surprised by this and asked for rification, "You mean to say he bought it by himself?¡±


    It did not seem like working in aboratory could be that much of a lucrative career. The only way he could have afforded it was if


    he had other businesses or if their family was obscenely wealthy.


    Isabel grew rmed.


    Amanda was trying to skimp information out of her!


    The car was a birthday gift that Liam had given Flint this year. If she were to tell Amanda the truth, it would lead her to specte


    about her family background.


    With this in mind, she made something up on the spot, "No, he didn''t buy the car."


    "Is it your family car?¡± Amanda asked with suspicion glowing in her eyes.


    Isabel stated with a brisk smile, ¡¯No, he borrowed it from his friend.¡¯


    Borrowed from a friend?


    The light in Amanda''s eyes dimmed instantly.


    Before receiving this information, she was still excitedly specting if Isabel hade from a rich family this entire time. The


    truth was often disappointing; the car was merely borrowed from a friend.


    Then, her eyes glowed again when another probability urred to her.


    Since he would borrow such an expensive car to drive around, could this mean that he was fond of living a luxurious lifestyle?


    She promptly asked to try her luck, "Does your brother have any interest in singing or acting by any chance?"


    Isabel said very bluntly, "No. He singspletely out of tune and has zero interest in acting.¡±


    More importantly, Flint already had a job in which he took pride and passion. He had chosen his job over taking over Carter


    Corporation, and there was no way he would choose to enter the entertainment industry.

 Chapter 2126

    Chapter 2126


    Chapter 2126


    Amanda sighed in frustration. "That''s a pity."N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She thought that if she could get Flint into the entertainment industry, it would not be difficult at all for her to help him burst into


    mainstream poprity.


    After all, from what she had seen of Flint, he had an extremely rarebination of the perfect looks and physique to go with it.


    He was the definition of male eye candy.


    They arrived on the set by this point of their conversation.


    The director, film crew, and the other guests on the show had arrived as well.


    Amanda dropped the subject and went to greet the director.


    Isabel went to greet the other guest stars on the show as well.


    Ca tailed after her silently.


    Meanwhile, Isabe''s assistant had arrived at the set as well, and she entered from the same corridor that Isabel and the others


    entered from.


    She nced at Isabel, then quickly walked past the other guest stars and stopped right behind Isabe.


    Isabe asked her curiously, ¡°What did they talk about?"


    She had purposefully instructed her assistant to hide at the entrance when they entered just now so that her assistant could


    eavesdrop on the conversation between Isabel and the handsome young man who drove here in the BUD. She figured this would


    be a good way to find out about the identity of that mysterious young man, so she would know what to expect going forward.


    The assistant shed a strange look filled with condescension as she whispered into Isabe''s ear, "That man back there is her


    younger brother. It turns out that he borrowed the car from a friend..."


    Upon hearing this, Isabe could barely stifle a mockingugh. She heaved a sigh of relief and revealed a sinister smile.


    She was worried about Isabel managing tond yet another powerful man, but it turned out it was just her brother who had to


    resort to borrowing a sports car for the sake of appearances.


    She wondered if this was Isabel''s pathetic attempt at saving face after her episode with rice. Perhaps she was the one who


    instructed her brother to borrow the sports car to drive her here to boost her image.


    "It doesn''t look like Isabel has anyone backing her anymore. Maybe we can ..." Isabe''s assistant immediately began scheming.


    Isabe narrowed her eyes and listened with interest.


    She wanted to see Isabel ruined more than anyone else. She would give anything to see Isabel fall out of grace with the public.


    With that said, she was still traumatized with shes of Decker viciously choking her and threatening her on that fateful night.


    Even if Isabel no longer had any major financial benefactors, she still had her television deal to fall back on. She also had to


    factor in Amanda who was a well-known figure in the industry, thus she would have to be very careful in her approach.


    She took a deep breath and stated reluctantly, "No, not yet."


    She made a mental note of speaking to rice in a few days. She would borrow rice''s hand in crushing Isabel.


    The filming progressed without any hups.


    The show producers had deliberately assigned Isabel and Isabe to the same group during their game sessions. During these


    sessions, there had been asions when Isabe wanted to take advantage of the chaotic sequences to shove Isabel into the


    swimming pool as well as the mud pit another time.


    Both times, Isabel was on guard the entire time and managed to duck out of the way the moment she sensed Isabeunching


    herself at her. She made sure to subtly shove Isabe in the back as well for good measure.


    After throwing herself into the swimming pool the first time and plunging headfirst into the mud pit the second time, Isabe


    wisened up atst.


    She resorted to hurling petty insults at Isabel when she knew the camera was pointed away from them, but that was the extent of


    her ploys from there on.


    With that, the filming of the new episode was a wrap.


    Isabel walked out of the set and saw a row of cars parked outside, and one of them was Flint''s car.


    The other guest stars who came out of the building with her immediately noticed Flint''s sports car as well and could not take their


    eyes off it.


    Someone asked curiously, "Who drove that BUD here? Who is that man picking up?"


    "No clue.¡±


    Isabel paid no mind to the gossip. She had Ben drive Ca home before approaching Flint''s car herself. That was when she


    heard Isabe asking in a queer tone, "Isabel, is that your brothering to pick you up?"


    She frowned.


    She remembered how Isabe ran away with her tail tucked between her legs after Flint confronted her yesterday.


    How did she manage to figure out that Flint was her brother?

 Chapter 2127

    Chapter 2127


    Before Isabel could respond, Isabe asked with a sly smirk, "That BJD sure looks nice. From who did your brother borrow it? Do


    you happen to know?"


    As soon as she spat these words out, everyone who was gawking at the car made a face, and the envy in their eyes soon faded.


    The ones who were closer friends with Isabel opted for silence while some of the others did not attempt to conceal the mocking


    look in their eyes.


    ¡®If you could not afford it, then so be it. Why borrow something so expensive to prove a point? How embarrassing.¡¯


    Isabel grimaced.


    She figured that someone must have overheard her dialogue with Amanda and Ca yesterday after Flint left.


    Isabe must be intentionally bringing this up when she knew the others were listening so that she could humiliate her.


    Isabel barely acknowledged Isabe. She took her luggage and continued heading towards the car.


    Flint had stepped out of the car as well and was approaching her. As soon as he revealed himself, everyone became so quiet


    that you could hear a pin drop.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    The other guest stars standing in a row opened their eyes wide, transfixed in shock.


    Due to their stark surprise at how handsome Flint was, theypletely brushed past the fact that he had borrowed the BUD.


    Trying to shame him was thest thing on their minds.


    "Isabel¡¯s brother sure is handsome," one of them expressed without any subtlety,pletely wowed by Flint.


    Isabe scoffed disinterestedly, "| suppose so, but he''s just an ordinaryb researcher by the looks of it. | wonder where he


    borrowed such an expensive car from.¡±


    As soon as she said this, the guest star''s expression dropped, and nobody made any furtherments.


    "Still, | don''t think it''s easy to borrow a carthat expensive," Liz blurted out. She was one of the guest stars who was on rtively


    good terms with Isabel. She was a frequent guest on variety shows, and since she was not considered very popr in


    mainstream media, she was careful not to upset Isabe.


    Despite that, she could no longer stomach Isabe''s tant attempt at undermining Isabel, which was why she blurted out her


    opinion.


    Isabe sneered. "Not easy for you. If | wanted to, | could just spend a bit of money and get someone to lend me a BJD easily."


    After noticing Liz¡¯s scowl, Isabe smiled contentedly and strode off with her assistant.


    Soon, the others dispersed from the scene as well.


    Liz heaved a sigh of relief before sending a text to Isabel to tell her to not worry about what Isabe said. She assured her that


    the others did not badmouth her in any way.


    Meanwhile, Isabel had already gotten into Flint''s car and was already on the way home.


    When she noticed the text from Liz, she feltforted and replied, "| see, thanks for telling me this, Liz."


    It was no big deal since she had made up the part about Flint borrowing the car.


    She barely paid attention to what Isabe said about her. Still, she had to admit she felt very warm and fuzzy inside that Liz took


    the initiative to approach her and offer support.


    Apart from the asional shooting on the set of "The Wonder", Isabel spent the majority of her timezing around at home.


    After wasting away in this manner for half a month, she was getting ready to pull herself together and join the film crew on an


    uing new show. That was when she received a call from Amanda.


    Amanda called to notify her that the mentioned uing show had to be postponed due to the conflicting schedule of a certain


    male lead. The male lead of said show was also very famous in the industry and had a lot of other obligations to attend to.


    Isabel frowned and mumbled, "Okay, then."


    Amanda expressed her displeasure as well, "| don''t know how long they will have to postpone it. It''s ridiculous. We had an


    agreement! They must have seen what happened with youtely and decided that it would be easy to push us around now.


    That''s why they changed the date without bothering to consult us.¡±


    The entertainment industry was certainly very tooth and nail. If you had any sort of leverage, you could be untouchable. If not,


    you were at the mercy of others.


    Isabel grimaced and tried to shrug it off. "It''s fine. | have more time to rest in this case.¡±


    Amanda sighed, then suddenly mentioned, "One more thing: | received an invitation to a certain event."


    Isabel asked, "What is it about? Where is it held?"


    Amanda told her, "It''s a jewelry exhibition at Southboro.¡±

 Chapter 2128

    Chapter 2128


    Isabel made a face, and her enthusiasm immediately drooped.


    Southboro.


    That was where she had her first adult rtionship, which ended rather disastrously.


    Her second partner Rnd, who ended up dumping her, was now in Southboro as well.


    The sheer mention of the city jogged sour memories for her.


    She was silent.


    Amanda noticed how she had suddenly turned quiet as well. After a momentary pause, she said in a low voice, "The jewelry


    exhibition is scheduled for half a monthter. It''s organized by one of thergest jewelry manufacturers in Southboro. They


    seemed very interested in having you attend and offered pretty goodpensation for your time. Why don''t you think about it?¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    This jewelry exhibition was the first endorsement offer she had received since what had happened with rice.


    Then again, the Southboro was the base camp of the Houstons and the Rockwells, so what was the likelihood that this


    organization hadn''t heard about her involvement with rice? Why would they approach her?


    She was in no mood to trouble herself over these matters


    right now and told Amanda, "Let me think about it."


    She was hesitant to go at all. She would much rather not step foot in Southboro again for the rest of her life.


    Still, she still had to consider things from Amanda''s perspective, then there was also her team who had been faithfully working for


    her all this time.


    Amanda was very understanding. "Alright, you can think about it. It''s fine if you don''t want to go."


    "Yeah, I''ll let you know after | think about it."


    "Sure."


    With that, Amanda hung up and Isabel copsed in her bed again.


    Avery famous TV show was projected on the screen.


    There were also piles of snacks and drinks set on the table in front of her.


    Asvish as it seemed, she was beginning to feel like she was getting sick and tired of living like this. She was burned out and


    was in no mood to eat anything or watch the show at all.


    Afterying on the bed motionlessly for a while, staring at the ceiling with nkness in her eyes, she reached for her phone and


    opened her feed.


    She was swarmed by a flux of media and news. She read updates about a certain streamer whose views had recently tanked


    significantly, then there were some articles about the recent trending TV shows.


    She had also received countless direct messages from her fans who were concerned about her because she had not made any


    new posts recently.


    It was only then did she realize that she had not posted anything at all since her break up with Rnd.


    Since she had no active brand endorsements or any other contractual obligations to speak of, she had no incentive to make any


    posts at all.


    To ease the concerns of her restless fans, she picked out a coge of nine pictures taken a while ago and posted them.


    She attached a short caption with the post: "I''m doing fine, my loves. Don¡¯t worry about me."


    Her fans immediately swarmed to the post to leavements because they knew that Isabel had posted the update forthem.


    The messages they left were all very heartwarming. There were too many messages for Isabel to sift through them all, thus she


    had no choice but to reply to them selectively.


    Without realizing it, she interacted with her fans until it was already nighttime.


    "Uuu..." She heard the soft gurgle of a toddler outside her room.


    That could only be Flint carrying their nephew in his arms. He was probably here to tell her to join them for dinner.


    The toddler''s voice was so cute that she immediately dropped everything on hand andunched out of bed to join them.


    Over the next few days, Isabel spent her time in between a handful of activities such as sleeping, ying with her nephew, or


    lying in bed and interacting with her fans on the phone.


    At first, her fans were delighted to get to spend so much time with her.


    After a few days, even they had had enough of it, and they began asking Isabel if she did not have anything else going on. They


    were curious why she had so much time on the phone to chat with them instead of having to work.


    Isabel did not know how to respond to this. After deliberating over it for a while, she came up with a vague exnation. "I¡¯ve just


    been a little overworkedtely, so | decided to rest at home for several days."


    Her fans seemed very understanding and told her to make sure to get ample rest.

 Chapter 2129

    Chapter 2129


    Acertain fan was very sharp-witted and left behind ament: "If I''m not mistaken, hasn¡¯t the shooting for" Legend of the


    Goddess" wrapped around a month ago? You couldn''t have been resting at home for more than a month, have you?"


    Isabel tensed up.


    The other fans had gone quiet as well. They were all staring at their screens waiting for her to respond to this.


    The only saving grace was that they were having a digital conversation instead of face-to-face dialogue, so this gave her some


    time to consider her response. She typed out her response with some resemnce of guilt. "Of course not. | just happened to


    have time to text these past few days."


    The same fan continued interrogating her, "How long are you going to be on break for?"


    Isabel told the fan, "Till next week. I''ll have to get back to it next week."


    ¡°Alright then, hope to see you again next week."


    The other fans chimed in.


    "Yeah, we haven''t seen you on the big screen for a while and were wondering if something happened to you."


    "It''s great if you have something lined up. Make sure you leave some time aside to rest and don''t overwork yourself


    "| think so." Liam continued after a brief hesitation, "The problem is that most of the people in Rockwell Corporation are


    supporting Decker. Even though old Master Rockwell has retired, he still has a certain amount of influence in the corporation.


    With him and the Houstons backing Decker, | don''t think Rnd has any chance against them, especially when he doesn¡¯t have


    any support to speak of."


    Caprice sighed weakly, then soon her temper got the best of her and she said snappily, "You know what? Serves him right! He


    deserves this for breaking Isabel''s heart!"


    Inside the room, Liam was gently caressing Caprice, but his face was wrought with concern. He seemed worried about Rnd.


    Isabel overheard their conversation.


    Just as Caprice said, it was Rnd''s fault for dumping her! He deserved to be ostracized by Rockwell Corporation!


    Then again, the thought of him being surrounded by enemies everywhere in Southboro, being ganged up by his cunning


    rtives and grandfather, sent a bitter feeling down her stomach.


    She sighed irritably and decided to look for Flint in the game room instead to take her mind off things by ying video games.


    They yed for several rounds and managed to clear several levels, even killing one of the hardest bosses in the game. And yet,


    it did not deliver her any satisfaction.


    Flint, on the other hand, seemed content. He motioned with the controller. "Sis, another round?"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel dropped the controller sullenly. "I''m done. You can y by yourself."


    With that, she returned to her room.


    She grabbed her phone and looked up information about Rockwell Corporation on the inte.


    There was sparse information about Rockwell Corporation and hardly any news or rumors about what they had been up totely.


    She sighed.


    Then, she sent a text to Amanda, "Hey, Amanda, is the offer for the jewelry exhibition at Southboro still up?"


    Amanda replied within minutes, "Yeah, they just called and asked if you were interested."


    Isabel bit the bullet. "I''ll go."

 Chapter 2130

    Chapter 2130


    Chapter 2130


    Amanda was delighted. "Great, I''ll call them right now.¡¯


    After a moment, she sent another text to Isabel. "What made you decide to go anyway?¡±


    Isabel''s answer was convincing. "It''s the only offer we''ve got recently. If | turn it down, even my fans are going to start


    comining.¡±


    Amanda replied, "Heh, alright then.¡±


    Isabel smiled wryly and set aside her phone.


    Her fans were a part of it, but there was another reason-she wanted to witness Rnd getting booted out of Rockwell


    Corporation with her own eyes!


    It would be ideal if she could be there to see it the very moment it happened. She wanted to see him scrambling out of Rockwell


    Corporation in a state of disgrace, and she would be the first one to run up to him andugh in his face!


    This was the precise reason she chose to go to Southboro!


    Southboro was right along the coastline, which meant that the city was known for its wonderful weather and scenery.


    During her half-year stay in Coastrock five years ago, she was always busy, and so was Decker. Therefore, she very rarely got a


    chance to see the city and enjoy the leisurelyThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    activities the city had to offer.


    It was a four-hour flight from Westchester to Southboro.


    Shended in Southboro with Ca tagging along two days before the jewelry exhibition.


    She did not want to trouble the organizers and booked a suite for herself and Ca in a hotel by the coastline out of her own


    pocket instead.


    As night fell, the road lining the coastline was lit up with the radiant glow of streetlights. The sand on the beach basked in the


    spillover orange glow as well.


    The people frequenting the beach were dressed leisurely for a rxing walk by the beach, ready to enjoy the evening breeze.


    Isabel sat by a window and watched the sea for a while.


    She noticed countless restaurants and stalls lining the beach. After a while, she changed into a nice casual dress, then she


    brought Ca to the beach with her.


    They were going to go for a quick stroll and find something delicious to eat.


    The elevator brought them to the first floor.


    Just as she was leading Ca out of the elevator with her and was about to step out of the hotel, she noticed a familiar figure


    coming from the opposite direction.


    It was a man dressed in a tailored suit and polished leather shoes. His build was tall and lean. His entirely cold and distant


    demeanor only added to his suave, and his features were chiseled like that of a model''s.


    Isabel found herself holding her breath without realizing it, and she ground to a halt.


    It had been more than a month since they broke up.


    Suddenly, she felt as if an electric shock had run through her body and sent a revitalizing pulse to her heart that had been cold


    and dormant this entire time.


    It seemed like Rnd did not notice her. He walked straight into the elevator with two of his entourages tailing him. He cast his


    eyes fixedly forward the entire time without ncing to the side.


    It was only when he was nearing Isabel that he noticed her staring at him and nced in her direction.


    There was some doubt in his eyes.


    Isabel suddenly remembered that she had taken care to conceal her appearance before stepping out of the hotel since she was


    a notable public figure. She was wrapped in a thick scarf with masks and sunsses to boot.


    With her face tightly covered, there was not a chance that Rnd could have recognized her.


    Upon realizing this, she no longer felt so nervous. Instead, she reced it with a burning anger.


    She waited until Rnd was just stepping past her. Right at that opportune moment, she raised her feet and jabbed down at his


    leather shoe with a deep grunt.


    Rnd did not even yelp. He cringed from the pain and stopped in his tracks.


    Isabel noticed him wince and took delight in seeing it.


    Immediately after that, she pulled her feet away and ran outside the hotel before Rnd¡¯s colleagues could catch up to her.


    Ca ran with her, wheezing by the time they were out of the woods.


    They had made it out of the hotel before Rnd''s men could catch up to them at all.


    Both the men were very upset, and one of them was even debating on chasing after Isabel and Ca.


    Rnd stopped them. "Don''t bother."


    They would not relent. "Sir, that woman covered from head to toe looks very suspicious. We need to catch her right now before


    she tries something again."


    Rnd nced in the direction where Isabel ran off to with Ca and said while jerking his lips to the side, "She only wanted to


    send a message by jabbing at my foot. That''s all.¡±


    One of them noticed the faint, knowing smile hanging by the corner of his lips and asked puzzledly, "How do you know that? Do


    you know her?"


    "Yeah."


    They were taken aback by this.


    ¡°Anyway, we need to hurry upstairs. The meeting is about to start.¡± With that, he turned around and continued heading into the


    hotel with his usual formality and stoutness.

 Chapter 2131

    Chapter 2131


    Chapter 2131


    His entourage did not make any unnecessaryments and followed after him.


    Isabel led Ca across the road outside the hotel in one quick sprint. They finally stopped when they arrived at the spot on the


    beach where people crowded around.


    She took a deep breath and checked behind them.


    Ca was out of breath from running by this point. "I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on them. They''re not following us."


    "Yeah.¡± Isabel smiled, still not over the high of getting to stomp on Rnd¡¯s foot just now.


    How exhrating!


    His foot must be throbbing in pain.


    Such a shame she could not find the space to give him a good punch as well. She would have dly punched him until he was


    completely unrecognizable!


    "| wasn''t expecting to see him here. What a coincidence," Ca caught her breath atst andmented.


    Isabel did a double-take.


    It was certainly a strange coincidence.


    Perhaps the forces above had decided to make things right for her atst. This was a chance for her to exact revenge after that


    man had dumped her without reason.


    She did not give the matter any further thought and tugged at Ca. "Let''s go. Let''s find something nice to eat.¡±


    There were several rows of local food stalls lined along the beach. The local food scene was bustling.


    They ate while walking along the coastline, feeling the gentle caress of sea breeze across their skin. Nothing could be better


    than this.


    After eating and drinking their fill, they plopped down on the beach to rx.


    Isabel found herself darting nces in the direction of the hotel from time to time.


    Judging from the solemn look on Rnd''s face when she saw him, he must be here for some sort of meeting. She wondered if


    he was finished with his meeting yet.


    Suddenly, a strong gust of sea breeze kicked up out of nowhere. She shivered from the cold and shrugged her head from side to


    side.


    The chill jolted her to her senses, and she reminded herself that there was no point wondering what Rnd was up to. It was


    none of her concern since he was only her ex-boyfriend.


    She finished her ss of fruit juice and went back to the hotel with Ca.


    After entering the hotel, they went straight for the elevator.


    The elevator was on its way down.


    By another devilish coincidence, the elevator door opened to reveal Rnd''s tall and stout figure standing right in front of Isabel.


    He stood in the center with his entourages nking him on two sides, appearing very eye-catching.


    She flinched, and her eyes widened with stark surprise. Her first instinct was to run, but her wits told her to stand her ground.


    There was nothing to fear. She was wrapped in a thick scarf with a face mask on, so he could not possibly recognize her.


    Something shed in Rnd''s eyes. He probably recognized her merely as the person who had stomped on his feet just now.


    His calmness was restored swiftly and he proceeded out of the elevator.


    He walked past Isabel with his entourage following him closely.


    Isabel resisted the urge to assault him again, then she ducked into the elevator with Ca.


    Ca let out a deep sigh and turned to Isabel. "Oh my God, | was scared to death back there. Did you see the way he looked at


    you? | thought he recognized you."


    Isabel scoffed, "What is there to be afraid of?"


    She had always been a tremendous actress. Besides, there was no way Rnd could have recognized her since her


    appearance was concealed. The only way he could have done so was if he was a sorcerer.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ca chuckled. "You''re amazing.¡±


    Isabel took delight in Ca''s praise and was about to sh a smug grin when something suddenly urred to her. She looked at


    Ca with a horrified expression.


    "Ca, did you go out like this?"


    Ca asked in a puzzled tone, ¡±Yeah, what''s the matter?"


    "You mean you haven''t been wearing a scarf or a face mask the entire time?¡±


    Ca answered innocently, "Um, no?"


    She was only an assistant unlike Isabel who was a well- known actress. There was no reason or need for her to conceal her


    appliance.


    Isabel did not speak. She only stared at ra nkly.


    After a while, she scowled with her eyes turning red, and she cursed viciously, "Argh! Rnd, you b*stard!"

 Chapter 2132

    Chapter 2132


    Chapter 2132


    She was confident Rnd could not have recognized her since she had concealed her appearance.


    Unfortunately, Ca was right next to her, and she was instantly recognizable.


    Rnd must have recognized Ca at first sight. Even a fool could figure out who the identity of the masked stranger Ca was


    with. He was only pretending to not recognize her!


    Isabel felt so furious that she could explode into a ball of fire right then and there.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Without warning, she punched the elevator button to take them back to the ground floor.


    Ca was confused by this. "What''s wrong? Why are we going down again?"


    Isabel gnashed her teeth back and forth angrily. She was going to confront Rnd and punch his face!


    The elevator quickly brought them to the first floor.


    Before the elevator door fully opened, she sprang outside. She ran to the parking lot outside the hotel just in time to spot Rnd


    getting into a car.


    One of his assistants was just entering the passenger seat.


    Isabel sprinted as fast as her legs could take her.


    Just when she was about to reach the car, it picked up speed and drove away right before her very eyes.


    She chased after the car, refusing to give up. Her chase was ultimately fruitless since the distance between her and the car only


    widened, which left her with no choice but to cry out vainly, "Rnd, stop right there!"


    The upants inside the car could not have heard her at all. Shortly after that, it pulled into the road and continued to elerate


    away.


    Isabel continued her pursuit until she reached the main road, but it was already vanishing out of sight by that point.


    She was doubled over, gasping for air at that point. The choking anger within her made her feel worse at that point.


    After catching her breath, she cursed out loud, "Rnd, you prick! Just wait!"


    If she saw him again, she was going to end him!


    Meanwhile, it was eerily silent inside the car that had driven away from her, coursing down the highway.


    Rnd''s bodyguard was driving while one of his assistants was seated in the passenger seat. They all zipped their mouths,


    afraid to even emit a sound when breathing, all while darting cautious nces at the back through the rearview mirror.


    Rnd was sitting by himself in the backseat. Soon, he was also staring at the rearview mirror outside the car.


    From the rearview mirror, he could see Isabel''s faint figure standing by the side of the road. Her figure was just a tiny blob that


    vanished out of sight eventually.


    He could tell that she was furious just by looking at her stance.


    Something gleamed in his eyes while he grimaced faintly. It would appear that he was only pretending to not recognize her.


    His hands were tightly clenched the entire time they were driving away. Soon, the faint glow in his eyes dissipated and he


    addressed the driver in a cold voice, "Focus on driving."


    The bodyguard quickly sat up straight, and his assistant in the passenger seat awkwardly adjusted his position as well. Both of


    them no longer dared to spy on Rnd through the rearview mirror.


    Isabel was fuming. She was this close to making the rash decision of having someone dig up Rnd''s address in the city so that


    she could storm over to his ce and confront him.


    Fortunately, she calmed down after returning to the hotel and taking a shower. She remembered that they had broken up some


    time ago.


    What impression would she give if she confronted him? Would he think that she was not over him yet?


    She told herself that she was better than that. If their


    rtionship hade to an end, then so be it. If that prick Rnd was going to act like a stranger with her, that meant he was


    done for good with her, and there was no reason for her tosh out.


    She also reminded herself of her purpose foring to Southboro. Apart from heading to the jewelry exhibition, she was also


    here to witness his downfall.


    She could simply bide her time and wait until Rnd got kicked out of Rockwell Corporation. That would be the perfect time for


    her to go up to him and mock him.


    She told herself all these things to still her restless heart. Then, she crawled into bed and fell asleep shortly after.

 Chapter 2133

    Chapter 2133


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye.


    The coordinator in charge of the jewelry exhibition approached Isabel.


    Amanda had justnded in Southboro from Westchester and promptly joined Isabel along with Ca.


    Isabel spoke with the coordinator for some time and acquainted herself with the procedure of the exhibition and the parts in


    which she would be involved. After that, she went to get her makeup done and put on the jewelry they provided for her. With


    everything ready, she attended the exhibition.


    It was only after she arrived at the exhibition that she realized the sheer scale of the exhibition. It was farrger than she had


    expected.


    The venue was enormous and d in brilliant lights, and all sorts of expensive pieces of jewelry were put on disy everywhere.


    The attendees were not limited to the Southboro locals; the wealthy from all over the world had alsoe to attend the premium


    event.


    She was equally shocked when she found out that she was the only celebrity modeling at the exhibition.


    It was a great surprise after what happened with rice since many businesses had made a point of steering away from her.


    Besides, even if the episode with rice did not happen, there were still many names in the industry who would easily deserve


    an invite over her, thus it was astounding that she could even be shortlisted at all.


    Why did they decide to invite her specifically?


    Perhaps the owner of thepany was a big fan of hers.


    As surprised as she was, she made sure to keep her wits about her. She straightened her back and strode into the venue with a


    confident smile. She exuded fine elegance befitting the precious jewelry strapped around her neck while her smile was subtle


    and filled with charm.


    She paced calmly across the venue, every step filled with gravity and grace.


    As soon as she approached the stage, she drew the attention of everyone in the venue.


    People began to murmur amongst themselves, "Who is she? What family is she from? Howe | haven''t seen her before?"


    Someone supplied, "I think she''s Isabel Ross, a celebrity actress."


    "She has such an impressive presence. | thought she was some richdy from some noble house."


    Isabel was unaware of these discussions. She was focused solely on representing the jewelry house as well as she could,


    considering they took a gamble on her and had given her such a big stage.


    She subtly raised her chin upward to show off the ne curtaining her corbone.


    She swung her arms gently as she walked, allowing the bracelets to dance with every step she took, the countless gemstones


    d on its surface glittering under the ceiling lights.


    It did not take long before the attendees began enquiring with the staff about the pieces she was wearing.


    When she was just about to step onto the stage, she noticed two familiar figures. She halted briefly, her eyes turned cold and


    menacing.


    Directly at the foot of the stage, less than three meters away from her was none other than rice. She was dressed with refined


    taste as usual, and next to her was Isabe who was d in all sorts of expensive jewelry and diamonds. Both of them were


    seated on a high chair, and they looked at her with tant hostility and concealed shock.


    They must not be expecting Isabel, of all people, to model for the jewelry house.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel threw them an indifferent look and promptly resumed her gait. Keeping her cool about her, she calmly stepped onto the


    stage. The way she ignored them only further upset rice and Isabe.


    Isabe turned to rice, her face stark with disgust and disbelief. "Why is she here?"


    rice snorted contemptuously, then she reached for her phone and texted her secretary.


    She instructed her secretary to contact the jewelry house and find out why they had approached Isabel, of all people. This was to


    be further supplied with a veiled threat of whether they hoped to resume business in Southboro.


    The jewelry house was an international brand with countless outlets spread across the world. With that said, Southboro was one


    of the premium markets, and no business would want to lose ess to a market like Southboro.


    Isabel waspletely unaware that rice was already plotting against her. She walked onto the stage and began to conduct


    the exhibition ording to the procedure the coordinator had briefed her on.


    Meanwhile, the coordinator of the exhibition was standing backstage with a handsome young man dressed in a tailored suit with


    matching leather shoes.


    It was at that point when the phone of the coordinator suddenly rang. He threw a nce at the man beside him.


    The man was staring at Isabel and barely acknowledged the coordinator.


    The coordinator took two careful steps backward and proceeded to answer the call.

 Chapter 2134

    Chapter 2134


    After wrapping up the phone call, the coordinator anxiously approached the man in a suit and spoke in a careful voice," Mr.


    Rnd, Miss Houston''s secretary just called me and asked why we chose Isabel to represent our brand in this exhibition. She¡¯s


    threatening to restrict us from the Southboro market.¡±


    Even after hearing this, Rnd''s expression barely changed.


    After a moment, he said withplete disinterest, "Tell her that she¡¯s free to leave if she¡¯s not enjoying the show."


    The coordinator was just as irked by rice''s attitude, but he was in a delicate position. "Well, she''s still Miss Houston at the end


    of the day. Is there any way we can handle this better?¡±


    "No, tell her exactly what | said."


    The coordinator said in a giddy voice, "Sure, I''ll get back to her secretary right now.¡±


    Rnd had built up the brand from the ground up and set up branches all over the world.


    Without exaggeration, their brand was a world-ss brand. The Houstons may be very influential in Southboro, but that was the


    extent of their influence.


    Even if rice was to boycott their jewelry house from Southboro, it would barely hurt their business considering


    they had plenty of other markets avable to them.


    Isabel was still on the morous stage with the host, and the two of them conducted the event together.


    During their exchange on stage, they made sure to continuously promote the pieces of jewelry on disy.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Isabel was very engaged on stage and had excellent chemistry with the host. Not only did she add a wonderful ir to the event,


    but she also provided a significant boost to the viewership on the live stream.


    Meanwhile, below the stage, rice and Isabe remained seated in their seats and watched Isabel on stage. Both of them


    were eagerly waiting to see Isabel getting kicked off stage by the exhibition coordinator.


    However, ten grueling minutes had passed, and Isabel finished conducting the event with the host by that point. After that, she


    graciously stepped off the stage only to be swarmed by a flock of wealthydies who were enamored with her and the jewelry


    she was wearing.


    Needless to say, rice immediately grew sullen upon witnessing this. She grabbed her phone again and called her secretary.


    Isabe looked at Isabel, her eyes green with envy. She pricked up her ears to listen in on rice''s phone call.


    rice hissed sharply into the phone, "What''s going on? Didn''t | tell you to speak to the exhibition coordinator?¡±


    She could not hear what the secretary said on her phone, but judging by rice''s sour expression, it must not have been


    anything good.


    rice gnashed her teeth like a beast and asked sharply, " Hold on, what did they say? Repeat that right now!


    ¡°How dare he tell me to leave?! Don''t test me. I''ll call off this event right now if | have to!"


    Her voice to a sharp pitch because of how infuriated she was.


    This drew the attention of some of the attendees, and a few of them darted curious nces in her direction.


    rice could not stomach these people looking at her like that. She was the daughter of the Houstons! She was royalty and


    commanded respect. To be in her presence was a blessing in itself!


    She clenched her jaw, tight with nerves, then she promptly got up and stormed outside.


    Isabe was upset when she saw rice storming off.


    Was she not going to do anything about Isabel?


    Besides, there was still plenty of luxurious jewelry to see.


    As much as she was unwilling to leave just yet, she knew she could not risk getting on rice''s bad side. She scoffed mockingly


    in Isabel''s direction, then followed rice out of the building.


    Meanwhile, Isabel was showered with attention from the attendees and barely realized that rice and Isabe had left. In fact,


    they were pretty much told to leave.


    She took the time to talk to everyone and took pictures with them. In the middle of all that, she made sure to promote some of


    the trademark pieces of the jewelry house. Before she knew it, the exhibition was nearing its end.


    Throughout the night, she had also noticed several pieces that she fancied as well.


    Since she was not in a hurry to leave, she browsed the exhibition for a while and picked up several pieces for herself.


    Just as she was about to bring them to the counter to pay for them, the coordinator of the exhibition showed up.


    He asked with a warm, weing smile, "Miss Isabel, are these your take-homes for the night?¡±


    Isabel smiled and nodded.

 Chapter 2135

    Chapter 2135


    Chapter 2135


    The coordinator said generously, "Give them to me. I''ll pack them up for you. You don¡¯t have to pay for them."


    Isabel smiled appreciatively. "Thank you for the offer, but it''s alright. | don''t mind buying them.¡±


    There was no use stating that they would be giving her free jewelry in the contract they had signed. Besides, the pay was


    already more than generous.


    The coordinator would not have it. "You''re very kind, Miss Isabel, but please let us do this for you. You''ve done a terrific job for


    us, and it''s only right we give you some gifts as a nice gesture."


    Isabel stood her ground. "You''re just an employee like everyone else here. What if your boss finds out that you''re giving away


    freebies? It would not be a good look for you."


    The coordinator made a look and promptly responded, ¡®Thank you for your concern, but it was our boss who insisted on inviting


    you here. You might not know this, but our boss is a big fan of yours and loves your work. He will be more than happy to know


    that you took something home with you, so please, be our guest."


    Isabel frowned. "If he''s my fan, then that''s more reason for me to not take advantage of his kindness."


    This was one of the codes she followed. She would never take advantage of her fan''s devotion, even if it was an obscenely


    wealthy fan.


    The exhibition coordinator was appalled by how stubborn Isabel was being about this. He nced in another direction while she


    was not looking. He wanted to see what his boss had to say about this.


    Isabel quickly caught his subtle nce and spied in the same direction he was looking at.


    She caught a glimpse of a tall figure standing behind a pir. That person looked very familiar.


    She immediately jolted with alert. She picked up her dress, so it would not drag behind her and sprinted after that figure,


    completely forgetting about the jewelry she was nning to buy.


    She had only caught the mysterious person¡¯s face for a brief instant, but it was a face that she would have recognized no matter


    what!


    She found herself in the middle of a hallway. It was a long and narrow hallway with a window at its end.


    There was not a soul in the hallway.


    She was sure she saw that figure running this way, so why was nobody there?


    She looked at both sides of the corridor where there were several doors.


    Which room did he hide in?


    She frowned and shouted to no one in particr, "Are you hiding from me? How dare you call yourself a man? Come out here


    and face me!"


    Her only response was the silence ringing in her ears.


    She stepped forward still holding the hem of her skirt in her hands. She cautiously inspected the doors on both sides of the


    corridor.


    As she walked, she continued her monologue, unsure if anyone was listening at all.


    "If you have the guts to dump me, then you should at least have the dignity to face me.


    "Why are you being such a coward? Are you that afraid of me begging you to take me back? Don''t think so highly of yourself. |


    only came here


    because | heard you went back to your family, | want to see for myself how pathetic you look now!"


    She was already nearing the end of the hallway by this point. At this point, she felt a bitterness stinging at her which made her


    cry out loud, "Rnd, you prick, if you still don''te out and face me, I''ll tear down each door one after another to find you!"


    "Ahem." She heard someone cough behind her.


    She turned around immediately.


    The moonlight spilling in through the window outlined Rnd''s tall and lean figure. He looked at Isabel with a faint smile hanging


    by the corner of her lips.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    For just a brief instant, Isabel felt her mind going nk.


    The serenity onlysted for a moment, which was afterward reced by a tumultuous storm brewing inside her.


    It felt as if her voice was caught in her throat. She wanted to speak her mind but could not produce a sound.


    She just stared at him in a daze as she took in the sight of his handsome features. Atst, she murmured, "I thought you would


    be too scared to face me.


    Rnd grinned. "I already came out after the first time you called for me."

 Chapter 2136

    Chapter 2136


    Isabel cringed.


    Had he been stalking behind her the entire time?


    What was the meaning of this? He was toying with her!


    She felt a swell of fury rise up in her chest. "Then, why didn''t you say anything?!"


    Rnd looked like he wanted to say something, but he decided against it. He wanted to exin, but he realized that he did not


    know how to exin it in concise terms and gave up on the idea.


    Besides, they had already broken up, so there was no point exining anyway.


    Isabel grunted and folded her arms across her body. She asked sharply, ¡± What are you doing here?"


    Rnd said nonchntly, "| came here with a client to see the exhibition."


    He came to see the exhibition with a client?


    Isabel eyed him suspiciously.


    Then again, most of the attendees were rich folks, so it did make sense that his clients would want to attend a jewelry exhibition.


    She dropped the subject and continued interrogating him, "Why did you hide when you saw me?"


    He remained silent and was reluctant to answer.


    This made her grow nervous somehow, and she asked agitatedly, ¡°Were you worried about what | would say to you if | saw


    you?"


    He frowned. "No."


    She snapped at him, "Then, why did you run from me?"


    If he was not scared of having to interact with her, why did he flee from her both times they ran into each other?


    Could it be that he was simply afraid of seeing her?


    Rnd pursed his lips tightly and refused to answer, letting the silence stew between them.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± Isabel cried out vehemently.


    "Isabel,!-"


    "Sir." Suddenly, a young man approached from the mouth of the hallway with a frantic look on his face.


    It seemed like he was going to say something important to Rnd, but when he noticed Isabel standing next to her, he grew


    hesitant.


    Isabel recognized the man. He was one of the men who apanied Rnd when she saw him at the hotel. Judging by the


    looks of it, he was probably Rnd''s assistant.


    Rnd peered at him, then he turned to Isabel. "| have something important to attend to. | will exin things clearly the next time


    we meet.¡±


    With that, he turned and hurried out of the hallway without bothering to give time for Isabel to respond.


    Isabel was dumbstruck by his sudden departure. She stood in the same spot, grinding her teeth.


    Exin what to her?


    Was he worried that she was not over him yet?


    She was skeptical that they would even see each other again after this.


    She scoffed and promptly sorted out her food. After that, she returned to the exhibition hall.


    She turned down the generous offer of the coordinator to gift her the jewelry and promptly took out her wallet to pay for them


    herself. She made sure to gift some pieces of jewelry to Ca and Amanda and kept two additional pieces for herself. She was


    going to gift them to Sylvia and Caprice when she returned to Westchester.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    After that, she returned to the hotel apanied by Ca and Amanda.


    It was nearing evening and it was slowly darkening outside.


    She sat by the window and stared at the serene sea.


    Ca sat next to her and was focused on a variety show that she was watching on her phone.


    Shortly after that, Amanda approached them and asked, "Isabel, are you going to tour the city for a few more days or are you


    going home tomorrow?"


    Isabel looked out of the window with a nk look in her eyes. After a brief silence filled with pensive thoughts, she told Amanda,


    "I''m going home tomorrow."


    There was no point staying here.


    Whether Rnd manage to reim Rockwell Corporation or got himself booted out in the end was none of her business.


    They had already broken up a while ago, hadn''t they?


    Amanda observed the forlorn look on her face and expressed with a sigh," Alright then, I''ll buy the tickets right now."


    As night fell, the beach was showered in golden lights again as the roadside stalls were set up and the bustling nightlife was in


    full swing.


    Isabel got sick ofzing around and promptly got up.


    Ca was still watching the same variety show. She asked when she noticed Isabel going somewhere, "Where are you going?¡±

 Chapter 2137

    Chapter 2137


    Chapter 2137


    Isabel remarked casually, "I''m heading to the beach for a quick walk. You don¡¯t have toe with me."


    She only wanted some alone time to clear her head. Besides, she did not want to interrupt Ca who was immersed in watching


    her favorite show.


    After she threw on her usual disguise of a mask and a hat, she made her way to the beach.


    Most of the people at the beach at this hour were young people, many of them in pairs.


    Isabel felt a little self-conscious when she saw all the lovebirds around her. She strolled along the beach for a while until she


    reached a distant part where there was nobody around. Then, she proceeded to sit on the sand.


    While she was losing herself in the gentle sea breeze, a ck sack was suddenly thrown over her head, catching herpletely


    off guard. She felt her arms seized from behind as well, immobilizing her within seconds.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    She was frightened by the sudden assault, and her first instinct was to resist.


    Soon, she felt herself carried in the air with her arms still pinned to her back, leaving no room for resistance.


    She shrieked at the top of her voice, ¡¯Help-"


    "Isabel, you¡¯d better keep your mouth shut if you don''t want anything to happen to you.¡± She heard a deep growl in her ears, and


    the voice was grim yet familiar.


    She frowned. "Decker?"


    She struggled vainly again before crying out, "Let me go, tell them to let me go!¡±


    Her vision waspletely shrouded in darkness. She could feel herself carried in a certain direction with a quickening pace.


    Decker snarled, ''TH tell them to let you go if you stop resisting and listen to what | say."


    Isabel knew better than to continue rebelling against him since her safety was the top priority. She wisened up and told Decker,


    "lll do whatever you tell me to do. Just let me go."


    "Heh." She heard his sinister chuckle. "Sure, I''ll have them untie you, but only after we get to the car."


    How was she supposed to escape if they took her into a car?


    She was done trying to negotiate with him and resorted back to crying for help, "Help! Somebody help! This person is trying to


    kidnap me-"


    She felt arge hand ced over the ck sack which muffled her screams. Decker hissed into her ears, "Isabel, you''re a


    difficult one, aren¡¯t you? Wait till | take you back. I''ll teach you a firm lesson."


    While threatening her, hepped his other arm around Isabel''s waist to feel her up.


    Isabel felt a wave of disgust and let out a muffled cry, "Argh!"


    ¡®Let go of me, you pervert!¡¯


    She struggled violently.


    Decker had her mouth gagged with force while he continued advancing in the same direction as his aplice.


    Although the ck sack masked her vision, Isabel could still see faint glimpses of light spilling through the sack. She noticed


    bright spots of lights, much like the streetmps lining the street next to the beach.


    Soon, she felt her kidnappers slowing down.


    She heard Decker''s voice. "Open the door."


    It was followed by the sound of a door being flung open, and she was then thrown into the car.


    Her hands and feet were bound tightly, so all she could do was toss and turn around awkwardly without hope of ever freeing


    herself. She could barely fling off the sack thrown over her head.


    She tensed up with fear as sweat poured endlessly down her forehead.


    Was this the end? Was there no escape from Decker?


    Thump!


    Suddenly, she heard a terrific blowing from outside the car.


    She flinched from the sound.


    Then, she heard the unmistakable sound of a fight.


    Thump! Thump! Thump! It was the sound of punches and kicks thrown.


    It sounded like somebody had copsed to the ground.


    Shortly after that, she heard Decker whimpering, ¡±Ro-" before his sentence got cut short. She heard the sound of a body thrown


    to the ground.


    Somebody must have knocked him to the ground before he could finish his sentence.


    She was paralyzed with fear in the backseat of the car, too afraid to move.


    Who was it that took care of Decker for her? Was it someone on her side?


    She had no friends in Southboro except Rnd, so who else woulde to her rescue?


    If she ruled out the possibility of this being an ally, then it could only be Decker''s enemy.


    Would Decker''s enemy kidnap her in turn to spite Decker?


    Her heart was beating like a drum.


    She bundled herself into a ball.

 Chapter 2138

    Chapter 2138


    Creak.


    The door opened, inviting a gentle gust of sea breeze into the car.


    Isabel shivered from the cold and yelped, ¡°I''m not involved with Decker. He kidnapped me."


    There was no response.


    Soon, she felt the gentle touch of two hands ced on her.


    One of the man''s arms wrapped around the back of her neck and gently tugged her upward. The other arm wrapped around from


    under her legs.


    She held her breath.


    Just like that, she was swiftly and gently carried out of the car.


    She could hear the sound of the sea breeze and traffic passing through the highway. Soon, she could even hear the voices of


    beach-goers talking andughing.


    She asked nervously, "Who are you? Where are you taking me?"


    Still, there was no response.


    Over time, she could sense there were more people in the vicinity. At one point, she heard a random beach-goer pointing out,


    ¡°Huh? Why does that girl over there have a sack thrown over her head?¡±


    "She¡¯s not being kidnapped, is she?"


    "It doesn''t look like that guy is kidnapping her. Besides, no one in their right mind would kidnap someone and bring them to a


    public ce like this.¡±


    Isabel heard the murmur of the crowd, and at one point, she was lowered to the ground.


    She could tell that she was taken somewhere else judging by the brighter shes of light seeping through the sack. She was


    handled very delicately as she was lowered to the floor.


    Soon, she could feel the person''s arm withdrawing from her.


    It looked like that person was going to leave without revealing their identity.


    She was rmed by this and quickly yanked at the arm of that person, seizing a wrist just in time. With her other hand, she


    yanked off the sack thrown around her head in one swift motion.


    She was briefly blinded by the fluorescent lights of the hotel lobby.


    When her vision returned, she recognized the man at first nce.


    Rnd must not have been expecting her to somehow manage to untangle her wrists from the ropes bundled tightly around


    them. His beautiful and clear eyes were colored with shock.


    Isabel said with a raised eyebrow, ¡®I knew it was you."


    Rnd did not utter a sound. He merely signaled at several bodyguards who were with him. The bodyguards took the hint and


    promptly walked away to give them some privacy.


    Isabel tugged at his arm and asked him, "How did you know Decker was going to kidnap me and then show up just in time to


    save me?"


    Rnd was silent for a while, then he stated quite unconvincingly, "I just happened to be in the area."


    Isabel shot him a look. "Do | look like | was born yesterday?"


    Rnd averted his gaze from her eyes and nced to the side. ¡®I have something important to deal with, so I¡¯ll be going."


    With that, he tried to break away from her.


    Isabel immediatelyunched herself at him and grabbed his arm tightly with both hands so that he could not escape. "Don¡¯t even


    think about leaving until you exin everything clearly to me!"


    Rnd frowned. "Isabel, I...¡¯


    ¡°What? You what?" She stared intently into his eyes.


    He cast his eyes to the ground. "I really do have something important to attend to."


    ¡°Are you telling the truth or are you just saying that because you don''t want to tell me the truth of why you''re here?" She jabbed a


    step forward and drew closer to him until their bodies were almost touching.


    The moment she drew closer, Rnd flung himself away from her and jumped a step back as if she was a ghost.


    He grimaced tightly with the same avoidant look in his eyes and muttered,¡± You have nothing else to do in Southboro, don''t you?


    You can leave now.


    No point hanging around."


    With that, he turned and walked away.


    Isabel stood frozen and watched as he strode away figure. She clenched her hands tightly, filled with agitation.


    After a while, she sniggered to herself while unclenching her fists.


    He wanted her to leave?This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    No way!


    The weather in Southboro was as fine as it had ever been.

 Chapter 2139

    Chapter 2139


    The next morning, Isabel went to pull the curtains open after she woke up and was immediately blinded by a scorching ray of


    sunlight.


    She showered and changed into something casual before heading out of the room. She took Ca with her to somece nearby


    for breakfast.


    Then, she went to Rockwell Corporation Tower with Ca.


    Ca asked inexplicably, "What are we doing here?"


    Isabel put on her sunsses and said stoically, "We''re here to see someone."


    Ca stopped asking questions.


    The car parked by the roadside, and Isabel promptly got out of the car. Ca followed behind her. The duo walked into the


    building through the main entrance.


    Asecurity guard stopped them. "Credentials?"


    Isabel took off his sunsses and smiled cordially. "I¡¯m Isabel Ross. I''m here to see President Rockwell.¡±


    The security led her to the reception.


    Isabel repeated the same thing to the reception.


    The clerk asked politely, "Which President Rockwell are you looking for?"


    Isabel was about to answer when she spotted a familiar figure stepping into the building.


    It was Rnd. He was wearing a jet-ck suit and was being escorted by his assistants and bodyguards as usual. His


    expression was entirely stoic.


    When the two female clerks at the reception saw him, they began fawning over him.


    Isabel''s expression turned brittle with ice. When she noticed Rnd ncing over in her direction, she said to the reception


    clerks, "I''m looking for President Decker Rockwell."


    Rnd stopped abruptly.


    Isabel barely spared a nce at him as she directed her attention at the reception clerk.


    Upon hearing this, the clerk picked up thendline phone and called Decker''s office.


    She informed Decker''s office, "A Miss Isabel Ross is asking to speak to President Rockwell. Is the president avable right


    now?"


    About roughly two minutester, the clerk put down the phone and informed Isabel with a courteous smile, "Miss Isabel,


    President Rockwell would like to invite you up to his office."


    ¡°Alright, thanks."


    Isabel turned around while instinctively darting a nce in the direction Rnd entered from.


    He was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the entire lobby, but there was no sight of him. He must have left at one point.


    She felt a sudden stuffy feeling in her chest. She took a deep breath and proceeded towards the elevator. She was escorted by


    the staff to the floor where Decker''s office was located.


    Decker''s secretary led them to the entrance of the office before gesturing, "Miss Isabel, President Rockwell is waiting for you


    inside."


    She threw a look at Ca who was standing behind Isabel. " And this is?"


    Isabel remarked, "She''s my assistant."


    The secretary informed politely, "Could you please wait here for a while, Miss? President Rockwell has stated that he only wants


    to speak to Miss Isabel."


    "Sure." Isabel turned to Ca and gave her a look. "Wait for me. I''ll be done in a minute."N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Ca nodded.


    The secretary promptly opened the door for Isabel.


    Isabel walked into the office.


    It was a ratherrge office and very intricately designed. Close attention was paid to the furnishing, so it was still very tasteful


    while beingvishlyrge.


    Decker was sitting gracefully on a leather chair, wearing a ck suit striped with gold.


    He wore a smug grin since the moment Isabel came into the office. His curved smiling eyes were very charming. It was a shame


    that there was a dark green bruise on the corner of his eye from the beating he received.


    Isabel kept her distance from him and stopped several meters away.


    Upon sensing her reluctance to approach, Decker rose from his seat and slowly strode toward her.


    He asked in an intrigued voice, "Isabel, what made you suddenly decide toe to me? Didn''t Rnd take you awayst night?


    Did he ditch you again after that?"


    Isabel stood motionlessly with her hands crossed in front of her as she said sharply, "There''s something | need to ask you."


    "Go ahead. I''ll tell you everything | know," he said while drawing even closer to her.


    Isabel asked without reservation, "How did you find mest night? How did you know | was going to be on that beach?"

 Chapter 2140

    Chapter 2140


    Chapter 2140


    Decker grimaced. He was expecting her to ask something of a different nature.


    He admitted quite bluntly, "I saw a picture of you attending a jewelry exhibition at Southboro yesterday, so | sent my men there to


    spy on you. After the event, | had them tail you, and that''s when they found out you were staying at a hotel nearby. When | went


    to find you, they told me that you had gone to the beach by yourself."


    At this point, he said with a prolonged sigh, "Isabel, | just miss you too much, and you''re not giving me many options.


    | knew you would refuse to see me, so | had to resort to other methods.¡±


    Isabel ignored him and was entirely not in the mood to bicker with him over this.


    She was wondering how Rnd happened to show up and managed to time his appearance so well, just in time to save her


    from Decker''s evil ploys.


    She was not convinced that he just happened to be in the area. Such coincidences were barely possible.


    Besides, she remembered seeing a host of bodyguards with him when she had thrown the sack off her head.


    If he was just loitering around in the area, why would he need so many bodyguards with him? Wouldn''t an assistant suffice?


    Perhaps he already knew about Decker¡¯s ns and had shown up to put a stop to it?


    After all, he was now in a power struggle with Decker, thus it was logical for him to keep an eye on what Decker was up to.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Suddenly, she felt a hand graze across her cheeks.


    She frowned and immediately took a step back. After she dodged away from his advances, she turned and prepared to leave.


    She barely managed two steps before Decker caught up to her and cut off her path.


    He stood adamantly in front of her and asked with a wicked smile, "What, leaving so soon?¡±


    The trauma of almost getting kidnapped by himst night was still fresh in her mind. She had to suppress the urge to punch him


    in the face right there and instead glowered at him. "Yeah, I¡¯ve already asked what | wanted to."


    Decker was in disbelief. "You came here just to ask me this?¡±


    "That''s right."


    He squinted suspiciously, and the gaze in his eyes grew sharper. He doubted that Isabel approached him just to ask a simple


    question.


    She had been avoiding him for so long, and after what happenedst night, she suddenly approached himThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    voluntarily, what could this possibly mean?


    "Isabel, are you nning something?¡± he said as he took another step closer to her while casually resting his hand on her head.


    Isabel repelled away instantly and snapped at him, "I''m already leaving. What can | possibly be nning?¡±


    He grinned. "I suppose so."


    This was his turf, so it did not matter how cunning Isabel was. He was not going to let her outsmart him here.


    Upon noticing his confident expression, Isabel announced her leave, "Well, I''ll be going. You can get back to it."


    She was just about to walk away when he felt her wrist being seized by him.


    She had been mentally prepared for this since the moment she walked into the building. As if they had rehearsed this a thousand


    times, she swung around and jabbed a kick right at his stomach the moment she felt his touch on her wrist.


    Decker barely had time to guard against the blow, and he yelped in pain.


    Isabel made use of the opening to shrug his hand away and ran outside.


    Decker was doubled over with his hand over his lower abdomen, the veins on his forehead bulging because of the sharp pain


    pulsing through him.


    He gnashed his teeth and cried out furiously, "Isabel, don¡¯t you even think about getting out of this building!"


    With that, he reached for his phone.


    While Isabel was fleeing from his office, she briefly heard him yelling into his phone, ordering to have all the exits to the building


    sealed off immediately.


    She had no time to spare and quickly dove into the elevator. She repeatedly tapped the elevator button and waited anxiously for


    the gears to spin and take her to the first floor. The doors opened swiftly.


    Just as soon as the doors opened and she had stepped outside into the hallway, she spotted severalrge and intimidating


    security guards charging aggressively at her from several directions.


    She wanted to retreat into the elevator, but the door had already closed and the elevator was already headed to another floor.


    In a fit of desperation, she picked a random direction where there were no security guards sighted and sprinted that way.


    "Stop!" The security guards chased her.


    She took off and ran.


    She heard wind gushing in her ears as she ran. She passed by several employees at one point before she reached a stairway


    leading to an emergency exit.

 Chapter 2141

    Chapter 2141


    The security guards almost caught up to her.


    Isabel did not have the time to turn around. She climbed up the stairs and went straight up to the third floor, which was empty.


    The third floor was for meetings and all the doors were closed at the moment.


    Isabel panted heavily as she continued running forward. She was trying the doors and wanted to hide inside one of the meeting


    rooms.


    Unfortunately, all the doors were locked.


    The footsteps of the security guards came closer.


    Would this be the end for her?


    Exhausted, Isabel took a few steps forward to reach the next door.


    She did not hold any hope left but she tried to reach for the doorknob nevertheless.


    However, before she could reach it, the door opened.


    Isabel was shocked.


    Ahand came out from inside, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into the room.


    When the security guards arrived, the door was locked tight.


    Everything returned to peace.


    Isabel stared at the man before her behind the door. She was pressed against the door by the man.


    Afraid that she would scream or make any noise, the man covered her mouth tightly.


    All she could do was look at him in shock.


    When the security guards left, she started to struggle and muttered in a muffled voice, "Mhmm! Mhmm! Rnd? Why are you


    here?"


    Rnd stared at her with furrowed brows. He looked frosty, somewhat fierce.


    Isabel shuddered for a moment when she looked into his eyes, but she mustered up her courage and red at him. "Mhmm!


    What are you looking at? Let go of me!"


    Rnd refused to release her mouth, so Isabel was forced to pry his hand away.


    However, he seemed to not want to release her or let her speak. He clutched her face tightly and refused to let go.


    Isabel got anxious. He pinched his hand, forcing him to release her.


    Just when she was about to gasp for air, his hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to his face.


    His handsome looks assaulted her vision.


    Isabel''s lips were sealed again by his forceful kiss.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The familiar yet strange feeling widened her eyes.


    Aside from the shock, her heart pounded wildly.


    What was he doing?


    They had broken up a while ago.


    Was he not afraid that she would annoy and cling to him?


    Isabel was confused.


    Awhileter, the pain on her lips forced her to recollect her thoughts.


    She pushed him.


    What a jerk! Not only did he kiss her, but he also bit her lips.


    The stronger she pushed, the harder he bit.


    He was trying to suck the air out of her body.


    As the suffocation rose, Isabel got anxious and stepped on his foot.


    He froze and forced to release her lips, but his hands were still around her waist.


    His gloomy eyes stared right into her surprised eyes.


    "Isabel, why are you looking for him? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he asked.


    Isabel''s eyes fluttered, and her gaze turned evasive. The words she prepared to curse him were all stuck in her throat.

 Chapter 2142

    Chapter 2142


    Was he angry?


    Why?


    They had broken up!


    Her eyes fluttered. She smiled and answered, "Yeah, I¡¯m trying to get myself killed, but it has nothing to do with you. Why are


    you so riled up?"


    Rnd pursed his lips. His expression turned bitter.


    If Isabel was not familiar with his temper, she would be terrified by his expression.


    She gritted her teeth and said, "Rnd, we''ve broken up a long time ago."


    Rnd pursed his lips tighter. If Isabel was correct, the man was biting his lip.


    Isabel scoffed. "If we''re no one to each other, please let me go. My life and death have nothing to do with you."


    She sounded frosty when she said that.


    Her words were like an icy de piercing Rnd''s heart. His expression remained bitter as he closed his eyes, trying to hold


    back his emotions.


    The atmosphere went quiet for a few seconds.


    Isabel poked the back of his hand. "Let go of me."


    As soon as her words subsided, he pulled her closer again and kissed her once more.


    Isabel''s eyes widened. She pushed him.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    What a jerk! Did he kiss her again?


    She struggled for quite a while. When she was almost out of strength, he finally let her go.


    He stared at her and said with a hoarse voice, "| never said | want to break up with you."


    Isabel was confused. She pondered his words.


    He did not speak of the word ¡®break up¡¯ to her when he proposed they stay separated for a while.


    "You didn''t say you wanted to ¡®break up'' with me but you ran back to Southboro without saying anything. When I called you, you


    clearly said you want to separate!"


    She had a good memory and could remember every word he said.


    Rnd frowned. "| said we should stay separated for a while, it''s not a breakup.¡±


    "A breakup is a breakup! You even said if | can¡¯t wait for you, you want me to forget about you. You said it because you''re too


    cowardly to say the word ¡®break up¡¯.¡±


    Rnd frowned tighter. His expression lookedplicated. "| never wanted to break up with you."


    ¡®Then what do you mean? If you don¡¯t want to break up with me, why did you go back to Southboro without saying anything?"


    os Poses


    "|? What you, me, |, he? Let me go or I''ll scream!" Isabel was annoyed and ran out of patience.


    Rnd narrowed his eyes. "Isabel, I..."


    Isabel screamed, "Anyone-!"


    Before she could attract any unwanted attention, Rnd covered her mouth again.


    He sighed and said, "|e to Southboro because | have something to do here. When I''m done, | can be with you openly."


    Isabel''s widened eyes looked shocked. "Mhmmm..."


    Rnd noticed Isabel was willing to talk and she had lowered her voice, so he let go of her mouth.

 Chapter 2143

    Chapter 2143


    Isabel asked, "What is that you want to do in Southboro? Why must you finish whatever you want to do, only then you can be


    with me openly?"


    A quick thoughtter, Isabel frowned and added, "Were we not together openly before?"


    As far as she knew, they were quite open with their rtionship.


    "It''s a long story. Let''s get you out first,¡± Rnd said. He held her hand and wanted to leave.


    Isabel did not move. She said coldly, "If you don''t make things clear now, | won''t leave with you."


    She refused to follow him. If she followed him out and he brushed her off with some excuse again, she would not be able to do


    anything against him.


    Rnd sighed helplessly. "Isabel, only with your family¡¯s approval can we be together openly."


    Isabel thought of when Flint called her mentioning Rnd''s departure from thepany. Flint told her that her father disagreed


    with them being together, so Rnd left thepany.


    However, it was not a big deal to her.


    Isabel said, "| can handle my dad. My mom, my brother, and Flint, they all respected my decision. If | want to be with you,


    they won''t stop me."


    "| know, but getting your family''s approval is my duty as your boyfriend," Rnd said with pursed lips.


    Isabel was silenced as if a piece of cotton was stuck in her throat.


    Rnd also went silent momentarily before he said, "| have to prove my worth to your family, that''s why | have to go back to


    Southboro to retake what''s mine."


    If he could not even retake what was his, then he was not worthy of being with her.


    He sounded determined yet gentle.


    Isabel''s heart pounded but she was still irritated by his attitude.


    She red at him. "Then you should just tell me the truth. Why did you keep it from me?"


    He had no idea how terrible she felt when they broke up.


    Rnd''s eyes narrowed. He hugged her into his arms and said, "I''m sorry, Isabel."


    He hugged her tightly and exined, "My grandfather and Decker have full control of thepany, it will take me more than a


    day to reim my rightful position. | don¡¯t want you to see me in my worst state and | don''t want you helping me with your


    family''s power."


    If he relied on her help, he would not have retaken thepany back with his own ability and he could not prove himself to


    Odell.


    Therefore, no matter how he saw it, he had to keep it a secret from Isabel.


    Isabel''s heart clenched when she knew the truth.


    She did not know that he left her because he wanted to prove himself to her family and was afraid that she would intervene using


    her family''s power.


    He wanted to reim thepany with his own ability, so he returned to Southboro without saying anything and kept it a secret


    from her. He even had to turn his back on her when he ran into her the other time.


    ¡°Are you not afraid that I''ll think that we''re breaking up for real? What if | cut all ties with you and never look back?"


    She hated looking into the past. If she had made up her mind to cut all ties with him, she would nevere to Southboro nor see


    him again.


    She would never care about his life anymore and would never use the Rockwells to test him.


    The answer she got was a tighter grip around her waist.


    He refused to let her go. He propped his chin on her head for a while before he said with a hoarse voice, "Of course, I¡¯m afraid."


    Since he separated from her and came back to Southboro, he had never had a night of peaceful rest.


    Especially when he saw her crying a river on the inte. He could not sleep for the entire night.


    When he knew rice cut off all of Isabel''s resources, he could not sleep as well. He used his subordinate''s name and


    contacted Amanda as a jewelry fair organizer, hoping that Isabel would show up to the invitation.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    He never thought she would agree to appear, but she did.


    He asked his subordinate to find out which hotel she was staying at and purposely asked his client to meet him there to discuss


    the deal.


    He did not expect to run into her in the lobby.


    Even though she was in disguise, he recognized her at first nce.


    As for the kick, he remembered it until now.


    It was painful but it was heartwarming.

 Chapter 2144

    Chapter 2144


    Chapter 2144


    Isabel''s heart clutched but she remained irritated.


    She grunted and said, "What are you afraid of? If you''re really afraid, why did you pretend that you didn''t see me? Why did you


    run away?"


    Rnd frowned. "Isabel, |..."


    "What you? If you don¡¯t exin yourself, let me go."


    Rnd hugged her tightly. "Isabel, | miss you. If | don¡¯t pretend that | didn¡¯t see you, | would..."


    Isabel''s eyes fluttered. She asked with a raised brow, "You would what?"


    Rnd moved closer to her and looked at her with bloodshot eyes. "I would hug you and kiss you."


    Isabel''s heart pounded, and her face blushed. The irritation and annoyance in her heart were gone.


    She averted his gaze and said timidly, "I''m not that stupid. Don''t expect me to forgive you after telling me all this.¡±


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Isabel, youe to the Rockwells''pany on purpose right?"


    Isabel''s eyes fluttered. She said, "Of course it''s on purpose, | came here to see Decker."


    "Youe to see him because you want to make me jealous, am | right?"


    He looked at her crystal clear eyes. They looked as sincere as usual but a mischievous glint shed.


    It seemed like he already knew what she was thinking but he did not want to expose her.


    Isabel''s eyes fluttered again. She red at him with annoyance and said, ¡®Yeah. | did it on purpose. What are you going to do


    about it?"


    Rnd tightened his lips and curled it into a helpless smile. He stroked her cheek and said softly, "It was my fault. | shouldn''t


    have left without saying anything. Can you forgive me?"


    Isabel was stunned. The anger that got stuck in her throat swiftly dissipated.


    However, if she simply forgave him, how would hepensate her crying at the restaurant and being put online as everyone¡¯s


    after-meal joke?


    Her expression changed. "What if | refused to?"


    Rnd went silent for a moment. ''Then you don''t have to now."


    Isabel''s lips twitched. She did not answer him this time.


    Rnd smiled. "Come on, let''s bring you out."


    He held Isabel''s hand and left the meeting room.


    He was familiar with the floor n of the building.


    Isabel followed him to the first floor through the stairs and easily avoided the security guards.


    Through the fire escape, they exited the building.


    The bright sunlight shone on their faces.


    Suddenly, a thought rushed into Isabel''s mind. "Ca! She¡¯s still inside!"


    Rnd put a cap on her. He answered softly, "Don''t worry. Go back to the car first. Shell be out in a moment."


    Isabel felt rxed after hearing his assuring words.


    He brought her to the car by the roadside and opened the door for her.


    After she settled down, he went into the building again.


    Isabel''s eyes were glued to the entrance.


    Rnd''s tall figure entered without any hindrance.


    The security guard who was ordered by Decker to capture Isabel stepped down when they saw him.


    Isabel''s eyes glinted.


    Judging from the security guards¡¯ reaction, Rnd must have a certain authority in thepany.


    She wondered what he had been through in the past two months.


    After Rnd entered the building, he brought his assistant to Decker''s office.


    The door was closed.


    Rnd nced at his assistant.


    The assistant went up to open the door.


    Inside the office, Decker¡¯s secretary and a security guard were holding Ca hostage; her mouth was taped.


    Decker was behind his desk, toying with a mug with a gloomy look.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

 Chapter 2145

    Chapter 2145


    Chapter 2145


    When Rnd entered the office, Secretary Yamen and the security guard were shocked.


    Even Decker was surprised by Rnd''s arrival, but he was able to squeeze a smile on his face. He asked, "Rnd, at least


    knock before youe in."


    Rnd ignored him and turned his attention to Ca. He said, "Let her go."


    He sounded cold and sinct. His deep voice naturally sounded dignified.


    Decker squinted. He scoffed and said, "Rnd, are you ordering me?"


    Rnd looked at him with the same expression. "You can choose to ignore me but Ms. Houston will be here in five minutes."


    Decker looked disheartened. His gaze became gloomy." Rnd, you think that | don''t dare to touch you?¡±


    Rnd ignored him and stared at him with his calm and clear eyes.


    Even though Decker¡¯s gloomy gaze was terrifying and if his gaze could kill, he would always be dead. He was unfazed.


    The room went silent for a moment.


    Decker then said, "Release her."


    The security guard released Ca.


    Ca got up and ran behind Rnd.


    Rnd nced at his secretary and said, ¡®Take her out."


    "Yes sir."


    The secretary immediately brought Ca out.


    Just when Rnd wanted to leave, Decker said coldly," Rnd, have you taken Isabel out as well?¡±


    Rnd nced at him. "I have nothing to say."


    He then walked out of the office.


    When the door closed, Decker swept the documents off the desk.


    He bolted up and red at the door grimly. With gritted teeth, he bellowed, "Just you wait!"


    Back in the car, while Isabel was recalling what happened in the past two months, she saw Caing out with a


    young man.


    Isabel saw the young man before. When she arrived at Coastrock and ran into Rnd, the young man was beside him. He must


    be Rnd''s assistant.


    The young man sent Ca to the car before returning to the building.


    Ca went into the car.


    "Isabel, are you alright?" Ca looked at her, worried.


    "I''m fine. How about you? Did they hurt you?" Isabel asked.


    Ca was still shaking. She took a deep breath and said," They tied me up and wanted to use me as bait to bring you in.


    Fortunately..."C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Isabel continued her sentence by saying, "Rnd arrived?"


    Since Isabel no longer had scruples calling the name, Ca nodded and exined, "He told Decker to release me.


    Decker refused at first but he said Ms. Houston will be here in five minutes. Only then Decker released me."


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    Decker must be eager to expel Rnd from thepany and he had to rely on the Houstons¡¯ resources and power to do that,


    which was the reason why he could not afford to mess things up with rice.


    If rice knew Decker abducted Ca just to force Isabel toe back to him, it would hurt their rtionship.


    Rnd was using rice to threaten Decker which was a wicked move indeed.


    Isabel''s lips curled. She asked, "What happened next?"


    Ca added, ¡®The assistant sent me out."


    Isabel frowned. "He didn''t say anything to you?"


    "No."


    Isabel grunted.


    Not only did he not say goodbye himself, but he also did not even ask Ca to send her a message. Was he nning to ignore


    her like before?


    Ding!


    Her phone buzzed all of a sudden.


    She pulled it out and saw a text from an unregistered number.


    "I''m busy now. I''ll go to your ce at night."

 Chapter 2146

    Chapter 2146


    Judging from the tone, Isabel knew it was Rnd.


    The displeasure on her face faded. She quickly tapped on the screen of the phone and replied, "Who are you?"


    "Rnd."


    Isabel curled her lips before she put her phone away.


    At the same time, a white car drove into the parking lot of the Rockwells¡¯ building.


    rice came down from the car, her heels cked as she elegantly entered the building.


    When the security guards and receptionists saw her, they greeted her respectfully, "Ms. Houston."


    rice walked past them, headed to the elevator, and went up to Decker''s office.


    She went inside without even knocking.


    Inside the spacious office, Decker was alone at his desk, reading through documents.


    When he saw her, he looked baffled. He got on his feet and asked, "rice? What are you doing here?"


    rice looked around the office but found nothing unusual. She quickly smiled and said, "Decker, | missed you. That''s


    why | came to see you."


    She walked to him.


    Decker walked around his desk and went up to her. He stroked her face affectionately and asked, "Why didn''t you tell me? |


    could''ve settled my work earlier and gone out with you."


    rice smiled happily when she heard him. "I just want to look at you, | didn''t want to disturb your work."


    "You''ll only motivate me to work harder, why would you disturb me?" Decker yfully pinched her nose.


    rice leaned on his chest with a sweet smile. Her eyes subtly stared at the deepest part of his office.


    The ce looked clean as usual and there were no signs and presence of someone else.


    He would not have brought a woman in here, would he?


    Then why would she receive such a text saying that he did?


    rice was confused.


    Decker then said, "rice, you have to be carefultely."


    rice¡¯s expression changed. She looked at him and asked, "Why?"


    Decker said solemnly, "Rnd is making movestely and I''m afraid that he''ll use you against me."


    rice could not help but think of the text she received.


    A quick thoughtter, she asked, "Decker, what did he do to you?"Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Not yet, but | have a feeling that he may be up to something soon." Decker stroked her face again and continued, "But you don''t


    have to worry. I''m prepared for it. He won''t be able to do anything to me.¡±


    rice felt guilty when she heard him.


    Rnd came back for two months already. From the initial istion to his current small following, even though they were mostly


    histe grandmother''s and father¡¯s men, he started to be a prominent force within thepany.


    He was powerful and capable.


    Had rice and Master Rockwell not supported Decker with her family influence and his resources respectively, Decker would


    have already lost.


    Decker was busy with work, why would he have the time to cheat on her with another woman?


    Why would she believe the text that she received from an unknown source?


    rice pursed her lips and sighed. "Decker, I''m sorry. I''m hiding something from you."


    Decker looked confused but he continued softly, "What is it?"


    rice took her phone out and showed the anonymous text she received to Decker.


    The text was sent to her twenty minutes ago.


    ¡°A woman just entered Decker''s office. Come to the office right now."


    Decker''s expression turned grim. He asked angrily, "Who sent you this?"


    rice answered, "! don''t know. It''s anonymous, | can''t track its source."


    Decker feigned a pondering look and then said coldly," Maybe it''s Rnd. He¡¯s trying to sow discord between us.¡±

 Chapter 2147

    Chapter 2147


    "| guess so."


    Being the eldest daughter of the Houstons, if rice left, Decker would lose the support and resources from the Houstons.


    With that, rice said coldly, "Rnd is a wicked man."


    Decker said softly, "It''s okay. Just treat it as spam, forget about it. Go home and have a good rest. I''ll never let Rnd get his


    way."


    rice hummed a reply. She looked at him strongly and said, "Decker, I''ll always be by your side. If you run into any problems,


    just go to my father.¡±


    Decker smiled. "| know. Go back and rest, don¡¯t worry about me."


    rice hugged him again before she left.


    After she left the office, Decker''s expression turned cold.


    He returned to his desk and called the person that he arranged to watch Rnd.


    As soon as the call got through, he asked coldly, "Had Rnd done anything in the past two days?¡±


    Meanwhile at Coastal Hotel, the streetmps on both sides of the street lit up in gold as night arrived. The sea breeze entered


    the opened window, blowing at Isabel''s face lightly.


    She was sitting by the window, waiting for Rnd.


    Judging from his schedule and habit, he would onlyeter in the night.


    Isabel watched TV while having snacks as she waited for Rnd.


    To her surprise, before she could finish an episode, she received a call from the front desk.


    The receptionist said, "Ms. Ross, someone named Rnd Rockwell is here to see you."


    Isabel''s eyes glinted. She said, "Let him through."


    "Alright."


    Isabel put the phone down and went to tidy up her hair and clothes.


    Awhileter, knocks came from the door.


    Isabel ran toward the door but before she opened it, a thought rushed into her mind. She ran back, picked up her phone, and


    continued the episode she paused before feigning a nonchnt look. She then strutted over to the doorand opened it.


    The man¡¯s tall and elegant figure appeared before her eyes.


    He was holding a meticulous jewelry box and a bouquet of flowers.


    His lips were slightly curled. He said deeply, "Good evening."


    Isabel widened her eyes at his handsome looks. Her heart raced unconsciously but she was able to control her emotions and not


    show it on her face.


    She blinked and turned to the TV, feigning a nonchnt look. She hummed and said, "Come in."


    She turned around and wanted to return to the room but a hand grabbed her wrist, stopping her.


    Her heart pounded even faster.


    She suppressed the emotional fluctuation in her and looked at him. "What?"


    Rnd pursed his lips. "You held your phone the wrong way."


    Isabel looked at her phone''s screen.


    When she cast her phone onto the TV, it was locked, so it should be in the same direction.


    However, the TV was showing an upside-down footage.


    Her phone was rotated upside down and she had no idea because she cast it in a hurry just now.


    She blushed.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Annoyed, she red at him and argued, "I like watching it upside down."


    He pursed his lips and smiled.


    The smile on his face looked handsomely charming. He hummed, "Mhmm, hmmm."

 Chapter 2148

    Chapter 2148


    He did not want to expose her but he could not hold back hisughter either.


    Isabel was speechless. She was so embarrassed that she could not say a word.


    Then, she tossed her phone to the side, her hands akimbo. She grumbled, ¡®Yeah! | was waiting for you! Happy now?"


    She looked as red as a tomato, her eyes alluring. Although grumpy, she looked lively and adorable.


    Rnd''s eyes fluttered. He hugged her into his arms and kissed her lips.


    The lips locked and entangled for quite a while.


    Isabel wanted to push him away at first but she was not strong enough. Not only was he dominating, but he was also gentle with


    his movements.


    He robbed her of her strength and stamina to fight him.


    As her body grew weak and her consciousness started to fade, he released her lips.


    Isabel''s cheeks blushed. Her eyes were covered with ayer of tears.


    She felt lost. Then, she looked at her surroundings and realized she was already in the room.


    More precisely, she was pinned to the wall in the corner by the man.


    As she regained her senses, she pushed him away. "Let go of me!¡±


    However, she had lost her strength and her voice turned soft.


    It sounded as if she weed his invasion rather than rejecting it.


    Her face turned redder.


    Rnd''s lips curled as he stroked her cheek.


    After staring at her for a while, his bloodshot eyes narrowed, his voice turned deeper, and said, "Isabel, | don''t want to let you go


    anymore."N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Isabel''s heart was having an itch to answer his teases but she continued to stare at him cautiously. "What are you trying to do to


    me?"


    He lowered his head, and moved his handsome face closer to her face. The tip of his nose touched hers. He said, "I want to kiss


    you.¡±


    Isabel''s emotions were boiling, her body started to heat up.


    She had not forgiven him, so she should not be kissing him. However, the words she prepared to reject him were all stuck in her


    throat.


    Rnd ran out of patience. Since she did not answer him, he lifted her face and kissed her once more.


    Isabel was held up in the corner and had nowhere to escape.


    Sometimeter, Rnd stopped. His lustful eyes looked at her beautiful corbone and shoulder. He asked in a deep voice,


    "Isabel, can | carry you to the bed?"


    Isabel was speechless.


    He had stripped her naked while he kissed her, so why ask?


    She ignored his question. She jumped onto him and clung to his waist with her legs.


    Rnd carried her to the bed.


    Later that night, after some rough and passionate sex, the room returned to peace and quiet.


    Isabel could no longer move a muscle. Shey on his chest, exhausted.


    Even though she was tired, she was not sleepy at all. She leaned on his shoulder and toyed with a lock of his hair at the back of


    his head. She asked, "Rnd, how are you doing in the past two months at thepany?"


    Rnd looked at her, his eyes filled with stars. They looked deep but bright.


    "I¡¯m doing okay," he said.


    "Really?" Isabel looked at him.


    He was expelled from thepany by Decker many years ago and suddenly he came back to fight for thepany. How could


    he be doing well?


    Isabel refused to believe it.


    Rnd pursed his lips. He asked her softly, "It was rough at first but after | secured a big deal for thepany, things got


    smoother for me."


    "Decker didn''t target you?"


    "He did. He''s always trying to expel me from thepany."


    He sounded calm and indifferent, like his expression.


    It seemed like Decker was having a hard time trying to chase him out.

 Chapter 2149

    Chapter 2149


    Isabel was curious about how he was doing in thepany.


    She asked, "Rnd, can you tell me what happened after you came back here?"


    Rnd hugged her into his arms and said, "Two months ago, when | first came back..."


    He told Isabel a few things that happened.


    When he first came back, Decker told him to leave, but he stayed.


    He worked hard and secured a big deal that Decker had been working on for years and it made the shareholders look at him


    differently. The shareholders were once friends with histe grandmother and father, so based on his recently outstanding


    performance, they took his side.


    Then, his grandfather got to him and made him go back to Rockwells'' old mansion. His grandfather tried to persuade him to


    leave thepany but he refused.


    He continued working hard and secured a few more deals, which strengthened his position in thepany.


    He made it sound easy but only he knew how difficult it had been.


    Besides, Decker never stopped targeting him from the dark. Even his grandfather was trying to pull him down secretly.


    Isabel''s chest clenched knowing that he had been fighting alone.


    However, it was his fault for leaving her without saying a word and making her think that he wanted to break up. He deserved it.


    She hummed a reply and no longer said a word.


    Then, her stomach started growling.


    Embarrassed, she turned away.


    Rnd put his hand on her belly and rubbed it. He smiled and asked, "Hungry?"


    She nodded. She had not eaten dinner, of course, she was hungry.


    Rnd carried her out of the bed.


    She asked, "Where are you taking me?"


    "To have dinner.¡±


    Isabel was more embarrassed than before. She was tired but she could still walk.


    Besides, they had just finished a few rounds of rough sex.


    On second thought, Isabel said, "Why don''t we order takeaway?"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "It''s not healthy eating takeaway."


    He then put his jacket on her shoulder and carried her outside.


    Isabel quickly said, "Put me down. | can walk.¡±


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Okay."


    He only put her down when the elevator reached the lobby.


    Isabel quickly put on a mask and a cap and walked out of the elevator with him.


    When they walked out of the hotel, it was already past midnight. Most of the restaurants were closed.


    Ten minutester, they arrived at an expensive restaurant that served supper. The restaurant served some of the best cuisines of


    Southboro.


    However, the VIP rooms were all booked and Isabel''s stomach was growling.


    Rnd brought her to the corner, near the window, and sat down.


    Awhileter, the dishes were served. She took her mask off and started eating.


    Rnd looked at her as he ate.


    The window was half opened, and the sea breeze was able to enter.


    While they were having supper, a burst of wickedughter came from behind.


    "Hey, isn''t that Master Rockwell? Eating out at this hour?"


    A few drunk men came down from the room upstairs and came over to Rnd.


    Then, they spotted Isabel who sat opposite Rnd.


    One of the men teased her, "Who might this be? Master Rockwell''s girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Master Rockwell has a girlfriend? Let me have a look!¡±


    They hastened over to the table.


    Rnd frowned coldly.


    Isabel quickly put on her mask.


    The men were everything but good, so Isabel did not want to reveal herself to them. Neither would she want them to recognize


    her as a celebrity.


    If they found out she was with Rnd, they would give Rnd a hard time and criticize him at thepany.

 Chapter 2150

    Chapter 2150


    When the men approached, Rnd bolted up.


    His towering figure coupled with his frosty look made him look intimidating.


    It felt like one more step closer and he could physically hurt them.


    The men saw the look on his face and were deterred.


    They were all executives of thepany, which made them Decker''s subordinates. Although they did not respect Rnd, who


    was not favored by Young Master Rockwell, they witnessed how ruthless he was in the past two months.


    It would be a bad idea to try to provoke Rnd.


    However, simply leaving would make them look like cowards.


    They exchanged a quick look and the leading man, a man with a bloated stomach, said with a smile, "Master Rockwell, what are


    you doing? We''re just curious what your girlfriend looks like, that''s it."


    ¡®Yeah. We won''t do anything to your girlfriend.¡±


    Rnd red at all of them.


    They instinctively avoided his gaze.


    Rnd said, "You people have one minute to disappear from my sight."


    The men''s expressions shifted. They all looked at him with an unfriendly gaze.


    ¡°Master Rockwell, your words are a little disrespectful.¡±


    ¡®Yeah. What if we insist on staying? What can you do?¡±


    They disregarded Rnd openly.


    If they already disregarded Rnd in public, one could imagine how bad it would be back at thepany.


    Isabel frowned. She reached out to the empty bottle underneath the table.


    She wanted to smash it into the man''s face.


    Then, Rnd said coldly and menacingly, "You can try.¡±


    Rnd stood straight, his eyes frosty.


    In just a few seconds, his frosty and powerful aura enveloped them, suffocating them.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    The men immediately thought of the things Rnd did at thepany in the past two months and how vicious he could be.


    Not even Decker could sessfully expel him from thepany. Rnd must have some tricks up his sleeve.


    It had been over two months and Rnd had not started his revenge on Decker.


    "Come on, Master Rockwell, we''re just kidding with you. It''s gettingte, let''s not disturb Master Rockwell and his little


    girlfriend," one of the middle-aged men responded to the situation quickly.


    He then said to his colleagues, "Let''s just leave him alone. We all work for the samepany, if something unhappy happens


    between us, how are we going to work together in the future?"


    Someone echoed, "Yeah. Let''s go."


    ¡°Master Rockwell, good night."


    Even though some of them remained aggrieved, the others dragged them out of the restaurant.


    Everything returned to normal.


    Isabel released the bottle, took off her mask, and looked at Rnd.


    Rnd looked at her. He spotted worry on her face. His lips pursed as he said softly, "Are you alright? Do you want to go


    somewhere else?"


    Isabel curled her lips at him. "It''s okay. The food here is nice. Let''s just continue."


    "Alright." He sat back down and continued eating.


    After a momentary peace, Isabel was still bugged by the unhappy encounter earlier. She asked, "Who were they?"


    ¡®The executives of thepany."


    ¡°Are they all Decker''s men?"


    "Yeah."


    Isabel frowned.


    Rnd spotted her grumpy look and said softly, "Isabel, | know how to deal with them. It''s just not the time yet. Don''t worry about


    me.


    Isabel was relieved. She asked, "Can you tell me about the n? How do you n to take thepany back?"

 Chapter 2151

    Chapter 2151


    "Sure." Rnd smiled. "I''ll tell you more about it when we get back."


    "Alright."


    After they finished their meal, she went to the hotel with him.


    After they took a shower, they huddled in bed together.


    Isabel leaned over Rnd''s shoulder, using it as a pillow, then she threw her leg over him as well to make herselffortable.


    With that, she prompted him, "You can start now.¡±


    Rnd gently stroked her hair and began, "Rockwell Corporation is going to face a crisis very soon. | n to take advantage of


    that window and take over."


    An uing crisis?


    Isabel was taken aback by this and asked, "How do you know that there will be an uing crisis?"


    Was he the one setting it up?


    Rnd remarked with a wry smile, "No, | have nothing to do with it. It''s a consequence of some the malpractices conducted by


    their internal management over the past few years."


    "Oh." Isabel continued probing, "How do you n to make your move?"


    Rnd suddenly grew silent, and the gaze in his eyes darkened. After a moment, he smiled mysteriously. "You''ll know when the


    timees."


    Isabel punched him yfully.


    He was still trying to be mysterious about it!


    Nevertheless, it was very reassuring to know that he had something nned. She had faith in him, knowing that he had things


    under control.


    Now that her tension was relieved, she felt a wave of sleepiness set in. She closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.


    Rnd seemed to not have noticed that she was falling asleep. At some point during the lull, he turned to her. "Are you going


    back to Westchester?"


    Isabel did not answer, and he could only hear her steady breathing. He took another look at her and noticed that she was already


    peacefully asleep.


    The serene look she had when she was sleeping made him smile tenderly.


    The next morning, a ray of sunlight seeped into the room in between the cracks of the curtains.


    After Isabel woke up, she stretched and sat up on the bed.


    Rnd was already gone, so she was the only one in the room.


    She noticed a container filled with food set on the table. She smiled faintly, then she got out of bed and sat down at the table.


    In addition to the still-warm breakfast, there was also the same fresh bouquet of roses he brought for her when he visitedst


    night. Furthermore, there was a small sack that contained jewelry inside.


    She wondered what kind of jewelry he had gotten for her.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She was very curious and quickly opened the sack which contained a tiny, intricate box. She opened the box and found a


    sparkling diamond ne inside.


    The ne was made with exceptional craftsmanship. The surface of the diamond was reflective and glittered underneath the


    light. It was the same ne that caught her eye at the exhibition, but she had not bought it.


    It was one of the highlight pieces at the exhibition.


    The reason she did not buy it was not because she could not afford it, but because there had been too many people present at


    the time. If people noticed her paying out of her pocket to buy the ne, it would certainly drive controversy since people


    would gossip about her being able to afford such an expensive piece.


    After all, a celebrity of her level being able to afford something well worth hundreds of millions of dors was unheard of.


    Unexpectedly, Rnd had gone and bought it for her.


    She recalled that he was present at the exhibition as well. Could he have been stalking her the entire time and noticed her


    interest in this particr ne?


    The sheer idea of it brought a smile to her lips.


    However, the thought of the cost of this piece made her frown again.


    This was easily the most expensive piece of jewelry at the exhibition. It was close to two hundred million dors. Was he so sure


    about spending this much on her?


    Besides, did he have that much money?


    Even if he had some money saved up during his tenure at Carter Corporation, he had only started working at Rockwell


    Corporation for two months. She doubted that he would have that much money at his disposal.


    He did not take money out of his savings to buy this, did he?


    She took a picture of the ne and promptly sent it to the man himself while asking him, "Where did you buy this? How much


    did it cost?"


    Ding!


    Rnd replied, "It was a gift from the jewelry house."

 Chapter 2152

    Chapter 2152


    Isabel was taken aback.


    Agift from the jewelry house?


    Such generosity was unheard of. It was a ludicrously expensive piece!


    She did not conceal her surprise at hearing this. "Are you close with them?"


    Rnd treated it as if it was something mundane. "Yeah."


    Isabel heaved a long sigh and sent a cute sticker of a figure giving a giant thumbs-up.


    They had gifted Rnd a diamond ne worth two hundred million dors. It was certainly a gesture that said a lot about his


    status.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ding!


    Rnd sent her another text. "Do you like it?"


    She smiled at the disy of her phone and replied, "I love it, thank you."


    She loved everything that he gifted her.


    "| have to get back to work. See you tonight."


    "Alright."


    With that, she put away her phone, then she carefully handled the ne and took another good look at it.


    She inspected it from every angle, it looked fantastic no matter which angle she observed it from.


    She strapped the ne around her neck, then she started eating herte breakfast.


    Just as she was about to finish her meal, she received a call from Ca. She was asking if she wanted to return to Westchester


    today.


    She told Ca quite straightforwardly, "There''s a lot to see in Southboro, so I''m going to hang out here for a while longer. Why


    don''t you go back with Amanda first?"


    Besides, she did not have any gigs lined up these days. If she went back to Westchester, she was only going toze at home


    anyway, and she could do the same thing here at Southboro.


    Ca asked skeptically, "Are you sure you''re staying because you want to sightsee?"


    Isabel answered without the slightest bit of shift in her tone, "Yeah, do you want to stay as well?"


    Ca turned down the offer, "No, no, I¡¯d better go back to Westchester with Amanda."


    After his brief conversation with Isabel, Rnd went to a conference room in Rockwell Corporation.


    Seated at the conference table were all the top executives from Rockwell Corporation with Decker seated at the head


    of the table.


    As soon as he entered, everyone''s eyes fell on him.


    Save for several aged executives who regarded Rnd with friendliness, the rest of them looked at him with the same look of


    sheathed contempt just as Decker did. The smiles they hung on their lips were as false as they could be.


    Rnd went straight to the front of the table and took the first seat to Decker''s left.


    Decker threw a nce at him, then he motioned, "Alright, continue."


    The meeting started ten minutes ago. They disyed no intention of waiting for Rnd.


    The conversation continued. They were discussing the current affairs of the departments across the corporation over thest


    month.


    Rnd sat and listened dispassionately.


    After the executives finished rying their reports, Decker suddenly turned to Rnd and asked with a wry smile," Rnd, do


    you have any thoughts you¡¯d like to share with us?"


    Rnd nced at him, then he said in a low voice, "| would suggest postponing the projects proposed by Jimmy, Charles, and


    Lester."


    Decker''s response was mild.


    The few executives quoted by Rnd, however, did not take to this suggestion kindly. One of them sneered and asked in an


    offended voice, "Mr. Rnd, the projects we mentioned are all key projects that will contribute to our revenue over the next


    quarter. What makes you say that we should postpone them?"


    "The others have proposed several projects as well. Why do you want to postpone our projects specifically?"


    "That''s right. Is it because we interrupted you and your girlfriend''s datest night? Is this why you chose to target us?"


    The temperature in the room suddenly dropped to a freezing point. Most of the executives were on Decker''s side and had no


    qualms about ganging up against Rnd.


    Several executives seemed puzzled by what was happening. They wondered if Rnd was truly targeting them


    specifically, and they also questioned the gossip about him having a girlfriend.


    Decker''s expression had changed too, and he was looking at Rnd with a hostile squint.


    Rnd remained in the same position with a nk, disinterested look on his face.

 Chapter 2153

    Chapter 2153


    Rnd informed inly, "These few projects | mentioned need a veryrge amount of upfront investment."


    ¡°Of course, we know that. We don''t need you to tell us that."


    ¡°What kind of project doesn''t need arge sum of upfront investment anyway?"


    "The funds for these projects have been pre-allocated since the start of the year. You don''t have toe up with a measly


    excuse to justify your intentionally picking on us!"


    All three of Jimmy, Charles, and Lester red at Rnd discontentedly.


    The others joined in and threw snide remarks at Rnd, "Mr. Rnd, you¡¯re only worried because you don''t want us to spend all


    thepany funds that you hoped would go into your pockets instead, aren''t you?¡±


    "The funds allocated to our projects are all in the public ount. They won''t go into his pockets no matter what."


    Rnd frowned. He decided there was no need for him to exin himself. He promptly shut his notebook and tucked away the


    pen, then he got up and walked out of the conference room.


    After he left, a dull silence fell upon the conference room.


    The three executives Jimmy, Charles, and Lester were all fuming. They jabbed their fingers at the door, where Rnd had just


    walked out of, and began spewing insults at him," What kind of attitude was that? Who does he think he is? Even if he doesn''t


    respect us, he should at least have the decency to tell President Decker that he''s leaving!"


    ¡°Hmph, he thinks he''s the rightful master of the Rockwells.


    What audacity."


    Decker listened to them hurling tant insults at Rnd and smirked smugly. He motioned at them and tried to get them to calm


    down while remarking, "He¡¯s always had something against me. You guys don''t have to worry about him. Just let him be."


    This seemed to appease them, even if just slightly.


    Executive Lester promptly asked, "President Decker, when should wemence the projects we just mentioned?"


    Decker assured him, "We canunch them once we have finalized the funds needed."


    Decker was a part of the reason that Rockwell Corporation was able to attract clientele to work on these major projects and


    developments. Once these projects werepleted, they would bring a respectable amount of revenue to the corporation.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    This was especially crucial because, in the short two months since Rnd''s return to the corporation, he had contributed


    significantly by closing several major deals. There was now an urgency for Decker to prove himself before he got upstaged by


    Rnd.


    Lester was pleased to hear this. "Alright, we''ll be leaving for now. I''ll make sure to bring you the good news once we have further


    developments."


    Decker nodded and was about to send them off when he suddenly thought of something. He motioned after them," Wait. Lester,


    Charles, Jimmy, | need to talk to the three of you."


    Everyone else in the conference room took the hint and cleared the room without needing to be asked to, leaving behind the trio


    that looked at Decker expectantly.


    "President Decker, is there anything else you need from us?"


    Decker asked furtively, "| heard you guys mention something about seeing Rnd with his girlfriend yesterday. Is that true?"


    ¡°Of course, it''s true. We saw it with our own eyes.¡±


    "Yeah, we were heading down for dinner when we saw him with a woman with the best figure I''ve ever seen. We tried to get a


    closer look to see what his girlfriend looked like, but he wouldn''t let us."


    ¡®Yeah, he got upset and began to threaten us, saying that we had a minute to disappear from his sight. If it wasn''t for the fact that


    he was your nephew, we would have done something to put him in his ce."


    Decker patiently listened to them narrate their ounts. After they were finished, something shifted in his eyes, he asked warily,


    "So, you guys didn''t see his girlfriend, did you?"


    "No, none of us managed to get a proper look at her face."


    Decker asked cautiously, "Do you at least have a faint impression of what she looked like?"


    ¡°| remember her long hair draped down her back and how fair her skin was. She had an hourss figure too and wore a simple


    dress over it. | can tell just by her entire aura that she must be a beauty."


    "President Rnd wouldn''t even let us steal a peek at her, but I''m sure she''s a beauty alright.¡±


    ¡®Yeah, it''s a pity we couldn''t see her face."


    They had an entirely perverted attitude about it and seemed to regret not getting a chance to see Rnd''s partner.


    Decker¡¯s expression darkened briefly before he waved them off. "Alright, you guys can get back to it now."


    With that, they promptly left the conference room.


    Decker''s expression was grave. He remembered that Isabel hade to see him yesterday morning, but it was Rnd who


    ended up taking her away.


    The woman they were describing had to be Isabel!


    Why would she dine with Rnd in the middle of the night? Did they get back together already?


    Wasn''t it her who insisted that they would never get back together?

 Chapter 2154

    Chapter 2154


    Golden rays of sunlight washed over the surface of the earth while endless waves rolled into the direction of the beach,


    apanied by gentle gusts of sea breeze.


    Isabel stood on the sand glimmering with gold and stared at the mansion that stood in the center of the several acres ofrge


    plots ofnd, her thoughts drifting.


    Around noon today, Rnd sent her a message and told her that he had dispatched a driver to pick her up at the hotel. She was


    driven here after that.


    She had expected to be driven to a ssy apartment in the middle of town, so a mansion next to the beach was thest thing


    she expected.


    She asked the bodyguard who was helping her with her luggage, "Are you sure you''ve got the correct address?"


    The bodyguard assured her, "Don''t worry, this is the ce Young Master Rnd instructed us to bring you to."


    Isabel was still in disbelief. "Is this his mansion?"


    This was the only building within a radius often miles. It had this private, spectacr view of the ocean reserved all for itself. How


    did Rnd afford this sort of ce?


    The bodyguard made a wry expression and said, "I''m not sure either. It was Young Master Rnd who instructed us to bring us


    here. He did not tell us any more than that. Don''t worry and make yourselffortable here. He will join you after he¡¯s finished


    with his work."


    Isabel nodded and walked into the mansion.


    There was a security guard posted by the gate who promptly greeted her when she walked up, "Good to see you, Miss Isabel."


    Isabel smiled at him. ¡®Hello."


    Shortly after she stepped into the mansion''s courtyard, a rather plump middle-ageddy wearing a neat dress approached her.


    Thedy introduced herself with a warm smile, "Good to see you, Miss Isabel. | am the caretaker of the house. My name is Rox.¡±


    Isabel greeted her politely, "Nice to meet you, Aunt Rox."


    "Oh, don''t be so formal! Come, your room has been prepared for you. Please follow me."


    Isabel followed her into the rather modern mansion.


    They passed through the living room and went up a magnificent spiral staircase. They had to walk some distance before they


    finally arrived at arge and brightly lit bedroom. It was very well-furnished and had a giant poster of her hung on the wall.


    She was taken aback by the entire presentation of the bedroom. This bedroom wasparable, if not even more luxurious than


    her bedroom at home.


    She could tell at first nce that this was the master bedroom of the mansion. It must have taken a lot of effort to put together


    this room.


    "Miss Isabel, let me get your luggage for you.¡± Rox retrieved her suitcase from the apanying bodyguard and brought it into


    the dresser.


    Isabel followed her into the dresser. Every single wardrobe was filled with all sorts of clothes, coats, jackets, and whatnot.


    Rox could sense her confusion and promptly exined, "It was Young Master Rnd who bought all of these for you. He gave


    us arge catalog of outfits that he thinks you''d like. We''re not sure if they''re up to your taste, but we bought what we thought


    was appropriate for you."


    She waspletely astounded and thanked Rox politely," Sorry for the trouble.¡±


    "No trouble at all. This is our job."


    Isabel walked into the dresser and looked at the vast array of clothes hung inside. They were all her favorite brands, and all of


    them were the perfect size for her and of the style thatplemented her best.


    Something about all of this felt like a fever dream to her.


    After a long silence, she turned to Rox. "Aunt Rox, this Young Master Rnd you kept referring to is Rnd Rockwell, yes?"


    Rox seemed perplexed by the strange question. ''Yes, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Like, Rnd Rockwell? One of the Rockwells?¡±


    ¡®Yes, certainly." Rox assured her, "Why, is there something on your mind?"


    ¡°Oh, nothing."


    She was just a little appalled by this unexpected development.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Where did this guy get all this money from?


    After a while, when Rox finished unpacking her luggage for her, she turned to address Isabel, "Miss Isabel, let me head to the


    kitchen to see if lunch is ready. Why don''t you rest for a while? If theyout of the room is not to your taste and you''d like to make


    some adjustments, please don¡¯t hesitate to let me know."


    Isabel thanked her politely.


    With that, Rox left.


    Isabel paced around the gigantic room and took in thevish decorations.


    Soon, the sun set across the horizon. While Isabel was sitting on the beach enjoying the panoramic view of the sunset and the


    fine weather, Rnd returned.


    His vehicle of choice was a low-profile but luxury car painted in ck. It stopped right in front of Isabel.

 Chapter 2155

    Chapter 2155


    The bodyguard and the driver promptly stepped out of the car and went to open the door for Rnd.


    A pair of long and slender legs wearing polished leather boots stepped out from the dark interior of the car.


    The first thing Rnd did was to remove his zer, revealing a bleached white shirt underneath.


    The gentle sea breeze parted his hair. Like a curtain drawn apart, his handsome and chiseled features were brought into full


    view, and the setting sun cast a scarlet glow over his face.


    Even though Isabel had seen this man countless times, she was still mesmerized by his unfair beauty.


    Rnd handed the zer to his bodyguard before striding upto Isabel.


    Isabel sat on the beach the entire time and looked up at him.


    For some reason she could not quite put her finger on, she felt a strange sort of unfamiliarity with this man standing before her. It


    was as if this was her first time meeting this handsome man.


    "Isabel," Rnd called out her name.


    The familiar bass in his voice and histone brought her back to her senses. She did not adjust her posture and continued staring


    at him.


    Rnd got on his knees next to her and looked into her eyes, his voice gentle. "Why aren''t you inside the house? Don¡¯t you like


    it?¡±


    She told him, "No, | just want toe out here to see the sea and the sunset."


    After a brief pause, she met his gaze head-on and asked," Rnd, is this your mansion?"


    Rnd smiled faintly. "Yeah."


    Isabel was known for being very blunt. She did not skirt around the question she had long wanted to ask. "It must have cost a


    fortune. Where did you even get the money to buy it?"


    Rnd seemed to shift away from her gaze for just a brief instant before he remarked, "I didn''t buy it. It was a gift from a client."


    Isabel was bbergasted.


    Agift? From a client?


    She blurted out without thinking about it, "What sort of client could be so generous? Would you mind introducing me to this


    client?"


    Rnd smiled. "He''s traveling right now. If you want to see him, I''ll bring you with me to see him some timeter.¡±


    Could there truly be such a generous client?


    Isabel was still rather skeptical.


    She recalled the diamond ne worth hundreds of millions that Rnd imed was also a gift from the jewelry house. With


    this in mind, she leaned in closer to him and asked while staring at him intently, "Rnd, are you hiding from me? Do you have


    some kind of insane fortune that | don¡¯t know of?"


    Even if these clients and whatnot were multimillionaires or even billionaires, they would not splurge such a generous amount on


    a mere business partner. Rnd must have given them something of equal or even greater value.


    Her sharp, effeminate gaze tempted Rnd, and he could not resist the urge to wrap his arms tightly around her waist.


    Thump.


    He pulled her into his arms effortlessly.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Isabel immediately felt her cheek reddening. She looked at him shyly. "What are you thinking?¡±


    Rnd grinned handsomely. "Isabel, you''re beautiful."


    Isabel''s cheeks reddened by another shade, and she found herself grinning like a fool.


    With the final remnant of reason left in her, she pinched his arm and asked again, "Don''t change the subject. Answer my


    question."


    Rnd''s ears were deep red at this point as he said with a genuine look in his eyes, "I want to kiss you right now. I''ll tell you after


    you let me kiss you."


    Isabel looked at him.


    If it was any other man who said this to her, she would be swinging her fist at his face by now. There was something about this


    man that was so different, so adorable.


    She held back a smile and drew herself closer to him.


    Their rich, luscious lips touched.


    Rnd breathed her in.


    After a deep, passionate kiss, he ced his hand on the back of her head and held her tighter.


    They kissed for what seemed like forever. When he released her atst, there was a burning, lustful look in his eyes." Isabel, |


    want to..."


    His voice was raspy.


    Isabel could tell what was on his mind. She blushed and jabbed a fist at his shoulder yfully. "No, take care of it yourself."


    She was just about to get up when Rnd lifted her off her feet.

 Chapter 2156

    Chapter 2156


    Several hourster, inside Isabel¡¯s new, luxurious bedroom.


    They had left the windows open the entire time, inviting the billowing sea breeze into the room.


    Snuggling on the giant bed was Isabel who was coddled inside Rnd''s arms. Both of them were resting against the headboard.


    After Isabel recovered back to her senses, she crossed her arms in front of her and turned to Rnd who was also staring into


    her eyes. She asked curtly, "So, will you tell me now?"


    Rnd grinned faintly and told her, "| have what you would call a side hustle"


    Isabel asked curiously, "What kind of side hustle?"


    He remarked casually, "It''s nothing crazy. | just show up as an advisor forpanies who are dealing with financial crises and


    help them sort things out."


    The way he put it, it sounded like something wholly unimpressive and mundane. However, the sheer fact of the diamond


    ne worth hundreds of millions, and the enormous mansion they were currently residing in suggested differently.


    Isabel eyed him suspiciously. ¡®That diamond ne you gave me and this mansion are payment for the work you¡¯ve


    done for thesepanies?"


    Rnd was silent for a moment before stating nkly, "Sort of."


    If that was the case, his work was certainly not just any trivial work and went beyondmon advising. The sort of trouble he


    had to untangle his clients out of must be the sort that threatened bankruptcy. Isabel was deeply awed by this and her


    impression of the man went up again.


    Still, she could sense that there was something else to it. She narrowed her eyes into a suspicious squint and asked him


    interrogatively, "Is there anything else that | don''t know?"


    Rnd grinned faintly. "Nothing else."


    Isabel nodded perfunctorily. Shey her head against his chest again and looked around at the luxurious manor. After a brief


    reflection, she smiled and praised him, "Rnd, you''re amazing."


    Before this, she was not so confident about his chances of taking Rockwell Corporation back all by himself. Now that she had


    seen proof of what he was capable of, she suddenly had an unwavering conviction that if anyone could do it, it was him.


    Rnd brightened. "Thank you.¡±


    ¡°What are you thanking me for? | didn''t do anything."


    He suddenly cast a solemn look at her. "Thank you for forgiving me, and foring back to my side after what happened."


    Isabel blinked rapidly, appearing like she was trying to process what he said. ¡®| haven''t said anything about forgiving you or


    wanting toe back to you yet."


    She still remembered what it felt like when he had abandoned her and returned to Southboro without even bothering to say


    goodbye. It had hurt her deeply.


    She just... she thought it must be hard for him to be all by himself in Southboro, which was why she decided to keep him


    company. She supposed she could give him a little credit for his willingness to apologize, but that was it.


    After she said that, the room grew quiet. There was not so much as a whisper as both of them went silent.


    She slowly turned to face him again.


    Rnd was still leaning against the headboard and looking at her with a profound look in his eyes. His expression was rtively


    calm, but she could recognize the turbulent emotions underneath.


    It was as if he was already grieving their rtionship.


    She had not thought much of what she said initially, but upon recognizing his hurt, she suddenly felt slight remorse for having


    been so cruel.


    She hurriedly sat up and stammered as she spoke, "W-why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    Rnd went straight to the point, his voice shaky, "So, are you still going to leave me?"


    Isabel considered it for a moment, then she told him, "Right now, probably not. As for what happens going forward, it''ll depend on


    your actions."


    Just like that, the light returned to Rnd''s eyes like a storm had passed. He reached forward and pulled Isabel into his arms.


    Isabel was startled. Before she could react, she was pinned to the bed again.


    She shoved him gently. "Hey... this wasn''t the kind of action | was referring to..."


    Isabel did end up living there. In addition to the wonderful scenery, she also had ess to a private theater and gym.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 2157

    Chapter 2157


    Isabel spent her time rxing and filling her stomach with good food. From time to time, she would go to the gym to keep up her


    fitness level.


    Rnd let her do whatever she wished. In his free time, he would bring her to interesting ces in Southboro to sightsee. During


    their conversations, he would not bring up anything rted to Rockwell Corporation unless it was


    Isabel who asked about them, in which case he would answer all of her questions whatever they may be.


    Now and then, she would fly back to Westchester for scheduled shootings for "The Wonder". Otherwise, she spent the majority


    of her time at the mansion.


    Two months passed in the blink of an eye.


    It was a Sunday.


    Around the evening, Isabel finished shooting thest episode of ¡®The Wonder". Immediately after that, she got on a ne back to


    Southboro.


    Coincidentally, she met Isabe on the ne. They were seated right next to each other.


    Isabe seemed just as surprised to see Isabel on the same ne as her. She asked with a faux smile, "Isabel, are you going to


    Southboro too?"


    Isabel nced around the ne.


    All the seats were upied, and there was no chance of her asking the flight attendant to assign her to a different seat.


    Left without a choice, she sat down and ignored Isabe''s question.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabe scowled when she realized she was being ignored. She immediately dropped her fake friendliness and began taunting


    Isabel unabashedly, "You might still be relevant online now, but if you keep this up for a few more months, people will forget


    about you eventually. You should feel honored that I''d even give you the time of the day and talk to you at all!"


    As much as Isabel hated to admit it, Isabe made a good point. Apart from "The Wonder", she had not managed tond any


    other roles ofte. Her cold streak hadsted several months by this point.


    The show that was previously postponed ended up choosing someone else to star in thending role. When they were first


    informed about this, Amanda was so furious that she refused to eat for a day.


    They had no other connections, and no potential leads to any new deals.


    rice hadpletely ruined Isabel.


    However, the truth was a little moreplicated than that. The long cold streak was partially due to Isabel wanting to take some


    time to rest.


    If she wanted to get back to her previous hectic routine, she could easily pull it off. rice was not going to get in her way, even


    if there were ten of her.


    She shut her eyes and continued to ignore Isabe.


    Upon realizing that she was not being taken seriously at all, Isabe turned red with anger. She became extremely bitter and


    began to spite Isabel. ¡°Isabel, | know you got back together with that Rnd Rockwell, but let me tell you this, the Rockwells


    don''t care about him at all-"


    Upon noticing a flight attendant passing by, Isabel suddenly raised a hand to get her attention. "Excuse me, thisdy is harassing


    me. Could you please get her to shut up and leave me alone?"


    The flight attendant turned to look at Isabe.


    While Isabe turned pale with shame, she quickly put on her mask to conceal her embarrassment.


    There was no telling if the flight attendant recognized her as the famous Isabe. Nheless, she did her job well and informed


    Isabe in a pleasant yet authoritative voice," Madam, please keep your voice down and stop disturbing thisdy over here."


    Isabe turned away and ignored the flight attendant.


    The flight attendant smiled politely at Isabel before walking away.


    With that, the two sat in silence. Isabel proceeded to adjust her seat backward and nned to get some shuteye.


    That was when Isabe''s annoying voice interrupted her again, "Isabel, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t know this, but something is going


    down at Rockwell Corporation. They''re about to go bankrupt."


    This sessfully drew her interest atst, and her eyes opened with a snap.


    Isabe smiled sinisterly. "Decker has rice and the Houstons helping him, so he has nothing to worry about after Rockwell


    Corporation sinks. He''ll make aeback in no time. As for your dear Rnd, he¡¯s noting back from that. He''s screwed!"


    She seemed to be having a good time taunting Isabel, evident by the wide grin she wore. She was eyeing Isabel the entire time


    to gauge her response, hoping to see that she had sessfully gotten on her nerves.


    Isabel pursed her lips tightly and put up a hand again.


    The flight attendant walked down the aisle and approached her. "Yes, Miss Isabel, how may | help you?"


    She gestured at Isabe. "She''s harassing me again."


    The flight attendant expressed a troubled look and turned to Isabe. "Miss Isabe, I¡¯m going to have to ask you to be quiet.¡±


    Isabe was surprised that the flight attendant managed to recognize her even with her mask on. She red viciously at Isabel


    before turning away from her.


    Isabel felt for the phone in her pocket.


    The ne was about to take off, and this was not a good time to text Rnd. She thought about what Rnd had said to herst


    time.


    He mentioned that something major was about to go down at Rockwell Corporation. Was this what he was referring to?

 Chapter 2158

    Chapter 2158


    Chapter 2158


    Several hourster, the nended on the runway of Southboro Airport.


    Almost all the passengers reached for their phones.


    Isabel did the same as well. She promptly switched the airne mode on the phone off. As if on cue, she received a text from


    Rnd that read, "Are you here yet?¡±


    She replied, "We justnded. I''ll be home soon."


    Her mind was still lingering on what Isabe told her, so she promptly asked Rnd, "I heard something went down at Rockwell


    Corporation. Is it true?"


    Rnd replied, "Yeah, 111 wait for you at the gate. We''ll talk in person."


    He hade to pick her up.


    Isabel smiled faintly and replied, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Just as she was putting away her phone, she noticed Isabe stealing nces at the disy of her phone. It was clear as day


    that she was trying to peek at her conversation with Rnd.


    She dimmed the disy and shot a look at Isabe.


    Isabe sneered, "Are you talking to your dear Rnd? Has he told you about what''s going on at Rockwell Corporation yet?"


    Isabel was in no mood to entertain her at all. She could not even be bothered to give her a second look.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Isabe saw red and began to throw snide remarks at her," His days as a Rockwell ising to an end. Let''s see how long you


    can keep up your smug attitude.¡±


    The ne finally parked at the boarding gate.


    After the announcement was made, Isabel took all of her belongings and proceeded out of the ne. She did not bring any


    luggage with her, so she made a beeline for the arrival gate.


    She was walking down the hallway leading to the arrival gate when she saw Rnd''s slender and tall figure. He was very eye-


    catching since he stood a head taller than everyone else.


    She immediately quickened her pace toward him.


    Then, she practicallyunched herself at Rnd, into his arms.


    Rnd hugged her firmly. She looked up at him.


    Rnd was smiling tenderly at her. He was very handsome whenever he smiled. He seemed to be in a good mood.


    She smiled affectionately and asked, "Did you miss me when | was gone?"


    Rnd said sincerely, "Of course."


    She did not doubt him. She stood on tiptoe and nted a kiss on his cheeks. "Here''s your souvenir. Come on, let¡¯s go


    home.¡±


    Rnd smiled warmly and took her her bag for her, then they went toward his car.


    As soon as he drove away, Isabe stepped out of the arrival gate. She nced in the direction where Rnd had driven off,


    and a look of contempt shed across her face.


    She could not believe that Rnd still had the time and heart to pick up Isabel at the airport especially when something so major


    was going down at Rockwell Corporation. She did not know whether she should write this down as a show of his devotion, or


    sheer stupidity.


    She cussed at the duo, then she got into the car sent to pick her up.


    She sent a text to rice. "Miss rice, | just got off the ne. Are things alright over there?"


    There was no response.


    After a minute, she sent rice another text. "By the way, do you know who | stumbled into on the way here? Isabel Ross.


    | even saw Rnding to the airport to pick her up.¡±


    She received an instantaneous response upon sending the text. rice asked, "Rnd was at the airport? Are you sure it was


    him who picked her up?"


    She replied, "I''m sure it''s him."


    rice was currently in her office at Houston Corporation. She frowned when she read the text.


    Rockwell Corporation was on the brink of bankruptcy, and their main office was already frantically scrambling for a solution. Even


    if Rnd was not favored by his family and did not risk losing as much as Decker who was at the helm of the organization, surely


    he would at least have cause to panic?


    Besides, Decker at least had something to fall back on in the event of bankruptcy, but what about Rnd? He would lose his


    ce in Southboro, then he wouldpletely lose out on his fortune and his status in his family.


    How could he still be whimsically picking up his girlfriend at the airport at such a crucial hour?


    Was he truly in love?


    Just the sheer thought of it made her frown heavily.


    Then again, she was too busy convincing her father to extend Rockwell Corporation a lifeline. She neither had the time to care


    about Rnd''s personal affairs nor to care about what Isabe had to say.

 Chapter 2159

    Chapter 2159


    Isabe waited for a reply for some time. Eventually, she gauged that rice was probably not going to reply any time soon, and


    with that, she put away her phone with a morose grunt.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her purpose foring to Southboro this time was to keep ricepany. She had hoped that she could offer rice some


    emotional support during this current difficult period with what happened with Decker. Perhaps she could get closer to rice


    this way.


    To her demise, rice still held herself above her!


    Despite this setback, she did not n to leave Southboro any time soon. Since she was here, she had the chance to witness


    Isabel''s reaction to the downfall of her poor boyfriend getting kicked out of his family!


    Meanwhile, shortly after Rnd merged into the highway, Isabel asked the question she had long been wanting to ask, "So, what


    happened at Rockwell Corporation?"


    Rnd stated calmly, "Capital chain rupture."


    Isabel was taken aback by this.


    Something as serious as a capital chain rupture was especially terminal for a corporation the size of Rockwell Corporation. If


    they did not receive relief in the form of any significant capital injection within theing period, it was sure to spell the


    bankruptcy of the corporation.


    However, this was not her main concern. She was more curious about Rnd''s previous im. "Is this what you referred to back


    then?"


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Yeah."


    Isabel''s eyes beamed.


    Based on what he told her previously, he was going to take this opportunity to take over Rockwell Corporation. She wondered


    what hising chess move would be.


    As curious as she was, she suppressed the urge to ask.


    Rnd had not made his move yet, and besides, the situation was developing rapidly and things could change just as rapidly,


    hence it was better to save the questions forter.


    After the dust had settled, he would im victory.


    "Isabel." Suddenly, she heard Rnd calling her name.


    She looked up and met the sharp, serious look in his eyes." Hmm?"


    He pursed his lips tightly, and it seemed like he had something on his mind, only he did not how to verbalize it.


    She immediately noticed his ears reddening again. That meant that he was either nervous or excited about something.


    Her eyes flickered, and she asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?¡±


    "If everything works out, will you..."


    "What about me?"


    "Will you forgive me?" He looked at her intently.


    Isabel did a double-take.


    That was it?


    Was he still bothered by that?


    She had stayed with him in Southboro for two months by this point. Shouldn''t he be asking for her hand in marriage by this


    point?


    She found herself a little speechless, but also amused at the same time. She grinned and told him, "I will forgive you whether you


    pull it off or not."


    Rnd looked at her with a distinct look of surprise.


    She reached over and straightened his cor for him, then she looked stoutly into his eyes. "Do whatever you were going to do


    and don''t worry about a thing, as long as it''s nothing immoral. What matters is that you''ve given it your all. The results will not


    change how | feel about you, and I''ll forgive you no matter what."


    The calm, serene look in his eyes suddenly shifted upon hearing Isabel''s words of encouragement. He was suddenly seized by


    countless emotions.


    Before Isabel could get a closer look into his eyes, he embraced her tightly.


    He hugged her tightly and refused to let go. After a while, he said to her in a low, deep voice, ¡®Thank you."


    After a brief pause, he vowed, "I will give it my all."


    He would do everything in his power. He was going to im victory and fulfill the promise he made with Odell. Then, their


    rtionship would be legitimized atst!


    Inside Master Rockwell¡¯s room in the Rockwell household, ever since the drastic downturn at Rockwell Corporation, the already


    gray and aging Master Rockwell looked even frailer than before. Slumped against his chair, he looked like he was going to wilt


    away any second.


    Decker stood in front of him and asked anxiously, "Dad, is there no other way we can pull ourselves out of this?"


    Master Rockwell heaved a long sigh. "We''re in too deep this time. | can''t save us even with all my umted savings. The


    business partners and friends | have are no fools. They know there''s no saving us as well."


    Decker frowned, the look of resignation was stark on his face as he asked warily, "Is this it?"


    The old man sighed tiredly. "It seems to me that our only lifeline at this point is the Houstons."

 Chapter 2160

    Chapter 2160


    Chapter 2160


    The Houstons?


    Decker''s expression shifted.


    He had already briefly told rice about the ongoing situation at Rockwell Corporation, and she had given her word that she


    would ask her father to help.


    However, just like Master Rockwell said, their current predicament was far too great and nearly impossible to recover from. It


    was a tall task even when considering the vast amount of resources the Houstons had at their disposal. They may have to empty


    their vault just to help.


    Would rice''s father even agree to help?


    That was when Master Rockwell advised, "Decker, why don''t you talk to rice? | know she cares a lot about you.


    Certainly, she will try to persuade her father to help us."


    Decker frowned and said in a troubled voice, "Dad, | think her father might not help even if she threatened suicide right in front of


    her.


    Although rice was the eldest daughter of the Houstons, she also had two younger brothers who took higher priority.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Another factor was that he knew her father initially nned to wed her to another man. Her father had always been less than


    pleased about the partner his daughter had chosen for herself.


    Master Rockwell had considered this factor too, but with the way things were... He clenched his walking stick tightly. His age was


    truly beginning to show in the form of countless creases on his forehead. He said gravely, "If the Houstons won''t help us, we


    have no choice but to dere bankruptcy."


    Decker was just as bothered by this stone-cold fact.


    It had taken all those years of plotting and scheming for them to seize Rockwell Corporation. How could it alle to such a


    sore ending? Was it truly all for nothing? How could this be?


    Rockwell Corporation hade to a point where they were essentially staring into a bottomless abyss, so what were the


    chances that Houstons would bepelled to expend everything they have to help them?


    For the first time, Decker felt like he was on the verge of breaking down. That was when Master Rockwell suddenly proposed,


    "There is another person who might be able to help us."


    Decker looked at him with a glimmer of hope in his eyes." Who?"


    Master Rockwell said solemnly, "I don''t know what his real name is, but everyone knows him as Mr. Bright."


    Decker''s eyes glowed with a ray of hope. "Are you talking about that Mr. Bright who has a reputation for helping and reviving


    companies on the brink of copse? They say he''s a miracle worker."


    "That''s him. Can you contact him?"


    "| heard he''s a very mysterious person and that nobody has ever met him in person. | do know someone who has enlisted his


    help at one point. | might be able to get in touch with him."


    ¡°Hurry up and find him. As long as he is willing to help us, we just might be able to tough this one out."


    ¡°Alright, I''ll do everything | can to try to contact him." Decker hurried out of the room after that.


    At the seaside mansion, after dinner, Isabel and Rnd went to the home theatre, leading each other by the hand.


    She mentioned she wanted to watch a movie and Rnd volunteered to join her. Just like that, theymenced their impromptu


    movie night.


    At the most inopportune moment when they were only a couple of footsteps away from the home theatre, Rnd''s phone rang.


    "Give me a minute."


    Isabel motioned for him to go ahead.


    He pulled out his phone.


    She happened to catch a glimpse of the caller ID that read '' Marcus¡¯. It appeared to be his assistant.


    She tucked her hands in her pockets and waited, careful to not interrupt him.


    He promptly answered the call.


    The assistant told him immediately, "Sir, Decker got in touch with us. He said that he will do anything as long as we can help him


    out with the situation at Rockwell Corporation."


    "Hm." Rnd nced at Isabel, then informed his assistant without a second thought, "Tell him that I''m busy right now and that


    I''ll get back to himter tonight."


    "Got it.¡±


    He put away his phone and took Isabel''s hand, leading her into the home theatre. The couch was soft and cushy, and Rox had


    already set up countless snacks and drinks for them on the table.


    Isabel put on a ssic film which they enjoyed in silence.

 Chapter 2161

    Chapter 2161


    Chapter 2161


    After finishing the movie, Isabel fell asleep with her arms wrapped around Rnd like he was a pillow.


    He smiled faintly and gently carried her in his arms to take her to the bedroom.


    Shortly after that, he reached her bedroom where he carefully took off her coat and shoes for her. Then, he tucked her under a


    thick nket and pecked a gentle kiss on her cheeks before retreating from the bedroom.


    With that, he went down the corridor leading to his study.


    After making himselffortable, he called his assistant.


    After the call was connected, he instructed, "Tell Decker that | will help him take care of the situation at Rockwell Corporation in


    the shortest time possible. | only have one condition, and that is that | want half of his shares in Rockwell Corporation."


    His assistant replied dutifully, "Alright, sir, I''ll speak to him right now."


    Rnd set aside his phone with a dark, insidious look in his eyes. He turned on theputer and went over his drafted n on


    how to turn around the dire situation at Rockwell Corporation; it was a n he had drafted long ago.


    It was about time he took back what was rightfully his.


    At the Rockwells'', Decker received a call from his assistant, Marcus, and raised his voice to a sharp screech, "What? He wants


    half of my shares in Rockwell Corporation?"


    Marcus answered in a low, solemn voice, "Yes, Mr.


    Rockwell, what do you say?"


    Decker clenched his jaw and became sullen.


    He was thergest shareholder of Rockwell Corporation, ounting for up to 80% of the shares, half of which was entrusted to


    him by Master Rockwell. Meanwhile, the other half was forcefully taken away from Rnd no thanks to Master Rockwell and the


    Houstons.


    If this mysterious Mr. Bright were to take half of his shares, that meant both of them would be equal majority shareholders with


    40% of thepany shares respectively...


    This meant that both of them would wield the same amount of power in the corporation.


    With the way things were...


    He considered the fact that Rnd only owned 10% of thepany shares while the remaining minority shareholders


    ounted for up to another 10% of thepany shares. This thought brought him some relief at least.


    As long as he was still the majority shareholder and Rnd''s shares were less than his, he had nothing to worry about. He would


    always have the final say in the corporation!


    After a long, ruminative silence, Decker told Marcus, " Alright, deal. Of course, on the premise that he can help us


    Sail through this crisis."


    ¡°Alright, I''ll speak to him right away."


    With that, Decker hung up. He slumped into his chair like a deted balloon.


    rice, who was in the room with him the entire time, approached him with a concerned look. She asked cautiously, "Decker,


    are you sure you want to give him half of the shares? Can''t you negotiate the terms?"


    Decker kept his head on the ground with a hand pressed against his forehead. His entire demeanor was grim, and he was not in


    the mood to talk.


    Rockwell Corporation was about to face bankruptcy. If he still held on stubbornly to his shares at such a crucial hour, he would


    be subject to countless scrutiny and mockery in time.


    rice felt pained to see him in such a state. She gently massaged his shoulders and apologized to him, "I¡¯m sorry for not being


    able to help you, Decker."


    "| don''t me you. It¡¯s not your fault. Can you give me some alone time? Go get some rest."


    It took everything he had to muster these words, to suppress his emotions.


    Deep down, he wanted to shout at her and call her a useless fool, but he knew that the Houstons were still a significant


    household in Southboro. Chances were he was still going to need their help in the future, so he could not risk burning


    bridges.


    ¡°Okay.¡± rice let him be.


    The moment she walked out, she frowned.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She had always known Decker as a charismatic man who was the embodiment of masculinity and strength. He was a sessful


    man who was excellent at managing his business empire.


    He was at the helm of Rockwell Corporation, and she had always thought that this was the only man in Southboro worthy


    enough of taking her hand in marriage.


    The recent events had soured her impression of the man.


    She still had affection for him, but she had to admit she was not fond of a man who had to submit to another man.


    She wondered who the rumored Mr. Bright was. What was this miracle worker who could save Rockwell Corporation from such


    an unsalvageable crisis made of? Someone who could be bold enough to im that he could do it right away?


    Hopefully, it was not a bluff.

 Chapter 2162

    Chapter 2162


    Chapter 2162


    Several dayster, at the seaside mansion, it was evening and it was drizzling outside.


    Rnd went to his study after he returned home from work. He had been pretty busy these days, so Isabel was not too


    bothered.


    She looked at the clock and noticed that it was almost dinner time. She wrapped up the livestream she set up for her fans and


    prepared to leave her bedroom.


    Rox happened to show up at that juncture. "Miss Isabel, dinner is ready."


    Isabel told her politely, "Got it. I''ll tell Rnd myself. Why don¡¯t you get back to it?¡±


    She knew that Rox was intimidated by Rnd. It was probably abination of his stoic temper as well as the usual power


    dynamic factor.


    Rox nodded and went downstairs.


    Isabel went down the corridor to Rnd''s study.


    She was about to knock on the door to announce her entry when she heard Rnd¡¯s voice on the phoneing through the


    door, "Tell them that I''ll be there in person to sign to documents tomorrow at noon.


    "| have some other work to get to. Tell thewyer to sort out the documents first."


    With that, he hung up the phone.


    Isabel peered through the crack of the door and noticed him going over stacks of documents. She wondered what he was so


    busy withtely.


    She pursed her lips and suddenly hesitated to knock. With that, she withdrew her hand away from the door and resorted to


    texting him instead.


    "Dinner is ready. Remember toe down to eat when you''re done."


    Since he was upied with work, she decided against interrupting him, lest she get in the way of his work.


    He should read the text after he wrapped up whatever he was busy with.


    With that, she went downstairs to the dining room by herself.


    She saw a sumptuous dinner fit for a king set on the table. It was prepared by a crew of professional chefs from Southboro.


    It was a little less homely than Martha''s but was certainlyparable in taste.


    After she finished her meal by herself, she returned to her room. She took a quick shower and changed into a set of clean


    pajamas before throwing herself on the bed and began aimlessly scrolling on her phone.


    She had not been invited to any notable events for celebrities ofte. Chances were it was because all the


    industry insiders were aware of her negative affiliation with rice and were under the assumption that she was off limits.


    Truth be told, she was not too bothered by it, but her fans thought otherwise. Furthermore, some ounts had been spreading


    senseless rumors everywhere, so the information that rice was targeting her had been publicized.


    She had set up the livestream this evening specifically to assure her fans that everything was fine. She insisted that she was


    only taking a long break and only barely managed to convince her fans.


    Just like that, her livestream had be a trending topic.


    Most of the sentiments around her livestream were rathermonce. There was nothing controversial or scandalous said


    about it.


    Some of the media outlets must be having a slow day since they began to make unfounded ims that she was only putting ona


    fake smile and refusing to acknowledge that she was going through a tough break.


    Her smile during the livestream was as genuine as it could be, so where did they get that impression from?


    She could not be bothered to engage with them and promptly closed her social media app after ncing through thements.


    Ding!


    She received a sudden text from Amanda.


    "Hey, Isabel, how have you been doing in Southboro recently?"Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel replied, "I¡¯m doing great"


    "| see."


    Isabel could sense something was up and asked unprompted, "What''s going on?"


    Amanda sounded rather depressed. "Nothing, it¡¯s just that there¡¯s not much going ontely, and | feel kind of empty."


    Isabel teased her lightly, "Why, is Carter Tech City not paying you enough?"


    Amanda rified, "No, it''s nothing like that. What Carter Tech City is paying us is enough to get us through this year more than


    comfortably. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not very used to these carefree days with not much to do."


    Awhile ago, Isabel had asked Liam for help. Liam ended up employing the help of Amanda''s firm for Carter Tech City''s


    marketing and paid them a generous sum that was far more than the agent fees Isabel paid her when she still had regr


    endorsements and contracts. Isabel had done this so that Amanda would not feel so depressed about what had been going on


    lately.


    It was Isabel fronting the bill since she would transfer the appropriate amount to Liam every month. However, Liam would not


    take her money and gave it back to her every time.


    Amanda must have grown concerned because she saw what people were saying online about Isabel.


    Isabel told her, "If you¡¯re really that bored, you can help me give those fools a stern scolding for me and tell them to stop making


    up false rumors."

 Chapter 2163

    Chapter 2163


    Chapter 2163


    Amanda jested, "I''m not you."


    She may not have been a public figure the way Isabel was as a celebrity, but she was still a notable figure in the industry,


    heralded as one of the best agents around. This made her a public figure of sorts. Therefore, there was not a chance she would


    pluck the courage to start telling people off online the way Isabel would.


    She followed it up with another text. "Anyway, this is not the main reason | contacted you. | wanted to ask you about something


    that | heard was going down at Rockwell Corporation. Is all of it true?"


    Isabel was taken aback by this.


    Had news about Rockwell Corporation spread to the entertainment industry as well?


    Amanda must have been checking up on her because she was concerned about her. After all, if something bad were to happen


    to Rockwell Corporation, Rnd would not be safe from the blowback which would subsequently affect Isabel as well.


    While she was thinking about how she should respond, Amanda sent yet another text. "Are you sure things are okay down at


    Southboro? Your boyfriend hasn¡¯t beenshing out at you because of what''s been going on at Rockwell Corporation, has he?"Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel chuckled.


    This was what Amanda was worried about!


    She assured her, "No, he''s not going to lose his temper and vent his frustration on me because of work."


    Besides, Rnd was not that kind of person, not even close. No matter how upset he got, he would not use her as a subject to


    release his anger.


    On the contrary, he was as gentle as they came.


    On the outside, he may appear to be distant and stoic, but deep down he was a very gentle and sweet man.


    Amanda was relieved. "Alright, that''s good to know. Anyway, | have an appointment at the salon. I''ll talk to you some other time."


    "Sure."


    Just when Isabel was about to put her phone away, she noticed a tall and lean figure appearing from the corner of her eye.


    She looked up and noticed that it was Rnd standing by the bed, watching her. She was surprised to see him and asked


    brazenly, "When did you show up?¡±


    "| just got here." Rnd looked at her phone and asked nonchntly, "Who were you talking to?"


    "It¡¯s Amanda. She texted me to ask how | was doing in Southboro," Isabel told him.


    Upon taking another look at her expression, Rnd could tell that she was not very bothered by what people were saying about


    her online at all. He pursed his lips and grunted, "Hm."


    Athought urred to Isabel, she asked, "Are you finished with work already?"


    "Yeah."


    ¡°Have you had dinner yet?"


    "| have." He continued standing next to the bed and stared at her strangely.


    Isabel could sense that something was up and prompted him, "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"


    "Can you go somewhere with me tomorrow morning?"


    This stirred her curiosity. "Where are we going?¡±


    An icy glimmer of light shone past his eyes as he said solemnly, "Rockwell Corporation."


    It sounded like they were headed to the frontlines of the battlefield.


    Isabel was not expecting this.


    She thought about how busy he had beentely and connected the dots with what he mentioned about his n to take over


    Rockwell Corporation. With that, she smiled radiantly and agreed, "Sure.¡±


    She knew next to nothing about what was going on in the business world or about the details of his ns to seize Rockwell


    Corporation. Despite all that, she knew that the best thing she could do was to offer him her solidarity, to stand by his side.


    At the very least, he would not have to face the battle all alone.


    Rnd smiled faintly. "Thank you, Isabel."


    "You''re wee."


    "|... There''s one more thing." His ears suddenly turned red.


    Isabel asked suspiciously, "What¡¯s the matter?"


    "Can | spend the night with you?" There was a sudden vulnerable, even affectionate look in his eyes while he was expectantly


    waiting for her answer.


    Although she had been living with him for some time, they still slept in separate rooms. Whenever they wanted to get it on, he


    would have to ask for her permission.


    Right now...


    Alright then, especially considering what was about to go down tomorrow.


    She nudged herself to one side of the bed and patted the space next to her while motioning. "Come."

 Chapter 2164

    Chapter 2164


    Inside Master Rockwell''s study at the Rockwell household, the gray-haired Master Rockwell was speaking to Decker. He held


    onto his cane tightly, and his expression was grave.


    "So, you''re going to sign over half of your shares to this Mr. Bright tomorrow. Are you sure about that?"


    Decker frowned, the reluctance written clear across his face, but he had no alternatives. "I have no choice in this matter. | have


    to."


    He had already signed the agreement Mr. Bright had sent over to himst week. The agreement clearly stated that if Mr. Bright


    managed to inject the crucial capital needed to relieve Rockwell Corporation''s current financial difficulty, Rnd would yield half


    of his shares in the corporation to Mr. Bright. If he failed to meet his end of the agreement, he would have to repay double the


    amount of Mr. Bright''s investment in Rockwell Corporation.


    Mr. Bright had fulfilled his end of the deal, and things at Rockwell Corporation were stable atst thanks to the massive amount


    of funds he injected into their market. Furthermore, the rumors about his talent in business were understated if anything else. He


    had drawn up intricate short -term and long-term ns, and the operations at Rockwell Corporation were expected to revert to


    normal in no time.


    The other shareholders were in full agreement with the deal of splitting shares to Mr. Bright as well. Even Rnd, who was.


    always a thorn in his side, was surprisingly cordial and signed the agreement without protest.


    With that, he no longer had a say in the matter and had to do what was expected of him.


    Master Rockwell sighed gravely. "Alright, 111 go with you tomorrow morning.¡±


    He wanted to see with his eyes what sort of person this legendary Mr. Bright was. This supposed miracle worker not only


    possessed otherworldly wealth but also had a brilliant knack for business strategy.


    ¡°Alright, I''ll be heading out for now unless you have something else to say."


    "Go."


    Decker turned and left.


    As soon as he left the study, he stumbled into rice who was waiting in the hallway.


    She wore a frilly dress and posed gracefully by the railing. When she noticed Decker stepping out of the study, she shed an


    endearing smile at him.


    Decker frowned instinctively and had to suppress his growing irritation. He went up to her and asked with a feigned smile, "Why


    are you up sote?"


    "| can''t sleep." rice took his hand and said tenderly," Decker, let me go with you tomorrow when you sign the agreement with


    Mr. Bright."Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her entire demeanor was gentle and endearing.


    Decker hesitated briefly.


    It suddenly urred to him that he could certainly leverage rice''s status as a member of the Houstons. Perhaps it could help


    to bolster his might and intimidate this mysterious Mr. Bright even if just a little.


    "That''s wonderful. | would love to have you with me." He smiled and took her into his arms. He reiterated his point as if he was


    worried it was not convincing enough, "I''d feel so much better with you there with me."


    rice smiled tenderly. ¡°I''m your fiancee. It''s the least | can do for you."


    For what it was worth, she was being perfectly genuine. She was aware of her status as a Houston and how it would boost


    appearances during their meeting with Mr. Bright.


    In truth, there was another reason she wanted to go. She wanted to see for herself who this mysterious Mr. Bright was. What sort


    of man could be so venerated?


    After the night''s rain, the weather the next morning was nothing short of delightful. The sun rose across the clear horizon and


    washed thendscape with an amber glow.


    Isabel usually slept until she woke up naturally, but she had taken special care to set up an rm today since she did not want to


    bete for the meeting.


    Her rm rang the same moment Rnd woke up.


    Rnd was going to reach over to turn off the rm for her, but she snatched the phone away.


    After turning off the rm herself, she sat up and stretched.


    While Rnd smiled faintly, he looked at her with warmth in his eyes and told her, "It''s still early. You can sleep a little longer."


    "No need, I''m fully rested." With that, she threw off the nket and got out of bed.


    Rnd did not protest. He got up as well and returned to his room to get ready for the day.


    Isabel showered and went through her usual routine, all while paying attention to how long she was taking. She put on a light


    and fashionable coat of makeup and fitted herself into a stylish white dress that was suitable for a business asion. Atst, she


    put on a pair of high heels before walking out of her room.


    She saw Rnd waiting for her as soon as she stepped into the hallway.


    He wore his usual outfit of a white shirt and a ck tie paired with a ck suit, finished off with polished leather shoes. As simple


    as it was, it perfectlyplemented his elegant ir, and he looked dashing as always.


    She smiled the moment she saw him. Then, she approached him and twirled in a circle in front of him. "Hey, does this work?"


    She was not very ustomed to business settings and was not sure if what she wore was appropriate.


    Rnd smiled and seemedpletely mesmerized. Then, he reached forward and took Isabel by her waist to pull her closer to


    him.


    "You look beautiful," he said sweetly.


    Isabel blushed and gently shoved him before he started hatching perverted ideas. "I''m not asking you if | look good. Is it okay if |


    dress like this to our meeting at Rockwell Corporation?"


    Rnd''s ears were flushed with red by this point. "Of course, it''s perfect."

 Chapter 2165

    Chapter 2165


    Isabel smiled. "Okay."


    In that case, she would go in this outfit.


    They ate a simple breakfast, then they walked out of the house together.


    Rnd''s driver, his bodyguard, and his assistant, Marcus, were already waiting.


    Isabel got into the car with him.


    They drove out of the area and were on their way toward Rockwell Corporation. As they were nearing their destination, Isabel


    could no longer stifle the urge to ask," Rnd, will you tell me the main reason you want me toe with you today?¡±


    She thought it was better if she knew what to expect, lest she get caught off guard by anything that happened.


    Rnd took her hand and said softly, "I just wanted you to be with me when | sign the contract."


    "Just for a contract signing? Nothing other than that?"


    "Yes."


    "Alright." So, all she needed to do was to stand behind him and watch.


    She rxed a little.


    Shortly after that, the car stopped at the parking lot outside the Rockwell Corporation building.


    Rnd was not in any particr rush to step out of the car. He took a nce at the time.


    Marcus informed him promptly as well, "Sir, we still have fifteen minutes until the appointed time. Should we go inside now or


    later?"


    Rnd told him, "Let''s wait until there''s five minutes left.¡±


    "Sure."


    That meant they still had ten minutes to kill.


    Isabel checked the time on the disy on her phone. It was 9:15. This meant that the appointed time was 9:30.


    She wondered who Rnd was going to sign the contract with.


    She kept her curiosity to herself, knowing that her questions would be answeredter, then she looked outside to distract herself.


    She noticed a very expensive-looking retro-styled luxury car parked next to them.


    It was not the kind of car suited for the taste of ordinary young people these days. Judging by the looks of it, it was very


    expensive and based on her knowledge, Decker was the only one in Rockwell Corporation known for having such entric taste


    in cars. He was probably the only one who would drive something shy like this to work.


    Meanwhile, Marcus, who had also been vigntly paying attention to their surroundings, motioned at the car. "Sir, | think this is


    Master Rockwell''s car."


    Rnd muttered indifferently, "Yeah."


    Isabel was taken aback.


    Master Rockwell?


    Did he mean the old grandfather of the Rockwells? In other words, Rnd¡¯s grandfather?


    Even Master Rockwell was going to be present!


    She found herself darting a curious nce at Rnd while instinctively tightening her grip on his hand.


    Rnd must have noticed her sudden change in mood. He turned to her with a quickly softening look in his eyes.


    Til be fine," he assured her.


    Isabel settled at ease as well. "Alright."


    It seemed like he was expecting his grandfather to show up as well.


    What exactly was the contract about that it would warrant the attendance of Master Rockwell himself?


    Isabel suddenly found herself looking forward to seeing what this was all about.


    Meanwhile, inside thergest and most luxuriously decorated VIP room inside Rockwell Corporation, Master Rockwell, Decker,


    rice, all the senior shareholders of Rockwell Corporation, as well as thewyers, were in attendance.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Master Rockwell sat at the head of the table with a solemn expression.


    Decker sat next to him. He seemed very anxious and would be caught ncing outside the window from time to time.


    rice was next to him and seemed rtively calm.


    Just like everyone else in attendance, she would nce outside from time to time.


    The appointed time for their contract signing was quickly approaching, hence the legendary Mr. Bright should be here any


    moment.

 Chapter 2166

    Chapter 2166


    The clock slowly ticked along


    It was growing quiet with every passing second.


    Soon, it was 9:25, only five minutes left until the appointed time of 9:30.


    Decker frowned and stared at the watch on his wrist.


    One of the older shareholders remarked agitatedly, "It''ll be half past nine in five minutes. Where is this Mr. Bright? Is heing?"


    The others expressed a simr sentiment, "Yeah, is he going toe?"


    "He''s invested so much in us. I''m sure he''ll being."


    "Is he intentionally keeping us waiting to prove his superiority over us?¡±


    As they continued to bicker on, both Master Rockwell and Decker''s expressions darkened significantly.


    If this was truly Mr. Bright''s intention, it was certainly a snapshot of what was about to happen next. This must be the first step of


    his ns in taking over Rockwell Corporation, beginning with a show of power over Decker.


    As much as they hated to stomach it, they had no other choice.


    As it was, they had no choice but to yield the shares to him just as initially agreed. There was no backing out.


    Knock.


    Suddenly, they heard a crisp knock on the door.


    The few shareholders, who were beginning to grow agitated from the wait, quickly shut their mouths. All of them including Master


    Rockwell, Decker, and rice turned to the door in unison.


    They had assigned two executives to wait by the entrance to usher Mr. Bright into the room.


    Or was it those two who were knocking on the door instead of Mr. Bright himself?


    Master Rockwell asked out loud, "Is Mr. Bright here?"


    They heard the voice of a young man answer back, "Yes, | am hiswyer. Mr. Bright is here with me as well. Is it alright for us to


    enter now?"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Master Rockwell''s expression shifted, and he quickly pulled himself to his feet with the help of his crutch.


    Decker quickly paced toward the door as well, suddenly feeling a wave of nervousness.


    None of them expected the revered Mr. Bright to already be outside.


    Decker''swyer whispered into his ears, "Master Rockwell, Mr. Decker, | recognize that voice. That''s Mr. Bright''swyer.


    | met himst time when we were sorting out the agreement."


    "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and invite him into the room.¡± Master Rockwell stepped forward as he spoke.


    Decker followed him closely.


    rice and the other shareholders followed closely behind them.


    Suddenly, a giant group formed, and they were all headed toward the door.


    After receiving the signal, the two executives posted by the door promptly opened the door.


    Both Master Rockwell and Decker put on their best businessman''s smile.


    The moment the door was opened and revealed the figure standing behind the door, their smiles turned into scowls.


    Because the person standing at the entrance was none other than Rnd.


    He was standing between hiswyer and Isabel. He stood tall and dignified, his expression confident and stoic.


    Decker cried out, "Rnd? Why are you here?"


    Still stark with surprise, he turned to thewyer standing on Rnd''s left. "Where''s Mr. Bright? He''s-"


    Wait a moment!


    Mr. Bright... Rnd?


    Fear seized him the moment he drew the connection, and his tongue was tied.


    Thewyer on Rnd''s left smiled and informed curtly," Good to see you, Mr. Decker. This is Mr. Bright."


    This revtion seemed to take the air out of the room. Not a single person uttered so much as a whisper.


    Master Rockwell''s eyes grew widened, and he nearly lost his bnce.


    Decker stared at Rnd and drew two steps backward while expressing in shock, "No... That''s impossible."


    rice and the rest of the shareholders and executives were just as bbergasted.

 Chapter 2167

    Chapter 2167


    Never in their wildest imagination had they expected the rumored Mr. Bright to be Rnd this entire time!


    He was the mastermind behind the scenes since the very beginning!


    They were entirely appalled, thrown off, and befuddled by this monstrous revtion.


    Rnd was only in histe twenties. He was several years younger than Decker.


    How was it that someone as young as him possessed such wealth and talent in business?!


    After an extended silence, one of the older shareholders, who was known for having a remarkably cordial rtionship with


    Rnd, asked in a careful tone, "President Rnd, were you Mr. Bright this entire time?"


    Rnd confirmed their suspicions, "Yes."


    After a pause, he directed his calm gaze to Master Rockwell and Decker, both of whom were hardly in control of their wits at this


    point. "Master Rockwell, President Decker, are we going to finalize our contract as we agreed?"


    He hade here today not only to reveal his true identity but also to finalize the contract that would grant him half of Decker''s


    shares in Rockwell Corporation.


    Master Rockwell suddenly felt weak in the knees and nearly stumbled over. Fortunately, one of the shareholders held him steady.


    He had barely regained his bnce when he jabbed his crutch in the direction of Rnd, his hands trembling all the while.


    "You... What a presumptuous brat!"This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd already owned 10% of the shares in Rockwell Corporation. If he was taking half of Decker''s shares which came to 40%,


    it would effectively legitimize him as the majority shareholder of Rockwell Corporation with 50% of its shares. With that, he would


    fundamentally have control over the corporation.


    His intentions could not be any clearer than that. He wanted to take Rockwell Corporation from Decker!


    What further infuriated Master Rockwell was the fact that his grandson, who he had slighted the entire time, who he had tried to


    have banished from the family, had been Mr. Bright the entire time! The legendary figure who was greatly revered in the industry


    was his own grandson since the very beginning!


    Decker''s had grown unimaginably sullen by this point. He shot a vehement re at Rnd and pushed out the hateful words


    between gnashed teeth, ¡®Rnd, you''re a lot more cunning than | thought you were. You b*stard, don''t you dare think about


    taking my shares in the corporation!"


    So long as he refused to sign and finalize the contract, Rnd''s ns would nevere to fruition!


    Rnd barely acknowledged Master Rockwell who looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. He regarded Decker


    withplete indifference and spoke in a harsh, dispassionate voice that only added to its oppressive tone, "Are you not going


    to sign the contract as previously agreed, President Decker?"


    As Decker clenched his fists tightly, his words were suddenly caught in his throat.


    This was because he had suddenly recalled the terms of the agreement he had signed with Rnd''swyer previously.


    The terms were rather cut and dry: so long as Mr. Bright was able to fulfill his end of the deal and save Rockwell Corporation


    from bankruptcy, Decker Rockwell would transfer half of his shares in the corporation to him within three days. If not, he would


    have to repay double the amount of funds Mr. Bright had injected into Rockwell Corporation within a matter of three days.


    Rockwell Corporation had only just been steered into financial stability, it had no significant capital to speak of at the moment.


    Forget about paying back double the amount that Mr. Bright paid, he could barely afford to pay back a tenth of the amount!


    That was unless he mortgaged Rockwell Corporation to him.


    In which case, he would havepletely yielded over Rockwell Corporation to him without putting up a fight!


    Decker was livid with rage when he considered this factor.


    The atmosphere in the room was tense until at one point, Master Rockwell, who had to be held steady by someone


    else, sighed tiredly and gave in. "Decker, sign the contract."


    This was checkmate. Rnd¡¯s ns were impable and they had no choice but to yield.


    Decker had no choice but to relent as well. He clenched his jaw so hard that his teeth could crack. "Alright."


    He turned around and sat at the table where the contract papers wereid out neatly.


    rice and hiswyer joined him at the table.


    Master Rockwell cast a troubled look at Rnd, then he had a shareholder walk him to the table to join Decker.


    Rnd was not in any rush at all. He turned to Isabel, who stuck by his side the entire time, and motioned, "Come, let''s go


    inside."


    Isabel smiled and offered her hand. "Sure."


    Rnd took her hand and led her into the room with him.


    Upon seeing this, the face of Decker, who already wore a look of defeat, somehow darkened by yet another shade.


    Master Rockwell''s eyes sank into their sockets and darkened yet again.


    Rnd barely looked at them as he led Isabel to the table, and they assumed their seats directly opposite Decker.


    There were three copies of the contract, each of which was promptly signed by the parties and verified by thewyers, so it did


    not take long at all.


    Rnd put down his pen and prepared to leave.


    That was when Decker suddenly said with a contemptuous sneer, "Rnd, don''t get too excited to celebrate just yet. | was the


    one who chased you out back then, so watch your back because | will do the same thing to you again!"


    Rnd was not intimidated at all. He mocked him without pulling any punches, "In your dreams, perhaps."


    Decker grew red.


    "Pfft..." Isabel could barely stifle augh upon witnessing this interaction.

 Chapter 2168

    Chapter 2168


    Chapter 2168


    Decker scowled the moment he heard Isabel sniggering at him. He looked like he was going to shootsers out of his eyes.


    Isabel leaned in closer toward Rnd for protection, then she cocked an eyebrow at Decker and continued taunting him.


    That was when rice spoke up, her voice filled with temper, "Isabel, this is a business ce, not a stage for third- rate actors


    like you. You have no ce here!"


    Isabel was in too much of a good mood to be provoked by her cheap taunt.


    She shed a smile at rice and returned the favor. "Who are you to tell me to leave? Why should | listen to you?"


    rice turned red with anger. "You...¡±


    Isabel proceeded tough tauntingly in her face.


    rice became so furious that she wanted to hurl herself at Isabel but could not because Rnd was right next to her. She


    turned to Rnd for help. "Rnd, are you just going to let her behave like that?"


    Rnd cast a nce at Isabel before remarking nonchntly, "Why, what''s wrong with what she''s doing?"


    Neither was she getting in the way of their contract signing nor was she intentionally picking on anyone. She was only


    here as a spectator, nothing more.


    rice''s voice was caught in her throat. She stewed in frustration for a while before eximing out loud, "She''s just an actress.


    She shouldn''t be here!"


    Rnd said briskly, "| wanted her toe with me. Do you have any problem with that?"


    rice was speechless.


    It was as if a cat had caught her tongue. She continued ring at the couple bitterly but could note up with anything else to


    rebuke them.


    "Speaking of which, Miss Houston, I''d suggest you stop cklisting Isabel," Rnd said with a pointed re at rice, his voice


    dropping to a low, threatening pitch. "If not, I''ll see to it that your fiance gets kicked out of Rockwell Corporation."


    rice turned pale upon hearing this.


    While Decker clenched his fists, his expression was livid and it looked like he was going to resort to violence at any moment.


    Most of the other members present were Decker¡¯s allies while two of the older shareholders were on good terms with Rnd.


    However, they cast their affiliations aside and chose not to interfere and only spectate in silence instead.


    Atst, Rnd rose and held out a hand to Isabel. "Come, let''s go home."


    Isabel nodded curtly and linked her hands to Rnd¡¯s. With that, the duo walked out of the roompletely unbothered by the


    way Decker and rice were ring at them. The rest of them watched as the two disappeared.


    Thewyers and assistants who came with Rnd promptly collected the signed contracts and left as well.


    With that, an oppressing wave of silence washed over the room.


    Infuriated, Decker swung a ss of water set on the table to the ground, smashing it into smithereens.


    rice took a step back in horror.


    Nobody spoke.


    After a while, it was Master Rockwell who tried to console him, "Rnd, there are still many days ahead of us."


    The other executives and shareholders chimed in as well,¡¯ That¡¯s right, President Decker. Even though President


    Rnd is the majority shareholder now, you still have thergest shares in the corporation next to him."


    "| believe that it''s only a matter of time before you put him into his ce and take back what''s yours. | know what


    you''re capable of."


    The two shareholders who were friends with Rnd were the sole outliers in this situation. They exchanged looks and held their


    tongues while the others began ttering and pandering to Decker.


    Decker may be an effective businessman and strategist, but Rnd was an entire stratosphere above him.


    If not for Master Rockwell setting the foundation for him in addition to the support of the Houstons, he would have never


    managed to drive Rnd out of the corporation in the past.


    Besides, things were vastly different now. Even if Rnd did not have any capable allies, he had countless resources at his


    disposal, unlike his previous self.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    It was just as Rnd said-the only way he could win out against him was in his wild fantasies.


    While they were all busy trying to suck up to Decker, Master Rockwell rose to his feet by himself with the help of his walking


    stick. He addressed Decker and rice, "Who was that girl back there who came with Rnd?"


    As Decker frowned, the sheer remembrance of seeing Isabel and Rnd holding hands together soured his mood yet again.

 Chapter 2169

    Chapter 2169


    rice said vehemently, "Grandpa, that girl back there is Isabel Ross. She''s just amon actress."


    It was not hard to recognize her disdain for Isabel in the tone of her voice.


    Master Rockwell seemed taken by surprise.


    The Rnd he knew from his memory had always been a quiet and reserved boy, sometimes to the point of worrying him. Even


    his father, who was nothing special at all, was at least more likable than him, so how was it that someone of his quirky


    personality managed to score such a beautiful actor?


    This Isabel Ross was certainly a beautparable even to rice, ady from a noble house. It was not surprising at all to find


    that Rnd had fallen for her.


    The others were just as astounded by this. One of the executivesmented mockingly, "She¡¯s an actress? Considering the


    nature of the entertainment industry, I''m sure she has some history behind her. Who knows? Maybe she''s gotten involved with


    more than a handful of men in her time. President Rnd sure has questionable taste in women."


    "Tsk tsk, it looks like I''ve thought too highly of President Rnd. Turns out he''s just like any othermon man."


    ¡®To think that he would get involved with amon actress."


    rice was more than pleased to hear their viciousments about Isabel.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright, let''s wrap this up." Master Rockwell was not interested in who Rnd was dating because he was still not over the fact


    that he was Mr. Bright this entire time.


    He dismissed everyone while throwing a nce at Decker who still looked grim and depressed. With that, he grabbed his


    walking stick and walked out of the room, feeling just as defeated himself.


    Meanwhile, Isabel and Rnd walked out of the building and got into their car.


    The driver promptly drove them back to their seaside mansion.


    In his usual fashion, Rnd held onto Isabel''s hands tightly so that she could not leave her side.


    She was still in a state of trance. Her mind was still befuddled over what had gone down back there.


    She remembered Rnd saying something indistinct, then shortly after that, Decker obediently signed the contract that ensured


    the transfer of 40% of Rockwell Corporation¡¯s shares to Rnd.


    Neither Master Rockwell, Decker nor rice made any objection. None of the other shareholders and executives had even


    spoken a word the entire time.


    She was certain that they must have also contributed to banishing Rnd from Rockwell Corporation back then.


    How did Rnd pull this off?


    She cast a look at him.


    To her surprise, Rnd immediately caught her gaze. He lowered himself toward her and observed her closely.


    Having been caught staring, she grinned and told him," Rnd, you looked so cool back there. They didn''t even dare to protest."


    Rnd smiled faintly. "Do you want to know how | did it?¡±


    She was more than eager to know. "Could you tell me?"


    ¡°Of course." He began, "It¡¯s pretty simple. | used my alias as Mr. Bright to invest the funds Rockwell Corporation needs to keep


    itself above water. | previously signed an agreement with Decker that ensured that he would have to transfer half of his shares to


    me if | helped him out. If not, he would have to repay double the amount of what I''ve invested into Rockwell Corporation, which


    he would not be able to afford.¡±


    Isabel nodded with understanding. "I see."


    It did sound rather simple when he put it that way.


    The grimy details were a lot moreplicated than that. He had already expected Rockwell Corporation to face a significant


    financial crisis a long time ago and knew that a tremendous amount of money was needed to bail them out. Upon realizing that,


    he began formting his ns to put


    the astronomical funds together, which required careful nning and attention to detail.


    Isabel doubted she could pull something like this off even with the help of her father and her brother. This man was truly


    something else.


    She clenched his hand tighter.


    Rnd returned the same gesture and looked at her strangely. "What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    She asked, "Do you still have any other secret identities that | don''t know about?"


    "Mr. Bright is just my alias in the business world. | only did it because | needed a way to operate without people figuring out my


    connections to Rockwell Corporation." After a brief pause, he rified further to prevent Isabel from worrying, " I''m me, Rnd


    Rockwell. That''s who I¡¯ve been the entire time."

 Chapter 2170

    Chapter 2170


    Isabel felt her emotions stirring inside her. After a brief pause, she remarked, "I see. | was just asking out of curiosity. | didn''t


    mean anything else by it.¡±


    Rnd seemed relieved to hear this and stated, "Be sure to let me know if there''s anything else you''re curious about. I''ll tell you


    everything.¡±


    Isabel smiled upon hearing this. "Got it."


    She was not going to torture herself with needless suspicions.


    Rnd smiled warmly when he noticed her smile. He promptly segued to his primary concern, "Speaking of which, aren''t you


    going back to Westchester this weekend?"


    "Yeah, why?"


    "Can | go with you?"


    "Sure." Upon giving her reply, Isabel suddenly realized something and was a strange look at him. There was a clear sparkle in


    his eyes.


    She suddenly recalled his reason foring to Southboro in the first ce.


    He had returned to Southboro to reim Rockwell Corporation, thus fulfilling the promise he had made to Isabel''s father.


    Now that he had essentially taken Rockwell Corporation back, he was going to return to Westchester to make good on his


    promise to Odell.


    The thought of it made Isabel smile, but she chose to not address it directly.


    Rnd returned an affectionate smile at her as well when he noted the way she bloomed like a flower.


    At midnight, inside Isabel''s bedroom, shey exhaustedly on the bed after the long ordeal with Rnd.


    Rnd kissed her gently on the forehead. "Get some rest. I¡¯m going to take a shower."


    "Okay."


    With that, he went to the shower.


    Isabel closed her eyes and promptly drifted off to sleep.


    Ding!


    Her sleep was interrupted by her phone buzzing beside her.


    She reached for the phone that sat on the edge of her pillow. It was a message from Liam that read, "When are youing back


    to Westchester?"


    She replied curiously, "Why? Did something happen?"


    ¡°Mom and Dad are beginning to miss you "


    Come to think of it, it had been several months since she went home. She sat up on the bed and replied, "Oh, it¡¯s fine. I''ll be


    home this weekend."


    Liam dropped the conversation after that.


    Then, a thought suddenly urred to Isabel. She nced in the direction of the bathroom andposed another text to Liam.


    "By the way, have you ever heard of the name Mr.


    Bright?"


    Based on the reaction of Decker and the others when she went to Rockwell Corporation with Rnd earlier today, she figured


    that none of them knew that Rnd was Mr. Bright.


    She was wondering how was it that nobody ever made the connection between Mr. Bright and Rnd. Rnd had told her that it


    was because nobody had ever seen Mr. Bright in person since he always conducted his business from the shadows, always


    avoiding direct contact with whatever clients contacted him.


    This was why she decided to probe and see if Liam had heard of the name Mr. Bright.


    Liam replied promptly, "Yeah, he''s a business savant who emerged around two years ago.¡±


    Even Liam knew about him! It was a true testament to Rnd''s abilities.


    Shortly after that, it was Liam''s turn to ask, "Why are you asking about him?"


    Isabel snickered to herself and replied smugly, "I simply know him."


    This stirred Liam¡¯s curiosity. "How do you know him?"


    Judging by the speed of his reply, he must be very curious about this mysterious Mr. Bright.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Isabel told him without beating around the bush, "He''s Rnd."


    Liam stopped replying for a moment. He seemed to be processing the information.


    After a moment, he asked, "Are you sure?¡±


    Isabel chuckled. "You''ll just have to take my word for it."


    With that, she put her phone away.


    Meanwhile, in a bungalow somewhere in Carter Tech City, hovering on the borders of Westchester.


    Liam and Caprice had moved and settled their family here after they got married.


    Liam was sitting on the couch. He held his child in one arm and his phone in his other hand. He stared at the screen nkly.


    Caprice had just woken up from a nap. She stretchedzily and walked downstairs where she saw Liam staring perplexedly at


    his phone. She called out after him and asked, "Liam, is everything okay?"


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Liam blinked a few times before remarking, "He¡¯s asleep. Can you carry him back to the room? | need to give my


    father a call. I''ll join you after that."

 Chapter 2171

    Chapter 2171


    "Oh, okay."N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    In the next few days, Rnd mostly left early and returnedte.


    He most likely had many things to deal with after just taking over Rockwell Corporation.


    Isabel also received news from Amanda saying that the female lead role that was snatched away before was avable again,


    and filming was expected to start officially next month.


    Besides this drama, there were also several variety shows and businesses that approached her.


    Amanda spoke on the phone happily for a long time.


    Isabel thought back to the day that Rnd and Decker signed the contract, and the words that he used to threaten rice, and


    she pursed her lips in a smile.


    Thus, while Rnd was busy these days, Isabel also took on twomercial advertisements and spent her spare time chatting


    with Martha, who had just returned from Westchester City.


    It was Friday afternoon in the blink of an eye.


    With Martha''s help, she got her and Rnd¡¯s luggage ready.


    Just then, Rnd''s car arrived at the door.


    He got out of the car and walked over quickly with his slender figure.


    Isabel''s eyes lit up when she saw him.


    She thought that he would not be back untilte.


    Rnd walked up to her, took her hand, and said softly," Let''s go."


    "Okay."


    The car soon arrived at the airport.


    He already bought a flight to Westchester City.


    Today¡¯s weather was very good. After passing the security check, the ne took off smoothly not long after boarding.


    Isabel slept for a while. When she opened her eyes again, she heard the flight attendants broadcasting that the ne had


    arrived over Westchester City and was about to descend.


    It was already dark.


    She rubbed her eyes and turned her head to see Rnd sitting upright, straightening his cor with one hand.


    In addition, he also picked up the small mirror she kept in her bag and looked at his face in the mirror.


    Isabel had never seen this side of him and was shocked.


    Rnd looked at his face for a few seconds, then raised his hand and tidied his bangs in front of his forehead.


    Isabel snickered.


    She tried to hold back herughter.


    Rnd seemed to notice her gaze and suddenly looked at her.


    Isabel immediately closed her eyes and pretended that she was still asleep.


    After a long time, when she felt that his eyes were no longer on her, she opened her eyes.


    He was leaning back in his seat, his posturezy. His eyes were closed.


    If she had not seen the scene of him grooming himself earlier, she would have been deceived by his current appearance.


    She secretly smiled, then raised her hands and stretched.


    Rnd was ¡®awakened! by the movement of her stretching, opened his eyes, and looked at her. "Isabel, the ne willnd


    soon."


    His eyes were soft, and a bright glimmer within revealed his current mood.


    Isabel held back herugh and hummed.


    Rnd held her hand.


    The nended smoothly not long after.


    Rnd arranged for a car to pick them up.


    Isabel left the airport with him and got in the car.


    After about half an hour, the car reached her house.


    Isabel moved her hand that was still being held by Rnd. " Rnd, we''re here.¡±


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Mm."


    He let go of her hand, opened the door, and got out of the car.


    Isabel also got out.


    When the guard at the gate saw here back, he immediately came over to help her and Rnd take their suitcases from the


    trunk of the car.


    Isabel looked at Rnd and her empty hands and felt that something was off.


    Before she could figure it out, Rnd reached into the trunk again and moved out several boxes of fine wine and tea, as well as


    several sets of luxury skincare supplements and so on.

 Chapter 2172

    Chapter 2172


    Isabel was stunned.


    After Rnd took everything out, he said to the guard," Please carry these things in as well."


    "Right." The guard immediately called for the others.


    Only then did Rnd look at Isabel, who was speechless.


    He smiled boyishly. "| came in a hurry, so | only prepared this much. | don''t know if your parents will like them."


    Isabel replied with a smile, "They''ll like them."


    They were all expensive items, and they were all things that her parents usually liked. She could tell that he chose them with


    care.


    After speaking, she went forward to take one of his hands. She looked at the gifts being carried in by the guards and said, "Come


    on, let''s go inside."


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Okay."


    Isabel sent a message to Sylvia before boarding the ne, saying that she would being back with Rnd tonight.


    As soon as Rnd and she entered the living room, they saw Odell and Sylvia, as well as Liam and Caprice holding their child.


    Flint, who had an infuriating smile on his face, was sitting on the sofa looking at them.


    Isabel suddenly felt a little nervous, but when she saw that it


    was just her closest family in front of her, that tension disappeared.


    She let go of Rnd''s hand and turned to them, saying," Mom, Dad, Liam, Caprice, and Flint, this is my boyfriend, Rnd


    Rockwell."


    Odell casually picked up the teacup and took a sip.


    Liam pursed his lips faintly. Flint was leaning on the sofa, but he looked at Rnd with a very serious expression.


    Caprice and the baby sitting in her arms stared at Rnd with round eyes.


    Only Sylvia nodded with a smile.


    Rnd took two steps forward, looked at Sylvia and Odell, and said politely, "Hello, Auntie and Mr. Carter."


    Odell nced at him.


    Sylvia smiled and said, "Why are you calling him Mr. Carter when you''re already calling me Auntie? Just call him Uncle."


    Rnd looked at Odell. When Odell did not object, he said," Okay."


    Sylvia asked, "Have you eaten?"


    Rnd replied, "Isabel and | ate on the ne."


    "Good," Sylvia said with a smile, "Don''t just stand there.


    Come have a seat."


    There were still seats avable beside Flint, but it was not spacious.


    Isabel gave him a look and signaled for him to move elsewhere so that Rnd and she could have that spot.


    However, Flint pretended not to see andy down instead.


    Isabel shot him a look and raised a fist.


    Sylvia said, "Ahem, Isabel,e sit with me."


    Isabel looked at Rnd.


    Rnd pursed his lips at her, obviously indicating for her to go and not to worry about him.


    Isabel was not worried about him, but she was not at ease. She red at Flint and motioned for him not to make things difficult


    for Rnd, or else.


    Flint raised his brows with a smile and sat up straight.


    He opened up an empty spot beside him for Rnd.


    Only then did Isabel sit in the empty seat between Sylvia and Caprice.


    Rnd sat down beside Flint.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, Isabel heard Flint''s provoking question, "So, you''re the guy who secretly flirted with my sister in ourpany behind my


    dad''s back?"


    Isabel shot him a displeased look.


    Rnd maintained a calm expression and said, "I didn''t meet Isabel at Carter Corporation."


    Flint did not seem to believe him and asked suspiciously,"


    Then where did you meet?"


    Rnd said, "By the side of the road. My mother suddenly got sick, and Isabel happened to pass by. She saved my mother."


    Flint was instantly silenced by those words.


    Odell, Sylvia, Liam, and Caprice all looked surprised.


    They turned to Isabel.


    Isabel hummed. "That¡¯s right."


    Odell asked, "When did this happen?"


    Rnd replied, "Some time before | joined Carter Corporation.¡±

 Chapter 2173

    Chapter 2173


    Chapter 2173


    Odell looked at Isabel.


    He remembered that Isabel voted against Rnd when he applied for the position of director-general of Carter Corporation.


    At that time, if it were not for him overseeing the matter, Rnd, a genius in business, would have been lost because of the


    ignorant Isabel.


    However, one thing was for certain: Although she and Rnd knew each other at that time, they should be no different from


    strangers.


    No, to be precise, she thought of Rnd no different than a stranger.


    As for how they got together, it was most likely that they slowly got together as time passed.


    Just then, Sylvia asked, "How is your mother?"


    Rnd replied, "My mother is in good health now, thanks to Isabel saving her in time. Thank you for your concern."


    When he said this, he seemed to deliberately nce at Isabel.


    Isabel pursed her lips.


    She did not expect Liam to remember something that happened so long ago.


    She almost forgot that she had identally saved his mother.


    Rnd answered any question he was asked. Maybe it was because he was too sincere when speaking, but Flint did not try to


    spite him anymore.


    Aunt Tonya brought out snacks and drinks.


    Isabel ate while chatting, and nced at Rnd from time to time.


    He sat next to Flint, took the tea that Flint handed to him, and drank slowly.


    Once in a while, Sylvia, Liam, or Flint would mention him in conversation, and he would answer.


    The atmosphere was more harmonious than expected.


    Seeing that Rnd was clearly not as nervous as before, Isabel alsopletely rxed.


    Unknowingly, it waste at night.


    The baby was sleepy and was used to being nursed before bedtime, so he started crying in Caprice''s arms.


    Liam touched the little guy''s chubby face and whispered to Caprice, "You take him back to the room to rest first. I''ll join you


    soon."


    Caprice knew that he still had something to say to Rnd and hummed, then said to Sylvia and Isabel, "Mom and Isabel, I''ll take


    the baby back to the room."


    Sylvia said, "We''ll go up with you."


    Then, she pulled Isabel up as she spoke.


    Isabel was stunned and looked back at Rnd.


    Rnd smiled faintly at her, signaling for her not to worry.


    Isabel smiled at him and went upstairs with Sylvia and Caprice.


    The living room soon became quiet.


    Aunt Tonya set up the teacups and also left the living room.


    Odell raised his cup and took a sip of tea.


    Flint toyed with a car key.


    Liam looked at Rnd and said, "| heard that you''re Mr.


    Bright."


    "Yes."


    Liam was suspicious. "Why didn''t you tell us earlier?"


    Rnd obviously did not understand Liam''s suspicions and replied seriously, "Because Mr. Carter and you never asked."


    Odell, who was drinking tea, curled his mouth.


    Liam could not help butugh. "We didn''t ask, but why didn''t you tell us?"Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd said, "It was just an alias. There was nothing to say."


    "Mr. Bright¡¯ was very amazing, but that reputation was brought about unintentionally by his side upation.


    He wanted to marry Isabel. Just ''Mr. Bright¡¯ was not good enough for her.


    Liam pursed his lips speechlessly.


    If Rnd had let Odell know that he was ''Mr. Bright¡¯, Odell would not have been so determined to separate him from Isabel.


    Liam did not know what to say and simply looked at Odell.


    Odell put down his teacup and looked at Rnd. "Did you get Rockwell Corporation back?"


    Rnd met his gaze. "Yes.1

 Chapter 2174

    Chapter 2174


    Chapter 2174


    Odell said, ¡®Then get along well with Isabel."


    Rnd smiled. At that instant, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, ¡®Thank you, Mr. Carter."


    Flint, who was leaning on the sofa, could not help butugh. " Dad already approved of you. Why are you still calling him Mr.


    Carter?"


    Rnd was stunned. Then, he looked at Odell and said seriously, ¡®Thank you, Uncle."


    Odell pursed his lips and hummed.


    ¡°Rest early." With that, he got up and left the living room.


    Liam also stood up and said in a faint voice, "You can just call me Liam in the future.¡±


    Rnd said, "Okay, Liam."


    Liam also went upstairs.


    Rnd looked at Flint, who had not left yet.


    Flint jumped off the sofa and said with a smile, "Just call me Flint, Rnd.¡±


    Rnd pursed his lips. "Okay."


    ¡®Tour room is ready for you. I''ll take you there.¡±


    ¡®Thanks."


    Rnd got up and walked up the stairs with Flint.


    Meanwhile, in Caprice and Liam''s bedroom.


    The baby fell asleep on the bed after he had his fill.


    Isabel sat on the bed with Sylvia and Caprice.


    Caprice said with a smile, "Isabel, he''s really handsome. It¡¯s no wonder you like him."


    Isabel raised her brows. "Of course, | have good taste.¡±


    Sylvia gave them a sideways nce and said with a smile, " Well, let the baby rest. Caprice, you''ve been busy all day. You


    should rest early too."


    After saying that, Sylvia pulled Isabel up. "You''ll sleep with me tonight, Isabel.¡±


    Isabel instinctively asked, "What about Dad?¡±


    "He''ll sleep by himself.¡±


    Isabel was speechless.


    However, it had been a long time since she came back. She did not say anything and obediently walked out with Sylvia.


    They bumped into Flint and Rnd as they passed the stairway.


    Rnd looked at her and said politely to Sylvia, "Auntie."


    Sylvia nodded. "Rest early."


    "Yes.¡±


    Sylvia took Isabel and walked past him.


    As they passed, Isabel shot him a look.


    Rnd pursed his lips.


    Soon, Sylvia pulled Isabel to her bedroom.


    The bedroom was still the same as when Isabel left a few months ago, but it was neat from regr cleaning and tidying.


    Isabel took a quick shower andy under the covers with Sylvia.


    She took one of Sylvia''s arms like when she was a child.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Sylvia smiled and touched her head. "Isabel, did you have any conflicts with him during this period you were with him at


    Southboro?¡±


    Isabel was slightly surprised.


    She did not expect her mother to know that she was in Southboro during this period together with Rnd.


    It was most likely Liam who told her.


    Isabel pursed her lips and replied, "We bickered once or twice, but we never fought, and there were no conflicts."


    Now that she thought about it, it seemed that since she met Rnd, there were no conflicts except that time when he went back


    to Southboro without saying anything. They had never even fought before.


    Sylvia sighed in relief. "It seems he¡¯s very well-tempered."


    Odell told her some things about Rnd''s one-year or so stay at Carter Corporation. The general impression she got was that


    Rnd was young but calm with a cold appearance. However, he had a gentle temper and good morals, and he was polite when


    treating others. He was just a little bad at socializing. Although his methods were amazing, they were all fair and not


    underhanded. Everyone in Carter Corporation and even a few picky shareholders liked him very much, which proved his


    character.

 Chapter 2175

    Chapter 2175


    He had a good character and temper. If Isabel lived with him in the future, he would not hurt her even if they had arge conflict.


    Sylvia thought about it and asked, "Isabel, have you met his mother before?"


    She heard that his mother was his only kin left.


    Isabel said honestly, "I''ve met her many times. She''s very gentle and is a good cook. She often cooks food for me."


    Sylvia smiled. "I¡¯m sure his father was quite good too."


    "Yes, he used to be very happy, but after his grandfather and father passed..."


    "Mm, I¡¯ve heard."


    Isabel fell silent.


    In Southboro.


    The continuous rain cast a shadow over the Rockwell residence.


    Decker was in his room.


    Having just finished his shower, he stood in front of the window wrapped in his bathrobe, smoking a cigarette as he looked out at


    the rain that was pelting the ground.


    rice pushed the door open and walked in barefooted.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She had also just finished her shower and wore a pink silk nightgown with spaghetti straps and a low neckline, showing off her


    fairly satisfactory figure.


    She walked to Decker and hugged him from behind." Decker, it''s gettingte. We should get to bed."


    As she spoke, she brushed a hand across his chest.


    Decker frowned. His already gloomy face suddenly became annoyed.


    However, he quickly suppressed that irritability.


    He turned around, hugged rice, lifted her chin, and kissed her on the lips.


    "rice, | remembered | still have something to talk to Dad about. You go to bed first. Don¡¯t wait up for me."


    Then, he pushed rice away and walked past her out of the bedroom.


    rice stood where she was, frowning unhappily as she watched him go straight out.


    She could not remember thest time she got intimate with him anymore.


    Ever since Decker returned to Southboro, he had been busy going up against Rnd. Even being intimate with her once a week


    would be considered a lot.


    After Rnd took half his shares and reced him as the president of Rockwell Corporation, he had not touched her a single


    time.


    Was it because he had no desire in that aspect because of his bad mood?


    rice stomped her foot unhappily.


    She was thedy of the Houston family. She already tried to seduce him twice and failed. She could not lower herself to try to


    seduce him in a more tant manner.


    Scoffing, she picked up her coat and went out.


    Meanwhile, Decker wanted to go out for some air, but as he was walking out of the building, he saw that Master


    Rockwell''s building was still lit.


    It seemed that his study light was still on.


    Was Master Rockwell not asleep yet?


    Decker was suspicious and immediately went to the study.


    After knocking on the door and entering, he saw the old man sitting on the sofa in his coat, smoking.


    Master Rockwell seemed to be deep in thought, and his expression looked slightly betterpared to the past few days.


    Did he think of a way to deal with Rockwell Corporation?


    Decker went up to him and asked, "Dad, why aren''t you asleep yet?"


    Master Rockwell exhaled smoke and looked at Decker. "Sit.


    | have something to tell you."


    Decker''s expression lit up as he immediately went to sit.


    Master Rockwell continued, "Today, someone saw Rnd and that girlfriend of his in the airport. Do you know where they went?"


    Decker thought about it and said, "He should be going to Westchester City with Isabel."


    Master Decker asked warily, "What is he doing in Westchester?"


    "Isabel is going there to film a variety show. Rnd must be apanying her."


    "It seems Rnd really likes that girl." Master Rockwell exhaled another mouthful of smoke. Then, he noticed something strange


    and looked at Decker sharply. "How did you know his girlfriend will be filming in Westchester City? Do you know his girlfriend


    very well?"

 Chapter 2176

    Chapter 2176


    Decker''s gaze shed as he exined, "I''ve invested in film and television projects in Westchester before, and | happened to


    know the variety show that his girlfriend is joining."


    Master Rockwell gave him a suspicious look but did not pursue the topic. He said instead, "Do you think Rnd feels deeply for


    his girlfriend?"


    Decker''s eyes shed darkly at the thought of Rnd being with Isabel, and he replied, "Rnd has never been close to


    women, and Isabel is his first girlfriend. He even threatened rice before not to suppress his girlfriend. In my opinion, he likes


    her very much."


    Master Rockwell sneered. "That makes things easier."


    Decker asked in confusion, "What are you nning, Dad?"


    "I''ll use his girlfriend and force him to return the shares he took from you."


    Decker''s expression tightened. "What are you nning to do to Isabel?"


    Master Rockwell frowned crossly. "I¡¯m not going after your woman. What are you worried about?"


    Decker quickly schooled his expression and exined casually, "I''m not worried. I''m just curious about what you''re going to do to


    her.


    Master Rockwell narrowed his deep eyes and smiled. ¡®There are many ways to deal with an actress."


    Besides going home this weekend, Isabel also had to film for The Wonders.


    After staying at home for a day, Isabel arrived at the recording site on Sunday morning apanied by Rnd.


    She told Rnd to go back first and pick her up at night. Then, she entered the set.


    Some of the segments were simr to the previous ones. The director of the program also started taking care of her again, and


    the other guests were also polite to her, most likely because rice stopped suppressing her.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The day filled with filming passed by quickly.


    When it was almost dark in the evening, the recording ended on time.


    After saying goodbye to Liz and a few other guests and staff Isabel was familiar with, she jogged out of the set.


    Alow-key and luxurious ck car appeared in her line of sight in the open-air parking lot.


    Rnd stepped out of the car before she could approach.


    It waste winter now, and the wind was cold and biting.


    Isabel only wore a thin sweater.


    Rnd quickly stepped in front of her, took off his long coat, and wrapped it around her body.


    He frowned and said unhappily, "Why didn¡¯t you wear a coat?"


    Isabel felt the heating from his coat and smiled at him. "I''d only be outside for a while, so | didn''t want to wear one."


    Rnd did not say anything else. He took her hand and pulled her into the car.


    Just then, two paparazzi hiding in the shadows took a clear picture of their intimate figures.


    Isabel did not notice. When she got in the car, she was pulled to Rnd''s side and could only press against his shoulder.


    Rnd wrapped an arm around her.


    The car drove in the direction of the airport.


    Rnd had work tomorrow, and Isabel had no ns for the near future, so she would go back with him.


    The car soon arrived at the airport.


    After clearing the security checkpoint, they found a nice restaurant inside to eat, and then it was time to board.


    Isabel fell asleep not long after the ne took off and slept until theynded in Southboro.


    She was awoken by the announcement.


    Rnd sat next to her. When he saw her wake up, he casually rubbed her head.


    Isabel was still a bit dazed and thought that they would hurry back home after getting off the ne so she could sleep more.


    Soon, the nended smoothly.


    Rnd took out his phone and answered a call.


    Isabel also casually turned off flight mode. At that moment, she heard Rnd''s gloomy voice say, "What did you say?"


    She instinctively looked at him.


    He was also looking at her, and his eyes were filled with concern.


    Isabel asked uneasily, "What happened?"

 Chapter 2177

    Chapter 2177


    Rnd fell silent. "It''s nothing.


    He turned to say to the person on the phone, "It doesn¡¯t matter what method you use. Deal with it immediately."


    Isabel was puzzled when her own phone rang.


    It was from Amanda.


    She casually picked up the phone. "What¡¯s up, Amanda?"


    Amanda''s voice shouted anxiously on the phone, "What have you been doing? Why haven''t you been picking up my calls?"


    Isabel frowned. "I just got off the ne. What happened?"


    Rnd, who was right beside her, heard her words and looked at her with a tense expression.


    Before he could speak, Amanda said to Isabel over the phone, "The Inte right now is full of dirt on you about you living off a


    rich man. | searched everywhere for help, but | couldn''t suppress the news. It seems all those marketing ounts are being


    controlled. | approached several ounts who usually have a good rtionship with me, but they didn''t dare to clear your name


    either. Hurry up and ask Rnd for help. If you don''t suppress the news, your career will bepletely ruined!"


    Dirt on her about living off a rich man?


    When did she live off a rich man?


    Isabel felt dumbfounded.


    "| got it." After saying that, she hung up the phone and was just about to open her social media app.


    However, Rnd suddenly grabbed her phone. "It''s time to get off the ne. Let''s talk when we get back."


    His voice was gentle.


    The airline crew opened the cabin door at that moment.


    Isabel hummed and walked out together with him.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out, a voice called out beside her. "Isabel Ross? It¡¯s Isabel Ross!"


    "Oh my god, it''s Isabel Ross! She''s in Southboro!"


    ¡®The man beside her must be the person currently in charge of Rockwell Corporation, right? She went through a lot of trouble


    getting together with him. Since he came to Southboro, of course she has to follow him."


    Theirments became more and more cutting.


    Isabel suddenly realized that she forgot to wear a mask and hat when she got off the ne.


    She quickly stepped forward.


    The people chased after her and took pictures of her with their phones.


    Isabel frowned.


    At that moment, Rnd held her in his arms and pressed her face to his chest.


    He did not say anything. He just protected her tightly and took her out of the airport without stopping.


    Isabel''s sight was pitch ck, and the sound of camera shutters and footsteps chasing after her kept ringing in her ears.


    Those passers-by seemed to surround her.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not know how Rnd got her out.


    When she could see again, she was already sitting in the car with him.


    His bodyguard and assistant, Marcus, came to pick them up.


    After getting into the car, Rnd held her hand tightly and said in a cold voice, "Drive."


    The driver quickly started the car and shook off the people who chased after them.


    Isabel pursed her lips and took out her phone.


    "Isabel." Rnd stopped her.


    Isabel knew that Rnd did not want her to see. She smiled at him and said, "I¡¯m fine. | just want to know what''s going on."


    Rnd pursed his lips. "No matter what happens, I''ll take care of it."


    "Mm. | believe you."


    Then, she opened her social media app.


    On the first, second, and third ces of the trending list was news about her.

 Chapter 2178

    Chapter 2178


    The first was: Isabell Ross¡¯ ex is her current boyfriend''s uncle.


    The second was: Isabell Ross hooks up with the new person in charge of Rockwell Corporation.


    The third was: Isabell Ross¡¯ new love affair.


    The third trending search was not as hot as the first and second. Judging by the time, the first one went viral first, followed by the


    second one.


    Isabel frowned and clicked on the article.


    A paparazzi camped outside the recording venue for The Wonders and took a very high-definition video of Rnding to pick


    her up, putting his coat on her, and hugging her in the car.


    Theizensmenting on the video were very rational, and most of them were just exchanging gossip.


    Then, someone recognized Rnd and exposed his identity. There was also a series of marketing ounts whomented


    strangely: Isabel Ross is the best when ites to methods. It''s no wonder there wasn''t any gossip about her with male


    celebrities for so many years. It''s because she devoted herself to clinging to rich men. We should congratte her for


    sessfully getting Rnd Rockwell, the new head of Rockwell Corporation.


    At that point, there were still many people who were unhappy with those ounts. Isabel''s fans got angrier and scolded those


    ounts for being jealous of her.


    However, an ount that replied to Isabel''s fan caused a sensation.


    That ount picked out the topment made by a fan and replied to it: [Heh, if he was the only one she hooked up with, then


    I''d definitely envy and be jealous of her, but...]


    The fan scolded him: [But what? If you can¡¯te up with anything, then get lost!]


    The otherizens watching the show also flocked up.


    [But what? Go on, you can''t just keep us hanging.]


    [I''ll send you a razor de if you don''t continue.]


    [Does Isabel have other secrets?]


    [J


    The marketing ount replied with a picture not long after, most likely because he was forced by the otherizens.


    In the photo, a sweet and tender-looking Isabel sat intimately with a handsome young man. Their fingers were intertwined. It was


    clear that they were a couple.


    This young man waspletely different from Isabel''s current boyfriend.


    It was none other than her ex, Decker!


    Isabel could not help but clench her fists when she saw this.


    She deleted all their photos after breaking up with Decker that year! He was the only one who could have distributed them!


    As theizens started to dig, it did not take long for someone to reveal Decker''s identity, the previous head of Rockwell


    Corporation, Rnd''s uncle.


    All theizens were shocked.


    Even Isabel''s fans were silent.


    Another wave of marketing ountsunched another connotation-filledment.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    | heard that Rnd only became the head of Rockwell Corporation not long ago, and Isabel only got together with her boyfriend


    easily. Does she like being Rockwell Corporation¡¯s boss¡¯ woman?]


    That photo of Isabel and her ex-boyfriend looks like it was from many years ago. Her eyes looked so clear in the photo. She


    shouldn''t have entered the entertainment circle back then. How did she get involved with a rich family like the Rockwells? | heard


    that there are institutions that specialize in training high-ss ¡®noble¡¯dies. | wonder if Isabel has anything to do with those


    institutions.]


    | was once curious how such a fearless person like Isabel got a foothold in the entertainment circle. Now, it seems clear. She¡¯s


    not afraid of anything because she has the Rockwell family behind her.]


    bes!)


    Those words set off wave after wave.


    Theizens who were just watching the show and who spoke for Isabel earlier turned their backs. They began to mock her for


    being a fake socialite who was specially trained to hook up with rich young men. They also said she used to be an escort,


    etcetera.


    Isabel offended many people in the circle, and those people also stood up and started to crusade against her indignantly.


    For example, a male star who Isabel made to eat his own words miserably on a live broadcast said: [I told you all she wasn¡¯t a


    good person, but you didn¡¯t believe me.]


    Theizens who ridiculed and scolded him before began tofort him, and some even began to apologize to him.


    Seeing how theizens were starting to mock her, Isabe also uploaded a post saying: [I really didn''t steal her resources.]

 Chapter 2179

    Chapter 2179


    Theizens who used to help Isabel scold her also began tofort her. [Isabe, we misunderstood you. Your IQ really can¡¯t


    compete with hers.]


    [J


    In short, everywhere Isabel looked, words scolding and mocking her.


    Among her friends, only Triss spoke up for her. [Isabel isn''t like that. | believe in her.]


    Then, arge number of people mocked and scolded Triss.


    Some of Isabel''s fans who continued to defend her were also drowned out by theizens¡¯ ridicule.


    Isabel felt dizzy after she finished seeing all this.


    She imagined being scolded before, but not by the entire Inte. Furthermore, they called her an escort, a fakedy, and even


    a high-ss hooker...


    Her anger stuck in her throat. Just as she wanted to make a post to rify and vent, Marcus, who was sitting in the passenger


    seat, took a phone call. After the call ended, he anxiously looked at Rnd and said, "Young Master Rockwell, Rockwell


    Corporation''s stocks have fallen. The vice president wants to convene an emergency shareholders meeting."


    Isabel''s eyelid twitched.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd''s expression tightened as he said in an unhappy tone, "All right. We''ll talk about it at home."


    Marcus nced at Isabel and turned back around, pursing his lips.


    Rnd held her hand again and asked gently, "Have you finished reading?¡±


    "Mm."


    "Then don''t look anymore." He tried to take the phone from her hand.


    Isabel gripped the phone and refused to let go.


    "Isabel?"


    She pursed her lips and said, "Don''t worry. | just want to make a post to rify.¡±


    Rnd saw that her expression did not look too bad and let go of her hand.


    Isabel cropped many pictures and uploaded them to a post. [ I¡¯ve remembered all the people who ndered me.]


    Under the caption were screenshots of the posts of those who deliberately ndered her as an escort, ady trained by ¡®special¡¯


    institutes, and so on made by the marketing ounts.


    As soon as she made the post, a wave ofizens poured into thement section.


    [Are you going to ask your boyfriend to deal with them?]


    [Haha! Everyone, run away!]


    [Isabel, you said that you were ndered, but do you have proof?]


    [I liked you for so many years, but | didn¡¯t expect you to just be a hooker!]


    [You slept with the uncle and then the nephew. Don''t you feel disgusted?]


    [eee]


    Isabel closed her eyes and forced herself not to look at thosements. Then, she made another post. [Decker Rockwell, you


    despicable, shameless dog!]


    She was not a fool. It was clear that what happened today was someone trying to scheme against her.


    She never thought that Decker would use their photos from so long ago and nder her to go against Rnd!


    What a shameless person!


    After making that post, Isabel turned off her phone.


    She needed to calm down and think about countermeasures.


    One of her hands was still held by Rnd. He looked at her with a deep frown.


    Isabel took a deep breath and tried her best to say in a rxed tone, "I¡¯m fine. You go deal with Rockwell Corporation first."


    Decker made it clear that he was using her to deal with Rnd, and Rockwell Corporation''s stocks had fallen. She did not know


    how thepany was doing now.

 Chapter 2180

    Chapter 2180


    "lll take you home first."


    "No need. You go to Rockwell Corporation. I''ll go back by myself."


    The seaside vi was far away, but Rockwell Corporation was located just past the downtown area from the airport.


    Rnd did not say anything and just held her hand tightly.


    Only when the car was almost at the door did he say to her," Rest well. I''ll deal with the matters online."


    Isabel was just about to answer him when he wrapped his arms around her body.


    He bowed his head, kissed her on the lips, and whispered, " Trust me.¡±


    Isabel''s stifled mood lightened slightly as she smiled." Okay."


    She got out of the car and watched him get back into the car and head downtown. Then, she turned around and walked into the


    vi.


    The vi was still the same as before, both inside and outside.


    However, Martha most likely read what happened on the Inte. She walked out of the house just as Isabel entered the front


    door.


    She looked at Isabel with a somewhatplicated gaze.


    Isabel thought about her past with Decker which was revealed online and frowned.


    Would Martha mind her past with Decker...?


    Just as her mood becameplicated, Martha walked up to her and took her hand. "Isabel, the people online are all saying


    nonsense. Just ignore them. | cooked you something delicious, soe eat while it''s hot."


    Her voice was as gentle as her expression.


    Isabel was relieved and could not help but say, "Martha, it''s true that Decker was my ex, but | broke up with him more than five


    years ago."


    She had not even met Rnd back then.


    Martha smiled. "I''ve known you for a long time and know your temperament and character, Isabel. | knew at a nce that those


    comments online were deliberately trying to harm you. | can¡¯t possibly believe them."


    Isabel was relieved again and hummed with a smile.


    At the same time.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    In a carthat was driving to Rockwell Corporation.


    Rnd sat in the back, holding his phone and reading the bubbling discussions online.


    Isabel''s news was still trending, and the two posts she just made also went viral.


    There was still an overwhelming amount of ridicule and scolding.


    Thement section of her post scolding Decker was filled with mockery.


    [Oh, is someone upset?]


    (Why are you scolding your previous keeper? He didn''t do anything wrong.]


    | guess the photo of her and her ex-bankroller was probably released by him.]


    Heh, if | was him, I''d be more ruthless. She dumped him and then went to his nephew instead. Who would be able to stand


    that?]


    | didn''t think that she was such a person. | need to go wash my eyes. | can''t be a fan of a high-ss hooker like her!]


    a)


    After reading for a while, Rnd put down his phone with a dark expression and instructed Marcus on the passenger seat, "Find


    a PR firm and suppress all of Isabel''s news."


    Marcus hesitated and said, "Young Master, Ms. Ross¡¯ matters are causing a sensation now. It might be counterproductive to


    suppress the news all at once." i


    Rnd closed his eyes and said gloomily, "Do as | say."


    Whether or not the news was suppressed, Isabel would be mocked and scolded.


    What he wanted was for her not to see such abuse. That way, her mood should be better.


    In the Rockwell residence.

 Chapter 2181

    Chapter 2181


    Chapter 2181


    In his study, Master Rockwellughed in satisfaction when he listened to the online news his assistant reported to him.


    Sitting next to him, Decker pursed his lips in silence.


    Ashort whileter, when he heard that Isabel had publicly scolded Decker on social media, Master Rockwell was stunned and


    asked, "She publicly scolded Decker?"


    The assistant replied, ¡®Yes. She might have guessed that it was him who spread those photos."


    ¡°Hmph, she''s not dumb." Master Rockwell nced at Decker and said doubtfully, "Won''t she be acknowledging her past with


    Decker if she does that? Isn''t she afraid that Rnd will abandon her after finding out?"


    In Master Rockwell''s opinion, Isabel was just an actress who relied on financial backers to get to the top. She would shamelessly


    cling to Rnd in order to get close to the Rockwells.


    The assistant was also a little puzzled.


    Decker, who was silent for a long time, took a breath and said, "Rnd knew | was her ex a long time ago."


    Master Rockwell was stunned again. "He already knew?"Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After being surprised, he sneered and said, "Looks like he really loves Isabel. That just makes it easier to use her against him."


    Decker narrowed his eyes.


    Indeed.


    Now, there was only one way to stabilize Rockwell Corporation''s share prices: Make Rnd dump Isabel and denounce his


    rtionship with her.


    Otherwise, he and the other shareholders could use this incident to force Rnd to hand over his power.


    As long as Rnd cared about Isabel, he would distance himself from her. Then, Decker would be able to take his management


    rights of Rockwell Corporation back from Rnd.


    As for Isabel, it would not be toote to get her back after he drove Rnd out of Rockwell Corporation!


    At that thought, Decker''s stifled mood finally felt better. He looked at the time, stood up, and said to Master Rockwell," Dad, the


    shareholders and the senior management should have arrived at the office. I''ll go over now."


    Master Rockwell smiled. "Okay, I''ll look forward to your good news."


    Decker hummed and strode out of the study.


    Not long after that, he bumped into rice in the corridor outside the living room. His expression changed, and he showed her a


    gentle look. "What are you doing here, rice?"


    rice went up to him with a smile and said while holding his arm, "Decker, | just got the news. Rnd spent a lot of effort to


    suppress all the negative news about Isabel on the Inte. Her name is no longer trending, but many of thement sections


    of popr news articles are full ofizens using her of being a fake celebrity and a trained escort. They''re biased against


    Rnd too, thinking that he''s helping her indiscriminately. Many people feel sorry for you, and Rockwell Corporation''s stock price


    has plummeted a lot.¡±


    rice kept a close eye on Decker''s expression as she said this.


    Although Decker was smiling the whole time, his eyes obviously shed for an instant when she mentioned that theizens


    were using Isabel.


    rice secretly clenched her fists when she thought of the photo of Decker and Isabel that the marketing ounts uploaded.


    It had been five to six years since he broke up with Isabel, but he still kept those intimate photos with her. He always imed that


    Isabel was just a casual fling and that he stopped caring about her long ago.


    Why did he still have those photos if he did not care about her?


    Why did he feel worried when he heard that people were using her?


    rice held back her emotions and said with a smile, "| wonder if Rnd will dump her."


    Decker smiled. "I''ll find out when | get to the officeter."


    ¡®Then, remember to tell me if you have any good news."


    Decker touched her cheek gently. "Okay."


    After saying that, he got in the car.


    rice stood there and waited for his car to disappear, and the smile on her face instantly cooled.


    It would be good if Rnd did not give up on Isabel.


    If Rnd dumped Isabel for Rockwell Corporation, she must not let Isabel stay in Southboro! No, she had to make that b* tch


    disappear from the entertainment circle forever!

 Chapter 2182

    Chapter 2182


    Chapter 2182


    Inside arge conference room in Rockwell Corporation.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    When Rnd pushed in the door and entered, Decker and the rest of the shareholders had already taken their seats. He went


    straight to the seat at the head of the table and sat down.


    Decker smiled at him. "President Rockwell, what do you think about the drop in the stock price?¡±


    Everyone else stared at him.


    Rnd nced at Decker. ¡®The price will rise when the online storm passes.¡±


    "What if it never passes?" Decker smiled. "Or what if Rockwell Corporation''s shares drop to rock bottom in the next few days?"


    At those words, the shareholders looked at Rnd anxiously.


    "Yes, President Rockwell, you need to issue a statement.¡±


    "You can''t let Rockwell Corporation be ruined by public opinion against you."


    Rnd interrupted them in a cold voice, "I''m not the one who wants to ruin Rockwell Corporation."


    The implications were obvious. Someone deliberately sparked the online public discussion. Who was it?


    Most shareholders nced at Decker.


    Decker sat gracefully in his seat, curled his mouth, and exined casually, "My private photos were identally stolen when |


    got my old phone repaired some time ago."


    Most of the shareholders present sided with Decker.


    As soon as he finished speaking, someone said, "It¡¯s not your fault. The person who repaired your phone is to me!"


    "If you ask me, it''s the fault of that female celebrity, Isabel Ross. If she hadn¡¯t seduced Master Decker and President Rockwell,


    how could such a thing have happened now?"


    ¡°Exactly. If not for her, Rockwell Corporation would still be fine now."


    "She''s a scourge! President Rockwell, you should break up with her. Rockwell Corporation will definitely be safe as long as you


    clear up your rtionship with her."


    Rnd''s eyes turned cold.


    The people noticed his expression and reluctantly closed their mouths.


    Rnd nced at them and said icily, "If tonight''s meeting was just to discuss my private life, then there¡¯s no need to continue."


    With that, he got up and left.


    The shareholders left behind were stunned.


    They thought that Rnd might not dump Isabel so soon, but they never expected him to be so firm as not even to give them


    room for discussion!


    Decker was also shocked for a moment before sneering.


    It seemed like Rnd was not going to break up with Isabel.


    At the seaside vi, Isabel sat with Martha for a while before she got a call from Amanda. It was probably not good news.


    She stood up and smiled at Martha. "I''ll go take a call."


    Martha hummed. "Go ahead."


    Isabel took the phone and walked out of the living room.

 Chapter 2183

    Chapter 2183


    On the phone, Amanda said in a low voice, "Isabel, there are no more discussions about you on the Inte now."


    Isabel was stunned. "At all?"


    ¡®Yes. The trending news has beenpletely suppressed, but..."


    Isabel continued her words. "But theizens aren''t buying it, and it''s having a counterproductive effect?"


    Amanda was afraid that Isabel would be upset and quickly said, "It''s okay, it''s just a temporary thing. As long as the news doesn''t


    start trending again, it''ll probably stop in a few days."


    Isabel pursed her lips and asked, "Is there anything else?"


    If that was all, Amanda''s tone would not be that low.


    Amanda sighed. "All the work that | negotiated for you is gone."


    Isabel had thought that it was something else. "| haven''t had any work for the past few months anyway. It doesn¡¯t matter."


    Amanda said somewhat wearily, "Isabel, I''ve tried everything | could think of..."


    "| know. Thank you, Amanda. I''ll solve this matter myself." Before she could finish her words, she saw Rnd''s car arrive outside


    the gate.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    On the phone, Amanda asked with little confidence, "Isabel, | think there''s someone influential out to harm you with this. How are


    you going to solve it? How about making another post to rify your past with that Decker Rockwell guy? You can exin it


    properly."


    Decker and she dated and had broken up normally, and she had not even met Rnd yet that year. However, even if she said


    that, would those marketing ounts that relied on ndering her to get traffic believe her? Would theizens believe her?


    Amanda asked her to exin it, but by doing that, it was the same as indirectly admitting that she was a hypocrite trained by an


    agency, apologizing to theizens who used and ndered her, and bowing to those who wanted to harm her!


    Although she was the daughter of the Carters, even if she was just an ordinary person, she would notpromise!


    Just then, Rnd¡¯s car pulled up to the entrance. Isabel had no time to exin and simply said, "I''ll deal with it. Don''t worry and


    just wait for the news."


    She hung up the phone and strode to the front door.


    Rnd was already back not long after leaving. It was most likely that he did not manage toe to terms with Rockwell


    Corporation''s shareholders.


    Isabel quickly walked to the door.


    At that moment, an unfamiliar but luxury car stopped behind


    Rnd''s.


    Rnd had just parked his car and was about to walk over when he saw two gray-haired men in their sixtiesing down from


    their car. They both looked very elegant in appearance.


    Seeing that Rnd was about to enter the house, they called out to him anxiously. "President Rockwell! Wait, we have


    something to tell you!"


    Isabel immediately stopped and hid in the shadows behind the door.


    Outside the door, Rnd looked back at them with a sh of displeasure in his eyes, but he said politely, "Uncle Harry and Uncle


    Louis, let''s talk inside."


    "No need, we''ll talk here. We''ll leave after saying a few words."


    "Since you still call us ¡®Uncle¡¯, we have to tell you what we really think."


    The two men spoke.


    Rnd said, "Please go ahead and speak."


    ¡°Rnd, we watched you grow up. Back when you were fighting with Decker, we also wanted to help you, but there was nothing


    we could do."


    ¡°However, we sincerely advised you to marry Ms. Houston back then. The Houston family took a fancy to you, and Mr. Houston


    also approached you several times, implying that he wanted to bring you and rice together. However, you


    refused. Otherwise, how did that illegitimate son, Decker, rob you of Rockwell Corporation that should originally be yours?"


    ¡°We regret that we didn''t persuade you before, but now, we can''t bear to see you chose the wrong path!"


    The two men spoke very sincerely.


    Rnd frowned and said in a low voice, "If you want me to break up with Isabel, then you can go back now."


    The man standing on the left said angrily, "Child! Why won''t you listen to our advice at all?!"


    The man beside him pulled him and said to Rnd gently," Rnd, | can tell that you truly like that girl. Otherwise, you wouldn''t


    have fallen for Decker''s and your grandfather''s schemes. However, if you don''t break up with her now, Rockwell Corporation''s


    shares might drop further. Decker will have an excuse to work with the others and stop you from managing thepany. Slowly,


    they''ll make you a figurehead and even drive you out of Rockwell Corporation!"

 Chapter 2184

    Chapter 2184


    Chapter 2184


    Rnd silently pursed his lips. His face was cold as firm as before without any shifting emotions.


    The old man standing on the left could not help but shout," What''s so great about that celebrity? She just has a pretty face! She


    can''t help you with anything, and now it''s her fault that you''re in this predicament. Why won''t you break up with her?"


    Rnd''s eyes turned cold. "She didn''t do anything, much less harm me."


    The old man was frightened by his expression and wanted to say something else but was pulled back by hispanion.


    The other old man said to Rnd, "Rnd, we''re not asking you to really break up with her. Just pretend to break up. Make an


    announcement online that you''ve broken up with her, but you can still contact each other as you wish in private."


    This was the best of both worlds for them.


    However, Rnd''s expression turned hard, and he said in a firm and icy voice, "| won''t break up with her."


    The two old men were frightened by his face and tone. After a moment, the old man who advised him quickly said, " We''re not


    asking you to break up for real. We just want you to pretend-"


    ¡°Whether it''s real or pretend, | won''t break up with her.


    Please go back."


    Then, Rnd took a step back. It was clear he did not want to talk to them anymore.


    "You... You''re taking our goodwill for granted! Just you wait. She''ll be the death of you!"


    "Okay, that''s enough. We tried our best. If he doesn¡¯t want to, then let him do as he pleases."


    The two men looked at Rnd in disappointment and soon left.


    After they drove away, Rnd turned and walked into the house. However, he stopped when he walked in the front door.


    The indifference on his face disappeared in an instant as he curled his lips, and the look in his eyes became gentle.


    ¡°How long were you standing there for?¡± he asked.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Isabel stood in front of him and told him the truth. "I was here when you got out of the car."


    He frowned. "You heard everything?"


    ¡®Yeah." Isabel approached him and looked into his clear and beautiful eyes, asking, "Why didn''t you tell them about my identity?"


    Besides being a celebrity, she was also the youngdy of the Carters from Westchester.


    The Carters were the most powerful family in Westchester, with a history of over a hundred years. Even the most influential


    family in Southboro, the Houstons, would have to tter her father when they met, let alone the Rockwells.


    Telling them her identity would not only prevent them from forcing him to break up but would also directly solve the problem of


    the online discussions and Rockwell Corporation¡¯s share prices. Even Master Rockwell and Decker might not dare to scheme


    against her again.


    Rnd pursed his lips. "No reason."


    Isabel frowned and pretended to be unhappy. "Why? Will telling them who | am embarrass you?"


    His gaze hardened and quickly said, "Of course not."


    Isabel raised her voice. "Then, why didn''t you say anything?"


    Rnd took her into his arms, looked her in her eyes, and exined in a low voice, "I don¡¯t want you to be unhappy."


    Isabel was confused. ¡®Why would | be unhappy?"


    Rnd was also puzzled. "You don''t want other people to know about your identity, right?"


    It had been five to six years since her debut, but no one in the entertainment industry knew about her identity. Since she hid the


    truth so securely, he had to respect her wishes.


    Isabel was stunned. She did not expect him to care so much about her thoughts.


    Her heart fluttered. She looked up at him and asked with a smile, "Aren''t you afraid that Decker and the others will take this


    opportunity to make you a figurehead?"


    Rnd pursed his lips. "No. | have my ways to deal with them. | just need some time."


    He frowned and said gently, "Isabel, don¡¯t go online for a few days. Just stay here and feel at ease. I''ll definitely clean up


    everything in the next few days."


    He would clear her name and return all the mud that Decker slung at her.


    Isabel smiled. "Okay."


    She believed him. She just did not want him to face those cruel people alone anymore.

 Chapter 2185

    Chapter 2185


    Chapter 2185


    It waste at night.


    Isabely naked in Rnd''s arms and suddenly remembered what the two old men said to him before. She asked curiously, "Did


    the Houston family really try to set you and rice up together?"


    Rnd wrapped his arm around her and hummed softly.


    Isabel could not help but look back at him and asked with a teasing smile, "Why didn¡¯t you agree?"


    The Houstons were the most influential family in Southboro, and rice was the youngdy of the family. She did not look too


    bad either. If he got together with her, Decker would not have taken Rockwell Corporation back then.


    Rnd pinched her sly face and said with sincere eyes, "I didn¡¯t like her.¡±


    Isabel smiled. "| thought she was the one who didn''t like you.¡±


    Everyone knew that rice liked Decker.


    Rnd said without changing his expression, "She probably doesn''t like me either."


    He did not like her anyway, so he naturally did not care about who she liked.


    Isabelughed and wrapped her arms around his neck."


    Then, are you with me because you like me, or because | identally slept with you?"


    Rnd''s ears grew hot. "Because | like you."


    If he did not like her, he would not have let her sleep with him.


    Isabel raised her rosy cheeks and looked at him with bright eyes. "Well, when did you start liking me?"


    She was suddenly curious.


    Rnd pursed his lips as a warm smile rose in his eyes.


    After a moment, he said, "The night you saved my mother."


    Isabel was immediately stunned. "You liked me since then?"


    ¡®Yes, | liked you very much."


    He liked her so much that he could not sleep for many nights, and all he could think about in his dreams was her.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He even went to Carter Corporation to apply for the position of director-general just to have the opportunity to get in touch with


    her, a celebrity. He did not expect her to be from the Carters, much less be the heir of Carter Corporation.


    Isabel felt hot from his gaze and lowered her head to bury her face in his chest, too embarrassed to look up.


    Rnd held her andughed softly.


    The next morning, after breakfast, Isabel saw Rnd out the door.


    When he was about to get into the car, she pounced on him and kissed his face. She smiled and said, "Go to work. I''ll wait for


    you toe back."


    Rnd''s eyes flickered. Before she could get down from him, he took her face and kissed her lips. He only let her go after a


    longtime.


    Isabel blushed as she looked at him. "Get going.¡±


    "Mm. Wait for me toe back." He touched her head again and turned to get into the car.


    Isabel watched the car drive away and went back into the house.


    As soon as she entered the living room, she saw Martha pursing her mouth and holding back a smile. Martha had most likely


    seen the scene of her making out with Rnd earlier.


    Isabel cleared her throat shyly.


    Martha smiled and changed the subject. "Isabel, aren''t you bored at home? Let¡¯s go to the seaside."


    Isabel knew that Martha was worried about her being influenced by the discussions on the Inte. She smiled and said, "It''s


    okay. | want to call my father.¡±


    Martha quickly said, "Yes, you should talk to your family. Don''t let them worry.¡±


    Isabel was stunned for a moment.


    If Martha knew her identity, she would definitely guess why


    Isabel was calling them instead of asking Isabel to appease her family and tell them not to worry.


    It was clear that Rnd did not tell Martha who she was.

 Chapter 2186

    Chapter 2186


    Isabel pursed her lips. "Mm."


    Then, she took out her phone to call her father.


    The line rang until she almost got the busy tone, and then it was picked up.


    Isabel called out sweetly, "Dad."


    "Mm." Odell asked softly, "Do you need my help this time?"


    He obviously knew about the discussions about her on the Inte.


    Isabel pursed her lips and said, "| want you and Mom toe to Southboro."


    "Okay." Odell smiled. "Since I''ve chosen him as my son-in-w, | naturally can''t watch him being bullied."


    Isabel smiled. ''Thanks, Dad."


    The call soon finished.


    Martha sat in the distance, looking at her.


    When Isabel finished the call, Martha walked up to her and asked, "Isabel, is your family okay?"


    ¡®They''re fine." After thinking about it, Isabel looked at her. " Didn''t Rnd tell you about my family?"


    Martha smiled. "He said that your family is very kind."


    ¡®That''s all?"N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    "Yes. Is something wrong?"


    "No." Isabel smiled, then looked at Martha sincerely. "I want to tell you something about my family."


    Martha''s gaze turned worried. "Did something happen to them?"


    "No." Isabel pulled her to sit and said, "My father is Odell Carter, and my mother is Sylvia Ross."


    "Oh, your parents have nice names."


    "My father is the chairman of Carter Corporation, and my mother is a painter. She''s also known as Sunflower."


    Martha''s eyes widened. ¡±


    Martha most likely had a hard time digesting what Isabel said and went back to her own room alone not long after talking to


    Isabel.


    Isabel could not surf the Inte, and it was too boring to stay alone at home, so she walked out of the house and went to the


    seaside.


    Sitting cross-legged on the soft beach, she fell into thought while watching the sea and enjoying the sea breeze.


    Her parents would probably reach Southboro tomorrow night at the earliest. Rnd might be busy with Rockwell Corporation''s


    shareholders at the moment, so she would tell him about itter in the afternoon.


    Ding!


    Suddenly, the phone she put behind her rang.


    It was an unfamiliar number from Southboro.


    Isabel received many abusive phone calls from anti-fans when she first joined the entertainment circle. Then, she learned her


    lesson and changed her number, and stopped giving out her number to people she did not know very well.


    Although she barely got any more calls from anti-fans after that, she was still very wary.


    She nced at it and declined the call.


    Immediately after, she got a text from the unknown number. "Isabel, it¡¯s rice."


    Isabel was confused.


    She ignored it.


    After a while, rice sent another message. ¡®Tonight, the Rockwells will be hosting a dinner party at Southboro Hotel. All the


    prominent people in Southboro will be attending. Did Rnd tell you about it?"


    Isabel felt suspicious.


    Rockwell Corporation''s stock prices had fallen. How would the Rockwell family still be in the mood for a dinner party?


    Was it because Rnd might have his power taken away, and Master Rockwell and Decker were thrilled about it?


    Isabel replied, "What has that got to do with you?"


    rice seemed to be angered by Isabel''s words and only replied after a long time, "Ha. I¡¯m just reminding you out of the


    kindness of my heart. Although Rnd and Decker don''t have a good rtionship, they both share the samest name and are


    from the same family. If you really want to be with Rnd, you need the approval of the Rockwells. In addition to that, if Rnd


    really wants you to get the approval of the family, he''ll definitely take you to the dinner party tonight."

 Chapter 2187

    Chapter 2187


    Did rice mean that if Rnd did not take Isabel to the party, then he did not want the Rockwells to approve of her?


    Did rice think that she was a fool? That she did not know about the Rockwells'' affairs?


    The Rockwells did not matter, and neither did its members who ostracized and bullied Rnd.


    Isabel would be an idiot if she needed their approval.


    Furthermore, Rnd¡¯s mother had long since regarded Isabel as her darling daughter-inw. She did not need anyone else¡¯s


    approval!


    Isabel narrowed her eyes.


    She read rice''s message again. It was not hard to guess that rice just wanted to provoke her into making Rnd take her


    to the dinner party tonight.


    Rnd must have known about the party, but he did not bring it up at all. It must be because he did not n on going.


    There was a conspiracy at the dinner party.


    What was it?


    Isabel curled her lips.


    No matter what, she had to go!


    She ignored rice and messaged Rnd directly. "Are you busy now?"


    Rnd swiftly responded, "No. What''s wrong?"


    Isabel called him straight.


    He picked up as soon as the line rang. He asked in a low voice, "Did something happen?"


    "No, | just received a text from rice.¡±


    ¡°What did she say to you?" His voice grew a little colder.


    Isabel said honestly, "She said that the Rockwells are hosting a dinner party at Southboro Hotel tonight and that all the men will


    bring their significant others in attendance to get the family¡¯s approval."


    ¡°And you believe her?¡± Rnd asked suspiciously.


    Isabel ignored his question and asked instead, "Is there really going to be a dinner party?"


    "Yes."


    "Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "I''m not going.¡± Thus, there was no need to tell her.


    Isabel smiled but said, "I want to go. Take me there."N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    "Isabel, this dinner party isn''t safe. They must have other motives. We shouldn''t go."


    Isabel pouted and whined, "No, it''s too boring at home. Take me there. | want to see the faces of the people who bullied you."


    "Isabel..." He obviously did not want to take her, but he did not know how to persuade her otherwise.


    Isabel said, "I''m going. If you won''t take me, then I¡¯ll go by myself."


    Rnd sighed. ''TH take you there."


    Meanwhile, in the Rockwell residence, since rice sent the text to Isabel, she kept staring at her phone screen.


    Decker, who was sitting beside her, and Master Rockwell, who was sitting not far away, both looked at her.


    After a long time passed without Isabel replying, rice snorted coldly and broke the silence contemptuously. "How uncultured."


    Master Rockwell asked, "Did she ignore you, rice?"


    rice immediately recovered her usual calm and quiet appearance. "Although she didn''t reply, she must have read the


    message | sent her."


    Master Rockwell nodded, thought for a moment, and looked at Decker. "Decker, you''ve known her before. ording to your


    understanding, will she ask Rnd to take her to the dinner party tonight?"


    Decker frowned. "I don''t know."


    Master Rockwell said, "You''ve dated her before. Shouldn¡¯t you know what she''s like?¡±


    Decker said, "She''s different from how she was five years ago. | can''t guess if she''ll tell Rnd to take her there or not.¡±


    Master Rockwell was a little anxious and said, "Even if she''s different, a person''s nature can''t be changed. Think carefully. If she


    doesn''t take the bait, we''ll have to think of other ways to get Rnd to take her there.¡±

 Chapter 2188

    Chapter 2188


    They contacted the paparazzi in advance for tonight''s dinner party.


    As long as Rnd appeared with Isabel, photos of them in the same frame would be published online.


    The discussions that Rnd had previously suppressed would rise again and definitely be fiercer than before.


    Rockwell Corporation''s shares, which had just stabilized slightly, would certainly fall again.


    At that time, Decker and Master Rockwell, along with the other shareholders, would force Rnd to abdicate!


    Decker was still frowning.


    Five years ago, Isabel was devoted to him. She was gentle, intelligent, simple-minded, and intellectual. She did not care about


    fame and fortune.


    Now, she was bright, smart, and cunning. She seemed to have all sorts of thoughts. However, she seemed to both care and not


    care about fame and fortune.


    He really could not guess if she would take rice''s bait and make Rnd take her to the dinner party tonight.


    Seeing how conflicted Decker was, Master Rockwell grew impatient and looked at rice. "What do you think, rice?"


    rice was looking at Decker, who was feeling conflicted because of Isabel. When she heard Master Decker''s words, she


    suppressed her jealousy and said, "My guess is she''ll definitely go."


    Master Deckerughed. "How are you so sure?¡±


    "Rnd is in a difficult situation now, but if she''s serious about him, then she''ll take the initiative to leave him."


    As long as they broke up, no one on the Inte would attack Rnd again because of her. Rockwell Corporation would


    stabilize, and so would Rnd''s position in thepany.


    However, she did not leave him. rice did not know what tricks Isabel used to make Rnd unwilling to break up with her.


    It was clear that she was an inferior and short-sighted woman who only cared about clinging to the man beside her.


    She must definitely be thinking about marrying Rnd and bing Mrs. Rockwell, so she would certainly make Rnd take


    her to the dinner party tonight.


    Master Rockwell understood andughed with disdain." With Rnd''s skills, it''s a shame that he took a fancy to a woman like


    that."Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Only Decker had aplicated expression. He felt that Isabel was not the kind of woman who would depend on a financial


    backer.


    However, he also did not understand why she did not take the initiative to leave Rnd.


    The day passed quickly.


    Isabel began to dress up when it was almost evening.


    She put on light but exquisite makeup and changed into a simple yet stylish light-colored dress. She held a haute couture bag,


    put on a ne and essories that Rnd bought for her before, and walked out of the room.


    Rnd walked into the living room from the outside at that moment.


    His ck suit emphasized his slender figure, and his face was carefully sculpted by God. He could make others unable to tear


    their eyes away from him even without using any powder.


    Isabel had been with him for a long time, but she still felt that he was exceptionally good-looking.She quickly walked up to him


    and took his arm, smiling. "Rnd, Martha is sleeping. | already told her that we''d be going to a dinner party tonight. Let''s go


    now.


    Rnd''s eyes stayed on her face for a while, and his ears grew red subconsciously.


    "Mm." He held her hand and led her outside.


    After getting into the car, Isabel sat beside him and looked at him from time to time.


    Rnd looked at her.


    As the car approached Southboro Hotel, he said, "Isabel, no matter what happens tonight, don''t leave my side."


    Although he would keep an eye on her at all times, there were times when he would inevitably lower his guard.


    Isabel hummed. "Don''t worry, I''ll be careful."

 Chapter 2189

    Chapter 2189


    Rnd did not say anything.


    Soon, the car stopped at the hotel entrance.


    The bellboy at the entrance came forward to open the car door forthem.


    After getting out of the car, Rnd took Isabel¡¯s hand and walked in.


    The staff guarding the entrance of the venue most likely knew from the Inte that Isabel and Rnd were together. When they


    saw her and Rnding, they did not ask her for an invitation and simply stepped to the side, letting them go straight in.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Many people had already arrived at the venue at that point.


    Isabel had only met Master Rockwell, Decker, Isabel, and a few other familiar-looking senior shareholders of Rockwell


    Corporation. She did not know anyone else.


    When Rnd and she came in, those people stopped talking and looked at them. Their eyes were filled with mockery and


    ridicule.


    No one came forward to greet them.


    Only rice came up while holding Decker''s arm.


    Decker smiled and looked at Isabel. His eyes were slightly mocking as he sized her up.


    He never thought that Isabel would really make Rnd bring her here. Was she that eager to be approved by the Rockwells?


    Did she want to let everyone know that the Rockwells acknowledged her, even at the expense of Rnd being ostracized by him


    and the others?


    rice also smiled gracefully, but her smile was obviously mocking.


    She nced coldly at Isabel and said to Rnd, "Rnd, | didn''t expect you to really bring her here. Aren''t you afraid of being


    criticized by others?


    Almost everyone present was friends and family of the Rockwells and relied on them for a living.


    Rockwell Corporation¡¯s stock prices had been unstable these days because of the talk about Isabel. Anyone with ambition would


    have broken up already, but even if they did not, Rnd should not have appeared on this kind of asion with Isabel in such a


    grand manner.


    That was just making those people who were not fond of him happy, as well as disappointing those who were optimistic about


    him.


    rice wondered just what Isabel had done to make Rnd so devoted to her.


    Rnd''s expression cooled.


    Before he could speak, Isabel asked rice, "Wasn''t it you who sent me a text telling me to get him to bring me here? What are


    you saying now?"


    rice''s eyes shed as her face paled.


    Even a fool would know that the text was something she sent privately, but Isabel actually said it in front of Rnd! Was she not


    afraid that Rnd would see that she was a woman who would cling to him regardless of how it affected him?


    rice was furious and yelled, "Isabel, you have no right to speak in a ce like this!"


    Isabel raised her brows. "I''m going to speak either way. What are you going to do about it?"


    "You!"


    "Heh." Decker chuckled, tugged rice, and said to Rnd," Rnd, Dad and the other rtives and elders are over there. Go


    bring her to greet them."


    Then, he gave Isabel a deep look and left with rice.


    Rnd held Isabel¡¯s hand and slowly went to the venue. His cold gaze swept over those who looked at Isabel with unpleasant


    eyes, and he whispered, "Isabel, they won''t dare to do anything to you with me around."


    Isabel smiled and hummed. She was not afraid of them doing anything to her anyway.


    Rnd did not take her to meet the elders, rtives, and friends of the Rockwells, most likely to protect her. He only held her


    hand and walked past the elders and rtives who were waiting for his greeting, and went straight to the area where the


    refreshments were ced.


    Isabel was hungry, so she picked up a slice of toast and ate it.


    Rnd stood beside her and gave her a ss of juice when she choked slightly on the food.

 Chapter 2190

    Chapter 2190


    Isabel pouted. "| want wine."


    Rnd''s expression was stern. "Drink the juice first."


    Fine.


    Isabel reluctantly took two gulps of juice. Her empty stomach was filled, making her feel much better.


    Now that she was no longer hungry, she stopped munching on the toast and looked at the table of drinks behind Rnd.


    Rnd pursed his lips and brought her a ss of red wine.


    Isabel smiled and drank the wine immediately.


    The others saw this scene.


    The expressions of the Rockwell rtives surrounding Master Rockwell and Decker all turned cold.


    "He''s the young master of the Rockwells and thergest shareholder of Rockwell Corporation, but he''spletely wrapped


    around the finger of a woman from the entertainment industry. How embarrassing.¡±


    "This woman is very clever. | wonder how she coaxed Rnd into being so considerate."


    "It must be dirty tricks."


    Although Master Rockwell was unhappy with Rnd''s action of pouring wine for Isabel, his lips also curled when he listened to


    the discussion.


    Not long after that, he looked at Decker and rice.


    Decker smiled at him.


    rice said in a timely manner, "Don''t worry, Dad.


    Everything is going ording to n."


    The paparazzi secretly took pictures as soon as Rnd led Isabel into the hotel.


    The discussions online had most likely started to rise.


    The people who originally stood close to Isabel and Rnd all moved away, possibly because they did not like Isabel and how


    Rnd spoiled her. They deliberately left and stood near Master Rockwell and Decker.


    Although Isabel did not care, she took note of their actions. She looked at Rnd.


    Rnd handed her another ss of juice, and his expression became serious. "You''ve already drunk five sses. Don''t drink


    anymore."


    Isabel took the juice with a smile.


    Just then, two old gray-haired men approached.


    Isabel remembered them. They were the old Rockwell Corporation shareholders who had followed Rnd homest night and


    earnestly advised him to break up with her. They both wore heavy expressions and looked at Isabel with great dissatisfaction.


    One of them was very angry and pointed at Rnd. "You cane, but why did you bring her along? Are you sick of staying in


    Rockwell Corporation? Do you want someone else to take over your spot?"N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    The other man also could not hide his disappointment and said with a sigh, "Rnd, it took you a lot of effort to take back


    Rockwell Corporation. | didn''t expect you to give that up for her. Rockwell Corporation was what your grandmother and father left


    behind for you! You''ve really disappointed me!"


    The two finished speaking, red at Isabel again, and left angrily.


    Rnd only frowned and said to Isabel, "Isabel, don''t listen to them."


    Isabel pursed her lips and looked at him. "| don''t mind, but are you okay?"


    She could tell that those two shareholders really were looking out for him.


    Rnd smiled faintly. "I''m fine. They''lle around when | finish handling these things."


    Isabel hummed and looked at the time on her watch.


    Ding!


    Coincidentally, her phone rang at that moment.


    Even more coincidentally, Rnd''s phone rang as well.


    Rnd and she exchanged a nce.


    "It''s Amanda calling me," she said.


    Rnd said, "Mine is from Marcus."


    There was no one around, so Isabel took out her phone and moved a few steps to the side.


    Rnd answered his call, but his eyes always remained on her.

 Chapter 2191

    Chapter 2191


    Isabel stared back at Rnd before answering the phone.


    She immediately heard Amanda''s frantic voice, "Isabel, are you at a dinner party with Rnd right now?¡±


    Isabel cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Yeah, why?"


    "There are people sneaking pictures of you two together! You should get out of there as quickly as you can. They are posting


    pictures of you and Rnd online right now. Those ridiculous discussions that you managed to squashst week are back up on


    the trending charts again!"


    Isabel scowled.


    So, this was why rice texted her and hinted at her to bring Rnd here. This was the plot she had weaved the entire time.N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She answered with a brisk smile, "Don¡¯t worry about a thing, Amanda. Something spicy ising upter tonight, so make sure


    you stay tuned."


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that?"


    "You''ll find out soon enough.¡±


    Without bothering to borate, Isabel hung up.


    While Rnd was still in the middle of his phone call, he looked at Isabel with a look wrought with concern.


    Isabel could briefly make out his dialogue on the phone. It seemed like he was contacting Marcus to deal with the situation


    online. She did not interrupt him and shed a smile at him so that he would not worry.


    Shortly after that, Rnd wrapped up his call. He walked up to Isabel and took her hand. "Come, let¡¯s go home."


    "| haven''t seen enough yet. Let¡¯s stick around a bit longer."


    Rnd frowned, his voice suddenly dropping a pitch. "Isabel. If


    He wanted to take her home right now. He did not want them to be photographed by the paparazzi and for her to be continually


    harassed online.


    Isabel swept a look around the venue.


    She figured that most of the attendees must have caught up with thetest development online. A lot of them were scrolling on


    their phones and not so subtly casting nces at her the entire time.


    She tugged at Rnd and said in a soft, pleading voice, "At least, let me have another ss of wine before we go."


    Rnd gave in. "Okay."


    He handed her a ss of wine. "We''re leaving after you finish this.¡±


    "Sure." Isabel picked up the ss and took a gentle sip, then she reached for her phone and opened her social feed.


    Rnd immediately tensed up. He looked like he was going to take her phone away.


    Isabel turned around to shield her phone from him. It did not take long before she saw her name on the trending charts. Most of


    what people were saying about her was the same as thest time.


    However, there was certainly something new as she read a certainment.


    "| heard that Rockwell Corporation''s stock prices are very unstable right now. | can¡¯t believe Master Rnd hasn''t dumped her


    yet even when things are looking this bad. Is this what you would call puppy love?¡±


    Many people chimed in.


    "She''s a seductress."


    ¡°How vile. She''s the one who put them in this position and she¡¯s stilltching onto him."


    "The Rockwell young master sure is something alright. | can''t believe he would choose her over his family''s business empire."


    Thesements were rtively tame.


    Some people were more aggressive and bombarded her with private messages orments in her older posts. They said


    vicious things about her without pulling any punches.


    They used her of being a shameless woman. How dare she even have the audacity to have Rnd bring her to such a


    venue?!


    They said that she was cunning as they came and joked that she must have received professional training from a scammers¡¯


    organization.


    Even her nemesis Isabe piled in on her as if she was worried that Isabel would forget about her amidst all that was happening,


    "Isabel, say bye-bye to those leading roles and endorsements you were banking on. They''re all mine now. Good luck...¡±


    Although Isabel was already mentally prepared, reading everything people said about her still made her feel a certain way. She


    clenched the wine ss tightly and finished its contents in one swig.


    Immediately afterward, Rnd took her wrist and beckoned softly. "Alright, let''s go home."


    In one brisk motion, he snatched away the phone in her hand while she was not paying attention.


    She did a double-take.


    Before she managed toe up with an excuse to buy some more time, the rtives of the Rockwells who were just suckering


    up to Master Rockwell moments ago began approaching her.


    They wore sly looks in their eyes. In a single nce, she could tell that they did not have good intentions.

 Chapter 2192

    Chapter 2192


    One of them, who seemed like a rather mannered man nearing his forties, expressed in a scornful voice, "Rnd, have you seen


    what people are saying about her? They''re starting to make fun of you as well because you''ve been getting involved with her.


    What are you even thinking? Why are you getting associated with a woman with no self- respect who messes around in the


    entertainment circle?"


    Immediately afterward, his other rtives began to chatter as well, "Look what happened to Rockwell Corporation''s stock prices


    now. Is this what you want? Are you going to ruin our family business for a woman like her?"


    One of them red at Isabel with an offended look as if she was the carrier of a deadly disease. His eyes were stark with


    contempt and disgust. "How dare some wench like you try to slither into our family?! Don''t even think about ever bing


    Madam Rockwell! I''ll have you know that even if Rnd stubbornly insists on being with you, none of us will ever acknowledge


    your status!"


    "Scram, get out of here, you disgraceful woman!"


    The only thing stopping them from flinging their drinks right at Isabel''s face was that they had to watch their manners as


    members of high society.


    Rnd clenched Isabel''s hand tightly.


    Isabel could feel his hands trembling. He was like a volcano quaking with fury, threatening to erupt at any moment.


    She put her arms around his arm to try to still his anger.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Rnd put his arms protectively around her. He swept a scornful look over the group heckling and insulting Isabel.


    Behind all of them was Master Rockwell who was observing themotion with a wry, satisfied smirk.


    rice held Decker''s arm and spectated the scene as well. She smiled coyly at Isabel and was ecstatically waiting to see her


    getting kicked out of the venue.


    Decker looked on without much semnce of emotion. He seemed to be waiting for Rnd to escte the situation while also


    closely observing Isabel.


    Isabel was closely protected by Rnd whose expression seemed murderous. Just as he was about to tell off these people and


    chased them out of there, one of the venue staff posted by the entrance approached them frantically.


    He went straight for Master Rockwell and Decker and cried out loud enough for everyone to hear, "Master Rockwell, President


    Decker... the chairman of Carter Corporation is here!"


    Master Rockwell seemed appalled.


    Both Decker and rice were equally shocked.


    The group who were heckling at Isabel and Rnd were immediately quietened by this news. They turned around to look at the


    staff who had delivered this news.


    Rnd turned to cast a look at Isabel.


    Isabel calmly put her arms around his waist and smiled assuringly at him. "This time, I''ll be the one to protect you."


    Something stirred in Rnd¡¯s eyes when she said this. He seemed too stunned to react appropriately and then chose to respond


    with a faint smile.


    Meanwhile, Master Rockwell had just processed the information. He asked for further rification, "Who did you say was here?"


    The staff repeated the same thing, "It''s Carter Odell, the chairman of Carter Corporation. He came with his famous painter wife


    known as Mrs. Sunflower. Even his eldest son, the owner of Carter Tech City, is here as well.¡±


    Master Rockwell rose to his feet without even needing the aid of his walking stick. He would have stumbled over if not for


    someone who quickly went up to him to support him.


    After he anchored his feet, he turned to Decker in disbelief. ¡± Decker, you met himst time when you were in Westchester, didn''t


    you?"


    "I''ve met the chairman once, but..."


    ¡®But we are hardly acquainted¡¯ was what he wanted to say. At least, they were not close enough to a point where Odell would


    bother attending the Rockwells'' dinner.


    Before he could finish his sentence, Master Rockwell interrupted him, "No matter, we have to attend to them immediately. We


    mustn''t offend them."


    The Carters were the reigning monarch in Westchester for more than a century. Their wealth was several multitudes above the


    Rockwells whose history barely spanned half a century.


    Moreover, Madam Carter was an internationally renowned painter who wield just as much influence in the family. Even their


    eldest son, the prodigy Liam Carter, who was the founder of Carter Tech City, one of the wonders of the world, was here.


    It was a great honor for the Rockwells to be able to receive the Carters!


    Master Rockwell quickly walked outside with Decker.


    rice followed behind them, still in shock and awe. She mused that this was a golden opportunity for her to get acquainted with


    the prestigious Carters as well.

 Chapter 2193

    Chapter 2193


    Everyone seemed to havepletely forgotten about tormenting Isabel and Rnd as they crowded toward the entrance as


    well.


    Isabel calmly took Rnd''s hand and unhurriedly paced toward the entrance.


    With that, a sizeable crowd formed by the entrance.


    Isabel immediately recognized her parents as well as her eldest brother stepping into the bright hall. They were escorted by the


    group of Master Rockwell, Decker, and many others.


    Odell was dressed in a ck suit. Even at his age, he still stood a head taller than most people and exuded a fine, elegant air


    about him.


    Sylvia walked next to him, dressed in a beautiful dress with a shawl thrown around her. She adorned herself only in simple, non-


    shy jewelry, but even so, it did little to conceal the dignified air that set her apart from any other woman present at the scene.


    Liam was dressed in a suit as well. He was lean, tall, and even intimidating due to the stoic expression he wore on his face


    constantly. Several men who were thinking about going up to greet him were dissuaded when they met his piercing eyes and


    promptly backed away.


    Master Rockwell was all smiles. He walked next to Odell


    with Decker carefully supporting him and began musing, " What a surprise and honor to have Master Carter and Madam Carter


    visit us. Even the young master is here!"


    Decker and rice put on their best smiles as well, making sure to make their guest feel weed and even exalted.


    Odell stated icily, "Don''t get the wrong idea. We are here to see our daughter."


    Master Rockwell was taken aback by this.


    Everyone else was just as surprised and puzzled.


    To see his daughter? Here?


    An awkward silence took over for a few seconds before Decker tried to reel the situation in. "Master Carter, is your daughter here


    with us by any chance?"


    Odell ignored him as he cast a look around the venue and his attention promptlynded on Isabel who was still standing with


    Rnd.


    With Master Rockwell, Decker, rice, and all the other friends and families of the Rockwells watching, Odell called out after


    her, "Isabel, we¡¯re here to see you. What are you waiting for?"


    Isabel smiled jovially and promptly trotted over to Odell and Sylvia''s side right in front of Master Rockwell, Decker, rice, and


    all the others who were staring at them wide- eyed, their jaws dropping to the floor.


    ¡°Hey, Mom, Dad, Bro, what took you guys so long?" Sheined, "They''ve been pushing their luck, saying all


    those mean things about me."


    Odell''s eyes gleamed with ice instantly. "Who?¡±


    Master Rockwell silently retreated a step back.


    Decker and rice stiffened.


    Everyone else backed away almost by instinct.


    Isabel was not going to let any of them off the hook. She gestured at each and every single one of them to say, "All of them."Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Everybody zipped their mouths tightly, afraid to even utter a whisper.


    Rnd soon approached and expressed apologetically," Uncle, I''m sorry, | should''ve done a better job protecting Isabel."


    Odell grunted and barely responded to him.


    Sylvia consoled Rnd with a warm smile, "Rnd, it''s not your fault. We know that it was Isabel who asked you to bring her


    with you."


    "So what? He''s still the reason that they''re dragging Isabel''s name through the mud!" Odell expressed vehemently when he


    recalled the incessant insults spewed online about Isabel.


    Then again, would Isabel have ended up in this state if not for Master Rockwell and Decker sabotaging Isabel to get at Rnd?


    Rnd lowered his head and did not attempt to shy away from the me at all. "I am truly sorry."


    "It''s fine. Besides, this isn''t the time for that,¡± Sylvia said as she tugged at Odell.


    Isabel stayed next to Rnd the entire time and stood up for him, "Dad, I''m telling you, it''s not Rnd''s fault."


    Odell nced at Rnd, then he directed his attention to the others who looked like their souls had been sucked out of their


    shells.

 Chapter 2194

    Chapter 2194


    Master Rockwell turned as pale as a sheet of paper while he shifted his attention back on forth between the expressions of


    Odell, Sylvia, and Isabel. His lips seemed to quiver like he had something to say, but no words were produced from him.


    rice had turned so white that it looked like she was going to faint. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.


    How could this be? Isabel Ross, the third-rate actor who should never deserve a ce in the spotlight was the daughter of the


    chairman of the Carters of Westchester?!


    Decker was stiff and quaking all over, his face colored entirely with shock and disbelief. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever


    thought that the same woman he had once pped and abandoned when he decided to get with the Houstons to climb up the


    socialdder was the daughter of the Carters.


    Everybody else was extremely silent. The venue turned into a graveyard in the dead of the night in an instant. Even the two older


    shareholders, who were supportive of Rnd and previously tried to advise him to break up with Isabel, were speechless.


    It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.


    Eventually, Odell directed hisser-sharp attention to Decker.


    Decker felt a shiver run through him. It took him a lifetime to muster the effort to crack an ugly smile and to exin quite pitifully,


    ¡°Master Carter, this is all a misunderstanding."


    ¡°Misunderstanding?" Odell scoffed, "Do | look like an idiot to you? You don''t think | know about what you''ve done to my precious


    daughter?"


    Before Isabel kicked off her career in the entertainment industry, he had made a promise to her that he was not going to interfere


    with her affairs.


    Despite that, he had been keeping track of every piece of news that had anything to do with her. He knew the most minute


    details such as which crew members and actors she hung out with and what they ate. Going by that vein, it was no surprise that


    he was caught up on all thetest controversies involving his dear daughter!


    He was also perfectly aware of the names of every one of Isabel''s rivals in the industry. He knew who tried to plot against her,


    who waspeting against her, and especially who had tried to cklist her!


    He would have stepped in a long time ago if not for Isabel being sopetent and managing to handle everything by herself up


    till this point. This time was the nail in the coffin. How dare they make up these pathetic usations against her?!N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    He would not stand forthem ndering his beloved daughter and calling her a glorified prostitute. Even if Isabel decided to let it


    slide, he would no longer have it!


    He was going to make sure that everyone who was in on this got what they deserved. They would all have to pay for what they


    have done!


    The air in the venue was sucked out in an instant, and even the temperature seemed to drop.


    Nobody dared to speak at all.


    Odell did not have the patience for Decker''s pathetic excuses. With a sharp scowl, he dered ominously, "Every single one of


    you will get what¡¯sing for you."


    With that, he red at Master Rockwell and rice, then he took Isabel and strode outside.


    Sylvia walked out with them.


    Liam, who had not spoken the entire time, turned to Rnd to inform him, "We came at a moment''s notice and haven¡¯t had time


    to book a hotel.¡±


    Rnd suggested, "There are enough guest rooms in my ce, so you can alle over if you don''t mind."


    "Alright."


    Liam walked outside.


    Rnd was about to join them when Master Rockwell called out after him.


    ¡°Rnd, | admit that | was in the wrong. Despite everything that happened, you can''t deny that I''m still your grandfather. We''re


    family, aren''t we? Won''t you put in a good word for us in front of the Carters?" he spoke with a sweet and


    vulnerable affectation in his voice.


    Rnd stopped and turned to the old man whose face was covered in wrinkles. He hissed without any warmth in his eyes, "Was


    that what you were thinking when you were drawing up your dirty schemes to defame Isabel? Did it ur to you that we were


    family then, dear Grandfather?"


    Master Rockwell seemed to shrink into himself. He could note up with any excuses after that.


    Rnd did not bother to continue the conversation and stomped outside.


    Shortly after that, he joined the Carters and they all walked out of the venue, disappearing from the Rockwells¡¯ sight.


    It was then that Master Rockwell slumped over backward as if all the strength had been sapped out of his legs.


    Everyone was distraught by what happened.


    An SUV was driving toward the seaside mansion.


    Isabel sat in the back seat with Odell and Sylvia while Liam and Rnd sat in the middle row.

 Chapter 2195

    Chapter 2195


    Astiff silence hung over them.


    Then, Isabel poked Odell''s arm. "Dad, don''t be angry.¡±


    Odell made a face and ignored her.


    Isabel poked at Sylvia this time.


    While Sylvia took a deep breath, she could rte to how Odell was feeling. Even now, she was rather upset about the things she


    read online, and what people were saying about her dear daughter.


    "Isabel, your father and | have talked about this and decided that we are fine with you continuing your career as an actress, but


    only on the condition that you cannot keep hiding the fact that you are our daughter. If you are not okay with that, you''ll have to


    come home and take over the family businesses instead." Sylvia''s tone was stout.


    Isabel was slightly troubled to hear this.


    Still, she understood that they were deeply bothered by what people were saying online about her.


    After a while, she answered, "Alright, | understand."


    They sat in silence together for a while again until Liam, who was in the middle row, turned around and informed them," Mom,


    Dad, | just got a text from thewyer. He says that he just put up the official letter online."


    Atst, Odell''s frown softened even if just a little.


    Sylvia shared a sigh of relief. ¡®This should all be over tonight. If


    Isabel was puzzled by this. "Whatwyer''s letter are you talking about?"


    Sylvia smiled and bopped her nose yfully. "Check it out yourself.¡±


    Isabel promptly reached for her phone and went to check her social feed.


    The number one item on the trending bar read: "The Carters¡¯ official letter", followed closely by: "Isabel Ross is a Carter."


    She clicked on the first post which redirected her to Carter Corporation''s official blog. The post was a picture of a letter drawn up


    by awyer. The entire format and phrasing were very formal, but it was specifically stated that it was written to represent her.


    Thewyer they put to the task was a very renownedwyer from the bestw firm in the country. Right from the very first


    sentence, it was rified that he wasmissioned by the chairman of Odell Carter, the chairman of Carter Corporation to issue


    an official statement on behalf of his daughter, Isabel.


    It also explicitly stated that all the media outlets that had been actively involved in defaming Isabel would havewsuitsing


    their way very soon. Altogether, there were more than 30 of them with all of their IDs listed, all of


    varying reputations. Some of them were even quite significant media outlets.


    Within a few minutes, the post was flooded with thousands ofments.


    Some of thements went as follows.


    "I! Is this Carter Corporation¡¯s official page? Are you serious? Isabel has been the daughter of the Carters this entire time?"


    "Yes, this is the official page of Carter Corporation. There''s no mistake about it!"


    ¡°What is this plot twist? | thought she was just a wanna-be celebrity who tried to ruin the Rockwells? What is this that people are


    saying about her being a Carter? Her name is Isabel Ross, not Isabel Carter!"


    "Well, Chairman Carter''s wife, who is a famous painter that goes by the title Mrs. Sunflower, is named Sylvia Ross. | believe


    Isabel took her mother''s family name instead."


    "So, Isabel was the real deal the entire time and even the daughter of billionaires to boot? Are all those rumors about her being


    trained in a scammers¡¯ organization fake all along?¡±


    ¡°Even the chairman of Carter Corporation hase down to our mortal realm to deal with this matter himself. Those outlets


    responsible for making up these false rumors are doomed for sure. Phew, good thing I¡¯m not stupid enough to get swindled by


    them. I''d advise everyone to not take every rumor at face value from now on."


    ¡®Then, what was all that between Isabel and the Rockwells?"¡±


    ¡®The Rockwells are nothingpared to the Carters. | don''t know what the actual conflict between them is, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s


    nothing like what these media outlets described."N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡®That''s right. | doubt Isabel has even cared about the measly Rockwells this entire time. She wouldn''t be the one to start it, for


    sure.¡±


    There were simply far too manyments for Isabel to sift through.


    Still, she made out that the consensus was that her innocence was cleared.


    All it took was an official letter posted by Carter Corporation''s official page for her to be exonerated. As d as she was, she was


    also slightly at a loss.


    She hooked her arms with her parents¡¯ and thanked them, ¡¯ Mom, Dad, thank you so much."


    Sylvia smiled and gently patted her head. ¡¯You''re wee." Odell graced her with a very rare smile as well.

 Chapter 2196

    Chapter 2196


    Isabel turned to Liam, making sure to not neglect him." Thank you too, Liam."


    Liam turned around to give her a faint smile before turning back to face the front.


    Without warning, Odell suddenly addressed Rnd, "Rnd, what''s your n after this?¡±


    Rnd was silent for a moment, then he said with a resolute look, "Uncle, | will make sure to do right by Isabel."


    Odell cocked an eyebrow and remarked, "Alright, I''ll be patiently waiting."


    Rnd nodded. "Sure."


    With that, he cast a look at Isabel with a faint smile.


    Isabel smiled back at him.


    Shortly after that, the car parked outside the seaside mansion.


    Martha must have received a heads-up from Rnd and knew that Isabel''s parents and brother were on the way. As soon as the


    group got out of the car, they saw Martha striding toward them with a warm, weing smile. She even put on a cute dress for


    the asion.


    Rnd introduced his mother to Isabel''s family, ¡®This is my mother."


    Then, he walked up to Martha and gestured, "Hey, Mom, they are Isabel''s parents, and that''s her brother.¡±


    Odell and Sylvia smiled politely at Martha.


    Liam greeted her as well, "Good to see you, Aunt Martha."


    "Hello, good to see you all!" Martha walked up to Sylvia and greeted her as if she had known her for a long time, "Please,e


    inside! | heard from Rnd that you all came here in a hurry. You must be tired. I''ve made something for you to eat,e!"


    Sylvia smiled politely. "I¡¯m sorry to trouble you."


    Martha was just as courteous. "Oh, it''s no trouble at all! You''ve been very gracious toe to pay my son and myself a visit. |


    can''t describe how happy that makes me!¡¯


    They walked in amidst chatter andughter.


    Rnd turned to Odell and Liam with a gesture. "Uncle, Liam, this way please."


    Odell and Liam went into the house.


    Atst, Rnd went to Isabel. They walked hand in hand at the tail of the group.


    Under the gentle moonlight cast from above, she could recognize a warm and serene glow in his eyes as he said sincerely,


    "Isabel, thank you."


    He was thankful for her sending his family to help him.


    Isabel smiled from ear to ear. "Don''t need to thank me. You¡¯re my man, and it''s what you deserve."


    Rnd smiled and pinched her blossoming cheeks.


    Upon entering the living room, Isabel took a few mouthfuls of snacks made by Martha before sitting down. Then, she received a


    call from Amanda.


    She figured it must have something to do with the viral post circting on the inte. With that, she took the phone with her and


    went to the stairway.


    She sat on the stairs and peeked at her parents and Liam who were busy chatting with Rnd and Martha in the living room, the


    sight bringing a smile to her lips. Then, she answered the call.


    "Isabel, there''s something | wanted to ask... About Carter Corporation''s official letter, is all of it tue?" Amanda asked cautiously.


    Her tone was significantly more gentle than usual, and she seemed hyper-conscious of every word emitted out of her lips.


    "Uh-huh" Isabel answered casually before supplying, "It''s true."


    "That means you are... you are the daughter of the Carters, the richest family in Westchester?"


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.

 Chapter 2197

    Chapter 2197


    ¡®That''s what people in my parents¡¯ circle and other outsiders refer to me as," Isabel said with a candid smile. "But as far as I''m


    concerned, you''re still my agent and you don''t have to treat me any differently, so don¡¯t worry about these titles."


    Unbeknownst to her, Amanda¡¯s hand was quaking with excitement. She was this close to dropping the phone.


    How could she possibly not be concerned?


    The actress she had been working for as an agent for thest five years turned out to be the rumored daughter of the wealthiest


    family in Westchester!


    As much as equality in society was valued, one could not deny that there were clear distinctions between social sses. She


    had run through the gauntlet in the entertainment industry and built a solid reputation for herself, meeting countless wealthy


    people in the course of her career. Despite all that, it was nigh impossible for her toe into contact with someone of Isabel''s


    social ss! She came from such a background that even the wealthiest businessman had to bend over backward in her


    presence.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Amanda took a deep breath to calm herself. "| cannot believe you''ve kept it a secret for so long."


    Isabel exined, "I just wanted to be a normal actress, so | didn''t want anyone to know about my background.¡±


    If not for the circumstances, she still would not have disclosed her true identity.


    Amanda sighed exasperatedly again before expressing jovially, "Well, anyway, there are no more false ims and rumors about


    you online anymore. All those media outlets have issued formal apologies for defaming you back then. Several of them have


    even personally contacted me to ask you for forgiveness."


    Isabel said bluntly, "| won''t forgive them."


    If circumstances were different and she did note from such an affluent background, there was not a chance that they would


    bend over backward and put on a sincere show of asking for forgiveness. If anything, they would double down and continue


    ndering her with everything they have, such was the ruthless nature of the entertainment business!


    Amanda agreed, "That''s exactly what | was thinking as well! Back then, they would not help us no matter how many times |


    asked. | even began begging at one point! Well, serves them right!"


    Isabel expressed sincerely, ¡®Thank you for your hard work, Amanda."


    "You don''t have to thank me. I''m just doing my job." Amanda said warmly, "Also, we''ve been getting a lot of endorsements from


    all sorts of differentpanies. One of them has an event tomorrow. Do you want to..."


    ¡®Turn them all down."


    "Huh?"


    ¡°Other than acting and some features on variety shows for publicity, I''m not interested in any other offers."


    All this time, her only passion was in acting. Now that her true identity had been exposed to the world, she no longer needed to


    worry about taking on various endorsements and contracts. Besides, she would much rather save them for her fellow actors who


    needed them for their ie.


    Amanda hesitated briefly before agreeing, "Alright, I''ll pass on the message.¡±


    "By the way, Amanda, I''m going to double yourmission going forward. You can just take it from the sry | get from the roles


    I star in and variety show features. Also, | have an unupied vi in Westchester nearby Cloudy Heart Lake, so I''m going to


    hand you the keys when | get back to Westchester. It''s yours now."


    She knew that Amanda had been dedicating the majority of her time over thest five years to managing her affairs. If she was


    going to stop entertaining any endorsements and contracts, that would mean Amanda would lose out on a sizeable chunk of


    ie. She had to do right by Amanda and make sure that she had a stable ie stream.


    Besides, she had more than enough money topensate for the losses.


    Amanda was taken aback by this offer. It took her a while to process this information, then she began to stammer, "No... no


    need, Isabel. | get that you¡¯re being kind, but..."


    "It¡¯s settled! Anyway, you must have a lot of work to do, so


    I''ll get out of your hair."


    With that, she hung up.


    Her phone was still being bombarded by countless messages.


    Most of them were people she knew in the industry, congratting her on the swift upturn of events. Many of them expressed


    surprise at her revealed identity, and their tones were all friendly and heartfelt.


    It was aplete 180 from the hostility she received when she was cklisted.


    Ramona, with whom she had not been in touch for some time, also sent a message to the group chat with her and Triss.


    "Oh my God, Isabel, you were the daughter of the Carters this entire time?"


    "| can¡¯t believe it. You''re a big shot!"


    ¡®To be honest, | just got caught up on thetest events and found out about everything that''s been happening to youtely. I''ve


    been so busy filming and our crew doesn''t allow us to use our phones, so I''ve been out of touch for so long. | can''t believe


    people were so terrible to you!"


    These messages were sent roughly half an hour ago, which more or less aligned with the timeline of when the official letter was


    just posted on Carter Corporation''s official page.


    Isabel briefly nced over the message before proceeding to quit the group chat without any hesitation. After that, she sent a


    private message to Triss. It was a sticker of a cartoon figure shing a smile.


    Ever since Decker and his group began targeting her, she had very limited support from the people around her. Save for Amanda


    and Ca who were stressing their minds over her wellbeing, Triss was the only other person who had publicly defended her and


    expressed solidarity. Even when she was subjected to countless ridicule and insults, she refused to take down her posts.

 Chapter 2198

    ?


    Triss was online as well. Mere seconds after she received Isabel''s text, she replied with a grouchy cartoon figure.


    Isabel chuckled and sent her a voice message, "Triss, thank you for speaking up for me back then.


    Triss replied, "I get that you only wanted to be an actress without the extra attention, but I''m still a little mad. If I knew that you came from such a powerful background this entire time, I wouldn''t have needed to try to defend you."


    Isabel chuckled to herself. She was just about to reply when she received another voice message from Triss.


    "Anyway, I''m d everything is fine now," she expressed in a heartfelt voice.


    They briefly chatted for a while longer, then Isabel went to scroll through her feed again.


    Half an hour ago, everyone was in an uproar over the exciting reveal of her true identity. Right now, everyone was severely criticizing the media outlets that had been defaming her the entire time.


    Furthermore, many other artistes such as Isabe, who had made themselves enemies of Isabel and taken advantage of the situation to belittle her, were facing severe bacsh. The collective anger was turned around on them this time.


    Theizens might be gullible, but even they hade to realize the truth of the situation. Since even the media outlets had issued formal apologies, it was evident that everything Isabe said previously was lies made up to sabotage Isabel.


    A lot of these celebrities, including Isabe, deactivated theirment sections.


    Additionally, they had gone and deleted their previous posts badmouthing Isabel.


    Isabel sniggered to herself, delighted in how things had turned out. Just as she was about to put away her phone, she received a message from Isabe.


    The ironic thing was that Isabe''s previous message sent two hours ago was still visible on the screen. Her message read, "Isabel, say bye-bye to those leading roles and endorsements you were banking on. They''re all mine now. Good luck..."


    Isabe had sent that message to gloat when pictures of Isabel and Rnd were posted on the Inte.


    This time, her tone waspletely different. "Hey, Miss Isabel, I just noticed thest message. It must have been my assistant sneaking around and sending that message without telling me. I''m sorry about that. I''ve already fired her, so please don''t be upset." Isabel could tell how frantic she must be just by the shifty way she had to address her as '' Miss Isabel''. She scoffed and did not even bother to reply.


    Her only response came in the form of a read receipt, which must have made Isabe more worrisome.


    Including all the bosses of the media outlets, Isabe had plenty ofpany.


    Furthermore, there were a few selected individuals that Isabel could think of that must be spiraling deeper into a panic.


    At Isabe''s residence in Westchester, when Carter Corporation issued the official letter and the news began trending, Isabe was so astounded that her feet gave away underneath her.


    Even now, her butt was still grounded to the floor while she reread the text she had just sent to Isabel.


    The read receipt lit up, which meant that Isabel must have read it already.


    Another twenty minutes had passed since, and there was still no response.


    Was Isabel simply ignoring her out of spite, or was she nning deadly revenge?


    The sheer idea of thetter being a possibility sent a shiver down her spine.


    She was the daughter of the Carters of Westchester, and to say that they were filthy rich would be underselling it. It was a stratum of society that she would never even hope to reach in her entire lifetime, a strata that was far above even the likes of rice who was already a symbol of social sess!


    If Isabel was truly nning on taking revenge on her, she could say goodbye to her acting career as no amount of miracle could save her.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, her phone was vibrating endlessly while she was swarmed by countless messages fromizens who were celebrating her downfall. They mocked her for being too arrogant, that the only reason she could afford to be so high and mighty all along was that Isabel let her win.


    "Now you''ve done it, good luck!"


    Her anxiety was rising with every passing minute.


    Just as she was about to call her agent for help, she received a call from her agent.


    She picked up on the first ring and immediately began pleading desperately, "I never knew that she was a Carter all this time. You have to do something. Help me!"

 Chapter 2199

    Chapter 2199


    Isabe''s manager dragged a long, extended sigh. Then, she proceeded to advise somberly, "No use praying for a miracle now.


    Just use this chance to take a long break."


    Puzzled by this, Isabe asked, "What do you mean? Don¡¯t | have amercial shoot lined up tomorrow?¡±


    "It''s been canceled. Not just tomorrow¡¯smercial shoot, but every single endorsement, variety show contract, and all of the


    pending scripts are gone. There¡¯s nothing left."


    Isabe''s face turned pale. "Was it Isabel?"


    ¡°Probably not. All of the showrunners and business managers approached me on their own initiatives. They probably know that


    there''s bad blood between you and Isabel, so they made the business decision of keeping their distance from you to avoid


    upsetting the Carters."


    Isabe''s eyes turned red with tears. She looked for something to say, but the only thing on her mind was the picture of the


    lawyer''s letter written on behalf of Isabel and posted on Carter Corporation''s official page.


    She slumped over backward andnded on her couch. Her arms immediately went limp, and her phone ttered against the


    floor with a loud smack.


    Her vision was turning into a blur. She immediately began to recall all of her confrontations with Isabel all these years.


    She had always thought that Isabel had nothing but dumb luck going for her. This was why every time she found herself in the


    center of a controversy thanks to her unruly attitude and her telling people off, people would crown her bold personality instead


    of turning against her. She knew that many people in the industry harbored resentment and jealousy toward Isabel as well.


    Everybody could not understand why Isabel, who looked to be just the same as the rest of them, could afford to be so pompous


    and fearless.


    It turned out it was because she was the daughter of the Carters. She had immeasurable power at her ess, and all she had to


    do was reach for it. Her family was so powerful that nobody in the collective entertainment circle or the business world dared to


    even mutter something foul about them under their breath.


    This exined her fearless attitude.


    If Isabel wanted to, she could have easily made short work of Isabe at the first show of aggression from more than a handful of


    years ago. It would have been easier than snapping a finger.


    Compared to rice who was nasty and haughty, it did appear that the youngdy of the Carters was more down-to- earth.


    Isabe knew that the situation waspletely beyond salvage now. She had done more than sour her rtionship with Isabel.


    Even if Isabel did not n to do anything to her, the damage was already done.


    As bitter as she felt, she knew there was nothing she could do about it.


    In a reputable private hospital in Southboro, after Master Rockwell left the hotel, he was immediately taken here.


    Nearly two hours passed before the old man finally woke up.


    His eyes were cloudy while he stared nkly at the bedside.


    Decker was the only figure inside the spacious ward. He was standing by the window, smoking a cigarette.


    ¡°Decker,¡± Master Rockwell called his name, his voiceing out in a dry retch.


    Decker stubbed out his cigarette and approached the bed. His expression was very sullen and grey, and he did not look that


    much better than the elderly Master Rockwell who was lying on the hospital bed.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    He did not seem particrly affected when he saw Master Rockwelling to. He spoke rather dispassionately," You''re awake.


    Do you feel better?"


    Master Rockwell struggled for breath. "Why is it only you here? Where are the others?¡±


    Decker''s eyes darkened. "They all mentioned that they have other thingse up and had to leave."


    Master Rockwell scoffed cynically, "Bunch of opportunists."


    Decker did not respond.


    In a way, he could sympathize with them. After all, it was the Carters of Westchester. Not even Master Rockwell dared to offend


    them, thus of course, the others would want to protect themselves first.


    Master Rockwell looked around again and asked sullenly," How about rice? Where is she?"


    Decker said nkly, "Her family came to get her."


    Even the Houstons were wary of being associated with the Rockwells at this point.

 Chapter 2200

    Chapter 2200


    Master Rockwell weakly beat his fist against the mattress and cried out sourly, "How could this be?! How could she have turned


    out to be the daughter of the Carters of all people?"


    It was all over, beyond over!


    As Decker lowered his gaze, a shadow was cast over his face.


    After a while, Master Rockwell grabbed him tightly and said with a fervent, burning look in his eyes. "Decker, listen to me. You


    two had a thing in the past, didn''t you? Go to her in private and give her a sincere apology. As long as you can get her to forgive


    you, her family will go easy on you as well!"


    Her father was at the helm of Carter Corporation, and her brother was the owner of Carter Tech City. Both of them were not to be


    messed with!


    If Decker could not get Isabel to forgive him, he was going to be ruined!


    Decker took a deep breath and said with a dejected look in his grey eyes, ¡°Dad, she''s never going to forgive me."


    He had betrayed her trust five years ago.


    Furthermore, he had tried to humiliate her by publicizing their past, resulting in her being ridiculed by the world.


    Besides, the person she loved now was Rnd. How could she be expected to forgive him, someone who was her exboyfriend


    and who had repeatedly hurt her time and time again?


    Upon seeing his dejected expression, Master Rockwell began to grow anxious andshed out, "How do you know that if you


    haven''t even bothered to try?¡±


    Decker continued to cast his eyes to the ground. His voice was weak but he spoke with a contrasting firm tone, "You don¡¯t know


    her like | do. | know that she¡¯s never going to forgive me in this lifetime."


    "You... ugh!"


    Inside Mr. Houston''s study, the atmosphere was rigid.


    They had taken rice home after the events that went down. She sat on the couch with an ashen look on her face, and she did


    not speak.


    Her father paced the room anxiously and kept repeating the same question, ¡®You haven''t got on the bad side of this Carter girl,


    have you?"


    rice frowned and confessed reluctantly, "I tried to get her cklisted a while ago."


    This was exactly what her father was afraid to hear. He asked sharply, "What was her reaction at that time?¡±


    ¡®There was not much reaction from her. It was only her agent who approached us at first to try to smooth things over, then there


    was radio silence after that.¡±


    Mr. Houston considered for a moment before specting, "| suppose she did not take the matter to heart. If she was going to


    take revenge for what happened, she would have asked her family for help and dealt with you immediately."


    rice remained silent.


    It was true. If Isabel wanted to take revenge on her, she would have already done so.


    Did she consider her unworthy to trouble herself with?


    After all, she was the daughter of the Carters, the wealthiest family in Westchester.


    Her father continued to pace anxiously around the room. At one point, he seemed to have made up his mind on something and


    solemnly announced, "We''re calling off your engagement with Decker. From now on, you will be moving back with us. Don''t ever


    see Decker again."


    rice protested, "Dad, I¡¯ve been with him for more than five years."


    "Don''t give me this ridiculous reasoning. Do you think | don¡¯t know that Decker has been messing around with other women?!"


    Her father bellowed, "He ditched the woman he loved in the past so that he couldtch onto our family''s wealth. He''s not a


    trustworthy man, and it''s about time he got what he deserved!"


    rice was anguished and covered her face so that her father would not see her tears.


    s, her father was still hesitant. After all, she was his only


    daughter, and it pained him to see her in this state. He calmed down briefly and tried to talk some sense into her," Think about


    this, my dear. If he knew back then that Isabel was a Carter, would he have ditched her to marry you?"


    rice shuddered at the thought and did not respond.


    Despite that, her father knew that she understood what he was trying to say. He gently tapped her shoulder and advised her


    again, "Don''t do this for me or our family. Do this for yourself. Think of your future. You have to leave him before he drags you


    down."N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°Anyway, the Carters are still in Southboro. | have to find some way to contact them and say something to appease them. You


    can take some time for yourself." With that, he exited the study to give her some privacy.


    rice sat unmoving. She covered her face with both palms, her entire body shivering.


    The rabid discussions online about Isabel being the daughter of the Carterssted for three days before finally showing some


    signs of stopping.


    In the beginning,izens expressed astonishment at Isabel Ross''s true identity. The initial outcry was ¡®Justice for Isabel '', then it


    slowly shifted to a collective curiosity of how this situation came to be at all as they began digging through her past.

 Chapter 2201

    Chapter 2201


    They wound back the clock and managed to dig up plenty of older videos, some of them from when she just emerged into the


    scene.


    There wereptions of her most iconic scenes as well as many lighthearted,edic moments.


    Just like that, she gained yet anotherrge batch of new fans.


    However, she had not been paying attention to these ongoings since she was mostly spending her time these three days with


    Sylvia and Odell in Coastrock.


    After three days had passed, the inte was more or less cleansed of any negative news about her, and the situation had


    largely been sorted out. It was only after Odell, Sylvia, and Liam had left Southboro when she was finally caught up to thetest


    developments online.


    Most of theizens who had been badmouthing her scrambled back to her and apologized to her in her private messages and


    herment sections.


    Isabel wore a wide grin on her face while skimming through the messages.


    "What are you looking at?" Rnd, who was sitting next to her, noticed that she had been smirking for a while now.


    This stirred his curiosity so he drew closer to steal a look for himself.


    Isabel motioned at the screen. ''Tm looking at thements, they''re all apologizing to me now."N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Rnd made a face. "Yeah."


    Isabel swiped a few more nces before putting away her phone. It was only then that he noticed that Rnd was staring at her.


    She asked curiously, "What''s wrong?"


    Rnd was silent for a moment. "I''m thinking that | should go to the hospital.¡±


    Isabel asked worriedly, "The hospital? Why, are you not feeling well?¡±


    Tm fine." Rnd gently patted her head and assured her, then he stated, "The old man is sick, he says he wants to see me


    before he passes."


    Before he passed?


    Was his condition so severe enough to be life threatening?


    Was he not in high spirits and jumping around back when they were still plotting against Rnd?


    She supposed that there was nothing wrong with Rnd going to see him in hisst moments. His title as his grandfather still


    meant a little at the end of the day.


    "Go ahead." Upon recalling theplicated history between the two, she felt like she had to point it out. "He¡¯s not nning


    something again, is he?¡±


    The old man had been so biased toward Decker that it was as if his supposed grandson Rnd was just an orphan he picked up


    on the roadside.


    Rnd assured her. "No, he won''t. Even if he did, it¡¯s more to protect his son than to hurt me at this point."


    Isabel nodded in agreement.


    That was true.


    The dozens of media outlets that had previously been bribed to defame her were now facingwsuit afterwsuit. These


    companies had been pleading desperately and proposing to pay her in settlement over the damage done to her reputation, but


    her parents and brother did not n to let them off the hook so easily.


    Decker was the mastermind behind it all so there was no way he was going to talk off scot-free.


    Master Rockwell must be panicking by now.


    Isabel and Rnd were just driving out of the airport after sending off her parents and Liam. She looked at the view outside, they


    would be entering the city districts after several more junctions.


    She offered. "We''re going to pass by the hospital anyway, let me go with you."


    "Sure."


    Roughly fifteen minutester, the car stopped outside a private hospital.


    The duo got out of the car together, apanied by Rnd''s bodyguards. They walked into the hospital and stepped into an


    elevator that took them to the ninth floor, the inpatient section.


    Master Rockwell was installed in one of the most deluxe wards.


    There was nobody else inside the ward apart from a nurse on shift. The old many in bed by himself.


    It had only been a handful of days since theyst met but it seemed like he had deteriorated significantly. He had grown


    shrunken and his cheeks had caved in so deeply that his cheekbones protruded through. He had grown unbelievably old.


    Isabel nced at Rnd.


    He looked just as indifferent as usual. It seemed like Master Rockwell was nothing but amon stranger to him.

 Chapter 2202

    Chapter 2202


    Chapter 2202


    Master Rockwell must have heard their shifting movements and opened his eyes.


    When he recognized the faces of Rnd and Isabel, there was a brief glow in his murky eyes. He motioned to the nurse to have


    her help him sit up from the bed.


    After he managed to position himself seated up against the head of the bed, he asked the nurse to leave.


    Then he cast a loving, tender smile on Rnd and Isabel." Rnd, Isabel, please have a seat."


    Rnd said disinterestedly, "We have things to get to, just hurry up and tell us what you have to say."


    Isabel stayed silent.


    Alook shed in Master Rockwell''s eyes. Then, he turned to Isabel and expressed regretfully, ¡°Isabel, I''m a foolish old man, it


    was me who told Decker to leak pictures of you two. He had no choice because | forced him to do so. If you have to me


    someone, me me!"


    Isabel frowned.


    She was somewhat impressed by how smoothly the old man switched his mask from one to another. From a forlorn and sad


    state to a show of regret and dejection, she reckoned he must have been an actor in another life.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She was briefly taken aback and pointed out. "If he was truly


    against it, he wouldn¡¯t have done it even if you tried to force him to."


    Master Rockwell stared nkly into space, then he exined unconvincingly, "You must''ve had the wrong impression of him. I''m


    his father. The boy has always listened to me since he was a child. | know he cares a lot for you, but he wouldn''t oppose me."


    "Do you remember my father?" Rnd interrupted him apathetically. "As far as | can remember, my father was loyal to you."


    Master Rockwell''s face turned pale for a moment, he avoided Rnd''s gaze and stated, "Your father was my eldest son, of


    course, | remember him. It''s a pity what happened to him-"


    "It¡¯s a pity that he had someone like you for a father. What a terrible car ident, wasn''t it?"


    Almost instantly, the temperature in the room shifted drastically. It was as if the seasons transitioned from fall to winter ina


    heartbeat.


    Isabel was surprised by Rnd¡¯s bluntness.


    Master Rockwell''s turned another degree paler, and he began to cough furiously.


    When his coughing fit was over, Rnd took a step forward and peered into the old man''s murky eyes, stained with guilt, a sharp


    contrast to the vivid and intense look in his eyes." Even the devil wouldn¡¯t do something like that. How did you find the heart to


    orchestrate such a convenient ident?


    How much did you hate him?"


    ¡°Ack... | didn¡¯t! What happened to your father was an ident. I''m his father, why would | ever kill him!¡± Master Rockwell sat up


    and exined frantically amid violent coughs.


    Isabel watched them, she was trembling uncontrobly.


    This exined why Rnd was never close to his grandfather. It was his grandfather who killed his father!


    Rnd, who had been ring at Master Rockwell must have sensed Isabel''s difort. He suddenly turned to her with a


    softened expression and gently told her, "Isabel, could you wait outside? I¡¯ll be with you in a bit."


    Isabel pursed her lips. "Okay."


    She turned and walked out.


    Astiff silence descended over the ward.


    Master Rockwell stared at Rnd who stood like a tower over him. It made him shrink into the bed like a reprimanded child.


    Rnd stood tall over him and continued regarding him with a vehement stare. He was staring into the eyes of who he thought


    to be a fool.


    Feeling out of control of the situation, Master Rockwell cried out, "! didn''t kill your father! It was the truck driver who lost control of


    his truck and killed him!"


    Rnd grimaced sharply, he did not speak.


    This only made Master Rockwell grow more frantic. He was terrified of what Rnd could do to him.


    Two streaks of tears ran down his face, a mixture of his apprehension and remorse. He broke down and confessed, ¡± | was only


    hoping that he¡¯d be crippled so he''d not interfere at thepany. How was | to know that the driver would end up killing him! He


    was my son! Even if | didn''t like him, | wouldn''t have gone so far as to murder him!"


    Rnd pulled a scowl, looking more disgusted than ever.


    "Doesn''t make a difference as you''re still to me." If he did not hatch some ns, nothing would have happened.

 Chapter 2203

    Chapter 2203


    "| never meant to kill him! Rnd, you have to believe me. Why would | still try to deceive you when I''m in this state?"


    "In that case, you can go ahead and exin things to him in the afterlife.¡±


    Master Rockwell was taken aback by this, his demeanor tightened. "You...you..."


    Rnd looked at him calmly. Don''t worry, | won''t hurt you. It was Grandma and my parents who raised me. They instilled morals


    and virtue into me and made sure I''d grow into a decent man."


    Master Rockwell was briefly relieved to hear this, but before he could rid himself of his trepidation, Rnd continued in a dark


    voice, "But | won¡¯t forget about you and Decker bribing all those media outlets to defame Isabel. | know you manipted the


    stock prices to try to kick me out of the corporation. I''ll make sure to settle our score through the legal system."


    If convicted guilty, they would have to rot in prison.


    ¡°Rnd... listen to me, Rnd. Decker is your uncle. If you want revenge, you cane at me, can you leave him out of this?"


    "Has that thought ever crossed your mind when you did what you did to my father?!"


    After his tremendous roar came utter silence. Master Rockwell was frightened and froze like a statue.


    Rnd threw onest re at him. "I''m never going to let both of you off the hook."


    After Isabel stepped out of the ward for a while, Decker showed up.


    He was dressed in a casual shirt and regr trousers. His attire was ruffled and had stains on them, apletely different


    presentation from his usual clean and dignified self. He must not have showered for days.


    Isabel was taken aback by the disheveled state he was in. She carefully inched toward the bodyguard that came with them.


    The bodyguard also assumed a defensive stance, carefully eyeing the approaching Decker the entire while.


    Decker stopped about two meters away from her. Upon seeing the cautioned look on Isabel''s face, he made a face and said,


    "Don''t worry, | won''t do anything to you."


    "You can''t even if you want to anyway.¡± Isabel mocked.


    He only chuckled. "You''re right."


    The entire time, he did not take his eyes off her.


    After a while, he suddenly asked, "Would you mind if | asked you a few questions?"


    There was an uncharacteristic look of sincerity on his face as his usual devilish charm with the cunning hidden underneath was


    nowhere to be seen.


    However, Isabel was in no mood to speak to him, so she shot him down crossly. "| don¡¯t want to talk to you, stay away from me."


    Decker fell silent for several seconds, then he presented his question nheless. "When you were with me six years ago, why


    didn''t you tell me your true identity? Did you not think that | was not trustworthy and was cautious of me trying to take advantage


    of your family''s wealth? Was that why you hid the truth from me?"Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel was not interested in answering his question, but she was also slightly bothered by how he was hinting at her being a


    maniptive person then.


    She expressed with disgust, "Stop trying to apply your logic on me, I''m not as cunning and material driven as you are."


    Decker made a look. "Then why didn''t you tell me?"


    "| had a minor ident and hit my head, it caused me to lose my memory."


    Back then, she came to Southboro for a short trip. She had only arrived in the city for a while when a thief stole her wallet and


    ran off. While she was trying to chase the thief down, she fell and hit her head at an odd angle, which gave her temporary


    amnesia. She only faintly remembered her name butpletely forgot everything else about herself.


    Decker frowned and seemed skeptical. "You lost your memory?"


    "Believe whatever you want."


    "| believe you, | believe everything you say." He assured her with a smile.


    It did sound usible. After all, she was a very timid and gentle person back then when she knew her, aplete contrast to her


    brazen and bold attitude these days.


    Besides, he faintly remember her saying something about a head injury, only he was too busy plotting his takeover of Rockwell


    Corporation to care about what she had to say.

 Chapter 2204

    Chapter 2204


    Chapter 2204


    ¡°How did you and Rnd meet?" Decker suddenly asked.


    Isabel turned away, fully intent on ignoring him.


    "Did you meet each other at Carter Corporation? Or did you meet him outside of work and gradually fell in love with him, then


    you decided to set him up with a position at Carter Corporation?"


    What did he mean by that? Was he insinuating that Rnd was relying on her to snake his way into Carter Corporation?


    She threw a sideways, belittling look at him. "Do you think Rnd is anything like you? He wouldn''ttch on another woman to


    further his goals."


    Decker was not upset by this as he continued with a smug smile. "Oh? Then how did he get into Carter Corporation?"


    "He proved his worth." Isabel realized that she had been roped in by Decker again. Nevertheless, she continued, "He passed the


    interviews himself. | was one of the interviewers and initially nned to dismiss him, but he managed to leave a very good


    impression on my father and the rest was history."


    "Then how did you get together? Was he the one pursuing a rtionship with you or was it the other way around?"


    Isabel chuckled. ''Til have to thank you for that."


    Decker was taken aback. "For what?"


    She prompted. "Rememberst year¡¯s Legend of Goddess'' party?"


    Decker frowned. "That night?"


    Isabel smiled cunningly. "That''s right, | pretty much threw myself at him that night and he''s been obsessed with me since."


    This would not have happened if not for Decker spiking her drink with whatever he put in at the time.


    Decker made a face as he observed Isabel''s haughty expression in silence. After a while, heughed mockingly. " He only ended


    up with you because he knew about you being a Carter, didn¡¯t he?"


    Isabel would have gone up to him and punched him in the face. She decided against it because she wanted to be through with


    this man.


    "Decker, do you think my family background is the only thing to note about me?" She sneered. "Or do you think I''m so stupid that


    | can¡¯t make out the kind of person Rnd is?"


    Decker remarked, "You''re beautiful and the most intelligent woman | know."


    Now only that, but she was also feisty, charming, and adorable at times.


    "| know that," she said with a scoff before stating grossly, " But don''t you even think aboutplimenting me to get my guard


    down. I''ll never forget about all those terrible things you did to me.¡±


    As she said this, the look in her eyes sharpened. "Get ready to go to jail!¡±


    His list of crimes would take an entire day to note down. There was his bribing of countless media outlets, a tant act of


    defamation, and there were also the numerous things he must have done at Carter Corporation that broke regtions. With all


    this evidence stacked against him, Rnd would most certainly put him in jail.


    The smile on Decker''s lips vanished in an instant. He looked at her with lingering affection.


    After a while, he spoke up, "I''ve wronged you, that''s on me. Still, I''m very happy to have been with you at one point. It''s the


    greatest thing that¡¯s ever happened to me."


    Isabel felt goosebumps run through her body.


    Ugh, what a disgusting man.


    "Soon, I''ll be a broken man with everything taken away from me. Before that, could you give me a hug, considering that we at


    least still have a bit of affection for each other from the past?¡± he asked without shame.


    His voice was gentle and soft.


    If Isabel was a child who had never gained any worldly experience, she might have been seduced.


    However, she was no longer a child.


    She shot a look at him. "If you take a step closer, I''ll have Brandon beat you until you¡¯re crippled.¡±


    Brandon was the bodyguard.


    Decker made a look. He boldly took a step forward as if he had not heard Isabel''s threat.


    Isabel frowned. "Decker, do you think | wouldn''t do it?¡±


    Decker eyed her, then he took another step.


    Thump!Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Without waiting for Isabel to order, Brandon swung a fist that connected with Decker right in the face.


    His tall figure copsed to the floor in one fell swoop.


    Isabel flinched when she saw that.


    Brandon stood over Decker and readied himself. If Decker was going to continue approaching Isabel, he would deliver a swift


    kick to his chest.


    Deckery on the ground for more than ten seconds. After he took a deep breath, he pushed himself up from the ground.


    He rubbed the swollen part of his face and turned to Isabel again.


    Isabel red at him menacingly. "What are you looking at? Walkaway or else!"


    "Heh." He chuckled.

 Chapter 2205

    Chapter 2205


    Decker looked nothing like his usual self. The pompous, arrogant man who held himself far above others and who expected


    everyone around him to kiss up to him because he was superior to them all.


    It was as if he had been plunged not only to Earth but a pile of swamp. He hadpletely lost his usual grace.


    Isabel said crossly, "Decker, have you gone mental? Is everything going on too much for you?"


    "Yeah, could you help me?" he said with a coy smile, "Just one hug should be enough to take care of it all."


    Isabel rolled her eyes.


    Without warning, he suddenly braced himself and lunged right at Isabel, stepping past Brandon who was caught off guard by this


    sudden attack.


    Isabel barely had time to react.


    Just when it seemed like his hand was about to graze Isabel, a long pair of arms seized Isabel from behind and jerked her


    backward.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    It was swiftly followed by a long, muscr leg shooting outward right next to Isabel.


    Thump!


    Decker was kicked to the ground.


    Isabel was still processing what was happening. She was dazed as she turned around to look behind her.


    Rnd held her firmly and protectively. He was ring viciously at Decker who was lying on the ground.


    The sharp look in his eyes promptly softened when he saw Isabel looking at him.


    ¡°Are you all right?" he asked tenderly.


    Isabel shrugged it off. "I''m fine, are you done speaking to your grandfather already?


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Meanwhile, Decker sat up on the ground.


    Isabel looked at him warily.


    Rnd held her tightly in his arms, his eyes shielded with ice.


    Decker clutched one side of his abdomen. It seemed like it was quite a devastating blow evident by the grimace he wore on his


    face.


    He made a face as he red at Rnd. "You sure went all out."


    Rnd hissed. "I can do it again if you want to. Do you want to try me?"


    Decker sniggered sinisterly. "You''ll end up in jail too if you kill me."


    It sounded like he was trying to rile Rnd up into making a grave mistake.


    Isabel could feel Rnd''s seething anger, what the man would give to kick Decker to death.


    She hurriedly took Rnd''s arm and tried to defuse the situation. "He¡¯s crazy, just ignore him."


    Rnd pursed his lips, the aggression in his eyes dissipated slightly.


    He turned to address Decker. "Instead of making things worse for yourself here, why don¡¯t you go inside and be with your


    father?"


    Decker seemed rmed by this. "What''s wrong with Dad?"


    "| wouldn''t know, he''s out of his mind.¡±


    With that, he walked out leading Isabel by her arms without bothering to further acknowledge Decker.


    Their bodyguard Brandon followed closely behind them.


    Decker frowned. He was still feeling a throbbing pain in his abdomen while he pulled himself on his feet.


    He staggered into the ward and saw Master Rockwell prone over the bed. He was endlessly whimpering, sometimes even


    howling with tears streaming down his face. "1 didn''t mean to kill him, | didn''t want to kill him, he¡¯s my son, | didn¡¯t mean to kill


    him...


    Decker immediately went to the bed and helped him upright. "Dad, what¡¯s wrong with you?"


    He had to shake Master Rockwell a few times before he finally stopped crying and came to.


    He fixed a look on Decker for a while before stating," Decker, you''re the only son | have left. | swear I''ll hand over Rockwell


    Corporation to you, I''ll let you inherit everything | have.¡±


    This was the same thing he had said to Decker many years ago before he had even entered Rockwell Corporation.


    Decker frowned and anxiously consoled him, "Stop rambling, just lie down and get some rest, I''ll call the doctor over."


    Master Rockwell waspletely inconsble as he went on. "I don''t care what that Rnd boy is capable of pulling off, | won''t


    give him a single cent! If he wants to me someone, me that woman who raised him, that woman who has been imposing


    herself on me all my life and refuses to ept you as one of our family. Hmph! I''ll never let Rnd inherit the Rockwell empire!


    I''ll help you. Together we''ll kick him out and make sure there¡¯s no chance of him evering back from-"


    Pfft!


    After having been so riled up, he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood! With that, he closed his eyes and slumped back into


    the bed.


    Decker was horrified. "Dad!"

 Chapter 2206

    Chapter 2206


    Chapter 2206


    Isabel held onto Rnd''s hand firmly during the entire drive home after leaving the hospital.


    It was because Rnd''s hands were cold and rigid.


    Isabel sat with him and tirelessly rubbed his hand to keep them warm. After one hand was warm, she would shift her attention to


    the other.


    By the time she managed to warm the other hand, the original hand would turn cold again.


    She decided it was easier to take both of his hands and caress them with the warmth of her palms.


    Rnd looked at her with a gentle glow deep within his eyes.


    ¡®Thank you, Isabel,¡± he said softly.


    Thank you for loving him, and for sticking by his side all this time despite circumstances.


    Isabel smiled. Tm just warming your hands, it''s no big deal. Still, you¡¯re wee."


    Rnd smiled faintly and left it at that.


    Soon, his hands began to warm up off of the heat of Isabel¡¯s palms.


    When Isabel felt that his hands were no longer freezing, she prepared to pull her hand away. That was when he suddenly seized


    her hand.


    "Isabel, do you think I''m just naturally unlikeable like my father?" he asked suddenly.


    Isabel frowned, her temper ring slightly. ¡¯ What do you mean by that? Can''t you sense my feelings for you?"


    Rnd frantically exined, "No, that¡¯s not what | meant."


    Isabel could not figure out what was on his mind.


    She took a deep breath and said, "You¡¯re so handsome, and you''re also apetent and loyal man. | don''t think there are too


    many men in the world who canpare to you.¡±


    Rnd¡¯s eyes seemed to sparkle when he heard this.


    He fixed a look on Isabel as if expecting her to continue to list his positive traits.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Isabel gently cupped him by his defined jaw. "And | know that it''s not just me. Your mother and everyone in my family is very fond


    of you and as you know, my family has extremely high standards. If you ask me, the only people who don''t like you are the ones


    who are jealous of you or have poor taste in people.¡±


    Rnd felt giddy and shed that faint yet beautiful smile of his.


    "Besides, your mother is just as wonderful. Even after her husband has passed for so long, she never bothered to find some


    other men, which goes to show how much she''s in love with your father. | think that says something about your father¡¯s fine


    character as well."


    He was only unlucky to have someone as ruthless and cruel as Master Rockwell for a father, i


    Isabel gently pinched at both of his cheeks and tugged at them teasingly, then she spoke in a faintly serious tone, "So, don''t you


    ever go having ideas like that. I''ll get mad for real next time, got it?"


    Rnd smiled. "Got it."


    Isabel made a face and kissed him gently on the lips. " Good.¡±


    Rnd threw his arms around her waist just as she was about to pull away. He held her tightly and kissed her deeply.


    Upon returning to their home, Rnd immediately carried Isabel into the bedroom.


    They spent quite the night together. The next morning, Rnd went off to work.


    His schedule suddenly became rather hectic.


    He would wake up at the crack of dawn and would return home from work aste as eleven at night. There were even two nights


    when he slept over at his office.


    Martha was beginning to grow concerned and Isabel was beginning to feel the same. Then again, she considered how much he


    had to deal with and decided it was better to not bother him at his workce.


    It was better to let him be and let him finish whatever he


    had to deal with.


    Aweek passed in the blink of an eye.


    Around afternoon, when Isabel was watching a movie with Martha, she received an expected call from Rnd.


    She promptly answered the call.


    Rnd''s voice on the phone was unexpectedly shriveled, he said soberly, "Isabel, he''s dead."


    Isabel was taken by surprise. "Master Rockwell?"


    "Yeah."


    Isabel thought for a while and asked, '' Are you busy now? Can | see you?"


    Rnd answered, "I''m not busy right now but you don''t need toe over. I''ll go home right now. Do you need me to get


    anything for you to eat on the way home?¡±


    Isabel nced at Martha who was still focused on the movie and proposed, "Hey, | want to eat barbecue. Let''s get some seafood


    barbecue to eat with some beer on the side at home tonight, how does that sound?"


    Rnd was delighted. "Sure."

 Chapter 2207

    Chapter 2207


    They ended the call shortly after that.


    Isabel nced at Martha and was hesitating if she should break the news right away.


    Martha seemed to have sensed her staring and suddenly turned to her with a sh of concern. "Isabel, what''s wrong?"


    Isabel took a deep breath and broke the news. "Auntie, Master Rockwell just passed away."


    Martha''s eyes widened. After a lengthy silence thatsted more than ten seconds, she started to break out in tears.


    She covered her face with her hands and expressed amid bouts of tears mixed withughter, "Wonderful! About time! | hope he


    enjoys life in the underworld. God knows that someone like him will never deserve a spot in heaven!"


    Isabel did not know whether she should celebrate with Martha or console her.


    Soon, Martha began to collect herself.


    She briefly wiped away her tears and joyfully took Isabel''s hand. "Isabel, let''s go shopping! I¡¯m in such a good mood today, I¡¯m


    going to go on a shopping spree!"


    ¡°Okay. But Rnd will be home and | told him that we¡¯re eating barbecue and having some beer to drink tonight. How about we


    go shopping together after dinner?"


    ¡°Alright, whatever you say, let¡¯s go shopping after dinner!"


    Soon, Rnd returned home.


    Unfortunately, there would be no shopping done tonight. This was because they all had far too much to drink during their


    barbecue session, especially Martha who drank so much that she could barely support herself on her two feet after.


    While they were helping her back to her room, she was endlessly mumbling Rnd''s father¡¯s name.


    Isabel sat on the edge of the bed with Rnd and watched over her.


    They did not leave her room until she finished a ss of hot tea and eventually dozed off into a peaceful sleep.


    Then, the two walked down the corridor and returned to Isabel''s room.


    Rnd followed her into the room and looked at her with longing eyes. "Isabel, can | sleep in your room tonight?"


    Isabel would not have the heart to refuse him, especially since the two had barely spent time together for a week.


    She scratched at his chin with the tips of her finger and smiled flirtatiously. "| suppose you can, since we haven''t been together


    for a week."


    Rnd smiled smugly before pushing her onto the bed.


    In the middle of the night, after they had time to catch their breath.


    Isabely in Rnd''s arms with her eyes shut, she was about to pass out from exhaustion.


    Rnd gently tapped her forehead.


    "What?" she asked grouchily.


    Rnd tapped her forehead again and said softly, "Isabel, there¡¯s something | want to tell you."


    "What is it?¡±


    "Come with me to thepany tomorrow, there¡¯s an agreement | need you to sign."


    Isabel was so tired that she hardly had the energy left to process what was said, she asked sleepily, "What kind of agreement?"Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "You''ll see tomorrow."


    "Okay." She grunted and promptly fell asleep.


    Rnd smiled and kissed her forehead.


    The next morning, Rnd woke up Isabel who was still groggy from sleep.


    Still filled with sleep, she ate breakfast begrudgingly and was taken to Rockwell Corporation.


    It was only when she stepped into the conference room and saw the host of shareholders as well as Decker himself seated on


    one edge of the table when she jolted to her senses and found herself fully awakened.


    What was going on?


    She looked at Rnd suspiciously.


    Rnd smiled faintly and gestured. "Have a seat."


    He led her by the hand and sat down directly across from Decker.


    Decker was wearing a graymon t-shirt. Hisplexion was poor, and strands of greasy hair draped across his forehead.


    Still, he looked slightly more vitalized than when Isabel saw him at the hospital a week ago, albeit slightly frailer.

 Chapter 2208

    Chapter 2208


    Chapter 2208


    Decker was smiling quite earnestly at Isabel.


    Isabel threw a deeply suspicious look at him, then she nced at the stack of documentsid out on top of the table in front of


    her.


    ¡®Transferal of Shares."Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She was dumbfounded.


    "I¡¯ve gone through the contract, it''s safe to sign so go ahead." Rnd picked up a pen and handed it to her.


    "Rnd, I..."


    "Sign it first, I''ll exin when we get home.¡±


    Isabel frowned and tried to protest. "I-"


    "Don¡¯t make me have to beg."


    Isabel did not know how to respond.


    Fine.


    She briefly scanned through the contract.


    The contract stated Decker¡¯s agreement to transfer the remaining forty percent of his shares in Rockwell Corporation to her.


    Rnd must have talked to the shareholders of Rockwell Corporation about this as well. They all regarded Isabel with polite


    smiles.


    Isabel had flipped through the final page of the document. She signed her name on one of the marked-out sections.


    She proceeded to sign all three copies of the contract.


    The assistant promptly handed the contract to Decker.


    Decker kept his eyes downcast on the table the entire time and swiftly provided his signature on all the marked-out sections.


    After he was finished, he put down his pen and looked at Isabel with a smile.


    His smile was gentle and sincere. There even seemed to be a hint of relief from the way he carried himself.


    Isabel nced at him, then looked away.


    ¡°Rnd, could | have a few words with Isabel alone?" he suddenly asked Rnd.


    Rnd''s answer came in the form of a decisive no.


    Decker made a look and turned to Isabel again, his eyes oozing with sentimentality and tenderness. "Isabel, could | have a word


    with you please?"


    Isabel grunted.


    She turned to Rnd.


    Rnd looked back at her with a subtle frown and a disapproving look in his eyes.


    Alright then.


    Isabel crossed her arms across her chest and turned to Decker. "Just say whatever you want to say here."


    Decker chuckled dryly. "It''s nothing much, | just wanted to wish you a good life from here on."


    ¡°Alright, | understand."


    Decker¡¯s expression dropped. He seemed like he did not have much else to say and only stared at her nkly.


    It did not look like he was looking at Isabel, but at a past version of her from years ago.


    With that, Isabel turned to Rnd again. "Is this all?¡±


    "Yeah, let''s go."


    "Sure."


    Isabel took his hand and walked out of the conference room with him.


    The assistant followed after them with the signed copies of the contract.


    The other shareholders exited as well.


    Decker was the only one left in the conference room.


    A gust of wind swept in from the open window, sending his hair fluttering in its gentle breeze. Despite that, the gentle gust was


    unable to bring any relief to his sullen state.


    Memories from the distant past came rushing at him. They were now visions of ecstasy from a different life.

 Chapter 2209

    Chapter 2209


    He remembered his first meeting with Isabel. She was sitting all by herself on the floor, in the middle of nowhere. Her vulnerable


    expression only made her more endearing. So, he managed to get her to go to his ce and installed her in his home.


    He fell for her and paid careful attention to all her needs. It did not take long before Isabel caught feelings for him as well. The


    two of them got together in no time.


    Their days were in and ordinary, but also very fulfilling, that was until he met rice.


    With the help of his father, his power struggle with Rnd had reached a tipping point. It was at that opportune moment when


    rice¡¯s father saw something in Rnd and nned to wed his daughter rice to him to join up their families, which was a


    cause for rm for Decker. He stressed over it for an entire night before approaching rice himself the very next day.


    rice quickly caught feelings for him as well. Furthermore, Rnd had been foolish enough to reject the Houston''s proposal,


    which made it easy for Decker to swoop in and take her hand.


    The only hup in his ns was Isabel''s sudden intrusion during the day of the engagement ceremony. When she caused a


    scene and got herself thrown out, Decker had to admit that it made his heart ache, but he still toughed


    through it and resisted the urge to help her then. It was only after the ceremony hade to a close and all the guests had


    dispersed that he found the time to head home.


    He wanted to impose his authority on her so she would not rebel against him again in the future. Without sparing the time to


    rify the situation, he struck her across the face to establish his position of power. He thought this would make her more


    cautious going forward.


    His ns ended up backfiring on him. The next time he went home, she was already gone.


    There was no trace of her in all of Southboro...


    He initially assumed that Isabel was justshing out and would return eventually. To his surprise, Isabel hadpletely


    abandoned herst trace of affection for him that very fateful night.


    Naturally, he had never expected that she had been the daughter of the richest family in the region back then. If he knew, he


    never would have chosen rice over her.


    Ultimately, it was his greed and foolishness that caused everything to happen. He supposed this was karmaing back at him.


    Still, it was no big deal. Before he was brought into Rockwell Corporation, he was just a b*stard child who had nothing to his


    name, so it was back to square one.


    In a way, he considered this a new beginning to life as he knew it.


    With a deep and solemn sigh, he stood up and walked out of the conference room.


    "Is he not going to jail?"


    Inside Rnd''s office, Isabel was sharing an intimate hug with Rnd. She asked while still in the middle of their tight embrace.


    Rnd remarked, "I figured there''s no point putting him in jail since he''s going to be out in three years at most. We might as well


    get something substantial for it."Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabel agreed when she thought about it. "That''s true.¡±


    Now that Decker had no more shares in Rockwell Corporation, he no longer had any foothold and was essentially done.


    ¡°Also, he promised me that we''d never see him in Southboro or Westchester again.¡±


    Isabel was taken aback by this.


    Rnd looked at her with a warm, proud smile underneath his eyes.


    Isabel chuckled and yfully pinched his cheeks. "I didn¡¯t expect this from you."


    He sure was cautious and calcting.


    There was no cause for him to be concerned, however.


    Isabel had not been in contact with Decker in the five years since their break up. Besides, even if she were to fall for another


    man, it would not be her ex.


    Rnd grinned and let her pinch his cheeks all she wanted. Then, he put his arms around her and kissed her for what seemed


    like forever.


    Still holding her tightly in his arms, he propped his chin on her shoulder and said in a low voice, "Isabel, | want to marry you.¡±


    Isabel perked up and asked smilingly, "Are you proposing to me?"


    "No."


    Isabel was speechless.


    She yfully shoved him away.


    Rnd held on to her so she could not manage to shove him away.


    He exined thoughtfully, "| wouldn''t propose like this. I''m just telling you that | n to marry you."


    Isabel felt something stir in her chest, she grinned happily.


    Meanwhile, a time-piece drama that Isabel had been signed on a while ago finally began its first shoot.


    There were a couple of shooting locations, some of which included a faraway mountainous region boasting wonderful and


    otherworldly views. They also went to the ins as well as a desert.


    Isabel was aware that Rnd now had a lot of things on his te at Rockwell Corporation so she did not trouble Rnd with


    sending her off to work.


    They spent two days practically glued to each other. After that, she took her luggage and went to the filming outposts with the


    film crew.


    Everyone in the crew, including the director known for having a strict personality was abnormally polite to her. It must have


    something to do with them knowing about her true identity now. Despite that, Isabel was someone who prided herself on being


    self-aware, so she would notice when her performance was off or if she was unable to bring out the essence of the characters


    she was ying. Without needing anyone to ask, she would propose reshooting the scenes that she felt wereckluster.

 Chapter 2210

    Chapter 2210


    She was her usual self in every aspect. She put her heart into her job and never started trouble so long as nobody tried to start


    trouble with her.


    The crew cycled through their locations during their shoot. The constant travel made her skin break out slightly, but there were no


    other concerns otherwise. The shoot progressed very smoothly and within three months, they managed to wrap up everything at


    the mountainous region previously mentioned.


    It was nearly evening when they wrapped up the shoot.


    Holding a bouquet in hand, she took a group picture with the crew and celebrated with everyone. After that, she nned to hitch


    a ride with another crew member and leave for home.


    To their demise, some men in uniform who imed to be the road maintenance technicians showed up to break the bad news to


    them. They mentioned that they had to repair some of the roads urgently and so the way home was temporarily obstructed.


    The director took his phone and called the city hotline for verification.


    After a brief conversation on the phone with the relevant department, he turned to everyone and announced, "They''re telling me


    there''s a minor obstacle blocking the road but it''s


    not a big problem. It should be taken care of within half an hour. Why doesn''t everyone get some rest for now?"


    As he said this, he threw a nce at Isabel.


    Isabel did not notice this as she was already leading Ca away to sit down somewhere.


    She was getting a little peckish and took a piece of bread from Ca''s bag.


    It was getting dark by this point. She had barely nibbled off a bite from the bread when a shadow cast over the entire mountain


    region. Soon, even gusts of chilly wind began sweeping down on them. It was rather eerie.


    Several actresses huddled together to shield themselves from the cold.


    It was ominously quiet.


    While Isabel was starting to feel a little bit of nerve set in, the foot of the mountain was suddenly showered with blinding lights.


    The sudden brightness stung her eyes.


    When she managed to open her eyes again, she heard awed cries everywhere around her.


    She was just as amused by what she was seeing.


    Every tree in the vicinity had tiny bulbs of lights wrapped around them and were all flickering with beautiful amber lights. Even the


    patches of grass had bulbs scattered everywhere.


    It was not so bright as to the point of giving the impression of a miniature sun, but it was certainly still very bright.


    It was beautiful!


    More importantly, what caused everyone to screech was not the beautiful disy, nor was it the music of the piano that began to


    reverberate across the area.


    Isabel followed the direction where she heard the strum of the piano and saw a clearing covered with fresh flower petals.


    There was a pearl white piano installed in the center of the open ins. A young man dressed in a white shirt was seated in front


    of the piano, his fingers rhythmically and adeptly dancing across the ck and white keys.


    "Wow! He''s so handsome!" one of the actresses cried out.


    Isabel had to do a double take at the sight of the handsome piano yer.


    It was none other than Rnd!


    Even the wind in the forest seemed to be at his beck and call. Gusts of wind poured at him following the highs and lows of the


    music, sending the hems of his shirt and flower petals scattering everywhere.


    At one point, he looked up for the piano and instantly directed his gaze at Isabel who stood in the center of the crowd.


    He smiled charmingly.


    His smile had a magical effect of dimming out all the colors in the world until he was the only one that remained.


    Isabel grinned when she saw him.


    At one point, everyone around her had silently backed away.


    It was only she and Rnd left in the vicinity.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After Rnd finished ying his proposal piece, he picked up a bouquet of red roses and a box of diamond rings that he had set


    on top of the piano. With that, he strode suavely toward Isabel.


    "Isabel, marry me." He got down on one knee and proposed. He presented the wonderful bouquet of roses, his eyes shed with


    earnestness.


    He was a pure-hearted man.


    Meanwhile, the entire film crew and Ca began to chant," Marry him! Marry him..."


    They barely managed to get into a rhythm when Isabel took the bouquet and gave Rnd her hand.


    Rnd promptly opened the box with the diamond ring inside and gently fitted it onto Isabel''s fingers.


    "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss...¡± everyone began chanting again.


    Rnd rose on his feet. His ears blossomed with red as he pulled Isabel into her as he cupped her face and locked lips with her.


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